EP2711318A1 - Apparatus and method for conveying sheets and conveyor system - Google Patents

Abstract

The device (1A) has a control device for controlling conveyor process and a conveyor belt (2A) provided with air channels (200). An input device (11), an output device (12) and an intermediate buffer (BA1) are positioned adjacent to the conveyor belt and operated by the control device such that sheets (9) forwarded from the input device or sheets stocked in the intermediate buffer are coupled pneumatically to a lower side of the conveyor belt and the sheets pneumatically attached to the lower side of the conveyor belt are selectively decoupled at the buffer or at the output device. Independent claims are also included for the following: (1) a conveyor system (2) a method for conveying sheet-like material along a transport path.

Description

The invention relates to a device and a method for conveying sheet material, in particular paper, cardboard or films, as well as a conveyor system with at least one printing line.

In the printing industry printing lines are used with multiple workstations, by means of which arcuate material can be edited. For example, sheets are printed, coated, cut, grooved, perforated and / or folded. A printing line with several workstations is for example from the JP4327996 known. Print lines of this type are usually tuned to exactly defined processes that can not be changed in the sequence, without changing the structure of the printing lines. Often all the sheets go through the printing line in the same way.

From the US2007120934A1 For example, a system is known which comprises a first and a second printer, from which sheets are fed to a mixing module which has a sheet rotor by means of which the sheets can be rotated by 90 °. Furthermore, input buffers and output buffers are provided, from which the sheets are taken or into which the sheets are deposited. With this system, it is possible to transfer the sheets from a first printing line in a perpendicular thereto second printing line. The blending module includes a plurality of controllable switches and at least one mixing path along which the sheets are merged and at least one bypass path along which the sheets can be fed from a first workstation directly to a second workstation. To realize the various paths within the system is a variety of pairs of roles provided, which lead the arch along the selected paths. Conveying devices of this type are therefore mechanically complex and have despite additional functions, in particular the by-pass function, a relatively low flexibility.

In addition to the complex mechanics and the associated costs, a considerable amount of space is required for this conveyor technology.

The present invention is therefore based on the object to provide an improved apparatus and an improved method for conveying sheet material. Furthermore, an improved conveyor system with at least one print line is to be created.

In particular, a device for conveying sheet material is to be created, which makes it possible to realize two or more conveying paths and conveyor functions in a simple manner and with a small space requirement.

Furthermore, two or more process functions, such as a recording function, a filing function, a mixing function, a sorting function and a deflection function, should be feasible in a simple manner. Furthermore, by means of the conveying device according to the invention, not only a delivery, but also a distribution of the sheet-like material as well as a bidirectional operation should be advantageously feasible.

The process material should be treated gently and advantageously processed and optically scanned to optimally control the process.

Conveyor systems with at least one printing line or with several intersecting printing lines should be easier, with reduced effort and reduced space requirements can be realized.

Conveying devices according to the invention should advantageously be able to be used at one or more points of the printing line in order to locally realize one or more of the mentioned process functions. An adaptation to different process functions should be possible only a change of the operating mode and the implemented software. By means of the conveying device according to the invention, printing lines should therefore be able to be set up and changed with little effort.

This object is achieved with a conveying device according to claim 1, a conveyor system nor claim 10 and a method according to claim 13. Advantageous embodiments of the invention are specified in further claims.

The device for conveying sheet material, in particular sheets of paper, cardboard or plastic, comprises control means for controlling the conveying process, at least one conveyor belt with air ducts provided therein and at least one pneumatic device connectable to the air ducts of the conveyor belt, so that fed from a receiving device sheets are pneumatically coupled to the conveyor belt and a delivery device can be fed.

According to the invention, the at least one receiving device and at least two dispensing devices are positioned such that the sheets which can be picked up by one of the receiving devices can be pneumatically coupled to the underside of the conveyor belt, transported and controlled by the control means from the underside of the conveyor belt and fed to the selected dispensing device. alternative At least two receiving devices and the at least one dispensing device are positioned such that the acceptable from one of the receiving devices sheet pneumatically coupled to the underside of the conveyor belt, transportable and controlled by the control means from the underside of the conveyor belt and the at least one dispenser can be fed.

The inventive conveyor device enables an advantageous transport of the sheet, which optionally accommodated at different locations, transported coupled to the underside of the conveyor belt, and can be optionally decoupled and discharged at different locations from the bottom of the conveyor belt. The inventive conveyor device can be connected upstream of a workstation and remove sheets from a stack or a sheet buffer and feed the workstation. The same conveying device can also be connected downstream of the workstations and capture and transport processed sheets and optionally deposit them on a stack or transport them via a dispensing device, for example, to a second workstation.

By means of the conveying device according to the invention, sheets can be selectively picked up by one of several sources, in particular sheet buffers, and fed to one of several sinks or destinations, in particular sheet buffers and work stations. Sheets can also be moved between multiple sources, especially sheet buffers, to sort sheets. In this case, an intelligent sorting is advantageously feasible, identified in the extracted from a sheet buffer sheet and processed depending on the detected identity, such as a specific workstation or a specific sheet buffer be supplied. In this way, it is advantageous to sort sheets. For example, sheets of the same identity can be placed in the same sheet buffer. Alternatively, sheets can be taken from different sheet buffers and stored in a desired sequence in another sheet buffer. The sequence of an arc sequence can also be inverted without additional effort. Furthermore, a sheet that will be delivered by a workstation, such as a printer, may also pass directly past one or more sheet buffers to the next or second workstation.

The inventive conveyor device is therefore universally applicable at different points of a printing line or a conveyor system with multiple printing lines, particularly advantageous at intersections of printing lines. The conveyor may optionally be used as a feeder, ie as a device which withdraws sheets from a stack, or as a stacker, ie as a device which feeds sheets to a stack. Due to the universal applicability of the conveyor device according to the invention, the traditional designations for the conveyor device according to the invention are respectively selected according to the respective application. If the conveyor device according to the invention precedes a printer, the technical term "feeder" is applicable. If the same conveyor is downstream of the printer, the term "Stacker" is applicable. If a mixed operation between two workstations takes place, the term "feeder stacker" is selected. Namely, the conveyor can also selectively perform both functions, ie feed sheet to a stack and peel it off again. Further, the conveyor may also include or operate one or more sheet buffers, on which sheets also optionally Passed by and delivered elsewhere, which in addition to the "Feeder" - and "Stacker" functions additionally a "By-pass" function is realized. Thus, advantageously, only one conveyor device according to the invention can be used between two workstations, which serves as a stacker for one workstation and as a feeder for the other workstation, or optionally as a transfer unit.

With the conveyor bow can also be moved bi-directionally on the bottom and / or on the top and bottom of the conveyor belt. That is, a sheet held on the underside of the conveyer belt can be shifted back and forth on the underside. In preferred embodiments, sheets can also be driven from the bottom of the conveyor belt to the top of the conveyor belt to a selected location and thereby turned by 180 °. There, the sheets can be decoupled and led away upwards or linearly outwards. In preferred embodiments, the guided up to the top of the conveyor belt and thus turned bow down, for example, fed to a sheet buffer. This is particularly easily possible if the sheet is held by two parallel pneumatic conveyor belts, between which it can be guided downwards.

Sheets can be released from the conveyor belt by interrupting or inverting the air flow transferred to the conveyor belt. As a result, the sheets are not only decoupled from the conveyor belt, but transported up or down. In order for the sheet to reach the destination quickly, it is preferable to additionally use a transfer fan whose jet of air rapidly deposits the sheet on a receiver, for example a sheet buffer.

The detachment of the sheets from the conveyor belt or the picking up of sheets from a sheet buffer may also be effected by mechanical means, for example lever arms, which grasp and raise or lower a sheet. For lifting bow preferably lever arms are used, which are provided with suction elements. Alternatively, the sheet buffer can be raised or the conveyor belt or parallel conveyors lowered for picking or depositing sheets.

Particularly advantageously, a shaft can also be arranged above a sheet buffer into which the sheets are dropped. After a sheet has been transported from the conveyor belt to the shaft entrance, the air flow in the air channels of the conveyor belt is inverted and the pneumatically held sheet is decoupled and blown into the shaft.

In a further preferred embodiment, a plurality of conveyor belts are arranged serially one behind the other, so that they can preferably fulfill different functions at the same time. Preferably, one of the conveyor belts is configured in such a way, preferably mounted vertically displaceable, that it can absorb and deposit sheets. This conveyor belt is preferably adapted to the maximum arc length and monitored by means of optical sensors. Once the complete entrance of a sheet is signaled on the conveyor belt, the conveyor belt can be lowered onto a sheet buffer and the sheet decoupled.

In a particularly advantageous embodiment, the conveying device comprises a rotation unit, which can detect supplied sheet and rotate at any angle, preferably by +/- 90 ° and 180 °. Turned sheets can be further processed in the same print line or transferred to another printing line.

In this case, a rotation unit can be serially coupled with another conveyor belt. For this purpose, a rotation unit is provided, which has a rotatably mounted pneumatic conveyor belt, which is inserted, for example, alternately in one or the other conveying path at the intersection of two printing lines. I

Alternatively, the rotary unit can cooperate with a conveyor belt and detect decoupled sheets from its underside, rotate and return to the underside of the conveyor belt. Guided and rotated sheets guided along the first printing line can advantageously be deposited at the intersection of the first with a second printing line in a sheet buffer and again recorded and conveyed along the second printing line.

In a further preferred embodiment, the at least one conveyor belt, which is provided with air ducts, held by two shafts, of which at least one is designed as a pneumatic shaft and to have a cavity with one or more air channels. The pneumatic shaft is connected to the pneumatic device such that air is preferably selectively transferable in one direction or the other through the pneumatic shaft for sucking or discharging a bend. In this way, various additional possibilities for advantageous promotion of the bow result.

1. a) durch Luftausstoss frontseitig nach unten gedrückt und vom Förderband gelöst werden; oder
2. b) durch Ansaugen von Luft um die pneumatische Welle geführt und abgelenkt oder gegebenenfalls an der Oberseite des Förderbandes zurückgeführt werden; oder
3. c) ohne oder minimalem Luftausstoss vom Förderband gelöst und geradeaus weiter transportiert werden.

Preferably, at least on the output side of the conveyor belt, a pneumatic shaft is arranged, which forms a switch or a part thereof. By controlling the air supply by the pneumatic shaft by means of the control means can bow

1. a) pressed down by air ejection front and released from the conveyor belt; or
2. b) guided by suction of air around the pneumatic shaft and deflected or optionally returned to the top of the conveyor belt; or
3. c) detached from the conveyor belt with no or minimal air discharge and transported straight on.

In this way, sheets can be released from the conveyor belt such that they are guided by air ejection to a sheet buffer, arbitrarily deflected or returned by suction of air, or are led by interrupting the air supply straight, for example, to another conveyor or to the next workstation. By deflecting elements or by dosing the air supply in all three variants, the switch function can be optimized and adapted in particular to the weight of the bow.

Thus, by means of the conveying device according to the invention, a conveying system with one or more printing lines can be constructed in a particularly simple and compact manner. Conveyor devices according to the invention can be inserted between the workstations and adapted to them. Preferably, an interface is provided which allows the conveyor device according to the invention to communicate with the neighboring workstations and to exchange data. Based on this data, the conveyor can be configured automatically. Furthermore, the work processes can also be controlled on the basis of this data. Preferably, a superordinate control device is provided for the conveyor system, which controls and controls all processes and processes. It is also possible to drive only partial processes within a conveyor system. The user can load or unload individual conveying devices or their sheet buffer according to the invention and operate only the downstream or upstream workstations.

Fig. 1

ein Fördersystem 1000 mit zwei sich kreuzenden Druckstrassen 100A, 100B, die mit erfindungsgemässen Fördervorrichtungen 1A, ..., 1F, ausgerüstet sind, mittels denen Bogen 9 zwischen Bogenpuffern B und Arbeitsstationen W1, ..., W8 wahlweise verschoben werden können;

Fig. 2

die erste erfindungsgemässe Fördervorrichtung 1A von Figur 1, welche die erste und die zweite Arbeitsstation W1, W2 miteinander verbindet und einen Fördermechanismus 10 sowie zwei Bogenpuffer B_A1, B_E2 umfasst, die seriell hintereinander anliegen;

Fig. 3

den Fördermechanismus 10 der Fördervorrichtung 1 von Figur 2 in einer vorzugsweisen Ausgestaltung;

Fig. 4

eine Druckstrasse 100 mit den beiden Arbeitsstationen W1, W2 von Figur 2, die zwischen drei identischen erfindungsgemässen Fördervorrichtungen 1A, 1B, 1C angeordnet sind, die je nur einen Bogenpuffer B_E1, B_A1 bzw. B_E2, B_A2, aufweisen;

Fig. 5

die zweite Arbeitsstation W2 von Figur 2, der drei seriell miteinander verbundene erfindungsgemässe Fördervorrichtungen 1A, 1B, 1C vorgeschaltet und eine erfindungsgemässe Fördervorrichtung 1D nachgeschaltet sind;

Fig. 6

eine erfindungsgemässe Fördervorrichtung 1, in einer bevorzugten Ausgestaltung, in der Bogen 9 beliebig gedreht und gewendet und auf einer beliebigen Seite der Fördervorrichtung 1 abgegeben werden;

Fig. 7a, 7b

zwei Darstellungen eines vorzugsweise ausgestalteten Fördermechanismus 10, der eine pneumatische Vorrichtung 3A mit einer pneumatischen Einheit 30 aufweist, die sowohl mit dem pneumatischen Förderband 2A als auch mit zwei pneumatischen Wellen 21A_P, 22A_P verbunden oder verbindbar ist, mittels denen das Förderband 2A gehalten ist; und

Fig. 8

ein aus zwei gegeneinander verschiebbaren Teilen 2A₁, 2A₂ gebildetes Förderband 2A.

The invention will be explained in more detail with reference to drawings. Showing:

Fig. 1

a conveyor system 1000 with two intersecting pressure lines 100A, 100B, which are equipped with inventive conveyor devices 1A, ..., 1F, by means of which sheets 9 between sheet buffers B and work stations W1, ..., W8 can be selectively moved;

Fig. 2

the first inventive conveyor device 1A of FIG. 1 which connects the first and the second workstation W1, W2 to each other and comprises a conveyor mechanism 10 and two sheet buffers B _A1 , B _E2 , which lie serially one behind the other;

Fig. 3

the conveying mechanism 10 of the conveying device 1 of FIG. 2 in a preferred embodiment;

Fig. 4

a printing line 100 with the two workstations W1, W2 of FIG. 2 which are arranged between three identical conveyor devices 1A, 1B, 1C according to the invention, each having only one sheet buffer B _E1 , B _A1 or B _E2 , B _A2 ;

Fig. 5

the second workstation W2 of FIG. 2 which are connected upstream of three conveyor devices 1A, 1B, 1C which are connected to each other in series and downstream of which a conveyor device 1D according to the invention is connected;

Fig. 6

an inventive conveyor device 1, in a preferred embodiment, in the sheet 9 rotated arbitrarily and turned and on a any side of the conveyor 1 are discharged;

Fig. 7a, 7b

two representations of a preferably designed conveyor mechanism 10, comprising a pneumatic device 3A with a pneumatic unit 30 which is connected to either the pneumatic conveyor belt 2A or two pneumatic shafts 21A _P , 22A _P connected by means of which the conveyor belt 2A is held ; and

Fig. 8

one of two mutually displaceable parts 2A ₁ , 2A ₂ formed conveyor belt 2A.

FIG. 1 shows a conveyor system 1000 with two intersecting pressure lines 100A, 100B. The first printing line 100A is provided with four workstations W1, W2, W3, W4, four conveyor devices 1A, 1B, 1C, 1D according to the invention as well as sheet buffers B _E1 , B _A1 , B _E2 , B _A2 , B _A6 , B _E3 , B _E4 . and B _A4 equipped, which are preferably all integrated into the associated conveyor devices 1A, 1B, 1C, 1D. The second printing line 100B is equipped with four work stations W5, W6, W7, W8, three conveyor devices 1E, 1B, 1F according to the invention as well as sheet buffers B _E5 , B _A6 , B _A2 and B _E8 , which preferably all fit into the associated conveyor devices 1E, 1B , 1F are integrated.

One of the conveying devices 1B and two sheet buffers B _A2 , B _A6 integrated therein are arranged at the intersection of both printing lines 100A, 100B. Both sheet buffers B _A2 , B _A6 can optionally be incorporated into the processes or sub-processes of both printing lines 100A, 100B. Therefore, the user can optionally define production processes based on all available subprocesses, with which sheets 9 can be processed.

In FIG. 1 For example, three production processes P1, P2, P3 are shown. With the first production process P1 will be Sheet 9 in the first printing line 100 A from the sheet buffer B _{E1 of} the first workstation W1, for example a printer, supplied at the output of the printed sheet 9 detected by the first conveyor device 1A and with the bypass function on the sheet buffers B _A1 , B _E2 passed to the second workstation W2. The sheets delivered by the second work station W2 are detected by a second conveyor device 1B according to the invention, which lies at the intersection of the first and second print lines 100A, 100B, and stored in a sheet buffer B _A2 . In the second sheet buffer B _A2 , for example, sheets 9 are deposited, which are either kept ready for further processing in the first or second printing line 100A, 100B, or which have been checked and are no longer conveyed due to a detected error. The sheet buffer B _A2 can thus be used as a "stacker" for the second working unit W2 and as a "feeder" for the next following working unit W7 in the second printing line 100B, as the course of the production process P2 shows. So that the supplied sheet 9 of the workstation W7 can be fed correctly, the second conveyor 1B has means by which the orientation of the sheet 9 can be changed as needed, preferably stepwise by 90 °.

With the third production process P3, sheets 9 are selectively detected by the first work station W1 or by one of the two sheet buffers B _A1 , B _E2 and fed to the second working unit W2. From the second working unit W2, the sheets 9 are guided to the second conveying device 1B, which transfers the sheets 9 to a conveying device 1E, which is arranged within the second printing line 100B. The sheets 9 are fed from the second conveyor 1B to a fifth workstation W5 and further to a subsequent sixth workstation W6 and back to the second conveyor 1B. Two conveyor devices 1B, 1E according to the invention can thus also be connected directly to one another by means of conveyor belts in order to bridge one or more workstations W5, W6 or another distance.

In FIG. 6 2, the second conveying device 1B is shown, in which sheets 9D are guided upwards by a pair of rollers 12D to a conveyor belt 2T, which is preferably part of a conveying device 1T according to the invention. Via this conveyor belt 1T, the sheets 9 can be transferred from the second conveyor 1B to the conveyor 1E. The further course of the production process P3 leads the sheets 9 to the work stations W3 and W4 as well as to the further conveyor devices 1C and 1D according to the invention.

FIG. 2 shows the first inventive conveyor device 1A of FIG. 1 which interconnects the first work station W1, for example a printer, and the second work station W2, for example a coating device or a folding device. In this embodiment, the conveyor 1A has the in FIG. 3 shown conveying conveyor 10, which comprises two serially connected conveyor belts 2A, 2B, by means of which sheet 9 is guided from the first to the second workstation W1, W2 or optionally placed on one of two sheet buffers B _A1 , B _E2 . Alternatively, sheets 9 can optionally be picked up by one of the two sheet buffers B _A1 , B _E2 and transported to the second workstation W2.

The conveyor belts 2A, 2B are provided with air channels 200 and each supported by two shafts 21A, 22A and 21B, 22B. Furthermore, pneumatic devices 3A, 3B are provided, which are connected to a pneumatic unit 30 serving for the supply of air. Further, a pneumatic unit 30 is provided with pneumatic lines 31, 32, of which air with overpressure or under pressure one overpressure and the other has an air negative pressure, led to control units 51, ..., 56, which are actuated by a control device 7 , By means of the control units 51, ..., 56, which include actuators and valves, one of the pneumatic Lines 31, 32 are connected to an output line 33. The output lines 33 of the control units 52 and 55 are connected to the pneumatic devices 3A, 3B, via which air is sucked or blown out through the air channels 200 in the conveyor belt 2A and 2B, respectively. The control units 51, ..., 56 can also be combined in an aggregate.

The control units 51 and 53 and 54 and 56 are connected to output lines 33 which are supplied to the shafts 21A, 22A and 21B, 22B of the two conveyor belts 2A, 2B, respectively. Of the control units 51, ..., 56 controlled by the control device 7 via control lines 71, therefore, air can be selectively blown out or sucked in by the pneumatic shafts 21A, 22A, 21B, 22B and by the conveyor belts 2A, 2B, respectively. In this way, sheets 9 can be coupled to or decoupled from the conveyor belts 2A, 2B and the pneumatic shafts 21A, 22A and 21B, 22B, respectively. These operations are carried out as a function of the position of the transported sheet 9, which is why sensors 41, 42 are provided, by means of which the position of the sheet 9 is preferably optically detectable. The measuring signals are supplied from the sensors 41, 42 via a measuring line 72 to the control device 7. Usually, the appearance of the front or back edge of a sheet 9 is detected to trigger a corresponding activity.

According to the invention, a sheet 9 delivered by the first workstation W1 or by an output roller pair 81 of the workstation W1 is fed to the underside of the first conveyor belt 2A and can be detected there by the conveyor belt 2A, possibly previously by the pneumatic shaft 21A, and transported further. In the same way, the sheet 9 transported by the first conveyor belt 2A can be transferred to the underside of the second conveyor belt 2B. To decouple the Bogens 9, the air flow through the conveyor belt 2A or 2B or by the pneumatic shafts 22A, 22B are inverted.

Thus, the recording and storage of the sheet 9 can be completed by the sheet buffers B _A1 , B _E2 , these are provided with a recording of a stack serving table, which can be raised or lowered by means of a drive device 16A, 16B shown schematically. Thus, the held stack with sheet 9 can be moved upwards against the first or second conveyor belt 2A, 2B to receive a sheet 9, and then lowered again to completely decouple the sheet stack 9 from the conveyor belt 2A, 2B. For measuring the distance between the conveyor belts 2A, 2B and the upper edge of the stacked sheets, sensors 43 are provided which signal the control device 7 to reach the ideal distance from the conveyor belts 2A, 2B.

Thus, the sheet 9 are stacked uniformly, an active or passive guide member 18 is provided, which rests against the stack or can be performed against this, to align the bow 9 front and / or side flush.

Stacked sheets 9 can then be taken from the sheet buffers B _A1 , B _E2 and fed by means of the conveyor device 2B via an output conveyor part 12, for example via an input roller pair 82 of the next workstation W2. In addition, a sheet 9 supplied by the first workstation W1 can also be continued directly to the second workstation W2.

FIG. 4 shows a printing line 100 with the two workstations W1, W2 of FIG. 2 which are arranged between three identical conveying devices 1A, 1B, 1C according to the invention, each of which only has one sheet buffer B _E1 , B _A1 or B _E2 , B _A2 , and only one conveyor belt 2A. FIG. 4 illustrates that conveying devices 1A, 1B, 1C according to the invention can be used as desired. The first conveyor 1A serves as a feeder for the first work station W1. The second conveyor 1B serves as a stacker for the first workstation W1 and at the same time as a feeder for the second workstation W2. The third conveyor 1C serves as a stacker for the second work station W2. The sheet buffers B _E1 , B _A1 and B _E2 , B _{A2 of} the three conveyors 1A, 1B, 1C fulfill the corresponding functions.

In FIG. 4 It is further shown that the conveying devices 1A, 1B, 1C and the work stations W1, W2 are each provided with a local control unit P _1A , P _1B , P _1C or P _W1 , P _W2 . The local control units P _1A , P _1B , P _1C, P _W1 , P _{W2 of} adjacent units 1A, W1; W1, 1B; 1B, W2 of the printing line 100 are in this preferred embodiment via communication means, such as a data bus, directly connected. In this preferred embodiment, the local control units P _1A , P _1B , P _1C and P _W1 , P _{W2 are} also connected via a data bus to a central control unit 1100. The local control units P _1A , P _1B , P _{1C of} the conveyors 1A, 1B, 1C can therefore interrogate and configure data directly or indirectly from neighboring units, such as adjacent workstations W1, W2 or also adjacent conveyor devices 1 according to the invention. The communication is preferably wireless, for example, based on the protocols of a mobile communication system, such as the Bluetooth system. The conveying devices 1A, 1B, 1C and the workstations W1, W2 can form an (ad hoc) network after contact has been established and if necessary can also communicate wirelessly with the central control unit.

It is possible that corresponding protocols and control protocols are loaded. In addition, adjustments or adjustments of the hardware or the conveyor mechanism 100 can be performed automatically. For example, the conveyors 1 recognize the settings of the work stations W1, W2 or the formats of the sheets 9 used and automatically make the necessary adjustments. For example, the distance between the conveyor belts 2 and _A1 2 _A2 of the conveying apparatus is of FIG. 8 automatically set.

FIG. 5 shows the second workstation W2 of FIG. 2 , which are connected upstream of three conveyor devices 1A, 1B, 1C which are connected to each other in series and downstream of a conveyor device 1D according to the invention. The conveyors 1A, 1B, 1C, which serve as feeders for the work station W2, allow sheets 9 to be sorted before being fed to the work station W2. For example, sheets 9 are alternately taken from the first two conveyors 1A, 1B and fed to the third conveyor 1C. In the workstation W2 downstream conveyor 1D, the sheets 9 are stacked. It is illustrated that this can be done particularly easily with a shaft 8, in which the fed sheet 9 can be inserted. This may be assisted with an air flow discharged from the pneumatic device 3A or out of the shaft 8 to create a vacuum. At least one of the side walls may be slidable to align the sheet 9 on the stack laterally and front flush.

FIG. 6 shows the second inventive conveyor device 1B of FIG. 1 , in an expanded embodiment. In this embodiment, bow 9 can be rotated and turned as desired and be discharged on any side of the conveyor device 1B. The conveyor device 1B has a first central conveyor belt 2a, which sheet 9, which are supplied via the input conveyor part 11 or taken from the sheet buffer B, directly or via further conveyor belts 2B, 2C four different output roller pairs 12A, 12B, 12C, 12D can supply. Via the output roller pairs 12A and 12C, the sheets 9A and 9C are discharged from the front. Via the output roller pair 12C, the sheets 9B are discharged laterally. Via the output roller pair 12D, the sheets 9D are fed upwards to a further conveyor device 1T or to a conveyor belt 2T, which can transport the sheets 9D to an arbitrary point of the conveyor system 1000 and can have a corresponding length.

It is shown that the first conveyor belt 2A has on the output side a pneumatic shaft 22A _P , which is connected via supply lines 31, 32 and 33 and an aggregate 50 with pneumatic control units 51, 52, 53, ... to the pneumatic unit 30. By the pneumatic shaft 22A _P , an air flow can be passed in one or the other direction to suck or push against the arc against the pneumatic shaft 22A _P. Unless air is passed through the pneumatic shaft 22A _P , sheets 9 are conveyed straight without change of direction. The pneumatic shaft 22A _P therefore forms a switch by means of which sheets 9 can be guided downwards to the sheet buffer B, straight to the second conveyor belt 2B or up to the third conveyor belt 2C or to the output roller pair 12D. It is shown that an input conveyor part or a pneumatic shaft 11P is provided on the front side on the third conveyor belt 2C, by means of which the sheets 9 can be sucked in and fed to the underside of the conveyor belt 2C or can be pushed off, so that they are guided to the output roller pair 12D. Further It is shown that sheet 9E can also be guided by 180 ° about the pneumatic shaft 22A _P and returned at the top of the first conveyor belt 2A and can be discharged again on the input side. Alternatively, the turned sheets 9E may also be conveyed down onto a sheet buffer B from the top of a pair of conveyor belts 2A ₁ , 2A ₂ . In FIG. 8 It is shown that between the conveyor belts 2A ₁ , 2A _2, an air flow can be introduced to push the sheets 9E down between the conveyor belts 2A ₁ , 2A ₂ . In this way, the sheet 9E aligned with the bottom up on the sheet buffer B are stored.

Pneumatic shafts 22A _P and 11P can therefore advantageously be combined with the conveyor belts 2A, 2B and 2C of the conveyor device 1, 1B according to the invention in order to specifically control the coupling and uncoupling of sheets 9 and to set the transport path of the sheets 9. The air streams through the conveyor belt 2A and the pneumatic shaft 22A _{P are} arbitrarily combinable. While the conveyor belt 2A is attracting a sheet 9, it can be repelled by the pneumatic shaft 22A _P. Further, the air streams may be synchronized by the conveyor belt 2A and the pneumatic shaft 22A _P. Further, an air flow in any direction can be performed only by the conveyor belt 2A or by the pneumatic shaft 22A _P. Furthermore, pneumatic shafts can be used as auxiliary shafts to convey bow 9 in a respectively selected direction.

The conveyor device 1B of FIG. 6 also has a rotation unit R, which allows to change the orientation of an arc 9 in the plane as desired. In order to transfer the sheets 9 into the second printing line 100B, the sheets are preferably rotated by +/- 90 °.

A rotary unit R can be aligned with a rotatable conveyor belt 2R, which takes over from a first conveyor belt 2X supplied sheet 9, rotates at an arbitrary angle and delivers to a second conveyor belt 2X. A rotation unit R in this embodiment may be at the intersection of the two in FIG. 1 shown printing lines 100A, 100B are used. An inventive conveyor device can therefore be equipped with a single rotatable conveyor belt 2R or with a plurality of conveyor belts 2A, 2B, 2C, 2R, one of which is rotatable. In the conveying device 1B of FIG. 6 Therefore, the conveyor belt 2A can be completely replaced by the conveyor belt 2R.

In the embodiment shown, however, the conveyor belt 2R is arranged below the conveyor belt 2A and can take over sheet 9 from the underside of the conveyor belt 2A, rotate and return to the conveyor belt 2A. For this purpose, a simpler designed turntable 152 can be used by means of which the sheet can be sucked and rotated. The rotary unit R has a rotor 151, which is driven by a motor 150. The transfer of sheet 9 is controlled by the control device 7, which is connected to sensors 40 which signal the position of the sheet 9. For the transfer of the sheet 9, the conveyor belt 2A is preferably stopped briefly and the air flow is inverted by the conveyor belt 2A, so that a sheet 9 can be delivered to the rotation unit R.

The FIGS. 7a and 7b Figure 2 shows two illustrations of a preferably designed conveying mechanism 10 comprising a pneumatic unit 30 connected to two pneumatic shafts 21A _P , 22A _P and a pneumatic device 3A, which supply air through the part of the conveyor belt 2A which sucks against the undersides of the pneumatic shafts 21A _P , 22A _P.

In Figure 7a For example, the supply of compressed air (positive pressure or negative pressure) to the pneumatic shaft 21A _{P is} shown. The one axially extending opening 221, in which a pressure line 33, for example, a tube is inserted. The air may subsequently escape through openings 212 provided radially on the pneumatic shaft 21A _P driven by a motor 25. Arrows indicate that air can be ejected radially outwards or sucked radially inward by the pneumatic shafts 21A _P , 22A _P and by the conveyor belt 2A.

In the illustrated embodiment, the conveyor mechanism 10 further includes a drive motor 250 which rotates a spindle 255 by means of which the conveyor belt 2A can be vertically moved down or up to receive or discharge sheets 9. FIG. 7b shows the pneumatic unit 30, which is driven by a motor 35.

FIG. 8 shows a conveyor belt 2A with two parallel aligned conveyor belts 2A ₁ , 2A ₂ , which are mutually displaceable by means of a drive device 26. Each of the conveyor belts 2A ₁ , 2A ₂ has an air ducted belt which circulates around a pneumatic device 3A ₁ , 3A ₂ , from which air can be sucked or blown out. A sheet 9, therefore, can be decoupled from the bottom or top of the conveyor belts 2A ₁ , 2A ₂ .

Further, a guide unit 18 is shown with a holder 180, on the side and front side adjusting elements 181, 182 are slidably held. Of the parts 2A _1, 2A _2, a guide unit 18 preferably is connected to each, with Displacement of the two parts 2A ₁ , 2A _{2 are} automatically adjusted to the width of the sheet 9.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

B

arch buffer

R

rotation unit

P

Local control units

W

workstation

1

conveyor

10

funding mechanism

100

Printing line

1000

conveyor system

1100

central control unit

110

11

Input conveying part

12

Output conveying part

150

engine

151

rotor

152

turntable

16A, 16B

buffer drives

18

Guide unit

180

bracket

181

lateral actuator

182

front-side actuator

2A, 2B, ...

conveyor belt

2R

Turntable with conveyor belt

200

air ducts

21, 22

waves

21A _P , 22A _P

pneumatic waves

211, 212

Air channels in the pneumatic shafts 21A _P , 22A _P

25

Motor for driving the conveyor belt 2A

250

Motor for driving the spindle

255

spindle

26

Motor for adjustment of conveyor belt 2A

281, 282

displacement axes

3A, 3B, ...

pneumatic devices

30

pneumatic unit

300

transfer blower

31, 32, 33

pneumatic lines

35

Drive unit for the thematic unit 3A

40, 41, 42

sensors

50

control unit

51, ..., 56

Control units, authority bodies and valves

7

control device

71

control line

72

exhibition management

8th

shaft

81

Output roller pair

82

Input roller pair

9

bow

Claims (15)

Apparatus (1) for conveying sheet material, in particular sheets (9) of paper, cardboard or plastic, comprising control means (7) for controlling the conveying process, at least one conveyor belt (2A, 2B) with air ducts (200) and at least one pneumatic device (3A, 3B), which is connectable to the air channels (200) of the conveyor belt (2A, 2B) so that from a receiving device (11, B) supplied sheet (9) pneumatically to the conveyor belt (2A, 2B) can be coupled and a dispensing device (12), characterized in that
that the at least one receiving device (11, B _A1) and at least two delivery devices (12, B _E2) are positioned such that the one of the receiving devices (11, B _A1) übernehmbaren sheet (9) pneumatic (to the underside of the conveyor belt 2A , 2B) coupled, transportable and controlled by the control means (7) from the bottom of the conveyor belt (2A, 2B) and the selected dispensing device (12, B _E2 ) can be supplied and / or
in that at least two receiving devices (11, B _A1 ) and the at least one dispensing device (12, B _E2 ) are positioned such that the sheets (9) which can be picked up by one of the receiving devices (11, B _A1 ) are pneumatically conveyed to the underside of the conveyor belt (2A , 2B) coupled, transportable and controlled by the control means (7) from the underside of the conveyor belt (2A, 2B) and the at least one dispensing device (12, B _E2 ) can be fed. Conveying device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that at least two receiving devices (11, B _A1 ) are provided and the coupling of the sheets (9) by means of the control means (7) is controllable such that the sheet (9) of the first or the second receiving device (11, B _A1 ) can be coupled and / or that the at least one receiving device (11, B _A1 ) is a sheet buffer (B _A1 ) or an input conveying part (11), such as an input roller pair, and the dispensing device (12, FIG. B _E2 ) is a sheet buffer (B _E2 ) or an output conveying part (12), such as an output roller pair. Conveying device (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that two conveyor belts (2A, 2B) arranged serially one after the other, of which preferably at least one vertically slidably mounted and driven by a drive unit is such that sheet (9) of the receiving device ( 11, B _A1 ) can be received and / or delivered to the dispensing device (12, B _E2 ). Conveying device (1) according to claim 1, 2 or 3, characterized in that within the transport path of the at least one conveyor belt (2A, 2B) at least one intermediate buffer (B _A1 , B _E2 ) is provided which can be used either as a receiving device or as a dispenser , Conveying device (1) according to any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that within the transport path of the sheet (9) or in parallel thereto at least one rotation unit (R) is provided which can be used as a dispensing device and receiving device and the one rotatably mounted and from a motor (150) driven rotor (151) having a preferably provided with a conveyor turntable (152), to the sheet (9) pneumatically coupled to preferably +/- 90 ° and 180 are rotatable and decoupled again. Conveyor device (1), in particular according to one of claims 1 - 5, characterized in that the at least one air duct (200) provided pneumatic conveyor belt (2A) by two shafts (21A, 22A) is held, of which at least one as a pneumatic shaft ( 22A _P ) having a cavity and one or more air passages (211, 212) connected to the pneumatic device (3A, 3B) such that air is transferable through the pneumatic shaft (21A, 22A) to suck or push off a bow (9). Conveying device (1) according to claim 6, characterized in that the pneumatic shaft (22A _P ) is arranged on the output side on the conveyor belt (2A) and forms a switch or a part thereof by which the transfer of the sheets (9) by means of the control means (7 ) and the pneumatic unit (3) is controllable in such a way, a) that the sheets (9) are pushed down by air ejection and released from the conveyor belt (2A); or b) that the sheets (9) are rotated and deflected by suction of air around the pneumatic shaft (22A _P ) or optionally returned to the top of the conveyor belt; or c) that the sheets (9) with no or minimal air discharge from the conveyor belt (2A) dissolved and transported straight ahead. Conveyor device (1) according to any one of claims 1-7, characterized in that two parallel aligned conveyor belts (2A ₁ , 2A ₂ ) are provided, which by means of a drive unit (26) against each other displaced and preferably with active or passive guide units (18) are provided, by means of which the sheet (9) guided and / or aligned uniformly at a dispensing position. Conveying device (1) according to one of claims 1-8, characterized in that at least one of the delivery of an air jet serving transfer blower (300) is provided, which is arranged such, preferably between the two parallel aligned conveyor belts (2A ₁ , 2A ₂ ) in that the jet of air is directed against the side of the transported sheets (9) resting against the conveyor belt (2A). Conveying system (1000) having at least one printing line (100, 100A), which has at least two workstations (W1, W2), between which one or more conveying devices (1) according to any one of claims 1-9 are arranged. Conveyor system (1000) having at least one first print line (100A) according to claim 10 and at least one second print line (100B), which preferably has a plurality of work stations (W5, ..., W8), and a conveyor device (1) according to one of claims 5 -9, which is arranged at the intersection of the printing lines (100A, 100B) and can be converted by means of the sheets (9) from one to the other printing line (100A, 100B). Conveyor system (1000) according to claim 10 or 11, characterized in that preferably before and after each Workstation (W1, W2) at least one conveying device (1) according to one of claims 1-9 is arranged and that between the two workstations (W1, W2) arranged conveying device (1) at least one shared arch buffer (B _E1 , B _A1 ) having. Method for the controlled conveying of sheet material, in particular sheets (9) made of paper, cardboard or plastic, having a conveying device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized
in that the at least one receiving device (11, B _A1 ) and at least two dispensing devices (12, B _E2 ) are positioned such that the sheets (9) supplied by one of the receiving devices (11, B _A1 ) are pneumatically conveyed to the underside of the conveyor belt (2A 2B), transported and decoupled from the underside of the conveyor belt (2A, 2B) by means of the control means (7) and fed to the selected dispenser (12, B _E2 ); and or
in that at least two receiving devices (11, B _A1 ) and the at least one dispensing device (12, B _E2 ) are positioned such that the sheets (9) supplied by one of the receiving devices (11, B _A1 ) are pneumatically connected to the underside of the conveyor belt (2A 2B), transported and uncoupled by the control means (7) controlled from the bottom of the conveyor belt (2A, 2B) and fed to the at least one dispenser (12, B _E2 ). A method according to claim 13, characterized in that within the transport path of the at least one conveyor belt (2A, 2B) at least one intermediate buffer (BE1, BA1) and / or a rotation unit (R) is provided, delivered to the sheet (9) and of which sheet (9) recorded or at which sheet (9) are passed over. A method in particular according to claim 13 or 14, characterized in that the pneumatic shaft (22A _P ) is arranged on the output side of the pneumatic conveyor belt (2A) and forms a switch or a part thereof, through which the air transfer by means of the control means (7) and the pneumatic Unit (3) is controlled in such a way a) that the sheets (9) are pushed down by air ejection and released from the conveyor belt (2A); or b) that the sheets (9) are rotated and deflected by suction of air around the pneumatic shaft (22A _P ) or optionally returned to the top of the conveyor belt; or c) that the sheets (9) with no or minimal air discharge from the conveyor belt (2A) dissolved and transported straight ahead.

Images