Apparatus for processing predominantly stiff material sheets or material webs, and method for changing the configuration of such an apparatus

Abstract

An apparatus for processing predominantly stiff sheets or webs, in particular of corrugated board, has a plurality of processing devices which are movable transversely with respect to a transport direction of the sheets or webs and which have different tools in variable arrangements. A plurality of such apparatuses are combined in a modifiable sequence to give a converting machine.

Description

[0001] Device for processing predominantly rigid material sheets or webs and method for changing the configuration of such a device

[0002] Description

[0003] The present invention relates to a device for processing predominantly rigid material sheets or webs according to the preamble of claim 1 and to a method for changing the configuration of a converting machine for corrugated cardboard sheets or webs according to the preamble of claim 12.

[0004] For processing rigid sheets or webs, especially those made of corrugated cardboard, converting machines are known that can perform various processing steps such as printing, cutting, embossing, creasing, punching, perforating, gluing, and / or stapling. Sheets are often processed and trimmed in processing machines with mold-based punching and cutting devices. For this purpose, several processing stations are arranged consecutively in the sheet transport direction.

[0005] From W02021094096A1, a converting machine with a sheet feeder and several devices of different types arranged one behind the other is known. Each segment performs a processing step. For this purpose, such machines are configured according to the products to be produced. If, for example, products are to be manufactured at a later date that require a different process sequence or different processes, this is not possible. In some cases, the machine could be converted at great expense, but this is not cost-effective.

[0006] It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved device and a method compared to the prior art, which overcome at least one of the disadvantages of the prior art and satisfy the increased demands on versatility while at least maintaining the same product quality to be achieved.

[0007] This object is achieved by a device according to claim 1 and a method according to claim 12.

[0008] For this purpose, a device is provided through which the material is transported for processing in a linear motion. All locations occupied by the sheet or web together form the transport path.

[0009] The individual components of the device are housed in a common frame. Vertical supports connected by one or more horizontal beams form the frame. The supports can be columns or walls. They are arranged opposite each other on either side of the transport path, so that the sheet is transported between them.

[0010] Processing devices are located in the frame. These act on the sheet or web. The material can be stationary or processed during its continuous transport movement.

[0011] Processing that takes place both when the material sheet is stationary and when it is moving is not excluded.

[0012] Several of the processing units are mounted in the frame via a common linear guide. The linear guide is oriented transversely to the transport direction so that the processing units can be moved across the width of the transport path.

[0013] These processing devices each have one or more actuators. The actuators can be of different types. They are connected to an electronic control system for data transmission. This allows for a high degree of flexibility of the device while maintaining a compact design. In particular, the device can be adjusted in an automated or at least semi-automated manner to suit different products to be processed or produced.

[0014] In a further embodiment, the processing devices arranged by means of the linear guide each have a separate feed device. Each of these feed devices is designed such that it can position the respective associated processing device along the linear guide, or transversely to the transport direction of the sheet or web. For this purpose, each of these feed devices comprises a controllable feed drive. The feed drives are each connected to the device's control system for data transmission. At least one actuator of the processing device is formed by the feed drive.

[0015] A rack running parallel to the linear guide is advantageous. This is mounted on a cross member of the frame. Gears of several of the feed devices mesh with the same rack. The gears are each driven by the feed drive of the corresponding feed device. This enables a simple and compact design.

[0016] Preferably, a transport device with a controllable drive is accommodated in the frame. The transport device moves the material to be processed in the transport direction along the processing devices of the device. Advantageously, the transport device comprises a detection device. This is directed toward the transport path. It detects the time at which the material reaches a specific position. Or it detects the position the material reaches at a specific time.

[0017] This recorded data is transmitted to the device's control system. It is used to control or regulate various actuators of the device, especially the transport drive. This allows for very high positioning accuracy of machining operations in the transport direction.

[0018] This is particularly advantageous for sequentially arranged fixtures of this design. The processing devices mounted on a common linear guide can be of different types. This allows for the realization of a very compact fixture with a high functional density.

[0019] Data exchange between the actuators and sensors and the controller is done via cables. To allow for the easy removal or addition of components to the device, the cables are equipped with connectors.

[0020] As an alternative to cables, data exchange can be carried out via radio or other wireless connections. This reduces the number of cables that need to be disconnected when removing processing equipment or connected when adding it.

[0021] In an advantageous embodiment, the device has a loading position for the processing devices arranged on a common linear guide. This position is defined by a segment of the linear guide. This segment is pluggably mounted in the frame. To remove a processing device, it is positioned on this segment and removed from the device together with it. This significantly simplifies changing processing devices and increases the flexibility of the device.

[0022] Combining several such devices into a single converting machine is particularly advantageous, especially for processing corrugated cardboard. For this purpose, the devices are arranged one behind the other in the transport direction so that they form a common, straight transport path.

[0023] Advantageously, one of the devices is movable along the transport direction in such a way that a gap can be created between two immediately consecutive devices of the same machine. This significantly improves the accessibility of the individual devices, for example, for maintenance purposes.

[0024] Preferably, a rail system is provided for this purpose, on which the devices are mounted together. The rails run parallel to the transport direction. In this way, the respective position and orientation of the corresponding devices are fixed, with the exception of the position in the transport direction. This allows the position of the interfaces between the individual devices to be reproduced without additional effort.

[0025] In a further embodiment, a dispensing device is accommodated as a processing device in a first device, positionable transversely to the transport direction. The dispensing device can be, for example, a device for applying adhesive or a printing device, in particular an inkjet printing device. Any second device following this first device in the transport direction comprises one or more second processing devices positionable transversely to the transport direction. These second processing devices are in contact with the material to be processed during processing.

[0026] In particular, the second processing devices comprise at least one transport roller.

[0027] Data connections between the positioning drives of the dispensing device and the downstream second processing devices of different machines are particularly advantageous, connecting them to the same control system of the converting machine. This makes it easy and even automated to position the contact area of ​​the second processing devices with the sheet or web outside the material applied by the dispensing device.

[0028] In a particularly advantageous embodiment, the devices that jointly form a conversion machine, in particular the device enclosed between terminal devices, have identical interfaces. This allows the sequence of devices to be easily adapted to different preferred sequences of processing steps.

[0029] The invention will now be explained using an exemplary embodiment with reference to the figures, to which reference is made for all details not mentioned in detail in the description. The figures show:

[0030] Fig. 1 is a first perspective view of a device for sheet processing;

[0031] Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a creasing device;

[0032] Fig. 3 is a second perspective view of a sheet processing device;

[0033] Fig. 4 a converting machine with several devices for sheet processing.

[0034] Figures 1 and 2 show a device 2 for processing sheets 30 or webs. The device comprises a frame 6 in which all other devices 7, 8, 9 are accommodated. The frame 6 forms a frame through which the material 30 to be processed is transported in a straight line along a horizontal transport direction 100. In its movement through the device 2, the material 30 describes a transport path 130.

[0035] The frame 6 consists of two vertical walls 11, which are arranged opposite each other on either side of the transport path 130. The walls 11 are connected by horizontal cross members 12. The cross members 12 run transversely to the transport direction 100.

[0036] Guide rails 13 of linear guides are arranged on the cross members 12. Racks 14 are also attached to them. The racks 14 run parallel to the linear guides 13. Together, they are aligned transversely to the transport direction 100. Processing devices 8, 9 are arranged on the linear guides 13, which can be moved or positioned across the width of the sheets 30 or webs to be processed with the aid of the racks 14.

[0037] Also housed in the frame 6 is a transport device 7. It comprises a transport roller 71 arranged between the walls 11. It is located directly below the transport path 130. The conveying area of ​​the roller 71 extends over the maximum permissible width of the material 30 to be processed.

[0038] Above the transport roller 71, the transport device 7 comprises several transport rollers 76 distributed across the width of the transport path 130. Together, they clamp the sheet 30 or the web. These transport rollers 76 are each arranged on one of the guide rails 13, movable separately transversely to the transport direction 100. They are individually positioned by a common feed device 77. The feed device utilizes the rack associated with the linear guide.

[0039] The transport device 7 has a controllable drive 72. A light barrier 74, shown in Fig. 4, is mounted above the transport path 130. It detects the time at which a sheet 30 reaches and leaves the monitored position in the transport direction 100. In this way, the transport can be controlled and processing steps in the transport direction can be precisely positioned.

[0040] The frame has rollers 16 mounted on the walls 11. These rollers run on a pair of rails 5 running parallel to the transport direction 100. In this way, the entire device 2 is movable in the transport direction 100. This movement can be performed manually by personnel, or an additional delivery device not shown in the figures can be used.

[0041] Fig. 4 shows a converting machine for corrugated cardboard sheets 30, which is composed of several devices 2, 3, 4 of the previously described design. These devices 2, 3, 4 run on a common pair of rails. At the end, a further device 1 is provided, which is stationary and houses a control system 10 of the machine.

[0042] The individual devices 1, 2, 3, 4 differ in their processing devices 8, 9, 21. In the configuration shown as an example in Fig. 4, a printing device is installed in the first device 4, viewed in the transport direction 100. In contrast, creasing devices 8 and scoring devices 9 are arranged in a device 2 shown in dashed lines. The remaining devices 1, 3 accommodate further processing devices of various types, which will not be discussed further.

[0043] The creasing devices 8 shown in Fig. 1 are shown enlarged in Fig. 2. They are constructed as mirror images of each other. Therefore, the further description is limited to one of the two creasing devices 8.

[0044] The creasing tool consists of a pair of creasing knives 81, consisting of a female and male creasing knives. The creasing knives 81 are arranged above and below the transport path 130 and interact with each other. Each creasing knife 81 is mounted in a carriage 85. The carriages 85 run on the previously described rails 13 of the frame 6 transversely to the transport direction 100. The creasing knives 81 are driven by a non-circularly positioned shaft via a sliding seat.

[0045] For positioning the creasing device 8, a feed device with a controllable feed drive 82 is provided on the carriage 85. It acts via a gear 15 on the rack 14 mounted on the cross member 12 of the frame 6. The feed drive 82 is connected to the controller 10 via data lines 83 with connectors 84.

[0046] Following the creasing device 8 in the transport direction 100, scoring devices 9 of the same design are provided. Similar to the creasing device 8, the scoring device 9 has a circular knife 91 mounted in a carriage. The carriage, in turn, runs on a rail 13 of the frame 6 oriented transversely to the transport direction 100. Unlike the creasing tools 81, the scoring knife 91 does not have its own drive.

[0047] The carriage with the scoring knife 91 is positioned along its guide rail 13 by a controllable feed device 93. For this purpose, it has a gear that engages a fixed rack and is driven by a controllable motor.

[0048] Fig. 3 shows a loading position 150 for devices movable transversely to the transport direction, such as the scoring devices 9. The loading position 150 is defined by a segment of the described guide rail 13. This segment is removable. To remove a processing device 9, it is placed on the removable segment and removed together with it. The addition of a processing device 9 is carried out accordingly.

[0049] A print head 21 mounted above the transport path 130 in device 4 prints the top side of the conveyed sheet 30. It is movable transversely to the transport direction 100 via a feed device (not shown).

[0050] The control of the feed movements transverse to the transport direction 100 is indicated in Fig. 4 by the arrows pointing to the tools 21, 76, 81, 91. The feed movements can occur when the machine is at a standstill or during the continuous transport movement of the sheet 30.

[0051] Data transmission between the individual devices 1, 2, 3, 4 and their devices 7, 8, 9, 21 with a controller 10 of the conversion machine takes place via cables 18 with plug connections 19 between the individual devices. Alternatively, a radio connection can also be used, with a transmitting and receiving unit 20 installed in each of the devices.

[0052] The dashed representation of a device 2 in Fig. 4 indicates that it does not necessarily have to be present in the conversion machine shown or in the position shown. Rather, the combination of various devices 1, 2, 3, 4 can easily be changed to form a jointly formed conversion machine.

[0053] For this purpose, the pair of rails 5 is provided, on which three devices 2, 3, 4 of the four devices 1, 2, 3, 4 shown in Fig. 4 can be moved parallel to the transport direction 100.

[0054] To change the configuration of the conversion machine, the plug connections 84 of the affected devices 1, 2, 3 are first disconnected. With an alternative wireless data transmission, this step can be omitted. Likewise, the mechanical locks 17 between the devices 1, 2, 3 are opened.

[0055] Subsequently, the devices 2, 3, and 4 are positioned on the rails 5 at a distance from one another such that a device 2 can be removed without risk of damage. The removal of the device 2 is symbolized in Fig. 4 by the arrow 300.

[0056] Alternatively or additionally, a further device (not shown) can be added. After the individual devices 1, 2, 3, 4 have been moved together 200, the locks 17 are closed to secure the movable devices 2, 3, 4 against unintentional movement. After connecting the relevant connectors 84 or starting the radio connections, the conversion machine can be operated in its new configuration.

[0057] Reference symbol

[0058] 1 first device 7 transport device

[0059] 2 second device 8 creasing device

[0060] 3 third device 9 slotting device

[0061] 4 fourth device 10 control

[0062] 5 Rail 11 Wall

[0063] 6 Frame 12 Traverse Rail 76 Transport roller

[0064] Rack 77 Feed device Gear 81 Creasing knife

[0065] Roller 82 feed drive

[0066] Lock 83 Data cable Data cable 84 Connector Connector 85 Slide

[0067] Transmitter / receiver 86 Wave Print head 91 Scoring knife Data line 93 Feed device Data line 100 Transport direction corrugated board sheet 130 Transport path roller 150 Loading position controllable drive 200 Closing Data line 300 Unloading light barrier Data line

Claims

Patent claims 1 . Device for processing predominantly rigid material sheets (30) or material webs, in particular for processing corrugated cardboard sheets (30), at least comprising • a transport path (30) in which the material sheets (30) are transported one after the other or the material web in a linear transport direction (100) through the device, • an electronic control (10), and • a frame (6) with at least two substantially vertical supports (11) arranged on both sides outside the transport path (130), a substantially horizontal carrier (12) connecting the at least two supports (11), and a linear guide (13) arranged on the horizontal carrier (12) with a guide direction oriented transversely to the transport direction (100), and characterized by at least two processing devices (8, 9) arranged by means of the common linear guide (13), each of these processing devices (8, 9) being movable separately transversely to the transport direction (100) by means of the linear guide (13) and having at least one tool (21, 81, 91) acting on the material sheet (30), the at least two processing devices (8, 9) each being connected to the control (10) of the device by means of data transmission (18, 19, 20, 22, 23).

2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that at least two of the processing devices (8, 9) each have a separate feed device, each with a controllable feed drive (82), wherein the feed devices are each designed such that they position the respective processing device (8, 9) transversely to the transport direction (100) and each of the feed drives (82) is connected to the control (10) of the device by means of data transmission (18, 19, 20, 23).

3. Device according to claim 2, characterized by a rack (14) arranged substantially parallel to the at least one linear guide (13), wherein at least two feed devices of the processing devices (8, 9) each have a gear (15) arranged on the associated feed drive (82) and these gears (15) engage in the one common rack (14).

4. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by at least one transport device (7) with a controllable drive (72), wherein the transport device (7) is designed to move material sheets (30) one after the other through the device in the transport direction (100), with a data connection (18, 19, 20, 22, 23) of the controllable drive (72) to the controller (10) and with a detection device (74) directed towards the transport path (130), which is designed to detect the point in time at which a specific material sheet (30) reaches a predetermined position viewed in the transport direction (100) and / or to detect the position in the transport direction (100) of a specific material sheet (30) at a predetermined point in time, wherein the detection device (74) is connected to the controller (10) via means for data transmission (18, 19, 20, 23, 75).

5. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by at least one cable (18) as a means for data transmission of at least one of the at least two processing devices (8, 9) with at least one separable and closable plug connection (19) between the processing device (8, 9) and the control (10) of the device.

6. Device according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that at least one of the means for data transmission of at least one processing device (8, 9) with the control (10) of the device has at least one transmission unit (20) for electromagnetic waves.

7. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the processing devices (8, 9) arranged on a common linear guide (13) have unequal tools (81, 91).

8. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by a loading position (150), wherein in the loading position (150) one or more processing devices (8, 9) can be removed and / or added.

9. Conversion machine for processing corrugated cardboard sheets (30) or corrugated cardboard webs with at least two devices (1, 2, 3, 4) each according to one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the devices (1, 2, 3, 4) are arranged in succession such that their respective transport paths form a common substantially horizontal transport path (130) of the corrugated cardboard sheets (30) through the conversion machine, characterized in that at least one of the devices (1, 2, 3, 4) is arranged to be movable along the transport direction (100).

10. Conversion machine according to claim 8, characterized by at least one linear guide parallel to the transport direction (100) with at least one rail (5), wherein the device (2, 3, 4) positionable along the transport path (130) or the devices (2, 3, 4) positionable along the transport path are each received on the at least one rail (5). 11 . Conversion machine according to one of claims 9 or 10, characterized by at least • a dispensing device (21) with a first delivery device as a processing device, wherein the first delivery device is designed to bring the dispensing device (21) transversely to the transport direction (100) into a first predetermined position, wherein the first delivery device is connected to the controller (10) of the conversion machine via data transmission means (18, 19, 20), and • a second processing device (8, 9) following the at least one dispensing device (21) in the transport direction (100) with a second delivery device separate from the first delivery device, wherein the second delivery device is designed to bring the second processing device (8, 9) transversely to the transport direction (100) into a second predetermined position, wherein the second delivery device is connected to the same control (10) of the conversion machine via means for data transmission (18, 191, 20).

12. Method for changing the configuration of a converting machine for processing corrugated cardboard sheets (30) or corrugated cardboard webs from a first configuration to a second configuration, wherein the converting machine has a transport path (130) with a linear transport direction of the corrugated cardboard (30) and a plurality of devices (1, 2, 3, 4) arranged one after the other in the transport direction (100), each of the devices (1, 2, 3, 4) having a frame (6) enclosing the transport path (130) with at least one linear guide (13) running transversely to the transport direction (100), a plurality of processing devices (8, 9) arranged on the linear guide (13) and separately movable along the latter, and a data transmission device (18, 19, 20) for data transmission with the processing devices (8,9) connected control (10) and wherein the devices each have identical interfaces to one another and are arranged to be movable substantially parallel to the transport direction (100) by a common linear guide (5), at least comprising the steps, • Moving at least one first device (2, 3, 4) parallel to the transport direction (100) from a first position to a second position, wherein the first device (2, 3, 4) in its first position is arranged directly adjacent to the preceding and / or subsequent further device (1, 2, 3, 4) and which the first device (2, 3, 4) in its second position has a distance from the same preceding and / or subsequent further device (1, 2, 3, 4), • Disconnecting the data connection between the controller (10) and at least the processing devices (8, 9) arranged in the first device (2, 3, 4), • Removing (300) or adding a device (2, 3, 4) • Connecting the data connections between the control (10) and the processing devices (8, 9) arranged in the conversion machine, • Closing (200) existing gaps between the Conversion machine arranged devices (1, 2, 3, 4) by moving at least one of the gap-forming devices (1, 2, 3, 4) parallel to the transport direction and • Setting the control (10) corresponds to the second configuration of the conversion machine.

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