DE102024108175B4 - Arrangement and method for the edge-aligned collation of a plurality of films on a workpiece carrier - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to an arrangement (100) for collating a plurality of films (106, 110, 134) on a workpiece carrier (102) with the same edges, comprising a first film stack (104) with first films (106) and at least one second film stack (108) with second films (110), a workpiece carrier (102) which is designed to receive a plurality of the films (106, 110) in a stacked manner, at least one gripping device (112) for removing one film (106, 110) from each of the film stacks (104, 108) and placing it on the workpiece carrier (102) or on a film (106) already present there, and a sensor-based control device (114) which is designed to detect a contour of the stack (116) of films (106, 110, 134) on the workpiece carrier (102) or a contour of the workpiece carrier (102) itself, and to check whether an overhang (118) is present due to an incorrectly transported film (120) of the first film stack (104) or the second film stack (108). The invention further relates to a corresponding method.

Description

The invention relates to an arrangement and a method for gathering, in particular with equal edges and in particular without registration errors, a plurality of films on a workpiece carrier so that they can later be joined to form a laminate.

When producing data cards or identity cards from a laminated composite, the individual layers or plies are provided in the form of a film sheet. Only after the individual layers have been laminated to form a laminated composite are the cards cut to a final format. Depending on the film dimensions, it is possible for a card to be in its final format even after lamination. Preferably, a strip of raw cards in ID 1, ID 2, ID 3, or some other format is provided in a subsequent cut-to-size strip. These formats are standardized, for example, by ISO 10373, ISO/IEC 7810, and ISO 14443.

The individual films can preferably be formed from a polymer selected from a group comprising polycarbonate (PC), in particular bisphenol A polycarbonate or a polycarbonate formed with a geminal disubstituted bis(hydroxyphenyl)cycloalkane, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), and derivatives thereof, such as glycol-modified PET (PETG), polyethylene naphthalate (PEN), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyvinyl butyral (PVB), polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), polyimide (PI), polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), polystyrene (PS), polyvinylphenol (PVP), polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE), thermoplastic elastomers (TPE), in particular thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer (ABS), and derivatives thereof. Furthermore, the individual films can also be made from several of these materials. They are preferably made of PC or PC/TPU/PC. The polymers can be either filled or unfilled. In the latter case, they are preferably transparent or translucent. If the polymers are filled, they are opaque. The film booklet comprising several films is preferably produced from three to twelve, preferably four to ten, films. The films can also carry printing layers. A laminate formed in this way can also be coated on one or both sides with a protective or topcoat varnish or with a protective film. The films can, in particular, comprise a volume hologram or a surface hologram (for example, a cinemagraphic element). They can also be a scratch-resistant film. Overlay layers formed in this way additionally impart the required abrasion resistance to the substrate.

When gathering the individual film layers, it can happen that more than one film is lifted from the stack when the films are lifted, meaning that a second film is dragged along. The reason for this is the adhesive forces that prevail between the individual films, which arise, for example, due to electrostatic charging. The individual films are then not always placed in the correct or desired position on the workpiece carrier. This leads to significant disruptions and waste in the subsequent lamination step. In addition, the laminating sheets of a laminating device can be damaged. The further production process can also be disrupted or even stopped due to films that are not placed correctly on the workpiece carrier, and in particular, further damage to the production system can occur.

It is therefore the object of the present invention to provide an arrangement and a method which take into account the disadvantages mentioned above.

This object is achieved by an arrangement having the features of claim 1 and by a method having the features of claim 6. Advantageous embodiments with expedient further developments are specified in the dependent claims.

The arrangement according to the invention for collating a plurality of films with identical edges on a workpiece carrier comprises a first film stack with first films and at least one second film stack with second films. There can also be more than two film stacks, for example three, four, five film stacks, or more than five film stacks. In most cases, a maximum of 25 film stacks are present. The arrangement also comprises a workpiece carrier configured to receive a plurality of films in stacked form, as well as a gripping device for removing one film at a time from the respective film stack and placing it on the workpiece carrier or on a film already present there. Furthermore, a sensor-based control device is provided, which is configured to detect a contour of the stack of films on the workpiece carrier or a contour of the workpiece carrier itself in order to check whether there is an overhang due to an incorrectly picked film from the first film stack or the second film stack.

In this way, it can be determined before the lamination process whether an incorrectly stacked stack of individual films is at work piece carrier is present so that further processing can be stopped to avoid waste.

It is advantageous if a drive device is assigned to the workpiece carrier for intermittently adjusting the workpiece carrier along a trajectory which runs along all film stacks, wherein the trajectory provides a stop next to each of the film stacks at which the drive device of the workpiece carrier is temporarily stopped in order to remove a film from the film stack in question and to place it on the workpiece carrier or on a film already present there.

Thus, the workpiece carrier is moved along each foil stack, with each foil stack preferably being assigned its own gripping device, equipped, for example, with suction grippers. In this way, a foil booklet consisting of a plurality of foils is assembled on the workpiece carrier, which can later be laminated.

It has proven advantageous if the sensor-based inspection device is formed with a stationary line sensor, and if the contour can be detected by moving the workpiece carrier. However, it is also possible to hold the workpiece carrier stationary at one of its stops, in which case the line sensor is adjusted to detect the contour. Instead of a line sensor, for example, a camera-based contour inspection comprising a camera can be used, which optically detects the film sheet itself or the corresponding workpiece carrier and thus checks whether there is any overhang in the film sheet.

An overhang is a section of the contour that does not correspond to the usual specified contours, so that it can be determined that the overhang has led to incorrect stacking on the workpiece carrier.

It has proven advantageous to have an ejection station downstream of the film stacks, which is configured to eject the workpiece carrier and/or the stack of films on it when an overhang is detected. This prevents waste from being generated during the lamination process or even damage to the laminating sheets.

Furthermore, it is advantageous if a laminating station is arranged downstream of the film stacks, which is designed to combine the individual films of the stack present on the workpiece carrier into a laminate if no overhang has been detected.

The advantages, advantageous embodiments and technical effects explained in connection with the arrangement according to the invention apply equally to the method according to the invention.

• - Bereitstellen eines ersten Folienstapels aus ersten Folien;
• - Bereitstellen mindestens eines zweiten Folienstapels aus zweiten Folien;
• - Entnehmen einer ersten Folie vom ersten Folienstapel mittels einer Greifeinrichtung und Ablegen der entnommenen ersten Folie auf dem Werkstückträger,
• - Entnehmen mindestens einer zweiten Folie vom zweiten Folienstapel mittels einer Greifeinrichtung und Ablegen der entnommenen zweiten Folie auf die erste Folie am Werkstückträger, wodurch ein Stapel aus Folien, mithin ein Folienheft gebildet wird; und
• - Erfassen einer Kontur des Stapels aus Folien auf dem Werkstückträger oder Erfassen einer Kontur des Werkstückträgers selbst mittels einer sensorbasierten Kontrolleinrichtung, und Prüfen, ob ein Überstand aufgrund einer fehlerhaft mitgenommenen Folie des ersten Folienstapels oder des zweiten Folienstapels vorliegt.

The method according to the invention for assembling a plurality of films on a workpiece carrier with the same edges comprises in particular the following steps:

• - Providing a first stack of slides from the first slides;
• - Providing at least one second stack of second slides;
• - removing a first film from the first film stack by means of a gripping device and placing the removed first film on the workpiece carrier,
• - removing at least one second film from the second film stack by means of a gripping device and placing the removed second film onto the first film on the workpiece carrier, thereby forming a stack of films, thus a film booklet; and
• - Detecting a contour of the stack of films on the workpiece carrier or detecting a contour of the workpiece carrier itself by means of a sensor-based control device, and checking whether there is an overhang due to an incorrectly carried film of the first film stack or the second film stack.

Here, too, it is possible for more than two foil stacks to be present, and for more than two foils to be stacked on the workpiece carrier. The workpiece carrier preferably includes a positioning pin so that the individual foils are correctly aligned with each other and remain aligned.

The detection of exceeded or specified contours or dimensions of the film indicates multiple removal due to the excess detected by the sensor-based control device.

A particularly efficient method can be achieved by intermittently moving the workpiece carrier along a trajectory, whereby the trajectory provides a stop next to each of the film stacks, at which the workpiece carrier temporarily stops and at which a film of the respective stack is removed and placed on the workpiece carrier or on a film already present there. In this way, a film booklet is compiled on the workpiece carrier from all the films in the existing film stack.

If the workpiece carrier is motor-adjustable, it has proven advantageous if the control device is formed with a stationary line sensor, and if the contour is detected by the movement of the workpiece carrier. The reverse variant would also be possible, whereby the workpiece carrier remains at one of its stops and the line sensor is moved relative to the stationary workpiece carrier in order to detect the contour of the film stack on the workpiece carrier or the contour of the workpiece carrier itself.

If rejects have been detected due to the presence of an overhang, it is preferable if the workpiece carrier and/or the stack of films on it are ejected at an ejection station, which is located downstream of the film stacks in particular.

In the opposite case, namely when no overhang has been detected, it is preferred that the individual films of the stack of films present on the workpiece carrier are combined to form a laminate at a laminating station.

This laminate can then be fed to the further process steps, for example, the laminate can comprise a plurality of individual identity card blanks, which are then punched or cut to their final dimensions.

It is generally noted that all features disclosed with respect to specific aspects or embodiments of the invention can also be combined with other aspects or embodiments of the invention in a technically reasonable manner. This also applies across different technical subject matters and subject matter categories. In particular, this also applies in part to individual features, unless explicitly stated herein or it is obvious from a technical contradiction that an inextricable functional-technical connection exists between certain features, which must be maintained to implement the invention.

• 1 eine Anordnung zum, insbesondere kantengleichen, Zusammentragen einer Mehrzahl an Folien auf einem Werkstückträger;
• 2 eine Illustration der Verfahrensschritte des Entnehmens einer Folie von einem Folienstapel mittels einer Greifeinrichtung und des Ablegens der entnommenen Folie auf dem Werkstückträger, wobei dies fehlerfrei erfolgt;
• 3 eine Illustration der Verfahrensschritte des Entnehmens einer Folie von einem Folienstapel mittels einer Greifeinrichtung und des Ablegens der entnommenen Folie auf dem Werkstückträger, wobei dies fehlerbehaftet erfolgt; und
• 4 eine Unteransicht auf den Werkstückträger, auf dem die Folien fehlerhaft positioniert sind.

The invention is explained below using an exemplary embodiment and its outline. Herein:

• 1 an arrangement for gathering, in particular with the same edges, a plurality of films on a workpiece carrier;
• 2 an illustration of the process steps of removing a film from a film stack by means of a gripping device and placing the removed film on the workpiece carrier, whereby this takes place without errors;
• 3 an illustration of the process steps of removing a film from a film stack by means of a gripping device and placing the removed film on the workpiece carrier, whereby this is carried out with errors; and
• 4 a bottom view of the workpiece carrier on which the foils are incorrectly positioned.

In 1 An arrangement 100 for the edge-aligned collation of a plurality of films 106, 110, 134 on a workpiece carrier 102 is shown. Purely by way of example, a first film stack 104 with first films 106 and at least one second film stack 108 with second films 110 as well as five further film stacks 132 with further films 134 are present. Each of the film stacks 104, 108, 132 is assigned a gripping device 112, which is implemented as a suction gripper ( 2 and 3 ).

Furthermore, several workpiece carriers 102 can be seen, which can be intermittently adjusted along a trajectory 122 using a drive device. The trajectory 122 has a stop 124 next to each of the film stacks 104, 108, 132, at which the drive device of the workpiece carrier 102 is temporarily stopped in order to remove a film 106, 110, 134 from the respective film stack 104, 108, 132 and place it on the workpiece carrier 102 or on a film 106, 110, 134 already present there. To ensure that the films 104, 108, 132 can be placed on the workpiece carrier 102 with their edges flush, a positioning pin, preferably even several of the positioning pins, is assigned to the workpiece carrier 102. In any case, each of the workpiece carriers 102 runs along the trajectory 122 to pick up a foil 106, 108, 134 from the respective foil stack 104, 108, 132, thereby forming a foil booklet on the workpiece carrier 102. This foil booklet is to be subsequently laminated.

The arrangement 100 is additionally assigned a sensor-based control device 114, which is configured to detect a contour of the stack 116 of films 106, 110, 134 on the workpiece carrier 102 or a contour of the workpiece carrier 102 itself in order to check whether a projection 118 is present due to an incorrectly taken film 120 of the first film stack 104 or the second film stack 108 or one of the further film stacks 132. The control device 114 is preferably formed by a stationary line sensor 126, wherein the contour can be detected by the movement of the workpiece carrier 102. A camera-based contour control and an optical inspection for the presence of a projection 118 can also be used. It is also possible to use a light barrier as a sensor-based control device, wherein an interruption of the light barrier indicates the presence of a projection 118.

In any case, the arrangement 100 shown also has a laminating station 130, which is arranged downstream of the film stacks 104, 108, 132. The laminating station 130 is configured to combine the individual films 106, 110, 134 of the stack 116 present on the workpiece carrier 102 into a laminate. However, this only occurs if no overhang 118 has been detected by the sensor-based control device 114. If, however, such an overhang 118 has been detected, the stack 116 of films 104, 108, 134 or the workpiece carrier 102 itself is ejected at an ejection station 128, which is also arranged downstream of the film stacks 104, 108, 132.

Based on 2 It is illustrated how the gripping device 112 removes a film 106, 110, 134 from a film stack 104, 108, 132 and places it on the workpiece carrier 102 or on a film 104, 108, 132 present there, or on a stack 116 present there. The gripping device 112 comprises a suction foot 136, in this case even several of the suction feet 136, in order to remove the respective film 106, 110, 134 individually from the film stack 104, 108, 132.

3 shows the situation in which this removal occurs incorrectly, namely because a film 120 that has been taken along adheres to the film 106, 110, 134 picked up by the gripping device 112, for example due to electrostatic charging. When the film 106, 110, 134 is placed on the workpiece carrier 102, the overhang 118 remains, which extends beyond the film stack, namely the stack 116, and in this case even extends beyond the contour of the workpiece carrier 102 itself. This overhang 118 can then be detected by the sensor-based control device 114, so that it can be concluded that the film stack on the workpiece carrier 102 has been incorrectly stacked. A stack 116 formed in this way, in which an overhang 118 is present, is then discharged from the process via the discharge station 128, thus avoiding the production of further rejects or the damage of other constituents of the production plant.

In 4 Finally, there is a bottom view of a workpiece carrier 102 from 3 , in which the overhang 118 beyond the contour of the workpiece carrier 102 can be detected, so that faulty stacking on the workpiece carrier 102 can be concluded here as well; this can also prevent rejects. In other words, the invention takes advantage of the fact that it is detected at an early stage whether the foil booklet or the stack 116 on the workpiece carrier 102 is faulty, to which an immediate response can then be made.

List of reference symbols

100

arrangement

102

Workpiece carrier

104

first stack of slides

106

first slide

108

second stack of slides

110

second slide

112

gripping device

114

Control device

116

Stack (on workpiece carrier)

118

Overhang

120

taken foil

122

Trajectory

124

stop

126

Line sensor

128

Discharge station

130

Laminating station

132

another stack of slides

134

another slide

136

Suction cups

Claims (10)

Arrangement (100) for the edge-aligned collation of a plurality of films (106, 110, 134) on a workpiece carrier (102), comprising a first film stack (104) with first films (106) and at least one second film stack (108) with second films (110), a workpiece carrier (102) which is designed to receive a plurality of the films (106, 110) in a stacked manner, at least one gripping device (112) for removing one film (106, 110) from each of the film stacks (104, 108) and placing it on the workpiece carrier (102) or on a film (106) already present there, and a sensor-based control device (114) which is designed to determine a contour of the stack (116) from To detect films (106, 110, 134) on the workpiece carrier (102) or a contour of the workpiece carrier (102) itself, and to check whether there is an overhang (118) due to an incorrectly taken film (120) of the first film stack (104) or the second film stack (108). Arrangement (100) according to Claim 1 , characterized in that a drive device is assigned to the workpiece carrier (102) for intermittently adjusting the workpiece carrier (102) along a trajectory (122) which runs along all the film stacks (104, 108, 132), wherein the trajectory (122) provides a stop (124) next to each of the film stacks (104, 108, 132) at which the drive device of the workpiece carrier (102) is temporarily stopped in order to remove a film (106, 110, 134) from the film stack (104, 108, 132) in question and to place it on the workpiece carrier (102) or on a film (106, 110, 134) already present there. Arrangement (100) according to Claim 2 , characterized in that the control device (114) is formed with a stationary line sensor (126), and that the contour can be detected by moving the workpiece carrier (102). Arrangement (100) according to one of the Claims 1 until 3 , characterized in that an ejection station (128) is arranged downstream of the film stacks (104, 108, 132), which is designed to eject the workpiece carrier (102) and/or the stack (116) of films (104, 108, 134) present thereon when the presence of an overhang (118) has been detected. Arrangement (100) according to one of the Claims 1 until 4 , characterized in that a laminating station (130) is arranged downstream of the film stacks (104, 108, 132), which laminating station is designed to combine the individual films (106, 110, 134) of the stack (116) present on the workpiece carrier (102) to form a laminate if no presence of an overhang (118) has been detected. A method for collating a plurality of films (106, 110, 134) on a workpiece carrier (102) with the same edges, comprising the following steps: - Providing a first film stack (104) made up of first films (106); - Providing at least one second film stack (108) made up of second films (110); - Removing a first film (106) from the first film stack (104) by means of a gripping device (112) and placing the removed first film (106) on the workpiece carrier (102); - Removing at least one second film (110) from the second film stack (108) by means of a gripping device (112) and placing the removed second film (110) on the first film (106) on the workpiece carrier (102), thereby forming a stack (116) of films (106, 110, 134); and - detecting a contour of the stack (116) of films (106, 110, 134) on the workpiece carrier (102) or detecting a contour of the workpiece carrier (102) itself by means of a sensor-based control device (114), and checking whether an overhang (118) is present due to an incorrectly carried film (120) of the first film stack (104) or the second film stack (108). Procedure according to Claim 6 , characterized in that the workpiece carrier (102) is intermittently adjusted along a trajectory (122), wherein the trajectory (122) provides a stop (124) next to each of the film stacks (104, 108, 132), at which stop the workpiece carrier (102) temporarily stops, and at which a film (106, 110, 134) of the relevant stack (104, 108, 132) is removed and placed on the workpiece carrier (102) or on a film (106, 110, 134) already present there. Procedure according to Claim 7 , characterized in that the control device (114) is formed with a stationary line sensor (126), and that the contour is detected by the movement of the workpiece carrier (102). Procedure according to one of the Claims 6 until 8 , characterized in that the workpiece carrier (102) and/or the stack (116) of films (106, 110, 134) present thereon is discharged at a discharge station (128) when the presence of an overhang (118) has been detected. Procedure according to one of the Claims 6 until 9 , characterized in that the individual films (106, 110, 134) of the stack (116) of films (106, 110, 134) present on the workpiece carrier (102) are joined to form a laminate at a laminating station (130) if no presence of a projection (118) has been detected.