Guide arrangement for use with a transport member
AssigneeMueller Martini Holding AG
InventorsJean-Claude Oppliger, Michael Landolt
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A guide arrangement is provided for guiding movement of a transport member to convey products in a conveying direction of a conveying section having a predetermined course. The transport member includes a number of functional units operatively connected to each other. The guide arrangement includes a number of sequentially connected guide rail elements defining a guide channel along the conveying section. The guide channel has inside walls including structure to guide the transport member.
Claims20
A guide arrangement for guiding movement of a transport member to convey products in a conveying direction of a conveying section having a predetermined course, wherein the transport member includes a number of functional units operatively connected to each other, the guide arrangement comprising:
- a number of sequentially connected guide rail elements defining a guide channel along the conveying section, the guide channel having inside walls including structure to guide the transport member, wherein a respective guide rail element has opposite end faces extending normal to the conveying direction;
- and
- connecting elements each attached to a respective one of the end faces to interconnect the guide rail elements, wherein one connecting element includes mirror-inverted positioning parts, relative to an adjacent connecting element of a sequentially connected guide rail element, wherein the mirror-inverted positioning parts ensure a congruent continuation of the guide channel.
A guide arrangement for guiding movement of a transport member to convey products in a conveying direction of a conveying section having a predetermined course, wherein the transport member includes a number of functional units operatively connected to each other, the guide arrangement comprising:
- a number of sequentially connected guide rail elements defining a guide channel along the conveying section, the guide channel having inside walls including structure to guide the transport member, wherein a respective guide rail element has end faces each including a force-locking connecting element, wherein one connecting element includes mirror-inverted positioning parts, relative to an adjacent connecting element, wherein the mirror-inverted positioning parts ensure a congruent continuation of the guide channel, wherein the connecting elements of the guide rail elements have flanges including the positioning parts, and the positioning parts include at least one projection and at least one depression which are fitted into mirror-inverted, complementary geometries on an oppositely-arranged connecting element, wherein the projection and the depression include mirror-inverted, tapered contours.
A guide arrangement for guiding movement of a transport member to convey products in a conveying direction of a conveying section having a predetermined course, wherein the transport member includes a number of functional units operatively connected to each other, the guide arrangement comprising:
- a number of sequentially connected guide rail elements defining a guide channel along the conveying section, the guide channel having inside walls including structure to guide the transport member, wherein a respective guide rail element has end faces each including a force-locking connecting element, wherein one connecting element includes mirror-inverted positioning parts, relative to an adjacent connecting element, wherein the mirror-inverted positioning parts ensure a congruent continuation of the guide channel further including a chamfer disposed in an area of transition from one of the guide rail elements or from a connecting element to one of a following guide-rail element or an associated connecting element;
- and an adapter element arranged to bridge the chamfer.
A guide arrangement for guiding movement of a transport member to convey products in a conveying direction of a conveying section having a predetermined course, wherein the transport member includes a number of functional units operatively connected to each other, the guide arrangement comprising:
- a number of sequentially connected guide rail elements defining a guide channel along the conveying section, the guide channel having inside walls including structure to guide the transport member , wherein the guide rail elements include running surface elements that define rolling planes along which the transport member is guided with a running fit, wherein the running surface elements are arranged one of parallel opposite each other or parallel mirror-inverted and spaced apart by a distance that corresponds to a diameter of a guide roller belonging to the transport member, wherein the running surface elements are arranged parallel, mirror-inverted only along a contact plane with the guide roller.
A guide arrangement for guiding movement of a transport member to convey products in a conveying direction of a conveying section having a predetermined course, wherein the transport member includes a number of functional units operatively connected to each other, the guide arrangement comprising:
- a number of sequentially connected guide rail elements defining a guide channel along the conveying section, the guide channel having inside walls including structure to guide the transport member, wherein the guide rail elements include running surface elements that define rolling planes along which the transport member is guided with a running fit, wherein the running surface elements are arranged one of parallel opposite each other or parallel mirror-inverted and spaced apart by a distance that corresponds to a diameter of a guide roller belonging to the transport member, wherein the guide channel has side walls defining an inside and a number of fixed support regions respectively arranged at least on one of the side walls, and wherein the running surface elements are supported at least frictionally adhering on the support regions.
A combination comprising a guide arrangement and a transport member for use in the guide arrangement to guide a movement of printed products in a conveying direction along a conveying section having a course that is predetermined by the guide arrangement, wherein:
- the guide arrangement comprises:
- a number of sequentially connected guide rail elements defining a guide channel along the conveying section, the guide channel having inside walls including structure to guide the transport member;
- and
- the transport member comprises:
- a number of functional units connectable together, each functional unit comprising at least first and second, sequentially arranged chain links positioned along the conveying section, the chain links comprising one of a rigid or articulated connection, relative to each other, wherein the first chain link and the second chain link differ in their functions and are operatively connected to each other, wherein in their sequence for forming the transport member the functional units are configured congruent, quasi-congruent, or are configured differently based on their functionality, and wherein the functional units include connecting elements to form one of a detachable connection, a force-locking connection, or a non-detachable connection, wherein at least one of the chain links of the functional units includes a functional device connected remote from a chain drive, and wherein each functional unit includes at least four guide rollers;
- and wherein
- the guide arrangement further includes:
- a plurality of running surface elements extending along the conveying section for accommodating the transport member and for delimiting the guide channel that is open on one side, and wherein at least four running surface elements make running contact with at least two of the guide rollers of a functional unit.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.