BOBST MEX SA

The invention relates to a suction brake for use with a sheet conveyor configured to convey a succession of flat elements in sheet form along a conveying path between a first location and a second location, the suction brake comprising: a hollow body having an interior cavity and a face that defines a plurality of suction apertures that communicate with the interior cavity; an obturator arrangement coupled to the hollow body and moveable with respect to the suction apertures; the obturator arrangement being moveable between an open position, in which the obturator arrangement exposes the suction apertures to a maximum extent, and a restricted position, in which the obturator arrangement occludes the suction apertures to a maximum extent. The obturator may rotate or be linearly translated in moving between the open and restricted positions.

A printing machine ( 10 ) for printing on a substrate having the form of a web ( 12 ) is described. It comprises a web entry unit ( 14 ) for receiving the web ( 12 ) on which a printing process is to be performed and a web exit unit ( 20 ) for dispensing the web ( 12 ) after the printing process. Furthermore, at least two printing units ( 26, 28, 30, 32, 34, 36, 38 ) are provided, wherein each of the printing units ( 26, 28, 30, 32, 34, 36, 38 ) is configured for applying an ink of a predetermined color on the web ( 12 ). Additionally at least two web paths (A, B) are provided between the web entry unit ( 14 ) and the web exit unit ( 20 ), each of the web paths (A, B) passing by all of the printing units ( 26, 28, 30, 32, 34, 36, 38 ). The web paths (A, B) pass the printing units ( 26, 28, 30, 32, 34, 36, 38 ) in a differing sequence. Moreover, a method for changing a color sequence within a printing process is presented. According to this method, the web ( 12 ) is arranged along an alternative web path (A, B) passing by the printing units ( 26, 28, 30, 32, 34, 36, 38 ) in a differing sequence, whereas a travelling direction of the web remains the same.

A machine for processing individual sheets comprises at least one processing station, in particular in inkjet printing station, and a transport system ( 100 ) for transporting the individual sheets through the processing station, along a transport direction. The transport system ( 100 ) comprises at least one gripper conveyor ( 150 ) movable along the transport direction, for gripping one of the individual sheets defining a sheet position in transport direction. The transport system ( 100 ) further comprises at least one support conveyor ( 190 ) movable along the transport direction for supporting a region of the individual sheet, wherein the support conveyor ( 190 ) comprises a vacuum system for supporting the individual sheet on an interacting surface of the support conveyor, the vacuum system comprising a plurality of orifices in the interacting surface. The machine allows for efficient and flexible handling of individual sheets, in particular large format sheets of materials such as corrugated cardboard or other materials that have a certain degree of inherent stability.

A sheet processing device has a moveable beam ( 36 ) that moves in the vertical direction, a gripper bar ( 30 ) for gripping a sheet that travels through the sheet processing device ( 10 ), and a gripper bar locking device ( 40 ) that can lock the gripper bar ( 30 ) in a precise position. The gripper bar locking device ( 40 ) has a locking lever ( 68 ) that is pivoting between a rest position and a locking position. The locking lever ( 68 ) is connected to a vertical linear guide coupled with the moveable beam ( 36 ) resulting in a precise, compact and simple system to lock the gripper bar.

An inkjet printing machine for printing individual sheets comprises at least one printing station and a transport system ( 100 ) for transporting the individual sheets through the printing station, along a transport direction. The transport system ( 100 ) comprises at least one gripper conveyor ( 150 ) movable along the transport direction, for gripping one of the individual sheets defining a sheet position in transport direction. The transport system ( 100 ) further comprises at least one support conveyor ( 190 ) movable along the transport direction for supporting a region of the individual sheet, wherein the supported individual sheet and the support conveyor ( 190 ) are movable along the transport direction with respect to each other. The printing machine allows for efficient and flexible handling of individual sheets, in particular large format sheets of materials such as corrugated cardboard or other materials that have a certain degree of inherent stability.

A gripper assembly for recovering a layout ( 22 ) from a sheet material ( 12 ) is presented. It comprises a vacuum gripper ( 26 ) with a gripper body ( 32 ) on which an array of air flow openings ( 34 a, 34 b ) is arranged. Air flow openings ( 34 a ) associated with one or more blanks ( 20 ) of the layout ( 22 ) are selectively open and air flow openings ( 34 b ) associated to waste ( 28 ) of the sheet material ( 12 ) are selectively closed. Additionally, an apparatus for recovering a layout ( 22 ) from a sheet material ( 12 ) comprising such a gripper assembly is described. Furthermore, a method for separating a layout ( 22 ) from waste ( 28 ) of a sheet material ( 12 ) is explained.

A hot foil stamping press has a pressing system for pressing a foil onto a sheet, a blow unit which is positioned at a distance to the pressing system for directing a stream of gas between the sheet and the foil. The stream of gas to detaches the foil from the sheet after each stamping cycle. A gripper bar is arranged between the blow unit and the pressing system for gripping the sheet. A flow guiding element is arranged between the blow unit and the pressing system, preferably on the gripper bar, for directing the gas from the blow unit between the sheet and the foil. Said element avoids the losses in the stream of gas due to the aperture that exist between the grippers in a typical gripper bar.

A Support device ( 14 ) for storing or transporting single sheets or stacks of a packaging material is described. It comprises a multitude of slats ( 32 ) being arranged on a basic component ( 34 ), wherein the slats ( 32 ) are in an upright position and spaced from each other in a generally parallel manner such that respective side contour contact sections ( 36 ) of the slats ( 32 ) form a substantially flat support surface configured to support the single sheets or stacks. Each slat ( 32 ) is mounted on the basic component ( 34 ) via two connection tongues ( 52 ) being arranged on opposite ends of the slat ( 32 ), the connection tongues ( 52 ) engaging corresponding connection slots ( 54 ) being provided on the basic component ( 34 )), wherein two types of slots ( 54 ) are provided on the basic component ( 34 ), wherein a first type of slots ( 54 ) is arranged closer to a basic surface of the basic component ( 34 ) than a second type of slots ( 54 ), and wherein two types of slats ( 32 ) are provided, wherein a first type of slats ( 32 ) is engageable with connection slots ( 54 ) of the first type, but not with connection slots ( 54 ) of the second type, and a second type of slats ( 32 ) is engageable with connection slots ( 54 ) of the second type, but not with connection slots ( 54 ) of the first type.

The invention relates to a device for gas and/or vacuum distribution ( 1 ) for a sheet processing machine ( 100 ), the device includes: at least one controllable pilot valve ( 4; 40 ), a fixed body ( 5 ) including: at least one main gas inlet ( 7 ) to be connected to a gas or vacuum source, at least one main gas outlet ( 8 ) intended to be connected to at least one suction cup and/or to at least one nozzle, at least a first and a second control gas openings ( 10, 11 ), at least one of the openings being connected to the controllable pilot valve ( 4; 40 ), at least one housing ( 9 ) having a first chamber ( 9 a ) communicating with the main gas inlet ( 7 ) and outlet ( 8 ) and a second chamber ( 9 b ) communicating with the first and second control gas openings ( 10, 11 ), at least one mobile piston ( 6 ) axially movable in the housing ( 9 ) by the action of a control gas or vacuum supplied in the second chamber ( 9 b ) through the at least one control gas opening ( 10, 11 ) connected to the controllable pilot valve ( 4; 40 ), the mobile piston ( 6 ) being movable between: a closed position in which the mobile piston ( 6 ) blocks a gas path ( 16 ) between the main gas inlet ( 7 ) and outlet ( 8 ) in the first chamber ( 9 a ), and an open position in which the mobile piston ( 6 ) releases the gas path ( 16 ), first and second chambers ( 9 a, 9 b ) isolated from each other by cooperation of shapes between the mobile piston ( 6 ) and the housing ( 9 ) without frictional seal between the mobile piston ( 6 ) and the housing ( 9 ). Also disclosed are a suction unit and a feeder including such a device for gas and/or vacuum distribution and a sheet processing machine comprising such feeder or such a device for gas and/or vacuum distribution.

A device for driving a stamping foil over a path through a stamping machine is disclosed herein. The driving device comprises two foil-introduction chain-like elements and a drive member coupled to the foil-introduction chain-like elements for driving the foil-introduction chain-like elements notably through a platen press of a stamping machine. The driving device further comprises at least one first load-measurement device comprising a first detector configured to measure a parameter indicative of the load applied by the drive member for driving the foil-introduction chain-like elements in a first direction, the at least one first load-measurement device being connected to a stamping-machine control unit configured to stop the driving by the drive member when the parameter indicative of the load applied by the drive member and measured by the first detector crosses a threshold.