Printing press for printing three-dimensional objects

• US 9,713,927 B2
• Filed: 09/12/2014
• Issued: 07/25/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Till GMBH (BGO Beteiligungsverwaltungs GmbH)
• Original Assignee: Till GMBH (BGO Beteiligungsverwaltungs GmbH)
• Inventors: Till, Volker
• Primary Examiner(s): MRUK, GEOFFREY S
• Application Number:
  US15/021,713
• Publication Number:
  US 20160221360A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,047 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B41F 17/001 Pad printing apparatus or machines
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/01 Ink jet
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 29/40 Means for printing fixed, i.e. unchanging, matter in addition to selectable matter
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 3/54 with two or more sets of type or printing elements B41J3/60 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 3/546 Combination of different types, e.g. using a thermal transfer head and an inkjet print head

Abstract

A printing press for digital printing on three-dimensional objects includes a plurality of printing stations arranged in a specified radian on an outer peripheral edge of a press wheel. Each one of the printing stations includes an inkjet print head for digital printing on three-dimensional objects and a rotary table for holding the three-dimensional object. A printing unit prints on the three-dimensional object by separate printing of a mark or a logo executed as a pad print. The printing unit includes a mechanical feed unit and a plurality of pads successively arranged on a rotating wheel. The pads and the surfaces of the printed three-dimensional objects held in the printing stations are held in the same radian and move at the same circumferential speed so that the pads print on the three-dimensional objects by means of a tampograph.

Claims

1. A printing press for digital printing on three-dimensional objects, the printing press being configured as a carousel press and comprising;

a plurality of printing stations, which are arranged in a specified radian on an outer peripheral edge of a press wheel and each one of which comprises at least one inkjet print head for digital printing on three-dimensional objects and a rotary table for holding the three-dimensional object, wherein the rotary table is configured to place the object in front of the inkjet print head and to rotate about its own axis such that a surface of the three-dimensional object to be printed is passed onto the inkjet print head for digital printing, wherein the press wheel rotates with the printing stations at a predetermined circumferential speed while printing on the three-dimensional objects; and

at least one printing unit configured to print on the three-dimensional object by separate printing of a mark or a logo executed as a pad print, the at least one printing unit comprising;

a mechanical feed unit configured to press a pad onto the three-dimensional object to be printed following a triggering signal; and

a plurality of pads successively arranged on a rotating wheel, the rotating wheel being arranged and adapted to rotate past the three-dimensional objects to be printed in the printing press such that the pads touch the surface of the three-dimensional objects to be printed,

wherein the pads arranged on the rotating wheel of the printing unit and the surfaces of the printed three-dimensional objects held in the printing stations of the carousel press which are arranged on the press wheel are held in the same radian and move at the same circumferential speed so that the pads print on the three-dimensional objects, each one of which is arranged on a peripheral edge of the successive printing stations, by a tampograph.

2. The printing press according to claim 1, further comprising actuators configured to position the three-dimensional object to be printed in front of the respective pad.

3. The printing press according to claim 2, wherein the actuators are arranged in front of the respective pad and are configured to move the three-dimensional object during the tampography along or against the direction of the surface of the three-dimensional object to be printed.

4. The printing press according to claim 3, wherein the actuators are configured to move the three-dimensional object during the tampography by determining a direction and speed of movement of the three-dimensional object, so that the circumferential speed of the surface of the three-dimensional object to be printed corresponds to the circumferential speed of the respective pad on the rotating wheel.

5. The printing press according to claim 1, wherein the mechanical feed unit includes a mechanism configured to press the respective pad on the surface of the three-dimensional object.

6. The printing press according to claim 1, wherein the radian between two successive pads is between a minimum radian and a maximum radian, which arise between printed surfaces of the three-dimensional objects in two successive single presses for three-dimensional objects of minimum extension and for three-dimensional objects of maximum extension.

7. The printing press according to claim 1, wherein the at least one printing unit comprises a tampon as the respective pad which absorbs the ink by pressing onto a matrix, which is provided with a recess that has a desired print image and is filled with ink.

8. The printing press according to claim 1, wherein the at least one printing unit comprises an inking roller configured to apply ink using a controllable mechanism, wherein the controllable mechanism is configured to retract the inking roller based on no three-dimensional object needing to he printed.

9. The printing press according to claim 1, wherein the at least one printing unit is integrated in another machine part of the printing press that is different from a machine part with the inkjet print heads.

10. The printing press according to claim 1, wherein the printing ink for tampography is a security ink, which cannot be processed in the inkjet print heads due to pigment size.

11. The printing press according to claim 1, wherein the printing press comprises at least one of a common drying device or curing device for digital printing and tampography.