Inserter and single-copy gripper with deep reach

Abstract

An inserter including a pocket for holding an unevenly folded printed product having a fold edge, a first section on a first side of the fold edge and a second section on a second side of the fold edge that is at least 20 percent shorter than the first section is provided. The pocket includes a lower support surface for supporting the fold edge, a first wall for supporting the first section and a second wall for supporting the second section. The first and second walls each have at least one cutout defined therein. The at least one cutout of the second wall includes a lower cutout edge that is less than a length of the second section away from the lower support surface. The inserter also includes a gripper for securely gripping unevenly folded printed product and removing the unevenly folded printed product from the pocket by passing through the at least one cutouts in the first and second walls. A method of inserting an insert into an unevenly folded printed product is also provided.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus comprising:
 a folder, the folder configured to receive a plurality ribbons and output an unevenly folded printed product having a fold edge, a first section being on a first side of the fold edge and a second section being on a second side of the fold edge, the second section being at least 20 percent shorter than the first section;   a pocket for holding the unevenly folded printed product, the pocket including a lower support surface for supporting the fold edge, a first wall for supporting the first section and a second wall for supporting the second section, the first and second walls each having at least one cutout defined therein and the at least one cutout of the second wall including a lower cutout edge that is located at a height of 50% or less of a height of the second wall from the lower support surface; and   a gripper for securely gripping the unevenly folded printed product and removing the unevenly folded printed product from the pocket by passing through the cutouts in the first and second walls of the pockets to grip the first section and second section of the unevenly folded printed product.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus recited in  claim 1  wherein the at least one cutout of the first wall includes a lower cutout edge that is less than the length of the second section away from the lower support surface. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus recited in  claim 1  wherein the gripper includes at least one first gripper arm for passing through the at least one cutout in the first wall and at least one second gripper arm for passing through the at least one cutout in the second wall. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus recited in  claim 3  wherein the at least one first gripper arm and the at least one second gripper arm each have a reach longer than a difference in a length of the first section and the length of the second section. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus recited in  claim 1  further comprising a pocket conveyor coupled to the pocket for conveying the pocket. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus recited in  claim 1  further comprising a gripper conveyor coupled to the gripper for transporting the gripper past the pocket. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus recited in  claim 1  further comprising an inserting device upstream of the gripper for placing inserts inside the unevenly folded printed products before the printed products are delivered by the pocket conveyor to the gripper. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the gripper comprises at least two gripper arms having a reach of at least 6 inches. 
     
     
         9 . An inserter comprising:
 a pocket including a lower support surface, a first wall and a second wall, the first wall including at least one first cutout extending from a first top edge of the first wall to a first lower cutout edge formed in an interior of the first wall, the second wall including at least one second cutout extending from a second top edge of the second wall to a second lower cutout edge formed in an interior of the second wall, the first lower cutout edge being at least a distance equal to half of a height of the first wall from the first top edge, the second lower cutout edge being at least a distance equal to half of a height of the second wall from the second top edge; and   a gripper configured to penetrate the at least one first cutout and the at least one second cutout.   
     
     
         10 . The inserter recited in claim  18  wherein the gripper includes at least one first gripper arm for penetrating through the at least one cutout in the first wall and at least one second gripper arm for penetrating through the at least one cutout in the second wall.