Apparatus to select-introduce printed or blank sheets and corresponding method

Abstract

An apparatus to select-introduce blank sheets and/or printed materials and corresponding method, comprising a positioning seating, a selector unit and an introduction unit suitable to select and introduce sheets in sequence according to the format and basic weight, maintaining high cadences and at the same time reducing the causes of blockages of the sheets in the apparatus.

1 . An apparatus to select-introduce blank or printed sheets, comprising at least a positioning seating associated with at least a regulation mean configured to predispose the selection and the removal of at least a sheet from a pile of sheets, a selector unit comprising at least a removal mean configured to move, on each occasion, a sheet of said pile, and an introduction unit associate to at least a folding unit located downstream, wherein said regulation mean is configured to make available, on each occasion, the data of the dimensions and basic weight of said sheets to said removal mean, being said removal mean able to remove and move said sheet according to said data made available by said regulation mean. 
     
     
         2 . The apparatus as in  claim 1 , wherein said selector unit comprises at least a suction system with a suction nozzle associated and coordinated to operate with at least a movement mean and able to remove the first sheet located in the lower part of said pile, associating said suction nozzle with the lower external surface of said first sheet of said pile. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus as in  claim 1 , wherein said selector unit comprises a contrast mean configured to position itself, on each occasion, in a control manner in contact with the upper surface of said sheet removed by said removal mean. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus as in  claim 3 , wherein said suction system cooperates with at least a separator mean, said removal mean, said contrast mean and with at least one holding mean in order to select and remove said first sheet located in the lower part of said pile from said positioning seating. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus as in  claim 1 , wherein said introduction unit comprises at least a gripping mean, at least a contrast introducing mean and/or at least an introduction guide coordinated with said removal mean in order to correctly move said removed sheet and to introduce it in said folding unit. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus as in  claim 1 , wherein said positioning seating, said selector unit, said introduction unit and/or parts of these can be independently substituted with respect to each other and by said folding unit. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus as in  claim 1 , wherein said removal mean is configured to remove a sheet, with a length greater than the perimeter of said removal mean, without winding said sheet around the whole surface od said removal mean. 
     
     
         8 . A method to select at least one blank sheet and/or at least one printed sheet and to introduce it into suitable seatings and/or apparatuses, comprising an initial step of fine tuning a selector-introducer apparatus and of positioning a pile of sheets in a positioning seating of said selector-introducer apparatus, said method comprising:
 a step of regulating and compartmentalizing said pile of sheets according to dimensions and/or basic weights using at least a regulation mean;   a step of making available, on each occasion, by means of said regulation mean, data of the dimensions and basic weights of a sheet located in the lower part of said pile to a removal mean;   a step of separating and selecting said sheet located in the lower part of said pile;   a step of controlled and regulated removal of said selected sheet by means of said removal mean based on said data made available by said regulation mean;   a step of controlled and regulated transit of said sheet removed from said removal mean to said introduction mean.   
     
     
         9 . The method as in  claim 8 , comprising at least an insertion step of the at least said sheet in at least a folding unit and/or other suitable apparatus by said introduction unit. 
     
     
         10 . The method as in  claim 9 , providing sheets with maximum operating speed of up to 350 individual sheets selected and introduced into the folding unit per minute, advantageously a normal rate of around 250 individual sheets a minute. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus as in  claim 2 , wherein said selector unit comprises a contrast mean configured to position itself, on each occasion, in a control manner in contact with the upper surface of said sheet removed by said removal mean.