Cleaning tool for punch crucible

Abstract

A cleaning tool for die-cutting plates is proposed, comprising a carrier (2) having at least one recess for receiving at least one magnet (4), wherein the carrier (2) is a rectangular plate arranged in a frame (1); a cleaning fleece (3) attached to one or both sides of the carrier (2), and a guide device connected to the frame (1).

Description

AREA OF INVENTION

[0001] The invention is in the field of manufacturing machines and relates to a cleaning tool for stamping pots. TECHNOLOGICAL BACKGROUND

[0002] Flatbed die-cutting is an essential step in the production of folding boxes or corrugated cardboard boxes. In this process, individual blanks for the final products are produced from a larger format.

[0003] In flatbed die-cutting, the actual die-cutting process takes place in the so-called platen section. This consists of a lower and an upper platen, one of which is stationary and the other movable.

[0004] Between the platen surfaces is the die-cutting equipment, which is tailored to the specific product. With the platen open, the workpiece is fed in by means of rotating gripper bars. The platen closes, performing the cutting operation, and then opens again. The workpiece is then pulled out of the platen section by the gripper bar, and the process begins anew. Because the highest precision is crucial in this manufacturing step, the die-cutting equipment and the platen surfaces must be in perfect, clean condition.

[0005] If the die-cutting material still contains residual moisture or contaminants, which is often the case with corrugated board, impurities and corrosion can easily occur on the die surfaces. Contaminated die surfaces reduce the quality of the finished products, result in longer preparation times, require higher die-cutting force, and thus also reduce tool life. A clean and well-maintained surface, on the other hand, has the opposite effect.

[0006] To clean the platen surfaces, the punching tools are first extended via guide elements such as rails or bearings. Since the gap between the two now exposed platen surfaces is very small, even with maximum opening and the punching equipment removed, and is also blocked by the chain guide of the gripper bars, manual cleaning is impossible.

[0007] Prior art provides cleaning tools for routine maintenance that, in their disassembled state, must be inserted into the crucible gap and then reassembled. A cleaning pad is applied to the tool surfaces facing the crucible surface. A pneumatic cylinder, supported against the opposite crucible surface, generates the necessary vertical force for cleaning, pressing the cleaning pad against the crucible surface. The assembly is then moved back and forth with a rod to clean the surface. Afterward, the tool must be disassembled again so that it can be removed through the gap.

[0008] For intensive cleaning ("crucible conditioning"), tools are available that function on the same principle, but due to their design, they cannot be disassembled. To use these tools, the chain guide in the crucible section must be removed, a very complex process. This can only be carried out by technicians from the machine manufacturer.

[0009] It is obvious that such cleaning methods are complex and laborious. Furthermore, they do not deliver entirely satisfactory results. TASK TO BE SOLVED

[0010] The object of the present invention was therefore to develop a cleaning tool for die-cutting plates which, due to its geometric dimensions, is designed in such a way that neither assembly in the open platen gap nor disassembly of machine elements of the flatbed die-cutting machine is required. Furthermore, a solution is desired in which platen cleaning is no longer carried out manually, but automatically. DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] In a first embodiment, the invention relates to a cleaning tool for stamping pots, comprising or consisting of: (i) a support, (ii) a frame, (iii) at least one cleaning fleece; (iv) at least one magnet; (v) a guide device and, where applicable, (vi) at least one spacer where (a) the carrier has at least one recess for receiving at least one magnet; (b) the carrier is a rectangular plate, which may be spaced apart on all four sides within the frame; (c) the at least one cleaning fleece is attached to one or both sides of the carrier; (d) the guide device is connected to the frame; and (e) the at least one spacer, if any, is arranged on the carrier in the direction of the crucible surface to be cleaned.

[0012] Because the carrier is shaped like a plate, it and its frame are so flat that they can be inserted through the slot into the platen. The magnet holds the carrier to either the top or bottom of the platen surface, depending on the orientation. The guide allows the tool to be moved effortlessly, either manually or automatically, across the surface, which is cleaned simultaneously. The tool does not need to be mounted in the slot before cleaning or dismounted afterward. There is no risk of parts coming loose, eliminating the need for time-consuming disassembly and reassembly of the die-cutting machine to remove foreign matter. Supports and frames

[0013] The support is designed as a plate with a rectangular base. Theoretically, other shapes could also be used, such as triangular bases, but these have proven less efficient for cleaning. The thickness of the support depends on the gap through which it must be inserted into the crucible; this is typically 1 to 3 cm. The support can be made of stainless steel, aluminum, or plastic.

[0014] The support is arranged within a frame, which is also made of stainless steel, aluminum, or plastic. Preferably, the support is made of plastic and the frame of stainless steel or aluminum. The height of the frame is generally dimensioned so that it is flush with the support.

[0015] Preferably, the support is arranged within the frame with a gap to the sides. This creates a circumferential gap of, for example, approximately 1 cm, into which a perforated hose can be inserted. This makes it possible to dispense a cleaning fluid during the cleaning process, which wets the cleaning pad and thus supports the cleaning. Cleaning fleece

[0016] The type of cleaning pad is not critical. In principle, any natural or synthetic textile material suitable for cleaning hard surfaces is appropriate. If necessary, the pad is moistened before cleaning or—as described above—continuously moistened with a surfactant solution to aid the cleaning process. The backing can have a cleaning pad on only one side or on both sides. Attachment is preferably reversible, using a hook-and-loop fastener. It is possible, but not necessary, to design the pads so that they also have cutouts corresponding to the position of the magnets, as the magnets will hold the backing in place even when the cleaning pad is in between. Magnets

[0017] The carrier is preferably equipped with one, two, three, or more recesses, for example, six recesses for receiving as many magnets. The recesses can also be openings through the carrier. In any case, they are dimensioned so that the magnet(s) can be inserted precisely and flush with the carrier surface. Both electromagnets and, preferably, permanent magnets are suitable.

[0018] Preferably, the magnets should be chosen to be strong enough to ensure adhesion of the substrate to the crucible surface, while still allowing the substrate to be easily moved using the guide device. It is clear that the required magnet strength depends on the size and weight of the substrate and can therefore vary. However, a person skilled in the art can determine the appropriate strength and magnets through simple experiments, without having to make any inventive decisions.

[0019] It has also proven particularly advisable to firmly attach the magnets to the frame, for example by screwing them in. This ensures that the magnets do not come loose from the recesses and adhere directly to the surface of the crucible. spacers

[0020] The carrier can optionally include spacers. These can be flat geometric shapes, preferably strips, usually made of plastic, which are attached to the carrier surface. The spacers typically have a height of 0.5 to 1 cm and ensure that the tool does not move directly over the surface to be cleaned during the cleaning process with the magnets, but rather that a small distance is maintained to prevent damage to the crucible surface. They also prevent the magnets from adhering directly to the crucible surfaces, from which they would otherwise be difficult or impossible to remove or reposition. Guide device

[0021] The guide device can be designed as a rod and then rigidly attached to the support plate or movably via a ball bearing. Its length depends on the dimensions of the pot to be cleaned. This design is intended for manual cleaning.

[0022] Alternatively, the guide device can be designed to perform a forward and backward movement using a drive mechanism, thus continuously moving the tool horizontally. This can be achieved, for example, by a spindle or a pneumatic cylinder. If the tool is automatically guided back and forth through the gap in this way, the machine is cleaned particularly thoroughly without requiring any manual effort. This design is especially recommended if the width of the frame corresponds to the width of the die platen. In this case, the tool only needs to be positioned precisely once and cleans the platen surface with its back-and-forth movements.

[0023] The tool can also be equipped with a vibration device. Cleaning process

[0024] Another aspect of the invention relates to a method for cleaning stamping pots comprising or consisting of the following steps: (i) Provision of a tool comprising or consisting of (ii) a carrier, (i-ii) a frame, (i-iii) at least one cleaning fleece; (i-iv) at least one magnet; (iv) a guide device and optionally (i-vi) at least one spacer, wherein (a) the carrier has at least one recess for receiving at least one magnet; (b) the carrier is a rectangular plate, optionally spaced on all sides within the frame; (c) the at least one cleaning fleece is attached to one or both sides of the carrier; (d) the guide device is connected to the frame; and (e) the optionally present at least one spacer is arranged on the carrier in the direction of the crucible surface to be cleaned;(ii) Inserting the tool into the crucible gap so that it adheres to the lower or upper surface of the crucible by the action of the at least one magnet with the cleaning fleece, and (iii) moving the carrier over the surface to be cleaned using the guide device.

[0025] A particular advantage of this method is that it can also be carried out automatically. For this purpose, the carrier is preferably equipped with several magnets.

[0026] The invention is described by the Figures 1 and 2 explained in more detail. Figure 1 Figure 1 shows a schematic drawing of a tool with a total of six magnets, three of which are covered by half of the cleaning pad. The reference symbols mean: (1) frame (2) support (3) cleaning pad (4) magnet(s) (5) surrounding hose (6) spacer (7) gap between frame and support (8) coupling for connecting the guide device Figure 2shows a photo of the same tool

[0027] An alternative way to carry out the cleaning process is to design the cleaning tool so that it can be inserted using the guide elements that would otherwise guide the punching tool into the platen. In principle, instead of a punching tool, a tool for cleaning the platen surface is inserted and can be moved back and forth using the guide elements. COMMERCIAL APPLICABILITY

[0028] Finally, the use of the tool described above for manual or automatic cleaning of the surfaces of stamping pots is also claimed.

Claims

1. A cleaning tool for punching crucibles, comprising or consisting of: (i) a carrier, (ii) a frame, (iii) at least one cleaning fleece; (iv) at least one magnet; (v) a guide device and optionally (vi) at least one spacer, wherein (a) the carrier has at least one recess for receiving at least one magnet; (b) the carrier is a rectangular plate which is optionally arranged in the frame at a distance from the four sides; (c) the at least one cleaning fleece is fastened on one or both sides of the carrier, (d) the guide device is connected to the frame, and (e) the at least one spacer, if present, is arranged on the carrier in the direction of the crucible surface to be cleaned.

2. Cleaning tool according to claim 1, characterized in that the support and the frame are made independently of each other from stainless steel, aluminum or plastic.

3. Cleaning tool according to claims 1 and / or 2, characterized in that There is a perforated hose between the support and the frame for spraying a cleaning solution.

4. Cleaning tool according to at least one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that at least one cleaning fleece is reversibly attached to the carrier by means of Velcro fasteners in the direction of the crucible surface to be cleaned.

5. Cleaning tool according to at least one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the carrier has one, two, three or more recesses to accommodate the same number of magnets.

6. Cleaning tool according to at least one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that at least one magnet is a permanent magnet or an electromagnet.

7. Cleaning tool according to at least one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in thatthe strength of at least one magnet is selected such that it is sufficient to ensure adhesion of the carrier to the crucible surface, but nevertheless the adhering carrier can be easily moved with the aid of the guide device.

8. Cleaning tool according to at least one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that at least one magnet is firmly connected to the frame.

9. Cleaning tool according to at least one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the guiding device is a rod, a spindle or a pneumatic cylinder.

10. Cleaning tool according to at least one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the width of the frame corresponds to the width of the punching plate.

11. A method for cleaning punching plates, comprising or consisting of the following steps: (i) providing a tool comprising or consisting of (ii) a carrier, (i-ii) a frame, (i-iii) at least one cleaning fleece; (i-iv) at least one magnet; (iv) a guide device and optionally (i-vi) at least one spacer, wherein (a) the carrier has at least one recess for receiving at least one magnet; (b) the carrier is a rectangular plate which is optionally arranged in the frame at a distance from one another on all sides; (c) the at least one cleaning fleece is fastened on one or both sides of the carrier, (d) the guide device is connected to the frame; and (e) the at least one spacer, if present, is arranged on the carrier in the direction of the crucible surface to be cleaned;(ii) inserting the tool into the crucible gap, whereby it adheres to the lower or upper surface of the punching crucible with the cleaning fleece by the action of the at least one magnet, and (iii) moving the tool with the aid of the guide device over the surface to be cleaned; 12. Method according to claim 11, characterized in that the guide device is a rod and the tool is moved manually over the surface to be cleaned.

13. Method according to claim 11, characterized in that the guide device is a spindle or a pneumatic cylinder and the tool is thus automatically moved over the surface to be cleaned.

14. Method according to at least one of claims 11 to 13, characterized in that you use tools whose frame width corresponds to the width of the punching plate.

15. Use of the tool according to at least one of claims 1 to 10 for cleaning the surfaces of punching plates.

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