Patent Publication Number: US-10759211-B2

Title: Automatic machine and method for covering the covers of books

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to an automatic machine for covering books. 
     Machines for covering the covers of books by means of specific sheets of flexible plastic material, which are supplied in single piece or unwindable from a continuous roll are known. 
     Some of said machines are of the portable type and are provided with a lower base, which defines a resting surface for the sheet (single or unwindable from a roll) used for the covering the cover of the book, and an upper part movable towards said base starting from a rest position. 
     The upper part consists of two sides connected by a crosspiece. A space defined between the base and the upper part allows to introduce plastic sheet ends to be welded while the article is positioned against the front of crosspiece. 
     The crosspiece carries a welding blade which collaborates with a fixed counter-blade restrained to the base and can be warmed by means of an electric resistance fed through the electric circuitry. 
     A machine for continuously making the covering cover of books is described in patent EP 2532526 and comprises means for cutting a film unwound from a coil to make film sheets, devices for folding the ends of the film sheet, a device adapted to control the folding devices and the cutting devices as a function of the dimensions of the covers; the folding devices comprise rolls arranged so as to make a scheduled passage and a folding blade configured to force the film sheet in the scheduled passage to fold the first end of the film sheet. 
     However, covering the book covers is rather laborious and complex in said machine. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is the object of the present invention to provide an automatic machine for covering books which is simpler and more effective than the known automatic machines. 
     According to the present invention, such an object is achieved by an automatic machine for covering the covers of a book of different dimensions starting from a film sheet, said machine comprising a work plane on which said film sheet is placed, said machine comprising welding and cutting means of the film sheet, first and second folding means for folding the ends of the film sheet and a control unit adapted to control the welding and cutting means and said first and second folding means as a function of the book dimensions for the covering operation of the book covers, characterized in that it comprises reception and gripping means configured to receive said book with the open covers at the input position and adapted to grip the book body outside the work plane and transport the book to the working position over the film sheet for the covering operation of the book covers, said control unit being adapted to control said reception and gripping means, said control unit being configured to control said first and second folding means to fold the ends of the film sheet on the book covers. 
    
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of a practical embodiment thereof, shown by way of non-limiting example in the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIGS. 1 to 3  are perspective views of the automatic machine for covering books according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  is a top view of the machine in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the machine in  FIG. 1 , with closed doors in the step of inserting the book into the machine; 
         FIGS. 6A, 6B, 6C and 7  show the machine in  FIG. 1  in the successive book gripping steps of the machine in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 8A  shows the machine in  FIG. 1  in the step of moving the book at the working position; 
         FIG. 8B  shows the book to be covered; 
         FIG. 9  shows the machine in  FIG. 1  in the step of reading the width of the book; 
         FIG. 10  shows the machine in  FIG. 1  in the step of covering the book; 
         FIG. 11  shows the machine in  FIG. 1  in the step of welding and cutting the film covering the book covers; 
         FIG. 12  is a diagrammatic partial view of the lower part of the machine in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIGS. 13 and 14  are diagrammatic partial views of the devices for feeding the film sheets at the work plane, which are inserted into the lower part of the machine in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 15  is a diagrammatic view of the work plane with a film sheet arranged in the initial part; 
         FIG. 16  is a diagrammatic view of the work plane with a film sheet completely arranged on the work plane; 
         FIG. 17  is a perspective view of the automatic machine for covering books according to a variant of the embodiment of the present invention, with closed doors in the step of inserting the book into the machine; 
         FIGS. 18 to 19  are perspective views of the automatic machine for covering books according to another variant of the embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 20  is a top view of the machine in  FIG. 18 ; 
         FIG. 21  is a partial perspective view of the automatic machine for covering books according to a further variant of the embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       FIGS. 1 to 16  show an automatic machine for covering books according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
     Book  1  to be inserted into the machine is arranged as in  FIG. 5 , that is with the covers  2 ,  3  of the book in open position substantially at 90° with respect to body  4  of the book, that is to the block of pages of book  1 , and back  111  of the book facing downwards. 
     The machine comprises means  10  configured to receive a book  1  with the covers  2 ,  3  in open position substantially at ninety degrees with respect to body  4  of the book and with back  111  of book  1  facing downwards at the input position A. Said means comprise a tray  11  normally arranged on a horizontal plane, and an element  12  provided with a pair of walls  13 ,  14  perpendicular to tray  11 ; book  1  is inserted by a user so that the book covers  2 ,  3  rest on tray  11  and body  4  of the book is inserted inside the walls  13 ,  14  of element  12 , as shown in  FIG. 5 . The machine normally is closed by doors  160 ; the reception means  10  and gripping means  20  are arranged in the upper part  152  of the machine and the reception means comprise an opening  161  for facilitating the input of book  1  into the machine. 
     Element  12  belongs even to the means  20  for gripping the book, in addition to allowing the arrangement of the body  4  of book  1  inside the walls  13 ,  14 . The gripping means  20  comprise a sensor  21  accommodated in a rear wall  22  arranged perpendicular to the walls  13 ,  14  and to tray  11 , as shown in  FIGS. 2 and 6A to 6C ; when the book body inserted between the two walls  13 ,  14  comes in contact with sensor  21 , the walls  13 ,  14  close on the body  4  of book  1  to grip it when it is arranged outside the work plane  23  and transport it to the working position A 1 , arranging it over a film sheet  5  already arranged over the work plane  23 , in order to cover the book covers  2 ,  3 . The work plane  23  is defined by a part  230  of frame  6  of the machine. 
     Element  12  is carried by a carriage  24  sliding on an upper crosspiece  25  of frame  6  of the machine; the carriage is moved by an electric motor  26  and a belt  27  engaged with the electric motor  26  and with element  12 . The gripping means  20  also comprise motors  28  adapted to allow to close the walls  13 ,  14  on the body  4  of book  1  to grip the book. 
     Once the operation of covering the covers  2 ,  3  of book  1  with the film sheet  5  has been completed, element  12  is adapted to transport book  1  outside the work plane  23  to unload it. Preferably, the rear wall  22  is moved by an electric motor  29  which causes the opening thereof to unload or eject book  1  once the operation of covering the book has been completed. 
     Preferably, the film sheet  5 , preferably a clear film sheet or of the colored and clear type, preferably a plastic film, derives from a film coil  51  and the machine comprises means  50  adapted to produce film sheets  5  and means  60  adapted to arrange the film sheet  5  on the work plane  23 , as better seen in  FIGS. 12 to 16 . The means  50  ( FIGS. 12 to 14 ) are arranged in the lower part  150  of the machine and comprise moving means  52  for unwinding the coil (preferably a roll), means  53  adapted to carry coil  51  and which can be extracted from the machine, means  54  for measuring the film sheet  5  and a blade  55  for cutting the film sheet  5 . Preferably, coil  51  comprises notches for the predetermined measuring of the film sheets  5 , and the means  54  comprise a laser sensor  56  which detects the presence of the notches on the film of the coil and allows to stop coil  51  in order to cut the film by means of blade  55 . The means  60  preferably comprise a belt element  61  ( FIG. 14 ) for carrying the cut film sheet  5  up to an end  62  of the work plane  23 , and a gripper  63 , which is movable along axis Y by suitable moving means (for example an electric motor with belt and guide for gripper  63 ), adapted to take the film sheet  5  ( FIG. 15 ) and arrange it on the work plane  23  ( FIG. 16 ); in particular, gripper  63  is adapted to take an end  65  of sheet  5  and drag sheet  5  on the work plane  23  until the gripper reaches end  66 , opposite to end  62 , of the work plane  23 . 
     Element  12  carries book  1  inside the machine up to the work position A 1  in which it places book  1  onto the film sheet  5  arranged on the work plane  23 . 
     The machine also comprises a movable gate  40  adapted to be raised with respect to the horizontal plane A of tray  11  to prevent the input of another book to be covered during the operation of covering book  1 . 
     Devices  70  for measuring the length Lu of book  1  are activated when transporting book  1  towards position A 1 ; said measure devices preferably comprise two sensors  71 , in particular two photo-electric cells, arranged on the work plane  23  and adapted to measure the length Lu of the book. Once book  1  has reached position A 1 , the devices  75  for measuring the width La of the book are activated; said measure devices are two photo-electric cells  76  adapted to measure the width La of the book. 
     The machine comprises means  80  for welding and cutting the film sheet  5 , which comprise a device  81  and a device  82 . The welding and cutting means  80  are adapted to cut and weld the sheet of the film sheet  5  already folded by the first  91  and the second  92  folding means, both on the upper and the lower side of the book. Device  81  is arranged close to position A 1  on the work plane, while device  82  is arranged outside the work plane  23  and close to the input position A of book  1 . Device  82  is configured to translate towards and away from the work plane  23  along axis X; device  82  is configured to translate towards the work plane  23  along axis X as a function of the length Lu of book  1  measured by the measure devices  70 . Device  82  comprises a tray  84  and a cutting and welding blade  83  which is configured to rotate from a rest position T 1  to an intermediate rest position T 2 , up to a work position T 3  for laterally welding and cutting the film sheet  5 , where position T 3  rests on the horizontal plane coplanar to the work plane  23 , preferably, position T 1  is below the horizontal plane coplanar to the work plane  23 , for example in a position in which the cutting and welding blade should perform a rotation by an angle of 200° to reach position T 3 , and preferably position T 2  is over the horizontal plane coplanar to the work plane  23 , for example in a position in which the cutting and welding blade should perform a rotation by an angle of 90° with respect to position T 3 . Device  81  comprises a cutting and welding blade  85  which is configured to rotate from a rest position T 4  to an intermediate position T 6 , up to a work position T 5  on the work plane  23  for laterally welding and cutting the film sheet  5 , where position T 5  rests on the horizontal plane coplanar to the work plane  23 , preferably, position T 4  always lies below the horizontal plane coplanar to the work plane  23 , but in a position in which the cutting and welding blade  85  should perform a rotation by an angle of 180° to reach position T 5 , and preferably position T 6  is over the horizontal plane coplanar to the work plane  23 , for example in a position in which the cutting and welding blade  85  should perform a rotation by an angle of 90° with respect to position  15 . 
     The machine comprises first  91  and second  92  means for folding the respective ends  7 ,  8  of the film sheet  5  on the book covers  2 ,  3 . The first  91  and second  92  folding means are adapted to carry the side ends  7 ,  8  of the film sheet  5  on the internal part of the covers  2 ,  3  of book  1 . The first  91  and second  92  folding means each comprise a flap  93  moved by an electric motor  94 ; each flap  93  is capable of shifting on the work plane  23  along an axis Y, perpendicular to axis X but coplanar thereto, to fit the width of book  1  and is capable of rotating by 180° to fold the ends  7 ,  8  of the film sheet  5  on the covers  2 ,  3 . The flaps  93  are arranged on the work plane  23  when they shift or are in rest position; the flaps  93  preferably comprise the two photo-electric cells  76  adapted to measure the width La of the book. 
     The machine comprises a control unit  100  adapted to control said welding and cutting means  80  and said first  91  and second  92  folding means as a function of the dimensions of the book; said control unit  100  controls the first  91  and the second  92  folding means to carry the side ends  7 ,  8  of the film sheet  5  on the internal part of the covers  2 ,  3  of book  1  and then the welding and cutting means  80  to cut and weld the sheet of the film sheet  5  already folded by the first  91  and second  92  folding means, both on the upper and the lower side of the book. The control unit  100  controls the means  50 , the means  60 , the reception means  10  and the gripping means  20 , and the various measure means for measuring the length Lu, the width La and the bordure D of book  1 , and calculates the length Lu, the width La and the bordure D of book  1 . 
     The machine comprises means  110  for measuring the bordure of the book, that is thickness D created between covers  2 , 3  and edge  111  of the book when the book is made and due to the gluing of the book pages with the material of edge  111  of the book. 
     The measure means  110  comprise sensors  112  arranged in the walls  13 ,  14  of element  12 ; when the book is at the position A 1 , the walls  13 ,  14  are lowered onto book  1  so as to allow the measurement of bordure D. 
     As described above, the film sheet  5  preferably derives from a film coil  51  and the machine comprises means  50  adapted to produce film sheets  5  and means  60  adapted to arrange the film sheet  5  on the work plane  23 , as better seen in  FIGS. 12 to 16 . The means  50  ( FIGS. 12 to 14 ) are arranged in the lower part  150  of the machine and comprise moving means  52  for unwinding the coil (preferably a roll), means  53  adapted to carry coil  51  and which can be extracted from the machine, and a blade  55  for cutting the film sheet  5 . Alternatively, there are no notches on the film of coil  51  and there is no need for means  54 ; blade  55  is controlled by unit  100  as a function of the width La of book  1 . Indeed, the machine according to the invention comprises further devices for measuring the width La of the book given by the width of the covers  2 ,  3  of book  1  and by the width of the edge  111  of book  1 ; said measure devices preferably are arranged in the part of the machine adapted to receive the book from the outside, that is close to tray  11 , at the input position A of book  1 . The control unit  100  processes the measurement taken by said further devices for measuring the width La of the book and controls the moving means  52  to unwind the coil up to the measurement processed and then controls blade  55  to cut the film sheet  5  by said measurement processed. 
     The machine works in the following manner. All the various work steps of the machine according to the invention are coordinated by the control unit  100 . 
     Initially in step F 1 , book  1  is arranged on tray  11  with the covers  2 ,  3  in open position, that is substantially rotated by 90° with respect to the body  4  of book  1  and with back  111  facing downwards. Device  82  is stopped and the cutting and welding blade  83  is in position T 3 , the cutting and welding blade  85  of device  81  is in position T 4  and the flaps  93  of the first and second folding means are coplanar to the work plane  23 ; the film sheet  5  is arranged over the work plane  23 . 
     Then in step F 2 , the body  4  of book  1  is inserted into the reception element  12  between the walls  13 ,  14  up to touching sensor  21  arranged on wall  21 . 
     The contact of body  4  with sensor  21  is detected by the control device  100  which controls the motors  28  to close the walls  13 ,  14  on the body  4  of book  1  to grip book  1 . The control device  100  controls the heating of the electric resistors of the devices  81  and  82  up to reaching a given temperature (for example 130° C.) for the successive welding operation. 
     Then (step F 3 ), once book  1  has been taken by the gripping means  20 , the control device  100  controls the gripping means  20  to raise the book itself and transport it to position A 1  by translating along axis X; the transport of the book  1  occurs like a dragging operation of book  1  since the covers  3 ,  4  are always kept in open position substantially at 90°, in the transporting operation, and the covers rest on tray  84  which is configured to translate to then reach the work plane  23 . The arrival at the position A 1  is indicated by specific means, for example an encoder mounted on the motor. 
     In the translation, book  1  passes over device  82  thus activating the sensors  71  for measuring the length Lu of book  1 ; when the book reaches position A 1 , the control device  100  controls raising gate  40  and the arrangement of the cutting and welding blade  93  of device  82  from position T 1  to position T 2  over the work plane  23 , and of the cutting and welding blade  85  of device  81  in position T 6 . 
     Then (step F 4 ), the control device  100  controls element  12  to partly release book  1  onto the film sheet  5  already arranged on the work plane  23  and controls lowering the walls  13 ,  14  onto the covers  2 ,  3  of book  1  so the sensors  112  measure bordure D of the book. 
     Then, there is the operation (F 5 -F 8 ) of covering the covers  2 ,  3  of book  1  with the film sheet  5 . 
     In step F 5 , the control device  100  controls the flaps  93  to shift along axis Y, perpendicular to axis X, so as to move away from the area where edge  111  of the book is arranged; the flaps  93  carry the sensors  76  adapted to measure the width La of book  1 . 
     Once the width La of the book has been measured, the control device  100  controls the rotation of the flaps  93  on the book covers  2 ,  3  (for example by 180°) so as to carry the side ends  7 ,  8  of the film sheet  5  on the internal part of the covers  2 ,  3 , that is in an adjacent manner to the internal part of the covers  2 ,  3  (step F 6 ). 
     Then (step F 7 ), the control device  100  controls the shifting of the flaps  93  so that both move away from the edge  111  of book  1  to compensate for bordure D of the book. Thereby the total width of the book is given by the width La+2×D. 
     Then (step F 8 ), the control device  100  controls the translation of device  82  as a function of the length Lu of book  1  and controls the welding and cutting blades  83 ,  85  to go to the respective positions T 3  and T 5  to weld the film sheet  5 , that is the folded film sheet  5 , both on the upper and lower side of book  1 , along axes parallel to axis Y, and cut the film sheet  5 , again both on the upper and lower side of book  1 , along axes parallel to axis Y, so as to eliminate the remaining part of the film sheet  5 . During the welding, the flaps  93  return to the starting position, that is the control device  100  controls the flaps to be arranged in a coplanar manner to the work plane  23  or to a plane parallel thereto. 
     The successive step F 9  provides for the control device  100  to control the devices  81  and  82  to return to the rest positions T 4 , T 2  and element  12  to grip the body  4  of book  1  to transport it outside the work plane  23  on the side of the machine which is opposite to the input part of book  1 . In the ejection step of book  1 , the rear wall  22  rotates so as to open and allow the ejection or discharge of the book. 
     In the successive step F 10 , element  12  is controlled by device  100  to return to the starting position by means of a sliding carriage  24  on the upper crosspiece  25  to receive a new book  1  to be covered; device  82  is controlled by device  100  to return to the initial position with the cutting and welding blade  83  which returns to position T 1  to allow the lowering of gate  45 . 
     Preferably, the film sheet  5  comes from a film coil  51 ; in an initial step D 1 , the control device  100  controls the moving means  52  to unwind the coil up to the predetermined measurement measured by the measure means  54 . The film of the coil preferably comprises measure notches and the means  54  are configured to detect said notches. 
     Alternatively, in step D 1 , the control device  100  controls the moving means  52  to unwind the coil up to a predetermined measurement as a function of the width La of the book measured by the further devices adapted to measure the width La of the book which are arranged close to tray  11 , preferably at the input position A of the book. 
     In the successive step D 2 , the film sheet  5  is cut by means of blade  55  controlled by device  100 , and in the successive step D 3 , the film sheet  5  is carried by the belt element  61  (for example a buffer), again controlled by device  100 , up to end  62  of the work plane  23 ; a pressure unit  58  preferably holds the film sheet unwound from coil  51  stationary only during cutting.  FIG. 13  shows step D 2  of cutting the film sheet  5  from the film coil  51 ; the film sheet  5  is arranged between the belts of the belt device  61 .  FIG. 14  is similar to  FIG. 13  and again shows step D 2  of cutting the film sheet  5 . 
     In a successive step D 4  again, a gripper  63 , again controlled by device  100 , takes and drags the film sheet  5  to arrange it on the work plane  23 . 
     Preferably, to speed up the operation of covering the book, the steps D 1  and D 2  for making a new film sheet  5  are carried out during the steps F 6 -F 8  of covering book  1 , step D 3  is carried out during step F 9  and step D 4  is carried out after step F 10 . 
     The machine according to the invention is compact and provided with wheels  300  for the easy movement thereof. 
     According to a variant of the embodiment of the present invention, in addition to the elements of the embodiment of the present invention, the automatic machine for covering books comprises fins  165  provided with springs in the opening  161  of the reception means  10 , as shown in  FIG. 17 ; the fins  165  provided with springs keep the body  4  of book  1  in vertical position before it is gripped by the gripping means  20 . An area  170  for discharging the book with the covers covered by the film sheet  5  is provided. 
     According to another variant of the embodiment of the present invention, in addition to the elements of the embodiment of the present invention or of the variant, the automatic machine for covering books comprises means  600  for rotating the upper crosspiece  25  of frame  6  of the machine about a vertical axis, an axis Z perpendicular to the axes X and Y, as shown in  FIGS. 18 to 20 . Indeed, the books are not perpendicular and by rotating crosspiece  25 , they may be rotated to make the covers  2 ,  3  parallel to the welding and cutting blades  83 ,  85 ; thereby, the folded film sheet  5  is cut and welded on the upper and lower side of book  1  so that the cutting and welding are carried out closer to the edge of the covers  2 ,  3 . Preferably, the upper crosspiece  25  is hinged to frame  6 . Preferably, said means  600  comprise a stepper motor. 
     According to a further variant of the embodiment of the present invention, in addition to the elements of the embodiment of the present invention or of the variant of the other variant, the automatic machine for covering books comprises a motorized roller  701  moved by suitable means and parallel to the cutting and welding blade  83 , as shown in  FIG. 21 ; the motorized roller  701  is arranged close to the welding blade  83  and on the lower part of book  1  when the book is arranged on the work plane  23 . The rotation of the motorized roller  701  in descent step of the cutting and welding blade  83  allows the folded film sheet  5  to be pulled outwards to make the side ends  7  and  8  more adherent to the internal part of the covers  2 ,  3  of book  1 ; thereby, the internal bodies of the side ends  6  and  7  are reduced so as to make the side ends  7  and  8  folded on the internal part of the covers  2 ,  3  of book  1  more adherent to the internal part of the covers  2 ,  3  of book  1 . The motorized roller is controlled by the control unit  100  before the cutting and welding blade  83  takes the work position T 3 , preferably when the cutting and welding blade  83  takes the intermediate rest position T 2 .