EP2386513A1 - Method and device for preparing a stack for book end production comprising multiple book covers and book end production line with such a device - Google Patents

Abstract

The method involves separating book covers (2.1-2.4) from a targeted stack (1) and conveying as individual separate book covers in sequence that does not change for further processes until a completion signal is transmitted. An identifier (40) on each separated book cover is detected. Cover information of the respective identifier is read and temporarily stored. The separated covers are deposited one on top of the other in a sequence in which the separated covers are separated for forming a detected stack (7). The identifier is stored together with the temporarily stored cover information. An independent claim is also included for a device for providing a stack composed of book covers utilized to produce finished books.

Description

The invention relates to a method according to claim 1 and a device according to claim 6 for the provision of a book cover stack consisting of book covers and a book production line according to claim 12 with such a device.

Known book production lines intermittently add a book block and a book cover to a book.

Initially, the book blocks and book covers are usually made in separate machines. In known book production lines the book block goes through at the beginning separately from the associated book cover processing stations such as rounds, squeezing, Rückenbeleimen, funds, etc. The wedding also mentioned association of book block and book cover then takes place in the Einhängemaschine, the Einhängemaschine as a production unit of Buchendfertigungstrasse for the Wedding is understood.

Arrived in the Einhängemaschine, the book block, as for example EP 1 780 037 known, astride sitting on a saddle plate vertically past a side gluing. There are two intentions of the book block glued. About supply rails and by means of a slider, the book cover is fed horizontally above the Seitenbeleimung and positioned over the incoming book block. Then takes over, such as from EP 1 780 038 Known, an impeller the book cover and fits these accurately with the book block together.

In known book production lines it is assumed that the books are processed as a medium or large edition. As a result, just as many book covers are available for a series of several book blocks. On an order must be there not be respected, because within one edition a book is composed, like the other.

In the production of personalized books, such as photo books, both the book block and the book cover is unique. When producing personalized books or small and very small print runs in general, a clear identification of the book cover and the book block is a crucial criterion. For smooth operation in the machine either the book cover or the book block must take over a control function. A part of the later book then specifies the book production line with which other part of the later book it is to marry.

This results in the task, a targeted and flexible integration of one of the parts of the book of a small or very small edition in a book production line and to allow the most economical and secure allocation of the parts to be married.

The object is achieved by a method according to claim 1 and an apparatus according to claim 6 for the provision of a book cover stack consisting of book covers and a book production line according to claim 12 with such a device. Advantageous embodiments are specified in respective subclaims.

In the method for providing a stack consisting of book covers for a book ending a compilation takes place in unknown or known order superimposed book covers with unknown ceiling information to a task pile. The book covers of the task pile have thereby compelling on all book covers of the task stack considered the same ceiling format. Subsequently, or even during the stacking, the singling and conveying of the book covers of the application stack to individualized book covers is carried out up to a final signal, in an order which does not change in the following method steps.

The isolated book covers are counted. One label is recognized for each individual book cover and ceiling information is read from the respective label. In addition, a temporary storage of the ceiling information takes place. The separated book covers are stored in the order of separation to form a detected stack and there is a storage of the detected stack identifying identifier to the cached ceiling information.

Usually, before the beginning of the process, externally produced book covers are delivered in stacks whose book covers are packaged, for example, with an outer side printed with a title, facing upwards or downwards. Depending on the delivery status, the book cover order is ascending or descending. The printed outside is later to be the printed outside of the book. The printed outside has a label. The label includes book cover information, such as the format of the book cover.

The marking, for example a barcode, is generally designed such that it contains both format, material and customer information as ceiling information. The structure of such a code depends on the bar code standard used and on customer-specific requirements. He is multi-limbed. For example, the first part may include a coding of the order with format and material information, followed by the customer data, which in turn includes an individual style. By presorting the products to be produced by format and material, this information can be used for the economic production of the books, by assembling as sequences to understand task batches of the same format. With the customer data can advantageously be controlled following the separation of an individual envelope design that is ready to be completed shortly before the wedding. In addition to the barcode, other identifications known to those skilled in the art are conceivable, which can be read by means of image recognition or text recognition. Furthermore, identifications by means of RFID (Radio-Frequency Identification) or magnetic information carriers are also possible.

The task stack can be stored, for example, in a manual operation directly in front of the singulator. If the last book cover this task pile isolated, for example, by manual release of a machine operator the final signal can be given. If the task pile, however, still not be completed, although the separation temporarily no more book covers had in stock, is manually refilled and released later. More elaborate methods provide for stretched storage in multiple task stacks. For example, a first feed stack is placed with the side edges of the book covers on a conveyor belt and tipped over in the longitudinal direction of the singulator. A next stack, which is still to belong to the first task pile can be placed behind it and dumped on the incomplete first scuffed lying on the conveyor stack task, if possible without creating a gap between the scaly book covers. A gap after the first job stack should only arise when the last book cover of the first job stack is on the conveyor belt.

Subsequently, a second and a third and optionally further feed stack are preferably adjusted on the conveyor belt analogously.

Gaps of the type described above are deliberately placed to mark a completion of each of the task pile. The gap is easily recognized by the operator. Likewise, a photocell can detect the gap. In response to the gap, for example, the conveyor belt is stopped.

Alternatively it can be specified how many book covers a detected stack should include. Then, according to the method thus performed, the dicing is stopped after the corresponding number of work cycles.

According to the method, the individual book covers pass through one or more devices for counting the book covers, for recognizing the respective marking, for reading at least one of the cover information from the marking and for temporarily storing the cover information. Subsequently, the isolated book covers thus detected are stored in the order of separation to form a complete, detected stack on each other. There is a storage of the detected stack identifying identifier to the cached ceiling information.

The method described above is also suitable for checking stacks with a known sequence for completeness. The composition of the stack is known in this case but still to be detected or controlled by the method. An adjustment takes place digitally, possibly also an adjustment of the book cover information.

Typically, bookstop piles are supplied with booklet stacks down from book-making line-external bookbinding machines. This state of delivery corresponds exactly to the form required for further processing in the book production line. After turning the book cover stack delivered in this way, the originally uppermost cover of the book cover stack corresponds to the first cover to be processed in the magazine shaft of the singulation device and is now located at the bottom in the task pile. If the book covers were created in the correct processing order, the recognition data can be transferred directly from the book cover machine to the book production line.

In the case of a spatial separation or a large distance between book cover production and book production line, it is not recommended to transfer the recognition data from the book cover machine but to read the cover book information according to the method into an external, so-called cover matching system. In this system, the order of the book covers is recorded, controlled according to the specifications and handed over as a new information package the book production line.

The captured stack can be integrated into the stream of book blocks as a sequence of book covers of a format in further processing in the book production line or control the flow and the order of the book blocks. Thus, it is possible that the control of the book production line on the Buchdecken- and / or book block feeder, for example, equipped with a bar code reader takes over a comparison and control of bar-coded book covers and / or book blocks. In a so-called mismatch of book block and book cover the corresponding book block is ejected before entering the machine. In the machine so are only book blocks according to the specification and the order according to the requirement of the detected pile or its ceiling cover located book covers.

In principle, a mismatch would have to be ruled out by the method described above. If a mismatch still occurs, the book-end production is interrupted.

An example of incorporating the detected stacks into the book production line is as follows. A barcode reader compares the blanket information with the data from the available book block two bars before merging the book block and book cover. In Missmatch, the book production line stops in a controlled manner. Already requested processing steps are completed. Ceiling transport is stopped to remove the wrong blanket. Of four books in the hanging machine, three are completed and driven out of the machine. The fourth book block without blanket does not undergo side gluing and is taken from the book display.

Since the removed book block is not defective but only has no blanket, it can be fed back later processing with the appropriate cover.

In advantageous embodiments of the method, several or all of the aforementioned method steps overlap in time.

In a further advantageous embodiment, one or more ceiling information of one of the book covers is / are used as the identifier of the detected stack. For this purpose, in particular one or more of the ceiling information of the last laid on the detected stack book cover is used.

In a further advantageous embodiment of the method, the termination signal is triggered by a light barrier, which registers a gap after abandoned book covers as the end of the task stack to be detected.

The device for providing a stack consisting of book covers for a book production has a ceiling magazine for separating uniform book covers a task stack of unknown or known composition and for conveying isolated book covers in a longitudinal direction through the device on. Each of the individual book covers has ceiling information in a label. A recognition device of the device or several such devices are suitable for counting the individual book covers, for recognizing the respective marking and / or for reading the ceiling information from the marking.

The device has a processing device for processing the ceiling information. The ceiling information can be stored by means of the processing device and / or can be communicated by means of the processing device with an external cover matching system. In the latter case, storage of the ceiling information during stacking is done continuously in the external system until a completion signal is transmitted. The final signal is issued as soon as the stacking of the detected stack is completed. This may for example be the case when a manual release after complete separation of book covers is given from a task pile.

The device may be integrated into a book production line such that no real stacking takes place after the singulation device. In this case, the stack provided with the identifier lies on a transfer belt, for example, with shingled or isolated registered book covers.

According to an advantageous embodiment of the device, a stacking shaft for stacking the separated book covers is arranged to a detected stack in the longitudinal direction after the ceiling magazine. This embodiment is to operate, for example, as an independent unit initially independent of the book production line. A transfer of the detected stack, each with an identifier to the book production line, for example, manually. The identifier can be read out in the book production line. The order of the book blocks can be sorted according to a data packet read according to identification to the order of the book covers in the transferred detected stack suitable in the book production line.

This serves to isolate a detection device when the longitudinal conveyor is arranged in front of or below the detection device.

A further advantageous embodiment of the device has a longitudinal conveyor seen in the longitudinal direction following the ceiling magazine arranged. Finally, the longitudinal conveyor can also be arranged after the detection device and record already detected stacks.

The arranged after the detection device longitudinal conveyor provides clearance for buffering a product stream of book covers, especially about 100 to 200 book covers, before the transfer to the book production line. This may be advantageous for the continuity or process reliability of the fabrication process.

The at least one detection device is in a further advantageous embodiment of the device in or on the ceiling magazine, in particular above a conveying path of the book covers, arranged. A compact design of the device is thus favored.

The at least one detection device is arranged to be displaceable transversely to the longitudinal direction in further advantageous embodiments.

A further advantageous embodiment has an identification device. By means of the marking device, a second identifier can be attached in or on the detected stack as an identifier of the detected stack.

Advantageously, a book production line on one of the devices described above.

Figur 1

eine perspektivische Darstellung der Vorrichtung gemäß einem ersten Ausführungsbeispiel,

Figur 2

eine perspektivische Darstellung der Vorrichtung gemäß einem zweiten Ausführungsbeispiel, wobei die Vorrichtung gemäß dem zweiten Ausführungsbeispiel eine Längsfördereinrichtung und Rollen aufweist, und

Figur 3

eine Prinzipskizze zur Verdeutlichung einer Übergabe von durch die Vorrichtung bereitgestellten Stapeln an eine Buchendfertigungsstraße.

The invention will be explained in more detail with reference to figures. Show it

FIG. 1

a perspective view of the device according to a first embodiment,

FIG. 2

a perspective view of the device according to a second embodiment, wherein the device according to the second embodiment comprises a longitudinal conveyor and rollers, and

FIG. 3

a schematic diagram illustrating a transfer of provided by the device stacks to a book production line.

In FIG. 1 is a first embodiment of a device for providing a stacked from book covers (Cover) 7.1 - 7.n existing, detected stack 7 shown for a book ending. Ceiling information of the respective book cover 2.1 - 2.m of a task stack 1 fed to the device is to be detected.

The book covers 2.1 to 2.m to be detected by the device usually have a marking 40 which can be recognized and read by means of a recognition device 10 for reading the ceiling information. As an example Fig. 1 a snapshot of a current Buchdeckenflusses by the device, in which from the illustrated in the form of a scale flow task stack 1 already some book covers 7.1 to 7.2 have been separated and stored on the forming, detected stack 7. The feed stack 1 is still largely in the form of the scale flow on a conveyor belt 8. The next to be singled by the device book cover 2.1 is located at the bottom of a downstream of the conveyor belt 8 formed sub-stack 2 of the task stack 1, wherein the sub-stack 2 before at least one Retaining seal 21 is collected. Shown are two retaining latch 21. It may alternatively be useful to provide only one retaining latch or more distributed over the book cover width retention latch. While the separation removes the book cover 2.1 below from the partial stack 2, a book cover 2.3 from the top of the present on the conveyor belt 8, shingled support stack 1 fall on a book cover 2.2 at the time of this sub-stack 2. The stacking of the sub-stack 2 will be completed, and the last book cover 2.4 of the support stack 1 will be transported in front of the retaining latch 21. The numbering of the book covers 2.1 - 2.m is given here arbitrarily. The book cover 2.4 is not the fourth book cover and corresponds as the last and final cover of the m abandoned book covers 2.1 to 2.m the book cover 2.m.

The book covers 2.m are placed on the conveyor belt 8 standing on their side edges in a feed stack 1 or in several stacked stacks of unknown composition. This happens either automatically or manually. The feed stack 1 is tilted on the conveyor belt 8 in the conveying direction forming the scale flow forward. Another belonging to the same production order stack of book covers can be placed in the same way on the conveyor belt 8 in the conveying direction behind the overturned feed stack 1. Finally, the book covers to be recorded 2.m a production order completely and without gaps behind each other geschuppt on the conveyor belt 8 lie.

At a downstream end of the conveyor belt 8 fall the book covers 2.m on the part stack to be detected 2. The device has a ceiling magazine 20 with a known singulation device, wherein the above-described conveyor belt 8 can be considered quite as part of the ceiling magazine 20. The partial stack 2 is retained by means of two retaining tabs 21 over almost its entire height, while a lowermost book cover is pulled out from under the partial stack 2. The lowermost book cover is isolated, because the ceiling magazine 20, inter alia, by means of an alignment of the retaining latch 21 ensures that only a single book cover 2.1 leaves the partial stack 2 below in the longitudinal direction L.

The singling and the associated conveying of the book covers 2.1 - 2.m of the task stack 1 to separate book covers 7.1 - 7.n takes place up to a final signal and in an order that does not change in the following process steps.

By the isolated book cover leaves the sub-stack 2, it leaves so that in the longitudinal direction L and the ceiling magazine 20. The scattered book cover is in the longitudinal direction L subsequent to the retaining latch 21 either - as in FIG. 1 shown - integrated in the ceiling magazine 20 or - such as in FIG. 2 shown - in the longitudinal direction L subsequently detected in or on the device by a detection device 10. The in the FIGS. 1 and 2 sketched recognition device 10 is suitable for counting the book covers 7.1 - 7.n, for recognizing the marking 40 on the isolated book cover 7.1 - 7.n and for reading ceiling information from the label 40th

The retaining bar 21 ensures that only one book cover 7.1 - 7.n leaves the partial stack 2, so that the number m of abandoned book covers 2.1 - 2.m corresponds to the number n of individual book covers 7.1 - 7.n. It is also through Guaranteed removal from below ensures that a sequence of singulation can be subsequently determined or checked the ceiling magazine 20.

In a processing device 30, both the ceiling information of the book covers 2.1 - 2.n of the task stack 1 are collected from the detection device 10 as well as the sequence of the individual book covers 7.1 - 7.n of the growing, detected stack 7 cached. If the last book cover 7.n of the detected stack 7 has passed the recognition device 10 and its ceiling information is processed in the processing device 30, at least one of the cover information of the last book cover 7.n serves to identify the stack completely recorded with the last book cover 7.n 7. The last book cover 7.n can thus be referred to as identifying book cover 7.n.

In FIG. 2 the second embodiment of the device is shown. The device is designed to be mobile on rollers 25. It is extended relative to the device according to the first embodiment by a longitudinal conveyor 60 behind the retaining latch 21 of the ceiling magazine 20. The recognition device 10 is not integrated in the ceiling magazine 20 here. The detection device 10 is located above the ceiling flow (shown with the book cover 7.2 passing through the detection device 10 in the snapshot) at one end of the longitudinal conveyor 60 which faces away from the retaining latch 21. Following the recognition device 10, the book covers 7.1 - 7.n fall onto the detected stack 7 in a stacking shaft 50.

In FIG. 3 a connection of the mobile device to a book production line 100 is sketched in a snapshot. At this moment, there is a job G in the form of a corresponding sub-stack of book covers on the device. Orders D, E and F are available as captured stacks 7 for the book production line 100. Already lying on the book production line orders A, B and C are shown as also previously detected by the device stack 7. The device generates or determines an identifier for each stack 7. The device has for this purpose the processing device 30 for processing the ceiling information. The ceiling information can be stored by means of the processing device 30 and / or by means of the processing device 30 with an external, for example, as a programmable logic controller (PLC) trained cover matching system 130, communicable by data transmission S. In the latter case, the storage of the ceiling information during stacking is done continuously in the external system 130 until a completion signal is transmitted. The final signal is issued as soon as the stacking of the detected stack 7 is completed. This may be the case, for example, if a manual release after complete separation of book covers from a task stack 1 is given.

The identifier as well as all book cover information of the respective stack 7 are transferred to the external system 130. This stacking information for each stack A to G, the book production line 100 can access when the next batch 7 is placed as order D. Thereafter, for example, a ceiling feeder of the book production line is controlled with respect to the format. In addition to the book covers 7.1 to 7.n of the job D matching book blocks are required.

Due to the ceiling supply by the orders A-G, it is possible to retrieve the book blocks in accordance with the order of the book covers "inline" of a digital printing press and / or subsequent machines. A well-known inline system is the product line "Sigma Line" of the company Muller Martini.

For example, for a secure integration of the detected stack 7 of the order D into the book production line 100, a bar code of the corresponding stack 7 is also read during the processing of the stack 7 on the book production line 100. The cover matching system 130 compares, for example, two bars before merging the book block and book cover, the ceiling information to the respective book cover from the order D with the data of the waiting book block. Missmatch keeps the book production line under control at. Already requested processing steps are completed. Ceiling transport is stopped to remove the wrong book cover. Of four in a Einhängemaschine the book production line books are three completed and driven out of the book production line. The fourth book block without book cover undergoes no side gluing and is taken in a book display.

Analogously, instead of the book covers for a book ending in a book production line also envelopes for softcover productions occur. The envelopes read with the described method are fed into so-called cover investors in an adhesive binder, where they are joined together with the book block.

Claims (12)

Method for providing a book cover (7) for book end production comprising book covers (7.1 - 7.n) comprising the following method steps: a. Compilation of book covers (2.1 - 2.m) lying one above the other in unknown or known order with unknown cover information to a job stack (1), wherein the book covers (2.1 - 2.m) of the job stack (1) have the same ceiling format, b. Singulating and conveying the book covers (2.1 - 2.m) of the task stack (1) to separate book covers (7.1 - 7.n) in an order that does not change in the following method steps, up to a final signal, c. Counting the individual book covers (7.1 - 7.n), recognizing one marking (40) for each individual book cover (7.1 - 7.n), reading ceiling information from the respective marking (40) and temporarily storing the ceiling information, d. Stacking the individual book covers (7.1 - 7.n) in the order of separation to form a detected stack (7) e. Storing an identifier identifying the detected stack (7) with the cached ceiling information. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that several or all process steps overlap in time. Method according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that as identifier of the detected stack (7) one or more ceiling information of one of the book covers (7.n) is / are used. Method according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that as identifier of the detected stack (7) one or more ceiling information of the last on the detected stack (7) stored book cover (7.n) is / are used. Method according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the termination signal is triggered by a light barrier, which registers a gap after abandoned book covers (2.1 - 2.m) as the end of the task stack to be detected (1). Device for providing a book cover (7) for book end production consisting of book covers (7.1 - 7.n) a. a ceiling magazine (20) for separating uniform book covers (2.1 - 2.m) of a stack (1) of unknown or known composition and conveying individual book covers (7.1 - 7.n) through the device in a longitudinal direction (L), each of said cover sheets (7.1 individual book covers (7.1 - 7.n) have ceiling information in a marking (40), b. at least one recognition device (10) for counting the isolated book covers (7.1 - 7.n), for recognizing the respective marking (40) and / or for reading the ceiling information from the marking (40), c. a processing device (30) for processing the ceiling information, wherein the ceiling information can be stored by means of the processing device (30) and / or the ceiling information can be communicated by means of the processing device (30) with an external cover matching system (130). Apparatus according to claim 6, characterized in that in the longitudinal direction (L) below the ceiling magazine (20) a stacking shaft (50) for stacking the isolated book covers (7.1 - 7.n) to a detected stack (7) is arranged. Device according to one of claims 6 or 7, characterized in that in the longitudinal direction (L) below the ceiling magazine (20), a longitudinal conveyor (60) is arranged. Device according to one of claims 6 to 8, characterized in that the at least one detection device (10) in or on the ceiling magazine (20), in particular above a conveying path of the book covers (7.1 - 7.n), is arranged. Device according to one of claims 6 to 9, characterized in that the at least one detection device (10) is arranged transversely to the longitudinal direction (L) displaceable. Device according to one of claims 6 to 10, characterized in that the device has a marking device, wherein by means of the marking device in or on the detected stack (7) a second identifier as an identifier of the detected stack (7) can be attached. Book making line (100) with a device according to one of claims 6 to 11.

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