Abstract: A device for packaging preferably two-dimensional products is designed for forming a bag-like tube by way of a longitudinal connection device, from a web of packaging material. The bag-like tube, with respect to a conveying direction of the packaging material, is open in a region in front of the longitudinal connection device and is closed in the region after the longitudinal connection device. The device includes a suction device which leads into the still open bag-like tube, and in the closed region includes a suction opening, through which gas can be sucked out of the region after the longitudinal connection device, out of the bag-like tube and through the suction device.

Abstract: An apparatus for, and a method of, inserting flat articles, e.g. printed pre-products or additional products, parts of newspapers, goods samples, leaflets, fliers and other inserts, into folded printed products. Use is made of a rotary system with compartments which run along a closed circular rotary path and are oriented as a tangent or secant to the rotary path (U). This makes it possible for the printed products and the articles to be fed in the direction of rotation, as a result of which the forces acting on the products can be reduced. There are also advantages relating to format adaptation, since the opening angle of the product upon adjustment of the compartment base does not change to such a pronounced extent as is the case with radially oriented compartments.

Abstract: A clamping element for attaching a gripper onto a clamping tongue as well as a gripper with this kind of clamping element is provided. The clamping element has a longitudinal carrier the width of which substantially corresponds to the width of the clamping tongue and at least two mutually distanced clamping regions. At least one fastening element for the detachable fastening of the clamping elements to the clamping tongue (42, 44) is provided. The clamping element provides an improved force division as well as a secure support on the clamping tongue.

Abstract: Two supply streams of printed products are combined to form a combined printed-product stream. For this purpose, the supply streams are conveyed into a combining region (V) in a main conveying direction (F) in a state in which they, for example, rest loosely on conveying surfaces, are parallel to one another, adjacent to one another and on the same level, inner and outer edges of the printed products (P) of the two supply streams being oriented parallel to the main conveying direction (F). At the entrance to the combining region (V), the inner edge region of each printed product of the first supply stream is raised and, as they are conveyed through the combining region (V), the printed products of the two supply streams are pushed transversely to the main conveying direction (F) and towards one another.

Abstract: The invention relates to a stack or a collection (10) of essentially flat primary products (11-14), in particular printed products, which stack or collection (10) comprises three or more primary products (11-14) which are arranged one immediately above the other in the stack or immediately side by side in the collection and are detachably joined together, and at least one of which is a printed product which has a folded edge. Simple post-processing is achieved by adhesive areas (16) in contact respectively with both adjacent primary products being provided in order to form a detachable connection between adjacent primary products.

Abstract: A device and a method for taking over flexible, two-dimensional objects (100), in particular printed products, at a take-over location (S1). The objects (100) are received by receiver units (10, 12). Controllable narrowing elements (20) are present, in order to prevent a squashing and rebounding of the objects (100) on or from an abutment of the receiver unit (10, 12), with which narrowing elements, in an active condition, the opening width (W2) of the receiver unit (10, 12) in a middle region between an entry opening (16) of the receiver unit (10, 12) and the abutment (15), may be reduced compared to an inactive condition. These are controlled with a control device (30). A more reliable positioning of the objects (100) in the receiver unit (10, 12), in particular at high feed speeds and with thin, elastically deformable objects (100), may be achieved.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for operating a transport device (10) which has a number of identical transport means arranged one after another in a transport direction, which are able to transport product along an intrinsically closed transport path (33) between stations (28) arranged on the transport path (33). To identify the individual transport means, use is made of selected transport means (RK) which can be detected by means of first sensors (24) arranged or on the transport path (33) as the said transport means pass the first sensors (24), which are distributed over the transport path (33) and subdivide the transport path (33) into individual segments. The transport means may be assigned individually consecutive fixed serial numbers, which are counted from a single starting point (34), and in that the starting point (34) is defined by a specific arrangement of a plurality of detectable transport means (DRK).

Abstract: A device for generating a controllable reciprocal movement of a moveable mechanical element between a first stop point and a second stop point. At least one drive element is moved continuously with reciprocal movement between two turning points. A coupling device with a controllable coupling serves for the selective coupling of the mechanical element to the drive element. The coupling device further features a freewheel and is arranged such that in the active state of the coupling the mechanical element is coupled to the at least one drive element during a first half-cycle of the movement of the drive element and is moved from the first stop point to the second stop point, and during a second half-cycle of the movement of the drive element is substantially uninfluenced by the drive element due to the action of the freewheel.

Abstract: The apparatus for conveying printed products has a feeding device which conveys the printed products to a discharge end. The gripper circulatory path of the gripper conveyor moves with the receiving section past the latter. During movement through the receiving section, the grippers use their gripper mouth to grasp the printed products and convey said products further. If the receiving section is located in the central position with respect to the feeding device, the printed products are grasped centrally and conveyed further. If, by contrast, the receiving section is displaced by means of the adjustment device into a side position, the printed products are grasped eccentrically and guided further.

Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus for aligning a sheet product conveyed on a conveying surface of a conveyor system in a direction of conveyance at a conveying velocity, which product has on its side facing away from the conveying surface an at least partially exposed surface. The apparatus has an alignment unit, which is arranged above the conveying surface and which is intended to change the situation of the product with respect to the conveying surface by means of a force acting upon the exposed surface. The alignment unit has a self-contained, flexible force transmission member, which, on that side of the alignment unit which is facing toward the conveying surface, forms a sagging strand, which latter is intended to rest with a portion on the at least partially exposed surface of the product and thus subject said product to the force.

Abstract: A device and method for transport of flexible, two dimensional products and performance of associated production processing of those products, by which the flexible, two-dimensional products are serially conveyed to a workstation and are conveyed away from the workstation again by the same gripper transporter, which enables the workstation to be selectively removed from the production process being performed along the transport path of the printed products, and to be selectively re-introduced again the transport path, in a flexible manner.

Abstract: The device has successively disposed receiving elements (14). These are formed by a channel-like base (42) and a wall (44) trailing as viewed in circumferential direction (U). The circumferential path (24) extends in the working section (38) at an incline such that the printed products (18) fed by means of the first conveyor (10) come to rest in the system at the base (42) and plane against the wall (44). A sliding body (60) is associated with each receiving element (14), the sliding body displacing the fed printed products (18) along the wall (44) of the receiving section (46) in the insertion section (48) by abutting the same. The printed products (18) are opened, wherein the second product part (18?) is placed behind the hold-open element (50), which is disposed on the forward receiving element (14). Inserts (20) are added to the printed products (18) by means of a second conveyor (12).

Abstract: A conveying apparatus with conveying compartments (2) which can be displaced one behind the other along a conveying path has supporting surfaces (S) which are arranged in the conveying compartments and on which flat articles (G), in particular printed products, can be conveyed in a state in which they rest thereon. The supporting surfaces (S) are each formed by a flexible supporting belt (5). In order to set different angles between the supporting surface (S) and the conveying path (1), each conveying compartment (2) has a setting element (3), which acts on the supporting belt (5) in a region between two belt ends which are fastened at two fastening locations (10, 11) which are spaced apart from one another parallel to the conveying path (1). The setting element (3) is further equipped in order to press articles (G) against the supporting surface (S) in an adjacent conveying compartment (2?).

Abstract: The invention proposes a method for operating a print further processing system for producing and processing printed products, in particular for forming stacks or packs of printed product collections comprising completed final printed products such as periodicals and newspapers, which are preferably put together from a main product and a plurality of part products and/or inserts. The printed products are produced in accordance with a predefined production plan and, by means of a stacking device, are processed to form a sequence of packs (S1-S9) of individually predefined size; in order to produce part packs, the processing speed of the parts of the print further processing system that are connected upstream of the stacking device is reduced and, when a threshold value (T) is exceeded, empty positions are formed deliberately in the section of the product sequence allocated to the pack (S). The threshold value (T) is preferably a predefined value of the difference ? in the size of successive packs (Sn?Sn+1).

Abstract: In a computer-controlled conveying system (3), virtual markers (K1-K10) are generated and are stored in association with a conveying element (31, 32, 33, 34). The virtual markers (K1-K10) each comprise a marker position which is based on the current position of the conveying element (31, 32, 33, 34) at the time of generation. A search is carried out for stored virtual markers (K1, K5, K6, K9) which have a relative position with respect to the associated conveying element (31, 32, 33, 34) that lies within a defined sector (T1, T2, T3) at the search time. Actuators of the conveying system (3) are driven depending on whether virtual markers (K1, K5, K6, K9) were found in the defined sector (T1, T2, T3) during searching. The virtual markers (K1-K10) may be applied to the conveying elements (31, 32, 33, 34) with dynamically changing distances, for example, and make it possible to drive actuators in a flexible manner independently of a fixedly defined clock rate.

Abstract: Material webs (1), in particular printed products which are designed as two-ups or multiple-ups, are separated parallel to a conveyor direction (F) during an essentially continuous conveying, in that a waste strip is separated out of the material webs (1) in an alternating sequence of cutting steps. The material webs (1) in consecutive cutting steps, are cut in a shearing manner, and in an alternating manner on the one or the other side of the waste strip between essentially straight-lined cutting edges (3, 5) of the cutting knife (4) and the counter-knife (5). The cutting knives (4) are arranged around the periphery of a separating disk (2) rotating running in the same direction as the conveyor direction (F), wherein its cutting edges (3, 3?) lie in an alternating manner in the plane of the one and the other end-side of the separating disk (2). In each case, a stationary counter-knife (6) is aligned onto in each case one of the two end-sides of the separating disk (2).

Abstract: The invention is related to a device for opening and further transporting of printed products (6) with respectively at least two sheets (18) held together over a fixed edge (10), comprising a conveying device (1) with transport grippers (7) driven in conveying direction (F) arranged with a distance between one another, which are designed to hold the printed products (6) suspended on their fixed edge (10), as well as with an opening device (2) arranged below the transport grippers (2), which is destined to open the printed products (6). The invention is characterised in that the opening device (2) comprises an opening wedge (15) capable of being inserted into a free edge zone (24) between the sheets of the printed product (6), and the opening device (2) furthermore comprises means (5) for supplying blast air (21), by means of which the sheets (18) of the printed product (6) are capable of being fanned open in the edge zone (24), into which the opening wedge (15) is inserted.

Abstract: A device for separating of individual, flat objects from the underside of a stack of this kind of objects (2) includes a roll bed conveyor consisting of a plurality of circulating rollers (9) and supporting the stack from beneath, wherein the rollers (9) are respectively rotatable around their longitudinal axis (10) and are moved along an orbit (11). Hereby the rollers (9) are coupled by a coupling (8) to at least one roller wheel (7) and, by means of this coupling, the longitudinal axes (10) of the rollers (9) are respectively pivotable in relation to the roller wheel (7). The rollers (9) are pivoted in a releasing region (13) of the orbit (11), through which an opening of the roll bed conveyor is created. Thus, the flat objects (2) can individually be conveyed from beneath the stack and transported away through the opening.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method for transferring flexible flat objects, in particular printed products, between two conveyers wherein the apparatus includes a first gripper conveyor having first grippers moved along a first gripper conveying path for the substantially suspended transport of the objects in a conveyor device by seizing a first object edge, a second gripper conveyor having second grippers moved along a second gripper conveying path for receiving the objects by seizing a second object edge located opposite of the first object edge, at least one actuating apparatus for opening and closing the first and second grippers such that a transfer of the objects from the first grippers to the second grippers can take place in a transfer region. At least one auxiliary conveyor including auxiliary grippers carried along an auxiliary conveyor conveying path together with the first grippers is provided.

Abstract: An ion nozzle (36) generates an air jet (38) comprising charged particles which is incident on the open side edge (52) of the printed products (10). As a result of this, the printed products (10) are bulged and, at the same time, discharge electrostatic charge from the open side edge (52).