EP2744736B1 - Method and apparatus for collecting flat articles - Google Patents

Description

The invention is in the field of conveyor technology and relates to an apparatus and a method for collecting and assembling flat objects into a unit which is to be supplied for further processing.

The invention relates to a method and a device according to the preamble of claims 1 and 11. The invention further relates to a process resulting from the delivery unit according to claim.

STATE OF THE ART

Devices for collating printed products and creating shipping stacks are known in the art. The WO 2010/051651 and the EP 2 107 023 for example, describe a device and method for collating printed products and for conveying the collated printed products further as a stack. For this purpose, the device has a plurality of receiving units which are movable in a conveying direction along a closed conveying path defined by a conveying member. Furthermore, the device also comprises a plurality of support elements, which define at least in a collation area of the conveyor track an inclined in the conveying direction support surface on which the objects can be stored.

The device is designed for the collection of non-individualized printed matter, such as promotional material, magazines, brochures and newspapers, which are collected in collections to collections. The shipping stacks formed in this way are then welded into a plastic film and addressed for shipping. The collections wrapped in the plastic film form addressed shipping units, which are handed out to a delivery service. The address is on the outside of the plastic film attached.

Since the collected printed products are not individualized, it does not matter what specific copy of a particular type of printed products z. B. is supplied from a memory of a recording unit. It is only important that a copy of a particular type of printed matter be delivered to the recording units.

From the field of the postal service, however, the processing of individualized flat objects, such as mail is known. The individualization is characterized in that each supplied item is provided with a recipient address or an address code from which the recipient address can be determined. It is known to sort the addressed items by recipient address and to manufacture delivery units or mailing stacks from addressed items, such as mail. Objects with the same recipient address are each assigned to a common delivery unit. However, the apparatus and methods for creating such delivery units are often complex and cumbersome in operation.

As part of the letter processing, there is an increasing need to supplement the letter addressed to a recipient with non-individualized supplements, such as advertising supplements. This means that the shipping piles put together for the recipient should be supplemented with non-individualized supplements, in particular advertising supplements, in addition to the letter. This advertising supplements can also be sent to recipients, which by appropriate references to mailboxes or in directory directories do not want unaddressed advertising, it is advantageous that the shipping stack can be addressed as such. For this, however, the shipping stack must be surrounded by an addressable shell.

The DE 37 31 589 describes a method and apparatus for sorting letters and summarizing them in sorted form. This is done by separating the postal items and then depositing the separated postal items in an intermediate conveyor. The postal items sorted in this way are fed by means of delivery units to collection containers with a target. However, the device and the associated method are extremely complex.

The EP 0 710 930 describes a mail processing system with mailpiece authorization that allows the identification of the mail pieces. However, the document does not describe a method of creating delivery units from multiple flat items.

The publication font EP 0 676 354 A1 describes a method and arrangement for packaging printed products. For this purpose, the printed products are each partially or completely enveloped by a packaging element. The packaging elements are introduced into plug-in compartments in the bent or folded state for producing the packaging. Subsequently, the printed products are inserted into the packaging elements.

PRESENTATION OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore an object of the present invention to propose an apparatus and a method for collecting and assembling flat objects, which allows several objects to be combined into units and fed to a further processing, wherein the items identification information how recipient addresses can contain, according to which the units should be put together.

A first subsidiary object of the invention is to propose an apparatus and a method which allow several flat objects to be combined into units, wherein the units should be able to be fed to a further processing.

The device and the method according to the first subtask are also to provide the opportunity to promote the units in a scale flow, without the division dissolved in units and merge the articles together to form a continuous flow of product.

The formation of these units should, however, manage with the least possible effort and low costs and with the least possible retrofitting for existing facilities.

A second sub-task consists in proposing a device and a method by means of which individualized objects can be grouped into units with similar individualization features and further processed. In particular, the invention should make it possible to supply the units produced for further processing.

The solution of the two subtasks includes two aspects of the invention, each representing an independent invention. The first aspect of the invention represents the solution of the first subtask, while the second aspect of the invention relates to the solution of the second subtask. However, the combination of both aspects of the invention leads to a preferred embodiment of both inventions, which is why in the present description both aspects of the invention are described below.

The first aspect of the invention, which is claimed in the present application, is concerned with the collection of flat objects into units in such a way that they remain distinguishable from one another in the subsequent further processing.

The second aspect of the invention deals with the grouping of individualized objects into units with similar individualization features.

The first subtask relating to the first aspect of the invention is solved by the features of independent claims 1 and 11. Further preferred embodiments and developments of the invention will become apparent from the dependent claims. Characteristics of the method claims are analogously combined with the device claims and vice versa. At this point it should also be emphasized that features disclosed in connection with the first aspect of the invention can be combined with features of the second aspect of the invention.
The collection of flat objects means the formation of collections from a plurality of objects, which are to be supplied as a unit to a further processing. The collections can be formed by collating objects into stacks or by nesting objects or by a combination of the two aforementioned processes.

The unit is preferably a delivery unit. Such a delivery unit is characterized in that the items contained therein are delivered to a common recipient address. The individualization features of the flat objects correspond to identification information such as recipient address or an address code from which a recipient address can be derived. According to claim 15, the delivery unit includes at least one, preferably a plurality of flat objects and a flat, flexible, weakened along a bending line Umfassungsseinheit containing two along the bending line bounded Umfassungsabschnitte forming a receiving pocket. The objects in the receiving pocket of the enclosing unit are combined into a collection.
The collection preferably contains at least one object provided with identification information.

According to a development of the invention, the enclosing unit may also contain identification information. This can be printed outside on the Umfassungsseinheit. In terms of content, this identification information can correspond to the identification information of an item of the collection provided with identification information.
The enclosing unit may further comprise a viewing window through which the identification information applied to an article of the collection or to an information carrier provided separately and inserted in the receiving pocket is visible. The information carrier may be a printed cover sheet.
The viewing window may be formed by a recess in a peripheral portion of the enclosure unit. This recess can be covered by a transparent film.

Furthermore, it is also possible for the enclosing unit to be transparent or at least partly transparent to the above-mentioned purpose. The collecting can z. B. represent a stacking of objects or insertion of objects in a recording. In this case, a group of flat objects each forms a loose stack of objects lying horizontally on one another or vertically next to one another or in an inclined arrangement of adjacent ones. The objects lie in each case with their surface side together. The term "stack" is to be interpreted accordingly in this aspect. When flat objects are combined into a loose stack, this is called a collection.

The invention is based in particular on a device for collecting flat objects and for conveying the collected objects further as a unit. For this purpose, the device contains a plurality of successively arranged ones Receiving units, which are moved along a closed, defined by a conveying member conveyor track in a conveying direction. The recording units are each guided through a collecting line, along which the receiving units via transfer stations of a transfer device successively objects are supplied. The receiving units form at least along the collection path from a support surface on which the objects are stored.

The device may include means for creating delivery units, which are designed so that the delivery units can be supplied to the receiving units via at least one transfer device with at least one transfer station. The creation of the delivery units can take place in the at least one transfer device or in a device upstream of the transfer device.

The flat objects can be printed products, such as newspapers, magazines, brochures, advertising supplements, leaflets or flyers, or additional products, also called add-ons. Additional articles are in particular samples, such as CD's, DVD's, teabags, flags, T-shirts or foiled products or gimmicks. The additional articles may be attached to printed products. The flat objects can be individualized and provided with identification information, such as address or address code. The flat objects can not be individualized. The flat objects can be flexible or rigid. The flat objects may also include letters, which are provided with identification information, such as address or address code. Especially in connection with the second subject of the invention, the merging of addressed mail to delivery units plays a central role. A mixed collection of individualized and non-individualized flat objects into units is also possible.

The receiving units form for holding and supporting the collected objects in each case preferably two mutually opposite support elements, which form a receiving space for receiving the flat objects. The support elements can be connected to each other or not connected to each other.

The receiving unit preferably forms a bearing surface for the flat objects along the collecting route. The bearing surface is preferably inclined along the collecting route in the conveying direction. The inclination of the support surface is preferably such that the objects are aligned by gravity on a stop described below. The support surface is preferably formed by a support element, in particular by a lower support element. The inclination is z. B. at least 10 ° (angular degree) and a maximum of 60 °. The inclination is in particular 20-30 °.

The receiving units may be formed as receiving pockets, receiving cells, gripper or carriage.

The recording units can, for. B. part of a cellular wheel or a plug-in drum, which is rotatably driven about its axis of rotation. The cellular wheel or the insertion drum has receiving cells arranged radially around its axis of rotation and extending in the axial direction, each having a receiving opening arranged radially outwards. The receiving cells correspond to the recording units. The support elements of the receiving cells can, for. B. be formed by two relatively movable cell walls.

The cell wheel or the insertion drum comprises transport means by means of which the content of the receiving cells is displaceable in the axial direction.

The Umfassungsseinheiten arranged in the receiving cells are on the one hand by the rotation of the cell wheel or the insertion drum and on the other hand moves the transport in the receiving cells in the axial direction, resulting in a spiral path of movement.
In the axial direction along the cell wheel or the insertion drum transfer stations are arranged in the region of the outer circumference of the cell wheel and the insertion drum, about which objects are supplied to the enclosing units and inserted into this.
The enclosing units are guided past the transfer stations by passing through the spiral track described above and thereby displaced in the axial direction of the cell wheel or the insertion drum.
Devices with cell wheels of the aforementioned type, for example, in the WO 2009/043358 , in particular in the FIGS. 1, 2 . 5 and 6 , as well as in the EP-B-1 090 867 , in particular in the Figures 1 and 2 , shown and described.

According to a preferred embodiment of the device, the receiving units include grippers, each with a first and second gripper arms for clamping holding the units after completion of the collecting process. The gripper legs are for this purpose relative to each other between an open position, in which a receiving space is formed, and a closed position, in which the unit is clamped, movable. The gripper legs can now be designed as support elements themselves. For this purpose, the grippers preferably have an extended, lower gripper limb, which forms the (inclined) support surface for the objects. The grippers are preferably pivotable relative to the conveyor track, with a pivot axis transverse to the conveying direction.
It is also possible that the support element of the grippers of the receiving units are independent elements which z. B. are guided by means of an independent support elements conveyor along its own conveyor track, and along which the collection line are conveyed parallel to the grippers. Such a solution is z. B. in the WO 2010/051651 disclosed.

The receiving units and in particular the associated grippers form at least along the collecting line a stop for the arranged in the receiving space, in particular resting on the support surface objects. If grippers are provided, then the stop is preferably formed by the connecting region between the two gripper limbs.

The conveyor track, along which the receiving units, and in particular the grippers are guided, preferably comprises two superimposed web sections, which are interconnected by arcuate, in particular circular arc-shaped transition sections. The collection line is formed here in the upper track section. The collecting route and preferably the upper path section preferably run linearly. They are particularly preferably formed horizontally. The lower and upper web sections furthermore preferably run parallel to one another. The receiving units, in particular their grippers, extend in the lower track section expediently by 180 ° (degrees of angle) turned to the oppositely extending upper track section.

Along the collecting route, at least one, preferably a plurality of transfer stations arranged one behind the other, connect to a transfer device, via which individual or a group of objects are transferred to the receiving units conveyed past them. The transfer of the objects preferably takes place during the movement of the receiving units. The movement is preferably at a continuous rate. The transfer device with the at least one transfer station is in each case part of a delivery device, via which articles from a store or a conveying device are fed to the receiving units.

The transfer stations can be designed as investors, by means of which the objects z. B. in a curved path the receiving units or the gripper mouth of the gripper are supplied. The objects can z. B. by means of a transfer conveyor belt as part of the transfer station to the receiving units. The objects or the group of objects intended for a specific recording unit are supplied in cycles to the recording units, the clock of the transfer stations being synchronized with the clock of the recording units passing them. The objects or groups of objects are z. B. via the transfer conveyor belt one behind the other, but spaced apart the receiving units. Are z. B. no items for handover provided for a receiving unit, a gap between the objects is introduced on the transfer conveyor belt.

The device preferably also comprises a transfer device to which the units are transferred from the receiving units to a removal device. The removal device is preferably a belt conveyor. The units are preferably individually and spaced apart or deposited as a scale flow on the belt conveyor and further promoted. The units are preferably stored with the leading collar on the belt conveyor. If the receiving units comprise grippers, the units held by the grippers are fed to the transfer device and transferred to the belt conveyor while opening the grippers or deposited thereon. The transfer device is preferably arranged in the region of an arcuate transition section and / or in the lower track section.

The device for collecting objects or the removal device preferably also comprises a printing device, on which units of flat objects, in particular delivery units, can be printed with identification information, such as address, address code and / or delivery area.

The printing device preferably contains or consists of an addressing station. The printing device may also include a printing station for printing units with advertising messages or a logo. The advertising messages may include multi-color and / or three-dimensional representations. The printing device may comprise one or more printing stations arranged one behind the other, one of the stations being an addressing station. The printing is preferably carried out on the enclosing unit, and in particular on one of the enclosing sections. For this purpose, z. B. an ink jet method can be used.
The printing device is preferably arranged at the end of the collecting section. In principle, the printing device can also be placed elsewhere in the device. In particular, the sheets can also be printed or addressed to a removal device before the collection line or after transfer of the units. Accordingly, the printing device is arranged in front of the collection line or in a subsequent conveying device.

The device according to the invention also comprises a control device which controls the conveyance and delivery of the flat objects to the receiving units, the movement of the receiving units along their orbit and the delivery of the units to a removal device. The control device is connected via bidirectional data lines to the corresponding devices of the device.
The first subject of the invention now relates to a method for collecting flat objects and for conveying the collected objects by means of receiving units, wherein the receiving units for holding and supporting the collected objects each have two mutually opposite support elements, which form a receiving space.

• Bereitstellen einer entlang einer Biegelinie teilweise geschwächten flachen, flexiblen Umfassungseinheit, und
• Biegen der flachen Umfassungseinheit entlang der Biegelinie unter Ausbildung zweier, durch die Biegelinie voneinander begrenzten Umfassungsabschnitte;
• Einführen der gebogenen Umfassungseinheit in den Aufnahmeraum, wobei in einem nicht geschwächten Bereich entlang der Biegelinie auf die gebogene Umfassungseinheit bevorzugt eine Rückstellkraft in Richtung einer planen Lage der Umfassungseinheit wirkt;
• Halten der Umfassungsabschnitte der Umfassungseinheit im Aufnahmeraum an den benachbarten Stützelementen unter Ausbildung einer Aufnahmetasche;
• Zuführen wenigstens eines Gegenstandes in die mitbewegte Aufnahmetasche der gebogenen Umfassungseinheit;
• Zueinanderführen der beiden Umfassungsabschnitte.

The method according to the invention is characterized by the following method steps:

• Providing a flat along a bending line partially weakened, flexible Umfassungsseinheit, and
• Bending the flat enclosing unit along the bending line to form two enclosing portions bounded by the bending line;
• Inserting the bent enclosing unit into the receiving space, wherein in a non-weakened area along the bending line on the curved enclosing unit preferably a restoring force in the direction of a planar position of the enclosing unit acts;
• Holding the enclosing portions of the enclosing unit in the receiving space at the adjacent support members to form a receiving pocket;
• Feeding at least one article into the co-moving receiving pocket of the curved enveloping unit;
• Mating the two enclosing sections.

Holding the Umfassungsabschnitte in the receiving space on the adjacent support elements is preferably done by acting on the Umfassungsabschnitte restoring force. The enclosing sections are pressed against the adjacent support elements. That is, the bent enveloping unit is held in the accommodating space by the pressing force.

The enclosing unit is preferably closed after the joining of the enclosing sections. For this purpose, the enclosing sections, in particular in at least one edge region, connected to each other. The connection can take place by means of an adhesive which connects the enclosing sections to one another. The compound can be solvable or not soluble be. The adhesive can connect the enclosing sections to one another at least over part of the area in an edge area.

The enclosing sections can also be connected to one another in at least part of the area over the adhesive in a plurality of edge areas. Thus, the Umfassungsabschnitte at least part of the area in the edge regions of three product edges, which do not correspond to the federal government, be connected to each other by means of an adhesive.

The enclosing unit can, for. B. by means of a two Umfassungsabschnitte interconnecting, flat adhesive element, such as adhesive tape to be closed. Furthermore, it is also possible to apply to a surface area of a surrounding section an adhesive which connects the two enclosing sections in the said area area when they are guided together.

The enclosure unit is flexible and flexible. It preferably contains pulp fibers, such as cellulose fibers, which are particularly preferably anisotropically oriented. The enclosing unit can be a sheet with a single-layer or multi-layered or layered construction. Preferably, at least one layer or layer of paper, cardboard or paperboard. Several layers can z. B. glued together. Other layers can also be made of metal or plastic. The plastic layer can be added to the layer composite by means of extrusion, lamination or lacquering. The flat, flexible enclosing unit may also consist of a plastic, in particular a plastic film. The enclosing unit can be a single or multi-leaf product. This multi-leaved product may be bound, stapled or glued. The enclosure unit can have different surface dimensions and geometries and z. B. polygonal, round or combined forms. The enclosing unit is preferably rectangular. The enclosing unit can also change the shape of a strip. The enclosing sections may be smaller in area than the objects collected therein. The enclosing unit may also contain reinforcing structures, such as wall thickenings, which z. B. increase the restoring force in the direction of a flat position of the enclosing unit

The enclosing unit, which is partially weakened along the bending line, forms an open envelope or jacket for receiving the flat objects. The enclosing unit is preferably open on three sides. A rectangular enclosing unit has, for example, a bending line and three edges along which the enclosing unit is open. The enclosing unit forms a stop in the region and along the bending line for the objects pushed into the receiving pocket of the enclosing unit.

The enclosing unit preferably has only one bend line or only one or a plurality of fold lines arranged along a single bend line.

The enclosing unit is preferably an arc, wherein the enclosing sections correspond to the curved sections and the enclosing edges correspond to the curved edges. The sheets are made of paper with a basis weight of z. B. 20 g / m ² to 200 g / m ² , in particular of z. B. 40 g / m ² to 120 g / m ² . However, the grammages can be higher. The bow can z. B. also be made of cardboard. As is usual with paper, the sheets have a fiber distribution with anisotropic fiber orientation. The enclosing unit preferably consists of a single sheet.

The weakening along the bend line may be in the form of a groove, a fold, a cut or a perforation. The weakening may also be due to wetting along the bending line, z. B. by a line-shaped wetting, be formed. The weakening is preferably designed as a weakening line. In the area of the weakening line, the restoring force of the bow is canceled or at least reduced. The weakening line is preferably a fold line. A cut or a Perforation can be made by means of a cutting or punching tool. In order to ensure a sufficient restoring force of the Umfassungsabschnitte, preferably at least 10% of the bending line remain unaffected. Furthermore, preferably at most 70% of the bendline are not weakened. However, this value also depends on the material properties, such as fiber content, fiber orientation, basis weight or thickness of the sheets or possible coatings. Consequently, the restoring force can be adjusted via the height of the ratio of the total length B of the one or all weakening lines along the bending line to the total length A of the bending line. The ratio B: A can be, for example, 0.1 to 0.7 and is always less than 1. The smaller the ratio, the greater the restoring force of the enclosing sections.

For this purpose, the device contains an enclosing unit feed device for feeding a enclosing unit, which is partially weakened along the bending line, and for transferring the enclosing unit into the receiving space of the receiving unit. The wrapping unit feeding device is designed to be capable of inserting the wrapping unit partially weakened along the bending line into the receiving space in a bent state. The enclosing unit which presses against the support elements with its enclosing sections, which are bending sections, is preferably held by the restoring forces acting on the enclosing sections by the support elements.
The enclosing unit supply device can be designed as a feeder, by means of which the enclosing units z. B. in an arcuate path to the receiving units or the gripper mouth of the gripper are supplied.
The restoring force of the enclosing unit causes spreading of the enclosing portions of the enclosing unit, wherein the Umfassungsabschnitte invest in the support elements. The spreading process is therefore limited by the support elements. The contact pressure of the Umfassungsabschnitte effected on the support elements a relatively high static friction, so that the enclosing unit can not be moved without a minimal effort in the receiving unit.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, a plurality of objects are deposited via one or more transfer stations to form a (small) stack in the receiving pockets. The receiving units are for this purpose moved in the conveying direction along the closed conveyor track. The articles are preferably introduced transversely to or against the direction of movement of the receiving units into the receiving pockets formed in the receiving units along the collecting route. For this purpose, the objects are preferably deposited on a surrounding portion of the bent enveloping unit in the receiving pocket.
If the receiving units include grippers, the gripper legs preferably form the supporting elements. According to this embodiment, the gripper legs in the open position form the receiving space, in which the enclosing unit is held to form the receiving pocket. In the closed position of the gripper legs, the enclosing sections are guided to one another, wherein the gripper legs clamp the collected objects together with the enclosing unit.
In a development of the invention, the method also comprises the creation of at least one line of weakness along a bending line on the enclosing unit. According to the invention, the at least one weakening line is shorter than the bending line and only extends over a part of the bending line. If the weakening line is a fold line, then the folding operation is carried out by means of a folding device. The folding device according to the invention is part of the device for collecting flat objects. The folding device is coupled, for example, to the enclosing unit feeding device. For example, enclosing units can be fed to the folding device, partially folded in the folding device and be supplied to the receiving units at the beginning of the collection via the Umfassungsseinheit-feeding. The processing of the enclosing units in the folding device is preferably done in-line and clock-related with the movement of the recording units.

The folding device for creating the Teilfalzes can work, for example, according to the pocket folding principle, which is known from the prior art. For this purpose, the folding device contains a lateral pocket stop for the enclosing unit and two rotating folding rollers, wherein an upsetting space is formed between the folding rollers, in which the enclosing unit abutting the stop is compressed and pulled between the folding rollers to form a rebate. In order to form a partial fold along the bending line, the folding rollers now do not extend in the direction of their axes of rotation over the entire length of the bending line but only over that section of the bending line in which a fold break is to be produced.

The folding device can also operate on the Schwertfalzprinzip, which is also known from the prior art. The folding device contains here in addition to the two rotating folding rollers nor a sword, which pushes the enclosing unit along a bending line between the folding rollers. The sword virtually replaces the compression of the Umfassungsseinheit causing pocket stop. In order to form a partial fold along the bending line, the folding rollers now do not extend in the direction of their axes of rotation over the entire length of the bending line but only over that section of the bending line in which a fold break is to be produced. Furthermore, the sword can also extend only over that section along the bending line, in which a fold break is to be generated. The folding is basically preferably transversely to the conveying direction.

The folding device may further include a creasing unit in which the enclosing units are grooved along the fold line to be produced before folding. The creasing is preferably transverse to the conveying direction. The Rill unit is designed accordingly. The individual enclosing unit is therefore grooved only over that section along the bending line, in which subsequently also a fold line is created. Correspondingly, the scoring tool, such as scoring blades, also extends only over that part of the way along the bending line in which a fold line is subsequently produced.

Folding means in paper processing the production of a sharp bending edge, also called fold line or fold break with the aid of a tool or a machine. Folding causes breakage of fibers crossing the fold line so that layers or plies containing pulp fibers, e.g. As paper, along the fold line the residual stress, which causes a restoring force when bending, completely or at least partially loses.

The groove, in turn, means in paper processing the indentation of a fracture line around the folding of a pulp fiber containing layer or layer, e.g. B. paper, simplify. The grooves cause a linear mass displacement or a pre-breaking of the fibers. This happens z. B. by means of pressing tools to create a bending capacity for the material.

As already mentioned, the single enclosing unit has a bending line extending between two edges. Bending line means that the enclosing unit is bent along this line to form two enclosing sections, without, however, necessarily producing a line of weakness. The bending line now expediently contains a plurality of partial sections, wherein at least one partial section forms a weakening line and at least one partial section does not form a line of weakness. Change preferentially sections with weakening line and sections without weakening line along the bending line each from.
According to a first embodiment of an enclosing unit, a middle section of the bending line has a weakening line, while the two side sections extending toward the enclosing edges have no line of weakness.

According to a second embodiment of an enclosing unit, the two lateral sections extending toward the peripheral edges have a line of weakness, while a middle section of the bending line lying between the lateral sections has no line of weakness.
In a further development of the invention, the method also includes the closing of the gripper after completion of the collecting process of objects and the gripping of the curved enclosing unit with the objects collected in these by the gripper arms in the manner described above. The units held by the gripper units are preferred in this way further conveyed along the conveyor track, before this z. B. be transferred to a transfer device of a removal device.
The opening and closing of the gripper along the orbit is done in a known manner, for example via a slotted guide, which cooperates with actuating means, such as control rollers, with the grippers.

In a development of the method according to the invention, the enclosing unit, together with the objects held in it, is transferred as a unit via a transfer device to a removal device.

According to a possible embodiment of the method according to the invention, the enclosing unit is immediately after completion of the unit, for. B. at the end of the collection line, or indirectly following the collection process, for. B. in a removal device, while forming a continuous fold line along the bending line completely folded. For this purpose, a corresponding folding device can be provided. In principle, the gripper can also be configured in such a way that the continuous fold line and thus the complete folding are carried out simultaneously with the closing of the gripper.
In addition, a double belt conveyor can also be provided. The finished unit can be moved between the two conveyor belts of the double belt conveyor, wherein the enveloping unit is completely folded by the pressing force of the conveyor belts. The double belt conveyor z. B. be a way conveyor following the collection route.

The second aspect of the invention now relates to a device and a method for assembling presorted mail to form so-called delivery units, for which purpose the device described above for collecting objects is used. The above units correspond here to the aforementioned delivery units. The second aspect is characterized in that the means for collecting objects includes a feeder for feeding individualized items provided with an identification information to the receiving units.
The feeder device further includes at least one storage unit for providing the individualized objects in stack formation, in particular as a rod, as well as a separating unit for separating the individualized objects.

In addition, the feeder device contains a checking unit for checking the identification information on the objects and at least one transfer device with at least one transfer station, via which the individualized objects are transferred to the receiving units.

The checking unit can also be designed to check the separation of the objects. In this way, malfunctions, such as the simultaneous removal of multiple items from the at least one storage unit, can be determined. The determined information is processed accordingly in a control device.

The checking unit can be arranged at the separating unit. However, the checking unit can also be arranged at a position downstream in the processing direction in the feeder device.

The term "individualized" should not be confused with the term "isolated". Individualized objects contain identification information, by means of which they differ from other, similar objects and z. B. can be assigned to a recipient address. The recipient address can be a household, a person, a company or a building. Isolated objects, however, are individually present objects.

• Bewegen der Aufnahmeeinheiten in Förderrichtung entlang der Sammelstrecke der geschlossenen Förderbahn;
• Bereitstellen von gruppierten, vorsortieren, individualisierten, d.h. mit einer Identifikationsinformation versehenen Gegenständen,
• Vereinzeln von individualisierten Gegenständen von der Gruppe,
• Überprüfen einer Identifikationsinformation, wie Adresse, der vereinzelten Gegenstände,
• Zuführen der Gegenstände an eine Übergabestation einer Übergabevorrichtung und
• Übergeben der Gegenstände an die Aufnahmeeinheiten entlang der Sammelstrecke der Förderbahn.

The associated method is characterized by the following steps:

• Moving the receiving units in the conveying direction along the collecting path of the closed conveyor track;
• Providing grouped, presorted, individualized, ie provided with identification information items,
• Separating individualized objects from the group,
• Checking an identification information, such as address, the scattered items,
• Feeding the articles to a transfer station of a transfer device and
• Passing the objects to the receiving units along the collection path of the conveyor track.

The grouped items can z. B. in rod or stack formation. The checking unit checks the identification information acquired on the item. For this purpose, the checking unit is connected to a control device which, on the basis of the checking result, correctly assigns the objects to the subsequent further processing units via an allocation device having at least one allocation unit. The purpose of the check is to ensure that objects with matching identification information are transferred to a common recording unit and objects having different identification information are transmitted to different recording units.

According to a preferred embodiment, the individualized objects in the stack formation are already presorted according to their identification information, wherein objects with matching identification information are arranged directly following one another. The checking unit now compares the acquired identification information with identification information stored in a data memory which corresponds to the presorting of the objects. That the order of the presorted items is also stored in the data memory. In this way, it should be checked whether the objects actually exist in the presorted order or deviate from it.

The individualized objects are now either indirectly via an allocation device with at least one allocation unit, in particular via a buffer system, or assigned directly to a transfer station, wherein objects with matching identification information, such as address or address codes, are stored in a common recording unit.

According to a first embodiment of the second aspect, the feeder for feeding individualized items includes a storage unit, a transfer apparatus having a plurality of transfer stations, and an allocating apparatus having an allocating unit. The objects are assigned to the individual transfer stations by means of the allocation unit and transferred from these to the receiving units. In this case, the allocation unit feeds articles with the same address to successive transfer stations, via which the objects which are fed to the receiving unit passing to the transfer stations are supplied. Objects with the same address are thereby transferred via a plurality of transfer stations arranged along the collection route to a common receiving unit.

According to a second embodiment of the second aspect, the feeder for feeding individualized items includes a storage unit, a cache system having a plurality of latches for each of a group of items. Furthermore, the feeder device also includes an allocation device with an allocation unit and a transfer device with at least one, preferably exactly one transfer station. The objects are allocated via the allocation unit to the latches of the intermediate storage system and optionally grouped there into groups of several objects. A group formed in a buffer includes items each having the same identification information.
The individual groups are then transferred from the latches via the transfer station to the receiving units, wherein a group of objects is transferred to a common receiving unit. Is there too an identification information only one object, so this item is individually stored in a cache. That is, a group can contain one or more items. The buffer system represents a kind of sorting memory, in which groups of individualized objects are formed and buffered, which will deliver to recording units in a subsequent step. Therefore, it is basically sufficient if said feeder comprises only a single transfer station, which is sequentially loaded with groups of articles from the latches.

According to a third embodiment of the second aspect, the feeder for feeding individualized items includes a plurality of storage units, e.g. B. two memory units, as well as analogous to the second embodiment, a cache system with a plurality of latches for each group of objects.
Furthermore, the feeder device comprises an allocation device with a plurality of metering units, which can be moved one behind the other via a conveyor organ along a direction of movement about an orbit. The metering units are conveyed along their conveyor track past the storage units. From the storage units, the previously separated letters are handed over to the allocating units conveyed by them.
In addition, the feeder likewise contains, analogously to the second embodiment, a transfer device with at least one, preferably exactly one, transfer station.
The items in the dispatch units are allocated by the dispatch units to the buffers of the cache system and transferred to them. The buffers will eventually contain groups of multiple items created. A group formed in a buffer includes items each having the same identification information.

The individual groups of objects are subsequently transferred from the intermediate stores via the transfer station and from there to the receiving units, a group of objects being transferred to a common receiving unit.

If there is only one object for an identification information, this object is stored individually in a buffer. That is, a group can contain one or more items.

The buffer system represents a kind of sorting memory, in which groups of individualized objects are formed and buffered, which will deliver to recording units in a subsequent step. Therefore, it is basically sufficient if said feeder comprises only a single transfer station, which is sequentially loaded with groups of articles from the latches.

The metering units according to the three embodiments preferably cooperate with or contain a switch system. The objects can be assigned to the corresponding buffers of the intermediate storage system or the corresponding transfer stations of the transfer device via the switch system.

According to the third embodiment, however, for the purpose of transferring the objects to a buffer store or to a transfer station, the metering units can also be conveyed along their orbit past the buffer stores or the transfer stations. There are means of transferring the objects of provided to the allocation units to the latches or the transfer stations. A turnout system is not necessary according to this variant.

Of course, advertising supplements can be customized via a corresponding printing device in front of the collection route, z. B. addressed, and are supplied as individualized items the receiving units. Again, the control device provides a clock-related, in particular isochronous processing of the objects that the individualized advertising supplements are assigned to the correct recording units.

With the device according to the invention and the associated method, individualized objects, such as addressed letters, can be processed and combined with non-individualized objects, such as advertising inserts, to form individualized delivery units. This distinguishes the present device and method from known devices and methods in which non-individualized items, such as newspapers, magazines, or advertising inserts, are collected into collections, packaged, and individualized at the end by printing an address on the wrapping.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Figur 1:

einen ungefalzten Bogen;

Figur 2:

einen teilweise gefalzten Bogen gemäss einer ersten Ausführungsform;

Figur 3.

einen teilweise gefalzten Bogen gemäss einer zweiten Ausführungsform;

Figur 4:

eine Seitenansicht entlang der Sammelstrecke der Fördereinrichtung;

Figur 5:

eine perspektivische Ansicht einer Bogen-Zuführeinrichtung;

Figur 6:

eine perspektivische Ansicht einer Rill-Falzvorrichtung;

Figur 7:

eine vereinfachte Draufsicht der Einrichtung zum Sammeln von Gegenständen im Bereich der Sammelstrecke gemäss einer ersten Ausführungsform;

Figur 8:

eine vereinfachte Draufsicht der Einrichtung zum Sammeln von Gegenständen im Bereich der Sammelstrecke gemäss einer zweiten Ausführungsform;

Figur 9a:

eine perspektivische Ansicht einer Zustelleinheit;

Figur 9b:

eine perspektivische Ansicht einer weiteren Zustelleinheit;

Figur 10:

eine vereinfachte Draufsicht der Einrichtung zum Sammeln von Gegenständen im Bereich der Sammelstrecke gemäss einer dritten Ausführungsform.

The subject matter of the invention will be explained in more detail below on the basis of preferred exemplary embodiments, which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Each show schematically:

FIG. 1:

an unfolded bow;

FIG. 2:

a partially folded sheet according to a first embodiment;

FIG. 3.

a partially folded sheet according to a second embodiment;

FIG. 4:

a side view along the collection line of the conveyor;

FIG. 5:

a perspective view of a sheet feeder;

FIG. 6:

a perspective view of a creasing-folding device;

FIG. 7:

a simplified plan view of the device for collecting objects in the region of the collecting route according to a first embodiment;

FIG. 8:

a simplified plan view of the device for collecting objects in the collection area according to a second embodiment;

FIG. 9a:

a perspective view of a delivery unit;

FIG. 9b:

a perspective view of another delivery unit;

FIG. 10:

a simplified plan view of the device for collecting objects in the collection area according to a third embodiment.

Basically, the same parts are provided with the same reference numerals in the figures. In the following figures, the enclosing unit is shown and described as a bow. However, this should not be construed as limiting the embodiments to enclosing units of sheets. Furthermore, in the following embodiments, sheets with fold lines are described. Of course, as described above, instead of fold lines, weakening lines may be provided quite generally.

WAYS FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

The FIG. 1 shows an unfolded, planar sheet 1.1, which forms the starting material to form a partially folded, three-sided open envelope for receiving flat objects. The sheet 1.1 has a, from a first to an opposite, second edge of the arc extending bending line 2, along which the sheet 1.1 is bent in a later process step and partially folded.

The FIGS. 2 and 3 each show a along the bending line 2 partially folded sheet 1.2 and 1.3. The bending line 2 divides the sheet 1.2 in two arc sections 8a, 8b.

According to the embodiment according to FIG. 2 along a middle section of the bending line 2 a fold line 5 is arranged, which is shorter than the bending line 2. It is flanked by two laterally along the bending line 2 arranged, unfolded sections 4a, 4b, which lead to the sheet edges.

According to the embodiment according to FIG. 3 the bending line 2 has two laterally arranged fold lines 6a, 6b, which lead to the sheet edges. The fold lines 6a, 6b, close along the bending line 2 a non-folded, middle section 7 a. The bow according to the FIGS. 2 and 3 has now along its bending line 2, at least in the region of the non-folded, middle section 7 an internal stress on the bow sections 8a, 8b side of the bending line 2 exerts a restoring force from a curved to a planar position.

The FIG. 4 shows a limited section of a device 10 for collecting objects from the area along the collecting line S. The device 10 has receiving units 11 in the form of grippers. The grippers 11 are spaced apart in the conveying direction F attached to a conveyor chain 13. The conveyor chain 13 is guided with the grippers 11 along a guide device 14. The grippers 11 have an upper, first gripper limb 12a and a lower, second gripper limb 12b movably arranged relative to the first gripper limb 12a along the collection line S. The second gripper limb 12a is extended relative to the first gripper limb 12a and forms a support surface for the objects 9a, 9b to be collected.

The gripper arms 12a, 12b form a gripper mouth, which corresponds to the receiving space for a bent along the bending line 2 and partially folded sheet 1.2, 1.3. On that, the gripper mouth opening opposite side of the gripper 11, a stop 15 is formed in each case.

For the purpose of feeding curved partially folded sheets 1.2 into the gripper jaw of the grippers 11, a sheet feeder 20 is provided. The sheet feeding device 20 is designed for the supply of sheets 1.2, in which the fold line 5 is arranged along a middle section 7 of the bending line 2. About the sheet feeding device 20 partially folded sheet 1.2 are now supplied to the grippers 11. The sheet feeding apparatus 20 has a spring-loaded take-up roller 16 cooperating with a take-over conveyor 23, which takes over the partially folded sheets from the folding device and feeds them to a delivery unit of the sheet feeder 20. The feed roller 16 may be made of foam or contain this to ensure a gentle pressure on the sheet in the region of the central portion in which lies the fold line. The delivery unit comprises a double belt conveyor 21, by means of which the sheets are conveyed to a discharge point. The double belt conveyor 21 is designed so that the curved sheet 1.2 are guided on both curved sections 8a, 8b by a conveyor belt and held in a clamping manner. However, the individually conveyed sheet 1.2 are only in the central portion of the bending line 2, in which the fold line is arranged, in the conveying engagement with the two conveyor belts of the belt conveyor 21. In the region of the lateral sections in which the unfolded sections 4a, 4b of the bending line. 2 Although the sheet 1.2 is guided, it is not covered by the conveyor belts, so that in this area no fold line is formed by the pressing force of the belt conveyor 21.

Basically, in the entire sheet feeding device 20, the sheet 1.2 only with those sections in the conveying engagement with the corresponding conveying organs, as belt conveyors arrive, in which the sections of the bending line 2 lie with a fold line. In this context, conveying engagement means, in particular, a contact pressure exerted on the sheet for producing a frictional contact with the sheet for the purpose of transmitting a movement moment, for B. from a conveyor belt or conveyor rollers on the bow.

In the present sheet feeding device, the non-conveyed side portions of the bent sheet 1.2 are supported and guided with the non-folded sections by a surface guide member 22 in the form of a guide plate along the conveying direction Fb. The sheets 1.2 are delivered at a transfer point of the sheet feeder 20 (not shown).

The single sheet 1.2 is inserted in the transfer in the bent state with the bending line 2 ahead in the gripper mouth of the gripper 11. The bending line 2 is thereby pushed into the gripper mouth up to the stop 15. By the force exerted by the unfolded sections of the bending line 2 on the arc sections 8a, 8b restoring force the arc sections 8a, 8b spread apart. The sheet sections 8a, 8b are applied to the gripper legs 12a, 12b while exerting a pressing force in the gripper jaw. The pressure force generates a frictional connection, so that the sheet 1.2 is held in the gripper jaw and is secured against lateral displacement. The sheet 1.2 is at least partially opened according to the opening width of the gripper jaw and forms a receiving pocket for the subsequently collected flat objects 9a, 9b.

Following the collection of the flat objects 9a, 9b, the grippers are closed for further promotion. In this process, the two arc sections 8a, 8b are guided to each other. The gripper arms 12a, 12b hold the collected objects 9a, 9b between the bow sections 8a, 8b in a clamping manner. The closed bow 1.2 with the flat collected in it Articles 9a, 9b are transferred by the grippers 11 to a removal device for further processing (not shown).

The FIG. 6 illustrates a possible embodiment of a folding device for producing partially folded sheet 1.2. The folding device is designed as a creasing device 30. The creasing folding device 30 includes a feed section via which individual planar sheets 1.1 are fed in a feed direction Fa by means of a conveyor belt 31. The sheets are aligned on the feed path along a Richtnockenbandes by leading cam 34 of the slower running Richtnockenbandes come to rest on the leading edges of the sheet 1.1 and so evenly spaced and align the sheet 1.1 apart.

The creasing folding device 30 includes a creasing unit 32 in which the single sheet 1.1 is first grooved along a bending line 2 along the part line (s) in which a crease line 5 is subsequently applied. The creasing unit is designed so that it acts only on the section (s) of the bending line 2 in which or which a folding line 5 is to be created. Following the groove, the sheet 1.2 is partially folded in a Taschenfalzaggregat, wherein the Taschenfalzaggregat designed so that the associated folding rollers acts only on the grooved sections of the bending line and not on the entire bending line 2 of the sheet 1.2. This means, in particular, that the folding rollers do not extend over the entire extent of the bending line 2 but only over one or more partial sections thereof.

After attaching the fold line 5, the sheet 1.2 is released from the creasing device 30 and transferred, for example via a sheet feeding device 20 described above to the receiving units 12.

The described creasing device 30 and sheet feeding device 20 are not mandatory features of the device 10 for collecting objects but only preferred embodiments of such devices, with which the inventive device 10 can be supplemented particularly advantageous. The sheets can in fact be folded in other ways and fed to the device 10 in other ways. In particular, the sheets do not need to be in-line, i. to be folded in the production line, but may well already be provided with the Teilfalz retrieved from a cache.

The FIGS. 7 . 8th and 10 show now three particular embodiments of a device 40.1, 40.2, 40.3 for collecting objects according to the second subject of the invention. The partially folded sheet 1.2, 1.3 as an envelope for collecting flat objects like this in connection with the FIGS. 1 to 5 have been described, are particularly well suited for use in the three devices described below 40.1, 40.2 and 40.3. Furthermore, the creasing device 30 is also suitable FIG. 6 , the sheet feeder 20 after FIG. 5 and the conveyor with grippers 11 according to FIG. 4 especially good for use in the three facilities 40.1, 40.2, 40.3.

At the facilities after FIG. 7 . 8th and 10 It is about the creation of ready to ship delivery units. This is primarily about the processing of mail. The present invention is based on two subtasks. On the one hand, letters with the same address are to be combined into one delivery unit, so that the delivery agent can combine the letters as a single unit and not deliver them individually to the recipient. The delivery unit should also be addressed as a whole. A second sub-task is the delivery units not individualized, z. B. not addressed supplements, such as advertising supplements or additional items to attach. Since the delivery unit, which in addition to addressed letter post also ad inserts adresses, is addressed as a whole, advertising can also those To deliver recipient groups who do not want non-individualized advertising.

The tasks are now solved in that letter and non-individualized supplements, which are addressed to a recipient, are loosely collected in a partially folded sheet. The bow forms a kind of envelope, which serves in particular to hold collections together and separate from other collections.

The devices 40.1, 40.2, 40.3 according to FIGS. 7 . 8th and 10 Now have a plurality of receiving units 41 which are movable along a closed, defined by a conveying member conveyor track in a conveying direction Fc. The receiving units 41 and the conveying member are preferably according to the in FIG. 4 formed embodiment shown. The device 40.1, 40.2, 40.3 forms a collecting route S, along which the flat objects 50 are collected.

At the beginning or in front of the collecting line S are via a creasing device 30 after FIG. 6 Sheet according to the invention partially folded and a sheet feeding device 20 according to the in FIG. 5 shown embodiment, the receiving units 41 supplied. The creasing folding device 30 in turn receives the sheets 1.1 from a sheet buffer store 57, which stores the sheets 1.1 in stack form and delivers them via a separating unit to the feed path of the creasing folding device 30. However, the feeding of the sheet 1.1 and the folding derselbigen and the transfer to the receiving units 41 and the related devices can also be configured differently. In particular, the buffer memory 57, the creasing device 30, the sheet feeding device 20 and the receiving units 41 with the associated conveying member 13, as already mentioned above, be designed differently.

The devices 40.1, 40.2 and 40.3 according to the FIGS. 7 . 8th and 10 further include a feeding device 80 for feeding flat, addressed articles 50 into the receiving pockets of the partially folded sheets 1.2, which are arranged in the receiving units 41. The term "addressed" in the broadest sense means that the objects are provided with identification information which allow the object to be assigned to a specific recipient address manually or via a data processing device. This can be z. As the address itself or a machine-readable address code. The objects are primarily letters. In the broadest sense, the term "letter" is an information carrier packed in an addressed envelope, such as an envelope. As an information written on paper to understand.

The feeder 80 according to the two embodiments according to FIG. 7 and 8th comprises a storage unit 48 which provides the letters 50 in stack formation.

The feeder 80 according to the embodiment according to FIG. 10 on the other hand, comprises two storage units 48.1, 48.2, which provide the letters 50a, 50b respectively in a stack formation. For example, the two storage units 48.1, 48.2 receive letters 50a, 50b of different format. Thus, for example, a first memory unit 48.1 record small-format letters 50a while the second memory unit 48.2 receives large-size letters 50b.

The letters in the storage units 48, 48.1, 48.2 are each already presorted. In particular, letters with the same recipient address are preferably arranged directly behind one another. Furthermore, the letters are preferably already ordered by delivery area or even by delivery route of a delivery area. Thus, the letters of a delivery area can be arranged one behind the other, so that they can be fed directly after the collection process without further sorting in a transport device, which z. B. for a delivery area assigned to responsible offspring. Preferably, as mentioned, the letters are sorted not only by delivery area but also by delivery route along which the delivery agent delivering the letters to the recipients.

In this context, the device 40.1, 40.2, 40.3 according to the invention comprises an electronic data memory 47, in which the address information of the previously electronically recorded letters is stored. Furthermore, the sorting sequence of the letters stacked in the storage unit 48 is also stored in the electronic data memory 47. The electronic data memory 47 with the address and sorting information is connected to a control device 45. The control device is connected via bidirectional data or control lines 46 to, among others, the singulator unit 49, the transfer stations 55, 55a... 55d, the creasing device 30 of the sheet feed device 20 and the drive 44 of the pickup units 41.

The data memory 47 may contain further data, so the individual stored address information can be assigned individual information or receiver profiles. Such recipient profiles can z. B. include interests, occupation, hobbies, gender, age or origin of the recipient behind the address information. Receiver-specific delivery units can now be created via the control device. Thus, the individual delivery units targeted recipient specific items, such as advertising supplements are added. Furthermore, the sheet can also be specifically printed with advertising messages in addition to the address. So z. B. in the delivery unit of a motorcycle enthusiast targeted advertising for motorcycles or motorcycle events are introduced.

In terms of control technology, the device is set up such that the delivery units in the device according to the invention can be identified by the control device. The creation and promotion of the delivery units in the inventive Setup is therefore clock-controlled. The delivery units are assigned to individual cycles, with the control device always knowing in which cycle a specific delivery unit is currently located. For this purpose, the control device creates, for example, a virtual clock image of the device. This also allows the correct addressing of the sheet so that the address on the sheet matches the address of the sheets being held in the sheet.

The separating unit is preferably controlled or regulated independently of the movement of the receiving units along the collecting line and has z. B. a different clock than the recording units. Since groups of letters are handed over to the receiving units, the separating device usually has a higher working cycle than the receiving units along the collecting line. The above-mentioned embodiments of the clock-controlled operation of the device generally apply to devices and methods which fall under the present claims, and are not limited to the embodiments shown.

The memory unit 48, 48.1, 48.2 is each assigned a separating device 49 and a checking or control unit 51. At the separating device 49, the letters 50 are individually taken from the stack formation and fed to the control unit 51. At the control unit 51, the address of the letters is checked and compared with the information stored in the data memory 47. In particular, it is checked whether the removed letter 50 is actually singulated and is in the correct position in the sorting sequence as stored in the data memory 47. Furthermore, it is also checked whether the detected address matches the stored address data. The control unit 51 may include a camera system which acquires the address data from the letters by means of an imaging method and converts it via corresponding data processing software into digital address information.

The control unit 51 does not necessarily have to be arranged in the region of the separating device 49. It can also be located downstream of a processing point, z. B. in the range of the allocation unit 52 may be arranged.

According to the embodiment according to FIG. 7 the individual letters 50 are conveyed to an allocation unit 52 after passing through the control unit 51. The allocation unit 52, which z. B. can be a turnout system or cooperate with such, forwards the letters 50 individual, along the collection line S successively arranged letter transfer stations 55a ... 55d on. At the letter transfer stations 55a... 55d, the letters 50 are transferred to the receiving units 41 by being deposited or inserted into the receiving pockets of the sheets 1.2 located in the receiving units 41. For this purpose, the receiving units 41 are guided along the collecting line S past the letter transfer stations 55a ... 55d. The cooperating with the receiving units 41 conveying member is driven by the drive 44, which in turn is controlled by the control device 45.

The device is now controlled via the control device 45 so that letters with the same recipient address of a common recording unit 41 and letters with different addresses in different receiving units 41 are plugged. This happens, for example, in that letters 50 having the same recipient address, which according to pre-sorting pass directly through one another the allocation unit 52, are assigned to adjacent letter transfer stations 55a... 55d. A recording unit guided past the letter transfer stations 55a... 55d now undertakes in sequential order all the letters 50 with the same recipient address from the letter transfer stations 55a... 55d arranged one behind the other and collects them in the receiving pocket of the sheet 1.2 for a particular recipient address a delivery unit with all letters created with the same recipient address.

According to the slightly modified embodiment according to FIG. 8 The letters 50 are fed via an allocation unit 52 to a storage system 53 having a plurality of individual latches 53a ... 53d. The device 40.2 is controlled via the control device 45 so that letters 50 with the same recipient address are assigned to a shared buffer 53a ... 53d and letters 50 having different addresses to different latches 53a ... 53d.

The feeder device 80 also also contains a letter transfer station 55. The units of letters with the same recipient address formed in the latches 53a... 53d are in each case forwarded as a group via a switch 54 to the letter transfer station 55 and transferred therefrom to the receiving units 41 ,

According to another embodiment according to FIG. 10 Letters 50a, 50b become similar to the embodiment FIG. 8 via allocation units 52 to a storage system 53 having a plurality of individual latches 53a ... 53d. The device 40.3 is controlled via the control device 45 so that letters 50a, 50b with the same recipient address are assigned to a shared buffer 53a ... 53d and letters 50a, 50b with different addresses to different latches 53a ... 53d.

The present device 40.3 or the feeder device 80 now contains an allocation device 59 with a plurality of metering units 52, which can be moved in series about a conveying direction 61 along a movement direction Fz. The conveying device 61 can be, for example, a conveyor chain with which the metering units 52 are connected.

The metering units 52 are guided in their movement along their orbit past the two storage units 48.1, 48.2 and take over from the Memory units 48.1, 48.2 the previously isolated letters 50a, 50b. Each allocation unit 52 takes over from the storage units 48.1, 48.2 each one letter or possibly several letters with the same recipient address. The dispatching units 52 convey the letters 50a, 50b to a delivery point. At the point of delivery, the letters 50a, 50b are transferred from the allocating units 52 to the latches 53a ... 53d. Into the latches 53a ... 53d, units of letters with the same recipient address are assembled. The transfer of the letters 50a, 50b from the allocating units 52 to the latches 53a ... 53d can take place in different ways.

Thus, means may be provided which allow the letters 50a, 50b to be fed from a defined position of the metering units 52 along the orbit from the corresponding latches 53a ... 53d. This type of transfer corresponds to a star-shaped allocation of the letters 50a, 50b from a defined position of the allocation unit 52 to the latches 53a ... 53d. The funds can z. B. include an intermediate conveyor with switch system.

It is also possible that the allocating units 52 are guided past the temporary storage 53a ... 53d and the letters 50a, 50b are passed to the corresponding temporary storage 53a ... 53d during the passage.

The arbiter 59 may also perform a buffering function in which the arbiter units 52 buffer the letters 50a, 50b until they are delivered to the latches 53a ... 53d. The more allocation units 52 the allocation device 59 contains, the greater is the buffering effect.

The metering units 52 of the metering device 59 are operated at a higher processing speed than the picking units 41 of the collecting device. That is, with the metering units 52, more product units are processed per time than with the picking units 41.

In principle, the device 40.3 can also contain more than two memory units 48.1, 48.2. The allocation device 59 or the number of allocation units 52 contained in it must be adapted accordingly to the number of storage units 48.1, 48.2.

The feeder device 80 also also contains a letter transfer station 55. The units of letters with the same recipient address formed in the latches 53a... 53d are in each case forwarded as a group via a switch 54 to the letter transfer station 55 and transferred therefrom to the receiving units 41 ,

Since the units of letters 50, 50a, 50b with the same recipient addresses according to the two embodiments according to FIG. 8 and 10 in contrast to the embodiment according to FIG. 7 already formed in the temporary storage system 53 and not only in the receiving units, according to the present embodiment, a single transfer station is sufficient. The temporary storage system 53 acts as a sorting memory in which the units of letters are retained until they are ready for forwarding to the letter transfer station 55. the control device 45 ensures that only completely created delivery units of letters are forwarded to the letter transfer station 55.

As already mentioned, the embodiments prove FIG. 8 and 10 the advantage that the feeder 80 basically with a single letter transfer station 55 or at least much less mail transfer station 55, z. B. with the two, gets along as according to the embodiment according to FIG. 7 be used. As a result, for example, there is more space for more transfer stations, eg. B. for supplying non-individualized advertising supplements, available. Otherwise, the collection section can be made shorter and the system can be made more compact.

Before and / or following the letter transfer stations 55, 55a... 55d for the mail, further transfer stations 42a... 42c can be arranged, as already mentioned, via which further individualized or non-individualized, i. addressed or unaddressed flat objects, such as advertising inserts.

According to the three embodiments according to FIG. 7 . 8th and 10 are arranged along the collecting line S following the letter transfer stations 55, 55a ... 55d for addressed letters transfer stations 42a ... 42c for advertising supplements. After transferring the letters 50, 50a, 50b into the receiving units 41, non-individualized advertising inserts are now introduced into the receiving pockets of the sheets 1.2 via the further transfer stations 42a... 42c, with delivery units with a partially folded sheet and letters arranged in the receiving pocket same recipient address and non-addressed advertising supplements are formed.

Following the collecting route S or at the end of the collecting route S or in the removal device 58 (both alternatives shown) is a printing device 43, z. As an ink-jet printer, arranged. The printing device 43 comprises an addressing station. At the printing device 43 and the associated addressing station, the possibly guided in the receiving unit 41 sheet 1.2 are addressed. The address corresponds with the address on the lying in the receiving pocket of the sheet letters. Furthermore, on the sheet and advertising messages as well as other information such. As the delivery area or the delivery route, the name of the deliverer, etc. are printed. For this purpose, the printing device may contain further printing stations. In principle, the addressing unit can also be placed elsewhere in the device. The bows 1.2. In particular, they can also be addressed to a removal device before the collection line S or only after delivery of the delivery units. So can z. B. in the sheet feeding to the creasing-folding device 30, a printing unit 60 may be provided. The allocation and transfer of the addressed letters to the receiving units must be coordinated in any case by the control device with the addressing and transfer of the sheets to the receiving units.

A delivery unit can thus contain one or more letters with the same recipient address. It can also be provided that a delivery unit does not contain a letter but only advertising supplements. Since the sheet is addressed anyway, a delivery unit need not necessarily contain addressed letters. So z. B. be provided that in principle for each registered recipient in a delivery area or along a delivery route a delivery unit is created with at least advertising supplements, regardless of whether addressed to the individual recipient mail or not.

The feeding of the sheets 1.2 to the receiving units 41, the transfer of the letters from the letter transfer station to the receiving units 41 and the transfer of the advertising supplements to the receiving units 41 preferably runs in-line and isochronous to the movement of the receiving units 41 through the collection line. Favor is also the processing of the sheets in the folding device 30 and optionally the separation of the unfolded sheet from stack of sheet buffer in-line and clock-related, in particular isochronous with the movement of the receiving units 41st

The FIGS. 9a and 9b show two embodiments of delivery units 70.1, 70.2. The delivery units 70.1, 70.2 each contain a collection 71 of a plurality of flat objects of the above-mentioned type. The objects are in the form of a stack and are held by a enclosing unit 72.1, 72.2 in the form of a partially folded sheet. The partially folded sheet 72.1, 72.2 has a bending line 74, which has a middle section 76 along which a fold line is arranged. The middle section 76 of the bending line is flanked on each side by a lateral section 75a, 75b, which extend to the lateral edge of the sheet. The lateral sections 75a, 75b of the bending line 74 are not folded. The arc 72.1, 72.2 is divided along the bend line 74 into two arc sections. On the outside of an arc section 78.1, 78.2 a recipient address 73 is printed. Furthermore, the sheet 72.1, 72.2 is also used to attach advertising messages. On the bow 72.1 or on an associated arc section 78.1 of a first delivery unit 70.1 according to FIG. 9a are advertising messages 77.1 printed in the form of three-dimensional representations. On the arc 72.2 or on an associated arc section 78.2 of a second delivery unit 70.2 according to FIG. 9b are advertising messages 77.2 printed in the form of multi-colored representations.

Claims (18)

1. A method for collecting flat articles (9a, 9b, 50) in receiving units (11, 41) which are moved along a circular path, and for further conveying the collected articles (9a, 9b, 50) in the receiving units (11, 41), wherein the receiving units (11, 41) comprise in each case two supporting elements (12a, 12b) which are located opposite one another and form a receiving space,
   said method characterized by the following steps:

   - providing a flat, flexible enclosing unit (1.1) which is weakened in part along a bending line, and

   - bending the enclosing unit (1.1) along the bending line (2) thus realizing two enclosing portions (8a, 8b) which are defined from one another by the bending line (2);

   - inserting the bent enclosing unit (1.2, 1.3) into the receiving space between the supporting elements (12a, 12b);

   - holding the enclosing portions (8a, 8b) of the enclosing unit (1.2, 1.3) in the receiving space on the adjacent supporting elements (12a, 12b) thus realizing a receiving pocket;

   - supplying at least one article (9a, 9b, 50) into the entrained receiving pocket of the bent enclosing unit (1.2, 1.3);

   - guiding the two enclosing portions (8a, 8b) toward one another.
2. The method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the receiving units (11, 41) are moved in a conveying direction (F) along a closed conveying path (U) and the articles (9a, 9b, 50) are supplied along a collecting section (S) one after another to the receiving units (11, 41) and are inserted into the receiving pockets of the enclosing units (1.2, 1.3) thus forming a stack.
3. The method as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the receiving units are realized as grippers (11) and the supporting elements are realized as gripper leg portions (12a, 12b), and the gripper leg portions (12a, 12b) are movable in relation to one another between an open position, in which the enclosing unit (1.2, 1.3) held in the receiving space forms a receiving pocket, and a closed position in which the enclosing portions (8a, 8b) are guided toward one another.
4. The method as claimed in claim 3, characterized by

   - closing the gripper (11) once the collection of articles (9a, 9b) has been concluded and gripping the bent enclosing unit (1.2, 1.3) with the articles (9a, 9b) collected therein by means of the gripper leg portions (12a, 12b), and

   - further conveying the articles (9a, 9b) held in the enclosing unit (1.2, 1.3) by means of the gripper (11).
5. The method as claimed in one of claims 1 to 4, characterized by

   - creating at least one weakening line (5, 6a, 6b) along a bending line (2) in a folding apparatus (30), wherein the weakening line (5, 6a, 6b) is shorter than the bending line (2) and extends only over a part section of the bending line (2).
6. The method as claimed in one of claims 1 to 5, characterized by

   - inserting the articles (9a, 9b) into the receiving pocket and placing them onto an enclosing portion (8b) of the bent enclosing unit (1.2, 1.3).
7. The method as claimed in one of claims 1 to 6, characterized by

   - transferring the enclosing unit (1.2, 1.3) with the articles (9a, 9b) held therein to a conveying-away device and further folding of the enclosing unit (1.2, 1.3) along the bending line (2).
8. The method as claimed in one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the conveying-away device is a belt conveyor and the at least partially folded enclosing units (1.2, 1.3) with the articles (9a, 9b) held therein are transferred into a shingle stream.
9. The method as claimed in one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the enclosing unit (1.2, 1.3) comprises a bending line (2) which extends between two enclosing edges (3a, 3b) and the bending line (2) comprises a plurality of part sections, wherein part sections (5, 6a, 6b) with a weakening line and part sections without a weakening line (4a, 4b, 7) alternate in each case along the bending line (2).
10. The method as claimed in one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that, following the enclosing portions (8a, 8b) being guided toward one another, the enclosing unit (1.2, 1.3) is closed by means of at least one adhesive means which connects the enclosing portions (8a, 8b) over part of their surface.
11. A device (40.1, 40.2) for collecting flat articles (9a, 9b, 50) and for further conveying the collected articles (9a, 9b, 50) as a stack, said device including a plurality of receiving units (11, 41) which are movable in a conveying direction (Fc) along a closed conveying path (U) which is defined by a conveying member (13), and which, for holding and supporting the collected articles (9a, 9b, 50), comprises in each case two supporting elements (12a, 12b) which are situated opposite one another and realize a receiving space,
    characterized in that
    the device (40.1, 40.2) contains a folding apparatus (30) for the partial folding of the enclosing units (1.1) prior to supplying the enclosing units (1.2) into the receiving units (11, 41) and an apparatus (20) for supplying an enclosing unit (1.2) which is folded in part along a bending line and for pushing the enclosing unit (1.2) into the receiving space of the receiving unit (11, 41) which is moved along the conveying path (U), wherein the apparatus (20) is capable of inserting the enclosing unit (1.2) in the bent state into the receiving space.
12. The device as claimed in claim 11, characterized in that, at least along a collecting section (S) of the conveying path (U), the receiving units (11, 41) define a contact face which is inclined in the conveying direction (Fc).
13. The device as claimed in one of claims 11 to 12, characterized in that the receiving units are realized as grippers (11) and the supporting elements are realized as gripper leg portions (12a, 12b) which are movable in relation to one another between an open position, in which the enclosing unit (1.2) held in the receiving space forms a receiving pocket, and a closed position in which the enclosing portions (8a, 8b) are guided toward one another and the enclosing unit (1.2) is held in a clamping manner.
14. The device as claimed in one of claims 11 to 13, characterized in that the inclined contact face (11) is realized at least in part by a lengthened gripper leg portion (12b).
15. A delivery unit (70.1, 70.2), including at least one flat article as well as a flat, flexible enclosing unit (72.1, 72.2) which is weakened in part along a bending line (2) and includes two enclosing portions which are defined from one another along the bending line and form a receiving pocket.
16. The delivery unit (70.1, 70.2) as claimed in claim 15, wherein the enclosing unit (72.1, 72.2) is provided with identification data (73).
17. The delivery unit as claimed in claim 15 or 16, wherein the enclosing unit includes a viewing window, through which it is possible to see identification data which has been applied on an article of the collection or on a data carrier which is provided separately to this and has been inserted into the receiving pocket.
18. The delivery unit as claimed in one of claims 15 to 17, wherein the enclosing unit is closed in at least one edge region which does not include the bending line.

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