JP2001019220A - Conveying device for paper - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To surely convey the paper with low energy by mounting a pressure chamber of the air along a conveying surface of a conveyor belt of the paper and the like, and providing the pressure chamber with the air discharge holes for injecting the air toward the conveyor belt, along the conveying surface. SOLUTION: The compressed air is discharged from discharge holes 21 to the outside of a pressure chamber 2 when the compressed air is press-sent into the pressure chamber 2 from a supply hole 22 by means of a pump, and the pressure in the pressure chamber 2 reaches a predetermined value. Whereby a belt body 13 of a conveyor belt 1 is pressed by the discharged air, and floated from a lower surface 23 of the pressure chamber 2, and an air layer 3 is formed therebetween. As the belt body 13 is floated and supported by the air layer 3, the belt can be moved without resistance. By inserting the paper between the pressure chamber 2 and the belt body 13, the paper can be smoothly conveyed by the belt body 13 while pressed to the belt body 13 side by the discharged air.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a device for transporting paper sheets such as cards, papers, and sheets.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as a method of transporting paper sheets using a belt, sandwiching between belts, transportation using a belt and a roller, and further using a negative pressure of air through the belt to transfer the paper sheets. Suction conveyance, which conveys by adsorbing on a belt, has been performed.

However, each of these transport methods has the following problems. (1) In the case of sandwiching conveyance between belts As shown in FIG.
This is a method in which a pair of belts 32 driven by rollers 30 and 31 are vertically arranged, and a sheet is conveyed between the two belts 32 and 32. In the figure, reference numeral 33 denotes an idler.

Although this transport method has an advantage that the paper sheet can be transported reliably even in a long span or a complicated layout, as shown in FIG. 4, a complete grip is required to secure the grip with the paper sheet. It is not possible to perform linear conveyance, and it is necessary to provide an idler 33 for holding the belt 32 in the middle and to slightly bend the conveyance path. Therefore, there are the following disadvantages.

[0005] A driving energy loss for driving the idler pulley occurs. -Energy loss is caused by bending the belt.

[0006] Bending the belt causes a speed difference between the belts sandwiching the paper sheets, which results in energy loss and deterioration in conveyance accuracy (uneven speed, skew, etc.).

[0007] Since the sheets are pinched and conveyed with a pinching force applied thereto, a slight slip occurs on the pinching surface, which may contaminate the sheets.

(2) In the case of pinching between a belt and a roller As shown in FIG.
In this method, a guide plate 38 provided with a pressing roller 37 is disposed on the side of the conveying path of the belt 36 driven by the control unit 5, and the sheet is conveyed by sandwiching the sheets between the belt 36 and the pressing roller 37.

Therefore, in order to securely hold the paper sheets, it is necessary to install many rollers. Further, since it is necessary to secure a contact angle with the belt, more rollers 37 or idlers 33 are required. Therefore, there are the following disadvantages.

[0010] A driving energy loss occurs because the roller and idler are driven. -Energy loss is caused by bending the belt.

No matter how many rollers are provided, paper sheets cannot be held on the entire surface, so that a jam (paper jam) easily occurs between the rollers.

In a layout in which the transport path is largely bent, it is difficult to secure a transport mode.

[0013] Since the paper sheet is conveyed in a state where the pinching force is applied, the paper sheet may be contaminated because a slight slip occurs on the holding surface.

(3) In the case of suction conveyance As shown in FIGS. 6 to 8, the suction conveyance device is provided with a plurality of suction holes 41 in the conveyance belt 40 in the longitudinal direction thereof, and a suction box 42 is arranged in the belt 40. The sheet is conveyed by sucking external air from the suction hole 41 of the belt 40 so that the sheets are adsorbed on the lower surface of the belt 40.

According to this transporting method, there is an advantage that the paper sheets can be securely held on the lower surface of the belt and can be applied to a very high-speed transport. However, the belt is attracted to the suction box and pressed against the box with a large force. Since the vehicle travels in an inclined state, it has the following disadvantages.

The portion of the belt that is in sliding contact with the suction box is greatly deteriorated, and the durability of the belt is poor.

The energy loss due to the friction between the suction box and the belt as described above is large. -Leakage of air is large mechanically, and large energy is required to suction external air. In a layout in which the conveyance path is largely bent, the contact pressure applied to the belt becomes too high, and it is difficult to secure the conveyance form.

It is necessary to provide a hole for suction in the belt, which greatly increases the processing cost. Also, the strength of the belt cannot be secured.

[0019]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in order to solve the above-mentioned drawbacks, and an object of the present invention is to provide a paper sheet which can reliably transport paper sheets with little energy. An object of the present invention is to provide a leaf conveying device.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an apparatus which can transport a sheet at a low cost and with high precision.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a conveying device that does not stain a medium (sheets).

[0022]

According to the present invention, there is provided a paper sheet transport apparatus including a paper sheet transport belt, and an air pressure box provided along a transport path of the transport belt. In the pressure box,
An air discharge hole for discharging air toward the transport belt is provided along the transport path, thereby achieving the above object.

In one embodiment, in a state where air is not discharged from the air discharge hole of the pressure box, a belt is in contact with a side surface of the pressure box, and in a state where air is discharged from the discharge hole of the pressure box. The belt does not contact the side surface of the pressure box, and an air layer is formed between the side surface and the belt.

In one embodiment, the air discharge hole of the pressure box is formed by disposing a porous material in an opening formed on a side surface of the pressure box.

In one embodiment, the air discharge hole of the pressure box is formed by arranging a net in an opening formed on a side surface of the pressure box.

The operation of the present invention is as follows.

Since the air is discharged from the air discharge hole of the pressure box toward the belt, the paper sheets disposed between the belt and the pressure box are pressed on the belt by the air. Conveyed by. Therefore, since the belt is levitated by the air film, the frictional portion that generates a driving loss can be extremely reduced, and the energy for driving the belt can be reduced. Further, the belt is lifted from the side surface of the pressure box by the air pressure, and the belt does not rub against the side surface of the pressure box, so that the durability of the belt is improved. Further, since the paper sheets do not come into contact with the pressure box, they are not soiled.

[0028]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the paper sheet transport apparatus of the present invention comprises a paper sheet transport belt 1,
And an air pressure box 2 provided along the conveyance path of the air. Conventionally known conveyor belt 1 can be used,
Belt 1 between driving roller 11 and driven roller 12
3 is wound.

The pressure box 2 is formed in a long box shape, and is disposed in parallel along the transport path of the transport belt 1 so as to face the transport belt 1. Lower surface 23 of pressure box 2
On the (belt-side surface), a plurality of air discharge holes 21 for discharging air toward the belt 13 are provided along the conveyance path of the belt 13. A supply hole 22 through which compressed air from a pump is supplied into the pressure box 2 is formed on a side surface of the pressure box 2.

As shown in FIG. 1, tapered surfaces 24 inclined upward from a flat surface 25 are formed at both ends of the pressure box 2, and the discharge holes 21 are formed on the flat surface 25 and the tapered surface 24, respectively. ing.

The rollers 11 and 12 of the conveyor belt 1 are arranged near the tapered surface 24. Therefore, when air is not discharged from the air discharge holes 21 of the pressure box 2, the lower surface 23 of the pressure box 2 When the belt 13 is in contact with the pressure box 2 and the air is discharged from the discharge hole 21 of the pressure box 2, the belt 13 is pushed by the discharge pressure of the air, so that the belt 13 is lifted up.
The air layer 3 is formed between the lower surface 23 and the belt 13 without contacting the lower surface 23 of the belt 13 with the belt 13.
As shown in FIG. 2, the air discharged from the discharge holes 21 leaks from the space between the lower surface 23 of the pressure box 2 and the belt 13 to the outside from the edge in the width direction of the belt 13.

Next, the operation of the paper sheet transporting apparatus of this embodiment will be described.

When compressed air is fed into the pressure box 2 by a pump from the supply hole 22 of the pressure box 2, the pressure in the pressure box 2 increases and when the pressure exceeds a certain level, the air passes through the space between the discharge hole 21 and the belt 13. Comes out. That is, since the discharge hole 21 of the pressure box 2 is closed by the belt 13 at a predetermined pressure, if the air pressure in the pressure box 2 rises above this pressure, the belt 13 is pushed and the lower surface of the pressure box 2 23, a thin air layer 3 is formed between the pressure box 2 and the lower surface 23, and the belt 13 floats on the air layer 3. Therefore, even when the belt 13 is run, the belt 13 can run with little resistance during the transport span, supported by the air film.

When the paper is inserted between the pressure box 2 and the belt 13, the paper is pushed by the belt 13 while being pushed toward the belt 13 by the air from the discharge hole 21 of the pressure box 2. Conveyed. In this state, the sheet and the belt 13 are in contact with each other, but the belt 13 and the box are not in contact with each other via an air film.
The belt 13 does not rub against the lower surface 23 of the pressure box 2.
Since the discharge holes are formed in the pressure box 2 at the end of the belt 13, the paper sheets can be removed from the end of the belt 13.

In the above-described embodiment, the belt 13 is brought into contact with the lower surface 23 of the pressure box 2 with a slight elasticity when the air is not discharged from the discharge hole 21 of the pressure box 2. A small gap may be formed between the belt 13 and the lower surface 23 of the pressure box 2 in a state where air is not discharged from the discharge holes 21 of the pressure box 2.

The shape of the discharge hole 21 provided in the pressure box 2 is as follows.
It may be a circle, a rectangle, a slit, or a groove formed along the longitudinal direction of the pressure box 2. Also, the discharge hole 2
The opening area of 1 may be appropriately determined according to the capacity of the pressure box 2, the air pressure, and the like.

Further, the air discharge holes 21 of the pressure box 2 may be formed by arranging a porous material in an opening formed on the lower surface 23 of the pressure box 2 or may be formed by forming an opening formed on a side surface of the pressure box 2. May be formed by disposing a net. With this configuration, the air can be uniformly discharged from the discharge holes toward the paper sheet.

[0039]

According to the present invention, there is provided a transport belt for paper sheets and an air pressure box provided along the transport path of the belt, and the pressure box is provided with air for the belt toward the belt. Is provided along the conveyance path of the belt, so that the paper sheets can be conveyed in a state where the paper sheets are pressed against the belt by the air discharged from the pressure box,
Therefore, the paper sheets can be transported uniformly and without being soiled. Further, unlike the conventional transport device, it is not necessary to provide many idler pulleys and rollers, and therefore, it is possible to achieve a low cost, a small energy loss, and a great reduction in transport resistance. Also, although there is extra power for driving the pump, it is sufficient if there is a pump with enough pressure and flow to float the belt, and unlike suction, the flow rate is small and only the pressure can be secured, so a very small pump is sufficient. . For example, the torque for simply driving the belt can be set to 1/5 to 1/10 or less as compared with the interleaving conveyance between the belts, although it depends on the layout.

For the same reason, in long transport applications or applications with complicated transport layouts, significant cost reductions are possible.

Unlike the interleaving conveyance by the belt or the roller, since only one belt moves, the influence of the speed difference between the members observed in the interleaving conveyance is very small. Therefore, it is possible to suppress a drive loss, a deterioration in conveyance accuracy, and a jam due to a speed difference, and further, it is possible to prevent a medium (sheets) from being stained.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view showing an embodiment of a paper sheet transport device of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line A-A 'of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing the operation of the paper sheet transporting device shown in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a front view of a conventional sheet conveying apparatus.

FIG. 5 is a front view of another conventional sheet conveying apparatus.

FIG. 6 is a front view of still another conventional sheet transport apparatus.

FIG. 7 is a bottom view of the conventional sheet conveying apparatus shown in FIG.

8 is a sectional view taken along line A-A 'of FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Conveyor belt 2 Pressure box 3 Air layer 21 Air discharge hole 22 Supply hole

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A transport belt for paper sheets, and an air pressure box provided along a transport path of the transport belt, and discharges air toward the transport belt into the pressure box. A sheet conveying device provided with an air discharge hole along the conveying path. 2. A state in which the belt is in contact with the side surface of the pressure box when no air is discharged from the air discharge hole of the pressure box, and the side surface of the pressure box when air is discharged from the discharge hole of the pressure box. The sheet conveying apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the belt is not in contact with the sheet, and an air layer is formed between the side surface and the belt. 3. The paper sheet transport device according to claim 1, wherein the air discharge holes of the pressure box are formed by disposing a porous material in an opening formed on a side surface of the pressure box. 4. The paper sheet transporting device according to claim 1, wherein the air discharge holes of the pressure box are formed by arranging a net in an opening formed on a side surface of the pressure box.