Printing – Inkers
Reexamination Certificate
1999-11-24
2002-11-05
Eickholt, Eugene H. (Department: 2854)
Printing
Inkers
C101S366000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06474233
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an ink-supply device of a printing-machine inking unit, having a pressure discharge device including a cartridge holder for accepting a cartridge, the cartridge holder having a lid for closing the cartridge holder, the pressure discharge device being formed with an internal space subjectible to an application of compressed air to be applied to an internal space of the pressure discharge device via a flow path provided with a valve.
Devices of this general type having a cartridge as an ink reservoir are particularly advantageous if only very small quantities of a respective printing ink are used for specific print jobs. Pressure discharge units wherein the cartridge is pressed out by compressed air are very user-friendly.
The device described in the published European Patent Document EP 0 716 923 A1 includes a pressure discharge unit having a cylinder housing and a cover cap. A cartridge is insertable into the cylinder housing. The cylinder housing can be closed by screwing the cover cap there. Besides this specific screw connection, no other specific rotary joints, such as, a so-called wrench or twist (Renk) joint, for example, are described. Closing the cylinder housing by a general type of rotary joint, is likewise not mentioned. An interior space of the cover cap can have compressed air applied thereto via a manually actuatable valve which, for this purpose, is provided with a switch knob. The valve is not a multiway valve and has only a single flow path. No adjusting device for actuating the valve when the cylinder housing is closed by the lid is provided. Although the device is more user-friendly when compared with pressure discharge units constructed as handlever presses, because it requires no expenditure of force by the user in order to press out the cartridge, the operational reliability thereof is inadequate. On the one hand, inadvertent actuation of the switch knob and unintentionally leaving the compressed-air feed open are also possible when the cylinder housing has not been closed and when no cartridge has been inserted into the cylinder housing. The situation is therefore not ruled out wherein compressed air can continue to flow out of a pressure discharge unit even though the latter should actually be inactive, which may consequently cause pressure losses in the overall compressed-air system. On the other hand, one may forget to open the valve of an actually active pressure discharge unit when a cartridge is inserted into the cylinder housing. Operating faults of this type are often not noticed immediately, so that after the printing operation has been started, rejects are printed which have a printed image wherein the printing ink from the cartridge that is actually active but does not have compressed air applied thereto, and is therefore not pressed out, is lacking.
Furthermore, a device is described in the published German Patent Document DE 196 32 717 A1, wherein a cartridge can be inserted into a tubular housing. A fitted cap with a compressed-air connection can be set onto the tubular housing and locked on the housing by a bayonet lock-type mechanism.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide an ink-supply device of a printing-machine inking unit that can be operated more reliably than heretofore known devices of this general type.
With the foregoing and other objects in view, there is provided, in accordance with one aspect of the invention, an ink-supply device of a printing-machine inking unit, having a pressure discharge device, and a lid provided in the pressure discharge device for closing one of a cartridge holder for accepting a cartridge, and a cartridge received directly in the pressure discharge device, respectively, an internal space being formed in one of the pressure discharge device and in a region located between the cartridge and the lid, respectively, the internal space being subjectible to an application of compressed air via a flow path provided with a valve, comprising a setting device for actuating the valve when one of the cartridge holder and the cartridge, respectively, is closed by the lid.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, there is provided an ink-supply device of a printing-machine inking unit, having a pressure discharge device including a cartridge holder for accepting a cartridge, the cartridge holder having a lid for closing the cartridge holder, the pressure discharge device being formed with an internal space subjectible to an application of compressed air to be applied to the internal space of the pressure discharge device via a flow path provided with a valve, comprising a setting device for actuating the valve when the cartridge holder is closed by the lid.
In accordance with a further aspect of the invention, there is provided an ink-supply device of a printing-machine inking unit, having a pressure discharge device for accepting a cartridge, the pressure discharge device having a lid for closing the cartridge directly, compressed air being applicable via a flow path provided with a valve to an internal space defined by the cartridge and the lid, comprising a setting device for actuating the valve when the cartridge is closed by the lid.
In accordance with an additional feature of the invention, the one of the cartridge holder and the cartridge, respectively, is constructed so to be closed by the lid via a releasable rotary joint, the valve being actuatable via the setting device when the rotary joint is rotated.
In accordance with an added feature of the invention, the rotary joint is a so-called wrench joint.
In accordance with another feature of the invention, the valve is a multiway valve switchable by the setting device into a first switching position and a second switching position.
In accordance with a further feature of the invention, the lid has a rotatable lid disk that is a bayonet disk forming the wrench joint and provided with so-called wrench elements.
In accordance with yet another feature of the invention, the ink-supply device includes a venting device for venting the internal space in a third rotary position of the rotary joint, that is located between a first rotary position “completely joined” and a second rotary position “released”, while the rotary joint has not yet been released.
In accordance with yet a further feature of the invention, the ink-supply device includes a safety device for preventing the rotary joint from being rotated from the third rotary position into the second rotary position for as long as the internal space remains at excess pressure.
In accordance with yet an added feature of the invention, the ink-supply device includes an air pressure-sensitive sensor for signalling a presence of excess pressure in the internal space to an electronic control device.
In accordance with yet an additional feature of the invention, the ink-supply device includes an electric switch for signalling an actual switching position of the valve to an electronic control device.
In accordance with still another feature of the invention, the electric switch is actuatable by the setting device for actuating the valve.
In accordance with still a further feature of the invention, the ink-supply device includes a locking device for blocking rotation of the rotary joint when there is no cartridge in the cartridge holder, and for releasing rotation of the rotary joint when a cartridge is accommodated in the cartridge holder.
In accordance with a concomitant aspect of the invention, there is provided a printing machine including at least one ink-supply device having at least one of the foregoing features.
Thus, the ink-supply device of a printing-machine inking unit, having a pressure discharge device, including a cartridge holder for accepting a cartridge, and a lid for closing the cartridge holder, compressed air being applicable to an internal space of the pressure discharge device via a flow path provided with a valve, is distinguished by the valve being actuatable via a se
Kosciesza Hary
Möllers Renko
Eickholt Eugene H.
Greenberg Laurence A.
Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG
Mayback Gregory L.
Stemer Werner H.
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