Method and apparatus to decelerate printed product in a stacking process

Abstract

An apparatus and method to decelerate printed product in a stacking process is provided. The printed product may be a product such as printed paper, foil, or plastic. A continuous web of product may be cut into single items, one item at a time, and then the items may be stacked on top of one another. The apparatus may be comprised of a cylinder, which is comprised of a vacuum chamber having perforations and a blowing chamber having perforations. A first slow delivery tape, and first and second fast delivery tapes may also be provided. Each of the delivery tapes may have perforations to allow air to pass through and from or to the cylinder. The first slow delivery tape is wrapped around the cylinder. The first and second fast delivery tapes are wrapped around rollers and may help to create separation between individual cut items and may control moving items. The first slow delivery tape may slow down items to allow stacking of items. The apparatus may also include first and second brushes ratably connected to housing. One or the other brush can push down on individual items to move an item closer towards the cylinder. The apparatus may additionally include a cutting device, which cuts individual items from a continuous web. The slow delivery tapes may also travel over a slow delivery tape vacuum and the second fast delivery tapes may travel over a fast delivery vacuum.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.