JP2008127208A - Knife folder with buckle folding unit disposed in front and method for folding sheet composed of flat printing object - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a combination type folder having knife folding units only by three, capable of manufacturing an English type fourfold and a German type fourfold. <P>SOLUTION: This knife folder has at least one buckle folding unit and three knife folding units mutually arranged at a right angle in front and in rear in the passing direction. The first knife folding unit is arranged in the center, and the second and third knife folding units are arranged on the left side when viewed in the singled sheet passing direction. A device for changing arrangement of the singled sheet front end and the singled sheet rear end in the singled sheet carrying direction, exists between the first knife folding unit and the second knife folding unit. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a folding machine including a buckle folding unit and a knife folding unit that can form both a so-called English-style fold (Englische Vierbruch) and a German-style fold (Deutsche Vierbruch).

  According to the prior art, a buckle folder and a knife folder are known. A combination of a buckle folder and a knife folder is well known as a combination folder. According to this, parallel folding is performed by the buckle folding unit, and right angle folding is performed by the subsequent knife folding unit. At this time, the sheet passes through at least the stations of the paper feeding device, the delivery table, the buckle folding unit, the knife folding unit, and the paper delivery device as viewed in the passing direction of the combination type folding machine. The sheet traveling direction of the sheet on the delivery table coincides with the passing direction of the combination type folding machine. Common folding products produced by a combination folding machine include so-called British and German styles. Common to both is the first parallel fold in the upper buckle fold unit followed by three right angle folds in the knife fold unit, so that a 32 page temporary binding book (brochure) Broschur) is made. In the English-style quad fold, the first knife fold unit at the center and the other two knife fold units on the left side when viewed in the passing direction are passed. In German-style quad-folding, it passes through the first knife-folding unit in the center and two other knife-folding units on the right side when viewed in the passing direction. Is different). In order to increase the flexibility regarding the processing mode of the job, if it is possible to complete the English-style and German-style folds on a single machine, the conventional technique uses a central knife fold as viewed in the passing direction. After the unit, a combination type folding machine having knife folding units on both the left side and the right side is used. In the embodiment according to the prior art, the knife folding unit for performing the third right-angle folding is moved to the right side position or the left side position in the passing direction by a swinging movement, a rotary movement or a sliding movement. Can do.

  Equipped with a total of four knife folding units and in particular the last folding unit that can be moved or swung raises high machine costs and is easily accessible for operation and adjustment (Easy to reach) requires a wider machine installation area. Moreover, there must be space for paper discharge on both sides of the machine.

  Combination type folding machines are also known which have an additional folding buckle (folding pocket, Falztasche) between the first and second knife folding units, thereby enabling more folding variations .

  The buckle folding machine employs a special folding buckle in addition to the conventional folding buckle. Patent Document 1 describes a buckle for collating a plurality of sheets and folding them together. In that case, the buckle is configured such that the sheet can enter it over its entire length. As soon as all the sheets to be folded together are collated, the sheets are taken together by the feeding device from the collating buckle (collating pocket, Sammeltasche) to the subsequent folding unit. The collating process is managed by a sheet counting device or code reader. It is also possible to enter only a few sheets into the buckle and immediately discharge again. The sheet is further conveyed with the original rear end in front.

From US Pat. No. 6,057,049, a single knife folding unit for folding printed and pre-folded sheets is known. This folding unit has a reversing device, a conveying device, and two inlets so that various folding can be performed by the same folding unit. In this case, folding can be performed from either surface side. The type of folding depends on the choice of entrance. Such a structure is suitable for a single knife folding unit, but it is almost impossible to incorporate it into a knife folding machine having a plurality of folding units. This is because in such a knife folding machine, the sheet transport direction is determined in advance by the arrangement of the folding unit.
European Patent Application Publication No. 0511574A1 German Patent Application Publication No. 2940360A1

  An object of the present invention is to provide a combination type folding machine having only three knife folding units capable of producing British-style and German-style folds, and corresponding British-style folds. It is to provide a method for making a fold and a German fold, which eliminates the disadvantages of the prior art.

  This object is achieved and achieved according to the invention by a folder comprising a device according to claim 1 for changing the arrangement of the front end of the sheet and the rear end of the sheet with respect to the sheet transport direction. This is achieved by the German-style method described in item 10. Machine flexibility is increased, thereby greatly increasing the number of possible folding types.

  According to it, the idea underlying the present invention is a further development of a combination folding machine comprising three knife folding units and one folding buckle between the first and second knife folding units. A device that changes the arrangement of the front end of the sheet and the rear end of the sheet with respect to the sheet conveying direction allows the sheet to be folded in either English or German. An apparatus for changing the arrangement of the front end of the sheet and the rear end of the sheet with respect to the sheet transport direction is between the first and second knife folding units instead of the folding buckle. After the first right-angle folding, the sheet is conveyed to a device that changes the arrangement of the front end and the rear end of the sheet with respect to the sheet transport direction. A pair of rollers pushes the sheet into the buckle with its front end facing forward. As soon as the entire sheet has entered the buckle, the ejector feeds the sheet through the pair of rollers to the next knife folding unit with the original trailing edge in front. At this time, it is considered that the ejection device is particularly preferably controlled by air pressure.

  In one advantageous embodiment, the ejecting device comprises a device comprising a compression spring that is initially stressed by the kinetic energy of the incoming sheet.

  In order to improve the entry of the open front edge of the sheet into the subsequent transport roller, in one advantageous embodiment, the entry area has a controlled presser finger.

  According to one advantageous embodiment, the combination folding machine has an aligning device for accurately aligning the sheets in the second knife folding unit. This aligning device is composed of front and rear aligning units configured to be movable along the sheet transport direction.

  The correct position of the sheet under the second knife folding unit is defined by the position of the third right angle fold with respect to the side edge of the sheet. That is, the aligning unit of the second knife folding unit serves to align the sheet with the third folding knife in the center in the longitudinal direction.

  In another embodiment of the invention, it comprises at least one buckle folding unit arranged in front of the knife folding unit and a third knife folding unit, the first knife folding unit being arranged centrally. The second and third knife folding units are arranged on the left side when viewed in the sheet passing direction. Such a type of folding machine makes it possible to turn the sheet into a so-called German-style fold in a particularly preferred way. The sheet is folded in parallel by the upper buckle folding unit and further conveyed to the first knife folding unit in the center when viewed in the passing direction, where the first right-angle folding is performed. The folded sheet is further conveyed to a device that changes the arrangement of the front end of the sheet and the rear end of the sheet with respect to the sheet conveying direction, and from there, the second sheet on the left side when viewed in the passing direction. Carried to the knife folding unit. Therefore, the second right-angle fold is folded, and then the sheet is further conveyed to the third knife folding unit on the left side when viewed in the passing direction, where the third right-angle fold is performed.

  Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  In the prior art, the British-style fold and the German-style fold are folded by a folding machine having a structure as shown in FIG. In this case, the sheet first passes through the buckle folding unit and then passes through the knife folding unit arranged in the center. To form an English-style quad fold, the two knife folding units on the left side in the passing direction are subsequently passed. To form a German fold, it passes through two knife folding units on the right side as viewed in the direction of passage.

  FIG. 1b shows the structure of a combination folder that serves as a starting point for the present invention. This combination type folding machine includes a plurality of buckle folding units and three knife folding units, and a folding buckle is attached between the first knife folding unit and the second knife folding unit. In the present invention, this buckle folding unit is replaced by a device that changes the arrangement of the front end of the sheet and the rear end of the sheet with respect to the sheet transport direction. The second and third knife folding units are on the left side when viewed in the sheet passing direction.

  FIG. 2 shows an embodiment of the machine according to the invention as defined in claim 1, in particular an apparatus for changing the arrangement of the leading edge of the sheet and the trailing edge of the sheet with respect to the sheet transport direction to the machine. It shows how to incorporate. The sheets folded in parallel by the buckle folding unit are conveyed to the first knife folding unit, pushed into the folding rollers 3.1 and 3.2 by the knife movement a of the knife 1, and folded there. The sheet is conveyed downward with the crease in front. The guide plate 4 guides the sheet between a pair of rollers 5.1 and 5.2 rotating in the opposite direction. These rollers then carry the sheet into a buckle that is part of a device that changes the arrangement of the front end and the rear end of the sheet with respect to the sheet transport direction 7 in front of the fold. This device is adjusted for the total length of the folded sheet so that the entire sheet enters the buckle, and the sheet is a pair of rollers 5.1. , 5.2. The kinetic energy of the sheet is then sufficient to carry the entire sheet into the buckle without an additional drive. While being assisted by the ejecting device 8, the sheet is pushed between the rollers 5.2 and 5.3 that rotate in the reverse direction with the original rear end in front (that is, with the open side in front). Further, it is conveyed in the direction of the second right angle fold. In order to make it easier for the open side to enter the rollers 5.2, 5.3, a controlled pressing finger 9 can be incorporated in the entry area. A pair of knife shafts 6.1, 6.2 arranged later can be used for the subsequent processing of the sheet. The sheet is further conveyed to the second folding knife 2 by the conveying device 11. The front alignment unit 10.2, the rear alignment unit 10.1, and the sheet trailing edge guide 10.3 position the sheet for the second right-angle folding. At this time, the position of the front alignment unit 10.2, the rear alignment unit 10.1, and the sheet trailing edge guide 10.3 can be adjusted along the sheet conveyance direction A by the position adjustment motion b. It is. The sheet is transported by the transport device 11 to the front alignment unit 10.2, where it proceeds toward the stopper. At this time, the trailing edge of the sheet is guided by the sheet trailing edge guide 10.3. As soon as the front edge of the sheet comes into contact with the front alignment unit 10.2, the rear alignment unit 10.1 moves the stopper to the effective position. Thereby, the sheets can be aligned with the closed rear end. The distance between the stopper of the front alignment unit 10.2 and the stopper of the rear alignment unit 10.1 corresponds to the length of the sheet. To detect the position of the sheet, sensor 12 is utilized in a manner well known to those skilled in the art.

  After the second right-angle fold, the sheet is further conveyed in the sheet conveyance direction A in the direction of a predetermined position of the third knife folding unit I, which is usually the center.

  In the illustrated machine, when trying to fold an English-style quartet instead of a German style, the sheet does not enter the apparatus 7, and the arrangement of the front edge of the sheet and the rear edge of the sheet in the sheet conveyance direction is The switching device (not shown) is adjusted so that it does not change. The sheet coming from the first knife folding unit passes through a pair of rollers 5.1, 5.2, and then rollers 5.2, 5.3 and a pair of cutter shafts 6.1, 6.2. To reach the second knife folding unit as it is.

  Such a configuration of the stoppers 10.1, 10.2 makes it possible to separate the stopper edge by, for example, a downward rotational movement (position indicated by reference numeral 10.1 in FIG. 2). This is necessary when the first right angle fold is not followed by the next right angle fold and the signature is ejected from the machine as it is under the knife 2 by the transport device 11.

It is a figure which shows the structure of the combination type folding machine provided with five knife folding units based on a prior art. It is a figure which shows the structure of the combination type folding machine provided with the folding buckle based on a prior art. It is sectional drawing which shows a part of folding machine by this invention.

Explanation of symbols

1, 2 Folding knife 3.1, 3.2 Folding roller 4 Guide plate 5.1-5.3 Conveying roller 6.1, 6.2 Knife shaft 7 Changing the arrangement of the front edge of the sheet and the rear edge of the sheet Device 8 Ejecting device 9 Holding finger 10.1 Rear alignment unit 10.2 Front alignment unit 10.3 Sheet rear edge guide 11 Transport device 12 Sensor A Sheet transport direction a Knife motion b Alignment unit Positioning movement I Position of the third knife folding unit

Claims (12)

In a folding machine comprising at least two knife folding units arranged one after the other in a direction perpendicular to the passing direction,
A device is mounted between the first knife folding unit and the second knife folding unit to change the arrangement of the front end of the sheet and the rear end of the sheet with respect to the sheet transport direction (7). Folding machine.   The apparatus for changing the arrangement of the front end of the sheet and the rear end of the sheet with respect to the sheet transport direction (7) includes at least two rollers (5.1, 5.2, 5.3) and an ejecting device (8 The folding machine of Claim 1 which has a buckle provided with this.   The folder according to claim 2, wherein the ejecting device (8) is electrically operated.   The folder according to claim 2, wherein the ejecting device (8) is operated pneumatically.   The folding machine according to claim 2, wherein there is a controlled pressing finger (9) between the device (7) and the roller (5.2, 5.3) as viewed in the sheet transport direction.   The alignment device (10.1, 10.2, 10.3) of the second knife folding unit for accurately aligning the sheets is provided. The folder according to the item.   The aligning device of the second knife folding unit is a combination of a front aligning unit (10.2) and a rear aligning unit (10.1) movable along the sheet transport direction. The folder according to claim 6, wherein the folder is configured.   The folding machine according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the folding machine has a third knife folding unit (I).   The folding machine according to claim 8, wherein the first knife folding unit is arranged in the center, and the second and third knife folding units are arranged on the left side when viewed in the sheet passing direction. . The folding machine according to claim 9, wherein at least one buckle folding unit is arranged in front of the knife folding unit.
In a method of folding a sheet of flat printing material with a folding machine into a so-called German-style fold,
Folding the sheet with a buckle folding unit;
Conveying the sheet to a first knife folding unit substantially in the center when viewed in the passing direction;
A first right-angle folding step;
Further transporting the sheet to an apparatus that changes the arrangement of the front edge and the rear edge of the sheet with respect to the sheet transport direction (7);
Further transporting the sheet to a second knife folding unit on the left side as viewed in the passing direction;
Aligning the sheet with respect to the position of the third knife folding unit;
Performing a second right angle fold,
Further transporting the sheet to the third knife folding unit on the left side as viewed in the passing direction;
A step of folding a sheet of paper with a folding machine into a so-called German-style quadruple fold.   The method of claim 11, wherein the folder is the folder of claim 10.

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