U.S. patent application number 13/833703 was filed with the patent office on 2013-09-19 for device for controlling a pneumatic consumer in a sheet-processing machine, in particular a rotary printing press or diecutter, and rotary printing press or diecutter having the device.
This patent application is currently assigned to HEIDELBERGER DRUCKMASCHINEN AG. The applicant listed for this patent is HEIDELBERGER DRUCKMASCHINEN AG. Invention is credited to HOLGER EDINGER.
Application Number | 20130241137 13/833703 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 49044045 |
Filed Date | 2013-09-19 |
United States Patent
Application |
20130241137 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
EDINGER; HOLGER |
September 19, 2013 |
DEVICE FOR CONTROLLING A PNEUMATIC CONSUMER IN A SHEET-PROCESSING
MACHINE, IN PARTICULAR A ROTARY PRINTING PRESS OR DIECUTTER, AND
ROTARY PRINTING PRESS OR DIECUTTER HAVING THE DEVICE
Abstract
A device for controlling a pneumatic consumer in a
sheet-processing machine, for example a printing press or a
diecutter, includes a rotary valve supplying a fluid, such as
suction air, to the pneumatic consumer to be driven in a sinusoidal
manner in accordance with a cycle of the sheet-processing machine.
The rotary valve is drivable by an electric motor for increased
flexibility. A rotary printing press or diecutter having the device
is also provided.
Inventors: |
EDINGER; HOLGER; (WEINHEIM,
DE) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
HEIDELBERGER DRUCKMASCHINEN AG |
HEIDELBERG |
|
DE |
|
|
Assignee: |
HEIDELBERGER DRUCKMASCHINEN
AG
HEIDELBERG
DE
|
Family ID: |
49044045 |
Appl. No.: |
13/833703 |
Filed: |
March 15, 2013 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
271/108 ;
271/90 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65H 2513/50 20130101;
B65H 2515/342 20130101; B65H 2801/21 20130101; B65H 3/08 20130101;
B65H 2406/412 20130101; B65H 2511/416 20130101; B65H 9/14 20130101;
B65H 2511/416 20130101; B65H 7/00 20130101; B65H 9/105 20130101;
B65H 2513/50 20130101; B65H 2515/342 20130101; B65H 11/007
20130101; B65H 2220/01 20130101; B65H 2220/02 20130101; B65H
2220/01 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
271/108 ;
271/90 |
International
Class: |
B65H 3/08 20060101
B65H003/08 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Mar 15, 2012 |
DE |
10 2012 005 258.8 |
Claims
1. A device for controlling a pneumatic consumer in a
sheet-processing machine, the device comprising: a rotary valve
communicating with the pneumatic consumer; and an individual drive
configured to drive said rotary valve, said individual drive being
an electric motor configured to be driven in accordance with a
sinusoidal or non-uniform movement profile.
2. The device according to claim 1, wherein said rotary valve
includes a rotor with a single track.
3. The device according to claim 1, wherein said rotary valve
includes an inlet and two outlets.
4. A sheet-processing machine, comprising: a feed table for guiding
sheets in a sheet travel direction; front lays associated with said
feed table; a pneumatic consumer being a suction bar disposed above
said feed table and positioned within a distance upstream of said
front lays in said sheet travel direction; and a device for
controlling said pneumatic consumer.
5. The device according to claim 4, wherein said suction bar
includes a crossbar aligned perpendicular to said sheet travel
direction and a plurality of suction chambers disposed adjacent
each other on said crossbar.
6. The device according to claim 5, wherein each of said suction
chambers includes suction openings directed downward towards an
upper side of the sheets.
7. The device according to claim 6, wherein said suction chambers
include a central suction chamber having a width approximately
equal to a smallest sheet format to be processed.
8. The device according to claim 7, wherein said suction chambers
include outer suction chambers, and said device includes a
switchover valve configured to switch off a suction air supply to
said outer suction chambers.
9. A rotary printing press or diecutter, comprising a device
according to claim 1.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims the priority, under 35 U.S.C.
.sctn.119, of German Patent Application DE 10 2012 005 258.8, filed
Mar. 15, 2012; the prior application is herewith incorporated by
reference in its entirety.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Field of the Invention
[0002] The invention relates to a device for controlling a
pneumatic consumer in a sheet-processing machine, for example a
suction bar for lifting sheets being fed to the sheet-processing
machine, such as a sheet-fed rotary printing press or diecutter,
after being aligned on a feed table. The invention also relates to
a rotary printing press or diecutter having the device.
[0003] U.S. Pat. No. 7,665,722 B2 discloses a pneumatic lifting
device disposed transverse to a direction of sheet travel above a
feed table and supplied with blown air. The blown air is provided
by a rotary valve in accordance with the cycle of the
sheet-processing machine and acts on a trailing edge of a sheet by
using blowing/suction nozzles that are provided to lift a trailing
edge.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0004] It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide a
device for controlling a pneumatic consumer in a sheet-processing
machine, in particular a rotary printing press or diecutter, and a
rotary printing press or diecutter having the device, which
overcome the hereinafore-mentioned disadvantages of the
heretofore-known devices of this general type and which provide a
pneumatically operating device to hold up a sheet as it is fed to a
sheet-processing machine and supply pressure to the pneumatic
consumer in a variably adjustable way and in accordance with an
operating cycle of the sheet-processing machine.
[0005] With the foregoing and other objects in view there is
provided, in accordance with the invention, a device for
controlling a pneumatic consumer in a sheet-processing machine. The
device comprises a rotary valve communicating with the pneumatic
consumer, and an individual drive configured to drive the rotary
valve. The individual drive is an electric motor configured to be
driven in accordance with a sinusoidal or non-uniform movement
profile.
[0006] With the objects of the invention in view, there is also
provided a sheet-processing machine, comprising a feed table for
guiding sheets in a sheet travel direction, front lays associated
with the feed table, a pneumatic consumer being a suction bar
disposed above the feed table and positioned within a distance
upstream of the front lays in the sheet travel direction, and a
device for controlling the pneumatic consumer.
[0007] A particular advantage of the invention is that the rotary
valve is actuatable by using an individual drive. Due to this
feature, the actuation of a pneumatic consumer, such as a suction
or blower bar, may be individually controlled during an operating
cycle. The individual drive is advantageously controlled by a
control computer of the sheet-processing machine and may be
controlled based on characteristic curves as a function of
properties of the machine and the material.
[0008] In accordance with a preferred embodiment, the pneumatic
consumer is a vacuum consumer, for example a suction bar that is
disposed transversely to the direction of sheet travel above the
feed table and acts on an upper side of a sheet within a shingled
distance between a first sheet and a second sheet at a distance to
provided front lays in order to act on the sheet by suction and to
lift it as the sheet is being drawn off the feed table.
[0009] This measure has a braking effect that acts to reduce a wave
which the sheet describes as it enters the machine and to
positively influence the formation of waves on the feed table.
[0010] When the braking force is sufficient, the sheet that has
been drawn off acts as a guide element for the second sheet that
follows the first sheet in the shingled stream.
[0011] Advantageously, the suction bar is vertically adjustable to
be specifically adaptable to the printing material to be
processed.
[0012] In accordance with an advantageous embodiment, the suction
bar has a multi-part construction, being formed of a crossbar and
suction chambers disposed adjacent each other on the crossbar.
[0013] If, for example, three suction chambers are used, the width
of the central suction chamber approximately corresponds to the
width of the smallest format to be processed. Due to this measure,
the two outer suction chambers may be switched off to avoid
leakage.
[0014] The suction chambers are directly connected to the rotary
valve by feed lines such as hoses. A chamber in which the feed
lines are connected to the suction chambers is provided on the
crossbar to receive the feed lines.
[0015] Other features which are considered as characteristic for
the invention are set forth in the appended claims.
[0016] Although the invention is illustrated and described herein
as embodied in a device for controlling a pneumatic consumer in a
sheet-processing machine, in particular a rotary printing press or
diecutter, and a rotary printing press or diecutter having the
device, it is nevertheless not intended to be limited to the
details shown, since various modifications and structural changes
may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the
invention and within the scope and range of equivalents of the
claims.
[0017] The construction and method of operation of the invention,
however, together with additional objects and advantages thereof
will be best understood from the following description of specific
embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying
drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING
[0018] FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic, longitudinal-sectional view of a
sheet-fed rotary printing press;
[0019] FIG. 2 is an enlarged, longitudinal-sectional view of a
suction bar disposed above a feed table; and
[0020] FIG. 3 is a further enlarged, elevational view of the
suction bar in the region of front lays.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0021] Referring now to the figures of the drawings in detail and
first, particularly, to FIG. 1 thereof, there is seen a
sheet-processing machine, for example a printing press 1 or a
non-illustrated diecutter, which includes a feeder 2, at least one
printing unit 3, 4 and a delivery 6. Sheets 7 are taken from a
stack 8 of sheets and are fed to the printing units 3 and 4 either
individually or in shingled formation over a feed table 9. As is
known in the art, each of the printing units 3, 4 includes a plate
cylinder 11, 12. Each of the plate cylinders 11, 12 has a device
13, 14 for mounting flexible printing plates. Each plate cylinder
11, 12 is furthermore assigned a device 16, 17 for changing
printing plates in a semiautomatic or fully automated way.
[0022] The stack 8 of sheets rests on a main stack plate 10 that is
liftable in a controlled way. Sheets 7 are removed from the top of
the sheet stack 8 by a so-called suction head 18 which, among other
components, includes a number of suction elements to lift and drag
the sheets 7 and thus to separate them. Furthermore, blowers are
provided to aerate the upper layers of sheets 7. The stack 8 can be
lifted as required, which is activated by push buttons. A number of
lateral and rear stops are provided to align the stack 8 of sheets
7, in particular the uppermost sheets 7 in the stack 8.
[0023] At the end of the feed table 9, a first sheet 7 that is
being conveyed in the shingled stream is aligned against front and
side lays 19, 21 seen in FIGS. 2 and 3 before the sheet 7 is
gripped by a pre-gripper 22 seen in FIG. 1 and fed to the printing
units 3, 4 of the machine 1 for processing sheets.
[0024] A pulling gap 23 for the adjustable side lays 21 is disposed
in the feed table 9 at a distance a from the front lays 19 and is
perpendicular to the direction of sheet travel. A suction bar or
consumer 24 is provided above the feed table, immediately upstream
of the pulling gap 23, as viewed in the direction of sheet travel
(indicated by an arrow in FIGS. 2 and 3). The suction bar 24 is
disposed in such a way as to be perpendicular to the direction of
sheet travel and is disposed within a shingle length s upstream of
the front lays 19 to provide a distance z between the front lays 19
and suction openings 31, 32, 33 of the suction bar 24. The suction
bar 24 is formed of a crossbar 26 disposed in such a way as to be
vertically adjustable and to pivot. A number of suction chambers,
for example three suction chambers 27, 28, 29, are disposed
adjacent each other on the crossbar 26.
[0025] Each of the suction chambers 27, 28, 29 has a number of the
suction openings 31, 32, 33 directed towards the upper side of the
sheet 7. The suction chambers 27, 28, 29 are connected to outlets
41, 42 of a rotary valve 44 by respective suction connections 34,
36, 37 and feed lines 38, 39. The feed lines 38, 39 are received by
a closed chamber 45 of the crossbar 26. The feed line 38 supplies
the central chamber 28 with suction air provided by the rotary
valve 44, whereas the feed lines 39 supply the outer suction
chambers 27, 29 with suction air provided by the rotary valve 44.
The feed line 39 includes a switchover valve 46, allowing the feed
line 39 to be switched off. This measure prevents undesired air
from being sucked in when sheets of small width are being
processed. The width of the central suction chamber 28
approximately corresponds to the width of the smallest format F to
be processed.
[0026] The rotary valve 44 includes an inlet 49 connected to a
vacuum source 48 and an individual drive 47, for example an
electric motor. A control computer 51 of the sheet-processing
machine 1 drives the individual drive 47 in accordance with the
operating cycle of the machine 1 and with a sinusoidal or
non-uniform movement profile. The sinusoidal movement profile may
be selected on the basis of stored characteristic curves 52, which
factor in different parameters of the sheet material to be
processed such as size, thickness, surface properties, etc.
[0027] The individual drive 47 of the rotary valve 44 allows
variable and independent adjustment of the starting point and end
point of the supply to the suction bar or consumer 24.
[0028] As soon as a first sheet 7 of the shingled stream has been
aligned against the front and side lays 19, 21, the first sheet 7
is gripped by the grippers of the pre-gripper 22 and drawn off the
feed table 9. As the sheet 7 is drawn off, it tends to form a wave
on the feed table 9. In order to reduce this waving effect, suction
air is supplied to the suction bar 24. Due to this measure, the
sheet 7 is lifted up in the rear region of the first shingle and
thus decelerated.
[0029] As a result, the sheet may be fed to the sheet-processing
machine 1 in a controlled way. The lifted sheet simultaneously acts
as a guide element for a following second sheet, which is thus
easier to align against the front lays 19.
[0030] A rotor 53 of the rotary valve 44 includes a track 54 that
connects the inlet 49 to the outlets 38, 39. During one revolution
(cycle) of the sheet-processing machine 1, the drive motor 47
likewise moves through precisely one revolution. The extrema of the
movement profile are always at the center of the switch-on or
switch-off phase, i.e. they are always at the same angular position
relative to the rotary body although the angular position of the
extrema relative to the machine varies, which means that the
amplitude of the sinus wave is varied.
[0031] When the value of the extremum in the switch-off phase is
reduced, the switch-off phase is prolonged. As a consequence, the
extremum in the switch-on phase increases and the length of the
switch-on phase is reduced.
* * * * *