Abstract:
Sheets or strips of printed materials, with each sheet or strip having a printed image including plural individual copies, are inspected. Each copy is inspected by an inspection device. The sheets or strips of printed materials are separated into individual ones of the copies. Defective copies are sorted out based on the results of the inspection device.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to methods and to a device for processing printed materials. Printed images on a plurality of copies of printing material are checked. Defective copies are detected and extracted. 
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART 
     DE 29 21 862 A1 discloses a machine for checking sheets imprinted with several bills. Individual defective bills are marked in the process and the associated entire sheet is extracted. 
     DE 32 40 217 C2 describes a method for checking sheets of securities, wherein several sheets with copies are checked. The position of these sheets is monitored during the processing operation. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 4,793,251 shows a device for processing printed materials whose printed image has several copies. The printed material is inspected and divided into individual copies. Defective copies are extracted. A counting device is also connected downstream of the inspection device. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The object of the present invention is based on providing methods and a device for processing printed materials. 
     In accordance with the present invention, the object is attained by inspecting a printed image on printed material in which the printed image has a plurality of copies. Defective ones of these copies are detected. The plurality of copies of the printed image are separated into individual copies, typically by cutting the sheet of printed material. The individual images are arranged into stacks and the stacks of defective copies are removed. 
     The advantages which can be achieved with the present invention reside, in particular, in that a processing speed of the printed materials containing several copies can be increased in comparison with the processing of single copies. 
     Furthermore, waste is reduced in comparison with the processing of printed materials having several copies, since only the defective copies are extracted. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
     A preferred embodiment of the present invention is represented in the sole drawing and will be explained in greater detail in what follows. 
     The sole drawing shows a schematic representation of a device for processing printed materials in accordance with the present invention. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     A conveying device  01  has a suction belt  02  or several suction belts  02 , for example. This conveying device  01  conveys printed materials  03 , each with a plurality of copies  04 , as seen in the sole drawing figure. 
     The printed materials  03  can be sheets of printed material and each sheet can be imprinted with a plurality of copies  04  arranged behind and next to each other. Printed materials  03  can also be configured as elongated strips and can be each imprinted with a plurality of copies  04  arranged one behind the other. A width b 3  of the strip  03  in this case preferably corresponds approximately to a length  14  of a copy  04 . 
     For example, the copies  04  can be embodied as securities, in particular as bills  04 , as labels or as packaging, in particular as collapsible boxes. 
     For simplification, printed material  03  embodied as strips  03  of printed material will be described hereinafter by way of example. It will be understood that this discussion is equally applicable to sheets of printed materials  03 . 
     At least one inspection device  06 , which is used for checking the printed image of the plurality of copies  04  arranged on the printed material  03 , is assigned to this conveying device  01 . The front and back of each of the copies  04  on the printed material  03  are preferably checked by the inspection device  06 . 
     The inspection device  06  detects defective copies  04 , and, in particular, detects a position of a defective copy  04  on each strip  03 . 
     A first processing track  07 , with a device  08  for forming stacks of strips  03 , is arranged following the inspection device  06 . In the process in accordance with the present invention, the strips  03  are grasped by suction rollers  09 , for example, and are slowed down. The slowdown can take place in a single stage or in several stages. The strips  03  are initially overlapped in the manner of fish scales and are finally deposited on a stack  11  of strips  03 . For example, when processing bills  04 , each stack  11  has a fixed number of strips  03 . 
     This stack  11  of strips  03 , consisting of strips  03  placed on top of each other, is then conducted to a cutting device, for example a transverse cutting device  12 . This transverse cutting device  12  separates the strips  03  in the stack  11  into individual copies  04 , so that individual stacks  13 , or bundles of copies  04  with these stacks or bundles  13  of copies  04  arranged on top of each other, are formed. 
     These stacks  13  of the groups of copies  04  from the strips  03  placed on top of each other, are conducted to a device  14  for straightening, which aligns the groups of copies  04  of a stack  13  along their lateral edges. 
     The stacks  13  are subsequently conveyed to a hopper  16 . A counting device  17  is assigned to this hopper  16 . A suitable counting device  17 , which could be used in this application is known from EP 0 737 936 A1, for example, and has a rotating counting disk. 
     Based on the position of the defective copy or copies  04  in each strip  03 , as determined by the inspection device  06 , the position of the defective copy or copies  04  within the stack  13  or inside the hopper  16  is calculated, for example by utilization of a computer. The counting device  17  determines the position of the copies  04  fed to the hopper  16  and conducts an appropriate signal to the computer for a comparison of the determined positions of the copies  04  in the hopper  16  with the calculated position of the defective copy  04 . 
     If now the position of the defective copy  04  is fixed, the counting device  17 , for example, is stopped and the defective copy  04  is extracted from the stack  18 , for example by use of a generally known device, which is not specifically represented, for extracting copies  04 . 
     It is also possible to issue a signal ahead of the expected defective copy  04  and/or to reduce the speed of the counting device  17 . 
     Stacks  18  of a fixed number of copies  04 , for example stacks  18  of 100 copies  04  each, when processing bills, are formed by the counting device  17 . 
     It is also possible to integrate a device, which is not specifically represented, into the counting device for checking the accuracy of the cut copies  04 , i.e. to determine a distance between a lateral edge and the printed image of the piece  04 . 
     These stacks  18  of fixed numbers of copies  04  can be conveyed on to further processing devices, to devices for example for putting a band around them. 
     The processing of the printed materials  03  from the inspection device  06  to the counting device  17  takes place inside one machine, i.e. “in line”. 
     A shunt  19 , with an associated conveying device  21 , can be arranged after the inspection device  06 , as also seen in the sole drawing. A second processing track  22  is arranged after this conveying device  21 . Essentially this second processing track  22  is constructed corresponding to the first processing track  07 . Checked printed materials  03  can be alternatingly conducted to these two processing tracks  07 ,  22 , and in this way both processing tracks  07 ,  22  can be operated simultaneously. An increased processing speed is possible in this way. 
     Alternatively a second such processing track  22  can be provided solely for processing printed materials  03  having defective copies  04 , and one or several further first processing tracks  07  can be provided for processing printed materials  03  having no defective copies  04 . 
     While a preferred embodiment of a method and device for processing printed materials in accordance with the present invention has been set forth fully and completely hereinabove, it will be apparent to one of skill in the art that various changes in, for example, the specific sheet or strip conveyors, the type of inspection devices, the type of stackers and the like could be made without departing from the true spirit and scope of the present invention which is to be limited only by the following claims.