Device and method for processing flat products

Device for processing sheets of paper, cardboard or plastic, comprising:

• a device body with at least one recess;
• a removable modular tool unit having a longitudinal axis;
• a tool drive unit that is connected to the device body and that comprises a tool drive motor;
• a tool bearing that is connected to the device body and that includes at least one bearing drive unit with a bearing drive motor that is connected to a lifting device, which supports a bearing block;
• the bearing block, which has a longitudinal axis that extends from a first end to a second end of the hearing block, is designed for receiving and holding the removable modular tool unit that is shiftable laterally through the recess in and out of the device body, with the longitudinal axis of the removable modular tool unit aligned in parallel to the longitudinal axis of the bearing block, which recess adjoins the first end of the bearing block;
• a control unit controlling the bearing drive motor of the bearing drive unit and the tool drive motor of the tool drive unit independently from one another such that the removable modular tool unit is movable by the bearing drive unit towards the tool drive unit so that it is coupleable to and holdable in a distance from the tool drive unit in which the tool drive unit can interact with the removable modular unit;
• the removable modular tool unit comprises at least one elastic element as well as a first tool holder and a second tool holder that are connected with one another and movable towards one another and that are held separated from one another by the at least one elastic element, which is arranged between the first tool holder and the second tool holder;
• the first tool holder holding a first tool part and the second tool holder holding a second tool part;
• the first tool part and second tool part serving for processing the sheets;
• the modular tool unit is releasably held by the tool bearing and is movable by the bearing drive unit towards the tool drive unit under the control of the control unit into a position,
• wherein the first tool holder is fixedly held by the bearing drive unit, and
• wherein the second tool holder is coupled with the tool drive unit and can be moved by the tool drive unit forth and back towards the first tool holder which is fixedly held.