Abstract:
A configuration for the transport and simultaneous alignment of sheets has a straightedge, at least one conveyor belt disposed slightly at an angle to the straightedge in the direction of movement of the sheets, and an air suction device. The conveyor belt exhibits open transverse slots on its upper side carrying the sheets. The upper half of the conveyor belt runs in a guide channel that is open in an upward direction, and the transverse slots are connected to the air suction device in such a way as to permit the flow to take place. A controller is provided to control the supply of air in the area of the transverse slots.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     Field of the Invention  
         [0002]     The invention relates to a configuration for the transport and simultaneous alignment of sheet material, in particular made of paper, board or films, with a straightedge and with at least one conveyor belt, disposed slightly at an angle to the straightedge in the direction of movement of the sheet, and an air suction device.  
         [0003]     A configuration of this kind for the transport and simultaneous alignment of sheet material is previously disclosed in German patent DE 34 10 029 C1. The conveyor belt running slightly at an angle to the straightedge is provided in this case with a plurality of perforations, which are disposed above a suction channel that is open to the perforations. The sheet material, once it has been placed on the conveyor belt, is retained on the conveyor belt by the generated suction effect and is transported to the straightedge in order to align it accurately for the subsequent further processing stages. As a consequence of the suction effect, however, and in particular in the case of very thin, soft materials, there is a risk in this case of the sheet material being held too firmly on the conveyor belt, with the result that it cannot be aligned exactly and that folds may form in the area between the straightedge and the conveyor belt.  
         [0004]     Reference is also made to these difficulties in published, non-prosecuted German patent application DE 37 24 712, which shows a similar configuration, in conjunction with which the conveyor belt does not exhibit any perforations, however. This publication instead proposes the configuration, next to the conveyor belt or between a number of conveyor belts, of suction openings in a guide plate, which lead into a subjacent suction channel. The conveyor belt in this case projects in full or in part above the surface of the guide plate. This results in the formation along the conveyor belt of suction slots, as a consequence of which, viewed over the entire surface of the conveyor, the suction forces are distributed in an irregular fashion, and problems such as the formation of folds or the snagging of the edges of the transported sheets and inadequate alignment can occur.  
         [0005]     Contrary to the theory, therefore, in conveyor and alignment configurations of this kind, the adhesion between the sheet material and the conveyor belt must be varied in practice by changing the suction performance, as a consequence of which a not inconsiderable set-up cost is required in addition to specialist experience. Since the suction force acting from below pulls the sheet material onto the conveyor belt and subsequently pulls it onto the guide plate, both frictional heat and frictional wear are produced. The frictional heat encourages the generation of static electricity in the case of certain qualities of paper and quite particularly in the case of films. This is detrimental to the processing of the sheet material. The previously disclosed partial vacuum configurations are particularly unfavorable for the transverse supply of the sheet material in the case of so-called corner conveyor tables. The sheet, as it arrives in a transverse direction, is already caused to decelerate by the suction effect in the suction holes situated externally in the conveyor belt or by the longitudinal suction slots running along the conveyor belt, and for this reason a longer transport path is required for the alignment, as a consequence of which an increased need for space exists and higher machine-related costs are imposed.  
         [0006]     Other configurations for the transport and alignment of sheet materials possess balls located in ball rails for the purpose of applying a loading to the sheets on the top side, for example as indicated in German patent DE 17 86 252 C3. The loading of the sheet material must be varied depending on the size of the sheet, the weight of the sheet, the rigidity of the sheet and the coefficient of friction of the sheet. This setting-up work is expensive and also calls for specialist knowledge and specialist experience. Moreover, the quality of alignment is affected in a negative fashion in the sense that the balls are caused to jump into the air by the arriving sheet, in particular in the case of thick or multi-layer products. Furthermore, sensitive papers or printed surfaces are damaged by the pressure of the balls, in that they form clearly visible lines or local point markings. The balls also pick up printing ink and dirt and accordingly require frequent cleaning, as a result of which the labor input in such configurations is increased.  
         [0007]     A further configuration of the kind in question is previously disclosed in German patent DE 44 21 918. This provides for the conveyor belt to exhibit open transverse slots on its upper side carrying the sheet at least on the side facing towards the straightedge, in order for the upper half of the conveyor belt to run in a guide channel that is open in an upward direction, the upper side of which lies at the same height as the upper side of the conveyor belt, and for the open side of the transverse slots to be connected to the air suction device in such a way as to permit the flow to take place.  
         [0008]     A uniform distribution of the suction effect over the entire surface of the conveyor belt, which transports the sheet is assured by the transverse slots. Guiding of the conveyor belt in the guide channel that is open in an upward direction is executed in such a way that the upper sides of the guide channel and the conveyor belt lie at approximately the same height. This ensures an exact supporting surface for the sheets that are to be transported and aligned, so that these are able without problem to perform the relative displacements required for alignment. The suction effect exerted on the sheets by the air suction device also makes its effect felt in the alignment process including in the case of very thin, flexible sheet material without impairing the alignment process, since the extraction of the air from the slots takes place at their lateral opening, as a consequence of which the suction force is low perpendicular to the conveyor belt. An additional consideration is the fact that the movement of the sheet material in relation to the straightedge is supported by the direction of flow generated in this way, and in particular when only the open sides of the transverse slots facing towards the straightedge are subjected to suction air or a net suction air flow is generated in this direction. It has been found that this solution also exhibits disadvantages, however, since the necessary extraction configurations are large and expensive in order to be able to utilize all the weights per unit area (from about 28 g/m 2  to 300 g/m 2 ) and formats that are used in folding. It is especially important in this case to ensure that it is possible for this purpose reliably to cover a broad partial vacuum range, for example from 100 to 0.1 mbar. The suction air generator in German patent DE 44 21 918, on the other hand, produces a relatively constant low partial vacuum.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0009]     It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide a configuration for the transport and simultaneous alignment of sheets that overcomes the above-mentioned disadvantages of the prior art devices of this general type, such that the reliable alignment of a sheet material in a very wide range of weights per unit area and dimensions supplied in a longitudinal or transverse direction is ensured, and that experience-dependent operating measures, time-consuming cleaning work and the risk of damage to the sheet material are avoided.  
         [0010]     With the foregoing and other objects in view there is provided, in accordance with the invention, a configuration for transport and simultaneous alignment of sheets. The configuration contains a guide channel being open in an upward direction and having an upper side and a straightedge and at least one conveyor belt disposed slightly at an angle to the straightedge in a direction of movement of the sheets. The conveyor belt carries the sheets, has an upper side with transverse slots formed therein, and an upper half running in the guide channel. An air suction device fluidically communicates with the transverse slots for permitting an air flow to take place. A controller for controlling a supply of air in an area of the transverse slots, is provided.  
         [0011]     The configuration in accordance with the invention is accordingly characterized in that control devices are provided to control the supply of air in the area of the transverse slots. The airflow in the area of the transverse slots is responsible for the force with which a sheet lying on the conveyor belt is pulled down and held securely. This force is variable, however, in view of the plurality of different sheets, which require to be handled by a configuration of the kind in question. The necessary holding force for a large-format, repeatedly folded sheet with a weight per unit area of 300 g/m 2  differs considerably from that required for a single, smaller sheet with a weight per unit area of 28 g/m 2 . Damage may consequently even be caused to the lighter sheet if this were to be subjected to the same force as the large, heavy sheet, for example by the sheet being sucked between the teeth and being caused to crumple as a result. This can be prevented with suitable control devices, which control the airflow in the area of the transverse slots. Through the optimal adaptation of the air supply to create the correct ratio of static partial vacuum and dynamic partial vacuum or volumetric flow, it is possible without any problems to transport all the weights per unit area (from about 28 g/m 2  to 300 g/m 2 ) in all the necessary formats that are commonly encountered in folding, and to align them against a straightedge.  
         [0012]     In an advantageous embodiment of the configuration in accordance with the invention, the control devices contain at least a throttle valve, which controls the air supply ahead of the transverse slots in the suction area for the air supply. The air in this case is led from a throttle gap and under a cover plate as far as the conveyor belt. The fact that the air supply from the surrounding environment is obstructed by the throttle gap and the relatively narrow gap between the cover plate and the carrier that the quantity of air that is extracted exceeds the quantity that is able to flow in. This results in the creation of a partial vacuum, among other things, in the transverse slots that are covered by the sheet, which partial vacuum is dependent on the width of the throttle gap. A very precise influence can be exerted on the air supply in the area of the transverse slots in this way. The partial vacuum is thus augmented to an increasing degree by throttling the air supply, so that even heavy sheets can be handled reliably.  
         [0013]     In a further advantageous embodiment of the arrangement in accordance with the invention, the control devices contain at least a bypass valve, which opens or closes a bypass, through which ambient air is sucked into a fan in the air suction device by bypassing the area of the transverse slots. The air supply is reduced in this way, and the partial vacuum drops as a result in the area of the transverse slots, so that the retaining force on the sheets is also reduced. Even very light sheets can thus be handled reliably in this way. Above all, this results in that the fan in the air suction device can be operated in an effectively controllable speed range, including where small airflows are present in the area of the transverse slots.  
         [0014]     In a further advantageous embodiment of the configuration in accordance with the invention, the control devices contain at least an electronic control unit, which controls the output of the air suction device depending on the characteristic values of the sheets, in particular by regulating the speed of the fan in the air suction device. It is also possible, by regulating the speed of the fan in the air suction device, to exert an influence on the air supply in the area of the transverse slots. The electronic control unit also enables the opening state of the throttle valve and/or the bypass valve to be influenced in a particularly advantageous fashion. Three different control mechanisms are thus available for performing the control function, which, when used in combination, permit the desired coverage of the entire required area of different sheets.  
         [0015]     In a further advantageous embodiment of the configuration in accordance with the invention, a control specification for the control of the other control devices is incorporated in the electronic control unit, in which the control specification depends in particular on empirical data. The control unit advantageously exhibits a memory, in which the control specification is stored. This can be in the form either of a reference table or of an algorithm, which determines the optimal air supply for a particular sheet on the basis of various parameters, or some other control specification familiar to a person skilled in the art. It is easier in this way for the operator to perform possibly laborious and time-consuming settings in conjunction with a change of products. In addition, the control specification can also be of an autodidactic nature.  
         [0016]     In a further advantageous embodiment of the configuration in accordance with the invention, the control specification controls the other control devices on the basis of the values relating to the weights per unit area and the formats of the sheets that are capable of being entered into the electronic controller. Advantageously, these are the only required values that are entered into the control unit by an operator at an interface, in order to permit the control specification to determine the ideal air supply in the area of the transverse slots. Operation of the configuration is particularly simple as a result, in particular since these parameters are typically always of a known value. It is also possible to provide for fixed control specifications for parameter pairings to be stored already and/or to be capable of being stored in the control unit, in order to be able to retrieve these conveniently in the event of the renewed occurrence of the parameter pairings, which can permit the even faster input of the parameters. Alternatively, or in addition, it is also possible to provide sensors, which determine some or all of these parameters.  
         [0017]     In a further advantageous embodiment of the configuration in accordance with the invention, the control specification takes account of at least one of the following parameters for the control of the other control devices: static charge of the sheet, condition of the printing ink, surface roughness of the sheet, quantity of any powder from the printing process, sheet width, direction of the fibers, such as short grain and long grain of the sheet, speed of the sheet, sheet-to-sheet distance, and suction length of the suction wheel on the feeding device. A further improvement of the setting-up procedure in order to achieve an ideal air supply in the area of the transverse slots can be achieved in this way. In this case, too, it is also possible to make provision for specific, for example repetitive, parameter pairings to be capable of being stored in the controller, for example in a memory.  
         [0018]     In a further advantageous embodiment of the configuration in accordance with the invention, the upper side of the guide channel lies essentially at the same height as the upper side of the conveyor belt. Therefore the sheet lies flat on the conveyor belt and that damage to the sheet is avoided.  
         [0019]     In a further advantageous embodiment of the configuration in accordance with the invention, the suction air channel extends behind the transverse slots to such an extent that it presents the smallest possible flow resistance as a result. In this way, the air flows through the configuration with the smallest possible losses, as a consequence of which the power consumption by the configuration can be reduced and the processes in the area of the transverse slots are more readily controllable.  
         [0020]     In a further advantageous embodiment of the configuration in accordance with the invention, the air suction device including the fan is capable of being displaced to enable adjustment to be effected for a particular format.  
         [0021]     In a further advantageous embodiment of the configuration in accordance with the invention, the conveyor belt is a toothed belt, and the toothed belt exhibits in particular teeth that are rounded at the top.  
         [0022]     Other features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in the appended claims.  
         [0023]     Although the invention is illustrated and described herein as embodied in a configuration for the transport and simultaneous alignment of sheets, it is nevertheless not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention and within the scope and range of equivalents of the claims.  
         [0024]     The construction and method of operation of the invention, however, together with additional objects and advantages thereof will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0025]      FIG. 1  is a diagrammatic, sectional view of an air suction device according to the invention;  
         [0026]      FIG. 2  is a diagrammatic, sectional view of a conveyor belt;  
         [0027]      FIG. 3  is an enlarged, diagrammatic, cross-sectional view of a detail of the air suction device in an area of transverse slots of the conveyor belt;  
         [0028]      FIG. 4  is a diagrammatic, side-elevational view of the air suction device; and  
         [0029]      FIG. 5  is a diagrammatic, plan view of the air suction device with sheets entering. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0030]     Referring now to the figures of the drawing in detail and first, particularly, to  FIG. 1  thereof, there is shown an air suction device  100  that has an air channel  20  of a kind such that air (indicated by the arrows identified by the designations  5  and  10 ) is sucked by a fan  25 , via a first suction chamber  26 , suction intakes  29  and a second suction chamber  27 , through transverse slots  23  of a toothed belt  40  (FIGS.  1  to  3 ). If the toothed belt  40  is open in an upward direction, i.e. if no sheet  1 ,  2 ,  3  is lying on it, the air from the surrounding environment is sucked in directly at an extraction slot  30 .  
         [0031]     As soon as a sheet  1 ,  2 ,  3  arrives on the toothed belt  40 , the air in the area covered by the sheet  1 ,  2 ,  3  adopts the route indicated in  FIG. 3 : through a throttle gap  21 , a gap  22  between a cover plate  24  and the carrier, through the toothed belt  40  into the first suction chamber  26  and onwards to the fan  25 . By virtue of the fact that the air supply from the surrounding environment is restricted through the throttle gap  21  and the relatively narrow gap  22  between the cover plate  24  and the carrier, the quantity of air that is extracted exceeds the quantity that is able to flow in. This results in the creation, among other things, in the transverse slots  23  that are covered by the sheet  1 ,  2 ,  3 , of a partial vacuum P suction  in accordance with the formula: 
 
 P   suction   =P   0 −?/(2 ×U   2   −P   v ) 
 
 where P 0  is the ambient pressure, ? is the density of the air, U is the velocity of flow of the air, and P v  is the partial vacuum resulting from the flow losses. Therefore, the air pressure in the transverse slots  23  is smaller than the ambient pressure P 0 . This difference in pressure gives rise to a force F P =(P 0 −P suction )×A, which presses the sheets  1 ,  2 ,  3  from above against the toothed belt  40 . A is used here to denote the total surface of the transverse slots  23  under the covering sheet  1 ,  2 ,  3 . The contact force F p , together with the coefficient of friction between the sheets  1 ,  2 ,  3  and the toothed belt  40 , permits the sheet  1 ,  2 ,  3  to be transported with the toothed belt  40 . 
 
         [0032]     The partial vacuum, which arises in the transverse slots  23  of the toothed belt  40  and as such determines the contact force F P , now depends in the first instance on the output of the fan  25  and the pressure loss P v , which in this case is determined in the first instance by the width of the throttle gap  21 . In addition, a small contribution to the partial vacuum is made by the dynamic element ?/(2×U 2 ).  
         [0033]     The air channel  20  is disposed in such a way that the air is able to flow with the smallest possible losses after flowing through the transverse slots  23  in the toothed belt  40 . This is achieved by ensuring that the suction intakes  29  have the largest possible internal diameter, as well as the suction chambers  26 ,  27 . The diameters are restricted by the available installation space.  
         [0034]     In order to be able to achieve the high partial vacuums required for heavy weights per unit area and broadsides with a single fan  25 , and yet to achieve very small partial vacuums for thin printing paper while still maintaining an adequately safe speed, a bypass opening  28  can be opened ( FIG. 4 ). When a bypass throttle  32  is moved in the direction indicated by the double arrow P 3 , the bypass opening  28  causes the fan  25 , in spite of the high speeds, to extract only a small quantity of air from the area of the toothed belt  40  and to suck the greatest proportion of the air directly through the bypass opening  28 , depending on the size of the still unobstructed bypass opening  28 .  
         [0035]     It is sufficient, as a rule, for a uniform partial vacuum to be generated for the entire length of the toothed belt  40  in the transverse slots  23  of the toothed belt  40 . The present construction also offers the possibility, however, of subdividing the air channel  20  into three sections, in which the partial vacuums adopt different levels. This is achieved by varying the cross sections of the suction intakes  29  at an appropriate point, for example by non-illustrated throttle plates. Another subdivision into two or more sections is also conceivable.  
         [0036]     As can be appreciated from  FIG. 2 , the toothed belt  40  exhibits teeth  42  with a rounded upper surface  44 . By executing the upper surface  44  of the teeth  42  in this way, the contact surface of the sheet  1 ,  2 ,  3  on the toothed belt  40  is reduced, and the surface over which the partial vacuum is applied to the sheet  1 ,  2 ,  3  is accordingly increased. At the same time, thanks to the rounded areas, contact with the sheet is also more gentle than would be the case with sharp-edged corners.  
         [0037]     The toothed belt pulley  45 , which rotates in the direction indicated by the arrow P 2  (see  FIG. 4 ), drives the toothed belt  40  in such a way that a direction of movement of the sheets  1 ,  2 ,  3  from a non-illustrated feeding device located upstream to a non-illustrated folding station located downstream is established. The toothed belt  40  passes via deflector rollers  46 ,  47 , a tension roller  48  and the toothed belt slot in the carrier. The nature of the toothed belt slot is such that the teeth are terminated at the top directly in line with the supporting surface. If the air suction device  100  is running, the toothed belt  40  that is subjected to a partial vacuum accepts the sheet  1 ,  2 ,  3  from the feeding device and passes it to the folding station after traveling over the alignment path.  
         [0038]     Illustrated in  FIG. 5  is a plurality of sheets  1 ,  2 ,  3 , which are aligned laterally by the straightedge  50 . In the first place, the sheets  1 ,  2 ,  3  have a direction of movement as indicated by arrow P 4  and which corresponds to the direction of the toothed belt  40 . Given that the straightedge  50  is positioned at a right angle to the following folding station, and that the toothed belt  40  is guided at an angle to the straightedge  50 , the sheet  1 ,  2 ,  3  approaches the straightedge  50  in a linear fashion. As soon as the sheet  1 ,  2 ,  3  touches the straightedge  50 , a relative movement takes place between the sheet  1 ,  2 ,  3  and the toothed belt  40  perpendicular to the path of the sheet. The sheet  1 ,  2 ,  3  aligns itself with the straightedge  50  in this way and is transferred to the folding station with this alignment in a direction of movement which now runs parallel to the straightedge  50  and is indicated with the arrow P 5  in  FIG. 5 .  
         [0039]     A critical consideration in the alignment procedure is that the sheet  1 ,  2 ,  3  must remain flat, that is to say no arching of the sheet  1 ,  2 ,  3  must occur between the toothed belt  40  and the straightedge  50 , and that the sheet  1 ,  2 ,  3  must also be held sufficiently firmly by the toothed belt  40  for it not to slide backwards (towards the feed device). The sheet will arch between the straightedge  50  and the toothed belt  40  if the partial vacuum under the sheet  1 ,  2 ,  3  is too great. The sheet  1 ,  2 ,  3  will slide backwards if the partial vacuum under the sheet  1 ,  2 ,  3  is too small. The proper alignment of the sheet  1 ,  2 ,  3  thus depends critically on the precise regulation of the partial vacuum in the area of the transverse slots  23 .  
         [0040]     The devices for control represented by the throttle valve  31  and the bypass throttle  32  are controlled by a controller  33 . The controller  33  also regulates the speed of the fan  25 . The actuating variables for this purpose are monitored by the controller  33  via reference tables for different parameters, or are calculated by a suitable algorithm on the basis of the different parameters, or are determined by some other comparable methods that are familiar to a person skilled in the art. As far as the parameters are concerned, these include in particular the weight per unit area of the sheet  1 ,  2 ,  3 , the width of the sheet  1 ,  2 ,  3 , the static charge of the sheet  1 ,  2 ,  3 , the condition of the printing ink, the surface roughness of the sheet, the quantity of the powder from the printing process, the direction of the fibers, such as short grain and long grain of the sheet  1 ,  2 ,  3 , the speed of the sheet, the distance of the sheet  1 ,  2 ,  3  to the sheet  1 ,  2 ,  3 , and the suction length generated by the suction wheel on the sheet, although this list is not exclusive.  
         [0041]     The suitable control of the air suction device  100 , which in this case also includes the control of the fan  25 , requires the operator to incur the smallest possible set-up cost, and the values that are to be set to be capable of being determined readily, that is to say they must not be dependent on values drawn from past experience. With regard to the automation of folding machines, the settings are accordingly automated, are capable of being stored and can be retrieved in the event of a repeat order. All of this does not apply, incidentally, to the ball rails that are used elsewhere.  
         [0042]     Ideally, only a small number of particularly influential parameters are interrogated by the user in this case, for example the weight per unit area of the sheet  1 ,  2 ,  3  and the width of the sheet. On the other hand, the devices for control are executed in such a way that manual intervention in the control function is also possible, for instance the manual opening or closing of the throttle valve  31  or the bypass throttle  32 , in order to be able to include the less important parameters by hand.  
         [0043]     The partial vacuum is controlled in the present construction via a pulse width modulation (PWM) signal, which is generated by an algorithm on the basis of the weight per unit area and the sheet width. In addition, the PWM signal of the fan can also be monitored manually. These inputs can be stored and can be retrieved in the event of a repeat order. Consideration should also be given to the possibility that the environmental conditions of the company concerned may have varied between one order and the next, so that the PWM signal may require to be monitored manually once again.  
         [0044]     This application claims the priority, under 35 U.S.C. § 119, of German patent application No. 10 2004 022 141.3, filed May 5, 2004; the entire disclosure of the prior application is herewith incorporated by reference.