Printing machine and a method for producing a printed product

• US 20090188405A1
• Filed: 04/27/2006
• Published: 07/30/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Koenig & Bauer AG
• Original Assignee: Koenig & Bauer AG
• Inventors: Stiel, Jürgen Alfred
• Granted Patent: US 7,997,200 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 101/484
• CPC Class Codes: B41F 17/00 Printing apparatus or machines of special types or for particular purposes, not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: B41F 33/0036 Devices for scanning or checking the printed matter for quality control
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0269 for visual or optical inspection
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/09936 Marks, inscriptions, etc. for information
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2203/1545 Continuous processing, i.e. involving rolls moving a band-like or solid carrier along a continuous production path
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2203/163 Monitoring a manufacturing process
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/12 using thick film techniques, e.g. printing techniques to apply the conductive material or similar techniques for applying conductive paste or ink patterns
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/1275 by other printing techniques, e.g. letterpress printing, intaglio printing, lithographic printing, offset printing

Abstract

A printing machine is provided with at least one printing unit that is usable for printing an image, in ink, on a printable material. The printing machine includes at least one application device which is usable to apply at least one contactless identification characteristic, in the form of an RFID system or a part thereof, to the printable material. At least one inspection device is also provided in the printing machine. At least one test device, for testing the identification characteristic, or the part thereof, is also provided in the printing machine.

Claims

1-58. -58. (canceled)

59. A printing machine comprising:

at least a first printing group adapted to print a printed image, with printing ink, on a printing substrate;

at least one application device usable to apply at least a portion of at least one contactless identification feature, configured as an RFID system, onto the printing substrate;

at least a first inspection device in said printing machine and usable to inspect said at least one contactless identification feature, said at least first inspection device being located after, in a direction of travel of the printing substrate in said printing machine, said at least one application device; and

a second inspection device usable to inspect said printed image on the printing substrate.

60. The printing machine of claim 59 wherein said at least one application device is a printing device.

61. The printing machine of claim 59 wherein said at least one application device is an adhesion device.

62. The printing machine of claim 59 wherein said at least one application device is adapted to apply an electronic component to the printing substrate.

63. The printing machine of claim 59 wherein said at least first printing group and said at least one application device are connected inline in said printing machine.

64. The printing machine of claim 59 wherein said at least first inspection device and said at least one application device are connected inline in said printing machine.

65. The printing machine of claim 59 wherein said at least first printing group, said first inspection device and said second inspection device are connected inline in said printing machine.

66. The printing machine of claim 60 wherein said at least first printing group is arranged after, in said direction of travel of the printing substrate, said printing device.

67. The printing machine of claim 60 wherein said at least first inspection device is located one of after, in said direction of travel of the printing substrate, said at least one printing device and on said at least one printing device.

68. The printing machine of claim 59 wherein said second inspection device is one of said at least first printing group and located after, in said direction of travel of said printing substrate, said at least first printing group.

69. The printing machine of claim 59 wherein said at least first printing group is an offset printing group.

70. The printing machine of claim 69 further including at least four of said offset printing groups adapted for multicolor printing.

71. The printing machine of claim 59 wherein said at least first inspection device is usable to inspect at least one of an electrical, magnetic and electromagnetic property of said identification feature.

72. The printing machine of claim 59 wherein said at least first inspection device is usable to inspect at least one optical property of said identification feature.

73. The printing machine of claim 59 wherein said second inspection device is configured for performing an optical inspection of said printed image on said printing substrate.

74. The printing machine of claim 60 wherein said printing device is usable to print at least one antenna of said RFID system.

75. The printing machine of claim 61 wherein said adhesion device is usable to attach at least one chip of said RFID system using an adhesive.

76. The printing machine of claim 72 wherein said at least one first inspection device is one of a CCD device and a CMOS device.

77. The printing machine of claim 73 wherein said at least one second inspection device is one of a CCD device and a CMOS device.

78. The printing machine of claim 76 wherein said CCD device is a CCD line camera.

79. The printing machine of claim 78 wherein said CCD line camera is adapted to scan a maximum width of said printing substrate.

80. The printing machine of claim 59 wherein said second inspection device is usable to inspect at least one of a register and color properties of said printed image.

81. The printing machine of claim 59 wherein said second inspection device is arranged after, in said direction of travel of the printing substrate, said at least first printing group.

82. The printing machine of claim 59 wherein said at least first inspection device is arranged between said at least one application device and said at least first printing group.

83. The printing machine of claim 59 further including a sorting device adapted to receive said printed substrate.

84. The printing machine of claim 83 further including first and second printed substrate receiving stacks adapted to receive selected ones of said printed substrate as a function of a quality level of said printed image.

98. The printing machine of claim 59 wherein said at least one contactless identification feature is a shape of electrical printed conductors adapted to form an antenna of said RFID system.

99. The printing machine of claim 60 wherein said printing device is configured to print electrically conductive material.

100. The printing machine of claim 60 wherein said printing device is configured to print electrically insulating material.

101. The printing machine of claim 60 wherein said printing device is configured to print electrically semiconductive material.

102. The printing machine of claim 99 wherein said material contains a polymer.

103. The printing machine of claim 100 further including a second printing device.

104. The printing machine of claim 103 further including a third printing device.

85. A method for producing a printed product including:

providing a printing machine;

printing a printed image on a printing substrate by applying printing ink to said printing substrate using said printing machine;

applying at least a portion of a contactless identification feature, configured at an RFID system, to said printing substrate;

performing an optical inspection of at least a portion of said printed image on said printing substrate;

providing an inspection device for said contactless identification feature; and

using said inspection device for inspecting one of an electrical, magnetic and electromagnetic property of said contactless identification feature following its application to said printing substrate.

86. The method of claim 85 further including using a printing technique for applying said contactless identification feature to said printing substrate.

87. The method of claim 85 further including operating said inspection device in a contactless manner.

88. The method of claim 85 further including operating said inspection device in an inductive manner.

89. The method of claim 85 further including inspecting said contactless identification feature with respect to an optical property.

90. The method of claim 85 further including inspecting optical properties of said printed image and said contactless identification feature after applying said printed image.

91. The method of claim 85 further including initially inspecting an optical property of said contactless identification feature, applying said printed image to said printed substrate and then imprinting optical properties of said entire printed product.

92. The method of claim 91 further including providing a further inspection device and using said further inspection device for performing said optical inspection of said at least a portion of said printed image.

93. The method of claim 85 further including providing a direction of transport of said printing substrate in said printing machine, performing said inspection of said contactless identification feature at a first location in relation to said direction of transport and performing said optical inspection of said printed image at a second location.

94. The method of claim 85 further including overprinting said contactless identification feature in multiple colors.

95. The method of claim 85 further including inspecting properties of said contactless identification feature selected from a frequency of an antenna oscillator circuit;

an identification number and a key to a digital signature.

96. The method of claim 85 further including applying said contactless identification feature and said printed image to a same side of said printing substrate.

97. The method of claim 85 further including initially applying said contactless identification features to said printing substrate and subsequently applying said printed image to said printing substrate.