Feeder Device

Abstract

The present invention generally relates to a feeder device and a sheet feeding processing machine. The feeder device includes a rotation mechanism, a displacement mechanism, and a feeder flap. The rotation mechanism is configured to cause rotational movement of the feeder flap, which feeds sheets fed into the sheet feeding processing machine toward a receiving device of the sheet feeding processing machine. The displacement mechanism is configured to cause displacement movement of the feeder flap according to a displacement direction.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates generally to feeder devices and sheet processing machines. [Background technology]

[0002] In a sheet-fed processing machine, sheets are fed from a stack of sheets by a feeder flap. Typically, the feeder flap performs a rotational movement while supporting each sheet, thereby feeding the sheet to a processing device of the processing machine. However, considering the weight of the sheets being fed, the feeder flap may at least partially mark the sheets in the sense of indentations or scratches, thereby causing unevenness on the sheet surface. When the feeder flap retracts, the feeder flap at least partially advances through the path of the sheets being fed into the sheet-fed processing machine, so that the unevenness is caused in a more noticeable manner. Therefore, if the timing is not properly adapted, unevenness will be caused on the sheet surface.

[0003] Also, the degree of marking of the fed sheet is intensified when the sheet is not ideally flat but corresponds to a deformed corrugated sheet, because the area over which the force caused by contact with the feeder flap acts is limited, and therefore the depth of the marking caused by contact between the sheet and the feeder flap is magnified.

[0004] Overall, known feeder flaps used to feed fed sheets into sheet-fed processing machines cause deterioration of sheet quality.

[0005] There is therefore a need to provide a feeder device and a sheet processing machine based thereon, which can avoid or at least reduce the drawbacks of known feeder flaps.

[0006] U.S. Patent No. 2,199,170 describes a feeder device having a feeder flap that moves in an elliptical pattern driven by an eccentric drive. Initially, the feeder flap moves vertically downward to eject the top sheet from the stack, allowing the sheet to be removed and transported for further processing. However, during the retraction phase of this movement, the edge of the feeder flap rises higher than during the forward movement, which poses a risk of damaging the underside of the sheet. Summary of the Invention [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The subject matter of the independent claims meets the respective needs. Preferred embodiments are set out in the dependent claims and in the following description, each of which can individually or in combination represent an aspect of the present disclosure.

[0008] A summary of specific embodiments disclosed herein is provided below. It should be understood that these aspects are presented merely to provide a brief summary of these specific embodiments, and that these aspects are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. The present disclosure may encompass various aspects that may not be described below.

[0009] According to one aspect, a feeder device for a sheet-feeding processing machine is provided. The feeder device includes at least a rotation mechanism, a displacement mechanism, and a feeder flap. The rotation mechanism is configured to cause rotational movement of the feeder flap, which feeds a sheet to be fed into the sheet-feeding processing machine toward a receiving device of the sheet-feeding processing machine. The displacement mechanism is configured to cause displacement movement of the feeder flap according to a displacement direction.

[0010] In other words, the feeder device according to the present disclosure is configured so that the feeder flap can not only rotate but also be displaced. Specifically, the displacement movement can be oriented so that the feeder flap can be removed from the path for the fed sheet, thereby avoiding contact between the feeder flap and the fed sheet. Therefore, the risk of feeder flap-induced irregularities in the fed sheet is reduced, because the distance between the feeder flap and the path for the fed sheet is guaranteed for at least a certain portion of the feeding period. Therefore, the surface quality of the fed sheet is improved, regardless of potential deformed waviness of the fed sheet.

[0011] Within the present context, a sheet-fed processor may be considered to be a commercial machine used to process sheets, in particular paper or cardboard sheets, for cutting, printing, embossing, etc. For example, a sheet-fed processor may correspond to a foil stamping machine. In principle, a sheet-fed processor is fed with individual sheets of a stack (pile) of sheets.

[0012] Within the present context, rotational movement may be considered as rotation about an axis of rotation, in other words, the rotational movement may follow a substantially circular path around the axis of rotation.

[0013] Within this context, a rotation mechanism may be considered a device configured to cause rotational movement of the feeder flap based on mechanical, pneumatic, or electrical actuation.

[0014] Within this context, a displacement movement can be considered a movement that follows a substantially linear path. However, the resulting path followed by the feeder flap is not necessarily linear because multiple movements of the feeder flap may overlap one another, and the resulting trajectory may differ from a linear (straight) path. Rather, a superimposed trajectory may be achieved in this case. The curvature of the resulting trajectory may also be caused, at least in part, by the mechanism by which the movement of the feeder flap is caused. Within this context, a displacement mechanism can be considered a device configured to cause displacement movement of the feeder flap based on mechanical, pneumatic, or electrical actuation.

[0015] Within the present context, a receiving device of a sheet-fed processing machine can be considered as a device configured to acquire sheets fed into the sheet-fed processing machine. In particular, the receiving device is configured to acquire sheets in a prescribed manner so that the sheets can be subsequently processed according to standard procedures. The prescribed manner can include, for example, a particular orientation of the acquired sheets.

[0016] In some embodiments, the receiving device may comprise a set of rollers configured to capture the sheet between them, for example, so that the orientation of the sheet is assured for further processing.

[0017] The rotation mechanism is configured to at least partially cause the rotational movement of the feeder flap during its forward and rearward movements. The displacement mechanism is configured to at least partially cause the displacement movement of the feeder flap during its rearward movement. In other words, the feeder flap performs a forward movement that feeds sheets into or toward a receiving device of the sheet processing machine. During the forward movement, the displacement mechanism does not need to cause the displacement movement of the feeder flap. However, during the rearward movement of the feeder flap, both the rotation mechanism and the displacement mechanism cause the respective movement of the feeder flap as the feeder flap is returned to its initial position for the subsequent feeding cycle. As a result, to enable the possibility of supporting the fed sheet during the forward movement of the feeder flap, the feeder flap needs to reach or be in the path of the fed sheet, because supporting contact would not be possible otherwise. Therefore, a displacement movement is not necessarily required during the forward movement of the feeder flap. However, because the feeder flap undergoes further displacement movement during rearward movement, potential interference of the feeder flap and the sheet path is advantageously avoided.

[0018] In the forward movement, the displacement mechanism can bring the leading edge of the feeder flap into line with the leading edge of the sheet, the displacement mechanism being slightly ahead in time, so that the sheet does not have to be carried past this leading edge, as the displacement mechanism moves just ahead of the sheet at the same speed.

[0019] Additionally, as the feeder flaps extend between the forward and rearward travel, they form a ramp that prevents the edge of the sheet from getting stuck under the receiving device during further processing. This ramp is ideally set at a 45 degree angle (100% slope), but should not exceed a 150% slope to effectively function as a ramp and not as a barrier.

[0020] Optionally, during the rearward movement of the feeder flap, both the rotation mechanism and the displacement mechanism can cause movements of the feeder flap that at least partially overlap each other in time, meaning that the respective movements can be performed at least partially simultaneously, at least during the rearward movement of the feeder flap.

[0021] The displacement mechanism can be configured to cause a displacement movement of the feeder flap during the forward movement of the feeder flap. In this case, a flatter forward movement of the feeder flap can be advantageously ensured than when no displacement movement is performed. If the forward movement of the feeder flap is performed solely based on the rotation mechanism, the leading edge of the feeder flap follows a trajectory that substantially follows a circular trajectory. Thus, during this trajectory, the leading edge of the feeder flap includes various height levels defined by the basic circular trajectory. If a displacement movement of the feeder flap is also performed during the forward movement of the feeder flap, the trajectory can be flatter in the sense that the leading edge of the feeder flap simply reaches a reduced maximum height level compared to the above-mentioned case without the displacement movement. Thus, the forward movement is advantageously flatter. As a result, less force is applied to the sheet and reduced unevenness is produced in the sheet surface. Of course, the displacement mechanism and the rotation mechanism can cause the respective movements of the feeder flap to at least partially overlap each other in time during the forward movement of the feeder flap.

[0022] In some embodiments, the rotational and translational movements can be performed after each other, regardless of the forward or rearward movement of the feeder flap.

[0023] Optionally, the displacement mechanism need not be actuated when the rearward movement of the feeder flaps begins. Rather, the displacement mechanism can be actuated before or after the point at which the rearward movement of the feeder flaps begins. For example, the displacement mechanism can be actuated slightly before the rearward movement of the feeder flaps begins, i.e., slightly after the forward movement of the feeder flaps ends.

[0024] Optionally, the feeder flap has a leading edge. The leading edge of the feeder flap includes a first maximum height level during forward movement of the feeder flap. The leading edge of the feeder flap includes a second maximum height level during rearward movement of the feeder flap. The second maximum height level is lower than the first maximum height level. This condition is ensured because, during rearward movement of the feeder flap, the displacement movement results in a reduction in the height of the leading edge of the feeder flap.

[0025] In this regard, the height level of the leading edge of the feeder flap is determined by the height above the support surface of the path of the sheets fed into the sheet-fed press processing machine. The maximum height level during each movement of the feeder flap can then be considered as the maximum height level above the support surface that the leading edge of the feeder flap engages during each movement. Since the displacement movement can ensure that the feeder flap does not even reach the path of the fed sheets during the rearward movement, the maximum height level can also be zero or negative during the rearward movement. In other words, the leading edge of the feeder flap follows a trajectory that engages a positive maximum height level during the forward movement, but the maximum height level during the rearward movement of the feeder flap can be zero or negative. As a result, contact between the feeder flap and the path of the fed sheets is reliably avoided during the rearward movement of the feeder flap.

[0026] Optionally, the displacement direction of the feeder flap is oriented perpendicular to the rotation axis of the feeder flap defined by the rotation mechanism. Thus, the displacement movement can be used to directly retract the feeder flap out of the space required in terms of the rotation mechanism. In other words, the displacement mechanism provides an additional degree of freedom in terms of the movement of the feeder flap.

[0027] Preferably, the rotation axis of the feeder flap is oriented in a horizontal plane and the displacement direction of the feeder flap is oriented substantially perpendicular to the horizontal plane. The sheets to be fed are normally transported along a horizontal route, but the displacement direction is particularly configured to move the feeder flap as directly as possible away from the horizontal plane in which the interaction with the sheets to be fed takes place. The direction used to retract the feeder flap can therefore be particularly adapted to coincide with the direction of gravity.

[0028] In some embodiments, the rotation mechanism and the translation mechanism are coupled to each other via a control shaft, which offers the possibility of including an integrated mechanical coupling so that the different movement mechanisms can be controlled together, for example via a control device.

[0029] In particular, the control shaft can be used to coordinate the rotation mechanism and the displacement mechanism with each other so that a generally defined movement pattern of the feeder flaps is achieved.

[0030] Preferably, each of the rotation mechanism and the displacement mechanism comprises at least one of a cam device, a pneumatic drive device, and an electric drive device. In other words, there are various ways to ensure the proper movement of the different mechanisms by means of the cam device, which allows the sequence of the different movement mechanisms to be adapted to each other depending on the orientation of the cam device.

[0031] According to a preferred embodiment, the rotation mechanism includes a first cam device, and the displacement mechanism includes a second cam device. The first and second cam devices are coupled to the feeder flap via respective first and second levers. The levers thus correspond to mechanical couplings that directly transmit the movement of the cam devices to the feeder flap. This ensures proper movement of the feeder flap in response to the changing orientation of the cam devices.

[0032] Since the displacement mechanism involves at least one lever to the feeder flap, the resulting displacement movement is not necessarily linear, but may instead exhibit a small curvature, however the displacement movement can be considered substantially linear in the sense that the displacement movement differs slightly from a linear movement.

[0033] Optionally, the first cam device and the second cam device are coupled to a camshaft. The camshaft cam can then be directly actuated to control the movement of all cam devices. In other words, actuation of a single component, the camshaft, ensures proper movement of the feeder flap, including the proper sequence of the rotation mechanism and the displacement mechanism, which are independently dependent on the orientation of the cam devices relative to the camshaft.

[0034] In a preferred embodiment, the feeder device also includes a controller configured to actuate the camshaft in response at least to the position of a sheet being fed into the sheet processing machine. In this regard, at least one sensing device can be connected to the controller, and the at least one sensing device can provide measurements based on which the controller can determine the position of the sheet being fed, thereby ensuring proper movement of the feeder flaps relative to the position of the sheet.

[0035] Optionally, the controller may be connected to a motor device or the like configured to cause movement, in particular rotation, of the camshaft based on at least one control signal received by the controller.

[0036] The controller may include circuitry configured to execute the control routines described above.

[0037] Preferably, the first and second levers are attached to the support structure by a spring bias, thus ensuring that the spring-biased lever returns to a defined position after a specific sequence of movements, for example after one revolution of the camshaft, during which the spring-biased lever can finally move against the spring force acting on the spring-biased lever.

[0038] Optionally, the first and second levers are coupled to a control shaft, which provides the possibility of providing simultaneous anchor points for the various levers via the control shaft, thus reducing the complexity of the feeder device as separate anchor points can be avoided.

[0039] Preferably, the first and second levers are at least partially rotatable about the control shaft. This means that, from the perspective of the levers, it is not necessary to provide complete rotation about the control shaft. However, it is possible to provide slight rotation in both directions of rotation for the various levers. Because a single rotation axis is provided, the complexity of the feeder device is further reduced.

[0040] In some embodiments, a further third lever is mounted parallel to and spaced apart from the second lever. The further third lever couples at least the control shaft and the feeder flap. In other words, at least from the perspective of the displacement mechanism, multiple mechanical couplings can be provided between the control shaft and the feeder flap. This allows for a more uniform displacement movement. In particular, considering the lateral dimensions of the feeder flap, which can be substantially large (basically depending on the dimensions of the sheets being fed), bending of part of the feeder flap as a result can be avoided or at least reduced compared to a configuration with a single lever coupling.

[0041] Of course, a second lever or a further lever acting parallel to the first lever can also be provided, which essentially ensures a more uniform movement of the feeder flaps, but the feeder flaps may have a large lateral dimension (along the axis of rotation).

[0042] According to another aspect, there is provided a sheet-fed processing machine comprising a feeder apparatus as hereinbefore described.

[0043] A sheet-fed processor may comprise at least one processor, in particular for cutting, printing, embossing, etc., of sheets. Each of these processors may comprise a receiving device, which is used to arrange the acquired sheets according to the required orientation. The sheets may be fed at least in part by means of the above-mentioned feeder device. In particular, the first processor (the upstream processor at the inlet of the processor) may be fed using a feeder device, with the sheets generally being fed from a pile of stacks positioned at the inlet station of the sheet-fed processor.

[0044] In this regard, the feeder flaps of the feeder device also function to ensure straight (vertical) orientation of the remaining sheets in the pile of sheets when the top sheet is introduced into the sheet feeding processor.

[0045] All features and embodiments disclosed with respect to any aspect of this disclosure may be combined independently where the resulting combination of features is reasonable for a person skilled in the art; or in (partial) combination with any one of the remaining aspects of the disclosure, including each of its preferred embodiments.

[0046] The above aspects and further advantages of the claimed subject matter will be more readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0047] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a sheet-fed processor. [Figure 2] 1 is a schematic diagram of the lead-in section of a sheet-fed processor; [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a feeder device. [Figure 4A] FIG. 2 is a schematic side view of a feeder flap. [Figure 4B] FIG. 2 is a schematic side view of a feeder flap. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is another schematic view of the feeder flap. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is another schematic diagram of a sheet-fed processor. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0048] The detailed description set forth below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like numerals refer to like elements, is intended to describe various embodiments of the disclosed subject matter and is not intended to represent the only embodiment. Each embodiment described in this disclosure is provided merely as an example or illustration and should not be construed as preferred or advantageous over other embodiments. The illustrative examples presented herein are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the claimed subject matter to the precise form disclosed. Various modifications to the described embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein may be applied to other embodiments and applications without departing from the spirit and scope of the described embodiments. Thus, the described embodiments are not intended to be limited to the embodiments shown but are to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and features disclosed herein.

[0049] All features disclosed below with respect to the exemplary embodiments and / or accompanying figures may be combined with features of aspects of the present disclosure, including features of preferred embodiments of the present disclosure, alone or in any subcombination, as long as the resulting combination of features is reasonable to one skilled in the art.

[0050] For purposes of this disclosure, the phrase "at least one of A, B, and C" means, for example, (A), (B), (C), (A and B), (A and C), (B and C), or (A, B, and C), and includes all further possible permutations when more than two elements are listed. In other words, the term "at least one of A and B" generally means "A and / or B," i.e., "A" alone, "B" alone, or "A and B."

[0051] 1 is a schematic diagram of a sheet-fed processor 10. Processor 10 includes an input station 12, at least one processing unit 14, and an output station 16.

[0052] At induction station 12, a pile 18 of sheets 20 is prepared for feeding into sheet feed processor 10.

[0053] At the output station 16, a pile 18 of processed sheets 20 is built up.

[0054] Within the processor 10, gripper bars 22 are used along with chain drives 24 to pick up the individual sheets 20 and transport them through various sections of the processor 14, etc.

[0055] In this embodiment, the processing device 14 corresponds to a platen printing machine, but other types of processing device 14 such as a printing device, a cutting device, etc. can also be envisaged.

[0056] A feeder device 26 is provided upstream of the processing device 14 and is configured to ensure proper feeding of sheets 20 across a feed table 28 and towards the processing device 14 .

[0057] According to this embodiment, the sheet feeding processor 10 includes a motor 30 which causes the chain drive 24 to operate.

[0058] The feeder device 26 serves two purposes. First, the feeder device 26 ensures the proper feeding of the sheets 20 of the pile 18 of sheets 20 towards the feed table at the inlet station 12. Second, the feeder device 26 ensures that the sheets 20 of the pile 18 of sheets 20 arranged in the inlet station 12 remain properly oriented while the feeding procedure is being performed. In other words, a stabilization mechanism is ensured by the feeder device 26 while the feeding procedure is being performed.

[0059] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of the inlet section 12 of the sheet fed processor 10.

[0060] The pile 18 of sheets 20 fed into the processor 10 is disposed on a platform 32 that can be raised using a motor 34. This ensures that the top sheet 20 is always positioned at a similar height. The feeder device 26 can therefore interact with the pile 18, and in particular the top sheet 20, in the same way regardless of the number of sheets 20 remaining in the pile 18.

[0061] A suction device 36 is used to lift the entire top sheet 20 and transport the suctioned sheet 20 along the horizontal direction indicated by arrow 38 toward the feed table 28 .

[0062] This movement of the sheets 20 is assisted by a feeder device 26 assigned to the most upstream processing device 14 of the processing machine 10 and preceding a receiving device 40 configured to capture the individual sheets 20 .

[0063] In this embodiment, receiving device 40 comprises a pair of rollers 42 positioned and configured to capture sheet 20 therebetween. One roller 42 is positioned above sheet 20 and the other roller 42 is positioned below sheet 20, so that rotation of rollers 42 in opposite rotational directions (in a rotational sense) causes movement of sheet 20 (from right to left as shown here).

[0064] The feeder device 26 acts as an intermediate device between the suction device 36 and the receiving device 40, transferring the sheets 20 between these two devices.

[0065] To avoid unwanted waste and to improve the surface quality of the sheets 20 and the production efficiency of the processor 10, the feeder device 26 includes multiple movement mechanisms acting in different directions.

[0066] 3 is a schematic diagram of the feeder device 26. The feeder device 26 includes a feeder flap 44 having a leading edge 45, a control shaft 46, and a camshaft 48. A first cam device 50 and a second cam device 52 are coupled to the camshaft 48. The first cam device 50 is coupled to the feeder flap 44 via a first lever 54. The second cam device 52 is coupled to the feeder flap 44 via a second lever 56.

[0067] The first lever 54 and the second lever 56 are also coupled to the control shaft 46. A third lever 58 is mounted parallel to but spaced from the second lever 56 between the control shaft 46 and the feeder flap 44.

[0068] The first through third levers 54, 56, 58 are at least partially rotatable about the control shaft 46, which in this regard serves as an anchor point. Furthermore, at least the first and second levers 54, 56 are spring-biased by a spring device 60 coupled between the levers 54, 56 and the support structure of the processor 10.

[0069] The feeder apparatus 26 is generally mounted to a support plate 62 of the sheet processing machine 10 .

[0070] A motor device 64 is coupled to the camshaft 48 for causing movement of the feeder flap 44 .

[0071] According to this embodiment, the first cam device 50 and the first lever 54 are assigned to a rotation mechanism 66 of the feeder device 26. Due to the orientation of the first cam device 50 relative to the camshaft 48 and the first lever 54, rotation of the camshaft 48 causes rotation of the first lever 54 around the control shaft 46. This results in rotation of the feeder flap 44 around the rotation axis 68. In this regard, the leading edge 45 of the feeder flap follows a circular orbital path.

[0072] Similarly, the second cam device 52, the second lever 56, and the third lever 58 are assigned to a displacement mechanism 70 of the feeder device 26. Depending on the orientation of the second cam device 52 relative to the camshaft 48 and the second lever 56, rotation of the camshaft 48 causes rotation of the second lever 56 and the third lever 58 around the control shaft 46. As a result, displacement of the feeder flap 44 along a displacement direction 72 occurs. In other words, the displacement movement of the feeder flap 44 corresponds to a linear movement. Thus, the leading edge 45 of the feeder flap 44 performs a linear movement.

[0073] However, the rotation mechanism 66 and the displacement mechanism 70 can also be actuated at least partially in time with each other. In other words, the respective movements of the feeder flap 44 and its leading edge 45 can occur at least partially simultaneously. Thus, the trajectory achieved by the leading edge 45 of the feeder flap 44 can include a superposition of circular and linear movements. For example, the leading edge 45 can follow an elliptical orbit.

[0074] According to this embodiment, the rotation axis 68 is in a horizontal plane, and the displacement direction 72 is oriented approximately perpendicular thereto. Although the displacement is designed to approximate a linear vertical displacement, the displacement is neither perfectly linear nor perfectly vertical because it is driven by three levers. However, the main component of the displacement of the feeder flap 44 is oriented vertically. In other words, the displacement direction 72 is oriented substantially along the vertical direction.

[0075] Although the fed sheets 20 are generally transported parallel to the horizontal plane of the rotation axis 68, the displacement mechanism 70 allows the feeder flap 44 to be immediately displaced from this horizontal plane, so that once the displacement mechanism is activated, it can prevent direct contact with the fed sheets 20. The displacement movement of the feeder flap 44 can be caused at least in part by the displacement mechanism 70 as the feeder flap 44 retracts while the respective sheet is unsupported, but instead returns to its initial position for the subsequent feeding cycle.

[0076] The sequence of the rotation mechanism 66 and the displacement mechanism 70 depends on the orientation of the first cam arrangement 50 and the second cam arrangement 52 relative to the camshaft 48. Because both cam arrangements 50, 52 are coupled to a single camshaft, a single motor arrangement 64 can be used to control the movement of the feeder flap 44.

[0077] According to this embodiment, the movement sequence (movement mode) of the feeder flap 44 can be described as rotating counterclockwise backward (to transport the fed sheet 20), displacing downward (to release contact with the fed sheet 20), rotating clockwise forward (to rotate back to the initial direction), and displacing upward (to move toward the next intended point of contact with the subsequent fed sheet 20). The movement of the feeder flap 44 is then repeated with respect to the subsequent sheet 20.

[0078] It should be noted that for illustrative purposes, the movement sequence of the feeder flap 44 is described herein as non-overlapping with respect to the rotational and translational movements. However, in general, the rotational and translational movements can occur at least partially overlapping with one another, i.e., simultaneously.

[0079] In other words, the counterclockwise backward rotation of the feeder flap 44 can be performed at least partially or completely simultaneously with the downward displacement of the feeder flap 44. Similarly, the clockwise forward rotation can be performed at least partially or completely simultaneously with the upward displacement of the feeder flap 44. Thus, the period of one cycle of the feeder flap 44 movement can be shortened so that a higher throughput of sheets 20 can be achieved.

[0080] However, the displacement mechanism 70 can ensure that the feeder flap 44 is removed from the path of the sheet 20, thereby avoiding contact with the sheet 20 and thus avoiding further surface irregularities on the surface of the sheet 20. As a result, the quality of the processed sheet 20 is improved, as is the overall efficiency of the processor 10. The amount of waste is reduced.

[0081] The second lever 560 and the third lever 58 act parallel to one another, resulting in a more uniform force distribution during the displacement movement of the feeder flap 44. Also, the feeder flap 44 experiences less bending along its width 74.

[0082] 4A and 4B are schematic side views of feeder flap 44. The sheet 20 to be fed has already been lifted from the pile 18 of sheets 20. However, the sheet 20 has not yet contacted feeder flap 44 to better illustrate the height characteristics of feeder flap 44.

[0083] According to Fig. 4A, the feeder flap 44 is positioned according to the raised position before the displacement mechanism 70 is activated. H1 designates the maximum height level of the leading edge 45 of the feeder flap 44 during the rotational movement of the rotation mechanism 66. H2 designates the height level of the leading edge 45 of the feeder flap 44 at the end of the rearward rotational movement of the rotation mechanism 66 but before the start of the displacement mechanism 70. Also in Fig. 4A, the feeder flap 44 forms a slope 47 to prevent the edge of the sheet 20 from getting stuck under the receiving device 40 during further processing. This slope 47 is set at an angle of 45 degrees (100% slope).

[0084] 4B, the feeder flap 44 is positioned according to the retracted position after the displacement mechanism 70 is actuated to retract the feeder flap 44 to the lower position. H2 again designates the height level of the leading edge 45 of the feeder flap 44 at the end of the rearward rotational movement of the rotation mechanism 66 but before the actuation of the displacement mechanism 70. In contrast, H3 designates the height level of the feeder flap 44 after the actuation of the displacement mechanism 70 to displace the feeder flap 44 downward to a lower position, away from the sheet 20 being fed.

[0085] Here again, the movement of the feeder flap 44 is described in terms of the rearward rotational translation and displacement mechanism 70 operating in sequence, although the rearward rotational translation and displacement mechanism 70 can generally overlap in time.

[0086] The height difference between H2 and H3 allows for contact release with the fed sheet 20 and reduces or avoids surface irregularities on the surface of the sheet 20. Even if the sheet 20 is corrugated, the height difference between H2 and H3 is sufficient to avoid contact.

[0087] 5 is another schematic view of the feeder flap 44. The feeder flap 44 is shown simultaneously in its so-called open position (solid line) and in its so-called closed position (dashed line). During the forward movement 76, the leading edge 45 of the feeder flap 44 follows an arc due to the rotation mechanism 66. During the forward movement 76, the leading edge 45 is involved in a first maximum height level HMAX1 that is positive and higher than the nominal support surface 78 of the path of the sheets 20 to be fed.

[0088] During the rearward movement 80 (dashed line), the displacement mechanism 70 is actuated to cause a displacement movement of the feeder flap 44. As a result, the trajectory of the rearward movement 80 is such that the leading edge 45 of the feeder flap 44 remains below the support surface 78 of the path for the sheets 20 to be fed. This means that the maximum height level HMAX2 of the leading edge 45 of the feeder flap 44 is zero, i.e., at the end of the rearward movement 80. Therefore, the maximum height level HMAX2 that the leading edge 45 of the feeder flap 44 engages during the rearward movement 80 relative to the support surface 78 of the path for the sheets 20 to be fed is lower than the maximum height level HMAX1 of the leading edge 45 of the feeder flap 44 during the forward movement 76.

[0089] Thus, contact between the feeder flap 44 and the path of the fed sheets 20 is avoided during the rearward movement 80. This is achieved because, at least during the rearward movement 80, the feeder flap 44 is at least partially moved by the rotation mechanism 66 and the displacement mechanism 70, which can optionally be performed at least partially simultaneously with one another.

[0090] 6 is another schematic diagram of the sheet-fed processor 10. According to this embodiment, the processor 10 comprises a control device 82 that is part of the feeder device 26 and includes a circuit. The control device 82 is connected to the motor device 64 that controls the movement of the camshaft 48. Optionally, the control device 82 can be connected to at least one detection device, such that the movement of the camshaft 48 is adapted to the position of the sheet 20 being fed. Thus, proper movement of the feeder flap 44 can be ensured depending on the position of the sheet.

[0091] Certain embodiments disclosed herein, and in particular each module, utilize circuitry (e.g., one or more circuits) to operatively couple two or more components, generate information, process information, analyze information, generate signals, encode / decode signals, convert signals, transmit and / or receive signals, control other devices, etc. to implement the standards, protocols, methodologies, or techniques disclosed herein. Any type of circuitry can be used.

[0092] In one embodiment, the circuitry includes one or more computing devices, such as a processor (e.g., a microprocessor), a general purpose graphics processing unit (GPGPU), a digital signal processor (DSP), an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field programmable gate array (FPGA), a system on a chip (SoC), or any combination thereof, and may include discrete digital or analog circuit elements or electronic circuits, or a combination thereof. In one embodiment, the circuitry includes a hardware circuit implementation (e.g., an analog circuit implementation, a digital circuit implementation, etc., and combinations thereof).

[0093] In one embodiment, a circuit includes a combination of circuitry and a computer program product having software or firmware instructions stored on one or more computer-readable memories that cooperate to cause a device to execute one or more protocols, methodologies, or techniques described herein. In one embodiment, a circuit includes circuitry that requires software, firmware, etc. to operate, such as, for example, a microprocessor or portion of a microprocessor. In one embodiment, a circuit includes one or more processors or portions thereof and associated software, firmware, hardware, etc.

[0094] This application may refer to quantities and values. Unless otherwise specified, such quantities and values ​​are not intended to be limiting, but rather exemplary of quantities or values ​​that may be relevant to this application. In this regard, this application may also use the term "plurality" to refer to a quantity or value. In this regard, the term "plurality" means any number greater than 1, e.g., 2, 3, 4, 5, etc. Terms such as "about," "approximately," and "nearly" refer to ±5% of the stated value.

[0095] While the present disclosure has been shown and described with respect to one or more embodiments, equivalent alterations and modifications will occur to those skilled in the art upon reading and understanding this specification and the accompanying drawings. Furthermore, while a particular feature of the present disclosure may be disclosed with respect to only one of several embodiments, such feature can be combined with one or more other features of the other embodiments, as far as desired and advantageous for any given or particular application. [Explanation of symbols]

[0096] 10 Sheet feeder 20 sheets 26 Feeder device 40 Receiving device 44 Feeder flap 45 leading edge 66 Rotation mechanism 70 Displacement Mechanism 72 Displacement direction 76 Forward Movement 80 Move backwards HMAX1 First maximum height level HMAX2 Second maximum height level

Claims

1. A feeder device (26) for a sheet processing machine (10) comprising a rotation mechanism (66), a displacement mechanism (70), and a feeder flap (44), the rotation mechanism (66) is configured to cause rotational movement of the feeder flap (44) in order to feed the sheet (20) to be fed into the sheet feeding processing machine (10) toward a receiving device (40) of the sheet feeding processing machine (10), and the displacement mechanism (70) is configured to cause displacement movement of the feeder flap (44) according to a displacement direction (72); the rotation mechanism (66) is configured to effect the rotational movement at least in part during the forward movement (76) and rearward movement (80) of the feeder flap (44), and the displacement mechanism (70) is configured to effect the displacement movement at least in part during the rearward movement (80) of the feeder flap (44); The feeder device (26) includes a leading edge (45) of the feeder flap (44), the leading edge (45) of the feeder flap (44) including a first maximum height level (HMAX1) during the forward movement (76) of the feeder flap (44), and the leading edge (45) of the feeder flap (44) including a second maximum height level (HMAX2) during the rearward movement (80) of the feeder flap (44), the second maximum height level (HMAX2) being lower than the first maximum height level (HMAX1).

2. 2. The feeder device (26) of claim 1, wherein when the feeder flap (44) is spread between the forward movement (76) and the rearward movement (80), the feeder flap (44) forms a slope that prevents the sheet (20) from getting jammed under the receiving device (40).

3. Feeder device (26) according to claim 2, wherein said slope (47) has a gradient of less than or equal to 150%, preferably equal to 100%.

4. 4. The feeder device (26) of claim 1, wherein the displacement direction (72) of the feeder flap (44) is oriented perpendicular to a rotation axis (68) of the feeder flap (44) provided by the rotation mechanism (66).

5. 5. The feeder device (26) of claim 4, wherein the rotation axis (68) of the feeder flap (44) is oriented in a horizontal plane and the displacement direction (72) of the feeder flap (44) is oriented substantially perpendicular to the horizontal plane.

6. 6. The feeder apparatus (26) of claim 1, wherein the rotation mechanism (66) and the displacement mechanism (70) are coupled to each other via a control shaft (46).

7. 7. The feeder device (26) of claim 1, wherein each of the rotation mechanism (66) and the displacement mechanism (70) comprises at least one of a cam device (50, 52), a pneumatic drive device, and an electric drive device.

8. 8. The feeder device (26) of claim 7, wherein the rotation mechanism (66) comprises a first cam device (50) and the displacement mechanism (70) comprises a second cam device (52), the first and second cam devices (50, 52) being coupled to the feeder flap (44) via respective first and second levers (54, 56).

9. 9. The feeder apparatus (26) of claim 8, wherein the first cam arrangement (50) and the second cam arrangement (52) are coupled to a camshaft (48).

10. 10. The feeder device (26) of claim 9, further comprising a control device (82) configured to operate the camshaft (48) in response to at least the position of the sheet (20) being fed into the sheet processing machine (10).

11. 11. The feeder apparatus (26) of any one of claims 8 to 10, wherein the first and second levers (54, 56) are attached to a support structure in a spring-biased manner.

12. 12. A feeder device (26) according to any one of claims 8 to 11, when dependent on claim 6, wherein the first and second levers (54, 56) are coupled to the control shaft (46).

13. 13. The feeder apparatus (26) of claim 12, wherein the first and second levers (54, 56) are rotatable about the control shaft (46).

14. 14. The feeder device (26) of claim 12 or 13, wherein a further third lever (58) is mounted spaced apart from and parallel to the second lever (56), the further third lever (58) connecting at least the control shaft (46) and the feeder flap (44).

15. A sheet processing machine (10) comprising a feeder device (26) according to any one of claims 1 to 14.

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