U.S. patent application number 12/466147 was filed with the patent office on 2009-11-26 for rotary lifting table.
This patent application is currently assigned to Ferag AG. Invention is credited to Roman Dax.
Application Number | 20090290969 12/466147 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 39826572 |
Filed Date | 2009-11-26 |
United States Patent
Application |
20090290969 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Dax; Roman |
November 26, 2009 |
ROTARY LIFTING TABLE
Abstract
The rotary lifting table is equipped with a rotary lifting table
plate (14) for supporting planar articles (12) and two ejection
devices (20) which are located opposite one another and define a
stacking shaft (16) and are intended for ejecting the stacked
planar articles (12). In addition, it has, according to the
invention, a sliding plate (26) having air discharge openings (34),
through which pressurized air escapes during the removal of a stack
of planar articles (12) and thus makes possible low-friction
sliding of the stack from the stacking shaft (16).
Inventors: |
Dax; Roman; (Baretswil,
CH) |
Correspondence
Address: |
ALSTON & BIRD LLP
BANK OF AMERICA PLAZA, 101 SOUTH TRYON STREET, SUITE 4000
CHARLOTTE
NC
28280-4000
US
|
Assignee: |
Ferag AG
|
Family ID: |
39826572 |
Appl. No.: |
12/466147 |
Filed: |
May 14, 2009 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
414/789.9 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65G 47/244 20130101;
B65H 2406/1132 20130101; B65H 2301/42266 20130101; B65H 2402/351
20130101; B65H 31/3081 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
414/789.9 |
International
Class: |
B65H 31/30 20060101
B65H031/30 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
May 23, 2008 |
CH |
2008 0782/08 |
Claims
1. A rotary lifting table having a rotary lifting table plate (14)
for supporting planar articles (12), in particular printed
products, and two ejection devices (20) which are located opposite
one another and define a stacking shaft (16) and by means of which
stacked planar articles (12) can be removed in at least one
ejection direction (A, A'), the stacking shaft (16) being bounded
at the bottom at least partly by the rotary lifting table plate
(14), and the ejection devices (20) being arranged on a turntable
(30) connected to the rotary lifting table plate (14) in a
rotationally fixed manner, comprising a sliding plate (26) which
has air discharge openings (34) and makes possible low-friction
sliding from the stacking shaft (16) in the ejection direction (A,
A') during the removal of the stack of planar articles (12).
2. The rotary lifting table as claimed in claim 1, wherein the
sliding plate (26) extends into the stacking shaft (16).
3. The rotary lifting table as claimed in claim 1, wherein the
sliding plate (26) is arranged to rotate with the rotary lifting
table plate (14).
4. The rotary lifting table as claimed in claim 3, wherein the
sliding plate (26) is fastened to the turntable (30).
5. The rotary lifting table as claimed in claim 1, wherein the
rotary lifting table plate (14) and the sliding plate (26) are in
engagement with one another during the removal of the stack of
planar articles (12).
6. The rotary lifting table as claimed in claim 1, wherein
pressurized air can escape from the air discharge openings (34) in
such a way that an air cushion forms between the lowermost planar
article of the stack of planar articles (12) and a sliding surface
(32), facing this lowermost planar article, of the sliding plate
(26).
7. The rotary lifting table as claimed in claim 6, wherein the air
discharge openings (34) widen toward the sliding surface (32).
8. The rotary lifting table as claimed in claim 1, wherein the air
discharge openings (34) are arranged in a repetitive pattern,
preferably in a regularly distributed manner at least in
sections.
9. The rotary lifting table as claimed in claim 1, wherein a
flexible air feed line (40, 40A) is guided in a movable trailing
cable (42) for feeding pressurized air to the sliding plate (26),
said trailing cable (42) being fixedly arranged relative to the
turntable (30) on the side of the rotary lifting table.
10. The rotary lifting table as claimed in claim 1, wherein two
ejection directions (A, A') having a diametrically opposite sense
of direction are defined by the stacking shaft (16), and one
sliding plate (26) each is arranged in a respective ejection
direction (A, A').
11. The rotary lifting table as claimed in claim 1, wherein the
sliding plate (26) extends between the stacking shaft (16) and an
associated conveyor, in particular an outfeed conveyor (28).
12. The rotary lifting table as claimed in claim 1, wherein the
rotary lifting table plate (14) is also provided with air discharge
openings (34), from which pressurized air can escape.
13. The rotary lifting table as claimed in claim 1, wherein the
pressure of the air escaping from the sliding plate (26) is
preferably established as a function of the weight of the supported
planar articles (12) and/or of a rotary/lifting state of the rotary
lifting table plate (14) via a pressure-regulating device (44).
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to a rotary lifting table
according to the preamble of claim 1.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Rotary lifting tables for processing planar articles, in
particular printed products, such as printed sheets, newspapers,
magazines, etc., are generally known. They are equipped with a
rotatable and/or liftable and lowerable rotary lifting table plate,
on which or above which the planar articles come to lie. Rotary
lifting tables have as a rule associated ejection means, by means
of which the planar articles lying on the rotary lifting table
plate can be pushed out in a selected ejection direction.
[0003] The rotatability of the rotary lifting table plate is
advantageous in particular when forming stacks of folded printed
products. Thus, to increase the stability of such stacks, partial
stacks rotated relative to one another in each case by 180.degree.
relative to a rotation axis oriented at right angles to the rotary
lifting table plate are alternately arranged in layers one above
the other. In this way, thicker regions on the fold side and
thinner regions of the free side edges of printed products of
successive partial stacks in each case come to lie alternately one
above the other, such that differences in height of the individual
partial stacks on account of their different thicknesses in certain
regions are compensated for.
[0004] Rotary lifting table plates are preferably liftable and
lowerable in order to specifically reduce, for example, drop
heights for printed products or partial stacks formed therefrom or,
for the purpose of compressing stacks, in order to be able to press
said stacks against pressing elements arranged above the rotary
lifting table plate.
[0005] It is not absolutely necessary in every case to form both
the rotatability and the liftability and lowerability of the rotary
lifting table plate. On the contrary, the claimed rotary lifting
table described below can also be used in a completely analogous
manner with restricted functionality, that is to say when used as a
rotary table or lifting table, or even only as a stacking
table.
[0006] A rotary lifting table for supporting printed products is
described, for example, in EP-A-1852379. In this case, a rotary
lifting table plate is arranged on a rotary lifting cylinder, said
rotary lifting table plate being equipped on two opposite sides
with ejection devices which have ejection means for ejecting the
printed products arranged in a stack. A movement, displacing the
printed products, of the ejection means over the rotary lifting
table plate defines an ejection device in this case. The rotary
lifting table plate has a supporting surface arched convexly upward
and having a transverse ridge region, the longitudinal extent of
which runs at least virtually at right angles to the ejection
direction. The planar articles lying one above the other in the
stack are adapted to the arched supporting surface on account of
their sheet-like formation and their dead weight and give the stack
increased stability due to their profiling.
[0007] In particular during the ejection of the stacks of planar
products, the problem arises that the dimensional stability of the
stack and the intactness of the planar products may be impaired
during the ejection.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] It is therefore the object of the present invention to
improve the dimensional stability and intactness of the stacks of
planar articles during their removal from a rotary lifting
table.
[0009] This object is achieved by a rotary lifting table as claimed
in claim 1. Especially preferred embodiments are provided with the
features stated in the dependent claims.
[0010] The rotary lifting table according to the invention is
equipped with a rotary lifting table plate for supporting planar
articles, in particular printed products. A stacking shaft is
bounded at the bottom at least partly by the rotary lifting table
plate, said stacking shaft being defined by two opposite ejection
devices, and the planar articles being collected in said stacking
shaft in order to form a stack. The ejection devices, by means of
which the stacked planar articles can be removed in at least one
ejection direction, are mounted on a turntable connected to the
rotary lifting table plate in a rotationally fixed manner.
[0011] According to the invention, the rotary lifting table is
equipped with at least one sliding plate which has air discharge
openings. During removal of the stack of planar articles,
low-friction sliding from the stacking shaft in the ejection
direction is made possible by air being forced from the air
discharge nozzles, such that an air cushion is formed between the
lowermost planar article of the stack and the sliding plate. Due to
the low-friction sliding from the stacking shaft, there is less
risk of the planar articles being damaged or of the stack being
deformed or collapsing. At the same time, a lower expenditure of
force is required by the ejection devices when pushing the stack
out of the stack space.
[0012] In especially preferred embodiments, the rotary lifting
table plate engages in the sliding plate during the ejection of the
stack. In a further preferred embodiment, the sliding plate is
fixed on the turntable.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS
[0013] An especially preferred embodiment of the rotary lifting
table according to the invention is described in detail below with
reference to drawings, in which, purely schematically and in
detail:
[0014] FIG. 1 shows a rotary lifting table according to the
invention in a side view with partial sectional illustration,
having a rotary lifting table plate in a lowered and a raised
position (dot-dash line) and laterally arranged sliding plates;
[0015] FIG. 2 shows, in a plan view, the rotary lifting table shown
in FIG. 1, in a basic rotary position with the laterally arranged
sliding plates and assigned outfeed conveyors; and
[0016] FIG. 3 shows, in a plan view, the rotary lifting table shown
in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, in an end rotary position.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0017] The rotary lifting table 10 according to the invention shown
in FIG. 1, which is intended for planar articles 12, in particular
for printed products, such as magazines, newspapers, paper sheets,
etc., has a rotary lifting table plate 14 for supporting the planar
articles 12, a stacking shaft 16 being bounded at least partly at
the bottom by said rotary lifting table plate 14. The rotary
lifting table plate 14 is shown in FIG. 1 in a lowered basic
lifting position and in a raised position (dot-dash lines). The
rotary lifting table plate 14 is mounted centrally on a rotary
spindle device 18 which ensures the liftability and lowerability of
the rotary lifting table plate 14. The rotary spindle device 18 is
part of a lifting means which can preferably be operated
electrically, hydraulically or pneumatically.
[0018] The stacking shaft 16 is defined by two ejection devices 20
which are located opposite one another and of which only one can be
seen in FIG. 1. The ejection devices 20 are described in detail,
for example, in EP-A-1445224. They are equipped with ejection means
which are fastened to transport means 22 and are in the form of
angle profiles 24. The angle profiles 24 define the stacking shaft
16 laterally and permit the spatially defined formation of stacks
of planar articles 12.
[0019] To eject the planar articles 12 which are then arranged in a
stack, the angle profiles 24 are moved in the ejection directions
A, A', likewise defined by the ejection devices 20, and the stacks
are pushed to assigned conveyors, in particular outfeed conveyors
28, in a sliding manner via sliding plates 26 designed according to
the invention. A section through one of the sliding plates 26 is
shown in FIG. 1 in the partial sectional illustration.
[0020] The sliding plates 26 are fixedly arranged on a turntable 30
which rotates with the rotary lifting table plate 14. They have a
top sliding surface 32 with air discharge openings 34, from which
pressurized air can escape, such that, when a stack of planar
articles 12 is being pushed out, an air cushion forms between the
lowermost planar article 12 of the stack and the sliding surface
32. The stack of planar articles 12 which is "floating" on this air
cushion is pushed in one of the ejection directions A, A' to the
respective outfeed conveyor 28 for ejecting by the angle profiles
24 of the ejection devices 20.
[0021] In the interior, the sliding plates 26 have a cavity 36, to
which the pressurized air is directed via air feed connections 38,
said pressurized air then discharging from the cavity 36 through
the air discharge openings 34. In this case, the air discharge
openings 34 can preferably widen from the cavity 36 in the
direction of the top sliding surface 32. The cross sections of the
air discharge openings 34 may of course be adapted to the
respective application.
[0022] The air feed connections 38 are fluidically connected to a
reservoir (not depicted) of pressurized air via air feed lines 40,
which are shown by dashed lines in FIG. 1. In the embodiment shown
here, the two air feed connections 38 of the two sliding plates 26
are connected to one another via a T piece, and a common air feed
line 40A which is directed along the rotary spindle device 18
enters a movable trailing cable 42 via an end arranged fixedly
relative to the turntable 30 on the side of the rotary lifting
table. Inside the movable trailing cable 42, the preferably
flexible common air feed line 40A is directed to a
pressure-regulating device 44, shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, and is
connected via the latter to the reservoir.
[0023] The pressure-regulating device 44 forms a control device for
establishing the pressure of the air escaping from the air
discharge openings 34 of the sliding plates 26. The air pressure is
in this case preferably established as a function of the weight of
the supported planar articles and/or of the rotary/lifting state of
the rotary lifting table plate 14. It may be noted at this point
that the air medium may of course also be replaced by another
gaseous medium.
[0024] The essentially circular-disk-shaped turntable 30 is
rotatably mounted on a table frame 50 via a bell-shaped support 46
by means of a ball bearing 48. The rotary spindle device 18, which
extends essentially at right angles to the turntable 30, is
arranged coaxially in the interior of the bell-shaped support 46. A
rotary movement of the turntable 30, which is connected to the
rotary lifting table plate 14 in a rotationally fixed manner, is
driven by a belt drive (not depicted), the belt or toothed belt of
which rests on the outer circumferential surface of a hub element
52 of the bell-shaped support 46.
[0025] The belt drive is operated, for example, by means of an
electric motor (not depicted).
[0026] The table frame 50 is connected in a rotationally fixed
manner to a rotary lifting table housing 54, which has a fixed base
plate 56 on the top side.
[0027] The stacking shaft 16, formed by the ejection devices 20,
and the ejection directions A, A', in which the associated outfeed
conveyors 28 follow, can be seen especially well in the plan view
in FIG. 2 of the rotary lifting table 10 according to the
invention. As can be seen from the figure, in which the rotary
lifting table 10 is shown in a basic rotary position, tongue-like
extensions 58 of the rotary lifting table plate 14, which are
formed thereon on the wide side, are in engagement with associated,
U-shaped apertures 60 of the sliding plate 26. The sliding plates
26 arranged fixedly on the turntable 30 rotate, during a rotation
of the turntable 30, about a rotation axis D defined by the
longitudinal axis of the rotary spindle device and in the process
sweep over the base plate 56 with their radially outer end
regions.
[0028] During the ejection of a stack of planar articles 12 from
the stacking shaft 16, the stack of planar articles 12, in the
lowered state of the rotary lifting table plate 14, is pushed by
the angle profiles 24 of the two ejection devices 20, which are
each driven synchronously, over the rotary lifting table plate 14
in a low-friction, sliding manner via the sliding surfaces 32 of
the sliding plates 26 in one of the ejection directions A, A' onto
the directly opposite outfeed conveyor 28.
[0029] As can also be seen from FIG. 2, the angle profiles 24, in
the free end regions of their legs projecting from the transport
means 22, are provided with profile extensions 62 of U-shaped cross
section. These profile extensions 62 are preferably formed from an
elastic plastic material and reduce the risk of damage to the
planar articles 12 when the stack of planar articles 12 is being
pushed out.
[0030] The opposite ejection devices 20 are each provided,
centrally with respect to their longitudinal axis, with format
adaptation elements 64 on the outer side opposite the stacking
shaft 16. These format adaptation elements 64 permit a displacement
of the ejection devices 20 in the longitudinal direction of
elongated holes 66 formed in the turntable 30. Further format
adaptation can be carried out via a displacement of the angle
profiles 24 along the transport means 22 of the ejection device
20.
[0031] As can likewise be seen from FIG. 2, the air discharge
openings 34 of the sliding plates 26 are arranged in a repetitive
pattern, preferably in a regularly distributed manner at least in
sections. In this way, an air cushion is formed as evenly as
possible under the stack of the planar articles 12. In the process,
too rapid an escape of air from the air cushion is reduced by outer
end regions of the planar articles 12, lying flat one on top of the
other, being arched downward in the direction of the turntable 30
or the base plate 56.
[0032] In the basic rotary position, shown in FIG. 2, of the rotary
lifting table 10, as is assumed, for instance, when ejecting a
stack of planar articles 12, the movable trailing cable 42, in
which the common air feed line 40A is guided, describes an
essentially U-shaped bend. During a rotation about the rotation
axis D in a direction of rotation DR, as indicated in FIG. 2 by an
arrow, through 180.degree., the end rotary position shown in FIG. 3
is assumed.
[0033] In this end rotary position, the movable trailing cable 42
together with the common air feed line 40A is rearranged in a worm
shape. During the changeover from the basic rotary position into
the end rotary position, the sliding plates 26 are each moved
toward the outfeed conveyor 28 arranged opposite in the basic
rotary position. During the rotation of the stack of planar
articles 12, the ejection directions A, A' are therefore oriented
toward the respective other outfeed conveyors 28.
[0034] FIG. 3 indicates how the stack of planar articles 12 is
moved from the rotary lifting table plate 14 via the sliding plate
26 to the assigned outfeed conveyor 28 by synchronous movement of
the angle profiles 24 together with their profile extensions 62 in
the ejection direction A'.
[0035] The specific form of the sliding plates 26 and of their
sliding surfaces 32 may of course be adapted to the specific
requirements. It is thus possible, as in the exemplary embodiment
described, for the sliding plates 26 to extend into the stacking
shaft 16 or to first be arranged outside the stacking shaft.
[0036] In addition, it is possible to also provide the rotary
lifting table plate 14 with air discharge openings 34 like the
sliding plates 26, pressurized air escaping from said air discharge
openings 34 to produce an air cushion under the stack of planar
articles 12. Contrary to a rotationally fixed arrangement of the
sliding plates 26 on the turntable 30, as in the exemplary
embodiment described above, it is also conceivable to fasten the
sliding plates 26 to the base plate 56 of the rotary lifting table
housing 54 in a fixed position. In addition to the flat sliding
surfaces 32, running essentially horizontally in the exemplary
embodiment described, of the sliding plates 26, inclined or
profiled sliding surfaces 32 are of course also conceivable.
[0037] In all these cases, however, as in the exemplary embodiment
described, low-friction sliding of the stack from the stacking
shaft 16 in the ejection directions A, A' to associated outfeed
conveyors 28 is made possible by means of the air cushion produced
under the stack of planar articles 12.
* * * * *