Book production line and method for producing individual books as well as very short and short runs of books

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11052695-B2
Application number	US-202016824923-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 20, 2020
Priority date	Apr 11, 2019
Publication date	Jul 6, 2021
Grant date	Jul 6, 2021

Abstract

The invention relates to a book production line and a method for producing individual books as well as very short and short runs of books. The book production line comprises a feed device and a following transport section for book covers, a feed device and a following transport and processing section with a rounding and pressing machine, an adhesive-backing apparatus for book blocks, and a casing-in machine. The rounding and pressing machine forms an upstream-arranged, first adjustment segment. The adhesive-backing apparatus is divided into at least two additional adjustment segments that successively follow each other in a transport direction of the book blocks. Each adjustment segment includes a separate drive and a number of book block positions which is the same for each adjustment segment or differs maximally by three book block positions.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A book production line for producing individual books as well as very short and short runs of books, comprising:
a first feed device for book covers;
a transport section following the first feed device for transporting the book covers received from the first feed device;
a second feed device for book blocks;
a segmented transport and processing section following the second feed device for transporting the book blocks received from the second feed device in a transport direction;
a casing-in machine at a downstream end of the transport section and of the transport and processing section for combining a book cover and an associated book block to form a book;
wherein the segmented transport and processing section includes individual adjustment segments including:
an upstream first adjustment segment receiving the book blocks from the second feed device and comprising a rounding and pressing machine; and
at least two downstream adjustment segments that constitute an adhesive-backing apparatus following the rounding and pressing machine and that successively follow each other in the transport direction;
wherein each of the upstream adjustment segment and the at least two downstream adjustment segments includes an associated separate drive and respectively have a number of book block positions;

wherein the adjustment segments of the adhesive-backing apparatus each include a separate transport device connected to the respective associated separate drive; and
wherein the number of book block positions in each adjustment segment is identical or the number of book block positions in each adjustment segment maximally differs by three book block positions.

2. The book production line according to claim 1 , wherein the individual adjustment segments for book blocks have five book block positions each.

3. The book production line according to claim 1 , wherein the adjustment segments of the adhesive-backing apparatus have a separation location, and further including another transport device having a further separate drive arranged in a region that bridges the separation location.

4. The book production line according to claim 1 , further including a machine control for the book production line, wherein one of the second feed device and the transport and processing section for book blocks comprises a detection device and the transport and processing section comprises a removal station for the book blocks that is arranged downstream of the detection device, wherein the detection device and the removal station are operatively connected to the machine control.

5. The book production line according to claim 4 , wherein the removal station for book blocks is located in a region of an upstream-arranged book block position of a farthest downstream-arranged adjustment segment of the transport and processing section.

6. The book production line according to claim 5 , wherein the farthest downstream adjustment segment of the transport and processing section comprises within the casing-in machine two downstream-arranged book block positions with a single transport path and comprises within the adhesive-backing apparatus three upstream-arranged book block positions with a double transport path.

7. The book production line according to claim 1 , further including a machine control, wherein one of the feed device and the transport section for book covers comprises a detection device, and further including a removal station for book covers, arranged downstream of the detection device, wherein the detection device and the removal station are operatively connected to the machine control.

8. The book production line according to claim 1 , wherein a farthest downstream adjustment segment of the transport and processing section comprises three more book block positions than any of the other adjustment segments.

9. A method for producing individual books as well as very short and short runs of books in the book production line according to claim 1 , comprising:
separately supplying book covers and book blocks to the casing-in machine of the book production line, wherein respectively one book cover and an associated book block are combined in the casing-in machine to form a book, the separately supplying step comprising:
upstream of the casing-in machine, rounding and pressing book blocks in the first adjustment segment of the transport and processing section in which the book blocks are transported downstream toward the casing-in machine, each book block having a back; and
following the rounding and pressing step, adhesively applying backing material to the backs of the book blocks while positioned on the at least two downstream adjustment segments of the adhesive-backing apparatus of the transport and processing section; and
converting the book production line from a current production order with a first book format to a following production order with a second book format that differs from the first book format while maintaining a format conversion time of one of the downstream adjustment segments equal to or less than a transit time of a book block through the adjustment segment adjoining and upstream from the one downstream adjustment segment.

10. The method according to claim 9 , wherein the separately supplying step includes transporting the book covers by the transport section, the method further including:
identifying the book covers transported by the transport section and the book blocks transported by the transport and processing section; and
checking to determine whether each book cover and an associated book block are a match, and in case of a mismatch, automatically or manually removing at least one of the mismatched book cover and associated book block from, respectively, the transport section for book covers or the transport and processing section for the book blocks.

11. The method according to claim 9 , wherein the adjustment segments, which follow successively in the transport direction of the book blocks, are either occupied or not occupied by book blocks alternately, the method further comprising conducting a format conversion of one of the adjustment segments during a time in which the one adjustment segment is not occupied by book blocks.

12. The method according to claim 9 , comprising operating each of the adjustment segments with five operating cycles.

13. The method according to claim 12 , wherein a farthest downstream-arranged adjustment segment of the transport and processing section connects the adhesive-backing apparatus and the casing-in machine, and further comprising operating the farthest-downstream arranged adjustment segment in the adhesive-backing apparatus with three operating cycles, respectively traversed in a double step, and operating the farthest-downstream arranged adjustment segment in the casing-in machine with two operating cycles to be traversed in a single step.

14. The method according to claim 9 , wherein a farthest downstream-arranged adjustment segment of the transport and processing section connects the adhesive-backing apparatus and the casing-in machine, and further comprising operating the adhesive-backing apparatus with six operating cycles, respectively traversed in a single step, and operating the casing-in machine with respectively two cycles, traversed in a single step.

Assignees

• Mueller Martini Holding Ag

Inventors

• MüLLER HANS
• Gärtner Stefan

Classifications

• B42C19/00

  Multi-step processes for making books · CPC title

• B42C11/04 Primary

  Machines or equipment for casing-in or applying covers to books (B42C11/06 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B42C5/02 Primary

  by rounding or backing · CPC title

• B42C13/00

  Bookbinding presses (general features of presses B30B); Joint-creasing equipment for bookbinding; Drying or setting devices for books · CPC title

• B42C9/02

  for securing back linings, strips, ribbons or headbands · CPC title