EP2550216A1

EP2550216A1 - Device for feeding flat objects and postal sorting machine

Info

Publication number: EP2550216A1
Application number: EP11713009A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Stéphane Samain; Mickaël DAUVERGNE; Stéphane Ambroise
Original assignee: Solystic SAS
Current assignee: Solystic SAS
Priority date: 2010-03-25
Filing date: 2011-03-15
Publication date: 2013-01-30
Anticipated expiration: 2031-03-15
Also published as: EP2550216B1; DK2550216T3; US20120013064A1; AU2011231435B2; FR2957906B1; WO2011117508A1; RU2524243C2; AU2011231435A1; RU2012145347A; PT2550216E; US8480072B2; FR2957906A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for feeding flat objects, comprising a store (1) for supplying flat objects that are moved in a manner stacked on edge in a first transfer direction (A), a means (3) for separating the uppermost flat object from the stack in order to drive it in a second, perpendicular transfer direction (B), an unstacking means (10) that takes hold of the unstacked flat object in order to move it in said second transfer direction (B) to the inlet of a conveyor and a retaining means (13) that exerts a retaining force in the opposite direction to the movement of the flat object in the direction of the conveyor, said unstacking means being offset from said separating means by a distance at least equal to the maximum length of a flat object, and the retaining means being provided opposite the unstacking means. The invention also relates to a postal sorting machine having such a feeding device.

Description

Feeding device for flat objects and postal sorting machine

Technical area

The invention relates to a flat object supply device comprising a supply magazine in which flat objects are moved in stack on edge in a first direction of transfer, a separation means for separating a flat object forward most the stack of the rest of the stack and drive in a second direction of transfer substantially perpendicular to the first direction of transfer, unstacking means which supports a flat object unstacking separated from the stack to bring it according to said second direction of transfer to an inlet of a conveyor and a retaining means which exerts on the flat object unstacking a retaining force opposing its movement towards the conveyor. The invention also relates to a postal sorting machine comprising such a feeding device.

Prior art

For the purposes of the invention, a flat object designates in particular, but not exclusively, a postal item. The postal items, which can be unstacked thanks to the feed device of the invention, may have variable dimensions, but also variable mechanical characteristics, in particular as regards their rigidity. This mailing can be, among other things, a simple letter, a magazine, an envelope with or without window, a newspaper, or a catalog presented in a plastic envelope or paper, with or without bellows.

Such a feeding device, intended especially for a postal sorting machine, is already known from patent EP-0645330. In this known feed device, the unstacking means brings the flat objects into the conveyor with a predefined gap or pitch, for example a constant gap between the front edge of two adjacent flat objects or a constant pitch between the rear edge. and the front edge of two adjacent flat objects. In this known feed device, the separation means and the means unstacking are confused and the shipment being unstacked is under pressure from the rest of the pile of mail items present in the supply store, which can cause jams and multiple catch phenomena. A so-called "anti dual plug" retaining means can be provided to partially avoid these disadvantages. This can only be placed downstream of the unstacking means according to said second direction of transfer because the unstacking means faces the supply store. However, downstream of the unstacking means, the postal items are already driven at high speed, that is to say at the conveying speed of the postal items in the conveyor, which makes it difficult to separate folds in multiple takes and can cause damage to the most fragile postal items because it exerts on these shipments shear forces.

U.S. Patent No. 6,494,446 discloses a flat object feeder comprising a supply magazine in which flat objects are moved in stack on edge in a first direction of transfer. A separating means separates the foremost flat object from the stack from the rest of the stack and drives it in a second direction of transfer substantially perpendicular to the first direction of transfer, unstacking means coupled with continuous suction. and supporting a flat object separated from the stack to bring it in the second direction of transfer to the entrance of a conveyor. This feed device further comprises means for measuring the thickness of the object after separation and a retaining means which exerts on the flat object unstacking a retaining force opposing its movement towards the conveyor , the position of the retaining means being adjustable relative to the unstacking means and slaved according to the thickness of the measured flat object. The unstacking means is offset and separated, in the second direction of transfer, from the separating means and the retaining means is provided facing the unstacking means.

Furthermore, US Pat. No. 3,258,262 describes a device for feeding flat objects in which the separation and unstacking functions are grouped. This device comprises in particular a belt, sucking in a continuous manner and capable of driving the flat objects to depilate them. Blades of flexible retention and traversed by a suction channel are provided opposite the suction belt. These retention blades used to retain a second object, stacked on a first object, the time that the suction belt drives the first object and the corresponding suction zone is cleared.

In addition, the patents EP 0 660 797 and EP 703 868 disclose an overlapping device or tiler for placing in an overlapping configuration flat objects between a flat-bed supply store arranged in stack on edge and a device for unstacking. This overlapping device mainly comprises tapered rollers oriented to apply to the most forward flat objects of the stack a progressive acceleration which tends to shift them relative to each other in said direction of transfer. Such a device makes it possible to reduce the phenomenon of multiple taps without, however, completely eliminating it.

Finally, patent GB 949,594 describes a device for feeding flat objects comprising an unstacking means provided with a suction swivel arm provided opposite the drive belt for unstacking the superposed objects. US Patent 3,126,200, describes a flat objects supply device, substantially similar to the previous and the unstacking means comprises a suction swivel arm whose shoe is next to the suction belt to remove the stacked objects. The publication EP 1 676 796 describes a device for feeding flat objects including in particular an alignment of tapered rollers allowing the objects to be moved after unstacking.

These devices, however, do not reliably relieve multiple tap phenomena.

Presentation of the invention

The object of the invention is to propose a feeding device in flat objects, in particular postal items, making it possible to further improve the quality of unstacking by further eliminating multiple catching phenomena.

For this purpose, the subject of the invention is a flat object supply device, comprising a supply magazine in which flat objects are moved in stack on edge in a first direction of transfer, a separation means for separating a flat object furthest forward of the stack from the rest of the stack and drive it in a second direction of transfer substantially perpendicular to the first direction of transfer, unstacking means which supports a flat object unstacking separated from the stack to bring it in said second direction of transfer to an inlet of a conveyor and a retaining means which exerts on the flat object unstacking a retaining force opposing its movement towards the conveyor, characterized in said unstacking means is separated in said second direction of transfer from said separation means and offset from said separation means by a distance at least equal to the length of said separation means; r maximum of a flat object in this second direction of transfer (B) and in that said retaining means is provided facing the unstacking means.

The idea underlying the invention is therefore to separate the unstacking function of the transfer function by shifting the unstacking means itself from the supply magazine in said second direction of transfer by a distance large enough to reduce the phenomena of multiple catches. The space left free between the supply store and the unstacking means thus makes it possible to install a retaining means facing the upstream end of the unstacking means. The restraint means is thereby adjacent to the supply store. At this location of the retaining means, the postal items have not yet reached their nominal conveying speed in the conveyor, they are in the acceleration phase, so that the action of the retaining means damages the postal items less than in the prior art and is more efficient. In addition, this sufficiently long intermediate zone between the supply store and the unstacking means constitutes a corridor in which depilated shipments are placed relative to each other in the second direction of transfer before facing the unstacking means. According to a particular embodiment of the invention, said unstacking means comprises a perforated band motorized to move in said second direction of transfer and at least one suction nozzle which is intended to exert on the flat object unstacking a attraction force oriented substantially perpendicularly to said second transfer direction to press against the motorized perforated strip, and the retaining means exerts on the unstacked flat object an opposing retaining force and substantially coaxial with said attraction force. By coaxial opposing forces is meant two opposing forces which act opposite one another in alignment on either side of the surface of the mailpiece, which tends to prevent damage to the mailpiece. by shear forces.

The retaining means is preferably arranged to exert the retaining force in a discontinuous manner thereby enhancing the unstacking efficiency.

As retaining means, it is possible to envisage a friction retaining means but also a suction retaining means. This suction retaining means may be movably mounted on a telescopic arm so as to adapt the retaining force as a function of the thickness of said flat object. The suction nozzle is advantageously selectively controlled so as to successively suck and do not suck.

It is possible to provide a plurality of suction nozzles for the destacking means spaced apart from each other in said second transfer direction and consequently several suction nozzles for the holding means associated respectively with the suction nozzles of the unstacking means.

According to another feature of the invention, the noise generated by the suction nozzles and the electrically controlled valves of the unstacking means and the one or more retaining means can be considerably reduced by covering these nozzles and valves with a soundproofing hood. . An open space is left open at the supply store to allow the intervention of a machine operator at this point of the machine.

To further separate the postal items out of the supply store, it can be provided a tile-forming member, for example of the type comprising tapered rollers or the like as indicated above, which forces the most forward postal items of the stack to separate from each other and to overlap as they advance in the second direction of transfer.

Advantageously, said unstacking means is separated in said second direction of transfer of said separation means by a belt conveying section adapted to move said flat objects side by side by friction on one side.

The invention also relates to a postal sorting machine, comprising a device for feeding flat objects as described above.

Brief presentation of the drawings

An exemplary embodiment of the invention is now described in more detail and illustrated in the drawings.

Figure 1 schematically illustrates a feeding device according to the invention seen from above.

Description of the embodiments

FIG. 1 very schematically shows a device for supplying postal items according to the invention, which is particularly intended for a postal sorting machine.

This feeding device comprises a supply store 1 in which postal items P aligned against a jogging edge 2 are stored in stack on edge for unstacking. Shipments P are therefore shown in Figure 1 on edge seen from above.

The sole of the store 1 on which the shipments are based The mailer may be a motorized band that moves the mail stack in the direction of transfer A to the front of the supply store. A movable pallet (not shown) in direction A motorized or not can also be provided to maintain the rear of the stack.

At the front of the supply store, there is provided a transfer means 3 which therefore faces the front of the stack of postal items. The function of this function is to separate the most forward postal item from the stack from the rest of the stack and to move it on edge in a second direction of transfer indicated by B in FIG. The direction B is substantially perpendicular to the direction A.

The transfer means 3 here comprises a motorized perforated strip 4 which is moved in the direction B along a vertical sheet 5 and which cooperates with one or more suction nozzles 6 which exert a force of attraction through the strip 4 tends to press the most forward sending of the stack against the band 4. The combined action of the band 4 and the nozzles 6 separates the most forward sending of the pile from the rest of the pile and moves it according to the direction B at low speed, of the order of 0.5 m / s.

FIG. 1 shows, with the transfer means 3, a series of conical rollers 7 placed in line at the front of the supply magazine 1, which, with the play of a movable shutter 8, serve to make a curving that is, placing several postal items located at the front of the stack in an overlapping position. The tapered rollers 7 are oriented to apply to the items at the front of the stack a progressive tangential speed in the direction A so that the most forward sending of the stack which is separated from the stack is in advance according to the direction B relative to the shipment that succeeds in the stack and so on for successive shipments unstacking. The tapered rollers 7 may be placed in line in a recess or a chute (not shown) contributing to a better separation (by aeration effect) of these items at the front of the stack.

The movable flap 8 is disposed adjacent to the feed magazine and downstream thereof in the direction B. It is articulated in rotation and defines with the vertical sheet 5 which extends in the direction B a kind of cone more or less closed supply allowing more or fewer postal items at the same time. At rest, the flap 8 closes the supply cone under the action of a return spring not shown. The postal items moved under the action of the band 4 therefore push the flap 8 to cross the cone supply which still tends to a rolling effect to separate possible postal items in superposition (multiple sockets). In practice, the maximum opening of the feed cone defined between the flap 8 and the sheet 5 can go to 20mm for a maximum thickness of the shipments of the order of 10mm. A sensor may be provided to detect the angular position of the movable flap and control the running or stopping of the motorization of the band 4 when the flap occupies or leaves its maximum open position.

As shown in Figure 1, downstream of the feeder cone, the shipments are supported by a conveyor belt section 9 which moves the shipments edge by friction on one side. The length of this conveyor belt section 9 is sufficiently long and at least equal to the maximum length of a mailpiece. In this section of the conveyor 9, the items are placed approximately in regular overlap with respect to the following (thus according to a tiled disposition) and thus move in the direction B towards the unstacking device 10, the space between the fronts before two consecutive shipments can be of the order of 5 to 30 mm.

According to the invention, the unstacking device 10 itself is placed downstream of the conveyor section 9 in the direction B. The unstacking device 10 is thus shifted in the direction B of the transfer means 3 and therefore of the magazine. supply and is separated from them by the conveying section 9. The unstacker 10 here comprises a perforated strip 1 1 moved at high speed of the order of 2.5 m / s which cooperates with two suction nozzles 12 fed through solenoid valves. As can be seen in FIG. 1, the two suction nozzles 12 are aligned in direction B and face respectively two other suction nozzles 13 which make part of a restraint preventing the phenomenon of multiple taps. More particularly, the two suction nozzles 12 exert on one face of a mailpiece P 'facing the web 1 1 an attraction force FA oriented perpendicular to the direction B to press against the web 1 January. The two other suction nozzles 13 fed through the solenoid valves exert on the other face of the transmission another attraction force FR oriented perpendicularly to the direction B, but in the opposite direction to the force exerted by the nozzles 12, the force exerted by the nozzles 13 tending to oppose the displacement of the shipment in the direction B. The attraction force exerted by the nozzles 13 is less than that exerted by the nozzles 12 horn this is known in the state of the technique.

Two passage sensors 14 are respectively placed one between the two nozzles 12 in the direction B and the other downstream of the nozzle 12, the most downstream in the direction B, for controlling the solenoid valves of the nozzles 12 and 13. practical, when the passage of the sending P 'entering the unstacker 10 is detected by a first sensor 14, the nozzles 12 and 13 in opposition most upstream in the direction B are actuated to suck so that they exert at the same time the two opposing forces FA and FR which are coaxial. If the sending P 'in the unstacker is in double engagement for example with another sending, the sending P' which is pressed against the band 1 1 continues its movement in the direction B while the other sending in superposition is retained by the nozzle 13. When the passage of the sending P 'is detected by the other sensor 14, the nozzles 12 and 13 in opposition most downstream in the direction B are actuated while the suction of the nozzle 12 the further upstream is stopped. P 'sending is still moved at high speed in direction B to be brought to the input 15 of a series conveyor 16 in which the shipments are moved at high speed in series on edge with a constant distance between front fronts for example. The entry 15 of the conveyor is here a pinch point constituted by two deformable wheels arranged in opposition. When the sending P 'has left the unstacker, which can be detected by another passage sensor, the most upstream nozzle 12 is again actuated to take care of the other sending which was in double engagement with the shipment P 'and the process of actuating the nozzles 12 and 13 is repeated as indicated above for the successive shipments.

The relative arrangement of the nozzles 13 with respect to the nozzles 12 according to the invention makes it more efficient to separate multi-take-off shipments because the retaining means intervenes from the beginning of the high-speed acceleration of the unstacked items. In addition this arrangement in face of the nozzles 12 and nozzles 13 avoids shear effects on the shipments that cause jams.

According to the invention, it is possible to cover by a soundproofing cover 17 the unstacker members 10 and more particularly the noisy members such as the nozzles 12 with their solenoid valves but also the nozzles 13 with their solenoid valves to give the device feeding an extra comfort of use.

The feeding device according to the invention can be applied to flat objects other than postal items, for example checks and banknotes.

Claims

1 / Device for supplying flat objects, comprising a supply magazine (1) in which flat objects are moved in stack on edge in a first direction of transfer (A), a separation means (3) for separating a flat object furthest forward of the stack from the rest of the stack and drive it in a second direction of transfer (B) substantially perpendicular to the first direction of transfer (A), unstacking means (10) which supports an unstacked flat object separated from the pile to bring it along said second transfer direction (B) to an inlet of a conveyor and a retaining means (13) which exerts on the flat object in unstacking a force retaining means (FR) opposing its movement towards the conveyor, characterized in that said unstacking means (10) is separated according to said second direction of transfer (B) of said separating means (3) and offset from said means of separation (3) of a distance at least s is equal to the maximum length of a flat object according to this second transfer direction (B), and in that said retaining means (13) is provided facing the unstacking means (10). 21 Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that said unstacking means (10) comprises a motorized perforated strip (1 1) for moving in said second direction of transfer (B) and at least one suction nozzle (12) which is intended to exert on the flat object in unstacking an attraction force (FA) oriented substantially perpendicularly to said second transfer direction (B) to press against the motorized perforated strip (1 1), and that the retaining means (13) exerts on the unstacked flat object a retaining force (FR) opposite and substantially coaxial with said attraction force (FA). 3 / Apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that said retaining means (13) is arranged to exert said retaining force (FR) of discontinuous manner.

4 / Apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that said retaining means (13) is a suction retaining means and comprises at least one suction nozzle.

5 / Apparatus according to claims 3 and 4, characterized in that said suction nozzle is selectively controlled so as to successively suck and not suck.

6 / Apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that said retaining means (13) is movably mounted on a telescopic arm to adapt said retaining force (FR) according to the thickness of said flat object. Device according to claim 2, characterized in that said retaining means (13) is a friction retaining means.

8 / Apparatus according to one of the preceding claims, wherein said unstacking means (10) and said retaining means (13) are covered by a soundproof cover (17).

9 / Apparatus according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said separating means (3) is arranged to position a plurality of adjacent flat objects overlapping or tilting according to said second direction of transfer (B).

10 / Apparatus according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said unstacking means (10) is separated in said second direction of transfer (B) of said separation means (3) by a conveying section (9) band adapted to move said flat objects sent on edge by friction on one side. 1 1 / postal sorting machine, characterized in that it comprises a postal mail supply device according to one of the preceding claims.