INKING-PAD PRINTING SYSTEM

Abstract

A pad printing system includes a pad printing machine and an object positioning device. The object positioning device is a multiple positioning device by means of which an object support may be consecutively positioned at a print station each time.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention is elucidated below by illustrative embodiments shown in the appended drawings.

FIG. 1 illustratively shows a schematic sideview of a pad printing system of the invention displaying only a few details for comprehensibility,

FIG. 2 is a topview of an object-positioning device of FIG. 1 as seen in the direction of the arrow 11 of FIG. 1, one object carrier being configured parallel to a longitudinal guide,

FIG. 3 is a schematic topview of the object positioning device similar to that of FIG. 2, however the object support having been rotated into an oblique position relative to the longitudinal guide,

FIG. 4 is a schematic topview of the pad printing machine of FIG. 1 and of part of the object positioning device.

Claims

1. A pad printing system, comprising a pad printing machine fitted with at least one pad printing unit to apply a print to an object in at least one print station; further comprising an object positioning device at said at least one of the minimum of one print station, the object positioning device being fitted with an object support to hold an object to be printed in a position where it may be printed in said print station, wherein the object positioning device is a multi-positioning device by means of which the object support jointly with an object to be printed are positionable automatically and sequentially in each of at least two different print positions in the same print station in order to print the object at a minimum of two corresponding print stations;the pad printing machine is adapted to print the object at the same print station sequentially at the different print positions at its particular areas to be printed; andsaid system further comprises a numerical program control unit for the operations of the pad printing machine and of the object positioning device, said operations of the pad printing machine and of the object positioning device being matched to each other by the program control of the control unit.

2. Pad printing system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the object positioning device is adapted to displace the object support along at least two coordinate, mutually parallel axes.

3. Pad printing system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the coordinate axis are configured in one plane.

4. Pad printing system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the object positioning device comprises at least one compound slide unit that contains a longitudinal slide and a transverse slide,the longitudinal slide is displaceable along a longitudinal coordinate axis and is guided in a longitudinal guide,the transverse slide is displaceable along a transverse coordinate axis and is guided in a transverse guide present at the longitudinal slide,the transverse coordinate axis runs transversely to the longitudinal coordinate axis, andthe object support is mounted on the transverse slide.

5. Pad printing system as claimed in claim 4, wherein the object support is connected by an articulation to the transverse slide, said articulation allowing relative motion between the object support and the transverse slide.

6. Pad printing system as claimed in claim 4, wherein the object positioning device is fitted with two of said compound slide units,the object support is connected by an articulation to each of the two transverse slides, said articulation allowing relative motion between the object support and each of the transverse slides,the object support is displaceable and positionable along the longitudinal guide by means of simultaneous and identical displacement of the two longitudinal slides,the object support is displaceable and positionable along the transverse guide by means of simultaneous and identical displacement of the two transverse slides, andthe object support is rotatable and positionable transversely to the longitudinal guide and transversely to the transverse guide by displacement of at least one of the two transverse slides relative to the particular other transverse slide and simultaneous displacement of at least one of the two longitudinal slides relative to the particular other longitudinal slide, all said displacements being driven by the numerical program control of the control unit.

7. Printing system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pad printing machine is fitted with a displaceable printing unit carrier bearing at least two pad printing units which by means of the printing unit carrier motion can be sequentially moved into the print station and then away from it in order to print the object within the print station.

8. Pad printing system as claimed in claim 1, wherein in that the pad printing machine is a turntable printer comprising a printing unit carrier which is rotatable about a vertical axis of rotation and which bears at least two printing units that, due to the rotation of the printing unit carrier, can be sequentially moved into the print station and then out of it for the purpose of printing the object within the print station.