FR2772648A1 - DOCUMENT SORTING AND STORAGE SYSTEM - Google Patents

Abstract

This document sorting and storage system comprises: - a valve system (2) capable of passing from a first low position to a second high position, the first position directing the documents towards an upper zone (Z2), the second position routing documents to a lower area (Z1); - a document stacking reservoir (3) located in the upper zone (Z2); - a control circuit (CC) which controls the setting of the valve in the first or second position; the valve being placed in the second high position before a document arrives at the valve and if this document must be routed to the lower zone. The valve is put in the first lower position before a document arrives at the valve and if this document must be routed to the upper zone. Then when said document is on the flap, it is raised to the second high position so as to raise the document to the upper zone. Application: Machine for manufacturing and sorting documents of different types such as passports, cards, badges, etc ...

Description

DOCUMENT SORTING AND STORAGE SYSTEM

  The invention relates to a document sorting and storage system. In some systems, after processing documents, you need to sort them and then store them in stacks. For example, on leaving a printing or document-making machine such as passports, identity cards, etc., it is necessary, depending on the document, either to authorize its storage in a tank, either to refuse him this storage and to direct him towards a secondary output. For example, in the case where the machine checks the quality of the document, if it is not of sufficient quality, it can be routed to the secondary output. Or, in the case where the machine produces several types of documents, one of the types of documents can be routed to be stored in the tank

  while the other types are directed to the secondary output.

  A machine thus designed must therefore have two outputs directing to different levels. Referral and storage at the higher level poses a problem, especially when the document is not a single sheet and has a certain thickness, or when it occurs

  in the form of a notebook with several pages such as a passport.

  The invention solves this problem.

  The invention therefore relates to a document sorting and storage system, characterized in that it comprises: - a conveying area on which each document slides flat; - a valve system capable of passing from a first low position to a second high position, the first position directing the documents to an upper zone, the second position directing the documents to a lower zone; - a document stacking tank located in the upper area; - A control circuit controlling the setting of the valve in the first or second position; the valve being placed in the second high position before a document arrives at the valve and if this document is to be directed towards the lower zone; the valve being placed in the first low position before a document arrives at the valve and if this document is to be directed towards the upper zone, then when said document is on the valve, the latter being raised towards the second high position so as to lift the document to the upper area. The various objects and characteristics of the invention will appear

  more clearly in the description which follows and in the figures

  attached which represent: - Figure 1, an example of machine to which the invention is applied; - Figures 2a to 2d, a simplified embodiment of the device of the invention; - Figure 3, an explanatory view of the valve of Figure 1; - Figure 4, the device of the invention with the document tray in a horizontal position; - Figure 5, an example of fixing a reserve tank 3 on a pivoting or articulated frame 30; - Figure 6, a sectional view of a removable stopper of the reserve tank 3; - Figures 7a and 7b, an exemplary embodiment more

  improved device of the invention.

  A document processing machine, as shown diagrammatically in FIG. 1, comprises the FAB processing machine proper which supplies processed documents such as PASS. Such a machine is for example, a printer, a photocopier, a manufacturing machine

secure documents.

  A CONV conveyor system transports each PASS document leaving the FAB machine to exit zones Z1 and Z2. This conveyor system is represented in the form of a conveyor belt but

  it could take any other form.

  A referral system directs the PASS document according to its nature. This referral is made either on the basis of information supplied by the FAB machine which knows the type of document it has printed, or under the control of a sensor DEC1 which, on leaving the document from the machine,

  detects its type or verifies that it meets the desired quality standards.

  Referring to Figures 2a to 2d, we will now describe a

  simplified embodiment of the device of the invention.

  The PASS document is driven towards a switching valve 2 located between zones Z1 and Z2. Before the document reaches the valve, it is put in the position allowing to switch the document

to the appropriate Z1 or Z2 area.

  If the document is to be routed to zone Z1, the valve 2 is placed in the position of FIG. 2a. The PASS document meets the part 24 of the valve 2. The PASS document, pushed by the conveying system, is forced by the part (or plate) 24 of the valve to descend into the zone Z1. It naturally stacks on documents previously referred to in this area or it is made available to

  the user of the machine who can therefore dispose of the document.

  If the PASS document supplied by the FAB machine must be routed

  towards zone Z2, the valve 2 is placed in the position indicated in FIG. 2b.

  The PASS document is pushed onto the part (or plate) 21 of the valve.

  When it is pushed enough on the valve, it lifts up (position 2c) so that part 21 lifts the document

  and places it in the reserve tray 3.

  Putting the "mechanical" valve up or down

  made by rotation about an axis 22.

  The rotation of the valve is controlled by a control circuit CC. This control circuit receives from the machine FAB or from the detector DEC1 the order to put the valve in the high or low position. A second detector DEC2 can be placed in an area located just before the valve, between the FAB machine and the valve, to detect the arrival of the document near the valve and trigger its correct positioning. A third detector DEC3 can also be provided for detecting the position of the document on the part (or plate) 21 of the valve (when the document must be routed towards the zone Z2) and for controlling by the control circuit.

  CC rotation in the high position of the valve.

  Furthermore, the reserve tank 3 is provided with removable stops 33, 34, 36, 37 located at the bottom of the tank when the tank is in the vertical position. These stops are for example articulated in such a way that they are lifted under the pressure of a document and are pressed against the walls of the tank. The document can therefore enter the tray. Valve 2 lifts the document higher than the stops; these can therefore return to their initial horizontal position. This return to the horizontal position can be ensured by return springs. The document is then retained by the stops. Under the control of the control circuit, the valve 2 returns to the position of FIG. 2b. The document then descends and rests on the stops. For example, four stops have been provided on the tank shown in Figure 5. Distribution (one stop per side of the tank)

  ensures good retention of PASS documents in the tray.

  Figure 6 shows an embodiment of a stop

  removable, for example 33, provided with return springs 38.

  FIG. 3 represents an exemplary embodiment of the valve 2. This valve is in the form of a plate, the main part of which is inclined so as to allow a document to slide on the valve (see FIG. 2b ) when pushed by the CONV conveyor system and on the other hand to be more surely introduced into the tank when it is

  raised as shown in Figure 2c.

  The part 20 of the valve makes it possible to give it a bent shape in the zone 21-23 so that the valve enters the tank for

  lift the document inside the tray.

  The part (plate) 23 serving as an articulation lever, forms an angle with the part (plate) 21 so that the latter can enter the tank for the same reason as above, that is to say

  the introduction of the document into the bin.

  Part 24 is welded or glued to part 20 but has less orientation stress than the other parts of the valve. This

  part simply has the role of directing the document towards the lower zone.

  Block 3 is removably mounted on the machine. According to the embodiment of Figure 5, it is mounted on an articulated frame 30. The hinge pin 31 of this frame allows to put it

  in a horizontal position (figure 4) to allow the tray to be changed.

  The tank is connected at one end to a centering device 35 and fixed by a locking device 32 at the opposite end. As shown in Figure 2a, the tray rests (is plugged in) by its lower part on the centering device 35 and is fixed at its upper part

  by the locking device 32 secured to the frame.

  Referring to Figures 7a to 7b, we will now describe a more refined embodiment of the system of the invention. This system comprises a valve 4 having a system of switch plates (or switch pieces) 41-42-43 mounted at the end of an articulated arm 44. The articulation axis 40 of the arm is located from the side C2 of reservoir 3 opposite the arrival area for PASS documents. The rotation of the l0 arm 44 around its axis is controlled by a cam 6 acting on a

pad 46 provided on the arm 44.

  In addition, an articulated part 5 has a pushing part of the

  documents 51 which is mounted at the end of another articulated arm 52.

  The articulation axis 53 of this part 5 is located substantially on the side C1 of the reservoir 3 towards the arrival area of the PASS documents. The movement of the articulated part 5 is controlled by a stud 45 provided on the

articulated arm 44 of the valve 4.

  Figure 7a shows the assembly in the low position. As we can see, the CONV conveyor is at the level of the upper part 42 of the

valve 4.

  Figure 7b shows the assembly in the high position.

  When a PASS document arrives near the sorting system, the CC command control circuit controls the setting of the system in high or low position depending on whether the document must be routed to the area

  Z1 (lower zone) or zone Z2 (towards tank 3).

  If the document is to be routed to zone Z2, the system is set to the position shown in Figure 7a. The PASS document is pushed by the CONV conveyor onto the plate (point piece) 42 of the

  valve 4 and on the thrust piece 51.

  When the document is in place on these elements, its presence is detected for example by a detector. For example, the passage of the document over the detector 7 causes the pawl 70 to rotate. When the document has passed over the plate 42 and the part 51, the valve 70 returns to the original position (under the effect of springs not shown). ) which indicates the

document position.

  The control circuit CC controls a motor which controls the rotation of the cam 6 which then pushes the stud 46 and causes the upward movement of the articulated arm 44. Therefore, the stud 45 also pushes up the articulated arm 52 The system thus passes into the high position of FIG. 7b. The PASS document, which is at this time on the plate 42 and the pushing piece of the document 51, is raised inside the tray 3. The PASS document pushes the valves such as 33. Then, when the system returns to position low, the PASS document remains on

valves such as 33.

  If the PASS document must be directed to the Zl zone. The system is put by the control circuit CC and the cam 6 in the high position shown in FIG. 7b. The PASS document, pushed by the CONV conveyor, meets the switch plate (or switch piece) 43 of the valve

  4. The PASS document is thus forced to go towards zone Z1.

Claims (12)

  1. Document sorting and storage system, characterized in that it comprises: - a conveying area (1) on which each document slides flat; - a valve system (2) capable of passing from a first low position to a second high position, the first position routing the documents to an upper zone (Z2), the second position routing the documents to a lower zone (Z1) ; - a document stacking reservoir (3) located in the upper zone (Z2); - a control circuit (CC) controlling the setting of the valve (1) in the first or second position; the valve being placed in the second high position before the arrival of a document at the valve and if this document must be routed to the lower zone; the flap being placed in the first lower position before the arrival of a document at the level of the flap and if this document is to be directed towards the upper zone, then when said document is on the flap, the latter being raised towards the second high position so as to raise the document to the upper area.   2. System according to claim 1, characterized in that the valve (1) comprises a first plate (24), which points the document towards   the lower zone when the valve is in the second position.   3. System according to claim 1, characterized in that the valve (2) comprises a second plate (21) on which a document can be slid when the valve is in the first position, the valve being raised in the second position when a document is present on the second plate (21) so that it raises the document   in the stacking tank (3).   4. System according to claim 3, characterized in that the tank (3) is in a vertical position and in that it has stops (33, 34, 36, 37) articulated located at the bottom of the tank and which can be press against the walls of the tank so that when a document is lifted by the second plate (21), it pushes the stops against said walls and when the second plate descends, the document is retained by the stops.   5. System according to claim 3, characterized in that valve comprises a third plate (23) serving as a hinge lever, this third plate forming an angle with the second plate (21) so   that it can enter the tank.   6. System according to claim 1, characterized in that the tank (3) is removable.   7. System according to claim 6, characterized in that the reservoir (3) is mounted on an articulated armature system such that the armature-reservoir assembly can be brought into a horizontal position for   allow the tank to be changed.   8. System according to claim 6, characterized in that the reservoir is connected by its lower part, on a centering device (35) of the frame and is fixed by its upper part using a   locking (32) integral with the frame.   9. System according to claim 1, characterized in that the valve system comprises: - a valve (4) comprising switching parts (41, 42, 43) mounted at one end of a first articulated arm (44) around a first axis (40), this first axis (40) being located on the side (C2) opposite to the document arrival area with respect to the reservoir (3); - an articulated part (5) having a thrust part (51) provided at one end of a second arm (52) which is articulated around a second axis (53), which is located on the side of the area of arrival of documents (PASS) relative to the reservoir (3), the movement of the articulated part (5) being controlled by a first stud (45) located on the first arm (44); - a movement control system for the first articulated arm. 10. System according to claim 9, characterized in that said movement control system comprises a cam (6) controlled by a motor and acting on a second stud (46) provided on the first arm (44).   11. System according to claim 9, characterized in that the valve (4) comprises first switching parts (41, 42) allowing, when the system is in the low position, a document to be pushed on   the valve (4) and on the thrust piece (51).   12. System according to claim 9, characterized in that the valve (4) comprises a second switching part (43) allowing, when the system is in the high position, a document to be referred to 0 the lower zone (Zl).