Inking and doctoring process and arrangement for a pad printing machine

摘要

An ink applying and doctoring part of a pad printing machine for a printing plate disposed within an ink tray, in which the printing plate and a doctor blade are mounted for relative rotational movement to perform doctoring of the plate, either in a stepwise manner each time in the same direction of rotation or in a back-and- forth manner. In the first case, the doctor blade should define a closed area within which the design to be printed may lie, whereas in the second case two doctor blades may be provided either one of which may come into contact with the printing plate dependent upon the sense of rotation during the back-and-forth rotational movement. A cover for the ink tray is provided so as to minimise evaporation of ink components and to prevent contamination of the ink, the cover being closed except for a port through which the printing pad may pass to contact the printing plate. Ink within the tray may cover the printing plate so as to obviate the need for a distinct ink applying step.