Apparatus and Method for Printing Profiled Bodies, Especially Edge Bands

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for printing on edge bands including at least one printhead for producing a printed image on the edge band; a linear drive for moving the at least one printhead in a printing direction within a printing region between two end positions; a feeding apparatus for feeding the edge band into the printing region in a transport direction; and a control apparatus for controlling the at least one printhead, the linear drive and the feeding apparatus. The technical problem of technically and economically improving the process of printing on edge bands is solved in that the transport direction of the edge band is oriented substantially parallel to the printing direction. The invention further relates to a method for printing on edge bands.

Claims

1. A device for printing on edging strips, comprising: at least one print head for producing a print image on the profiled body, a linear drive for moving the at least one print head in a print direction within a print area between two end positions, a feeding device for feeding the profiled body into the pressure area along a transport direction and a control device for controlling the at least one print head, the linear drive and the feeding device, wherein the transport direction of the profiled body is oriented essentially parallel to the pressure direction.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the control device is set up to feed and position the profiled body into the pressure area by means of the feeding device in cycle mode, and that the control device is set up to move the at least one print head by means of the linear drive and to control it for a printing process for printing the profiled body.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein a suction table function for positioning the profiled body is integrated at least in sections in the pressure region.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein at least one curing source, preferably a radiation source, in particular an LED and/or UV light source, or preferably a hot air source for curing the printing ink, is provided at least on one side, preferably on both sides, of the at least one printing head 4) in the printing direction.

5. The device according to claim 1, wherein a deionization means, in particular in the form of a deionization bar or a deionization blower, is arranged at least on one side of the at least one print head.

6. A method for printing on edge bands, in which a print image is produced on the profiled body with at least one print head, in which the at least one print head is moved between two end positions during the printing process in a printing direction within a printing range, in which the profiled body is fed into the printing area along a transport direction which is essentially parallel to the printing direction.

7. The method according to claim 6, in which the profiled body is fed into the printing area and positioned in cycle mode, and in which the at least one print head is moved and controlled for a printing operation for printing the profiled body.

8. The method according to claim 6, in which the profiled body is fed between two printing processes and a new section of the profiled body is positioned.

9. The method according to claim 6, in which the at least one print head is moved back and forth between the end positions for a printing operation or is moved from one end position to the other end position.

10. The method according to claim 6, in which the printing ink is cured during the printing process in the printing direction behind the imprint, in particular by means of UV light.

11. The method according to claim 6, in which the profiled body is deionized in the printing direction before printing.

12. The method according to claim 6, in which the profiled body is temporarily stored by means of an input-side dancer arrangement and/or with an output-side dancer arrangement.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0042] In the following, the invention will be explained by means of embodiments with reference to the drawing. The drawing shows

[0043] FIG. 1 A schematic front view of a device according to the invention,

[0044] FIG. 2 a print head in an enlarged schematic side view and

[0045] FIG. 3 an arrangement of print heads in a schematic top view.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0046] The device 2 according to the invention shown in FIG. 1 for printing on edge bands 4 firstly comprises a print head 6 for generating a print image on the edge band 4. The printing device 2 shown may comprise an industrial digital printing machine with an inkjet print head, which can be moved from right to left or left to right in the lateral view shown in FIG. 1.

[0047] The printhead 6 is suitable for a multi-pass printing process, whereby all four CYMK colors of a color system are applied simultaneously. For the four CYMK inks at least one stroke, i.e. a complete back and forth movement of the printhead unit, is necessary.

[0048] To increase the print image resolution, it is also possible to generate the print image specifically by at least one complete back and forth movement of the printhead unit, i.e. by two strokes. This type of print image generation is referred to in the technology as “bidirectional print mode”.

[0049] Optionally, it is possible to add further colors, e.g. light colors, to the usually used number of the four inks CMYK mentioned here, i.e. Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black. Also conceivable are green, blue, red or orange or mixed colors such as beige, light brown, medium gray. The invention described is therefore not limited to the use of the four colors CMYK. Many other colors are optionally applicable. Thus, the representable color space can be adapted to the requirements of the color design. For the application of further colors, the print head units of the printer can be extended by further print heads, or separate print head units are used.

[0050] The printing device has a linear drive for moving the print head 6 in a printing direction A within a printing area 8 between two end positions 10 and 12. The linear drive allows a very precise movement of the print head 6 and enables a detailed print image to be produced which may be synchronised with a surface structure.

[0051] Furthermore, a feeding device 14 for feeding the edge band 4 into the printing area 8 along a transport direction B is provided, wherein in the present example four transport rollers 14a to 14d are provided, which are driven at least partially by means of a drive unit not shown. Furthermore, a control device, also not shown, is provided for controlling the print head 4, the linear drive and the feeding device 14.

[0052] According to the invention, the device is designed in such a way that the transport direction B of the edge band is aligned essentially parallel to the printing direction A. In FIG. 1, the two directions are shown with parallel arrows, where substantially parallel means that a small deviation from parallelism may occur in individual movements, but that in principle the transport direction and the printing direction coincide.

[0053] Further, the control device is arranged to feed and position the edge band 4 into the printing area 8 in cycle mode by means of the feeding device 14, and the control device is arranged to move the print head 6 by means of the linear drive and to control it for a printing operation for printing the edge band 4 when the edge band 4 is positioned in the printing area.

[0054] FIG. 2 shows a print head 6 in a schematic side view in an arrangement above the edge band 4. The arrow A shows the printing direction from right to left. The relative movement between the print head 6 and the edge band 4 can also be seen by the spatial distribution of the ink drops 16.

[0055] Apertures 18 and radiation sources 20 are arranged on both sides of the print head 6, which in this example are designed as UV light sources and cure the ink drops 16 applied to the edge band 4 with their radiation. The apertures 18 thereby shield the area below the print head 6, so that the ink drops 16 are not cured until after they have been applied to the edge band 4.

[0056] Furthermore, deionization rods 22 are arranged on both sides of the radiation sources 20, at the ends of which directed towards the edge band 4 ions or ion clusters emerge and lead to a deionization of the edge band 4. Since the deionization takes place before printing by the print head 6, the left deionization rod 22 is active in printing direction A (FIG. 2), while the right radiation source 20 is active after the printing process.

[0057] FIG. 3 further shows a top view of an arrangement of a plurality of print heads 6.1 to 6.5, which are arranged offset from each other and overlapping in two rows in the printing direction A. Within each of the print heads 6.1 to 6.5 lines are drawn which are marked from left to right with the letters Y, M, C and K for the four basic colours of CYMK printing cyan, yellow, magenta and black (key). When the print heads 6.1 to 6.5 are moved along the edge band 4, a closed print image can thus be produced.