JP2000070870A - Paper classifying apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To more surely perform delivery and accumulation of papers even when following papers are caught on uneven parts on the surfaces of papers and their one ends are left on a delivering path. SOLUTION: A movable gate 101 has a shape which provides a gap S between it and a roller 112 on the upstream side of a delivering path when papers are not introduced (OFF) into an accumulating means 17 (a solid line) and jamming is hardly generated by avoiding that the papers are pinched between the movable gate 101 and a delivery belt 113. In addition, gate guides 114a and 114b preventing a thick letter from colliding with the apex of the movable gate 101 by shortening are provided.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a sheet sorting apparatus for sorting sheets to which sorting information has been assigned in accordance with the sorting information.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Among conventional paper sheet sorting apparatuses, as a stacking means for preventing a subsequent letter from being caught on a gate particularly when a stamp or an envelope is turned over, see, for example, Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 5-27392. There is an accumulator of the letter described. Here, in a collecting device for collecting postal letters,
By thickening the worker side of the gate for introducing the letters into the stacking means, the letters to be input and the stacked letters are inclined to reduce the catch.

[0003]

However, in the above-described configuration, it is possible to reduce the number of jams. However, if the sheets are stuck, one end of the sheets remains in the conveyance path, and jams and the like occur. Error occurred.

[0004] In the apparatus according to the present invention, even when a succeeding paper sheet is caught on the uneven portion on the surface of the paper sheet and one end of the paper sheet remains on the conveyance path, the conveyance and accumulation of the paper sheet can be performed more reliably. It is intended to be.

[0005]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, a supply section for supplying paper sheets, a reading section for reading section information of paper sheets, a stacking means for stacking paper sheets, and A movable gate for selectively introducing paper sheets into the stacking means,
What is claimed is: 1. A sheet sorting apparatus, comprising: a feeding unit configured to transfer a sheet from a supply unit to a reading unit through a movable gate to a stacking unit; and a transport unit on an upstream side when the movable gate is in an OFF state. It was configured so that there was a gap between them.

[0006]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a letter sorter that is an example of an embodiment of a sheet sorting apparatus of the present invention. One example of paper sheets handled by the apparatus of the present invention is a fixed postal letter such as a postcard or a sealed letter.

The letter sorter 50 shown in FIG. 1 reads sort information such as an address and a bar code written on the letter 1, and performs letter sort processing based on the sort information. The components and operation of the letter sorter 50 will be described along the flow of letter 1.

An operator places the letter 1 on the hopper 2 with the letter 1 stacked in the thickness direction. The hopper 2 conveys the letters 1 stacked in the thickness direction toward the supply unit 3, and the supply unit 3 sequentially supplies the adjacent letters 1 one by one to the transport path 4. The supply unit 3 uses a perforated belt to suck air through the holes to attract the letter 1 to the belt, and to move the belt to separate and supply the letter 1 one by one. Has become. In FIG. 1, the supply unit 3 is configured to supply the letter 1 downward, but in the present invention, the supply direction may be any such as upward.

On the transport path 4 for transporting the letter 1 while nipping the letter 1 between the belts facing each other, first, the letter 1 is judged by the foreign matter detecting section 5 to be inappropriate in size or hardness, or not to be overlapped by two or more sheets. Whether it is possible is detected and determined based on the transit time of the letter 1 and the deformation of the transport path. Here, when it is determined that the processing cannot be performed, the first direction for switching the transport direction of the letter 1 is described.
Is switched, and the letter 1 is supplied to the first reject accumulating means 7 having a box-like shape. The first transfer gate 6 is driven by a solenoid.

On the other hand, letter 1 determined to be able to be processed,
The first positioning unit 8 corrects the posture of the letter 1 by pressing one side of the letter against a surface serving as a reference for conveyance by a belt skewed with respect to the carrying direction, and then corrects the carrying posture. Read classification information such as address. Letter sorter 5
An example of the section information at 0 is an address written in characters or bar codes. The reading accuracy is improved by disposing the first alignment unit 8 on the upstream side of the reading unit 9.

Next, the double feed detection unit 10 detects that the supply unit 3 erroneously supplies two or more letters 1 and does not supply them. The double feed detection unit 10 determines that the double feed is performed by setting the opposite belts to different conveyance speeds, shifting the overlapped letters, and detecting a change in the length.
Here, when it is determined that two or more sheets overlap, the first
Transport gate 1 having the same configuration as transport gate 6 of FIG.
1, the letter is input to the second reject accumulation means 12 having a box-like shape.

After the letter 1 determined to be normal is adjusted in posture by the second alignment unit 13, the printing unit 14 prints a machine code such as a bar code according to the sorting information. The second alignment unit 13 is located upstream of the printing unit 14 and prints at a predetermined position by adjusting the posture of the letter 1 and then transporting it to the printing unit 8. Then, when it is confirmed by the print confirmation unit 15 that is a bar code reader that a bar code or the like has been printed normally, the letter gate 1 is switched to the predetermined stacking unit 17 by switching the stage gate 16 according to the sorting information.

The letter sorter 50 performs the above processing in parallel on a plurality of letters, and sorts the letters into predetermined stacking means 17. A detailed configuration of the stacking unit 17 will be described later. This collecting means 17 is attached to a base member 18. Although the base member 18 is drawn as a single flat plate, the base member 18 may be a reference surface to which the stacking unit 17 is attached, which is composed of a plurality of members.

The display means 19 uses a three-color signal light, an LCD display, or the like to notify an operator that the operating state of the letter sorter 50 is being processed normally or that an abnormality has occurred. The section setting unit 20 is a device including a touch panel and a plurality of switches for setting a pattern of the section information to be assigned to the accumulation unit 17.

Next, a detailed configuration of the stacking means 17 and an operation when the letter 1 is input will be described with reference to FIG.

The transport position of the letter 1 transported on the transport path 4 is detected by the transport detecting means 107. Letter 1
When reaching the vicinity of the accumulating means 17 corresponding to the sorting information, the sorting gate 1 driven by a solenoid (not shown)
01 is switched to the ON side, and the letter 1 is led into the collecting means 17. The ON state of the sorting gate 101 is as shown in FIG. 2, and it is assumed that the sorting gate 101 and the transport path 4 intersect and are located at a position where the letter 1 is introduced into the stacking unit 17. In addition, OFF means the division gate 10
1 and the transport path 4 do not intersect (that is, the section gate 101
And the transport path 4 are located substantially parallel to each other), and the sorting gate 101 is housed from the transport path 4 toward the stacking means 17 side. Continue to transport.

Letter 1 is indicated by an arrow A on the lower surface of the division gate 101.
, And the accumulation detecting means 108
It is detected that it has been introduced into the accumulation means 17.

The letter 1 enters between the letter 1 already accumulated and the accumulation guide 102. Then, the stacking is stopped by being pressed by the stacking guide 102 or the leading end of the letter 1 hitting the frame member 106, and the stacking is completed. The stacking guide 102 is configured to swing about a fulcrum 103 as shown by an arrow B.

When the letter 1 is input, the stacking guide 102
Swings as indicated by arrow B, and is lifted by the thickness of the letter. Such operations are repeated to accumulate a large number of letters, and when the accumulation guide reaches the position indicated by 102b, the fullness detecting means 107 is shielded from light and fullness is detected.

The bottom plate 104 has an arrow C
, And is supported by an elastic body (not shown) so as to be inclined when letters are not collected and to be substantially horizontal when letters are accumulated. The letter 1 is the letter 1 already accumulated in the accumulation means 17.
When there is no letter, the letters are accumulated with the one side in contact with the bottom plate 104, and when there is the letter 1 already accumulated in the accumulating means 17, the letters 1 are already accumulated with the letters 1 in contact with the already accumulated letter 1. The letters 1 are stacked one on top of the other in the thickness direction.

The frame member 106 constitutes the outer periphery of the stacking means 17 and is attached to the base member 18 substantially vertically. Of the six surfaces constituting the space for accumulating the letter 1 (hereinafter referred to as an accumulation space), two surfaces substantially perpendicular to the conveyance direction of the conveyance path 4 are the frame member 106, and the surface opposite to the worker (hereinafter, the back surface) ) Is a base member 18, and the lower surface of the accumulated letter 1 is constituted by a bottom plate 104. The surface on the side of the transport path 4 is a surface composed of the lower surface of the division gate 101 and the position where the accumulation guide 102 is raised most, and the surface on the worker side is the accumulated letter 1.
It is open to take out.

In FIG. 2, the back surface is the base member 18, but the frame member 106 may be extended to form a surface parallel to the base member 18.

The conveyance detecting means 107 is provided near the conveyance path 4 and detects the letter 1 conveyed on the conveyance path 4. The transport detecting means 107 includes a pair of photodiodes and a phototransistor, and detects the transport of the letter 1 by detecting light-shielding of the optical axis by the letter. The accumulation detecting means 108 is provided on the accumulation space side of the division gate 101 and detects that the letter 1 has been introduced into the accumulation means 17. The integration detecting means 108 includes a pair of photodiodes and a phototransistor, and detects that the letter 1 has entered by detecting light-shielding of the optical axis by the letter.

The full detecting means 109 detects that the collecting means 17 is full. The full state detecting means 109 is a photo interrupter including a pair of light emitting diodes and a phototransistor, a push switch, a magnet switch, and the like. The classification display board 110 displays the classification of the letter 1 classified by the stacking means 17, for example, a postal code. The display panel 110 is composed of an LCD display or a paper tag. The full display means 111 includes a lamp, an alarm device, and the like, and notifies an operator that the accumulation means 17 is full.

Reference numeral 112 denotes one of the rollers constituting the transport path 4, and particularly refers to a roller provided on the side of the stacking means 17 of the transport path 4 close to the upstream side of the division gate 101. Reference numeral 113 denotes a transport belt applied to the roller 112. In this embodiment, the transport belt 113 and each roller may be referred to as transport means.

By the way, there is a letter 1 whose surface is not flat. For example, a convex portion caused by attaching a stamp, an address sticker, or the like, or a concave portion such as a cellophane window provided for viewing the address printed on the contents. As described above, when accumulating the letter 1, the letter 1 to be introduced may contact the already accumulated letter 1,
It may be caught on uneven parts. As a result, as shown in FIG.
And may remain on the transport path 4.

Here, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, when the dividing gate 101, the roller 112, and the conveying belt 113 enter each other in the conveying direction, that is, if P> 0, the dividing gate 101 is turned off. When switching to the side, letter 1 is interposed. Therefore, letter 1 is divided gate 1
01 and the transport belt 113 to make it difficult to move.

When a subsequent letter is conveyed there, since the letter 1 exists as an obstacle on the conveying path 4, a conveyance error such as a jam may occur.

In the paper sheet stacking apparatus of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 6, a gap S is provided between the sorting gate 101 and the transport belt 113. As a result, the letter 1 becomes the roller 11
2 and the conveyance belt 113 remain in the conveyance path 4, it is less likely to be caught between the division gate 101 and the conveyance belt 113. Therefore, the one end remaining in the transport path 4 is not fixed and is relatively easy to move, so that it is less likely to become an obstacle to transport. In addition, illustration and description of components (detection means and the like) having the same configuration as those in FIG.

In general, the shape of the tip of the envelope differs depending on the thickness. When the envelope is thin, the envelope is bent at an acute angle. When the envelope is thick, the envelope is expanded by the contents and approaches an obtuse angle.
Therefore, the possibility of being caught by the above-mentioned uneven portion is high in a postcard or a thin envelope, and is low in a thick envelope. Experimentally, it has been found that when the thickness of the envelope is 2 mm or more, the frequency of catching sharply decreases. Therefore, the gap S
As long as a letter of 2 mm or less, which is frequently caught, is not sandwiched, the gap S may be, for example, 2 mm. Thus, by providing the gap S between the division gate 101 and the transport belt 113, the frequency of transport errors such as jams can be reduced.

When the gap S is provided by shortening the length of the division gate 101 as in the present invention, the distance R between the leading end of the division gate 101 and the transport path 4 when ON is reduced.
Then, when a thick letter is conveyed, the sorting gate 10
1 may get stuck on the tip. Therefore, the gate guide 114a is provided, and the distance T between the gate guide 114a and the transport path 4 is set to have a relation of T <R, so that the partition gate 101 can be prevented from being caught.

By providing the gap S, the letter 1 may enter the collecting means 17 even when the division gate 101 is off. Therefore, Gate Guide 1
14b, the letter 1 on the transport path 4 is
Guidance not to enter below 1.

As described above, by providing the gate guide 114, sorting and transport can be performed more reliably.

Further, as shown in the timing chart of FIG. 7, by controlling the division gate 101, it is possible to reduce a transport error such as a jam.

First, in the initial state, the division gate 101 is in a free state in which the solenoid is not excited, and is in the OFF position by its own weight. Fring gate 101
The reason for keeping ee is to reduce heat generation due to excitation of the solenoid. In FIG. 7, as an example of the letter 1, 1a
1a to 1d, letters 1a to 1c are to be accumulated in the accumulating means 17 and letter 1d is to be conveyed to another accumulating means 17.

When the letter 1a is transported on the transport path 4, the transport detecting means 107 changes to ON. Then, the delay time t
After elapse of a, the division gate 101 is turned ON.
When the letter 1a enters the accumulation means 17, the accumulation detection means 1
08 changes to ON. Thereafter, if the stacking is normally performed, the stacking detection unit 108 is turned off. However, if the letter 1a is caught and remains as an obstacle on the transport path 4, the stacking detection unit 108 is kept ON.

Since the next letter 1b is introduced into the same stacking means 17, the division gate 101 should normally be kept ON. However, it is known that the letter 1a is on the transport path 4 because the accumulation detecting means 108 remains ON. Then, the delay time t after the passage of the letter 1a
After the passage of b, the division gate 101 is turned off once,
Switch ON again. By this operation, even when the letter 1a comes into contact with the roller 112 or the conveyor belt 113 and remains (for example, the state shown in FIG. 3), the letter 1a is pushed down to the accumulation space by the division gate 101 (for example, the state shown in FIG. 6). Can be. Thus, it is possible to remove a failure on the transport path 4 and reduce transport errors such as jams.

However, since the division gate 101 is turned off and then turned on again, the interval between the letters 1 is a predetermined time t.
h (for example, th = 40 ms). That is, the interval tg between the letters is measured by the upstream conveyance detection means, and when tg> th and the accumulation detection means 108 is ON, the division gate 101 is once turned OFF. Otherwise, the division gate 101 remains ON. By performing such control, a trapped letter can be pushed in, and the frequency of jam occurrence can be reduced.

Further, when the division gate 101 is moved to the OFF side, the solenoid is excited and then set to free. However, if the letter remaining on the transport path 4 has high rigidity, as shown in FIG.
Is moved to the ON side. Division gate 101 is ON
If the letter is at an intermediate position between "OFF" and "OFF", the letter to be transported may be caught by the sorting gate 101, which may also cause a transport error such as a jam.

Therefore, as shown in the letter 1d of FIG. 7, the division gate 101 is free and the integration detecting means 1
When 08 is ON, the section gate 101 is excited to the OFF side. As a result, even if a highly rigid letter remains in the transport path 4, the subsequent letter can be transported reliably.

As described above, the gap S is provided between the division gate 101 and the conveyor belt 113, and even when a letter is continuously introduced into the same stacking means 17, the division gate 101 is turned on and off. , It is possible to reduce transport errors such as jams.

[0042]

By applying the present invention, the frequency of transport errors such as jams can be reduced even when paper sheets remain on the transport path due to being caught on a window or the like.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a letter sorter.

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of an accumulation unit.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating a state of a letter remaining on a conveyance path.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing a relationship between a division gate and a roller.

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing a relationship between a division gate and a roller.

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing a state of a letter remaining on a conveyance path.

FIG. 7 is a timing chart showing a control procedure of a division gate.

FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram illustrating a state of a letter remaining on a conveyance path.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Letter, 2 ... Hopper, 3 ... Supply part, 4 ... Transport path, 5 ...
Foreign matter detection unit, 6: first transport gate, 7: first reject accumulation means, 8: first alignment unit, 9: reading unit, 1
0: double feed detection unit, 11: second transport gate, 12: second
13: Second alignment unit, 14: Printing unit, 15: Print confirmation unit, 16: Step gate, 17: Stacking unit, 18: Base member, 19: Display unit, 20: Division selection unit , 21 ... front and back inversion means, 22 ... third alignment part,
50: letter sorting machine, 101: sorting gate, 102: stacking guide, 103: fulcrum of stacking guide, 104: bottom plate, 1
05: fulcrum of the bottom plate, 106: frame member, 107: transport detecting means, 108: accumulation detecting means, 109: full detecting means,
110: display panel, 111: full display means, 112:
Roller, 113 ... Conveyer belt.

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing on the front page (72) Yoshio Nakajima, 502 Kandate-cho, Tsuchiura-shi, Ibaraki Pref. Machinery Research Laboratories, Hitachi, Ltd. F-term in the Machinery Laboratory (Reference) 3F053 EA09 EC02 ED11 ED29 3F079 AA01 BA09 BA25 CA02 CA06 CA15 CA18 CA20 CC05 DA12 DA28 EA19

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A supply section for supplying paper sheets, a reading section for reading section information of paper sheets, a stacking means for stacking paper sheets, and selectively introducing the paper sheets into the stacking means. A sheet sorting apparatus comprising: a movable gate; and a transport path including transport means for transporting the sheet from the supply unit through the reading unit and the movable gate to the stacking unit. A sheet sorting apparatus which is located at a position which does not intersect with the transporting means on the upstream side of the movable gate when papers are not introduced into the stacking means. 2. A supply section for supplying sheets, a reading section for reading section information of sheets, stacking means for stacking sheets, and selectively introducing sheets into the stacking means. In a sheet sorting apparatus having a movable gate and a transport path including transport means for transporting a sheet from the supply unit through the reading unit and the movable gate to the stacking unit, the movable gate includes a movable gate. A paper sheet sorting device that exists only on the downstream side of the conveying means on the upstream side of the gate. 3. A supply section for supplying sheets, a reading section for reading section information of sheets, stacking means for stacking sheets, and sheets selectively introduced into the stacking means. A sheet sorting apparatus comprising: a movable gate; and a transport path including a transport unit configured to transport a sheet from the supply unit to the reading unit and the stacking unit via the movable gate to the stacking unit. A paper sheet sorting apparatus in which a gap is provided between the movable gate and the conveying means on the upstream side of the movable gate at a position (OFF) parallel to the movable gate. 4. The paper sheet sorting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a gate guide for guiding from the roller to the movable gate is provided on the transport path side of the roller. 5. A supply section for supplying paper sheets, a transport path for transporting the paper sheets, a reading section for reading section information given to the paper sheets, and a paper sheet stacking in contact with the transport path. And a movable gate for introducing paper sheets into the stacking means, wherein the movable gate introduces the paper sheets when the transport interval of the paper sheets is larger than a predetermined value. Before the sheet is moved to a position (OFF) parallel to the conveyance path, and then switched to a crossing position (ON).
A sheet sorting apparatus that maintains the position of N. 6. A supply section for supplying paper sheets, a transport path for transporting the paper sheets, a reading section for reading the section information given to the paper sheets, and a stack of paper sheets in contact with the transport path. A sheet collecting device having a stacking means for collecting sheets and a movable gate for introducing sheets to the stacking means, comprising: a stacking detecting means for detecting that a sheet is introduced to the stacking means; When the stacking detecting means detects a sheet and the conveyance interval of the sheet is larger than a predetermined value, the gate once sets a position (OF) parallel to the conveyance path before introducing the sheet.
F) A sheet sorting device that switches to the crossing position (ON) after setting to F) and maintains the ON position at other times.