US20050230899A1 - Method and unit for selecting and separating reams from a stack of sheets of paper or similar materials - Google Patents

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

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Publication number
US20050230899A1
US20050230899A1 US11/102,598 US10259805A US2005230899A1 US 20050230899 A1 US20050230899 A1 US 20050230899A1 US 10259805 A US10259805 A US 10259805A US 2005230899 A1 US2005230899 A1 US 2005230899A1
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US
United States
Prior art keywords
television camera
image
stack
sheets
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
US11/102,598
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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 PAKAGING S.P.A. reassignment KPL PAKAGING S.P.A. ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: CANINI, GABRIELE, CINOTTI, ANDREA
Assigned to KPL PACKAGING S.P.A. reassignment KPL PACKAGING S.P.A. CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE ASSIGNEE NAME PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 016426 FRAME 0372. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE KPL PACKAGING S.P.A.. Assignors: CANINI, GABRIELE, CINOTTI, ANDREA
Publication of US20050230899A1 publication Critical patent/US20050230899A1/en
Abandoned legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • 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
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
    • G06M—COUNTING MECHANISMS; COUNTING OF OBJECTS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • G06M1/00—Design features of general application
    • G06M1/08—Design features of general application for actuating the drive
    • G06M1/10—Design features of general application for actuating the drive by electric or magnetic means
    • G06M1/101—Design features of general application for actuating the drive by electric or magnetic means by electro-optical means
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
    • G06M—COUNTING MECHANISMS; COUNTING OF OBJECTS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • G06M9/00—Counting of objects in a stack thereof
    • 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
    • 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
    • B65H2301/542—Quality control
    • B65H2301/5421—Quality control taking samples
    • 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 positioned facing a front face of the stack to acquire an image of a portion of the front face; an actuating device for moving the television camera along the stack to vary the portion of the front face covered by the television camera; 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 along the stack, 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.
  • 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 schematic side view, with parts removed for clarity, of the FIG. 1 unit
  • FIG. 3 shows a schematic front view, with parts removed for clarity, of the FIG. 1 unit
  • FIG. 4 shows a schematic plan view, with parts removed for clarity, of the FIG. 1 unit
  • FIG. 5 shows a side view of a stack of sheets in two different configurations
  • FIG. 6 shows a front view, with parts enlarged for clarity, of a portion of the stack of sheets in FIG. 5 .
  • number 1 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 portion 8 a of face 8 .
  • Moving television camera 10 in direction 6 provides for varying portion 8 a of face 8 covered by television camera 10 , and for covering as a whole a scanning region 12 which can be illuminated by a light source 13 .
  • direction 9 and, therefore, axis 11 form an angle ⁇ ( FIG. 4 ) of other than 90° with face 8 , which, unless otherwise stated, will be considered a flat face parallel to direction 6 .
  • Unit 1 also comprises a separating device 14 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 a direction 15 perpendicular to face 8 ; and a separating member 16 mounted on the second slide (not shown).
  • a separating device 14 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 a direction 15 perpendicular to face 8 ; 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 15 and inserted inside stack 3 at region 18 to separate the ream 2 considered from stack 3 .
  • insertion region 18 is always located within portion 8 a 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 fully exploit its ability to focus the acquired images.
  • the ability to focus the images acquired by television camera 10 varies in direction 15 alongside a variation in the orientation of optical axis 11 with respect to a vertical reference plane P perpendicular to direction 15 .
  • optical axis 11 when optical axis 11 is parallel to direction 15 , television camera 10 is able to correctly focus all the sheets 4 whose sides 4 a facing television camera 10 are located at most a given distance “a” from plane P.
  • television camera 10 when optical axis 11 is parallel to direction 9 and, therefore, at an angle ⁇ of other than 90° with respect to plane P, television camera 10 is able to correctly focus all the sheets 4 whose sides 4 a facing television camera 10 are located at most at a distance which is obviously again distance “a” if measured in direction 9 , and which is a distance “b”, greater than “a”, if measured in direction 15 .
  • television camera 10 For each side 4 a located at most at distance “b” from plane P, television camera 10 therefore acquires an image having, within scanning region 12 , a correctly focused portion T 1 , and a blurred portion T 2 ( FIGS. 4 and 6 ).
  • central control unit 20 cooperates with a laser pointing device 22 located on the opposite side of blade 17 to television camera 10 , and which projects onto face 8 and within scanning region 12 a line 23 striking face 8 at an angle ⁇ of other than 90° ( FIG. 4 ).
  • line 23 intersects side 4 a of each sheet 4 at a point P 1 lying in plane P ( FIG. 4 ), and is therefore straight and parallel to direction 6 (as shown by the dash line in FIG. 6 ).
  • line 23 intersects side 4 a of each sheet 4 at a point P 2 which is shifted rightwards with respect to the corresponding point P 1 when side 4 a projects from plane P towards television camera 10 ( FIG. 4 ), and which is shifted leftwards with respect to the corresponding point P 1 when side 4 a is located on the opposite side of plane P to television camera 10 ( FIG. 4 ), so that line 23 has a curved profile (as shown by the continuous line in FIG. 6 ).
  • Central control unit 20 therefore analyses the images acquired by television camera 10 to locate line 23 in each image, and so locates relative portion T I as a function of the location of line 23 in the image.
  • central control unit 20 counts sheets 4 solely as a function of the analysis of portions T 1 .
  • central control unit 20 can calculate the distance of each side 4 a from plane P, and therefore from television camera 10 , either directly by means of a computing unit within central control unit 20 , or indirectly by means of a matrix memorized in central control unit 20 .
  • laser pointing device 22 is replaced by a recognition algorithm implemented in electronic central control unit 20 .

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Theoretical Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Sheets, Magazines, And Separation Thereof (AREA)
US11/102,598 2004-04-08 2005-04-07 Method and unit for selecting and separating reams from a stack of sheets of paper or similar materials Abandoned US20050230899A1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP04425263A EP1585057A1 (fr) 2004-04-08 2004-04-08 Dispositif et procédé de séléction et division d'une rame d'une pile de feuilles
EP04425263.3 2004-04-08

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US20050230899A1 true US20050230899A1 (en) 2005-10-20

Family

ID=34896193

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US11/102,598 Abandoned US20050230899A1 (en) 2004-04-08 2005-04-07 Method and unit for selecting and separating reams from a stack of sheets of paper or similar materials

Country Status (4)

Country Link
US (1) US20050230899A1 (fr)
EP (1) EP1585057A1 (fr)
BR (1) BRPI0501256A (fr)
CA (1) CA2503990A1 (fr)

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20050230897A1 (en) * 2004-04-08 2005-10-20 Kpl Packaging S.P.A. Unit for selecting and separating reams from a stack of sheets of paper or similar materials
WO2016148618A1 (fr) * 2015-03-19 2016-09-22 Yaskawa Nordic Ab Procédé de préhension d'une pile supérieure de substrats flexibles au moyen d'éléments de préhension d'un robot à deux bras
US9782802B2 (en) 2012-10-31 2017-10-10 Siemens Aktiengesellschaft Method and device for the automated handling of stacks of flat mail items
US11485594B2 (en) * 2019-06-14 2022-11-01 Koenig & Bauer Ag Substrate handling system comprising a robot cell and method for operating the same

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP4177023A1 (fr) * 2021-11-03 2023-05-10 Open Mind Ventures, S.L.U. Dispositif et procédé de manipulation d'éléments

Citations (11)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3422274A (en) * 1964-06-01 1969-01-14 Edward M Coan Radiation sensitive apparatus for sensing and counting
US5471309A (en) * 1992-05-30 1995-11-28 Koenig & Bauer Aktiengesellschaft Print quality control device for perfecting press
US5556252A (en) * 1994-03-25 1996-09-17 Man Roland Druckmaschinen Ag Stack lifting apparatus and method
US5705020A (en) * 1994-06-17 1998-01-06 Bobst Sa Device for controlling the production quality of a press that produces package blanks from sheets of material
US5809893A (en) * 1994-09-06 1998-09-22 Heidelberger Druckmaschinen Ag Method and device for depositing different products produced by a printing press in continuous operation
US6182962B1 (en) * 1995-11-23 2001-02-06 Giesecke & Devrient Gmbh Device and process for separating a sheet article from a stack
US6264420B1 (en) * 1998-03-20 2001-07-24 Louda Systems Gmbh Device for monitoring sheets
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
US6828461B2 (en) * 2002-12-04 2004-12-07 Mitsui Chemicals, Inc. Process for producing 1,5-diaminonaphthalene
US6845288B2 (en) * 2001-04-14 2005-01-18 Heidelberger Druckmaschinen Ag Method and device for measuring a position of a passing sheet

Family Cites Families (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPH0678150B2 (ja) * 1984-07-30 1994-10-05 新王子製紙株式会社 シ−ト束分離装置
SE465294B (sv) * 1990-01-12 1991-08-19 Bjoern Magnus Westling Anordning foer att raekna i en stapel paa varandra liggande ark
EP0743616A3 (fr) * 1995-05-15 1998-01-14 Eastman Kodak Company Appareil et méthode de comptage de feuilles

Patent Citations (12)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3422274A (en) * 1964-06-01 1969-01-14 Edward M Coan Radiation sensitive apparatus for sensing and counting
US5471309A (en) * 1992-05-30 1995-11-28 Koenig & Bauer Aktiengesellschaft Print quality control device for perfecting press
US5556252A (en) * 1994-03-25 1996-09-17 Man Roland Druckmaschinen Ag Stack lifting apparatus and method
US5705020A (en) * 1994-06-17 1998-01-06 Bobst Sa Device for controlling the production quality of a press that produces package blanks from sheets of material
US5809893A (en) * 1994-09-06 1998-09-22 Heidelberger Druckmaschinen Ag Method and device for depositing different products produced by a printing press in continuous operation
US6182962B1 (en) * 1995-11-23 2001-02-06 Giesecke & Devrient Gmbh Device and process for separating a sheet article from a stack
US6264420B1 (en) * 1998-03-20 2001-07-24 Louda Systems Gmbh Device for monitoring sheets
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
US20040061275A1 (en) * 2000-05-16 2004-04-01 Bobst S.A. Device for controlling the means delivering sheets to a machine
US6845288B2 (en) * 2001-04-14 2005-01-18 Heidelberger Druckmaschinen Ag Method and device for measuring a position of a passing sheet
US6828461B2 (en) * 2002-12-04 2004-12-07 Mitsui Chemicals, Inc. Process for producing 1,5-diaminonaphthalene

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20050230897A1 (en) * 2004-04-08 2005-10-20 Kpl Packaging S.P.A. Unit for selecting and separating reams from a stack of sheets of paper or similar materials
US9782802B2 (en) 2012-10-31 2017-10-10 Siemens Aktiengesellschaft Method and device for the automated handling of stacks of flat mail items
WO2016148618A1 (fr) * 2015-03-19 2016-09-22 Yaskawa Nordic Ab Procédé de préhension d'une pile supérieure de substrats flexibles au moyen d'éléments de préhension d'un robot à deux bras
US11485594B2 (en) * 2019-06-14 2022-11-01 Koenig & Bauer Ag Substrate handling system comprising a robot cell and method for operating the same

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
BRPI0501256A (pt) 2005-11-16
EP1585057A8 (fr) 2006-02-01
EP1585057A1 (fr) 2005-10-12
CA2503990A1 (fr) 2005-10-08

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Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
AS Assignment

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

Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNORS:CANINI, GABRIELE;CINOTTI, ANDREA;REEL/FRAME:016426/0372

Effective date: 20050607

AS Assignment

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

Free format text: CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE ASSIGNEE NAME PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 016426 FRAME 0372;ASSIGNORS:CANINI, GABRIELE;CINOTTI, ANDREA;REEL/FRAME:016633/0759

Effective date: 20050607

STCB Information on status: application discontinuation

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