EP1661833A1 - Method and device for treating printed products - Google Patents

Abstract

The handling process involves taking the printed products (18) by means of a conveyor (10) to the processing device (32). The transporting clamps (14) serve as a measurers for a measuring device (22), measuring the thickness of the printed products and sending and a corresponding measurement signal (28) to the control device (30) of the processing device.

Description

The present invention relates to a method and a device for processing printed products according to the preamble of patent claim 1 or 6.

Methods and apparatus of this kind are known from EP-A-0 897 887 and EP-A-0 479 717. By means of a thickness measuring device, the thickness of each printed by a conveyor to her transported printed products. A measuring signal generated thereby is fed to a control device which compares the measuring signal with a desired range for checking the thickness of the printed products. If the measured thickness of a printed product is outside the tolerance range, this is assessed as incomplete or as defective and eliminated.

It is an object of the present invention to further develop the known method and apparatus for extended use.

This object is achieved by a method according to claim 1 and a device according to claim 6.

According to the invention, a thickness measurement of printed products is not used, as in the prior art for controlling the printed products defined by EP-A-0 897 887 and EP-A-0 479 717, to control a processing device downstream of the conveyor transporting the printed products , This will be manual intervention, such as adjustments and adjustments, avoided at the processing device, for example, in the conversion of the processing of printed matter of certain thickness on printed matter of different thickness or in the processing of printed matter of different thickness.

Preferred embodiments of the inventive method and the inventive device are specified in the dependent claims.

The present invention will be explained in more detail with reference to an embodiment shown in the drawing.

Fig. 1

in Ansicht eine Fördereinrichtung und eine von dieser mit Druckereierzeugnissen beschickte Paketiermaschine, an welcher automatisch Einstellungen in Abhängigkeit von einer Dickenmessung der Druckereierzeugnisse vorgenommen werden;

Fig. 2

gegenüber Fig. 1 vergrössert eine ein Druckereierzeugnis haltende Transportklammer der Fördereinrichtung beim Passieren zweier Lichtschranken einer Dickenmesseinrichtung;

Fig. 3

in gleicher Darstellung wie Fig. 2 einen Teil einer Transportklammer, wobei mit ausgezogenen Linien der Lage der Klammerzungen ohne Druckereierzeugnis und mit strichpunktierten Linien die Lage beim Festhalten eines Druckereierzeugnisses angedeutet ist;

Fig. 4

ein Druckereierzeugnis, das aus einem einzigen Druckereiprodukt besteht;

Fig. 5

ein Druckereierzeugnis, das aus zwei deckungsgleich übereinander angeordneten Druckereiprodukten besteht;

Fig. 6

ein Druckereierzeugnis, das aus zwei schuppenartig angeordneten Druckereiprodukten besteht;

Fig. 7

ein Druckereierzeugnis, das aus einem gefalteten Druckereiprodukt und zwei in dieses eingesteckten weiteren Druckereiprodukten besteht;

Fig. 8

eine Anzahl in einer Schuppenformation angeordnete Druckereierzeugnisse, wie sie der Verarbeitungseinrichtung zugeführt werden können; und

Fig. 9

eine Anzahl von im Vergleich zur Fig. 8 dünneren Druckereierzeugnissen in einer Schuppenformation, wie sie der Verarbeitungseinrichtung zugeführt werden können.

It is purely schematic

Fig. 1

in view of a conveyor and fed by this with printed products Paketiermaschine at which automatically settings are made in response to a thickness measurement of the printed products;

Fig. 2

1 increases a holding a printed product holding transport clamp the conveyor when passing two photocells of a thickness measuring device;

Fig. 3

in the same representation as Fig. 2 shows a part of a transport clamp, with solid lines the position of the staple tongues without Printed product and indicated by dash-dotted lines the situation when holding a printed matter;

Fig. 4

a printed product consisting of a single printed product;

Fig. 5

a printed product consisting of two congruently stacked printed products;

Fig. 6

a printed product consisting of two imbricated printed products;

Fig. 7

a printed product consisting of a folded printed product and two other printed products inserted therein;

Fig. 8

a number of printed products arranged in a scale formation, as may be supplied to the processing means; and

Fig. 9

a number of compared to Fig. 8 thinner printed matter in a scaly formation, as they can be supplied to the processing device.

The apparatus shown in FIG. 1 has a conveying device 10 designed as a staple conveyor. Such staple transporters are well known. They have a arranged in a guide channel conveying member 12 which is driven in the conveying direction F at a conveying speed v1 circumferentially, and on which at regular intervals one behind the other transport clamps 14 are arranged. In the portion of the conveyor 10 shown in Figure 1, which is rectilinear and horizontal, the transport clamps 14 are below the conveyor member 12. The transport brackets 14 are intended to hold with their two-staple mouth forming two staple tongues 16 a printed product 18 and to transport ,

Denoted at 20 is a trigger device associated with the delivery device 10, which is intended to open the clamp mouth of the transport clamps 14 moved past it in the activated state, so that the relevant printed products 18 are transported suspended at the trigger device 20. In the non-activated state, the triggering device 20 does not act on the transport clamps 14 moved past it, so that then at the triggering device 20 no printed products 18 are released and these are conveyed further by means of the conveying device 10.

Further, the conveyor 10 is associated with a measuring device 22 for measuring the thickness D of the printed products 18. This has, upstream of the triggering device 20, a thickness measuring arrangement 24, which will be described in more detail below in connection with FIGS. 2 and 3, and to a signal conditioning unit 26, in the passage of each transporting clamp 14, Emits sensor signals. The sensor signals generated as a function of the thickness of the printed products 18 guided past the thickness measuring arrangement 24 are processed in the signal conditioning unit 26 to form a measuring signal 28 which, as indicated by the dot-dash line, is fed to a control device 30.

The control device 30 controls a packaging machine 34 which serves as a processing device 32. It has an infeed belt conveyor 36, which is driven in the same conveying direction F as the conveying device 10 and at a speed v2. An upstream end portion 38 of the infeed conveyor 36 is below the conveyor 10 at the trigger 20 and is parallel to the conveyor 10 as shown.

Following the end section 38 serving as the transfer section in the conveying direction F, the infeed conveyor 36 has a feed section 38 'with a gradient. The end section 38 and the feed section 38 'are driven by means of a drive motor 40, which is controlled by the control device 30, as indicated by the dotted line 42. In the exemplary embodiment shown, the speed v2 of the intake belt conveyor 36 corresponds approximately to the conveying speed v1 of the conveyor 10.

An imbricated formation S, which is formed by the printed products 18 transferred to the infeed belt conveyor 36 at the triggering belt conveyor 36, is shown on the infeed belt conveyor 36. In this shed formation S, the printed products 18 are on the respectively preceding printed product.

In the region of the Zuführabschnittes 38 'is a press nip 44 of the thickness P defining pressure roller pair 46 of a pressing member 48. The distance of the pair of printing rollers 46 and thus the thickness P of the press nip 44 is adjustable by means of a servomotor 50, which, as with the dotted line 42nd 'indicated, is driven by the controller 30 ago. Of course, the pressure roller pair 46 may also be rotationally driven at the circumferential speed v2, such that the press nip 44 also forms a conveying gap.

The downstream end of the infeed belt conveyor 36 is located inside a machine housing 52. The this-sided end portion of the infeed belt conveyor 36 forms a stabilizing nip 56 together with a pressure belt which acts as the stabilizing member 54 above it. The stabilizing nip 56 conveys the infeed belt conveyor 36 at the downstream end Stability, so that they leave the stabilizing gap 56 at high speed v2 and quasi "flying" a stack forming device 58 of the packaging machine 34 can be supplied.

Perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the infeed conveyor 36, this and the stabilizing member 54 in the region of the stabilizing gap 56 have a gable-like or V-shaped form which stiffens the printed products 18 so that their outside the stabilizing gap 56 range neither against up nor against downward bending can. To the conveyor belt or the conveyor belt of the intake belt conveyor 36 in this side end region of the corresponding shape can convey, a support plate 60 may be provided, over which the conveyor belt, or the conveyor belt run away and are supported by this.

As indicated by the double arrow A and the dotted line 42 '', the distance between the infeed belt conveyor 36 and the stabilizing member 54, and thus the thickness of the stabilizing gap 56 from the control device 30 ago automatically adjustable. For this purpose, a, for the sake of clarity not shown, further servomotor used.

The stack forming device 58, which is arranged following the end of the infeed belt conveyor 36, has two horizontally spaced-apart endless members 62, for example belts or chains, which are guided around deflecting wheels 64 mounted horizontally above one another in the vertical direction. The endless members 62 are driven by means of a further drive motor 66, which, as indicated by the dotted line 42 "', is also driven by the control device 30 ago.

At the same time, for example, three stacking tables 68, which may be formed by fork-like profiles, are attached to the two endless members 62 in such a way that they project obliquely upward from the endless members 62 in the region of a vertically extending run-up belt conveyor 36. In a shown in the figure 1 position of the stacking tables 68 - for clarity, only two are shown - is an upper stacking table 68 at the upper end of said strand, wherein the free end of the stacking table 68 is near the end of the stabilizing gap 52 and thus the end of the infeed conveyor 36. A lower stacking table 68 is located at the lower end of said run, and dashed lines indicate a stack 70 of height H formed thereon from previously supplied printed products 18.

The stack 70 is taken on a driving of the endless members 62 in a clockwise direction of a, for example, designed as a belt conveyor Wegförderer and fed to a further processing. A fork-like design of the stacking tables 18 and belt conveyor-like design of the removal conveyor are particularly suitable because the tines of the stacking tables 68 can move through between the spaced-apart ribbon.

The pressing member 48, the stabilizing member 54 together with the inlet belt conveyor 36 and the stack forming device 58 form, controlled by the control device 30 in response to the measuring signal 28, acting on the printed products 18 processing members 71 of the processing device 32nd

For example, the thickness gauge 22 may be formed as disclosed in EP-A-0 897 887. For the present purpose of controlling a processing device 32, however, a simpler embodiment of the thickness measuring device 22 may also be suitable, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3.

All transport clamps 14 of the conveyor 10 are identical and designed, for example, as disclosed in EP-A-0 600 183. With explicit reference to This document will be explained in the following the structure and operation of the transport brackets 14 only summarily.

The circulating in the conveying direction F at the speed v1 driven, for example, designed as a chain conveyor member 12 is guided in a cross-sectionally C-shaped channel 72. From the conveyor member 12 is, at a given distance, for each transport bracket 14 from a carrier 74 from which passes through the gap of the channel 72 and to which a base body 76 of the transport bracket 14 is attached. On the base body 76, the two clamp tongues 16 are rotatably mounted about an axis 78 running at right angles to the conveying direction F. In the closed position of the transport clamp 14, the two clamp tongues 16 are spring-loaded in the direction towards each other to biased. Relieving the spring preload is prevented by a cooperating with a clamping lever 80 latch lever 82. To open the transport clamp 14, the release device 20 (FIG. 1) acts on the latch lever 82 and rotates it clockwise.

The staple tongue 16 leading in the conveying direction F is designated 16 ', the trailing staple tongue 16 ".A control roller 84 is freely rotatably mounted on an axle fastened to the leading staple tongue 16', which in the region of the thickness gauge 22 is in a channel As a result, the rotational position of the leading clamp tongue 16 is fixedly determined, extending obliquely backwards in the direction towards the bottom and in the conveying direction F. This position is illustrated by the dotted line 88 in FIG.

If there is no printed product 18 in the clamp mouth formed by the clamp tongues 16, the ends of the clamp tongues 16 rest against one another. The corresponding rest position of the trailing staple tongue 16 "is indicated by solid lines in FIG. 3 and is illustrated by the dot-dashed bearing line 90. However, if a printed product 18, as shown in FIG. 2, is in the mouth of the transporting staple 14, the trailing staple tongue 16" 3 indicates a rotational position indicated by dash-dotted lines and illustrated by the bearing line 90 'If a printed product 18 of great thickness is held by the transport clamp 14, the trailing clamp tongue 16 "assumes, for example, a position corresponding to the bearing line 90" and an angle α between this bearing line 90 "and the bearing line 90 is indicated.

The thickness measuring arrangement 24 has a stationary first light barrier 92, which emits a signal to the signal conditioning unit 26 whenever it is interrupted by the carrier 74 or by the base body 76 of a transporting clamp 14. The thickness measuring arrangement 24 has a second light barrier 94, which is fixedly arranged in the movement area of the trailing clamp tongue 16 ".This second light barrier 94 sends a signal to the signal conditioning unit 26 when it is interrupted by the trailing clamp tongue 16".

Seen in the conveying direction F, the first light barrier 92 and the second light barrier 94 are advantageously positioned in such a way that they are simultaneously interrupted by the base body 76 or support 94 or by the trailing clamp tongue 16, in the case of FIG Transport clip 14 no printed matter 18 is held and thus the two clamp tongues 16 'and 16''according to the bearing line 90 in Figure 3 abut each other. In this case, as indicated by points T1, T2 and T3 in FIG. 3, the second light barrier 94 emits a sensor signal which is delayed relative to the first light barrier 92 as a function of the thickness of the printed product 18 to the signal conditioning unit 26. With such an arrangement of the light barriers 92, 94 can be ensured in a simple manner that the interruption of the second light barrier 94 by the leading clamp tongue 16 'does not lead to an error, because the sensor signal of the second light barrier 94 must in any case occur simultaneously or later than the sensor signal of the first light barrier 92 in the signal conditioning unit 26.

On the basis of the sensor signals of the first light barrier 92, the signal processing unit 26 determines the conveyor speed v1 from the time delay of the sensor signal of the second light barrier 94 (corresponding to the double arrow D ') relative to that of the first light barrier 92 the thickness D of the respective printed product 18. Here, the transport brackets 14 themselves serve, optionally together with the carriers 74, as measuring aids. A measuring signal corresponding to this thickness and a further measuring signal corresponding to the conveying speed v1 are fed to the control device 30, as indicated by the line 28.

The printed products 18 are held individually by a respective transport clamp 14. With reference to the figures 4 FIG. 7 explains what is meant by a printed product 18 in the present case.

FIG. 4 schematically shows a printed product 18 consisting of a single printed product 96. This is in the present case a folded printed product 96, of one or more sheets.

However, as shown in Fig. 5, a printed matter 18 may consist of two printed products 96 as shown in Fig. 4, these two printed products 96 being congruently abutted against each other; they may be the same or different printed products 96.

It is also possible for a printed product 18 - as shown in FIG. 6 - to be formed by two printed products 96, which rest against one another like scales.

FIG. 7 shows a possible compilation of a printed product 96 which, if it is held alone by a transport clamp 94, forms a printed product 18. The printed product 96 according to FIG. 7 consists of a folded outer part 98 and two inner parts which are inserted therein and are arranged side by side, the inner part 100 likewise being folded and the inner part 100 'being unfolded. The outer part 98 and inner part 100 may be, for example, parts of a newspaper and the inner part 100 'to a supplement, such as a card or the like.

Depending on the structure of the printed product 18, this may have a different thickness D.

FIG. 8 shows a part of the imbricated formation S, as it is formed on the infeed conveyor 36 by printed products 18 fed by means of the conveyor 10. The printed matter 18 of the thickness D are arranged at a mutual distance, as indicated by the double arrow S '.

FIG. 9 likewise shows a part of an imbricated formation S, but now the printed products 18 have a smaller thickness D compared to FIG. However, since in comparison with the formation of a scale formation according to FIG. 8, the conveying speed v2 is selected to be smaller in relation to the conveying speed v1, the mutual distance S "of the printed products 18 is smaller in comparison to the scale formation according to FIG By selecting the distance S ', S "of the printed products 18 in the imbricated formation S - by corresponding driving of the drive motor 40 - thus also the thickness of the imbricated formation S can be adjusted. Since the measured thickness D of the printed products 18 together with the distance S ', S "and the length of the printed matter 18 determine the thickness of the scale formation S corresponding to which the Druckrollenanpressorgan 48 and the stabilizer 54 are set, and the infeed conveyor 36 forms a processing member 71st ,

The device shown in the drawing operates as follows. The transport brackets 14 of the conveyor 10 are each equipped with a printed product 18. The printed products 18 are moved past the thickness measuring arrangement 24 by means of the conveyor 10. Due to the sensor signals of Thickness measuring arrangement 24 determines the signal conditioning unit 26, the measurement signal 28, which corresponds to the thickness of each of the printed products 18 and the control device 30 is supplied. From this measurement signal, the control device 30 also determines the conveying speed v1 of the conveyor device 10. With knowledge of the mutual distance of the transporting clamps 14, the control device 30 can thus also determine the number of printed products 18 produced per unit time.

The control device 30, depending on the measurement signal 28 and the data determined therefrom, predefines the conveying speed v 2 for the intake belt conveyor 36 and controls the drive motor 40 accordingly.

The triggering device 20 opens that number of transport clamps 14 moved past it, such as printed matter 16 to be stacked on a stack 70. As a result of the coordination of the conveying speeds v1 and v2, when the printed products 18 are delivered to the triggering device 20 on the infeed conveyor belt 36, the imbricated formation S is formed, in which each printed product 18 rests on the preceding printed product with the desired spacing S ', S ".

The control device 30 further determines from the measurement signal 28 the necessary width of the press nip P and controls the servomotor 50 accordingly. In the same way, the control device 30 determines the distance A between the infeed conveyor 36 and the stabilizer 54.

Furthermore, the control device determines the speed with which the corresponding stacking table 68 is to be lowered on the basis of the measurement signal 28 and controls the further drive motor 66 accordingly. The beginning of lowering of the relevant stacking table 68 from the waiting position indicated in FIG. 1 by the upper stacking table 68 can be effected, for example, by providing a sensor, for example a light barrier, in the area of the infeed conveyor 36 or at its downstream end of the first printed product 18 of the imbricated formation S to the controller 30 emits a signal. However, it is also possible for the control device 30 to determine on the basis of the measurement signal 28 when the respectively first printed product 18 of an imbricated formation S is fed to the stacking table 68 and thus has to begin lowering the relevant stacking table 68.

When a complete stack 70 is formed, the respective stacking table 68 is lowered further until the next stacking table 68 is in the waiting position. The packaging machine 34 is now ready to take over a further number of supplied printed products 18 and to form a stack 70 therefrom.

The thickness measuring device 22 is designed for a high measuring speed of, for example, 80000 measurements per hour. In order to process without interruption, the corresponding number of resulting printed products, in the present case stack and package to be able to, two or more Paketier machines 34 are arranged one behind the other, which are fed by means of the conveyor 10 alternately with printed products 18.

As an embodiment of a processing device 32, a packaging machine 34 has been set forth. However, it is also possible that the device according to the invention, instead of a packaging machine, has a different processing device 32, from which processing elements can be adjusted or driven depending on the thickness of the printed products 18 to be processed. By way of example, mention may be made of a device for pruning printed products, as disclosed in EP-A-602 594.

The device according to the invention and the method according to the invention permit, on the one hand, automatic readjustment of the processing device 32 during operation, and, on the other hand, automatic adjustment of the processing device 32 when changing the processing of one type of printed matter 18 to another type of printed matter.

Preferably, the thickness of each printed product 18 to be processed by the processor 32 is measured. However, it is also possible to make the thickness measurement only when starting the processing of a certain type of printed products 18 and to control the processing device 32 accordingly. In this case, it is also conceivable to measure the thickness from time to time on some printed products 18 and to readjust the processing device 32 accordingly.

The length of the printed products 18 and scale distances S ', S "can also be entered as fixed parameters to the control device 30. It is also conceivable only a single processing member 71 of the processing device 32 to drive dependent on thickness.

Claims (9)

Method for processing printed products, in which the printed products (18) are conveyed by clamps (16) of identically formed transport clamps (14) of a conveyor (10) and during this transport by means of a measuring device (22) and measuring aids the thickness (D ) of printed products (18) is measured, and by the measuring device (22) generates a measured from the measured thickness (D) measuring signal (28) and a control device (30) is fed, characterized in that the transport brackets (14) itself as Measuring aids are used, the printed products (18) - downstream of the measuring device (22) - from the conveyor (10) to a processing device (32) are discharged, the printed products (18) in the processing means (32) by means of processing elements (71) is acted and the control device (30) of at least one of the processing members (71) as a function of from the measuring signal (28). A method according to claim 1, characterized in that the respective processing member (71) in dependence on the measuring signal (28) is adjusted. A method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the thickness (D) of each printed product (18) is measured and the Measuring signal (28) is continuously supplied to the control device (30), and the control device (30) continuously nachsteuert or re-adjusted the bereffende processing member (71) in response to the measurement signal (28). Method according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that by means of the measuring device (22) of the time difference between the passages of a reference part (76) of the transport clamp (14) or a fixedly connected part (74) and those of the clamp tongues (16 ". ), which assumes a different position as a function of the thickness (D) of the printed product (18), is detected at a barrier arrangement (24), preferably a light barrier arrangement. Apparatus for processing printed products, comprising a conveyor (10) for transporting the printed products (18), a measuring device (22) and measuring aids for measuring the thickness (D) of printed products (18) conveyed past the latter by the conveyor (10), and a control device (30) to which a measuring signal (28) generated by the measuring device (22) in dependence on the measured thickness (D) is fed, characterized in that the transport clamps (14) themselves serve as measuring aids, downstream of the measuring device (22 ) a processing device (32) is arranged, to which the conveying device (10) emits the printed products (18) to be processed, the processing device (32) to the Printed products (18) acting processing elements (71), and the control device (32) in response to the measuring signal (28) at least one of the processing elements (71) controls. Apparatus according to claim 5, characterized in that the processing device (32) with the respective processing member (71) connected drive element (40,50,66), and the control device (32) controls the drive element (40,50,66). Apparatus according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that the conveyor (10) has a plurality of identically formed transport clamps (14) each with two clamp tongues (16) for individually holding and transporting the printed products (18), and the measuring device (22) a Barrier arrangement (24), preferably a light barrier arrangement, for determining the time difference between the passages of a reference part (76) of the transport clamp (14) or a part (74) fixedly connected thereto and that of the clamp tongues (16 ") which depend on the thickness ( D) of the printed product (18) occupies a different position, on the barrier arrangement (24), preferably a light barrier arrangement to determine past. Device according to one of claims 5 to 7, characterized in that the processing device (32) has a packaging machine (34) with - as processing members (71) - an intake belt conveyor (36), a pressure roller pressing member (48), a cooperating with the intake belt conveyor (36) stabilizing member (54) and a lowerable stack support (68), and the control device (30), in dependence on the measuring signal (28), the distance of pressure rollers (46) of the pressure roller pressing member (48), the distance between the inlet belt conveyor (36) and the stabilizing member (54) and the lowering of the stack support (68) controls or adjusted. Apparatus according to claim 8, characterized in that the control device (30) controls the drive (40) of the intake belt conveyor (36).

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