FIELD OF THE INVENTION 0001 The present invention is directed relates to an ink application device for a rotary printing press in accordance with the preamble of claim 1. The printing ink and at least a portion of the doctor blade arrangement are heated.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 0002 A rotogravure inking device has become known from EP 655 328 B1. A, whose doctor device is arranged remote from the ink duct and closely in front of the printing zone in order to prevent the premature drying of the solvent-containing printing ink. 0003 DE 93 10 680 U1 describes an arrangement for setting the temperature of printing ink in the inking device of a printing press. No doctor device resting against a roller is provided there. 0004 WO 98/50233 A shows a rotogravure inking device. A, wherein a doctor blade is arranged below a horizontal line extending through the axis of rotation of the forme cylinder. 0005 DE 197 36 339 A1 describes a temperature-adjusting device for a screen roller with a doctor blade. 0006 DE 42 05 713 C2 discloses rotogravure ink, which is used for printing in a warmed state and which dries by cooling.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 0007 The object of the present invention is directed to providing based on creating an ink application device for a forme cylinder used with rotogravure printing. Printing, by means of which printing inks, whose working temperatures lie temperature lies above the ambient, temperature can be used for printing. 0008 In accordance with the present invention, this object is attained by providing printing ink in an ink trough of an ink application device for rotogravure printing on a rotary printing press. The printing ink in the ink trough has a working temperature higher than ambient. At least parts of a doctor blade arrangement in the ink application device are capable of being heated. A contact line of a doctor blade of the doctor blade arrangement is below a horizontal line that extends through the axis of rotation of a forme cylinder in the rotary printing press the characteristics of claim 1. 0009 The advantages which can be obtained by means of the present invention rest, in particular, in that the removal of the printing ink from the roller, or from the forme cylinder, by use means of a doctor blade, takes place in the immediate vicinity of the ink level of the printing ink in the ink trough. This results in a short distance height to fall for the printing ink, removed by means of a doctor blade from the roller to be inked, to fall. In this way, faults because of splashes when the removed ink drops into the ink duct, are held to a minimum. An and an ink foam, which would otherwise be created, is also prevented, so that soiling of the inking device does not occur. 0010 Because of the ability to preset the temperature of the printing ink, it is possible to also use so-called hot-tec printing inks for rotogravure printing. In this context, see DE 42 05 713 C2. These printing inks which are applied without solvents at a temperature of approximately 100 to 110 C. to the material to be printed. 0011 Only a negligible heat loss is noted because of a compact arrangement of the parts of the inking device which come into contact with the hot-tec printing ink.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 0012 A preferred An exemplary embodiment of the present invention is represented in the drawings and will be described in greater detail in what follows. 0013 Shown are in: 0014 FIG. 1, a cross sectional view section through an ink application device in accordance with the present invention in a the position of rest, and in 0015 FIG. 2, a top plan view of from above on the ink application device in accordance with FIG. 1 in a partial representation and without a forme cylinder.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 0016 An ink application device 01 for printing ink 02 of an ink unit of a rotary printing press consists of an ink trough 03 containing printing ink 02, which ink trough 03 is fastened at both ends on end plates 04, 06, which end plates 04, 06 are fixed in place in lateral frames of a rotary printing press, all as seen in FIGS. 1 and 2. The ink trough 03 preferably usefully consists of a double-walled container, i.e. of an inner and outer container 07, 08, between which is defined a hollow space 09 for receiving a heatable warmable fluid, for example warmth-distributing oil, is provided. 0017 The inner container 07 is provided with an ink inlet line 11 and with an ink outlet line 11, 12. The, and the outer container 08 is provided with a warming fluid inlet line 13, as well as a warming fluid outlet line 13, 14. The ink level is maintained constant in the ink trough 03 by means of the placement of the ink outlet line 12 at a defined height. 0018 An ink application device, for example an inking roller 16, is located inside the ink trough 03, and is supported seated at both ends on pivotable inner levers 18. as seen in FIG. 2. In turn, the pivotable inner levers 18 are each fastened, fixed against relative rotation, on a lever shaft 19 which is passed through the end plates 04, 06. Outside of the end plates 04, 06, each lever the shaft 19 is connected, fixed against relative rotation, with a respective outer levers 21, each of which outer levers 21 can be pivoted into a position of rest, as depicted in (FIG. 1 ), or into an operating position, not specifically represented, by utilization means of a work cylinder 22, as shown in both FIGS. 1 and 2. 0019 A doctor blade arrangement, shown generally at 23, is also arranged in the ink trough 03. Doctor blade arrangement 23, consists, for example, of a cylindrical doctor blade support 24, which has a clamping strip 27 extending in the tangential direction in respect to a the surface area 26 of the doctor blade support 24, as well as in an axis-parallel direction. A, in which a doctor blade 28 made, for example, of spring steel, is maintained in the doctor blade support 24 by the clamping strip 27. The clamping strip 27 is fixedly arranged on the doctor blade support 24. 0020 By means of its journals 29 conducted through the end plates 04, 06, the The doctor blade support 24 has journals 29 that extend through the end plates 04, 06. Each such journal 29 is connected outside of the end plates 04, 06, fixed against relative rotation, with a piston rod of a work cylinder 31 by mean of a lever arm 30. When the work cylinder 31 is actuated, the doctor blade support 24 rotates, so that the doctor blade 28 can be placed against a the surface area 32 of a roller to be inked, for example the surface area 32 of a forme cylinder 33 for rotogravure printing, or a screen roller which is provided with surface area depressions. The roller, or the forme cylinder 33 is embodied so it can be warmed, at least on its surface area. 0021 With In respect to the roller, or the forme cylinder 33, the doctor blade arrangement 23 is arranged in such a way that a contact line 46, defined created by a line of contact between a means of the working edge 44 of the doctor blade 28, which is in the working position, and the surface 32 of the roller or cylinder 33 to be inked extends on the surface area 32 26 of the forme cylinder 33 below a horizontal line 48 extending through an the axis of rotation 47 of the forme cylinder 33. Contact line 46 is situated within an angular range of between 40 and 70, preferably in a range of 50 to 60, and in particular at an angle of 55, in respect to the horizontal line 48. 0022 An ink level 34 in the The ink trough 03 is dimensioned in such a way that an ink level 34 is maintained in the ink trough 03 so that in their position of rest, the inking roller 16, as well as the doctor blade arrangement 23, are almost completely covered by printing ink 03. The clamping strip 27 is at least partially bathed in printing ink. 0023 Each of the end plates 04, 06 are interlockingly connected with separate toothed racks 36, 37, as seen in FIG. 1. The toothed racks 36, 37 are displaceably seated in guide elements 38, 39 fixed in place in the lateral frames. Pinion gears are arranged on a driveshaft 41 and are in engagement with the teeth of the toothed racks 36, 37. 0024 The driveshaft 41 is connected via, a coupling 42, with a step motor 43, which is seated, fixed in place, in the lateral frames. A counting device, not specifically represented, is used as the indicator of the actual height setting of the ink trough 03 in relation to the forme cylinder 33. The roller, or the forme cylinder 33 can be exchanged and can thus have diameters of different sizes. 0025 In accordance with a an embodiment variation of the preferred embodiment, it is possible to heat the doctor blade 28 separately. This For example, this can be accomplished, for example, in that the doctor blade holder 27 can be is embodied so that it can be heated, for example electrically heated, near the clamped portion of the doctor blade 28. 0026 For the separate heating of the doctor blade 28, it is also furthermore possible to arrange an induction coil located on the rim of the inner container 07 and extending in an axis-parallel direction. 0027 In the rotogravure printing process, it is possible to arrange a counter-cylinder, which is not specifically represented, and which acts against the forme cylinder 33. The assumed direction of rotation of the forme cylinder 33 is runs counterclockwise, as depicted in FIG. 1. The rotation direction can also be in a clockwise direction. However, for this direction of rotation it would be necessary to exchange the lateral arrangement of the inking roller 16, as well as of the doctor blade arrangement. 0028 The ink application device in accordance with the present invention operates as follows: the ink trough 03 is vertically displaced by actuating means 36 to 39 and 43 in the direction toward the forme cylinder 33 and is matched to the diameter of the latter. This displacement of the ink trough 03 is accomplished by actuation of the step motor 43, the pinion gears and the toothed racks 36 and 37, as discussed above. Preheated printing ink 02, in the approximate temperature range between 60 C. to 180 C., and preferably between 100 C. and 110 C., is filled into the inner container 07 of ink trough 03. The hollow space 09 located between the inner and outer containers 07, 08 is filled with heated warmed warming oil of a similar an analog temperature. 0029 The warming oil can be heated or warmed outside of, as well as inside of the hollow space 09. 0030 The inking roller 16, as well as the doctor blade 28, can now be placed against the surface area 32 of the forme cylinder 33 while in the working position. 0031 Following the termination of the printing process the printing ink 02 remains warmed until the start of the next printing process. 0032 It is, of course, also possible to work with solvent-containing printing ink. 0033 While a preferred embodiment of an inking device in accordance with the present invention has been set forth fully and completely hereinabove, it will be apparent to one of skill in the art that various changes in, for example the drive for the forme cylinder, the source of heat for the ink warming fluid and the like could be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention which is to be limited only by the following claims.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS 0034 01 Ink application device 0035 02 Printing ink 0036 03 Ink trough 0037 04 End plate (01) 0038 050039 06 End plate (01) 0040 07 Container, inner (03) 0041 08 Container, outer (03) 0042 09 Hollow space (07, 08) 0043 100044 11 Ink inlet line 0045 12 Ink outlet line 0046 13 Warming fluid inlet line 0047 14 Warming fluid outlet line 0048 150049 16 Inking roller 0050 17 Journal (16) 0051 18 Lever(16) 0052 19 Shaft (04, 06) 0053 200054 21 Lever (16) 0055 22 Work cylinder (16) 0056 23 Doctor blade arrangement 0057 24 Doctor blade support (23) 0058 250059 26 Surface area (24) 0060 27 Clamping strip (28) 0061 28 Doctor blade (23) 0062 29 Journal (24) 0063 30 Lever arm (29) 0064 31 Work cylinder (23)0065 32 Surface area (33) 0066 33 Forme cylinder, roller 0067 34 Ink level (02) 0068 350069 36 Toothed rack 0070 37 Toothed rack 0071 38 Guide element (36) 0072 39 Guide element (37) 0073 400074 41 Driveshaft 0075 42 Coupling 0076 43 Step motor 0077 44 Working edge (28) 0078 450079 46 Contact line (44, 33) 0080 47 Axis of rotation0081 48 Horizontal line (47) 0082 angle (48, 47) 0083 angle (48, 47)