EP1340704A2 - Method and device for changing a stream of suspendedly conveyed flat articles in a shingled stream with selectable arrangement of the articles - Google Patents

Abstract

The procedure for the conversion of a feed (1) of flat objects (8) into a shingle-form layered stream (2-5) entails selectively placing the objects on a supporting feed surface on a first (I) or on a second (II) depositing point and then additionally turning the objects on the first depositing point around the feed direction by 180 degrees. The objects are placed selectively on the depositing points with the held edges leading or trailing. The objects placed on the first depositing point are turned by a rotation of the laid layered stream around its own axis. Independent claims are included for a device to carry out the proposed procedure, and for a use for the procedure to produce layered stream sections or layered streams for a stack or cross-stack (6,7) for building in a stacking device.

Description

The invention lies in the area of general cargo conveyance and relates to a method and a device according to the preambles of the corresponding independent Claims. The method and device are used to convert a current flat objects, especially those that are held Printed products such as Newspapers, magazines or brochures in one Scale flow, the relative arrangement of the objects in the scale flow is selectable.

In mailroom technology in particular, it is known to print products such as newspapers, Magazines, brochures or intermediate products for printed products in succession to promote, each with a printed product from a gripper in an edge area is held and the edges held substantially transversely to the conveying direction are aligned (flow of products held on hold or gripper flow) or where the printed products overlap one another mostly loosely on a conveyor support lie on (scale flow). In both cases there are dense flows, in which the distances between the printed products (gripper distances or Scale distances) are significantly smaller than the areal extent of the printed products, so that with relatively low conveying speeds, large conveying capacities possible are.

The printed products or at least their held edges are in gripper flows exactly positioned and the objects are relatively easily accessible. Funding in various spatial locations is possible. Appropriate conveyors are relatively constant with constant product or gripper distances (e.g. rotating Conveyor with grippers arranged on it). Grab currents are particularly suitable for funding along complicated routes and for Processing of the printed products during the conveyance.

The printed products can be found in loosely conveyed scale flows move them slightly against each other, but they can also be easily aligned again their distances can be changed selectively and locally just as easily as long as the regularity of these distances is not too high be put. For grants with other than essentially horizontal grants Product orientations are corresponding holding devices (e.g. lateral clamping elements or conveyor belt pairs). A disadvantage of lying loose Scale flow is the limited accessibility to the printed products and the Fact that processing or conveying devices usually take place the shingled stream to be fed tight conditions with respect to the relative arrangement of the products.

• ausgezeichnete, längere Kante vorlaufend und obenliegend; Frontseite entweder oben oder unten (bzw. ausgezeichnete, kürzere Seite links oder rechts);
• ausgezeichnete, längere Kante vorlaufend und untenliegend; Frontseite entweder oben oder unten (bzw. ausgezeichnete, kürzere Seite links oder rechts);
• ausgezeichnete, längere Kante nachlaufend und obenliegend; Frontseite entweder oben oder unten (bzw. ausgezeichnete, kürzere Seite rechts oder links);
• ausgezeichnete, längere Kante nachlaufend und untenliegend; Frontseite entweder oben oder unten (bzw. ausgezeichnete, kürzere Seite rechts oder links).

Printed products are usually rectangular and often have an excellent longer edge (back edge, first fold or second fold) and an excellent shorter edge (first fold) or an excellent side (front). In shingled streams, the longer edges are generally oriented transversely and the shorter edges parallel to the conveying direction so that the printed products of one type (excellent edges and excellent side arranged in the same direction) can be arranged in eight different ways:

• excellent, longer edge leading and overhead; Front either above or below (or excellent, shorter side on the left or right);
• excellent, longer edge leading and below; Front either above or below (or excellent, shorter side on the left or right);
• excellent, longer edge trailing and overhead; Front either above or below (or excellent, shorter side on the right or left);
• excellent, longer edge trailing and below; Front either above or below (or excellent, shorter side on the right or left).

In shingled streams designed by manufacturing devices (e.g. rotation) the printed products are usually always arranged in the same way (e.g. longer fold edge leading and overhead, front side above). In contrast, require a wide variety of devices to which shingled streams are supplied Product arrangements, possibly even time-varying product arrangements. For example, stacking is only possible if the trailing ones Edges of the shingled stream supplied to the stack against the resulting stack are directed. This means for a stacking shaft to be fed from the side above a stream of shingles is necessary in which the trailing edges lie below are. If a cross stack is to be created in the stacking shaft mentioned, it must be fed in Scale flow in successive sections the excellent, longer edges alternately leading (above) and trailing (below) and the excellent pages are always at the top or always at the bottom or the excellent, shorter edges alternating left and right or alternating right and to the left.

The above-mentioned, shingled stream processing devices are, if appropriate Upstream power conversion devices, one for the downstream Device suitable arrangement of the objects in the shingled stream to be supplied create. Should multiple shingled stream processors from the same shingled stream Devices are powered or changed by a scale stream processor Device required arrangement from time to time, must the power conversion device has and must have different conversion modes be switchable from one conversion mode to another.

Current conversion devices with two conversion modes are described, for example in publications EP-1157953 (or US-2001 0048190), US-6139252, WO-02/14194 or EP-1277685.

The object of the invention is now a method and a device for To create current conversion, the flat objects as a gripper current (one after the other, objects conveyed individually held on one edge, the held Edges are oriented essentially transversely to the conveying direction) be and where this gripper stream optionally in a shingled stream with a of at least two, advantageously four selectable object arrangements is converted in such a way that with the shingled stream arising from the current conversion or with the scale flow sections resulting from the current conversion for example in a stacking device, cross-stacking or alternatively in one or other of two stacking devices with opposite stacking directions Stack or cross stack can be created. Method and device according to In particular, the invention is intended to be very simple and to switch easily allow one mode of conversion to another.

This object is achieved by the method and the device as described in the Patent claims are defined.

In the method according to the invention, the flat objects on the upper, in essentially transversely to the conveying direction edges held by a first and promoted by a second storage location and either at the first or at released and closed the second storage location by deactivating (opening) the gripper stored in a stream of shingles (two conversion modes). The first Storage location of objects that have been or are to be deposited after they have been deposited (i.e. in the shingled stream) or before laying down (i.e. in the gripper stream) rotated by 180 °, the stream of shingles or grabs about its own axis is rotated. Before the gripper is deactivated, the lower ones are not held Edges of the conveyed objects compared to the upper held edges delayed or accelerated. This positioning is also for four conversion modes selectable for filing so that the edges held in the feeder are created Scale flow either leading or trailing (overhead in both cases) are. Of course, between the supply and the filing Changes in direction and / or further rotations of the products are provided.

The device according to the invention has a feed means with grippers and Conveyor means with a conveyor pad. At least in the first and the the second storage location, the feed means and the away means are arranged in such a way that the grippers and the conveyor support move in the same direction and the Grippers are arranged above the conveyor support. To turn the in the first storage area dropped or dropped items is a means of rotating the discarded stream of shed (e.g. twisted pair of conveyor belts) or an agent for rotating a gripper stream (e.g. feed or auxiliary conveyors with Grippers that have a twisted conveying path or perpendicular to the conveying direction has swiveling or rotatable grippers).

Figur 1

ein Schema des erfindungsgemässen Verfahrens;

Figuren 2 und 3

eine bevorzugte Ausführungsform einer einstellbare Ablagestelle zur Anwendung in der erfindungsgemässen Vorrichtung eingestellt für eine Ablage mit nachlaufenden, gehaltenen Kanten (Figur 2) und eingestellt für eine Ablage mit vorlaufenden, gehaltenen Kanten (Figur 3);

Figur 4

eine beispielhafte Ausführungsform der erfindungsgemässen Vorrichtung mit einer verwundenen Förderauflage zum Drehen der an der ersten Ablagestelle abgelegten Gegenstände;

Figuren 5 bis 7

drei beispielhafte Ausführungsformen der erfindungsgemässen Vorrichtung mit einem Zufördermittel oder Hilfsfördermittel mit Greifern zum Drehen der an der ersten Ablagestelle abzulegenden Gegenstände.

The method according to the invention and exemplary embodiments of the device according to the invention are described in more detail with reference to the following figures. Show:

Figure 1

a scheme of the inventive method;

Figures 2 and 3

a preferred embodiment of an adjustable storage location for use in the inventive device set for a storage with trailing, held edges (Figure 2) and set for a storage with leading, held edges (Figure 3);

Figure 4

an exemplary embodiment of the device according to the invention with a twisted conveyor support for rotating the objects deposited at the first storage location;

Figures 5 to 7

three exemplary embodiments of the device according to the invention with a feed or auxiliary conveyor with grippers for rotating the objects to be deposited at the first storage location.

FIG. 1 shows a diagram of the method according to the invention for the optional conversion of a feed stream 1 (gripper stream) to one of four scale streams 2, 3, 4 and 5, which can be used, for example, for the optional creation of stacks 6 and 7 in mutually opposite stack directions, the created stacks are either cross stacks or stacks with objects in the same direction.

The flat objects 8 shown in FIG. 1 are folded, for example or bound printed products whose longer edge F is due to the fold or Back is distinguished and one side, for example, as the front side FS is. These printed products are vertical in the diagram with one viewing direction to the conveying directions (arrows) and essentially parallel to the excellent ones Edges F shown.

• Im Schuppenstrom 2 sind die Falzkanten F vorlaufend und obenliegend, die Frontseiten FS sind gegen oben gerichtet. Dieser Schuppenstrom wird erzeugt, indem die Druckprodukte an der zweiten Ablagestelle II mit vorlaufenden Falzkanten F abgelegt werden (Wandlungsmodus A).
• Im Schuppenstrom 3 sind die Falzkanten F nachlaufend und untenliegend, die Frontseiten FS sind gegen oben gerichtet. Dieser Schuppenstrom wird erzeugt, indem die Druckprodukte an der ersten Ablagestelle I mit nachlaufenden (gegen oben gerichteten) Falzkanten F abgelegt und dann der abgelegte Schuppenstrom um seine eigene Achse gedreht wird (Wandlungsmodus B) oder indem der Greiferstrom oder ein durch Übergabe an ein Hilfsfördermittel erstellter, weiterer Greiferstrom um seine eigene Achse gedreht und dann die Druckprodukte in der ersten Ablagestelle mit nachlaufenden (gegen unten gerichteten) Falzkanten F abgelegt werden (Wandlungsmodus B').
• Im Schuppenstrom 4 sind die Falzkanten F nachlaufend und obenliegend, die Frontseiten FS sind gegen unten gerichtet. Dieser Schuppenstrom wird erzeugt, indem die Druckprodukte an der zweiten Ablagestelle II mit nachlaufenden Falzkanten abgelegt werden (Wandlungsmodus C).
• Im Schuppenstrom 5 sind die Falzkanten F nachlaufend und obenliegend, die Frontseiten FS sind gegen unten gerichtet. Dieser Schuppenstrom wird erzeugt, indem die Druckprodukte an der ersten Ablagestelle I mit vorlaufenden (gegen oben gerichteten) Falzkanten F abgelegt und dann der Schuppenstrom um seine eigene Achse gedreht wird (Wandlungsmodus D) oder indem der Greiferstrom oder ein durch Übergabe erstellter, weiterer Greiferstrom um seine eigene Achse gedreht und dann die Druckprodukte in der ersten Ablagestelle I mit vorlaufenden (gegen unten gerichteten) Falzkanten F abgelegt werden (Wandlungsmodus D').

In the feed stream 1 shown, the printed products 8 are held on the fold edges F and these fold edges are directed upwards. For example, the front faces are directed towards the rear. Of course, the method according to the invention can be carried out exactly the same if the marked edges and sides of the printed products fed are arranged differently than shown. The four scale streams 2, 3, 4 or 5 can optionally be generated from the feed stream 1 shown:

• In the shingled stream 2, the folded edges F are leading and overhead, the front sides FS are directed upwards. This imbricated flow is generated by depositing the printed products at the second storage location II with leading folding edges F (conversion mode A).
• In the shingled stream 3, the folded edges F are trailing and lying at the bottom, the front sides FS are directed towards the top. This shingled stream is generated by depositing the printed products at the first depositing point I with trailing (against the top) folding edges F and then rotating the shed shingled stream about its own axis (conversion mode B) or by the gripper stream or one created by transfer to an auxiliary conveyor , further gripper stream is rotated about its own axis and then the printed products are deposited in the first storage position with trailing (against the bottom) folding edges F (conversion mode B ').
• In the shingled stream 4, the folded edges F are trailing and overhead, the front sides FS are directed towards the bottom. This shingled stream is generated by the printed products being deposited at the second storage location II with trailing fold edges (conversion mode C).
• In the shingled stream 5, the folded edges F are trailing and overhead, the front sides FS are directed towards the bottom. This shingled stream is generated by depositing the printed products at the first storage location I with leading (towards the top) folded edges F and then rotating the shingled stream about its own axis (conversion mode D) or by changing the gripper stream or a further gripper stream created by transfer its own axis rotated and then the printed products are deposited in the first depositing point I with leading (towards the bottom) folded edges F (conversion mode D ').

The scale streams 2 and 3 or scale stream sections with the product arrangements as in scale streams 2 and 3, for example, for stacking deflected by 90 ° and then in one of the conveying directions of the current conversion are stacked in substantially opposite stacking direction, stack 6 arise in which the front pages, regardless of whether they are cross stacks or not FS lie in the stacking direction at the back. Scale streams 4 and 5 or scale stream sections with the product arrangements as in the scale streams 4 and 5 can be deflected by 90 ° for a stack and then in one with the conveying direction of the current conversion is essentially the same direction as the stack are stacked, whereby stack 7 arise, in which regardless of whether whether they are cross stacks or not, the front sides FS are at the back in the stacking direction. The stacks 6 and 7 are thus seen in the stack direction with respect to the orientation of the Print products the same.

The current conversion device is periodic for the production of cross stacks 6 to switch from conversion mode A to conversion mode B or B 'and vice versa, that is, it is between depositing at depository I and at Storage location II alternated, nothing being changed at the storage locations or the storage locations cannot be designed to be adjustable. The same applies to cross stacks 7 (switching from conversion mode C to conversion mode D or D 'or vice versa). Is switched from a production of stacks 6 to 7 (Switching from conversion modes A and B or B 'to conversion modes C and D or D 'or vice versa), the storage locations I and II are switched, that is, from a shelf with leading, held edges on a shelf with trailing, held edges or vice versa. The circuit between different So conversion modes is obviously very simple.

It can also be seen from FIG. 1 that changes in conveying direction or further rotations between feed and storage the stream 2 to 5 different can be oriented as shown in Figure 1 and in the sections above is described. However, this changes the simple switchability between two or four different conversion modes are not.

Figures 2 and 3 show schematically an advantageous embodiment of a storage area. It can be the first depositing point I, regardless of whether it is deposited before or after the rotation (conversion modes B, D, B ', D'), or the second depositing point II (conversion modes A and C). In FIG. 2, the storage location is set for a storage with trailing, held edges, in FIG. 3 for a storage with leading, held edges. A conveyor 10 or auxiliary conveyor 10 'with grippers 11 (or 11') and a conveyor 12 with a conveyor support 13 are shown very schematically, the grippers 11 and the conveyor support 13 being driven in the same direction and the grippers 11 moving from above against the conveyor support 13 move. Deactivation means 15 are arranged in the storage location, with which the grippers 11 can be selectively deactivated, that is to say brought into a configuration releasing the object being held, for example opened.

The speed of the gripper 11 and the conveyor support 13 through the storage locations are advantageously the same, the conveyor support 13 can also something move faster. If the flat objects or printed products 8 in this If the feed is unimpeded, the unwelded edges will appear as soon as they are with the conveyor support 13 come into contact, accelerates with respect to the held edges, so that the objects come into an inclined position and with trailing, held edges are stored. If before the point at which the gripper be opened, an obstacle 14 between conveyor support 13 and grippers 11 in the Gripper current is inserted, the unhealthy edges of the objects 8 are pulled over this obstacle 14, making them opposed to the held Edges are delayed so that the objects with leading, held Edges are filed.

For switching the storage location shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 from one Tray with trailing, held edges on a tray with leading, held Edges, therefore, only the obstacle 14 has to be introduced into the gripper stream. To reverse the circuit, remove the obstacle 14 from the gripper current.

FIG. 4 shows in a very schematic manner an exemplary embodiment of a current conversion device according to the invention, with which a feed stream 1, which is fed by a feed means 10 with grippers 11, is converted into a shingled stream with a selectable arrangement of objects, the shed stream being conveyed away on a conveying support 13 , It is an embodiment with the conversion modes A, B, C and D. The modes C are shown in storage area II and D in storage area I. The conveying means 12 has a rotating area 21 between the first storage area I and the second storage area II. in which the scale stream deposited in the first depositing point I is rotated by 180 ° about its own axis. The rotating area 21 is realized, for example, in a manner known per se by a pair of conveyor belts twisted by 180 ° (not shown), the objects essentially running from the lower belt before twisting to the lower belt after twisting.

The two storage locations I and II are designed and switchable for four conversion modes, as shown in Figures 2 and 3. The feed means 10 has a rotating conveyor (only part of it shown) and arranged on it Gripper 11. The funding body is guided in such a way that it is at the two storage locations I and II lowered against the support pad 13 of the away conveyor 12.

For the embodiment of the current conversion device according to the invention shown in FIG. 4 it is advantageous if, as shown, the first storage location I arranged in the conveying direction of the conveyor 12 in front of the second storage location II is. Otherwise, the turned objects would have to be in a possibly switchable scale flow merging on the conveyor pad 13 of the away conveyor are passed, which make the device significantly more complicated would.

Figures 5 to 7 show three further exemplary embodiments of the inventive Power conversion device. They are embodiments with the conversion modes A, B ', C and D'. Are shown in Figures 5 and 7 the modes A (II) and B '(I), in FIG. 6 the modes C (II) and D' (I). These devices have an auxiliary conveyor 10 'with further grippers 11' which the Objects at a transfer point 22 from the conveyor 10 to the held Take over edges opposite edges as a further grab stream. The further gripper flow (FIGS. 5 and 6) created in this way or the supplied one Gripper current (Figure 7) is in a rotating range 21 by 180 ° around its own axis rotated and placed in the first storage location I, while the other gripper stream is deposited at storage location II.

The device according to FIG. 5 has a separate auxiliary conveyor 10 ', the one revolving conveyor (only part of it shown) with grippers 11 ', while in the device according to FIG. 6 the feed means 10 is looped in this way is that an area of it that is not needed for the supply, the Function of the auxiliary conveyor 10 'can take over. The auxiliary funding 10 'according to Figure 7 is either a separate conveyor or an area of the conveyor 10th

The rotation of the conveyed by the conveying means 10 or by the auxiliary conveying means 10 ' further gripper current in front of the first depositing point I (turning range 21) is in realized in a known manner by twisting the conveyor by 180 ° or by pivoting or rotating the grippers 11 'perpendicular to the conveying direction 180 °.

According to the embodiment shown in FIG. 7, the first Storage location I turned objects to be deposited in the gripper stream without transfer, while the objects to be put down at the second depositing point II reach the grippers 11 'of the auxiliary conveyor 10' are transferred. Both gripper currents are then in a direction opposite to the feed direction, which also the The conveying direction of the conveyor 12 is deflected and only then deposited.

It can be seen from FIGS. 5 to 7 that for these embodiments the Current conversion device the first storage location I in the conveying direction the conveyor support 13 can also be arranged further downstream than that second storage location II, without making the device much more complicated makes.

Claims (15)

Method for converting a feed stream (1) from flat objects (8) to a scale stream (2, 3, 4, 5) with a selectable arrangement of objects, the flat objects being conveyed individually in the feed stream (1) each held on an upward-facing edge are and the conveying direction is oriented essentially transversely to the held edges and the flat objects (8) from the held conveyance with leading or trailing, held edges are deposited as a stream of scales on a conveyor support (13), characterized in that the objects are optional are placed on the conveyor support (13) at a first depositing point (I) or at a second depositing point (II), and that the objects to be deposited or deposited at the first depositing point (I) are additionally rotated by 180 ° around the conveying direction. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the objects (8) are deposited at the storage locations (I, II) optionally with leading or trailing, held edges Method according to Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the objects (8) deposited at the first depositing point (I) are rotated about its axis by rotating the deposited stream of flakes. A method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the objects (8) to be deposited at the first depositing point (I) are rotated about its axis by rotating the feed stream (1) or a further gripper stream created by a transfer. Method according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the first depositing point (I) is arranged in the conveying direction of the conveying support (13) before the second depositing point (II). Method according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the objects (8) in front of the depositing points (I, II) are conveyed from above against the conveying support (13). A method according to claim 6, characterized in that the conveyor support (13) at least in the storage locations (I, II) has substantially the same speed as the grippers (11, 11 '), so that the objects (8) with trailing, held Edges are placed, and that an obstacle (14) is introduced for a placement with leading, held edges between the grippers (11, 11 ') and the conveyor support (13). Device for converting a supply flow (1) of flat objects (8) into a scale flow (2, 3, 4, 5) with a selectable arrangement of objects, which device comprises a feed means (10) with grippers (11) for each one essentially Transversely to the conveying direction and towards the upwardly directed edge, the supply of the flat objects (8) and a conveying means (12) with a conveying support (13) for conveying away the shingled stream (2, 3, 4, 5), characterized in that in one first and a second storage location (I, II) the conveyor support (13) is arranged below the grippers (11, 11 ') and is driven in the same direction, means (15) for optionally deactivating the grippers (11, 11') and means for Moving the lower edges of the objects (8) held by the grippers (11, 11 ') are arranged in a position leading or trailing relative to the held edges, and that before or after the first Storage location (I) a means for rotating the objects to be deposited or deposited at the first storage location (I) by 180 ° around the conveying direction is provided. Apparatus according to claim 8, characterized in that the means for moving the lower edges are adjustable for an optional shift. Apparatus according to claim 8 or 9, characterized in that the means for rotating is arranged after the first storage location (I) and that it has an arrangement of twisted conveyor belts. Apparatus according to claim 8 or 9, characterized in that the means for rotating is arranged in front of the first depositing point (I) and that the apparatus further comprises an auxiliary conveyor (10 ') with further grippers (11'), the auxiliary conveyor (10 ' ) is designed and arranged in such a way that it takes over the objects from the feed means (10) at the edge opposite the edge held by the grippers (11) of the feed means (10) and at the second storage location (II) on the conveyor support (13) place the conveyor (12) or turn it through 180 ° and place it in the first storage area (I) on the conveyor support (13) of the conveyor (12). Apparatus according to claim 11, characterized in that the feed means (10) or the auxiliary conveying means (10 ') for the rotation has a twisted conveying path or the further grippers (11') can be pivoted or rotated transversely to the conveying direction. Device according to one of claims 11 or 12, characterized in that the auxiliary conveying means (10 ') has a rotating conveying member or that the conveying means (10) has a looped course, in such a way that a region thereof assume the function of the auxiliary conveying means (10') can. Device according to one of claims 8 to 13, characterized in that the means for selectively shifting the lower edges of the objects (8) guided by the grippers (11, 11 ') into the first or the second depositing point (I, II) is an obstacle (14), which is optionally introduced between the conveyor support (13) and grippers (11, 11 '). Use of the method according to one of claims 1 to 7 or the device according to one of claims 8 to 14 for creating scale flow sections or streams of shingles to be created in a stacking device or alternatively in one of two stacking devices with opposite ones Pile directions to create piles or cross piles (6, 7).

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