CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is the US national phase, under 35 USC § 371, of PCT/EP2020/069090, filed Jul. 7, 2020; published as WO 2021/028122 A1 on Feb. 18, 2021 and claiming priority to DE 10 2019 121 780.6 filed Aug. 13, 2019; to DE 10 2019 121 779.2, filed Aug. 13, 2019 and to DE 10 2019 121 778.4, filed Aug. 13, 2019, the disclosures of which are expressly incorporated herein in their entireties by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to devices and a method for the alphanumeric labeling of printed products and to a security printing press. The device for the alphanumeric labeling of printed products comprises a shaft mounted in a frame, around which shaft at least one wheel-shaped or ring-shaped labeling tool, which carries a number of alphanumeric characters, arranged one behind the other on its outer circumference, is rotatably mounted. A drive motor, in the form of, for example, a stepper motor, is provided and by which the labeling tool can be rotated around the shaft, to position one of the characters in a working position. A plurality of such wheel-shaped or ring-shaped labeling tools, each carrying a number of alphanumeric characters one behind the other on its circumference, can be rotatably mounted. One drive motor for multiple ones of, or for each of the plurality labeling tools, by which these tools can be rotated mechanically independently of one another around the shaft, can be provided. A sensor device, having at least one sensor, which is fixed relative to the frame during operation, is provided for each of the plurality of labeling tools, with each such sensor cooperating with at least a number of marks, corresponding to the number of alphanumeric characters, which marks are specific to the functioning method of the sensor and are provided on the respective labeling tool, each in a fixed circumferential position relative to one character carried on the outer circumference. A locking device can be arranged within a clear cross-sectional opening in the ring-shaped labeling tool for securing the working position assumed for the selected character, which locking device can be moved by an actuator from an active position, in which it secures the working position, to an inactive position.

In a method for the alphanumeric labeling of printed products, a printed product is labeled with at least one alphanumeric character by direct or indirect printing of a printing material by the use of at least one of the wheel-shaped or ring-shaped labeling tools, rotatably mounted around a shaft and carrying a number of alphanumeric characters one behind the other in the circumferential direction. An alphanumeric character to be printed is positioned in a working position by rotating the labeling tool around the shaft on which the labeling tool is rotatably mounted. The rotation of the labeling tool is effected by the drive motor, in the form of, for example, a stepper motor.

A security printing press has an input-side printing material feed unit, by which the printing material to be printed can be fed to the printing press on the input side, and an output-side product receiving unit, by which the printing material which had been printed on at least one side, can be combined into bundles. On a printing material path between the printing material feed unit and a product receiving unit, at least one numbering printing couple is provided, which numbering printing couple has a numbering cylinder that carries on its circumference, in the form of a matrix, multiple rows of the devices, one behind the other, each row containing multiple ones of such devices arranged side by side.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

From WO 2007/148288 A2 a device and a method for the alphanumeric labeling of printed products is known, in which individual numbering wheels are driven mechanically independently of one another, each by its own drive motor, in particular a brushless DC motor. Each numbering wheel, which carries a plurality of alphanumeric characters, additionally carries on its outer circumference a magnet for the purpose of calibration, which can be detected by means of a Hall effect sensor, for example. Additionally provided is a locking element, which is pressed from the inside by a spring force into a groove in the inner circumference of the numbering wheel to secure the position that has been selected and is moved out of the groove via reluctance forces by the application of electric current to a coil.

In JP 2004-160788, numbering wheels are driven by biaxial stepper motors, the angular positions of which are detected by magnets which are located on the outer circumference of intermediate gears of the respective drive train and are detected by magnet sensors. A comb-like locking element engages between the teeth of gears connected to the numbering wheels. The locking element is engaged by activating a solenoid and disengaged by spring force when the solenoid is deactivated.

WO 2016/000741 A1 discloses a device and a method for the alphanumeric labeling of printed products, in which individual numbering wheels are driven by stepper motors or brushless DC motors. The numbering wheel carries markings, in particular magnets, on its outer circumference, which are arranged between the characters and which are detectable by sensors, e.g. Hall effect sensors. The motor additionally carries an encoder which can be used to monitor the movement of the motor shaft. For this purpose, an electronic monitoring system is provided, which is in signals communication with both the encoder and a sensor provided on the numbering wheel, and which monitors the positioning of the wheels by comparing counter readings at the encoder when a marking passes it with target counter readings anticipated for the passage, based on a table.

DE 38 41 231 A1 relates to a coding device for typing wheels or printing wheels, in particular in franking machines. In one embodiment, the position of the typing wheel is characterized by the magnitude of the signal from a Hall effect sensor which is arranged in a fixed shaft within the rotating typing wheel. The inner circumference of the typing wheel extends not with a constant radius, but in a spiral shape with a varying distance from the shaft. In a refinement, individual teeth correlating to the type on the circumference and having a tooth depth that varies along a spiral line can be provided. When the typing wheel is in operation and a certain type is set, the value present at the output of the sensor is compared during rotation with the target value for the signal previously obtained through a referencing run. When the desired position is reached, the system moves on to adjust the next typing wheel or returns to the main program.

GB 2 243 580 A discloses a monitoring device for monitoring the position of marking symbols, in which a magnetic field produced by a magnet which is fixed so as to be stationary on a shaft and one or more magnets provided on the circumference of the symbol wheel is detected on the circumference of the symbol wheel at an angular distance of 90° and is used to determine the position.

WO 201 7/1 5761 9 A1 discloses a screen printing unit and an offset printing unit, along with a numbering printing unit which has on its circumference a plurality of numbering devices arranged in rows and columns.

JP 2006-224519 A relates to a numbering unit, the numbering wheels of which are driven mechanically via a gear train by the rotational movement of the cylinder. The numbering wheels are seated on a rotating shaft and are secured in the position required for the desired character by the engagement of a cam. The cam is moved into the holding position via a magnet.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of the present invention is to create devices and a method for the alphanumeric labeling of printed products and a security printing press.

The object is attained according to the invention by the provision of the drive motor being linked for signal transmission to one of a data processing and a data storage device of a control device, in which an assignment specification between the working positions of the alphanumeric characters, or fields that carry the alphanumeric characters, and step numbers of the stepper motor is provided. The drive motor is or can be controlled by the control device, in terms of the number of steps to be traveled, using this provided assignment specification to move an alphanumeric character to be printed, or the relevant field, into a working position. The sensors are fixed relative to the shaft during operation and are arranged within a clear cross-section of openings in the labeling tool for receiving the shaft. Marks are provided in one of the region of the inner circumference of the relative labeling tools which surrounds the opening, or in that the sensor device comprises two sensors arranged one behind the other, as viewed in the circumferential direction of the shaft. The actuator is in the form of an electromechanically operated drive device which, as a result of different actuation, can be actively moved with an output-side driven element into at least two different defined switching states which bring about the active and the inactive position of the locking element. An electromagnetically operable actuator is located radially outside of the circumferentially extending outer surface of the labeling tool. The rotation of the labeling tool, to position the alphanumeric character to be printed, is carried out with the drive motor, configured as, for example, the stepper motor, using a stored assignment specification between the working positions of the alphanumeric characters or fields carrying the alphanumeric characters, and step numbers of the stepper motor.

The advantages achievable with the invention consist, in particular, in that a particularly reliable and/or precise adjustment of the character or characters to be printed is enabled and/or in that the technical complexity, for example in the region of the rotating parts and/or in terms of additional electrical components, is minimized.

A preferred embodiment of the motor as a stepper motor facilitates the control of motor positions. This in combination with an additional sensor device capable of detecting the required labeling tool positions for the characters during rotation enables a precise referencing and/or a verification to be carried out during operation. For the latter, a check is performed, e.g. during the approach to or upon reaching a target step number specified for a character or field, to determine, based on the signals from the sensor device, whether or not a mark is present in the target position and/or the quality of such a mark.

A particularly suitable device for the alphanumeric labeling of printed products comprises, for example, a shaft mounted in a frame, around which at least one wheel-shaped or ring-shaped labeling tool is rotatably mounted, which carries multiple, i.e. a number of alphanumeric characters arranged one behind the other on its outer circumference, and also comprises drive means having a drive motor in the form of a stepper motor by means of which the labeling tool can be rotated around the shaft. The drive motor is preferably linked for signals transmission to data processing and/or data storage means of a control device, in which an assignment specification between the working positions of the alphanumeric characters and step numbers of the stepper motor is provided, wherein the drive motor is or can be controlled by the control device, applying this provided assignment specification, with respect to the number of steps to be traveled, and in a preferred embodiment also with respect to the direction of the steps, to move a character to be printed into a working position. The control device or a control routine comprised by and/or implemented in the control device is preferably initiated to determine for the character or field subsequently to be selected, proceeding from a specific or current step position of the stepper motor or the numbering wheel and a step number known for that position, and based on the assignment specification, the relevant step number for the subsequent character or field, to calculate from the difference the number of steps to be traveled by the stepper motor, and to control the drive motor according to the calculated number of steps.

The term step number is understood here to mean an individualized step number, whereas the term number of steps means a specific number of steps.

The alphanumeric labeling of printed products preferably involves labeling a printed product with at least one alphanumeric character by directly or indirectly printing a printing material by means of at least one ring-shaped labeling tool, which is mounted rotatably around a shaft and which carries multiple, i.e. a number of alphanumeric characters arranged one behind the other in the circumferential direction, and positioning a character that is to be printed in a working position by rotating the labeling tool around a shaft on which the labeling tool is rotatably mounted, the rotation being effected by a drive motor in the form of a stepper motor, wherein the rotation of the labeling tool to position the character to be printed is carried out by the drive motor using a stored assignment specification between the working positions of the alphanumeric characters and step numbers of the stepper motor. Preferably proceeding from a specific step position of the stepper motor or the numbering wheel and a step number known for that position, the step position implied for the character subsequently to be selected or, based on the assignment specification, the relevant step position implied for that character or field is determined, and from the difference, the number of steps to be traveled by the stepper motor is calculated and the drive motor is controlled according to the calculated number of steps.

In a preferred embodiment, independently of the above aspect or also advantageously in addition thereto, unintended rotation is further blocked by a locking element which is held in the locking position not by spring force, or not solely by spring force, but actively by a stable actuator state. A reliable removal from the locking position is ensured by at least one additional active actuator state.

A suitable device for the alphanumeric labeling of securities comprises, for example, a shaft mounted in a frame, around which at least one wheel-shaped or ring-shaped labeling tool which carries multiple, i.e. a number of alphanumeric characters one behind the other on its outer circumference is rotatably mounted, drive means by which the at least one labeling tool can be rotated around the shaft to position one of the characters in a working position, and a locking means for securing the working position assumed for the selected character, which can be moved by an actuator from an active position, in which it secures the working position, to an inactive position. In a preferred embodiment, this actuator is in the form of an electromechanically operated drive means which can be moved selectively, through different actuation, with its output-side driven element into at least two different defined switching states which bring about the active and the inactive position of the locking element. The actuator is preferably configured such that, in the two switching states, it applies or is capable of applying forces acting in opposite directions to the driven element, which acts directly or indirectly on the locking element. This ensures that, both in the active, i.e. the locking position, and in the inactive, i.e. non-locking position, a force applied by the actuator and acting in the respective direction is present.

In a further preferred embodiment, independently of or advantageously in addition to one or more of the above aspects, a sensor device is provided, which comprises two or more sensors for one or for each numbering wheel to be positioned by an individual motor, the signals of which sensors allow the passage of a mark to be detected and also allow the direction of movement to be determined, and/or which sensor device is fixed in relation to the shaft and is therefore especially well protected, for example, against soiling or damage and/or does not impede access to the wheels, for example.

A suitable device for the alphanumeric labeling of securities then comprises, for example, a shaft mounted in a frame, around which a plurality of wheel-shaped or ring-shaped labeling tools which carry multiple, i.e. a number of alphanumeric characters one behind the other on their outer circumference are rotatably mounted, drive means having one drive motor for multiple or for each of the plurality of labeling tools, by which these tools can be rotated mechanically independently of one another around the shaft, and a sensor device having at least one sensor, fixed relative to the frame during operation, for each of the plurality of labeling tools, each sensor cooperating with at least a number of marks corresponding to the number of alphanumeric characters, which marks are specific to the functioning method of the sensor and are provided on the respective labeling tool, each in a fixed circumferential position relative to one character carried on the outer circumference of the tool. In an abovementioned preferred embodiment, at least two sensors, preferably offset in the circumferential direction, are provided for one or for each numbering wheel to be positioned by an individual motor, and/or the sensors are fixed relative to the shaft during operation and are arranged within the clear cross-section of openings in the labeling tools for receiving the shaft, and the marks are provided in the region of the inner circumference of the labeling tools which extends in the opening.

