Transport device for stacking partial book blocks

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10654672-B2
Application number	US-201816197414-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 21, 2018
Priority date	Nov 28, 2017
Publication date	May 19, 2020
Grant date	May 19, 2020

Abstract

A transport device stacks partial book blocks along a transport path formed of transfer paths, and includes: a first transfer path at a start of the transport device; a first separating element downstream of the first transfer path and upstream of a second transfer path; a second separating element downstream of the second transfer path and upstream of a processing machine that is operatively connected to the transport device; and a transition path which is arranged either upstream or downstream of the second separating element and within which a book block product that is to be introduced therein is transferable from a transport position where it is lying flat and into a transport position where it is guided standing up. At least one of the transfer paths is equipped with at least one sheet stack feed unit and/or at least one collator-feeder.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A transport device for stacking a plurality of partial book blocks along a transport path formed of transfer paths, wherein a finished stacked book block product is feedible to a processing machine, the transport device comprising:
a first transfer path of the transfer paths which is arranged at a start of the transport device;
at least a first separating element which is downstream of the first transfer path and upstream of at least a second transfer path of the transfer paths; and
a second separating element which is downstream of the second transfer path and is upstream of a third transfer path of the transfer paths;
wherein the processing machine is downstream of the third transfer path,
wherein a transition path is arranged upstream of the second separating element and within which the book block product that is to be introduced therein is transferable from a transport position where it is lying flat into a transport position where it is guided standing up, and
wherein at least one of the transfer paths is equipped with at least one sheet stack feed unit and/or at least one collator-feeder.

2. A separating element for operating the transport device of claim 1 , comprising at least the second separating element arranged inside the transport device as a connection between a transfer path arranged in front thereof and a downstream transfer path,
wherein the separating element is configured to be operated using at least one drive and is configured to:
receive a book block product that is fed from the preceding transfer path standing up;
transport the book block product further, standing up, via a conveying path formed by the separating element; and
then hand the book block product over to the downstream transfer path standing up and in a cycle-compliant manner.

3. A separating element for operating a transport device,
wherein the transport device is for stacking a plurality of partial book blocks along a transport path formed of transfer paths,
wherein a finished stacked book block product is feedible to a processing machine,
wherein the transport device comprises:
a first transfer path of the transfer paths which is arranged at a start of the transport device;
at least a first separating element which is downstream of the first transfer path and is upstream of at least a second transfer path of the transfer paths;
a second separating element which is downstream of the second transfer path and is upstream of the processing machine that is operatively connected to the transport device; and
a transition path which is arranged either upstream or downstream of the second separating element and within which a book block product that is to be introduced therein is transferable from a transport position where it is lying flat into a transport position where it is guided standing up; and

wherein at least one of the transfer paths is equipped with at least one sheet stack feed unit and/or at least one collator-feeder,
the separating element comprising at least the first separating element arranged inside the transport device as a connection between a transfer path arranged in front thereof and a downstream transfer path, and
wherein the separating element is configured to be operated using at least one drive and is configured to:
receive a partial book block that is fed from the preceding transfer path lying flat;
transport the partial book block further, lying flat, via a conveying path formed by the first separating element; and
then hand the partial book block over to the downstream transfer path lying flat and in a cycle-compliant manner.

4. The transport device according to claim 3 , wherein at least the transfer paths are operable in a manner in which they are segmented.

5. The transport device according to claim 3 , wherein a transport plane of a book channel of the transport device is formed having an inclination angle of up to 30°, 20°±5°, or up to 10°.

6. The transport device according to claim 3 , wherein each partial book block to be stacked is feedible from a sheet stack feed table to a corresponding one of the transfer paths, with an inclination interdependency between the two units.

7. The transport device according to claim 3 , wherein a process of stacking assigned partial book blocks on top of one another in order to form the finished stacked book block product inside the transport device is controlled by control profiles.

8. The transport device according to claim 3 , wherein the respective partial book block to be stacked is feedible from at least one sheet stack feed unit and/or one collator-feeder vertically and/or laterally with respect to a production direction of the transport device that is formed by the transfer paths.

9. The transport device according to claim 8 , wherein the respective partial book block to be stacked is fed laterally according to control profiles, an adapted adjustment being continuously carried out, when necessary, between a preset height of a partial book block located in the transfer path and a handover height of an additional partial book block which is guided by a height-adjustable sheet stack feed table of the sheet stack feed unit in each case.

10. The transport device according to claim 9 , wherein the height-adjustable sheet stack feed table has three different operating modes, comprising:
a) for a passage operation: the sheet stack feed table is arranged in the top position;
b) for an insert operation: the sheet stack feed table is arranged in the bottom position; and
c) for an addition operation: the height of the sheet stack feed table is adapted to match the height of the partial book block.

11. The transport device according to claim 9 ,
wherein additional control profiles control the transport device,
wherein the additional control profiles control any intermediate redirection of a partial book block out of the book channel and/or a sheet stack feed table.

12. The separating element according to claim 2 , wherein transfer paths and/or the separating element comprises an integrally continuous or segmented finger chain along their conveying paths for transporting the partial book blocks.

13. The transport device according to claim 3 , wherein the first separating element and/or the second separating element are configured to be either operated in a manner dependent on other feeds or autonomously.

14. The separating element according to claim 3 , wherein transfer paths and/or the separating element comprises an integrally continuous or segmented finger chain along their conveying paths for transporting the partial book blocks.

15. The separating element according to claim 14 , wherein the finger chain comprises carrier fingers which assume a vertical or quasi-vertical position along the partial block books that are guided lying flat and which assume a horizontal or quasi-horizontal position along the book block products that are guided standing up.

16. A transport device for stacking a plurality of partial book blocks along a transport path formed of transfer paths, wherein a finished stacked book block product is feedible to a processing machine, the transport device comprising:
a first transfer path of the transfer paths which is arranged at a start of the transport device;
at least a first separating element which is downstream of the first transfer path and is upstream of at least a second transfer path of the transfer paths;
a second separating element which is downstream of the second transfer path and is upstream of the processing machine that is operatively connected to the

Assignees

• Mueller Martini Holding Ag

Inventors

• Landolt Michael
• Gut Matthias

Classifications

• B65H2301/4476

  Endless transport devices with compartments · CPC title

• B65H2404/2691

  Arrangement of successive belts forming a transport path · CPC title

• B65G43/08

  Control devices operated by article or material being fed, conveyed or discharged {(and controlling the discharging devices B65G47/42)} · CPC title

• B42C19/08

  Conveying between operating stations in machines (conveyors in general B65G) · CPC title

• B65H7/00

  Controlling article feeding, separating, pile-advancing, or associated apparatus, to take account of incorrect feeding, absence of articles, or presence of faulty articles · CPC title