Other

Printing Research, Inc.

Steven M Person

Howard W DeMoore

David Dean Douglas

John E Aylor

Phillip E Jones

Jeffrey P Govek

David M Pizzillo

A system for curing printing plates with controlled radiant energy sources. A conveyor moves a printing plate through a chamber having energy radiators above and below the conveyor. Power to the radiators is controlled for each radiator or to groups of radiators defining radiation zones. Curing time may be controlled by adjusting power to the radiators and adjusting the conveyor speed. Sensors detect a plate as it enters and exits the chamber. Heat sensors may detect chamber or plate temperatures. A color sensor may detect plate color as an indicator of degree of curing. A computer system stores curing scenarios and uses the sensor signals and operator inputs to control power to the radiators and conveyor speed to provide uniform curing of the plate.

Computer to plate curing system

Air bubbles which are entrapped within the cells of an engraved applicator roller are displaced from the cells by wiping the surface of the engraved applicator roller with the bristles of a brush. An elongated brush mounted on a doctor blade head projects into a doctor blade reservoir. The bristles of the brush are disposed for wiping engagement against the engraved surface of an applicator roller which is wetted by liquid coating material. As the engraved applicator roller rotates in contact with the liquid material in the doctor blade reservoir, the bristles of the brush puncture the entrapped air bubbles and sweep the entrapped air away from the cells. The sweeping action of the bristles induces a relatively low pressure condition within the cells, which promotes the flow of liquid material into the cells. The elongated brush, which extends from one end of the doctor blade head to the other, serves as a baffle which blocks the transfer of dispersed air bubbles from the liquid material in the upper reservoir chamber above the brush to the lower reservoir chamber below the brush where the cells are being filled.

Anilox coater with brush

A coater assembly includes a feed pump and a return pump for circulating a liquid coating material through a doctor reservoir for applying protective or decorative coating material to freshly printed sheets in an offset rotary printing press. A portable console control unit includes circulation and wash-up components for operating the coater in a PURGE/replenishment mode, a COAT mode, a WASH mode and a DRAIN mode. The components for pumping and valving the coating liquid and cleaning liquid are integrated within the portable console unit, which may be remotely located with respect to the press. Cleaning liquid and waste materials are stored internally within the portable console unit. The various operating modes are coordinated by two position, three-port flow control valves which are actuated from one position to the other by electrical solenoids under the control of ON-OFF switches. The ON--OFF switches may be actuated manually, or automatically by a cyclic controller for providing PURGE, COAT, WASH and DRAIN modes. The system may be cleaned without removing the coater or coater parts from the press, and without exposing press personnel to potentially toxic waste materials. The coater assembly may be operated in combination with the plate, blanket or delivery/transfer cylinder.

Automatic coating circulation and wash-up system for printing presses

A coating apparatus for use in a sheet-fed or web-fed, offset rotary or flexographic printing press to apply a protective and/or decorative coating to the surface of freshly printed sheets includes a doctor blade coating unit coupled to a pickup roller for supplying liquid material from a reservoir to the surface of a pickup roller mounted on a press delivery drive shaft. Liquid material is circulated through the reservoir of the doctor blade unit by suction flow produced by a return pump. This prevents the buildup of a positive pressure differential within the doctor blade reservoir. The doctor blade reservoir is maintained at below ambient pressure level, thereby preventing leakage through the end seals. A vacuum sensor circuit provides a visual indication of air vacuum pressure in the doctor blade reservoir chamber, and a vacuum sensor switch applies electrical power to an audio transducer. The audio transducer produces an audible alarm in response to an increase in doctor blade chamber pressure, thereby providing advance warning of an impending end seal failure or a worn doctor blade condition.

Coating apparatus for sheet-fed, offset rotary printing presses

A coating apparatus for use in a sheet-fed or web-fed, offset rotary or flexographic printing press to apply a protective and/or decorative coating to the surface or freshly printed sheets includes a doctor blade coating unit coupled to a pickup roller for supplying liquid material from a reservoir to the surface of a pickup roller mounted on a press delivery drive shaft. Liquid material is circulated through the reservoir of the doctor blade unit by suction flow produced by a return pump. This prevents the buildup of a positive pressure differential within the doctor blade reservoir. The doctor blade reservoir is maintained at below ambient pressure level, thereby preventing leakage through the end seals. A vacuum sensor circuit provides a visual indication of air vacuum pressure in the doctor blade reservoir chamber, and a vacuum sensor switch applies electrical power to an audio transducer. The audio transducer produces an audible alarm in response to an increase in doctor blade chamber pressure, thereby providing advance warning of an impending end seal failure or a worn doctor blade condition.

A coating apparatus for use in a sheet-fed, offset rotary printing press to selectively apply a protective and/or decorative coating to the wet ink surface of freshly printed sheets and including a coating unit having a pick-up roller for supplying aqueous coating material from a reservoir to the surface of a delivery cylinder mounted on a press delivery drive shaft, the delivery cylinder performing the dual function of a coating applicator roller and a delivery cylinder during coating operations.

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Seagoville, TX, United States of America

Steven M Person