Device and method to accelerate and separate as well as spatially align blanks, especially envelope blanks

Abstract

A device and method are disclosed to accelerate, separate, and spatially align blanks such as, for example, envelope blanks. The device may include at least one stop cylinder body that rotates on an axis (the cylinder body including at least one stop element), and may also include at least one entraining transport device that entrains the blanks relative to at least one stop cylinder body. A stop cylinder body may include at least one suction air opening in a lateral surface thereof.

1 . A device, comprising: 
 at least one stop cylinder body rotating on an axis and comprising at least one stop element; and    at least one entraining transport device to entrain the blanks relative to the at least one stop cylinder body;    wherein the at least one stop cylinder body comprises at least one suction air opening in a lateral surface thereof.    
     
     
         2 . The device according to  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 two stop cylinder bodies; and    one entraining transport device;    wherein the one entraining transport device is positioned between the two stop cylinder bodies.    
     
     
         3 . The device according to  claim 2 , 
 wherein the two cylinder stop bodies and the one entraining transport device are joined together so that the two stop cylinder bodies rotate synchronously at a same angular velocity, and at a specific angle in relation to each other on the axis; and    wherein the one entraining transport device comprises a transport surface that moves at a velocity different from the angular velocity of the two stop cylinder bodies.    
     
     
         4 . The device according to  claim 2 , wherein the one entraining transport device comprises a suction belt transport device with at least one suction belt on which the blanks can be entrained by means of suction air.  
     
     
         5 . The device according to  claim 2 , wherein the one entraining transport device comprises a conveyor belt device having at least two essentially stacked conveyor belts between which the blanks can be entrained.  
     
     
         6 . The device according to  claim 3 , wherein the one entraining transport device comprises an entraining cylinder body rotating on the axis with at least one suction air opening in a lateral surface thereof.  
     
     
         7 . The device according to  claim 6 , wherein the transport surface is formed by the lateral surface of the entraining cylinder body such that the velocity of the transport surface equals the angular velocity of the one entraining cylinder body.  
     
     
         8 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein a stop cylinder body comprises at least one stop element.  
     
     
         9 . The device according to  claim 8 , wherein the stop cylinder body comprises a plurality of stop elements distributed at even angular intervals over a circumference of a lateral surface thereof.  
     
     
         10 . The device according to  claim 9 , wherein the stop cylinder body comprises two diametrically opposing stop elements on the lateral surface of the stop cylinder body.  
     
     
         11 . The device according to  claim 8 , wherein a stop element comprises a cam projecting out of the lateral surface of the stop cylinder body, and further comprises a stop surface with at least one section lying in a radial plane of the stop cylinder body.  
     
     
         12 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one stop element of the at least one stop cylinder body can shift in an axial direction relative to the lateral surface of the at least one stop cylinder body.  
     
     
         13 . The device according to  claim 1 , 
 wherein a plurality of suction air openings of the at least one stop cylinder body extend at least in sections over an area of the lateral surface of the at least one stop cylinder body; and    wherein the area of the lateral surface precedes or follows the at least one stop element of the at least one stop cylinder body by an angle ranging from 0° to 60° in reference to a direction of rotation of the at least one stop cylinder body.    
     
     
         14 . The device according to  claim 6 , wherein a plurality of suction air openings of the entraining cylinder body extend over an entire circumference of the lateral surface of the entraining cylinder body.  
     
     
         15 . The device according to  claim 6 , wherein a plurality of suction air openings selected from the group consisting of a plurality of suction air openings of the two stop cylinder bodies, and a plurality of suction air openings of the entraining cylinder body, can be shut off when the two stop cylinder bodies and the entraining cylinder body are rotating, at least over a specific section of a circular arc.  
     
     
         16 . An envelope manufacturing machine comprising the device according to  claim 1 .  
     
     
         17 . A method, comprising: 
 accelerating and spatially aligning blanks using a device comprising at least one stop cylinder body and an entraining transport device, the at least one stop cylinder body comprising at least one stop element;    placing one blank from a plurality of shingled or stacked blanks on a lateral surface of the at least one stop cylinder body using vacuum-fed suction air openings in the lateral surface of the at least one stop cylinder body;    accelerating the at least one stop cylinder body to a web speed;    using the entraining transport device to alter a velocity of the blank; and    moving the blank into a stop position relative to the at least one stop cylinder body, the blank contacting the at least one stop element of the at least one stop cylinder body.    
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 17 , wherein the web speed of the at least one stop cylinder body corresponds to a speed at which the blank is to be transferred by the device to at least one downstream station selected from the group consisting of a downstream processing station, and a downstream transport station.  
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 17 , further comprising placing the blank on the lateral surface of the at least one stop cylinder body when suction air openings on a lateral surface of an entraining cylinder body are inactive, the entraining transport device comprising the entraining cylinder body.  
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 17 , further comprising moving the blank into the stop position using the entraining transport device when suction air openings of the at least one stop cylinder body are inactive.  
     
     
         21 . The method according to  claim 19 , further comprising switching off a vacuum supplied to the suction air openings of the entraining cylinder body after the blank has reached the stop position.  
     
     
         22 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one entraining transport device comprises a suction belt transport device with at least one suction belt on which the blanks can be entrained by means of suction air.  
     
     
         23 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one entraining transport device comprises a conveyor belt device having at least two essentially stacked conveyor belts between which the blanks can be entrained.  
     
     
         24 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one entraining transport device comprises an entraining cylinder body rotating on the axis with at least one suction air opening in a lateral surface thereof.  
     
     
         25 . The device according to  claim 24 , wherein a plurality of suction air openings of the entraining cylinder body extend over an entire circumference of the lateral surface of the entraining cylinder body.  
     
     
         26 . The device according to  claim 24 , wherein a plurality of suction air openings selected from the group consisting of a plurality of suction air openings of the at least one stop cylinder body, and a plurality of suction air openings of the entraining cylinder body, can be shut off when the at least one stop cylinder body and the entraining cylinder body are rotating, at least over a specific section of a circular arc.