EP1832399B2 - Method and device for automatically cutting printed products - Google Patents

Abstract

The method for trimming printed products (3) in a cutting machine which has at least one cutting station (5) which has at least one knife (13) on a vertically movable yoke (11), involves the phase position of an infeed transporting device (2) being adapted in each case to the format width of the printed product, extending in the feed direction, in relation to the drive (39) of the yoke. A change of the phase position takes place in the case of successive printed products of different format width. An independent claim is included for a cutting machine for trimming printed products by application of the proposed method.

Description

The invention relates to a method for automatically trimming printed products, such as brochures, magazines, catalogs and book blocks in a cutting machine, having at least one cutting station having on a vertically movable yoke knife, wherein the printed products fed successively to the cutting station with an intake conveyor, transferred from the infeed conveyor to a cutting conveyor and positioned with the chord in the cutting station in a predetermined cutting position for a frontal cut and transported to a head and foot cut position and wherein the printed products during their entry into the cutting station from both the infeed conveyor and be guided by the cutting transport device.

The invention also relates to a cutting machine for trimming printed products. It has at least one cutting station which has a yoke knife. An infeed conveyor device serves to feed the printed products to the cutting station. With a cutting transport device, the printed products are transported in the cutting station, the cutting transport device for transporting the printed products from a position for the front section to a position for the foot and head section. Between the inlet transport device and the cutting transport device, a transfer area is arranged. The cutting machine also has drive means and a control device.

In the prior art are by the EP 1 166 977 A1 a method and an apparatus for the automatic trimming of printed matter has become known. The cutting machine here is a so-called three-knife trimmer, with the same time on a printed product, a front section and on another printed product a head and foot section are executable. For supplying the printed products to the cutting station, a conveyor belt is provided, which has a plurality of carriers, on which the printed products are triggered. The printed products are finally taken between an upper belt and a lower belt and fed to the cutting transport device. If the printed product has reached the intended position in the cutting transport device, the front cut is carried out. The printed product is in turn transported by the cutting conveyor to perform a head and foot cut. In order to correct deviations from the desired position of the printed products, a measuring device is provided in the cutting station, with which the cutting transport can be controlled accordingly. This makes it possible to avoid a mechanical stop. The printed products can therefore also be held during cutting transport between a top band and a bottom band. With a mechanical stop, the printed matter would have to be released before the stop. With this cutting device also different widths printed products can be cut. For this, however, a clutch of the drive must be released. The machine must be switched off for this purpose and thus the operation is interrupted. A format change for a single printed product or even for a few printed products is therefore not possible for reasons of cost here in practice.

Printed products, which are intended for shipping and in particular for the mail order, are produced in different product widths. For example, this is done with the so-called "selective binding" on a saddle stitcher. With digital printing presses, these can be successively produced in such a way that the format can differ from printed product to printed product. What is needed is therefore a cutting machine and a method which make it possible to cut products with variable product width directly one after the other and in full run. The power should not be reduced.

The object is achieved by a method and a device having the features of claims 1 and 8, respectively.

An essential advantage of the inventive method and the inventive device is also seen in that a correction of the desired position and a virtual stop according to the EP 1 166 977 A1 are still possible. Thus, the cutting accuracy can be increased. In the inventive cutting device, a measuring device is not mandatory and it can be dispensed with a mechanical stop. When cutting thus the printed products can be held between the upper belt and lower belt and thus be performed precisely.

According to a development of the invention, it is provided that in the method according to the invention the printed products are held in each case in the area of the inlet conveyor and that the phase change begins as soon as a printed product leaves the inlet conveyor. The phase change thus begins when there is no printed product in the transfer area between inlet and cutting transport. This leaves time to change the phase position of the inlet relative to the yoke drive and the trim on the next printed product. Thus, a change of the format from one printed product to the next in the range of, for example, about 10-20 mm is possible.

From a comparatively large product width can be converted for subsequent printed product to a much smaller product width and then back to the comparatively large product width without the transport would have to be interrupted.

According to a development of the invention, it is provided that the printed products in the intake transport device in the conveying direction are each pushed against a driver. In particular, the printed products are each pushed on a collar on a driver. The area to be trimmed is thus arranged trailing and the distances between the printed products in the inlet conveyor are approximately equal.
The printed products are expediently held in the region of the cutting transport device and preferably in the region of the inlet transport device between an upper belt and a lower belt. This allows accurate guidance and a correspondingly high quality cut.

The printed products are transferred from the inlet conveyor to the cutting conveyor and guided by both transport devices. The two transport devices are driven at the same speed at the time of transfer.

The drives of the inlet transport device and preferably also of the cutting transport device are dynamic drives, which are provided with corresponding motors, for example, angle-controlled synchronous motors.

The cutting machine is preferably designed as a so-called three-knife trimmer.

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

Fig. 1

schematisch eine Ansicht einer erfindungsgemässen Schneidmaschine,

Fig. 2

Bewegungskurven zweier unterschiedlicher Formate, wobei die horizontale Achse die Position des Jochantriebs und die vertikale Achse die Position des Einlaufes angibt und

Fig. 3

eine Bewegungskurve, wobei die horizontale Achse wiederum die Position des Jochantriebs anzeigt und die vertikale Achse die Position des Schneidtransportes angibt.

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

Fig. 1

1 is a schematic view of a cutting machine according to the invention;

Fig. 2

Movement curves of two different formats, the horizontal axis indicating the position of the yoke drive and the vertical axis indicating the position of the inlet and

Fig. 3

a movement curve, wherein the horizontal axis in turn indicates the position of the yoke drive and the vertical axis indicates the position of the cutting transport.

In the FIG. 1 The cutting machine shown has a cutting station 5, which are supplied with an infeed conveyor 2 successively printed products 3. These printed products 3 are transported on the intake conveyor 2 in the direction of the arrow 4 and come, for example, from a saddle stitcher, not shown here. The printed products 3 are, for example, brochures, magazines, catalogs, book blocks and the like. They each have a leading collar 26, which extends transversely to the transport direction according to arrow 4. The printed products 3 are stapled to the waistband 26, for example. They are transported at a distance to each other and are each pushed to a driver 6.

The printed products 3 are successively transferred to a cutting transport device 10 of the cutting station 5. In this cutting station 5, the printed products 3 are cut with a knife 12 at the front and with two knives 13 at the head and on the foot. The cutting transport device 10 is used for positioning the printed products to be cut 3 and for transport from the front section to the head and foot section. In the FIG. 1 is a printed product 3 'in the position for the front section and a printed product 3 "in the position for the foot and head section.The printed product 3''is already cut on the front.The printed products 3, 3' and 3" may have different Have formats and different product widths. The formats or product widths or the data for this purpose are stored for example in a printing press not shown here and / or a saddle stitcher and are available for the control of the cutting machine.

The intake transport device 2 is driven by a drive 1. Drive 1 also has a drive roller 29 around which a traction means, eg. Chain, timing belt, is placed. If the inlet conveyor chain 16 is driven, then the drivers 6 in the FIG. 1 moved from right to left as indicated by arrow 4. In the area of the drive roller 29, the drivers 6 move around the drive roller 29 and thus away from the printed product 3 and downwards. At substantially the same time, the printed products 3 are respectively detected by a lower belt 7 and an upper belt 8 and moved on with the same speed and in the same direction. The printed products 3 are held and guided by the lower belt 7 and the upper belt 8. The lower belt 7 and the upper belt 8 are also driven by the drive 1. As mentioned, the drive 1 is a dynamic drive, so that the speeds of the intake transport chain 16, the lower belt 7 and the upper belt 8 can be changed at any time and at short notice. The lower band 7 and the upper band 8 each consist of a plurality of juxtaposed spaced subbands, so that the driver 6 can pass between these subbands. The intake transport chain 16 may also consist of several subbands.

The cutting transport device 10 has a separate and also dynamic drive 9 with a motor and a position sensor 40. The drive takes place via a drive roller 28, which is arranged at a distance from a deflection roller 19. Between a lower belt 41 and a top belt 42, the printed products 3 are positioned for the front section and then transported on for the top and bottom section. The printed products 3 are in this case held and guided between the lower belt 41 and the upper belt 42. The printed product 3 "has a front-side cut 27 and is in FIG. 1 positioned for the head and foot cut. As seen in the transport direction, the collar 26 is at the front and the section 27 at the back. The printed product 3 "is located under the two knives 13, of which in the FIG. 1 only the front is visible. As the knife 12 for the front section, the two knives 13 are attached to a yoke 11 which is mounted on a machine frame, not shown here, and vertically movable according to the double arrow 14 is movable. For moving the yoke 11, a third drive 39 is provided, which can be designed as a dynamic drive. The drive 39 is connected to a control device 40, which in turn is connected to the drive 1 and the drive 9.

As seen in the transport direction after the knife 12, a measuring device 15 is arranged, with which in each case the position of the printed products 3 is measured. The measuring device 15 has for this purpose, for example, an optical sensor not shown here in detail. This registers in each case the position of the front edge or of the collar 26 of an incoming printed product 3 and transmits this position of the control device 40. Deviations from the desired position can now be corrected by a control of the cutting transport device 10. The desired position can be corrected by means of the position sensor 40. In the FIG. 1 Target position shown can be achieved precisely without mechanical stop. A correction of a few millimeters, for example less than 5 mm is possible. For further disclosure, this is to the already mentioned EP 1 166 977 A directed. The measuring device 15 is not mandatory for the invention, but it allows a higher cutting precision.

The infeed transport device 2 transfers the printed products 3 to the cutting transport device 10 respectively. The printed products 3 leave the infeed transport device 2 at two deflection rollers 17 and 18 arranged one above the other and are then respectively captured at the collar 26 in the region of a deflection roller 19 and a corresponding upper deflection roller. During the entry into the cutting station, the printed products 3 are each detected and guided by the infeed transport device 2 as well as by the cutting transport device 10 for a specific time. The speeds of these two transport devices 2 and 10 are the same here. When the corresponding printed product 3 leaves the intake transporting device 2, the speeds of the intake transporting device 2 and the cutting transporting device 10 can be controlled independently of each other. This is in the arrangement according to FIG. 1 possible in which the printed product 3 'has left the inlet transport device 2 and is now guided solely by the cutting transport device 10. In this arrangement, a change in the phase position of the printed product 3 relative to the drive 39 of the yoke 11 for adaptation to the format width of a printed product 3 is possible. This will be explained below with reference to Figures 2 and 3 explained in more detail.

In the illustration according to FIG. 2 corresponds to the horizontal axis 30 of the position of the yoke drive 39. At points 31, the yoke 11 is in each case at the bottom dead center. In these lower dead centers, the corresponding printed product 3 is cut and the knives 12 and 13 are moved back up. The vertical axis 32 corresponds to the position of the drive 1 and thus of the intake transport. At the points 33, the leading edge or collar 26 of the printed product 3 is located at the beginning of the cutting transport device 10. Lines 34 indicate where the printed product 3 lower belt 7 leaves the upper belt 8 of the intake transport device 2. A straight line 35 shows the intake transport for a printed product 3 with a large product or format width and a line 36 shows the intake transport for a printed product 3 with a smaller product or format width.

A stronger highlighted line 37 shows the intake transport when changing from a large format width to a small format width and back to a large format width. As can be seen, in these areas 38, the phase angle of the inlet relative to the drive 39 of the yoke 11 is changed and thus the format width of the next printed product to be cut 3 changed. Between the two areas 38, a printed product 3 is detected by both the infeed transport device 2 and by the cutting transport device 10. In this area, the speeds of these two transport devices are the same and there is accordingly no change in the phase position relative to the drive 39. For adaptation to the format width, a comparatively small time window is thus available. However, it has been shown that this is sufficient to make a format change of, for example, 20 mm at undiminished production speed.

In the illustration according to FIG. 3 the horizontal axis 20 shows the position of the drive 39 of the yoke 11. Points 21 each show the position in which the yoke 11 is at the bottom dead center. The vertical axis 22 corresponds to the position of the cutting transport device 10 and the drive 9. At points 23 is a printed product 3 'at rest and in the correct position for the cut. In a hatched area 24, the printed product 3 'is cut. The line 25 marks the transition from an area where a printed matter 3 is detected by both the infeed transporting device 2 and the cutting transporting device 10. The position of the line 25 or of the border region depends on the format width of the corresponding printed product 3. In this region, the intake transport device 2 has the same speed as the cutting transport device 10 FIG. 3 the said printed product 3 has left the lower belt 7 and the upper belt 8. In this area can now be changed to the rest position and thus to the desired position of the printed product 3, the phase position relative to the drive 39.

The invention enables route-friendly production for mailing. The printed products are manufactured and packaged in such a way as they will later be distributed by Swiss Post.
Different printed products intended for the same addressee can be produced directly one after the other on the same machine.

Claims (15)

1. A method for automatic cutting of printed products (3) such as, for example, brochures, periodicals, catalogues and book blocks, in a cutting machine which has at least one cutting station (5) which has knives (12, 13) on a vertically moveable frame (11), the printed products (3) being fed to the cutting station (5) one after the other with an intake conveying device (2), transferred from the intake conveying device (2) to a cutting conveying device (10) and with the cutting conveying device (10) in the cutting station (5) positioned in a predetermined cutting position for a front cut and conveyed to a position for a head and foot cut, and during their intake into the cutting station (5) the printed products (3) being guided by the intake conveying device (2) as well as by the cutting conveying device (10), characterised in that the frame (11) is driven separately from the intake conveying device (2) and that for cutting the printed products (3) the phase position of the intake conveying device (2) with respect to the drive (39) of the frame (11) is respectively adapted to the format width of the printed product (3) extending in the direction of conveyance within a time frame that starts with the printed product (3') preceding the printed product (3) leaving the intake conveying device (2) and ends with the printed product (3) being grasped by the cutting conveying device (10).
2. The method according to Claim I, characterised in that a change in the phase position is made when printed products (3) of different format widths follow each other.
3. The method according to Claim 2, characterised in that the change in the phase position is controlled by a printed product (3) leaving the intake conveying device (2).
4. The method according to any of Claims 1 to 3, characterised in that the printed products (3) in the intake conveying device (2) are respectively pushed open on a carrier (6) in the conveying direction.
5. The method according to Claim 4, characterised in that the printed products (3', 3") are guided between circulating bands (41, 42) in the area of the cutting conveying device (10).
6. The method according to Claim 4 or 5, characterised in that the printed products (3) are transferred at a constant speed from the intake conveying device (2) to the cutting conveying device (10).
7. The method according to any of Claims 1 to 6, characterised in that the position of the printed products (3) is measured in the area of the cutting conveying device (10) and, if necessary, the position is corrected by a control which has an effect on the cutting conveying device (10).
8. A cutting machine for cutting printed products (3), such as for example brochures, periodicals, catalogues and book blocks, with at least one cutting station (5) which has knives (12, 13) on a frame (11), with an intake conveying device (2) for feeding the printed products (3) to the cutting station (5), with a cutting conveying device (10) with which the printed products (3) are conveyed in the cutting station (5), the cutting conveying device (10) serving to convey the printed products (3) from a position for the front cut to a position for the head and foot cut, with a transfer area formed between the cutting conveying device (10) and the intake conveying device (2), with driving means for the frame (11) of the cutting station (5) for the intake conveying device (2) and for the cutting conveying device (10) and with a control device (40), characterised in that the intake conveying device (2) and the frame (11) are each made with a separate drive (1, 39) and the phase position of the intake conveying device (20) can be adjusted by the control device with respect to the drive (39) of the frame (11) for cutting the printed products (3) within a time frame that starts with the printed product (3') preceding the printed product (3) leaving the intake conveying device (2) and ends with the printed product (3) being grasped by the cutting conveying device (10) and that the control device (40) is connected to the separate drives (1, 39).
9. The machine according to Claim 8, characterised in that at least one knife (12) extends transversely to the direction of conveyance (4) of the printed products (3).
10. The machine according to Claim 8 or 9, characterised in that at least the drive (1) of the intake conveying device (2) is provided with a drive motor with a controlled angle of rotation.
11. The machine according to one of claims 8 to 10, characterised in that a knife (12) for the front cut and two knives (13) for the head and foot cut are arranged on the frame (11) so that with one stroke a front cut on a printed product (3') as well as a head and foot cut on a further printed product (3") may be carried out.
12. The machine according to one of claims 8 to 11, characterised in that a measuring device (15) is arranged in the area of the cutting conveying device (10), with which the position of a printed product (3') to be cut may be measured.
13. The machine according to claim 12, characterised in that the cutting conveying device (10) is controlled by the measuring device (15) so that deviations from the theoretical position of the printed product (3') to be cut may be corrected.
14. The machine according to one of claims 8 to 13, characterised in that the drive (1) of the intake conveying device (2) and the drive (9) of the cutting conveying device (10) each have a synchronous servo-motor.
15. The machine according to one of claims 8 to 14, characterised in that the intake conveying device (2) has an upper band (8) and a lower band (7) and that the printed products (3) are fed between these two bands (8, 7) for transfer to the cutting conveying device (10).

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