US20160130100A1 - Apparatus for separating stacked printed products - Google Patents

Apparatus for separating stacked printed products Download PDF

Info

Publication number
US20160130100A1
US20160130100A1 US14/937,100 US201514937100A US2016130100A1 US 20160130100 A1 US20160130100 A1 US 20160130100A1 US 201514937100 A US201514937100 A US 201514937100A US 2016130100 A1 US2016130100 A1 US 2016130100A1
Authority
US
United States
Prior art keywords
stack
transport device
front face
contact element
transport
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
US14/937,100
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Christian Wollmann
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.)
Kolbus GmbH and Co KG
Original Assignee
Kolbus GmbH and Co KG
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 Kolbus GmbH and Co KG filed Critical Kolbus GmbH and Co KG
Assigned to KOLBUS GMBH & CO. KG reassignment KOLBUS GMBH & CO. KG ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: WOLLMANN, CHRISTIAN
Publication of US20160130100A1 publication Critical patent/US20160130100A1/en
Abandoned legal-status Critical Current

Links

Images

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
    • B65H3/34—Article-retaining devices controlling the release of the articles to the separators
    • 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
    • B65H3/02—Separating articles from piles using friction forces between articles and separator
    • B65H3/04—Endless-belt separators
    • B65H3/042—Endless-belt separators separating from the bottom of the pile
    • 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
    • B65H3/46—Supplementary devices or measures to assist separation or prevent double feed
    • B65H3/56—Elements, e.g. scrapers, fingers, needles, brushes, acting on separated article or on edge of the pile
    • 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
    • B65H3/66—Article guides or smoothers, e.g. movable in operation
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H2404/00—Parts for transporting or guiding the handled material
    • B65H2404/20—Belts
    • B65H2404/26—Particular arrangement of belt, or belts
    • B65H2404/267—Arrangement of belt(s) in edge contact with handled material
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H2404/00—Parts for transporting or guiding the handled material
    • B65H2404/20—Belts
    • B65H2404/26—Particular arrangement of belt, or belts
    • B65H2404/269—Particular arrangement of belt, or belts other arrangements
    • B65H2404/2691—Arrangement of successive belts forming a transport path
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H2404/00—Parts for transporting or guiding the handled material
    • B65H2404/60—Other elements in face contact with handled material
    • B65H2404/62—Transversely-extending bars or tubes
    • B65H2404/623—Transversely-extending bars or tubes gate arrangement
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H2404/00—Parts for transporting or guiding the handled material
    • B65H2404/70—Other elements in edge contact with handled material, e.g. registering, orientating, guiding devices
    • B65H2404/72—Stops, gauge pins, e.g. stationary
    • B65H2404/722—Stops, gauge pins, e.g. stationary movable in operation
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H2404/00—Parts for transporting or guiding the handled material
    • B65H2404/70—Other elements in edge contact with handled material, e.g. registering, orientating, guiding devices
    • B65H2404/74—Guiding means
    • B65H2404/741—Guiding means movable in operation
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H2404/00—Parts for transporting or guiding the handled material
    • B65H2404/70—Other elements in edge contact with handled material, e.g. registering, orientating, guiding devices
    • B65H2404/74—Guiding means
    • B65H2404/742—Guiding means for guiding transversely
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H2701/00—Handled material; Storage means
    • B65H2701/10—Handled articles or webs
    • B65H2701/19—Specific article or web
    • B65H2701/1932—Signatures, folded printed matter, newspapers or parts thereof and books

Definitions

  • the present invention pertains to an apparatus for separating printed products such as, for example, books, brochures or book blocks from a stack.
  • Destacking apparatuses are used for separating stacked products and for feeding the separated products to a processing machine.
  • DE 198 11 635 A1 discloses a generic destacking apparatus that has a constant height with respect to infeed and delivery and features an endless separating belt with a non-slip surface, which is driven by a frequency-controlled drive and to which the book block stacks are successively fed, lateral boundaries for the book block stacks and a height-adjustable retaining element that forms a passage for the respective book block to be separated.
  • the retaining element can be positioned obliquely in the conveying direction, wherein the cited publication claims that this relieves the pressure on the book block to be separated and therefore is advantageous with respect to the functional reliability during the separation process.
  • a support plate is positioned in the infeed of the separating belt and serves for supporting the rear edge of the second book block from the bottom relative to the separating belt while the bottom book block is pulled away.
  • the aforementioned retaining element can be positioned relative to the separating belt in accordance with the format length of the book block.
  • An intermittently driven feed belt is assigned to the separating belt in order to feed a following stack into the separating position of the separating belt up to the retaining element.
  • the destacking apparatus known from DE 198 11 635 A1 makes it possible to quickly and easily destack book block stacks. When destacking thick book blocks with a small format, however, it may occur that the residual stack lying on top of the bottom book block falls over backward when the bottom book block is pulled out of a tall stack.
  • the residual stack respectively slides along the retaining element until it reaches the transport plane as a result of each separating process.
  • pages are damaged or lost. This effect is particularly pronounced if the printed products are aligned in such a way that an unbound surface such as, for example, the fore edge cut respectively points in the transport direction.
  • the present invention is based on the objective of realizing an apparatus for separating printed products, featuring a simple construction while eliminating the above-described disadvantages.
  • This objective is accomplished with a first transport device, which takes hold of and effectively transports the printed product to be separated from the stack, and a retaining device that is spaced apart from the first transport device in such a way that a passage for the respective product to be separated is created between the first transport device and the retaining device.
  • the retaining device is arranged such that its height relative to the first transport device can be adjusted and the passage thereby can be adapted to the thickness of the printed products to be separated. In this way, the respective printed product to be separated is taken hold of by the first transport device and pulled out underneath the residual stack while the transport of the residual stack is prevented by the retaining element.
  • the retaining device comprises a movable element that comes in contact with the stack in such a way that it exerts a force, which is directed toward the first transport device and essentially perpendicular to the transport direction, upon the stack and thereby promotes the feed of the residual stack onto the first transport device. It is important that the printed product to be separated next is fed along the retaining device such that the force exerted by the contact element can flow through the stack, at least acting upon the printed product to be separated next. In this way, the printed product to be separated next is reliably fed into the separating plane of the first transport device and prevented from fanning out during this process. Furthermore, it is no longer necessary to position the retaining device obliquely in the transport direction such that the design as well as the handling during the operation can be simplified, for example, because the adaptation of the oblique position to the product thickness is eliminated.
  • the retaining device is preferably arranged in such a way that it can be positioned essentially parallel to the plane defined by the first transport device.
  • the retaining device therefore can be respectively positioned centrally referred to the center of gravity of the stack such that a rotation of the stack about the retaining device is prevented, namely even if the width of the stack considerably exceeds the width of the retaining device. This also allows a very slim design of the retaining device and therefore very good access to the separating area.
  • the contact surface of the contact element which generates the force for feeding the stack, preferably is essentially planar such that shifts within the residual stack, as well as damages to the product edges, are prevented.
  • the contact element transmitting the downward feeding force is connected to and driven by a controllable drive such that the motion of the contact element can be easily adapted to the desired separating capacity and product parameters. This also makes it possible to purposefully interrupt the motion, for example if gaps in the product cycle occur, and to thereby gently process the printed products.
  • the contact element is incorporated with the retaining device and comprises an endless revolving belt, wherein the run of the belt, which faces and is at least partially in contact with the front (leading) face of the stack, is driven toward the first transport device along the stack height.
  • the belt fulfills the retaining function in the direction of the first transport device, as well as the function of feeding the residual stack onto the first transport device, such that a simple and compact design of the retaining device can be realized.
  • the deflection area of the belt facing the first transport device defines the passage for the separation such that the feed directly up to this passage is ensured and the functional reliability of the apparatus is additionally improved.
  • the contact element effecting the feed is realized in the form of an oscillating conveyor such that a very robust and low-maintenance construction can be realized.
  • the drive and the mounting of the contact surface effecting the feed of the stack are designed in such a way that said contact surface essentially carries out an oscillation in a plane that is defined by the conveying direction of the first transport device and the normal to the transport plane formed by the first transport device, wherein the orientation of the oscillation is inclined relative to the feed direction of the residual stack.
  • the arrangement of the contact surface of the oscillating conveyor acting upon the stack corresponds to that of the above-described belt.
  • Both embodiments preferably comprise an adjustable separating element that is arranged between the contact element effecting the feed and the stack in such a way that it shields a variable area of the contact element from the stack and thereby allows a simple adaptation of the dimension of the contact area to the printed products and the separating capacity independently of the adjusted passage.
  • the separating element of the retaining device includes a retention plate that acts on the front face of the stack to hold back a portion of the printed products above the bottom printed product and the at least one contact element has a contact surface entirely above the first transport device and acting at the front face on at least the bottom printed product.
  • the contact element is adjustable with respect to its distance from the first transport device, and the retention plate is adjustable relative to the contact element with respect to its distance from the first transport device.
  • a third preferred embodiment comprises a feeding contact element in the form of a pressing element that is arranged above the first transport device, wherein said pressing element is placed on top of the stack and feeds the stack as a whole.
  • the drive is simply realized in the form of a pneumatic cylinder such that the feeding force can be maintained constant and, in particular, is not dependent on the height of the residual stack.
  • a second transport device is provided for feeding following stacks onto the first transport device. It is particularly simple and cost-efficient if both transport devices are realized in the form of conveyor belts.
  • FIG. 1 shows a simplified perspective view of an apparatus for separating stacked printed products
  • FIG. 2 shows a simplified and partially sectioned perspective view of a retaining device.
  • FIG. 1 shows a general view of an inventive apparatus for separating stacked printed products with a separating belt 3 , which is driven by a controllable drive 4 that communicates with a control C of the apparatus, a feed belt 5 , which is driven by another controllable drive 6 that communicates with the control C of the apparatus, and a frame 23 that accommodates the retaining device 9 .
  • Both conveyor belts 3 and 5 are essentially arranged horizontally and in alignment with one another, particularly without an offset in height, and have the same transport direction v.
  • the apparatus comprises light barriers 7 , 8 that detect product stacks at different positions on the conveyor belts 3 and 5 and are also connected to the control C in order to control the feed motion of the belts.
  • the passage 24 for the respective product to be separated is defined by the distance of the retaining device 9 above the separating belt 3 and can be adjusted by means of a height adjusting mechanism 18 that connects the retaining device 9 to the frame 23 .
  • the height adjusting mechanism 18 comprises a spindle 19 that allows a very precise adjustment, particularly to thin printed products.
  • the position of the retaining device 9 can be continuously adjusted, as well as fixed with the aid of clamping means 21 , in a plane defined by the conveyor belts 3 and 5 with the aid of linear guides 20 and 22 that are arranged perpendicular to one another in a plane extending parallel to the separating belt 3 .
  • the retaining device 9 can be positioned centrally referred to the stack such that a rotation of the stack about the vertical axis is prevented.
  • the adjustment parallel to the transport direction v allows an adaptation to the stack dimension in this direction. In contrast to the height adjusting mechanism 18 , a simple manual displacement is sufficiently precise in this case.
  • FIG. 2 shows the retaining device 9 , wherein areas of the supporting frame are illustrated in a sectioned fashion in order to elucidate the construction.
  • An endless revolving belt 10 is arranged in the frame. This belt is driven by a motor 15 that communicates with the control C of the apparatus via a drive pulley 11 and wrapped around a return pulley 25 , as well as a tension pulley 12 .
  • the run facing the stack moves perpendicularly toward the separating belt 3 in the feed direction d and is guided and supported relative to the stack by a cleat 13 .
  • the belt 10 runs around an edge 14 of the cleat 13 in the region of the closest approach of the belt 10 to the separating belt 3 and therefore in the passage 24 .
  • the thusly achieved sharp deflection of the belt 10 allows a reliable separation of printed products that have a significantly smaller thickness than the radius of the deflection pulley.
  • a plate is provided as a shield 16 of the belt 10 relative to the stack, wherein said plate can be displaced in the feed direction d in oblong holes and fixed with clamping means 17 .
  • the belt 10 only acts upon a certain number of lower printed products of the stack whereas products of the residual stack located in the region of the shield 16 are not taken hold of.
  • a gentle separation of the products consequently can also be realized with a continuously driven belt 10 and therefore a simple actuation of the drive 15 .

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Sheets, Magazines, And Separation Thereof (AREA)
US14/937,100 2014-11-12 2015-11-10 Apparatus for separating stacked printed products Abandoned US20160130100A1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
DE102014016743.7 2014-11-12
DE102014016743.7A DE102014016743A1 (de) 2014-11-12 2014-11-12 Vorrichtung zum Vereinzeln gestapelter Druckerzeugnisse

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US20160130100A1 true US20160130100A1 (en) 2016-05-12

Family

ID=54238171

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US14/937,100 Abandoned US20160130100A1 (en) 2014-11-12 2015-11-10 Apparatus for separating stacked printed products

Country Status (3)

Country Link
US (1) US20160130100A1 (fr)
EP (1) EP3020665B1 (fr)
DE (1) DE102014016743A1 (fr)

Citations (14)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3622149A (en) * 1969-10-08 1971-11-23 Xerox Corp Article destacking apparatus
US4042235A (en) * 1974-08-21 1977-08-16 Fa. Bowe, Bohler & Weber Kg Maschinenfabrik Method of an apparatus for unstacking a pile of sheets
US4046369A (en) * 1976-05-05 1977-09-06 Willi Kluge Machine for feeding inserts to a separating device
US4723773A (en) * 1986-10-17 1988-02-09 Bell & Howell Company Sheet feeding methods and apparatus
US4909499A (en) * 1988-12-28 1990-03-20 Pitney Bowes Inc. Mail singulating apparatus
US4953842A (en) * 1988-12-28 1990-09-04 Pitney Bowes Inc. Mail thickness measuring apparatus
US5062600A (en) * 1989-11-14 1991-11-05 Pitney Bowes Inc. Replaceable belt cartridge for an envelope feed apparatus
US6550764B2 (en) * 2001-02-16 2003-04-22 Pitney Bowes Inc. Apparatus and method for controlling a document-handling machine
US20030234158A1 (en) * 2002-03-19 2003-12-25 Oliver Zattler Apparatus and method for separating flat parceled goods
US6779792B2 (en) * 2002-10-28 2004-08-24 Pitney Bowes Inc. Jam release mechanism for a mailing machine
US6866258B1 (en) * 2002-02-28 2005-03-15 Roman M. Golicz Feeder-singulator for articles having intermixed thickness and shape
US6932338B1 (en) * 2002-11-01 2005-08-23 Streamfeeder, Llc Friction sheet feeding machine with reversible driven retard roller
US7516949B2 (en) * 2005-08-10 2009-04-14 First Data Corporation Sideways sheet feeder and methods
US7726642B2 (en) * 2003-09-12 2010-06-01 Psi Peripheral Solutions, Inc. Large capacity bottom feed dispenser

Family Cites Families (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2922643A (en) * 1957-08-08 1960-01-26 Universal Corrugated Box Mach Sheet feeding equipment
ITBO940255A1 (it) * 1994-06-01 1995-12-01 Gd Spa Dispositivo di alimentazione di sbozzati ad una macchina utilizzatrice
DE19811635B4 (de) 1998-03-18 2007-12-13 Kolbus Gmbh & Co. Kg Buchfertigungsfließstrecke
US6029972A (en) * 1998-03-19 2000-02-29 Gamemax Corporation Toothed wheel operated adjusting device for card stacking machines
DE102005062198A1 (de) 2005-12-23 2007-06-28 Kolbus Gmbh & Co. Kg Vorrichtung zum Entstapeln von quaderförmigen Druckprodukten
FR2951848B1 (fr) * 2009-10-28 2011-12-09 Neopost Technologies Dispositif de selection d'articles de courrier a leviers perfectionnes.

Patent Citations (14)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3622149A (en) * 1969-10-08 1971-11-23 Xerox Corp Article destacking apparatus
US4042235A (en) * 1974-08-21 1977-08-16 Fa. Bowe, Bohler & Weber Kg Maschinenfabrik Method of an apparatus for unstacking a pile of sheets
US4046369A (en) * 1976-05-05 1977-09-06 Willi Kluge Machine for feeding inserts to a separating device
US4723773A (en) * 1986-10-17 1988-02-09 Bell & Howell Company Sheet feeding methods and apparatus
US4909499A (en) * 1988-12-28 1990-03-20 Pitney Bowes Inc. Mail singulating apparatus
US4953842A (en) * 1988-12-28 1990-09-04 Pitney Bowes Inc. Mail thickness measuring apparatus
US5062600A (en) * 1989-11-14 1991-11-05 Pitney Bowes Inc. Replaceable belt cartridge for an envelope feed apparatus
US6550764B2 (en) * 2001-02-16 2003-04-22 Pitney Bowes Inc. Apparatus and method for controlling a document-handling machine
US6866258B1 (en) * 2002-02-28 2005-03-15 Roman M. Golicz Feeder-singulator for articles having intermixed thickness and shape
US20030234158A1 (en) * 2002-03-19 2003-12-25 Oliver Zattler Apparatus and method for separating flat parceled goods
US6779792B2 (en) * 2002-10-28 2004-08-24 Pitney Bowes Inc. Jam release mechanism for a mailing machine
US6932338B1 (en) * 2002-11-01 2005-08-23 Streamfeeder, Llc Friction sheet feeding machine with reversible driven retard roller
US7726642B2 (en) * 2003-09-12 2010-06-01 Psi Peripheral Solutions, Inc. Large capacity bottom feed dispenser
US7516949B2 (en) * 2005-08-10 2009-04-14 First Data Corporation Sideways sheet feeder and methods

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
DE102014016743A1 (de) 2016-05-12
EP3020665A1 (fr) 2016-05-18
EP3020665B1 (fr) 2017-01-11

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
JP5794660B2 (ja) 堆積体から印刷物を分離するための方法および装置
US5464203A (en) Sheet feeder
US6918588B2 (en) Device for separating printing products transported in an imbricated formation into a succession of spaced printing products
US5145161A (en) Sheet feeder
US20090224457A1 (en) Device for collecting printed sheets
US20160130100A1 (en) Apparatus for separating stacked printed products
US10618756B2 (en) Apparatus for separating items of mail fed to a franking machine on a processing line, such as envelopes, mailers, cards, printed products, sleeves, labels
JPS6351938B2 (fr)
US8146910B2 (en) Conveying device for feeding printed products to a processing unit
KR102283908B1 (ko) 비닐장갑 제조기의 비닐장갑 접이장치
JP3153775U (ja) 加工機械に枚葉紙を供給するための装置
KR101508928B1 (ko) 라벨 피더
US10351380B2 (en) Diverter conveyor
JP2005015232A (ja) 自動サイズ認識機能を備えたフィーダ
US10589947B2 (en) Apparatus for franking flat items of mail transported individually or from a supplied stack, such as envelopes, mailers, cards, printed products, sleeves, labels or the like, on a processing line
CN106956947B (zh) 用于将印刷产品从堆垛中分离的设备和方法
AU2016251899B2 (en) Automatic skinning device
US20040256788A1 (en) Feed Device for Stacks of Paper, Plastic Material or the Like
EP3747808B1 (fr) Dispositif et procédé pour alimenter des flans dans une machine de transformation ultérieure
US10611592B1 (en) Automatic media loader for feeder
US9394122B2 (en) Feeder for flat objects, particularly supplement feeder
JPH08259025A (ja) 枚葉紙用給紙装置
US4026550A (en) Continuous feeder
JPH03227876A (ja) 紙葉堆積体にカバー紙を載置するための装置
JP2664555B2 (ja) シート材の送り装置

Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
AS Assignment

Owner name: KOLBUS GMBH & CO. KG, GERMANY

Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:WOLLMANN, CHRISTIAN;REEL/FRAME:037002/0302

Effective date: 20151025

STCB Information on status: application discontinuation

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