Title of Invention

IMPROVED SUCTION FEEDER FOR AUTOMATIC FOLDING MACHINE

Abstract

An improved suction feeder for automatic machine (30) comprising a rectangular feeding table (31) for stacking of plurality of sheets (32) held between front and back stopper (12, 33) ; two rectangular boxes (34, 35) at edges running along the length of the machinery having multiplicity of horizontal slits (36,37) for forced air to lift the stack of sheets; an air pressure nozzle (1) with forced air received from the side blower rail (34) is directed at the bottom of front end stoper (12) from its rear end so as to push the bottom most papers (4) on the surface of the rotating drum (2) rotatably mounted below the bottom most sheet (3) and allows the upper sheets (5) to lift upward ; a perforated rotating drum (2) placed below the bottom most sheet convey the sheet forward while sucked by vacuum gun (38) provided inside the rotatable drum (2) controllable through a suction valve (6) having a vacuum reservoir (10) in tandom operated by a suction pump (11) ; a rotary encoder (8) measures travel of sheets ; which is translated into the controller (9) which in turn controls the suction valve (6).

Full Text

FORM 2 THE PATENTS ACT, 1970 (39 Of 1970) COMPLETE SPECIFICATION (See Section 10, rule 13) IMPROVED SUCTION. FEEDER FOR AUTOMATIC FOLDING MACHINE We PRATHAM TECHNOLOGIES PVT. LTD. of 4/2A, PATIL BAUG, DAULAT NAGAR, MUMBAI-BANGLORE HIGHWAY, VADGOAN (BK), PUNE -411 041, MAHARASHTRA, INDIA, INDIAN Company The following specification particularly describes the nature of the invention and the manner in which it is to be performed : - An Improved Suction Feeder for Automatic Folding Machine The invention relates to an Improved Suction Feeder for Automatic Folding Machine. More particularly the invention relates to the feeding of the bottom most sheets without any obstruction automatically in the folding machine without any interruption. The conventional machine, available where the stack of paper being feed in the folding machine by means of suction arrangement wherein the lifting & feeding the bottom most sheet was not precisely done & therefore, are some operational problems & the smooth functioning of the machine was affected. The initial flow of the bottom most sheet was delayed & therefore, not up to the satisfaction of the customer, therefore the present inventor has invented machine by incorporating a mechanism to detect the presence of the bottom most sheet & lifting the stack of paper when feeding the bottom most paper without any obstruction. The machine operates through the controller & interface where initial data is fed. During the feeding operation the encoder senses the travel of sheets & sends the data of sheet length, gap length & suction length to the controller which is compared by a comparator & then operates the suction valve for the smooth functioning of machine. The principal object of the improved suction feeder for automatic folding machine to provide an accurate feeding of sheets to the folding machine. - 2 - The another object, of the improved suction feeder for automatic folding machine is the smooth working of the machine without any interruption. The third object of the invention is that it is economical and user friendly. Accordingly there is provided an improved suction feeder for automatic folding machine (3 0) comprising a rectangular feeding table (31) for stacking of plurality of sheets (32) held between front and back stopper (12, 33) ; two rectangular boxes (34, 35) at edges of sheets running along the length of the machinery having multiplicity of horizontal slits (3 6,3 7) for forced air to lift the stack of sheets ; an air pressure nozzle (1) with forced air received from the side blower rail (34) is directed at the bottom of front end stopper (12) from its rear end so as to push the bottom most papers (4) on the surface of the rotating drum (2) rotatably mounted below the bottom most sheet (3) and allows the upper sheets (5) to lift upward ; a perforated rotating drum {{2) placed below the bottom most sheet convey the sheet forward while sucked by vacuum gun (38) provided inside the rotatable drum (2) controllable through a suction valve (6) having a vacuum reservoir (10) in tandom operated by a suction pump (11) ; a rotary encoder (8) measures travel of sheets ; which is translated into the controller (9) which in turn controls the suction valve(6). The invention will now be described with reference to Figures 1 to 5 in the accompanying drawings. - 3 - Fig. 1 : is the schematic view of an improved suction feeder for automatic folding machine. Fig. 2 : is the blown up view of feeding table (31) with Blower rail of an. improved suction feeder for automatic folding machine. Fig. 3 : is the blown up view of suction arrangement for bottom most and the upper most sheets of an improved suction feeder for automatic folding machine. Fig. 4 : is the sheet length, gap length and measured suction length provided to the interface of an improved suction feeder for automatic folding machine. Fig. 5 : is the timing diagram of the feeding cycle of an improved suction feeder for automatic folding machine. Referring to Figures 1 to 5 , there is provided an improved suction feeder for automatic folding machine (30) comprising a rectangular feeding table (31) for stacking of plurality of sheets (32) held between front and back stopper (12, 33) ; two rectangular boxes (34, 35) at edges running along the length of the machinery having multiplicity of horizontal slits (36,37) for forced air to lift the stack of sheets ; an air pressure nozzle (1) with forced air received from the side blower rail (34) is directed at the bottom of front end-i— —(12) from its rear end so as to push the bottom most papers (4) on the surface of the rotating drum (2) rotatably mounted below the bottom most sheet (3) and allows the upper sheets (5) to lift upward ; a perforated rotating drum (2) placed below the bottom most sheet convey the - 4 - sheet forward while sucked by vacuum gun (3 8) provided inside the rotatably drum (2) controllable through a suction valve (6) having a vacuum reservoir (10) in tandom operated by a suction pump (11) ; a rotary encoder (8) measures travel of sheets ; which is translated into the interface through a controller (9) which in turn controls the suction valve(6). An improved feeder uses a solenoid valve (6) , uses a sheet presence sensor (7) mounted in the direction of the travel of paper, an encoder / transmitter device (8) /which senses, the distance traveled by the sheet, a controller (9) to decide timings required to control the operation of suction line of the feeder as explained in fig. (2) The data related to sheet length (17), suction length (18), and gap length (19) is entered into controller (ref. Figure 3). Encoder / sheet travel sensor (8) informs the controller about travel of sheet. The sheet presence sensor (7) informs that sheet suction has been affected and sheet moving in the direction of folding station has traveled a fix distance between stopper and sensor (20). A program decided in the controller gives the control outputs to solenoid valve to control the timing of valve to achieve controlled suction. The reservoir (10) used in the suction line builds the vacuum in the reservoir tank when solenoid valve is off. Thus better utilizing the suction pump (11) capacity. This also improves the amount of immediate suction air flow, when valve is opened. This gives better suction over traditional suction arrangements made earlier. The suction affected with this arrangement ensures feeding. - 5 - Feeding cycle: (Ref figure 5) initially the valve is opened to start suction and bottommost sheet is fed. A sheet sensed by the sensor mounted in the path ensures that suction is affected and sheet has started traveling in direction of fold station and is already on conveyor belt (13). At this point the distance measurement starts (22). Fixed distance (20) between stopper band sensor is subtracted from suction length. After the length corresponding to the suction length (18) is traveled, valve is closed. Balance sheet length and gap length (21) is then measured to start the new cycle again. An additional blower nozzle called air pressure nozzle (1) is provided from inside the front stopper as shown in figure (1). This blower blows the air on to the front end of paper stack (4,5) exactly above the area where rotating vacuum drum (2) sucks the bottom most paper (3). The blowing of air pushes the bottom most papers (4) of the stack towards rotating drum and at the same time lifts the upper papers (5) in the stack of paper. This facility improves the adhesion of bottom most paper of the stack to rotating drum, thus enabling easy removal of bottom sheet of stack with rotation of drum. This is an embodiment of the invention and several modifications are possible within the ambit and spirit of the invention. As many possible embodiments may be made of the invention without departing from the scope thereof, it is to be understood that all matters herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. - 6 - WE CLAIM: 1. An improved suction feeder for automatic folding machine (30) comprising a rectangular feeding table (31) for stacking of plurality of sheets (32) held between front and back stopper (12, 33); two rectangular boxes (34, 35) at edges running along the length of the machinery having multiplicity of horizontal slits (36, 37) for forced air to lift the stack of sheets; an air pressure nozzle (1) with forced air received from the side blower rail (34) is directed at the bottom of front end stopper (12) from its rear end so as to push the bottom most papers (4) on the surface of the rotating drum (2) rotatably mounted below the bottom most sheet (3) and allows the upper sheets (5) to lift upward; a perforated rotating drum (2) placed below the bottom most sheet convey the sheet forward while sucked by vacuum gun (38) provided inside the rotatable drum (2) controllable through a suction valve (6) having a vacuum reservoir (10) in tandom operated by a suction pump (11); a rotary encoder (8) measures travel of sheets; which is translated into the controller (9) which in turn controls the suction valve (6). 2. An improved suction feeder as claimed in claim 1 wherein, data entry regarding sheet length, suction length and gap length are made in the interface. 3. An improved suction feeder as claimed in claim 1 wherein, the reservoir (10) used in the suction line builds the vacuum in the reservoir tank when the solenoid value (6) is off, thereby utilizing better pump capacity. 4. An improved suction feeder as claimed in claim 1 wherein, the reservoir (10) improves the suction air flow, when the valve is opened. 7 5. An improved suction feeder as claimed in claim 1 wherein, the air pressure nozzle )(1) exerting air pressure on bottom most sheet (3) to give better adherement to rotating drum, to ensure better feeding of sheet. 6. An improved suction feeder as claimed in claim 1 wherein, the sheet presence sensor *|7) detects the presence of bottom most sheet under the sensor so as to count the suction length and stop the valve. s 7. An improved suction feeder for automatic fcAding machine as claimed in claim 1 and substantially herein described in the accompanying drawings l to 5. Dated this 19th day of April, 2004. 8

Documents:

470-mum-2004-abstract(19-04-2004).pdf

470-mum-2004-abstract(1904-2004).doc

470-mum-2004-cancelled pages(19-04-2004).pdf

470-mum-2004-claims(granted)-(19-04-2004).doc

470-mum-2004-claims(granted)-(19-04-2004).pdf

470-mum-2004-correspondence(25-02-2005).pdf

470-mum-2004-correspondence(ipo)-(21-02-2005).pdf

470-mum-2004-drawing(19-04-2004).pdf

470-mum-2004-form 1(19-04-2004).pdf

470-mum-2004-form 19(19-04-2004).pdf

470-mum-2004-form 2(granted)-(19-04-2004).doc

470-mum-2004-form 2(granted)-(19-04-2004).pdf

470-mum-2004-form 3(19-04-2004).pdf

470-mum-2004-general power of attorney(19-04-2004).pdf

abstract1.jpg