EP1629992B1 - Method for stapling printed products and stapling machine - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a method for stapling printed products with a stapling machine, which has at least one stapling head formed from driver and bender, which runs during stapling each with a conveyed in a saddle stitcher printed product.

The stapling of printed products with wire staples has long been known in saddle stitchers. In this case, for example, brochures are composed of several folded sheets and stapled with a stapler .. The transport is usually carried out with a gathering chain, which has drivers at equal intervals on which the folded sheets are collected. With the collecting chain, the collected folded sheets are conveyed to the stapler. Stapling takes place at standstill or during the transport of the printed products.

A method and a stapler of the type mentioned are for example from the EP 0 958 942 A the applicant known become. This has two stapling heads, which are moved by a crank mechanism. The two stitching heads are mounted on a stapling head carriage which moves along with the printed product to be stapled. If a printed product is to be stapled with three staples, then three and four stapling heads are required for four staples.

Another stapler is from the EP 1 153 764 A known.

The pre-published DE 43 06 744 A1 teaches a Bogensortiervorrichtung, which is able to push successively in the vertical direction a number of sheet sets receiving trays between positions above and below an arc entry point during the Bogensortiervorgängen to ver. A stapler can be horizontally moved from a rest position to an operative position to staple the sheet sets of a tray to the side edge, respectively.

The inventor has set himself the task to provide an alternative method with little effort on resources available.

The object is achieved in a generic method in that the stapling head is displaced after setting a first staple relative to this printed product and sets at least a second staple on this printed product.

In the method according to the invention, at least two staples are thus produced with the same stapling head on the same printed product set. The method makes it possible to staple multiple times with only one stapling head, for example brochures. The stapling head is not moved uniformly as usual with the printed product, but it is moved after setting a first staple along the printed product for setting at least a second staple. This allows stapling with significantly fewer components. The corresponding stapler can thus be produced more cheaply.

Another significant advantage is also seen in the fact that when changing over to another product, the staple distances can be adjusted more easily.

With only one stapling head, three or more staples can be placed on the same printed product, which allows for significant cost savings in manufacture and operation. In addition, an adaptation to another stapling, for example with different staple positions and a different number of staples, is much easier.

It is envisaged that the stapling head has a driver and a bender and that the driver and / or the bender are driven by a controllable motor. This allows a direct drive of benders and drivers and thus a much simpler structure. Unsteady and distant movements and expensive components can be avoided. It is also possible to make the machine stand less massive to dampen vibrations.

According to a further embodiment, the stapling head can be arranged on a stapling head carriage and this stapling head carriage can be driven by a controllable motor. The drive is preferably a direct and linear drive. It is carried out according to a development of the invention via a spindle. This allows a particularly advantageous control and in particular an even easier adjustment of the clip distances when converting to another printed product. A manual retooling is no longer required and, in principle, such an adjustment can be made without stopping the machine.

The linear drive with controllable motors enables a special further reduction of the moving components. Between torque generation and torque consumption are thus significantly fewer components. The movement due to inertia, elasticity and play is thereby little changed or falsified. A particularly high backlash and rigidity is achieved by a development of the invention by pre-tensioned ball screws and preloaded thrust bearings.

To optimize clip quality, it is advantageous if the driver speed when driving a staple is controlled independently of the cycle time of a stapling operation.

For this purpose, it proves to be advantageous if the driver speed is constant.

The invention also relates to a stapling machine which is suitable for carrying out said method.

The stapling machine according to the invention is defined in claim 9.

The stapling head has a driver and a bender, which are driven independently. The drive is preferably via controllable motors.

Preferably, the stapling head is mounted on a stapling head carriage, which is driven by a controllable motor. This allows a particularly simple structure. The movements can be done with much less mass. In addition, the machine stand can be made less massive, since less vibrations are to be damped. In particular, this results in more direct movements and more precise processes. With fewer errors, higher quality and especially higher stapling quality on the printed product can be ensured.

With a stapling head, more than two stitches are possible. The staple driving movement can be performed at a constant or variable speed.

• Die Anzahl der bewegten Teile kann wesentlicher vermindert werden.
• Mit einem Heftkopf können eine, zwei, drei und auch mehr Klammern gesetzt werden.
• Das Umstellen der Klammerabstände, der Positionen der Klammern und der Anzahl der Klammern ist wesentlich einfacher.
• Die Herstellungs- und Betriebskosten können gesenkt werden.

The main advantages of the stapling machine according to the invention are:

• The number of moving parts can be significantly reduced.
• With a stapling head, one, two, three and more staples can be set.
• Changing the staple distances, the positions of the staples and the number of staples is much easier.
• The manufacturing and operating costs can be reduced.

Further advantageous features emerge from the dependent claims, the following description and the drawings.

Fig. 1

schematisch eine Ansicht einer erfindungsgemässen Heftmaschine

Fig. 2

eine weitere schematische Ansicht der erfindungsgemässen Heftmaschine,

Fig. 3

eine Ansicht gemäss Figur 1, jedoch in detaillierterer Ausführung,

Fig. 4

eine Ansicht gemäss Figur 2, jedoch in detaillierterer Ausführung und

Fig. 5

schematisch ein möglicher Ablauf der Heftzyklen beim Heften von Druckprodukten mit jeweils zwei Klammern, wobei die Druckprodukte auf einer Sammelkette gefördert werden.

An embodiment of the invention will be explained in more detail with reference to the drawing. Show it:

Fig. 1

schematically a view of a stapling machine according to the invention

Fig. 2

a further schematic view of the inventive stapling machine,

Fig. 3

a view according to FIG. 1 but in more detail,

Fig. 4

a view according to FIG. 2 , but in more detail and

Fig. 5

schematically a possible sequence of stapling cycles when stapling printed products, each with two brackets, the printed products are conveyed on a gathering chain.

The FIG. 1 shows a stapling machine 1 according to the invention, with which printed products 2, 2 ', for example with two staples 5 and 6 are stapled. The stapling machine 1 is arranged on a saddle stitcher, of which in FIG. 1 only the gathering chain 28 is indicated in sections. On this gathering chain 28 to be stapled printed products 2 'in the direction of the arrows 23 and thus in FIG. 1 promoted from right to left. The printed products 2 'have an upper fold 2a and sit astride the gathering chain 28. These drivers 29 are arranged at equal intervals on the gathering chain 28. Instead of a gathering chain 28, another suitable conveying device is also conceivable here. The brackets 5 and 6 are preferably wire staples, which may be formed differently and which may also be, for example, eyelet clamps. In the FIG. 1 a stapled printed product 2 is stapled with two staples 5 and 6. The staples 5 and 6 are set at the fold 2a, wherein the staple positions may be different.

The stapling machine 1 has a frame 4, on which a Umbiegevorrichtung 12 is mounted, which has a stapling head 3 and a so-called clincher 18. The stapling head 3 is arranged above the gathering chain 28 and the bender 18 below it. Between the two there is a gap 35, so that the printed products to be stapled 2 'conveyed between them and can be stapled in this case. The stapling head 3, a wire 17 is supplied in a conventional manner, which is subtracted from a role, not shown here. From this wire 17, a corresponding piece is cut off and this is bent in a known manner with a bender 11 U-shaped. With a driver 10, this U-shaped piece is driven into the printed product 2 'to be stapled. The Umbieger 18 works here with the stapling head 3 together and has not shown here flaps, with which the clip is closed. These processes and suitable means for this are well known to the skilled person and need not be further explained here.

The stapling head 3 is attached to a stapling head carriage 14, which is mounted horizontally displaceably on a bearing plate 30. The bearing plate 30 has not shown here suitable guides and is attached to the machine frame 4. The horizontal movement of the stapling head carriage 14 in the directions of the double arrow 21 is carried out with a spindle S3, which is in particular a spindle, and which is rotated by a controllable motor M3 either in one or the other direction of the double arrow 22. The spindle S3 is preferably connected by a ball screw not shown here in detail with the stapling head carriage 14. This allows a precise and largely backlash-free movement of the stapling head carriage 14. In principle, such a linear movement of the stapling head carriage 14 could also take place with other suitable drive means. The motor M3 is controlled by a control device 27. It is preferably a rotation angle controlled motor or servomotor. The stapling head carriage 14 is thus driven directly and gearless. By changing the direction of rotation of the motor M3 can be changed according to the direction of movement of the stapling head carriage 14 and thus the stapling head 3.

For bending and driving the brackets 5 and 6, the driver 10 and the bender 11 are vertically moved in accordance with the directions of the double arrows 9. For this purpose, a driver plate 7 is provided for the driver 10 and a bender plate 8 is provided for the bender. These two plates 7 and 8 are vertically displaceable mounted on a bearing plate 13 which is fixed to the machine frame 4. The bearing plate 13 has not shown here suitable guide rails 36th

As the FIG. 3 shows, the driver plate 7 and the bender plate 8 each have a horizontally extending guide slot 15 and 16, respectively. The driver 10 and the bender 11 each have a roller, not shown here, or a sliding block, which engages in the guide slot 15 and 16, respectively. The guide slots 15 and 16 allow a corresponding limited horizontal displacement of the driver 10 and the bender 11.

The driver plate 7 is driven by a controllable motor M1 and can thereby be moved vertically up and down. The engagement also takes place here with a spindle S1, which is in particular a spindle and which is connected via a spindle bearing 31 substantially free of play with the driver plate 7. The motor M1 is also preferably a rotational angle controlled motor or a servomotor. It is also conceivable here but another suitable linear drive.

For driving the bender plate 8, a further motor M2 is provided, which may be the same as the motor M1 formed and the bender plate 8 moves vertically with a spindle S2. The motors M1 and M2 are also controlled by the control device 27. The directions of rotation of the spindles S1 and S2 are in FIG. 1 indicated by the double arrows 19 and 20 respectively.

The printed products 2 'to be stapled can have different thicknesses. The Umbiegevorrichtung 12 must be adapted to this thickness. It is provided that the stapling head 3 is manually or motor (selective binding) attached to the stapling head carriage height adjustable. When converting to a thicker product of the stapling head 3 is moved accordingly upwards, when switching to a thinner product down accordingly. This adaptation is relatively simple and is possible by the aforementioned linear drives. So far, the Umbieger and the collecting chain were adjusted in height for a thickness adjustment.

The Umbieger 18 is when stapling below the fold to be stapled 2a and closes a set bracket 5 and 6 by bending the downwardly projecting and not shown here arms. The Umbieger 18 is according to FIG. 3 attached to a Umbiegerschlitten 32 which is mounted horizontally displaceable on a bearing plate 33. For this purpose, the bearing plate 33 according FIG. 3 two guide rails 34. Such guide rails are also provided in the bearing plate 30 for the stapling head carriage 14. The drive of the Umbiegerschlittens 32 also takes place with a controllable motor M4 and a spindle S4. The spindle S4 can with the motor M4 according to FIG. 2 be rotated in the directions of the double arrow 25. The motor M4 is also connected to the controller 27. By changing the direction of rotation of the motor M4, the clincher carriage 32 can move in FIG. 1 limited in the directions of the double arrow 24 are moved to the left and right. The movements of the stapling head carriage 14 and the Umbiegeschlittens 32 are coordinated. The movements take place synchronously, so that the Umbieger 18 is always in the stapling position with respect to the stapling head 3 and the stapling head 3 and the clincher 18 cooperate in forming a staple 5, 6.

The stapling head carriage 14 and the Umbiegeschlitten 32 for the clincher 18 are preferably driven independently. It is also conceivable, however, an embodiment in which only a carriage is provided on which both the stapling head 3 and the clincher 18 are mounted. Accordingly, then the stapling head 3 and the clincher 18 could be driven with a single motor and a single spindle. The motors M1 to M4 and the spindles S1 to S4 can basically be of the same design, but the motors M1 and M2 and the spindles S1 and S2 are preferably smaller than the motors M3 and M4 and the spindles S3 and S4.

The stapling method is explained in more detail below:

The FIG. 5 schematically shows the sequence of a stapling process, wherein three printed products 2, 2 'and 2''successively stapled each with two brackets 5, 6 and 5', 6 'and 5 "and 6". The stapling takes place at an upper fold 2a, 2a 'or 2a ". The printed products 2, 2 'and 2''are in the FIG. 5 and promoted by the gathering chain 28 according to the arrows 26 from right to left. The distances are determined by the driver 29, which are attached to the gathering chain 28. In order to staple the printed products 2, 2 'and 2 ", three cycles Z1, Z2 and Z3 are provided, which are shown schematically with a line L. These cycles Z1, Z2 and Z3 take place at the same stapling head 3. In the FIG. 5 These are the cycles Z1, Z2 and Z3 arranged side by side for illustrative reasons.

In cycle Z1, the two brackets 5 and 6 are set with the same stapling head 3. Instead of two brackets 5 and 6, it is also possible to set only one bracket or more than two brackets.

In the following table, by way of example, the corner points of the tracks of the driver 10 and bender 11 when stapling a printed product 2 with two brackets 5, 6 are indicated. Point X coordinate YB coordinate YT coordinate comment A 0 28 38 begin B -19.6 9.7 22.7 C -68.5 0 0 1st bracket D -88 14.5 19.5 e -68.5 28 38 F -67.7 28 38 G -46.9 28 38 H -66.5 9.7 22.7 I -115.3 0 0 2nd bracket K -134.9 14.5 19.5 L -115.3 28 38 A 0 28 38 The End

The mentioned vertices form Stützpunke and lead to closed tracks, which allow the required motion control. The stapling head carriage 14 and the folding carriage 32 become in the horizontal direction (X) and the driver plate 7 and the bender plate 8 (YB, YT) guided according to the above table as a function of time.

The cycle time, i. the time required to complete the points A-L indicated in the table may be made variable due to the drives provided. Small cycle times result in correspondingly fast movements and greater product throughput performance. For slow and fast cycles, the same points and positions are approached vertically. Horizontally, the trajectory lengthens according to the higher speeds. This is a difference to the previous curve control, in which for different speeds always the same space curve is driven with driver and bender.

A stapling cycle for setting the two staples 5 and 6 is carried out as already mentioned with the same stapling head 3 and the same Umbieger 18. The two brackets 5 and 6 of the printed product 2 are thus set with the same stapling head 3. The sequence may be referred to as a "pilgrim step", since the movement of the stapling head 3 between the setting of the first staple 5 and the second staple 6 is opposite to the movement of the printed product 2. There is thus periodically a movement in the opposite direction to the conveying direction. During stapling, the stapling head 3 must be in synchronism with the printed product 2. This creates a flow with forward and backward movements. One cycle comprises a first step in which the stapling head 3 is accelerated to the conveying speed of the printed product 2. If the stapling head 3 has reached the appropriate speed, the first staple 5 is set. In a third step, the Speed delayed to 0. In a fourth step, the stapling head 3 is accelerated again until it has reached the speed of the printed product 2. Subsequently, the setting and bending over of the second clip 6 takes place. The printed product 2 now leaves the stapling machine 1 and is fed, for example, to a trimmer (cutting machine), not shown here. The printed products 2 'and 2 "are sequentially stapled with the same procedures. The clincher 18 is moved synchronously with the stapling head 3.

In the embodiment according to the above-mentioned table, the X coordinate at which the staple needs to be set is -9.6 mm. At the beginning of the cycle, the stapling head carriage 14 is accelerated in the same direction as the printed product 2. At the same time, the driver plate 7 and the bender plate 8 are accelerated vertically downward. At position C, the two plates 7 and 8 have reached their lowest position and are braked to speed 0. Thus, the first bracket 5 is set. The stapling head carriage 14 also moves in the conveying direction of the gathering chain 28 even after the first staple 5 has been set. It is now decelerated to the point D. At the same time, the driver plate 7 and the bender plate 8 are accelerated upward and reach their maximum speed at the point D. They are then decelerated and reach the speed 0 at the point E. The stapling head carriage 14 simultaneously changes its speed and is accelerated counter to the conveying direction of the gathering chain 28. From point E to point G, only the stapling head carriage 14 moves, which then stops at G. From here now the stapling head carriage 14 and the driver plate 7 and the bender plate 8 again accelerated and the same process as explained above is repeated after the point A. In this process, the bracket 6 is set. The stapling head carriage 14 now moves back to a starting position at the stroke end on the right point A. As soon as the following printed product 2 'has again reached the corresponding position, this cycle is repeated. When printed product 2 '' then again the same cycle or process.

The mentioned method "pilgrim step" is only a preferred example. Also conceivable is a method in which the stapling head carriage 14 does not change the direction after setting the first clip 5, but is moved further in the conveying direction and finally sets the second clip 6. Subsequently, only the return movement takes place, which is correspondingly longer than in the above-mentioned method. However, it has been shown that with the above-mentioned method "pilgrim step" can be stapled faster and therefore higher performance is possible.

The distances between the brackets 5 and 6 as well as their positions on the printed product 2 can be changed steplessly by corresponding changes in the control of the motors M1 to M4. Such changes are possible simply by appropriate input of data and require no or no longer stoppage of the machine.

In the embodiment shown, only one stapling head 3 is arranged on the stapling head carriage 14. In principle, a design with more than one stapling head 3 on the stapling head carriage 14 is also conceivable. It is also conceivable execution with two stapling head carriages 14. With two stapling head carriages 14, these can be moved in opposite directions in the so-called boxer principle in a manner known per se. Finally, it is conceivable that the above-mentioned stapling head 3 is replaced by another stapling device, in which the forming and pressing of the wire takes place in other ways.

Claims (18)

1. Method for stapling printed products (2, 2', 2") with a stapling machine (1), which has at least one stapling head (3) formed by a pushing device (10) and a bending device (11), which when stapling runs with a printed product (2, 2', 2") conveyed in a gathererer stapler, characterised in that after applying a first staple (5) the stapling head (3) is moved in relation to this printed product (2, 2', 2") and applies at least a second staple (6) to this printed product (2, 2', 2").
2. Method according to claim 1, characterised in that when stapling a printed product (2) the stapling head (3) carries out a stapling cycle (Z), in which after applying the first staple (5) it is moved contrary to the conveying direction (26) of the printed product (2) for applying the second staple (6).
3. Method according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that when applying the staples (5, 6) the stapling head (3) is moved in the conveying direction (26) of the printed product (2) and then is moved back in the opposite direction of the conveying direction (26) of the printed products (2).
4. Method according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterised in that when pushing in a staple (5, 6) the speed of the pushing , device is controlled independently of the cycle time of a stapling process.
5. Method according to claim 4, characterised in that when pushing in a staple (5, 6) the speed of the pushing device is constant.
6. Method according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterised in that the bending device (11), the pushing device (10), the stapling head carriage (14) and bending device carriage (32) may be driven in a linear way independently of each other.
7. Method according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterised in that, as seen in the conveying direction (26) of the printed products (2), the first staple (5) is applied at the front and the second staple (6) is applied at a distance from this first staple (5) further back on the printed product (2).
8. Method according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterised in that, as seen in the conveying direction (26), the first staple (5) is applied at the back and the second staple (6) is applied at a distance from the first staple (5) further forward on the printed product (2).
9. Stapling machine on a gathererer stapler, which has at least one stapling head (3) formed by a pushing device (10) and a bending device (11), which when stapling runs with a printed product (2, 2', 2") to be stapled, characterised in that the stapling head (3) is controlled by a control device (27) in such a way that after applying a first staple (5) it is moved in relation to this printed product (2, 2', 2") and applies at least a second staple (6) at a distance from the first staple (5).
10. Stapling machine according to claim 9, characterised in that it only has one stapling head (3).
11. Stapling machine according to claim 9 or 10, characterised in that the pushing device (10) and the bending device (11) of the stapling head (3) are each driven by a controllable motor (M1, M2) perpendicular to the conveying direction (26) of the printed products (2).
12. Stapling machine according to claim 11, characterised in that the pushing device (10) and the bending device (11) may each be driven directly in a linear way by means of a shaft (S1, S2).
13. Stapling machine according to one of claims 9 to 12, characterised in that the pushing device (10) and the bending device (11) are driven by a pushing device plate (7) or a bending device plate (8) and that the pushing device (10) and the bending device (11) each have a guiding slot (15, 16) for a horizontal movement of the pushing device (10) or the bending device (11).
14. Stapling machine according to one of claims 9 to 13, characterised in that the stapling head (3) is arranged on a stapling head carriage (14), which is housed so that it may be moved parallel to the conveying direction (26) of the printed products (2), and that the stapling head carriage (14) is drivingly connected directly to a controllable motor (M3).
15. Stapling machine according to one of claims 9 to 14, characterised in that a bending device (18) on a bending device carriage (32) is arranged underneath the stapling head (3) and that the bending device carriage (32) is driven by a controllable motor (M4) so that it can move in a linear way parallel to the conveying direction (26) of the printed products (2).
16. Stapling machine according to claim 14 or 15, characterised in that the stapling head carriage (14) and the bending device carriage (32) can be driven horizontally by means of a shaft (S3, S4).
17. Stapling machine according to one of claims 9 to 16, characterised in that the motors (M1 to Mn) may be controlled by a control device (27) independently of each other.
18. Stapling machine according to claim 17, characterised in that the controllable motors (M1 to Mn) each drive a shaft (S1 to S4).

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