Color-gradient printing system
AssigneeKBA-Metronic AG
InventorsRainer Endres, Peter Schmitt
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An inker for applying ink to a transfer roll of a printing machine has an inking chamber extending longitudinally along the transfer roll and having an outlet also extending longitudinally along the transfer roll and open against the transfer roll and a first generally cylindrical mixing chamber centered on an axis, spaced transversely from and extending longitudinally along the transfer roll. A rotatable shaft extending along the axis in the mixing chamber carries a partition subdividing the mixing chamber into two axially adjacent and axially spaced mixing compartments open radially into the inking chamber. At least two inlet conduits open onto each of the compartments, and a pump feeds respective inks to the inlet conduits and therethrough into the mixing compartments.
Claims16
An inker for applying ink to a transfer roll of a printing machine, the inker comprising:
- an inking chamber extending longitudinally along the transfer roll and having an outlet also extending longitudinally along the transfer roll and open against the transfer roll;
- a first generally cylindrical mixing chamber centered on an axis, spaced transversely from and extending longitudinally along the transfer roll;
- a rotatable shaft extending along the axis in the first mixing chamber and carrying a partition subdividing the mixing chamber into two axially adjacent and axially spaced first mixing compartments open radially into the inking chamber;
- two inlet conduits opening into each of the first mixing compartments;
- and
- pump means for feeding respective different inks to the inlet conduits and therethrough into the mixing compartments such that each of the first mixing compartments receives inks from the respective inlet conduits.
A method of applying ink to a transfer roll of a printing machine having
- an inking chamber extending longitudinally along the transfer roll and having an outlet also extending longitudinally along the transfer roll and open against the transfer roll;
- a first generally cylindrical mixing chamber centered on an axis and spaced transversely from and extending longitudinally along the transfer roll;
- and
- two axially spaced generally circular partitions in the first mixing chamber subdividing same into a plurality of axially spaced first mixing compartments,
- the method comprising the steps of:
- simultaneously feeding respective but different inks into each of the first mixing compartments;
- and
- rotating the generally circular partitions about the axis so as to mix the respective inks in the first mixing compartments and to feed the mixed inks from the first mixing compartments into the inking chamber for application to the transfer roll.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.