EP0645330B1 - Préhenseur d'objets plats et dispositif de dépilage équipé de ce préhenseur - Google Patents

Préhenseur d'objets plats et dispositif de dépilage équipé de ce préhenseur Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0645330B1
EP0645330B1 EP94402118A EP94402118A EP0645330B1 EP 0645330 B1 EP0645330 B1 EP 0645330B1 EP 94402118 A EP94402118 A EP 94402118A EP 94402118 A EP94402118 A EP 94402118A EP 0645330 B1 EP0645330 B1 EP 0645330B1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
gripper
suction
vacuum
gripping device
holding
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
EP94402118A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP0645330A1 (fr
Inventor
Philippe Martin
Jean-Marc Teluob
Jean-Luc Astier
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.)
Solystic SAS
Original Assignee
Alcatel SA
Alcatel Alsthom Compagnie Generale dElectricite
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 Alcatel SA, Alcatel Alsthom Compagnie Generale dElectricite filed Critical Alcatel SA
Publication of EP0645330A1 publication Critical patent/EP0645330A1/fr
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0645330B1 publication Critical patent/EP0645330B1/fr
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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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
    • B65H3/00—Separating articles from piles
    • B65H3/08—Separating articles from piles using pneumatic force
    • B65H3/12—Suction bands, belts, or tables moving relatively to the pile
    • B65H3/124—Suction bands or belts
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B07—SEPARATING SOLIDS FROM SOLIDS; SORTING
    • B07C—POSTAL SORTING; SORTING INDIVIDUAL ARTICLES, OR BULK MATERIAL FIT TO BE SORTED PIECE-MEAL, e.g. BY PICKING
    • B07C1/00—Measures preceding sorting according to destination
    • B07C1/02—Forming articles into a stream; Arranging articles in a stream, e.g. spacing, orientating
    • B07C1/025—Devices for the temporary stacking of objects provided with a stacking and destacking device (interstack device)
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H3/00—Separating articles from piles
    • B65H3/46—Supplementary devices or measures to assist separation or prevent double feed
    • 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 gripper flat objects. It also targets a unstacking of flat objects equipped with this gripper.
  • the mail is placed on edge on a carpet routing, backed by a pallet. Thanks to a motorization of the carpet and the pallet, the mail advance towards the gripper.
  • the carpet leads to a abrupt change of level, called hereafter falls, and the mail ends up in a store supply located between the conveyor belt and the gripper.
  • the gripper includes vacuum zones in front of which a perforated belt passes.
  • the mail When leaving the gripper, the mail passes in front the vacuum zone of the double outlet separator, located on the other side of the mail. This organ retains the mails which would be entrained by friction by the previous mail, so as not to let go only one mail at a time.
  • the mail is supported in a mailing device transfer or spillway which provides the interface between the unstacking device and a sorting device.
  • the suction cup described is a bellows suction cup made of a material such as, when grabbing the first dish of the stack, it retracts under the effect of depression and brings with it the surface of the object seized.
  • This gripping device has however the disadvantage of only allowing a flow limit.
  • US patent US-A-4357007 issued November 2 1982 discloses a gripping device comprising two suction equipment behind a belt perforated and two detectors which function activate the command of one or other of the suction equipment according to position effective of the first fold during unstacking.
  • Document DE-B-1 267 012 describes a device for unstacking objects dishes comprising the features of the preamble of claim 1.
  • the purpose of the present invention is to solve this problem by proposing a gripper of flat objects which ensures damage-free mail training open or slightly rigid, this gripper comprising a perforated belt driven by means of motorization and vacuum gripping means arranged inside said belt, and one face grip on which the said belt passes in movement in a transfer direction, and means for separating double sockets being arranged substantially opposite an exit edge of said gripping face.
  • the gripper for flat objects is characterized in that the input means by vacuum include at least two vacuum heads substantially adjacent and aligned in direction one of said vacuum heads being at least partially opposite the means of separation of double sockets.
  • a gripper in a preferred embodiment of a gripper according to the invention further comprising means for generating an area on its gripping face at low vacuum and high flow, the heads adjacent depressions are disposed between said low vacuum generation means and the end of said gripping face near the means of separation of double sockets.
  • a device for unstacking flat objects comprising means of supply, a gripper for flat objects according to the invention, means double outlet separators and means for transfer, characterized in that the gripper comprises at least two vacuum heads arranged parallel to the transfer direction.
  • the unstacking device 10 comprises means routing, in particular a motorized conveyor 14, a supply store 13, a device gripper 20 according to the invention, a device double outlet separator 24 and a device for transfer 16.
  • the gripping device 20 comprises a perforated belt 15 driven by motor means (not shown) around a set of pulleys 26-33 whose axes are substantially parallel to each other. These axes may, by way of nonlimiting example, be perpendicular to the surface of the mat 14 and to the substantially planar bottom of the supply store 13. But one can also envisage arrangements where this perpendicularity is not ensured.
  • the gripper 20 has on one side of the supply magazine 13 a substantially vertical gripping face 2 against which the first flat object of a stack of flat objects will be pressed due to the application of forces generated at a zone Z 0 with low vacuum and high flow.
  • This zone Z 0 located substantially in the center of the gripping face 2, is intended to attract the first fold of the stack of folds located in the magazine 13.
  • the zone Z 0 thus has the function of sucking up the objects and putting them in contact with the gripping face.
  • the low vacuum is generated by a fan 40 located outside the movement circuit of the perforated belt 15 and operating permanently.
  • a direction of transfer D representing the direction of travel folds supported by the gripper.
  • This transfer direction also represents the direction of movement of the perforated belt 15 to level of the gripping face 2 of the gripper.
  • the upstream and downstream concepts used in the following are considered in relation to the transfer direction of upstream downstream.
  • Two zones with high depression Z 1 , Z 2 are located downstream of the zone with low depression Z 0 , while a third zone with high depression Z 3 is located upstream of said zone with low depression Z 0 .
  • the three high vacuum zones are located behind the perforated belt 15 and are generated respectively by three vacuum heads 21, 22, 23.
  • the third vacuum zone Z 3 has the function of ensuring a repackaging of the offset folds while the first two and the second zones Z 1 , Z 2 are provided for driving the folds towards the transfer device 16.
  • the different return pulleys 26 -33 are arranged within the gripper so as to bypass the zone with low depression Z 0 and to include the vacuum heads 21, 22, 23. It should be noted that the devices for generating depression are not shown on Figures 1 and 2 for reasons of simplification.
  • the usual vacuum generation techniques can be implemented in a gripper according to the invention depending on the actual energy availability.
  • the two zones with high vacuum Z 1 , Z 2 and the jogging zone Z 3 are vacuum controlled by solenoid valves (not shown). These zones move the objects according to the conveying direction.
  • the first and second vacuum zones Z 1 , Z 2 are preferably adjacent and best fill the gap separating the low vacuum zone from the vacuum head 24 of the double tap separator. This guarantees excellent retention of a driven fold until it is taken over by the double tap separator 24 and the transfer device 16.
  • the perforations made in the belt 15 apply to the first object in the stack stored in the supply store 13 of vacuum forces generated by the different heads vacuum 21, 22, 23.
  • an object 1 is seized by the gripping device 20, it is then moved to the transfer device 16 by driving the perforated belt 15 in the direction of transfer D.
  • the second depression zone 22 is preferably placed at the level of the separating device 24 located on a wall 42 opposite the gripping face 2 of the gripper 20, so as to allow compensation to the less partial of the restraining forces developed by the vacuum head of the separating device 24 by forces of depression developed at the level of the second depression zone 22. This is very important when it is a single slightly rigid ply which is in course of treatment. Thanks to the presence of this second depression zone 22, the weak fold rigid will pass smoothly, and in particular without being crumpled, the region of the double tap separator.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Sheets, Magazines, And Separation Thereof (AREA)
  • Sorting Of Articles (AREA)
EP94402118A 1993-09-27 1994-09-23 Préhenseur d'objets plats et dispositif de dépilage équipé de ce préhenseur Expired - Lifetime EP0645330B1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
FR9311458 1993-09-27
FR9311458A FR2710624B1 (fr) 1993-09-27 1993-09-27 Préhenseur d'objets plats et dispositif de dépilage équipé de ce préhenseur.

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0645330A1 EP0645330A1 (fr) 1995-03-29
EP0645330B1 true EP0645330B1 (fr) 1998-02-04

Family

ID=9451255

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP94402118A Expired - Lifetime EP0645330B1 (fr) 1993-09-27 1994-09-23 Préhenseur d'objets plats et dispositif de dépilage équipé de ce préhenseur

Country Status (6)

Country Link
US (1) US5507480A (ja)
EP (1) EP0645330B1 (ja)
JP (1) JP3475198B2 (ja)
CA (1) CA2132803C (ja)
DE (1) DE69408391T2 (ja)
FR (1) FR2710624B1 (ja)

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP2030921A2 (en) 2007-08-29 2009-03-04 Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba Sheet take-out apparatus
US7815184B2 (en) 2006-05-11 2010-10-19 Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba Paper sheet separating and take-out device

Families Citing this family (11)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US6443444B1 (en) * 1999-10-04 2002-09-03 Lockhead Martin Corporation Singulation mechanism
US6575450B2 (en) 2001-01-30 2003-06-10 Lockheed Martin Corporation Singulation mechanism
DE102005003374A1 (de) * 2004-12-23 2006-07-06 Böwe Bell + Howell GmbH Briefeingabestation mit Rüttler
DE102006029891A1 (de) * 2006-06-28 2008-01-03 Siemens Ag Vorrichtung zur Beladung von flachen Gegenständen
DE102007007811B3 (de) * 2007-02-16 2008-04-30 Siemens Ag Vorrichtung zum Ausrichten von flachen Gegenständen
FR2957906B1 (fr) 2010-03-25 2012-05-18 Solystic Dispositif d'alimentation pour envois postaux avec un magasin et un depileur separes
US9056738B2 (en) 2013-03-13 2015-06-16 United States Postal Service Anti-rotation device and method of use
US9061849B2 (en) 2013-03-14 2015-06-23 United States Postal Service System and method of article feeder operation
US9044783B2 (en) 2013-03-12 2015-06-02 The United States Postal Service System and method of unloading a container of items
US9376275B2 (en) 2013-03-12 2016-06-28 United States Postal Service Article feeder with a retractable product guide
US9340377B2 (en) 2013-03-12 2016-05-17 United States Postal Service System and method of automatic feeder stack management

Family Cites Families (10)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2856187A (en) * 1955-11-18 1958-10-14 Pitney Bowes Inc Workpiece feeding device
DE1267012B (de) * 1964-07-20 1968-04-25 Telefunken Patent Vereinzeler mit einer Einrichtung zur Verhinderung von Doppelabzuegen
GB1263292A (en) * 1969-01-02 1972-02-09 Parnall & Sons Ltd Improvements relating to sheet feeding apparatus
DE1904705A1 (de) * 1969-01-31 1970-08-06 Licentia Gmbh Saugbandvereinzeler fuer flache Sendungen
US4148476A (en) * 1975-05-06 1979-04-10 Ab Svenska Flaktfabriken Conveyor for lamellar material
JPS54115870A (en) * 1978-02-27 1979-09-08 Masaharu Matsuo Belt paper feeder
US4357007A (en) * 1980-04-24 1982-11-02 International Standard Electric Corporation Singler device
IT1129850B (it) * 1980-11-13 1986-06-11 San Cassiano Di Drocco A & C S Macchina impastatrice
FR2679540A1 (fr) * 1991-07-25 1993-01-29 Cga Hbs Dispositif de depilage de plis de courrier notamment ouverts et procede de mise en óoeuvre de ce dispositif.
FR2696163B1 (fr) * 1992-09-25 1994-11-04 Cga Hbs Dépileur d'articles plats incluant un dispositif de retaquage.

Cited By (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US7815184B2 (en) 2006-05-11 2010-10-19 Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba Paper sheet separating and take-out device
EP2441715A1 (en) 2006-05-11 2012-04-18 Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba Paper sheet separating and take-out device
EP2030921A2 (en) 2007-08-29 2009-03-04 Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba Sheet take-out apparatus
EP2030921A3 (en) * 2007-08-29 2011-06-22 Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba Sheet take-out apparatus
US8235378B2 (en) 2007-08-29 2012-08-07 Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba Sheet take-out apparatus

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
CA2132803A1 (fr) 1995-03-28
FR2710624A1 (fr) 1995-04-07
FR2710624B1 (fr) 1995-11-10
JP3475198B2 (ja) 2003-12-08
DE69408391T2 (de) 1998-06-04
CA2132803C (fr) 2004-09-14
DE69408391D1 (de) 1998-03-12
JPH07149442A (ja) 1995-06-13
US5507480A (en) 1996-04-16
EP0645330A1 (fr) 1995-03-29

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