EP2818440A1 - Gathering track for flat goods and method for assembling a gathering track for flat goods - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a gathering sheet for flat goods (1) with a conveyor device (2) which has in its longitudinal direction a plurality of collection areas (3) arranged one behind the other in which the goods are collected and transported in a conveying direction (F) at a conveying speed, - At least one interchangeable docking station (4a) or a plurality of interchangeable docking stations (4), which goods (1) and stored along the conveyor (2) are arranged so that in the landing stations (4) stockpiled goods (1) in the Collection areas (3) can be stored, - And a control device which is coupled to the conveyor device (2) and the landing stations (4) to control the deposition of the goods (1) from the landing stations (4) in the collecting areas (3). In order to design such a gathering track more flexibly while ensuring a compact construction, to allow the simplest possible assembly of the gathering track with investors and the simplest possible exchange of investors, it is provided that the exchangeable landing station (4a, 4) can be inserted in any desired working positions in the gathering track and the control device is arranged to receive information from which the control device determines the absolute discharge position (18) of the or each docking station (4a, 4) along the conveyor device (2) at which the respective docking station (4a, 4) stored in it Throws goods on the conveyor (2).

Description

The invention relates to a gathering web for flat goods according to the preamble of claim 1 and to a method for assembling such a gathering web with a replaceable landing station.

Feeders are known from the prior art, with which flat goods such as sheets, stacks of sheets, glued or stapled stacks of sheets, envelopes, sheets or cards are stored on a collection or gathering path. Such investors are for example from the EP 2 548 826 A , of the EP 0 813 496 B1 and the EP 1 591 388 B1 known. Such investors are used, for example, in collation tracks for mail containing inserts. The content of a mail piece is collected in collecting areas of the gathering web and then fed to an inserting or packaging device which puts the contents of the mailing in an envelope or packs it with a wrapping. The contents of the mail items formed by flat goods are deposited in the collecting areas of the gathering path by one or more such feeders, which are arranged along the gathering path. In particular, when the contents of the mailpieces from different types of goods composed, for example. From sheets of different format or from sheets and cards, several different investors are arranged one behind the other along the gathering path, each investor stores flat goods and stores them in the defined collection areas of the gathering. Typically, for the different items collected in the collection areas of the gathering lane and forming the contents of a mailing, specific investors are stocked with the specific investors tailored to the type of type of goods being stored therein are. For example, special feeders can be provided for individual sheets of different sizes or for folded sheets or for stapled or glued sheets or for cards etc. Depending on the composition of the goods to be processed, the gathering path will be equipped with suitable investors, whereby the investors can be arranged interchangeably in the collation track.

Such a gathering path for flat goods with a plurality of investors is, for example, from the EP 2 103 559-A known. This collation web is used for collecting printed sheets to intermediate products for the production of bound printed products and comprises several along a conveyor device arranged successively Anlegereinheiten for feeding the conveyor with the sheet, each investor unit is interchangeable and has at least two investors and can be placed on a base. Each investor unit is assigned an interface section designed for power and control supply. In order to be able to process printed sheets with this gathering sheet which have a size deviating from the standard, an adaptation device is provided which can be placed on the lower frame and for this purpose has an underside compatible with the lower frame. At the top, the adapter device for attachment of investors is designed according to an arrangement which deviates from the interface arrangement. As a result, investors of various types can be inserted into the gathering path via the adaptation device. However, each investor can only be placed at certain predetermined by a grid positions along the gathering path.

Another gathering path with a plurality of successively arranged investors is from the US 4,177,979-B known. The feeders can be moved along a frame of the gathering track and fixed there in predeterminable working positions. Via an adjustable coupling device, the investors are synchronized via a mechanical coupling with the movement of a collecting track. The investors deposit the goods stored in them according to the mechanical coupling at predetermined collection points of the gathering path.

The DE 10 2005 020 591 B3 discloses a system for processing printed products with a base device which can be built up from a plurality of interchangeable individual units (investors). The base device consists of a work table with a longitudinally extending transport path for transporting the printed products. The work table has at its two parallel to the transport path extending lateral edge regions in each case a guide rail, which are arranged parallel to each other and support arms to arrange the individual units to the base device in a predetermined position along the guide rails and secure there. The individual units are attached to the support arms, which along the guide rails and slidably be predetermined by a raster specified working positions by locking means. For fixing the individual units in the base device, the support arms on locking means which can engage along the guide rails at predetermined intervals arranged locking grooves. As a result, the individual units can only be fixed to the working positions fixed along a grid by the grid along the gathering path.

The EP 1 946 249 B1 describes a card issuing system and method for operating such an issuing system having a plurality of sequentially arranged functional modules, each functional module being adapted to perform a particular function in the production of personalized cards. Each functional module comprises a communication device and a memory area in which data for the identity of the respective module are stored. The communication device of each functional module can send data to and receive from its neighboring modules via a first communication link. Via a second communication connection, each functional module can communicate with a main control device. As the system boots up, each function module accesses its memory area to determine its own identity. Via a peer-to-peer communication between the individual functional modules, each functional module can detect its relative position in the order of the functional modules along the card issuing system and transmit them via the second communication connection to the main control unit. The main control device recognizes thereby the total number of functional modules used in the card issuing system as well as their identity or module type and their relative position with each other in the order of the row of modules arranged one behind the other along the card issuing system. Also in this card issuing system, the function modules sequentially arranged along the system can be inserted into the system only at certain work positions predetermined by a grid, and the control means detects only the type of the individual functional modules and their relative position in the order of the functional modules. This significantly limits the flexibility of the system in the sequential arrangement of the functional modules.

Proceeding from this, the invention has the object, a generic collection web for flat goods educate so that it has a higher flexibility in the placement with investors. There is also the task of developing a generic gathering so that the simplest possible Assembly of the gathering path with investors and the simplest possible replacement of investors and a compact construction of the gathering path can be ensured.

These objects are achieved with a collation web having the features of claim 1 and a method for assembling a gathering web with the features of claim 13. Preferred embodiments of the gathering path and the method according to the invention can be found in the dependent claims.

The flat goods gathering web of the present invention comprises a conveying device having in its longitudinal direction a plurality of sequentially arranged collecting areas in which the flat goods are collected and transported in a conveying direction at a conveying speed, and at least one exchangeable landing station storing flat goods. In a gathering web according to the invention, several exchangeable landing stations can also be arranged sequentially along the conveying device. The or each docking station deposits the goods stored therein in the predetermined collection areas while the conveyor is running. The conveying device and the laying stations are each coupled to at least one control device in order to control the depositing of the goods from the landing stations into the predetermined collecting areas and in particular to synchronize them. According to the invention, the interchangeable docking stations can be used without grid at any working positions in the gathering track and the control device is set up to receive information from which the control device determines an absolute dropping position of the or each docking station along the conveyor at which the respective docking station the goods stored in it on the conveyor throwing off.

Due to the gridless arrangement of the landing stations at any desired working positions along the gathering the flexibility in the construction of the gathering path and when loading the gathering path is increased with the landing stations. By the transmission of information to the control device, from which the control device determines the absolute dropping positions of the feed stations along the conveyor device, the assembling of the gathering path and its assembly with the exchangeable landing stations is substantially simplified because the control device is in communication with the transmitted information of the individual landing stations able to determine their absolute discharge position along the conveyor at which the respective mooring station in her stockpiled goods to the conveyor. From the received data, the control device can automatically detect the overall configuration of the gathering path and the docking stations used therein during startup of the control system and make the synchronization of the movement in the docking stations with the movement of the conveyor. In particular, when assembling the gathering path after starting the control system, the operator of the gathering path preferably no longer has to enter data into the control system in order to specify to the control system the configuration of the gathering path and in particular the arrangement of the individual feed stations and their (absolute) discharge position along the gathering path. The information about the configuration of the gathering path and the absolute positioning of the individual landing stations as well as the detection of the discharge positions takes place automatically in the control device by means of the received information about the individual docking stations. However, it is also possible within the scope of the invention to manually measure or record the absolute position or the relative position of the individual application stations along the assembly path and to supply these position data together with investor-specific information to the control device. The control device can then calculate its (absolute) discharge position along the gathering path from the position data and the feeder-specific information of the individual feeder stations and take it into account during the synchronization of the sequence of movements in the feeder stations with the movement of the conveyor device.

The information received by the control device expediently comprise position information about the individual landing stations. This position information can be transmitted in the form of a position signal detected by a position sensor or as an (digital) information signal of an interface to the control device. In addition to the position information, the control device expediently still receives investor-specific information about the individual landing stations, such as the length of the landing station and the position of a dispensing location at which the goods leave the respective docking station when depositing on the conveyor. From these data, the control device in conjunction with the position information can then determine the absolute dropping position of each landing station along the gathering path at which the respective docking station drops the goods stored in it onto the conveyor device.

In a preferred embodiment of a gathering web according to the invention, a position sensor is provided for detecting the absolute position of each docking station used in the gathering, which detects the absolute position of each docking station with respect to a reference point of the collation and transmits the detected position signals to the control device. The control device receives the position signals detected by the position sensor and determines therefrom the absolute position of each application station along the conveyor with respect to the reference point of the collation path. If the controller information in addition to the position information generated by the position sensor information is transmitted to the control device from this information can also determine the absolute dropping position of each landing station along the gathering at which the respective docking station throws the stored goods in her goods on the conveyor.

In one embodiment of a gathering web according to the invention, this comprises a plurality of interfaces, which are arranged in a predetermined order. Each mooring station inserted in the gathering lane is coupled with such an interface. The interfaces each transmit a (digital) information signal to the control device, wherein the information signal preferably in turn contains position information as well as investor-specific information. The control device can determine from the received information signal of the interfaces the absolute position of the docking station coupled to the respective interface. For this purpose, the order of the stations in the longitudinal direction of the gathering path is expediently correlated with the order of the interfaces, i. there is a correlation between the order of the interfaces and the sequential order of the landing stations along the gathering path. In this exemplary embodiment of the gathering web according to the invention, the feed stations are arranged along the gathering web in direct contact with one another without a gap.

In addition to the (digital) information signal of the interfaces, which indicates whether and possibly with which landing station this interface is coupled, the control device in this embodiment expedient receives investor-specific information, for example, the type or type of the respective feeder station and / or their geometric data , In particular, their extent in the longitudinal direction of the gathering web and the position of a Einspendorts included. From these For the feeder-specific information and the received information signals of the interfaces coupled to a landing station, the control means can determine both the absolute position of each landing station along the conveyor and the absolute drop position of each landing station along the collation path from the known correlation between the order of the interfaces and the order of the feed stations Determine conveyor on which the respective docking station drops the goods stored in her goods on the conveyor.

In a particular embodiment variant of this embodiment of the gathering web according to the invention, provision can be made for one or more spacers to be arranged in the gathering path next to the landing stations. Each spacer is then either coupled to an adjacent docking station to increase the extent of this docking station (virtually) in the longitudinal direction of the nesting track by the length of the standoff. Alternatively, the spacer may be coupled to an interface to occupy that interface and to simulate a (non-functioning) docking station in the order of sequential placement of the docking stations. The interface coupled to the spacer then sends to the controller an information signal indicating the identity of the docked spacer station and its length (extension in the longitudinal direction of the gathering path) so that the controller derives from the information signal received from the interface Determine position information about the spacer used and its absolute position in the series of stations.

In a preferred embodiment of the gathering path according to the invention, the exchangeable landing stations are displaceable along a frame of the conveying device and can be fixed there in a grid-free manner at arbitrary and freely selectable working positions by means of locking means. In this case, working position is understood to be the (absolute) position of the respective landing station along the gathering path in which the docking station is fixed in the gathering path (in particular on the frame of the conveying device) in order to carry out the work steps assigned to it in this working position and to store the goods stored in it can deposit the defined collection points of the conveyor. The assigned to a landing station operations consist in particular in the deduction of a good from a stockpiled in the docking station stack, the supply of the withdrawn Guts the conveyor and the storage of the withdrawn Guts in a predetermined collection area of the conveyor at a certain discharge position.

According to the invention, the control device can determine from the received position information and the investor-specific information the exact and absolute discharge position of each landing station at which the respective docking station throws the goods onto the conveyor. The control device can thereby synchronize the movement sequence of each docking station with the movement of the conveying device in order to ensure a positionally correct discharge of the individual goods into the predetermined collecting areas of the conveying device.

In preferred embodiments of the gathering web according to the invention, the conveying device comprises a conveying surface on which the stored goods are laid (stacked), as well as a plurality of conveying means above the conveying means, which are arranged in the longitudinal direction of the conveying device at a distance from each other and define the collecting regions of the conveying device. The conveying means move at a predeterminable conveying speed and thereby transport the goods (stacked) deposited on the conveying surface in the conveying direction. In addition to the conveying means, it is possible to provide stoppers which are arranged at a distance from one another in the longitudinal direction and also project beyond the conveying surface.

Figur 1:

Schematische Seitenansicht einer erfindungsgemäßen Zusammentragbahn in einer ersten Konfiguration;

Figur 2:

Perspektivische Detaildarstellung eines Ausschnitts der Zusammentragbahn von Figur 1;

Figur 3:

Seitenansicht des Ausschnitts von Figur 2;

Figur 4:

Seitenansichten unterschiedlicher Anlegestationen für eine erfindungsgemäße Zusammentragbahn, wobei die Figuren 4a und 4b Anlegestationen unterschiedlichen Typs und die Figuren 4c und 4d jeweils Abstandshalter für solche Anlegestationen zeigen;

Figur 5:

Seitenansichten von erfindungsgemäßen Zusammentragbahnen in unterschiedlichen Konfigurationen, wobei Figur 5a eine Zusammentragbahn mit sieben Anlegestationen und zwei Abstandshaltern, Figur 5b eine Zusammentragbahn mit sechs Anlegestationen und einem Abstandshalter und Figur 5c eine Zusammentragbahn mit sechs Anlegestationen sowie einem längenvariablen Abstandshalter und einem Abstandshalter mit fest vorgegebener Länge zeigen;

Figur 6:

Schematische Darstellung einer zweiten Ausführungsform einer erfindungsgemäßen Zusammentragbahn in einer Seitenansicht (Figur 6a), einer perspektivischen Ansicht von unten und einer perspektivischen Draufsicht auf einen Ausschnitt von Figur 6a.

Figur 7:

Schematische Darstellung von zwei Ausführungsbeispielen einer Steuereinrichtung für eine erfindungsgemäße Zusammentragbahn.

These and other advantages and features of the gathering sheet according to the invention and the method according to the invention will become apparent from the embodiments described in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1:

Schematic side view of a gathering web according to the invention in a first configuration;

FIG. 2:

Perspective detail of a section of the compilation track of FIG. 1 ;

FIG. 3:

Side view of cutting of FIG. 2 ;

FIG. 4:

Side views of different landing stations for a gathering web according to the invention, wherein the FIGS. 4a and 4b feeder stations different type and the Figures 4c and 4d each show spacers for such mooring stations;

FIG. 5:

Side views of inventive collation webs in different configurations, wherein FIG. 5a a gathering station with seven mooring stations and two spacers, FIG. 5b a gathering station with six mooring stations and a spacer and FIG. 5c show a gathering track with six landing stations as well as a variable length spacer and a fixed length spacer;

FIG. 6:

Schematic representation of a second embodiment of a gathering web according to the invention in a side view ( FIG. 6a ), a perspective view from below and a perspective top view of a section of FIG. 6a ,

FIG. 7:

Schematic representation of two embodiments of a control device for a gathering web according to the invention.

In FIG. 1 a first embodiment of a gathering web according to the invention is shown in a side view. The gathering track shown comprises a conveying device 2 composed of basic modules M1, M2 and a plurality of exchangeable landing stations 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d. The majority of the landing stations will be referred to below with reference numeral 4. The application stations 4 each store a stack 1 'of flat goods 1 and are set up to remove a good 1 from the stack 1', to transport it to the conveying device 2 and to deposit it on the conveying device 2. The conveying device 2 contains a plurality of defined collecting areas 3, which are arranged sequentially in the longitudinal direction of the conveying device. The collecting areas 3 serve to collect the goods 1 stored on the conveying device, the goods being stacked on top of one another in these collecting areas. The goods 1 stored in the defined collecting areas 3 of the conveying device 2 are transported by the conveying device 2 at a conveying speed in a conveying direction F to an output module 20. The output module 20 can be, for example, an inserting device in which the goods 1 stored in one of the collecting areas 3 are inserted from this collecting area 3 into an envelope in order, for example, to form a mailpiece. On the input side of the conveyor device 2, an input channel 21 may be arranged, which may consist of one or more processing modules and in the documents of the mail item are prepared, for example, by printing, folding, folding, collecting, etc. The documents processed by the input channel 21 (for example, lettering of a mail item) are transferred from the input channel 21 to the conveying device 2 adjoining thereto in the conveying direction, the documents stored in the collection points 3 of the conveyor and transported by this in the conveying direction. The arranged above the conveyor 2 landing station 4 then put the appropriate supplements (goods 1) in the respective collection points 3, which is associated with the documents stored therein, for example. As a plant or supplement.

The docking stations 4 may each be the same or different types and are suitably adapted to the type of goods 1 they stockpile. For example, docking stations 4 of different types may be provided for goods of different sizes or different thicknesses. The flat goods 1 can be individual sheets of different format and thickness or even stapled or bound stacks of sheets or folded sheets. It may also be flat plastic cards such as Check or ID cards or CDs or DVDs. Various investor types for the processing of such flat goods are known from the aforementioned prior art.

How out FIG. 1 As can be seen, the application stations 4 are arranged sequentially in the conveying direction F one after the other and above the conveying device 2, so that the goods 1 stored in the individual application stations 4 can be sequentially stored in the collecting areas 3 of the conveying device 2 (stacked).

The conveying device 2 and the docking stations 4 are each coupled to a control device, not shown here in the drawing. The control device may be a central controller or a bus system. In FIG. 7 Embodiments of control devices are shown, which can be used in the gathering path according to the invention. The control device controls the depositing of the goods 1 from the individual application stations 4 into the collection areas 3 of the conveyor device 2. For this purpose, the control device synchronizes the movement of the conveyor device 2 with the movement of the goods 1 in the application stations 4, which there withdrawn from the stack 1 ', transported to the conveyor device 2 and there with the conveyor running be stored in the collection areas 3. This is done, for example, by electronic coupling of the drives or by readjustment of driving curves of the drives.

The landing stations 4 are arranged interchangeably in the gathering path. For arranging and fastening the landing stations 4 at defined working positions in the gathering web, the conveying device 2 has a frame 7. The frame 7 may for example comprise a frame with two longitudinally spaced and parallel frame bars. The landing stations 4 are along the frame 7 in the longitudinal direction of the conveyor (ie parallel to the conveying direction F) displaceable and there grid-free fixed at any desired working positions. For fixing the landing stations 4 on the frame 7 locking means are provided. The locking means may be formed for example by screws, bolts or clamps or by locking or clamping elements.

In the in FIG. 1 shown embodiment, in addition to the four investors 4a, 4b, 4c and 4d additionally a spacer 4x inserted in the gathering path. This spacer 4x is a non-functional station that only occupies a free space in the gathering path to fill it completely with stations over its entire length. The spacer 4x can be used at any point and it can also be used more spacers. For example, a spacer 4y can be made variable in length via an accordion system to ensure that the gathering path can be filled completely with stations over its entire length, regardless of the length of the individual stations used. The spacers optionally used in the gathering track serve the purpose of occupying the stations of the gathering station completely. This ensures that the gathering path is completely covered over its entire length at its upper side, which is esp. For safety reasons expedient because it can be prevented that an operator unintentionally engages in the incomplete occupied with stations gathering path and at the moving Conveyor injured.

At the in FIG. 1 In the embodiment shown, the conveying device 2 is composed of two basic modules M1 and M2 arranged one behind the other in the conveying direction F. For modular design of the conveyor device 2, several such Basic modules or even a basic module can be used. Each basic module M1, M2 contains a number of interfaces 6 FIG. 1 In the embodiment shown, each basic module M1, M2 comprises three such interfaces 6a, 6b, 6c, or 6d, 6e, and 6f. The plurality of interfaces 6, which will be referred to below as reference numeral 6, have a particular (ascending) order. Suitably, the interfaces 6 are digital interfaces. It may be wired or wireless interfaces, such as a Bluetooth or an infrared interface.

Each application station 4 is provided with an investor interface 5a, 5b, 5c, 5d, which are compatible with the (digital) interfaces 6. The attachment interfaces 5 and the interfaces 6 are expediently of the same type. The investor interfaces 5 are coupled to the interfaces 6 such that each of the investor interfaces 5 is connected to one of the interfaces 6. The coupling of the feeder interfaces 5 with the interfaces 6 serves for communication between the feeder stations 4 and the control device, which is coupled to the interfaces 6 via communication links. The docking stations 4 can also be supplied with energy via the coupling of the investor interfaces 5 with the interfaces 6.

The connection between an investor interface 5 with one of the interfaces 6 (for example, the feeder interface 5a with the interface 6a) can - depending on the interface type - be wired by means of a connection cable or wirelessly via a wireless communication link. At the in FIG. 1 In the embodiment shown, the investor interface 5a assigned to the first feeder 4a is connected to the interface 6a via a connecting cable 13. In a corresponding manner, the investor interface 5b associated with the second feeder 4b is connected to the interface 6b, the interface 5c associated with the third feeder 4c is connected to the interface 6c, and the interface 5d assigned to the fourth feeder 4d is connected to the interface 6d. The spacer 5x associated with the spacer 4x is correspondingly connected to the interface 6e. The last interface 6f is free. The order of the interfaces 6 is correlated with the order of the landing stations 4 along the gathering path in such a way that the first docking station 4a is coupled to the first interface 6a, the second docking stations 4b to the second interface 6b, and so on. It is also possible to omit an interface in the coupling of the investor interfaces 5 with the interfaces 6, for example, the interface 6b, so that, for example, the second landing station 4b is coupled to the third interface 6c. However, an ascending correlation of the order of the landing stations 4 with the order of the interfaces 6 is to be observed (so that "cross-over connections" are excluded).

How out FIG. 1 the landing stations 4a, 4b, 4c 4d are arranged along the gathering path one behind the other in a direct connection to one another, ie without a gap between adjacent feed stations. Also, the spacer 4x, which is arranged on the input side in the gathering path, adjoins without distance directly to the adjacent docking station 4d. The first contact station 4a, which is arranged on the output side in the collation web, is located on the output side (ie at the end of the collation web, which adjoins the output module 20) against a stop 14. The stop 14 defines a reference point R of the conveying device 2.

Each docking station 4 expediently, but not necessarily, includes an investor control system (not shown here) with an internal data storage in which the identity of the respective docking station and further investor-specific information are contained. The investor-specific information can be, for example, information on the type and functionality of the respective landing station 4 as well as its geometric data, in particular its length (extension of the landing station in the longitudinal direction of the gathering path). This investor-specific information is transmitted via the interface connection between the investor interfaces 5 and the interfaces 6. The interfaces 6 send the investor-specific information as well as position information to the control device. The position information results from the order of interfaces 6 and the (intersection-free) correlation of this order with the order of the feeder stations 4 along the gathering path. The control device is set up to receive the position information and the investor-specific information and can determine the absolute position of each application station 4 along the conveyor device 2 from the information received. The position information transmitted from each occupied interface 6 to the control device contains the indication that the respective interface 6 is coupled to a local interface 5 and a relative position resulting from the position of the respective interface 6 in the series of interfaces 6. From the position information of the occupied interfaces 6, the control device can first the order of the landing stations 4 along the Collapse track (and thus the relative position of the landing stations 4 to each other) capture. Taking into account the investor-specific information further received by the control device, which in particular contains the length of the individual application stations 4, the control device can also determine the absolute position of each application station 4 along the conveyor device 2. The absolute position of each docking station 4 is determined with respect to the reference point R of the conveyor device 2 from the relative position and the length of the respective docking station 4 and provided that all landing stations 4 are arranged along the gathering path in direct connection to each other without a gap.

The transfer of the investor-specific information of each investment station 4 to the associated interface 6 can also be done in other ways. For example, each docking station 4 may be provided with a label containing a code (for example, a barcode or a QR code) in which the investor-specific data is contained. The operator of the collation web can read the codes with the investor-specific information for each launching station 4 with a suitable reading device (for example a barcode reader or a QR code reader) and transmit the read-out data to the interface 6 assigned to the respective docking station 4. The interface 6 then transmits this investor-specific information of its associated investor 4 together with the position information to the controller, so that the controller again from the position information and the investor-specific information, the absolute position of each landing station 4 along the gathering path (which corresponds to the respective working position of the landing station ) can determine.

The investor-specific information of the individual investment stations 4 can also be transmitted by means of an RFID tag to the associated interface 6.

From the Figures 2 and 3 the structure of the discharge device 15 of the respective application stations 4 can be seen. The discharge device 15 of each landing station 4, in the exemplary embodiment shown here, two circumferential bands 16, which are guided around rollers 17. The items 1 individually stored by the stack 1 ', which is stored in the respective docking station 4, are carried between the circulating belts 16 and thereby transported in the direction of the conveyor 2 and stacked there in the defined collection areas 3. The place where the estate 1 the discharge device 15 leaves the respective docking station 4, sets a discharge position 18. This discharge position 18 can be defined, for example, by the position of the trailing edge or the leading edge of the item 1, which occupies the rear or front edge when the product 1 leaves the discharge device 15. As an alternative to the tapes 16 illustrated here, the discharge device 15 can also comprise suction belts or pairs of rolls in order to convey the goods 1 removed from the goods stack 1 'to a dispensing location 18' or the discharge position 18.

In the FIGS. 4a and 4b two different types of landing stations 4 are shown in a side view. At the in FIG. 4a investor type shown is the Einspendeort 18 'within the longitudinal extent L of the landing station in the longitudinal direction of the collation web (ie along the conveying direction F). The term dispensing location 18 'is understood to mean the location at which the estate leaves the landing station in order to be deposited on the conveying device below. At the in FIG. 4b investor shown type, the Einspendeort 18 ', however, outside the extension L of the investor in the longitudinal direction of the gathering path. The respective dispensing location 18 'of the individual feeders is uniquely determined with respect to a defined reference point at the respective feeder, for example its leading edge V. The distance A between the reference point V and the dispensing location 18 'is thus an investor-specific variable. This investor-specific variable is preferably transmitted to the control device together with the position information. The control device can then use the received position information and the investor-specific information about the distance A of the dispensing location 18 'with respect to the reference point V to determine the absolute dispensing position 18 of the respective feeder 4 along the collation path and with respect to the reference point R of the conveyor device 2. The discharge position 18 is understood to be the absolute position (with respect to the reference point R) in the longitudinal direction of the gathering path at which the respective feed station 4 throws a good 1 onto the conveyor device 2. The absolute value of the discharge positions 18 of the individual application stations 4 can thus be taken into account in the synchronization of the movement of the material in the application stations 4 with the conveyor 2 to ensure a positionally appropriate discharge of the goods 1 from the docking stations 4 in the collection areas 3 of the conveyor.

In the Figures 4c and 4d are two embodiments of spacers 4x and 4y dargstellt. At the in Figure 4c shown spacers 4x is one Spacer with fixed length L. In the in FIG. 4d shown spacers is a variable-length spacer with a basic length L0, which is extendable by a concertina system by a distance x, where x is variable. The length L of the spacer shown here corresponds to the extension of the spacers 4x or 4y in the longitudinal direction of the gathering path.

From the Figures 2 and 3 the structure of the conveyor device 2 can be seen. The conveying device 2 comprises a conveying surface 8 on which the goods 1 in the defined collecting areas 3 of the conveying device 2 are stacked on top of each other, as well as a plurality of conveying means 9 and 11 (pins) projecting above the conveying surface 8, which are spaced apart in the longitudinal direction. The conveying means 9, 11 are moved by traction means, for example by driven belts 10, to which the conveying means are fastened, in the conveying direction F at a conveying speed in order to transport the goods 1 stored in the collecting areas 3. In the illustrated embodiment, the conveyor device 2 includes a plurality of longitudinally spaced-apart groups of funding with two pairs of funding 9, 11 with an outer conveyor pair 9 and an inner conveyor pair 11, which are arranged transversely to the conveying direction side by side and at the same speed in the conveying direction move. As an alternative to this arrangement shown in the drawing, each group of conveying means may also contain only a single conveying means or more than two conveying means pairs. It is also possible to replace the conveyor pairs 9, 11 of a group by a conveyor bar extending transversely to the conveying direction F or a conveyor bar.

In FIG. 5 Further possible configurations of a gathering web according to the invention are shown. In the embodiment of FIG. 5a For example, seven different application stations 4a, 4b,... 4g and a variable-length spacer 4x and a spacer 4y with a fixed predetermined length are arranged along the assembly path. The conveyor device 2 is composed of three successively placed in the conveying direction F modules M1, M2 and M3, each module has three interfaces 6 (the module M1 includes, for example, the interfaces 6a, 6b, 6c and 6d). The investor interfaces 5a, 5b,... 5f assigned to the landing stations 4a, 4b,... 4f are connected to the interfaces 6a, 6b, 6c, 6e, 6f in ascending order and correlation, ie investor interface 5a is connected to interface 6a, Investor interface 5b is with Interface 6b, etc. coupled and investor interface 5f is coupled to interface 6f. The interface 6g is coupled to the spacer interface 5y of the spacer 4y and the interface 6i is coupled to the spacer interface 5x of the spacer 4x. The intermediate interface 6h is connected to the feeder interface 5g of the landing station 4g. Thus, in this embodiment, all interfaces 6 are occupied and connected to either an investor interface 5 or a spacer interface (5x, 5y).

In the embodiment of FIG. 5b are six different landing stations 4a, 4b, ... 4f and a variable length spacer 4x arranged along the gathering path. The structure of the conveying device 2 corresponds to that of FIG. 5a , The investor interfaces 5a, 5b,... 5f assigned to the landing stations 4a, 4b,... 4f are connected to the interfaces 6a, 6c, 6d, 6e and 6f in ascending order and correlation, ie investor interface 5a is connected to interface 6a, Investor interface 5b is coupled to interface 6c, etc., and investor interface 5f is coupled to interface 6h. The interfaces 6b and 6g are unoccupied, ie not coupled to an investor interface 5. The interface 6i is coupled to the spacer interface 5x of the spacer 4x. Thus, not all interfaces 6 are occupied in this embodiment. However, there is also a correlation here between the order of the occupied interfaces 6a, 6c, 6d, 6e, 6f and 6h and the order of the feeder stations 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d, 4e and 4f which are coupled to these interfaces in which Way that there are no cross-over connections between an feeder station 4 and the interfaces 6, ie the ascending order of the feeder stations 4 along the collation path correlates with the steadily increasing order of the occupied interfaces 6 (interfaces 6a, 6c, 6d, 6e, 6f, 6h, 6i).

In FIGS. 5c is one too FIG. 5b shown equivalent embodiment, wherein in the embodiment of FIG. 5c the interfaces 6b and 6g are unoccupied. The interface 6i is connected to the spacer interface 5x of a variable-length spacer 4x. The spacer interface 5y of the spacer 4y is in the embodiment of FIG Fig. 5c coupled to the investor interface 5d of the docking station 4d, which in turn is connected to the interface 6e. The coupling of the spacer interface 5y of the spacer 4y with the investor interface 5d simulates a (virtual) enlargement of the length (extension in the longitudinal direction of the Collation path) of the docking station 4d by the fixed length of the spacer 4y. The investor interface 5d transmits to the interface 6e investor-specific information to the docking station 4d, wherein as the length of the docking station 4d the (virtual) total length is given, which results from the actual length of the docking station 4d and the length of the coupled thereto spacer 4y.

In FIG. 6 a second embodiment of a gathering web according to the invention is shown schematically. In this embodiment, the position information about the individual application stations 4 are determined by a position sensor 12 and transmitted in the form of a position signal to the control device. For this purpose, the position sensor 12 comprises a plurality of first sensor elements 12a, which are respectively arranged on the underside of each application station 4, and a second sensor element 12b, which is arranged to be movable along the gathering path. The sensor elements 12a send out a signal which is detected by the movable sensor element 12b. The sensor 12 may be, for example, an optical sensor system. The sensor elements 12a then emit, for example, a light beam, which is detected by the second sensor element 12b designed as a photosensitive element. By moving the second sensor element 12b along the gathering path, the sensor 12 can detect the absolute positions (working positions) of the individual application stations 4a, 4b, 4c and transmit them in the form of position information to the control device.

The sensor 12 may alternatively also be an acoustic sensor or a touch-sensitive sensor. In a touch-sensitive sensor, the fixed sensor elements 12a, which are fixedly arranged on each applicator station 4, formed as a flag or finger and the movable sensor element 12b is designed as a mechanical sensor which detects a sensor signal when it passes by such a sensor. Alternatively, the position information for each launching station 4 can also be detected by means of a measuring scale arranged along the gathering path, which can be read by cameras arranged at each docking station.

In FIG. 7 two embodiments of control devices are shown, which can be used in a gathering path according to the invention. In the Figure 7a shown control input includes a central fire unit Z, which are connected to control units of the modules M1, the docking stations 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d and the output module 20. The control units of the modules (in the illustrated embodiment, module M1 of the conveyor 2), the docking stations 4 and the output module 20 form nodes of a bus control. In addition to the here in Figure 7a shown embodiment of a control device can there also other modules (M2, M3) of the conveyor device 2, further control units of landing stations 4 and other control units of additional modules (such as the input channel 21) are connected to the central control unit Z.

A further embodiment of a control device for a gathering web according to the invention is shown in FIG FIG. 7b shown. Unlike the embodiment of Figure 7a There is no central control unit included. Instead, the control units of the modules M1, M2 of the conveying device 2 and the control unit of the output module 20 are coupled to one another on a control plane via a bus system, wherein the control units of the modules M1 and M2 and the output module 20 are equal to each other. The central control functions are thereby predetermined by one of the control units, for example by the control unit of the output module 20. This control unit controls, for example, the synchronization of the movement of the landing stations 4 with the movement of the conveyor device 2 and in particular gives the clock signals for the storage of goods in the collection points 3 the conveyor 2 before. To the control units of the modules M1 and M2 of the conveyor device 2, the control units of the docking stations 4 are coupled via a bus system. Suitably, the control units of the docking stations 4 are connected to the control unit of the associated module M1 or M2, in which the respective docking station is used. So is in the in FIG. 7b For example, the control unit of the docking station 4b is coupled to the control unit of the module M1, and the control units of the docking stations 4a, 4b and 4c are connected to the control unit of the module M2 according to the arrangement of the docking stations 4a-4d and the modules M1, M2 you in FIG. 1 is shown.

The invention is not limited to the exemplary embodiments illustrated here. Possible modifications and additions to the described embodiments are within the scope of the invention claimed in the claims.

Claims (15)

Collation for area goods (1) with a conveyor device (2) which has in its longitudinal direction a plurality of collection areas (3) arranged one behind the other in which the goods are collected and transported in a conveying direction (F) at a conveying speed, - At least one interchangeable docking station (4a) or a plurality of interchangeable docking stations (4), which goods (1) and stored along the conveyor (2) are arranged so that in the landing stations (4) stockpiled goods (1) in the Collection areas (3) can be stored, - And a control device which is coupled to the conveyor device (2) and the landing stations (4) to control the deposition of the goods (1) from the landing stations (4) in the collecting areas (3), - characterized in that the exchangeable feed stations (4a, 4) on any working positions in the gathering path can be used and the control means is arranged to receive information from which the control means the absolute ejection position (18) of the or each docking station (4a, 4) determined along the conveyor device (2), at which the respective docking station (4a, 4) throws the goods stored in her goods on the conveyor device (2). Collating web according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the information received by the control device comprises position information in the form of a position signal detected by a position sensor (12, 12a) or in the form of a digital information signal of an interface (6). contain, from which the control device determines the absolute position of the or each docking station (4). Collating web according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that a plurality of application stations (4a, 4) are arranged along the gathering path one behind the other and in direct connection with one another without a gap. Collating web according to one of the preceding claims, wherein next to the landing stations (4a, 4b, 4c, 4d) spacers (4x) can be arranged in the collation web, which are coupled either to an adjacent docking station or to an interface (6). Collating track according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the control device from the received information, in particular the position information of the landing stations (4a, 4), the absolute position of each landing station (4a, 4) along the conveyor device (2) with respect to a reference point (R) determined. Collating track according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the information received by the control device includes position information and investor-specific information about the or each interchangeable docking station (4), the investor-specific information being details of the length of the respective docking station (4) and the position of a Einspendorts (18 ') of the respective docking station (4a, 4) and optionally additional information on the type or type of landing station and / or the goods contained therein (1). Collating track according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the control device, taking into account the determined discharge position (18) the discharge of goods (1) from each docking station (4a, 4) on the conveyor device (2) with the movement of the conveyor device (2) synchronized that the discarded goods (1) in the collecting areas (3) of the conveying device (2) are stored. Collating track according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the or each docking station (4a, 4) along a frame (7) of the conveying device (2) slidably arranged and fixed there at any working positions by means of locking means and / or by means of interfaces (6) the control device for data transmission and in particular for the transmission of position information can be coupled. Collating web according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the collating web comprises a plurality of interfaces (6) which are arranged in a predetermined order, preferably along the frame (7) of the conveying device (2) in the longitudinal direction at a distance from each other. Collating web according to claim 9, characterized in that each application station (4a, 4) is coupled to one of the interfaces (6), wherein the order of the application stations (4a, 4) in the longitudinal direction of the collation path correlates with the order of the interfaces (6). Collating web according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the application stations (4) each comprise a position sensor element (12a) with which the absolute position of the respective landing station (4a, 4) along the conveying device (2) with respect to a reference point (R ) is detected and transmitted as position information to the control device. Collating track according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the conveying device (2) has a conveying surface (8) and at least one traction means (10) rotating with the conveying speed a plurality of over the conveying surface (8) projecting conveying means (9) which are arranged in the longitudinal direction of the conveying device (2) at a distance to each other, wherein longitudinally adjacent conveying means (9) define a collecting area (3). Method for assembling a flat goods gathering track (1) with a replaceable landing station (4a, 4) which stores the flat goods (1) for storage in collecting areas (3) of the collating track, comprising the following steps: Inserting a replaceable landing station (4a, 4) into the gathering path at any working position, Conveying information which is composed of position information and investor-specific information about the application station (4a, 4) used, to a control device of the collation track, - Determining the working position of the applying station (4a, 4) in the control device from the transmitted information as an absolute position of the applied landing station (4a, 4) in the longitudinal direction of the gathering path. A method according to claim 13, characterized in that the control device from the transmitted position information, and the investor-specific information for each application station (4a, 4) detects an absolute ejection position (18) on which the respective application station (4a, 4), the reserved in their goods throws on the gathering track. Method according to claim 14, wherein the control device, taking into account the determined discharge position (18), synchronizes the dropping of the goods (1) from each docking station (4a, 4) onto the collation track with the movement of the collation track in such a way that the dumped goods (1) contact defined collection areas (3) of the gathering path are stored.

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