APPARATUS FOR ARTICLES SURFACE FINISHING AND A FINISHING PROCESS ACHIEVABLE BY SAID APPARATUS

Abstract

Articles being processed are engaged on respective piece-holder members and moved along a transfer line. A metallization station operating along the transfer line deposits a surface metallization layer on each of the articles carried by the piece-holder members. A lacquering station operating along the transfer line downstream of the metallization station deposits a transparent protective layer on the metallization layer of each article carried by the respective piece-holder member. At least one printing station operatively located downstream of the metallization station applies at least one graphic pattern printed on each article carried by the respective piece-holder member. The printed graphic pattern is covered by the protective layer, or printed on it.

Claims

1. Apparatus for surface finishing of articles, comprising: a transfer line carrying piece-holder members, each configured to retain an article which is being worked; a metallization station operating along the transfer line and configured to deposit a surface metallization layer on each of the articles carried by the piece-holder members; a lacquering station operating along the transfer line downstream of the metallization station and configured to deposit a transparent protective layer on the metallization layer of each article carried by the respective piece-holder member; characterized in that it further comprises at least one printing station operatively disposed downstream of the metallization station for applying at least one printed graphic pattern on each article carried by the respective piece-holder member.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said printing station is located upstream of the lacquering station, whereby the printed graphic pattern is applied beneath the transparent protective layer.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said printing station is located downstream of the lacquering station, whereby the printed graphic pattern is applied over the transparent protective layer.

4. Apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising an additional lacquering station operating downstream of the printing station for applying a final covering layer to cover the graphic pattern applied over the transparent protective layer.

5. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each piece-holder member is rotatable jointly with the respective article around a predetermined geometric axis.

6. Apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising orienting devices configured to arrange each article according to a predetermined orientation around the respective geometric axis prior to applying the graphic pattern at the printing station.

7. Apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said orienting devices comprise: at least one reading unit configured to locate an angular reference index carried by the article near the printing station, and emit a positioning signal representative of an angular position presented by the angular reference index around the geometric axis; control devices operating on the piece-holder member in response to said positioning signal, for driving a rotation of the article around said geometric axis and stopping the rotation of the article when the angular reference index reaches a predetermined angular position around the geometric axis.

8. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said transfer line has a forward branch and a return branch placed parallel aside one to the other, said at least one printing station being installed in an auxiliary treatment module operatively disposed astride both the forward and return branches of the transfer line.

9. Apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the auxiliary treatment module has a first and a second portion symmetrically arranged with respect to the transfer line, said printing station being housed in one of said first and second portion.

10. Procedure for articles surface finishing, comprising: engaging a plurality of articles being worked on respective piece-holder members, each configured to retain one of said articles; moving along a transfer line the articles held by the piece-holder members; in a metallization station operating along the transfer line, depositing a surface metallization layer on each of the articles retained by the piece-holder members; in a lacquering station operating along the transfer line downstream of the metallization station, depositing a transparent protective layer on the metallization layer of each article held by the respective piece-holder member; characterized in that a printed graphic pattern is applied to each article held by the respective part-piece member, at a printing station operating downstream of the metallization station.

11. A process according to claim 10, wherein application of the graphic pattern is achieved before depositing said transparent protective layer, whereby the printed graphic pattern is applied beneath said protective layer.

12. A process according to claim 10, wherein the application of the graphic pattern is achieved after deposition of the transparent protective layer, whereby the printed graphic pattern is applied over said transparent protective layer.

13. A process according to claim 12, further comprising the application of an ultimate covering layer, to cover the graphic pattern printed over said transparent protective layer.

14. A process according to claim 10, wherein each article is rotatably supported around a predetermined geometric axis and is arranged according to a predetermined orientation around the respective geometric axis prior to application of the graphic pattern.

15. A process according to claim 14, wherein arranging each article according to a predetermined orientation comprises the actions of: locating an angular reference index carried by the article near the printing station; emitting a positioning signal representative of an angular position presented by the angular reference index around the geometric axis; in response to said positioning signal, driving rotation of the article around said geometric axis and stopping rotation of the article when the angular reference index reaches a predetermined angular position around the geometric axis.

Description

[0052] Further characteristics and advantages will become more apparent from the detailed description of a preferred, yet not limiting, embodiment of an apparatus and a process for articles surface finishing, according to the present invention. Such description will be set forth hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings given only for illustrative and, therefore, non-limiting purpose, wherein:

[0053] FIG. 1 is a prospective schematic view of an apparatus for articles surface finishing, according to the present invention;

[0054] FIG. 2 shows an enlarged detail of FIG. 1;

[0055] FIG. 3 shows schematically in cross-section an article being processed mounted on a respective piece-holder member carried by a tray;

[0056] FIG. 4 is a plan view of the tray of FIG. 3, carrying a set of articles being processed.

[0057] With reference to the mentioned figures, by the numeral 1 it is indicated an apparatus for articles surface finishing in its entirety according to the present invention.

[0058] The apparatus 1 comprises a transfer line 2 along which, for example by means of one or more belt conveyors 3, a plurality of piece-holder members 4 are made to advance.

[0059] In the illustrated example, the transfer line 2 extends according to a closed line and exhibits a forward branch 2a and a return branch 2b parallel aside one to the other for at least a part of their development, and ending up at a loading-unloading station 5.

[0060] Each piece-holder member 4 is configured to removably engage and retain a respective article 6 being processed.

[0061] It may be provided that at least for the purpose of moving along the transfer line 2, the piece-holder members 4 are supported by respective trays 7, moved along the belt conveyor 3. Each tray 7 is suitable for engaging a predetermined number of piece-holder members 4. In the example of FIGS. 3 and 4 four piece-holder members 4 are illustrated, albeit each tray can accommodate any number of piece-holder members, for example up to twelve.

[0062] Each piece-holder member 4 can be releasably engaged to the respective tray 7 by means of a support pin 8 which can be axially inserted along a respective cavity 8a, as for example disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 9,487,857.

[0063] The engagement of the articles 6 being processed on the respective piece-holder members 4, as well as the engagement of the latter on the trays 7, can be performed manually or automatically in the loading-unloading station 5 arranged along the transfer line 2. Once engagement has been obtained, each piece-holder member 4, and therefore the article 6 retained therefrom, is free to rotate about its own predetermined geometric axis Y, coinciding with the geometric axis of the support pin 8.

[0064] The trays 7 positioned on the transfer line 2 at the loading-unloading station 5 advance along a feed direction A and, after passing through a possible conditioning station 9 in which they are cleaned and/or subjected to other preparation treatments, they reach a pre-treatment station 10 which applies a base surface layer (Base Coating) on each of the articles 6 carried by the piece-holder members 4.

[0065] The base layer can be obtained in the form of paint applied by spraying and subsequent drying, optionally with the aid of UV lamps and/or infrared radiation, as disclosed for example in U.S. Pat. No. 9,487,857. In particular, it can be provided that for the purpose of applying the base layer each piece-holder member 4 is removed from the tray 7 and transferred onto support pins similar to those of the tray 7 itself, so that each article 6 may be driven in rotation through the respective piece-holder member 4 thus promoting a homogeneous distribution of the surface layer during application.

[0066] A metallization station 11 operates along the transfer line 2, downstream of the pre-treatment station 10. The metallization station 11 is configured to deposit a surface metallization layer on each of the articles 6 carried by the piece-holder members 4, preferably via a sputtering process or other PVD technique. For example, it may be provided that at the metallization station 11 each tray 7 is picked up by the belt conveyor 3 of the transfer line 2 and introduced, together with the piece-holder members 4 and the articles 6 carried therein, into a sputtering chamber 12 maintained in a high vacuum condition. Between the sputtering chamber 12 and the transfer line 2, at least one pre-chamber 13 can be interposed which may be alternatively switched between a load-discharge condition, at ambient pressure, in the presence of which the transfer of the tray 7 to or from the transfer line 2 is carried out, and a condition of forced vacuum transfer, in the presence of which the transfer of the tray 7 to or from the sputtering chamber 12 is carried out.

[0067] A lacquering station 14 operates along the transfer line 2 downstream of the metallization station 11. The lacquering station 14 is configured to deposit a transparent protective layer (Top Coating) on the metallization layer of each article 6 carried by the respective piece-holder member 4.

[0068] The transparent protective layer can be colourless or, if desired, pigmented according to a desired chromatic tint.

[0069] Similarly to what has been described with reference to the pre-treatment station 10, the protective layer applied in the lacquering station 14 can be obtained in the form of paint applied by spraying and subsequent drying, optionally with the aid of UV lamps and/or infrared radiation. In particular, it can be provided that for the purpose of applying the protective layer each piece-holder member 4 is removed from the tray 7 and transferred on support pins similar to those of the tray 7, so that each article 6 can be driven in rotation through the respective piece-holder member 4, to promote a homogeneous distribution of the protective layer during application.

[0070] In the illustrated example there is further provided an auxiliary processing module 15 operatively disposed astride both the forward 2a and return branches 2b of the transfer line 2, in an area interposed between the metallization station 11 and the lacquering station 14. Preferably, the auxiliary processing module 15 has a first and a second portion 15a, 15b symmetrically arranged with respect to the transfer line 2. The first portion 15a extends from the forward branch 2a of the transfer line 2, preferably perpendicular thereto, away from the return branch 2b. The second portion 15b extends from the return branch 2b, away from the forward branch 2a, specularly with respect to the first portion 15a.

[0071] The apparatus 1 further comprises at least one printing station 16 operatively arranged downstream of the metallization station 11 to apply at least one graphic pattern printed on each article 6.

[0072] Preferably, the printing station 16 is housed in the auxiliary processing module 15, in at least one of the first and second portions 15a, 15b thereof.

[0073] In a preferential embodiment, the printing station 16 is installed in the first portion 15a of the auxiliary processing module 15. In this case, the printing station 16 operates between the metallization station 11 and the lacquering station 14, upstream of the latter, preferably along the forward branch 2a of the transfer line 2. The graphic pattern applied by the printing station 16 is in this case interposed between the metallization layer and the transparent protective layer. The graphic pattern is therefore protected from wear phenomena, abrasions and mechanical damages, as well as from the effects of atmospheric agents such as oxidation, humidity or chemical substances with which article 6 can come into contact. The second portion 15b of the auxiliary module 15 can in this case be used for the installation of any additional equipment operating along the return branch 2b of the transfer line 2. For example, a qualitative control station 23 of the treated articles 6 may be provided.

[0074] In a second preferred embodiment, not shown, the printing station 16 is installed in the second portion 15b of the auxiliary processing module 15. In this case, the printing station 16 operates downstream of the lacquering station 14, and the graphic pattern is suitable for being applied on the protective layer. Therefore, a transparent pigmented protective layer may be obtained, without the colour of the protective layer influencing the external appearance of the printed graphic pattern.

[0075] An additional lacquering station (not shown) may be optionally installed downstream of the printing station 16 operating downstream of the lacquering station 14, to apply a transparent, preferably colourless, final covering layer to cover the printed graphic pattern over the protective layer obtained by the lacquering station 14. The articles coming from the return branch 2b of the transfer line 2 can be diverted to the pre-treatment station 10 to undergo application of the final covering layer before reaching the loading-unloading station 5. In fact, the additional lacquering station may, for example, be represented by the pre-treatment station 10.

[0076] According to a third preferred embodiment, not shown, there are provided a first and a second printing station 16 arranged respectively in the first and second portion 15a, 15b of the auxiliary processing module 15. In this case, the first and second printing stations 16 respectively give shape to a first and second graphic pattern, respectively arranged inside and outside the transparent protective layer. Also in this case an additional lacquering station installed downstream of the second printing station may be provided for applying a transparent, preferably colourless, final covering layer thus covering the second printed graphic pattern.

[0077] Similarly to what has been described with reference to the pre-treatment station 10 and to the lacquering station 14, it is preferably provided that for the purpose of applying the graphic pattern the piece-holder members 4 be removed from the respective tray 7 and transferred onto supporting elements similar to the support pins 8 carried by the tray 7 itself. For this purpose, the printing station 16 can for example comprise at least one loader 17 fed by a manipulator 18. In the illustrated example, there are provided two loaders 17 specularly arranged with respect to the centre of rotation C of a rotatable structure 19. The rotatable structure 19 can be actuated with rotations by 180 about its centre of rotation C, to reciprocally exchange the positions of the trays 7 between a loading area 16a, which can be reached by the manipulator 18, and a working area 16b.

[0078] At each work cycle, the manipulator 18 interacts with one of the trays 7 along the transfer line 2, with the piece-holder members 4 being withdrawn in order to remove the articles 6 and release them onto the loader 17 which occupies the loading area 16a. Preferably, for the purposes of the transfer, the manipulator 18 engages the piece-holder members 4, without coming into contact with the articles 6. It is thus possible to prevent possible damage to the metallization layer and/or the protective layer.

[0079] With a 180 rotation of the rotatable structure 19, the loader 17 which received the articles 6 together with the respective piece-holder members 4 is transferred to the working area 16b. Simultaneously, the loader 17 coming from the working area 16b is brought back into the loading area 16a to allow the manipulator 18 to again transfer the processed articles 6 onto the tray 7 waiting on the transfer line 2. The articles 6 carried by the loader 17 in the working area 16b are made to advance together with the respective piece-holder members 4 along their mutual alignment direction D, preferably according to a step-by-step movement, in order to be sequentially brought into a printing position P. At least one printing unit 20 operates at the printing position P with the former being configured to realize the graphic pattern on the article 6. Depending on the requirements, the printing unit 20 can be configured to realize the printed graphic pattern in various ways, for example according to a technique chosen between offset printing, digital printing, decal, pad printing, screen printing or other.

[0080] In the illustrated example, the printing unit 20 is suitable for operating on a side surface 6a of the article 6 being processed, substantially parallel to the geometric axis Y. It may be provided that during printing the article 6 be rotated through the respective piece-holder member 4 around the geometric axis Y, in order that correct application of the graphic pattern is promoted.

[0081] In addition or alternatively, a printing unit 20 may be provided which is configured to operate on a base surface 6b of article 6, substantially perpendicular to the rotation axis. In this case, the article 6 being processed is preferably kept stationary during printing.

[0082] The apparatus 1 can further comprise orientation devices 21 configured to arrange each article 6 according to a predetermined orientation around the respective geometric axis Y, prior to application of the graphic pattern in the printing station 16.

[0083] In this regard, it is provided that at least one angular reference index 22 is associated with each of the articles 6 being processed, preferably located around its own geometric axis Y. This angular reference index 22 may for example be constituted by an insert, a recess or a notch printed or embossed on a side surface 6a of the article 6, or on the piece-holder member 4. The angular reference index 22 can possibly be defined by a first graphic pattern, printed for example on the base surface 6b of the article 6, so that a second graphic pattern printed on the side surface 6a is correctly positioned and/or oriented with respect to the first graphic pattern, or vice versa.

[0084] The orientation devices preferably comprise at least one reading unit 21 configured to identify the angular reference index 22 carried by the article 6 in proximity of the printing station 16. In the illustrated example, the reading unit 21 operates in the printing position P, although a different location thereof is not excluded, for example along the transfer line 2

[0085] The reading unit 21, for example of the optical (camera) mechanical (probe) or inductive (proximity magnetic sensor) type, is suitable to emit a positioning signal representative of a position presented by the angular reference index 22 around the geometric axis Y. For example, the positioning signal may be emitted when the angular reference index 22 reaches a predetermined angular position around the geometric axis Y of the article 6 being processed, while the latter is made to rotate through the piece-holder member 4 by a motor or other suitable control devices (not shown). In response to the positioning signal, the control devices stop the rotation of the article 6 when the angular reference index 22 reaches the predetermined angular position around the geometric axis Y.

[0086] It is therefore possible to promote the realization of one or more graphic patterns in one or more predefined positions around article 6.