Die-cutting unit comprising a device for changing a die-cutting cylinder and method for changing a die-cutting cylinder

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12291018-B2
Application number	US-202218690491-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 30, 2022
Priority date	Dec 1, 2021
Publication date	May 6, 2025
Grant date	May 6, 2025

Abstract

Examples include a die-cutting unit that includes a device for changing a die-cutting cylinder. The die-cutting unit includes at least one die-cutting cylinder and at least one anvil cylinder. The die-cutting cylinder is arranged in a die-cutting position for die-cutting, and the at least one die-cutting cylinder is exchangeable for at least one other die-cutting cylinder by means of the device for changing the die-cutting cylinder. A shortest straight connecting line between the axis of rotation of the die-cutting cylinder in the die-cutting position and the axis of rotation of the die-cutting cylinder in the move-out position is inclined less than 30 degrees with respect to a horizontal plane. Further, a shortest straight connecting line between the axis of rotation of the die-cutting cylinder in the move-out position and a maintenance position is inclined less than 30 degrees with respect to a vertical direction.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A die-cutting unit ( 900 ) comprising a device for changing ( 950 ), the die-cutting unit ( 900 ) further comprising:
a first die-cutting cylinder ( 901 ) and an anvil cylinder ( 902 );
the device for changing ( 950 ) comprising a second die-cutting cylinder ( 903 ) able to replace the first die-cutting cylinder ( 901 ), each of the first and second die-cutting cylinders having a respective axis of rotation ( 976 );
the first and second die-cutting cylinders ( 901 ; 903 ) each being moveable between a die-cutting position ( 981 ), a change-out position ( 982 ), a move-out position ( 985 ), which is spaced apart from the die-cutting position ( 981 ), and a maintenance position ( 987 ) for set-up and/or maintenance, wherein the maintenance position ( 987 ) is disposed below the move-out position ( 985 ) and the change-out position ( 982 ) in a vertical direction (V);
the anvil cylinder ( 902 ) being arrangeable in a working position ( 983 ) and a backed-away position ( 984 ), and the anvil cylinder ( 902 ), in the backed-away position ( 984 ), being arranged in the vertical direction (V) beneath the die-cutting position ( 981 ),
characterized in that a first shortest straight connecting line ( 977 ) between the respective axis of rotation ( 976 ) of one of the first or second die-cutting cylinders ( 901 ; 903 ) when in the die-cutting position ( 981 ) and the respective axis of rotation ( 976 ) of one of the first or second die-cutting cylinders ( 901 ; 903 ) when in the move-out position ( 985 ) is inclined less than 30 degrees with respect to a horizontal plane ( 988 ), and in that a second shortest straight connecting line ( 980 ) between the respective axis of rotation ( 976 ) of one of the first or second die-cutting cylinders ( 901 ; 903 ) when in the move-out position ( 985 ) and the respective axis of rotation ( 976 ) of one of the first or second die-cutting cylinders ( 901 ; 903 ) when in the maintenance position ( 987 ) is inclined less than 30 degrees with respect to the vertical direction (V), and in that the device for changing ( 950 ) comprises a predominantly horizontal guide ( 959 ), and in that the predominantly horizontal guide ( 959 ) establishes a guide path to move one of the first or second die-cutting cylinders ( 901 ; 903 ) between the change-out position ( 982 ) and the move-out position ( 985 ), the move-out position ( 985 ) having the maintenance position ( 987 ) disposed therebelow in the vertical direction (V).

2. The die-cutting unit according to claim 1 , characterized in that the first and second die-cutting cylinders ( 901 ; 903 ) are alternately arrangeable between the die-cutting position ( 981 ), at which die-cutting can be performed on a substrate ( 02 ), the change-out position ( 982 ), which is an intermediate position between the die-cutting position ( 981 ) and the move-out position ( 985 ), and the move-out position ( 985 ), wherein moving one of the first or second die-cutting cylinders ( 901 ; 903 ) between the die-cutting position ( 981 ) and the move-out position ( 985 ) includes moving the one of the first or second die-cutting cylinders ( 901 ; 903 ) predominantly horizontally along the guide path between the move-out position ( 985 ) and the change-out position ( 982 ), and moving the one of the first or second die-cutting cylinders ( 901 ; 903 ) between the change-out position ( 982 ) and the die-cutting position ( 981 ).

3. The die-cutting unit according to claim 2 , characterized in that a third shortest straight connecting line ( 979 ) between the respective axis of rotation ( 976 ) of one of the first or second die-cutting cylinders ( 901 ; 903 ) when in the change-out position ( 982 ) and the respective axis of rotation ( 976 ) of one of the first or second die-cutting cylinders ( 901 ; 903 ) when in the move-out position ( 985 ) is inclined less than 30 degrees with respect to the horizontal plane ( 988 ), and/or in that the change-out position ( 982 ) is spaced apart from the die-cutting position ( 981 ) in the vertical direction (V) and/or in that the change-out position ( 982 ) is arranged beneath the die-cutting position ( 981 ).

4. The die-cutting unit according to claim 1 , characterized in that one of the first or second die-cutting cylinders ( 901 ; 903 ) is arrangeable and/or can be arranged and/or is arranged in a waiting position ( 986 ) for enabling one of the first or second die-cutting cylinders ( 901 ; 903 ) to be guided past the other one of the first or second die-cutting cylinders ( 901 ; 903 ) by movement at least partially in a transport direction (T) of a substrate ( 02 ), or at least partially counter to the transport direction (T).

5. The die-cutting unit according to claim 4 , characterized in that a fourth shortest straight connecting line ( 978 ) between the respective axis of rotation ( 976 ) of one of the first or second die-cutting cylinders ( 901 ; 903 ) when in the move-out position ( 985 ) and the respective axis of rotation ( 976 ) of one of the first or second die-cutting cylinders ( 901 ; 903 ) when in the waiting position ( 986 ) is inclined less than 30 degrees with respect to the vertical direction (V), and/or in that the waiting position ( 986 ) is located in the vertical direction (V) above the die-cutting position ( 981 ) and/or in that the waiting position ( 986 ) is located outside a direct guide path between the maintenance position ( 987 ) and the die-cutting position ( 981 ).

6. The die-cutting unit according to claim 1 , characterized in that the move-out position ( 985 ) is horizontally spaced apart from the die-cutting position ( 981 ) and the change-out position ( 982 ), wherein the guide path enables, at least in part, movement of the one of the first or second die-cutting cylinders ( 901 ; 903 ) between the die-cutting position ( 981 ) and the move-out position ( 985 ) by movement predominantly horizontally in a transport direction (T) of a substrate ( 02 ), or counter to the transport direction (T).

7. The die-cutting unit according to claim 1 , characterized in that, in the working position ( 983 ), the anvil cylinder ( 902 ) is arranged in the vertical direction (V) beneath the die-cutting position ( 981 ).

8. The die-cutting unit according to claim 1 , characterized in that the device for changing ( 950 ) comprises a predominantly vertical guide ( 958 ).

9. The die-cutting unit according to claim 8 , characterized in that the predominantly vertical guide ( 958 ) establishes a guide path for moving the first or second die-cutting cylinder ( 901 ; 903 ) independently of the anvil cylinder ( 902 ) from the move-out position ( 985 ) to the maintenance position ( 987 ) disposed below the move-out position ( 985 ) and vice versa, and/or from the waiting position ( 986 ) to the move-out position ( 985 ) disposed below the waiting position ( 986 ) and vice versa, and/or from the waiting position ( 986 ) to the maintenance position ( 987 ) disposed below the waiting position ( 986 ) and vice versa, and/or in that the predominantly vertical guide ( 958 ) comprises a first vertical transport element ( 956 ) and a second vertical transport element ( 960 ), and in that the first and second vertical transport elements ( 956 ; 960 ) are moved by way of a shared transport device ( 972 ) on a predominantly vertical guide rail ( 957 ), the shared transport device ( 972 ) comprising the first vertical transport element ( 956 ) beneath the second vertical transport element ( 960 ), and/or that the predominantly vertical guide ( 958 ) is a linear guide.

10. The die-cutting unit according to claim 8 , characterized in that guide paths of the vertical guide ( 958 ) and of the horizontal guide ( 959 ) int

Assignees

• Koenig & Bauer Ag

Inventors

• Held Michael
• Soller Alexander

Classifications

• B41P2213/80

  Means enabling or facilitating exchange of cylinders (exchanging tubular printing plates B41P2227/20) · CPC title

• B41F19/008 Primary

  with means for stamping or cutting out · CPC title

• B41F13/34

  Cylinder lifting or adjusting devices · CPC title

• B41F9/18 Primary

  Auxiliary devices for exchanging forme cylinders · CPC title