EP1633667B1 - Device and method for successively collecting transported flat objects - Google Patents

Abstract

The collecting device for sheets (1) includes a stop device (3) with at least one stop element to stop and release a given number of sheets, in the form of a rotary body (10) driven by a motor, and having a recess (11) to stop the front edge of the sheets in a rest position of the rotary body and divert it as the body rotates. The body has at least one allocated transporting element (15) to transport the sheets as the body turns.

Description

The invention relates to a device and a method for collecting successively supplied flat objects, in particular sheets, according to the preamble of claim 1 or 13.

Collection devices of the type mentioned in the introduction are described e.g. used in paper handling equipment for the assembly of successively supplied sheets to desired sheet groups or stacks of sheets. In doing so, the e.g. provided by a cutting device and / or a sheet feeding device and then subsequently individually, scaled or pre-picked further transported sheets assembled into a stack of sheets, which then for further processing to a subsequent processing station such. a folding device, an inserter or the like. Can be transported.

From EP 0 528 493 B1, a generic device for collecting a number of sheets fed in a row into stacks is known. There, the successively fed single sheets are transported between an upper and lower endless conveyor belt to a stop. This consists of a stop gate, which can be pivoted between an upper pivot position, in which the leaves are decelerated at the stop gate and assembled into a stack, and a lower pivot position for releasing the stack formed. In such a collecting device, however, a collected group of leaves must first be transported past completely on the stop gate pivoted downwards before it can be pivoted upwards again for collecting the next group of leaves. Therefore, a relatively large gap must be provided between the last sheet of a preceding group of leaves and the first leaf of a subsequent group of leaves in order to ensure the proper removal of the collected group of leaves. Since the conveyors arranged in the transport direction in front of a collecting device usually allow significantly higher conveying speeds than the collecting device, suitable measures must be provided to the sheet feed to the collecting unit be able to interrupt or delay accordingly. However, this is associated with a considerable drive and control effort. In addition, the throughput of a paper handling system and thus their clock performance is limited by such a collection device.

EP 0 455 494 B1 discloses a device for collecting sheets, which has two stacked separate gathering units for improving the throughput. Each of the two gathering units contains upper and lower endless conveyor belts guided by deflection rollers, between which a collection station is formed to produce a desired stack of sheets. For collecting a gathering unit sequentially fed sheets are arranged on the respective drive shafts of the rear pulleys in the transport direction opposite bearing rollers, which can be stopped to form a stack of sheets and released for the removal of the collected stack of sheets for rotation again. Between a sheet feeder and the two collating units arranged one above another, a deflection device is provided, by means of which the sheets fed to the collecting device can be guided either into the upper or the lower collating unit. As a result, too long stopping of the sheet feeder during normal operation can be avoided. However, even in this known collecting device, a gap must be created between the last sheet of a preceding group and the first sheet of a subsequent group, so that the deflection device can pivot. In addition, the structural complexity and the space required are increased by the double-storey design of the gathering unit.

US-A-3,785,256 relates to a device by means of which the sheets provided by a paper cutter are counted and, upon reaching a predetermined number of sheets, a correspondingly formed stack is dispensed together. For this purpose, the device comprises as a main element a groove provided with a cam, through which a stopper is formed, at which the paper to be collected comes to a standstill. Once a predetermined number of sheets are contained in the stack, complete rotation of the cam is effected via a corresponding sensor so that it returns to its stationary collection position so that a new stack can already be collected before the already completed stack is complete is removed from the collection station. The functionality of the cam is such that a recess is formed in the circumference of the cam. The recess is formed such that in the sheet inlet direction, a portion is formed, which corresponds to about% of the chord of the corresponding segment, and which is aligned with the sheet entry plane. A rotation of the cam causes the front edge of the stack to be raised in such a way that it can overcome the stop and can be moved in the direction of the delivery rollers by a joint action of the cam and a transport roller.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved apparatus and method for collecting flat articles that enable processing of ascending or descending shingled groups of leaves.

This object is achieved by a device according to claim 1 and a method according to claim 13.

An essential advantage of the invention is that with the collection of the next group even without formation of a gap-can already be started during the removal of the previous flax material group. As a result of the rotation of the rotary body, not only the desired number of collected sheets can be deflected out of the feed plane for rapid removal, but at the same time a new receptacle for the objects of the next group can be moved into a collecting position. The rotation of the rotary body can be controlled by a suitable positioning drive in response to a sensor which detects a last item of a group to be collected. Once the respective group end is reached, the rotational body forming the stop element is rotated by a certain angle. As a result, on the one hand, the leading edge of the finished stack is moved into a removal unit and, on the other hand, an empty receptacle is rotated for delivery. This principle makes it possible to start picking up the items for the next batch during the removal of a finished stack. This allows a high throughput with very short cycle times. Since a new recording for collecting the next group is relatively quickly still available during the removal of the previous group, no gap between the last sheet of the previous and the first sheet of a following group is required. A certain distance between the two leading edges of successive sheets is sufficient to ensure the proper transport or separation.

According to the invention, the stop device is designed such that the rotational body is rotatable in both directions of rotation and can selectively deflect the flat objects up or down. This allows the collection and further transport of ascending and descending scaly objects. If, for example, the objects supplied to the collecting device are scaly in ascending order, ie the leading edge of a following object lies on the previous sheet, the rotating body can be rotated counterclockwise in the opposite direction. On the other hand, if the objects supplied to the collecting device are scalyly scaly, ie the leading edge of the following object lies below the previous object, then the rotating body can be rotated in a clockwise direction. This allows a simple and easy adaptation to the optional collection from above or below.

The rotational body can have one or more circumferentially distributed receptacles or collection compartments for the leading edges of the objects to be collected. With only one shot, the rotating body must be rotated by 360 °, while in several shots a correspondingly lower rotation angle is sufficient to move the finished collected stack in a Abtransporteinheit and to rotate an empty recording in the feed plane.

Figur 1

eine schematische Darstellung einer Sammelvorrichtung mit einem ersten Ausführungsbeispiel einer Anschlageinrichtung in unterschiedlichen Stellungen;

Figur 2

ein zweites Ausführungsbeispiel einer Anschlageinrichtung in einer schematischen Seitenansicht;

Figur 3

ein drittes Ausführungsbeispiel einer Anschlageinrichtung in einer schematischen Perspektive;

Figur 4

eine schematische Seitenansicht der in Figur 3 gezeigte Anschlageinrichtung in einer Sammelstellung;

Figur 5

eine schematische Seitenansicht der in Figur 3 gezeigte Anschlageinrichtung beim Beginn eines Abtransports und

Figur 6

eine schematische Seitenansicht der in Figur 3 gezeigte Anschlageinrichtung am Ende eines Abtransports.

Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment with reference to the drawings. Show it:

FIG. 1

a schematic representation of a collecting device with a first embodiment of an anchor device in different positions;

FIG. 2

A second embodiment of an anchor device in a schematic side view;

FIG. 3

a third embodiment of an anchor device in a schematic perspective;

FIG. 4

a schematic side view of the stopper shown in Figure 3 in a collection position;

FIG. 5

a schematic side view of the stopper shown in Figure 3 at the beginning of a Abtransports and

FIG. 6

a schematic side view of the stopper shown in Figure 3 at the end of a Abtransports.

In Figure 1, the flow principle of a device according to the invention for collecting a certain number of consecutively supplied sheets 1 is shown to a desired stack of sheets. The collecting device schematically illustrated there in various positions includes a first conveyor 2 for transporting the successive sheets 1, a stop device 3 for the compilation of the delivered by the conveyor 2 Leaves to the desired stack of sheets and a second conveyor 4 for removal or further transport of the assembled sheet stack. In the illustrated embodiment, the sheets 1 of the stopper 3 are supplied superimposed scaly. This means that there is a certain distance between the two leading edges of two successive leaves 1. In this form, the sheets 1 can be provided, for example, by means of a merging device, also referred to as merger, which combines previously cut individual sheets arranged next to one another in the transport direction such that they are arranged one above the other with a slight offset in the transport direction. Such merging devices are known as such, so that their detailed description or illustration can be dispensed with.

The first and second conveyor 2 and 4 are executed in the embodiment shown as roller or roller conveyor with opposing and counter-rotating transport rollers or rollers 5a, 5b and 6a, 6b. Between the transport rollers or rollers 5a, 5b and 6a and 6b, a respective gap 7 or 8 is formed for the sheets 1 to be transported. The transport rollers or rollers 5a, 5b and 6a and 6b may consist of a flexible material with high friction in a manner known per se at least on its outer side. The conveyors 2 and 4 can also be designed as a belt conveyor or the like.

The stop device 3 shown in Figure 1 includes a transversely arranged to the transport direction and rotatable about a central axis 9 rotary body 10, the four evenly distributed in the circumferential direction and by webs 11 separate receptacles 12 for the front in the transport direction edges supplied by the conveyor 2 sheets. 1 contains. In the embodiment shown, the receptacles 12, which are designed in the form of an axially parallel groove, are offset in the circumferential direction of the rotary body 10 by 90 ° relative to each other. The rotatable by a drive, not shown, rotatable body 10 is arranged such that its central axis 9 is located in a running between the conveyors 2 and 4 transport plane 13. The rotary body 10 is rotatable so that in each case one of the groove-shaped receptacles 12 is located in the transport plane 13 in a rest position and is aligned with the sheets 1 delivered by the conveyor 2. By rotation of the rotary body 10 by 90 ° so the next groove-shaped receptacle 12 can be brought into a collection position. On the outside of the webs 11 are shown in Figure 1 only schematically indicated roles or Rollers 14 are mounted, which serve for pressing the deflected during the rotation of the rotating body 10 sheets 1 to a arranged below the rotating body 10 and motor-driven transport element 15. In the embodiment shown, the transport element 15 is designed as a transport roller or roller. These and / or the rollers or rollers 14 may consist of an elastic material with good friction properties at least on its outer side, so that during the rotation of the rotating body 10 downwardly deflected sheets transported between them as possible without slippage and not shown guides to the again in the transport plane 13 arranged second conveyor 4 are passed. However, the transport element 15 can also be designed as a belt conveyor or the like.

In the upper illustration of FIG. 1, the rotary body 10 is shown in a collecting position. One of the grooves 12 is directed to the conveyor 2 and arranged in the transport plane 13. In this receiving groove 12, the front edges of the sheets delivered by the conveyor 2 are braked, forming a desired sheet stack.

Once the last sheet 1 of a desired sheet stack has reached the receiving groove 12, the rotary body 10 may be replaced by a e.g. formed as a stepping motor positioning are rotated by 90 ° counterclockwise, as shown by the arrow 16 in the middle view of Figure 1. The collected stack of sheets is held within the receiving groove 12 and deflected out of the transport plane 13 down in the direction of transport element 15 formed as a transport roller or roller. Between the rollers or rollers 14 of the rotary body 10 and the driven transport roller or roller 15, the sheet stack formed is then removed.

As can be seen from the lower illustration of FIG. 1, a next receiving groove 12 of the rotating body 10 already arrives in a collecting position at the same time as the deflection of the completely collected sheet stack, so that the collecting of the sheets for the next sheet stack already begins during the removal of the previous sheet stack can be.

Figure 2 shows an enlarged schematic side view of another embodiment of a stop device, which is similar to the stop device of the collection device shown schematically in Figure 1 constructed. Also, this stop means includes a rotatable about a central axis 17 rotary body 18 which, in contrast to the embodiment of Figure 1 but five over the circumference of the rotating body 18 evenly distributed groove-shaped receptacles 19 for the front edges of the leaves. In this embodiment, the radial receptacles 19 are arranged offset in the circumferential direction by 72 ° to each other and have a widening outwardly cross-section. This can ensure that the supplied sheets safely reach the receptacles 19. At the located between the receptacles 19 webs 20 are movable in the radial direction and by a spring or the like. Outwardly biased rollers or rollers 21 for pressing the deflected upon rotation of the rotary body 18 leaves at two above and below the axis of rotation 17 in height staggered transport elements 22, 23 are provided. Also in this embodiment, the transport elements 22, 23 are designed as motor-driven transport rollers or rollers. These are arranged in such a way that in a collection position the two rollers 21 arranged above and below the rotation axis 17 abut against each other. In this embodiment, the rotary body 18 is further rotated by a suitable positioning by 72 ° for the removal of a certain number of sheets, in which case the stopped within a receptacle 19 sheets deflected by rotation of the rotary body 18 in the counterclockwise direction or up or down can be. The sheets which are deflected upwards or downwards are then initially transported further between the transport elements 22 and 23, which are at the front in the transport direction and subsequently, and the transport rollers or rollers 21. The leaves are guided by upper and lower guide plates 24 and 25. The transport elements 22 and 23 can be driven continuously, wherein the above the axis of rotation 17 arranged transport elements 22 are driven at a feed of the leaves in the direction of arrow 26 in the counterclockwise direction and arranged below the axis of rotation 17 transport elements 23 in a clockwise direction.

Even in this embodiment, already during the removal of a previous stack of sheets already a new sheet stack can be collected. Since the rotary body is rotatable in both directions of rotation and the blades can selectively deflect up or down, it is also possible to collect and transport further ascending and descending scaly leaves. When the sheets transported to the collecting device are, for example, scaly in ascending order according to FIG. 1, the rotary body can be rotated in the counterclockwise direction, whereas in the case of descending scaling it is rotated in the counterclockwise direction.

FIGS. 3 to 6 show a further exemplary embodiment of a stop device. In this embodiment, about a central axis 27 of motor rotatable rotary body 28 consists of a transverse to the transport direction roller having only a parallel to the axis of rotation extending groove-shaped receptacle 29 for the front edges of the delivery of a conveyor leaves. Also in this embodiment, the receptacle 29 has a widening to the outside cross-section. The rotary body 28 is associated with an upper transport element 30 and a lower transport element 31. The two transport elements 30 and 31 are designed as driven transport rollers with a lateral flattening 32 or 33 and an interrupted by this cylindrical outer surface 34 and 35. In this embodiment as well, the transport elements can consist of a resilient material with good friction properties at least on its outer side, so that a flexible gap for the removal of a different number of sheets can be formed between them and the rotary body 28. The drive of the transport elements 30 and 31 is matched to the rotation of the rotary body 28, that the cylindrical outer surface 34 and 35 comes into contact with the outer surface 36 only during rotation of the rotary body 28. The transport elements 30 and 31 are driven in a clocked manner, the synchronization with the rotary body 28 being e.g. can be achieved by a transmission. The rotary body 28 is also surrounded in this embodiment by an upper and lower guide plate 37 and 38 for limiting a transport path with a front inlet region and a rear outlet region. The upper guide plate 37 is omitted in Figure 3 for reasons of clarity. In the outlet region, opposite conveying rollers 39 and 40 are arranged, which form a downstream of the rotating body 28 conveyor 41 for the removal of the collected sheets.

The rotational positions of the rotary body 28 and the transport elements 30 and 31 are coordinated so that both in the collection position shown in Figure 4 Flats 32 and 33 are directed to the rotating body and there is no contact between the rotating body 28 and the transport elements 30 and 31.

As soon as the leading edge of the last sheet of a group to be collected reaches the receptacle 29, the rotary body 28 and the transport elements 30 and 31 are rotated in the direction of the arrows according to FIG. 5, the cylindrical outer surfaces 34 and 35 of the transport elements 30 and 31 coming into contact with the Outside surface 36 of the rotating body 28 pass. During almost the entire rotation of the rotary body 28 by 360 °, the outer surface 35 of the lower roller-shaped transport element 31 abuts on its outer surface 36, so that the intervening sheets are transported to the conveyor rollers 39 and 40 and taken over by these for further transport.

When the receptacle 29 of the rotary body 28 again reaches the collecting position after its 360 ° rotation, the flattenings 32 and 33 also return to their starting position, as shown in FIG. The receptacle 29 is then available for the next collection process again. Again, the rotary body 28 can be rotated for deflecting the leaves upwards also in a clockwise direction, in which case also the arrow directions of the transport elements 30 and 31 shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 are reversed.

Also in this embodiment ascending or descending scaly leaves can be collected without a gap to a desired stack and transported on.

The invention, which has been explained above in connection with scaled-fed single sheets, is not limited to this field of application. Thus, instead of shingled individual sheets and separate individual sheets, separate groups with several individual sheets, scaly groups or mixed groups / single sheets can be collected to a desired stack of sheets and transported. Articles are thus not only individual objects, but also already pre-collected groups with a plurality of superimposed individual objects, such as e.g. Leaf groups with several superimposed single sheets to understand. Instead of sheets, other flexible flat goods such as e.g. Customer cards, envelopes, sheet-shaped card carriers or the like. Are collected to a desired stack.

Claims (17)

1. A device for collecting flat objects (1), particularly sheets, fed successively in an intake plane,
   wherein the device includes a blocking means (3) containing at least one moveable blocking element for stopping and subsequently releasing a certain number of objects (1) fed,
   wherein the blocking element is a rotational body (10; 18; 28) rotatable by a motor around its middle axis (9; 17; 27) which comprises at its exterior periphery at least one reception (12; 19; 29) formed by a recess for stopping the striking front edges of the objects (1) fed in an idle position of the rotational body (10; 18; 28) and for a deflection thereof when rotating the rotational body (10; 18; 28), and
   wherein at least one transport element (15; 22, 23; 30, 31) for advancing the collected objects (1) deflected when rotating the rotational body (10; 18; 28) is associated to the rotational body (10; 18; 28),
   characterized in that
   the middle axis (9; 17; 27) of the rotational body (10; 18; 28) and the intake plane are essentially arranged in a common plane, and
   the recess is formed such that it is symmetrical relative to the intake plane in the idle position of the rotational body (10; 18; 28).
2. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the rotational body (10; 18) comprises several receptions (12; 19) distributed around the periphery for the front edges of the successively fed objects (1) .
3. The device according to claim 2, characterized in that the receptions (12; 19) are arranged spaced apart at the rotational body (10; 18) in the peripheral direction with equal angles.
4. The device according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the reception (29) or receptions (12; 19) is/are implemented in the form of a groove parallel to the axis.
5. The device according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that at least one upper transport element (22; 30) arranged above its middle axis (9; 17; 27) and at least one lower transport element (23; 31) arranged below its middle axis (9; 17; 27) are associated to the rotational body (10; 18; 28).
6. The device according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the transport element (15) or transport elements (22, 23; 30; 31) is/are implemented as rotationally driven transport roll(s.
7. The device according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the transport element (15) or transport elements (22, 23; 30, 31) is/are implemented as belt conveyors.
8. The device according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the rotational body (10; 18), at its exterior face, contains one or several rotatably positioned rolls (14; 21) for pressing the deflected collected object (1) against the at least one transport element (15; 22, 23).
9. The device according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the transport elements (30, 31) are rotationally driven transport rolls having one flattening (32, 33) of the cylindrical exterior faces (34, 35) each.
10. The device according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that first conveying means (2) for supplying flat objects (1) lying one above the other is arranged upstream of the rotational body (10; 18; 28).
11. The device according to one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that second conveying means (4; 41) for removing or advancing the objects (1) collected by the collecting device is arranged downstream of the rotational body (10; 18; 28).
12. The device according to one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that the at least one reception (12; 19; 29) comprises a cross section increasing to the radial outside.
13. A method for collecting flat objects (1), particularly sheets, fed successively in an intake plane,
    wherein a certain number of objects fed are stopped by blocking their front edges at a blocking element arranged in a collecting position and then released by moving the blocking element, wherein the front edges of the objects (1) are stopped in a reception (12; 19; 29) formed by a recess of a rotational body (10; 18; 28) rotatable around a middle axis (9; 17; 27) and the rotational body (10; 18; 28) is rotated by a predetermined rotational angle after having reached a desired collecting amount,
    wherein the front edges of the objects (1) collected are deflected for being removed from a feeding plane and at the same time an empty reception (12; 19; 29) is turned to the collecting position,
    characterized in that
    the middle axis (9; 17; 27) of the rotational body (10; 18; 28) and the intake plane are essentially arranged in a common plane, and
    the recess is formed such that it is symmetrical relative to the intake plane in the idle position of the rotational body (10; 18; 28).
14. The method according to claim 13, characterized in that the objects (1) of a subsequent group are already collected when removing the previous group.
15. The method according to claim 13 or 14, characterized in that the front edges of the objects (1) stopped in the reception are deflected towards at least one transport element (15; 22, 23; 30, 31) when turning the rotational body (10; 18; 28).
16. The method according to one of claims 13 to 15, characterized in that the rotational body (10; 18; 28) is rotated in one rotational direction for collecting objects shingled in an ascending manner and is rotated in an opposite rotational direction for collecting objects shingled in a descending manner.
17. The method according to one of claims 13 to 16, characterized in that the rotational body (10; 18; 28) is driven by a positioning drive, preferably a servomotor.

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