EP2107023A1 - Method and device for producing a flow of flat products in a pre-defined sequence - Google Patents

Abstract

The method involves delivering products (A,B,C) to a finishing station (40), whose progression corresponds to the predetermined sequence. The delivery of new products from the supply flows to a conveyor (10) is interrupted after detection of a fault, without interrupting the movement of the conveyor. The partial flow located on the conveyor is conveyed again to a grouping section (G) away from a fault location corresponding to the fault. The fault is corrected by delivery of the corresponding products. An independent claim is included for a device for the execution of a method.

Description

The invention is in the field of conveying and processing technology of flat products, in particular of printed products such as newspapers, magazines and magazines. It relates to a method and a device for creating a stream of flat products in a predetermined sequence or sequence, in particular for the purpose of further processing in this predetermined order. A preferred application in mail-order technology is the compilation and, where appropriate, addressing of various products in a predetermined sequence in accordance with a predetermined sequence of addresses corresponding, for example, to a shipping route.

In mail-order technology, various products must be grouped together according to addressee and, if necessary, addressed and grouped together (eg as a small stack). The background is that as a rule different products have to be delivered to a given number of specific addresses, whereby the addressees are visited in a predetermined order (shipping route). In this case, it is required that at least one, as a rule, each product which is intended for a specific addressee, be individualized with the relevant address.

There is therefore a need that the entire product flow is already created in the given sequence before the products are further processed. Further processing may include the addressing of all or selected products and / or the formation of groups / stacks, optionally before or after the packaging of individual products or product groups. For example, a sequence of A, B, C, ... products will look like this: AAABBCCCCCAAAABBBC ..., with the first three copies of product A, the first two copies of product B and the first five copies of product C for example, are intended for a first receiver, the next four copies A, three copies B and a copy C are intended for a second receiver, etc. The sequence may also look like this: (ABC) (ABC) (AB) (AC ) (BC), wherein each superimposed products A, B, C are given in parentheses. These are assigned to an end product or recipient, for example, it is individualized inserts, which are inserted in a further step in a newspaper. A sequencer downstream printer can then, for example, print the addresses according to the sequence, and the products can then be combined into groups and / or stacks according to the sequence and delivered according to a predefined shipping route (sequence of recipients).

The products may be present in the product stream individually or completely or partially overlapping. For a subsequent addressing of all products, it is usually necessary that at least part of the product surface is accessible.

A wrong or missing product causes the product sequence to shift, and thus the subsequent steps, in particular addressing according to an address list, no longer fit. Even without subsequent addressing, an error can lead to no sequence-correct, in particular shipping route-compliant product sequence is more present. Overall, one would like to avoid the error propagation caused by a faulty product sequence in the subsequent processing steps as far as possible.

The EP-A 0 511 159 describes a method and a corresponding device which serves to assemble more complex products by inserting partial products into a main product. Various products supplied as continuous streams are combined into groups on at least one grouping section realized by a belt conveyor. Each group should have a given sequence of products. To avoid errors in the stored product flow due to errors in the feed, it is proposed to buffer the products still in the feed streams before delivery to the grouping line, eg by means of corresponding intermediate conveyors. The delivery should only take place if there is a sufficient number of products in all buffers to create a complete group. If necessary, the creation of a group is delayed until this is the case. It is accepted that the stored product stream has gaps. However, this is not a problem since it does not depend on a shipping route-compatible compilation of an arbitrarily long product flow and is not addressed.

A similar procedure is from the EP-A 1 475 329 known. Instead of a single filing of the products here several products are provided simultaneously and stored as a finished partial dandruff formation. Here too, only sections (short product sequences) are processed without addressing the products.

The known methods are intended primarily for the compilation of printed products from several partial products, for example for Making booklets or books from multiple signatures or inserting various inserts into folded newspapers. These are always groups with a relatively small number of products, for which the necessary intermediate stores can be realized without great effort. In order to create longer sequences, however, larger buffers are necessary in order to be able to buffer all products to be dispensed in succession until they are dispensed. Therefore, the known method is not suitable for constructing arbitrarily long sequences without constructive adaptation of the device used, in particular with a large number of identical products in a partial sequence (group).

Moreover, according to the state of the art, only errors in the delivery of the products to the grouping route can be avoided. An error in the generated product stream can not be corrected and thus also lead to follow-on errors during further processing.

The invention is therefore based on the object to provide a method and an apparatus for creating a product stream in a predetermined sequence available, in which the above-mentioned disadvantages are avoided and in particular errors are correctable even after the delivery of the products from the feeders. In particular, it should be possible for the order of the further processing and the order of the products to be brought into conformity.

The object is achieved by a method having the features of claim 1 and a device having the features of claim 10. Advantageous developments emerge from the dependent claims, the description and the drawings.

To create a product stream in accordance with a predetermined sequence, the products from different feed streams are fed to a grouping section where they are stored according to the sequence on a conveyor with a closed orbit, for example individually or as small groups behind one another or partially overlapping. According to the invention, a repair function is realized in that the products are only transferred from the conveyor to a further processing station if the sequence of the stored products is correct and all products with the desired quality and in the desired order are present. In case of error, e.g. even with a fault in the feed, which leads to a gap in the discharged stream, the products are fed as a partial product stream through the continuously operated conveyor back to the grouping line, while the storage of new products is interrupted. Here the error is corrected by storing the missing product. For error correction, an ejection of a defective or incorrect product may be provided beforehand. After the error correction, the production of the product stream is continued by the sequence-correct delivery of further products. The method allows the error-free creation of arbitrarily long and arbitrarily composed sequences.

• Produkte sind in einer bestimmten Reihenfolge hintereinander ohne Überlapp abgelegt, z.B. bei Produkten vom Typ A, B, C eine Sequenz der Form AAABBCCCCCAAAABBBC...
• Produkte sind hintereinander und gegebenenfalls aufeinander abgelegt, z.B. wird eine Sequenz der Form (ABC)(ABC)(AB)(AC)(BC)... erstellt. Die Klammern geben an, dass die entsprechenden Produkte A, B, C aufeinander gelegt sind; die so erstellten Gruppen sind im Förderstrom hintereinander angeordnet.

Sequence includes the following:

• Products are stored consecutively without overlap in a certain order, eg for products of type A, B, C a sequence of the form AAABBCCCCCAAAABBBC ...
• Products are placed one behind the other and, if necessary, on each other, eg a sequence of the form (ABC) (ABC) (AB) (AC) (BC) ... is created. The brackets indicate that the corresponding products A, B, C are stacked; the groups thus created are arranged one behind the other in the flow.

To determine whether the sequence of products in the product stream corresponds to the predetermined sequence, the system is preferably monitored at at least one suitable location, e.g. downstream of the grouping line and / or at the respective dispensing positions and / or immediately before the handover to the processing station. Upon detection of an error, the delivery of new products from the feed streams to the conveyor is interrupted, possibly with a time delay, without interrupting the movement of the conveyor. The products already stored on the conveyor are now no longer delivered to the further processing station, at least from a fault point corresponding to the fault in the product flow, but instead are conveyed back to the grouping path in a repair mode along the closed trajectory ("repair" operation / cycle). Mode). The resulting gap in the product flow is accepted. It is unproblematic, since the further processing can optionally be interrupted accordingly.

Although the interruption of the product supply to the grouping line has the consequence that the creation of the product stream is therefore interrupted at a certain point within the sequence during the repair run. However, the production of the sequence-correct product stream is preferably continued at a later point in time at the very location immediately following the error-corrected "repaired" substream, that is to say completely. In this way, the correct sequence of the products is guaranteed at their delivery to the processing regardless of the length of the sequence to be created.

The device according to the invention comprises a plurality of supply units for the products and a conveyor with a closed circulation path for conveying the produced product flow. The controllable feed units give the products at several successive dispensing positions along a Grouping route to the conveyor. A controllable dispensing unit arranged along the movement path of the conveyor in the region of the transition between the conveyor and the further processing station serves to selectively deliver the product stream from the conveyor to the further processing station or to forward it along the closed movement path, so that it is fed again to the grouping line. For controlling the components involved, a control unit is present. This preferably receives status information or error messages from the involved components. For detecting errors in the generated product stream, in particular a gap or a damaged product or group of products aufzulegender, and their message to the control unit preferably a detection unit is present, such as a light barrier, a camera or other optical or mechanical sensor, the preferred is arranged downstream of the grouping path along the movement path.

The control unit preferably also communicates with the further processing station. The control unit notifies, for example, when the product delivery is interrupted by the conveyor to the further processing station due to a repair cycle or subsequently resumed. Thus, the further processing may optionally also be interrupted, e.g. An addressing module can be stopped until products arrive again.

The dispensing unit is realized, for example, by a mechanical switch or by elements which bring about a change of state (open / closed) of any grippers present for the purpose of product dispensing or further conveying.

The device is preferably operated clocked, with all components, in particular the feed units and optionally also the Further processing, are subject to the same tact. For example, one cycle corresponds to a specific feed of the conveyor, eg the length of a receiving compartment measured in the conveying direction.

The invention has the advantage that a repair function can be realized without great design effort, with the error in the stored product stream subsequently, but before delivery to the processing, can be corrected. The products are stored in the specified sequence until an error is detected. Only then is the sequence creation optionally interrupted with a time delay, and the subset sequence cached on the conveyor from the defect location to the last product before the interruption in the repair mode undergoes an error correction. Following error correction, the sequence is resumed by the delivery of new products, with the first new product preferably following directly to the last product of the error-corrected sequence.

With the invention, sequences of any length can also be created without errors, without the feeders or buffer units possibly present there having to be enlarged. In normal operation, the filing does not take place in subsequences, but continuously. It is only interrupted if there is an error. If, nevertheless, a mechanical separation of the continuous product stream into individual groups is desired, voids can be programmed into the sequence which lead to intentionally missing products in the product stream, which therefore do not trigger a repair cycle.

Another advantage is that the conveyor can be operated continuously and does not have to be stopped, so that time and energy losses as well a mechanical load on the system can be avoided. Only the state of the dispensing unit must be changed controlled.

In particular, the invention makes it possible to create a sequence of individual printed products or product groups that is configured in the shipping route and assigned to different recipients. The recipients are to be visited in a predetermined order, and the products must therefore be in that order. For example, the products are combined to form stacking units after or in further processing and thus delivered.

• Fig. 1a-f den Ablauf des erfindungsgemässen Verfahrens;
• Fig. 2a+b eine erfindungsgemässe Vorrichtung mit einer Gruppierungsstrecke in Seitenansicht bzw. in Aufsicht;
• Fig. 3a+b eine erfindungsgemässe Vorrichtung mit zwei Gruppierungsstrecken in Seitenansicht bzw. in Aufsicht.
• Fig. 1a-f zeigen schematisch den Aufbau der erfindungsgemässen Vorrichtung und den Ablauf des erfindungsgemässen Verfahrens. Fig. 1a zeigt ein Beispiel für einen Ausschnitt aus einer zu erstellenden Sequenz S aus Produkten. Die Sequenz umfasst hier beispielhaft drei unterschiedliche Produkte A, B, C in unterschiedlicher Anzahl, hier beispielhaft von links nach rechts: 3xA, 2xB, 1xC, 2xA, 3xB, 2xC, 2xA, 2xB, 3xC...

Examples of the invention are illustrated in the drawings and described below. It shows purely schematically:

• Fig. 1a-f the course of the inventive method;
• Fig. 2a + b a device according to the invention with a grouping distance in side view or in supervision;
• Fig. 3a + b a device according to the invention with two Gruppierungsstrecken in side view or in supervision.
• Fig. 1a-f schematically show the structure of the inventive device and the process of the inventive method. Fig. 1a shows an example of a section of a sequence S to be created from products. The sequence here comprises by way of example three different products A, B, C in different numbers, example from left to right: 3xA, 2xB, 1xC, 2xA, 3xB, 2xC, 2xA, 2xB, 3xC ...

The example relates to a sequence of individual products A, B, C to be deposited one behind the other. The same principle is also applicable to the case in which the sequence comprises small groups of products deposited on one another. In this case, the control of the feed units (time of delivery) must be adjusted accordingly so that the products are not placed one after the other, but next to each other.

The products A, B, C originate from a product feed 50 with three product sources Q _A , Q _B , Q _C , which open at delivery positions P _A , P _B , P _C into a grouping path G. The connection in the supply streams between the product sources Q _A , Q _B , Q _C and the grouping path G can be selectively interrupted. The controllable feed units used for this purpose are symbolized here by switches S _A , S _B , S _C. The products A, B, C are transferred by the feed units to a conveyor 10, which is moved along the grouping path G along a closed circulation path U in a conveying direction F. By controlled according to the sequence S release of the products A, B, C, the product sequence is created with the predetermined sequence S.

In the conveying direction F downstream of the grouping path G there is a detection device 20 which is capable of detecting the sequence or errors created therein. Downstream of the detection device 20, a likewise controllable by a switch controllable dispensing unit 30 is arranged. It can influence the product flow or the conveyor 10 in such a way that the product flow is optionally discharged from the conveyor 10 and a further processing station 40 is fed or further conveyed by the conveyor 10 along its orbit U.

The product feeder 50 optionally comprises a buffer 52, in which the products A, B, C can be temporarily stored before the product delivery to the grouping line. In this way, irregularities in the supply of the products from the respective sources can be compensated and controlled in a targeted manner. The sources Q _A , Q _B , Q _C may be suitable product memory, eg stacks or reels, or the output of an upstream station, eg printer, stapling module.

The feed units S _A , S _B , S _C , the dispensing unit 30 and the further processing station 40 are controlled by a control unit 60. The control unit 60 transmits corresponding control signals to these units. The control unit 60 also receives status information, such as information about the nature of the detected product, or an error message, eg missing / defective product, from the detection unit 20. In the first case, the control unit 60 itself by comparison with its known, for example stored as a list Find sequence deviations that need to be corrected. In the second case, the control unit 60 can determine from the error message the nature of the missing product as well as the fault location in the formation. Upon the need for error correction, the control unit 60 initiates a repair run, which is described below with reference to FIG Fig. 1c-f is described.

Instead of or in addition to the detection unit 20, status or error information can also be transmitted to the control unit 60 by the feed units S _A , S _B , S _C or the further processing station 40. This may then optionally a repair run or other suitable mode of operation of the device (eg storing the products in case of failure of Further processing by a new concentricity without new product feed). The control unit 60 may also interrupt the supply of products from the supply units S _A , S _B , S _C.

Based on Fig. 1b is the normal formation of a product stream of individually promoted products with the given sequence explained. In Fig. 1b a snapshot is shown in which a first subsequence S 'of the sequence S has already been completely created and also the first product of the type A of the remaining sequence S _{3 has been transferred} to the conveyor 10. The two products C in between are still missing because the product stream has not yet passed the corresponding dispensing position P _C for the type C products. The detection unit 20 controls the product sequence passing in its detection area. Since this corresponds to the predetermined sequence, the dispenser 30 remains in the dispensing mode, in which the product stream is transferred to the further processing 40. The conveyor 10 moves continuously (clocked or unclocked) along the closed orbit regardless of the condition of the dispenser 30.

Fig. 1c shows the same snapshot as in Fig. 1b with the difference that the created subsequence S 'has an error, which is illustrated here by way of example by an X at the location of the second product B. X can be a wrong, a defective or a missing product. Since X is in the detection area of the detection unit 20, it now sends an error signal to the control unit 60.

As in Fig. 1d As shown, the controller 60 causes the following: The state of the dispenser 30 is changed to before the time when the error X reaches the transfer point. The downstream of X arranged products, here the partial flow with the partial sequence S ₁ = AAA, are still on the further processing 40 handed over. From the fault location X, the product stream with the partial sequence S _{2 is left} on the conveyor and again conveyed to the beginning of the grouping path G. As a further measure, the delivery of new products is interrupted, so that the remaining part sequence S _{3 is} not initially created. The interruption does not have to take place immediately upon the detection of a fault, but a partial sequence S _{2 to} be repaired can, in principle, be continued at its end until the beginning of this partial sequence enters the grouping distance G or reaches the corresponding delivery position for the missing product , The length of the partial sequence to be repaired therefore depends, for example, on the available number of conveyor compartments of the conveyor or on the total length of its conveyor surface. It is also possible that the buffer 52 is still completely emptied and any gaps in the stored product stream are filled during the repair passage. Likewise, the further processing 40 can be informed and if necessary interrupted, even if it must process the products with the correct sequence and at the appropriate time.

In the present case, according to the sequence, a product B should have been deposited at the fault location X. The leading error-free subsequence S ₁ is discharged, the subsequence S ₂ to be repaired remains on the conveyor. If the fault X is a product, it can be discharged at a controllable discharge 70, which is arranged along the movement path U, so that the product flow has a true gap. The remaining partial sequence S ₂ with the beginning of the remaining sequence S ₃ reenters the grouping path G in the repair mode and is supplemented at the dispensing position P _B by the missing product B ( Fig. 1e ). After the end of the repaired subsequence S _{2 has passed} the dispensing position P _A , the sequence S is continued with the remaining subsequence S ₃ ( Fig. 1f ). The corrected partial sequence S ₂ and all the following products are delivered to the further processing 40 until the detection of a further error. In the further processing, the products therefore meet with a gap to the previously submitted subsequence S ₁ , the However, given sequence is respected in any case. From the point of view of further processing, the entire sequence is correct; Here, for example, an address list can be processed without a following error.

At the dispensing positions P _A , P _B , P _C one or more products A, B, C can be dispensed in succession. As shown herein, the dispensing may be such that the products on the conveyor come to lie partially adjacent to each other or one upon the other, or to overlap partially to form a scale formation. It can therefore be accessed in the further processing individually at least on the outside products, for example, for printing an address. If a single further processing is not necessary, eg because only the top product of a stack must be provided with an address, the products can also be stacked on top of each other.

Fig. 2a + b show two different views of a device according to the invention. This comprises the components described above, in particular a conveyor 10, a feeder 50 with a plurality of feed units S _A , S _B , S _C ,..., S _Z , a detection unit 20, a dispensing unit 30 and a further processing 40.

The basic structure and function of the conveyor 10 are in the not previously published application PCT / CH2007 / 000373 described. In the present case, it is described only to the extent necessary for understanding the invention. In addition, on the PCT / CH2007 / 000373 directed.

The conveyor 10 has a plurality of separate conveyor compartments 12, the length of which is slightly larger than a typical product length and with an over two deflections 13, 13 'guided conveyor 11 along an elongated closed path of movement U are moved with two approximately parallel portions. The conveyor compartments 12 have in the horizontally extending upper part of the movement path U a sloping rear wall 14, which serves as a contact surface for the products and can be realized for example by suitable deflection of the traction means. The rear wall 14 is pivotable, placed in the upper part and horizontally oriented in the horizontally extending lower part of the movement path U. In the conveying direction leading portion of each conveyor region 12 is a clamping element 16. In the upper part of the movement path U, the products are applied to the rear walls 14, wherein the clamping element 16 serves as a stop, can be aligned with the leading edge of the product and optionally fixed. In the lower part of the movement path U, in which the compartments are oriented upside down, a support conveyor belt 18 is arranged parallel to the movement path U.

The products are introduced into the compartments 12 in the upper part of the movement path U along the grouping path G by the feed units. After passing the left turn 13, the products are conveyed upside down. They are held by clamping elements 16 in the conveyor compartments 12. By arranged below the compartments 12 support conveyor belt 18 prevents the free product ends hang down. The products are towed in the conveying direction to the processing-side deflection 13 '. In the area of the further processing-side deflection 13 ', the clamping elements 16 are opened in normal operation and thereby transferred to the further processing 40, here deposited on a conveyor belt 44.

In repair operation, the clamping elements 16 are not opened, so that the products run around the further processing-side deflection 13 'around and are then fed back to the grouping section. To switch between the two modes of operation, the controllable dispenser 30 is provided. It is realized for example by a switchable control link, which can act on the clamping elements 16. Depending on the state of the control link, the clamping elements 16 are either opened when passing the scenery or left in the closed state. The switching can be done very quickly and very accurately even at high clock frequency.

The controllable feed units S _A , S _B , S _C ,..., Sz can be designed in a manner known per se, for example as in the introduction mentioned above EP-A 1 475 329 , The feed units each have an intermediate conveyor 52 which can act as a buffer and provide the products for rapid dispensing. The intermediate conveyor 52 has a loop-shaped curved path of movement. This makes it possible to arrange the product sources laterally from the conveyor 10 and to supply the products obliquely from above in the direction of movement F of the conveyor 10.

The removal of defective products in the discharge unit 70 can also be realized by means of controllable scenes, which selectively open the clamping elements 70 when passing, so that the product in question falls out and can be disposed of.

The further processing station is shown here as an addressing unit with a printer 42. For example, a predetermined address sequence is processed. After addressing, the products are transferred in the correct sequence, for example, into stacking modules 46 or further conveyed for further processing, eg, filming, bundling.

Fig. 3a + b show a variant of the device Fig. 2a + b with two conveyors 10, 10 'each having a plurality of feed units, two further processing stations 40, 40' and a merging unit 80, which combines the product streams from both branches. Corresponding modules for combining two product streams are known per se, for example from the WO 2007/071084 , and can be used here.

The device with the two conveyors 10, 10 'serves for the parallel creation of partial product sequences, which are combined again in sequence in the merging unit 80 into a common product stream. By making the partial sequences in parallel rather than sequentially, more feed stations 50 can be accommodated without increasing the length of the return path (i.e., the orbit U) of each individual conveyor 10, 10 '. This prevents the duration for a repair cycle from being scaled with the number of supply stations 50 of the overall system. By doubling the further processing units 40, limitations can also be avoided by their processing capacity. More complex sequences can be created with more different products. Alternatively, some of the same products can also be supplied at the various stations in order to increase the performance of the entire system.

Instead of two further processing units 40, there may also be a common further processing unit 40, which is arranged downstream of the merging unit 80.

The further processing can also consist in that groups of products placed on one another are plugged into a folded further printed product.

Claims (15)

A method of creating a stream of sheet products (A, B, C, ...), in particular printed products, in a predetermined sequence (S), the products (A, B, C, ...) coming from a plurality of feed streams , at a plurality of successive dispensing positions (P _A , P _B , ..., P _Z ) along at least one grouping distance (G) controlled on at least one continuously along a closed orbit (U) moving conveyor (10, 10 ') and delivered to a further processing station (40, 40 ') are moved, characterized in that only such products (A, B, C, ...) are transferred to the further processing station (40, 40'), the sequence of the predetermined sequence (S ) corresponds to that the delivery of new products (A, B, C, ...) from the feed streams to the conveyor (10, 10 ') is interrupted upon detection of a fault without the movement of the conveyor (10, 10') interrupt that on the conveyor (10, 10 ') located sub-stream whom is conveyed back to the grouping distance (G) from at least one fault location (X) corresponding to the fault, and that the fault is corrected by delivery of the corresponding product or the corresponding products (A, B, C,...). A method according to claim 1, characterized in that the delivery of further products (A, B, C, ...) to the conveyor (10, 10 ') is continued when the error-corrected partial flow has left the Gruppierungsstrecke (G). A method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the sequence of the products (A, B, C, ...) is monitored as to whether it coincides with the predetermined sequence (S) and / or whether defective products (A, B , C, ...), and that products (A, B, C, ...), which are at the be in the wrong place or are faulty, if necessary be rejected. Method according to Claim 3, characterized in that a detection unit (20) transmits a control signal to a control unit (60) upon detection of an error, wherein the control unit (60) transmits further control signals to supply units (S _A , S _B , S _C ). for the products (A, B, C), the delivery of products (A, B, C) from the supply streams interrupts, by transferring further control signals to a controllable delivery unit (30) the transfer of the products (A, B, C) to the further processing station (40, 40 ') prevents, so that the conveyor (10, 10') the faulty product stream again the grouping path (G) supplies, and by transmission of further control signals selected feed units (S _A , S _B , S _C ) to the sequence Dispensing of missing products (A, B, C) causes. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the feed streams from each one product source (P _A , P _B , P _C ) come and before delivery to the conveyor (10, 10 ') preferably in a buffer (52) are transferred from which they are delivered to the conveyor (10, 10 '). A method according to claim 5, characterized in that the delivery of products (A, B, C) from the supply streams to the conveyor (10, 10 ') is interrupted after detection of a fault with a time delay, in particular by first the buffer (52) is emptied. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the product delivery from the supply streams to the conveyor (10, 10 ') is controlled by a control device (60) which controls the delivery of the products (A, B, C) in dependence on the to be created sequence (S) in a predetermined number and at a predetermined time. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the products (A, B, C) successively individually or in small stacks in separate conveyor compartments (12) of the conveyor (10, 10 ') are stored. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the further processing station (40) is an addressing station in which addresses are printed according to a predetermined address sequence on the products (A, B, C) delivered by the conveyor (10, 10 '). Apparatus for carrying out the method according to one of the preceding claims, comprising a plurality of feed units (S _A , S _B , S _C ) for the products and at least one conveyor (10, 10 ') with a closed circulation path (U) for conveying the produced product stream in which the feed units (S _A , S _B , S _C ) deliver the products (A, B, C) to the conveyor (10) at a plurality of successive delivery positions (P _A , P _B , P _C ) along at least one grouping path (G) , 10 ') are able to deliver, characterized by a controllable dispensing unit (30), with which the product stream either from the conveyor (10, 10') ausschleusbar or the Gruppierungsstrecke (G) can be fed again. Apparatus according to claim 10, characterized by a control unit (60) which is able to control the feed units (S _A , S _B , S _C ) and the dispensing unit (30). Apparatus according to claim 10 or 11, characterized by a detection unit (20) for detecting errors in the product flow. Device according to one of claims 10 to 12, characterized in that the movement path (U) of the conveyor comprises two subregions, which are arranged one above the other, wherein the Gruppierungsstrecke (G) through the upper portion of the movement path (U) is formed and the dispensing unit for transfer to the processing station in the direction of movement located at the front end of the lower portion. Device according to one of claims 10 to 13, characterized in that the conveyor (10, 10 ') has a plurality of separate conveyor compartments (12), which are moved one behind the other along the closed path of movement (U) and on which the products (A , B, C) or into which the products are introduced. Device according to one of claims 10 to 14, characterized in that at least two conveyors (10, 10 ') and associated therewith feed units (S _A , S _B , S _C ) and a merging unit (80) for uniting on the conveyors (10 , 10 ') create partial product streams are present.

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