Device and method for depositing products

Abstract

A device and a method for the depositing of products, in particular print shop products that are folded and/or conveyed in an copy stream (S, S 1, S 2, S 3 ), onto an outgoing conveying surface of a removal conveyor. A conveyor device with appropriate guide and conveyor elements serves for the guided conveyance of products in a substantially horizontal direction of conveyance. After leaving the exit of the conveyor device the products move, un-guided, further along a trajectory. At least one acceleration element, which is moveable along an orbital track (U) located partially above and partially below the trajectory, interacts with the un-guided products. The acceleration element gives the products an impulse in the vertical direction after the products leave the exit. By this means, a better positioning on the outgoing conveying surface can be achieved.

1 . A method for the copy stream inversion of a copy stream (S, S 3 ) of folded products, in particular planar and flexible products, and in particular print shop products, comprising the following steps:
 controlled conveyance of the products in an incoming copy stream (S 3 ), in which the folded edges of the products are aligned in the direction of conveyance (F 2 ) and successive folded products are arranged inside one another, wherein the direction of conveyance (F 2 ) is substantially horizontal,   release of the products and further movement of the products without active conveyance up to their impingement upon an outgoing conveying surface of a removal conveyor;   influence from above on in each case the foremost product by a movable acceleration element during or, immediately, after the release of the products, wherein in each case the foremost product is given an impulse in a nearly vertical direction and is thereby separated from the following product;   formation of an outgoing copy stream (S 4 ) comprised of products lying on top of one another on the outgoing conveying surface.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the acceleration element acts on the products in the area of the trailing edge. 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the products are fed in a pre-determined pulse, and the acceleration element acts upon the products in this pulse. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the products are further conveyed in a horizontal outgoing direction of conveyance (F 3 ) after being deposited on the outgoing conveying surface. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the products of the incoming copy stream (S 3 ) are accelerated in the direction of conveyance (F 2 ) during the controlled conveyance. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the products of the outgoing copy stream (S 4 ) each partly lie upon the preceding product. 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 4 , wherein the outgoing direction of conveyance (F 3 ) substantially corresponds to the direction of conveyance (F 2 ) whereby the folded edges run in the outgoing direction of conveyance in the outgoing copy stream (S 4 ). 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 4 , wherein the outgoing direction of conveyance (F 3 ) is oriented substantially perpendicularly to the direction of the conveyance (F 2 ), whereby the folded edges run at a right angle to the outgoing direction of conveyance (F 3 ) in the outgoing copy stream (S 4 ), and preferably lie on the preceding product. 
     
     
         9 . A device for the execution of the method according to  claim 1 , the device comprising:
 a conveyor device, which features an entrance and an exit as well as guide and conveyor elements for the controlled conveyance of products in an incoming copy stream (S 3 ), in which the folded edges of the products are arranged in the direction of conveyance (F 2 ) and successively following products are arranged inside each other, wherein the direction of conveyance (F 2 ) is substantially horizontal,   wherein the guide and conveyor elements are arranged between entrance and exit;   wherein the guide and conveyor elements establish a trajectory in which the products move further in an unguided manner after leaving the exit;   further comprising a removal conveyor with a preferably level outgoing conveying surface, which is arranged at the exit of the conveyor device;   at least one acceleration element which is moveable along an orbital track (U), and which is arranged at the exit of the conveyor device such that the orbital track (U) runs above the outgoing conveying surface;   wherein the orbital track (U) is arranged such that it is partially above and partially below the trajectory;   wherein the acceleration element is capable of imparting an impulse in an approximately vertical direction to a product after the product leaves the exit and by means of this in each case separating it from the following product.   
     
     
         10 . The device according to  claim 9 , wherein a drive of the acceleration element is coupled to an external pulse generator. 
     
     
         11 . The device according to  claim 9 , wherein the acceleration element is moveable along a circular or cylindrical orbital track (U), as it is mounted on a shaft (A 2 ) such that it can be rotated. 
     
     
         12 . The device according to  claim 9 , wherein the conveyor device comprises at least one further acceleration element, which is arranged in the area of the entrance of the conveyor device and is capable of accelerating the products in the direction of conveyance (F 2 ). 
     
     
         13 . The device according to  claim 9 , wherein the removal conveyor is a cross conveyor, which is capable of conveying the products perpendicularly to the original direction of conveyance (F 2 ), or that the removal conveyor is a parallel conveyor, which is capable of conveying the products parallel to the original direction of conveyance (F 2 ). 
     
     
         14 . The device according to  claim 9 , wherein the conveyance speeds of the conveyor device and the removal conveyor are adjusted relative to one another such that the products form a copy stream (S 4 ) as they are transferred to the removal conveyor.