Rotating printing unit for a machine of the tobacco processing industry

Abstract

Process and device for applying print marks to an article that includes conveying the article along a transport direction at a predetermined conveyor speed, during a printing procedure, reducing a relative speed between a printing element and the article conveyed along the transport direction, and applying print marks to the article by the printing element. The instant abstract is neither intended to define the invention disclosed in this specification nor intended to limit the scope of the invention in any way.

1 . A process for applying print marks to an article comprising: 
 conveying the article along a transport direction at a predetermined conveyor speed; and    during a printing procedure, reducing a relative speed between a printing element and the article conveyed along the transport direction; and    applying print marks to the article by the printing element.    
   
   
       2 . The process in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the article is an article of the tobacco processing industry.  
   
   
       3 . The process in accordance with  claim 2 , wherein the article of the tobacco industry is a wrapping strip.  
   
   
       4 . The process in accordance with  claim 3 , wherein the wrapping strip comprises one of a cigarette paper strip and a rod-shaped smoking article.  
   
   
       5 . The process in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the reducing of the relative speed comprises moving the printing element along the transport direction at one of a same or an approximately same speed as the conveyor speed of the article.  
   
   
       6 . The process in accordance with  claim 1 , further comprising moving at least one of the printing element and the article transversely to the transport direction.  
   
   
       7 . The process in accordance with  claim 6 , wherein the at least one of the printing element and the article are moved perpendicularly to the transport direction.  
   
   
       8 . The process in accordance with  claim 1 , further comprising moving at least one of the printing element and the article forwardly and backwardly in a direction transverse to the transport direction.  
   
   
       9 . The process in accordance with  claim 8 , wherein the at least one of the printing element and the article are moved forwardly and backwardly in a direction perpendicular to the transport direction.  
   
   
       10 . The process in accordance with  claim 1 , further comprising deflecting the article during the printing process.  
   
   
       11 . The process in accordance with  claim 10 , wherein the article is deflected in a looped manner.  
   
   
       12 . The process in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the article is conveyed on a rotary body during the printing process.  
   
   
       13 . The process in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the printing element is guided on a rotary body.  
   
   
       14 . The process in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the printing element prints several print marks on the article.  
   
   
       15 . The process in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the printing element is programmed with print data for the print mark or print marks.  
   
   
       16 . The process in accordance with  claim 1 , further comprising exchanging the printing element after expendable material of the printing element is used up.  
   
   
       17 . The process in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the printing element is adjusted for the printing process.  
   
   
       18 . A device for applying print marks to an article in accordance with the process of  claim 1 .  
   
   
       19 . A device for applying print marks to an article comprising: 
 at least one printing element;    conveyor device structured and arranged for conveying an article to be printed in a transport direction at a predetermined speed;    a drive device structured and arranged for moving said printing element, during a printing procedure, in the transport direction at a speed to reduce relative speed between said at least one printing element and said conveyor.    
   
   
       20 . The device in accordance with  claim 19 , wherein the article is an article of the tobacco processing industry.  
   
   
       21 . The device in accordance with  claim 20 , wherein the article of the tobacco processing industry is a wrapping strip.  
   
   
       22 . The device in accordance with  claim 21 , wherein the wrapping strip comprises one of a cigarette paper strip or a rod-shaped smoking article.  
   
   
       23 . The device in accordance with  claim 19 , wherein the drive device is structured to move said at least one printing element in the transport direction at one of a same or an approximately same speed as the predetermined speed.  
   
   
       24 . The device in accordance with  claim 19 , further comprising a shifting device structured and arranged for shifting at least one of said at least one printing element and the article in a direction transversely to the transport direction.  
   
   
       25 . The device in accordance with  claim 24 , wherein the shifting device shifts the at least one of said at least one printing element and the article perpendicularly to the transport direction.  
   
   
       26 . The device in accordance with  claim 19 , further comprising a shifting device structured and arranged to shift at least one of said at least one printing element and the article forwardly and backwardly in a direction transverse to the conveyor direction.  
   
   
       27 . The device in accordance with  claim 26 , wherein the shifting device shifts the at least one of said at least one printing element and the article forwardly and backwardly in a direction perpendicular to the transport direction.  
   
   
       28 . The device in accordance with  claim 19 , further comprising a deflection device structured and arranged to deflect the article during a printing procedure.  
   
   
       29 . The device in accordance with  claim 28 , wherein the deflection device is structured to deflect the article in a looped manner.  
   
   
       30 . The device in accordance with  claim 19 , further comprising a rotary body structured and arranged for conveying the article during a printing procedure.  
   
   
       31 . The device in accordance with  claim 19 , further comprising a rotary body structured and arranged for guiding said at least one printing element.  
   
   
       32 . The device in accordance with  claim 19 , wherein said at least one printing element comprises a plurality of printing elements, and said rotary body is structured and arranged for guiding said plurality of printing elements.  
   
   
       33 . The device in accordance with  claim 19 , wherein said at least one printing element is programmable.  
   
   
       34 . The device in accordance with  claim 19 , wherein said at least one printing element is exchangable.  
   
   
       35 . The device in accordance with  claim 19 , wherein said at least one printing element is structured to apply a multi-colored print mark onto the article.  
   
   
       36 . A machine of the tobacco processing industry comprising said device in accordance with  claim 19 .  
   
   
       37 . The machine in accordance with  claim 36 , wherein said machine is a cigarette rod maker.  
   
   
       38 . The machine in accordance with  claim 37 , wherein said machine is a tipping machine.  
   
   
       39 . An apparatus for printing on an article, comprising: 
 an article conveyor having at least one seat structured to guide the article in a transport direction at a conveyor speed;    at least one movable printing element;    a drive device for moving said at least one movable printing element, during a printing procedure, at a speed corresponding to the conveyor speed; and    a drive device for moving at least one of said at least one seat and said at least one movable printing element in a direction cross-wise to the transport direction.    
   
   
       40 . The apparatus in accordance with  claim 39 , wherein said at least one printing element comprises a plurality of printing elements, and said article conveyor comprises a rotatable cylinder, and said apparatus further comprises: 
 a rotatable disk having a surface to which said plurality of printing elements are mounted for bi-directional movement normal to the surface, wherein said rotatable disk is rotatable in the transport direction.    
   
   
       41 . The apparatus in accordance with  claim 40 , wherein a range of said bi-directional movement is sufficient to allow the printing element to cross an entirety of the width of the article.  
   
   
       42 . The apparatus in accordance with  claim 39 , wherein said article conveyor comprises a rotatable cylinder having a plurality of seats mounted for bi-directional movement cross-wise to the transport direction.  
   
   
       43 . The apparatus in accordance with  claim 42 , wherein a range of said bidirectional movement is sufficient to allow an entirety of the width of the article to cross the printing element.