U.S. patent application number 12/445957 was filed with the patent office on 2010-07-29 for printing press and paper-splicing method for reel stand unit.
This patent application is currently assigned to MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES ,LTD.. Invention is credited to Koji Nishiyama, Minoru Sato.
Application Number | 20100187348 12/445957 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 39324597 |
Filed Date | 2010-07-29 |
United States Patent
Application |
20100187348 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Sato; Minoru ; et
al. |
July 29, 2010 |
PRINTING PRESS AND PAPER-SPLICING METHOD FOR REEL STAND UNIT
Abstract
A paper splicing method for a printing press and a reel stand
unit that prevents misregistration at a paper-splicing section in
the top-to-bottom direction and that enables improvement of
printing quality and stable printing are provided. Provided is a
printing press including a reel stand unit configured to bond a web
fed out from an old reel to a new reel and continuously feed paper
by splicing paper from the old reel to the new reel, wherein the
distance in the length direction of an overlapping section of the
old reel and the new reel spliced by the reel stand unit is smaller
than the minimum distance between driving rollers provided in the
printing press. The driving rollers are, in particular, the
distance between a printing unit and a blanket cylinder.
Inventors: |
Sato; Minoru; (Hiroshima,
JP) ; Nishiyama; Koji; (Hiroshima, JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
KANESAKA BERNER AND PARTNERS LLP
1700 DIAGONAL RD, SUITE 310
ALEXANDRIA
VA
22314-2848
US
|
Assignee: |
MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES
,LTD.
Minato-ku ,Tokyo
JP
|
Family ID: |
39324597 |
Appl. No.: |
12/445957 |
Filed: |
October 24, 2007 |
PCT Filed: |
October 24, 2007 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/JP2007/070734 |
371 Date: |
April 17, 2009 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
242/554.2 ;
242/555 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65H 2801/21 20130101;
B65H 19/20 20130101; B65H 2301/4148 20130101; B65H 19/1815
20130101; B65H 19/1868 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
242/554.2 ;
242/555 |
International
Class: |
B65H 19/10 20060101
B65H019/10; B65H 19/18 20060101 B65H019/18; B65H 19/20 20060101
B65H019/20; B65H 21/00 20060101 B65H021/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Oct 25, 2006 |
JP |
2006-290441 |
Claims
1. A printing press comprising: a reel stand unit configured to
bond a web fed out from an old reel to a new reel and continuously
feed paper by splicing paper from the old reel to the new reel,
wherein the distance in the length direction of an overlapping
section of the old reel and the new reel spliced by the reel stand
unit is smaller than the minimum distance between driving rollers
provided in the printing press.
2. The printing press according to claim 1, further comprising: a
cutter configured to cut the old reel spliced to the new reel; and
a control unit configured to control the cutting timing of the
cutter, wherein the control unit controls the cutting timing of the
cutter such that the distance in the length direction of the
overlapping section of the old reel and the new reel is smaller
than the minimum distance between the driving rollers provided in
the printing press.
3. The printing press according to claim 2, wherein the control
unit determines the cutting timing of the cutter on the basis of at
least one of cutter delay time, preparation length, and a
cutter-to-brush distance.
4. A splicing method for a reel stand unit configured to bond a web
fed out from an old reel to a new reel and continuously feed paper
by splicing paper from the old reel to the new reel, the method
comprising: cutting the old reel after the old reel is bonded to
the new reel such that the distance of an overlapping section of
the old reel and the new reel is smaller than the minimum distance
between driving rollers provided on a path where the web passes
until the web is finally cut.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present invention relates to a printing press including
reel stand units that perform paper splicing while running webs and
to a paper-splicing method for reel stand units.
BACKGROUND ART
[0002] A web offset press includes reel stand units for supplying
paper rolls (reels) composed of rolled webs to printing units (for
example, refer to Patent Document 1). Each reel stand unit is
configured to hold, for example, three paper rolls. When paper is
fed from a first paper roll, a second paper roll is in a
paper-splicing preparation state, and a third paper roll is loaded.
When the remaining amount of the web on the first paper roll
decreases, the web on the second paper roll is spliced. While the
web is supplied from the second paper roll, the first paper roll is
loaded and prepared for paper splicing. In this way, the web is
continuously fed from the reel stand unit to the printing unit.
[0003] Splicing is carried out by a paster during continuous
operation. FIGS. 5A and 5B illustrate a prepared paper roll. A
tape-like sheet member 101 is bonded to the outer edge of a paper
roll 100. An adhesive layer is formed on the front surface of the
sheet member 101, and a tape-like bonding material 102 is attached
to the back side. By attaching the bonding material 102 to the
paper roll 100, the paper roll 100 does not unwind during
standby.
[0004] As shown in FIGS. 6A to 6C, during splicing, running paper
105 of the old reel is attached to the adhesive layer of the sheet
member 101 by the paster (not shown). At this time, as a result of
the bonding material 102 being torn and the sheet member 101 being
separated from the paper roll 100, the paper roll 100 attaches to
the running paper 105 and is continuously fed out. Then, the old
reel is cut by a cutter provided in the paster, and slicing is
completed.
[0005] Patent Document 1:
[0006] Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, Publication No.
2004-155564
DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION
[0007] With such a rotary printing press, it has been discovered
that when paper splicing is performed, misregistration occurs in
the top-to-bottom direction at the paper-spliced section, sometimes
resulting in a phenomenon whereby the printing quality decreases.
Furthermore, in some cases, problems such as unstable behavior of
the running paper and unstable cutting Occur.
[0008] The present invention has been conceived in light of the
circumstances described above, and an object thereof is to provide
a printing press and a paper splicing method for a reel stand unit
that are capable of preventing misregistration in the top-to-bottom
direction at the paper-spliced section and that enable an increase
in printing quality and stable printing.
[0009] As a result of the inventors having carried out extensive
investigation on the cause of the above-described problem, it was
discovered that when a double-layered spliced web is stretched over
two pairs of driving rollers (for example, blanket cylinders of a
printing unit, drag rollers provided on the web path, or nipping
rollers in a folding unit), the feeding amount changes
significantly, causing misregistration in the top-to-bottom
direction. This may be caused by an increase in the paper feeding
force and paper pulling force due to two sheets of running paper
simultaneously contacting the driving rollers of the printing unit,
etc., a change in the property of the paper due to the amount of
water absorption of and the amount of ink on the running paper
being halved, and an increase in rattling of the driving
system.
[0010] To solve these problems, the following solutions are
provided in the present invention.
[0011] Namely, a first aspect of the present invention provides a
printing press including a reel stand unit configured to bond a web
fed out from an old reel to a new reel and continuously feeds paper
by splicing paper from the old reel to the new reel, wherein the
distance in the length direction of an overlapping section of the
old reel and the new reel spliced by the reel stand unit is smaller
than the minimum distance between driving rollers provided in the
printing press.
[0012] A second aspect of the present invention provides a splicing
method for a reel stand unit configured to bond a web fed out from
an old reel to a new reel and continuously feeds paper by splicing
paper from the old reel to the new reel, the method including
cutting the old reel after the old reel is bonded to the new reel
such that the distance of an overlapping section of the old reel
and the new reel is smaller than the minimum distance between
driving rollers provided on a path where the web passes until the
web is finally cut.
[0013] According to the first and second aspects, since the
distance in the length direction (tail length) of the overlapping
section of the spliced old reel and new reel is smaller than the
minimum distance between the driving rollers, a double-layered web
does not stretch over two driving rollers simultaneously, and thus
stable registration is possible. The driving rollers may be blanket
cylinders of a printing unit, impression cylinders, drag rollers
provided on the web path, nipping rollers in a folding unit, etc.
In general, cutting may be performed such that the distance between
specific blanket cylinders in a printing unit is the smallest, and
the tail length is smaller than the distance therebetween.
[0014] The first aspect employs a configuration in which a cutter
configured to cut the old reel spliced to the new reel and a
control unit configured to control the cutting timing of the cutter
are provided, and the control unit controls the cutting timing of
the cutter such that the distance in the length direction of the
overlapping section of the old reel and the new reel is smaller
than the minimum distance between the driving rollers provided in
the printing press.
[0015] In this way, the tail length is cut such that it is within
an appropriate range by controlling, with the control unit, the
cutting timing of the cutter cutting the old reel.
[0016] In the above-described configuration, the control unit may
determine the cutting timing of the cutter on the basis of at least
one of cutter delay time, preparation length, and a cutter-to-brush
distance.
[0017] In this way, the control unit calculates the cutting time of
the cutter for acquiring the target tail length by setting the
cutter delay time, preparation length, and a cutter-to-brush
distance as parameters.
[0018] According to the present invention, since the distance in
the length direction of the overlapping section of the spliced old
reel and new reel is smaller than the minimum distance between the
driving rollers, a double-sheeted web does not stretch over two
driving rollers simultaneously, and thus stable registration is
possible. Therefore, printing quality can be improved. Moreover,
stabilization of the cutting position, stabilization of web
conveying and so forth can be realized.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0019] FIG. 1 is a schematic view illustrating the structure, in
outline, of a web offset press according to an embodiment of the
present invention.
[0020] FIG. 2A is a schematic view of an example of a
paper-splicing method, illustrating a state before starting the
paper-splicing process.
[0021] FIG. 2B is a schematic view of an example of a
paper-splicing method, illustrating a state before starting the
paper-splicing process.
[0022] FIG. 2C is a schematic view of an example of a
paper-splicing method, illustrating the initial stage of the
paper-splicing process.
[0023] FIG. 2D is a schematic view of an example of a
paper-splicing method, illustrating an intermediate stage of the
paper-splicing process.
[0024] FIG. 2E is a schematic view of an example of a
paper-splicing method, illustrating the later stage of the
paper-splicing process.
[0025] FIG. 2F is a schematic view of an example of a
paper-splicing method, illustrating the post-processing of the
paper-splicing process.
[0026] FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating the condition of a
spliced web.
[0027] FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating cutter control by a
web offset press control unit.
[0028] FIG. 5A is a perspective view illustrating a preparation
processing structure for paper splicing of a web roll.
[0029] FIG. 5B is a sectional view, taken from the side, of a web
edge section of the web roll in FIG. 5A.
[0030] FIG. 6A is a sectional view illustrating the initial stage
of a paper splicing process of a web roll.
[0031] FIG. 6B is a sectional view illustrating the intermediate
stage of a paper splicing process of a web roll.
[0032] FIG. 6C is a sectional view illustrating the later stage of
a paper splicing process of a web roll.
EXPLANATION OF REFERENCE SIGNS
[0033] 1: reel stand unit [0034] 3: printing unit [0035] 9: web
offset press control unit (controller) [0036] 18: cutter
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
[0037] An embodiment of the present invention will be described
below with reference to the drawings. This embodiment is an
application of the present invention to a offset newspaper rotary
press for multi-page duplex printing. FIG. 1 is a schematic view
illustrating, in outline, the structure of the entire offset
newspaper rotary press with a multi-page duplex
printing/multi-color printing unit. The web offset press includes a
plurality of reel stand units 1 for supplying webs 7; infeed
devices 2 for applying appropriate tension to the webs 7; printing
units 3; a web conveying device 5 for conveying the webs 7, after
printing, to a folding unit 6, splicing the webs 7, and carrying
out printing alignment in the flow direction; the folding unit 6
for cutting and folding the webs 7 into quires and conveying the
quires; and a web offset press control unit (controller) 9 for
controlling the entire web offset press.
[0038] The reel stand unit 1 is configured to hold three paper
rolls constituting the webs 7 wound into rolls. When paper is fed
from a first paper roll, a second paper roll is in a paper-splicing
preparation state, and a third paper roll is loaded. When the
remaining amount of the web 7 on the first paper roll decreases,
the web 7 on the second paper roll is spliced. While the web 7 is
supplied from the second paper roll, the third paper roll is
prepared for paper splicing. In this way, the web 7 is continuously
fed from the reel stand unit 1 to the printing unit 3.
[0039] The infeed device 2 is provided with a dancer roller 21 for
carrying out tension control and an infeed drag roller 22 for
drawing the web 7 from the reel stand unit 1. The infeed drag
roller 22 is configured of a pair of rollers sandwiching the web 7.
The dancer roller 21 is held in a slidable manner with an actuator
that is not shown in the drawing. For example, when the actuator is
an air cylinder, its air pressure is set to correspond to various
operating and printing conditions. The air pressure of the air
cylinder is variably adjusted when malfunctions, such as an
imbalance in the webs during cutting-position adjustment,
occur.
[0040] The number of units included in the printing unit 3
corresponds to the number of printing colors. In this embodiment,
printing units 3a to 3d are provided as the printing units 3. The
printing units 3a and 3b are each provided with four printing units
on both sides of the web for printing black, cyan, magenta, and
yellow, in this order from the bottom. These colors are mixed to
perform color printing. Similarly, the printing units 3c and 3d are
each provided with two printing units for printing black and one
other color.
[0041] Describing in outline the structure of the printing unit 3a
as a representative example, the printing units print the four
colors of black, cyan, magenta, and yellow on the web 7. Printing
on the web 7 means printing in the same area on the web 7 that is
continuously flowing. In this way, the colors overlap in the same
area to form one image, enabling multicolor printing of the
image.
[0042] The printing units A to D constituting the printing unit 3a
include devices functioning as various rollers, such as blanket
cylinders 24 and plate cylinders 23. Motive energy from a common
motor is supplied to these various devices. Ink devices and
dampening devices (not shown) are provided around the plate
cylinders 23.
[0043] These printing units 3 are merely examples, and any
appropriate printing units may be employed, such as single-color
printing units for carrying out duplex monochrome printing or
printing units for carrying out four-color printing on one side and
two-color printing on the other side.
[0044] The printing units 3 carry out predetermined printing on the
webs 7 supplied from the reel stand units 1 and supply the webs 7
to the web conveying device 5. The web conveying device 5 includes
many turn bars 51 and is configured to change the running routes of
the webs 7 from the printing units 3 such that the stacking order
thereof can be changed. The width of the webs 7 is equal to the
width of four pages of a regular newspaper. The webs 7 illustrated
in the drawing are cut with a slitter at the center in the width
direction after printing. Then the two-page-wide web 7 on one side
in the width direction is stacked on the two-page-wide web 7 on the
other side at the turn bars 5. In this way, the web 7 entering the
folding unit has eight layers, and 32-page printed material, i.e.,
eight sheets of newspaper each having four pages (two pages on each
side) is ejected to one side of the folding unit 6.
[0045] The folding unit 6 is configured to stack the plurality of
webs 7 sent from the web conveying device 5 and eject desired fold
sections by longitudinal cutting, longitudinal folding using a
triangular plate 26, lateral cutting, and/or lateral folding. An
air blower (not shown) is provided near the triangular plate 26 and
separates the webs 7 from the triangular plate 26 by blowing air.
Folding unit drag rollers 27 for applying tension to the upstream
webs 7 are provided forward of the triangular plate 26. Nipping
rollers 28 for pulling the webs 7 downstream are provided inside
the folding unit 6.
[0046] When the webs 7 are directly guided into the folding unit 6,
without cutting with a slitter at the center in the width direction
after printing, 16-page newspapers can be ejected to both sides.
There is a device for switching and delivering the webs after
printing at the printing units 3a and 3b for color printing to any
position. This device, however, is not illustrated. To increase the
number of pages, another web 7 is introduced from an adjacent
printing unit. When the number of pages is small, e.g., when three
of the printing units 3 are used, the path to the folding unit 6 of
a web 7 printed at a printing unit 3 differs depending on which
three printing units 3 are selected.
[0047] In this way, the lengths of the webs 7 from the printing
units 3 to the folding unit 6 may vary depending on the operating
pattern. When the tension associated with the web 7 varies, the
degree of extension of the web 7 changes. Therefore, the length of
the web 7 from the printing unit 3 to the folding unit 6
varies.
[0048] If the length of the web 7 from the printing unit 3 to the
folding unit 6 varies in this way, the cutting position of the
folding unit 6 changes. Therefore, the web 7 cannot be cut at a
predetermined position.
[0049] The web offset press according to this embodiment includes
compensator rollers 53 for changing the running-route length of the
webs 7 and adjusting the cutting positions. Each compensator roller
53 is equipped with moving means 52 for moving it, supporting
means, and a position detecting device, such as a
potentiometer.
[0050] Next, the structure of the reel stand unit 1 will be
described in detail. FIGS. 2A to 2F are schematic views
illustrating the steps of the process of paper splicing according
to the present method. In this method, a flying paster that carries
out paper splicing while running a reel is used. As shown in FIG.
2C, in this method, a detachable motor 12 that is connected via an
acceleration roller 11 is provided at the shaft end of a reel shaft
as means for accelerating a new reel 10B. An air brake 13 for
restricting and braking the reel shaft with air pressure is
provided as means for braking the rotating of an old reel 10A and
controlling the amount of the web fed out from the old reel 10A.
The braking force of the air brake 13 is controlled by the air
output from an air converter (not shown). The air converter
converts the control output from the web offset press control unit
9 to the air output. The web offset press control unit 9 outputs a
control output corresponding to operating conditions, such as reel
diameter, by feedback control based on the deviation of a target
tension and the actual tension.
[0051] First, in a normal operating state, as shown in FIG. 2A, the
web 7 is fed out from the reel 10A. When the winding diameter of
the reel 10A feeding out the web decreases, as shown in FIG. 2B, an
arm 15 supporting a new reel 10B and the old reel 10A is turned to
a predetermined paper-splicing preparation position, as shown in
FIG. 2C. At the same time, a paster arm 16 is lowered to push a
paster roller 17 provided in a freely rotatable manner on the
paster arm 16 against the web 7. The new reel 10B is accelerated by
the motor 12 by connecting the acceleration roller 11 to the reel
shaft of the new reel 10B. The circumferential speed of the new
reel 10B is controlled such that it matches the target speed set
with reference to the line speed (the running speed of the web
7).
[0052] When the circumferential speed of the new reel 10B reaches
the target speed, the web 7 is pushed against the new reel 10B by
the paster roller 17 to adhere the web 7 to the new reel 10B with
double-sided tape (described below) prepared on the surface of the
new reel 10B (paster). Then, a cutter 18 provided on the paster arm
16 is activated to cut the upstream side of the adhered section of
the web 7, as shown in FIG. 2D, to separate the web 7 from the old
reel 10A. Immediately after this, the connection of the motor 12
driving the new reel 10B is released, and air is sent into the air
brake 13 at the reel shaft end of the new reel 10B to start torque
control. Subsequently, as shown in FIG. 2E, the arm 15 is turned to
set the new reel 10B to an operating position. Then, as shown in
FIG. 2F, the remaining core of the old reel 10A is exchanged with a
new reel 10D.
[0053] FIG. 3 illustrates a state of the web 7 bonded with
double-sided tape. A web 7B fed out from the new reel 10B is
spliced with double-faced tape 19 to a web 7A fed out from the old
reel 10A, which is the running paper. According to the related art,
the cutting position for the cutter 18 from the double-sided tape
19 is approximately 2,400 mm. In this embodiment, the cutting
timing of the cutter 18 is controlled by the web offset press
control unit 9, and cutting is performed such that the tail length
L is smaller than or equal to a predetermined length.
[0054] The length of the tail length L is set smaller than the
minimum distance between driving rollers used in the device for
conveying the web 7. More specifically, the length is set smaller
than the distance between the blanket cylinders 24 of the printing
unit 3 and the distances between the printing-unit drag rollers 25
near the outlet of the printing unit 3, the folding unit drag
rollers 27 in front of the triangular plate 26 disposed at the
inlet of the folding unit 6, and the nipping rollers 28 in the
folding unit 6.
[0055] In this embodiment, the distance between the blanket
cylinders 24 of the uppermost printing unit A, which perform black
printing, of the printing unit 3a and the printing unit B, which
performs cyan printing, is the smallest (for example, 470 mm). The
cutting timing of the cutter 18 is controlled by the web offset
press control unit 9 such that the tail length L is smaller than
this distance. More preferably, the tail length L is 323 mm or
larger, which is the sum of a margin L1 (for example, 110 mm) and a
cutter-to-brush distance L2 (for example, 218 mm) set by taking
into consideration the response speed, maximum speed, error, and
distance that reliably enables paper splicing. It is preferable to
set the tail length L to 460 mm or smaller, which is slightly
smaller than the distance between the blanket cylinders 24 of the
printing unit A and the printing unit B, by taking error into
consideration.
[0056] As shown in FIG. 4, the web offset press control unit 9 is
capable of controlling the cutter 18 such that the tail length L is
changed freely on the basis of the prepared length, the cutter
delay time, and the cutter-to-brush distance L2, which are input
parameters. These parameters are input by the user to appropriately
change the tail length L.
[0057] With the rotary printing press having such a structure
according this embodiment, the timing of the cutter 18 of the
paster arm 16 is controlled by the web offset press control unit 9
to perform cutting such that the tail length L is smaller than or
equal to a predetermined length. Therefore, in this embodiment,
since the tail length L is smaller than the distance between the
blanket cylinders 24 of the printing unit A and the printing unit B
of the printing units 3, which is the minimum distance between
driving rollers, the double-sheeted web 7 does not simultaneously
stretch over two blanket cylinders 24. Of course, the web 7 does
not stretch over two other driving rollers (blanket cylinders 24,
printing-unit drag rollers 25, folding unit drag rollers 27, and
nipping rollers 28).
[0058] As a result, the paper feeding force and paper pulling force
increase, the property of the paper changes due to halving of the
amount of water absorption of and the amount of ink on the running
paper, and an increase in the rattling of the driving system is
prevented. Therefore, stable registration can be carried out in the
printing units 3, and thus printing quality can be improved.
Furthermore, stabilization of cutting position, stabilization of
web conveying, etc. can be achieved.
[0059] The driving rollers described in this embodiment are merely
examples, and the present invention may be applied to a printing
press having driving rollers with different structures, e.g., the
blanket cylinders and the impression cylinders, which face each
other and have a web passing therebetween, function as driving
rollers.
* * * * *