Printing – Processes – Condition responsive
Reexamination Certificate
2000-09-26
2001-08-14
Hilten, John S. (Department: 2854)
Printing
Processes
Condition responsive
C101S248000, C101S483000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06272990
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an automatic deceleration and stoppage controller for a rotary press which can automatically decelerate and stop a rotary press after completion of printing of a scheduled number of copies.
2. Description of the Related Art
The complete specification of Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open (kokai) No. 64-030236 discloses a conventional technique for stopping the printing operation of a printing machine or a rotary press upon completion of printing of a scheduled number of copies.
Specifically, the complete specification discloses a copy-number management apparatus used with a plurality of printing machines which print the same print and which is adapted to simultaneously stop the printing machines after a scheduled number of copies are printed. When the remaining number of prints to be printed (hereinafter simply referred to as a “remaining copy number”) has reached to a predetermined value, a deceleration signal is output to the respective printing machines, and when the remaining copy number has reached to zero, a stop signal is output to the respective printing machines.
The complete specification of Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open No. 64-030236 describes that when the remaining copy number has attained a predetermined value, a deceleration signal is output to the respective printing machines. Although a calculation for obtaining the remaining copy number is disclosed in detail, with regard to the deceleration and stop signals the specification discloses neither means for outputting these signals nor steps for outputting these signals.
That is, the apparatus disclosed in the specification is adapted to inform an operator or a print controller of a remaining copy number, on the basis of which a deceleration operation is performed independently. In other words, the apparatus disclosed in the specification cannot decelerate and stop the printing machines in an automated manner.
Accordingly, the operation must perform a manual stop operation, which makes labor saving impossible. Further, when the timing of the stopping operation is improper, an excessive number of copies are printed, resulting in wasteful use of printing paper or insufficiency in the number of printed copies. This problem may be solved when the timing of starting deceleration is made earlier in order to prolong the period for low-speed printing. However, this raises a problem of an increased time for completing the printing work and a resultant decrease in operation efficiency.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to solve the above-described problems and to provide an automatic deceleration and stoppage controller for a printing machine or rotary press which can automatically stop the printing machine or rotary press after completion of printing of a desired number of copies without a decrease in operation efficiency and which can minimize the number of excessive printed copies.
The present invention provides an automatic deceleration and stoppage controller for a rotary press which uses a paper roll and in which paper wave which has undergone continuous printing in a printing unit is cut and folded into signatures, and the thus-produced signatures are discharged from the rotary press, the controller comprising: input means for inputting a scheduled copy number indicating the number of the signatures to be printed by and discharged from the rotary press; detection means for detecting the signatures discharged from the rotary press and for outputting detection signals corresponding to the signatures; copy-number management means connected to the input means and detection means for receiving the scheduled copy number from the input means and the detection signals from the detection means, the copy-number management means storing the scheduled copy number, subtracting from the scheduled copy number the total number of the detection signals successively output from the detection means to thereby calculate a remaining copy number, and outputting to processing means a remaining-copy-number signal representing the remaining copy number; printing-speed detection means for detecting the operation speed of the rotary press and for outputting an operation-speed signal representing the operation speed during printing; and processing means connected to the copy-number management means and the printing-speed detection means for receiving the remaining-copy-number signal output from the copy-number management means and the operation-speed signal output from the printing-speed detection means, the processing means calculating a period of time before completion of printing, and on the basis of the period of time, outputting an automatic deceleration and stoppage command signal for automatically decelerating and stopping the rotary press.
Preferably, the automatic deceleration and stoppage controller of the present invention further comprises transmission means connected to the processing means. The transmission means transmits to an operator information regarding the printing speed of the rotary press, the remaining copy number, and the time period before initiation of automatic deceleration and stoppage, which are output from the processing means.
The automatic deceleration and stoppage controller for a rotary press according to the present invention enables the rotary press to print a desired number of copies, while minimizing the number of excess copies, and to automatically decelerate and stop safely. In addition, the automatic deceleration and stoppage controller according to the present invention can maximize the operation efficiency of the rotary press.
Further, the remaining copy number and the printing time which is to elapse before initiation of the automatic deceleration and stoppage operation are constantly transmitted to the operator by means of a display unit or a warning unit. Therefore, the operator can grasp the progress of the work and improve work efficiency without unnecessary worry.
REFERENCES:
patent: 64-30236 (1989-02-01), None
patent: 64-85761 (1989-03-01), None
Iwahashi Yoshihiro
Kase Sadayu
Satoh Ryuichi
Takahashi Tomohiro
Armstrong Westerman Hattori McLeland & Naughton LLP
Hilten John S.
Nolan, Jr. Charles H.
Tokyo Kikai Seisakusho Ltd.
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