JP2001278459A - Device for carrying paper sheet in alignment and paper sheet separate feeder - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To neatly align the paper sheets to feed paper sheets surely in a separated state. SOLUTION: This in-alignment carrying device 3 for aligning the paper sheets is provided with a bottom plate 11 and a rear plate 12 for holding a plurality of paper sheets to be carried in an erected state, carrier belts 13, 14, 15, and 16 carrying the paper sheets provided from its start end to its terminal part, and a bottom plate vibrating means 21 and a rear plate vibrating means 31 applying vibrations having phases different between the bottom plate 11 and the rear plate 12 to the paper sheets so as to align them.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a paper sheet sorting system used in, for example, a postal service or the like, in which a plurality of paper sheets such as mails, which are bundled and put together, are separated one by one. The present invention relates to a sheet aligning / conveying apparatus and a sheet separating / supplying apparatus suitable for conveying.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, a mail sorting function has been provided which has a recognition function for reading a bar code attached to a mail or a character recognition function for reading address information such as a postal code, and automatically sorts and processes mail based on the address information. The device has been put to practical use. Such a sheet sorting apparatus for mails (hereinafter referred to as "sheets") requires a small space, small work,
Low cost, high speed, etc. are required. Among them, in order to realize high speed, as one of them, it is required to eliminate the occurrence of double feed or the like in the middle of conveyance and to carry out the conveyance and sorting processing operation quickly and accurately.

Generally, in this type of sheet sorting apparatus, sheets to be sorted are put into a bundle in a state where a plurality of sheets are put together, and they are separated one by one in a separation and supply unit. , Which are sequentially sent to the downstream side.
Therefore, if paper sheets are not properly and promptly separated in the separation and supply unit, the accuracy and speed of subsequent reading of address information and sorting processing will be greatly affected.

[0004]

However, when a large number of sheets are to be conveyed at high speed and continuously, double feeding occurs in the separation and supply section, and the sheet sorting operation to be performed after the conveyance is performed. May not be executed correctly. Also, even if double feeding does not occur directly in the separation and supply unit, a slight shift in operation in the paper sheet transport path becomes an unstable element, and one paper sheet and the other paper sheet following it become unstable. May be extremely widened or approached, which may cause double feeding, which may lead to improper sorting of sheets to be performed after conveyance.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and has as its object to align and transport paper sheets so that the paper sheets can be properly separated and supplied. An apparatus and a paper sheet separation and supply apparatus are provided.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A sheet positioning apparatus according to the present invention comprises: a guide means comprising a bottom plate and a back plate for holding a large number of sheets to be conveyed in an upright position; The sheet transporting means provided between the start end and the end of the guide means, and the bottom plate and the back plate are provided on the bottom plate and the back plate, respectively, on the sheets held by the guide means. And vibrating means for applying vibrations of different phases to align the vibrations. With this configuration,
By vibrating the paper sheets abutted against the bottom plate and back plate at different phases, alignment can be performed efficiently in a short time, and separation and transfer can be performed in a stable posture in the next separation and transfer process. Feeding can be reliably prevented.

Further, in the paper sheet aligning and conveying apparatus according to the present invention, the vibrating means may include a vibrating plate whose upper surface slightly protrudes from the surfaces of the bottom plate and the back plate along the longitudinal direction of the bottom plate and the back plate. The paper sheets can be efficiently vibrated and aligned.

Further, in the paper sheet aligning and conveying apparatus according to the present invention, the vibrating means includes a cam means for vibrating the vibrating plate. And can be aligned.

Further, in the paper sheet aligning and conveying apparatus according to the present invention, the vibrating means includes a spring means for reducing rattling generated in the cam means. Therefore, generation of abnormal noise of the device can be prevented.

Further, in the paper sheet aligning and conveying apparatus according to the present invention, the vibrating means includes a vibration absorbing means for preventing the vibration of the vibrating plate from being transmitted to another member. Therefore, it is possible to prevent rattling of the device and generation of abnormal noise.

According to the present invention, there is provided a paper sheet aligning / conveying device, and a paper sheet arranged at an end portion of the paper sheet aligning / conveying device and aligned by the paper sheet aligning / conveying device. A sheet separating and feeding device provided with a sheet separating and conveying device for separating and conveying the sheets one by one, wherein the sheets are efficiently aligned in a short time by the sheet aligning and conveying device. In addition to the above, the separation and conveyance can be performed in a stable posture in the next sheet separation and conveyance device, and a high-performance sheet separation and supply device can be realized.

[0012]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the overall configuration of the paper sheet separation and supply device in the present embodiment,
The paper sheet separation and supply device 1 includes a positioning conveyance unit 3 arranged on the front surface of the apparatus frame 2 and a separation conveyance unit 4 disposed on the left side of the alignment conveyance unit 3. The right side of the alignment transport unit 3 is upstream in the paper sheet transport direction, and the left side is downstream. The alignment transporting unit 3 collects (not tied) the rectangular papers in a bundle with the longitudinal direction thereof oriented in the vertical direction.
A bottom plate 11 for receiving the bottom surface of the paper sheet, and a back plate 12 erected substantially perpendicularly to the rear end of the bottom plate 11 for receiving the back surface of the paper sheet
And the whole is inclined about 15 degrees rearward. In the bottom plate 11, along the longitudinal direction,
Two conveyor belts 13 and 14 that rotate synchronously are provided with their upper surfaces slightly projecting from the surface of the bottom plate 11. The back plate 12 is provided with a conveyor belt 15 along its longitudinal direction with its upper surface slightly protruding from the surface of the back plate 12, and has three pin-shaped arms arranged vertically. A transfer arm belt 16 having a plurality of sets of pin-shaped arms protruding therefrom is also provided along the longitudinal direction of the back plate 12 such that the pin-shaped arms protrude from the back plate 12. The transfer arm belt 16 is stretched over pulleys that rotate about a vertical axis on both sides of the back plate 12, and each pin-shaped arm is provided at the end side of the back plate 12 by a cam mechanism (not shown). Operate so as to retract from the back plate 12, and to protrude from the back plate 12 on the start end side.

Conveying belts 13, 1 constituting conveying means
The transfer arm belts 4 and 15 and the transfer arm belt 16 rotate in synchronization with each other, and transfer the bundle of paper sheets leaning against the right start end positions of the bottom plate 11 and the back plate 12 toward the separation transfer device 4 side. At this time, the transport arm belt 16 prevents the bundle of sheets from falling down. Further, on the left half side along the longitudinal direction of the bottom plate 11, a vibration plate 22 of the bottom plate vibration means 21 is provided between the conveyor belts 13 and 14 with its upper surface slightly protruding from the surface of the bottom plate 11. On the left half of the back plate 12, between the first and second pin-shaped arms of the transfer arm belt 16, the vibration plate 32 of the back plate vibration means 31 is provided.
However, the upper surface is provided so as to protrude slightly forward from the surface of the back plate 12. Bundles of paper sheets leaning against the bottom plate 11 and the back plate 12, respectively, are vibrating plates 22 and 33.
The paper sheets are loosened by the vibrations, and each sheet is in contact with the bottom plate 11 and the back plate 12 to be properly aligned.

The separation / conveyance device 4 is a means for separating the sheets arranged by the alignment / conveyance device 3 one by one and conveying the same to the reading device in the next step. A suction-type conveyor belt 5 which is disposed at the end in the longitudinal direction and rotates with a vacuum suction device inside;
And a pair of conveying belts 6 which are arranged on the upper side and rotate in the same direction while facing each other. Of the paper sheets that have been aligned and transported by the alignment transport device 3, only the first one of them is attracted to the suction-type transport belt 5, and separated from the second and subsequent paper sheets. The paper sheets adsorbed on the suction-type transport belt 5 are transported upward by the rotation of the belt 5, are sandwiched by the sandwiching-type transport belt 6 at the upper position, and are further disposed above to a reading device in the next process. Is conveyed.

FIG. 2A is a perspective view of the bottom plate vibrating means 21 as viewed from the upper right, and FIG. 2B is a perspective view of the bottom plate vibrating means 21 as viewed from the upper left. In FIG. 2, an elongated diaphragm 2
The upper surface of both ends 22a is formed on an inclined surface so that paper sheets can easily ride on the lower surface, and a pair of brackets 23 is fixed to the lower surface of the central portion, and a cam follower is provided inside each bracket 23. 24 is fixed. On the other hand, a motor 26 is fixed upwardly below a motor support plate 25 disposed below the vibration plate 22, and a cylindrical cam 27 is mounted on a rotating shaft 26 a protruding from the motor support plate 25. A pair of cam followers 24 are engaged with the cam groove 28 from both sides. The cam groove 28 is formed on the peripheral surface of the cylindrical cam 27 so as to move up and down twice at 180 ° intervals per rotation. Further, both sides of the cylindrical cam 27 of the motor support plate 27 and the diaphragm 22
, A pair of compression coil springs 29 is interposed,
The motor support plate 27 pushes up the diaphragm 22. Further, inside the pair of compression coil springs 29,
It has a shaft screwed to the diaphragm 22 and a guide structure for holding the shaft (both not shown). A pair of vibration absorbing dampers 30 is interposed between the motor support plate 27 on both sides of the compression coil spring 29 and the apparatus frame 1.

Accordingly, when the motor 26 rotates and the cylindrical cam 27 rotates, the cam follower 24 engaged with the cam groove 28 reciprocates up and down, and vibrates the diaphragm 22 up and down. Since the compression coil spring 29 is interposed between the vibration plate 22 and the motor support plate 25, the cam follower 24 always engages with the fixed surface of the cam groove (in this case, the upper surface).
Can be applied. The vibration of the vibration plate 22 is absorbed by the damper 30 and is not transmitted to the device frame 1.

FIG. 3A is a perspective view of the back plate vibrating means 31 as viewed from the upper right, and FIG. 3B is a perspective view of the back plate vibrating means 31 as viewed from below. In FIG. 3, the elongated diaphragm 32
The upper surface of both ends 32a is formed on a slope so that paper sheets can easily get on the lower surface.
A pair of brackets 33 are fixed, and a cam follower 34 is fixed inside each bracket 33.
These cam followers 34 are engaged from both sides with cam grooves 36 of a cylindrical cam 35 rotatably attached to the lower surface of the central portion of the diaphragm 32, and a driven pulley 37 is concentrically formed on the lower surface of the cylindrical cam 35. They are fixed together. Cam groove 3
Reference numeral 6 denotes a groove formed on the peripheral surface of the cylindrical cam 35 so as to move up and down twice at one-turn intervals at 180 degrees. On the other hand, a motor 39 is fixed upwardly below a motor support plate 38 disposed on the left side of the diaphragm 32, and a drive pulley 40 is mounted on a rotation shaft 39a protruding from the motor support plate 38. The cog belt 4 is fixed between the
One has been bridged. Further, a pair of compression coil springs 42 are interposed between both sides of the cylindrical cam 35 of the diaphragm 32 and the apparatus frame 1 so that the apparatus frame 1 pushes up the diaphragm 32. Further, a pair of vibration absorbing dampers 43 having a shaft screwed to the vibration plate 32 and a guide structure for holding the shaft are interposed between the vibration plate 32 on both sides of the compression coil spring 42 and the apparatus frame 1. Is equipped.

Therefore, when the motor 39 rotates and the cylindrical cam 35 rotates, the cam follower 34 engaged with the cam groove 36 reciprocates up and down, and vibrates the diaphragm 32 up and down. Since the tension coil spring 42 is interposed between the vibration plate 32 and the apparatus frame 1, the vibration plate 32 rises while extending the tension coil spring 42 after passing through the bottom dead center of the cam groove 36. After passing through the top dead center of the cam groove 36, the cam groove 36 descends while being pulled by the tension coil spring 42. Then, the vibration of the diaphragm 32 is absorbed by the damper 43 and is not transmitted to the apparatus frame 1.

The rotation speed of the motor 26 of the bottom plate vibration means 21 and the rotation speed of the motor 39 of the back plate vibration means 31 are different, and the phases are also different. This is for each diaphragm 2
This is to prevent the two and 32 from vibrating in synchronization. The rotation speeds of the motors 26 and 39 may be the same as long as the phases are different. Further, even if the rotation speeds and phases of the motors 26 and 39 are the same, the cam grooves 28 of the cylindrical cams 27 and 35
36 may be changed. In essence, diaphragm 2
It suffices that the two and 32 do not vibrate synchronously.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, the transport belts 13, 14, 15 are formed along the longitudinal direction of the bottom plate 11 and the back plate 12 constituting the guide means of the alignment transport device 3.
And a transfer arm belt 16 and vibrating means 21 and 31 having vibrating plates 22 and 32 whose upper surfaces slightly protrude from the surfaces of the bottom plate 11 and the back plate 12, respectively. The vibrators 35 and 35 vibrate in different phases, and the compression coil springs 29 and 42 prevent the cam followers 24 and 34 from rattling due to the play of the respective cam grooves.
Damper 3 so that the vibration of the
Since the sheets 0 and 43 are interposed, the sheets can be efficiently aligned in a short time, and the separation and conveyance in the next separation and conveyance step can be reliably performed.

The positioning and transporting device 3 in the present embodiment leans on the bottom plate 11 and the back plate 12 with the longitudinal direction of the rectangular sheet oriented in the vertical direction. It may be a type of alignment transport device that is arranged so that the direction is directed in the front-rear direction. Further, in the embodiment, a normal conveying belt and a conveying arm belt having a pin-shaped arm are used in combination in the embodiment, but any type of conveying means may be used. As for the vibration means, not only a cylindrical cam but also an eccentric cam or other cam means may be used. Further, the sheet separating / supplying means 4 is also configured to be conveyed in the vertical direction in the embodiment, but may be of a type conveyed to the back side in the horizontal direction of the apparatus, and the conveying method is also limited to suction conveyance. It does not do.

[0022]

As described above, the paper sheet aligning and conveying apparatus of the present invention has a guide formed by a bottom plate and a back plate for holding a large number of sheets to be conveyed in an upright posture. Means, a sheet transporting means provided between a start end and an end of the guide means, and a sheet provided on each of the bottom plate and the back plate. Vibration means for giving vibrations of different phases to the plate and aligning them, so that the paper sheets leaning on the bottom plate and the back plate can be efficiently aligned in a short time, and the next separation conveyance There is an effect that separation and conveyance can be performed in a stable posture in the process, and double feed can be reliably prevented.

Further, the paper sheet separating and feeding apparatus of the present invention is arranged at the end of the paper sheet positioning and conveying apparatus described above, and the paper sheet aligning and conveying apparatus And a sheet separating / conveying device for separating and conveying the sheets arranged one by one, so that the sheets are efficiently arranged in a short time by the sheet positioning / conveying device. In addition to this, there is an effect that the separation and conveyance can be performed in a stable posture in the next sheet separation and conveyance device, and a high-performance sheet separation and supply device can be realized.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the overall configuration of a paper sheet separation and supply device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 (a) is a perspective view of the bottom plate vibrating means in the positioning and conveying apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention as viewed from the upper right, and FIG. Perspective view from the side

FIG. 3 (a) is a perspective view of the back plate vibrating means in the alignment transfer device according to the embodiment of the present invention viewed from the upper right side; Perspective view from below

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Paper-sheet separation and supply apparatus 2 Device frame 3 Alignment conveyance apparatus 4 Separation conveyance apparatus 5 Suction type conveyance belt 6 Nipping type conveyance belt 11 Bottom plate 12 Back plate 13, 14, 15 Conveyance belt 16 Transfer arm belt 21 Bottom plate vibration means 22 Vibrating plate 23 Bracket 24 Cam follower 25 Motor support plate 26 Motor 27 Cylindrical cam 28 Cam groove 29 Compression coil spring 30 Damper 31 Back plate vibrating means 32 Vibrating plate 33 Bracket 34 Cam follower 35 Cylindrical cam 36 Cam groove 37 Followed pulley 38 Motor support Plate 39 Motor 40 Driving pulley 41 Cog belt 42 Compression coil spring 43 Damper

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing on the front page (72) Akira Shimazaki, Inventor 4-3-1 Tsunashima Higashi, Kohoku-ku, Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa Prefecture Inside Matsushita Communication Industrial Co., Ltd. No.3-1, Matsushita Communication Industrial Co., Ltd. F term (reference) 3F079 AA01 BA03 BA09 BA11 DA12 3F343 FA06 FB11 GA04 GE02 GE12 HB04 HD15 HE01 JA21 LA02 LA04 LA13 LA18

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A guide means comprising a bottom plate and a back plate for holding a large number of paper sheets to be conveyed in an upright posture, and a paper sheet provided between a start end and an end of the guide means. Class transfer means, and a vibration means provided on each of the bottom plate and the back plate, and applying vibrations of different phases between the bottom plate and the back plate to the paper sheets held by the guide means and aligning them. Paper alignment machine with paper. 2. The vibrating means includes a vibrating plate having an upper surface slightly protruding from the surfaces of the bottom plate and the back plate along the longitudinal direction of the bottom plate and the back plate. Paper sheet alignment transport device. 3. The paper sheet aligning and conveying apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said vibrating means includes a cam means for vibrating said vibrating plate. 4. The paper sheet aligning and conveying apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said vibrating means includes spring means for preventing rattling occurring in said cam means. 5. The vibration device according to claim 1, wherein the vibration device includes a vibration absorbing device for preventing the vibration of the vibration plate from being transmitted to another member. Paper sheet alignment transport device. 6. A sheet aligning / conveying device according to claim 1, wherein the sheet aligning / conveying device is disposed at an end of the sheet aligning / conveying device. A sheet separation and supply device comprising: a sheet separation and conveyance device for separating and conveying the aligned sheets one by one.