DE2310639A1 - MOTION CONTROL FOR A DOCUMENT FILING PLATFORM - Google Patents

Description

Boeblingen, February 26, 1973

Applicant: International Business Machines

Corporation, Armonk, N.Y. 10504

Official file number: New registration File number of the applicant: RO 971 033

Motion control for a document filing platform

The invention relates to a device for raising and lowering the storage platform of a document storage, the documents one after the other are supplied and which can be moved by a motor, in particular via a motor-driven spindle, as well as for locking of boundary conditions and disturbances.

In order to correctly store documents that are serially fed to a platform, it is common to put the top document in a certain amount with regard to the feed or introduction point to keep the receipts. In a known embodiment, the storage platform is increased by a certain amount lowered with each incoming document, as described, for example, in US Pat. No. 2,910,294. Another known solution involves sensing the top document of the stack and maintaining the height level within certain limits. If a certain document then reaches this upper limit, the storage platform is around a certain Amount reduced. If this upper limit is reached again due to several documents stored one after the other, is through the sensor in turn emits a control signal to lower the platform. These processes are repeated until the filing

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is full. Such a device is described, for example, in US Pat . No. 3,107,912.

Although the solutions mentioned are generally sufficient for certain types of documents and storage speeds, they are relatively expensive and complex and do not sense the stack height at the point where the documents are fed, ie where the documents enter the storage area. However, this point is the essential point in many applications and there the stack height must be sensed in order to store the documents in the correct way. This is particularly important because most of the stacks at this feed point are higher than at the other points, ie the front ends of the documents are usually closer to one another than the rear ends do.

The object of the present invention, in the apparatus of the aforementioned type is to avoid the disadvantages of the known arrangements and to provide an improved device for the movement control of the platform of a filing which is particularly relatively simple and reliable, the level of the uppermost document feels at a critical point, does not exert any significant additional force on the detected documents and is able to determine boundary conditions such as full filing and document filing faults.

This object is achieved according to the invention in that a first detector is arranged in front of the feed point, which detects every incoming document that a further detector is arranged above the storage platform in the inlet area at a smaller distance than corresponds to the distance between two consecutive documents that this second detector in the run-in area of the depository can be actuated by a resilient document end depressing device when diace is deflected upwards far enough from more oj in supplied documents or from compressed documents that the deposit platform is then deflected by a certain amount

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Amount is lowered when both detectors turn on at the same time Provide a signal and that a fault is then detected in the tray will, if after this lowering signal has expired at the next one detected by the first detector, arriving Evidence of this signal occurs again.

Appropriate further developments of this device according to the invention can be found in the subclaims.

The following is based on the embodiment shown in the figures Structure and mode of operation of the device according to the invention explained in more detail.

The figures show in detail:

Fig. 1 is a front view with the storage platform in

raised position and no documents in the tray;

2 shows a plan view of the device according to the invention;

3 is a rear view showing the lift mechanism of the storage platform;

Fig. 4 is a front view of the tray with an incoming document, the end of the document push-down device has deflected and at which the next document approaches the first detector;

Fig. 5 is a front view similar to that in Fig. 4 at

the documents are already stored in a stack and in which the end of the document press-down device rests on the top document and the front edge of the next incoming document has reached the first detector;

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Fig. 6 is a front view of the tray in which the receipts

have deflected the end-of-document press-down device to such an extent that the diaphragm plate has the the second detector is actuated and the subsequent document is detected by the first detector;

FIG. 7 is a front view as in FIG. 6, however

after lowering the platform by a certain distance, so that the end-of-document depressing device the second detector no longer actuates;

Fig. 8 is a front view showing the situation in a

Represents document feed disruption in which documents are not stored smoothly but are compressed;

Figure 9 is a block diagram of the logic circuit for

the detection and generation of the various signals to move the platform, determine whether the tray is full or whether there are any malfunctions in the tray.

As shown in Fig. 1, an upper conveyor belt 10 and a lower conveyor belt 15 are provided for feeding the documents, which the transport feeder for the document feed to form a shelf 20. Receipts 25 are clamped between the belts 15 and 15 and moved along with them.

The documents 25 are at a point 16 by the belts 10 and released and move on in free flight until they come to a storage stop 21. When filing a receipt is fed, its leading edge comes together with a bent part 31 of a slip end depressing device 30. The end-of-paper press-down device essentially includes a cantilever spring 30 which is suitably attached and for deflecting the rear part of a document 25 down to a filing plate

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Form 22 is used to quickly move the rear parts and the rear edges of the receipts 25 out of the way of the subsequent receipts.

The front end of the document depressor is curved Part of the curved sliding shoe 31 attached, which increases the depressing effect of the device. Furthermore is on the spring an aperture plate 32 is attached which actuates a detector 40 which is responsive to light. This diaphragm plate 32 is in terms of weight very easily and essentially no additional force is exerted on the documents to be deposited. The detector 40 is attached together with the depressing device just behind the feed point 16 of the document in the tray 20, i.e. about in the last third of the platform 22 at a point that is essential for stacking. Every time a receipt arrives the spring 30 is deflected and thus scanned every receipt of a document. The photosensitive detector 40 includes a Light source 41 and a photosensitive sensor 42 like this in Fig. 2 is shown more clearly.

The end-of-receipt depressing device 30 is actuated by each incoming receipt 25. In this way, the aperture plate 32 detects the detector 40 each time it enters the tray 20 Receipt actuated. In order to scan the height of the stack of documents on the platform 22, the position of the diaphragm plate 32 is then scanned when the received document has been deposited. this is passed through a receipt sensor 45 which includes a light source 46 and a photosensitive element 47. the Light source 46 is arranged in such a way that it allows light to pass through an opening 17 in a floor guide plate 18. This Light from the source 46 normally reaches a light sensitive sensor 47. The minimum distance between two consecutive documents is such that one in the tray 20 Received receipt is deposited there before a subsequent receipt has reached the scanning position of the detector 45. this is in Figs. 4 and 5 shown in more detail. As shown in Fig. 4

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can be specified, the document 25 shown there is in the tray 20 has not yet been placed on the pile of the other documents. The receipt end depressing device 30 is supported by the receipt 25 deflected and charged with spring potential, with the aperture plate 32 supplying light to the light-sensitive Sensor 42 interrupts. Although there is an output signal from the detector 40 in this constellation, the motor 50 becomes like it 3, is not actuated to lower the platform 22 because the next document 25 which will enter the depository 20 is not yet in the scanning position at the detector 45 has arrived. The representation in Fig. 5 shows that the document was deposited in the tray 20 and that the next in the tray incoming document has arrived at the scanning position at the feed detector. The diaphragm plate 32 does not block now more the light supply of the light source 41. This causes the motor 50 not switched on for lowering the storage platform 22.

As the rear view of the tray in Fig. 3 shows, the Platform 22 attached to a platform arm 23 which can slide along a guide shaft 51. A rear mounting plate 55 is provided with a vertical slot 56 to enable the platform support arm 23 to move vertically. This support arm 23 is moved in the vertical direction by a motor 50. A drive shaft 52 of the motor 50 drives a toothed wheel 53, which in turn drives a roller 57 via a toothed belt 54.

The roller 57 is connected to one end of a screw spindle 58. A lifting nut 59 is carried by this spindle 58 and moves either up or down, depending on which Direction of the motor 50 is driven. The platform support arm 23 is connected to the lifting nut 59 via a plate 60, which is a has angled protruding end 61 which rests only on the upper surface 62 of the lifting nut 59. This type of loose coupling is only made for safety reasons. Of course, the support arm 23 could be firmly connected to the lifting nut 59

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be. The coupling plate 60 is firmly connected to the platform support arm 23, so that its protruding angled end 61 normally rests on top surface 62 of lift nut 59. With this arrangement, the platform support arm 23 follows the movement the lifting nut 59. Due to the loose coupling, in some cases, for example when the operator's hand comes under the support arm 23 when it moves downward, the platform support arm 23 detach from the lifting nut 59 and only the weight of the tray will then press on the operator's hand and not the motor power itself. It should be noted that another plate 65 is attached to the lifting nut 59 in order to prevent the platform support arm 23 from rotating.

The storage platform 22 reaches an upper limit, as shown in FIG. 3, when the lifting nut 59 reaches an upper limit switch 70 actuated. Furthermore, the storage platform is in a lower limit position when the lifting nut 59 is a lower limit switch 71 actuated.

The circuit for controlling the operation of the motor is shown in FIG. The signals for controlling the motor, so that the storage platform 22 is raised and lowered, comes from AND circuits 75 and 76, respectively. When voltage is applied is, for example, by actuation of a start button, the AND circuit 75 is conditioned to a signal for the actuation of the motor so that it rotates the spindle 57 in such a direction that the lifting nut 59 moves upward until it actuates the upper limit switch 70. When this upper limit switch 70 is operated, the signal is not upper limit is no longer on and no signal will pass through the AND circuit 75 to continue operating the motor 50. In in the same way, there is no output signal at the AND circuit 76 to operate the motor because the input conditions for the AND circuit 77 are not met at this point in time. It should be noted that the AND circuit 76 is then conditioned to pass a signal from a single-pulse multi-vibrator 78.

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let, because a tray full lock 91 by actuation the start button has been reset. An OR circuit emits a signal Shelf in position when the upper limit is reached is.

The input conditions of the AND circuit 77 are among those in FIG Fig. 6 is met. These conditions shown in Fig. 6 are achieved when the The level of the documents deposited on the platform 22 is such that the document-end depression spring 30 is held in the upper position and the diaphragm plate 3 2 actuates the detector 40. Under these conditions there is a sense amplifier 79, the is also an analog / digital converter at the same time, sends a signal to the AND circuit 77. Then when the next receipt 25 the Position of the sensing reached by the detector 45, as shown in Fig. 6, another sensing amplifier 80, also shown in Fig. 9 and at the same time an analog / digital converter, a signal to the AND circuit 77 from. The AND circuit 77 is then completely fulfilled at this point in time if a third signal is present from the lower limit switch 71, this indicates that the platform 22 has not reached the lowest limit position. In this way and at this point in time The signal passing through the AND circuit 77 triggers the single-pulse multivibrator 78. The duration of the signal from this multivibrator 78 is 156 milliseconds in the exemplary embodiment and is selected so that the AND circuit 76 has an output signal to operate motor 50 long enough to lower platform 22 approximately 1.27 cm (0.5 inches).

The conditions which are reached after the lowering of the storage platform by approximately 1.27 cm are shown in FIG.

FIG. 5 illustrates the conditions that exist immediately prior to actuation of the motor 50 to lower the storage platform 22. It can be seen from FIG. 5 that the document detector 45 detects a document 25, but that the document end depression spring 30

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has not yet been deflected to such an extent that the diaphragm plate actuates the light-sensitive detector 40. I.e. on the other hand, that not all input conditions of the AND circuit 77 are met and thus there is no output signal to the single-pulse multivibrator 78 to trigger.

Documents continue to be fed to the tray 20 and deposited there, and the position shown in FIG. 6 is reached again. Thereupon the motor 50 is actuated again to lower the platform 22 into the position shown in FIG. 7. Repeat these operations until the tray is full. If this is achieved, then the AND circuit 77 is no longer prepared and even if output signals from amplifiers 79 and 80 are present at the same time, no more signal passes through the AND circuit 77 to trigger the single-pulse multi-vibrator 78. The signals from the amplifiers 79 and 80, however, the AND circuit 9O will be activated, which is prepared by the lower limit signal, which is generated by the lower limit switch 71 and arrives at the AND circuit 90 via an OR circuit 89.

The output of AND circuit 90 becomes the file full latch 91 supplied. Their output signal is in turn used to activate an indicator lamp 92 and to control the movement the document feed, including the belts 10 and 15 to stop. The documents are then removed from the tray 20 and then the start button is operated to raise the depositing platform 22 to the upper limit position as before has been described. When the storage platform 22 reaches the upper limit position, a signal is then output via the OR circuit 88 Output via the OR circuit 88, which indicates that the tray is in position and documents are now in turn fed to the tray 20 can be. If for some reason not all of the receipts have been removed from tray 20, then the Storage platform 22 after pressing the start button raised until the end-of-document depression spring 30 with the diaphragm

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Plate 32 actuates the photosensitive detector 40. Under these conditions, a signal is fed through the AND circuit 87 to the OR circuit 88 to indicate that the depositing platform 22 is in position.

A disruption in the filing of the documents is shown in FIG. 8, ie two documents are not correctly filed there, but they have compressed, curled and bent upwards. This condition is determined by sensing two successive signals for the lowering of the delivery platform 22. The first signal for lowering the storage platform 22 is generated by the single-pulse multivibrator 78 and fed via an inverter circuit 83 to a latch 84 for setting. This means that the lock 84 is set when the signal from the multivibrator 78 can be found. Under these conditions, the storage platform is normally lowered and the diaphragm plate 32 no longer activates the light-sensitive detector 40. However, if there is a document malfunction, then a signal from this detector 40 is also present. This signal, amplified by the amplifier 79, is inverted by an inverter 82 and fed to the reset input of the latch circuit 84, but does not reset it at this moment. Then, when the next signal passes through the AND circuit 77 to trigger the single pulse multivibrator 78, ie when the next document 25 activates the first document detector 45, the input conditions of the AND circuit 85 are met because the Latch 84 is still set. The output signal of the AND circuit 85 is passed through a further AND circuit 86 because the signal is not the lower limit for preparing the AND circuit 86 . Of course, the inverter circuits 81 and 82 prevent the AND circuit 75 from emitting a signal for actuating the motor, namely to raise the motor. The fault signal coming via the AND circuit 86 is used to stop the document transport. At the same time, an indicator lamp 93 is switched on to indicate a S tor ur.gs condition .

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With the aid of the device according to the invention, an advantageous Arrangement for moving the storage platform created. The end-of-travel press-down device used by each incoming Receipt is actuated, together with the second detector and the first detector, which indicates the approach of receipts, in advantageously used to indicate the document height reached on the platform from which it must then be lowered, in order to be able to file new receipts in the correct way. With the help of the specified logic circuit it is possible to set both boundary conditions as well as fault conditions can be easily determined and displayed as well as the supply of new documents, if necessary just switch off.

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Claims (5)

PATENT CLAIMS Device for raising and lowering the storage platform a document tray, which documents are successively fed and which are driven by a motor, in particular via a motor-driven spindle, is movable, as well as for the determination of boundary conditions and faults, characterized in that, that a first detector (45) is arranged in front of the feed point (16), which detects each incoming Document (25) establishes that a further detector (40) at a smaller distance above the storage platform (22), as it corresponds to the distance between two successive documents (25), is arranged that this second Detector (40) from a resilient end of document depressing device arranged in the inlet area of the tray (20) (30, .31., 32) can be actuated when these (30, 31, 32) of several supplied documents (25) or of compressed Document is deflected upwards far enough that the storage platform (22) is then lowered by a certain amount when both detectors (40, 45) deliver a signal at the same time and that then a disturbance in the Storage is determined when, after this lowering signal has elapsed, the next one by the first detector (45) detected incoming document (25) this signal occurs again. 2. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that an upper (70) and lower (71) limit switch and one Latch circuit (91) is provided, which a signal to display a full tray (20) when both detectors (40, 45) respond and either the lower limit has been reached or there is a fault. ro 971 033 309838/0439 3. Apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that an AND circuit (77) is provided for generating the lowering signal, the two detector signals and the nonexistent lower limit signal are supplied, as well as a single-pulse multivibrator (78), which is from the AND circuit (77) is triggered and emits the lowering pulse for a certain time (156 ms). 4. Apparatus according to claim 3, characterized in that an interlock circuit for generating the fault signal (84) and an AND circuit (85) are provided, the latch circuit being absent of the lowering pulse is set and is reset in the absence of a signal from the second detector (40) and the AND circuit (85) then outputs the fault signal, when the interlock circuit (84) is set and another lowering pulse from the multivibrator (78) occurs. 5. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the end-of-document depressing device (30, 31, 32) contains an angled extension spring (30), at the front end of which a slightly curved sliding shoe (31) is arranged and that for actuating the second detector (40) a diaphragm plate (32) on the extension spring (30) is attached. ro 971 033 3Q9838 / 0439 Le e rs e it