Folder with early warning jam detection system and related method
AssigneeHeidelberger Druckmaschinen AG
InventorsRoger Robert Belanger, William John Blank, Brian Robert Elkinson, Erik John Ramsay, Kevin Francis Albert
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A folder for processing a stream of printed signatures from a printing press and related method. The signatures have a desired path with a path edge and each signature has a lead and trail edge. The folder comprises a plurality of sensor sets, each sensor set for determining if the lead and/or trail edge of the signature deviates from the path edge by more than a certain tolerance.
Claims11
A folder for processing a stream of signatures having a desired path and each signature having a lead and a trail edge, the folder comprising:
- a plurality of sensor sets, each of the plurality of sensor sets for measuring a deviation of one of the lead and trail edge of the signature from the desired path, one of the plurality of sensor sets being disposed downstream of a cutting cylinder and another of the plurality of sensor sets being disposed upstream of a quarter fold region, each of the plurality of sensor sets including a first laser emitter associated with a first diode receiver and a second laser emitter associated with a second diode receiver, the first laser emitter and first diode receiver being disposed on a first side of a centerline of the desired path, the second laser emitter and the second diode receiver being disposed on a second side of the centerline.
A method for detecting deviations in a stream of signatures in a folder, each signature having a lead and trail edge, the method comprising the steps of:
- sensing one of the lead edge and the trail edge by a first sensor disposed at a first location downstream of a cutting cylinder, the first location being on a first side of a centerline of a desired path of the stream of signatures;
- sensing one of the lead edge and the trail edge by a second sponsor disposed at a second location downstream of a cutting cylinder, the second location being on a second side of the centerline;
- determining a first skew in the signature by comparing an output of the first sensor with an output of the second sensor;
- sensing one of the lead edge and the trail edge by a third sensor disposed at a third location upstream of a quarter folder region, the third location being on the first side of the centerline;
- sensing one of the lead edge and the trail edge by a fourth sensor disposed at a fourth location upstream of a quarter folder region, the fourth location being on the second side of the centerline;
- and
- determining a second skew in the signature by comparing an output of the third sensor with an output of the fourth sensor.
A method for detecting deviations in a stream of signatures in a folder, the stream of signatures including a first signature having a first trail edge and a second signature having a second lead edge, the method comprising the steps of:
- sensing the first trail edge;
- sensing the second lead edge;
- and
- determining a signature-to-signature spacing as a function of the sensing the first trail edge step and the sensing the second lead edge step;
- wherein the sensing and determining steps are performed both downstream of a cutting cylinder and upstream of a quarter folder region.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.