Container handling machine for printing onto container

• US 9,533,506 B2
• Filed: 08/27/2014
• Issued: 01/03/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/04/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Heidelberger Druckmaschinen Ag, Krones AG (Krones)
• Original Assignee: Krones AG (Krones)
• Inventors: Kraus, Andreas, Peutl, August, Sonnauer, Andreas, Behrens, Gunnar, Suhr, Jrg
• Primary Examiner(s): AL HASHIMI, SARAH
• Application Number:
  US14/470,603
• Publication Number:
  US 20150062240A1
• Time in Patent Office: 860 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B41F 17/28 for printing on curved surfaces of conical or frusto-conical articles
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/165 Preventing or detecting of nozzle clogging, e.g. cleaning, capping or moistening for nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/16532 by applying vacuum only
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/16538 with brushes or wiper blades perpendicular to the nozzle plate
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/16552 using cleaning fluids
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2002/16555 Air or gas for cleaning
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2002/16558 Using cleaning liquid for wet wiping
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 3/4073 Printing on three-dimensional objects not being in sheet or web form, e.g. spherical or cubic objects B41J3/283, B41J3/286 take precedence; building up a 3D object using individual droplets from jetting heads B29C64/112
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 3/40733 Printing on cylindrical or rotationally symmetrical objects, e. g. on bottles

Abstract

Container handling machine for printing onto containers with a transport device optionally configured as a carousel for transporting said containers, with direct printing heads and with a cleaning device for cleaning the direct printing heads, the cleaning device including at least one cleaning unit for dispensing cleaning fluid to a direct printing head and a collection device for discharging spent cleaning fluid.

Claims

1. A container handling machine for printing onto containers, comprising:

a transport device configured as a carousel for transporting said containers, with at least one printing station and with at least one cleaning device for cleaning said printing station,

wherein said at least one cleaning device and/or said at least one printing station is movable to a cleaning position for cleaning the printing station,

wherein said cleaning device comprises a housing, a cleaning unit carried by the housing and comprising a dispensing device for cleaning fluid, and a collection device for at least one of cleaning fluid or printing agent residue or contaminant,

wherein said cleaning unit is configured and oriented in said cleaning position such that the cleaning unit can clean a print nozzle of each of said at least one printing station with the print nozzle disposed substantially in a horizontal direction of printing, and

wherein said collection device is disposed below said cleaning unit in a region of the housing which in said cleaning position extends substantially horizontally, and

wherein, in the cleaning position, the collection device is disposed substantially vertically below the dispensing device such that the collection device collects at least one of cleaning fluid or printing agent residue or contaminant draining from the printing head during the cleaning process.

2. The container handling machine according to claim 1, said cleaning unit comprising at least one of a blow nozzle for air/cleaning fluid a wiping device or an extraction device.

3. The container handling machine according to claim 1, said cleaning device being in a specific position configured as a protective element for said printing station.

4. The container handling machine according to claim 3, the cleaning device including at least one of a circumferential seal or a protective cap.

5. The container handling machine according to claim 1, said cleaning device configured for simultaneously cleaning at least two printing stations disposed above each other using cleaning units corresponding to said printing stations.

6. The container handling machine according to claim 5, the cleaning unit being disposed in a step-like manner.

7. The container handling machine according to claim 1, said cleaning device can for cleaning be inserted into a container receptacle in place of a container at said transport device.

8. The container handling machine according to claim 1, one or more movement units adapted to at least one of position or move a printing station and said cleaning device relative to each other.

9. The container handling machine according to claim 8, where said movement unit is adapted to pivot a printing station relative to a horizontal direction of printing (D) in a vertical direction of cleaning (R) such that said nozzles of said printing station are for cleaning aligned substantially downwardly towards the center of the earth.

10. The container handling machine according to claim 1, and one of:

said cleaning device and said printing stations are arranged in a stationary manner at said machine (1);

said cleaning device is connected to said transport device running along with it and said printing stations are arranged in a stationary manner at said machine;

said printing stations are connected to said transport device running along with it and said cleaning device is arranged in a stationary manner at said machine said cleaning device arranged at an empty segment (L) of said transport device with container receptacles that are empty during operations;

or

said cleaning device and said printing stations are connected to said transport device (3) running along with it, where said printing stations are arranged in a star-like manner around said container receptacles.

11. The container handling machine according to claim 1, in combination with a second printing station that is in a printing position (P1) arranged substantially vertically below said first printing station and prints onto at least one second area (2b) of said container.

12. The container handling machine according to claim 11 one of said first printing station or said second printing station being movable during said cleaning mode moved vertically up and back down again.

13. The container handling machine according to claim 11, said first printing station and said second printing station each comprises a front plate with a receiving opening and a nozzle plate, where said nozzle plate is recessed in said receiving opening of said front plate (64a, 64b).

14. The container handling machine according to claim 13, said front plates each comprise a drip edge said drip edge one of disposed or formed in the vertical direction at the lower end of said respective front plate.

15. The container handling machine according to claim 1, and a movement unit (8a, 8b) in the cleaning mode moves at least one of said first printing station or said second printing station horizontally to a cleaning position (P3).

16. The container handling machine according to claim 1,

where said printing station comprising at least a first nozzle row for ejecting ink droplets, where said ink droplets are ejected substantially in the horizontal direction (X) and where said first printing station is during a printing mode disposed in a printing position (P1) and prints onto at least one first area of a container, where said cleaning device is during a printing mode disposed in a stand-by position (P2),

the container handling machine further comprising a further printing station comprising at least a second nozzle row for ejecting ink droplets from which ink drops are ejected substantially in the horizontal direction (X) and where said further printing station is during said printing mode disposed in a printing position (P1) substantially vertically below said printing position (P1) of said first printing station and prints onto at least one second area of said container,

where a movement unit is provided to generate a relative motion (R1) during a cleaning mode between said cleaning device and said printing station, where said relative motion occurs substantially in the vertical direction (Y),

where said cleaning device can in said cleaning mode be moved by said movement unit vertically upwardly to a cleaning position (P4),

where at least one of said printing station or said further printing station can in said cleaning mode be moved by a further movement unit horizontally to said cleaning position (P3), and

where said printing station or said further printing station (6b) can during said cleaning mode be moved in said cleaning position (P3) vertically up and back down (R2) again.

17. A device for printing onto three-dimensional objects, comprising:

a first printing unit including at least a first nozzle row for ejecting ink droplets, where said ink droplets are ejected substantially in the horizontal direction and where said first printing unit is during a printing mode disposed in a printing position and prints onto at least one first area of an object;

a second printing unit including at least a second nozzle row for ejecting ink droplets, where said ink droplets are ejected substantially in the horizontal direction and where said second printing unit is during said printing mode disposed in a printing position aligned substantially vertically below said first printing unit and prints onto at least one second area of said object;

a cleaning unit, wherein during said printing mode the cleaning unit is disposed in a stand-by position located substantially vertically below the first printing unit and the second printing unit;

a first drive that generates a relative motion during a cleaning mode between said cleaning unit and said printing units, wherein said relative motion is substantially in the vertical direction, and wherein said cleaning unit in said cleaning mode is moved by said first drive vertically upwardly to a cleaning position that is horizontally adjacent to at least one of the first printing unit and the second printing unit; and

a second drive that moves at least one of said first printing unit or said second printing unit in said cleaning mode horizontally toward or away from the cleaning unit to said cleaning position, and

wherein during said cleaning mode said second drive moves at least one of said first printing unit or said second printing unit in said cleaning position vertically up and back down again.

18. A method for cleaning printing stations in a container handling machine, wherein said containers are imprinted in a normal operation mode and at least one printing station is in a cleaning operation mode cleaned with a cleaning device, the cleaning device comprising a housing, a cleaning unit disposed in the housing, and a collection device disposed in the housing, wherein the collection device, during the cleaning operation mode, is disposed substantially vertically below the cleaning unit in a region that extends substantially horizontally, the method comprising:

disposing the printing station in the cleaning operation mode substantially in a horizontal direction of printing,

applying a cleaning agent in the cleaning operation mode by said cleaning unit in a substantially horizontal direction onto said printing stations, and

collecting at least one of the spent cleaning agent or a contaminant in the cleaning operation mode with the collection device extending in a substantially horizontal region of said housing, said collection device being disposed substantially vertically below said cleaning unit.

19. A method according to claim 18, further comprising at least one of wiping off, blowing clear or sucking clear said printing stations said cleaning device in said cleaning operation mode.

20. A method according to claim 19, wherein a subset of said printing stations is printing in the normal operation mode, while a different subset of said printing stations is cleaned in the cleaning operation mode.

21. A method according to claim 18, said cleaning device is during printing operations held in a waiting position beyond the print area and is in the cleaning operation mode joined with said printing stations in said cleaning position and can there assume a protective function.

22. The method according to claim 18, and the printing station ejecting ink.