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JP-2026514542-A - Method of handling sheets using a die-cutting machine and die-cutting machine

JP2026514542AJP 2026514542 AJP2026514542 AJP 2026514542AJP-2026514542-A

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for handling sheets using a die-cutting machine having a platen press equipped with a cutting device. A lift device is used to separate a first sheet and a second sheet from a plurality of sheets and feed them to the platen press. An alignment device is used to align the first and second sheets so that they are stacked and reach the receiving position simultaneously and with proper alignment. A gripping bar is used to capture the stacked sheets at the receiving position and transport them to the cutting device of the platen press. Because the sheets are stacked, they are cut simultaneously in a single cutting operation. [Selection Diagram] Figure 1

Inventors

  • シャトリー パトリス
  • ロッド ミシェル

Assignees

  • ボブスト メックス ソシエテ アノニム

Dates

Publication Date
20260511
Application Date
20240419
Priority Date
20230502

Claims (15)

  1. A method (38) for handling a sheet (12) using a die-cutting machine (10) having a platen press (14), A) Using a lift device (40), separate the first sheet (12A) supplied to the platen press (14) from the multiple sheets (12) being supplied; B) Using the lift device (40), separate the second sheet (12B) supplied to the platen press (14) from the plurality of supplied sheets; It includes at least, The above method (38) further, C) Using an alignment device (44), align the first and second sheets (12A, 12B) supplied to the platen press (14) so that they reach the receiving position (18) simultaneously and in a stacked state, with mutual alignment; D) The step of using at least one gripping bar (22) to capture the supplied stacked first and second sheets (12A, 12B) at the receiving position (18), E) Using at least one gripping bar (22), transport the stacked first and second sheets (12A, 12B) to the cutting device of the platen press (14), F) The step of simultaneously cutting the stacked first and second sheets (12A, 12B) in a single cutting operation using the cutting device, Method (38), including the above.
  2. The method according to claim 1 (38), wherein, in a single separation operation following step F, the cut blank is simultaneously separated from the stacked first and second sheets (12A, 12B).
  3. The method according to claim 1 or 2 (38), wherein in step C, the supplied first sheet (12A) is transported toward the receiving position (18) using a first transport speed, and the supplied second sheet (12B) is transported toward the receiving position (18) using a second transport speed, and the first and second transport speeds are adjusted toward each other so that the supplied first and second sheets (12A, 12B) arrive at the receiving position (18) simultaneously and aligned with each other in a stacked state.
  4. The method according to claim 3 (38), wherein, in step C, the first and second conveying speeds change during the conveying procedure of the first and second sheets (12A, 12B) toward the receiving position (18), and the first and second conveying speeds are adjusted to be the same when the supplied first and second sheets (12A, 12B) reach the receiving position (18).
  5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4 (38), wherein in step C, the supplied first and second sheets (12A, 12B) are transported using a lift device (40) until they are aligned with each other.
  6. In step C, the first and second sheets (12A, 12B) are transported using a conveyor mechanism, a breaking mechanism (46) is provided at the receiving position (18), and as soon as the first and second sheets (12A, 12B) reach the breaking mechanism (46) in a stacked state and are aligned with each other, the breaking mechanism (46) is released, according to claim 1 or 2 (38).
  7. The method according to claim 6 (38), wherein in step C, the first and second sheets (12A, 12B) are transported toward the receiving position (18) in a state at least partially stacked.
  8. The method according to claim 6 or 7 (38), wherein in step C, the breaking mechanism (46) is used to change the transport speed of at least one of the first and second sheets (12A, 12B).
  9. The method according to claim 8 (38), wherein in step C, the breaking mechanism (46) is used to change the transport speed of at least one of the first and second sheets (12A, 12B), and when the first and second sheets (12A, 12B) are aligned with each other and reach the receiving position (18), the first and second sheets (12A, 12B) have the same transport speed.
  10. The method according to any one of claims 6 to 9 (38), wherein the breaking mechanism (46) includes at least one contact surface (47), and the supplied first sheet (12A) is immediately decelerated upon contact with the at least one contact surface (47).
  11. The method according to any one of claims 6 to 10 (38), wherein in step C, the breaking mechanism (46) is at least partially engaged with a passage provided by the conveyor mechanism for the supplied sheet (12), and the breaking mechanism (46) is released by removing the breaking mechanism (46) from the passage.
  12. The method according to claim 1 or 2 (38), wherein the alignment device (44) comprises a first conveyor mechanism (48A) and a second conveyor mechanism (48B), and in step C, the first conveyor mechanism (48A) is configured to transport the first sheet (12A), supplied according to a first transport route, toward the receiving position (18) at a first transport speed; and in step C, the second conveyor mechanism (48B) is configured to transport the second sheet (12B), supplied according to a second transport route, toward the receiving position (18) at a second transport speed; the first and second transport routes terminate adjacent to each other in a stacked state at the receiving position (18); and the first sheet (12A) and the second sheet (12B) are transported simultaneously and at least partially to each other using the respective conveyor mechanisms (48A, 48B).
  13. The method according to claim 12 (38), wherein in step C, at least one acceleration mechanism (52) is provided to adjust at least one of the first and second transport speeds so that the first sheet (12A) and the second sheet (12B) reach the receiving position (18) simultaneously and in alignment with each other while stacked.
  14. The method according to claim 12 or 13 (38), wherein in step C, at least one feeder flap (50) is used to selectively feed each supplied sheet (12) toward the first or second conveyor mechanism (48A, 48B).
  15. A die-cutting machine (10) comprising at least a platen press (14) having a cutting device, a lift device (40), an alignment device (44), a gripping bar (22), and a control device (32), wherein the control device (32) is at least coupled to the lift device (40), the alignment device (44), the cutting device, and the gripping bar (22), and the control device (32) is configured to perform the method (38) according to any one of claims 1 to 14.

Description

This invention generally relates to a method for handling sheets using a die-cutting machine and to a die-cutting machine. In the platen press of a die-cutting machine, sheets are handled and processed, such as being cut. To achieve the desired quality of the finished product, alignment of the processed sheets with respect to the platen press's processing equipment is necessary. This alignment must be achieved and maintained individually for each sheet throughout the entire production process. For example, WO2017/202498A1 discloses a system for gripping sheets on the fly at the introduction station to accurately transport them to the platen press according to the position of printed marks on the sheet. This system operates for one sheet at a time. As a result, the overall production efficiency of the platen press and die-cutting machine is limited. Therefore, there is a need to provide a die-cutting machine that can avoid or at least mitigate the drawbacks of conventional technology. The subject matter of each independent claim satisfies its own needs. Preferred embodiments are shown in the dependent claims and the following description, and each of these embodiments, individually or in combination, may represent aspects of the present disclosure. Some embodiments are described in relation to apparatus, and others in relation to method. However, these embodiments shall be converted accordingly. The following outlines some of the specific embodiments disclosed herein. These embodiments are presented solely to provide a concise summary of the particular embodiments, and it should be understood that they are not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure. This disclosure may encompass various embodiments not described below. According to one embodiment, a method for handling a sheet using a die-cutting machine having a platen press is provided. This method includes at least the following steps: The first sheet supplied to the platen press is separated from the multiple sheets being supplied using a lifting device (Step A). The second sheet supplied to the platen press is separated from the multiple supply sheets using a lifting device (step B). The first and second sheets, supplied to the platen press, are aligned using an alignment device so that they reach the receiving position simultaneously and stacked, with mutual recognition (step C). The supplied stacked first and second sheets are captured at the receiving position using at least one gripping bar (step D). The stacked first and second sheets are transported to the cutting device of the platen press using at least one gripping bar (step E). The stacked first and second sheets are cut simultaneously in a single cutting operation using a cutting device (step F). In this specification, "stacked and aligned" refers to two sheets having the same dimensions and stacked and aligned such that their sides, perpendicular to their extending top and bottom surfaces, are aligned in a straight line. In this specification, a cutting device can be considered a device configured to produce a cutout portion from a stack of sheets. A cutting device may also include a stamping device that simultaneously stamps both sheets against a support on which the sheets are placed. The cutting device is part of a platen press, and the platen press itself is part of a die-cutting machine. This method allows for the simultaneous processing of the first and second sheets, thereby significantly increasing the production speed of sheets processed by the platen press. Consequently, the production efficiency of the die-cutting machine is also improved. However, the alignment device ensures the alignment of both sheets. Therefore, the quality of the processed sheets is maintained regardless of the simultaneous processing of the two sheets. As a result, a predetermined number of sheets can be handled in a shorter time. Preferably, the cut blanks are separated simultaneously from the stacked first and second sheets in a single separation operation following step F. This further improves production efficiency because, unlike the conventional method where blanks from individually processed sheets were subsequently separated sequentially, this method requires only a single separation operation. These individual separation steps can be avoided in this method. Optionally, the first sheet supplied is transported towards the receiving position using a first transport speed in step C, and the second sheet supplied is transported towards the receiving position using a second transport speed. The first and second transport speeds are coordinated with each other so that the first and second sheets supplied arrive at the receiving position simultaneously and in alignment with each other while stacked. Therefore, any time differences resulting from the point at which individual sheets are separated independently from the other sheets can be compensated for by different transport speeds. Thus, differen