Printing machine with an inkjet printing head, a radiation drier and at least one light trap

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11548296-B2
Application number	US-201916512989-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 16, 2019
Priority date	Jul 31, 2018
Publication date	Jan 10, 2023
Grant date	Jan 10, 2023

Abstract

A printing machine includes an inkjet printing head having separately controllable nozzles for applying ink to a transported printing material, a radiation drier having radiation sources for generating electromagnetic radiation to at least partly dry and/or cure the applied ink on the transported printing material and at least one light trap disposed between the inkjet printing head and the radiation drier in such a way that the light trap forms a barrier for reflected and/or scattered radiation, thus protecting the inkjet printing head from radiation. The light trap includes at least one channel connected to an aspiration device for aspirating contaminated ambient air through the channel and reducing or preventing contamination of the radiation drier.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A printing machine, comprising:
an inkjet printing head including separately controllable nozzles for applying ink to a transported printing material;
a radiation drier including radiation sources for generating electromagnetic radiation to at least partly carry out at least one of drying or curing of the applied ink on the transported printing material;
an aspiration device;
at least one light trap disposed between said inkjet printing head and said radiation drier, said at least one light trap forming a barrier for at least one of reflected or scattered light radiation to protect said inkjet printing head from light radiation, said at least one light trap having at least one channel connected to said aspiration device for aspirating contaminated ambient air through said at least one channel; and
a frame disposed on said radiation drier, said at least one light trap being disposed on said frame.

2. The printing machine according to claim 1 , wherein said at least one channel is a through-hole.

3. The printing machine according to claim 1 , wherein:
said at least one channel is a first channel;
said at least one light trap includes a second channel; and
said second channel is disposed between said first channel and said aspiration device for guiding the aspirated ambient air from said first channel into said second channel and from said second channel to said aspiration device.

4. The printing machine according to claim 1 , wherein:
said at least one channel is a first channel;
said frame includes a second channel or said at least one light trap and said frame form a second channel; and
said second channel is disposed between said first channel and said aspiration device for guiding the aspirated ambient air from said first channel to said second channel and from said second channel to said aspiration device.

5. The printing machine according to claim 1 , wherein:
said frame includes a coupling of said aspiration device;
said coupling includes a first coupling element and a second coupling element; and
said first coupling element being configured to be coupled to said second coupling element by a lowering motion of said radiation drier and said first coupling element being configured to be uncoupled from said second coupling element by a lifting motion of said radiation drier.

6. The printing machine according to claim 1 , wherein said at least one light trap is configured to be disassembled from said radiation drier together with said frame.

7. The printing machine according to claim 1 , which further comprises a plate being transparent to the radiation and being disposed on said frame.

8. The printing machine according to claim 7 , wherein:
said at least one light trap is a first light trap disposed upstream of said plate in a transport direction of the printing material; and
a second light trap is disposed downstream of said plate.

9. The printing machine according to claim 8 , which further comprises one additional aspiration channel disposed upstream of said first light trap in the printing material transport direction, and another additional aspiration channel disposed downstream of said second light trap in the printing material transport direction.

10. A printing machine, comprising:
an inkjet printing head including separately controllable nozzles for applying ink to a transported printing material;
a radiation drier including radiation sources for generating electromagnetic radiation to at least partly carry out at least one of drying or curing of the applied ink on the transported printing material, said radiation drier being an intermediate LED drier generating UV radiation for pinning UV-curable ink;
an aspiration device; and
at least one light trap disposed between said inkjet printing head and said radiation drier, said at least one light trap forming a barrier for at least one of reflected or scattered light radiation to protect said inkjet printing head from light radiation, said at least one light trap having at least one channel connected to said aspiration device for aspirating contaminated ambient air through said at least one channel.

Assignees

• Heidelberger Druckmasch Ag

Inventors

• Greive Martin
• Maschler Ernst-Christian
• Kohlmann Michael
• Wolf Markus
• Korkut Punckt Sibel

Classifications

• B41M7/0081

  using electromagnetic radiation or waves, e.g. ultraviolet radiation, electron beams · CPC title

• B41J11/0022

  using convection means, e.g. by using a fan for blowing or sucking air · CPC title

• B41J11/002

  Curing or drying the ink on the copy materials, e.g. by heating or irradiating · CPC title

• B41M7/009

  using thermal means, e.g. infrared radiation, heat · CPC title

• B41J11/00214 Primary

  using UV radiation · CPC title