Device for Feeding Product in Sheets into an Insertion Device Before a Digital Printer

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for feeding products in sheets into an insertion device before a digital printer, including a lifting system for a stack of laminar elements, which in turn includes an extraction mechanism for the last board, an insertion system with an advance mechanism, a rotation system for the stack(s), a positioning stop, connected to an advance and reverse mechanism, a squaring and scaling station, able to create a loading and accumulating hopper, and a telescopically-adjustable transportation system, with the capacity to move the previously-scaled sheets until the insertion device is fed.

Claims

1. A device for feeding products in sheets into an insertion device before a digital printer comprising: a base with actuation, with an acetal band or metal rollers, wherein a stack of laminar elements, stacked vertically and ordered among each other, is positioned anchored on a lifting system comprising: crossbars and pillars which are positioned by means of guides, a motorised lifting mechanism, and an extraction mechanism for a last board, an insertion system comprising: a pressure system through an advance mechanism which enables the stack of laminar elements structured vertically and ordered among each other to be separated into groups with a known size, a rotation system, for the transfer, with the capacity to rotate the stack an angle to be selected between 90 degrees, 180 degrees and 270 degrees, a positioning stop with the capacity to correctly position the stack, which is the process before rotating, connected to an advance and reverse mechanism, in the direction longitudinal to the digital printer, a squaring and scaling station, able to create a loading and accumulating hopper if necessary, wherein the stack arrives from a previous process, and wherein the stack is squared and scaled by means of mechanisms, front stops and lateral stops, and a telescopically-adjustable transportation system, with a capacity to move the previously-scaled stack until the insertion device is fed; wherein, the lifting system has a capacity to vertically move a stack of sheets, and the insertion system has a capacity to provide ordered stack groups from the original stack.

2. The device for feeding products in sheets, according to claim 1, wherein the device for feeding products in sheets is longitudinally aligned with the insertion device before the digital printer.

3. The device for feeding products in sheets, according to claim 1, wherein the rotation system has a capacity to rotate two stacks positioned perpendicularly to each other with respect to a forward direction of the device for feeding products in sheets, such that the rotation system enables double feeding of the laminar elements, in parallel and longitudinally aligned with the insertion device.

4. The device for feeding products in sheets, according to claim 1, wherein the station for squaring and scaling the stack further comprises a capacity to create a loading hopper in order to continuously feed laminar elements, or to allow the complete stack to pass for discontinuous feeding.

5. The device for feeding products in sheets, according to claim 1, further comprising a system for flipping the stack 180 degrees with respect to the forward direction of the device for feeding products in sheets.

6. The device for feeding products in sheets, according to claim 1, wherein the rotation system is variable in height.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0048] FIG. 1 represents a perspective view of the device of the invention for feeding products in sheets into a longitudinally-aligned insertion device.

[0049] FIG. 2 represents a perspective view of the initial state.

[0050] FIG. 3 represents a detail view of a system for 90, 180, 270-degree rotation which makes up part of the device of the invention.

[0051] FIG. 4 represents a perspective view of the inlet of the first package to the rotation system for double feeding in the insertion device for laminar parts.

[0052] FIGS. 5 and 6 represent perspective views of the progression of a 90-degree rotation.

[0053] FIGS. 7 and 8 represent perspective views of the progression of the feed flow for double feeding of laminar parts.

[0054] Below is a list of the references used in the figures: [0055] 1. Lifting system. [0056] 2. Insertion system. [0057] 3. Rotation system. [0058] 4. Positioning stop. [0059] 5. System for squaring and scaling the stacks. [0060] 6. Telescopically-adjustable transportation system. [0061] 7. Mechanism for extracting excess from the stack. [0062] 8. Lifting system of the rotation mechanism. [0063] 9. Insertion device.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0064] In light of the aforementioned figures and, according to the numbering adopted, a preferred exemplary embodiment of the invention can be seen in them, which comprises the parts and elements indicated and described in detail below.

[0065] As seen in FIG. 1, an embodiment of the station for feeding laminar elements is shown by way of example. This feeder station is linked to an insertion device, of a known type, for which reason more detail will not be given in the description thereof.

[0066] The feeder station comprises the following portions: [0067] A receiving area wherein a stack of the laminar elements, each one arranged in the horizontal plane or parallel to the ground plane, arrives by means of conveyor belts and is lifted by means of a lifting system (1) in order to be subsequently divided into groups at a lower height by means of an insertion system (2) in a subsequent rotation system. [0068] An excess extraction mechanism (7) which is used when the maximum number of group divisions has been reached, which have a lower height and are inserted by means of the insertion system (2) that the latter can insert and which must be extracted from the conveyor belt in order to enable another stack to enter. This extraction mechanism (7) is made up of rollers and a mechanism which extracts the board from one side of the device. [0069] A rotation system (3) which enables, when necessary, the extracted stack to be rotated.

[0070] When the width of the inserted laminar body is greater than the width of the insertion device (9) whereon the sheets are being fed, it must necessarily rotate in order to be able to be inserted into the insertion device (9). [0071] If the width of the inserted stack is less than the maximum width of the insertion device (9), it can continue to move forward without needing to be rotated. [0072] When the length of the inserted laminar body is less than half the maximum width of the insertion device (9), it is possible to work with two lines for inserting laminar material, e.g., the laminar element groups can be handled before entering the insertion device (9) such that they form two rows, as shown in a general view in [0073] FIG. 1, wherein this system is represented. [0074] It should be mentioned that the rotation system (3) is provided with a system of stops (4) comprising a platen which is located in a support structure that can be moved axially such that it positions the stacks conveniently for the positioning thereof, both for feeding with one row or two rows. [0075] The rotation system (3) is provided with a lifting system (8), necessary to be suitably arranged on the following system in order to make the transfer to the same as needed. [0076] A system for squaring and scaling the stacks (5), wherein the stack (single or double) is suitably positioned for the feeding thereof to the insertion device (9). This system is foreseen with a scaling stop for distributing the laminar elements individually inside the insertion device (9). In this manner, gradual loading is performed in the feeding area of the insertion device (9). This squaring system (5) can be used as an accumulating hopper for continuous feeding without interruption in the row, if considered necessary, taking advantage of the lifting system (8) in the previous transfer. [0077] A belt system or other telescopically-adjustable transportation system (6) for adapting to the lengths of the sheets, by which the previously-scaled sheets are moved until they reach the insertion device/station of the digital printing line.

[0078] The method of operating the feeder station for a group of elements described previously is detailed below.

[0079] First, as shown in FIG. 2, a stack of laminar elements arranged horizontally is inserted, the longitudinal axis of which will generally be perpendicular to the forward direction of the line, and it is lifted to an insertion system (2) which inserts a stack with a lower height.

[0080] If the rotation is not necessary due to the above mentioned, the extracted stack would continue the transfer thereof by going from the rotation system (3) to the squaring and scaling system (5). The case described in the figures is the case of double row feeding, which means that the extracted stack would be rotated.

[0081] FIG. 3 shows a diagram of a possible rotation system (3), wherein a pallet of platens, crossed with each other, is embedded and hidden under the level of the conveyor belt, rising and rotating when it is necessary to reposition the stacks.

[0082] Therefore, as shown in FIG. 4, the stack extracted and pushed by the insertion device (2) reaches the stop (4) and is positioned. As in the case of double row feeding, a second extracted stack will arrive and will be positioned once again by means of the stop (4) which has been moved to the necessary position as shown in FIG. 5.

[0083] Then, as shown in FIG. 6, once the two smaller stacks are positioned, the stop (4) is withdrawn and the stacks can then be rotated in order to situate the longitudinal axis of the product parallel to the forward direction.

[0084] Subsequently, as seen in FIG. 7, the stacks are transferred to the squaring and scaling system (5), wherein they are correctly positioned for the subsequent insertion thereof. At this time, the rotation system is already available for the insertion of new product.

[0085] Finally, in FIG. 8, it may be seen how the laminar elements leave the scaling system (5) distributed individually inside the insertion device (9), being moved through a telescopically-adjustable transportation system (6) by belts.