EP0675008B1 - Insertion machine with a controllable, optional supply of inserts and envelopes from multiple feed stations - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to an inserting device with controllable supply of filling material and insert sleeves via multiple take-off devices of the type specified in the preamble of claim 1.

A document feeder with several stations consisting of several document feeder assemblies, one assembly from EP 102704 is known for feeding envelopes and for inserting stacks of collated documents into the envelopes, as well as a transport deck for transferring the documents from the document feed assembly to the envelope feed assembly. Here, monitoring means are used to emit control signals in a machine cycle to switch the various feed assemblies on and off. The feed assemblies are activated one after the other and when a stack has been completely gathered, it is fed to the envelope feed assembly without the documents remaining on the transport deck. In a known manner, sensor units, which interact with the central control, are used for the compilation of sets of filling material, in order to deliver them to a transport deck in an aligned manner. It is disadvantageous that the means of transport undo the order of the product alignment.

Furthermore, it is already known that a microprocessor program-controlled collects documents from a multiple insert station according to predetermined criteria, sorts them and feeds them to a folding device or inserting machine. EP 180386 describes an insert system for compiling documents for inserting into envelopes that uses an interactive system for selecting and controlling one of various possible configurations for assembling documents. Compound packs are fed from the document feed assembly to the envelope feed assembly by a transport unit that is insufficiently designed to maintain the alignment of the documents on the transport path.

DE-OS 3312087 describes a method for filling filling material into an envelope, in particular into an envelope. The filling material and casing are separated from separate stacks and led to a filling station on separate transport routes. The transport lanes must be essentially congruent in the filling area, in their end areas. The filling process is controlled by stopping the casing or increasing the transport speed of the filling material. Filling is supported by filling guides and alignment cams located on the transport route.

These solutions have the disadvantage that complicated mechanics and complex precise control are required.

Also known from EP 102699 is a universal multi-station document feeder, in which all units of the insertion system are controlled according to a desired configuration by a main control unit. In a sequence stop mode of operation, a set of contents is formed and passed closed to a transport device.

An inserting machine with an integrated folding device according to EP 352692 combines the functions of feeding, folding, inserting and closing in one machine. The machine has a first transport route for the mail, a second transport route for feeding empty envelopes and a third transport route for the removal of filled envelopes, the filling module and folding module being connected to one another, and thus also the first to the second transport route and both with the third way. The intermediate stops on the transport routes or in the separate folding units required for inserting ensure insufficient maintenance of the leading edge alignment of the contents.

With the large number of known solutions, it is always assumed that there is at least one transport deck of different designs. Several roller systems are required, as is known, for example, from EP 352687, consisting of pinch rollers and counter rollers, on the one hand to bring an envelope in a certain position in relation to a document transport route and on the other hand to guide a document to the envelope. Apart from the large space required for the necessary sets of rollers, the mechanical effort is very large.

EP 556922 (preamble of claim 1) explains a method which gathers documents by additionally stopping the documents by means of a stop edge either on the transport deck or in the separate folding device before they are transported on as a set of documents. Other designs provide stop or stop wheels as described in US-A-4640506 and US-A-4805891 to stop the forward movement of the documents being fed, e.g. in front of an inserting machine. An intermediate stop by stop edges, stop or stop wheels counteracts, as already shown, the alignment of the documents created by the multiple collecting station.

The invention has for its object to connect multiple deduction and inserting devices of the respective generic type that a collated set of contents is always aligned and leading edge in the inserting and folding device and ensures a continuous filling process with less space and less mechanical effort. Another object of the invention is to achieve a much more compact design with increased performance by integrating the folding unit directly in the inserting device.

The basic idea of the invention is that the filling material is brought together from a programmable multiple take-off device and has the same leading edge directly without a transport deck and without a stopover Inserting and folding device is fed.

According to the invention, the inserting device is connected directly to the multiple take-off device for the filling material and to the multiple take-off device for the insert sleeves by connecting elements. The connecting elements are designed as common roller arrangements, with at least one roller of the roller arrangement being driven. The roller arrangements are arranged downstream immediately behind the multiple take-off device and immediately before the inserting device. With this arrangement, the inserting partners are guided without stopping in front of the inserting device. To support the guidance of the inserting partners, separate inlet areas for the filling material and for the insert wrapper are provided in the inserting device immediately downstream behind the roller arrangements. The inlet area for the filling material is extended by a receiving plate which extends up to the insertion sleeve feed assembly without being connected to it. A folding device, consisting of a folding and sliding unit, is integrated into the inserting device and fastened to the receiving plate. The receiving plate has guide elements which cooperate with a hold-down device. An adjustable, swivel-away stop means in the inserting device is arranged below the folding device in order to fine-tune the packaged product set with the same leading edges.
The inlet area for the insert sleeves is connected to an insert sleeve opener.

A common roller arrangement is arranged between the multiple take-off devices and the inserting device for feeding the filling material and the insert sleeves. Each roller assembly consists of at least one pair of opposing rollers, at least one of which is the respective roller Roller arrangement is driven. The rollers can optionally have the same or different diameters. The roller arrangements can interact with guide elements by arranging individual guide rollers between the roller pairs.
Instead of the common roller arrangement, a belt arrangement consisting of at least two opposing belts can be used, of which at least one belt is driven.
The opposite roller or belt arrangement presses against the driven roller or belt arrangement by means of a spring in order to achieve reliable guidance of the inserting partner.
The roll shell of the individual rolls is preferably designed to be elastic and to be covered with the same or different surface materials.

The filling material is no longer stopped in front of the inserting device. By using the common roller arrangement for the collection process and for the feed to the filling area, no transport deck with appropriate transport means is required. Likewise, no additional external alignment device or stop device is required. The collated documents or documents are aligned in the center of the leading edge at all times in the mail processing device. Sources of error caused by a transport device and means of transport, e.g. Stops and stop means have been removed.

With the means of the invention, a direct arrangement of a folding device, consisting of a folding and sliding unit, which comprises an integrated stop, is possible in the inserting device, without additional feed or transport units and without means for an intermediate stop.

The invention provides higher processing security and performance compared to conventional arrangements achieved with less space. The invention makes it possible to use the known combination of inserting and folding device with extraction devices without a stopover and transport deck and thus to have a more reliable, more powerful and more compact machine.

A preferred embodiment is described in more detail below with reference to the drawings. The same reference numerals designate corresponding elements.

Fig 1

eine Kuvertier- und Falteinrichtung kombiniert Mehrfachabzugseinrichtung für Füllgut und Hüllen,

Fig.2

eine Kuvertiereinrichtung Falt- und Schiebeeinheit,

Fig.3

eine Kuvertier- und Falteinrichtung mit Faltklappenanordnung.

It shows:

Fig. 1

an inserting and folding device combines multiple take-off devices for filling goods and envelopes,

Fig. 2

an inserting device folding and sliding unit,

Fig. 3

an inserting and folding device with a folding flap arrangement.

FIG. 1 shows a multiple take-off device 1 with a number of filling material stations 15 and a multiple take-off device 11 with a number of insert sleeve stations 14. The filling material stations 15 are individually arranged horizontally one above the other in the multiple take-off device 1 and hold the filling material 9. By means of a central control, the product stations 15 are optionally addressed individually and the product is brought together in a set at the leading edges and fed directly to the inserting device 2.
In this way, the inserting device 2 is connected directly to the multiple take-off device 1 for the filling material 9 and to the multiple take-off device 11 for the insert sleeves 10 by connecting elements in the form of the common roller arrangement 4, 4 a. The connecting elements are designed as a common roller arrangement 4, 4 a and are arranged downstream immediately behind the multiple take-off device 1, 11 and in front of the inserting device 2. The common roller arrangement 4, 4 a has a drive which allows the inserting partners to be guided without stopping them in front of the inserting device 2. At the entrance to the inserting device 2, immediately downstream behind the roller arrangements 4, 4a, there are separate inlet areas 5, 13 for the filling material 9 and insert sleeves 10 intended. The inlet area 5 for the filling material 9 is extended by a receiving plate 6 to the insertion sleeve feed assembly 14 without being directly connected to it. A folding device 18, consisting of a folding and sliding unit, is integrated into the inserting device 2. The folding device 18 is attached to the receiving plate 6. The receiving plate 6 also has guide elements 7 which cooperate with a holding device.
An adjustable, swivel-away stop means 3 in the inserting device 2 is arranged below the folding device 18 in order to fine-tune the packaged product 9 in the same manner as the leading edges.
The inlet area 13 for the insert sleeves 10 is connected to an insert sleeve opener 26.

The common roller arrangement 4,4a, which is arranged between the multiple take-off devices 1, 11 and the inserting device 2, consists of at least one pair of opposing rollers, of which at least one roller of the respective roller arrangement is driven. The rollers can optionally have the same or different diameters. An advantageous embodiment provides that the common roller arrangement 4, 4a cooperate with guide elements in such a way that individual guide rollers are arranged between the roller pairs.
Instead of the common roller arrangement 4, 4 a, a belt arrangement consisting of at least two opposing belts can be used, of which at least one belt is driven.
The opposite roller or belt arrangement presses against the driven roller or belt arrangement by means of a spring in order to achieve reliable guidance of the inserting partner.
The roll shell of the individual rolls is preferably designed to be elastic and to be covered with the same or different surface materials.

With the invention, changes in the processing cycle are possible, as is the processing of very different contents, based on the number and the properties. The arrangement ensures that an insert sleeve 10 is selected in accordance with the respective properties of the filling material. The insert casing 10 corresponding to the filling material 9 is also automatically drawn off from a multiple take-off device 11, which consists of several insert casing stations 14 arranged horizontally one above the other.

The withdrawal of the insert sleeve 10 is coordinated by a central control unit, not shown in the drawing, which controls the insert sleeve stations 14 individually and activated independently of each other. The insert sleeves 10 to be fed one after the other in successive processing cycles can have different properties, and accordingly the type of feed and the sleeve withdrawal from the insert sleeve station 14 can be controlled for certain criteria, for example the filling material thickness. For a number of identical insert sleeves 10 that are to be automatically removed individually, a corresponding insert sleeve shaft 12 can be inserted in front of the inlet area 13 of the inserting device 2. In addition to the feeding of filling material from multiple take-off devices, the arrangement ensures the manual feeding of inserts which differ greatly in their properties and optionally the manual feeding through a manual feed shaft 31.

In a known manner, a sensor unit in the multiple take-off device 1 interacts with the central control, not shown in the drawing, in order to create sets of filling material simultaneously and with the same leading edges.

In the multiple take-off device 1, the individual filling material constituents are continuously brought together with the same leading edges and are guided from the common roller arrangement 4 directly and without a stop to the inlet area 5 of the inserting device with the same leading edges.

It should be possible to set a leading edge conformance tolerance for the contents of the filling material to be collated within a permissible offset that does not hinder the further processing sequence. This tolerance should be adjustable depending on different or the same dimensions and properties of the contents of the product. A microcomputer evaluates the filling material leading edge, filling length and feed speed of the withdrawn filling 9, which is detected by a sensor arrangement during the movement, and controls accordingly the permissible offset of the subsequent prints, so that essentially all documents are deducted with the same leading edge. An insertion sleeve 10 withdrawn from the multiple take-off device from one of the stations 14 is aligned synchronously with the feed of the filling material 9 by means of a roller arrangement 4a and fed directly to the inlet area 13 of the inserting device 2.

The common roller assemblies 4 and 4a used for the multiple take-off and for feeding the inserting components connect the multiple take-off devices 1, 11 directly to the inlet areas 5, 13 of the inserting device 2. The roller assemblies 4 receive the collected filling material set 9 from the roller arrangement of the multiple pull-off device 1 as soon as the latter has passed the last filling station 15 and the roller arrangement 4a receives the insertion sleeve 10 from the roller arrangement of the multiple take-off device 11 in a time predetermined for the filling process for forwarding to the inserting device 2.

The filling material 9 is first folded in the inserting and folding device and then pushed into the insertion sleeve 10. The folding and slider unit 18 successively generates the folding flap fold 9a and the slider / former fold 9b. When the slider / former fold 9b is generated by the slider 18a and the former 21, the filling material 9 is simultaneously pushed into the opened insert sleeve 10. The inserting partners move relatively towards each other when the second fold is folded in the inserting device 2. This relative movement ends only after the insertion sleeve 10 has been filled with the folded filling material 9. It is also possible to dispense with the second fold 9b and to produce only one fold. For this purpose, the slide 18a can have a suitable filling material trailing edge drive, that of the folding flap 9a, once folded, grips the filling material at its rear edge and moves it into the insertion sleeve 10. It is also possible to use a device that does not fold, but has the advantages of the described invention.

The common roller arrangements 4 and 4a are brought into operation either by means of a central drive or with a plurality of drives which are separate from one another for the pull-off and inserting processes. The filled envelopes are then closed and ejected in a downstream closing device 30.

Details of the inserting device are shown in FIG. 2.

The folding device shown in FIG. 2 is a folding device, as is known for example from DE 4220404. The folding device is arranged directly in the inserting device.

The filling area of the inserting and folding device comprises a receiving plate 6 with a hill arrangement 16 and guide elements 7 for guiding the filling material 9, a stop means 3 being arranged on the receiving plate 6, at the end opposite the hill 16, and a folding former 21 being arranged opposite. The insertion sleeve opener 26 is fastened directly to the former 21. The stop means 3 is an adjustable stop 25 that can be tilted about an axis of rotation or another suitable arrangement. A means 24 is provided for adjusting the stop position. The stop means 3 is advantageously arranged directly inside the inserting device and below the folding and sliding unit 18.

A hold-down device 8 serves to guide the filling material. The hold-down device 8 does not stop the filling material 9 or does not hold it. There is between the receiving plate 6 and the holding-down device 8 a small gap that is larger than the thickness of the filling material. The hill arrangement 16 and the guide elements 7 cooperate with the hold-down device 8 in order to guide the filling material 9 directly against the lifting means. With this arrangement, the filling material 9 is stopped at the same leading edge. The folding and slide unit 18 is composed of a folding flap 18b with a slide 18a and the fixed receiving plate 6. As can be seen from FIG. 2, the folding and slider unit 18 has a driver 17 for the slider 18 a, which is attached to the bearing 22. An optical edge control device 28 below the hill arrangement 16 detects the supplied filling material set and triggers the folding process, shown in FIG. 3. The folding flap 18b has a folding flap drive means 23 which can pivot a folding finger 19 away via a folding finger axis 27. The slide 18a is displaced vertically by a driver 17 fastened to the bearing 22.

The set of contents is received by the folding and sliding unit 18 and stopped by the stop means 3 with the same leading edges. The folding and slider unit 18 is in the starting position below the set of contents. By rotating the folding flap 18b, the set of contents is folded for the first time by means of the folding finger 19.

In parallel to the folding process, the insert sleeve 10 taken over by the inserting and folding device 2 is opened by the insert sleeve opener 26 and the filling material 9 is pushed into the insert sleeve by the slide which forms the second fold with the folding funnel 21.

The inserting and folding device 2 is shown in a different sequence phase from FIG.

The folding and sliding unit 18 enables the production of a fold, for example a Z-fold, wrap fold or single fold of the filling material 9 directly in the inserting device. The position of the fold can be adjusted directly by suitable adjustment of the stop means 3, which stops the filling material supplied in the inserting device. After the set number of individual documents has been compiled into a set and this has passed through the edge control device 28, the folding process is triggered. Parallel to the folding process of the first fold 9a by means of the folding finger 19 and the folding flap 18b, the insert sleeve 10 with the insert sleeve opener 26 is opened and the filling material 9 is pushed into the insert sleeve by the slide 18a, which forms the second fold 9b with the folding former 21. The filled insert sleeve is then fed to a downstream device, for example a closing device or sorting unit. With the folding flap 9a, it is also possible to catch and turn formats, for example 4 inches, by means of suitable catch hooks which are fastened at the pivot point of the folding and sliding unit 18. After the turn is complete, a trailing edge driver drives through a slot in the catch hook and pushes the filling material 9 in the direction of the insertion sleeve 10.

The sequence described, in which the filling material is led to the casing, is only to be understood as a possible embodiment. The reversal of the movement is just as possible as a sequence in which the inserting partners move relatively towards one another.

Reference symbols used

1

Multiple discharge device for filling material

2nd

Inserting device

3rd

Slings

4th

Common roller arrangement

4a

Common roller arrangement

5

Fill area

6

Receiving plate

7

Guide element

8th

Hold-down device

9

Product

9a

Fold of the flap

9b

Folding slide and former

10th

Insert sleeve

11

Multiple take-off device

12th

Insert sleeve

13

Infeed area for insert sleeve

14

Insert sleeve station

15

Product station

16

Ski jump arrangement

17th

Carrier

18th

Folding and slider unit

18a

Slider

18b

Folding flap

19th

Folding fingers

21

Former

22

camp

23

Folding door drive means

24th

Middle (stop position)

25th

rotating stop

26

Insert sleeve opener

27

Folding finger axis

28

optical edge control device

30th

Locking device

31

Manual feed shaft

Claims (20)

1. An enveloping unit (2) provided with a controllable optional feeding of filling material (9) and envelopes (10) over multiple pull devices (1, 11); with several horizontally stacked filling material feed stations (15) that can be approached independently of one another; with a monitoring means in order to collate a filling material pile with uniform front edge; with at least one subassembly (14) for separating envelopes (10) for different sizes of envelopes; with joining elements; with an integrated folding device (18) for different sizes of filling material; with means (26) for opening the envelopes; with a filling subassembly for filling the collated filling material into the opened envelopes (10); and with a means fortransporting the filled envelopes (10) to a further processing device, in particular to a closing device (30),
   characterised in
   that the enveloping unit (2) is directly connected with the multiple pull device (1) for the filling material (9) and with the multiple pull device (11) for the envelopes (10) by means of joining elements, wherein said joining elements are designed as joint roller arrangements (4, 4a) and said roller arrangements (4, 4a) are located downstream directly behind the multiple pull device (1, 11) and directly before the enveloping unit (2) and dispose of a drive that allows to guide the enveloping partners in opposite direction without stopping them before the enveloping unit (2); and
   that, at the entry of the enveloping unit (2), directly downstream behind the roller arrangements (4, 4a), there are provided separate entry areas (5, 13) for the filling material (9) and the envelopes (10), wherein the entry area (5) for the filling material (9) contains, as an extension, a holding plate (6) extending up to the front of the envelope feeding device (14) without being connected with the latter;
   that a folding device (18) consisting of a folding and sliding device is integrated in the enveloping unit (2) and fixed to the holding plate (6), wherein said holding plate (6) contains guide elements (7) co-operating with a holding-down device (8); that an adjustable stopper means (3) that can be slued away is provided in the enveloping unit (2) below the folding device (18); and
   that the entry area (13) for the envelopes (10) is connected with an envelope opener (26).
2. Enveloping unit (2) according to claim 1,
   characterised in
   that, for feeding the filling material (9) and the envelopes (10), one joint roller arrangement (4, 4a) is provided between each of the multiple pull devices (1, 11) and the enveloping unit (2), wherein each of said joint roller arrangements consists of at least one pair of opposed rollers of either the same or different diameters, at least one of which is driven.
3. Enveloping unit (2) according to claims 1 and 2,
   characterised in
   that, if required, individual guiding rollers are provided between the roller pairs of the joint roller arrangements (4, 4a).
4. Enveloping unit (2) according to claim 1,
   characterised in
   that, for feeding the filling material (9) and the envelopes (10), instead of the joint roller arrangements (4, 4a), a joint belt arrangement is provided between each of the multiple pull devices (1, 11) and the enveloping unit (2), wherein each of said belt arrangements consists of at least two opposed belts, at least one of which is driven.
5. Enveloping unit (2) according to claims 2 and 4,
   characterised in
   that the roller or belt arrangement opposite to the driven roller (4, 4a) or belt arrangement is respectively pressed against the latter by means of a spring.
6. Enveloping unit (2) according to claims 1 to 5,
   characterised in
   that the rollers have an elastic, resilient surface.
7. Enveloping unit (2) according to claims 1 to 6,
   characterised in
   that the rollers (4, 4a) are coated with different surface materials.
8. Enveloping unit (2) according to claims 1 to 4,
   characterised in
   that the joint roller arrangement (4) for the filling material transport is equipped with a central drive unit.
9. Enveloping unit (2) according to claims 1 to 4,
   characterised in
   that the joint roller arrangement (4a) for the envelope transport is equipped with a central drive unit.
10. Enveloping unit (2) according to claim 8,
    characterised in
    that separate drive units are provided for the filling material transport in the enveloping unit (2) and in the multiple pull device (1).
11. Enveloping unit (2) according to claim 9,
    characterised in
    that separate drive units are provided for the envelope transport in the enveloping unit (2) and in the multiple pull device (11).
12. Enveloping unit (2) according to claims 1 and 2,
    characterised in
    that the enveloping unit (2) is provided with a stopper means (3) that can be slued around a swivelling axis (25) and the stopper position of which can be adjusted by a means (24).
13. Enveloping unit (2) according to claim 1,
    characterised in
    that the folding device (18) is designed as a folding flap arrangement that can be set to single fold, Z-fold or miscellaneous fold, as desired.
14. Enveloping unit (2) according to claim 1,
    characterised in
    that the folding device (18) contains a collecting device for folded and/or unfolded filling material (9).
15. Enveloping unit (2) according to claim 12 and 13,
    characterised in
    that the folding device (18) can be set to either a folding or to a non-folding position by means of appropriately adjusting the stopper means (3).
16. Enveloping unit (2) according to claim 1,
    characterised in
    that, for the automatic pulling of envelopes (10), an additional collecting tray for a number of equal envelope sizes is provided between entry area (13) and envelope opener (26).
17. Enveloping unit (2) according to claim 1,
    characterised in
    that the feeding of the envelopes (10) is done either automatically and/or by hand through a manual feeding tray (31).
18. Enveloping unit (2) according to claim 1,
    characterised in
    that the enveloping unit (2) is equipped with a control containing monitoring means, in particular sensor units for determining the front-edge consistency tolerance; and means for adjusting the permissible filling material misalignment; as well as means that choose an appropriate filling material envelope in dependence on the filling material parameters, such as number, size, thickness, surface.
19. Enveloping unit (2) according to claim 13,
    characterised in
    that the folding device (18) is provided with a catching hook on a level with its centre of rotation.
20. Enveloping unit (2) according to claim 19,
    characterised in
    that the folding device (18) is provided with a back edge carrier that can be adjusted crosswise to the edge of the filling material by a slot in the catching hook.

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