Apparatus for conveying printing sheets

Abstract

A conveying apparatus for conveying sheets to a printing press includes at least one suction belt movable over a table; at least one suction chamber disposed below the table for sucking air through the at least one suction belt, so that the sheets are sucked on the at least one suction belt and guided along the table to the printing press; a pressure reducing means for reducing air pressure within said at least one suction chamber; and an air pressure controlling means for controlling said pressure reducing means according to the information regarding the sheets inputted to said air pressure controlling means, thereby adjusting the reduction in the air pressure within the at least one suction chamber.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A conveying apparatus for conveying sheets to a printing press comprising: 
 at least one suction belt movable over a table;    at least one suction chamber disposed below the table for sucking air through the at least one suction belt, so that the sheets are sucked on the at least one suction belt and guided along the table to the printing press;    a pressure reducing means for reducing air pressure within said at least one suction chamber; and    an air pressure controlling means for controlling said pressure reducing means according to the information regarding the sheets inputted to said air pressure controlling means, thereby adjusting the reduction in the air pressure within the at least one suction chamber.    
     
     
         2 . A conveying apparatus for conveying sheets to a printing press comprising: 
 at least one suction belt movable over a table;    at least one suction chamber disposed below the table for sucking air through the at least one suction belt, so that the sheets are sucked on the at least one suction belt and guided along the table to the printing press;    a pressure reducing means for reducing air pressure within said at least one suction chamber; and    an air pressure controlling means for controlling said pressure reducing means according to an air pressure within the at least one suction chamber measured at the start of a sheet feeding operation, thereby adjusting the reduction in said air pressure within the at least one suction chamber.    
     
     
         3 . A conveying apparatus for conveying sheets to a printing press comprising: 
 at least one suction belt movable over a table;    at least one suction chamber disposed below the table for sucking air through the at least one suction belt, so that the sheets are sucked on the at least one suction belt and guided along the table to the printing press;    a pressure reducing means for reducing air pressure within said at least one suction chamber; and    an air pressure controlling means for controlling an opening means for adjusting an opening/closing amount of an opening formed in each of the at least one suction chamber according to the information regarding the sheets inputted to said air pressure controlling means, thereby adjusting the reduction in said air pressure within the at least one suction chamber.    
     
     
         4 . A conveying apparatus for conveying sheets to a printing press comprising: 
 at least one suction belt movable over a table;    at least one suction chamber disposed below the table for sucking air through the at least one suction belt, so that the sheets are sucked on the at least one suction belt and guided along the table to the printing press;    a pressure reducing means for reducing air pressure within said at least one suction chamber; and    an air pressure controlling means for controlling an opening means for adjusting an opening/closing amount of an opening formed in each of the at least one suction chamber according to an air pressure within the at least one suction chamber measured at the start of a sheet feeding operation, thereby adjusting the reduction in said air pressure within the at least one suction chamber.    
     
     
         5 . A conveying apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the information inputted to the air pressure controlling means includes at least one of size, thickness, stiffness and type of each of the sheets.  
     
     
         6 . A conveying apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein the information inputted to the air pressure controlling means includes at least one of size, thickness, stiffness and type of each of the sheets.  
     
     
         7 . A conveying apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the adjustment of the reduction in the air pressure within the at least one suction chamber is made according to the information obtained from the result of an operation test.  
     
     
         8 . A conveying apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the adjustment of the reduction in the air pressure within the at least one suction chamber is made according to the information obtained from the result of an operation test.  
     
     
         9 . A conveying apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein the adjustment of the reduction in the air pressure within the at least one suction chamber is made according to the information obtained from the result of an operation test.  
     
     
         10 . A conveying apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein the adjustment of the reduction in the air pressure within the at least one suction chamber is made according to the information obtained from the result of an operation test.  
     
     
         11 . A conveying apparatus according to  claim 1 , which further comprises a sensor for detecting a state of the sheets conveyed along the table.  
     
     
         12 . A conveying apparatus according to  claim 2 , which further comprises a sensor for detecting a state of the sheets conveyed along the table.  
     
     
         13 . A conveying apparatus according to  claim 3 , which further comprises a sensor for detecting a state of the sheets conveyed along the table.  
     
     
         14 . A conveying apparatus according to  claim 4 , which further comprises a sensor for detecting a state of the sheets conveyed along the table.  
     
     
         15 . A conveying apparatus according to  claim 1 , which further comprises a sensor for detecting the air pressure within the suction chamber.  
     
     
         16 . A conveying apparatus according to  claim 2 , which further comprises a sensor for detecting the air pressure within the suction chamber.  
     
     
         17 . A conveying apparatus according to  claim 3 , which further comprises a sensor for detecting the air pressure within the suction chamber.  
     
     
         18 . A conveying apparatus according to  claim 4 , which further comprises a sensor for detecting the air pressure within the suction chamber.  
     
     
         19 . A conveying apparatus according to  claim 1 , which further comprises a sensor for detecting a state of the sheet conveyed along the table, in which the air pressure controlling means controls the pressure reducing means according to the output of said sensor.  
     
     
         20 . A conveying apparatus according to  claim 2 , which further comprises a sensor for detecting a state of the sheet conveyed along the table, in which the air pressure controlling means controls the pressure reducing means according to the output of said sensor.  
     
     
         21 . A conveying apparatus according to  claim 1 , which further comprises a sensor for detecting an air pressure within the at least one suction chamber, in which the air pressure controlling means controls the pressure reducing means according to the output of said sensor.  
     
     
         22 . A conveying apparatus according to  claim 2 , which further comprises a sensor for detecting an air pressure within the at least one suction chamber, in which the air pressure controlling means controls the pressure reducing means according to the output of said sensor.  
     
     
         23 . A conveying apparatus according to  claim 3 , which further comprises a sensor for detecting a state of the sheet conveyed along the table, in which the air pressure controlling means controls the opening means for adjusting an opening/closing amount of the opening formed in each of the at least one suction chamber according to the output of said sensor.  
     
     
         24 . A conveying apparatus according to  claim 4 , which further comprises a sensor for detecting a state of the sheet conveyed along the table, in which the air pressure controlling means controls the opening means for adjusting an opening/closing amount of the opening formed in each of the at least one suction chamber according to the output of said sensor.  
     
     
         25 . A conveying apparatus according to  claim 3 , which further comprises a sensor for detecting an air pressure within the at least one suction chamber, in which the air pressure controlling means controls the opening means for adjusting an opening/closing amount of the opening formed in each of the at least one suction chamber according to the output of said sensor.  
     
     
         26 . A conveying apparatus according to  claim 4 , which further comprises a sensor for detecting an air pressure within the at least one suction chamber, in which the air pressure controlling means controls the opening means for adjusting an opening/closing amount of the opening formed in each of the at least one suction chamber according to the output of said sensor.