EP0552779B1 - Sammelvorrichtung für Poststücke - Google Patents

Sammelvorrichtung für Poststücke Download PDF

Info

Publication number
EP0552779B1
EP0552779B1 EP93100920A EP93100920A EP0552779B1 EP 0552779 B1 EP0552779 B1 EP 0552779B1 EP 93100920 A EP93100920 A EP 93100920A EP 93100920 A EP93100920 A EP 93100920A EP 0552779 B1 EP0552779 B1 EP 0552779B1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
container
space
postal
postal items
movable
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
Application number
EP93100920A
Other languages
English (en)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP0552779A1 (de
Inventor
Mauro Levaro
Michele Scarnera
Vincenzo Priolo
Antonio Schembri
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Leonardo SpA
Original Assignee
Finmeccanica SpA
Priority date (The priority date 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 date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Finmeccanica SpA filed Critical Finmeccanica SpA
Publication of EP0552779A1 publication Critical patent/EP0552779A1/de
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0552779B1 publication Critical patent/EP0552779B1/de
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

Links

Images

Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H29/00—Delivering or advancing articles from machines; Advancing articles to or into piles
    • B65H29/52—Stationary guides or smoothers
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H31/00—Pile receivers
    • B65H31/34—Apparatus for squaring-up piled articles
    • B65H31/36—Auxiliary devices for contacting each article with a front stop as it is piled
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H2701/00—Handled material; Storage means
    • B65H2701/10—Handled articles or webs
    • B65H2701/19—Specific article or web
    • B65H2701/1916—Envelopes and articles of mail

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a collector device for postal items.
  • Collector devices comprising a container defining a space to contain postal items (letters and post cards) directed into the container from an introduction system coupled to the container itself.
  • Such postal items are normally projected into the container by an upper edge and describe a trajectory which terminates when one end of the postal item comes into contact with a vertical wall of the container.
  • This impact causes the postal item to stop substantially parallel to a bottom wall of the container and become disposed over the previously introduced postal item thereby forming a pile.
  • EP-A-77.251 describes a collector device of the kind set by the preamble of claim 1.
  • the object of the present invention is that of eliminating the disadvantage of known devices.
  • a collector device in Figure 1 , comprises a container 4 defining a space 6 delimited by substantially flat walls and able to contain postal items 12 (for example letters or postcards). These postal items come from a conveyor device of a postal sorter (not illustrated) and are projected into the space 6 from an introduction device 18 disposed close to an upper edge of the container 4 and comprising a pair of rollers 21 and 22 disposed with their axes parallel to one another.
  • postal items 12 for example letters or postcards.
  • roller 21 is clad externally in soft rubber whilst the roller 22 has an outer cylindrical surface covered in plastics material which is harder than that covering the roller 21.
  • Both the rollers 21 and 22 are driven by a transmission (not shown) the input of which is connected to a three phase electric motor (not shown).
  • the position of these rollers 21 and 22 carried by a wall 23 is, moreover, established upon calibration, with respect to the container 4, thus defining the angle at which items 12 enter the container 4.
  • the container 4 includes a bottom wall 25 defining a support plane 26, two vertical walls 27 and 28 which extend upwardly from the wall 25 and are substantially parallel to one another, and a rear side wall 31 (the container is open at the front to permit removal of items 12) disposed perpendicularly to the walls 27 and 28.
  • the device 1 is further provided with an energy absorber device 36 cooperating with an arm 40 pivoted at its first, upper free end 41 to an upper portion 42 of the wall 31, and supporting at its second, lower end 43, a flat triangular plate 45 which lies vertically, on only one edge, on the said end 43 and supports two coaxial rollers 50 (of which only one is shown) which are disposed on the opposite faces of the plate 45 and are free to rotate about a horizontal axis 53.
  • an energy absorber device 36 cooperating with an arm 40 pivoted at its first, upper free end 41 to an upper portion 42 of the wall 31, and supporting at its second, lower end 43, a flat triangular plate 45 which lies vertically, on only one edge, on the said end 43 and supports two coaxial rollers 50 (of which only one is shown) which are disposed on the opposite faces of the plate 45 and are free to rotate about a horizontal axis 53.
  • rollers 50 moveover, are disposed within the space 6 and in contact with the wall 28.
  • the bottom wall 25 of the container 4 defines a cavity 63 which communicates with the space 6 and houses a portion 67 which defines an inclined frontal entrance portion and a flat upper surface 69 and is movable within the cavity 63.
  • the portion 67 is movable between a first, rest position in which the surface 69 is disposed substantially coplanar to the plane 26, and a second, retracted position in which the surface 69 is disposed beneath the plane 26.
  • the cavity 63 further houses resilient elements 73 which are connected to the portion 67 and are operable to maintain the portion 67 in the rest position in the absence of forces applied to the portion 67 itself. In fact, if a component of force directed along a straight line substantially parallel to the walls 27 and 28 is applied to the portion 67, it becomes disposed beneath the plane 26 by compressing the resilient elements 73.
  • the collector device 1 is further provided with an opto-electronic transducer 80 comprising a photo-emitter device 82 (for example an LED) mounted on the wall 28 and a photodetector device 86 (for example a phototransistor) mounted on the wall 27. These devices 82 and 86 cooperate with one another defining an optical path 88 across the space 6 parallel to the plane 26 at a distance H from the plane 26 itself.
  • the transducer 80 is connected to an electronic central control unit 90 which controls the sorting machine (not shown) which regulates the inflow of postal items 12 to the collector device 1.
  • the optical path 88 is interrupted and the signal generated by the transducer 80 is utilised by the central control unit 90 to indicate a "too full" condition of the container 4 and to allow emptying of the container 4.
  • the postal items 12 coming from the sorting machine arrive at the introduction device 18 forming a flow of substantially ordered items.
  • the rollers 21 and 22 drive the items 12 at a different velocity from that of the preceding conveyor section, projecting them into the container 4.
  • the configuration and arrangement of the rollers 21 and 22 is such as to slightly bend the objects 12 towards the (softer) roller 21 during their passage in order to encourage homogenous superimposition within the container 4.
  • the postal item 12 follows a trajectory 96 which is upwardly limited by the arm 40 and which terminates when the front edge of the item 12 comes into contact with the walls of the rollers 50.
  • the kinetic energy of the item 12 is almost entirely transferred to the rollers 50 which therefore rotate about the axis 53; in this way the rollers 50 transform the kinetic energy of translation of the postal items 12 into kinetic energy of rotation which in turn is dissipated by friction on the wall 28 of the container 4 and on the postal item 12 itself which, in attempting to rebound, finds itself moving in a direction opposite that of the surface of the rollers 50.
  • a postal robot (not illustrated) can be used, which may be conveniently controlled by the same central control unit 90 and provided with a mechanical arm 100 ( Figure 2) which carries at its end a pincer 104 comprising an L-shaped base 106 and a movable finger 108 operable to grip a pile of postal items 12.
  • the arm 100 of the Postal Robot is caused to translate towards the container 4 in a direction substantially perpendicular to the wall 31, and the L-shaped base 106, by pressing on the inclined frontal portion of the portion 67 causes this latter to displace downwardly.
  • the pile of items are supported on the L-shape base 106 whilst the finger 108 presses on the upper part of the pile of items 12 gripping it firmly.
  • the arm 100 is then withdrawn from the container 4 and a pile of items is removed from the container 4.
  • This device 36 can, moreover, be made in a simple and therefore economic manner.
  • the rollers 21 and 22 of the introduction device 18 the velocity and angle of arrival of the postal items 12 into the space 6 are optimised.
  • the movable bottom of the space 6 further allows automatic withdrawal of the postal items 12 by means of a robot pincer.
  • the maximum predetermined filling level of the space 6 is indicated in an automatic manner by means of the optoelectronic transducer 80.
  • the energy absorber device 36 could have a different form from that described and could, for example, comprise a single roller or a plurality of rollers 50 disposed along the axis 53 and spaced from one another.
  • the rollers 50 moreover, could be replaced by balls of plastics material, for example rubber, disposed along the axis 53 and angularly movable about the axis 53.
  • the device 36 could be so arranged as not to be carried by the arm 40 and could on the other hand be connected to the wall 28 by vertical guides.
  • the arm 40 could be in several parts and could comprise several rectilinear elements connected slidably together, and the transducer 80 could be replaced by a microswitch or could be dispensed with.
  • the displacement of the portion 67 within the cavity 63 to allow introduction of the L-shaped base 106 of the pincer 104 of the robot could be achieved automatically, for example using a pneumatic cylinder controlled by the central control unit 90.
  • two spaced cavities 63 could be provided, with their associated two portions 67 in the bottom wall 25 of the space 6 to house two associated portions of the base of the robot pincer for removing items.
  • the introduction device 18 could, finally, have a different form from that shown, comprising, for example, a plurality of rollers connected together.
  • a position adjustment device for the rollers 21 and 22 on the wall 23 of the associated space 6 could be provided.
  • both rollers 21 and 22 could, finally, be made of hard material (for example hard plastics) and one of the rollers 21 and 22 could be thrust towards the other by a spring.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Sorting Of Articles (AREA)
  • Feeding Of Articles By Means Other Than Belts Or Rollers (AREA)
  • Delivering By Means Of Belts And Rollers (AREA)
  • Pile Receivers (AREA)

Claims (12)

  1. Sammelvorrichtung für Poststücke mit einem Behälter (4), der einen Raum (6) definiert, der von im wesentlichen flachen Wänden begrenzt ist und die Poststücke (12) enthalten kann, die von einer Einführvorrichtung (18) in das Innere des Raums (6) geworfen werden, wobei die Sammelvorrichtung eine Absorptionsvorrichtung (36) aufweist, um die kinetische Energie des Poststückes (12) zu absorbieren; wobei die Absorptionsvorrichtung (36) in bezug auf den Behälter (4) in dem Raum (6) beweglich ist und mindestens eine Dämpfvorrichtung (50) aufweist, die mit mindestens einem Rand des Poststückes (12) zusammenwirken kann und durch den Stoß des Poststückes (12) bewegt werden soll, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß die Dämpfvorrichtung mindestens einen Rollkörper (50) aufweist, der um seine Achse (53) um einen Winkel beweglich ist.
  2. Vorrichtung nach Anspruch 1, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß die Energie-Absorptions-Vorrichtung (36) mit einem länglichen Körper (40) zusammenwirkt, der an seinem ersten, oberen Ende (41) mit einem oberen Abschnitt (42) des Behälters (4) gelenkig verbunden ist und an seinem zweiten, unteren Ende (43) den Rollkörper stützt.
  3. Vorrichtung nach Anspruch 2, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß der Rollkörper (50) von einer Platte (45) gestützt ist, wobei die Platte (45) zumindest teilweise an dem unteren Ende (43) des länglichen Körpers (40) getragen wird.
  4. Vorrichtung nach einem der vorhergehenden Ansprüche, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß der Rollkörper mindestens eine Rolle (50) aufweist.
  5. Vorrichtung nach einem der vorhergehenden Ansprüche, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß der Behälter (4) eine im wesentlichen flache Bodenwand (25) aufweist, die eine Stützebene (26) definiert, um einen Stapel der Poststücke (12) zu stützen, wobei der Behälter (4) weiterhin mindestens einen beweglichen Abschnitt (67) aufweist, der in bezug auf die Bodenwand (25) bewegbar ist und mit einer oberen, im wesentlichen flachen Fläche (69) versehen ist, wobei der Abschnitt (67) zwischen einer ersten Ruheposition, in welcher die obere Fläche (69) im wesentlichen koplanar mit der Stützebene (26) angeordnet ist, und einer zweiten Position zum Entfernen der Poststücke (12), in welcher die obere Fläche (69) unterhalb der Stützebene (26) angeordnet ist, bewegbar ist.
  6. Vorrichtung nach Anspruch 5, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß die Bodenwand (25) eine Vertiefung (63) definiert, die nach oben mit dem Raum (6) in Verbindung steht, wobei der bewegliche Abschnitt (67) zumindest teilweise in der Vertiefung (63) untergebracht ist.
  7. Vorrichtung nach Anspruch 5 oder 6, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß sie eine federnde Einrichtung (73) aufweist, die mit dem beweglichen Abschnitt (67) gekoppelt ist und so betätigt werden kann, daß sie den Abschnitt (67) in der Ruheposition hält, wenn auf den Abschnitt (67) selbst keine Kraft ausgeübt wird.
  8. Vorrichtung nach einem der vorhergehenden Ansprüche, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß die Einführvorrichtung (18) mindestens ein Paar Rollen (21, 22) aufweist, die achsparallel und miteinander zusammenwirkend angeordnet sind, wobei die Rollen (21, 22) so betätigt werden können, daß sie die Poststücke (12), die von einer Förder- und Sortiervorrichtung kommen, transportieren, um diese in das Innere des Raums (6) zu werfen.
  9. Vorrichtung nach Anspruch 8, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß eine (21) der Rollen eine elastisch verformbare äußere zylindrische Oberfläche hat, die verformbarer ist als die äußere zylindrische Oberfläche der anderen Rolle (22).
  10. Vorrichtung nach einem der vorhergehenden Ansprüche, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß sie eine Vorrichtung (80) zum Detektieren eines vorbestimmten Füllpegels H in dem Raum (6) aufgrund der Poststücke (12) aufweist.
  11. Vorrichtung nach Anspruch 10, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß die Detektiervorrichtung einen optoelektronischen Wandler (80) aufweist, der eine Photo-Emitter-Vorrichtung (82) und eine Photo-Detektorvorrichtung (86) aufweist, die zusammenwirken und einen optischen Weg (88) durch den Raum (6) definieren.
  12. Vorrichtung nach Anspruch 11, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß der optische Weg (88) im wesentlichen parallel zu einer Bodenwand (25) des Behälters (4) angeordnet ist.
EP93100920A 1992-01-22 1993-01-21 Sammelvorrichtung für Poststücke Expired - Lifetime EP0552779B1 (de)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
ITTO920043 1992-01-22
ITTO920043A IT1256775B (it) 1992-01-22 1992-01-22 Dispositivo raccoglitore per oggetti postali

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0552779A1 EP0552779A1 (de) 1993-07-28
EP0552779B1 true EP0552779B1 (de) 1995-12-27

Family

ID=11409928

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP93100920A Expired - Lifetime EP0552779B1 (de) 1992-01-22 1993-01-21 Sammelvorrichtung für Poststücke

Country Status (4)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0552779B1 (de)
DE (1) DE69301095T2 (de)
ES (1) ES2089594T3 (de)
IT (1) IT1256775B (de)

Families Citing this family (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPH0811655B2 (ja) * 1993-06-11 1996-02-07 日本電気株式会社 紙葉類集積機構
US6126164A (en) * 1999-06-24 2000-10-03 Lexmark International, Inc. Bail assembly
JP4966117B2 (ja) * 2007-07-09 2012-07-04 日立オムロンターミナルソリューションズ株式会社 紙葉類集積装置

Family Cites Families (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR2480720A1 (fr) * 1980-04-18 1981-10-23 Martin Sa Perfectionnement aux dispositifs d'empilage de plaques
US4385758A (en) * 1981-06-10 1983-05-31 Scan Optics Bead chain stacker
FR2514268A1 (fr) * 1981-10-09 1983-04-15 Hotchkiss Brandt Sogeme Dispositif de guidage et de reception de lettres en sortie de machine a trier le courrier et machine equipee d'un tel dispositif

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
ITTO920043A0 (it) 1992-01-22
ITTO920043A1 (it) 1993-07-22
DE69301095T2 (de) 1996-09-19
EP0552779A1 (de) 1993-07-28
ES2089594T3 (es) 1996-10-01
DE69301095D1 (de) 1996-02-08
IT1256775B (it) 1995-12-15

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
US4623292A (en) Sheet stack delivery method and apparatus
US5421685A (en) Vacuum-type gripping apparatus
US5957448A (en) Device and process for intermediate stacking of items
US4984677A (en) Device for transferring objects from a conveyor to a collection device
EP0189693A1 (de) Automatischer Apparat zum direkten Beladen weicher Kekse
US6068550A (en) Device and method for coin packaging
US5290025A (en) Device for discharging and stacking flat objects on edge, especially pieces of mail at the output of a sorting machine
EP0552779B1 (de) Sammelvorrichtung für Poststücke
US5263300A (en) Device for inclining and stacking flat in a box, in particular letters exiting from a sorting machine
GB2292529A (en) Game machine
US5788045A (en) Empty bottle collector
CN108423417B (zh) 一种全自动机械臂真空采血管分拣核收系统
CN110217554A (zh) 自动进料装置及自动化磨床
US5657982A (en) Mail sorting device
US4624455A (en) Sheet handling machine
WO2002020377A1 (en) Equipment and method for handling returnable bottles
US5687644A (en) Apparatus for expelling air from stacks of superimposed sheets
EP0147319B1 (de) Verfahren und Vorrichtung zum aufeinanderfolgenden Zuführen von Blattstapeln
EP0286886A1 (de) Verfahren und Vorrichtung zum Stapeln von Gegenständen Seite an Seite
US5249794A (en) Feed device for a sorting machine for sorting flat objects such as postal items
US5529298A (en) Infeed apparatus
US5456573A (en) Stacker slide
CA1235649A (en) Package handling in a film wrapping machine
EP0769365B1 (de) Zufuhrvorrichtung von Zuschnitten
IT202000002752A1 (it) Macchina selezionatrice per cassette a sponde ripiegate o fisse

Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
PUAI Public reference made under article 153(3) epc to a published international application that has entered the european phase

Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: 0009012

AK Designated contracting states

Kind code of ref document: A1

Designated state(s): BE DE ES FR

17P Request for examination filed

Effective date: 19940120

17Q First examination report despatched

Effective date: 19941222

RAP1 Party data changed (applicant data changed or rights of an application transferred)

Owner name: FINMECCANICA S.P.A.

GRAA (expected) grant

Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: 0009210

AK Designated contracting states

Kind code of ref document: B1

Designated state(s): BE DE ES FR

REF Corresponds to:

Ref document number: 69301095

Country of ref document: DE

Date of ref document: 19960208

ET Fr: translation filed
REG Reference to a national code

Ref country code: ES

Ref legal event code: BA2A

Ref document number: 2089594

Country of ref document: ES

Kind code of ref document: T3

REG Reference to a national code

Ref country code: ES

Ref legal event code: FG2A

Ref document number: 2089594

Country of ref document: ES

Kind code of ref document: T3

PLBE No opposition filed within time limit

Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: 0009261

STAA Information on the status of an ep patent application or granted ep patent

Free format text: STATUS: NO OPPOSITION FILED WITHIN TIME LIMIT

REG Reference to a national code

Ref country code: ES

Ref legal event code: FG2A

Ref document number: 2089594

Country of ref document: ES

Kind code of ref document: T3

26N No opposition filed
PGFP Annual fee paid to national office [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: BE

Payment date: 20050119

Year of fee payment: 13

PGFP Annual fee paid to national office [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: DE

Payment date: 20050126

Year of fee payment: 13

PGFP Annual fee paid to national office [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: FR

Payment date: 20050127

Year of fee payment: 13

PGFP Annual fee paid to national office [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: ES

Payment date: 20050131

Year of fee payment: 13

PG25 Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: ES

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF NON-PAYMENT OF DUE FEES

Effective date: 20060123

PG25 Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: FR

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF NON-PAYMENT OF DUE FEES

Effective date: 20060131

Ref country code: BE

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF NON-PAYMENT OF DUE FEES

Effective date: 20060131

PG25 Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: DE

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF NON-PAYMENT OF DUE FEES

Effective date: 20060801

REG Reference to a national code

Ref country code: FR

Ref legal event code: ST

Effective date: 20060929

REG Reference to a national code

Ref country code: ES

Ref legal event code: FD2A

Effective date: 20060123

BERE Be: lapsed

Owner name: *FINMECCANICA S.P.A.

Effective date: 20060131