Abstract:
An air folder adjuster ( 10 ) includes an air supply ( 12 ) and air supply tubing ( 14 ) connected to air supply ( 12 ) at end ( 16 ). The opposite end ( 18 ) of air supply tubing ( 14 ) is connected to one or more air nozzles ( 20 ). In a printing press utilized for folding documents such as books, air folder adjuster ( 10 ) is positioned so that air nozzles ( 20 ) direct compressed air from air supply ( 12 ) downward onto the head ( 26 ) of document ( 24 ) on either side of chopper arm ( 34 ) during the folding process thus ensuring that the document ( 24 ) lies flat, square, and untouched during the folding process and thereby allowing the elimination of chopper brushes altogether.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
       [0001]    This application is related to U.S. provisional patent application Serial No. 60/279,926, filed Mar. 29, 2001 and entitled “AIR FOLDER ADJUSTER APPARATUS AND METHOD.” The Applicants hereby claim the benefit of this provisional patent application under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e). The entire content of this provisional application is incorporated herein by this reference. 
     
    
     
       TECHNICAL FIELD  
         [0002]    This invention generally relates to the printing industry and to devices used to fold printed materials. In particular, this invention relates to an air folder adjuster apparatus and method for use in the printing industry.  
         BACKGROUND  
         [0003]    The devices needed to create folded documents, books, pamphlets, magazines and the like, are both technologically complex and difficult to adjust precisely. As a result, head tears, dog ears, foot tears, head stop damage, and crooked folds are commonplace in the printing industry. Currently, chopper brushes are used to smooth documents prior to folding in an effort to prevent damage. These chopper brushes are attached to extended arms which include a wide variety of adjustments, such as side adjustments, height adjustments, and angle adjustments, for example. After much effort and experimentation, it is possible to obtain satisfactory results with the use of these chopper brushes. Nonetheless, any change in the type of document to be created, stock, thickness, or the like, or simply the passage of time sends the user back to the drawing board for more adjustments.  
           [0004]    Thus there is a need in the art for a simple to use, add on device for prior art printing systems that helps eliminate the need for constant adjustments and that, therefore, reduces downtime and increases profits while producing a superior folded product.  
         SUMMARY  
         [0005]    Accordingly, the air folder adjuster apparatus and method of the present invention includes, in a printing system for creating folded documents, an air supply. The air supply is connected to an air supply regulator. Air supply tubing with two ends, with one end connected to the air supply regulator, is provided. At least one directional air nozzle is connected to the other end of the air supply tubing.  
           [0006]    In another aspect of the invention, a remote head stop air stand is provided wherein the second end of the air supply tubing is connected to the remote head stop air stand and the at least one directional air nozzle is also connected to the remote head stop air stand. In a further aspect of the invention, the remote head stop air stand is movably connected to the printing system. In another aspect of the invention, two pairs of air nozzles are provided. In a further aspect of the invention, a pair of remote head stop air stands are provided along with two pairs of air supply tubing, with a total of four second ends. Two second ends are connected to each one of the pair of remote head stop air stands and two second ends are connected to one of two directional air nozzles connected to each one of the pair of the remote head stop air stands.  
           [0007]    In another aspect of the invention, wherein the printing system includes a pair of folding rollers and a chopper arm, two pairs of air nozzles are conformed to direct air downward on either side of the chopper arm towards the folding rollers. In another aspect of the invention, the directional air nozzle(s) is movable.  
           [0008]    In a further aspect of the invention, the air flow regulator includes a control stand and an air flow control valve, with an inlet end an outlet end, connected to control stand. The air supply is connected to the inlet end and the air supply tubing is connected to the outlet end. Further, an air flow control handle is connected to the air flow control valve for controlling the amount of air flowing through the air flow control valve.  
           [0009]    In a further aspect of the invention, the air flow supply supplies air in the range of 0 to 100 pounds Per Cubic Inch (PCI) and the air flow regulator delivers air in an adjustable range from 0 to 100 pounds PCI.  
           [0010]    In another embodiment of the invention, in a printing system for creating folded documents including a head stop, a pair of folding rollers and a chopper arm, an air folder adjuster apparatus includes an air supply and a control stand. At least one air control valve, with an inlet end and an outlet end, is connected to the control stand and the air supply is connected to the inlet end of the at least one air control valve. An air flow control handle is connected to the air flow control valve for controlling the amount of the air flowing through the air flow control valve. Air supply tubing with two ends is provided, with one end connected to the outlet end of the air control valve. A remote head stop air stand is connected to the head stop and to the second end of the air supply tubing. At least two air nozzles are connected to the remote head stop air stand and are conformed to direct air downward on either side of the chopper and toward the folding rollers.  
           [0011]    In another aspect of the invention, two air control valves are provided along with two remote head stop air stands. Additionally, two pairs of air nozzles, one pair connected to each remote head stop air stand, are provided such that one pair of air nozzles is conformed to direct air onto a document with a center and far corners so that the air is directed to the far corners of the document.  
           [0012]    In a further aspect of the invention, the remote head stop air stands are movably attached to the head stop. In another aspect of the invention, the at least two directional air nozzles are also movable. In a further aspect of the invention, the air flow supply supplies air in the range of 0 to 100 pounds PCI and the at least one air flow control valve delivers air in an adjustable range of from 5 to 80 pounds PCI.  
           [0013]    In another embodiment, in a printing system for creating folded documents including a head stop, a pair of folding rollers and a chopper arm, an air folder adjuster method is provided including the steps of providing an air supply and a control stand. At least one air control valve, with an inlet end and an outlet end, is connected to the control stand. The air supply is connected to the inlet end of the air control valve. An air flow control handle is connected to the air flow control valve for controlling the amount of air flowing through the air flow control valve. Air supply tubing, with two ends, is provided with one end of the air supply tubing connected to the outlet end of the at least one air control valve. A remote head stop air stand is connected to the head stop. The second end of the air supply tubing is connected to the remote head stop air stand. Finally, at least two air nozzles are connected to the remote head stop air stand and are conformed so that the nozzles direct air downward on either side of the chopper arm toward the folding rollers.  
           [0014]    In another aspect of the method of the invention, two air control valves are provided along with two remote head stop air stands. In this embodiment, two pairs of air nozzles are provided, one pair connected to each remote head stop air stand. Additionally, in this embodiment, one pair of air nozzles is conformed to direct air on a document with a center and far corners such that air is directed to the far corners of the document.  
           [0015]    In another aspect of the invention, the remote head stop air stand is movably connected to the head stop. In another aspect of the invention, at least two movable air nozzles are provided. Finally, in another aspect of the invention, air flow is supplied in the range of 0 to 100 pounds PCI and the air flow control valve delivers air in an adjustable range of from 5 to 80 pounds PCI. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0016]    Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment, the appended claims and the accompanying drawings in which:  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating the air folder adjuster of the present invention; and  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 2 is a side view of the invention of FIG. 1.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0019]    The air folder adjuster of the present invention is illustrated by way of example in FIGS. 1 and 2. With specific reference to FIG. 1, the air folder adjuster  10  includes air supply  12  and air supply tubing  14  connected at end  16  to the air supply  12 . The opposite end of air supply tubing  14 , end  18 , is connected to one or more air nozzles  20 . Air nozzles  20  direct air in the direction of arrows  22  onto document  24 . The head  26  of document  24  is moved in the direction of arrows  28  by belts  30  until document  24  comes to a stop at head stop  32  and is folded by chopper arm  34 . Document  24  includes a center  25  and far corners  27 .  
         [0020]    Air supply  12  may be any air supply system known in the art for providing pressurized air, such as a common air compressor. In this invention air supply  12  includes control stand  36  and air flow control valves  38 . The remote compressed air supply  12  source (not shown) is connected by air supply tubing  15  to the inlet end  40  of air flow control valves  38 . Applicant has determined that compressed air flow in the range of 0 to 100 PCI delivered to the air control valves  38  enables an adjustable air flow of 0 to 100 PCI with a preferred adjustable range of about 5 to 80 pounds PCI which has been found to be appropriate for the purposes of the invention. Air flow control valves  38  include handles  42  for adjusting air flow delivered to nozzles  20 . Air flow control valves  38  are of any type now known or hereafter developed as are air control handles  42 . The important feature of enabling a user to adjust the amount of air delivered by the air nozzles  20  may be implemented in many ways within the ability of those of ordinary skill in the art.  
         [0021]    In combination, an air flow regulator of the invention includes control stand  36 , air flow control valves  38  and air flow control handles  42 . Air compressors known in the art also have regulators that may be sufficient for the purposes of the invention and any air flow regulator now known or hereafter developed will suffice.  
         [0022]    As illustrated in FIG. 1, in a preferred embodiment, four air nozzles  20  are provided. Two air nozzles  20  direct air down on document  24  toward folding rollers  44  on either side of chopper arm  34  at the head  26  of document  24 . Additionally, in a preferred embodiment, two air nozzles  20  direct air toward the far corners  27  of the head  26  of document  24  as shown by the directional arrows  22 . Certainly, any number of nozzles  20  may be provided as a user deems necessary to accomplish the purposes of the invention with regard to individual presses encountered in the field.  
         [0023]    Referring now to FIG. 2, a side view of the air folder adjuster  10  of the present invention is shown schematically. Underneath document  24 , a pair of folding rollers  44  turn in the direction of arrows  47  and complete the folding process started by chopper arm  34 . In this embodiment, air folder adjuster  10  directs air in the direction of arrows  22  from nozzles  20  at four locations: both far corners  27  and on either side of the chopper arm  34  downward towards folding rollers  44 .  
         [0024]    By way of further explanation, the air folder adjuster apparatus and method  10  of the present invention is designed to apply air, in a preferred embodiment, at four specific points to document  24  as just described. Obviously, any other gas other than air, such as any other suitable compressed gas, may be used. Also, in a preferred embodiment, air is delivered to nozzles  20  by plastic tubing  14  and nozzles  20  are made of copper. Any other suitable materials capable of accomplishing the objectives of the invention are well within the ability of those of ordinary skill in the art.  
         [0025]    Further, compressed air, or “house air,” is attached to air flow control valves  38 . The air flow control valves  38  control the air pressure through the plastic tubing  14  leading to the nozzles  20 . In a preferred embodiment, control is provided by manually actuated air flow control handles  42 . Obviously, handles  42  may be electronically remotely manipulable as well.  
         [0026]    In a preferred embodiment, a pair of remote head stop air stands  46  are provided. Remote head stop air stands  46  are removably attachable to head stop  22 . Once attached, in a preferred embodiment, they can be moved left or right along head stop  22  for gross adjustment of air pressure location. Once in the correct place they may be temporarily secured there by any means known in the art, such as a set screw, not shown, for example. Two pairs of air nozzles  20 , in a preferred embodiment, are attached, one pair each, to each remote head stop air stand  46 . Once the remote head stop air stands  46  are located in the general area for proper performance, air nozzles  20 , in a preferred embodiment are flexible and may be adjusted manually, i.e., bent or angled, for precise location of air flow.  
         [0027]    Again, by way of further explanation, remote head stop air stands  46  may be of cast aluminum, for example. Air passages in the aluminum block allow air to flow from the connection on the outside of remote head stop air stand  46  to the air nozzles  20 , also connected to air stand  46 . Air nozzles may be screwed into air stand  46  or bolted or attached in any other appropriate manner.  
         [0028]    Remote head stop air stands  46  include inlet ends  40  to receive end  18  of flexible tubing  14 . Again, remote head stop air stands  46  are drilled, cast or the like to provide air passages from inlet ends  40  to air nozzles  20 . As illustrated in FIG. 1, each of the two remote head stop air stands  46  has two connections for ends  18  of tubing  14 . One end  18  is connected to the inlet end  40  of an extension, nipple,  45  connected to air stand  46 . Extension  45  directs air internally (not shown) through air stand  46  to air nozzles  20  as shown. In another embodiment, one pair of ends  18  is connected directly to the inlet end  40  of nozzle  20  attached to the side of air stand  46 . This reduces the amount of internal passageways needed in air stand  46 .  
         [0029]    Once the invention is in position, air is applied to four specific points on the document  24  as described above. This forces the document  24  to lie flat, square, and untouched during the folding process. Air flow handles  42  allow easy adjustment of the air flow as needed and, again, may be replaced with automatic valves so that the flow of air is controlled electronically. Also, the applicant has determined that continuous air flow is not always required and that an interrupted series of small bursts of air also serve the purpose of the invention for various types of document folding jobs  
         [0030]    In summary, applicant&#39;s invention allows the chopper-fold printing machinery known in the art to run consistently without interruption from fast speeds to slow speeds. Importantly, all chopper brushes, and many other parts and pieces of machinery which are currently required on most standard presses and which physically contact the document  24 , are eliminated completely. In the end, applicant&#39;s invention is a significant improvement over the prior art and yields impressive savings in time and cost in the printing industry.  
         [0031]    The description of the present embodiments of the invention have been presented for purposes of illustration but are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the form disclosed. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art. As such, while the present invention has been disclosed in connection with the preferred embodiment thereof, it should be understood that there may be other embodiments which fall within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the following claims.