JPH04201449A - Disk printing method and device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To make disk printing process simplified and print more densely with the same ink quantity as conventional quantity by providing an ink dry means consisting of an ultraviolet irradiating device on the way of disk conveying route after an ink transference so as to irradiate ultraviolet rays on inks of a plurality of colors transferred on the disk surface and cure the inks at the same time. CONSTITUTION:At a first position D1 of an offset printing position 40C, a black ink is transferred and applied on a first part of a label face of a disk D. Next, at a second position D2, a blue ink is transferred on a predetermined part on the label face of the disk D. Further, at a third position D3, a red ink is transferred and applied on a predetermined part on the label face. Then, at a fourth position D4, a yellow ink is transferred and applied on a predetermined part on the label face of the disk. The colors applied on the face of the disk D after the offset printing are in an undried state. The each color is dried and cured at a time by irradiation of ultraviolet rays from a second UV irradiating device 15 in a next transfer process by a transfer 14.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of Industrial Application This invention relates to a disc printing method and apparatus suitable for printing characters, pictures, etc. on the label surface of an optical disc such as a CD (compact disc). .

In conventional technology-a, characters and pictures representing the contents of recorded information are displayed by printing on the label surface of an optical disc such as a CD. Conventionally, this printing of letters and images on the label side was
It was done by screen printing or offset printing.

However, screen printing has the disadvantage that it can only print in a single color, the same as the primary color of the ink, and cannot print in multiple colors.Also, it uses a large amount of ink, which increases running costs including the amount of ink used. It has the following drawback. Furthermore, when screen printing uses UV (ultraviolet) curable ink, a large amount of ink is supplied, so UV irradiation takes time, and the disk is likely to warp or deform due to the heating caused by UV irradiation. .

On the other hand, with offset printing, it is possible to print in multiple colors, but printing directly on the exposed surface of the disc may result in poor finish. Therefore, conventionally, offset printing was performed on a disc whose label surface had been subjected to a base treatment by applying white ink in advance in a separate process. Therefore, the printing process/procedure becomes intermittent and complicated, and there is also a problem that there is a lot of loss time and the printing process takes a long time.

Furthermore, traditional screen printing and offset printing
In either case, the printing process can only be performed intermittently on one disc at a time, and it is not possible to print continuously on a large number of discs, making it unsuitable for mass production of discs. Ta.

Therefore, in order to solve the above problems, we developed a disc printing method using offset printing combined with screen printing.
A device has been proposed by the applicant. This disk printing method and device sequentially and intermittently feeds a disk at a constant pitch along a printing path, and before this intermittent feeding, ink is applied to the surface of the disk by screen printing, and then,
After intermittent feeding, ink of a different color is simultaneously transferred to a predetermined number of disks fed into predetermined positions at regular pitch intervals for each disk, and this simultaneous transfer is performed at each step of intermittent feeding. Offset printing is completed by transferring ink of multiple colors by repeating a predetermined number of times. After offset printing, the disks are taken out one by one from the printing path and transported to the ejection process. This disk printing method and apparatus can perform multicolor offset printing on a large number of disks in a continuous operation, and is suitable for mass production of disks.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention The above-mentioned disk printing method and apparatus sets an ink transfer position at the latter stage of the intermittent feeding of the disk in the printing path, and transfers the ink to the disk fed to the transfer position at each step of the intermittent feeding. Different colors of ink are sequentially transferred to the printer, and the printing process is completed by multiple steps of ink transfer. There is a U above the ink transfer position.
A V (ultraviolet) irradiation machine is provided, and in conjunction with the intermittent feeding of the disk, the surface of the disk is irradiated with ultraviolet rays for each step of ink transfer, thereby drying and curing the disk. The specific procedure is as shown in FIG. For example, considering one disc, first transfer and print black ink, then irradiate ultraviolet rays to dry and harden the transferred black ink, and in the next step blue ink is applied to the surface of the disc. After transferring and printing, the blue ink is irradiated with ultraviolet light to dry and harden. Furthermore, in the third step, red ink is transferred and printed on the surface of the disk, the transferred red ink is dried and cured by irradiation with ultraviolet rays, and then, in the fourth and final step, yellow ink is applied. After transfer printing, the transferred yellow ink is dried and hardened by irradiation with ultraviolet rays, and the disks that have completed the transfer and drying process of black, blue, red, and yellow ink are sequentially taken out for the next process. I was doing it.

Therefore, in the conventional disk printing method, black ink transferred in one step is transferred a total of 4 times, and blue ink transferred in two steps is transferred a total of 3 times.
The red ink transferred in the third step is repeatedly irradiated with ultraviolet light twice in total. In this way, if one color of ink is dried by ultraviolet irradiation each time it is transferred, the number of times the ink transferred in the first step in particular will dry increases, resulting in the transfer as shown in Figure 5 (a). As shown in FIG. 5(b), the ink is no longer in a well-spread state when it is flattened, but the ink rises up on the protrusions and becomes raised with narrow bases, making the ink flattening and spreading condition worse. Therefore, the area occupied by the base of the ink becomes relatively small, causing the problem that the color of the ink does not fade and becomes relatively thin.

Furthermore, if the ultraviolet irradiation device is placed at the ink transfer position as in the above-described printing apparatus, it is mechanically difficult to increase the takt time of the printing process, which causes various problems. Furthermore, the device configuration is not mechanically simple, which is not preferable.

This invention was proposed in view of the above points, and aims to simplify the disc printing process, enable printing with deeper colors using the same amount of ink as before, and simplify the mechanism of the printing device. The purpose is

Means for Solving the Problems In order to achieve the first object, the present invention performs drying of the inks by ultraviolet irradiation at the same time after transferring the inks of a plurality of colors. This ultraviolet irradiation is performed midway through the disk transport path after ink transfer, and the inks of each color are simultaneously dried and cured.

Furthermore, in the present invention, an ink drying means consisting of an ultraviolet ray irradiator is disposed in the middle of the disk transport path after ink transfer, so that the ink of multiple colors transferred onto the disk surface is simultaneously irradiated with ultraviolet rays and cured. This disc printing device is characterized by:

Effect: The disk printing method +1 device of the present invention irradiates the printed surface of the disk with ultraviolet rays on the transfer path to the next step after the step of transferring multiple colors of ink to the disk,
The ink of multiple colors transferred to the disk is simultaneously dried and cured in a single drying process.

Therefore, the printing process is simplified compared to the conventional method in which ink is dried each time one color of ink is transferred. Also,
UV rays are irradiated in a single drying process after the ink transfer process,
Since multiple colors of ink transferred to the disk are dried and cured at the same time, the ink collapses and spreads better, and the printed ink color becomes darker.

Furthermore, since the ultraviolet irradiation device that was placed on the printing path can be omitted, the mechanism of the printing device can be further simplified.
It is possible to have a simple device configuration. In addition, the takt time of the printing process is improved, and the printing process can be carried out smoothly and reasonably.

EXAMPLES Hereinafter, examples of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIGS. 1A and 1B show the overall structure of a disc printing apparatus according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 shows a partial structure thereof.

This device includes a supply conveyor 11 that stacks a predetermined number of unprocessed disks D on a stacker S and sequentially supplies them to a supply position (supply stage) 20 to a printing processing section, and an empty stacker S discharged from the supply position. Three conveyors: an intermediate conveyor 12 that sequentially conveys to the terminal end in the discharge direction, and a discharge conveyor 13 that stacks a predetermined number of printed disks D on the empty stacker S sent out from the terminal end of the intermediate conveyor 12 and sends them to the terminal end in the discharge direction. A transfer line 10 consisting of conveyors IL 12 and 13 connected in series, and an intermediate conveyor 12
A transfer 14 is arranged in parallel with the printer, and the transfer 14 intermittently transports the printed disk D passed from the printing processing section toward the disk transfer device on the discharge conveyor 13, and the terminal end of the supply conveyor 11 and the intermediate conveyor. A supply stage 20 for the disk D consisting of a rotary stage disposed between the start end of the disk D and a disk supply/transfer stage disposed between the supply stage 20 and the printing processing stage (turntable) for the disk D. The means 30 is disposed at the terminal end of the intermediate conveyor 12 and the starting end of the discharge conveyor 13, and the printed disks D, which are sequentially and intermittently fed to the terminal end of the transfer 14, are taken out and positioned on the starting end of the discharge conveyor 13. Disc ejecting means 50 for transferring to empty stunker S
It is equipped with

In the above 'fR formation, the first stacker S transferred to the terminal end of the supply conveyor 11 is temporarily held by the stopper 111. At the same time, the supply conveyor 11 stops, and the claw of the separation mechanism 112 moves forward between the first stacker S and the next-stage stacker S, and the first stacker S is separated from the next-stage stacker S. Then, the one-time hold by the stomper 111 is released, and the first stacker S is sent onto the supply stage 20 by the operation of the sending mechanism 110.

The supply stage 20 has a supply position W20A of the disk D and a supply standby position 20B that are 180 degrees opposed to each other. The supply standby position 20B is also an empty stacker discharge position. Further, the supply position 2OA is the position where the disk D is supplied to the printing stage. The empty stacker A at the supply position 2OA and the stacker S in the supply standby state at the supply standby position 20B are sequentially reversed at regular intervals, and the stacker S held at the standby position 20B is sequentially reversed and supplied to the supply position 20A. . The empty stacker S reversed to the standby position 20B is sent onto the intermediate conveyor 12 by the operation of the discharge mechanism 22, and is held at the intermediate position 12A in a standby state for one hour.

Rotational operation of the supply stage 20 and its supply position 2O
The reversal operation of the star and car held at A and the standby position 20B is the star at the supply position 2OA.

Repeats each time Car S becomes empty.

The supply pot transfer means 30 has vacuum suction pads at the bottom of both ends, and is disposed between the supply stage 20 and the disk printing stage. Then, at the same time as the unprocessed disk D was taken out from the stacker S of the supply position 2 OA of the supply stage 20, the printed disk D was taken out from the take-out position 40B of the turntable 40 of the printing processing stage, and rotated at a constant angle. Thereafter, the unprocessed disc D is transferred to the supply position 40A of the turntable 40, and at the same time, the printed disc D is transferred to the transfer position 14A of the transfer 14. Next, the transfer Φ supply means 30
The disk is reversed at the fixed angle, and the unprocessed disk D and the printed disk D are taken out at the same time. The above operations are sequentially repeated at regular intervals.

The print processing stage is composed of a turntable 40 that is intermittently fed by driving a motor. The unprocessed disk D supplied to the supply position 40A is intermittently fed in the circumferential direction at constant pitch intervals by the intermittent rotation of the turntable 40 every step and step. A screen printing machine 41 is installed above the turntable at the front stage of this intermittent feed.
is disposed at this position, and base ink is applied by screen printing to the label surface of the unprocessed disc D that is intermittently fed to this position. The applied ink is then irradiated with ultraviolet rays by a first UV (ultraviolet) irradiator 42 to dry and harden. Thereafter, the disk D is sent to the offset printing position 40C set after the intermittent feeding with the intermittent rotation of the turntable 40, and one step to each position DI, D2, D3, and D4 set at this position. With each feed, a different color of ink is printed on the base coated surface by screen printing. This printing is performed by an ink transfer roll called a plunket of an offset printing machine. The offset printing machine 60 has a turntable 4
It is arranged on the side of the offset printing position of 0. The black, blue, red, and yellow inks stored in the ink pots 61A, 161B, 61C, and 81D are applied onto the mixing plate 64 via the inner rod 62 and the plurality of roller pairs 63. The ink on the mixing plate 64 is transferred to each letter/picture area 65A to 65A of the printing plate 65 by the reciprocating movement of the ink transfer roll 8.
Transferred to 65D. The ink transfer roll 66 reciprocates between the ink mixing plate 64 and the offset printing position 40C of the turntable 4°.

By repeating the reciprocating operation of the ink transfer roll 66 a predetermined number of times, each character/picture portion 65A of the printing plate 65 is
The ink of each color of black, blue, red, and yellow transferred to ~E35D is at each position Di 1D2 of the offset printing position 40C,
The images are simultaneously transferred to disks D at D3 and D4. For example, as shown in the figure, ink of black, blue, red, and yellow is sequentially transferred from the ink transfer roll 660 surface to the text/picture area on the label side of disc D by an intermittent feeding operation in 4 steps. Characters and pictures are formed on the label surface of one disc D by a different color ink transfer process. Then, offset printing for one disc D is completed. The disk D after offset printing is taken out from the take-out position 40B by the supply/transfer means 30, and the receiver of the transfer 14 is sequentially transferred to the transfer position 14A. The printed disks D transferred to the transfer position 14A are sequentially and intermittently sent in the direction of the discharge conveyor 13 by the operation of the transfer 14, and are sequentially taken out by the discharge means 50 at the end position 14B of the transfer 14. be done. Then, they are sequentially transferred and stacked on an empty stacker S provided at the starting end of the discharge conveyor 13. The printed disks D stacked on this stacker S are sent to the end of the conveyor by the operation of the discharge conveyor 13, and are conveyed from this end position to the next process.

In the above configuration, a second UV irradiation device 5 is disposed above the disk transfer path of the transfer 14, and while the printed disk D is intermittently fed by the transfer 14, the ink is printed on the disk D. The surface is irradiated with ultraviolet rays to simultaneously dry and harden the black, blue, red, and yellow inks printed at the offset printing position 40C.

FIG. 3 shows the process/procedure of offset stamp-1 according to the present invention, in which the first position DI of offset printing position 40C is
At this point, black ink is transferred and applied to the first portion of the label surface of the disc D. Next, blue ink is transferred to a predetermined portion of the label surface of the disc D at a second position D2. Further, at the third position D3, red ink is transferred and applied to a predetermined portion of the label surface. next,
At the fourth position D4, yellow ink is transferred and applied to a predetermined portion of the label surface of the disc. In this way, four steps of ink transfer are carried out to create black, blue, red, and
When each color of yellow ink is printed on the label surface of one disc D, offset printing for the disc D is completed. The ink of each color applied to the surface of the disk D after this offset printing is in an undried state, and in the process of being transferred by the next transfer 14, the ink of each color is irradiated with ultraviolet rays from the second UV irradiation device 15. Dry and harden at the same time. That is, according to the method and apparatus after the printing process is completed, the drying process of each color ink is performed simultaneously for each color ink once after offset printing in which each color ink is transferred. Therefore, each of the colors black, blue, red, and yellow needs to be irradiated with ultraviolet rays only once.

As a result, the ink of each color applied to the label surface of the disc D has a well-deformed and well-spread shape, as shown in FIG. 5(a). This increases the area of the ink that occupies the base, making it possible to print even darker colors even with the same amount of ink as before.

Effects of the Invention As is clear from the above explanation, the following effects can be obtained according to the present invention.

■After offset printing on the disk, ultraviolet rays are irradiated onto the undried ink of each color printed on the ink-applied surface on the way to the next process, allowing it to dry and harden at the same time with only one UV irradiation. The degree of collapse and spreading of the printed ink is much better than in the past, and it is possible to print in one color with the same amount of ink as in the past, and to perform offset printing with a beautiful appearance.

■After the printing process for each color ink is completed, each color ink is dried and cured at the same time by UV irradiation once, so the printing process is faster than the conventional method that dries the ink applied each time each color ink is printed. The process can be simplified.

- Since the ultraviolet irradiation device that was required to be placed at the offset printing position can be omitted, the mechanism of the offset printing device can be further simplified and the device configuration can be simplified. Furthermore, since the step of drying the ink by irradiating ultraviolet rays at the offset printing position can be omitted, the takt time of the printing process can be increased, and the printing process can be carried out without strain.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

1(a) and (b) are plan views showing the overall configuration of a disc printing apparatus according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a partial plan view of the same apparatus, and FIG. 3 is a process of a disc printing method according to the present invention.・A flowchart showing the steps; FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the steps of a conventional disc printing method; FIGS. It is a schematic diagram showing D@...Disc, 14...Transfer, 15φ...Ultraviolet irradiation machine, 40φ...Turntable, 40C-...Off-cera printing position, 41φφ・Screen printing means, 42... First ultraviolet irradiation machine. Patent applicant: NEC Home Electronics Co., Ltd. ---11

Claims (3)

[Claims] (1) A step of forming an ink application surface by screen printing on the surface of the disk at a predetermined position on a transfer path in which the disk is intermittently fed, and after forming the application surface, at a plurality of predetermined positions on the transfer path. A disk printing method comprising the steps of simultaneously and sequentially transferring inks of different colors onto a plurality of disks, and drying the inks by irradiating ultraviolet rays after transferring the inks of the plurality of colors. (2) forming a coated surface on the surface of the disk at a predetermined position on the disk transport path, transferring a plurality of inks of different colors to the coated surface, and irradiating the disk surface with ultraviolet rays;
A disk printing method characterized by including a step of simultaneously drying and curing ink of each color. (3) feeding means for sequentially feeding disks fed from a fixed position along a printing path; screen printing means for forming an ink-applied surface on the disk by screen printing at a predetermined position of the feeding; An ink transfer means for simultaneously transferring ink of different colors to a plurality of disks at different positions, and an ink drying means consisting of an ultraviolet irradiation device in the middle of feeding the disk after the ink transfer is provided, and the transferred ink of the plurality of colors is disposed. A disk printing device characterized by simultaneously irradiating and curing ultraviolet rays.