Safety apparatus for rotary press

• US 20010042462A1
• Filed: 05/16/2001
• Published: 11/22/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Komori Corporation
• Original Assignee: Komori Corporation
• Inventors: Takeda, Kazunori, Nakano, Takeaki
• Granted Patent: US 6,598,528 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 101/216
• CPC Class Codes: B41F 27/1206 Feeding to or removing from the forme cylinder
• CPC Class Codes: B41F 33/0018 Protection means against injury to the operator
• CPC Class Codes: B41P 2233/20 Safety devices preventing damage
• CPC Class Codes: F16P 3/144 using light grids

Abstract

A safety apparatus for a rotary press comprises a detector disposed on a side of a plurality of printing units in order to detect entry of a foreign object between the printing units, the detector consisting of light projecting units and light receiving units; a push button provided on the printing unit and pushed after completion of checking performed before initiation of automatic plate-replacing operation of the printing units; and a controller for starting the automatic plate-replacing operation and detecting operation of the detector when a predetermined time elapses after operation of the button.

Claims

1. A safety apparatus for a rotary press, comprising:

a detector disposed on a side of a plurality of printing units of said rotary press to cover a zone extending from a furthest upstream printing unit to a furthest downstream printing unit and adapted to detect entry of a foreign object into said zone;

a switch provided on each printing unit of said rotary press; and

control means for starting operation of said printing units in a next step and detecting operation of said detector when a predetermined time elapses after said switch is operated.

2. A safety apparatus for a rotary press according to

claim 1

, wherein said detector includes a light projecting unit and a light receiving unit;

and self diagnosis of said light projecting unit and said light receiving unit is performed when a predetermined time elapses after said switch is operated.

3. A safety apparatus for a rotary press according to

claim 2

, wherein the self diagnosis of said light projecting unit and said light receiving unit is performed after completion of the operation of said printing units in the next step.

4. A safety apparatus for a rotary press according to

claim 1

, wherein the operation of said printing units in the next step is plate replacing operation for removing an old plate from a plate cylinder of each of said printing units and for attaching a new plate to the plate cylinder.

5. A safety apparatus for a rotary press according to

claim 1

, wherein said control means measures time between operation of the first switch and operation of the last switch is measured;

and when the time is in excess of a preset time, all the switches are reset.

6. A safety apparatus for a rotary press according to

claim 1

, wherein said control means stops the operation in the next step when said detector detects a foreign object during the operation in the next step.