The invention relates to a method for producing collections (15) from a plurality of N (N=2, 3, 4, . . . ) different printed products (11a-d), which collections (15) each comprise a stack (13) of printed products (11a-c), which stack is packed in a packaging element (11d) wrapped around the stack (13). A solution that does not require additional material use includes the following steps: providing the N printed products (11a-d): forming an intermediate stack (13) from Nx (x=1, 2, 3, . . . ) of the N printed products (10a-d); providing the x remaining printed products as a packaging element (11d); and wrapping the intermediate stack (13) in the packaging element (11d).

The invention relates to a method for producing collections (15) from a plurality of N (N=2, 3, 4, . . . ) different printed products (11a-d), which collections (15) each comprise a stack (13) of printed products (11a-c), which stack is packed in a packaging element (11d) wrapped around the stack (13). A solution that does not require additional material use includes the following steps: providing the N printed products (11a-d): forming an intermediate stack (13) from Nx (x=1, 2, 3, . . . ) of the N printed products (10a-d); providing the x remaining printed products as a packaging element (11d); and wrapping the intermediate stack (13) in the packaging element (11d).

The disclosure relates to the control of a printed product processing system, which comprises a collecting system having a conveyer and a plurality of feed conveyers for creating product collections from products fed by the feed conveyers, occupancy plans are generated and stored which specify, for the feed conveyers, in each case a chronological sequence of the products to be fed by the feed conveyer to the conveyer to create the product collections. On the basis of the occupancy plans, for the feed conveyers, in each case one product to be fed is determined and transmitted to mobile transport devices. The occupancy plans enable the operating personnel to announce early and in good time which products the feed conveyers are to be occupied with and which must for this purpose be supplied thereto on pallets.

The invention relates to a transport unit (1, 1a-d, 1a-d) of an overhead conveyor system (2, 2, 2), comprising an elastically deformable buffer element (11, 11, 11, 11a-d, 11a-d), which is designed to store deformation energy when under load and to release same when no longer under load.

The invention relates to a feeding device for feeding products to a conveying or processing or packaging or sorting or collecting line of an intra-logistics system, including a supply conveyor, a standby circular conveyor having a plurality of transport units, which are arranged spaced apart from one another in a variably conveyable manner, an accumulation section, in which the transport units can be accumulated, an acceleration section, in which the transport units can be accelerated. The supply conveyor is provided with a transfer point, at which the products are transferred to a respective transport unit of the standby circular conveyor. The feeding device is configured such that the feeding device delivers the products in a controlled manner to designated receiving units of the conveying or processing or packaging or sorting or collecting line.

The invention relates to a feeding device for feeding products to a conveying or processing or packaging or sorting or collecting line of an intra-logistics system, including a supply conveyor, a standby circular conveyor having a plurality of transport units, which are arranged spaced apart from one another in a variably conveyable manner, an accumulation section, in which the transport units can be accumulated, an acceleration section, in which the transport units can be accelerated. The supply conveyor is provided with a transfer point, at which the products are transferred to a respective transport unit of the standby circular conveyor. The feeding device is configured such that the feeding device delivers the products in a controlled manner to designated receiving units of the conveying or processing or packaging or sorting or collecting line.

A production configuration is determined for controlling a product processing plant that comprises a collecting system having a conveyor and a plurality of feeders for preparing product collections from products supplied by the feeders. The production configuration defines a production of a plurality of production sequences for a plurality of delivery routes, wherein each delivery route is assigned one or more production sequences, each of which define a production of a plurality of production collections of a collection type comprising a plurality of products. For each feeder an occupancy with products, which are to be conveyed by the feeder to the conveyor for preparation for the product collections, is determined. A production optimization parameter determines whether a defined production order is to be maintained for the delivery routes or whether the production order of the delivery routes can be altered. If the production order can be altered, the production sequences of a plurality of delivery routes for the production of production collections of the same collection type are combined to a cohesive production sequence and the occupancy of the feeders is determined for the production order with combined production sequences.

A production configuration is determined for controlling a product processing plant that comprises a collecting system having a conveyor and a plurality of feeders for preparing product collections from products supplied by the feeders. The production configuration defines a production of a plurality of production sequences for a plurality of delivery routes, wherein each delivery route is assigned one or more production sequences, each of which define a production of a plurality of production collections of a collection type comprising a plurality of products. For each feeder an occupancy with products, which are to be conveyed by the feeder to the conveyor for preparation for the product collections, is determined. A production optimization parameter determines whether a defined production order is to be maintained for the delivery routes or whether the production order of the delivery routes can be altered. If the production order can be altered, the production sequences of a plurality of delivery routes for the production of production collections of the same collection type are combined to a cohesive production sequence and the occupancy of the feeders is determined for the production order with combined production sequences.

Systems, devices and methods for receiving an item in a receptacle are disclosed. Features are disclosed for receiving and guiding an item in a receiving space of a receptacle so as to attenuate or remove the impact force of the item on the receptacle. Some embodiments of the disclosure include a bumper having an impact surface which absorbs most or all of the impact force of the item and thereby mitigates or removes the imposition of cyclic impact loads on the receptacle from repeated receipt of items. The bumper may be structurally and/or functionally de-coupled or otherwise physically separated from the receptacle such that an advantageous division of labor is created between absorbing the impact and receiving the item. This disclosure may be useful, for example, in modern industrial operations where a high volume of items are received daily, such as in mail sorting and handling operations.

Systems, devices and methods for receiving an item in a receptacle are disclosed. Features are disclosed for receiving and guiding an item in a receiving space of a receptacle so as to attenuate or remove the impact force of the item on the receptacle. Some embodiments of the disclosure include a bumper having an impact surface which absorbs most or all of the impact force of the item and thereby mitigates or removes the imposition of cyclic impact loads on the receptacle from repeated receipt of items. The bumper may be structurally and/or functionally de-coupled or otherwise physically separated from the receptacle such that an advantageous division of labor is created between absorbing the impact and receiving the item. This disclosure may be useful, for example, in modern industrial operations where a high volume of items are received daily, such as in mail sorting and handling operations.