TRANSPORT CYLINDER, DRYING UNIT COMPRISING THIS TRANSPORT CYLINDER, AND SHEET-FED PRINTING PRESS COMPRISING THIS DRYING UNIT

Abstract

In some examples, a transport cylinder for transporting a sheet-format substrate includes at least one channel extending on an outer surface of the transport cylinder in an axial direction. Each channel includes at least one gripper, which is supported on a shaft, for holding a substrate on the outer surface of the transport cylinder. Each channel is covered by a respective cover at the outer surface of the transport cylinder. The cover and/or a shaft supporting the at least one gripper may include a cooling unit. In some examples, a drying unit that includes the transport cylinder may further include an electron beam for curing a printing fluid on a substrate on the transport cylinder. In some examples, a printing press may include the drying unit including the transport cylinder.

Claims

1-20. (canceled)

21. A transport cylinder (01) for transporting a sheet-format substrate (11), including at least one channel (04) extending in each case at its outer surface (03) in its axial direction, in each case at least one gripper (06), which is supported on a shaft (07), for holding the relevant substrate (11) on the outer surface (03) of this transport cylinder (01) being arranged in the relevant channel (04), and the relevant channel (04) being covered by a cover (08) at the outer surface (03) of this transport cylinder (01), characterized in that the relevant cover (08) and/or the shaft (07) supporting the at least one gripper (06) comprise a cooling unit.

22. The transport cylinder (01) according to claim 21, characterized in that its main body (02) is made of a casting material and/or that its outer surface (03) is configured to be at least over 90 percent closed.

23. The transport cylinder (01) according to claim 21, characterized in that this transport cylinder (01) is configured to be double-sized so that, at its circumference, two channels (04), which extend at the outer surface (03) in each case in its axial direction, are formed in a diametrically opposing manner.

24. The transport cylinder (01) according to claim 21, characterized in that the relevant cover (08) is configured in one piece by a solid steel sheet or by a solid metallic molded part and/or that the relevant cover (08), at the location of the relevant gripper (06), includes a recess (14) that is adapted to the contour of the relevant gripper (06).

25. The transport cylinder (01) according to claim 21, characterized in that the at least one gripper (06), in its operating state in which it holds the relevant substrate (11) on the outer surface (03) of this transport cylinder (01), is arranged completely beneath a plane formed by the outer surface (03) of this transport cylinder (01).

26. The transport cylinder (01) according to claim 21, characterized in that the relevant cooling unit comprises at least one pipe (09) extending in the axial direction of this transport cylinder (01), a liquid or gaseous cooling medium flowing, or at least being able to flow, through the relevant pipe (09), and/or that the relevant cooling unit includes at least one bore hole (09), which is formed in the relevant cover (08) and/or in the relevant shaft (07) and extends in the axial direction of this transport cylinder (01), a liquid or gaseous cooling medium flowing, or at least being able to flow, through the relevant bore hole (09).

27. The transport cylinder (01) according to claim 26, characterized in that an inflow and/or an outflow of the cooling medium are in each case arranged at the end face of the main body (02) of this transport cylinder (01), in a region that is separate from its outer surface (03).

28. A drying unit (16) for drying a radiation-curing printing fluid on a sheet-format substrate (11), comprising a chamber (17) including a gaseous medium that is oxygen-reduced by an inert gas, the oxygen-reduced gaseous medium in the chamber (17) having an oxygen content of no more than one percent; an electron beam generator (18) including an electron beam that is directed at the substrate (11) in the chamber (17) being provided for drying the radiation-curing printing fluid; the substrate (11) being guided, or at least being guidable, through this chamber (17) while being held at the outer surface (03) of a transport cylinder (01); the transport cylinder (01), at its outer surface (03), including at least one channel (04) extending in each case transversely to the transport direction (T) of the relevant substrate (11); at least one gripper (06), which is supported on a shaft (07), for holding the relevant substrate (11) on the outer surface (03) of this transport cylinder (01) being in each case arranged in the relevant channel (04); the relevant gripper (06), in its operating state in which it holds the relevant substrate (11) on the outer surface (03) of this transport cylinder (01), being arranged completely beneath a plane formed by the outer surface (03) of this transport cylinder (01); the relevant channel (04) being covered by a cover (08) at the outer surface (03) of the transport cylinder (01); and the relevant cover (08) and/or the shaft (07) supporting the at least one gripper (06) each comprising a cooling unit.

29. The drying unit (16) according to claim 28, characterized by comprising a housing (22), which encloses the side facing the electron beam generator (18) of the transport cylinder (01) in a sheet section of at least 150°, at least during a production process.

30. The drying unit (16) according to claim 29, characterized in that the housing (22) enclosing the transport cylinder (01) comprises two molded parts (23; 24), which are arranged symmetrically with respect to a plane defined by the progression of the electron beam, their outer delimitation facing the outer surface (03) of the transport cylinder (01) in each case being adapted to the contour of this transport cylinder (01) and, for forming a gap (26), being arranged spaced apart in the range of no more than 3 mm from the outer surface (03) of the transport cylinder (01).

31. The drying unit (16) according to claim 30, characterized in that the two molded parts (23; 24) in each case comprise a shield (27; 28) comprising lead.

32. The drying unit (16) according to claim 30, characterized in that the respective gap (26) that is formed between one of the two molded parts (23; 24) and the outer surface (03) of the transport cylinder (01) extends in each case at the circumference of the transport cylinder (01) over a sheet section of at least 75° and/or that the respective gap (26) that is formed between one of the two molded parts (23; 24) and the outer surface (03) of the transport cylinder (01) in each case has a gap width in the range between 2 mm and 3 mm.

33. A sheet-fed printing press, comprising at least one printing unit for printing sheet-format substrates (11) with a radiation-curing printing fluid and comprising a drying unit (16), which is arranged downstream from the relevant printing unit in the transport direction (T) of the relevant substrates (11), for drying the radiation-curing printing fluid on these substrates (11); the drying unit (16) comprising a chamber (17) including a gaseous medium that is oxygen-reduced by an inert gas; the oxygen-reduced gaseous medium in the chamber (17) having an oxygen content of no more than one percent; an electron beam generator (18) including an electron beam that is directed at the respective substrate (11) in the chamber (17) being provided for drying the radiation-curing printing fluid; the substrate (11) being guided, or at least being guidable, through this chamber (17) while being held at the outer surface (03) of a transport cylinder (01) that is arranged in a stationary manner in a frame of the sheet-fed printing press; the transport cylinder (01), at its outer surface (03), including at least one channel (04) extending in each case transversely to the transport direction (T) of the relevant substrate (11); at least one gripper (06), which is supported on a shaft (07), for holding the relevant substrate (11) on the outer surface (03) of this transport cylinder (01) being in each case arranged in the relevant channel (04); the relevant gripper (06), in its operating state in which it holds the relevant substrate (11) on the outer surface (03) of this transport cylinder (01), being arranged completely beneath a plane formed by the outer surface (03) of this transport cylinder (01); the relevant channel (04) being covered by a cover (08) at the outer surface (03) of the transport cylinder (01); and the relevant cover (08) and/or the shaft (07) supporting the at least one gripper (06) each comprising a cooling unit.

34. The sheet-fed printing press according to claim 33, characterized in that a first chain conveyor system for feeding substrates (11) to be dried, which were previously printed by the at least one printing unit, to the transport cylinder (01) of the drying unit (16) is provided, and/or that a second chain conveyor system for removing substrates (11) dried in the drying unit (16) from the transport cylinder (01) of the drying unit (16) is provided.

35. The sheet-fed printing press according to claim 33, characterized in that a production speed of the sheet-fed printing press that matches the rotational speed of the transport cylinder (01) is at least 10,000 substrates (11) per hour, all of these substrates (11) being guided through the chamber (17) of the drying unit (16).

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] An exemplary embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the drawings and will be described in greater detail below. The drawings show:

[0018] FIG. 1 a transport cylinder for transporting a sheet-format substrate;

[0019] FIG. 2 a detail of FIG. 1; and

[0020] FIG. 3 a drying unit comprising a transport cylinder according to FIGS. 1 and 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0021] FIG. 1, by way of example, shows a transport cylinder 01 for transporting a sheet-format substrate 11 that is printed, for example, with a printing fluid in a perspective illustration. FIG. 2 shows an enlargement of a detail of the transport cylinder 01 shown in FIG. 1. In its main body 02, which is preferably made of a casting material, for example made of cast iron, this transport cylinder 01 at its outer surface 03, which is preferably at least over 90% closed, includes at least one channel 04, which extends in the axial direction, that is, transversely to the transport direction T of the relevant substrate 11, wherein such a channel 04 is also referred to as a cylinder pit. The transport cylinder 01 is preferably configured to be double-sized so that, at its circumference, two channels 04, which extend at the outer surface 03, in each case in its axial direction, are formed in a diametrically opposing manner and two sheet-format substrates 11, for example, can be held at its outer surface 03 one behind the other. Serving as a transport cylinder 01 that is configured to be double-sized, the cylinder has a diameter in the range of, for example, 500 mm to 700 mm, and preferably of, for example, 550 mm to 600 mm. The outer surface 03 of this transport cylinder 01 is in particular closed insofar as no flow channels, for example for guiding suction air, which extend radially into its interior, join at its outer surface 03. In cooperation with the particular channel 04, the outer surface 03 of this transport cylinder 01 only has a slot-shaped opening, which extends in each case in its axial direction, where one end of the sheet-format substrate 11 to be transported is to be held at this outer surface 03.

[0022] At least one gripper 06 for holding the relevant substrate 11 on the outer surface 03 of this transport cylinder 01 is arranged in each case in the relevant channel 04. In a particularly preferred embodiment, a gripper bar including multiple, for example ten or more, grippers 06, arranged next to one another in the axial direction of this transport cylinder 01, is provided in each case in the relevant channel 04. The at least one gripper 06 is pivotably mounted on a shaft 07 extending in the axial direction of this transport cylinder 01, wherein this shaft 07 is arranged in the relevant channel 04 so as to cooperate, for example, with a spring, and in particular with a torsion spring. In a first operating state, the at least one gripper 06 is pivoted by a pivoting movement, brought about by a servo mechanism, in particular against the force of the relevant spring into a first position, in which a forward end 12 of a sheet-format substrate 11 to be held on the outer surface 03 of this transport cylinder 01 can be inserted through a slot-shaped opening, which is released by the relevant gripper 06, into the relevant channel 04. In a second operating state shown in each case in FIGS. 1 and 2, the at least one gripper 06 is pivoted by a pivoting movement, brought about by the servo mechanism and/or by the relevant spring, into a second position, in which the forward end 12, in the direction of rotation D of the transport cylinder 01, of the sheet-format substrate 11 to be held on the outer surface 03 of this transport cylinder 01 is held in the relevant channel 04, in particular by way of clamping. The direction of rotation D of the transport cylinder 01 is indicated by a rotational direction arrow in FIG. 1. In this second position, the at least one gripper 06 is arranged completely beneath a plane formed by the outer surface 03 of this transport cylinder 01, which is why a gripper 06 arranged in this way is also referred to as an underfloor gripper.

[0023] The relevant channel 04 is covered by a cover 08 at the outer surface 03 of this transport cylinder 01, wherein the cover 08 preferably covers the relevant channel 04 in the plane formed by the outer surface 03 of this transport cylinder 01 and, at the location of the relevant gripper 06, includes a recess 14 that is adapted to the contour of the relevant gripper 06 which is formed at the outer surface 03 of this transport cylinder 01, wherein the cover 08, in the case of multiple grippers 06 that are arranged next to one another in the axial direction, in each case forms tongue-shaped regions, for example, at the outer surface 03 of this transport cylinder 01 between adjacent grippers 06 (FIG. 2). The relevant cover 08 is preferably configured in one piece, for example by a solid steel sheet or by a solid, preferably metallic, molded part. Moreover, the relevant cover 08 and/or the shaft 07 supporting the at least one gripper 06 each comprise a cooling unit. The relevant cooling unit comprises, for example, at least one pipe 09 extending in the axial direction of this transport cylinder 01 and/or at least one continuous bore hole 09, which is configured in the relevant cover 08 and/or in the relevant shaft 07 and extends in the axial direction of this transport cylinder 01, wherein in each case a liquid or gaseous cooling medium flows, or at least can flow, through the relevant pipe 09 or the relevant bore hole 09. An inflow and/or an outflow of the cooling medium are preferably arranged in each case at the end face of the main body 02 of the transport cylinder 01, and more particularly especially in a region that is separate from the outer surface 03 of this transport cylinder 01. When a bore hole 09 through which a liquid or gaseous cooling medium flows, or at least can flow, is formed in the shaft 07, this shaft 07 is in particular configured as a hollow shaft.

[0024] For example, water or an industrially produced synthetic cooling medium or refrigerant is a suitable cooling medium. A refrigerant differs from a cooling agent in that a refrigerant, in a refrigeration cycle, is able to remove heat counter to a temperature gradient, so that the ambient temperature surrounding the object to be cooled, which here is the main body 02 of the transport cylinder 01 and/or the cover 08 and/or the gripper or grippers 06, is permitted to be even higher than the temperature of the object to be cooled, while a cooling agent is only able to transport the enthalpy along the temperature gradient to a site having a lower temperature in a cooling cycle.

[0025] The above-described transport cylinder 01 is ideally suited for use in a drying unit 16 comprising an electron beam generator 18, wherein this drying unit 16 dries a substrate 11 that is printed with a radiation-curing printing fluid by means of an electron beam by triggering a setting reaction, that is, by curing this printing fluid.

[0026] As is shown in FIG. 3 by way of example, a drying unit 16 for drying a radiation-curing printing fluid on a sheet-format substrate (11) is yielded (see FIGS. 1 and 2), wherein the relevant substrate 11 is guided through the chamber 17 with a gaseous medium that is oxygen-reduced by an inert gas. The oxygen-reduced gaseous medium has an oxygen content of no more than 1% in the chamber 17. This oxygen content is preferably in a range between 300 ppm and 500 ppm, in particular in the range between 150 ppm and 250 ppm, possibly even lower, into the range of less than 50 ppm. An electron beam generator 18 including an electron beam that is directed at the substrate 11 in the chamber 17 is provided for drying the radiation-curing printing fluid, wherein the substrate 11 is guided, or at least can be guided, through this chamber 17 while being held at the outer surface 03 of the above-described transport cylinder 01. In a rapid industrial production process, a production speed that goes along with the rotational speed of the transport cylinder 01 is at least, and preferably even considerably more than, 10,000 substrates 11 per hour that are guided through the chamber 17 of the drying unit 16, so that, at such a production speed, each individual substrate 11 held, for example, on a transport cylinder 01 configured to be double-sized passes through this chamber 17 in no more than 720 ms. From this, it becomes evident that, at this production speed, the transport cylinder 01, which here, by way of example, is assumed to be configured to be double-sized, having a diameter in the range between 500 mm and 700 mm allows each 1 mm wide strip, extending transversely to the transport direction T of the substrates 11, on their surfaces to be dried in only approximately 2 ms to 3 ms. The setting reaction, carried out by way of polymerization, of the radiation-curing printing fluid applied to the relevant substrate 11 therefore must be carried out in a very short time, which, based on current knowledge, is only successful when using an electron beam generator 18. In the preferred embodiment, the electron beam extends in a strip shape across the entire width of these substrates 11 extending transversely to the transport direction T of the substrates 11 and is preferably radially directed at the outer surface 03 of the transport cylinder 01, so that this electron beam essentially in each case impinges perpendicularly on the surface of the relevant substrate 11. A heat level of several hundred degrees Celsius is reached in the impingement area of the electron beam and is, for example, more than 300° C.

[0027] The drying unit 16 also includes a control unit 19, which is not described in greater detail, controlling at least the electron beam generator 18. The electron beam generator 18 and its control unit 19 form a modular unit, for example, wherein this modular unit is arranged so as to be movable, for example so as to be navigable on a ground by means of wheels 21. In contrast, the transport cylinder 01 is generally arranged in a stationary manner in a machine frame, in particular in a frame of a sheet-fed printing press. Substrates 11 to be dried that were previously printed in the sheet-fed printing press by at least one printing unit can be fed to the transport cylinder 01 of the drying unit 16, for example by means of a first chain conveyor system preferably comprising grippers, and/or the substrates 11 dried in the drying unit 16 can, for example, be received by the aforementioned transport cylinder 01 from a second chain conveyor system that likewise preferably comprises grippers and be transported onward, for example, to a delivery that is part of the sheet-fed printing press. The movability of the modular unit comprising the electron beam generator 18 and its control unit 19 facilitates maintenance and/or repair work being carried out at the drying unit 16 since the transport cylinder 01 and the aforementioned modular unit can be spatially separated from one another in a simple manner by way of locomotion of this modular unit, so that an area between the transport cylinder 01 and the electron beam generator 18 becomes accessible for operating staff.

[0028] As described above, the transport cylinder 01 arranged in the drying unit 16, which in FIG. 3 is shown in a sectional view through its main body 02, includes, on its outer surface 03, at least one channel 04 that extends in each case transversely to the transport direction T of the relevant substrate 11, which is directed in the direction of rotation D of the transport cylinder 01, wherein in each case at least one gripper 06 for holding the relevant substrate 11 on the outer surface 03 of this transport cylinder 01 is arranged in the relevant channel 04 (FIGS. 1 and 2). The relevant channel 04 is covered by a cover 08 at the outer surface 03 of this transport cylinder 01, wherein the cover 08 includes a recess at the location of the relevant gripper 06. The relevant gripper 06 is configured as an underfloor gripper. At least the relevant cover 08, possibly, however, also a shaft 07 supporting the at least one gripper 06, each comprise a cooling unit in the manner described above based on FIGS. 1 and 2.

[0029] The drying unit 16 comprises a housing 22, which encloses the side facing the electron beam generator 18, of the transport cylinder 01, which is preferably horizontally mounted, in particular in the machine frame of a sheet-fed printing press, approximately over half a side, that is, in a sheet section of at least 160°, at least during a production process. This housing 22 thus enclosing the transport cylinder 01 comprises two molded parts 23; 24, which are arranged symmetrically with respect to a plane defined by the progression of the electron beam, wherein their outer delimitation facing the outer surface 03 of the transport cylinder 01 is in each case adapted to the contour of this transport cylinder 01 and, for forming a gap 26, is arranged spaced apart no more than 3 mm, in particular in a range, for example, between 2 mm and 3 mm, from the outer surface 03 of the transport cylinder 01. These two molded parts 23; 24 are arranged so as to be spaced apart from one another in the chamber 17 of the drying unit 16 in an area that is configured orthogonally to the plane defined by the progression of the electron beam to allow unimpeded propagation of the electron beam. For radiation protection, the two molded parts 23; 24 in each case comprise a shield 27; 28, which preferably each include the material lead, wherein this shield 27; 28 is in each case configured in the form of a lead panel. The gap 26 that is formed in each case between each of the two molded parts 23; 24 and the outer surface 03 of the transport cylinder 01 preferably extends at the circumference of the transport cylinder 01 over a sheet section of at least 75°, in particular at least 80°, and preferably has a gap width of no more than 3 mm, and in particular of 2 mm to 3 mm. Such a long and narrow gap 26 offers good protection against radiation exiting the chamber 17 and also sufficiently seals this chamber 17, so that in each case inert gas does not escape from this chamber 17, or oxygen from the surrounding area does not penetrate into this chamber 17, to any noteworthy extent.

[0030] Using the drying unit 16 described above based on FIGS. 1 to 3, a sheet-fed printing press is yielded, comprising at least one printing unit for printing sheet-format substrates 11 with a radiation-curing printing fluid and comprising a drying unit 16, which is arranged downstream from the relevant printing unit in the transport direction T of the relevant substrates 11, for drying the radiation-curing printing fluid on these substrates 11, wherein the drying unit 16 comprises a chamber 17 including a gaseous medium that is oxygen-reduced by an inert gas, the oxygen-reduced gaseous medium in the chamber 17 having an oxygen content of no more than 1%. An electron beam generator 18 including an electron beam that is directed at the particular substrate 11 in the chamber 17 is provided for drying the radiation-curing printing fluid. The substrate 11 is guided, or at least can be guided, through this chamber 17 while being held at the outer surface 03 of a transport cylinder 01, which is arranged in a stationary manner in a frame of the sheet-fed printing machine, wherein the transport cylinder 01, at its outer surface 03, includes at least one channel 04 extending in each case transversely to the transport direction T of the relevant substrate 11. At least one gripper 06, which is supported on a shaft 07, for holding the relevant substrate 11 on the outer surface 03 of this transport cylinder 01 is arranged in each case in the relevant channel 04, wherein the relevant gripper 06, in its operating state in which it holds the relevant substrate 11 on the outer surface 03 of this transport cylinder 01, is arranged completely beneath a plane formed by the outer surface 03 of this transport cylinder 01. The relevant channel 04 is covered by a cover 08 at the outer surface 03 of the transport cylinder 01, wherein the relevant cover 08 and/or the shaft 07 supporting the at least one gripper 06 in each case include a cooling unit.

[0031] Advantageously, a first chain conveyor system for feeding substrates 11 to be dried, which were previously printed by the at least one printing unit of the sheet-fed printing press, to the transport cylinder 01 of the drying unit 16, and/or a second chain conveyor system for removing substrates 11 dried in the drying unit 16 from the transport cylinder 01 of the drying unit 16 to, for example, a delivery of this sheet-fed printing press are provided. In an industrial production process carried out by this sheet-fed printing press, the production speed that goes along with the rotational speed of the transport cylinder 01 is at least 10,000 substrates 11 per hour, wherein preferably all of these substrates 11 are guided through the chamber 17 of the drying unit 16.

[0032] Although the disclosure herein has been described in language specific to examples of structural features and/or methodological acts, it is to be understood that the subject matter defined in the appended claims is not necessarily limited to the specific features or acts described in the examples. Rather, the specific features and acts are disclosed merely as example forms of implementing the claims.