Method and machine for producing adhesive-bound printed products

Abstract

A method for production of adhesive-bound printed products in a machine belonging to an adhesive-binder line. To change over from one job under production to a following job, supplied printed products of the following job are detected via a barcode and stopped prior to being fed into the machine of the adhesive-binder line. Remaining printed products of a preceding job are moved and fully processed through individual processing stations of the machine while the printed products of the following job remain in a waiting position in front of the machine. After completing the last printed product of the preceding job, an empty withdrawal of covers stored in a cover deposit and belonging to the following job is initiated until it is ensured that the stored covers are available for the printed products of the following job. After determining that a withdrawn cover securely matches the printed products of the following job, stopped printed products of the following job are released with a main control and fed into the machine for being processed via the individual processing stations.

Claims

1. A method for producing adhesive-bound printed products in an adhesive-binder machine belonging to an adhesive-binder line, the an adhesive-binder machine having individual processing stations including a book spine processing station, an adhesive application station, and a pressing station with a cover that is withdrawn from a cover feeder, wherein the method for producing the adhesive-bound printed products is controlled by control profiles, the method comprising: a) to changeover from one job under production to a following job, detecting supplied printed products of the following job via a barcode on the supplied printed products and stopping the following job prior to being fed into the machine of the adhesive-binder line; b) moving and fully processing remaining printed products of the one job through the individual processing stations of the adhesive-binder machine while the printed products of the following job remain in a waiting position in front of the adhesive-binder machine; c) after completing a last printed product of the one job, initiating an empty withdrawal of covers stored in a cover deposit and belonging to the following job until it is ensured that the stored covers are available for the printed products of the following job; and d) after determining that a withdrawn cover securely matches the printed products of the following job, releasing, with a main control of the adhesive-binder line, stopped printed products of the following job, and feeding the released printed products into the adhesive-binder machine for being processed via the individual processing stations.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein before the releasing of the stopped printed products belonging to the following job, ensuring that at least one stored cover that matches the printed products is withdrawn empty.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein prior to releasing the stopped printed products for the following job, ensuring that the stored cover for the printed products of the following job is detected and is immediately available without empty withdrawal.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein prior to releasing the stopped printed products of the following job, ensuring that all excess covers belonging to the one job are withdrawn empty from the cover feeder until a matching cover for the printed products of the following job is detected.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein excess covers of the one job are withdrawn empty until the stored cover for the printed products of the following job is detected and is available without empty withdrawal.

6. The method according to claim 1, further including converting the processing stations of the an adhesive-binder machine for producing the printed products of the following job by activating the control profiles for the following job before the stopped printed products belonging to the following job are released.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the processing of any further job is based on the same processing steps as for the following job that initially follows the one job.

8. The method according to claim 1, further including minimizing stopping times indicated by the stopped printed products for the following job by electronically detecting via barcodes a sequence of the stored covers and transmitting resulting information to a main control unit for the adhesive-binder machine to release the stopped printed products.

9. The method according to claim 8, further comprising determining a sequence of the printed products fed into the adhesive-binder machine by a sequence of the available covers.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein with identically dimensioned printed products for different jobs which require different covers, no conversion takes place at the processing stations of the machine.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein if the original thickness of the printed product changes for different jobs, original settings for the processing stations of the an adhesive-binder machine remain unchanged up to a minimum range of +/3.25 mm.

12. The method according to claim 11, further comprising adapting at least one processing station of the adhesive-binder machine if the original product thickness changes for different jobs changes, exceeding the minimum range of +/3.25 mm.

13. The method according to claim 11, further comprising converting the processing stations of the adhesive-binder machine if the format, including one of width or height, of the printed product changes or if the thickness difference immediately exceeds the minimum range of +/3.25 mm.

14. The method according to claim 1, further comprising changing a geometric location for affixing grooves on the covers with a change in the book block thickness for the printed products.

15. The method according to claim 1, wherein the cover is made of an inflexible material, and further comprising providing the cover with two folds separated by a book block thickness.

16. The method according to claim 1, for a change in the dimensions of the printed products, the method further comprises, converting at least the processing stations of the adhesive-binder machine to measurements of the following job based on control profiles stored in a main control unit or which are computed, said converting taking place continuously at each processing station as soon as the last printed product of said one job has left a respective one of the processing stations.

17. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: controlling processes for producing the adhesive-bound printed products via control profiles; scanning in externally ahead of time barcode information on covers belonging to printed products and electronically transmitting the barcode information obtained about the covers, including a sequence of the scanned covers, to a main control unit for the adhesive-binder machine and/or the other machines in the adhesive-binder line, wherein a sequence for printed products released for processing corresponds to the sequence of the scanned-in covers.

18. The method according to claim 1, comprising the following machines and processing stations: a collating machine for supplying printed products; a machine with transfer elements located downstream of the collating machine for receiving and transferring the printed products; an adhesive-binder machine arranged downstream of the transfer elements for receiving the printed products, the adhesive-binder machine including at least a book spine processing station, an adhesive application station, a cover feeding station, and a pressing station for adhesively binding a cover to a supplied printed product; a discharge machine, which also functions as a cooling section arranged downstream of the adhesive-binder machine for receiving bound printed products from the adhesive-binder machine; a three-way trimmer machine arranged downstream of the discharge machine for trimming the bound printed products; a stacking machine arranged downstream of the three-way trimmer to stack the bound printed products; and a book data acquisition device to input job orders based on different criteria to control the machines and stations of the adhesive-binder line.

19. The method according to claim 18, comprising operating the individual stations of the adhesive-binder machine with a central drive shaft that extends through the complete adhesive-binder machine to form the drive of the individual processing stations of the adhesive-binder machine.

20. The method according to claim 18, comprising operating the individual stations of the adhesive-binder machine with at least one separate drive for each station.

21. The method according to claim 18, comprising controlling a pressing on of a cover inside the pressing station of the adhesive-binder machine by an adjustable pressing moment.

22. The method according to claim 18, comprising operating the processing stations of the adhesive-binder machine and complementary units or elements connected to the adhesive-binder machine with aid of job-dependent control profiles, which are transmitted by a main control unit or are integrated into drive units of the processing stations, or operating the processing stations of the adhesive-binder machine based on control profiles derived from closed-loop control processes.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) All elements Figures essential to the invention are listed and briefly addressed in the following. not needed for the direct understanding of the invention are omitted. The same elements in different Figures are provided with the same reference numbers.

(2) FIG. 1 shows an adhesive-binder line.

(3) FIGS. 2-12 illustrate the process-related interdependence between a preceding and a following job, in connection with providing the correct covers.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(4) FIG. 1 shows an adhesive-binder line 100 configured with different machines, wherein the central adhesive binder machine comprises respectively a number of processing stations for processing printed products into books, brochures and the like.

(5) Basically, the adhesive binder line 100 is composed of a collating machine 1, a downstream arranged section with transfer elements 2, an adhesive-binder machine 3 that is again arranged downstream and comprises a number of operatively connected processing stations in which the printed products are processed into books, brochures and the like. An adhesive-binder machine of this type, in professional jargon is simply called an adhesive or perfect binder, comprises at least the following processing stations: a book spine processing station, an adhesive application station, a cover feeding station 4, and a pressing station. In FIG. 1, of the various processing stations of the adhesive-binder machine 3, only the cover feeding station 4 is separately numbered, the other referenced stations, namely the book spine processing station, adhesive application station and pressing station are all comprehended by the reference number 3 applicable to the adhesive-binder machine.

(6) A further machine of the adhesive-binder line 100 is the delivery section (also referred to herein as discharge machine) 5, arranged downstream of the adhesive-binder machine 3, which also serves as a cooling section. The printed products are then advantageously supplied to a three-knife trimmer machine 6 where the products are processed to format by trimming the top, bottom and front sections, preferably successively, but in part also simultaneously. A stacker machine 7 can subsequently be provided as an additional machine. Shown in FIG. 1 is also a central book data acquisition device 8, which is used to input the orders (jobs) based on different criteria and/or to prepare them.

(7) The aforementioned processing stations of the illustrated adhesive-binder machine 3 within the adhesive-binder line 100 can basically be operated via a centrally running drive shaft, such that this shaft substantially extends through the total adhesive-binder machine 3, thereby ensuring the drives for the individual processing stations within the adhesive binder. If applicable, the processing stations are supplemented by local digital panel(s).

(8) The adhesive-binder machine 3 can furthermore be configured such that the processing stations can be operated with one or several individual drives, for example traveling wave motors or servomotors.

(9) Regardless, meaning independent of how the processing stations are operated, the adhesive-binder machine 3 in principle operates with a so-called timing adjustment that determines the selection of the so-called pressing moment. This can be achieved with a single, unchangeable control profile, wherein the optimizing occurs simply through adjusting of the pressing moment based on a one-time, direct input by the operator. The pressing in the pressing station is therefore based on an adjustable pressing moment which does not have to be influenced or superimposed by different process parameters.

(10) The pressing moment can be adjusted through a simple manual input by the operator, within the meaning of an adaptation in a plane. Further adaptations based on other operating parameters do not take place. In that case, the drive connected to the fixed pressing moment continuously runs the original settings monotonously and unchanged during the following production. However, this can also be realized with movement values obtained with the aid of a mechanical sensor.

(11) However, the adhesive binder can also be operated based on changeable control profiles, meaning a controlled adjustment is carried out within the processing stations and the complete units or elements connected thereto, based on the determined parameters. In that case, the movement of the pressing bars acts as a movement profile, representing the result of introduced parameters, meaning the changeable movements of the pressing bars are parameter-dependent movement profiles.

(12) The control profiles for operating the processing stations can be pre-determined and stored in an electronic memory and can then be assigned to specific jobs to be processed. In addition or alternative thereto, the control profiles can be computed individually in dependence on the specific jobs to be processed, meaning in dependence on specific parameters, e.g. a movement or a movement profile for the pressing table, book block thickness, offset, intake width, pressing position, pressing time length and/or pressing force, respectively pressure, which can be implemented directly as changed control profiles or can be transmitted further to the main control unit. The servomotors used in the different processing stations can furthermore be provided with a separate, preferably integrated control unit. The underlying algorithms for the control profiles can acquire all possible parameters from the adhesive binder operation, based on which the algorithms can provide a new movement profile for the respective controlled operation. Insofar as the servomotors serve as drive units for a processing operation, they can be admitted with control profiles that are called up and/or are changeable, if applicable also replaceable.

(13) During the pressing operation, for example, the introduced speed, the developing power, and the pressure profile of the pressing element or elements can be adapted to the printed product to be produced or manufactured, thus resulting in a higher quality for these products.

(14) At least the adhesive binder, preferably the complete adhesive-binder line, is furthermore operated with a motion control, which refers to the manner in which the drive is called up for the individual processing stations within the adhesive binder. It means that in place of the above-described central drive shaft extending through the complete adhesive binder, where the drives for the individual processing stations can be tapped, separate drives can be used for the processing stations.

(15) The separately driven processing stations, such as the book spine processing station, the adhesive application station, the cover feeder and the pressing station for the adhesive binder 3, are connected via a transport system provided with a plurality of clamps for clamping in book blocks, page stacks, gathered signatures or the like. These clamps are advantageously driven individually along a guide track and are operated with the aid of traveling wave motors, meaning linear motors, or servomotors. The transport system for the adhesive binder is provided with a control unit for controlling the speeds of the respective clamps. As a result, each clamp can be moved with a separate speed along the guide track. According to a further and especially advantageous embodiment, the speeds of the clamps are controlled in dependence on the various parameters, including the position of the clamp within the book-binding machine. The clamp can thus move slower in the processing stations and faster in pure transport sections. The speed can furthermore be controlled in dependence on the product thickness. For an exact processing of thick books in the book spine processing station, the speed can thus be reduced. A further parameter can be the viscosity of the adhesive used in the adhesive application station. More generally viewed, an optimum processing speed exists for each processing station and the associated processing tools.

(16) FIG. 2 shows a stylized version of the production of a first job A (supplemented by a horizontal line for better characterization) in the adhesive binder 3, with the associated covers A1 from the cover feeder 4 (see FIG. 1), wherein the feeding of these covers is monitored by a control location 102. The Figure furthermore shows that the printed products follow which belong to a subsequent job B (supplemented by a vertical line for better characterization).

(17) With this type of production, the printed products belonging to a subsequent job B are acquired via barcode in the region of a control station 101 and are then stopped prior to being fed into the adhesive binder 3.

(18) While the printed products of the following job B remain in the waiting position upstream of the adhesive binder 3, the remaining printed products of the preceding job A are guided through the individual processing stations, as listed in the above, and are fully processed.

(19) Following the finishing of the last printed product of the preceding job A (see FIG. 7), a withdrawal of empty covers B1 belonging to the following job B is initiated (see FIGS. 8, 9), thus ensuring that these covers are available for the printed products of the following job B.

(20) As soon as it has been determined that the withdrawn cover B1 securely matches the printed product of the following job B (see FIG. 10), the main control unit for the adhesive binder 3 releases the stopped printed products for the following job B (see FIGS. 8-10) which are then fed into the adhesive binder and are processed via its processing stations (see FIG. 11).

(21) FIG. 12 finally illustrated the supplying of an additional job C (supplemented with a plus sign for a better characterization). In principle, the production in the adhesive binder 3 occurs here similarly or in the same way as described with the aid of FIGS. 2-11 in connection with jobs A and B. That is to say, job B then takes on the function of a preceding job as compared to job C, while job C assumes the position of a following job. The processes, however, remain the same, only the supplying of the covers for job C is not shown in this Figure. The manner in which the covers are supplied, however, is identical to the processes for the covers A1 and B1.

(22) It will be understood that the above description of the present invention is susceptible to various modifications, changes and adaptations, and that the same are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalents of the appended claims.