Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
  • B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
  • B41J11/00—Devices or arrangements  of selective printing mechanisms, e.g. ink-jet printers or thermal printers, for supporting or handling copy material in sheet or web form
  • B41J11/007—Conveyor belts or like feeding devices
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
  • B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
  • B41J11/00—Devices or arrangements  of selective printing mechanisms, e.g. ink-jet printers or thermal printers, for supporting or handling copy material in sheet or web form
  • B41J11/0015—Devices or arrangements  of selective printing mechanisms, e.g. ink-jet printers or thermal printers, for supporting or handling copy material in sheet or web form for treating before, during or after printing or for uniform coating or laminating the copy material before or after printing
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
  • B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
  • B41J29/00—Details of, or accessories for, typewriters or selective printing mechanisms not otherwise provided for
  • B41J29/17—Cleaning arrangements
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
  • B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
  • B41J3/00—Typewriters or selective printing or marking mechanisms characterised by the purpose for which they are constructed
  • B41J3/407—Typewriters or selective printing or marking mechanisms characterised by the purpose for which they are constructed for marking on special material
  • B41J3/4078—Printing on textile
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
  • B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
  • B41J3/00—Typewriters or selective printing or marking mechanisms characterised by the purpose for which they are constructed
  • B41J3/54—Typewriters or selective printing or marking mechanisms characterised by the purpose for which they are constructed with two or more sets of type or printing elements
  • B41J3/543—Typewriters or selective printing or marking mechanisms characterised by the purpose for which they are constructed with two or more sets of type or printing elements with multiple inkjet print heads

Definitions

• the invention relates to an apparatus for printing a web of material or substrate, for instance paper or textile, which apparatus is of the continuous or the discontinuous type and comprises: a main frame; an endless conveyor belt which is guided over a driven roller and a reversing roller disposed substantially parallel thereto and which is driven by- motor means at a chosen constant speed; glue dispensing means for applying a glue layer upstream of the active upper part of the conveyor belt for temporary light adhesion of the textile web to this active part such that this web is fixed non-movably relative to the conveyor belt; optional washing means placed downstream relative to the active part for removing glue from the conveyor belt; supply and feed means for feeding a textile web from a supply to the active part of the conveyor belt; printing means for printing the passing textile web in the zone of the active part of the conveyor belt; and discharge and storage means for removing the printed textile web from the conveyor belt and subsequent storage thereof; wherein the printing means comprise a number of, for instance 2-8, frame beams extending in transverse direction above said active part at determined mutual longitudinal distances along
• ink is also understood to mean other liquids, for instance dye, conditioning liquids and other liquids intended for the purpose of printing and/or treating textile.
• the invention has for its object to substantially improve the effectiveness of catching floating ink droplets.
• the apparatus comprises for this purpose removing means for catching and removing floating ink droplets which, after being sprayed toward the web of material by an inkjet head, are not or not fully absorbed by the material but splash for instance into already applied ink and subsequently undergo a displacement in a direction with a component having an orientation opposite that of the spraying direction, or cause already applied ink to undergo such a displacement
• which removing means are of electrostatic type, and comprise: a plate which is added to each head, or to a group of heads, or to all heads and which is charged with an electrical voltage, for instance in the order of 5 kV, relative to the head or heads and which during operation electrically attracts the floating ink droplets; and a transport member which is present between the conveyor belt and the relevant head or heads and which in a collecting position collects ink droplets attracted by the plate, is subsequently guided to a cleaning station for removal of collected ink from the transport uteiiibeL, ctnd is then guided back again to its collecting position.
• Use can preferably be made of pairs of endless conveyor belts which run below the row of nozzles and leave a space clear between them for spraying ink droplets to the substrate for printing.
• the unintentionally upward splashing ink is attracted electrostatically by the electrically charged plate.
• the active part of the conveyor belt is guided with its underside along this plate.
• the return part is guided back again via another route, for instance over the upper side of the plate.
• the plate Relative to the frame, and in particular the inkjet heads, the plate has a high voltage, for instance in the order of 5 kV.
• the active part of the endless conveyor belt which has left the contamination zone in the area of the nozzles is preferably guided through a rinsing bath, is there cleaned of adhering ink, leaves the bath, is dried, for instance by an airflow and/or heat or by being scraped dry with a doctor blade of for instance a rubber elastic material, such as a rubber, a synthetic rubber or a polyurethane, and once again enters the zone of the heads in order to resume its operation for catching the floating droplets.
• a rubber elastic material such as a rubber, a synthetic rubber or a polyurethane
• the conveyor belt is not conductive.
• the electrostatic field is therefore not disrupted by the conveyor belt .
• the conveyor belt need not lie against the plate charged with electrical voltage, although it is recommended to keep this distance as small as possible.
• a transport member is a conveyor belt, which conveyor belt comprises two mutually parallel parts driven at equal speeds.
• the apparatus has the special feature that the conveyor belt is reciprocally displaceable.
• Cleaning of the conveyor belt can take place in any suitable manner.
• the apparatus has the special feature that the cleaning station comprises a bath with rinsing liquid.
• This latter apparatus preferably comprises drying means for removing rinsing liquid from the cleaned transport member to be returned to the collecting position.
• drying means for removing rinsing liquid from the cleaned transport member to be returned to the collecting position.
• a simple embodiment possibly to be recommended has the special feature that the cleaning station comprises a doctor blade pressing against the conveyor belt.
• doctor blade consists of a rubber elastic material, for instance a natural rubber, a synthetic rubber or a polyurethane .
• an apparatus has the feature that the or each plate has an electrically insulating cover layer, for instance an epoxy layer with a thickness in the order of 0.5 mm.
• the apparatus has the special feature that the conveyor belt consists mainly of a TPO (thermoplastic olefin) , for instance Habileen®, or the belt is of the Transilon ⁇ type from the manufacturer Siegling.
• TPO thermoplastic olefin
• Habileen® thermoplastic olefin
• the apparatus has the special feature that on the side remote from the side collecting ink droplets the belt is provided with a layer enhancing the tensile strength and optionally roughness, for instance a rough-profiled layer of polyester.
• the apparatus can also have the feature that on its side collecting ink droplets the belt has at least an outer layer with hydrophilic, ink-dispersing properties such that droplet formation is prevented.
• the belt has at least an outer layer with hydrophilic, ink-dispersing properties such that droplet formation is prevented.
• there is a negligible risk of ink droplets forming on the belt which could drop off the belt. Even when there is serious splashing of ink, this risk is wholly negligible due to this aspect of the invention.
• the apparatus has the feature that the or each plate consists substantially of metal, for instance steel, in particular stainless steel.
• the invention can have the special feature that the or each plate consists substantially of a plastic plate, for instance of PU (polyurethane) , which is sufficiently wear-resistant and which is electrically conductive to at least some extent.
• PU polyurethane
• figure 1 shows a cut-away schematic perspective view of an apparatus according to EP-A-I 591 258;
• figure 2 is a schematic side view of the apparatus according to figure 1;
• figure 3 is a schematic side view of a conveyor, the active upper part of which is straight;
• figure 4 is a view corresponding to figure 3 of a conveyor, the active upper part of which has a generally curved form;
• figure 5 shows a more detailed side view of the conveyor according to figure 4 ;
• figure 6 is a schematic perspective view of the conveyor according to figures 4 and 5;
• figure 7 is a front view along the direction of transport of a U-shaped frame which can be moved in and out of the apparatus;
• figure 8 is a schematic front view of an apparatus according to the invention;
• figure 9 is a side view on enlarged scale of the apparatus according to figure 8;
• figure 10 is a perspective view of a part of the apparatus according to the invention in the area of the rinsing bath;
• figure 11 is a perspective view of
• Figure 1 shows an apparatus 1 for printing a textile web 2 (see also figure 2 ⁇ .
• the apparatus comprises a main frame 3 placed on the ground or a shop floor.
• apparatus 1 comprises an endless conveyor belt 6 which is guided over a driven roller 4 and a reversing roller 5 disposed substantially parallel thereto and which is driven by motor means (not shown) at a chosen constant speed as according to arrow 7.
• the apparatus further comprises glue dispensing means 8 for applying a glue layer upstream of the active upper part 9 of conveyor belt 6 for temporary light adhesion of textile web 2 to this active part 9 such that web 2 is fixed non-movably relative to the conveyor belt during transport by said upper part 9.
• a washing apparatus 10 shown in figure 5 comprises sponge means 11 and a scraper 12 for removing glue residues from conveyor belt 9. These washing means 10 are placed downstream of the active part 9.
• Figure 2 shows a supply and feed unit and a pressure roller 15 which co-acts with roller 4 and which provides an intimate and adhering contact between the active upper part 9 and textile web 2.
• a printing unit 16 comprises eight U-shaped frames 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, which are each adapted to generate, under the control of a control unit (not shown) , a very small droplet of coloured ink at any point in time determined by the control unit by means of an inkjet head unit added to each frame, one colour tor each frame.
• Printing means 16 are operative in the zone of the active part 9 of the conveyor belt. The printing takes place in accordance with an adjustable pattern to be selected.
• a dryer 25 Connecting onto printing unit 16 is a dryer 25 which is finally followed by a discharge and storage unit 26 in which the dried web, otherwise than in the infeed unit 13, is not rolled up onto a roll but, swinging back and forth as according to arrow 27 in per se known manner, comes to lie under its own weight in layers of the now printed textile web 28 on a stack 29.
• the printing means of which frames 17-24 form part, comprise frame beams which are added to the respective frames and supported thereby, and each of which carries an array of inkjet heads. During operation each of these arrays is immobile relative to the upper surface defined by the active part.
• conveyor belt 6 is supported over active part 9 by support surfaces, drawn in this case as rollers 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, where the support positions for the conveyor belt correspond with the zones of the inkjet arrays situated thereabove.
• Rollers 31-38 are incorporated in the structure such that during operation they have a substantial difference in speed from that of conveyor belt 6.
• the rollers can for instance be driven or braked or, in the simplest case, be fixed.
• Figures 4, 5 and 6 show an embodiment in which the rollers are ordered in an arc such that active part 9 of conveyor belt 6 is deflected by each roller through an angle in the order of 1°.
• Conveyor belt 6 is arranged under tensile stress over rollers 4 and 5.
• Figure 7 shows U-shaped frame 22 which can be displaced laterally out of apparatus 1 in the manner shown in figure 1.
• the U-shape leaves clear an opening 41 such that with a lateral displacement as according to arrow 42 the frame 22 can be moved to the right in the drawing without disrupting the operation of the rest of the apparatus.
• one beam corresponding to a colour not in use can thus be removed for service lines.
• the upper leg of the U bears a beam 43 which carries an inkjet array in a manner not shown.
• Beam 43 can be positioned very precisely relative to lower leg 44 by means of respective recesses and protrusions.
• Reference numeral 71 designates a supply station for coloured ink. As shown particularly clearly in figure 2, this station contains two containers 72, 73, each with its own colour, between which it is possible to switch, or with the same colour for continuation of the printing process when one container is completely empty.
• Figures 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12 show the aspects added according to the invention to the known apparatus according to figures 1-7.
• driven roller or reversing roller for the conveyor belt for the purpose of transporting the substrate of paper or textile for printing
• cleaning conveyor 105, 106 is disposed such that the gap or intermediate space 110 is situated in the zone in which the nozzles, lying in one line, of the inkjet heads are active. Cleaning conveyor 105, 106 thus extends in transverse direction relative to the direction of displacement 7 of endless conveyor belt 6 with which the textile web for printing is guided through the apparatus.
• FIG. 12 shows a detail of an embodiment in which parts 105 and 106 are held at small mutual distance by sets of rollers 211 which are situated both at the shown end and at the other end of cleaning conveyor 105, 106. This construction achieves that cleaning conveyor 105, 106 is situated a small distance from electrode plate
• the number of rollers is kept as low as possible in order to limit as far as possible contamination and the occurrence of mechanical resistance.
• the embodiment according to figure 12 further comprises a cleaning mechanism in which use is not made of a rinsing bath but of a doctor blade 213 which scrapes dry the outer side of the conveyor by removing ink residues.
• the doctor blade 213 consists of a polyurethane and is pressed against the conveyor by means of spring means (not shown) .
• the ink droplets 210 removed by doctor blade 213 are collected and discharged in suitable manner.
• the excess ink can for instance drop onto the pressure belt of the apparatus adjacently of the textile web. This is possible in some circumstances because the pressure belt is for instance 60 cm or more wider than the overall printing width.
• the pressure belt is washed repeatedly such that the excess ink carried along by the pressure belt is always washed off.
• the unit shown in figure 12 consists entirely of an electrically insulating material, for instance an epoxy composite material or other GRP (Glassfibre Reinforced Plastic) .
• Parts 105 and 106 also take a form which is entirely electrically insulating.
• Figure 13A shows a piece of textile 214 printed with a prior art apparatus.
• the light zones are shown to be highly contaminated with ink.
• This ink consists of deposited, unintentionally floating ink droplets.
• Figure 13B shows a piece of textile 215 which largely corresponds to the textile 214 of figure 13A but which differs therefrom in the sense that the non- printed or light-coloured zones are free of unintentionally deposited floating ink droplets.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Textile Engineering (AREA)
• Ink Jet (AREA)
• Treatment Of Fiber Materials (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (2)

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ID=40602217

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (6)

Cited By (1)

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• 2009
  • 2009-02-13 ES ES09711419.3T patent/ES2535456T3/es active Active
  • 2009-02-13 EP EP09711419.3A patent/EP2240327B1/de not_active Not-in-force
  • 2009-02-13 WO PCT/NL2009/050068 patent/WO2009102208A1/en active Application Filing
  • 2009-02-13 DK DK09711419T patent/DK2240327T3/en active
  • 2009-02-13 PT PT97114193T patent/PT2240327E/pt unknown
  • 2009-02-13 NL NL2002534A patent/NL2002534C2/nl not_active IP Right Cessation

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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