Assembly for processing a substrate web

Abstract

An assembly of a first and a second printing or converting apparatus is each at least provided with a number of printing or converting modules disposed one after the other in a main direction, through which in use a substrate web can be guided. The first and the second printing or converting apparatuses are respectively provided with a first and a second rail assembly each extending in a main direction next to or above the associated printing or converting modules and over which at least one processing station is movable. The assembly further includes a transfer assembly which is provided with rail assemblies which are configured to move the at least one processing station from the first rail assembly to the second rail assembly and vice versa and to buffer processing stations.

Claims

1. An assembly for processing a substrate web, wherein the assembly comprises: a first printing or converting apparatus, comprising: a number of first printing or converting modules disposed one after the other in a first main direction, through which in use a first substrate web is capable of being guided; and a first rail assembly provided with rails extending in the first main direction (L1) next to or above the first printing or converting modules; at least one processing station movable over the first rail assembly for positioning the at least one processing station at a desired position in the first main direction of the printing or converting apparatus; a second printing or converting apparatus, comprising: a number of second printing or converting modules disposed one after the other in a second main direction, through which in use a second substrate web is capable of being guided; and a second rail assembly provided with rails extending in the second main direction next to or above the second printing or converting modules; and a transfer assembly comprising rail assemblies configured to move the at least one processing station from the first rail assembly to the second rail assembly and vice versa and to buffer processing stations, the transfer assembly comprising: a carrier rail extending perpendicular to the rails of the first and/or the second rail assembly, the carrier rail being situated at a lower level than the rails of the first and/or the second rail assembly; and a processing station carrier moveable over the carrier rail, the processing station carrier being provided with a rails segment, which in a transfer positon of the processing station carrier connects to and is in line with the rails of the first and/or the second rail assembly.

2. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein the transfer assembly comprises: at least one buffer rail assembly provided with buffer rails being of the same kind as the rails of the first and the second rail assembly of the first printing or converting apparatus, wherein the rail segment of the processing station carrier in a transfer position thereof connects to and is in line with the buffer rails.

3. The assembly according to claim 2, wherein the transfer assembly comprises two carrier rail assemblies, wherein the carrier rail of a first of the two carrier rail assemblies connects by an end to the first rail assembly and wherein the carrier rail of a second of the two carrier rail assemblies connects by an end to the second rail assembly, wherein between two carrier rail assemblies a buffer rail assembly extends, such that a processing station is movable from the first rail assembly, via the first of the two carrier rail assemblies, the buffer rail assembly and the second of the two carrier rail assemblies, to the second rail assembly and vice versa.

4. The assembly according to claim 2, wherein the transfer assembly is provided with one carrier rail assembly and wherein the rails of the first rail assembly and the second rail assembly are in line with each other but at a distance from each other, wherein said distance is bridged by the rail segment of the processing station carrier when is the processing station carrier is in a first transfer position.

5. The assembly according to claim 2, wherein in addition to said at least one carrier rail assembly, at least one additional carrier rail assembly connects to the buffer rail assembly.

6. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein the carrier rail of the carrier rail assembly extends from the first rail assembly to the second rail assembly, wherein the rail segment of the processing station carrier in a first transfer position connects to and is in line with the rail of the first rail assembly and in a second transfer position connects to and is in line with the rail of the second rail assembly.

7. The assembly according to claim 6, wherein the carrier rail assembly is provided with a rail turntable, wherein the rail turntable includes a carrier rail segment and is configured to rotate the processing station carrier through an angle of 180°.

8. The assembly according to claim 7, wherein connecting to the carrier rail assembly provided with the rail turntable is a second carrier rail assembly, the carrier rail of which extends perpendicular to the carrier rail of the carrier rail assembly provided with the rail turntable and wherein the rail turntable is configured to rotate the processing station carrier through angles of 90°.

9. The assembly according to claim 1, further comprising: at least one additional printing or converting apparatus comprising: a number of first printing or converting modules disposed one after the other in an additional main direction, through which in use a first substrate web is capable of being guided; and an additional rail assembly extending in the additional main direction next to or above the additional printing or converting modules, wherein the rail assemblies of the transfer assembly are also configured to move the at least one processing station to the rail assemblies of the additional printing or converting apparatus.

10. The assembly according to claim 9, wherein the at least one additional printing or converting apparatus is/are provided with an unwinding module forming an upstream end of the additional printing or converting apparatus or being disposed directly upstream thereof.

11. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein the printing or converting modules of said printing or converting apparatus are selected from the group comprising: a flexographic printing module; a screen printing module; an intaglio printing module; an offset printing module; a digital printing module, for example with inkjet or with toner; a die module; a hot foil module; a cold foil module; a laminating module; a delaminating module; an unwinding module; a rewinding module; a substrate reversing module; an embossing module; a corona module; a cross over module; and a variable data application module.

12. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein the at least one processing station which is movable over said rail assembly is selected from the group comprising: a flexographic printing station; a screen printing station; an intaglio printing station; an offset printing station; a digital printing station, for example with inkjet or toner; a die station; a hot foil station; a cold foil station; a laminating station; a delaminating station; an unwinding station; a rewinding station; a substrate reversing station; an embossing station; a corona station; a cross over station; and a variable data application station.

13. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein the first printing or converting apparatus is provided with a first unwinding module forming an upstream end of the first printing or converting apparatus or being disposed directly upstream thereof, wherein the second printing or converting apparatus is provided with a second unwinding module forming an upstream end of the second printing or converting apparatus or being disposed directly upstream thereof.

14. The assembly according to claim 2, wherein the carrier rail of the carrier rail assembly extends from the first rail assembly to the second rail assembly, wherein the rail segment of the processing station carrier in a first transfer position connects to and is in line with the rail of the first rail assembly and in a second transfer position connects to and is in line with the rail of the second rail assembly.

15. The assembly according to claim 1, further comprising: at least one additional printing or converting apparatus comprising: a number of first printing or converting modules disposed one after the other in an additional main direction, through which in use a first substrate web is capable of being guided; and an additional rail assembly extending in the additional main direction next to or above the additional printing or converting modules, wherein the rail assemblies of the transfer assembly are also configured to move the at least one processing station to the rail assemblies of the additional printing or converting apparatus.

16. The assembly according to claim 2, further comprising: at least one additional printing or converting apparatus comprising: a number of first printing or converting modules disposed one after the other in an additional main direction, through which in use a first substrate web is capable of being guided; and an additional rail assembly extending in the additional main direction next to or above the additional printing or converting modules, wherein the rail assemblies of the transfer assembly are also configured to move the at least one processing station to the rail assemblies of the additional printing or converting apparatus.

17. The assembly according to claim 3, further comprising: at least one additional printing or converting apparatus comprising: a number of first printing or converting modules disposed one after the other in an additional main direction, through which in use a first substrate web is capable of being guided; and an additional rail assembly extending in the additional main direction next to or above the additional printing or converting modules, wherein the rail assemblies of the transfer assembly are also configured to move the at least one processing station to the rail assemblies of the additional printing or converting apparatus.

18. The assembly according to claim 4, further comprising: at least one additional printing or converting apparatus comprising: a number of first printing or converting modules disposed one after the other in an additional main direction, through which in use a first substrate web is capable of being guided; and an additional rail assembly extending in the additional main direction next to or above the additional printing or converting modules, wherein the rail assemblies of the transfer assembly are also configured to move the at least one processing station to the rail assemblies of the additional printing or converting apparatus.

19. The assembly according to claim 5, further comprising: at least one additional printing or converting apparatus comprising: a number of first printing or converting modules disposed one after the other in an additional main direction, through which in use a first substrate web is capable of being guided; and an additional rail assembly extending in the additional main direction next to or above the additional printing or converting modules, wherein the rail assemblies of the transfer assembly are also configured to move the at least one processing station to the rail assemblies of the additional printing or converting apparatus.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

(1) FIG. 1 shows a top plan view of a first example of an assembly according to the invention;

(2) FIG. 2 shows a front view of the top plan view represented in FIG. 1, with omission of the transfer assembly represented in the top plan view of FIG. 1 for the purpose of clarity;

(3) FIG. 3 shows a top plan view of a second example of an assembly according to the invention;

(4) FIG. 4 shows a top plan view of a third example of an assembly according to the invention; and

(5) FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of a portion of a first rail assembly, a carrier rail assembly and a buffer rail assembly.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(6) In the following description the reference numerals merely serve for clarification but they have no limiting effect. The embodiments described may also be implemented differently than is represented in the example shown in the figures. The embodiments can be applied independently of each other or in combination with each other

(7) In most general terms, the invention provides an assembly 10 for processing a substrate web of which an example is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 and details in FIGS. 3 and 4. The assembly comprises a first printing or converting apparatus 12a which is at least provided with a number of first printing or converting modules 16a disposed one after the other in a first main direction L1, through which in use a first substrate web can be guided, and a first rail assembly 18a which extends in the first main direction L1 next to or above the first printing or converting modules 16a. Optionally, the first printing or converting apparatus 12a may be provided with a first unwinding module 14a, which forms an upstream end of the first printing or converting apparatus 12a or is disposed directly upstream thereof. Further, the assembly 10 is provided with at least one processing station 20-30 which is movable over the first rail assembly 18a for positioning of the at least one processing station 20-30 at a desired position in the first main direction L1 of the printing or converting apparatus. The assembly 10 additionally comprises a second printing or converting apparatus 12b which, just like the first printing or converting apparatus 12a, is at least provided with a number of second printing or converting modules 16b disposed one after the other in a second main direction L2, through which in use a second substrate web can be guided, and with a second rail assembly 18b which extends in the second main direction L2 next to or above the second printing or converting modules 16b. Optionally, the second printing or converting apparatus 12b may be provided with a second unwinding module 14b, which forms an upstream end of the second printing or converting apparatus 12b or is disposed directly upstream thereof. The assembly 10 further comprises a transfer assembly provided with rail assemblies which are configured to move the at least one processing station 20-30 from the first rail assembly 18a to the second rail assembly 18b and vice versa and to buffer processing stations 20-30.

(8) Such an assembly 10 has the advantages already discussed hereinabove under the heading “SUMMARY” and which are to be considered inserted here.

(9) In an embodiment, of which an example is shown in the figures, in particular FIG. 5, the transfer assembly can comprise at least one carrier rail assembly 32. The at least one carrier rail assembly then comprises a carrier rail 34 which extends perpendicular to the rails of the first and/or the second rail assembly 18a, 18b and which is situated at a lower level than the rails of the first and/or the second rail assembly 18a, 18b. Further, each carrier rail assembly is provided with a processing station carrier 36 which is movable over the carrier rail 34 and which is provided with a rails segment 38 which in a transfer position of the processing station carrier 36 connects to and is in line with the rails of the first and/or the second rail assembly 18a, 18b.

(10) With such a carrier rail assembly 32, a processing station 20-30 can be removed from the rails of the first or the second rail assembly 18a, 18b. To that end, the processing station carrier 36 is brought in the transfer position where the rails segment 38 is in line with the rails of the first or the second rail assembly 18a, 18b. Next, the processing station 20-30 to be removed is moved on the rail segment 38 of the processing station carrier 36. After that, the processing station carrier 36 can be moved away over the carrier rail 34.

(11) In an embodiment, an example of which is shown in the figures and particularly clearly represented in FIG. 5, the transfer assembly comprises at least one buffer rail assembly 40 which is provided with buffer rails 42 being of the same kind as the rails of the first and the second rail assembly 18a, 18b of the first printing or converting apparatus 12a, 12b. The rail segment 38 of the processing station carrier 36, in a transfer position thereof, connects to and is in line with the buffer rails 42.

(12) Thus, a processing station 20-30 situated on the rail segment 38 of the processing station carrier 36 can be transferred on the buffer rail 42 of the buffer rail assembly 40 concerned. The processing station carrier 36 is then free again for receiving a next processing station 20-30 from the first or second rail assembly 18a, 18b, depending on what the carrier rail 34 is connected to, for example to one rail assembly 18a or 18b, as shown in the example of FIG. 1, or to two rail assemblies 18a and 18b as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4.

(13) In an embodiment, of which an example is shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, the transfer assembly can comprise two carrier rail assemblies 32a, 32b. The carrier rail 34a of a first 32a of the two carrier rail assemblies 32a, 32b may then connect by one end to the first rail assembly 18a. The carrier rail 34b of a second 32b of the two carrier rail assemblies 32a, 32b can connect by one end to the second rail assembly 18b. Between the two carrier rail assemblies 32a, 32b, a buffer rail assembly 40 can extend, such that a processing station 20-30 is movable from the first rail assembly 18a, via the first 32a of the two carrier rail assemblies, the buffer rail assembly 40 and the second 32b of the two carrier rail assemblies, to the second rail assembly 18b and vice versa.

(14) Such an embodiment affords a great flexibility because there is a considerable space available for the storage of processing stations 20-30 on the buffer assembly 40.

(15) In an alternative embodiment, of which an example is shown in FIG. 3, the transfer assembly may be provided with a single carrier rail assembly 32 and the rails of the first rail assembly 18a and the second rail assembly 18b can be in line with each other but at a distance from each other. This distance can be bridged by the rail segment 38 of the processing station carrier 36 when this is in a first transfer position, as is visible in FIG. 3. In the example of FIG. 3, connecting to the carrier rail assembly 32 is a buffer rail assembly 40, on which processing stations 20-30 can be stored.

(16) In an embodiment, of which examples are shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, in addition to the at least one carrier rail assembly 32a, 32b, at least one additional carrier rail assembly 32c may connect to the buffer rail assembly 40. Such additional carrier rail assemblies 32c may in turn be connected to further buffer rail assemblies 40 in order to thus create more storage space for processing stations 20-30.

(17) In an embodiment, of which an example is shown in FIG. 4, the carrier rail 34a of the carrier rail assembly 32a can extend from the first rail assembly 18a to the second rail assembly 18b. The rail segment 38 of the processing station carrier 36 in the first transfer position connects to and is in line with the rail of the first rail assembly 18a. In a second transfer position of the processing station carrier 36 the rail segment 38 thereof connects to and is in line with the rail of the second rail assembly 18b. In the example of FIG. 4 such a configuration is present twice, since the carrier rail assembly 32b likewise extends between two rail assemblies 18c, 18d of two printing or converting apparatuses. In that example, these two carrier rail assemblies, in turn, are mutually connected by a buffer assembly 40, so that the processing stations 20-30 are exchangeable between four printing or converting apparatuses 12a, 12b, 12c, 12d and there is also a considerable space available for buffering of processing stations 20-30.

(18) In an embodiment, of which an example is shown in FIG. 4, the carrier rail assembly 32a, 32b may be provided with a rail turntable 44. The rail turntable 44 is provided with a carrier rail segment 46 and is configured to rotate the processing station carrier 36 through an angle of 180°. This is of importance because, as is clearly visible in the example of FIG. 4, the rail assemblies 18a, 18b face each other and the printing or converting apparatuses 12a, 12b are also operational in opposite direction. At transfer from one rail assembly 18a to the other rail assembly 18b, the processing stations 20-30 hence have to be rotated through 180° to enable them to be positioned correctly above the printing or converting apparatus concerned.

(19) In an embodiment, of which no example is shown in the figures, there may connect to the carrier rail assembly 32a, 32b provided with the rail turntable 44 a second carrier rail assembly, whose carrier rail extends perpendicular to the carrier rail 34a, 34b of the carrier rail assembly 32a, 32b provided with the rail turntable 44. The rail turntable 44 may then be configured to rotate the processing station carrier 36 through angles of 90°. With such a configuration, there may be connected to the other end of the second carrier rail assembly a printing or converting apparatus, printing or converting modules of which extend in a main direction which includes an angle of 90° with the main direction of the other printing or converting apparatus.

(20) As is clearly apparent from the example that is shown in FIG. 4, the assembly 10, in an embodiment, may further comprise at least one additional printing or converting apparatus 12c, 12d. Also this additional printing or converting apparatus 12c, 12d is at least provided with a number of first printing or converting modules 16c, 16d disposed one after the other in an additional main direction L3, L4, through which in use a first substrate web can be guided, and an additional rail assembly 18c, 18d which extends in the additional main direction L3, L4 next to or above the additional printing or converting modules 16c, 16d. Optionally, the at least one additional printing or converting apparatus 12c, 12d may also be provided with an unwinding module 14c, 14d. The rail assemblies 32, 40 of the transfer assembly are then further configured to move the at least one processing station 20-30 to the rail assemblies 18c, 18d of the additional printing or converting apparatus 12c, 12d.

(21) It will be clear that the network of carrier rail assemblies 32 and buffer rail assemblies 40 may be further expanded and that, further, more additional printing or converting apparatuses may be connected to them, so that an extensive exchange of processing stations 20-30 between the printing or converting apparatuses 12a, 12b, 12c, 12d, etc., is possible.

(22) In an embodiment, the printing or converting modules 16a, 16b, 16c, 16d of a printing or converting apparatus 12a, 12b, 12c, 12d may be selected from the group comprising: a flexographic printing module; a screen printing module; an intaglio printing module; an offset printing module; a digital printing module, for example with inkjet or with toner; a die module; a hot foil module; a cold foil module; a laminating module; a delaminating module; an unwinding module; a rewinding module; a substrate reversing module; an embossing module; a corona module; a cross over module; and a variable data application module.

(23) Also the at least one processing station 20-30 which is movable over a rail assembly 18a, 18b, 18c, 18d, 32, 40 may, in an embodiment, be selected from the above-indicated group, in which case the processing operation concerned, of course, is carried out in a processing station 20-30 movable over a rail assembly instead of a module disposed in line in the main direction.

(24) The invention is not limited to the embodiments described and the examples shown. The protection is defined by the following appended claims, in which the reference numerals are merely for clarification and have no limiting effect.