Sheet cutting device

Abstract

To provide a device capable of efficiently cutting out a sheet, even for a corrugated cardboard sheet material with a large dimensional difference.SOLUTION: A sheet cut-out device 1 comprises: a sheet cutting unit 20 that divides the sheet by cutting a sheet material S1 in a lateral direction orthogonal to a transport direction; a vertical ruling unit 30 that forms vertical ruled lines on the sheet in a vertical direction parallel to the transport direction TD; a slot forming unit 50 that forms slots in the sheet; and a trimming unit 60 that trims by cutting both lateral sides of the sheet in the vertical direction. The vertical ruling unit has a pair of vertical ruling rollers 31A, 31B provided at intervals in the lateral direction, each independently movable in the lateral direction. The slot forming unit has a pair of slot rollers 51 provided at intervals in the lateral direction, each independently movable in the lateral direction. The trimming unit has a pair of trimming knives 61A, 61B provided at intervals in the lateral direction, each independently movable in the lateral direction.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an apparatus for cutting sheets of various sizes from a length of sheet material. [Background technology]

[0002] The cardboard packaging used in the logistics industry involves preparing multiple standard cardboard sheets, packing them according to the products they contain, and then shipping them. When packaging a wide variety of products and quantities of products, packaging with pre-prepared standard cardboard sheets can result in unnecessary air spaces around the products, reducing transportation efficiency and incurring costs for excess cushioning materials.

[0003] When cutting out a cardboard sheet from a sheet material, the following five steps (1) to (5) are performed. Note that the order of the steps below is an example, and the order of some steps can be changed. (1) Sheet cutting: The sheet material is cut to the required length to obtain cardboard sheets. (2) Vertical scoring: Creating vertical scores (creases) on the cardboard sheet. (3) Widthwise scoring: Creases (folds) are made in the widthwise direction of the cardboard sheet. (4) Slot forming machine: This machine forms slots, which are the cuts between the flaps in the cardboard sheets. (5) Trimming: Cut off and remove excess material on both sides of the width.

[0004] Patent Document 1 provides a system (apparatus) for cutting out and producing box templates (corrugated cardboard sheets) of various dimensions from a sheet material. The apparatus of Patent Document 1 has three rotatable tool rollers arranged adjacent to each other on the sheet material, and is provided with a support roller corresponding to each of the three tool rollers. Each of the three tool rollers is provided with a tool such as a cutter or knife having a function required for producing a box template. Specifically, based on the conveying direction of the sheet material, the upstream tool roller is provided with a tool for cutting and horizontal creasing, the middle tool roller is provided with a tool for vertical creasing and a tool for trimming, and the downstream tool roller is provided with a tool for forming a slot and a tool for forming a seam.

[0005] In the system of Patent Document 1, the spacing between the pair of tools for vertical crease (VL) and the spacing between the pair of tools for trimming are changeable in the middle tool roller. Also, the spacing between the pair of tools for slot formation and seam formation in the downstream tool roller is changeable. The system of Patent Document 1 can produce corrugated cardboard sheets of different dimensions by changing the spacing between the tools in the middle tool roller and the downstream tool roller. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Special Publication No. 2022-524082 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] In the system of Patent Document 1, the intermediate tool roller is provided with two tools on the same axis: a tool for vertical crease (VL) and a tool for trimming. Therefore, in the system of Patent Document 1, the tool for the vertical crease (VL) and the tool for trimming interfere with each other in the axial direction, making it impossible to change the desired spacing. This makes it necessary to replace either or both of the tool roller and the tool when there is a large difference in the dimensions of the cardboard sheets being handled. Furthermore, in the system of Patent Document 1, which has two coaxial tools, the tools must be replaced in order to accept sheet materials of different thicknesses.

[0008] Therefore, an object of the present disclosure is to provide a device that can efficiently cut out sheets from sheet materials having widely differing dimensions, such as cardboard sheets, and different thicknesses. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] The sheet cutting device according to the present disclosure comprises: a sheet cutter that cuts the sheet material in a lateral direction perpendicular to the conveying direction to divide the sheet; a vertical creasing machine for forming vertical creasing lines on a sheet in a vertical direction parallel to a conveying direction; a slot forming machine for forming slots in the sheet having the longitudinal lines; and a trimming machine that cuts and trims both lateral sides of the sheet in which the slots are formed in the longitudinal direction. The vertical creasing machine is A pair of vertical creasing rollers are provided at a distance from each other in the horizontal direction and are independently movable in the horizontal direction; The slot forming machine is A pair of slot rollers are provided laterally spaced apart from each other and are independently movable laterally; The trimming machine is and a pair of trimming knives spaced apart in the laterally direction and each of which is independently movable in the laterally direction. Effect of the Invention

[0010] According to the cutting device of the present disclosure, the rollers including the tools that can move laterally can move independently, so that the movements of the rollers are not restricted. Therefore, even cardboard sheets with large differences in dimensions can be efficiently cut out from the sheet material. In addition, the necessary tools can be moved independently in the vertical direction, so that the thickness of the sheet material can be easily changed. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0011] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a plan view of the cutting device according to the embodiment. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a side view of the cutting device according to the embodiment. [Diagram 3] 1A to 1C are diagrams illustrating a process of cutting out a sheet material using the cutting device according to the embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the next step in FIG. 3. [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the next step in FIG. 4. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating the steps of FIG. 3 to FIG. 5 collectively. [Figure 7] 4 is a timing chart showing an operation of the extraction device according to the embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a modified example of the embodiment. [Figure 9] 1A and 1B are diagrams showing a development view and a cardboard box, respectively; DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0012] Hereinafter, a sheet cutting device 1 according to an embodiment will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. The sheet cutting device 1 has independent components corresponding to five processes required to cut out the sheet S2 from the long sheet material S1. In particular, the components each have a pair of tools spaced apart in the lateral direction (W), and the spacing between the tools can be changed independently.

[0013] [Configuration of the sheet cutting device 1: See Figures 1 and 2] The sheet cutting device 1 includes a processing unit 10 that cuts out a sheet S2 from a sheet material S1, and a control unit 100 that controls the operation of the processing unit 10. 1 and 2, in the sheet cutting device 1, the side where the sheet material S1 is carried in is defined as the upstream (U), and the side where the cut sheet S2 is carried out is defined as the downstream (D). Also, the direction parallel to the conveying direction (TD) of the sheet materials S1 and S2 processed in the sheet cutting device 1 is defined as the longitudinal direction (L), and the direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction (L) is defined as the lateral direction (W). In Fig. 2, the sheet materials S1 and S2 are conveyed along a sheet conveying path SL indicated by a dashed line.

[0014] [Processing section 10: see Figures 1 and 2] The processing section 10 includes a sheet slitter 20, a vertical scorer 30, a horizontal scorer 40, a slotter 50, and a trimmer 60, which are arranged in this order from the upstream (U) side to the downstream (D) side. The sheet slitter 20, the vertical scorer 30, the horizontal scorer 40, the slotter 50, and the trimmer 60 are fixed in position in the vertical direction (L), i.e., in the conveying direction (TD). The long sheet material S1 waits in a folded state upstream (U) of the sheet cutting device 1, and is successively pulled out from there and conveyed toward the sheet cutting machine 20. In this embodiment, the long sheet material is referred to as the sheet material (S1), and each piece cut out from the sheet material (S1) is referred to as a sheet (S2). The sheet material (S1) and the sheet (S2) are typically cardboard sheet materials and cardboard sheets.

[0015] [Sheet cutting machine 20] The sheet cutter 20 includes a cutting roller 21 that cuts the sheet material S1 parallel to the width direction (W), and a support roller 23 that is disposed opposite the cutting roller 21 in the vertical direction (V). The cutting roller 21 includes a cylindrical roller body 21A and a cutting tool 21B fixed to the outer circumferential surface of the roller body 21A. The cutting tool 21B has a straight shape parallel to or inclined at a small angle to the central axis C21 of the cutting roller 21, and is fixed to the outer circumferential surface of the cutting tool 21B. When the sheet material S1 is cut by the cutting tool 21B, the support roller 23 supports the sheet material S1 from below in the vertical direction (V) to support the cutting of the sheet material S1 by the cutting tool 21B. The sheet cutting machine 20 has a width (W) dimension capable of cutting the sheet material S1 having a maximum width (W) dimension including the cutting tool 21B. The same applies to the vertical creasing machine 30, the horizontal creasing machine 40, the slot forming machine 50 and the trimming machine 60 described below.

[0016] The cutting roller 21 and the support roller 23 are supported rotatably about their respective central axes C21, C23, sandwiching the sheet material S1 conveyed from the upstream (U) between them and cutting the sheet material S1 at a predetermined position. The cutting roller 21 is made rotatable by the rotational driving force of an electric motor (not shown). By controlling the rotation of this electric motor, the sheet material S1 can be cut at a desired position. The support roller 23 preferably rotates on its own axis, but may also rotate in response to an external force, i.e., rotate freely. The cutting roller 21 and the support roller 23 are preferably configured to be movable up and down in the vertical direction (V), and the gap between them can be adjusted. This position change includes at least a change between a processing position where the sheet material S1 is cut and a standby position where the sheet material S1 is not cut. The gap adjustment is effective for processing sheet materials S1 of different thicknesses. The gap adjustment is similarly applied to the vertical creasing machine 30, the horizontal creasing machine 40, the slot forming machine 50 and the trimming machine 60.

[0017] In the sheet cutter 20 shown here, the cutting roller 21 is provided above the sheet material S1, and the support roller 23 is provided below the sheet material S1, but the vertical positional relationship between the cutting roller 21 and the support roller 23 can be reversed. The same applies to the vertical creasing machine 30, horizontal creasing machine 40, slot forming machine 50, and trimming machine 60 described below.

[0018] [Vertical Crease Machine 30] The vertical creasing machine 30 includes upper creasing rollers 31A and 31B arranged above the sheet material S1, and lower creasing rollers 33A and 33B arranged below the sheet material S1. The upper creasing roller 31A and the lower creasing roller 33A are arranged opposite each other in the vertical direction (V), and the upper creasing roller 31B and the lower creasing roller 33B are arranged opposite each other in the vertical direction (V). The vertical creasing machine 30 sandwiches the sheet S2 cut by the sheet cutting machine 20 between the upper creasing rollers 31A and 31B and the lower creasing rollers 33A and 33B to form a creasing line (vertical creasing line (VL), score) in the vertical direction (L).

[0019] The upper creasing rollers 31A, 31B and the lower creasing rollers 33A, 33B are each capable of moving independently in the horizontal direction (W) as indicated by the double-headed arrows in Fig. 1. The upper creasing rollers 31A, 31B and the lower creasing rollers 33A, 33B are moved in the horizontal direction (W) so as to maintain symmetry with respect to the center of the horizontal direction (W). This is to change the horizontal direction (W) position of the sheet S2 on which the vertical line (VL) is to be formed, and to form the vertical line (VL) at different positions on the sheets S2 of different dimensions. When forming the vertical line (VL), the upper creasing roller 31A and the lower creasing roller 33A are disposed so that their positions in the horizontal direction (W) coincide, and the upper creasing roller 31B and the lower creasing roller 33B are disposed so that their positions in the horizontal direction (W) coincide.

[0020] The upper creasing rollers 31A, 31B and the lower creasing rollers 33A, 33B are capable of moving up and down in the vertical direction (V), and the distance therebetween is adjustable.

[0021] The vertical creasing machine 30 may form vertical lines (VL) on only one of the front and back surfaces of the sheet S2, or may form vertical lines (VL) on both the front and back surfaces of the sheet S2. When forming vertical lines (VL) on only one of the front and back surfaces, the outer periphery of the steel upper creasing rollers 31A, 31B is provided with a convex shape capable of forming the vertical lines (VL). As an example, the upper creasing rollers 31A, 31B have a passive rotational motion, whereas the lower creasing rollers 33A, 33B have an active rotational motion. Since the lower creasing rollers 33A, 33B receive the upper creasing rollers 31A, 31B, it is sufficient for them to be fixed to the conveying line at a position that holds the lower surface of the sheet S2. When vertical lines (VL) are to be formed on both the front and back surfaces, the outer peripheries of the upper scoring rollers 31A, 31B and the lower scoring rollers 33A, 33B are provided with uneven shapes capable of forming vertical lines (VL).

[0022] [Horizontal Crease Machine 40] The horizontal creasing machine 40 forms horizontal lines (horizontal lines) in the horizontal direction (W) on the sheet S2 on which the vertical creasing machine 30 has formed the vertical lines (VL). The horizontal creasing machine 40 includes a horizontal creasing roller 41 that forms horizontal lines (HL) on the sheet S2, and a support roller 43 that is disposed opposite the horizontal creasing roller 41 in the vertical direction (V). The horizontal scoring roller 41 includes a cylindrical roller body 41A and a scoring tool 41B fixed to the outer circumferential surface of the roller body 41A. The scoring tool 41B has a straight shape parallel to the central axis C41 of the horizontal scoring roller 41 and is fixed to the outer circumferential surface of the support roller 43. When the creasing tool 41B forms horizontal lines (HL) on the sheet S2, the support roller 43 supports the sheet S2 from below in the vertical direction (V) to support the formation of the horizontal lines (HL) on the sheet S2 by the creasing tool 41B.

[0023] The horizontal creasing roller 41 and the support roller 43 are supported rotatably about their respective central axes C41 and C43, and sandwich the sheet S2 conveyed from the upstream (U) between them to form a horizontal creasing line (HL) on the sheet S2. The horizontal creasing roller 41 can rotate on its own axis due to the rotational driving force of an electric motor (not shown). By controlling the rotation of this electric motor, the horizontal creasing line (HL) can be formed at a desired position on the sheet S2. The support roller 43 preferably rotates on its own axis, but may also rotate in response to an external force, i.e., rotate freely. The spacing between the horizontal creasing roller 41 and the support roller 43 in the vertical direction (V) is preferably adjustable.

[0024] [Slot forming machine 50] The slot forming machine 50 forms slots (SL) in the sheet S2 on which the vertical lines (VL) and horizontal lines (HL) are formed. The slots (SL) are grooved portions between the flaps of a cardboard box. The slot forming machine 50 includes a pair of slot rollers 51, 51 arranged in the horizontal direction (W) for forming a slot (SL) in the sheet S2, and a support roller 53 arranged opposite the slot rollers 51, 51 in the vertical direction (V). Each slot roller 51 includes a cylindrical roller body 51A and a slot tool 51B fixed to the outer circumferential surface of the roller body 51A. The slot tool 51B has the same shape as the slot to be formed, parallel to the central axis C41 of the slot roller 51 or inclined at a small angle, and is fixed to the outer circumferential surface of the roller body 51A. When the slot tool 51B forms a slot (SL) in the sheet S2, the support roller 53 supports the sheet S2 from below in the vertical direction (V) to support the formation of the slot in the sheet S2 by the slot tool 51B.

[0025] The slot forming machine 50 has a lateral dimension (W) capable of forming the necessary slot (SL) in the sheet S2 having the largest lateral dimension (W) including the slot tool 51B.

[0026] The slot roller 51 and the support roller 53 are supported rotatably about their respective central axes C51 and C53, and sandwich the sheet S2 conveyed from the upstream (U) between them to form a slot (SL) at a predetermined position of the sheet S2. The slot roller 51 can rotate on its own axis by the rotational driving force of an electric motor (not shown). It is preferable that the support roller 23 rotate on its own axis, but it may also rotate in response to an external force, i.e., it may rotate freely.

[0027] The slot roller 51 and the support roller 53 are preferably adjustable in the vertical direction (V) between them. This change in position includes at least a change between a processing position where a slot is formed in the sheet S2 and a standby position where a slot is not formed in the sheet S2.

[0028] The pair of slot rollers 51, 51 can move in the lateral direction (W) according to the dimensions of the sheet S2. One slot roller 51 forms a slot (SL) on one side of the lateral direction (W) of the sheet S2, and the other slot roller 51 forms a slot (SL) on the other side of the lateral direction (W) of the sheet S2. In contrast to the above, the support roller 53 is formed as an integral member having a dimension in the lateral direction (W) capable of supporting the pair of slot rollers 51, 51 that are furthest apart in the lateral direction (W).

[0029] Although only the formation of the slot (SL) in the sheet S2 has been mentioned above, the slot forming machine 50 may also be provided with a function for forming a seam. This is realized by providing the slot roller 51 with a tool for forming a seam.

[0030] [Trimming machine 60] The trimming machine 60 cuts and removes excess portions on both sides in the lateral direction (W) of the sheet S2 on which the vertical lines (VL), horizontal lines (HL) and slots (SL) are formed. The trimming machine 60 includes upper trimming knives 61A, 61B disposed above the sheet S2, and lower trimming knives 63A, 63B disposed below the sheet material S1. The upper trimming knife 61A and the lower trimming knife 63A are disposed opposite each other in the vertical direction (V), and the upper trimming knife 61B and the lower trimming knife 63B are disposed opposite each other in the vertical direction (V). When the sheet S2 passes between the upper trimming knives 61A, 61B and the lower trimming knives 63A, 63B, the trimming machine 60 cuts off both ends of the sheet S2 to form a predetermined sheet width.

[0031] The upper trimming knives 61A, 61B and the lower trimming knives 63A, 63B are each capable of moving their positions in the horizontal direction (W) independently. This is so that their positions in the horizontal direction (W) can be changed according to the dimensions of the sheet S2 to be trimmed. When forming a predetermined sheet width, the upper trimming knife 61A and the lower trimming knife 63A are arranged so that their positions in the horizontal direction (W) match, and the upper trimming knife 61B and the lower trimming knife 63B are arranged so that their positions in the horizontal direction (W) match.

[0032] [Transport mechanism: 70] The processing section 10 is provided with a conveying mechanism 70 that conveys the sheet material S1 and the sheet S2 from the sheet cutting machine 20 to the trimming machine 60. The transport mechanism 70 is equipped with multiple pinch rollers. Specifically, they are as follows. A pinch roller is a roller that transports an object while pressing it with a constant pressure in the thickness direction, and can accurately control the transport position. Each pinch roller is preferably driven by an electric motor (not shown), particularly a servo motor, to rotate at an accurate rotation speed and position. Upstream (U) of the sheet cutting machine 20: pinch rollers 71, 72 Between the sheet cutter 20 and the vertical creasing machine 30: pinch rollers 73, 74 Between the vertical creasing machine 30 and the horizontal creasing machine 40: pinch rollers 75, 76 Between the horizontal scorer 40 and the slotter 50: pinch rollers 77, 78 Between the slot former 50 and the trimmer 60: pinch rollers 79, 80

[0033] [Control unit 100] The control unit 100 controls the operation of each element of the processing unit 10 described above. In particular, in order to produce sheets S21, S22, etc. of different sizes, the control unit 100 holds various dimensional data regarding the sheets S21, S22, etc., and the control unit 100 controls the operation of each element of the processing unit 10 based on the held dimensional data.

[0034] [Operation of the sheet cutting device 1: see Figs. 3 to 6] The following describes a procedure for producing a sheet S2 in which vertical lines (VL), horizontal lines (HL) and slots (SL) are formed from a sheet material S1 and excess portions are trimmed using the sheet cutting device 1. As an example, the following describes a procedure for producing a large-sized sheet S21 by cutting it out of the sheet material S1, followed by producing a small-sized sheet S22, and then producing a large-sized sheet S23.

[0035] [Cutting of sheet S21: Fig. 3, Fig. 6 S1, S2] The processing unit 10 is prepared for producing the sheet S21 according to instructions from the control unit 100. In particular, the interval between the upper creasing rollers 31A, 31B and the lower creasing rollers 33A, 33B of the vertical creasing machine 30, the interval between the slot rollers 51, 51 of the slot forming machine 50, and the interval between the upper trimming knives 61A, 61B and the upper trimming knives 63A, 63B of the trimming machine 60 are set to D30L, D50L, and D60L in accordance with the large-sized sheet S21.

[0036] When the conveyed sheet material S1 passes through the sheet cutter 20 and is conveyed to a predetermined position in the vertical direction (L), the conveyance of the sheet material S1 is stopped, and the sheet material S1 is cut in the horizontal direction (W) by the sheet cutter 20 to produce a sheet S21 (Fig. 3 S1). The conveyance and stopping of the sheet materials S1, S21, etc. are caused by the driving and stopping of the driving of any of the corresponding pinch rollers. The stopping of conveyance here is caused by the stopping of the driving of the pinch rollers 71, 72 that had been driven up until that point for the sheet material S1, and the stopping of the driving of the pinch rollers 73 to 80 that had been driven up until that point for the sheet S21.

[0037] In addition to passing through the sheet cutter 20, a portion of the sheet S21 passes through the vertical creasing machine 30 and the horizontal creasing machine 40. Therefore, the portion that has passed through has vertical lines (VL) and horizontal lines (HL) formed thereon.

[0038] When the sheet material S1 is cut to produce the sheet S21, the conveyance of the sheet material S1 is temporarily stopped, but the sheet S21 continues to be conveyed downstream (D) (FIG. 3, S2). In addition to the vertical lines (VL) and horizontal lines (HL) being formed in the sheet S21, the slot forming machine 50 forms slots (SL). Here, when sheet S21 passes through vertical creasing machine 30 (FIG. 3, S2), the horizontal (W) distance between upper creasing rollers 31A, 31B and lower creasing rollers 33A, 33B of vertical creasing machine 30 is narrowed to D30S to accommodate the next sheet S22 with smaller dimensions. This completes preparations for producing sheet S22 in vertical creasing machine 30. This change in distance is instructed by control unit 100. Dimensions D50L and D60L remain the same as before.

[0039] [Cutting of sheet S22: Fig. 4, Fig. 6 S3, S4] After the horizontal distance (W) between the upper creasing rollers 31A, 31B and the lower creasing rollers 33A, 33B is changed to D30S, the conveyance of the sheet material S1 is resumed (FIG. 4, S3). When the sheet material S1 is conveyed to a predetermined position, it is cut by the sheet cutter 20 to obtain the sheet S22. At this stage, the sheet S21 is further conveyed downstream (D), passes through the horizontal creasing machine 40 and the slot forming machine 50, and part of the sheet passes through the trimming machine 60. Thus, the sheet S21 has vertical creases (VL), horizontal creases (HL), slots (SL) and seams SM formed therein, and is also partially trimmed. When the sheet S21 passes through the slot former 50, the lateral (W) distance between the slot rollers 51, 51 of the slot former 50 is narrowed from D50L to D50S to accommodate the sheet S22. This completes preparations for the production of the sheet S22 in the slot former 50. This change in distance is in accordance with an instruction from the control unit 100.

[0040] After the interval between the slot rollers 51, 51 of the slot forming machine 50 is narrowed, the sheet S22 reaches the slot rollers 51, 51. The sheet S22 passes through the vertical creasing machine 30 and reaches the slot forming machine 50 (FIGS. 4 and 6, S4). When the sheet S22 passes through the vertical creasing machine 30, the interval in the horizontal direction (W) between the upper creasing rollers 31A, 31B and the lower creasing rollers 33A, 33B of the vertical creasing machine 30 is widened to D30L in accordance with the sheet S23. This completes preparations for producing the sheet S23 in the vertical creasing machine 30. This interval change is in accordance with an instruction from the control unit 100.

[0041] The sheet S21 passes through the trimming machine 60, whereby the excess portions on both sides in the horizontal direction (W) are cut and removed. After being cut by the sheet cutting machine 20, the sheet S21 passes through the trimming machine 60 without stopping the conveyance. The sheet S21 is carried out from the processing unit 10. When sheet S21 passes through the trimming machine 60, the upper trimming knives 61A, 61B and the upper trimming knives 63A, 63B of the trimming machine 60 are narrowed from D60L to D60S to accommodate the next sheet S22. This change in the spacing is made after the sheet S21 passes through the trimming machine 60 and before the next sheet S22 to be trimmed reaches the trimming machine 60. The sheet S21 can be transported at the same speed from when it is carried into the sheet cutting machine 20 until it passes through the trimming machine 60.

[0042] [Cutting of sheet S23: Fig. 5, Fig. 6 S5, S6] After the horizontal distance (W) between the upper creasing rollers 31A, 31B and the lower creasing rollers 33A, 33B is changed to D30L, the conveyance of the sheet material S1 is resumed (FIG. 5, S5). When the sheet material S1 is conveyed to a predetermined position, it is cut by the sheet cutter 20 to obtain the sheet S23. At this stage, sheet S22 is further conveyed downstream (D), passes through the horizontal creasing machine 40 and the slot forming machine 50, and part of the sheet passes through the trimming machine 60. Thus, vertical lines (VL), horizontal lines (HL) and slots (SL) are formed in sheet S21, and the sheet is also partially trimmed. When the sheet S22 passes through the slot former 50, the widthwise (W) distance between the slot rollers 51, 51 of the slot former 50 is changed from D50S to D50L to accommodate the sheet S23. This completes preparations for the production of the sheet S23 in the slot former 50. This change in distance is in accordance with an instruction from the control unit 100.

[0043] After the interval between the slot rollers 51, 51 of the slot forming machine 50 is changed to be wider, the sheet S23 reaches the slot rollers 51, 51. The sheet S23 passes through the vertical creasing machine 30 and reaches the slot forming machine 50 (FIGS. 5 and 6, S6). When the sheet S22 passes through the vertical creasing machine 30, the interval in the horizontal direction (W) between the upper creasing rollers 31A, 31B and the lower creasing rollers 33A, 33B of the vertical creasing machine 30 is changed to be narrower, D30S, to match the interval between the sheet S23. This completes preparations for producing the sheet S24 in the vertical creasing machine 30. This interval change is in accordance with an instruction from the control unit 100.

[0044] The sheet S22 passes through the trimming machine 60, whereby the excess portions on both sides in the lateral direction (W) are cut and removed. After being cut by the sheet cutting machine 20, the sheet S22 passes through the trimming machine 60 without being stopped. The sheet S22 is carried out from the processing unit 10. When sheet S22 passes through trimming machine 60, upper trimming knives 61A, 61B and upper trimming knives 63A, 63B of trimming machine 60 are changed widely from D60S to D60L to accommodate the next sheet S23. This change in spacing occurs after sheet S23 passes through trimming machine 60 and before the next sheet to be trimmed, S24, reaches trimming machine 60.

[0045] [Operational Summary of Sheet Cutting Device 1] The operation of the sheet cutting device 1 described above is summarized as follows. In the following description, the cardboard sheet (S21) that is cut out first is referred to as the "preceding sheet," and the cardboard sheet (S22) that is cut out following the "preceding sheet" is referred to as the "subsequent sheet." Note that the "subsequent sheet" is the "preceding sheet" in relation to the cardboard sheet (S23) that is cut out next.

[0046] <Previous sheet> The first preceding sheet (S21) cut while being conveyed by the sheet cutter 20 continues to be conveyed as is. This conveying speed can be made constant. In other words, the preceding sheet (S21) is continuously subjected to operations from making the vertical lines (VL) by the vertical creasing machine 30 to trimming by the trimming machine 60 while being conveyed.

[0047] <Subsequent sheet> After the preceding sheet (S22) is cut by the sheet cutting machine 20, the conveyance of the sheet material S1 for producing the succeeding sheet (S22) is temporarily stopped, but when the horizontal distance (W) of the vertical creasing machine 30 is changed, the conveyance of the sheet material S1 is resumed. After the conveyance is resumed, the operations from cutting by the sheet cutting machine 20 to trimming by the trimming machine 60 are continuously performed while the sheet material S1 is being conveyed.

[0048] <Spacing change> In the cutting device 1, the vertical creasing machine 30, the slot forming machine 50, and the trimming machine 60 are the machines that change the spacing. In other words, the elements that require the spacing change are independent, so the distances by which the spacing is changed are not restricted by each other. Moreover, in each of the vertical creasing machine 30 to the trimming machine 60, when the sheet S2 passes through, the spacing is changed without waiting for the spacing of the other elements to be changed. In this way, the spacing is changed in stages with a time lag between the vertical creasing machine 30 to the trimming machine 60.

[0049] [Timing chart: see Figure 7] The above operations are summarized in the timing chart shown in FIG. In the timing chart shown in FIG. 7, the operations of the sheet cutting machine 20 to the trimming machine 60 are shown, with the horizontal axis representing elapsed time T, and the hatched convex parts of the lines of each operation representing the operation being performed. Also, in FIG. 7, for example, the hollow convex parts of the lines represent changes in the interval. Furthermore, the conveying operations of the sheet material S1 and the sheet S2 are different on the boundary between the sheet cutting machine 20 and the vertical creasing machine 30. That is, on the upstream side (U) of the sheet cutting machine 20, when the sheet material S1 is cut into the sheet S2 by the sheet cutting machine 20, the conveying operation on the upstream side (U) of the sheet cutting machine 20 is temporarily stopped, but on the downstream side (D) of the sheet cutting machine 20, the conveying operation is continuously performed without being stopped.

[0050] As shown in FIG. 7, except for a stop in transport upstream (U), the sheet material S1 and sheet S2 are continuously processed through the sheet cutter 20, vertical creasing machine 30, horizontal creasing machine 40, slot former 50 and trimming machine 60. In the vertical creasing machine 30, the slot forming machine 50, and the trimming machine 60, which have the function of changing the interval, the interval is changed immediately after the vertical creasing (VL), slot forming, and trimming operations are performed. After the interval change is performed for each, the next sheet S2 is processed. For example, after the vertical creasing (VL) is formed on the No. 1 sheet S2, the interval is changed so as to fit the size of the No. 2 sheet S2 to be processed next. After the vertical creasing (VL) is formed on the No. 2 sheet S2, the interval is changed so as to fit the size of the No. 3 sheet S2 to be processed next. Thereafter, the same vertical creasing (VL) and interval change are alternately repeated. Also, the slot forming machine 50 alternates between slot formation and interval change, and the trimming machine 60 alternates between trimming and interval change. In this way, sheets S2 of different dimensions can be efficiently produced.

[0051] [Effects of the sheet cutting device 1] <First effect> The sheet cutting device 1 is provided with a vertical creasing machine 30 and a trimming machine 60, which are independent of each other and whose spacing in the horizontal direction (W) can be changed. Therefore, the change in the spacing between the upper creasing rollers 31A, 31B and the lower creasing rollers 33A, 33B in the vertical creasing machine 30 does not restrict the change in the spacing between the upper trimming knives 61A, 61B and the lower trimming knives 63A, 63B. Therefore, according to the sheet cutting device 1, even if the sheets S2 have greatly different dimensions, it is not necessary to replace tools such as the upper creasing rollers 31A, 31B.

[0052] For example, if two tools (vertical scoring and trimming) are provided on the same axis as in Patent Document 1, mechanical interference occurs when the tools move in the axial direction, and as a result, there is a limit to how close the vertical scoring and trimming positions can be brought. Referring to Fig. 9, mechanical interference places a restriction on the minimum dimension of the flap width H2, and there is a limit to how small the dimension B1 (B2) in the figure can be. In other words, since H2 = B1 (B2) / 2, if there is a limit on the flap width H2, it becomes impossible to produce a cardboard box with a small dimension B.

[0053] Moreover, according to the sheet cutting device 1, after the sheet S2 is cut by the sheet cutting machine 20, the conveyance of the sheet S2 continues at the same speed until it is trimmed by the trimming machine 60. Therefore, sheets S2 of different dimensions can be produced in a short cycle time. In addition, since the conveyance can be performed at a constant speed, there is no need for sudden acceleration or deceleration in each process in the vertical creasing machine 30, the horizontal creasing machine 40, the slot forming machine 50, and the trimming machine 60, and therefore high processing accuracy can be obtained.

[0054] <Second effect> The sheet cutting device 1 is provided with a vertical creasing machine 30, a slot forming machine 50, and a trimming machine 60 independently, and when the sheet S2 passes through, the intervals can be changed in turn in each machine. Therefore, according to the sheet cutting device 1, the intervals can be changed without waiting for the intervals of the other machines to be changed, so that the device is quickly ready to receive the succeeding sheets.

[0055] <Third Effect> The sheet cutting device 20 to the trimming device 60 constituting the sheet cutting device 1 are fixed in position in the vertical direction (L). Therefore, according to the sheet cutting device 1, the dimension in the vertical direction (L) can be reduced.

[0056] <Fourth Effect> Each of the sheet cutter 20 to the slot former 50 that constitute the sheet cutting device 1 can be raised and lowered independently in the vertical direction (V). Therefore, by simply switching and supplying sheet materials S1 having different thickness directions, it is possible to cut out sheets S2 having different thicknesses. In contrast, if two tools are provided coaxially as in Patent Document 1, it is not easy to handle sheets S2 of different thicknesses. One tool has conflicting characteristics: the vertical (V) position needs to be adjusted according to the thickness of the sheet S2, whereas the other tool preferably has a constant vertical (V) position. On the other hand, with regard to the tool for making the creases (vertical and horizontal), if the vertical position (V) of the tool is not adjusted according to the thickness of the sheet S2, the creases necessary for folding may not be formed, or conversely, the creases may be made too deep, causing the sheet S2 to tear along the creases. The other tool is, for example, a cutting tool, which cuts the sheet S2 by forcing a knife into the support roller. It is preferable that the amount of knife penetration is constant even if the thickness of the sheet S2 varies. If the amount of penetration is large, the support roller will wear out quickly, and if the amount of penetration is small, poor cutting of the sheet S2 may occur. Therefore, if two tools having opposing characteristics are provided coaxially, it is necessary to exchange tools having different specifications, and it is not easy to deal with sheets S2 having different thicknesses.

[0057] In addition to the above, it is possible to select and discard the configurations given in the above embodiment, or to change them to other configurations as appropriate. For example, in the above embodiment, an example was shown in which sheets S21 to S23 all have different dimensions, but in the present disclosure, when continuously cutting out and processing sheets S2 of the same dimensions, the next sheet S2 is accepted while maintaining the intervals between the vertical creasing machine (30), the slot forming machine 50, and the trimming machine 60.

[0058] Furthermore, the order of the sheet cutting machine 20 to the trimming machine 60 is not limited to that shown in FIG. For example, the order of the horizontal scoring machine 40 and the vertical scoring machine 30 can be interchanged as shown on the left side of FIG. 8, and the order of the trimming machine 60 and the slot forming machine 50 can be interchanged as shown on the right side of the same figure.

[0059] <Additional Notes> The present disclosure can be understood as follows. [Appendix 1] The sheet cutting device (1) is a sheet cutter (20) for cutting the sheet material (S1) in a lateral direction (W) perpendicular to a conveying direction (TD) to divide the sheet (S2); a vertical creasing machine (30) for forming vertical creasing lines (VL) on the sheet (S2) in a vertical direction (L) parallel to a conveyance direction (TD); a slot forming machine (50) for forming slots (SL) in a sheet (S2) on which vertical lines (VL) are formed; a trimming machine (60) for cutting and trimming both sides of the sheet (S2) in the width direction (W) in the length direction (L); The vertical creasing machine (30) The printing machine includes a pair of vertical creasing rollers (31A, 31B) spaced apart in the horizontal direction (W) and each of which is independently movable in the horizontal direction (W). The slot forming machine (50) A pair of slot rollers (51, 51) are provided at an interval in the lateral direction (W) and are independently movable in the lateral direction (W), The trimming machine (60) The trimming knife cutting apparatus includes a pair of trimming knives (61A, 61B) spaced apart in the lateral direction (W) and each of which is independently movable in the lateral direction (W). [Appendix 2] In the vertical creasing machine (30) of Appendix 1, preferably, After the pair of vertical creasing rollers (31A, 31B) form a pair of vertical creasing lines (VL) on the sheet (S2), the distance between the pair of vertical creasing rollers (31A, 31B) is changed or maintained. [Appendix 3] In the slot former (50) of claim 1 or 2, preferably After forming a plurality of slots (SL) in the sheet (S2) by a pair of slot rollers (51, 51), The distance between the pair of slot rollers (51, 51) is changed or maintained. [Appendix 4] In the trimming machine (60) according to any one of Supplementary Note 1 to Supplementary Note 3, preferably, After trimming with a pair of trimming knives (61A, 61B), The distance between the pair of trimming knives (61A, 61B) is changed or maintained. [Appendix 5] The sheet (S2) after being cut by the sheet cutter (20) according to any one of Supplementary Notes 1 to 4 is preferably The sheet passes through the vertical scoring machine (30), the slot forming machine (50) and the trimming machine (60) without stopping, and the processes of forming vertical scores (VL), forming slots (SL) and trimming are carried out in that order. [Appendix 6] In any one of Supplementary Notes 1 to 5, preferably, The conveyance of the sheet material (S1) from which the sheet (S2) has been cut by the sheet cutter (20) is temporarily stopped, In the vertical creasing machine (30), After the interval between the pair of vertical creasing rollers (31A, 31B) is changed, The conveyance of the sheet material (S1) is resumed, and the sheet material (S1) is cut by the sheet cutter (20). [Appendix 7] In any one of Supplementary Notes 1 to 6, preferably, Between the sheet cutter (20) and the longitudinal scorer (30), or Between the longitudinal scoring machine (30) and the slot forming machine (50), A horizontal creasing machine (40) is provided for forming horizontal lines (HL) in the horizontal direction (W) of the sheet (S2). [Appendix 8] In any of Supplementary Notes 1 to 7, the sheet cutter (20), the vertical creasing machine (30), the horizontal creasing machine (40), the slot former (50) and the trimming machine (60) are preferably positioned fixedly in the conveying direction (TD). [Appendix 9] In any one of Supplementary Note 1 to Supplementary Note 8, preferably, a pair of vertical creasing rollers (31A, 31B), A pair of slot rollers (51, 51), and The pair of trimming knives (61A, 61B) are capable of ascending and descending in the vertical direction (V). [Explanation of symbols]

[0060] 1 Sheet cutting device 10 Processing Department 20 Sheet cutting machine 21 Cutting roller 21A Roller body 21B Cutting tool 23 Support roller 30 Vertical creasing machine 31A, 31B Upper creasing roller 33A, 33B Lower creasing roller 40 Horizontal crease machine 41 Horizontal crease roller 41A Roller body 41B Crease Tool 43 Support roller 50 Slot forming machine 51 Slot Roller 51A Roller body 51B Slot Tool 53 Support roller 60 Trimming Machine 61A, 61B Upper trimming knife 63A, 63B Lower trimming knife 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80 Pinch roller 100 Control section

Claims

1. a sheet cutter including a cutting roller for cutting the sheet material in a lateral direction perpendicular to the conveying direction to divide the sheet; a vertical creasing machine for forming vertical creasing lines in the vertical direction parallel to the conveying direction of the sheet; a slot forming machine for forming slots in the sheet having the longitudinal creases; a trimming machine that cuts and trims both sides of the sheet in the lateral direction in the longitudinal direction, The vertical creasing machine is a pair of vertical creasing rollers spaced apart in the horizontal direction and each of which can move independently in the horizontal direction; The slot forming machine comprises: a pair of slot rollers spaced apart in the lateral direction and each of which is independently movable in the lateral direction; The trimming machine includes: a pair of trimming knives spaced apart in the lateral direction and independently movable in the lateral direction; The pair of slot rollers include The slot is formed on both sides of the sheet material in the lateral direction perpendicular to the conveying direction, The sheet after being cut by the sheet cutter is The vertical creasing machine, the slot forming machine, and the trimming machine are passed through without stopping, and the processes of forming the vertical creasing lines, forming the slots, and trimming are performed in order. Sheet cutting device.

2. In the vertical creasing machine, After the pair of vertical creasing rollers form the pair of vertical creasing lines on the sheet, the distance between the pair of vertical creasing rollers is changed or maintained. The sheet cutting device according to claim 1 .

3. In the slot forming machine, After forming the plurality of slots in the sheet by the pair of slot rollers, The spacing between the pair of slot rollers is changed or maintained. The sheet cutting device according to claim 1 .

4. In the trimming machine, After the trimming is performed by the pair of trimming knives, The spacing between the pair of trimming knives is changed or maintained. The sheet cutting device according to claim 1 .

5. The conveyance of the sheet material from which the sheet has been cut by the sheet cutter is temporarily stopped, In the vertical creasing machine, After the interval between the pair of vertical creasing rollers is changed, The conveyance of the sheet material is resumed, and the sheet material is cut by the sheet cutter.

5. The sheet cutting device according to claim 4.

6. Between the sheet cutter and the longitudinal creasing machine, or Between the longitudinal creasing machine and the slot forming machine, The sheet cutting device according to claim 1 , further comprising a horizontal creasing machine for forming horizontal lines in the horizontal direction of the sheet.

7. The sheet cutting machine, the vertical creasing machine, the horizontal creasing machine, the slot forming machine and the trimming machine are The position in the conveying direction is fixed. The sheet cutting device according to claim 6.

8. A pair of the vertical creasing rollers, A pair of the slot rollers, and A horizontal creasing roller constituting a horizontal creasing machine that forms horizontal creasing lines in the horizontal direction of the sheet is capable of being raised and lowered in a vertical direction. The sheet cutting device according to claim 1 .

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