EP1683612B1 - Method and device for transporting flexible flat products, and for cutting them at the same time - Google Patents

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. Such a method and such a device is for example from the EP 0762950 known. 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 have to be transferred into special transport units depending on the cutting methods used, such as in a pocket transport system such as in CH 668216 is described, or in rotating cell wheels, such as 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 and when transporting the printed products.

In EP 0762950 For example, a method and a device are described with which this coordination effort is to be reduced by the grippers being associated with the printed products during the cutting process, so that the printed products are fed from and also away from the same grippers to the cutting station. 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 are initially placed displaceable perpendicularly to the conveying direction only in the gripping clamps. After aligning, the printed products are clamped in the gripping clamps and stabilized by them for trimming.

Also in DE 10052010 For example, 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 the 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 detected by the gripper 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 trimmed.

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 transfers 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 against the cutting bar in the manner of a knife edge works But also 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 blade-shaped knife and the cutting bar are so be movably mounted so that they perform a penetration movement overlapping, analogous movement and thereby can curtail the side edges of the products. The cut de movement of the circular blade-shaped knife is preferably carried out by the not to be intersecting edge of the product in the direction of the gripper opposite free edge, ie in 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 edge in each case with a pressure roller leading during cutting. Thus, the products in the cut are preceded by the area through which pressure rollers are clamped and tightened, which allows a particularly clean cut.

In a particularly preferred embodiment, the device for the Schneidvor gear 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, it is unnecessary to bring a knife or counter knife with the flat, flexible product to be cut This is because not actually worked against a knife or counter knife, but it come (comparatively ) heavy knives and counter knives are used, which bring along an appropriate impulse due to 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 rotates about an axis of rotation and is in the form of a truncated cone Within the rotating cage, rotating blades are provided on a correspondingly slightly smaller conical surface, in opposite directions or correspondingly faster or slower in the same direction. 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 erfndungsgemässen 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. 11a

eine weitere Ausführungsform der erfindungsgemässen Vorrichtung;

Fig. 11b, 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 Figure 8

Fig. 11a

a further embodiment of the inventive device;

Fig. 11b, 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 of a cutting means of the embodiment Fig. 22

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

The FIGS. 1 to 3 schematically show the principle of the present invention: In a device 9 according to the invention with a conveying device 10 with grippers 12, products 14 are gripped on a not-to-be-cut edge 16 - in this example printed products 14 at their respective fold 16 - and trimmed at a cutting station 20 transported over 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 can also be folded one or more times, but it can also, as often occurs, for example, for printed products, envelopes be collected or inserted therein with other printed products. 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 in Fig. 1 shown to the far right fall under the term product 14.

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, the products 14 have already been aligned, for example, during gripping by the grippers 12 of the conveying device 10, as shown for example in FIG EP 1411011 or they are aligned in a straightening station, as in EP 0518064 is disclosed. It is also conceivable for the positioning of the products 14 to achieve a precise cut as possible, the gripper 12 of the conveyor 10 to form slidably, as in WO 01/81217 is shown.

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 area 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, captured by the gripper 12 edge 16 is up

As in the FIGS. 2 and 3 As shown, 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 in FIG Fig. 2 shown. Or else it will, as in Fig. 3 shown, only the free edge 26 opposite the gripper 12 and then the two side edges 25 cropped, wherein the side edges 25 can be circumcised simultaneously, as in Fig. 3 shown or sequentially in succession (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 in the Fig. 4 to 7 illustrated device 9 are products 14 - again exemplary printed products 14, which are detected at its fold 16 of grippers 12 - conveyed in a conveyor device 10 along a conveying path in the direction F. The device 9 according to the invention comprises a cutting station 20 arranged in the conveying path, around which the products 14 in the grippers 12 are held free 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 oriented in the grippers 24 products 14. The counter-knife 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-knives 58 'are brought into abutment with the knives 12 in the grippers 12 for trimming, prior to cooperating with the knife 58. The trimming of the side edges 25 (head / foot trimming) is described in US Pat Fig. 4 indicated in area S1 and in front view of the product 14 in Fig. 6 shown.

In order to bring the counter-knives 58 'between the products 14 which are gripped by the grippers 12 on 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 close range to an off-axis working position A on a second movement path y movable. This movement can be ensured by a corresponding movement unit 18, for example via a corresponding hydraulic, pneumatic or mechanical system (cf. Fig. 5 to 8 ). By this in this example the rotational movement of the counter knife 58 'superimposed movement radially outwards, the counter knife 58' can penetrate the product flow, ie they can penetrate between the products 14 held 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 blades 58 'are introduced from the side of the grippers 12 between the products 14, as shown in FIGS 4 to 6 is shown

Downstream of the area 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' also becomes 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 integrated counter blade, as exemplified by Fig. 13 However, the cutting means 28 'for trimming the edge 26 can also be designed in a suitable other way.

In the Fig. 5 to 7 are the process steps that run with this inventive device 9, shown for clarity in front view of the product 14. Fig. 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 arranged in the conveying path cutting station 20. 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, compare Fig. 7 , on the second trajectory y (also indicated by dashed lines) 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. In Fig. 6 shown on the left side, there is a counter knife 58 'in working position A on the second movement path y and is in cutting engagement with the stationary blade 58, so that the side edge 25 is trimmed. In Fig. 7 It is shown how the counter knives 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 is guided past the cutting roller 29 in the area S2, wherein the free edge 26 of the product 14 is cropped.

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 is shown against the cutting bar 56. As a further embodiment, the cutting means 28 may be formed as shown in FIG Fig. 9 and in Fig. 8 , The cutting means 28 have instead of the pivotable blade 58 and a cutting bar 56 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. Like this Fig. 9 can be seen, it is in the example shown here in the guide member 53 is a U-shaped profile, the guide rails 50 have in its side regions for guiding guided on it Führurigsschlitten 52. 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 knife 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 controlled 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 in the Fig. 8 Right illustrated embodiment of the inventive device 9 cutting means 28 are provided in the cutting station 20, which instead of a circular disk-shaped blade 48 and a cutting bar 54 (see. Fig. 9 ) comprise two in the shear cutting method against each other working, circular disk-shaped knife 48, see. Fig. 10 and Fig. 8 left side. Also the two in Fig. 10 illustrated, circular disk-shaped blades 48 are movably mounted in guide elements 53, wherein the guide elements 53 analogous to those in Fig. 9 are shown formed and the movement pattern for the two circular blade-shaped blades 48 may also be analogous to that of the cutting bar 54 and the blade 48. But they are according to both variants FIGS. 9 and 10 , see. corresponding Fig. 8 left and Fig. 8 right, also other movement patterns 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 in the cut, as in Fig. 8 is shown on the left side. After the trimming of the side edges 25 by the two circular blade-shaped blades 48, they are again moved back to the first movement path x in the rest position B At the same time, the products 14 are further promoted by the grippers 12 and turn on A first cutting unit 22 or cutting means 28 'for trimming the free edge 26 is transported over. Analogously, of course, cutting means 28, as used in US Pat Fig. 9 and the Fig. 8 right side are described, the free edge 26 are cropped. 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.

Instead of penetrating the product stream conveyed in the grippers 12 of the conveyor device 10 with the cutting means 28, it is also conceivable to guide the cutting means 28 and the products 14 into a kneading area together and to bring them into operative connection with each other, as described in US Pat Fig. 11a is shown. 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 against each other pivotally, 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.

In 11b and 12th an embodiment of the device 9 according to the invention is shown 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 its free edge 26. In the in Fig. 11b As shown, the free edge 26 of the products 14 is supplied to the effective region of the cutting centers 28 of the cutting unit 22 for this purpose. 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.

In Fig. 13 a variant 22 'of this cutting unit 22 is shown, in which the knives 58 and counter knife 58' do not rotate together about an axis 30 but one or more at regular intervals arranged counter knife 58 'rotate on a circumference about the axis 30 (shown here 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 according to Fig. 11a and 11b After cutting the free edge 26, the side edges 25 are trimmed. 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 the case for the device in FIG Fig. 11a is described, or she be like this one in the FIGS. 12 and 13 is shown, between two on the axis 30 'parallel juxtaposed cutting means 28 promoted (in Fig. 12 Dashed line outer position of the pairs of knives 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 solidly drawn 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 come to rest and be rotated by pivoting 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.

In the Fig. 14 to 16 a further embodiment of the inventive device 9 is shown, in which the cutting means 28 are designed for trimming the side edges 25 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 the 11 b and 12 , In the embodiment shown here, the cutting means 28 are not rotatably mounted about an axis but substantially parallel to the conveying path of the products 14 and gripper 12 conveyed by means of rotating conveyor members 61. Like this in Fig. 15 is shown, 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 (cf. FIGS. 15 and 16 ).

To this embodiment is in the FIGS. 17 and 18 a variant shown in the parallel and on both sides of the conveying path of the gripper 12 offset and successively by means of a conveying member 61 circulating cutting means 28 are promoted. The successively arranged arrangement of the cutting means 28 in circulating conveyor units, resulting in a sequential trimming of the side edges 25 of the freely transported in the grippers 12 products 14. In contrast to the embodiment of Fig. 14 to 16 are not the cutting means 28 laterally brought to the products to be cut 14, but the grippers 12 of the conveyor 10 are transversely to the conveying direction F (arrow Q) and slidably mounted in the direction of the hanging product (arrow H), as in WO 01/81217 By displacing the grippers 12 in the transverse direction Q to the conveying direction F, the products 14 in the drovers 12 are initially displaced to cut one side edge 25 into the area of one cutting means 28 ( Fig. 17 bottom left) and there trimmed and then moved beyond its center in the conveying position on the other side until there the other side edge 25 comes into cutting engagement with the other cutting means 28 ( Fig. 12 top right) and cropped. The gripper 12 opposite free edge 26 is trimmed by the grippers 12 are lowered ( Fig. 18 , Arrow H) and the edge 26 is brought into engagement with cutting means 28, which are conveyed below the freely suspended conveyed products 14 by means of a conveying member 61 parallel to the products 14. Unlike the cutting means from the Fig. 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 in the FIGS. 19 and 20 illustrated, 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, for example, in EP 854105 given. As in Fig. 19 shown, this leads to 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 in FIGS. 19 and 20 with the indicated behind the product flow, thick counter-roll is shown.

Also preferred and with the pivotable grippers 12 of Fig. 19 An embodiment of the device 9 according to the invention can be combined, in which the grippers 12 can be variably conveyed at a distance from one another, so that an acceleration and deceleration of the grippers 12 is possible. 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 in Fig. 19 is shown, the overlap of the products 14 by 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 in Fig. 20 is shown. Both for the in Fig. 19 as well as for in Fig. 20 illustrated embodiment, it is possible to bring the introduced by the pivoting in the products 14, uncontrolled movement of the sheet-like flexible products 14 in a known manner by both sides of the conveyor path arranged motion arrester 64, in this case parallel moving bands to calm.

In Fig. 21 For this purpose, a variant is shown, in which the products 14 are transported taken by the grippers 12 taken on the not to be cut edge 16 and executed by a corresponding routing of the conveyor line and with the aid of a support 66, here adapted as one of the route endless conveyor belt is to be put in 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.

In the Fig. 22, 23 perspective view of a further embodiment of the inventive device 9 is shown. The basic structure corresponds to that of Fig. 11b where in the here in the Fig. 22, 23 The example shown must rather be spoken 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 shape of a truncated cone, as shown in FIGS Fig. 23, 24 is shown. 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 this case, the product is changed in the gripper, for example by grasping or transfer to another gripper, 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 effort, but can, for example, with a device as shown in EP 854105 is disclosed, realized.

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

All figures are for illustration. The inventive device is not limited to the variants shown in the figures.

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 is especially true for the in the FIGS. 4 to 10 and 22, 23 shown cutting devices.

Claims (22)

1. Method for transporting planar flexible products (14), in particular print products such as newspapers, magazines, or parts thereof, in which method the product (14) is held by a gripper (12) of a conveying device (10) and conveyed along a conveying path, wherein the product (14), seized by the gripper (12) on that edge (16) that is not to be trimmed, at least in regions is conveyed in a freely suspended manner on the conveying path, characterized in that the product (14), while acquired and conveyed on the conveying path in this way by the gripper on that edge (16) that is not to be trimmed, is brought into operative connection with cutting means (28) in such a manner that at least one periphery (25, 26) of the product (14) is trimmed, the product (14) during trimming being acquired by the gripper (12) on that edge (16) that is not to be trimmed.
2. Method according to Claim 1, characterized in that the product (14) is a folded print product and the edge (16) that is not to be trimmed is the fold of the print product.
3. Method according to Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that trimming is performed using a blade (48, 58) acting against a cutting bar (54, 56), using a blade (48, 58) acting against a counter blade (48, 58') in the shear-cutting method, and/or in the impulse cutting method.
4. 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 united in an operative region, and in that said uniting is performed in that at least part of the cutting means (28) penetrate the product stream, or the products (14) and at least part of the cutting means (28) mutually mesh, or at least part of the cutting means (28) are united with the products (14) by lateral introduction, or at least part of the cutting means (28) are brought in bearing contact with the peripheries (25, 26) to be trimmed.
5. Method according to Claim 4, characterized in that penetrating is performed in that the penetrating part of the cutting means (28) at least in portions is moved parallel with the products (14), wherein for penetration of the product stream the penetrating cutting means (28) are moved from a standby position B on the first motion track (x) to an operating position A on a second motion track (y), and that the first motion track (x) has an adequate spacing from the product stream so that cutting means (28) and products (14) may be guided past one another without contact, and that the second motion track (y) has a spacing from the product stream which ensures that the products (14) and the cutting means (28) overlap in a relevant region, in particular overlap so as to be sufficient for cleanly trimming a periphery (25, 26).
6. Method according to Claim 5, characterized in that the cutting means (28) are moved hydraulically, pneumatically, or mechanically from one motion track (x, y) to the other motion track (x, y) and back, controlling to this end being performed electronically or by means of slotted guides.
7. Method according to one of Claims 5 to 6, characterized in that two circular-disc shaped blades (48), or one circular-disc shaped blade (48) and one cutting bar (54) interact in a cutting manner and, as component parts of the cutting means (28), are movable therewith in such a manner that the former trim the lateral peripheries of the products (14), wherein the cutting movement is preferably performed from the edge (16) that is not to be trimmed in the direction towards the free periphery (26) of a product (14).
8. Method according to Claim 7, characterized in that leading contact rollers, which clamp and tauten the respective product (14) during cutting, are assigned to the two circular-disc shaped blades (48), or to the one circular-disc shaped blade (48) and the one cutting bar (54).
9. Method according to Claim 4, characterized in that the lateral introduction is performed in that at least part of the cutting means (28) and the lateral peripheries (25) of the products (14) are mutually assigned in a lateral manner, wherein this may be performed by movement of the cutting means (28) and/or by movement of the products (14).
10. Method according to Claim 3, characterized in that in the impulse cutting method a blade (46) and an edge (40), which is preferably provided with a blade or is configured as a blade, each have sufficient mass and are moved at sufficiently high speed in relation to one another that at the moment of the blade (46) and the edge (40) passing one another, a periphery (25, 26) of a product (14) that is located therebetween by virtue of the existing impulse is severed.
11. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that trimming of the lateral peripheries (25) and trimming of the free periphery (26) are performed so as to be temporally successive.
12. Device for transporting planar flexible products, in particular print products such as newspapers, magazines, or parts thereof, the device having a conveying device (10) having grippers (12), wherein the products (14) at least in regions on the conveying path are seized by the gripper (12) on their edge (16) that is not to be trimmed and are conveyable in a freely suspended manner, and in that a cutting station (20) of which the cutting means (28) are configured such that in an operative connection between the cutting means (28) and the product (14) at least one periphery (25, 26) of the product (14) is trimmable is disposed in the conveying path of the conveying device (10), characterized in that the product (14) during trimming is acquired by the gripper (12) on that edge (16) that is not to be trimmed.
13. Device according to Claim 12, characterized in that cutting means (28) are guided so as to be in endless circulation and so as to be movable from a standby position (B) on a first motion track (x) to an operating position (A) on a second motion track (y), between the products (14) conveyed on the conveying path (10).
14. Device according to Claim 12 or 13, characterized in that the cutting means (28) have two circular-disc shaped blades (48) mutually operating in the shear-cutting method, or one circular-disc shaped blade (48) and one cutting bar (54) or counter roller, so as to interact in a blade-cutting method.
15. Device according to Claims 13 and 14, characterized in that the circular-disc shaped blades (48), or the one circular-disc shaped blade (48) and the cutting bar (54, 56) each are movably mounted in a guide element (53) of the cutting means (28), and in particular that a contact roller (70), which when cutting is leading, is assigned to the circular-disc shaped blades (48) or to the one circular-disc shaped blade (48), respectively, and optionally also to the cutting bar (54) or counter roller.
16. Device according to Claim 12 or 14, characterized in that the cutting means (28) have a blade (58) and a cutting bar (56) which by way of an axle (60) are connected so as to be mutually pivotable in such a manner that for cutting the blade (58) works against the cutting bar (56).
17. Device according to Claim 12, characterized in that the cutting means (28) have a blade (58) and a counter blade (58') which by way of an axle (60) are connected so as to be mutually pivotable.
18. Device according to Claim 12, characterized in that an impulse cutting device (34) is provided for trimming at least one periphery (25, 26).
19. Device according to Claim 18, characterized in that for the trimming of the lateral peripheries (25) an impulse cutting device (34) is provided which has a first unit (38) rotating about a central rotation axis (37), said first unit (38) having edges (42) which are preferably provided with blades or per se are configured as blades, and a second second unit which concentrically rotates about the central rotation axis (37), preferably in the direction opposite to that of the first unit (38), said second unit having blades (46), wherein the blades (46) and the edges (42) have a mass, are configured such and by way of the rotation are movable past one another in cutting interaction such that at the moment of the mutual passing a product (14) which is located between the blade (46) and the edge (42) by virtue of the impulse acting on the edge (40) is severed.
20. Device according to Claim 18, characterized in that a first rotating unit (38) is a cage which is preferably configured in the form of a cylinder sleeve and which has openings (40) having edges (42) which interact with blades (46) which counter rotate within the cylinder sleeve.
21. Device according to Claim 19, characterized in that the first rotating unit (38) is a cage which is preferably configured in the form of a truncated cone, wherein the inclination angle (a) of the cone sleeve in relation to the rotation axis (37) is selected such that the speed differential of a product (14), which in an approximately circular path is guided through the cutting units (22), between the radially outer periphery and the radially inner periphery is equalized.
22. Device according to one of Claims 12 to 21, characterized in that the grippers (12) are pivotable in the conveying device, and/or are displaceable in a manner transverse thereto, and/or in terms of their mutual spacing are variably conveyable.

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