Abstract:
A media loading and unloading system, for use with a media cutting system having a cutting table and cutting apparatus to cut or score media held on a surface of the cutting table, includes an elevator assembly and a bi-directional transport system. The elevator assembly includes a drive and multiple vertically displaced bins that are vertically movable up and down by the drive. The bi-directional transport system transports media in a lateral feed direction from the elevator assembly to the cutting table surface and removes media from the cutting table surface in a lateral direction opposite to the feed direction to the elevator assembly.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     This disclosure relates generally to apparatus for producing documents. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to apparatus for producing dimensional documents. 
     In one conventional method of producing dimensional documents having custom printing and/or images, the printing and/or images are printed on stock, a two-dimensional document is then cut from the stock using a flat or rotary die system, and the two-dimensional document is then folded and glued to form a 3-D dimensional document. In this method, the printing may be performed on a thin stock that is later glued to a heavier weight stock to provide greater stability and strength. 
     In another conventional method, the printing and/or images are printed on pre-cut stock to form a two-dimensional document, and the two-dimensional document is then folded and glued to form a 3-D dimensional document. In this method, the printing is generally performed on a heavier weight stock, requiring printing apparatus that can handle such stock. In addition, the pre-cut stock is generally more expensive, must be inventoried, and this method limits the flexibility of the printer in terms of the sizes and designs that can be produced. 
     Conventional systems for producing dimensional documents, such as megaphones, small boxes, photo-geo-domes, and the like, having custom printing and images on them are generally complex and expensive. For example, they may include a printing system, a coating system and a die-cutting system all connected to automatically perform these operations in sequence. Those conventional systems that are less complex and/or less expensive only cut one sheet of material at a time, and are therefore very labor intensive. To satisfy the needs of smaller print shops, a low-cost system that can automate the feed-on and feed-off operations to minimize labor overhead is required. 
     SUMMARY 
     There is provided a media loading and unloading system for use with a media cutting system having a cutting table and cutting apparatus to cut or score media held on a surface of the cutting table. The media loading and unloading system comprises an elevator assembly and a bi-directional transport system. The elevator assembly is disposed laterally adjacent one side of the cutting system table and includes a drive and multiple vertically displaced bins that are vertically movable up and down by the drive. In one embodiment, the bins include at least a lower bin and an upper bin, with the lower bin defining an in-feed tray for holding media to be fed to the cutting table surface and the upper bin defining an out-feed tray for holding media removed from the cutting table surface. The bi-directional transport system transports media in a lateral feed direction from the elevator assembly to the cutting table surface and removes media from the cutting table surface in a lateral direction opposite to the feed direction to the elevator assembly. 
     The transport system comprises a pair of rails extending from the elevator assembly over the cutting system table and a sheet acquisition system is movably mounted to the rails. 
     The sheet acquisition system may be a vacuum system having at least one vacuum cup or port. 
     The out-feed tray may be offset in the lateral direction from the in-feed tray. 
     The media loading and unloading system may further comprise a controller adapted to communicate with a controller of the cutting system. 
     The media loading and unloading system may further comprise a stack height sensor assembly for detecting the height of the media in the in-feed tray and the out-feed tray. 
     The stack height sensor assembly may comprise a pivotally mounted sensor arm, a sensor and a solenoid. The sensor arm may include a media contact segment and a flag segment, where the sensor arm is pivotally mounted at a position intermediate the media contact segment and the flag segment whereby the media contact segment is pivotally moveable into and out of the elevator assembly. 
     An inner side of the upper bin may be positioned laterally outward to an inner side of the lower bin. 
     The upper and lower bin may each define a plane that extends laterally outward and vertically downward. 
     There is also provided a method of loading and unloading media from a surface of a cutting table of a cutting system using a media loading and unloading system including an elevator assembly disposed laterally adjacent one side of the cutting table, and a bi-directional transport system. The elevator assembly includes a drive and multiple vertically displaced bins that are vertically movable up and down by the drive. The bins include at least a lower bin and an upper bin, with the lower bin defining an in-feed tray for holding media to be fed to the cutting table surface, the upper bin defining an out-feed tray for holding media removed from the cutting table surface. The method comprises a) positioning the in-feed tray at a feeding height with the drive; b) acquiring a sheet of the media from the in-feed tray with the transport system; c) transporting the sheet of media in a lateral feed direction from the in-feed tray to the cutting table with the transport system; d) releasing the sheet of media from the transport system onto the surface of the cutting table; e) positioning the out-feed tray at a stacking height with the drive; f) acquiring the sheet of the media from the surface of the cutting table with the transport system after completion of cutting system operation; g) transporting the sheet of media in a direction opposite to the lateral feed direction from the cutting table to the out-feed tray with the transport system; and h) releasing the sheet of media from the transport system into the out-feed tray. 
     The transport system includes a pair of rails extending from the elevator assembly over the cutting table and a sheet acquisition system movably mounted to the rails. Acquiring the sheet of the media from the in-feed tray comprises positioning the sheet acquisition system over a leading edge of a top sheet of media in the in-feed tray and actuating the sheet acquisition system to acquire the top sheet of media. 
     Transporting the sheet of media in the lateral feed direction comprises driving the sheet acquisition system along the rails whereby the sheet of media is positioned over the cutting table. 
     Transporting the sheet of media in the direction opposite to the lateral feed direction comprises driving the sheet acquisition system along the rails whereby the sheet of media is positioned over the out-feed tray. 
     The method may further comprise the step of loading the in-feed tray with media. 
     The method may further comprise the step of querying whether or not the cutting job has been finished, and repeating steps a though h if the cutting job has not been finished. 
     The media loading and unloading system also includes a stack height sensor assembly including a pivotally mounted sensor arm, a sensor, and a solenoid, the sensor arm having a flag segment and a media contact segment positionable within the elevator assembly. Positioning the in-feed tray at a feeding height with the drive comprises actuating the solenoid to pivot the sensor arm whereby the sensor arm media contact segment is moved out of the elevator assembly; driving the in-feed tray upward with the drive; actuating the solenoid to pivot the sensor arm whereby the sensor arm media contact segment is moved into the elevator assembly when the in-feed tray has been driven upward a pre-determined distance; contacting an upper surface of a top sheet of media in the in-feed tray with the sensor arm media contact segment; pivoting the sensor arm as the in-feed tray is driven upward; contacting the sensor with the sensor arm flag segment when the top sheet of media in the in-feed tray is at the feeding height; and halting the drive. 
     The predetermined vertical distance for inserting the contact segment is at a point intermediate a bottom surface of the upper bin and a maximum allowable height for media in the in-feed tray. 
     Positioning the out-feed tray at a stacking height with the drive comprises actuating the solenoid to pivot the sensor arm whereby the sensor arm media contact segment is moved out of the elevator assembly; driving the out-feed tray downward with the drive; actuating the solenoid to pivot the sensor arm whereby the sensor arm media contact segment is moved into the elevator assembly when the out-feed tray has been driven downward a pre-determined distance; driving the out-feed tray upward with the drive; contacting an upper surface of a top sheet of media in the out-feed tray with the sensor arm media contact segment; pivoting the sensor arm as the out-feed tray is driven upward; contacting the sensor with the sensor arm flag segment when the top sheet of media in the out-feed tray is at the stacking height; and halting the drive. 
     The predetermined vertical distance for inserting the contact segment is at a point above a maximum allowable height for media in the out-feed tray. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The present disclosure may be better understood and its numerous objects and advantages will become apparent to those skilled in the art by reference to the accompanying drawings in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective schematic partial view of a cutting system and a media loading and unloading system in accordance with the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 2  is a simplified side view of the cutting system and the media loading and unloading system of  FIG. 1 , showing the media loading and unloading system loading media onto the cutting system; 
         FIG. 3  is a simplified side view of the cutting system and the media loading and unloading system of  FIG. 1 , showing the media loading and unloading system unloading media from the cutting system; 
         FIG. 4  is a simplified schematic view of the cutting system and the media loading and unloading system of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a simplified schematic view of an alternate embodiment of the cutting system and the media loading and unloading system of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 6  is a flow diagram of a method of loading and unloading a cutting system in accordance with the disclosure; 
         FIG. 7  is a flow diagram of the operate arm steps of  FIG. 6 ; 
         FIGS. 8A-8F  are simplified schematic views showing operation of a first embodiment of a sensor assembly and the elevator system of  FIG. 2  while loading media onto the cutting system; 
         FIGS. 9A-9E  are simplified schematic views showing operation of the sensor assembly of  FIGS. 8A-8F  and the elevator system of  FIG. 3  while unloading media from the cutting system; 
         FIG. 10  is a simplified schematic view of a variation of the elevator system of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIGS. 11A-11D  are simplified schematic views showing operation of a second embodiment of a sensor assembly and the elevator system of  FIG. 2  while loading media onto the cutting system; and 
         FIG. 12  is a simplified schematic view of the sensor of  FIGS. 11A-11D . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     With reference to the drawings wherein like numerals represent like parts throughout the several figures, an automatic media loading and unloading system in accordance with the present disclosure is generally designated by the numeral  10 . 
     “Dimensional Document” is hereby defined to be a three-dimensional object, such as a megaphone, a box, a photo-geo-dome, and the like, having printed matter, such as text and images, disposed on an exterior surface. 
     “Media” is hereby defined to be any sheet-shaped stock, such as paper, cardboard, paper board, etc., having a surface that will receive and retain printed matter and that may be formed into a dimensional document. 
     With reference to  FIGS. 1-3 , the subject media loading and unloading system  10  automates the process of supplying and removing media/stock  12 ,  12 ′ from cutting systems  14  for dimensional packaging applications. The system  10  adds automatic feed-on and feed-off functions to a table based cutting system  14 , such as the FC2250 series cutting systems by Graphtec Corporation, capable of performing customized cutting or scoring operations on sheet media  12 . 
     To minimize the footprint of the media loading and unloading system  10  and avoid interference with the cutting system  14 , the media loading and unloading system  10  is positioned on one side of the cutting system table  16 . This is accomplished through the use of an elevator assembly  18  having multiple vertically displaced bins  20 ,  20 ′ positioned next to the cutting table  16 . A transport system  22  includes a sheet acquisition system  24  that is movably mounted to a pair of rails  26  that extend from the elevator assembly  18  over the cutting system table  16 . To facilitate understanding of the subject system  10  and method, the multi-bin elevator assembly  18  described below includes only a single upper bin  20 , which functions as an out-feed or stacking tray  28 , and a single lower bin  20 ′, which functions as an in-feed tray  30 , where out-feed tray is hereby defined to be a tray in which media is deposited after processing and in-feed tray is hereby defined to be a tray from which media is taken for processing. It should be appreciated that the multi-bin elevator assembly  18  may include additional bins  20 ,  20 ′ acting as in-feed trays and/or out-feed trays. For example, the elevator assembly  18  may include two in-feed trays  30  having different paper stocks, and/or two out-feed trays  28  for stacking two different jobs or to increase system stacking capacity. 
     With reference to  FIG. 4 , the media loading and unloading system  10  may be a modular system that cooperates with a separate cutting system  14 . In this case, the system controller  32  of the media loading and unloading system  10  may communicate with the controller  34  for the cutting system  14  such that operation of the media loading and unloading system  10  is coordinated with operation of the cutting system  14  as described below. Alternatively, the media loading and unloading system may be integrated with the cutting system  14  into a single coordinated system  10 ′ ( FIG. 5 ) having a single controller  36 . 
     With additional reference to  FIG. 6 , the media  12  to be fed to the table  16  is loaded  38  into the lower elevator bin  20 ′/in-feed tray  30 , and the lower bin  20 ′ is positioned  40  by an elevator drive  42  such that the media  12  in the in-feed tray  30  is at the feed height  44 . A sheet acquisition system  24 , such as a vacuum system having one or more vacuum cups or ports, mounted onto slide rails  26  is driven  44  over the lead edge  46  of the top sheet  48  of media  12  in the in-feed tray  30  and the sheet acquisition system  24  is actuated  50  to acquire the media  12 . The sheet acquisition system  24  is then driven to transport  52  the media  12  in a lateral feed direction  54  such that the media  12  is positioned over the cutting table  16 . The cutting system table sheet holding system  56  (for example via vacuum holes on the cutting table  16  or through electrostatic attraction) is actuated  58 , and the media is released  60  by the sheet acquisition system  24  such that the cutting system  14  can gain control of the media  12 . 
     As the cutting system  14  operates  62  to cut and/or score the media  12 , the upper elevator bin  20 /out-feed tray  28  is lowered such that it is positioned  64  at a stacking height  66 . After cutting/scoring of the media has been completed  68 , the cutting system table sheet holding system is actuated to release  70  the media  12 ′, the sheet acquisition system  24  reacquires  72  the media  12 ′ and the sheet acquisition system  24  is then driven in a lateral direction  74  opposite to the feed direction  54  to transport  76  the media  12  over the upper elevator bin  20 . The media  12 ′ is released  78  by the sheet acquisition system  24  such that the media  12 ′ is deposited onto the out-feed tray  28 . The system controller  32  then queries  80  whether or not the job has been finished. If not  82 , the media  12  in the in-feed tray  30  is positioned  40  at the feed height  44  and the cycle repeats as shown in  FIG. 6 . 
     The media loading and unloading system  10  may include a stack height sensor assembly that senses the height of the media  12 ,  12 ′ stored in the in-feed trays  30  and out-feed trays  28  to facilitate positioning the in-feed trays  30  at the feed height  44  and positioning the out-feed trays  28  at the stacking height  66 . 
     In a first embodiment,  FIGS. 7-9   e , the sensor assembly  84  includes a pivotally mounted sensor arm  86 , a sensor  88  and a solenoid  90 . The sensor arm  86  includes a media contact segment  92  and a flag segment  94 , with the sensor arm  86  being pivotally mounted to a frame (not shown) at a position  98  intermediate the media contact segment  92  and the flag segment  94  such that the media contact segment  92  may be operated  100  to pivotally move into or out of the elevator assembly  18 , as explained below. 
     Before the elevator bins  20 ,  20 ′ are repositioned in steps  40  and  64  above, the solenoid  90  is actuated  102  by the controller  32  to pivot  104  the sensor arm  86  such that the sensor arm media contact segment  92  is moved out of the elevator assembly  18 , as shown in  FIG. 8B . This ensures that the sensor arm media contact segment  92  does not interfere with movement of the bins  20 ,  20 ′ or their contents and/or movement of the bins  20 ,  20 ′ does not damage the sensor arm media contact segment  92 . After the bins  20 ,  20 ′ of the elevator assembly  18  have moved  106  a predetermined vertical distance  108 ,  110 , the solenoid  90  is actuated  112  by the controller  37  to pivot  114  the sensor arm  86  such that the sensor arm media contact segment  92  is moved into the elevator assembly  18 ′. 
     In the example of step  40 , when the elevator bins  20 ,  20 ′ are being positioned to feed media  12  from the in-feed tray  30 , the bins  20 ,  20 ′ move upward to position the in-feed tray  30  at the feed height  44 . With additional reference to  FIGS. 8   a - 8   f , the sensor arm media contact segment  92  must be removed from within the elevator assembly  18  to prevent inadvertent contact between the contact segment  92  and the out-feed tray  28 .  FIG. 8   c  shows the out-feed tray  28  positioned at the stacking height  66 , with the sensor media contact segment  62  in contact with the media  12 ′ in the out-feed tray  28 ′. The sensor arm  86  is pivoted such that the media contact segment  92  is removed from the elevator assembly  18  ( FIG. 8   b ), the elevator bins  20 ,  20 ′ are driven upward ( FIG. 8   c ), the media contact segment is inserted into the elevator assembly  18  before the in-feed tray  30  has ascended to the point where contact segment  92  can contact the in-feed tray  30  or its contents  12  ( FIG. 8   d ), as the bins  20 ,  20 ′ continue to ascend, the media contact segment  92  contacts the upper surface  116  of the top sheet of media  12  in the in-feed tray  30  ( FIG. 8   e ) causing the sensor arm  86  to pivot. When the top sheet of media  12  in the in-feed tray  30  is at the feed height  44 , the sensor arm flag segment  94  blocks the sensor  88 , the sensor  88  sends a signal to the controller  32 , which halts movement of the bins  20 ,  20 ′ ( FIG. 8   f ). Accordingly, the predetermined vertical distance  108  for inserting the media contact  92  segment during step  40  is at a point intermediate the bottom surface  118  of the upper bin  20  and the maximum allowable height  120  for media  12  in the in-feed tray  30  ( FIG. 8   d ). 
     In the example of step  64 , when the elevator bins  20 ,  20 ′ are being positioned to remove media  12 ′ from the cutting system table  16  to the out-feed tray  28 , the bins move downward to position the out-feed tray  28  at the stacking height  66 . With reference to  FIGS. 9   a - 9   e , the sensor arm media contact segment  92  must be removed from within the elevator assembly  18  to prevent inadvertent contact between the contact segment  92  and the out-feed tray  28  and the media  12 ′ in the out-feed tray  28 .  FIG. 9   a  shows the in-feed tray  30  positioned at the feed height  44 , with the sensor media contact segment  92  in contact with the media  12  in the in-feed tray  30 . The sensor arm  86  is pivoted such that the media contact segment  92  is removed from the elevator assembly  18  ( FIG. 9   b ), the elevator bins  20 ,  20 ′ are driven downward ( FIG. 9   c ), and the media contact segment  92  is inserted into the elevator assembly  18  after the out-feed tray  28  has descended to the point where contact segment  92  can not contact the out-feed tray  28  or its contents  12 ′ ( FIG. 9   d ). After the contact segment  92  has been inserted into the elevator assembly  18 , the bins  20 ,  20 ′ must be elevated until the contact segment  92  contacts with the upper surface  122  of the top sheet of media  12 ′ in the out-feed tray  28 , causing the sensor arm  86  to pivot. When the top sheet of media  12 ′ in the out-feed tray is at the stacking height  66 , the sensor arm flag segment  94  blocks the sensor  88 , the sensor  88  sends a signal to the controller  32 , which halts movement of the bins  20 ,  20 ′ ( FIG. 9   e ). Therefore, the predetermined vertical distance  110  for inserting the contact segment  92  during step  64  is at a point above the maximum allowable height  124  for media  12 ′ in the out-feed tray  28  ( FIG. 9   c ). 
     In a second embodiment,  FIGS. 11-12 , the stack height sensor assembly  140  includes a sensor arm  142  having a media contact segment  144  and a flag segment  146 , the sensor arm  142  being pivotally mounted at a position intermediate the media contact segment  144  and the flag segment  146 . A sensor flag  148  extends from the sensor arm flag segment  146 . A solenoid  150  having a spring  152  is connected to the sensor arm media contact segment  144  and a return spring  154  is connected to the sensor arm flag segment  146 . A hard stop  156  and a sensor  158  are disposed above the sensor arm  142 . 
     Before the elevator bins  20 ,  20 ′ are repositioned, the sensor arm media contact segment  144  is withdrawn from the elevator assembly  18  by deactivating the solenoid  150 , whereby the return spring  154  pulls the sensor arm flag segment  146  downward, pivoting the sensor arm media contact segment  144  upward until it contacts the hard stop  156  ( FIG. 11A ). After the bins  20 ,  20 ′ of the elevator assembly  18  have moved  106  the predetermined distance  108 ,  110 , the solenoid  150  is actuated, whereby the solenoid  150  pulls the sensor arm media contact segment  144  downward into the elevator assembly  18 , pivoting the sensor arm flag segment  146  upward against the force exerted by the return spring  154 , until the sensor arm flag segment  146  contacts the hard stop  156  ( FIG. 11B ). The elevator bins  20 ,  20 ′ are then driven upward, whereby the sensor arm media contact segment  144  contacts the upper surface  116  of the top sheet of media  12 ,  12 ′ pivoting the sensor arm media contact segment  144  upward and the sensor arm flag segment  146  downward until the sensor beam  160  ( FIG. 12 ) detects the sensor flag  148 , tripping the sensor  158 . The sensor  158  then sends a signal to the controller  32 , which halts movement of the bins  20 ,  20 ′ ( FIG. 11C ). Should the bins  20 ,  20 ′ be driven too far upward, such that the sensor flag  148  pass through the center line of the sensor beam  160  ( FIG. 11D ), the sensor  158  sends a signal to the controller  32  which drives the bins  20 ,  20 ′ downward until the sensor trip point is reached. 
     In one variation of the elevator system, the inner side  126  of the upper bin  20  is positioned laterally outward to the inner side  128  of the lower bin  20 ′ ( FIG. 3 ). This arrangement provides improved access of the acquisition system  24  to the media  12  in the in-feed tray  30 . This improved access allows the upper and lower bins  20 ,  20 ′ to be positioned closer together vertically, if desired. The out-feed tray  28  may be moved inward into the gap  130  to facilitate loading the in-feed tray  30 . 
     In another variation of the elevator system ( FIG. 10 ), the bins  20 ,  20 ′ are tilted with the outer sides  132 ,  134  of the bins  20 ,  20 ′ being lower than the inner sides  126 ,  128  of the bins  20 ,  20 ′. This variation allows for droop of the media  12 ,  12 ′, where the portion of the media  12 ,  12 ′ farthest from the cutting system table  16  droops downward relative to the portion of the media  12 ,  12 ′ that is engaged by the acquisition system  24 , which is closest to the cutting system table  16 . 
     This arrangement of same side load &amp; unload and multi-bin  20 ,  20 ′ feed and stacking elevator  18  provide a very low cost and modular system  10  that can interface with existing cutting systems  14 . As noted above, performing the media feed on and off operations on the same side of the cutting/scoring table  16  minimizes the overall footprint of the system and avoids interference issues with the cutting table carriage. Also, by utilizing an elevator system  18  to position the in-feed and out-feed trays  30 ,  28  at a position adjacent to the table  16 , the lateral media transport system  22  can be made very simple and reliable. This approach also allows a single elevator drive system  42  and a single stack height measurement system to correctly position both the in-feed and out-feed trays  30 ,  28  at the appropriate height for the feeding and stacking operations respectively, even when larger stacks of media  12 ,  12 ′ are to be processed. 
     It will be appreciated that various of the above-disclosed and other features and functions, or alternatives thereof, may be desirably combined into many other different systems or applications. Also that various presently unforeseen or unanticipated alternatives, modifications, variations or improvements therein may be subsequently made by those skilled in the art which are also intended to be encompassed by the following claims.