EP1897698B1 - Book cover applying device for a bookbinding machine - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a turn-up applying device for a bookbinding machine according to the preamble of claim 1.

When personalizing booklets made on perfect binders, the envelopes are printed with personal data, such as an address, just prior to merging with the book blocks. In the US 5,998,620 A Corresponding arrangements of the printing device on a cover-applying device of the adhesive binder are described.

With the arrangement of the printing device below the envelope conveyor, the outside of the envelopes can be printed to imprint, for example, an individual barcode, with the help of which personalized printed products are traceable to the end of their manufacturing process. The printed bar codes can be read at the input of subsequent processing devices for performing individual processing, for example, for inserting further personal content in the printed product. By capturing the barcode at the end of the manufacturing process, it can be ensured that the personal printed product has actually been produced.

Frequently, the printing devices used are digitally controlled inkjet print heads, in which ink or the ink is transferred in the smallest drops on the envelope. A process-reliable and perfect use of these printheads when printing from the bottom is not given, because the printheads pollute by falling down paper dust. Another problem is the ink acceptance by the most refined envelope surface. The dripping ink degrades the print quality. In addition, the envelopes can be performed again in the printed area only when the applied ink is dried. When printing from below, where the printhead is placed between the conveyors of the envelope conveyor, this greatly limits the envelope size range as well as any placement of the imprint.

The present invention has for its object to provide a Umschlaganlegevorrichtung for a bookbinding machine according to the preamble of claim 1, the allows printing on the outside of from the magazine isolated envelopes from above.

This object is achieved in that the transport device for the isolated envelopes comprises a turning device, so that the envelopes during their delivery with at least partially upwardly directed outside are conveyed. The printing device for printing on the outside is then arranged above the envelope transport, with the advantages of significantly less contamination of the printing device by paper dust and a significantly improved transfer of the ink or ink on the cover surface, because the weight of the droplets no longer opposes the ink acceptance.

In an advantageous embodiment, it is provided that the printing device is followed by a conveying path for drying the printed envelope, without the printed surface of the envelope being contacted by guiding and / or conveying means of the transport device.

In a preferred embodiment, it is provided that the turning device comprises a conveyor embracing the envelopes, whereby a positionally accurate transport of the envelope and thus an exact printing is possible. It is advantageous if the envelopes spanning the conveyor is formed by the envelopes in the back region detecting pair of belts, whereby the outer sides of both cover cover are kept free for printing.

In a first embodiment according to claim 5 it is provided that the turning device is designed as a turning conveyor, with a twisted to the longitudinal axis to each other arranged belt pair. The complete envelope is thereby rotated about a longitudinal axis parallel to the conveying direction. The turning conveyor can be designed for a single turning operation by 180 °. The envelopes are separated with top outside from the magazine. They are printed from above and then turned by 180 ° in the correct position for the joining process with the book blocks. For a temporary turning of the envelopes, a two-stage, intermittently rotating turning by about 180 ° is provided or a forward and backward turning process by more than 90 °. In the case of temporary turning, the envelopes are separated from the magazine with the outer side lying underneath and turned over more than 90 ° for printing from above, and then turned back or turned further after the printing ink has dried.

In a second embodiment according to claim 9 it is provided that the turning device is formed by guide means for temporarily folding over at least one cover side of the envelope by more than 90 °. The envelopes are transported in a known manner with the outside lying down. Only the lid side to be printed is folded over, whereby a cover folded over by a little more than 90 ° according to the invention problem can already be printed because the printing direction has a component in the direction of gravity.

A third embodiment is specified in claim 10. The turning device is designed as a looping conveyor. Preferably, the printing device is arranged in the region of the upper vertex of the loop. The subsequent transport route to the actual feed conveying plane serves as a drying section.

Fig. 1

eine Umschlaganlegevorrichtung mit einem 180° Wendeförderer als erste Ausführungsform;

Fig. 2

eine Umschlaganlegevorrichtung mit einer aus Leitmitteln gebildeten Wendeeinrichtung als zweite Ausführungsform;

Fig. 3

eine Umschlaganlegevorrichtung mit einem Loopingförderer als dritte Ausführungsform.

Exemplary embodiments of the turn-up application device according to the invention will be explained in more detail with reference to the following figures. In a schematic perspective view

Fig. 1

a turn-up applying device with a 180 ° turning conveyor as a first embodiment;

Fig. 2

a turn-up applying device with a turning means formed by guiding means as a second embodiment;

Fig. 3

a Umschlaganlegevorrichtung with a looping conveyor as a third embodiment.

The in the FIGS. 1 to 3 Envelope application devices 10. 1, 10. 2 and 10. 3 shown are each provided for an adhesive binder whose book block transport system has a multiplicity of book block tongs 15 that are continuously movable in a closed circulation path, wherein thereof in the FIGS. 1 to 3 for illustration, only two book block tongs 15 are shown. The book block pliers 15 each consist of an inner jaw 15 a and an outer jaw 15 b, for laterally clamped receiving a book block 7, leaving a downward Rückenaushangs.

During their circulation, the book blocks 7 are first processed on the back and provided with adhesive on the back and near-side surfaces. Output of a deflection in the orbit then an envelope 1 is accurately fed and pressed on the back and possibly on the side portions of the book block 7. From this Anpresseinrichtung is in the FIGS. 1 to 3 for purposes of illustration, only one pressure roller 14, for the first time pressing the envelope 1 to the back of the book block. 7

The envelopes 1 are stored in the envelope application devices 10.1, 10.2 and 10.3 in magazines 11. After clockwise separation they are transferred to a transport device for feeding to the respective book block 7. They go through a groove means 16 for the formation of bending points. The number and formation of the grooves depends on the type of brochure. The inside back grooves define a back region 4 in the envelope 1, which is glued to the block back.

The transport device for the envelopes 1 comprises an envelope conveyor 12 with two juxtaposed endless conveyor 13, which arranged at fixed pitches, the envelopes 1 vorschiebende carrier 13 a have.

Because the book blocks 7 are transported in the perfect binder with the spine facing downwards, the envelopes 1 must be supplied with the inside 2 facing upwards. Accordingly, the outside is 3 when joining with the book block 7 below. The preferred product orientation in the perfect binder provides that the head 5 of the envelope 1, viewed in the direction of transport, is located at the back and the foot 6 advances.

For (individual) printing of the envelopes 1, for example with an address 8, an inkjet print head 17 is provided as a printing device in the envelope transport device. The inkjet printhead 17 is located above the envelope transport in the illustrated embodiments of the invention.

For printing on the envelope outer side 3, which lies below the book block 7 during joining, according to the invention a turning device 21, 31 a, b or 41 is provided in the envelope transport device, so that at least one area to be printed on the envelope outside 3 during printing pointing upwards and thus can be printed from above.

In a first embodiment according to FIG. 1 a turning conveyor 21 is provided with two conveyor belts 22 a, b twisted relative to one another to the longitudinal axis, between which the envelopes 1 are clamped. The arrangement according to FIG. 1 allows turning of the envelopes 1 by 180 °. The envelopes 1 are therefore applied with the top outside 3 in the magazine 11. Immediately after their separation their outer side 3 can be printed from above with the inkjet print head 17. Subsequently, the envelopes 1 in the correct for the joining process with the book blocks 7 position turned and handed over to the envelope conveyor 12, for positionally accurate feeding to the respective book block. 7

The turning conveyor 21 could also be designed as a 360 ° turning conveyor, so that the envelopes 1 are applied as usual with the outside 3 lying down. The printing takes place approximately in the middle of the turning process, when the outside 3 is directed upward. In addition, a turning conveyor is conceivable, which initially turns the envelopes by a little more than 90 ° to a maximum of 180 ° to return them after printing back to its original position.

In a second embodiment according to FIG. 2 Guide rods 31 a, b are provided as a guide means for temporary folding of at least one, on the outside 3 to be printed cover side of the envelope 1. In this case, with its outside 3 lying down funded envelopes 1 by a conveyor belt 33 a, b formed clamping conveyor 32 transported transposed, wherein at least the top side to be folded is released. Already a lid folded over by more than 90 ° is printable from above according to the invention. The advantages mentioned in the description of the advantages are found as soon as the printing direction of the inkjet print head 17 has a direction component downwards in the direction of the force of gravity.

A third embodiment of the invention is in FIG. 3 specified. As a turning device, a looping conveyor 41 is used, in which the envelopes 1 are clamped by conveyor belt 42 a, b, wherein the envelopes 1 are turned around a substantially parallel to the head or foot edge axis of rotation by 360 °. In the illustrated embodiment, the isolated envelopes 1 are fed by a feed conveyor 43 obliquely to the actual Umschlagförderrichtung the looping conveyor 41. At the outlet of the looping conveyor 41, the envelopes 1 are transferred to the envelope conveyor 12 known from the other embodiments for feeding to the book blocks 7.

The inkjet print head 17 is arranged approximately at the upper vertex of the looping conveyor 41. The subsequent transport route to the delivery of the envelopes 1 to the envelope conveyor 12 serves as a drying section.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

envelope

2

inside

3

outside

4

back

5

head

6

foot

7

book block

8th

address

10.1 ... 3

Cover feeding device

11

magazine

12

envelope conveyor

13

funding

13 a

takeaway

14

capstan

15

Book block clamp

15 a

Inner jaw

15 b

Outer jaw

16

scoring device

17

Inkjet printhead

21

turning conveyor

22 a, b

conveyor belts

31 a, b

guide rod

32

Wedge conveyor

33 a, b

conveyor belts

41

looping conveyor

42 a, b

conveyor belts

43

feeder

Claims (11)

1. A cover feeding device for a book binding machine with book block clamps (15) that can be continuously moved along a closed path,

   • with a transport device for feeding covers (1) decollated from a magazine (11) and with a conveyor (12) that is arranged underneath the plane of motion of the book blocks (7) and features pushers (13 a) for engaging behind the covers (1) and feeding the covers to the book blocks (7), wherein the outside (3) of the covers (1) lies on the bottom,

   • with a pressing device (14) that receives the covers (1) and presses said covers against the spine and, if applicable, against the lateral regions of the book block (7), and

   • with a printing unit (17) that preferably prints personalized content (8) onto the cover (1),

   characterized in

   • that the transport device comprises a turning device (21, 31 a, b, 41) for transporting the covers (1) such that the outside (3) is at least partially directed upward during their infeed, and in

   • that the printing unit (17) is arranged above the transport device.
2. The cover feeding device according to Claim 1, characterized in a transport section that is situated directly downstream of the printing unit (17) and serves for drying the printed cover (1), namely without contacting the printed surface of the cover (1) with guiding and/or conveying means of the transport device.
3. The cover feeding device according to Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the turning device (21, 31 a, b, 41) comprises a clamping conveyor (22 a, b, 33 a, b, 42 a, b,) for the covers.
4. The cover feeding device according to Claim 3, characterized in that the clamping conveyor for the covers (1) is formed by a pair of belts (22 a, b, 33 a, b, 42 a, b) that take hold of the covers (1) in the spine region (4).
5. The cover feeding device according to one of Claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the turning device is realized in the form of turning conveyor (21) with a pair of belts (22 a, b) that are twisted relative to one another along the longitudinal axis.
6. The cover feeding device according to Claim 5, characterized in that the turning conveyor (21) is designed for turning the covers (1) that are decollated from the magazine (11) such that the outside (3) is situated on the top, namely once by an angle of 180°.
7. The cover feeding device according to Claim 5, characterized in that the turning conveyor (21) is designed for temporarily turning the covers (1) twice in a quasi intermittent fashion, namely by a respective angle of approximately 180°.
8. The cover feeding device according to Claim 5, characterized in that the turning conveyor (21) is designed for temporarily turning the covers (1) twice, namely forward and backward by an angle of more than 90°.
9. The cover feeding device according to one of Claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the turning device is composed of guiding means (31 a, b) for temporarily folding over at least one section of the cover (1) by more than 90°.
10. The cover feeding device according to one of Claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the turning device is realized in the form of a looping conveyor (41).
11. The cover feeding device according to Claim 10, characterized in that the printing unit (17) is arranged approximately at the upper summit of the looping conveyor (41).

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