Device for guiding flat materials

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for guiding flat materials along a transport path within a higher-level device for handling flat materials, whereby the device for guiding flat materials has at least one upper guiding surface that is arranged above the transport path and at least one lower guiding surface that is arranged below the transport path and two side walls between which the at least one lower and upper guiding surfaces are rigidly fastened, whereby mounting elements are provided on the side walls, whereby the device can be installed in the higher-level device for handling flat materials by means of these mounting elements.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A device for guiding flat materials along a transport path within a higher-level device for handling flat materials, comprising: 
 two transport path side walls;    a transport path comprising at least one upper guiding surface and at least one lower guiding surface, the at least one upper guiding surface and the at least one lower guiding surface being in between the transport path side walls and attached thereto; and    mounting elements on the transport path side walls for mounting the transport path side walls to the higher-level device.    
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , the at least one lower guiding surface being rigidly connected to the two side surfaces.  
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 1 , the mounting elements comprising two mounting rods that extend through the two transport path side walls, the two mounting rods being fastened to the transport path side walls, the two mounting rods being arranged with respect to each other so that their axes are parallel and comprising ends that configured as mechanical connecting elements that interface with the higher-level device.  
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 1 , the upper guiding surface being mounted in the transport path side walls so that it can be swiveled away from the transport path.  
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 4  comprising a stop that holds the upper guiding surface in a swiveled position or in a non-swiveled position.  
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 1 , comprising a drive for the flat materials comprising at least one pair of drive rollers that comes into working connection with the flat materials, at least one pair of drive rollers being mounted in the transport path side walls by way of a drive shaft.  
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 6 , comprising at least one pressure roller pair assigned to the drive roller pair and spring-mounted in the at least one upper guiding surface.  
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 6 , the drive comprising a drive motor fastened to one of the transport path side walls.  
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 6 , comprising an area wherein a distance between the lower guiding surface and the upper guiding surface being narrowed so that a flat material guided through the transport is guided more precisely within the area.  
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 6 , comprising two parallel drive roller pairs arranged one after the other in a transport direction, the distance between the drive roller pairs along the transport path being smaller than the smallest flat material that will be guided with the device.  
     
     
         11 . The device of  claim 1 , comprising detectors that monitor the flat materials.  
     
     
         12 . The device of  claim 11 , a distance between the lower guiding surface and the upper guiding surface being narrowed in the area of the detectors.  
     
     
         13 . A device for handling flat materials, comprising: 
 a housing comprising at least two housing side walls;    at least one transport path module between the two housing side walls;    the at least two housing side walls having a number of holding positions configured to hold the at least one transport path module.    
     
     
         14 . The device of  claim 13 , the at least one transport path module comprising: 
 two transport path side walls;    a module transport path comprising at least one upper guiding surface and at least one lower guiding surface, the at least one upper guiding surface and the at least one lower guiding surface being in between the transport path side walls and attached thereto; and    mounting elements on the transport path side walls for mounting the transport path side walls to the holding positions.    
     
     
         15 . The device of  claim 13 , adjusting the holding positions to align the at least one transport path module.  
     
     
         16 . The device of  claim 13 , the at least one transport path module being selected from a group consisting of a transport path module for transferring flat materials to downstream devices, a transport path module for branching transport paths, a transport path module for accepting flat materials from upstream devices, and a transport path module for withdrawing flat materials from supply trays.  
     
     
         17 . The device of  claim 13 , comprising a device transport path formed entirely of transport path modules.  
     
     
         18 . The device of  claim 13 , the entire transport path comprising at least one transport path module for accepting flat materials from upstream devices and one transport path module for transferring flat materials to downstream devices.  
     
     
         19 . A method for guiding flat materials along a transport path within a higher-level device for handling flat materials, comprising: 
 disposing at least one transport path module with the higher-level device, the transport path module comprising two transport path side walls, a transport path comprising at least one upper guiding surface and at least one lower guiding surface, the at least one upper guiding surface and the at least one lower guiding surface being in between the transport path side walls and attached thereto, and mounting elements on the transport path side walls for mounting the transport path side walls to the higher-level device.    
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 19  comprising adjusting the at least one transport path module in order to align it.  
     
     
         21 . The method according to  claim 19  comprising adapting the transport path to a transport path of an upstream or a downstream device by changing at least one transport path module.