Procedure and device for providing a product stream a sequence given by Produkteinheiten in.

[0001] The invention is on the area Förderund processing technology of laminar products, in particular from printering products. It concerns a procedure and a device for providing a clocked product stream a sequence given by Produkteinheiten in after the generic term of the independent requirements 1 and providing of a product stream, also delivered flow mentioned, from laminar Produkteinheiten in a given sequence and/or order serves in particular the purpose of the subsequent treatment in this given order. A given sequence represents by definition a sorted succession of Produkteinheiten.

A preferential application lies in the dispatch space technology when arranging and if necessary addressing of Produkteinheiten in a given order according to a given sequence of addresses, which corresponds for example to a setting route. The setting route represents the route, which a Zusteller runs off and/or drives off with the feed of the Produkteinheiten.

In the dispatch space technology different products must according to addressees sorted arranged and to groups, who Produkteinheiten so called are summarized. Such Produkteinheiten can be present e.g. as small piles and/or collections. Therefore the Produkteinheiten can be product compositions. The background is the fact that usually each addressee receives an individual composition of different products, whereby also the different products of a Produkteinheit personifiziert, e.g. being addressed can.

The products of a Produkteinheit can in the form of letters or addressed printering products such as magazines, newspapers or advertising supplements, to be present. Furthermore also particulars or all products, like letters, can be e.g. individualized journals, maps or Booklets of a Produkteinheit, which are intended for a certain addressee, before or during the composition of a Produkteinheit with the address concerned.

Furthermore the Produkteinheit does not know also products contained those addressed, however with the personal preferences of the addressee co-ordinated is. This can be newspapers, magazines or advertising supplements.

The addressees usually become an order given by a delivery man in, which e.g. corresponds to the setting route, visited. Therefore it is important that the Produkteinheiten are made available also in the order of the setting route to delivering.

There is from there the need that the entire product stream at Produkteinheiten, also product stream is called, provided already with the production of the Produkteinheiten in the given sequence. This sequence is to be maintained also with following Weiterverarbeitungsund promotion steps.

A subsequent treatment can be the addressing of all or selected products or the addressing the Produkteinheit of a recapitulatory envelope. Furthermore the subsequent treatment can cover also a packing of the Produkteinheiten, e.g. into an envelope or into a sleeve from plastic.

The addresses are printed for example in one the sequencer position in promotion direction printer connected at the outlet side sequence-fairly on the Produkteinheiten. The products can be promoted afterwards likewise sequence-fairly in accordance with a given setting route (succession of the receivers) to a delivery mechanism, from which the Produkteinheiten are delivered.

The above remarks are to be regarded as part of the invention revealing.

It knows now occurrences that a Produkteinheit is not only incorrectly formed against the default or.

So for example products can be missing in an incorrect Produkteinheit, which were not delivered for different reasons. Furthermore it can also be that the Produkteinheit contains damaged products.

A missing or incorrect Produkteinheit must later be corrected or again provided, before this can be made available to the distribution and/or to the further processing. It corrects the Produkteinheit meant among other things that the Produkteinheit is completed by supplying the missing products that incorrect products are exchanged, or that surplus products are separated.

Subsequent providing and/or finishing of the missing and/or incorrect Produkteinheit leads however to the fact that is these no more at the correct place in in the meantime provided and in the device further-promoted sequence arranged.

Since one would like the given succession of the sequence however under all circumstances maintained by Produkteinheiten, production or completion must a Produkteinheit the far promotion of the Produkteinheiten of the sequence in the device, arranged correctly at first attempt, later be continued for those and the sequential production by Produkteinheiten be interrupted.

The later correctly provided Produkteinheit is then inserted in the correct place into the sequence. The far promotion of the sequence and thus the production of further following Produkteinheiten can be taken up then again.

Alternativzu this procedure can be led the sequence section concerned also into a waiting loop and be supplied only after completion by the mentioned Produkteinheit again the far promotion. However the production of following Produkteinheiten interrupted to the sequence section concerned completed is also here and to be further-promoted can.

Thus the EP describes 2,107,023 A1 a procedure and a device for the completion of a sequence of Produkteinheiten when occurrence incorrect Produkteinheiten. In this publication writing described solution problem basedly on it that the product sequence along a closed orbit to the grouping distance, at which the Produkteinheiten were arranged is led back and the incorrect Produkteinheit is completed. Subsequently, the completed sequence of a transition region is supplied for the delivery to a way conveyer system.

This procedure ensures the delivery of a given sequence to a way conveyer system.

The production of following Produkteinheiten following the incorrect Produkteinheit must be interrupted however, until the incorrect Produkteinheit was led and completed again by the grouping distance.

The procedure described above leads from there to many production interruptions. The achievement and/or efficiency of the device is substantially reduced. The device does not achieve the necessary throughput at Produkteinheiten per time unit in the most unfavorable case.

US 5,171,005 again describes a mechanism and a procedure for arranging newspapers.

The mechanism exhibits a majority of supply stations and a delivery station, whereby a charge well is assigned to the supply stations as piles for the admission of printing products in each case. On a circular rotation device arranged photograph subjects are led past in a circle and sequentially along a closed circular path to that along this circular path arranged supply stations as well as the delivery station. The photograph subjects led at the supply stations are fed past by the pertinent charge wells with newspaper parts. To the delivery station the arranged newspapers are transferred by the running by photograph subjects to a grip arm promoter.

With a feed error the rotation device completes an additional revolution, in order to lead back the photograph subject concerned by the feed error to the appropriate supply station and repair the feed error. In this way a sequence of different newspaper products pre-determined for the later dispatch can be maintained.

Also here production must be interrupted by following Produkteinheiten, until the sequence led in the rotation device is completed and can a way conveyer system be supplied.

In the further one the EP-A describes 0 51 1 159 a procedure as well as an appropriate device, which serve for arranging complex Produkteinheiten by putting partial products into a Hauptprodukt. Different products supplied as continuous rivers are united along at least one grouping distance, realized by a belt conveyor, to groups. Each group is to exhibit a given succession of products. In order to avoid errors in the put down product stream due to errors in the supply, is suggested, buffering the products still in the supply stream before the delivery to the grouping distance e.g. by means of appropriate intermediate promoters. The delivery is to only take place if in all buffers a sufficient number from products is present to the production of a complete group. If necessary the production of a group is so for a long time retarded, until this is the case.

This procedure repairs however only one source of error, which leads to incorrect Produkteinheiten. In principle there is however a majority of reasons, why a Produkteinheit is not only incorrectly arranged or.

The patent specification US 5,547,175 again describes a procedure for the production of individualized Produkteinheiten from several products, which are combined in each case into a pile. The device contains two printing stations, which are steered by a common control unit. At a first printing station individual products with personalifizierten messages and at a second printing station know can the Produkteinheit with a personal address be provided. In the mentioned publication writing however no solution is described, how sequences can be repaired the sequence given by Produkteinheiten with incorrect Produkteinheiten without production interruption and while maintaining.

The invention is the basis now the task to place a procedure and a device to providing a product stream from a majority a sequence given by Produkteinheiten in to the order by means of which incorrect Produkteinheiten can be corrected a sequence without production interruption as well as under adherence to the given sequence.

By sequence a given succession is to be understood about Produkteinheiten, which promote-strains one behind the other e.g. in a certain order along one is arranged. Thus a certain place and/or a certain position is given to the individual Produkteinheiten in the sequence.

The sequence can exhibit any length. The sequence can consist of partial sequences, which itself by certain characteristics, as e.g. setting region or setting route differentiates, of other partial sequences.

The task now solved from a procedure with the characteristics from requirement 1 and a device with the characteristics from requirement 10th favourable further educations and execution forms of the invention result from the dependent requirements, the description and the designs.

The procedure for providing a clocked product stream a sequence given by Produkteinheiten in contains the following steps:

- Supplying from products to the grouping distance of a first conveyer system; - Providing a clocked product stream of Produkteinheiten from the supplied products along the grouping distance in a given sequence, - delivery of the Produkteinheiten in the given sequence at a way conveyer system and a way promoting of the Produkteinheiten in a clocked product stream.

With the Produkteinheiten it can concern in each case individual or several, in particular different products, which are combined into the Produkteinheit. The products can be combined into piles e.g. or be put into other products. A combination of it is likewise conceivable.

With the products it preferably acts around laminar products such as letters or printering products. Printering products can e.g. be newspapers, magazines, magazines, booklets, books, advertising supplements or Flyer.

The Produkteinheiten are preferentially from each other distinguishable, individualized and/or personidentifiable. The Produkteinheiten can be of each other distinguishable e.g. by an addressing, marking or by a different composition.

The Produkteinheiten are preferentially individualized and for example assigned to a certain receiver and/or a certain receiver address. By individualized Produkteinheiten thus Produkteinheiten are to be understood, which receiver-specific characteristics, as address or products covers.

The individualized Produkteinheiten are identifiable and the receiver zuordenbar by a control unit according to the device.

Individual products of a Produkteinheit, like letters, newspapers or magazines can be separately addressed.

Other products of a Produkteinheit, like advertising supplements, can be co-ordinated with personal needs of the receiver. For this reason the individual Produkteinheiten of a sequence can differentiate themselves not only concerning receiver address but also contentwise from each other.

The receivers of the Produkteinheiten can be for example persons. It is also conceivable that the receiver is only a ship-to-address to a distribution place, of where from then the products of the Produkteinheiten are processed or distributed.

Now with the occurrence of an incorrect or missing Produkteinheit in the formed sequence in the place in the way conveyer system, intended for the missing or incorrect Produkteinheit, a product gap in the product stream is formed according to invention.

The mentioned promotion straining section of the way conveyer system is preferentially between a first and arranged in promotion direction subordinate second assumption place at the way conveyer system. Depending upon execution of the invention all or only the correctly provided Produkteinheiten in the first assumption place are taken over by the way conveyer system. The later correctly provided Produkteinheiten are taken over by the way conveyer system in the second assumption place, and/or taken over again.

The bypass mechanism can be arranged for example between the first and second assumption place.

In accordance with a preferential first further training of the procedure according to invention concerning delivery of incorrect Produkteinheiten an incorrect Produkteinheit will not hand over to the way conveyer system. That is, the product gap training conveyances of the way conveyer system is not occupied with a Produkteinheit.

Product gap means that in a given sequence of Produkteinheiten a Produkteinheit is missing, because z.

B. the Produkteinheit concerned during the far promotion was retained or removed before. A sequence of Produkteinheiten can contain or several, e.g. directly sequential product gaps.

The product gap comes during the way conveyer system into the fact to the expression that with the conveyances, which promote the product stream one of the conveyances does not contain a Produkteinheit.

In the way conveyer system a product gap in the product stream for the missing Produkteinheit is thus formed.

In accordance with the first further training of the procedure according to invention the conveyance in the sequence, planned for the missing Produkteinheit, is left empty with the delivery of the Produkteinheiten to the way conveyer system.

In accordance with a second further training of the procedure according to invention concerning delivery of incorrect Produkteinheiten an incorrect Produkteinheit will hand over to the way conveyer system. The incorrect Produkteinheit is removed in the following however for formation of a product gap over a removal mechanism the product stream of the way conveyer system.

It knows also occurrences that a product stream exhibits several, directly one behind the other or product gaps from each other beabstandete. Accordingly several do not know directly one behind the other or from each other beabstandet arranged conveyances Produkteinheiten to contain in the way conveyer system.

Missing one or incorrect Produkteinheit can mean that the Produkteinheit is not at all formed or is formed only incompletely. So it knows occurrences that in the grouping distance one or more products for different reasons are not delivered and in the Produkteinheit to be missing accordingly. This can e.g.

happen, if in the product supply in consequence of an incorrect processing a gap arises.

Furthermore it knows also occurrences that one or more supplied products a damage are not correctly to each other aligned to exhibit or and can these either not the Produkteinheit therefore not be supplied or the Produkteinheit to be removed to have.

In the further one it knows also occurrences that one or more wrong products are supplied to a Produkteinheit, which must be removed for the Produkteinheit.

The additional correction of the Produkteinheit can consist of the fact that at a removal station individual products of the Produkteinheit or the whole incorrect Produkteinheit is removed and the Produkteinheit is completed or completely again provided.

If product in the Produkteinheit is only missing, then the incomplete Produkteinheit of the grouping distance can be supplied and completed again.

The missing or incorrect Produkteinheit is thus later provided in the grouping distance correctly and transferred afterwards to the way conveyer system.

The mentioned Produkteinheit is supplied to the product gap temporally in the following now however by way of a bypass mechanism under bypass of a promotion straining section of the way conveyer system. In this way the given sequence is made available by Produkteinheiten in the way conveyer system in a completely sorted succession for further processing processes.

The way conveyer system can cover a transfer conveyer system as well as an intermediate conveyer system.

The transfer conveyer system promotes the Produkteinheiten from the first conveyer system to the intermediate conveyer system.

The promotion straining section and according to also, which can be bridged, the first and second assumption places in the intermediate conveyer system are trained.

In accordance with a first further training of the procedure according to invention concerning the delivery of later correctly erstellter Produkteinheiten the later correctly provided Produkteinheit of the first conveyer system will hand over, e.g. directly or indirectly over a transfer conveyer system to a bypass mechanism and from the bypass mechanism for the first time to Wegbzw. Intermediate conveyer system transfer and to the product gap in the product stream to Wegbzw. Intermediate conveyer system supplied.

In accordance with a second further training of the procedure according to invention concerning the delivery of later correctly erstellter Produkteinheiten the later correctly provided Produkteinheit of the first conveyer system becomes e.g. direct or indirect, over a transfer conveyer system to Wegbzw. Intermediate conveyer system hand over and in the following of Wegbzw. Intermediate conveyer system transferred to the bypass mechanism.

The mentioned Produkteinheit becomes over the bypass mechanism under bypass of a promotion straining section the way and/or intermediate conveyer system Wegbzw. Intermediate conveyer system transfer and to the product gap in the product stream to Wegbzw. Intermediate conveyer system supplied. The later correctly provided Produkteinheit is sorted in such a way into the previous formed sequence by Produkteinheiten.

This second further training of the procedure exhibits the advantage that both on first attempt and the Produkteinheiten later correct-placed in a common first assumption place by the way conveyer system can be taken over. The later correctly provided Produkteinheiten are removed only like described below above the way conveyer system and handed over to the bypass mechanism.

The sequence is preferentially further-demanded forwards, during and/or after its completion in the way conveyer system. That is, the sequence or partial sequence is in promotion direction along its promotion way in constant motion. Switching of the device or individual mechanisms of the device off is not necessary.

The device contains of the procedure according to invention for the execution:

- a first conveyer system with a grouping distance to providing a clocked product stream of Produkteinheiten from the supplied products in a given sequence; - a way conveyer system for the way promoting of the Produkteinheiten in the given sequence in a clocked product stream.

By grouping distance a zone in the first conveyer system is to be generally understood, in which the Produkteinheiten in a given sequence are arranged. Preferred contain the grouping distance a promotion straining section in the first conveyer system, along which the Produkteinheiten are arranged.

The way conveyer system can cover as previously mentioned a transfer conveyer system as well as an intermediate conveyer system.

The transfer conveyer system serves the assumption of the Produkteinheiten of the first conveyer system and the delivery of the Produkteinheiten to the intermediate conveyer system. For this the Produkteinheiten are transferred to one the first conveyer system assigned distribution office to the transfer conveyer system and at one the intermediate conveyer system assigned assumption place by this taken over.

The transfer conveyer system contains preferentially at least for this one intermediate promoter, who if necessary promotes the Produkteinheiten of the distribution office of the first conveyer system to the assumption place at the intermediate conveyer system and to a bypass mechanism. The intermediate promoter can e.g. be a belt conveyor or a grip arm promoter or a combination of it, and/or contain these.

The device according to invention is characterised by the fact that this contains a bypass mechanism, which is so laid out that Produkteinheiten of the way conveyer system under bypass of a promotion straining section of the way conveyer system can be supplied temporally in the following and be sorted in such a way into formed the before and a product gap exhibiting sequence by Produkteinheiten.

The bypass mechanism can be called also bypass, Einsortieroder wake mechanism.

With the help of the bypass mechanism the promotion way of one can be reduced the way conveyer system to temporally in the following supplied Produkteinheit under omission of promotion documents. In this way the Produkteinheit knows a previous provided sequence of Produkteinheiten, to which this Produkteinheit belongs, nor reaches and into these to be sorted.

At the way conveyer system and/or the intermediate conveyer system are for this prefers a first and second assumption place intended, at which Produkteinheiten by the way conveyer system can be taken over.

A first assumption place is laid out to hand the Produkteinheiten over of a sequence arranged correctly at first attempt to the way conveyer system.

A second assumption place subordinate in promotion direction of the first assumption place is laid out to hand later correctly provided Produkteinheiten over under bypass of a promotion straining section to the way conveyer system and/or the intermediate conveyer system.

Between the first and second assumption place the bridgeable promotion straining section lies. The promotion straining section exhibits a majority of conveyances, which are assigned to a promotion act in each case.

The bridgeable promotion straining section can be trained e.g. as open loop. This is characterised by the fact that the direct distance of the two, which are substantially shorter loop ends of training first and second assumption places more briefly, in particular, than the length that promote-strains by the loop the trained.

Now if an later correctly provided Produkteinheit in the second assumption place of the way conveyer system is thus supplied, then the promotion document in the promotion straining section lying between them are omitted. Since at first attempt correctly arranged and in the first assumption place of the way conveyer system the handed over Produkteinheiten of a sequence must go through this promotion straining section, reached those temporally in the following provided Produkteinheit the product gap developed in the product stream.

The additional time, which is needed for the additional production of the Produkteinheit, can be compensated with that time, which the Produkteinheiten arranged correctly at first attempt need, in order the mentioned promotion straining section to go through.

If a transfer conveyer system is intended, then can be assigned these processing stations, which at the Produkteinheiten during their promotion by the transfer conveyer system processing steps make.

So a summary station can e.g. be intended, at which the loose products of the Produkteinheiten are combined into connected Produkteinheiten. The summary station can be present e.g. in form of a Folierstation, at which the Produkteinheiten with a plastic cover are coated.

Furthermore also Beschriftungsbzw can. Printing station intended its, at which the Produkteinheiten will mark printed on and/or. So addresses and/or other information can be applied e.g. on the Produkteinheiten.

The first conveyer system contains prefers a majority of, in a closed orbit led conveyance. The conveyances, which are assigned to a promotion act in each case, train in each case a photograph section as the production and admission of the Produkteinheiten. The photograph section can e.g. be a bag, a subject, a grip arm with extended grip arm thigh, a saddle, a cut, a compartment, a recess, an embossment or a bent tray surface with attack.

The first conveyer system contains preferentially also means for wedging holding of the Produkteinheiten on the conveyances. So the photograph sections with a tray surface know cooperating grip arm, clips or compressor rod, as volumes or spring elements cover. The spring elements are e.g. from spring steel. The compressor rods can be also along the promotion direction arranged brush strips, which press with their bristles against the Produkteinheiten.

The photograph sections can be overlapping, geschuppt, graduated or separately one behind the other arranged trained.

Along the orbit a grouping distance is intended, along which over one or more feeding arrangements are handed over the products under training by Produkteinheiten to the conveyances to the first conveyer system.

The closed orbit permits now the feedback of the conveyances, which the missing or incorrect Produkteinheiten containing, to the grouping distance. In the grouping distance the Produkteinheit is then provided later correctly or again gathered and handed over like already before afterwards at first attempt correctly arranged the Produkteinheiten of the sequence of the way conveyer system and/or over a transfer conveyer system of an intermediate conveyer system.

The device is steered in such a manner for this that the later provided Produkteinheit is transferred over the bypass mechanism into the product gap developed because of this Produkteinheit in the way conveyer system in the product stream.

The first conveyer system is prefers part of a gathering mechanism for gathering Produkteinheiten in the form of collections along the grouping distance. Such a gathering mechanism, as it can find in available invention employment, is for example in the EP 2,107,023 A1 revealed. Contents of the publication writing mentioned concerning the gathering mechanism and in particular concerning the photograph subjects are introduced hereby as reference and are considered as part of revealing.

The gathering mechanism is characterised in particular by an orbit of the promoter, who contains two subranges. The two subranges are one above the other arranged, whereby the grouping distance in an upper subrange of the orbit course is formed. The orbit runs in the subranges preferentially horizontal or essentially horizontal.

Along the grouping distance one is or is arranged a majority of feeding arrangements, over which the products the conveyances moved along the grouping distance are delivered.

The lower subrange trains a reconducting range. The upper and lower subrange are over one, in promotion direction along the grouping distance regards front and rear detour connected. In the two detours the conveyances are turned back and/or turned around by the upper subrange into the lower subrange.

The Produkteinheiten are shown, as in the following remark examples, transferred preferably to a detour to the way conveyer system and/or to a transfer conveyer system.

The WHERE 2010/051 a special execution form of the gathering mechanism described above describes 651 a2, as it can likewise find in available invention application. Contents of the publication writing mentioned concerning the gathering mechanism and in particular concerning the photograph subjects are introduced hereby as reference and are considered as part of revealing.

The gathering mechanism in accordance with the publication writing mentioned is characterised in particular by the fact that the conveyances are designed as photography modules with one, in particular diagonally bent bearing surface for the products. Furthermore the photography modules cover also grip arms with a first and second gripper jaw, by means of which the Produkteinheiten can be seized and held.

A comparable gathering mechanism describes also the EP 2,383,214 A1. Contents of the publication writing mentioned concerning the gathering mechanism and in particular concerning the photograph subjects are introduced hereby as reference and are considered as part of revealing.

The conveyances in accordance with the execution variants, specified designed as photography modules, above are moved in each case over a conveyor chain along the orbit.

The way conveyer system and/or the intermediate conveyer system contains preferentially likewise a majority of conveyances, whereby for a Produkteinheit a conveyance is intended preferentially in each case. A promotion act is assigned to each conveyance. The way conveyer system and/or intermediate conveyer system can e.g. cover a grip arm promoter. The conveyances correspond in this case along one promote-strain separately one behind the other to promoted grip arms.

In accordance with a further training the number of the promotion document in the promotion straining section of the way conveyer system and/or the intermediate conveyer system, given by the conveyances, corresponds to the invention at least the number of promotion document along the closed orbit of the first conveyer system.

In accordance with a first execution form the way conveyer system contains of the device according to invention as above already describes a transfer conveyer system and an intermediate conveyer system. The bypass mechanism is subordinate the transfer conveyer system in process direction. Furthermore a switch mechanism is intended, to supply and to the intermediate conveyer system there hand over to supply and to the intermediate conveyer system over hand there which permits, alternatively the Produkteinheiten of a sequence of the first assumption place arranged correctly at first attempt and later correctly provided Produkteinheiten by way of the bypass mechanism of the second assumption place.

The term “switch mechanism” is to be laid out broadly and is any kind of mechanisms to cover, which permit, to supply one of the transfer conveyer system alternatively seized Produkteinheit a first or second assumption place of the intermediate conveyer system. The switch mechanism is controllable over an appropriate control unit.

The intermediate conveyer system as well as the subordinate bypass mechanism inclusive switch mechanism can in accordance with in the WHERE 2009/065 242 A1 revealed the delivery device be implemented. Contents of the publication writing mentioned concerning the delivery device are introduced hereby as reference and are considered as part of revealing.

In accordance with the publication writing specified above the grip arms of the intermediate conveyer system in one are turned back preferentially downward, arranged detour. The detour can e.g. contain a detour of the promotion course around 90° (degrees of angle) or more, in particular around 180°.

The detour has e.g. the task the product stream into a promotion way loop inside or from this to supply.

The conveyances, like grip arms, are e.g. promoted in the detour preferentially in a sheet. This leads to the effect that itself the distances radially outside of the lying product batches of data, as grip arm thigh, which increases conveyances in the detour.

An intermediate promoter of the transfer conveyer system, which is in particular a belt conveyor, supplies now all Produkteinheiten of the detour of the intermediate conveyer system delivered by the first conveyer system.

The grip arms contain tiltable grip arm thighs over a control unit between Offenund closing position relatively to each other. Furthermore preferably also the grip arms are tiltable over the control unit.

The turning of the grip arms as well as the grip arm parts can take place for example over tax scenes.

By the position of the grip arm thighs relatively to each other and/or by the turning of the grip arms, now the grip arm can know and/or the grip arm thighs in the first assumption place into a position to be brought, to which it transfer or reject a Produkteinheit supplied by the intermediate promoter.

Rejected Produkteinheiten are supplied to the subordinate bypass mechanism, in particular a belt conveyor of the bypass mechanism.

The supply of the Produkteinheiten to the conveyances, in particular to the grip arms of the intermediate conveyer system in the second assumption place is possible with a double volume conveyer system, how it is descriptive for example in the EP 1,411,011 B1. Contents of the publication writing mentioned concerning the double volume conveyer system are introduced hereby as reference and are considered as part of revealing.

The grip arms at preferably downward an arranged detour are turned back also here. The detour can e.g. contain a detour of the promotion course around 90° (degrees of angle) or more, in particular around 180°.

The Produkteinheiten are promoted by means of the double volume conveyer system from bottom to top to the grip arms rotating around the detour and handed over to these.

The Produkteinheiten are isolated supplied to the double volume conveyer system upward approximately, turned back e.g. by way of a belt conveyor, and by the double volume conveyer system 90° into a vertical adjustment.

The time of the product delivery can be steered via the drive of the double volume conveyer system. The Produkteinheiten can be held back thus in the double volume conveyer system up to the arrival of the product gap. Accordingly the double volume conveyer system is likewise steered via the control unit.

In accordance with a second execution form of the device according to invention the bypass mechanism between a distribution office in the first conveyer system and the second assumption place of the way conveyer system is arranged.

The device can contain also here a transfer conveyer system, which takes over the Produkteinheiten at a first distribution office of the first conveyer system, arranged correctly at first attempt, and these at a first assumption place to an intermediate conveyer system over hands. The bypass mechanism takes over the later correctly provided Produkteinheiten on first or at a second distribution office of the first conveyer system and transfers these to a second assumption place of the intermediate conveyer system.

The bypass mechanism prefers an intermediate promoter enclosure. The intermediate promoter promotes the Produkteinheiten of the first and/or second distribution office of the first conveyer system to the second assumption place at the intermediate conveyer system. The intermediate promoter can e.g. be a belt conveyor or a grip arm promoter or a combination of it, and/or contain these.

Between the first and second assumption place a bridgeable promotion straining section lies also here.

The promotion straining section exhibits a majority of conveyances, which are assigned to a promotion act in each case. The bridgeable promotion straining section can be trained e.g. as open loop of the kind also already described here.

In accordance with a third execution form of the device according to invention the bypass mechanism between a first and second interchange point is to Wegbzw. Intermediate conveyer system arranged. Between the two interchange points the promotion straining section of the way conveyer system which can be bridged lies. The first interchange point is for the delivery of later correctly provided Produkteinheiten of Wegbzw. Intermediate conveyer system to the bypass mechanism laid out.

The second interchange point is for delivering the Produkteinheiten later correct-placed to Wegbzw.

Intermediate conveyer system and sorting derselbigen into the product gap laid out. This execution form finds in the procedure in accordance with the second further training concerning the delivery of later correctly erstellter Produkteinheiten application.

The bypass mechanism can contain means for buffering of the Produkteinheiten. These means can cover for example a double volume conveyer system.

The device contains preferentially also a control unit for control of the process steps according to invention. These process steps e.g. are:

- providing Produkteinheiten in a given sequence and the delivery of the Produkteinheiten to the way conveyer system; - subsequent providing of Produkteinheiten, - generating product gaps in the product stream of the way conveyer system, and - synchronous feeding of later provided Produkteinheiten into the product gaps at the way conveyer system.

The production of the Produkteinheiten as well as the education out following each other Produkteinheiten of the formed product stream are supervised preferentially by the control unit. For this in the control unit prefers a digital clock image of the device produced. The clock image permitted, the allocation of the Produkteinheiten to the conveyances as well as the Nachverfolgung by means of the conveyances along promote-strain promoted Produkteinheiten. Owing to this monitoring it is possible to sort later correctly produced Produkteinheiten purposefully into the intended product gaps of a product stream in the way conveyer system.

The speeds of the individual conveyer systems (inclusive intermediate promoters) as well as a possible buffering of the later produced Produkteinheiten can be controlled in such a way that the later produced Produkteinheit passes the product gap the second assumption at the time, at that, are supplied.

So it can be for example also intended that the later produced Produkteinheit of the bypass mechanism will retain supplied and by means of the buffering means so for a long time in this, until the product gap reaches the second assumption place.

The device contains of the expirations for control prefers sensors, which e.g. product specific information takes up or during the product processing seize and to the control unit pass irregularities on. The sensor information can concern for example a wrong address or a damaged product.

The control unit introduces the necessary process steps due to the evaluated sensor information for the additional completion and/or production of a successfully not produced Produkteinheit.

The procedure according to invention as well as the pertinent device exhibit the advantage the fact that later it completes incorrect or missing Produkteinheiten or after-produced and in the correct place into the sequence already transferred to the way conveyer system by Produkteinheiten can be sorted position-exactly temporally in the following and/or in-clocked.

The additional completion of Produkteinheiten produced of an already and the way conveyer system of handed over sequence section does not block however the sequential production of further Produkteinheiten of following sequence sections.

The device can be operated if necessary even with maximum operating speed further, independently of whether incorrect Produkteinheiten must later be corrected.

During passing through a lock of later finished Produkteinheiten by the bypass mechanism, it can be that in the first assumption place a product gap is trained, which moves on by the way conveyer system. This product gap is however insignificant for following processing steps. It is crucial that the given sequence succession can be kept.

The device according to invention for the execution of the procedure exhibits also the advantage that the invention at little constructional expenditure can be converted. Thus for example devices also existing can be still re-tooled. Besides the control technical conversion of the invention is comparatively simple. The controlling of the device remains simple and visible also with the procedure according to invention.

By the comparatively small complexity of the device according to invention and the pertinent procedure also less manual remachining is necessary like e.g. händisches Nachsortieren and placing of after-produced Produkteinheiten into the product gaps before manufactured sequences of Produkteinheiten.

The device according to invention exhibits a compact building method and takes relatively little place up.

A further advantage lie also in the fact that the procedure according to invention including control and the pertinent device are also for little trained personnel easily understandable and comprehensible. This permits a safe enterprise to the device.

In the following the invention article becomes on the basis of preferential remark examples, which are represented in the enclosed designs, more near describes. Show schematically in each case:

Fig. 1: a side view of a first execution form of a device according to invention; Fig. 2a-2c: Side views of cutouts of the first assumption place in accordance with Fig. 1; Fig. 3: a side view of a second execution form of a device according to invention.

In principle same parts are provided with same reference symbols in the figures.

The two execution forms of a device according to invention 1, 51 contain in each case a gathering device with a first conveyer system 2, 52 for gathering products 8 to Produkteinheiten 9.

The first conveyer system 2, 52 covers a majority of one behind the other arranged conveyances 12 in the form of photograph sections. The conveyances 12 are circulating led along a closed promotion course W. The conveyances 12 can be led e.g. across a conveyor chain (not shown). The photograph sections 12 cover in each case a tray surface as well as a compressor rod cooperating with the tray surface, by means of which the Produkteinheit 9 can be held the tray surfaces.

The orbit W trains an upper and lower subrange. In the upper subrange a grouping distance G is trained. Along the grouping distance G a majority by supply units 7a-7f, 56a-56e are arranged, which are furnished to deliver products 8 past to along the grouping distance G the promoted photograph sections 12. The photograph sections 12 are promoted past for this along the grouping distance G at the supply units 7a-7f, 56a-56e.

The provided Produkteinheiten 9 turned back following the grouping distance G over one in promotion direction F along the grouping distance G regards front detour promoted to the lower subrange and to a rear detour of the conveyer system 2, 52. The Produkteinheiten 9 are transferred to the grouping distance thereby at one in promotion direction F subordinate distribution office 19, 69, 70 of a transfer conveyer system 4, 54, 60.

The empty photograph sections 12 are again turned back over the rear detour and led back into the upper subrange, where they are then moved again along the grouping distance G for production of further Produkteinheiten 9.

Furthermore the device 1, 51 contains a way conveyer system. The way conveyer system covers among other things an intermediate conveyer system 3, 53 in form of a grip arm promoter with a majority of grip arms 13. The intermediate conveyer system 3, 53 promotes the Produkteinheiten 9 from the first conveyer system 2, 52 of a further processing too.

The assumption of the Produkteinheiten 9 by the intermediate conveyer system 3, 53 in the assumption places 17, 18; 67, 68 takes place in each case via latches of the grip arms 13. This procedure is steered by appropriate Kulissenführungen. The Kulissenführungen are steered again by a control unit 6, 55.

The device 1.51 contains a central control unit 6, 55 in the further one, by means of which among other things the supply units 7a-7f, 56a-56e, further processing stations, like e.g. a summary station 15, 65 and an inscription station 16, 62, the delivery of the Produkteinheiten 9 at the distribution offices 19, 69, 70, the assumption of the Produkteinheiten 9 in the assumption places 17, 18; 67, 68, the inclusive switch mechanism 20, as well as the removal station 14 to be coordinated steered can.

Control unit 6, 55 maintains a digital clock image of the device 1,51. This permits the allocation of the Produkteinheiten to 9 to the individual conveyances 12, 13, like grip arms, as well as the after pursuit by means of the conveyances of the 12, along 13 promote-strain promoted Produkteinheiten 9. the control unit 6, 55 e.g. knows from there the condition of the grip arms 13 of the intermediate conveyer system 3, 53, i.e. whether these are occupied with Produkteinheiten empty or. The Produkteinheiten are preferentially individualized.

In accordance with in Fig. 1 first execution form shown the Produkteinheiten 9 of the first conveyer system are transferred to the distribution office 19 isolated to a belt conveyor 10 of the transfer conveyer system 4, which likewise part of the way conveyer system is. The distribution office 19 is arranged in the lower subrange of the orbit W ending in the rear detour.

Along the belt conveyor 10 processing stations are arranged, at which the Produkteinheiten 9 are by-promoted. A first processing station covers a summary station 15, at which the loose products 8 of the Produkteinheiten 9 Produkteinheiten 9 which can be connected are summarized. At a following inscription station 16 the Produkteinheiten 9 are addressed and/or provided with other information.

Subsequently, the Produkteinheiten 9 are handed over to the grip arms 13einer intermediate conveyer system 3 at a first assumption place 17. The exact operational sequence of the assumption of the Produkteinheiten 9 by the intermediate conveyer system becomes further down on the basis the Fig. 2a to 2C described in detail.

Now if the control unit 6 determines, which a photograph section 12 contains of the first conveyer system an incorrect Produkteinheit 9c or these completely is missing, then the photograph section concerned 1 2 without delivery of the incorrect Produkteinheit at the distribution office 19 back to the grouping distance G is promoted past. An incorrect Produkteinheit 9c can be removed if necessary at a removal station arranged in the lower subrange of the orbit W automatically from the processing process.

To seizing as Produkteinheit incorrectly put out 9c intended grip arms 13 at the intermediate conveyer system 3 a product gap L remains itself accordingly with the assumption of the Produkteinheiten 9a arranged correctly at first attempt empty and trains.

The incorrect Produkteinheit 9c is now later completed and/or again provided. Thus for example, in the grouping distance G the still which are missing products 8 are supplied to the photograph section 12, which contains the incorrect Produkteinheit 9c.

the mentioned photograph section 12 during its feedback empty, because e.g. against the default previous no Produkteinheit 9 was provided, or because the incorrect Produkteinheit 9c was removed during the feedback of the photograph section at the removal station 14, then the Produkteinheit 9b in the mentioned photograph section is completely again formed when going through the grouping distance G.

Alternatively to it the later provided Produkteinheit 9b in arbitrary, but to empty photograph section 12 can be provided in the latter case. That is, the additional production of the Produkteinheit 9b does not have to happen in that photograph section 12, the removed and/or missing Produkteinheit was assigned to which. These two alternative approaches are limited by the way to the available remark example do not separate are completely generally valid.

The later provided Produkteinheit 9b is likewise handed over to the belt conveyor of the transfer conveyer system 4 now at the same distribution office 19, and as already before the other Produkteinheiten 9 of the sequence concerned into connected Produkteinheiten 9b combined and marks.

Now a switch mechanism is assigned to the intermediate conveyer system 3 in the range of the first interchange point 17, by means of which the position of the grip arms 13 as well as the position of the gripper jaws 21a, 21b can be steered relatively to each other that the grip arms 13 the Produkteinheiten 9 either with their gripper jaws 21a, 21b supplied by way of the belt conveyor 10 to seize and take over or laterally reject and not take over.

The later provided Produkteinheit 9b is likewise supplied on the belt conveyor 10 of the first assumption place. The switch mechanism 20 is steered in such a manner now via the control unit 6 that the grip arm 13 arriving at the same time in the promotion act of the later provided Produkteinheit 9b rejects the Produkteinheit 9b by a lagging and does not take over these thereby.

The mentioned Produkteinheit 9b is steered thereby on a further belt conveyor 11a of the bypass mechanism. The Produkteinheit 9b is turned back in this way under bypass of a promotion straining section of the intermediate conveyer system 3 by means of one double volume conveyer system 1 1 b following to the belt conveyor 1 1 A in a vertical direction and supplied from downside to a second assumption place 18an of the intermediate conveyer system 3.

Furthermore the bypass mechanism 5 contains also means 24 for buffering, thus for holding back the Produkteinheiten 9b up to the point of delivery time in form of a double volume conveyer system.

The second assumption place 18 is subordinate in promotion direction F of the intermediate conveyer system 3 of the first assumption place. Between the first and second assumption place a promotion straining section is trained, which contains a majority of in each case assigned grip arms 13 to a promotion act. The after-produced Produkteinheit 9b precedes now the Produkteinheiten 9a promoted in the promotion straining section.

The Produkteinheit 9b is inserted now into the empty grip arm 13. The empty grip arm was formed already before by the non--delivery of the incorrect Produkteinheit 9c.

Of course the belt conveyor 11b can turn the Produkteinheiten back 9b also only in an angle from up to 30° to the vertical one.

Between the two assumption places 17, 18 formed of promotion straining section is as open promotion way loop 23 designed. That is called the length of the promotion straining section is substantially larger than the distance between the two assumption places 17, 18.

The intermediate conveyer system 3 trains in each case a detour pointing downward, around which the grip arms 13 are led around 180° in the two assumption places 17, 18. The grip arms 13, which are led preferably at a conveyor chain (not shown), are promoted, turned back thus from top to bottom for detour and promoted again from bottom to top. The orbit U of the grip arms 13 trains an u-shaped promotion section.

In the detour in each case the assumption of the Produkteinheiten 9 takes place. In this promotion section the angles of photography of the grip arms 13 are moved mutually apart by the arc-shaped detour, so that between the angles of photography of the individual grip arms 13 larger distances develop, which permit a safe delivery of the Produkteinheiten to 9. This meets also the assumption places 67, 68 in accordance with the remark example after Fig. 3 too.

While now in the first assumption place 17 the Produkteinheiten 9 are promoted horizontal and tangential for detour to the first assumption place 17, the Produkteinheiten 9b in the second assumption place 18 are vertically from downside supplied. With this kind of the Zuförderung it is of advantage, if the Produkteinheiten 9 are supplied to the grip arms 13 gotten jammed between the two volumes of the double volume conveyer system 1 1 b.

The Produkteinheiten 9 can be supplied at a distribution office by the intermediate conveyer system 3 of a subsequent treatment. So the Produkteinheiten 9 to a belt conveyor 30 can be transferred and be supplied on the belt conveyor one behind the other or in a shed stream, however further in the given sequence, a Stapeleinrichtung 31. The Produkteinheiten 9 are combined and bound in the Stapeleinrichtung 31 e.g. into piles or packages.

The Fig. 2a to 2C show detailed cutouts of the first assumption place 17. The intermediate conveyer system 3 contains before the first assumption place 17 an opening aggregate of 22 to open the grip arms 13. The opening aggregate 22 guarantees that the grip arms run 13 opened into the assumption place 17.

Furthermore the intermediate conveyer system 3 contains a controllable Kulissenführung 20 of the first assumption place 17 in the range also, by means of which the angle of traverse of the grip arm 13 and closing of the grip arm 13 can be controlled. The angle of traverse of the grip arm 13 in the assumption place 17 is along also whether the Produkteinheit 9 into the open grip arm muzzle 13 is inserted or by swivelling the grip arm thighs 21a, 21b and/or the Nichtschliessen of the grip arm 13 is not taken up. The mentioned Kulissenführung part of a switch mechanism is accordingly the Produkteinheit 9b von Greifer 13 is rejected, then this by the belt conveyor 10 of the intermediate conveyer system 4 to promotion direction F on deep or belt conveyor 1 1 A of the bypass mechanism 5 which is on same level is promoted. The belt conveyor 1 1a promotes the Produkteinheit 9b of the second assumption place 18 too. The Produkteinheiten 9 are in each case isolated promoted on the belt conveyors 10, 11a. Of course the mentioned belt conveyors can exhibit also an inclination from e.g. to 30°.

In Fig. 3 represented second execution form of a device according to invention 51 enclosure, like already further above describes, likewise a gathering mechanism with a first conveyer system 52.

Contrary to the first execution form this execution form, in promotion direction F along the grouping distance G regarded points to receive apart from a transfer conveyer system 54 arranged at the rear detour of the first conveyer system 52 a bypass mechanism, arranged at the front detour, the transfer conveyer system 54 is laid out in addition, the Produkteinheiten 9 of a sequence arranged correctly at first attempt at a first distribution office 69 from the first conveyer system 52 and to hand these over at a first assumption place 67 of the intermediate conveyer system 53.

The Produkteinheiten 9 are transferred for this by the first conveyer system 52 at the first distribution office 69 to a belt conveyor 59a of the transfer conveyer system 54. The first distribution office 69 is arranged in the lower subrange of the orbit W running into the rear detour.

The Produkteinheiten 9a are promoted past with the belt conveyor 59a of a summary station 15, at which the loose products 8 of the Produkteinheiten 9a are combined into connected Produkteinheiten 9a.

To the belt conveyor a double volume conveyer system 59b attaches 59a, which turns the Produkteinheiten back 9a of a horizontal situation upward into a vertical situation and from downside the grip arm over 13 of the intermediate conveyer system 53 supplies and to these hands.

Furthermore the bypass mechanism 60 contains also means 64 for buffering, thus for holding back the Produkteinheiten 9b up to the point of delivery time in form of a double volume conveyer system.

The bypass mechanism 60 is laid out to receive the later provided Produkteinheiten 9b of a sequence at a second distribution office 70 from the first conveyer system 52 and to hand these over at a second assumption place 68 of the intermediate conveyer system 53.

The second assumption place 68 is subordinate in promotion direction F of the intermediate conveyer system 53 of the first assumption place 67. Between the first and second assumption place 67, 68 a promotion straining section is trained, which contains a majority of in each case a promotion act assigned grip arms 13.

Between the two assumption places the promotion straining section formed is also here designed 67, 68 as open promotion way loop 63. That is called the length of the promotion straining section is substantially larger than the distance between the two assumption places 67, 68. Here the bypass mechanism with the same speed can be operated as the transfer conveyer system.

The later provided Produkteinheiten 9b are transferred now by the first conveyer system 52 at the second distribution office 70 to a belt conveyor 61a of the bypass mechanism 60. The second distribution office 70 is arranged in the lower subrange of the orbit W beginning in the front detour.

To the belt conveyor a double volume conveyer system 61b attaches 61a, which turns the Produkteinheiten back 9b upward into a vertical situation.

The loose products 8 of the Produkteinheiten 9b likewise at a summary station 65 Produkteinheiten 9b which can be connected summarized and afterwards from bottom to top the grip arms 13 of the intermediate conveyer system 53 supplies and handed over to these and/or taken over of this.

The intermediate conveyer system 53 trains also here in the two assumption places 67, 68 in each case a detour pointing downward, around which the grip arms 13 are led around 180°. The grip arms 13, which are led preferably at a conveyor chain (not shown), are promoted, turned back thus from top to bottom for detour and promoted again from bottom to top. The orbit U of the grip arms 13 forms thus a kind for u-shaped promotion section in the detour takes place in each case the assumption of the Produkteinheiten 9.

To the Nachproduktion and/or for the subsequent completion of the incorrect Produkteinheit 9c additionally needed time, among other things by the bypass of a promotion straining section at the intermediate conveyer system 53 again one catches up also here.

Since the second distribution office 70 in promotion direction F lies regarded before the first distribution office 69, furthermore a part of the additionally needed time due to the earlier delivery of the later provided Produkteinheiten 9b by the bypass of the promotion straining section between the two distribution offices 69, 70 at the first conveyer system 52 caught up.

An inscription station 62 is assigned to the intermediate conveyer system 53 in the further one. The inscription station 62 is in promotion direction F of the intermediate conveyer system 53 regards the second assumption place 68 subordinate.

Thus all Produkteinheiten 9 at a common inscription station 62 are led past and marked with the address and/or other information.

Of course the mentioned belt conveyors 59a, 61a can exhibit also an inclination from e.g. to 30°.

Furthermore the double volume conveyer systems 59b, 61b can turn the Produkteinheiten back also only into an angle from up to 30° to a vertical one.

The Produkteinheiten 9 can be supplied at a distribution office by the intermediate conveyer system 53 of a subsequent treatment. So the Produkteinheiten 9 to a belt conveyor 80 can be transferred and be supplied on the belt conveyor one behind the other or in a shed stream, however further in the given sequence, a Stapeleinrichtung 81. The Produkteinheiten 9 are combined and bound in the Stapeleinrichtung 81 e.g. into piles or packages.