Modular film unit

Abstract

In order to transfer an image-type coating from a carrier film to a printed sheet, an image-type adhesive is applied to the printed sheet. In a film transfer module ( 2 ), the carrier film comprising the image-type coating is rolled over the printed sheet using contact pressure such that the coating adheres to the adhesive sections, thus forming an image. In order to improve the function, simplify the device and increase flexibility, a modular holder for film rolls of the transfer foil ( 5 ) is provided, allowing simplified handling.

1 - 15 . (canceled) 
   
   
       16 . A sheet processing machine comprising
 an image transfer device for transferring imaging layers of a carrier film that jointly form a transfer film ( 5 ) onto moving sheets in a cold film transfer process, said image transfer device including a transfer cylinder ( 3 ) and a sheet guiding impression cylinder ( 4 ) that together form a transfer nip ( 6 ) therebetween through which the transfer film ( 5 ) can be guided together with a moving sheet passing through the sheet processing machine to which an image from the transfer film is to be transferred,   said image transfer device having an associated first receptacle module comprising a plurality of film reels mounted on two shafts ( 22 , 23 ;  33 , 34 ) arranged in offset relation to each other for supplying transfer film to the image transfer device and for receiving the transfer film following transfer of the image layer thereof.   
   
   
       17 . The sheet processing machine of  claim 16  in which said first receptacle module is mounted directly on said image transfer device. 
   
   
       18 . The sheet processing machine of  claim 16  including a sheet processing unit ( 32 ) located downstream of said image transfer device, and a second receptacle module ( 29 ) associated with said processing unit ( 32 ) having a plurality of film reels ( 30 , 31 ) mounted on shafts ( 35 , 36 ) arranged in offset relation to each other. 
   
   
       19 . The sheet processing machine of  claim 18  in which said second receptacle module is mounted directly on said downstream sheet processing unit ( 32 ). 
   
   
       20 . The sheet processing machine of  claim 18  in which the shafts of the film reels of said first and second receptacle modules are arranged in different planes that are offset horizontally and vertically with respect to each other. 
   
   
       21 . The sheet processing machine of  claim 16  in which said shafts of said receptacle module each accommodate a plurality of film reels for supplying strips of film to adjacent processing tracks. 
   
   
       22 . The sheet processing machine of  claim 16  in which said shafts of said receptacle module are disposed in vertically offset relation to each other, and a strip tension module associated with one of the shafts of the receptacle module for guiding film and regulating the film strip tension. 
   
   
       23 . The sheet processing machine of  claim 21  including a strip tension module being operable for individually guiding and controlling the tension of a plurality of strips of film moving along adjacent film tracks. 
   
   
       24 . The sheet processing machine of  claim 16  including a strip tension module associated with each shaft of the receptacle module for guiding moving strips of film and controlling strip tension. 
   
   
       25 . The sheet processing machine of  claim 24  in which said strip tension modules ( 24 , 37 , 38 ) are in the form of removal modules through which the strips of film pass. 
   
   
       26 . The sheet processing machine of  claim 22  including a film connecting device associated with the strip tension module for connecting two strips of transfer film in a region of the end section of a first film strip and the starting section of a second film strip. 
   
   
       27 . The sheet processing machine of  claim 16  including a film connecting device associated with the strip tension module for connecting strips of transfer film for enabling strips of film to be carried away on reels on different shafts. 
   
   
       28 . The sheet processing machine of  claim 27  in which said strip tension module includes sensors for detecting regions between strips of film of two different reels. 
   
   
       29 . The sheet processing machine of  claim 21  in which the transfer film ( 5 ) is respectively unwound in the form of fresh film strips for one or more processing tracks from one first film reel ( 20 ) per processing track that is held on a first shaft ( 22 ) and forms part of the first receptacle module ( 19 ) and respectively wound up in the form of used film strips on a respective second film reel ( 21 ) per processing track that forms part of the same receptacle module ( 19 ) and is held on a second shaft ( 23 ) that is vertically and/or horizontally offset relative to the first shaft ( 22 ). 
   
   
       30 . The sheet processing machine of  claim 21  in which the transfer film ( 5 ) in the form of fresh film strip(s) for one or more processing tracks is respectively provided as one respective first film reel ( 20 ) per processing track that is held on a first shaft ( 22 ) and/or additional film reels ( 27 ,  28 ) that are held on one or more additional shafts ( 33 ,  34 ) and form part of a first receptacle module ( 26 ). 
   
   
       31 . The sheet processing machine of  claim 18  in which the shafts of said receptacle modules each accommodate a plurality of film reels for supplying strips of film to adjacent processing tracks, the transfer film being unwound from one of the film reels ( 27 ,  28 ) per processing track, guided to the transfer nip ( 6 ) and respectively wound up in the form of used film strip(s) on one or more film reels ( 30 ,  31 ) per processing track that form part of the second receptacle module ( 29 ) and are arranged on at least one first and/or one or more additional shafts ( 35 ,  36 ). 
   
   
       32 . The sheet processing machine of  claim 18  including the shafts of said receptacle modules each accommodate a plurality of film reels for supplying strips of film to adjacent processing tracks, the transfer film being a film connecting device that is operable in the first receptacle module for each processing track at or before the end of the use of the transfer film of a film reel in use for connecting an end of a film strip being unwound is connected to the beginning of a new film strip for the same processing track and the unwinding and feeding of the transfer film ( 5 ) for the respective processing track to the transfer nip ( 6 ) is continued from a newly-connected film reel separately and simultaneously for each of the processing tracks. 
   
   
       33 . The sheet processing machine of  claim 29  including sensors for separately detecting for each processing track the connecting points between strips of film and calculating the position relative to the connecting points with respect to the position of a sheet to be coated and marking the sheets at such point with reference to the region of the sheet to be coated whereby the marked sheets can be selectively sorted out in a delivery region of the sheet processing machine.