Abstract:
A multiplex gathering device is provided. The multiplex gathering device includes a first gatherer forming first gathered printed products on a first finishing line, the first finishing line having a trimmer and a second gatherer forming a second gathered printed products on a second finishing line, the second finishing line having a second trimmer. The multiplex gathering device also includes a collecting device which combines the first and second gathered printed products together, a first transporter transporting the first gathered products from the first line to the collecting device and a second transporter transporting the second gathered products from the second line to the collecting device. At least one controller is provided for the multiplex gathering device for controlling the first gatherer and second gatherer and for collecting the first and second printing products in a controlled manner on the collecting device. 
     A method for a multiplex gathering device is also provided.

Description:
[0001]    This claims priority to U.S. Provisional 61/128,197 filed on May 20, 2008, and hereby incorporated by reference herein. 
         [0002]    The present invention relates generally to post-press equipment for the printing industry. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,167,326 and 6,347,260, hereby incorporated by reference herein, purportedly disclose methods for combining in zip code order pre-personalized printed items with items that are not pre-personalized. A first mailing list is merged with a second mailing list associated with the items that are not personalized to produce a master mailing list of a desired zip code order. 
         [0004]    U.S. Pat. No. 7,096,088, hereby incorporated by reference herein, purportedly discloses a method of combining mail streams in a printing finishing process including the acts of generating a master mailing list having a sequence, forming a first mail stream, forming a second mail stream, and combining the first mail stream and the second mail stream according to the sequence of the master mailing list. 
         [0005]    U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,333,878 and 7,477,964, hereby incorporated by reference herein, purportedly disclose methods of combining mail streams where the assembling of printing products occurs on a finishing line, and then a second mail stream is combined on that finishing line. 
         [0006]    U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2008/0147233, hereby incorporated by reference herein, purportedly discloses providing printed products to form a first mail stream on a printing line, providing printed products to form a second mail stream on a printing line, and placing printed product from the second mail stream onto a printed product of the first mail stream to create the combined mail stream in the sequence of a master mailing list. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    Assembling and combining mails streams on a same finishing line requires a lengthy finishing line. 
         [0008]    An object of the present invention advantageously provides a co-manufactured mail stream. The co-manufactured mail stream may add flexibility to binding and finishing processes by accommodating varying trim sizes and different sized products. 
         [0009]    A further object of the present invention provides collecting two or more printed products from separate gathering and finishing lines on a separate collecting device. The printed products may be stacked or placed next to each other on so the printed products can be stacked and/or mailed together. The use of transport devices and a separate collecting device advantageously permits placement of products together, may shorten finishing line lengths and may permit further processing separate from gathering lines. 
         [0010]    The present invention provides a multiplex gathering device comprising:
       a first gatherer forming first gathered printed products on a first finishing line, the first finishing line having a trimmer;   a second gatherer forming second gathered printed products on a second finishing line, the second finishing line having a second trimmer;   a collecting device for collecting the first and second gathered printed products together;   a first transporter transporting the first gathered products from the first line to the collecting device;   a second transporter transporting the second gathered products from the second line to the collecting device; and   at least one controller for controlling the first gatherer and second gatherer, the first and second printing products being collected in a controlled manner on the collecting device.       
 
         [0017]    The present invention also provides a method for a multiplex gathering device including the steps of:
       forming first gathered printed products on a first binding line;   forming second gathered printed products on a second binding line;   transporting the first gathered products from the first binding line to a collecting device;   transporting the second gathered products from the binding line to the collecting device; and   collecting the first and second gathered products in a controlled manner on the collecting device.       
 
         [0023]    The first and second gatherers may be for example, saddle stitchers, perfect binders or other binders. The first and second gatherers may each include a plurality of hoppers, a plurality of pockets or a plurality of receiving locations. The collecting device may include a conveyor, a stacker, a collator, an inserter, a mail table or further finishing devices. Optional hoppers may be provided to deposit additional products on the collecting device in addition to products delivered from first and second transporters. The first and second transporters may be overhead gripper conveyors. Additional gathering devices and additional transporters may also be provided to deliver further products to the collecting device. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
         [0024]    A preferred embodiment of the present invention will be elucidated with reference to the drawings, in which: 
           [0025]      FIG. 1  shows an embodiment of a multiplex gathering device in accordance with the present invention; and 
           [0026]      FIG. 2  shows another preferred embodiment of a multiplex gathering device in accordance with the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0027]      FIG. 1  shows a preferred embodiment of a multiplex gathering device  10 . The device  10  includes a first gatherer  100  and a second gatherer  200 . Gatherer  100  is, for example, a saddle stitcher, and includes a hopper section  120  including a plurality of hoppers  122 , a saddle conveyor  124 , a stitcher  126  and a binding line  128  connected to a finishing line  130 . Hoppers  122  deposit products on saddle conveyor  124  to form desired products. Products are transported to stitcher  126  for stitching. Products may be stitched into, for example, books, magazines, etc. Products formed and stitched on gatherer  100  are then transported downstream to finishing line  130  via binding line  128 . 
         [0028]    First gatherer  100  is connected to a controller  12 . Controller  12  assembles products according to a master list. The master list may be a master mailing list including demographic information or individual recipient information. The master list may include information for assembling multiple titles or versions of the same title or product, for example, to accommodate targeted advertisements. Thus, controller  12  controls hoppers  122 , conveyor  124  and stitcher  126  to assemble the desired products. After binding, the products are conveyed to finishing line  130 . 
         [0029]    Finishing line  130  includes a stacker  134 , mail table  136  and a trimmer  138 . Products assembled on saddle conveyor  124  are stitched then trimmed before heading downstream to stacker  134  for stacking. 
         [0030]    Gatherer  200  may also be a saddle stitcher, perfect binder or other type of gathering device. Gather  200  may be the same type of gatherer as gatherer  100 , however, gatherer  200  may also be a different type of gathering device. In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 , gatherer  200  is a saddle stitcher. Gatherer  200  includes a hopper section  220  including a plurality of hoppers  222 . Gatherer  200  also includes a saddle conveyor  224 , a saddle stitcher  226  for stitching products assembled on conveyor  224  and a binding line  228 . Products formed and stitched on gatherer  200  are then transported downstream to a finishing line  230  via binding line  228 . 
         [0031]    Second gatherer  200  is also connected to a controller  12  and in addition may be connected to a slave controller  14 . Controller  12  assembles products on gather  200  according to the master list. Controller  12  may control gatherer  200  via slave controller  14 . After binding, the products are conveyed to finishing line  230 . 
         [0032]    Finishing line  230  includes a stacker  234 , mail table  236  and a trimmer  238 . Products assembled on saddle conveyor  224  are stitched then trimmed and before heading downstream to a stacker  234  for stacking. Each gatherer  100 ,  200  may be provided with a respective finishing line  130 ,  230  in order to provide flexibility during the finishing process, for example, products  142 ,  242  assembled on gatherers  100 ,  200  may be trimmed to different sizes by trimmers  138 ,  238 , respectively. Furthermore, providing individual finishing lines  130 ,  230  allows gatherers  100 ,  200  to operate individually when desired or needed. When operating individually, controller  12  may control gatherer  100  while controller  14  controls gatherer  200 . 
         [0033]    Transport devices  140 ,  240  are provided to work with finishing lines  130 ,  230  respectively. Transport devices  140 ,  240  preferably are gripper conveyors and may be, for example, chain, pin or belt conveyors. Each transport device  140 ,  240  includes a plurality of grippers for gripping printed products that have been assembled and trimmed from finishing lines  130 ,  230 . Grippers pull the stitched and assembled products off finishing lines  130 ,  230  and deposit the assembled products onto a separate collecting device  300 . Grippers may pull the stitched and assembled products off lines  130 ,  230  at any point after binding, including before or after trimming and before or after stacking. 
         [0034]    Collecting device  300  includes a co-mailer  302  and a stacker  304  and may also include a trimmer. Collecting device  300  includes at least one receipt location  310  and may include a further receipt location  312 . 
         [0035]    In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, transport devices  140 ,  240  pull assembled products  142 ,  242  of first and second gatherers  100 ,  200  off finishing lines  130 ,  230  and transport assembled products  142 ,  242  to separate collecting device  300 . Receipt locations  310 ,  312  receive assembled products from transport devices  140 ,  240 . A combined product  314 , as desired by the master mailing list, may include a product  142  and a product  242 . A desired product  316 , as desired by the master mailing list, may include only one product, product  142  or product  242 . 
         [0036]    By providing a collecting device  300  separate from finishing lines  130 ,  230 , multiplexing of gatherers  100 ,  200  can be achieved. By providing finishing lines  130 ,  230  for gatherers  100 ,  200 , gatherers  100 ,  200  also can run independently. Products maybe collected and finished into a combined product  314  on collecting device  300  or finished individually, product  316 , as desired in a co-manufacturing mode. In addition, gatherers  100 ,  200  may operate independently and finish products  142 ,  242  for further transport and mailing via corresponding finishing lines  130 ,  230 . 
         [0037]    A product  142  assembled on gatherer  100  stitched by stitcher  126  and trimmed by trimmer  138  is transported by grippers on transport device  140  to a receipt location  310 . Product  242 , assembled on gatherer  200 , stitched by stitcher  226  and trimmed by trimmer  238  is transported by grippers on transport device  240  to receipt location  310  and deposited on top of product  142  to form a composite product  314 . Composite product  314  may be wrapped and stacked by collecting device  300  for further transport and delivery. 
         [0038]    Alternatively, a transport device  140 ,  240  may deposit a product  142  or  242  product at a receipt location  310 ,  312 . Product  316 , for example, is a product  142  deposited at receipt location  312  by transport conveyor  140 . Transport device  240  did not deposit a product  242  at receipt location  312  based on information received from controller  12  via the master mailing list. Thus, product  316  includes product  142  but does not include product  242 . Product  316  is finished by collecting device  300  for further transport and delivery. Products  316  may be formed intermittently with products  314 . 
         [0039]    For example, product  142  may include a general news magazine personalized with a recipient&#39;s address information. Product  242  may include a general sports magazine with or without personalized with information. Product  242  maybe combined with product  142  on collecting device  300  as desired and based on, for example, the master mailing list. The master mailing list may include a list of recipients selected to receive both the general news magazine and the general sports magazine. In order to reduce the costs of mailing and increase efficiency, transport device  240  deposits sports magazine product  242  on top of news magazine product  142  at delivery locations  310 ,  312  forming a combined product  314  which is transported downstream for further processing. 
         [0040]    By providing separate finishing lines  130 ,  230  including trimmers  138 ,  238 , products  142 ,  242  may be trimmed to different sizes, yet easily combined on collecting device  300  via transport devices  140 ,  240  for co-manufacturing operations as desired. Thus, the general news magazine and general sports magazine may have different formats and dimensions. 
         [0041]    In another preferred embodiment, the master mailing list may include, for example, subscription information. Products  242  may be, for example, subscription renewal cards or notices. Thus, transport device  240  may deposit card products  242  onto news magazine products  142  based on the renewal information included in the master mailing list. 
         [0042]    Controller  12  controls first gatherer  100  and second gatherer  200  so that second gathered products  242  may be formed as a function of the first gathered products  142  during a co-manufacturing operation. Controller  12  also controls collecting device  300  and the collection of products  314 ,  316  collected on collecting device  300 . Products  242  from second gatherer  200  may be collected as a function of products  142  from first gatherer  100 . As shown in  FIG. 1 , more than one controller may be provided. A master controller  12  may control first gatherer  100  while a slave controller  14  may control second gatherer  200 . During a co-manufacturing operation controller  12  may control first and second gatherers  100 ,  200  directly or controller  12  may control and/or controller  14 . 
         [0043]    During a co-mailing operation controller  12  controls the feeding of product from binding line  128  to collecting device  300  and binding line  228  to collecting device  300 . Controller  12  maintains proper timing and sequencing between gatherers  100 ,  200 , binding lines  128 ,  228 , finishing lines  130 ,  230  and transport devices  140 ,  240  so the products  142 ,  242 , are collected in a controlled manner on collecting device  300 . 
         [0044]    Grippers may pick up products  142 ,  242  before or after a binder mail head. Pulling products  142 ,  242  off finishing lines  130 ,  230  after trimming allows for different size books to be produced on each binding line  128 ,  228  and merged together downstream. 
         [0045]    In other preferred embodiments, more than two gatherers and more than two transport devices may be provided. In addition, optional hoppers may be provided for collecting device  300  for depositing additional products or materials. 
         [0046]      FIG. 2  shows another preferred embodiment of a multiplex gathering device  410 . Multiplex gathering device  410  includes a first binder  428  that may include a hopper section and a plurality of hoppers  422  for gathering printed products  442 . A second binder  528  may also include a hopper section and a plurality of hoppers  522  gathering printed products  542 . First and second binders  428 ,  528  may be saddle stitchers or perfect binders. Trimmers  438 ,  538  may trim products to different sizes or the same size. A first transport device  440  and a second transport device  540  remove products  442 ,  542  off of a first finishing line  430  and a second finishing line  530  after products  442 ,  542  have been trimmed by trimmers  438 ,  538 , respectively. Transport devices  440 ,  540  each include a plurality of grippers  444 ,  544  for pulling products off of finishing lines  430 ,  530 . Transport devices  440 ,  540  may remove products  442 ,  542  prior to trimming if desired. 
         [0047]    Transport devices  440 ,  540  transport products to a separate collecting device  600 . Collecting device  600  includes a plurality of receipt locations  610 ,  612  for receiving products  442 ,  542  from first and second transport devices  440 ,  540 . Products  442  may be combined with products  542  on collecting device  600  to form a final product  614  as desired. Collecting device may include a collator, inserter, trimmer, mail table  636 , stacker  634  or other finishing devices as desired. 
         [0048]    Optional feed hoppers  622 ,  622 ′ may also be positioned with respect to collecting device  600  to provide additional products to receipt locations  610 ,  612 . Optional feed hoppers  622 ,  622 ′ may include prebound products or overflow books from binders  428 ,  528 . 
         [0049]    Additional binders may also be provided with transport devices to provide further products to collecting device  600 . Each binder  428 ,  528  including any additional binders may operate independently since each binder includes a separate finishing line  430 ,  530 , trimmer  438 ,  538  and stacker  434 ,  534  respectively. Thus, binders  428 ,  528  can operate in multiplex mode with additional binders when co-manufacturing products, or, each binder  428 ,  258  can operate independently. Binders  428 ,  528  may also produce bulk mail, non-mail or overflow copies of non-selective content during gaps or other binder production interruptions. 
         [0050]    In the preceding specification, the invention has been described with reference to specific exemplary embodiments and examples thereof. It will, however, be evident that various modifications and changes may be made thereto without departing from the broader spirit and scope of invention as set forth in the claims that follow. The specification and drawings are accordingly to be regarded in an illustrative manner rather than a restrictive sense.