FR2686531A1

FR2686531A1 - Device for handling cards, in particular those carrying advertising information, and card-stacking machine comprising such a device

Info

Publication number: FR2686531A1
Application number: FR9200768A
Authority: FR
Inventors: Alain Gavignet
Original assignee: MAULDE RENOU SAMBRE
Current assignee: MAULDE RENOU SAMBRE
Priority date: 1992-01-24
Filing date: 1992-01-24
Publication date: 1993-07-30
Anticipated expiration: 2012-01-24
Also published as: FR2686531B1

Abstract

<P> This device, allowing the transfer of cards from a store (1) for storing cards on a conveyor (2), is characterized in that it comprises a fixed base (4) on which an end d '' a support arm (5) of a card handling member (6), connected to the other end of the arm, the arm and the member being movable under the control of actuation means (7) between a first position for picking up a card in the magazine (1) and a second position for releasing the card on the conveyor (2). </P>

Description

The present invention relates to a device for handling cards, in particular advertising information, and a machine for stacking such cards for the formation of card packs.

A number of card stacking machines are already known in the state of the art, in particular advertising information for the formation of card packs, which include a succession of card storage stores, distributed along a card conveyor, movable in front of these magazines and means for transferring cards from magazines to the conveyor to form packets of cards, interposed between each magazine and the conveyor and selectively controlled according to the stack of cards to be obtained.

These machines make it possible to form packets of personalized cards according to the centers of interest of the recipients.

In the prior art, the magazines are arranged vertically next to the conveyor and the means for transferring the cards from these magazines onto the conveyor comprise means for frictionally driving the upper or lower card of the magazine.

However, these different devices have a certain number of drawbacks, because their structure is relatively complex and when the transfer operation takes place between the top of the magazine and the conveyor, it is necessary to stop the machine to supply the magazines.

The object of the invention is therefore to solve these problems by proposing a card handling device which is simple, reliable and which makes it possible to very quickly transfer a card from a store to the conveyor.

To this end, the subject of the invention is a device for handling cards, in particular advertising information, for the transfer of these cards from a card storage magazine onto a conveyor movable in front of this magazine, characterized in that it comprises a fixed base on which is articulated one end of a support arm of a card handling member, connected to the other end of the arm, the arm and the member being movable under the control of actuating means between a first position for picking up a card in the magazine and a second position for releasing the card on the conveyor.

According to another aspect, the invention also relates to a card stacking machine for the formation of card packets, of the type comprising a succession of card storage magazines distributed along a card conveyor movable in front of these magazines and card transfer means magazines on the conveyor to form packets of cards, interposed between each magazine and the conveyor and selectively controlled according to the stack of cards to be obtained, characterized in that each transfer means comprises a device handling as described above.

The invention will be better understood with the aid of the description which follows, given solely by way of example and made with reference to the appended drawings, in which
- Fig.1 shows a partial perspective view of a card stacking machine according to the invention;
- Fig.2,3 and 4 show side views illustrating the operation of a card handling device according to the invention; and
- Fig.5 shows an exploded perspective view of disengageable coupling means forming part of a card handling device according to the invention.

As can be seen in these figures and in particular in FIG. 1, a card stacking machine according to the invention is suitable for forming packets of cards, in particular of advertising information and comprises a succession of magazines. card storage of which only one, designated by the general reference 1, is shown in these figures for reasons of clarity.

These different stores are distributed along a card conveyor designated by the general reference 2, movable in front of these stores and of structure known per se.

More particularly, the magazines are arranged next to this conveyor at a level of the machine higher than this one and inclined towards this conveyor to allow an easy loading of these magazines, by the end of these opposite to the opposite one. of the conveyor.

These stores include, for example, retractable retaining members, the cards in position.

Furthermore, means for transferring cards from the magazines onto the conveyor to form packets of cards are interposed between each magazine and the conveyor.

These means designated by the general reference 3 in these figures, will be described in more detail below.

Note, however, that they are selectively controlled according to the stack of cards to be obtained.

Each manipulation means for transferring cards from a store onto the conveyor comprises a fixed base designated by the general reference 4 in these figures and comprising two lateral flanges 4a and 4b fixed for example on the rest of the frame of the machine.

On this fixed base is articulated one end of a support arm 5 of a card handling member designated by the general reference 6 and connected to the other end of the arm.

As can be seen in these figures, this arm 5 and this member 6 are mounted displaceable under the control of actuating means 7 between a first position for taking a card from the magazine 1 (FIGS. 1 and 2) and a second position for releasing this card on the conveyor 2 (Fig. 4).

In the first position, the handling member 6 extends approximately perpendicularly to the axis of the magazine, while in the second position, it extends approximately parallel to the plane of the conveyor.

This handling member 6 comprises means for gripping the cards with vacuum, constituted for example by two suction cups 8 and 9, connected to vacuum generation means, by means of a connection endpiece 10.

The actuation means 7 described above making it possible to move this arm and this member between the two positions described above, for example comprise a double-acting pneumatic cylinder, connected to control means with a valve of conventional structure.

The card handling member 6 is pivotally mounted at the corresponding end of the support arm by means of a support rod 11 and means are provided for angular displacement of the handling member 6 relative to the arm 5 during the movement of these between the picking and releasing card positions to rotate this handling member between these picking and releasing card positions.

In the embodiment shown in these figures, the displacement means comprise a first toothed wheel designated by the general reference 12 connected to this handling member 6 for example by means of the support rod 11 and a toothed belt 13 connecting this first toothed wheel to a second toothed wheel 14, connected by disengageable coupling means 15, which will be described in more detail below, to the support arm 5 to cause corresponding angular displacements of this second toothed wheel 14 and of this arm 5, during a first phase of movement of the latter, in order to maintain the relative angular position of the handling member 6 with respect to the arm 5 during the phase of taking a card from the store and a locking in position of this second toothed wheel 14 during a second phase of movement of the arm 5 in order to angularly pivot the manipulator member ion 6 relative to arm 5 to the second release position of the card, by rotation of the first toothed wheel around the second toothed wheel.

As can be seen in these figures and in particular in Fig.5, these disengageable coupling means comprise in the embodiment shown, a projecting part 5a of the arm 5 adapted to cooperate with a stud 14a integral with the second toothed wheel 14, to bring into contact a first abutment surface 16 of this second toothed wheel 14 with a first abutment surface 17 of the base 4, against the stress of elastic means 18, tending bringing a second abutment surface 19 of the second toothed wheel 14 closer to a second abutment surface 20 of the base 4, to cause the second notched wheel to lock in position.

These elastic means 18 are for example constituted by a spring interposed between the abutment surfaces of the second toothed wheel 14 and a fixed part of the device.

It will also be noted that the abutment surfaces 16 and 19 of the second toothed wheel 14 are for example formed by inclined planes of a side projecting part thereof, 'extending under a corresponding flange of the base.

It can be seen, for example, in FIGS. 1,2,3 and 5 that in the removal position, the arm 5 and more particularly the projecting part 5a of the latter, have brought the second toothed wheel 14, via of the stud 14a thereof, to move slightly in the direction indicated by the arrow A in FIG. 2 against the elastic stress of the means 18, until the first abutment surface 16 of this second toothed wheel 14, or in abutment against the abutment surface 17 of the base 4.

In this position, the card handling member 6 extends approximately perpendicular to the axis of the magazine 1 to correctly take a card from it.

During the first phase of movement of the arm, that is to say during the first phase of output from the cylinder rod 7, the arm 5 tends to pivot on the base 4, so that the projecting part 5a this moves angularly in the direction indicated by the arrow B in FIG. 3.

This projecting part moving in this direction, the elastic means 18 tend to compress and cause a movement in the same direction of the toothed wheel 14 insofar as the stud 14a of the second toothed wheel 14 remains in abutment against this projecting part 5a of the arm under the effect of the bias of these means 18.

The toothed wheel 14 then also moving in the direction indicated by the arrow B, the stop surface 16 of this second toothed wheel 14, moves away from the corresponding stop surface 17 of the base 4. This rotation of this second toothed wheel 14 continues until the second stop surface 19 of this second toothed wheel bears against the second stop surface 20 of the base. From this position, the angular displacement of this second toothed wheel is blocked and the continued output of the piston rod 7 causes a relative angular displacement of the support arm 5 relative to this second toothed wheel 14 and a corresponding rotation of the first toothed wheel 12 relative to this arm, under the effect of its rotation around the second toothed wheel.

This results in an angular displacement of the handling member 6 relative to the arm 5 to the position shown in Fig.4, in which this member extends approximately parallel to the plane of the conveyor 2.

These disengageable coupling means make it possible to release the handling member 6 in a general direction approximately perpendicular to the axis of the magazine in order to correctly take a card from it and to sufficiently disengage this card from this magazine before cause it to be turned over for deposit on the conveyor 2.

It will be noted that the angular displacement of the arm 5 between these card picking and releasing positions can be, for example, of the order of 90 "and that the amplitude of the rotation of the handling member 6 relative to the corresponding end of the support arm is determined by the diameter of the toothed wheel 12, to obtain a good positioning of this member relative to the conveyor, in the release position of the card.

It goes without saying of course that other disengageable coupling means can be envisaged.

It has been indicated above that such card handling devices for transferring cards from card storage magazines onto a conveyor, movable in front of this magazine, could be interposed between each magazine disposed along this conveyor and that, in a card stacking machine.

In such a machine, each card from the first store in the succession can carry an identification code, for example of the bar type or the like, making it possible to identify the different cards to be stacked in a corresponding packet.

There is then provided for example on the handling device provided opposite this first store, means for reading this code connected to control means of a type known per se, such as for example with a microprocessor, making it possible to control the means of actuation of the support arms of the corresponding handling devices to obtain selective control of these as a function of the cards which it is desired to stack in the same pack. The structure of these control means being conventional, it will not be described in more detail.

It is therefore understandable that the proposed handling device has great simplicity and very safe operation compared to devices already known in the state of the art, since it makes it possible in particular to very easily detect an empty magazine, which allows for example to switch the assembly to another store to avoid stopping the machine.

In addition, if for one reason or another, a card remains blocked in a store, the handling device concerned continues its attempts to withdraw the card, while the others stop, which makes it possible to detect and locate very quickly the store in default.

Furthermore, the movement of the support arm 5 can be controlled while the conveyor advances one step opposite the magazines, which makes it possible to obtain a high stacking rate.

Finally, the cards are loaded very simply by the corresponding free end of each magazine without stopping the machine.

Claims

1. Device for handling cards, in particular advertising information, for transferring these cards from a card storage magazine (1) onto a conveyor (2) which can be moved in front of this magazine, characterized in that it comprises a base fixed (4) on which is articulated one end of a support arm (5) of a card manipulation member (6), connected to the other end of the arm, the arm and the member being movable under the control of actuating means (7) between a first position for picking up a card in the magazine (1) and a second position for releasing the card on the conveyor (2).

2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that in the first position the handling member (6) extends approximately perpendicularly to the axis of the magazine (1) and in the second position, approximately parallel on the conveyor plane (2).

3. Device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the magazine (1) is arranged next to the conveyor (2) at a level of the device higher than this and inclined towards this conveyor.

4. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises means for angular displacement of the handling member (6) relative to the arm (5) during the movement of the latter between the positions debit and release of cards.

5. Device according to claim 4, characterized in that the handling member (6) is pivotally mounted at the corresponding end of the support arm (5) via a support rod (11) and in that the displacement means comprise a first toothed wheel (12) connected to this handling member (6) and a toothed belt (13) connecting this first toothed wheel (12) to a second toothed wheel (14) connected by disengageable coupling means (15) to the support arm (5) to cause corresponding angular displacements of this second toothed wheel (14) and of this arm (5) during a first phase of displacement of the latter in order to maintain the relative angular position of the handling member (6) relative to the arm (5) during the phase of picking up a card from the magazine (1) and a locking in position of this second toothed wheel (14) for one second arm movement phase (5) to make angularly pivot the handling member (6) relative to the arm (5) to the second release position of the card, by rotation of the first toothed wheel around the second.

6. Device according to claim 5, characterized in that the disengageable coupling means comprise a projecting part (5a) of the arm (5), adapted to cooperate with a stud (14a) integral with the second toothed wheel (14) to bring into contact a first abutment surface (16) of this second toothed wheel (14) with a first abutment surface (17) of the base (4) against the stress of elastic means (8) tending to bring a second stop surface (19) of the second toothed wheel (14) to a second stop surface (20) of the base (4), to cause the second wheel to lock in position notched.

7. Device according to claim 6, characterized in that the elastic means comprise a spring (18) interposed between the abutment surfaces of the second toothed wheel and a fixed part of the device.

8. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the handling member comprises means (8) for gripping vacuum cards.

9. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the means for actuating the arm comprise a double-acting jack (7).

10. Card stacking machine, in particular advertising information for the formation of card packets, of the type comprising a succession of magazines (1) for storing cards distributed along a conveyor (2) of cards that can be moved in front of these magazines and means (3) for transferring cards from magazines to the conveyor to form packets of cards, interposed between each magazine (1) and the conveyor (2) and selectively controlled as a function of the stack of cards to be obtained, characterized in that each transfer means comprises a handling device according to any one of the preceding claims.

11. Machine according to claim 10, characterized in that each card of the first store of the succession carries a code identifying the different cards to be stacked in the corresponding packet and in that there are provided means for reading this code connected to means for controlling the means for actuating the support arms of the corresponding handling devices.