Folding device for blade folds

• US 6,047,608 A
• Filed: 06/05/1998
• Issued: 04/11/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Man Roland Druckmaschinen AG (Allianz Se)
• Original Assignee: Man Roland Druckmaschinen AG (Allianz Se)
• Inventors: Stieler, Andreas
• Primary Examiner(s): ESTREMSKY, SHERRY LYNN
• Application Number:
  US09/092,799
• Time in Patent Office: 676 Days
• Field of Search: 475/331, 475/342, 475/346, 475/347, 74/409, 74/440
• US Class Current: 74/409
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2402/60 Coupling, adapter or locking means
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 45/16 Rotary folders
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 55/18 Special devices for taking up backlash for gears having orbital motion F16H1/2863
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/19623 Backlash take-up
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/19898 Backlash take-up

Abstract

To increase folding accuracy in a blade folding device with planetary gearsets for fold adjustment, each planetary gearwheel is equipped with an auxiliary gearwheel circumferentially resiliently held against the planetary gearwheel for minimizing backlash in these planetary gearwheels.

Claims

1. A folding device for jaw folds, comprising:

a folding cylinder having a drive journal and first and second cylinder elements carrying folding elements and rotatably mountable in a sidewall of said folding device;

first and second planetary gear sets, said first planetary gear set comprising a drive planet-arm gear fixedly connected to the first cylinder element and a first planetary gear wheel rotatably mounted on said drive planet-arm gear and said second planetary gear set comprising an output planet-arm gear fixedly connected to the second cylinder element and a second planetary gear wheel rotatably mounted on said output planet-arm gear;

a first internal gear wheel in interlocking gear tooth engagement with said first planetary gear wheel;

a second internal gear wheel in interlocking gear tooth engagement with said second planetary gear wheel and fixedly connectable with respect to the sidewall, said first internal gear wheel being rotatably connected to said second internal gear wheel;

a sun gear rotatably mounted on said drive journal, wherein each said first planetary gear wheel and said second planetary gear wheel is in an interlocking gear tooth engagement with said sun gear;

wherein each said first and second planetary gear wheels comprises an auxiliary gearwheel coaxially rotatably mounted thereon, said auxiliary gearwheel mounted on said first planetary gear being interlocked in a gear tooth engagement with said sun gear and said first internal gear wheel and said auxiliary gear wheel mounted on said second planetary gear wheel being interlocked in a gear tooth engagement with said sun gear and said second internal gear wheel, wherein each said auxiliary wheels rests resiliently on one of said first and second planetary gearwheels with respect to a circumferential direction for eliminating circumferential backlash relative to said first internal gearwheel and said second internal gearwheel and thereby increasing a fold accuracy of said folding device;

wherein each said first and second planetary gear wheel comprises a first surface axially confronting a second surface of said auxiliary gear wheel, and each said first and second surfaces comprises at least one ring groove worked to approximately the same depth, said ring grooves of said first and second surfaces lie against each other, and said folding device further comprises a compression spring inserted in said ring groove and supportable at the ends of the ring grooves; and

wherein each said first and second planetary gear wheels and said auxiliary gear wheels comprises toothing having a reference point and said ring grooves of said first and second planetary gearwheels and of said auxiliary gearwheels are positioned a same angular distance (γ

) to each said reference points.

2. A folding device for jaw folds, comprising:

a folding cylinder having a drive journal and first and second cylinder elements carrying folding elements and rotatably mountable in a sidewall of said folding device;

first and second planetary gear sets, said first planetary gear set comprising a drive planet-arm gear fixedly connected to the first cylinder element and a first planetary gear wheel rotatably mounted on said drive planet-arm gear and said second planetary gear set comprising an output planet-arm gear fixedly connected to the second cylinder element and a second planetary gear wheel rotatably mounted on said output planet-arm gear;

a first internal gear wheel in interlocking gear tooth engagement with said first planetary gear wheel;

a second internal gear wheel in interlocking gear tooth engagement with said second planetary gear wheel and fixedly connectable with respect to the sidewall, said first internal gear wheel being rotatably connected to said second internal gear wheel;

a sun gear rotatably mounted on said drive journal, wherein each said first planetary gear wheel and said second planetary gear wheel is in an interlocking gear tooth engagement with said sun gear;

wherein each said first and second planetary gear wheels comprises an auxiliary gearwheel coaxially rotatably mounted thereon, said auxiliary gearwheel mounted on said first planetary gear being interlocked in a gear tooth engagement with said sun gear and said first internal gear wheel and said auxiliary gear wheel mounted on said second planetary gear wheel being interlocked in a gear tooth engagement with said sun gear and said second internal gear wheel, wherein each said auxiliary wheels rests resiliently on one of said first and second planetary gearwheels with respect to a circumferential direction for eliminating circumferential backlash relative to said first internal gearwheel and said second internal gearwheel;

wherein each said first and second planetary gear wheel comprises first surface axially confronting a second surface of said auxiliary gear wheel, and each said first and second surfaces comprises at least one ring groove worked to approximately the same depth, said ring grooves of said first and second surfaces lying against each other, a compression spring inserted in said ring groove and supportable at the ends of the ring grooves, and a ball inserted between each end of said compression spring and said ring groove.

3. The folding device of claim 2, wherein each said first and second planetary gear wheels and said auxiliary gear wheels comprises toothing having a reference point and said ring grooves of said first and second planetary gearwheels and of said auxiliary gearwheels are positioned a same angular distance (γ

) to each said reference points.