EP1294578B1 - Method for the production of components with a pre-determined surface appearance, in particular for front panels of kitchen units - Google Patents

Abstract

The method involves printing the parts with a pre-determined pattern using a printing method that may be programmed according to the desired appearance. The surfaces to be printed may be wood or plastics. Three-dimensional surfaces may be printed. An inkjet process may be used, with different coloured inks sprayed from different nozzles. to produce a homogenous programmed colour. Independent claims are included for a device for implementing the method and a system for manufacturing groups of components.

Description

The invention relates to a method for producing components having a predetermined surface appearance, in particular of front panels of kitchen elements, according to the preamble of claim 1.

A generic method is from the GB-A-2 212 761 known.

A design feature of conventional kitchens is that a variety of kitchen items, drawers, cabinets, electrical appliances, etc. are provided with front panels that give the kitchen its own and pleasing appearance. The variety of front panel sizes and the variety of customer-requested surfaces, which include different types of wood, plastic surfaces, different colors and patterns, results in extremely costly, high inventory production. For example, front panels are made of different solid wood or with different wood veneers, which are then stained in the desired color and surface-sealed.

The invention is based on the object to alleviate the aforementioned problem.

The method according to claim 1 provides a solution to the aforementioned problem.

With the method according to the invention can be made of molded parts whose shape corresponds to the components to be produced, components with different looks, although the printed moldings same surfaces or moldings are used, which have a much lower diversity in terms of their surface material as the printed components to be produced. For example, you can work with moldings with only two types of surfaces to achieve an extremely wide variety. One type of molded component has a plastic surface and the other type of molded component has a wood veneer surface. On the plastic surface a variety of colors and / or patterns can be printed to produce a corresponding appearance. On the Holzfumieroberfläche various wood grains can be printed, which give the appearance of different types of wood with different colors, without the respective type of wood must actually be used. Surprisingly, it has been found that a basic grain of the veneer surface or a solid wood surface does not preclude printing with other grains and by appropriate coordination of the color intensities does not adversely affect the appearance of the printed grain. With the method according to the invention it is thus possible to produce an extraordinarily high variety of appearance, ie in particular variety desired by the customer with a small variety of blanks.

The subclaims 2 to 5 are directed to advantageous embodiments of the method according to the invention.

With the features of claim 4, surfaces to be printed on can be pretreated in such a way that they readily absorb dye liquids which are subject to certain restrictions because of the printing process used, for example in an ink jet printing process. In this way, the surface to be printed and the dyeing liquids can be matched to one another. In the case of wood surfaces, a pretreatment can also consist in the wood being treated in a predetermined manner in the manner of a glaze, that its porosity or its liquid absorption properties are matched to the printing process used then or the wood is given a certain basic tint.

With the features of claim 5, the printed surface can be sealed or provided with other coatings that are mechanically very insensitive, for example, are not permeable to UV light, etc. ..

The invention can be used anywhere where a high diversity is to be achieved before customers with low cost components on the appearance. Particularly advantageous is the invention can be used in sheet-like components in which blanks are first made of plate-like raw material with a predetermined shape, which then receive the desired surface appearance. A field of application for which the invention is particularly well suited is the furniture industry, in which furniture, for example kitchen furniture, is composed of sheet-like components which are to have different outward and outward appearances, in particular the external appearance to a great extent must be customized and of high quality.

The invention is explained below with reference to schematic drawings, for example and with further details.

Figur 1

zwei Frontplatten mit unterschiedlicher Oberflächenstruktur,

Figur 2

eine schematische Ansicht einer zur Durchführung das erfindungsgemäßen Verfahrens Vorrichtung,

Figur 3

eine schematische Ansicht einer in der Vorrichtung aus Figur 2 ent- haltenen Baugruppe, Vorrichtung aus Figur 2 enthaltenen

Figur 4

ein Beispiel von weiteren in der Vorrichtung aus Figur 2 enthaltenen Baugruppen,

Figur 5

ein Detail der Vorrichtung zum Bedrucken von Handhabungsknöpfen,

Figur 6

eine mit einem Dekor versehene Frontplatte,

Figur 7

einen Querschnitt durch eine Frontplatte zu Erläuterung des Bedruckens,

Figur 8

eine Gruppe von Frontplatten,

Figur 9

einen schematischen Querschnitt durch einen Druckkopf,

Figur 10

einen schematischen Querschnitt durch eine abgeänderte Ausführungsform ei- nes Druckkopfes,

Figur 11

den Druckkopf der Figur 10 in einer Spüleinrichtung und

Figur 12

ein System für die Herstellung von zu einer bestellten Küche gehörenden Frontplatten.

They show:

FIG. 1

two front panels with different surface structure,

FIG. 2

1 is a schematic view of a device for carrying out the method according to the invention,

FIG. 3

a schematic view of one in the device FIG. 2 contained assembly, device off FIG. 2 contained

FIG. 4

an example of others in the device FIG. 2 contained assemblies,

FIG. 5

a detail of the device for printing on handling buttons,

FIG. 6

a decorated front panel,

FIG. 7

a cross section through a front panel to explain the printing,

FIG. 8

a group of front panels,

FIG. 9

a schematic cross section through a print head,

FIG. 10

3 shows a schematic cross section through a modified embodiment of a printhead,

FIG. 11

the printhead the FIG. 10 in a rinsing device and

FIG. 12

a system for the production of kitchen panels belonging to front panels.

FIG. 1 shows by way of example two front panels 2, wherein the left has a wooden surface with a grain 4 and the right has a homogeneous plastic surface. The front panels can have a wide variety of construction and surfaces, such as a Preßspangrundkörper on which a wood veneer is applied, a plastic body, is laminated to the material, so that the surface is structured in three dimensions, etc.

The front panels can also be made of solid wood.

The dashed lines 6 are contour lines to illustrate that the front panels are needed in a variety of sizes, including non-rectangular face plates, round and oval face plates, etc. may be provided.

FIG. 2a shows in a supervision and FIG. 2b in a side view, a device for applying predetermined patterns on a front panel. 2

The front panel 2 is located on a conveyor 8, which contains, for example, a conveyor belt 12 moved by rollers or rollers 10, to the drive of which a motor 14 is provided.

Transversely over the conveyor belt 12, a portal 16 extends to the crossbar 18, a carriage 20 has been long since the crossbar 18 movably guided. To drive the carriage, a motor 22 is provided, the pinion 24 meshes with a toothing of the carriage 20.

On the carriage 20 is by means of a drive, not shown, a console 26 in the direction of the double arrow ( FIG. 2b ) guided vertically displaceably, at the end of a printhead 28 is fixed, which is constructed for example in the manner of a printhead, as used in ink jet printers or ink jet or bubble jet printers, with dye nozzles of the printhead Färbeflüssigkeitstropfen be sprayed off.

For detecting the position of the front panel 2, the contour and thickness sensors 30, 32 and 34 are provided, the sensor 30 detects, for example, the leading edge of the moving on the conveyor belt 12 front panel 2, the sensor 32 detects the height of the front panel 2 and the the transverse bar 18 mounted sensor 34 detects the side edge of the front panel 2.

The sensors may be optically, ultrasonically or otherwise operated and may additionally be movably arranged so that the entire geometry of the surface of the faceplate 2 may be detected before the surface enters the area under the print head 28.

Not shown in the figures is the dyeing liquid supply and the dyeing liquid feed to the print head 28, which may for example be from large storage containers placed on the cart 20.

To control the device, a control device with a computer 36, a keyboard 38 and a screen 40 is provided. It is understood that in addition a speaker can be provided.

At inputs 42 of the computer 36, the sensors 30, 32 and 34 are connected; at outputs 44 are the drives for two-dimensional movement (in the transverse direction of the conveyor belt 12 and perpendicular to its surface) for the print head 28, the control lines for driving the print head 28 and optionally the drives for moving one or more of the sensors 30, 32 and 34 as well the drive 14 of the conveyor belt 12 is connected.

Via another input 46, data indicating the pattern to be generated by the print head 28 is input. All degrees of freedom exist for the formation of these patterns wherein the patterns can be generated by scanning of image templates in digital form, can be stored and then by appropriate control of the print head 28 and its movement relative to the front plate 2 in conjunction with the control of the drive 14 can be applied to the front panel 2. In terms of data processing, all modern technologies are available, such as are customary for today's photo prints.

Structure and operation of the individual element of the device are known per se and are therefore not explained.

A located on the conveyor belt 12 front panel 2 is detected by the sensors 30, 32 and 34 in terms of their position and size, so that the carriage 20 and the vertical drive of the console 26 and the print head 28 of the computer 36 according to the currently active pattern data such be controlled so that the desired pattern is formed. When the entire contour of the front panel 2 is detected, this is done so that virtually no dyeing liquid is applied to the conveyor belt 12 and the surface of the front panel 2 is completely printed in its edge regions.

The device described can be modified in many ways. For example, when the geometry of the respective faceplate is known and the faceplate 2 is placed at a respective reference position on the conveyor belt 12 and aligned in a predetermined manner with the conveyor belt 12, only the front edge of the faceplate 2 or the position of the reference position is required to detect the crossbar 18, so that the cost of the sensors can be reduced accordingly. The vertical mobility of the print head 28 is required because a predetermined distance between the ink nozzles of the print head 28 and the surface to be printed on the front panel 2 is required in accordance with the specifications of the print head 28 and the achievable pattern fineness.

The in FIG. 2 shown, single movable printhead with a plurality of ink nozzles (not shown) for spraying different Färbeflüssigkeiten can be replaced, for example, in the conveying direction successively arranged nozzle beam, which extend across the conveyor belt 12 and each having a series of ink nozzles, which are selectively controlled by the computer 36 , The nozzles of the individual nozzle bars spray each only one color, so that each pattern color can be generated with three nozzle bars arranged one behind the other.

FIG. 3 shows an advantageous detail of an additionally necessary existing printing device in perspective view. In this printing device, the print head 28 is longitudinally movably guided on a carrier 50 in the direction of the double arrow and the carrier 50 is pivotable about an axis 52 perpendicular to the direction of the double arrow. In addition, the carrier 50 can be height-adjustable or the print head 28 can be adjusted in height relative to the carrier 50.

With the arrangement, it is possible, as immediately apparent, to print side surfaces of the front panel 2, even if the side surfaces are directed obliquely to the conveying direction of the conveyor belt 12.

FIG. 4 shows further details of possible configurations of the printing device. Printheads 28 ₂ are a bracket 26 ₂ pivotally by means of a drive, not shown, that on the front panel 2 ₂ formed projections 54 can be printed. The bracket 26 ₂ may additionally be displaced in the vertical direction and the print heads 28 ₂ may be pivotable about a vertical axis, for example, by appropriate support brackets 56 on the bracket 26 ₂ . By thus created kinematic possibilities, it is possible to print the projections 54 such that the ink nozzles of the print heads 28 _{2 are} each directed at a predetermined distance from the surface and perpendicular to the surface direction, which can form high quality pattern.

The in FIG. 4 further illustrated printhead 28 ₃ is generally movable so that the side surfaces of the front panel 2 _{2 can be} printed.

As can be seen directly from the previous drawings, with a print head 28 which is pivotally mounted on a perpendicular and in the transverse direction of the conveyor belt 12 movable console 26 (Figure 2) about a vertical and a horizontal axis, in cooperation with a forward and a Backward movement of the conveyor belt 12, each surface contour of a front panel 2 are printed, for example, also actuation buttons 60, according to FIG. 5 are provided on a front panel 2.

FIG. 6 shows an example of a decor or pattern 62 which is applied to a surface 4 provided with a grain of a front panel 2. The grain 4, which may be given by the wood itself and / or also applied by printing, can be emphasized differently, depending on the homogeneous contrasting color in which the surface is sprayed or printed, in the example shown in addition a rectangular frame as Decor or pattern is applied.

FIG. 7 shows a front plate having a base body 62, for example of pressboard, on which a veneer 66 is applied from soft or absorbent wood. When liquid droplets 66 are applied in this type of absorbent surface, they flow laterally and flow into one another, similar to fibrous or wet paper, whereby optically very pleasing patterns can be produced when differently colored liquid droplets 66 run into one another with their edge regions.

The amount of dyeing liquids of the individual liquid droplets that run into one another can be influenced by the volume of the liquid droplets and the type of surface.

FIG. 8 shows an example in which by appropriate printing of individual front panels 2 ₁₀ to 2 ₁₅ a total pattern or overall visual impression can be generated.

According to FIG. 9 can in a printhead 28 different, with different colored dye liquor charged color nozzles 70 ₁ to 70 ₄ may be provided, for example, the print heads 70 _1, 70 ₂ and 72 ₃ are loaded with colors which result in their addition Black and the printhead 70 ₄ immediately is charged with black colored dyeing liquid.

FIG. 10 shows an embodiment of a printhead 72, which contains four different printheads A, B, C and X, wherein the printheads A, B, C are charged with differently colored dyeing liquids and the printhead X is charged with a rinsing liquid. The printheads A, B, C inject the respective dyeing liquid into an intermediate container 74, which is provided with a stirrer 76, and from which a further print head 78 is charged.

With the assembled printhead 72, the following is achieved:

By appropriate control of the printheads A, B, C can be produced in the intermediate container 74 from the three different dyeing liquids each mixed color in a programmed manner, the homogeneity of which is ensured by the stirrer 76. In this way, dyeing liquid of any desired color can be sprayed off from the print head 78 over a large area and homogeneously and applied to a surface.

FIG. 11 shows the print head 72 of FIG. 10 during a rinse, when a color change is required. From the print head X 80 rinsing liquid is injected from a reservoir 80 in the intermediate container 74, after the programmed volume of liquid is largely sprayed, which is guided in a circuit 82. The rinse liquid may be filtered at 86 when the dyeing liquor is pigmented dyeing liquor and repeatedly flow through the tundish 74 until there are no paint residues left and then returned to the reservoir 80. Reference numerals 88 and 90 represent valves, and reference numeral 92 denotes a pump. With the arrangement of FIG. 11 can be sprayed in an environmentally friendly manner and with low dyeing liquid losses different homogeneous colors.

Preferably, the previously described printing the surfaces of the front panels 2 is followed by a coating stage in which the surface formed with dyeing liquid in a predetermined pattern and / or with a predetermined background color is provided with a protective layer by this protective layer, for example as a film or as a single or Two-component synthetic resin paint or applied as a natural resin paint. The protective layer, which is preferably transparent, makes the surface hard-wearing, chemically resistant and scratch-resistant. It further reduces the UV resistance requirements of the dyeing fluids or inks used to effect the damage. The protective layer can be formed by spraying, rolling or otherwise known per se.

FIG. 12 schematically shows the structure of an entire system for producing groups of front panels needed for a kitchen.

Reference numeral 100 denotes the order entry, received in the most diverse orders of a kitchen. A kitchen ordered is characterized by the type and number of its components, such as cabinets, compartments, electrical appliances, etc., which are all closed to the visible side by front panels, which have a specific decor, for example, by the surface material, the base color and the pattern with the respective colors.

Due to an ordered kitchen, the order input 100 of a group of front panels is compiled into an electronically processable data set which is required for a kitchen ordered and compiled in terms of its surface finish and dimensions. Depending on whether the required front panels are already finished in a bearing 102 or have to be produced in a cutting device 104 with the respective dimensions, the ordered data set passes through the bearing 102 or the cutting device 104.

The data set compiled in the order input 100 is fed to a controller 102 which operates with electronic data processing.

In a material store 104 prefabricated blank panels of the required surface variety, such as plastic plates and / or wood veneered panels are stored.

Subordinate to the material store is a mold processing device 106, in which the material store 104 removed raw sheets with known per se numerically controlled cutting devices or other machined devices divided and from them mold plates or molded parts can be made with predetermined dimensions. Downstream of the mold processing device 106 is a molded part store 108, in which prefabricated molded parts which are required particularly often are stored.

Further, the form-processing device 106 is followed by a confectioning device 110, are summarized in the groups of molded parts, which belong for example to a purchase order. These groups can be classified from different perspectives, for example immediately after ordering or after, if they require predetermined special surface treatments that are possible only after retrofitting. An order can include a wide variety of surfaces.

Downstream of the packaging device 110 is a pretreatment device 112, in which the molded parts assembled in the packaging device are pretreated in a predetermined manner, for example provided with a primer, a lipping is applied, edge protection is applied, etc.

Downstream of the pretreatment device 112 is a printing device 114, which is constructed, for example, similar to the printing device explained with reference to the preceding figures. The printing device 114 is followed by a coating device 116, in which the printed and possibly less resistant surfaces are coated, for example, with clearcoat, which is mechanically particularly resistant, chemically unaffected and / or does not transmit UV light. The coating device 116 is followed by a goods outlet 118, in which the finished components for their further processing into a complete kitchen, a piece of furniture, etc. are available.

In FIG. 12 Double arrows represent the respective material flow. The connections between the electronic control device 102 and the individual stations are indicated by dashes, the double arrows each indicating that bidirectional data communication is taking place.

In the individual facilities or stations provided handling facilities, conveyors, racking, etc. may be known per se in their construction and are controlled by the control device 2 according to the respective data set.

It is assumed that in the order input 100 a set kitchen corresponding record is compiled. The electronic control device then in the molded parts store 108 asks whether appropriate moldings are already prefabricated. The existing ones Shaped parts are supplied to the confectioning device 110. The not yet prefabricated molded parts are processed in the form-processing device 106 from the raw sheets and fed to the confectioning device 110. Subsequently, the components go through the process, the printing and the coating, in order to be available in the goods outlet 118. The pretreatment device 112 and the coating device 116 can in principle be constructed similar to the printing device, ie contain a conveyor or other conveyor on which they are fed to the respective processing station, with their respective position, geometry, etc. is detected by position sensors.

As can be seen directly from the above, the system described enables the least possible storage (material store 104, the molded parts store 108 is not mandatory) a demand-driven, fully automated or, if individual handles are done manually, largely automated production of component groups according to an order. It goes without saying that 118 more fully automatic processing stations can be connected to the goods outlet, in which complete pieces of furniture are assembled from the prefabricated components which are finished with respect to their surface.

The described system can be modified in many ways. For example, the pretreatment device 112 and the coating device 116 are not mandatory. The printing device 114 can operate according to different methods. The finishing device 110 and / or the pretreatment device 112 may be followed by a further processing station, in which assembled components are produced from the components which have not yet been printed, which are then printed. The shape processing device 106 may be complex in structure, so that not only components are cut from raw sheets, but for example, additionally formed with three-dimensional ornaments, etc. ..

The described system can also be used to produce spare parts for pieces of furniture, for example spare walls or front panels of a kitchen, since the system works by the advantageously programmable printing 114 and, if appropriate, supplementation by the pretreatment and the coating with very good reproducibility. The system is extremely flexible and suitable for its described structural design for use in the production, in particular of any furniture. That the individual stations networking EDP system can be arbitrarily networked by appearance, for example, communicate with spatially distant order inputs via a variety of communication channels.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

2

front panel

4

Grain

6

contour lines

8th

Conveyor

10

roller

12

conveyor belt

14

engine

16

portal

18

crossbeam

20

dare

22

engine

24

pinion

26

console

28

printhead

30

sensor

30

sensor

34

sensor

36

computer

38

keypad

40

screen

42

inputs

44

outputs

46

entrance

50

carrier

52

axis

54

head Start

56

Beam

58

Beam

60

actuating button

62

template

64

body

66

liquid droplets

70

paint nozzle

72

printhead

74

intermediate container

76

stirrer

78

printhead

80

reservoir

82

circulation

86

filter

88

Valve

90

Valve

92

pump

100

order

102

electronic control device

106

Form processing device

108

Moldings camp

110

packeting

112

pretreatment equipment

114

printing device

116

coater

118

Outbound

Claims (5)

1. A method of producing components (2) with a predetermined surface appearance, in particular front panels of kitchen units,
   in which method the components (2) are printed by a printing process, which can be programmed in respect of the resultant appearance, to form a predetermined pattern (62),
   namely an ink-jet printing process, in which dyeing fluids of different colours are sprayed from different nozzles (70),
   wherein the component (2) has an absorbent wood surface, characterised in that differently coloured fluid droplets (66) run into one another in their peripheral zones,
   wherein the quantity of the dyeing fluids of the individual fluid droplets (66) running into one another is determined by corresponding choice of the volume of the fluid droplets (66) and the nature of the wood surface.
2. A method according to Claim 1, wherein three-dimensional surfaces are printed.
3. A method according to Claim 1 or 2, wherein a programmable homogeneous colour is produced in that different colours corresponding to the programmed colour are sprayed from different nozzles into a collecting container, in which the ink of the programmed homogeneous colour is created which is subsequently sprayed.
4. A method according to any one of Claims 1 to 3, wherein the surface to be printed is pretreated before the printing.
5. A method according to any one of Claims 1 to 4, wherein the surface printed with the predetermined pattern is provided with a transparent coating.

Images