Plant for stocking, mixing and feeding inks with a recovery device for the washing refuse for a flexographic printing machine

Abstract

 Stocking, mixing and feeding ink system for a printing press and in particular for a flexographic printing press wherein the system comprises 3 main groups consisting of 4 equal units which are:
- a pure ink stocking zone, a ink mixing zone, and a basin feeding zone.
The structure is made of a welded support frame, fitted to support a stainless steel tank containing a printing ink. Another frame supports the ink mixing device as well as the dosing means and fresh water mixing control case.
The system configuration allows during the drainage water recycle to diminish the final water consumption and consequently the water amount to be discharged and cleaned.

Description

[0001] The present invention refers to a system for the management and the distribution of flexographic ink for four-colour printing in process to install on printing systems. The system, in the following description, will be divided, for greater clarity, in three distinguished parts:

• Pure inks stocking
• Inks mixing
• Small basins on board the machine feeding.

[0002] The system is made up a stainless steel containing tank devided in two buckets, wich can be installed in pit or at floor level, in which is inserted a welded frame fit to support the ink tanks. These tanks are mounted on 3 load compression sensor for electronic weighing, connected to a microprocessor digital indicator installed on the general switchboard panel, in order to indicate the actual ink level in the tanks. A signal light will indicate the lowest level, while a float will indicate the maximum level and will interrupt the feeding operations. The system can be installed on whichever printing system improving the functional performances and reducing the pollution. A pneumatic pump transfers the ink from the terminal reservoirs to the stocking ones. The same one is deputated to keep in pressure the ink line that brings both to the mixer and to the small basins a board to machine recirculating the ink of the tanks (see outline attached system of fig. 1). Other systems for the ink stocking and distribution in printing machines are known in this field. One of the disadvantages of these systems is characterized by the usage of a wide zone for the supply reserviors housing because at least 8 or 16 reserviors with two printing plants are necessary, covering more than 50 square metres as well as a wide area for their moving. Other disadvantage of the traditional systems consist of a manual transfer between reserviors, also assuming it happens during nocturnal turns, with obvious difficulties and probable stress suffered by operating ones, increases a condition with accident and consequently managerial costs.

[0003] Another disadvantage of the traditional systems is the use of the simple plastic connections of the ink reserviors, because this is not reliable and in many occasions it detaches with consequent flooding of the storage zone, environmental pollution, risk of operator falls from who could slip on the liquids poured on the floor. Other disadvantage of remarkable importance in the traditional systems is the use of a great water amount for washing the inked parts, and the consequent water environment dispersion, as well a continuous utilization of new water for the mixing process and other washings at the end of the working cycle. The aim of the present invention is to solve the disadvantages over indicated, supplying a system that:

1. that can be connected to a printing machine or rotating system for newspaper print

2. that increases the possibilities of the usage of those systems during the normal working cycle

3. that diminishes the company cost by a system wich automatically distributes the ink on the rotative recovering at the same time the refluent water so that they does not have to be carried off in special refusals because after their recovering they are used in order to dilute the printing ink.

[0004] All that consequently reduces the pollution.

[0005] In order to achieve the present aims above mentioned the invention conists of such an equipment:

a) underground basin, or laid on the ground covered with a protection's grid, 4 frames in galvanized iron or inox acting a base for the whole system.

b) stocking tanks (1) or ink containing tanks supported by load sensors wich visualize the actual level as mentioned in the introduction of the present description.

[0006] Other characteristics and advantages will turn out from the following detailed description of a typical set up with references to the annexed figures, showed as a not restrictive example, in which:

• figure 1 is an high view of the system placed on the ground in which the tanks structure, the pumps, and the control devices are mounted;
• N° 2 collection reservoirs anti-tip over or anti - pouring off in inox steel
• N° 4 inox steel tanks
• N° 4 weighing groups equipped with three load cells.
• N° 4 diaphragm pumps equipped with shock absorber.
• N° 4 inox steel pipelines in in order to convey the ink to the tank delivery point.
• N° 4 pipelines in inox steel in order to convey the ink to the mixing tanks.
• N° 1 electrical equipment for the control set in the ik's control panel
• N° 4 inox steel tanks with a capacity of 1000 lt.
• N° 4 washing water tanks
• N° 9 inox steel pipelines that, starting from the mixers, permit to convey mixed ink, pure ink and water on the rotatives.
• N° 1 electrical equipment worker with main control panel in the mixing area and 6 switchboards (one each print element) driven by means of PLC and remote control.
• N° 1 touch screen monitor placed on the control pulpit as human interface.
• N° 1 plant control software according to requested specifications.

1, PURE INKS STOCKING

[0007] 

• 1,1 Outline system
• figure 2, shows in simplified way the system which is representative for each colour stocking, (see the following outline)
  
  

1.2 WORKING DESCRIPTION

[0008] 

• The diaphragm pump (2) controlled by PLC, will be able to execute four different functions:

• Aspiration of the ink from the color reserviors to the output-point
• Color ricycling inside the tanks in order to avoid deposits.
• Deliverying of the color to the mixing tanks
• Deliverying to the rotatives for microdosage in the basins

1.3 Dimensional lay-out

[0009] 

• figure 3 represents a possible dimensional lay-out of the system.
  
  

2. INK MIXING

2.1 Inks Outline system

[0010] 

[0011] The outline over showed represents in a simplified way a plant for the fitting out of the print ink. The mixing tanks (7), placed up to the containing tanks, rest on a base in galvanized steel and load sensors wich visualize the actual content. The operator at the beginning of the production prepares the print ink by an electrical control device he adjusts the necessary amount of pure ink in the mixer. This amount is visualized net of what by chance remained from the previous preparation.

[0012] Before starting the dilution procedure all the benches and the aniloxes washing water (which had been previously stocked in the tank (8) placed above the mixer).has to be run off. Also this amount is showed net, so that with a simple calculation is possible to obtain a mixture at variable percentage. If this amount is not sufficient the system gets water from the network. The preparation of the necessary ink for the press will be made in 4 different tanks, equipped by electrical agitator worker, placed close to the rotative.

[0013] Inside these tanks the following items must flow:

• Pure Ink
• Benches and anilox washing water
• Network Water

[0014] These tanks are set up on a frame placed on a storage tank at the floor level, as well as not. up to load sensors. Up to each tank of preparation a smaller tank is placed in order to collect the washing water used for the dilution. The operator can start the diaphragm pumps restoring the right amount for the preparation by means of a simple selector. After the ink preparation the operator activates the filling of each of the four color tanks placed on the rotative, using the control panel installed on the main consolle. During the print process it will be possible from the main consolle (pulpit) integrate a predefined amount of pure ink or water in a single tank or in all of them in order to remedy to the possible differences of the optical density measured on the newspaper. The system allows by means of an electro-hydraulic compensation a perfect dosage of the ink, obtaining the right dosage to the print without waste. The system can be of several dimensions in order to equip printing machines of different sizes and types. The water recovery system of the equipment always allows an easier employment, a lower economic waste of resources, less water pollution so as to permit an easier and safer use of the equipment, increasing its efficiency and competitivness.

Claims

1. CLAIM 1: Stocking, mixing and feeding flexographic inks system characterized by a recovery equipment of the washing refluents in coming from the inking system of the pressing machine rotatives. This system includes a containment tank, a supporting frame and from the collection reservoirs for the inks to be mixed.

2. Inks feeding equipment, AS CLAIMED IN CLAIM 1, which is characterized by the fact that following specifications: the small mixing reservoirs and the mixers are used for the collection and the recycle of previously used washing water mixed with the new ink incoming from reservoirs.

3. The inks feeding equipment, AS CLAIMED IN CLAIM 1, is
characterized by the fact that each reservoir for the ink is installed on a supporting galvanized or inox steel frame.

4. The inks feeding equipment, AS CLAIMED IN CLAIM 1, is
characterized by the fact that each reservoir and small basin is integrated in a weighing system by means of load cells and a minimum / maximum level control system of the ink tank and the ink - water mixture.

5. The inks feeding equipment, AS CLAIMED IN CLAIM 1, is characterized by the fact that the whole system is actuated by a pulpit-like centralized control system in order to regulate and control all the functions as indicated from the present invention.

6. The inks feeding equipment, AS CLAIMED IN CLAIM 4, is
characterized by the fact that once the ink mixing process is started the following items are drained into the small reservoirs: the pure ink, the washings ricycling water (thus limiting the net water waste) and a small percentage of new water.

7. The inks feeding equipment, AS CLAIMED IN CLAIM 1, is characterized by the fact that the system allows a perfect dosage of the ink by means of an electro - hydraulic compensation in the way to obtain the right and weighing necessary for the printing, without any wastes.

Drawing