TWI657935B - Web processing system and method for processing a web - Google Patents

Abstract

A web processing system includes a conveying mechanism arranged to supply a continuous web of material along a conveying path in the processing system; a first printing cylinder having a first diameter and a first printing pattern. It is arranged adjacent to the conveying path and is arranged to print a first image pattern on at least one surface of the continuous web; at least one second printing cylinder having a second diameter different from the first diameter and a second printing pattern, the second The printing cylinder is disposed adjacent to the conveying path and is arranged to print a second image pattern over the first image pattern on the continuous web; and a system controller coupled to the conveying mechanism and arranged to be based on at least one pairing procedure. The conveying mechanism is controlled, wherein the system controller is arranged to selectively prohibit at least a pair of bit programs when printing the first and second image patterns to print the final random image pattern on at least one surface of the continuous web.

Description

Web processing system and method

The invention relates to a web processing system and a method for processing a web, in particular printing a random pattern or layout on a continuous web of material.

Valuable goods are usually protected by several types of authentication measures that are placed in place by the manufacturer to prevent counterfeiting of such goods. For example, a cigarette case can be so marked that it can be traced to its origin and verified for authenticity. Traditionally, the techniques used involve the recording of identification codes or the like on cardboard or paper. These methods use advanced printing techniques to mark the desired valuable product with a genuine seal. These printing techniques are difficult to reproduce for imitators or plagiarists, because these printing techniques involve special knowledge of the process or the use of difficult-to-access materials.

European Patent No. EP 1 125 758 A1 discloses a system for marking paper with random patterns using a series of printing rollers which can apply a phase-shift random pattern to one or both sides of the paper on.

The idea of the present invention is to provide a web processing system capable of generating a patterned image on the web. The patterned image is truly random and at least essentially quasi-random.

Therefore, the first idea of the present invention relates to a web processing system, which includes a conveying mechanism arranged to supply a continuous web of material along a conveying path in the processing system; a first printing cylinder having a A first diameter and a first printing pattern, the first printing cylinder is arranged adjacent to the conveying path and is arranged to print a first image pattern on at least one surface of the continuous web; at least one second printing cylinder having different A second diameter and a second printing pattern on the first diameter, the second printing cylinder is disposed adjacent to the conveying path and is arranged to print a second image pattern over the first image pattern on the continuous web; And a system controller coupled with the conveying mechanism and arranged to control the conveying mechanism according to at least one pair of programs, wherein the system controller is arranged to selectively select the first and second image patterns when printing At least one such alignment process is prohibited to print a final random image pattern on the at least one surface of the continuous web.

A second concept of the present invention relates to a method for processing a web, which method includes conveying a continuous web of material along a conveying path of a processing system by a conveying mechanism; using a material having a first diameter and a first printed pattern; A first printing cylinder prints a first image pattern on at least one surface of the continuous web; using at least a second printing cylinder having a second diameter different from the first diameter and a second printing pattern to print a second image A pattern over the first image pattern on the continuous web; and when the first and second image patterns are printed, at least one pairing process for the conveying mechanism is selectively prohibited to print a final random image A pattern is formed on the at least one surface of the continuous web.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, the material web includes a random pattern printed on a surface thereof, wherein the random pattern is obtained by a method according to the first aspect of the present invention.

The scope of the dependent application patent provides additional technical features of the good embodiment and other improvements of the invention.

According to an embodiment of the processing system, the first printed pattern and / or the second printed pattern may be different.

According to another embodiment of the processing system, the alignment procedures may include one or more of web speed control, lateral web alignment control, length control of the conveying path between printing cylinders, and web tension control. Each.

According to another embodiment of the processing system, the system controller may be further coupled to the first printing cylinder and the at least one second printing cylinder, and is arranged to drive the first printing cylinder and the at least one first at different speeds. Two printing cylinders.

According to another embodiment of the processing system, the system controller may be further arranged to drive the first printing cylinder and the at least one second printing cylinder at the same tangent speed.

According to an embodiment of the method, the first image pattern and / or the second image pattern may include a random image pattern.

According to another embodiment of the method, the first printed pattern and the second printed pattern may include different patterns.

According to another embodiment of the method, the alignment procedures may include one or more of web speed control, lateral web alignment control, print path length control between printing cylinders, and web tension control. .

According to another embodiment of the method, the continuous web material may include one of cardboard, paper, cellulose, fabric, plastic, metal, or a combination thereof.

According to another embodiment of the method, the first printing cylinder and the at least one second printing cylinder can be driven at different rotation speeds.

According to another embodiment of the method, the first printing cylinder and the at least one second printing cylinder can be driven at the same tangent speed.

According to another embodiment of the method, printing the first and second printing patterns may include transferring a composition to the at least one surface of the web, the composition including at least one of ink, varnish, and wax. One.

In an embodiment, the web according to the third concept of the present invention includes a separating device, the separating device is adjusted to allow separation of at least one sheet from the web, the at least one sheet including a part printed with a random pattern. The separation device may include a scratch line, an eyelet line, or a die line formed in the web material.

In one embodiment, the web material according to the third concept of the present invention may include one of cardboard, paper, cellulose, fabric, plastic, metal, or a laminated composition thereof.

A package that can be manufactured using a web according to a third aspect of the invention, the package including at least a portion of the web.

The invention will be explained in more detail with reference to the exemplary embodiments depicted in the accompanying drawings.

Although specific embodiments have been illustrated and described herein, those having ordinary knowledge in the art will understand that various alternatives and / or equivalent implementations may replace these illustrated and described specific embodiments without departing from the invention Scope and spirit. Generally, this application is intended to cover any adaptations or variations of the specific embodiments discussed herein. Specifically, the specific features, characteristics, and characteristics of the different embodiments discussed below can be combined with each other if the instructions are not clearly indicated.

Generally, this application is intended to cover any adaptations or variations of the specific embodiments discussed herein. In the present invention, reference is made to a printing press and a printing system. It is generally intended that such printing devices include any combination or structural configuration of units, modules, and alignment devices capable of conveying webs to be processed along a conveying path within the device. In addition, the printing device may include any component adapted to emboss, print, or emboss a pattern, image, text, or colored area to one or both sides of a web to be processed. The printing device may include a laser beam device, a developing device, a transfer device, a fixing device, a cutting device, a folding device, and one or more of similar conventional components in gravure printing and lithography.

FIG. 1 schematically illustrates a processing system 100. In particular, the processing system 100 can be arranged to process and make a printed material web Wp, which includes materials such as cardboard, paper, cellulose, fabric, plastic, metal, or a laminate combination thereof. The processing system 100 generally includes a plurality of processing stages 12 that are equipped with rolls or supply units indicated generally at reference numeral 10 in the first figure. The roller 10 forms part of a conveying mechanism 11 in which the conveying mechanism is arranged to supply a continuous material web W along a conveying path in the processing system 100.

FIG. 2 is a functional view illustrating a processing system for processing the web W, and can be regarded as a conceptual depiction of the processing system 100 in FIG. 1. The web W can be input to the processing system at a system input 8, transported through various processing stages 12, and output as a printed web Wp at a system output 9. In addition to the processing units and modules not specifically indicated, the processing system 100 includes a first printing cylinder 1 having a first diameter d1 and a first printing pattern formed thereon. The first printing cylinder 1 is disposed adjacent to the conveying path, and is arranged to print a first image pattern (ie, a printed image of the printing pattern of the first printing cylinder) on at least one surface of the continuous web W. In FIGS. 1 and 2, the first printing cylinder 1 is arranged to print a first image pattern on the bottom surface of the web W running between the first printing cylinder 1 and a corresponding pressure roller 4.

The processing system 100 further includes at least a second printing cylinder 2 having a second diameter d2 different from the first diameter d1 and a second printing pattern formed thereon. For example, the second diameter d2 may be larger than the first diameter d1. The second printing cylinder 2 is arranged in series with the first printing cylinder 1 and may be arranged downstream of the first printing cylinder 1 on the web W conveyance path. The second printing cylinder 2 is similarly arranged adjacent to the conveying path, and is arranged to print a second image pattern, that is, a printed image of the second printing pattern of the second printing cylinder above the first image pattern of the continuous web W . To this end, the second printing cylinder 2 can be arranged to print a second image pattern on the bottom surface of the web W running between the second printing cylinder 2 and a corresponding pressing roller 5.

As shown in FIG. 1, a third printing cylinder 3 may be provided downstream of the second printing cylinder 2, and the third printing cylinder 3 has a diameter different from the diameter of the first and / or second printing cylinders 1 and 2, and the A third printed pattern is preferably formed thereon. A corresponding pressure roller 6 may be provided, so that the third printing cylinder 3 prints the third image pattern, that is, the printed image of the third printing pattern of the third printing cylinder, on the third printing cylinder 3 and the pressure roller 6. One of the intervening webs W is on the surface. Generally, the number of printing cylinders 1, 2, and 3 is not limited to two or three, but may be replaced by any required number greater than two.

The first printed pattern and / or the second printed pattern can be printed on the web W to become an image pattern or layout, such as a decorative design or lines, dots, or geometric shapes of various colors and / or line thicknesses. The first printing pattern and the second printing pattern may be different patterns to provide a final image pattern made by overlapping the first and second image patterns on the web W, that is, different printing cylinders 1, 2, and 3 are printed. Different image patterns are on top of each other. The printing cylinders 1, 2, and 3 may be arranged to transfer a liquid composition, such as ink, varnish, or wax, onto at least one surface of the web W. Once transferred to the surface of the web W, the processing system 100 may include a drying module, which is arranged downstream of each printing cylinder 1, 2, and 3 in a liquid state to be printed on the web W The composition is dried.

The processing system 100 further includes a system controller 7 which is coupled to the transport mechanism 11 and the printing cylinders 1, 2 and 3. The system controller 7 controls the printing cylinders 1, 2 and 3 on the one hand. For example, the system controller 7 may be arranged to drive the printing cylinders 1, 2 and 3 at different rotation speeds. The system controller 7 can adjust the rotation speed of each printing cylinder 1, 2 and 3 according to the diameters d1 and d2 of the printing cylinders 1, 2 and 3 to drive the printing cylinders 1, 2 and 3 at the same tangent speed. In this way, the speed of the web W passing through the printing cylinders 1, 2 and 3 will remain fixed throughout the printing process.

On the other hand, the system controller 7 is arranged to control the conveyance mechanism 11 according to at least one pairing program. Such alignment procedures may include, for example, web conveyance speed control, lateral web alignment control, print path length control between printing cylinders, and web tension control. By selectively disabling at least one such alignment procedure when printing the first and second printing patterns, the system controller 7 will be able to provide a certain randomness in the printing parameters of the processing system 100, and will therefore to some extent The non-reproducibility of the is introduced into the printed pattern. In particular, because one or more registration procedures are prohibited, the first and second positions will be given the ability to be misaligned due to the movement of the web W on the first and / or second and / or third printing rollers. Each image pattern has a certain degree of randomness. As a result, each of the first, second, and third image patterns is random or at least quasi-random, and is obtained at the exit 9 of the processing system 100 from the final combination of the first, second, and third image patterns. The image pattern is also random or at least pseudo-random. The printing web Wp is therefore printed with a separate final image pattern, which is therefore difficult to reproduce.

The processing system 100 can be used to print a continuous web of material Wp, which web contains a real or at least pseudo-random pattern printed on one of its surfaces. The web Wp may include, for example, a separating device, such as a scratch line, eye line, or die line formed in the web Wp material, which is adjusted to allow at least one sheet to be separated from the web Wp. Each separated sheet therefore includes a portion of a printed random pattern. Such sheets can then be used to make or label a package, such as a cigarette case.

Fig. 3 schematically illustrates a block diagram of a method M for processing a continuous material web such as the web W of Figs. 1 and 2. The method M can be implemented with a web processing system, such as the processing system 100 shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 and illustrated in combination with the drawings.

In the first stage, the method M may include the processing of conveying a continuous web of material W by the conveying mechanism 11 along the conveying path in the processing system 100 at M1. The web W may be made of, for example, a material including one of cardboard, paper, cellulose, fabric, plastic, metal, or a laminate combination thereof. The conveying mechanism 11 may include, for example, a plurality of rolls and a web supply module, such as the rolls 10. This transport mechanism may be interspersed in particular through a series of processing stages 12 of the processing system 100.

In the second stage M2, a first printing cylinder 1 having a first diameter d1 and a first printing pattern is used to print a first image pattern on at least one surface of the continuous web W, such as an upper surface. Then, in the third stage M3, at least one second printing cylinder 2 having a second diameter d2 different from the first diameter d1 and preferably a second printing pattern different from the first printing pattern may be used to convert the first Two image patterns are printed on the first image pattern on the continuous web W. The printing process of M2 and M3 may include, for example, transferring a liquid composition such as ink, varnish, or wax onto at least one surface of the web W.

In the fourth stage M4, although the first and second image patterns are printed on the web W by the printing cylinders 1, 2 and 3, at least one pair of the conveying mechanism 11 in the processing system 100 can be selectively prohibited Bit program. The processing system 100 can be controlled by the system controller 7, which controls various alignment procedures in the system, such as web conveying speed control, lateral web alignment control, printing cylinders 1, 2 and 3 Control the length of the conveying path, and control the tension of the web.

Since at least one pairing process for the conveying mechanism 11 is prohibited, the first and second printing patterns of the printing cylinder can each provide a random image pattern on the web W. In order to generate as much randomness as possible in the final image patterns on the web W, the first printed pattern and the second printed pattern can each provide different image patterns. In order to achieve the independence of these image patterns, at least one printing cylinder 2 or 3 of the first printing cylinder 1 can be driven at different rotation speeds but at the same tangent speed. This will ensure that the order of the first and second image patterns is randomly changed from each other. On the other hand, running the first and second printing cylinders 1, 2 and 3 at the same tangent speed will ensure a fixed web speed of the web W in the conveying mechanism without being caused by the printing process at different cylinders. Risk of mechanical or tensile stress.

If the image pattern has been transferred from the printing cylinder to the web W with the liquid composition, these compositions can be dried in the selection stage M5 of the method M. This drying stage may alternatively be performed after each of the printing processes M2 and M3.

Although a particular feature of an embodiment of the invention has been disclosed for only one of several implementations, this feature may be combined with one or more features of other implementations that are expected and advantageous for any given or particular application. Also, in this sense, terms such as "including", "having", "having", or other variants thereof are used in the detailed description or the scope of patent applications, and it is intended that these terms be similar to the term "including" Way to cover. The terms "coupled" and "connected" can be used in combination with the derived words. It should be noted that these terms may already be used to indicate that two components work together or interact regardless of whether these components are in direct physical or electrical contact. In addition, any terms used in the foregoing description related to the spatial arrangement of features, elements, or components of the embodiments depicted in the drawings, such as "top", "bottom", "left", "right", " "Beneath," "above," and similar terms are for the purpose of better understanding and are not intended to limit the invention.

1, 2, 3 ‧ ‧ ‧ printing cylinder

4,5,6‧‧‧‧Press roller

7‧‧‧System Controller

8‧‧‧ web entrance

9‧‧‧ web exit

10‧‧‧ Conveying roller

11‧‧‧ Conveying mechanism

100‧‧‧treatment system

12‧‧‧ processing stage

d1, d2‧‧‧‧Drum diameter

M‧‧‧Method

M1 ～ M5‧‧‧Method steps

W‧‧‧ Web

Wp‧‧‧printed web

The accompanying drawings are incorporated to further understand the present invention, and the accompanying drawings are incorporated into this specification and constitute a part of the specification. The drawings illustrate embodiments of the present invention, and explain the principles of the invention together with the description. The invention will be readily understood when reference is made to the following detailed description to better understand other embodiments of the invention and the many anticipated advantages of the invention. Elements of the drawings are not necessarily to scale. Identical reference codes designate corresponding similar parts. FIG. 1 shows a schematic diagram of a processing system according to an embodiment of the present invention in an isometric view. Fig. 2 schematically illustrates a part of a basic web according to another embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 depicts a functional block diagram of each stage in a method for processing a web according to another embodiment of the present invention.

Claims (13)

A system for processing a web includes: a conveying mechanism arranged to supply a continuous web of material along a conveying path in the processing system; a first printing cylinder having a first diameter and a first printing Pattern, the first printing cylinder is disposed adjacent to the conveying path and is arranged to print a first image pattern on at least one surface of the continuous web; at least one second printing cylinder having a diameter different from the first diameter A second diameter and a second printing pattern, the second printing cylinder is disposed adjacent to the conveying path and is arranged to print a second image pattern over the first image pattern on the continuous web; and A system controller coupled to the conveying mechanism and arranged to control the conveying mechanism according to at least one pair of programs, wherein the system controller is arranged to selectively prohibit the first and second image patterns when printing At least one of the alignment procedures is to print a final random image pattern on the at least one surface of the continuous web. The processing system according to item 1 of the scope of patent application, wherein the first printing pattern and / or the second printing pattern are different. The processing system according to item 1 or 2 of the scope of patent application, wherein the alignment procedures include web conveying speed control, lateral web alignment control, conveying path length control between the printing cylinders, and the web. One or more of the board tension controls. The processing system according to item 1 of the patent application scope, wherein the system controller is further coupled to the first printing cylinder and the at least one second printing cylinder, and is arranged to drive the first printing cylinder and the at different speeds. At least one second printing cylinder. The processing system according to item 4 of the patent application scope, wherein the system controller is further arranged to drive the first printing cylinder and the at least one second printing cylinder at the same tangent speed. A method of processing a web, the method includes: conveying a continuous web of material along a transport path in a processing system by a transport mechanism; using a first print having a first diameter and a first print pattern A cylinder prints a first image pattern on at least one surface of the continuous web; using a second printing cylinder having a second diameter different from the first diameter and a second printing pattern to print a second image A pattern over the first image pattern on the continuous web; and when printing the first and second image patterns, at least one pairing process for the conveying mechanism is selectively prohibited to print a final random image pattern On the at least one surface of the continuous web. The method according to item 6 of the application, wherein the first image pattern and / or the second image pattern includes a random image pattern. The method of claim 6 or claim 7, wherein the first printing pattern and the second printing pattern include different patterns. The method according to item 6 of the scope of patent application, wherein the alignment procedures include one of the control of web conveying speed, lateral web alignment control, length control of conveying path between printing cylinders, and web tension control, or More. The method of claim 6, wherein the continuous web of the material includes one of cardboard, paper, cellulose, fabric, plastic, metal, or a laminate combination thereof. The method according to item 6 of the scope of patent application, wherein the first printing cylinder and the at least one second printing cylinder are driven at different rotation speeds. The method of claim 11, wherein the first printing cylinder and the at least one second printing cylinder are driven at the same tangent speed. The method of claim 6, wherein printing the first and second printed patterns includes transferring a composition to the at least one surface of the web, the compositions including the at least one of the web At least one of an ink, a varnish, and a wax on a surface.