US20050230897A1 - Unit for selecting and separating reams from a stack of sheets of paper or similar materials - Google Patents

Unit for selecting and separating reams from a stack of sheets of paper or similar materials Download PDF

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Publication number
US20050230897A1
US20050230897A1 US11/101,800 US10180005A US2005230897A1 US 20050230897 A1 US20050230897 A1 US 20050230897A1 US 10180005 A US10180005 A US 10180005A US 2005230897 A1 US2005230897 A1 US 2005230897A1
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US
United States
Prior art keywords
stack
sheets
optical
unit
front face
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.)
Abandoned
Application number
US11/101,800
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English (en)
Inventor
Gabriele Canini
Andrea Cinotti
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
KPL Packaging SpA
Original Assignee
KPL Packaging SpA
Priority date (The priority date 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 date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by KPL Packaging SpA filed Critical KPL Packaging SpA
Assigned to KPL PACKAGING S.P.A. reassignment KPL PACKAGING S.P.A. ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: CANINI, GABRIELE, CINOTTI, ANDREA
Publication of US20050230897A1 publication Critical patent/US20050230897A1/en
Abandoned legal-status Critical Current

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    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H3/00—Separating articles from piles
    • B65H3/32—Separating articles from piles by elements, e.g. fingers, plates, rollers, inserted or traversed between articles to be separated and remainder of the pile
    • B65H3/322—Separating articles from piles by elements, e.g. fingers, plates, rollers, inserted or traversed between articles to be separated and remainder of the pile for separating a part of the pile, i.e. several articles at once
    • 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
    • B65H2301/40—Type of handling process
    • B65H2301/42—Piling, depiling, handling piles
    • B65H2301/422—Handling piles, sets or stacks of articles
    • 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
    • B65H2301/54—Auxiliary process performed during handling process for managing processing of handled material
    • B65H2301/541—Counting
    • 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
    • B65H2511/30—Numbers, e.g. of windings or rotations
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H2553/00—Sensing or detecting means
    • B65H2553/40—Sensing or detecting means using optical, e.g. photographic, elements
    • B65H2553/42—Cameras

Definitions

  • This application relates to a unit for selecting and separating reams from a stack of sheets of paper or similar materials.
  • this application relates to a unit for selecting and separating reams from a stack of sheets, of the type comprising a television camera movable in a substantially vertical direction along the stack to acquire images of the sheets at a given scanning region; and a separating member which is inserted inside (or into) the stack to separate the reams successively from the stack.
  • the images acquired by the television camera are used by an electronic central control unit to control the movement of the separating member in the vertical direction, to count the number of sheets in a ream during the movement of the separating member, and to arrest the separating member at the last sheet in the ream to be removed.
  • the separating member is moved into contact with the stack at a given insertion region, and is inserted inside the stack to separate the ream from the stack.
  • Known units of the type described above have various drawbacks, mainly on account of the television camera and the separating member being so oriented with respect to each other that the scanning region, where the television camera acquires the sheet images used by the electronic central control unit to count the sheets as the separating member moves in the vertical direction, and the insertion region, where the separating member is inserted inside the stack, are distinct regions located a given distance apart.
  • the unit only operates correctly, i.e. the insertion region is only positioned correctly at the last sheet in the ream to be removed, when the sheets have a perfectly flat profile.
  • the separating member may be inserted inside the stack at a sheet other than the one counted as the last sheet in the ream at the scanning region, and so remove a ream comprising more or fewer than the correct number of sheets.
  • Described herein is a unit for selecting and separating reams from a stack of sheets of paper or similar materials, designed to eliminate the aforementioned drawbacks, and which is cheap and easy to produce.
  • a unit for selecting and separating reams from a stack of sheets of paper or similar materials is provided.
  • FIG. 1 shows a schematic view in perspective, with parts removed for clarity, of a preferred embodiment of the unit
  • FIG. 2 shows a first schematic side view, with parts removed for clarity, of the FIG. 1 unit
  • FIG. 3 shows a second schematic side view, with parts removed for clarity, of the FIG. 1 unit.
  • Number 1 in the accompanying drawings indicates as a whole a unit for selecting and separating reams 2 from a stack 3 of sheets 4 supported on a pallet 5 and comprising a number of sheets 4 stacked in a vertical direction 6 .
  • Unit 1 comprises an optical image-acquisition device 7 positioned facing a front face 8 of stack 3 , and in turn comprising a first slide (not shown) movable in direction 6 ; a second slide (not shown) connected in known manner to the first slide (not shown) to move linearly in a horizontal direction 9 crosswise to direction 6 ; and a television camera 10 mounted on the second slide (not shown), having an optical axis 11 parallel to direction 9 , and for covering a given portion of face 8 .
  • the portion of face 8 covered by television camera 10 can be varied to define, on face 8 , a given scanning region 12 which can be illuminated by a light source 13 .
  • direction 9 and, therefore, axis 11 form an angle a of other than 0° with a horizontal direction 14 perpendicular to face 8 , which, unless otherwise stated, will be considered a flat face parallel to direction 6 .
  • Unit 1 also comprises a separating device 15 for separating reams 2 from stack 3 , and which in turn comprises a first slide (not shown) movable in direction 6 ; a second slide (not shown) connected in known manner to the first slide (not shown) to move linearly in direction 14 ; and a separating member 16 mounted on the second slide (not shown).
  • a separating device 15 for separating reams 2 from stack 3 , and which in turn comprises a first slide (not shown) movable in direction 6 ; a second slide (not shown) connected in known manner to the first slide (not shown) to move linearly in direction 14 ; and a separating member 16 mounted on the second slide (not shown).
  • Member 16 is defined by a substantially flat, wedge-shaped blade 17 which is inserted inside stack 3 at a substantially spot-shaped insertion region 18 lying in scanning region 12 of television camera 10 , and whose location on face 8 is indicated, when blade 17 is located a given distance from face 8 , by a laser pointing device 19 integral with member 16 and for illuminating a portion of face 8 coincident with region 18 .
  • television camera 10 is moved in direction 6 to acquire, within scanning region 12 , the images of a number of sheets 4 normally approximating in excess the number of sheets 4 in a ream 2 .
  • the images acquired by television camera 10 are used by an electronic central control unit 20 to control the movement of blade 17 and, therefore, of insertion region 18 in direction 6 , to count sheets 4 as blade 17 moves in direction 6 , and to arrest blade 17 in direction 6 once blade 17 is positioned at the last sheet 4 in the ream 2 to be selected and removed.
  • blade 17 is moved in direction 14 and inserted inside stack 3 at region 18 to separate the ream 2 considered from stack 3 .
  • insertion region 18 is always located within the portion of face 8 covered by television camera 10 . Consequently, when blade 17 is arrested in direction 6 , insertion region 18 is always located correctly at the last sheet 4 in the ream 2 to be removed, regardless of the shape of sheets 4 , i.e. regardless of whether the profile of sheets 4 is perfectly flat or undulated.
  • central control unit 20 also provides, as television camera 10 moves in direction 6 , for continuously feedback-controlling the movement of television camera 10 in direction 9 in response to a signal from a distance sensor 21 integral with television camera 10 .
  • Moving television camera 10 in direction 9 provides for maintaining a substantially constant distance, measured parallel to direction 9 , between face 8 and television camera 10 , and so enabling television camera 10 to acquire correct images of region 12 , i.e. to correctly focus the images of region 12 .

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Sheets, Magazines, And Separation Thereof (AREA)
US11/101,800 2004-04-08 2005-04-07 Unit for selecting and separating reams from a stack of sheets of paper or similar materials Abandoned US20050230897A1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP04425262.5 2004-04-08
EP04425262A EP1584584A1 (de) 2004-04-08 2004-04-08 Einheit zum Auswählen und Vereinzeln von Riesen aus einem Bogenstapel

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US20050230897A1 true US20050230897A1 (en) 2005-10-20

Family

ID=34896192

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US11/101,800 Abandoned US20050230897A1 (en) 2004-04-08 2005-04-07 Unit for selecting and separating reams from a stack of sheets of paper or similar materials

Country Status (4)

Country Link
US (1) US20050230897A1 (de)
EP (1) EP1584584A1 (de)
BR (1) BRPI0501257A (de)
CA (1) CA2503922A1 (de)

Cited By (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20090082901A1 (en) * 2005-11-03 2009-03-26 Rolf Schneider Control device, device for fixing a stack of paper sheets and unstacking device
US20090224187A1 (en) * 2005-12-19 2009-09-10 Datacard Corporation Counting device for small series
US20140263774A1 (en) * 2013-03-15 2014-09-18 Fellowes, Inc. Shredder with paper separation and advancement mechanism
WO2016148618A1 (en) * 2015-03-19 2016-09-22 Yaskawa Nordic Ab Method of gripping a top stack of flexible substrates by means of grippers of a two-arm robot
US9669411B2 (en) 2013-09-30 2017-06-06 Fellowes, Inc. Shredder auto feed system
US10124344B2 (en) 2012-10-15 2018-11-13 Fellowes, Inc. Shredder auto feed system with paper stack separation mechanism
US20230075187A1 (en) * 2020-04-26 2023-03-09 Abb Schweiz Ag Apparatus and method for separating objects

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FI126382B (fi) * 2015-09-11 2016-11-15 Macgregor Finland Oy Mekanismi vanttiruuvin lukitsemiseksi

Citations (16)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3581067A (en) * 1968-12-02 1971-05-25 Spartanics Pitch matching detecting and counting system
US4373135A (en) * 1979-12-31 1983-02-08 Spartanics, Ltd. Pitch matching detecting and counting system
US4623292A (en) * 1983-12-21 1986-11-18 Kanzaki Paper Manufacturing Co., Ltd. Sheet stack delivery method and apparatus
US4905979A (en) * 1987-09-10 1990-03-06 Hoechst Aktiengesellschaft Device for stacking sheet material
US4912317A (en) * 1987-06-12 1990-03-27 Spartanics, Ltd. Pitch match detecting and counting system with tilted optical axis
US5017085A (en) * 1989-11-14 1991-05-21 Maruishi Iron Works Co., Ltd. Method and apparatus for separating paper sheets into units and distributing them
US5040196A (en) * 1987-10-20 1991-08-13 Woodward William H Stack counting instrument
US5457312A (en) * 1994-08-24 1995-10-10 Ford Motor Company Method and apparatus for counting flat sheets of specularly reflective material
US5657618A (en) * 1994-07-29 1997-08-19 Wrapmatic S.P.A. Device for the selection of large loose reams
US5984622A (en) * 1994-08-29 1999-11-16 Asomm, Inc. Method and apparatus for separating a predetermined number of sheets from a stack of sheets
US6157457A (en) * 1995-11-13 2000-12-05 Function Control Research B.V. Counting device for the remote counting of stacked objects in a stack of thin objects, as well as a counting method using a counting device
US6182962B1 (en) * 1995-11-23 2001-02-06 Giesecke & Devrient Gmbh Device and process for separating a sheet article from a stack
US6282461B1 (en) * 1998-07-15 2001-08-28 Westinghouse Electric Company Llc Independent tube position verification system
US20010042954A1 (en) * 2000-05-16 2001-11-22 Bobst S.A. Device for controlling the means delivering sheets to a machine
US20050156046A1 (en) * 2004-01-15 2005-07-21 Beyong Technologies Ltd. Method and apparatus for validation/identification of flat items
US20050230899A1 (en) * 2004-04-08 2005-10-20 Kpl Packaging S.P.A. Method and unit for selecting and separating reams from a stack of sheets of paper or similar materials

Family Cites Families (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3391806A (en) * 1966-12-19 1968-07-09 Xerox Corp Separator-transfer apparatus
JPH0678150B2 (ja) * 1984-07-30 1994-10-05 新王子製紙株式会社 シ−ト束分離装置
JPH05170354A (ja) * 1991-12-19 1993-07-09 Fuji Photo Film Co Ltd シート束検出方法

Patent Citations (16)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3581067A (en) * 1968-12-02 1971-05-25 Spartanics Pitch matching detecting and counting system
US4373135A (en) * 1979-12-31 1983-02-08 Spartanics, Ltd. Pitch matching detecting and counting system
US4623292A (en) * 1983-12-21 1986-11-18 Kanzaki Paper Manufacturing Co., Ltd. Sheet stack delivery method and apparatus
US4912317A (en) * 1987-06-12 1990-03-27 Spartanics, Ltd. Pitch match detecting and counting system with tilted optical axis
US4905979A (en) * 1987-09-10 1990-03-06 Hoechst Aktiengesellschaft Device for stacking sheet material
US5040196A (en) * 1987-10-20 1991-08-13 Woodward William H Stack counting instrument
US5017085A (en) * 1989-11-14 1991-05-21 Maruishi Iron Works Co., Ltd. Method and apparatus for separating paper sheets into units and distributing them
US5657618A (en) * 1994-07-29 1997-08-19 Wrapmatic S.P.A. Device for the selection of large loose reams
US5457312A (en) * 1994-08-24 1995-10-10 Ford Motor Company Method and apparatus for counting flat sheets of specularly reflective material
US5984622A (en) * 1994-08-29 1999-11-16 Asomm, Inc. Method and apparatus for separating a predetermined number of sheets from a stack of sheets
US6157457A (en) * 1995-11-13 2000-12-05 Function Control Research B.V. Counting device for the remote counting of stacked objects in a stack of thin objects, as well as a counting method using a counting device
US6182962B1 (en) * 1995-11-23 2001-02-06 Giesecke & Devrient Gmbh Device and process for separating a sheet article from a stack
US6282461B1 (en) * 1998-07-15 2001-08-28 Westinghouse Electric Company Llc Independent tube position verification system
US20010042954A1 (en) * 2000-05-16 2001-11-22 Bobst S.A. Device for controlling the means delivering sheets to a machine
US20050156046A1 (en) * 2004-01-15 2005-07-21 Beyong Technologies Ltd. Method and apparatus for validation/identification of flat items
US20050230899A1 (en) * 2004-04-08 2005-10-20 Kpl Packaging S.P.A. Method and unit for selecting and separating reams from a stack of sheets of paper or similar materials

Cited By (11)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20090082901A1 (en) * 2005-11-03 2009-03-26 Rolf Schneider Control device, device for fixing a stack of paper sheets and unstacking device
US20090224187A1 (en) * 2005-12-19 2009-09-10 Datacard Corporation Counting device for small series
US10124344B2 (en) 2012-10-15 2018-11-13 Fellowes, Inc. Shredder auto feed system with paper stack separation mechanism
US20140263774A1 (en) * 2013-03-15 2014-09-18 Fellowes, Inc. Shredder with paper separation and advancement mechanism
US9409182B2 (en) * 2013-03-15 2016-08-09 Fellowes, Inc. Shredder with paper separation and advancement mechanism
US10391502B2 (en) 2013-03-15 2019-08-27 Fellowes, Inc. Shredder with paper separation and advancement mechanism
US10413909B2 (en) 2013-03-15 2019-09-17 Fellowes, Inc. Shredder with paper separation and advancement mechanism
US11229914B2 (en) 2013-03-15 2022-01-25 Fellowes, Inc. Shredder with paper separation and advancement mechanism
US9669411B2 (en) 2013-09-30 2017-06-06 Fellowes, Inc. Shredder auto feed system
WO2016148618A1 (en) * 2015-03-19 2016-09-22 Yaskawa Nordic Ab Method of gripping a top stack of flexible substrates by means of grippers of a two-arm robot
US20230075187A1 (en) * 2020-04-26 2023-03-09 Abb Schweiz Ag Apparatus and method for separating objects

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
EP1584584A1 (de) 2005-10-12
BRPI0501257A (pt) 2005-11-16
CA2503922A1 (en) 2005-10-08

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Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
AS Assignment

Owner name: KPL PACKAGING S.P.A., ITALY

Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNORS:CANINI, GABRIELE;CINOTTI, ANDREA;REEL/FRAME:016426/0348

Effective date: 20050607

STCB Information on status: application discontinuation

Free format text: ABANDONED -- FAILURE TO RESPOND TO AN OFFICE ACTION