GLASS PRINTING MACHINE WITH CONTINUOUS TRANSPORT SYSTEM FOR THE GLASS

Abstract

Glass printing machine with continuous glass transport comprising a loading station (1), viewing means (2) or a mechanical positioning system, a printing bridge (3), and an unloading station (4), where the machine comprises an upper level (9) arranged above a lower level (10), with a series of carriages (11) running continuously driven by linear motors (6) in one direction on the upper level (9) and in the opposite direction on the lower level (10); to achieve this change of direction, a first vertical drive (7) in the loading station (1) lifts the carriages (11) from the lower level (10) to the upper level (9) and a second vertical drive (8) in the unloading station (4) lowers the carriages (11) from the upper level (9) to the lower level (10). Achieving a machine with a precision of less than 0.1 mm that can be used for large loads.

Claims

1. A glass printing machine with continuous glass transport, characterised in that it comprises: a loading station (1) receiving the glass panes to be printed a viewing means (2) or a mechanical positioning system downstream of the charging station (1); and a printing bridge (3) preferably arranged downstream of the viewing means or mechanical positioning system, an unloading station (4) allowing the unloading of the printed glass panes where the machine comprises an upper level (9) arranged above a lower level (10), with a series of carriages (11) running continuously driven by linear motors (6) travelling in one direction on the upper level (9) and in the opposite direction on the lower level (10); to achieve this change of direction, a first vertical drive (7) in the loading station (1) raises the carriages (11) from the lower level (10) to the upper level (9) and a second vertical drive (8) in the unloading station (4) lowers the carriages (11) from the upper level (9) to the lower level (10).

2. The glass printing machine with continuous glass transport according to claim 1, characterised in that the first and second vertical drives (7) and (8) can be pneumatic, electric, or hydraulic, or driven by linear motors.

3. The glass printing machine with continuous glass transport according to claim 1, characterised in that the carriages (11) return to the starting point of the machine, once they have been lowered, driven by a system of belts, racks, spindles, pneumatics, totally independent of the linear movement of the upper level (9).

4. The glass printing machine with continuous glass transport according to claim 1, characterised in that the number of carriages and linear motors that drive the panes will depend on the maximum length of the glass panes to be processed and the cycle times required.

5. The glass printing machine with continuous glass transport according to claim 1, characterised in that each carriage is slotted, to be integrated and coupled with a loading or unloading belt system to transfer the glass smoothly.

6. The glass printing machine with continuous glass transport according to claim 1, characterised in that at the time of printing the carriages are transported with a drive that has an optical linear encoder with a resolution of less than 4 microns.

7. The glass printing machine with continuous glass transport according to claim 1, characterised in that on the lower level there is a cleaning station (12) consisting of several rollers, such when each carriage (11) passes through said cleaning station it is subjected to a cleaning process to remove any traces of paint that may have fallen on the carriage.

8. The glass printing machine with continuous glass transport according to claim 1, characterised in that on the lower level (10) there are supports (13) with quick coupling that prevent the glass from touching the table.

9. A glass printing machine with continuous glass transport, characterised in that it comprises: a loading station (1) receiving the glass panes to be printed a viewing means (2) or a mechanical positioning system downstream of the charging station (1); and a printing bridge (3) preferably arranged downstream of the viewing means or mechanical positioning system, an unloading station (4) allowing the unloading of the printed glass panes wherein the machine comprises an upper level (9) arranged above a lower level (10), with a series of carriages (11) running continuously driven by linear motors (6) travelling in one direction on the upper level (9) and in the opposite direction on the lower level (10); to achieve this change of direction, a first vertical drive (7) in the loading station (1) raises the carriages (11) from the lower level (10) to the upper level (9) and a second vertical drive (8) in the unloading station (4) lowers the carriages (11) from the upper level (9) to the lower level (10); each carriage is slotted, to be integrated and coupled with a loading or unloading belt system to transfer the glass smoothly; the time of printing the carriages are transported with a drive that has an optical linear encoder with a resolution of less than 4 microns; and, on the lower level there is a cleaning station (12) consisting of several rollers, such when each carriage (11) passes through said cleaning station it is subjected to a cleaning process to remove any traces of paint that may have fallen on the carriage.

Description

EXPLANATION OF THE FIGURES

[0030] In order to complement the description being made herein, and with the object of aiding the better understanding of the characteristics of the invention, in accordance with a preferred practical embodiment thereof, said description is accompanied, as an integral part thereof, by a set of drawings where, in an illustrative and non-limiting manner, the following has been represented:

[0031] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of the machine of the invention.

[0032] FIG. 2 shows a plan view of the printing machine of the invention.

[0033] FIG. 3 shows a side view of the printing machine of the invention.

[0034] FIG. 4 shows a side view of the printing machine with the flow of carriages.

[0035] FIG. 5 shows an enlarged view of the side view of the machine showing the cleaning station.

[0036] FIG. 6 shows an enlarged view of the raised supports used to prevent the glass from contacting the table.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

[0037] In view of the figures, a preferred embodiment of the proposed invention is described below.

[0038] FIGS. 1 to 3 show that the machine comprises: [0039] a loading station (1) receiving the glass panes to be printed [0040] a viewing means (2) or a mechanical positioning system, preferably arranged downstream of the loading station [0041] a printing bridge (3) preferably arranged downstream of the viewing means or mechanical positioning system [0042] an unloading station (4) allowing the unloading of the printed glass panes
where the machine comprises an upper level (9) disposed above a lower level (10), with a series of carriages (11) running continuously in one direction on the upper level (9) and in the opposite direction on the lower level (10); to achieve this change of direction, there is a first vertical drive (7) in the loading station (1) that raises the carriages (11) from the lower level (10) to the upper level (9) and a second vertical drive (8) in the unloading station (4) that lowers the carriages (11) from the upper level (9) to the lower level (10).

[0043] The first and second vertical drives (7) and (8) can be pneumatic, electric, or hydraulic, driven by linear motors (6).

[0044] On the first level the carriages (11) are driven by linear motors (6), where the number of carriages and linear motors will depend on the maximum length of the glass panes to be processed and the time required.

[0045] FIG. 3 shows that on the lower level there is a cleaning station (12) consisting of several rollers, such that when each carriage (11) passes by said cleaning station it is subjected to a cleaning process to remove any traces of paint that may have fallen on it and prevent it from staining other glass panes.

[0046] FIG. 4 shows schematically the flow of carriages (11) which, on the upper level (9) run from the loading station (1) to the unloading station (4), returning on a lower level (10) from the unloading station (4) to the loading station (1), changing levels by means of a first vertical drive (7) and a second vertical drive (8).

[0047] FIG. 5 shows an enlarged view of the cleaning station (12) arranged on the lower level (10).

[0048] FIG. 6 shows an alternative but not exclusive solution to the cleaning station (9), which consists of supports (13) raised above the lower level (10) and with quick coupling to prevent the glass from touching the table, so that the supports are always under the glass, thus avoiding ink stains.

[0049] Having sufficiently described the nature of the present invention, in addition to the manner in which to put it into practice, it is hereby stated that, in its essence, it may be put into practice in other embodiments that differ in detail from that indicated by way of example, and to which the protection equally applies, provided that its main principle is not altered, changed or modified.