Spiral Tower Book Block Buffers for Flexible Binding Lines
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing book production plants face challenges in achieving high production flexibility, minimizing downtime, and reducing manpower requirements, particularly in the coupling of book block forming stations and cover binding machines, which are often the most expensive components and prone to delays.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a system with multiple spiral towers equipped with conveyor belts and electronic control units that allow for optimized storage and movement of book blocks between forming stations and binding machines, ensuring uncoupled operations and efficient transfer based on book-specific codes, enabling flexible production and minimal downtime.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If book block forming stations and cover binding machines are connected in on-line mode operating in synchronism, then the system can maintain coordinated operation, but the functional speed is limited by the slowest component and stopping one component causes the entire plant to stop
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary buffer storage system between the book block forming station and the cover binding machine. This buffer acts as a mediator that decouples the two components, allowing them to operate independently at their own speeds while maintaining system coordination. The buffer stores book blocks temporarily, enabling the faster component to continue operating without waiting for the slower component, thus resolving the speed limitation imposed by synchronous operation.
2Reliability
If a buffer transport is provided between book block forming station and perfect binder, then stops or delays can be attenuated, but the plant can continue to operate only for limited periods of time
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from a linear buffer transport to a three-dimensional spiral tower buffer system. By utilizing vertical space and creating multiple storage levels through the spiral configuration, the buffer capacity is dramatically increased without expanding the horizontal footprint. This dimensional change allows the system to accumulate larger quantities of book blocks, enabling the plant to operate for extended periods during stops or changes without running out of buffer capacity.
3Adaptability or versatility
If book blocks are sequentially collected on pallets in off-line connection, then forming station and binding machine can operate independently, but loading and unloading operations require lot of manpower or expensive robots
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a self-service mechanism where the spiral tower buffer automatically receives book blocks from the forming station and supplies them to the binding machine through its rotational and elevational movements. The system uses gravity-assisted loading and automated mechanical transfer, eliminating the need for manual pallet loading/unloading or complex robotic systems. The buffer serves itself by utilizing its own structural design to perform the transfer operations that would otherwise require external manpower or sophisticated automation.
4Quantity of substance
If spiral tower with conveyor is used for temporary storage, then buffer capacity is increased, but the system complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple functions into the spiral tower buffer structure: it simultaneously serves as the buffer storage system, the transport mechanism, and the loading/unloading interface. The conveyor belt is integrated directly into the spiral structure, combining storage and transport functions in a single unified system rather than separate components. This merging reduces overall system complexity despite the increased buffer capacity, as the same structural elements perform multiple roles.
Data Source
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AI summary
A production plant (22) for books (23) printed with digital technologies, comprising one or more forming stations (26) of book blocks (32), one or more cover binding machines (27) for assembling the book blocks with respective covers (33), an electronic center (29) and a plurality of spiral towers (39) for accommodating the book blocks of the forming stations and transfer them to the binding machines. The book blocks and the covers have respective book codes (34) and cover codes (36) uniquely associated with the respective books of a given working order. Each tower (39) includes a conveyor belt (42) that can be moved along a spiral path, a belt motorization group and an electronic control unit (44). The towers serve as a temporary storage for the blocks and capacity of movement between loading areas (49) adjacent to the forming station and unloading areas (50) adjacent to the binding machines. The electronic control units (44) pre-set the towers to store in an optimized way along the conveyor belt the book blocks from the forming stations, to supply the binding machines with the stored book blocks and to form and memorize databases identifying the stored book blocks. The electronic center (29) of the plant is interfaced with the electronic control units (44) of the towers and with the binding machines for a survey of the loading data and for a functional coupling of the loaded towers with the binding machines.