EP0825141B1 - Vorrichtung zum Trennen und zum Zuführen von Blättern - Google Patents

Vorrichtung zum Trennen und zum Zuführen von Blättern Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0825141B1
EP0825141B1 EP19970114564 EP97114564A EP0825141B1 EP 0825141 B1 EP0825141 B1 EP 0825141B1 EP 19970114564 EP19970114564 EP 19970114564 EP 97114564 A EP97114564 A EP 97114564A EP 0825141 B1 EP0825141 B1 EP 0825141B1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
top sheet
sheet
feeding
stack
wave generating
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
EP19970114564
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English (en)
French (fr)
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EP0825141A3 (de
EP0825141A2 (de
Inventor
Michael S. Doery
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.)
Pitney Bowes Inc
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Pitney Bowes Inc
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Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Pitney Bowes Inc filed Critical Pitney Bowes Inc
Publication of EP0825141A2 publication Critical patent/EP0825141A2/de
Publication of EP0825141A3 publication Critical patent/EP0825141A3/de
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0825141B1 publication Critical patent/EP0825141B1/de
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
    • B65H3/46—Supplementary devices or measures to assist separation or prevent double feed
    • B65H3/54—Pressing or holding devices

Definitions

  • This invention relates generally to the field of sheet separating and feeding devices, and is applicable to sheet separating and feeding devices that utilize the principle of directional wave generation to cause the top sheet of a stack to separate from the next lower sheet and move toward a feeding device for removal of the sheet from the stack.
  • Sheet separating and feeding devices have long been well known in sheet processing applications far too numerous to mention, and with the advent of high technology business machines for printing on, sorting, collating, folding, stacking, and otherwise processing a plurality of individual sheets at a high rate, the speed and reliability of sheet separating and feeding devices have become critically important to the commercial success of business machines that perform any of the foregoing processing functions.
  • the problem is that even after some degree of separation between the top sheet and the next sheet resulting from the relative degree of movement of these sheets when the directional wave motion has occurred, when the top sheet is finally engaged by the withdrawal feeding device, the next sheets may be pulled along with the top sheet, thereby resulting in a double feed, which either causes a paper jam or is merely detected, either of which events causes the machine to stop operating.
  • the sheet separating and feeding device described thus at least obviates if not entirely eliminates the disadvantages of the directional wave generation type feeding device. In principle, this is accomplished by imposing a retaining force on the exposed trailing edge portion of the next to top sheet after the top sheet has been slightly advanced toward the withdrawal feeding device, while simultaneously imposing a lifting force on the directional wave generating device so that it is rendered inoperative while the top sheet is being withdrawn from the stack.
  • a sheet separating and feeding device for separating the top sheet from a stack of sheets and feeding it in a desired direction, said device comprising: means for supporting a stack of sheets; directional wave generating means for feeding said top sheet from said stack to an advanced position in which a trailing edge portion of the next to top sheet is exposed beyond the trailing edge of said top sheet; means mounting said directional wave generating means in overlying relationship with said stack of sheets so that said directional wave generaating means normally contacts the top sheet, said mounting means including means for supporting said directional wave generating means for limited vertical movement relative to said stack of sheets sufficient to permit said directional wave generating means to be periodically disengaged from said top sheet; second feeding means disposed adjacent said supporting means f or grasping the leading edge of said top sheet and for withdrawing said top sheet from said stack; retaining means for engaging said exposed trailing edge portion of said next to top sheet for imposing a retaining force on said next to top sheet and additional sheets thereunder in- said stack and simultaneously for disengaging said directional
  • the retaining means is preferably disposed on the mounting means relative to the trailing edge of the top sheet such that the retaining means is engageable with the exposed upper surface of the trailing edge portion of the next to top sheet to retain the next,to top sheet from movement when the top sheet is engaged by the second feeding means.
  • the retaining means preferably comprises sheet contact means mounted for limited vertical movement relative to the top sheet between an inoperative position in which the contact means is out of contact with the next to top sheet and an operative position in which the contact means is engaged with the exposed upper surface of the next to top sheet.
  • the mounting means preferably comprises support means for both the first feeding means and the retaining means, the support means being mounted on the sheet separating and feeding device for limited vertical movement relative to the top sheet, and the vertical movement of the contact means between the inoperative position to the operative position is sufficient to raise the support means a sufficient distance to disengage the first feeding means from the top sheet.
  • the control means preferably comprises means for activating the wave generating means upon demand to feed the top sheet toward the feeding means, sensing means for sensing when the lead edge of the top sheet reaches a predetermined position, and means responsive to operation of the sensing means for activating the retaining means to move the contact member from the inoperative position to the operative position thereby raising the support means to deactivate the first feeding means.
  • Another object of the present invention is to provide a sheet separating and feeding device that feeds a top sheet of a stack to an advanced position to permit a retaining device to engage the upper surface of a trailing edge portion of the next to top sheet to retain it and succeeding sheets in the stack while the top sheet is fed away from the stack.
  • Still another object of the present invention is to provide a sheet separating and feeding device that simultaneously disengages a directional first feeding device from the top sheet of the stack after a feeding device engages the top sheet so as to substantially eliminate frictional force between the top sheet and the sheet next beneath the top sheet.
  • the sheet separating and feeding device is designated generally by the reference numeral 10, and is seen to comprise a suitable receptacle, indicated generally by the reference numeral 12, which has side walls 14, a front wall 16 and an adjustable rear guide 18, for holding a stack of sheets 20.
  • the sheet separating and feeding device 10 is an integral assembly which can be used in any type of sheet processing apparatus in which a stack of sheets is stored in a storage location and from which sheets are fed seriatim from the storage location to another location for some type of processing.
  • a typical example of such apparatus would be an envelope inserting apparatus, in which a plurality of stacks of sheets are stored, and from which individual sheets are fed in a predetermined sequence to a accumulator to form a collation, then to a folding machine and then to an inserting machine in which the collation is inserted into an envelope.
  • the present discussion is concerned only with the sheet separating and feeding device in which the stack of sheets is stored, and further description and illustration of equipment in which this device is utilized is not deemed necessary for a complete understanding of the present invention.
  • the device 10 includes a vertically movable support means, indicated generally by the reference numeral 22, for supporting a first feeding means which in a presently preferred form of the device is a directional wave generating means, indicated generally by the reference numeral 24, and a retaining means, indicated generally by the reference numeral 26, both of which are more fully described below.
  • the support means 22 includes an elongate supporting member 28 which extends across the width of the sheet stack receptacle 12, and further includes stub shafts 30 or other suitable means by which the supporting member 28 is rotatably supported by a pair of arms 32.
  • the arms 32 are also suitably rotatably supported on a portion 34 of the receptacle 12 as by stub shafts 36 so that the arms 32 can oscillate in the direction of the arrow A about the stub shafts 36 as an axis, the means by which the supporting member 28 is caused to oscillate being fully explained below.
  • a suitable cover member 39 is connected to the elongate supporting member 28 and encloses the wave generating means 24, the drive means for the wave generating means (described below), a major portion of the retaining means 26 and the elongate supporting member 28.
  • a rod 41 is connected at one end to a side wall of the cover member 39 and at the other end to the portion 34 of the receptacle 12 to form a parallelogram with the arm 32 so that when the arm 32 is oscillated about the shaft 36, the cover member 39 and the elongate supporting member 28 remain in a horizontal orientation, as more fully described below.
  • the directional wave generating means 24 is of the type disclosed and claimed in the aforementioned U. S. Patent No. 4,165,870.
  • the wave generating means 24 includes a frame 38 which is suitably attached to a bent tab portion 43 of the supporting member 28 as best seen in Fig. 2.
  • the wave generating means 24 further includes a plurality of rollers 42 which are freely rotatably supported in a disc 44 which in turn is rotatably supported in the frame 38 so that the rollers 42 contact the top sheet 46 when the supporting member 28 is in its lowermost position as seen in Fig. 1.
  • the frame 38 is attached to the bent tab portion 43 of the supporting member 28 so that the upwardly extending axis thereof is disposed- at a slight angle to vertical, with the result that the frame 38 lies in a plane that is at a correspondingly slight angle to the upper surface of the top sheet 46 s-o that only one roller 42 at a time is in contact with the top sheet 46.
  • a motor 48 is also suitably mounted on the supporting member 28 and has a drive shaft 50.
  • a drive wheel 52 is mounted on the outer end of the shaft 50 and engages with the upper surface 54 of the disc 44, so that rotation of the drive wheel 52 by the motor 50 rotates the disc 44 to cause successive rollers 42 to momentarily engage the top sheet 46 of the stack 20.
  • the retaining means 26 includes a contact member mounted for limited vertical movement relative to the top sheet between an inoperative position in which the contact means is out of contact with the next to top sheet and an operative position in which the contact means is engaged with the exposed upper surface of the next to top sheet.
  • the retaining means 26 comprises a solenoi d 60 suitably fixedly connected to the supporting member 28, the solenoid 60 having a plunger 62 which is normally maintained in an up position, as shown in Fig. 1.
  • the lower end of the plunger 62 has a suitable pressing pad 64 for engaging the upper surface portion 66 of the next to top sheet 68 that is exposed beyond the trailing edge of the top sheet 46 after it has been fed to a predetermined position as further described below.
  • the actual position of the solenoid 60 along the platform 28 is not important so long as the pressing pad 64 engages the exposed portion 66 of the next to top sheet 68.
  • the device 10 includes a second :feeding means, indicated generally by the reference numeral 70, and preferably comprises upper and lower sha-fts 72 and 74 which are suitably mounted for rotation on upper and lower guide plates 76 and 78 respectively, each of the shafts having co-operating rollers 80 and 82 thereon which engage each other through apertures 84 formed in the guide plates. Any suitable means may be provided for driving the rollers 80 and 82 so as to feed successive sheets therebetween.
  • the device 10 further includes a suitable sheet sensing device, indicated generally by the reference numeral 86, which is positioned just slightly downstream from the nip of the feed rollers 80 and 82 so that the sensing device 86 can ascertain when the leading edge of the sheet 46 reaches a predetermined position, generally referred to as a staging position.
  • a suitable sheet sensing device indicated generally by the reference numeral 86, which is positioned just slightly downstream from the nip of the feed rollers 80 and 82 so that the sensing device 86 can ascertain when the leading edge of the sheet 46 reaches a predetermined position, generally referred to as a staging position.
  • Fig. 3 represents the home position of the sheet separating and feeding component of the device 10, in which it is seen that the top sheet 46 has been prefed to the advanced or staging position in which the leading edge of the top sheet 46 has just reached the sensing means 86, and the remaining sheets of a predetermined plurality of sheets are disposed in a shingled relationship. It is also seen that in this position the plunger 62 of the solenoid 60 is in its up or inoperative position with the pressing pad 64 raised above the exposed surface portion 66 of the next to top sheet 68. It will be understood that the operation of the feed rollers 80 and 82, the motor 46 for driving the disc 44 of the wave generating device 24 and the solenoid 60 are all under the control of the microprocessor.
  • the microprocessor when the sheet processing apparatus with which the device 10 is utilized calls for a sheet, the microprocessor energizes the solenoid 60 to lower the plunger 62 so that the pressing pad 64 engages the exposed surface portion 66 of the next to top sheet 68, and after a brief delay to ensure that the next to top sheet is securely held in place, the microprocessor energizes the feed rollers 80 and 82 to feed the top sheet 46 into the sheet processing apparatus.
  • the extent of vertical movement of the plunger 62 is greater than the vertical clearance of the pressing pad 64 with the next to top sheet 68 when the plunger 62 is in its upper or inoperative position, with the result that the supporting member 28 is raised a sufficient distance to lift the elongate supporting member 28 to disengage the rollers 42 from the top sheet, thereby removing the normal force caused by weight of the wave generating device 24 from the top sheet 46, as seen in Fig. 4.
  • the sheet 46 is removed from the separating and feeding device 10 and fed into the processing apparatus, as seen in Fig. 5.
  • the microprocessor When the trailing edge of the top sheet 46 reaches the sensing means 86, as seen in Fig. 6, it sends a signal to the microprocessor, which deenergizes the solenoid 60 so that the plunger 62 is raised, thereby permitting the supporting member 28 to return to its normal position so that a roller 42 contacts the upper surface of the new top sheet 46 (which was the next to top sheet 68 in Figs. 3 through 5), and simultaneously energizes the motor 46 to cause the disc 44 to rotate, thereby setting up directional wave pulses in the new top sheet 46 to separate it from the next sheet and feed it toward the feed rollers 80 and 82.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Sheets, Magazines, And Separation Thereof (AREA)

Claims (6)

  1. Blatttrenn- und Fördervorrichtung zum Trennen des obersten Blatts eines Blattstapels (10), umfassend:
    eine Einrichtung (12) zum Lagern eines Blattstapels (20) ;
    eine Erzeugungseinrichtung (24) für eine direktionale Welle zum Fördern des obersten Blatts (46) von dem Stapel in eine vorgeschobene Position, in der ein nachlaufender Randabschnitt des nächst oberen Blatts hinter dem nachlaufenden Rand des obersten Blatts freigelegt ist;
    eine Einrichtung (22), welche die Erzeugungseinrichtung (24) für eine direktionale Welle in darüber liegender Beziehung zu dem Blattstapel derart anbringt, dass die Erzeugungseinrichtung für eine direktionale Welle normalerweise das oberste Blatt berührt, wobei die Montiereinrichtung (22) eine Einrichtung zum Lagern der Erzeugungseinrichtung (24) für eine direktionale Welle für eine begrenzte Vertikalbewegung in Bezug auf den Blattstapel aufweist, die ausreichend ist, um es der Erzeugungseinrichtung für eine direktionale Welle zu erlauben, periodisch von dem obersten Blatt gelöst zu sein;
    eine zweite Fördereinrichtung (70), die benachbart zu der Lagereinrichtung (12) angeordnet ist, zum Greifen des vorlaufenden Randes des obersten Blatts (46) und zum Herausziehen des obersten Blatts von dem Stapel;
    eine Halteeinrichtung (26) zum Betätigen des freigelegten, nachlaufenden Randabschnitts (66) des nächst oberen Blatts zum Ausüben einer Haltekraft auf das nächst obere Blatt und zusätzliche Blätter darunter in dem Stapel und gleichzeitig zum Lösen der Erzeugungseinrichtung (24) für eine direktionale Welle von dem obersten Blatt, während die zweite Fördereinrichtung (70) das oberste Blatt (46) von dem Stapel herauszieht; und
    eine Regeleinrichtung zum Regeln des Betriebes der Erzeugungseinrichtung für eine direktionale Welle, der zweiten Fördereinrichtung (24, 70) und der Halteeinrichtung (26) derart, dass die Erzeugungseinrichtung (24) für eine direktionale Welle in Betrieb ist, um das oberste Blatt zu fördern, wenn die Halteeinrichtung (26) außer Betrieb ist, und die Erzeugungseinrichtung (24) für eine direktionale Welle ist außer Betrieb und die Halteeinrichtung (26) ist in Betrieb, wenn das oberste Blatt durch die zweite Fördereinrichtung (70) zur Entnahme von dem Stapel gegriffen ist;
    wobei die Halteeinrichtung (26) verhindert, dass die Fördereinrichtung (70) mehr als ein Blatt gleichzeitig von dem Stapel herauszieht.
  2. Blatttrenn- und Fördervorrichtung nach Anspruch 1, worin die Montiereinrichtung (22) eine Einrichtung zum Lagern der Halteeinrichtung (26) benachbart zu dem nachlaufenden Rand des obersten Blatts (46) in Bezug auf die Bewegungsrichtung des obersten Blatts aufweist.
  3. Blatttrenn- und Fördervorrichtung nach Anspruch 2, worin die Halteeinrichtung (26) an der Montiereinrichtung (22) in Bezug auf den nachlaufenden Rand des obersten Blatts derart angeordnet ist, dass die Halteeinrichtung (26) die freigelegte obere Fläche (66) des nachlaufenden Randabschnitts des nächst oberen Blatts betätigt, um das nächste Blatt entgegen einer Bewegung zu halten, wenn das oberste Blatt durch die zweite Fördereinrichtung (70) betätigt wird.
  4. Blatttrenn- und Fördervorrichtung nach Anspruch 3, worin die Halteeinrichtung (26) eine Blattkontakteinrichtung (64) aufweist, die für eine begrenzte vertikale Bewegung in Bezug auf das oberste Blatt zwischen einer Nicht-Betriebs-Position, in der die Kontakteinrichtung (46) außer Kontakt mit dem nächst oberen Blatt ist, und einer Betriebsposition, in der die Kontakteinrichtung (64) die freigelegte obere Fläche (66) des nächst oberen Blatts betätigt, montiert ist.
  5. Blatttrenn- und Fördervorrichtung nach Anspruch 4, worin:
    die Montiereinrichtung (22) eine Lagereinrichtung (28) für die Erzeugungseinrichtung (24) für eine direktionale Welle und die Halteeinrichtung (26) aufweist, wobei die Lagereinrichtung an der Blatttrenn- und Fördervorrichtung für eine begrenzte vertikale Bewegung in Bezug auf das oberste Blatt montiert ist; und
    die vertikale Bewegung der Kontakteinrichtung (64) von der Nicht-Betriebs-Position in die Betriebs-Position ausreichend ist, um die Lagereinrichtung (28) um einen ausreichenden Abstand anzuheben, um die Erzeugungseinrichtung für eine direktionale Welle von dem obersten Blatt zu lösen.
  6. Blatttrenn- und Fördervorrichtung nach Anspruch 5, worin die Regeleinrichtung aufweist:
    eine Einrichtung zum Aktivieren der Erzeugungseinrichtung (24) für eine direktionale Welle bei Bedarf, um das oberste Blatt zu der zweiten Fördereinrichtung (70) zu fördern;
    eine Erfassungseinrichtung (86) zum Erfassen, wann der vorlaufende Rand des obersten Blatts eine vorbestimmte Position erreicht; und
    eine Einrichtung, die auf einen Betrieb der Erfassungseinrichtung (86) reagiert, zum Aktivieren der Halteeinrichtung (26), um die Kontakteinrichtung (64) von der Nicht-Betriebs-Position in die Betriebs-Position zu bewegen, wodurch die Lagereinrichtung (28) angehoben wird, um die Erzeugungseinrichtung für eine direktionale Welle zu deaktivieren.
EP19970114564 1996-08-22 1997-08-22 Vorrichtung zum Trennen und zum Zuführen von Blättern Expired - Lifetime EP0825141B1 (de)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US70399296A 1996-08-22 1996-08-22
US703992 1996-08-22

Publications (3)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0825141A2 EP0825141A2 (de) 1998-02-25
EP0825141A3 EP0825141A3 (de) 1998-12-23
EP0825141B1 true EP0825141B1 (de) 2003-12-10

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ID=24827632

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Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP19970114564 Expired - Lifetime EP0825141B1 (de) 1996-08-22 1997-08-22 Vorrichtung zum Trennen und zum Zuführen von Blättern

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EP (1) EP0825141B1 (de)
CA (1) CA2212694C (de)
DE (1) DE69726659T2 (de)

Family Cites Families (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE281653C (de) *
DE147879C (de) *
DE208437C (de) *
DE161697C (de) *
US2082239A (en) * 1935-12-09 1937-06-01 Christensen Machine Co Sheet feeding machine
US4165870A (en) * 1978-03-20 1979-08-28 International Business Machines Corporation Wave generator to shingle sheets

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
EP0825141A3 (de) 1998-12-23
DE69726659D1 (de) 2004-01-22
CA2212694C (en) 2001-12-04
CA2212694A1 (en) 1998-02-22
DE69726659T2 (de) 2004-10-07
EP0825141A2 (de) 1998-02-25

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