Method for printing of packaging parts

• US 6,286,428 B1
• Filed: 12/02/1999
• Issued: 09/11/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: RPC Superfos Stilling A/S (Berry Global Group Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Rexam TWP A/S
• Inventors: Madsen, Erik Hougaard
• Primary Examiner(s): EICKHOLT, EUGENE H
• Application Number:
  US09/453,433
• Time in Patent Office: 649 Days
• Field of Search: 101/485, 101/35, 101/37, 101/227, 101/228, 101/235, 531/312, 531/313, 531/314, 531/315
• US Class Current: 101/485
• CPC Class Codes: B41F 17/001 Pad printing apparatus or machines
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 61/025 for applying, e.g. printing, code or date marks on material prior to packaging

Abstract

A method for printing packaging parts which constitute a part of a continuous web of foil 1, in that the individual packaging parts 2 lie at a distance from each other and are in connection with each other via the foil, whereby the continuous web of foil with the packaging parts is fed forward to a printing section B, where the printing of the packaging parts 2 is effected with print-pads 10, and each printing cycle comprises a packaging part or several packaging parts lying parallel and at the side of each other with a distance between them, and the position of the parts being sensed at an entrance to the printing station, a controller receiving a signal from the position sensor and calculating an amount of movement for precisely positioning the packaging parts for printing, and controlling a drive for the foil web to assure that the packaging parts are moved to the calculated position for printing.

Claims

1. A method for printing packaging parts (2) comprising;

providing packaging parts having at least two differently disposed surface levels (3, 4) in a vertical direction, the packaging parts (2) being a part of a continuous foil web (1), the packaging parts (2) lying at a distance from each other and being in connection with one another via the foil web,

feeding the continuous foil web with the packaging parts forward towards a printing section (B),

sensing a preselected portion of the packaging parts and stopping the feeding of the continuous foil web,

calculating a position for printing a preselected number of the packaging parts in the printing section,

advancing the foil web such that the preselected number of packaging parts arrive at the calculated position for printing and simultaneously sensing another preselected number of packaging parts to be printed which are stopped at an entrance to the printing section, and calculating a position for printing the preselected number of packaging parts stopped at the entrance to the printing section such that they are subsequently precisely advanced to the calculated position for printing.

2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the packaging parts (2) form at least one longitudinal parallel row (13), and at least one lateral parallel row (14).

3. Method according to claim 1, further comprising providing guide elements on the foil web to laterally stabilize the continuous foil web.

4. Method according to claim 1, further comprising, during movement, retaining the continuous foil web with packaging parts using gripping elements (5).

5. Method according to claim 4, characterized in that the gripping elements (5) comprise wheel sets, said wheel sets having pairs of wheels, and in that the wheels in each pair are placed on each side of the foil web (1) and in contact with the foil web, forming an upper wheel set (6) and a lower wheel set (7) lying opposite each other, said upper wheel set (6) being spring-loaded, and said lower wheel set (7) being motor-driven.

6. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the printing section (B) comprises at least one print-pad (10), and at least one counter-pressure dolly (12), said print-pad and counter-pressure dolly being mounted on rotatable drums (8, 9), and wherein a print-pad (10) and a counter-pressure dolly (12) lie opposite each other during printing.

7. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the packaging parts (2) are lids for packing, each lid having a lid surface (3) and an edge (4) displaced on another level in relation to the lid surface (3).

8. Method according to claim 1 further comprising printing of the packaging parts (2) in the printing section using print-pads (10).

9. Method according to claim 1 further comprising feeding the printed packaging parts forward to a separation section (D), where the individual packaging parts are separated from the foil web.

10. Method according to claim 9, characterized in that the separation section (D) comprises a punching machine, said punching machine blanking the packaging parts out of the foil.

11. Method according to claim 1, further comprising drying the packaging parts after the printing section (B) and before the separation section (D).

12. Method according to claim 1 wherein the step of sensing is performed using a light source disposed on one side of the foil web and a light detector disposed on the other side of the foil web.

13. Method according to claim 1 wherein the step of sensing is performed using a light source disposed above the foil web and having means for detecting a change in reflection corresponding to the presence of the packaging parts therebeneath.

14. Method according to claim 1 wherein the step of sensing is performed by a mechanical sensor which engages a portion of the packaging parts passing thereby.

15. Method according to claim 1 wherein the step of calculating the position of the packaging parts is performed by a controller which receives a signal from a sensing means and outputs a signal to a motor controlling the advancement of the foil web.

16. Method according to claim 5 wherein said wheel sets have four pairs of wheels.

17. Method according to claim 2, characterized in that the printing section (B) comprises at least four print-pads (10) per longitudinal row of packaging parts, and at least two counter-pressure dollies (12), said print-pads and counter-pressure dollies being mounted on rotatable drums (8, 9), and wherein a print-pad (10) and a counter-pressure dolly (12) lie opposite each other during printing.