EP3266734B1 - Automated folding method - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a method for automated folding of at least two folded sheets in a folding machine.

The invention is in the technical field of post-press, that is, print product processing.

In the printing industry, the further processing of the printed products produced is well known and customary. Among the possible further processing is especially the so-called folding. In this case, adjacent pages of the later printed product are printed directly next to one another on the printing substrate. To order these pages then according to the later correct order, they must be folded over each other, so be folded. This process is usually carried out automatically by corresponding further processing machines, the so-called folding machines. These folding machines, the generated print product is fed accordingly and the machines are constructed so that they can fold with one or more Falzschwertem them accurately fed printing substrates millimeter accuracy. So that the individual pages of the printed product produced are positioned in the required correct arrangement on the printing substrate, they must be arranged against each other according to a specific folding scheme. The correct positioning of the individual pages of the printed product is usually carried out in the preliminary stage, where the basic arrangement of the respective benefit on the printing substrate takes place within the framework of the so-called imposition. With the help of the folding process both small brochures can be produced, which are only folded, as well as small-sized books that are separated by folding after folding and later bound as a book.

However, especially for small runs, the problem often arises that on the printing substrate for reasons of utilization of the printing press several different Falzbögen be applied side by side, which then each further processed after the actual pressure, that is to be folded. The efficiency gain thus generated by the printing of different benefits on the same printing substrate is thus slowed down by the then necessary individual folding of the respective different signatures.

It would therefore be advantageous if there was a possibility to fold the different signatures simultaneously in one operation. Two different approaches are known from the prior art. The first is the so-called double-flow process, in which a large folded sheet is then divided into several smaller folded sheets and then folded as usual. Instead of the last fold, however, the folded sheet is then separated by a cut. The pagination is done so that for both Falzbogenteile after the cut a continuous page numbering is guaranteed. For example, a large folded sheet is divided into two individual folded sheets and then folded together. The disadvantages of this method, however, are, on the one hand, that the separation into smaller folded sheets is realized by the pagination, and thus only one language version can be assigned to each fold sheet. This means that it is thus not possible with this method to accommodate different language versions on each of the two smaller folded sheets. A common folding of different language versions, where the individual folded sheets differ only by the different language, but are otherwise the same in form and design. A very common application for this is, for example, the production of operating instructions or leaflets in various languages, which can not be carried out with the double-flow method. Another disadvantage of the double flow method is that the original signatures are not folded to the end. This must take into account an automated calculation of the displacement by a special treatment in order to be able to deliver a correct result.

Another method known from the prior art is the so-called segmented folding sheet method. In this case, the individual pages of a large folded sheet are also divided and after folding the individual pages then the different products are separated by cutting accordingly. Also in the process of segmented foldnails, however, the common processing of different language versions can not be performed. This is because the separation of the content pages into different pages is already realized by different version levels and therefore no additional versioning for the different language versions is possible.

A further, general disadvantage of the methods known from the prior art is that stamps, for example chatter marks and signature signatures, often have to be folded sheet-related, whereby the disadvantage arises in the case of an automated implementation of the method that special treatment must be carried out for this purpose. For example, if a large folded sheet is separated into smaller folded sheets, the chipping marks must be set on each of the smaller folded sheets. The same applies to the signatures that are necessary for further processing. Here then also the possibility must be created to identify the separate signatures.

In order to overcome these disadvantages of the known from the prior art method and to be able to fold together, for example, the said small editions of brochures with different language versions together efficiently, it would be useful, for example, the different language versions, each individual folded sheets to divide into the individual pages and to nest them in such a way that a common large folded sheet is created, which can then be folded in one pass. This would be possible in particular because the different language versions have identical dimensions with respect to the folded-sheet sides. Such interleaving could be performed manually by the operator in the prepress stage during the execution of the print job. However, this would have the disadvantage that thus the folded sheet marks of the different signatures would have different folded sheet numbers, which would make a common further processing in a common large folded sheet extremely difficult. In addition, such a manual operation would be extremely complex for a human user, especially with many different single signatures with many different fold pages to calculate and error prone accordingly.

From the prior art is to the patent DE 591 271 C a method for interfolding of coming from different printing units endless printed paper webs known. The longitudinally folded back against lying horizontally fed paper webs are processed before merging with the cut from the endless transfer path unfolded cover sheet processed by endless supplied and applied adhesive tape or the like, then cut independently of the cut up itself Umschlagbahn and after the successful merge stapled together with the cover sheet in the longitudinal center of the adhesive tape and folded. However, this 1931 method is limited to paper webs as printing substrates and thus does not disclose nesting individual signatures. It is also not monitored computer-aided, which complicates an integration into the pre-stage in the processing of the print job accordingly.

Furthermore, from the European patent application EP 2306299 A2 A method of folding in which, in an imposition information producing apparatus, folding template information indicating a guide for folding a printed product is prepared in a memory in advance. In the creation of imposition information, input of selection information including a page size of a book product is made by selecting portions of a portion located on the top or bottom of the portion, and a selection of which portion of the portion to merge is received. Then, the imposition information of the printing sheet to be printed for folding is generated in the section based on the folding stencil. However, this method also does not disclose computer-controlled interleaving.

The object of the method according to the invention is therefore to disclose a method for automated folding of at least two signatures in a folding machine by a computer, which allows the folding operation for the at least two signatures much faster and more efficiently than with the method known from the prior art ,

• Überprüfung durch den Rechner, ob eine Verschachtelung der mindestens zwei Falzbogen in einen ineinander verschachtelten, gemeinsamen Falzbogen möglich ist
• Vereinheitlichung der Abstände zwischen den Falzseiten durch übernehmen der Abstände eines der Falzbogen für alle mindestens zwei Falzbogen durch den Rechner
• ineinander platzieren der mindestens zwei Falzbogendurch Einfügen zusätzlicher Abstände zwischen den Falzseiten durch den Rechner
• Anpassen der Positionen der mindestens zwei Falzbogen und Abstände zwischen den Seitenspalten der mindestens zwei Falzbogen dergestalt durch den Rechner, dass die jeweils zusammengehörigen Seitenspalten der verschiedenen, mindestens zwei Falzbogen mit gleichem Spaltenindex nebeneinander und die Falzlinien exakt übereinander liegen
• Durchführung des Falzvorganges in der Falzmaschine auf Basis des durch den Rechner ineinander verschachtelten, gemeinsamen Falzbogens
• Trennen des ineinander verschachtelten, gemeinsamen Falzbogens durch einen Schnitt in der Falzmaschine in die einzelnen Falzseiten.

The solution to this problem is a method for automated folding of at least two folding sheets in a folding machine by a computer, wherein the folded sheets have a number of fold pages, as well as the same folding scheme and the same size and numbered the folded pages of all folded sheets with respect to the underlying folding scheme identically and which includes the following steps

• Check by the computer, whether nesting of the at least two folded sheets in a nested, common folded sheet is possible
• Unification of the distances between the fold pages by taking over the distances of one of the signatures for all at least two folded sheets by the computer
• place the at least two fold bends by inserting additional spaces between the fold pages by the computer
• Adapting the positions of the at least two folded sheets and distances between the side columns of the at least two folded sheets in such a way by the computer that the respective associated side columns of different, at least two folded sheets with the same column index next to each other and the fold lines are exactly above the other
• Execution of the folding process in the folding machine on the basis of the interleaved by the computer, common folding sheet
• Separating the nested, common foldsheet through a cut in the folding machine in the individual fold pages.

The method according to the invention has the advantage that it is no longer necessary to individually fold the individual signatures, but that the common large signatures, which are now nested in one another, can be processed in one pass by the folding machine. It is important to note that such nesting is possible only for signatures that have the same size and have the same folding scheme. The individual folding pages of all folded sheets are also numbered consecutively in an identical manner with regard to the underlying folding scheme. After separating the folded sheets, however, the pages can then end up in different products in different positions. Another point is the arrangement of the side columns of the different folded sheets. Along the vertical fold lines exist side columns of the single fold sheet. These consist of individual, mutually arranged, numbered fold pages and each have a corresponding column index, which begins with index 1, for example. When nesting the individual folded sheets, the side gaps of the folded sheets with the same column index must be placed next to each other according to the invention. The side distances of the individual folded sheets must be unified accordingly, so that they can really be folded together. This can be done by taking the distances of one of the signatures 2 for all the others.

If these conditions are met, the method according to the invention can be used correspondingly advantageously. It does not matter how many individual folded sheets it is and how many individual fold pages has such a folded sheet. The method according to the invention becomes all the more efficient and the greater the time and efficiency gained, the more individual signatures are interleaved in accordance with the method.

Advantageous and therefore preferred developments of the method according to the invention will become apparent from the accompanying dependent claims and from the description and the accompanying drawings.

A preferred development of the method according to the invention is that with a horizontal nesting of n folding sheets and a clear but arbitrary assignment of indices 1 to n to fold sheets for even index columns, the side columns of the different fold sheets from left to right in the order n, n -1, ..., 1 are placed and for side columns with odd index the side columns of the different signatures are placed from left to right in the order 1, 2, ... n. An important detail of the method according to the invention is that with a horizontal interleaving of the different folding sheets, the side gaps of the individual fold sides, which have a straight index, in each case from left to right in FIG Order of the nth folded sheet, n-first folded sheet are placed up to the first folded sheet. The odd index page columns are placed according to the order of the first fold, the second fold, and the nth fold. This is necessary so that after the passage of the fold and the folded pages of the same folded sheet are folded over each other accordingly, so that not folded pages of different signatures are erroneously associated with each other.

A further preferred embodiment of the method according to the invention is that in a vertical nesting of n folded sheets and a unique but arbitrary assignment of indices 1 to n correspond to the columns rows and accordingly foldsheet for rows with even index, the page lines of the different folded sheets from top to bottom are placed in the order "n, n-1, ..., 1" below, and for odd-numbered page lines, the page lines of the various fold sheets are placed from top to bottom in the order "1, 2, ..., n" , Analogous to the procedure for a horizontal interleaving, in the case of a vertical interleaving, the rules for the odd-numbered page lines must be placed in the order of the first folding sheet, the second folding sheet to the n-th fold sheet, and those with the even index corresponding to the order of the nth fold sheet. n-first to the first folded sheet. The only difference to the horizontal nesting is the arrangement of the fold page lines from top to bottom instead of from left to right.

A further preferred embodiment of the method according to the invention is that the at least two folded sheets are folded after a single pass through the folding machine all in the form of nested, common folded sheet and separated by a cut. With the method according to the invention, after a single pass through the folding machine, the result is achieved that all interleaved folded sheets are already correctly folded and only have to be separated by a cut. There is no further single folding more necessary. A further preferred embodiment of the method according to the invention is that, after the nesting, the folding rule of one of the at least two folded sheets is used for the common folding of the folded sheets now nested in each other. The folding rule of one of the folded sheets used for the entire common folded sheet can now be used for the common large, nested folded sheet due to the nesting performed according to the invention. Since the interleaved signatures have the same size and fold scheme, it does not matter which fold rule is used for the common nested signatures.

A further preferred development of the method according to the invention is that the nesting of the at least two signatures is activated in the computer-aided preliminary stage of the associated printing and folding operation. Since the placing of the benefit on the printing substrate and thus also the arrangement of the individual fold pages is already carried out in the preliminary stage of the printing process, the method according to the invention must also be carried out correspondingly in the preliminary stage of the printing and folding operation. This is usually computer-aided and can be activated by the user by configuration accordingly. The configuration of the folding machine should also be carried out at this point to adjust the folding machine accordingly.

A further preferred development of the method according to the invention is that the interlacing direction is transverse to the collar for the binding methods subsequent to the folding process, backstitch stitching and thread stitching. This is necessary for the mentioned types of binding for production reasons.

Figur 1:

einen einzelnen Falzbogen mit entsprechender fortlaufender Durchnummerierung der Falzbogensegmente und der entsprechenden Falzregel X1x1Y2Y1

Figur 2:

einen Bogen mit drei verschiedenen Falzbogen

Figur 3:

einen gemeinsamen, ineinander verschachtelten Falzbogen bestehend aus den drei einzelnen Falzbogen

Figur 4:

eine schematische Darstellung des erfindungsgemäßen Verfahrens

The invention as such and structurally and / or functionally advantageous development of the invention are explained in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings with reference to at least one preferred embodiment. In the drawings, corresponding elements are provided with the same reference numerals. The drawings show:

FIG. 1:

a single folded sheet with corresponding consecutive numbering of the folded sheet segments and the corresponding folding rule X1x1Y2Y1

FIG. 2:

a bow with three different folded sheets

FIG. 3:

a common, nested folded sheet consisting of the three individual folded sheets

FIG. 4:

a schematic representation of the method according to the invention

In the preferred exemplary embodiment explained below, three individual signatures are interlaced in accordance with the method according to the invention. FIG. 1 shows a single folded sheet 2 with corresponding numbering 12 of the individual folding pages, or folding segments 13, from 1 to 18. In addition, the folding lines 8 and the folding directions 3, 4 are shown at the corresponding folding lines 8. On a common printing substrate 10, in the case of a sheet, three such signatures 2 are now shown with the same size and corresponding folding scheme. Would the three folded sheets 2 are arranged as in FIG. 2 be printed accordingly on the sheet, so they would have to be folded individually in the folding machine each with the corresponding efficiency losses for the entire printing and folding process. Therefore, they are nested according to the inventive method by the computer 11 of the precursor. In a first step according to the expiry of the inventive method, as shown schematically in FIG FIG. 4 is shown, it is checked whether nesting is possible for the three different signatures 2. Since these, as already explained, have the same size and the same folding scheme, this test is correspondingly positive. As a next step, the side distances of the individual folded sheets 2 are now standardized accordingly, so that they can really be folded together. This can be done by taking the distances of one of the signatures 2 for all the others. In the next method step, the signatures 2 are now placed in one another by additional distances between the pages. For this purpose, it is necessary that the individual folded sheets 2 are numbered in terms of their folding segments 13 with respect to the underlying folding scheme in an identical manner. This is how in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 it can be seen, with the numbering 12 of the folded pages 1 to 18 of the case. In the present preferred embodiment, the interleaving is to be carried out in the horizontal direction, whereby the positions of the individual folded sheets 2 and the distances between the side columns are adjusted so that the respectively associated columns of the different folded sheets 2 with the same column index next to each other and the folds exactly one above the other lie. For even index columns, the columns of the various foldsheets are placed from left to right in the order n, n-1, ..., 1. For odd-index columns, the order is 1, 2, ..., n. In FIG. 3 is then the result of the method according to the invention with reference to a common, nested folding sheet 5 shown. Here it can be clearly seen that the first side columns of the three folded sheets 2, that is those with odd index 1, are arranged in the order: "first page column of the first folding sheet, first side column of the second folding sheet and first side column of the third folding sheet"; So follow the rule "1, 2, ... n". This applies correspondingly for the entire area, consisting of the folding pages 13 with the numbering 11, 14 and 5. In the second page columns, so those with odd index, is started with the second page column of the third arc, according to the rule "n, n -1, ... 1 ". In the subsequent third area, the specification of the order 1 to n applies again and, accordingly, the individual fold pages are arranged in columns in the sequence of the foldsheet 1, 2 and 3.

The folding lines 8 are adapted according to the common folding sheet 5. After the separation cuts have been made, each fold side 13 is arranged above its adjacent fold side 13. The folding directions 6, 7 are also adapted for the common folded sheet. The folded sheets 2 folded into one another can now be correspondingly efficiently folded in a single folded sheet 5 in a single pass through the folding machine.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

Use

2

single folded sheet

3

vertical folding directions of the single folded sheet

4

horizontal folding directions of the single folded sheet

5

nested folded sheet

6

vertical folding directions of the interleaved folding sheet

7

horizontal folding directions of the interleaved folding sheet

8th

fold lines

9

cuts

10

Print substrate (here: sheet)

11

calculator

12

Falzsegmentnummerierung

13

Folding segment / folded side

Claims (7)

1. Method for folding at least two signatures (2) in a folder in an automated way by means of a computer (11), wherein the signatures (2) have a number of fold pages (13), the same folding scheme and the same size and wherein the fold pages (13) of all signatures (2) are identically numbered (12) in terms of the fundamental folding scheme, the method comprising the following steps of

   • checking, by means of the computer (11), whether a nested arrangement of the at least two signatures (2) is possible to form a nested common signature (5),

   • evening out the distance between the fold pages (13) by taking the distances of one of the signatures for all of the at least two signatures (2) by means of the computer,

   • placing the at least two signatures (2) into one another by inserting additional distances between the fold pages (13) by means of the computer (11),

   • adapting the positions of the at least two signatures (2) and the distances between the page columns of the at least two signatures (2) by means of the computer (11) in such a way that the respective page columns that belong together of the different at least two signatures (2) with the same column index are located next to one another and the fold lines (8) are located precisely on top of one another,

   • carrying out the folding operation in the folder on the basis of the common signature (5) arranged in a nested arrangement by means of the computer (11),

   • separating the nested common signature (5) into the individual fold pages (13) in a cutting operation in the folder.
2. Method according to claim 1,
   characterized in
   that for a horizontally nested arrangement of n signatures and an unequivocal but arbitrary allocation of the indices 1 to n to signatures, for columns of an even index, the order in which page columns of the different signatures (2) are placed from left to right is "n, n-1,...,1" and for page columns of an uneven index, the order in which page columns of the different signatures (2) are placed from left to right is "1, 2,..., n".
3. Method according to claim 1,
   characterized in
   that for a vertically nested arrangement of n signatures and an unequivocal but arbitrary allocation of the indices 1 to n to signatures, the columns correspond to rows and accordingly, for rows of an even index, the order in which page rows of the different signatures (2) are placed from top to bottom is "n, n-1,..., 1" and, for page rows of an uneven index, the order in which page rows of the different signatures (2) are placed from top to bottom is "1, 2,..., n".
4. Method according to any one of the preceding claims,
   characterized in
   that having passed through the folder once, the at least two signatures (2) are all folded in the form of the nested common signature (5) and are separated in a cutting operation.
5. Method according to any one of the preceding claims,
   characterized in
   that after the nesting operation, the fold rule of one of the at least two signatures (2) is applied for a joint folding of the signature (5) that has now been arranged in a nesting arrangement.
6. Method according to any one of the preceding claims,
   characterized in
   that the nesting operation of the at least two signatures (2) is activated in the computer-assisted prepress stage of the associated print and folding operation.
7. Method according to any one of the preceding claims,
   characterized in
   that for the binding types of saddle stitching and thread stitching, which succeed the folding operation, the nesting direction is transverse to the spine.

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