CH683178A5 - Sheet handling appts. for high-speed printer, e.g. laser printer - transports sheets to deflection roller with vacuum suction and carries to table via transverse conveyor which is selectively operated - Google Patents

Abstract

The paper web (2) which has been printed in the printer (1) is divided by a transverse blade (5) into individual sheets. The latter are fed by two transport units (8,12) to a deflection roller (18) which detects the sheet's front end and carries it towards a stop (19). The sheets are held by vacuum onto the deflection roller. The sheets which have been carried as far as the stop are stacked (S) on a table (21) which can be raised an lowered. One stack may comprise alternately arranged smaller stacks (T) created by a transverse conveyor (15). USE/ADVANTAGE - For non-impact printers. Simplified production of sub-stacks within sheet stack.

Description

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description

The present invention relates to a device for processing sheets or sheets printed by means of a high-speed printer according to the preamble of patent claim 1.

A device of this type is from GB-A 2 219 990. It is used to convey printed sheets by means of conveyors, to turn individual sheets or sheets or partial stacks by means of a deflecting device, and to place them on a stacking support as a stack, this stacking arrangement as can be formed laterally displaceable lifting table relative to the deflection device, so that - if desired - it is possible to arrange the partial stacks offset on the lifting table.

The disadvantage of this device is that the entire lifting table has to be moved laterally in a rapid back-and-forth movement in order to produce offset partial stacks. The mass to be moved is considerable and varies depending on the quantity of the partial stacks already on the lifting table, so that precise control of this lifting table movement is difficult. In addition, there is a risk that the partial stacks that have already been deposited will become disordered.

The object of the invention is therefore to create a device of the type mentioned at the outset, which does not have the disadvantages mentioned in the optional generation of laterally offset partial stacks.

This object is achieved according to the invention in a device of the type mentioned at the outset by the features of the characterizing part of patent claim 1. Preferred embodiments of the device according to the invention are described in dependent claims.

The new device is able to record, convey, redirect or turn sheets and sheets that are delivered at high speed by a high-speed printer, and finally to stack them perfectly, whereby partial stacks can also be formed that offset one another are.

The processing of sheets or sheets is also possible without any problems if they are slightly deformed by the heat of the fast printer and are not easy to handle.

An exemplary embodiment of the subject matter of the invention is explained in more detail below with reference to the drawing. It shows purely schematically:

1 shows a simplified representation and a side view of a device for stacking sheets printed in a high-speed printer;

FIG. 2 on an enlarged scale compared to FIG. 1, the area of the stack formation of the device according to FIG. 1;

Fig. 3 is a front view in the direction of arrow A in Fig. 2;

FIG. 4 shows the inclined conveyor arrangement of the device according to FIG. 1 in plan view and on a larger scale than in FIG. 1;

Fig. 5 is a side view in the direction of arrow B in Fig. 4; and

6 is a front view in the direction of arrow C in FIG .. 5

In Fig. 1, a complete system is shown purely schematically, for which a fast printer 1 of known type, e.g. a non-mechanical printer (non-impact printer) belongs. At the exit of this fast printer 1, the printed paper web 2 is output, which is transported away by means of a feed thrust device C which engages in the perforations of the paper web 2. The labeling of the paper web 2 is in the present embodiment on the top of the web 2a.

The edges of the paper web 2 are trimmed in a manner known per se by means of an edge cutting device 4 connected downstream of the feed device 3. This edge cutting device 4 is followed by a cross cutting device 5, which is also of a known type. This cross cutting device 5 consists of a fixed knife 6 and a rotating driven knife roller 7, which carries two knives 7a and 7b, each of which cooperate with the fixed counter knife 6 and cuts through the paper web 2 in a direction transverse to its longitudinal extent. The drive of the knife roller 7 is controlled in a manner not shown by the fast printer 1.

The single sheets cut by means of the cross-cutting apparatus 5 are taken over by a first conveying device 8, which is formed by two belt conveyors 9 and 10 arranged one above the other. The latter are driven in the direction of arrow D in a manner not shown. The inlet of the two belt conveyors 9, 10 is arranged as close as possible to the cross cutting device 5, so that the cut sheets immediately after cutting by the belt conveyors

9 and 10 can be taken over and carried on. Above the belt conveyor

10, a reading unit 11 is arranged which reads code information printed on the sheets and triggers control functions based on the read information.

The first conveyor 8 is followed by a second conveyor 12, which is also formed by two belt conveyors 13 and 14, between which the individual sheets are conveyed in the direction of arrow E. The two belt conveyors 13 and 14 are driven at the same speed as the upstream belt conveyors 9 and 10. The space Z between the two conveyors 8 and 12 is smaller than the length of the shortest sheets to be processed, so that the sheets at the time in which they run in between the belt conveyors 13 and 14, are still held by the upstream belt conveyors 9 and 10.

An inclined conveyor arrangement 15 is provided within the second conveyor device 12 and will be described in more detail with reference to FIGS. 4 to 6. Deflection rollers 16 and 17 are arranged on both sides of the inclined conveyor arrangement 15,

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around which the conveying strand 14a of the upper belt conveyor 14 is guided. As can be seen from FIG. 1, the section of this conveying-effective strand 14a lying between the two deflecting rollers 16, 17 is guided over deflecting members, not shown, which are arranged at a distance from the lower belt conveyor 13 and which cause that between the two deflecting rollers 16, 17 the conveying strand 14a is lifted from the opposite conveying strand 13a of the lower belt conveyor 13. This means that the paper sheets in the area of the inclined conveyor arrangement 15 are not influenced in their movement by the strand 14a. The distance a of the deflecting rollers 16, 17 from the longitudinal center plane 15a of the inclined conveyor arrangement 15 is the same and preferably corresponds essentially to the length of the sheets to be processed. In this way it is achieved that the sheets are always guided even in the area of the inclined conveyor arrangement 15. In order to be able to process sheets of different lengths, the deflecting rollers 16, 17 can be displaced in the direction of the arrow F or F ', as a result of which the distance a from the longitudinal center plane 15a can be changed.

Connected to the outlet of the second conveyor device 12 is a deflection roller 18 which is rotatably driven about an essentially horizontal axis 18a, the structure of which will be explained in more detail with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3. As can be seen in FIG. 1, the lower belt conveyor 12 ends shortly before the deflection roller 18, while the upper belt conveyor 14 engages over the deflection roller 18 and forms a conveyor gap 18 'with it.

The sheets entering this conveyor gap 18 'are held in a manner to be described below by means of negative pressure on the circumference of the deflecting roller 18 and conveyed against a stop arrangement 19 arranged below the deflecting roller 18. Here the sheets are released and stacked into a stack S consisting of several partial stacks T, as will be explained in more detail below. In the area of the stop arrangement 19 there is also a sensor 20 which scans the height of the stack S, the exact structure of which will be described with reference to FIG. 2.

The stack S rests on a storage table 21 which can be raised and lowered in the direction of arrow G by means of a drive 22. This lifting and lowering movement of the storage table 21 is controlled by sensors 20, among other things. To transport the finished stacks S away, a conveyor 23 is provided, onto which the stacks S are lowered.

Behind the deflecting roller 18 there is a storage compartment 24 for waste that connects to the outlet-side end of the upper belt conveyor 14. A switch, not shown in more detail, is present to remove the waste, which is preferably controlled by the reading unit 11.

The construction of the deflection roller 18 and the stacking process will now be explained in more detail with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3.

The deflection roller 18 is driven by a drive, not shown, in the direction of the arrow H

Longitudinal axis 18a driven circumferentially. A control system (not shown) ensures that the rotation of the deflection roller 18 takes place synchronously with the rotation of the knife roller 7 of the cross-cutting apparatus 5. The phase position of the deflection roller 18 can, however, be changed compared to that of the knife roller 7 in order to enable processing of sheets of different lengths.

2 and 3 show, the deflecting roller 18 is provided with two diametrically opposite rows of suction holes 25 and 26. Each of these rows of suction holes 25, 26, which extend in the direction of the axis of rotation 18a of the deflection roller 18, has a number of suction holes 25a, 26a which are arranged at a mutual distance and run radially. The suction holes 25a, 26a of each row 25 and 26 open into a connecting channel 27 and 28 which runs in the interior of the deflecting roller 18 and runs parallel to the axis of rotation 18a. On one of its end faces, the deflection roller 18 bears against a fixed disk 29, in which a groove 30 is formed which is open towards the deflection roller 18 and extends over a little less than 180 °, as can be easily seen from FIG. 2. This groove 30 extends along a section of a circular arc which is coaxial with the axis of rotation 18a of the deflection roller 18 and is at a distance from the latter which corresponds to the distance of the connecting channels 27, 28 from this axis of rotation 18a. This means that during the rotation of the deflecting roller 18, these connecting channels 27, 28 are connected to the groove 30 for a certain time. The latter is connected to a vacuum source via a connection 31, which is only shown schematically. At this point it should also be noted that the deflection roller 18 can also be provided with more than two rows of suction holes 25, 26, for example with four rows of suction holes each offset by 90 °.

The deflection roller 18 is now positioned such that when a sheet 32 runs into the conveying gap 18 ', a row of suction holes 25 meets the leading area 32' of the sheet 32 (FIG. 2). At this time, the suction holes 25a of this row of suction holes 25 are already connected to the channel 30 connected to the vacuum source. The blades 32 are thus held in their leading region 32 'on the surface of the deflecting roller 18 and are carried along adjacent to the circumference of the deflecting roller and conveyed against the stop arrangement 19. The latter consists of two or more stop fingers 19a, 19b arranged at a distance from one another (FIG. 3), each of which engages in a recess 18b in the deflection roller 18. In this way it is ensured that the blades 32 certainly come to a stop on the stop fingers 19a, 19b. As can be seen from FIG. 2, the connection between the connecting channels 27, 28 and the groove 30 is interrupted at the point in time when the leaves 32 come to a stop with the leading edge 32 ′ on the stop arrangement 19. This means that the sheets 32 are released at this point and are on the tray table

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21 or the stack S lying thereon. The blades 32 are pushed under the front end 20 'of the sensor 20, which is pivotally mounted about the axis 20a (Fig. 2). This front end 20 'of the sensor 20 is raised, which results in the latter being pivoted in the direction of the arrow I in the clockwise direction. A return spring 33 is tensioned. The pivoting movement of the sensor 20 leads, after covering a certain distance, to the closure of a switch 34, which is only shown schematically, which results in the drive 22 being put into operation and the storage table 21 being lowered. However, the storage table 21 is only slightly lowered, so that the top of the stack comes as close as possible to the deflection roller 18, leaving a small gap, so that the sheets 32 released by the deflection roller 18 only have to cover a very small distance in free fall. The top of the stack is preferably brought so close to the deflection roller 18 that the sheets 32 can be placed on the stack S without falling.

As can be seen from FIG. 3, the storage table 21 consists of a plurality of support elements 21a arranged at a mutual spacing. The conveyor 23 is formed by a number of transport belts 23a which are arranged at a mutual distance. The transport belts 23a are offset from the support elements 21a in such a way that the transport belts 23a come to lie in the spaces between the support elements 21a. In this way, the support elements 21a can pass through the conveyor 23, as can be seen from FIG. 1.

As can further be seen in FIG. 2, the partial stacks T are offset from one another by the amount b in the direction of the arrow V. This displacement is accomplished by means of the inclined conveyor arrangement 15, which will now be explained below with reference to FIGS. 4 to 6, reference also being made to FIG. 1.

This inclined conveyor arrangement 15 includes a shaft 35 which is driven in a manner not shown in detail and which is mounted in a stationary manner. This shaft 35 is driven synchronously with the drive of the belt conveyors 13 and 14. Above this shaft 35 there are several rubber rollers 36, which are arranged at a distance from one another in the direction of the axis 35a of the shaft 35 (FIG. 4). Each of these rubber rollers 36 is in frictional contact with the shaft 35 and is driven by it in the direction of arrow L. The peripheral surfaces 36a of these rubber rollers 36 are slightly cambered. Each rubber roller 36 is freely rotatably mounted in a holder 37, which is in turn freely rotatably mounted about an axis 38a (FIG. 5) by means of a pin 38. This axis of rotation 38a is aligned with the longitudinal center plane 15a of the entire inclined conveyor arrangement 15, which is essentially perpendicular to the conveying plane of the sheets 32 and in which the axes of rotation 35 'and 36' of the shaft 35 and the rubber rollers 36 also lie. Each bracket 37 is movable via a connecting part 39 with an actuating rod 40

(Fig. 4) coupled, which can be pushed back and forth by means of an electromagnet 41 in the direction of arrow M. It goes without saying that, instead of an electromagnet 41, an adjustment mechanism which is suitable for the other can also be used. When moving the operating rod

14, the holders 37 are pivoted about the pivot pin 38, with the result that the rollers 36 are inclined. 4, these rollers 36 are shown in such an inclined position, the extent of the inclined position being designated by the angle a.

A pressure roller 42 lies loosely on each roller 36, which is freely rotatably mounted in a holder 43 which is pivotably mounted about an axis designated 43 '. The pressure rollers 42 are driven by friction in the direction of the arrow N.

The operation of the inclined conveyor arrangement

15 is now as follows:

The sheets 32 conveyed between the belt conveyors 13 and 14 to the inclined conveyor arrangement 15 are pushed between the rollers 36 and 42 in a conveying direction O, which corresponds to the conveying direction E of the belt conveyors 13, 14. Because of the guiding of the conveyor 14a of the upper belt conveyor 14, which has already been described with reference to FIG. 1, the belt conveyors 13 and 14 no longer act on the sheet 32 reaching the area of the inclined conveyor arrangement 15. The further advance of the blades 32 thus takes place through the rollers 36 and 42 which are driven by the shaft 35. The aforementioned inclination of the rollers 36 has the consequence that the sheets 32 are conveyed further in a direction P which, with the original feed direction O, forms an angle which corresponds to the inclination angle α of the rubber rollers 36. The inclined conveyance of the blades 32 'is, however, such that the blades 32' are not rotated, but only a parallel displacement. This means that the offset edges 32 'of the side edges are still approximately parallel or at right angles to the conveying direction O or E.

The sheets 32 'which are laterally offset by a certain amount b now reach the deflection roller 17, where they come again between the conveying strands 13a and 14a of the belt conveyors 13 and 14 and are conveyed to the deflection roller 18 and then placed on the stack S in the manner described will.

The adjusting mechanism 41, which effects an adjustment of the rubber rollers 36, is controlled by the reading unit 11 or by signals from the rapid printer 1. The latter determines by reading the code information on a sheet 32 that this sheet is the first sheet of a new sub-stack T. Thereupon a phase-correct pivoting of the rubber rollers 36 is triggered, which has the effect that from this first sheet 32 the following sheets belonging to the same partial stack T are laterally displaced in the direction of the arrow P or V. If the reading unit 11 has determined the last sheet of this partial stack T, a control command is accordingly generated which is in the correct phase.

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ment causes a swiveling back of the rollers 36. This means that the following sheets 32 pass through the inclined conveyor arrangement 15 without lateral displacement. As soon as a new partial stack has to be formed, the rubber rollers 36 are pivoted again in the manner described, with the result that the sheets of this subsequent partial stack T are again offset in the direction of the arrow V. The size of the pivoting angle a of the rubber rollers 36 can be changed in accordance with the respective format of the sheets 32.

A stack S consisting of partial stacks T formed in the manner described above is shown in FIG. 3. The sub-stacks T denoted by 2, 4, etc. are offset by the amount b in the direction of arrow V from the sub-stacks T denoted by 1, 3, 5, etc. This offset now makes it possible later to separate the individual partial stacks T from one another again without difficulty. In each partial stack T, the first sheet lies at the bottom, the labeled side 32a of all sheets 32 being at the bottom.

This offset stacking of the partial stacks T brings, inter alia, advantages where the laser printer prints 1 different orders (jobs), their subsequent processing, e.g. the dispatch of which must be carried out separately. It goes without saying that the individual partial stacks T can be of different heights, i.e. can consist of a different number of single sheets 32.

After cutting by means of the cross cutting device 5, the blades 32 are continuously guided. This is particularly important when the sheets 32 are subjected to a heat treatment in the high-speed printer 1, as is the case in particular with non-mechanical printers, e.g. Laser printers, the case is. This heat treatment slightly deforms the paper, which means that the treatment of the paper sheets 32 is no longer as easy as with sheets that were not exposed to heat.

The device shown further has the advantage that the sheets can be stacked in the correct order, i.e. that in each partial stack T the sheets are stacked one after the other and with the inscribed side lying on the preceding sheet.

Claims (11)

Claims 1. Device for processing sheets (32) or sheets printed by means of a high-speed printer (1), with a conveying device (8, 12) for the longitudinal transport of the sheets or sheets and one arranged downstream to be essentially perpendicular to the conveying direction (E) the conveying device (8, 12) rotating axis (18 a) rotatable deflection arrangement (18) for turning and depositing the sheets or sheets (32) on a stacking support (21), characterized in that the deflection roller (18) which can be driven in rotation is designed a device (25, 26, 25a, 26a) for holding the sheets or sheets taken over by the conveying device (8, 12) (32) and releasing the same directly above the lowerable stacking support (21), and that in the conveying device (8, 12) optionally operable conveying means (15) for laterally deflecting conveyed sheets or sheets for the purpose of laterally offset further transport to the deflecting arrangement (18 ) are integrated to form on the stack support (21) laterally offset partial stack (T). 2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the deflecting arrangement has a deflecting roller (18) which can be driven around an essentially horizontal axis of rotation (18a) and which has the sheets (32) or sheets fed on its upper side at its leading region (32 ') holds, takes it with the rotation (H) and releases it at the bottom. 3. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the deflecting roller (18) has a suction device (25a, 26a) for temporarily holding the sheets or sheets (32), which is preferably formed by suction openings (25a, 26a) connected to a vacuum source which are preferably arranged in at least one row (25, 26) running parallel to the axis of rotation (18a) of the deflecting roller (18). 4. Device according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized by an above the stack support (21) and in the conveying path of the deflecting roller (18) arranged stop arrangement (19) against which the deflected sheets or sheets (32) are conveyed. 5. The device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the lowering movement of the stack support is controllable by a sensor element (20) scanning the height of the stack (S). 6. Device according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the optionally operable conveying means are designed as an inclined conveyor arrangement (15) which, in the activated state, the sheets (32) or sheets over a certain distance with respect to their feed direction (O ) at an angle (a) at an angle to the side, so that the sheets (32) or sheets conveyed at an angle in this way are laterally offset (b) from the deflecting roller (b) compared to other sheets or sheets whose conveying direction (O, E) is not changed ( 18) are promoted. 7. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the stack (S) is formed from partial stacks (T), which are laterally offset from one another (b). 8. The device according to claim 6, characterized in that the inclined conveyor arrangement (15) has at least one pair of rollers (36, 42) through which the sheets (32) or sheets are passed and of which at least one roller (36) can be inclined is. 9. The device according to claim 8, characterized in that said roller (36) is rotatably mounted in a holder (37) which is pivotable by means of an adjusting mechanism (40, 41) about an axis (38a) which is substantially perpendicular to The conveying plane of the blades (32) or arc runs. 5 10th 15 20th 25th 30th 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 5 9 CH 683 178 A5 10. The device according to claim 8 or 9, characterized in that a plurality of inclined rollers (36) are provided in a direction transverse to the conveying direction (O, E) of the sheets (32) or arc, the circumferential surface of which (36a) is preferably cambered and which are in frictional contact with a common drive shaft (35) and each form a pair of rollers (36, 42) with a counter roller (42) which is freely rotatable. 11. The device according to one of claims 6 to 10, characterized in that the inclined conveyor arrangement (15) is arranged in the region of a conveyor device (12) formed from two belt conveyors (13, 14), the conveying effectiveness of which is essentially eliminated in the region of the inclined conveyor arrangement, preferably by lifting the conveying section (14a) of the one belt conveyor (14) in the area of the inclined conveyor arrangement (15). 5 10th 15 20th 25th 30th 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 6