JPS5842837B2 - Continuous printing method and equipment using offset plate or planographic plate - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for printing a continuous pattern onto a fabric using an offset plate or a lithographic plate having a seamed repeat pattern.

Conventionally, sheet offset plates or lithographic plates have been available at low cost and easily, for example by applying electrophotography, but these sheet igneous plates have been used exclusively for printing on sheet paper. Therefore, it is difficult to apply conventional printing methods to printing continuous patterns on continuous cloth or the like.

Of course, offset or lithographic printing methods are also known for printing continuous designs on continuous printing materials, but these methods use endless plates and are only possible with rotary presses, and plate making costs are low. It has the drawback of being extremely expensive and unsuitable for small-volume printing.

The present inventor used a plate having a repeat pattern with a seam, that is, an offset plate or a flat plate that can form a continuous pattern by joining the front and rear ends of the pattern in the repeat direction, and attached a fabric. When the forward movement and backward movement of the endless belt and the vertical movement of the endless belt are performed in a certain relationship as detailed below, it is possible to form a continuous pattern on the fabric (hereinafter sometimes simply referred to as the printing material). For the first time, I discovered what was possible.

That is, an object of the present invention is to provide a method and apparatus capable of printing a continuous pattern on a continuous fabric using an offset plate or a lithographic plate with a seamed repeat pattern.

Another object of the present invention is a method capable of printing continuous designs on fabrics using offset plates or planographic plates that are significantly cheaper and more easily available than conventional printing plates. There is an E company that provides equipment and equipment.

Still another object of the present invention is to make it possible to perform multicolor printing with natural colors or rich shades of color with a relatively small number of plates, and to print with only gradations. Moreover, it is an object of the present invention to provide a textile printing method that has excellent reproducibility of half-tone designs, and an apparatus therefor.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a textile printing method and apparatus that can be conveniently applied to the production of relatively small-lot printed products and that can also change designs in a short time.

According to the present invention, a continuous fabric to be printed is attached and fixed to an endless belt and supplied to a printing area, and a plate cylinder or a plate cylinder equipped with an offset plate or a flat plate having a seamed repeat pattern is connected to the plate cylinder. The combination with the blanket cylinder is continuously driven at a constant speed, and after the endless belt is brought to a speed that is synchronized with the plate cylinder from the stop section, the fabric on the endless belt and the folding cylinder or blanket cylinder are moved at this speed. The ink image on the plate cylinder or the ink image continuously copied on the blanket cylinder is transferred to the fabric by contacting the plate cylinder or blanket cylinder, and after the contact between the plate cylinder or blanket cylinder and the fabric is released, the endless belt is decelerated and stopped. Then, drive the endless belt in the opposite direction, move it backward a short distance, and then stop it. At this time, set the forward distance of the endless belt to al, the endless belt tl & the retreat distance to b1, the repeat length of the pattern to C, the endless belt's etc. When the speed movement distance is dl and the amount of movement in and out at the joint of the pattern is e, the feeding of the endless belt is controlled so that the relationship of the formula % formula % is satisfied, and the above operation is repeated to make the fabric of print l. A continuous printing method is provided which is characterized by peeling off from an endless belt.

According to the present invention, there is further provided a pasting device for pasting and fixing a cloth to an endless belt for conveying a continuous cloth to be printed, and a repeat pattern arranged along an upper running path of the endless belt and having a seam. at least one printing unit comprising an offset plate or a flat plate having an offset plate or a flat plate having a plate cylinder or a combination of the plate cylinder and a blanket cylinder;
A drive mechanism for continuously rotating the impression cylinder or the combination of the plate cylinder and the blanket cylinder at a constant speed, accelerating the endless belt, driving it at a constant speed at a speed synchronized with the plate cylinder, and decelerating it. , a drive mechanism for driving the endless belt according to a cycle of stopping, retracting, and stopping; and a drive mechanism for raising the impression cylinder so that it comes into contact with the fabric cylinder or the blanket cylinder when the endless belt starts to be driven at a constant speed, and for moving the endless belt, etc. It consists of an elevating mechanism for lowering the impression cylinder so that the fabric is separated from the plate cylinder or blanket cylinder at the end of the speed drive, and the endless belt driving mechanism is configured to move the endless belt over the distance a.
, the backward distance of the endless belt is b1, the repeat length of the symbol is 01, the constant velocity movement distance of the endless belt is dl, and the amount of movement in and out at the joint of the symbols is e, then the endless belt is controlled so that the relationship of the formula holds. An automatic textile printing machine is provided, which is characterized by being equipped with a control mechanism that controls the printing process.

The present invention will be explained in detail below based on specific examples shown in the accompanying drawings.

In Figures 1-A and 1-B showing the schematic arrangement of the entire apparatus, the drive rolls 2 and driven rolls 3 provided on both sides of the machine frame 1 are equipped with an endless belt for supporting and conveying the printing material 4. 5 is hanging.

On the introduction side of the upper running path of this endless belt 5,
Printing material 4 led out via roll guider 6
A pasting device 7 is provided for pasting and fixing the print material 4 on the belt 5, and a dust removing device 8 is further provided for removing lint and dirt from the printing material 4.

At least one, and generally several, printing units 9 are arranged at intervals along the upper running path of the endless belt 5.

This printing unit 9 is known per se, and any known offset printing unit or lithographic printing unit can be used.

The printing unit 9 is equipped with a forme cylinder 10 and also with a blanket cylinder 11 .

An offset plate or a planographic plate 12 is fixed to the plate cylinder 11, which is made by a known electrophotographic method or the like.

This printing unit 9 is furthermore provided with a dampening device 13 and an inking device 14, which are known per se, and which are used for forming the printing form 12.
An ink body (not shown) is formed on top.

The ink image on the plate 12 is once transferred onto the blanket 15 on the blanket cylinder 11 in the case of offset printing, or directly by the plate cylinder 10 in the case of lithographic printing. , is transferred onto the printing material 4.

An impression cylinder 16 that supports the endless belt 5 is provided below the endless belt 5 in correspondence with the plate cylinder 10 or the blanket cylinder 11 of the printing unit 9. The impression cylinder 16 is centered around a fulcrum 17. It is provided so that it can be swung, that is, can be moved up and down.

Further, a drying device 18 is disposed on the discharge side of the upper traveling path of the endless belt 5 or at an intermediate position between each printing unit 9, as desired.

A guide roll 19 is provided on the discharge side of the drying device 18 for stripping off the print 4' on the endless belt 5 and guiding it to an attached post-processing device such as winding or steaming.

A water washing device 20 for washing the belt with water is provided on the lower running path of the endless belt 5.

A main drive motor 21 is provided in the machine frame 1 to drive each of the mechanisms described above.

First, according to the present invention, the endless belt 5 is moved forward,
A drive mechanism 22 is provided for driving according to a stop-back-stop cycle, and the output of this drive mechanism 22 is transmitted to the shaft 23 of the drive roll 2.

The endless belt 5 is driven forward at a speed that is synchronized with the drive of the plate cylinder 10 or the blanket cylinder 11 described above.

Further, the plate cylinder 10 or furthermore the blanket cylinder 11 is driven to rotate continuously at a constant speed. For example, the rotation of the main motor 21 is transmitted to the plate cylinder of the print unit 9 via a drive shaft 24 and a gear mechanism (not shown). It is transmitted to the cylinder 10 or the rubber cylinder 11.

Furthermore, a driving mechanism 25 for raising and lowering the impression cylinder 16 is provided, and this driving mechanism 25 moves the printing material 4 onto the plate cylinder 10 at the beginning of the advancing process of the endless belt 5.
The impression cylinder 16 is driven upward so that it comes into contact with the blanket cylinder 11, and the impression cylinder 16 is moved upward so that the printing material 4 is separated from the plate cylinder 10 or the blanket cylinder 11 at the end of the advancing process of the endless belt 5. Driven down.

In FIG. 3, which shows an enlarged view of the offset plate or planographic plate 12 used in the present invention, this plate 12 is a sheet metal,
The pattern has seams 26a and 26b, and between these seams, that is, one repeat length, there is a lipophilic ink receiving area 2.
7 and a hydrophilic ink repellent region 28.

The heavy feature of the present invention is that when the forward distance of the endless belt 5 is al, the backward distance of the endless belt 5 is b1, and the repeat length 26a-26b of the pattern is C, the endless belt 5 is Its purpose is to drive the printing material 4.

In FIGS. 2 and 5 for explaining this operation,
The symbols ■ to [F] on the operation diagram in Figure 5 correspond to the positions ■ to [F] in the layout diagram of the plate cylinder, blanket cylinder, printing material, belt, and impression cylinder in Figure 2, respectively. .

Further, the moving distance in the operation diagram in FIG. 5 and the pattern on the printing material 4 in FIG. 4 correspond to each other.

In medical condition A in which the endless belt 5 is at the stop position (advance start position), the impression cylinder 16 is in the lowered position, and therefore the printing material 4 and the blanket 15 of the blanket cylinder 11 are separated from each other.

The endless belt 5 is accelerated forward from this state, and when it reaches a speed that is synchronized with the rotational speed of the blanket cylinder 11 (therefore, the plate cylinder 10), the impression cylinder 16 rises and the printing material 4 is transferred to the blanket 15 of the impression cylinder 11. (Position B).

The endless belt 5 is driven forward at a constant speed in synchronization with the blanket cylinder 11, and the blanket 15 transferred from the plate 12 is
The upper ink image is transferred onto the printing material 4, forming a printed pattern 29 (position C).

At the point when all the ink images on the blanket 15 have been transferred (position D), the impression cylinder 16 starts to descend, and the blanket 15 and the printing material 4 are separated from each other, and at the same time, the endless belt 5 moves forward at a reduced speed. do.

Up to this point, the printed material 4 has been printed for a length d.

Then, the impression cylinder 16 stops at the lowered position and the endless belt 5 also stops (position E).

By this point, the endless belt 5 has moved forward by a distance a.

From this position E, the endless belt moves backward, moves a distance, and then stops at position A', which is advanced by one repeat length from position A, and the above-described operation is repeated.

At this time, the printing material 4 and the rubber cylinder blanket 1
The drive of the endless belt 5 and the drive of the blanket cylinder 11 are synchronized so that the non-circumferential portion 30 of the blanket cylinder passes past the printing material 4 while the belts 5 and 5 are separated (positions E-F). ing.

As explained above, according to the present invention, the printing material 4
is driven forward by a distance a that is longer than the one-repeat length C,
In addition, the printing material 4 is separated from the plate cylinder 10 or the blanket cylinder 11 and is moved backward by a distance corresponding to a-c=b, and the printing material 4 is moved back from the beginning of forward movement to the end of forward movement.
By bringing the plate into contact with the plate cylinder 10 or the blanket cylinder 11,
It becomes possible to print continuous designs with high precision from a plate with a joint in the design.

This high accuracy is due to the difference between the retreating distance of the printing material 4 and the acceleration movement distance and deceleration movement distance of the printing material 4,
In other words, it can be further improved by setting the difference between the constant speed movement distance d of the printing material and the repeat length C as the amount e of movement in and out of the joint of the pattern.

In the present invention, so-called fabrics such as ordinary knitted fabrics, towels, blankets, carpets, non-woven fabrics, etc. are preferably used as the printing material 4, and by taking advantage of the advantages of offset or lithographic printing, it is possible to print with a relatively small number of plates. Multicolor printing with natural colors or rich shading of colors is now possible, and multicolor printing is possible with three plates in normal cases, and seven plates in most cases, and it is possible to print not only gradation patterns but also halftone patterns. The design can also be updated.

Any plate made by electrophotography or the like can be used as the offset plate or planographic plate, and these plates can be obtained at a significantly lower cost than conventional printing plates. Ease of application is also a significant advantage of the invention.

Also, the attachment and detachment of the plate 12 to and from the plate cylinder 10 are performed using the clamp 3 of the plate cylinder.
This is a significant advantage compared to conventional textile printing machines, which require a lot of labor and time to change colors, and also eliminates troubles such as mesh clogging. Therefore, cleaning the plate can be done by simply wiping it off, and it does not take up a large space to store the plate.

The forward drive, backward drive, and stop of the endless belt 5 are as follows:
If desired, the control, including acceleration and deceleration, can be performed by a mechanical mechanism such as a combination mechanism of a cam and a partially toothed gear, or by an electronic mechanism such as numerical control.

Further, the impression cylinder may be moved up and down by a mechanical mechanism such as a combination of a partially geared gear and a cam, or by a fluid pressure mechanism.

In general, the number of print units 9 that correspond to the desired number of colors may be installed, but it is of course possible to divide one number of colors into a plurality of units.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1-A is a schematic side view of the apparatus of the present invention, FIG. 1-B is a plan view of the apparatus of FIG. 1-A, and FIG. 2 is a schematic side view of the apparatus of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a developed view showing an enlarged version of the plate, FIG. 4 is a plan view showing how to print on the printing material, and FIG. 5 is a plan view showing how to print on the printing material. 1 is an operation diagram showing the feeding and lifting movements of the machine frame, 2 is a driving roll, 3 is a driven roll, 4 is a printing material, 4' is a printed product, 5 is an endless belt, 9 is a printing unit, 10 is a printing press, 11 is a rubber cylinder, 12 is a plate, 13 is a dampening device, 14 is an inking device, 1
5 is a blanket, 16 is an impression cylinder, 21.22, 23, 2
Reference numerals 4 and 25 represent drive mechanisms, and 26a and 26b represent joints of the patterns, respectively.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A plate cylinder or plate cylinder equipped with an offset plate or a planographic plate having a repeat pattern with a seam, in which a continuous fabric to be printed is attached and fixed to an endless belt and supplied to a printing area. and a rubber cylinder are continuously driven at a constant speed,
After accelerating the endless belt from the stop section to a speed synchronized with the plate cylinder, the fabric on the endless belt is brought into contact with the plate cylinder or blanket cylinder at this speed, and the ink image or blanket cylinder on the plate cylinder is Transfer the ink images continuously copied onto the fabric,
After the contact between the plate cylinder or the blanket cylinder and the fabric is released, the endless belt is decelerated to a stop, and then the endless belt is driven in the opposite direction to retreat a short distance and then stopped. When the distance is 31, the backward distance of the endless belt is b1, the repeat length of the pattern is C1, the constant velocity movement distance of the endless belt is d, and the amount of movement in and out at the joint of the pattern is e, the endless belt is adjusted so that the relationship of the formula holds. A continuous textile printing method characterized by controlling the feed of the printing material, repeating the above operations, and peeling off the printed fabric from the endless belt. 2. While the fabric to be printed is out of contact with the plate cylinder or blanket cylinder, drive the material to be printed in such a way that the non-circumferential portion of the plate cylinder or blanket cylinder passes over the fabric. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the drive of the plate cylinder or the blanket cylinder is synchronized. 3. An endless for conveying a continuous fabric to be printed, an adhesion device for adhering and fixing the fabric to the endless belt, and an offset arranged along the upper running path of the endless belt and having a repeat pattern with a seam. at least one print unit consisting of a plate cylinder equipped with a printing plate or a flat plate, or a combination of the plate cylinder and a blanket cylinder; an impression cylinder provided below the endless belt in correspondence with the plate cylinder or blanket cylinder; A drive mechanism for continuously rotating a plate cylinder or a combination of a plate cylinder and a blanket cylinder at a constant speed, a cycle of accelerating the endless belt, driving it at a constant speed at a speed synchronized with the plate cylinder, decelerating, stopping, retracting, and stopping. and a drive mechanism for driving the endless belt at a constant speed, raising the impression cylinder so that the fabric comes into contact with the plate cylinder or blanket cylinder at the start of driving, and at the end of the constant speed 1 driving of the endless belt (this It consists of an elevating mechanism for lowering the impression cylinder so that the fabric is separated from the plate cylinder or blanket cylinder, and the endless belt drive mechanism is configured to control the forward distance of the endless belt by a, and the backward distance of the endless belt by b1 of the pattern. It is equipped with a control mechanism that controls the feed of the endless belt so that the relationship of the formula is satisfied, where the length of the repeat is cl, the constant velocity movement distance of the endless belt is dl, and the amount of movement in and out at the joint of the pattern is e. An automatic printing method characterized by: