Method and system for processing printed sheets, especially sheets of printed securities, into individual documents

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9446927-B2
Application number	US-200913130263-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 19, 2009
Priority date	Nov 21, 2008
Publication date	Sep 20, 2016
Grant date	Sep 20, 2016

Abstract

There is described method of processing printed sheets ( 100 ), especially sheets of printed securities, into individual documents ( 150 ), such as banknotes, each printed sheet ( 100 ) comprising an array of imprints arranged in a matrix of rows and columns. The method comprises the following steps : (i) pre-processing the printed sheets ( 100 ) by partly slitting each printed sheet ( 100 ) row-wise or column-wise to form slits ( 110 ) between adjacent rows or adjacent columns of imprints, slitting being performed in such a manner that the adjacent rows or adjacent columns of imprints are still attached to one another at edges of each thus pre-processed printed sheet ( 100 ′); (ii) stacking the pre-processed printed sheets ( 100 ′) so as to form sheet stacks ( 121, 122 ) comprising a predetermined number of pre-processed printed sheets ( 100 ′) stacked one upon the other; and (iii) processing the sheet stacks ( 121, 122 ) by cutting each sheet stack ( 121, 122 ) column-wise or row-wise along cutting lines ( 115 ) between adjacent columns or rows of imprints, cutting being performed along a direction perpendicular to the direction of the slits ( 110 ) and in such a manner that individual documents ( 150 ) are produced as a result. Also described is a system for carrying out this method.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method of processing printed sheets, into individual documents, each printed sheet comprising an area that is printed with an array of imprints arranged in a matrix of rows and columns, said method comprising the following steps:
pre-processing said printed sheets by partly slitting each printed sheet row-wise or column-wise to form slits between adjacent rows or adjacent columns of imprints, slitting being performed in such a manner that said adjacent rows or adjacent columns of imprints are still attached to one another at edges of each thus pre-processed printed sheet, each slit running continuously from one end to another of the area printed with the array of imprints and stopping in margins of the printed sheet;
stacking the pre-processed printed sheets so as to form sheet stacks comprising a predetermined number of pre-processed printed sheets stacked one upon the other; and
processing said sheet stacks by cutting each sheet stack column-wise or row-wise along cutting lines between adjacent columns or rows of imprints, cutting being performed along a direction perpendicular to the direction of the slits and in such a manner that individual documents are produced as a result,
wherein said printed sheets exhibit at least one security element which extends row-wise or column-wise over or into said printed sheets and wherein slitting of the printed sheets is performed along a direction parallel to said security element,
wherein said security element is such that it impacts on an overall waviness of sheet piles or stacks when said printed sheets are piled or stacked one upon the other, and
wherein said stacking of the pre-processed printed sheets includes piling of the pre-processed printed sheets in a staggered manner along a direction perpendicular to the direction of said slits so as to minimize the impact of the security element on the overall waviness of the resulting sheet piles or stacks.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said pre-processing of the printed sheets further includes trimming of sheet edges of each printed sheet, which sheet edges are parallel to the slits.

3. The method according to claim 2 , wherein said processing of the sheet stacks further includes trimming of sheet edges of each pre-processed printed sheet within the sheet stacks, which sheet edges are parallel to the cutting lines.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said processing of the sheet stacks further includes trimming of sheet edges of each pre-processed printed sheet within the sheet stacks, which sheet edges are parallel to the cutting lines.

5. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising the step of inspecting and/or sorting the individual documents.

6. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising the step of providing at least one alphanumeric number or coding onto at least part or all of the individual documents after processing of the sheet stacks or onto at least part or all of the imprints of at least some of said printed sheets prior to pre-processing of the printed sheets.

7. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising the step of bundling said individual documents to form individual bundles.

8. The method according to claim 7 , further comprising the step of providing at least one securing band around said individual bundles.

9. The method according to claim 1 , wherein slitting is carried out using a laser cutting unit or a rotary knife system.

10. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said printed sheets are sheets of printed securities.

11. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said individual documents are banknotes.

12. A system for processing printed sheets into individual documents, each printed sheet comprising an area that is printed with an array of imprints arranged in a matrix of rows and columns, said system comprising:
a slitting unit for pre-processing said printed sheets by partly slitting each printed sheet row-wise or column-wise to form slits between adjacent rows or adjacent columns of imprints, slitting being performed in such a manner that said adjacent rows or adjacent columns of imprints are still attached to one another at edged of each thus pre-processed printed sheet, each slit running continuously from one end to another of the area printed with the array of imprints and stopping in margins of the printed sheet;
a stacking unit for stacking said pre-processed printed sheets so as to form sheet stacks comprising a predetermined number of pre-processed printed sheets stacked one upon the other; and
a cutting unit for processing said sheet stacks by cutting each sheet stack column-wise or row-wise along cutting lines between adjacent columns or rows of imprints, cutting being performed along a direction perpendicular to the direction of the slits and in such a manner that individual documents are produced as a result,
wherein said printed sheets exhibit at least one security element which extends row-wise or column-wise over or into said printed sheets and wherein said slitting unit is designed to perform slitting of the printed sheets along a direction parallel to said security element,
wherein said security element is such that it impacts on an overall waviness of sheet piles or stacks when said printed sheets are piled or stacked one upon the other, and
wherein said stacking unit is designed to perform piling of the pre-processed printed sheets in a staggered manner along a direction perpendicular to the direction of said slits so as to minimize the impact of the security element on the overall waviness of the resulting sheet piles or stacks.

13. The system according to claim 12 , wherein said slitting unit is further adapted to trim sheet edges of each printed sheet, which sheet edges are parallel to the slits.

14. The system according to claim 12 , wherein said cutting unit is further adapted to trim sheet edges of each pre-processed printed sheet within the sheet stacks, which sheet edges are parallel to the cutting lines.

15. The system according to claim 12 , further comprising an inspecting and/or sorting unit for inspecting and/or sorting the individual documents.

16. The system according to any claim 12 , further comprising a numbering unit for providing at least one alphanumeric number or coding onto at least part or all of the individual documents after processing of the sheet stacks by the cutting unit or onto at least part or all of the imprints of at least some of said printed sheets prior to pre-processing of the printed sheets by the slitting unit.

17. The system according to claim 12 , wherein said slitting unit includes a laser cutting unit or a rotary knife system for slitting the printed sheets.

18. A method of processing printed sheets, into individual documents, each printed sheet comprising an area that is printed with an array of imprints arranged in a matrix of rows and columns, said method comprising the following steps:
pre-processing said printed sheets by partly slitting each printed sheet row-wise or column-wise to form slits between adjacent rows or adjacent columns of imprints, slitting being performed in such a manner that said adjacent rows or adjacent columns of imprints are still attached to one another at edges of each thus pre-processed printed sheet, each slit running continuously from one end to another of the area printed with the array of imprints and stopping in margins of the printed sheet;
stacking the pre-processed printed sheets so as to form sheet stacks comprising a predetermined number of pre-proces

Assignees

• Schaede Johannes Georg
• Kba Notasys Sa

Inventors

• Schaede Johannes Georg

Classifications

• B65H2701/1912

  Banknotes, bills and cheques or the like · CPC title

• B65H35/02 Primary

  from or with longitudinal slitters or perforators · CPC title

• B65H35/04

  from or with transverse cutters or perforators · CPC title

• B65H35/00 Primary

  Delivering articles from cutting or line-perforating machines; Article or web delivery apparatus incorporating cutting or line-perforating devices, e.g. adhesive tape dispensers (cutting or perforating machines or devices in general B26D, B26F) · CPC title