Horizontal digital direct injection cup printing machine

Abstract

This invention discloses a horizontal digital direct-injection cup printing machine, comprising a machine base, a turntable, a first drive mechanism, a cup mold, a transmission mechanism, a second drive mechanism, a third drive mechanism, a first digital inkjet device, and a curing device. The turntable is rotatably mounted on the machine base with its central axis perpendicular to the surface of the machine base. The machine base is sequentially arranged around the central axis of the turntable, including a loading station, a first printing station, a curing station, and a unloading station. The first drive mechanism drives the turntable to rotate in a stepwise manner. The transmission mechanism is mounted on the turntable, with its output shaft extending radially from the turntable and fixedly connected to the cup mold. The second drive mechanism drives the cup mold to rotate via the transmission mechanism. The first digital inkjet device is located at the first printing station. The third drive mechanism drives the cup mold to rotate via the transmission mechanism. The curing device is located at the curing station. This invention has the advantages of convenient installation, fast plate changing speed, ink saving, high printing accuracy, and high production efficiency.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a digital inkjet printing device for paper cups, and more particularly to a horizontal digital direct inkjet printing machine for cups. Background Technology

[0002] In the catering industry, disposable cups are commonly used to hold beverages such as milk tea and coffee. Brand logos and related designs are printed on the outside of these cups, primarily using screen printing. Screen printing generally involves ink printing and ink curing. Currently, stacked cups are manually separated and transferred to a printing device. The screen printing device then prints the design on the outer circumference of the cup, which is then manually transferred to a curing device for curing. Finally, the cup is manually unloaded to complete the printing process. However, in existing production processes, the various steps are not interconnected, requiring manual operation, resulting in low automation and very low production efficiency.

[0003] To improve production efficiency, a vertical cup screen printing machine has been designed on the market. This machine places a turntable vertically with multiple cup molds on it. Each station processes the cups on the molds, and the screen printing equipment is placed on top of the turntable to print the cups at the top. However, because the screen for screen printing needs to be laid flat and moved during printing, it requires a lot of space. Therefore, the turntable must be suspended vertically, and the screen printing mechanism must be placed on top of it. This places high demands on the strength of the bearings supporting the turntable and on the precision of its installation. Furthermore, changing the pattern requires removing the old screen and discarding the ink. A new screen must be installed and new ink poured in, making pattern changes extremely inconvenient and wasteful of ink. Therefore, existing screen printing machines have high assembly requirements and high production costs. In addition, due to the characteristics of screen printing, this type of cup screen printing machine also suffers from drawbacks such as limited printing colors, low printing precision, and low production efficiency. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to provide a horizontal digital direct-injection cup printing machine, which has the advantages of convenient installation, fast plate changing speed, ink saving, high printing accuracy, and high production efficiency.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides a horizontal digital direct-injection cup printing machine comprising a machine base, a turntable, a first drive mechanism, a cup mold, a transmission mechanism, a second drive mechanism, a third drive mechanism, a first digital inkjet device, and a curing device; the turntable is rotatably mounted on the machine base with its central axis perpendicular to the surface of the machine base; the machine base is sequentially provided with a loading station, a first printing station, a curing station, and a unloading station around the central axis of the turntable; the first drive mechanism is located on the lower side of the machine base and drives the turntable to rotate in a stepwise manner; the transmission mechanism is mounted on the turntable and its output shaft extends along... The turntable extends radially and is fixedly connected to the cup mold; the cup mold positions the cup; the second drive mechanism is disposed above the machine and drives the cup mold to rotate via the transmission mechanism when the cup mold moves to the first printing station; the first digital inkjet device is disposed at the first printing station to print on the cup at the first printing station; the third drive mechanism is disposed above the machine and drives the cup mold to rotate via the transmission mechanism when the cup mold moves to the curing station; the curing device is disposed at the curing station to cure the ink on the cup at the curing station.

[0006] Compared with existing technologies, this invention arranges a loading station, a first printing station, a curing station, and a unloading station sequentially around a central axis on a machine base. A first digital inkjet printer and a curing device are then installed on the machine base. The turntable is rotatably mounted on the machine base with its central axis perpendicular to the machine base surface. This allows the turntable to move cups arranged around it sequentially through the loading station, the first printing station, the curing station, and the unloading station, thus achieving loading, digital printing, curing, and unloading. Furthermore, since the first digital inkjet printer is used at the first printing station, it can precisely spray ink through a digital printhead controlled by a control system, eliminating the need for traditional screen printing. The digital inkjet printer is also smaller. The surface of the turntable above the first printing station has sufficient space to accommodate the digital inkjet printer. Therefore, this design allows the turntable to be horizontally positioned relative to the machine base, eliminating the need for the traditional vertical arrangement of the turntable. This significantly reduces the bearing requirements at the center of the turntable and lowers the installation accuracy requirements, making installation more convenient and faster. In addition, when changing the printing plate (printing pattern), since the first digital inkjet device is digitally controlled, the pattern only needs to be changed on the control system. There is no need to disassemble and replace the first digital inkjet device. Compared with the traditional screen printing device replacement, the plate change is quick and convenient and does not waste ink. Furthermore, digital inkjet printing has the advantages of high printing accuracy and high production efficiency.

[0007] Preferably, the first digital inkjet device includes a base, at least two first digital printheads, and a first lateral drive mechanism, a radial drive mechanism, and a first mounting bracket corresponding to each first digital printhead. The first digital printheads are disposed at the lower end of the first mounting bracket. The output end of the radial drive mechanism is connected to the first mounting bracket to drive the first digital printheads to move closer to or further away from the cup mold along the radial direction. The first lateral drive mechanism is disposed on the base and its output end is connected to the radial drive mechanism to drive the first digital printheads to move along the axial direction of the cup mold. By providing the first lateral drive mechanism and the radial drive mechanism, the position of each first digital printhead relative to the cup can be easily adjusted, thereby quickly adjusting the inkjet position and improving the printing accuracy and efficiency.

[0008] Specifically, an angle adjustment mechanism is provided between the first digital printhead and the first mounting bracket to adjust the angle between the ink jet direction of the first digital printhead and the vertical direction. This allows for convenient adjustment of the position of the first digital printhead toward the cup, thereby quickly adjusting the ink jet position and improving printing accuracy and efficiency.

[0009] Preferably, the horizontal digital direct-injection cup printing machine further includes a second digital inkjet device and a fourth drive mechanism. A second printing station is provided between the feeding station and the first printing station. The second digital inkjet device is located at the second printing station to print on the cups at the second printing station. The fourth drive mechanism is located above the machine platform and drives the cup mold to rotate via the transmission mechanism when the cup mold moves to the second printing station. Since different cups use different materials, the colors of the printed pattern display differently on these materials. To better display the colors of the printed pattern on the cups, a base coat can be sprayed before digital printing on cups made of materials that affect the display effect, thereby improving the digital printing effect.

[0010] Specifically, the second digital inkjet device includes a second horizontal drive mechanism, a vertical drive mechanism, a second mounting bracket, and a second digital printhead. The second digital printhead is mounted on the second mounting bracket. The output end of the second horizontal drive mechanism is connected to the second mounting bracket to drive the second digital printhead to move along the axial direction of the cup mold. The vertical drive mechanism is mounted on the machine base and its output end is connected to the second horizontal drive mechanism to drive the second digital printhead to move away from or closer to the cup mold in the vertical direction. By setting the second horizontal drive mechanism and the vertical drive mechanism, the second digital printhead can move more flexibly to different positions on the cup for printing, ensuring a more uniform base color coating and a wider coating range.

[0011] Preferably, the horizontal digital direct-injection cup printing machine further includes an alignment device, and the machine base is also provided with an alignment station, which is located after the loading station along the rotation direction of the turntable; the alignment device has a telescopic end to push the cup on the alignment station, so that the cup is aligned with the cup mold. Since the cup is pushed into the cup mold by blowing air during loading, there is a possibility that the cup is not completely fitted into the cup mold. Therefore, by setting up the alignment device, the extended end of the alignment device pushes the cup to make it completely fitted into the cup mold, thereby ensuring the accuracy and stability of subsequent digital printing.

[0012] Specifically, the horizontal digital direct-injection cup printing machine also includes a cleaning device located at the alignment station to clean the surface of the cups at the alignment station. This prevents dust from adhering to the outer surface of the cups and affecting the digital printing effect, thereby improving the quality of the digital printing.

[0013] Specifically, the cleaning device includes a translation drive mechanism, a brush head, and a vacuum cleaner. The brush head is mounted on the machine platform to clean the surface of the cup as the cup mold passes over it. The translation drive mechanism is mounted on the machine platform and its output end is connected to the vacuum cleaner, which sucks up the dust. By setting up the brush head and coordinating with the cup's rotation on the cup mold, the brush head can sweep away dust from the outside of the cup. At the same time, the translation drive mechanism drives the vacuum cleaner to move along the side of the cup, thereby quickly sucking up the swept-off dust and particles, resulting in good cleaning effect and ensuring that dust does not drift onto cups at other workstations, avoiding secondary contamination.

[0014] Specifically, the horizontal digital direct-injection cup printing machine also includes a lifting device. The input shaft of the transmission mechanism is parallel to the central axis of the turntable. The lifting device drives the second drive mechanism and / or the fourth drive mechanism to rise and fall, so that the output end of the latter can be connected to or separated from the input shaft of the transmission mechanism. By using the lifting device to drive the second drive mechanism and the fourth drive mechanism to rise or fall, when the second drive mechanism and the fourth drive mechanism rise, they can be disengaged from the transmission mechanism, thus ensuring that the turntable can drive the transmission mechanism to rotate without interference. When the second drive mechanism and the fourth drive mechanism fall, they can be connected to the transmission mechanism, thus ensuring that the cup mold and cup can be driven to rotate through the transmission mechanism, realizing the functions at each station. This makes control simpler and operation more reliable.

[0015] Specifically, both the second and fourth drive mechanisms include a motor and a rotating shaft. The output end of the motor is fixedly connected to one end of the rotating shaft, and the other end of the rotating shaft has a socket hole that can be axially slidably fitted with the input shaft of the transmission mechanism and is circumferentially fixed. By providing the socket hole, the rotating shaft can be quickly connected to the input shaft of the transmission mechanism, making the connection very convenient.

[0016] Specifically, when the cup mold moves to the alignment station and the curing station, the third driving mechanism simultaneously drives the cup mold to rotate via the input shaft of the transmission mechanism. By using the third driving mechanism to simultaneously drive the cup molds at the alignment station and the curing station to rotate, the cups at the alignment station can be cleaned more thoroughly, while the ink on the cups at the curing station can be cured faster and more evenly.

[0017] Specifically, the third drive mechanism includes a third motor, a synchronous belt, a driving synchronous pulley, two driven synchronous pulleys, and two drive wheels. The output end of the third motor is connected to the driving synchronous pulley. The synchronous belt surrounds the driving synchronous pulley and the two driven synchronous pulleys. Each drive wheel is coaxially and fixedly connected to a corresponding driven synchronous pulley. Rollers are fixedly mounted on the input shaft of the transmission mechanism. When the cup mold moves to the alignment station and the curing station, the drive wheels correspondingly drive the rollers at those stations to rotate the cup mold. By using a synchronous belt, two driven synchronous pulleys, and two drive wheels, a single motor can simultaneously drive the cup mold and cup rotation at two stations, effectively simplifying the equipment structure, making control easier, and operation more stable. Attached Figure Description

[0018] Figure 1 This is a perspective view of the horizontal digital direct-injection cup printing machine of the present invention.

[0019] Figure 2 This is a top view of the horizontal digital direct-injection cup printing machine of the present invention.

[0020] Figure 3 This is a structural diagram of the horizontal digital direct-injection cup printing machine of the present invention, showing the removal of the feeding device and the unloading device.

[0021] Figure 4 This is a structural diagram of the alignment device and cleaning device of the horizontal digital direct-injection cup printing machine of the present invention.

[0022] Figure 5 This is a structural diagram of the turntable, first drive mechanism, cup mold, transmission mechanism, second drive mechanism, third drive mechanism, fourth drive mechanism and lifting device of the horizontal digital direct injection cup printing machine of the present invention.

[0023] Figure 6 yes Figure 5Side view.

[0024] Figure 7 yes Figure 5 Top view.

[0025] Figure 8 yes Figure 5 Another structural diagram from another angle.

[0026] Figure 9 This is a structural diagram of the turntable, cup mold, transmission mechanism, and fourth drive mechanism of the horizontal digital direct-injection cup printing machine of the present invention.

[0027] Figure 10 This is a structural diagram of the second digital inkjet device of the horizontal digital direct-injection cup printing machine of the present invention.

[0028] Figure 11 This is a structural diagram of the first digital inkjet device of the horizontal digital direct-injection cup printing machine of the present invention.

[0029] Figure 12 This is a structural diagram of the transmission mechanism of the horizontal digital direct-injection cup printing machine of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0030] To illustrate the technical content, structural features, objectives, and effects of the present invention in detail, the following description is provided in conjunction with the embodiments and accompanying drawings.

[0031] Please see Figures 1 to 7The horizontal digital direct-injection cup printing machine 100 of the present invention is used for digital printing on the side of a cup. It includes a machine base 1, a turntable 2, a first drive mechanism 3, a cup mold 4, a transmission mechanism 5, a second drive mechanism 6, a third drive mechanism 7, a first digital inkjet device 8, and a curing device 9. The turntable 2 has a circular structure. The turntable 2 is rotatably mounted on the machine base 1 around a center, with its central axis perpendicular to the surface of the machine base 1. The machine base 1 has, in sequence around the central axis of the turntable 2, a loading station 11, a first printing station 14, a curing station 15, and a unloading station 16. The first drive mechanism 3 is located on the lower side of the machine base 1 and drives the turntable 2 to rotate in a stepwise manner. The first driving mechanism 3 includes a stepper motor 31 and a gear transmission assembly 32. The output end of the stepper motor 31 is connected to the input gear of the gear transmission assembly 32, and the output gear of the gear transmission assembly 32 is coaxially connected to the turntable 2 to drive the turntable 2 to rotate in steps, wherein the rotation step is the included angle of one station. There are multiple transmission mechanisms 5, each corresponding to one station. Each transmission mechanism 5 is positioned near the center of the turntable 2 around its central axis. The output shaft 52 of the transmission mechanism 5 extends radially from the turntable 2 and is coaxially fixedly connected to the cup mold 4. The cup mold 4 is used to fit and position the cup, ensuring that the central axis of the cup is horizontal. The second driving mechanism 6 is positioned above the machine base 1 and corresponds to the first printing station 14. When the cup mold 4 moves to the first printing station 14, it drives the cup mold 4 to rotate via the transmission mechanism 5. The first digital inkjet device 8 is positioned at the first printing station 14 to print on the cups at the first printing station 14. The third drive mechanism 7 is positioned above the machine base 1 and corresponds to the curing station 15. When the cup mold 4 moves to the curing station 15, it drives the cup mold 4 to rotate via the transmission mechanism 5. The curing device 9 is positioned at the curing station 15 to cure the ink on the cup at the curing station 15. The curing device 9 uses UV curing.

[0032] Please see again Figures 3 to 4The horizontal digital direct-injection cup printing machine 100 also includes an alignment device 110 and a cleaning device 120. The machine base 1 is also equipped with an alignment station 12, which is located after the loading station 11 and between the first printing station 14 along the rotation direction of the turntable 2. The alignment device 110 is mounted on the machine base 1 and has a telescopic end to push the cup rotated to the alignment station 12, aligning the cup with the cup mold 4. Since the cup is pushed into the cup mold 4 by blowing air during loading, there is a possibility that the cup may not be fully fitted into the cup mold 4. Therefore, by setting up the alignment device 110, the extended end of the alignment device 110 pushes the cup to ensure it is fully fitted into the cup mold 4, thereby ensuring the accuracy and stability of subsequent digital printing. Specifically, the alignment device 110 includes a push cylinder 111 and a push member 112. The push cylinder 111 is fixed to the machine base 1, and its telescopic end is connected to the push member 112. When the push member 112 extends, it can push the bottom of the cup, thereby pushing the cup completely into the cup mold 4. A buffer assembly can be provided between the push member 112 and the telescopic end to buffer the cup when the push member 112 pushes it, preventing damage to the cup, the cup mold 4, or the push member 112. The push member 112 can also be made of elastic rubber material, giving it elastic buffering capability, which can also achieve the buffering effect.

[0033] Please see again Figures 3 to 4The cleaning device 120 is disposed at the alignment station 12 to clean the surface of the cup on the alignment station 12. This prevents dust from adhering to the outer surface of the cup and affecting the digital printing effect, thereby improving the quality of the digital printing. Specifically, the cleaning device 120 includes a translation drive mechanism 121, a brush head 122, and a vacuum cleaner 123. The brush head 122 is disposed on the machine base 1 to clean the surface of the cup as the cup mold 4 passes by. There are two brush heads 122, respectively disposed on the upper and lower sides of the cup mold 4. The translation drive mechanism 121 is disposed on the machine base 1 and its output end is connected to the vacuum cleaner 123, which sucks away the dust. The vacuum cleaner 123 can use negative pressure suction or charged ion adsorption to remove dust. By setting up a brush head 122 and having the cup rotate on the cup mold 4, the brush head 122 can sweep away dust from the outside of the cup. Simultaneously, the translation drive mechanism 121 drives the vacuum cleaner 123 to move along the side of the cup, thus quickly sucking up the swept-off dust and particles, resulting in good cleaning performance and ensuring that dust does not drift onto cups at other workstations, avoiding secondary contamination. Furthermore, when the cup mold 4 moves to the alignment workstation 12, the third drive mechanism 7 drives the cup mold 2 to rotate via the input shaft 51 of the transmission mechanism 5. By simultaneously driving the cup mold 4 at the alignment workstation 12 to rotate using the third drive mechanism 7, the cups at the alignment workstation 12 can be cleaned more thoroughly.

[0034] Please see Figure 3 and Figure 10The horizontal digital direct-injection cup printing machine 100 also includes a second digital inkjet device 130 and a fourth drive mechanism 150. A second printing station 13 is provided between the alignment station 12 and the first printing station 14. The second digital inkjet device 130 is disposed at the second printing station 13 to print on the cup that has rotated to the second printing station 13. The fourth drive mechanism 150 is disposed above the machine base 1 and drives the cup mold 2 to rotate via the transmission mechanism 5 when the cup mold 2 moves to the second printing station 13. Since different cups are made of different materials, the color display effect of the printed pattern is also different on these materials. In order to better display the color of the printed pattern on the cup, a base color can be sprayed on the cups made of certain materials that affect the display effect before digital printing, thereby improving the effect of digital printing. Specifically, the second digital inkjet device 130 includes a second horizontal drive mechanism 131, a vertical drive mechanism 132, a second mounting bracket 133, and a second digital printhead 134. The second digital printhead 134 is mounted on the second mounting bracket 133. The output end of the second horizontal drive mechanism 131 is connected to the second mounting bracket 133 to drive the second digital printhead 134 to move along the axial direction of the cup mold 4. The second horizontal drive mechanism 131 is in the form of a lead screw and nut and has a second operating knob 131a. The second operating knob 131a is connected to the second lead screw 131b, the second lead screw 131b is threadedly connected to the second nut 131c, and the second nut 131c is fixedly connected to the second mounting bracket 133. The position of the second digital printhead 134 along the axial direction of the cup mold 4 can be adjusted manually using the second operating knob 131a. In this embodiment, the nozzle length of the second digital printhead 134 is sufficient to completely coat the cup in one pass. The vertical drive mechanism 132 is mounted on the machine base 1 and its output end is connected to the second horizontal drive mechanism 131 to drive the second digital printhead 134 to move vertically away from or towards the cup mold 4. Specifically, the vertical drive mechanism 132 includes a servo motor 132a and a lead screw and nut assembly 132b. The servo motor 132a drives the lead screw and nut assembly 132b, causing the nut of the lead screw and nut assembly 132b to move the second horizontal drive mechanism 131 vertically. By setting up the second horizontal drive mechanism 131 and the vertical drive mechanism 132, the second digital printhead 134 can move more flexibly to different positions on the cup for printing, ensuring a more uniform base color coating and a wider coating range.

[0035] Please see Figure 3 and Figure 11The first digital inkjet device 8 includes a base 81, at least two first digital printheads 82, and a first lateral drive mechanism 83, a radial drive mechanism 84, and a first mounting bracket 85 corresponding to each first digital printhead 82. The first digital printhead 82 is disposed at the lower end of the first mounting bracket 85. The output end of the radial drive mechanism 84 is connected to the first mounting bracket 85 to drive the first digital printhead 82 to move closer to or further away from the cup mold 4 along the radial direction. The radial drive mechanism 84 includes a servo motor 841 and a lead screw and nut assembly 842. The servo motor 841 drives the lead screw and nut assembly 842, causing the nut of the lead screw and nut assembly 842 to move the first mounting bracket 85 along the radial direction of the cup mold 4. The first lateral drive mechanism 83 is disposed on the base 81 and its output end is connected to the radial drive mechanism 84 to drive the first digital printhead 82 to move along the axial direction of the cup mold 4. In this embodiment, the first transverse drive mechanism 83 is in the form of a lead screw and nut and has a first operating knob 831. The first operating knob 831 is connected to the first lead screw 832, the first lead screw 832 is threadedly connected to the first nut 833, and the first nut 833 is connected to the radial drive mechanism 84. The position of the first digital printhead 82 along the axial direction of the cup mold 4 can be adjusted manually using the first operating knob 831. By setting the first transverse drive mechanism 83 and the radial drive mechanism 84, the position of each first digital printhead 82 relative to the cup can be easily adjusted, thereby quickly adjusting the inkjet position and improving printing accuracy and efficiency. In this embodiment, the nozzle length of the first digital printhead 82 meets the length required for complete coating of the cup in one pass.

[0036] More specifically, an angle adjustment mechanism (not shown in the figure) is provided between the first digital printhead 82 and the first mounting bracket 85 to adjust the angle between the ink jet direction of the first digital printhead 82 and the vertical direction. This allows for convenient adjustment of the position of the first digital printhead 82 toward the cup, thereby quickly adjusting the ink jet position and improving printing accuracy and efficiency.

[0037] In this embodiment, the first digital printhead 82, along with the corresponding first lateral drive mechanism 83, radial drive mechanism 84, and first mounting bracket 85, constitute a spraying mechanism. The two spraying mechanisms are symmetrically arranged on opposite sides of the base 81. Both spraying mechanisms jointly print on the same cup below, thus increasing the printing speed.

[0038] Please see Figure 5 and Figure 6The horizontal digital direct-injection cup printing machine 100 also includes a lifting device 140. The input shaft of the transmission mechanism 5 is parallel to the central axis of the turntable 2. The lifting device 140 drives the second drive mechanism 6 and / or the fourth drive mechanism 150 to rise or fall, so that the output end of the latter is connected to or separated from the input shaft of the transmission mechanism 5. In this embodiment, there are two lifting devices 140, which drive the second drive mechanism 6 and the fourth drive mechanism 150 to rise or fall respectively. By using the lifting device 140 to drive the second drive mechanism 6 and the fourth drive mechanism 150 to rise or fall, when the second drive mechanism 6 and the fourth drive mechanism 150 rise, they can be disengaged from the transmission mechanism 5, thereby ensuring that the turntable 2 can drive the transmission mechanism 5 to rotate without interference. When the second drive mechanism 6 and the fourth drive mechanism 150 descend, they can connect with the transmission mechanism 5, ensuring that the cup mold 4 and the cup can rotate via the transmission mechanism 5, thus realizing the functions at each workstation. This makes control simpler and operation more reliable. In this embodiment, the lifting device 140 is a cylinder.

[0039] Please see again Figure 5 and Figure 6 The second drive mechanism 6 and the fourth drive mechanism 150 have the same structure, both including a motor 61 and a rotating shaft 62. The output end of the motor 61 is fixedly connected to one end of the rotating shaft 62, and the other end of the rotating shaft 62 has a sleeve hole 621 that can be axially slidably sleeved with the input shaft 51 of the transmission mechanism 5 and is circumferentially fixed. By providing the sleeve hole 621, the rotating shaft 62 can be quickly connected to the input shaft of the transmission mechanism 5, making the connection very convenient.

[0040] Please see Figure 8 and Figure 9The third driving mechanism 7 can simultaneously drive the cup mold 4 located on the alignment station 12 and the curing station 15 to rotate. By using the third driving mechanism 7 to simultaneously drive the cup mold 4 on the alignment station 12 and the curing station 15 to rotate, the cups on the alignment station 12 can be cleaned more thoroughly, and the ink on the cups on the curing station 15 can be cured faster and more evenly. Specifically, the third driving mechanism 7 includes a third motor 71, a synchronous belt 72, a driving synchronous pulley 73, two driven synchronous pulleys 74, and two driving wheels 75. The output end of the third motor 71 is connected to the driving synchronous pulley 73. The synchronous belt 72 surrounds the driving synchronous pulley 73 and the two driven synchronous pulleys 74. The driving wheels 75 are coaxially fixedly connected to the driven synchronous pulleys 74 one by one. A roller 76 is fixedly mounted on the input shaft of the transmission mechanism 5. When the cup mold 4 moves to the alignment station 12 and the curing station 15, the drive wheel 75 correspondingly drives the roller 76 at that station to rotate the cup mold 4. By setting up a synchronous belt 72, two driven synchronous pulleys 74, and two drive wheels 75, a single motor can simultaneously drive the cup mold 4 and the cup at both stations to rotate, effectively simplifying the equipment structure, making control easier, and ensuring more stable operation.

[0041] For example Figure 1 As shown, the horizontal digital direct-injection cup printing machine 100 also includes a feeding device 160 and a discharging device 170. The feeding device 160 is located on one side of the feeding station 11 to feed cups onto the cup mold 4; the discharging device 170 is located on one side of the discharging station 16 to unload cups from the cup mold 4. The feeding device 160 and the discharging device 170 enable automatic feeding and unloading of cups without manual operation, greatly improving the automation level of the equipment and increasing its production efficiency.

[0042] For example Figure 5 and Figure 12 As shown, the transmission mechanism 5 includes an input shaft 51, a first bevel gear (not shown), a second bevel gear (not shown), and an output shaft 52. The first bevel gear is coaxially and fixedly connected to the input shaft 51, and the second bevel gear is coaxially and fixedly connected to the output shaft 52. The second bevel gear meshes with the first bevel gear, and their central axes are perpendicular. By utilizing the meshing of the first and second bevel gears, the input shaft 51 and output shaft 52 of the transmission mechanism 5 can be arranged vertically, thereby allowing the drive mechanism to be positioned above the center of the turntable 2, making full use of the space above the turntable 2. Furthermore, the cup mold 4 can be positioned around the turntable 2, ensuring ample installation space for each device, resulting in high space utilization, a compact and reasonable structure, and a smaller footprint.

[0043] In summary, the working principle of the horizontal digital direct-injection cup printing machine 100 of the present invention will be described in detail below: This invention comprises six transmission mechanisms 5, evenly distributed in the center of the turntable 2, extending six output shafts. The included angle between adjacent output shafts is equal at 60 degrees. Six cup molds 4 are respectively positioned on the output shafts, corresponding to each other, and are located at various workstations. During operation, the feeding device 160 places a cup over the cup mold 4 located at the feeding workstation 11. At this time, the first driving mechanism 3 drives the turntable 2 to rotate stepwise by an interval of one cup mold 4, causing the cup to move from the feeding workstation 11 to the alignment workstation 12. Then, the telescopic end of the alignment device 110 extends and pushes the cup, completely fitting the cup mold 4. Simultaneously, the third driving mechanism 7 starts, driving the driving wheel 75 to rotate. The driving wheel 75 drives the roller 76 of the transmission mechanism 5 located at the alignment workstation 12 to rotate, thereby driving the cup mold 4 and the cup at that workstation to rotate through the transmission mechanism 5. During the cup's rotation, the cleaning device 120 sweeps away dust from the sides of the cup, and the vacuum cleaner 123 removes the dust. After cleaning, the turntable 2 rotates stepwise by an interval of the cup mold 4, causing the cup to move from the alignment station 12 to the second printing station 13. Then, the lifting device 140 drives the fourth drive mechanism 150 to descend, connecting the fourth drive mechanism 150 to the input shaft of the transmission mechanism 5 at that station, thereby causing the cup and cup mold 4 to rotate. Simultaneously, the second digital inkjet device 130 sprays a base coat onto the cup at that station. After the base coat is sprayed, the turntable 2 rotates stepwise by an interval of the cup mold 4, causing the cup to move from the second printing station 13 to the first printing station 14. Then, the lifting device 140 drives the second drive mechanism 6 to descend, connecting the second drive mechanism 6 to the input shaft of the transmission mechanism 5 at that station, thereby causing the cup and cup mold 4 to rotate. Simultaneously, the first digital inkjet device 8 performs digital printing on the cup at this station. After the digital printing is completed, the turntable 2 rotates stepwise by an interval of the cup mold 4, causing the cup to move from the first printing station 14 to the curing station 15. At this time, the third drive mechanism 7 drives the roller 76 of the transmission mechanism 5 located on the curing station 15 to rotate via the drive wheel 75, thereby driving the cup mold 4 and the cup at this station to rotate via the transmission mechanism 5. Afterwards, the curing device 9 cures the ink on the cup at this station. Finally, the turntable 2 moves the cured cup to the unloading station 16, where the unloading device 170 unloads the cup. In addition, when the turntable 2 rotates stepwise by an interval, all devices at all stations can simultaneously operate on the cup at that station, thereby achieving continuous cup printing.

[0044] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has a loading station 11, a first printing station 14, a curing station 15 and a unloading station 16 arranged sequentially around the central axis on the machine base 1. A first digital inkjet device 8 and a curing device 9 are also arranged on the machine base 1. The turntable 2 is rotatably arranged on the machine base 1 with its central axis perpendicular to the surface of the machine base 1. This allows the turntable 2 to drive the cups arranged around it to pass through the loading station 11, the first printing station 14, the curing station 15 and the unloading station 16 in sequence, thereby realizing loading, digital printing, curing and unloading. Furthermore, since the first digital inkjet device 8 is used on the first printing station 14, the first digital inkjet device 8 can control the digital printhead for precise inkjet printing through the control system. Therefore, there is no need to use traditional screen printing. The digital inkjet device is smaller in size, and the surface of the turntable 2 has sufficient space above the first printing station 14 to accommodate the first digital inkjet device 8. Therefore, this solution allows the turntable 2 to be set horizontally relative to the machine base 1, eliminating the need for the traditional method of standing the turntable 2 upright. This greatly reduces the bearing requirements at the center of the turntable 2 and also reduces the installation accuracy requirements, making installation more convenient and faster. In addition, when changing the printing plate (printing pattern), since the first digital inkjet device 8 is digitally controlled, only the pattern needs to be changed on the control system. There is no need to disassemble and replace the first digital inkjet device 8. Compared with the traditional replacement of screen printing devices, the plate change is quick and convenient and does not waste ink. Moreover, digital inkjet printing has the advantages of high printing accuracy and high production efficiency.

[0045] The structure and working principle of the feeding device 160, unloading device 170, first digital printhead 82, second digital printhead 134 and curing device 9 mentioned in this embodiment are well known to those skilled in the art and will not be described in detail here.

[0046] The above-disclosed embodiments are merely preferred embodiments of the present invention and should not be construed as limiting the scope of the present invention. Therefore, any equivalent variations made in accordance with the scope of the present invention are still within the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A horizontal digital direct-injection cup printing machine, characterized in that: The system includes a machine base, a turntable, a first drive mechanism, a cup mold, a transmission mechanism, a second drive mechanism, a third drive mechanism, a first digital inkjet printer, and a curing device. The turntable is rotatably mounted on the machine base with its central axis perpendicular to the surface of the machine base. The machine base is sequentially equipped with a loading station, a first printing station, a curing station, and a unloading station around the central axis of the turntable. The first drive mechanism is located on the lower side of the machine base and drives the turntable to rotate in a stepwise manner. The transmission mechanism is mounted on the turntable, and its output shaft extends radially from the turntable and is connected to the... A cup mold is fixedly connected; the cup mold positions the cup; a second driving mechanism is disposed above the machine base and drives the cup mold to rotate via the transmission mechanism when the cup mold moves to the first printing station; a first digital inkjet device is disposed at the first printing station to print on the cup at the first printing station; a third driving mechanism is disposed above the machine base and drives the cup mold to rotate via the transmission mechanism when the cup mold moves to the curing station; a curing device is disposed at the curing station to cure the ink on the cup at the curing station.

2. The horizontal digital direct-injection cup printing machine according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first digital inkjet device includes a base, at least two first digital printheads, and a first lateral drive mechanism, a radial drive mechanism, and a first mounting bracket corresponding to each first digital printhead. The first digital printheads are disposed at the lower end of the first mounting bracket. The output end of the radial drive mechanism is connected to the first mounting bracket to drive the first digital printheads to move closer to or away from the cup mold along the radial direction of the cup mold. The first lateral drive mechanism is disposed on the base and its output end is connected to the radial drive mechanism to drive the first digital printhead to move along the axial direction of the cup mold.

3. The horizontal digital direct-injection cup printing machine according to claim 1, characterized in that: The horizontal digital direct-injection cup printing machine also includes a second digital inkjet device and a fourth drive mechanism. A second printing station is provided between the feeding station and the first printing station. The second digital inkjet device is located at the second printing station to print on the cups at the second printing station. The fourth drive mechanism is located above the machine platform and drives the cup mold to rotate through the transmission mechanism when the cup mold moves to the second printing station.

4. The horizontal digital direct-injection cup printing machine according to claim 3, characterized in that: The second digital inkjet device includes a second horizontal drive mechanism, a vertical drive mechanism, a second mounting bracket, and a second digital printhead. The second digital printhead is mounted on the second mounting bracket. The output end of the second horizontal drive mechanism is connected to the second mounting bracket to drive the second digital printhead to move along the axial direction of the cup mold. The vertical drive mechanism is mounted on the machine base and its output end is connected to the second horizontal drive mechanism to drive the second digital printhead to move away from or closer to the cup mold in the vertical direction.

5. The horizontal digital direct-injection cup printing machine according to claim 1, characterized in that: The horizontal digital direct-injection cup printing machine also includes an alignment device, and the machine base is also provided with an alignment station, which is located after the feeding station along the rotation direction of the turntable; the alignment device has a telescopic end to push the cup on the alignment station so that the cup is aligned with the cup mold; the third drive mechanism drives the cup mold to rotate simultaneously through the input shaft of the transmission mechanism when the cup mold moves to the alignment station and the curing station.

6. The horizontal digital direct-injection cup printing machine according to claim 4, characterized in that: The horizontal digital direct-injection cup printing machine also includes a cleaning device, which is located at the alignment station to clean the surface of the cup at the alignment station.

7. The horizontal digital direct-injection cup printing machine according to claim 6, characterized in that: The cleaning device includes a translation drive mechanism, a brush head, and a vacuum cleaner. The brush head is mounted on the machine platform to clean the surface of the cup as the cup mold passes by. The translation drive mechanism is mounted on the machine base and its output end is connected to the vacuum cleaner, which sucks away the dust.

8. The horizontal digital direct-injection cup printing machine according to claim 3, characterized in that: The horizontal digital direct-injection cup printing machine also includes a lifting device. The input shaft of the transmission mechanism is parallel to the central axis of the turntable. The lifting device drives the second drive mechanism and / or the fourth drive mechanism to move up and down so that the output end of the latter is connected to or separated from the input shaft of the transmission mechanism.

9. The horizontal digital direct-injection cup printing machine according to claim 8, characterized in that: Both the second and fourth drive mechanisms include a motor and a rotating shaft. The output end of the motor is fixedly connected to one end of the rotating shaft, and the end face of the other end of the rotating shaft is provided with a sleeve hole that can be axially slidably sleeved with the input shaft of the transmission mechanism and is circumferentially fixed.

10. The horizontal digital direct-injection cup printing machine according to claim 5, characterized in that: The third drive mechanism includes a third motor, a synchronous belt, a driving synchronous pulley, two driven synchronous pulleys, and two drive wheels. The output end of the third motor is connected to the driving synchronous pulley. The synchronous belt surrounds the driving synchronous pulley and the two driven synchronous pulleys. The drive wheels are coaxially and fixedly connected to the driven synchronous pulleys one by one. Rollers are fixedly provided on the input shaft of the transmission mechanism. When the cup mold moves to the alignment station and the curing station, the drive wheels drive the rollers on the station accordingly to make the cup mold rotate.

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