EP1294578A1

EP1294578A1 - Method, system and device for the production of components with a pre-determined surface appearance, in particular for front panels of kitchen units

Info

Publication number: EP1294578A1
Application number: EP01956502A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Jörg R. Bauer
Original assignee: Interglarion Ltd
Current assignee: Interglarion Ltd
Priority date: 2000-06-26
Filing date: 2001-06-25
Publication date: 2003-03-26
Anticipated expiration: 2021-06-25
Also published as: ES2364625T3; CN1176815C; WO2002000449A1; CN1438942A; EP2133154A2; PT1294578E; ES2444423T3; ES2364625T5; EP2133154B1; DE10031030B4; ATE512004T1; AU2001278466A1; DE10031030A1; PT2133154E; US20040028830A1; US7357959B2; DK1294578T3; EP2133154A3; EP1294578B1; EP1294578B2

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for the production of components with a pre-determined surface appearance, in particular for front panels of kitchen units, whereby the components are printed with a pre-determined pattern by means of a printing method which may be programmed corresponding to the appearance achieved. The invention further relates to a device for the production of said components and a system in which groups of said components are produced.

Description

Method, device and system for manufacturing components with a predetermined surface appearance, in particular front panels of kitchen elements

The invention relates to a method, a device and a system for producing components with a predetermined surface appearance, in particular front panels of kitchen elements.

A design feature of conventional kitchens is that a wide variety of kitchen elements, drawers, cupboards, electrical appliances, etc. are provided with front panels which give the kitchen its own and pleasing appearance. The large number of front panel sizes and the large number of surfaces desired by the customers, which include different types of wood, plastic surfaces, different colors and patterns, leads to extremely cost-intensive production with large stocks. For example, front panels are made of different solid wood or with different wood veneers, which are then stained in the desired color and surface sealed.

The invention is based on the object of alleviating the aforementioned problems.

The method characterized in claim 1 provides a solution to the aforementioned problem.

With the method according to the invention, components with a very different appearance can be produced from molded parts, the shape of which corresponds to that of the components to be produced, although the printed molded parts use the same surfaces or molded parts which, in terms of their surface material, have a much smaller variety than the printed components to be produced. For example, molded parts with only two types of surfaces can be used in order to achieve an extremely large variety. One type of molded component has a plastic surface and the other type of molded component has a wood veneer surface. A wide variety of colors and / or patterns can be printed on the plastic surface to create a corresponding appearance. A wide variety of wood grains can be printed on the wood veneer surface, giving the appearance of a wide variety of wood types with a wide variety of colors, without the particular wood type actually having to be used. Surprisingly, it turned out that a basic grain of the veneer surface or a solid wood surface does not prevent printing with other grain and does not adversely affect the appearance of the printed grain by appropriate adjustment of the color intensities. With the method according to the invention, it is thus possible to produce an extraordinarily large variety of looks, ie in particular a variety desired by the customer with a small variety of raw parts.

The sub-claims 2 to 6 are directed to advantageous embodiments of the method according to the invention.

With the features of claim 7, surfaces to be printed can be pretreated in such a way that they absorb dye liquids which are subject to certain restrictions due to the printing process used, for example in an ink jet printing process. In this way, the surface to be printed and the coloring liquids can be coordinated. With wood surfaces, a pretreatment can also consist of treating the wood in a predetermined manner in the manner of a glaze, its porosity or its fluid absorption capacity being matched to the printing process then used, or the wood being provided with a specific basic tint.

With the features of claim 8, the printed surface can be sealed or provided with other coatings that are mechanically very insensitive, for example, are not transparent to UV light, etc.

A further solution to the object of the invention is achieved with a device according to claim 9.

The sub-claims 10 to 15 are directed to advantageous developments and embodiments of the device according to the invention.

The claim 16 characterizes the basic structure of a system for solving the task of the invention.

With the system according to the invention, it is possible to do it fully automatically or largely automatically, an extraordinary one with a very small variety of component material or raw material To achieve a high level of diversity in front of the customer without the need for costly warehousing of largely finished and therefore expensive parts Rather, with the system according to the invention, practically "just in time" can be produced to order.

The invention can be used wherever a high variety of components is to be achieved in front of the customer at low cost. The invention can be used particularly advantageously in the case of flat components in which blanks with a predetermined shape are first produced from plate-like raw material, which then obtain the desired surface appearance. One area of application for which the invention is particularly well suited is in the furniture industry, in which furniture, for example also kitchen furniture, is composed of flat components which are to have a different appearance both inside and out, in particular the appearance from the outside to a high degree must be customized and of high quality.

The invention is explained below with reference to schematic drawings, for example and with further details.

They represent:

FIG. 1 two front panels with different surface structures,

FIG. 2 shows a schematic view of a device according to the invention,

FIG. 3 shows a schematic view of an assembly contained in the device according to the invention,

Figure 4 shows an example of others contained in the device according to the invention

assemblies,

FIG. 5 shows a detail of the device for printing handling buttons,

FIG. 6 shows a front panel provided with a decoration,

FIG. 7 shows a cross section through a front plate to explain the printing, FIG. 8 shows a group of front panels,

FIG. 9 shows a schematic cross section through a printhead,

FIG. 10 shows a schematic cross section through a modified embodiment of a printhead,

Figure 11 shows the print head of Figure 10 in a flushing device and

FIG. 12 shows a system for the production of a kitchen belonging to an ordered kitchen

Front panels.

Figure 1 shows an example of two front panels 2, the left having a wooden surface with a grain 4 and the right has a homogeneous plastic surface. The front panels can have a wide variety of structures and surfaces, for example a pressed chip base body on which a wood veneer is applied, a plastic base body on which material is laminated so that the surface is structured three-dimensionally, etc. The front panels can also be made of solid wood.

The dashed lines 6 are contour lines to illustrate that the front panels in different sizes are required, non-rectangular front panels, round and oval front panels etc. can also be provided.

FIG. 2a shows a top view and FIG. 2b shows a device for applying predetermined patterns to a front plate 2 in a side view.

The front plate 2 is located on a conveyor device 8, which contains, for example, a conveyor belt 12 moved over rollers 10, for the drive of which a motor 14 is provided.

Extending across the conveyor belt 12 is a portal 16, on the crossbar 18 of which a carriage 20 is movably guided along the crossbar 18. To drive the car, a motor 22 is provided, the pinion 24 meshes with a toothing of the car 20. On the carriage '20, a console 26 is guided vertically displaceably in the direction of the double arrow (FIG. 2b) by means of a drive (not shown), at the end of which a print head 28 is fastened, which is constructed, for example, in the manner of a print head as used in inkjet printers or Ink-Jet or Bubble-Jet printers are used, drops of dyeing liquid being sprayable from the color nozzles of the print head.

To detect the position of the front plate 2, its contour and thickness, sensors 30, 32 and 34 are provided, the sensor 30 detecting, for example, the front edge of the front plate 2 moved on the conveyor belt 12, the sensor 32 detecting the height of the front plate 2 and the the crossbar 18 attached sensor 34 detects the side edge of the front panel 2.

The sensors can work optically, with ultrasound or in some other way and can additionally be arranged so that the entire geometry of the surface of the front plate 2 can be detected before the surface comes under the print head 28.

The drawing liquid supply and the supply of coloring liquid for the print head 28, which can be made, for example, from large storage containers which are arranged on the carriage 20, are not shown in the figures.

A control device with a computer 36, a keyboard 38 and a screen 40 is provided to control the device. It goes without saying that a loudspeaker can also be provided.

Sensors 30, 32 and 34 are connected to inputs 42 of computer 36; at outputs 44 are the drives for two-dimensional movement (in the transverse direction of the conveyor belt 12 and perpendicular to its surface) for the print head 28, the control lines for controlling the print head 28 and, if appropriate, the drives for moving one or more of the sensors 30, 32 and 34 and the drive 14 of the conveyor belt 12 is connected.

Via a further input 46, data are input that indicate the pattern that is to be generated by the print head 28. All free degrees, the patterns can be generated by scanning image templates in digital form, can be stored and then can be applied to the front plate 2 by appropriate control of the print head 28 and its movement relative to the front plate 2 in connection with the control of the drive 14. With regard to data processing, all modern technologies are available, such as are common for today's photo prints.

The structure and mode of operation of the individual elements of the device are known per se and are therefore not explained.

A front plate 2 located on the conveyor belt 12 is recognized by the sensors 30, 32 and 34 with regard to their position and size, so that the carriage 20 and the vertical drive of the console 26 and the print head 28 are so determined by the computer 36 in accordance with the currently active pattern data be controlled so that the desired pattern is formed. If the entire contour of the front plate 2 is detected, this is done in such a way that practically no coloring liquid is applied to the conveyor belt 12 and the surface of the front plate 2 is also completely printed in its edge areas.

The device described can be modified in many ways. For example, if the geometry of the respective front plate is known and the front plate 2 is placed on the conveyor belt 12 at a respective reference position and is aligned in a predetermined manner with respect to the conveyor belt 12, the front edge of the front plate 2 or the position of the reference position is only relative to detect the crossbar 18, so that the effort for the sensors can be reduced accordingly. The vertical mobility of the print head 28 is necessary because, according to the specifications of the print head 28 and the achievable pattern fineness, a predetermined distance between the color nozzles of the print head 28 and the surface of the front plate 2 to be printed is required.

The single movable print head shown in FIG. 2 with a plurality of color nozzles (not shown) for spraying different coloring liquids can be replaced, for example, by nozzle bars arranged one behind the other in the conveying direction, which extend transversely across the conveyor belt 12 and each have a series of color nozzles that selectively move from the Computer 36 can be controlled. The nozzles of the individual nozzle bars spray each only one color, so that each pattern color can be generated with three nozzle bars arranged one behind the other.

FIG. 3 shows an advantageous detail of a printing device which is additionally present if necessary, in a perspective representation. In this printing device, the print head 28 is guided on a carrier 50 so as to be longitudinally movable in the direction of the double arrow and the carrier 50 is pivotable about an axis 52 perpendicular to the direction of the double arrow. In addition, the carrier 50 can be height-adjustable or the print head 28 can be height-adjustable relative to the carrier 50.

With the arrangement, it is possible, as is immediately clear, to print on the side surfaces of the front plate 2, even if the side surfaces are directed obliquely to the conveying direction of the conveyor belt 12.

FIG. 4 shows further details of possible designs of the printing device. Printheads 28 ₂ are a console 26 ₂ by means of a drive, not shown, pivoted such that 2 ₂ formed projections 54 can be printed on the front panel. The console 26 ₂ can additionally be displaceable in the vertical direction and the print heads 28 ₂ can be pivoted about a vertical axis, for example by appropriate mounting of support arms 56 on the console 26 ₂ . The kinematic possibilities created in this way make it possible to print on the projections 54 in such a way that the color nozzles of the print heads 28 _{2 are} each oriented at a predetermined distance from the surface and perpendicular to the surface direction, as a result of which high-quality patterns can be formed.

The print head 28 ₃ shown in FIG. 4 can be moved overall in such a way that the side surfaces of the front plate 2 _{2 can be} printed.

As can be seen directly from the previous drawings, a print head 28 which is arranged on a bracket 26 (FIG. 2) which can be pivoted about a vertical and a horizontal axis on a bracket 26 which can be moved vertically and transversely of the conveyor belt, in cooperation with a forward and a Backward movement of the conveyor belt 12, each surface contour of a front plate 2 are printed, for example also actuating buttons 60, which are provided on a front plate 2 according to FIG. FIG. 6 shows an example of a decor or pattern 62 which is applied to a surface of a front plate 2 provided with a grain 4. The grain 4, which can be provided by the wood itself and / or is also applied by printing, can be emphasized differently, depending on the homogeneous contrast color in which the surface is sprayed or printed, in the example shown a rectangular frame as Decor or pattern is applied.

FIG. 7 shows a front plate which has a base body 62, for example made of pressboard, to which a veneer 66 made of soft or absorbent wood is applied. If liquid droplets 66 are applied to this type of absorbent surface, they run laterally and flow into one another, similarly to fibrous or moist paper, whereby optically very pleasing patterns can be produced if differently colored liquid droplets 66 run into one another with their edge regions.

The amount of the coloring liquid of the individual liquid droplets that runs into one another can be influenced by the volume of the liquid droplets and the type of surface.

FIG. 8 shows an example in which an overall pattern or overall visual impression can be produced by appropriate printing on individual front plates 2 ₁₀ to 2 ₁₅ .

According to FIG. 9, different color nozzles 701 to 70 ₄ can be provided in a print head 28, with differently colored coloring liquid, for example the print heads 701, 70 ₂ and 72 _{3 being} supplied with colors which add up to black and the print head 70 ₄ is immediately loaded with black colored dye.

FIG. 10 shows an embodiment of a printhead 72 which contains four different printheads A, B, C and X, the printheads A, B, C being fed with differently colored coloring liquids and the printhead X being fed with a rinsing liquid. The print heads A, B, C inject the respective coloring liquid into an intermediate container 74, which is provided with a stirrer 76, and from which a further print head 78 is loaded. With the assembled print head 72, the following is achieved:

By appropriately controlling the print heads A, B, C, each mixed color can be produced in the intermediate container 74 from the three different coloring liquids in a programmed manner, the homogeneity of which is ensured by the stirrer 76. In this way, coloring liquid of any desired color can be sprayed over a large area and homogeneously from the print head 78 and applied to a surface.

FIG. 11 shows the print head 72 of FIG. 10 during a rinsing process when a color change is required. Rinsing liquid, which is guided in a circuit 82, is sprayed from the printhead X into the intermediate container 74 after its programmed liquid volume has largely been sprayed, from a storage container 80. The rinsing liquid can be filtered at 86, if the coloring liquid is pigmented coloring liquid, and can flow through the intermediate container 74 repeatedly until there are no more color residues, and can then be fed again to the storage container 80. Reference numerals 88 and 90 represent valves, reference numeral 92 denotes a pump. With the arrangement in FIG. 11, different homogeneous colors can be sprayed in an environmentally friendly manner and with little loss of coloring liquid.

Preferably, the previously described printing of the surfaces of the front panels 2 is followed by a coating step in which the surface formed with coloring liquid in a predetermined pattern and / or with a predetermined background color is provided with a protective layer, for example by this protective layer as a film or as a single or Two-component synthetic resin paint or as a natural resin paint is applied. The protective layer, which is preferably transparent, makes the surface hard-wearing, chemically insensitive and scratch-resistant. It also reduces the requirements for UV resistance of the coloring liquids or inks used to print. The protective layer can be formed by spraying, rolling or else in a manner known per se.

The methods described can be modified in a variety of ways. The printing does not necessarily have to be made using the inkjet method. The coloring and / or pattern formation of the surfaces can follow with any other method, which is preferably programmable, so that there is a high degree of flexibility.

Figure 12 schematically shows the structure of an entire system for manufacturing groups of front panels needed for a kitchen.

Reference numeral 100 denotes the order entry in which orders from a kitchen are received in a wide variety of ways. An ordered kitchen is characterized by the type and number of its components, such as cupboards, compartments, electrical appliances, etc., all of which are closed off on the visible side by front panels that have a specific decor, which is characterized, for example, by the surface material, the basic color and the pattern the respective colors.

On the basis of an ordered kitchen, an electronically processable data record is compiled in order entry 100 of a group of front panels, which data record is required for an ordered kitchen and is compiled with regard to its surface quality and dimensions. Depending on whether the required front panels are already available in a warehouse 102 or whether they have to be produced in a cutting device 104 with the respective dimensions, the ordered data set goes through the warehouse 102 or the cutting device 104.

The data record compiled in the order entry 100 is fed to a control device 102 which works with electronic data processing.

Prefabricated raw sheets of the required variety of surfaces, for example plastic sheets and / or sheets veneered with wood, are stored in a material store 104.

Downstream of the material store is a mold processing device 106, in which raw sheets taken from the material store 104 can be cut up with known numerically controlled cutting devices or other machined devices and molded plates or molded parts with predetermined dimensions can be produced from them. Downstream of the mold processing device 106 is a molded parts store 108, in which prefabricated molded parts that are required particularly often are stored. Furthermore, the form processing device 106 is followed by a finishing device 110, in which groups of molded parts, which belong, for example, to an order, are combined. These groups can be classified from different points of view, for example immediately after ordering or according to whether they require predetermined special surface treatments that are only possible after retrofitting. A wide variety of surfaces can belong to an order.

Downstream of the assembly device 110 is a pretreatment device 112, in which the molded parts assembled in the assembly device are pretreated in a predetermined manner, for example provided with a primer, a edging is attached, an edge protector is attached, etc.

Downstream of the pretreatment device 112 is a printing device 114, which is constructed, for example, similarly to the printing device explained with reference to the preceding figures. The printing device 114 is followed by a coating device 116, in which the printed and possibly less resistant surfaces are coated, for example with clear varnish, which is particularly mechanically resistant, cannot be attacked chemically and / or does not transmit UV light. The coating device 116 is followed by a goods issue 118 in which the finished components are available for their further processing into a complete kitchen, a piece of furniture, etc.

In FIG. 12, double arrows represent the respective material flow. The connections between the electronic control device 102 and the individual stations are indicated by dashes, the double arrows each indicating that bidirectional data communication is taking place.

The structure of handling devices, conveying devices, rack storage facilities etc. provided in the individual devices or stations can be known per se and are controlled by the control device 2 in accordance with the respective data record.

It is assumed that a data record corresponding to an ordered kitchen is compiled in order entry 100. The electronic control device then asks in the molded parts store 108 whether corresponding molded parts have already been prefabricated. The existing ones Molded parts are delivered to the assembly device 110. The molded parts that have not yet been prefabricated are processed in the mold processing device 106 from the raw sheets and fed to the assembly device 110. The components then go through the pre-loading, printing and coating in order to then be available in goods issue 118.

5 enough to stand. The pretreatment device 112 and the coating device 116 can in principle be constructed similarly to the printing device, i.e. contain a conveyor belt or other conveyor on which they are fed to the respective processing station, their respective position, geometry, etc. being detected by position sensors.

10

As can be seen directly from the above, the system according to the invention enables the production of component groups in accordance with an order, with minimal inventory (material storage 104; the molded parts storage 108 is not mandatory), as required, fully automated or, if individual operations are carried out manually, largely automated.

L5 gear. It goes without saying that further fully automatic processing stations can connect to the goods issue 118, in which complete pieces of furniture are assembled from the prefabricated components which are finished with regard to their surface.

The system described can be modified in a variety of ways. For example, the pretreatment device 112 and the coating device 116 are not mandatory. The printing device 114 can work according to different methods. A further processing station can be connected to the assembly device 110 and / or the pretreatment device 112, in which assemblies are produced from the as yet unprinted components, which are then printed. The shape of the processing device 106 can be complex, so that not only are components cut from raw panels, but are additionally formed, for example, with three-dimensional ornaments, etc.

The system described can also be used to produce spare parts for pieces of furniture, for example replacement walls or front panels of a kitchen, since the system works with very good reproducibility due to the advantageously programmable printing 114 and, if appropriate, the addition of pretreatment and coating. The system is extremely flexible and, with regard to its structural structure, is suitable for use in production, especially for any furniture. That the individual states The IT system that networks the network can be networked as desired, for example, it can communicate with order entries that are far away from one another using a wide variety of communication channels.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

2 front plate 56 support arm

4 grain 58 support arm

6 contour lines 60 control button

8 conveyor 62 samples

10 roller 64 base body

12 conveyor belt 66 liquid droplets

14 Motor 70 paint nozzle

16 Portal 72 printhead

18 crossbars 74 intermediate container

20 wagons 76 stirrers

22 Motor 78 printhead

24 sprockets 80 storage containers

26 console 82 circuit

28 printhead 86 filter

30 sensor 88 valve

30 sensor 90 valve

34 Sensor 92 pump

36 computers 100 incoming orders

38 keypad 102 electronic control device

40 Screen 106 mold processing device

42 inputs 108 molded parts storage

44 outputs 110 assembly device

46 Entrance 112 pretreatment facility

50 carriers 114 printing device

52 axis 116 coating device

54 Head start 118 Goods issue

Claims

claims

1. A method for producing components with a predetermined surface appearance, in particular front panels of kitchen elements, in which method the components are printed by means of a printing method which can be programmed with regard to the resulting appearance to form a predetermined pattern.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the surfaces to be printed are made of wood.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the surfaces to be printed are made of plastic.

4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein three-dimensional surfaces are printed.

5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein printing is carried out by an ink jet method, in which coloring liquids of different colors are sprayed from different nozzles.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein a programmable homogeneous color is generated in that different colors are sprayed according to the programmed color from different nozzles in a collecting container in which ink of the programmed homogeneous color is formed, which is then sprayed off.

7. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the surface to be printed is pretreated before printing.

8. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the surface printed with the predetermined pattern is provided with a transparent coating.

9.Device for producing components with a predetermined surface appearance, in particular front panels of kitchen elements, containing a base (12) for receiving the components (2), a printing device (28) arranged opposite the components with color nozzles for spraying differently colored inks, a conveying device (8) for generating a relative movement between the paint nozzles and the components, a sensor device (30, 32, 34) for detecting the positions of the surfaces of the components and an electronic control device (36, 38, 40) for controlling the operation of the conveyor device (8 ) and the printing device (28) such that a predetermined, programmable pattern is printed on the surface of the components (2).

10. The device according to claim 9, wherein the distance between the paint nozzles and the base is adjustable.

11. The device according to claim 9 or 10, wherein the printing device (28 ₃ ) contains ink nozzles for printing differently oriented surfaces of the components (2 ₂ ).

12. The device according to one of claims 9 to 11, wherein a longitudinally displaceable print head (28) is provided on a carrier (50) and the carrier is pivotable about an axis perpendicular to the direction of the displaceability (52).

13. Device according to one of claims 9 to 12, wherein the printing device has at least one two-dimensionally pivotable printhead (28, 28 ₃ ).

14. Device according to one of claims 9 to 13, wherein the printing device has a print head (72) with an intermediate container (74), in which a plurality of nozzles (A, B, C, X) spray ink and which supplies at least one further nozzle (78) with ink.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein a rinsing device (80, 82) for the intermediate container (74) is provided.

16. System for producing groups of components with a predetermined appearance, in particular of front panels for a kitchen consisting of elements, comprising an order entry (100) for compiling an electronically adjustable data set corresponding to a group of ordered components, a mold processing device (106) for producing molded components made of component material, a packaging device (110) for compiling a group of molded components which correspond in number and their shapes to the group of components ordered, a printing device (114) for printing on the group of molded parts according to their ordered appearance, a goods issue (118) for Outputting the group of printed components and an electronic control device (102) for controlling the operation of at least the printing device in accordance with the electronically processable data record.

17. The system according to claim 16, comprising a pretreatment device (112) controlled by the electronic control device (102) for pretreating surfaces of the molded components before printing them.

18. System according to claim 16 or 17, comprising a coating device (116) controlled by the electronic control device (102) for coating the printed components.