Multiple Couple Patents (Class 101/180)
  • Patent number: 9846402
    Abstract: A static charge eliminator includes an abutment member which abuts on a print target medium so as to eliminate static charge on a lower flow side than a position where the print target medium separates from and comes in contact with a predetermined roller on a conveyance path of the print target medium, and a supporting member which supports the abutment member such that the abutment member rotates around a rotation axis of the roller, in which the supporting member rotates while following a change in a pressing force from the print target medium via the abutment member which occurs when a winding angle using the position where the print target medium separates from and comes in contact with the roller as a reference point is changed in accordance with a winding amount of the print target medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignee: CASIO COMPUTER CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Toshihiko Numazu, Yasuhiro Tsuyuki
  • Patent number: 9044977
    Abstract: A method for assisting the threading of a media web in a continuous feed printer has been developed. The method includes generating an electrical signal that corresponds to a level of tension applied by a media web to a roller positioned along a media path in a printer as the media web travels over the roller. A controller activates at least one actuator to rotate a roller positioned along the media path in response to identifying that the level of tension exceeds a predetermined threshold to facilitate threading of the media web through the printing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2015
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Matthew R. McLaughlin, Victoria L. Warner, Donald R. Fess, James L. Giacobbi
  • Patent number: 8850982
    Abstract: A method of preparing cylinders for printing on a web during auto transfer operations is provided. The method includes the steps of printing images on a web with at least one first printing cylinder; accelerating at least one second printing cylinder so that the at least one second printing cylinder has a surface velocity that equals a velocity of the web; adjusting a phasing of the at least one second printing cylinder with respect to the web during the accelerating step and before the surface velocity of the at least one second printing cylinder equals the velocity of the web; moving the at least one first printing cylinder away from the web and moving the at least one second printing cylinder towards the web; and printing images on the web with the at least one second printing cylinder. A printing press configured for auto transfer is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: Goss International Americas, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Raymond Rancourt, Atef Tanious Massoud, George Athans, Richard Conrad
  • Patent number: 8544385
    Abstract: A web printing press is provided printing a web having a first side and a second side including a first plate cylinder having a first diameter for printing a first image on the first side of the web and a second plate cylinder having a second diameter different from the first diameter for printing a second image on the second side of the web. A method of printing a web is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: Goss International Americas, Inc.
    Inventors: Laura Schuler-Cossette, Wesley Clements
  • Patent number: 8451472
    Abstract: Print verification is done by scanning the printed copies, thereby forming a stream of scanned images of the specific pages. Digitized images from the stream are then spatially aligned page by page, line by line and pixel (pel) by pixel (pel) with corresponding digitized images in a stream of source images. The source and scanned images are compared to find pel sequences that are different. These differences represent defects in the printed copies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2013
    Assignee: InfoPrint Solutions Company, LLC
    Inventor: Gordon Wesley Braudaway
  • Patent number: 8141489
    Abstract: A variable cutoff printing unit is provided including a first upper plate cylinder carrying a first upper image, a first upper blanket cylinder including a first upper blanket print area for transferring the first upper image to a web and a first upper blanket non print area, a second upper plate cylinder carrying a second upper image, a second upper blanket cylinder including a second upper blanket print area for transferring the second upper image to the web and a second upper blanket non print area, a first lower plate cylinder carrying a first lower image, a first lower blanket cylinder including a first lower blanket print area for transferring the first lower image to the web and a first lower blanket non print area, a second lower plate cylinder carrying a second lower image and a second lower blanket cylinder including a second lower blanket print area for transferring the second lower image to the web and a second lower blanket non print area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Assignee: Goss International Americas, Inc.
    Inventors: James Richard Belanger, Matthew Thomas Sharkady
  • Patent number: 8122826
    Abstract: A variable cutoff printing press is provided that includes a plate cylinder, a first blanket cylinder including a first circumferential section movable with respect to a second circumferential section, and a second blanket cylinder including a third circumferential section movable with respect to a fourth circumferential section. The first, second, third and fourth circumferential sections contact the plate cylinder during a printing mode and print continuous images having a cutoff length on a web. A method of printing is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2012
    Assignee: Goss International Americas, Inc.
    Inventor: John Sheridan Richards
  • Patent number: 8069785
    Abstract: A printing group of a printing press is comprised of a transfer cylinder, a forme cylinder and a first roller of an inking unit. That first inking unit roller cooperates, as an ink application roller, with the forme cylinder. The inking unit is provided with two axially traversing friction cylinders which are serially disposed in the ink path to the forme cylinder. The first inking unit roller has substantially the same diameter as the forme cylinder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2011
    Assignee: Koenig & Bauer Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Karl Robert Schäfer, Georg Schneider, Kurt Johannes Weschenfelder
  • Patent number: 8042464
    Abstract: A rotary press including a plurality of printing groups each with a plate cylinder and a blanket cylinder arranged in the machine frame such that respectively two blanket cylinders are configured to be leaned against each other and, in this way, a paper web that is guidable between the blanket cylinders is printable on both sides. Furthermore, the press includes inking units for inking the printing groups and damping units for applying a damping medium. The inking units are configured such that, with at least some of the inking units, two plate cylinders and thus two blanket cylinders at a time are able to be inked up. In this way, a compact, space-saving and economical design of the press is achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2011
    Assignee: Gimaco Ingenieur AG fuer Maschinenbau
    Inventors: Peter Gertsch, Robert Imhof
  • Patent number: 8001891
    Abstract: A printing machine system includes a first printing machine which is configured as a newspaper printing machine and which has at least two first printing units that are structured as printing towers, each with a plurality of superimposed printing groups that are usable for multicolor printing. The first printing machine also includes a first folder structure which is arranged in a machine alignment of the at least two first printing units. A second printing machine has at least one second printing unit and a second folder structure. The first printing units and the at least one second printing unit are arranged in one row. The first printing units, which are configured as printing towers, differ from the at least one second printing unit in at least one of their effective printing length and a circumference of imaging printing group cylinders.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2011
    Assignee: Koenig & Bauer Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Günther Oskar Eckert, Burkard Otto Herbert, Kurt Johannes Weschenfelder
  • Patent number: 7938064
    Abstract: A printing unit of a web-fed rotary press has a plurality of press units, each press unit having a form cylinder, a transfer cylinder, an inking unit and optionally a damping unit, and having at least one impression cylinder. Each form cylinder rolls on the respective transfer cylinder and each transfer cylinder rolling on an impression cylinder in a thrown-on position of the printing unit, in order to apply single-color printed images onto a printing material which is moved through between the transfer cylinders and the or each impression cylinder. Each form cylinder bears a plurality of printing images next to one another in the axial direction, by which corresponding single-color printed images are applied to the printing material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2011
    Assignee: MAN Roland Druckmaschinen AG
    Inventors: Stefan Albrecht, Rainer Burger, Norbert Dylla, Helmut Stuhlmiller
  • Patent number: 7921771
    Abstract: A web-fed rotary printing machine has at least one printing unit and at least one turning bar that is usable to redirect a travel direction of a web that is to be conveyed. The turning bar has an effective length, for redirecting the web. A projection of this effective length corresponds with the width of the incoming web which is of at least four adjacently arranged printed pages in newspaper format.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2011
    Assignee: Koenig & Bauer Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Günther Oskar Eckert
  • Patent number: 7845274
    Abstract: A web-fed printing press, in particular a newspaper printing press having at least two printing press subsystems, is disclosed. Each printing press subsystem has a printing unit comprised of several printing mechanisms, a web guidance unit for conveying printed and unprinted substrate webs and a turning bar unit having several turning bars. The printing press subsystems guide the printed substrate webs over at least one shared folding unit. At least one printing press subsystem is designed differently in comparison with the other or each other printing press subsystem such that substrate webs are printable with a different number of print pages in the printing press subsystems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2010
    Assignee: Man Roland Druckmaschinen AG
    Inventors: Jens Elschner, Andreas Mueller, Ralf Schaedlich, Uwe Schenderlein, Ralf Werner
  • Patent number: 7735418
    Abstract: A printing unit, which is a part of a multi-color printing press, has a plurality of double printing units which are arranged vertically one above the other and consist of two printing groups forming a double print position. The printing group cylinders are mounted together in a central stand section. Inking units, which are associated with the printing groups, are mounted in outer stand sections. A distance between adjacent ones of these stand sections is adjustable. Printing and transfer cylinders of each printing group are coupled by a toothed gear wheel connection and are driven in pairs by a separate drive motor. The toothed gear wheels of all of the printing group cylinders are arranged in a common lubricant chamber which is formed by the central stand section and a cover. The inking systems have at least one separate drive motor, which is independent of the printing group cylinders.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2010
    Assignee: Koenig & Bauer Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Thomas Heinrich Hoffmann, Jürgen Alfred Stiel
  • Patent number: 7373880
    Abstract: A printing press includes a frame that supports one or more printing units. Each printing unit includes a retractable inker module cantileverly supported by the frame, an ink injection system having a pump, a sidelay registration mechanism for one or more plate cylinders of the printing unit, an extension sleeve extending a length of a plate cylinder sleeve, and an expandable layer for each blanket cylinder and plate cylinder that provides changing the inner diameter of the blanket cylinder and the plate cylinder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2008
    Assignee: Goss International Corporation
    Inventor: Thaddeus A. Niemiro
  • Patent number: 7341001
    Abstract: A printing unit arrangement in a web-fed rotary printing press includes at least one printing unit 2a having a first and second plate cylinder 4,6 and associated first and second blanket cylinders 8, 10 which are mechanically coupled via meshing gear wheels and which are commonly driven by one drive motor 12. A second printing unit of the printing unit arrangement includes a first and second plate cylinder 24, 26 and associated first and second blanket cylinders 28, 30. The first plate cylinder 24 and the first and second blanket cylinders 28, 30 are mechanically coupled via meshing gea wheels and are commonly driven by a first drive motor 42. The second plate cylinder 26 is individually driven by a second drive motor 46, and is engageable and disengageable from the associated second blanket cylinder 30 while the printing press is in operation, in order to perform flying edition changes or changes of a spot color.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2008
    Assignee: Goss International Americas, Inc.
    Inventors: William A. Charette, Mark B. Dumais, Michael R. Lemelin, Jackson H. Jones
  • Patent number: 7334519
    Abstract: A rotary press is provided. In the rotary press, tension of paper passing through printing units is always maintained to be constant, and position of a printing pin of each printing unit is consistently maintained to thus prevent a pin secession phenomenon of a printed image from occurring, in such a manner that an output image of the rotary press becomes clear. Also, it is easy to change the structure of a one-side color printing rotary press into that of a double-side color printing rotary press. As a result, the rotary press can be used widely on a general purpose.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2008
    Inventor: Chung Cho
  • Patent number: 7159514
    Abstract: A printing machine is comprised of several printing groups, at least one dryer and at least one folding apparatus. At least two of the printing groups are arranged side by side in the axial direction of the cylinders in the printing groups. A longitudinal direction of the dryer extends perpendicular to the axes of rotation of at least one cylinder group which defines a printing gap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2007
    Assignee: Koenig & Bauer Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Günther Oskar Eckert, Edgar Mayländer
  • Patent number: 7044054
    Abstract: A printing group of an offset rotary printing machine includes at least one forme cylinder, one transfer cylinder and at least one inking system. Two of these printing groups are arranged opposite to each other. The arrangement of the printing group in relation to each other can be arranged in an axial direction which is parallel to the axes of rotation of the cylinders.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2006
    Assignee: Koenig & Bauer Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Jürgen Alfred Stiel
  • Patent number: 7017482
    Abstract: A printing unit arrangement in a web-fed rotary printing press includes at least one printing unit 2a having a first and second plate cylinder 4, 6 and associated first and second blanket cylinders 8, 10 which are mechanically coupled via meshing gear wheels and which are commonly driven by one drive motor 12. A second printing unit of the printing unit arrangement includes a first and second plate cylinder 24, 26 and associated first and second blanket cylinders 28, 30. The first plate cylinder 24 and the first and second blanket cylinders 28, 30 are mechanically coupled via meshing gear wheels and are commonly driven by a first drive motor 42. The second plate cylinder 26 is individually driven by a second drive motor 46, and is engageable and disengageable from the associated second blanket cylinder 30 while the printing press is in operation, in order to perform flying edition changes or changes of a spot color.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2006
    Assignee: Goss International Americas, Inc.
    Inventors: William Albert Charette, Mark Bernard Dumais, Michael Robert Lemelin, Jackson Hacker Jones
  • Patent number: 6983689
    Abstract: A web-fed rotary printing press is used for printing a web and consists of at least two satellite cylinders and of at least six cylinders, each of which defines a printing location in cooperation with the satellite cylinders. Each printing location can be brought into a printing-on or a printing-off position. The six or more printing locations can be positioned to all print the same side of the web. At least five of the printing locations, that can be positioned on the same side of the web, are arranged in direct succession along the path of travel of the web.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2006
    Assignee: Koenig & Bauer Aktienesellschaft
    Inventors: Matthias Willi Horn, Klaus Georg Matthias Müller
  • Patent number: 6966258
    Abstract: A printing unit arrangement in a web-fed rotary printing press includes at least one printing unit 2a having a first and second plate cylinder 4, 6 and associated first and second blanket cylinders 8, 10 which are mechanically coupled via meshing gear wheels and which are commonly driven by one drive motor 12. A second printing unit of the printing unit arrangement includes a first and second plate cylinder 24, 26 and associated first and second blanket cylinders 28, 30. The first plate cylinder 24 and the first and second blanket cylinders 28, 30 are mechanically coupled via meshing gear wheels and are commonly driven by a first drive motor 42. The second plate cylinder 26 is individually driven by a second drive motor 46, and is engageable and disengageable from de associated second blanket cylinder 30 while the printing press is in operation, in order to perform flying edition changes or changes of a spot color.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2005
    Assignee: Goss International Americas, Inc.
    Inventors: William Albert Charette, Mark Bernard Dumais, Michael Robert Lemelin, Jackson Hacker Jones
  • Patent number: 6938543
    Abstract: A web fed printing machine includes a web path provided between two sequentially disposed printing units and a misregistration detector for detecting misregistration in superimposition printing performed by the printing units. During superimposition printing, cylinder fine-move mechanisms finely move corresponding plate cylinders based on detected misregistration in order to adjust the registration. A web path length modification mechanism is provided in the web path. A control unit is connected to the web path length modification mechanism, the misregistration detector, and a paster. When a pasting signal is generated, the plate cylinder fine-move mechanisms stop making registration adjustment. At predetermined timing, the misregistration detector detects misregistration in printing performed by the printing units. The web path length modification mechanism performs a misregistration elimination action based on detected misregistration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2005
    Assignee: Tokyo Kikai Seisakusho, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takafumi Inagaki, Noriyuki Kasai
  • Patent number: 6935234
    Abstract: A lithographic newspaper printing press including printing units which are mounted on top of each other, forming a tower arrangement. Each printing unit including a first and a second plate cylinder having a length being substantially four times the width of a newspaper page and having a circumference being substantially equal to the height of a newspaper page. Each printing unit further includes first and a second blanket cylinder associated with said first and second plate cylinders, whereby each of said first and second blanket cylinders has substantially the same diameter as the associated plate cylinder. Each of the blanket cylinders carries a respective continuous sleeve-shaped printing blanket which is axially removable from the respective plate cylinder through an aperture formed in the side wall of the housing of the printing unit, while the respective blanket cylinder is cantilevered in the opposite side wall of the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2005
    Assignee: Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG
    Inventors: Peter W. Walczak, Charles Henry Dufour, Michael Stevenson, John Sheridan Richards, Roland Thomas Palmatier
  • Patent number: 6802253
    Abstract: A rotary printing machine, in particular in a reel-fed newspaper offset rotary press is provided with a device for correcting the web width. A rotatively mounted rotational body configuration is arranged in the path of the web between two print printing nips (2, 3) on one side of the web. The rotational body configuration (5; 6) has a wave-like profile that is transverse to the running direction of the web.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2004
    Assignee: Maschinenfabrik Wifag
    Inventor: Robert Langsch
  • Patent number: 6796226
    Abstract: A method of printing with a rotary printing press having a plurality of printing cylinders that are adapted to be adjusted on and off from a running web, with a length of a printed image being larger than a peripheral length of the largest one of the printing cylinders, the method including the steps of subdividing the printed image into elements, printing these elements with different printing cylinders, and periodically shifting at least one of the printing cylinders off from the web, each time for at least a duration of one turn of the printing cylinder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2004
    Assignee: Fischer & Krecke GmbH & Co.
    Inventors: Wilfried Kolbe, Klaus Schirrich, Harald Bollhöfener, Hartmut Grosse
  • Patent number: 6789475
    Abstract: A satellite printing machine for printing sheets includes a single central common counter-pressure cylinder and at least four satellite printing groups arranged in a peripherally distributed manner about the counter-pressure cylinder in a rotational direction thereof from a feed cylinder to an output cylinder. The counter-pressure cylinder is provided in the form of a rubber blanket cylinder. At least one additional satellite printing group cooperates with the counter-pressure cylinder for at least single-color back side printing, and is disposed in the rotational direction of the counter-pressure cylinder before the feed system and after the output cylinder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2004
    Inventor: Ebe Hesterman
  • Patent number: 6782817
    Abstract: A printing machine includes two printing units, each comprising a web feed section, a web printing section connected to the web feed section and a web treating section connected to the web printing section, in which a single-side surface of a continuous web is printed at each of the web printing sections. The printing machine also includes a turn/transfer section at which two the printing units are operatively connected and the continuous web printed by one of the two web printing sections is transferred to the other one thereof through turning and transferring treatment of the continuous web. The printing machine is capable of carrying out double-side printing and single side printing and improving printing efficiency with a relatively small location space or site.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2004
    Assignee: Miyakoshi Printing Machinery Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideo Izawa, Yuichi Yamazaki, Yasushi Katagiri
  • Patent number: 6766737
    Abstract: The circumferential register of a web passing through printing units of a web-fed rotary press is accomplished by determining an actual value of the tension in the web. An angular position or an angular velocity of a cylinder of a first print unit, with respect to a cylinder of a second print unit, is varied based on this determined tension. This corrects any register offset without the need to control web tension and without the use of an optical recognition system. The value of the needed change for the cylinder angular position or velocity is determined as a function of the measured tension of the web.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2004
    Assignee: Koenig & Bauer Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Erhard Herbert Glöckner, Reinhard Georg Gross
  • Patent number: 6745688
    Abstract: A web-fed rotary printing press (1) for alternatively printing, in a perfecting mode, a single web (10) or, in a non-perfecting mode, first and second webs (6, 8), comprises a first impression cylinder (16) having a plurality of first blanket cylinders (22a, 22b, 22c, 22d) and a corresponding plurality of second plate cylinders (24a, 24b, 24c, 24d) arranged along a periphery of the first impression cylinder (16). A second impression cylinder (18) located adjacent to the first impression cylinder (16) has a plurality of second blanket cylinders (28a, 28b, 28c, 28d) and a corresponding plurality of second plate cylinders (30a, 30b, 30c, 30d) arranged along a periphery thereof. In the perfecting mode, the single web (10) is passed over first impression cylinder (16) to be printed on a first side (10a) thereof and is afterwards passed through a gap (20) between the first and second impression cylinders (16, 18) to the second impression cylinder (18) to be printed on a second side (10b) thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 1998
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2004
    Assignee: Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG
    Inventors: Michael Robert Lemelin, Dale Hiett Jackson, Mark Bernard Dumais, John Sheridan Richards
  • Publication number: 20040089173
    Abstract: The invention related to a web-fed rotary press for printing a web. Said press comprising at least two satellite cylinders (06,08) and at least six cylinders (03,07), each of which forms a printing point (D1 to D6) with the satellite cylinders. According to the invention, each printing point can be brought into a printing-on and printing-off position. The six or more printing points can be positioned on the same side of the web (04), whereby at least five of the printing points that can be positioned on the same side of the web are arranged in direct succession along the path of the web.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 11, 2003
    Publication date: May 13, 2004
    Inventors: Matthias Willi Horn, Klaus Georg Matthias Muller
  • Patent number: 6715417
    Abstract: A reading time setting section (44) determines a read area for an imaging section (25) on the basis of color chart positional data (id). The imaging section (25) reads an image on printing paper during the reading time and readout image data (rd) is stored in an image data storage section (45). A reference mark detecting section (46) detects the positions of reference marks from the readout image data (rd). A color chart actual position calculation section (47) corrects a tilt of a color chart determined from the positions of the reference marks and calculates an actual position of each of color chart fields (cr). An image data readout section (48) reads out image data on a color chart field corresponding to the calculated actual position. At the same time, image data on a white color field immediately above the color chart field is also read out.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2004
    Assignee: Dainippon Screen Mfg. Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tsuyoshi Okuda
  • Patent number: 6694876
    Abstract: An apparatus for changing operational plate cylinders during rotary press operation is provided. This apparatus is possible to substantially equalize an actual print count to a set print count before change of operational plate cylinders. This can eliminate waste to print undesired recording paper (paper loss) and lead to cost down. A rotary press includes at least two or more plate cylinders (P), drive means (13, 13′) for driving the plate cylinders (P) and switching means (15) for selectively switching the plate cylinders (P) in a printable state and in an unprintable state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2004
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Tokyo Kikai Seisakusho
    Inventor: Hideo Kawamori
  • Publication number: 20040020383
    Abstract: A printing group of an offset rotary printing machine includes at least one forme cylinder, one transfer cylinder and at least one inking system. Two of these printing groups are arranged opposite to each other. The arrangement of the printing group in relation to each other can be arranged in an axial direction which is parallel to the axes of rotation of the cylinders.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 22, 2003
    Publication date: February 5, 2004
    Inventor: Jurgen Alfred Stiel
  • Patent number: 6679172
    Abstract: The control apparatus, in a rotary press having a plurality of printing units, performs a first calculation of subtracting the number of effective copies from the required number of copies for an operating printing unit and a second calculation of subtracting the number of copies of the operating printing unit from the result of the first calculation until a standby printing unit being ready to be operated, then outputs a first signal when the second calculation results 0 or less, a second signal when the first calculation results 0 or less, a control message to accelerate the printing unit to a predetermined operation speed to the printing control unit of the standby printing receiving the first signal, and a control message to decelerate and stop the printing unit to the printing control unit of the operating printing unit receiving the second signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2004
    Assignee: Tokyo Kikai Seisakusho, Ltd.
    Inventor: Shizurou Tokiwa
  • Patent number: 6655278
    Abstract: An apparatus for positional adjustment of a plate cylinder in both lateral and circumferential directions thereof for image registration in a multicolor, offset rotary printing press. A lateral adjustment mechanism includes a spur gear which is motor driven bidirectionally, and which travels laterally back and forth, to cause lateral displacement of the plate cylinder. The gear has a pin erected eccentrically thereon for abutment against a fixed limit stop on the press frame in order to limit the bidirectional rotation of the gear and hence to prevent the plate cylinder from being driven laterally beyond limits. A circumferential adjustment mechanism includes another spur gear which is motor driven bidirectionally, and which also travels laterally back and forth, to cause circumferential displacement of the plate cylinder. This second gear has a double-ended pin extending eccentrically therethrough and having its ends projecting in opposite directions therefrom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2003
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Tokyo Kikai Seisakusho
    Inventor: Takanobu Kawabata
  • Patent number: 6615717
    Abstract: A parallel duplex paper path device is provided for feeding a recording medium along a feed direction from a first printing device to a second printing device, which are arranged in parallel. The paper path device comprises at least two turning stations that are each assigned to one of the first or second printer. The turning stations are configured symmetrically to allow for reversing the feed direction and to allow for a device which can be assembled using standardized sub-assemblies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2003
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventor: Patrick Perdu
  • Patent number: 6550383
    Abstract: A series of offset perfecting press units are stacked for printing multicolor images on both surfaces of a web traveling successively therethrough. Each printing unit has two plate cylinders each split into a pair of halves, and two blanket cylinders in rolling contact with the respective plate cylinders and, via the web, with each other. The plate cylinder halves are capable of independent displacement both axially and circumferentially of the plate cylinder for image registration both transversely and longitudinally of the web. The four plate cylinder halves are driven independently from as many drive motors via respective drive linkages. Two of the four drive motors are further coupled via two associated ones of the drive linkages to the blanket cylinders. Motor power is first transmitted to the blanket cylinders, which are less in diameter than the plate cylinders, then to the two plate cylinder halves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2003
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Tokyo Kikai Seisakusho
    Inventor: Mitsuo Kitai
  • Patent number: 6539857
    Abstract: An offset printing press includes a plurality of printing units. These printing units are typically each so-called five cylinder printing units. The spacing distance between two adjacent ones of these five cylinder printing units can be adjusted or modified.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2003
    Assignee: Koenig & Bauer Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Kurt Johannes Weschenfelder
  • Publication number: 20030010235
    Abstract: A printing press may be provided with a first rotatable printing roller that prints ink of a first color on a web of material and causes a first pair of registration marks to be periodically printed in the first color on the web, a second rotatable printing roller that prints ink of a second color on the web of material and causes a second pair of registration marks to be periodically printed in the second color on the web, a third rotatable printing roller that prints ink of a third color on the web of material and causes a third pair of registration marks to be periodically printed in the third color on the web, an imaging device positioned to detect the registration marks printed on the web that generates image data representing the registration marks, and a controller operatively coupled to the printing rollers and the imaging device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 13, 2001
    Publication date: January 16, 2003
    Inventor: Steven J. Siler
  • Publication number: 20020152905
    Abstract: An apparatus for changing operational plate cylinders during rotary press operation is provided. This apparatus is possible to substantially equalize an actual print count to a set print count before change of operational plate cylinders. This can eliminate waste to print undesired recording paper (paper loss) and lead to cost down. A rotary press includes at least two or more plate cylinders (P), drive means (13, 13′) for driving the plate cylinders (P) and switching means (15) for selectively switching the plate cylinders (P) in a printable state and in an unprintable state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 6, 2001
    Publication date: October 24, 2002
    Inventor: Hideo Kawamori
  • Patent number: 6467408
    Abstract: A rotary printing unit consists of a pair of modules, each of which has two pairs of cooperating formed and transfer cylinders and a counter-pressure cylinder. A multi-variable cylinder arrangement is utilized. The counter-pressure cylinder in each of the five-cylinder modules can be placed on either side of a line extending between the axes of rotation of the transfer cylinders in the two pairs of cooperating formed cylinders and transfer cylinders in each module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2002
    Assignee: Koenig & Bauer Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Bernd Anton Hillebrand
  • Patent number: 6446553
    Abstract: A drive system for use with a printing apparatus is disclosed. The drive system includes a plurality of process units, with each unit being adapted for effecting a respective repeat operation on a web of material fed along a path defined at least in part by the process units. The drive system further includes an electrically powered rotary motor corresponding to each of the process units or to one or more rotary elements within a process unit. A control system operates to regulate the running speed and angular phasing of each of the motors individually in relation to a predetermined master standard programmed into the control system. The control system is adapted to vary the relative phase angles of the outputs of one or more of the rotary motors by a preselected factor proportionate to the overall running speed of the apparatus in order to maintain accurate registration of each of the process units relative to the web material throughout a substantial range of operating speeds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2002
    Inventors: John Ian Costin, Howard Stephen Carsley, Peter Andrew Donaldson
  • Patent number: 6435094
    Abstract: An apparatus for processing a web of material by applying a liquid material to the web, heating the web, cooling the web and moistening the web is provided with an applicator that applies the liquid material to the web, a drying apparatus that heats the web to an initial temperature of greater than about 250° F. and causes the web to have a moisture content of no greater than about 1.5%, a first cooling apparatus that causes the initial temperature of the web to be reduced to a second temperature no greater than about 210° F. and no less than about 100° F., a moistening apparatus that causes the moisture content of the web to be increased to at least about 2.5%, and a second cooling apparatus that causes the web to be cooled to a temperature not greater than about 100° F.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2002
    Assignee: Hurletron, Incorporated
    Inventors: Steven J. Siler, David M. Klein
  • Publication number: 20020053294
    Abstract: A web offset printing press for dual webs includes several printing units, each printing a color image on outer sides of a pair of webs. The webs travel through these printing units in a back-to-back arrangement. Additional printing units print another color image on the outer side. The webs may be separated during this process, with a pair of printing couples used for each web, so that one couple may print the additional image while the plate of the other is changed. The additional printing units also print a single-color image on the opposite side of each web.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 1999
    Publication date: May 9, 2002
    Inventor: JOHN SHERIDAN RICHARDS
  • Patent number: 6363848
    Abstract: A first printing unit of an offset printing press has five cylinders, which include two forme cylinders, two transfer cylinders and a counter-pressure cylinder. These five cylinders are arranged in a manner forming a shape of a “W”.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2002
    Assignee: Koenig & Bauer Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Kurt Johannes Weschenfelder
  • Patent number: 6345574
    Abstract: A printing unit arrangement in a web-fed rotary printing press includes at least one printing unit 2a having a first and second plate cylinder 4, 6 and associated first and second blanket cylinders 8, 10 which are mechanically coupled via meshing gear wheels and which are commonly driven by one drive motor 12. A second printing unit of the printing unit arrangement includes a first and second plate cylinder 24, 26 and associated first and second blanket cylinders 28, 30. The first plate cylinder 24 and the first and second blanket cylinders 28, 30 are mechanically coupled via meshing gear wheels and are commonly driven by a first drive motor 42. The second plate cylinder 26 is individually driven by a second drive motor 46, and is engageable and disengageable from the associated second blanket cylinder 30 while the printing press is in operation, in order to perform flying edition changes or changes of a spot color.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2002
    Assignee: Heidelberger, Druckmaschinen AG
    Inventors: William Albert Charette, Mark Bernard Dumais, Michael Robert Lemelin, Jackson Hacker Jones
  • Publication number: 20010045166
    Abstract: At specific time intervals register commands are fed to a plate cylinder in a printing machine in the circumferential direction and/or the lateral direction and adjust the cylinder by a small amount. All the remaining plate cylinders can be readjusted with the aid of the register control. Alternatively, the same control commands may also be fed to all the plate cylinders involved in printing, in order to carry out a desired continuous or stepwise adjustment of the cylinders in the lateral direction and/or the circumferential direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2001
    Publication date: November 29, 2001
    Applicant: MAN Roland Druckmaschinen AG
    Inventors: Matthias Albus, Martin Endisch
  • Patent number: 6308619
    Abstract: A lithographic web-fed rotary printing press (1) comprises an apparatus (8a, 8b, 8c, 8d) for diverting a wet printed web (4), e. g. in order to pass it around a downstream printing unit (2b) of the press (1). Each diverting apparatus (8a, 8b, 8c, 8d) includes a diverting roll (I 2) having a hydrophilic surface, to which water solution 14, preferably dampening solution, as it is used in dampening systems of a lithographic rotary printing press, is supplied by a spray nozzle arrangement (22), or by an applicator roller (16) which is in contact with a pan roller (20) for transferring the water solution (14) from a reservoir (18).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2001
    Assignee: Heidelberger Drukmaschinen AG
    Inventor: David Robert Dawley
  • Patent number: 6220157
    Abstract: A printing press includes a pair of in-line central impression cylinders which rotate about parallel axes. A web which is printed on the central impression cylinders is advanced from one of the cylinders to the other along a path which is perpendicular to the axes. The web is advanced from an unwind to the first central impression cylinder along a path which is parallel to the axes, and the web is advanced from the second central impression cylinder to a rewind along a path which is parallel to the axis. The web path between the central impression cylinders is relatively short, and the printed side of the web does not contact any rolls except possibly a laydown roll before the second impression cylinder. The central impression cylinders and the plate rolls are driven by different servo motors, and a controller controls the servo motors for adjusting the repeat of the printed images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2001
    Assignee: Paper Converting Machine Company
    Inventors: Christopher Delwiche, Gregory Ginnow, David C. O'Donnell, Jon Vander Pas