Printing unit using various ink types
AssigneesHeidelberger Druckmaschinen AG, Heidelberg Harris, Inc.
InventorRobert Richard Murray
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A printing unit (1) of a rotary printing press for using various ink types is provided. The printing unit includes an inking mechanism (45), a print cylinder (3), and a blanket cylinder (2). The inking mechanism (45) and the cylinders (2, 3) are mounted in side walls of the printing unit (1). A housing (14) at least partially surrounds the inking mechanism (45) and the cylinders (2, 3) to maintain a surrounding atmosphere within an at least semi-enclosed area (100) of the printing unit (1). A chemical agent is selectively added to the atmosphere in the semi-enclosed area (100) to reduce the rate of evaporation of a substance in the ink.
Claims41
A printing unit for a rotary printing press, comprising:
- a print cylinder;
- a water based ink;
- an inking mechanism for applying the water based ink to the print cylinder, the water based ink including a substance;
- a housing at least partially surrounding at least one of the inking mechanism and the print cylinder, an at least semi-enclosed space being formed between the housing and at least one of the inking mechanism and the print cylinder;
- a chemical agent supply for adding a chemical agent to an atmosphere in the at least semi-enclosed space, the atmosphere with the chemical agent reducing a rate of evaporation of the substance from the water based ink.
A method for controlling an evaporation of a substance from an ink in a printing unit, the method comprising the steps of:
- forming an at least semi-enclosed area around an inking unit and a print cylinder of a printing unit;
- supplying a water based ink to the inking unit and the print cylinder;
- and
- supplying a chemical agent into an atmosphere within the semi-enclosed area so that the atmosphere within the semi-enclosed area reduces a rate of evaporation of the substance from the ink.
A printing unit for a rotary printing press, comprising
- a print cylinder;
- an inking mechanism for applying an ink to the print cylinder, the ink including a substance;
- a housing at least partially surrounding at least one of the inking mechanism and the print cylinder, an at least semi-enclosed space being formed between the housing and at least one of the inking mechanism and the print cylinder;
- a chemical agent supply for adding a chemical agent to an atmosphere in the at least semi-enclosed space and for controlling the amount of the chemical agent in the atmosphere within the at least semi-enclosed space, the atmosphere with the chemical agent reducing a rate of evaporation of the substance from the ink;
- a cooling mechanism for cooling the atmosphere within the at least semi-enclosed space;
- a humidifier for controlling the humidity of the atmosphere within the at least semi-enclosed space;
- and
- a control unit coupled to the cooling mechanism, humidifier, and the chemical agent supply for selectively actuating the cooling mechanism to control the temperature, humidity, and amount of chemical agent in the atmosphere within the semi-enclosed space.
A printing unit for a rotary printing press, comprising
- a print cylinder;
- an inking mechanism for applying an ink to the print cylinder, the ink including a substance;
- a housing at least partially surrounding at least one of the inking mechanism and the print cylinder, an at least semi-enclosed space being formed between the housing and at least one of the inking mechanism and the print cylinder;
- a chemical agent supply for adding a chemical agent to an atmosphere in the at least semi-enclosed space and for controlling the amount of the chemical agent in the atmosphere within the at least semi-enclosed space, the atmosphere with the chemical agent reducing a rate of evaporation of the substance from the ink;
- a cooling mechanism for cooling the atmosphere within the at least semi-enclosed space, the cooling mechanism being connected between an air exhaust extending from the interior of the semi-enclosed space and an air intake extending into the interior of the semi-enclosed space;
- a humidifier for controlling the humidity of the atmosphere within the at least semi-enclosed space;
- and
- a control unit coupled to the cooling mechanism, humidifier, and the chemical agent supply for selectively actuating the cooling mechanism to control the temperature, humidity, and amount of chemical agent in the atmosphere within the semi-enclosed space.
A method for controlling an evaporation of a substance from an ink in a printing unit, the method comprising the steps of:
- forming an at least semi-enclosed area around an inking unit and a print cylinder of a printing unit;
- supplying a chemical agent into an atmosphere within the semi-enclosed area so that the atmosphere within the semi-enclosed area reduces a rate of evaporation of the substance from the ink, wherein the chemical agent is supplied into the semi-enclosed area as a function of one or more of the temperature level, the relative humidity level, and the chemical supply level to reduce the rate of evaporation of the substance from the ink;
- monitoring the atmosphere within the semi-enclosed area to obtain a temperature level;
- monitoring the atmosphere within the semi-enclosed area to obtain a relative humidity level;
- monitoring the atmosphere within the semi-enclosed area to obtain a chemical agent level;
- controlling a temperature of the atmosphere within the semi-enclosed area as a function of one or more of the temperature level, the relative humidity level, and the chemical supply level;
- and
- controlling a relative humidity of the atmosphere within the semi-enclosed area as a function of one or more of the temperature level, the relative humidity level, and the chemical supply level.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.