Method for providing a stack composed of book covers for book production

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9731537-B2
Application number	US-201113101666-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 5, 2011
Priority date	May 12, 2010
Publication date	Aug 15, 2017
Grant date	Aug 15, 2017

Abstract

A method for providing a stack of book covers for production of finished books includes supplying a task stack of book covers having identical cover formats and stacked one above another in an unknown or known sequence. Each book cover in the task stack includes an identifier comprising cover information. The book covers are separated out and conveyed from the task stack as separate book covers in a sequence that does not change until a completion signal is transmitted. The separated out book covers are counted, an identifier on each separated out book cover is detected, and cover information is read out of the respective identifier stored. The separated out book covers are deposited on top of one another in the sequence in which they were separated out for forming a detected stack. An identifier is stored that identifies the detected stack together with the temporarily stored cover information.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for providing a stack composed of book covers for production of finished books, comprising:
supplying a task stack of book covers having identical cover formats and stacked one above another in an unknown or known sequence, wherein each book cover in the task stack includes an identifier comprising cover information;
separating out and conveying the book covers from the task stack as separate book covers in a sequence that does not change for the following method steps, until a completion signal is transmitted:
counting the separated out book covers, detecting of the identifier on each separated out book cover, reading cover information out of the respective identifier, and temporarily storing the cover information;
depositing the separated out book covers directly one on top of the other in the sequence in which they were separated out for forming a detected stack; and
storing an identifier that identifies the detected stack together with the temporarily stored cover information, wherein the identifiers of the respective book covers are used to request book blocks in the sequence of the book covers in the detected stack in the production of the finished books.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein at least two of the method steps overlap with respect to time.

3. The method according to claim 1 , including using at least one cover information bit from one of the book covers as the identifier for the detected stack.

4. The method according to claim 1 , including using at least one cover information bit from the book cover last deposited on the detected stack as the identifier for the detected stack.

5. A method for providing a stack composed of book covers for production of finished books, comprising:
supplying a task stack of book covers having identical cover formats and stacked one above another in an unknown or known sequence, wherein each book cover in the task stack includes an identifier comprising cover information;
separating out and conveying of the book covers from the task stack as separate book covers in a sequence that does not change for the following method steps, until a completion signal is transmitted:
counting the separated out book covers, detecting of the identifier on each separated out book cover, reading cover information out of the respective identifier, and temporarily storing the cover information;
depositing the separated out book covers one on top of the other in the sequence in which they were separated out for forming a detected stack;
storing an identifier that identifies the detected stack together with the temporarily stored cover information; and
triggering the completion signal by a light barrier that registers a gap following the deposited book covers at an end of the task stack to be detected.

6. An apparatus for providing a stack composed of book covers used to produce finished books, comprising:
a cover magazine to separate out book covers with identical format from a task stack in a known or unknown sequence and to convey the separated out book covers in longitudinal direction through the apparatus, wherein each of the separated out book covers is provided with an identifier comprising cover information;
at least one detection device arranged to at least one of count the separated out book covers, detect the respective identifier, and read the cover information out of the identifier; and
a processing unit to process the cover information, wherein the cover information is at least one of stored with the aid of the processing unit and communicated to an external cover-matching system by the processing unit.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6 , further including a stacking shaft, arranged downstream of the cover magazine as seen in a longitudinal direction, to stack the separated out book covers to form a detected stack.

8. The apparatus according to claim 6 , further including a longitudinal conveyor arranged downstream of the cover magazine, as seen in longitudinal direction.

9. The apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the at least one detection device is arranged in or on the cover magazine.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the at least one detection device is arranged above a conveying path for the book covers.

11. The apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the at least one detection device is arranged to be displaceable transverse to the longitudinal direction.

12. The apparatus according to claim 6 , further including an identification device useable to affixed in or on the detected stack a second identifier as identification for the detected stack.

13. A book production line, comprising an apparatus as disclosed in claim 6 .

Assignees

• Mueller Hans
• Mueller Martini Holding Ag

Inventors

• Mueller Hans

Classifications

• B65H7/02

  by feelers or detectors · CPC title

• B65H2553/43

  Bar code reader · CPC title

• B42C19/02

  starting with single sheets · CPC title

• B65H2801/15

  Digital printing machines · CPC title

• B42C11/04 Primary

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