Registration control device

Abstract

The present invention provides a registration control device that can perform vertical and horizontal registration based on registration marks for only the first color. [Solution] An imaging unit 35 for capturing registration marks is provided downstream of the second and subsequent color cylinders 3. The control unit 21 detects the coordinates of the first color registration mark from the image captured by the imaging unit 35. After manually adjusting the registration, the coordinates at the time the automatic control start switch 15 is turned on are stored as the reference coordinates. Subsequently, the control unit 21 calculates the difference between the coordinates and the reference coordinates and controls the printing position adjustment units 7 and 13 so that the difference becomes zero.

Description

Technical Field

[0004]

[0001] The present invention relates to an apparatus for registering a gravure printing machine.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Documents 1 and 2 below disclose an apparatus for automatically performing registration in the vertical and horizontal directions of a gravure printing machine. In Patent Document 1, registration marks for each color are printed on a printed material at regular intervals in the vertical or horizontal direction, and a longitudinal printing deviation between a plurality of registration marks is detected by a scanning head of a photoelectric conversion device, and a lateral printing deviation between the registration marks is detected by an additional scanning head, and the detected longitudinal or lateral printing deviation is corrected. Patent Document 2 describes that an imaging unit captures a plurality of registration marks, calculates the amounts of deviation in the vertical and horizontal directions between the plurality of registration marks based on the captured image, and adjusts the printing positions of each printing unit based on the amounts of deviation.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0007] According to the present invention, the registration marks printed on the material to be printed by the first color printing unit are captured by the imaging unit, and coordinates are measured from the captured registration marks. After manual registration, the coordinates at the time the automatic control start switch is turned on are stored as reference coordinates. Subsequently, the difference between the detected coordinates and the reference coordinates is calculated, and the printing position in the printing direction (vertical direction) and the direction perpendicular to the printing direction (horizontal direction) is controlled so that the difference becomes zero. As a result, vertical and horizontal registration can be performed simultaneously based on the registration marks of only the first color. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] This diagram illustrates the configuration of a gravure printing press and registration control device. [Figure 2] This is a diagram illustrating registration marks. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] Figure 1 shows a three-color gravure printing press equipped with the automatic registration device of the present invention. In Figure 1, the first-color printing unit (symbol a), the second-color printing unit (symbol b), the third-color printing unit (symbol c), the unwinding unit (symbol e), and the winding unit (symbol f) are shown separately. The printing press 1 includes an unwinding unit 2e that supplies the material to be printed 50 and a winding unit 2f that winds up the printed material 50. Between the unwinding unit 2e and the winding unit 2f, a plurality of guide rollers 8 are arranged to form a transport path for the material to be printed 50. The material to be printed 50 is transported by a plate cylinder 3 rotated by a main motor 12 and pinch rolls 5e and 5f.

[0010] The printing press 1 is equipped with a first plate cylinder 3a, a second plate cylinder 3b, and a third plate cylinder 3c along the transport path for the material to be printed 50.

[0011] The printing cylinder 3a of the first printing unit a prints registration marks in addition to the main printing of images, characters, etc. Figures 2(a) and (b) illustrate examples of registration mark types. Registration marks can be of any shape as long as their coordinates can be detected, even if they are not shown as examples.

[0012] A compensator roller 6b, driven by a motor 7b, is positioned upstream of the second plate cylinder 3b to adjust the supply phase to the second plate cylinder 3b. Similarly, a compensator roller 6c, driven by a motor 7c, is positioned upstream of the third plate cylinder 3c. The compensator roller 6 adjusts for vertical misalignment.

[0013] A side lay 11b, driven by a motor 13b, is positioned on the support section of the second plate cylinder 3b. Similarly, a side lay 11c, driven by a motor 13c, is positioned on the third plate cylinder 3c. The side lays 11 adjust for lateral misregistration. The compensator roller 6, the side lays 11, and the motors 7 and 13 that drive them constitute the printing position adjustment section.

[0014] An imaging unit 35b is arranged downstream of the second plate cylinder 3b, and an imaging unit 35c is arranged downstream of the third plate cylinder 3c. Each of the imaging units 35b and 35c images the registration marks printed on the first plate cylinder 3a.

[0015] The printing machine 1 includes a pulse generator encoder 14 for detecting the rotation angle of the plate cylinder 3.

[0016] The printing machine 1 is provided with a control unit 21b for adjusting the registration position of the second color and a control unit 21c for adjusting the registration position of the third color. Each of the control units 21b and 21c includes a switch 15 for starting automatic control. The imaging units 35b and 35c and the control units 21b and 21c constitute a registration control device.

[0017] The control unit 21b for the second color displays an image of the printed matter imaged by the imaging unit 35b. The display portion of the image is determined by the shutter timing of the imaging unit 35b selected using the pulses input from the encoder 14. The image is scrolled by changing the shutter timing. After scrolling the screen to display the registration marks of the first color and then performing registration manually (by driving the compensating roller 6 and the side lay 11 based on the operation of an operation unit (not shown)), automatic control is started by turning on the switch 15 for starting automatic control. Further, the control unit 21b measures the coordinates of the registration marks in the image displayed on the display portion.

[0018] Since the third color has exactly the same configuration as the second color, automatic control is started in the same manner.

[0019] When automatic control is started, the control unit 21 starts measuring the designated point of the registration mark (in the case of +, the point where the vertical line and the horizontal line intersect), and stores the first coordinates as the reference coordinates. Subsequently, the difference between the measured coordinates and the reference coordinates is calculated, and a signal is output so that the difference becomes zero, and the compensating roller 6 and the side lay 11 are driven to eliminate the registration deviation.

[0020] Thus, based on the coordinates of the target mark imaged by the imaging unit 35b, the second-color control unit 21b drives the compensating roller 6b and the side lay 11b via the motors 7b and 13b to eliminate the misregistration on the second-color plate cylinder 3b. The control of the control unit 21b is independent of the control of the third-color control unit 21c and is completed only by the control of the second-color printing unit b. Also, based on the coordinates of the target mark imaged by the imaging unit 35c, the third-color control unit 21c drives the compensating roller 6c and the side lay 11c via the motors 7c and 13c to eliminate the misregistration on the third-color plate cylinder 3c. The control of the control unit 21c is independent of the control of the second-color control unit 21b and is completed only by the control of the third-color printing unit c.

Explanation of Signs

[0021] 1 Gravure printing machine a, b, c Printing units 3 Plate cylinder 6 Compensating roller 11 Side lay 15 Switch for starting automatic control 21 Control unit 35 Imaging unit 50 Printed material

Claims

1. In a gravure printing press, which has multiple printing units, each having a printing cylinder for printing on a continuously transported workpiece, and the second and subsequent printing units are equipped with a printing position adjustment unit for adjusting the printing position of the printing cylinder, An imaging unit is provided downstream of the printing cylinder for the second and subsequent colors, and captures the registration mark printed in the first color, The captured registration mark is displayed, and its coordinates are measured. It is equipped with a switch to start automatic control, and stores the aforementioned coordinates when the switch is turned on as the reference coordinates. Subsequently, the difference between the detected coordinates and the reference coordinates is calculated. A control unit that outputs a signal to the print position adjustment unit so that the difference becomes zero, A registration control device equipped with a registration control device.

2. The control unit is provided independently for each printing unit from the second color onward. The registration control device according to claim 1, wherein the control of each control unit is completed for each of the printing units from the second color onward.

Images