Container handling machine for printing onto container

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9533506-B2
Application number	US-201414470603-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 27, 2014
Priority date	Sep 4, 2013
Publication date	Jan 3, 2017
Grant date	Jan 3, 2017

Abstract

Container handling machine for printing onto containers with a transport device optionally configured as a carousel for transporting said containers, with direct printing heads and with a cleaning device for cleaning the direct printing heads, the cleaning device including at least one cleaning unit for dispensing cleaning fluid to a direct printing head and a collection device for discharging spent cleaning fluid.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A container handling machine for printing onto containers, comprising:
a transport device configured as a carousel for transporting said containers, with at least one printing station and with at least one cleaning device for cleaning said printing station,
wherein said at least one cleaning device and/or said at least one printing station is movable to a cleaning position for cleaning the printing station,
wherein said cleaning device comprises a housing, a cleaning unit carried by the housing and comprising a dispensing device for cleaning fluid, and a collection device for at least one of cleaning fluid or printing agent residue or contaminant,
wherein said cleaning unit is configured and oriented in said cleaning position such that the cleaning unit can clean a print nozzle of each of said at least one printing station with the print nozzle disposed substantially in a horizontal direction of printing, and
wherein said collection device is disposed below said cleaning unit in a region of the housing which in said cleaning position extends substantially horizontally, and
wherein, in the cleaning position, the collection device is disposed substantially vertically below the dispensing device such that the collection device collects at least one of cleaning fluid or printing agent residue or contaminant draining from the printing head during the cleaning process.

2. The container handling machine according to claim 1 , said cleaning unit comprising at least one of a blow nozzle for air/cleaning fluid a wiping device or an extraction device.

3. The container handling machine according to claim 1 , said cleaning device being in a specific position configured as a protective element for said printing station.

4. The container handling machine according to claim 3 , the cleaning device including at least one of a circumferential seal or a protective cap.

5. The container handling machine according to claim 1 , said cleaning device configured for simultaneously cleaning at least two printing stations disposed above each other using cleaning units corresponding to said printing stations.

6. The container handling machine according to claim 5 , the cleaning unit being disposed in a step-like manner.

7. The container handling machine according to claim 1 , said cleaning device can for cleaning be inserted into a container receptacle in place of a container at said transport device.

8. The container handling machine according to claim 1 , one or more movement units adapted to at least one of position or move a printing station and said cleaning device relative to each other.

9. The container handling machine according to claim 8 , where said movement unit is adapted to pivot a printing station relative to a horizontal direction of printing (D) in a vertical direction of cleaning (R) such that said nozzles of said printing station are for cleaning aligned substantially downwardly towards the center of the earth.

10. The container handling machine according to claim 1 , and one of: said cleaning device and said printing stations are arranged in a stationary manner at said machine ( 1 );
said cleaning device is connected to said transport device running along with it and said printing stations are arranged in a stationary manner at said machine;
said printing stations are connected to said transport device running along with it and said cleaning device is arranged in a stationary manner at said machine said cleaning device arranged at an empty segment (L) of said transport device with container receptacles that are empty during operations; or
said cleaning device and said printing stations are connected to said transport device ( 3 ) running along with it, where said printing stations are arranged in a star-like manner around said container receptacles.

11. The container handling machine according to claim 1 , in combination with a second printing station that is in a printing position (P 1 ) arranged substantially vertically below said first printing station and prints onto at least one second area ( 2 b ) of said container.

12. The container handling machine according to claim 11 one of said first printing station or said second printing station being movable during said cleaning mode moved vertically up and back down again.

13. The container handling machine according to claim 11 , said first printing station and said second printing station each comprises a front plate with a receiving opening and a nozzle plate, where said nozzle plate is recessed in said receiving opening of said front plate ( 64 a , 64 b ).

14. The container handling machine according to claim 13 , said front plates each comprise a drip edge said drip edge one of disposed or formed in the vertical direction at the lower end of said respective front plate.

15. The container handling machine according to claim 1 , and a movement unit ( 8 a , 8 b ) in the cleaning mode moves at least one of said first printing station or said second printing station horizontally to a cleaning position (P 3 ).

16. The container handling machine according to claim 1 ,
where said printing station comprising at least a first nozzle row for ejecting ink droplets, where said ink droplets are ejected substantially in the horizontal direction (X) and where said first printing station is during a printing mode disposed in a printing position (P 1 ) and prints onto at least one first area of a container, where said cleaning device is during a printing mode disposed in a stand-by position (P 2 ),
the container handling machine further comprising a further printing station comprising at least a second nozzle row for ejecting ink droplets from which ink drops are ejected substantially in the horizontal direction (X) and where said further printing station is during said printing mode disposed in a printing position (P 1 ) substantially vertically below said printing position (P 1 ) of said first printing station and prints onto at least one second area of said container,
where a movement unit is provided to generate a relative motion (R 1 ) during a cleaning mode between said cleaning device and said printing station, where said relative motion occurs substantially in the vertical direction (Y),
where said cleaning device can in said cleaning mode be moved by said movement unit vertically upwardly to a cleaning position (P 4 ),
where at least one of said printing station or said further printing station can in said cleaning mode be moved by a further movement unit horizontally to said cleaning position (P 3 ), and
where said printing station or said further printing station ( 6 b ) can during said cleaning mode be moved in said cleaning position (P 3 ) vertically up and back down (R 2 ) again.

17. A device for printing onto three-dimensional objects, comprising:
a first printing unit including at least a first nozzle row for ejecting ink droplets, where said ink droplets are ejected substantially in the horizontal direction and where said first printing unit is during a printing mode disposed in a printing position and prints onto at least one first area of an object;
a second printing unit including at least a second nozzle row for ejecting ink droplets, where said ink droplets are ejected substantially in the horizontal direction and where said second printing unit is during said printing mode disposed in a printing position aligned substantially vertically below said first printing unit and prints onto at least one second area of said object;
a cleaning unit, wherein during said printing mode the c

Assignees

• Krones Ag
• Heidelberger Druckmasch Ag

Inventors

• Kraus Andreas
• Peutl August
• Sonnauer Andreas
• Behrens Gunnar
• Suhr Jörg

Classifications

• B41J2/165

  Prevention {or detection} of nozzle clogging, e.g. cleaning, capping or moistening for nozzles · CPC title

• B41J3/4073

  Printing on three-dimensional objects not being in sheet or web form, e.g. spherical or cubic objects (B41J3/283, B41J3/286 take precedence; building up a 3D object using individual droplets from jetting heads B29C64/112) · CPC title

• B41J2/16552 Primary

  using cleaning fluids · CPC title

• B41F17/28

  for printing on curved surfaces of conical or frusto-conical articles · CPC title

• B41J2002/16555

  Air or gas for cleaning · CPC title