EP1944257B1 - Device for lateral alignment of printed products - Google Patents

Abstract

The device has a conveyor (12) comprising a switching unit (34), and a tight strand (14) running in a plane in a resting position of the switching unit. The tight strand is moved from the plane in an operating position (36) of the switching unit, such that a stiffened bending (62) that is transverse to a conveying direction (F) is formed in articles. The tight strand comprises two strand sections (56, 56') following each other at the conveying direction. The two strand sections respectively form flat contact surface sections (58, 58').

Description

The present invention relates to a device for the lateral alignment of resulting flexible, flat objects, such as printed products according to the preamble of patent claim 1.

A device of this kind is for example off EP 0 223 941 A known. It has for lateral alignment of printed products located on a conveyor designed as a belt conveyor on both sides of the conveyor arranged guardrails in the form of endless timing belt, which motorized pulleys in the same direction of movement and with approximately the same conveying speed of the printed products movement is granted.

Another device for the lateral alignment of resulting in an imbricated formation printed products according to the EP 0 567 807 A has a number of alignment columns as alignment unit. These have a round outline and are driven such that their directed against the scale formation surface moves at conveying speed in the conveying direction F. In order to prevent printed products, which are conveyed, for example, with a corner against a distance between two poles, be carried between the poles through and under the conveyor belt, which could endanger the scale flow and this could be damaged, stop plates are provided between the straightening columns.

Such devices work properly when the resulting printed products have a certain thickness and thus a sufficient intrinsic stability. However, problems may arise when, for example, from a rotary printing machine with a large output thin, i. leaf-leaved printed products, predominantly in tabloid format, are obtained whose intrinsic stability to the known lateral orientation is insufficient.

Out EP 0 356 150 A1 there is known a sheet processing apparatus having first and second conveyor belts, portions of these conveyor belts made of elastically extensible material being in cooperative relation; a sheet to be conveyed through the apparatus is caught by said cooperating portions. One of the conveyor belts is guided past a roller, which is associated with a selectively operable switching arm. Actuation of the switching arm moves the roller to deform the cooperating portions of the first and second conveyor belts and thereby change the path length for the sheet through the apparatus. By actuating the switching arm, the time at which the sheet arrives at a specific location, for example at a stacking wheel, can be adjusted. When using two pairs of corresponding cooperating conveyor belts, the orientation of the sheet can be aligned.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a generic device by means of which flexible, flat objects of different intrinsic stability are aligned laterally.

This object is achieved with a device according to claim 1 bzw.5.

A conveyor of a device according to the invention has changeover means, wherein in the rest position of the changeover means a workstring of the conveyor runs at least approximately in one plane. In the working position of the changeover means, the workstring is deflected out of the mentioned plane, so that a bend which reinforces it transversely to the conveying direction is formed in the flexible, flat objects. For example, for aligning thicker multifilament printed products, which thus have sufficient stiffness, the workstring can run in the plane while being deflected to align thin, lowlave printed products. As a result of the bending formed in the printed products, they can be aligned by the laterally acting forces of the alignment unit without the risk of buckling and they are damaged or removed from the imbricated formation.

Preferred embodiments of the device according to the invention are defined in the dependent claims.

Fig. 1

in Ansicht eine erfindungsgemässe Vorrichtung mit in Arbeitslage sich befindenden Umstellmitteln, wodurch ein Arbeitstrum eines Förderers ausgelenkt ist, um in den seitlich auszurichtenden Druckereiprodukten eine sie quer zur Förderrichtung versteifende Biegung auszubilden;

Fig. 2

gegenüber Fig. 1 vergrössert, einen dort mit II gekennzeichneten Ausschnitt;

Fig. 3

ebenfalls in Ansicht die Vorrichtung gemäss den Fig. 1 und 2, jedoch mit in Ruhelage befindlichen Umstellmitteln und in einer Ebene verlaufenden Arbeitstrum;

Fig. 4

in Draufsicht die Vorrichtung gemäss den Fig. 1 bis 3;

Fig. 5

in Ansicht eine zweite Ausführungsform der erfindungsgemässen Vorrichtung mit zwei hintereinander angeordneten Wippenförderern bei sich in Arbeitslage befindenden Umstellmitteln, wobei die beiden Wippenförderer zusätzlich zu einer knickartigen Biegung in der Förderbahn eine fallende Stufe ausbilden; und

Fig. 6

in gleicher Darstellung wie Fig. 5, eine weitere Ausbildungsform der erfindungsgemässen Vorrichtung mit zwei Wippenförderern, wobei diese bei sich in Arbeitslage befindenden Umstellmitteln - in Ansicht gesehen - eine V-förmige Förderbahn ausbilden.

The invention will be explained with reference to embodiments shown in the drawing. It shows purely schematically:

Fig. 1

in view of a device according to the invention with in working position located Umstellmitteln, whereby a Arbeitstrum of a conveyor is deflected to form in the side to be aligned printed products a transversely stiffening to the conveying direction bending;

Fig. 2

across from Fig. 1 enlarged, a section marked there with II;

Fig. 3

also in view the device according to the Fig. 1 and 2 , but with at rest located Umstellmitteln and running in a plane Arbeitstrum;

Fig. 4

in plan view, the device according to the Fig. 1 to 3 ;

Fig. 5

in view of a second embodiment of the device according to the invention with two rocker conveyors arranged one behind the other when switching means are in the working position, wherein the two rocker conveyors form a falling step in addition to a crease-like bend in the conveying path; and

Fig. 6

in the same representation as Fig. 5 , A further embodiment of the inventive Device with two rocker conveyors, these forming in working position switching means - seen in view - form a V-shaped conveyor track.

The in the Fig. 1 to 4 shown embodiment of an inventive device 10 has a designed as a belt conveyor conveyor 12, whose in the conveying direction (F) driven overhead workstring 14 forms a support surface 16 for printed products 18. The printed products 18 are free on the support surface 16. The printed products 18 accumulate in an imbricated formation (S) and are fed to the conveyor 12 by means of a feed conveyor 20, also designed as a belt conveyor, in the conveying direction (F).

How this in particular the Fig. 4 can be removed, the conveyor 12 has a plurality, in this case five, parallel to each other - the band of the belt conveyor forming - Ribbon 22, which at the upstream end of the conveyor 12 adjacent to the feed conveyor 20 to roller-like pulleys 24 and downstream End of the conveyor 12 are guided by roller-like drive rollers 26. Between the drive rollers 26 and pulleys 24 of the underlying return strand 28 is rectilinear. The pulleys 24 are freely rotatably seated on a common bearing shaft 30, while the drive rollers 26 are stuck on a common, motor-driven drive shaft 32.

The conveyor 12 are associated with switching 34, which in the Fig. 1 and 2 in their work situation 36 and in Fig. 3 are shown in rest position 38. The Umstellmittel 34 have a pair of angle levers, of which, the better For clarity, only one angle lever 40 is shown. The arranged between each adjacent ribbon 22 angle lever 40 are pivotally mounted about a perpendicular to the conveying direction F and parallel to the working strand 14 pivot axis 42. A drive-side lever arm 44 is - below the return strand 28 - hinged to a designed as a piston-cylinder unit drive unit 46, on the other hand, as the bearing blocks for the pivot axis 42, is attached to a machine frame not shown. An output-side lever arm 48 of the angle lever 40 extends approximately in the longitudinal direction of the conveyor 12 and carries at its free end freely rotatably mounted, acting as deflecting members 50 guide rollers 52nd

Are the changeover means 34 in rest position 38 - see Fig. 3 - The workstring 14 between the guide roller 24 and drive roller 26 extends in a straight line in the horizontal direction on the guide rollers 52 supporting it and forms a conveying plane 54th

Are the changeover 34 in working position 36 - see Fig. 1 and 2 - The continuous Arbeitstrum 14 from the conveyor plane 54 is concavely deflected towards the top so that - seen in view - the support surface 16 is gable roof-like deflected, with the gable by the deflection of the working strand 14 results around the guide rollers 52, which in diameter It forms thus between the guide rollers 24 and the guide rollers 52, a first Trumabschnitt 56 of the working strut 14 with a flat, seen in the conveying direction F having a slope first bearing surface portion 58, and between the guide rollers 52 and the drive rollers 26, a second Trumabschnitt 56 'with a flat, seen in the conveying direction a slope having second bearing surface portion 58'. The two bearing surface sections 58, 58 'enclose an angle of about 200 °.

As indicated by the double arrow 60, it is conceivable to choose the deflection of the working strand 14 and thus the said angle smaller or larger, depending on the quality of the printed products 18 to be aligned.

The deflection members 50 thus form between the successive Trumabschnitten 56 and 56 'approximately a crease line which is perpendicular to the conveying direction F.

How this in particular the Fig. 2 can be removed, the course of Arbeitstrums 14 forms in working position 36 located Umstellmitteln 34 in the printed products 18, the transition from the first Trumabschnitt 56 in the second Trumabschnitt 56 ', approximately in the middle of the conveyor 12, a bend 62 with a bending line which runs at least approximately at right angles to the conveying direction F. This results in a stiffening of the printed products 18 in such a way that they can receive alignment forces acting without damage and buckling transversely, in particular at right angles to the conveying direction F. Furthermore, in the imbricated formation S, successive printed products 18 are fanned out during the transition from the first strand section 56 into the second strand section 56 ', or from the first bearing surface section 58 into the second bearing surface section 58'. This reduces the friction between the successive printed products 18, which in turn reduces the alignment forces acting on the printed products (18).

On both sides of the conveyor 12 each have an alignment unit 64 is arranged. Each of the alignment units 64 has an alignment plate 66 spaced a distance upstream of the diverter 50, i. the deflecting rollers 52 is bent around a vertical bending line 68 in the direction towards the outside. As viewed in the conveying direction F, the two alignment plates 66 extend approximately over the entire length of the conveyor 12, the two flat sections 70 located downstream of the bending line 68 being aligned parallel to one another and in the conveying direction F, perpendicular to the support surface 16 and perpendicular to the conveying direction F. are arranged at a distance which corresponds approximately to the width of the printed products 18. The upstream of the bending line 68 located portions 70 'of Ausrichtbleche 66 form a wedge-shaped narrowing inlet for the resulting printed products 18th

The bending line 68 may be located at the deflecting member 50, advantageously it is upstream with respect to this upstream in a distance, however, which is substantially smaller than the measured in the conveying direction F length of the printed products, for example, 10 - 20% of this length.

The two Ausrichtbleche 66 are seen in view, rectangular in shape, being measured, measured in the vertical direction, its lower edge below the working strand 14 and its overhead edge is always above the working strand 14. Viewed in the conveying direction F approximately in the center of the alignment plates 66 extends from this against below a retaining tongue 72, each sitting on a nut 74. The running nuts 74 are mounted on a spindle 76, which is rotatable to adapt the distance of the Ausrichtbleche 66 to the width of the processed printed products 18. The two running nuts 74 associated threaded portions of the spindle 76 are formed in opposite directions.

The in the Fig. 1 to 4 shown device 10 works as follows:

The printed products 18 are fed by means of the feed conveyor 20 in an imbricated formation S, in which successive printed products 18, obliquely or, as the particular Fig. 4 can be removed on the basis of the printed products, which are located upstream of the bending line 68, can be laterally offset. Are it multi-leaved, stable, thicker printed products, such as in the Fig. 3 shown, the Umstellmittel 34 may be in rest position 38. The in this case flat bearing surface 16 of the conveyor 12 fed printed products 18 are conveyed by the conveyor 12 through the registration gap formed by the two Ausrichtblechen 66, on the one hand, the sections 70 'of Ausrichtbleche 66 center the printed products 18 and on the other hand, the sections 70 the Align printed products 18 such that their side edges extend in the conveying direction F and are arranged in a straight line.

If, however, resulting printed products 18 are to be processed, which have too little inherent stability for alignment on a flat conveyor, the changeover means 34 are brought into their working position 36.

Just as described above, when transporting the printed products 18 through the alignment gap, they are centered and laterally aligned, but now the printed products 18 are stiffened by forming a bend in them as a result of guiding the workstring 14. Moreover, the fanning out of the scale formation S at the deflection member 50 reduces the alignment.

In the in the Fig. 1 to 4 shown embodiment with self-contained, one-piece ribbon 22 may be provided in the region of the return strand 28 a length compensation. However, it is also conceivable to form the ribbons 22 from an elastic material so that they can absorb the change in length during the changeover of the changeover means 34.

While at the in the Fig. 1 to 4 shown embodiment of the inventive device of the working section 14 is formed continuously, he can - as the FIGS. 5 and 6 show - by two successive in the conveying direction F, successively arranged rocker conveyor 78 may be formed. In the description of these embodiments, the same reference numerals are used for equivalent parts as in the description of the embodiment according to the Fig. 1 to 4 , Furthermore, only the differences are explained below.

The rocker conveyors 78, 80 are also formed as a belt conveyor and pivotally mounted at their opposite ends about the rocker axes 82. The ribbons 22 of the first rocker conveyor 78 are guided around drive rollers 26, which on a for respective rocker axis 82 coaxial drive shaft 32 sit. At the downstream, the second rocker conveyor 80 facing the end of the first rocker conveyor 78, the ribbons 22 are guided around the pulleys 24, which are freely rotatably mounted on a bearing shaft 30, which in turn is attached to side shields, not shown, which by means of schematically indicated Umstellmitteln 34th For example, a cylinder piston unit to the associated rocker axis 82 are pivotable. The active run of the first rocker conveyor 78 forms the first runner section 56 and thus the first contact surface section 58 of the conveyor 12. For completeness, it should be mentioned that the first rocker conveyor 78, seen in the conveying direction F, is arranged following the feed conveyor 20.

The following in the conveying direction F downstream of the first rocker conveyor 78 following second rocker conveyor 80 is exactly the same design as that, but arranged in mirror image to this. The ribbons 22 are guided at the downstream end of the second rocker conveyor 80 to drive rollers 26 which non-rotatably seated on the associated rocker axis 82 coaxial drive shaft 32. At the upstream, the first rocker conveyor 78 end facing the ribbons 22 are guided around pulleys 24, which sit freely rotatably on the bearing axis 30. This is in turn attached to shields, not shown, which are also pivotable by means of Umstellmittel 34 about the rocker axis 82. The active run of the second rocker conveyor 80 forms the second runner section 56 'of the workstring 24 and the second contact surface section 58' of the support surface 16. The two rocker conveyors 78, 80 are driven in the conveying direction F at the same speed as the Feed conveyor 20. For completeness, it should be mentioned that the mutually facing ends of the rocker conveyors 78, 80 have only a small distance from each other.

An alignment plate 66 of the alignment units 64 extends on both sides in the middle between the two rocker axes 82. These are of the same design as described above in connection with FIGS Fig. 1 to 4 described.

When there is in rest position Umstellmitteln 34 are the two Trumabschnitte 56, 56 'of the rocker conveyor 78 and 80 in a horizontal conveying plane 54, which in the FIGS. 5 and 6 is indicated by a dashed line. In this rest position 38 accumulating in the shed formation S, vielblättrige, thicker printed products can be aligned laterally, as described above in connection with the Fig. 3 is explained. If printed products 18 with lower intrinsic stability fall, the changeover means 34 are moved to working position 36, so that the rocker conveyors have a convex bearing surface 16 in accordance with FIG Fig. 5 form. The alignment is then the same as above in connection with the Fig. 1 and 2 described.

At the in Fig. 5 In the embodiment shown, it is conceivable to pivot the two rocker conveyors 78, 80 by means of the changeover means 34 such that their mutually facing ends are located at the same height above the conveying plane 54. The thereby achieved effect of stiffening the printed products by the formation of a bend 62 and the fanning of the scale formation S is the same as above in connection with the Fig. 1 and 2 described.

Like in the Fig. 5 However, it is shown in this embodiment, when in working position 36, the downstream end of the first rocker conveyor 78, measured in the vertical direction, at a greater height above the conveying plane 54 than the upstream end of the second rocker conveyor 80th Die two facing each other ends of the two rocker conveyors 78, 80 form in the conveying direction F a falling step 84. This has the consequence that in addition to the stiffening of the printed products 18 by forming a bend 62 and fanning the scale formation S separation between the printed products 18 takes place As soon as each printed product 18 has left the effective range of the first rocker conveyor 78 and has lowered with its trailing edge in abutment on the second rocker conveyor 80. This reduces the friction ratios between the printed products 18 and thereby reduces the lateral aligning forces on the printed products 18.

In the Fig. 6 The device shown is the same as those according to Fig. 5 , but now the two rocker conveyors 78, 80 from the conveying plane 54, in which their Trumabschnitte 56, 56 'are in rest position 38 of the Umstellmittel 34, in the direction against the bottom are pivotally. The support surface 16 is concave. Viewed in view form the Trumabschnitte 56, 56 'and bearing surface sections 58, 58' of the two rocker feeders 78, 80 a weitgespreiztes V and enclose an angle of about 140 °.

In this case, the first bearing surface portion 58 of the conveyor 12 in the conveying direction F with a gradient and the second support surface portion 58 'provided with a slope. In the transition from slope to slope, ie the transition from the first rocker conveyor 78 to the second rocker conveyor 80, the printed products 18 are bent again and thereby stiffened in the transverse direction, but takes place in this embodiment, no fanning of the subsidized in Schuppenformation S printed products 18. Otherwise, the Aligning in the same way as described above.

In all the embodiments shown, the printed products 18 are supplied in an imbricated formation S of the device 10, in which each printed product 18 rests on the respective leading-edge imbricated. However, it is also possible printed products 18, and thus to align flexible, flat objects that occur sequentially, without overlap.

In the embodiment according to Fig. 6 To prevent the printed products 18 with their leading edges at the gap between the first and second rocker conveyors 78, 80 damaged or conveyed away from the scraper formation S towards the bottom, it is conceivable to lower the first rocker conveyor 78 in the working position 36 less than the second rocker conveyor 80, so that in turn forms seen in the conveying direction F falling stage. However, it is also possible to form a rocker conveyor 78, 80 with tongue-like support plates, which bridge the gap between the two rocker conveyors 78, 80 and are arranged between the strips 22. Finally, it would also be conceivable, the two rocker feeders 78, 80 such that their ends overlap slightly.

It is conceivable to vibrate the alignment plates 66 of the alignment units 64. Further, it is conceivable to provide instead of Ausrichtblechen 66 for each of the two alignment units 64 a series of directional pillars, as shown in the EP 0 567 807 A are known. Moreover, it is conceivable to provide in place of Ausrichtbleche 66 crash barriers in the form of endless toothed belt, which are moved by motor-driven pulleys in the conveying direction and at approximately the conveying speed, as shown in EP 0 223 941 A is known. In an advantageous manner, the pulleys are eccentrically mounted and driven synchronized so that the timing belt synchronously make a movement perpendicular to the conveying direction F to each other and away from each other.

It is also possible to provide a single alignment unit 64 on only one side of the conveyor 12. In this case, for example, the conveyor 12 may be arranged to pivot about an axis extending in the conveying direction F from the horizontal, such that the alignment unit 64 is located on the lower side of the conveyor 12. In this case, however, it must be ensured that the printed products either come into contact with the alignment unit 64 due to their own weight or that they are displaced there by displacement means.

Of course, it is also conceivable to provide a chain conveyor instead of a belt or belt conveyor.

Further, it is advantageous if the Ausrichtbleche 66 or this corresponding alignment are close to the tape or each outermost ribbon 22 or chains. The printed products 18 are supported near their side edge, which additionally prevents kinking. Is the inventive device 10 adjustable to different widths formats, as related to the Fig. 4 is explained, the conveyor 12 is formed in an advantageous manner such that its ligaments 22 and chains are also displaced in the transverse direction of the conveyor 12 to the laterally outermost ribbon 22 or chains regardless of the width of the printed products close to the alignment plate 66 and hold appropriate alignment can.

In the embodiments shown, the working strand 14 in working position 36 of the changeover means 34 forms an at least almost angular bend, wherein the bending line runs at right angles to the conveying direction F. Accordingly, the printed products 18 are bent in a region which is almost linear and seen in the conveying direction F has a small extent. It would also be conceivable to form the conveyor 12 in such a way that the support surface 16 forms a bend with a larger radius.

Claims (11)

1. Apparatus for laterally aligning accumulating flexible, flat objects, such as printed products, having a conveyor (12), the continuous working section (14) of which, which is driven in a conveying direction (F), forms a supporting face (16) for the objects (18) freely supported thereon, and having at least one aligning unit (64) which is arranged to the side of the conveyor (12), characterized in that the conveyor (12) has switching means (34), the working section (14) runs at least approximately in a plane (54) in the rest position (38) of the switching means (34) and the working section (14) is deflected out of the plane (54) in the working position (36) of the switching means (34), in such a way that a bend (62) is formed in the objects (18), so that they can be aligned by the laterally acting forces of the aligning unit (64), said bend (62) reinforces them transversely with respect to the conveying direction (F).
2. Apparatus according to Claim 1, characterized in that the working section (14) has two run sections (56, 56') which follow one another in the conveying direction (F), each of these run sections (56, 56') forms at least approximately a flat supporting face section (58, 58') and, if the switching means (34) are situated in the working position (36), the supporting face sections (58, 58') are arranged at an angle with respect to one another.
3. Apparatus according to Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the working section (14) in the aligning unit (64) is guided over a deflecting element (50), in particular a deflecting roll (52), of the switching means (34).
4. Apparatus according to Claim 3, characterized in that the deflecting element (50) is arranged at the free end of an actuating lever (40) which is connected to a drive unit (46).
5. Apparatus for laterally aligning accumulating flexible, flat objects, such as printed products, having a conveyor (12), the working section (14) of which, which is driven in a conveying direction (F), forms a supporting face (16) for the objects (18) freely supported thereon, and having at least one aligning unit (64) which is arranged to the side of the conveyor (12), characterized in that the conveyor (12) has switching means (34) and two tipper conveyors (78, 80) which are arranged behind one another in the conveying direction (F) and in each case form a separating section (56, 56'), each of the said separating sections (56, 56') forming at least approximately a flat supporting-face section (58, 58'), it being possible for the tipper conveyors (78, 80) to be pivoted about their tipping axes (82) by means of the switching means (34) in those end regions of the tipping conveyors (78, 80) which face away from one another, the run sections (50, 56) running at least approximately in one plane (54) in the rest position (38) of the switching means (34) and being deflected out of the plane in the working position in such a way that the supporting-face sections (58, 58') are arranged at an angle with respect to one another, and a bend (62) which is reinforced transversely with respect to the conveying direction (F) being formed in the objects (18), in order for them to be aligned by laterally acting forces of the aligning unit (64).
6. Apparatus according to Claim 5, characterized in that the tipping conveyors (78, 80) are pivoted jointly by means of the switching means (34) in such a way that their ends which face one another are situated at the same level.
7. Apparatus according to Claim 5 or 6, characterized in that, in the working position (36) of the switching means (34), those ends of the tipper conveyors (78, 80) which face one another are situated above the plane (54).
8. Apparatus according to Claim 5 or 6, characterized in that, in the working position (36) of the switching means (34), those ends of the tipper conveyors (78, 80) which face one another are situated below the plane (54).
9. Apparatus according to Claim 5, characterized in that the tipper conveyors (78, 80) are pivoted in such a way that, in the working position (36) of the switching means (34), their ends which face one another form a step (84) which falls away in the conveying direction (F).
10. Apparatus according to one of Claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the conveyor (12) has a tape conveyor (22).
11. Apparatus according to one of Claims 1 to 10, characterized in that two aligning units (64) are arranged on opposite sides of the conveyor (12).

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