JP2977446B2 - Foreign object detection device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a foreign object detecting device for detecting foreign objects such as hard objects contained in a mail to be conveyed.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art This type of foreign object detecting device includes a pair of rollers which are pressed and contacted so as to be freely separated from each other, and a foreign object in the mail is detected by passing a mail between the pair of rollers. . That is, the pair of rollers comprises a fixed roller and a moving roller which moves in a direction of coming and going with respect to the fixed roller, and the moving roller has a thickness corresponding to the thickness of the mail. It moves around the fulcrum, and returns by spring force after passing mail.

When the moving roller moves a predetermined distance during the passage of the mail, it is detected by a detection sensor. If this is detected, the mail is determined to be out of the fixed form (a mail containing a foreign substance or a hard object that hinders conveyance and detection), and if not detected, it is determined to be a normal mail.
Mail that is determined to be out of the fixed form is excluded.

[0004]

However, in the prior art, the change in the gap between the fixed roller and the moving roller during the passage of mail is detected by a single detection sensor, so that the position of the detection sensor is adjusted. Is bad,
It could not be determined, and the reliability was poor.

Another problem is that it is difficult to determine the shape of the foreign matter in the mail, such as the thickness and length, and the misclassification rate is high.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a foreign object detection device capable of reliably detecting a foreign object in an object to be transported, and further, capable of reliably separating the shape of the foreign object.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides a conveying means for conveying an article to be conveyed along a conveying path; The first and second receiving rollers are disposed so as to be movable toward and away from the first and second receiving rollers. First and second moving rollers for nipping and conveying by the receiving roller, and the first and second moving rollers and the first and second receiving rollers when the mail is nipped and conveyed by the first and second receiving rollers. Alternatively, the second moving roller is the first or second receiving roller.
First and second detecting means for detecting the movement when moving a predetermined distance in a direction away from the first and the second;
And the first and second moving rollers
In the direction away from the first and second receiving rollers.
When moving, the rotating base that rotates with this movement
And third detecting means for detecting the rotation of the rotation base.
And the third detecting means detects the rotation of the rotation base.
And a rejecting means for rejecting the transported object .

[0007]

[0008]

[0009]

The movement of the first and second moving rollers is controlled by the first movement roller.
In addition, by performing detection by the second detection unit, the number of times of detection of the foreign substance is set to a plurality of times, and the reliability of the foreign substance detection is improved.

Further, the first to third detecting means can
By detecting foreign matter, the shape of the foreign matter, such as its thickness and length, can be determined. That is, when the first and second moving rollers move alternately by a predetermined distance and are detected by the first and second detecting means during the passage of the conveyed object, the foreign matter in the conveyed object becomes a short foreign object. For example, it is determined that the object is a hard sphere, and the first and second moving rollers move simultaneously and are detected by the first and second detecting means, and the first and second moving rollers are detected. When the rotation base is rotated by the simultaneous movement of the rollers and the rotation is detected by the third detection means, the foreign matter in the transferred object is determined to be a long and thick foreign matter, for example, a thick sheet metal body. Further, the first and second moving rollers move at the same time, but the moving amount is small and is not detected by the first and second detecting means. When the foreign substance in the transferred object is detected by the detecting means of (3), the foreign substance is long and thin. If For example, it is determined that the thin sheet metal body.

[0011]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described below with reference to an embodiment shown in the drawings. 2 and 3 show a mail sorting and stamping device as a paper sheet processing device.

First, the entirety of the mail sorting and stamping apparatus will be schematically described. This mail sorting and stamping apparatus receives a large amount of mails P as sheets having various thicknesses and widths. A supply unit 10 for supplying to the next stage, a thickness sorting unit 12 for sorting mail having a predetermined thickness from the mail P supplied to the supply unit 10, and a thickness sorting unit 12
Width sorting section 14 for sorting postal items having a predetermined width from postal items having a predetermined thickness selected in the above, and a buffer section 16 for temporarily accumulating fixed postal items P having a predetermined thickness and width. A detecting unit 22 having first and second reading units 18 and 20 for reading information from a mail, a stamping unit 24 for stamping a mail P, and a first or second reading unit 18;
And a sorting / accumulating unit 26 for sorting and accumulating mails in accordance with the sorting information read by the sorting unit 20.

A main operation panel 28 for instructing the apparatus to perform various operations and for displaying an operation mode, an abnormality display, and the like is provided in a central portion of the mail sorting and stamping apparatus, that is, in the vicinity of the detecting section 22. In addition, a sub-operation panel 30 for displaying an operation mode, an abnormal display, and the like is provided in the vicinity of a connection portion between the seal portion 24 and the sorting / stacking portion 26.
In addition, a switch (not shown) is provided in each part of the mail sorting and stamping apparatus, and the thickness sorting unit 12, the width sorting unit 14, and the detecting unit 22 are configured to be individually activated or stopped.

Next, the configuration and operation of each section of the mail sorting and stamping apparatus will be described in detail. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the supply unit 10 includes a hopper 32 that collectively receives a large number of mails P, and a conveyance that conveys the mails P from the hopper 32 to the thickness sorting unit 12 obliquely upward. A belt 33 is provided. The thickness sorting unit 12 sorts the mail P sent by the conveyor belt 33 into mail having a predetermined thickness and mail having a non-standard thickness.
Mail P having a predetermined thickness selected by the thickness selecting unit 12
Is dropped onto a conveyor 34 via a runway (not shown), and mail P having a thickness other than a predetermined thickness is discharged to a reject unit 35.

The width sorting section 14 is provided with an upright converting section 36 for placing the postal matter P sent from the conveyor 34 in an upright state.
A transport path 38 for transporting the postal matter P set in the upright position by the standing position conversion unit 36, a foreign substance detection device 1 for detecting foreign substances contained in the postal matter P transported by the transport path 38, The sorting units 40a, 40b, 40c, and 40d for sorting mails P having a width other than a predetermined width from among the mails P whose foreign matter is not detected by the foreign matter detection device 1 and the vertical and horizontal directions of the mails P. And an aligning unit 42 for aligning. The postal matter P having a width other than the predetermined width selected by the selection units 40a, 40b, 40c, and 40d is rejected to a reject unit via a rejection conveyance path and a shooter (not shown).

Further, the transport path 44 for transporting the fixed postal matter P selected by the width selecting section 14 to the buffer section 16 as the first stacking section, and the gap between successive postal matters is smaller than a predetermined value. An auxiliary stacking unit 46 is provided for temporarily stacking the mail P from the width sorting unit 14 when a transport failure such as a small size occurs or when the buffer unit 16 is full.
In the buffer section 16, there is provided a first take-out section 50 for taking out the postal matter P accumulated in the buffer section 16 one by one and sending it to the first reading section 18 via the transport path 48 at equal intervals. .

Further, a local stacking unit 52 is provided in which fixed mails are stacked when the direct detection unit 22 is used without using the supply unit 10, the thickness sorting unit 12, and the width sorting unit 14. . For example, the standard mail taken out from the auxiliary stacking unit 46 is input to the local stacking unit 52. The postal matter P accumulated in the local accumulation unit 52
Are provided one by one, and are sent to the first reading unit 18 via the transport path 48 at equal intervals.

The first reading section 18 of the detecting section 22 has first to third detecting sections 56a, 56b, 56c,
A detection target, for example, a stamp, a contrast bar, sorting information, etc., included in the mail P sent through the transport path 48 is detected. A reversing unit 58 is provided between the first reading unit 18 and the second reading unit 20 so that the mail P whose detection target cannot be detected by the first reading unit is turned upside down. Invert. This reversing operation is not performed when the detection target is detected by the first reading unit 18. Further, the second reading unit 20 includes fourth to sixth detecting units 60a, 60b, similarly to the first reading unit 18.
60c, and detects a detection target of the mail P sent from the reversing unit 58.

The postal matter P that has passed through the second reading unit 20
Is stamped by the stamping unit 24 and then sent to the sorting / stacking unit 26. The sorting / stacking unit 26 includes a plurality of sorting gates 62 driven in accordance with information read by the first or second reading units 18 and 20, and a plurality of partitioning units provided corresponding to the sorting gates. 64. The postal matter P that has been subjected to the detection and the stamping process is classified into, for example, a sending section, express delivery, and ordinary mail, and is accumulated in the corresponding partitioning section 64.

Next, the foreign object detecting device 1 will be described in detail. FIG. 1 shows a foreign substance detection device, and in FIG.
Reference numeral 72 denotes a first and a second fixed roller around which a transport belt (transporting means) 73 for transporting the postal matter (transported object) P is wound. The first and second fixed rollers 71, 7
2, first and second movable rollers 74 and 75 are opposed to each other via the above-mentioned transport belt 73. The first
The second movable rollers 74 and 75 are rotatably held between both ends of upper and lower support holders 76 and 77.
The upper and lower support holders 76 and 77 are rotatably mounted on a rotation base 79 via a support shaft 78.

Detected portions 77a and 77b are provided at both ends of the lower support holder 77 so as to protrude therefrom.
77b is a first and second detection sensor 8 described below from the bottom side of the first and second movable rollers 74 and 75.
It protrudes toward the 0,81 side.

Both ends of the lower support holder 77 are urged by urging members (not shown).
The second movable rollers 74 and 75 are pressed toward the first and second fixed rollers 71 and 72.

The rotation base 79 has first and second detection sensors as first and second detection means.
The first and second detection sensors 80 and 81 detect the detected portions 77a and 77b of the lower holder 77, and thereby the first and second movement rollers 74 and 81 are attached. , 75 are detected.

On the other hand, one end of the rotating base 79 is rotatably supported by a support shaft 82, and a detected part 83 is attached to the rotating end. The detected portion 83 is detected by a third detection sensor 84 as a third detection means. Further, one end side of the rotating base 79 is urged by a spun ring 85, and the urging force causes the first and second moving rollers 74 and 75 to move through the transport belt 73 to the first end. First and second fixed rollers 7
It is designed to be pressed against the 1,72 side.

The first to third detection sensors 80, 81,
Reference numeral 84 denotes a sensor for optically detecting the light, which is in a dark state at the time of detection and a light state at the time of detection. As shown in FIG. 6A, the postal matter P pinched and conveyed by the conveying belts 73 is first moved between the first fixed roller 71 and the first movable roller 74 as shown in FIG. Will be introduced. At this time, when the first moving roller 74 is moved by a predetermined distance, the holder 7
7 and 78 rotate about the support shaft 78, and the detected portion 77 a of the lower holder 77 is detected by the first detection sensor 80.

When the mail P passes between the first fixed roller 71 and the first moving roller 74 as shown in FIG. 6B, the first moving roller The roller 74 returns to the initial position and is pressed against the first fixed roller 71 by the urging force of an urging member (not shown). When the mail P is introduced between the second fixed roller 72 and the second movable roller 75, the second movable roller 74 moves a predetermined distance, and the lower holder 77 is moved. Is detected by the second detection sensor 81.

The first and second detection sensors 80, 8
As shown in FIG. 5, the detection signal from the control unit 1 is sent to a control unit 91.
2 is operated to guide the mail P to the exclusion box 93.

As described above, when the detection signals are alternately sent to the control unit 91 with a time difference by the first and second detection sensors 80 and 81, the control unit 91 stores a short hard mail in the mail P. It is determined that an object, for example, a hard spherical object 101 is included.

As shown in FIG. 6C, the first and second movable rollers 74 and 75 are simultaneously driven by the first fixed roller.
When moving a predetermined distance in a direction away from the roller 71 and the second fixed roller 72, the first and second movable rollers 7
4, 75 detected parts 77a, 77b are detected by the first and second detection sensors 80, 81, respectively.

At the time of this detection, due to the simultaneous movement (distance x) of the first and second movable rollers 74 and 75, the rotating base 79 is rotated about the support shaft 82 as shown in FIG. The detection portion 8 is rotated against the urging force of the spring 85,
3 is detected by the third detection sensor 84.

The first to third detection sensors 80 and 8
The detection signals 1, 84 are sent to the control unit 91. As described above, when the first and second detection sensors 80 and 81 and the third detection sensor 84 detect the detected portions 77a, 77b and 83 and are in the dark state, the control portion 91 controls the mail P.
It is determined that the inside includes a thick and long, for example, thick sheet metal body 102.

As shown in FIG. 6D, the first and second movable rollers 74 and 75 are first fixed rollers 71.
And the distance from the second fixed roller 72 is small, but the distance (y) is small, and the detected portions 77a and 77b are not detected by the first and second detection sensors 80 and 81.
When only the rotation of the rotation base 79 is detected by the third detection sensor 84 and the detection signal is sent to the control unit 91,
It is determined that the mail P contains a thin and long foreign matter, for example, a thin sheet metal body 103.

As described above, when it is determined that a foreign matter is contained in the mail P, the control section 91 operates the sorting gate 92 to remove the mail P into the exclusion box 93. This exclusion box 9
The postal matter P removed in 3 is manually stamped.

Table 1 below shows the correspondence between the light and dark states of the first to third detection sensors 80, 81, and 84 and the type of foreign matter. That is, when the first detection sensor 80 is in the dark state and the second and third detection sensors 8
1 and 84 are in the light state, and the first detection sensor 8
0 is in a bright state, the second detection sensor 81 is in a dark state,
When the detection sensor 84 is in a bright state, it is determined that the object is a short foreign object (hard sphere).

The first to third detection sensors 80 and 8
When all 1,84 are in the dark state, short foreign matter (spherical object)
It is determined that 101 is a plurality or a long and thick sheet metal body 102. Further, when the first and second detection sensors 80 and 81 are in the bright state and the third detection sensor 84 is in the dark state, the foreign matter is determined to be the thin and long sheet metal body 103.

[0036]

[Table 1]

[0037]

As described above, according to the present invention,
First and second moving rollers, and first and second moving rollers;
The first and second detecting means detect the thickness of the conveyed object and detect the foreign matter in the first and second detecting means. In addition, the number of times of detection of foreign matter increases, and the reliability of foreign matter detection can be improved.

Further, the first and second movable rollers are the first movable roller.
When it is detected that the transported object has moved alternately away from the second fixed roller, it is determined that a short foreign object is contained in the transported object. When the movable roller moves in the direction away from the first and second fixed rollers at the same time and the rotation of the rotation base due to the movement is detected by the third detection means, a long foreign matter is detected. It is determined that it is contained in the transported object. Therefore, the shape of the foreign matter in the transported object can be detected, and the erroneous classification rate can be reduced.

Further, the present invention has an effect that it can be used not only for separating foreign substances but also for detecting the hardness and length of the conveyed object, provided that the light-dark time of the first to third detection sensors is a condition.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a foreign object detection device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a mail processing apparatus provided with the foreign object detection device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a plan view showing the mail processing apparatus of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a flow of mail in the foreign object detection device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a schematic configuration diagram illustrating an exclusion unit that eliminates a postal matter detected by the foreign object detection device in FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 shows the operation of the foreign object detection device of FIG. 1;
FIG. 6A is a diagram showing a state in which the first moving roller has moved, FIG. 6B is a diagram showing a state in which the second moving roller has moved,
FIG. 6C is a diagram showing a state where the first and second moving rollers have moved simultaneously, and FIG. 6D is a diagram showing a state where the first and second moving rollers have moved simultaneously.

[Explanation of symbols]

P: Mail (conveyed object), 38: Conveying path, 73: Conveying belt (conveying means), 71, 72: First and second receiving rollers, 74, 75: First and second movements Roller, 8
0, 81: first and second detection means, 84: third detection sensor, 93: rejection means, 101, 102, 103 ...
Foreign matter.

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A transport for transporting an article to be transported along a transport path.
Means disposed in the transport path along the transport direction of the transported object.
The first and second receiving rollers are moved in a direction of coming and going with respect to the first and second receiving rollers.
Movably arranged, and the conveyed object is moved between the first and second
First and second moving rollers for nipping and conveying by a receiving roller
And the first and second moving rollers and the first and second receiving rollers.
When the mail is clamped and conveyed by a pressing roller, the first or
Or the second moving rollerThe first or second receiving row
From laWhen moving a predetermined distance in the direction of separation, this movement
First and second detecting means for detecting the first and second moving rollersAnd supporting the first and
A second moving roller is moved from the first and second receiving rollers;
When moving in the direction of separation at the same time,
A rotating base that rotates, Third detection means for detecting the rotation of the rotation base; The third detecting means detects the rotation of the rotation base.
When, the removing means for removing the transported object,  A foreign matter detection device, comprising: