Device for providing sheet-shaped substrate sections and machine and method for working and / or processing sheet-shaped substrate

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a device for providing sheet-shaped substrate sections as well as a machine and a method for working and / or processing sheet-shaped substrate according to claims 1, 8 and 14, respectively.

[0002] WO 2020 / 064230 A1 discloses a machine for handling and / or processing web-shaped substrates. A substrate roll is unwound at the input side, fed downstream to a cross-cutting device, where it is cut crosswise into substrate sections. These sections are then inspected and, depending on the inspection results, deposited into different stacks in a multiple stack delivery at the downstream end of the machine. In one embodiment, the substrate web is printed on its upper side before cross-cutting, with the substrate sections created after cross-cutting being printed one or more times downstream on the same substrate side by one or more printing devices.

[0003] DE 101 03 040 A1 discloses a device for forming a sequence of underlapped sheets that are fed to a feed table of a downstream printing press. The device comprises, on the input side, a holding device for holding and unwinding a paper roll, and a feed device for feeding the paper web via a support table to a cross cutter. The resulting sheets are fed to the feed table of the printing press via two conveyor belts and an underlapping device.

[0004] EP 3 878 652 A1 discloses a method for producing printed sheets from a web, in which a web is coated with an adhesive and provided with a film before being cut into sheets and printed inline.

[0005] DE 10 2009 061 056 A1 relates to a web-fed printing press with two inkjet printing units for double-sided inkjet printing, with a dryer arranged downstream of each inkjet printing unit in the web path. The inkjet printing units and dryers are followed by a post-processing section in which webs are folded, cut into sheets, and finally fed to a delivery module. At the input side of the delivery module, several partial webs obtained by longitudinal cutting can be stacked on top of each other via turner bars.

[0006] CN 1 01 524 912 A discloses a web-fed printing machine with various interchangeable printing and processing units, including, for example, different printing processes and a punching unit, wherein the printed and processed web is rewound on the output side.

[0007] CN 1 05 196 696 A discloses a printing press with several units, in particular a roll unwinder, a printing device, a dryer, a cooling and buffer device, and a slitting device. The units are controlled via a programmable controller.

[0008] DE 20 2012 102 681 U1 discloses a web-fed printing machine for printing a material web unwound from a roll, in particular made of cardboard, with a printing unit and a coating unit arranged downstream of the printing unit, wherein the printed and coated web can be wound up again downstream in one embodiment or, in another embodiment, can be cut into pieces by a cross cutter and stacked by a stacker.

[0009] DE 103 51 305 A1 aims to make comparatively low-quality printing substrates available for high-quality printing processes, such as those possible with sheet-fed printing. For this purpose, a web-fed rotary printing press is provided, which can be used to finish an low-quality printing substrate before the printing process. A variety of finishing options are listed in the web-fed printing press, such as priming, laminating, or foil stamping. In the downstream sheet-fed printing press, a further print image is applied to the previously applied coatings, prints, or separating layers. A varnish can then be applied.

[0010] EP 2 628 593 A1 aims to increase flexibility in printing labels or folding boxes, particularly in creating special optical effects through the printed image or text. It achieves this through a modular design of a narrow-web label printing machine with a processing module that can be arranged on a support unit and to which a wide variety of functional units can be connected via an interface.

[0011] The invention is based on the object of creating a device for providing sheet-shaped substrate sections as well as a machine and a method for working and / or processing web-shaped substrate.

[0012] The object is achieved according to the invention by the features of claims 1, 8 and 14 respectively.

[0013] The advantages achievable with the invention consist, in particular, in the fact that the device or machine can produce a sheet-like substrate produced from a web-like substrate and optionally further processed, e.g., printed, which has undergone a finishing or pretreatment, e.g., a large-area or even full-area fluid application, before cutting, e.g., inline. The finishing or pretreatment by fluid application is carried out by a corresponding device, e.g., an application device, by which a fluid, e.g., in the form of a liquid or pasty substance or mixture of substances, or a fluidized powder, can be applied to the substrate.

[0014] The solution according to the invention is particularly advantageous in applications for which a barrier layer is required on a first side of the substrate, e.g. the later back of a printed product or the inside of a hollow body, which prevents the penetration or even permeation of adjacent gaseous, liquid or pasty media into or through the substrate material. In this case, the applied fluid - especially after drying and / or curing - forms a barrier layer in the form of a coating. Such applications can be found not only, but particularly, in the packaging sector, in particular in the food industry. With the solution according to the invention, such a barrier layer can be provided in a simple process, without - as has often been the case up to now - the barrier layer being created by laminating with a film.For the food sector, a water-based varnish approved for the food industry or a still-liquid plastic, such as polyurethane or casting resin, can be used as a finishing medium. As an alternative to a varnish or plastic layer applied in the form of a coating, for example, it is possible to apply a fluid that at least partially absorbs into the substrate - for example in the form of an impregnation. In particularly preferred machines, the full or at least large-area application of the barrier layer on one side, e.g. the later product interior, and the printing of an image on the other side, e.g. the later visible product exterior, can be carried out inline, i.e. in a single continuous operation.

[0015] A device according to the invention for providing sheet-shaped substrate sections, in particular those provided with a barrier layer on the back or later inside, comprises a roll unwinder for feeding a web-shaped substrate on the input side, in the substrate path of the web-shaped substrate between the roll unwinder and the cross-cutting device - exactly or at least - two application devices formed by coating units for applying a coating forming a barrier layer to the web-shaped substrate on a same first side, a drying device between the cross-cutting device and the first coating unit viewed upstream and a drying device in the substrate path between the two coating units, as well as a cross-cutting device,by means of which the web-shaped substrate can be cut into sheet-shaped substrate sections downstream of the varnish application, and at the output of which these substrate sections can be made available for further processing or output to a delivery. Preferably, in this substrate path section between the roll unwinder and the cross-cutting device, no further application devices are provided apart from the application devices applying the barrier layer to the first side, so that only substrate sheets intended for subsequent printing, but pretreated on the back, i.e., provided with a barrier layer, are provided behind the cross-cutting device.

[0016] By applying at least two coats of varnish with intermediate and / or post-drying, the thicknesses required for the application according to the invention can be achieved particularly well, thus creating a possibility of replacing laminated plastic films.

[0017] In an embodiment of a machine for treating and / or processing web-shaped substrates according to the invention, said machine comprises a first machine part with a roll unwinder for feeding the web-shaped substrate on the input side, with at least one application device for applying a fluid forming a barrier layer to the web-shaped substrate on a first side, and with a cross-cutting device for cutting the web-shaped substrate into sheet-shaped substrate sections, and a second machine part directly adjoining the first machine part with a substrate path guiding the substrate sections through the second machine part, to which the substrate sections emerging from the cross-cutting device are transferred inline and which leads on the output side to a delivery device in which substrate sections treated and / or processed in the machine can be received,wherein the machine comprises, in the substrate path of the first machine part between the cross-cutting device and the single or first application device viewed upstream, a device for accelerating drying and / or curing, or drying device for short, and, in the substrate path between the cross-cutting device and the delivery device, one or more sheet-fed printing units and / or one or more sheet-fed coating units are provided, by means of which the substrate sections can be printed with a print image or coated with varnish on their second side opposite the first side.

[0018] To produce a substrate section with such a layer, in particular a barrier layer, web-shaped substrate is unwound from a substrate roll storing the substrate and provided with a barrier layer on a first side, which forms the back or inner side in the later product, by applying a fluid forming the barrier layer one or more times to the first side of the web-shaped substrate, which in particular forms the back or inner side in the later product, with a total layer thickness of at least 5 µm, by one or more application devices, the web-shaped substrate exposed to the fluid is dried and / or cured at least superficially downstream of the or each application device by at least one device accelerating the drying and / or curing, at least in the area of the fluid application,the substrate exposed to the fluid is cut into substrate sections by a cross-cutting device with the at least superficially dried and / or hardened fluid, and the substrate sections are combined downstream in a delivery device to form one or more stacks.

[0019] Preferably, a layer, e.g., a paint or, in particular, a varnish layer with a thickness of at least 5 µm, in particular at least 8 µm, is produced on the first side by the at least one, i.e., one or more, such application devices. The thickness of the applied and dried layer can be up to 12 µm, in particular up to 15 µm.

[0020] However, the solution according to the invention can also be used advantageously for other finishing applications in which - for example on the back of the product or, in the case of the device, possibly on the front of the product or - for example, a coating is to be provided to protect the substrate surface, to reinforce the substrate or to provide large-scale or full-surface optical or haptic effects.

[0021] Although the device for providing finished substrate sheets in stacks or in storage can be designed only with devices for finishing and cutting substrate sheets in the manner of a "standalone" machine, in a particularly advantageous development of a machine, e.g. a combination machine, at least one further device for processing, in particular printing and / or coating, the sheet-shaped substrate - in particular at least on the second substrate side opposite the above-mentioned finishing or coating - is provided downstream of the cross-cutting, by means of which one or more further processing steps, in particular multi-color printing, can be carried out inline in the machine downstream of the cross-cutting.

[0022] The designation "first" and "second" side of the substrate serves only to better distinguish between the concepts and could just as well be used the other way around.

[0023] In one embodiment of the device or machine, the at least one application device is arranged in the substrate path and / or the substrate path guide from the at least one application device into the cross-cutting device is designed in such a way that the substrate acted upon by the at least one application device on the first side leaves the cross-cutting device with the first side, ie with the side acted upon by fluid, pointing downwards.

[0024] In an advantageous embodiment of the machine mentioned above, for example, as a combination machine, in which it is configured with a printing press, in particular a sheet-fed printing press, with one or more processing devices configured as printing units and an upstream coating section, in particular a web coating section, so that printing and / or coating of the sheets can be carried out inline with the finishing or coating of the still web-shaped substrate, advantageously respective application and drying devices can be inserted and removed individually or as a common finishing unit in the substrate path between the inlet-side web feed and the downstream printing and / or coating units. This allows the machine to be operated with or without such finishing, without such devices having to be unnecessarily run in "idle" mode.In a variant, such units can not only be switched on and off, but can also be exchanged for other types of units or supplemented by further units.

[0025] The optional and / or additional insertion and removal is of course also applicable for the above-mentioned case of a so-called stand-alone design, i.e. in the design without one or more processing devices downstream of the cross-cutting, in order, for example, to provide only one sheet from a web-forming machine.

[0026] In a particularly preferred embodiment, an application device suitable for large-scale or preferably full-surface application can be provided as an above-mentioned application device for finishing, which is designed, for example, as a printing or, in particular, varnishing unit that applies a large or full-surface application to the substrate.

[0027] In this context, the term "full-surface printing" refers to a seamless application to at least that area of the substrate occupied by the panel(s) to be obtained from the substrate. Large-area printing refers to full-surface printing in the above sense, but with at least 80% of the above area being printed and / or with one or more individual surface areas, e.g., a maximum of 10 per panel, within the panel(s) - which, for example, will be located in the area of adhesive points in the subsequent product and / or which, for example, in total, occupy less than 20% of the respective panel area - being left out of the respective panel.

[0028] Although in principle any desired application unit can be provided as the application device, in a particularly advantageous embodiment it is designed as an application unit operating according to a letterpress process, in particular a flexographic process, in particular a coating unit, with a letterpress form, e.g. a so-called coating plate.

[0029] In the event that several of the application devices serving for finishing are arranged upstream of the cross-cutting, preferably at least one device accelerating the drying and / or curing can be provided in the substrate path between each two devices serving for finishing.

[0030] Embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the drawings and are described in more detail below.

[0031] They show: Fig. 1 shows a machine for processing and / or working with web-shaped substrates in a first embodiment, with a horizontal web path at the application point; Fig. 2 shows a machine for processing and / or working with web-shaped substrates in a second embodiment, with two application devices and a horizontal web path at the respective application point; Fig. 3 shows a machine for processing and / or working with web-shaped substrates in a third embodiment, with two application devices and a vertical web path at the respective application point; Fig. 4 shows a machine for processing and / or working with web-shaped substrates in a fourth embodiment, with inline downstream sheet-fed printing units; Fig. 5 shows a machine for processing and / or working with web-shaped substrates in a fourth embodiment, with inline downstream sheet-fed printing units; Fig. 6 shows an enlarged view of an application unit operating according to the flexographic process, with anilox roller and chambered doctor blade.

[0032] A device for providing sheet-shaped substrate sections or a machine for handling and / or processing web-shaped substrate S, e.g. a substrate web S, comprises on the input side a device 01 for the input-side feeding of the web-shaped substrate S, e.g. to be unwound from a substrate roll 11, e.g. a so-called roll unwinder 01. In a particularly advantageous embodiment, this is designed as a roll changer 01 for "flying", i.e., uninterrupted roll changes (e.g., for all the described embodiments of the machine as an advantageous further embodiment, shown by way of example in Fig. 3 ).

[0033] By means of the device or machine, the web-shaped substrate S on the input side can be processed into a product present on the output side as a sheet-shaped substrate S', in particular as an intermediate product of a final product to be produced from the sheet-shaped substrate S' by further processing.

[0034] Downstream in the substrate path of the still web-shaped substrate S, the device or machine comprises at least one substrate-processing device in the form of an application device 02; 02', in particular an application unit 02; 02', for finishing or applying a fluid to the web-shaped substrate S on a first side. In this case, a fluid application, in particular over a large area or even over the entire surface, takes place inline before cutting, i.e. the application of a fluid, e.g. in the form of a liquid or pasty substance or mixture of substances or a fluidized powder. The application device 02; 02' is preferably designed in the form of a printing or, in particular, a coating unit 02; 02'.

[0035] The printing or coating unit 02; 02' is preferably designed as a flexographic, gravure, or screen printing unit, particularly preferably as a flexographic printing or coating unit, hereinafter also referred to as a flexographic unit. Such units are illustrated, for example, for all design variants of the machine as a particularly preferred further development in Fig. 2 , Fig. 3 and Fig. 5 . In this case, Fig. 2 For example, a flexo plant in the form of an open system and in Fig. 3 as well as Fig. 5 For example, a flexo unit in the form of a Fig. 6 enlarged closed system, whereby the open flexo units shown as examples in Fig. Fig. 3 or Fig. 5 closed systems shown as examples can be replaced and vice versa the closed systems from Fig. 3 and Fig. 5 by those from Fig. 2 .

[0036] In the figures Fig. 1 and Fig. 4 The application device 02; 02' is also shown as an example for all of the presented design variants of the machine, alternatively with an embodiment of the application unit 02; 02' in the manner of a gravure printing unit. A separate illustration of the advantageous alternative as a screen printing unit, which is also applicable to all design variants, has been omitted here. In principle, however, the application device 02; 02' could also be designed as an offset printing unit or another suitable application device 02; 02', provided that a minimum thickness of the fluid application of, for example, at least 5 µm, in particular at least 8 µm, is nevertheless guaranteed. In this case, an application device 02; 02' that operates according to a non-impact process or without printing formes is also conceivable, if, for example, greater variability in the position of areas on the substrate S; S' that are not to be coated - for example because they are to be subsequently provided with glue - is to be enabled.Although in the case of several application devices 02; 02', basically different types can be combined with each other, application devices 02; 02' of the same type are preferred.

[0037] With the preferred design of the applicator unit 02; 02', in particular varnishing unit 02, 02', in the design of a letterpress, gravure or screen printing unit, a comparatively thick layer of fluid can be applied. This applies in particular to the design in the form of a letterpress, in particular flexo unit, or very particularly to an applicator unit 02; 02' operating according to the screen printing process, wherein in the latter case in particular a required high fluid thickness can be applied with a single application. The applicator unit 02; 02', which is preferably designed in the form of a letterpress, in particular flexo unit, comprises an applicator cylinder 24, e.g. forme cylinder 24, in particular varnish cylinder 24, which carries a letterpress form, e.g. a so-called varnish form or varnish plate, on the circumference. The applicator cylinder 24, in particular varnish cylinder 24, interacts with a further cylinder 28, e.g. B. impression cylinder 28, and forms an application point with it.The application or coating cylinder 24 receives the fluid, in particular the varnish, via one or more rollers 29. In one embodiment of the flexographic unit - e.g. also referred to as an open design - the application or coating cylinder 24 receives the fluid, e.g. directly or indirectly via an intermediate roller (not shown here), e.g. a chrome roller, from a fountain roller which dips into a fluid reservoir, e.g. an ink fountain. In a preferred embodiment here - e.g. also referred to as a closed design - the application or coating cylinder 24 receives the fluid via an anilox roller 29, which in turn interacts upstream with a doctor blade 31, in particular a chambered doctor blade 31 (see e.g. Fig. 6 ). To collect any excess or escaping fluid, a collecting container 32 can be provided beneath the chambered doctor blade. The application and impression cylinders 24; 28 can be adjusted to one another across the substrate web S by an actuator 33 that adjusts the application cylinder 24 and / or by an actuator 34 that adjusts the impression cylinder 28.

[0038] In order to provide large-area barrier layers or visual effects, the application device 02; 02' or a printing or, in particular, varnish forme mounted on the forme cylinder 24 - e.g. in contrast to printing units for printing finely structured image motifs or alphanumeric characters - is in particular designed to apply the fluid to at least one surface of the substrate S over the entire area or over a large area in such a way that an application takes place at least over the entire area or at least over 80% of the area of the substrate S which is occupied by the blank(s) to be obtained from the substrate S; S' or corresponds to at least 80% of this area. The entire area is relevant, for example, if the blanks on the relevant side are to be protected completely, i.e., without interruption, or provided with the effect. An application with cutouts can be particularly advantageous if - as e.g.in packaging printing - use for the production of three-dimensional hollow bodies which are to be glued after folding in the area of adhesive joints.

[0039] In order to implement the above-mentioned full-surface or large-area fluid application, the application device 02; 02' is formed, for example, by a printing or coating unit 02; 02', the printing or coating forme of which, for example, is provided on a forme cylinder 24 which interacts directly or indirectly with the substrate S; S' and has, on the printing width and printing length corresponding to the blank(s), a printing subject (i.e. the distribution of the printing surface areas) for the full-surface print or application in relation to the area of the blank(s), or a printing subject with less than 20% print-free area in relation to the area of the blank(s). In this case, based on and due to the often-present similarity between printing and coating units, the design of the application device 02; 02' as a coating unit 02; 02' should, for the sake of simplicity, be understood as the distribution of the surface areas to be exposed to the fluid in the case of the printing subject.

[0040] The fluid for the finishing or treatment can be, for example, a water-based lacquer, e.g., one approved for the food industry, or a still-liquid plastic, such as polyurethane or casting resin. However, as an alternative to a lacquer or plastic applied in the form of a coating, a fluid that at least partially absorbs into the substrate S; S'—for example, in the form of an impregnating agent—can be provided in a different design or for a different use as the fluid.

[0041] With respect to a transport direction T of the substrate S; S', viewed downstream of the application device 02; 02' - in particular the only or last application device in the substrate path of the web-shaped substrate S - a device 04 for cutting the substrate web S into substrate sections S', e.g. a cross-cutting device 04 or a so-called cutting unit 04, is provided in the substrate path, by means of which the web-shaped substrate S, which is exposed to the fluid and preferably hardened at least on the surface, is cut into arc-shaped substrate sections S'. In a preferred embodiment, the cross-cutting device 04 is configured to separate substrate sections S' of different desired section lengths. Several application devices 02; 02', e.g. of a different or preferably the same type, can be provided in the substrate path of the web-shaped substrate S or in the substrate path upstream of the cross-cutting device 04, applying to the same substrate side (e.g.for all presented design variants of the machine as an advantageous further development shown as an example in . Fig. 2 , Fig. 3 and Fig. 5 in the case of two application devices 02; 02' of the same type, here exemplified in the form of flexographic units, i.e. flexographic printing units or, in particular, flexographic coating units).

[0042] The substrate S; S' is formed, for example, by cellulose-based or cellulose-containing, single- or multi-layer material, e.g. paper, cardboard or carton.

[0043] Of particular advantage is a design of the machine in which the machine comprises at least one drying and / or curing accelerating device 03; 03', e.g. at least one drying device 03; 03', between the device 01 for feeding the web-shaped substrate S on the input side and the cross-cutting device 04. Preferably, at least one such device 03, 03' is arranged on the side of the substrate path facing the first side, i.e. the side previously exposed to the fluid upstream, in particular in the immediately upstream treatment and / or processing step or the side directly upstream in the substrate port path by the above-mentioned application device or one of the above-mentioned application devices 02; 02'. This means that the finishing application, in particular the barrier layer, is fixed and, e.g. at least superficially dried and / or cured before any subsequent mechanical stress.In an advantageous further development, several such drying devices 03; 03'; 03" can be arranged downstream of the application device 02; 02' or of the same application device 02; 02' in the substrate path on the freshly applied first side of the substrate S (e.g. for all of the described embodiments of the machine as an advantageous further development shown by way of example in . Fig. 1 , on the right side of the Fig. 2 and in Fig. 4 for two, and on the left side of the Fig. 2 , in Fig. 3 as well as in Fig. 5 by way of example, even for three drying and / or curing accelerating devices 03; 03'; 03" connected to the same application device 02; 02', e.g. drying devices 03; 03'; 03").

[0044] In addition to one or more of the above-mentioned devices 03; 03'; 03" accelerating the drying and / or curing, at least one further device, not shown here, accelerating the drying and / or curing, in particular at least one drying device, can be provided in the substrate path on the second side of the still web-shaped substrate S opposite the side freshly exposed to the fluid.

[0045] The latter is particularly advantageous not only but especially in connection with a further development of the machine (not shown), in which at least one further, not shown application device, in particular for the large-area or full-area application of fluid, is arranged upstream of the cross-cutting device 04 in the substrate path on the side of the substrate path lying on the second side of the substrate S, i.e. on the side which is opposite the first side of the substrate S which is acted upon at least once or multiple times by one or more application devices 02; 02'. Such an application on the second side of the substrate S can, for example, serve for a finishing process which either forms a fluid barrier on this side as well or, for example, a large-area or full-area background color.

[0046] The or at least one, several or all of the above-mentioned drying devices 03; 03'; 03" can advantageously operate without contact, i.e. without physical contact with the substrate S, and can preferably be designed as radiation-based drying elements, e.g. IR or UV radiation-based with one or more corresponding radiation sources 19, or alternatively as hot air-based drying elements. One or more such drying devices 03; 03'; 03", possibly not separated from one another by an application device 02; 02' in the substrate path, can be accommodated in an aggregate referred to as a dryer, for example a radiation or hot air dryer, or can be combined in the case of several such drying devices 03; 03'; 03".

[0047] On the output side of the cross-cutting device 04, the substrate sections S' which have been refined at least on one side or, for example, exposed to fluid once or several times and preferably dried or hardened at least on the surface are fed as sheet-shaped substrate S' or substrate sheets S' for short via one or more suitable conveyor devices 12; 18 directly or indirectly to a delivery device 06, e.g. a stack delivery device 06, in which sheet-shaped substrate sections S' obtained in the machine by processing and / or machining are laid out, in particular combined into stacks 13.

[0048] In the case of further processing of the substrate sheets S' designed as intermediate products in a separate machine, e.g. a stand-alone machine or in the case of inline further processing in the same web-processing and / or processing machine, e.g. single or multiple printing and / or varnishing, on the other, second side of the substrate S; S' - e.g. the later product outer side - a design of the machine or the arrangement of the at least one application device 02; 02' and formation of the substrate path is of particular advantage in which the substrate S; S' leaves the cross-cutting device 04 with the applied or finished first side facing downwards, i.e. with the side facing downwards which was applied or finished with the fluid by the one or more application devices 02; 02' and / or which forms the inner side in the later, e.g. cavity-forming product.Thus, after cross-cutting, the substrate sheets S' are available as substrate sections S', which can be stacked with their finished or barrier-protected first side facing downwards and processed one or more times on their upper side, e.g., printed and / or varnished, in a later work step in another machine or, advantageously, directly afterwards inline with the first side facing downwards.

[0049] For this purpose, in a first advantageous embodiment, the application device 02 or application devices 02; 02' acting on the first side can be arranged in the substrate path in such a way that the application device 02; 02' in question - in particular when the substrate path is predominantly horizontal at the application point - is located with the application cylinder 24 on the substrate path below the substrate path or - in particular when the substrate path is predominantly vertical at the application point - on the substrate path on the side facing away from the device for input-side feeding 01 and / or that it prints substrate S guided on the substrate path on the underside, ie on the side of the substrate S facing downwards in the area of the application point and / or on the side facing away from the device for input-side feeding 01. In this case, the downward-facing or underside does not have to run parallel to the horizontal, but can also be inclined to it.

[0050] In an alternative advantageous embodiment, in which the application device 02 or application devices 02; 02' acting on the first side is or are arranged in the substrate path in such a way that the application unit of the application device 02; 02' in question applying the fluid - in particular when the substrate path is predominantly horizontal at the application point, i.e. inclined at < 45° to the horizontal - is located on the substrate path above the substrate path or - in particular when the substrate path is predominantly vertical at the application point, i.e. inclined at > 45° to the horizontal - on the substrate path on the side of the substrate path facing the device for input-side feeding 01 and / or that it prints on the upper side of the substrate S guided on the substrate path. Here too, the upwardly facing or upper side does not have to run parallel to the horizontal, but can also be inclined to it.In a preferred development - not only but preferably in conjunction with this alternative embodiment - a web turning device 26, e.g. with two turning bars, in particular crossing at right angles to one another, can be provided in the substrate pad between the only or downstream last application device 02; 02' and the cross-cutting device 04. By means of such a device, the incoming side, e.g. first side of a substrate web S, is turned downwards and conversely the previously lower side, e.g. second side, is turned upwards. Alternatively, for the purpose of turning, a sheet turning device, e.g. a turning drum, can be provided in the substrate path between the cross-cutting device 04 and the delivery device 06, in particular upstream of a first printing or coating unit 07; 08; 09, in particular.

[0051] The above-mentioned position of the application device 02; 02' refers to the position of the fluid-carrying or fluid-applying parts of this application device 02; 02', e.g. the above-mentioned forme cylinder 24 together with the means for supplying fluid to it, or a non-impact printing device in the case of an application device 02; 02' operating without a printing form. This applies regardless of whether an abutment such as an impression cylinder or a supporting guide or even a fluid-carrying cylinder of another printing or coating unit, e.g. supplying the second side with the same or a different fluid, is provided on the opposite side of the substrate path.

[0052] After cross-cutting, the substrate sheets S' - in particular finished and / or coated in the manner described above - are fed via one or more of the aforementioned conveyor devices 12; 18 of the delivery device 06 or, in an alternative embodiment of the machine, via at least one first conveyor device 12, initially to one or more further application devices 07; 08; 09, e.g., one or more printing units 07; 08, in particular sheet-fed printing units 07; 08, and / or one or more coating units 09, in particular sheet-fed coating units 09, for further processing of the then sheet-shaped substrate S' - in particular on its second side. The transport of the substrate sheets S' through the one or more further application devices 07; 08; 09 and optionally between them preferably takes place via a series of transport and impression cylinders by a successive sheet transfer from cylinder to cylinder.In the embodiment of the machine with one or more printing units 07; 08 arranged downstream of the cross-cutting device 04, the machine can also be referred to as a printing press, in particular a sheet-fed printing press, which comprises a finishing section arranged upstream of the at least one printing unit 07; 08 with at least one above-mentioned application device 02; 02' and at least one above-mentioned drying and / or curing accelerating device 03; 03'; 03".

[0053] A first conveyor device 12 directly following the cross-cutting device 04 is preferably designed as a belt table 12, in particular as a suction belt table 12, via which the substrate sheets S' are delivered to the sheet feeder of a first or only printing or coating unit 07; 09 following in the substrate path in the event of further processing and, in the event that no further processing is to take place inline, directly to the delivery device 06 or via a transfer unit that may be provided and which carries out the transfer to a second conveyor device 18 included in the delivery device 06, e.g. to a circulating chain gripper system 18. Preferably, the conveyor device 12 is also designed, for example, to compress the incoming substrate sections S' into an imbricated stream, in particular for the first-mentioned case (iewith further processing) with an under-shingling of the respective substrate section S' at its trailing end by the leading end of the respective subsequent substrate section S' and / or for the second case (ie a direct feed into the delivery device 06) with an over-shingling of the respective substrate section S' at its trailing end by the leading end of the respective subsequent substrate section S'.

[0054] In the substrate path downstream of the cross-cutting device 04 and upstream of the delivery device 06 or of a first or only printing or varnishing unit 07; 09 possibly following in the substrate path, in an advantageous further development, for example in Fig. 1 A substrate switch 17 is provided, which is also shown and designated as an example for the other versions, through which, for example, reject sheets that are deemed to be bad can be removed from the further substrate path.

[0055] Not only, but especially in connection with a roll changer 01 designed for flying roll changes, a so-called web storage 27, e.g. a substrate path variable in the loop length of several web loops, can be provided in an advantageous embodiment between the device 01 for the inlet-side feeding and the single or downstream first application device 02; 02' (e.g. for all the presented embodiments of the machine as an advantageous further development shown by way of example in Fig. 3 ).

[0056] In a particularly advantageous configuration of the above-mentioned machine, in particular an inline or combination machine with both a machine part which applies fluid, in particular varnish, to the substrate web S on its first side once or preferably multiple times, e.g. in the manner of a roll coating, in particular printing or varnishing machine, and a machine part located downstream of the cross-cutting device 04 and which prints the substrate sheets S' once or preferably multiple times on the second side, e.g. in the manner of a sheet-fed printing machine, in the substrate path downstream of the roll unwinder 01, which is preferably designed for a flying change, and upstream of the cross-cutting device 04, two application units 02; 02', designed in the manner of flexographic units, in particular flexographic varnish units, and applying to the same web side, each with at least one directly downstream drying device 03; 03'; 03" are provided. These can be, for example, exemplary in Fig. 5shown in the above sense on the side facing the device for input-side feeding 01 or on the top side, i.e. on the side of the substrate S pointing upwards in the area of the application point, or in an advantageous embodiment not specifically shown here on the underside, i.e. on the side of the substrate S pointing downwards in the area of the application point and / or on the side facing away from the device for input-side feeding 01. The flexographic units are preferably designed - e.g. in a closed manner - with the fluid supply via an anilox roller 29 and a chambered doctor blade 31. In the advantageous case of an inline machine, one or preferably several printing units 07; 08 are connected downstream of the cross-cutting device 04. More than two such application units 02; 02' can also be provided.Application in the manner of a flexographic printing process usually enables high printing speeds, whereby in the case of two or more such application units 02; 02', a better area coverage can also be achieved, in particular in the case of an application unit 02, 02' comprising an anilox roller 29.

[0057] In a modification of this particularly advantageous configuration of an above-mentioned machine, in particular an inline machine, instead of two or more application units 02; 02' operating according to a flexographic through-process and applying to the same web side, each with at least one downstream drying device 03; 03'; 03", a single application unit 02 operating according to the screen printing process can be provided in the substrate path of the substrate web S. With the screen printing process, a greater layer thickness of the fluid forming the barrier layer can be applied in one go.

[0058] In a particularly advantageous development, the first application device 02 which interacts with the substrate web S and preferably the device 03 which accelerates the drying and / or curing are designed as a respective unit 02; 02'; 03; 03'; 03" or as a common unit 02, 03; 02, 03, 03'; 02, 03, 03', 03"; 02', 03; 02', 03, 03'; 02', 03, 03', 03" forming a finishing unit 02, 03; 02, 03, 03'; 02, 03, 03', 03"; 02', 03; 02', 03, 03'; 02', 03, 03', 03" can be optionally inserted into the substrate path leading through the machine for carrying out a first operating mode to form a first operating configuration and can be removed therefrom again for carrying out a second operating mode to form a second operating configuration.The respective or common unit 02; 02'; 03; 03'; 03"; 02, 03; 02, 03, 03'; 02, 03, 03', 03"; 02', 03; 02', 03, 03'; 02', 03, 03', 03" is designed in the manner of a module, so that it can be connected on its upstream and downstream sides without major assembly effort via a pre-prepared interface to an already prepared interface of the upstream or downstream adjacent device 01; 04 in the respective operating mode.

[0059] The optional insertion or removal of such individual or combined units 02; 02'; 03; 03'; 03"; 02, 03; 02, 03, 03'; 02, 03, 03', 03"; 02', 03; 02', 03, 03'; 02', 03, 03', 03" is also applicable to the above-mentioned developments which comprise more than one application device 02; 02' and / or more than one drying and / or curing accelerating device 03; 03'; 03". The units 02; 02'; 03; 03'; 03" each individually, or as groups with one application device 02; 02' and one or more drying and / or curing accelerating devices 03; 03'; 03" assigned to this application device 02; 02', or as a whole as a finishing unit 02, 03; 02, 03, 03'; 02, 03, 03', 03"; 02', 03; 02', 03, 03'; 02', 03, 03', 03"; etc. can be inserted and removed as desired.

[0060] For this purpose, an upstream last web guide element 21 of the cross-cutting device 04 and a last web guide element 22 of the sole or first application device 02, viewed upstream, are preferably each located at a - preferably the same - height, so that the web-shaped substrate S can be guided undisturbed from a downstream last web guide element 23 of the roll unwinder 01 in the absence of the application device 02 or application devices 02; 02' and the device 03 or devices 03; 03'; 03" accelerating the drying and / or curing to the upstream last web guide element 22 of the cross-cutting device 04 and in their presence undisturbed to the upstream last web guide element 22 of the sole or, viewed upstream, last application device 02.Additionally or instead, in the case of a mechanical drive coupling between the at least one application device 02 and a drive system comprising the cross-cutting device 04, a mechanical interface to the drive system can be prepared and, in the case of a drive that is mechanically independent of the cross-cutting device 04, an interface to a line connection carrying an electronic master axis, e.g. a bus system.

[0061] For the removal and insertion of the common or respective aggregate 02; 03; 02, 03, a movement path with means enabling the movement, e.g. a rail system 16 and on the aggregate 02; 02'; 03; 03'; 03"; 02, 03; 02, 03, 03'; 02, 03, 03', 03"; 02', 03; 02', 03, 03'; 02', 03, 03', 03"; 02, 03, 03', 03", 02', 03', 03"; etc. rolling elements, via which or by means of which the application device(s) 02; 02' and / or the drying and / or curing accelerating device(s) 03; 03'; 03" as a respective, as a grouped or as a common aggregate 02; 02'; 03; 03'; 03"; 02, 03; 02, 03, 03'; 02, 03, 03', 03"; 02', 03; 02', 03, 03'; 02', 03, 03', 03"; 02, 03, 03', 03", 02', 03', 03"; etc. can be extended laterally from the machine line.

[0062] In addition, a movement path with means enabling the movement, e.g. a rail system 14 and rolling elements arranged on the cross-cutting device 04 and / or preferably on the roll unwinder 01, can preferably be provided, via which or by means of which, in the absence of the or all application devices 02; 02' and the or all drying devices 03; 03'; 03" or dryers, the roll unwinder 01 and the cross-cutting device 04 can be connected into a closer relative position to one another, in particular via which the roll unwinder 01 can be moved further towards the cross-cutting device 04.

[0063] During the treatment and / or processing of web-shaped substrate S, web-shaped substrate S is first unwound from a substrate roll 11 storing the substrate, the web-shaped substrate S is exposed to an above-mentioned fluid one or more times on a first side by at least one above-mentioned application device 02, 02', the substrate S exposed to fluid is dried and / or cured at least superficially after each application by at least one device 03; 03'; 03" that accelerates drying and / or curing, and the substrate S exposed to fluid is cut into substrate sections S' with the at least superficially dried and / or cured fluid by a cross-cutting device 04. The substrate sections S' are combined downstream in the delivery device 06 to form one or more stacks 13.

[0064] In an advantageous further development, the substrate sections S' are printed one or more times and / or varnished one or more times inline on the second side opposite the first side downstream of the cross-cutting and before being combined into stacks.

[0065] For a change in operating mode, it can be advantageous for converting the machine if the or all of the application devices 02; 02' and the drying device(s) 03; 03'; 03" are removed sideways from the machine alignment and from the substrate path and, for example, after removing the application device 02 or application devices 02; 02' and the drying devices 03 or the drying devices 03; 03'; 03" the cross-cutting device 04 and the roll unwinder 01 are brought into a relative position closer to one another. List of reference symbols

[0066] 01Device for input-side feeding, roll unwinder, roll changer 02Applicator device, application unit, printing unit, coating unit, unit 02'Applicator device, application unit, printing unit, coating unit, unit 03Drying and / or curing accelerating device, drying device, unit 03'Drying and / or curing accelerating device, drying device, unit 03"Drying and / or curing accelerating device, drying device, unit 04Cutting device, cross-cutting device, cutting unit 05- 06Delivery device, stack delivery 07Applicator device, printing unit, sheet-fed printing unit 08Applicator device, printing unit, sheet-fed printing unit 09Applicator device, coating unit, sheet-fed coating unit 10- 11Substrate roll 12Conveyor device, first, belt table, suction belt table 13Stack 14Rail system 15- 16Rail system 17Transfer unit 18Conveyor system, second, chain gripper system,rotating 19Radiation source 20- 21Web guiding element 22Web guiding element 23Web guiding element 24Applicator cylinder, forme cylinder, varnish cylinder 25- 26Strand turning device 27Web accumulator 28Cylinder, impression cylinder 29Roller, anilox roller 30- 31Doctor blade, chamber doctor blade 32Collecting container 33Actuator, actuating cylinder 34Actuator, actuating cylinder SSubstrate, web-shaped, substrate web S'Substrate, arc-shaped, substrate sections, substrate bundles TTransport direction,

Claims

1. Device for providing sheet-format substrate sections (S'), comprising a roll unwinder (01) for the inlet-side feeding of a web-format substrate (S); at least one application device (02) for supplying a fluid to a first side of the web-format substrate (S); a device (03; 03'; 03") accelerating the drying and / or curing process, a drying device (03; 03'; 03") for short, downstream from the application device (02; 02'); and a cross-cutting device (04), by which the web-format substrate (S) can be cut into sheet-format substrate sections (S') and at the outlet of which these substrate sections (S') can be provided for subsequent processing or output to a delivery unit, characterized in that, for the formation of a barrier layer in the manner of a coating that prevents adjacent gaseous, liquid, or pasty media from entering or penetrating the substrate material, two application devices (02; 02') acting upon the same first side and formed by coating units (02; 02') for supplying a varnish, forming the barrier layer, to the same first side of the printing substrate web (S) are provided in the substrate path of the web-format substrate (S) between the roll unwinder (01) and the cross-cutting device (04), and a drying device (03; 03'; 03") is provided between the cross-cutting device (04) and the, viewed upstream, first coating unit (02; 02'), and a drying device (03; 03'; 03") is provided in the substrate path between the two coating units (02; 02').

2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that only the coating units (02; 02') acting upon the first side are provided as application devices (02; 02') in the substrate path between the roll unwinder (01) and the cross-cutting device (04).

3. Device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the coating units (02; 02') are formed by flexographic coating units (02; 02').

4. Device according to claim 1, 2 or 3, characterized in that the coating units (02; 02') acting upon the first side of the substrate (S) are each equipped to supply varnish to the substrate (S) on at least the surface forming the multiple-ups over the full surface or a large surface area in one operation, that is, in such a way that an application is carried out at least on the entire or at least 80% of the surface of the substrate (S) which is taken up by the multiple-up or multiple-ups provided on the substrate sections (S'), and / or that the application devices (02; 02') acting upon the first side of the substrate (S) are formed by coating units (02; 02'), the varnishing forme of which, provided on a respective forme cylinder (24), has on the printing width and printing length corresponding to the multiple-up or multiple-ups a print motif for full-surface printing, based on the surface area of the multiple-up or multiple-ups, or a print motif having a print-free surface area of less than 20%, based on the surface area of the multiple-up or multiple-ups.

5. Device according to claim 1, 2, 3 or 4, characterized in that the coating units (02; 02') are arranged in the substrate path in such a way, and the substrate path configuration between the coating units (02; 02') and downstream of the last coating unit (02; 02') to the cross-cutting device (04) is designed in such a way, that the substrate (S; S') acted upon by the coating units (02; 02') on the first side leaves the cross-cutting device (04) with the first side pointing downwardly.

6. Device according to claim 5, characterized in that the coating units (02; 02') acting upon the first side of the substrate (S) are arranged in the substrate path in such a way that the respective coating unit (02; 02'), at the site of the application, is situated beneath the substrate path or on the side of the substrate path which faces away from the device for the inlet-side feeding (01) and / or that they supply the varnish to the underside of the substrate (S) guided on the substrate path, that is, to the side of the two substrate sides which points downwardly.

7. Device according to claim 5, characterized in that the coating units (02; 02') acting upon the first side of the substrate (S) are arranged in the substrate path in such a way that the respective coating unit (02; 02'), at the site of the application, is situated above the substrate path or at the substrate path on the side of the substrate path which faces the device for the inlet-side feeding (01) and / or that they print the upper side of the substrate (S) guided on the substrate path, that is, the side of the two substrate sides which points upwardly, and / or that a strand turning device (26) for reversing the substrate web (S) is provided in the substrate path between the downstream last coating unit (02; 02') and the cross-cutting device (04), by which the side of a substrate web (S) entering on the inlet-side as the upper side is turned downwardly and, vice versa, the previously lower side is turned upwardly.

8. Machine for treating and / or processing web-format substrate (S), comprising a first machine part which comprises a roll unwinder (01) for the inlet-side feeding of the web-format substrate (S), at least one application device (02) for supplying a fluid to a first side of the web-format substrate (S), and a cross-cutting device (04) for cutting the web-format substrate (S) into sheet-format substrate sections (S'), and comprising a second machine part, which immediately follows the first machine part and includes a substrate path leading the substrate sections (S') through the second machine part, at which the substrate sections (S') emerging from the cross-cutting device (04) are transferred inline and which, on the outlet side, leads into a delivery device (06) in which substrate sections (S') treated and / or processed in the machine can be received; the machine, in the substrate path of the first machine part between the cross-cutting device (04) and, viewed upstream, the only or first application device (02; 02'), comprising a device (03; 03'; 03") accelerating the drying and / or curing process, a drying device (03; 03'; 03") for short, characterized in that, in the first machine part, for the formation of a barrier layer in the manner of a coating that prevents adjacent gaseous, liquid, or pasty media from entering or penetrating the substrate material, two application devices (02; 02') acting upon the same first side and formed by coating units (02; 02') for supplying varnish, forming the barrier layer, to the same first side of the printing substrate web (S) are provided in the substrate path of the web-format substrate (S) between the roll unwinder (01) and the cross-cutting device (04), and a drying device (03; 03'; 03") is provided between the cross-cutting device (04) and the, viewed upstream, first coating unit (02; 02'), and a drying device (03; 03'; 03") is provided in the substrate path between the two coating units (02; 02'), and one or a plurality of sheet printing mechanisms (08; 09) is provided in the substrate path between the cross-cutting device (04) and the delivery device (06), by which a print image can be printed on the substrate sections (S') on the second side thereof, located opposite the first side.

9. Machine according to claim 8, characterized in that the coating units (02; 02') acting upon the first side of the substrate (S) are equipped to supply the fluid to the substrate (S) on at least the surface forming the multiple-ups over the full surface or a large surface area in one operation, that is, in such a way that an application is carried out at least on the entire or at least 80% of the surface of the substrate (S) which is taken up by the multiple-up or multiple-ups provided on the substrate sections (S').

10. Machine according to claim 8 or 9, characterized in that an application mechanism (02; 02') operating according to a flexographic printing method or according to a screen printing method is provided as the coating unit (02; 02') in the substrate path of the first machine part.

11. Machine according to claim 8, 9 or 10, characterized in that one or a plurality of sheet coating units (09) is provided in the substrate path between the cross-cutting device (04) and the delivery device (06), by which varnish can be supplied to the substrate sections (S') on the second side thereof, located opposite the first side.

12. Machine according to claim 8, 9, 10 or 11, characterized in that the first machine part is designed in the embodiment of a device for providing sheet-format substrate sections (S') according to any one of claims 2 to 7.

13. Machine according to claim 8, 9, 10, 11 or 12, characterized in that at least one coating unit (02; 02') cooperating with the substrate web (S) in the substrate path and at least one downstream device (03) accelerating the drying and / or curing process can each be removed from and introduced again into the substrate path leading through the machine and / or the machine alignment individually as modules or together in one module, and that a movement path including means enabling the movement are provided, via which or by means of which the coating unit (02) and / or the device (03) accelerating the drying and / or curing process can be moved laterally out of the machine alignment as a respective or joint unit (02; 03; 02, 03), and / or that a movement path including means enabling the movement are provided, via which or by means of which the device (01) for the inlet-side feeding and the cross-cutting device (04) can be brought into a relative position in which these are more closely adjacent to one another after any coating unit (02; 02') and any device (03; 03'; 03") accelerating the drying and / or curing process has been removed from the substrate path and / or the machine alignment.

14. Method for treating and / or processing web-format substrate (S), wherein web-format substrate (S) is unwound from a substrate roll (11) storing the substrate (S) and is provided with a barrier layer that prevents adjacent gaseous, liquid, or pasty medium from entering or penetrating the substrate material on a first side, which in the subsequent product forms the rear or inner side, in that - a varnish forming the barrier layer is applied multiple times onto the first side of the web-format substrate (S), which in the subsequent product forms the rear or inner side, over the full surface or at least a large surface area, that is, on the entire or at least 80% of the multiple-up surface of the substrate (S), by way of a plurality of application devices (02; 02') formed by coating units (01; 01'), in a total layer thickness of at least 5 µm; - the web-format substrate (S) to which the varnish has been supplied, downstream from each coating unit (02; 02'), is at least superficially dried and / or cured by at least one device (03; 03'; 03") accelerating the drying and / or curing process, a drying device (03; 03' 03") for short, at least in the region of the varnish application; - the substrate (S) to which the varnish has been supplied, including the at least superficially dried and / or cured varnish, is cut into substrate sections (S') by a cross-cutting device (04); - and the substrate sections (S') are combined downstream in a delivery device (06) to form one or a plurality of piles (13) .

15. Method according to claim 14, characterized in that the substrate sections (S') leave the cross-cutting device (04) with the first side, to which the varnish has been supplied, pointing downwardly, and / or are transported by a conveying device (12) from the cross-cutter (04) downstream into a sheet-treating and / or sheet-processing part of the machine, where they are printed once or multiple times and / or coated once or multiple times inline on the side thereof pointing upwardly and / or located opposite the first side and / or are stacked with the first side pointing downwardly in the delivery device (06).