EP1512541B1 - Printer for a machine used in the tobacco industry - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a method and a printing unit of a machine of the tobacco-processing industry for applying print marks on a along a transport direction with a predetermined conveying speed promoted wrapper strips of the tobacco-processing industry, preferably cigarette paper strips. Furthermore, the invention relates to a use of at least one inkjet printer cartridge and a machine of the tobacco-processing industry, in particular cigarette rod machine or filter attachment machine.

Printing units for the application of printing marks on a wrapping strip of the tobacco-processing industry are known from the prior art, cf. DE-A-100 06 124 , For example, a print is applied to cigarette paper strips in a cigarette rod machine with a pressure roller. In the stranding machine rod-shaped articles such as cigarettes, cigarillos, cigars or filter rods or the like are produced in the strand process. By means of the serving strip the tobacco strands are wrapped in the cigarette rod machine, the wrapping strips used have print marks or printed images, which may be, for example, cigarette brands, manufacturers name or other indications.

As a smoking article in the context of the invention are understood cigarettes with and without filters and all other rod-shaped smoking articles, the wrapping strip is printed, said appearing on the article imprint primarily the brand. Such an imprint or stamp is a conspicuous quality feature of such articles and requires special attention with regard to the components and production conditions required for its production, such as the type and condition of the ink used and its supply, transfer, distribution until it is applied to the enveloping strip.

The printing units according to the prior art installed in the stranding machines consist of a roll arrangement, wherein the material web to be printed is guided between the rolls. For applying the print marks or printed images, a so-called pressure roller is provided, which is synchronized with the continuously moving material web. In general, the pressure roller is in contact with a counter-pressure roller, wherein the enveloping strip is guided between the pressure roller and the counter-pressure roller.

However, the printing units have the disadvantage that as a result of the rotation of the pressure roller at higher conveying speed of the wrapping strip, the quality of the imprint is reduced or may be impossible, so that the production of cigarette strands with a print on the wrapping strip is severely limited at higher machine speeds.

Out JP-A-11335606 is the use of inkjet ink for marking cigarettes containing acceptable for consumption dyes and water. As an ink-jet method for applying the ink to the cigarettes, the continuous jet method and the drop-on-demand method are described, for example, by means of suitable valves.

US-A-2003/0039502 generally describes printing on continuous work materials wherein the web passing through a printer is accelerated in the non-printing areas such that throughput is increased without sacrificing print quality.

Furthermore, in EP-A-1 153 746 discloses a printing unit of a machine of the tobacco processing industry. The printing unit itself has a nozzle via which ink is delivered to a roller arrangement, wherein the rollers are in touching contact with one another, so that the ink is transferred from one roller to the next roller. By means of a pressure roller, an imprint is applied to a wrapping strip of the tobacco-processing industry. The pressure roller is in touching contact with the wrapping strip to apply a print on the strip. In order to give color to the roller arrangement, it is provided that from a supply device with a color cartridge and a color supply is given color through the nozzle outlet opening of the ink nozzle between the contacting rollers of the printing unit.

In addition, in WO-A-02/078959 a printhead is provided with piezoelectric elements on a diaphragm near the nozzles of the printhead. This special printhead is used to apply indicia to cigarette cartons, cigarette package wrappers.

Furthermore, in US-B-6,173,551 and in WO-A-99/51498 Ink jet encoder disclosed in tobacco processing industry packaging machines. The inkjet coder used is a printhead from Videojet System International, Illinois, USA. In this case, characters are printed on a strip of material from individual ink drops. The markers are non-contact sprayed during a feed movement of the strip of material, whereby a piezoelectric spray nozzle quartz is excited, which surrounds the spray nozzle ink chamber. The vibrations of the jet quartz break up the jet stream into small drops of ink. To apply a mark on a strip of material, the individual ink droplets are deflected by means of a baffle plate. The degree of deflection depends on the amount of negative charge on the ink drops. Overall, this technology is very expensive.

Based on this prior art, it is therefore an object of the present invention to achieve the printing of printed images on wrapping strips at high conveying speeds of the wrapping strips without much effort, it should be possible to apply the print mark properly at high conveying speeds of the wrapping strip. Next, the invention has the object to enable a rapid change of the printed image and the otherwise usual conversion and cleaning effort to reduce.

This object is achieved in a method for applying print marks on a along a transport direction with a predetermined conveying speed promoted wrapper strips of tobacco processing industry, preferably cigarette paper strips, by means of a printing unit, characterized in that the print marks are applied contactlessly by means of at least one inkjet printer cartridge of the printing unit.

The invention is based on the idea to use standard commercial printer inkjet printer cartridges used in the ordinary office environment. In the context of the invention, it is also possible to apply imprints on blanks or other moving materials of the packaging industry by means of a printing unit which has at least one inkjet printer cartridge. By using standardized inkjet printer cartridges in tobacco processing and packaging industries, mature and proven technology is being transferred to office inkjet printers. In the context of the invention, the inkjet printer cartridges used are cartridges which have a container or a chamber for the ink, it being possible for the container to have a printhead, depending on the application. If a printhead is present in a printing unit, the cartridge does not have a printhead.

In inkjet printing, a print mark is contactlessly applied to the strip of material guided past the printer cartridge. In addition, colored imprints are possible because in a cartridge several chambers with different colors can be present. By using a color cartridge with several Chambers can thus be realized colored imprints. As a rule, only water-soluble inks are used in the invention, which are also food grade. Furthermore, it is possible to apply invisible colors to the cigarette paper or the material strip to the human eye so that safety identifiers or position marks are applied to the material strip.

Moreover, according to the invention, the changeover times are e.g. reduced in a format change and the cleaning of the printing unit. Furthermore, a quick and easy change of the print image in a format change is thereby feasible.

Advantageously, the printing unit and / or the at least one inkjet printer cartridge are mounted stationary, so that the article to be printed is transported past the stationary cartridge. This ensures a secure application of an imprint. Overall, there is a safe handling of the inkjet printer cartridge used.

An increase in the printing speed is achieved by applying a print mark by means of several inkjet printer cartridges. To complete a print mark, a plurality of inkjet printer cartridges are used, so that at the same time a mark is applied to a cigarette paper tire.

In a further development, it is proposed that a plurality of inkjet printer cartridges are arranged in and / or transversely to the conveying direction of the article. This enlarges the work area for printing a print mark. In addition, a fast adjustment of the printing unit to different widths to be printed Article achieved.

In particular, the inkjet printer cartridges are cascaded so that it is possible for each inkjet printer cartridge to print on a particular area of the article being conveyed. Subsequently, another area of the print mark is printed by a subsequent second inkjet printer cartridge. Overall, this improves the quality and / or density of the print. Furthermore, this makes it possible to significantly increase the conveying speed of the article.

It is particularly advantageous if the inkjet printer cartridges are controlled by means of a control device, in particular a computer unit. By using a software-oriented control, it is possible that several inkjet printheads or cartridges are controlled such that a print mark is produced by means of several inkjet printer cartridges. Furthermore, this has the advantage that when a format change or brand change to a cigarette rod machine, the applied print mark can be quickly changed to the cigarette paper. In this case, it is no longer necessary to replace plunger or the like manually.

Moreover, it is favorable if the print marks are dried in a drying section, so that the drying process of the applied ink and print marks on the article is accelerated.

It is also advantageous that after emptying the inkjet printer cartridges can be replaced, so that continuously the conveyor items are printable.

The method is preferably developed in that the print mark is applied by means of at least one inkjet printer cartridge from the office area.

Furthermore, it is advantageous if the inkjet printer cartridges are cleaned, in particular before the machine is put into operation. In any case, since the use of inkjet print cartridges significantly reduces soiling, the cleaning cycle creates a clean work environment around the print engine and the article being printed.

In order to check the position and quality of the print marks on the printed article, the print marks are detected by means of a sensor device. For example, the sensor device is mounted at a location after which a printed envelope cigarette paper strip has been wrapped around a tobacco rod.

The object is further achieved by means of a printing unit of a machine of the tobacco processing industry for applying print marks on a along a transport direction with a predetermined conveying speed promoted wrapper strips, preferably cigarette paper strip, which is further developed in that at least one inkjet printer cartridge is provided, wherein the print marks contactless means at least one inkjet printer cartridge of the printing unit are applied. In the context of the invention, it is equally conceivable to use a printing unit according to the invention in a packaging machine, in particular for articles of the tobacco-processing industry.

In particular, the at least one inkjet printer cartridge is stationary.

To speed up the printing process are several inkjet printer cartridges provided for applying a print mark on the subsidized article.

For this purpose, in particular a plurality of inkjet printer cartridges are arranged in and / or transversely to the conveying direction of the article.

It is also advantageous if the inkjet printer cartridges are arranged in a cascade.

Advantageously, the inkjet printer cartridges are controllable by means of a control device, in particular computer unit, so that the inkjet printer cartridges are freely programmable.

In order to achieve a secure imprint on the article, a drying path for the print marks is further provided so that blurring of a print mark is reliably avoided by rapid drying.

It is also advantageous if the at least one inkjet printer cartridge is an inkjet printer cartridge from the office area. Thus, standardized and commercially available printer cartridges can be used in a printing unit, whereby the cost of applying the print marks are reduced.

Furthermore, it is preferred if the inkjet printer cartridges are exchangeable and / or cleanable. In order to control the printed image, a sensor device for the print marks is provided.

Furthermore, the object is achieved by the use of at least one inkjet printer cartridge in a printing unit of a Machine of the tobacco processing industry, which is provided with a printing unit according to the invention described above. In a further embodiment, it is possible to use an inkjet printer cartridge in a printing unit of a machine of the packaging industry. In a packaging machine also promoted items, such as blanks, provided with a print.

In addition, the object is achieved by a machine of the tobacco processing industry, in particular cigarette rod or filter attachment machine, which is provided with a printing unit according to the invention described above. The printing device according to the invention is preferably used on a cigarette rod machine for printing a wrapping strip.

Fig.1

eine mit einer erfindungsgemäßen Druckeinrichtung ausgestattete Zigarettenstrangmaschine;

Fig. 2

eine perspektivische Ansicht eines erfindungsgemäßen Druckwerks und

Fig. 3

eine schematische Darstellung eines erfindungsgemäßen Druckwerks in einer weiteren Ausgestaltung.

The invention will now be described by way of example without limitation of the general inventive idea by means of embodiments with reference to the accompanying schematic drawings, which are expressly referred to in the rest with respect to the disclosure of all unspecified in the text details of the invention. Show it:

Fig.1

a cigarette rod machine equipped with a printing device according to the invention;

Fig. 2

a perspective view of a printing unit according to the invention and

Fig. 3

a schematic representation of a printing unit according to the invention in a further embodiment.

In the figures, identical or similar elements or corresponding parts are provided with the same reference numerals, so that a corresponding renewed idea is disregarded and only deviations of the exemplary embodiments illustrated in these figures from the first embodiment will be explained.

At the in Fig. 1 shown cigarette rod machine is fed from a lock 1 a pre-distributor 2 in portions with tobacco. A removal roller 3 of the pre-distributor 2 added controlled a reservoir 4 with tobacco, from which a steep conveyor 5 takes tobacco and fed a stowage 6 controlled.

From the storage shaft 6 takes a pin roller 7 a uniform stream of tobacco, which is knocked out by a rollover roller 8 of the pins of the pin roller 7 and thrown on a circulating at a constant speed spreading cloth 9. A tobacco fleece formed on the spreading cloth 9 is thrown into a sighting device 11, which consists essentially of an air curtain, the larger or heavier tobacco particles happen, while all other tobacco particles from the air in a funnel formed by a pin roller 12 and a wall 13 14th be steered.

From the pin roller 12, the tobacco is thrown into a tobacco channel 16 against a rope conveyor 17, where the tobacco held by means sucked into a vacuum chamber 18 air and a tobacco rod is aufauert.

An equalizer 19 removes excess tobacco from the tobacco rod, which is then placed on a run in synchronized cigarette paper strip 21. The cigarette paper strip 21 is from a reel 22 withdrawn, passed through a printing device 23 and placed on a driven format tape 24. The format strip 24 transports the tobacco rod and the cigarette paper strip 21 through a format 26, in which the cigarette paper strip 21 is folded around the tobacco rod, so that still protrudes an edge which is glued in a known manner by a Glimapparat, not shown. Then the bond is closed and dried by a Tandemnahtplätte 27.

A thus formed cigarette rod 28 passes through a strand density meter 29, which controls the Egalizer 19, and is cut by a knife apparatus 31 in double-length cigarettes 32. The double-length cigarettes 32 are transferred from a transfer device 34 having a controlled arm 33 to a transfer drum 36 of a filter attachment machine 37, onto the cutting drum 38 of which they are divided into single cigarettes with a circular blade.

Conveyor belts 39, 41 promote excess tobacco in a arranged from the reservoir 4 container 42, from which the recycled tobacco is removed from the vertical conveyor 5 again.

In Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a printing unit according to the invention (see reference numeral 23, Fig. 1 ) shown schematically. The printing unit 23 has four holders 51.1 to 51.4, on each of which three inkjet printer cartridges 55.1 to 55.3 are arranged one behind the other. Within the scope of the invention, it is possible for each inkjet printer cartridge 55.1 to 55.3 to each contain a colored ink. Inkjet printer cartridges 55.1 to 55.3 are commercially available and standardized printer cartridges for inkjet printers that can be used in the normal office environment. Of course it is also possible that each printer cartridge 55.1 to 55.3 is filled with the same color.

By the staggered arrangement of the printer cartridges 55.1 to 55.3 in the conveying direction of the cigarette paper strip 21 to be printed, an optically dense imprint of a print mark 60 is achieved. Characterized in that the inkjet printer cartridges 55.1 to 55.3 are arranged in cascade on one holder, for example, with the first printer cartridge 55.1, a printed image on the cigarette paper strip generated in the following for compressing the print image ink from the subsequent inkjet printer cartridge 55.2 or 55.3 is applied. This makes it possible to print the cigarette paper strip, wherein it is achieved in particular to apply an imprint 60 at a high conveying speed of the cigarette paper strip 21. Characterized in that the holders 51.1 to 51.4 are arranged transversely to the conveying direction of the cigarette paper strip 51 offset from one another, it is ensured that the entire width of the cigarette paper strip 21 can be printed at a high speed.

In particular, it is possible by the printing unit 23 to apply colored print marks 60 to the cigarette paper strip 21. The computer-assisted control of the individual printer cartridges 55.1 to 55.3 ensures that the print mark can be adapted quickly to the various formats during a rapid format change on a cigarette rod maker. In addition, as a result of software control, small changes in, for example, a brand logo can be responded to by appropriate reprogramming.

The use of water-soluble inks as printing ink will oil-free printed on the printing unit 23. In addition, cleaning cycles of the printheads of the inkjet printer cartridge 55.1. to 55.3. The required cleaning cycles depend on the cleanliness of the environment and the cigarette paper strips 21 to be printed.

The number of ink-jet printer cartridges used for printing depends on the width of the cigarette paper strip to be printed and its conveying speed and determine the resolution (print quality / dpi). With a print width larger than the printhead width of an inkjet printer cartridge, another cascade set of inkjet printer cartridges is used.

By the printing unit according to the invention is achieved to provide cigarette paper and other papers of the tobacco processing industry flexible and clean with different printed images and continuous identifiers. In addition, it is possible to use multiple lanes, i. to print several side by side funded material strips by means of the printing unit according to the invention. As a result, for example, a double-lane cigarette rod machine can be operated.

Through the use of inkjet printer cartridges, the field-proven technology in the field of inkjet printers can be applied to machines of the tobacco processing industry or packaging machines of the tobacco processing industry.

In Fig. 3 is a further embodiment of a printing device or a printing unit according to the invention in a schematic representation shown. By means of the printing unit 23 (see Fig. 2 . Fig. 1 ) a print mark is applied to the conveyed cigarette paper 21, so that subsequently a tobacco rod which has been thickened is enveloped by the cigarette paper strip 21 ( Fig.1 ). In order to dry the ink which has been applied to the cigarette paper strip 21 faster, a drying section 62 is provided after the printing unit 23 in the conveying direction. The drying section 62 is designed, for example, as a heater and connected to a computer 63, which regulates the temperature of the drying section 62. Subsequently, the cigarette paper strip 21 is guided past a sensor 61, by means of which the applied print marks are detected and controlled. For this purpose, the sensor 61 is connected to the computer 63. In order to accomplish a quick adaptation and control of the inkjet printer cartridges in the printing unit 23, the computer 63 is connected to the printing unit 23.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

lock

2

preliminary distributor

3

out roller

4

reservoir

5

vertical conveyor

6

accumulating shaft

7

pin roll

8th

picker roller

9

stray cloth

11

OverviewAmenitiesPicture

13

tape

14

funnel

16

tobacco channel

17

line conveyor

18

Vacuum chamber

19

Egalisator

21

Cigarette paper strip

22

reel

23

print Setup

24

format tape

26

format

27

Tandemnahtplätte

28

cigarette rod

29

Strand density meter

31

knife apparatus

32

double-length cigarettes

33

poor

34

Transfer device

36

transfer drum

37

filter attachment

38

cutting drum

39

conveyor belt

41

conveyor belt

42

container

51.1 to 51.4

bracket

55.1

inkjet cartridges

55.2

ink jet printer cartridge

55.3

ink jet printer cartridge

60

print mark

61

sensor

62

drying section

63

computer

Claims (20)

1. Method of applying printed marks (60) onto a wrapping strip (21) of the tobacco processing industry, preferably a cigarette paper strip, which is being conveyed in a conveying direction at a predetermined conveying speed, by means of a printing unit (23), characterized in that the printed marks (60) are applied without contact by means of at least one ink-jet printer cartridge (55.1 - 55.3) of the printing unit (23).
2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the printing unit (23) and/or the at least one ink-jet printer cartridge (55.1 - 55.3) are mounted in a stationary manner.
3. Method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that a printed mark (60) is applied by means of a plurality of ink-jet printer cartridges (55.1 - 55.3).
4. Method according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that a plurality of ink-jet printer cartridges (55.1 - 55.3) are disposed in and/or transversely of the conveying direction of the wrapping strip (21).
5. Method according to one or more of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the ink-jet printer cartridges (55.1 - 55.3) are arranged in a cascade-like manner.
6. Method according to one or more of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the ink-jet printer cartridges (55.1 - 55.3) are controlled by means of a control unit (63), in particular a computer unit.
7. Method according to one or more of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the printed marks (60) are dried in a drying section (62).
8. Method according to one or more of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the printed mark (60) is applied by means of at least one office-type ink-jet printer cartridge (55.1 - 55.3).
9. Method according to one or more of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the printed marks (60) are detected by means of a sensor device (61).
10. Printing unit (23) of a machine of the tobacco processing industry for applying printed marks (60) onto a wrapping strip (21) of the tobacco processing industry, preferably a cigarette paper strip, which is being conveyed in a conveying direction at a predetermined conveying speed, characterized in that at least one ink-jet printer cartridge (55.1 - 55.3) is provided, wherein the printed marks (60) are applied without contact by means of the at least one ink-jet printer cartridge (55.1 - 55.3) of the printing unit (23).
11. Printing unit (23) according to claim 10, characterized in that the at least one ink-jet printer cartridge (55.1 - 55.3) is disposed in a stationary manner.
12. Printing unit (23) according to claim 10 or 11, characterized in that a plurality of the ink-jet printer cartridges (55.1 - 55.3) are provided for applying a printed mark (60).
13. Printing unit (23) according to one of claims 10 to 12, characterized in that a plurality of the ink-jet printer cartridges (55.1 - 55.3) are disposed in and/or transversely of the conveying direction of the wrapping strip (21).
14. Printing unit (23) according to one or more of claims 10 to 13, characterized in that the ink-jet printer cartridges (55.1 - 55.3) are arranged in a cascade-like manner.
15. Printing unit (23) according to one or more of claims 10 to 14, characterized in that the ink-jet printer cartridges (55.1 - 55.3) are controllable by means of a control device (63), in particular a computer unit.
16. Printing unit (23) according to one or more of claims 10 to 15, characterized in that a drying section (62) is provided for the printed marks (60).
17. Printing unit (23) according to one or more of claims 10 to 16, characterized in that at least one ink-jet printer cartridge (55.1 - 55.3) is an office-type ink-jet printer cartridge (55.1 - 55.3).
18. Printing unit (23) according to one or more of claims 10 to 17, characterized in that a sensor device (61) is provided for the printed marks (60).
19. Use of at least one ink-jet printer cartridge (55.1 - 55.3) in a printing unit (23) of a machine of the tobacco processing industry according to one or more of claims 10 to 18.
20. Machine of the tobacco processing industry, in particular a cigarette rope machine or filter attachment machine, having a printing unit (23) according to one or more of claims 10 to 18.

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