DEVICE FOR INSTALLING AND REMOVING AN INSERTION ROLLER FOR A FLEXOGRAPHIC MACHINE

Abstract

 The present invention relates to an insertion roller installation and removal device in a flexographic machine. The device is applied to an insertion roller (4) that rolls over the web material (13) as it enters the upper part of an impression drum (1), and swiveling arms (2, 3) supporting the insertion roller (4) by end shafts (4a) provided with bearings (5), housed in respective seats (6) and retained by immobilizing elements (7), which swiveling arms (2, 3) have associated therewith fluid-dynamic cylinders (8) for raising and lowering said insertion roller (4) in relation to the surface of said impression drum (1). The insertion roller (4) is a lightweight roller provided with a carbon fiber jacket and a support path has been provided for supporting and guiding the insertion roller (4) as it moves with respect to the impression drum (1) once released from the immobilizing elements (7).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present utility model relates to a device provided for installing and removing an insertion roller in a flexographic machine, particularly for a central drum flexographic machine which enables performing said action in a simple and convenient manner and with minimum print group interference.

Background of the Invention

[0002] In a central drum flexographic machine, the insertion roller forms part of an assembly comprising a first guide roller and the insertion roller itself which is applied by way of rolling over the web material in the form of a band where said guide roller is applied on the drum after rolling.

[0003] This insertion roller is arranged on the upper part of an impression drum and is assembled in the swiveling arms supporting it by end shafts provided with bearings, housed in respective seats of said arms and retained by immobilizing elements (generally jaws with screw-operated releasing means accessible through knobs), said arms having associated therewith fluid-dynamic cylinders for raising and lowering the roller in relation to the surface of the drum and allowing web material arrangement.

[0004] When said insertion cylinder must be removed and replaced to adapt to the conditions of the web material to be treated or for a maintenance task, it is necessary to release the two ends of the roller by acting on the mentioned immobilizing elements, which is an onerous task given the position in the upper part of the machine, next to a print group, and taking into consideration the roller weight.

[0005] A solution based on arranging a laterally removable, exchangeable jacket where said jacket is arranged on a cylinder with holes through which pressurized air is applied for securing the jacket to the cylinder forming the roller, such as that described in patent ES 2 170 616, is known in the state of the art. In this case, only the jacket would be removed and replaced.

[0006] However, this prior art also involves a rather complex disassembly task and the cost of the assembly and its pressurized air supply confer limitations for its widespread application.

[0007] On the other hand, lightweight rollers for use in a flexographic machine are known. In such lightweight rollers, a jacket, which is usually made of steel, is replaced by a jacket made of carbon fiber that is significantly lighter than the steel jacket.

[0008] The invention proposes a solution different from the devices of the state of the art which facilitates assembling and disassembling the mentioned insertion cylinder in combination with a lightweight insertion roller.

Disclosure of the Invention

[0009] The present invention relates to an insertion roller installation and removal device in a flexographic machine, which roller rolls over the web material as it enters the upper part of an impression drum, said device comprising swiveling arms supporting said insertion roller by end shafts provided with bearings, housed in respective seats and retained by immobilizing elements, which swiveling arms have associated therewith fluid-dynamic cylinders for raising and lowering said insertion roller in relation to the surface of said impression drum.

[0010] Unlike the conventional proposals, the device proposed by the present invention is characterized in that a support path has been provided for said insertion roller once released from said immobilizing elements, which allows moving away from the impression drum by moving the insertion roller along the mentioned support path. Furthermore, the device of the present invention includes a lightweight roller for use as the insertion roller, which comprises a pair of end discs, each of which has formed therein one of said end shafts, a carbon fiber jacket fixed to said end discs, and an elastomeric coating arranged on said carbon fiber jacket.

[0011] For an embodiment of the device proposed by the present invention, two fixing members interacting with said immobilizing elements in the immobilizing position, blocking their movement, have been provided.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0012] The foregoing and other advantages and features will be better understood from the following detailed description of several embodiments in reference to the attached drawings which must be interpreted in an illustrative and non-limiting manner, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the device proposed by the present invention for one embodiment, as well as of the associated elements of the flexographic machine;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the device proposed by the present invention for the same embodiment of Figure 1, where the insertion roller is retained in respective seats of swiveling arms by immobilizing elements;

Figure 3 is a perspective view similar to that of Figure 2, but illustrating the immobilizing elements in a position allowing the removal of the insertion roller;

Figure 4 is another perspective view of the device proposed by the present invention which differs from that of Figure 3 in that it illustrates the insertion roller once removed from its respective seats;

Figures 5a and 5b are respective enlarged detailed views showing a part of the insertion roller supported by a respective track of the device proposed by the present invention, for respective alternative embodiments;

Figure 6 is a cross-section view of a lightweight insertion roller forming part of the device of the present invention; and

Figure 7 is a partial, perspective view of an alternative drive for the swiveling arms carrying the insertion roller.

Detailed Description of several Embodiments

[0013] As seen particularly in Figures 1 to 4, the present invention relates to an insertion roller installation and removal device 4 in a flexographic machine (not fully illustrated), which roller rolls over the web material 13 as it enters the upper part of an impression drum 1 (partially illustrated in Figure 1), said device comprising swiveling arms 2, 3 swiveling about articulations A1, supporting the insertion roller 4 by end shafts 4a provided with bearings 5, housed in respective seats 6 (see Figure 4) and retained by immobilizing elements 7, which swiveling arms 2, 3 have associated therewith fluid-dynamic cylinders 8 for raising and lowering said insertion roller 4 in relation to the surface of the impression drum 1.

[0014] In the device proposed by the invention, a support path has been provided for the insertion roller 4 once released from said immobilizing elements 7, which allows moving away from the impression drum 1 by moving the insertion roller 4 along the mentioned support path.

[0015] For the illustrated embodiment, said support path comprises two coplanar tracks 9, 10 spaced from one another to enable receiving thereon ends of the transversely oriented insertion roller 4 allowing moving the insertion roller 4 on the tracks 9, 10 and a stop 11 having been provided in the end areas of each track 9, 10 for limiting said movement.

[0016] For the embodiment of Figure 5b, the elements of the insertion roller 4 rolling along tracks 9, 10 are bearings 5, and for the embodiment of Figure 5a the elements are the end shafts 4a.

[0017] Although only track 9 has been illustrated in said Figures 5a and 5b, the arrangement of the insertion roller 4 on the other track 10 is the same as that illustrated for track 9.

[0018] The two coplanar tracks 9, 10 are generally fixed to respective walls of a frame (not illustrated) of said flexographic machine, or to a support (not illustrated) thereof.

[0019] Depending on the embodiment, the coplanar tracks 9, 10, comprised by the device proposed by the invention are substantially horizontal or slightly inclined to facilitate the manual removal of the insertion roller 4 rolling along same, without the need for exerting a great effort.

[0020] The mentioned immobilizing elements 7 can pivot between an immobilizing position and a second position in which they establish a linking bridge with the mentioned tracks 9, 10.

[0021] To that end, according to the illustrated embodiment, the immobilizing elements 7 are fixed to the swiveling arms 2, 3 through respective articulations a1, as seen particularly in Figure 4.

[0022] The device proposed by the invention comprises two fixing members interacting with the immobilizing elements 7 in the immobilizing position, blocking their movement, each of which comprises, for the illustrated embodiment, a lever 11 and a manual gripping knob 12 screwed into said lever 11, said lever 11 being articulated to pivot until reaching an interaction position for interacting with a respective immobilizing element of said immobilizing elements 7, in which it is trapped between said manual gripping knob 12 and an edge of one of said swiveling arms 2, 3, a situation illustrated by Figures 1 and 2.

[0023] Figures 3 and 4 illustrate the levers 11 in their resting position, in which they do not interact with the immobilizing members 7.

[0024] In particular, the levers 11 are attached to the swiveling arms 2, 3 by means of respective articulations a2.

[0025] As shown in Figure 6, the insertion roller 4 is a lightweight roller comprising a pair of end discs 14 made, for example, of steel, a carbon fiber jacket 15 fixed by its ends to cylindrical support surfaces 14a formed in said end discs 14, and an elastomeric coating 16 made, for example, of rubber or another elastomeric material, applied on said carbon fiber jacket 15. Each of the end discs 14 has formed therein one of the end shafts 4a of the insertion roller 4 extending outwards.

[0026] This lightweight insertion roller 4 construction is similar to that of a conventional roller in which the jacket is made of steel, but with the difference that the steel jacket is replaced by said carbon fiber jacket 15 which has a weight less than half the weight of the steel jacket while offering comparable mechanical performances, and in some aspects, performances which are superior to those of a steel jacket.

[0027] This lightness of the insertion roller 4 along with other features of the installation and removal device of the present invention greatly facilitate the operations of installing and removing the insertion roller 4 in the flexographic machine.

[0028] Figure 7 shows alternative drive means for driving the mentioned swiveling arms 2, 3, at the end of which the seat 6, bearing 5 and securing device 7 for securing the insertion roller 4 are defined. Unlike the drive shown in Figure 4, where the fluid-dynamic cylinders 8 located inside the frame act in an intermediate point of the arm 2, in the embodiment of Figure 7, the connection of the fluid-dynamic cylinder 8, located outside the frame, is carried out by means of a bolt 22 which is integral with, perpendicular to the end of a lever 21, coaxially and firmly secured by a fixing 20, on a wider region, opposite the bolt 22, to the articulation A1 of the swiveling arms 2, 3. Figure 7 indicates friction bushings 23 demarcating a central region of said articulation A1 resting on a supporting wall of the frame, which it traverses. Therefore, by acting on the bolt 22, the lever 21 will rotate and the articulation A1 will rotate with it driving the swiveling arm 2, 3 towards an operating position.

[0029] A person skilled in the art could introduce changes and modifications in the embodiments described without departing from the scope of the invention as it is defined in the attached claims.

Claims

1. An insertion roller installation and removal device for a flexographic machine, wherein said insertion roller (4) acts by rolling over the web material (13) as it accesses on an upper part of an impression drum (1), said installation and removal device comprising swiveling arms (2, 3) supporting said insertion roller (4) by end shafts (4a) provided with bearings (5) housed in respective seats (6) and retained by immobilizing elements (7), said swiveling arms (2, 3) having associated therewith fluid-dynamic cylinders (8) for raising and lowering said insertion roller (4) in relation to the surface of said impression drum (1), characterized in that the installation and removal device comprises a support path for supporting and guiding said insertion roller (4) once released from said immobilizing elements (7) and allowing the insertion roller (4) to move closer to or away from the impression drum (1) by moving the insertion roller (4), sliding or rolling along said support path.

2. The installation and removal device according to claim 1, characterized in that said insertion roller (4) is a lightweight roller comprising:

a pair of end discs (14), each of which has formed therein one of said end shafts (4a);

a cylindrical carbon fiber jacket (15) fixed at its ends to said end discs (14); and

an elastomeric coating (16) on said carbon fiber jacket (15).

3. The installation and removal device according to the preceding claim, characterized in that said support path comprises two coplanar tracks (9, 10), spaced from one another to enable receiving thereon ends of the transversely oriented insertion roller (4), allowing moving said insertion roller (4) on said tracks (9, 10), and a stop (11) being provided in the end areas of each track (9, 10) for limiting said movement.

4. The installation and removal device according to claim 2, characterized in that said coplanar tracks (9, 10) are substantially horizontal.

5. The installation and removal device according to claim 2, characterized in that the mentioned immobilizing elements (7) can pivot between an immobilizing position and a second position in which they establish a linking bridge with the mentioned tracks (9, 10).

6. The installation and removal device according to claim 5, characterized in that two fixing members which interact with said immobilizing elements (7) in the immobilizing position, blocking their movement, have been provided.

7. The installation and removal device according to claim 6, characterized in that each of said fixing members comprises a lever (11) and a manual gripping knob (12) screwed into said lever (11), said lever (11) being articulated to pivot until reaching an interaction position for interacting with a respective one of said immobilizing elements (7), in which position the immobilizing elements (7) is trapped between said manual gripping knob (12) and an edge of one of said swiveling arms (2, 3).

8. The installation and removal device according to any one of claims 3 or 4, characterized in that said two coplanar tracks (9, 10) are fixed to respective walls of a frame of said flexographic machine.

9. The installation and removal device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said fluid-dynamic cylinders (8) are arranged in the inner part of a frame and their rod is connected to a bolt projecting from an intermediate point of one of said swiveling arms (2, 3).

10. The installation and removal device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that said fluid-dynamic cylinders (8) are arranged in the outer part of a frame and their rod is connected to a bolt (22) of a lever (21) secured and fixed to the articulation (A1) of said swiveling arms (2, 3).

Drawing