The invention concerns a method of handling stacks of flexible substrates (14) by means of a gripper (8) as well as a robot cell (1) for carrying out the method. The gripper (8) is arranged on an arm (6) of a robot (2) and has a lower finger and a corresponding upper finger. The method comprises the steps of inserting said lower finger below a bottom substrate (14) of a stack resting on a base and said upper finger above a top substrate (14) of the stack, and gripping the stack by clamping it between said lower and upper finger. Then by means of the gripper (8) starting at a stack front the entire stack is lifted into a pendent state and moved to a support (16). There the stack is lowered such that a stack rear, which is opposite to said stack front, comes into contact with the support (16). Finally the entire stack is laid out on the support (16) with said bottom substrate (14) up by further lowering and while horizontally displacing the gripper (8) in a bottom-to-top substrate direction before letting the gripper (8) release the stack.

The invention concerns a method of handling stacks of flexible substrates (14) by means of a gripper (8) as well as a robot cell (1) for carrying out the method. The gripper (8) is arranged on an arm (6) of a robot (2) and has a lower finger and a corresponding upper finger. The method comprises the steps of inserting said lower finger below a bottom substrate (14) of a stack resting on a base and said upper finger above a top substrate (14) of the stack, and gripping the stack by clamping it between said lower and upper finger. Then by means of the gripper (8) starting at a stack front the entire stack is lifted into a pendent state and moved to a support (16). There the stack is lowered such that a stack rear, which is opposite to said stack front, comes into contact with the support (16). Finally the entire stack is laid out on the support (16) with said bottom substrate (14) up by further lowering and while horizontally displacing the gripper (8) in a bottom-to-top substrate direction before letting the gripper (8) release the stack.

Examples include a vibratory device that includes a pivotably arranged pile bearing device that defines a bearing plane, and that separates an upper half-space from a lower half-space. The vibratory device includes a front stop that can limit a pile forming region, a lateral stop, and a pile aeration device that includes a gas discharge device that is arrangeable relative to the pile bearing device. The gas discharge device is arranged to be transferrable between a lowered position and an aeration position. In the aeration position, the gas discharge device is at least partly arranged in the upper half-space, and when in the lowered position, the gas discharge device is arranged completely in the lower half-space. The pile aeration device may serve as a rear blower device and, based on a first transport direction, the pile forming region is arranged between the gas discharge device and the front stop.

Examples include a vibratory device that includes a pivotably arranged pile bearing device that defines a bearing plane, and that separates an upper half-space from a lower half-space. The vibratory device includes a front stop that can limit a pile forming region, a lateral stop, and a pile aeration device that includes a gas discharge device that is arrangeable relative to the pile bearing device. The gas discharge device is arranged to be transferrable between a lowered position and an aeration position. In the aeration position, the gas discharge device is at least partly arranged in the upper half-space, and when in the lowered position, the gas discharge device is arranged completely in the lower half-space. The pile aeration device may serve as a rear blower device and, based on a first transport direction, the pile forming region is arranged between the gas discharge device and the front stop.

A sheet processing apparatus includes a tray, a first binder, a second binder, a feeder, and circuitry. The tray receives and stores a sheet bundle. The first binder presses the sheet bundle to bind the sheet bundle. The second binder penetrates the sheet bundle with a needle to bind the sheet bundle. The feeder feeds the sheet bundle in a first direction, and moves the sheet bundle in a second direction. The circuitry causes the feeder to move the sheet bundle on the tray in the second direction, moves the first binder from a binding position to a home position different from the binding position, and moves the second binder to the binding position in the width direction to bind the sheet bundle by the second binder after the sheet bundle is moved in the second direction and the first binder is moved to the home position.

A sheet processing apparatus includes a tray, a first binder, a second binder, a feeder, and circuitry. The tray receives and stores a sheet bundle. The first binder presses the sheet bundle to bind the sheet bundle. The second binder penetrates the sheet bundle with a needle to bind the sheet bundle. The feeder feeds the sheet bundle in a first direction, and moves the sheet bundle in a second direction. The circuitry causes the feeder to move the sheet bundle on the tray in the second direction, moves the first binder from a binding position to a home position different from the binding position, and moves the second binder to the binding position in the width direction to bind the sheet bundle by the second binder after the sheet bundle is moved in the second direction and the first binder is moved to the home position.

According to an embodiment, there is provided a sheet processing apparatus includes a stacking unit that stacks a sheet conveyed thereto; a first alignment unit that aligns the sheet or a bundle of sheets stacked in the stacking unit in a sheet conveying direction; a second alignment unit that aligns the sheet or the bundle of sheets stacked in the stacking unit in a direction orthogonal to the sheet conveying direction; a pressing unit that presses the bundle of sheets at an end portion thereof on a predetermined one side; and a control unit that causes at least one of the first and second alignment units to execute an alignment operation during a press operation of the sheet or the bundle of sheets performed by the pressing unit.

According to an embodiment, there is provided a sheet processing apparatus includes a stacking unit that stacks a sheet conveyed thereto; a first alignment unit that aligns the sheet or a bundle of sheets stacked in the stacking unit in a sheet conveying direction; a second alignment unit that aligns the sheet or the bundle of sheets stacked in the stacking unit in a direction orthogonal to the sheet conveying direction; a pressing unit that presses the bundle of sheets at an end portion thereof on a predetermined one side; and a control unit that causes at least one of the first and second alignment units to execute an alignment operation during a press operation of the sheet or the bundle of sheets performed by the pressing unit.

The invention concerns a method of handling stacks of flexible substrates (14) by means of a gripper (8) as well as a robot cell (1) for carrying out the method. The gripper (8) is arranged on an arm (6) of a robot (2) and has a lower finger and a corresponding upper finger. The method comprises the steps of inserting said lower finger below a bottom substrate (14) of a stack resting on a base and said upper finger above a top substrate (14) of the stack, and gripping the stack by clamping it between said lower and upper finger. Then by means of the gripper (8) starting at a stack front the entire stack is lifted into a pendent state and moved to a support (16). There the stack is lowered such that a stack rear, which is opposite to said stack front, comes into contact with the support (16). Finally the entire stack is laid out on the support (16) with said bottom substrate (14) up by further lowering and while horizontally displacing the gripper (8) in a bottom-to-top substrate direction before letting the gripper (8) release the stack.

The invention concerns a method of handling stacks of flexible substrates (14) by means of a gripper (8) as well as a robot cell (1) for carrying out the method. The gripper (8) is arranged on an arm (6) of a robot (2) and has a lower finger and a corresponding upper finger. The method comprises the steps of inserting said lower finger below a bottom substrate (14) of a stack resting on a base and said upper finger above a top substrate (14) of the stack, and gripping the stack by clamping it between said lower and upper finger. Then by means of the gripper (8) starting at a stack front the entire stack is lifted into a pendent state and moved to a support (16). There the stack is lowered such that a stack rear, which is opposite to said stack front, comes into contact with the support (16). Finally the entire stack is laid out on the support (16) with said bottom substrate (14) up by further lowering and while horizontally displacing the gripper (8) in a bottom-to-top substrate direction before letting the gripper (8) release the stack.