DEVICE FOR DETACHING A TEXTILE FROM A PRINTING PLATE

Abstract

The present disclosure discloses a device for detaching a textile from a printing plate, in particular in the case of direct printing and/or screen printing using a plurality of colours, comprising a lifting device which comprises a gripper for gripping a first end of the textile, and a first movement axis for lifting the gripper; and a detachment slider, which can be inserted, via a second movement axis, between the printing plate and the first end of the textile, lifted by the lifting device, in order to detach the textile from the printing plate.

Claims

1. Device for detaching a textile from a printing plate, comprising: a lifting device which comprises a gripper for gripping a first end of the textile, and a first movement axis for lifting the gripper; and a detachment slider, which can be inserted, via a second movement axis, between the printing plate and the first end of the textile, lifted by the lifting device, in order to detach the textile from the printing plate.

2. Device according to claim 1, wherein the gripper is a mechanical gripper having two clamping elements, between which the first end of the textile can be clamped.

3. Device according to claim 1, wherein the detachment slider comprises a thrust plate which is linearly displaceable via a telescopic rail structure.

4. Device according to claim 1, wherein a front edge of the detachment slider comprises a chamfer, in order to lift and detach the textile.

5. Device according to claim 1, comprising a size adjustment means by which the position of the lifting device can be adjusted to the position of a first end of the textile.

6. Device according to claim 5, wherein the position of the lifting device on a carrier arm which carries a bearing of the detachment slider is adjustable by the size adjustment means.

7. Device according to claim 5, wherein the size adjustment means comprises a sensor which acquires the position of the first end of the textile, and a controller which adjusts the position of the lifting device, on the basis of the data of the sensor, to the position of a first end of the textile.

8. Device according to claim 5, wherein the size adjustment means allows for a manual specification of the position of the lifting device via a separate input element or a control panel, and/or wherein the size adjustment means comprises a projector for projecting a marking, wherein the marking shows the position at which the first end of the textile must be arranged in order to be gripped in the current setting of the size adjustment means.

9. Device according to claim 1, wherein the gripper comprises a gripping actuator, via which it is operated, and/or wherein the first and/or the second movement axis comprise an actuator, via which they are operated.

10. Device according to claim 1, comprising a controller which controls actuators of the gripper and/or of the first and/or second movement axis automatically, wherein the controller comprises an interface for coupling to the controller of a printing machine and/or of a device for handling printing plates having textiles applied thereto.

11. Device according to claim 10, wherein the controller is configured to carry out the following method: gripping the first side of the textile using the gripper; lifting the first side of the textile by moving the gripper by means of the first movement axis; inserting the detachment slider, via a second movement axis, between the printing plate and the first end of the textile, lifted by the lifting device, and detaching the textile from the printing plate.

12. Device according to claim 1, wherein the device is a direct printing and/or screen printing device using a plurality of colours.

13. Device according to claim 5, wherein the position of the lifting device is adjustable in a direction in parallel with the extension direction of the second movement axis of the detachment slider.

14. Device for handling printing plates of a printing machine, comprising a device for detaching a textile from a printing plate according to claim 1, wherein the device for handling printing plates comprises a movement axis via which a printing plate can be moved into the region of the device for detaching a textile from the printing plate, wherein the printing plate can be moved by the device for handling to at least one printing station.

15. Printing machine, comprising a device for handling printing plates according to claim 14.

16. Method for operating a printing machine according to claim 15, comprising the steps of: applying a textile to a printing plate; printing the textile; gripping the first side of the textile using the gripper; lifting the first side of the textile by moving the gripper by means of the first movement axis; inserting the detachment slider, via a second movement axis, between the printing plate and the first end of the textile, lifted by the lifting device, and detaching the textile from the printing plate.

17. Method of claim 16, wherein the printing is by direct printing and/or screen printing and/or using a plurality of colours.

18. Method according to claim 16, wherein the operation of the device for detaching a textile takes place automatically.

19. Method according to claim 16, further comprising: returning the detachment slider via the second movement axis.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0061] The present disclosure will now be described in greater detail with reference to an embodiment and drawings,

[0062] in which:

[0063] FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of a device according to the disclosure for detaching a textile, in a starting position in which the textile adheres to the printing plate,

[0064] FIG. 2 shows the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 in an intermediate position in which the gripper receives the first end of the textile, and

[0065] FIG. 3 shows the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 in work stroke, in which the detachment slider is inserted between the textile and the printing plate and detaches the textile from the printing plate.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0066] FIGS. 1 to 3 show an embodiment of a device 10 for detaching a textile, which can be integrated into a printing machine, in particular in the field of direct printing/screen printing, for example as the penultimate station prior to removal.

[0067] Reference sign 20 shows a part of a device for handling printing plates of the printing machine, by which the printing plates can be moved from one station to the next. For example, it may be a rotary table having a plurality of arms, on which the printing plates are arranged.

[0068] In order to create multicoloured, complex printing designs, the textile 32 may not slip on the printing plate 30, between the individual printing stations, since otherwise distortion of the printed image or blurring in the print occurs. In order to counteract this, a double-sided adhesive film 31 is applied between the printing plate 30 and the textile 32. This prevents the textile from slipping during printing.

[0069] The device 10 serves to detach the textile 32 from the printing plate 30 after printing. It comprises a lifting device having a gripper 11 and a movement axis 14 for lifting the gripper 11. The gripper 11 grips and fixes the textile 32 at the lower end 33. By lifting the gripper 11, this lobs/lifts the lower end 33 of the textile to such an extent that the detachment slider 12 of the device can enter between the textile 32 and the printing plate 30. In this case, it detaches the textile 32 uniformly from the adhesive film 31, such that in the next step the textile can be removed manually or automatically.

[0070] The device allows for automatic detachment of the textile from the adhesive film/printing plate, and, as a result, subsequently automatic removal, even in the case of multicoloured printing. However, it can also be combined with manual removal. After the removal of the textile, transfer to a drying tunnel belt can take place.

[0071] In the embodiment, the gripper 11 comprises receiving and clamping/fixing of the textile 32 at the lower end 33 (usually on the side facing the printing machine), which is strong enough to withstand the tensile force by the detachment slider 12. Thus, in the embodiment, this is a mechanical gripper comprising two clamping jaws or clamping bars 19, between which the lower end 33 is clamped. In the embodiment, the movement axis 14 lifts the gripper perpendicularly to the extension of the printing plate 30 and/or the movement direction of the detachment slider. It is optionally driven by motor.

[0072] The detachment slider 12 comprises a thrust plate on a telescopic rail structure 15 and is inserted between the printing plate 30 and the textile 32, driven by an actuator (of electrical or pneumatic nature). The thrust plate has a chamfered edge 13 at the front, in order to lift and detach the textile, while this is simultaneously held by the gripper 11. When the detachment slider 12 is pushed back, the textile is again deposited on the printing plate 30 comprising the adhesive film 31, with the difference that this time, on account of a lack of pressing force, no adhesion to the adhesive film 31 is established.

[0073] Subsequently, the printing plate 30, with the detached textile, is transported via the device 20 to a removal station, in particular by further rotating the device 20.

[0074] The operation of the device optionally takes place automatically. For this purpose, a controller (not shown) is provided, which controls the actuators of the device accordingly.

[0075] In the embodiment, the device 10 for detaching the textile comprises a (optionally automatic) size adjustment means 16, by which the gripper 10 of the lifting device is oriented to the lower edge 33 of the textile 32 to be printed. The size adjustment means 16 may include a sensor (e.g., vision sensor, camera, or position sensor) which acquires the position of an end of the textile or input means for inputting the position of the end of the textile, and a controller which adjusts the position of the lifting device, on the basis of the data of the sensor or the input means, to the position of a first end of the text. The controller may include a processor and instructions stored in memory for reading the sensor value and adjusting the actuator in response thereto as described herein.

[0076] In the case of a t-shirt, for example, the lifting device is displaced depending on the size of the shirt. For this purpose, in the embodiment the lifting device is linearly displaceable along a carrier arm 17, in particular via an actuator 18.

[0077] The position value for the adjustment axis can be predetermined either by a vision sensor/camera detection means, or by a value that can be set manually by the operator (for example using a laser line and encoder value, or by means of worker input on the control panel). Therefore, the size adjustment means of the lifting and clamping mechanism is adjusted depending on the size/length of the textile.

[0078] Furthermore, the displacement path of the detachment slider can be adjusted to the size of the textile.