EP1260471B1 - Device for gripping and transporting flat objects in a compact stream - Google Patents

Abstract

The device has several grippers (3) equipped for controlled gripping, holding and releasing each flat item. Each gripper (3) is mounted on a gripper arm (2) which is mounted with the gripper asymmetrically on the conveyor element so that the conveyor path (F) of the conveyor elements is spaced by a certain distance from a plane of symmetry which divides the gripper into two functionally identical parts. The gripper can rotate controlled 360 degrees about a gripper arm axis. Independent claim describes use of device for converting dense conveyor stream of printed products into aligned items.

Description

The invention lies in the field of conveyor technology and relates to a device the preamble of the independent claim. The device is used individually conveying flat objects in a dense flow, that means in a flow in which the objects are conveyed one after the other are spaced (measured in the direction of conveyance) from each other, which is usually are smaller than the dimensions of the objects parallel to their planar extent. Such a device is e.g. from EP-A-0557679 known.

Conveying flows of the type mentioned are particularly common in further processing of printed products, i.e. in the area of mailroom technology, where one Printing machine, for example, printing products designed in different time periods combined into groups, edited, reorganized and / or packaged in such a way that they can be made available for dispatch at an exit.

In the mailroom technology, the printed products are, for example, in shingled streams promoted in which the products partially overlapped loosely on one another Support document lying on it or pressed onto it with suitable means become. In such a shingled stream, the distance between the products corresponds to that Distance between the leading edges of two successive products. Depending on the orientation of the products in the shingled stream, the leading ones are Edges directed downwards or upwards and is the one for folded products Folding edge (waistband) or the edge (flower) opposite the folding edge.

The orientation of the printed products in a shingled stream can, for example be changed by twisting or redirecting the stream of shingles, whereby a stream with overhead leading edges a stream with underlying leading edges can be formed. Thereby also the Print products reversed (top is turned down). By reversing the direction of conveyance of a shingled stream (wind up and unwind again) the leading edges to the trailing edges, the products their Maintain position (top remains up), but the product order reversed becomes. For other rearrangements, each product is usually a product of a shingled stream seized individually, reoriented and put back into the stream, which is device-wise is very expensive.

Dense flow rates are also frequently used in mailroom technology of individually conveyed printed products, i.e. flow rates in which each of the successively conveyed printed products is held by a gripper becomes. The grippers can be moved one behind the other along a conveying path Transport elements, for example arranged on the links of a transport chain and each hold and hold a flat object in the area of an edge, for example in a middle area of an edge. The grippers are usually arranged symmetrically with respect to the conveying path of the transport elements, that is, there is a level in which the conveying path of the transport elements lies and which the grippers conveyed one after the other into two functionally identical parts cuts. In many cases, the grippers are also controlled or parallel to the conveying direction freely pivotable. The transport elements usually move in guide channels guided, the guide channels are curvy and possibly also have twists.

Printed products conveyed in this way can be perpendicular to the conveying path be arranged (e.g. they hang vertically from the gripper when conveyed horizontally down) so that even if the distances between the products are smaller than the areal extent of the products, not from an overlap and not leading and trailing edges can be mentioned. Once the products in the flow, but not exactly perpendicular to the direction of flow they overlap one another like in a shingled stream and have leading ones and trailing edges.

In a flow in which printed products are conveyed individually held by grippers products, more reorientations of the products are easily realizable than this is the case in a shingled stream. In particular, by a shift the edges opposite the held edges from a leading in a trailing position the products are rotated (leading edge is trailing edge, product top becomes bottom).

It is now the object of the invention to provide a device for sustained conveyance to create flat objects in a dense flow, with which Device it becomes possible while still in the easiest way to realize more different reorientations of the flat objects than this with known devices that serve the same purpose is possible. Thereby the device should be universally applicable for a wide variety of applications. However, the device should not be significantly more complicated and complex be known as these devices for holding conveyance of flat objects are.

This object is achieved by the device as described in the claims is defined.

The device according to the invention has for gripping and holding the flat objects a plurality of grippers in an edge region which are opened in a controlled manner and can be closed. These grippers are each on a gripper arm arranged, which gripper arm unilaterally on a along a conveyor path movable transport element is arranged. The transportation elements are chain-like connected or independent of each other and are from a suitable drive driven along the conveyor path, for example guided in a suitable guide channel. The grippers are unlimited, that means essentially rotatable by 360 ° around the gripper arm.

By rotating the gripper around the gripper arms during the conveyance of flat objects held in different spatial positions relative to the grippers are brought to the conveying path of the transport elements, in particular they can for changing their orientation also between neighboring grippers be moved. As will be shown later, the objects in the Electricity take all possible orientations, if in addition to the unlimited The rotatability of the grippers around the gripper arms of the conveying path is deflected and / or twisted can be arranged. Depending on the application, the local rotational position the gripper can also be easily changed. For example, this means a simple one Switchability of the inventive device for receiving different supplied items, all brought into the same dispensing orientation should be.

You may need to reorient, which is a movement of flat objects distance between adjacent grippers between the grippers on the format and on the flexibility of the flat objects be coordinated. Are the grippers at individual, essentially from each other arranged independently movable transport elements along the conveyor path, it is easily possible to locate the gripper distances for the purpose mentioned to enlarge.

Figuren 1 und 2

eine beispielhafte Ausführungsform der erfindungsgemässen Vorrichtung in einer schematischen, dreidimensionalen Darstellung (Figur 1) und senkrecht zum Förderweg geschnitten (Figur 2);

Figuren 3 und 4

die möglichen räumlichen Positionen eines biegbaren, flachen Gegenstandes, der von einer erfindungsgemässen Vorrichtung gefördert wird;

Figur 5

Förderströme von flachen Gegenständen mit verschiedenen Gegenstandsorientierungen, die alle mit einer erfindungsgemässen Vorrichtung übernommen bzw. erstellt und abgegeben werden können;

Figur 6

eine beispielhafte Anwendung der erfindungsgemässen Vorrichtung (Blickrichtung senkrecht zu Förderrichtung);

Figur 7

die Übernahme der flachen Gegenstände durch die erfindungsgemässe Vorrichtung und deren Umorientierung in der Anwendung gemäss Figur 6 (Blickrichtung parallel zur Förderrichtung);

Figuren 8 und 9

weitere beispielhafte Anwendungen der erfindungsgemässen Vorrichtung;

Figur 10

eine weitere Ausführungsform der erfindungsgemässen Vorrichtung.

An exemplary embodiment of the device according to the invention and its function are described in more detail with reference to the following figures. Show:

Figures 1 and 2

an exemplary embodiment of the device according to the invention in a schematic, three-dimensional representation (Figure 1) and cut perpendicular to the conveyor path (Figure 2);

Figures 3 and 4

the possible spatial positions of a bendable, flat object which is conveyed by a device according to the invention;

Figure 5

Conveying flows of flat objects with different object orientations, all of which can be taken over or created and delivered with a device according to the invention;

Figure 6

an exemplary application of the device according to the invention (viewing direction perpendicular to the conveying direction);

Figure 7

the takeover of the flat objects by the device according to the invention and their reorientation in the application according to FIG. 6 (viewing direction parallel to the conveying direction);

Figures 8 and 9

further exemplary applications of the device according to the invention;

Figure 10

a further embodiment of the device according to the invention.

FIGS. 1 and 2 show an exemplary embodiment of the device according to the invention, a section of the conveying path F and a transport element 1 movable along this conveying path F being shown in each case. A gripper arm 2 is arranged on the transport element 1 and a gripper 3 (or a plurality of grippers) is arranged on the gripper arm 2. Figure 1 shows this as a schematic, three-dimensional representation, Figure 2 in cross section to the conveyor path F.

The device has a plurality of advantageously identical transport elements 1 on that with fixed and regular or with variable intervals linked together like a chain or along each other independently of the conveyor path F are movable, for which a suitable drive (not shown) is to be provided. Part of the transport element 1 is a rolling or sliding part 4 formed, which rolls or slides in a guide channel 5. The gripper arm 2 is for example on a part 6 of the transport element protruding from the guide channel 5 1 attached

The gripper arm 2 with the gripper 3 is arranged asymmetrically on the transport element 1, this means that the conveying path F is spaced apart by a radius d of a plane of symmetry S, the gripper 3 in two functionally equivalent Cuts halves (or divides a plurality of grippers into two equal parts). The outreach d is such that the gripper grips and holds it flat objects 10 to be conveyed, if possible not with the guide channel 5 in Come in contact. Should the objects, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, in middle area of an edge, d should be greater than half the length the gripped edge.

The gripper 3 consists in a known manner of two relatively movable Gripper jaws 3.1 and 3.2, which are pressed against one another, for example by a pressing force, that means being driven into a closed position and against the Pressing force moved away from each other, that is, brought into an open position can.

For gripper positioning, the gripper arm is essentially unlimited by its own axis rotatably mounted in the transport element 1. For gripper actuation the gripper arm 2 has two coaxial arm parts which can be rotated relative to one another to a limited extent 2.1 and 2.2, with on each of the arm parts 2.1 and 2.2 a gripper jaw 3.1 and 3.2 is attached such that the gripper 3 by a relative rotation of the arm parts 2.1 and 2.2 can be operated (opened and closed). For generation a pressing force between the two gripper jaws 3.1 and 3.2 can for example a preloaded spring 11 is provided between the two arm parts 2.1 and 2.2 become.

The gripper 3 is used for the transfer of objects during the promotion the objects and for the delivery of the objects with respect to its rotational position and controlled with regard to its opening state. In Figures 1 and 2 is the Gripper 3 shown only in its closed state but in two by 180 ° distinguishing rotary positions (positions 3 and 3 'of the gripper or 10 and 10' a flat object held by the gripper). For this control are, for example on the arm parts 2.1 and 2.2 on the opposite of the gripper 3 Side of the transport element 1 a control roller 12.1 and 12.2 are provided and are 13.1 and 13.2 are provided along at least part of the conveying path F, along which the control rollers 12.1 and 12.2 roll when the transport element 1 is moved along the conveyor path F.

The control roller 12.2 is arranged on the outer arm part 2.2 and the link 13.2, in who rolls the control roller 12.2 determines the rotational position of the gripper 3. In parts the conveyor path F, in which the rotational position of the gripper 3 is not relevant or in which the grippers should be freely rotatable, the backdrop 13.2 may be missing. The steering role 12.1 is arranged on the central arm part 2.1, which in turn is over the prestressed Spring 11 is connected to the outer arm part 2.2, and the backdrop 13.1, in which this control roller 12.1 rolls determines the opening state of the gripper 3. In parts of the conveying path F, in which the grippers 3 are closed unchanged 13.1 can be missing.

As can be seen from Figure 2, the free end of the gripper arm 2 can be such be extended so that there is a held flat object 10 on the transport element 1 protrudes on the opposite side. The gripper arm 2 can on this Side wear a support roller 15 which rolls on or in a guide 16. Such one Arrangement is advantageous in cases where the grippers 3 hold large objects have and the gripper arms 2 must therefore be wide, where the grippers 3 have to carry the full weight of the objects 10 and / or where a very precise positioning of the gripper 3 is necessary. Instead of the support roller 15, a further transport element 1 can also be provided.

The basic features of transport element 1, gripper arm 2, gripper 3 and Gripper control according to the invention can be clearly seen from FIGS. 1 and 2. It is easily possible for a person skilled in the art the embodiments shown in these figures to change to further embodiments of the inventive Creating device. In particular, the transport elements 1, the operative connection of the two gripper jaws 3.1 and 3.2 and the gripper control means 12.1 / 12.2 and 13.1 / 13.2 in the most varied but known to the skilled worker Species are designed. In particular, instead of being stationary per se Control links 13.1 and 13.2, on all conveyed grippers 3 in the same Acting way, control means are also provided, for example for a selective Delivery of flat objects by the grippers only to a given one Part of the grippers act. A plurality can also be provided on each gripper arm 2 be arranged by simultaneously operable and rotatable grippers 3.

FIGS. 3 and 4 show, in a very schematic manner and with a viewing direction transverse to the conveying path F, positions 10.1 to 10.18, which a flat object 10 conveyed by a device according to the invention (shown as a printed product held on the folded edge) can assume when the gripper 3, which holds the object 10, is rotated clockwise (FIG. 3) or counterclockwise (FIG. 4) about the axis of the gripper arm (not shown in FIGS. 3 and 4). In particular, it should be noted how the object is moved between positions 10.2 and 10.5, 10.6 and 10.8, 10.13 and 10.16, and 10.17 and 10.18 between adjacent grippers 3 from one side of the conveying path F to the other side. It can also be seen from FIGS. 3 and 4 that such a movement of the flat objects requires a matching of the gripper distances to the size and flexibility of the objects 10.

Figures 3 and 4 can also be used as a hypothetical snapshot of a flow the conveying flow in which the gripper positions are constant to be changed. If a gripper actuation is superimposed on this hypothesis, by which closed the grippers in a first position and in a second, from the first downstream position are opened again, it also becomes clear that with the aid of the device according to the invention, flat objects from conveying streams with essentially any object orientations can and that by releasing the flat objects from the inventive Device other flow rates with essentially any Object orientations can be created. This is supposed to be shown in FIG. 5 be made clear.

FIG. 5 shows, looking in the direction transverse to conveying paths F and F ', using the example of folded printed products (flat objects 10) held at the folded edge with a front side (drawn out) and a rear side (dashed), sections A.1 to A.12 of conveying flows in which these objects can be conveyed with the aid of a device according to the invention.

Each of the sections A.1 to A.12 which is shown on the conveyor path F or F ', can be from another section that is shown on the same conveyor path F or F ' is created by rotating the gripper. Each section A.7 to A.12, the is shown on the conveyor path F ', from a section A.1 to A.6, the the conveyor path F is shown (and vice versa) are created by winding the conveyor path or conveying path diversion combined with gripper rotation. Everyone of the flow sections A.1 to A.12 shown can be a that is to say, after the recording, the flow rate that has not yet changed or a flow ready for delivery. Obviously, with the Device according to the invention with appropriate gripper positioning and synchronization all possible between gripper conveying and supply flow Scale flows (front side above or below, folding edge leading or trailing, leading edge on top or on the bottom) both adopted and be created by submitting. The same applies to flow rates in which the flat Objects are aligned exactly across the conveying direction (front or front at the back, folded edge at the bottom or top).

FIGS. 6 to 9 still show schematically but with somewhat more details than FIGS. 3 to 5 applications of the device according to the invention, in particular transfers and dispensing of flat objects 10 by the device according to the invention.

Figure 6 shows a current conversion by a device according to the invention. With a conveyor device 20 known per se, folded printed products (objects 10) are fed in a hanging manner at their edges opposite the folded edges and are taken over by grippers 3 of a device 30 according to the invention. With regard to the orientation of the object, the conveyed flow corresponds to section A.2 or A.11 of FIG. 5. After taking over the printed products, the grippers 3 are rotated such that the printed products come into a hanging position (section A.5 or A.8 of the figure 5), in which the edges opposite the folded edges are directed downwards. The objects are opened using suitable means (not shown) and placed, for example, on saddle-shaped supports 31 of a collecting drum 32.

FIG. 6 clearly shows how simple the current conversion shown is can be realized with the device according to the invention.

FIG. 7 shows the transfer of the objects from the conveying device 20 to the device 30 according to the invention shown in FIG. 6 with an angle perpendicular to the conveying path F and with an angle parallel to the conveying path F. The conveying device 20 also has transport elements 20.1 with rolling or sliding rollers in a conveying channel. or sliding parts and grippers 20.2. In this case, however, the conveying path of the transport elements 20.1 lies in the sectional plane S ', which divides the grippers 20.2 into two functionally equivalent parts. This is not the case with the device according to the invention (see FIG. 2 and corresponding parts of the description).

FIG. 8 again shows, looking in the direction transverse to the conveying path F, a further possible delivery of flat objects 10 (folded printed products) picked up, for example, according to FIG. 6 by a device 30 according to the invention. These are placed with the held edges in advance on L-shaped shelves 40, for example to form stacks. Thanks to the unloading of the gripper arms relative to the conveyor elements and relative to the guide channel which guides the movement of the conveyor elements, the meshing of grippers and trays necessary for such a delivery is possible. Of course, the delivery shown in FIG. 8 can be preceded by a takeover other than the takeover shown in FIG. 6, which then possibly requires a reorientation of the products 10 caused by the gripper rotation before delivery.

In the same way as in FIG. 8 for the grippers of a device according to the invention and L-shaped trays of another device can also the grippers combing of two devices according to the invention, or in a common one Conveying flow are alternately conveyed, the two conveyors arranged on opposite sides of the flow are and the gripper arms of the two device from opposite sides are arranged protruding against the flow. In such a common Flow-conveyed printed products can easily alternate different Having orientations, for example, can be stacked directly into cross stacks become.

FIG. 9 shows a further example of a recording of flat objects by a device 30 according to the invention. The stream of flat objects 10 supplied is a shingled stream of folded printed products with overhead, leading folding edges, which is fed, for example, on a conveyor belt 41 from rotation. The grippers 3 of the device 30 according to the invention approach the stream of shingles from above and have a lower speed in the takeover area than the conveyor belt 41, so that the printed products or their folded edges are pushed into the grippers 3 for takeover. Then the grippers 3 are closed.

It is clearly evident from FIG. 9 that a scale flow (for example from Winding), in which the folded edges of the printed products in the flow are above are also taken over by the device according to the invention can be. All you have to do is grasp the gripper opposite the 9 are rotated by about 180 ° so that the gripper mouths are directed forward in the conveying direction, and the feed speed must be be set so that the grippers catch up with the products from behind so slide over the folded edges. 9, according to the invention Device 30 with the feed device 41 can thus by a very simple Changeover optionally for the admission of print products with leading or with trailing, overhead folding edges can be used, the products without any problems regardless of the feed into a given delivery position can be brought. There is essentially a shift for the changeover the control backdrop through which the position in the takeover area is controlled becomes necessary.

FIG. 10 shows a further embodiment of the device according to the invention, which is particularly suitable for taking over or creating scale flows, in which the flat objects 10 are arranged without edges oriented transversely to the conveying path F. For this purpose, the gripper arms 2 are not, as shown in the previous figures, arranged in a projecting manner perpendicular to the conveying path F, but at an angle α. This angle α can be, for example, 60 °, 45 °, 120 ° or 135 °.

Claims (17)

1. Device for held conveyance of flat articles (10) in a dense conveying stream, the device comprising a plurality of grippers (3) being equipped for controlled taking-over, holding and releasing one flat article (10) each in an edge zone and being conveyed with the help of a conveying element (1), the conveying elements being displaceable along a conveying track (F) one behind the other, characterized in that each one of the grippers (3) is arranged on a gripper arm (2), the gripper arm (2) with the gripper (3) being arranged on the conveying element (1) asymmetrically projecting, so that the conveying track (F) of the conveying elements (1) is situated at a distance (d) from a symmetry plane (S) separating the gripper (3) into two functionally equivalent parts, and that the gripper (3) is designed for controlled rotation by 360° around a gripper arm axis.
2. Device in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that the gripper arm (2) forms an angle of 45°, 60° or 90° with the conveying track (F).
3. Device according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the gripper (3) comprises two gripper jaws (3.1 and 3.2), that the gripper arm (2) comprises two coaxially arranged gripper arm parts (2.1 and 2.2), that each one of the gripper jaws (3.1, 3.2) is attached to one of the gripper arm parts (2.1, 2.2) and that the two gripper arm parts (2.1 and 2.2) are arranged to be rotated without limitation relative to the conveying element (1) and to be rotated relative to one another with limitations.
4. Device in accordance with claim 3, characterized in that the two gripper arms parts (2.1 and 2.2) are pre-tensioned relative to one another in such a manner, that the gripper jaws (3.1 and 3.2) arranged on them are pressed against one another by the pre-tensioning force.
5. Device according to claim 4, characterized in that for the pre-tensioning of the two gripper arm parts (2.1 and 2.2) a spring (11) is provided.
6. Device in accordance with one of claims 3 to 5, characterized in that for controlled gripper actuation and for controlling the rotational position of the grippers (3) relative to the gripper arms (2), control means are provided on the two gripper arm parts (2.1 and 2.2).
7. Device according to claim 6, characterized in that the control means are control rollers (12.1 and 12.2) rolling along cams (13.1 and 13.2).
8. Device in accordance with one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the control means are arranged along the conveying track (F) in such a manner, that in at least one first location of the conveying track (F) the grippers (3) are closed for taking over articles (10) and at a second location downstream of the first location the grippers (3) are opened for handing over the articles (10) and that at a third location between the first and second locations, the rotational position of the grippers is changed.
9. Device according to claim 8, characterized in that, depending on the application, the control means are changed at the first, second or third location.
10. Device in accordance with claim 8, characterized in that, in the third location, the control means are designed in such a manner, that the grippers (3) are moved from one side of a gripper conveying track to the other side of it.
11. Device according to claim 10, characterized in that, in the third location of the conveying track (F), means for enlarging the distances between the grippers are provided.
12. Device in accordance with one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that the conveying elements (1) are arranged as sliding or rolling in a conveying channel.
13. Device according to claim 12, characterized in that the conveying elements (1) are independent of one another.
14. Use of a device in accordance with one of claims 1 to 13 for the transforming a dense conveying stream of printed products with respect to the orientation of the printed products in the conveying stream.
15. Use of a device according to one of claims 9 to 13 for selectively taking over articles (10) from imbricated streams with different article orientations.
16. Use of two devices in accordance with one of claims 1 to 13 for establishing conveying streams, in which articles (10) with alternating article orientations are conveyed.
17. Use of a device according to one of claims 1 to 13 for transferring articles (10) to L-shaped supports (40) in a combing manner.

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