Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a mechanism saving foil by reducing the use of foil during cold foil printing developed for use in the label industry.

State of the Art

Cold foil is a transfer foil. It is obtained by throwing metallized powder on a transparent foil and then applying a special adhesive. These foils are available in rolls.

Today, labelers use said foils in roll form frequently and in very serious quantities. The square meter price of these foils starts from 0.19 € and increase up to 1 € depending on its property. There are foil effects in many designs. However, this foil is used only once. Therefore, this leads to so much wastage according to the design. For example; in case a coil with a diameter of 5 mm is applied only to the upper left corner of a 10 cm long and 5 cm wide paper, the entire remaining area is wasted for the foil. When we contemplate to print 1000 copies of this label, 1000 pieces of 10 cm x 5 cm gilding foils are purchased and only one fifth of this is used; the remaining areas are wasted.

The roll of gilding foil is taken at the width of the work to be printed and attached to the unwinder in the state of the art. After the printing and gilding is applied, the foil is wrapped in the foil winder and thrown away. This means the consumption of the unused area in the foil. Therefore, the system in the state of the art imposes extra costs on the labelers.

The application titled “Foil (gilding) printing machine” numbered TR 2005/04222 has been encountered. Here, a Foil (Gilding) Printing Machine produced so as to remove the gilded writings on the labels is disclosed. Operating system of the machine is as follows; carrying out the process with a mechanical system after ensuring that the part covered on the cylinder on which the foil attached to the machine is placed, receives sufficient heat, and transferring the chemical dye on the foil onto a plastic part by compressing the same with heat and gilding printing from the foil to the label by separating this plastic part from the label again in the system. This plastic part slides from the center of gravity to the channel and falls free from the label. The machine here provides automatic foil printing, which was previously carried out manually. Accordingly, processes are performed faster, requires less labor, and thus costs are reduced. However, said invention is a hot foil machine. The foil is transferred here by means of heat and the foil used here is different. It is not possible to use cold foil in this application. On the other hand, it is possible to use both foils in our inventive subject. For this reason, it is thought that the subject of the invention includes novelty in this document.

The application titled “Labeling machine” numbered EP09012773 has been encountered in the literature. Here, a labeling machine, that has a conveyor belt for receiving a series of labels passed over at least one assembly of rolls and at least two label dispensers, each of which is provided for the delivery of labels from a transmitter foil onto the conveyor belt over a transmitter edge, is disclosed. Here, it is aimed that the labeling machine will operate as uninterruptedly as possible, and that it will continue to operate without interrupting even if the label stock is depleted. Although it is aimed to increase the efficiency of the labeling process with this machine, this machine is not related to the foil application. This machine is only used for sticking the labels printed on the coil printing machines to the packages. For this reason, it is thought that the subject of the invention includes novelty in this document.

As a result, due to the abovementioned disadvantages and the insufficiency of the current solutions regarding the subject matter, a development is required to be made in the relevant technical field.

Brief Description of the Invention

The present invention is related to a mechanism which fulfills the abovementioned requirements, eliminates all disadvantages and brings some additional advantages.

The main aim of the invention is to develop a mechanism that enables the use of the empty spaces between the foils, thus saving foil with the help of its special design.

A similar aim of the invention is to develop a mechanism that reduces the cost by reducing foil waste.

In order to fulfill the above-mentioned aims the inventive mechanism comprises the following; at least one printing drum, at least one unwinder servo that allows the cold foil to dissolve smoothly and to the desired length and at least one winder servo, at least one unwinder friction shaft that allows attaching foil with different widths, at least one winder friction shaft that ensures smooth winding of the cold foil, at least one traction roller load cell which keeps the cold foil at the correct and precise tension, at least one traction roller for cold foil, at least one ballerina (dancer) who adjusts the pulling length of the cold foil, at least one ballerina servo motor that enables said ballerina to operate, at least one product rotating roller which makes the cold foil tumble and rotates the cold foil, at least one adjustment photocell that sends the command signal for pulling, at least one transfer roller that provides the rotation of the cold foil under UV, process platform to which all said mechanism is connected, process platform wall to which the whole unit is attached and process platform lift that provides the up and down movement of the whole unit

The structural and characteristic features of the present invention will be understood clearly by the following drawings and the detailed description made with reference to these drawings and therefore the evaluation shall be made by taking these figures and the detailed description into consideration.

Figures Clarifying the Invention

Figure 1. Perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the inventive mechanism.

Figure 2. Perspective view of a processing platform and integrated elements in the inventive mechanism.

Figure 3. Side view of a preferred embodiment of the inventive mechanism

The figures are not required to be scaled and the details which are not necessary for understanding the present invention may be neglected. Moreover, the elements that are at least substantially identical or have at least substantially identical functions are shown by the same number.

Description of the References

100 Mechanism

1 Unwinder friction shaft

11 Solution servo

2 Winder friction shaft

21 Winder servo

3 Traction roller 31 Traction roller load cell

4 Product rotator roller

5 Ballerina (dancer)

51 Ballerina servo motor

6 Process platform

7 Adjustment photocell

8 Transfer roller

9 Process platform wall

91 Process platform lift

10 Foil

Detailed Description of the Invention

In this detailed description, the inventive mechanism (100) is described only for clarifying the subject matter in a manner such that no limiting effect is created.

The present invention is basically a mechanism (100) that minimizes wastage in the foil (10) by enabling the foil (10) to be reused for different designs in label printing. This mechanism (100) comprises the following; at least one unwinder servo (11) that allows the cold foil to dissolve smoothly and to the desired length and at least one winder servo (21 ), at least one unwinder friction shaft (1) that allows attaching foil with different widths, at least one winder friction shaft (2) that ensures smooth winding of the cold foil, at least one traction roller load cell (31 ) which keeps the cold foil at the correct and precise tension, at least one traction roller (3) for cold foil, at least one ballerina (dancer) (5) who adjusts the pulling length of the cold foil, at least one ballerina servo motor (51) that enables said ballerina (5) to operate, at least one product rotating roller (4) which makes the cold foil tumble and rotates the cold foil, at least one adjustment photocell (7) that sends the command signal for pulling, at least one transfer roller (8) that provides the rotation of the cold foil under UV, process platform (6) to which all said mechanism is connected, process platform wall (9) to which the whole unit is attached and process platform lift (91 ) that provides the up and down movement of the whole unit. A preferred embodiment (100) of this mechanism (100) and the view of the elements of this embodiment are demonstrated in Figure 1 and Figure 3.

The present invention contains a process platform for each design so as to enable different designs to be printed using waste. The process platform (6) and the number of units connected to the same can be increased or decreased in proportion to the number of designs. The present invention contains at least two process platforms (6) and the elements connected to the same so as to ensure the use of waste.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, cold gilding foil (10) sliced in narrow width is attached to the unwinder friction shaft (1). Then, the foil (10) is passed over the traction rollers (3) and then through the transfer roller (8). The foil (10) passed through the rollers combines in the printing drum (11) and is dried by means of UV light. Here, UV source provides drying of the lacquer printed under the foil. Subsequently, the foil (10) is passed over the upper ballerina (5) with the help of transfer rollers (8) and transferred to the uppermost process platform (6). The product rotating roller (4) changes the position of the foil and ensures that the foil is taken to the right or left. Then, the foil (10) is sent back to the transfer roller (8) by means of the ballerina (5) by changing its location. The processes between the entry of the foil (10) to the process platform (6) and its outlet are applied until all process platforms (6) are full. Each process platform (6) and its integrated elements are presented in detail in Figure 2.

The foil (10) must be at constant and correct tension in all processes. Said constant tension is provided by means of the traction roller load cell (31). Furthermore, the cold foil drawn during all processes must be transferred precisely and properly. This is provided by the unwinder servo (11) and the winder servo (21) motors. The ballerinas (5) make forward and backward motions during the process. This motion is provided by means of the ballerina servo motor (51 ). Necessary signals are transmitted to the ballerina servo motor (51) by means of adjustment photocells (7). Therefore, the position on the cold foil stamped product is adjusted and the gaps in the cold foil namely in the foil (10) is used. Finally, the used foil (10) is wound onto the winder friction shaft (2). Thus, the labeling process is completed. The whole system can be moved up and down with the help of the process platform lift (91) connected to a process platform (9).