EP0301538B1 - Sorter - Google Patents
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- Publication number
- EP0301538B1 EP0301538B1 EP88112230A EP88112230A EP0301538B1 EP 0301538 B1 EP0301538 B1 EP 0301538B1 EP 88112230 A EP88112230 A EP 88112230A EP 88112230 A EP88112230 A EP 88112230A EP 0301538 B1 EP0301538 B1 EP 0301538B1
- Authority
- EP
- European Patent Office
- Prior art keywords
- trunnion
- rotating
- bin tray
- bin
- rotating cam
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired - Lifetime
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Classifications
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- G—PHYSICS
- G03—PHOTOGRAPHY; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ELECTROGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY
- G03G—ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY
- G03G15/00—Apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
- B65H39/00—Associating, collating, or gathering articles or webs
- B65H39/10—Associating articles from a single source, to form, e.g. a writing-pad
- B65H39/11—Associating articles from a single source, to form, e.g. a writing-pad in superposed carriers
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
- B65H2405/00—Parts for holding the handled material
- B65H2405/10—Cassettes, holders, bins, decks, trays, supports or magazines for sheets stacked substantially horizontally
- B65H2405/11—Parts and details thereof
- B65H2405/111—Bottom
- B65H2405/1111—Bottom with several surface portions forming an angle relatively to each other
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
- B65H2408/00—Specific machines
- B65H2408/10—Specific machines for handling sheet(s)
- B65H2408/11—Sorters or machines for sorting articles
- B65H2408/113—Sorters or machines for sorting articles with variable location in space of the bins relative to a stationary in-feed path
Definitions
- This invention relates to a sorter in accordance with the preamble of claim 1.
- a sorter is known from US-A-4 607 838.
- the compact sorter is provided with a plurality of vertically arranged bin trays.
- Each of the bin trays has a widthwise projecting trunnion at least on one side of its sheet-receiving end portion.
- the trunnions which may be pins having a circular cross section are stacked vertically and can move along a predetermined moving passage in the stacking direction.
- the sorter is further provided with a transfer mechanism for causing the trunnions to rise and descend along the moving passage successively one by one and moving the adjacent bin trays successively away from each other vertically at their sheet receiving ends to form a sheet receiving opening.
- a transfer mechanism of the type called the Geneva rotating cam-type (disclosed, for example, in the above cited U. S. Patent No. 4,328,963) and a transfer mechanism called the spiral rotating cam type (disclosed, for example, in U. S. Patent No. 4,337,936) are used as the transfer mechanism in the above sorter.
- the Geneva rotating cam-type transfer mechanism is provided with a Geneva circular plate cam having formed therein at least one trunnion receiving groove extending radially and being open at its radial outside end, and the circular cam plate is adapted to rotate about a central axis extending in the width direction.
- the spiral rotating cam-type transfer mechanism is provided with a cylindrical cam having formed therein a trunnion receiving groove extending spirally at its outer circumferential surface, and the cylindrical cam is adapted to rotate about a vertically extending central axis.
- the Geneva rotating cam-type transfer mechanism has the disadvantage that when a given trunnion advances into and out of the trunnion receiving groove formed in the circular plate cam, collision and abrupt rising or descending occur (this will be described in detail later with reference to the accompanying drawings). Accordingly, relatively large noises are produced, and the transfer mechanism is not suitable for high-speed transfer of trunnions and has low durability.
- the spiral rotating cam-type transfer mechanism can obviate the above problem of the Geneva rotating cam-type transfer mechanism because the spiral trunnion-receiving groove on the outer circumferential surface of the cylindrical cam can be in such a form as to ascend or descend gradually incident to rotation also at its lower and upper ends. It, however, has other problems to be described. Firstly, to make the cylindrical cam, the spirally extending trunnion receiving groove should be formed on the outside surface of a solid cylinder. The operation of forming the trunnion receiving groove is considerably difficult, and the cost of production is comparatively high.
- the downstream end portions of vertically adjoining bin trays are adapted to separate automatically in the vertical direction when their upstream end portions are spaced from each other vertically by the transfer mechanism.
- cam blocks of a predetermined shape are fixed to both sides of the downstream end portion of each of bin trays, and the downstream ends of the bin trays are stacked via the cam blocks.
- cam blocks fixed to the upper bin tray slide in the downstream direction with respect to the cam blocks fixed to a lower bin tray. This causes the downstream end portion of the upper bin tray to ascend.
- the sorter Since, however, in the above conventional sorter, the space between the downstream end portions of adjacent bin trays is totally dependent upon the sliding of two sets of cam blocks with respect to each other, the sorter cannot be free from defects inherent in the sliding of the blocks. Specifically, the sorter had low durability and produces unpleasant noises (frictional sounds). Moreover, the efficiency of motion conversion is low (in other words, the downstream end portions of adjacent bin trays cannot be spaced from each other sufficiently widely).
- US-A-4 607 838 discloses a sorter provided with a plurality of vertically arranged bin trays, the bin trays respectively having a widthwise projecting trunnion in at least one side thereof, the trunnions being vertically stacked and being movable in a substantially vertical direction along a predetermined moving passage, and a transfer mechanism for elevating and lowering the trunnions successively one by one through the predetermined transfer passage and spacing adjacent bin trays from each other vertically at their sheet receiving ends to form a sheet receiving opening between them.
- the transfer mechanism includes a pair of cooperating cam plates and a rotating means, each of the rotating cam plates has at least one trunnion receiving groove extending radially and being open at its radially outside end and an outer circumferential cam surface extending continuously in the circumferential direction excepting a site corresponding to the trunnion receiving grooves.
- the object of the invention is to provide a unique transfer mechanism which overcomes the above problem of the spiral rotating cam-type transfer mechanism and gives a solution to the above problem of the Geneva rotating cam-type transfer mechanism.
- the illustrated sorter shown generally by reference numeral 2 is provided with a stationary supporting frame 4.
- the supporting frame 4 has a front upstanding side plate 6 and a rear upstanding side plate 8 which are disposed in spaced-apart relationship in the width direction (a direction perpendicular to the sheet surface in Figure 2) and a linking plate 10 extending across the upper half portions of the upstream ends (the right ends in Figure 2) of the side plates 6 and 8.
- a first guide plate pair 11, a first conveyor roller pair 12, a second guide plate pair 14 and a second conveyor roller pair 16 are disposed successively in the downstream direction between the side plates 6 and 8. More specifically, an upper guide plate 15 and a lower guide plate 17 in the first guide plate pair 11 are fixed between the side plates 6 and 8.
- a substantially horizontally extending rotating shaft 18 is rotatably mounted between the side plates 6 and 8 and a plurality of (for example, four) rollers 20 are fixed to the rotating shaft 18 at suitable intervals in the width direction.
- Downwardly extending pieces 24 are formed integrally at both sides of the upstream end portion of an upper guide plate 22 in the second pair of guide plates 14.
- a substantially horizontally extending rotating shaft 26 is rotatably mounted between the downwardly extending pieces 24.
- a plurality of (for example, four) rollers 28, which constitute the first conveyor roller pair 12 in cooperation with the rollers 20, are fixed to the rotating shaft 26 at suitable intervals in the width direction.
- Substantially horizontally extending rotating shafts 30 and 32 are rotatably mounted between the side plates 6 and 8 with a space between them in the vertical direction.
- a plurality of (for example,four) rollers 34 are fixed to the rotating shaft 30 at suitable intervals in the width direction.
- a plurality of (for example, four) rollers 36 which constitute the second conveyor roller pair 16 in cooperation with the rollers 34, are fixed to the rotating shaft 32 at suitable intervals in the width direction.
- the rotating shaft 32 to which the rollers 36 are secured is mounted so as to be free to move over some range in the vertical direction and is elastically biased downwardly by a suitable spring means (not shown), and thus, the rollers 36 are pressed elastically against the rollers 34.
- a lower guide plate 38 in the second pair of guide plates 14 is fixed between the side plates 6 and 8.
- projecting pieces 40 are formed integrally at both sides of the downstream portion of the upper guide plate 22 in the second guide plate pair 14, and by idly fitting the downstream end portions of the projecting pieces 40 with the rotating shaft 32, the upper guide plate 22 is pivotally mounted on the rotating shaft 32.
- the upper guide plate 22 is held by its own weight, at a closed position shown in Figure 2 at which the rollers 28 fixed to the rotating shaft 26 mounted on the guide plate 22 abut with the rollers 20.
- a gripping piece 42 is fixed to the upstream end portion of the upper surface of the upper guide plate 22.
- a detector 48 is also disposed for detecting a sheet conveyed through the conveying passage defined by the pair of guide plates 11.
- the detector 48 may be a microswitch having a detecting arm projecting between the guide plates 15 and 17.
- the sorter 2 further has a plurality of (ten in the drawing) bin trays 50.
- Each of the bin trays 50 may be of a nearly rectangular plate form on the whole.
- An end wall 52 projecting upwardly by some distance is formed integrally in the upper end of each of the bin trays 50, and a projecting piece 54 further projecting upwardly is formed integrally in each of the side portions of the end wall 52.
- the inside end portion of a widthwise projecting trunnion 56 is fixed to the projecting piece 54.
- the trunnion 56 may be a pin having a circular cross-sectional surface.
- a substantially vertically extending elongate slot 58 is formed in each of the side plates 6 and 8 of the stationary supporting frame 4.
- the lateral size of the slot 58 corresponds to the diameter of the trunnion 56.
- the trunnions 56 provided in the front and rear sides of the upper end portion of each of the bin trays 50 project outwardly in the width direction through the slots 58 formed in the side plates 6 and 8.
- the trunnions 56 are stacked in a substantially vertical direction in such a manner that they are free to move in a substantially vertical direction along the slots 58.
- the upstream end of the fourth bin tray 50 from above is vertically spaced from the upstream end of the fifth bin tray 50 by the action of the transfer mechanism to be described. Accordingly, the trunnions 56 in four bin trays 50 from the first to the 4th are contacted successively in the vertical direction. The trunnions 56 of six bin trays 50 from the 5th to the 10th are also contacted successively in the vertical direction. However, the trunnions 56 of the 4th bin trays 50 and the tunnions 56 of the fifth bin tray 50 are spaced apart from each other.
- a rod 60 is also provided which extends continuously in the width direction above the trunnions 56 of the first bin tray 50.
- the front end portion of the rod 60 whose cross-sectional surface may be circular projects forwardly through the slot 58 formed in the side plate 6.
- the rear end portion of the rod 60 projects rearwardly through the slot 58 formed in the side plate 8.
- the front end portion of the rod 60 projects forwardly beyond the front ends of the front trunnions of the 1st to the 9th bin trays, and the upper end portion of a lever 62 is fixed to the front end portion of the rod 60.
- the lever 62 has a main portion 64 extending downwardly substantially vertically and a bent portion 66 extending forwardly from the lower end of the main portion 64.
- a vertically extending slot 68 is formed in the lower end part of the main portion 64 of the lever 62.
- the front trunnion 56 of the first bin tray 50 from below extends forwardly beyond the front ends of the front trunnions 56 of the other bin trays 50 and passes through the slot 68.
- an adjusting screw 70 is secured to the bent portion 66 of the lever 62. The upper end of the adjusting screw 70 abuts with the under surface of the extended front end portion of the front trunnion 56 in the first bin tray 50 from below.
- the distance 1 ( Figure 3) between the front trunnion 56 of the first bin tray 50 and the front trunnion 56 of the first bin tray 50 from below is maintained at a predetermined value microadjustable by the operation of the adjusting screw 70.
- the same arrangement (lever 62 and adjusting screw 70) may be provided with regard to the rear trunnions 56 of the bin trays 50 and the rear end portion of the rod 60.
- a spring means for elastically upwardly biasing the trunnion 56 of the first bin tray from below may be used in place of the adjusting screw 70.
- the slots 58 formed in the side plates 6 and 8 extend substantially vertically, but if desired, the slots 58 may be designed to extend upwardly wholly or partly while inclining to the upstream or downstream side, as disclosed, for example, in the above-cited U. S. Patents Nos. 4,328,963 and 4,332,377.
- a detector 71 ( Figures 1 and 2) is further provided in the side plate 6.
- This detector 71 may be a microswitch having a detecting arm extending across the lower portion of the slot 58 formed in the side plate 6.
- each of the bin trays 50 extend to the downstream side beyond the stationary supporting frame 4.
- a notch 72 may be formed in each of the bin trays 50 extending upstream from the downstream end in the central portion of the bin tray in the width direction.
- cam blocks 74 are fixed to both sides of the downstream end portion of each of the bin trays 50 and the cam blocks 74 of the bin trays 50 are stacked in a contacting relationship on both sides of the bin trays. It will be understood from the description given hereinafter that the cam blocks 74 adjoining vertically can be moved in the upstream and downstream directions relative to each other and are stacked pivotally.
- the illustrated sorter 2 further has disposed therein a stationary supporting plate 76 fixed between the side plates 6 and 8 of the stationary supporting frame 4 and extending inclinedly upwardly in the downstream direction from its upstream end.
- a stationary supporting plate 76 fixed between the side plates 6 and 8 of the stationary supporting frame 4 and extending inclinedly upwardly in the downstream direction from its upstream end.
- the sorter 2 further has a transfer mechanism 78.
- two short rods 80 and 82 projecting forwardly substantially horizontally are implanted in the front upstanding side plate 6.
- the free ends of the two short rods 80 and 82 are linked to each other by a reinforcing linking piece 84.
- the short rod 80 is concentric with the rotating shaft 30.
- On the short rods 80 and 82 are rotatably mounted rotating cam plates 86 and 88 and also gears 90 and 92, respectively.
- the rotating cam plate 86 and the gear 90 mounted on the short rod 80 are connected to each other by a suitable means such as a key (not shown) so as to rotate as a unit.
- the rotating cam plate 88 and the gear 92 are connected by a suitable means such as a key (not shown) so as to rotate as a unit.
- the rotating cam plate 86 and the gear 90 may be formed as a one-piece unit; so can the rotating cam plate 88 and the gear 92.
- the gears 90 and 92 are substantially identical and are in mesh with each other. Accordingly, the rotating cam plates 86 and 88 are drivingly connected so that they rotate at substantially the same rotating speed in opposite directions to each other.
- a trunnion receiving groove 94 extending radially and being open at its radial outside end is formed in the rotating cam plate 86.
- the width of the trunnion receiving groove 94 corresponds to the diameter of the trunnion 56 provided in the bin tray 50.
- An outer circumferential cam surface 96 extending continuously in the circumferential direction excepting the site of the trunnion receiving groove should be a convoluted surface whose radius r progressively increases from one side of the trunnion receiving groove 94 to the other side when viewed clockwise in Figure 3.
- the outer circumferential surface 96 in the illustrated embodiment is formed like an Archimedian spiral in which the ratio of the rotating angle ⁇ to the increase of the radius r are constant when viewed clockwise.
- the difference (b-a) between the maximum radius b and the minimum radius a in the outer circumferential cam surface 96 corresponds to the diameter of one trunnion 56, and preferably (b-a) d.
- the rotating cam plate 88 is of quite the same shape as the rotating cam plate 86. Specifically, a trunnion receiving groove 98 extending radially and being opened at its radial outside end is formed in the rotating cam plate 88.
- the rotating cam plates 86 and 88 rotated at substantially the same rotating speed in opposite directions to each other are disposed in a given angular relation such that the trunnion receiving groove 94 faces the trunnion receiving groove 98 at a point of crossing of the straight line 106 and the slot 58, as shown in Figure 4-D.
- the short rods 80 and 82, the reinforcing linking piece 84, the cam plates 86 and 88 and the gears 90 and 92 are likewise disposed in the rear side of the rear upstanding side plate 8 although they are not essential and not shown in the drawings.
- a substantially horizontally extending rotating shaft 108 is rotatably mounted between the side plates 6 and 8.
- the front end portion of the rotating shaft 108 projects forwardly through the side plate 6, and a gear 110 in mesh with the gear 90 is fixed to the front end portion.
- the rear end portion of the rotating shaft 108 projects rearwardly through the side plate 8, and a gear 110 in mesh with the gear 90 is fixed to the rear end portion, although this is not shown in the drawing.
- a driving source 112 ( Figure 3) which may be an electric motor is disposed in the inside surface of the side plate 6.
- the output shaft 114 of the driving source 112 projects forwardly through the side plate 6, and a gear 116 in mesh with the gear 110 disposed ahead of the side plate 6 is fixed to the front end portion of the output shaft 114.
- the driving source 112, the gears 116 and 110 as well as gears 90 and 92 constitute a driving source 118 for rotating the rotating cam plates 86 and 88.
- the gear 116 is rotated clockwise in Figure 3 by the driving source 112
- the rotating cam plate 86 is rotated clockwise, and the rotating cam plate 88, counterclockwise.
- the gear 116 is rotated counterclockwise in Figure 3 by the driving source 112
- the rotating cam plate 86 is rotated counterclockwise, and the rotating cam plate 88, clockwise.
- the sorter 2 illustrated in Figure 2 is used, for example, in combination with an electrostatic copying machine 120.
- This sorter 2 is positioned with respect to the electrostatic copying machine 120 such that a sheet introducing passage 122 defined by the upstream end portion of the first guide plate pair 11 comes opposite to a sheet discharge opening in the copying machine 120.
- a sheet (copying paper) discharged from the copying machine 120 by a pair of discharge rollers 124 is fed to the first pair of conveyor rollers 12 via a space between the guide plates 15 and 17 of the first guide plate pair 11, and by the action of the first conveying roller pair 12, fed to the second pair of conveyor rollers 16 via a space between the guide plates 22 and 38 of the seond guide plate pair, and then by the action of the second conveying roller pair 16, discharged onto any one of the bin trays 50.
- the driving source 112 of the transfer mechanism 78 is energized for a predetermined period of time to rotate the rotating cam plate 86 clockwise and the rotating cam plate 88 counterclockwise each through one turn.
- the trunnion 56 of the 5th bin tray 50 is elevated at a relatively high speed incident to the rotation of the rotating cam plate 86 by the restraining action of the trunnion receiving groove 94, and is spaced upwardly from the trunnion 56 of the 6th bin tray 50.
- the trunnion 56 of the 6th bin tray 50 contacts or approaches the outer circumferential cam surface 96 of the rotating cam plate 86.
- the trunnion 56 of the 5th bin tray 50 gets out of the trunnion receiving groove 98 of the rotating cam plate 88 and maker contact with the outer circumferential cam surface 100 of the rotating cam plate 88, as is shown in Figure 4-G.
- the trunnion 56 of the 4th bin tray 50 has already been elevated by a distance nearly corresponding to the diameter of the trunnion 56. Accordingly, the trunnion 56 of the 5th bin tray 50 can get out of the trunnion receiving groove 98 of the rotating cam plate 88 without violently colliding with the trunnion 56 of the 4th bin tray 50.
- the radius of the outer circumferential surface 100 of the rotating cam plate 88 progressively increases at that site which the trunnion 56 of the 5th bin tray 50 contacts, and the radius of the outer circumferential cam surface 86 of the rotating cam plate 86 progressively decreases at that site which the trunnion 56 of the 6th bin tray 50 contacts or approaches. Accordingly, the trunnions of the 1st to the 10th bin trays 50 are gradually elevated.
- the trunnion 56 of the 4th bin tray 50 is lowered at a relatively high speed by a predetermined distance by the action of the trunnion receiving groove 98 of the rotating cam plate 88 and the trunnion receiving groove 94 of the rotating cam plate 86, and all the trunnions 56 are gradually lowered continuously by a distance corresponding to the diameter of one trunnion 56, as can be understood by seeing Figures 4-A to 4-H in the opposite direction from the case described above.
- the 3rd and 4th bin trays 50 are spaced vertically from each other at their receiving ends, and the sheet conveyed by the action of the second conveying roller pair 16 is in condition for discharged onto the 4th bin tray 50.
- one trunnion receiving groove 94 or 98 is provided respectively in the cooperating rotating cam plates 86 and 88. If desired, it is possible to form two or three or more trunnion receiving grooves at angular intervals in each of the rotating cam plates 86 and 88.
- the outer circumferential cam surface 96 between two adjacent trunnion receiving grooves 94 and the outer circumferential cam surface 100 between two adjacent trunnion receiving grooves 98 are preferably formed in an Archimedian convoluted surface whose radius progressively increases from its minimum radius a to its maximum radius b , and instead of rotating the rotating cam plates 86 and 88 through one turn, they are rotated through 360°/n turn in which n is the number of the trunnion receiving grooves 94 and 98 respectively.
- the transfer mechanism 78 constructed in accordance with this invention, when the rotating cam plates 86 and 88 are rotated through one turn in order to elevate a given trunnion 56 (for example, the trunnion 56 of the 5th bin tray 50) by a predetermined distance by the action of the trunnion receiving grooves 94 and 98 of the rotating cam plates 86 and 88 or to lower a given trunnion 56 (for example, the trunnion 56 of the 4th bin tray 50) by a predetermined distance by the action of the trunnion receiving grooves 94 and 98 of the rotating cam plates 86 and 88, all the trunnions 56 are gradually elevated or lowered successively during the entire one-turn rotation of the rotating cam plates 86 and 88 described above.
- the elevation or lowering of the trunnions 56 is sufficiently smooth, and no excessive impact is produced.
- the transfer of the trunnions 56 can thus be carried out at a sufficiently high speed, and the trunnion can function well over a long period of time without excessive wear.
- the conventional Geneva rotating cam-type transfer mechanism disclosed, for example, in U. S. Patent No. 4,328,963 has the following problems.
- the conventional Geneva rotating cam-type transfer mechanism is provided with a Geneva circular plate cam 126 mounted rotatably on a shaft 125 instead of the aforesaid pair of rotating cam plates 86 and 88.
- At least one trunnion receiving groove 128 extending radially and being open at its radially outside end is formed in the circular plate cam 126 as is the case with the rotating cam plate 86 or 88.
- the outer circumferential cam surface 130 extending continuously in the circumferential direction excepting the site of the trunnion receiving groove 128 is not a convoluted surface but an arcuate surface having a constant radius r .
- the trunnion 134 of the 4th bin tray is also kept in contact with the outer circumferential cam surface 130 of the circular plate cam 126 by the weight of the bin tray, etc. Since, however, the outer circumferential cam surface 130 is an arculate surface having a constant radius r , the trunnions 134 of all bin trays are not elevated but remain stationary while the circular plate cam 126 is rotated from the angular position shown in Figure 5-A to the angular position shown in Figure 5-B.
- the trunnion 134 of the 5th bin tray is elevated at a relatively high speed incident to the rotation of the circular plate cam 126, but the trunnions 134 of the remaining bin trays (i.e., 1st to 4th and 6th to 10th bin trays) remain stationary without being elevated.
- the trunnion 134 of the 5th bin tray gets out of the trunnion receiving groove 128 of the circular plate cam 126 and makes contact with the outer circumferential cam surface 130 of the circular plate cam 126.
- FIGS 6 to 8 illustrate cam means 424 of a unique construction which can be disposed on both sides of the downstream ends of bin trays 50 in place of the cam blocks 74 described above.
- Each cam means 424 includes, with regard to two vertically adjoining bin trays, a pivot member 426 disposed in the lower bin tray 50 and an engaging protrusion 428 disposed in the upper bin tray 50. Both the pivot member 426 and the engaging protrusion 428 should be disposed in the 2nd to 9th bin trays 50. But in the 1st bin tray, the pivot member 426 is omitted, and in the 10th (1st from bottom) bin 50, the engaging protrusion 428 is omitted.
- nearly rectangular blocks 430 which may be made of a suitable synthetic resin are fixed to both ends of the downstream end portion of each of the bin trays 50.
- a groove 431 for receiving a side edge portion of the downstream end of the bin tray 50 is formed in the inside surface of each block 430.
- the blocks 430 may be bonded to desired sites of the bin trays 50 by a suitable adhesive.
- a supporting shaft 432 projecting substantially horizontally and outwardly in the width direction is formed integrally in the downstream end portion of the block 430 at its exterior side surface.
- the pivot member 426 is pivotally mounted on the supporting shaft 432.
- the pivot member 426 which may be formed of a suitable synthetic resin is nearly Z-shaped, and has a base portion 434, an inclined portion 436 a free end portion 438.
- a stopping protrusion 440 ( Figure 8) projecting inwardly in the width direction is formed integrally in the interior side surface of the free end portion 438.
- the stopping protrusion 440 abuts with the upper surface of the block 430 to prevent the pivot member 426 from pivoting clockwise in Figure 8 beyond the stop position shown by a solid line in Figure 8.
- the pivot member 426 is mounted so that it is free to pivot counterclockwise in Figure 8 (in a direction in which the free end portion 438 is elevated) from a predetermined stop position at which its stopping protrusion 440 abuts with the upper surface of the block 430.
- an engagement portion 442 which may be a depressed portion open on the upstream side and having a nearly circular cross-sectional surface.
- the free end portion 438 further has formed therein integrally a projecting piece 446 which defines a guide surface 444 extending upstream from the engagement portion 442.
- the engaging protrusion 428 cooperating with the pivot member 426 described above is formed integrally in the upstream end portion of the outside surface of the block 430, and projects outwardly in the width direction and substantially horizontally from the outside surface of the block 430.
- the cross-sectional surface shape of the engaging protrusion 428 is circular or elliptical.
- the downstream end portion of the given bin tray 50 When the upstream end portion of the given bin tray 50 is elevated and caused to approach the upstream end portion of the bin tray 50 immediately above it, the downstream end portion of the given bin tray 50 is moved downstream with respect to the downstream end portion of the bin tray 50 immediately above it, and therefore, the downstream end portion of the bin tray 50 immediately above it moves upstream relative to the given bin tray.
- the pivot member 426 of the cam means 424 in the given bin tray 50 is pivoted from the spacing position to a direction opposite to the aforesaid predetermined direction (this opposite direction is the clockwise direction in Figure 8), and the downstream end portion of the given bin tray 50 thereby approaches the downstream end portion of the bin tray 50 immediately above it.
- the pivot member 426 is pivoted in the predetermined direction by the action of the engaging protrusion 428, whereby the downstream end portion of the given bin tray 50 is elevated.
- the pivoting movement of the pivot member 426 is utilized instead of the sliding movement of the two cam block in order to space the downstream end portions of the adjacent bin trays 50 automatically. Accordingly, the downstream end portions of the adjacent bin trays 50 can be spaced sufficiently widely with a high motion converting efficiency while avoiding occurrence of unpleasant noises and increasing the durability of the bin trays.
- FIG. 9 to 13 shows a second embodiment of the sorter constructed in accordance with this invention.
- the illustrated sorter shown generally at 202 is provided with a plurality of (18 in the drawing) vertically arranged bin trays 250.
- Supporting pieces 274 which project slightly upwardly and then outwardly in the width direction are formed integrally on both sides of the downstream end portion of each of the bin trays 250.
- the upstream ends of stationary supporting members 276 extending downstream and upwardly inclinedly are fixed respectively to the lower end portions of the inside surfaces of a front upright side plate 206 and a rear upright side plate 208 in a stationary supporting frame 204.
- a guiding member 277 which may be made of synthetic resin and extending substantially vertically upwardly is fixed to the downstream end portion of each of the stationary supporting members 276.
- a plurality of (18 in the drawing) guide rails 279 arranged at predetermined intervals in the vertical reaction and parallel to each other while being slightly upwardly inclined downstream are formed in the inside surfaces of each of the guide members 277.
- the protruding portion in the width direction of the supporting pieces 274 formed in the bin trays 250 are placed on the guide rails 279, respectively. Accordingly, the downstream end portions of the bin trays 250 are supported respectively by the guide rails 279 so that they slide freely along the rails and can pivot.
- auxiliary side plates 207 and 209 having a nearly L-shaped cross-sectional shape are fixed respectively to the outside surfaces of the side plates 206 and 208 of the stationary supporting frame 204.
- a sliding member 221 slidable substantially vertically is disposed in each of a space defined by the side plate 206 and the auxiliary side plate 207 and a space defined by the side plate 208 and the auxiliary side plate 209. More specifically, a guide plate 219 is fixed to the inside surface of the main portion of each of the auxiliary side plates 207 and 209.
- a pair of guide rails 223 extending substantially vertically in spaced-apart relationship are formed integrally in the inside surface of the guide member 219.
- a pair of rails 225 to be guided which extend substantially vertically in spaced-apart relationship are formed integrally on the outside surface in the width direction of each of the sliding member 221.
- the pair of rails 225 to be guided are inserted between the pair of guide rails 223.
- each of the sliding members 221 can slide substantially vertically while being guided by the pair of guide rails 223.
- a substantially horizontally extending rotating shaft 280 is rotatably mounted between the front sliding member 221 and the rear sliding member 221, and a rotating cam plate 286 and a gear 290 are fixed respectively to the front end portion and the rear end portion of the rotating shaft 280.
- a short rod 282 is rotatably mounted on each of the front sliding member 221 and the rear sliding member 221, and a rotating cam plate 288 and a gear 292 are fixed to the short rod 282.
- the shapes of the rotating cam plates 286 and 288 and the gears 290 and 292 and their relation may be substantially the same as the rotating cam plates 86 and 88 and the gears 90 and 92 in the first embodiment described above. Accordingly, a detailed description of these will be omitted.
- suspending pieces 239 extending downwardly are formed integrally in both sides in the width direction of a lower guide plate 238 in a second pair of guide plates 214.
- the upstream end portions of the suspending pieces 239 are pivotally linked to a rotating shaft 218 mounted between the side plates 206 and 208 in the stationary supporting frame 204.
- the rotating shaft 218 to which the lower roller 220 in the first conveying roller pair 212 is fixed is mounted between the side plates 206 and 208 in the stationary supporting frame 204 for free rotation and for free movement over a predetermined range in the left-right direction in Figure 13.
- the downstream end portion of the suspending piece 239 is pivotably mounted on the rotating shaft 280 mounted on the sliding member 221.
- a supporting member 241 extending downwardly is fixed to the front portion in the width direction of the lower guide plate 238 in the second guide plate pair 214, and a driving source 312 which may be electric motor is mounted on the supporting member 241.
- a toothed pulley 316 is fixed to the output shaft 314 of the driving source 312.
- a toothed pulley 310 is fixed to the front portion of the rotating shaft 280.
- a toothed belt 311 is wrapped over the toothed pulleys 310 and 316.
- the driving source 312, the toothed pulleys 310 and 316, the toothed belt 311 and the gears 290 and 292 constitute a driving means 318 in a transfer mechanism 278.
- a hollow cylindrical rotating shaft 230 capable of rotating independently of the rotating shaft 280 is mounted on the central part of the rotating shaft 280 mounted on the sliding member 221.
- a lower roller 234 in a second conveyor roller pair 216 is fixed to the rotating shaft 230.
- a rotating shaft 232 extending substantially horizontally above the rotating shafts 280 and 230 is further mounted between the front sliding member 221 and the rear sliding member 221.
- An upper roller 236 of the second conveyor roller pair 16 is fixed to the rotating shaft 232. It will be appreciated by reference to Figure 13 that the downstream end portions of the projecting pieces 240 formed in both sides of the downstream end portion of the upper guide plate 222 in the second guide plate pair 214 are pivotally linked to the rotating shaft 232.
- a downwardly extending supporting member 243 is fixed to the rear portion in the width direction of the lower guide plate 238 in the second guide plate pair 214.
- a driving source 244 which may be an electric motor is mounted on the supporting member 243.
- a pulley 247 is fixed to the output shaft 245 of the driving source 244.
- a short rod 249 is also rotatably mounted on the supporting member 243, and a pulley 251 is fixed to the short rod 249.
- Pulleys 253 and 255 are fixed to the rear end portions in the width direction of the rotatig shafts 218 and 230, respectively.
- a belt 257 is wrapped over the pulleys 247, 251, 253 and 255.
- trunnions 256 projecting outwardly in the width direction are fixed to both sides of the upstream end of each of the bin trays 250 in the second embodiment.
- a substantially vertically extending elongate slot 258 is formed in each of the side plates 206 and 208 in the stationary supporting frame 204.
- the trunnions 256 of the bin tray 250 project outwardly in the width direction through the slots 258.
- the trunnions 256 are stacked along the slots 258 in a substantially vertical direction.
- the trunnion 256 of the 1st bin tray 250 from below (18th from above) abuts with the lower end of the slot 258, and therefore, the trunnions 256 of the 9th to 18th bin trays 250 cannot descend.
- the position of the upper end and/or the lower end of the slot 258 may be preset by a suitable position-adjustable means (not shown) such as the adjusting screw 70 ( Figures 1 and 3) used in the first embodiment.
- a spring means acting on the trunnion 256 at the upper end and/or the lower end of the slot 258.
- the second embodiment is substantially the same in structure as the first embodiment. To avoid duplication, therefore, a further description of the structure of the second embodiment will be omitted.
- the sorter 202 is used in combination with, for example, an electrostatic copying machine 320 as in the case of the first embodiment.
- a sheet (copying paper) discharged from the copying machine 320 by a discharge roller pair 322 is fed to the first conveyor roller pair 212 after passing between the guide plates of the first guide plate pair 211, and by the action of the first conveyor roller pair 212, is passed between the guide plates of the second guide plate pair 214 and fed to the second conveyor roller pair 216. Then, by the action of the second conveyor roller pair 216, it is discharged onto any of the bin trays 250.
- the driving source 312 ( Figure 12) of the transfer mechanism 278 When in the state shown in Figures 9 to 11, the driving source 312 ( Figure 12) of the transfer mechanism 278 is energized for a predetermined period of time to rotate the rotating cam plate 286 clockwise and the rotating cam plate 288 counterclockwise through one turn, the 8th bin tray 250 and the 9th bin tray are spaced from each other vertically at their receiving ends, and the sheet conveyed by the action of the second conveyor roller pair 216 is in condition for discharge onto the 9th bin tray 250.
- the trunnion 256 of the 8th bin tray 250 which is in contact with the outer circumferential cam surface 296 of the rotating cam plate 286 advances into the trunnion receiving groove 294 of the rotating cam plate 286, and then gets out of the trunnion receiving groove 294 and advances into the trunnion receiving groove 298 of the rotating cam plate 288. Thereafter, it gets out of the trunnion receiving groove 298 and makes contact with the outer circumferential cam surface 300 of the rotating cam plate 288.
- this trunnion is elevated above the second conveyor roller pair 216 (see Figures 4-A and 4-H also).
- the rotating cam plate 86 when the rotating cam plate 86 is rotated clockwise and the rotating cam plate 88 counterclockwise through one turn, all trunnions are gradually elevated.
- trunnions other than a specific trunnion (the trunnion 256 of the 8th bin tray) which is elevated at a relatively high speed by the action of the rotating cam plates 286 and 288 and the trunnion receiving grooves 294 and 298 cannot ascend.
- the sliding members 211 on which the rotating cam plates 286 and 288 are mounted are free to ascend and descend.
- the sliding members 221 mounted on the rotating cam plates 286 and 288 gradually descend as the radius of the outer circumferential cam surface 296 of the rotating cam plate 286 gradually decreases at that site of the rotating cam plate 286 with which the trunnion 256 of the 8th bin tray 250 makes contact until this trunnion advances into the trunnion receiving groove 294 and with which the trunnion 256 of the 9th bin tray 250 makes contact thereafter, and at the same time as the radius of the outer circumferential cam surface 300 of the rotating cam plate 288 gradually increases at that site of the rotating cam plate 288 with which the trunnion 250 of the 7th bin tray 250 makes contact until the trunnion 256 of the 8th bin tray 250 getw out of the trunnion receiving groove 298 and with which the trunnion 256 of the 8th bin tray makes contact thereafter.
- the amount in which the sliding member 221 has descended while the rotating cam plate 286 is rotated clockwise and the rotating cam plate 288 is rotated counterclockwise through one turn corresponds to the diameter of one trunnion 256.
- the second conveyor roller pair 216 is also lowered because the latter is mounted on the former.
- the upstream end portion of the second guide plate pair 214 is moved slightly in the right-left direction and at the same time pivoted counterclockwise in Figure 13 with its upstream end portion (more specifically, the rotating shaft 218) as a center of turning.
- the sheet conveyed by the second conveyor roller pair 216 is in condition for discharge onto the 9th bin tray 250.
- the rotating cam plate 286 When the rotating cam plate 286 is rotated clockwise and the rotating cam plate 288 is rotated counterclockwise successively through one turn, the sheets conveyed by the action of the second conveyor roller pair 216 are in condition for discharge successively onto the 10th to 18th bin trays 250.
- the driving source 312 may be energized, as in the first embodiment, after the lapse of a predetermined period of time from the time when the trailing end of the preceding sheet is detected by the detector 248 ( Figure 10).
- the detector 248 may be mounted on the lower guide plate 217 of the first guide plate pair 211.
- the rotating cam plate 286 When the rotating cam plate 286 is rotated clockwise and the rotating cam plate 288 is rotated counterclockwise successively through one turn to create a condition in which the sheet is to be discharged onto the 1st bin tray 250 from below (the 18th from above) [in this condition, the trunnion 256 of the 1st bin tray 250 from below contacts the outer circumferential cam surface 296 of the rotating cam plate 286 and the trunnion 256 of the 2nd bin tray from below contacts the outer circumferential cam surface 300 of the rotating cam plate 288], the sliding members 221 are at their lowermost positions shown by a two-dot chain line in Figure 11. As a result, the actuating piece 273 fixed to the sliding member 221 acts on the detecting arm of the detector 271 fixed to the side plate 206, and the detector 271 detects the fact that the sliding members 221 are at the lowermost positions.
- the driving source 312 ( Figure 12) of the transfer mechanism 278 is energized for a predetermined period of time to rotate the rotating cam plate 286 counterclockwise and the rotating cam plate 288 clockwise through one turn, the 6th bin tray 250 and the 7th bin tray 250 are spaced vertically from each other at their receiving ends and the sheet conveyed by the action of the second conveyor roller pair 216 is in condition for discharge onto the 7th bin tray 250.
- the sheet conveyed by the second conveyor roller pair 216 is in condition for discharge onto the 7th bin tray 250.
- the supporting pieces 274 provided on both sides of the downstream end portion of the 7th bin tray 250 are caused to slide slightly upstream on the guide rails 279 of the guide member 277 and simultaneously pivoted clockwise when viewed from ahead.
- the rotating cam plate 286 When the rotating cam plate 286 is rotated counterclockwise and the rotating cam plate 288 is rotated clockwise successively through one turn, the sheets conveyed by the action of the second conveying roller pair 216 are in condition for discharge successively onto the 6th to 1st bin trays 250.
- the sheet When the sheet is in condition for discharge onto the 1st bin tray 250, trunnions 256 of all bin trays are positioned below the second conveyor roller pair 216 and the trunnion 256 of the 1st bin tray 250 makes contact with the outer circumferential cam surface 296 of the rotating cam plate 286.
- the rotating cam plates 286 and 288 when the rotating cam plates 286 and 288 are rotated through one turn in order to elevate a given trunnion 256 (for example, the trunnion 256 of the 8th bin tray) by a predetermined distance by the action of the rotating cam plates 286 and 288 and the trunnion receiving grooves 294 and 298 or to lower a given trunnion (for example, the trunnion 256 of the 7th bin tray 250) by a predetermined distance by the action of the rotating cam plates 286 and 288 and the trunnion receiving grooves 294 and 298, the sliding members 221 on which the rotating cam plates 286 and 288 are mounted are gradually lowered or elevated successively over the entire period of one-turn rotation of the rotating cam plates 286 and 288.
- a given trunnion 256 for example, the trunnion 256 of the 8th bin tray
- the rising and lowering of the sliding members 221 are sufficiently smooth, and unlike the case of using the conventional Geneva rotating cam-type transfer mechanism, no excessive impact occurs and no abrupt lowering or elevation of the sliding members is caused.
- the transfer of the trunnions 256 (and the elevation or lowering of the sliding members 221) can be effected at sufficiently high speeds.
- the bin trays can function well over a long period of time without excessive friction, etc.
- Figures 14 to 17 shows a modified example of the method of supporting the downstream end portions of the bin trays.
- supporting pieces 538 are formed integrally in both sides of the downstream end portion of a bin tray 506.
- Each supporting piece 538 has a rising portion 540 extending upwardly from the side edge of the downstream end portion of the bin tray 506 and a projecting portion 542 extending outwardly in the width direction from the upper end edge of the rising portion 540.
- the rising portion 540 is inclined upwardly and slightly outwardly in the width direction, as is seen from Figure 17.
- the rising portion 540 is of a triangular shape whose upward projecting height progressively increases in the downstream direction, and the projecting portion 542 is rectangular.
- the projecting portion 542 is inclined upwardly in the downstream direction at an inclination angle ⁇ of about 20 to 30 degrees with respect to the side edge of the bin tray 506. It will be undertstood by reference to Figures 16 and 17 that the rising portions 540 of the supporting pieces 538 in all bin trays 506 are substantially the same. But the amounts of outward projection in the width direction in the projecting portions 542 of the supporting pieces 538 decrease stepwise from the upper bin trays 506 toward the lower bin trays 506.
- the rising portion 540 is formed, but no projecting portion 542 is provided.
- a supporting frame shown generally at 544 is annexed to the stationary supporting frame 204.
- the supporting frame 544 has extending portions 546 extending while being inclined upwardly from there upstream ends toward the downstream sides, inclined portions 548 extending upwardly from the downstream ends of the extending portions 546 while being inclined outwardly in the width direction, upstanding portions 550 extending upwardly substantially vertically from the inclined portions 548 and a horizontal portion 552 extending substantially horizontally between the upstanding portions 550.
- Guide members 554 are fixed to both sides of the downstream end portion of the supporting frames 544. If desired, the guide members 554 may be formed as an integral unit with the supporting frame 544.
- each of the guide members 554 located opposite to each of the both sides of the downstream end portions of the bin trays 506 is nearly of a parallelogram in its side view (see Figure 15), and in its end view seen from the downstream side, it extends upwardly along the inclined portion 548 of the supporting frame 544 while being inclined outwardly in the width direction.
- the inside surface of each of the guide members 554 is of a step-like form having a plurality of guiding surfaces displaced inwardly in the width direction stepwise from above to below, as clearly shown in Figure 17.
- each of the guiding member 554 has upwardly facing 18 guiding surfaces 556, in the 1st to the 17th guiding surfaces counted from above, the amount c2 of widthwise displacement between adjacent guiding surfaces 556 and the vertical step difference h between them are substantially the same.
- the amount c2 of widthwise displacement is prescribed at a substantially the same value as the aforesaid predetermined amount c1 mentioned with regard to the projecting portion 542 of the supporting piece 538 in the bin tray 506.
- the step difference ha between the first guiding surface 556 counted from below and the second guiding surface counted from below is prescribed at a value larger than the other step difference h (this has to be with the fact that as stated hereinabove, no projecting portion 542 is formed in the first bin tray 506). It will be clearly understood by reference to Figure 15 that conveniently, the guiding surfaces 556 formed in the inside surfaces of the guide members 554 are inclined upwardly toward the downstream at an angle of inclination ⁇ of about 40 to 50 degrees.
- each of the bin trays 506 is supported by placing the projecting portion 542 of the supporting piece 538 on the corresponding guiding surface 556.
- the projecting portion 542 of the 1st bin tray 506 is placed on the 1st guiding surface 556 in the guide member 554, and the projecting portion 542 of the n th bin tray 506 is placed on the n th guiding surface 556 in the guide member 554.
- no projecting portion 542 is formed in the 1st bin tray from below, and as shown in Figure 17, the downstream end portion of the 1st bin tray 506 from below is supported at a required position by placing its both side edge portions directly on the lowermost guiding surface 556 of the guide member 554.
- the guiding surfaces 556 of the guide member 554 are displaced stepwise outwardly in the width direction from bottom to top. Accordingly, the elevation of the downstream end portion of a given bin tray 506 is not hampered by the guiding surface 556 of the bin tray 506 above it, and the downstream end portion of the given bin tray 506 can be elevated freely together with the downstream end portion of the bin tray 506 above it.
- the sheet can be easily disposed of by manually elevating the lower ends portions of the 1st to 7th bin trays 506, pivoting these bin trays 506 about the trunnions 256 at their upstream ends, and thus spacing the 7th bin tray 506 widely from the 8th bin tray 506, as shown by two-dot chain lines in Figure 15.
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Description
- This invention relates to a sorter in accordance with the preamble of claim 1. Such a sorter is known from US-A-4 607 838.
- Relatively small-sized "compact" sorters have been proposed and come into commercial acceptance. The prior art disclosing the compact sorters typically consists of, for example, U. S. Patents Nos. 4,328,963, 4,332,377, 4,337,936, 4,343,463, 4,466,608, 4,466,609 and 4,478,406.
- The compact sorter is provided with a plurality of vertically arranged bin trays. Each of the bin trays has a widthwise projecting trunnion at least on one side of its sheet-receiving end portion. The trunnions which may be pins having a circular cross section are stacked vertically and can move along a predetermined moving passage in the stacking direction. The sorter is further provided with a transfer mechanism for causing the trunnions to rise and descend along the moving passage successively one by one and moving the adjacent bin trays successively away from each other vertically at their sheet receiving ends to form a sheet receiving opening.
- Generally, a transfer mechanism of the type called the Geneva rotating cam-type (disclosed, for example, in the above cited U. S. Patent No. 4,328,963) and a transfer mechanism called the spiral rotating cam type (disclosed, for example, in U. S. Patent No. 4,337,936) are used as the transfer mechanism in the above sorter. The Geneva rotating cam-type transfer mechanism is provided with a Geneva circular plate cam having formed therein at least one trunnion receiving groove extending radially and being open at its radial outside end, and the circular cam plate is adapted to rotate about a central axis extending in the width direction. The spiral rotating cam-type transfer mechanism is provided with a cylindrical cam having formed therein a trunnion receiving groove extending spirally at its outer circumferential surface, and the cylindrical cam is adapted to rotate about a vertically extending central axis.
- The Geneva rotating cam-type transfer mechanism, however, has the disadvantage that when a given trunnion advances into and out of the trunnion receiving groove formed in the circular plate cam, collision and abrupt rising or descending occur (this will be described in detail later with reference to the accompanying drawings). Accordingly, relatively large noises are produced, and the transfer mechanism is not suitable for high-speed transfer of trunnions and has low durability.
- On the other hand, the spiral rotating cam-type transfer mechanism can obviate the above problem of the Geneva rotating cam-type transfer mechanism because the spiral trunnion-receiving groove on the outer circumferential surface of the cylindrical cam can be in such a form as to ascend or descend gradually incident to rotation also at its lower and upper ends. It, however, has other problems to be described. Firstly, to make the cylindrical cam, the spirally extending trunnion receiving groove should be formed on the outside surface of a solid cylinder. The operation of forming the trunnion receiving groove is considerably difficult, and the cost of production is comparatively high. Secondly, it is usually desired to provide trunnions on both sides of each of a plurality of bin trays and transfer the trunnions synchronously on both sides of each bin tray. To meet this desire, it is necessary to provide the cylindrical cams on both sides of each bin tray and drivingly connect the two cylindrical cams. The two cylindrical cams are spaced from each other in the width direction and the rotating central axes of the two cylindrical cams extend vertically. Hence, to drivingly connect the two cylindrical cams, it is necessary to provide a plurality of rotating elements for converting rotation about a central axis extending in the width direction into rotation about a central axis extending vertically. This naturally leads to the necessity of providing a complex drivingly connecting mechanism and the cost of production becomes relatively high.
- Conveniently, to avoid jamming of sheets during sheet collection, the downstream end portions of vertically adjoining bin trays are adapted to separate automatically in the vertical direction when their upstream end portions are spaced from each other vertically by the transfer mechanism. Thus, in the sorter disclosed in the above-cited U. S. Patent No. 4,332,377, cam blocks of a predetermined shape are fixed to both sides of the downstream end portion of each of bin trays, and the downstream ends of the bin trays are stacked via the cam blocks. When the upstream end portion of an upper bin tray is elevated, its downstream end portion is moved in the downstream direction. Accordingly, cam blocks fixed to the upper bin tray slide in the downstream direction with respect to the cam blocks fixed to a lower bin tray. This causes the downstream end portion of the upper bin tray to ascend.
- Since, however, in the above conventional sorter, the space between the downstream end portions of adjacent bin trays is totally dependent upon the sliding of two sets of cam blocks with respect to each other, the sorter cannot be free from defects inherent in the sliding of the blocks. Specifically, the sorter had low durability and produces unpleasant noises (frictional sounds). Moreover, the efficiency of motion conversion is low (in other words, the downstream end portions of adjacent bin trays cannot be spaced from each other sufficiently widely).
- US-A-4 607 838 discloses a sorter provided with a plurality of vertically arranged bin trays, the bin trays respectively having a widthwise projecting trunnion in at least one side thereof, the trunnions being vertically stacked and being movable in a substantially vertical direction along a predetermined moving passage, and a transfer mechanism for elevating and lowering the trunnions successively one by one through the predetermined transfer passage and spacing adjacent bin trays from each other vertically at their sheet receiving ends to form a sheet receiving opening between them. The transfer mechanism includes a pair of cooperating cam plates and a rotating means, each of the rotating cam plates has at least one trunnion receiving groove extending radially and being open at its radially outside end and an outer circumferential cam surface extending continuously in the circumferential direction excepting a site corresponding to the trunnion receiving grooves.
- The object of the invention is to provide a unique transfer mechanism which overcomes the above problem of the spiral rotating cam-type transfer mechanism and gives a solution to the above problem of the Geneva rotating cam-type transfer mechanism.
- The object is solved by the features of claim 1.
- Dependent claims are directed on features of preferred embodiments of the invention.
-
- Figure 1 is a perspective view, partly broken away, of a first embodiment of the sorter constructed in accordance with this invention;
- Figure 2 is a simplified sectional view showing part of the sorter of Figure 1;
- Figure 3 is a simplified side view showing a transfer mechanism in the sorter of Figure 1;
- Figures 4-A to 4-H are simplified views for illustrating the action of the transfer mechanism in the sorter of Figure 1;
- Figures 5-A to 5-E are simplified views for illustrating the problem of a conventional Geneva rotating cam-type transfer mechanism;
- Figure 6 is a side view showing improved cam means which can be disposed on both sides of the downstream end portions of bin trays;
- Figure 7 is a partial perspective view showing the cam means of Figure 6;
- Figure 8 is a pertial side view showing the cam means of Figure 6;
- Figure 9 is a partly-broken-away perspective view showing a second embodiment of the sorter constructed in accordance with this invention;
- Figure 10 is a simplified sectional view showing the sorter of Figure 9;
- Figure 11 is a simplified side view, partly broken away, of the sorter of Figure 9;
- Figure 12 is a sectional view showing part of the sorter of Figure 9;
- Figure 13 is a sectional view showing part of the sorter of Figure 9;
- Figure 14 is a perspective view showing a modified example of the method of supporting the downstream end portion of a bin tray;
- Figure 15 is a simplified partial sectional view of the modified example shown in Figure 14;
- Figure 16 is a perspective view showing the bin tray in the modified example of Figure 14; and
- Figure 17 is a partial side view of the modified example of Figure 14.
- With reference to the accompanying drawings, the preferred examples of the present invention will be described in detail.
- With reference to Figures 1 and 2, the illustrated sorter shown generally by
reference numeral 2 is provided with a stationary supportingframe 4. The supportingframe 4 has a frontupstanding side plate 6 and a rearupstanding side plate 8 which are disposed in spaced-apart relationship in the width direction (a direction perpendicular to the sheet surface in Figure 2) and a linkingplate 10 extending across the upper half portions of the upstream ends (the right ends in Figure 2) of theside plates conveyor roller pair 12, a secondguide plate pair 14 and a secondconveyor roller pair 16 are disposed successively in the downstream direction between theside plates upper guide plate 15 and a lower guide plate 17 in the first guide plate pair 11 are fixed between theside plates rotating shaft 18 is rotatably mounted between theside plates shaft 18 at suitable intervals in the width direction. - Downwardly extending
pieces 24 are formed integrally at both sides of the upstream end portion of anupper guide plate 22 in the second pair ofguide plates 14. A substantially horizontally extendingrotating shaft 26 is rotatably mounted between the downwardly extendingpieces 24. A plurality of (for example, four)rollers 28, which constitute the firstconveyor roller pair 12 in cooperation with the rollers 20, are fixed to the rotatingshaft 26 at suitable intervals in the width direction. Substantially horizontally extendingrotating shafts side plates rollers 34 are fixed to the rotatingshaft 30 at suitable intervals in the width direction. A plurality of (for example, four)rollers 36, which constitute the secondconveyor roller pair 16 in cooperation with therollers 34, are fixed to therotating shaft 32 at suitable intervals in the width direction. Conveniently, the rotatingshaft 32 to which therollers 36 are secured is mounted so as to be free to move over some range in the vertical direction and is elastically biased downwardly by a suitable spring means (not shown), and thus, therollers 36 are pressed elastically against therollers 34. Alower guide plate 38 in the second pair ofguide plates 14 is fixed between theside plates pieces 40 are formed integrally at both sides of the downstream portion of theupper guide plate 22 in the secondguide plate pair 14, and by idly fitting the downstream end portions of the projectingpieces 40 with the rotatingshaft 32, theupper guide plate 22 is pivotally mounted on therotating shaft 32. Usually, theupper guide plate 22 is held by its own weight, at a closed position shown in Figure 2 at which therollers 28 fixed to therotating shaft 26 mounted on theguide plate 22 abut with the rollers 20. As is clearly shown in Figure 1, a grippingpiece 42 is fixed to the upstream end portion of the upper surface of theupper guide plate 22. It is possible to grip the grippingpiece 42, move theupper side plate 22 as shown by a two-dot chain line in Figure 2, and thus separate therollers 28 from the rollers 20, and open a conveying passage defined by the pair ofguide plates 14. The rotatingshaft 18 in the first conveyingroller pair 12 and therotating shaft 30 in the second conveyingroller pair 16 are drivingly coupled to a drivingsource 44 which may be an electric motor by a suitable power transmission mechanism (not shown), and the first conveyingroller pair 12 and the second conveyingroller pair 16 are rotated in the direction shown byarrow 46. In the illustrated embodiment, a detector 48 is also disposed for detecting a sheet conveyed through the conveying passage defined by the pair of guide plates 11. The detector 48 may be a microswitch having a detecting arm projecting between theguide plates 15 and 17. - With reference to Figure 1, the
sorter 2 further has a plurality of (ten in the drawing)bin trays 50. In refering to the order of a particular bin tray in a series of bin trays, it is counted from above unless otherwise specified. Each of thebin trays 50 may be of a nearly rectangular plate form on the whole. Anend wall 52 projecting upwardly by some distance is formed integrally in the upper end of each of thebin trays 50, and a projectingpiece 54 further projecting upwardly is formed integrally in each of the side portions of theend wall 52. The inside end portion of a widthwise projectingtrunnion 56 is fixed to the projectingpiece 54. Thetrunnion 56 may be a pin having a circular cross-sectional surface. On the other hand, as clearly shown in Figures 1 and 3, a substantially vertically extendingelongate slot 58 is formed in each of theside plates frame 4. The lateral size of theslot 58 corresponds to the diameter of thetrunnion 56. Thetrunnions 56 provided in the front and rear sides of the upper end portion of each of thebin trays 50 project outwardly in the width direction through theslots 58 formed in theside plates trunnions 56 are stacked in a substantially vertical direction in such a manner that they are free to move in a substantially vertical direction along theslots 58. In the states shown in Figures 1 and 3, the upstream end of thefourth bin tray 50 from above is vertically spaced from the upstream end of thefifth bin tray 50 by the action of the transfer mechanism to be described. Accordingly, thetrunnions 56 in fourbin trays 50 from the first to the 4th are contacted successively in the vertical direction. Thetrunnions 56 of sixbin trays 50 from the 5th to the 10th are also contacted successively in the vertical direction. However, thetrunnions 56 of the4th bin trays 50 and thetunnions 56 of thefifth bin tray 50 are spaced apart from each other. - In the illustrated embodiment, a
rod 60 is also provided which extends continuously in the width direction above thetrunnions 56 of thefirst bin tray 50. The front end portion of therod 60 whose cross-sectional surface may be circular projects forwardly through theslot 58 formed in theside plate 6. The rear end portion of therod 60 projects rearwardly through theslot 58 formed in theside plate 8. As shown clearly in Figure 1, the front end portion of therod 60 projects forwardly beyond the front ends of the front trunnions of the 1st to the 9th bin trays, and the upper end portion of alever 62 is fixed to the front end portion of therod 60. Thelever 62 has amain portion 64 extending downwardly substantially vertically and abent portion 66 extending forwardly from the lower end of themain portion 64. A vertically extendingslot 68 is formed in the lower end part of themain portion 64 of thelever 62. Thefront trunnion 56 of thefirst bin tray 50 from below (the 10th from above) extends forwardly beyond the front ends of thefront trunnions 56 of theother bin trays 50 and passes through theslot 68. On the other hand, an adjustingscrew 70 is secured to thebent portion 66 of thelever 62. The upper end of the adjustingscrew 70 abuts with the under surface of the extended front end portion of thefront trunnion 56 in thefirst bin tray 50 from below. It will be understood therefore that the distance 1 (Figure 3) between thefront trunnion 56 of thefirst bin tray 50 and thefront trunnion 56 of thefirst bin tray 50 from below is maintained at a predetermined value microadjustable by the operation of the adjustingscrew 70. The above distance 1 is adjusted to a value represented by 1=10d+x in which d is the diameter of thetrunnion 56 and x is the distance between twotrunnions 56 to be spaced from each other by the action of the transfer mechanism to be described (Figure 3). Conveniently, the same arrangement (lever 62 and adjusting screw 70) may be provided with regard to therear trunnions 56 of thebin trays 50 and the rear end portion of therod 60. If desired, in order to maintain the above distance 1 at a predetermined value, a spring means for elastically upwardly biasing thetrunnion 56 of the first bin tray from below may be used in place of the adjustingscrew 70. Furthermore, in the illustrated embodiment, theslots 58 formed in theside plates slots 58 may be designed to extend upwardly wholly or partly while inclining to the upstream or downstream side, as disclosed, for example, in the above-cited U. S. Patents Nos. 4,328,963 and 4,332,377. In the illustrated embodiment, a detector 71 (Figures 1 and 2) is further provided in theside plate 6. Thisdetector 71 may be a microswitch having a detecting arm extending across the lower portion of theslot 58 formed in theside plate 6. When the ten bin trays are in the initial state in which all of them are not elevated by the transfer mechanism to be described but thetrunnions 56 of all bins are successively kept in contact in the vertical direction, thefront trunnion 56 of thefirst bin tray 50 from below acts on thedetector 50. As a result, thedetector 71 detects the fact that the tenbin trays 50 are in the initial state. - As clearly shown in Figure 1, each of the
bin trays 50 extend to the downstream side beyond the stationary supportingframe 4. Conveniently, anotch 72 may be formed in each of thebin trays 50 extending upstream from the downstream end in the central portion of the bin tray in the width direction. Furthermore, in the illustrated embodiment, cam blocks 74 are fixed to both sides of the downstream end portion of each of thebin trays 50 and the cam blocks 74 of thebin trays 50 are stacked in a contacting relationship on both sides of the bin trays. It will be understood from the description given hereinafter that the cam blocks 74 adjoining vertically can be moved in the upstream and downstream directions relative to each other and are stacked pivotally. The illustratedsorter 2 further has disposed therein a stationary supportingplate 76 fixed between theside plates frame 4 and extending inclinedly upwardly in the downstream direction from its upstream end. As is clearly seen from Figure 1, the downstream end portion of thefirst bin tray 50 from below abuts with the downstream end of the stationary supportingframe 76 and is supported by it. The downstream portions of theother bin trays 50 are indirectly supported by the downstream end of the stationary supportingplate 76 by the abutting of each of the cam blocks 74 with thecam block 74 of thebin tray 50 immediately below it. If desired, instead of fixing the upstream end of the supportingplate 76 to the stationary supportingframe 4, it is possible to fix the upstream end of the supportingplate 76 to thelever 62 via a suitable member so that when thelever 62 is elevated or lowered as stated below, the supportingplate 76 is elevated and lowered incident to it. - The
sorter 2 further has atransfer mechanism 78. With reference to Figures 1 and 3, twoshort rods upstanding side plate 6. The free ends of the twoshort rods linking piece 84. Conveniently, theshort rod 80 is concentric with the rotatingshaft 30. On theshort rods rotating cam plates cam plate 86 and thegear 90 mounted on theshort rod 80 are connected to each other by a suitable means such as a key (not shown) so as to rotate as a unit. Likewise, the rotatingcam plate 88 and thegear 92 are connected by a suitable means such as a key (not shown) so as to rotate as a unit. If desired, the rotatingcam plate 86 and thegear 90 may be formed as a one-piece unit; so can therotating cam plate 88 and thegear 92. Thegears cam plates trunnion receiving groove 94 extending radially and being open at its radial outside end is formed in the rotatingcam plate 86. The width of thetrunnion receiving groove 94 corresponds to the diameter of thetrunnion 56 provided in thebin tray 50. An outercircumferential cam surface 96 extending continuously in the circumferential direction excepting the site of the trunnion receiving groove should be a convoluted surface whose radius r progressively increases from one side of thetrunnion receiving groove 94 to the other side when viewed clockwise in Figure 3. The outercircumferential surface 96 in the illustrated embodiment is formed like an Archimedian spiral in which the ratio of the rotating angle ϑ to the increase of the radius r are constant when viewed clockwise. Specifically, let the minimum radius in the outercircumferential surface 96 be a, the radius r of the outercircumferential cam surface 96 at a position spaced from the position of the minimum radius a by the rotating angle ϑ is r=a+nϑ where n is a constant. The difference (b-a) between the maximum radius b and the minimum radius a in the outercircumferential cam surface 96 corresponds to the diameter of onetrunnion 56, and preferably (b-a)d. The rotatingcam plate 88 is of quite the same shape as the rotatingcam plate 86. Specifically, atrunnion receiving groove 98 extending radially and being opened at its radial outside end is formed in the rotatingcam plate 88. An outercircumferential cam surface 100 extending continuously in the circumferential direction excepting the site of thetrunnion receiving groove 98 is a spiral surface in which the radius r progressively increases from one side of thetrunnion receiving groove 98 to the other side when viewed clockwise in Figure 3, preferably formed like an Archimedian spiral in which the radius of the outercircumferential cam surface 100 at a position spaced from the position of the minimum radius a by an angle ϑ is expressed by the above formula r=a+nϑ. - It is clearly shown in Figure 3 that the central axes of the
short rods central axes rotating cam plates slot 58 formed in theside plate 6. The rotatingcentral axes straight line 106 connecting theaxes trunnion 56 at an inclination of angle of, for example 45 degrees. The rotatingcam plates trunnion receiving groove 94 faces thetrunnion receiving groove 98 at a point of crossing of thestraight line 106 and theslot 58, as shown in Figure 4-D. It will be understood by reference to Figures 4-C and 4-E as well as Figure 4-D that when the rotatingcam plate 86 is rotated clockwise, and the rotatingcam plate 88 counterclockwise, from the state shown in Figure 4-C, the radius r of the outercircumferential cam surface 96 of the rotatingcam plate 86 progressively decreases, and the radius r of the outercircumferential cam surface 100 of the rotatingcam plate 88 progressively increases, at the above point of crossing. Conversely, when the rotatingcam plate 86 is rotated counterclockwise, and the rotatingcam 88 clockwise, from the state shown in Figure 4-C, the radius r of the outercircumferential cam surface 96 of the rotatingcam plate 86 progressively increases, and the radius r of the outercircumferential cam surface 100 of the rotatingcam plate 88 progressively decreases, at the above point of crossing. Accordingly, the outercircumferential cam surface 96 of the rotatingcam plate 86 and the outercircumferential cam surface 100 of the rotatingcam plate 88 do not interfere with each other at the point of crossing, and therotating cam plates - Conveniently, the
short rods linking piece 84, thecam plates gears upstanding side plate 8 although they are not essential and not shown in the drawings. - Further, with reference to Figures 1 and 3, a substantially horizontally extending
rotating shaft 108 is rotatably mounted between theside plates rotating shaft 108 projects forwardly through theside plate 6, and agear 110 in mesh with thegear 90 is fixed to the front end portion. Likewise, the rear end portion of therotating shaft 108 projects rearwardly through theside plate 8, and agear 110 in mesh with thegear 90 is fixed to the rear end portion, although this is not shown in the drawing. Further, a driving source 112 (Figure 3) which may be an electric motor is disposed in the inside surface of theside plate 6. Theoutput shaft 114 of the drivingsource 112 projects forwardly through theside plate 6, and agear 116 in mesh with thegear 110 disposed ahead of theside plate 6 is fixed to the front end portion of theoutput shaft 114. The drivingsource 112, thegears gears source 118 for rotating therotating cam plates gear 116 is rotated clockwise in Figure 3 by the drivingsource 112, the rotatingcam plate 86 is rotated clockwise, and the rotatingcam plate 88, counterclockwise. Conversely, when thegear 116 is rotated counterclockwise in Figure 3 by the drivingsource 112, the rotatingcam plate 86 is rotated counterclockwise, and the rotatingcam plate 88, clockwise. - The operation and advantage of the
sorter 2 described above will now be described. Thesorter 2 illustrated in Figure 2 is used, for example, in combination with anelectrostatic copying machine 120. Thissorter 2 is positioned with respect to theelectrostatic copying machine 120 such that asheet introducing passage 122 defined by the upstream end portion of the first guide plate pair 11 comes opposite to a sheet discharge opening in the copyingmachine 120. A sheet (copying paper) discharged from the copyingmachine 120 by a pair ofdischarge rollers 124 is fed to the first pair ofconveyor rollers 12 via a space between theguide plates 15 and 17 of the first guide plate pair 11, and by the action of the first conveyingroller pair 12, fed to the second pair ofconveyor rollers 16 via a space between theguide plates roller pair 16, discharged onto any one of thebin trays 50. As shown in Figure 2, when the4th bin tray 50 and the5th bin tray 50 are spaced from each other vertically at their receiving ends to form a sheet receiving opening between them, it will be easily seen that the sheet conveyed by the action of the second conveyingroller pair 16 is discharged onto the5th bin tray 50. Onto which of the bin trays 50 a given sheet is to be discharged can be selected by properly controlling the elevation and lowering of thetrunnions 56 of the bin trays by thetransfer mechanism 78. - Now, the action of the
transfer mechanism 78 to elevate and lower thetrunnions 56 will be described. - When the
4th bin tray 50 and the5th bin tray 50 from above are vertically spaced from each other at their receiving ends as shown in Figures 1 to 3, the rotatingcam plates transfer mechanism 78 are maintained stationary, for example, at the angular position illustrated in Figure 4-A. In this state, thetrunnion 56 of the 4th bin tray is in contact with the outercircumferential cam surface 100 of the rotatingcam plate 88, and the trunnion of the 5th bin tray is in contact, or in proximity, with the outercircumferential cam surface 96 of the rotatingcam plate 86. In order to space the5th bin tray 50 and the6th bin tray 50 vertically from each other at their receiving ends by elevating thetrunnion 56 of the5th bin tray 50 and thereby to allow the sheet conveyed by the second pair ofconveyor rollers 16 to be discharged onto the6th bin tray 50, the drivingsource 112 of thetransfer mechanism 78 is energized for a predetermined period of time to rotate therotating cam plate 86 clockwise and the rotatingcam plate 88 counterclockwise each through one turn. While the rotatingcam plates circumferential cam surface 100 of the rotatingcam plate 88 progressively increases at that site with which thetrunnion 56 of the4th bin tray 50 is in contact. Hence, thetrunnion 56 of the4th bin tray 50 is gradually elevated. As a result, as can be seen from Figures 1 and 3, therod 60 and thelever 62 are gradually elevated together with thetrunnions 56 of the 3rd, 2nd and1st bin trays 50. Thus, thetrunnions 56 of the 5th, 6th, 7th 8th, 9th and10th bin trays 50 are also elevated. While the rotatingcam plates circumferential cam surface 96 of the rotatingcam plate 86 progressively decreases, according to the increase of the radius of the outercircumferential cam surface 100 of the rotatingcam plate 88, at that site with which thetrunnion 56 of the5th bin tray 50 is in contact, or in proximity. Consequently, the gradually risingtrunnion 56 of the5th bin tray 50 continues to contact or approach the outercircumferential cam surface 96 of the rotatingcam plate 86. When therotating cam plates trunnion 56 of the5th bin tray 50 advances into thetrunnion receiving groove 94 of the rotatingcam plate 86, and thetrunnion 56 of the 6th bin tray contacts or approaches the outercircumferential cam surface 96 of the rotatingcam plate 86. Thetrunnions 56 of the 1st to the10th bin trays 50 are also gradually elevated for the reason mentioned above while the rotatingcam plates rotating cam plates trunnion 56 of the5th bin tray 50 is elevated at a relatively high speed incident to the rotation of the rotatingcam plate 86 by the restraining action of thetrunnion receiving groove 94, and is spaced upwardly from thetrunnion 56 of the6th bin tray 50. Thetrunnion 56 of the6th bin tray 50 contacts or approaches the outercircumferential cam surface 96 of the rotatingcam plate 86. Since at this time, thetrunnion 56 of the6th bin tray 50 has already been elevated a predetermined amount, it does not violently collide with the outercircumferential cam surface 96 of the rotatingcam plate 86. When therotating cam plates trunnion 56 of the5th bin tray 50 gets out of thetrunnion receiving groove 94 of the rotatingcam plate 86 and advances into thetrunnion receiving groove 98 of the rotatingcam plate 88, as can be seen by comparing Figure 4-D with Figure 4-E. Thus, while the rotatingcam plates trunnion 56 of the5th bin tray 50 is further elevated at a relatively high speed incident to the rotation of the rotatingcam plate 88 by the restraining action of thetrunnion receiving groove 98. While the rotatingcam plates circumferential cam surface 100 of the rotatingcam plate 88 progressively increases at that site with which thetrunnion 56 of the4th bin tray 50 makes contact, and at that site which thetrunnion 56 of the6th bin tray 50 contacts or approaches, the radius of the outercircumferential cam surface 96 of the rotatingcam plate 86 progressively decreases. Accordingly, thetrunnions 56 of the 1st to 4th and 6th to10th bin trays 50 are gradually elevated. When therotating cam plates trunnion 56 of the5th bin tray 50 gets out of thetrunnion receiving groove 98 of the rotatingcam plate 88 and maker contact with the outercircumferential cam surface 100 of the rotatingcam plate 88, as is shown in Figure 4-G. By this time, thetrunnion 56 of the4th bin tray 50 has already been elevated by a distance nearly corresponding to the diameter of thetrunnion 56. Accordingly, thetrunnion 56 of the5th bin tray 50 can get out of thetrunnion receiving groove 98 of the rotatingcam plate 88 without violently colliding with thetrunnion 56 of the4th bin tray 50. It is appreciated by reference to Figure 1 that while thetrunnion 56 of the5th bin tray 50 is being elevated at a relatively high speed by the action of thetrunnion receiving groove 94 on the rotatingcam plate 86 and thetrunnion receiving groove 98 on the rotatingcam plate 88, the cam blocks 74 provided on both sides of the downstream end portion of the5th bin tray 56 slide slightly downstream over the cam blocks 74 of thebin tray 50 positioned immediately below the first-mentioned cam blocks, and simultaneously pivoted counterclockwise when viewed from ahead. The rotatingcam plates circumferential surface 100 of the rotatingcam plate 88 progressively increases at that site which thetrunnion 56 of the5th bin tray 50 contacts, and the radius of the outercircumferential cam surface 86 of the rotatingcam plate 86 progressively decreases at that site which thetrunnion 56 of the6th bin tray 50 contacts or approaches. Accordingly, the trunnions of the 1st to the10th bin trays 50 are gradually elevated. When therotating cam plates 5th bin tray 50 and the6th bin tray 50, instead of the 4th and5th bin trays 50, are spaced vertically from each other at their receiving ends, and the sheet conveyed by the 2nd pair of conveyingrollers 16 is now in condition for discharge onto the 6th bin tray. When the rotatingcam plate 86 is successively rotated clockwise through one turn and the rotatingcam plate 88 is successively rotated counterclockwise through one turn, sheets conveyed by the action of the second pair of conveyingrollers 16 are in condition for discharge onto the 7th to10th bin trays 50 successively. Energization of the drivingsource 112 for rotating therotating cam plates - On the other hand, in order to create a condition in which the sheet is to be discharged onto the
4th bin tray 50 from the condition shown in Figures 1 and 3, i.e. the condition in which the sheet conveyed by the second pair of conveyingrollers 16 is to be discharged onto the5th bin tray 50, the rotatingcam plate 86 is rotated counterclockwise through one turn and the rotatingcam plate 88 is rotated clockwise through one turn. As a result, thetrunnion 56 of the4th bin tray 50 is lowered at a relatively high speed by a predetermined distance by the action of thetrunnion receiving groove 98 of the rotatingcam plate 88 and thetrunnion receiving groove 94 of the rotatingcam plate 86, and all thetrunnions 56 are gradually lowered continuously by a distance corresponding to the diameter of onetrunnion 56, as can be understood by seeing Figures 4-A to 4-H in the opposite direction from the case described above. Thus, instead of the 4th and5th bin trays 50, the 3rd and4th bin trays 50 are spaced vertically from each other at their receiving ends, and the sheet conveyed by the action of the second conveyingroller pair 16 is in condition for discharged onto the4th bin tray 50. While thetrunnion 56 of the4th bin tray 50 is lowered at a relatively high speed by the action of thetrunnion receiving groove 98 of the rotatingcam plate 88 and thetrunnion receiving groove 94 of the rotatingcam plate 86, the cam blocks 74 provided on both sides of the downstream end portion of the4th bin tray 50 slide slightly upstream over the cam blocks 74 of thebin tray 50 immediately below it and are pivoted clockwise when viewed from ahead, as can be understood by reference to Figure 1. When the rotatingcam plate 86 is further rotated counterclockwise through one turn and the rotatingcam plate 88 is rotated further clockwise through one turn successively, sheets conveyed by the action of the second pair of conveyingrollers 16 are in condition for discharge onto the 3rd to 1st bin trays successively. - In the illustrated
transfer mechanism 78, onetrunnion receiving groove cam plates rotating cam plates circumferential cam surface 96 between two adjacenttrunnion receiving grooves 94 and the outercircumferential cam surface 100 between two adjacenttrunnion receiving grooves 98 are preferably formed in an Archimedian convoluted surface whose radius progressively increases from its minimum radius a to its maximum radius b, and instead of rotating therotating cam plates trunnion receiving grooves - According to the
transfer mechanism 78 constructed in accordance with this invention, when the rotatingcam plates trunnion 56 of the 5th bin tray 50) by a predetermined distance by the action of thetrunnion receiving grooves rotating cam plates trunnion 56 of the 4th bin tray 50) by a predetermined distance by the action of thetrunnion receiving grooves rotating cam plates trunnions 56 are gradually elevated or lowered successively during the entire one-turn rotation of therotating cam plates trunnions 56 is sufficiently smooth, and no excessive impact is produced. The transfer of thetrunnions 56 can thus be carried out at a sufficiently high speed, and the trunnion can function well over a long period of time without excessive wear. - On the other hand, the conventional Geneva rotating cam-type transfer mechanism disclosed, for example, in U. S. Patent No. 4,328,963 has the following problems. With reference to Figures 5-A to 5-E, the conventional Geneva rotating cam-type transfer mechanism is provided with a Geneva
circular plate cam 126 mounted rotatably on ashaft 125 instead of the aforesaid pair ofrotating cam plates trunnion receiving groove 128 extending radially and being open at its radially outside end is formed in thecircular plate cam 126 as is the case with the rotatingcam plate circular cam 126, the outercircumferential cam surface 130 extending continuously in the circumferential direction excepting the site of thetrunnion receiving groove 128 is not a convoluted surface but an arcuate surface having a constant radius r. - When in this Geneva rotating cam-type transfer mechanism, a condition in which the 5th and 6th bin trays are spaced vertically from each other at their receiving ends is to be created from a condition in which the 4th and 5th bin trays are spaced vertically from each other at their receiving ends, the
circular cam plate 126 is rotated clockwise through one turn. While thecircular plate cam 126 is rotated from the angular position shown in Figure 5-A to the angular position shown in Figure 5-B, atrunnion 134 of the 5th bin tray is elastically kept in contact with the outercircumferential cam surface 130 of thecircular plate cam 126 by the elastic upwardly biasing action of a spring means 132. Thetrunnion 134 of the 4th bin tray is also kept in contact with the outercircumferential cam surface 130 of thecircular plate cam 126 by the weight of the bin tray, etc. Since, however, the outer circumferential cam surface 130 is an arculate surface having a constant radius r, the trunnions 134 of all bin trays are not elevated but remain stationary while the circular plate cam 126 is rotated from the angular position shown in Figure 5-A to the angular position shown in Figure 5-B. When the circular plate cam 126 is further rotated clockwise beyond the angular position shown in Figure 5-B, the trunnion 134 of the 5th bin tray advances into the trunnion receiving groove 128 in the circular plate cam 126 and is elevated at a relatively high speed incident to the rotation of the circular plate cam 126, as is shown in Figure 5-C. On the other hand, as can be understood by comparing Figure 5-B with Figure 5-C, during a very short period of time when the circular plate cam 126 rotates clockwise from the angular position shown in Figure 5-B over a small angular range corresponding to the width of the trunnion receiving groove 128 (therefore, the diameter of the trunnion 134), the trunnions 134 of the 6th to 10th bin trays are abruptly elevated by a distance corresponding to the diameter of one trunnion 134 by the elastic upwardly biasing action of the spring means 132, and the trunnion 134 of the 6th bin tray comes into collision with the outer circumferential cam surface 130 of the circular plate cam 126. While thecircular plate cam 126 is rotated from the angular position shown in Figure 5-C to the angular position illustrated in Figure 5-D, thetrunnion 134 of the 5th bin tray is elevated at a relatively high speed incident to the rotation of thecircular plate cam 126, but thetrunnions 134 of the remaining bin trays (i.e., 1st to 4th and 6th to 10th bin trays) remain stationary without being elevated. When thecircular plate cam 126 is further rotated clockwise beyond the angular position shown in Figure 5-D, thetrunnion 134 of the 5th bin tray gets out of thetrunnion receiving groove 128 of thecircular plate cam 126 and makes contact with the outercircumferential cam surface 130 of thecircular plate cam 126. As can be seen by comparing Figure 5-D with Figure 5-E, during a very short period of time when thecircular plate cam 126 rotates clockwise over a small angular range corresponding to the width of the trunnion receiving groove 128 (i.e., the diameter of the trunnion 134) to the angular position shown in Figure 5-E, thetrunnion 134 of the 5th bin tray collides with thetrunnion 134 of the 4th bin tray which has so far remained stationary in contact with the outercircumferential cam surface 130 of thecircular plate cam 126. Then, according to the elevation of thetrunnion 134 of the 5th bin tray, thetrunnions 134 of the 1st to 4th bin trays are abruptly elevated by a distance corresponding to the diameter of onetrunnion 134. While thecircular plate cam 126 is further rotated clockwise beyond the angular position shown in Figure 5-E and returns to the angular position shown in Figure 5-A, the trunnions of all bin trays remain stationary. - When the
circular plate cam 126 is rotated counterclockwise, and therefore the4th trunnion 134 is lowered at a relatively high speed by the action of thetrunnion receiving groove 128 of thecircular plate cam 126, the aforesaid collision and abrupt lowering also occur when thetrunnion 134 of the 4th bin tray comes into and out of thetrunnion receiving groove 128, as can be understood by seeing Figures 5-A to 5-E in the opposite direction to the aforesaid case. - Thus, collision and abrupt elevation or lowering occur in the conventional Geneva rotating cam-type transfer mechanism when a given
trunnion 134 comes into and out of thetrunnion receiving groove 128 of thecircular plate cam 126. Accordingly, relatively large noises are produced in the conventional Geneva rotating cam-type transfer mechanism, and it is not suitable for high-speed of transfer of trunnions. Moreover, the transfer mechanism fails to function within a relatively short period of time owing to wear, etc. - Figures 6 to 8 illustrate cam means 424 of a unique construction which can be disposed on both sides of the downstream ends of
bin trays 50 in place of the cam blocks 74 described above. Each cam means 424 includes, with regard to two vertically adjoining bin trays, apivot member 426 disposed in thelower bin tray 50 and an engagingprotrusion 428 disposed in theupper bin tray 50. Both thepivot member 426 and the engagingprotrusion 428 should be disposed in the 2nd to9th bin trays 50. But in the 1st bin tray, thepivot member 426 is omitted, and in the 10th (1st from bottom)bin 50, the engagingprotrusion 428 is omitted. As clearly shown in Figure 7, nearlyrectangular blocks 430 which may be made of a suitable synthetic resin are fixed to both ends of the downstream end portion of each of thebin trays 50. Agroove 431 for receiving a side edge portion of the downstream end of thebin tray 50 is formed in the inside surface of eachblock 430. Theblocks 430 may be bonded to desired sites of thebin trays 50 by a suitable adhesive. A supportingshaft 432 projecting substantially horizontally and outwardly in the width direction is formed integrally in the downstream end portion of theblock 430 at its exterior side surface. Thepivot member 426 is pivotally mounted on the supportingshaft 432. Thepivot member 426 which may be formed of a suitable synthetic resin is nearly Z-shaped, and has abase portion 434, an inclined portion 436 afree end portion 438. A stopping protrusion 440 (Figure 8) projecting inwardly in the width direction is formed integrally in the interior side surface of thefree end portion 438. The stoppingprotrusion 440 abuts with the upper surface of theblock 430 to prevent thepivot member 426 from pivoting clockwise in Figure 8 beyond the stop position shown by a solid line in Figure 8. In other words, thepivot member 426 is mounted so that it is free to pivot counterclockwise in Figure 8 (in a direction in which thefree end portion 438 is elevated) from a predetermined stop position at which its stoppingprotrusion 440 abuts with the upper surface of theblock 430. In thefree end portion 438 of thepivot member 426 is formed anengagement portion 442 which may be a depressed portion open on the upstream side and having a nearly circular cross-sectional surface. Thefree end portion 438 further has formed therein integrally a projectingpiece 446 which defines aguide surface 444 extending upstream from theengagement portion 442. The engagingprotrusion 428 cooperating with thepivot member 426 described above is formed integrally in the upstream end portion of the outside surface of theblock 430, and projects outwardly in the width direction and substantially horizontally from the outside surface of theblock 430. Conveniently, the cross-sectional surface shape of the engagingprotrusion 428 is circular or elliptical. - It will be easily appreciated by reference to Figures 7 and 8 that when the vertically adjoining
bin trays 50 are in a normal condition in which the upstream ends of thebin trays 50 are not spaced vertically from each other, theblocks 430 of theupper bin tray 50 are directly placed in abutment with theblocks 430 of thelower bin tray 50 and the downstream end portion of theupper bin tray 50 is stacked on the downstream end portion of thelower bin tray 50. In this condition, the engagingprotrusion 428 of theupper bin tray 50 is positioned on theguide surface 444 of thelower bin tray 50. The engagingprotrusion 428 of theupper bin tray 50 has not yet engaged theengagement portion 442 of thelower bin tray 50. Accordingly, as is shown by a two-dot chain line in Figure 6 with regard to thefirst bin tray 50, it is possible to elevate the downstream end portion of theupper bin tray 50 manually (at this time, thebin tray 50 is pivoted clockwise in Figure 6 about thetrunnion 56 disposed at its upstream end) and space the two adjoiningbin trays 50 manually to a great extent (this spacing is useful in the event of paper jamming between the bin trays 50). - It will be appreciated by reference to Figure 6 that when the upstream end portion of a given
bin tray 50 is elevated by thetransfer mechanism 78 so as to space it upwardly from the upstream end portion of thebin tray 50 immediately below it, the downstream end portion of the givenbin tray 50 is moved downstream with respect to the downstream end portion of thebin tray 50 immediately below it because the movement of thetrunnion 56 by thetransfer mechanism 78 is in a substantially vertical direction and thebin trays 50 are inclined upwardly in the downstream direction. When the downstream end portion of the givenbin tray 50 is moved downstream, the engagingprotrusion 428 of the cam means 424 in the givenbin tray 50 slightly moves downstream on theguide surface 444 of thepivot member 426 of the cam means 424 in thebin tray 50 immediately below it, and advances into theengagement portion 442, as can be seen by reference to Figures 7 and 8. Then, as shown by a two-dot chain line in Figure 8, as the engagingprotrusion 428 moves downward, thepivot member 426 is pivoted in a predetermined direction (counterclockwise in Figure 8) to a spacing position. This pivoting of thepivot member 426 elevates to engagingprotrusion 428 together with theengagement portion 442 of thepivot member 426. Thus, the downstream end portion of the givenbin tray 50 is spaced upwardly from the downstream end portion of thebin tray 50 immediately below it. - When the upstream end portion of the given
bin tray 50 upwardly spaced wholly from thebin tray 50 below it is to be lowered by thetransfer mechanism 78, the downstream end portion of the givenbin tray 50 is moved upstream with respect to the downstream end portion of thebin tray 50 immediately below it. As a result, incident to the movement of the engagingprotrusion 428 of the cam means 424 in the givenbin tray 50 in the upstream direction, thepivot member 426 of the cam means 424 in thebin tray 50 immediately below it is pivoted from the spacing position in a direction opposite to the predetermined direction (the opposite direction is the clockwise direction in Figure 8) and returned to the aforesaid stop position. Then, the engagingprotrusion 428 moves upstream relative to thepivot member 426, disengages from theengagement portion 442 of thepivot member 426 and moves onto theguide surface 444. - While the above description is directed to the relation between the downstream end portion of the given
bin tray 50 and the downstream end portion of thebin tray 50 immediately below it in the elevation and lowering of the upstream end portion of the givenbin tray 50 by thetransfer mechanism 78, the relation between the downstream end portion of the givenbin tray 50 and the downstream end portion of thebin tray 50 immediately above it in the elevation and lowering of the upstream end portion of the givenbin tray 50 is substantially the same as the above relation. When the upstream end portion of the givenbin tray 50 is elevated and caused to approach the upstream end portion of thebin tray 50 immediately above it, the downstream end portion of the givenbin tray 50 is moved downstream with respect to the downstream end portion of thebin tray 50 immediately above it, and therefore, the downstream end portion of thebin tray 50 immediately above it moves upstream relative to the given bin tray. Thus, thepivot member 426 of the cam means 424 in the givenbin tray 50 is pivoted from the spacing position to a direction opposite to the aforesaid predetermined direction (this opposite direction is the clockwise direction in Figure 8), and the downstream end portion of the givenbin tray 50 thereby approaches the downstream end portion of thebin tray 50 immediately above it. when the upstream end portion of the givenbin tray 50 is lowered and spaced downwardly from the upstream end portion of thebin tray 50 immediately above it, the downstream end portion of the givenbin tray 50 moves upstream with respect to the downstream end portion of thebin tray 50 immediately above it, and therefore, the downstream end portion of thebin tray 50 immediately above it moves downstream relative to the givenbin tray 50. As a result, thepivot member 426 of the cam means 424 in the givenbin tray 50 is pivoted from the stop position in the aforesaid predetermined direction (the counterclockwise direction in Figure 8), whereby the downstream end portion of the givenbin tray 50 is spaced downwardly from the downstream end portion of thebin tray 50 immediately above it. - In the cam means 424, the
pivot member 426 is pivoted in the predetermined direction by the action of the engagingprotrusion 428, whereby the downstream end portion of the givenbin tray 50 is elevated. In this way, the pivoting movement of thepivot member 426 is utilized instead of the sliding movement of the two cam block in order to space the downstream end portions of theadjacent bin trays 50 automatically. Accordingly, the downstream end portions of theadjacent bin trays 50 can be spaced sufficiently widely with a high motion converting efficiency while avoiding occurrence of unpleasant noises and increasing the durability of the bin trays. - Figures 9 to 13 shows a second embodiment of the sorter constructed in accordance with this invention.
- With reference to Figures 9 and 10, the illustrated sorter shown generally at 202 is provided with a plurality of (18 in the drawing) vertically arranged
bin trays 250. Supportingpieces 274 which project slightly upwardly and then outwardly in the width direction are formed integrally on both sides of the downstream end portion of each of thebin trays 250. The upstream ends of stationary supportingmembers 276 extending downstream and upwardly inclinedly are fixed respectively to the lower end portions of the inside surfaces of a frontupright side plate 206 and a rearupright side plate 208 in a stationary supportingframe 204. A guidingmember 277 which may be made of synthetic resin and extending substantially vertically upwardly is fixed to the downstream end portion of each of the stationary supportingmembers 276. A plurality of (18 in the drawing)guide rails 279 arranged at predetermined intervals in the vertical reaction and parallel to each other while being slightly upwardly inclined downstream are formed in the inside surfaces of each of theguide members 277. The protruding portion in the width direction of the supportingpieces 274 formed in thebin trays 250 are placed on theguide rails 279, respectively. Accordingly, the downstream end portions of thebin trays 250 are supported respectively by theguide rails 279 so that they slide freely along the rails and can pivot. - With reference to Figures 9 and 12,
auxiliary side plates side plates frame 204. A slidingmember 221 slidable substantially vertically is disposed in each of a space defined by theside plate 206 and theauxiliary side plate 207 and a space defined by theside plate 208 and theauxiliary side plate 209. More specifically, aguide plate 219 is fixed to the inside surface of the main portion of each of theauxiliary side plates guide rails 223 extending substantially vertically in spaced-apart relationship are formed integrally in the inside surface of theguide member 219. On the other hand, a pair ofrails 225 to be guided which extend substantially vertically in spaced-apart relationship are formed integrally on the outside surface in the width direction of each of the slidingmember 221. As clearly shown in Figure 12, the pair ofrails 225 to be guided are inserted between the pair of guide rails 223. Thus, each of the slidingmembers 221 can slide substantially vertically while being guided by the pair of guide rails 223. - As shown in Figure 12, a substantially horizontally extending
rotating shaft 280 is rotatably mounted between the front slidingmember 221 and therear sliding member 221, and arotating cam plate 286 and agear 290 are fixed respectively to the front end portion and the rear end portion of therotating shaft 280. Ashort rod 282 is rotatably mounted on each of the front slidingmember 221 and therear sliding member 221, and arotating cam plate 288 and agear 292 are fixed to theshort rod 282. The shapes of therotating cam plates gears cam plates gears - With reference to Figures 12 and 13, suspending
pieces 239 extending downwardly are formed integrally in both sides in the width direction of alower guide plate 238 in a second pair ofguide plates 214. The upstream end portions of the suspendingpieces 239 are pivotally linked to arotating shaft 218 mounted between theside plates frame 204. In the second embodiment, therotating shaft 218 to which thelower roller 220 in the first conveyingroller pair 212 is fixed is mounted between theside plates frame 204 for free rotation and for free movement over a predetermined range in the left-right direction in Figure 13. On the other hand, the downstream end portion of the suspendingpiece 239 is pivotably mounted on therotating shaft 280 mounted on the slidingmember 221. As shown in Figure 12, a supportingmember 241 extending downwardly is fixed to the front portion in the width direction of thelower guide plate 238 in the secondguide plate pair 214, and a drivingsource 312 which may be electric motor is mounted on the supportingmember 241. Atoothed pulley 316 is fixed to theoutput shaft 314 of the drivingsource 312. On the other hand, atoothed pulley 310 is fixed to the front portion of therotating shaft 280. Atoothed belt 311 is wrapped over thetoothed pulleys source 312, thetoothed pulleys toothed belt 311 and thegears transfer mechanism 278. When the drivingsource 312 is energized, the rotatingcam plate 286 is rotated clockwise and the rotatingcam plate 288, counterclockwise; or the rotatingcam plate 286 is rotated counterclockwise and the rotatingcam plate 288, clockwise. - As clearly shown in Figure 12, a hollow cylindrical
rotating shaft 230 capable of rotating independently of therotating shaft 280 is mounted on the central part of therotating shaft 280 mounted on the slidingmember 221. Alower roller 234 in a secondconveyor roller pair 216 is fixed to therotating shaft 230. As shown in Figure 10 in a simplified manner, arotating shaft 232 extending substantially horizontally above the rotatingshafts member 221 and therear sliding member 221. Anupper roller 236 of the secondconveyor roller pair 16 is fixed to therotating shaft 232. It will be appreciated by reference to Figure 13 that the downstream end portions of the projectingpieces 240 formed in both sides of the downstream end portion of theupper guide plate 222 in the secondguide plate pair 214 are pivotally linked to therotating shaft 232. With reference to Figures 12 and 13, a downwardly extending supportingmember 243 is fixed to the rear portion in the width direction of thelower guide plate 238 in the secondguide plate pair 214. A drivingsource 244 which may be an electric motor is mounted on the supportingmember 243. Apulley 247 is fixed to theoutput shaft 245 of the drivingsource 244. Ashort rod 249 is also rotatably mounted on the supportingmember 243, and apulley 251 is fixed to theshort rod 249.Pulleys rotatig shafts belt 257 is wrapped over thepulleys source 244 is energized, the firstconveyor roller pair 212 and the secondconveyor roller pair 216 are rotated in the direction shown by anarrow 246. - As shown in Figures 9 to 11,
trunnions 256 projecting outwardly in the width direction are fixed to both sides of the upstream end of each of thebin trays 250 in the second embodiment. On the other hand, a substantially vertically extendingelongate slot 258 is formed in each of theside plates frame 204. Thetrunnions 256 of thebin tray 250 project outwardly in the width direction through theslots 258. Thetrunnions 256 are stacked along theslots 258 in a substantially vertical direction. - But in the state shown in Figures 9 to 11, the upstream end of the
7th bin tray 250 and the upstream end of the 8th bin trays are vertically spaced from each other by the action of thetransfer mechanism 278. Hence, thetrunnions 256 of the sevenbin trays 250 from the 1st to the 7th are successively contacted in the vertical direction, and thetrunnions 256 of elevenbin trays 250 from the 8th to the 18th are also contacted successively in the vertical direction. But thetrunnions 256 of the7th bin tray 250 and thetrunnions 256 of the8th bin tray 250 are spaced from each other. - As clearly shown in Figure 11, in the second embodiment, the length 1 of the
slot 258 in the vertical direction is set at a value expressed by 1=18d+x where d is the diameter of eachtrunnion 256 and x is the distance between twotrunnions 258 spaced from each other by the action of thetransfer mechanism 278. Accordingly, in the illustrated state, thetrunnion 256 of the1st bin tray 250 abuts with or approaches the upper end of theslot 258, and thetrunnions 256 of the 1st to8th bin trays 250 cannot rise. thetrunnion 256 of the1st bin tray 250 from below (18th from above) abuts with the lower end of theslot 258, and therefore, thetrunnions 256 of the 9th to18th bin trays 250 cannot descend. If desired, in order to set the length 1 of theslot 258 precisely at a required value, the position of the upper end and/or the lower end of theslot 258 may be preset by a suitable position-adjustable means (not shown) such as the adjusting screw 70 (Figures 1 and 3) used in the first embodiment. If desired, it is further possible to dispose a spring means (not shown) acting on thetrunnion 256 at the upper end and/or the lower end of theslot 258. - Otherwise, the second embodiment is substantially the same in structure as the first embodiment. To avoid duplication, therefore, a further description of the structure of the second embodiment will be omitted.
- The operation and advantage of the second embodiment will now be described.
- As shown in Figure 10, the
sorter 202 is used in combination with, for example, anelectrostatic copying machine 320 as in the case of the first embodiment. A sheet (copying paper) discharged from the copyingmachine 320 by adischarge roller pair 322 is fed to the firstconveyor roller pair 212 after passing between the guide plates of the firstguide plate pair 211, and by the action of the firstconveyor roller pair 212, is passed between the guide plates of the secondguide plate pair 214 and fed to the secondconveyor roller pair 216. Then, by the action of the secondconveyor roller pair 216, it is discharged onto any of thebin trays 250. As shown in Figures 9 to 11, when the7th bin tray 250 and the8th bin tray 250 are vertically spaced from each other at their receiving ends to form a sheet receiving opening therebetween, the sheet conveyed by the action of the secondconveyor roller pair 216 is discharged on to the8th bin tray 250. - When in the state shown in Figures 9 to 11, the driving source 312 (Figure 12) of the
transfer mechanism 278 is energized for a predetermined period of time to rotate therotating cam plate 286 clockwise and the rotatingcam plate 288 counterclockwise through one turn, the8th bin tray 250 and the 9th bin tray are spaced from each other vertically at their receiving ends, and the sheet conveyed by the action of the secondconveyor roller pair 216 is in condition for discharge onto the9th bin tray 250. More specifically, when the rotatingcam plate 286 is rotated clockwise and the rotatingcam plate 288 is rotated counterclockwise through one turn, thetrunnion 256 of the8th bin tray 250 which is in contact with the outercircumferential cam surface 296 of the rotatingcam plate 286 advances into thetrunnion receiving groove 294 of the rotatingcam plate 286, and then gets out of thetrunnion receiving groove 294 and advances into thetrunnion receiving groove 298 of the rotatingcam plate 288. Thereafter, it gets out of thetrunnion receiving groove 298 and makes contact with the outercircumferential cam surface 300 of the rotatingcam plate 288. As a result, this trunnion is elevated above the second conveyor roller pair 216 (see Figures 4-A and 4-H also). On the other hand, in the first embodiment, when the rotatingcam plate 86 is rotated clockwise and the rotatingcam plate 88 counterclockwise through one turn, all trunnions are gradually elevated. In the second embodiment, however, trunnions other than a specific trunnion (thetrunnion 256 of the 8th bin tray) which is elevated at a relatively high speed by the action of therotating cam plates trunnion receiving grooves members 211 on which therotating cam plates cam plate 286 is rotated clockwise and the rotatingcam plate 288 is rotated counterclockwise, the slidingmembers 221 mounted on therotating cam plates circumferential cam surface 296 of the rotatingcam plate 286 gradually decreases at that site of the rotatingcam plate 286 with which thetrunnion 256 of the8th bin tray 250 makes contact until this trunnion advances into thetrunnion receiving groove 294 and with which thetrunnion 256 of the9th bin tray 250 makes contact thereafter, and at the same time as the radius of the outercircumferential cam surface 300 of the rotatingcam plate 288 gradually increases at that site of the rotatingcam plate 288 with which thetrunnion 250 of the7th bin tray 250 makes contact until thetrunnion 256 of the8th bin tray 250 getw out of thetrunnion receiving groove 298 and with which thetrunnion 256 of the 8th bin tray makes contact thereafter. The amount in which the slidingmember 221 has descended while the rotatingcam plate 286 is rotated clockwise and the rotatingcam plate 288 is rotated counterclockwise through one turn corresponds to the diameter of onetrunnion 256. As can be understood by reference to Figure 13, when the slidingmember 221 is lowered, the secondconveyor roller pair 216 is also lowered because the latter is mounted on the former. As the secondconveyor roller pair 216 descends, the upstream end portion of the secondguide plate pair 214 is moved slightly in the right-left direction and at the same time pivoted counterclockwise in Figure 13 with its upstream end portion (more specifically, the rotating shaft 218) as a center of turning. Thus, the sheet conveyed by the secondconveyor roller pair 216 is in condition for discharge onto the9th bin tray 250. It will be understood by reference to Figures 9 and 10 that while thetrunnion 256 of the8th bin tray 250 is elevated at a relatively high speed as described above, the supportingpiece 274 provided on both sides of the downstream end portion of the 8th bin tray are caused to slide slightly downstream on theguide rails 279 of theguide members 277, and at the same time pivoted counterclockwise when viewed from ahead. - When the rotating
cam plate 286 is rotated clockwise and the rotatingcam plate 288 is rotated counterclockwise successively through one turn, the sheets conveyed by the action of the secondconveyor roller pair 216 are in condition for discharge successively onto the 10th to18th bin trays 250. For rotating therotating cam plates source 312 may be energized, as in the first embodiment, after the lapse of a predetermined period of time from the time when the trailing end of the preceding sheet is detected by the detector 248 (Figure 10). Thedetector 248 may be mounted on thelower guide plate 217 of the firstguide plate pair 211. When the rotatingcam plate 286 is rotated clockwise and the rotatingcam plate 288 is rotated counterclockwise successively through one turn to create a condition in which the sheet is to be discharged onto the1st bin tray 250 from below (the 18th from above) [in this condition, thetrunnion 256 of the1st bin tray 250 from below contacts the outercircumferential cam surface 296 of the rotatingcam plate 286 and thetrunnion 256 of the 2nd bin tray from below contacts the outercircumferential cam surface 300 of the rotating cam plate 288], the slidingmembers 221 are at their lowermost positions shown by a two-dot chain line in Figure 11. As a result, theactuating piece 273 fixed to the slidingmember 221 acts on the detecting arm of thedetector 271 fixed to theside plate 206, and thedetector 271 detects the fact that the slidingmembers 221 are at the lowermost positions. - On the other hand, when in the state shown in Figures 9 to 11, the driving source 312 (Figure 12) of the
transfer mechanism 278 is energized for a predetermined period of time to rotate therotating cam plate 286 counterclockwise and the rotatingcam plate 288 clockwise through one turn, the6th bin tray 250 and the7th bin tray 250 are spaced vertically from each other at their receiving ends and the sheet conveyed by the action of the secondconveyor roller pair 216 is in condition for discharge onto the7th bin tray 250. More specifically, when the rotatingcam plate 286 is rotated counterclockwise and the rotatingcam plate 288 is rotated clockwise through one turn, thetrunnion 256 of the7th bin tray 250 which has been in contact with the outercircumferential cam surface 300 of the rotatingcam plate 288 advances into thetrunnion receiving groove 298 of the rotatingcam plate 288 and then gets out of it and advances into thetrunnion receiving groove 294 of the rotatingcam plate 286 and makes contact with the outercircumferential cam surface 296 of the rotatingcam plate 286. As a result, this trunnion is lowered to below the secondconveyor roller pair 216. While the rotatingcam plate 286 is rotated counterclockwise and the rotatingcam plate 288 is rotated clockwise through one turn, the slidingmembers 221 mounted on therotating cam plates trunnion 256. It will be understood by reference to Figure 13 that when the slidingmembers 221 are elevated, the secondconveyor roller pair 216 is also elevated because the latter is mounted on the former. As the secondconveyor roller pair 216 is elevated, the upstream end portion of the secondguide plate pair 214 is slightly moved in the left-right direction in Figure 13 and at the same time, pivoted clockwise in Figure 13 about the upstream end portion (more specifically, the rotating shaft 218) as a center of rotation. Thus, the sheet conveyed by the secondconveyor roller pair 216 is in condition for discharge onto the7th bin tray 250. It will be understood by reference to Figures 9 and 10 that while thetrunnion 256 of the7th bin tray 250 is lowered at a relatively high speed as described above, the supportingpieces 274 provided on both sides of the downstream end portion of the7th bin tray 250 are caused to slide slightly upstream on theguide rails 279 of theguide member 277 and simultaneously pivoted clockwise when viewed from ahead. - When the rotating
cam plate 286 is rotated counterclockwise and the rotatingcam plate 288 is rotated clockwise successively through one turn, the sheets conveyed by the action of the second conveyingroller pair 216 are in condition for discharge successively onto the 6th to1st bin trays 250. When the sheet is in condition for discharge onto the1st bin tray 250,trunnions 256 of all bin trays are positioned below the secondconveyor roller pair 216 and thetrunnion 256 of the1st bin tray 250 makes contact with the outercircumferential cam surface 296 of the rotatingcam plate 286. - In the second embodiment, when the rotating
cam plates trunnion 256 of the 8th bin tray) by a predetermined distance by the action of therotating cam plates trunnion receiving grooves trunnion 256 of the 7th bin tray 250) by a predetermined distance by the action of therotating cam plates trunnion receiving grooves members 221 on which therotating cam plates rotating cam plates members 221 are sufficiently smooth, and unlike the case of using the conventional Geneva rotating cam-type transfer mechanism, no excessive impact occurs and no abrupt lowering or elevation of the sliding members is caused. Hence, the transfer of the trunnions 256 (and the elevation or lowering of the sliding members 221) can be effected at sufficiently high speeds. The bin trays can function well over a long period of time without excessive friction, etc. - In the embodiment shown in Figures 9 to 13, the upward movement of the both sides of the downstream end portions of the
bin trays 250 is restricted by theguide rails 279 formed in the inside surfaces of theguide members 277. Hence, when, for example, sheet jamming occurs between the5th bin tray 250 and the6th bin tray 250, the 5th bin tray and the 6th bin tray cannot be widely spaced from each other by lifting the downstream end portions of the 1st to5th bin trays 250 and it is not always easy to remove the sheet. - Figures 14 to 17 shows a modified example of the method of supporting the downstream end portions of the bin trays.
- With reference to Figure 16, supporting
pieces 538 are formed integrally in both sides of the downstream end portion of abin tray 506. Each supportingpiece 538 has a risingportion 540 extending upwardly from the side edge of the downstream end portion of thebin tray 506 and a projectingportion 542 extending outwardly in the width direction from the upper end edge of the risingportion 540. The risingportion 540 is inclined upwardly and slightly outwardly in the width direction, as is seen from Figure 17. As clearly shown in Figure 16, the risingportion 540 is of a triangular shape whose upward projecting height progressively increases in the downstream direction, and the projectingportion 542 is rectangular. The projectingportion 542 is inclined upwardly in the downstream direction at an inclination angle α of about 20 to 30 degrees with respect to the side edge of thebin tray 506. It will be undertstood by reference to Figures 16 and 17 that the risingportions 540 of the supportingpieces 538 in allbin trays 506 are substantially the same. But the amounts of outward projection in the width direction in the projectingportions 542 of the supportingpieces 538 decrease stepwise from theupper bin trays 506 toward thelower bin trays 506. The amount of widthwise projection, lmax in the1st bin tray 506, and the amounts of widthwise projection, l, of the projectingportions 542 in thelower bin trays 506 are decreased stepwise, and the amount of the widthwise projection in the nth bin tray, ln, is set at ln=lmax-(n-1)c₁. In the lowermost bin tray 504, the risingportion 540 is formed, but no projectingportion 542 is provided. - On the other hand, as shown in Figures 14 and 15, a supporting frame shown generally at 544 is annexed to the stationary supporting
frame 204. The supportingframe 544 has extendingportions 546 extending while being inclined upwardly from there upstream ends toward the downstream sides,inclined portions 548 extending upwardly from the downstream ends of the extendingportions 546 while being inclined outwardly in the width direction,upstanding portions 550 extending upwardly substantially vertically from theinclined portions 548 and ahorizontal portion 552 extending substantially horizontally between theupstanding portions 550.Guide members 554 are fixed to both sides of the downstream end portion of the supporting frames 544. If desired, theguide members 554 may be formed as an integral unit with the supportingframe 544. - It will be understood by reference to Figures 15 and 17 that each of the
guide members 554 located opposite to each of the both sides of the downstream end portions of thebin trays 506 is nearly of a parallelogram in its side view (see Figure 15), and in its end view seen from the downstream side, it extends upwardly along theinclined portion 548 of the supportingframe 544 while being inclined outwardly in the width direction. The inside surface of each of theguide members 554 is of a step-like form having a plurality of guiding surfaces displaced inwardly in the width direction stepwise from above to below, as clearly shown in Figure 17. In the illustrated embodiment, the inside surface of each of the guidingmember 554 has upwardly facing 18 guidingsurfaces 556, in the 1st to the 17th guiding surfaces counted from above, the amount c₂ of widthwise displacement between adjacent guidingsurfaces 556 and the vertical step difference h between them are substantially the same. The amount c₂ of widthwise displacement is prescribed at a substantially the same value as the aforesaid predetermined amount c₁ mentioned with regard to the projectingportion 542 of the supportingpiece 538 in thebin tray 506. The step difference ha between thefirst guiding surface 556 counted from below and the second guiding surface counted from below is prescribed at a value larger than the other step difference h (this has to be with the fact that as stated hereinabove, no projectingportion 542 is formed in the first bin tray 506). It will be clearly understood by reference to Figure 15 that conveniently, the guidingsurfaces 556 formed in the inside surfaces of theguide members 554 are inclined upwardly toward the downstream at an angle of inclination β of about 40 to 50 degrees. - It will also be undertstood by reference to Figures 15 and 17 that the downstream end portion of each of the
bin trays 506 is supported by placing the projectingportion 542 of the supportingpiece 538 on the corresponding guidingsurface 556. Specifically, the projectingportion 542 of the1st bin tray 506 is placed on the1st guiding surface 556 in theguide member 554, and the projectingportion 542 of then th bin tray 506 is placed on then th guiding surface 556 in theguide member 554. In the illustrated embodiment, however, no projectingportion 542 is formed in the 1st bin tray from below, and as shown in Figure 17, the downstream end portion of the1st bin tray 506 from below is supported at a required position by placing its both side edge portions directly on thelowermost guiding surface 556 of theguide member 554. - When the upstream end of a given
bin tray 506 is elevated or lowered by the action of thetransfer mechanism 278, the projectingportion 542 of the givenbin tray 506 slides downstream or upstream along the guidingsurface 556 on which it is placed, and is simultaneously pivoted slightly with respect to this guidingsurface 556. with reference to Figure 15, while thetrunnion 256 of the8th bin tray 506 is elevated a predetermined distance by the action of thetransfer mechanism 278 from the state shown in Figure 15, the projectingportion 542 of the8th bin tray 506 slides slightly downstream along the8th guiding surface 556 in theguide member 554 and simultaneously pivots slightly counterclockwise. Conversely, while thetrunnion 256 of the7th bin tray 506 is lowered a predetermined distance by the action of thetransfer mechanism 278 from the state shown in Figure 15, the projectingportion 542 of the7th bin tray 506 slides slightly upstream along the 7th guiding surface 556 (counted from above) of theguide member 554 and simultaneously pivots slightly clockwise. - In the modified example shown in Figures 14 to 17, the guiding
surfaces 556 of theguide member 554 are displaced stepwise outwardly in the width direction from bottom to top. Accordingly, the elevation of the downstream end portion of a givenbin tray 506 is not hampered by the guidingsurface 556 of thebin tray 506 above it, and the downstream end portion of the givenbin tray 506 can be elevated freely together with the downstream end portion of thebin tray 506 above it. Accordingly, in the event that sheet jamming occurs between the7th bin tray 506 and the8th bin tray 506, the sheet can be easily disposed of by manually elevating the lower ends portions of the 1st to7th bin trays 506, pivoting thesebin trays 506 about thetrunnions 256 at their upstream ends, and thus spacing the7th bin tray 506 widely from the8th bin tray 506, as shown by two-dot chain lines in Figure 15.
Claims (3)
- A sorter (2) provided with a plurality of vertically arranged bin trays (50), the bin trays (50) respectively having a widthwise projecting trunnion (56) in at least one side thereof, the trunnions (56) being vertically stacked and being movable in a substantially vertical direction along a predetermined moving passage (58), and a transfer mechanism (78) for elevating and lowering the trunnions (56) successively one by one through the predetermined transfer passage (58) and spacing adjacent bin trays (50) from each other vertically at their sheet receiving ends to form a sheet receiving opening between them; wherein
the transfer mechanism (78) includes a pair of cooperating rotating cam plates (86, 88) and a rotating means (118),
each of the rotating cam plates (86, 88) has at least one trunnion receiving groove (94, 98) extending radially and being open at its radially outside end and an outer circumferential cam surface (96, 100) extending continuously in the circumferential direction excepting a site corresponding to the trunnion receiving grooves (94, 98),
characterized in that
the radius (r) of the outer circumferential cam surface (96, 100) increases progressively in a given rotating direction,
the pair of rotating cam plates (86, 88) are arranged such that their rotating central axes (102, 104) are positioned on both sides of the predetermined moving passage (58), a straight line (106) connecting the rotating central axes (102, 104) crosses the predetermined moving passage obliquely, and that their outer circumferential cam surfaces (96, 100) move toward and away from each other in a predetermined rotating angular relation at a part at which the straight line (106) connecting their rotating central axes (102, 104) crosses the predetermined moving passage (58), and
the rotating means (118) rotates the pair of rotating cam plates (86, 88) synchronously in opposite direction to each other. - The sorter of claim 1 wherein the outer circumferential cam surface (96, 100) of each of the rotating cam plates (86, 88) is formed like an Archimedian spiral, the ratio of the rotating angle (ϑ) to the increase of the radius (r) is constant.
- The sorter of claim 1 or 2 wherein the cross-sectional shape of each of the trunnions (56) is circular, and the difference between the maximum radius (b) and the minimum radius (a) in said outer circumferential cam surface (96, 100) of each rotating cam plate (86, 88) corresponds to the diameter of one trunnion (56).
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
JP62186694A JPH0717306B2 (en) | 1987-07-28 | 1987-07-28 | Stacked trunnion transfer mechanism and sorter using the same |
JP186694/87 | 1987-07-28 |
Publications (2)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
EP0301538A1 EP0301538A1 (en) | 1989-02-01 |
EP0301538B1 true EP0301538B1 (en) | 1991-11-21 |
Family
ID=16192998
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
EP88112230A Expired - Lifetime EP0301538B1 (en) | 1987-07-28 | 1988-07-28 | Sorter |
Country Status (4)
Country | Link |
---|---|
EP (1) | EP0301538B1 (en) |
JP (1) | JPH0717306B2 (en) |
KR (1) | KR920001975B1 (en) |
DE (1) | DE3866301D1 (en) |
Families Citing this family (7)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
JP2735902B2 (en) * | 1989-10-31 | 1998-04-02 | 池上通信機株式会社 | Sorter with stippler |
JPH03143691A (en) * | 1989-10-31 | 1991-06-19 | Ikegami Tsushinki Co Ltd | Sorter with stapler |
JP2695026B2 (en) * | 1990-01-16 | 1997-12-24 | 池上通信機株式会社 | Sorter with stippler |
JP2695034B2 (en) * | 1990-07-10 | 1997-12-24 | 池上通信機株式会社 | Sorter |
JPH0475960A (en) * | 1990-07-13 | 1992-03-10 | Ikegami Tsushinki Co Ltd | Sorter |
KR940000374B1 (en) * | 1991-03-12 | 1994-01-19 | 주식회사 신도리코 | Tray-transferring apparatus of a sorter |
CN111938431B (en) * | 2020-07-24 | 2022-01-28 | 六安索伊电器制造有限公司 | Full-automatic capsule coffee machine |
Citations (1)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US4607838A (en) * | 1984-07-06 | 1986-08-26 | Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha | Sheet sorter |
Family Cites Families (3)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
JPS58212555A (en) * | 1982-05-31 | 1983-12-10 | Olympus Optical Co Ltd | Sheet sorter |
US4580775A (en) * | 1984-03-02 | 1986-04-08 | Ikegani Tsushinki Company, Ltd. | Sheet sorting apparatus |
JPS60223764A (en) * | 1984-04-20 | 1985-11-08 | Canon Inc | Sheet distributing apparatus |
-
1987
- 1987-07-28 JP JP62186694A patent/JPH0717306B2/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
-
1988
- 1988-07-28 EP EP88112230A patent/EP0301538B1/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
- 1988-07-28 KR KR1019880009564A patent/KR920001975B1/en not_active IP Right Cessation
- 1988-07-28 DE DE8888112230T patent/DE3866301D1/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
Patent Citations (1)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US4607838A (en) * | 1984-07-06 | 1986-08-26 | Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha | Sheet sorter |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
KR890002726A (en) | 1989-04-11 |
JPS6434865A (en) | 1989-02-06 |
EP0301538A1 (en) | 1989-02-01 |
JPH0717306B2 (en) | 1995-03-01 |
DE3866301D1 (en) | 1992-01-02 |
KR920001975B1 (en) | 1992-03-07 |
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