Apparatus for curing solvent-free printing material

Claim 2

Apparatus including curing means for solvent-free coating and printing material, said curing means including radiant energy means, and conveyor means for moving work to which said material is applied along a feed path in front of said radiant energy means, whereby radiation therefrom impinges on said work and cures the material thereon; said radiant energy means comprising a plurality of sections each including an ultraviolet-producing lamp, a reflector to direct radiation from said lamp toward said feed path, shutter means operable to a closed position to block radiation from reaching said feed path, operating means to open and close said shutter means; said first control means to automatically coordinate operation of said conveyor means and said radiant energy means, whereby an increase in speed of said conveyor means is accompanied by an increase in the number of said sections having their shutter means open.

Claim 3

Apparatus as set forth in claim 1, in which there is a cooling element closely spaced with respect to said feed path and on the side thereof remote from said radiant energy means to shield other elements of said apparatus from having said radiation impinge thereon.

Claim 4

Apparatus as set forth in claim 1, in which the lamp has a charaCteristic in which there is an operating current at which a normal radiation level is present, a radiation extinguishing current below said operating current, and a standby current at which a significantly reduced radiation level is present, said standby current being between said operating and extinguishing currents; another control means to automatically coordinate energization of said lamp and operation of said shutter means, whereby upon closing of said shutter means energization of said lamp is reduced from said operating current to said standby current.

Claim 5

Apparatus as set forth in claim 3, in which there is a cooling element closely spaced with respect to said feed path and on the side thereof remote from said radiant energy means to shield other elements of said apparatus from having said radiation impinge thereon.

Claim 6

Apparatus including curing means for solvent-free coating and printing material, said curing means including radiant energy means, and conveyor means for moving work to which said material is applied along a feed path in front of said radiant energy means, whereby raidation therefrom impinges on said work and cures the material thereon; said radiant energy means comprising a plurality of sections each including a lamp, a reflector to direct radiation from said lamp toward said feed path, shutter means operable to a closed position to block radiation from reaching said feed path, operating means to open and close said shutter means; said first control means to automatically coordinate operation of said conveyor means and said radiant energy means, whereby an increase in speed of said conveyor means is accompanied by an increase in the number of said sections having their shutter means open; and a cooling element closely spaced with respect to said feed path and on the side thereof remote from said radiant energy means to shield other elements of said apparatus from having said radiation impinge thereon, said cooling element comprising a liquid-cooled plate means.

Claim 7

Apparatus including curing means for solvent-free coating and printing material, said curing means including radiant energy means, and conveyor means for moving work to which said material is applied along a feed path in front of said radiant energy means, whereby raidation therefrom impinges on said work and cures the material thereon; said radiant energy means comprising a plurality of sections each including a lamp, a reflector to direct radiation from said lamp toward said feed path, shutter means operable to a closed position to block radiation from reaching said feed path, operating means to open and close said shutter means; said first control means to automatically coordinate operation of said conveyor means and said radiant energy means, whereby an increase in speed of said conveyor means is accompanied by an increase in the number of said sections having their shutter means open; and a cooling element closely spaced with respect to said feed path and on the side thereof remote from said radiant energy means to shield other elements of said apparatus from having said radiation impinge thereon, said cooling element comprising a liquid-cooled plate means.

Claim 8

Apparatus including curing means for solvent-free coating and printing material, said curing means including radiant energy means, and conveyor means for moving work to which said material is applied along a feed path in front of said radiant energy means, whereby radiation therefrom impinges on said work and cures the material thereon; said radiant energy means comprising a plurality of sections each including a lamp, a reflector to direct radiation from said lamp toward said feed path, shutter means operable to a closed position to block radiation from reaching said feed path, operating means to open and close said shutter means; said first control means to automatically coordinate operation of said conveyor means and said radiant energy means, whereby an increase in speed of said conveyor means is accompanied by an increase in the number of said sections having their shutter means open, said reflector being an elongated hood-like member of elliptical cross-section and the shutter means comprising elongated reflecting sections connected to the reflector along opposite edges thereof.

Claim 9

Apparatus including curing means for solvent-free coating and printing material, said curing means including radiant energy means, and conveyor means for moving work to which said material is applied along a feed path in front of said radiant energy means, whereby radiation therefrom impinges on said work and cures the material thereon; said radiant energy means comprising a plurality of sections each including a lamp, a reflector to direct radiation from said lamp toward said feed path, shutter means operable to a closed position to block radiation from reaching said feed path, operating means to open and close said shutter means; said first control means to automatically coordinate operation of said conveyor means and said radiant energy means, whereby an increase in speed of said conveyor means is accompanied by an increase in the number of said sections having their shutter means open, said reflector being an elongated hood-like member of elliptical cross-section and the shutter means comprising elongated reflecting sections connected to the reflector along opposite edges thereof.

Claim 10

Apparatus including curing means for solvent-free coating and printing material, said curing means including radiant energy means, and conveyor means for moving work to which said material is applied along a feed path in front of said radiant energy means, whereby radiation therefrom impinges on said work and cures the material thereon; said radiant energy means comprising a plurality of sections each including an ultraviolet-producing lamp, a reflector to direct radiation from said lamp toward said feed path, shutter means operable to a closed position to block radiation from reaching said feed path, operating means to open and close said shutter means; said first control means to automatically coordinate operation of said conveyor means and said radiant energy means, whereby an increase in speed of said conveyor means is accompanied by an increase in the number of said sections having their shutter meaNs open, said lamp having a characteristic in which there is an operating current at which a normal radiation level is present, a radiation extinguishing current below said operating current, and a standby current at which a significantly reduced radiation level is present, said standby current being between said operating and extinguishing currents; another control means to automatically coordinate energization of said lamp and operation of said shutter means, whereby upon closing of said shutter means energization of said lamp is reduced from said operating current to said standby current.

Claim 11

Apparatus including curing means for solvent-free coating and printing material, said curing means including radiant energy means, and conveyor means for moving work to which said material is applied along a feed path in front of said radiant energy means, whereby radiation therefrom impinges on said work and cures the material thereon; said radiant energy means comprising a plurality of sections each including an ultraviolet-producing lamp, a reflector to direct radiation from said lamp toward said feed path, shutter means operable to a closed position to block radiation from reaching said feed path, operating means to open and close said shutter means; said first control means to automatically coordinate operation of said conveyor means and said radiant energy means, whereby an increase in speed of said conveyor means is accompanied by an increase in the number of said sections having their shutter meaNs open, said lamp having a characteristic in which there is an operating current at which a normal radiation level is present, a radiation extinguishing current below said operating current, and a standby current at which a significantly reduced radiation level is present, said standby current being between said operating and extinguishing currents; another control means to automatically coordinate energization of said lamp and operation of said shutter means, whereby upon closing of said shutter means energization of said lamp is reduced from said operating current to said standby current.

Claim 12

Apparatus including curing means for solvent-free coating and printing material, said curing means including radiant energy means, and conveyor means for moving work to which said material is applied along a feed path in front of said radiant energy means, whereby radiation therefrom impinges on said work and cures the material thereon; said radiant energy means comprising a plurality of sections each including a lamp, a reflector to direct radiation from said lamp toward said feed path, shutter means operable to a closed position to block radiation from reaching said feed path, operating means to open and close said shutter means; said first control means to automatically coordinate operation of said conveyor means and said radiant energy means, whereby an increase in speed of said conveyor means is accompanied by an increase in the number of said sections having their shutter means open, said lamp having a characteristic in which there is an operating current at which a normal radiation level is present, a radiation extinguishing current below said operating current, and a standby current at which a significantly reduced radiation level is present, said standby current being between said operating and extinguishing currents; another control means to automatically coordinate energization of said lamp and operation of said shutter means, whereby upon closing of said shutter means energization of said lamp is reduced from said operating current to said standby current; and a cooling element closely spaced with respect to said feed path and on the side thereof remote from said radiant energy means to shield other elements of said apparatus from having said radiation impinge thereon, said cooling element comprising a liquid-cooled plate means.

Claim 13

Apparatus including curing means for solvent-free coating and printing material, said curing means including radiant energy means, and conveyor means for moving work to which said material is applied along a feed path in front of said radiant energy means, whereby radiation therefrom impinges on said work and cures the material thereon; said radiant energy means comprising a plurality of sections each including a lamp, a reflector to direct radiation from said lamp toward said feed path, shutter means operable to a closed position to block radiation from reaching said feed path, operating means to open and close said shutter means; said first control means to automatically coordinate operation of said conveyor means and said radiant energy means, whereby an increase in speed of said conveyor means is accompanied by an increase in the number of said sections having their shutter means open, said lamp having a characteristic in which there is an operating current at which a normal radiation level is present, a radiation extinguishing current below said operating current, and a standby current at which a significantly reduced radiation level is present, said standby current being between said operating and extinguishing currents; another control means to automatically coordinate energization of said lamp and operation of said shutter means, whereby upon closing of said shutter means energization of said lamp is reduced from said operating current to said standby current; and a cooling element closely spaced with respect to said feed path and on the side thereof remote from said radiant energy means to shield other elements of said apparatus from having said radiation impinge thereon, said cooling element comprising a liquid-cooled plate means.

Claim 14

Apparatus including curing means for solvent-free coating and printing material, said curing means including radiant energy means, and conveyor means for moving work to which said material is applied along a feed path in front of said radiant energy means, whereby radiation therefrom impinges on said work and cures the material thereon; said radiant energy means comprising a plurality of sections each including a lamp, a reflector to direct radiation from said lamp toward said feed path, shutter means operable to a closed position to block radiation from reaching said feed path, operating means to open and close said shutter means; said first control means to automatically coordinate operation of said conveyor means and said radiant energy means, whereby an increase in speed of said conveyor means is accompanied by an increase in the number of said sections having their shutter means open, said lamp having a characteristic in which there is an operating current at which a normal radiation level is present, a radiation extinguishing current below said operating current, and a standby current at which a significantly reduced radiation level is present, said standby current being between said operating and extinguishing currents; another control means to automatically coordinate energization of said lamp and operation of said shutter means, whereby upon closing of said shutter means energization of said lamp is reduced from said operating current to said standby current, wherein said lamp includes an elongated envelope and the reflector is an elongated hood-like member positioned behind the envelope and extending the length thereof.

Claim 15

Apparatus including curing means for solvent-free coating and printing material, said curing means including radiant energy means, and conveyor means for moving work to which said material is applied along a feed path in front of said radiant energy means, whereby radiation therefrom impinges on said work and cures the material thereon; said radiant energy means comprising a plurality of sections each including a lamp, a reflector to direct radiation from said lamp toward said feed path, shutter means operable to a closed position to block radiation from reaching said feed path, operating means to open and close said shutter means; said first control means to automatically coordinate operation of said conveyor means and said radiant energy means, whereby an increase in speed of said conveyor means is accompanied by an increase in the number of said sections having their shutter means open, said lamp having a characteristic in which there is an operating current at which a normal radiation level is present, a radiation extinguishing current below said operating current, and a standby current at which a significantly reduced radiation level is present, said standby current being between said operating and extinguishing currents; another control means to automatically coordinate energization of said lamp and operation of said shutter means, whereby upon closing of said shutter means energization of said lamp is reduced from said operating current to said standby current, wherein said lamp includes an elongated envelope and the reflector is an elongated hood-like member positioned behind the envelope and extending the length thereof.

Claim 16

Apparatus as set forth in claim 9, in which the elongated hood-like member is of generally elliptical cross-section, and the shutter means comprises elongated reflecting sections connected to the reflector along opposite edges thereof.