Doctor-blade assembly for flexographic press
OwnerCarlos R. Floresinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An improved doctor-blade assembly for a flexographic press having an ink metering roller, in which the doctor-blade assembly includes an ink fountain having elastomer seals to improve end sealing of the ink fountain and to improve division of the fountain into discrete sections without cross bleed of different inks, and in which the assembly includes protective guard boots on an actuating mechanism that displaces the ink fountain into operating position with an ink metering roller to prevent crusting of ink in the actuating mechanism, affecting alignment of the assembly in the operating position.
Claims18
An improved doctor-blade assembly for a flexographic press having an anilox ink metering roll, the assembly comprising:
- an ink fountain having an elongated tray with a base, sides and ends, forming an interior ink chamber, the sides each having a sloped mounting lip with a doctor blade and clamp means for clamping the doctor blade along the lip wherein the doctor blades are oppositely arranged on the lips, each blade having a projecting portion defining in part the formed ink chamber;
- and,
- actuator means for positioning the ink fountain in juxtaposition with the anilox roll, wherein the ends of the ink fountain tray have end plates and improved end seals fabricated from an elastomeric material, wherein the ink tray and clamped doctor blades form a cross section of the ink chamber with an irregular configuration, the end seals having a unitary construction with a contoured central portion, and a contoured flared portion,
- wherein the contoured central portion of the end seals projects into the ink chamber and under slight compression has a configuration conforming to the irregular cross section of the ink chamber, the central portion including an arcuate edge surface that contacts the anilox roll when the ink fountain is in position against the roll, and,
- wherein the contoured flared portion of the end seals extends from the central portion and seats between the end of the ink tray and the end plates when the central portion is projected into the ink chamber for sealing the ends of the ink fountain at their juncture with a rotating anilox roll.
The improved doctor-blade assembly for a flexographic press having an anilox ink metering roll, the assembly comprising:
- an ink fountain having an elongated tray with a base, sides and ends forming an interior ink chamber, the sides each having a sloped mounting lip with a doctor blade and clamp means for clamping the doctor blade along the lip wherein the doctor blades are oppositely arranged on the lips, each blade having a projecting portion defining in part the formed ink chamber;
- and,
- actuator means for positioning the ink fountain in juxtaposition with the anilox roll, wherein the ink fountain includes at least one improved fountain splitter dividing the ink chamber into multiple sections, wherein the improved fountain splitter is fabricated from an elastomer material having a composition forming a smooth, closed cell, easily lubricated surface, wherein the ink tray and clamped doctor blades form a cross section with an irregular configuration and the improved fountain splitter has a base portion that conforms to the cross sectional configuration of the chamber and a top central potion with a smooth, arcuate contact surface that contacts the anilox roll when the ink fountain is positioned against the roll, the contact surface having end portions and at one end portion a central recess with a liquid supply means for feeding a thin film of lubricant over a segment of the anilox roller as the roller sweeps the arcuate contact surface, wherein the contact surface is lubricated by the lubricant and wipes the lubricant film over the anilox roller with a squeegee action thereby preventing bleeding of ink from one section of the ink chamber separated from another section by the fountain splitter;
- and,
- wherein the fountain splitter has a composition consisting of silicone rubber with a Shore A hardness of about 23.
The improved doctor-blade assembly for a flexographic press having an anilox ink metering roll, the assembly comprising:
- an ink fountain having an elongated tray with a base, sides and ends, forming an interior ink chamber, the sides each having a sloped mounting lip with a doctor blade and clamp means for clamping the doctor blade along the lip wherein the doctor blades are oppositely arranged on the lips, each blade having a projecting portion defining in part the formed ink chamber;
- and,
- actuator means for positioning the ink fountain in juxtaposition with the anilox roll, wherein the actuator means has a pair of actuator arms having first and second members pivotally interconnected and forming an elbow with a mutual contact stop interface, the actuator means including an elastomeric, deformable guard boot encasing each elbow with a sleeve construction having ends with a first end strap encircling the first member of the arm and a second end strap encircling the second member of the of the arm.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.