Abstract:
Trimming apparatus for books and similar materials are detailed. Dynamic variability of the apparatus allows sizes of successive materials to differ in two dimensions—both from spine to face and from head to foot. The result is a processing system with substantially greater utility than presently available, as the system may process respective materials of multiple different sizes without stopping the apparatus to adjust positions of the cutting implements.

Description:
REFERENCE TO PROVISIONAL APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application is based on, claims priority to, and hereby refers to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/227,115, filed Jul. 21, 2009, entitled “Selective Head and Foot Trim,” the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by this reference. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    This invention relates to trimming items often referred to as “books” and more particularly, but not necessarily exclusively, to equipment, systems, and methods for variably processing bound collections of pages. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2005/0016345 of Lorenzi discloses an exemplary “triple cutter” apparatus for use in processing “book blocks.” The apparatus includes “a front blade for performing a front edge trim in a first position of a book block and two lateral blades for performing a lateral edge trim in a second position of the book block.” See Lorenzi, p. 1, ¶ 0002. As described in the Lorenzi application, the book block
       is initially moved . . . into a first cutting position relative to the front blade. After a front edge trim has been performed, the book block is moved into a second cutting position in relation to the two lateral blades. After a lateral blade trim has been performed, the book block is conveyed out of the triple cutter apparatus.
 
See id., p. 3, ¶ 0032 (numerals omitted). Although the book block is conveyed through the apparatus, the positions of the lateral blades relative to each other are fixed. Consequently, the lateral size (i.e. height) of successive book blocks cannot be varied dynamically.
       
 
         [0005]    U.S. Pat. No. 5,823,934 to Ferrone describes another automatic trimming machine. The machine comprises both a preliminary trimming unit and a finish trimming unit, with the preliminary unit containing four knives rather than the conventional three. A first pair of knives trims “the left side of the folded paper” (i.e. the face of the paper) and its backbone, or spine, while the second pair trims “the top and bottom edges of the folded paper” (i.e. its head and foot). See Ferrone, col. 3, 11. 51-59; col. 4, 11. 22-24. After encountering the first pair of knives, the paper is directed at a right angle to its previous direction of transportation. Again, however, no change in relative position between (at least) the blades of the second pair of knives occurs, as the relative distance between the blades remains fixed. Accordingly, the distance between the head and foot of a paper will be the same for each paper trimmed. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    The present invention provides dynamic variability in spacing of knives of, principally, a triple cutter apparatus. The dynamic variability permits sizes of successive materials to differ in two dimensions—both from spine to face and from head to foot. The result is a processing system with substantially greater utility than presently available, as the system may process respective materials of multiple different sizes without stopping the equipment to change or adjust the knives. 
         [0007]    This greater utility is especially (although not exclusively) important when creating catalogs, magazines, and direct mail pieces intended for transit via the United States Postal Service (USPS). USPS regulations currently provide postage discounts when pieces to be delivered on particular carrier routes are bundled together (“co-mailed”) by mailers. Because the pieces may have different sizes, they conventionally cannot be created and processed quickly by automated equipment, as the equipment cannot trim them to different heights without intermediate stoppage of the machinery. By contrast, the current invention facilitates co-mailing and it associated postage benefits by providing dynamic variability in knife spacing under computer control. Hence, pieces destined for the same carrier route (or other delivery grouping recommended by postal authorities) may be trimmed and processed sequentially and without interruption notwithstanding that they may be sized differently. 
         [0008]    Presently-preferred versions of the invention operate on materials typically referred to as “books.” The materials normally comprise multiple printed sheets of paper bound on one side, with the bound side frequently referred to as the “spine.” The side opposite the spine is referred to as the “face” of the book, whereas its top side is the “head” and its bottom side is the “foot.” Although in many cases print on a sheet will be oriented so as to be read from “head” to “foot,” in other cases it may be oriented so as to be read from “foot” to “head”—or otherwise as appropriate or desired. Sets of pages within a book are sometimes referred to as “signatures” and may vary from book to book in number, size, and content. Catalogs and magazines are (non-limiting) examples of materials included as “books” as considered herein. “Books” conceivably could be formed without using paper, however, and (at least temporarily) might be bound on more than one side. They likewise need not necessarily be printed, although they preferably contain text, graphics, symbols, or other devices intelligible to humans or machines. 
         [0009]    At least one embodiment of a triple cutter apparatus of the invention includes belts, clamps, or other conveying means for moving books from place to place. It additionally preferably includes a first knife having a blade oriented generally transverse to the local direction of transit. This first knife trims the face of each book to provide, typically, a uniform edge. A jogger may be employed to align feet of pages of a book against an associated guide prior to trimming of the face, following which second and third knives may be employed to trim the head and foot of the book, respectively. Blades of the second and third knives beneficially are oriented generally parallel to the local direction of movement of the book and are spaced apart from each other. Significantly, though, this spacing may change automatically as a function of time, so that the distance between the head and foot of one book may differ from that of the previous or succeeding book. After its head and foot are trimmed, each book may be conveyed to other equipment for further processing as appropriate or desired. 
         [0010]    The position of the first knife may change dynamically relative to the widths of the untrimmed books. Hence, it may trim book faces at different distances from their spines. The second and third knives preferably are knives whose cutting motion beneficially (although not necessarily) is coordinated. In certain embodiments of the invention, the position of the third knife is fixed relative to the guide, so trimming of the foot of a book occurs at a fixed distance from its edge. By contrast, the position of the second knife may vary relative to the guide, allowing trimming of the head such that the distance from head to foot may vary from book to book. As a result, for a particular book, either or both of the distances between (1) its spine and face and (2) its head and foot may be different than the corresponding distances for a book trimmed immediately before or after it. 
         [0011]    In certain versions of the invention, variably-positionable back stops may be employed to position books relative to the first knife. Under computer control, magnetic linear actuators (or other appropriate devices, including but not limited to pneumatic, electric, or hydraulic actuators) may move the back stops fore or aft along the longitudinal dimension of the conveyor depending on the desired width of the trimmed book. Mechanical pushers then push the spine of the book against the back stops, so that the first knife trims the face at the correct location. The back stops thereafter may be retracted below the level of the conveyor or otherwise repositioned so as not to inhibit advancement of each book toward the second and third knives. 
         [0012]    One or more clamps optionally may be used to maintain page alignment as books advance through the system. Moreover, although presently-preferred versions of the invention use a fixed-position guide, the guide instead could itself be variably positioned. One or more controllers may, if desired, manage movement of any or all of the joggers, back stops, guide rails, and knives: Consistent with the invention, signals relating to (1) the untrimmed book size from head to foot (i.e. untrimmed height) may govern actuation of the jogger and guide rail, (2) the trimmed book size from spine to face (i.e. trimmed width) may govern positioning of the back stops, and (3) the trimmed book size from head to foot (i.e. trimmed height) may govern positioning of at least the second knife. Some of these signals additionally could be used to position either or both of the first and third knives. 
         [0013]    An alternate embodiment of the invention employs two distinct trimmer assemblies. In the first assembly, only the face and foot are trimmed. Thereafter, a book is conveyed to the second assembly at which head trimming occurs. Alternatively, the face and head may be trimmed in the first assembly and the foot trimmed in the second assembly. Yet another alternative embodiment trims only the head or the foot in the first assembly, with the face and either the foot or the head trimmed in the second assembly. 
         [0014]    It thus is an optional, non-exclusive object of the present invention to provide equipment, systems, and methods for trimming books. 
         [0015]    It is an additional optional, non-exclusive object of the present invention to provide equipment, systems, and methods in which head-to-foot trim sizes may be varied automatically from book to book. 
         [0016]    It is another optional, non-exclusive object of the present invention to provide equipment, systems, and methods in which spine-to-face trim sizes also may be varied automatically from book to book. 
         [0017]    It is a further optional, non-exclusive object of the present invention to provide equipment, systems, and methods in which back stops are automatically moveable linearly and retractable. 
         [0018]    It is, moreover, an optional, non-exclusive object of the present invention to provide equipment, systems, and methods in which at least one of a head-trimming or foot-trimming knife is automatically moveable. 
         [0019]    It is also an optional, non-exclusive object of the present invention to provide equipment, systems, and methods in which a jogger likewise may be repositioned automatically from book to book. 
         [0020]    It is yet another optional, non-exclusive object of the present invention to provide equipment, systems, and methods in which movement of any or all of the knifes, back stops, and joggers may be actuated using one or more magnetic linear actuators, servos, or other suitable means. 
         [0021]    Other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will be apparent to persons skilled in appropriate fields with reference to the remaining text and the drawings of this application. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0022]      FIG. 1  is a schematic representation of a conventional triple cutter apparatus as part of a book-trimming system. 
           [0023]      FIG. 2  is a schematic representation of a version of the invention allowing face cuts to vary from book to book. 
           [0024]      FIG. 3  is a schematic representation of the version of  FIG. 2  also incorporating a jogger whose active position may vary from book to book. 
           [0025]      FIG. 4  is a schematic representation of the version of  FIG. 3  also incorporating a knife assembly allowing head-to-foot cuts to vary from book to book. 
           [0026]      FIG. 5  is a schematic representation of a two-trimmer apparatus functional as an alternative to the version of  FIG. 4 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0027]    Illustrated in  FIG. 1  are aspects of a conventional trimming system  10 . System  10  may include belts  14  and other means for conveying books through triple cutter apparatus  18 . As depicted for system  10 , conveyance occurs linearly in the direction of arrow A in  FIG. 1 . 
         [0028]    Conveyed continuously by belts  14  are books B, which are depicted in dotted lines in  FIG. 1 . Books B 1  and B 2  are untrimmed and shown as approaching first knife  22  for face trimming. Book B 3  is being trimmed by first knife  22 . Book B 4  has been trimmed by first knife  22  and is being trimmed by respective second and third knives  26  and  30 . Books B 5 -B 7  have finished the trimming process and are being conveyed downstream for further processing. Each of books B is oriented such that spine S forms its leading edge, face FA forms its trailing edge, foot FO is adjacent guide  34 , and head H is opposite foot FO. 
         [0029]    System  10  additionally may include one or more joggers (not shown) and back stops  38 . Movement of the joggers is determined prior to commencement of conveyance of books B and thereafter does not change. Likewise, the location of back stops  38  along direction A is determined prior to books B being conveyed by belts  14  and does not change dynamically. The distance between respective second and third knives  26  and  30  is also predetermined for a set of books B and does not change after conveyance begins, and guide  34  is stationary in system  10 . Consequently, for a particular series of books B, each of books B 1 -B 7  will have the same height and width, as (1) the distance from back stops  38  to first knife  22  is constant for the series, as is (2) the distance between second and third knives  26  and  30 . If, for example, book B 2  were desired to be trimmed to a size differing from book B 5 , system  10  would need to be stopped in order to adjust one or both of these otherwise-constant distances. Such stoppage obviously would decrease throughput of system  10 , generally to a commercially-unacceptable level. Accordingly, books B to be trimmed to different sizes are not intermingled within system  10 , even if doing so would decrease overall postage charges when the books B are mailed. 
         [0030]    Systems  100 ,  200 , and  300  of  FIGS. 2-4  resolve this problem in whole or in part. Depicted in  FIG. 2  are books B 1 ′-B 7 ′ of a set of books B′. Although the height of each of B 1 ′-B 7 ′ trimmed in system  100  will be the same, the width of each book may differ. 
         [0031]    As with system  10 , system  100  may include belts  14 , clamps, or other means for conveying books B′ in the direction of arrow A. Stationary guide  34  too may be present as part of cutter apparatus  18 ′ of system  100 , as may be joggers, first knife  22 , second knife  26 , third knife  30 , and back stops  38 ′. For purposes of interpreting  FIG. 2 , books B′ may be oriented in the same manner as are books B of FIG.  1 —spine S may form the leading edge and face FA the trailing edge, foot FO may be adjacent guide  34 , and head H is opposite foot FO. Other orientations of books B′ are possible, however. 
         [0032]    The relative positions of second and third knives  26  and  30  is adjusted only prior to operation of system  100 , leading to the height of books B 1 ′-B 7 ′ being the same. By contrast, location of back stops  38 ′ along direction A may change dynamically from book to book in response to signals from a controller. Accordingly, the distance from back stops  38 ′ to first knife  22  may change from book to book, allowing each of books B 1 ′-B 7 ′ to have a different width when desired. 
         [0033]    For example, assume book B 4 ′ of  FIG. 2  is a clothing catalog that has been trimmed by first knife  22  to a width W 4 ′ from spine to face and ultimately is destined for delivery on a particular letter carrier route. Assume succeeding book B 3 ′ likewise is destined for delivery on that same carrier route—and thus advantageously could be bundled together with book B 4 ′ for postage discounts—but is a magazine needing to be trimmed to width W 3 ′ that is less than W 4 ′. To accomplish this result without stopping operation of system  100 , back stops  38 ′ must be dynamically repositioned to be closer to first knife  22  than they were when the face of book B 4 ′ was trimmed. 
         [0034]    As occurs presently with some conventional systems  10 , a controller may receive desired dimensions of books B′ and be programmed to receive information from sensors and track relative positions of books B′ within system  100 . As part of this invention the controller may be programmed additionally so that, as it learns book B 3 ′ is approaching apparatus  18 ′, it is able to determine that the desired width of book B 3 ′ is less than that of book B 4 ′ and signal back stops  38  to move opposite direction A to be closer to first knife  22 . Such signaling preferably is received by one or more magnetic linear actuators connected to back stops  38 —although other devices may be used instead—which in turn move back stops  38  to a distance from first knife  22  equal to width W 3 ′. First knife  22  therefore may cut face FA of book B 3 ′ to the correct width W 3 ′ without stopping operation of system  100 . Continuing with this example, if book B 2 ′ is another clothing catalog of the type of book B 4 ′, the controller then may signal actuators to return back stops  38  to their prior position so as to trim book B 2 ′ to the same width as book B 4 ′, again without ceasing operation of system  100 . 
         [0035]    System  200  of  FIG. 3  is generally similar to system  100 . Additionally included as part of system  200 , however, is jogger  42 . Jogger  42  is designed to move in directions generally transverse to direction A so as to direct a book against guide  34 , thereby aligning feet of pages of the book prior to any desired clamping of the book and face cutting by first knife  22 . Because conventional trimming systems (such as system  10 ) process books of the same height, any jogger included as part of these systems need have only two positions: (1) a first, unactuated position in which it does not contact the book or impede its advancement through apparatus  18 ; and (2) a second, actuated position in which it bears against heads of pages of the book and forces the feet of the pages against guide  34 . By contrast, jogger  42  is capable of assuming a multitude of positions, foreshadowing the fact that books of multiple heights may be trimmed continuously. 
         [0036]    Important to proper actuation of jogger  42  is information concerning the untrimmed book size from head to foot (i.e. untrimmed height) of each book B′. This information thus desirably is provided to a controller tracking progress of books B′ through system  200 . Knowing, for example, that book B 3 ′ of approximate untrimmed height H 3 ′ is positioned for face trimming by first knife  22 , the controller may direct jogger  42  to move to a distance of approximately H 3 ′ from guide  34 . This movement of jogger  42  causes it to contact head H of book B 3 ′ and push the book B 3 ′ laterally so that its foot contacts guide  34 . Presently-preferred versions of system  200  utilize one or more servo motors to control movement of jogger  42 , although magnetic linear actuators or other motion-inducing means may be employed instead. 
         [0037]    Detailed in  FIG. 4  is system  300  of the present invention. System  300  is generally similar to system  200 . However, in system  300 , second knife  26 ″ may be repositioned dynamically relative to third knife  30 , allowing books B″ to be trimmed to different heights as well without interrupting operation of the system  300 . In particular, second knife  26 ″ may relocate laterally of direction A while, preferably, the position of third knife  30  remains constant. Persons skilled in relevant fields will, however, recognize that third knife  30  may move laterally of direction A either instead of or in addition to second knife  26 ″. 
         [0038]    Assuming second knife  26 ″ indeed is moveable, as in  FIG. 4 , its movement may be controlled by a controller via signals to a magnetic linear actuator or other device (including but not limited to a pneumatic, electric, or hydraulic actuator) or a motor. Thus, for example, apparatus  18 ″ may trim book B 5 ″ to a height H 5 ″, following which book B 4 ″ approaches second and third knives  26 ″ and  30  for trimming of its head H and foot FO. Assuming, consistent with  FIG. 4 , that the height H 4 ″ of book B 4 ″ is to be greater than the height H 5 ″ of book B 5 ″, second knife  26 ″ must be moved further away from third knife  30  than it was when book B 5 ″ was trimmed. A controller signals for such movement, repositioning second knife  26 ″ at a distance H 4 ″ apart from third knife  30 . The second knife  26 ″ then trims head H of book B 4 ″ while third knife  30  trims foot FO of the book B 4 ″, producing a trimmed book B 4 ″ of different height than trimmed book B 5 ″. Hence, by also including variably-positioned back stops  38 ′ as part of system  200 , the system  200  may be used continuously to trim books B″ of different heights and widths without stopping operation. 
         [0039]    Additionally shown in  FIG. 4  is rail  46 . Rail  46  optionally may be moveable laterally of direction A so as to facilitate alignment of books B″ with guide  34 . Movement of rail  46  may occur as a function of the height of an untrimmed book so as dynamically to vary the distance between rail  46  and guide  34  so that it approximates the height of an associated book. Servos signaled by a controller preferably effect movement of rail  46 . 
         [0040]      FIG. 5  depicts an alternate system  400  for producing books of different heights and widths. System  400  may include first cutter apparatus  404  and second cutter apparatus  408  downstream (in direction A) thereof. Like various prior systems, system  400  may include first knife  22 , third knife  30 , stationary guide  34 , and jogger  42 . It omits any second knife, however, instead simply clamping the head of each book while foot trimming occurs. As a consequence, each book exits first cutter apparatus  404  having had its face and foot trimmed but not its head. 
         [0041]    After exiting first cutter apparatus  404 , a book may enter second cutter apparatus  408  and be guided to rail  46 ′ opposite guide  34 . Second cutter apparatus  408  includes variably-repositionable foot guide  412  as well as second knife  26  and jogger  416 . A controller determines appropriate positioning of at least foot guide  412 ; together with jogger  416 , foot guide  412  positions heads of books suitably under second knife  26  so as to produce a book of desired height. As noted earlier, though, two cutting operations may occur in second cutter apparatus  408  and only one in first cutter apparatus  404 , for example, and the face, head, and foot of a book may be trimmed in any order and in any combination by any apparatus. 
         [0042]    The foregoing is provided for purposes of illustrating, explaining, and describing embodiments of the present invention. Modifications and adaptations to these embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art and may be made without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention. The contents of the Lorenzi application and Ferrone patent are incorporated herein in their entireties by this reference.