ES2470317T3 - Procedure and device for forming packages or partial packages of printed products stacked loose - Google Patents

Abstract

Procedure for forming packages or partial packages of printed products (1) stacked in loose form, in which the printed products (1) are transported with at least one conveyor belt (2, 3) to a package forming equipment, these being printed products transported (1) juxtaposed or superimposed at least partially in an imbricated form, and in which a printed product (1 ') adjacent to the partial imbricated current (4) to be formed is temporarily immobilized with a separation device (5) and additional transport thereof is inhibited, characterized in that unwanted gaps or gaps (10) are detected between the printed products (1) superimposed overlapping, and, when an unwanted gap (10) is detected immediately behind the printed product ( 1 ') to be immobilized with the separation equipment (5), referred to the transport direction, a ramp (11) is activated such that the printed product (1' ') arranged behind the unwanted gap (10), r efferred to the transport direction, be elevated by means of the ramp (11) so that it is placed in an overlapping form on the immobilized printed product (1 ').

Description

Procedure and device for forming packages or partial packages of printed products stacked loose.

The invention concerns a process for forming packages or partial packages of printed products stacked in loose form, in which the printed products are transported on at least one conveyor belt to a package forming equipment. The invention also concerns a corresponding device for forming partial packages or packages. Printed products transported on the conveyor belt are juxtaposed or at least partially overlapped in imbricated form. The term "printed products" means, in the context of the invention, especially magazines, brochures or catalogs. As a package forming equipment, a cross-positioning mechanism can be used in particular within the framework of the invention. In a cross-placement mechanism of this kind, a first partial package or a first partial stack is discharged onto a rotating table and then this rotating table is rotated 180�. Next, a second partial package is downloaded onto the first partial package, etc. In this way, it avoids that all printed products are stacked one on top of the other with their spines oriented in the same direction. As a result, a stable package consisting of a plurality of partial packages is obtained.

The procedures and devices of the class described at the beginning are known by practice in different embodiments. Printed products are fed here to a package forming equipment or to a cross placement mechanism on a conveyor belt in which they are placed as an imbricated or imbricated stream. It is usual to separate the imbricated current into partial imbricated currents with which respective partial packages are formed. It is already known in this regard that, in order to form a partial imbricated current, a subsequent printed product in the imbricated current is temporarily immobilized by means of a separation device and the subsequent transport thereof is prevented and thus separated from the partial imbricated current to be formed. A problem arises when behind an immobilized printed product follows an unwanted gap in the imbricated stream. The printed product following the hole and additionally transported by the conveyor belt will then be moved with its front side edge until the rear side edge of the immobilized printed product is reached. This leads to a considerable disturbance of the supply of the imbricated current and in general it is necessary to disconnect the corresponding device and it is normal that the printed products have to be re-sorted by hand again. This disturbance of the overlapping current can be fatal especially because the printed products are frequently provided with labels with addressee addresses and are grouped into partial packages or packages according to their destination. Not ultimately for this reason, you must continue to ensure impeccable and functionally safe feeding of the imbricated current of the printed products. The disconnection of the necessary device in the face of the described disturbance and the new manual classification of printed products naturally lead to a considerable reduction in performance or reduction in capacity. In view of this, the procedures and devices known in practice are in need of improvement.

US 4 214 743 A1 discloses a method and a device according to the preamble of claim 1 and claim 4, respectively.

Accordingly, the invention is based on the technical problem of indicating a procedure of the class cited at the beginning with which the problems described above can be avoided. Also, the invention is based on the technical problem of indicating a corresponding device.

To solve this technical problem, the invention offers a method for forming packages or partial packages of printed products stacked in loose form, in which the printed products are transported on at least one conveyor belt to a package forming equipment, these products being printed forms juxtaposed or overlapped at least partially in an overlapping form,

wherein a printed product adjacent to the partial imbricated stream to be formed is temporarily immobilized with a separation device and thus further transport thereof is inhibited,

in which gaps or unwanted gaps are detected between printed products superimposed overlapping

or in the overlapping stream,

and in which, when an unwanted gap is detected, a ramp is activated immediately behind the immobilized printed product or to be immobilized with the separation equipment, referred to the transport direction, such that the additionally transported printed product, arranged behind the hollow, referred to the direction of transport, is raised by means of the ramp so that it is placed in an overlapping manner on the printed product immobilized by the separation equipment. Then, the separation equipment is deactivated and the printed products that have just been superimposed overlap are additionally transported.

The term of overlapping printed products superimposed in the framework of the invention especially means that a printed product is placed with a part of its width or its length on the product

following printed in the transport direction and / or that a printed product is positioned with a part of its width or its length below the printed product arranged in front of this printed product, considered in the transport direction. It is within the framework of the invention that most of the printed products are overlapped in overlapping form. The term "embedded current" means within the framework of the invention all printed products superimposed overlapping. In the imbricated stream, holes or unwanted holes may be present here. With the term "partial imbricated current", in the context of the invention, it is intended to mean especially printed products superimposed on an imbricated form with which a particular package or a particular partial package is formed. Conveniently, a package is constituted by a plurality of partial packages.

The term "hollow" means within the framework of the invention a free space free of products printed on the conveyor belt. It is within the framework of the invention that unwanted gaps are detected in the imbricated stream and that care is taken to close an unwanted gap by superimposing the printed products adjacent to the gap in an imbricated manner. This is achieved with the ramp according to the invention. Conveniently, this ramp is activated only when an unwanted gap is detected in the imbricated current. In principle, desired voids may also be present in the embedded stream. By counting or detecting the printed products transported, it can be verified whether it is a desired hole or an unwanted hole.

According to a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, the printed products are fed to a cross-positioning mechanism that acts as a package forming equipment. The operation of a cross placement mechanism of this kind has already been described at the beginning.

According to a recommended execution of the procedure, the printed product arranged in front of the unwanted gap, considered in the transport direction, is immobilized by the separation equipment while the conveyor belt continues to move in the transport direction and the printed product arranged behind of the unwanted gap, referred to the direction of transport, is pushed towards the ramp by the additionally moved conveyor belt. At least one conveyor belt provided for transporting the printed products is arranged below said printed products so that they thus rest on this conveyor belt.

To solve the technical problem according to the invention, it also offers a device for forming packages or partial packages of printed products stacked loose, in which at least one conveyor belt is provided for transporting the printed products juxtaposed or at least partially superimposed imbricated to a package formation team,

in which a separation equipment is present with which the printed product adjacent to a partial imbricated current to be formed can be temporarily fixed or immobilized and additional transport thereof can be inhibited, a detection equipment being provided to detect gaps or unwanted gaps between printed products superimposed overlapping,

and in which there is also a ramp that can be activated when an unwanted gap is detected immediately behind the printed product to be immobilized with the separation equipment, referred to the transport direction, so that a printed product arranged immediately behind the hollow, referred to the direction of transport, can be raised by means of the ramp so that it can be placed in an overlapping form on the printed product immobilized by the separation equipment.

The indication of the place "behind" must be understood with respect to the direction of transport of the printed products. It is within the scope of the invention that the ramp intervenes in the transport route of the printed products only when an unwanted gap is detected behind the immobilized printed product or to be immobilized by the separation equipment. Conveniently, the detection equipment consists of a laser detector or a laser counter. In this regard, it is within the scope of the invention that a gap or an unwanted hole can be detected and / or printed products can be counted with the aid of a laser beam of this detection equipment.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the separation device has at least one male which is pressed from above on a printed product to immobilize said printed product. According to a variant embodiment, the male is arranged in a swing arm or at one end of this swing arm, the swing arm can swing around a tilting axis or around a horizontal tilting axis. It is within the scope of the invention that the male is moved or tilted up again after the overlapping of the printing product following the hole.

Conveniently, the ramp for raising the printing product that follows the recess is moved or moved from below to the transport path of the printed products. In this regard, it is within the scope of the invention that the ramp control is automatically controlled based on a detector signal. A pneumatic ramp maneuver is preferably performed.

Preferably, the ramp has at least one upward thrust rounding and / or at least one upward thrust chamfer to push up the printed product to be lifted. It is recommended that the printed product that follows the hole be pushed up by the at least one conveyor belt until it is left on the at least one rounding of upward thrust and / or on the at least one upwardly chamfering and is raised by them. Conveniently, the ramp then acts, as it were, as a trampoline. It is within the scope of the invention that the printed product pushed up or raised is detached from the end of the ramp facing in the direction of transport so that said product comes to be deposited in an overlapping form on the retained printed product. Preferably, the ramp has a plurality of sliding rollers for the printed product to be pushed up or raised. The printed product, when pushed upwards, can then slide on the ramp by means of these sliding rollers.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the ramp has two ramp parts between which, in the activated or raised position of the ramp, a conveyor belt or the conveyor belt circulates to transport the printed products. A recommended embodiment of the invention is characterized in that at least two conveyor belts are provided for transporting the printed products, because the ramp has at least three ramp parts and because, in the activated or raised position of the ramp, each of the two conveyor belts circulates between two ramp parts.

The invention is based on the knowledge that with the method according to the invention and with the device according to the invention, disturbances due to unwanted gaps in the transported embedded stream can be avoided in a simple and functionally safe manner. The device according to the invention is advantageously characterized in this respect by a simple and uncomplicated construction. In principle, existing devices can also be reconditioned with the components according to the invention. Thanks to the measures according to the invention, the net capacity of such a device can be considerably increased. In many devices known in practice, disturbances occur with relative frequency due to unwanted gaps and, as a consequence, the devices have to be disconnected frequently and the printed products have to be sorted again by hand. With the device according to the invention, these disadvantageous, complicated and expensive measures can be almost completely avoided. It is also noteworthy that the device according to the invention can be realized with a relatively small cost.

Next, the invention is explained in more detail by means of a drawing that represents only one embodiment. They show in schematic representation:

Figure 1, a side view of a device according to the invention in a first operating position,

Figure 2, the object according to Figure 1 in a second operating position,

Figure 3, the object according to Figure 1 in a third operating position,

Figure 4, the object according to Figure 1 in a fourth operating position and

Figure 5, a perspective representation of the ramp of the device according to the invention.

Figures 1 to 4 show a device for forming packages or partial packages, not shown in detail, of printed products 1 stacked loose. These printed products 1 may consist of magazines, brochures

or similar flexible printed products 1. In the exemplary embodiment, four lower conveyor belts 2 are provided for transporting or hauling the printed products 1. These lower conveyor belts 2 run as continuous belts parallel to each other. The printed products 1 are superimposed overlapping on these lower conveyor belts and thus form an overlapping current. The printed products 1 are fed on these lower conveyor belts 2 to a package forming equipment not shown in detail that is conveniently realized as a cross-positioning mechanism. In the exemplary embodiment according to FIGS. 1, two upper conveyor belts 3 are also provided which also serve to transport the printed products 1 and circulate as continuous belts parallel to the two central lower conveyor belts 2. The lower conveyor belts 2 and the upper conveyor belts 3 form, as it were, an upper branch and a lower branch of the device according to the invention. Moreover, the transport direction T of the printed products 1 has been hinted by means of an arrow in the figures.

With the device shown in the figures, partial packages, not shown in detail, are formed from a certain number of printed products 1, to which a partial imbricated current 4 is constituted consisting of this number of printed products 1. In order to prevent a printed product 1 'adjacent to the partial imbricated current 4 to be formed and also located there in an imbricated form being transported with the partial imbricated current 4, a separation device 5 is present with which it can be temporarily immobilized This product printed 1 'and can be prevented from being transported. In the exemplary embodiment, the separation device 5 has a male 6 which is pressed from above on the printed product 1 ’to temporarily immobilize this printed product 1’. Conveniently and in the example of

embodiment, the male 6 is connected to the end of a swing arm 7, whose swing arm 7 is tiltable around a horizontal tilt axis 8.

The device according to the invention also has a detection device which, preferably and in the exemplary embodiment, is configured as a laser detector 9. With this detection device or with this laser detector 9, it can be detected, on the one hand , unwanted gaps 10 in the imbricated stream and, on the other hand, a count of the transported printed products can be made 1. Depending on the number of printed products transported 1, the separation equipment 5 can then be activated to form an imbricated stream partial 4.

The device according to the invention also has a ramp 11 which is activated by detecting an unwanted gap 10 immediately behind the printed product 1 'to be immobilized with the separation equipment 5. Preferably and in the exemplary embodiment, the ramp 11 is moved here from below to the transport path of the printed products 1 so that a printed product 1 '' arranged immediately behind the unwanted gap 10 is raised in such a way that it is placed in an overlapping manner on the printed product 1 'immobilized by the equipment separation 5. In the following this is explained in more detail.

Figures 1 to 4 show the development of the operation of the device according to the invention. With the conveyor belts 2, 3 an imbricated stream of printed products 1 is transported in the transport direction T. The printed products 1 arranged in front of the printed product 1 'in Figure 1 form a partial imbricated stream 4 which is intended to form a partial package not shown in detail. In order that the printed product 1 'arranged behind the partial imbricated current 4 can be separated from this partial imbricated current 4, said product is temporarily immobilized with the aid of the separation equipment 5. For this purpose, the male 6 of the separation equipment 5 it is pressed, by tilting the swing arm 7, on this printed product 1 'to be immobilized. This is especially clear from a comparative consideration of Figures 1 and 2. When an unwanted gap 10 is detected (Figure 1) with the laser detector 9 behind the printed product 1 'to be immobilized with the separation equipment 5, it is activated , in addition, the ramp 11. To this end, the ramp 11 is raised within the framework of an automatic control action (figure 2), whereby the printed product 1 '' arranged behind the unwanted gap 10 is pushed until it is left on ramp 11 and is elevated by it. The ramp 11 acts here, as it were, as a trampoline and the printed product 1 '' emerges from the end 12 of the ramp 11 located in the forward position in the transport direction T, whereby said product comes to be located imbricated on the printed product 1 'fixed (figure 3). Then, the separation equipment 5 and the ramp 11 return to their starting positions (figure 1, figure 4). The printed product 1 'now forms with the printed product 1' 'adjacent thereto in imbricated form and with the printed products 1 arranged behind it in Figure 1 an additional partial imbricated stream 4' which is also associated with a partial package .

A preferred embodiment of a ramp 11 for the device according to the invention is shown in Figure 5. Preferably and in the exemplary embodiment, the ramp 11 has three ramp parts 13, 14, 15, the central ramp part 14 being wider than the outer ramp parts 13 and 15. Figure 5 shows the activated or raised position of the ramp 11. Conveniently and in the exemplary embodiment, two lower conveyor belts 2 circulate here between the central ramp part 14 and a respective outer ramp part 13, 15. Another two lower conveyor belts 2 run along the outer sides of the outer ramp parts 13, 15. In a recommended manner and in the exemplary embodiment, each ramp part 13, 14, 15 has an upward thrust rounding 16 and an upward thrust chamfer 17 for pushing upwards the 1 '' printing product to be raised. In addition, in a recommended manner and in the exemplary embodiment, a plurality of sliding rollers 18 for the printed product 1 ’that is to be pushed up is provided on each ramp part 14, 15, 16.

Claims (11)

1. Procedure for forming packages or partial packages of printed products (1) stacked in loose form, in which the printed products (1) are transported with at least one conveyor belt (2, 3) to a package forming equipment, these printed products being transported (1) juxtaposed or superimposed at least partially in an imbricated form, and in which a printed product (1 ') is temporarily immobilized with a separation device (5') adjacent to the partial imbricated current (4) a form and inhibit further transport thereof, characterized in that unwanted gaps or gaps (10) are detected among the printed products (1) superimposed overlapping, and, when an unwanted gap (10) is detected immediately behind the printed product (1 ') to be immobilized with the separation equipment (5), referred to the transport direction, a ramp (11) is activated such that the printed product (1 '') arranged behind the unwanted hole (10), referred to the direction of transport, is raised by means of the ramp (11) so that it is placed in an overlapping form on the immobilized printed product (1 ') .

2.

Method according to claim 1, wherein the printed products (1) are fed to a cross-positioning mechanism that acts as a package forming equipment.

3.

Method according to claim 1, wherein the printed product (1 ') arranged in front of the unwanted hole (10), considered in the transport direction, is immobilized by the transport equipment (5) while the conveyor belt (2, 3) continues to move in the transport direction, and in which the printed product (1 '') arranged behind the unwanted hole (10), referred to the transport direction, is pushed until it is left on the ramp

(11) by the additionally moved conveyor belt (2, 3). 4. Device for forming packages or partial packages of printed products (1) stacked in loose form, in which at least one conveyor belt (2, 3) is provided to transport the printed products (1) superimposed at least partially in shape embedded up to a package formation team, and in which a separation device (5) is present with which a printed product (1) adjacent to a partial imbricated stream (4) to be formed can be temporarily immobilized and the additional transport thereof can be inhibited, characterized in that a detection device is provided for detecting unwanted gaps or gaps (10) between printed products (1) superimposed overlapping, and, in addition, there is a ramp (11) that can be activated when an unwanted gap (10) is detected behind the printed product (1 ') to be immobilized with the separation equipment (5), referred to the transport direction , so that a printed product (1 '') arranged behind the hole (10), referred to the transport direction, can be lifted, so that it can be placed in an overlapping form on the immobilized printed product (1 ').

5.

 Device according to claim 4, wherein the detection equipment is a laser detector (9).

6.

Device according to any of claims 4 � 5, wherein the separation device (5) has at least one male (6) that is pressed from above on a printed product (1 ') to immobilize this printed product (1') .

7.

Device according to any of claims 4 to 6, wherein the ramp (11) can be moved from below to the transport path of the printed product (1).

8.

 Device according to any of claims 4 to 7, wherein the ramp (11) has at least one upward thrust rounding (16) and / or at least one upward thrust chamfer (17) for pushing up the printed product ( 1 '') that must be raised.

9.

Device according to any of claims 4 to 8, wherein the ramp (11) has a plurality of sliding rollers (18) for the printed product (1 ’) that must be pushed up.

10.

 Device according to any of claims 4 to 9, wherein the ramp (11) has at least two ramp parts (13, 14, 15) between which it circulates, in the activated or raised position of the ramp (11), a conveyor belt or the conveyor belt (2) to transport the printed products (1).

eleven.

 Device according to claim 10, wherein at least two conveyor belts (2) are provided for transporting the printed products (1), wherein the ramp (11) has at least three ramp parts (13, 14, 15) and in which, in the activated or raised position of the ramp (11), each of the two conveyor belts (2) circulates between two ramp parts (13, 14, 15).