EP0662440B1 - Device for adhesively stapling printed articles - Google Patents

Abstract

The binding device has saddle-shaped pads (14) for printed sheets (30) running along a closed path (12') through a binding area (26). The binding assembly (24) has several binding heads (42) which meet the pads in the binding area and co-rotate with same in a section of the binding area to produce bindings which hold the sheets of the printed products resting in the binding area. The binding heads have penetrating tools (46) to form openings through the printed products in the area of the fold (28). The binding assembly has an adhesive applicator (70) which supplies adhesive to the penetrating tools. The adhesive can be transferred by the penetrating tools to the sheets in the openings. The pads preferably have recesses in which the penetrating tools engage with play after piercing the printed products.

Description

The present invention relates to a device for stapling folded sheets of printed matter having a plurality of sheets, according to the preamble of claim 1.

A device of this type is disclosed in EP-A-0 399 317 and the corresponding US-A-5,172,897. It has saddle-shaped supports for printed products running around a closed orbit running through a stitching area. At least when passing through the stitching area, the supports are arranged parallel to one another and extend at right angles to their direction of rotation. Furthermore, the device has a stitching arrangement with a number of stitching heads which move along a closed movement path at the speed of movement of the supports. The distance between the stapling heads arranged one behind the other essentially corresponds to the distance between the supports arranged one behind the other. In the stitching area, the movement path runs parallel to the orbit of the pads, so that a stitching head meets with each pad and runs with it in a section of the stitching area. In this section, the stitching head places a wire clip in the back of the corresponding printed product lying on the support, which wire clip has formed from a wire section taken over from a wire section dispenser. The end sections of the two flanks of the wire clip projecting beyond the printed product are bent by means of bending elements arranged in the supports, so that one of the sheets of the Cohesive wire stitching is produced. Wire stitching of this type works well, but a large amount of wire is required. If printed products with only a few sheets and those with a large number of sheets are to be processed with the known device, it is necessary to design the stitching arrangement in such a way that different wire thicknesses and wire section lengths can be processed.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a device of the generic type which, with high processing capacity and simple construction, enables wireless, reliable stitching of the printed products.

This object is achieved with a generic device which has the features in the characterizing part of claim 1. The sheets of the printed products are connected to one another by selective adhesive binding. Since the stitching heads run in one direction along a closed path of motion, quiet operation is guaranteed even at high processing speeds. The adhesive can be transferred to the sheets when the passages are created and / or when the penetration tool is withdrawn, advantageously by stripping. A method and an apparatus for producing punctual adhesive staplings is disclosed in the older EP-A-0 628 429; With regard to a possible structure of the stitching heads and the supports and their mode of operation, reference is expressly made to this document. Printed products of different thicknesses can be processed without any changes on parts of the booklet arrangement. If necessary, the amount of adhesive supplied to the penetration tools must be adapted to the thickness of the printed products.

With a particularly preferred embodiment of the device according to the invention, a printed product can be stapled in several places at the same time.

Another preferred embodiment of the inventive device according to claim 3 ensures in a simple manner that printed products of different thicknesses can be stapled without the need for adjustment work.

Pressing devices according to claim 4, in cooperation with the supports, provide the printed products with a secure hold during the tacking process. This leads to good quality stitching and prevents injuries or displacement of sheets within the printed matter.

Another particularly preferred embodiment of the device according to the invention is defined in claim 5. With a simple structure, it enables extremely precise stapling to be attached.

The also preferred embodiment according to claim 6 enables the creation of the passages at any point in the section of the stitching area, regardless of the meeting of the stitching heads with the pads.

Particularly high quality adhesive stitching can be achieved with the particularly preferred embodiment of the device according to the invention.

Another preferred form of training according to claim 8 ensures long service life of the penetration tools.

Another preferred embodiment according to claim 9 enables a simple structure of the booklet arrangement, regardless of the shape of the orbit.

With another preferred form of training according to claim 10, a safe interaction of the stitching heads and pads is ensured in a simple manner, regardless of the shape of the orbit.

A particularly preferred embodiment of the device according to the invention, which requires little space with a high processing capacity, is defined in claim 11.

Fig. 1

in perspektivischer Darstellung stark vereinfacht eine Vorrichtung zum Sammeln von Bogen und anschliessenden Klebheften der aus den Bogen gebildeten Druckereierzeugnissen;

Fig. 2

in Ansicht einen Teil einer Sammelstrecke der Vorrichtung gemäss Anspruch 1 mit der Heftanordnung;

Fig. 3

eine Abwicklung eines Teils der in der Fig. 1 gezeigten Vorrichtung;

Fig. 4

einen Schnitt durch die Vorrichtung gemäss Fig. 1 entlang der Linie IV-IV der Fig. 3;

Fig. 5

teilweise geschnitten ein Heftkopf und eine Auflage an der Stelle V der Fig. 4;

Fig. 6

in gleicher Darstellung wie Fig. 5 ein Heftkopf und eine Auflage an der Stelle VI der Fig. 4; und

Fig. 7

eine Ansicht der Fig. 6 in Pfeilrichtung VII.

The present invention will now be explained in more detail with reference to an embodiment shown in the drawing. It shows purely schematically:

Fig. 1

in perspective greatly simplified a device for collecting sheets and subsequent adhesive books of the printed products formed from the sheets;

Fig. 2

in view a part of a collection route of the device according to claim 1 with the stitching arrangement;

Fig. 3

a development of a part of the device shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4

a section through the device of Figure 1 along the line IV-IV of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5

partially cut a stitching head and a support at point V of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6

in the same representation as FIG. 5, a stitching head and a support at position VI in FIG. 4; and

Fig. 7

6 in the direction of arrow VII.

The device according to FIG. 1 has a plurality of collecting sections 10, which are arranged in a drum-like manner around a horizontal common axis of rotation 12 in the direction of arrow U. Each collecting section 10 has a radially outer, saddle-shaped support 14 which is parallel and parallel to the orbital axis 12 and thus perpendicular to the orbit 12 ', onto which, for example, three feed sheets 16, 18, 20 arranged one behind the other in the axial direction can be placed astride. Seen in the direction of transport T, the feed points 16, 18, 20 are followed by an adhesive booklet arrangement 24, which extends in the circumferential direction U over a booklet area 26. In the area of the fold 28 of the printed products 30 formed from the collected printed sheets 22, the adhesive booklet arrangement 24 each produces a number of adhesive booklets in order to hold the printed sheets 22 together. Furthermore, the adhesive booklet arrangement 24 is one in Seen transport direction T, a path 34 downstream, at which the stapled printed products 30 are lifted off the collecting routes 10 and transported away.

For the sake of clarity in FIG. 1, each collecting section 10 is assigned a means of transport, in order to gradually transport the printed sheets 22 or printed products 30 in the transport direction T in the course of the revolutions of the collecting sections 10 around the axis of rotation 12, the means of transport being controlled in this way that they are inactive when the relevant collection section 10 passes through the stitching area 26. The printed products 30 thus stand still, as seen in the direction of the axis of rotation 12, as they pass through the stitching area 26 and move in the direction of rotation U in this area on a sector of a circular path. Since the feed points 16, 18, 20 and the lead-away point 34 are also arranged within the stitching area 26, as seen in the direction of rotation U, the means of transport are when the printed sheets 22 are deposited on the supports 14 or on the printed sheets 22 already placed thereon and when they are captured of the stapled printed products 30 at the removal point 34 by grippers 36 of the removal conveyor 36 'in the direction of the axis of rotation 12 stationary.

In the course of a rotation around the axis of rotation 12, but outside the stitching area 26, the transport means each make a stroke in the transport direction T, so that the printed sheets 22 deposited on the supports 14 move from one feed point 16, 18, 20 to the next feed point 18, 20 or transported to the adhesive booklet arrangement 24 and to the exit point 34 will. The printed sheets 22 are thus transported along a path 38, which is indicated by dash-dotted lines and which is, in part, helical and partly circular.

In a preferred manner, the printed sheets 22 to be processed are fed to the feed points 16, 18, 20 using generally known gripper conveyors 40, opened there and dropped astride the supports 14. EP-A-0 341 expressly refers to the structure and the functioning of devices with drum-like collecting sections 10, the gripper conveyor 40 and the removal conveyor 36 ', and the means of transport for transporting the printed sheets 22 or printed products 30 along the supports 14 425 and EP-A-0 550 828 or the corresponding US-A-5,052,667 and US-A-5,324,014.

As can be seen from FIGS. 2 and 3, the adhesive tacking arrangement 24 has a number of stitching heads 42, which are arranged one behind the other at a distance A of the supports 14 and rotate along a closed movement path 44 (cf. FIG. 4) at a rotational speed v _U which corresponds essentially to the speed of movement v _{B of} the supports 14. In the stitching area 26 a stitching head 42 meets a support 14 and runs with it in a section 26 'of the stitching area 26. Each stitching head 42 has at least one, but preferably a plurality of penetrating tools 46 which, during passage through the section 26 'from a rest position, in which they are spaced from the support 14 and the printed product 30 to be stapled, in the direction of the arrow 48 to generate passages 50 through the relevant printed product 30 in a penetrating position and against the direction of arrow 48 are brought back into the rest position. 3, the orbits of the penetrating tools 46 are indicated by dash-dotted lines 52. FIG. 3 also clearly shows that the transport of the printed sheets 22 or printed products 30 in the longitudinal direction of the supports 14 takes place outside the stitching area 26, compare the web 38 indicated by dash-dotted lines.

As shown in FIG. 2, the support 14 of each collecting section 10 is arranged at the radially outer end of a wall 54 which runs parallel to the circumferential axis 12 and is radial with respect thereto. The means of transport 56 for the step-by-step transport of the printed sheets 22 or printed products 30 in the direction of arrow T have, per collecting section 10, a carriage 58 mounted on the relevant wall 54 in and against the direction of the arrow T, which has a schematically indicated drive 60, for example one Link drive is connected. From the carriage 58 protrude 62, which push the printed sheets 22 and printed products 30 on the trailing edge 64 during a working stroke in the direction of arrow T. On the return stroke, they pass under the printed sheets 22 or printed products 30. Transport means 56 of this type are described in detail in EP-A-0 550 828 and the corresponding US-A-5,324,014.

As can be seen from FIG. 4, the stitching heads 42 are arranged on an endless traction element 66, indicated by dash-dotted lines, for example a chain or a pair of chains. The traction element 66 is guided around deflection wheels 68 at the beginning and at the end of the stitching area 26. Furthermore, an adhesive feed device 70 is arranged at the deflection wheel 68 at the beginning of the stitching area 26, each applying a certain amount of adhesive to a piercing head 42 on its penetrating tools 46, for example by stripping, brushing or spraying.

Each stapling head 42 has a press device 72 which can be lowered in the stapling area 26 by means of a link control 74 onto the printed product 30 to be stapled in order to press it against the support 14. Since the pressing device 72 has centering elements 76 which are recessed in a V-shape and with which the printed product 30 and the support 14 are encompassed, the stapling head 42 is also centered with respect to the support 14 when the printed product 30 is pressed on. During the pressing of the printed products 30, a device 78 for advancing and retracting the penetrating tools 46 is actuated via the link control 74 in order to produce the passages 50 and to transfer the adhesive over the entire length thereof to the printed sheets 22 in order to produce punctual adhesive stitching. Before a stapling head 42 reaches the deflection wheel 68 at the end of the stapling area 26, it is controlled by the link control 74 and is lifted off the printed product 30 that is now stapled.

5 and 6 show, partly in section, a support 14 with the printed product 30 arranged astride it and a stitching head 42 which is in the rest position or penetration position. In the example shown, the penetration tools 46 are through drilling needles 80 formed, which have a closed tip and on the outside an adhesive receiving and transmitting this to the walls of the passages 50 receptacles 81, such as grooves or grooves.

With regard to the possible structure of penetrating tools 46 and the transfer of the adhesive to the walls of the passages 50, reference is expressly made to the older CH patent application No. 01 754 / 93-7, which contains the EP patent application No. 94 107 767.9 and the US patent application No. 08 / 258,096.

The supports 14 have recesses 82, preferably round passages in cross section, into which the penetrating tools 46 can penetrate with play when brought into the penetrating position, as shown in FIG. 6.

FIG. 5 also shows an adhesive application tube 84 of the adhesive feed device 70, which can be adjusted and retracted when a stitching head 42 passes in the direction of the double arrow 86 for applying adhesive to the relevant drilling needle 80 to its path 52.

Each stapling head 42 has two centering elements 76 for each penetrating tool 46, between which the penetrating tool 46 is arranged in each case. Since the centering elements 76, as seen in the longitudinal direction of the supports 14, are spaced apart from one another, they press the printed product 30 onto the support 14 outside the recess 82. For the sake of completeness, they mention that only one centering element 76 is shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 is. As indicated by arrow 88, the drilling needle 88 driven in rotation about its axis during the lowering from the rest position into the penetrating position. It is also conceivable to use 80 drive needles instead of drilling needles, which need no longer be driven in the direction of arrow 88. When retracting into the rest position, the drilling needles 80 can be driven further in the direction of arrow 88 or in the opposite direction or not.

FIG. 7 shows an embodiment of the stitching head 42 with two stitching units 90 arranged next to one another. A stitching head 42 can also have further stitching units 90. Two parallel, spaced-apart chains 66 'of the pulling element 66 (cf. FIG. 4) are guided around deflecting wheels 68 (chain wheels) which are mounted on the same axis. Rail-like guide elements 96 of the stapling units 90 are arranged on each chain 66 ′ approximately at a distance from the supports 14. The longitudinal direction of the guide elements 96 extends essentially at right angles to their path of movement 44. A slide 98 is guided in the guide element 96 so that it can move in and against the direction of the arrow 48. A first compression spring 100 acts between the guide element 96 and the slide 98 in order to urge the slide 98 counter to the direction of the arrow 48 into the rest position indicated by dash-dotted lines.

A drilling spindle 102 is rotatably mounted on the carriage 98 and bears a drilling needle 80 at its end facing the support 14. At the other end, the drilling spindle 102 is connected via a bevel gear 104 to a spur gear 106 which interacts with a rack 108 on the guide element 96.

A follower roller 110 of the link control 74 is also freely rotatably mounted on the slide 98 and cooperates with the fixed link 74 '. As can be seen in conjunction with FIG. 4, when the carriage 98 rotates in the direction of arrow B, it is shifted from the link 74 'in the direction of arrow 48 from the rest position into the penetrating position shown in solid lines in FIG. 7. The spur gear 106 is driven in the direction of arrow D, this rotation is converted via the bevel gear 104 into a rotation of the drilling needle 80 in the direction of arrow 88. When the carriage 98 is moved back from the penetrating position into the rest position, driven by the compression spring 100 and controlled by the link 74 ', the drilling needle 80 consequently rotates in the opposite direction.

The two centering elements 76 of the pressing device 72 are mounted in a recess 112 of the slide 98 in the direction of the drilling spindle 102. A second compression spring 114 acts between the centering elements 76 and the slide 98 in order to urge the centering elements 76 with respect to the slide 98 into an extended position in which they assume the position shown in FIG. 5 with respect to the drilling needle 80. When the carriage 98 is moved from the rest position into the penetrating position, the centering elements 76 come to rest on the printed product 30 to be stapled and press it against the support 14 under the force of the second compression spring 114. As a result, the supports 14 are also centered with respect to the stitching units 90 . When the carriage 98 is lowered further in the direction of the penetrating position, the centering elements now become 76 is held back against the force of the second compression spring 114 and the drilling needle 80 is forced through the fold back 28 of the printed product 30 to create a passage 50. The adhesive previously supplied to the drilling needle 80 by means of the adhesive feed device 70 is transferred to the printed sheets 22 over the entire length of the passage 50. In the penetrating position, the drilling needle 80 engages with its free end region in the recess 82 of the supports 14 with play. This prevents adhesive from being deposited on the support 14.

When the carriage 98 is moved back from the penetrating position into the rest position, the drilling needle 80 is withdrawn, while the centering elements 76 remain in contact with the printed product 30 under the force of the second compression spring 114 until the drilling needle 80 has left the passage 50 produced and the centering elements 76, for example by a stop, can be carried by the slide 98.

In the exemplary embodiment shown above, the supports 14 run around a circular orbit 12 'around the axis of rotation 12. However, it is also conceivable for the supports 14 to be moved along an elongated orbit, as is shown, for example, in EP-A-0 510 525 and the corresponding US-A-5,292,110. Instead of the stapler shown there, an adhesive booklet arrangement 24 according to the present invention can be used.

Furthermore, the device according to the invention also relates to forms of training in which the printed sheets or printed products are not shifted in the longitudinal direction of the supports, see, for example, EP-A-0 095 603 and EP-A-0 346 578 or the corresponding US Pat. Nos. 4,489,930 and 5,104,108.

In all forms of training, the supports 14 extend essentially parallel and at right angles to their direction of rotation.

Of course, it is also conceivable to use blade-like penetrating tools that are not rotated when they are driven forward.

Claims (12)

1. Device for the fastening of folded printed products having several sheets, with saddle-shaped supports (14), revolving along a closed circular path (12') running through a fastening zone (26), for the printed products (30), which on running through the fastening zone (26) are arranged parallel to each other and extend substantially at right-angles to their circulating direction (U), and with a fastening arrangement (24) with a number of fastening heads (42) intended to meet in the fastening zone (26) with the supports (14) and intended in a section (26') of the fastening zone (26) to run with these, for the production of fastenings holding together the sheets (22) of the printed products (30) resting in the fastening zone (26) with respect to the supports (14), which fastening heads (42) move substantially with the rate of movement (V_B) of the supports (14) along a closed path of movement (44) and are arranged spaced apart one behind the other in the direction of movement (B), which spacing corresponds to the spacing (A) between adjacent supports (14), characterised in that the fastening heads (42) have penetrating tools (46), which are intended to form passages (50) through the printed products (30) in the region of the fold (28), which products (30) are arranged straddling the supports (14), and the fastening arrangement (24) has an adhesive delivery arrangement (70) which applies adhesive onto the penetrating tools (46), which can be transferred by means of the penetrating tools (46) onto the sheets (22) in the passages (50) for the production of adhesive fastenings, and has pressing devices (72) which are intended to press the printed products (30) on driving in or drawing out the penetrating tools (46) against the supports (14).
2. Device according to Claim 1, characterised in that each fastening head (42) has several penetrating tools (46) for the adhesive fastening of a printed product (30).
3. Device according to Claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the supports (14) have recesses (82) into which the penetrating tools (46) engage with play after the penetrating of the printed products (30).
4. Device according to Claim 3, characterised in that the pressing devices (72) press the printed products (30) against the supports (14) in longitudinal direction of the supports (14) staggered with respect to the recesses (82).
5. Device according to Claim 4, characterised in that each fastening head (42) has a pressing device (72) with centering elements (76) which are intended to grip around the respective supports (14) in order to press against the support (14) the printed product (30) which is to be fastened and, simultaneously, to centre the fastening head (42) and the support (14) with respect to each other.
6. Device according to one of Claims 1 to 5, characterised in that the fastening heads (42) have a device (78) for the driving and withdrawal of the penetrating tools (46).
7. Device according to Claim 5 and 6, characterised in that the pressing device (72) in each case presses the printed product (30) against the support (14) before the device (78) for driving and withdrawing drives the penetrating tools (46) into the printed product (30) and only discontinues the pressing again after the penetrating tools (46) are withdrawn.
8. Device according to one of Claims 1 to 7, characterised in that the penetrating tools (46) have driving-in or boring needles (80) with in each case a closed point and on the outer side have carriers (81) such as furrows or grooves receiving the adhesive and transferring it to the walls of the passages (50).
9. Device according to one of Claims 1 to 8, characterised in that the fastening heads (42) are arranged on an endless traction member (66) guided at the start and end of the fastening zone (26) around deflector wheels (68).
10. Device according to Claim 9, characterised in that between the deflector wheels (68) control means (74) are arranged in order to press the fastening heads (42) and the pressing devices (72) in direction (48) against the supports (14) and if necessary to drive the device (78) for the driving and withdrawal of the penetrating tools (46).
11. Device according to one of Claims 1 to 10, characterised by a processing drum driven rotatably about its horizontal rotation axis (12) with supports (14) parallel to the rotation axis (12), feed devices (16,18,20) arranged one behind the other in the direction of the rotation axis (12) for the feeding and straddled depositing of the sheets (22) onto the supports (14) or sheets (22) already deposited thereon, transporting means (56) for the gradual transporting of the sheets (22) deposited onto the supports (14) in the course of the revolutions of the processing drum from one feed device (16,18,20) to the next and to the fastening arrangement (24) arranged thereafter in transport direction (T), and a conveyor (36') to convey away the printed products (30) which are fastened by adhesive, in which the transport means (56) are inactive as regards transport when running through the fastening zone (26).
12. Device according to one of Claims 1 to 11, characterised in that the adhesive feeding device is arranged at the start of the fastening zone (26) and is intended to apply adhesive, preferably by stripping off, painting on or spraying on, onto the penetrating tools (46) which are moved past.

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