Information
-
Patent Grant
-
6820549
-
Patent Number
6,820,549
-
Date Filed
Monday, August 18, 200320 years ago
-
Date Issued
Tuesday, November 23, 200419 years ago
-
Inventors
-
Original Assignees
-
Examiners
Agents
- Blakely Sokoloff Taylor & Zafman
-
CPC
-
US Classifications
Field of Search
US
- 101 178
- 101 179
- 101 180
- 101 181
- 101 227
- 101 228
- 101 231
- 101 484
- 101 485
- 101 DIG 42
- 101 92
- 101 225
- 226 34
- 226 35
- 226 38
- 226 193
- 226 195
-
International Classifications
-
Abstract
A rotary press includes a printing unit, folding machine, dancer roller, motor, tension detection unit, and control unit. The printing unit prints on a web supplied from a winding roll. The folding machine folds the printed web supplied from the printing unit. The dancer roller retreats from and advances to a web traveling path between the printing unit and the folding machine, during printing and plate mounting, respectively, to come into contact with the web. The motor selectively, rotatably drives the winding roll in a reel-out direction and a winding direction. The tension detection unit detects a tension of the web between the winding roll and the printing unit. The control unit controls the motor on the basis of a detection result of the tension detection unit during plate mounting.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a rotary press for printing on a web and, more particularly, to a rotary press in which a slack or excessive tension of the web which occurs between a winding roll and printing unit during plate replacing can be removed.
A rotary press of this type is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-315296. In the rotary press disclosed in this reference, a web press is provided in a web traveling path between a feeder and a printing unit, and a dancer roller serving as a wrap-up preventive member is provided downstream of the web press.
In this arrangement, a slack or excessive tension of the web which occurs in the web traveling path between the feeder and printing unit during plate replacing is removed by the dancer roller. After the plate replacing, when the web is to be fed, the web is pressed by the web press, and feeding from the feed roll is discontinued, so that the slack of the web is removed smoothly.
In the conventional rotary press described above, as the slack or unusual slack of the web is removed by the dancer roller, when web threading is to be performed, it is cumbersome to thread the web through the dancer roller or a guide roller provided before or after the dancer roller, thus interfering with reduction of the work time. Since the dancer roller which is used only for plate replacing must be provided, the entire length of the printing press increases by the dancer roller. Since the web press is needed, the entire length of the printing press increases by the web press.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a rotary press that can perform web threading operation easily.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a rotary press in which the entire length of the machine is shortened.
In order to achieve the above objects, according to the present invention, there is provided a rotary press comprising a printing unit for printing on a web supplied from a winding roll, a folding machine for folding the printed web supplied from the printing unit, a wrap-up preventive member retreating from and advancing to a web traveling path between the printing unit and the folding machine, during printing and plate mounting, respectively, to come into contact with the web, driving means for selectively, rotatably driving the winding roll in a reel-out direction and a winding direction, tension detecting means for detecting a tension of the web between the winding roll and the printing unit, and control means for controlling the driving means on the basis of a detection result of the tension detecting means during plate mounting.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1
is a view schematically showing the entire arrangement of a rotary press according to an embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 2
is a block diagram showing the electrical arrangement of the rotary press shown in
FIG. 1
;
FIG. 3A
is an enlarged view of the feeder and in-feed unit shown in
FIG. 1
;
FIG. 3B
is a view showing the driving unit of the feeder shown in
FIG. 3A
;
FIG. 4A
is a flow chart showing the plate mounting operation of the rotary press shown in
FIG. 1
;
FIG. 4B
is a flow chart showing plate removal operation;
FIG. 4C
is a flow chart showing plate supplying operation; and
FIG. 4D
is a flow chart showing operation after plate mounting.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
A rotary press according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to
FIGS. 1
to
3
B. As shown in
FIG. 1
, a rotary press
1
of this embodiment is constituted by a feeder
2
for feeding a web
6
, an in-feed unit
3
for controlling the tension of the web
6
fed from the feeder
2
, printing units
4
a
to
4
d
of different colors for printing on the web
6
fed from the in-feed unit
3
, and a folding machine
5
for drying and cooling the web
6
printed by the printing units
4
a
to
4
d
and folding it with a predetermined format. The feeder
2
has a diver
12
. These units are sequentially arranged in the web convey direction.
As shown in
FIG. 2
, the rotary press
1
is electrically constituted by a potentiometer
24
for measuring the tension of the web
6
at the in-feed unit
3
, a plate replacing button
40
for instructing start of plate replacing, a memory
41
for storing the preset tension value of the web
6
at the in-feed unit
3
which is set by a setting unit (not shown), a proximity switch
42
for detecting that a dancer roller
30
is near, an air cylinder
44
for moving the dancer roller
30
in the vertical direction, an air cylinder
45
for locking the dancer roller
30
at an upper retreat position, a drive clutch
46
for connecting and disconnecting the driving mechanisms (not shown) of the printing units
4
a
to
4
d
and the driving mechanism (not shown) of the folding machine
5
to and from each other, a motor
47
for driving an in-feed driving roller
19
, a motor
48
for driving the rotary press
1
, an air cylinder
49
for driving an in-feed paper press roller
20
, the diver
12
having a motor
61
for driving a winding roll
10
, and a control unit
50
for controlling these units.
The feeder
2
has the winding roll
10
on which the web
6
is wound to form a roll, and a spare winding roll
11
. The winding roll
10
is selectively driven by the motor
61
in a direction to reel out the web
6
(a direction of an arrow A) and a direction to wind the web
6
(a direction indicated by an arrow B). The driving system of the winding roll
10
is connected to a brake
53
(FIG.
3
B), so that the winding roll
10
can be braked while feeding the paper.
As shown in
FIG. 3A
, the in-feed unit
3
has a plurality of guide rollers
14
,
15
,
16
,
17
, and
18
for guiding the web
6
fed from the winding roll
10
to the printing units
4
a
to
4
d
. The in-feed driving roller
19
provided between the guide rollers
16
and
17
rotatably drives and brakes the web
6
with the motor
47
. The in-feed paper press roller
20
is driven by the air cylinder
49
to be able to come close to and separate from the in-feed driving roller
19
.
A tension detection unit
22
is constituted by a tension detection roller
23
touching the web
6
under between the guide rollers
14
and
15
, a lever
24
a
for supporting the tension detection roller
23
at its swing end, and the potentiometer
24
fixed to the proximal end of the lever
24
a
to rotate by the vertical motion of the tension detection roller
23
through the lever
24
a
. The potentiometer
24
outputs an output corresponding to the pivot amount of the lever
24
a
to the control unit
50
. The lever
24
a
and potentiometer
24
make up a position detecting means for detecting the position of the tension detection roller
23
.
The printing units
4
a
to
4
d
of four different colors are subordinately connected. Each of the printing units
4
a
to
4
d
has a pair of blanket cylinders
25
a
and
25
b
that clamp the traveling web
6
, a pair of plate cylinders
26
a
and
26
b
in contact opposite to the blanket cylinders
25
a
and
25
b
, an inking device (not shown) and dampening device (not shown) for supplying water and ink, respectively, to the plate cylinders
26
a
and
26
b
, and a roller group interposed between the inking device and the plate cylinders
26
a
and
26
b.
Guide rollers
31
and
32
sequentially arranged in the web convey direction are provided between the printing unit
4
d
and the folding machine
5
, and the dancer roller
30
as the wrap-up preventive member is arranged between the guide rollers
31
and
32
. The dancer roller
30
retreats to the traveling path of the web
6
between the printing unit
4
d
and folding machine
5
during printing, and advances to the traveling path during plate mounting to prevent wrap-up of the web
6
onto the blanket cylinders
25
a
and
25
b.
The dancer roller
30
is supported to be vertically movable by the air cylinder
44
. When the air cylinder
44
is not actuated, the dancer roller
30
is always biased downward with a predetermined pressure. After the plate mounting, the dancer roller
30
moves upward by the air cylinder
44
, and is locked by the air cylinder
45
at the retreat position (indicated by an alternate long and two short dashed line in
FIG. 1
) during printing which is detected by the proximity switch
42
.
In plate replacing, the control unit
50
compares the tension of the web
6
at the in-feed unit
3
which is detected by the potentiometer
24
and a preset tension value stored in the memory
41
, and controls a motor
61
when the detected tension and the preset tension value are different. More specifically, when the tension of the web
6
is smaller than the preset tension value, the motor
61
is controlled to rotate in a direction to wind the web
6
. When the tension of the web
6
is larger than the preset tension value, the motor
61
is controlled to rotate in a direction to reel out the web
6
.
As shown in
FIG. 3B
, the diver
12
has a rotary shaft
52
rotatably supported by a frame
51
to rotate integrally with the winding roll
10
, the brake
53
attached to the rotary shaft
52
, the motor
61
for rotatably driving the rotary shaft
52
, and a clutch
54
for connecting and disconnecting the driving system between the motor
61
and rotary shaft
52
. A driving gear
55
is loosely fitted on the rotary shaft
52
, and rotates integrally with the rotary shaft
52
through the clutch
54
. A first intermediate gear
57
meshes with a transmission gear
56
meshing with the driving gear
55
. The first intermediate gear
57
is axially mounted on one end of an intermediate shaft
58
. A second intermediate gear
59
is axially mounted on the other end of the intermediate shaft
58
. An output gear
60
of the motor
61
meshes with the second intermediate gear
59
.
In this arrangement, during the printing operation of the printing units
4
a
to
4
d
, the clutch
54
is disconnected, and a predetermined braking force is applied to the rotary shaft
52
by the brake
53
, so that a predetermined tension is always applied to the web
6
. In plate mounting, the rotary shaft
52
and driving gear
55
are connected to each other through the clutch
54
and rotate integrally with each other. Thus, the winding roll
10
can be rotated by the motor
61
in a direction to reel out or wind the web
6
.
Plate mounting operation in the rotary press having the above arrangement will be described with reference to
FIGS. 4A
to
4
D.
As shown in
FIG. 4A
, whether the plate replacing button
40
is pressed or not is checked (step S
1
). If YES, the air cylinder
49
is actuated (step S
2
), and the in-feed paper press roller
20
comes into contact opposite to the in-feed driving roller
19
with a predetermined nip pressure. Subsequently, when the motor
48
is operated (step S
3
), the plate cylinders
26
a
and
26
b
of the printing units
4
a
to
4
d
rotate in the forward direction, to feed the web
6
in the direction indicated by the arrow A in FIG.
1
. In this case, forward direction refers rotation of the plate cylinders
26
a
clockwise in FIG.
1
and rotation of the plate cylinders
26
b
counterclockwise in FIG.
1
.
Simultaneously, the motor
47
is operated (step S
4
) to drive the in-feed driving roller
19
. Then, the drive clutch
46
is turned off (step S
5
) to disconnect the driving system of the folding machine
5
and the driving systems of the printing units
4
a
to
4
d
from each other. As the plate cylinders
26
a
and
26
b
rotate in the forward direction, the web
6
between the printing unit
4
and folding machine
5
slacks consequently, to form a slack
6
a.
Subsequently, the rod of the air cylinder
45
contracts (step S
6
), and the dancer roller
30
locked at the retreat position indicated by the alternate long and two short dashed line in
FIG. 1
is unlocked. The rod of the air cylinder
44
extends (step S
7
), and the dancer roller
30
moves downward, so that the dancer roller
30
abuts against the slack
6
a
of the web
6
. Hence, the slack
6
a
is pushed downward by the dancer roller
30
. The slack
6
a
of the web
6
is hence stretched taught downward by the dancer roller
30
, as indicated by a solid line in FIG.
1
. Then, the motor
61
is locked so that it will not rotate (step S
8
).
Whether the tension of the web
6
at the in-feed unit
3
which is detected by the potentiometer
24
is equal to the preset tension value of the memory
41
or not is checked (step S
9
). If the two values are not equal, which one of the tension of the web
6
and the preset tension value is large is checked (step S
10
). The rotational direction of the motor
61
is controlled on the basis of this checking result (steps S
11
and S
12
).
More specifically, in step S
10
, as shown in
FIG. 3A
, if the tension detection roller
23
has moved downward from the position indicated by the solid line to a position
23
A indicated by the alternate long and short dashed line (if the tension of the web
6
is smaller than the preset tension value), the control unit
50
controls the motor
61
to rotate in the direction to wind the web
6
(step S
11
). Accordingly, even if the web
6
slacks at the in-feed unit
3
, the slack is removed and the web
6
is restored to the taut state.
In step S
10
, as shown in
FIG. 3A
, if the tension detection roller
23
has moved upward from the position indicated by the solid line to a position
23
B indicated by the alternate long and two short dashed line (if the tension of the web
6
is larger than the preset tension value), the control unit
50
controls the motor
61
to rotate in the direction to reel out the web
6
(step S
12
). Accordingly, even if an excessive tension occurs in the web
6
at the in-feed unit
3
, the excessive tension is corrected and the web
6
is restored to the state wherein it is stretched taut with a normal tension, so that tearing of the web
6
is prevented.
In step S
9
, if the tension of the web
6
is equal to the preset tension value in the memory
41
, the flow advances to preparation for plate removal operation. More specifically, as shown in
FIG. 3A
, if the potentiometer
24
detects that the tension detection roller
23
maintains the position indicated by a solid line (if the tension of the web
6
is equal to the preset tension value in the memory
41
), a predetermined length of web
6
is reeled out to form a slack
6
a
having the same length substantially corresponding to the circumferential length of the plate cylinder
26
a
(step S
13
). Subsequently, the motor
48
for driving the printing press is stopped (step S
14
), and the motor
47
for in-feed driving is stopped (step S
15
), so that plate removal can be started.
In step S
13
, if the predetermined length of web
6
is not reeled out, the tension of the web
6
and the preset tension value are compared until the predetermined length of web
6
is reeled out.
Subsequently, as shown in
FIG. 4B
, the motor
48
for driving the printing press is driven, and the plate cylinders
26
a
and
26
b
are rotated through almost one turn in the reverse direction (step S
16
). Simultaneously, the motor
47
for in-feed driving is also rotated in the reverse direction (step S
17
). Accordingly, the web
6
travels in the direction of the arrow B in
FIG. 1
, and the slack amount of the slack
6
a
decreases. Thus, the dancer roller
30
touching the slack
6
a
moves upward against the biasing force.
Subsequently, the tension of the web
6
at the in-feed unit
3
and the preset tension value are compared in the same manner as in steps S
9
and S
10
(steps S
18
and S
19
). In
FIG. 3A
, if the tension detection roller
23
has moved from the position indicated by the solid line to the position
23
A indicated by the alternate long and short dashed line (if the tension of the web
6
is smaller than the preset tension value), the control unit
50
controls the motor
61
to rotate in the direction to wind the web
6
(step S
20
). Hence, even if the web
6
at the in-feed unit
3
slacks, the slack is removed and the web
6
is restored to the taut state.
In
FIG. 3A
, if the tension detection roller
23
has moved from the position indicated by the solid line to the position
23
B indicated by the alternate long and two short dashed line (if the tension of the web
6
is larger than the preset tension value), the control unit
50
controls the motor
61
to rotate in the direction to reel out the web
6
. Hence, even if the web
6
at the in-feed unit
3
slacks excessively, the unusual slack is corrected and the web
6
is restored to the state wherein it is stretched taut with a normal tension, so that tearing of the web
6
is prevented.
In step S
18
, if the tension detection roller
23
maintains the position indicated by the solid line in
FIG. 3A
(if the tension of the web
6
is equal to the preset tension value), whether plate removal is ended is checked (step S
22
). If YES, driving of the motor
48
for driving the printing press is stopped (step
23
), and driving of the motor
47
for in-feed driving is stopped (step S
24
). Hence, the plate removal mode is ended, and plate supply can be started.
If plate removal is not ended in step S
22
, the tension of the web
6
and the preset tension value are repeatedly compared until plate removal is ended.
Then, as shown in
FIG. 4C
, steps S
25
to S
30
identical to steps S
16
to S
21
shown in
FIG. 4B
are performed.
In step S
27
, if the tension detection roller
23
maintains the position indicated by the solid line in
FIG. 3A
(if the tension of the web
6
is equal to the preset tension value), whether plate supply is ended is checked (step S
31
). If YES, driving of the motor
48
for driving the printing press is stopped (step
32
), and driving of the motor
47
for in-feed driving is stopped (step S
33
). Hence, the plate supply mode is ended.
If plate supply is not ended in step S
31
, the tension of the web
6
and the preset tension value are repeatedly compared until plate supply is ended.
When plate supply is ended, as shown in
FIG. 4D
, the drive clutch
46
is turned on (step S
34
) to connect the driving mechanism of the folding machine
5
and the driving mechanisms of the printing units
4
a
to
4
d
to each other. Then, the motor
47
is locked (step S
35
), and the in-feed driving roller
19
is braked as it is in contact opposite to the in-feed paper press roller
20
. Since the motor
61
(and the winding roll
10
) is locked in step S
8
, feeding of the web
6
from the winding roll
10
is discontinued.
Then, when the motor
48
is driven (step S
36
), the web
6
is pulled from the folding machine
5
in the direction of the arrow A, so that the dancer roller
30
moves upward. At this time, the dancer roller
30
moves upward smoothly against the downward biasing force, and is restored to the state before plate mounting quickly and smoothly.
In this manner, since the in-feed driving roller
19
and in-feed paper press roller
20
for feeding the web
6
in the in-feed unit
3
can serve as a web press, the structure is simplified and the number of components is reduced. Since the conventionally required web press becomes unnecessary, the entire length of the machine can be shortened. As the web need not be threaded performed through the web press, the web threading operation becomes easily.
Upon the upward movement of the dancer roller
30
, when the proximity switch
42
is turned on (step S
37
), the rod of the air cylinder
44
contracts (step S
38
), and the dancer roller
30
is positioned at the upper position indicated by the alternate long and two short dashed line in FIG.
1
. Then, the rod of the air cylinder
45
extends (step S
39
), so that the dancer roller
30
is locked at the retreat position above the traveling path of the web
6
.
As described above, according to this embodiment, the tension detection unit
22
detects a slack or excessive tension occurring in the web
6
at the in-feed unit
3
during plate mounting operation. In accordance with this detection result, the control unit
50
controls the winding roll
10
to rotate in the direction to wind or reel out the web
6
, so that the slack or excessive tension of the web
6
is removed.
According to this embodiment, the in-feed unit
3
requires no dancer roller serving as a wrap-up preventive member. Thus, when performing web threading operation, cumbersome operation of threading the web through the dancer roller or the guide roller provided before or after the dancer roller becomes unnecessary. As the dancer roller is not needed, the entire length of the machine can be shortened accordingly.
As has been described above, according to the present invention, the web threading operation becomes easy, and the entire length of the machine can be shortened. Since the pair of existing rollers in contact opposite to each other can serve as a web press, the structure is simplified, and the number of components is reduced.
Claims
- 1. A rotary press comprising;a printing unit for printing on a web supplied from a winding roll; a folding machine for folding the printed web supplied from said printing unit; a wrap-up preventive member retreating from and advancing to a web traveling path between said printing unit and said folding machine, during printing and plate mounting, respectively, to come into contact with the web; driving means for selectively, rotatably driving said winding roll in a reel-out direction and a winding direction; tension detecting means for detecting a tension of the web between said winding roll and said printing unit; control means for controlling said driving means on the basis of a detection result of said tension detecting means during plate mounting; wherein when said tension detecting means detects a slack, said control means controls said driving means such that said winding roll rotates in the direction to wind the web, and when said tension detecting means detects an excessive tension, said control means controls said driving means such that said winding roll rotates in the direction to reel out the web.
- 2. A rotary press according to claim 1, further comprising a pair of rollers which are provided between said winding roll and said printing unit and come into contact opposite to each other when feeding the web after plate mounting, to temporarily prohibit web feeding from said winding roll.
- 3. A rotary press according to claim 2, wherein said pair of rollers comprise a driving roller capable of being rotated and braked selectively and adopted to convey the web from said winding roll to said printing unit, and a paper press roller capable of moving close to and separating from said driving roller, and said driving roller is braked while in contact opposite to said paper press roller.
- 4. A rotary press according to claim 1, wherein said tension detecting means comprisesa detection roller supported movably and caused to touch the web, and position detecting means for detecting a position of said detection roller which moves in accordance with the tension of the web.
- 5. A rotary press according to claim 4, wherein said position detecting means comprisesa lever for supporting said detection roller to be swingable in a direction perpendicular to a web convey direction, and a potentiometer for detecting the tension of the web on the basis of a pivot amount of said lever.
- 6. A rotary press according to claim 5, wherein said control means rotatably drives said winding roll in the reel-out direction when the tension of the web output from said potentiometer is more than a preset value, and rotatably drives said winding roll in the winding direction when the tension of the web output from said potentiometer is less than the preset value.
- 7. A rotary press comprising:a printing unit for printing on a web supplied from a winding roll; a folding machine for folding the printed web supplied from said printing unit; a wrap-up preventive member retreating from and advancing to a web traveling path between said printing unit and said folding machine, during printing and plate mounting, respectively, to come into contact with the web; driving means for selectively, rotatably driving said winding roll in a reel-out direction and a winding direction; tension detecting means for detecting a tension of the web between said winding roll and said printing unit; control means for controlling said driving means on the basis of a detection result of said tension detecting means during plate mounting; wherein when the tension of the web is greater than a preset value said controller controls said drive means such that said winding roller rotates in a reel-out direction and when the tension of the web is smaller than a preset value said winding roller rotates in a winding direction.
- 8. A rotary press according to claim 7, wherein said tension detecting means comprisesa detection roller supported movably and caused to touch the web, and position detecting means for detecting a position of said detection roller which moves in accordance with the tension of the web.
- 9. A rotary press according to claim 8, wherein said position detecting means comprisesa lever for supporting said detection roller to be swingable in a direction perpendicular to a web convey direction, and a potentiometer for detecting the tension of the web on the basis of a pivot amount of said lever.
Priority Claims (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
Kind |
2002/239607 |
Aug 2002 |
JP |
|
US Referenced Citations (8)
Foreign Referenced Citations (4)
Number |
Date |
Country |
1153744 |
Nov 2001 |
EP |
07-041221 |
Feb 1995 |
JP |
11165400 |
Jun 1999 |
JP |
2001-315296 |
Nov 2001 |
JP |