WO2003055690A2 - Printing film, and device for freeform-printing on objects - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a printing film which is made of a several layers, i.e. a support layer, an adhesive layer, a water-soluble film held in place on the support layer by the adhesive layer and a top print, consisting of a varnish or toner particle. The invention also relates to a device for hydraulically printing objects. Said device comprises a water basin and a chamber which is arranged above the basin and which has an inlet and an outlet for the printing film; also comprising a conveyor, which guides the printing film into the chamber, inside said chamber or into the water as well as out of the water. Air nozzles are also provided in order to provide an excess pressure inside the chamber, pressing upon the water.

Description

"Printing film and device for free-form printing of objects"

The invention relates to a printing film and a device for free-form printing of objects.

"Free-form printing" refers to a printing process in which an object with an almost freely selectable shape can be printed, it being possible, in particular, to print objects with alternating shapes in direct succession. The printing process enables objects with almost freely selectable shapes To print shapes without the need for special printing forms or stamps that would be adapted to the contour of the objects.

This is achieved, for example, by applying the color particles forming the print motif to the object by means of a freely deformable pressure body, wherein there is always a relative movement between the object and the pressure body, which ensures that the color particles are applied to the most varied shapes of the objects. As a pressure body z. B. a fluid can be used, the object by a liquid, for. B. can be passed through a water-filled basin, and the color particles forming the print motif float on or in the liquid and lie on the surface of the object when immersed. Other liquids can be used instead of water.

For example, gaseous fluids can also be used as pressure bodies, e.g. in that the color particles forming the print motif are applied to the surface of the object by means of a gas, possibly air, flow. In contrast to immersing the object in a liquid, it can be provided to keep the object stationary and to move the paint particles with the gas stream.

As a pressure body, which carries the film, solid bodies can also be used, for example, which are as freely deformable as possible, e.g. B. an elastic film made of silicone or similar material, or a bed made of cotton-like compliant material, and into which the object to be printed is pressed.

In the context of the invention, “print motif” is not only understood to be a graphic representation, but also random color samples or uniform, unpatterned, colored or, if appropriate, transparent-colorless coatings of the object in question can be carried out.

In the context of the invention, the term “color particles” therefore includes not only colored particles, but also colorless ones, and not only lacquers and paints, but also other particles suitable as surface coatings, such as mineral or metallic or plastic particles. In contrast to dip painting, the color particles are initially in the form of a two-dimensional fabric. This makes it possible to create a defined pattern as a print motif.

During the relative movement between the object and the fluid, the color particles, which are initially in the form of a two-dimensional sheet, contact the object. The fluid forms a kind of printing form, which adapts individually and exactly to the object: through the resistance of the

The effect of fluids is that the flat structure, provided it is sufficiently deformable, can easily be applied to strongly contoured surfaces of objects, so that almost any contoured surfaces of objects can be printed in a comparatively inexpensive and fast manner.

A hydraulic printing process in which the object is guided through water is always mentioned below purely by way of example and representative of the aforementioned free-form printing options.

The invention is based on the object of specifying a printing film for free-form printing of objects which enables inexpensive production even of small series.

Furthermore, the invention is based on the object of specifying a device for free-form printing of objects which ensures the most uniform printing results possible even with different objects or different printing motifs, that is to say in particular in the production of small series.

This object is achieved by a pressure film with the features of claim 1 and by a device with the features of claim 11. In other words, the invention proposes a multilayer printing film. Essentially, only the water-soluble, z. B. by a water bath, by humidity or by spray mist dissolvable film and the paint or paint particles arranged on this film. By releasing and then dissolving the

The cohesion of the color particles is reduced to such an extent that they can be applied without wrinkles even to strongly contoured surfaces, ie surfaces with large differences in height.

For example, the comparatively flat housing shells of mobile telephones, but also the approximately 5 cm deep housing upper shells of ergonomically shaped PC pointing devices known as “mice”, as well as objects that are considerably larger or smaller than the two aforementioned, can be printed are.

In addition to film and color particles, however, a carrier layer is additionally provided, which in particular has an initially desired material thickness and material rigidity of the entire

Ensuring printing film helps. In this way, specialized processing machines can be dispensed with and the printing film can be printed, for example, with commercially available printers, in order in this way to store the printing motifs on the printing film.

It can be provided to use special colors, paint particles or lacquers, whereby the above-mentioned commercially available printers can advantageously process these particles. It is therefore possible to print out digitally generated or digitally processed images with the aid of such printers and thus to produce small series up to the generation of individual, individual printed images. Such a hydraulic free-form printing method can be referred to as “digital imaging transfer technology” (or “DITT” for short). The water-soluble film is connected to the carrier layer by an adhesive layer, it being possible advantageously to separate the carrier layer from the water-soluble film, so that during the actual hydraulic printing process, the deliberately rigid carrier layer does not interfere with the desired deformability of the water-soluble film and thus with the mobility of the color particles can.

It can advantageously be provided that the adhesive of the adhesive layer is adjusted so that it remains on the carrier layer when the carrier layer and water-soluble film are separated. This ensures that optimum accessibility to this film is made possible from the side with which the water-soluble film was initially provided with the adhesive layer, so that the film can be accessed from this, for example

Side can be solved by the water.

The printing layer can advantageously be designed as a compact layer which, on the one hand, contains the ink particles and on the other hand contains hardener and accelerator, so that after the water-soluble film has dissolved or at least largely dissolved, this printing layer can first apply to the surface contour of an object. The printed image can then be made particularly wear-resistant by setting the specific conditions under which hardener and accelerator react with one another, so that, for example, when a specific pressure is generated or when a specific temperature is set, the reaction of these two components takes place and forms the desired, two-component, wear-resistant printed image surface.

As an alternative, it can be provided that the printing layer is in turn of a multilayer design and has its own sealing layer, which, even after the water-soluble film has dissolved, the color particles at their desired location fixed, so that particularly sharply contoured, photo-realistic, precise images can be generated in the hydraulic printing process. The sealing layer can advantageously be elastically deformable, so that it cannot be applied together with the color part to an object that also has a strong height difference, ie “strongly contoured”, on the contour.

The water-soluble film can advantageously be checked and dissolved in the water with little expansion effect. Controlled dissolution in the context of the invention means that unlike polyvinyl alcohol materials, the dissolution takes place comparatively slowly. In this way, it can be better controlled in the course of the process at what point in time, namely at what degree of dissolution of the film, the actual printing process is to take place, in the course of which the color particles, which are now only comparatively weakly bound, should be applied to the surface of the object to be printed. In contrast to polyvinyl alcohol materials, it is also advantageous that, due to the slower dissolution, there is no strong expansion effect during the dissolution of the film, which could otherwise lead to a shift of the color particles and thus impair the sharpness of the contour of a print motif to be reproduced realistically.

When using a printing film which does not have a photographic or similarly multicolored pattern, it can be provided that such a film is used, for example, for clear lacquering of an object which has already been printed in accordance with the invention or in another way, in order to protect the previously applied lacquer coating by the clear lacquer layer , If necessary, effect particles such as metallic, pearl effect or other particles can be incorporated into the clear coat, so that in addition to the protective effect, desired decorative effects can also be achieved. Instead of the above-described clear lacquer layer, it is also possible to use single-color printing, whether transparent or in opaque colors, by means of a printing film according to the invention; and optionally color effects such as the aforementioned metallic or pearl effect or similar effects.

The sealing layer that may be provided should have elastic properties, so that even objects of very complex shapes can be printed without any problems, since the color particles easily adhere to the surface of the object, which may have a complicated shape, due to the elasticity of the sealing layer. In order to increase the elasticity of this sealing layer, so-called “plasticizers” can be provided in the sealing layer, which improve the elastic properties of the sealing layer.

If necessary, provision can be made for such plasticizers to be effective by spraying on an activator, so that firstly the highest possible strength of the printing film is achieved for the handling of the printing film before the actual printing process, which facilitates the handling of the printing film. Only shortly before the actual printing process can the sealing layer be given a particularly high elasticity in the desired manner by activating the plasticizers.

In particular, the use of the above-mentioned plasticizers can be provided if a sealing layer which is fundamentally sufficiently flexible is provided by certain additives

Flexibility loses, for example due to dyes provided in the sealing layer. Due to the orientation of the sealing layer towards the object to be printed, the sealing layer forms a background layer, which lies behind the printed motif when the printed object is viewed later. It can therefore be advantageous to to provide the sealing layer with color particles, for example to color it white, in favor of a well covering and true-to-color reproduction of the print motif. This enables the printing inks to have a good luminosity even on objects which are in themselves made of a dark material. In addition, the coloring of the sealing layer - regardless of the respective coloring - enables a uniform color rendering of the actual print motif even with differently colored objects, since the colored sealing layer prevents the printed motif from being influenced by the color, which could result from the different color of the object itself ,

In particular, if a colored sealing layer is provided in the printing film, it can be technically difficult from a plant engineering point of view to place the printing film correctly, since the printing motifs arranged below the sealing layer are not readily recognizable. In this case, it can be provided to provide special color areas on the printing film. These special color areas can be provided in the form of punctiform, line-shaped or cross-shaped markings or in a similar manner at regular intervals on the printing sheet. These "regular intervals" can either be provided in a fixed predetermined grid, regardless of the dimensions of the print motifs, so that a system controller can use this grid to register where the individual print motifs are when printing on the printing film, and so that the printing film later on in the plunge pool Objects can be correctly aligned to ensure that the objects are correctly printed

Ensure print motifs.

Another way in which the special color areas can be applied to the printing film at regular intervals is that the special color areas are arranged outside the printing motifs at certain intervals, depending on the dimensions of the printing motifs, e.g. B. frame-like, so The position of the print motif can be recognized directly on the basis of the position of the special color area.

The special color areas are so called because they represent areas with a color that is recognizable under special lighting conditions, for example infrared or ultraviolet light. However, since the two aforementioned types of light can preferably also be used to trigger chemical reactions in the individual layers of the printing film, a special color can advantageously be used, which can be recognized by so-called “black light”. It has been found to be simple in terms of process technology that, for example, a Printer can be provided with a special color cartridge for the spot color, so that this printer can print both the actual print motifs and the

Can set spot color range. Alternatively, it can be provided to use a special printer that only works with special colors and attaches the corresponding special color areas before or after the printing motifs are applied to the printing film, unless a printing film is already used as a roll product that already has the special color areas applied at fixed intervals ,

It has surprisingly turned out that the special color can also be read through a colored sealing layer. In this way, use can be made of the aforementioned possibility in a particularly simple and inexpensive manner during the printing process in which the printing film is printed with the printing motifs, also to apply the special color areas. Detecting this

Special color areas can easily be made later in or just before the plunge pool through a colored sealing layer, so that the printing film can be correctly aligned with the object to be printed. As described above, the printing film can contain both components of a hardener, which is hardened after the printing process by creating corresponding external parameters, such as pressure, temperature or exposure to radiation.

Alternatively, it can be provided that the corresponding layer in the printing film has only one of two required hardener components. Shortly before the actual printing process, this hardener component can be activated by adding a second component, for example by spraying the printing film. Both components now react with each other to form the hardener. The subsequent curing can take place either due to a purely chemical reaction between these two components or supported by external parameters such as the temperature setting described above or by irradiation, for example with UV or IR light.

In a particularly advantageous manner, it can be provided that the aforementioned second component of the hardener is sprayed onto the printing film together with an activator, this activator first making the printing film particularly flexible so that it optimally adapts and applies to the object to be printed during the printing process can. Since the second component of the hardener is applied to the printing film together with this activator, curing of the print is possible under controlled conditions after the printing process.

A device which has a water basin can preferably be used as the device for carrying out a free-form printing process in the form of a hydraulic printing process. While it is conceivable that the film slowly losing its bond and slowly dissolving together with the paint or paint particles Applying sprays to the contour of the object to be printed, in particular the use of a water basin can ensure, in a simple and inexpensive manner, that pressure is applied to the paint and color particles on all sides when the object to be printed is passed through the water, so that a good one Investment of these particles on the surface of the object can be guaranteed and accordingly the printing of even complex contours is made possible.

Furthermore, the device can preferably have a “climatic chamber” in which certain temperature or pressure conditions or air currents can be set. The film can be introduced into this chamber on the one hand and out of this chamber on the other hand, with different ambient conditions being set within this chamber , in which the water-soluble film is brought into contact with the water of the water basin. The determined process conditions in particular enable the process of dissolving the film to be precisely determined, so that the actual printing process can then be carried out at the optimum time.

For this purpose, a number of air nozzles can advantageously be provided in the chamber, which helps to keep the film smooth and wrinkle-free and to bring it into contact with the water in order to dissolve it. It can be provided that the film is placed on the water surface and remains floating on the water. The water surface ensures constant use of the film and thus the progress of the dissolution process in order to achieve the free mobility of the color particles.

Furthermore, the water surface represents a positioning aid, since it can be set at a certain height in a simple manner and thus a correspondingly exact one The foil can be positioned vertically.

In addition, this arrangement leaves one side of the film free of water, which has two advantages: firstly, an optimal contact of the object to be printed with the paint or color particles is made possible without any water layers or water films between the surface and the particles, which could interfere would possibly support a shift of the color particles on the object. Secondly, this freely accessible surface of the film enables the color particles to be influenced, eg. B. to treat with a solvent or a similar "activator", for example to spray, to support their connection properties with the object.

In such a device it can advantageously be provided that not only the first-mentioned air nozzles are provided within the chamber in order to place the film on the water surface, but that second air nozzles are provided upstream in the conveying direction, which the before the intended contact of the film with the water Separate the film from the water with an air curtain. These air nozzles can not only cause a spatial separation of the film from the water, but also a drying of the film, i. H. they prevent the contact of moisture-laden air, which may be located above the water basin, with the water-soluble film, in order to prevent premature dissolution of the film before it is deliberately brought into contact with the water. For this purpose, it can be provided that the air for these nozzles is sucked in outside the chamber and / or that the sucked-in air is dried.

A special immersion station can advantageously be provided, in which the objects are brought into contact with the paint and paint particles. Such a diving station comprises a holder which holds the object to be printed and which can be guided into the water together with this object, to carry out the hydraulic printing process, in which the water with its resistance creates the contact pressure for the paint and paint particles against the surface to be printed.

The immersion station can advantageously be arranged behind the chamber in the conveying direction of the printing film, so that the chamber does not have to be opened or closed in each case in order to introduce the article to be printed and the contact of the article with the printing film or the lacquer and

To allow color particles.

A smaller pool, which is referred to as a plunge pool and can be assigned to the dive station, can advantageously be separated in the water pool, since in this plunge pool the holder dips the object into the water. The water volume within the entire water basin can remain undivided, i.e. H. the plunge pool does not have to be a pot that is closed at the side and at the bottom, but only serves to calm the flow, so that, for example, two walls running across the water pool can distinguish between such a plunge pool. Waves arising when the objects are immersed in the water are largely absorbed within the plunge pool, so that the outside of the plunge pool

The surface of the water remains as calm as possible and insofar as possible the undisturbed placement of the printing film on the water surface is made possible, particularly in the chamber described above.

For this reason, the walls of the plunge pool advantageously extend through the water surface, ie the walls of the plunge pool run both above and below the water level, in order in this way to be able to optimally dampen the waves arising in the plunge pool. One of the walls of the plunge pool can advantageously be movably mounted and connected to an additional water area of the water pool. In an advantageous manner, this will be the wall of the immersion tank that is furthest away from the chamber in order to keep water flows within the chamber as low as possible. This movable wall can be moved in particular in the form of a parallel displacement or a tilting or swiveling or folding process in such a way that it creates a suction effect in the plunge pool and generates a flow that leads away from the plunge pool. Remnants of the water-soluble film or the coloring and varnish particles or other production residues that could have remained in the plunge pool are conveyed out of the plunge pool by this flow, so that no residues remaining in the plunge pool can impair the next printing process.

In the printing device, an optimally constant quality of the components of the printing film used for printing can be ensured by the fact that conditions are as uniform as possible when the carrier layer is separated. The connection between the carrier layer and the rest of the printing film can be influenced, for example, by the temperature and the air humidity. Therefore, a separation station can advantageously be provided, in which the carrier layer is separated from the rest of the printing film, this separation station being air-conditioned independently, for example being arranged in its own housing, in which climatic conditions which are as constant as possible are ensured.

It can be provided to introduce air into this separation station through air nozzles and to lead it into the gap that results between the separated carrier layer and the rest of the printing film, so that the preset and as constant as possible climatic conditions always prevail at this separation point. In particular, it can be provided that the air inside the separation station or at least the air conveyed to the separation point is ionized in order to avoid irregularities due to static charging of the printing film.

Following the separating station, the rest of the printing film can preferably be guided into a buffer zone, where this remaining film can e.g. B. is performed in a loop. This makes it possible for the separation process to be carried out as continuously and uniformly as possible, while the subsequent printing process is carried out discontinuously and intermittently, with enlargement or reduction of the section of the printing film located in the buffer zone.

The conveying device, by means of which the printing film is conveyed, can preferably have two parallel guide rails, between which the printing film is held or on which it rests. In order to enable the conveying device to be optimally adapted to differently dimensioned printing foils, the guide rails can preferably be adjustable relative to one another so that their distance from one another can be adapted to the width of the printing foil.

If the printing film is guided into the water basin, where the actual printing process takes place, it can be advantageous to adjust the mobility of the individual color particles differently in order to adapt to differently shaped objects. In the case of very flat objects, for example, printing can also be carried out without problems with the color particles having limited mobility. If, on the other hand, the object to be printed has a strongly jagged or curved surface, then an optimal adjustment of the color particles is guaranteed if they are particularly freely movable. It can therefore be advantageous to underlay the backing layer of the printing film. dissolve or dissolve differently, which is possible by influencing the length of stay in the water basin.

A slowdown of the conveyor can cause such a longer dwell time. However, can be beneficial to one

Slowing down of the conveying device or slowing down of the cycle times can be dispensed with by the conveying device introducing the printing film into the water basin at different times and / or out again at different times. Even with an otherwise unchanged configuration of the conveying device, this results in a different dwell time of the printing film in the water basin and thus a different degree of dissolution of the carrier layer, which in turn results in different freedom of movement of the individual color particles and thus a correspondingly different adaptability of the

Color particles on the surface of the object to be printed results.

In favor of the different dwell time of the printing film in the water basin, the conveying device can be designed to be movable and adjustable, or a deformable trough can be provided for the water basin, so that in both cases a different location results in which the conveying device places the printing film in the water basin or leads out of this. As an alternative to such adjustability, the V-shaped course of the conveying device or the V-shaped walls of the water basin can ensure a relative mobility between the conveying device and the water basin, so that different residence times of the printing film in the water are made possible.

After the actual printing process, a removal of impurities on the printed object can preferably be provided, for example a removal of adhering residues of the printing film. For this, a

Washing device can be provided, through which the printed objects. The washing device rinses the contaminants from the printed objects with the aid of a liquid. This can be done by spray nozzles. Particularly advantageously and with a uniform effect, however, the washing device can be designed as a plunge pool through which the printed objects are guided. In this case, washing water is introduced into the immersion basin and can advantageously be circulated in order to both effect a constant flow within the immersion basin and to regularly clean or filter the washing water.

The water nozzles can advantageously open into the plunge pool below the water level in order to keep undesirable strong ripples in the water, splashes or foam or bubbles on the water surface as low as possible or to avoid them completely.

The water nozzles can preferably be designed as rinsing nozzles and introduce the water into the plunge pool at an angle to the conveying direction of the objects. If necessary, it can be provided that the washing water flows into the plunge pool with a swirl and forms a real vortex within the plunge pool, which ensures thorough and uniform cleaning of the printed objects regardless of their shape.

As an alternative or in addition, so-called conveying nozzles can be provided, which introduce the water into the immersion basin of the washing device essentially along the conveying direction of the objects. Particularly if the direction of flow of the water coming from these delivery nozzles is opposite to the direction of delivery of the printed objects, a particularly intensive and thorough cleaning is necessary in the

Counterflow ensured. In addition, by combining Flushing and conveying nozzles have an effect that the water vortices generated by the flushing nozzles literally migrate through the plunge pool, so that a high cleaning intensity can be achieved.

The invention is explained in more detail below with the aid of the purely schematic drawings. 1 and 2 show two exemplary embodiments, with non-proportional proportions, of printing foils, FIG. 3 shows a considerably simplified exemplary embodiment of a device for hydraulic printing of objects, which is only shown in detail, and FIGS. 4 to 9 exemplary embodiments of system components used in the Device for hydraulic printing shown in Fig. 3, but can also be used in differently designed free-form printing devices.

In Fig. 1, a total of 1 printing film is designated 1, the one

Carrier layer 2, which can consist of paper or a plastic film. The carrier layer 2 is glued to a water-soluble film 4 by means of an adhesive layer 3, the bond between the adhesive layer 3 and the carrier layer 2 being stronger than between the adhesive layer 3 and the water-soluble film 4, so that the water-soluble film is separated from the carrier layer 2 can be removed by the carrier layer 2 remaining connected to the adhesive layer 3.

The water-soluble film in turn carries a membrane layer 5 which is permeable to water and, in this respect, enables the water-soluble film 4 to be dissolved. Above the membrane layer 5, a sealing layer 6 is shown, in which paint or color particles 7 are contained. The printing film 1 is produced in such a way that the lacquer or Color particles 7 applied and then fixed in position by the material of the sealing layer 6.

The membrane layer 5 represents a minimum cohesion of the paint or color particles 7, so that after the water-soluble film 4 has dissolved, the particles 7 in their intended arrangement can be transferred to an object to be printed as a contour-sharp and possibly photo-realistic image.

For this purpose, these particles 7 or the sealing layer 6 together with the particles 7 are first “reactivated”, ie the particles 7 or the entire sealing layer 6 is brought into a state, for example by spraying on a solvent which is the permanent connection to the object to be printed Connection enabled.

The sealing layer 6 on the one hand picks up the particles 7 and fixes their position. Furthermore, this sealing layer 6 can be reactivated, thus making it possible to connect to the surfaces to be printed. Furthermore, the sealing layer

6 elastic, so that it can be pulled together with the particles 7 onto almost any contoured surface. Finally, the sealing layer 6 forms a protective layer for the printed image, that is to say protects the particles 7 from wear and abrasion.

For the purposes of the present application, the paint or color particles 7 can be paint particles on the one hand, and color pigments on the other, and finally colored particles of another type, for example metallic dust, so that not only can specific colors be produced by pigments, but also, for example, metallic shines Surfaces can be achieved through the printing process.

FIG. 2 shows a second exemplary embodiment of a printing film 1, the same components as in FIG. 1 also being used with the same are provided so that this printing film 1 also has a carrier layer 2, an adhesive layer 3 and a water-soluble film 4. Above the water-soluble film 4, however, only a single layer is shown, namely a so-called compact layer 8, which on the one hand the lacquer or

Contains color particles or metal or metal effect particles and which also contains hardener and accelerator, so that this compact layer 8 can be regarded as a two-component layer which can first be printed on and then hardened by setting certain conditions, for example by heating to 60 ° , A large number of surfaces to be printed withstand such temperatures without any problems, so that, for example, the printed object can be guided through a beam path in which heat-emitting radiators are provided, which bring the print motif to harden.

2, metallic surfaces can be created which are highly wear-resistant due to the two-component hardenability of the compact layer 8.

The sequential processing of different printing foils 1 can be provided: for example, first a printing foil 1 according to FIG. 1 can be used to apply a photorealistic image to an object, then a resistant varnish coating using a printing foil according to FIG. 2 can be used Wear protection layer can be applied to this photo. 2 can be used to create a uniformly colored background on the surface of the object to be printed, for example a uniformly white background for reproducing luminous motifs with bright, bright colors or it can be metallic effective surface by using such a printing film be created, to which the aforementioned image is then applied by means of a film according to FIG. 1.

3 schematically shows a device for performing a hydraulic printing process: a printing film 1 is unrolled from a supply roll 9. At a downstream, only indicated separation station 10, the carrier layer 2 is separated from the printing film 1 together with the adhesive layer 3 and wound onto a take-up roll 11.

The remaining remaining, reduced-layer printing film is designated 1 a; it is guided into a chamber 12 and first blown from below by means of air nozzles 14.

The chamber 12 is arranged above a water basin 15 and the air nozzles 14 prevent both the direct contact of the printing film 1 a with the water and the contact of water vapor with the water-soluble film 4 of the printing film 1 a and thus premature, undesirable dissolving of the film 4.

The printing film 1 a is then placed on the water surface of the water basin 15. For this purpose, some air nozzles 16 are provided in the chamber 12 above the pressure film 1 a, which create an overpressure within the chamber and press the pressure film 1 a smooth, wrinkle and bubble-free onto the water surface of the water basin 15.

A plunge pool 17 is provided behind the chamber 12 in the conveying direction of the printing film 1a. The reactivation of the paint or paint particles or the sealing layer 6 can take place here, for example by means of a solvent to be sprayed, provided that this reactivation has not already taken place beforehand, for example within the chamber 12. A holder, which holds the object to be printed, can be pressed onto the printing film 1 a within the immersion bath 17 and thereby the printing film 1 a into the water of the water bath 15 and especially press in the plunge pool 17. The paint or color particles 7 lay against any shape of contours of the object to be printed, since the printing film 1 a is now extremely deformable. When the printing film 1 a gets into the immersion pool 17, the water-soluble film 4 has largely dissolved or at least lost its cohesion to such an extent that the sealing layer 6 is so strongly, almost freely deformable, or that the paint or color particles 7 are so mobile no longer disabled.

Any protruding portions of the printing film 1a are detached from the object to be printed by the water movements and swirling within the immersion pool 17. The object is first lifted out of the plunge pool 17 with its holder and a movable wall 18 of the plunge pool 17 is then moved, as indicated by a curved arrow 19, so that the plunge pool 17 is opened and in particular a water flow is generated which helps to convey these residues from the plunge pool 17 into an adjacent, water-filled area of the water pool 15. There, in particular, a collection or filter device can be provided which holds such residues so that they cannot get into the plunge pool 17 again or into the chamber 12.

The printing film 1 a is transported within the water basin 15 with the aid of two chains 20 guided in parallel, such a chain 20 being shown in cross section in FIG. 4. The direction of view in the longitudinal direction of the chain is chosen. The chain 20 consists of the individual chain links 21 and of holders 22, the holders 22 being spring-loaded by means of a compression spring 23. This compression spring extends between the chain link 21 on the one hand and an abutment 24 on the other hand, which is provided on the holder 22. Through the

The free, bent end of the holder 22 becomes spring action pressed on the chain link 21. In this way, the printing film 1 or 1a can be safely guided and transported.

In the area of the immersion pool 10, it is provided that the holders 22 are raised relative to the chain links 21, so that the printing film 1a is released. In this way, the printing film 1a is prevented from tearing during its formation. Rather, it can be taken from the object into the water basin 15 when the object strikes the printing film 1 a and is then further immersed in the water basin 15.

In order to open the holder 22, a ramp 25 is provided, as can be seen in FIG. 5. While a guide rail 26 for the chain links 21 continues to run at the same height, the

Ramp 25 an initially rising and then remaining at the same level, so that the abutments 24 of the holder 22 first strike the ram 25, are lifted and then held in their raised position. The guide rail 26 runs below the schematically indicated water surface 27. It is provided to keep the surface of the chain links 21 just below the water surface 27 so that intimate contact between the water-soluble film 4 and the water of the water basin 15 is maintained becomes. The elastic deformability of the printing film 1 or

1 a ensures that the printing film 1 a floats on the water surface 27 and is only held in the region of the two chains 20 below the water surface 27.

By lifting the holder 22, the printing film 1a is in the area of the water basin 17, that is to say it floats freely on the water surface 27. In order to prevent an undesired displacement of the printing film 1a and, for example, to avoid incorrect positioning of the print motif on the object, is another holding device for the

Printing film 1a is provided, which in the area of the immersion ckens 17 replaces the guide by means of the chains 20: In FIG. 6, two parallel strips 28 are indicated schematically, wherein, as indicated by the double arrows, these strips 28 are mounted such that they can move in height. The two strips 28 can be connected to one another by means of corresponding transverse strips to form an oval, circular or rectangular frame. When the printing film 1a is released from the holders 22 of the chains 20, the strips 28 are raised and fix the position of the printing film 1 within the immersion pool 17. Now an object, indicated schematically by 29, can be inserted into the

Plunge pool 17 are immersed. As soon as he comes into contact with the printing film 1a, he takes the printing film 1a with him during his further diving movement. In this case, the printing film 1 a pulls off with its lateral edge regions from the strips 28 and slides over the upper edges of these strips 28. For this purpose, the strips 28 can - at least on their upper edges - be designed with low friction, for example provided with a PTFE coating , or be friction-arm polished, or the like. The strips 28 thus on the one hand secure the film in the immersion pool 17, but on the other hand allow the free movement of the printing film 1 a when it is taken down by the object 29 into the immersion pool 17, so that the printing film 1a and in particular the color particles can easily contact the object 29. A holding arm 30, which carries the object 29 and leads downwards, is indicated schematically in FIG. 6.

Apart from the actual print motifs, a marking is repeatedly provided on the film 1a, which is scanned by cameras or similar optical sensors. This marking has a defined position in comparison to the printing motif, so that slight position corrections of the holding arm 30 can be carried out as a function of this marking, in order to guide the object 29 precisely onto the printing film 1a in such a way that the desired positional correspondence between the print motif on the one hand and object 29 on the other hand is achieved.

The strips 28 are lowered after the printing process in order not to hinder or deform the next sections of the printing film 1 a when these next sections are transported into the plunge pool 17.

Using the ramp 25 of the chains 20 and the strips 28, a printing process takes place in the device of FIG. 3, for example as follows: The printing film 1 a, which has already been freed from its carrier film, reaches the plunge pool 17. The chain 20 is opened, i.e. , H. the holders 22 are raised by the abutments 24 running onto the ramp 25. The film 1a is now stopped when the chain 20 comes to a standstill as soon as its rough positioning within the plunge pool 17 is correct. This rough positioning can be carried out using the markings already mentioned, or else using other markings. The camera mentioned above or the other optical ones already mentioned can be used to recognize this marking

Find sensors. It is a rough positioning in that only a possible position of the printing film 1 a in the plunge pool 17 can be brought about by the transport stop of the chains 20; the mobility of the printing film 1 a on the water surface 27 allows an exact fixation of the

Print motifs within the plunge pool 17 are not too. The fine positioning required is carried out by adapting the object 29 to the position of the print motif, as already described, with the aid of the marking on the printing film 1a.

While the marking on the printing film 1a, which is located within the immersion tank 17, is used for the fine positioning, a marking can be used to control the rough positioning, which is provided on the printing film 1 several printing motifs further away, for example at the beginning of the chamber 12. Through an exact and always repeated spacing of the markings from one another, such an evaluation of “earlier” markings is sufficiently precise to stop the advance of the chains 20 and to position the desired pressure motif within the immersion chamber 17.

Since the chains 20 are now open, the strips 28 or the corresponding frames are raised in order to fix the print motif on the printing film 1a within the immersion bath 17. The color particles 7 or the complete sealing layer 6 or the compact layer 8 is now activated, so that a durable connection of the color particles or the compact layer 8 or the sealing layer 6 with the surface of the object is possible.

The holding arm 30 now lowers the object 29 onto the printing film 1 a. In this case, the holding arm 30 is finely controlled for fine positioning of the object 29 on the print motif, the marking on the print film 1a within the immersion tank 17 assigned to the print motif 29 being used for this fine positioning.

After the actual printing process, the feed of the chains 20 is switched on again, and the movement of the wall 19 supports the removal of film residues. This removal of the film residues can be supported by a water flow within the water basin 15. Such a water flow can also be provided for other reasons: it supports a homogenization of the water temperature and thus ensures that the dissolution process of the water-soluble film 4 can be controlled precisely and always in the same way. In addition, it ensures that as many different and constantly changing water particles as possible come into contact with the water-soluble film 4, so that the dissolution rate of the film 4 can thereby be increased. FIG. 7 shows a second exemplary embodiment of a separating station 10, the separating station 10 being designed in its own climatic zone, as can be seen from an indicated housing. It can be provided to arrange air nozzles 31 within this climatic zone and to direct them into the separation gap between the carrier layer 2 and the rest 1a, with ionized, moisture and temperature-adjusted air being blown into the separation gap from these air nozzles 31.

The actual separation station 10 is followed by a buffer zone 32, in which the remainder 1a of the printing film 1 is guided in a loop. The loop is loaded by an arm 37 with an end-side roller, skid or the like, so that the printing film is guided in a defined manner in the area of this loop. The arm 37 can be mounted so that it can be moved by a motor at its end shown in the drawing on the left, and a first sensor can be provided which determines the tension of the rest 1a in the loop, so that the arm 37 is always tracked by motor and in adaptation to the loop tension becomes.

The loop length is determined by a second sensor 33, which is only indicated schematically, the sensor 33 being able to detect the position of the arm 37, for example. Due to the discontinuous printing process

The loop will grow regularly and be dismantled again, depending on the movement of the conveying device, which conveys the rest 1 a of the printing film 1 to the water basin 15 described above. Should the loop be shortened by a certain minimum dimension or increase by a certain maximum dimension, the signals of the sensor 33 are implemented by a system controller in such a way that the drive of the supply roll 3 or the take-up roll 11 is influenced, so that the overall feed of the Printing film 1 in the area of the separating station 10 can be influenced. These two The two limit positions of the loop or arm 37 are indicated in FIG. 7 by two horizontal lines.

A plunge pool 15 is indicated schematically in FIG. 8, the guide rail 26 running from a raised position below the water level inside the plunge pool 15 and then again above the water level. At 38 joints are indicated, which allow an adjustment of the guide rail in the area of the plunge pool 15, so that the location where the guide rail 26 contacts the pressure film in contact with the pressure can be influenced by differently steep alignment of the inclined sections of the guide rail 26 each running between two joints 38 Brings water. The rest 1a of the printing film 1 dissolves in the water basin 15.

As an alternative to the previously described exemplary embodiment in FIG. 8, provision can be made for the guide rail to be rigid and instead for the water basin to be designed with variable walls, in order in this way to influence the period of time during which the printing film is in contact with the water.

9 shows a washing device 34, which is designed as a plunge pool 39. A conveyor 40 for the printed objects leads through the plunge pool 39, the objects being guided below the water level through the plunge pool 39.

Rinsing nozzles 35 open laterally into the plunge pool 39, the rinsing nozzles 35 deliberately curved or obliquely opening into the plunge pool 39 in order to cause corresponding water vortices which bring about a uniform and intensive cleaning of the objects. On the front side of the immersion basin 39, two conveying nozzles 36 are arranged, through which washing water is directed in the opposite direction to the objects. On the one hand, these delivery nozzles 36 cause rinsing of the objects and, on the other hand, cause a transport of the water vortices, which were formed by the flushing nozzles 35, in the longitudinal direction through the plunge pool 39. The conveying nozzles 36 are thus aligned along the conveying direction 40, but in the opposite direction to the conveying direction of the printed objects, so that the objects are particularly intensively cleaned in countercurrent and freed of adhering impurities.

Claims

claims: 1. printing film (1), with a structure of several layers, namely a carrier layer (2), an adhesive layer (3), a water-soluble film (4) held on the carrier layer (2) by means of the adhesive layer (3), and one upper printing layer, which carries paint or color particles (7). 2. Printing film according to claim 1, characterized in that the water-soluble film (4) is detachably glued to the carrier layer (2), wherein when the water-soluble film (4) is detached from the Backing layer (2) the adhesive layer (3) can be removed from the water-soluble film (4) together with the backing layer (2). 3. Printing film according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the printing layer contains hardeners and accelerators which can be reacted and cured under certain conditions, such as pressures and / or temperatures. 4. Printing film according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the printing layer contains an additive as a first component of a hardener, the additive reacting under certain conditions - such as IR or - together with a second, externally deliverable - such as sprayable - component UV radiation and / or certain temperatures - is curable. - ai - 5. Printing film according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that a sealing layer (6) is applied to the printing layer, which fixes the paint or color particles (7) in their position, and which is elastically deformable. 6. Printing film according to one of the preceding claims, characterized. that the water-soluble film (4) is controlled and can be dissolved in water with little expansion effect. 7. Printing film according to claim 4, characterized in that the sealing layer (6) contains color particles - such as white pigments - as a background for the lacquer or color particles (7) located in the printing layer. 8. Printing film according to one of claims 4 to 6, characterized. that the sealing layer (6) contains additives called plasticizers, which increase the elasticity of the sealing layer (6). 9. Printing film according to one of the preceding claims, characterized. that the printing film (1) is provided with a special color Has areas which are arranged in a regular distribution on the printing film and which are in a certain light radiation - such as UV, IR or black light - are visible. 10. Printing film according to claim 9, characterized in that the special color areas are arranged outside the printing motifs on the printing film (1). 11. Device for the hydraulic printing of objects, with a water basin (15), and with a chamber (17) which is arranged above the water basin (15) and has the inlet and outlet openings for a printing film (1), and with a conveying device which leads the pressure film (1) into the chamber (12), inside the chamber (12) onto or into the water, and out of the water, and with air nozzles (16) which the film (1) onto the water creates an overpressure in the chamber (17). 12. The apparatus according to claim 11, characterized by second air nozzles (14), which are arranged in the transport direction of the printing film (1) in front of the first-mentioned air nozzles (16) and generate a printing film (1) drying and separating from the water where the air Printing film (1) is still above the water. 13. The apparatus of claim 11 or 12, characterized by a in the conveying direction of the printing film (1) behind the chamber (12) arranged immersion station, with a holder for the object to be printed, the holder can be guided with the object in the water. 14. The apparatus according to claim 13, characterized in that in the water basin (15) a smaller one Plunge pool (17) is provided, in which the object is immersed and which forms part of the diving station, the plunge pool (17) being delimited by at least two walls. 15. The apparatus according to claim 14, characterized in that the walls extend through the water surface. 16. The apparatus of claim 14 or 15, characterized in that one of the two walls is movably mounted and borders on a further water-filled area of the water basin (15), the movement of the wall (18) a flow directed away from the plunge pool (17) generated for the removal of dye or film residues. 17. The device according to one of claims 11 to 16, characterized. that a separating station (10) is provided, at which the carrier layer (2) is separated from the printing film. 18. The apparatus according to claim 17, characterized in that the separating station (10) is arranged in its own housing, which is air-conditioned independently compared to the rest of the device. 19. The apparatus according to claim 17 or 18, characterized in that in the separating station (10) air nozzles (31) are provided, the air between the separated carrier layer (2) and the rest (1 a) of the printing film (1) is guided. 20. Device according to one of claims 17 to 19, characterized in that the separating station (10) in the conveying direction of the rest (1 a) of the printing film (1) is provided downstream of a buffer zone (32) in which the rest (1a) of the Printing film (1) is guided in a loop. 21. The apparatus according to claim 20, characterized in that a sensor (33) is provided which registers the length of the loop of the rest (1a) forming in the buffer zone (32), and a system control is provided which and / or exceeding a predetermined loop length on the basis of the sensor signal influences the conveying speed of the printing film (1) in the separating station (10). 22. Device according to one of claims 11 to 21, characterized in that a conveyor for the printing film (1) and the rest (1 a) of the printing film (1) is provided, which has two parallel guide rails, on or between which the printing film (1) or the rest (1a) is guided, the distance between the two guide rails being adjustable. 23. The device according to claim 22, characterized in that the distance between the two guide rails to each other is infinitely adjustable. 24. The device according to one of claims 11 to 23, characterized. that the conveyor, which the printing film (1) in the Chamber (12), inside the chamber (12) on or in the Water, as well as out of the water, is adjustable such that the place where the printing film (1) gets into the water and / the place where the printing film (1) gets out of the water, as well as from there resulting residence time of the printing film (1) in the water is adjustable. 25. Device according to one of claims 11 to 24, characterized in that the conveying device, which leads the printing film (1) into the chamber (12), inside the chamber (12) onto or into the water, and out of the water, and / or the water basin (15) is adjustable relative to one another such that the immersion depth and the resulting residence time of the printing film (1) in the water can be set. 26. Device according to one of claims 11 to 25, characterized in that a washing device (34) is provided downstream of the water basin (15), seen in the conveying direction of the printing film (1), in which the printed objects are loaded with liquid and are adhered to Impurities are cleaned. 27. The device according to claim 26, characterized in that the washing device (34) is designed as a plunge pool through which the printed objects are guided. 28. The apparatus according to claim 27, characterized. that water nozzles designated as rinsing nozzles (35) are provided, which wash water discharge obliquely and / or curvilinearly to the conveying direction of the objects into the plunge pool. 29. The device according to claim 28, characterized in that water nozzles designated as conveying nozzles (36) are provided which introduce water into the immersion pool along the conveying direction of the objects. 30. The device according to claim 29, characterized in that the conveying nozzles (36) introduce the water against the conveying direction of the objects into the plunge pool.