Device for grasping insert sheets, loading device, station for receiving blanks and machine for processing elements in the form of sheets

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10913624-B2
Application number	US-201716076357-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 7, 2017
Priority date	Feb 12, 2016
Publication date	Feb 9, 2021
Grant date	Feb 9, 2021

Abstract

The invention relates to an insert-sheet pick-up device ( 13 ) for an insert-sheet loading device ( 10 ) of a station for receiving copy ( 500 ). The pick-up device ( 13 ) includes a suction element ( 20 ) configured to pick up an insert sheet. The pick-up device ( 13 ) includes a pivoting axis ( 30 ) and at least one telescopic arm ( 33 ) including a proximal arm ( 33 a ), one end of which is fixed to the pivoting axis ( 30 ), and a distal arm ( 33 b ), able to move with respect to the proximal arm ( 33 a ), and one end of which is pivot-articulated to the suction element ( 20 ) to move the suction element ( 20 ) between a raised position and a lowered position according to a vertical movement of the suction element ( 20 ). Also, the invention also relates to an insert-sheet loading device, a copy-receiving station and a machine for processing elements in sheet form including the insert-sheet pick-up device.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A grasping device for grasping insert sheets for a loading device for loading insert sheets at a station for receiving blanks being moved in a blank feeding direction, the grasping device comprising:
a suction element configured to grasp an insert sheet;
a pivoting axle, and at least one telescopic arm configured to move insert sheets in a direction different from the blank feeding direction, the telescopic arm comprised of:
a proximal arm, one end of the proximal arm being fixed to the pivoting axle and configured to be pivoted so as to pivot the telescopic arm with respect to the pivoting axle, and
a distal arm movable with respect to the proximal arm, one end of the distal arm is pivotally articulated with the suction element and configured to move the suction element between an upper position and a lower position by a vertical movement of the suction element,
wherein the distal arm is configured to move with respect to the proximal arm so as to increase a length of the telescopic arm from a first length of the telescopic arm at a start of a pivoting swing of the telescopic arm at the upper position to a second length of the telescopic arm at a remote end of the pivoting swing of the telescopic arm at the lower position, the second length being greater than the first length.

2. A grasping device according to claim 1 , wherein in the upper position thereof, the telescopic arm is in a position close to the horizontal.

3. A grasping device according to claim 1 , further comprising at least one control element for controlling the lengthening of the distal arm as a function of a pivoting angle of the pivoting axle, the control element is configured to cooperate with the distal arm of the telescopic arm.

4. A grasping device according to claim 3 , wherein the control element comprises a linear or curved guide.

5. A grasping device according to claim 3 , wherein the control element comprises an inclined slot,
wherein the positioning of the distal arm in a first position of the slot corresponds to a minimum lengthening of the telescopic arm in the upper position of the telescopic arm;
wherein the positioning of the distal arm in a second position of the slot corresponds to a maximum lengthening of the telescopic arm in the lower position thereof, the telescopic arm having pivoted by a predetermined maximum angle between the upper and the lower positions; and
wherein the hypotenuse of a right triangle of which one of the legs of the triangle corresponds to the lengthening of the telescopic arm over the predetermined maximum angle is inscribed within the inclined slot.

6. A grasping device according to claim 1 , wherein one of the distal arm and the proximal arm comprises at least one oblong linear guide hole which is configured to cooperate with at least one pin borne by the other arm in order to modify the length of the telescopic arm.

7. A grasping device according to claim 1 , wherein the proximal arm comprises a double wall sandwiching the distal arm between the double walls.

8. A grasping device according to claim 1 , wherein the suction element comprises at least one pivoting suction head.

9. A grasping device according to claim 1 , wherein the suction element comprises a suction bar.

10. A grasping device according to claim 9 , further comprising two of the telescopic arms having respective ends which are pivotally articulated with a respective end of the suction bar.

11. A grasping device according to claim 1 , further comprising at least one actuator configured to pivot the pivoting axle.

12. A grasping device according to claim 11 , wherein the at least one actuator is configured to stop automatically under the effect of a counterforce.

13. A grasping device according to claim 11 , wherein the actuator is configured to move a first end of a lever, the lever having a second end fixed to the pivoting axle.

14. A device for loading insert sheets, comprising a device for grasping insert sheets according to claim 1 .

15. A station for receiving blanks of a machine for processing blanks, the station comprising the loading device for loading the insert sheets according to claim 14 .

16. A machine for processing blanks, comprising the station for receiving the blanks according to claim 15 .

17. A station for receiving blanks according to claim 16 , wherein the grasping device is configured to deliver insert sheets to the stack of blanks for separating the blanks in the stack.

Assignees

• Bobst Mex Sa

Inventors

• Chatry Patrice
• Cuennet Ludovic
• Steiner Maude

Classifications

• B65H2701/18264

  Pile of alternate articles of different properties, e.g. pile of working sheets with intermediate sheet between each working sheet · CPC title

• B65H2701/1764

  Cut-out, single-layer, e.g. flat blanks for boxes · CPC title

• B65H2406/342

  being reciprocated in a rectilinear path · CPC title

• B65H2406/341

  being oscillated in arcuate paths · CPC title

• B65H2405/323

  Cantilever finger member, e.g. reciprocating in parallel to plane of handled material · CPC title