FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention concerns an apparatus to select-introduce printed and/or blank sheets, to be associated with packages of medicines and/or various products containing notes or instructions, or also having advertising purposes. The selector-introducer apparatus is advantageously associated with an apparatus for folding the printed or blank materials according to characteristics defined on each occasion. The invention also concerns the corresponding method to select- introduce printed and/or blank sheets.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Selector-introducer apparatuses are known, which are used for example in printing machines, photocopiers or other similar or comparable machines.

Known selector- introducer apparatuses can normally handle sheets of paper with a defined basic weight, substantially constant dimensions on each occasion and limited cadences.

Moreover, known apparatuses can often only work on blank sheets, that is, without printing, or with printing that does not modify the basic weight of the sheets in a substantive and/or non-uniform manner.

It is known that known apparatuses can work with sheets already piled, or piled in pre-packaged packs with a defined format.

It is known that the instructions that are associated with medicines and/or beauty products are reported on sheets with the most varied dimensions and with very different basic weights.

Moreover, before folding, to allow them to be introduced in the packages together with the medicine, the instructions are already printed, even in color, possibly on both faces of the sheet.

This means that the sheet, which has the most varied dimensions, has already been subjected to passes in previous machines, and even several types of ink have already been applied on it. This means that the sheets no longer have the original flexibility and slidability, increasing the possibility that blockages and/or damage might occur. Furthermore, known selector-introducer apparatuses must also be suitable to work on advertising sheets, that is, which carry advertising messages. The advertising messages are advantageously made using colored inks, the pigments of which, to obtain the desired shade of color, must constitute specific surfaces, thus giving the sheet different rigidity.

Moreover, as well as being bulky, known apparatuses are slow and require frequent maintenance operations and format-changes, which affect the overall costs of construction and/or management.

For example, the prior documents US 4.034.658 and EP 2.774.884 describe selector-introducer apparatuses configured to select blank sheets from a pile with defined dimensions and basic weight.

One of the disadvantages of these two known apparatuses is that the feed rolls are not sensitive to sheets with different basic weights and/or printing on them. This means that, if the pile of sheets contains different kind of sheets, for example sheets having printing on them, blockages and/or damage may occur.

There is therefore a need to perfect the state of the art and make available a selector-introducer apparatus, and corresponding method, which overcome at least one of the disadvantages of the state of the art.

In particular, one purpose of the present invention is to select and introduce sheets of variable dimensions and basic weights at least into suitable and coordinated folding apparatuses or other apparatuses located downstream.

Another purpose is to allow to select and introduce sheets that have printing on them, even on both sides, with several colors, which also generate specific and possible contiguous surfaces, with different rigidity.

Another purpose is to obtain a selector-introducer apparatus which can work at high cadences since the selection-introduction and folding operation must be limited in factors which are certainly extremely limited, so as to not to negatively affect the final cost of the product sold.

The Applicant has devised, tested and embodied the present invention to overcome the shortcomings of the state of the art and to obtain these and other purposes and advantages.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is set forth and characterized in the independent claim, while the dependent claims describe other characteristics of the invention or variants to the main inventive idea.

According to the above purposes, an apparatus to select-introduce blank sheets and/or printed materials, and the corresponding method, comprises at least a positioning seating suitable to prepare the pile of sheets, able to compartmentalize the sheets according to size, at least a selector unit able to select a single sheet without drawing the other sheets, and at least a possible introduction unit to insert the sheet in a regulated and cadenced manner into a suitable folding unit.

According to one characteristic of the present invention, the selector unit has suitable separation and holding means, coordinated with a mobile suction system in a controlled manner, suitable to select only the sheet to be removed from the pile.

According to another characteristic of the present invention, the selector unit comprises at least a motorized and controllable removal mean, able to remove and move only the sheet previously selected in the removal direction, according to its dimensions and/or basic weight.

According to a variant the invention provides to selectively acquire the first sheet located in the lower part of the pile.

According to another variant, the removal mean cooperates with a contrast mean positionable to direct the sheet that has been removed toward a subsequent user device.

According to a variant, downstream of the removal mean, if useful or necessary for the correct introduction into the subsequent user device, there is an introduction unit, associated with suitable gripper means cooperating with the removal mean. This allows to have a transit without glitches of the sheet along the apparatus until the next user device.

The subsequent user device, by way of example, can be a folding unit.

According to another characteristic of the present invention, the removal mean and gripper mean are individually replaceable without having to simultaneously replace at least the folding unit or other successive user devices.

According to another main characteristic of the present invention, the method comprises: - an initial tuning step of the selector-introducer apparatus, and of positioning a pile of sheets in the positioning seating;

- a step of regulating and compartmentalizing the pile of sheets according to size, by suitable regulation means;

- a step of separating and selecting a sheet located in the lower part of the pile by a suction system positionable and cooperating with separation and/or holding means;

- a controlled and regulated step of removing the selected sheet by means of a removal mean cooperating with a contrast mean and/or at least a regulation mean, according to the dimensions and basic weight of the sheet;

- a controlled and regulated transit step of the sheet removed by the removal mean to the introduction unit.

It comes within the spirit of the invention to provide a step of inserting the sheet into a folding unit and/or other subsequent user device.

It comes also within the spirit of the invention that the method has a maximum operating speed of 350 single sheets selected and introduced per minute, advantageously but not exclusively a normal speed of around 250 single sheets per minute.

According to another variant of the present invention, all the operations are totally automated.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other characteristics of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of some embodiments, given as a non-restrictive example with reference to the attached drawings wherein:

- fig. 1 is a lateral section view of a selector-introducer apparatus for sheets and/or printed materials according to the present invention.

To facilitate comprehension, the same reference numbers have been used, where possible, to identify identical common elements in the drawings. It is understood that elements and characteristics of one embodiment can conveniently be incorporated into other embodiments without further clarifications.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF SOME EMBODIMENTS

With reference to fig. I, a selector-introducer apparatus 10 for blank sheets and/or printed materials according to the present invention comprises at least a positioning seating 1 1, at least a selector unit 12 and possibly at least an introduction unit 13.

The positioning seating 11 comprises a support plane 14 for the pile of sheets, which can be reconstituted, also with different dimensions and/or different basic weights, positionable in a controlled manner.

The positioning seating 11 also has regulation means 15 to compartmentalize the sheets according to their width and/or to define the necessary longitudinal and/or lateral position on each occasion of the sheets to be selected.

This allows to prepare a correct setting of the operating parameters of removal means 21 of the selector unit 12 and contrast means 23 of the introduction unit 13, guaranteeing a correct and speedy transit of the desired sheet, without glitches.

According to a variant, the positioning seating 1 1 can have a slope comprised between 20° and 41°, advantageously around 30°, such that the sheets, also due to the natural vibration of the machine, are continuously settled and correctly positioned.

It should be noted that the positioning seating 11 is configured to locate the sheets, even of variable lengths, positioning them cantilevered for a segment so that the first and lowest sheet in the pile can be selected, removing it from a lower cantilevered part.

The selector unit 12 comprises at least a suction system 16 positionable in a controlled manner by a movement mean 17.

The suction system 16 is configured so as to point its suction nozzle 18 facing toward the lower surface of the first sheet, positioned at the bottom of the pile.

In a possible variant of the present invention, the movement mean 17 comprises at least a rotation member 19 able to position the suction system 16 with the suction nozzle 18 near the external lower surface of the first sheet.

When the suction nozzle 18 is near the external lower surface of the first sheet, the suction system 16 starts the air suction until it adheres to the surface of the sheet with the suction nozzle 18.

Keeping the suction active, the first sheet can be moved with the same movement mean 17 of the suction system 16.

In particular, the rotation member 19, returning to the initial position and keeping the suction of the suction system 16 active, separates the first sheet in contact with the suction nozzle 18 from the pile of sheets, creating an air gap between them.

The selector unit 12 also comprises at least a motorized separator mean 20 able to be inserted in the air gap created by the suction system 16, so as to function as a physical separator between the pile and the selected sheet.

The insertion occurs simultaneously with the slight lowering of the suction system 16 so as to speed up the operation.

In order to remove the selected sheet without blockages, the suction system 16 continues to rotate downward until it takes the end of the selected sheet into contact with a motorized and programmable removal mean 21.

The removal mean 21, by way of example, can be a roll or a transport belt. Furthermore, since it has the data of the dimensions and basic weight supplied by the regulation means 15 available, the removal mean 21 is able to perform a rotation proportional to the parameters of the selected sheet, used to move the sheet forward.

According to a preferential variant of the present invention, the selector unit 12 also provides at least a holder mean 22 positionable between the pile and the selected sheet in contact with the pile.

The holder mean 22, resting on the edge of the pile of sheets during the removal of the selected sheet by the removal mean 21, constrains the forward movement, preventing the selected sheet from drawing the pile forward with it.

The selector unit 12 also comprises at least a contrast roll 23, positionable in a controlled manner in contact with the upper face of the sheet in contact with the removal mean 21. The contrast mean 23 allows to make the sheet removed transit in a planar manner along the desired path.

The introduction unit 13, in a variant, advantageously comprises downstream of the selector unit 12, at least a connection chamber 24 cooperating with at least a guide 25, such as a belt or other type, advantageously adjustable according to the desired format of the sheet.

The connection chamber 24 and the guide 25 allow the controlled transit of the sheet removed from the selector unit 12 to the possible introduction unit 13.

The introduction unit 13 also comprises at least a gripper mean 26, for example a motorized roll, cooperating with an introduction contrast mean 27 and with at least an introduction guide 28, advantageously adjustable according to the desired format of the sheet.

The introduction contrast mean 27, possibly positionable according to the dimensions and/or basic weight of the printed sheet, functions as a contrast for the transit of the sheet between the gripper mean 26 and the introduction contrast mean 27 itself.

The gripper mean 26 cooperates, rotating in a controlled and coordinated manner, with the removal mean 21, allowing the sheet to transit without blockages.

Furthermore, the purpose of the gripper roll 26 is to deliver the sheet to at least one folding unit 29, positionable downstream of the introduction guide 28, which, while remaining constructionally independent thereof, is coordinated with the introduction unit 13.

The folding unit 29 comprises at least an entrance 30 to the folding unit toward the introduction guide 28, able to receive the sheet arriving from the at least one gripper roll 26, stopping the travel thereof and preparing it for folding.

In addition, having provided the introduction unit 13 and hence the removal mean 21 separate from the folding unit 29 facilitates the possible maintenance or restoration operations in the event of malfunctions or blockages.

Moreover, the removal mean 21, performing the specific removal operation without performing the folding on its surface, does not limit its functions to a specific format of the sheet removed.

In other words, if it is a removal roll that is used, the invention does not need to wind and fold the selected sheet on the surface of the removal mean 21, thus allowing to select sheets of even greater length than the circumference of the removal roll.

This also reduces the occurrence of blockages of the sheet on the removal mean 21.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the corresponding method comprises:

- an initial tuning step of the selector-introducer apparatus 10 and of positioning the pile of sheets in the positioning seating 1 1 ; - a step of regulating and compartmentalizing the sheets according to dimension and/or basic weight by regulation means 15;

- a step of separating and selecting the sheet located in the lower part of the pile by means of a suction system 16 cooperating with at least one separator mean 20 and/or at least one holding mean 22 of the sheet;

- a controlled and regulated step of removing the selected sheet by means of at least one removal mean 21 cooperating with at least one contrast mean 23 and/or regulation means 15, according to the dimensions and/or basic weight of the sheet;

- a controlled and regulated transit step of the sheet removed by the at least one removal mean 21 to the at least one introduction unit 13;

- a step of inserting the sheet into at least one folding unit 29 by the at least one introduction unit 13.

According to the present invention, the selector-introducer apparatus 10 as described heretofore has a maximum operating speed of 350 single selected sheets introduced into the folding unit 29 per minute, advantageously around 250 single selected sheets per minute.

It is clear that modifications and/or additions of parts may be made to the selector-introducer apparatus and corresponding method as described heretofore, without departing from the field and scope of the present invention.

It is also clear that, although the present invention has been described with reference to some specific examples, a person of skill in the art shall certainly be able to achieve many other equivalent forms of apparatus and corresponding method, having the characteristics as set forth in the claims and hence all coming within the field of protection defined thereby.