EP3837200B1 - Device for processing flat elements and transport belt for use in a device of this type - Google Patents

Device for processing flat elements and transport belt for use in a device of this type Download PDF

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Publication number
EP3837200B1
EP3837200B1 EP19753033.0A EP19753033A EP3837200B1 EP 3837200 B1 EP3837200 B1 EP 3837200B1 EP 19753033 A EP19753033 A EP 19753033A EP 3837200 B1 EP3837200 B1 EP 3837200B1
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EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
conveyor belt
section
transport
cleaning roller
axes
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Active
Application number
EP19753033.0A
Other languages
German (de)
French (fr)
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EP3837200C0 (en
EP3837200A1 (en
Inventor
Jörg SCHEFFLER
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SCHEFFLER, JOERG
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Individual
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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H5/00—Feeding articles separated from piles; Feeding articles to machines
    • B65H5/22—Feeding articles separated from piles; Feeding articles to machines by air-blast or suction device
    • B65H5/222—Feeding articles separated from piles; Feeding articles to machines by air-blast or suction device by suction devices
    • B65H5/224—Feeding articles separated from piles; Feeding articles to machines by air-blast or suction device by suction devices by suction belts
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H43/00—Use of control, checking, or safety devices, e.g. automatic devices comprising an element for sensing a variable
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H2301/00—Handling processes for sheets or webs
    • B65H2301/50—Auxiliary process performed during handling process
    • B65H2301/53—Auxiliary process performed during handling process for acting on performance of handling machine
    • B65H2301/531—Cleaning parts of handling machine
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H2401/00—Materials used for the handling apparatus or parts thereof; Properties thereof
    • B65H2401/10—Materials
    • B65H2401/15—Metals
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H2404/00—Parts for transporting or guiding the handled material
    • B65H2404/10—Rollers
    • B65H2404/11—Details of cross-section or profile
    • B65H2404/115—Details of cross-section or profile other
    • B65H2404/1151—Details of cross-section or profile other brush
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H2404/00—Parts for transporting or guiding the handled material
    • B65H2404/20—Belts
    • B65H2404/22—Cross section profile
    • B65H2404/222—Flat belt
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H2404/00—Parts for transporting or guiding the handled material
    • B65H2404/20—Belts
    • B65H2404/25—Driving or guiding arrangements
    • B65H2404/253—Relative position of driving and idler rollers
    • B65H2404/2532—Arrangement for selectively changing the relative position of the driving and idler rollers
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H2404/00—Parts for transporting or guiding the handled material
    • B65H2404/20—Belts
    • B65H2404/27—Belts material used
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H2404/00—Parts for transporting or guiding the handled material
    • B65H2404/20—Belts
    • B65H2404/27—Belts material used
    • B65H2404/271—Belts material used felt or wire mesh
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H2404/00—Parts for transporting or guiding the handled material
    • B65H2404/20—Belts
    • B65H2404/28—Other properties of belts
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H2406/00—Means using fluid
    • B65H2406/30—Suction means
    • B65H2406/36—Means for producing, distributing or controlling suction
    • B65H2406/366—Means for producing, distributing or controlling suction producing vacuum
    • B65H2406/3662—Fans
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H2511/00—Dimensions; Position; Numbers; Identification; Occurrences
    • B65H2511/10—Size; Dimensions
    • B65H2511/13—Thickness
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H2801/00—Application field
    • B65H2801/84—Paper-making machines

Definitions

  • the invention relates to a device for processing flat elements according to the preamble of claim 1.
  • suction belts for this purpose.
  • suction tapes are usually made of rubber or a similar material and have a large number of holes.
  • the transport device has at least two rollers over which this suction belt runs and below the upper section of the suction belt serving as a conveyor belt (i.e.
  • suction box which can be subjected to negative pressure, the top of which has a large number of openings, so that Negative pressure acting in the suction box, on the one hand, sucks the transport section onto the suction box, and on the other hand, sucks paper, which is on the surface of the transport section, onto this surface.
  • the present invention sets itself the task of further improving a generic device.
  • the conveyor belt also consists of a metal, but not of a fabric, but of an expanded metal.
  • Sheets made of expanded metal are manufactured industrially on a large scale.
  • a metal sheet is passed through rollers, with at least one of the rollers having a plurality of teeth which penetrate the metal sheet, thereby producing a regular hole pattern.
  • the holes are often diamond-shaped.
  • the expanded metal produced in this way can be calendered, which means that it is pressed between two rollers arranged in a gap.
  • Components made from expanded metal are used for a wide variety of applications, for example as filters or filter carriers or as cladding elements. What almost all of the uses mentioned so far have in common is that the expanded metal components are used purely statically.
  • endless belts made from expanded metal are excellently suited for the above-mentioned purpose from several aspects. They have a very good flatness, i.e. hardly any curvature in the transport area, are very durable and also show good scattering behavior with regard to the emerging laser light, which improves the quality of the products produced. Furthermore, these bands are very easy to clean.
  • the axes of the two deflection rollers of the conveyor belt usually lie in one plane. In order to prevent the conveyor belt from wandering sideways, it is preferred to keep the axis of a deflection roller pivotable within this plane, so that the angle between the axes of the deflection rollers can be changed.
  • An adjusting device for adjusting this axis is also preferably provided, which is further preferably part of a control loop. As a rule, it is sufficient and preferred to only adjust the non-driven axle.
  • the Figure 1 shows a schematic cross-sectional representation of a device for producing laser cuts in flat paper blanks such as greeting cards or the like.
  • the laser cutting device consists of four elements viz from a feed unit 40, a transport device 10, a laser 30 arranged above the transport device and a discharge unit 50.
  • the transport direction of the paper is the direction T and the device can work continuously, that is, the cutting contours are generated by the laser while the transport movement remains constant the transport device 10.
  • the Figure 2 shows a top view of the transport device 10 Figure 1 from direction R.
  • the feed unit 40 can be constructed conventionally, namely consisting of a table 42 with a smooth surface and a series of transport rollers 44, which feed the paper blanks to the transport device 10 by sliding over the table.
  • the transport rollers 44 can be turned slightly out of a 90 degree angle with respect to the transport direction T and thus press the paper blanks against a stop, so that a more precise positioning of the paper blanks is achieved.
  • the removal unit 50 can also be constructed conventionally and can, for example, consist of a connecting piece 52 and a conveyor belt 54. However, it would also be possible, for example, to provide a forklift or the like immediately after the transport device 10.
  • the essential elements of the transport device 10 are two rollers 12a, 12b, with at least one of the two rollers, here the rear roller 12b in the paper flow direction, being driven by a motor 13, the conveyor belt 25 and a plurality of axial fans 16, which are located below the upper Section (i.e. the respective transport section) 25a of the conveyor belt 25 are arranged.
  • a support 14 lying in the horizontal plane is used, which essentially extends from the front roller 12a to the rear roller 12b.
  • This carrier 14 has a large number of openings; the axial fans 16 are arranged at the positions of the openings, as shown in Figure 1 is only shown very schematically. In practice, the carrier 14 can also be made significantly thinner.
  • the axial fans 16 are preferably located relatively close to the underside of the upper section 25a of the conveyor belt.
  • the axes 12a' and 12b' of the rollers lie in one plane and the axis 12b' of the driven roller 12b preferably extends exactly perpendicular to the transport direction T.
  • the angle of the non-driven axis 12a' can be easily changed to the transport direction within the plane by a to prevent the conveyor belt 25 from “running away” to the side.
  • a few tenths of a degree around the neutral position in which the non-driven 12a' axis is parallel to the driven axis 12b'
  • a conveyor belt 5 according to the invention made of expanded metal would tend to do this without suitable countermeasures.
  • an adjusting element 80 which acts on a bearing 15 of the non-driven axle 12a '.
  • This actuating element can be designed, for example, as a linear motor or as a servo motor.
  • the adjusting element 80 can be designed in such a way that it allows a continuous adjustment of the angle of the axis or only a gradual adjustment of the same.
  • the actuating element is controlled by a controller 82, which in turn receives information from at least one belt position sensor.
  • a controller 82 which receives information from at least one belt position sensor.
  • there are two band position sensors namely a right band position sensor 84 and a left band position sensor 86.
  • These band position sensors can, for example, be designed as simple light barriers, which send a signal to the control when the band edge exceeds a predetermined position to the outside. If the controller is notified that the position has been exceeded to the right, it controls the actuating element so that the bearing 15 is moved in direction A, as a result of which the belt moves back to the center. If the control is notified that the position has been exceeded to the left, it controls the actuating element so that the bearing 15 is moved in the direction B.
  • a simple control loop for centering the conveyor belt is therefore formed.
  • a more complex (possibly single) belt position sensor could also be used.
  • centering at one end of the belt is sufficient.
  • the adjusting device can be designed so that it actively carries out both movements, or the bearing 15 can be biased in one direction (for example by means of a spring).
  • the conveyor belt 25 is designed as an expanded metal belt, for which the end faces of an expanded metal strip of suitable length and width are connected to one another, in particular by means of plasma or laser welding.
  • the expanded metal strip is preferably calendered.
  • the Figure 3 shows a small section of a suitable expanded metal
  • Figure 4 shows a section along plane AA in Figure 3 .
  • the openings in the expanded metal are similar diamonds with a first axis A1 and a second axis A2.
  • the axes are preferably of unequal length and the shorter axes (here the first axes A1) point in the transport direction T.
  • the conveyor belt between the rollers is very flat and still adapts to the radii of the rollers.
  • the length of the first axes A1 is between 1.5 mm and 4 mm and the length of the second axes is between 2.5 mm and 6 mm.
  • the free cross section of the conveyor belt is preferably between 50% and 70%.
  • the thickness of the expanded metal in the area of the "nodes", which are arranged between four openings, is slightly increased on one side, so that a substantially flat first surface 26a and a second surface 26b with slight elevations 26b 'results.
  • This structure results automatically in many calendered expanded metals.
  • the end faces of the expanded metal strip are connected to the conveyor belt in such a way that the first surface 26a points inwards and the second surface 26b points outwards, so that the transported sheets in the transport section 25a rest exclusively on these elevations 26b '. This has, among other things, advantages with regard to the back reflection of the laser beams.
  • the total thickness d g of the expanded metal is preferably between 0.2 mm and 0.5 mm.
  • the expanded metal is preferably made of stainless steel.
  • the transport device 10 can also have, for example, the following elements shown: input rollers 23, an output roller 20 and a lower cleaning brush 22 or a cleaning station. A preferred embodiment of such a cleaning station will be described later with reference to Figure 5 explained.
  • the cutting laser 30 is arranged above the transport device 10.
  • the device is operated continuously and at preferably a constant transport speed.
  • the paper blanks fed by the feed unit 40 are held in position by the axial fans 16, which suck air through the upper section 25a of the conveyor belt 25.
  • the air expelled by the axial fans 16 exits again through the lower section 25b of the conveyor belt and thus further contributes to cleaning the returning section of the conveyor belt 25.
  • the provision of axial fans has the further major advantages of a significantly reduced energy requirement and a significantly reduced noise generation (in conventional suction boxes, radial compressors are usually used as a vacuum generator).
  • the laser 30 cuts the paper blanks lying on the upper section of the conveyor belt, which leave the transport device 10 at the rear roller 12b and are removed via the discharge unit 50.
  • each side cheek has a slot extending in the transport direction, through which the axis of a roller extends, so that the distance between the two rollers 12a, 12b can be changed and thus the conveyor belt 25 can be tensioned .
  • the conveyor belt 25 can therefore also be used in finished, i.e. welded into an endless loop, assembled, whereby it is pushed laterally onto the rollers 12a, 12b; in this case, auxiliary units such as the input rollers 23, etc. may have to be removed.
  • the Figure 5 shows a preferred embodiment of a cleaning station 70, which can be arranged below the returning section 25 of the conveyor belt 25, for example at the location of the above-mentioned cleaning brush 22.
  • This cleaning station 70 has a cleaning roller 71 that can be driven about an axis 73 and an open-top container 76 for receiving cleaning liquid 77 (in the simplest case, water).
  • a stripping roller 78 is also provided, which is driven in opposite directions to the cleaning roller.
  • At least the outer jacket layer of the cleaning roller 71 is designed as a sponge (sponge jacket 74 - Figure 11) or in the form of a brush (brush jacket 75 - Figure 12).
  • the cleaning roller 71 is preferably driven in the same direction of rotation as the rollers 12a, 12b.
  • the cleaning roller 71 is positioned so that it presses from below against the returning section 25b of the conveyor belt 25 and its lower part is immersed in the cleaning liquid 77. As the cleaning roller rotates, new cleaning liquid 77 is constantly picked up and conveyed to the returning section 25b of the conveyor belt.
  • the level of moistening of the returning section can be adjusted by the stripping roller, which is arranged between the cleaning liquid and the conveyor belt in the direction of rotation of the cleaning roller.
  • the radial distance between the cleaning roller and the stripping roller 78 is preferably adjustable.
  • Moist cleaning (especially using the cleaning station just described) has several advantages. First of all, a good cleaning of the conveyor belt from combustion, ash and the like can be achieved. Furthermore, the humidification of the conveyor belt as such also has advantages: On the one hand, evaporative cooling occurs - additionally favored by the arrangement of the axial fans - that is, the conveyor belt, the upper section 25a of which is exposed to laser energy, is cooled. The humidification can also be adjusted in this way ensure that a certain amount of liquid still adheres to the conveyor belt on its upper section 25a. This adhering liquid improves the adhesion of burns, ash and the like so that they do not contaminate the back of the processed paper. The fabric structure of the metal conveyor belt strongly promotes the intentional adhesion of liquid.
  • the processing device described is also suitable for processing other flat elements such as cardboard, corrugated cardboard, textiles, leather or plastic films.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Delivering By Means Of Belts And Rollers (AREA)
  • Structure Of Belt Conveyors (AREA)
  • Laser Beam Processing (AREA)

Description

Die Erfindung betrifft eine Vorrichtung zur Bearbeitung flächiger Elemente nach dem Oberbegriff des Anspruchs 1.The invention relates to a device for processing flat elements according to the preamble of claim 1.

Wenn Elemente aus Papier oder andere flächige Elemente positionsgenau bewegt werden müssen, so ist es in der Technik bekannt, hierfür sogenannte Saugbänder einzusetzen. Solche Saugbänder bestehen in der Regel aus Gummi oder einem ähnlichen Material und weisen eine Vielzahl von Löchern auf. Die Transportvorrichtung weist wenigstens zwei Walzen auf, über welche dieses Saugband läuft und unterhalb des oberen Abschnittes des als Transportband dienenden Saugbandes (also unterhalb des Transportabschnittes des Transportbandes) ist ein mit Unterdruck beaufschlagbarer sogenannter Saugkasten vorgesehen, dessen Oberseite eine Vielzahl von Öffnungen aufweist, so dass im Saugkasten wirkender Unterdruck zum einen den Transportabschnitt auf den Saugkasten ansaugt, und zum anderen Papier, welches sich auf der Oberfläche des Transportabschnittes befindet, auf diese Oberfläche ansaugt.If elements made of paper or other flat elements have to be moved in precise positions, it is known in the art to use so-called suction belts for this purpose. Such suction tapes are usually made of rubber or a similar material and have a large number of holes. The transport device has at least two rollers over which this suction belt runs and below the upper section of the suction belt serving as a conveyor belt (i.e. below the transport section of the conveyor belt) there is a so-called suction box which can be subjected to negative pressure, the top of which has a large number of openings, so that Negative pressure acting in the suction box, on the one hand, sucks the transport section onto the suction box, and on the other hand, sucks paper, which is on the surface of the transport section, onto this surface.

In der Technik sind weiterhin Laserschnittvorrichtungen bekannt geworden, mit deren Hilfe man sehr präzise Konturen aus Papier ausschneiden kann, um somit beispielsweise Buchstaben, Zahlen oder andere Zeichen in Form von Durchbrechungen zu erzeugen. Auch hier ist es natürlich notwendig, das Papier präzise hinsichtlich des Lasers zu positionieren bzw. zu transportieren, so dass auch hier der Einsatz entsprechender Saugbänder sinnvoll ist. Auf Grund der hohen thermischen Belastung durch den Laser ist jedoch der Einsatz konventioneller Saugbänder, insbesondere aus einem Gummi oder einem gummiähnlichen Material, nicht möglich, bzw. würde zu einem extrem hohen Verschleiß führen.Laser cutting devices have also become known in technology, with the help of which very precise contours can be cut out of paper in order to produce, for example, letters, numbers or other characters in the form of openings. Here, too, it is of course necessary to position or transport the paper precisely with respect to the laser, so the use of appropriate suction belts makes sense here too. However, due to the high thermal load caused by the laser, the use of conventional suction belts, in particular made of rubber or a rubber-like material, is not possible or would lead to extremely high wear.

Zur Lösung dieses Problems ist es aus der gattungsbildenden WO 2014/121939 A1 bekannt, bei derartigen Laserschnittvorrichtungen ein Transportband aus einem Metallgewebe einzusetzen. US 6 095 218 A offenbart eine Vorrichtung gemäß dem Oberbegriff des Anspruchs 1.To solve this problem it is from the generic WO 2014/121939 A1 known to use a conveyor belt made of a metal fabric in such laser cutting devices. US 6,095,218 A discloses a device according to the preamble of claim 1.

Hiervon ausgehend stellt sich die vorliegende Erfindung die Aufgabe, eine gattungsgemäße Vorrichtung weiter zu verbessern.Based on this, the present invention sets itself the task of further improving a generic device.

Diese Aufgabe wird durch eine Vorrichtung mit den Merkmalen des Anspruchs 1 gelöst.This task is solved by a device with the features of claim 1.

Erfindungsgemäß besteht das Transportband ebenfalls aus einem Metall, jedoch nicht aus einem Gewebe, sondern aus einem Streckmetall. Bahnen aus Streckmetall werden industriell in großem Maßstab hergestellt. Hierbei wird ein Metallblech durch Walzen geführt, wobei wenigstens eine der Walzen eine Vielzahl von Zähnen aufweist, welche das Metallblech durchdringen, wodurch ein regelmäßiges Lochmuster erzeugt wird. Die Löcher sind häufig rautenförmig. In einem nachfolgenden Verfahrensschritt kann das so erzeugte Streckmetall kalandriert werden, dies bedeutet, dass es zwischen zwei auf Spalt angeordnete Walzen hindurchgepresst wird. Aus Streckmetall gefertigte Bauteile werden für die unterschiedlichsten Anwendungen eingesetzt, beispielsweise als Filter oder Filterträger oder als Verkleidungselemente. Nahezu allen bisher genannten Einsatzzwecken ist gemeinsam, dass die Bauteile aus Streckmetall rein statisch verwendet werden.According to the invention, the conveyor belt also consists of a metal, but not of a fabric, but of an expanded metal. Sheets made of expanded metal are manufactured industrially on a large scale. Here, a metal sheet is passed through rollers, with at least one of the rollers having a plurality of teeth which penetrate the metal sheet, thereby producing a regular hole pattern. The holes are often diamond-shaped. In a subsequent process step, the expanded metal produced in this way can be calendered, which means that it is pressed between two rollers arranged in a gap. Components made from expanded metal are used for a wide variety of applications, for example as filters or filter carriers or as cladding elements. What almost all of the uses mentioned so far have in common is that the expanded metal components are used purely statically.

Es hat sich herausgestellt, dass aus Streckmetall hergestellte Endlosbänder für den oben genannten Zweck unter mehreren Gesichtspunkten hervorragend geeignet sind. Sie zeigen eine sehr gute Planlage, also kaum Wölbung im Transportbereich, sind sehr haltbar und zeigen auch ein gutes Streuverhalten bezüglich des aufkommenden Laserlichts, was die Qualität der erzeugten Produkte verbessert. Weiterhin lassen sich diese Bänder sehr gut reinigen.It has been found that endless belts made from expanded metal are excellently suited for the above-mentioned purpose from several aspects. They have a very good flatness, i.e. hardly any curvature in the transport area, are very durable and also show good scattering behavior with regard to the emerging laser light, which improves the quality of the products produced. Furthermore, these bands are very easy to clean.

Besonders geeignete Arten von Streckmetall sind in den Ansprüchen 2 bis 10 angegeben.Particularly suitable types of expanded metal are specified in claims 2 to 10.

Die Achsen der beiden Umlenkrollen des Transportbandes liegen in der Regel in einer Ebene. Um ein seitliches "Wegwandern" des Transportbandes zu verhindern, ist es bevorzugt, die Achse einer Umlenkrolle innerhalb dieser Ebene verschwenkbar zu halten, so dass der Winkel zwischen den Achsen der Umlenkrollen veränderbar ist. Es ist weiter vorzugsweise eine Stelleinrichtung zur Verstellung dieser Achse vorgesehen, welche weiter vorzugsweise Teil eines Regelkreises ist. In der Regel ist es ausreichend und auch bevorzugt, nur die nicht angetriebene Achse zur verstellen.The axes of the two deflection rollers of the conveyor belt usually lie in one plane. In order to prevent the conveyor belt from wandering sideways, it is preferred to keep the axis of a deflection roller pivotable within this plane, so that the angle between the axes of the deflection rollers can be changed. An adjusting device for adjusting this axis is also preferably provided, which is further preferably part of a control loop. As a rule, it is sufficient and preferred to only adjust the non-driven axle.

Weitere bevorzugte Ausführungsbeispiele ergeben sich aus den weiteren Unteransprüchen sowie aus dem nun mit Bezug auf die Figuren näher dargestellten Ausführungsbeispiel. Hierbei zeigen:

Figur 1
einen stark schematisierten Querschnitt durch eine Laserschnitt-Vorrichtung, in welcher eine erfindungsgemäß verbesserte Transportvorrichtung eingesetzt ist,
Figur 2
eine schematische Draufsicht aus Richtung R auf die in Figur 2 gezeigte Transportvorrichtung ohne Eingangs- und Ausgangsrolle,
Figur 3
das Detail D aus Figur 2 (jedoch nicht maßstäblich), das heißt, ein Stück Streckmetall, welches als Transportband dient,
Figur 4
einen Schnitt entlang der Ebene A-A in Figur 3 und
Figur 5
eine bevorzugte Ausführungsform einer Reinigungsstation.
Further preferred exemplary embodiments result from the further subclaims and from the exemplary embodiment now shown in more detail with reference to the figures. Show here:
Figure 1
a highly schematic cross section through a laser cutting device in which a transport device improved according to the invention is used,
Figure 2
a schematic top view from direction R of the in Figure 2 transport device shown without input and output rollers,
Figure 3
the detail D Figure 2 (but not to scale), that is, a piece of expanded metal that serves as a conveyor belt,
Figure 4
a section along plane AA in Figure 3 and
Figure 5
a preferred embodiment of a cleaning station.

Die Figur 1 zeigt in einer schematischen Querschnittsdarstellung eine Vorrichtung zur Erzeugung von Laserschnitten in flachen Papierzuschnitten wie Grußkarten oder dergleichen. Die Laserschnitt-Vorrichtung besteht aus vier Elementen, nämlich aus einer Zuführeinheit 40, einer Transportvorrichtung 10, einem oberhalb der Transportvorrichtung angeordneten Laser 30 und einer Abfuhreinheit 50. Die Transportrichtung des Papiers ist die Richtung T und die Vorrichtung kann kontinuierlich arbeiten, das heißt das Erzeugen der Schnittkonturen durch den Laser erfolgt bei gleichbleibender Transportbewegung durch die Transportvorrichtung 10. Die Figur 2 zeigt eine Draufsicht auf die Transportvorrichtung 10 der Figur 1 aus Richtung R.The Figure 1 shows a schematic cross-sectional representation of a device for producing laser cuts in flat paper blanks such as greeting cards or the like. The laser cutting device consists of four elements viz from a feed unit 40, a transport device 10, a laser 30 arranged above the transport device and a discharge unit 50. The transport direction of the paper is the direction T and the device can work continuously, that is, the cutting contours are generated by the laser while the transport movement remains constant the transport device 10. The Figure 2 shows a top view of the transport device 10 Figure 1 from direction R.

Die Zuführeinheit 40 kann konventionell aufgebaut sein, nämlich bestehend aus einem Tisch 42 mit glatter Oberfläche und einer Reihe von Transportrollen 44, welche die Papierzuschnitte über dem Tisch gleitend der Transportvorrichtung 10 zuführen. Die Transportrollen 44 können gegenüber der Transportrichtung T leicht aus einem 90-Grad-Winkel herausgedreht sein und die Papierzuschnitte so an einen Anschlag drücken, sodass eine genauere Positionierung der Papierzuschnitte erreicht wird. Die Abfuhreinheit 50 kann ebenfalls konventionell aufgebaut sein und kann beispielsweise aus einem Anschlussstück 52 und einem Förderband 54 bestehen. Es wäre jedoch beispielsweise genauso möglich, unmittelbar nach der Transportvorrichtung 10 einen Stapler oder dergleichen vorzusehen.The feed unit 40 can be constructed conventionally, namely consisting of a table 42 with a smooth surface and a series of transport rollers 44, which feed the paper blanks to the transport device 10 by sliding over the table. The transport rollers 44 can be turned slightly out of a 90 degree angle with respect to the transport direction T and thus press the paper blanks against a stop, so that a more precise positioning of the paper blanks is achieved. The removal unit 50 can also be constructed conventionally and can, for example, consist of a connecting piece 52 and a conveyor belt 54. However, it would also be possible, for example, to provide a forklift or the like immediately after the transport device 10.

Die wesentlichen Elemente der erfindungsgemäßen Transportvorrichtung 10 sind zwei Walzen 12a, 12b, wobei wenigstens eine der beiden Walzen, hier die in Papierflussrichtung hintere Walze 12b, mittels eines Motors 13 angetrieben ist, das Transportband 25 und eine Mehrzahl von Axiallüftern 16, welche unterhalb des oberen Abschnittes (also des jeweiligen Transportabschnitts) 25a des Transportbandes 25 angeordnet sind. Zur Positionierung dieser Axiallüfter 16 (diese Axiallüfter 16 können grundsätzlich aufgebaut sein wie konventionelle Lüfter für Computergehäuse) dient ein in der Horizontalebene liegender Träger 14, welcher sich im Wesentlichen von der vorderen Walze 12a zur hinteren Walze 12b erstreckt. Dieser Träger 14 weist eine Vielzahl von Durchbrechungen auf, an den Positionen der Durchbrechungen sind die Axiallüfter 16 angeordnet, wie dies in Figur 1 nur sehr schematisch dargestellt ist. Der Träger 14 kann in Praxis auch wesentlich dünner ausgestaltet sein. Die Axiallüfter 16 befinden sich bevorzugt relativ nahe an der Unterseite des oberen Abschnittes 25a des Transportbandes.The essential elements of the transport device 10 according to the invention are two rollers 12a, 12b, with at least one of the two rollers, here the rear roller 12b in the paper flow direction, being driven by a motor 13, the conveyor belt 25 and a plurality of axial fans 16, which are located below the upper Section (i.e. the respective transport section) 25a of the conveyor belt 25 are arranged. To position these axial fans 16 (these axial fans 16 can basically be constructed like conventional fans for computer cases), a support 14 lying in the horizontal plane is used, which essentially extends from the front roller 12a to the rear roller 12b. This carrier 14 has a large number of openings; the axial fans 16 are arranged at the positions of the openings, as shown in Figure 1 is only shown very schematically. In practice, the carrier 14 can also be made significantly thinner. The axial fans 16 are preferably located relatively close to the underside of the upper section 25a of the conveyor belt.

Die Achsen 12a' und 12b' der Walzen liegen in einer Ebene und die Achse 12b` der angetriebenen Walze 12b erstreckt sich vorzugsweise genau senkrecht zur Transportrichtung T. Der Winkel der nicht angetriebenen Achse 12a' ist zur Transportrichtung innerhalb der Ebene leicht veränderbar, um ein seitliches "Weglaufen" des Transportbandes 25 zu verhindern. In der Regel reichen wenige zehntel Grad um die neutrale Position (in welcher die nicht angetriebene 12a' Achse parallel zur angetriebenen Achse 12b' ist) herum aus. Es hat sich nämlich herausgestellt, dass ein erfindungsgemäßes, aus einem Streckmetall bestehendes Transportband 5 ohne geeignete Gegenmaßnahmen hierzu neigen würde. Um diesen Winkel verändern zu können, ist ein Stellelement 80 vorgesehen, welches auf ein Lager 15 der nicht angetriebenen Achse 12a' wirkt. Dieses Stellelement kann beispielsweise als Linearmotor oder als Servomotor ausgeführt sein. Das Stellelement 80 kann so ausgestaltet sein, dass es eine kontinuierliche Verstellung des Winkels der Achse oder nur eine schrittweise Verstellung desselben erlaubt.The axes 12a' and 12b' of the rollers lie in one plane and the axis 12b' of the driven roller 12b preferably extends exactly perpendicular to the transport direction T. The angle of the non-driven axis 12a' can be easily changed to the transport direction within the plane by a to prevent the conveyor belt 25 from “running away” to the side. As a rule, a few tenths of a degree around the neutral position (in which the non-driven 12a' axis is parallel to the driven axis 12b') is sufficient. It has been found that a conveyor belt 5 according to the invention made of expanded metal would tend to do this without suitable countermeasures. In order to be able to change this angle, an adjusting element 80 is provided, which acts on a bearing 15 of the non-driven axle 12a '. This actuating element can be designed, for example, as a linear motor or as a servo motor. The adjusting element 80 can be designed in such a way that it allows a continuous adjustment of the angle of the axis or only a gradual adjustment of the same.

Das Stellelement wird von einer Steuerung 82 angesteuert, welche wiederum Informationen von wenigstens einem Bandpositionssensor erhält. Im dargestellten Ausführungsbeispiel sind zwei Bandpositionssensoren vorhanden, nämlich ein rechter Bandpositionssensor 84 und ein linker Bandpositionssensor 86. Diese Bandpositionssensoren können beispielsweise als einfache Lichtschranken ausgebildet sein, welche ein Signal an die Steuerung abgeben, wenn die Bandkante eine vorgegebene Position nach außen überschreitet. Wird der Steuerung eine Positionsüberschreitung nach rechts gemeldet, so steuert diese das Stellelement so an, dass das Lager 15 in Richtung A bewegt wird, wodurch sich das Band zurück zur Mitte bewegt. Wird der Steuerung eine Positionsüberschreitung nach links gemeldet, so steuert diese das Stellelement so an, dass das Lager 15 in Richtung B bewegt wird. Es ist also ein einfacher Regelkreis zur Zentrierung des Transportbandes gebildet. Natürlich könnte auch ein aufwendigerer (gegebenenfalls einziger) Bandpositionssensor eingesetzt werden. In der Regel ist eine solche Zentrierung an einem Bandende (vorzugsweise am nicht angetriebenen Ende des Transportbandes) ausreichend.The actuating element is controlled by a controller 82, which in turn receives information from at least one belt position sensor. In the exemplary embodiment shown, there are two band position sensors, namely a right band position sensor 84 and a left band position sensor 86. These band position sensors can, for example, be designed as simple light barriers, which send a signal to the control when the band edge exceeds a predetermined position to the outside. If the controller is notified that the position has been exceeded to the right, it controls the actuating element so that the bearing 15 is moved in direction A, as a result of which the belt moves back to the center. If the control is notified that the position has been exceeded to the left, it controls the actuating element so that the bearing 15 is moved in the direction B. A simple control loop for centering the conveyor belt is therefore formed. Of course, a more complex (possibly single) belt position sensor could also be used. As a rule, such centering at one end of the belt (preferably at the non-driven end of the conveyor belt) is sufficient.

Die Stelleinrichtung kann so ausgebildet sein, dass sie beide Bewegungen aktiv ausführt, oder das Lager 15 kann in einer Richtung (beispielsweise mittels einer Feder) vorgespannt sein.The adjusting device can be designed so that it actively carries out both movements, or the bearing 15 can be biased in one direction (for example by means of a spring).

Das Transportband 25 ist erfindungsgemäß als Streckmetallband ausgeführt, wozu die Stirnseiten eines Streckmetall-Streifens passender Länge und Breite miteinander verbunden sind, insbesondere mittels Plasma- oder Laserschweißen. Vor diesem Verbinden wird der Streckmetall-Streifen vorzugsweise kalandriert.According to the invention, the conveyor belt 25 is designed as an expanded metal belt, for which the end faces of an expanded metal strip of suitable length and width are connected to one another, in particular by means of plasma or laser welding. Before this connection, the expanded metal strip is preferably calendered.

Die Figur 3 zeigt einen kleinen Ausschnitt eines geeigneten Streckmetalls, die Figur 4 zeigt einen Schnitt entlang der Ebene A-A in Figur 3. Die Durchbrechungen des Streckmetalls sind zueinander gleichartige Rauten mit einer ersten Achse A1 und einer zweiten Achse A2. Vorzugsweise sind die Achsen ungleich lang und die kürzeren Achsen (hier die ersten Achsen A1) zeigen in Transportrichtung T. Hierdurch ist das Transportband zwischen den Walzen sehr eben und passt sich dennoch den Radien der Walzen an. Vorzugsweise beträgt die Länge der ersten Achsen A1 zwischen 1,5 mm und 4 mm und die Länge der zweiten Achsen zwischen 2,5 mm und 6 mm. Der freie Querschnitt des Transportbandes beträgt vorzugsweise zwischen 50% und 70%.The Figure 3 shows a small section of a suitable expanded metal Figure 4 shows a section along plane AA in Figure 3 . The openings in the expanded metal are similar diamonds with a first axis A1 and a second axis A2. The axes are preferably of unequal length and the shorter axes (here the first axes A1) point in the transport direction T. As a result, the conveyor belt between the rollers is very flat and still adapts to the radii of the rollers. Preferably, the length of the first axes A1 is between 1.5 mm and 4 mm and the length of the second axes is between 2.5 mm and 6 mm. The free cross section of the conveyor belt is preferably between 50% and 70%.

Wie man der Figur 4 entnimmt, ist die Dicke des Streckmetalls im Bereich der "Knoten", welche zwischen jeweils vier Durchbrechungen angeordnet sind, nach einer Seite etwas erhöht, sodass sich eine im Wesentlichen ebene erste Oberfläche 26a und eine zweite Oberfläche 26b mit leichten Erhöhungen 26b' ergibt. Diese Struktur ergibt sich bei vielen kalandrierten Streckmetallen automatisch. Die Stirnseiten des Streckmetallstreifens sind so zum Transportband verbunden, dass die erste Oberfläche 26a nach innen und die zweite Oberfläche 26b nach außen zeigt, sodass die transportierten Bögen im Transportabschnitt 25a ausschließlich auf diesen Erhöhungen 26b' aufliegen. Dies hat unter anderem Vorteile hinsichtlich der Rückreflexion der Laserstrahlen.How to get the Figure 4 the thickness of the expanded metal in the area of the "nodes", which are arranged between four openings, is slightly increased on one side, so that a substantially flat first surface 26a and a second surface 26b with slight elevations 26b 'results. This structure results automatically in many calendered expanded metals. The end faces of the expanded metal strip are connected to the conveyor belt in such a way that the first surface 26a points inwards and the second surface 26b points outwards, so that the transported sheets in the transport section 25a rest exclusively on these elevations 26b '. This has, among other things, advantages with regard to the back reflection of the laser beams.

Die Gesamtdicke dg des Streckmetalls beträgt vorzugsweise zwischen 0,2 mm und 0,5 mm. Das Streckmetall besteht vorzugsweise aus Edelstahl.The total thickness d g of the expanded metal is preferably between 0.2 mm and 0.5 mm. The expanded metal is preferably made of stainless steel.

Optional kann die Transportvorrichtung 10 noch beispielsweise folgende dargestellte Elemente aufweisen: Eingangsrollen 23, eine Ausgangsrolle 20 und eine untere Reinigungsbürste 22 oder eine Reinigungsstation. Eine bevorzugte Ausführungsform einer solchen Reinigungsstation wird später mit Bezug auf die Figur 5 erläutert.Optionally, the transport device 10 can also have, for example, the following elements shown: input rollers 23, an output roller 20 and a lower cleaning brush 22 or a cleaning station. A preferred embodiment of such a cleaning station will be described later with reference to Figure 5 explained.

Oberhalb der Transportvorrichtung 10 ist der Schnittlaser 30 angeordnet.The cutting laser 30 is arranged above the transport device 10.

Der Betrieb der Vorrichtung erfolgt, wie dies bereits erwähnt wurde, kontinuierlich und bei vorzugsweise konstanter Transportgeschwindigkeit. Durch die Axiallüfter 16, welche Luft durch den oberen Abschnitt 25a des Transportbandes 25 saugen, werden die von der Zuführeinheit 40 positionsgenau zugeführten Papierzuschnitte in Position gehalten. Die von den Axiallüftern 16 ausgestoßene Luft tritt durch den unteren Abschnitt 25b des Transportbandes wieder aus und trägt somit weiterhin zu einer Reinigung des rücklaufenden Abschnittes des Transportbandes 25 bei. Das Vorsehen von Axiallüftern hat gegenüber dem Vorsehen eines Saugkastens noch die weiteren großen Vorteile eines deutlich verringerten Energiebedarfes und einer deutlich verringerten Geräuschentwicklung (bei herkömmlichen Saugkästen werden in der Regel Radialverdichter als Unterdruckerzeuger eingesetzt).As already mentioned, the device is operated continuously and at preferably a constant transport speed. The paper blanks fed by the feed unit 40 are held in position by the axial fans 16, which suck air through the upper section 25a of the conveyor belt 25. The air expelled by the axial fans 16 exits again through the lower section 25b of the conveyor belt and thus further contributes to cleaning the returning section of the conveyor belt 25. Compared to the provision of a suction box, the provision of axial fans has the further major advantages of a significantly reduced energy requirement and a significantly reduced noise generation (in conventional suction boxes, radial compressors are usually used as a vacuum generator).

Der Laser 30 schneidet die auf dem oberen Abschnitt des Transportbandes liegenden Papierzuschnitte, welche die Transportvorrichtung 10 an der hinteren Walze 12b verlassen und über die Abfuhreinheit 50 abgeführt werden.The laser 30 cuts the paper blanks lying on the upper section of the conveyor belt, which leave the transport device 10 at the rear roller 12b and are removed via the discharge unit 50.

Um das Transportband 25 spannen zu können, weist zumindest ein Ende jeder Seitenwange einen sich in Transportrichtung erstreckenden Schlitz auf, durch welchen sich die Achse einer Walze erstreckt, sodass der Abstand der beiden Walzen 12a, 12b veränderbar ist und somit das Transportband 25 gespannt werden kann. Dies ist hier nicht im Detail beschrieben, jedoch aus der gattungsbildenden WO 2014/121939 A1 bekannt. Somit kann das Transportband 25 auch im fertigen, also zu einer Endlosschlaufe geschweißten Zustand, montiert werden, wobei es seitlich auf die Walzen 12a, 12b aufgeschoben wird, hierbei müssen gegebenenfalls Nebenaggregate wie die Eingangsrollen 23 usw. abmontiert sein.In order to be able to tension the conveyor belt 25, at least one end of each side cheek has a slot extending in the transport direction, through which the axis of a roller extends, so that the distance between the two rollers 12a, 12b can be changed and thus the conveyor belt 25 can be tensioned . This is not described in detail here, but from the generic point of view WO 2014/121939 A1 known. The conveyor belt 25 can therefore also be used in finished, i.e. welded into an endless loop, assembled, whereby it is pushed laterally onto the rollers 12a, 12b; in this case, auxiliary units such as the input rollers 23, etc. may have to be removed.

Die Figur 5 zeigt eine bevorzugte Ausgestaltung einer Reinigungsstation 70, welche unterhalb des rücklaufenden Abschnitts 25 des Transportbandes 25, beispielsweise an der Stelle der oben erwähnten Reinigungsbürste 22, angeordnet werden kann. Diese Reinigungsstation 70 weist eine um eine Achse 73 antreibbare Reinigungswalze 71 und einen oben offenen Behälter 76 zur Aufnahme von Reinigungsflüssigkeit 77 (im einfachsten Fall Wasser) auf. Vorzugsweise ist weiterhin eine Abstreifwalze 78 vorgesehen, welche gegenläufig zur Reinigungswalze angetrieben wird. Zumindest die äußere Mantelschicht der Reinigungswalze 71 ist als Schwamm (Schwamm-Mantel 74 - Figur 11) oder in Form einer Bürste (Bürsten-Mantel 75 - Figur 12) ausgebildet. Die Reinigungswalze 71 wird vorzugsweise in der selben Drehrichtung wie die Walzen 12a, 12b angetrieben.The Figure 5 shows a preferred embodiment of a cleaning station 70, which can be arranged below the returning section 25 of the conveyor belt 25, for example at the location of the above-mentioned cleaning brush 22. This cleaning station 70 has a cleaning roller 71 that can be driven about an axis 73 and an open-top container 76 for receiving cleaning liquid 77 (in the simplest case, water). Preferably, a stripping roller 78 is also provided, which is driven in opposite directions to the cleaning roller. At least the outer jacket layer of the cleaning roller 71 is designed as a sponge (sponge jacket 74 - Figure 11) or in the form of a brush (brush jacket 75 - Figure 12). The cleaning roller 71 is preferably driven in the same direction of rotation as the rollers 12a, 12b.

Die Reinigungswalze 71 ist so positioniert, dass sie von unten gegen den rücklaufenden Abschnitt 25b des Transportbandes 25 drückt und mit einem unteren Teil in die Reinigungsflüssigkeit 77 eintaucht. Durch die Drehung der Reinigungswalze wird ständig neue Reinigungsflüssigkeit 77 aufgenommen und zum rücklaufenden Abschnitt 25b des Transportbandes gefördert. Durch die Abstreifrolle, welche in Drehrichtung der Reinigungswalze zwischen der Reinigungsflüssigkeit und dem Transportband angeordnet ist, lässt sich das Maß der Befeuchtung des rücklaufenden Abschnitts einstellen. Hierzu ist der radiale Abstand zwischen Reinigungswalze und Abstreifwalze 78 vorzugsweise einstellbar.The cleaning roller 71 is positioned so that it presses from below against the returning section 25b of the conveyor belt 25 and its lower part is immersed in the cleaning liquid 77. As the cleaning roller rotates, new cleaning liquid 77 is constantly picked up and conveyed to the returning section 25b of the conveyor belt. The level of moistening of the returning section can be adjusted by the stripping roller, which is arranged between the cleaning liquid and the conveyor belt in the direction of rotation of the cleaning roller. For this purpose, the radial distance between the cleaning roller and the stripping roller 78 is preferably adjustable.

Die feuchte Reinigung (insbesondere mithilfe der eben beschriebenen Reinigungsstation) hat mehrere Vorteile. Zunächst lässt sich eine gute Reinigung des Transportbandes von Abbrand, Asche und dergleichen erzielen. Weiterhin hat auch die Befeuchtung des Transportbandes als solche Vorteile: Zum einen entsteht - zusätzlich begünstigt durch die Anordnung der Axiallüfter - Verdunstungskälte, das heißt, das Transportband, dessen oberer Abschnitt 25a mit Laserenergie beaufschlagt wird, wird gekühlt. Weiterhin kann die Befeuchtung so eingestellt werden, dass dem Transportband auch noch an seinem oberen Abschnitt 25a eine gewisse Menge an Flüssigkeit anhaftet. Diese anhaftende Flüssigkeit verbessert die Adhäsion von Abbrand, Asche und dergleichen, sodass diese die Rückseite des bearbeiteten Papiers nicht verschmutzen. Die Gewebestruktur des metallenen Transportbandes begünstigt stark das gewollte Anhaften von Flüssigkeit.Moist cleaning (especially using the cleaning station just described) has several advantages. First of all, a good cleaning of the conveyor belt from combustion, ash and the like can be achieved. Furthermore, the humidification of the conveyor belt as such also has advantages: On the one hand, evaporative cooling occurs - additionally favored by the arrangement of the axial fans - that is, the conveyor belt, the upper section 25a of which is exposed to laser energy, is cooled. The humidification can also be adjusted in this way ensure that a certain amount of liquid still adheres to the conveyor belt on its upper section 25a. This adhering liquid improves the adhesion of burns, ash and the like so that they do not contaminate the back of the processed paper. The fabric structure of the metal conveyor belt strongly promotes the intentional adhesion of liquid.

Abschließend sei noch zu erwähnen, dass sich die beschriebene Bearbeitungsvorrichtung außer für die Bearbeitung von Papier auch für die Bearbeitung anderer flächiger Elemente wie beispielsweise Pappe, Wellpappe, Textilien, Leder oder Kunststofffolien eignet.Finally, it should be mentioned that, in addition to processing paper, the processing device described is also suitable for processing other flat elements such as cardboard, corrugated cardboard, textiles, leather or plastic films.

Claims (14)

  1. A device for processing of flat elements, especially for the processing of paper cuttings, comprising:
    a transport device and a laser (30) for cutting the flat elements,
    wherein the transport device (10)
    comprises a conveyor belt (25) that is guided over a first pulley (12a) and a second pulley (12b), said conveyor belt being made of metal and being permeable to air, wherein the upper section of this belt forms the transport section (25a) and its lower section forms the return section (25b), and
    wherein the laser (30) is located above the transport section (25a),
    characterized in that the conveyor belt (25) consists of an expanded metal.
  2. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the conveyor belt (25) is produced from a strip of expanded metal, especially consisting of steel, wherein the strip of expanded metal is preferably calendered.
  3. The device according to claim 2, characterized in that the face ends of the strip of expanded metal are plasma- or laser-welded.
  4. The device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the free cross-section of the expanded metal is between 50% and 70%.
  5. The device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the through-holes (27) of the expanded metal are uniform and uniformly orientated rhombuses, such that each rhombus has a first axis (A1) and a second axis (A2), wherein the first axes (A1) are orientated in transport direction (T) and the second axes (A2) are orientated perpendicular to the transport direction (T), wherein it is preferred that at least the outer surface (26b) of the conveyor belt, preferably only die outer surface (26b), shows elevations (26b') at the junctions at which four rhombuses meet.
  6. The device according to claim 6 or claim 7, characterized in that the first axes (A1) are shorter than the second axes (A2).
  7. The device according to one of the claims 5 or 6, characterized in that the first axes (A1) have a length between 1,5 mm and 4 mm and the second axes (A2) have a length between 2,5 mm and 6 mm.
  8. The device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the conveyor belt has a thickness (dg) between 0,2 mm and 0,5 mm.
  9. The device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the axels (12a', 12b') of the two pulleys (12a, 12b) are located in one plane and that at least the axel (12a') of the first pulley (12a) is pivotable within this plane, such that the angle between the two axels (12a', 12b') of the pulleys (12a, 12b) is changeable, wherein it is preferred that the first pulley (12a) is not driven and the second pulley (12b) is driven.
  10. The device according to claim 9, characterized in that at least one sensor (84, 86) for determining the transverse position of the conveyor belt (25) at at least one position is provided and that an actuator means (80) acting onto the axle (12a') of the first pulley (12a) is provided, said actuator means changing the angle of the axle (12a') in relation to the transport direction (T) in dependence of the belt position determined by the at least one sensor (84, 86).
  11. The device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that between the transport section (25a) and the return section (25b) at least one low pressure generator, preferably in form of at least one axial fan (16), is located.
  12. The device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one cleaning device acting onto the return section (25b) is provided.
  13. The device according to claim 15, characterized in that the cleaning device moistens the conveyor belt (25), wherein it is preferred that the cleaning device is embodied as a cleaning station (70), provided with a cleaning roller (71) that can be driven and a container (76) that is open on the top and can be filled with liquid, wherein the cleaning roller (71) is positioned such that an upper section of its surface comes in contact with the return section (25b) of the conveyor belt (25) and that a lower section of the cleaning roller is located inside the container (76), wherein it is preferred that the axis (73) of the cleaning roller (71) extends parallel to the axes of the rollers (12a, 12b), and wherein it is further preferred that the cleaning roller (71) is driven in the same rotational direction as the rollers (12a, 12b).
  14. The transport device according to claim 13, characterized in that additionally a strip roller (78) is provided which extends parallel to the cleaning roller (71), said cleaning roller being preferably driven in counter direction to the cleaning roller and comes in contact with a section of the surface of the cleaning roller (71).
EP19753033.0A 2018-08-16 2019-08-08 Device for processing flat elements and transport belt for use in a device of this type Active EP3837200B1 (en)

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US11584600B2 (en) 2023-02-21
EP3837200A1 (en) 2021-06-23
WO2020035396A1 (en) 2020-02-20
US20210300699A1 (en) 2021-09-30

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