JP2951497B2 - Enclosure device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an apparatus for automatically enclosing an envelope in an envelope.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, a device for automatically enclosing and sealing contents such as a card use statement of a bank or the like, a transaction statement such as stock, or various flyers has appeared. The automatic enclosing and sealing device is roughly divided into an enclosing device for enclosing the enclosed material in an envelope and a sealing device for enclosing the envelope in which the enclosed material is encapsulated. here,
The enclosing device will be briefly described below.

FIG. 3 is a schematic side view of a main part of a conventional sealing device. In the figure, reference numeral 1 denotes an envelope, and the envelope 1 is set at a predetermined position so that a flap (sealing portion of the envelope) 1c opens downward. Suction means (not shown) are arranged on the front surface 1a side and the back surface 1b side of the envelope 1 so as to open the envelope 1 as shown in the figure, and insert (enclose) the envelope 2 into the envelope 1. It is easy to do. Opening 1 of envelope 1
A moving means 3 called an insert gripper for moving the enclosure 2 is arranged at a position opposing d. The insert gripper 3 can be moved in the left-right direction in the figure by a conveying means (not shown), and an L-shaped bent claw portion 3a is formed at the tip (left end in the figure) of the insert gripper 3. I have. Here, at the time of enclosing, the enclosure 2 is arranged in front of the insert gripper 3 in the moving direction (left side in the figure), and the insert gripper 3 is opened 1 d of the envelope 1.
Move towards. Then, the upright surface 3 of the claw portion 3a
b, the end of the enclosure 2 is pushed, and the enclosure 2 moves toward the envelope 1 and is enclosed in the envelope 1.

[0004]

However, the above-described sealing device has the following problems. That is, when the envelope 2 is thin and rigid, the envelope 2 does not enter the envelope 1 due to the contact resistance between the papers generated between the envelope 1 and the end of the envelope 2 in the envelope 1. Therefore, the rear end of the enclosure 2 is displaced toward the upper side of the claw portion 3a as shown by a dotted line in FIG. When the enclosure 2 is thick and heavy, the insert gripper 3 moves at a relatively high speed of, for example, 1 m / s, so that the enclosure 2 flies into the envelope 1 by this moving force,
After colliding with the bottom portion of the envelope 1, it returns due to the reaction, and there is a problem that the envelope 2 is skewed or jumps out of the fold of the flap 1 c. here,
The claw 3a at the tip of the insert gripper 3 can be opened and closed in the up and down direction, and the enclosure 2 is clamped by the claw 3a until the enclosure 2 enters the envelope 1 to some extent. There is also known an apparatus in which the enclosure 2 is enclosed in the envelope 1 by pushing the enclosure 2 into the envelope 1 by an insert gripper 3, but the above problem remains to some extent.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an enclosing device capable of correctly enclosing the enclosed matter in an envelope.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, an enclosing device according to the present invention is a device for automatically enclosing an enclosed object in an envelope, the enclosing object clamping means for clamping the enclosed object,
This enclosure holding means is moved toward the envelope opening, the enclosure movement means for inserting the enclosure held by the enclosure holding means into the envelope, and the enclosure held by the enclosure holding means. When the envelope is enclosed in the envelope, the envelope is clamped together with the enclosed material by a clamping force greater than the clamping force of the enclosed material clamping means, and the envelope and the enclosed material are clamped together.
And an envelope sandwiching / conveying means for retreating in a direction away from the enclosed article moving means and conveying the same.

[0007]

According to the enclosing device of the above-mentioned means, the enclosed object holding means holds the enclosed object until the enclosing operation is completed.
After the enclosing operation, the envelope
To move backward while holding the tube and the enclosed material together ,
It works so that the rear end of the enclosure is not warped and also prevents the enclosure from skewing and jumping out of the flap fold.

[0008]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an enclosing device showing one embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, reference numeral 20 denotes a table on which the enclosure 2 is placed, and 21 denotes a table on which the envelope 1 is placed, and the enclosure 2 is conveyed to the rear (rear) on the table 20 side. And an enclosed material transport chain fin 5 are arranged apart from each other. Although only a part of the enclosed material transport chain 4 is drawn in the front side in FIG. 1, it is actually connected so as to have a substantially elliptical shape to form a so-called endless track.
It is arranged along the transport direction of the enclosure 2 (the direction of arrow A in the figure). A part of the enclosed material transport chain 4 is provided with a projecting enclosed material transport chain fin 5 ,
20 through a gap (not shown) provided in
The enclosure is transported in a substantially elliptical shape by driving a motor (not shown) so that the enclosure transport chain fins 5 move in the transport direction of the enclosure 2. It allows for linear motion along. In addition, in order to avoid complicating the drawing, the enclosed material transport chain 4 is shown only on the front side and a part thereof.

A table 20 on which the enclosed items 2 are placed is located between each pair of enclosed item transport chains 4 .
A linear passage 6 called a pair of insert gripper opening / closing cams is formed in the lower position along the conveying direction of the enclosure 2, and a recess 6 a having a gently inclined slope is formed in the middle thereof. ing. A cylindrical carriage shaft 7 is arranged between each of the pair of insert gripper opening / closing cams 6 along the transport direction of the enclosure 2, and slides a rectangular parallelepiped sliding member 8 called an insert carriage. , Are slidably supported below the table 20 . The insert carriage 8,
For example, a tie suspended between a pair of pulleys ( not shown)
The pulley is engaged with the
The shaft 9 called an insert gripper pivot stud protrudes from both side surfaces of the carriage shaft 7 by driving the shaft 9. The insert gripper pivot stud 9 has a front carriage block 10A and a rear carriage block 10B as shown in an enlarged view in FIG.
Are swingably supported. The front carriage block 10A and the rear carriage block 10
Wheels 10a and 10b are rotatably attached to B, respectively. The wheels 10a and 10b can roll on the insert gripper opening / closing cam 6 described above. This front carriage block 10A
A pusher support 11a is formed on the upper surface of the rear carriage block 10B. The pusher support 11a has a bent portion for protruding linearly forward and having a front end bent in an L-shape to determine a margin for grasping the enclosure 2. Insert gripper springs 11b, each of which is a plate spring having a bent portion which is linearly protruded forward from above 11a and whose tip is bent downward in a U-shape, are attached to the pusher support 11a. Insert gripper spring 1
1b, the enclosure 2 can be sandwiched.
Here, the pusher support 11a and the insert gripper spring 11b are used to move the enclosed object holding means 30 to the insert gripper opening / closing cam 6, the carriage shaft 7, the insert carriage 8, the insert gripper pivot stud 9, the carriage block 10A, the wheels 10a,
The enclosed carriage moving means 31 is constituted by the rear carriage block 10B and the carriage block 10 composed of wheels 10b.

[0010] On the other hand, the lower part between the end 20a of the table 20 on which the above-mentioned enclosure 2 is placed and the end 21a of the table 21 on which the envelope 1 is placed is shown below. The envelope 1 is transported to a predetermined position on the table 21 facing the enclosed material supply unit by a transport roller (not shown). A vacuum pad 1 for sucking the surface 1a of the envelope 1 is provided on a portion of the table 21 where the envelope 1 is to be set.
2a, a plurality of vacuum pads 12b for sucking the back surface 1b are respectively arranged above the vacuum pad 2a. Behind the portion of the table 21 where the envelope 1 is to be set (the left side in FIG. 1), an envelope transport gripper 13 whose tip is bent to clamp the envelope 1 in which the envelope 2 is enclosed is provided. Are located. This envelope transport gripper 1
3 is pivotally supported by an envelope conveying gripper opening / closing pivot shaft 14 rotatably mounted on a bracket 17, and is provided at the tip of a projecting portion 13a projecting downward from the rear end. The roller 13b is supported.
An envelope transport gripper opening / closing plate 16 is disposed directly below the roller 13b, and the envelope transport gripper open / close plate 16 is vertically movable by a power source (not shown). Therefore, when the envelope transport gripper opening / closing plate 16 moves up and down , the roller 13
and interposed b envelope feed gripper 13 swings as a fulcrum envelope feed gripper pivot shaft 14, the distal end portion of the envelope feed gripper 13, of the bracket 17
A holding surface extending from the main body portion to the lower surface side of the envelope 1 (see FIG. 1)
Is hidden by the envelope 1 and cannot be seen) so that the envelope 1 in which the enclosure 2 is sealed can be clamped by a clamping force P described later . A bracket 17 rotatably supporting the envelope transport gripper opening / closing pivot shaft 14 is fixed to a part of an envelope transport chain 18 having the same structure as the above-mentioned enclosed transport chain 4, and the envelope transport gripper 13 is shown by an arrow in FIG. It can be moved in the B direction. Here, the envelope transport gripper 13, the envelope transport gripper opening / closing pivot shaft 14, the envelope transport gripper opening / closing plate 16, the bracket 17, and the envelope transport chain 18 constitute an envelope sandwiching transport unit 32.

Next, the operation of the thus-configured enclosing apparatus will be described. First, the envelope transport gripper 13 is transported forward by the envelope transport chain 18 and stops at a predetermined position. Here, the envelope transport gripper 13 is in an open state. Next, the envelope 1 is conveyed on the table 21 along the above-mentioned not-shown conveyance path, stopped at a position where the rear end thereof abuts on the upright surface 13c of the envelope conveyance gripper 13, and the flap (envelope sealing portion) 1c is moved on the conveyance path side. (Lower side) is set to open. The front surface 1a and the back surface 1b of this envelope 1 are respectively a vacuum pad 12a,
The envelope 1 is sucked by the envelope 12b, and the envelope 1 is in an open state so that the envelope 2 can be easily inserted (enclosed) into the envelope 1.

On the other hand, in parallel with this, the enclosed material 2 is conveyed on the table 20 side. Here, the wheels 10a, 1 of the enclosed object moving means 31 having the enclosed material holding means 30.
0b is the position of X indicated by the dotted line, that is, the front wheel 10a is on the linear surface of the concave portion 6a, the rear wheel 10b is on the linear surface of the insert gripper opening / closing cam 6, and the enclosure holding means 30 is closed. It is in the state and the enclosed moving means 3
1 is in a standby state. Next , these enclosed moving means 31
And a table arranged above the enclosed material holding means 30
Enclosures 2 on 20 is transported toward the envelope 1 side by enclosures conveyor chain fins 5 in accordance with the movement of the enclosures conveying chain 4 from the rear of the enclosures moving means 31, tape
Enclosure moving means 31 disposed on the lower side of the bull 20;
The above table without being obstructed by the enclosed material holding means 30
The enclosed object moving means 31 and the enclosed object holding means 30 are overtaken so as to slide on the object 20 . Here, the tip of the enclosed material holding means 30 projects upward from the carriage block 10 when both wheels 10a, 10b are on the linear surface of the insert gripper opening / closing cam 6, but in this case, Since the front wheel 10a is located below the rear wheel 10b, the tip of the enclosed material holding means 30 is lowered and does not protrude above the rear carriage block 10b. Therefore, the enclosed material 2 is obstructed by the enclosed material holding means 30. Can be overtaken without contact (contact). When the rear end of the enclosure 2 is slightly past a recess 6a formed in the insert gripper opening / closing cam 6, the enclosure transport chain 4 and the enclosure transport chain fin 5 stop, and a motor (not shown) drives the motor. By starting, the insert carriage 8 starts sliding along the carriage shaft 7, and the movement of the enclosed object moving means 31 is started. When the front wheel 10a and the rear wheel 10b are in the Y position indicated by the dotted line, that is, when the front wheel 10a is on the linear surface of the insert gripper opening / closing cam 6, and the rear wheel 10b is on the next slope after the concave portion 6a, the enclosed contents are clamped. The means 30 is in an open state, and the enclosure holding means 30 contacts the rear end of the enclosure 2 stopped in this state, and the front wheel 10a and the rear wheel 1
0b is the position of Z shown by the dotted line, that is, both wheels 10a,
When 10b passes through both the concave portions 6a and comes to a straight surface, the enclosed object holding means 30 is closed, and the enclosed object 2 is held by the enclosed object holding means 30. After that, the enclosure holding means 30 and the enclosure moving means 31 further move forward,
The envelope 2 is moved until it is completely inserted into the envelope 1.

When the enclosing of the envelope 2 in the envelope 1 is completed in this way, the envelope transport gripper opening / closing plate 16 moves up and down, and the envelope transport gripper 13 clamps the envelope 1 in which the envelope 2 is enclosed. I do. Then, the envelope transport chain 18 moves backward. Here, the envelope transport gripper 1
3, the holding force of the enclosed object holding means 30 is P1,
Assuming that P2, P, P1 and P2 have their holding force set so that the relationship of P> P1 + P2 is satisfied, so that even if the enclosed material holding means 30 holds the enclosed material 2 in the envelope, The transport gripper 13 can pull out the envelope 1 together with the envelope 2 and transport it backward and backward. The envelope 1 which the enclosures 2 is sealed is conveyed to the next process in a state of being both held by sealing <br/> tube clamping conveying means 32, then enclosures conveying chain 4 and enclosures conveyor chain fins 5 The enclosed object holding means 30, the enclosed object moving means 31, and the envelope holding and conveying means 32 are returned to the initial positions, and the same operation is repeated.

As described above, in this embodiment, the enclosure 2 is sandwiched until the enclosure holding means 30 completes the enclosing operation, and after the enclosing operation, the envelope nipping and conveying means 32 is held.
Moves backward while holding envelope 1 and enclosure 2 together
Since that, the rear end warpage or enclosures 2, the skew of the enclosures 2 and enables prevention of jumping out or the like from the flap fold.

The operation timing for starting and stopping the movement of the enclosed material transport chain 4, the enclosed material moving means 31, the envelope transport gripper opening / closing plate 16, and the envelope transport chain 18 is constituted by a CPU, a ROM, a RAM and the like, not shown. Is controlled by instructions from the microcomputer.

Although the invention made by the present inventor has been specifically described based on the embodiments, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and can be variously modified without departing from the gist thereof. Needless to say, for example, the enclosed material transport chain 4 and the enclosed material transport chain fin 5, the enclosed material holding means 30, the enclosed material moving means 31, and the envelope holding / transporting means 32 may be configured differently from the above embodiment. In other words, the configuration is not limited to the above-described embodiment as long as the enclosed material 2 is clamped until the enclosed material holding means 30 completes the enclosing operation.

The enclosure 2 may be folded, or of course, a plurality of sheets. Furthermore, it is of course possible to hold the envelope holding / conveying means 32 from the side of the envelope 1 and set the conveying direction to the direction of retreating from the side.

[0018]

As described above, according to the enclosing apparatus of the present invention, the enclosing object is held until the enclosing operation is completed by the enclosing operation, and the envelope is conveyed after the enclosing operation.
Move backward with the means holding the envelope and the enclosed material together
Since that, warping or enclosures rear skew enclosures, it is prevention from jumping out of the flap fold, it is possible to correct encapsulation in the enclosures envelope.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an enclosing device showing one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of a carriage block in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a schematic side view of a main part of an encapsulation device showing a conventional technique.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Envelope 2 Enclosed thing 30 Enclosed thing holding means 31 Enclosed thing moving means 32 Envelope holding and conveying means P Nipping force of envelope holding and conveying means P1, P2 Nipping force of enclosed thing holding means

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. An apparatus for automatically enclosing an enclosed object in an envelope, comprising: an enclosed object clamping means for clamping the enclosed object; and moving the enclosed object clamping means toward an envelope opening, thereby enclosing the enclosed object. An enclosure moving means for inserting the enclosure enclosed by the means into the envelope; and, if the enclosure encapsulated by the enclosure enclosure is enclosed in the envelope, a clamping force greater than the clamping force of the enclosure clamping means. the envelope was sandwiched with enclosures by force, these sealing
While holding the cylinder and the enclosure together, from the enclosure movement means
An enclosing device, comprising: an envelope sandwiching / conveying unit that retreats and conveys in a direction away from the envelope.