US 11,447,353 B2Granted

Sheet orientation device, machine for processing a sheet, and method for orienting a sheet

AssigneeBobst Grenchen AG

InventorStefan Wick

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Abstract

The invention relates to a sheet alignment device (5) for a machine for the processing of sheets (B) consisting of a thin, flat material such as paper, cardboard or film, with a feed section, at least one sensor (30, 32) for determining the position and/or alignment of the sheet (B) and also at least two alignment modules (10), each having an alignment roller (12), to which a drive device (14) is assigned in each case, whereby there is assigned to each alignment module (10) a swivel device (16), with which the alignment roller (10) can be swivelled around a swivel axis (A) perpendicular to the feed section. The invention relates also to a machine for the processing of sheets (B) consisting of a thin, flat material such as paper, cardboard or film, whereby a sheet alignment device (5) of the aforementioned type is provided. The invention relates finally to a method for the aligning of a sheet (B) consisting of thin, flat material such as paper, cardboard or film by means of the following steps: the alignment of the sheet (B) is determined, the sheet (B) is speeded up, turned and/or displaced laterally by means of at least two alignment rollers (12), controllable with regard to circumferential speed and alignment, on a feed section.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A sheet alignment device for processing of sheets, the sheet alignment device comprising:

a feed section,
at least one sensor for determining a position and/or an alignment of a sheet,
at least two alignment modules, a first alignment module of the at least two alignment modules having a first alignment roller, a first drive device, and a first swivel device, the first alignment roller being driven by the first drive device, a second alignment module of the at least two alignment modules having a second alignment roller, a second drive device, and a second swivel device, the second alignment roller being driven by the second drive device, each of the first swivel device and the second swivel device swiveling the first alignment roller and the second alignment roller, respectively, around respective swivel axes perpendicular to a plane of the sheet alignment device, and a control system configured to:
calculate a skew amount and a misalignment amount based on the position and the alignment of the sheet;
and
based on the control system calculating that the skew amount indicates the sheet is not skewed and the misalignment amount indicates the sheet is misaligned laterally, control the first drive device to drive the first alignment roller to a same speed as the second drive device drives the second alignment roller, and control the first swivel device and the second swivel device to swivel the first alignment roller and the second alignment roller to a same adjustment about the respective swivel axes, wherein:
the first alignment roller and the second alignment roller cooperate respectively with a first counter-roller and a second counter-roller,
each of the first counter-roller and the second counter-roller corresponds to a first pressure module and a second pressure module, respectively, to control a pressure force that the first counter-roller and the second counter-roller press against the first alignment roller and the second alignment roller, respectively, and
the control system is further configured to, when a front edge of the sheet approaches a gap between the first alignment roller and the second alignment roller and the first counter-roller and the second counter-roller, control the first pressure module and the second pressure module to move the first counter-roller and the second counter-roller away from the first alignment roller and the second alignment roller, so that the sheet can be introduced into the gap without the front edge of the sheet being slowed down.

6 more elements

A sheet alignment device for processing of sheets, the sheet alignment device comprising:

a feed section,
at least one sensor for determining a position and/or an alignment of a sheet,
at least two alignment modules, a first alignment module of the at least two alignment modules having a first alignment roller, a first drive device, and a first swivel device, the first alignment roller being driven by the first drive device, a second alignment module of the at least two alignment modules having a second alignment roller, a second drive device, and a second swivel device, the second alignment roller being driven by the second drive device, each of the first swivel device and the second swivel device swiveling the first alignment roller and the second alignment roller, respectively, around respective swivel axes perpendicular to a plane of the sheet alignment device, and a control system configured to:
calculate a skew amount and a misalignment amount based on the position and the alignment of the sheet;
based on the control system calculating that the skew amount indicates the sheet is not skewed and the misalignment amount indicates the sheet is misaligned laterally, control the first drive device to drive the first alignment roller to a same speed as the second drive device drives the second alignment roller, and control the first swivel device and the second swivel device to swivel the first alignment roller and the second alignment roller to a same adjustment about the respective swivel axes;
and
when the skew amount indicates the sheet is not skewed and when the misalignment amount indicates the sheet is misaligned laterally:
when a front edge of the sheet enters a gap between the first alignment roller and the second alignment roller and corresponding counter-rollers, control the first swivel device and the second swivel device to align the first alignment roller and the second alignment roller in a transport direction of the sheet and, only thereupon, control the first swivel device and the second swivel device to swivel the first alignment roller and the second alignment roller to the same adjustment about the respective swivel axes for a time;
and
before a back edge of the sheet leaves the first alignment roller and the second alignment roller, control the first swivel device and the second swivel device to align the first alignment roller and the second alignment roller in the transport direction of the sheet.

7 more elements

A sheet alignment device for processing of sheets, the sheet alignment device comprising:

a feed section,
at least one sensor for determining a position and/or an alignment of a sheet,
at least two alignment modules, a first alignment module of the at least two alignment modules having a first alignment roller, a first drive device, and a first swivel device, the first alignment roller being driven by the first drive device, a second alignment module of the at least two alignment modules having a second alignment roller, a second drive device, and a second swivel device, the second alignment roller being driven by the second drive device, each of the first swivel device and the second swivel device swiveling the first alignment roller and the second alignment roller, respectively, around respective swivel axes perpendicular to a plane of the sheet alignment device, and a control system configured to:
calculate a skew amount and a misalignment amount based on the position and the alignment of the sheet;
based on the control system calculating that the skew amount indicates the sheet is not skewed and the misalignment amount indicates the sheet is misaligned laterally, control the first drive device to drive the first alignment roller to a same speed as the second drive device drives the second alignment roller, and control the first swivel device and the second swivel device to swivel the first alignment roller and the second alignment roller to a same adjustment about the respective swivel axes;
and
control speeds and alignments of the first and second alignment rollers based on whether:
a front edge of the sheet has entered a gap between the first alignment roller and the second alignment roller and corresponding counter-rollers;
the sheet has been grasped by the at least two alignment modules;
and
a back edge of the sheet has left the first alignment roller and the second alignment roller,
wherein, when the skew amount indicates the sheet is skewed and when the misalignment amount indicates the sheet is properly aligned laterally, the control system is configured to:
control the first drive device to drive the first alignment roller to a same speed as the second drive device drives the second alignment roller when the front edge of the sheet enters the gap;
and
control the first drive device to drive the first alignment roller at a higher speed when the sheet has been grasped.

12 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 16/651,244Filed 9 Oct 2018
Priority: DE 102017123521.310 Oct 2017
Published: US 2020/0270084 A127 Aug 2020
Granted: 20 Sep 2022
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification8 codes

B65H 9/002
Registering, e.g. orientating, articles; Devices therefor: changing orientation of sheet by only controlling movement of the forwarding means,…
B65H 7/08
Responsive to presence of faulty articles or incorrect separation or feed: responsive to incorrect front register
B65H 2404/15212
Rotating, pivoting or oscillating around an axis, e.g. parallel to the roller axis: rotating, pivoting or oscillating around an axis perpendicular…
B65H 2511/216
Angle: orientation, e.g. with respect to direction of movement