Printing apparatus

Abstract

According to the invention there is an apparatus for printing onto cylindrical structures comprising: a plurality of inker devices each comprising a print cylinder and one or more servomotors for adjustably controlling the position or orientation of a print cylinder; a blanket device comprising a plurality of print blankets, in which the blanket device is configured to bring each print blanket into contact with the print cylinders to transfer ink from the print cylinders to the print blanket, and to bring each print blanket into contact with a cylindrical structure to achieve printing thereon; a transporter for transporting the cylindrical structures into and out of contact with the print blankets; and an automatic print correction system comprising a print inspection device for detecting a misregistration of ink transferred from one or more of the print cylinders onto a print blanket, and a controller for controlling the servomotors of the print cylinders to correct the misregistration in response to data received from the print inspection device.

Claims

1. An apparatus for printing onto cylindrical structures comprising: a plurality of inker devices each comprising a print cylinder; a blanket device comprising a plurality of print blankets, in which the blanket device is configured to bring each print blanket into contact with the print cylinders to transfer ink from the print cylinders to the print blanket, and to bring each print blanket into contact with a cylindrical structure to achieve printing thereon; a transporter for transporting the cylindrical structures into and out of contact with the print blankets, wherein each inker device comprises one or more servomotors for adjustably controlling the position or orientation of a print cylinder; and an automatic print correction system comprising a print inspection device for detecting a misregistration of ink transferred from one or more of the print cylinders onto a print blanket, and a controller for controlling the servomotors of the print cylinders to correct the misregistration in response to data received from the print inspection device, in which the print inspection device inspects the print blankets to detect the misregistration.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the print inspection device comprises a camera.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the print cylinders each have a longitudinal adjustment servomotor which adjustably controls a longitudinal position of its respective cylinder, wherein the longitudinal adjustment servomotors are controlled by the controller.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3 wherein the print cylinders are each connected to their respective longitudinal adjustment servomotor through a print shaft, wherein at least a portion of the print shaft is moveable by the longitudinal adjustment servomotor so as to adjustably control the longitudinal position of its respective print cylinder.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4 wherein the print shafts each comprise an outer shaft member and an inner shaft member which is reciprocable within the outer shaft member, in which the inner shaft member is connected to its respective longitudinal adjustment servomotor and print cylinder so that the longitudinal adjustment servomotor can adjust the longitudinal position of the print cylinder by moving the inner shaft member.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1 in which the print cylinders each have an angular adjustment servomotor which adjustably controls the angular orientation of its respective print cylinder about a rotational axis, wherein the angular adjustment servomotors are controlled by the controller.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6 further comprising a drive mechanism, wherein the print cylinders are each connected to a print shaft which carries a gear, the gear being driven by the drive mechanism to cause the print cylinder to rotate about the rotational axis, wherein the angular adjustment servomotor is arranged to alter the operation of the gear so as to adjustably control the angular orientation of its respective print cylinder.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7 wherein each gear is slideable along the print shaft under the control of the angular adjustment servomotor.

9. The apparatus according to claim 8 wherein each angular adjustment servomotor is connected to one or more cam followers which follow a cam, where the cam is disposed on the print shaft and forms part of or is connected to a hub which is slideable along the print shaft and on which the gear is mounted.

10. The apparatus according to claim 1 for printing onto cans in which the transporter is configured to transport a plurality of cans into and out of contact with the print blankets.

11. An apparatus for printing onto cylindrical structures comprising: a plurality of inker devices each comprising a print cylinder; a blanket device comprising a plurality of print blankets, in which the blanket device is configured to bring each print blanket into contact with the print cylinders to transfer ink from the print cylinders to the print blanket, and to bring each print blanket into contact with a cylindrical structure to achieve printing thereon; a transporter for transporting the cylindrical structures into and out of contact with the print blankets, wherein each inker device comprises one or more servomotors for adjustably controlling the position or orientation of a print cylinder; and an automatic print correction system comprising a print inspection device for detecting a misregistration of ink transferred from one or more of the print cylinders onto a print blanket, and a controller for controlling the servomotors of the print cylinders to correct the misregistration in response to data received from the print inspection device, wherein the print cylinders each have a longitudinal adjustment servomotor which adjustably controls a longitudinal position of its respective cylinder, wherein the longitudinal adjustment servomotors are controlled by the controller; and the print cylinders are each connected to their respective longitudinal adjustment servomotor through a print shaft, wherein at least a portion of the print shaft is moveable by the longitudinal adjustment servomotor so as to adjustably control the longitudinal position of its respective print cylinder, and wherein the print shafts each comprise an outer shaft member and an inner shaft member which is reciprocable within the outer shaft member, in which the inner shaft member is connected to its respective longitudinal adjustment servomotor and print cylinder so that the longitudinal adjustment servomotor can adjust the longitudinal position of the print cylinder by moving the inner shaft member.

12. The apparatus according to claim 11 wherein the print inspection device inspects the print blankets to detect a misregistration.

13. The apparatus according to claim 11 wherein the print inspection device inspects the printed cylindrical structures to detect a misregistration.

14. The apparatus according to claim 11 wherein the print inspection device comprises a camera.

15. The apparatus according to claim 11 wherein the print cylinders each have an angular adjustment servomotor which adjustably controls the angular orientation of its respective print cylinder about a rotational axis, wherein the angular adjustment servomotors are controlled by the controller.

16. The apparatus according to claim 15 further comprising a drive mechanism, wherein the print cylinders are each connected to a print shaft which carries a gear, the gear being driven by the drive mechanism to cause the print cylinder to rotate about the rotational axis, wherein the angular adjustment servomotor is arranged to alter the operation of the gear so as to adjustably control the angular orientation of its respective print cylinder.

17. The apparatus according to claim 16 wherein each gear is slideable along the print shaft under the control of the angular adjustment servomotor.

18. The apparatus according to claim 17 wherein each angular adjustment servomotor is connected to one or more cam followers which follow a cam, wherein the cam is disposed on the print shaft and forms part of or is connected to a hub which is slideable along the print shaft and on which the gear is mounted.

19. The apparatus according to claim 15 wherein the transporter is configured to transport a plurality of cans into and out of contact with the print blankets.

20. A method of printing onto cylindrical structures comprising the steps of: operating a plurality of inker devices to apply ink to a plurality of print cylinders, each inker device having one or more servomotors for adjustably controlling the position or orientation of its print cylinder; operating a blanket device comprising a plurality of print blankets, transferring ink from the print cylinders to the print blanket and transferring ink from the print blanket to a cylindrical structure to achieve printing thereon; and automatically detecting a misregistration of ink transferred from one or more of the print cylinders onto the print blanket with a print inspection device that inspects the print blankets to detect a misregistration and automatically controlling the servomotors of the print cylinders to correct the misregistration in response to the detection of a misregistration.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Embodiments of apparatus and methods in accordance with the invention will now described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

(2) FIG. 1 is a plan view of a decorator apparatus of the invention;

(3) FIG. 2 shows (a) a side view and (b) a cross sectional side view of a print cylinder and print shaft of the invention; and

(4) FIG. 3 shows a graphical interface for use by a user.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(5) FIG. 1 shows a decorator apparatus of the invention, depicted generally at 10. The decorator apparatus 10 comprises a plurality of inkers 12a, 12b, 12c, 12d, 12e, 12f and plurality of blankets 14a, 14b, 14c, 14d, 14e, 14f, 14g, 14h. The blankets are disposed on a blanket wheel 16. The blanket wheel 16 rotates so as to bring the blankets into contact with the inkers to transfer ink onto the blankets. The rotation of the blanket wheel 16 also brings each blanket into contact with a can 18 so as to transfer the ink onto the surface of the can. The cans 18 are transported into and out of contact with the blankets by a conveyor system 20. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, there are six inkers 12 which enables up to six different color inks to be used to form the complete indicia which is printed onto the cans 18. Also in the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the decorator apparatus 10 comprises eight blankets 14. It will be appreciated that the invention is not limited in this regard, and in principle any suitable numbers of inkers and blankets might be utilized.

(6) The design and operation of the blankets, blanket wheel and conveyor can be essentially conventional in nature. Therefore, it is not necessary to provide a further, more detailed discussion of these portions of the decorator apparatus 10. The inkers comprise a print cylinder which is rotated by a print shaft. These aspects of the inkers and described in more detail below. Other features of the inkers, such as the arrangement for applying ink to the print cylinders, are essentially conventional in nature. Therefore, a more detailed discussion of those portions of the inkers is not necessary. The decorator apparatus 10 further comprises a camera 22 and a controller device 24.

(7) FIG. 2 shows the printer cylinder 200 and print shaft 202 of the inkers 12. The print cylinder 200 has a print plate 204 disposed thereon. The print cylinder 200 is magnetic and the print plate 204 is formed from a metal so that the print plate 204 is retained in place. The print plate 204 has raised features which correspond to the print pattern for the ink color which is applied by the particular inker which the print cylinder 200 is associated with. The print shaft 202 comprises an outer print shaft 202a and an inner print shaft 202b. The outer print shaft 202b has a print cylinder contacting portions 206a, 206b formed towards one end of the print shaft 202. The print cylinder contacting portion 206a can be in the form of a cylinder of larger diameter than the diameter of the outer print shaft 202a. Towards the end of the print shaft which is opposite to the end having the print cylinder contacting portion 206a, the outer print shaft 202a comprises bearing seats 208, 210. The bearing seats 208, 210 house bearings (not shown) which surround the inner print shaft 202b.

(8) The end of the inner print shaft 202b distal from the print cylinder 200 is connected to a first servomotor 212. The first servomotor 212 is a linear servomotor, and in this way, it is possible to adjust the longitudinal position of the inner print shaft 202b. As shown in FIG. 2(b), the other end of the inner print shaft 202b is connected to the print cylinder 200. The print cylinder 200 is sized so as to be slideable over the surface of the print cylinder contacting portion 206a. It will be appreciated by the skilled reader that, in this way, the first servomotor 212 is able to adjust the longitudinal position of the print cylinder 200. The longitudinal axis corresponds to the rotational axis of the print cylinder, and in practice it is longitudinal. The print cylinder contacting portion 206b also contacts part of the print cylinder 200.

(9) The print shaft further comprises a backslash gear 214 which is carried by a hub 216. The backslash gear 214 is driven by a bull gear (not shown) which forms part of a conventional decorator apparatus drive mechanism. Cam followers 218, 220 follow a cam 222. The cam 222 is connected to the hub 216 by a connection member 224. The hub 216 is able to move longitudinally along the outer print shaft 202a. A key (not shown) underneath the hub 216 permits this longitudinal movement with respect to the outer print shaft 202a. The cam followers 218, 220 are mounted on a mounting piece 226. The mounting piece 226 is connected to a second servomotor 228. The second servomotor 228 is a linear servomotor. The second servomotor 228 can be controlled so as to move the mounting piece 226 which in turn moves the cam followers 218, 220. It will be appreciated that the effect of this controlled movement is to adjust the longitudinal position of the hub 216 with respect to the outer print shaft 202a. This also adjusts the longitudinal position of the backslash gear 214. The backslash gear 214 carries gear teeth which are inclined at an angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of the print shaft 202. It will be appreciated that longitudinal adjustment of the position of the backslash gear 216 thereby results in a rotational adjustment of the print cylinder 200. In this way, the angular orientation of the print cylinder 200 can be controlled.

(10) Referring back to FIG. 1, the camera 22 is positioned to monitor the blankets 14 after ink has been transferred to them from the inkers 12 but before printing onto the cans 18 takes place. The camera is used to detect any misregistration of one of more of the differently colored inks which are applied to the blankets. Images obtained by the camera 22, or related data, are input to a controller device 24. A plurality of cameras may be used instead of a single camera, and this can enable better three-dimensional images to be obtained. The controller device 24 has a graphical interface 24a which in one possible mode of operation enables a user to make corrections manually. However, in another mode of operation the invention provides an automatic correction of any misregistration of the inks applied by one of more of the inkers 12. The controller device 24 utilizes a suitable computer program which examines the images obtained by the camera 22, and recognizes any misregistration. The controller device 24 and its computer program is also adapted to provide suitable control signals to one or both of the first and the second servomotors of an inker 12 in order to correct the detected misregistration. For example, if a misregistration was detected and it was identified that the cause was that the image applied to the blanket by inker 12a was too high, then the longitudinal position of the print cylinder used in inker 12a would be lowered in order to correct this misregistration. This would be done by controlling the first servomotor associated with print cylinder of inker 12a so as to retract the inner print shaft within the outer print shaft. This has the effect of lowering the print cylinder. Another type of misregistration occurs when one of the ink colors is applied too far to the left or right of a blanket. In this instance, the controller device 24 identifies which inker 12 is responsible for the misregistration and controls the second servomotor associated with this inker device to adjust the position of the cam followers with respect to the longitudinal axis of the print shaft. In this way the position of the backslash gear is adjusted to so as to move the print cylinder clockwise or counter clockwise as required. In this way, the angular orientation of the print cylinder is adjusted so as to correct the misregistration. It will appreciated that if the controller device detects that a number of inks are being applied out of register, then appropriate correction of a plurality of inkers will occur. The detection of the misregistrations and the appropriate adjustment of one or more servomotors to correct the misregistration can be performed in a number of ways. For example, look up tables or algorithms might be used. Another alternative is to utilize artificial intelligence.

(11) Although in the arrangement of FIG. 1 the camera 22 monitors the blankets, other variations are possible. For example, the camera may take images of the cans after printing has taken place. Another possibility is for the camera to examine marks on the print plates. In this instance, the print plates may each comprise a suitable registration mark such as a dot, line or cross. The blankets have corresponding registration features. For example, if a blanket receives six different colors from six different inkers, and the print plate of each inker has a dot as a registration mark, the blankets will have six spaced apart dots, one for each color. Advantageously, the dots may be located in an outer region of the blanket, for example close to the edge. If there is a misregistration in the printing of one of the colors, then this will be visible as a misregistration between a registration mark on a print blanket and the corresponding mark printed by the relevant print plate. This can be readily detected and appropriate correction may by adjusting the longitudinal position and/or the angular orientation of the relevant print cylinder.

(12) FIG. 3 shows a graphical interface 300 which might be used in conjunction with the invention. The graphical interface 300 is in the form of a touch screen. The touch screen can be used in a manual adjustment mode, where adjustments to the registration are made by a user. The adjustments made by the user result in appropriate control of the servomotors of one or more of the inkers.

(13) The correction of misregistration provided by the invention has numerous advantages. It is possible to quickly correct misregistration without stopping the decorator apparatus. Rapid detection of any misregistration reduces spoilage caused by misprinting onto cans. If the camera is set up so as to detect misregistration on the blankets (or the print cylinders) then it is possible to detect misregistrations without any spoilage, because misregistration can be detected without printing on the cans. This mode might be employed as part of startup routine, or to make spot checks on registration as part of a manual correction mode.

(14) Other forms of servomotor control of the print cylinder can be used. For example, the actuator system disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,235,911, the entire contents of which are herein incorporated by reference, might be used or adapted for use as part of the misregistration correction methodology provided by the invention. However, it is believed that the servomotor control system described in relation to FIGS. 1 and 2 provides numerous advantages. It is particularly applicable to decorators of the Rutherford type, and in fact it can be retrofitted to existing Rutherford inkers quite easily. The inner print shaft can be provided by drilling a hole through the center of a standard Rutherford print shaft, and inserting the inner print shaft. This servomotor has a low number of wear parts, and it is space efficient. All of the adjustment components are internal to the inker cylinder, which makes maintenance easier. Also, if it is necessary to remove an inker for maintenance purposes, then it is possible to continue printing onto cans using the inkers. Runs can be made either using one color fewer, or a substitute inker could be inserted. In this way, maintenance can be performed without having to stop operation of the decorator apparatus.