Abstract:
A feed unit for feeding sheets to a packing line, wherein a pickup device engages a withdrawal opening, formed in a vertical hopper housing a stack of sheets, to withdraw a single sheet from the stack and feed the sheet to the packing line; two rollers are located on opposite sides of the stack at the withdrawal opening in the hopper, and each has a lateral surface, on which rests a bottom portion of the stack, and rotates continuously about a respective longitudinal axis of symmetry in such a direction as to push the sheets in the stack upwards.
Abstract:
A sheet supply apparatus includes: a tray on which a stack of sheets can be placed, an air blowing section that blows air towards the stack of sheets to float at least a topmost sheet, a sucking and conveying section, above the tray, that sucks said floating sheet(s) and conveys said sheet(s) in a prescribed direction, and a first light source that emits a first stripshaped slit light having a vertically extending component such that the slit light crosses at least a first edge of a first floating sheet and a second edge of a second floating sheet. An image capture section captures an image of the first slit light, a calculating section calculates a vertical clearance between the first and second sheets, and an air amount adjusting section adjusts an amount of air to be blown by the air blowing section based on the calculated vertical clearance.
Abstract:
The present invention relates to an input system for feeding sheets from a paper web to a high speed mass mailing inserter system. Sheets of paper are separated from the paper web and are fed to a stacking module configured to receive the separated sheets, to stack the sheets, and to individually feed sheets from the stack. The rate of feeding sheets into the stacking module is adjusted as a function of the rate at which individual sheets are fed out of the stack, and as a function of the deviation of the stack height from a pre-selected nominal stack height.
Abstract:
A method for transferring a sheet in a sheet transport assembly from a supplying conveyor to a receiving conveyor. The method includes arranging a contact side of a sheet in contact with a transport belt of the supplying conveyor, advancing the sheet on the transport belt in a transport direction along a process unit, which applies a process to a process side of the sheet opposite to the contact side, and to a transfer area where the sheet is transferred to a receiving conveyor. To correct for curl deformation of the sheet, air flow is directed onto the process side of sheet, which urges the sheet towards a supporting element. The air flow is controlled in response to a curl deformation behavior of the sheet.
Abstract:
A stacked articles accumulating apparatus functions by down-stacking. The apparatus includes a surface supported on an air cylinder member with a solenoid valve controlled by a photo eye sensor to release air from the cylinder member to maintain the top article of an accumulating articles stack on the support surface substantially at a predetermined elevation. Additional components include a limit switch for setting a minimum elevation of the support surface, a compressed air source supplying the air cylinder member, and an article supply mechanism. A method of article accumulation at substantially a predetermined level is also disclosed.
Abstract:
A stack control mechanism comprising a mechanism for feeding and accumulating sheets to an accumulating area. A control mechanism for controlling the feeding of the sheets to the accumulating area which includes emitting an impulse or vibration onto that stack ad receiving vibrations or impulses which are reflected from the stack. The feeding mechanism is responsive to the controlling mechanism to adjust to rate of feeding of sheets to the accumulating area.
Abstract:
The present invention relates to an input system for feeding sheets from a paper web to a high speed mass mailing inserter system. Sheets of paper are separated from the paper web and are fed to a stacking module configured to receive the separated sheets, to stack the sheets, and to individually feed sheets from the stack. The rate of feeding sheets into the stacking module is adjusted as a function of the rate at which individual sheets are fed out of the stack, and as a function of the deviation of the stack height from a pre-selected nominal stack height.
Abstract:
A method is provided for transferring a sheet in a sheet transport assembly from a supplying conveyor to a receiving conveyor. The method comprises the steps of: arranging a contact side of a sheet in contact with a transport belt of the supplying conveyor; advancing the sheet on the transport belt in a transport direction along a process unit, which is arranged for applying a process to a process side of the sheet, the process side being opposite to the contact side, to a transfer area where the sheet is transferred to a receiving conveyor; controlling an air flow directed onto the process side of sheet for urging the sheet towards a supporting element, which supports the sheet during transport in the transfer area, thereby correcting a curl deformation of the sheet. The air flow is controlled in response to at least one sheet attribute comprising a media characteristic of the sheet, wherein said media characteristic defines a curl deformation behavior of the sheet.
Abstract:
A sheet supply apparatus includes: a tray on which a stack of sheets can be placed, an air blowing section that blows air towards the stack of sheets to float at least a topmost sheet, a sucking and conveying section, above the tray, that sucks said floating sheet(s) and conveys said sheet(s) in a prescribed direction, and a first light source that emits a first stripshaped slit light having a vertically extending component such that the slit light crosses at least a first edge of a first floating sheet and a second edge of a second floating sheet. An image capture section captures an image of the first slit light, a calculating section calculates a vertical clearance between the first and second sheets, and an air amount adjusting section adjusts an amount of air to be blown by the air blowing section based on the calculated vertical clearance.
Abstract:
A stacked articles accumulating apparatus functions by down-stacking. The apparatus includes a surface supported on an air cylinder member with a solenoid valve controlled by a photo eye sensor to release air from the cylinder member to maintain the top article of an accumulating articles stack on the support surface substantially at a predetermined elevation. Additional components include a limit switch for setting a minimum elevation of the support surface, a compressed air source supplying the air cylinder member, and an article supply mechanism. A method of article accumulation at substantially a predetermined level is also disclosed.