PRINTING PRESS AND METHOD FOR POSITIONING CYLINDERS THEREIN

• US 20120024174A1
• Filed: 08/02/2010
• Published: 02/02/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/02/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Goss International Americas Incorporated (City of Shanghai)
• Original Assignee: Goss International Americas Incorporated (City of Shanghai)
• Inventors: Sakash, Aaron Christian, Massoud, Atef Tanious, Bosey, Gerald Louis
• Granted Patent: US 8,919,250 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 101/248
• CPC Class Codes: B41F 13/38 electrically or magnetically operated
• CPC Class Codes: B41F 13/40 fluid-pressure operated
• CPC Class Codes: B41F 33/00 Indicating, counting, warning, control or safety devices arrangements of counting devices in platen presses B41F1/00 , B41F1/58; arrangements of counting devices in cylinder presses B41F3/84; ink supply or metering devices B41F31/02
• CPC Class Codes: B41F 33/02 Arrangements of indicating devices, e.g. counters
• CPC Class Codes: B41F 7/04 using printing units incorporating one forme cylinder, one transfer cylinder, and one impression cylinder, e.g. for printing on webs

Abstract

The present invention provides a printing press. The printing press includes a frame, a plate cylinder, a plate cylinder support supporting the plate cylinder, a blanket cylinder for receiving an image from the plate cylinder, a blanket cylinder support supporting the blanket cylinder, an impression cylinder for supporting a printing substrate between the blanket cylinder and the impression cylinder, an actuator connected to and controlling a position of the plate cylinder support or the blanket cylinder support and a controller providing the actuator with a position setpoint, the actuator receiving position feedback signals to maintain the position setpoint during a printing operation. The present invention also provides a method for operating a printing press.

Claims

1. A printing press comprising:

a frame;

a plate cylinder;

a plate cylinder support supporting the plate cylinder;

a blanket cylinder for receiving an image from the plate cylinder;

a blanket cylinder support supporting the blanket cylinder;

an impression cylinder for supporting a printing substrate between the blanket cylinder and the impression cylinder;

an actuator connected to and controlling a position of the plate cylinder support or the blanket cylinder support; and

a controller providing the actuator with a position setpoint, the actuator receiving position feedback signals to maintain the position setpoint during a printing operation.

2. The printing press as recited in claim 1 wherein the actuator is a servoactuator.

3. The printing press as recited in claim 1 wherein the position feedback is measured directly within the actuator.

4. The printing press as recited in claim 1 wherein the actuator is a hydraulic servoactuator or a linear servomotor.

5. The printing press as recited in claim 1 wherein the actuator is between and coupled to the blanket cylinder support and the plate cylinder support.

6. The printing press as recited in claim 1 further comprising a second actuator, the first actuator controlling the position of one of the plate cylinder support and blanket cylinder support and the second actuator controlling the position of the other of the plate cylinder support and the blanket cylinder support, the controller providing the second actuator a further position setpoint.

7. The printing press as recited in claim 1 further comprising a rail coupled to the frame, the actuator sliding along the rail to control the position of the plate cylinder support or the blanket cylinder support.

8. A variable format printing press comprising:

a frame;

a plate cylinder;

a plate cylinder support supporting the plate cylinder;

a blanket cylinder for receiving an image from the plate cylinder;

a blanket cylinder actuator connected to the blanket cylinder support;

an impression cylinder for supporting a printing substrate between the blanket cylinder and the impression cylinder;

an actuator connected to and controlling a position of the plate cylinder support or the blanket cylinder support; and

a controller providing the actuator with a first position setpoint corresponding to a first plate cylinder diameter and a second position setpoint corresponding to a second plate cylinder diameter, the actuator receiving feedback signals to maintain either the first setpoint position or the second setpoint position during a printing operation.

9. The printing press as recited in claim 8 wherein the actuator is a servoactuator.

10. The printing press as recited in claim 8 wherein the position feedback is measured directly within the actuator.

11. The printing press as recited in claim 8 wherein the actuator is a hydraulic servoactuator or a linear servomotor.

12. The printing press as recited in claim 8 wherein the actuator is between and coupled to the blanket cylinder support and the plate cylinder support.

13. The printing press as recited in claim 8 further comprising a second actuator, the first actuator controlling the position of one of the plate cylinder support and blanket cylinder support and the second actuator controlling a position of the other of the plate cylinder support and the blanket cylinder support, the controller providing the second actuator a further position setpoint.

14. The printing press as recited in claim 8 further comprising a rail coupled to the frame, the actuator sliding along the rail to control the position of the plate cylinder support or the blanket cylinder support.

15. A method for operating a printing press comprising:

setting a position of a plate cylinder or a blanket cylinder in a printing press via an actuator to a cylinder position setpoint;

receiving position feedback information; and

actively controlling the actuator during a printing operation to maintain the cylinder position setpoint.

16. The method as recited in claim 15 further comprising altering a diameter of the plate cylinder and sending a further cylinder setpoint, the further cylinder setpoint being a function of the altered diameter.

17. The method as recited in claim 15 wherein the actively controlling step includes actively controlling the actuator during a printing operation as a function of the position feedback and the cylinder position setpoint

18. The method as recited in claim 15 wherein the actively controlling step includes sensing at least one characteristic within an area of the printing press.

19. The method as recited in claim 18 wherein the actively controlling step further includes actively controlling the actuator during a printing operation as a function of the position feedback, the cylinder position setpoint and the at least one characteristic.

20. The method as recited in claim 19 wherein the at least one characteristic is at least one of temperature, mechanical vibrations, wear of printing press components and humidity.