EP1809557B1 - Method and device for inserting flat articles into printed products - Google Patents

Abstract

Flat articles are inserted into printed products (3) continuously conveyed by grippers (11) of a gripper conveyor (1), wherein the printed products are held by the grippers at their fold or spine edges and wherein the grippers (11) are conveyed through a deflection region from below round an essentially horizontal deflection axis (2). Pegging elements (4) rotating around the deflection axis (2) are arranged along both sides of the deflection region and synchronized with the grippers, and form axially aligned and inter-spaced pairs and are radially distanced from the grippers. The printed products (3) are conveyed in a hanging manner into the deflection region and they are opened immediately upstream of the deflection region. The pegging elements (4) are activated as the grippers (11) enter the deflection region to grab the trailing part (32) of one opened printed product (3) and the leading part (31) of the next product by the corners opposite the fold or spine edge by clamping them together until the grippers (11) exit the deflection region.

Description

The invention is in the field of promotion and processing of printed products and relates to a method and an apparatus according to the preambles of the corresponding independent claims. Method and apparatus are used for inserting flat objects in continuously conveyed printed products. The printed products are for example newspapers, magazines or brochures, ie folded or bound printed products, which are opened for insertion. The flat objects are, for example, other printed products (eg folded or bound inserts, postcards, single sheets) or other objects (eg CDs, sample bags) and in each printed product is ever an object or unit handled as a group item (plurality of identical or different flat objects) inserted ,

According to the prior art, printed products are opened and flat objects are inserted therein, for example by passing the printed products to a rotating insertion drum in which they are held in V-shaped pockets in an open position and displaced simultaneously with the rotation in the axial direction. that they are conveyed past a feed point with each revolution of the drum. At each feed point, a flat article is usually introduced from above into each printed product conveyed past, such that the article is subjected to gravity by the action of gravity inner side of the folded or bundle edge of the printed product is driven and positioned at this stop. Said insertion drum is a large and relatively expensive device, the application of which is actually only justified if multiple Zuführungsstellen are necessary, that is, if a plurality of different flat objects in each printed product to be introduced and these items are not handled as a unit, or to be handled.

For the introduction of only one flat object in each open printed products or for the introduction of each handle as a unit and supplied as a unit object group in the open printed products are simpler devices, such as the device described in the publication EP-0448679 (or US 5165672 , Wamac). This device has circumferential, V-shaped pockets in which the printed products are opened and conveyed in the open state to a feed point where the flat objects are inserted. Since the printed products in the V-shaped pockets do not have to be displaced transversely to the main conveying direction as in the insertion drum, they need not be transferred to conveying means which are equipped for this transverse movement, but can remain held for the insertion of the same grippers, from which they are conveyed to the circulation system with the bags and again conveyed away. For this, the pockets consist of two pocket parts and the grippers of the gripper transporter are conveyed around a part of the pocket circulation between the pocket parts and aligned on the bottom. In front of the feed point, the printed products held by the grippers in the pockets are opened and kept open at the feed point during the advancement. The grippers are also temporarily opened during the forwarding at the feed point. To keep the printed products in the V-shaped pockets open and to keep their fold or collar edges in the grippers in an unchanged position while the grippers are open, the pockets are provided with holding means and are conveyed substantially straight and horizontal (with the opening towards the top) at the feed point.

The device according to EP-0448679 is easier than a plug-in drum, but is still quite expensive and has the disadvantage that the gripper of the gripper transporter, with the aid of the printed products are conveyed into the pockets, in den.Taschen past the feed point and then out of the pockets, must have a distance in front of each other, which is sufficiently large for a Einsteckvorgang during a straight, horizontal conveying. However, this is not the case, for example, for the gripper transporters with a gripper spacing of approximately 10 cm, which are widely used for the transport of printed products. An opening of the printed products with a width of at most 10 cm, especially at high flow rates for the insertion of individual flat objects extremely tight and too small for the insertion of a group of objects. For plugging in using the in EP-0448679 For this reason, the printed products must therefore be handed over to a special gripper transporter, which means more device-related outlay and, for the same throughput, higher conveying speeds.

The invention is now the tasks, methods and apparatus according to the prior art for the insertion of flat objects in continuously promoted printed products, prior art, as he, for example, by the publication EP-0448679 is known to improve to the effect that they are easier and that they are cooperatively usable in particular with a common gripper transporter, that is, with a gripper conveyor with a for insertion according to EP-0448679 too small gripper distance.

This object is achieved by the method and the device as defined in the patent claims.

According to the invention, the feed point is arranged in the region of a deflection of the gripper conveyor, in which deflection of the gripper conveyor is deflected from bottom to top by a substantially horizontal deflection axis by more than 90 °, advantageously about 180 °. The printed products are held by the grippers of the gripper conveyor at their folding or collar edges, suspended supported against the deflection and they are opened before the deflection (advantageously immediately before the deflection) in a conventional manner. When opening the printed products a leading and a trailing product part are separated from each other and there is a folding or federal edge opposite opening, but is too narrow for the insertion of the flat objects using a conventional Greifertransporteurs.

Rotate about the deflection axis on both sides of the gripper conveyor, synchronized with the grippers and axially and radially spaced therefrom a plurality of clamping elements in axially aligned clamping elements pairs. These are arranged and controlled so that the two clamping elements of each pair of clamping elements take the trailing part of an open printed product and the leading part of the likewise opened secondary product in each case one of the folding or waist edge opposite corner area clamped and held in such a way can lead to the deflection , The clamping elements are activated there, where the grippers enter the deflection, that is brought into a clamping configuration. As a result, each incoming, already opened printed product is further opened at this inlet because the clamping elements have a greater radial distance from the deflection axis than the grippers, ie the clamping elements have a greater distance than the grippers. This will be the openings of the printed products even when using a conventional Greifertransporteurs for insertion wide enough.

During the deflection and in a position on or above the substantially horizontal plane containing the deflection axis, the feed point is arranged, in which the flat objects are inserted. Already during insertion or immediately thereafter, the inserted objects are driven by gravity against the inside of the fold or waistband edge. Already in the Zuführungstelle or shortly thereafter, at a time but in which the folding or Bundkanten opposite corner regions of the printed products are still held by the clamping elements, the gripper are temporarily opened, so that the inserted objects by gravity completely to the. Inside of the fold or waistband edge are applied to be seized when reclosing the gripper together with the printed products can.

The clamping elements are deactivated, that is brought into a non-clamping configuration, at the latest where the grippers from the deflection run out, and at the earliest when the grippers are closed again.

It turns out that it is quite sufficient to keep the leading and trailing, opposite the fold or edge edge corners of the two parts of the opened printed products when the grippers are temporarily opened, regardless of whether this already during insertion or only after the case is. On another. Support or support of the printed products can be dispensed with without further notice. It is quite possible, especially at high conveying speeds, that the position of the folding or bundle edges shifts in the opened grippers, but this is not of importance for the method.

• eine Zuführungsstelle, die in an sich bekannter Weise für die Zuführung und das Einstecken der flachen Gegenstände ausgerüstet ist, wobei die Zuführungsstelle auf oder über der im wesentlichen horizontalen Ebene liegt, die die Umlenkungsachse enthält;
• Auf beiden Seiten der Umlenkung des Greifertransporteurs und von diesem axial und von den Greifern radial beabstandet und mit den Greifern synchronisiert um die Umlenkungsachse rotierende Klemmelemente, die in Paaren axial aufeinander ausgerichtet sind, die in ihren Abständen auf die Greiferabstände abgestimmt sind und die von der Umlenkungsachse radial weiter entfernt sind als die Greifer;
• Mittel zum Öffnen der durch den Greifertransporteur hängend gegen die Umlenkung geförderten Druckprodukte, wobei diese Öffnungsmittel vorteilhafterweise unmittelbar vor dem Einlauf der Greifer in die Umlenkung angeordnet sind;
• Steuermittel zum vorübergehenden Öffnen und Schliessen der Greifer des Greifertransporteurs während der Umlenkung;
• und Steuermittel zum Aktivieren und Deaktivieren der Klemmelemente.

Thus, the device according to the invention cooperates with a deflection of a gripper transporter, wherein the gripper transporter advantageously has a minimum gripper spacing and wherein the position of the gripper remains blocked relative to the feed during the deflection (no adjustment of this position to gravity). The deflection axis is substantially horizontal, the gripper transporter is deflected from bottom to top and the deflection radius is as small as possible. The device comprises the following device parts:

• a feeding station equipped in a manner known per se for feeding and inserting the flat objects, the feeding point lying on or above the substantially horizontal plane containing the deflection axis;
• On both sides of the deflection of the gripper conveyor and axially spaced therefrom by the grippers and with the grippers synchronized about the deflection axis rotating clamping elements which are axially aligned in pairs, which are matched in their distances to the gripper spacings and the deflection axis radially further away than the grippers;
• Means for opening the printed products which are suspended by the gripper conveyor against the deflection, said opening means advantageously being arranged in the deflection immediately before the inlet of the grippers;
• Control means for temporarily opening and closing the grippers of the gripper conveyor during the deflection;
• and control means for activating and deactivating the clamping elements.

The advantages of the method and apparatus according to the invention over known methods and apparatuses serving the same purpose are, in particular, that the means by which the printed products are kept in a condition suitable for the insertion of the flat objects and for the temporary opening of the grippers , Significantly easier (two attacking in corner areas clamping elements in contrast to two-piece, equipped with holding means V-shaped pockets) and that, thanks to the disposed in the region of the deflection Zuführungstelle the gripper clearance on the gripper conveyor can be significantly smaller, so that in particular uses a common gripper conveyor can be and must not be passed to a special gripper transporter, the printed products for the insertion process. As will be shown, the device can also be adapted in a very simple manner to different formats of printed products and brought in a likewise simple manner in a non-operative state in which they a normal, completely unobstructed use of the gripper transporter (without plugging) allowed.

Figur 1

das Prinzip des erfindungsgemässen Verfahrens;

Figuren 2 und 3

eine beispielhafte Ausführungsform der erfindungsgemässen Vorrichtung in aktivem Zustand (Fig. 2: Blickrichtung quer zur Förderrichtung; Fig. 3: Schnitt quer zur Förderrichtung im Einlaufbereich der Umlenkung);

Figuren 4 und 5

die Vorrichtung gemäss Figuren 2 und 3 in nicht operativem Zustand (Fig. 4: Blickrichtung quer zur Förderrichtung; Fig. 5: Schnitt quer zur Förderrichtung im Einlaufbereich der Umlenkung).

The inventive method and an exemplary embodiment of the inventive device will be described with reference to the following figures in detail. Showing:

FIG. 1

the principle of the inventive method;

FIGS. 2 and 3

an exemplary embodiment of the inventive device in the active state ( Fig. 2 : Viewing direction transverse to the conveying direction; Fig. 3 : Section transverse to the conveying direction in the inlet region of the deflection);

FIGS. 4 and 5

the device according to FIGS. 2 and 3 in non-operative condition ( Fig. 4 : Viewing direction transverse to the conveying direction; Fig. 5 : Section transverse to the conveying direction in the inlet region of the deflection).

FIG. 1 shows the principle of the inventive method with reference to a very schematically and incompletely shown device (angle of view transverse to the conveying direction, ie parallel to the deflection axis). Shown is the Greiferforderer 1 with grippers 11, which is deflected around the deflection axis 2 from bottom to top (arrow U), the printed products 3 are required by the gripper 11 of the gripper requestor 1 on the folding or collar edges hanging required in the deflection. Before entering the gripper 11 in the deflection, the pre and trailing parts 31 and 32 of the printed products 3 are separated from each other with an opening means, not shown, and the printed products thereby opened. Obviously, it is at most possible between the leading and trailing part of each printed product to create an opening 33 which is as wide as the predetermined by the gripper transporter gripper spacing A.

Further shown are clamping elements 4 (only the clamping elements on one side of the gripper transporter are visible), which are synchronized with the grippers 11 are driven to rotate around the deflection axis 2, for example, they move approximately centrally between each two adjacent grippers. The clamping elements 4 are radially spaced from the grippers 11, wherein this distance between gripper 11 and clamping elements 4 is tuned to the height (in the supply substantially perpendicular and transverse to the conveying direction) of the opened printed products. The axial distance between the clamping elements of a clamping element pair is adapted to the width (horizontal and perpendicular to the conveying direction) of the printed products

The clamping elements 4 take over the opening means separated by the opening and trailing parts 31 and 32 of the open printed products 3 at the inlet of the gripper 11 in the deflection, characterized in that they are opposite the folding or collar edges corner regions of the trailing portion 32 of a printed product and clamp together the corresponding corner regions of the leading part 31 of the secondary product. Each printed product 3 is thereby opened further when entering the deflection. Once his two parts 31 and 32 are gripped by a pair of clamping elements, the width of its opening no longer corresponds to the gripper spacing A but according to the radial distance between gripper and clamping elements larger (B), so that the opening for insertion wide enough is.

The feed point 5 (shown schematically by an arrow), to which the flat items (not shown) to be inserted are inserted and inserted into the printed products 3 conveyed around the deflection and held open by the clamping elements 4, is on or above a substantially horizontal one Plane H, in which the deflection axis 2 is located, arranged, that is, in a position in which the opening 33 of the printed products 3 at least as high, advantageously higher than the folding or waistband edge.

The clamping elements 4 are activated at the inlet of the gripper 11 in the deflection (activation point 6). At the latest at the outlet of the gripper 11 from the deflection and earliest after the feeding point 5, they are deactivated again (deactivation point 7). The grippers 11 are temporarily opened as long as the clamping elements are activated, whereby they are opened before or after the feed point 5 (exemplary opening point 8) and closed again after the feed point 5 (exemplary closing point 9).

For the control of the clamping elements 4 and the gripper 11 stationary Steuerkulissen be provided, for example in a conventional manner during operation and gripper 11 and 4 clamping elements to be provided with rolling on the Steuerkulissen control rollers.

FIGS. 2 and 3 show an exemplary embodiment of a device with which, as in connection with the FIG. 1 described flat objects 20 can be inserted in continuously conveyed past a feed point 5, open printed products 3. FIG. 2 shows the device in the same way as FIG. 1 , ie with a viewing direction transverse to the conveying direction (parallel to the deflection axis 2). FIG. 3 shows the region of the device in which the grippers run into the deflection, in a substantially vertical, aligned parallel to the deflection axis 2 section. The same elements are identified by the same reference numerals as in FIG FIG. 1 , In particular, shown in more detail than in the FIG. 1 is the device part 40, which carries the clamping elements 4, and the opening means 50th

The device part 40 is formed as a pair of mirror-image and arranged on both sides of the deflection, about the deflection axis 2 rotatably driven spoked wheels 40.1 and 40.2, each spoke 41 carries a clamping element 4. The two spoke wheels 40,1 and 40.2 are advantageously mounted on the same axis as a deflection of the gripper transporter causing Umlenkungsrad and are advantageously driven by this axis. The axial distance between two mutually aligned spokes 41, each belonging to one of the spoke wheels 40.1 and 40.2 is greater than the width of the printed products to be handled and advantageously for the handling of different widths printed products adjustable (double arrow C).

The clamping elements 4 each have two clamping jaws 4.1 and 4.2, wherein the clamping jaws are arranged pivotable about the spoke 41, such that they are aligned in the activated configuration of the clamping element 4 substantially parallel to the deflection axis 2 and pressed against each other. In the deactivated configuration of the clamping element 4, the clamping jaws 4.1 and 4.2 are pivoted so far apart that they do not come into contact with the printed products 3.

Advantageously, the radial length of the spokes 41 is adjustable (double arrow D) for adapting the device to different heights of print products 3 to be handled. For the same purpose, the clamping elements 4 can also be displaceable along the spokes 41.

The opening means 50 has in known manner an opening band 51, an opening wheel 52 and an opening screw 53 and is particularly suitable for opening printed products with prefold (leading portion 31 extends slightly further down than trailing portion 32, or vice versa). The opening belt 51 is arranged below the gripper conveyor 1 and driven at a slightly greater speed than the gripper conveyor 1, that it bends the lower portions of the printed products 3 slightly forward. The opening wheel 52 is disposed at the end of the opening band 51 and has teeth that engage between the leading and the trailing product part. The rotationally driven opening screw 53, which has a screw pitch which increases in the conveying direction, joins the opening wheel 52 and merges the product parts of adjacent printed products separated by the opening wheel 52 and slightly enlarges the opening achieved by the opening wheel 52. At the exit of the opening screw 53, the merged product parts 31 and 32 are each detected by a pair of clamping elements in the corner areas opposite the folding or collar edge. How out FIG. 3 is apparent, are advantageously two to provide parallel and counter-rotating and driven opening screws 53.

How out FIG. 2 can be seen, the position of the gripper is relative to the conveying direction during the deflection constant (gripper blocked). After the deflection, that is, when the printed products and the inserted objects are held securely by the grippers and are no longer held by the clamping elements, the grippers can be released again and assume depending on gravity adjusting pivotal positions relative to the conveying direction.

FIGS. 4 and 5 show in the same way as the FIGS. 2 and 3 the device in a non-operative state, that is, in a state in which the printed products are 3 promoted by the gripper feed dog 1 to the deflection without being opened without their leading and trailing parts are detected by the clamping elements 4, without that the grippers 11 are opened and without flat objects are inserted. If the device according to the invention is in this non-operative state, it is of course necessary to stop the supply of items to be inserted. In addition, only the opening means 50 is displaced downwards and optionally stopped and the two spoke wheels 40.1 and 40.2 are moved axially apart so that they are decoupled from the drive and the clamping elements 4 advantageously not come into contact with the printed products 3 regardless of their configuration. Further, the control of the gripper 11 to turn off the temporary gripper opening. Advantageously, the control linkage controlling the temporary gripper opening is connected to one of the spoke wheels 40.1 or 40.2 and is pushed out of the area of the gripper conveyor by the axial movement apart of the spoke wheels and thereby switched to inactive.

It will be apparent from the above section that it is obviously very simple to use the device according to the invention, as shown in FIGS FIGS. 2 to 5 is shown in a non-operative state and from this back to an operative state.

Claims (10)

1. Method for inserting flat articles (20) into continuously conveyed printed products (3) having a fold or spine edge, wherein the printed products (3) are each held by a gripper (11) at their fold or spine edge and conveyed to a supply point (5) and away from the supply point, wherein the printed products (3) are conveyed past the supply point (5) in an open state, i.e. each with a separated leading and trailing part (31 and 32), and the grippers (11) are temporarily opened in the region of the supply point (5), and wherein the flat articles (20) are supplied to the supply point (5), are inserted into the open printed products (3) and are gripped together with the printed products by the re-closed grippers (11), characterized in that the supply point (5) is located in a region in which the grippers (11) are deflected by being conveyed around an essentially horizontal deflection axis (2), around which the grippers (11) are conveyed upward from below to above the deflection axis (2), that the printed products (3) being conveyed to the deflection held by the grippers (11) in a hanging manner are opened before the grippers (11) enter the deflection, and that during conveyance through the deflection the trailing part of each (32) printed product and the leading part (31) of the following product are held clamped together in corner regions opposite the fold or spine edge each by a pair of axially aligned pegging elements (4), wherein the pairs of pegging elements (4) rotate around the deflection axis (2) in synchronisme with the grippers (11) and wherein the axial distances between the pegging elements are adapted to a width of the printed products (3) and radial distances between the grippers (11) and pegging elements (4) are adapted to a radial height of the printed products (3).
2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the printed products (3) are solely held in said corner regions while the grippers (11) are temporarily opened.
3. Method according to any one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the supply point (5) is positioned on or above an essentially horizontal plane (H), in which said deflection axis (2) lies.
4. An installation for inserting flat articles (20) into printed products (3) having a fold or spine edge, which installation is positioned in a region of a gripper conveyor (1) comprising grippers (11) suitable for continuous conveyance of the printed products (3) being held at their fold or spine edges, the installation comprising a means (50) for opening the printed products (3), a control means for opening the grippers (11) temporarily and a supply point (5) for supplying and inserting the flat articles (3) into the opened printed products (3), characterized in that the installation is arranged in a region of a deflection of the gripper conveyor (1), by which deflection the gripper conveyor (1) is deflected upwards around an essentially horizontal deflection axis (2) from below to above the deflection axis, wherein the opening means (50) is located upstream of the deflection, wherein the installation further comprises a plurality of pegging elements (4), which are driven to rotate in axially aligned pairs and in synchronism with the grippers (11) around the deflection axis (2), the axial distances of the pegging elements (4) of each pair being adjusted to a width of the printed products (3) and the radial distances between grippers (11) and pegging elements (4) to a radial height of the printed products (3), so that each pair of pegging elements (4) is capable to grip by clamping together a trailing part (32) of one printed product opened by the opening means (50) and a leading part (31) of the following printed product in the corner regions opposite the fold or spine edges, and wherein control means are provided to activate the pegging elements (4) as the grippers (11) enter the deflection and to de-activate them after the temporary opening of the grippers (11).
5. Installation according to claim 4, characterized in that the supply point (5) is located on or above a horizontal plane (H), in which the deflection axis (2) lies.
6. Installation according to any one of claims 4 or 5, characterized in that the pegging elements (4) are mounted on spokes (41) of two spoke wheels (40.1 and 40.2) which are arranged one on each side of the deflection region of the gripper conveyor (1).
7. Installation according to any one of claims 4 to 6, characterized in that each pegging element (4) comprises two clamping jaws (4.1 and 4.2) pivotable around the spoke (41), wherein, in an activated configuration of the pegging element (4), the jaws (4.1 and 4.2) are oriented axially and pressed against each other and wherein, on de-activation of the pegging element (4), the jaws (4.1 and 4.2) are swivelled apart.
8. The installation according to any one of claims 4 to 7, characterized in that a radial length of the spokes (41) or a radial position of the pegging elements (4) on the spokes (41) is adjustable.
9. The installation according to any one of claims 4 to 8, characterized in that the spoke wheels (40.1 and 40.2) are able to be shifted axially.
10. The installation according to claim 9, characterized in that the spoke wheels (40.1 and 40.2) are functionally connected with the deflection of the gripper conveyor (1) and that this connection is eliminated by shifting the spoke wheels (40.1 and 40.2).

Images