Method and device for printing images and/or text on packaging material and then forming packages for containing liquid beverage or other materials out of the printed packaging material

Abstract

In a method for the packaging of a bulk material or material in packaging units, which are formed in a filling and packaging plant ( 4 ) from the packaging material that is fed to this station before and/or during the filling with the bulk material or material to be packaged, the printing of the packaging material is printed in a printing station that is upstream of the filling or packaging station in the feed direction of the packaging material.

1 - 34 . (canceled) 
   
   
       35 . A method of forming, filling, and sealing liquid-beverage packages from a strip of flat packaging material using a liquid-beverage packaging machine, said packaging machine comprising: a supply roll of flat packaging material; a form-fill-seal machine being configured and disposed to receive packaging material from said supply roll; said form-fill-seal machine being configured to roll packaging material into a tube, seal an end of the tubular packaging material, fill the sealed, tubular packaging material with a liquid beverage, and seal and cut off sections of the filled, tubular packaging material to form filled, sealed liquid-beverage packages; a conveyor being configured and disposed to move liquid-beverage packages from said form-fill-seal machine to a packing station; a printing arrangement being disposed between said supply roll and said form-fill-seal machine; said supply roll being configured and disposed to move the labeling material to said form-fill-seal machine in a horizontal orientation under and past said printing arrangement; said printing arrangement being configured to print at least one of text and images on the side of the labeling material facing said printing arrangement as the labeling material is being moved past said printing arrangement to said form-fill-seal machine; said printing arrangement comprises: a preheating and electrostatic-charging unit being configured and disposed to preheat and electrostatically charge the labeling material; a printing unit being configured and disposed to print on the preheated and electrostatically-charged labeling material across a substantial portion of the width of the preheated and electrostatically-charged labeling material; and a drying unit being configured and disposed to dry the ink on the printed labeling material; said printing unit comprising a plurality of electrostatic print heads comprising at least a first electrostatic print head, a second electrostatic print head, and a third electrostatic print head, each being configured to print a different primary color; each of said print heads having a longitudinal axis transverse or perpendicular to the feed direction of the packaging material; each of said print heads comprising: a housing being configured and disposed to hold a supply of ink therein; a plurality of individually-actuatable nozzles for the controlled discharge of ink; said nozzles being arranged in at least one row, one after another along said print head longitudinal axis; each of said nozzles comprising an electrode and a corresponding aperture; each of said apertures having a cross-sectional diameter configured to produce a surface tension of the ink such that ink does not escape from said housing via said apertures upon its corresponding electrode being inactive; and each of said electrodes being configured to be activated in a pulsed manner to discharge ink via its corresponding aperture to produce a printed dot on the packaging material; said method comprising the steps of:
 moving flat packaging material in a horizontal orientation from said supply roll to said form-fill-seal machine;   printing with said printing arrangement at least one of text and images on the side of the labeling material facing said printing arrangement as the labeling material is being moved past said printing arrangement to said form-fill-seal machine, said step of printing comprising:
 preheating and electrostatically charging the labeling material with said preheating and electrostatic-charging unit; 
 activating said electrodes of said first print head and discharging ink via their corresponding apertures to produce printed dots on the packaging material of a first primary color; 
 activating said electrodes of said second print head and discharging ink via their corresponding apertures to produce printed dots on the packaging material of a second primary color different from the first primary color; 
 activating said electrodes of said third print head and discharging ink via their corresponding apertures to produce printed dots on the packaging material of a third primary color different from each of the first and second primary colors; and 
 drying the ink on the printed labeling material with said drying unit; 
   rolling the printed packaging material into a tube with the printed side forming the exterior surface of the tube;   sealing an end of the tubular packaging material;   filling the sealed, tubular packaging material with a liquid beverage;   sealing and cutting off sections of the filled, tubular packaging material and forming filled, sealed liquid-beverage packages; and   moving liquid-beverage packages on said conveyor from said form-fill-seal machine to a packing station.   
   
   
       36 . The method according to  claim 35 , wherein:
 said printing arrangement produces the printed image as a function of an electrical control device;   said printing arrangement generates the printed image as a function of templates that are stored electronically or in the form of software in the control unit;   for the production of a multiple-color printed image, a color set of the impression is associated with each print head; and   said drying unit comprises at least one of a heater and an ultraviolet light.   
   
   
       37 . A liquid-beverage packaging machine for forming, filling, and sealing liquid-beverage packages from a strip of flat packaging material, said packaging machine comprising:
 a supply roll of flat packaging material;   a form-fill-seal machine being configured and disposed to receive packaging material from said supply roll;   said form-fill-seal machine being configured to roll packaging material into a tube, seal an end of the tubular packaging material, fill the sealed, tubular packaging material with a liquid beverage, and seal and cut off sections of the filled, tubular packaging material to form filled, sealed liquid-beverage packages;   a conveyor being configured and disposed to move liquid-beverage packages from said form-fill-seal machine to a packing station;   a printing arrangement being disposed between said supply roll and said form-fill-seal machine;   said supply roll being configured and disposed to move the labeling material to said form-fill-seal machine in a horizontal orientation under and past said printing arrangement;   said printing arrangement being configured to print at least one of text and images on the side of the labeling material facing said printing arrangement as the labeling material is being moved past said printing arrangement to said form-fill-seal machine;   said printing arrangement comprises:
 a preheating and electrostatic-charging unit being configured and disposed to preheat and electrostatically charge the labeling material; 
 a printing unit being configured and disposed to print on the preheated and electrostatically-charged labeling material across a substantial portion of the width of the preheated and electrostatically-charged labeling material; and 
 a drying unit being configured and disposed to dry the ink on the printed labeling material; 
   said printing unit comprising a plurality of electrostatic print heads comprising at least a first electrostatic print head, a second electrostatic print head, and a third electrostatic print head, each being configured to print a different primary color;   each of said print heads having a longitudinal axis transverse or perpendicular to the feed direction of the packaging material;   each of said print heads comprising:
 a housing being configured and disposed to hold a supply of ink therein; 
 a plurality of individually-actuatable nozzles for the controlled discharge of ink; 
 said nozzles being arranged in at least one row, one after another along said print head longitudinal axis; 
 each of said nozzles comprising an electrode and a corresponding aperture; 
 each of said apertures having a cross-sectional diameter configured to produce a surface tension of the ink such that ink does not escape from said housing via said apertures upon its corresponding electrode being inactive; and 
 each of said electrodes being configured to be activated in a pulsed manner to discharge ink via its corresponding aperture to produce a printed dot on the packaging material. 
   
   
   
       38 . The packaging machine according to  claim 37 , wherein:
 said printing arrangement produces the printed image as a function of an electrical control device;   said printing arrangement generates the printed image as a function of templates that are stored electronically or in the form of software in the control unit;   for the production of a multiple-color printed image, a color set of the impression is associated with each print head; and   said drying unit comprises at least one of a heater and an ultraviolet light.   
   
   
       39 . A method for the preparation of packaging units ( 1 ) for the packaging of a bulk material or material to be packaged, whereby the packaging units ( 1 ) are formed immediately before and/or during the filling with the bulk material or material to be packaged in a filling and packaging plant ( 4 ) from a packaging material which is fed to the plant, characterized in that the packaging material ( 1 . 1 ) is printed in at least one printing station ( 7 ) as this material is being fed. 
   
   
       40 . The method according to  claim 39 , wherein the printing of the packaging material ( 1 . 1 ) in the at least one printing station ( 7 ) takes place after the extraction of this material from a supply ( 5 ). 
   
   
       41 . The method according to  claim 40 , wherein one of:
 the packaging material ( 1 ) prior to the printing is a neutral material without a printed impression; or   the packaging material ( 1 ) prior to the printing is a partly pre-printed material and that the printing of the packaging material ( 1 . 1 ) supplements or adds to a printed image that is already present on this material.   
   
   
       42 . (canceled) 
   
   
       43 . The method according to  claim 41 , wherein the packaging material ( 1 . 1 ) is printed in multiple colors. 
   
   
       44 . The method according to  claim 43 , wherein the packaging material ( 1 . 1 ) is printed using at least one printing station ( 7 ) or one printing unit ( 9 ) which generates the print and/or the printed image as a function of an electronic control unit ( 17 ). 
   
   
       45 . The method according to  claim 44 , wherein the printing station ( 7 ) or printing unit ( 9 ) generates the printed image as a function of templates that are stored electronically or as software in the control unit ( 17 ). 
   
   
       46 . The method according to  claim 45 , wherein the printed image is modified or varied at least partly during the production process. 
   
   
       47 . The method according to  claim 46 , wherein the packaging material ( 1 . 1 ) is printed transverse to a longitudinal direction of the packaging material or transverse to the feed direction (A) of the packaging material ( 1 . 1 ), and specifically, for example, across the entire width or a majority of the width of the packaging material ( 1 . 1 ). 
   
   
       48 . The method according to  claim 47 , wherein the printing takes place during a relative movement between the packaging material ( 1 . 1 ) and the printing unit ( 9 ) or of at least one print head ( 11 ) of the printing unit ( 9 ). 
   
   
       49 . The method according to  claim 48 , wherein the packaging material ( 1 . 1 ) is moved relative to the printing unit ( 9 ) and/or to the at least one print head ( 11 ). 
   
   
       50 . The method according to  claim 49 , wherein:
 the at least one printing unit ( 9 ) has at least one electrostatic print head ( 11 ) with a plurality of individually actuatable individual nozzles ( 14 ) for the controlled discharge of ink, and that the individual nozzles ( 14 ) are arranged one after another in at least one row in a print head longitudinal axis (DL);   the relative movement between the at least one print head ( 11 ) and the film material is transverse or perpendicular to the print head longitudinal axis (DL);   the packaging material ( 1 . 1 ) is oriented horizontally or at least essentially horizontally during the printing;   the at least one print head ( 11 ) is located above the packaging material ( 1 . 1 ) to be printed;   there are at least two and preferably at least three print heads ( 11 );   for the production of a multiple-color impression, a color set of this impression is produced with each print head ( 11 );   the ink, after it has been applied to the packaging material ( 1 . 1 ), is dried or set by the application of energy, e.g. by heating and/or UV-light; and   the packaging material ( 1 . 1 ) is heated and/or statically charged prior to the printing.   
   
   
       51 - 57 . (canceled) 
   
   
       58 . A device for performing the method according to  claim 39 , whereby the packaging units ( 1 ) are formed in a filling and packaging plant ( 4 ) from a packaging material fed from a supply before and/or during the filling with the material to be filled or packaged, wherein between the supply ( 5 ) and a station ( 4 ) for the formation of the packaging units ( 1 ) there is at least one printing unit ( 9 ) for the printing of the packaging material ( 1 . 1 ). 
   
   
       59 . The device according to  claim 58 , wherein the at least one printing unit ( 9 ) is realized for a multiple-color printing of the packaging material ( 5 . 1 ). 
   
   
       60 . The device according to  claim 59 , wherein the at least one printing unit ( 9 ) produces the printed image as a function of an electrical control device ( 17 ). 
   
   
       61 . The device according to  claim 60 , wherein the at least one printing unit ( 9 ) generates the printed image as a function of templates that are stored electronically or in the form of software in the control unit ( 17 ). 
   
   
       62 . The device according to  claim 61 , wherein:
 the printing unit ( 9 ) or at least one print head ( 11 ) of this unit prints the packaging material ( 1 . 1 ) by lines across its longitudinal direction, and specifically, for example, over the entire width or a majority of this width;   said device comprises means for the production of the relative movement between the packaging material ( 1 . 1 ) and the at least one printing unit ( 9 ) or at least one print head ( 11 ) of this printing unit ( 9 ) during the printing;   said device comprises feed means with which the packaging material ( 1 . 1 ) is moved relative to the at least one printing unit ( 9 ) and to the at least one print head ( 11 ) located in or on it;   the at least one printing unit ( 9 ) has at least one electrostatic print head ( 11 ) with a plurality of individually actuatable individual nozzles ( 14 ) for the controlled discharge of ink, and that the individual nozzles ( 14 ) are arranged in at least one row, one after another in a print head longitudinal axis (DL);   the at least one print head ( 11 ) is oriented with a print head longitudinal axis (DL) transverse or perpendicular to the feed direction (B) of the packaging material ( 1 . 1 );   the packaging material ( 1 . 1 ) is oriented horizontally or essentially horizontally during the printing;   the at least one print head ( 11 ) is located above the packaging material ( 1 . 1 );   the device comprises at least two and preferably by at least three print heads ( 11 );   for the production of a multiple-color printed image, a color set of the impression is associated with each print head ( 11 );   said device comprises means ( 10 ) for the drying of the ink after it has been applied to the packaging material ( 1 . 1 ) by the application of energy, for example by heating and/or by UV light; and   said device comprises means ( 8 ) for the heating and/or for the electrostatic charging of the packaging material ( 1 . 1 ) prior to the printing.   
   
   
       63 - 72 . (canceled)