High speed multi-bin card collation system

摘要

An automated high speed multi-bin card collation system that takes die cut greeting cards at high speeds and diverts them on a customer by customer basis into multiple bins. A series of diverters are included that actuate between customer jobs to divert and collate the jobs independently into the bins. Each bin has a retractable floor that allows the individualized jobs to be collated prior to dropping onto a conveyor system. The conveyor then conveys the collated card jobs to a downstream location.

主权项

1. A method for automatically collating sets of cards in a multi-bin collation system, comprising:
providing a series of bins for receiving individual sets of cards; providing each of said series of bins with a retractable bottom portion; providing a feed source for feeding cards over each of said series of bins; providing a diverter for each of said series of bins for deflecting said sets of cards into separate of said series of bins; filling a bin closest to said source first and then sequentially filling the rest of said series of bins with said sets of cards; providing a first conveyor for transporting said sets of cards downstream from said series of bins; simultaneously retracting said bottom portion of all of said series of bins except said bin most remote from said feed source while said bin most remote from said feed source is being filled and dropping said sets of cards from all of said series of bins except said bin most remote from said feed source onto said first conveyor; and including next filling said series of bins from said bin most remote from said source sequentially back towards said source.