CA2624789A1 - Method for collating documents and device for carrying out this method - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a collating method, particularly for a continuous production line of mailing covers that makes it possible to simultaneously collate the documents to be folded and their envelope, to simultaneously fold them in order to obtain a mailing cover finished in a single pass. This method is characterized in that, during the collating step, the documents (1) to be enclosed are stacked, these documents (1) are advanced at a predetermined pace (P), the envelope (2) is stacked that at least partially covers the documents (1), and in that, during the carrying away step, the combination formed by the documents (1) and the envelope (2) that are stacked and offset is carried away at the predetermined pace (P) toward a folding area. The invention is for use in production lines for mailing covers or the like.

Description

METHOD FOR ACCUMULATING DOCUMENTS AND DEVICE
IMPLEMENTING THIS METHOD

Technical area :
The present invention relates to a method of accumulating documents comprising at least one step of feeding documents, a step of accumulation of documents by stacking and aligning on at least one of their edges, and a step evacuation of stacked documents, especially for production lines folds couriers from a width of material, such as paper or the like.

The invention also relates to a document accumulation device having at least two superposed, parallel and adjacent conveyors for to define between them a path for said documents between a feed zone and a zone and at least one alignment stop interposed on this path for form an accumulation zone of the documents, this alignment stop being coupled Has means of training.

Prior art:
Document accumulation devices are well known in the field of the stationery, for example in machines used for the manufacture of folds mails.
Known accumulation devices are arranged for stacking documents of substantially identical dimensions, intended to be folded and inserted into a envelope previously manufactured, like the devices described in the publications US
6,796,558 and DE 103,35,418. Other devices are designed to accumulate of the documents of different sizes, such as those described in the publications OF
94.04.431 and US 5,445,368. However, these devices require power WO 2007/048923

2 PCT / FR2006 / 002394 and / or accumulation areas dedicated to each document format, which gives it back complex and expensive mechanism to achieve.

Presentation of the invention The present invention proposes a new process of accumulation of documents responding to a new need as part of a more comprehensive process of manufacturing continuous mail folds, in which the documents to be enclosed and the envelopes intended to contain these documents are manufactured simultaneously to go of the same width of paper in the order of the courier folds to be made, which allows to guarantee the integrity of mail folds and to reduce their overall cost unitary, means of a simple accumulation device, economical and reliable.

For this purpose, the invention relates to a method of the kind indicated in the preamble, characterized in that in the accumulation step at least one stack is stacked first type of document, we advance this first type of documents a step predetermined, stacks at least one second type of document covering the less partially the first type of document, and in that in step evacuation, evacuates the combination formed by the first and second types of document stacked and offset from said predetermined pitch.

In a preferred embodiment, this method comprises a step of folding who follows the evacuation step, in which the combination of documents is folded for roll a fold so that one of the document types is outside the rolled fold and creates an envelope around the other type of document.

The second type of document is for example intended to be outside the fold rolled and preferably constitutes an envelope in the open state. The first type of document is for example intended to be inside the rolled fold and constitutes preferably the WO 2007/04892

3 PCT / FR2006 / 002394 content of the envelope which can be formed of a number n of documents. The second type of document constituting the envelope may be shorter than first type of document.

The predetermined pitch is advantageously parameterizable according to the length of documents to accumulate. It can for example be substantially equal to 1/3 of the length of the first type of document.

In the preferred embodiment, it is detected before the step of accumulation the documents corresponding to the first type and those corresponding the second type and one pilots at least the accumulation step by a unit of command based on the detected information.

This accumulation process is advantageously integrated into a more efficient process.
general courier manufacturing process in a continuous process from a width of blank material or printed to closed mail folds.

For this purpose, the invention also relates to a device for accumulating the kind indicated in the preamble, characterized in that it comprises at least one unit of control for driving at least the drive means of said stop alignment to advance at least one first type of document a not predetermined before stacking at least a second type of document at least partially covering the first type of document, and to evacuate the combination formed by the first and second types of stacked document and offset said predetermined step, this control unit being controlled by means of detection arranged to identify the first and second types of document.
Brief description of the drawings WO 2007/048923

4 PCT / FR2006 / 002394 The present invention and its advantages will become more apparent in the description next of an embodiment given by way of non-limiting example, with reference at drawings annexed, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an accumulation device according to the invention, FIG. 2 is an enlarged detail view, in cross-section of FIG.
device of Figure 1 according to the arrows II-II, FIG. 3 is a schematic view of five steps of the method accumulation device according to the invention, FIGS. 4A-C show schematically the device of FIG. 1 in a first step of operation respectively in side view, top and detail, and FIGS. 5A-C in FIGS. 10A-C are similar to FIGS. 4A-C in FIG.
different stages of operation.

Illustrations of the invention and best way to achieve it:

FIG. 1 illustrates an accumulation device 10 of documents 1, 2 according to the invention followed by a folding device 20, the two devices 10, 20 being worn by the same frame 30 partially shown. This chassis includes, way known and not shown, a structure on feet, keeled and equipped with means of moving parts, of at least one control unit of these training means, etc. Of course, the two accumulation devices 10 and folding 20 can be separated and carried by different frames.

This accumulation device 10 comprises, in known manner, two conveyors 12 superimposed in parallel and in an adjacent manner to define between them path T
of circulation of documents 1, 2, according to arrow F, between a delivery zone and an WO 2007/048923

5 PCT / FR2006 / 002394 evacuation zone through an accumulation zone. This path T is preferably located in a horizontal plane but may as well be in a plan slightly inclined. In the illustrated example, each conveyor 11, 12 is formed of four drive belts 13 distributed at regular intervals on a width covering at least the width of the documents 1, 2. This number of belts 13 is not limiting and may vary according to the width of the documents 1, 2 to accumulate.
These drive belts 13 are guided by drive rollers 14, of preferably grooved, arranged in the intake and discharge areas, and coupled to drive means, not shown, of any type known as example a geared motor with a transmission by gear train, belt notched, chain, etc. The drive belts 13 of the two conveyors 11, 12 are good heard arranged face to face to be able to drive by friction the documents 1, 2 according to the arrow F.

The accumulation device 10 comprises, in known manner, an abutment alignment 15 interposed in the path T of the documents 1, 2 to delimit The area accumulation between the two conveyors 11, 12. In the illustrated example, this stop 15 is formed of two pairs of drive rollers 16 contact on a generator passing through the circulation path T of the documents 1, 2.
two pairs of drive rollers 16 are interposed between the four pairs of belts 13, symmetrically with respect to the median plane of the device 10 to balance the training efforts applied to the Documents 1, 2. They are rotated by drive means, not represented, any known type such as servomotors, which control their shutdown to generate stacked accumulation of documents 1, 2 aligned with their edge in abutment with the drive rollers 16, and their rotation to generate driving the documents 1, 2 stacked towards the evacuation zone. These means are driven to drive the drive rollers 16, when a intermediate accumulation stage, in order to move the documents forward stacked 1 WO 2007/048923

6 PCT / FR2006 / 002394 a predetermined pitch P, parameterizable according to the length of the documents 1 and 2 to accumulate, according to the accumulation process to be described later.

This accumulation device 10 also includes, in a known manner, in her accumulation zone, at least one deflector 17 or booster situated downstream of the alignment stop 15 and arranged to shift upwards or downwards the documents 1, 2 with respect to the path T defined by the conveyors 11, 12 of way to stack documents 1, 2 from below or from above. In the example illustrated, the accumulation device 10 has four deflectors 17 including two integrated in the conveyor 11 located below and two integrated in the conveyor 12 located at-above the path T of the documents 1, 2. Each deflector 17 is formed of four discs 18, arranged opposite the four drive belts 13 corresponding, these discs 18 being carried by an axis 19 mounted in the chassis 30.
This axis 19 can be fixed or free in rotation. It is also adjustable for adjust the height of the disks 18 relative to the path T of the documents 1, 2. The disks have a peripheral groove 18 'deep delimiting two walls lateral used to guide the drive belts 13 in translation.
example, the two lower baffles 17 are slightly raised compared to the path T
documents 1, 2 to lift them and create a stack of documents 1, 2 by the bottom (see Fig. 2). Of course, any other deflector means or booster can such as inclined ramps interposed between belts 13.
The folding device 20 comprises, in known manner, several pairs of cylinder 21-24 parallel drive, combined with at least two folding pockets 25, 26, whose depth is adjustable. These cylinders are rotated by of the drive means, not shown, of any known type suitable for a control according to the length of the documents 1, 2 and the depth of the folds to achieve. The number of fold pockets 25, 26 is variable depending on the number of folds to be made, as well as the number of pairs of cylinders.

WO 2007/048923

7 PCT / FR2006 / 002394 The documents 1, 2 to be accumulated are, in the example illustrated in FIG.
first type 1 of documents, for example sheets in A4 format, intended to be inserted in an envelope and a second type 2 of documents intended to form the envelope, by example in the format 110x220 mm. Of course, these examples are not limiting any other format of documents 1 and envelope 2 may be suitable. According to new process for the continuous manufacture of mail folds briefly described in the introduction, these documents 1, 2 are printed one after the other in order their enveloping in the same width of material, for example paper.
They are then cut off, separated by a predetermined interval and then routed in the 10 and folding devices 20. Next, the flaps of envelope 2 are glued and folded to close mail fold, ready to be mailed.

This FIG. 3 illustrates the accumulation process, in five steps, of the documents 1, represented by a frame of light gray, and envelopes 2, represented by a darker gray grid, the right end representative, in outline strong, the alignment stop 15 of the accumulation device 10 and the arrow F
representing the direction of continuous circulation of documents 1, 2 in this device:
Step 1: the alignment stop 15 is stopped and retains a first document Step 2: the alignment stop 15 stops and retains a second document 1 who is stacked on or under the first document 1, Step 3 the alignment stop 15 is animated and carries with it the two Documents 1 stacked with a predetermined pitch P, for example about 1/3 of the length of the documents, approximately 95 mm for A4 documents, Step 4 the alignment stop 15 is stopped and holds the envelope 2, and Step 5 the alignment stop 15 is animated and evacuates the stack formed by the two documents 1 and the envelope 2 towards the folding device 20.

Possibilities of industrial application:

WO 2007/048923

8 PCT / FR2006 / 002394 The different stages of this accumulation process are detailed in the figures 4 10, illustrating the accumulation and folding devices 20.

FIGS. 4A-C correspond to step 1 of FIG.
alignment 15 is stopped, a first document 1 driven by the conveyors 11, 12 is quit against her in the accumulation zone and a second document 1 arrives in the accumulation device 10. FIG. 4C shows detail A of FIG. 4A
closeup to view the slightly raised position of the lower baffle 17 left and its effect on the first document 1 which is slightly raised in relation to the lower conveyor 11 to receive from below the second document 1 which follows driven by the conveyors 11, 12.

FIGS. 5A-C correspond to step 3 of FIG. 3: the stop alignment 15 is animated to move the first and second documents 1 a step predetermined P in the direction of the folding device 20. FIG. 5C shows the detail B of FIG.
the figure 5A enlarged to view the slightly raised position of the deflector lower 17 right and its effect on the stack formed by the first and second documents 1 which are slightly raised relative to the inferior conveyor 11 to receive by the below the casing 2 which follows driven by the conveyors 11, 12.

FIGS. 6A-C correspond to step 4 of FIG. 3: the stop alignment 15 is stopped and the envelope 2 driven by the conveyors 11, 12 is stacked under the documents 1 stopped and offset from said predetermined pitch P, as illustrated by the figure 6C showing detail B of Figure 6A.

FIGS. 7A-B correspond to step 5 of FIG. 3: the stop alignment 15 is animated to evacuate the stack formed by the documents 1 and the envelope 2 in direction of the folding device 20.

WO 2007/048923

9 PCT / FR2006 / 002394 In FIGS. 8A-C, the stack obtained by documents 1 and envelope 2 is directed to the first pocket 25 of the folding device 20 by a first pair of driving cylinders 21, to form a first fold during which the part 1 of the documents, about one-third of their length, is folded on the second third, between the driving rollers 21, 22, as illustrated by the Figure 8C showing detail C of Figure 8A.

Figures 9A-C illustrate the formation of the second fold in which the first fold, previously directed to the second pocket 26 of the folding device 20 by one second pair of driving cylinders 22, is directed between the cylinders 22 and 23 folding the second third of the documents 1 on the third third, by simultaneously folding the first half of the envelope 2, as illustrated 9C showing the detail D of FIG. 9A.

FIGS. 10A-C illustrate the rolled fold obtained, in which the documents 1 folded two times lie inside the envelope 2 folded once, the side flaps and the closing flap of the envelope 2 remaining open. This rolled fold is evacuated by fourth pair of drive rollers 24, as shown in FIG.

showing the detail E of Figure 10A, to a finishing area of the fold mail (no shown) in which the side flaps are glued and folded on the back of the envelope 2 and the closure flap is glued and folded also on the rear envelope 2 closing the fold mail.

The accumulation and folding devices 20 are slaved by a unit of command (not shown) driven by detectors (not shown) which identify the type of documents 1, 2 brought into the device 10, that is the documents 1 forming the contents of the envelope, is the envelope 2 itself, to control the drive rollers 16 of the stop alignment accordingly and in accordance with the process cycle of accumulation described above. These detectors can be constituted by Every type known sensors: probes, optical, ultrasonic, wave infrared, by camera, etc. and are able to visualize the beginning and the end of each type of 5 documents 1, 2, to read bar codes, or the like.

It is clear from this description that the invention makes it possible to achieve the goals fixed, namely that it allows, by a particular control of the stop alignment 15, accumulation of documents 1, 2 of different types, in particular lengths

10 to make a mail fold in a single operation.
guaranteeing the integrity of the content with its envelope, the different types of documents 1, 2 following a single path T thus avoiding any risk of error.

The present invention is not limited to the embodiment described but extends to any obvious modification and variant for a person skilled in the art while remaining within the scope of protection defined in the appended claims.

Claims (14)

Claims 1. Method for accumulating documents (1, 2) comprising at least one step for feeding the documents, a step for accumulating the documents by stacking and alignment on at least one of their edges, and a step for evacuating the documents stacked, characterized in that, in the accumulation step, one stacks at the minus one first type of document (1), this first type of document (1) is advanced of one not predetermined (P), at least one second type of document (2) is stacked covering at least partially the first type of document (1), and in that, in step evacuation, the combination formed by the first and second types is evacuated of document (1, 2) stacked and offset by said predetermined pitch (P). 2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a stage of folding which follows the evacuation step, in which said combination is folded of documents (1, 2) to form a rolled fold so that one of the types of document (2) be exterior to said roll pleat and create an envelope around the other type of document (1). 3. Method according to claim 2, characterized in that the second type of document is intended to be outside said roll fold and constitutes an envelope (2) in the state opened and in that the first type of document is intended to be inside said rolled fold and constitutes the documents (1) contained in said envelope (2). 4. Method according to one of claims 2 or 3, characterized in that the second kind document (2) has a length less than the first type of document (1). 5. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that said step predetermined (P) can be configured according to the length of the documents (1, 2) to be accumulated. 6. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that said step predetermined (P) is substantially equal to 1/3 of the length of the first type of document (1). 7. Method according to claim 3, characterized in that, in step of supply, the documents and envelopes are brought one after the other according to a process continuous in which each envelope follows the document which corresponds to it, their combination being intended to form a rolled pleat. 8. Method according to claim 7, characterized in that each envelope (2) follows a number n of documents (1) intended to be contained in the same envelope (2). 9. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that one detects, prior to the accumulation step, the documents (1) corresponding to the first type and the documents (2) corresponding to the second type and in that at least step of accumulation by a control unit according to the information detected. 10. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that it is integrated into a more general method of manufacturing mail items according to a process continues to from a width of blank or printed material to mail folds closed. 11. Accumulation device (10) for documents (1, 2) comprising at least of them conveyors (11, 12) superimposed, parallel and adjacent to define between them a trip (T) circulation of documents (1, 2) between a feed zone and a zone evacuation and at least one alignment stop (15) interposed on this path (T) to form a document accumulation zone (1, 2), this abutment alignment (15) being coupled to drive means, characterized in that it includes at at least one control unit for controlling at least the drive means of said alignment stop (15) so as to advance at least a first type of document (1) by a predetermined pitch (P) before the stacking of at least a second type of document (2) covering at least partially the first type of document (1), and to evacuate the combination formed by the first and second types of document (1, 2) stacked and shifted by said predetermined pitch (P), this control unit being controlled by detection means arranged to identify the first and second document types (1, 2). 12. Device according to claim 11, characterized in that said abutment alignment roller (15) includes at least one pair of drive rollers (16) contact on a generator arranged in the path (T) of said documents (1, 2). 13. Device according to claim 11, characterized in that it comprises, in his area accumulation, at least one deflector (17) arranged to shift upwards or towards down said documents (1, 2) relative to the path (T) defined by the conveyors (11, 12) so as to stack said documents (1, 2) accumulated from below or speak above. 14. Device according to claim 11, characterized in that it is intended to be integrated into a production line for mail items according to a process continues to from a width of blank or printed material to mail folds closed.