Patent ID: 12194729

Repetitive reference symbols are left out in some of the drawing views for reasons of clarity.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring now to the figures of the drawing in detail and first, in particular, toFIG.1thereof, there is shown a schematic side view of a preferred exemplary embodiment of a device of the invention. There is shown a printing machine1for printing on a flat printing substrate2, such as paper, with a UV-curable fluid3, for instance lithographic offset printing ink.

The printing machine comprises a device4for UV-curing according to the invention. By way of example, the device4has multiple emitters, namely an emitter5and at least one further emitter5′. Every emitter comprises at least one flash lamp6. The flash lamps may be embodied as tubes6a, for instance as gas discharge tubes such as xenon flash lamps. The flash lamps generate UV radiation6bto cure the printing fluid3. As an example, the emitters are disposed along a curved plane7of a carrier7a. The curvature of the plane is preferably adjustable (and thus adaptable to varying printing substrates2or transport cylinders). For this purpose, a motor17and an associated control device18for controlling the curvature of the carrier (potentially in a closed control loop) may be provided.

FIG.2is a schematic top view of a preferred exemplary embodiment of a device according to the invention. There is shown the printing machine1and the printing substrate2with a printed image2aof a printing fluid3, as well as a device4of the invention.

The device4comprises at least one emitter5. As an example, five different emitters5are shown. However, the device preferably only has emitters of identical construction. As shown, the flash lamps6of the emitters5may have different arrangements and/or orientations: For instance, (from top to bottom) coaxial, offset relative to one another, inclined at different angles, or parallel to one another. Details will be shown in the following figures.

The emitters5are preferably oriented in a direction transverse to a direction of transport8(of the printing substrate2), i.e., in a transverse direction9.

FIG.3is a schematic top view of a further preferred exemplary embodiment of a device of the invention. The top of the figure illustrates an example of a single flash lamp6to indicate its longitudinal axis. Below, a number of flash lamps6are shown. They are disposed to be coaxial to one another in a row10. The row has a direction11parallel to the transverse direction9. The longitudinal axes13of the flash lamps6are on a straight line12in the direction of the row10. By way of an example, a further row10′ of the emitter5is shown.

FIG.4is a schematic top view of a further preferred exemplary embodiment of a device of the invention. A number of flash lamps6are shown. They are disposed to be offset relative to one another in a row10. The row has a direction11parallel to the transverse direction9. The longitudinal axes13of the flash lamps6are on a second straight line12parallel to direction11in the direction of row10. The flash lamps6arranged to be offset to one another on the two straight lines12are shown to have an overlap14. The flash lamps6of a respective straight line12are further shown to be spaced apart from one another by a distance15, i.e. there is a gap between them. Finally, the flash lamps6on one straight line12are shown to be disposed at the center of the respective gaps between the flash on the other straight line12.

FIG.5is a schematic top view of a further preferred exemplary embodiment of a device of the invention. Multiple flash lamps6are shown. They are disposed in a row10and are inclined, i.e. each flash lamp has an inclination16(or an angle different than 0° and 180°) relative to the straight line12. The row has a direction11parallel to the transverse direction9. The inclination is shown to be adjustable. For this purpose, a motor17with a control device for controlling the motor/the inclination, potentially in a closed control loop, is provided.

FIG.6is a further schematic top view of a further preferred exemplary embodiment of a device of the invention. Compared toFIG.5, the flash lamps6are shown to have a different inclination16.

FIG.7is a further schematic top view of a further preferred exemplary embodiment of the invention. Here, the flash lamps/the longitudinal axes13thereof are shown to be oriented in parallel with the direction of transport8.

FIG.8is a schematic top view of a further preferred exemplary embodiment of a device of the invention. In this exemplary embodiment, the row10of emitters5(or rather an associated straight line12) extends in parallel with the direction of transport8of the printing substrate2. The longitudinal axes13of the flash lamps6extend in a direction perpendicular to the direction of transport, i.e., parallel to the transverse direction9. In this example, multiple modules4aof the device4with a respective (page-wide) flash lamp6are shown to be disposed in printing units and/or varnishing units1aof the printing machine1and one module4awith a (page-wide) flash lamp6is shown to be disposed in a delivery1bof the printing machine1.

The following is a summary list of reference numerals and the corresponding structure used in the above description of the invention:1printing machine1aprinting unit(s), varnishing unit(s)1bdelivery2printing substrate2aprinted image3fluid4device4amodule(s)5emitter5′ further emitter6flash lamp(s)6atubes6bUV radiation7curved plane7acarrier8direction of transport9transverse direction10row(s)10′ further row(s)11direction12straight line13longitudinal axis/axes14overlap15spacing, gap(s)16inclination17motor18device for controlling (potentially in closed control loop)