FEED APPLIANCE FOR FEEDING PRODUCTS ONTO A FURTHER-PROCESSING APPLIANCE

Abstract

A feed appliance for feeding products to a further processing appliance includes a standby circulatory apparatus with a takeover station and with several transport units that are circulatorily movable independently of one another for each receiving a product at the takeover station, a provision conveyor for feeding the products to the takeover station, and a control device for controlling the feed of the products and of the transport units into a takeover section of the takeover station and for controlling the takeover of the fed products by the transport units. The standby circulatory apparatus for creating a gapless product stream includes a release device for the cyclically controlled release of individual transport units into the takeover section. For this, the control device is designed to release a transport unit only given a feed of a cyclically correct product into the takeover section.

Claims

1. A feed appliance for feeding products to a further-processing appliance, comprising: a standby circulatory apparatus with a takeover station and with several transport units that are circulatorily movable independently of one another for each receiving a product at the takeover station, a provision conveyor for feeding the products to the takeover station, and a control device for controlling the feed of the products and of the transport units into a takeover section of the takeover station and for controlling the takeover of the fed products by the transport units, wherein the standby circulatory apparatus for creating a gapless product stream comprises a release device for the cyclically controlled release of individual transport units into the takeover section, wherein the control device is designed to release a transport unit only given a feed of a cyclically correct product into the takeover section.

2. A feed appliance for feeding products to a further-processing appliance, comprising: a standby circulatory apparatus with a takeover station and with several transport units that are circulatorily movable independently of one another, for each receiving a product at the takeover station, a provision conveyor for feeding the products to the takeover station, and a control device for controlling the feed of the products and of the transport units into a takeover section of the takeover station and for controlling the takeover of the fed products by the transport units, wherein the standby circulatory apparatus forms a buffer stretch that is subsequent to the takeover station considered in the circulatory direction, for buffering transport units charged with products, wherein the feed appliance comprises means for the continuous detection of the number of transport units buffered in the buffer stretch.

3. The feed appliance according to claim 1, wherein the takeover station comprises a forced-conveying device that can be driven by a drive, for moving the transport unit from the release device into the takeover section at a predefined speed.

4. The feed appliance according to claim 3, wherein the forced-conveying device comprises a transport screw that is rotatable about a rotation axis, for moving the transport unit along the rotation axis of the transport screw.

5. The feed appliance according to claim 1, wherein the standby circulatory apparatus comprises a cycle take-up device that takes up the conveying cycle of the forced-conveying device.

6. The feed appliance according to claim 1, wherein the takeover station comprises a positioning device for positioning the leading edge of the products conveyed by the provision conveyor into the takeover section, during the takeover by the transport unit.

7. The feed appliance according to claim 1, wherein the provision conveyor comprises a belt conveyor, by way of which the products are conveyed to the takeover station.

8. The feed appliance according to claim 1, wherein the provision conveyor comprises a sensor device for detecting products.

9. The feed appliance according to claim 1, wherein the transport units each comprise a gripping element for holding the products.

10. The feed appliance according to claim 9 wherein the takeover station comprises at least one cam guide for switching the gripping elements of the transport units, which are moved through the takeover section, between an open position and a closure position.

11. The feed appliance according to claim 1, wherein the standby circularly apparatus forms an accumulating stretch, which is in front of the release device considered in the circulatory direction, for accumulating the transport units.

12. The feed appliance according to claim 1, wherein the drive of the provision conveyor and of the forced-conveying device are coupled to one another.

13. The feed appliance according to claim 1, wherein a delivery station is arranged on the standby circulatory apparatus in a manner subsequent to the takeover station considered in the circulatory direction.

14. The feed appliance according to claim 1, wherein the release device comprises a retaining element, which can be switched by the control device and by way of which the transport units can be held back in front of the takeover section considered in the circulatory direction, and individually released into the takeover section.

15. A method for creating a gapless product stream, comprising the steps of: providing a standby circulatory apparatus with a takeover station in which several transport units are circulatory moved independently of one another for each receiving a product at the takeover station, providing a provision conveyor, by way of which products are conveyed to the takeover station (5), and providing a control device for controlling the feed of the products and of the transport units into a takeover section of the takeover station and for controlling the takeover of the fed products by the transport units, wherein individual transport units are released in a cyclically controlled manner by way of a release device and are moved in a cyclically synchronous manner with the individual products into the takeover section, wherein a transport unit is released by the release device only on feeding a cyclically correct product into the takeover section.

16. A method for creating a gapless product stream, comprising the steps of: providing a standby circulatory apparatus with a takeover station, in which several transport units are circulatory moved independently of one another, for each receiving a product at the takeover station, a provision conveyor, by way of which products are conveyed to the takeover station, and a control device for controlling the feed of the products and of the transport units into a takeover section of the takeover station and for controlling the takeover of the fed products by the transport units, wherein the standby circulatory apparatus forms a buffer stretch subsequent to the takeover station considered in the circulatory direction, for buffering transport units which are charged with products, wherein the degree of filling of the buffer stretch is monitored and regulated by the control device.

17. The method according to claim 15, wherein a cyclically correct product in the provision conveyor is detected by way of the sensor device and the control device consequently produces a control command for the release of a transport unit at the takeover cycle of the detected, cyclically correct product at the takeover station.

18. The method according to claim 15, wherein a product and a transport unit of a takeover cycle are each conveyed into the takeover section in a cyclically synchronous manner.

19. The method according to claim 15, wherein the switching cycle of the release device is synchronised with the cycle of the forced-conveying device which is taken up by the cycle take-up device.

20. The method according to claim 15, wherein the conveying cycle of the provision conveyor is synchronised with the cycle of the forced-conveying device, which is taken up by cycle take-up device.

21. The method according to claim 16, wherein the control device increases the product takeover cycle rate of the feed appliance on falling short of a lower filling degree threshold and reduces the product takeover cycle rate on exceeding an upper filling degree threshold.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0101] The subject-matter of the invention is hereinafter explained in more detail by way of an embodiment example which is represented in the accompanying drawings. There are shown in:

[0102] FIG. 1 is a lateral view of a feed appliance according to the invention;

[0103] FIG. 2 is an enlarged detail of the takeover station according to FIG. 1;

[0104] FIG. 3 is an enlarged detail of the takeover station according to FIG. 2, from the opposite side;

[0105] FIG. 4a is an enlarged detail of the accumulating stretch according to FIG. 1, with transport carriages;

[0106] FIG. 4b is an enlarged detail of the buffer stretch according to FIG. 1, with transport carriages;

[0107] FIG. 5 is a lateral view of the feed appliance according to FIG. 1, with a charging device and with a further-processing appliance.

[0108] Basically, the same parts in the figures are provided with the same reference numerals.

[0109] The feed appliance 1 according to FIGS. 1 and 5 includes a standby circulatory apparatus 2, which serves for creating a gapless stream of printed products 23 from individually feed printed products 23, for the transfer onto a further-processing appliance 51 connecting to the standby circulatory apparatus 2.

[0110] The standby circulatory apparatus 2 includes a plurality of transport carriages 21 which are circulatorily guided along a closed circulatory path. The transport carriages 21 include rollers, via which the transport carriages 21 roll along a guide rail 20. The guide rail 20 accordingly leads along the circulatory path U (see FIGS. 4a and 4b).

[0111] The transport carriages 21 each include a gripper 22 for the clamped holding of a printed product 23 in each case.

[0112] The standby circulatory apparatus 2 is designed as a gravity conveyor, in which the transport carriages 21, which are each movable along the guide rail 20 independently of one another, are conveyed upwards along an ascending stretch 26. For this, the transport carriages 21 include catching lugs 25, via which the transport carriages 21 are driven along the ascending stretch 26 by a driver with driver elements.

[0113] Departing from the upper, more highly situated end of the ascending path 26, the transport carriages 21 at least in sections by way of gravitational assistance roll along the conveying rail 20 having a descent at least in sections, back to the lower beginning of the ascending stretch 26 which is situated at a lower level.

[0114] The standby circulatory apparatus 2 moreover includes a takeover station 5, which forms the takeover section 12. The transport carriages 21 at the takeover station 5 each take over a printed product 23 delivered by a provision conveyor 3 into the takeover section 12.

[0115] The provision conveyor 3 includes a double-belt conveyor 30, by way of which the printed products are conveyed from below through a conveying gap into the takeover section 12 of the takeover station 5 (see FIG. 1 and FIG. 5).

[0116] A charging device 6 with a product store, from which the printed products 23 are fed to the double-belt conveyor 30 (see FIG. 5) can be assigned to the provision conveyor 3.

[0117] A positioning device 17 on which the printed products 23 fed from below abut with their leading product edge and thus positions the product with its leading edge is provided in the takeover section 12 of the standby circulatory apparatus 2. The positioning device 17 amongst other things serves as an insert limitation. This means that the positioning device 17 ensures a defined insert depth into the gripper 22.

[0118] For this, the positioning device 17, considered in the conveying direction F, forms a stop on both sides of the guide rail 20 (see also FIGS. 2 and 3). However, only the stop lying behind the transport screw 15 in the conveying direction is represented in FIG. 2 for representational reasons.

[0119] The transport carriages 21 with their grippers are conveyed laterally into the takeover section 12. The transfer of the printed products 23 into the grippers 22 of the transport carriages 21 is effected in a cycled manner. Thereby, a printed product 23 is inserted from below into the open gripper 22 of the conveying carriage 21 moved cyclically synchronously into the takeover section 12.

[0120] The gripper 22, via a cam guide 14, is switched between an open position and closure position for taking over the printed product 23.

[0121] Since the takeover of the printed products 23 by the gripper 22 of the transport carriages 21 is effected in cycled manner, the printed products 23 as well as the transport carriages 21 must conveyed into the takeover section 12 in a cycled manner.

[0122] A transport screw 15 which is actively driven via a drive and which has a spirally designed guide groove 41 is provided for this. The control of the drive is effected via a control device 4.

[0123] The catching lug 25 of the transport carriage 21 engages into the guide groove 41 of the transport screw 15 and is caught by this, in an entry region at the end of the transport screw 15, which is at the front considered in the conveying direction. The transport carriage 21 is then transported via the catching lug 25 guided in the guide groove 41, along the transport screw 15 in the conveying direction F into the takeover section 12 in a cycled manner.

[0124] The conveying movement of the transport carriage 21 along the rotation axis D of the transport screw 15 is produced via the rotation movement of the transport screw 15 about its rotation axis D. The guide groove, which with this procedure quasi rotates about the rotation axis D, moves the catching lug 25 and, with this, the conveying carriage 21, in the conveying direction F.

[0125] The transport carriage 21 subsequently to the takeover of the printed product 23 by the transport screw 15 is conveyed further in the conveying direction F along the rotation axis of the screw out of the takeover section 12 again.

[0126] The catching lug 25 leaves the guide groove 41 again at the rear end of the transport screw 15. The transport carriage 21 merges into gravitation conveying along a conveying stretch with a descent which is subsequent to the transport screw 15.

[0127] The standby circulatory apparatus 2 moreover includes a release device 7 which considered in the circulatory direction U is arranged in front of the transport screw 15, i.e. in front of the takeover region 12. The release device 7 includes a retaining element 10, which can be switched between a retaining position and a release position and which in a retaining position holds back and accumulates the transport carriages 21 in front of the takeover section 12. The retaining element 10 holds back the transport carriage 21 on the catching lug 35.

[0128] The standby circulatory apparatus 2 forms a corresponding accumulating stretch 13, which is in front of the retaining element 10 considered in the circulatory direction U and in which the transport carriages 21 are accumulated. The accumulating stretch 13 forms a descent (see also FIG. 4a).

[0129] Individual transport vehicles 21 are released for the entry into the takeover section 12 by way of switching the retaining element 10 from the retaining position into the release position by way of the control device 4.

[0130] The retaining element 10 is switched by way of the control device 4 from the retaining position into the release position in each case, for releasing individual transport carriages 21 for the entry into the takeover region 12.

[0131] The released transport carriages 21 can move towards the entry region of the transport screw 15 in a manner assisted by gravity, at which entry region they are seized or gripped by the transport screw 15.

[0132] The transport carriages 21 shown in FIG. 4a are each provided with an elastically deformable run-on element 24. This element is elastically deformed by the intrinsic weight of a subsequent transport carriage 21, which in the accumulating stretch 13 runs onto the frontmost transport carriage 21 held back by the retaining element 10.

[0133] If the frontmost transport carriage 21 is now released, then this repels itself from the trailing transport carriage 21 and thus obtains a movement impulse in the direction of the transport screw 15, due to the restoring of the run-on element 24 into its initial shape caused by relaxation.

[0134] In the present embodiment example, the retaining element 10 is switched pneumatically between the retaining position and release position.

[0135] The standby circulatory apparatus 2 moreover includes a cycle take-up device 16, which takes up the cycle of the actively driven transport screw 15. The conveying cycle of the provision conveyor 3 as well as the operating cycle of the release device 7 is synchronised with the conveying cycle of the transport screw 15, which is taken up by the cycle take-up device 16, by way of the control device 4.

[0136] The standby circulatory apparatus 2 subsequently to the takeover station 5 forms a buffer stretch 18 in a stretch section having a descent, in which buffer stretch the transport carriages 21 fed with printed products 23 are buffered (see also FIG. 4b).

[0137] A delivery station 9 with a further release device including a retaining element 63 switchable between a retaining position and a release position is arranged at the end of the buffer stretch 18. The retaining element 63 is operated in the same manner as the retaining element 10 of the first release device which has already been described above.

[0138] The transport carriages 21 at the delivery station 9 can be released individually out of the buffer stretch and transferred to a further-processing appliance 51.

[0139] The transport carriages 21 released from the buffer stretch 18 can obtain a movement impulse in the direction of the delivery location via the elastically deformable run-on element 24 in the same manner as has been described above.

[0140] The printed products 23 are released at the delivery station 9 in a lower lying section of the circulatory path. The already mentioned ascending stretch 26, along which the empty transport carriages 21 are conveyed into a higher situated section of the circulatory path U for the purpose of leading back to the takeover station 5, is subsequent to the delivery station 9 considered in the circulatory direction U.

[0141] The buffering of transport carriages 21 with printed products 23 serves for ensuring an interruption-free supply of the further-processing appliance 51 operated with a different operating cycle, with printed products 23.

[0142] By way of the buffering of transport carriages 21 with printed products 23 along the buffer stretch 18, it is to be ensured that the interruption-free delivery of printed products 23 from the standby circulatory apparatus 2 to the further-processing appliance 51 on call or in the operating cycle of the further-processing appliance 51 is guaranteed, even given individual error products or ones occurring subsequent to one another, as is yet described hereinafter.

[0143] The degree of filling of the buffer stretch 18 with transport vehicles 21 is monitored by the control device 4. For this, a first buffer sensor 61 is arranged in front of the buffer stretch 18 and a second buffer sensor 62 after the buffer stretch 18. The first buffer sensor 61 serves for counting the transport carriages 21 entering into the buffer stretch 19 and the second buffer sensor 62 serves for counting the transport carriages 21 leaving the buffer stretch. The degree of filling, i.e. the number of transport carriages 21 currently located in the buffer stretch 18 can now be continuously determined from the sensor data of the buffer sensors 61, 62.

[0144] The feed appliance 1 is operated with a variable cycle rate for the control of the degree of filling of the buffer stretch 18.

[0145] As already mentioned above, given a constant delivery cycle rate—depending on the degree of filling of the buffer stretch 18—the number of transport carriages 21 in the buffer stretch 18 can be increased by way of increasing the takeover cycle rate of the feed appliance 1, or the number of transport carriages 21 in the buffer stretch 18 can be reduced by way of lowering the takeover cycle rate of the feed appliance.

[0146] The provision of a gapless product stream, with which each gripper 22 of a transport carriage 21 includes a printed product 23, necessitates only transport carriages 21 having a printed product 23 being fed to the buffer stretch 18. Faulty products are therefore ejected out in the takeover section and empty cycles without printed products 23 are left out.

[0147] For this, the provision conveyor 3 includes an ejecting device 8 with a slide 19 for ejecting faulty printed products 23, which are not taken over by a gripper 22 of a transport carriage 21, out of the takeover section 12 in a manner assisted by gravity.

[0148] For this, the provision conveyor 3 moreover includes a sensor device 31 for detecting cyclically correct products. The sensor device 31 in FIG. 1 is arranged, for example, in front of the conveying gap of the double-belt conveyor 30 considered in the conveying direction F.

[0149] If now a cyclically correct product is detected by the sensor device 31, then the control device 4 switches the retaining element 10 into the release position for the respective takeover cycle. Consequently, a transport carriage 21 is released into the takeover section at the respective takeover cycle.

[0150] If no cyclically correct product or an error product is detected at a conveying cycle, then the control device 4 does not switch the retaining element 10 into the release position for the respective takeover cycle. Consequently, also no transport carriage 21 is conveyed into the takeover section 12 at the respective takeover cycle

[0151] If the error product is an empty cycle, then simply no transport vehicle 21 with a printed product 23 is released out of the takeover section 12 into the buffer stretch 18 in the respective operating cycle.

[0152] If the error product is faulty printed product 23, then although this is conveyed into the takeover section 12, there however it is not taken over by a transport carriage 21 since such has not been released.

[0153] The faulty printed product 23 which has not been taken over is however deflected downwards at the positioning device 17 and falls onto the slide 19 of the ejecting device 8, via which the faulty printed product 23 slides into a capture container. The positioning device 17 in this case also has the function of a deflector.

[0154] Thanks to the sensor device 31 for detecting cyclically correct printed products 23, it is ensured that a cyclically correct printed product 23 is always transferred onto the transport carriage 12 in the respective takeover cycles and released into the buffer stretch 18. Since a buffer of transport carriages 21 with printed products 23 is formed in the buffer stretch 18 as already mentioned above, the takeover gaps are only capable of influencing the degree of filling, but not the operating cycle of the subsequent further-processing appliance 51.