Patent ID: 8251882
Filing Date: 2012-08-28
Classification: B65H

Abstract:
1. A method for operating a longitudinal folding apparatus ( 01 ) comprising a folding blade ( 04 ), a folding table ( 02 ) having a folding gap ( 06 ), and, on each of the two sides of the folding gap ( 06 ), at least one or a group of braking elements ( 31 ; 32 ; 33 ; 34 ), wherein the movement of a folding blade ( 04 ) is driven in a synchronized manner, with respect to its cyclic motion frequency, in relation to one or more units of a web-processing machine situated upstream thereof and/or a flow of incoming products ( 03 ), wherein the entry of a leading edge of incoming products ( 03 ) is detected at a first measuring point (S 1 ) in the transport path of the folding table ( 02 ), and wherein a relative phase position ΔΦ between the movement of the folding blade ( 04 ) and the phase position of the unit or units upstream and/or the phase position of the flow of products is deliberately modified by a control and/or regulating system ( 10 ) for the purpose of adjusting a point of contact of the folding blade ( 04 ) with the product ( 03 ) to be folded, characterized in that the relative phase position ΔΦ is modified by a control algorithm such that, at least in one operating mode or phase of production operation, the leading edges of the products ( 03 ) to be folded, which are conveyed on the folding table ( 02 ), are held back at a distance from the measuring point (S 1 ) located on the transport path by varying the relative phase position ΔΦ in such a way that, as a result of a detection of the leading edge of one or of a certain number of successive products ( 03 ) at this measuring point (S 1 ), the relative phase position ΔΦ is varied to an earlier time for the first contact of product ( 03 ) and folding blade ( 04 ) and/or the contact point is varied to a point that lies closer to an intake side ( 18 ) of the incoming products ( 03 ), in that, at a second measuring point (S 2 ), located upstream of the first measuring point (S 1 ) in the direction of transport (T 1 ), the entry of a leading edge of incoming products ( 03 ) is also detected, and the relative phase position ΔΦ is varied using a control algorithm, in such a way that, at least in one operating mode or phase of a production operation, the leading edges of the products ( 03 ) to be folded, which are conveyed on the folding table ( 02 ), are held in a capture area, defined by the two measuring points (S 1 ; S 2 ) that are spaced from one another in the direction of transport (T 1 ), by varying the relative phase position ΔΦ and with single or multiple deliveries from the capture area, the position of the edge in this capture area is moved back for subsequent products ( 03 ), and in that a skewed position of the product ( 03 ) to be longitudinally folded is corrected by means of a friction-based deceleration implemented by braking elements ( 31 ; 32 ; 33 ; 34 ) disposed on both sides of the folding gap ( 06 ) and adjustable independently of one another in terms of their distance from the folding table ( 02 ) or from the upper side of the folding table and/or from the product ( 03 ).