[0001] The invention relates to a silk - screen printing machine, employed particularly
for the silk - screen printing of separated component parts made of plastic material
or of other materials, which may be obtained industrially on variable lots.
[0002] From EP-A-105857 a silk-screen printing machine for products of various kind is known,
said machine comprising per se known silk-screen printing means for applying of inscriptions,
numbers and/or symbols on each product, per se known drying means, means for conveying
and supporting the products which are interlocked with control means, and one or more
additional silk-screen printing means, arranged downstream said silk-screen printing
means and adapted to apply further inscriptions, numbers and/or symbols on each product
and provided on a single support structure of the machine, combined with said silk-screen
printing means, said drying means and said conveying and supporting means, in such
a way that each drying means be disposed at an intermediate position between two silk-screen
printing means arranged in succession to each other, said conveying and supporting
means being adapted to displace selectively the products, loaded on a loading station
associated therewith, in a single direction from said silk-screen printing means toward
said additional silk-screen printing means, and from this latter toward an unloading
station for unloading the products therefrom.
[0003] The present invention discloses a silk-screen printing machine, which is made in
a manner different with respect to that disclosed by EP-A-105 857 and is of simple
and compact type.
[0004] This silk - screen printing machine is obtained with the substantially described
constructive features, with particular reference to the attached claims of the present
patent.
[0005] The invention will appear better understandable from the following description, given
solely by way of a not- limiting example and with reference to the accompanying drawings,
wherein :
- Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of the silk - screen printing machine according to
the invention ;
- Fig. 2 schematically shows a side view of the drying unit of the present silk - screen
printing machine, operated at a first operative position thereof ;
- Figs. 3 and 4 show the drying unit of Fig. 2 operated at a second and a third operative
position thereof, respectively ;
- Figs. 5-12 schematically show a perpective view of the main operative steps of the
present silk - screen printing machine, required for performing two different silk
- screen printing operations on each product.
[0006] Now, referring to the Fig. 1, it is represented schematically a silk - screen printing
machine 13 according to the invention, provided particularly for applying inscriptions,
numbers and/or symbols on products made of plastic material or other materials, for
consumptions intended for large scale, for specific component parts to be assembled
on machines and plants of different kind, as i.e. clothes washing machines, dish -
washing machines, refrigerators, ranges and other kinds of household appliances etc...,
in order to confer aesthetical aspects and characteristics which mark them. This silk
- screen printing machine substantially comprises a single supporting structure 14
having almost parallelepiped form, extended in the longitudinal direction, in which
there are provided in succession and combined to each other a first silk - screen
printing unit 15, a drying unit 16 and a second silk - screen printing unit 17, which
are realized in the manner and for the purposes which will be described. Such supporting
structure 14, which has compact dimensions and may be supported on the floor by adequate
lower wheels 18, permitting it to be shifted simply and easily on the same floor,
is furthermore provided with two longitudinal guide members 19, parallel from each
other and extended for the entire lenght of the machine, at a position below and through
all the two silk -screen printing units 15 and 17 and the drying unit 16, said longitudinal
guide members being extended also from the front part of the machine, thus constituting
a loading station 20.
[0007] A movable carriage 21 of parallelepiped form is also supported onto the said longitudinal
guide members 19 and is provided with a hollow 22, dimensioned for housing each product
to be superficially silk - screen printed, in a way that such product be arranged
preferably at the level of the upper surface of the same carriage (in the present
case, the product being made of molded plastic material, of parallelepiped form, is
marked with the reference numeral 23). Such carriage 21 is driven by adequate powered
driving mechanisms, of per se known kind, marked with the reference numeral 24, longitudinally
along the guide members 19 of the machine supporting structure 14, either on the one
or the other one of the two sliding directions A and B, opposite from each other,
so as to pass in succession through the first silk - screen printing unit 15, the
drying unit 16 and the second Silk - screen printing unit 17, when it is driven in
the direction A on the forward stroke thereof, and to pass from such second Silk -
screen printing unit 17 again through the drying unit 16 and the first silk - screen
printing unit 15, by returning then at the position corresponding to the loading station
20, when it is driven in the direction B on the backward stroke thereof.
[0008] Each one of the silk - screen printing units 15 and 17 is disposed orthogonally with
respect to the sliding directions A and B of both the movable carriage 21 and the
associated product 23 to be Silk - screen printed housed therein and is substantially
constituted, in a per se known manner, by at least a respective doctor 25 and 26 for
applying the ink onto a respective horizontal flat surface 27 and 28, supported by
the associated silk - screen printing unit on the lower part thereof, and on which
at least a silk - screen printing frame made of polyester (not shown) is removably
fitted by per se known fixing systems, in which frame there are provided the inscriptions,
the numbers and/or the symbols to be applied by the silk - screen printing process
on the upper surface of each product. The silk - screen printing units 15 and 17 are
provided for silk - screen printing on each product of respective first and second
series of inscriptions, numbers and/or symbols, at different and/or superimposed positions,
with two distinct operative steps performed on the same machine, namely a first operative
step during the forward stroke in the direction A of the carriage 21, together with
the associated product 23 housed therein, in which such first series of inscriptions,
numbers and/or symbols are silk - screen printed on the product, and a second operative
step during the backward stroke in the direction B of the carriage 21, in which such
second series of inscriptions, numbers and/or symbols are silk - screen printed on
the product. As usual, each doctor 25 and 26 of the relevant silk - screen printing
units 15 and 17 is slidable alternately either in the one or the other one of the
two direct ions C and D, opposite from each other and orthogonally to the sliding
directions A and B of such movable carriage 21, above the respective flat surface
27 and 28 which is dimensioned for the accomodation of its own doctor.
[0009] Moreover, each of said doctors may be driven either on the one or the other one of
its sliding directions C and D by means of powered driving mechanisms of per se known
manner, marked with the reference numeral 29, which may be constituted either by tracks
30 and a motor 31, as in the present case, or by systems with pneumatic or hydraulic
pistons, or by other suitable conventional driving members, and commonly used on the
other silk - screen printing machines, provided for different applications.
[0010] Furthermore, these driving mechanisms permit also to drive each doctor 25 and 26
in a vertical direction, orthogonally to the sliding directions C and D, from a first
to a second operative position in which such doctor is respectively raised or lowered
with respect to the correspondent flat surface 27 and 28 of the associated silk -
screen printing unit 15 and 17. Each so predisposed silk - screen printing unit permits
to carry out the silk - screen printing process with customary criteria on each product
which is shifted by the carriage 21 at a position below it and slightly shifted vertically
with respect to the lower surface of the same silk - screen printing unit. In fact,
also in this case the silk - screen printing process is performed, by keeping the
carriage 21 and the product 23 housed therein stopped at the position below the associated
silk - screen printing unit, by operating each doctor 25 and 26 on its second operative
position, lowered, in which such doctor is disposed in contact with the relative flat
surface 27 and 28 and the silk - screen printing frame fitted thereon, and additionally
by operating such doctor on its sliding direction C, thus causing also the contact
of such silk - screen printing frame with the outer surface of the product 23 and
therefore the penetration on this latter of the ink poured onto said flat surface
and distributed on said silk - screen printing frame by the relevant doctor thereof.
[0011] Then, at the end of the forward stroke in the direction C, each doctor is moved on
its first operative position, raised, and brought back on the starting position thereof
with a backward stroke in the direction D opposite to the preceding one, in which
said doctor is kept at a raised position, by predisposing it therefore to carry out
a subsequent silk - screen printing operation in the same described manners.
[0012] In the case in which the shifting between the lower surface of each silk - screen
printing unit 15 and 17 and the upper surface of the product 23 positioned below said
silk - screen printing unit exceeds a determinate value, generally in the order of
some millimetres, it is possible also to foresee a limited vertical stroke of the
assembly flat surface - doctor with respect to the carriage 21, so that to displace
such an assembly on a position closest and nearly in contact on the lower side with
the product housed in the carriage, so that to permit to perform an effective silk
- screen printing operation, and this vertical stroke may be effected by providing
said assembly with conventional driving means suitable for this purpose.
[0013] Now, by examining the Fig. 2, it is schematically shown the drying unit 16 provided
on the present silk - screen printing machine, and so realized as to allow an extremely
rapid drying, in the order of some seconds, of the first and second series of inscriptions,
numbers and/or symbols which have been silk - screen printed on the upper surface
of each product 23, respectively on the silk - screen printing units 15 and 17. As
it is apparent from this Figure, in particular, such drying unit is substantially
constituted by a box - like envelope 32 of almost parallelepiped form, made of insulating
material of conventional type, extended orthogonally to the machine supporting structure
14 for the entire widtht thereof and for a limited lenght of the same and at a central
position with respect to the two silk - screen printing units 15 and 17. Besides,
such drying unit is provided with at least an ultraviolet radiation emitting elongated
lamp 33, of per se known kind, housed and supported inside the box - like envelope
32 and extended almost for the entire length of said box - like envelope, as well
as reflecting parabolic surfaces 34 arranged at a close position above the lamp 33,
for the entire extent thereof, and supported laterally on the box - like envelope
32, for the purpose of reflecting downward the ultraviolet radiations generated by
said lamp, against each silk - screen printed product 23 being conveyed by the carriage
21, when such carriage is operated at reduced speed at a position below the same lamp.
Moreover, on the lower side of the box - like envelope 32 there are disposed two metallic
flat surfaces 35 and 36, aligned to each other and slidable horizontally the one toward
the other one by means of per se known control members, incorporated on the drying
unit 16, said flat surfaces being situated below the lamp 33 and above the silk -
screen printed product 23, when this latter is moved by the carriage 21 on this position,
and being adapted to permit or not permit the radiancy downward depending on the operative
position in which they are moved.
[0014] In particular, such flat surfaces 35 and 36 are shiftable horizontally from a first
operative closing position, in which they are approached to each other, thus preventing
the ultraviolet radiation emitted by the lamp and partially reflected by the parabolic
surfaces 34 from passing therethrough, to a second opened position in which they are
fully moved away from each other, thus permitting the ultraviolet radiation to pass
therethrough.
[0015] The displacement of the two flat surfaces 35 and 36 is caused by the control of either
at least two electric or electronic sensors 37 and 38, or other suitable monitoring
elements of per se known type, operatively connected in the electric circuit of the
drying unit 16, together with said control members of the same unit, said sensors
being arranged in correspondence of the side ends of the box - like envelope 32 and
being activated, independently the one from the other one, by the presence of both
the carriage 21 and the silk - screen printed product housed therein, with the operative
steps which will be described.
[0016] Finally, the box - like envelope 32 is further on provided with a suitable ventilation
system to insure an effective cooling and an air exchange inside it, in order to prevent
dangerous overheatings during the continuous connection, at full or reduced power,
of the ultraviolet radiating lamp 33.
[0017] On the embodiment represented in Figure 1, this ventilation system is constituted
by three vertical conduits 39, 40 and 41 joined to the box - like envelope 32 and
communicating to the inside thereof, of which the central conduit 40 is joined to
a suitable exhaust fan (not shown), adapted to suck the hot air from the inside of
the same conduit, and the two side conduits 39 and 41 are joined to a blower (not
shown), adapted to admit fresh air within said box - like envelope, thus providing
an effective elimination of the heat produced by such lamp 33 and a continuous air
exchange.
[0018] In the Figures 3 and 4 are now represented schematically two different operative
positions assumed by the flat surfaces 35 and 36, depending on two shifting positions
of the carriage 21, together with the relative silk - screen printed product 23, with
respect to the box - like envelope 32 of the present drying unit. In particular, in
the Figure 3 it is noted that the carriage 21 (together with the relative silk - screen
printed product 23) is operated in the direction A, during its forward stroke, and
its front end enters the monitoring field of the sensor 37, which therefore senses
the presence thereof by providing to determine by means of the main control device
of the machine the displacement of the two flat surfaces 35 and 36 from the starting
closed position thereof, shown in the Fig. 2, to the opened position thereof evident
from the same Fig. 3. Such sensor 37, moreover, provides to change the feeding speed
of the carriage 21 together with the relative product 23, by acting on the powered
driving mechanisms 24 so as to reduce adequately such feeding speed, thus permitting
the focusing of the ultraviolet radiation of the lamp 33 uniformly on all the silk
- screen printed inscriptions on each product, with consequent drying thereof. Besides,
the ultraviolet radiations emitted by the lamp 33 aren't irradiated also toward the
outer ambient, thanks to the presence of the insulating shielding material from which
the box - like envelope 32 is constituted. During the carrying out of this drying
operation, the main control device of the machine provides to keep active the sensor
37 for the entire duration of the same drying operation, for a pre - established period
of time and such that to insure an effective drying of the silk - screen printed inscriptions
on each product, while on the contrary it provides to render inactive the remaining
sensor 38. At the end of this operation, the sensor 37 does not more sense the presence
of the carriage 21 and therefore deactivates itself automatically, thus causing a
further feeding of the carriage together with the dried silk - screen printed product
in the direction A, as well as the displacement of the flat surfaces 35 and 36 on
their closing position, as evident from the Fig. 4.
[0019] Moreover, in this Figure it is noted that as soon as the carriage 21 enters the monitoring
field of the remaining sensor 38, as at the position represented in the same Figure,
this sensor does not cause any effect neither on the carriage movement nor on the
flat surfaces 35 and 36, since it remains always inactive, and consequently such carriage
may shift itself, together with the dried silk - screen printed product, on the subsequent
operative position of the machine in correspondence of the silk - screen printing
unit 17.
[0020] During the backward stroke of the carriage 21, in the direction B, the just described
operative steps are repeated in the reverse succession, namely the presence of the
carriage 21 provides to render active the sensor 38, as soon as it enters the monitoring
field of said sensor, by keeping also inactive the sensor 37. Consequently, the carriage
21 together with the relative product is advanced again at reduced speed underneath
both the box - like envelope 32 and the lamp 33, while the flat surfaces 35 and 36
are shifted again on the opened position thereof, thus causing a further drying of
the silk - screen printed inscriptions effected on the product in the silk - screen
printing unit 17.
[0021] Then, at the end of this operation, the sensor 38 is deactivated by the lack of the
carriage 21, so that the carriage 21 together with the doubly silk - screen printed
and dried product is advanced in the direction B again, and, due to the fact that
the sensor 37 remains always inactive, it may arrive directly on the next terminal
operative position to permit the thus processed product to be unloaded from the same
carriage. Now, by examining the Figs. 5 - 12, there are schematically shown the main
operative steps of the present silk - screen printing machine.
[0022] In the Fig. 5, in particular, it is noted that the carriage 21 is shifted on the
loading station 20, so that a product to be silk - screen printed 23 may be housed
in the hollow 22 of the same carriage. Under these circumstances, the correspondent
doctors 25 and 26 of the two silk - screen printing units 15 and 17 are displaced
on their first operative position, raised, situated at the left hand of the associated
flat surface 27 and 28, and are therefore predisposed for carrying out the respective
silk - screen printing operations, while in turn the lamp 33 of the drying unit 16
is steadily on, either at fully or reduced power, and the lower flat surfaces 35 and
36 of such drying unit are displaced on their closing position.
[0023] In the Fig. 6 it is noted that the carriage 21 is being moving, together with the
relative product 23, in the direction A toward the first silk - screen printing unit
15 for being stopped at this position, in which the product 23 is disposed exactly
beneath the flat surface 27 of this silk - screen printing unit.
[0024] In the Fig. 7 it is noted that, by keeping both the carriage 21 and the product 23
stopped beneath the first silk - screen printing unit 15, the doctor 25 of the silk
- screen printing unit 15 is operated on its second operative position, lowered, and
in its sliding direction C, with consequent silk - screen printing processing of the
first series of inscriptions, numbers and /or symbols on the outer surface of the
product 23.
[0025] In the Fig. 8 it is noted that, after the silk - screen printing processing, the
carriage 21 together with the silk - screen printed product 23 is always displaced
in the direction A, in correspondence of the drying unit 16, while in turn the doctor
25 of the silk - screen printing unit 15 is operated on its first operative position
again, raised, in its sliding direction D. In this way, the carriage 21 provides for
controlling the operative steps described with reference to the Fig. 3, so that it
is advanced slowly, together with the silk - screen printed product 23, below the
lamp 33 of the drying unit 16, thus permitting to carry out a rapid drying of the
first series of silk - screen printed inscriptions on such product, as described previously,
and finally by causing, at the end of the drying operation, the displacement of the
carriage 21 together with the dried silk-screen printed product toward the second
silk - screen printing unit 17, always in its sliding direction A.
[0026] In the Fig. 9 it is noted that the carriage 21 is being moving toward the second
silk - screen printing unit 17, in its direction A, and therefore it provides to control
the operative steps described with reference to the Fig. 4, with consequent displacement
of the flat surfaces 35 and 36 of the drying unit 16 on their closing position, and
positioning of the carriage 21, together with the relative silk - screen printed product,
below the second silk - screen printing unit 17, where said carriage is stopped.
[0027] In the Fig. 10 it is noted that, still keeping stopped both the carriage 21 and the
product 23 at the preceding position, the doctor 26 of the silk - screen printing
unit 17 is operated on its second operative position, lowered, and in its sliding
direction C, with consequent silk - screen printing process of the second series of
inscriptions, numbers and/or symbols on the outer surface of the product 23.
[0028] In the Fig. 11 it is noted that, after the silk - screen printing process, the carriage
21 together with the silk - screen printed product 23 is moved in the opposite direction
B, in correspondence of the drying unit 16 again, while in turn the doctor 26 of the
silk - screen printing unit 17 is operated again on its first operative position,
raised, in its sliding direction D. In this way, during this backward stroke the carriage
21 provides to control in a reverse manner the operative steps described with reference
to the Fig. 4, so that it is advanced slowly, together with the silk - screen printed
product 23, below the lamp 33 of the drying unit 16, thus permitting to carry out
the rapid drying operation of the second series of silk - screen printed inscriptions
on such product, as previously described.
[0029] Thereafter, at the end of the drying operation, with operative steps in a reverse
manner with respect to those described with reference to the Fig. 3, the carriage
21 is moved in the direction B again, together with the relative silk - screen printed
and dried product, toward the loading station 20 by passing through the first silk
- screen printing unit 16, where however such carriage isn't more stopped. Finally,
in the Fig. 12 it is noted that the carriage 21 is arrived on the loading station
20, where it is stopped, thus permitting the extraction of the silk - screen printed
product 23 therefrom, which therefore may be packed and forwarded to the destination
place, and permitting also to introduce a new product to be silk - screen printed
with in such carriage, for carrying out of the same just described operative steps.
Thus, the advantages attainable by employing the silk - screen printing machine according
to the invention appear evident. This machine, in fact, allows to carry out fully
automatically all the silk - screen printing steps of at least two different series
of inscriptions, numbers and/or symbols, as well as of relevant drying operations
thereof, on each product to be silk - screen printed, by eliminating any manual intervention
by the operator, obviously except the loading and unloading operations of the products
with respect to the machine and the needed operations for making it functional, and
such steps are performed in rapid times thus allowing to obtain high productive performances,
with the possibility to adapt quickly and flexibly the machine to the silk - screen
printing process also of products of different type, forms and dimensions, with rapid
adaptation times and few and simple operations.
[0030] Obviously, the machine lend itself to possible variants too, as i. e. the replacement
of the flat surfaces 35 and 36 of the drying unit 16 by bent or differently shaped
surfaces, provided for the same purposes, or the possible coupling of such machine
with other silk - screen printing machines of conventional type, thus without departing
from the protection sphere of the present invention, as defined in the appended claim.