FR3075094A1 - MODULE FOR PRINTING, FOLDING AND INSERTING A CONTROL ORDER IN A PLATE FOR PREPARING AN ORDER - Google Patents

Abstract

 The invention provides a module (20) for printing, folding and individual insertion of an order form in a tray (P) for preparing an order which successively comprises a printer (22) for supplying purchase orders, each of which is printed on at least the front of a sheet of paper, which has an outlet (28) of printed sheets; a unit (24) for unitary transfer of each sheet printed from the output (28) of the printer to a folding unit; a folding unit for each sheet transferred in at least one fold; and a unit for inserting each folded sheet into a receiving slot belonging to a tray (P) for preparing an order.  The module comprises an integrated folding and insertion station which comprises a folding knife (60) which is mounted mobile, according to a folding stroke orthogonal to the plane of the sheet, between a retracted position and an active folding position.

Description

Module for printing, folding and inserting a purchase order in an order preparation tray

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a module for printing, folding and inserting an order form in an order preparation tray.

The invention relates in particular to such a module for the preparation of orders for the production of pairs of glasses.

TECHNICAL BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention finds particular, but not only, to be applied in the field of the manufacturing industry of pairs of vision glasses.

A pair of glasses is made up of a frame and two lenses, sometimes also called lenses.

Each glass or lens is adapted to the patient's view and must be made to measure.

A lens manufacturer stores and manages several tens, even several hundreds of thousands of possible combinations, ie as many references of glasses, and in particular of finished glasses whose convex surface and concave surface are prepared for the production of pairs of glasses.

In order to be able to supply end users for the production and sale of pairs of glasses in the shortest possible time, distribution centers and laboratories have been created.

A distribution center stores as many references as possible, finished glasses, and delivers them as quickly as possible in the form of orders, for example to another local distribution center, to a laboratory, or even an optician.

A laboratory manufactures "custom" glasses, generally from semi-finished glasses, but also sometimes from finished glasses which it has in stock.

Different stakeholders, including opticians, issue orders that must be prepared from products stored automatically.

In particular, in the case of a so-called “individual” order, an optician orders two glasses for the production of a pair of glasses comprising a glass for the right eye and a glass for the left eye which can also be associated with a spectacle frame which is possibly supplied to the optician by the same supplier as that from which he orders the glasses.

Thus, once out of the storage robots, the right glass and the left green must be grouped in a paired manner, in a determined order corresponding to the distinction between the two eyes, for the purpose of carrying out a specific order.

Thus, there is a major general problem of automated preparation of orders to be dispatched for the production of each pair of glasses, each order generally comprising at least one pair of finished paired glasses and in sight of the patient, as well as often a frame. associated.

In order to ensure a high rate of order preparation in periods of high demand, the storage robots are associated with an installation for the automated selection and matching of stored spectacle lenses, in particular for the preparation of orders for making pairs of glasses.

At the end of this operation, each pair of paired glasses is placed in an order preparation tray which includes, for example, a pair of housings, each of which is designed to receive one of the two paired glasses.

Each tray can also include another housing which can, for example, receive a spectacle frame paired with the pair of glasses contained in the other accommodation, to constitute a complete order for the production of a pair of glasses.

Each tray also includes a slot in the form of a slot open vertically upwards which is capable of receiving an identification label for the order for marking and identifying a specific tray containing paired components.

In a known manner, when an order is issued, an order management software sends a print file of a purchase order which contains various data and information which notably concerns the number of the order, the constituent elements of the order , the operations to be carried out for the manufacture of the pair of glasses, its transmitter, its recipient, etc.

The order form is then printed using a printer on the front of a sheet of paper to constitute an order form.

This order form is then folded, by hand or by means of a mechanical folding machine also called a folder.

Finally, the printed, then folded order form is inserted by hand into the receiving slot of the associated tray.

The folding operation involves making at least one fold

Depending on the solutions adopted, the insertion of the purchase order can be carried out in an empty tray to be filled then with glasses and / or a frame, or in a tray already filled with the components necessary to carry out the order defined on purchase order.

The manual steps for folding and manually inserting purchase orders are labor intensive. They are therefore long, expensive, and can lead to errors, and above all these operations are painful and repetitive.

There is thus a need to be able to print, fold and insert automatically and individually each order form, and preferably by being able to arrange means for this purpose in line with a conveyor allowing the circulation at high speed of order preparation trays.

Among the constraints for the realization of such a module, some are related to the printers used which have a very slow printing, especially for printing and outputting the first sheet or page of each file to be printed.

For example, it may take nine to ten seconds to print a first page.

However, for the printing of successive purchase orders, each of which corresponds to a separate and individualized file for printing a single page, this slow printing is accumulated and multiplied by the number of purchase orders to be printed.

For a specific printer, which outputs a page, for example through an output slot and in a generally horizontal orientation, another determining characteristic is the position of the printed front of the page which can be oriented upwards or downwards, this orientation must be able to be taken into account if necessary for the automation of the following folding and insertion operations in the correct direction.

There is thus a need for a module capable of printing, folding and automatically and individually inserting each purchase order.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention proposes a module for printing, folding and individual insertion of an order form in an associated tray for preparing an order, this module successively comprising:

- a supply unit for purchase orders, each of which is printed on at least the front of a sheet of paper, which has an output of printed sheets;

a unitary transfer unit for each sheet printed from said output to a folding unit;

- a folding unit for each sheet transferred according to at least one fold;

- a unit for inserting each folded sheet into a receiving slot belonging to an order preparation tray.

According to other characteristics of the module:

- It includes an integrated folding and insertion station which includes a folding knife which is mounted movable, according to a folding stroke orthogonal to the plane of the sheet, between a retracted position and an active folding position;

- The integrated folding and insertion station has a folding gap in which the folding knife introduces the sheet during its folding stroke;

- the folding gap is formed between two adjacent folding rollers;

- the two adjacent folding rollers are motorized to drive the sheet and then insert it into a receiving slot belonging to an order preparation tray;

- The integrated folding and insertion station includes a guide slot for the folded sheet which is arranged downstream of said two rollers;

- The folding and insertion knife is in the form of a blade which is slidably received in the folding slot;

- the turning table is a turning box with an opening for receiving and discharging a sheet to be turned over;

the transfer unit comprises a longitudinal transfer mat from each sheet to the right of the integrated folding and insertion station;

- The transfer unit comprises a tray for turning over the printed sheet which is arranged at the outlet of the supply unit for printed order forms;

- The turning table is pivotally mounted between a position for receiving the printed sheet and a returned position for depositing the turned sheet;

- In the inverted removal position, the turning plate is arranged vertically above the transfer belt;

the supply unit for printed order forms is a printer comprising a horizontal slot for outputting the printed sheets.

The invention also provides an installation for the automated preparation of orders, characterized in that it comprises:

- A horizontal continuous feed conveyor for order preparation trays, each of which has a slot for receiving a folded order form which is open vertically upwards; and

- a module according to the invention printing, folding and individual insertion module of an order form in an associated tray for preparing an order.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear during the reading of the detailed description which will follow for the understanding of which reference will be made to the appended drawings in which:

- Figure 1 is a perspective view of part of an installation for the automated preparation of orders which comprises a module according to the invention;

- Figure 2 is a perspective view of the printing, folding and insertion module illustrated in Figure 1;

- Figure 3 is a perspective view in section through a vertical plane of the unit shown in Figure 2;

- Figure 4 is a perspective view on a larger scale of the main components of the integrated folding and insertion station of the module illustrated in Figures 1 to 3;

- Figure 5 is a sectional view through a vertical plane and on a larger scale of the main components of the integrated folding and insertion station of the module illustrated in Figures 1 to 3;

- Figure 6 is a perspective view of an order preparation tray with a folded order form and inserted in the housing provided for this purpose.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

In the following description, elements having an identical structure or analogous functions will be designated by the same references.

In the following description, longitudinal, vertical and transverse orientations indicated by the trihedron L, V, T in the figures will be adopted without limitation. A horizontal plane is also defined which extends longitudinally and transversely.

FIG. 1 shows a part 10 of an installation for the automated preparation of orders, for example with a view to grouping together a pair of selected and matched spectacle lenses and an associated frame.

This part of the installation notably includes a conveyor 12 for transporting trays P, each of which allows the preparation of an order.

To this end, the conveying conveyor 12 comprises a conveyor belt 14 which runs longitudinally from upstream to downstream in the direction F indicated in FIG. 1, and on which the plates P are placed in a determined position.

The installation part comprises a module 20 according to the invention.

The module 20 is arranged laterally on one side 16 of the conveyor belt with a part of it which extends transversely in overhang over the conveyor belt 14.

The module 20 according to the invention mainly consists here of a printer 22, a transfer unit 24 and an integrated station 26 for folding and insertion.

These three sub-assemblies are arranged transversely one after the other.

The printer 22 is fixed and can be of any known type, such as for example a “laser” printer which prints files the first page of which is printed on the front of a sheet which, once printed, leaves the printer 22 by a horizontal slot.

Thus, each printed sheet (not shown) here comes out generally in a transverse and horizontal direction, the sheet bending downwards due to its natural deformation.

Depending on the type of printer, the first printed side of the sheet constituting its front is here - without limitation - oriented vertically upwards.

In this case, and as will be explained hereinafter, the transfer unit 24 comprises means for turning, generally 180 degrees, each printed sheet leaving the printer so that its printed front is oriented vertically downwards. before folding and inserting.

The transfer unit 24 comprises in particular a transfer belt 30 which scrolls horizontally in the horizontal direction to transfer each printed sheet leaving the printer 22 in the direction of the station 26 for folding and insertion, that is to say overall from left to right considering Figures 1 to 5.

The belt 30 is here constituted by a series of five adjacent carrying bands which are driven and guided in movement by a pair of downstream 34 and upstream rollers 36, the latter being the drive roller associated with a controlled electric motor 38.

The frame 40 which in particular carries the rollers 34 and 36 rotates a complementary guide and folding roller 42 which is arranged transversely in front of the upstream roller 36.

The upstream and guiding and folding rollers 36 are adjacent to each other and delimit between them a folding gap 44 which thus extends longitudinally in a plane here vertical parallel to the axes of rotation of the rollers 36 and 42 .

The guide and folding roller 42 is rotated by the upstream roller 36, in the opposite direction and at the same speed, for example by means of gears not shown.

As can be seen in FIGS. 3 and 5, a guide cover 46 which is arranged above the guide and folding roller 42 and which comprises a curved downstream section 48 for guiding towards the gap 44 and a horizontal upstream section which is suitable for receiving a portion of the sheet.

The external cylindrical surface of the upstream roller 32 is machined to delimit grooves, each of which receives one of the bands 32 constituting the transfer mat 30.

This surface is made of a flexible material and the strips 32 are flush there.

Thus, the passage of a sheet in the gap 44 takes place between two almost continuous convex cylindrical surfaces and the fold which is produced on the sheet during its passage between the rollers is a regular and continuous fold over its entire length.

The sheet folded in half with its two opposite flaps is driven regularly and without offset due to the motorization mentioned above of the two rollers 36 and 42.

The lower part of an internal face 54 of a crosspiece 52 of the frame 40 constitutes a transverse stop with which a sheet is capable of cooperating to define the position of folding and insertion of the latter which has been brought by the mat. transfer 30.

In the design illustrated in the figures, to allow the inversion of each sheet leaving the printer, the transfer unit 24 comprises a reversal plate 50 which is arranged at the exit of the printer 22 so as to be able to invert each sheet to then deposit it on the carpet 30 with its front face printed "posed" on the strips 32 of the carpet 30.

The plate 50 is pivotally mounted in both directions around a horizontal axis 52 which is motorized by a drive unit 54.

The turning plate 50 is shown in FIGS. 2, 3 and 5 in its position for receiving a printed sheet at the outlet of the slot 28 of the printer 22.

In FIG. 1, the turning plate 50 is shown in its "turned over" position for depositing a sheet on the belt 30.

The turning table 50 is here designed in the form of a hollow turning box, one end 56 of which is open and the end of which 58 is closed.

Thus, in the receiving position, the open end 56 is arranged in line with the output slot 28 of the printer 22 and a sheet leaving the printer can freely penetrate inside until it comes into abutment by gravity. against the closed end 58.

The turning plate 50 is here equipped with a sensor 66 for detecting the presence of a sheet inside.

As can be seen in Figure 1, after rotating about 180 degrees, the turntable is in an inclined position with its open end 56 facing downstream and down so as to allow the evacuation of a sheet contained in the tray by gravity and its deposit on the belt 30 to then be routed to the integrated station 26 for folding and insertion.

As can be seen in FIG. 2, the flat wall of the tray - here facing upwards - comprises a series of five notches 59 which correspond to the five bands or belts 32 of the transfer belt 30.

When the plate 50 is in its position for depositing a sheet on the transfer belt, there is a slight overlapping of the strips 32 in the notches 59 which can, if necessary, facilitate the exit of the sheet contained in the tray whose portion located at the right of the notches is in "forced" contact with the strips.

According to a variant not shown, in order to facilitate the exit of a sheet from the tray-tray, it is possible to provide a jet of pressurized air causing detachment of the sheet contained, for example when the paper is wet, etc. .

The folding and inserting station 26 comprises a folding knife 60, the function of which is here to initiate the folding of a sheet and to introduce it into the gap 44.

The folding knife 60 is in the form of a vertical flat blade which extends in the longitudinal direction and which is carried and driven in vertical translation in both directions by a controlled jack 64 which is carried centrally by a horizontal bracket 68 of the frame 40.

The folding knife 60 is delimited vertically downwards by its active lower edge 61.

The vertical plane in which the folding knife 60 extends is aligned transversely with the gap 44 defined above which is delimited between the rollers 36 and 42.

A slot 62 for guiding the folded sheet is arranged vertically below the rollers 36 and 42 in transverse alignment with the gap 44 and the vertical plane in which the folding knife 60 moves.

The slot 62 is a corridor of vertical and longitudinal orientation which is delimited transversely by two horizontal bars 70 carried by the frame 40.

As can be seen in detail in Figure 5, the slot 62 is aligned with the gap 44.

The slot 62 is chamfered in its upper edge.

Without limitation, the transverse width of the folding slot 62 is slightly less than the thickness of a sheet folded in half, but the material constituting the peripheral surfaces of the rollers 36 and 42 is elastically deformable to guarantee the passage of the folded sheet in the slot 62 and also guarantee the entrainment of the folded sheet without slipping.

When a sheet (not shown) is in the downstream position in which it rests partly on the belt 30 and partly on the cover 46, the folding knife 60 is in the high position as illustrated in particular in FIG. 5.

The jack 66 can then cause the active stroke of the knife 60, here vertically downwards.

By acting through its active lower edge 61 on the sheet to be folded and inserted, the folding knife 60 begins to mark the fold and - in its active low position - it causes the introduction of the sheet into the gap 44 by lowering it between rollers 36 and 42.

Continuity of the downward movement is then ensured by the rollers 36 and 42 to fold the sheet which is to be inserted folded in a tray P arranged below the guide slot 62.

The paired and associated components for the preparation of an order are placed directly on the open upper face of a tray P.

An example of design of these plates P is illustrated in particular in FIGS. 1, 3, 4 and 6.

Each plate P comprises a first pair of longitudinally adjacent slots 72-G and 72-D each of which is designed to receive a corresponding product.

Thus, for example, by considering the plate P located furthest to the right in FIG. 12, the right-hand housing 72-D is able to receive a right glass VD while the left-hand housing 72-G is able to receive the glass left VG paired with right glass VD.

By way of nonlimiting example, each tray P here also includes a third adjacent housing 74 which can for example receive a spectacle frame matched to the pair of lenses contained in the other housings 72-D and 72-G of the tray P to constitute a complete order for the production of a pair of glasses.

Along its longitudinal edge opposite the compartments 72-D and 72-G, each tray P has a longitudinal slot 76 open facing upwards which constitutes a housing capable of receiving a purchase order BC printed and folded as indicated above and as illustrated in figure 6.

In the determined position on the conveyor belt of the conveyor conveyor 12, the slot 76 for receiving a purchase order BC is oriented longitudinally and the plate P is positioned transversely so that, when the plate is stopped or immobilized at the right of the integrated folding and insertion station 26, the slot 76 is aligned transversely with the folding slot 62.

îo Finally, each tray P including its order form

BC - inserted and visible from the outside as illustrated in FIG. 6 - is then evacuated by the conveyor conveyor 12 beyond the module 20.

Claims (14)

1. Module (20) for printing, folding and individual insertion of an order form (BC) in a tray (P) for preparing an order which successively comprises: - a unit (22) for supplying purchase orders (BC), each of which is printed on at least the front of a sheet of paper, which has an outlet (28) of printed sheets; - a unit (24) for unitary transfer of each sheet printed from said output (28) to a folding unit; - a folding unit for each sheet transferred according to at least one fold; - A unit for inserting each folded sheet into a receiving slot (76) belonging to a tray (P) for preparing an order. 2. Module according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises an integrated folding and insertion station which comprises a folding knife (60) which is mounted mobile, according to a folding stroke orthogonal to the plane of the sheet, between a retracted position and an active folding position. 3. Module according to claim 2, characterized in that the integrated folding and insertion station comprises a folding gap (44) in which the folding knife introduces the sheet during its folding stroke. 4. Module according to claim 3, characterized in that the folding gap is formed between two adjacent rollers (36, 42) of folding. 5. Module according to claim 4, characterized in that the two adjacent folding rollers (36, 42) are motorized to drive the sheet and then insert it into a receiving slot (76) belonging to a tray (P) of preparation of an order. 6. Module according to one of claims 4 or 5, characterized in that the integrated folding and insertion station includes a slot (62) for guiding the folded sheet which is arranged downstream of said two rollers (36, 42 ). 7. Module according to claim 6, characterized in that the folding knife (60) is in the form of a blade which is slidably received in the folding slot (62). 8. Module according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the transfer unit (24) comprises a belt (30) for longitudinal transfer of each sheet to the right of the integrated station (26) for folding and d 'insertion. 9. Module according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the transfer unit (24) comprises a tray (50) for turning over the printed sheet which is arranged at the outlet (28) of the unit ( 22) supply of printed purchase orders (PO). 10. Module according to claim 9, characterized in that the turning plate (50) is pivotally mounted between a position for receiving the printed sheet and an inverted position for depositing the inverted sheet. 11. Module according to one of claims 9 or 10, characterized in that the turning tray (50) is a turning tray having an opening (56) for receiving and discharging a sheet to be turned. 12. Module according to claim 10 taken in combination with claim 8, characterized in that, in the inverted position of removal, the turning plate (50) is arranged vertically above the conveyor belt (30). 13. Module according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the unit (22) for supplying printed order forms is a printer comprising a horizontal slot (28) for outputting the printed sheets. 14. Installation (10) for the automated preparation of orders, characterized in that it comprises: - a horizontal conveyor (12) for continuously feeding trays (P) for order preparation, each of which has a slot (76) for receiving a folded order form (BC) which is open vertically upwards; and a module (20) according to any one of claims 1 to 9.