TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates to a method and an apparatus for processing printable panels and, especially, for obtaining a greater productivity and automation in the production of printed and cut panels.

BACKGROUND ART

Currently, in the field of processing printable panels, the problem is known of arranging printable panels in such a way that they are correctly fed to a printing apparatus, particularly in such a way that this interacts with one of the faces of the panel suitably prepared to be printed, that is to say, which has a finish and/or surface treatment suitable for receiving the printing pigments/inks and for determining the desired surface finish for this face, once printed, for example in terms of yield and chromatic hold.

Likewise, where a printed panel is to be cut according to a specific shape, for example by punching, the problem of arranging the panel to be cut so that it is fed correctly into a cutting machine is known.

Currently, according to the prior art, the arrangement of the panels to be printed and/or cut is carried out manually with the consequence of obtaining a productivity limited by the work rate of the operator in charge of positioning the panels as well as by the natural non-homogeneous nature of the execution characteristic of the activities carried out manually.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The problem underlying the invention is therefore that of improving the productivity of processing printable panels, particularly by making the positioning of said panels faster, temporally uniform and spatially homogeneous, during their processing.

The task of a method and an apparatus for processing printable panels according to the invention is therefore to solve this problem.

Within this aim, an object of the invention is to provide a method and an apparatus for processing printable panels which can have an increased productivity with respect to traditional apparatuses and methods.

Within this aim, an object of the invention is to provide a method and an apparatus for processing printable panels which can be easily implemented with known and reliable production technologies.

Another object of the invention is to provide a method and an apparatus for processing printable panels which allows a quick manipulation of the panels being processed.

Another object of the invention is to provide a method and an apparatus for processing printable panels which allows a precise and uniform feeding of the panels for the printing and/or cutting of the latter.

This task, as well as these and other purposes which will appear more clearly below, are achieved by a method and an apparatus for processing printable panels according to the attached independent claims.

Detailed features of a method and an apparatus for processing printable panels according to the invention are indicated in the dependent claims.

Further features and advantages of the invention will emerge more fully from the description of a preferred but not exclusive embodiment of a method and an apparatus for processing printable panels according to the invention, illustrated by way of non-limiting example in the accompanying drawings listed below.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

- Figure 1 is a diagram of an apparatus for processing printable panels according to the invention;

- Figure 2 illustrates a detail of an apparatus for processing printable panels, according to the invention, where some parts are not shown in order to better highlight others.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

With particular reference to Figure 1 , the reference numeral 100 denotes in its entirety an apparatus for processing printable panels and specifically an apparatus 100 for printing and if necessary cutting panels typically made of cellulosic material or plastic material for making cardboard structures or billboards.

According to the invention, this apparatus 100 generally comprises: at least one feeding station 10 which is configured to house a stack of panels 101 to be processed which are provided with a printable face 101a and a rear face 101 b; at least one printing station 20 suitable for printing an image on the printable face 101a of a panel 101 to be processed and provided with a feeding device 21 configured to move a printable panel 101 through the printing station 20; at least one transfer station 30 comprising at least a first manipulator 31 and at least one support table 32 which faces the feeding station 10, to feed into the latter panels 101 to be processed.

Reference in particular to Figure 1 shows, by way of non-limiting example, an apparatus 100 which has four printing stations 20 and a transfer station 30 which comprises a single first manipulator 31 configured to panels 101 from two printing stations 10 to four support tables 32, each facing one of the corresponding printing stations.

In general, according to particularly advantageous embodiments of the invention, each transfer station 30 can consist of a single first manipulator 31 and a plurality of support tables 32 to obtain a high simplicity of the apparatus 100.

According to this solution, in fact, the single first manipulator 31 can feed each support table 32 in succession in a so-called masked time mode, that is to say, the first manipulator 32 can feed a panel 101 to a printing station 20 while the other printing stations 20 are printing the relative panels previously fed by the same first manipulator 32 in succession.

According to the invention, the first manipulator 31 is configured to automatically perform in sequence: a gripping operation which provides for the grasping, by the first manipulator 31 , of a first panel 101 from a stack of panels 101 which is housed in the feeding station 10, a displacement operation which involves moving the first panel 101 on the support table 32, a deposition operation which provides for depositing the first panel 101 on the support table 32, so that the first panel 101 interferes with the feeding device 21 of the printing station 20 and which has the printable face 101a of the panel 101 oriented in such a way that an image can be printed on it by the printing station 20. The first manipulator 31 in particular can comprise a robotic arm 33 which can be mounted on a slide 34 which in turn can be coupled in a sliding manner to a guide 35, for example with rails, configured to define a movement trajectory for the robotic arm 33 which flanks the support tables 32 to allow the robotic arm 33 to load each of the latter with a panel 101 .

The robotic arm 33, for example, can be a 5-axis arm.

The first manipulator 31 can comprise gripping members 36 suitable for coupling with a face of a panel 101 to be processed, preferably by pneumatic action, to transfer the latter from the feeding station 10 to the support table 32.

The first manipulator 31 in particular can be configured to overturn a gripped panel 101 , in the transfer of the latter between the feeding station 10 and the support table 32.

The support table 32 can have an upper surface A which is aligned with the feeding device 21 of the printing station 20 or in direct or indirect connection with the latter, for example by means of a conveyor belt or other transfer means.

The support table 32 can also have through openings B suitable for being engaged by the gripping members 36 to carry out the deposition operation in such a way that a face of a panel 101 to be processed coupled with the gripping members 36 can be supported on the upper surface A so that, following the coupling of the gripping members 36 with a rear face 101 b of the panel 101 , the printable face 101a of the latter is exposed at the top, once deposited on the support table 32, to be printed in the printing station 20.

The gripping members 36 can be configured to adhere by pneumatic action to a face of a panel 101 to be processed and extend from a frame 37 of the first manipulator 31.

The latter can be configured to position the frame 37 under the support table 32 with the gripping members 36 which pass through the openings B of the latter to let a panel 101 coupled to the gripping members 36 face the upper surface A, so as to expose the printable face 101a upwards without interfering with the latter during the movement of the panel 101 .

The gripping members 36 can for example comprise a rod 361 which extends from the frame 37 between an end fixed to the latter and an end equipped with a suction cup element 362 which is placed in fluid communication, for example through the rod 361 , with a pneumatic device, not illustrated, designed to depressurize and pressurize, on command, the suction cup element 362 to promote its adhesion to a panel 101 , or to promote its detachment, respectively. The frame and/or the rods 362 and/or the support table 32 are configured and dimensioned in such a way that the manipulator 31 can easily position a panel 101 on the upper surface A by inserting the rods 361 of the gripping members 36 into the openings B following a movement under the support table 32 of frame 37.

The length of the rods 362 and the thickness of the support table 32 can therefore be selected in such a way that the manipulator 31 can easily position a panel 101 above the support table 32 with the frame 37 which supports the panel 101 from below by means of the gripping members 36 which have rods 362 passing through the openings B.

The openings B can extend in a transversal direction X of the support table 32, to allow the insertion of the gripping members 36 in them along the transversal direction X, so that a panel 101 coupled with the gripping members 36 faces the upper surface A of the support table 32.

The feeding device 21 can define a feed path Y, for example straight, and the transversal direction X can be incident with this feed path Y and in particular can be perpendicular to the latter, for example as shown in Figure 2.

It should be noted that in the diagram of Figure 1 the openings B are not shown exclusively to improve the understanding of the drawing, referring however to Figure 2 for the visual representation of a possible non-limiting embodiment of the same.

According to the contingent requirements of implementation of the invention, the transversal direction X can clearly be incident with the feed trajectory Y according to angles different from 90°, for example equal to 75° or 60°.

Optionally, the transversal direction X of the openings B may also be parallel to the feed path Y.

Advantageously, an operating direction along which the manipulator 31 is mobile, for example defined by the guide 35, can extend parallel or predominantly parallel to the feed path Y to obtain a high compactness of the apparatus 100.

This operating direction could, otherwise, be substantially perpendicular or transversal to the feed trajectory Y.

In this case, it is possible to reduce the overall dimensions in width - that is to say, transversely to the feed trajectory Y, of an apparatus 100 of the type shown by way of example in Figure 1 , that is to say, which has the operating direction of the manipulator 31 parallel to the feed trajectory Y.

The apparatus 100 can also comprise:

- a cutting station 40 configured to automatically cut panels 101 to be processed, for example following their printing;

- an unloading station 50 configured to house cut parts of panels 101 ;

- a handling station 60 comprising a second manipulator 61 configured to couple with portions of a panel 101 cut by the cutting station 40 and deposit it in the unloading station 50.

Between each printing station 20 and each cutting station 40 a transfer apparatus, not illustrated, can be provided to transfer automatically, or by means of the intervention of an operator, groups 102 of printed panels, for example stacked on a platform of the type known in jargon as a "pallet".

The second manipulator 61 comprises an adhesion member 62 configured to exert an adhesive action, preferably by pneumatic vacuum, on a surface in contact with the adhesion member 62, to couple parts of a panel 101 , cut by the cutting station 40, to the adhesion member 62 and move them by means of the latter.

The adhesion member 62 comprises a foam layer, not illustrated, connected to a vacuum device able to generate a pneumatic vacuum diffused on an operative surface of the foam layer, in a per se known manner and not further described or illustrated.

The adhesion member 62 can be configured to preserve a finish of a printed face with which, in operation, interacts to hold the panel 101 and move it.

In other words, the second manipulator 61 is configured to be able to handle pieces of panel of any shape, thanks to the diffuse effect of pneumatic vacuum obtained thanks to the shape of the adhesion member 62, which is configured and made so that its interference with the printed printable face 101a does not cause damage during the action of the second manipulator 61 . The second manipulator 61 can be made in a similar manner to the first manipulator 31 , for example with a same robotic arm, for example mounted on a slide 64 movable along a guide 65, for example a rail.

The apparatus 100 can comprise a control device, for example an industrial controller, for example a PLC, which controls the stations 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 and 60 to coordinate their reciprocal action so as to automate, partially or completely, a method for obtaining panels 101 which are printed and possibly also cut.

The invention also relates to a method for processing printable panels which provides for the actuation of the following steps by means of an apparatus 100: an automated gripping operation which provides for the grasping, by the first manipulator 31 , of a first panel 101 from a stack of panels 101 which is housed in the feeding station 10, an automated displacement operation which involves moving the first panel 101 on the support table 32, overturning it, an automated deposition operation, which provides for depositing the gripped panel 101 on the support table 32 so that the latter interferes with the feeding device 21 of the printing station 20.

The displacement operation and the deposition operation are carried out in such a way that a panel 101 , deposited on the support table 32 has the printable face 101a oriented in such a way that an image can be printed on it by the printing station 20.

The displacement operation can provide for an insertion of the gripping members 36 of the first manipulator 31 into the openings B of said support table 32 to deposit, in said deposition operation, a panel 101 on said support table 32, overturned with respect to the position of the latter in the feeding station 10.

This method can also comprise: a cutting operation of a printed panel 101 , so as to form a portion of the panel 101 provided with a predefined shape, even irregular, carried out for example by the cutting station 40; a handling operation, carried out by means of the second manipulator 61 , which provides for a grip for coupling the second manipulator 61 with the portion of the panel 101 and a movement of the latter to an unloading station 50 where to stack portions of the panel 101 each obtained from the cutting operation.

It can therefore be understood how the invention achieves the intended aim and objects by improving the productivity of processing printable panels, particularly by making the positioning of said panels faster, temporally uniform and spatially homogeneous, during their processing.

In fact, the panels can be overturned quickly and accurately by the first manipulator 31 to be positioned on the support table 32 and then printed on their printable face 101a, without interfering with the latter and therefore preserving the quality of the latter.

A method and an apparatus for processing printable panels according to the invention clearly has an increased productivity with respect to traditional apparatuses and methods as it allows an automatic feeding of the printing stations to be implemented by means of the automated transfer stations which allow each panel to be printed to be oriented and positioned in a fast and optimal manner thanks to the particular structure of the transfer stations themselves.

Also, thanks to the movement structures, printed and cut panels can be handled quickly and safely, regardless of their shape obtained by the cut.

A method and an apparatus for processing printable panels according to the invention can be easily achievable with known and reliable production technologies. Furthermore, a method and an apparatus for processing printable panels according to the invention allows, particularly by means of the transfer stations and/or the movement stations, a fast handling of the panels being processed or of parts cut out from them.

The invention thus conceived is susceptible to numerous modifications and variations, all of which fall within the scope of protection of the attached claims.

Further, all details may be replaced by other technically equivalent elements.

Where the operating and technical features mentioned are followed by signs or reference numbers, the signs or reference numbers have been used only with the aim of increasing the intelligibility of the description and claims themselves and, consequently, they do not constitute in any way a limitation to the interpretation of each element identified, purely by way of example, by the signs or reference numerals.