EP0353625B1 - Method for field selection on the control desk of a printing press, particularly of a rotary offset press - Google Patents

Abstract

A system and a method for making fountain adjustments in a printing press. A press control panel has a plurality of key pairs for bidirectionally controlling associated fountain adjusters, and the system provides for zonal adjustment by defining zones which include a plurality of fountain adjusters and simultaneously adjusting all of the adjusters in a defined zone. A zone definition begins by detection of simultaneous actuation of both keys in a pair, and a zone is defined by actuation of a further key, the zone encompassing all adjusters lying between the actuated key pair and the further key. After definition of a zone, all of the adjusters in a zone are controlled by operation of one or two keys in the zone. Flexibility is provided to adjust all adjusters in the same direction and by the same amount, or to interpolate adjustments between adjusters.

Description

The invention relates to a method for area selection on the control panel of a printing press, in particular an offset rotary printing press, with two parallel rows of keys in which two adjacent keys, one from each row, are used for zone-by-zone adjustment of the color and / or dampening agent profile and one Area selection facility.

From European patent specification 0 047 926 a method for switching off driven ink metering elements in rotary printing presses is known, in which a microcomputer is programmed in such a way that the ink zone adjusting elements in a selected inking unit are activated by actuating a "format selection" command key followed by a "less color" command key. usually servomotors, brought to the ink fountain roller in zero position and stopped. Until the cancellation of the shutdown command, namely until the "Format selection" button is pressed again, these color zone setting elements are neither accessible for individual color zone adjustment nor for overall color zone adjustment. By using additional buttons, the control panel becomes confusing on the one hand, and on the other hand, they require space for their arrangement and cause manufacturing and installation costs. Ultimately, this known method for format selection is not very flexible because it only allows the switching off of unnecessary color zone control elements.

• Fig. 1 in schematischer Darstellung ein erfindungsgemäßes Bereichsauswahl- und Steuerverfahren,
• Fig. 2 ein Impulsdiagramm;
• Fig. 3 eine Tastenausbildung;
• Fig. 4 eine Tastenbrücke,
• Fig. 5 eine Doppeltastenreihe und
• Fig. 6 und 7 Anzeigen in Form von Diodenreihen an einem Bedienungspult.

The object of the present invention is to provide a method for area selection on the control panel of a printing press, in particular an offset rotary printing press, in which no separate format selection or area selection button or switch is required, and with which both Range selection as well as a variety of adjustment options is offered in a simple and safe manner. This object is achieved by applying the features of the characterizing part of claim 1. Advantageous further developments result from the subclaims and from the description in conjunction with the drawings. These show

• 1 shows a schematic representation of an area selection and control method according to the invention,
• Fig. 2 is a timing diagram;
• Fig. 3 shows a key training;
• 4 shows a key bridge,
• Fig. 5 shows a double row of buttons and
• 6 and 7 displays in the form of rows of diodes on a control panel.

The area selection method according to the invention is particularly suitable for use on offset rotary printing presses, specifically for both sheet-fed and web-fed rotary printing presses. As shown schematically in Fig. 1, the method comprises a control panel 1 with a color zone display, for example in the form of rows of diodes, which are denoted by 3₁-3 _n . It goes without saying that other display elements can also be used instead of the diode display. With the rows of diodes 3₁-3 _n , the positions of color or moisture metering elements, for example color slides, can be displayed, with a light strip extending in the horizontal direction resulting from the respective setting positions of the color slides on the color zone display 2 (color distribution display). Illuminating points of light in the individual rows of diodes 3₁-3 _n each indicate the individual current position of a color metering element.

Furthermore, there are two parallel rows of buttons 4₁-4 _n and 5₁-5 _n on the control panel 1 and preferably the rows of buttons 4 and 5 are arranged close to each other. Neighboring keys, for example 4 1, 5 1, form a pair of keys with which a zonal change or setting of the colorant or dampening solution to be dosed is possible when the keys are pressed individually. An increased color scheme is possible, for example, through the upper button, which can be used as a plus button, for example 4 1, and a reduced color scheme or color shutdown with the associated lower button, for example 5 1, is possible. If the printing press to be controlled has several printing units, these can be selected or controlled individually, for example using an inking unit selection button 6. Furthermore, it is often advantageous to use a total plus 8 and a total minus button 9, as indicated, for the overall adjustment in the plus direction and the minus direction, the actuation of which in each case the controllable, that is to say non-hidden, ink zone adjusting elements are adjustable overall, but is As will be described in the following, such an adjustment is also possible in a variety of ways with the keys in the key rows 4 and 5.

Each key 4₁-4 _n and 5₁-5 _n is connected via lines 10, for example in the form of a bus line, to a key detection circuit 11. The key detection circuit 11 has key state memory 11₁-11 _n , each of which can store the actuation state of the keys 4₁-4 _n and 5₁-5 _n .

In addition to the key detection circuit 11, the method according to the invention has an area detection circuit 12 and expediently also an area display 13. This can be arranged directly below the color zone display 2 in order to enable a well-assigned area to be assigned to the color zones. With the area detection circuit 12, a counter unit 16 is also connected, which can have a counter 14₁-14 _n or 15₁-15 _n for each of the keys 4₁-4 _n and 5₁-5 _n . However, it is also possible within the scope of the invention to use a smaller number of To use counters when, for example, multiplexers (time or frequency division multiplex) are used, via which, for example, 4₁-4 _n or 5₁-5 _n keys are activated temporarily or periodically, certain counters or vice versa. However, this increases the control effort in favor of the parts effort.

With the key detection circuit 11 and the area detection circuit 12, a motor controller 17 can be controlled, from which 18 individual color zones associated control devices can be controlled preferably in the form of servomotors 19 1 -19 _n via lines 18. With the help of the servo motors 19 ₁-19 _n arranged on a ink fountain roller 22 ink slider adjustable in terms of their distance to the ink fountain roller 22 to adjust the required color profile in the respective ink zone. By indicated at 20 ₁-20 _n sensors, the respective position of the color slider or color zone control elements can be detected and displayed via lines not shown with the diode rows 3 ₁-3 _n . It goes without saying that a continuous color knife can also be used instead of color slides 21.

The required information between the key detection circuit 11 and the area detection circuit 12 or between the latter and the counter unit 16 can be transmitted in both directions by means of lines indicated at 23 and 24. The area to be selected according to the invention is preferably stored in the area detection circuit 12 in one or more area memories indicated at 25.

In order to ensure safe operation of the method, the start of a counter 14₁-14 _n or 15₁-15 _n , as in FIG. 2 by a count pulse, is preferably carried out when each key 4₁-4 _n or 5₁-5 _{n is} pressed 26 is indicated, for example by a starting edge 27 when a key operation is determined. If during a predetermined time, for example 0.1 seconds, in the period 28 according to FIG. 2 after the first actuated key, for example 4 1 in the other row of keys, the assigned key, for example 5 1, is pressed, then the counter 14 1 is stopped and thereby determined that it is a double key operation. If the assigned or adjacent key from the other row of keys is not actuated in the specified period 28 to the point in time 29, the determination is "individual key actuation" and the assigned servomotor, for example 19 1 is in the direction specified by the key (plus or minus) adjusted and the adjustment in the assigned row of diodes, for example 3 1 displayed.

Even if a "double button operation" is detected, an actuation of the assigned servomotor, for example 19 1, is already carried out when the button pressed first, for example 4 1, but this adjustment is corrected, that is to say reset to the initial value after a double button operation has been detected.

According to the invention, the end of a region to be selected is recognized and stored with the aid of the region detection circuit 12 after the detection of a double key actuation. If at least one additional key, e.g. 4₄ or a further pair of keys, e.g. 4₄ and 5₄ operated so the other end or the other limit of the area to be selected is recognized and stored, for example in the area memory 25. For the area selection it is therefore sufficient that after pressing a pair of buttons, for example 4₁ and 5₁ another one Key e.g. 4₄ is pressed, but preferably another pair of buttons should be pressed, so here 4₄ and 5₄. The selected area can be displayed with the area display 13.

Another advantageous measure is that the key detection signals transmitted via the lines 10 are only evaluated when the actuated keys are released again. Through the use according to the invention of a timer activated when a key is pressed, preferably in the form of Counters in the counter unit 16, a safe mode of operation or detection is made possible, which is otherwise not guaranteed, because it is practically not possible to initiate a range selection at exactly the same time two adjacent keys, i.e. a pair of keys, from different key rows 4, 5 operate and thus the detection circuit does not know whether it is the initiation of a range selection or a single operation of a button for plus or minus setting or control of one of the servomotors 19 1 to 19 _n .

It is advantageous to design the keys used in the context of the invention in a special way in the two rows of keys, namely in such a way that the simultaneous actuation of two keys is made easier for the user by pronounced key shapes. For example, in the case of closely adjacent rows of keys, adjacent keys 30, 31 may have a chamfered or semicircular recess or elevation of the actuating surfaces 32, 33 or 32a, 33a towards the center, so that the operator's finger is able to contact freely. If the rows of keys are far apart, as indicated in FIG. 4, so that the individual adjacent keys 34, 35 cannot be pressed simultaneously by a single finger actuation, for example two fingers of one hand are required, a key bridge 36 is appropriate. This can be mechanical, ie when a connecting web is pressed, both keys 34 and 35 are pressed, or a key bridge in the form of capacitive or inductive or other electrical coupling can be used. It is furthermore advantageous that with the method according to the invention for the area selection for switching off color zones, adjacent keys, for example 4 1, 5 1 each, only have to be actuated at the same time, which means, for example, switching off unnecessary servo motors 19 1 to 19 _n, for example at the two edge areas Format changes can be made. A further counting device lends itself to this, which is not shown here, in order to determine whether a further key or a further pair of keys is pressed within a predetermined time after a double key actuation, in order to select a range to carry out, or whether it is a matter of switching off a color zone, for which you only need to press a pair of buttons. In this way, a format selection can be made, ie the color zones not required for the format to be printed are switched off and are therefore neither accessible for single key actuation nor for actuation “plus” or “minus total”.

With the method according to the invention for area selection, a large number of adjustment possibilities of the servomotors located in the selected area 19 1 to 19 _n can be made according to FIGS. 6 and 7 in order to supply the color zones defined thereby with more or less color in the desired manner. For example, a parallel shift (to plus or minus) of the color slider 21 can be carried out within the selected areas by simultaneously activating upper buttons 40, 42 or lower 39, 41 located at the ends of an area 43, which leads to a shift of the Display line 44 leads, as indicated by arrow 45. A control of the color slider 21 (plus) is carried out when the keys 40 and 42 are actuated and an actuation when the keys 39 and 40 are actuated. If keys located at the ends of the selected area 43 are actuated in different key rows 37, 38, for example the key 40 and the key 41 or the key 39 and the key 42, this results in an inclined opening or closing in or out Direction of arrows 46 and 47. This means that by appropriately determining the extent of the adjustment of the color slider with different values, the adjacent color slider can be adjusted more by a certain amount, ie a gradual incremental increase or a gradual decremental reduction. Thus, for example, from an end position of a selected area in accordance with arrow 47 from left to right, there is a successively increasing, stronger adjustment from color zone to color zone. An inclined adjustment or rotation of the display line can also be made possible by a single key actuation at one of the ends of the area 43, for example the key 40 or 39.

7, lateral areas, for example 3 1 and 3 2 and 3 _n, can also be removed or switched off, as indicated by the arrows 48 and 49, for example if a smaller format is to be printed. This switching off of zones is possible by individual double key actuation, or by setting an area in the manner described above and then actuating one of the area boundaries.

The area selection process can be implemented in both software and hardware. In the software implementation, a programmable microcomputer is used, which preferably has the necessary counters, memories and other control circuits.

It is possible to cancel the area selection by pressing the buttons or key pairs that are used to initiate the area selection a second time, or by deleting or eliminating the area selection by means of a separate delete command.

Claims (18)

1. Method for field selection on the control desk of a printing press, particularly a rotary offset printing press, with two parallel key rows in which, in each case, two neighbouring keys, in each case one from each row, serve for zonewise adjustment of the ink and/or damping agent profile and with a device for field selection, characterised in that on actuation of a key (4₁-4_n; 5₁-5_n) a timing member (14₁-14_n; 15₁-15_n) is activated for time measuring, that with the time measurement it is determined whether within a predetermined time the corresponding key (4₁-4_n or 5₁-5_n) out of the other row (4 or 5) respectively is actuated, that the so detected simultaneous actuation of two keys (e.g. 4₁, 5₁) is recognised as a field selection function and one end of the field (43) to be selected is defined and that by the simultaneous or successive actuation of a further key, (e.g. 4₄) or a further key pair (e.g. 4₄, 5₄) consisting in each case of one key (4₁-4_n, 5₁-5_n) from each key row (4, 5) the other end of the field (43) is determined and that the selected field is stored and/or indicated.
2. Method for field selection on the control desk of a printing press according to Claim 1, characterised in that the selected field (43) can be cancelled by repeated actuation of the keys or key pairs (39, 40; 41, 42) pressed for the field selection or by a specific cancel instruction.
3. Method for field selection on the control desk of a printing press according to Claim 1, characterised in that on an actuation of one key (4₁-4_n; 5₁-5_n) the respective adjusting motor (19₁-19_n) is always controlled and that following the determination that the key actuation took place within the framework of a field selection or zone switch off a correction to the adjusting motor (191-19n) to the starting position existing before the actuation of the key is initiated.
4. Method for field selection on the control desk of a printing press according to one of the preceding Claims, characterised in that in a key recognition circuit (11) key condition stores (11₁-11_n) are provided and that in the key recognition circuit (11) key actuations for field selection and key actuations for individual control and for field-wise control of the adjusting motors (19₁-19_n) are detected.
5. Method for field selection on the control desk of a printing press according to one of Claims 1 to 4, characterised in that the adjusting motors (19₁-19_n) within a selected field are adjustable by the same amount (towards plus or minus) in such a way that together the keys (4₁-4_n or 5₁-5_n) in the one key row (4) or in the other key row (5) against the region ends are actuated.
6. Process for field selection on the control desk of a printing press according to one of the preceding Claims, characterised in that the adjustment values for the adjusting motors (19₁-19_n) are reduced by predetermined decrements or raised by predetermined increments from ink zone to ink zone.
7. Method for field selection on the control desk of a printing press according to Claim 6, characterised in that the adjusting motors (19₁-19_n) can be adjusted in a selected region by stepped amounts (towards plus or minus) in that the keys (4₁-4_n; 5₁-5_n) lying on opposite ends of the selected region are actuated in differing key rows (4, 5).
8. Method for field selection on the control desk of a printing press according to one of the preceding Claims, characterised by the shutting off of an inking or damping zone by simultaneous actuation of neighbouring keys (4₁-4_n to 5₁-5_n) in each case from one key row (4, 5).
9. Method for field selection on the control desk of a printing press according to one of the preceding Claims, characterised in that the field selection results via a technical programme (software).
10. Method for field selection on the control desk of a printing press according to one of the preceding Claims 1 to 8, characterised in that the field selection is effected by means of control, counter and storage circuits (11, 12, 16) constructed as a hardware solution.
11. Method for field selection on the control desk of a printing press according to one of the preceding Claims 1 to 10, characterised in that the functions initiated by actuated keys (4₁ -4_n; _51-5n ) in each case are detected or evaluated on release of a key or a key pair.
12. Method for field selection on the control desk of a printing press according to one of the preceding Claims, characterised in that with the field selection a format limitation is carried out.
13. Process for carrying out the method according to Claim 1, characterised by a counter unit (16) connected with the key recognition circuit (11) with counters (14₁-14_n; 15₁-15_n) which can be allocated to the keys (4₁-4_n; 5₁-5_n).
14. Apparatus for carrying out field selection at the control desk of a printing press according to Claim 13, characterised by at least two multiplex control counters to which are arranged time controlled time delay determined keys (4₁-4_n; 5₁-5_n).
15. Apparatus for field selection at the control desk of a printing press according to Claim 13, characterised in that the adjusting motors (19₁-19_n) associated with the selected field are displaceable in common by separate keys (8, 9).
16. Apparatus for field selection according to one of the preceding Claims, characterised in that the keys (30, 31) are so constructed and arranged that they can be simultaneously actuated with one finger.
17. Apparatus for field selection according to Claim 16, characterised in that the keys (30, 31) have flattened off towards the middle or semi-circular shaped apertures or raised portions (32, 33; 32a, 33a).
18. Apparatus for field selection according to at least one of the Claims 13 to 17, characterised in that the key rows are separated from one another and that in each case between two keys (34, 35) bridge (36) is arranged by means of which mechanically or electrically (capacitative, inductive) both keys (34, 35) are simultaneously activated.

Images