Sheet-like material coating system

Abstract: Four impression cylinders (10) of first and second face-side coating units (2A, 2B) and first and second back-side coating units (3A, 3B), and two transfer cylinders (11) of a face-side drying unit (4) and a back-side drying unit (5) are arranged adjacently and nearly linearly in a paper flow direction. Above circumferential surfaces of their odd-numbered cylinders, the first face-side coating unit (2A), the second face-side coating unit (2B), and the face-side drying unit (4) are arranged. Below circumferential surfaces of the even-numbered cylinders, the first back-side coating unit (3A), the second back-side coating unit (3B), and the back-side drying unit (5) are arranged. Above the circumferential surfaces of the odd-numbered cylinders, a first face-side drying device (7A) and a second face-side drying device (7B), each having one dryer, are disposed downstream of the first face-side coating unit (2A) and the second face-side coating unit (2B), respectively. Below the circumferential surfaces of the even-numbered cylinders, a first back-side drying device (8A) and a second back-side drying device (8B), each having one dryer, are disposed downstream of the first back-side coating unit (3A) and the second back-side coating unit (3B), respectively.

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a sheet-like material coating system in a sheet-fed offset printing press. 2. Description of the Related Art A polymer-based banknote circulating abroad, called "a plastic banknote", requires the addition of a treating step after printing, as compared with printing of a banknote based on ordinary paper. That is, coating is performed for the following purposes: (1) Protection for making printed surfaces wear minimally (Sealer). (2) Decreasing gloss, and providing a paper-like texture (Matt) . Furthermore, printing intended to prevent forgery, such as printing with ultraviolet luminescent ink (Black Light), is often carried out during this treating step. For these reasons, a machine specifically designed for coating is additionally provided in a process for production of "a plastic banknote". The coating treatment is performed in the following order: (1) If desired, offset printing aimed for prevention of forgery, (2) application of a sealer, and (3) matting. Generally, a banknote is printed on both sides, and thus requires double-sided coating. Conventional examples of a machine constituted for this purpose are shown in Figs. 5 and 6. Fig. 5 shows a system composed of two machines arranged for performing printing and coating of a face side and a back side of a sheet separately, in two passes, each machine comprising a feeding unit 100, a first offset printing unit 101, a second offset printing unit 102, a first coating unit 103, a second coating unit 104, and a delivery unit 105 provided in this order along flow of the sheet. Fig. 6 shows a system for performing only coating of a face side and a back side of a sheet in one pass by use of an inverting cylinder 108, the system comprising a feeding unit 100, a first coating unit 103, a second coating unit 104, a first offset printing unit 101, a second offset printing unit 102, a third coating unit 106, a fourth coating unit 107, and a delivery unit 105 provided in this order along flow of the sheet, the inverting cylinder 108 being interposed between the second coating unit 104 and the first offset printing unit 101. However, the former system posed the problems of requiring a floor space for installation of the two machines, and necessitating operations for transporting and inverting the sheet between the machines. The latter system occupied a smaller space than the former system, but involved the problem of having a larger entire length per machine, and carrying the risk of causing scratches or rubs during inversion of the sheet. DE-A1-42 13 024 neither describes nor suggests that an upstream cylinder and a downstream cylinder are arranged adjacently to make the entire printing press compact. Further, it has no drying device directly associated to a transfer cylinder for transferring and drying the sheet-like material during transport from the downstream cylinder to a delivery unit. GB-A-2 279 299 describes that an upstream impression cylinder and a downstream impression cylinder are arranged adjacently, and that a drying device is disposed near each of the impression cylinders. However, this printing press performs "printing" for transferring ink to a sheet-like material, and it is not an apparatus for "coating". Nor does this reference describe or suggest a drying unit including a transfer cylinder and a drying device for drying the sheet-like material on the transfer cylinder. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide for a sheet-like material coating system with a reduced space. This object is achieved by the system as claimed in claim 1. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description given hereinbelow and the accompanying drawings which are given by way of illustration only, and thus are not limitative of the present invention, and wherein: Fig. 1 is a side view of a sheet-fed offset printing press showing a first embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 2 is a side view of a sheet-fed offset printing press showing a second embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 3 is a side view of a sheet-fed offset printing press showing a third embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 4 is a side view of a sheet-fed offset printing press which does not form part of the present invention; Fig. 5 is a side view of a sheet-fed offset printing press as a conventional example; and Fig. 6 is a side view of a sheet-fed offset printing press as a different conventional example. PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION A sheet-like material coating system according to the present invention will now be described in detail by way of the following Embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, but it should be understood that the invention is not restricted thereby. [First Embodiment] Fig. 1 is a side view of a sheet-fed offset printing press showing a first embodiment of the present invention. In Fig. 1, the reference numeral 1 denotes a feeding unit, 2A, 2B denote a first and a second face-side coating unit, respectively, for coating a face side of paper (a sheet-like material), 3A, 3B denote a first and a second back-side coating unit, respectively, for coating a back side of the paper, 4 denotes a face-side drying unit for drying the face side of the paper, 5 denotes a back-side drying unit for drying the back side of the paper, and 6 denotes a delivery unit. In the illustrated embodiment, four impression cylinders 10 of the coating units 2A, 2B, 3A, 3B, and two transfer cylinders 11 of the drying units 4, 5 are arranged adjacently and nearly linearly in a paper flow direction. Above circumferential surfaces of the odd-numbered cylinders (counted from the upstream side in the paper flow direction) of these cylinders, the first face-side coating unit 2A, the second face-side coating unit 2B, and the face-side drying unit 4 are arranged. Below circumferential surfaces of the even-numbered cylinders, the first back-side coating unit 3A, the second back-side coating unit 3B, and the back-side drying unit 5 are arranged. Above the circumferential surfaces of the odd-numbered cylinders, a first face-side drying device 7A and a second face-side drying device 7B, each of which has one dryer, are disposed downstream of the first face-side coating unit 2A and the second face-side coating unit 2B, respectively. Below the circumferential surfaces of the even-numbered cylinders, a first back-side drying device 8A and a second back-side drying device 8B, each of which has one dryer, are disposed downstream of the first back-side coating unit 3A and the second back-side coating unit 3B, respectively. The feeding unit 1 sucks sheets of paper, which are placed on a sheet piling board (not shown), one by one by a suction device, and feeds the sheet onto a feedboard 12. The sheet is then fed by a swing arm shaft pregripper 13 to the first face-side coating unit 2A via a feeding cylinder 14. The coating units 2A, 2B, 3A, 3B are ordinary ones each including the aforementioned impression cylinder 10 for receiving paper and holding it, a blanket cylinder 15 adjoining the impression cylinder 10 and having a resin plate (not shown) mounted on a circumferential surface thereof, an anilox roller 16 for supplying varnish to a plate surface of the resin plate on the blanket cylinder 15, and a chamber coater 17. The drying units 4, 5 each comprise three dryers disposed along a circumferential surface of the aforementioned transfer cylinder 11. The delivery unit 6 receives the sheet from the back-side drying unit 5 by a delivery chain 19 via a delivery cylinder 18, transports the thus received sheets, and causes them to fall onto a sheet piling board 20 for piling. Because of the foregoing constitution, a sheet fed from the feeding unit 1 via the feeding cylinder 14 has its face side coated with varnish on the impression cylinder 10 of the first face-side coating unit 2A, whereby the first coating is performed. Then, the coated sheet is heated and dried by the first face-side drying device 7A. Then, the sheet has its back side coated with varnish on the impression cylinder 10 of the first back-side coating unit 3A, whereby the first coating is performed. Then, the coated sheet is heated and dried by the first back-side drying device 8A. Thereafter, the sheet has its face side coated with varnish on the impression cylinder 10 of the second face-side coating unit 2B, whereby the second coating is performed. Then, the coated sheet is heated and dried by the second face-side drying device 7B . Subsequently, the sheet has its back side coated with varnish on the impression cylinder 10 of the second back-side coating unit 3B, whereby the second coating is performed. Then, the coated sheet is heated and dried by the second back-side drying device 8B. Thereafter, the sheet has its face side heated and dried on the transfer cylinder 11 of the face-side drying unit 4, and then has its back side heated and dried on the transfer cylinder 11 of the back-side drying unit 5. Finally, the sheet is sent to the delivery unit 6 via the delivery cylinder 18, whereby coating of the face and back sides of the sheet is completed. According to the present embodiment, coating of the face and back sides of a sheet is performed in one pass without using an inverting cylinder (see the inverting cylinder 108 in Fig. 6). Thus, a saving in space can be achieved, and no scratches or rubs due to inversion occur. By the way, since the face side and back side of a sheet are alternately coated in one pass, the coated surfaces intimately contact the impression cylinder 10 (and the transfer cylinder 11). According to the present embodiment, however, the coated surfaces are heated and dried by the drying devices 7A, 7B, 8A, 8B immediately after coating. Thus, the circumferential surface of the impression cylinder 10 (and the circumferential surface of the transfer cylinder 11) is not stained, and a failure in printing is prevented. [Second Embodiment] Fig. 2 is a side view of a sheet-fed offset printing press showing a second embodiment of the present invention. This is an embodiment in which two impression cylinders 10 are added forward of the impression cylinder 10 of the first face-side coating unit 2A in the First Embodiment; above a circumferential surface of the impression cylinder 10 located on the foremost row, a face-side offset printing unit 21 is disposed together with a face-side drying device 22; and below a circumferential surface of the impression cylinder 10 located on the second row, a back-side offset printing unit 23 is disposed together with a back-side drying device 24. The offset printing units 21, 23 are ordinary ones each including the aforementioned impression cylinder 10 for receiving paper and holding it, a blanket cylinder 25 adjoining the impression cylinder 10, and a plate cylinder 26 adjoining the blanket cylinder 25. The drying devices 22, 24 each comprise one dryer. In accordance with this embodiment, offset printing and coating on the face and back sides of paper can be performed in one pass without the use of an inverting cylinder (see the inverting cylinder 108 in Fig. 6). Thus, a saving in space and improvement of quality can be realized. Besides, the printed surface and the coated surface are dried immediately after printing and coating. Thus, the circumferential surfaces of the impression cylinder 10 and the transfer cylinder 11 are not stained, and a failure in printing is prevented. [Third Embodiment] Fig. 3 is a side view of a sheet-fed offset printing press showing a third embodiment of the present invention. This is an embodiment in which first and second face-side offset printing units 27A and 27B, and first and second face-side drying devices 28A and 28B having the same constitutions as the face-side offset printing unit 21 and the face-side drying device 22, respectively, in the Second Embodiment are disposed at the positions of the first and second face-side coating units 2A and 2B and the first and second face-side drying devices 7A and 7B in the First Embodiment; rearward of (downstream of in a paper flow direction) the printing units 27A, 27B and the drying devices 28A, 28B, the first and second face-side coating units 2A and 2B and the first and second face-side drying devices 7A and 7B in the First Embodiment are disposed, with impression cylinders 10 being added on both sides of the transfer cylinder 11 having the back-side drying unit 5 in the First Embodiment. Furthermore, the transfer cylinder 11 having the face-side drying unit 4 in the First Embodiment has been abolished, and instead, the face-side drying unit 4 has been disposed inside a delivery chain 19 of a delivery unit 6 that has been extended. In accordance with this Embodiment, not only offset printing and coating on the face side of paper, but also coating on the back side of the paper can be performed in one pass without the use of an inverting cylinder (see the inverting cylinder 108 in Fig. 6). Thus, a saving in space and improvement of quality can be realized. [other printing press] Fig. 4 is a side view of a sheet-fed offset printing press which does not form part of the present invention. This is a printing press in which the first and second back-side coating units 3A and 3B in the First Embodiment are placed preceding the first and second face-side coating units 2A and 2B, and the sheet surface coated by the second face-side coating unit 2B is heated and dried by the second face-side drying device 7B disposed in the delivery chain 19 area. The same actions and effects as in the First Embodiment are obtained. This invention being thus described, it will be obvious that the same may be varied in many ways, such that there may be a plurality of the sheet piling boards of the delivery unit. Such variations and all such modifications as would be obvious to one skilled in the art are intended to be included within the scope of the following claims.

Claims: A sheet-like material coating system for receiving and transferring sheet-like material, and coating the sheet-like material, said system comprising: a feeding unit (1) and a delivery unit (6), said feeding unit (1) provided upstream of the system and said delivery unit (6) provided downstream of the system; an upstream cylinder (10) and a downstream cylinder (10) arranged adjacently in a direction of transport of the sheet-like material; a first coating unit (2A, 2B) for coating a face side or a back side of the sheet-like material on the upstream cylinder (10); a first drying device (7A, 7B) for drying said face side or back side of the sheet-like material on the upstream cylinder (10) after coating by the first coating unit (2A, 2B); a second coating unit (3A, 3B) for coating respectively the back side or face side of the sheet-like material on the downstream cylinder (10); and a second drying device (8A, 8B) for drying said back side or face side of the sheet-like material on the downstream cylinder (10) after coating by the second coating unit (3A, 3B) ; characterized in that at least a drying unit (4, 5) including a transfer cylinder (11) is provided between the second coating unit (3B) and the delivery unit (6) ; and that each transfer cylinder (11) is provided with a drying device (4, 5) for drying the sheet-like material on the tranfer cylinder (11). The sheet-like material coating system of claim 1, characterized in that the first drying device (7A, 7B) is provided opposite the upstream cylinder (10), and the second drying device (8A, 8B) is provided opposite the downstream cylinder (10). The sheet-like material coating system of claim 1, characterized in that the upstream cylinder (10) and the downstream cylinder (10) make a set, and a plurality of these sets are arranged nearly linearly in the direction of transport of the sheet-like material. The sheet-like material coating system of claim 1, characterized in that the face side or back side of the sheet-like material is offset printed by an offset printing unit (21, 23, 27A, 27B) on another cylinder (10) adjacent, upstream, to the upstream cylinder (10), and then dried by a drying device (22, 24, 28A, 28B). The sheet-like material coating system of claim 4, characterized in that another cylinder (10) is adjacent, further upstream, to the cylinder (10) that has been adjacent, upstream, to the upstream cylinder (10); the face side or back side of the sheet-like material is offset printed by the offset printing unit (21) on one of the two cylinders (10, 10), and then dried by the drying device (22); and the back side or face side of the sheet-like material is offset printed by the offset printing unit (23) on the other cylinder (10), and then dried by the drying device (24).

Inventors: KAMODA HIROYOSHI, UEHARA MITSUHIRO, KAMODA, HIROYOSHI, UEHARA, MITSUHIRO, Kamoda, Hiroyoshi, c/o Komori Corporation, Uehara, Mitsuhiro, c/o Komori Corporation
Applicants: KOMORI PRINTING MACH, KOMORI CORPORATION
Application year: 1999
Main classification: B41F23
IPC codes: B41F7, B41F23, B41M7