EP3210918B1 - Thickness-variable printed product supply - Google Patents

Description

Technical area

The present invention relates to the supply of printed products of different thicknesses and produced in a saddle stitcher, perfect binder or thread stitching machine to a downstream cutting apparatus for further processing. The device is also suitable for printed products that are not or only partially stapled The printed products are thus typically taken from a previous machine, for further processing to a cutting device on, the printed products during feeding as needed aligned with moving mechanical stops and with synchronized to the power stroke of the subsequent cutting apparatus. The invention itself is characterized by an apparatus and a method.

State of the art

The thickness of the printed products to be processed is typically adjusted in the feeder by the distance between the upper and lower conveyor belts in the region prior to transfer to the cutting apparatus. During alignment with the mechanical stops, the printed products must not be clamped or only slightly clamped between the upper and lower conveyor belts so that the printed product can move relative to the conveyor belts.

After being aligned with the mechanical stops and synchronizing with the working cycle of the cutting apparatus, the printed products in the region of the transfer to the cutting apparatus must no longer slip on the conveyor belts, Why the printed products are trapped between the conveyor belts. For this purpose, it is necessary to adjust the distance of the upper and lower conveyor belts to the thickness of the printed products. So far, this adjustment typically takes place manually or with an automated axle driven by a servomotor. The setting is made once when setting up a production and remains constant during the entire production, if no readjustment is necessary.

This type of adjustment has the disadvantage that only one print product thickness can be set per production and thus printed products with different thicknesses can not be processed within one production.

Out EP941817A a cutting apparatus has become known. With this, printed products can be trimmed automatically on the front, on the foot and on the head and thus on three sides. In a first cutting position in the cutting apparatus, a front section and in a second cutting position in the cutting apparatus simultaneously a head and foot cut is performed. The printed products are guided in a cutting transport device with the product back first against mechanical stops and aligned with these. The leading edge of the printed products corresponds to the back of the printed products and thus forms a reference edge, after which the front section is performed at a certain distance from this reference edge.

The transport of the printed products to the first cutting position in the cutting apparatus and between the first and second cutting positions in the cutting apparatus is performed with upper and lower belts. These belts are driven intermittently by mechanical indexing or by a rotating crank loop. In order for the printed products to be able to be aligned with the mechanical stops, they must be released by lifting the upper bands in each case before the stops. With the mentioned cutting device, printed products with very different formats and different thicknesses are cut.

For most printed products, a very accurate frontal cut can be made at high power, i. the distance between the leading edge 25 (corresponding to the back of the printed product) and the front cut is within the desired tolerances. For thick and bulky printed products, these tolerances are comparatively high in width and may be in the range of about 1 mm. It has been observed that such thick and bulky printed products are warped when entering the first cutting position of the cutting apparatus, which reduces the cutting accuracy with respect to the front section. In addition, it was found that other external influences as well as the occurring acceleration and deceleration values as well as the mechanical play in the gearbox can reduce the cutting accuracy.

Out EP1166977A1 Another cutting apparatus has become known. In this, both positional errors of the printed products, which are caused by swaging of the printed products during transport, as well as other influences due to a position measurement and by a control of the cutting conveyor are corrected. The control makes it possible to correct positional deviations for each individual printed product and thereby minimize the cutting tolerances for the printed product width.

If a position measurement determines that a printed product deviates from its nominal position, it is either accelerated or decelerated. This cutting apparatus is characterized in that the previously used mechanical stops can be replaced by virtual stops. By means of said control, the printed products can be brought to a virtual stop in a corrected and exact position. The printed products need not be released and can be held with the upper and lower belts during the cutting process. Since the printed products need not be released and can be accelerated during further transport without lowering the upper belts, higher production speeds are possible.

The cutting transport device operatively connected to the cutting apparatus is driven by an electronically controlled individual drive. The game and the wear of the usual mechanical stepping gear are thus avoided. The movement curves for the electronic stepping gear can be stored as a point table. This allows specially optimized motion profiles to be programmed for different production conditions, such as the thickness of the printed products, the paper quality, the format of the printed products and the production speed. In the event of an extreme change of product, an optimal sequence of movements can be programmed simply by switching to another curve table. Such curve tables can be calculated in a simple manner according to the known laws of motion for cam gears. It can be achieved that in an extreme product change by simply switching to another curve table, a more optimal motion sequence is programmable.

The cutting transport device itself therefore has subbands and upper bands, between which the printed products are transported in the conveying direction. The belts are driven by means of an electronically controlled single drive, which can be a synchronous servomotor. With this configuration, the top band must be set to the thickness of the printed products to be processed.

definitions

saddle stitcher

In a saddle stitcher, usually several sheets are collected on a conveyor chain, stapled in the stitching station and cut on three sides in the cutting apparatus.

Gathering chain:

Horizontal continuous conveyor unit for collecting printed sheets.

Sheet:

One- or two-sided printed, multi-sided paper.

Sheet feeder:

Transports sheets from a tray where there are at least one or more sheets separated Sheet, opens the sheets in the middle and places them on the gathering chain.

Digital printing:

Different press sheets are printed directly one after the other in the production process and put together to form a printed product, each print product can contain different number of press sheets, which affects the thickness of the printed product.

Selective Binding:

Manufacture of bound printed products of the same or different thickness from printed sheets combined according to the order.

print product

Finished print product consisting of at least one or more printed sheets (newspaper, magazine, magazine, catalog).

Dick Variable

Recording of printed products with different thicknesses.

cutting machine

Cutting system or cutting machine, which has a front knife and two side blades and performs the cutting process consisting of front section and head / Fußschnitt as a subsequent cut on a printed product.

feeder

Mechanical device for transporting a printed product, from the display of the stitching station or other processing machine to the cutting transport device of the cutting apparatus.

finisher

Staples a printed product consisting of one or more sheets by means of a staple.

staple

Consists of a stitching wire and has a shape of a square U.

Stitching carriage:

Part of the stitching station on which the stitching heads are mounted, wherein the stitching carriage as a stationary device, used in saddle stitchers clocked with collector chain, or as an oscillating device where the device when stitching in synchronism with the gathering chain is located, can be executed.

stapling head

Cuts and positions the stitching wire and forms the stitching wire into a staple.

stapling operation

Process in which at least one staple is pushed through the printed product and closed at the other end.

Umbiegereinrichtung

Is in operative connection with a stapling head.

knife box

Is a device which has the task to position the stitching wire in the stapling head so that the staple has the same length leg after stapling.

clincher:

On the opposite side of the stapler staples are actively bent by the Umbiegern.

Umbiegerkopf:

Counterpart to the stapling head.

Presentation of the invention

The invention aims to remedy this situation. The invention, as characterized in the claims, the object is to ensure the supply of printed products with different thicknesses to a cutting apparatus within a production. Such printed products with different thicknesses should be continuously fed to the processing, even if the product thickness changes from bar to bar.

In this case, the setting of the distance between an upper and a lower conveyor belt via in each case a first roller, which is in operative connection with an upper conveyor belt arranged above a transport plane belt transport device. This driven roller, also called a stepped roller, has at its circumference an exemption recess and at one end of the exemption recess an axis parallel to the axis of rotation of the stepped roller with a compensating roller. The compensation roller can be designed, for example, as a ball bearing be, wherein one or more ball bearings can be mounted side by side on an axis of the compensation roller.
The printed products enter with the folded back as a leading edge in the release cut of the step roller, but they do not encounter within the exemption incision against the wall of the exemption section. Subsequently, the step roller is supported via the compensation roller or the ball bearings directly behind the folded spine on the printed product, and then lifts over a kinematic process the belt conveyor with the upper conveyor belt by the value of the thickness of the printed product from the lower conveyor belt. Subsequently, the printed product is first transported between a first deflection roller of the upper conveyor belt and the lower conveyor belt and shortly thereafter between the upper and the lower conveyor belt. The upper conveyor belt is always stretched parallel to the lower conveyor belt, at least in the region in which it is in contact with the upper side of the printed products, between the first guide roller and a last deflection roller of the belt transport device viewed in the transport direction.

The relative position of the leading edge of the printed product relative to the step roll, with respect to the first engagement, is the same for each bar, since the printed products at this time are already aligned in and across the direction of transport and synchronized with the working stroke of a downstream cutter. As soon as the printed product has left the region of the belt transport device, it is lowered again onto the lower conveyor belt. The printed products are clamped head and foot side by two transversely spaced to the transport direction conveyor belts with the same force, since the two upper conveyor belts are not mechanically coupled. Since the step roller is supported directly on the printed product, the upper conveyor belt is positioned by a purely mechanical function of the thickness of the printed product in height. This is thus initiated only when a printed product is present.

1. a) Das Druckprodukt wird von einer stromauf angeordneten Heftstation, Klebebinder oder Fadenheftmaschine übernommen.
2. b) Das Druckprodukt wird auf einem unteren Aufholband liegend an mitlaufenden Anschlägen ausgerichtet, bevor es an ein unteres Transportband übergeben wird.
3. c) Eine Höhenverstellung einer ein oberes Transportband aufweisenden Bandtransporteinrichtung in Abhängigkeit der Dicke des herangeführten Druckproduktes wird durch mindestens eine stromauf des oberen Transportbands angeordnete und sich über eine Kraftkomponente vom unteren Transportband abhebende Stufenrolle eingeleitet, wobei die Stufenrolle zum einen mindestens mit dem im Bereich des unteren Transportbandes angeordneten Gegenrolle zusammenwirkt, und zum anderen mit mindestens einer Kompensationsrolle in innerer Wirkverbindung steht, welche sich zuerst auf dem herangeführten Druckprodukt abstützt, und darauf eine abhebende Translationsbewegung auf die Stufenrolle entsprechend der Dicke des Druckproduktes überträgt;
4. d) Die Translationsbewegung der Stufenrolle wird beendet, sobald die Stufenrolle mit ihrem Umfang auf dem Druckprodukt abrollt.
5. e) Die Abhebung der Stufenrolle führt zu einer entsprechenden Abhebung der Bandtransporteinrichtung, welche das der Stufenrolle nachgeschaltete obere Transportband aufweist.
6. f) Das Druckprodukt wird zwischen dem oberen Transportband und dem unteren Transportband im Bereich einer Zuführvorrichtung mit einer Anpresskraft geklemmt, weitertransportiert und an eine Schneidtransportvorrichtung eines nachgeschalteten Schneidapparats übergeben.
7. g) Sobald das Druckprodukt die letzte Umlenkrolle der Bandtransporteinrichtung passiert hat, senkt sich diese wieder soweit ab, bis das obere Transportband auf dem unteren Transportband zumindest annähernd aufliegt.

The essential sequence of a method according to the invention is as follows:

1. a) The printed product is taken over by an upstream stitching station, perfect binder or thread stitching machine.
2. b) The printed product is aligned on a lower Aufholband aligned with running stops before it is passed to a lower conveyor belt.
3. c) A height adjustment of a belt conveyor having an upper conveyor belt as a function of the thickness of the approached printed product is initiated by at least one upstream of the upper conveyor belt and lifted off via a force component from the lower conveyor belt stage role, the step roller at least with a in the region of the lower Conveyor belt arranged counter-roller cooperates, and on the other hand with at least one compensation roller is in operative connection, which is first supported on the approached printed product, and then transmits a lifting translational movement on the step roller according to the thickness of the printed product;
4. d) The translation movement of the step roller is terminated as soon as the step roller rolls with its circumference on the printed product.
5. e) The withdrawal of the step roller leads to a corresponding lifting of the belt transport device, which has the the upper roller connected downstream of the stage conveyor.
6. f) The printed product is clamped between the upper conveyor belt and the lower conveyor belt in the region of a feed device with a contact force, further transported and transferred to a cutting conveyor of a downstream cutting apparatus.
7. g) As soon as the printed product has passed the last deflection roller of the belt transport device, it is lowered again until the upper transport belt rests at least approximately on the lower transport belt.

The essential innovation of the invention is that the height of the belt conveyor or the upper conveyor belt and thus the thickness of the printed product head and foot side in the field of feeding independently and independently of each other can adjust to each individual printed product. This happens purely mechanically via a sophisticated support of the belt transport device on the printed product itself.

Thus, the purely mechanical realization of the height adjustment via a stepped roller in the foreground, wherein the step roller is provided with a release cut, and having a corresponding compensation role, which touches down on the printed product.

This step roller with its complementary elements is present at least once per belt conveyor. Preferably, two such synchronously or quasi-synchronously operating belt transport devices are present, which detect the print product in the conveying direction on the head and foot symmetrically or quasi symmetrically, whereby twisting of the printed product is avoided during transport.

The main advantages of the invention are further to be seen in that the feeding device ensures to run productions in which the thickness of the printed products varies from cycle to cycle. Since the position of the upper conveyor belt and thus the thickness of the printed product by the support on the printed product automatically and purely mechanically adjusted to each individual printed product, no separate adjustment to the thickness of the printed product in the feeder is more necessary. The setting is thus detached from the software of the machine and the measured value of a thickness measurement. There is only the minimum way to position the tape transport according to the thickness a currently transported print product carried out and this only if a printed product is available. In addition, the mechanism is protected by the structural design against overload in the event of a paper jam.

Short illustration of the figures

Figur 1

einen Sammelhefter im Wesentlichen bestehend aus Bogenanlegern, einer Heftmaschine, einem Schneidapparat und einer dazwischen geschalteten Zuführvorrichtung:

Figur 2a, 2b

die verschiedenen Elemente der Zuführvorrichtung;

Figur 2c, 2e

einen Ausschnitt aus der Zuführvorrichtung vor und nach dem Anheben der Bandtransporteinrichtung;

Figur 2d, 2f

Geschwindigkeitsvektoren der Stufenrolle vor und nach dem Anheben der Bandtransporteinrichtung;

Figur 3

die Zuführvorrichtung in dreidimensionaler Ansicht;

Figur 4

eine Darstellung betreffend der Transportrichtung der Druckprodukte;

Figur 5

die in Verbindung mit einer Stufenrolle implementierte Translationsbewegung;

Figur 6

die Anhebung der Bandtransporteinrichtung auf die Dicke des Druckproduktes;

Figur 7

den Transport des Druckproduktes zwischen den beiden Transportbändern;

Figur 8

eine Darstellung der Zuführvorrichtung bei einem neutralen Anpressdruck;

Figur 9

eine Darstellung der Zuführvorrichtung bei einem erhöhten Anpressdruck;

Figur 10

eine Darstellung der Zuführvorrichtung bei einem reduzierten Anpressdruck.

Exemplary embodiments of the method and the device according to the invention will be described in more detail with reference to the following figures. The elements not essential to the instant understanding of the invention have been partially omitted. In general, the same elements in the various figures are given the same reference numerals. However, if necessary, the same or similar elements may be provided with different reference numerals in the various figures. This is related to the fact that the positions are strictly related to the figures or can be understood, especially if they have slight structural changes to each other. If necessary, this lack of concordance is pointed out. It shows:

FIG. 1

a saddle stitcher essentially consisting of sheet feeders, a stapler, a cutting apparatus and an intermediate feed device:

Figure 2a, 2b

the various elements of the feeder;

2c, 2e

a section of the feeding device before and after the lifting of the tape transport device;

2d, 2f

Speed vectors of the step roller before and after the lifting of the belt conveyor;

FIG. 3

the feeder in three-dimensional view;

FIG. 4

a representation concerning the transport direction of the printed products;

FIG. 5

the translation movement implemented in conjunction with a step roll;

FIG. 6

the increase of the tape transport device to the thickness of the printed product;

FIG. 7

the transport of the printed product between the two conveyor belts;

FIG. 8

an illustration of the feeder at a neutral contact pressure;

FIG. 9

an illustration of the feeder at an increased contact pressure;

FIG. 10

an illustration of the feeder at a reduced contact pressure.

FIG. 1 shows a saddle stitcher 100 consisting of sheet feeders 105, a controller 106, a gathering chain 107, a stitching station 101, a downstream cutting apparatus 103. Between the stitching station 101 and the cutting apparatus 103, a feeder 102 for the supply of variable-thickness printed products 4 is arranged, which in detail the following figures will be described.

The saddle stitcher 100 in the present example represents a starting point for the development according to the invention. In the production mode with digitally printed Sheet and Selective Binding, each printed product is unique, which includes a certain number of sheets, which directly has a direct impact on the product thickness and therefore requires that the staples for each print product must be different lengths, the stitching quality should be optimized.

At speeds of up to 9,000 cycles and more per hour, the saddle stitcher 100 produces the pads extremely efficiently and flexibly. Thanks to the space-saving design of the system and a high degree of automation, this saddle stitcher 100 is a high-performance production for smallest, small to medium runs.

The controller 106 of the saddle stitcher 100 shown has a setup wizard which guides the operator step-wise through the applicator, ie, from the sheet feeders 105 to the downstream cutter 103. As a result, the illustrated stitcher 100 is extremely easy to set up. At this saddle stitcher 100 elements are incorporated, which continuously determine the product thicknesses, so that the stitching process can then be carried out with wire lengths, which are designed according to the thicknesses of the printed products.

Of course, the controller 106 of the saddle stitcher 100 shown has at least one electronic product tracking which extends from the gathering chain 107 to the downstream cutting apparatus 103. The stitcher 100 is provided with a stitching station 101 capable of stapling printed products with thicknesses varying from bar to bar and consistent staple quality, the thickness variance settings dynamically occurring during operation between two stitches.

The variable wire length is achieved via an external wire feed gearbox using a wire drawer gear. This is powered by a self-propelled and is free of the rest of the mechanics. A certain rotational movement of the motor corresponds to a specific wire length. In general, the length of the wire section depends on the thickness of the printed products to be stapled, this being determined by a product thickness measurement before stapling and during operation.

For this purpose, a variable staple symmetry is based on a knife housing belonging to the stapling head housing, wherein the staple symmetry can be set via a directly driven on the stapling head closed cam (spiral), which determines the position of the horizontally guided knife box and thus the position at the the stitching wire is cut, fixes. The drive is mounted on the stapling head and thus makes the oscillating movement of the stitching carriage. The respective horizontal position of the knife box depends on the respective length of the stitching wire section, and thus it depends on the product thicknesses to be stitched, which is determined by a product thickness measurement before stapling and during operation.

FIG. 2a shows the essential elements of the feeder 102, also called inlet and their mode of action.

The feed device 102 essentially consists of a belt transport device 12 arranged above a transport plane and of lower transport belts 2 with which printed products 4 of different thicknesses are fed to the cutting apparatus 103 in a transport direction T. Furthermore, the feeding device 102 has means for aligning printed products 4 during transport. A rotatably mounted step roller 1 of the tape transport device 12, which in Fig. 2b It is shown enlarged, has an axis of rotation 24 and an exemption recess 19 and is about as wide as the width of the lower conveyor belt 2. It is above a non-movable in the vertical direction roller, also called counter-roller 3, arranged, over which the conveyor belt 2 out becomes. The printed product 4 is clamped between the step roller 1 and the counter roller 3 and the lower conveyor belt 2. As already stated, is preferably carried out with two transversely to the transport direction T scheduled tape transport devices 12, each with a step roller 1, which the printed product 4 on both sides in the head resp. Capture foot section.

Instead of the counter-roller 3, a rigid base 5 can also be provided in the area under the step roller 1. This pad 5 prevents sagging of the lower conveyor belt 2 and ensures that the printed product 4 in the transfer to an in Fig. 3 partially shown cutting conveyor 104 of the cutting apparatus 103 does not lose its orientation

If such a counter-roller 3 or the stiff base 5 is missing, no contact force can be exerted on the printed product 4 by the stepped roller 1, and a distance between the lower conveyor belt 2 and an upper conveyor belt 6 can not be set as desired. The upper conveyor belt 6 and its pulleys are part of the belt transport 12th

The printed products 4 are in the feeding device 102 on at least two transverse to the transport direction T spaced-apart Aufholbändern 7 (ie head and foot side), which are driven at a speed v1.

The feeder 102 has stops 8 mounted on an endless circulating traction means (e.g., a chain or a timing belt, not shown), which are also arranged on the head and foot. They are driven at a speed v2 which is less than the speed v1 of the Aufholbänder 7. As a result, the printed products 4 are aligned with their leading edge 25 of the stops 8.

The feeder 102 also has side straps 23 which fit into the Figures 3 and 8 - 10 are shown and which center the printed products 4 transversely to the transport direction T and which are also driven at the speed v1.

The step roller 1 is coupled by means of toothed belt and or gears with the drive of the traction means for the stops 8. This ensures that the leading edge 25 of the printed product 4 in each case in the release recess 19, also called recess, the stage roller 1 enters. Subsequently, an am Circumference of the step roller 1 and arranged at one end of the release cut 19 compensation roller 9 on top of the printed product 4. The compensation roller 9 is rotatably mounted on the step roller 1 on an axis which is parallel to the axis of rotation 24 of the step roller 1. The compensation roller 9 may be formed as a single or as a plurality of axially juxtaposed ball bearings. Because the step roller 1 or its compensating roller 9 does not first come into contact with the leading edge 25 but with the upper side of the printed product 4, an undesired (wind-skewed) displacement and / or rotation of the aligned printed product 4 is prevented.

In the kinematic operative connection between the step roller 1 and compensating roller 9, the compensating roller 9 generates by its own mobility and by attaching the step roller 1 to a pivotable about a frame pivot point 13 lever 10, a translational movement of the step roller 1. It has an in Figure 2c and 2e illustrated vector 26 of this translation movement of the step roller 1 on a vertical and a horizontal component of movement. Opposite the axis of rotation 24 of the step roller 1 with neutral rotation, the vector 26 extends this translational movement in the direction of the fourth quadrant. Of course, the translation-triggering motion can also be accomplished by other elements, but which in any case must accomplish the basic kinematic implementation of the motion on step roller 1.

The diameter of the step roller 1 is selected so that the circumference of the step roller 1 corresponds approximately to the nth part of the distance between two stops 8 of the feeding device 102, where n can be an integer between 1 and 10. In the illustrated embodiment, n = 6, i. the step roller 1 rotates six times around its axis of rotation 24 per printed product 4.

For a gentle transport of the printed products 4, the diameter of the step roller 1 should be as large as possible, the distance between the step roller 1 and a subsequent, the upper conveyor belt 6 deflecting guide roller 18 of the belt transport device 12 should be as small as possible, so that Even printed products 4 can be transported with small and smallest format. The distance between the step roller 1 and the guide roller 18 must be smaller than a radius B in each case, which according to FIG. 2b the length of the circumference of the step roller 1 with a constant radius R corresponds. This ensures that a printed product 4 is in any case already under the deflection roller 18 or held between the conveyor belts 2 and 6 when the step roller 1 has rotated so far that the step roller 1 releases the printed product 4 due to the release cut 19 , The upper conveyor belt 6 is stretched parallel to the lower conveyor belt 2 between the first deflection roller 18 and a last deflection roller 27 of the belt transport device 12 in the transport direction T. Between the two deflection rollers 18, 27, one or more support rollers may be arranged. These ensure that the upper conveyor belt 6 also rests between the two deflection rollers 18, 27 with a sufficiently large contact pressure on the printed product 4 to be conveyed.

A peripheral speed v3 of the step roller 1 corresponds approximately to a speed v4 of the lower conveyor belt 2 and the upper conveyor belt 6 and also the speed v2 of the stops 8.

The compensating roller 9 or the ball bearings or the alternative used means of the step roller 1 compensate for different speed ratios in the transport direction T, which consist of hitting the compensation roller 9 on the top of the printed product 4 and reduce or avoid so causing marks on the top the printed products 4.

The upper conveyor belt 6 is pressed by the weight of the belt conveyor 12, against the lower conveyor belt 2 and against the printed product 4. The tape transport device 12 has two levers 10, 11, with which they at two first pivot points 13, 14 with a in FIG. 3 shown frame 28 of the feeder 102 is connected.

At a second pivot point 15 and 16 of the lever 10 and 11 is a holding plate 17th the belt transport device 12 is rotatably mounted, so that the holding plate 17 and thus also the belt transport device 12 is always arranged parallel to the lower conveyor belt 2. The distances between the pivot points 13 and 15 of the lever 10 and between the pivot points 14 and 16 of the lever 11 are equal. Of course, (imaginary) connecting lines between the pivot points 13 and 15 or 14 and 16 must always be parallel to each other, so that the conveyor belts 2 and 6 are always parallel to each other.

It is advantageous if the axis of rotation 24 of the step roller 1 coincides with the axis of the pivot point 15. "Rises" the step roller 1 on a printed product 4, the entire belt transport device 12 is lifted parallel to the transport direction T and thus aligned parallel to the lower conveyor belt 2.

Fig. 2c shows a printed product 4, which is transported at a speed v2 in the release recess 19 of the step roller 1. The printed product 4 has a thickness D. This in Fig. 2a shown upper conveyor belt 6 of the tape transport device 12 is not at this time as in Fig. 2a shown lifted off but is still on the lower belt 2, since there is no printed product 4 in the area of the belt transport device 12. The distance between the step roller 1 and the counter roller 3 is very small or even 0mm. By the rotation of the step roller 1 in a clockwise direction, the compensation roller 9 sets behind the leading edge 25 on top of the printed product 4.

How out Fig. 2d It can be seen, a lying on the outer diameter of the step roller 1 and the outer diameter of the compensation roller 9 virtual point P, the peripheral speed v3, which consists of a horizontal component v3 horiz and a vertical component v3 vert. If point P is on a horizontal plane through axis 15, v3 vert = v3 and v3 horiz = 0. In the in the Fig. 2c and 2d shown rotational position of the step roller 1 is v3 horiz still significantly smaller than the peripheral speed v3 of the step roller 1 or the transport speed v2 applied to the stops 8 printed product 4. Thus, between the horizontal velocity component v3 horiz des Point P of the step roller 1 and the transport speed v2 of the printed product 4 a speed difference v diff. Because the compensating roller 9 is rotatably mounted on the step roller 1, the speed difference v diff can be compensated by turning the compensating roller 9 or the ball bearing in a clockwise direction. The compensation roller 9 or the ball bearing rolls on the surface of the printed product 4 until the speed v3 horiz corresponds to the speed v2. This condition is in the Figs. 2e and 2f shown. By the rolling movement of the compensation roller 9 marks on the printed product 4 are avoided or reduced.

In Fig. 2e is the printed product 4 between the step roller 1 and the counter-roller 3. The lever 10 and the in Fig. 2a illustrated lever 11 have opposite to the position in Fig. 2c executed a pivoting movement about the pivot point 13 and 14, respectively. The pivotal movement was initiated by the step roller 1, which has risen on the printed product 4, by further turning in a clockwise direction. The axis of rotation 24 of the step roller 1 has thus moved in the vertical direction upwards by an amount H, which corresponds to the thickness D of the printed product.

How out Fig. 2f If the virtual point P on the step roller with the fulcrum 15 of the lever 10 is in a vertical plane, the velocities v3 horiz and v2 or v3 have the same amount and the same direction. Since from this state v3 horiz and v2 are the same size and thus v diff = 0, the compensation roller 9 no longer rotates about its axis 29. If the step roller 1 rotates further, it rolls with its circumference on the printed product 4, the peripheral speed v3 is approximately the same as the transport speed v2 of the printed product.

For printed products 4 with a small thickness D, the compensation roller 9 impinges relatively late on the surface of the printed product 4. The speed v3 horiz corresponds approximately to the transport speed v2 of the printed product 4 at this point in time. The compensating roller 9 only has to operate for a short time Duration which compensate with the continuous rotation of the step roller 1 around the rotation axis 24 ever smaller speed difference v diff.

For printed products 4 with a large thickness D, the step roller 1 and the printed product 4 come relatively early in contact. At this time, the horizontal velocity v3 horiz of the virtual point P is still very small, v3 vert has almost the same amount as the peripheral velocity v3. The resulting large speed difference v diff is compensated with the rotational movement of the compensation roller 9.

The respectively arranged on the head and foot side belt transport devices 12 can be set completely independent of each other on the thickness D of the printed products 4. The printed products 4 may be due to introduced patterns of goods or if the printed sheets, e.g. closed on the foot side and open on the head, do not have the same thickness D everywhere. With the device according to the invention, these differences in thickness occurring on the head and on the foot are adjusted on a daily basis and without manual or intervention predetermined by the control.

As in the FIGS. 2a . 8th . 9 and 10 shown, a holder 20 with a clamping lever 21 is mounted on the first pivot point 13. Between the holder 20 and the lever 10, a spring element 22 (for example, a tension spring or a torsion spring) is arranged. Now, if the clamping of the holder 20 is released and this rotated about the axis 13, the spring element 22 is tensioned. In order to reduce the contact pressure of the belt conveyor 12 or the conveyor belt 6 on the printed product 4, as in FIG. 10 shown the spring element 22 tensioned by turning the holder 20 in a clockwise direction and thus reduces the weight of the belt conveyor 12. By rotating the holder 20 in the counterclockwise direction, the contact pressure is increased because the spring element 22, the belt transport device 12 in addition to its weight down pulls (see FIG. 9 ).

FIG. 3 shows the mechanical structure of the feeder 102 according to FIG. 2a in three-dimensional view. Downstream of the feed device 102, the cutting transport device 104 is summarily indicated, which forms an integral part of the cutting apparatus 103 (see FIG. 1 ), and which serves for the transport and the alignment of the printed product 4 for the subsequent cutting operations in said cutting apparatus 103. This cutting transport device 104 will be discussed below.

First off this one FIG. 3 As regards the feeding device 102, the physical configuration of the step roller 1 with the compensating roller 9 integrated therein emerges. The course of the lower conveyor belt 2 and the upper conveyor belt 6 are very concise from this presentation. The stops 8 are shown here only hinted. These can be designed differently.

With regard to the speeds of the conveyor belts 2, 6 in the area of the feed device 102, the following values or speed ratios apply qualitatively, for example:
In the feeding device 102, a speed v max of 2000 mm / s is generally provided, which corresponds to the above-mentioned speed v4 of the conveyor belts 2, 6.

For the traction means with the stops 8, the speed v2 is also 2000 mm / s. The same speed is also provided for the peripheral speed v3 of the step roller 1.

The upper conveyor belt 6 and the lower conveyor belt 2 have the same speed v4 of 1995mm / s.

At the recovery belt 7, the speed v1 is 2400 mm / s, while the lateral belts 23 run at a slightly reduced speed of 2390 mm / s.

1. 1. Die Position eines ersten Zahnriemenrads 30 in vertikaler Richtung wird anhand eines Sollwerts einer nicht dargestellten Steuereinheit auf die Dicke D eines Druckprodukts 4, das in einem nächsten Arbeitstakt von der Zuführvorrichtung 102 an die Schneidtransportvorrichtung 104 übergeben wird, eingestellt.
2. 2. Das Druckprodukt 4 wird zwischen mindestens einem oberen Transportband 31 und einem unteren Transportband 32 erfasst und eingezogen, wobei vorzugsweise ein solches Paar je kopf- und fussseitig parallel zur Förderrichtung des Druckproduktes 4 angeordnet ist.
3. 3. Vor dem ersten Schneidvorgang im Schneidapparat 103 wird das Druckprodukt 4 entlang der von nicht gezeigten mechanischen Anschlägen vorgegebenen Ebene ausgerichtet. Dafür hebt das erste Zahnriemenrad 30 kurz bevor das Druckprodukt 4 die Anschläge erreicht vom Druckprodukt 4 teilweise ab, damit dieses mit einer reduzierten Anpresskraft zwischen den oberen und unteren Transportbändern 31, 32 geklemmt wird und sich an den Anschlägen ausrichten kann.
4. 4. Die Anpresskraft auf das Druckprodukt 4 durch das obere Förderband 31 nimmt also gegen Schluss des Transportes ab, wobei aber eine Remanenz-Anpresskraft aufrechterhalten wird, welche nur noch gezielt im Bereich der vorlaufenden Kante 25 bzw. des Rückens des Druckprodukts 4 wirkt.
5. 5. Diese Anpresskraft im Bereich des Rückens des Druckprodukts 4 wird gezielt beibehalten, indem die vordere Ebene des oberen Förderbandes 31 unter Beibehaltung der örtlichen Anpresskraft entlang des Rückens des Druckprodukts 4 nach wie vor wirkt, während sich die übrige druckproduktaktive Länge des oberen Förderbandes 31 gegen die Transportrichtung T des Druckproduktes 4 hin sich um wenige Grade winklig abhebt, dergestalt, dass sich zwischen Oberfläche des Druckproduktes 4 und Unterfläche des oberen Förderbandes 31 ein keilförmiger Spalt 33 bildet, dessen Nullpunkt sich entlang oder im Bereich des Rückens des Druckprodukts 4 einstellt.
6. 6. Optional übt das obere Förderband 31 seine Anpresskraft erstmalig in einem Abstand zum Rücken des Druckprodukts 4 aus, wenn in diesem Bereich eine Aufwölbung des Druckproduktes 4 festgestellt wird.
7. 7. Beim Erreichen der Schneidortes halten die Transportbänder 31, 32 an.
8. 8. Das Druckprodukt 4 wird mit einem nicht dargestellten Presselement auf ein nicht gezeigtes Untermesser gepresst und von einem nach unten bewegten, nicht dargestellten Obermesser geschnitten.
9. 9. Das erste Zahnriemenrad 30 wird daraufhin auf das Druckprodukt 4 abgesenkt.
10. 10. Das Presselement wird vom Untermesser abgehoben und gibt das Druckprodukt 4 frei.
11. 11. Die Transportbänder 31, 32 beschleunigen dann das Druckprodukt 4 und transportieren es zu einer weiteren Position für einen weiteren Schnitt.
12. 12. Das Druckprodukt 4 befindet sich nicht mehr unterhalb des ersten Zahnriemenrades 30 des oberen Transportbandes 31, so dass das erste Zahnriemenrad 30 auf die Dicke D des nächsten Druckprodukts eingestellt werden kann.

As for the method of operating the in FIG. 3 With reference to the cutting transport device 104, the following can be said:

1. 1. The position of a first toothed belt wheel 30 in the vertical direction is set to a thickness D of a printed product 4, which is transferred from the feeding device 102 to the cutting transporting device 104 in a next working cycle by a target value of a control unit (not shown).
2. 2. The printed product 4 is detected and retracted between at least one upper conveyor belt 31 and a lower conveyor belt 32, wherein preferably such a pair per head and foot side is arranged parallel to the conveying direction of the printed product 4.
3. 3. Before the first cutting operation in the cutting apparatus 103, the printed product 4 is aligned along the plane predetermined by mechanical stops, not shown. For this purpose, the first toothed belt wheel 30 lifts the print product 4 partially off shortly before the printed product 4 reaches the stops, so that it is clamped with a reduced contact force between the upper and lower conveyor belts 31, 32 and can align itself with the stops.
4. 4. The contact pressure on the printed product 4 by the upper conveyor belt 31 thus decreases towards the end of the transport, but a remanence contact force is maintained, which only selectively acts in the region of the leading edge 25 and the back of the printed product 4.
5. 5. This contact pressure in the area of the back of the printed product 4 is selectively maintained by the front plane of the upper conveyor belt 31 while maintaining the local contact pressure along the back of the printed product 4 still acts while the remaining pressure product-active length of the upper conveyor belt 31 against the transport direction T of the printed product. 4 Towards a few degrees angled, such that between the surface of the printed product 4 and lower surface of the upper conveyor belt 31 forms a wedge-shaped gap 33, the zero point adjusts along or in the region of the back of the printed product 4.
6. 6. Optionally, the upper conveyor belt 31 exerts its contact force for the first time at a distance from the back of the printed product 4, if in this area a bulge of the printed product 4 is detected.
7. 7. When reaching the cutting location, the conveyor belts 31, 32 stop.
8. 8. The printed product 4 is pressed with a pressing element, not shown, to a lower blade, not shown, and cut by a downwardly moving, not shown, upper blade.
9. 9. The first toothed belt wheel 30 is then lowered onto the printed product 4.
10. 10. The pressing element is lifted from the lower blade and releases the printed product 4.
11. 11. The conveyor belts 31, 32 then accelerate the printed product 4 and transport it to another position for another cut.
12. 12. The printed product 4 is no longer below the first toothed belt wheel 30 of the upper conveyor belt 31, so that the first toothed belt wheel 30 can be adjusted to the thickness D of the next printed product.

The main advantages of this cutting transport device 104 can be determined as follows:

Such print product transport makes it possible to run productions with consistently high quality of cut, in which the thickness D of the printed products 4 varies from cycle to cycle. The print product transport also provides the prerequisites to be able to make the fine adjustment of the desired position of the first toothed belt wheel 30 manually during the current production or automatically depending on the thickness D of the printed products 4. There are also those conditions in which the timing and duration of the thickness adjustment depending on the thickness D or the format of the printed product 4 can be made.

FIG. 4 shows how the printed product 4 enters the release cut 19 of the step roller 1.

FIG. 5 shows how the compensation roller 9 is placed as part of the step roller 1 on the approached printed product 4, and those movements according to the explanations to the FIGS. 2a and 3 set in motion.

FIG. 6 shows that movement of the tape transport device 12, which is lifted according to the respective thickness D of the printed products 4, while the under conveyor belt 2 maintains its original transport plane. This movement is symbolized by the direction of the arrows 40 of the two laterally arranged deflecting rollers 18, 27 of the belt transporting device 12, between which the upper transport belt 6 is stretched parallel to the lower transport belt 2.

FIG. 7 shows how the printed product 4 is transported between the upper conveyor belt 6 and the lower conveyor belt 2.

Claims (11)

1. Device for feeding printed products (4) of different thicknesses to a downstream cutting apparatus (103), wherein the printed products (4) are present in stitched, partially stitched or unstitched form or is deliverable bound by an adhesive binder or a thread-stitching machine, characterised in that the feeding of the printed products (4) is performable by a feeding device (102), that the feeding device (102) has at least an upper and a lower conveyor belt (2, 6) together forming a pair of conveyor belts (2, 6), that whereas the lower conveyor belt (2) has a stationary or quasi-stationary transport plane, the upper conveyor belt (6) is operatively connected to a belt transport device (12) initiating immediate vertical adjustment of the upper conveyor belt (6) as a function of the thickness (D) of the printed product (4) to be conveyed and that the upper conveyor belt (6) operatively connected to the lower conveyor belt (2) effects transport of the printed product (4) by applying contact pressure thereto.
2. Device according to claim 1, characterised in that the vertical adjustment of the upper conveyor belt (6) is effected by at least one revolving step roller (1) on the upper side of the printed product (4), the step roller (1) firstly being supported by a counter roller (3) or a rigid base (5) and secondly being operatively connected to at least one compensating roller (9) initially supported on the advanced printed product (4) and then effecting a lifting translational movement of the step roller (1) in accordance with the thickness (D) of the printed product (4).
3. Device according to claim 2, characterised in that the translational movement of the step roller (1) is characterised by a vector (26) consisting of a vertical and a horizontal component of motion of an axis of rotation (24) of the step roller (1) with respect to its original position.
4. Device according to claim 3, characterised in that the vector (26) of the translational movement extends in the direction of the fourth quadrant of the step roller (1).
5. Device according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that the lifting of the step roller (1) effects corresponding lifting of the upper conveyor belt (6) by the belt transport device (12).
6. Device according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that the compensating roller (9) that is operable with an operative connection to the step roller (1) consists of a ball bearing arranged in a cut-out (19) of the step roller (1), mounted to rotate about an axis (29) parallel or quasi-parallel to the axis of rotation (24) of the step roller (1) and initiating lifting of the step roller (1).
7. Method of operating a feeding device (102) for feeding printed products (4) of different thicknesses (D) to a downstream cutting apparatus (103), comprising the following steps:

   a) the printed product (4) is taken up from a preceding stitching station, adhesive binder or thread-stitching machine;

   b) the printed product (4) lying on a take-up belt (7) is aligned at revolving stops (8) before it is transferred to a lower conveyor belt, and

   c) vertical adjustment of a belt transport device (12) having an upper conveyor belt (6) is initiated as a function of the thickness (D) of the advanced printed product (4) by at least one step roller (1) arranged upstream of the upper conveyor belt (6) and lifted from the lower conveyor belt (2), the force component of which acting on the printed product (4) is supported by a counter roller (3) or a rigid base (5), this step roller (1) secondly being operatively connected to at least one compensating roller (9) initially supported on the advanced printed product (4) and then initiating a lifting translational movement of the step roller (1) in accordance with the thickness (D) of the printed product (4).
8. Method according to claim 7, characterised in that the translational movement of the step roller (1) is ended as soon as the step roller (1) rolls on the printed product by means of its circumference.
9. Method according to claim 7, characterised in that the lifting of the step roller (1) effects corresponding lifting of a belt transport device (12) having the upper conveyor belt (6) disposed downstream of the step roller (1).
10. Method according to claim 7, characterised in that the printed product (4) is clamped with contact pressure between the upper conveyor belt (6) and the lower conveyor belt (2) in the region of the feeding device (102), transported further and fed to a downstream cutting apparatus (103).
11. Method according to claim 7, characterised in that, as soon as the printed product has passed a final return pulley (27) of the upper conveyor belt (6) in a transport direction T, the upper conveyor belt (6) is lowered once again until it lies at least approximately on the lower conveyor belt (2).

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