EP2460749B1 - Method for operating a transport system - Google Patents

Description

Technical area

The invention relates to a method for operating a transport system according to claim 1.

State of the art

Out EP 1 334 938 A1 a device for the production of bound printed products has become known. For this production of a continuous folder single sheet fed and folded there. In a collecting device, the folded sheets are collected into a precursor and transferred to a transport device. The collecting device has a sword which extends substantially parallel to the transport direction of the transport device and on which a respective predetermined number of printed sheets are collected to form a preliminary product.

Out EP 1 270 479 A1 Furthermore, a method for producing one of several, by astride collecting of printed products has become known. The printed products collected to form a printed matter are collected and stapled in a predetermined order via a common path. For this purpose, a step-wise circulating collecting support is provided, which is fed by a feeder with spread printed products.

EP 1 197 456 A1 describes a method and an arrangement for producing folded printed products, such as brochures, by means of at least one digital printing machine, which prints at least one web sequentially. Subsequently, this web is cut several times in plano sheets or in web sections and then folded. The folded intermediates are collected and then stapled. To decouple the digital printing press, a buffer is formed with these intermediates. A sword is arranged over a continuously running chain. When all intermediates have been collected on the sword, it is withdrawn in the direction of the gathering chain and the collected intermediates are dropped onto the gathering chain.

The following can be said about this state of the art: On the one hand, here the folded printed sheets have to be collected in a collecting device and then transferred to a transporting device. On the other hand, these printed sheets, which are processed in a continuous folder, by being provided with a fold in the sheet in the direction of the conveyor line, are processed for product-specific separation as a single sheet, so that an efficient promotion, for example by forming a scale to the outset can not be formed or only under difficult conditions.

In itself, it is true that the feeding of single sheets tends to lead to high cycle rates and consequently to high transport speeds, but it must be remembered that precisely this implementation with the aim of achieving high speed leads to gaps between the printed sheets must be provided so that the separating sword can intervene there, as is known from the document EP1 334 938 A1 evident.

In addition, it must not be forgotten that the high speeds of the printing sheets in the direction of travel then have to be abruptly decelerated for further processing via a front stop, which regularly leads to damage to the printed sheet itself. Since these damages occur due to cracks and compressions, in particular in the area of the back, quality problems then arise during the further processing of these printed sheets into finished products, which then strongly accelerate the associated exclusion rate.

Presentation of the invention

The invention aims to remedy this situation. The invention, as characterized in the claims, the object of the invention is to propose a method for operating a transport system, which can remedy the above-mentioned disadvantages, while maintaining a very high number of cycles and high product-related flexibility.

For this purpose, a method for operating a transport system (hereinafter also referred to as transport system) proposed, which is used for the production of printed products from bound printed products used. This transport system has downstream of a conventionally or digitally operated printing press at least one branch point, which initially forms the starting point of at least two individually operable conveying paths. Accordingly, the method according to the invention first of all ensures that a high production output from the printing press is collected quantitatively and can be introduced directly into the onward transport, without it necessarily being necessary to provide a collecting intermediate collecting device.

With this provision, there is also the advantage that the printed sheets along the individual conveying paths can be guided in the shingled stream as required, which substantially increases the transport volume per unit of time. Meanwhile, a transport guide on single sheet resp. Single sheets is also possible without further notice.

If a transport system with two conveying paths is focused, with further conveying paths arranged in parallel or sequentially as required, the advantage according to the invention already results that the individual conveying paths can be designed differently from one another, and secondly because the conveying speeds are along the individual conveyor paths can be determined individually, which contributes to the overall that the transport system in terms of transport speed of the sheet, respectively. the printed products in general, along the individual conveyor paths, with respect to the further processing of the printed sheets to partial book block or finished book block and the order of the individual printed sheet resp. Single sheets to each other, maximized flexibility can be operated.

In connection with a maximized print production, according to the invention it can be provided that the conveying speed of the individual conveying paths is also subjected to a flexible adaptation with each other, wherein the speeds of these conveying paths are kept smaller than the speed along the first conveyor belt immediately downstream of the printing press in any case.

After each branching point at the end of the respective conveying path, the printed sheets transported there are transferred through a continuous folding apparatus astride intermediate collecting devices, which can also fulfill the function of collecting stations as required, in such a way that the printed sheets can then be forwarded according to specific criteria and sequences.

• Seriell monoton bezeichnet eine Weiterleitung der Druckbogen, welche losgelöst von anderen Abhängigkeiten innerhalb des Transportsystems erfolgt, d.h. die Weiterbeförderung bleibt über die Zeit gleichbleibend und konform.

The forwarding of the printed sheets, carried out by the latter receiving station, which can be serial, monotone, intermittent, clock-wise or clock-wise, takes place via a main conveyor line which detects the operative areas of the intended continuous folding devices, whereby these continuous folding devices, which are in each case in operative connection with the associated conveying path, are preferably arranged one behind the other. The following definitions apply with regard to the type of forwarding:

• Serial forwarding refers to a forwarding of the printed sheets which is detached from other dependencies within the transport system, ie the onward conveyance remains constant and compliant over time.

Intermittent means that the onward transfer is on demand and that the polling intervals may be different, i. if necessary, a certain further promotion takes place.

At the same time, it is intended to express that there are bound dependencies to other elements of promotion within the transport system, and that failure to comply with such a cycle generally leads to incorrect composition of the finished printed product.

A different clock means that the transport system has an underlying on-the-fly transfer, but this is not absolutely valid for all promotion elements involved. For example, the individual supplementary deliveries of supplements to the individual conveyor paths can be made differently in time.

Such a transport system leads accordingly, regardless of the type of onward transport, to a tandem-like structure in which, in any case, a very efficient transport of the printed sheet resp. the sheet for further processing is ensured, wherein the subsequently performed joining operation of the sheet or the single sheet to a partial book block or a finished book block by a staple binding, a thread stitching, gluing or by a combination of this operation can take place.

• Die Druckbogen werden zunächst entlang eines unmittelbar abströmungsseitig der Druckmaschine wirkenden ersten Transportbandes bis zu einer ersten Verzweigungsstelle linear transportiert. Hier findet dann eine erste Aufteilung des Produktionsstromes auf mindestens zwei Förderpfade statt. Entlang dieser Förderpfade werden die genannten Druckprodukte, vorzugsweise aber nicht ausschliesslich, zu einem Schuppenstrom geformt, wobei die Geschwindigkeiten der beiden so gebildeten Druckproduktströme zum einen voneinander unterschiedlich sind, und zum anderen in beiden Fällen jeweils kleiner als die ursprüngliche Geschwindigkeit des ersten stromauf der Verzweigungsstelle wirkenden Transportbandes gehalten sind.

In summary, the transport system according to the invention can be characterized as follows:

• The printed sheets are first transported linearly along a first conveyor belt acting directly downstream of the printing press up to a first branching point. Here then takes place a first division of the production flow on at least two conveyor paths. Along these conveying paths, said printed products are preferably but not exclusively formed into an imbricated stream, the speeds of the two print product streams thus formed differing from one another and, on the other hand, in each case smaller than the original speed of the first upstream of the branching point Conveyor belt are held.

Both conveyor paths are in operative connection at the ends, in each case with a continuous folder, which feeds the printed sheets astride after folding, as dandruff or as individual sheets, in each case to an intermediate collecting device are, in turn, these collection devices are in operative connection with a preferably below underlying band-like main conveyor line, which may also be designed as a gathering chain, and which is designed for the spaced promotion of collected sheets.

In a serial transfer of the sheets from the tandem-like operating conveyor paths to the main conveyor, a high flexibility forms in the further processing of these sheets, this flexibility both in the composition of the final product as well as in its assembly operation, be it a staple-bound, thread-stitched, sized book block , can achieve maximized values.

The tandem transport system according to the invention can be readily extended by subdividing the paper web into a variable number of print-specific sub-webs according to a first format extent of the finished product, each of these sub-webs being printed sequentially with all sides of a printed product.

Subsequent to the printing phase, the paper web is continuously separated in the transverse direction, such that the respective section length is a multiple of a second format extent of the finished printed product. These sub-webs, individually or in combination with each other, are then further transported according to assigned conveying paths, wherein the subsequent folds are made at least once transversely or longitudinally. Such a method is based on the publication EP 2 314 533 out.

Instead of the main conveyor line, a collection line belonging to a gathering machine can be provided, which is arranged along the collecting several investors are the print products at regular intervals following receiving points of a continuously circulating Fördervorvorrichtung respectively, wherein the receiving points of the conveyor along the Collection section sequentially printed products are fed via at least one connected to a digital printing machine investor as a single sheet and / or sub-block stack. Such a method is based on the publication EP 2 305 485 out.

As already explained above, the transport system for producing printed products, which consist of stapled or thread-stitched or glued printed products, is not limited to two conveying paths. An extension to a variety of funding paths is possible. The parallel or serial feed of the printed sheets from various conventional or digital printing machines can be accomplished with the inventive system without further notice.

The transport system includes a controller that dictates the composition of the sheet sequence. The number of printed sheets which are processed into a final product should be at least two for economic reasons.

The conveying paths acting downstream of the first conveyor belt can also be in operative connection with further infeeds or feeders, which deliver punctiform or continuous supplements for the printed sheets transported there. In such an extension, the belt speeds of the conveyor paths and the nature and the internal consistency of the printing sheet flow must be adjusted accordingly. This also makes it possible to achieve individualization with regard to the supplements supplied.

Advantageous and expedient developments and variants of the inventive task solution are characterized in the further dependent claims.

Short illustration of the figures

• Ein Transportsystem mit einer Tandemförderung von Druckbogen über zwei Förderpfade.

Exemplary embodiments of the method and the device according to the invention will be described in more detail with reference to the following figure. All elements not essential to the instant understanding of the invention have been omitted. The only figure shows:

• A transport system with tandem conveying of printed sheets via two conveying paths.

Embodiments of the invention, commercial usability

In the FIG. 1 can be seen as the sheets 1 along a first conveyor belt 2, downstream of a printing machine C initially transported linear and then passed through a branch point 3, where the actual distribution of the production flow via at least two conveying paths A and B takes place. Along these paths A, B, the printed sheets 1 are formed into a scale flow 4, wherein the speeds of the two scale flows V _A and V _B are different from each other, and on the other hand in both cases smaller than the original speed V _{1 of} the first conveyor belt second , which operates upstream of the branching point 3.

Both conveying paths A and B are each end equipped with a Durchlauffalzvorrichtung 5 and 6, which supplies the printed sheets 1 astride after folding each to an intermediate collecting device 7, 8, said collecting device are in operative connection with a lower main conveyor belt 9, which acts as a gathering chain , and which is designed for the spaced conveying of the collected folded sheets 10 shown here. The transfer of the printed sheets from the two conveying paths to the main conveyor belt 9 preferably takes place serially, so that a great deal of flexibility prevails. However, other sequences are also possible, as described above.

As a result, printing sheet stacks can be provided in a subsequent processing station, which can be stapled, thread-stitched, or glued. Serve for this purpose, on the one hand, the different speeds V _A and V _{B of} the conveying paths A and B, and on the other hand, the serial arrangement of the same with respect to the main conveyor belt. 9

In the figure, not shown in detail, the operation of the downstream of the first conveyor belt acting delivery paths can be supplemented to the effect that these conveyor paths can be in operative connection with other deliveries or investors who deliver punctually or continuously supplements for the printed there transported sheets. In such an extension, the belt speeds of the conveyor paths and the nature and the internal consistency of the printing sheet flow must be adjusted accordingly. This also makes it possible to achieve individualization with regard to the supplements supplied.

Such delivery of supplements can also be accomplished downstream of these conveyor paths, so that the transport system described here can be expanded as desired with elements or configurations.

Claims (9)

1. Method of operating a transport system for the production of printed products consisting of printed sheets (1, 10), wherein at least a first conveyor belt (2) operates downstream of a printing press (C) designed for the production of the printed sheets (1), wherein this conveyor belt (2) is divided (3) further downstream into at least two individually operating conveying paths (A, B), wherein the printed sheets (4) transported to the ends of the respective conveying paths (A, B) are then transferred to at least one intermediate collecting device (7, 8) in a straddling position by means of at least one continuous folding device (5, 6) and wherein the speeds (VA and VB) of the conveying paths (A, B) are lower than the speed (V1) of the first conveyor belt (2) acting upstream of the branch point (3), characterised in that the folded printed sheets (10) are transferred in a serially monotonic, intermittent, synchronised or non-synchronised sequence from the collecting device (7, 8) to a main conveying section (9) for further transport and that the speeds (VA and VB) of the conveying paths (A, B) are varied continuously relative to one another and/or in cooperation with the first conveyor belt (2).
2. Method according to claim 1, characterised in that the basic sequence is generally maintained or combined with at least one other sequence at least during one operating phase.
3. Method according to claim 1, characterised in that the printed sheets are guided along the conveying paths in a shingle stream or as single sheets.
4. Method according to claim 3, characterised in that the guiding of the printed sheets is varied intermittently.
5. Method according to claim 1, characterised in that the printed products consisting of printed sheets are bound with staples, thread-stitched or glued.
6. Method according to claim 1 or claim 5, characterised in that the printed products are processed to form partial book blocks or book blocks.
7. Method according to claim 1, characterised in that the main conveying section (9) is operated as the main conveyor belt.
8. Method according to one of claims 1-7, characterised in that the speeds (VA and VB) of the conveying paths (A, B) are different from one another.
9. Method according to one of claims 1-8, characterised in that at least the conveying paths (A, B) are operatively connected to further devices for feeding in inserts.

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