EP3362386B1 - Device and method for the extraction of a passport-bundle from a bundle magazine - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a device and a method for removing a bundle of passports from a bundle magazine.

In the production of security documents, in particular in the form of passport books, several documents can be combined into a document bundle. This can be done, for example, by one or more bands.

Further it is necessary to send the documents after the production. For this purpose, the documents produced or the document bundles can be transported by a transport device from the production device to a packaging and/or shipping device.

Documents can be produced in so-called batches. A batch can also be referred to as a processing unit. For example, a batch can contain more than 500 documents. Accordingly, a data record that is used, for example, to control production includes data on all the documents in this batch.

After production, the documents combined into document bundles can be arranged in bundle magazines, whereby a bundle magazine can contain over 50 documents. The bundle magazines can be used for transport from the production device to a transfer device, whereby bundles of documents can be removed from the bundle magazines by the transfer device and fed to a transport device for transport to the shipping and/or packaging device. The removal of bundles of documents from these bundle magazines in order to feed the bundles of documents to a shipping device is usually done manually.

the DE 103 52 916 A1 discloses an apparatus and method for arranging bound security documents in a personalization device.

the US 5,629,672A discloses a paper low detection system.

the DE 25 02 987 A1 discloses a device for processing stacks, each with the same number of printed and numbered, multi-use security notes.

the DE 10 2009 042 891 A1 discloses a hopper and system for processing banknotes.

The technical problem thus arises of creating a device and a method for removing at least one bundle of documents from a bundle magazine which enable a bundle of documents to be removed reliably, quickly and with as little damage as possible.

The technical problem is solved by the objects with the features of claims 1 and 11. Further advantageous configurations of the invention result from the dependent claims.

A device for removing at least one bundle of documents from a bundle magazine is proposed. The document can in particular be a book-shaped document, for example a passport.

The bundle magazine is box-shaped. In particular, the bundle magazine is a box that is open on one side, in particular on the top. Several document bundles can be arranged in the bundle magazine. Depending on the size or thickness of the bundle of documents, for example, more than 50 bundles of documents can be arranged or can be arranged in the bundle magazine.

A document bundle can include several documents. For example, a document bundle can contain up to 6 documents. However, the term document bundle does not exclude that a document bundle only includes one document.

On the one hand, the device serves to remove at least one bundle of documents from the bundle magazine. The device can also be used to position the removed bundle of documents on a transport device, in particular a conveyor belt, with the transport device being able to transport the bundle of documents to a further device, for example a packaging and/or shipping device. The additional device can be a device that is present in the manufacturing and shipping process and that follows the manufacturing device in the process.

The device comprises at least one receiving device for receiving the bundle magazine. The bundle magazine can be arranged in a stationary manner by means of the receiving device. The recording device prevents a undesired movement of the bundle magazine during removal. Furthermore, the receiving device is designed in such a way that a bundle of documents is prevented from falling out of the bundle magazine undesirably. The receiving device thus comprises at least one cover element or has one, the covering element being arranged and/or designed in such a way that the open side of the bundle magazine arranged in the receiving device is partially covered by the covering element. This prevents bundles of documents from falling out of the bundle magazine.

The device also includes at least one bundle transport device. The bundle transport device is used to remove a bundle of documents from a bundle magazine. Furthermore, the bundle transport device can be used to transport the removed document bundle. As will be explained in more detail below, the bundle transport device can be designed in particular as a gripper device or can comprise a gripper device.

The device also includes at least one device for detecting a bundle of documents in the bundle magazine. In particular, the detection device can be used to determine whether bundles of documents are arranged in a bundle magazine. Furthermore, a position of an uppermost bundle of documents in the bundle magazine can be determined.

For example, a reference coordinate system may be referred to below. The reference coordinate system can include three spatial directions arranged perpendicular to one another. In this case, a vertical direction can be oriented parallel and opposite to a direction of a gravitational force. Directional information such as "up" and "down" can refer to this vertical direction. Furthermore, the reference coordinate system can include a longitudinal direction in space and a lateral direction in space.

Several bundles of documents can be stacked in the bundle magazine. In other words, these document bundles form a document bundle stack. A first bundle of documents in the stack, or the bottommost bundle of documents in relation to the vertical direction, can be attached to or on a support surface of the Bundle magazine rest or rest. The support surface can be provided by an inside, in particular on an end face, of a housing of the bundle magazine. The uppermost or last document bundle of the stack of document bundles in the vertical direction can thus designate the bundle of documents which is arranged at an end of the stack of document bundles opposite to this first bundle of documents. The detection device advantageously enables fill level detection in the bundle magazine.

The device for detecting a bundle of documents can, for example, enable optical detection of the bundle(s) of documents in the bundle magazine.

In particular, the device for detecting a bundle of documents can include a distance sensor. This distance sensor can be moved along the open side of the bundle magazine and detect a distance in a direction that is oriented from the distance sensor towards the bundle magazine, in particular towards a bottom side of the bundle magazine. The distance detected by this distance sensor is smaller for a section of the bundle magazine in which bundles of documents are arranged than a distance in a section of the bundle magazine in which no bundle of documents is arranged. If the distance sensor is moved along the open side of the bundle magazine, the distance in the area of the uppermost document bundle will increase or decrease depending on the direction of movement, in particular abruptly. Depending on this change in distance, the detection, in particular the position detection, of the uppermost bundle of documents is possible.

Furthermore, by means of the bundle transport device, a bundle of documents can be removed from a bundle magazine arranged in the receiving device, namely the uppermost bundle of documents. For this purpose, the bundle transport device can be moved over the uppermost bundle of documents. Furthermore, the uppermost bundle of documents can be attached to the bundle transport device, for example gripped by the bundle transport device. Further, the bundle of documents attached to the bundle transporter can be moved out of the bundle magazine.

The bundle transport device can move along at least one, preferably along at least three spatial directions that differ from one another execute. Furthermore, the bundle of documents attached to the bundle transport device can be deposited after it has been removed from the bundle magazine, in particular on an intermediate transport belt, which will be explained in more detail below, or on a further transport device.

A removal position of the bundle transport device can be determined depending on the position of the uppermost document bundle in the bundle magazine. In particular, the removal position can designate the position of the bundle transport device in which the respective uppermost document bundle can be attached to the bundle transport device. For example, the removal position can be determined in such a way that the bundle transport device can be positioned over the uppermost bundle of documents. The position of the uppermost bundle of documents is determined by the detection device.

According to the invention, the bundle magazine can be accommodated upright in the receiving device. In this case, an end face of the bundle magazine can rest on a support surface of the device. In this case, the support surface can be oriented orthogonally to the vertical direction. In this state, a stack of document bundles placed in the bundle magazine can be stacked along the vertical direction.

In this case, the uppermost bundle of documents in the vertical direction can be removed from the bundle magazine by means of the bundle transport device. If the bundle magazine is arranged upright in the receiving device, the bundle magazine is open to one side and not upwards. As explained above, at least one covering element prevents bundles of documents from falling out. The cover element can be arranged and/or designed in such a way that the open side of the bundle magazine arranged in the receiving device is partially covered.

If the bundle magazine is arranged upright in the receiving device, the result is advantageously that the uppermost bundle of documents can be gripped by the bundle transport device in a simple manner in the area of the front or rear of the bundle of documents. This means that there is a large contact area for making mechanical contact between the bundle transport device and the document bundle. This advantageously increases the reliability of the removal.

This advantageously results in a reliable and rapid removal of document bundles from the bundle magazine.

In a further embodiment, the device has at least one device for detecting an empty state of the bundle magazine.

This blank detection means may be different from the document bundle detection means. However, the device for detecting the bundle of documents can also form the device for detecting the empty state. For example, an empty state can be detected if the device for detecting a bundle of documents does not detect a bundle of documents in the bundle magazine.

Preferably, however, the device for detecting an empty state of the bundle magazine is different from the device for detecting the document bundle. In this case, the device for detecting an empty state can be a device for optically detecting the empty state. For example, the device for detecting the empty state can be designed as a light barrier or can include elements of a light barrier. This can be arranged in such a way that a light beam of the light barrier is interrupted when there is at least one bundle of documents in a bundle magazine, which is arranged in a receiving device of the device. The light barrier is thus not interrupted when there are no more document bundles in the bundle magazine.

It is conceivable that a bundle magazine has recesses or openings for the light beam of the light barrier, in particular on the end faces.

If an empty state of the bundle magazine is detected, an empty state signal can be generated. Depending on the empty status signal, an operator of the device can be informed, for example, that the corresponding bundle magazine is empty. This information can be generated optically or acoustically, for example.

This advantageously results in improved operation of the device, since an empty state can be promptly communicated to an operator.

In a further embodiment, the bundle transport device comprises at least one gripper device. The gripper device can in particular be a vacuum gripper device. In this way, a bundle of documents can be attached to the bundle transport device by generating a corresponding vacuum. The gripper device can, for example, comprise at least one, preferably several, in particular up to four, Venturi nozzles.

Furthermore, the bundle transport device can comprise at least one adjustment device, wherein the adjustment device can be used to move the at least one gripper device along the at least one spatial direction/s, preferably along the three spatial directions explained above. The adjustment device can be designed in particular as an x/y/z adjustment device.

For example, the adjustment device can include guide elements for the linear guidance of movable parts of the bundle transport device. In this case, the bundle transport device can comprise at least one guide element for guiding and moving the gripper device along a vertical direction. This can also be referred to as a vertical guide element. Furthermore, the bundle transport device can comprise at least one guide element for guiding the movement of the vertical guide element. This guide element can be, for example, a guide element for guiding the movement along a longitudinal direction, ie a longitudinal guide element, and/or a guide element for guiding the movement along a lateral direction, ie a lateral guide element. For example, the movement of the vertical guide element can be guided by a lateral guide element, with the movement of the lateral guide element being guided by a longitudinal guide element.

The longitudinal guide element and the lateral guide element can be arranged in the vertical direction above the vertical guide element. This advantageously results in a space-saving design of the bundle transport device.

In a further embodiment, at least one element of the device for detecting a bundle of documents is on a movable part of the bundle transport device, arranged in particular on the gripper device. In particular, the distance sensor explained above can be arranged on the movable part.

The distance sensor can thus be moved along the open side of the bundle magazine by means of the bundle transport device. In particular, the distance sensor can be moved along the vertical direction.

This results in an advantageous manner in that installation space for the proposed device is reduced.

In a further embodiment, the device comprises at least one device for determining the orientation of a bundle of documents removed from the bundle magazine. The bundle of documents removed can in particular be a bundle of documents attached to the transport device or a bundle of documents gripped by the bundle transport device. As explained in more detail below, the bundle of documents removed can also be a bundle of documents arranged on an intermediate transport belt. In this case, the device for determining the orientation can also determine the orientation of a bundle of documents arranged on the intermediate transport belt. The orientation can be determined in a reference coordinate system.

It may be necessary or desirable to feed a bundle of documents in a desired orientation to a further device, in particular to the packaging and/or shipping device explained above. For example, it may be desirable for a spine of a bottom document in a bundle of documents to be oriented in a desired direction. Thus, it may be desirable to place a bundle of documents removed from the bundle hopper in a desired orientation.

In particular, the orientation of a lowermost document in the removed bundle of documents can be determined by means of the device for determining the orientation.

For example, the bundle of documents removed can be twisted into the desired position if the detected orientation deviates from the desired orientation.

The device for determining the orientation can in particular comprise an image acquisition device. Furthermore, the device for determining the orientation can comprise an evaluation device. The bundle of documents removed can be imaged by means of the image acquisition device. Furthermore, an orientation of the document bundle, in particular of the bottom document in the document bundle, can be determined based on an image.

For example, the image capturing device can be arranged and/or designed such that it images either a book spine or a book front opposite the book spine of a document bundle arranged in the detection area of the image capturing device or of a bottom document of the document bundle.

This advantageously results in a reliable and rapid determination of the orientation.

In a further embodiment, the device comprises a device for changing an orientation of a bundle of documents removed from the bundle magazine. The device for changing the orientation can set an orientation of the document bundle. For example, the device can rotate the bundle of documents that has been removed, in particular about an axis of rotation that is oriented perpendicularly to a top or bottom side of the bundle of documents that has been removed.

It is possible that the bundle transport device forms the orientation changing device. In this case, for example, the gripper device explained above can be rotated. For example, the gripper device can be rotated about at least one axis of rotation, which is oriented parallel to one of the spatial directions explained above.

However, the device for changing the orientation is preferably designed as a device that is different from the bundle transport device. The orientation of the bundle of documents can be adjusted by means of the device for changing the orientation in such a way that it corresponds to a desired orientation. In particular, a bottom document in the bundle of documents can be rotated into a desired orientation.

This advantageously results in improved feeding of the removed bundle of documents to devices following in the process chain, in particular the packaging and/or shipping device explained above.

In a further embodiment, the device comprises a conversion device. The transfer device can include a further gripper device. Furthermore, the conversion device can include a further adjustment device. A movable part of the conversion device can be movable, for example, along at least one, preferably along two, spatial directions. Furthermore, a movable part of the transfer device can be rotatable, in particular about an axis of rotation which is oriented parallel to the vertical direction.

Preferably, a movable part of the relocating device can be moved along the vertical spatial direction explained above and along the lateral spatial direction explained above.

In this case, the conversion device can form the device for changing the orientation.

The additional gripper device can also be a vacuum gripper device. Corresponding to the explanations above, this can likewise comprise at least one, preferably up to four Venturi nozzles. Furthermore, a removed bundle of documents can be fastened to the transfer device by means of the additional gripper device.

In this case, the transfer device can be designed as a device that is different from the bundle transport device. In particular, a bundle of documents removed from the bundle transport device and then deposited again be confirmed or grasped by means of the conversion device, in which case the bundle of documents then attached to the conversion device can be transported further by means of the conversion device and, if necessary, rotated. In particular, the conversion device is used to transport a bundle of documents placed on an intermediate conveyor belt to a further conveyor belt, which feeds the bundle of documents to a device that follows in the process chain, for example the packaging and/or shipping device. Before, during or after the transport from the intermediate transport belt to the further transport belt, the bundle of documents gripped by the converting device can be twisted. This advantageously allows the bundle of documents to be deposited on the further conveyor belt with a desired orientation. The additional conveyor belt can also be referred to as the end conveyor belt.

For example, the conversion device can be controlled as a function of the orientation of the bundle of documents determined by the device for determining the orientation.

In an advantageous manner, the conversion device enables a supply to devices downstream in the process chain at a desired clock rate.

In a further embodiment, the device comprises an intermediate conveyor belt. In this case, the bundle of documents removed from the bundle magazine by the bundle transport device can be deposited on the intermediate transport belt. Furthermore, the deposited bundle of documents can be transported by the intermediate transport belt into a transfer position. In the transfer position, the orientation of the bundle of documents removed can be determined by the device for determining the orientation. The bundle of documents can then be transported by the conversion device from the transfer position to the further conveyor belt and placed on this further conveyor belt. During transport to the further transport belt, an orientation of the bundle of documents can be changed in such a way that the bundle of documents has a desired orientation when it is placed on the further transport belt.

In a further embodiment, the device comprises a device for detecting an occupancy state of a conveyor belt. The conveyor belt can in particular be the previously explained intermediate conveyor belt or final conveyor belt. In this case, a bundle of documents removed from the bundle magazine can only be arranged on the conveyor belt if this is not occupied. Accordingly, a bundle of documents taken out of the bundle magazine is not placed on the conveyor belt when it is busy. The device for detecting an occupancy state can be used to detect whether a predetermined storage section in the area of the conveyor belt is occupied, in particular by another bundle of documents.

This advantageously results in the fact that bundles of documents can be reliably fed to a device downstream in the process chain.

In a further embodiment, the device comprises at least one lighting device, it being possible to generate light in different spectral ranges by means of the lighting device. The light generated by the lighting device can be generated depending on the status.

Different states, in particular operating states, of the device can be assigned different spectral ranges. For example, a first spectral range can be assigned to a normal operating state. A further spectral range can be assigned to a reference travel operating state. A further spectral range can be assigned to an open state of the device. A further spectral range can be assigned to an error state of the device.

In this case, the device can comprise a housing, with at least the bundle transport device, the receiving device and the device for detecting a document bundle being arranged in an inner volume of the housing. To arrange a bundle magazine in a receiving device, it may be necessary to open the housing. For this purpose, the housing can have doors. The housing can be formed at least partially by transparent elements, in particular panes.

A spectral range that is assigned to normal operation can be selected in particular in such a way that an image evaluation for the device for determining an orientation of a document bundle is simplified. For example, the Spectral range can be selected in such a way that an image with high contrasts takes place.

The lighting device can be designed in particular as a so-called RGB strip.

This has the advantage that different states of the device can be displayed visually to an operator. In particular, the lighting device can provide background lighting in the housing. In this case, a detection area of the image detection device can also be illuminated. It is also advantageous that, in normal operation, a determination, in particular based on an image, of the orientation of the bundle of documents is simplified.

The device can include at least one control and evaluation device. This can in particular include at least one microcontroller. In particular, the bundle transport device, the device for changing the orientation and the intermediate and end conveyor belt can be controlled by means of the control and evaluation device. Furthermore, the at least one control and evaluation device can be used to evaluate output signals of the device for detecting a bundle of documents, the device for detecting an empty state, the device for determining orientation and the device for detecting an occupancy state. The control and evaluation devices can also form part of these devices.

A method for removing at least one bundle of documents from a bundle magazine is also proposed. The method can be carried out using a device according to one of the embodiments described in this disclosure. The device is thus designed in such a way that a method according to one of the embodiments described in this disclosure can be carried out using the device.

In the method, a bundle of documents is detected in a bundle magazine, with the bundle magazine being arranged in a receiving device for receiving the bundle magazine. As explained above, a topmost bundle of documents in a stack of bundles of documents is thus detected. Next will a position of the top document bundle is determined. Furthermore, the detected bundle of documents is removed from the bundle magazine by means of a bundle transport device.

The bundle magazine can be arranged or accommodated upright in the receiving device. Further, a stack of document bundles placed in the bundle magazine may be stacked along the vertical direction.

For example, the uppermost document bundle can be detected by moving a distance sensor along an open side of the bundle magazine, the distance sensor detecting a distance in a direction oriented from the open side toward a bottom surface of the bundle magazine. This has been explained previously. Furthermore, the bundle transport device can be arranged above the uppermost document bundle. Furthermore, the uppermost bundle of documents can be fixed to the bundle transport device. For example, a gripper device of the bundle transport device can grip the uppermost bundle of documents for this purpose. If the gripper device is a vacuum gripper device, a vacuum can be generated for gripping the uppermost bundle of documents, by means of which the bundle of documents is attached to the bundle transport device. The bundle transport device can then remove the bundle of documents that has been gripped in this way from the bundle magazine. For this purpose, the bundle transport device, in particular a movable part, can carry out a corresponding movement. This advantageously results in reliable removal of a bundle of documents from the bundle magazine.

In a further embodiment, the bundle of documents removed is deposited on an intermediate conveyor belt. Furthermore, the filed bundle of documents can be moved into a transfer position by the intermediate transport belt. In the transfer position, the bundle of documents can be arranged in a transfer section of the intermediate transport belt. This advantageously means that the bundle of documents removed can be moved quickly out of an area of the bundle magazine in order, for example, to change the orientation of the bundle of documents before it is fed to devices downstream in the process chain.

In a further embodiment, the bundle of documents is transported by a conversion device from the intermediate transport belt to an end transport belt. The transport from the intermediate conveyor belt to the end conveyor belt can only take place if a storage section of the end conveyor belt is not occupied. An orientation of the bundle of documents can be changed before, during or after transport onto the end transport belt, for example by means of the conversion device. The resulting advantages have been explained above.

In a further embodiment, a current orientation of an extracted document bundle is determined. Furthermore, a desired orientation of the document bundle is set if the current orientation of the document bundle deviates from the desired orientation. This has been explained previously. In particular, the orientation can be determined when the bundle of documents is in the transfer section of the intermediate transport belt. The resulting advantages have been explained above.

In a further embodiment, a spectral range of an illumination of the device, in particular a background illumination, is changed. The spectral range can be changed depending on the state. In this context, the spectral range refers to a spectral range of light that can be generated by means of an illumination device of the device. In this case, in a normal operating state of the device, light can be generated from a blue spectral range.

Fig. 1

eine schematische Draufsicht auf eine erfindungsgemäße Vorrichtung,

Fig. 2

eine perspektivische Ansicht eines Bündelmagazins und

Fig. 3

einen schematischen Längsschnitt durch eine erfindungsgemäße Vorrichtung.

The invention is explained in more detail using an exemplary embodiment. The figures show:

1

a schematic plan view of a device according to the invention,

2

a perspective view of a bundle magazine and

3

a schematic longitudinal section through a device according to the invention.

In the following, the same reference symbols designate elements with the same or similar technical features.

In 1 a schematic plan view of a device 1 according to the invention is shown. This comprises a housing 2. At least part of a housing wall can be made of transparent, ie translucent, material. The housing 2 has doors 3 . When the doors 3 are in the open state, bundle magazines 4 can be introduced into receiving devices 5 for these bundle magazines 4 or arranged therein. In this case, the bundle magazines 4 are arranged on edge in the receiving devices 5 . This means that an outer face 6 (see 2 ) is arranged on a base plate 7 of the receiving devices 4. Thus, an open side 9 of the bundle magazine 4 (see 2 ) is oriented to the side and the bundle magazine 4 arranged on edge is open to the side.

It is also shown that the recording devices 5 include screen elements 8 . These include a bundle magazine 4 arranged on edge in such a way that an open side 9 (see 2 ) of the bundle magazine 4 is partially covered by the screen elements 8. This advantageously prevents document bundles 10 (see 2 ) can fall out of the bundle magazine 4 in the upright state.

The device 1 further comprises a bundle transport device 11. The bundle transport device 11 comprises adjustment devices, not shown here, with which a gripper device 12 can be used along a longitudinal spatial direction x, a lateral spatial direction y and a vertical spatial direction z (see 3 ) can be moved. The spatial directions x, y, z are each oriented orthogonally to one another and form a Cartesian coordinate system. This coordinate system can form a reference coordinate system. The gripper device 12 is designed as a vacuum gripper device and has, for example, four Venturi nozzles. A distance sensor 13 is arranged on or at the gripper device 12 . The distance sensor 13 here forms a device for detecting a bundle of documents 10 in the bundle magazine 4 or a part of such a device. The distance sensor 13 can be moved along the open side 9 of a bundle magazine 4 along the vertical spatial direction z by means of the transport device 11 in a detection step. Here, the distance sensor 13 detects a distance along the lateral spatial direction y to an object lying closest in this lateral spatial direction y.

The panel elements 8 are arranged in such a way that a slot 14 is formed between two panel elements 8 of a receiving device 4 . In this case, the distance sensor 13 is moved in front of the slot 14 or along the slot 14 . The slits 14 make it possible to optically determine the distance through the diaphragm elements 8 .

If the distance sensor 13 is moved along an area of the bundle magazine 4 in which document bundles 10 are arranged, the distance detected by the distance sensor 13 is smaller than in an area of the bundle magazine 4 in which no document bundles 10 are arranged. In the area of the bundle magazine 4 in which no bundles of documents 10 are arranged, the distance sensor 13 detects a distance between a base side 15 of the bundle magazine 4 and the distance sensor 13.

If the distance sensor 13 is moved along the vertical spatial direction z to a position that is higher than the top of the uppermost document bundle 10, which is arranged in the corresponding bundle magazine 4, the detected distance will increase, in particular abruptly. If this increase in distance is detected, a position of the uppermost bundle of documents 10 in the bundle magazine 4 can be determined, in particular as a function of the spatial position of the gripper device 12. This can also be referred to as a detection step. Depending on this position of the top bundle of documents 10, the bundle transport device 11 can then be controlled in such a way that the gripper device 12 is positioned over the top of the top bundle of documents 10 and the top bundle of documents 10 can suck.

The uppermost bundle of documents 10 is attached to the gripper device 12 by the suction. Thereafter, the bundle transport device 11 can be controlled in such a way that the document bundle 10 is removed from the bundle magazine 4 and placed on an intermediate transport belt 16 . This can also be referred to as the extraction section. The intermediate conveyor belt 16 can be moved along the longitudinal spatial direction x. The bundle of documents 10 removed and deposited on the intermediate transport belt 16 can be transported by the intermediate transport belt 16 into a transfer area or transfer section 17 . Time after By depositing the bundle of documents 10 on the intermediate conveyor belt 16, a next detection step and a next removal step can be carried out.

The device 1 further includes an image capture device 18. The image capture device 18 can be used to generate an image of a document bundle 10 arranged in the transfer area 17. This image can then be evaluated by an evaluation device, for example a control and evaluation device 19 . A bundle of documents 10 can include several individual documents 20 (see 2 ). If such an individual document 20 is designed as a passport, then such a passport has a spine. The removed bundle of documents 10 is arranged on the intermediate conveyor belt 16 in such a way that either the spine of a lowermost individual document 20 of the bundle of documents 10 or the front of the book opposite the spine of the individual document 20 faces the image acquisition device 18 .

Appropriate image evaluation methods, for example based on contrast, can be used to determine whether the image capturing device 18 is facing the spine or the front of a selected individual document 20 of a document bundle 10, in particular the bottom individual document 20, opposite the spine. In this way, an orientation of the bundle of documents 10 can be determined, in particular in the reference coordinate system formed by the spatial directions x, y, z.

For example, it may be desirable to arrange a removed bundle of documents 10 on an end conveyor belt 21 in such a way that a spine side of the lowermost individual document 20 forms on a front side of the bundle of documents 10 along the lateral spatial direction y on the end conveyor belt 21.

If, for example, it is detected that the spine of the lowermost individual document 20 in the transfer area 17 is facing the image acquisition device 18, the bundle of documents 10 must be rotated by 180° about an axis of rotation that is parallel to the vertical spatial direction z, in order to rotate the bundle of documents 10 with deposited on the end conveyor belt 21 in the desired orientation.

The device 1 also includes a transfer device 22. This transfer device 22 includes a further gripper device 23, which can also be designed as a vacuum gripper device. The transfer device 22 also includes adjustment devices, not shown, by means of which the further gripper device 23 can be moved along the lateral spatial direction y and along the vertical spatial direction z, but not along the longitudinal spatial direction x. Furthermore, the gripper device 23 can be rotated about an axis of rotation, which is oriented parallel to the vertical spatial direction z, by means of the adjustment devices.

A bundle of documents 10 arranged in the transfer area 17 of the intermediate transport belt 16 can be sucked in by means of the additional gripper device 23 . The bundle of documents 10 can then be deposited by the conversion device 22 in a storage area 24 of the end conveyor belt 21 . Here, the bundle of documents 10 that has been sucked in can be rotated, in particular by 180°, during transport from the transfer area 17 to the storage area 24 . As explained above, the twisting can take place if the bundle of documents 10 does not have the desired orientation in the transfer area 17 .

The device 1 also includes a device 25 for detecting an occupancy state of the storage area 24 of the end conveyor belt 21. If a document bundle 10 is already arranged in this storage area 24, no further document bundle 10 is transported into the storage area by means of the converting device 22. The device 25 for detecting an occupancy state can, for example, be in the form of a distance sensor or comprise a distance sensor. This can detect a distance between the distance sensor in a direction towards a surface of the end conveyor belt 21 . If this distance is less than a predetermined threshold value, it can be detected that the storage section is occupied.

The end transport belt 21 can transport a bundle of documents 10 arranged thereon along the longitudinal spatial direction x. The end conveyor belt 21 serves in particular to feed the bundle of documents 10 to other devices that follow in the process chain, for example a packaging and/or shipping device.

The device also includes a display device 30. The display device can be used to display desired information to an operator. For example, the number of bundles of documents 10 that have already been removed can be displayed. Furthermore, as explained in more detail below, an empty state can be displayed.

In 2 a perspective view of a bundle magazine 4 is shown. In this case, three document bundles 10 are arranged in the document bundle 4 , each comprising a plurality of individual documents 20 . For the sake of clarity, only one individual document 20 is provided with a reference number. The bundle magazine 4 is box-shaped and has an open side 9 . Also shown are a front side 6 and a bottom side 15 of the bundle magazine 4. The bundle magazine has recesses 26 on the upper edges of the front sides. As explained in more detail below, these serve to detect an empty state of a bundle magazine 4.

The document bundles 10 can be formed by up to six individual documents 20, which are combined, for example, by one or more banderoles, in particular a cross banderole.

In 3 a schematic longitudinal section through a device 1 according to the invention is shown. The receiving devices 5 for bundle magazines 4 are shown schematically 3 it is shown that bundle magazines 4 are arranged in only three of the receiving devices 5 . It is also shown that document bundles 10 are only arranged in two of the bundle magazines 4 .

It is also shown that the screen elements 8 are arranged and designed in such a way that they form a slot 14 through which a distance from the distance sensor 13 to the bottom side 15 of the bundle magazines 4 arranged on edge (see 1 ) can be detected. It is also shown that the screen elements 8 do not extend along the entire height and the entire width of a bundle magazine 4 arranged on edge. Thus, the open side 9 of a bundle magazine is not covered by the panel elements 8 along the entire height and the entire width.

Also shown is the intermediate conveyor belt 16 (see also 1 ).

Also shown are light transmitters/receivers 27 and reflectors 28, which form a light barrier. The light transmitters/receivers 27 are arranged above the receiving devices 5 along a vertical spatial direction z. The reflectors 28 are arranged below the receiving devices 5 along the vertical spatial direction z. A light beam emitted by a light emitter/receiver 27 is only reflected by the reflector 28 assigned to this light emitter/receiver 27 if no bundle magazine 4 or an empty bundle magazine 4 is arranged in the receiving device 5 . If an empty bundle magazine 4 is arranged in the receiving device 5, the light beam emitted by the light transmitter/receiver 27 radiates through the recesses 26 on the upper edges of the end face 6 of the bundle magazine (see Fig 2 ). If a bundle magazine 4 filled with at least one bundle of documents 10 is arranged in the receiving device 5, the light beam emitted by the light transmitter/receiver 27 is not reflected by the reflector 28.

If a reflected light beam is detected by the light transmitter/receiver 27, an empty state signal can be generated which encodes that no bundle magazine or an empty bundle magazine is arranged in the receiving device 5. Depending on this empty state signal, an operator of the device 1 can be informed, for example, acoustically or optically. The information can be provided via the display device 30, for example.

Also shown is an illumination device 29, which provides background illumination of an interior volume of the housing 2 (see 1 ) enabled. A spectral range of the light emitted by the lighting device 29 can be changed here. In particular, the spectral range can be changed depending on the state. For example, blue light can be generated by the lighting device 29 in normal operation. This blue light can, in particular, produce a high-contrast image of an object in the transfer area 17 (see 1 ) arranged bundle of documents 10 by the image capture device 18 allow.

Furthermore, for example, white light can be generated by the lighting device 29 when a door 3 of the housing 2 is open. Next yellow light can be generated if a reference run of the bundle transport device 11 and / or Conversion device 22 is carried out. For example, red light can be generated if there is an error.

The proposed device 1 can be placed on the end conveyor belt 21 in an advantageous manner. This means that existing systems can be retrofitted with the proposed device 1 for removal. In this case, it is not necessary to modify an already existing conveyor belt 21 for feeding bundles of documents to other devices.

Further elements of the device 1, for example electronic, pneumatic and other elements, can be arranged on or on an upper side of the housing 2.

This advantageously results in simple retrofitting of existing systems.

reference list

1

contraption

2

Housing

3

door

4

bundle magazine

5

recording facility

6

face

7

floor space

8th

aperture element

9

open side

10

document bundle

11

bundle transport device

12

gripper device

13

distance sensor

14

slot

15

bottom side

16

intermediate conveyor belt

17

transfer area

18

image capture device

19

Control and evaluation device

20

single document

21

final conveyor belt

22

transfer device

23

further gripper device

24

storage area

25

Device for detecting an occupancy state

26

recess

27

Photoelectric barrier

28

reflector

29

lighting device

30

display device

x

longitudinal spatial direction

y

lateral spatial direction

e.g

vertical spatial direction

Claims (15)

1. A device for removing at least one document bundle (10) from a bundle magazine (4), the device (1) having at least one receiving device (5) for receiving and stationary arranging a box-shaped bundle magazine (4) and at least one bundle transport device (11), the bundle magazine (4) being open towards an upper side,
   characterized in that
   the device has at least one device for detecting and determining a position of an uppermost document bundle (10) in the bundle magazine (4), wherein the topmost document bundle (10) can be removed from a bundle magazine (4) arranged in the receiving device (5) by means of the bundle transport device, the position of the bundle magazine having been determined by means of the detection device, wherein the bundle magazine (4) can be received upright in the receiving device (5), wherein in this state, a plurality of document bundles can be stacked along a vertical direction in the bundle magazine (4), wherein the receiving device (5) further comprises or has at least one cover element, wherein the cover element is arranged such that the open side of the bundle magazine arranged in the receiving device (5) is partially covered by the cover element.
2. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the device (1) has at least one device for detecting an empty state of the bundle magazine (4).
3. The device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the bundle transport device (11) comprises at least one gripper device (12).
4. The device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one element of the device for detecting a document bundle (10) is arranged on a movable part of the bundle transport device (11).
5. The device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the device (1) has at least one device for determining an orientation of a document bundle (10) removed from the bundle magazine (4).
6. The device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the device (1) comprises a device for changing an orientation of a document bundle (10) removed from the bundle magazine (4).
7. The device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the device (1) comprises a transfer device (22).
8. The device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the device comprises an intermediate conveyor belt (16).
9. The device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the device (1) comprises a device for detecting an occupancy state of a conveyor belt (16,21).
10. The device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the device (1) comprises at least one illumination device (29), wherein light can be generated in different spectral ranges by means of the illumination device (29).
11. A method for removing at least one document bundle (10) from a box-shaped bundle magazine (4), the bundle magazine (4) being arranged in a receiving device (5) for receiving the bundle magazine (4), the bundle magazine (4) being received upright in the receiving device (5), the bundle magazine (4) being open towards an upper side, in this state, a plurality of document bundles being able to be stacked in the bundle magazine (4) along a vertical direction, the receiving device (5) further comprising or having at least one cover element, the cover element being arranged such that the open side of the bundle magazine arranged in the receiving device (5) is partially covered by the cover element, a topmost document bundle (10) in a bundle magazine (4) being detected and its position being determined by means of a device for detecting and determining a position,
    a detected topmost document bundle (10) being removed from the bundle magazine (4) by means of a bundle transport device (11).
12. The method according to claim 11, characterized in that the document bundle (10) removed is deposited on an intermediate conveyor belt (16).
13. The method according to claim 12, characterized in that the document bundle (10) is transported by a transfer device (22) from the intermediate conveyor belt (16) onto an end conveyor belt (21).
14. The method according to any one of claims 11 to 13, characterized in that a current orientation of a removed document bundle (10) is determined, wherein a desired orientation of the document bundle (10) is set if the current orientation of the document bundle (10) deviates from the desired orientation.
15. The method according to any one of claims 11 to 14, characterized in that a spectral range of an illumination of the device (1) is changed.

Images