EP1834913A1 - Device for picking up and conveying of flat products - Google Patents

Abstract

Separating components (14) raise a printed sheet (28) in part in a receiving region (66) and below gripper and separating movement paths (U), such that the printed sheet can be gripped by grippers (12). The separating components comprise paddles (18) which engage beneath and raise the edge (30) of the printed sheet which in part rests on a further printed sheet or on a bearing surface. The grippers are mounted to move in a gripper movement direction along the gripper movement path. The separating components, which are independent of the grippers, are mounted to move in a separating movement direction along the separating movement path. The gripper movement path and the separating movement path extend through the receiving region.

Description

The present invention relates to a device for receiving and conveying flat products according to the preamble of claim 1.

A generic device in the form of a receiving and transfer wheel is from the EP-A 1 055 620 known. It comprises a plurality of grippers and a plurality of separating elements in the form of suction organs, which are arranged on a common transport wheel. Each gripper is assigned a separating element. The separating elements serve to lift a product, which is located in a receiving region below the transport wheel, by suction at least partially such that it can be grasped by a gripper. The male product is located in a stationary stack or in a moving scale formation and is directly on a support or at least partially on other products. By rotation of the transport wheel, the product is completely lifted, released after about half a revolution of the transport wheel by the corresponding gripper and stored in a scaly formation on a belt conveyor.

Suction elements as separating elements have various disadvantages: Firstly, the necessary suction air supply and control complicates the construction and operation of the receiving and transfer wheel. Furthermore, a suction device for lifting thicker, stiffer or provided with loose inserts products, such as newspapers, magazines or catalogs, as well as for simultaneous Lifting several products, especially for the formation of mini-stacks, only partially or not at all suitable.

The EP-A 1 364 900 discloses a transfer device that does not require any separating elements that are present in addition to grippers. The grippers themselves are movable relative to the male products so that a gripper jaw grips and lifts one or more products. The product or products are then grabbed by closing the gripper of the same gripper and transported away. In practice, it has been shown that the gripping under one of the gripper jaws can severely restrict the flexibility of the device.

Since printed products are often conveyed in a scaly formation, the problem arises that irregularities in the product spacing must be compensated. DE 196 01 693 discloses for this purpose to lead the imbricated formation as a whole to a deflection wheel which is displaceable relative to a supply and a removal device. A separation of the products or change of the product layer within the imbricated formation is not possible here.

The invention is therefore based on the object, a device of the type mentioned so that there is greater flexibility in terms of the mechanical properties of the male products.

The object is achieved by a device having the features of claim 1. Advantageous developments emerge from the dependent claims, the description and the drawings.

According to the invention, the separating elements each comprise at least one blade element which is able to grasp and lift an edge of a product resting at least partially on another product or on a support. There is no suction device used; lifting of the product is accomplished solely by the blade element while the product is still standing on another product, e.g. in a scaly formation or in a stack, or on a support. Under gripping is understood to mean insertion of the blade element between the product to be lifted and the product underneath, which is not to be lifted, or the support. The separating element is independent of the gripper in the sense that it is either mechanically separated from it or stored on the gripper, but is movable relative to the gripper jaws.

The blade element or its free front edge is first lowered in the direction of movement behind the edge of the product to be lifted and then moved relative to the product at an increased speed. It engages under the trailing edge of the product to be lifted, separating it from the rest of the products or the edition. By a relative movement of the blade member up the trailing edge of the product is raised and placed in a position in which it is gripped by a gripper. That is, a product edge is inserted through the blade element into the open gripper jaw.

The function of the blade element is preferably supported by a stationary arranged to the trajectory of the blade elements stop. The stop forms a resistance to the leading edge of the product. The trailing edge is at the movement of Blade elements along their trajectory thus further pushed along the blade element or deeper into the gripper mouth.

Separating element and gripper and the corresponding trajectories are independent in principle. At least in the receiving area, however, a separating element is functionally assigned to each gripper. The movement paths are at least in the receiving area parallel to each other and the speeds matched.

The blade elements preferably comprise or limit a support surface which at least partially supports the product edge or surface to be picked up during the picking process. The blade element is moved in such a way that, at least in the receiving region, the support surface protrudes from the spatial region, which is swept by the grippers as they move, in the direction of the products to be picked up. Before and after the receiving area, the support surface is preferably within this space area. The blade elements are moved relative to the grippers so that the support surface in the receiving area - seen in side view - opens into a gripper jaw or at least partially therein. The support surface is preferably convexly curved with respect to the direction of movement of the separating elements. This supports the process of grasping and lifting and ensures a gentle treatment of the products.

The described movements can be achieved by suitable choice of the shape of the trajectories of the gripper, the separating elements and optionally the male products and by selecting the speeds in Realize dependence on each other. Preferably, the blade element is also movable relative to its trajectory, in particular pivotable, in order to realize the above-described approaching and reaching below the male product in a simple manner. The separating elements and grippers can then also be conveyed along the same path of movement and at the same speed.

The device according to the invention is advantageously used to relocate incoming printed products in an imbricated formation. For example, by unwinding a reel used for temporary storage, often a flake formation is formed, which is unfavorable for further processing, e.g. Trailing edge trailing. This must therefore be in another formation, e.g. Leading edge, be transferred. In order to realize this, the products are conveyed to the receiving area by means of a feed device, in particular in an imbricated formation, by the grippers, e.g. taken at the trailing edge and in a delivery area with change of the formation, e.g. ahead with the gripped edge, to a removal device, in particular a belt conveyor handed over. The leading in an incoming scale formation and underlying edges of the products are so to trailing and overhead edges of an expiring scale formation. In an advantageous development of the invention, the feed device and the removal device are components of the device according to the invention.

Instead of being in a scaly formation, the products can also be supplied individually.

In connection with the rearrangement of the products, it is advantageous if the device according to the invention has means to compensate for irregularities or gaps in the incoming formation, so that upon delivery to the removal device a regular, pulsed outflowing formation results. Similarly, it may be desirable to selectively insert gaps in the outflowing formation or to change the product spacing in the outflowing formation.

To realize this, the entire movement paths of the grippers and the separating elements can therefore be moved in and against the conveying direction of the feed device in a further advantageous embodiment of the invention. A preferably existing stop is also moved. For this purpose, grippers and separating elements are arranged on a preferably common transport member, in particular a transport wheel, which is mounted on a movable carriage. If the product distance is too great - for example if there is a missing product - the transport organ will move towards the product to be picked up, thus reducing the effective product distance. If the product distance is to be increased, the movement is reversed.

The separating elements are preferably controllable independently of the grippers, which has advantages in particular in connection with a displaceable transport member. Your control can then be preferably adapted to perform the movement of the under gripping and lifting even with a displacement of the transport member in the right place relative to the moving product.

The above-described displacement mechanism and the adjustable control link can be used with advantage also in devices according to the preamble of claim 1, which work instead of blade elements with conventional separating elements.

Fig. 1

eine erfindungsgemässe Vorrichtung mit einem drehbaren Transportorgan für Greifer und Separierelemente sowie einer Zufördereinrichtung und einer Wegfördereinrichtung;

Fig. 2+3

die Vorrichtung gemäss Fig. 1 zu zwei weiteren Zeitpunkten bei der Aufnahme und Abgabe von einzelnen Produkten;

Fig. 4

ein Separierelement mit einem Schaufelelement in zwei verschiedenen Stellungen;

Fig. 5

die Vorrichtung gemäss Fig. 1 bei der Aufnahme jeweils zweier Produkte;

Fig. 6

eine Überblicksdarstellung der Vorrichtung gemäss Fig. 1 einschliesslich ihres Antriebssystems mit einem verschiebbaren Transportorgan in zwei Stellungen;

Fig. 7+8

eine Detailansicht der Vorrichtung gemäss Fig. 1 zu verschiedenen Zeitpunkten beim Schliessen einer Lücke in einer einlaufenden Formation von Produkten.

Examples of the invention are illustrated in the drawings and described below. It shows purely schematically:

Fig. 1

an inventive device with a rotatable transport member for grippers and separating elements and a feed device and a removal device;

Fig. 2 + 3

the device according to FIG. 1 at two further points in time when receiving and dispensing individual products;

Fig. 4

a separating element with a blade element in two different positions;

Fig. 5

the apparatus of Figure 1 in the recording of two products.

Fig. 6

an overview of the device of Figure 1 including its drive system with a sliding transport member in two positions.

Fig. 7 + 8

a detailed view of the device according to FIG. 1 at different times when closing a gap in an incoming formation of products.

1 shows a side view of a device 1 according to the invention with a transport element which can be rotated about a horizontally extending axis 11 in the form of a transport wheel 10, on each of which a plurality of grippers 12 and separating elements 14 are arranged. These are moved by rotation of the transport wheel 10 in the direction of the arrow counterclockwise along a substantially circular gripper or separating elements movement path U. The structure of the transport wheel 10 and the gripper corresponds substantially to that in the EP-A 1 055 620 described device, to which reference is made. The separating elements 14 are shown in detail in FIG. 4.

The transport wheel 10 is coupled along its circumference at equidistant intervals with grippers 12 and separating elements 14. The number of grippers 12 is equal to the number of separating elements 14. The separating elements 14 each comprise a carrier unit 16 which projects radially outward from the transport wheel 10 and is rigidly coupled to the transport wheel 10. The carrier unit 16 projects slightly beyond the grippers 12 in the radial direction. At the radially outer end of the carrier unit 16, a blade element 18 is arranged pivotable about an axis 26 extending parallel to the axis of rotation 11. The blade element 18 comprises two legs 18a, 18b which are arranged in a side view in a V-shaped manner relative to one another. A first leg 18a is pivotally connected at one end to the carrier unit 16 about the axis 26. At its other end it is connected to a second leg 18b and closes with a tangent to this an angle of about 90 °. The second leg 18b is curved, engages under its front edge 18c in Use case products 28 and serves as part of the support surface for the products. The blade element 18 is at least pivotable so that its front edge 18c in a first position radially within the space swept by the grippers 12 space and in a second position radially outside this range. Thus, the front edge 18 c can be approximated to the products 28.

In the present case, the blade elements 18 are pivotable about the axis 26 through an angle of 360 °. They are in the side view shown in planes in front of or behind the gripper 12. Preferably, per gripper 12, two blade elements 18 are each located laterally of the gripper 12 (not visible in this view). The exact construction of the separating elements 14 and the pivoting mechanism will be described below with reference to FIG. 4.

Like the separating elements 14, the grippers 12 also have a base or carrier unit 20, by means of which they are mounted on the transport wheel 10. They further comprise two gripper jaws 22, 24 which can assume different positions relative to one another and to the transport wheel 10. The gripper jaws 22, 24 can be pivoted, for example, between an open and a closed position. By synchronous movement of the gripper jaws 22, 24, the gripper 12 can be pivoted as a whole relative to the movement path U or to its support unit 20 about the gripper axis. The described movements are accomplished with two guide slots 62, 64. The two guide slots 62, 64 cooperate with a respective guide roller 58, 60 (see FIG. 5), which are each associated with a gripper jaw 24, 22.

The movement path U of the respective carrier units 16, 20 of the separating elements 14 or grippers 12 is understood below the movement path U. It is independent of the movements of the blade elements 18 and the gripper jaws 22, 24. The direction of movement of the gripper 12 and separating elements 14 along the movement path is understood as the direction of movement.

As an alternative to arranging on a common transport wheel 10, two different transport wheels may also be present. Furthermore, gripper 12 and separating elements 14 can also be moved in other ways, for example by coupling to a - also common - conveying member or individually along suitably shaped guide rails. It is not mandatory that the gripper trajectory is congruent with the Separierelemente movement path, as well as other than a circular path can be selected. For example, the movement path in the delivery area can be U-shaped as in the device according to FIG EP-A 1 364 900 , Instead of a purely mechanical control of the gripper or the separating elements and an electronic control is also considered to achieve the mentioned movements along and relative to the trajectory.

Below the transport wheel 10 male products 28 are arranged on a support surface 34. The support surface 34 is presently formed by a conveyor belt 37 of a feed device 36 in the form of a belt conveyor. The area between the transport wheel 10 and the bearing surface 34, in which the product takes place, is referred to as receiving area 66. A support conveyor 102, the upper run in the plane of Conveyor belt 37 of the belt conveyor 36 is, serves - in particular in a displaceable transport wheel 10 - to prevent the sagging of the conveyor belt 37 and to establish a defined distance between the orbit U and the support surface 34.

The products 28 are present in an imbricated formation S on the conveyor belt 37, which moves them in a horizontal feed direction F here. The feed direction F runs in the transfer area parallel or tangential to the movement path U. The blade elements 18 and grippers 12 are moved over a distance as large as possible approximately parallel to the male products 28 in order to achieve a safe and gentle takeover.

On the side of the transport wheel 10, which is opposite the receiving area 66, there is a removal device 38, to which the products 28 are transferred. The area between the transport wheel 10 and the removal device 38 is referred to as delivery area 68. In the present case, the conveying device 38 is likewise a belt conveyor, on the conveyor belt of which the products are deposited in an imbricated formation S 'and conveyed away in a conveying direction F' running counter to the original conveying direction F. In the present case, the folded edges of the products 28 are in the outgoing scale formation S 'below a leading product and in the conveying direction F' forward, while they are oriented in the incoming scale formation S in the feed direction F to the rear and rest on a trailing product.

In the feed direction F behind the transport wheel 10 there is a stop 40 against which the leading edges 32 of the products 28 abut during the picking process. The stop 40 can be moved to adapt to different product lengths by means of a drive not shown here between two end positions 42, 44. The aim is that the trailing edge 30 of a product in the feed direction F is always located at a defined position with respect to the movement path U so that it can be engaged by a blade element 18.

In the feed direction F shortly before the stop 40, the support surface 34 is formed in addition to the conveyor belt 37 by a support conveyor belt 102. This is, for example, in several parts and arranged laterally from the conveyor belt 37.

In order to stabilize the products 28 held by the grippers 12 during the rotation of the transport wheel 10, there is a support conveyor 56 in the immediate vicinity of the transport wheel 10. In the present case, this has a conveyor belt 57 which acts as a pressure belt and which is parallel over approximately a quarter turn of the transport wheel 10 to the movement path U, with the same web speed as the products 28 is moved and this therefore stabilized until delivery to the removal device 38. The products 28 are held between the free end of the carrier units 16 and the conveyor belt 57.

• Das Transportrad 10 und die Zufördereinrichtung 36 werden so aufeinander abgestimmt angetrieben, dass jeweils ein Produkt 28 im Aufnahmebereich 66 auf ein Separierelement 14 bzw. einen Greifer 12 trifft. Die Anpassung der Umdrehungsgeschwindigkeit des Transportrads 10 und/oder der Fördergeschwindigkeit der Zufördereinrichtung 36 an den Produktabstand D in der Schuppenformation S erfolgt mit einer hier nicht gezeigten Steuereinrichtung 104 (vgl. Fig. 6). Ein Beispiel für das Antriebssystem ist in Fig. 6 dargestellt und wird weiter unten beschrieben.

The operation of the device when picking up a product is explained below with reference to FIGS. 1-3.

• The transport wheel 10 and the feed device 36 are driven in a coordinated manner so that in each case a product 28 strikes a separating element 14 or a gripper 12 in the receiving region 66. The adaptation of the rotational speed of the transport wheel 10 and / or the conveying speed of the feed device 36 to the product distance D in the imbricated formation S takes place with a control device 104 (see FIG. An example of the drive system is shown in Fig. 6 and will be described below.

In Fig. 1 that separating element 14 is considered, which has arrived at the lowest point of its trajectory U (fat illustrated blade element 18). It is about to reach under a product 28 (blackened drawn). The blade element 18 is in a position in which its first leg 18a points in a direction opposite to its current direction of movement, ie, the first leg 18a is pivoted away from the carrier unit 16 counter to the feed direction and oriented substantially horizontally. Due to its convex in the direction of movement, here arcuate curved shape its front edge 18c is oriented at an angle of about 45 ° to the substantially horizontal surface of the products 28. The front edge 18 c is located approximately at the same level 100 as the highest points of the scale formation S, which are formed by the trailing edges 30. In Fig. 1, the front edge 18c of the blade member 18 in the feed direction F is still removed from the undercut edge 30. The leading Edge 32 of the same product 28 has not yet arrived at the stop 40.

The gripper 12, which is functionally assigned to the separating element 14 in the receiving region 66, is located in the direction of movement behind the separating element 14. The distance of the carrier units 16, 20, the position of the trailing gripper jaw 24 and the length of the first leg 18a are, however, chosen such that that the second leg 18b in the side view shown here, ie transverse to the conveying direction F and to the direction of movement of the gripper 12 and separating elements 14, at least partially aligned with each other or the second leg 18b in the feed direction F is just before the trailing gripper jaw 24, but behind the leading gripper jaw 22. The spanned by the second leg 18b support surface is -in side view - so partially in the gripper mouth. This relative position is maintained until the gripper 12 is closed.

Figs. 2 and 3 indicate the further course of the recording of a product. In Fig. 2, the transport wheel 10 has rotated by about 10 - 20 ° on. At the same time, the blade element 18 was pivoted counterclockwise relative to its carrier unit 16 by about 10 to 30 °. As a result, the front edge 18c of the blade element moves downwardly relative to the male product 28 and forward in the feed direction F. By this movement, it pierces under the trailing edge 30 of the male product 28. Since the feed device 36 has also continued to run, the product 28 has meanwhile arrived at the stop 40 with its front edge 32. The conveyor belt 37 and thus the support surface 34 is bent slightly downwards in the region of the stop 40 by means of suitable deflection rollers, so that the products 28 also run securely against the stop 40, supported by gravity. The stop 40 prevents slippage of the leading edge 32 when the product is raised during further rotation of the transport wheel 10 from the blade element 18 and at the same time directs the product in question.

This situation is shown in FIG. Here, the transport wheel has rotated with respect to Fig. 2 by another 10 - 20 °. The position of the blade element 18 relative to its carrier unit 16 was also changed by rotation - now after a reversal of the direction of rotation in a clockwise direction - by a further 10 - 20 °. Thus, the orientation of the blade element 18 in the room apart from a shift in the feed direction F and upward relative to FIG. 2 is substantially unchanged. Since the leading edge 32 is fixed to the stop 40, the male product 28 slips into the V-shaped blade element 18. Since the second leg 18b and the trailing gripper jaw 24 are still aligned with each other, the trailing edge 30 of the product 28 in this way gets into a position in which it can be detected by closing the gripper jaws 24, 22 of the gripper 12. The situation shortly before the closure of the gripper is shown in Fig. 1, when the gripper is considered, which precedes the previously described gripper.

Once the product is gripped by a gripper 12, the blade element 18 is pivoted clockwise and the second leg 18b removed from the product 28, here by moving in the direction of the axis of rotation 11 under the taken product 28 (see Fig. 1, separating elements 14 at "2 o'clock" and "3 o'clock"). The first leg 18a initially runs parallel to the carrier unit 16 (FIG. 2 separating element at "4 o'clock"). In the further course, it is pivoted in the direction of movement in front of the carrier unit 16 and, in the dispensing area 68, even encloses an angle of up to 90 ° with the latter (FIG. 1 separating element at "12 o'clock"). In this way, the first leg 18a reaches the region of a leading gripper 12. This can be seen in Fig. 1-3, when the two arrived at the highest point of the movement path U separating elements 14 are considered. Before and during the transfer to the removal device 38, the blade element 18 is therefore assigned to the preceding gripper 12. The first leg 18a serves as a guide element, which deflects the initially gripped, then released edge 30 of a product from the gripper 12 and in the direction of the conveyor belt of the removal device 38. Furthermore, two laterally from the conveyor belt 37 of the conveying device 38 and the transport wheel 10 arranged support bracket 39 are present, which fulfill the same function. Together with the support conveyor 56 described above and the radially outer surfaces 16a of the carrier units 16, the products 28 are therefore guided and opened after opening the gripper 12. The already deposited products 28 are supported by the free ends of the gripper jaws 22, 24 and kept at a distance from the removal conveyor 38, so that a newly deposited product 28 can be introduced under an already stored.

Overall, the products are absorbed in the receiving area 66, while about half a turn of the Transport wheel 10 held by the grippers 12 and passed in the discharge area 68 opening the gripper 12 to the removal device 38. Since the gripped by the gripper 12 edge 30, ie the original trailing edge of the product 28 is gebacht in the delivery area 68 under an already released leading product, creates a scaly formation S ', in relation to the original formation S, the leading and trailing edges 30th , 32 and the positions up / down are reversed.

4 shows a detailed view of a separating element 14. The mechanism for pivoting the blade element 18 comprises two deflection rollers 50, 52, one of which is arranged on the carrier unit 16 on the transporting wheel side and is non-rotatably connected to a guide roller 46. The other deflection roller 52 is located at the radially outer end of the carrier unit 16 and is rotatable about the axis 26 and rotatably connected to the blade element 18. The two pulleys 50, 52 are coupled together by a belt 48. A non-co-rotating guide slot 54 with two parallel guide surfaces 54a, 54b limits the movement of the guide roller 46 in the radial direction and thus forces them depending on the position of the transport wheel 10 in a certain position relative to the support unit 16. By way of example, here are a first position of the guide roller 46 and the guide slot 54 indicated by solid lines and a second position dash-dotted lines. These positions correspond to the positions of the blade element 18 in solid or dash-dotted lines. When rotating the transport wheel 10, the guide roller 46 is pivoted relative to the carrier unit 16 and the deflection roller 50th rotated, which is translated into a rotational movement of the guide roller 52 and thus of the blade element 18.

The blade element 18 consists in profile of a straight first leg 18a and a circular arc-shaped second leg 18b. In the direction of movement, the blade element 18 may have a continuous or perforated surface with the profile shown in Fig. 4. Furthermore, a plurality of blade elements 18 can be arranged transversely to the direction of movement next to one another and moved synchronously, for example on the right and left sides of the gripper.

5 shows an enlarged representation of the receiving region 66 of a device according to the invention in the simultaneous recording of two products 28a, 28b. The structure of the transport wheel 10 and the gripper 12 or separating elements 14 has already been described with reference to FIGS. 1-4. Fig. 5 indicates, in addition to already recognizable in Fig. 1-3 first guide roller 58 for controlling the position of the gripper 12 relative to the movement path U and the corresponding first guide slot 62 in solid lines. Furthermore, dashed lines indicate the respective second guide rollers 60 of the grippers 12 and their corresponding guide link 64. The first guide rollers 58 together with the first guide link 62 affect the position of the trailing gripper jaw 24 relative to the path of movement U. The second guide rollers 60 in conjunction with the second guide link 64 influences the position of the leading gripper jaw 22 (see also FIGS EP-A 1 055 620 ). The gripper jaws 22, 24 are biased in the closed position, ie without influence of second guide slot 64, the gripper 12 is closed, and the first guide slot 62 affects the position of the entire gripper 12 relative to the orbit U. The guide slot 54 for the separating elements 14 is not shown for reasons of clarity.

The products 28 are each fed in pairs in a double scale formation S "'. In the present case, two products 28 of a pair are shown slightly offset in order to illustrate that also errors in the supplied formation can be corrected within certain limits.

For pairwise picking up of products 28, the separating elements 14 are moved so that the front edge 18c of the blade elements 18 engages in each case under the underlying second product 28 of a product pair and lifts it together with the product 28 lying thereon out of the scale formation S " be compensated.

Alternatively, the pairing can also take place only in the receiving area 66 by interaction with the stop 40. In this case, the transport wheel 10 is moved approximately at half the Zufördergeschwindigkeit, so that in each case two individually procured products 28 come on a gripper 12.

Fig. 6 shows the drive system of a device according to the invention. Furthermore, FIG. 6 shows an advantageous variant of the invention, in which the transport wheel is displaceable in and against the feed direction F, in order to prevent irregularities, for example a gap 84, in one to compensate for scaffold formation S conveyed or to form a gap in the expiring scale formation S '. In this case, gap formation means the transfer of products 28 into the grippers 12 in such a way that at least one gripper 12 remains deliberately empty. Compensation of irregularities is understood to mean the process which prevents one or more grippers 12 from remaining empty despite an irregularity.

The drive system in the basic version of the invention will first be described below. This includes a first drive 74, e.g. a motor, for the transport wheel 10. The driving force is transmitted to the transport wheel 10 by means of a first toothed belt 72 and a gear 70 which is concentric with the transport wheel 10 and thus rigidly connected. The toothed belt 72 runs over a plurality of deflection rollers 73, 73 '. From the toothed belt 72 and the support conveyor 56 and the Wegfördereinrichtung 38 are driven (the latter not shown). Via a mechanical or electronic connection 76, the drive 74 also drives or controls the feed device 36. For example, there is a transmission between the drive 74 and the feed device 36, which ensures a defined, optionally adjustable transmission ratio.

According to a preferred development of the invention, the transport wheel 10 is displaceable in and counter to the feed direction F. It is presently arranged on a carriage 78, which along a horizontally extending rail 86 between two through Stops 88, 90 defined end positions is displaced. The following elements are mounted on the carriage 78: transport wheel 10 with the carrier units 16, 20 for the separating elements 14 and the grippers 12; Stop 40, wherein its position is adjustable within the area defined by the end positions 42, 44 relative to the carriage; Support conveyor 56; Roller 39 at the beginning of the removal device 38; Pulleys 73 'for the toothed belt 72; Support conveyor 102.

To move the carriage 78, a further drive 80 is present. The driving force is transmitted by means of a second toothed belt 81. This toothed belt 81 is rigidly connected to the carriage 78 by a coupling element 82 and extends in the feed direction F in the region of the carriage 78. The drive 80 is able to move the entire carriage 78 and the components coupled therewith very quickly into or counter to the feed direction F. move. The speed is preferably higher by a multiple than the feed speed, so that a virtually instantaneous change in position of the carriage 78 can be assumed. Since the gear wheel 70 rolls when moving the carriage 78 on the toothed belt 72, the transport wheel when moving in the feed direction F with increased and when moving in the opposite direction with reduced (even stationary) speed is driven.

Fig. 6 shows the carriage and the components associated therewith in two different positions. The rear in the feed direction F position is in solid Lines shown. A position in front of the feed direction F is shown in phantom.

A detection device 92 is able to detect irregularities in the incoming formation S and report them to a control device 104, which in turn controls the drives 74, 80. The detection device 92 comprises, for example, a light barrier in conjunction with a further optical sensor. The light barrier serves to identify the leading edge 32 of a product 28 after a true gap in the product flow. The further sensor serves to identify the trailing edges 30 of the products 28. These signals are processed and provide information about the regularity of the incoming formation S and in particular about the distance D of the trailing edges 30 from each other. If this distance is outside a predefinable tolerance range, the displacement of the carriage 78 in or against the feed direction F is initiated by the control device 104. At a too large distance, e.g. a gap 84, the carriage 78 is displaced against the Zuförderrichtung F for compensation. If the gap is too small or a gap is created, the carriage 78 is displaced in the feed direction F.

FIGS. 7 and 8 show an advantageous development of the device according to FIG. 6 in two different positions when closing a gap 84 in the incoming imbricated formation S. For reasons of clarity, only three separating elements 14 and two grippers 12 are shown in the receiving region 66. Furthermore, only the guide slot 54 for the Separating 14 shown and the transport wheel 10 only indicated. As already described in connection with FIG. 6, the transport wheel 10 is displaceable together with the stop 40 in or counter to the feed direction F. With him, the support conveyor belt 102 is moved to maintain a defined distance of the support 34 to the orbit U. The conveyor belt 37 of the feed device 36 is stationary (see also Fig. 6).

The guide slot 54 for the guide rollers 46 of the separating elements 14 is pivotable about the axis of rotation 11 of the transport wheel 10 in the present case. For carrying out the pivoting movement, an e.g. hydraulically or pneumatically operated drive device 94 is provided. It moves a piston rod 96 which is pivotally mounted on the guide slot 54 itself or on a lever arm 98 rigidly connected thereto. By moving the piston rod 96 by a certain amount, the guide slot 54 is rotated by an angle α. Without operating the drive device 94, the orientation of the guide slot 54 does not change in space.

A gap 84 in the incoming scale formation S is compensated as follows: The optical detection device 92 shown in FIG. 6 notifies the control device 104 that the distance between two trailing edges 30 deviates from the desired distance D in the incoming scale formation S. In the present case, the measured distance is approximately twice the desired distance D. FIG. 7 shows the state in which the product 28 leading the gap 84 has already been gripped by a blade element 18 and lifted off the underlying product. The position of the blade elements 18 in the transfer area 66 corresponds to a situation which is shortly before the situation shown in FIG. 3.

Because of the gap 84, the blade element 18 of the next separating element 14 is located in the feed direction F in front of the edge 30 to be gripped of the next product 28 (FIG. 7). In order to prevent the blade element 18 from reaching into the void and thus leaving the associated gripper 12 empty, the transport wheel 10 and the stop 40 together with the support conveyor belt 102 are moved by the carriage 78 (FIG. 6) counter to the feed direction F by an amount d postponed. This situation is shown in FIG. The amount d is slightly smaller than the desired scale distance D and was chosen so that the distance between the trailing edges 30 of the already taken product and the subsequent product substantially equal to the scale distance D. Since the stop 40 is moved relative to the stationary conveyor belt 37 of the feed device 36, the product already abutting it, in particular the product already under attack by the blade element 18, are displaced relative to the products not yet abutting, so that the gap 84 is closed. Considering the feeding speed, the displacement d is a little less than the scale distance D.

In the following, the function of the pivotable guide slot 54 is explained: As shown in Fig. 7, the leading edge 18c of the separating element 14, which follows the separating element which has already engaged a product 28, is only slightly above the level 100 of the highest points the incoming scale formation S. Thus, the leading edge 18c has almost the same height as the trailing edges 30 of the products 28. As shown in FIGS. 1-3, the guide cam 54 is shaped to lower the leading edge 18c further below the level 100 due to the pivotal movement of the vane element about the axis 28 as the transport wheel 10 continues to rotate , When moving the transport wheel 10 against the feed direction F, therefore, the problem arises that the front edge 18c of the blade element 18 would come into contact with the product 28 to be gripped on its exposed product surface. As a result, the product may be damaged when the transport wheel 10 is displaced, the displacement movement may be blocked, or the pivoting mechanism for the blade elements 18 may be damaged.

By pivoting the guide slot 54 by an angle α of about 10 to 20 ° in the direction of movement of the gripper 12 or separating elements 14, ie counterclockwise here, this problem is solved. For in this case, the movement of the downward pivoting of the blade elements 18 is carried out at a position further in the direction of movement. This causes the leading edge 18c to remain above the level 100 until the product 28 is in the feed direction F in front of the leading edge 18c. Due to the slide displacement also the pivotal movement of the blade element 18, which has already under attacked a product, delayed. However, this is without influence on the transfer process to the gripper 12, since the product is already so far on the bearing surface defined by the second leg 18b of the blade element 18 that it can be transferred into the gripper 12.

When the position shown in Fig. 8 is reached, the guide slot 54 is rotated by driving the drive means 94 again by the angle α in the original position shown in FIG. 7. The still empty blade element 18 is therefore pivoted slightly faster than in normal operation relative to its carrier unit 16. The same applies during the pivoting of the guide slot 54 for all other blade elements, but has no effect on their function.

The pivoting of the guide slot 54 shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 primarily serves to lower the front edge of the blade element 18, even in the case of irregularities 84 in the incoming scale formation S, behind the product edge 30 to be undercut and to avoid contact with the product surface. If the second legs 18b of the blade elements 18 are elastic at least in a direction away from the product and therefore can not injure the product even when touched, the pivotable guide slot 54 can also be dispensed with. Such elasticity, which at the same time allows sufficient stability when gripping a product, can be achieved by a blade element 18 constructed of lamellae transverse to the feed direction F, which is flexible in the direction of the pivot axis 26 and rigid in the opposite direction.

To form a gap, the carriage 78 is moved in the feed direction F. In order to grasp a gripper 12 in the receiving area 66 into the void, which leads to the gap to be formed in the expiring formation S '. The carriage 78 is then back in the Pushed home position. An adjustment of the control link 54 is not necessary in this case.

The displacement mechanism shown in Fig. 6 and the adjustable control link shown in Figs. 7 and 8 can also be used in devices which work with conventional separating elements, in particular in a device according to EP-A 1 055 620 ,

Claims (13)

Device for picking up and conveying flat products (28), in particular printed products, having a plurality of grippers (12) movable along a gripper trajectory in a gripper moving direction and a plurality of independent separating elements (14) along a Separierelemente movement path in a Separierelemente-direction of movement are movable, wherein the gripper trajectory and the Separierelemente movement path at least in a receiving area (66) approach each other and wherein the Separierelemente (14) are capable of in the receiving area (66) below the product (28) located at least in part in such a way that it can be grasped by a gripper (14), characterized in that the separating elements (14) each comprise at least one blade element (18), which comprises a gripper element (18) Edge (30) of at least partially on another product or on a age (34) product (28) and capable of lifting it. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the separating element movement path is shaped in such a way and / or the separating elements (14) are movable relative to the separating element movement path such that a front edge (18c) of the blade element (18) in the separating element movement direction Recording area (66) behind an edge (30) of a product (28) to be gripped is lowered and subsequently moved faster than the product (28). Apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by a stop (40) which is able to form a resistance for the leading edge of the product in the receiving region (66). Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the separating elements (14) comprise a carrier unit (16) which is stationary with respect to the separating element movement path, and that the blade element (18) is pivotally mounted on the carrier unit (16) , Apparatus according to claim 4, characterized in that the blade element (18) comprises a first leg (18a) rotatably connected to the carrier unit (16) and a second leg (18b) rigidly connected thereto, the first leg (18a) preferably in profile straight and the second leg (18b) is preferably convexly curved in profile with respect to the separating elements movement direction. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the grippers (12) have two gripper jaws (22, 24) and that the blade elements (18) define a supporting surface which is capable of supporting a product (28) during the picking process, the gripping jaws (22) Support surface in the receiving area (66) at least partially between the gripper jaws (22, 24) is arranged. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the blade elements (18) by means of a Separierelemente control device at least in the receiving area (66) are pivotable relative to the Separierelemente-movement path. Apparatus according to claim 7, characterized in that the separating elements (14) comprise at least one guide element (46) and that the Separierelemente control means comprises a cooperating with the guide elements Separierelemente control link (54). Apparatus according to claim 8, characterized in that the position of the Separierelemente control link (54) is variable relative to the Separierelemente movement path, so that the position in which the Separierelemente (14) perform the lifting of a product (28) necessary movement, is variable within the Separierelemente movement path. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by a feed device (36) for the male products (28) whose Zuförderrichtung (F) in the receiving area (66) is at least approximately the same direction as the gripper movement direction and the separating elements movement direction. Apparatus according to claim 10, characterized in that the grippers (12) and the separating elements (14) on a common transport member, in particular a transport wheel (10) are arranged, in and against the feed direction (F) of the feed device (36) displaceable is over To be able to compensate for irregularities in a formation of products (28) transported by means of the feed device (36) to the receiving region (66). Apparatus according to claim 11, characterized by a stop (40) arranged in the receiving area (66) for the products transported with the feed device (36), wherein the stop (40) is displaceable together with the common transport element, preferably by the stop (40). and the transport member are arranged on a common carriage (78). Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it is capable of receiving in an incoming scale formation (S) conveyed product (28) and deliver such that in the delivery area an expiring scale formation (S ') is formed, in which the trailing and preceding product edges (30, 32) are reversed, preferably in such a way that a first trailing overhead product edge is to a leading edge lying product edge.

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