EP1398286B1 - Method and device for processing and separating a shingled formation of flat and flexible articles - Google Patents

Abstract

The method of separating and working on a shingled array of printed products has the products moved along a guide path (1) when held in an angled orientation. The printed products are moved from this position individually or in preset groups through a separator (5) which removes them from the remaining products and to a discharge conveyor (8). Claims include a conveyor for carrying out the method.

Description

The invention relates to a method and a device for processing and separating a scaly formation of flexible, flat objects, in particular printed products, according to the preamble of the independent claims.

Various investors and devices are known from the prior art, in particular to separate printed products or individually and to transfer them for further transport to a conveyor. The disadvantages of the prior art are due to opposite movement patterns, large mass and friction forces and abrupt changes of direction. In the machines used today, the processes are not fluid, but have a static share. This means that a printed product to be processed is completely brought to a standstill, and then abruptly accelerated in another direction. Especially at high processing speeds, this has a negative effect.

Out CH324210 For example, an investment machine for the paper industry is known. This serves to create folded printed sheets on saddles of a feeder conveyor belt of a stapler. The device is based on a drum, which is arranged between a supported on an inclined plane stack of folded signature and a conveyor belt with saddles. The printed sheets are arranged standing in the region of the feed on the fold. The drum, which is arranged substantially tangentially to the foremost printing sheet, has on its periphery a gripper, by means of which the respectively foremost printing sheet of the sheet is detected and removed on the flower side. The removal of the next sheet is only possible when the previous one has been completely removed from the stack. Each signature is deflected adjacent to the drum and dropped onto a saddle of the feeder conveyor. In this device, only one signature is processed per cycle, which has an inherent limitation on the processing speed result. In order for the signature to be detected, it is also necessary for the drum or gripper to perform an opposite movement. For fast running machines leads this to high mass forces. Due to the underlying principle of operation, this device is not suitable for processing large volumes and also the flower-side separation is problematic.

DE2531262 shows an investor for sheets or folded layers of paper or similar flexible materials. Printing sheets are moved in the form of a scale flow (leading edge above) along an inclined plane by means of a conveyor belt. On another inclined plane, the printed sheets are dammed to a crooked position and brought to a standstill. The lowest sheet of the inclined layer is detected by a wheel equipped with grippers and deflected by means of a deflection roller. As a result, the printed sheets are deducted from the skewed position. Unlike the off CH324210 known device, the sheets are not individually, but withdrawn in the form of a continuous scale flow. Due to the strong deflection during removal, the printed sheets are heavily stressed. For the separation of the printed sheets, a downstream acceleration section is proposed.

EP1055620 The same applicant shows a device for receiving and further transporting flat printed products. Along a revolving wheel, a plurality of grippers with associated suction organs is attached. The printing sheets to be processed are arranged on a stack from which they are lifted by means of the suction organs and brought into the effective range of the grippers. The printed sheets are detected by the grippers and then stored in the form of a scale flow and conveyed away by means of a conveyor. This device enables the detection of printed sheets in very short intervals, with suction cups and products to be aligned with each other.

EP1086914 The same applicant shows a device for transporting flat products from a stationary stack positioned in a receiving location to a delivery point. The device has a Separierorgan, and a support member and a holding member, which are arranged circumferentially around a shaft. The products are individually recorded, separated and handed over to a means that serves to convey away. Also in this device, the products are mechanically stressed.

WO00 / 46135 The same applicant shows a device for dismantling a stack of flat objects, in particular printed products. From a stack, the uppermost sheet is raised by means of a lifting means and brought into the effective range of a pusher. By means of the sliding device, the raised printing sheet is brought laterally into the effective region of a conveyor belt, which serves to lead away the printed sheets in the form of a scale flow. The device is designed to accommodate the height of the stack: although simplified as compared to the prior art, control is still required.

EP0863099 , the same applicant, shows an apparatus for separating stacked printed products. By means of a conveyor to be processed sheets are pushed under a stack. From this stack, the top print product is detected by a gripper and occasionally led away. So that the sheets can be detected, they are raised individually by means of a lifting means and brought into the effective range of a gripper.

EP0755886 , the same applicant, shows a device for feeding folded printed products to a further processing point. By means of a conveying means supplied in a scale flow sheet fed to a stacking point, where they are pushed under an intermediate stack. By means of a moving along an orbit lifting device (suction member), the respective uppermost printed product is raised at the folded edge and brought into the effective range of a removal conveyor. The removal conveyor has a segmented roller and a circulating belt, which serves for pressing printed products against the segmented roller. The sheets are successively lifted and brought into the effective range of the conveyor, by which they are detected and carried away in the form of a scale flow.

DE19627830 , the same applicant, shows a device for feeding printed products to a removal conveyor. A suction member arranged in the interior of a rotor passes through a recess in order to detect a printed product and bring it with the corner region into the interior of the rotor. The printed product is then attacked by a rotor arm and further raised to bring it into the effective range of a conveyor. The printed products are transported by means of grippers, isolated or in the form of a scale flow.

EP0675061 , the same assignee, shows a device for the continuous feeding of sheet products to a delivery point. By means of an endless conveyor belt printed products are fed to a delivery point. At the delivery point, the conveyor belt is at least partially deflected by a stationary guide roller and engages unterschlächtig the guide wheel. The driven by a stepping motor conveyor belt and a deflection wheel form a conveying gap for the processed products, which are arranged in a scale-like formation. The topmost product of a sub-stack is detected by means of a suction head and lifted.

The document US 3,881,718 discloses an apparatus and method for retrieving newspaper sections coming from a container. The newspaper sections are densely packed and stacked in a stack on their lower edges on conveyor belts. The newspaper sections are slightly inclined in the conveying direction, so that the lower edges follow the upper edges of the newspaper clippings in the conveying direction. The respective foremost newspaper sections of the stack are held in their position by a separating device with movable gears engaging on both sides between the folded sheets until they are transported away by a downstream removal conveyor in imbricated formation.

As can be seen from the references described above, the known from the prior art devices for separating printed products on a relatively complicated structure, the complexity is partly due to control. In addition, depending on the principles mentioned, the processing speed is limited so that the printed products are not stressed too much or the processing steps are reliable. Most known devices are based on the fact that the printed products for further processing must be completely stopped so that they can be taken by a gripper or an equivalent means. As far as a smooth processing is desired in the prior art, complex structures, namely controls are required to separate the printed products with high accuracy can. Another disadvantage of conventional constructions for continuous processing, i. If the printed products are not to be brought to a complete standstill, the reason is that (limited) buffering in the case of short-term disturbances, if at all, can only be absorbed by expensive sensors with control or regulation systems. Among other things, for this reason, most devices provide a "static" intermediate stack from which the (previously stopped to a standstill or almost standstill) printed products are accelerated, withdrawn and singulated.

The object of the invention is a method and a device for continuously processing a scale-like formation of flexible, flat objects, namely of printed products to create, in particular for the accurate separation and transfer of individual printed products from this scale-like formation to a conveying member, which require a relatively small constructive, control or control engineering effort.

This object is achieved by the invention defined in the independent claims.

The invention is based on a fluid transformation of a scale-like formation of flexible, flat objects, in particular folded printed sheets by means of a conductive agent. In the following, reference is largely made only to printed products, wherein other flat objects are of course covered by the invention accordingly.

The printed products to be processed are preferably supplied in the form of an imbricated flow, in which the trailing edges, in folded sheets whose fold, the printed products or printed sheets to be processed are arranged above and overlap the subsequent printed product. Such a scale flow is fed to the conducting means, which serves to transform the scale flow in angle, orientation and density, so that a new scale-like formation results. Regardless of whether the supplied printed products are arranged as a stack, layer or imbricated stream, they are transferred before being separated by suitable means into said scale-like formation standardized according to the invention. In folded printed products, in contrast to the prior art, the fold is preferably arranged at the top and the folded sheet supported on its flower, so that the folded sheets can be detected at the fold individually or in a defined number. The invention accordingly also makes it possible to process a bar, a stack or other formations using the same method according to the invention for separating the printed products, ie that the products do not necessarily have to be supplied as scale flow. Optionally, the standing products, for example, a rod are thus transferred to the desired oblique position, whereas in a scale flow, as described above, an erection of the printed products is required. Falzbogen are, if necessary, previously oriented so that they are oriented with their flower down.

Embodiments of the invention shown here may have a modular structure in which several modules are operatively connected via normalized interfaces. A preferred embodiment has a transfer module, a transfer module and a downstream delivery module for the removal of printed products. The transfer module serves to bring the optionally supplied in different form and arrangement (scale, layer, package or stack, etc.) printed products in a suitable, normalized starting position, which is supplied to the transfer module. The transfer module serves in particular to transform the printed products by means of a conductive agent according to the invention into an initial position optimized for the removal. By means of the downstream conveyor module, individual or a defined number of separated printed products are removed and conveyed away. The delivery module is, for example, a circulating tension member or a removal drum equipped with grippers.

In the transfer module, the printed products are actively or passively guided over a plane, concave or convexly curved or kinked guide surface of a conductive agent. Subsequent to the end region of the guide surface or of the transfer module, a conveying device is arranged which serves to remove or separate and carry away individual printed products. The printed products are guided in a scale-like formation with (above) trailing edge on the guide surface and passed along along. A preferred embodiment of a conductive means includes a baffle at the end of which is disposed a substantially perpendicularly projecting rim which serves to controllably retain and erect the elements of the scale flow. In contrast to the devices known from the prior art, the device according to the invention enables dynamic processing of the printed products. It does away with fundamental changes of direction, which could have a limiting effect on the processing process and the processing speed. The elements are processed fluently and, above all, without any adverse stress on the printed products, ie they are gently and continuously transformed and separated in alignment and arrangement. Of course, the invention may also include a passive removal, that is, the separation or separation takes place by the transfer module itself and the separated sheet or sheet groups are transferred to a removal unit, which plays no separating function.

The functional principles known today require that the printed products are transferred practically horizontal or supported in a planar manner. In contrast, in the present invention, the printed products are oriented by the conductive agent so that they are present in the transfer region of the guide surface in an obliquely upright, largely freely accessible position and separated. In contrast to most of the solutions known from the prior art, this also has the advantage that the separation process does not necessarily mean that a printed product must be completely separated before the separation of the next printed sheet can begin. In the case of folded printed sheets, according to the invention, the fold points upwards, ie away from the guide surface, so that the printed sheets are delivered individually or in a defined number by means of e.g. a gripping means can be detected easily and with high accuracy. The printed products show in processing with each other and with the Leitmittel a procedurally favorable mutual influence and stabilization, which is particularly relevant in the end of the baffle for the process.

Due to their specific properties and the arrangement, in particular their flexibility and mutual displaceability, a plurality of adjacent printed products show in their entirety an elastic or supple behavior. A first form of elastic behavior can be observed in a package of printed products that is leveled and held by stops. As the constraints of the printed product package are pulled apart longitudinally, the angle between the printed products and the plane becomes flatter. By contrast, pushing the bounds of the package together makes the angle between the plane and the printed products steeper. This behavior, understood in this way, is elastic. Another form of elastic behavior is particularly important in an arrangement of folded printed products. Due to the fold, the individual printed products tend to bulge in regions or to open. But even with other flexible products or printed products due to material irregularities and air entrapment such flexibility is given. This has the consequence that a corresponding stack or a corresponding layer of printed products can be elastically compressed. For example, a stack of folded newspaper sheets can be pressed together considerably. It has been found that in a conductor according to the invention, this behavior, with a suitable relative arrangement and orientation of the printed products to be processed, can be used to achieve a compensating and buffering effect.

This buffering effect acts as a dynamic buffer (due to local compression) to a certain extent and geometrical compensation during processing. This effect is specifically exploited here to compensate for differences in processing speed between feeding and discharging device means or short term disturbances.

In order for the effects described above to be exploited, the guide surface used in the conducting means preferably has a shape which causes the scale-like formation guided over it to be compacted by printed products and simultaneously set up (or tilted) in a controlled manner. Particularly suitable are guide surfaces having a flat portion, which merge into an arcuate or straight, obliquely downwardly extending portion.

To separate the printed products, there is a boundary at the end of the baffle, e.g. in the form of a mechanical stop preventing the printed products of the compacted scale flow from passing along the guide surface. In the effective range of the mechanical stop, the printed products are controlled jammed and erected. When erected in a vertical position, due to the shift of the center of gravity of the printed products, the lateral gravity decreases continuously, so that the printed products come into an unstable equilibrium and then tend to tipping over. At about this point, they enter the effective range of a conveyor, which captures them and leads them away one by one. In alternative embodiments, a special separating device may be included here, which transfers the printed sheets to a subsequent conveying module.

In some cases, in order to facilitate separation of the printed products, it is useful to provide a means for actively changing the inclination of the printed products in order to convey the printed products in a controlled manner to the conveyor at the moment they tend to tip over. This may be, for example, a rotating, flat or structured roller or a rotating cam belt, by means of which the printed products are influenced by friction, form or other adhesion. Depending on the field of application, rollers or vane-type wheels equipped with suction elements which intervene between the printed products and thus bring them dynamically to the conveyor are also suitable. Also suitable is a controlled air flow acting from the side or from the top to the printed products. Another Form of this peeling or tipping supportive means, here called transfer means or separating means, has a lever, at one end of a suction cup is attached. The lever is rotatably mounted about an axis, wherein the pivot point of the axis is arranged in the region of the mechanical stop at the end of the guide surface. The foremost printed product, which is present at the mechanical stop (board), is pressed against the lever or the suction cup. In order to transfer this first printed product now to the conveyor, the lever and with it the printed product held by the suction cup is pivoted relatively quickly, so that the printed product is free and can be detected by the conveyor. The remaining printed products remain stationary due to their inertia or held by a mechanical stop. It is readily possible to effect the removal or the conveying away also by circulating roller pairs, conveyor belts or alternative conveying means.

The distance between the guide surface and the conveyor, or the transfer means is preferably adjustable, so that the device is suitable for the processing of printed products of variable formats. A further advantage of the invention is that a switch system can be provided at the location of the separation and, if necessary, so that the printed sheets can be transferred to different conveyors immediately after the transfer module or can be removed therefrom.

The device may have, in particular on the guide surface, additional active means for controlling the flow, density and shape of the scale flow. These conductive agents are e.g. around one or more circulating conveyor belts (conveyor belts), which act by means of friction on the flow behavior and transfer of the printed products. The guide means are arranged along the entire guide surface or only in sections. Depending on the requirements, they have the same or different conveying speeds and are aligned identically or in opposite directions. The skew of the printed products is suitable for achieving a buffering and balancing effect, e.g. serves to compensate for variations in processing speed.

In particular, in the area of the guide surface or of the conductive agent stabilizing means may be provided which, when starting the device or in the event of a fault, the dynamic Stop process, respectively "freeze". These means are preferably grippers, levers or flaps which, if necessary, engage in the flow of printed products to be processed and support and stabilize them in angle and orientation. These stabilizing means can be arranged to be movable, so that they can be moved with the flow of printed products to be processed at least for a certain distance. To start or stop the processing process in particular displaceable or pivotable or telescopically extendable flaps or rods are suitable. The stabilizing means may form part of the device or be arranged separately.

Fig. 1

eine erste Ausführungsform einer Übergabevorrichtung mit einer konvexen Leitfläche;

Fig. 2

eine zweite Ausführungsform einer Übergabevorrichtung mit Förderbändern;

Fig. 3

die Ausführungsform gemäss Figur 2 in einer Seitenansicht;

Fig. 4

eine dritte Ausführungsform einer Übergabevorrichtung mit im Wesentlichen geraden Abschnitten;

Fig. 5

eine vierte Ausführungsform einer Übergabevorrichtung mit einer konvexen Leitfläche.

Fig. 6

eine weitere Ausführungsform mit einem Querverschieben der Druckbogen unmittelbar vor der Entnahme.

Embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail with reference to the following figures. It shows schematically and greatly simplified:

Fig. 1

a first embodiment of a transfer device with a convex guide surface;

Fig. 2

a second embodiment of a transfer device with conveyor belts;

Fig. 3

the embodiment according to FIG. 2 in a side view;

Fig. 4

a third embodiment of a transfer device with substantially straight sections;

Fig. 5

A fourth embodiment of a transfer device with a convex guide surface.

Fig. 6

a further embodiment with a transverse displacement of the printed sheet immediately before removal.

FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment of a novel guide means 1 in a side view. On a convexly curved guide surface 2 in the direction of arrow P printed products 10 directed in a scale-like formation 13 against an arranged at the end of the guide surface 2 edge (board) 3, which serves as a mechanical stop for the printed products 10. The printed products 10 are with their flowers 12 on the guide surface 2, wherein the fold 11 of the printed products 10 points upward. Printed products, which are far away from the board 3, are in a scaly arrangement, in which the fold 11 with respect to the flower 12 is trailing. Printed products 10, which are closer to the board 3, however, are steeper, that is placed obliquely. In contrast to the devices known from the prior art, the transformation takes place smoothly and is effected primarily by the interaction of the printed products with one another and in particular by the geometry of the conductive agent. Here, the printed products 10 of a here only schematically indicated, according to the prior art differently ausgestaltbaren product supply 14, such as a belt conveyor, the guide means 1 are supplied.

The printed products 10 are here in the context of the scale-like formation 13, as a result of the force of the subsequent products and the inclination, along the guide surface 2 moves forward. Alternatively or in addition to active means (not shown in detail in this figure), in particular additional conveyor belts, are used. The guide surface 2 and the board 3 specifically influence the shape of the scale flow and the orientation of the printed products 10 such that the printed products 10 at the end of the guide surface 2 in the region of the board 3 an optimal orientation for gripping, here by means of a fixed to a rotating traction member 9 Take gripper 8. The board 3 dams the flow of the scale-like formation 13, whereby the printed products 10 run in a controlled manner each other and align themselves due to the specific shape of the guide surface 2. The curvature and in particular the inclination of the guide surface 2 are formed so that a controlled setting up of the printed products 10 is achieved. Another advantage of the curved guide plate is that the folding edges of the printed sheet, possibly with a guide means acting on the fold side, can be brought almost to a straight line. This also facilitates in particular the arrangement and configuration of the means 5 for separating the printed sheets. According to the invention, the guide surface 2 is accordingly inclined at least in regions relative to the horizontal, so that the printed products in the conveying direction are subject to a certain wedging action and thus "compression" of the product stream. This inclination of the guide surface 2 is in preferred embodiments, at least partially more than 30 ° relative to the horizontal, so that the desired Erection of the printed products is effected. In the immediate area of the board 3, the printed products with the fold upwards (z-direction) are in a substantially vertical position from which they are handed over individually or in a defined number to the conveyor, here to the gripper 8, for guiding away.

Above the board 3 is a transfer means 5 can be seen, which serves for the controlled transfer of the printed products 10. The transfer means 5 is an impeller 6 with arms 7 which rotates about an axis A (perpendicular to the plane of the drawing). As a result of the rotation of the impeller 7, the arms 7 engage between the printed products 10 located at the end of the guide surface 2 cause them to be peeled off in a controlled manner or separated and separated or separated from one another in the region of the fold. The printed products 10, which are separated from one another in the region of the fold 11, are brought by the transferring means 5, individually or in a defined number, into the effective region of grippers 8, gripped by one of these grippers 8 and then conveyed away. It is in FIG. 1 clearly recognizable that the transfer means causes peeling and subsequent "tipping over" of the respective printed product or supported. According to the invention, the sheets are actively transferred during removal by means of the transfer means 5 in an inclined position in the direction of the conveying direction. Although the process described here causes an optimal removal, in other embodiments by means of the reloading means 5, a mere lifting for the purpose of removal, so that the term "reloading" is not to be understood as limiting and this can also be referred to as separating.

The distance D between the guide surface 2 and the transfer means 5, respectively, the gripper 8 is adjustable, so that different sized elements can be processed. In this case, the guide surface can be tilted or moved differently, or alternatively, the transfer means 5 and the removal means 8, 9 are arranged to be movable. In particular embodiments, the adaptation to different formats can also be provided by a sensor system with appropriate regulation and control, which automatically adjust the control elements (position and effective forces of the transferring means, removal means, etc.) accordingly.

FIG. 2 shows a second embodiment of a transfer device with a guide means 1 in a side view. Along the guide surface 2 are parallel to the flow direction B a (here not shown) scaly formation conveyor belts 15 arranged, which serve as guiding elements for the targeted, section-wise acceleration or deceleration of printed products located on the guide surface 2. The orientation and the flow behavior of the printed products is thereby influenced in a targeted manner. Depending on the field of application, the conveyor belts 15 are supported by air (eg fanning by pressure or holding by vacuum). In addition, the conveyor belts 15 can be driven in the same direction or in opposite directions as needed.

If necessary, the conducting means 1 can have a variable geometry which, at least in some areas, makes it possible to selectively set the curvature of the guide surface 2. The conductive agent 1 can thus be adjusted to different printed products. By changing the curvature of the slope, but also friction forces, and thus the flow and congestion behavior is influenced. A preferred embodiment comprises a guide means made of sheet metal, which is guided by a bending device, e.g. a set screw or hydraulic, (elastic) is deformed.

FIG. 3 shows schematically with reference to arrows 16.1, 16.2, 16.3 the influence of three conveyor belts 15.1, 15.2, 15.3 on the printed products 10 of the scale-like formation 13. The length of the arrows 16.1, 16.2, 16.3 exemplifies the speed of the conveyor belts 15. As the arrows 16.1 , 16.2 clarify, the conveyor belts 15.1, 15.2, 15.3 are driven here in the direction of flow of the scale-like formation 13, wherein the second conveyor belt 15.2 has a higher conveying speed 16.2 than the other two conveyor belts 15.1 and 15.3. It is thereby achieved that the printed products 10 in this area are accelerated on the flower side in the direction of the board 3. After the printed products 10 have left the effective range of the second conveyor belt 15.2, they reach the effective range of the third conveyor belt 15.3, where the printed products 10 are braked on the flower side. This procedure ensures that the printed products 10 set up in a controlled manner. Other embodiments and drive concepts are possible as needed. The conveyor belts 15 can be driven differently or regulated or controlled and the product flow can additionally be influenced by different frictional forces with respect to conveyor belts 15 or baffle 2.

The conveyor belts 15.1, 15.2, 15.3 also serve to control the arrangement of the printed products, in particular when starting and stopping the device and in the event of a fault. Extending or swinging flaps and grippers, indicated here by way of example by a flap 23 pivotable about an axis 23, additionally or alternatively serve as control and stabilizing means for the position and orientation of the printed products. If necessary, these means can be designed to be movable and track the product flow.

These conveyor belts 15.1 to 15.3 support the already based on FIG. 1 described process in which the printed products 10 are conveyed in an overlapping lying on delivery to the guide surface 2 of the conductive agent 1, wherein the trailing edge of a printed product is in each case above the leading edge of the subsequent printed product. During transport over the guide surface 2, the printed sheets 10 are continuously erected, so that they have an inclined position during the removal of the guide means 1, in which the printed products are slightly inclined against the conveying direction P.

FIG. 4 shows a third embodiment of a guide surface 2. This consists of three substantially straight sections 17.1, 17.2, 17.3 together. Due to the greater inclination of the second section 17.2 causes the printed products 10 are increasingly stowed in the third section 17.3 and erected there controlled. Due to the length of the guide surface 2 or its inclination and surface quality, the compression of the scale-like formation 13 in the transfer region of the board 3 is set. The shape of the guide surface 2 is to be determined depending on the nature of the printed products 10 to be processed. On the guide surface 2 additional guide elements 18 are present, which stabilize and guide the flow of printed products 10 in the lateral direction. The guide elements 18 are preferably projecting baffles, which are arranged substantially parallel to the flow direction of the scale flow. These guide elements 18 are preferably arranged adjustable, so that they are adjustable to the width of the printed products 10. The guide elements 18 serve to stabilize the dynamic flow of the scale-like formation 13. In order to achieve additional stabilization when the formation 13 is stationary, ie when the printed products 10 are not in motion, the guide means 18 can be arranged to be movable relative to one another, so that the Printed products 10 are trapped between them and thus stabilized. Additional elements, for example in the form of laterally engaging pins, are conceivable.

Another embodiment with guide means 18 uses laterally arranged conveying means. These are preferably conveyor belts, conveyor rollers, vacuum belts or brush conveyors. In this case, the guide means 18 are not arranged in the vicinity of the guide surface, as shown in the example, but can also be arranged at a constant or variable height next to the guide surface 2.

FIG. 5 shows a substantially concave guide surface 2. The compression of located in the region of the board 3 printed products 10 differs here from the other embodiments shown. It can be seen that due to the geometry of the guide surface 2 and the relatively few printed products supplied, the scale-like formation has a comparatively loose arrangement. The board 3 is inclined away in the direction of the product flow, so that the foremost sheet has a tendency pointing to the right here and forms a support for the subsequent printed sheets.

As can be seen, the printed products 10 are not subjected to abrupt changes of direction, but rather steadily and continuously brought into a position that is optimal for a singulation and grasping. With an arrangement in which the fold is arranged upwards, the printed products can be easily detected. The baffles 2 are preferably formed by the surfaces of a correspondingly shaped sheet. Based on the flow behavior and the specific properties of a scale flow, the concept allows a simple and robust design. Since practically no fast moving parts are required and the printed products are not subjected to abrupt changes of direction or mechanical loads, devices according to the invention allow comparatively higher processing speeds. An additional advantage of the invention is that, especially with folded sheets in the area of the flower, greater compression is produced than in the middle or at the folded edge of the folded sheets. The folded sheets have a tendency to expand in the middle region, so that the folded edges are not tight against each other, but can be processed in a slightly fanned out formation, which in particular simplifies the separation and the already described folding.

The embodiments described above have a board 3, which is directly connected to the guide means. The required stop according to the invention but also by a separate means, for example. A movable plate or stop bars are formed. In this case, it is possible to make the stop adjustable, so that with different product properties (size, bendability, thickness, etc.) is also an adjustment. In FIG. 5 a movable stop is indicated, which is moved controlled in the direction of arrow M when removing a sheet, so that the foremost printed products can also be given free on the flower side and thus easily removed. The removal device according to the embodiment FIG. 5 has a conveyor, with which the printed products are conveyed away substantially immediately after the separation (not shown here) and the removal in the direction of the arrow H substantially vertically upwards.

In particular embodiments, the board 3 or the stop can also be formed by movable elements which promote the printed products in the removal direction, so that the removal process is supported in this way. In this case, the expert will provide, inter alia, a horizontal axis, optionally controlled rollers, which minimize or avoid any frictional forces of the product to be removed relative to the board 3. In particular embodiments, the transfer may also be carried out directly on different removal means during separation, e.g. alternating with different grippers.

In FIG. 6 another embodiment of the invention is shown. Here, the printed products are offset slightly in the direction of the arrow S in front of the separation and removal in the direction of the main conveying direction P substantially at right angles to the guide surface 2. This transverse offset can be effected by a simple lifting means, for example a sheet 28 which acts on the side edges of the printed products. In this way, the separation by means of the reloading means 5 can be simplified. In addition, the following printed products can be retained by means of a retaining means 29 falzseitig in a simple manner. After separation, the printed product are conveyed away in the manner described above by means of the removal means 9.

Claims (14)

1. Method of processing and separating an imbricated formation (13) of flexible, sheet-like articles (10), in particular printed products, in which the sheet-like articles (10) are fed continuously in an essentially regular formation, by means of a product feeder (14) with a conveying arrangement, to a transfer module and are transferred from the latter to a conveying module (9), wherein the sheet-like articles (10) are fed continuously to a directing means (1), the sheet-like articles (10) are moved into an oblique position by the directing means (1) as they are being conveyed, and wherein the sheet-like articles (10) come up from this position, are separated individually, or in a defined number, from the rest of the sheet-like articles (10) by means of a separating arrangement (5) and are conveyed away by a conveying means (8), characterized in that the sheet-like articles (10) are conveyed in an overlapping state as they are fed onto a directing surface (2) of the directing means (1), wherein the trailing edge of one sheet-like article (10) lies in each case over the leading edge of the following sheet-like article, and the articles (10) are continuously erected as they are being transported over the directing surface (2), wherein, upon removal of the sheet-like articles from the directing means (1), the oblique position of the sheet-like articles is inclined counter to the conveying direction.
2. Method according to Patent Claim 1, characterized in that the sheet-like articles (10) are folded, sheets (11), wherein the fold of each folded sheet trails over the respectively following folded sheets (10) and the folded sheets, which are positioned obliquely upon removal from the directing means (1), stand on their bloom (12).
3. Method according to one of the preceding patent claims, characterized in that the operation of erecting the sheet-like articles is brought about by active braking or accelerating of the sheet-like articles at at least one edge by way of conveying means (15, 18).
4. Method according to one of the preceding patent claims, characterized in that the sheet-like articles, upon removal, are transferred actively by a positioning means (5) into an oblique position in the conveying direction.
5. Method according to one of the preceding patent claims, characterized in that the sheet-like articles are offset transversely to their main conveying direction (P) prior to being removed.
6. Apparatus for implementing the method according to Patent Claim 1, having a product feeder (14) with a conveying arrangement, having a transfer module downstream of the product feeder, and having a conveying module (9) for removing sheet-like articles from the transfer module, characterized in that the transfer module contains a directing means (1) which has a directing surface (2) which is inclined, at least in certain regions, in relation to the horizontal, and in that a flange (3) or stop, for accumulating and erecting the products in a controlled manner, is arranged on that side of the directing surface which is directed towards the removal means (9).
7. Apparatus according to Patent Claim 6, characterized in that the directing surface (2) is concave or convex, at least in certain regions, or has at least, two portions which are inclined differently.
8. Apparatus according to either of Patent Claims 6 and 7, characterized in that the inclination of the directing surface (2), at least in certain regions, is more than 30°C.
9. Apparatus according to one of Patent Claims 6 to 8, characterized in that the directing surface (2) has directing elements (18) which serve for accelerating and/or braking the sheet-like articles (10) in certain region.
10. Apparatus according to one of Patent Claims 6 to 9, characterized in that the flange or the stop (3) is arranged such that it can be moved tin relation to the directing means (1).
11. Apparatus according to one of Patent Claims 6 to 10, characterized in that active means (5) for separating individual articles (10) or groups of articles (10) are arranged, on that side of the directing means (1) which is directed towards the removal means (9).
12. Apparatus according to one of Patent Claims 6 to 11, characterized in that the flange or the stop (3) has movable elements which convey the articles (10) in the removal direction.
13. Apparatus according to one of Patent Claims 6 to 12, characterized in that means (28) for displacing the articles (10) transversely are arranged in the removal region of the articles (10).
14. Apparatus according to one of Patent Claims 6 to 13, characterized in that restraining means (29) which act on the free edge of the articles (10) are arranged above the directing means (1).

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