Abstract:
A plurality of printing blocks are placed on a plate cylinder of a printing machine. Each of these printing blocks is located at one of a plurality of mounting locations which are located adjacent each other in an axial direction of the plate cylinder. Each of these printing blocks is stored in a storage device which includes storage positions that are located adjacent to, and offset from each other at a fixed distance in the axial direction of the plate cylinder, prior to the arrangement of the printing blocks at one of the mounting locations of the plate cylinder. The plate cylinder and/or the storage device are displaced axially relative to each other by the operation of a positioning device. That displacement arranges a printing block to be arranged on the plate cylinder at a mounting location which is situated adjacent the mounting location of another printing block, which is already located there or what is still to be located there, at a distance which is reduced relative to a distance between two adjacent storage positions of the storage device.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application is the U.S. national phase, under 35 U.S.C. 371, of PCT/EP2008/058958, filed Jul. 10, 2008; published as WO 2009/016011 A1 on Feb. 5, 2009 and claiming priority to DE 10 2007 035 689.9 filed Jul. 30, 2007, the disclosures of which are expressly incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention is directed to a method for arranging printing formes on a forme cylinder of a printing press. The printing formes are arranged in mounting positions located side by side axially in the direction of the forme cylinder. Prior to being so arranged, the printing formes are each stored in a storage position of a storage device that is provided with a plurality of such storage positions which are also arranged side by side in the axial direction of the forme cylinder. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    A device for arranging printing formes on a forme cylinder of a printing press is known from DE 10 238 106 A1. A storage device for use in storing printing formes is displaceable, as a complete unit, in the axial direction of the forme cylinder, relative to printing forme mounting positions which are arranged side by side on the forme cylinder. 
         [0004]    A method of arranging manipulator heads to be movable in the axial direction of the forme cylinder is known from DE 10 2004 052 020 A1. This device is usable to position printing formes in relation to a preset lateral register, and to simultaneously change printing formes that are to be arranged side by side in the axial direction. 
         [0005]    A method of arranging printing formes that will be arranged on a forme cylinder side by side in a storage device is known from DE 10 2005 039 773 A1. The printing formes are spaced the same distance from one another as the printing formes that are arranged side by side on the forme cylinder in its axial direction, and keep this spacing as close as possible. 
         [0006]    A device that uses a transport assembly to axially position printing plates during mounting on a cylinder of a rotary printing press is known from EP 808 714 B1. An arrangement is provided for positioning the printing plate on the cylinder, in a position on a cylinder section that is assigned to the printing plate. That position is preselected from a plurality of positions lying axially side by side. A plurality of stops or a plurality of sensors are assigned to a printing plate that is assigned to a specific cylinder section. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    The object of the present invention is to provide a method for arranging printing formes on a forme cylinder of a printing press. 
         [0008]    The object is attained in accordance with the present invention by the provision of a plurality of printing formes that can be arranged side by side, in an axial direction of the forme cylinder, in a plurality of mounting positions. Before each forme is arranged in one of these mounting positions, it was stored in a storage position of a storage device that is provided with a plurality of such storage positions which have been arranged side by side in the axial direction of the forme cylinder and which are spaced at a fixed distance from each other. One of the storage device and the forme cylinder can be moved axially with respect to the other along the adjustment path. 
         [0009]    The benefits to be achieved with the present invention consist especially in that, despite the provision of a fixed spacing between adjacent, side-by-side storage positions in the storage device, with that fixed spacing being determined by the configuration of the storage device, printing formes which are stored in or on these storage positions can be positioned, nearly without gaps, in adjacent, side-by-side mounting positions on the forme cylinder. A plurality of individual printing formes can thus be assembled in the axial direction of the forme cylinder to form a quasi panoramic printing forme. The respective print images of the individual printing formes are thereby combined in a mosaic fashion to create one at least nearly unified print image. In the most extreme case, this panoramic printing forme, which is comprised of a plurality of individual printing formes, in accordance with the present method, can comprise all of the printing formes which are arranged side by side axially on the forme cylinder. In an arrangement having six or eight printing formes that are positioned side by side, for example, the axial length of the forme cylinder is typically from 1,800 mm to 2,400 mm, for example. A panoramic printing forme, which would be configured as a single piece, would have to have this measurement as its width, thus making it highly unwieldy. The method in accordance with the present invention, which places the print images of individual printing formes in a row without a disruptive seam if at all possible, accordingly substantially facilitates the handling of otherwise very wide panoramic printing formes, which very wide panoramic printing formes are also highly susceptible to damage caused by bending or undesirable irregularities, for example. The method of the present invention can be fully automated. Storage devices, which are provided in a printing press for storing printing formes to be arranged on the relevant forme cylinder, can be utilized without modification. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0010]    A preferred embodiment of the present invention is represented in the set of drawings and will be specified in greater detail in what follows. The drawings show: 
           [0011]      FIG. 1  an arrangement of a forme cylinder and a storage device for storing printing formes and being situated between two frame walls of a printing press; 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  an arrangement of a first printing forme being situated on the forme cylinder of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  the forme cylinder of  FIG. 1  in an axially modified position; and 
           [0014]      FIG. 4  an arrangement of a second printing forme situated on the forme cylinder of  FIG. 1 . 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0015]    Referring initially to  FIG. 1 , there may be seen, by way of example, a forme cylinder  03  of a printing press, such as, for example, a forme cylinder  03  of a printing press that operates using a planographic printing process, and preferably an offset printing process. The forme cylinder  03  is arranged between two parallel frame walls  01 ;  02  of the printing press. The printing press can be embodied as a rotary printing press or as a sheet-fed printing press. The printing press is preferably embodied as a newspaper printing press. The printing press typically has a plurality of printing couples, for example, with each such printing couple being configured with a forme cylinder  03  according to  FIG. 1 . Each such forme cylinder  03  cooperates with a transfer cylinder, for example, which is not specifically shown in  FIG. 1 . A plurality of printing blankets, for use in transferring an ink image to a print substrate, for example, are arranged side by side on the circumferential surface of each such transfer cylinder in its axial direction. An inking unit, which is also not specifically shown here, is also assigned to the forme cylinder  03 , optionally along with a dampening unit, also not specifically shown. The forme cylinder  03  has no register stop. 
         [0016]    The forme cylinder  03 , which is part of one of the printing couples of the printing press, is rotatably mounted on journals  04 ;  06  in, or on the frame walls  01 ;  02 . The forme cylinder  03  can preferably be rotationally driven by a drive, which is also not specifically shown, which drive is assigned exclusively to that forme cylinder  03 . The forme cylinder  03  has a circumferential surface that can be loaded with, or provided with a plurality of plate-type, flexible printing formes  07 ;  08 . A length L of the circumferential surface of the forme cylinder  03  is from 1,800 mm to 2,400 mm in the axial direction of the forme cylinder  03 , for example. In the operating status of the forme cylinder  03 , as shown in  FIG. 1 , it has not yet been loaded with printing formes  07 ;  08 . In the interest of simplicity,  FIG. 1 through 4  show only two printing formes  07 ;  08  which are to be arranged side by side in the axial direction of the forme cylinder  03 . It will be understood that four, six or eight printing formes  07 ;  08  can be arranged side by side on the circumferential surface of the forme cylinder  03  by using the same method in accordance with the present invention, as will be described below. Each of the printing formes  07 ;  08  is to be arranged at a specific mounting position on the circumferential surface of the forme cylinder  03 . The number of the mounting positions, which are arranged side by side axially on the circumferential surface of the forme cylinder  03 , is the same as the number of printing formes  07 ;  08  that are to be arranged side by side on the circumferential surface of the forme cylinder  03 . A plurality of printing formes  07 ;  08 , such as, for example two such printing formes  07 ;  08 , can also be arranged one in front of another on the forme cylinder  03  in its circumferential direction. In this way, a plurality of mounting positions, such as, for example, two such mounting positions, are provided, one in front of another, in the circumferential direction of the forme cylinder  03  at each respective axial mounting position of the forme cylinder  03 . Thus, the circumferential surface of each forme cylinder  03  can be loaded with, for example four or with six printing formes  07 ;  08  in the axial direction of the forme cylinder  03  and with two printing formes  07 ;  08  in its circumferential direction. 
         [0017]    Each of the printing formes  07 ;  08 , which is to be arranged on the circumferential surface of the forme cylinder  03 , has a print image  09 ;  11 , which print image  09 ;  11 ;  15 , in each case, applied to a working surface of the respective printing forme  07 ;  08  prior to the arrangement of the respective printing forme  07 ;  08  on the forme cylinder  03 . Such a print image application can be accomplished, for example, in an imaging device that is supplied with data from a preprint stage. The positioning of the print image  09 ;  11 , during the process in which the imaging device applies the respective print image  09 ;  11  to the working surface of the respective printing forme  07 ;  08 , can be variably selected using a preferably electronic control unit. The specific positioning of each print image  09 ;  11  on its respective printing forme  07 ;  08  can be determined, as needed, for the purpose of executing a specific print order. 
         [0018]    The printing formes  07 ;  08  are each arranged in individual storage positions of a storage device before being taken from the storage device and being arranged in the mounting positions respectively assigned to them on the forme cylinder  03 . The storage positions of the storage device are placed in functional connection with the mounting positions of the forme cylinder  03 . In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the storage device, with its respective storage positions, is located in a stationary position between the opposite frame walls  01 ;  02 , at least once a functional connection between its storage positions and the side-by-side mounting positions of the forme cylinder  03  has been established. If a plurality of printing formes  07 ;  08  are to be arranged one in front of another in the circumferential direction of the forme cylinder  03 , the storage device, which is assigned to the respective forme cylinder  03 , preferably has a plurality of storage positions that are assigned to the respective axial positions of the forme cylinder  03 . 
         [0019]    The plurality of side-by-side storage positions in the storage device are arranged spaced from one another by a fixed, unmodifiable, distance A. As depicted schematically in  FIG. 1 , the distance A is determined by the configuration of the storage device and measures between 3 mm and 10 mm, for example, and preferably is approximately 5 mm. A stop  12 , which is permanently connected to the storage device, is provided in the space which is formed by the distance A between adjacent storage positions of the storage device, for example. An edge  13  of a printing forme  08  which is to be supplied to the forme cylinder  03 , which edge  13  is aligned parallel to its intended direction of conveyance, strikes against stop  12  by virtue of a force which is acting on this printing forme  08  and which is directed against this stop  12  in the axial direction of the forme cylinder  03 , before and/or during the supply of that printing forme  08  to the forme cylinder  03 . During the process of supplying that printing forme  08  from its storage position in the storage device to the surface of the forme cylinder  03 , the edge  13  of the printing forme  08  can be guided along the stop  12 . This can be done in order to ensure that the printing forme  08  will be supplied in the correct lateral register to the mounting position that is intended for it on the forme cylinder  03 . To act upon an outside printing forme  07 , such as, for example, a printing forme  07  which is assigned to a mounting position on the forme cylinder  03  that is next to an end surface  14  of the forme cylinder  03 , an additional stop  16 , which is also permanently connected to the storage device, is preferably provided. An outside edge  17  of this outside printing forme  07 , which outside edge  17  is aligned parallel with the intended direction of conveyance of the printing forme  07 , is laterally aligned in the above-described manner, and also is guided during its infeed process, for example. 
         [0020]    In  FIG. 1 , a printing press machine center  18  and a forme cylinder center  19  are indicated as reference lines. The machine center  18  is the geometric center between the two parallel frame walls  01 ;  02 , which, in this reference system, are considered to be stationary. The cylinder center  19  is a measurement of half the length L of the circumferential surface of the forme cylinder  03  that can be loaded with printing formes  07 ;  08 . In the representation of  FIG. 1 , an offset V is provided between machine center  18  and cylinder center  19 . This offset is the result of the forme cylinder  03  in the example represented in  FIG. 1  being positioned closer to the right frame wall  02  than the left frame wall  01 . In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the forme cylinder  03 , which is mounted with its journals  04 ;  06  in the frame walls  01 ;  02 , can be displaced, in its axial direction, relative to the frame walls  01 ;  02  and also relative to the storage positions of the storage device. This displacement is along an adjustment path which is preferably variably adjustable within set limits. Movement of the forme cylinder  03  along its adjustment path can be accomplished by a translational drive, which is not specifically shown. The displacement of the forme cylinder  03  can therefore be adjusted to different positions between the frame walls  01 ;  02 . A maximum adjustment path, by which the forme cylinder  03  can be displaced axially between the frame walls  01 ;  02 , lies within the range of several millimeters, such as, for example, up to 10 mm. This maximum adjustment path preferably corresponds to the distance A between two adjacent storage positions of the storage device. 
         [0021]      FIG. 2  and  FIG. 4  illustrate a variation of the method for arranging printing formes  07 ;  08  on the forme cylinder  03  represented in  FIG. 1  in accordance with the present invention. In this variation, the printing formes  07 ;  08 , which are stored in side-by-side storage positions of the storage device, are supplied individually and successively to their respective mounting positions on the forme cylinder  03 . In  FIG. 2  through  FIG. 4 , the respective frame walls  01 ;  02  of a certain side of the printing press are depicted in alignment with one another. In the example illustrated here, of the two printing formes  07 ;  08  which are shown in  FIGS. 1 through 4 , first the “left” printing forme  07  is to be supplied to the forme cylinder  03 , followed by the “right” printing forme  08 . In order for the “left” printing forme  07  to be supplied to the forme cylinder  03 , with its right or inner edge  21 , which inner or right edge  21  is aligned parallel to its direction of conveyance, lying at least as close as possible to the cylinder center  19 , for example, and despite the presence of the stationary stop  12  that is provided in this area and which is assigned to the “right” printing forme  08 , the forme cylinder  03  is displaced axially toward the left, as indicated in  FIG. 2  by a left-pointing arrow. Once the forme cylinder  03  has moved to its new position between the frame walls  01 ;  02 , as a result of its axial displacement, the “left” printing forme  07  is conveyed to the forme cylinder  03 , as is indicated schematically in  FIG. 2  by an arrow which is pointing orthogonally toward the axis  23 , as seen in  FIG. 1 , of the forme cylinder  03 . The “left” printing forme  07  is now drawn into its intended mounting position as a result of a rotation of the forme cylinder  03 . This “left” printing forme  07  is finally fastened to the circumferential surface of the forme cylinder  03  by one of a positive attachment and/or a non-positive attachment. With the new, left-most axial positioning of the forme cylinder  03 , which left-most axial positioning precedes the mounting of the “left” printing forme  07 , an offset V which originally existed, for example, between the machine center  18  and the cylinder center  19 , as discussed in connection with  FIG. 1 , can be decreased or can even be eliminated. 
         [0022]    Once the “left” printing forme  07  has been drawn onto its intended mounting position on the circumferential surface of the forme cylinder  03 , the forme cylinder  03  is axially repositioned, such as, for example, by displacing the forme cylinder  03  toward the right along an adjustment path, as is indicated in  FIG. 3  by a right-pointing arrow. An inner or left edge  13  of the “right” printing forme  08 , which inner or left edge  13  is aligned with, and/or is guided along the stop  12 , comes to rest as close as possible to the right or inner edge  21  of the adjacent “left” printing forme  07 , which has already been mounted on the forme cylinder  03 . A spacing distance between edges  21  and  13  is kept at a distance of 1 mm or less, when this second or “right” printing forme  08  is supplied to the forme cylinder  03 . This very closely spaced arrangement of printing formes  07 ;  08  on the forme cylinder  08  allows the respective print images  09 ;  13  of these printing formes  07 ;  08  to be guided very close to one another. On the substrate to be printed, the optical impression of a print image printed using a panoramic printing forme is created, as may be seen in  FIG. 4 . 
         [0023]    In practice, a gap  22 , having a gap width S that is greater than zero, will typically remain between adjacent ones of the printing formes  07 ;  08  which are mounted on the forme cylinder  03 , as depicted in  FIG. 4 . This small gaps exists because the dimensions of each printing forme  07 ;  08  are subject to dimensional tolerances as a result of their manufacturing process. Additionally, in one preferred embodiment of the printing formes  07 ;  08  which may be used in this method, at least the edge  13 ;  17  that is aligned along one of the stops  12 ;  16  has been processed by trimming, and is therefore subject to tolerances with respect to its position. Moreover, the existence of a similar small gap between adjacent ones of the printing blankets that are mounted on the transfer cylinder that cooperates with the forme cylinder  03  is important because it is impossible to transfer ink to the print substrate at the position of this gap existing between adjacent printing blankets. Therefore, it makes no sense to locate the print image  09 ;  13  of one of the printing formes  07 ;  08  at this position. In any case, however, the displacement of the forme cylinder  03 , in accordance with the present invention, results in the arrangement of an additional, subsequently mounted printing forme  08 , which is to be arranged on this forme cylinder  03 , in a mounting position on the forme cylinder  03  that is adjacent to the mounting position of a previously mounted printing forme  07  already located there, at a distance S that is decreased in relation to the distance A which exists between two adjacent storage positions of the storage device. The gap width S of the gap  22  that remains between two adjacent printing formes  07 ;  08  measures less than 3 mm, for example, and preferably is approximately 1 mm or less. 
         [0024]    In accordance with the method which has been described above, more than two printing formes  07 ;  08  can also be successively arranged side by side in the axial direction of the forme cylinder  03 . The print images  09 ;  13  which have been applied to these printing formes  07 ;  08  effectively merge to form a homogeneous whole, and to thus create the impression of a panoramic print image in their imaging on the print substrate. This homogeneous whole image formation is enhanced because the involved printing formes  07 ;  08  each have a borderless print image  09 ;  13  which is applied at least along their respective joined edges  13 ;  21 . Once all of the printing formes  07 ;  08 , which will be involved in the panoramic print image, have been arranged on the forme cylinder  03 , the axial position of the forme cylinder  03  can be adjusted. The axial positioning of the print images  09 ;  13  which forme cylinder  03  bears now coincides with the positioning of other print images  09 ;  13  on at least one other forme cylinder  03  in the same printing press. This image coincidence enables a true-to-size overprinting of the print images  09 ;  13  on these different forme cylinders  03  on the same print substrate being transported through the printing press. 
         [0025]    When a plurality of printing formes  07 ;  08 , such as, for example, two printing formes, are to be arranged on the forme cylinder  03  in its circumferential direction, these printing formes  07 ;  08  are arranged narrowly circumferentially spaced, one in front of another. Usually, the ends of each printing forme  07 ;  08 , which face one another in the circumferential direction of the forme cylinder  03 , once these two printing formes  07 ;  08  have been arranged on the forme cylinder  03 , are bent in a bending apparatus before these printing formes  07 ;  08  are arranged on the forme cylinder  03 . During the arrangement of these printing formes  07 ;  08  on the forme cylinder  03 , these printing forme bent edges are inserted into a slit-type opening that extends axially along the forme cylinder  03 . This opening opens up into a groove which extends axially along the forme cylinder  03  beneath its circumferential surface. The slit width of this opening measures less than 5 mm, for example, preferably less than 3 mm, and especially measures only approximately 1 mm. A resultant distance of less than 5 mm, for example, preferably of less than 3 mm, and especially of only approximately 1 mm or less is formed between the respective ends of the two printing formes  07 ;  08  which may be arranged one in front of another in the circumferential direction of the forme cylinder  03 . 
         [0026]    Through proper control of the imaging device, the respective print image  09 ;  13  can be applied quasi edgelessly onto the respective working surfaces of the printing formes  07 ;  08  which are arranged circumferentially one in front of another. Print images  09 ;  13  of printing formes  07 ;  08  which are arranged adjacent each other and also which are arranged one in front of another in the circumferential direction of the forme cylinder  03  create the optical impression of a unified, cohesive print image on the print substrate. Using the method in accordance with the present invention, it is possible to assemble the respective print images  09 ;  13  of several printing formes  07 ;  08  arranged side by side in the axial direction of the forme cylinder  03 , and also of several printing formes  07 ;  08  arranged one in front of another in the circumferential direction of the forme cylinder  03 , in the manner of a mosaic, to form a unified, cohesive print image. Thus, a group of adjacent printing formes  07 ;  08 , with which the circumferential surface of the forme cylinder  03  is loaded, can optionally be joined together to form a unified, cohesive print image. The respective print images  09 ;  13  of all of the printing formes  07 ;  08  which are arranged on the circumferential surface of the forme cylinder  03  can also be assembled to form a unified, cohesive print image when the relevant print images  09 ;  13  are correspondingly positioned on the working surfaces of their respective printing formes  07 ;  08  by use of the corresponding control of the imaging device. 
         [0027]    The above-described method for arranging printing formes  07 ;  08  on a forme cylinder  03  of a printing press is preferably fully automated. A control unit, such as, for example, a control panel belonging to the printing press, controls both the axial displacement and the positioning of the relevant forme cylinder  03 , and also controls the supply of the relevant printing formes  07 ;  08  to this forme cylinder  03 , when a corresponding control command to form a panoramic print image is issued. 
         [0028]    Another embodiment of the method in accordance with the present invention for arranging printing formes  07 ;  08  on a forme cylinder  03  of a printing press can provide that, in addition to, or alternatively to the displacement of the forme cylinder  03 , the storage device can be displaced axially along an adjustment path. As a result of this displacement of the storage device, an additional printing forme  08 , that is to be arranged on the forme cylinder  03 , is arranged in a mounting position on the forme cylinder  03  that is adjacent to the mounting position of the printing forme  07  which is already located on the forme cylinder  03 , and at a distance that is decreased in relation to the distance A between two adjacent storage positions of the storage device. In either embodiment of the present invention, in the above-described method, a lateral relative motion, in the axial direction of the forme cylinder  03 , and between the forme cylinder  03  and the storage device occurs. This relative motion or movement is conditioned by the need to decrease the distance A between two adjacent storage positions of the storage device, as printing formes  07 ;  08  are being arranged on the forme cylinder  03 . Accordingly, a relative movement occurs between the forme cylinder  03  and/or the storage device such that, with the relative displacement being executed along an axial adjustment path, a printing forme  08  to be arranged on the forme cylinder  03  is arranged in a mounting position on the forme cylinder  03  that is adjacent to the mounting position of another printing forme  07 , which preferably is already located there or will be located there, at a distance that is reduced or decreased in relation to the distance A between two adjacent storage positions of the storage device. 
         [0029]    While preferred embodiments of a method for arranging printing formes on a forme cylinder of a printing press, in accordance with the present invention, have been set forth fully and completely hereinabove, it will be apparent to one of skill in the art that various changes could be made in the structure of the storage device, in the structure of the forme cylinder and in the structures of the inking and/or dampening units without departing from the true spirit and scope of the present invention, which is accordingly to be limited only by the appended claims.