SORTING DEVICE FOR SORTING BOOK BLOCKS

Abstract

A sorting device for sorting book blocks is described, the sorting device having a filling station for sorting one or more book blocks into receptacles, a first input conveyor configured to feed book blocks to the filling station, a second input conveyor configured to feed empty receptacles to the filling station, a first output conveyor configured to transfer full receptacles away from the filling station, the filling station comprising a plurality of inserting devices configured to insert the one or more book blocks into the receptacles, wherein the sorting device further includes a control device configured to receive sorting information of the one or more book blocks and to control the inserting devices to sort the one or more book blocks into the receptacles using the sorting information.

Claims

1-43. (canceled)

44. A sorting device for sorting book blocks, the sorting device comprising a filling station for sorting one or more book blocks into receptacles, a first input conveyor configured to feed book blocks to the filling station, a second input conveyor configured to feed empty receptacles to the filling station, a first output conveyor configured to transfer full receptacles away from the filling station, the filling station comprising a plurality of inserting devices configured to insert the one or more book blocks into the receptacles, wherein the sorting device further comprises a control device configured to receive sorting information of the one or more book blocks and to control the inserting devices to sort the one or more book blocks into the receptacles using the sorting information.

45. The sorting device according to claim 44, wherein the sorting device comprises at least one book block reader configured to read sorting information from at least one identification tag of a book block, wherein the control device is configured to receive the sorting information from the at least one book block reader.

46. The sorting device according to claim 44, wherein the control device comprises a memory having stored thereon a sorting category schedule with sorting categories each defining matching sorting information, wherein each of the inserting devices is assigned at least one sorting category, wherein the control device is configured to select an inserting device with an assigned sorting category to which the sorting information of a book block matches and to control the selected inserting device to sort the book block into a receptacle.

47. The sorting device according to claim 44, wherein the first input conveyor, the second input conveyor and the first output conveyor are arranged in parallel.

48. The sorting device according to claim 44, wherein the filling station comprises a plurality of filling sites arranged in a row along a conveying direction of the first input conveyor, wherein each of the filling sites is arranged at an inserting device and configured to position a receptacle at the filling site such that one or more book blocks are insertable by the respective inserting device into the receptacle positioned at the filling site, wherein the filling station comprises a plurality of waiting sites arranged in a row along a conveying direction of the second input conveyor, configured to position each an empty receptacle received from the second input conveyor, wherein each of the plurality of waiting sites is arranged upstream to a filling site such that an empty receptacle is movable from a waiting site to a filling site if the filling site is unoccupied.

49. The sorting device according to claim 48, wherein the filling station comprises a plurality of first receptacle drives configured to convey empty receptacles independently from each of the waiting sites to the filling sites and a plurality of second receptacle drives configured to convey full receptacles independently from each of the filling sites to the first output conveyor, wherein the control device is configured to control the first and second receptacle drives such that conveying of a full receptacle from a filling site to the first output conveyor and conveying of an empty receptacle from a waiting site to a filling site is synchronized.

50. The sorting device according to claim 48, wherein filling station comprises a plurality of combined receptacle drives for each of the waiting sites and/or the filling sites, configured to convey empty receptacles from each of the waiting sites to a respective downstream filling site and to convey full receptacles from each of the filling sites to the first output conveyor.

51. The sorting device according to claim 48, wherein the filling station comprises a plurality of pivotable lifting plates each arranged at the filling sites and each configured to pivot to form a slope for a receptacle positioned at the respective filling site.

52. The sorting device according to claim 44, wherein the inserting devices each comprise a deflector controlled by the control device and configured to deflect one or more book blocks from a conveying direction of the first input conveyor to a respective inserting device, wherein the deflectors are arranged along a feeding section of the filling station arranged downstream of the first input conveyor.

53. The sorting device according to claim 52, wherein the deflectors comprise a plurality of rollers controlled by the control device and individually rotatable around a first axis perpendicular to a conveying direction and parallel to a conveying plane of the first input conveyor for conveying the book blocks in the conveying direction and individually rotatable around a second axis perpendicular to the conveying direction and perpendicular to the conveying plane of the first input conveyor for deflecting one or more book blocks from the conveying direction.

54. The sorting device according to claim 44, wherein the inserting devices each comprise a transfer device comprising a slide, configured to transfer one or more deflected book blocks from the deflector to the respective receptacle.

55. The sorting device according to claim 54, wherein the transfer devices each comprise an end portion which is at least partially placeable in an interior space of the receptacle and retractable therefrom.

56. The sorting device according to claim 44, wherein the filling station comprises a plurality of ejecting devices controlled by the control device and configured to transfer full receptacles to the first output conveyor.

57. The sorting device according to claim 56, wherein the control device comprises a memory having stored thereon at least one maximum criterion for sorted book blocks in the receptacles, wherein the control device is configured to determine a receptacle to be a full receptacle and to control the ejecting devices to transfer the receptacle to the first output conveyor, if the sorted one or more book blocks in the receptacle satisfy one or more of the at least one maximum criterion, wherein the at least one maximum criterion comprises one or more of: a maximum number of one or more sorted book blocks in a receptacle; a maximum height of a stack formed by the one or more sorted book blocks in a receptacle, as measured by a height sensor of the sorting device; maximum height of a stack formed by the one or more sorted book blocks in a receptacle, as determined using the summed number of pages of the sorted book blocks in the receptacle, wherein the control device is configured to receive the number of pages of the book blocks from a printing system arranged upstream of the sorting device and a standard paper thickness stored in the memory; maximum height of a stack formed by the one or more sorted book blocks in a receptacle, as determined from the height of the one or more book blocks encoded in the at least one identification tag; maximum time reached since inserting the first book block into a receptacle; last book block of a predetermined job stored in the memory being inserted into a receptacle; arriving of a book block from the first input conveyor being of a larger size than the size of the topmost book block in a receptacle.

58. The sorting device according to claim 44, wherein the sorting device comprises a rotating device arranged at the first input conveyor and configured to rotate a book block on the first input conveyor by an angle, around an axis perpendicular to a conveying plane of the first input conveyor.

59. The sorting device according to claim 58, wherein the rotating device comprises a first guiding plate and a second guiding plate arranged downstream of the first guiding plate, wherein the second guiding plate comprises an edge forming a stop configured to stop a corner of a book block, wherein the edge is oriented perpendicular to the conveying direction and parallel to the conveying plane or has a curved orientation.

60. The sorting device according to claim 59, wherein the first input conveyor is configured to align a book block to the first and/or second guiding plate by a plurality of rollers controlled by the control device and individually rotatable around a first axis perpendicular to a conveying direction and parallel to a conveying plane of the first input conveyor and individually rotatable around a second axis perpendicular to the conveying direction and perpendicular to the conveying plane of the first input conveyor.

61. The sorting device according to claim 59, wherein the first input conveyor comprises a first roller conveyor and a second roller conveyor, wherein the first roller conveyor is arranged downstream to the second roller conveyor and the second roller conveyor comprises a plurality of slanted cylindrical rollers.

62. The sorting device according to claim 44, wherein the first input conveyor comprises a roller conveyor and a band conveyor, wherein the roller conveyor is arranged downstream to the band conveyor.

63. The sorting device according to claim 44, wherein a first output tray is arranged at a first side of the first input conveyor.

64. The sorting device according to claim 44, wherein a second output tray is arranged at a second side of the first input conveyor.

65. The sorting device according to claim 63, wherein the control device is configured to receive pre-sorting information from the book block reader and to control the first input conveyor to convey a book block to the filling station, to the first output tray or the second output tray, depending on the pre-sorting information received.

66. The sorting device according to claim 44, wherein the sorting device comprises a transmitting device, wherein the control device is configured to control the transmitting device to transmit a receptacle identification of a receptacle to a book block further processing system arranged downstream to the first output conveyor.

67. The sorting device according to claim 66, wherein the sorting device comprises at least one receptacle reader configured to read receptacle identification from a receptacle identification tag of a receptacle and to send the receptacle identification to the control device.

68. The sorting device according to claim 66, wherein the control device is configured to store for each receptacle book block identification information read from the at least one identification tag of a book block filled into the respective receptacle and, if the respective receptacle is full, to control the transmitting device to transmit the book block identification information of the one or more book blocks of the respective receptacle to a book block further processing system arranged downstream to the first output conveyor.

69. The sorting device according to claim 68, wherein the control device is configured to control the transmitting device to further transmit one or more of: sorting information, maximum criterion used to determine a receptacle to be full, number of book blocks in the receptacle derived from the maximum criterion used to determine a receptacle to be full, a sequence or order of the one or more book blocks filled into the receptacle, a time stamp, book block size, job identification, of the one or more book blocks filled into the respective full receptacle, to a book block further processing system arranged downstream to the first output conveyor.

70. A method of operating a sorting device according to claim 44 for sorting book blocks, comprising the steps of: feeding unsorted book blocks to a filling station of the sorting device by a first input conveyor, feeding empty receptacles to the filling station by a second input conveyor, receiving by a control device sorting information of the one or more book blocks, controlling by the control device a plurality of inserting devices to sort one or more book blocks into the receptacles using the sorting information.

71. A control device for controlling a sorting device according to claim 44 for sorting book blocks, wherein the control device comprises a computer configured to: receive sorting information of a book block, compare the sorting information with sorting categories defining matching sorting information, assign each of the inserting devices at least one sorting category, select an inserting device with an assigned sorting category to which the sorting information of a book block matches, control the selected inserting device to sort the book block into a receptacle.

72. A computer program product comprising computer program code configured to control a computer of the control device according to claim 71 such that the computer executes the steps of: receiving sorting information of a book block, comparing the sorting information with sorting categories defining matching sorting information, assigning each of the inserting devices at least one sorting category, selecting an inserting device with an assigned sorting category to which the sorting information of a book block matches, controlling the selected inserting device to sort the book block into a receptacle.

73. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon the computer program product according to claim 72.

74. A book production system comprising the sorting device according to claim 44.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0114] The present invention will be explained in more detail, by way of exemplary embodiments, with reference to the schematic drawings, in which:

[0115] FIG. 1 shows a top view of an embodiment of a sorting device;

[0116] FIG. 2 shows a top view of a part of the sorting device of FIG. 1 without transfer devices;

[0117] FIG. 3 shows a side cut view of a filling station of the sorting device of FIG. 1 along the line A-A;

[0118] FIG. 4 shows a top view of a rotating device;

[0119] FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of the sorting device of FIG. 1 with hoods;

[0120] FIG. 6 shows a top view of an embodiment of a sorting device;

[0121] FIG. 7 shows a top view of an embodiment of a sorting device;

[0122] FIG. 8 shows a close-up of the roller conveyor of the first input conveyor as shown in the embodiment of the sorting device in FIG. 6;

[0123] FIG. 9 shows a close-up of the second roller conveyor of the embodiment of the sorting device as shown in FIG. 7;

[0124] FIG. 10 shows a side cut view of the filling station of the sorting device of FIG. 6 along the line A-A;

[0125] FIG. 11 shows a perspective view of the sorting device of FIG. 6 with hoods;

[0126] FIG. 12 shows a perspective view of the sorting device of FIG. 7 with hoods.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

[0127] FIG. 1 shows a top view of an embodiment of a sorting device 10 comprising a filling station 1 for sorting book blocks 50 into receptacles 51.2. In FIG. 1, the interior of the sorting device 10 is shown, as the sorting device 10 typically comprises hoods covering the interior (see FIG. 5). Book blocks 50 are fed to the filling station 1 on a first input conveyor 1.1. The first input conveyor 1.1 is designed as a roller conveyor comprising a plurality of rollers 1.11 individually rotatable around a first axis perpendicular to the conveying direction F1 of the first input conveyor 1.1 and parallel to the conveying plane of the first input conveyor 1.1. A rotating device 2 is arranged at the first input conveyor 1.1 and configured to rotate the book blocks 50 by 90. The rotating device 2 is described in more detail further below with regard to FIG. 4. At the first input conveyor 1.1, there are arranged two book block readers 3 configured to read sorting information and/or book block identification information from at least one identification tag of the book blocks 50.

[0128] The filling station 1 comprises a feeding section 11 arranged downstream of the first input conveyor 1.1. The feeding section 11 comprises a feeding conveyor 111 adjoining an end portion 1.12 of the first input conveyor 1.1. The end portion 1.12 of the first input conveyor 1.1 is designed as a belt conveyor bridging the roller conveyor portion of the first input conveyor 1.1 with the feeding conveyor 111.

[0129] A second input conveyor 1.2 is arranged parallel to the first input conveyor 1.1 and feeds empty receptacles 51.1 to the filling station 1 in the direction F2. An end portion of the second input conveyor 1.2 is partially arranged below the feeding conveyor 111 and feeds the empty receptacles 51.1 onto waiting sites 12 arranged partially below the feeding conveyor 111. Downstream to the waiting sites 12, there are arranged filling sites 13 where the receptacles 51.2 are filled with book blocks 50. Full receptacles 51.3 are transferred from the filling sites 13 to the first output conveyor 1.3 and conveyed away from the filling station 1 along the direction F3. At the second input conveyor 1.2, there is arranged a receptacle reader 4 configured to read receptacle identification information from a receptacle identification tag of the receptacles 51.1 supplied to the filling station 1 by the second input conveyor 1.2.

[0130] Four inserting devices 14 are arranged along the feeding conveyor 111. The inserting devices 14 each comprise a deflector 141 arranged on the feeding conveyor 111 and configured to deflect book blocks 50 from the direction F1 to a respective inserting device 14. The inserting devices 14 further each comprise a transfer device 142 comprising a slide configured to transfer deflected book blocks 50 from a deflector 141 to a respective receptacle 51.2. The deflectors 141 comprise a plurality of rollers 1411 controlled by a control device 20 and individually rotatable around a first axis A1 perpendicular to the conveying direction F1 and parallel to the conveying plane of the first input conveyor 1.1. The control device 20 can also be a remotely arranged control device. The rollers 1411 are further also individually rotatable around a second axis perpendicular to the conveying direction F1 and the conveying plane of the first input conveyor 1.1. The second axis therefore points out of the drawing plane of FIG. 1. By rotating of the rollers 1411 around the first axis A1, the book blocks 50 can be conveyed in the conveying direction F1. By rotating of the rollers 1411 around the second axis, the book blocks 50 being positioned on the rotating rollers 1411 can be deflected from the conveying direction F1. In the shown embodiment, the rollers 1411 are rotatable by up to 90 around the second axis. By rotating the rollers 1411 by 90 around the second axis, the first axis A1 is rotated onto the new first axis A1, such that the book blocks 50 lying on the rollers 1411 rotating around the second axis can be deflected from the conveying direction F1 and conveyed into the direction of the transfer devices 142.

[0131] FIG. 2 shows a top view of the sorting device 10 of FIG. 1 without transfer devices for a better visibility of the waiting sites 12 and filling sites 13 of the filling station 1. The waiting sites 12 are configured to position each an empty receptacle 51.1 received from the second input conveyor 1.2. Each of the waiting sites 12 is arranged upstream to a filling site 13 such that an empty receptacle 51.1 is movable from a waiting site 12 to a filling site 13 if the filling site 13 is unoccupied. Upon moving of an empty receptacle 51.1 to a filling site 13, the resulting unoccupied waiting site 12 can again be occupied by an empty receptacle 51.1 from a neighboring waiting site 12 or from the second input conveyor 1.2. Therefore, it can advantageously be ensured that the waiting sites 12 are always supplied by empty receptacles 51.1, if needed. At the filling sites 13, the receptacles 51.2 are filled by one or more book blocks 50 by the transfer devices. A full receptacle 51.3 or a receptacle satisfying a maximum criterion, respectively, is then moved from a filling site 13 to the first output conveyor 1.3 and can be conveyed away from the filling station 1. The second input conveyor 1.2 comprises pre-waiting sites 1.21 for queueing empty receptacles 51.1. One or more sensors 1.22 are arranged at the pre-waiting sites 1.21 which are configured to notify an operator or the control device 20 if one or more of the pre-waiting sites 1.21 are unoccupied.

[0132] FIG. 3 shows a side cut view of the filling station 1 of FIG. 1 along the line A-A. An inserting device 14 with a deflector 141 on the feeding conveyor 111 of the feeding section 11 is shown. The transfer device 142 of the inserting device 14 comprises a slide 1421 with a telescopable end portion 1422. Additionally, the slide 1421 is pivotable around a pivot point D. By pivoting the slide 1421 and telescoping the end portion 1422, the end portion 1422 can at least partially be inserted into the interior of the receptacle 51.2 for inserting one or more book blocks 50 into the receptacle 51.2 and retracted therefrom such that the one or more book blocks 50 are deposited therein. The transfer device 142 further comprises a rake device 1423 arranged above the slide 1421 and pivotable together with the slide 1421. The rake device 1423 comprises two fingers 1423 which are moved in a loop by a belt 1425. The fingers 1423 serve to block a book block 50 at the slide 1421 and to control the sliding movement of the book block 50 along the slide 1421. At the end portion 1422 of the slide 1421, the finger 1423 is turned over such that the book block 50 is released and can slide into the receptacle 51.2. The end portion 1422 and the slide 1421 are configured to deposit a book block 50 with its spine oriented towards a front wall 51.21 of the receptacle 51.2 with respect to the receptacle transfer direction F4. Preferably, the transfer device 142 deposits the one or more book blocks 50 such that the one or more book blocks 50 are aligned and abutting the front wall 51.21 of the receptacle 51.2. Retracting the end portion 1422 from the receptacle 51.2 also allows for transferring of the receptacle 51.2 from the filling site 13 to the first output conveyor 1.3 and of an empty receptacle 51.1 from the waiting site 12 to the filling site 13.

[0133] FIG. 3 further shows an empty receptacle 51.1 positioned at a waiting site 12 to which it has been conveyed by rollers 1.23 of the second input conveyor 1.2. The filling station 1 comprises a combined receptacle drive 1.4 configured to convey the receptacle 51.2 from the filling site 13 to the first output conveyor 1.3 if the receptacle 51.2 is full and an empty receptacle 51.1 from the waiting site 12 to the filling site 13. The combined receptacle drive 1.4 comprises two parallel belts 1.41 (only one of the belts are visible in FIG. 3) by means of which the receptacles 51.1, 51.2 can be conveyed in the transfer direction F4. The belts 1.41 of the receptacle drive 1.4 are each arranged between rollers 1.23 and 1.31 of the second input conveyor 1.2 and the first output conveyor 1.3. The receptacle drive 1.4 is configured that the belts 1.41 can be raised above a top level of the rollers 1.23 and 1.31 and lowered onto the top level or slightly below the top level of the rollers 1.23 and 1.31, as indicated by the double arrows at the belt 1.41. By raising the belts 1.41 above the top level of the rollers 1.23 and 1.31, the receptacles 51.1, 51.2 are also raised and can then be conveyed in the transfer direction F4. By lowering the belts 1.41 onto or below the top level of the rollers 1.23 and 1.31, the receptacles 51.1, 51.2 are stationarily positioned in the waiting site 12 or the filling site 13, respectively. Further, a full receptacle transferred from the filling site 13 (as symbolized by the dashed receptacle 51.3) can then be conveyed away from the filling station 1 by the first output conveyor 1.3.

[0134] FIG. 4 shows a top view of a rotating device 2 arranged at the first input conveyor 1.1. The rotating device 2 is configured to rotate a book block 50 on the first input conveyor 1.1 by 90 around an axis perpendicular to the conveying plane of the first input conveyor 1.1. The rotating device 2 comprises a first guiding plate 21 and a second guiding plate 22 arranged downstream of the first guiding plate 21. The first guiding plate 21 and the second guiding plate 22 adjoin each other by forming a stop 23 with an edge 231 oriented perpendicular to the conveying direction F1 and parallel to the conveying plane of the first input conveyor 1.1.

[0135] FIG. 4 illustrates a book block 50 in different stages during rotation, i.e. at different points in time. As shown at the rightmost position, the book block 50 is conveyed on the first input conveyor 1.1 in the conveying direction F1. By using a plurality of rollers 1.11 individually rotatable around a first axis perpendicular to the conveying direction F1 and parallel to the conveying plane of the first input conveyor 1.1 and further individually rotatable around a second axis perpendicular to the conveying direction F1 and perpendicular to the conveying plane of the first input conveyor 1.1, the book block 50 is aligned to the first guiding plate 21. To illustrate the rotatability of the rollers 1.11, exemplary rollers 1.11a are shown after being rotated around an angle around the second axis.

[0136] The stop 23 is arranged to stop a corner of the book block 50, which causes the book block 50 to rotate around an axis perpendicular to the conveying plane, as the first input conveyor 1.1 continues to drive the book block 50 in the conveying direction F1. After being rotated by 90, the book block 50 is aligned to the second guiding plate 22. Before rotating, the book block 50 is conveyed along the conveying direction F1 with the spine 501 running ahead, such that the spine 501 forms the leading edge of the book block 50. After rotating, the spine 501 is aligned parallel to the second guiding plate 22, such that the book block 50 can be deflected with the spine 501 ahead to a transfer device and inserted with the spine 501 ahead into a receptacle by the transfer device.

[0137] FIG. 4 further shows book block identification tags 502 arranged at the book blocks 50 from which sorting information and/or book block identification information can be read by one or more book block readers.

[0138] FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of the sorting device 10 of FIG. 1 with a plurality of hoods 5 covering the interior of the sorting device 10. The hoods 5 comprise handles 51 with which the hoods 5 can be opened to gain access to the interior of the sorting device 10. It can be recognized that the filling station 1 is constructed in a modular fashion with filling station modules 1a, 1b, 1c, 1d, wherein each of the filling station modules 1a-1d comprises an inserting device, a waiting site and a filling site. Each of the filling station modules 1a-1d are covered by three hoods 5.

[0139] The end portion 1.12 of the first input conveyor 1.1 bridging the roller conveyor portion of the first input conveyor 1.1 with the feeding conveyor can be pivoted away, as illustrated by the double arrow. By pivoting away of the end portion 1.12, space is created such that the filling station modules 1a-1d can be moved along the arrow W. Moving one or more of the filling station modules 1a-1d along the direction W is used to gain access between the filling station modules 1a-1d for maintenance of the filling station 1 and the filling station modules 1a-1d, respectively. The second input conveyor 1.2 configured to supply empty receptacles to the filling station 1 along the direction F2, is illustrated on the left portion of FIG. 5. For better visibility, the first output conveyor configured to convey away full receptacles from the filling station along the direction F3, has been omitted in FIG. 5.

[0140] FIG. 6 shows a top view of an embodiment of a sorting device 10 comprising a filling station 1 for sorting book blocks 50 into receptacles. The sorting device 10 mostly corresponds to the embodiment of the sorting device 10 as shown in FIG. 1. Compared to the sorting device 10 as shown in FIG. 1, however, the sorting device 10 for example comprises a first input conveyor 1.1 with a roller conveyor 1.1a and a band conveyor 1.1b. Instead of arriving from a de-stacker with an orientation rotated by 90 with respect to the orientation required by the filling station 1, the book blocks 50 arrive as single book blocks with the orientation required by the filling station 1.

[0141] A book block reader 3 is arranged at the band conveyor 1.1b and configured to read pre-sorting information from at least one identification tag of the book blocks 50. The pre-sorting information comprises for example identification information of quality book blocks 50.1 for quality inspection or of test book blocks 50.1. The pre-sorting information may also comprise identification information about incomplete book blocks 50.2.

[0142] The roller conveyor 1.1a is arranged downstream to the band conveyor 1.1b and comprises a plurality of rollers 1.11 individually rotatable around a first axis A1 perpendicular to the conveying direction F1 and parallel to the conveying plane of the roller conveyor 1.1a. The rollers 1.11 are further also individually rotatable around a second axis perpendicular to the conveying direction F1 and the conveying plane of the roller conveyor 1.1a. The second axis points out of the drawing plane of FIG. 6. By rotating of the rollers 1.11 around the first axis A1, the book blocks 50 can be conveyed in the conveying direction F1. By rotating of the rollers 1.11 around the second axis, the book blocks 50 being positioned on the rotating rollers 1.11 can be deflected from the conveying direction F1. In the shown embodiment, the rollers 1.11 are rotatable by up to 90 around the second axis. By rotating the rollers 1.11 by 90 around the second axis, the first axis A1 is rotated onto the new first axis A1, such that the book blocks 50 lying on the rollers 1.11 rotating around the second axis can be deflected from the conveying direction F1.

[0143] The rollers 1.11 are controlled by a control device 20 which receives pre-sorting information from the book block reader 3 and particularly controls rotation of the rollers 1.11 depending on the pre-sorting information received.

[0144] The rollers 1.11 can be rotated clockwise and counterclockwise around the first axis A1 or the new first axis A1, respectively, such that the book blocks 50 may be deflected and conveyed to both sides of the roller conveyor 1.1a after rotating the rollers 1.11 around the second axis.

[0145] For example, quality book blocks and/or test book blocks 50.1 may be deflected to the left side of the roller conveyor 1.1a with respect to the conveying direction F1. The quality book blocks and/or test book blocks 50.1 may then be conveyed to a first output tray 1.13 with the spine ahead. Incomplete book blocks 50.2 may be deflected and conveyed to the right side of the roller conveyor 1.1a with respect to the conveying direction F1, as will be described in further detail below with respect to FIG. 8.

[0146] An end portion 1.12 of the first input conveyor 1.11 is designed as a belt conveyor bridging the roller conveyor 1.1a with the feeding conveyor 111. Four inserting devices 14 are arranged along the feeding conveyor 111. The inserting devices 14 each comprise a deflector 141 arranged on the feeding conveyor 111 and configured to deflect book blocks 50 from the direction F1 to a respective inserting device 14. The deflectors 141 comprise a plurality of rollers 1411 corresponding to the rollers 1411 as shown in the embodiment of FIG. 1. At a downstream end of each of the deflectors 141, there is arranged a roller conveyor 1111 comprising cylindrical rollers 1111a for conveying the book blocks 50 in the conveying direction F1 from one inserting device 14 to the next inserting device 14.

[0147] A second input conveyor 1.2 is arranged parallel to the first input conveyor 1.1 and feeds empty receptacles to the filling station 1 in the direction F2. An end portion of the second input conveyor 1.2 is partially arranged below the feeding conveyor 111 and feeds the empty receptacles onto waiting sites arranged partially below the feeding conveyor 111. Full receptacles 51.3 are conveyed away from the filling station 1 by the first output conveyor 1.3 along the direction F3. At a downstream portion of the first output conveyor 1.3 where the first output conveyor 1.3 emerges from the filling station 1, there is arranged a cover 1.31 for reducing the risk of injury by reaching out into the filling station 1.

[0148] FIG. 7 shows a top view of an embodiment of a sorting device 10 comprising a filling station 1 for sorting book blocks 50 into receptacles. The sorting device 10 mostly corresponds to the embodiment of the sorting device 10 as shown in FIG. 6. Compared to the sorting device 10 as shown in FIG. 6, however, the sorting device 10 for example comprises a first input conveyor 1.1 with a first roller conveyor 1.1a and a second roller conveyor 1.1b. The book blocks 50 arrive from a de-stacker with an orientation rotated by 90 with respect to the orientation required by the filling station 1. A rotating device 2 is arranged at the second roller conveyor 1.1b. The rotating device 2 is described in further detail below with respect to FIG. 9.

[0149] The first roller conveyor 1.1a comprises a plurality of rollers 1.11 individually rotatable around a first axis A1 perpendicular to the conveying direction F1 and parallel to the conveying plane of the roller conveyor 1.1a, and also individually rotatable around a second axis perpendicular to the conveying direction F1 and the conveying plane of the roller conveyor 1.1a. The first roller conveyor 1.1a is thus designed in correspondence to the first roller conveyor 1.1a as shown in FIG. 6. In particular, the first roller conveyor 1.1a is configured that book blocks 50 can be deflected and conveyed to the left and/or right side of the first roller conveyor 1.1a with respect to the conveying direction F1.

[0150] The second roller conveyor 1.1b comprises a plurality of slanted cylindrical rollers 1.11b. Due to the slanted cylindrical rollers 1.11b, the book blocks 50 arriving at the first input conveyor 1.1 are deflected towards the rotating device 2 until being brought into contact with the rotating device 2 and being rotated therethrough.

[0151] FIG. 8 shows a close-up of the roller conveyor 1.1a of the embodiment of the sorting device 10 as shown in FIG. 6. By individually rotating a plurality of the rollers 1.11 around the second axis perpendicular to the conveying plane of the roller conveyor 1.1a, the book blocks 50 can be deflected from the conveying direction F1. In the Figure, one of the rollers 1.11 is shown after being rotated by a certain angle in order to illustrate the rotatability of the rollers 1.11.

[0152] After rotating a plurality of the rollers 1.11 by 90 around the second axis, a book block can be conveyed perpendicular to the conveying direction F1 by rotating the plurality of rollers 1.11 being rotated around the second axis by 90 further around the first axis parallel to the conveying direction F1.

[0153] As shown in FIG. 8, a quality book block and/or a test book block 50.1 is conveyed to the left side of the roller conveyor 1.1a with respect to the conveying direction F1 and is received by the first output tray 1.13. An incomplete book block 50.2 is in turn conveyed to the right side of the roller conveyor 1.1a with respect to the conveying direction F1 and is received by a second output tray 1.14. The description of the roller conveyor 1.1a can correspondingly be applied for the first roller conveyor 1.1a of the embodiment of the sorting device 1 as shown in FIG. 7.

[0154] FIG. 9 shows a close-up of the second roller conveyor 1.1b of the embodiment of the sorting device 10 as shown in FIG. 7 with the rotating device 2 arranged at the second roller conveyor 1.1b. The rotating device 2 is configured to rotate a book block 50 on the second roller conveyor 1.1b by 90 around an axis perpendicular to the conveying plane of the second roller conveyor 1.1b. The rotating device 2 comprises a first guiding plate 21 and a second guiding plate 22 arranged downstream of the first guiding plate 21. The second guiding plate 22 comprises a stop 23 with a curved edge 231.

[0155] FIG. 9 illustrates a book block 50 in different stages during rotation, i.e. at different points in time. As shown at the rightmost position, the book block 50 is conveyed on the second roller conveyor 1.1b in the conveying direction F1. Due to the slanted cylindrical rollers 1.11b, the book blocks 50 arriving at the first input conveyor 1.1 are deflected towards the rotating device 2 until being brought into contact with the rotating device 2 and being rotated therethrough. In particular, the book block 50 is aligned to the first guiding plate 21 owing to the slanted cylindrical rollers 1.11b driving the book block 50 towards the first guiding plate 21.

[0156] The stop 23 is arranged to stop a corner of the book block 50, which causes the book block 50 to rotate around an axis perpendicular to the conveying plane, as the second roller conveyor 1.1b continues to drive the book block 50 in the conveying direction F1. After being rotated by 90, the book block 50 is aligned to the second guiding plate 22. Before rotating, the book block 50 is conveyed along the conveying direction F1 with the spine 501 running ahead, such that the spine 501 forms the leading edge of the book block 50. After rotating, the spine 501 is aligned parallel to the second guiding plate 22, such that the book block 50 can be deflected with the spine 501 ahead to a transfer device and inserted with the spine 501 ahead into a receptacle by the transfer device.

[0157] FIG. 10 shows a side cut view of the filling station 1 of FIG. 6 along the line A-A. Similar to the embodiment of the sorting device 10 as shown in FIG. 1, an inserting device 14 with a deflector 141 on the feeding conveyor 111 of the feeding section 11 is shown. The transfer device 142 of the inserting device 14 corresponds to the transfer device 142 shown in FIG. 3 and comprises for example also a pivotable slide 1421 with a telescopable end portion for inserting one or more book blocks 50 into the receptacle 51.2. The book block 50 is deposited with its spine oriented towards a front wall 51.21 of the receptacle 51.2 with respect to the receptacle transfer direction F4.

[0158] Compared to the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, the filling station 1 comprises a plurality of pivotable lifting plates 1.5 each arranged at the filling sites 13. The lifting plate 1.5 is configured to be pivoted such that the lifting plate 1.5 forms a slope for the receptacle 51.2. Due to the slope formed by the lifting plate 1.5, a book block 50 being deposited into the receptacle 51.2 can be guided to be aligned and abutting the front wall 51.21 of the receptacle 51.2. In particular for high rates of deposition, book blocks may tend to bounce back from the front wall 51.21 of the receptacle 51.2. By using the lifting plate 1.5, the effects of the bouncing back can be mitigated such that proper alignment of the book blocks in the receptacle 51.2 can be achieved even for high rates of deposition.

[0159] After filling of the receptacle 51.2, the lifting plate 1.5 can be pivoted back or lowered, respectively, and the receptacle 51.2 conveyed from the filling site 13 to the first output conveyor 1.3 by using the combined receptacle drive 1.4 and the belts 1.41. Another empty receptacle is conveyed from the waiting site 12 to the filling site 13 by the combined receptacle drive 1.4 and the belts 1.41, similar as described in connection with FIG. 3.

[0160] FIG. 11 shows a perspective view of the sorting device 10 of FIG. 6 with hoods 5 covering the interior of the sorting device 10. Compared to the embodiment of the sorting device 10 as shown in FIG. 5, it can be recognized that the hoods 5 of the two lateral rows have the same slope. Compared to the sorting device 10, the variety of hood shapes can thus be reduced.

[0161] It can also be recognized that the band conveyor 1.1b exhibits a slope towards the roller conveyor 1.1a. As described above in connection with FIGS. 6 and 8, a first output tray 1.13 is arranged on the left side of the roller conveyor 1.1a with respect to the conveying direction F1. On the right side of the roller conveyor 1.1a with respect to the conveying direction F1, a second output tray 1.14 for incomplete book blocks is arranged. The incomplete book blocks received by the second output tray 1.14 drop into an exchangeable container 1.141. The book blocks are conveyed to the filling station 1, the first output tray 1.13 or to the second output tray 1.14 depending on the pre-sorting information read by the book block reader 3.

[0162] FIG. 12 shows a perspective view of the sorting device 10 of FIG. 7 with hoods 5 covering the interior of the sorting device 10. The first roller conveyor 1.1a and the second roller conveyor 1.1b with slanted cylindrical rollers 1.11b can be recognized.