DE102009053442B4 - Stacking device for stacking documents - Google Patents

Abstract

Stacking device for stacking unfolded documents; full:
- A removal container for receiving a document stack of a plurality of stacked in a stacking direction unfolded documents;
- A depositing device for taking over an unfolded document to be stacked in the removal container, wherein the depositing device comprises at least two spaced-apart support elements, each having one or more support areas for supporting the unfolded document;
An operating unit for operating the supporting elements of the depositing device in order to move the unfolded document bearing support areas first in the stacking direction of the document stack and finally obliquely or perpendicular to the stacking direction out of the removal container for depositing the unfolded unfolded document on the document stack, so that the to be stacked unfolded document is placed on the document stack.

Description

Technical area

The invention generally relates to labeling machines for labeling documents, in particular of opened booklet-like documents such. B. security documents, passport documents, passports and the like. More particularly, the present invention relates to lettering machines in which tickets are printed from a plurality of booklet-like documents and provided as a stack of documents by means of a stacker in a picking area for later removal.

State of the art

Inscription machines for labeling individual booklet-type documents are known from the prior art. For example, the document shows WO 2008/064867 A1 a device in which an open-booklet-type document is placed in a drawer. Then the drawer with the inserted document is moved into a labeling area to describe the booklet-like document. To remove the document, the drawer is moved back again, so that the document described can be removed.

However, such a labeling machine is not suitable for labeling of hefty documents in larger numbers, since each document to be printed must be inserted separately and manually in the drawer.

Therefore, labeling machines are generally known, which can be equipped with a lot of several documents to be printed in order to label them one after the other with correspondingly personalized information. The booklet-like documents are automatically removed one after the other from a document container and guided to a labeling station in which they are labeled, for. B. printed, stamped or the like. After labeling, the documents are stacked in a removal box from which the lot of printed documents can later be removed. Usually, the documents are transported by means of a conveyor to the labeling station. After the labeling station, the documents can be transported to various other stations, such as a laminating station, a check station for checking security features, and the like, until the printed document is finally placed in the bin for removal.

The removal container generally has a substantially cylindrical shaft with an internal cross section, the shape and size of which is substantially matched to the shape and size of unfolded, leaflet documents to be stacked therein so that the documents are stacked as flush as possible (ie, rectified) can be. In general, in this type of a withdrawal container, the labeled booklet-type documents are inserted from above into the removal container, so that they come to lie stacked on one another. However, it may happen that due to a slight tilting of the booklet-like document at the upper end of the removal container this tilted when bringing into the removal container and twisted and does not properly on the bottom of the removal container or on the top document located therein comes to rest and so disturbs the stacking arrangement for subsequent documents.

Furthermore, it may happen that individual pages fold up while falling into the removal container and thus the printed document with one or more folded pages can come to lie on the document stack in the removal container. Subsequent documents, which are brought into the removal container, then come to lie on the folded-up side and there is a risk that this will be kinked or otherwise damaged. If such an error occurs when stacking the documents, a manual intervention in the labeling machine may be necessary, whereby the production process must be interrupted in order to eliminate the error.

In addition, it may happen when stacking the open labeled documents in the removal container that bend due to the residual stress of an open document, the two unfolded cover wings to each other. As a result, a further document located thereon can not rest completely, resulting in a height of the document stack which is higher than intended, so that under certain circumstances the topmost document of the document stack protrudes beyond the upper edge of the removal container. In particular, the removal container laterally supplied documents that are to be stored in the removal container, then could collide with the protruding from the container withdrawal document and thus damage this or may come from the stack assembly. Although it is possible to compress the document stack by means of a plunger or another pressing device, such a device is generally complicated to implement.

From the publication WO 2008/064867 A1 For example, a method and apparatus for labeling a tack-like article is known.

The publication GB 1 389 641 shows a stacking device for stacking documents with a depositing device with two support elements for taking over documents to be stacked.

In document US 5,549,292 there is shown a page stacking apparatus in which an eccentric page separation element achieves alignment and separation of individual pages.

The publication US 2004/0227282 A1 discloses a device for bundling printed products, in which a stack of printed products can be taken over by pivotable elements.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved stacking apparatus with which open booklet-type documents can be stacked, thereby reducing the risk of occurrence of possible stacking faults, and causing mechanical stress between the booklet panels Stacking errors can be avoided.

Disclosure of the invention

This object is achieved by the stacking device according to claim 1 and by the method for operating a stacking device and by the arrangement according to the independent claims.

Further advantageous embodiments are specified in the dependent claims.

• – einen Entnahmebehälter zur Aufnahme eines Dokumentenstapels aus mehreren in einer Stapelrichtung gestapelten aufgeklappten Dokumenten;
• – eine Ablegevorrichtung zum Übernehmen eines in dem Entnahmebehälter zu stapelnden aufgeklappten Dokuments, wobei die Ablegevorrichtung mindestens zwei voneinander beabstandete Auflageelemente umfasst, die jeweils einen oder mehrere Auflagebereiche zum Tragen des aufgeklappten Dokuments aufweisen;
• – eine Betätigungseinheit zum Betreiben der Auflageelemente der Ablegevorrichtung, um zum Ablegen des zu stapelnden aufgeklappten Dokuments auf den Dokumentenstapel die das Dokument tragende Auflagebereiche zunächst in der Stapelrichtung des Dokumentenstapels und schließlich schräg oder senkrecht zur Stapelrichtung aus dem Entnahmebehälter heraus zu bewegen, so dass das zu stapelnde aufgeklappte Dokument auf dem Dokumentenstapel abgelegt wird.

According to a first aspect, a stacking device is provided for stacking unfolded documents, in particular for a labeling machine for labeling the unfolded documents. The stacking device comprises:

• - A removal container for receiving a document stack of a plurality of stacked in a stacking direction unfolded documents;
• - A depositing device for taking over an unfolded document to be stacked in the removal container, wherein the depositing device comprises at least two spaced-apart support elements, each having one or more support areas for supporting the unfolded document;
• - An operating unit for operating the support elements of the depositing device to move the stacked document to be stacked on the document stack, the document supporting bearing areas first in the stacking direction of the document stack and finally obliquely or perpendicular to the stacking direction from the removal out, so that the stacking unfolded document is placed on the document stack.

One idea of the above stacking arrangement is to position the unfolded document as possible over the shaft of the extraction container and then guided, d. H. controlled to lead into the removal container, while at the same time the document stack underneath as far as it is pressed down by the support areas. This ensures that the transport of the unfolded booklet-like document is not hindered in the removal container.

Furthermore, the support elements can each protrude from actuated by the actuator shaft, so that the bearing areas of the support elements are pivotable by rotating the shafts, wherein the actuating unit is formed to rotate the shafts synchronously in opposite directions of rotation. The fact that the pivoting of the two support elements is synchronized with each other, the resting unfolded document always remains aligned parallel to the stacking surface of the document stack. By pivoting the support elements, they simultaneously press on any document stack underneath and thus continue to ensure that the document stack is compressed. The support element is pivoted so far that it moves laterally out of the removal container and thus deposits both the resting opened unfolded document on the document stack and takes away the pressure on the document stack. In this way, a guided depositing of an unfolded document on the document stack in the removal container can be realized.

In particular, the support elements can protrude in the radial direction or offset from the waves in the radial direction.

According to one embodiment, one or more support elements can be arranged on the shafts in each case. In particular, two, with respect to the respective shaft opposite support elements can be arranged on the shafts in each case.

Furthermore, one or more of the support elements may have a V-shaped section, wherein at ends of legs of the V-shaped portion of the support area is provided.

According to one embodiment, the removal container may have a movable bottom, wherein a drive unit is provided to move the bottom of the removal container so that the topmost unfolded document of the document stack is in a predefined area or at a predefined position.

Furthermore, the actuating unit may be designed so that after depositing the unfolded unfolded document on the document stack bearing areas on which rests no unfolded unfolded document to move in the stacking direction of the document stack, so that the document stack is compressed, and finally obliquely or to move out of the removal container perpendicular to the stacking direction.

According to a further aspect, a method is provided for operating a stacking device for stacking unfolded documents, in particular for a labeling machine for labeling the documents. The stacking device comprises a removal container for receiving a stack of documents from a plurality of unfolded documents stacked in a stacking direction and a depositing device for transferring an unfolded document to be stacked in the withdrawal container, the delivery device comprising at least two spaced-apart support elements each having one or more support areas for supporting the have unfolded document. To store the unfolded unfolded document on the stack of documents carrying the unfolded document supporting areas in the stacking direction of the document stack and finally obliquely or perpendicular to the stacking direction out of the removal container moves out so that the unfolded unfolded document is stored on the document stack.

According to another aspect, there is provided an arrangement including a feeding device for feeding the unfolded documents to be stacked and the above stacking device, wherein the stacking device takes over the unfolded unfolded document to be stacked from a transfer area of the feeding device.

The feeding device may be designed to transport the opened booklet-like document to the transfer area in such a way that the fold of the document moves parallel to the transporting direction.

Further, the feeder may have feed grooves for receiving an edge of the unfolded document to be stacked so that the unfolded document is held in the feed grooves.

The feeder may include a release device in the transfer area that is configured to enlarge the feed groove to release the unfolded document so that the edge of the document moves out of the feed groove.

Brief description of the drawings

Preferred embodiments will be explained in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Show it:

1 a schematic representation of a perspective plan view of an arrangement with a feeding device and a stacking device for a labeling machine for open booklet-like documents;

2 a schematic cross-sectional view of the arrangement of 1 in a sectional plane parallel to a transport direction for the documents;

3 a schematic cross-sectional view of the arrangement of 1 in a plane perpendicular to the transport direction of the documents to be stacked;

4 a further cross-sectional view of the arrangement of 1 perpendicular to the feed direction of the documents by the stacking device and the removal container;

5 a top perspective view of another embodiment of a stacking device for two removal containers; and

6 a schematic cross-sectional view of a release unit for releasing the supplied document from the feeder.

Description of embodiments

In the 1 to 3 For example, various views of a stacking arrangement for stacking documents, particularly open booklet-type documents, are shown. Such documents may be, for example, identity documents (eg passports), security documents and the like. Such a stacking arrangement can be used, for example, in labeling machines for labeling the documents, wherein one lot of several such documents is automatically labeled and the labeled documents are stored in a removal container or be stacked. After completing the labeling of the documents, the document stack can then be removed from the removal container.

The stacking device 1 is with a feeder 2 coupled, over which an unfolded fierce document to be placed next on the stack of documents, the stacking device 1 can be supplied. The delivery device 2 includes two parallel to the transport direction of the document arranged guide grooves 3 , in each of which an edge of a cover wing of the unfolded booklet-like document is performed. In the embodiment shown, it is further provided that the fold of the staple-like document is aligned parallel to the transport direction.

In at least one of the guide grooves 3 is a conveyor belt 4 provided, which has a corresponding drive roller 5 is driven, and one in the guide groove 3 located edge of the document frictionally entrains and so in the guide 3 or in the guide grooves 3 moved in the transport direction. Alternatively, the conveyor belt outside the guide grooves 3 act on the document to be transported to take this by adhesion.

In the embodiment shown, the guide groove 3 by two webs arranged parallel to one another 6 formed, between which the guide groove 3 is formed with a width sufficient to receive the edge of the respective cover wing and a tilting of the edge against the through the guide grooves 3 to avoid defined management level. With the help of the feeder 2 Thus, an opened booklet-like document becomes the stacker 1 transported.

The delivery device 2 has a transfer section 7 on which a transfer of the document from the feeder 2 to the stacking device 1 should be made. This is in the transfer section 7 a release device 8th (please refer 2 ), in which a web portion 6a one of the bridges 6 , the stacking device 1 facing, is pivotable or hinged. By pivoting the web section 6a becomes the guide groove 3 enlarged and so the edge of the booklet-like document released, leaving this on the guide grooves 3 fall out by gravity or can be easily removed.

The transfer section 7 is essentially about a sampling container 10 arranged. To detect when the document is the handover section 7 has reached are position sensors 9 , For example, in the form of light barriers or the like provided. With the help of a (not shown) control unit, then when reaching the transfer area 7 , detected by the position sensors 9 , first stopping the feed movement of the document and then the document with the aid of the release device 8th be released.

The removal container 10 has a slot in which the documents are to be stacked for later removal. The documents or the document stack can either together with the removal container 10 can be removed from the arrangement or the document stack can from the shaft of the removal container 10 be removed.

The stacking device 1 is immediately in the transfer section 7 , in particular below the web section 6a arranged. The stacking device 1 comprises a laying device with two opposing shafts 11 , on each of which two opposing support elements 12 are arranged. The support elements 12 are substantially wing-like in the radial direction of the shaft 11 and each comprise two contact areas 13 at the ends of two thighs 14 a v-shaped portion of the support element 12 are formed. The support areas 13 represent the ends of the support element remote from the shaft axis 12 dar. The support elements 12 may preferably be made of sheet metal, with the ends of the legs 14 the support areas 13 form. The support areas 13 may be provided with plugs, preferably rubber plugs, to effect high friction with a surface of the document. As mentioned, the support elements 12 in the radial direction of the shaft 11 stand out or, as shown in the figures, be arranged offset to the radial direction. For this purpose, preferably a spacer element 16 provided that with the shaft 11 is connected and that of the axis of rotation of the shaft 11 offset attachment surfaces 17 having, where the respective support element 12 is attached.

Preferably are on the waves 11 two support elements each 12 provided, offset by 180 ° to each other from the shaft 11 protrude. Under certain circumstances, only one or more than two edition elements 12 be provided per shaft. While sharing the document in the submission section 7 is each a support element 12 every wave 11 positioned so that the document placed thereon is carried parallel to the stacking direction, ie the respective support elements 12 protrude from the respective shaft 11 over the shaft of the extraction tank 10 , The document will then be of the bearing areas 13 held or it falls over a small distance on this, so that ultimately the document through the four support areas 13 the two spaced support elements 12 will be carried. The fold of the document is then essentially between the support areas 13 arranged. The V-shaped design ensures that the fold does not rest on any other area of the support element 12 rests. The insides of the thighs 14 are converging and meet in an alignment area. The alignment areas of the support elements 12 define a straight line to which the folds of the documents to be stacked are to be aligned. In addition, if the open document while resting on the support areas 13 slightly folded, so the fold moves between the legs 14 the support elements. The fold can be along the inside of one of the legs 14 be guided to the alignment areas and aligned in the alignment areas.

For stacking the document on the document stack in the extraction container 10 Now, driven by a suitable actuator, the waves 11 rotated synchronously in opposite direction of rotation, preferably with the same rotational speed. The support elements pivot 12 so against each other that the support elements 12 from the top into the extraction tank 10 Turn in. By the movement of the support areas 13 the document resting on it is correspondingly placed in the removal container 10 transported.

In this movement of the bearing areas 13 the bottom of which can at the same time be already in the removal container 10 compress the stack of documents in the stacking direction and press down any folded pages of the document before placing the document on the document stack. Have the support areas 13 in the removal container 10 reached stack of documents, so by a further rotation of the waves 11 the respective support element 12 through a container recess 15 laterally from the removal container 10 led out and thus released the document to be supplied. After placing the document on the document stack, the waves become 11 accordingly further rotated, so that in each case a next support element in the removal container 10 moved in the stacking direction. This will get the support areas 13 over the top document of the document stack and can push it down towards the stack of documents so that the height of the document stack is reduced. At the same time, as a result, previously slightly raised individual pages of the opened document can be pressed down in order to reduce the risk of folding pages when placing a next document on the document stack. Before accepting a next document in the transfer section 7 become the waves 11 so controlled that the support areas 13 the corresponding support elements 12 are positioned to take over the document.

To ensure that one on the support elements 12 resting document when pivoting the support element 12 does not fall on the upper document of the document stack and there is a risk that the document is twisted while falling, is provided, the removal container 10 with a movable floor 18 provided in the shaft of the extraction container 10 is mobile. The movable floor 18 is from a corresponding drive unit 19 driven, so that the topmost document of the document stack always in a certain area or at a certain, predefined position in the removal container 10 located. For example, a position sensor, for. B. in the form of a light barrier and the like, in the removal container 10 be provided, which detects the position of the top document of the document stack. The area in which the topmost document of the document stack is located is preferably selected so that during pivoting of the support elements 12 These can press on the top document of the document stack and thus cause a compression of the document stack. At the same time, random pages of the document are also pressed down. At the same time, this makes it possible for the document to be fed to the document stack not to drop onto the document stack so that accidental rotation or tilting or collapse of the opened document during placement can be precluded.

In 5 is another embodiment of the stacking device 1 shown in the two removal containers 10 are arranged in the feed direction of the document one behind the other, so that a zuzuführendes document optionally in a first or second removal container 10 can be stored. The selection of the removal container 10 is done by the control of the feeder 2 and the release device 8th so that the document is either in a first, the first removal container 10 assigned transfer area or in a second, the second removal container 10 assigned handover area 7 is transported. The bridge section 6a It is designed to span both handover areas 7 extends. The release device 8th is adapted to release the document when the document is fed by the feeder 2 via the corresponding selected collection container 10 has been moved.

In 6 is schematically a release device 8th shown in cross section. You can see the guide groove 3 between an upper of the webs 6 and the pivotable web section 6a , the near a groove opening opposite side of the guide groove 3 is arranged pivotally. The pivotable bridge section 6a is at a point remote from the pivot axis via a control rod 19 with a thumbwheel 20 connected. The control rod 19 with the thumbwheel 20 at one of the fulcrum 21 of the steering wheel 20 distant attachment point 22 is attached. The steering wheel 20 becomes at the fulcrum 21 by a positioner 23 controlled, so that this is rotated. When turning the thumbwheel 20 Thus, controlled by the (not shown) control unit, the pivotable web portion 6a be moved into a releasing or non-releasing position.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

stacker

2

feeder

3

guide

4

drive belts

5

capstan

6

web

7

Transfer section

8th

release device

10

removal container

11

wave

12

support element

13

support area

14

leg

15

Behälterausnehmung

16

spacer

17

mounting surface

18

movable floor

19

control rod

20

thumbwheel

21

pivot point

22

attachment point

23

positioning element

Claims (13)

Stacking device for stacking unfolded documents; full: - A removal container for receiving a document stack of a plurality of stacked in a stacking direction unfolded documents; - A depositing device for taking over an unfolded document to be stacked in the removal container, wherein the depositing device comprises at least two spaced-apart support elements, each having one or more support areas for supporting the unfolded document; An operating unit for operating the supporting elements of the depositing device in order to move the unfolded document bearing support areas first in the stacking direction of the document stack and finally obliquely or perpendicular to the stacking direction out of the removal container for depositing the unfolded unfolded document on the document stack, so that the to be stacked unfolded document is placed on the document stack. The stacking device according to claim 1, wherein the support members each project from shafts actuated by the actuator so that the support portions of the support members are pivotable by rotating the shafts, the actuator being configured to rotate the shafts in opposite directions of rotation in synchronism. Stacking device according to claim 2, wherein the support elements in the radial direction or to the radial direction offset from the waves project. Stacking device according to claim 2 or 3, wherein on the shafts in each case one or more support elements are arranged. Stacking device according to claim 4, wherein on the shafts in each case two, with respect to the respective shaft opposite support elements are arranged. The stacking device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the support members have a V-shaped portion, wherein at ends of legs of the V-shaped portion of the support portion is provided. The stacking device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the removal container has a movable bottom, wherein a drive unit is provided to move the bottom of the removal container so that the topmost unfolded document of the document stack is in a predefined area or at a predefined position , Stacking device according to one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the actuating unit is further configured to move in the stacking direction of the document stack after depositing the unfolded unfolded document on the document stack supporting areas on which no unfolded unfolded document rests, so that the document stack is compressed, and finally to move obliquely or perpendicular to the stacking direction out of the removal container out. A method of operating a stacker for stacking unfolded documents, the stacker comprising: - A removal container for receiving a document stack of a plurality of stacked in a stacking direction unfolded documents; - A depositing device for taking over an unfolded document to be stacked in the removal container, wherein the depositing device comprises at least two spaced-apart support elements, each having one or more support areas for supporting the unfolded document; wherein for depositing the unfolded unfolded document on the stack of documents, the unfolded document bearing support areas in the stacking direction of the document stack and finally obliquely or perpendicular to the stacking direction are moved out of the removal container, so that the unfolded unfolded document is stored on the document stack. An assembly comprising a feeding device for feeding unfolded documents to be stacked and a stacking device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the stacking device takes over the unfolded document to be stacked from a transfer area of the feeding device. Arrangement according to claim 10, wherein the feed device is designed to transport the unfolded document to the transfer area such that the fold of the unfolded document moves parallel to the transport direction. An assembly according to claim 10 or 11, wherein the feeding device has feed grooves for receiving an edge of the unfolded document to be stacked so that the unfolded document is held in the feed grooves. Arrangement according to one of claims 10 to 12, wherein the supply device in the transfer region comprises a release device which is adapted to increase the feed groove to release the unfolded document, so that the edge of the unfolded document moves out of the feed groove.

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