Apparatus for separating printing plates

Abstract

The present invention relates to an apparatus for separating a printing plate (1) from a stack (21), comprising a conveying arm (3) for conveying the printing plate (1). To lift the uppermost printing plate (1) from the stack (21), a swing arm (5) is provided, which transfers the lifted printing plate (1) to the conveying arm (3).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an apparatus for separating printing plates from a stack, comprising a conveyor arm for conveying the printing plates. Background Technology

[0002] Such a device is described in DE 101 04 078 A1. This prior art device includes an air-blowing mechanism that blows air between the printing plate to be separated and the printing plate below it. Thus, while the separation is reliable, it is slow. The separation speed is limited by the speed of the conveyor arm, which cannot be arbitrarily increased. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The objective of this invention is to provide an apparatus for separating printing plates from a stack, which is capable of operating at high speed.

[0004] This task is solved by a device for separating printing plates from a stack, which includes a conveyor arm for transporting the printing plates, characterized in that, in order to lift the uppermost printing plate from the stack, there is a swing arm that transfers the lifted printing plate to the conveyor arm.

[0005] One advantage is that the lifting of the top printing plate can occur while the conveyor arm is still moving towards the stack. By superimposing the movements of the conveyor arm and the swing arm in time, time is saved, thereby increasing speed. Because the conveyor arm moves over a large distance, the swing arm can move at a relatively low speed, thus enabling the separation to be performed in a functionally reliable manner.

[0006] According to one extension, the swing arm has a stroke suction device that moves into the swing arm when the uppermost printing plate is raised.

[0007] The conveying arm may have multiple stroke suction devices for holding the transferred printing plates in place.

[0008] The conveying arm swings about a first axis, and the swinging arm swings about a second axis, the first axis and the second axis being oriented parallel to each other.

[0009] The first axis and the second axis can be arranged near different ends of the stack, respectively.

[0010] A first driver can be provided to make the conveyor arm swing. A second driver can be provided to make the swing arm swing. The first driver can be formed by a motor. The second driver can be formed by a working cylinder.

[0011] The swing arm may be shorter than the conveying arm.

[0012] The device used for separation can be a component of a printing plate logistics system, to which the suction belt belongs, and the conveyor arm places the conveyed printing plates onto the suction belt. Attached Figure Description

[0013] Further solutions can also be derived from the following description of the embodiments and accompanying drawings. In the accompanying drawings:

[0014] Figure 1 The separation device is shown in top view, and

[0015] Figures 2a to 2e The different stages of movement of the separation device are shown in a side view. Detailed Implementation

[0016] Figure 1 The separation device shown is part of a plate logistics system that transports the printing plate 1 (used for offset printing) to the printing mechanism of a sheet-fed printing press and back after use. The printing plate 1 forms a stack 21 in a storage unit 2. A conveyor arm 3 reciprocates about a first geometric axis 7 to sequentially transport the printing plate 1 from the storage unit 2 to a suction belt 4 where it is placed. During transport, the conveyor arm 3 pneumatically holds the respective printing plate 1 in place.

[0017] Figure 2a As shown: a first axis 7 (around which the conveyor arm 3 swings) is located near the storage unit 2 and thus near the lower end of the stack 21. A second axis 8 is located near the storage unit 2 and thus near the upper end of the stack 21, around which the swing arm 5, equipped with a stroke suction device 6, swings.

[0018] Figure 1 The diagram shows that the conveyor arm 3, the suction belt 4, and the swing arm 5 are each present in duplicate, with two similar components connected in parallel or parallel to each other. However, the device can also work in principle if only one or more of these components are present in a simple embodiment.

[0019] Conveyor arm 3 is powered by electric motor 9 ( Figure 1 The swing arm 5 is driven by a pneumatic working cylinder 10. Figure 2a )drive.

[0020] Figure 2a The first stage is shown, in which the swing arm 5 performs a movement 11 toward the printing plate 1 in the storage unit 2. Furthermore, in Figure 2a It is also shown that the effective conveying arm length LT, measured between the first axis 7 and the conveying arm 2 at the stroke of the farthest suction device 18 on the first axis, is greater than, in particular, twice as long as the effective swing arm length LS, measured between the second axis 8 and the stroke of the swing arm 5 suction device 6.

[0021] Figure 2b The second stage is shown, in which the swing arm 5 reaches its end position on the stack 21 and the stroke suction device 6 moves out of the swing arm 5 with a linear motion 12 and is placed on the uppermost printing plate 1 in the stack 21 with its suction cup 19. The stroke suction device 6 is connected to a vacuum generator (not shown) that generates suction air to hold the uppermost printing plate 1 in place.

[0022] Figure 2c The third stage is shown, in which the movement 13 of the stroke suction device 6 and the movement 14 of the conveying arm 3 occur simultaneously. With the movement 13, the stroke suction device 6 re-enters the swing arm 5, thereby causing the uppermost printing plate 1, pneumatically held by the stroke suction device 6, to rise from the stack 21. With the movement 14, the conveying arm 3 swings toward the swing arm 5 until the former reaches its position... Figure 2d The terminal location is shown in the image.

[0023] Figure 2d As shown: In this terminal position, the suction cup 20 of the transport arm 3 has been placed on the printing plate 1 raised by the swing arm 5. The suction cup 19 of the swing arm 5 and the suction cup 20 of the transport arm 3 are in the same plane in this fourth stage and jointly hold the printing plate 1. The suction cup 20 of the transport arm 3 is also arranged on the stroke suction device 18, which moves in with movement 15 to reach the aforementioned plane.

[0024] Figure 2e The fifth stage is shown, in which the conveyor arm 3, together with the printing plate 1 held therein, moves away from the storage unit 2 and toward the suction belt 4. Figure 1 Movement 16. Simultaneously, the swing arm 5, without the printing plate 1, performs a movement away from the storage unit 2 and the stack 21 17. In this fifth stage, the swing arm 5 has transferred the separated printing plate 1 to the transport arm 3 and released it.

[0025] In a seventh stage (not shown in the figure), after the conveyor arm 3 transfers the separated printing plate 1 to the suction belt 4 (which continues to convey the printing plate 1), the above steps are repeated for the next printing plate 1 to be separated from the stack 21.

[0026] The following modifications are also possible:

[0027] An air jet mechanism and a swingable button can be provided near the upper end of storage unit 2, and a swingable finger can be provided near the lower end of storage unit 2. The button is initially placed on the upper edge of the topmost printing plate 1 in the stack 21. In the second and third stages ( Figure 2bBetween 2c), the button is released from the topmost printing plate 1, allowing the printing plate to be lifted from the stack 21 via the stroke suction device 6. At this moment, the finger is still pressing on the lower edge of the topmost printing plate 1 to clamp the stack 21 in the storage unit 2 there. In the third and fourth stages ( Figure 2c Between 2d), the button is placed on the upper edge of the printing plate (which is located below the raised, uppermost printing plate 1 in the stack 21) and the finger is released from the uppermost printing plate 1 to release the printing plate for output through the conveyor arm 3.

[0028] List of reference numerals

[0029] 1 Printing plate

[0030] 2 storage units

[0031] 3 Conveyor Arm

[0032] 4. Suction belt

[0033] 5. Swing arm

[0034] 6-stroke suction device

[0035] 7 First Axis

[0036] 8 Second Axis

[0037] 9 motors

[0038] 10 working cylinders

[0039] Movements from 11 to 17

[0040] 18-stroke suction device

[0041] 19 Suction Cups

[0042] 20 suction cups

[0043] 21 Stacking

[0044] LS swing arm length

[0045] LT is the length of the conveyor arm.

Claims

1. An apparatus for separating a printing plate (1) from a stack (21), comprising a conveyor arm (3) for conveying the printing plate (1), characterized in that, In order to lift the topmost printing plate (1) from the stack (21), there is a swing arm (5) that transfers the lifted printing plate (1) to the conveying arm (3), wherein the conveying arm (3) is configured to have its movement overlap with the movement of the swing arm (5) in time, such that the conveying arm (3) moves toward the stack (21) while the topmost printing plate (1) is lifted by the swing arm (5).

2. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The swing arm (5) has a stroke suction device (6) that moves into the swing arm (5) when the uppermost printing plate (1) is raised.

3. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The conveying arm (3) has multiple stroke suction devices (18) for holding the transferred printing plate (1) in place.

4. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The conveying arm (3) swings around a first axis, and the swing arm (5) swings around a second axis, with the first axis (7) and the second axis (8) oriented parallel to each other.

5. The device according to claim 4, characterized in that, The first axis (7) and the second axis (8) are respectively arranged near different ends of the stack (21).

6. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that, A first driver is provided to make the conveying arm (3) swing, and a second driver is provided to make the swinging arm (5) swing.

7. The device according to claim 6, characterized in that, The first driver is formed by a motor (9).

8. The device according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that, The second actuator is formed by a working cylinder (10).

9. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that, The swing arm (5) is shorter than the conveying arm (3).

10. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that, The equipment used for separation is a component of the printing plate logistics system. The suction belt (4) belongs to the printing plate logistics system, and the conveying arm (3) places the conveyed printing plate (1) on the suction belt.

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