EP2091738A1

EP2091738A1 - Control device for numbering machines used to print numbers in ascending or descending order on bank notes, lottery tickets and value cards in general

Info

Publication number: EP2091738A1
Application number: EP07849772A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Vittorio Avona
Original assignee: Gmp Srl
Current assignee: Gmp Srl
Priority date: 2006-12-01
Filing date: 2007-11-30
Publication date: 2009-08-26
Also published as: ITVR20060185A1; WO2008065693A1

Abstract

A control device for numbering machines used to print numbers in ascending or descending order on bank notes, lottery tickets, value cards in general, government certificates, personal identity documents or tickets of other types wherever unique, counterfeit-proof numbering in ascending or descending order is required comprising at least one sliding surface (14) located in the third housing (C) of the machine usually comprising a sheet outfeed chain (8) which creates a first and second outfeed stack of printed sheets (9) and where the control device comprises an in-line vision unit (10) located immediately next to the first outfeed stack of printed sheets (9) and where the said in-line vision unit comprises a matrix or linear camera (11), lighting lamps (13) and at least one suction surface (14) with a substantially curved shape and comprising a plurality of recesses (16) specially shaped and located at regular intervals in a crossways direction along the surface where the said recesses (16) are designed to receive and partially contain the grippers ( 17 ) conveying the sheets (19).

Description

"CONTROL DEVICE FOR NUMBERING MACHINES USED TO PRINT NUMBERS IN ASCENDING OR DESCENDING ORDER ON BANK NOTES,

LOTTERY TICKETS AND VALUE CARDS IN GENERAL"

* * * * * TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a support designed to maintain a sheet perfectly flat for a control device for numbering machines used to print numbers in ascending or descending order on bank notes, lottery tickets, value cards in general, government certificates, personal identity documents or tickets of other types wherever unique, counterfeit-proof numbering in ascending or descending order is required.

In particular, the present invention comprises a series of mobile devices known as "fingernails" to be inserted in a sheet sliding surface located inside a control device for numbering machines.

The device according to the present invention comprises an in-line vision system, in other words a control device which uses optic sensors located before the first outfeed stack of printed sheets where the said control system reads the sheets being fed forward by a line of grippers located on a plurality of shafts which also feed forward together with a pair of chains located to the sides.

The present invention relates to the field of numbering machines for numbering bank note sheets with unique, counterfeit-proof numbers in ascending or descending order.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

According to the conventional art the printing and numbering of bank notes and tickets with unique, counterfeit-proof numbers is performed by an automatic numbering machine as shown in Figure 1 which shows an embodiment of an invention filed by the same applicant, substantially comprising the following components and essential assemblies located inside the three housings indicated by the letters A, B and C:

1. Non-stop sheet feeder.

2. Sheet checker and double-sheet checker device.

3. Sheet feeder cylinder.

4. Transfer cylinder. 5. Pressure cylinder with two arc-shaped segments.

6. Upper numbering barrel.

7. Lower numbering barrel.

8. Sheet outfeed chain.

9. First and second outfeed stack of printed test and/or reject sheets.

This type of known numbering machine does not provide for the fitting of an in-line vision system employing devices such as matrix or linear cameras or scanners . Applications are known which provide for the use of matrix or linear cameras, mounted before the first outfeed stack of printed sheets, together with a suction surface.

The printed sheet adheres to the suction surface so as to allow the camera to perform a precision reading of most of the printed sheet.

This solution does however have a drawback relating to the imprecision caused by the thickness of the lower edge of the feed grippers. The thickness of the lower edge of the feed grippers does in effect cause the first few centimetres of paper to be raised with respect to the suction support surface in the zone immediately downstream from the grippers with the result that the reading taken by the matrix camera of the first few centimetres of paper is imprecise and approximate; this has negative consequences on the results one hopes to receive from the process .

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The object of the present invention is that of providing a machine with a suction surface comprising a series of mobile devices known as "fingernails" which retract inside the suction surface when the grippers pass over them and which are located in the reading zone.

The present invention relates to a control device for numbering machines comprising an in-line vision system, in other words, a control device which uses optic sensors located before the first outfeed stack of printed sheets.

The invention also provides a control unit for numbering machines which involves the insertion a special device in an existing space usually located before the first outfeed stack of printed sheets complete with the mobile fingernails indicated above.

This is achieved by means of a control unit for numbering machines whose characteristics are described in the main claim.

The dependent claims describe preferred embodiments of the present invention.

The main advantages of this solution, in addition to those which derive from the simplicity of its construction, mainly concern the fact that the reading and detection system is much more efficient and precise than conventional solutions because the suction sliding surface, which has special retraction recesses designed to allow the lower part of the grippers to retract below the surface, allows the printed sheets to remain in constant contact with the sliding surface from the start to the finish thus preventing the creation of partly raised edges.

The device according to the present invention substantially comprises a matrix or linear camera mounted on fixed supports and two lighting lamps.

The present invention provides for the use of a suction surface comprising mobile elements known as fingernails which are arranged to cover special recesses in the sliding surface. The suction surface with these recesses allows the passage of the sheet holder grippers while ensuring that the sheet adheres to the surface as it passes over the suction surface.

The holes and slots are designed so that the suction forms a vacuum inside them. Immediately after the passage of the gripper, the mobile fingernail returns to its rest position so that the entire reading line forms a uniform surface thus enabling precision reading of the printed sheet.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the description of an example embodiment which follows with reference to the annexed drawings, given purely by way of a non-limiting example, in which:

- Figure 1 shows a numbering machine used to print numbers in ascending or descending order on bank notes, lottery tickets and value cards in general, according to the conventional art. - Figure 2 shows a detail "D" of the machine in Figure 1.

- Figure 3 shows the sheet sliding and sheet suction surface according to the present invention. Figures 4 and 5 show a detail cross-section on the vertical plane of the sliding and suction surface according to the present invention in a first and second operating stage.

- Figure 6 shows the printed sheet sliding and suction surface according to the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF AN EXAMPLE EMBODIMENT

The following description refers to the annexed figures showing a numbering machine for the numbering in ascending or descending order of bank notes, lottery tickets, value cards in general, government certificates, personal identity cards or tickets of other types subject to unique, counterfeit-proof numbering, to which the control device according to the present invention is applied, and which is generally constructed with the component configuration and layout according to the conventional art.

In particular, and as already noted in the introduction above, the numbering machine consists of three housings A, B and C (see Figures 1 and 2) where the first housing A comprises a non-stop sheet feeder 1 and a sheet checker and double-sheet checker 2 and where the second housing B comprises a sheet feeder cylinder 3, a transfer cylinder 4, a pressure cylinder 5 with arc- shaped segments, an upper numbering barrel 6 and a lower numbering barrel 7.

The third housing C of the numbering machine usually comprises a sheet outfeed chain 8 which creates a first and a second outfeed stack of printed sheets 9 and, close to the final part of the machine, an outfeed unit for test and/or reject sheets.

The special feature of the invention is that it makes it possible to apply a special, in-line vision device with mobile fingernails, indicated generally with the numeral 10, immediately next to the first outfeed stack 9 of printed sheets.

The main elements of the optical control unit are partly located inside the machine and partly located outside.

The control unit elements inside the machine comprise a matrix or linear camera 11 mounted on fixed supports 12 and two lighting lamps 13.

A suction surface 14 of a substantially curved shape has a plurality of mobile elements 15 called

"fingernails" located inside special recesses 16 which are specially shaped and located at regular intervals in a crossways direction along the surface. The fingernails

15 are spring-loaded or operated by a mechanical cam so that they are normally raised so as to cover the recesses

16.

In a preferred embodiment the fingernails (15) are fixed to a shaft pin (25) which is actuated by pneumatic, mechanical or electro-mechanical devices connected to the pin by other suitable devices.

The number and position of the fingernails 15 and their respective recesses 16 depends on the number and position of the grippers 17 located on two chain lines 18 which pick up and convey the sheets 19 one after the other.

Each pick up gripper 17 comprises a swivel joint 20 which enables the rotation and therefore opening and closing of the counteracting mobile part 21 in the lower part. The lower part of the surface 14 has suction zones 22 and 23 which ensure that the sheet adheres perfectly to the sliding surface 14 along its entire length.

The recesses 16 made in the surface 14 enable the grippers 17 holding the sheet 19 during their passage in this zone to retract by overcoming the counteracting force of the fingernails 15, which are spring-loaded or operated by a mechanical cam, thus compressing the counteracting mobile part 21 and thereby ensuring that the sheet remains in contact with the surface even on its highest part, in other words, in the gripper pick up zone.

As the sheet 19 is conveyed by the grippers 17 it is held in constant contact with the surface 14 by means of a system of holes and slots 24 shown in Figure 3 where a vacuum is formed inside the said holes and slots by the suction means 22 and 23.

Immediately after the passage of the gripper 17 the mobile fingernail 15 returns to its rest position. This ensures that the entire reading line forms a uniform surface thus enabling precision reading of the printed sheet.

The parts of the control unit located outside the unit are as follows: - A processor device (an industrial personal computer with image control software) for controlling the security element on the sheet and for the optic control of alphanumeric characters printed during the process or printed during previous stages. - A numeric controller (PLC) with software for controlling the movement of the fingernails and for managing the image acquisition signals and error signals.

- An electrical cabinet housing power supply, control and emergency stop equipment.

- An encoder to be positioned on top of the two processing units.

- One or more suction devices for creating the vacuum required inside the suction surface. Inserting the vision system in-line does not alter the standard functioning of the machine and the operator can continue to perform the operations required.

The next section briefly describes an example of how the detection device described operates and also a standard work cycle.

The operator prepares the stack of paper and positions it in the aligner located under the sheet feeder 1. During normal machine operation, the sheet is moved by the non-stop sheet feeder 1 and is then immediately checked by the sheet checker device 2 which checks that the sheet is correctly positioned and that there are no double sheets present. The sheet is taken by the sheet feeder cylinder 3, transferred to the transfer cylinder 4 and then passed to the grippers of the pressure cylinder 5.

Immediately after this step the upper numbering barrel 6 and the lower numbering barrel 7 begin printing the numbers.

During normal operation, in other words, when all the numbers have been printed correctly, each sheet continues to travel through the machine conveyed by the sheet outfeed chain 8 to the first or second outfeed 9 of printed sheets. It is during this step of the cycle that the sheet passes over the sliding and suction surface 14 so that it can be read by the matrix or linear cameras 11.

The grippers 17 of the feed line move forward on the surface 14 and arrive in the zone read by the camera 11 where the counteracting part 21 of each gripper retracts into its corresponding seat 16 overcoming the counteracting force exerted by the spring or a mechanical cam of the corresponding cover fingernails 15. This enables the sheet in the reading zone to remain in constant contact with the sliding surface along its entire length and even on the front edge held by the grippers . The computer of the optic device is in constant communication with the PLC and knows exactly the type and content to be read.

The system uses the optic device to perform two types of control: a quantitative or correspondence check and a qualitative or legibility check.

The quantitative or correspondence check is performed to verify that all the numbers printed on the sheet correspond exactly to those set by the numbering sequence. It is also possible to check alphanumeric characters.

The qualitative or legibility check is performed to verify that all the characters comprising the numbers are legible, in other words it checks that the amount of ink is correct and verifies the other security elements on the sheet or printed on the sheet.

In this case it is possible to accept numbers with a high degree of legibility or with a low degree of legibility and the system will emit an alarm signal for each number with a low, but still satisfactory degree of legibility.

It should be noted that the work cycle and error management functions include control operations whereby the system performs the two types of control mentioned previously: the quantitative or correspondence check and the qualitative or legibility check.

The quantitative or correspondence check is performed to verify that all the numbers printed on the sheet correspond exactly to those set by the numbering sequence . In the presence of one or more incorrect numbers the system produces an error signal. This error signal is immediately sent to the machine which temporarily stops sheet feeding by the sheet feeder 1. All the sheets in the machine upstream from the control device and the reject sheet are sent to the reject/test sheet outfeed 9.

The main PLC records all the operations performed and displays, on the operator control panel, the causes creating the error and the exact number which each numbering unit should have in order to continue the correct sequence.

When the cause generating the error has been removed and when the numbering units have been set to the correct position, the operator can restart the normal operating cycle.

In the case of numbers where some characters have insufficient ink, the system produces an error signal.

This error signal is immediately sent to the machine which temporarily stops sheet feeding by the sheet feeder

1.

In the case of numbers with a low degree of legibility it is possible to intervene during a normal production cycle by using devices on the machine designed to solve or correct the problem while the machine is in movement.

It should be noted that the system described does not permit the production of quantities of sheets with incorrect numbering sequences or with quality defects because the control system checks that the numbering, in ascending or descending order, printed on the sheets is perfect.

When sheets with incorrect numbering are produced, the responsibility for intervening on the machine is no longer left to the operator. This means that the quality of the final product is no longer dependent on the operator's reaction because the system according to the invention manages, perfectly and automatically, all stages of the control and check procedure. The invention as described above refers to a preferred embodiment. Naturally, while the principle of the invention remains the same, the details of construction and the embodiments may widely vary with respect to what has been described and illustrated purely by way of the example, without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A control device for numbering machines used to print numbers in ascending or descending order on bank notes, lottery tickets, value cards in general, government certificates, personal identity documents or tickets of other types wherever unique, counterfeit-proof numbering in ascending or descending order is required wherein said device comprises at least one sliding surface (14) located in the third housing (C) of the machine usually comprising a sheet outfeed chain (8) which creates a first and second outfeed stack of printed sheets (9) and wherein the said control device comprises an inline vision unit (10) located immediately next to the first outfeed stack of printed sheets (9) and wherein the said in-line vision unit comprises a matrix or linear camera (11), lighting lamps (13) and at least one suction surface (14) with a substantially curved shape and comprising a plurality of recesses (16), specially shaped and located at regular intervals in a crossways direction along the surface where the said recesses (16) are designed to receive and partially contain the grippers (17) conveying the sheets (19).

2. A control device for numbering machines according to the foregoing claim wherein the recesses (16) are normally closed by mobile elements (15) or "fingernails" which are spring-loaded or operated by a mechanical cam so that they are normally raised so as to cover the recesses ( 16 ).

3. A control device for numbering machines according to one of the foregoing claims wherein the number and position of the fingernails (15) in their respective recesses (16) depends on the number and position of "the grippers (17) located on two chain lines (18) which pick up and convey the sheets (19)one after the other.

4. A control device for numbering machines according to one of the foregoing claims wherein the fingernails (15) are fixed to a shaft pin (25) which is actuated by pneumatic, mechanical or electro-mechanical devices connected to the pin by other suitable devices.

5. A control device for numbering machines according to one of the foregoing claims wherein each pick up gripper (17) comprises a swivel joint (20) which enables the rotation and therefore opening and closing of the counteracting mobile part (21) in the lower part.

6. A control device for numbering machines according to one of the foregoing claims wherein the lower part of the surface (14) has suction zones (22, 23) which ensure that the sheet adheres perfectly to the sliding surface (14) along its entire length.

7. A control device for numbering machines according to one of the foregoing claims wherein the recesses (16) made in the surface (14) enable the grippers (17) holding the sheet (19) during their passage in this zone to retract by overcoming the counteracting force of the fingernails (15), which are spring-loaded or operated by a mechanical cam, thus compressing the counteracting mobile part (21) and thereby ensuring that the sheet remains in contact with the surface even on its highest part, in other words, in the gripper pick up zone.

8. A control device for numbering machines according to one of the foregoing claims wherein the sheet (19) is conveyed by the grippers (17) and held in constant contact with the suction surface (14) by means of a system of holes and slots (24) where a vacuum is formed inside the holes and slots by suction means (22, 23). A control device for numbering machines according to one of the foregoing claims wherein the device is controlled and managed by external elements comprising:

• A processor device (an industrial personal computer with image control software) for controlling the security element on the sheet and for the optic control of alphanumeric characters printed during the process or printed during previous stages. • A numeric controller (PLC) with software for controlling the movement of the fingernails and for managing the image acquisition signals and error signals.

• An electrical cabinet housing power supply, control and emergency stop equipment.

• An encoder to be positioned on top of the two processing units.

• One or more suction devices for creating the vacuum required inside the suction surface.