Apparatus and method for printing and drying at least one hollowed cylindrical body

Abstract

 Apparatus (1) for printing and drying at least one hollowed cylindrical or truncated-conical body, or substantially having a shape of any solid of revolution (100), comprising at least one printing station (2; 2') of the ink jet type, at least one movement mechanism (3) to rotate said at least one hollowed body (100) at least around its own axis at said at least one printing station (2; 2'), and to at least displace it in a direction away from said at least one printing station, at least at the end of the printing operation of a first surface zone (100a) of said at least one hollowed body (100), and setting and/or drying means (4) to set and/or dry the ink on at least said at least one surface zone (100a) of said at least one hollowed body (100). Advantageously, said setting and/or drying means (4) to set and/or dry the ink comprise one or more sources of radiation beam, said one or more sources being placed at, or next to, said at least one printing station (2; 2') and being movable in a controlled way to track, at least in part and at least through their radiation beam, said at least one hollowed body (100) when the latter is displaced in a direction away from said at least one printing station (2; 2') substantially at the end of said printing operation of a first surface zone (100a).

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention concerns an apparatus for ink jet printing, and subsequently setting and/or drying, at least one substantially hollowed cylindrical or truncated-conical body, or a body having an outer shape of any solid of revolution, such as for example a cylindrical tube, a tin or a cylinder, which is printed or decorated by at least one fluid ink.

[0002] In particular such an apparatus, or method, is used in the field of manufacturing cylindrical metal or plastic tubes and, more in detail, it is used in the step of printing signs, or images or logos, or something else, on the outer surface of the metal tube preferably made of aluminum, and the subsequent step of drying the ink deposited on the surface of the tube itself.

STATE OF THE ART

[0003] It is known the existence of an apparatus and the respective method for ink jet printing one or more signs, or something else, on the outer surface of a hollowed metal cylindrical body and drying it during, or after, the printing step.

[0004] Such a known apparatus comprises a plurality of printing stations placed one after another in line, each provided with one or more ink jet printing heads which are preferably monochromatic, and a mechanism for rotating a hollowed cylindrical body, such as for example a cylindrical tube, placed at the respective printing station and then rotating it in a direction away from such a printing station, at least at the end of the printing operation itself, the latter carried out.

[0005] For example, the US Patent 6,769,357 B1 in the name of BALL describes a similar apparatus in which metal cylindrical tins are carried by a circular conveyor at printing stations of the ink jet type where, because of their rotation around their own axis, they are printed in succession.

[0006] These apparatuses can further comprise, for each printing station, a lamp for setting/drying the ink, for example of the LED (light emitting diodes) type preferably emitting rays in the ultraviolet range, to set and/or dry the outer surface of the cylindrical body at the printing station or along the path from a printing station to the subsequent station, both during the printing process and in a later time.

[0007] The US Application 2012/0274695 A1, in the name of INX, described an apparatus provided with led lamps for drying/ setting the ink deposited through an ink jet technology onto a hollowed cylindrical body, arranged so as to be stationary along the path run by the same hollowed cylindrical body during and after the respective print, in a diametric opposition, with respect to the cylindrical body, to the respective printing heads.

[0008] Therefore, in practice, from the moment in which the printing head is placed on a side diametrically opposite to the side where the led lamp is, the hollowed cylindrical body must carry out a rotation of at least 540° in order to be completely dried. In fact, the first 360° of rotation of the cylindrical body are used to carry out the print of the outer surface of the hollowed cylindrical body. During such a 360° rotation, the cylindrical body is dried for an outer surface extending only 180° and, therefore, it needs an additional 180° rotation to be completely dried on its whole outer surface. Then, at the end of the print and drying of the hollowed cylindrical body, the latter is moved away from this printing station to pass to a subsequent printing station, or to leave the apparatus, and it is replaced with another subsequent cylindrical body. During such an operation for repositioning each cylindrical body at the respective printing station, both the led lamp and the printing head are inactive. Therefore, it is evident that the whole printing and drying operation of hollowed cylindrical bodies, for example metal tubes, is a discontinuous operation and therefore suffers from the fact of being highly slow and thereby unproductive, most of all in the steps of positioning the afore said cylindrical bodies back.

[0009] Object of the present invention is therefore to implement an apparatus for printing and drying the hollowed cylindrical bodies which allows the whole printing and drying process to be quickened with respect to that one used until now.

[0010] An additional object of the present invention is to implement an apparatus that is anyway extremely simple both functionally and structurally, and therefore able to be implemented starting from the already known apparatuses through simple modifications thereof.

[0011] Lastly, object of the invention is to implement a method for operating an apparatus according to the invention.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0012] These and other objects are achieved by an apparatus for printing and drying at least one hollowed cylindrical or one truncated-conical body, or one body having an outer shape of any suitable solid of revolution, comprising at least one printing station of the ink jet type, at least one movement mechanism to rotate said at least one hollowed body at least around its own axis at said at least one printing station and to displace it, for example by translating and/or rotating it, in a direction away from said at least one printing station, at least at the end of the printing operation of at least one surface zone of such a hollowed body, and setting and/or drying means to set and/or dry the ink on at least such a surface zone. Advantageously, the setting and/or drying means to set and/or dry the ink comprise one or more sources of radiation beam which are placed at, or next to, the afore said at least one printing station and are movable in a controlled way to track, at least in part and at least through their radiation beam, the hollowed body in process when the latter is translated and/or rotated in a direction away from said at least one printing station at the end of the printing operation of its surface zone.

[0013] As apparent to one skilled in the art, through this solution it will be possible, on the one hand, to reduce the number of radiation sources for setting/ drying the ink deposited on the already printed hollowed cylindrical body, on the other hand it is possible to reduce the working times of the hollowed cylindrical bodies, or bodies having any other shape of solid of revolution, that undergo the ink jet printing, for example through the possible synchronization of the setting/drying of the ink by the movable sources with the relevant printing, so as to allow the ink deposited on a certain zone of the hollowed body in process to be contemporaneously set/ dried while another zone of the same hollowed body is printed, or by carrying out the drying of a hollowed body during the printing of a subsequent hollowed body at the same printing station, without for this reason having to necessarily stop the feeding flow of the hollowed bodies also for the setting/drying operation.

[0014] According to a preferred aspect of the present invention, the afore said one or more radiating sources, for example and preferably constituted by led lamps, are movable, in a controlled way, at least translationally along a path parallel to at least part of the path followed by the hollowed cylindrical body when the latter is displaced, and preferably translated along a straight path, in a direction away from the afore said at least one printing station.

[0015] Additionally and still preferably, the afore said movement mechanism of the hollowed bodies is further shaped to allow the rotation of the respective hollowed cylindrical body around its own axis, at least when the latter is moved away from the afore said at least one printing station, at the end of the respective processing. According to a preferred aspect of the present invention, the afore said setting and/or drying means to set and/or dry the ink further comprise synchronizing means to synchronize the displacement of one or more sources of radiation beams with at least part of the displacement, i.e. translation and/or rotation, the hollowed body is subjected to when moved away from said at least one printing station. In this case, the setting and/or drying means to set and/or dry the ink can move so that to be synchronized with the displacement, for example translation, of said hollowed body for at least part of its rotation around its own axis and its displacement in a direction away from said at least one printing station, in order to dry at least one second surface zone of the hollowed body itself.

[0016] Therefore such a solution allows to effectively solve the problems affecting the apparatuses of the known art, as it uses the time for repositioning the hollowed body, for example a cylindrical tube or tin, to continue part of the drying not completed during the printing step. Particularly, this is achieved since the setting and/or drying means to set and/or dry the ink, which specifically can comprise at least one led lamp for the emission in the ultraviolet range, move or displace their radiation beam in order to track the hollowed body, so that to be synchronized with the hollowed body itself for at least part of its rotation and translation in a direction away from the printing station, in order to dry at least one second surface zone of the such a hollowed body.

[0017] Particularly, in order to further reduce the dead times of apparatus operation, during the steps of repositioning the hollowed bodies at the respective printing stations, said setting and/or drying means to set and dry the ink are able to be repositioned at said at least one printing station, as they are preferably translationally movable. Preferably, this happens at least before or concurrently the repositioning of at least one subsequent hollowed cylindrical body at said at least one printing station. Particularly, as mentioned, it has to be noticed that the afore said at least one hollowed body and said setting and/or drying means to set and/or dry the ink are translationally movable along a respective straight path and parallel one to another. Again, said printing station comprises at least one ink jet printing head and at least one fixed support for said at least one printing head. Both the fixed support and the printing head are arranged above the afore said at least one hollowed cylindrical or truncated-conical body, or at least one body substantially having a shape of any solid of revolution. On the contrary, the setting and/or drying means to set and/or dry the ink are, in this case, arranged underneath the afore said at least one hollowed body, in a position diametrically opposite to the position of said at least one printing head. In detail, the rotation of said at least one hollowed body at said at least one printing head is usually 360°.

[0018] Additionally, still according to the invention, the apparatus comprises at least another printing station in succession, i.e. downstream, of said at least one printing station. In this case, said at least one hollowed body carries out at least a 180° rotation between said at least one printing station and said at least one second printing station.

[0019] In this way, differently from the apparatuses of the known art, the led lamp, preferably emitting in the ultraviolet range, which moves, e.g. translates, in sync with the hollowed cylindrical body, or the body having the shape of substantially any solid of revolution, in its turn translating and/or rotating in a direction away from the printing station in order to reach the additional printing station, or the zone for leaving the apparatus, can carry out the drying of the hollowed body, by taking advantage of the times for repositioning the cylindrical bodies or substantially having a shape of any solid of revolution, at the respective printing station.

[0020] Still according to the invention, the afore said setting and/or drying means to set and/or dry the ink comprise at least one supporting carriage to support said one or more sources of radiation beams, for example led lamps, which slides along a fixed frame, as well as at least one first screen provided with at least one opening placed next to at least one of said one or more sources of radiation beam, in order to direct the scattering of said radiation beam towards said at least one hollowed body, and wherein the afore said at least one first screen and the afore said one or more sources of radiation beam are integrally constrained to such a carriage.

[0021] The objects of the invention are achieved also by a method of printing and drying at least one cylindrical, truncated-conical, hollowed body, or body substantially having a shape of any solid of revolution, of an apparatus according to one or more of claims 1 to 10, comprising the steps of: a) arranging at least one hollowed cylindrical, truncated-conical, body or a body substantially having a shape of any solid of revolution, at said at least one printing station; b) rotating the afore said at least one hollowed body around its own axis at said at least one printing station; c) printing at least one surface zone of said at least one hollowed body during said step b) of the method; d) displacing, translationally or rotationally, said at least one hollowed body in a direction away from said at least one printing station, at least at the end of the afore said steps b) and c) of the method; and e) setting and/or drying the ink placed on said at least one first surface zone of said at least one hollowed body, during at least part of said step d), by emitting at least one radiation beam from at least one of said one or more sources of radiation beam; and wherein such step e) comprises a step f) of tracking, at least through said at least one radiation beam and at least along part of its displacement, said at least one hollowed body moving away from said printing station.

[0022] According to other preferred aspects of the method according to the present invention, the step d) of the method provides the displacement of the hollowed cylindrical, truncated-conical, body or substantially having a shape of any solid of revolution, along a given path, for example and preferably a translation along a straight path, and the step f) of the method comprises a step f.1) of displacing the afore said one or more sources of radiation beam along a path parallel to at least part of the path, for example straight, followed by the hollowed cylindrical body during said step d) of the method. Still preferably, during the afore said step d) of the method there is a step d.1) of rotating at least partially the hollowed body around its own axis.

[0023] According to a preferred implementation of the method according the present invention, the step f) of the method further comprises a step f.2) of activating the displacement, at least of the respective radiation beam, of said setting and/or drying means to set and/or dry the ink, so that to be synchronized with said at least one hollowed body for at least part of its rotation around its own axis and/or the displacement thereof, for example translationally and/or rotationally, in a direction away from said at least one printing station, in order to dry at least one second surface zone of said at least one hollowed body.

[0024] In other peculiar implementations of the method according to the present invention, after the step f) of the method there can be a step of g) displacing, for example translating, the setting and/or drying means to set and/or dry the ink in order to reposition them at said at least one printing station.

[0025] Additionally and preferably, the step d) of the method can comprise a step of h) positioning the afore said at least one hollowed body next to at least one additional printing station placed downstream of said at least one printing station, and wherein such a step h) is subsequent to, or concurrent with, the afore said step g) of displacing, for example translating, the setting and/or drying means in order to reposition them at said at least one printing station.

[0026] In this case, the method can further provide a step of i) repositioning at least one subsequent hollowed body next to said at least one printing station, and that said step i) is subsequent to, or concurrent with, the afore said step g) of displacing, for example translating, the setting and/or drying means in order to reposition them at said at least one printing station.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0027] For purposes of illustrations and not limitative, more particular preferred embodiments of the present invention will be now provided with reference to the accompanying figures, in which:

figure 1 is an axonometric view of the apparatus according to the invention;

figure 2a is a side view of the apparatus according to the invention;

figure 2b is a section view of the apparatus of figure 1;

figures 3a-3d are side and schematic views of the apparatus of figure 1, during the step of the method according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

[0028] Particularly referring to these figures, the generic apparatus for printing and drying a hollowed cylindrical body 100, preferably made of metal such as a tube made of aluminum, or a tin or also a cylinder, is denoted by numeral 1 according to the invention.

[0029] It has to be noticed that, although hereinafter in this description reference will be made to a hollowed cylindrical body 100 having the shape of a metal tube, any other cylindrical, truncated-conical, hollowed body, or a body substantially having a shape of any one solid of revolution and made of any material, for example plastics, still falls within the herein required protection scope, provided that it is able to contain products in liquid, or semi-liquid or in paste, form.

[0030] As shown in figure 1, the apparatus 1 for printing and drying one or more hollowed cylindrical bodies 100, preferably made of metal, comprises a plurality of printing stations 2 of the ink jet type and placed in line, i.e. in sequence one after another, a mechanism 3 for rotating each hollowed cylindrical body 100 at least around their own axis at the respective printing station 2 and at least translating them in a direction away from each printing station 2, once the printing operation of at least one first surface zone 100a of such a cylindrical body 100 has been carried out, in order to allow the positioning of a subsequent hollowed cylindrical body 100 at the printing station 2.

[0031] The apparatus 1 further comprises setting and/or drying means 4 to set and/or dry the ink at least on such a surface zone 100a of the hollowed cylindrical body 100, which are preferably constituted by lamps 4 of light emitting diode, or led, type, able to emit at least one radiation beam in the ultraviolet range to set/dry the printed ink, at or next to each printing station 2.

[0032] It has to be observed that, although setting and/or drying means 4 to set and/or dry the ink are herein described as constituted by led lamps, any other setting and/or drying means to set and/or dry the ink that are known in the art and comprise one or more sources of at least one radiation beam, for example in the infrared or ultraviolet or visible range, as long as just able to dry or set the ink deposited on the hollowed cylindrical body by a respective ink jet printing station 2, still fall within the herein requested protection scope of the present invention.

[0033] According to a preferred aspect of the present invention, the movement mechanism 3 of each hollowed cylindrical body 100 comprises a chuck 3a to which each hollowed cylindrical body 100 in process is integrally constrained in a known way, which is shaped to rotate the hollowed cylindrical body 100 around its own axis, at least next to the printing station 2, and to displace and preferably translate such a cylindrical body 100 at least in a direction away from the printing station. The chuck 3a is further adapted to rotate the hollowed cylindrical body 100 around its own axis also when such a chuck 3a is activated so as to displace the same cylindrical body 100 in a direction away from the printing station 2, in a direction for example of an additional printing station 2 (as in the case shown in figures 3a to 3d), or the zone for releasing/ leaving the hollowed cylindrical body 100 from the apparatus 1. Furthermore, in the embodiment of the herein shown invention, it has to be clarified that each printing station 2 comprises an ink jet printing head 10 having a different colour so that, at the end of the whole printing and setting/drying operation, one or more polychrome images can be impressed on the surface of the hollowed cylindrical body 100.

[0034] Advantageously, according to the present invention, each source of radiation beam of the setting/ drying means 4 placed at a given printing station 2, is movable in a controlled way to track, at least in part and at least through the respective radiation beam, the hollowed cylindrical body 100 when the latter is moved away from the afore said printing station 2, substantially at least at the end of the printing operation of said first surface zone 100a.

[0035] According to a preferred aspect of the present invention, in case wherein the radiation sources are constituted by, as mentioned, led lamps 4, each of them can be movable in a controlled way, for example thanks to an activating device 21 set forth below, at least translationally along a straight path or substantially parallel to at least part of the preferably straight path followed by the hollowed cylindrical body 100 when it is translated by the movement mechanism 3 in a direction away from the printing station 2 to which the setting/drying means to set/dry the ink, comprising the led lamps 4, are combined with.

[0036] It has to be noticed that, although in the herein illustrated embodiment there are led lamps, or other sources of radiation beams able to set/dry the ink, which are translationally movable, any other displacement mode still falls within the herein required protection scope, as long as allowing the sources of radiation beams to track, by their own beams, the path followed by the hollowed cylindrical body 100 in a direction away from the printing station 2 to which such sources 4 are combined with, such as for example the rotation and the adjusted orientation of an apposite reflecting screen of each source.

[0037] Still according to a preferred aspect of the present invention and advantageously, each led lamp 4, or another similar source of radiation beam, is movable in a synchronized way with the hollowed cylindrical body 100 along part of its rotation and displacement (preferably translation) in a direction away from the printing station 2, so that to dry a second surface zone 100b of the hollowed cylindrical body 100.

[0038] Therefore, the setting/drying means 4 to set/dry the ink further comprise synchronizing means - herein not shown, but known in the art - to synchronize the displacement of the sources of radiation beams, and in particular at least of such beams, with the displacement of the hollowed cylindrical body 100 in a direction away from the printing station 2 to which the sources of a radiation beams are combined with.

[0039] According to an embodiment of the herein described invention, each hollowed cylindrical body 100 and each led lamp 4, or similar source of radiation beam, is translationally movable along a respective straight path, the paths being parallel one to another.

[0040] Furthermore, still according to the solution herein shown in the attached figures, each printing station 2 comprises a jet ink printing head 10 and a support 11, which is preferably but not necessarily fixed, on which the printing heads 10 are constrained to. Such a support 11 is arranged above each hollowed cylindrical body 100. Moreover, each led lamp 4 is arranged underneath the cylindrical bodies 100 in the printing process, in a position diametrically opposite, with respect to the cylindrical body 100 in progress, to the position of each printing head 10.

[0041] According to an embodiment of the invention shown in the attached figures, it has to be observed that the rotation of the hollowed cylindrical body 100, at the printing station 2, can be preferably equal to 360°. In this way the led lamp 4, during such a printing operation, is able to dry only a first surface zone 100a of the hollowed cylindrical body 100 equal to a maximum angular extent of 180°. Furthermore, the hollowed cylindrical body 100 can carry out a rotation of at least 180° during its translation or displacement between a printing station 2' and the subsequent printing station 2 placed in line to the first one, or between a printing station 2 and the releasing area from the apparatus 1. In this way the led lamp 4 can dry the remaining second surface portion 100b, equal to a 180° rotation angle, thereby completing the drying of the hollowed cylindrical body 100 during the translation of the cylindrical body 100 in a direction away from the printing station 2.

[0042] Still according to the herein represented embodiment, the apparatus 1 comprises a fixed frame 20 integral with the mentioned support 11 for each printing station 2, and an activating device 21 for displacing each led lamp 4 in a translatory and reciprocating motion with respect to said fixed frame 20. Such an activating device 21 comprises a carriage 30 sliding along the fixed frame 20 along convenient linear guide 23, and a first screen 31 provided with an opening 32 placed at each led lamp 4 in order to allow to direct the scattering of the ultraviolet radiation towards the hollowed cylindrical body 100. Advantageously, such a first screen 31 and each led lamp 4 are indirectly constrained to the carriage 22.

[0043] As can better seen in figures 3a to 3d, such displacement means 31 further comprise a second screen 33 provided with a plurality of second openings 34 and integrally constrained to the carriage 30. Such a second screen 33 is also movable by control, with respect to the first screen 31, between a first operative position P1 (see figure 3d) in which the second openings 34 are facing the first openings 32 for the scattering of radiations or energy, preferably in the heat form, towards the tubes 100, and a second non-operative position P2, in which the first openings 32 are covered by the second screen 33, i.e. the first opening 32 and the second openings 33 are not placed side by side for the scattering of the ultraviolet radiation emitted from the respective led lamp 4.

[0044] Still according to the herein shown embodiment, each led lamp 4 is further translationally movable, for example thanks to the activating device 21, for repositioning at the printing station 2, at least before the subsequent hollowed cylindrical body 100 in progress is repositioned in such a printing station 2.

[0045] Such a solution therefore allows to solve the problems of apparatuses of the known art as it uses the time for repositioning the subsequent hollowed cylindrical body 100 to continue drying the preceding hollowed cylindrical body 100, during its passage in a possible subsequent printing station 2. This is achieved because the led lamp 4 translates in a synchronized way with the hollowed cylindrical body 100 for at least part of its rotation and translation in a direction away from the printing station 2, so that to dry at least the second surface zone 100b of the hollowed cylindrical body 100 that has not been dried during the printing step of the hollowed cylindrical body 100 at the printing station 2.

[0046] In particular, it has to be observed also that an embodiment in which each led lamp 4, or any other source of radiation beam able to set/dry the ink, translates or more generally moves for repositioning at the printing station 2 simultaneously to the subsequent hollowed cylindrical body 100 repositioning, still falls within the protection scope of the present invention.

[0047] In figures 3a to 3d it is shown, in a simplified way, the operation of the printing and drying apparatus 1 comprising only two printing stations 2. For simplicity, the numeral 2' will denote the start station of a generic hollowed cylindrical body 100 and the numeral 2" the end station of the generic hollowed cylindrical body 100, wherein the numeral 100' will denote a generic and additional hollowed cylindrical body arriving in station 2'. Such an apparatus 1 further comprises two led lamps 4 that, although being identical, are shown by the numeral 4' and 4" for allowing a better comprehension of the operation of the apparatus 1.

[0048] According to the present invention, the method for printing and drying a hollowed cylindrical body subjected to a print of ink jet type through the hereinabove described apparatus 1, comprises the steps of, sequentially:

a. arranging at least one hollowed cylindrical body 100 next to at least one printing station 2';

b. rotate the hollowed cylindrical body 100 around its own axis at the printing station 2'; and

c. concurrently with step b), printing at least one surface zone 100a of the hollowed cylindrical body 100;

d. then displacing, preferably translationally, the hollowed cylindrical body 100 in a direction away from the afore said printing station 2', at least at the end of the mentioned steps b) and c) of the method;

e. setting and/or drying said at least one first surface zone 100a of the hollowed cylindrical body 100, during at least part of the afore said step d), by emitting at least one radiation beam from at least one of the one or more sources 4' of radiation beam, for example constituted by led lamps emitting ultraviolets; and

f. tracking, during the afore said step e) of the method, at least by means of one radiation beam of a source 4', such hollowed cylindrical body 100, for at least part of the path followed by the hollowed cylindrical body 100 in a direction away from the printing station 2'.

[0049] According to preferred aspect of the hereinabove described method, the step d) of the method can provide the translation of the hollowed cylindrical body 100 along a straight path, and concurrently the step f) of the method can comprise a step f.1) of translating the led lamps 4' along a straight path parallel to at least part of the straight path followed by the hollowed cylindrical body 100 during the step d) of the method. Furthermore, according to another aspect of the present invention, during the step d) of the method a step d.1) can be provided, which provides the at least partially rotation of the hollowed cylindrical body 100 around its own axis, when the latter moves in a direction away from the printing station 2.

[0050] Advantageously, in this case the step f) of the method can comprise a step f.2) of activating the displacement of the led lamps 4, or at least of the respective radiation beam, so that to be synchronized with the displacement of the hollowed cylindrical body 100 for at least part of its rotation and displacement, for example translation, in a direction away from the printing station 2, in order to dry at least one second surface zone 100b of the same hollowed cylindrical body 100.

[0051] More in particular, according to such an implementation of the method of the present invention, the operation of the apparatus 1 can preferably comprise the steps of:

a) arranging a hollowed cylindrical body 100 at the printing station 2';

b) rotating of at least 360° such a hollowed cylindrical body 100 at the printing station 2' (figure 3 a);

c) printing the hollowed cylindrical body 100 during the step b) of the method (the print is denoted by a concentric line with respect to the line of the outer circumference of the hollowed cylindrical body 100 (figure 3a), starting from a first surface zone 100a;

e.0) drying, through a led lamp 4' or similar source of radiation beam able to set/dry the ink, a first surface zone 100a (for simplicity shown in bold line) of the hollowed cylindrical body 100, during the complete 360° rotation of the hollowed cylindrical body 100 in said step b) of the method (figure 3a), and after the print of the afore said first surface zone 100a (for example after a 180° rotation of the cylindrical body 100);

d) displacing the hollowed cylindrical body 100 in a direction away from the printing station 2', at least at the end of steps b) and c) of the method (figures 3b and 3c).

[0052] Moreover, during the step d) of the particular method herein described, there is the step d.1) of rotating each hollowed cylindrical body 100, during the printing thereof, of at least 180° at least when it is moving away from the printing station 2' (figures 3b and 3c), and the step f.1) of translating, or more generally displacing, each lamp 4', 4" in synchronization with the hollowed cylindrical body 100 for part of its rotation and translation in a direction away from the printing station 2', by tracking such a cylindrical body 100 at least through the respective radiation beam, in order to dry (step f.2) a second surface zone 100b of the hollowed cylindrical body 100 thereby completing the drying of the cylinder itself 100 (figure 3b).

[0053] In practice, the led lamps 4' of the setting/drying means of the apparatus 1', according to such an implementation of the method according the present invention, firstly act at the printing station 2' for drying a first surface zone 100a just printed - for example extending of an angle up to 180° of the hollowed cylindrical body 100 in progress - concurrently with the printing of at least one second surface zone 100b - for example diametrically opposite to the first surface zone 100a - of the same hollowed cylindrical body 100 by means of the same printing station 2'. Subsequently, once also the printing of such at least one second surface zone 100b of the hollowed cylindrical body 100 has been completed by the printing station 2', these led lamps 4' move and track, at least through the respective radiation beam, the hollowed cylindrical body 100 that is translated and concurrently rotated around its own axis while moving away from the printing station 2' towards the subsequent printing station 2", so that to submit also its second surface zone 100b for the exposure to rays of lamps 4' in order to be completely dried by the latter just during such a rotation and translation of the hollowed cylindrical body 100 between the two consecutive printing stations 2', 2".

[0054] According to a particular aspect of the herein described method, subsequently to said step f) or f.1) of the method, there is a step g) of displacing the setting and/or drying means to set and/or dry the ink, and in particular of translating the led lamps 4' to place them at the respective printing station 2' (figures 3c and 3d).

[0055] Again, the method could comprise a step h) of positioning the hollowed cylindrical body 100 at the subsequent printing station 2" (figure 3d).

[0056] In practice, while the subsequent printing station 2" is occupied by the hollowed cylindrical body 100, the previous printing station 2' becomes occupied by a subsequent hollowed cylindrical body 100'. Advantageously, the step f) of positioning the hollowed cylindrical body 100 at the subsequent printing station 2" is completed not before, but at worst concurrently, the completion of the step g) of translating each led lamp 4', 4" for its repositioning at the respective printing station 2',2".

[0057] It has to be observed that the method further comprises, before the step g) of translating each led lamp 4', 4" for repositioning at the respective printing station 2', 2", a step 1) of displacing said second screen 33 to said second position P2 (figure 3c), and the step of m) positioning said second screen 33 back to said position P1, subsequently to step g) of translating each led lamp 4', 4" for its repositioning at the respective printing station 2', 2" (figure 3 a).

[0058] At this point, the cycle starts again from the step a) for every new hollowed cylindrical body 100, or 100', entering each printing station of the apparatus 1.

[0059] Lastly, it has to be observed that, before the step 1) of displacing said second screen 33 to said second position P2, there is the step of n) stopping the operation of the led lamp 4', 4". Furthermore, subsequently to step m) of positioning said second screen 33 back to said position P1, there is the step of o) reactivating the operation of the led lamp 4', 4".

Claims

1. Apparatus (1) for printing and drying at least one hollowed cylindrical or truncated-conical body, or at least a body substantially having the shape of any solid of revolution (100), comprising at least one printing station (2; 2') of the ink jet type, at least one movement mechanism (3) to rotate said at least one hollowed body (100) at least around its own axis at said at least one printing station (2; 2'), and to at least displace it in a direction away from said at least one printing station, at least at the end of the operation of printing a first surface zone (100a) of said at least one hollowed body (100), and setting and/or drying means (4) to set and/or dry the ink on at least said at least one surface zone (100a) of said at least one hollowed body (100), characterized in that said setting and/or drying means (4) to set and/or dry the ink comprise one or more sources of radiation beam, said one or more sources being placed at, or next to, said at least one printing station (2; 2') and being movable in a controlled way to track, at least in part and at least through their radiation beam, said at least one hollowed body (100) when the latter is displaced in a direction away from said at least one printing station (2; 2') substantially at the end of said operation of printing a first surface zone (100a).

2. Apparatus (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that said one or more radiating sources are movable, in a controlled way, at least along a path parallel to at least part of the path followed by said at least one hollowed body (100), when the latter is displaced in a direction away from said at least one printing station (2; 2').

3. Apparatus (1) according to any one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that said movement mechanism (3) is further suitable to rotate said at least one hollowed body (100) around its own axis at least when it is moving in a direction away from said at least one printing station (2; 2').

4. Apparatus (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said setting and/or drying means to set and/or dry the ink comprise synchronizing means to synchronize the displacement of said one or more sources of radiation beams with at least part of the displacement of said at least one hollowed cylindrical body (2) in a direction away from said at least one printing station (2; 2').

5. Apparatus (1) according to claims 3 and 4, characterized in that said setting and/or drying means (4) to set and/or dry the ink are movable so that to be synchronized with said at least one hollowed body (100) for at least part of its rotation and translation in a direction away from said at least one printing station (2), in order to set and/or dry the ink on at least one second surface zone (100b) of said at least one hollowed body.

6. Apparatus (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said one or more sources of radiation beam of said setting and/or drying means to set and/or dry the ink comprise one or more lamps with light-emitting diodes (LED).

7. Apparatus according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said printing station comprises at least one ink jet print head (10) and at least one support (11) for said at least one print head, said support (11) being arranged above said at least one hollowed body (100).

8. Apparatus according to claim 7, characterized in that said drying means (4) are arranged underneath said at least one hollowed body (100), in a position substantially opposed to the position of said at least one printing head.

9. Apparatus according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said setting and/or drying means (4) to set and/or dry the ink comprise at least one supporting carriage (30) to support said one or more sources of radiation beam, which slides along a fixed frame (20), as well as at least one first screen (31) provided with at least one opening (32) placed next to at least one of said one or more sources of radiation beams, in order to direct the scattering of said radiation beam towards said at least one hollowed body (100), said at least one first screen and said one or more sources of radiation beam being integrally constrained to said carriage (30).

10. Apparatus according to claim 9, characterized by comprising at least one second screen (33) provided with at least one second opening (34) and integrally constrained to said carriage (30), said at least one second screen being further movable by control, with respect to said at least one first screen (31) between a first operative position (P1), in which said at least one second opening (34) is facing said at least one first opening (32), and a second non-operative position (P2), in which said at least one first opening (32) is covered by said at least one second screen (33).

11. Method of printing and drying at least one cylindrical, truncated-conical, hollowed body, or a body substantially having a shape of any solid of revolution (100), of an apparatus according to one or more of claims 1 to 10, comprising the steps of, sequentially:

a. arranging at least one hollowed body (100, 100') at said at least one printing station (2, 2', 2");

b. rotating said at least one hollowed body (100, 100') around its own axis at said at least one printing station (2, 2', 2");

c. printing at least one surface zone of said at least one hollowed body (100; 100') during said step b) of the method;

d. displacing said at least one hollowed body (100) in a direction away from said at least one printing station (2; 2'; 2"), at least at the end of said steps b) and c) of the method;

e. setting and/or drying said at least one first surface zone (100a) of said at least one hollowed body (100), during at least part of said step d), by emitting at least one radiation beam from at least one of said one or more sources of radiation beam;
said method being characterized in that during said step e) of the method there is a step f) of tracking, at least through said at least one radiation beam and at least in part, said at least one hollowed body (100).

12. Method according to claim 11, characterized in that said step d) of the method provides the displacement of said hollowed body (100) along a given path, and in that said step f) of the method comprises a step f.1) of displacing said one or more sources of radiation beam along a path parallel to at least part of the path followed by said at least one hollowed body (100) during said step d) of the method.

13. Method according to claim 11 or 12, characterized in that during said step f) of the method there is a step d.1) of rotating at least partially said at least one hollowed body (100) around its own axis.

14. Method according to claims 12 and 13, characterized in that the step f) of the method comprises a step f.2) of activating the displacement, at least of the respective radiation beam, of said setting and/or drying means to set and/or dry the ink so that to be synchronized with said at least one hollowed body (100) for at least part of its rotation around its own axis and/or the displacement in a direction away from said at least one printing station, in order to dry at least one second surface zone of said at least one hollowed body.

15. Method according to any one of claims 11, 12, 13 or 14 characterized in that, after said step f) of the method, there is the step of g) displacing said setting and/or drying means to set and/or dry the ink in order to reposition them at said at least one printing station.

16. Method according to claim 15, characterized in that said step d) of the method comprises the step of h) positioning said at least one hollowed body (100) next to at least one additional printing station placed downstream of said at least one printing station, and in that said step h) is subsequent to, or concurrent with, said step g) of displacing said setting and/or drying means to set and/or dry the ink in order to reposition them at said at least one printing station.

17. Method according one or more of claims 15 or 16, characterized by comprising the step of i) repositioning said at least one subsequent hollowed body (100) next to said at least one printing station, and in that said step i) is subsequent to, or concurrent with, said step g) of displacing said setting and/or drying means in order to reposition them at said at least one printing station.

Drawing