EP1683612A1 - Method and device for transporting flexible flat products, and for cutting them at the same time - Google Patents

Abstract

Method for transporting flat flexible products, especially printed products, such as newspapers or magazines comprises gripping the product (14) using a gripping unit on the edge which is not to be cut, transporting on a conveyor to cutting devices (28) and cutting the edge (26) of the product. An independent claim is also included for a device for transporting flat flexible products, especially printed products, such as newspapers or magazines. Preferred Features: The cut is made using a knife (58) against a cutting batten or against a counter knife (58~) in a shearing and/or impulse cutting method.

Description

The present invention relates to a method and a device for transporting and simultaneously trimming flexible flat products, in particular printed products such as newspapers, magazines or parts thereof, according to the features of the preamble of claim 1 and the features of the preamble of claim 12.

Printed products go through different workstations during their production, wherein the transport of the printed products within the workstations is designed differently according to the different requirements. Thus, the transport can take place within a workstation, for example in a plug-in drum with pockets or a revolving pocket transport system, or in a collecting drum or a collective transport system with saddles. From one workstation to another workstation, the printed products are usually conveyed by means of conveyors. In this case, they are typically individually held by individual grippers on flower or fold and transported hanging. Also for trimming the edges, the printed products today must be transferred depending on the cutting methods used in special transport units, such as in a bag transport system as described in CH 668216, or in rotating cell wheels, as described for example in CH 685153 or in EP0367715. The transfer of the printed products from the grippers of the conveyor to the transport unit of the workstation and back to a conveyor requires a certain amount of coordination both when transporting as well as during removal of the printed products.

In EP 0762950 a method and a device are described, with which this coordination effort is to be reduced by the grippers remain associated with the printed products during the cutting process, so that the printed products are supplied by each of the same grippers of the cutting station and again led away from this. For the cutting process itself, the printed products are handed over to clamping clamps. The grippers are opened for aligning the printed products and the printed products initially placed displaceable only in the clamping brackets perpendicular to the conveying direction. After alignment, the printed products are clamped in the grips and stabilized by them for trimming.

Also in DE 10052010 a method and a device are described, in which the coordination effort is low, since there is no transfer to a separate transport unit for cutting. The printed products are brought in transport bags to a cutting station, remain during trimming in their pockets and are transported away in the pockets again from the cutting station. The products are transported standing in pockets, whereby the bag walls stabilize the products laterally and support them against the force of gravity.

Since very many means of transport, such as grippers or bags are required for the transport of products, the design of the means of transport is a not inconsiderable cost factor. The complexity of the mechanics plays a role as well as the material costs. But also the number of required means of transport should be kept as low as possible. The two known from the prior art solutions for transporting and trimming of flat flexible products offer no satisfactory solution here.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a method and a device which permit a simple and cost-effective transportation and cutting of flat, flexible products compared with these known methods and associated devices.

This object is achieved by a method according to claim 1 or a device according to claim 12.

In the method according to the invention or with the device according to the invention, the flat, flexible products, such as printed products, are conveyed on the conveying path by the gripper of a conveying device at their edge which is not to be cut, whereby the products are conveyed freely suspended, at least in certain areas. The products are guided in this way past a cutting station arranged in the conveying path of the conveying device and thereby brought into operative connection with cutting means of the cutting station in such a way that at least one edge of the product is cut.

If the product is a folded printed product, the printed product is preferably conveyed along the conveying path at the fold.

It is not necessary to support or stabilize the products for trimming because the products are held in the required manner, at least by parts of the trimming cutting means, during cutting. Neither the conveyor nor the cutting station therefore have means for stabilizing the products. Thus, the present invention has the great advantage that conventional gripper transporters or other brackets, which capture the printed products only gently in the region of the fold, can be used.

Complex, multiple handovers of the printed product, with appropriate susceptibility, in connection with the cutting process can be omitted.

With the specified device or the method can be very different cutting methods, and accordingly use very different cutting devices for trimming the side edges and a gripper opposite free edge. Thus, the trimming, for example, with a knife against a cutting bar, with a cutting roller or a fixed knife against an abutment or a counter knife in the shear cutting process done, or it can work relative to each other moving knife and counter knife in shearing or pulse cutting process.

Also, the merging of the products with at least a portion of the cutting means of the cutting station in an effective range can be done in very different ways. So it is e.g. it is possible for at least a portion of the cutting means to penetrate the product stream or to intermesh the products and at least a portion of the cutting means, or at least some of the cutting means to be merged with the product by lateral insertion, or at least a portion of the cutting means to be trimmed edges supporting contact is brought.

If more than one edge is cropped, the trimming of the side edges and the modesty of the free edge opposite the gripper are preferably carried out successively in time, in order to ensure a better quality of cut. The order in which the margins and the free margin are cropped is variable. The margins can also be trimmed at the same time.

Preferably, the cutting station on cutting means comprising, for example, a knife and a cutting bar, which are interconnected via an axis, in such a way that when pivoting knife and cutter bar against each other, the knife operates against the cutting bar in the manner of a knife edge. But just as well, the cutting means may also comprise such a connection of a knife and a counter knife over a pivot axis. Knife and a counter knife then work against each other during pivoting in the manner of a shear cutting process.

In a preferred embodiment, the cutting station has cutting means which penetrate the product stream. The easiest way to penetrate the product flow cutting means are provided which are movable on an endless circulation from a rest position on a first movement path in a working position on a second movement path, whereby they are introduced by this movement between the flat flexible products. Very simple, this embodiment of the method or the device is to be realized when the cutting means are hydraulically, pneumatically or mechanically movable from the first trajectory to the second path of movement and the control is done electronically or with the help of backdrops.

In a further preferred embodiment, the penetrating cutting means for trimming in a shear cutting method have circular-disk-shaped knives working against one another or a circular-disk-shaped knife which works against a cutting edge. The circular blade-shaped blades or the circular blade-shaped blade and the cutting blade are mounted so movably in guide elements that they prune the printed product while the cutting means are introduced penetrating into the product flow or removed from it again. In a particularly preferred manner, this is possible if the circular disk-shaped Knife or the circular disk-shaped blade and the cutting bar are mounted so movable that they perform a penetration movement superimposed, analogous movement and thereby can curtail the side edges of the products. The cutting movement of the circular blade-shaped knife preferably takes place from the edge of the product which is not to be trimmed in the direction of the free edge opposite the gripper, ie in the case of a folded printed product from the fold in the direction of the so-called flower. It is particularly advantageous to associate the two circular-blade-shaped knives or the one circular-disk-shaped knife and possibly also the cutting strip in each case with a pressure roller leading during cutting. Thus, the products are clamped and punctured by the pressure rollers in the area leading the cut, which allows a particularly clean cut.

In a particularly preferred embodiment, the device for the cutting operation in one or more of the cutting units on a pulse cutting device. By the impulse cutting method, which can be carried out with this device, eliminating the need to bring a knife or counter knife with the cropped flat, flexible product. This is because not actually worked against a knife or counter knife, but it come (relatively) heavy knives and counter-knives are used, which bring along a corresponding impulse because of their mass and speed. Due to the speed with which these knives are moved relative to one another, a product to be cut introduced between the knives is knocked off by the introduced impulse along the edge to be trimmed.

It is particularly useful for trimming the side edges of a product conveyed on an approximate circular path through a cutting unit provided with a pulse cutting device advantageous if the pulse cutting devices is provided with a cage which is rotated about an axis of rotation and is in the form of a truncated cone. Inside the rotating cage, counter-rotating or correspondingly faster or slower in the same direction, rotating blades are provided on a correspondingly smaller conical surface area. The cage has openings whose edges interact to cut the products with the rotating knives. The angle of inclination of the conical surface with respect to the axis of rotation is preferably chosen such that the speed difference from the radially outer edge to the radially inner edge of the product conveyed on the approximate circular path by the cutting unit is compensated. For the trimming of the opposite edge of the gripper, the pulse cutting devices, however, can be constructed relatively simple and the cage can have the shape of a cylinder jacket, wherein the rotating inside the cylinder jacket are arranged according to a cylinder shell with a slightly smaller radius. Instead of the cage with the edges, counter knife or other hewing or cutting means are conceivable, which rotate on a corresponding lateral surface.

If the grippers in the conveying device can be pivoted through 90 ° and / or variably conveyed in their distance from one another, this increases the flexibility of the device according to the invention. It may then have other differently configured cutting devices and be combined by the possible braking and acceleration of the gripper on the conveyor line easier with slower or faster workstations.

Further inventive embodiments of the device according to the invention or of the method according to the invention are described in further dependent claims.

Fig. 1 bis 3

prinzipielle Möglichkeiten der erfindungsgemässen Vorrichtung und des erfindungsgemässen Verfahrens;

Fig. 4 bis 7

eine erste Ausführungsform einer erfindungsgemäss Vorrichtung;

Fig. 8

eine zweite Ausführungsform der erfindungsgemässen Vorrichtung mit einer Variante;

Fig.9, 10

in vergrösserter Darstellung die Schneidmittel der beiden Varianten der erfindungsgemässen Vorrichtung aus Fig.8

Fig. 11 a

eine weitere Ausführungsform der erfindungsgemässen Vorrichtung;

Fig. 11 b, 12

noch eine Ausführungsform der erfindungsgemässen Vorrichtung

Fig. 13

das Prinzip einer ersten Schneideinheit zum Beschneiden des freien, dem Greifer gegenüberliegenden Randes

Fig. 14 bis 16

eine weitere Ausführungsform der erfindungsgemässen Vorrichtung,

Fig. 17, 18

noch eine Ausführungsform der erfindungsgemässen Vorrichtung,

Fig. 19 bis 21

weitere Ausführungsformen der erfindungsgemässen Vorrichtung;

Fig. 22

in perspektivischer Darstellung noch eine Ausführungsform der erfindungsgemässen Vorrichtung; und

Fig. 23

in Draufsicht ein Schneidmittel der Ausführungsform aus Fig. 22

The invention will be described in more detail below with reference to the examples shown in the figures. Here are purely schematic:

Fig. 1 to 3

principal possibilities of the device according to the invention and of the method according to the invention;

Fig. 4 to 7

a first embodiment of an inventive device;

Fig. 8

a second embodiment of the inventive device with a variant;

Fig.9, 10th

in an enlarged view of the cutting means of the two variants of the inventive device of Figure 8

Fig. 11 a

a further embodiment of the inventive device;

Fig. 11 b, 12th

another embodiment of the inventive device

Fig. 13

the principle of a first cutting unit for trimming the free, the gripper opposite edge

Fig. 14 to 16

a further embodiment of the device according to the invention,

Fig. 17, 18

another embodiment of the device according to the invention,

Fig. 19 to 21

further embodiments of the inventive device;

Fig. 22

in perspective view of an embodiment of the inventive device; and

Fig. 23

in plan view, a cutting means of the embodiment of Fig. 22nd

Identical objects are provided in the figures in principle with the same reference numerals.

Figures 1 to 3 show schematically the principle of the present invention: In a device 9 according to the invention with a conveyor 10 with grippers 12 products 14 at a not to be cut edge 16 - in this example printed products 14 at their respective fold 16 - taken and Pruning transported at a cutting station 20 in the conveying direction F. The printed products 14 depend at least partially on the conveying path of gravity following in the grippers 12 and thereby extend generally in their longitudinal orientation transverse to the conveying direction F. In this context, product 14 is to be understood both as a single flexible, flat product but eg. can also be folded one or more times, but it can also be, as e.g. frequently occurs for printed products, envelopes with further printed products collected or inserted therein. Furthermore, two or more such individual folded or unfolded products, which are arranged side by side in a gripper 12, fall under the term product 14 used here as collective or generic term. Also, two or more envelopes arranged side by side in a gripper with collected or inserted products, as shown in Fig. 1 far right, fall under the term product 14th

Thus, the side edges 25 and the gripper 12 opposite free edge 26 can be cut as accurately as possible, the products 14 have been aligned in this example, before reaching the cutting station 20 in a known manner (not shown). For this purpose, for example, the products 14 have already been aligned during gripping by the grippers 12 of the conveying device 10, as described for example in EP 1411011, or they are aligned in a straightening station, as disclosed in EP 0518064. It is also conceivable for the positioning of the products 14 to obtain a precise cut as possible, the gripper 12 of the conveyor device 10 slidably form, as shown in WO 01/81217.

In the case of the printed products 14 shown here, the side edges 25 are also frequently used as heads or feet, the free edge 26 as a flower or as a front, and the edge 16 which is not to be trimmed, in the region of which the gripper 12 grips the product 14, as a fold designated.

The products 14 are conveyed at the uncropped edge 16 (at the fold). This means that they can be conveyed from the side of the edge 16 which is not to be trimmed (on the rebate side) or on the edge 16 which is not to be trimmed (on the fold itself) or else only in the region of the edge 16 which is not to be trimmed (in the region of the fold ) by one or more grippers 12 (here only one gripper 12 shown) are held. The products 14 thus obtained in a freely held state are, according to the invention, kept free, ie they are trimmed, without being held ready for trimming by separate elements for the engagement of cutting means 28. Under free held or held in a free state promoted products 14 are products 14 to understand that are supported by gravity hanging freely when the not to be cut, taken from the gripper 12 edge 16 is up.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, it is conceivable to trim the edges 25, 26 of the products 14 kept free in the gripper 12 in different chronological order. Thus, for example, it is possible to trim all edges 25, 26 simultaneously with a suitable device, as shown in FIG. Or, as shown in FIG. 3, first the free edge 26 lying opposite the gripper 12 and then the two side edges 25 are trimmed, wherein the side edges 25 can be trimmed at the same time, as shown in FIG. 3 or sequentially one behind the other (not shown). It is understood that the order of the cut can also be reversed. So the margins 25 be cut simultaneously or sequentially in front of the free edge 26, or the trimming of the edge 26 may be between the trimming of the side edges 25.

In the following, concrete methods and devices are presented with which these principles of transporting and trimming according to the invention can be realized.

In the device 9 according to the invention shown in FIGS. 4 to 7, products 14 - again by way of example printed products 14 which are gripped by grippers 12 at their folds 16 - are conveyed in a conveying device 10 along a conveying path in the direction F. The device 9 according to the invention here comprises a cutting station 20 arranged in the conveying path, around which the products 14 are kept free in the grippers 12 and guided around on the segment of an approximately circular path. In order to be able to trim the side edges 25 of the products 14 cleanly, the cutting station 20 has cutting means 28, which in this example comprise a stationary knife 58 and a counter knife 58 'arranged around a rotation axis 30 on both sides of the conveying path. The axis of rotation 30 is approximately concentric with the axis about which the products 14 are guided in the grippers 12 and extends approximately perpendicular to the conveying direction F and approximately parallel to the aligned in the grippers 24 products 14. The counter-blade 58 'are radially outward away from the axis of rotation 30, arranged at regular intervals around the axis of rotation 30 around and with a shaft 31 which rotates about the axis of rotation 30, rotatably connected. Each two counter-blades 58 'are spaced and arranged parallel to each other on the shaft 31, wherein the distance between the counter-blade 58' is variably adjustable to each other, so that it can be adapted to the format of the product 14 to be cut. Likewise, the position of the two stationary knives 58 is variable so that the knives 58 adapted to the format the products 14 to be trimmed engage in cutting engagement with the respective counter knives 58 'and trim the side edges 25 of the products 14. The counter blades 58 'are brought into abutment with the knives 12 in the grippers 12 promoted products 14 before cooperating with the knife. The trimming of the side edges 25 (head / Fußbeschnitt) is indicated in Fig. 4 in the area S1 and shown in front view of the product 14 in Fig. 6.

In order to bring the counter-knives 58 'between the products 14 which are gripped by the grippers 12 at the edges 16 which are not to be trimmed, they are approximately radially outward from a rest position B on a first movement path x in the axis-near region to an off-axis working position A on a second movement path y movable. This movement can by a corresponding movement unit 18, eg. be ensured by a corresponding hydraulic, pneumatic or mechanical (see also Fig. 5 to 8). By virtue of this movement, superimposed radially outward in this example, by the rotational movement of the counter-blades 58 ', the counter-blades 58' can penetrate the product flow, i.e., the product flow. they can penetrate between the products 14 kept free in the grippers 12. The rotational speed about the axis of rotation 30, the distance between the counter blades 58 'to each other, the movement of the first movement path x to the second movement path y, and the distance and the transport speed of the gripper 12 of the conveyor 10 are coordinated accordingly. In the example shown here, the counter knives 58 'are introduced from the side of the grippers 12 between the products 14, as shown in FIGS. 4 to 6.

Downstream of the region S1, a further cutting means 28 'is arranged in a region S2, which serves for trimming the free edge 26 of the product 14 lying opposite the gripper 12. This cutting means 28 'is also the first cutting unit within the cutting station 20 22 for trimming the free edge 26 (front or Blumenbeschnitt) called. The cutting means 28 'is formed in the example shown here as a kind of cutting roller 29 with an integrated counter blade, as described in more detail by way of example with reference to FIG. 13. However, the cutting means 28 'for trimming the edge 26 may also be configured in a suitable other way.

In FIGS. 5 to 7, the method steps which take place with this device 9 according to the invention are shown for clarity in the front view of the product 14. 5 shows the product 14 to be trimmed at the edges 25, 26, kept free and transported in the gripper 12, as it is transported into the cutting station 20 arranged in the conveying path. From the side of the gripper 12 forth counter knife 58 'between the product shown 14 and a trailing (not shown here) product are introduced in the region of the side edges. In this case, the counter knives 58 'of a near-axis rest position B on the first trajectory x (indicated by dashed line), see. Fig. 6, in an off-axis working position A, see Fig. 7, on the second trajectory y (also indicated by dashed line) moves (arrow Z). In the example shown here, the counter-blades 58 'are hydraulically displaced in guide units 32, the guide units 32 being connected in a rotationally fixed manner to the shaft 31. Shown in Fig. 6 on the left side, there is a counter knife 58 'in working position A on the second trajectory y and comes with the stationary blade 58 in cutting engagement, so that the side edge 25 is trimmed. In Fig. 7 it is shown how the counter knife 58 'from the working position A on the second movement path y in the rest position B on the first movement path x are moved back (arrow Z), and at the same time the product 14 past the cutting roller 29 in the area S2 is, with the free edge 26 of the product 14 is trimmed.

Instead of the fixed blade 58 and the counter knives 58 ', the cutting means 28 may also be designed as a knife 58 and cutting bar 56, which are operatively connected to each other via a pivot axis 60 (indicated by dashed line). This is indicated in Fig. 6 on the right side, where a knife 58 is connected via a pivot axis 60 with a cutting bar 56. In the illustrated method step, the cutting of the knife 58 against the cutting bar 56 is shown. As a further embodiment, the cutting means 28 may be formed as shown in Fig. 9 and in Fig. 8, on the right side of the cutting station 20 of the device 9: The cutting means 28 instead of the pivotable blade 58 and a cutting bar 56th or a counter knife 58 'on a circular blade-shaped knife 48 which operates against a cutting bar 54. The cutting strip 54 and the circular disk-shaped blade 48 are movably mounted in a guide element 53. As can be seen from FIG. 9, in the example shown here the guide element 53 is a U-shaped profile which has guide rails 50 in its side areas for guiding guide carriages 52 movable thereon. Instead of the guide rails 50 and guide slide 52 but other known guide means are used, such as rollers and grooves and the like.

About the guide carriage 52, the cutting bar 54 and the circular blade-shaped knife 48 are movably mounted in the guide elements 53 that they in a superimposed, analogous movement to the penetration movement of the guide elements 53 - from the rest position B to the working position A - from a near-axis in an off-axis position are movable while the side edges 25 of the printed products 14 cut. For this purpose, the circular blade-shaped blade 48 cuts against the cutting bar 54. The movement of the circular blade-shaped knife 48 along the cutting bar 54 and the guide elements 53 can be done in a known manner backdrop-controlled or electronically controlled. Preferably, the Cut from the gripper 12 forth in the direction of the gripper 12 opposite free edge 26 and a folded printed product 14 from the fold 16 ago in the direction of flower 26. In a particularly preferred embodiment, two circular-blade knife 48 are provided at the cutting leading pressure rollers (not dargstellt), which pinch the respective product 14 in the area before the cut and tension.

In a variant of the embodiment of the inventive device 9 shown on the right in FIG. 8, cutting means 28 are provided in the cutting station 20, which instead of a circular blade-shaped knife 48 and a cutting bar 54 (see FIG 48, cf. Fig. 10 and Fig. 8 left side. The two illustrated in Fig. 10, circular disk-shaped blades 48 are movably mounted in guide elements 53, wherein the guide elements 53 are formed analogous to those shown in Fig. 9 and the movement pattern for the two circular blade-shaped knife 48 also analogous to that of the cutting bar 54 and of the knife 48 can be. However, for both variants according to FIGS. 9 and 10, cf. according to Fig. 8 left and Fig. 8 right, also other movement pattern conceivable.

Also for the two circular blade-shaped blades 48, the preferred cutting direction is from the edge 16 which is not to be cut or from the fold in the direction of the free edge 26 or the flower. Again, it is advantageous to provide two against each other working and clamping the printed product 14 and exciting pressure rollers 70 which precede the circular disk-shaped blades 48 during the cut, as shown in Fig. 8 on the left side. After the trimming of the side edges 25 by the two circular blade-shaped knives 48, they are moved back to the first trajectory x in the rest position B back. At the same time the products 14 are further promoted by the grippers 12 and turn on a first cutting unit 22 and cutting means 28 'for cutting the free edge 26 transported past. Analogously, of course, with cutting means 28, as described in Fig. 9 and Fig. 8 right side, the free edge 26 are cut. It is also conceivable to trim the side edges 25 only when the cutting means 28 are again moved back to the first movement path x.

Instead of arranging the counter-blades 58 'or the cutting means 28 with the circular-disc-shaped knives 48 or cutting bars 54, 56 about an axis of rotation 30, it is also conceivable to have the cutting means 28 or only the counter-blades 58' in a conveyor parallel to the grippers 12 free held and transported products 14 to promote, where the conveyor line may have a straight or any differently designed course. The parallel conveyed to the products cutting means 28 / counter knife 58 'are then moved from a rest position B on a corresponding first movement path x in a working position A on a second movement path y to penetrate the product flow. In this case, the first movement path x has a correspondingly greater distance to the conveying path of the products 14 than the second movement path y.

Satisfied to penetrate the product stream conveyed in the grippers 12 of the conveyor 10 with the cutting means 28, it is also conceivable, the cutting means 28 and the products 14 combing together in an effective range and bring into operative connection with each other, as shown in Fig. 11a is. As in the embodiments described above, cutting means 28 in the form of knives 58 and counter knives 58 'or knives 58 and cutting blade 56 are also arranged around an axis of rotation 30' for trimming the side edges 25 of the products 14. The knives 58 and counter knives 58 'or knives 58 and cutting strips 56 are slotted for the actual cutting process via an axis 60 pivoted against each other, for which with the scenes (not shown) cooperating coupling elements 62 are provided (see Fig. 14 f.). For trimming the free edge 26, a first cutting unit 22 is again provided in the device 9 according to the invention, as will be described in more detail later.

The penetration of the cutting means 28 into the product flow or the combing of the products 14 with the cutting means 28 by means of a corresponding control by the respective conveyor speeds are matched to each other and to the respective conveyor distances and in addition a coordinated opening and a corresponding pivoting of the cutting means 28 with respect to its axis of rotation 60 takes place. The conveying paths of the products (14) and the cutting means (28) are preferably chosen for combing or combing so that the conveyor lines run towards each other at an acute angle and again strive for a tangential or parallel section. In contrast, e.g. the ejection of printed products from a landing station, i. from a generally elevated position (deflecting the path of travel of the printed product), on or into a drum, not to be understood as combing.

11 b and 12 show an embodiment of the device 9 according to the invention in which the products 14 are conveyed by the grippers 12 at the edge 16 which is not to be trimmed and are first cut in the cutting unit 22 at their free edge 26. In the example shown in FIG. 11 b, for this purpose the free edge 26 of the products 14 is fed to the effective region of the cutting centers 28 of the cutting unit 22. The cutting means 28 are arranged rotatably in the cutting unit 22 at equal distances from each other about an axis 30, and comprise shear-cut cooperating knife-counter knife pairs 58, 58 '. For trimming, the speed and the pivoting of the knives 58 and counter knife 58 'so matched to the zoomed products 14, the counter knife 58' is brought into abutting contact with the free edge 26 to be trimmed. The knife 58 then separates the counter-blade 58 'touching supported, free edge 26 in cutting engagement with the counter knife 58' from.

FIG. 13 shows a variant 22 'of this cutting unit 22, in which the knives 58 and counterblades 58' do not circulate together about an axis 30 but rotate one or more opposing knives 58 'arranged at regular intervals relative to one another about the axis 30 (shown here is only a counter knife 58 '). This counter knife 58 'or counter knife 58' work against a stationary knife 58, wherein the rotating or the counter knife 58 'radially outside or radially inside (the latter not shown) are guided past the stationary blade 58 in the cutting engagement. It is also conceivable that, instead of one stationary knife 58, a plurality of knives 58 are provided at regular intervals about the axis 30, which likewise rotate about the axis 30 and are guided past the counter knives 58 'rotating at the same speed in the same direction that there is no fixed association between certain knives 58 and counter knives 58 '. Also, without a fixed association between certain knives 58 and counter knives 58 'operates such a device when the rotating around the axis 30 knives 58 and counter knife 58' rotate in opposite directions about the axis.

In the first cutting unit 22 downstream second cutting unit 24 as shown in FIG. 11 a and 11 b, the side edges 25 are trimmed after trimming the free edge 26. For this purpose, they can either be combed into the knife-counter-knife pairs 58, 58 'rotating about the axis 30' (also referred to as knife pair 28 or cutting means 28), as is also described for the device in FIG. 11a, or else are, as shown here in Figs. 12 and 13, between two on the axis 30 'arranged parallel juxtaposed cutting means 28 (dashed lines in Fig. 12 drawn outer position of the pairs of blades 58/58') and the cutting means 28 are then on the axis 30 'so far against the center and the product 14 located there moves (in Fig. 12 drawn through inner position of the pairs of knives 58/58') that the side edges 25 between knife 58 and counter knife 58 'of the two cutting means 28 to lie come and be cut by pivoting of the knife 58 and counter knife 58 'against each other. The cutting means 28 are also here at equal distances from each other about an axis 30 'arranged rotatably and stored in outside of the conveying path about the axis 30' rotating mounting discs 55. The distances of the cutting elements 28 in the two cutting units 22, 24 and the respective rotational speed are matched to the transport speed and the distances of the products 14 and the gripper 12 in the conveyor 10, so that an introduction of the cutting means 28 in the manner required for cutting easily possible. Analogously, of course, also knife 58 and cutting strips 56 can be used here again.

A further embodiment of the device 9 according to the invention is shown in FIGS. 14 to 16, in which the cutting means 28 for cutting the side edges 25 are designed in the form of a knife 58 working against a cutting bar 56. Knife 58 and cutting bar 56 are pivotable about an axis 60 against each other. Unlike in the example of FIGS. 11 b and 12, in the embodiment shown here, the cutting means 28 are not rotatably mounted about an axis but conveyed substantially parallel to the conveying path of the products 14 and gripper 12 by means of rotating conveyor members 61. As shown in Fig. 15, the cutting means 28 are conveyed on their parallel conveying path and at the same time for trimming the side edges 25 laterally to the products 14th introduced. The pivoting of knife 58 and cutter bar 56 against each other takes place in this example backdrop controlled, for which the knife 58 and cutting bars 56 are equipped with corresponding co-operating with the scenes coupling elements 62. It is also conceivable to move the products 14 towards the cutting means (see Figures 15 and 16).

For this embodiment, a variant is shown in FIGS. 17 and 18, in which parallel and on both sides of the conveying path of the gripper 12 offset and successively by means of a conveying member 61 rotating cutting means 28 are promoted. The successively placed arrangement of the cutting means 28 in circulating conveyor units, resulting in a sequential trimming of the side edges 25 of freely suspended in the grippers 12 products 14. In contrast to the embodiment of Figs. 14 to 16 are not the cutting means 28 laterally to the 14, but the grippers 12 of the conveyor 10 are mounted transversely to the conveying direction F (arrow Q) and in the direction of the hanging product (arrow H) displaceable, as described in WO 01/81217 by a displacement of the gripper 12th in the transverse direction Q to the conveying direction F, the products 14 are moved in the drovers 12 first for trimming one side edge 25 in the region of a cutting means 28 (Fig. 17 bottom left) and there trimmed and then on their in the middle of the conveying position on the other side moves there until the other side edge 25 in cutting engaged with the other cutting means 28 passes (Fig. 12 top right) and cropped. The free edge 26 opposite the gripper 12 is trimmed by lowering the grippers 12 (FIG. 18, arrow H) and engaging the edge 26 with cutting means 28 below the freely suspended products 14 by means of a conveyor 61 be promoted parallel to the products 14. In contrast to the cutting means of Figs. 14 to 16, here are the cutting means 28 as Knife 58 and counter knife 58 'is formed, which work against each other in the shear cutting process.

In a further embodiment, the grippers 12 can be pivoted through 90 °, so that the orientation of the printed products 14 with respect to the conveying direction F can be varied. As shown in Figs. 19 and 20, the grippers 12 of the conveyor 10 are preferably pivoted in the region of the first cutting unit 22 with cutting means 28 for trimming the gripper 12 opposite edge 26 by 90 °. Possibilities for implementing the pivoting of the gripper 12 are given for example in EP 854105. As shown in FIG. 19, this results in an arrangement of the products 14 in which they overlap each other in the conveying direction F in a kind of scale formation. The trimming of the edge 26 takes place in this example with two circular disk-shaped knives 48, which cooperate in a kind of shear cutting method for trimming. Instead of the two circular blade-shaped knife 48 but also a circular blade-shaped knife 48 may be provided, which cuts into the edge of a counter-roll acting as a cutting bar, as shown in Fig. 19 and 20 with the indicated behind the product stream, thick counter-roller is shown.

Also preferred and can be combined with the pivotable grippers 12 of FIG. 19 is an embodiment of the device 9 according to the invention in which the grippers 12 can be variably conveyed at a distance from one another, so that the grippers 12 can be accelerated and decelerated. Both embodiments and in particular their combination increase the versatility of the inventive device 9, for example, different processing speeds of upstream or downstream workstations can be compensated. Furthermore, it is possible by such a combination, for a trimming of the free edge 26, as shown in Fig. 19, the overlap of the products 14 through the Pivoting the gripper 12 to prevent by increasing the distance between the grippers 12 so that each product 14 can be individually trimmed, as shown in Fig. 20. Both for the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 19 and for the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 20, it is possible to move the planar flexible products 14 introduced by the pivoting into the products 14 in a known manner through motion inhibitors 64, arranged on both sides of the conveying path This case parallel moving bands to calm down.

In FIG. 21, a variant is shown for this purpose, in which the products 14 are transported by the grippers 12 at the edge 16 which is not to be trimmed and by a corresponding routing of the conveyor line and with the aid of a support 66, here as one of the route guides adapted endless circulation belt is executed, are brought into a scaly formation. Since the support 66 is narrower than the products to be trimmed 14, it is possible to cut the protruding side edges 25 of the products 14 in the resulting scaly formation in a known manner by two, circular disk-shaped blades 48 working against each other. In addition to the internal knives 48 (not shown) discs are attached, which serve as a counter support to the support 66.

A further embodiment of the device 9 according to the invention is shown in perspective in FIGS. 22, 23. The basic construction corresponds to that of FIG. 11 b, wherein in the example shown here in FIGS. 22, 23 it is more necessary to speak of a combing. For the cutting operation in the cutting units 22, 24 (the former not shown) pulse cutting devices 34 are provided here.

The impulse cutting device 34 is of rotationally symmetrical design and has a cage 38 with openings 40 rotating in a first rotation direction 36 about the rotation axis 37 on. The openings 40 extend substantially in the longitudinal direction of the cage 38 and are preferably formed at their long edges 42, on the rotation axis 37 side facing as a knife or provided with exchangeable blades. In a second, opposite to the direction of rotation 36 direction of rotation 44 38 also extending in the longitudinal direction of the cage 38 knife 46 are provided within the cage. The rotation of the cage 38 and knives 46, is tuned to the transport of the printed products 14, that the edge to be trimmed 25, 26 of the product 14 on reaching the pulse cutting device 34 with an opening 40 of the cage 38 meshes and there by the running against each other of knives 46 and long edge 42 of the cage opening 40 due to the force acting on the edge 25, 26 pulse 'cut off. For this, the weight of the rotating knives 46 and the cage 38 as well as other parameters, such as the configuration of the knife edges and the position of the knives 46 with respect to the cage opening 40, etc., are parameters of the product to be trimmed, such as the thickness of the trimmed material Printed product 14, paper type, paper moisture and quality, etc., tuned to provide the necessary inertia and cutting characteristics for a pulse cut. The position of the knives 46 to the long edges 42 of the openings 40 may be parallel or slightly oblique, so that a product to be cut between the knife 46 and the long edge 42, either over the entire length are knocked off simultaneously by the pulse (parallel position) or but continuously at one end of the opening 40 starting to the other end of the opening 40. The skew may not be too large here, so that the momentum is not too small. The course of the conveyor 10 is spatially aligned so that an optimal match to the cutting units 22, 24 is achieved.

For a second cutting unit 24 for trimming the gripper opposite free edge 26 of the cage 38 is in the form of a cylinder jacket (not shown) and the counter-rotating within the cylinder jacket knife 46 are arranged correspondingly on a cylinder jacket with a slightly smaller radius. For the trimming of a side edge 25 of a product 14 conveyed on an approximately circular path through the cutting device, the cage 38 is preferably designed in the form of a truncated cone, as shown in FIGS. 23, 24. The knife 46 run on a correspondingly smaller conical surface than the cage 38. The inclination angle α of the conical surface with respect to the axis of rotation 37 is chosen so that the speed difference from the radially outer edge to the radially inner edge of an approximately circular path on the cutting units 24 bypassed product 14 is balanced. the impulse cutting device 34 is arranged so that the conical surface is aligned radially to the circular path axis of the conveying path of the products 14.

For the embodiments presented here, further variants are conceivable. Thus, for example, always the edge opposite the gripper can be trimmed by repeatedly applying the method according to the invention until all desired sides have been trimmed. In doing so, the product in the gripper, e.g. by gripping or transfer to another gripper, changed in its position in the gripper so that the edge to be trimmed is arranged opposite the gripper. This variant is associated with a corresponding design complexity, but can be realized, for example, with a device as disclosed in EP 854105.

Instead of the here given embodiment of the cutting means 28, it is also possible to cut the products with ultrasound, as described for example in CH 690296 or with a moving knife, as is known from DE 19638307. Also a cutting method, as defined in EP 0367715 in the first claim, is applicable to pruning products transported in the gripper 12 at their fold.

All figures are for illustration. The inventive device is not limited to the variants shown in the figures. The person skilled in the art knows which features of the devices and methods described can be combined with each other in a meaningful way. It is also clear that and how the device 9 and the method can be varied with or without additional expertise without departing from the inventive concept.

Although the above-described cutting units 22, 24 were described with their cutting means 28 only in cooperation with freely held in grippers 12 promoted products 14, yet most of these cutting devices are - even in structurally slightly adapted form - even with differently designed conveyors such as bag or saddle conveyors or saddle drums or cell wheels or the like to cooperate. This applies in particular also to the cutting devices illustrated in FIGS. 4 to 10 and 22, 23.

Claims (22)

A method for transporting flat flexible products, in particular printed products, such as newspapers, magazines or parts thereof, in which the product is held by a gripper of a conveyor and conveyed along a conveying path, characterized in that the product (14) by the gripper the uncaptured edge (16) is conveyed freely suspended on the conveyor track at least in regions, and that, while being conveyed on the conveyor track in this way, it is brought into operative connection with cutting means (28) in such a way that at least one edge ( 25, 26) of the product (14) is cut. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the product (14) is a folded printed product and the edge (16) not to be trimmed is the fold of the printed product. A method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the trimming with a knife (48, 58) against a cutting bar (54, 56), with a knife (48, 58) against a counter blade (48, 58 ') in the shear cutting method and / or in the impulse cut method. A method according to claim 3, characterized in that for trimming the products (14) conveyed in a product stream and at least part of the cutting means (28) are brought together in an effective range and that this merging characterized in that at least a portion of the cutting means (28) penetrates the product stream or the products (14) and at least a portion of the cutting means (28) mesh with each other, or at least a portion of the cutting means (28) with the products (14) by lateral Inserting be brought together, or at least a portion of the cutting means (28) with the edges to be trimmed (25, 26) is brought into supporting contact. A method according to claim 4, characterized in that the penetration is achieved in that the penetrating part is at least partially moves the cutting means (28) parallel to the products (14), for the penetration of the product flow, the penetrating cutting means (28) from a rest position B on the first trajectory (x) in a working position A on a second movement path (y) are moved and the first trajectory (x) has a sufficiently large distance from the product flow, that cutting means (28) and products (14) without touching led past each other and the second trajectory (y) has a distance from the product stream which ensures that the products (14) and the cutting means (28) overlap in a relevant region, in particular sufficient for a clean trimming of an edge (25, Figs. 26). A method according to claim 5, characterized in that the cutting means (28) hydraulically, pneumatically or mechanically by a trajectory (x, y) on the other trajectory (x, y) and moved back and the control for this electronically or by means of scenes he follows. Method according to one of claims 5 to 6, characterized in that two circular disk-shaped blades (48) or a circular disk-shaped blade (48) and a Cutter bar (54) cooperate intersecting and as components of the cutting means (28) are movable with them such that they prune the side edges of the products (14), wherein the cutting movement preferably from the unabrisable edge (16) in the direction of the free edge (26) of a product (14). Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the two circular-disc-shaped knives (48) or the one circular disc-shaped knife (48) and the one cutting bar (54) are assigned during the cutting leading pressure rollers, the respective product (14) during cutting pinch and tighten. A method according to claim 4, characterized in that the lateral insertion is effected by that at least a part of the cutting means (28) and the side edges (25) of the products (14) are laterally associated with each other, and this by a movement of the cutting means (28) and / or by a movement of the products (14) can take place. A method according to claim 3, characterized in that the impulse cutting method, a knife 46 and preferably provided with a knife or formed as a knife edge 40 each have sufficient mass and are moved with sufficient speed relative to each other, that at the moment in which Knife (46) and edge (40) are moved past each other, located between them edge (25, 26) of a product (14) is separated due to the existing pulse. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the trimming of the side edges (25) and the trimming of the free edge (26) take place successively in time. Device for transporting flat flexible products, in particular printed products such as newspapers, magazines or parts thereof, with a conveying device with grippers, characterized in that the products (14) by the gripper (12) at least partially on the conveyor track at their not to be circumcised Edge (16) detected, are kept free to be conveyed and that in the conveying path of the conveyor (10) a cutting station (20) is arranged, the cutting means (28) are formed so that when pruning the product (14) the product (14 ) hold so that in operative connection of the cutting means (28) with the product (14) at least one edge (25, 26) of the product (14) can be trimmed. Apparatus according to claim 12, characterized in that cutting means (28) are guided on an endless circulation and from a rest position (B) on a first movement path (x) to a working position (A) on a second movement path (y) between the on the Conveyor line (10) promoted products (14) are movable. Device according to claim 12 or 13, characterized in that the cutting means (28) comprise two circular-disc-shaped knives (48) working against each other in the shear cutting method or a circular-disc-shaped knife (48) and a cutting blade (54, 56) or counter-roller which are mutually opposed by the knife-edge method work. Device according to claims 13 and 14, characterized in that the circular-disc-shaped knives (48) or the circular disc-shaped knives (48) and the cutting strip (54, 56), in each case in a guide element (53) of the cutting means (28) are movably mounted , And in particular the circular disk-shaped knives (48) or the one circular disc-shaped knife (48) and possibly also the cutting bar (54) or counter roller is associated with a leading in the cut pressure roller (70). Apparatus according to claim 12 or 13, characterized in that the cutting means (28) comprise a knife (58) and a cutting bar (56) which are pivotally connected to each other via an axis (60) such that for cutting the knife (58) against the cutting bar (56) works. Apparatus according to claim 12 or 13, characterized in that the cutting means (28) comprise a knife (58) and a counter knife (58 '), which are connected via an axis (60) pivotally connected to each other. Device according to one of claims 12 to 14, characterized in that for trimming at least one edge (25, 26) a pulse cutting device (34) is provided. Apparatus according to claim 18, characterized in that for the trimming of the side edges of a pulse cutting devices (34) is provided, which has a first about a central axis of rotation (37) rotating unit (38) with edges (42), preferably provided with knives or are themselves formed as a knife, and a second concentric about the central axis of rotation (37), preferably in opposite directions Direction to the first unit (38) rotating, second unit with knives (46), wherein the blades (46) and the edges (42) have a mass, are formed and by the rotation in cutting interaction so past each other are movable a product (14) located at the moment of passing between knife (46) and edge (42) is severed due to the momentum acting on the edge (40). Apparatus according to claim 16 or 17, characterized in that the first rotating unit (38) is a cage, which is preferably in the form of a cylinder jacket, and which has openings (40) with edges (42) which run in opposite directions within the cylinder jacket cooperate rotating knife (46). Apparatus according to claim 19, characterized in that the first rotating unit (38) is a cage, which is preferably in the form of a truncated cone, wherein the inclination angle (a) of the conical surface with respect to the axis of rotation (37) is selected so that the speed difference of a product (14) guided on an approximate circular path through the cutting units (22) is compensated at the radially outer edge to the radially inner edge. Device according to one of claims 12 to 21, characterized in that the grippers in the conveying device are pivotable and / or transversely displaceable and / or variable in their distance from one another.

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