Patent Application
20100083615
This invention relates to a method described herein and to a device for the performance of this method described herein.
The prior art describes production or packaging lines with filling or packaging stations for the packaging of a bulk material in packaging units which are formed from a packaging material that is fed to the packaging station. The packaging material can be a single-ply or multi-ply flat material, e.g. a laminated multi-ply packaging material made of cardboard, plastic and/or metal film, from which the respective packaging unit is formed in the filling or packaging station or in a station upstream of the filling of packaging station, or the packaging material can be a tubular packaging material from which, in the packaging or filling station or in the station upstream, the individual packaging unit, which can be in the shape of a bag or pillow, for example, by sealing and separation.
Bulk material or material to be packaged within the meaning of the invention includes all products which can be packaged in such packaging units. Bulk material or material to be packaged within the meaning of the invention includes but is not limited to liquid, viscous or pasty products, in particular foods and beverages such as milk, cream, wine etc. as well as non-liquid or dry products, e.g. in the form of powder or granulate etc.
Regardless of the type of the individual packaging and/or of the bulk material being filled of packaged, in the prior art, for the formation of the packaging units, a pre-printed packaging material has been used, the printing and/or labeling of which can be very different for different products and brands in terms of imagery and/or graphics and/or color and/or text. It is therefore necessary, among other things, during the packaging, to select packaging material that is appropriate to the individual product, and to change the packaging material when a packaging or production line is converted from one product to another product.
The prior art also describes a print head which is intended for the printing of flat print stock and with which a plurality of printed dots can be produced in a line immediately next to one another or at a very small distance from one another, for example at least one hundred fifty printed dots per inch on a surface of the stock to be printed, and specifically by means of a plurality of individually actuatable individual nozzles.
The active printing width of this print head, which is also known by the name “Tonejet”, is dependent only on the capacity of the computing power of a computer that actuates the print head. Thus, for example, print heads with a printing width of 1.7-6.8 inches (corresponding to a 256-bit actuation or a 1024-bit actuation) are possible. With this print head, a two-dimensional impression can be printed with a sufficiently large surface by a relative movement between the surface to be printed and the printing head only in one single axial direction.
The object of the invention is to create a method with which printed packaging units filled with a bulk material to be packaged can be formed, even when the labeling or printing is different.
The invention teaches that this object can be accomplished by a method described herein. A device for the performance of the method is also described herein.
One special characteristic of the method claimed by the invention is that not only is the information required for the overall appearance of the individual packaging unit, but at least a significant portion of the printing and/or labeling of the packaging unit is applied to the packaging material in a printing unit immediately before the formation of the packaging and/or immediately before the packaging is filled with the material to be packaged, preferably to the packaging material when it is still flat. Consequently, when it is necessary to change the labeling of the packaging units, it becomes possible, among other things, to use one and the same packaging material as the primary material simply by a corresponding setting or conversion of the printing.
In one preferred embodiment of the invention, the printing unit is realized so that the individual printed image on the packaging as a function of the actuation by an electronic control unit or a computer, and specifically on the basis of a printing template which is formed electronically or by a software dataset, and is stored, for example, in a memory of the control device or of the computer. By modifying this printing template, it is easily possible to modify the appearance of the packaging, and specifically in any respect, for example the texts, graphics, colors, image, as well as with regard to the size and shape of the individual impression.
The invention therefore makes it possible, among other things and if necessary, to easily modify and/or to update the individual packaging, and specifically, for example, as a function of the respective product and/or as a function of the respective brand etc. It is also possible to adapt the size of the impression to the size of the packaging unit or to select an impression that is adapted to the size of the packaging unit and/or to modify or to vary the impression or parts of the impression even while the process is running.
The invention also offers the capability of modifying the impression from one product unit to the next product unit, i.e. from one container to the next container.
The printing unit preferably has at least one print head which is preferably realized in the form of a “Tonejet” print head or in the form of a print head that is equivalent to such a “Tonejet” print head. A print head of this type has, in a printing area which is located for the printing of the surface to be printed opposite and at a short distance from this surface, a plurality of individual nozzles which are arranged one immediately after another in a longitudinal axis of the print head, and each of which is formed by a nozzle aperture and by an electrode associated with each nozzle aperture. The printing ink present in the print head is discharged at each individual nozzle or from the associated nozzle aperture only when, for the activation of an individual nozzle, an electrical voltage is applied to the electrode which is associated with this individual nozzle, whereby the polarity and/or potential of the voltage differ from the polarity and/or potential of the print head or the printing ink in the print head, so that as a result of electrostatic forces, a specified quantity of printing ink is discharged or ejected from the nozzle aperture of the activated individual nozzle. A print head of this type is also called an “electrostatic print head” below.
The invention is explained in greater detail below with reference to the accompanying figures which show one exemplary embodiment of the invention, and in which:
In the figures, 1 is a packaging unit made of a single-ply or multi-ply packaging material 1.1, for example from a cardboard laminated with at least one plastic and/or metal film and filled with a liquid to be packaged, for example with a beverage (milk, milk product, juice, wine etc.), whereby the package is provided with an optical decoration on its outside surface which is formed at least in partial areas by at least one impression 2. This impression can be realized in a wide variety of possible forms, and specifically, among other things, with regard to the product and/or brand being packaged, in terms of its appearance and/or graphics and/or color and/or text.
In the transport or feed direction A of the packaging material 1.1, upstream of the unit 4, there is a printing station 7 through which the packaging material 1.1 is moved for the application of the impressions 2. A special feature of the production plant 3 is that the printing of the packaging material 1.1 takes place only immediately before the use of this material, i.e. immediately before the forming of the packaging units 1. As a result, among other things, it is possible to use a neutral material as the packaging material 1.1 which is provided with the impressions 2 desired for the packaging units 1 only immediately before it is used, and/or to provide a packaging material which is already partly printed and/or contains colors, graphic images and text, and then to provide it with the additional printed impressions 2 only immediately before it is used, to achieve the appearance desired for the packaging units 1.
In detail, in the illustrated exemplary embodiment the printing station 7 consists, in the direction of travel or feed A of the packaging material 1.1, sequentially of a preheater unit 8, a printing unit 9 next to the preheater unit 8, a unit 10 which is next to the printing unit 9 to dry the individual impression 2 or the printed image, and specifically as a function of the printing ink used for the impressions 2 by heating or a heat treatment and/or by UV treatment etc.
An additional essential feature of the production line 3 is that the printing unit 9 illustrated in
To achieve the highest possible printing capacity (number of impressions 2 per unit of time) with an optimal print quality, the print heads 11 in this exemplary embodiment are realized in the form of electrostatic print heads. For multiple-color printing, there are three individual print heads 11, each of which is used to print one color set of the multicolor printing. The print heads 11 thus contain different print colors in the required shades, e.g. red, blue and yellow. Basically it is also possible to provide additional print heads 11 on the printing unit 9, for example a fourth print head 11 for black printing.
As shown in
During the printing, the packaging material 1 is moved in the direction of travel A continuously or in a clocked cycle past the respective print head 11. As a result of the above mentioned orientation of the print heads 11, the direction of feed or travel A is transverse, but preferably perpendicular to the print head longitudinal axis DL. In the illustrated exemplary embodiment the print heads 11 are also oriented with their print head longitudinal axes DL parallel to one another, and specifically preferably in a common horizontal plane.
Each individual nozzle 14 consists of an aperture 15 and of a needle-shaped electrode 16 which is associated with this opening, is oriented equi-axially with the axis of the aperture 15 and ends at a short distance from this aperture in the interior 13 of the housing. Each print head 11 is further realized so that at least during the printing process, the printing ink in the interior of the housing 13 presses with a certain hydrostatic pressure against the apertures 15 of the individual nozzles. The cross section of the openings 15, however, is selected in consideration of the viscosity and/or the surface tension of the ink so that when the individual nozzle 14 is not activated, ink does not escape from the apertures 15 in spite of the hydrostatic pressure.
The electrodes 16 and thus also the individual nozzles 14 can be actuated individually by means of a control device 17, and specifically so that when the individual nozzle 14 is not activated the corresponding electrode 16 is at the same electrostatic potential as the ink in the interior 13 of the housing. When an electrode 16 is activated, the potential is modified by a corresponding actuation of the control device 17 briefly or in a pulsed manner, so that ink is discharged via the aperture 15 to produce a printed dot 18 on the packaging material 1.1.
Because the print heads 11 are oriented with their print head longitudinal axis DL transversely or perpendicular to the travel or feed direction A of the packaging material 1.1, the printing is done on the packaging material in rows which run perpendicular to the lengthwise direction or in the direction of travel A over the full width of the area to be printed, and namely progressively in the travel or feed direction A. The printed area extends, for example, over the full width or almost over the full width of the packaging material 11, so that in the printing station 7 all the sides of the later packaging unit 1 are printed, whereby by a corresponding actuation of the individual nozzles 14, the printing is applied so that every side of the finished packaging unit 1 then has a visually self-contained impression and can also contain, for example, text and/or informational components of the impression that do not extend over the edges of the packaging unit formed from the packaging material 1.1. There are also other possibilities for the design of the impressions by means of corresponding actuation of the print heads or of the individual nozzles 14.
For the printing, only a single movement of the packaging material 1.1 relative to the respective print head 11 is necessary, namely the feed movement of the packaging material. This feature makes it possible to achieve a high printing speed, capacity or output. The respective printed image is generated 100% digitally in the control device 17 for the corresponding actuation of the individual nozzles 14 and is stored in the control device 17 or in a memory located in the control device, e.g. in the form of a digital dataset.
The packaging material 1.1 is printed with the printing unit 9 so that the individual impression and/or the graphic and/or color design and/or decoration of the packaging material 1.1 is produced in its entirety by the printing unit 9 on the neutral packaging material 1.1 and/or the printing unit 9 is used to supplement an existing impression on the packaging material 1.1 in a desired fashion, for example by adding text, colors and/or graphics.
Because the packaging material 1.1 is printed only immediately before the use of this material to form the packaging units 1 and as a result of the actuation of the printing unit 9 and the print heads 11 located in it by the electronic printing unit 17 using print forms or templates that are stored digitally or in the form of data, there are various advantageous capabilities, including among others the ability to make a rapid conversion of the production line 3 to different products, to set and/or adapt the size of the impressions 2 to the size of the packaging units etc. It is also possible to achieve an easy conversion of the printed impressions 2 simply by a reprogramming and/or a modification of the program of the electronic control device 17. In particular it is also possible, while the process is running, to modify the printed impressions 2 and thus the appearance of the packaging units, for example to reconfigure the printed image for each packaging unit 1, in particular so that each printed image is a combination of a constant or unchanging component and variable content and/or information. The changing components of the printing can be, for example, numeric or alphanumeric information, for example information relating to the date of manufacture or the sell-by or use-by date and or information in the form of a numerical code etc.
It goes without saying that the feed velocity of the packaging material 1.1, at least in the vicinity of the print heads 11, is regulated by the electronic control device 17, and specifically in synchronization with the actuation of the print heads 11, to thereby achieve a clear, high-quality printed image. It also goes without saying that in the vicinity of the print heads 11 there are centering and guide means for the packaging material 1.1, to optimally orient this material with respect to the print heads 11, but also and in particular to correctly maintain the specified distance between the print heads 11 and the packaging material 1.1.
In the preheater unit 8 which is upstream of the printing unit 9 and of the print heads 11 located in it, the packaging material 1.1 is preheated so that the printing ink cures or sets the print and/or color sets produced by the individual print heads 11 at least to the extent that an undesirable fixing of the individual printing inks or print and/or color sets is prevented. To improve the printed impression in terms of contrast and/or sharpness, the preheating device 8 can also have other elements, such as for example a corona element (not shown), with which the packaging material 1.1 is electrostatically charged at least on its surface to be printed prior to the printing.
In the unit 10 that is downstream of the printing unit 9 in the direction of feed or transport A, the printing ink is dried or set, and specifically by heating or in another suitable manner, for example by setting under UV light etc.
The invention was described above on the basis of one exemplary embodiment. It goes without saying that numerous modifications and variations are possible without thereby going beyond the teaching of the invention.
For example, the above description is based on the assumption that the packaging material 1.1 is a flat material from which the individual packages 1 are formed by cutting and folding. Basically, the packaging material 1.1 can also be a tubular material, from which the individual packages are formed by appropriate cutting and sealing.
The above description is also based on the assumption that there is only one printing unit 9. Naturally a plurality of printing units can also be used, including printing units that are offset from one another, in particular in the direction of travel A and/or transverse to the direction of travel A.
The corresponding foreign and international patent publication applications, namely, Federal Republic of Germany Patent Application No. 10 2006 019 994.4, filed on Apr. 26, 2006, having inventor Volker TILL, and DE-OS10 2006 019 994.4 and DE-PS10 2006 019 994.4, and International Application No. PCT/EP2007/003680, filed on Apr. 26, 2007, having WIPO Publication No. WO2007/124913 and inventor Volker TILL, are hereby incorporated by reference as if set forth in their entirety herein for the purpose of correcting and explaining any possible misinterpretations of the English translation thereof. In addition, the published equivalents of the above corresponding foreign and international patent publication applications, and other equivalents or corresponding applications, if any, in corresponding cases in the Federal Republic of Germany and elsewhere, and the references and documents cited in any of the documents cited herein, such as the patents, patent applications and publications, are hereby incorporated by reference as if set forth in their entirety herein.
The purpose of incorporating the foreign equivalent patent application PCT/EP2007/003680 and German Patent Application 10 2006 019 994.4 is solely for the purpose of providing a basis of correction of any wording in the pages of the present application, which may have been mistranslated or misinterpreted by the translator. Words relating to opinions and judgments of the author and not directly relating to the technical details of the description of the embodiments therein are not to be incorporated by reference. The words all, always, absolutely, consistently, preferably, guarantee, particularly, constantly, ensure, necessarily, immediately, endlessly, avoid, exactly, continually, expediently, need, must, only, perpetual, precise, perfect, require, requisite, simultaneous, total, unavoidable, and unnecessary, or words substantially equivalent to the above-mentioned word in this sentence, when not used to describe technical features of one or more embodiments, are not generally considered to be incorporated by reference herein.
Statements made in the original foreign patent applications PCT/EP2007/003680 and DE 10 2006 019 994.4 from which this patent application claims priority which do not have to do with the correction of the translation in this patent application are not to be included in this patent application in the incorporation by reference.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 2006 019 994.4 | Apr 2006 | DE | national |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | PCT/EP2007/003680 | Apr 2007 | US |
| Child | 12257935 | US |
