EP2565137A2 - Method and device for gathering loose book blocks - Google Patents

Abstract

The method involves supplying loose sub-blocks of a book block (B) to different transportation segments (3) by feeders (10.1, 10.2), where the sub-blocks consist of serially printed single- or multi-sheet signatures (7) e.g. foldsheets and individual sheets, successively arranged in the book block. The signatures are successively removed at a magazine (11) of the feeders. A shingled stream of overlapping signatures is supplied to the magazine and dispensed by a folding machine or a folding apparatus of a digital roller printing machine. The complete book block is supplied by the feeders. An independent claim is also included for a device for gathering loose book blocks.

Description

The invention relates to a method and a device for gathering loose book block consisting of single or multi-leaf signatures, such as signatures and / or single sheets, arranged with a collecting conveyor, with a rotating conveyor with equally spaced consecutive transport segments and with several along the collection line Investors for supplying the signatures to the transport segments.

In the production of bound book blocks and brochures signatures, such as signatures and / or single sheets to loose book blocks are collected and bound by means of adhesive binding, wire or thread stitching and possibly provided with an envelope or a Fälzelstreifen. In the investors resp. Their magazines of the gathering machine are each the same folded sheet or single sheets. In conventional collation, a single signature is successively removed from the magazines and fed to the collection section for the successive formation of the loose book blocks.

Processing content printed on digital presses can eliminate the gathering process because all pages of a book block are printed in turn and stacked into a loose book block. However, the loose book block must be transferred intact a subordinate binding device, which is associated with not inconsiderable logistical effort. The loose book blocks, usually consisting of single sheets or quarter-sheets, can easily fall apart and lose their order during transport. In the EP 2 159 070 A1 is proposed to glue the individual digitally printed signatures with a near-seam adhesive to a provisionally bound book block. Although the handling of the book block is made easier, the auxiliary bonding more expensive but the production and must finally at the final binding of the brochures, respectively. Book blocks are removed again.

Frequently, the book blocks are still transferred by manual means from the digital printing press to the binding device and stacked loosely on transport trolleys or pallets. Due to the low stability of the stacked pile is the storage capacity limited and interim storage capacities are quickly exhausted. In addition, there is a risk of confusion when different book blocks are processed by approximately the same format. With digital printing and binding machines linked together inline there is the problem that the printing performance of the digital printing presses has to be divided by the respective printed total paper surface of the book block to be produced, while the binding performance relates to the book block unit. An inline coupling can be brought into harmony only for a very limited format spectrum. In the case of deviating formats and page sizes of the book block to be produced, there are in some cases considerable and thus uneconomical performance discrepancies within the inline coupling, so that either the digital printing press or the binding machine is slowed down in its possible performance.

It should be noted that there is still no economically viable solution for the caching and inter-company transport of loose book blocks. On the other hand, there are a large number of conventional adhesive binding lines which have an adhesive binder directly connected to a generic collating machine. When processing digitally printed loose book blocks, the gathering machine remains unused and the book blocks are instead laboriously created by hand over a hand attachment. There is a need for a reliable, efficient and automatable handling of digitally printed contents between digital printing machines and binding devices.

The invention has for its object to provide a method and apparatus for gathering loose book block, which allows a trouble-free and efficient logistics between digital printing machines and binding devices and a hand-plant-free application on the gathering allowed.

This object is achieved by a method according to claim 1 and by a device according to claim 10. The dependent claims define preferred embodiments of the method according to the invention or the device according to the invention.

The method according to the invention provides that loose subblocks of at least two consecutive serially printed signatures are fed to the transport segments via at least one feeder, in that the at least two signatures are successively taken from a magazine of the at least one feeder. Serially printed signatures can be placed in a quasi-infinite stack in the investor's magazine. The separation or the separate Handling of individual book blocks can be omitted. The book blocks or subblocks thereof need not be stacked one above the other to be stacked. By sequentially separating serially printed signatures, the respective signatures, which are intended for a book block or sub-block, can be removed exactly counted from the quasi-infinite stack. In the stack, the first signature of the next sub-block follows the last signature of the preceding sub-block. The next sub-block may be identical to the previous one if a run of the same book blocks is being processed, or it may be followed by a book of identical size and different size of signatures. The respective information about the number of separable signatures per sub-block can be present in a control device and / or quasi read out of the signatures on the basis of identifiable features. As a result, a completeness check of the book block resp. Subblock allows that in the previous handling digitally printed book block is not possible.

The same logistic (storage) facilities can be used as with conventionally printed signatures where identical signatures are stored in reels, rods, etc. Such stored, serially printed signatures can be transported and stored much more securely, so that an inter-company processing is possible and larger storage capacities can be used.

According to the invention, the feeder of the gathering machine is designed as a counting feeder, for separating the respectively required number of consecutive signatures in a book block and for batchwise transferring the signatures to the transport segments of the collecting line.

Fig. 1

einen Ausschnitt mit zwei Anlegern einer Zusammentragmaschine in einer Seitenansicht;

Fig. 2a

eine Schnittansicht durch ein Zwischenmagazin der Anleger gemäß Definition II-II in Fig.1;

Fig. 2b

das Zwischenmagazin mit optionaler Zwischenebene in gleicher Schnittansicht;

Fig. 3

einen Anleger mit einer nachgeordneten Rampenfördereinrichtung;

Fig. 4a

ein Schema eines ersten Zusammentragprozesses;

Fig. 4b

ein Schema eines zweiten Zusammentragprozesses;

Fig. 5a

ein Schema vom manuellen Befüllen eines Anlegermagazins;

Fig. 5b

ein Schema von der Befüllung mittels Stangenanleger;

Fig. 5c

ein Schema von einer Inline-Kopplung mit einer Digitaldruckmaschine;

Fig. 5d

ein Schema von einer Kopplung mit einer Falzeinrichtung;

Fig. 6

eine Seitenansicht gemäß Definition VI-VI in Fig.1 von einem mit dem Magazin verbundenen Stangenanleger;

Fig. 7

eine Seitenansicht von zwei Anlegern mit einem gemeinsamen Zwischenmagazin.

The features of the present invention will be explained in the following description of several embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings. Show it:

Fig. 1

a section with two investors a collator in a side view;

Fig. 2a

a sectional view through an intermediate magazine of the investors as defined in II-II in Fig.1 ;

Fig. 2b

the intermediate magazine with optional intermediate level in the same sectional view;

Fig. 3

a feeder with a downstream ramp conveyor;

Fig. 4a

a scheme of a first collation process;

Fig. 4b

a scheme of a second collation process;

Fig. 5a

a scheme of manually filling an investor magazine;

Fig. 5b

a diagram of the filling by means of rod feeder;

Fig. 5 c

a schematic of inline coupling with a digital press;

Fig. 5 d

a schematic of a coupling with a folding device;

Fig. 6

a side view according to definition VI-VI in Fig.1 from a bar feeder connected to the magazine;

Fig. 7

a side view of two investors with a common intermediate magazine.

The Fig. 1 shows a section of a gathering machine 1, are collected in the book block B to supply them to a downstream binding device, such as an adhesive binder. The gathering machine 1 has a collection line 2, consisting of a conveyor channel 5 with the conveyor channel 5 by cross-feeders 4 a continuously rotating conveyor chain 6 at defined distances from each other. The book blocks B are pushed by the transporters 4, so that virtually before the respective transporters 4 transport segments 3 are formed for the book block B. The transport segments 3 can also be formed by transport shells or the like, which are driven continuously or intermittently.

Along the collection line 2 investors 10.1, 10.2 are arranged, which are oriented in the direction of collection line 2. Each feeder 10.1, 10.2 has a magazine 11 for receiving stacked signatures 7, with a bottom 13 forming the magazine bottom whose width is selected such that the signatures 7 protrude with its back region by a defined length on the suction belt 13 to a Detecting and tilting the bottom signature 7 by means of a suction cup 12 to allow. The thus separated signature 7 is advanced by the clockwise back and forth running suction belt 13 from the magazine 11 to a pair of take-off rollers 14, to which a downwardly inclined clamping belt conveyor 15 is connected. In conventional collation, the isolated signatures 7 are fed to the transport segments 3 to form the book block, wherein each of the investors 10.1, 10.2 only a single signature is issued to form a book block.

According to the invention, the transport segments 3 are fed via at least one feeder 10.1, 10.2 loose subblocks from at least two serially printed signatures 7 consecutive in a book block. The at least two signatures 7 are successively removed from the magazine 11 of the at least one feeder 10.1, 10.2.

The out Fig. 1 apparent gathering process is in Fig. 4 a shown schematically. About each of the investors 10.1, 10.2, 10.3 is a complete book block B _I. B _II , B _III fed to the collection line 2, wherein a respective book block is stored in front of a respective free conveyor 4. An unused transport segment 3 is in the Fig. 4 a visualized by a dashed frame. From feeder 10.1, book blocks B _{I are} fed, from feeder 10.2 book blocks B _II and from feeder 10.3 book blocks B _III . The book blocks B ₁ , B _II , B _{III can} be identical book blocks B of a number of book blocks of the same content, ie the same book blocks are fed to the collection line 2 via each feeder 10.1, 10.2, 10.3.

However, the book blocks can also be of different content and may also differ from one another in their page circumferences. This scenario is off Fig. 1 seen. The different book blocks are marked as book blocks B ₁ to B ₇ . The book blocks B ₁ and B ₃ are already on the collection line 2, another book block B ₂ is dropped in the moment shown on a hitherto unoccupied transport segment 3 of the collection line 2. The other book blocks B ₄ to B ₇ are still in the magazines 11 of the two investors 10.1, 10.2 or are separated from the magazines 11.

In contrast to conventional collation, each separated from the magazines 11 signature 7 is not supplied directly to the transport segment 3, but first in an intermediate magazine 21 with subsequent isolated signatures 7 to the sub-block or to the respective book block, in Fig. 1 the book block B ₅ , stacked, which is then dropped by opening the magazine bottom 22 on a free transport segment 3. See also Fig. 2 a.

Fig. 4b shows an alternative collation process. Here partial blocks TB ₁ , TB ₂ and TB _{3 are} fed by the investors 10.1, 10.2, 10.3 of the collection line 2. The sub-blocks TB ₁ , TB ₂ and TB ₃ are stacked on the collection line 2 to the book block B stacked. Fig. 2b shows the intermediate magazine 21 with an additional intermediate level 23, on which formed in the intermediate magazine 21 sub-block TB can be stored and from which the sub-block TB are stripped by the transporters 4 of the collection line 2 for stacking. The intermediate plane 23 can be adjusted in height according to the thickness of the book block formed to date on the collection section 2.

In Fig. 3 a feeder 10 is shown with a downstream ramp conveyor. Book blocks or sub-blocks TB ₂ formed in the intermediate magazine 21 are deposited on a ramp 24 located above the transporters 4. By means of a separately driven transporter 25, the book blocks or sub-blocks TB ₂ are approximately Pre-accelerated conveying speed of the collection line 2 and spent on a downwardly sloping portion of the ramp 24 in the conveying path of the transporters 4 of the collection section 2 and finally taken over by these bumpless and possibly collected with other sub-block TB ₁ to book block B.

According to the invention, therefore, the gathering or stacking is at least partially moved away from the collection section 2 in the respective feeder 10.1, 10.2, 10.3, with the advantage that serially printed signatures 7, as obtained in digital printing, in the magazines 11 of Investors 10.1, 10.2, 10.3 can be given. By sequentially separating those signatures 7, which belong to a book block B or sub-block TB, counted exactly removed from quasi-infinite stack from the magazines 11 and delivered in batches to the collection line 2.

By parallelizing the processes with a plurality of investors along the collection line 2 arranged 10.1, 10.2, 10.3 (as stated above) high feed rates can be achieved. Comparable to the conventional gathering can be used with a larger number of signatures 7 book block B several investors 10.1, 10.2, 10.3.

On the other hand, it is possible to combine digitally printed content with conventionally printed content by, for example, a first feeder 10.1 supplies a first sub-block TB ₁ of several serially printed signatures 7, a second, conventionally operated feeder 10.2 an offset-printed signature stores in front of the transporters 4 and a third feeder 10.3 again supplies a digitally printed sub-block TB ₂ .

In Fig. 7 is shown an alternative way to mix produced by different printing machines signatures 7, 7 a to a book block B together. A common intermediate magazine 21 'are two investors 10 a, b associated with the respective signatures 7, 7 a in a certain order the intermediate magazine 21' perform. For example, serially b / w-printed signatures 7 are fed to the intermediate magazine 21 'via the feeder 10 a, while signatures 7 a are printed serially in color by the feeder 10 b. In the intermediate magazine 21 ', the signatures 7, 7 a are stacked in the desired order to the book block B by the separation process at the feeder 10 a is interrupted for a short time to interpose one or more color signatures 7 a from the feeder 10 b. The book block B formed in the intermediate magazine 21 'is finally deposited on a free transport segment 3 as described above by opening the magazine bottom 22.

The control of the collation processes takes place with a superordinate control device 18 (see Fig. 1 ). In the area of the clamping belt conveyor 15 arranged bar code reader 17 detect in a bar code encrypted features of the signatures 7. Various forms of control are possible.

A predetermined sequence of the signatures and book blocks in the magazines and investors can be stored in a data memory of the control device 18, after which the signatures are taken from the various magazines and the book blocks or subblocks are delivered to the transport segments 3, so that the complete book blocks B formed thereby ₁ to B ₇ in the order to get to the perfect binder as well as the associated envelopes are applied to the perfect binder. By identifying the respective signatures 7 by the bar code reader 17, the order and completeness of the book block B is checked.

The necessary information about the respective book block, which is separated from the magazines next, may also be stored in the barcode of the first signature of a new book block B or sub-block TB and be available to the control device 18 and the downstream binding device quasi from the signature 7 be put.

An additional thickness measuring device 16 on the clamping belt conveyor 15 makes it possible by summation of the measured individual thicknesses of the signatures 7 passing successively the thickness measuring device 16 to determine a total thickness of the book block B or partial block TB separated from the magazine 11. The total thickness can be used for adjusting subsequent conveying and processing facilities.

The Fig. 5a to 5d show various ways to fill the magazines 11 of the feeder 10 with 7 signatures.

Fig. 5 a illustrates a manual feed 30. On a pallet 31 stacked stacks 32 are placed in the magazines 11 by hand. The stacks 32 may comprise one or more book blocks B or partial blocks TB, wherein the individual book blocks B or partial blocks TB need not be offset relative to one another in the stack 32, since the respective book blocks are not handled individually. It can therefore be given in a single manual application several book block in the respective magazine 11, so that this form of manual loading is much more efficient than the manual installation of individual book block in the import of the binder. An operator can even fill several magazines 11 at the same time.

Fig. 5b shows a bar feeder 35, in the signatures rods 37 banded signatures 7 are processed. The signature rods 37 are placed by means of a gripper 38 from a pallet 36 on a rod feeder 39 and pushed together after removing the band with the previous rod to the endless rod. How out Fig. 6 seen, the endless rod is pushed against a Entschuppungsstelle 39 a, from which the signatures are subtracted 7 in a scale flow 9 and fed via a conveyor belt 40 to the magazine 11. The signature bars 37 are known from conventional print processing and offer enormous storage capacities as well as a high degree of automation. Instead of exclusively identical printed sheets, serially printed printed sheets are folded at the outset of a digital roll printing machine and stacked and banded in signatures rods 37 in a known manner.

Fig. 5c shows an in-line coupling 41 of the investor 10 with a digital printing press 42, in the example of an unrolled from a paper roll 45 paper web is endlessly printed. The paper web is cross-cut inline by means of a cross cutter 43, wherein the individual sections are folded in a folding device 44 to signatures 7 and output in a scale flow 9. The shingled stream 9 passes via said conveyor belt 40 directly into the magazine 11 of the feeder 10 transported in the shingled stream 9 signatures 7 can be transported much trouble-free and the magazines 11 are supplied as if issued from the digital printing machine as a stack loose book block B inline the transfer device of the binding device be supplied.

Fig. 5d shows the sole coupling 46 of the investor 10 with the folding device 44. Serially printed sheets 47 are folded in the folding device 44 and fed to the magazine 11 of the feeder 10 in a scale flow 9. Large format sheets 47 are easier to transport, esp. Also over-the-factory, as said loose book block pile.

Claims (17)

Method for collecting loose book _blocks (B, B _1..7 ) consisting of single- or multi-leaf signatures (7), such as signatures and / or single sheets, with a collecting line (2), with a rotating conveyor (6) in the same Intervals of successive transport segments (3) and with several along the collection line (2) arranged investors (10.1..3) for supplying the signatures (7) to the transport segments (3),
characterized, ● that (TB B) of at least two, in a book block (B) successive, serially printed signatures (7) are supplied to the transport segments (3) via at least one feeder (10.1..3) loose sub-block, ● in that the at least two signatures (7) are successively taken from a magazine (11) of the at least one feeder (10.1..3). A method according to claim 1, characterized in that in the magazine (11) of the at least one investor (10.1..3), a stack of sub-block (B, TB) resp. Signatures (7) is included. Method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the magazine (11) of the at least one feeder (10.1..3) is supplied with a shingled stream (9) of shingled superimposed signatures (7), the shingled stream (9) being the following sub-block (B, TB) from at least two, in a book block (B) successive signatures (7). A method according to claim 3, characterized in that the scale flow (9) from a rod (37) or a winding in which the signatures (7) are stored, withdrawn or unwound. A method according to claim 3, characterized in that the imbricated flow (9) from a folding machine (44) or a folding apparatus (44) of a digital printing press (42) and fed to the magazine (11) is supplied. Method according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized
in that a complete book block (B, B _1..7 ) is fed to the collecting route (2) via the at least one feeder (10.1..3). Method according to one of Claims 1 to 6, characterized in that identical partial blocks (B, TB) are fed to the collecting section (2) via a plurality of feeders (10.1..3), wherein the partial blocks (B, TB) belong to different transport segments (3). be supplied. Method according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the book blocks (B) of several, approximately equal amounts of signatures (7) having partial block (TB _1..3 ) are formed, which of the corresponding number of investors (10.1. .3) are successively fed to the transport segments (3). Method according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the at least two from the magazine (11) successively removed signatures (7) are transferred to an intermediate magazine (21) and stacked to the sub-block (B, TB), and that the sub-block (B, TB) from the intermediate magazine (21) is supplied to the respective transport segment (3). A method according to claim 9, characterized in that the intermediate magazine (21 ') signatures (7, 7a) of two or more investors (10 a, b) for forming the sub-block (B, TB) are supplied. Apparatus for gathering single block or multi-leaf signatures (7), such as signatures and / or single sheets, formed loose book block (B, B _1..7 ), consisting of a collecting section (2) comprising a circulating conveyor (6) with in equal intervals of successive transport segments (3) and from several along the collection line (2) arranged, each having a magazine (11) investors (10.1..3) for separating and supplying the signatures (7) to the transport segments (3), characterized by at least one feeder (10.1..3) for separating at least two consecutive signatures (7) forming a sub-block (B, TB) in a book block (B) and for feeding the sub-blocks (B, TB) to the Transport segments (3). Apparatus according to claim 11, characterized in that the at least one feeder (10.1..3) has an intermediate magazine (21) in which the isolated signatures (7) to the sub-blocks (B, TB) are stackable, wherein the intermediate magazine (21 ) has an openable magazine bottom (22) for feeding the sub-block (B, TB) to the transport segments (3). Apparatus according to claim 12, characterized in that the intermediate magazine (21 ') a plurality of feeders (10 a, b) are assigned, wherein the successively removed from the respective magazines (11) signatures (7 a, b) are stacked one above the other in a defined order , Device according to one of claims 11 to 13, characterized in that the at least one feeder (10.1..3) is associated with a height-adjustable intermediate level (23) on the collecting line (2), for taking over formed or filed sub-block (B, TB) by transporters (4) of the transport segments (3). Device according to one of Claims 11 to 14, characterized in that associated with the at least one feeder (10.1..3) is an intermediate level (24) arranged above the collection line (2), with a ramp sloping downwards in the conveying direction of the transport segments (3) (24) for transferring the sub-block (B, TB) to the transport segments (3). Device according to one of claims 11 to 15, characterized in that the at least one feeder (10.1..3) is associated with a conveyor (25) for pre-acceleration of the sub-block (B, TB) to approximately the conveying speed of the transport segments (3) and subsequent takeover by the transport segments (3). Device according to one of claims 11 to 16, characterized in that the at least one feeder (10.1..3) is preceded by a conveying device (40) for feeding a scale flow (9) of superimposed scrapers (7) to the magazine (11). of the investor (10.1..3).

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