US 5,400,709 AGranted

Rotary print head module and impression bar

AssigneeComco Machinery, Inc.

InventorsJoseph C. Drilling, George W. Reinke, Michael H. Schultz, Dilip Shah, Douglas N. Woodruff

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Abstract

A portable print head module dedicated to one type of printing, for example rotary screen printing, for functionally replacing one print head, dedicated to another type of printing, for example flexographic printing, in a rotary printing press having a number of spaced apart print head stations for transferring multiple images along the length of a continuous web substrate. The rotary print head module is installed by partially retrofitting one of the print head stations. The module can be moved to functionally replace any of the print heads in the rotary printing press. A non-rotating impression bar can be used to back the continuous web instead of a rotatable impression cylinder. A cushion of air is formed on the backing face of the impression bar on which the continuous web can ride.

Claims35

Dependent claims

A print head module, dedicated to one type of printing, for functionally replacing one print head of a printing station, dedicated to another type of printing, in a rotary printing press having a plurality of spaced apart print head stations for transferring multiple images along the length of a continuous web substrate, said print head module comprising:

a housing mountable adjacent to at least one of the print head stations of the rotary printing press;
printing means having a rotatable element mounted for rotation within said housing for transferring an image onto the continuous web;
rotating means for rotating the rotatable element of said printing means;
supply means for supplying a transferable image forming fluid to said printing means;
impression means carried by said housing, said impression means having a backing face for backing the continuous web while an image is being transferred thereon;
web directing means carried by said housing for directing the path of the continuous web through said housing and between said printing means and said impression means;
positioning means for enabling the relative positions of said printing means and said impression means to be adjusted such that said backing face backs the continuous web while an image is being transferred thereon;
and,
means for connecting said print head module to said one print head such that said print head module functionally replaces said one print head and such that at least one drive gear of said one print head is used to drive said rotating means of said print head module.

6 more elements

A print head in a rotary printing press for transferring multiple images along the length of a continuous web substrate, said print head comprising:

a housing;
printing means having a rotatable element mounted for rotation within said housing for transferring an image onto the continuous web;
rotating means for rotating the rotatable element of said printing means;
supply means for supplying a transferrable image forming fluid to said printing means;
impression means carried by said housing, said impression means including a non-rotating impression bar having a backing face and means for forming an air cushion between said backing face and the continuous web;
web directing means carried by said housing for directing the path of the continuous web through said housing and between the rotatable element of said printing means and the non-rotating impression bar of said impression means, and
positioning means for enabling the relative positions of said printing means and said impression bar to be adjusted such that said backing face backs the continuous web while an image is being transferred onto the continuous web.

4 more elements

A print head in a rotary screen printing press for transferring multiple images along the length of a continuous web substrate, said print head comprising:

a housing;
a screen cylinder having a tubular stencil with an inside surface, opposite ends and a mounting ring fixed at each end of said tubular stencil, said tubular stencil having at least or e copy area for transferring an image onto the continuous web as said screen cylinder is rotated and each mounting ring including a flange.;
two retaining mechanisms, each of said retaining mechanisms retaining one of said mounting rings, at least one of said retaining mechanisms including a retaining well for receiving the flange of one of said mounting rings therewithin and thereby preventing the rotation of said screen cylinder within said retaining mechanisms, said at least one retaining mechanism further including a locking mechanism movable between an unlocked open position in which said flange may be removed from said retaining well and a locked and closed position in which said flange is fixed within said retaining well, each of said retaining mechanisms being mounted for rotation within said housing;
rotating means for rotating both of said retaining mechanisms and thereby said screen cylinder;
supply means for supplying a transferrable image forming fluid to the copy area of said tubular stencil;
impression means carried by said housing, said impression mechanism having a backing face for backing the continuous web while an image is being transferred thereon;
web directing means carried by said housing for directing the path of the continuous web between said screen cylinder and said impression mechanism;
and
positioning means for enabling the relative positions of said screen cylinder and said impression means to be adjusted such that said backing face backs the continuous web while an image is being transferred onto the continuous web.

6 more elements

A print head in a rotary screen printing press for transferring multiple images along the length of a continuous web substrate, said print head comprising:

a housing;
printing means including a tubular stencil having an inside surface and mounted for rotation within said housing and a squeegee blade mountable radially against the inside surface of said tubular stencil, said printing means being carded by said housing for transferring an image onto the continuous web as said tubular stencil rotates;
rotating means for rotating said tubular stencil;
supply means for supplying a transferable image forming fluid to at least one copy area on said tubular stencil;
impression means carried by said housing, said impression means having a backing face for backing the continuous web while an image is being transferred thereon from said tubular stencil;
web directing means carried by said housing for directing the path of the continuous web between said tubular stencil and said impression means;
positioning means for enabling the relative positions of said tubular stencil and said impression means to be adjusted such that said backing face backs the continuous web while an image is being transferred thereon;
and
a screen tensioning mechanism having adjustment means for applying a variable tension load to said tubular stencil and means for determining the tension load applied to said tubular stencil.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.