Ink feed systems and method for feeding printing ink to an inking unit of an intaglio printing unit, as well as intaglio printing unit and method for operating an ink feed system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11897252-B2
Application number	US-202118028061-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 16, 2021
Priority date	Feb 18, 2021
Publication date	Feb 13, 2024
Grant date	Feb 13, 2024

Abstract

In some examples, an ink feed system for providing and feeding printing ink to an inking unit of an intaglio printing unit includes an inking device in the inking unit for inking a first inking unit cylinder. A provision device includes a storage receptacle with an ink reservoir of printing ink that is fed via an outlet and a line to the inking device. Furthermore, a wall of the storage receptacle encompassing the outlet can be heated and/or a metering device may be provided in the line path to support and/or effectuate delivery of the printing ink from the storage receptacle. On an output side, the metering device may provide a mass flow or volume flow that correlates with a working speed of the metering device via a defined relationship, and the metering device may be connected to a control device to control the working speed of the metering device.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An ink feed system for providing and feeding printing ink ( 21 ) to an inking unit ( 07 ) of an intaglio printing unit ( 06 ), the inking unit ( 07 ) comprising an inking device ( 16 ), which is provided in the inking unit ( 07 ), and comprising a provision device ( 26 ), by which printing ink ( 21 ) can be fed to the inking device ( 16 ) via at least one line ( 34 ); the provision device ( 26 ) comprising a storage receptacle ( 38 ) in which an ink reservoir ( 25 ) of printing ink ( 21 ) can be kept available and which has an outlet ( 46 ), through which the printing ink ( 21 ) can be transferred from the storage receptacle ( 38 ) into a line path leading to the inking device ( 16 ); the provision device ( 26 ) further comprising at least one delivery device ( 37 ), which supports and/or effectuates delivery of the printing ink ( 21 ) from the storage receptacle ( 38 ), characterized in that a metering device ( 27 ) is provided in the line path, the metering device ( 27 ) arranged downstream from the at least one delivery device ( 37 ) and the outlet ( 46 ), the metering device ( 27 ) driven by a drive motor ( 28 ) and, on an output side, can provide a mass flow or volume flow that correlates with a working speed of the metering device ( 27 ) via a defined relationship, that the drive motor ( 28 ) that drives the metering device ( 27 ) is in a signal connection with a control device ( 36 ) comprising control means that controls, by open-loop or closed-loop control, the working speed of the metering device ( 27 ) via the drive motor 28 , that the control device and/or the control means controlling by open-loop or closed-loop control the working speed of the metering device ( 27 ) are connected, in terms of signaling, to a source supplying information about a current machine speed, and that a functional or tabular relationship between a target value (n S ) of a control variable (n), determining the working speed of the metering device ( 27 ), and a variable representing a machine speed (ω) is stored by the control means, and which, when used by the control means, allows the target value (n S ) to be varied, as a function of a variable that can be supplied or is supplied to the control means on an input side and that represents the machine speed (ω),
the ink feed system further comprising a sensor system having a signal connection to the control means, and including at least one sensor ( 15 ), which is arranged in an ink supply of the inking unit ( 07 ), so as to provide signals representing information about a fill level (L), and that the sensor system and the control means are configured to maintain the fill level (L) in an ink supply chamber comprised by the inking device ( 16 ) in a permitted range between an upper and a lower limit, or threshold value (L 1 ; L max ; L 2 ; L 0 ), or at a desired target fill level (L S ), by varying the working speed of the metering device ( 27 ) via the drive motor 28 , and using signals provided by the sensor system.

2. The ink feed system according to claim 1 , characterized in that a wall ( 39 ; 47 ), encompassing the outlet ( 46 ), of a part structure delimiting a space for the ink reservoir ( 25 ) in the storage receptacle ( 38 ) comprises a heating device ( 48 ), by which the wall ( 39 ; 47 ) on at least a side facing the ink reservoir ( 25 ) can be heated and/or temperature-controlled.

3. The ink feed system according to claim 2 , characterized in that a sensor ( 49 ) for ascertaining a temperature present at a relevant measuring location is provided in or on the wall ( 39 ; 47 ) encompassing the outlet ( 46 ).

4. The ink feed system according to claim 1 , characterized in that the metering device ( 27 ) comprises a volumetrically and/or rotatably operating delivery mechanism ( 29 ), which is driven by the drive motor ( 28 ), and/or the metering device ( 27 ) is configured as an eccentric pump ( 29 ).

5. The ink feed system according to claim 1 , characterized in that the delivery device ( 27 ; 37 ), which supports and/or effectuates the delivery of the printing ink ( 21 ) from the storage receptacle ( 38 ), is configured to apply a force, which is definable and/or effectuates or at least supports the delivery of the ink, to the printing ink ( 21 ) present in the ink reservoir ( 25 ) via a drive means ( 41 ).

6. The ink feed system according to claim 1 , characterized in that the delivery device ( 27 ; 37 ), which supports and/or effectuates the delivery of the printing ink ( 21 ) from the storage receptacle ( 38 ), comprises a displacement member ( 39 ), to which a force can be applied via one or more drive means ( 41 ) and by which, during application of the force, a higher pressure compared to an ambient pressure can be applied to the printing ink ( 21 ) accommodated in the storage receptacle ( 38 ).

7. The ink feed system according to claim 6 , characterized in that the displacement member ( 39 ) is configured as a ram ( 39 ) that is lowered into an interior of the storage receptacle ( 38 ), the ram ( 39 ) acting on the ink reservoir ( 25 ) and a portion of the storage receptacle ( 38 ) additionally delimiting a reserve volume being movable relative to one another for varying the reserve volume and/or that the displacement member ( 39 ) can be acted upon by the force that acts on the printing ink ( 21 ) indirectly by one or more pressure medium-actuated actuators ( 41 ), or directly by the application of pressure to a space located in the storage receptacle ( 38 ) on its side facing away from the ink reservoir ( 25 ).

8. An intaglio printing unit ( 06 ), comprising a forme cylinder ( 11 ) and an inking unit ( 07 ), which comprises an inking device ( 16 ) containing an ink supply chamber, by which a first inking unit cylinder ( 17 ) can be inked, on an outer cylindrical surface ( 23 ) of the first inking unit cylinder ( 17 ), with printing ink ( 21 ) provided in the ink supply chamber, characterized by an ink feed system according to claim 1 comprising a provision device ( 26 ) assigned or allocated to the intaglio printing unit ( 06 ).

9. The printing unit according to claim 8 , characterized in that the first inking unit cylinder ( 17 ) on the outer cylindrical surface ( 23 ) includes recesses ( 13 ) that correspond to individual recesses ( 14 ) around a circumference of the forme cylinder ( 11 ).

Assignees

• Koenig & Bauer Ag

Inventors

• Chassot Daniel
• Stierman Robert

Classifications

• B41F9/063 Primary

  Using inking rollers · CPC title

• B41F31/002

  Heating or cooling of ink or ink rollers · CPC title

• B41F31/027

  Ink rail devices for inking ink rollers · CPC title

• B41F31/06

  Troughs or like reservoirs with immersed or partly immersed, rollers or cylinders · CPC title

• B41F9/021 Primary

  Sheet printing presses · CPC title