Method of monitoring ink-water balance on a lithographic printing press
AssigneeKollmorgen Technologies Corporation
InventorsDavid Zelmanovic, Stanley J. Kishner
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
In a lithographic printing system, a light source and a plurality of photodetectors are used to monitor the amount of fountain solution interacting with the ink. The light source irradiates an ink form roller and the photodetectors are disposed at a specular angle and at one or more non-specular angles to monitor the reflected light. An electronic circuit is responsive to the output of the photodetectors and is used for providing an indication of the amount of fountain solution emulsified in the ink, and lying on the surface of the ink.
Claims63
A method of measuring, independently, the contents of an emulsion having an oleophilic substance and an hydrophilic substance, wherein one substance is emulsified in and lies on the surface of the other substance, comprising the steps of:
- illuminating the hydrophilic and oleophilic substances with a source of light;
- collecting light reflected by the hydrophilic and oleophilic substances at two or more angles;
- converting the collected light into two or more electrical signals;
- and
- interpreting the electrical signals to obtain a percentage of one substance emulsified in the other substance, and the amount of one substance lying on the surface of the other substance.
A method of measuring, independently, the contents of an emulsion having an oleophilic substance and an hydrophilic substance, wherein one substance is emulsified in and lies on the surface of the other substance, comprising the steps of:
- illuminating the surface of the oleophilic and hydrophilic substances with a source of light;
- collecting light reflected by the oleophilic and hydrophilic substances at a first angle relative to the normal to the surface;
- collecting light reflected by the oleophilic and hydrophilic substances at a second angle relative to the normal to the surface;
- collecting light reflected by the oleophilic and hydrophilic substances at a third angle relative to the normal to the surface;
- converting the light collected at the first angle relative to the normal to the surface into a first electrical signal;
- converting the light collected at the second angle relative to the normal to the surface into a second electrical signal;
- converting the light collected at the third angle relative to the normal to the surface into a third electrical signal;
- and
- interpreting the first, second and third electrical signals to obtain a percentage of one substance emulsified in the other substance, and the amount of one substance lying on the surface of the other substance.
A method of measuring the contents of an emulsion having hydrophilic and oleophilic substances comprising the steps of:
- illuminating the surface of the hydrophilic and oleophilic substances with a source of light;
- collecting light reflected by the hydrophilic and oleophilic substances at a first angle;
- converting the collected light into an electrical signal;
- interpreting the electrical signal to obtain a percentage of the oleophilic and hydrophilic substances in the emulsion.
An apparatus for measuring, independently, the amount of hydrophilic substance emulsified in and lying on the surface of an oleophilic substance, comprising:
- light emitting diode for illuminating the two substances;
- a first optical system for collecting light reflected from the two substances substantially at the specular angle;
- a second optical system for collecting light reflected from the two substances at a first nonspecular angle;
- first and second photodetectors for converting the light collected from said first and second optical systems, respectively, into first and second electrical signals, respectively;
- and
- computing means for interpreting said first, and second electrical signals to obtain a percentage of said hydrophilic substance emulsified in said oleophilic substance, and the amount of said hydrophilic substance lying on the surface of said oleophilic substance.
An apparatus for measuring the amount of a hydrophilic substance emulsified in an oleophilic substance, comprising:
- a source of light for irradiating the two substances;
- first means for detecting light specularly reflected from the two substances;
- second means for detecting light nonspecularly reflected from the two substances;
- and
- circuit means responsive to said first and second light detecting means for providing an indication of the percentage of hydrophilic substance emulsified in the oleophilic substance.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.