JP2529385B2 - Print photo sorting device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial field of application] The present invention relates to a sorting apparatus for printed photographs.

[Conventional technology]

A sorting device is attached to a processor that develops a print photograph so as to sort the finished print photograph for each order. This sorter is one in which a large number of sorter boxes are provided on an endless member such as a belt or a chain, and one order of print photographs is put into this sorter box. After the print photograph is input, the endless member is the sorter box 1.
After moving by an amount, the next photo for the order is placed in a new empty sorter box. In this way, the print photographs are sequentially placed in the sorter box for each order, so that the print photographs are sorted for each order. The sorted printed photographs are gradually sent to the vicinity of the console where the operator is located by the sequential feeding of the sorter box, and the printed photographs for one order are collated with the negative film and packed in the delivery bag.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention]

As described above, in a printer processor equipped with a sorting device that sends print photos to the operator's hand, when confirming the finished state of the print photos at the beginning of operation, the operator can operate the sorting device by key operation. The endless member is fast-forwarded to bring the finished print photograph to hand. In this case, empty sorter boxes are lined up between the loading position and the print photo take-out position, so until the empty photo sorter boxes pass through the print photo take-out position, the print photo delivery bag is placed. It is necessary to interrupt the loading work, etc.

The present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems, and even if a print photograph is moved to the operator's hand for confirmation, the print photograph sorting apparatus is designed so as not to be interrupted. The purpose is to provide.

[Means for solving the problem]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention receives a circulation path that circulates and guides a large number of sorter boxes in one direction, and an empty sorter box from the end side of the outward path of this circulation path,
Empty box feeding means for sending this to the starting end side of the outward path,
Stop the sorter box from the empty box feeding means at the beginning of the forward path, and then release the stop after the start of one order of print photographs and the sorter box that has been stopped by the starting end stopper slide down to the end of the outward path. A moving means and a stopper on the end side for stopping the slide-down sorter box at the end of the outward path and sending out the empty sorter box to the empty box sending means after taking out the print photograph are provided.

[Action]

When a 1-order printed photo is put into an empty sorter box that has stopped at the beginning of the forward path, the stopper on the starting end side operates to release the stop of the sorter box. The stopped sorter box slides down to the stopper on the end side at the end of the outward path. Therefore, since the printed photograph immediately after the development processing is immediately sent to the operator's hand, it is possible to easily confirm the finish of the printed photograph at the beginning of operation of the processor. Further, after the start-side stopper is actuated, an empty sorter box is sent out from the empty-box feeding means and stopped at the start-side stopper. In the same manner, a print photograph of the next order is put in this empty sorter box, and after the putting, the sorter box slides down to the stopper on the starting end side by releasing the stop of the stopper on the starting end side. When one order of print pictures is taken out from the sorter box stopped by the end-side stopper, the end-side stopper is activated to send the empty sorter box to the empty box feeding means.

〔Example〕

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 10 is a sorter box,
This sorter box 10 is movably attached on a guide belt 12 that constitutes a circulation path. Guide belt
12 is hung around an upper pulley 14 located near the outlet 13 of the print photo 11 and a lower pulley 15 located near the console of the print processor, and is placed at an angle on the side of the printer processor. It A belt fixing bracket 16 is arranged between the pulleys 14 and 15. The belt fixing bracket 16 fixes the belt 12 and divides the guide belt 12 into an inclined portion 12A and a horizontal portion 12B to maintain its shape. Guide belt 12
Two pulleys are wound around each of the pulleys 14 and 15, and a conveyor belt 18 is arranged between the fixed belts 12, as will be described later in detail.

As shown in FIG. 2, the sorter box 10 is a rectangular box into which the print photograph 11 for one order is inserted, and the upper part has an opening. A sandwiching piece 22 for sandwiching the edge of the guide belt 12 from the vertical direction is provided at the bottom of the sorter box 10. Further, at the center of the bottom portion, an engaging projection for engaging the engaging projection 24 with the conveyor belt 18
26 are provided.

The conveyor belt 18 is, as shown in FIGS.
They are arranged along the guide belts 12 of the book. The conveyor belt 18 is wound around pulleys 28 and 29 coaxial with the pulleys 14 and 15. The engaging projections 24 are arranged on the conveyor belt 18 at a predetermined pitch and project from the outer surface of the belt 18. The engagement protrusion 24 is engaged with the engagement protrusion 26 of the sorter box 10 to move the sorter box 10 along the guide belt 12. Between the inclined portion 12A and the horizontal portion 12B of the guide belt 12, the conveyance belt 18 is configured so that the engagement protrusions 24 of the belt 18 do not engage with the engagement protrusions 26 of the sorter box 10 located in these sections. Further, the idle pulley 27 is provided at a predetermined distance from the guide belt 12. In addition, in the sections other than the above, the engagement protrusions 24 are engaged with the engagement protrusions 26 of the sorter box 10 on the guide belt 12. Therefore, in this section, the sorter box 10 is
Transferred by the rotation of 18. The conveyor belt 18 is rotated by a pulse motor 30, and the pulse motor 30 is controlled by a controller 32 via a driver 31.

A first stopper 33 for stopping the sorter box 10 is arranged below the print photograph discharge port 13.
Also, near the end of the inclined portion 12A of the guide belt 12,
The second stopper 34 is arranged. Also, the guide belt
In the horizontal portion 12B of 12, the third stopper 35 and the stopper 3
A delivery member 36 (see FIG. 3) for delivering the sorter box 10 inside the 5 is arranged.

As shown in FIG. 3, the third stopper 35 includes a locking lever 39 having a locking claw 38 arranged along the guide belt 12. The locking lever 39 is provided with a solenoid 40 and a coil spring 42. Solenoid 40 is ON, O
The FF control displaces the locking lever 39 via the plunger 41 to lock and unlock the sorter box 10. The coil spring 42 urges the locking lever 39 so that the locking claw 38 projects toward the sorter box. Therefore,
When the solenoid 40 is turned on, the plunger 41 is sucked to release the lock of the sorter box 10. First
The stopper 33 has the same structure as the third stopper 35, and the description thereof will be omitted.

As shown in FIG. 4, the second stopper 34 is composed of a locking lever 46 having locking claws 44 and 45 at both ends, and a solenoid 48 for displacing the locking lever 46. The locking lever 46 is provided with a coil spring 50 that urges the locking claw 44 to project toward the sorter box. Therefore, normally, the locking claw 44 projects toward the guide belt 12 side, and the locking claw 44 locks the sorter box 10. Then, when the sorter box 10 is discharged from the second stopper 35, the solenoid 48 is turned on and the locking lever 46 is displaced. As a result, the lock of the sorter box 10 in the second stopper 34 is released, and the subsequent sorter box 10 is locked by the lock claw 45. Therefore, only the sorter box 10 in the second stopper 34 is paid out by the weight of the sorter box 10. When the solenoid 48 is turned off after the payout, the subsequent sorter box 10 is locked by the locking claw 44 in the second stopper 34.
A spacer 51 is provided on the back plate side of each sorter box 10 to form a gap so that the locking claw 45 can be inserted when the sorter box 10 is continuous.

As shown in FIG. 3, the delivery member 36 comprises a delivery lever 52 that abuts against the back plate of the sort box 10 and pushes it out. The delivery lever 52 has a delivery lever
Solenoid 53 for displacing 52 and solenoid 53
A coil spring 54 for returning to the initial position when it is turned off is provided.

As shown in FIG. 2, in each sorter box 10,
A photo detection sensor 56 is provided for detecting whether or not the print photo 11 inserted therein is taken out.
The photograph detection sensor 56 is composed of, for example, a light projecting section and a light receiving section. A detection signal from the photo detection sensor 56 is sent to the controller 32 via the brush 57 provided on the side plate of the sorter box 10 and the printed circuit board 58 with which the brush 57 comes into contact. The printed circuit board 58 is arranged at a position in contact with the brush 57 of the sorter box 10 in the third stopper 35. A box detection sensor 5 for detecting the fed sorter box 10 is provided at the feeding position of the sorter box 10 by the feeding member 36 and the arrangement position of the first stopper 33.
8,59 are provided.

The controller 32 controls the pulse motor 30 of the conveyor belt 18, the solenoids 40, 48 of the stoppers and the solenoid 53 of the delivery member 36 via the drivers 31, 60 based on the detection signals of the sensors 56, 58, 59. .

 Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described.

First, in the initial state before the start of operation, each sorter box 10 is stored by the controller 32 on the return path side of the guide belt 12, and the sorter box 10 is locked only by the first stopper 33. . In this state, the operation of the printer processor is started, and the print photographs are developed one after another. The developed print photograph is cut into frames and stored in the sending section of the printer processor.

When the print photos for one order are stored, the box detection sensor 59 confirms that the empty sorter box 10 is set at the loading position, and then the sending section is activated to print the print photos for one order. 11 is sent out from the discharge port 13 and put into the sorter box 10 locked in the first stopper 33. After this insertion, the first stopper 33 is driven to release the lock of the sorter box 10, and the motor 30 rotates a certain amount to move the conveyor belt 18 by one step, and the next empty sorter box is moved to the loading position. set.

Sorter box 10 released from the first stopper 33
The second slide 34 slides down on the guide belt 12 and is locked by the second stopper 34 while the printed photograph 11 for one order is stored. At the beginning of operation when the third stopper 35 does not have the sorter box 10, the second stopper 34 is immediately actuated, and the sorter box 10 in the second stopper 34 is discharged to the third stopper 35. Therefore, when it is desired to confirm the print finish state at the start of operation, the finished print photograph 11 is immediately sent to the operator's hand, which improves usability. Further, as in the conventional case, it is possible to collate the printed photograph after the development processing with the negative film and load them into the DP bag without waiting until the printed photograph for one order comes to the hand after the development processing. it can.

When one copy of the print photo 11 is pulled out from the sorter box 10 in the third stopper 35, the sorter box
10 is not sent out from this stopper 35. However, when one order of the print photograph 11 is taken out, the print photograph detecting sensor 56 detects the taking out. At the time of detecting this takeout, the controller 32 confirms from the output signal of the box detection sensor 58 that the sorter box does not exist, and then the third stopper 35 and the sending member.
36 is operated, and the printed photograph 11 is taken out and the empty sorter box 10 is sent out. This third stopper 35
The second stopper 34 operates in conjunction with the feeding of the empty sorter box 10, and the sorter box in the second stopper 34 is fed into the third stopper 35.

The empty sorter box 10 sent out from the third stopper 35 has an engaging projection 24 at the bottom when the conveyor belt 18 rotates to send the empty sorter box 10 to the first stopper 33. 26 is engaged and taken into the return path of the guide belt 12. Hereinafter, the conveyor belt 18 moves intermittently every time one-order print photograph is loaded, whereby the sorter box 10 slides down the guide belt 12, whereby the print photographs 11 can be sorted by one order.

In the above embodiment, the second stopper 34 and the third stopper 35 are provided, the first sorter box 10 is separated from the subsequent sorter box 10, and the print photograph 11 can be reliably extracted from the sorter box 10. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the third stopper
It is also possible to omit 35 and use only the first and second stoppers 33, 34. In this case, as a matter of course, the delivery member 36 is provided on the second stopper 33.

Further, in the above embodiment, the photo detection sensor 56 is provided in each sorter box 10 to detect that one order of photo has been taken out from the sorter box 10. However, instead of this, As shown in Fig. 5, holes 67 for the photo detection optical axis 66 penetrating the sorter box 65 diagonally are formed in the front plate and the rear plate of the sorter box 65, and sorting is performed on the photo detection optical axis 66. It is also possible to detect the print photograph 11 by providing the photograph detection sensor 70 including the light projector 68 and the light receiver 69 on the apparatus body side. By doing so, it is not necessary to provide the detection sensor 56, the connection brush 57 and the printed circuit board 58 in each sorter box 10 as in the first embodiment, so that the configuration can be simplified. You can

Although the guide belt 12 is used to circulate and guide the sorter box, the guide belt 12 is not limited to the belt, and other guide members can be used. A guide roller may be provided on the guide member contact surface of the sorter box 10 so that the sorter box 10 can be moved smoothly.

〔The invention's effect〕

As described above, according to the present invention, the finished print photograph immediately after the start of operation can be immediately transferred to the operator's hand, which improves usability. Also, conventionally, if the sorter box is fast-forwarded and moved to the hand to check the finished print, the subsequent sorter box becomes empty and the loading work into the storage bag such as the DP bag is interrupted. However, in the present invention, such inconvenience can be eliminated.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing a photographic film sorting apparatus embodying the present invention. FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line II-II in FIG. FIG. 3 is a plan view showing a third stopper and a delivery member. FIG. 4 is a plan view showing the second stopper. FIG. 5 is a plan view showing a photo detection sensor in another embodiment. 10 …… Sorter box 11 …… Printed photo 12 …… Guide belt 18 …… Conveyor belt 24,26 …… Engagement protrusion 32 …… Controller 33,34,35 …… Stopper 36 …… Sending member 56 …… Print Photo sensor 58, 59 …… Sorter box sensor.

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A circulation path for circulating and guiding a large number of sorter boxes in one direction, and an empty box feeding means for receiving an empty sorter box from the end side of the outward path of the circulation path and sending it to the starting end side of the outward path. Stop the sorter box from the empty box feeding means at the beginning of the forward path, and then release the stop after the start of one order of print photographs and the sorter box that has been stopped by the starting end stopper slide down to the end of the outward path. A sorting apparatus for printed photographs, which is provided with a moving means and a stopper on the terminal side for stopping the slidable sorter box at the end of the outward path and sending out the empty sorting box to the empty box feeding means after taking out the printed photographs. .