Cross-reference of applications related to dynamic buffer devices and methods for processing documents

Abstract

This invention provides a dynamic buffering device that facilitates the attachment of arbitrary items to a document acting as a paper support. [Solution] A control unit (900) comprises individual sheet buffer devices (100) which form an assembly of sheets in the form of a sheet stack on a support plane, the last input sheet which is positioned below the stack at its base by deforming the support plane, and the first single output sheet which is released from the top of the sheet stack to form an output sheet flow; a reading device (831) which reads identification codes passing through the output sheets provided by the buffer devices; a downstream device (840) which receives the output sheet flow for processing; and software for managing the flow of documents, and provides information retrieved from a database (910) to the upstream and downstream devices (810, 840) to ensure accurate processing and delivery of sheets.

Description

Technical Field

[0005] , ,

[0006]

[0001] The present invention relates to an apparatus for processing documents using dynamic buffering, where the documents are essentially individual sheets on which at least one respective identification code is printed or shown for performing processing steps that refer to the document itself via the apparatus.

Background Art

[0002] An apparatus for processing generally includes an upstream device that operates to supply documents within individual sheets and then send them along a conveyor line, and the apparatus further includes a downstream device that receives the flow of sheets to be processed.

[0003] A dynamic buffering method for processing documents relates to the processing of documents for the purpose of binding with other items such as cards having unique identification codes.

[0004] The apparatus and method defined above can be used in many areas. By way of example, reference is made to the production and direct mailing of cards on a paper support, which generally consists of either a flat sheet or a folded sheet, on which all the necessary data is shown and which is already printed thereon.

[0005] Direct mail is known to be an important tool for companies to communicate with customers and further to meet the need to distribute by mail to individuals items such as debit or credit cards, business cards, identity verification documents such as identity cards or driver's licenses, or cards such as membership cards.

[0006] These cards are inserted into envelopes addressed to the appropriate recipients and may be sent to individuals or as part of a single package combined with other inserts or mailings, and all of them make the preparation of such mailings laborious and cumbersome.

[0007] In this specification and hereafter, the term “card” means a substantially rigid card having a basically rectangular shape and made of plastic or other plasticizing material, which may include, in some cases, identification information, biometric data, images, alphanumeric characters, QR (Quick Response) codes or barcodes, readable characters of an International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Machine-Readable Travel Document (MRTD) or electronic Machine-Readable Travel Document (eMRTD), RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) tags or NFC (Near Field Communication) tags, and magnetic stripes.

[0008] These types of cards typically have formats defined according to ISO standards 7810, 7811, 7813, 7816, and 14443, or formats A7, A8, B7, B8, C7, and C8 according to ISO standard 216. These card formats can also be used for magnetic or optical memory, toy cards, collectible cards, badges, smart lock access keys, and the like. All of these items fall under the definition of "card."

[0009] The scope of the apparatus and methods described herein can be identified by their respective unique codes and encompasses any type of article requiring a paper support that acts as an accompanying document.

[0010] In this context, the upstream device supplying identification codes to a document is generally a digital printer, while the downstream devices may be a device for folding sheets, a device for combining sheets with one or more cards, or possibly a device for combining them with other sheets, articles, or informational pamphlets, and a device for wrapping these sheets.

[0011] All digital printers suitable for these applications have two important parameters to consider: warm-up time and first print output time.

[0012] Warm-up time is the time required for a laser printer's printing engine to start up, i.e., to be turned on and warmed up, as this requires a long period of time for all its electromechanical components to reach a certain temperature before the printing process can begin. This period is always necessary when the printer is in standby mode, which begins after a specific printer snooze time for energy-saving purposes.

[0013] In this case, the warm-up time is not a fixed period of time, but may also include other checks provided by the printer management software, such as checking the ink level or the presence of blank paper.

[0014] The First Print Output Time (FPOT) is the time required by the printer to load the print command used to generate printouts of one or more sheets.

[0015] These two retention periods affect printer performance and can also vary depending on the number of sheets being printed.

[0016] Using the example, we can imagine a laser printer with a print speed of 1 sheet per second, a 10-second warm-up time, and an 8-second FPOT (Fast Print Timeout) starting from the end of the standby state.

[0017] If a computer connected to a printer sends a command to print 60 documents, the total time to print all sheets will be 78 seconds, which is the sum of a 10-second warm-up time + 8 seconds for FPOT (Print Process Time) and 60 seconds for the actual printing of the documents. Therefore, the average time per document is 1.3 seconds. However, if the number of sheets to be printed is small, for example, 10 sheets, the total time is 28 seconds, or an average of 2.8 seconds per sheet.

[0018] Therefore, the fewer sheets required, the longer the average time it takes to print each sheet.

[0019] In the context of direct mailing of cards, other factors come into play, namely, the generally known and applicable process involves reading the card's microchip, or its magnetic strip, or any unique code imprinted thereon or obtainable therefrom, and retrieving records of data that uniquely reference the card, including, for example, first name, last name, recipient's address, etc., through a search in a database, so that the sheet can be uniquely combined with the card after it has been printed.

[0020] Assuming the printer from the previous example is used and reads the unique code of one card per second, the control unit handling this process can send print commands to the laser printer every second with minimal initial delay for accessing the data on the server.

[0021] The control unit then details 60 separate print commands, each requiring an FTOP to be processed and an initial warm-up time. For a group of 60 cards, the warm-up time is calculated as 60 times the FTOP, and then 490 seconds are allocated to complete the printing of all 60 sheets, averaging 8.17 seconds per document.

[0022] In this case, we can conclude that FPOT is the parameter that has the greatest impact on process timing, and it is understood that this procedure is not sustainable.

[0023] A more advantageous procedure is to read N cards, for example, a group of 60 cards, in a sequential line, and for each of them, provide the control unit with an individual print command for each respective document.

[0024] The latter can combine all these printing instructions into a single overall printing instruction and send it to the printer in one batch, which executes the printing after waiting for the warm-up time and a single FPOT.

[0025] In this way, the total time for reading the card is reduced to a total of 138 seconds compared to 490 seconds in the previous example. This is obtained by adding the 60 seconds for reading the card, the 18 seconds for warm-up time and FPOT, and the 60 seconds for printing. The average of 2.3 seconds per document is calculated from the moment the unambiguous code reading stage of the card starts.

[0026] In general, it can be concluded that the most cost-effective technique is to perform multiple readings of individual cards and then send each printing instruction to the printer in a single file.

[0027] However, in this scenario, the rapid output of printed sheets may not be compatible with the processing speed and / or frequency of downstream devices. This requires the use of a buffer device between the upstream device and the downstream device(s), which is configured to accumulate the sheets output by the upstream device and release them at a timing synchronized with the operation of the downstream device, and in some cases, in response to a request mediated by the control unit. Summary of the Invention Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0028] In this context, the first objective to be fulfilled by the buffer device is to accumulate the sheets conveyed by the printer and then send individual sheets to the next station at the desired time, and in some cases, in response to a request.

[0029] Note that in this regard, the printer has its own firmware and software that cannot be modified, by which the FPOT is determined, and as a result, the FPOT cannot be controlled.

[0030] This is clearly incompatible with subsequent operations that may require pauses, interruptions, accelerations, and stops, even in the context of automation.

[0031] A second objective to be met may be to provide a vertical rather than a horizontal accumulation of individual sheets dispensed by an upstream device, for obvious reasons of space; that is, the need to increase the number of sheets waiting to be processed makes it unrealistic to use a linear accumulation device on the tape.

[0032] A further problem to be recognized arises from sheets that are conveyed, heated, and have a specific level of electrostatic charge by an upstream device, particularly a laser printer.

[0033] These situations do not involve excessive complexity in stacking the sheets, provided that this operation is carried out by dropping the sheets from above, which means that the withdrawal of individual sheets from the stack must be done from the bottom of the stack.

[0034] However, when aiming to buffer more sheets, the weight of the stack can be a significant factor in the efficiency of withdrawal, along with the high temperature and electrostatic charge of the sheets. In fact, in addition to the weight loaded on the bottom sheet, two other factors can also make the withdrawal force required to withdraw individual sheets from the bottom unpredictable, as a result, the sheets may tear, or excessive force may withdraw more than one sheet, potentially compromising all subsequent operation steps.

[0035] Therefore, the present invention relates to a document supply system incorporated into a device for a process called buffering, particularly emphasizing dynamic buffering that enables collecting them in a vertical stack suitable for supplying to subsequent document processing devices and processing sheets of paper individually.

Means for Solving the Problem

[0036] Generally, a buffering device comprises an inlet section that receives individual sheets to be buffered according to a specific sequence, an outlet section that releases the individual sheets according to the same sequence, and a working space between them, and is suitable for providing a single buffering stack of sheets received from the inlet section.

[0037] As described above, the buffered sheet may be ejected by various types of upstream devices, including printers, paper presses, stamping machines, or equivalent devices.

[0038] This stack of sheets is used to supply sheets to downstream devices according to the required sequence. Here again, the sheets may be supplied to various types of devices, including further printers, envelope or packaging devices, and any other devices suitable for sequentially receiving and operating on individual sheets.

[0039] As mentioned above with reference to direct mailing of cards, known buffer systems may exhibit considerable difficulty in handling upstream and downstream devices with different output and input frequencies and input speeds, or in managing discontinuous operation, because they generate the stack by simply placing the incoming sheet, i.e., the sheet ejected by the upstream device, such as a digital printer, on top of the stack.

[0040] Furthermore, other factors, such as paper quality and sheet surface treatment, can worsen the pull-out process. Paper is frequently lined via toner ink from digital printers, which can vary in quality. Another factor that can affect the pull-out of the bottom sheet is the orientation of the paper fibers themselves, which can change the coefficient of friction considered.

[0041] Devices that typically operate to perform the drawer release of a single bottom sheet are usually friction or suction-based drawer devices.

[0042] In friction-based devices, rubber rollers are typically used at the bottom of the stack. However, the friction generated on the surface of the bottom sheet can cause other sheets to move upward or pull more sheets together. For this reason, additional friction rolls must be involved at calibrated distances to allow the movement of individual sheets of a specific thickness.

[0043] Suction-based devices operate similarly via suction cups or suction wheels, achieving proper draw-out only on the bottom sheet being drawn out. Suction is primarily used when processing coated sheets with unpredictable surface friction coefficients that can seriously affect the operation of friction rolls.

[0044] However, if the paper has a strong surface porosity, the suction may not function properly, which increases the force required to grip the sheet by the suction cup or wheel.

[0045] In any case, the frictional force used to pull out the sheets can vary due to the presence of paper fibers, dust, impurities, ink or scattered coatings, humidity absorbed from the atmosphere, electrostatic forces generated by the sliding of the paper, the presence of adhesives, and the vacuum effect between the very smooth coated surfaces of adjacent sheets.

[0046] In summary, these undesirable shortcomings can lead to various malfunctions in the operation of the buffer system, such as supplying two or more sheets instead of an individual sheet, or failing to supply any sheets at all, even after several consecutive attempts to pull them out.

[0047] Typically, operators working with these devices constantly adjust their parameters to limit malfunctions and production losses. The most frequent action an operator performs is increasing or decreasing the distance between the fixed element and the pulling member, such as a friction wheel or suction member, to form an opening for the passage of a single sheet. However, since the sheet thickness is approximately 0.1 mm, this adjustment is particularly complex.

[0048] Furthermore, because the sheet is made of a flexible material, and drawing forces are applied to several areas of the sheet's surface, creating microwaves, i.e., small creases or ripples, deformation of the sheet can occur during the drawing operation, especially at high speeds. These can cause consistent variations in the sheet's thickness, particularly when recycled paper or cheaper paper derived from simpler, more eco-sustainable processes is used instead of high-quality, calibrated paper.

[0049] The fundamental technical problem underlying this invention is to provide a dynamic buffer for processing documents that can overcome the shortcomings cited with reference to the prior art.

[0050] This problem is solved by the apparatus for processing documents described in attached claim 1, and further details of the present invention can be found in the dependent claims.

[0051] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the dynamic buffering device for processing documents preferably comprises individual sheet buffering devices, in addition to the upstream and downstream devices already described in the preamble, to achieve accumulation of sheets in the form of a vertical stack of sheets, where the last input sheet is placed at the bottom of the stack, and the first single outgoing sheet is released from the top of the sheet stack, forming a flow of outgoing sheets.

[0052] Furthermore, this device includes a reading device that scans the identification code of the pass-through sheet conveyed by the buffer device.

[0053] Furthermore, a control unit is provided comprising at least one memory, a microprocessor, a database, and software for managing the document flow, which receives data from the scanning of identification codes by a reading device.

[0054] Therefore, the control unit is configured to provide upstream and downstream devices with relevant print and processing commands detailed from data retrieved via the database for the accurate issuance and processing of sheets, and to release the request for the dispatched sheets from the buffer device at a timing synchronized with the downstream device(s).

[0055] Referring to the example of direct card mailing, the information provided by the control unit to an upstream device such as a printer includes a complete print command for multiple sheets corresponding to the number of cards, and its unique code generates that print command.

[0056] Some preferred embodiments of the apparatus according to the present invention can provide a buffering device that includes an inlet section supplied by individual sheets conveyed by an upstream device, and an outlet section from which individual sheets forming a flow of output sheets are discharged.

[0057] These two sections define the working space between them.

[0058] The cushioning device is then configured to form a vertical stack of cushioning sheets at a predetermined position within the boundary of the working space on a deformable support plane that slides beneath the cushioning stack.

[0059] The predetermined positions described above identify, on the support plane, each stack region and a free region belonging to the operating space through which the sheet passes, and through which the support plane and the input sheet substantially deform at the boundary between these regions, curving them downward, thereby allowing the buffer stack to be removed from the support plane and the input sheet to be inserted beneath the buffer stack.

[0060] Some preferred embodiments of the apparatus according to the present invention can further provide a drawer device in a buffering device that operates on individual sheets at the top of a buffering stack to pick up individual sheets therefrom, thereby forming the flow of discharged sheets.

[0061] Furthermore, the buffering device includes a flatbed conveyor that incorporates a sliding support surface and transports individual sheets one by one from the entrance section.

[0062] Finally, the buffer device also includes a stop device positioned at the end of the exit section of the working space to achieve a determined position of the buffer stack on the support plane, and thus each stack area as well.

[0063] Another aspect of the present invention relates to a method for processing a document, particularly for generating a document in the context of a direct card mailing procedure, comprising binding one or more cards to each paper support generated by a printing process that begins with reading at least one unique identification code within a card.

[0064] Therefore, the document processing method includes dynamic buffering using a buffering device.

[0065] This procedure involves reading the card-specific code within a group of N cards, and the unique code thus obtained is used to query a database containing records with data necessary for directly mailing the card to its holder, for each card, and the records must be reported to an accompanying document that acts as a paper support to which the cards are ultimately physically bound at a special binding station.

[0066] In a later step, records from a group of N maps are used to generate print commands for each of the N maps in the group, and these print commands are used to generate a print command for all documents in all N maps within the group.

[0067] The overall print command is used to print N documents, each imprinted with an identification code. The N documents are then sent to a buffer step, where they are stacked in a stack of individual sheets arranged vertically. This stack of sheets is then placed on a deformable support plane.

[0068] The buffering step is performed for each input sheet by deforming the support plane and inserting the input sheet as the bottom sheet of the stack beneath the stack of sheets.

[0069] The processing method then includes a subsequent feeding step as required by a processing device located downstream of the buffer stack, and the release of the sheets is performed by picking up the sheets from the top of the pile.

[0070] Next, a step is provided to read the identification code of the ejected sheet, which is then transported to a coupling station between the sheet and the corresponding card by coupling performed based on the identification code shown on the sheet and a unique code that identifies the card.

[0071] Therefore, the main advantage of the present invention is that the amount of temporarily buffered sheets included, depending on the spread between the emission frequency and pickup frequency of the upstream and downstream devices, can be stored in the buffer stack.

[0072] Generally speaking, the apparatus of the present invention greatly improves the operation of drawing one individual sheet from a buffer stack, as each sheet being fed out is always drawn out from the top of the stack and the input sheet is always inserted from the bottom of the stack, ensuring that the drawing of any sheet is always performed under the same conditions, even if the number of buffered sheets changes, and making the drawing independent of the weight of the stack.

[0073] In fact, this method of drawing sheets from a paper stack involves the essential requirement that all input sheets be inserted from the upstream device below the stack. The present invention is described below according to one preferred embodiment, provided exemplary and non-limitingly with reference to the accompanying drawings. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0074] [Figure 1] A schematic diagram illustrating the operation of the buffer stack in a dynamic buffering device for processing documents according to the present invention is shown. [Figure 2] Another schematic diagram of the buffer stack operation shown in Figure 1 is presented. [Figure 3] A partial top view of a dynamic buffer for processing documents according to one embodiment of the present invention is shown. [Figure 4] Figure 3 shows a perspective view of the apparatus for processing the document. [Figure 5] This shows an unequal-angle projection side view of a buffer device incorporated into a preferred implementation of a dynamic buffer device for processing documents according to the present invention. [Figure 6] Figure 5 shows an unequal inverse projection of the buffer device. [Figure 7] Figure 5 shows an unequal-angle projected side view of the buffer device in each of these different operating configurations. [Figure 8] Figure 5 shows an unequal projection view of the inner portion of the buffer device. [Figure 8A] Figure 10 shows an isometric projection of the details of the buffering device. [Figure 9] Figure 5 shows an inverse unequal projection view of the inner portion of the buffer device. [Figure 10] Figure 5 shows a side view of the buffering device. [Figure 11] Figure 5 shows an unequal-angle projection view of the inner portion of the buffer device through which the sheet passes. [Figure 12] Figure 5 shows an unequal-angled side view of the inner portion of the buffer device, highlighting the details of its inlet section, and is a view from below. [Figure 13]A detailed isometric projection of Figure 12, viewed from above, is shown. [Figure 14] Figure 5 is an isometric projection view of the details of the exit section of the buffer device, and Figure 14A shows the location of this detail in the said exit section of the buffer device. [Figure 15] A detailed side view of Figure 14 is shown. [Figure 15A] Figure 14 shows an isometric projection of the enlarged portion. [Figure 15B] A detailed cross-sectional view is shown in Figure 15. [Figure 16] A block diagram illustrating the method of dynamically buffered document processing performed by the device shown in Figure 3 is provided. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0075] Referring to Figure 1, the operation of the buffering device incorporated into the dynamic buffering device for processing documents of this embodiment of the present invention described herein will be schematically explained. The purpose of the device described in detail below is to collect and gather sheets 504 discharged from an upstream device in accordance with the discharge direction 500, the upstream device (not shown) that discharges the collected sheets may be a paper feeder, a printer, or another equivalent device that generates document output.

[0076] The collection of sheets 504 achieves a buffer of sheets 505 in the form of a sheet stack 514, the last inserted sheet 510 is placed at the bottom of the stack, i.e., its base, and the first individual sheets 520 to be delivered are always supplied from the top of the stack to the downstream device along the output direction 515, forming a flow of delivered sheets 525.

[0077] A single emitted sheet is always placed below the existing stack, but it is understood that the first emitted sheet processed is simply placed in an empty stack area and later picked up from the top of the stack.

[0078] Figure 2 represents a customized document flow, i.e., a document flow where each sheet is identified by a unique code, and Table 535 represents the sequence of sheets supplied by the upstream device. In this example, the codes are shown sequentially starting with sheet 01, then 02, 03, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08, 09...n. This sequence can be found by observing the input sheet code 544, buffered code 542, outgoing code 540, and supplied code 538 in the document flow of Figure 2.

[0079] Since the number of sheets contained within the buffer height of 505 depends on the difference between the frequency of release of input sheets and the frequency of pickup of output sheets, the dynamic buffer described above overcomes the problem of managing two machines with different production speeds that cannot be controlled instantaneously.

[0080] Referring to Figures 3 and 4, one embodiment of a dynamic buffering apparatus is shown as a whole at 800, and as an example, the field of direct mailing of cards coupled to a paper support constituting a document being processed is referred to.

[0081] Therefore, the apparatus 800 includes an upstream device, specifically a laser printer indicated by 810, which transports documents along a conveyor device 820 that feeds individual printed sheets to a buffer device 100, which will be described in more detail below.

[0082] The conveyor device 820 may be of the flatbed type and has an endless conveyor belt extending between a pair of pulleys on which a sheet is transported horizontally, and has an exposed surface on which an unambiguous code such as an alphanumeric code, barcode, QR code (registered trademark), or the same is clearly visible, and on which the document is clearly visible.

[0083] In this regard, the conveyor device 820 may include a preliminary reading device 821 which may be an optical sensor, a video camera, or another type of sensor for reading codes, such as magnetic codes or RFID tags.

[0084] The device 800 includes a control unit 900 schematically shown in Figure 3, which comprises one or more memories, at least one microprocessor, and several I / O interfaces, which may include, according to a non-exhaustive list, a wireless communication device operating on the Wi-Fi and / or Bluetooth protocol, a USB port, a keyboard, a display, optionally a touchscreen, a pointing device, and other digital data transmission ports.

[0085] The memory shall include at least one operating system software and one software for managing processing, which may be loaded and / or updated via the communication device and I / O interface.

[0086] The control unit 900 (Figure 3) can be configured as a computer or server, and the memory can belong directly to the unit 900, or it can be virtually integrated into a cloud communicating via a distributed data network, LAN, or wireless network.

[0087] The memory also stores a database 910, which can be updated and implemented via a control unit or other service, and which includes records containing mailing data for cards, along with all identification data and a unique code for the card itself, and a register of identification codes that allows one or more cards to be bound with a specific paper support for their direct mailing, including all necessary mailing and envelope data.

[0088] Conveniently, database 910 is protected in a blockchain environment, potentially using a publicly available distributed ledger.

[0089] Referring only to Figure 3, in the context of direct mailing of cards, the apparatus 800 includes a card feeder device configured to supply cards in groups containing a predetermined number N cards. The feeder 930 provides these cards via a reading station 940 configured to read the unique code of each card in the group of N cards that are occasionally supplied by the feeder device 930.

[0090] The codes are supplied by the feeder device 930 via the control unit 800 and used to query the database 910 using packets 920 of unique codes found on N cards in a group of cards supplied via the reading station 940.

[0091] Next, the N cards, which may be divided into subgroups, for example, groups of 50 or 60 cards, are stored in the buffer device 950 and ready to be gradually coupled with their respective paper supports in the coupling station 960, which is supplied with both the N cards of the group and the respective N paper supports that operate from the accompanying documents and mailing documents provided by the document device 800.

[0092] The card's unique code can also be derived using a special reading device that communicates with the control unit 900, either by reading the card's microchip, from the magnetic strip, or from a code imprinted directly on the card itself, thereby allowing querying the database 910 to retrieve the mailing data to be printed on each paper support.

[0093] This postal data may include, for example, the recipient's name and the address to which documents, cards, and envelopes containing them must be delivered. In addition to the delivery address, an unambiguous code is typically printed in alphanumeric format, as a barcode, QR code (registered trademark), or in other format that can be automatically read by a reader and special camera.

[0094] Once the mailing data for all N cards in the group is retrieved from the database 910, the control unit 900 can process the print commands to be sent to the 810 printer, which aggregates all print commands that can be obtained through the individual, unique code of each card, minimizing the printer's FPOT time and allowing the printer to proceed with printing all documents forming the mailing paper support for each of the N cards, and then transport them along the conveyor device 820, which provides them to the buffer device 100.

[0095] As is evident from the following description of the buffer device 100, the supplied documents are collected in a stack that is placed on the deformable support plane of the device 100 and unfolds vertically.

[0096] In this way, the insertion of individual input sheets is performed by deforming the support plane that holds the stack, thereby making it possible to insert the input sheets below the stack, i.e., as the bottom sheet, and so on.

[0097] In this process, there is no need to flip the sheet; therefore, the sheet always remains with the same side, i.e., the side containing the identification code, facing upwards.

[0098] Next, the sheets are supplied from the buffer device 100 by picking up the sheets supplied from the top of the stack and releasing them toward the subsequent conveyor line, while their position and orientation remain constant, although slight displacement may occur during the transport of the sheets.

[0099] Next, the apparatus 800 includes an aligner device 830 that receives a sheet from the buffer device 100 in response to a request from the control unit 900, and the aligner device 830 provides precise alignment of the sheet, enabling accurate reading of the identification code indicated on the sheet.

[0100] However, it is understood that alignment may not always be strictly necessary for such readings to be performed.

[0101] In this regard, the aligner device 830 comprises a main reading device 831 which may consist of an optical sensor, a video camera, or other types of sensors for reading codes, including magnetic codes, RFID tags, etc.

[0102] Subsequently, the apparatus 800 may include, downstream, a device 840 for processing documents, which in this particular case may be a sheet folding device for preparing sheets for binding with cards.

[0103] Note that the readings from reading devices 821 and 831 are received and managed by the control unit 900, which is connected to and manages all devices of the document processing apparatus 800, and in particular the upstream device 810 and the buffer device 100, which are controlled one sheet at a time with synchronization in which the supply of documents depends on the downstream device 840.

[0104] Once a document is processed by a downstream device 840, it can be sent to a coupling station 960, which is provided for coupling with cards supplied one by one by another buffer device 950, and it is understood that this subsequent station can also constitute a downstream device.

[0105] The method for processing the documents described here and merging them with the map is shown in Figure 16 by a block diagram.

[0106] It is understood that this procedure may include further control readings of both an identification code shown on a document acting as a paper support for the cards and a unique code that identifies each card.

[0107] Figures 5, 6, and 7 show the entire buffer device 100 of this embodiment. Subsequently, Figures 8, 8A, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 14A, 15, 15A, and 15B show further details and specific diagrams of the entire buffer device.

[0108] The device 100 consists substantially of two main structures: a base member 010 having a basically flat rectangular shape, mounted on a stable frame (not shown in the drawings), which may be attached to the ground; and a swivel member 020 having a basically flat rectangular shape, superimposed on the base member 010, the swivel member 020 being able to rotate around a main shaft 200 which is integral with the base member 010, and the base member 010 and the swivel member 020 being rotatably coupled to each other at one proximal end of the swivel member 020.

[0109] In this regard, the main shaft 200 acts as the hinge shaft for the hinge coupling base and the swivel members 010 and 020, but can rotate freely relative to both and does not affect the possible rotation of the swivel member 020.

[0110] Both the base and the pivot members 010 and 020 have their respective chassis, each having a vertical side wall that laterally restricts the working space of the shock absorber device 100.

[0111] By rotating the swivel member 020 and raising it from the base member 010, the cushioning device 100 can be accessed, and in some cases the inner sheet can be manually removed. The opening of the device 100 can be automatically operated by an actuator, which is a jack 066 having an actuator end pivotally supported to rotate while supporting one side wall of the swivel member 020, and which has an operating rod that moves along a direction substantially perpendicular to the base member 010 (Figure 6).

[0112] In the normal operating position, the cushioning device 100 shows a pivoting member 020 placed horizontally and parallel to the base member 010.

[0113] The buffering device 100 has an outlet section 110 from which individual sheets are supplied to a downstream device, and an inlet section 120 that receives the next sheet of documents discharged by the upstream device. In this regard, these sections 110, 120 define the direction of sheet flow from inlet to outlet and the direction of sheet flow within the working space, and the aforementioned sheet stack 514 is formed and held between the inlet and outlet at a predetermined position within the working space, and the inlet and outlet sections 120, 110 are conveniently spaced apart to set up an intermediate stack region 506 that corresponds to the sheet length, i.e., the sheet extension along the direction of sheet flow, or has an extension slightly longer than the sheet length.

[0114] It is understood that the extension of the stack region may depend on the orientation of the sheet.

[0115] According to the present invention, the stack area 506 in the working space is located near the exit section 110, leaving a free area 507 between the stack 514 and the inlet section. Therefore, inserting the next sheet 510 under the stack 514 is performed at the boundary between the free area 507 and the stack area 506. The boundaries of the stack area 506 and the free area 507 and their respective lengths are shown in Figures 11 and 13.

[0116] Since the extension of the stack region 506 can change depending on the orientation and size of the sheet, the extension of the free region 507 can change accordingly; that is, if the stack region 506 is shortened, the free region 507 is extended, and vice versa.

[0117] The main shaft 200 is located in the exit section 110.

[0118] In the cushioning device 100, the pull-out motor 040 is positioned below the base member 010 and is intended to drive appropriate rollers for processing individual sheets in the exit section 110 of the cushioning device 100.

[0119] In particular, the pull-out motor 040 includes a drive gear 076 on the base 010 to drive the transmission belt 070 along a path defined by further tension freewheels supported to rotate on their respective bearings mounted on the respective side walls of the chassis of the base member 010, ultimately causing the first tail wheel 072 and the second tail wheel 074 to rotate synchronously. To achieve this objective, the transmission belt 070 and the tail wheels 072, 074 may, advantageously, be toothed.

[0120] The first tail wheel 072 is integral with the ends of each rotating shaft extending across the width of the base member 010 and has a first pinion 094 corresponding to the opposite end, which engages with a second pinion 096 integral with the end of another rotating shaft that is easily driven and rotated by the first pulley 072.

[0121] Both of these shafts are supported to rotate within bearings mounted in their inlet section portions on the opposite side wall of the chassis of the base member 010, parallel and in close contact with each other, and mount a pair of pull-out rollers, namely the first seat pull-out roller 080 which drives the second seat pull-out roller 082 via the pinions 094, 096.

[0122] For this purpose, the surfaces of the two rollers 080 and 082 are coated with a rubber material to increase their grip on the paper restrained between the two roller surfaces that are in contact with each other.

[0123] Any suitable bearing, including, for example, a sliding bearing, can be used to support the shaft.

[0124] Rollers 080 and 082 are positioned so that the sheet pulled from the sheet stack, i.e., the feed sheet 520 located at the top of the stack 514, passes over it. Once the pull-out device moves this sheet from its starting position in the stack, it moves the leading edge of the sheet toward rollers 080 and 082. The pull-out device is described in detail below.

[0125] To compensate for the thickness of the sheet passing between the two rollers 080 and 082, the upper first roller 080 is substantially springed up by two spring members 253 (see Figure 9) acting on both ends of it. The spring members 253 consist of preload springs and are equipped with spring adjustment screws with lock nuts to adjust the preload elastic force. The second roller 082, positioned below the first roller 08, is free-spinning and provides contrast to the first roller 080 on the spring.

[0126] A second drive wheel 074 drives the main shaft 200 to which a series of first drive pulleys 210 are mounted. In particular, this embodiment shows four first drive pulleys spaced apart along the main shaft 200 to pull out each first conveyor belt 215, preferably a circular belt (see Figure 8), and made of rubber material to generate friction when they come into contact with the surface of the sheet.

[0127] Since the first drive wheel 072 and the second drive wheel 074 have different diameters, the first pull-out roller 080 and the main shaft 200 are driven at different rotational speeds.

[0128] In this case, since the diameter of the first drive wheel 072 is shorter than the diameter of the second drive wheel 074, the first pull-out roller 080 rotates at a much higher speed relative to the main shaft 200 and the first drive pulley 210.

[0129] The first conveyor belt 215 is endless, following each annular path that extends over the length of the base member 010, forming an endless belt, which is wrapped around the corresponding first tail pulley 214 attached to the first tail shaft 204, and then, at its opposite end, i.e., the inlet section 120 of the buffer device 100, is supported to rotate in bearings attached to each side wall of the chassis of the swivel member 020, thereby positioning the conveyor belt 215 above the paper sheet stack 514 located between the base member 010 and the swivel member 020 where the sheets are temporarily stored.

[0130] The main shaft 200 and the first tail shaft 204 are parallel to each other, and both tail pulleys 210, 214 are substantially spaced apart in corresponding positions along their respective shafts 200, 204, so that all the first conveyor belts 215 run parallel to each other, each forming its own lower and upper leg, both of which lie on separate planes.

[0131] According to the above configuration, the lower legs of the first conveyor belt 215 are positioned to contact the upper surface of the sheet at the top of each stack located between the base member and the swivel members 010, 020, thereby enabling the conveyor belt 215 to pull out the top sheet toward the pull-out rollers 080, 082. In connection with this, the conveyor belt 215, together with all its drive members, including their respective drive pulleys and tail pulleys, forms the aforementioned pull-out device, indicated as 090 of the cushioning device 100.

[0132] However, it is assumed that the pulling force applied by the first conveyor belt is not sufficient to effectively pull the top sheet toward the pull rollers 080, 082. In this regard, it should be noted that the pull motor 040 operates continuously so that both the rollers 080, 082 and the first conveyor belt 215 run continuously, while the sheet must be pulled discontinuously and only on demand.

[0133] The drive pulley 210 may have a diameter equal to or even smaller than the diameter of the tail pulley in order to reduce the grip it operates on the sheet stack below. If the diameter of the drive pulley is small, the plane identified by the lower leg of the conveyor belt 215 is inclined with respect to the plane on which the sheets are located.

[0134] In connection with this, the conveyor belt 215, positioned on the detailed inclined track described above, causes a pressing force on the surface of the top sheet, which is higher at the trailing edge of the sheet and gradually decreases as it approaches the pull-out rollers 080, 082, toward the front of the cushioning device 100.

[0135] Furthermore, it should be noted that this decreasing gradient generates belt friction that is approximately inversely proportional to the diameter of the drive pulley 210.

[0136] The height of the stack 514 may vary to include a predetermined number of top sheets, for example, 50, so a height adjustment device can be provided to adjust the height of the first conveyor belt 215. Otherwise, the first conveyor belt 215 may be pressed against the top sheets of the stack 514 with a pressing force that varies slightly with respect to the stack height 505, without significantly altering the operation of the buffer device 100. The height adjustment device of this embodiment will be described in detail below.

[0137] Since the task of the drawer device 090 is to move individual sheets from the stack top to the drawer rollers 080, 082, at least one additional friction wheel 213 that rotates actively is provided to push the individual sheets toward the exit section 110, and at least the friction wheel 213 is positioned at a height at which it intersects with the track of the leading edge of the feed sheet 520.

[0138] In this embodiment, only one friction wheel 213, which is coated with rubber to improve friction with the seat surface, is provided on the main shaft 200 and is mounted by a bearing to rotate.

[0139] However, this friction wheel 213 is coupled to a further possibly toothed pulley mounted on the main shaft 200, namely a first service pulley 252 that spins freely around the main shaft 200 and is eventually pulled out by which it engages with a corresponding second service pulley 254, which is also possibly toothed, and is mounted on a service shaft 251 located above the main shaft 200 and rotatably driven by a first service motor 050 of the damping device 100.

[0140] The engagement between the first service pulley 252 and the second service pulley 254 is provided by a suitable service belt 256, which may be toothed to cooperate with a further tension wheel 257 to provide synchronous engagement.

[0141] Both the first service motor 050 and the service shaft 251 are supported by the swivel member 020, which may follow its rotation.

[0142] Considering the powertrain of the friction wheel 213 described above, the friction wheel can rotate at a rotational speed independent of the rotational speed of the main shaft 200. In either case, since the diameter of the friction wheel 213 is slightly wider than the diameter of the first drive pulley 210, even if the friction wheel 213 and the main shaft 200 are rotating at the same speed, the peripheral speed of the friction wheel 213 will be faster than the pulling speed of the first conveyor belt 215. However, the pulling speed controlled by the pulling rollers 080, 082 is higher than this pulling speed.

[0143] For this purpose, the entire operation of the friction wheel 213, and therefore the draw-out device 090, can be released, and the release device can be coupled to the friction wheel, for example, the free wheel.

[0144] Next, the second service pulley 254 is attached to the service shaft 251 by a free wheel embedded in the pulley body and acts as an overrunning clutch that releases the second service pulley 254 from the service shaft 251 when the pulley rotates faster than the shaft.

[0145] Therefore, under normal operation, the first service pulley 252 is not engaged with the main shaft 200, and its rotation is controlled by the first service motor 050 via the service shaft 251, the second service pulley 254, and the service belt 256.

[0146] In this regard, in normal operation, the first service motor 050 is used to facilitate the movement of the feed sheet as needed by increasing its travel speed, and as a result the sheet is pulled out toward the draw rollers 080, 082 by the first upper conveyor belt 215.

[0147] However, if the faster-rotating rollers 080 and 082 catch on the leading edge of the sheet being pulled out by the conveyor belt 215, the sheet's speed will increase rapidly, potentially causing the paper to tear due to friction from the friction wheel 213. Therefore, as the rotational speed of the first service pulley increases accordingly, the second service pulley 254 is automatically released from the service shaft 251 by its free wheel, thereby increasing the rotational speed of the friction wheel 213 without tearing the paper.

[0148] Therefore, a control unit is provided to trigger the operation of a first service motor in response to the operation of any type of downstream device handling the sheet buffered by this device, thereby operably isolating such emission from the emission frequency of any upstream device. Otherwise, such trigger may originate directly from the downstream device itself.

[0149] Below the plane identified by the lower leg of the first conveyor belt 215, and below the cushioning stack of sheets, a support plane is provided for supporting the variable weight of the stack 514.

[0150] According to the present invention, the support plane is movable and slides under the stack 514 while maintaining it in a fixed position imposed by the stopping device 405 in the exit section 110 of the buffer device 100.

[0151] Furthermore, this movable support plane is deformable to bend and curve downward at the boundary between the free region 507 and the stacked region 506.

[0152] In connection with this, a flatbed conveyor is provided that forms a deformable support plane, thereby allowing the support plane to slide beneath the buffer stack 514. Simultaneously, the flatbed conveyor further transports the individual input sheets released by the upstream device through the inlet section 120 of the buffer device 100, one by one.

[0153] In principle, the flatbed conveyor may be selected from several different types of conveyors, including slat conveyors, chain conveyors, roller conveyors, and belt conveyors. All of these types of conveyors can provide a deformable support plane. The deformation of the support plane can be achieved by appropriate guides that engage with the running side edges of the plane, and in some cases, also with the side edges of the sheet being conveyed in order to curve both the plane and the sheet simultaneously.

[0154] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the support plane is elastically deformable and is curved and bent by a pressing device acting on the sheet and the support plane during transport. In connection with this, the conveyor running members may be mounted on elastic holders to make the support plane elastically deformable.

[0155] In a more preferred embodiment of the present invention, the support plane is flexible and elastic and can be bent and curved by a pressing device acting on the sheet and the support plane during transport. Conveyors of this type including such a flexible support plane may include flat belt conveyors, string belt conveyors, strap belt conveyors, and circular belt conveyors, all of which include one or more endless belts that can be locally bent and curved by a pressing device.

[0156] In this embodiment, the base member 010 is provided with a belt conveying section below the stack 514, preferably a circular belt conveying section made of a circular belt or O-ring belt, and includes a series of second conveyor belts 224 that run on a further drive shaft and additional drive pulleys and tail pulleys.

[0157] In this regard, at the end opposite to the second drive wheel 074, the main shaft 200 includes a third pinion 216 that engages with a fourth pinion 218 positioned below and drives a control shaft 220 supported by the base member 010. Since the third pinion 216 and the fourth pinion 218 are always engaged, the pull-out motor 040 controls the rotation of both pull-out rollers 080, 082 and both the main shaft 200 and the control shaft 220.

[0158] The end of the control shaft 220 opposite to the fourth pinion 218 is supported by the chassis of the base member 010, and the main shaft and control shafts 200 and 220 are parallel to each other and in close proximity.

[0159] The relative positions of the main shaft 200 and the control shaft 220 are determined by the rigid spacer 205 that supports both shafts (see Figure 11).

[0160] The control shaft 220 is provided with a series of second drive pulleys 227 mounted thereon, and in particular, this embodiment shows four second drive pulleys 227 spaced apart along the control shaft 220 to pull out each second conveyor belt 224.

[0161] A second tail shaft 221 is provided, positioned on the first tail shaft 204, and supported by the base member 010.

[0162] The second conveyor belt 224 follows annular paths extending over the length of the base member 010 and wraps around the corresponding second tail pulley 226 attached to the second tail shaft 221, which is supported to rotate in bearings mounted on the opposite side wall of the chassis of the base member 010, at its opposite end, i.e., at the inlet section 120 of the buffer device 100, to position the second conveyor belt 224 beneath the stack of paper sheets.

[0163] Since the control shaft 220 and the second tail shaft 221 are parallel to each other, and the second drive pulleys and tail pulleys 227 and 226 are substantially spaced apart in corresponding positions along their respective shafts 220 and 221, all the second conveyor belts 224 run parallel to each other, each forming its own lower and upper leg, both of which lie on their respective separate planes.

[0164] Therefore, the second conveyor belt 224, particularly its upward-facing upper leg, provides a flexible and flat support surface that runs from the inlet section 120 to the outlet section 110 of the cushioning device 100, which is part of the base member 010.

[0165] With respect to the positions of the first drive pulley 210, the first tail pulley 214, and consequently the first conveyor belt 215, the positions of the second drive pulley 227, the second tail pulley 226, and consequently the second conveyor belt 224 are staggered, that is, positioned at a lateral distance determined therefrom. Preferably, each second conveyor belt 224 is centered between two adjacent first conveyor belts 215 to maximize the determined lateral distance.

[0166] All conveyor belts 215, 224 allow individual input sheets to be transported into the buffer section, thereby forming a stack. The aforementioned lateral distances are adjustable, making it possible to provide a controllable grip on the sheets contained between them. In fact, when the upper first conveyor belt 215 is separated from the corresponding lower second conveyor belt 224, the stacked sheets contained between these belts form small ripples parallel to the direction of the belts themselves, pushing them within a limited range, i.e., their elastic range. On the other hand, if the distance between the upper and lower belts is shortened, more pronounced ripples in the sheet stack may occur, which inevitably puts stress on the belts.

[0167] Below the buffer stack, a support member is provided at the bottom of the stack 514, that is, at the center of the base member 010, the buffer device has a sliding support 415 positioned in the free space between the second conveyor belt 224, supporting the weight of the stack at a position advantageously spaced away from the inlet section 120 of the buffer device 100, i.e., at a position that does not interfere with the free area 507, thereby allowing deformation of the support plane and insertion of the next sheet under the stack at an intermediate position between the inlet section 120 and the rear edge of the stack, according to the discharge direction 500.

[0168] Furthermore, control wheels 410 are provided on the friction wheels 213 and act on the opposite side of the sheets as they pass over them. Both the first conveyor belt 215 and the second conveyor belt 224 contribute to keeping the stack of sheets in contact with the friction wheels 213 and the control wheels 410 below.

[0169] The control wheel 410 is positioned in a predetermined location to provide contrast to the stack of sheets when the friction wheel 213 is actuated to pull individual sheets out of the stack. The circumferential surface of the control wheel 410 is positioned at a predetermined distance from the circumferential surface of the upper friction wheel 213, and this distance is slightly longer than the thickness of the sheet.

[0170] In fact, the entire stack pushes both the friction and control wheels 213 and 410, and once the friction wheel 213 begins to rotate by interfering with the surface of the first sheet on top of the stack, the distance between the two surfaces of wheels 213 and 410 must be such that only one sheet can pass, stopping all the others.

[0171] A stop wall 430 having an inclined surface facing the stack is provided on the control wheel 410 (Figure 8A) to guide the stack of sheets between the two frictions and the control wheels 213 and 410.

[0172] In connection with this, both the control wheel 410 and the stop wall 430 implement a stop device 405 to hold the stack in place and allow only one individual sheet to be pulled out from the stack on top of it, working in cooperation with a friction wheel 213 to facilitate this pulling out, and the pulling out is completed by pull-out rollers 080, 082.

[0173] The distance between the friction and the control wheels 213 and 410 can be finely adjusted by micro-screws inserted into the frame supporting the control wheel 410, which is operable by a first control knob 408 that moves the wheel 410 upward or downward, thereby decreasing or increasing the distance. Since the control wheel 410 is substantially stationary, i.e., cannot rotate freely, it can be released, rotated, and then locked again in a different position to prevent wear on its circumferential surface.

[0174] Such rotations can be automated, and certain rotations can be reduced after a certain number of seats have passed. In this regard, the buffer device includes a base member 010 with a first linear actuator 428 on which a movable rod 427 can act on a lever 426 to be displaced forward, and the lever causes rotation of a roll 425 integrated with a control stem 429, which can achieve small rotations of the control wheel 410. The roll 425 is equipped with a unidirectional joint, so that the stem can rotate in only one direction, for example, clockwise (Figure 8A), and the rod can return to its starting position without rotating the control wheel 410.

[0175] Therefore, the stopping device 405 is positioned at the end of the exit section of the working space to determine the position of the buffer stack 514 on the support plane, thereby determining the position of the stack area 506 filled by the buffer stack 514, and then the position of the free area 507, which then depends on the size and orientation of the stack sheet.

[0176] The buffer device 100 is provided with a pressing device 400 at the inlet section 120 for bending and pressing the elastically deformable support plane by applying pressure to its upward surface (Figures 11 and 13). At the same time, the pressing device is positioned to press the input sheet 510 as it passes through the free region 507, thereby keeping the sheet 510 and the support plane, i.e., the second conveyor belt 224, in close contact through the entire downward curved projection determined by the pressing device 400.

[0177] The pressing device 400 includes an intermediate shaft 545 slidably mounted on the opposite side wall of the chassis of the pivoting member 020 at the intermediate position between the inlet section 120 and the trailing edge of the stack, i.e., substantially at the boundary between the stack area 506 and the free area 507.

[0178] In this regard, both walls of the chassis of the swivel member 020 have respective linear guides that run parallel to the flow direction, and both open into the working space of the shock absorber device 100. In particular, both guides, positioned at the same height, run along an extension of the shock absorber device 100 that substantially corresponds to the free region 507, so that both ends of the intermediate shaft 545 are fitted inside the respective guides, and the intermediate shaft 545 can be moved and locked at any position along the extension of the free region 507.

[0179] Since the free region 507 has only a virtual boundary depending on the size and orientation of the sheet that can be processed by the buffer device 100, the extension of the guide must cover any possible position on the boundary between the free region 507 and the stacked region 506.

[0180] In this embodiment of the present invention, the guides are formed by passing through linear slits 555, and the end of the intermediate idle shaft 545 protrudes outward from the side wall. One end of the shaft is provided with a key 565 for locking the shaft in a specific position according to the size and orientation of the sheet to be processed by the buffer device (see Figures 6, 7, and 10).

[0181] The intermediate shaft 545 is equipped with a series of freewheels 420 mounted thereon by bearings, each allowing them to rotate freely. In particular, this embodiment shows four third freewheels 420 spaced apart along the intermediate freewheel shaft 545, their positions corresponding to the positions of the first conveyor belt 215.

[0182] The freewheel 420 has circumferential grooves 421 that allow the corresponding first conveyor belt 215 to pass through each groove 421, thereby preventing interference with the freewheel 420 itself.

[0183] However, the freewheel 420 is intended to bend the input sheet 500 to create a curve 520, that is, to lower the sheet when inserting it under the stack. Such lowering caused by the freewheel 420 allows the upper leg of the second conveyor belt 224, i.e., the support plane, to increase friction on the downward surface of the sheet, facilitating its withdrawal to its final position under the stack.

[0184] Furthermore, as a result of this pressing, the buffer stack 514 positioned on the support plane is locally removed from the support plane at its posterior edge, forming an insertion space that allows the pass-through sheet to be inserted beneath the buffer stack 514, and such insertion is repeated for each pass-through sheet.

[0185] The buffering device 100 comprises a first optical input sensor 060 substantially located on the pressing device 400 (Figure 5), and a second optical sensor 065 located above the buffering stack 514 and the friction wheel 213 (Figure 10).

[0186] The first optical sensor 060 is used to detect the arrival of the input sheets through the inlet section 110 in order to check whether the sheets are being pulled out accurately by the first and second conveyor belts 215 and 224, and whether the sheets are being inserted regularly under the buffer stack 514 without jamming.

[0187] The second optical sensor 065 is used to determine whether the buffer stack 514 is empty, and in some cases to detect the stack height 505.

[0188] The relevant information may be used by the control unit to set alarms or to send signals to upstream and / or downstream devices.

[0189] The buffer device 100 is provided with a height adjustment device 440 to fine-tune the friction provided by both the first conveyor belt 215 and the second conveyor belt 224, that is, to raise or lower the swivel member 020 by a few millimeters relative to the base member 010 (Figure 14).

[0190] The height adjustment device 440 includes a second service motor 030 connected to the base member 010 at the entrance section 120. The second service motor 030 is positioned to rotate the worm screw shaft 720 clockwise or counterclockwise in small increments, thereby moving the engaged carriage 715 forward or backward along the worm screw shaft 720. The carriage 715 is integrated with a follower bearing 722 (Figure 15B) that interferes with the periphery of a cam 710 which is fixedly connected to a first rear bar 711 connected to a swivel member 020 at its entrance section 12o.

[0191] The follower bearing 722 is attached to a sliding plate 709 facing the second rear bar 708, which is integral with the base member 010 at the inlet section 120. Therefore, the input sheet must pass under the second rear bar 708 in order to be first caught by the second conveyor belt 224.

[0192] The cam 710 has an inclined profile 723 that contacts a follower bearing 722 on which the slewing member 020 is placed by gravity when the slewing member 020 is set horizontally. Therefore, the movement of the carriage 715 driven by the second service motor 030 moves the cam 710, the first rear bar 711, and the slewing member 020 upward or downward.

[0193] The second service motor 030 can be operated in steps in response to fluctuations in the stack height 505 detected by the second optical sensor 065, or by a signal coming from the control unit.

[0194] Therefore, regardless of its height of 505, it is possible to maintain constant friction between the first conveyor belt 215 and the second conveyor belt 224 on the stack of formed sheets.

[0195] Furthermore, the first rear bar 711 is provided with an adjustment screw 726 for adjusting the height of the cam 710. Next, a contact sensor 750 is provided between the first rear bar 711 and the second rear bar 708 to inform the control unit when the pivoting member 020 is in operation.

[0196] The buffer device 100 is completed by a presence sensor that detects the number of sheets pulled out from the stack and determines whether only one sheet has passed through the exit section 110.

[0197] The presence sensor is an ultrasonic sensor and consists of an emitter 067 and a receiver 068 (Figure 6) positioned in the exit section 110 so that the pulled-out sheets pass between them. Depending on the vibrations acquired by the receiver 068, the presence sensor can detect the number of sheets being transported and whether it consists of a single body or whether there are several overlapping bodies of more sheets.

[0198] An automatic discharge system can be installed at the input section, in which a first linear actuator 097 acts on a first movable sheet deflector 101 in the inlet section 120, which redirects the incoming input sheet 504, allowing it to be discarded into a box located beneath the buffer device 100.

[0199] This feature is important when a downstream device is not operational for any reason and therefore cannot accept additional input sheets. This occurs when sheets are produced by a digital printer that cannot be interrupted when the batch printing cycle starts. Therefore, sheets that come out of the print output and could not be managed by the device must be discarded.

[0200] Another discharge device is located in the outlet section 110 of the buffer device 100, namely a second linear actuator 098 provided to displace a second sheet deflector, which in turn acts on a second movable sheet deflector 099 to redirect any sheets mistakenly pulled out of the stack into the box below the buffer device 100, for example, when presence sensors 067, 068 detect that multiple sheets have been removed from the stack, thereby preventing malfunction of downstream devices.

[0201] The base member 010 further includes, on each of its walls, first sheet side guides 032, 033, each of which faces inward and ensures that the sheet is precisely aligned and centered (Figure 7). The two guides 032, 033 are adjusted by a second control knob 031, which can widen or tighten them to conform to the format of the sheet being processed.

[0202] All motors cited refer to electric motors that act as servo motors equipped with electronic encoder-driven feedback, which allows the shaft connected to them to rotate at a controlled and precise speed. All of these motors and all sensors provided throughout the buffer system 100 refer to control units with a user interface.

[0203] Therefore, the buffer system 100 can be monitored and controlled via this user interface, which may be physically mounted on the device or located remotely. The user interface may be a touchscreen or other similar input device and may display parameters and operating conditions to the operator for controlling the functions of the system 100.

[0204] The user interface is associated with at least one processor configured to control all scheduled operations of system 100. The user interface can be software, hardware, firmware, hardwired, or a combination of these. Features that implement functionality can also be physically located in various locations, including being distributed so that some of the functionality is implemented in different physical locations.

[0205] The aspects of the disclosure described herein, such as the speed and control of rollers, inclined chutes, and carrier guides as described above, and the monitoring and control of various parameters, can be performed using any type of computing device, such as a processor, for example, a computer or programmable logic controller (PLC) including a central processing unit, or any combination of computing devices, each device performing at least part of the process or method. In some embodiments, the systems and methods described herein may be performed using a handheld device, for example, a smart tablet, a smartphone, or a special device manufactured for the system.

[0206] Those skilled in the art can make several further modifications and variations to the dynamic shock absorbers and methods described above to satisfy further and incidental needs, all of which fall within the scope of protection of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A dynamic buffer (800) for processing individual sheet documents, each having at least one identification code, - A conveyor line and an upstream device (810) that transports documents within individual sheets via the conveyor line, - Individual sheet (505) buffer devices (100) having a deformable support plane, wherein an assembly of sheets in the form of a sheet stack (514) is formed on the support plane, the last input sheet (510) is positioned below the stack at its base by deforming the support plane, and the first single discharge sheet (520) is released from the top of the sheet stack (514) to form a discharge sheet flow (525), - A reading device (831) that reads the identification code passing through the delivery sheet provided by the buffer device, - A downstream device (840) that receives the flow of the aforementioned delivery sheet (525) for processing, A dynamic buffer device (800) comprises a control unit (900) having at least one memory, one microprocessor, one database (910), and software for managing the document flow that receives data relating to the reading of the identification code from the reading device, and provides information retrieved from the database (910) to upstream and downstream devices (810, 840) to accurately process and deliver the sheets, and controls the release of the delivery sheets from the buffer device (100) at a timing synchronized with the downstream devices.

2. The aforementioned buffering device (100) is - An inlet section (120) supplied by individual sheets supplied by an upstream device, - An outlet section (110) from which individual sheets (520) forming the flow of discharged sheets (525) are released, - An operating space between the inlet section (120) and the outlet section (110), wherein the buffer device (100) is configured to hold the buffer stack (514) of the stack sheet in a predetermined position within the operating space on the deformable support plane that moves beneath the buffer stack (514), The dynamic buffer device (800) according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined position identifies, on the support plane, each stack region (506) and free region (507) through which the sheet passes, the support plane and the released sheet are substantially deformed by curving them downward at the boundary between the stack region (506) and the free region (507), thereby allowing the buffer stack (514) to be removed from the support plane and inserted beneath the buffer stack (514) through which the sheet passes.

3. The aforementioned buffering device (100) is - A drawer device (090) provided to operate on individual sheets at the top of a buffer stack (514), the drawer device (090) taking out individual sheets that are released thereone one by one by forming a flow of discharged sheets (525), - A flatbed conveyor that forms the support plane and slides individual sheets one by one from the entrance section (120) to transport them, The dynamic shock absorber (800) according to claim 2, comprising: a stopping device (405) positioned at the end of the exit section of the working space for determining the position of the shock absorber stack (514) on the support plane and thereby determining each stack region (506).

4. The dynamic buffer device (800) according to claim 3, comprising a pressing device (400) suitable for pressing a substantially upward surface at the boundary between the stack region (506) and the free region (507), acting on the passing discharged sheet toward the buffer stack (514), thereby causing both the passing discharged sheet and the support plane to bend downward, thereby removing the buffer stack (514) from the support plane and allowing the discharged sheet to be inserted beneath the buffer stack (514).

5. The drawer device (090) comprises a plurality of traveling endless conveyor belts (215), the lower legs of which extend between each pulley, and the lower legs of the conveyor belts (215) are positioned to contact the upper surface of the sheet at the top of the cushion stack (514), thereby generating a pressing force that directs the sheet toward the drawer, according to claim 3, the dynamic cushioning device (800).

6. The drawer device (090) comprises at least one additional friction wheel (213) that actively rotates and is positioned to intersect with the sheet located on top of the buffer stack (514), thereby increasing its travel speed and facilitating the movement of the feed sheet as needed, according to any one of claims 3 to 5, the dynamic buffer device (800).

7. The dynamic shock absorber (800) according to claim 6, wherein the friction wheel (213) is coupled to each service motor (050) which is rotated at a determined rotational speed, and a release device is provided coupled to the friction wheel (213), the release device comprising a free wheel for releasing the friction wheel (213) and its service motor (050) when the moving speed of the feed sheet exceeds the peripheral speed of the friction wheel (213).

8. The dynamic buffer device (800) according to claim 3, wherein the flatbed conveyor is a belt conveyor.

9. The belt conveyor is a circular belt conveyor comprising several endless circular conveyor belts (224) each having upper legs that provide flexibility and elastic support planes, and each circular conveyor belt (224) is driven by respective drive pulleys and tail pulleys (227, 226) driven by respective motors (040), the dynamic shock absorber (800) according to claim 8.

10. The dynamic buffer device (800) according to claim 3, wherein the stopping device (405) comprises a control wheel (410) positioned at a predetermined location to cooperate with the pulling device (090) to provide contrast to the buffer stack (514), and a stopping wall (430) having an inclined surface facing the buffer stack (514).

11. The dynamic shock absorber (800) according to claim 3, wherein the support plane is formed on the base member (010), the pull-out device (090) is formed on the base member (010) in each of the swivel members (020), the base member (010) can rotate around a main shaft (200) which is integral with the base member (010), and the base and the swivel members (010, 020) are rotatably coupled to each other at the exit section (110) of the shock absorber (100).

12. The dynamic shock absorber (800) according to claim 11, further comprising a height adjustment device (440) for raising or lowering the pivoting member (020) relative to the base member (010).

13. The dynamic buffer device (800) according to claim 1, wherein the upstream device (810) is a printer configured to imprint the respective identification codes onto a supplied sheet based on a command received from the control unit (900).

14. The dynamic buffer device (800) according to claim 1, further comprising a preliminary reading device (821) for reading the identification code of a sheet supplied from the upstream device.

15. A method for processing documents suitable for use as accompanying paper supports in direct mail, such as cards, which can be identified by their respective unique codes, and for providing a combination of each paper support generated by a printing process with one or more cards, etc. - A step of reading the unique code that identifies each card in a group of N cards, - Using the aforementioned unique code, the process involves querying a database containing records for each card that include the data necessary for direct mailing of the card, - Starting from the record, generate a print command for each of the N cards in the group, and then generate an overall print command that collects the print commands for all of the N cards in the group on the paper support, - The steps of printing N documents to be used as paper supports, and imprinting each of them with its respective identification code, which is combined with a unique code from one of the N cards in the group, - A sequence supplied via the printing step, in which a stack of individual sheets is placed on a deformable support plane, the stack of input sheets deforms the support plane, and further, for each input sheet, the input sheet is inserted below the sheet stack as the lower sheet of the sheet stack, thereby performing the above-mentioned buffering step in the stack of individual sheets. - The steps of releasing individual sheets downstream of the buffer stack and picking up the individual sheets at the top of the stack in response to a request from the processing device, A method comprising the steps of reading the identification code on each of the ejected sheets and supplying the individual sheets to a bonding station to bond the paper support and the corresponding card to each other based on the identification code on the sheet and the unique code that identifies the card.

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