JP3620214B2 - Paper sheet separator - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an apparatus for separating and feeding out a bundle of paper sheets one by one, and in particular, separating a letter that separates and feeds out paper letters of different sizes, thicknesses, and materials one by one. Relates to the device.
[0002]
[Prior art]
As an example of an apparatus that separates and feeds paper sheets one by one, there is a sheet feeding apparatus disclosed in, for example, JP-A-7-97092. In this apparatus, the first and second sheet adsorbing portions are provided at a point that protrudes downward, and a protruding roller that protrudes from the adsorbing surface of the second sheet adsorbing portion to the sheet side is provided so as to be retractable. . Then, the sheets adsorbed on the first and second sheet adsorbing portions are deformed by the protruding rollers, and when two sheets overlap each other, a gap is provided between these sheets so as to blow air. It is.
[0003]
As another example of an apparatus for separating and feeding out bundled paper sheets one by one, for example, there is an apparatus for individually picking up shipments disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 6-321372. In this apparatus, in order to prevent so-called multi-feeding where paper sheets (shipments) are pulled out, paper sheets are placed within the support surface on which the paper sheets are stacked and within the guide wall that guides the paper sheets. A nozzle for blowing pressurized air is disposed on the other side, and another nozzle is disposed between the guide wall and the passage gap. Then, the compressed air is blown out from these nozzles at a predetermined inclination in the direction opposite to the direction in which the paper sheet is conveyed, whereby the paper sheet is disaggregated to reduce double feeding. Nevertheless, the paper sheets taken together are restrained from being transported by the stripper and the double feed is reduced.
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
In the first conventional example, the paper sheets stacked on the sheet tray are attracted upward by air and separated and sent out one by one in the horizontal direction. Accordingly, there is a problem that the double feeding of the paper sheet separating apparatus in which the gravity component acts on the fed paper sheets in the transport direction cannot be reduced simply by providing the protrusions. Also, with this method, heavy paper sheets cannot be lifted, and it is difficult for paper sheets with high bending rigidity such as envelope letters to adsorb paper sheets to an adsorption surface that is not on the same plane. is there.
[0005]
The second conventional example also attempts to create a space between bundled paper sheets using compressed air in order to reduce double feeding when separating and feeding paper sheets one by one. To do. However, even in this conventional example, when the paper sheets on the stacking means are fed in the direction of the feeding means, a gravity component acts on the bundle of paper sheets, so that the leading end of the bundle of paper sheets is wedged. As a result, it is difficult to form a sufficient space between the paper sheets and to reduce the double feed.
[0006]
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to reduce double feeding that occurs during feeding in a paper sheet separating apparatus in which a gravity component acts in the transport direction on a fed paper sheet.
[0007]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The object is to stack a stack of paper sheets, a feeding means for feeding out the paper sheets on the stacking means in order, and a bundle of paper sheets on the stacking means. The feeding means for feeding in the direction of the means, and the inside of the stacking means is negative pressure so that the paper sheets are sucked in the direction of the feeding means and the paper sheets are adsorbed and fed out by the feeding means. A chamber, a resistance means for preventing paper sheets adjacent to the paper sheet to be fed out simultaneously when the paper sheets are attracted and fed out by the feeding means, and the paper on the stacking means A paper sheet that has a detection means for detecting that the leaf has been adsorbed to the feeding means, and a blow-out means for blowing pressurized air to the vicinity of the frontmost part of the paper sheets on the stacking means; Contact surface Protruding means for deforming the paper sheet that is projected from the position to the stacking means side and sent to the vicinity of the feeding means is provided corresponding to both the rear end side corners opposite to the paper feeding direction. At the same time, the protrusion amounts of the left and right protrusion means can be achieved differently .
[0008]
Further, the object is to provide a stacking unit for stacking bundled sheets in the sheet separating apparatus in which a gravity component acts in the transport direction on the fed sheets, A feeding means for feeding out the paper sheets in order, a feeding means for feeding a bundle of paper sheets on the stacking means in the direction of the feeding means, and a direction of the paper sheets on the stacking means in the direction of the feeding means And a paper sheet that is fed out when the paper sheet is sucked and fed out by the feeding means so that the paper sheet is sucked and fed out by the feeding means. Resistance means for preventing paper sheets adjacent to each other from being simultaneously fed, detection means for detecting that the paper sheets on the stacking means are attracted to the feed means, and the foremost part of the paper sheets on the stacking means Blow pressure air near A first projecting means for projecting and attaching to the stacking means side from a contact surface where the feeding means and the paper sheet fed out contact, and deforming the paper sheets adsorbed by the feeding means. And at least one corresponding to the front end corner of the adsorbed paper sheet, and is attached to project from the position of the contact surface where the paper sheet to be fed and the paper sheet to be fed come into contact with the stacking means. This is achieved by providing at least one second projection means for deforming the paper sheet sent to the vicinity in correspondence with the rear end side corner of the sent paper sheet .
[0010]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, as one embodiment of the present invention, an example of a letter separating apparatus for separating and feeding out post letters such as postcards and sealed letters will be described with reference to FIGS.
[0011]
FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a letter separating apparatus which is an embodiment of the paper sheet separating apparatus of the present invention.
[0012]
The separating device in FIG. 1 is configured to draw out a letter in a direction close to the direction of gravity.
[0013]
A stacking table 1 for stacking bundled letters to be separated, a plurality of feeding belts 2 serving as feeding means for feeding out the foremost letter of the bundled letters on the loading table 1, and the loading table 1 A chamber 3 having a negative pressure inside is provided so that the frontmost portion of the bundled letter is sucked in the direction of the feeding belt 2 and the letter is attracted to the feeding belt 2 and fed out.
[0014]
Further, when the frontmost letter of the bundled letter is attracted to the feeding belt 2 and fed out, the separating roller 4 is a resistance means for preventing the letters adjacent to the fed letter from being entrained and simultaneously fed out. And blowing nozzles 5A and 5B for blowing pressurized air to a letter in the vicinity of the frontmost part of the letter on the loading table 1, and detection levers 6A and 6B for detecting that the front letter is adsorbed to the feeding belt. ing.
[0015]
Further, as a first projection means for deforming the letter adsorbed by the feeding means, the projection lever 7 protrudes from the suction surface of the feeding belt 2 toward the loading table 1 and corresponds to the leading end side corner of the letter to be fed out. Is provided. The first protrusion means can be constituted by a roller.
[0016]
Further, in order to send a bundled letter on the loading table 1 in the direction of the feeding belt 2, a feeding belt 8 is provided on the loading table 1 side and protrudes from a long hole portion 28 provided on the frame 14 on the frame 14 side. A fork 9 is attached so as to protrude from the suction surface of the feeding belt 2 to the loading table 1 side.
[0017]
Further, rollers 10 and 10A as second projecting means are provided corresponding to the corners on the rear end side of the letter to be fed out. The second protrusion means may be a lever.
[0018]
Furthermore, the upper guide 11 that supports the forward tilt of the letter rear end side, the detection lever sensor 12 that includes a light emitting element and a light receiving element for detecting the position of the detection lever 6A or 6B, and the leading end of the letter to be fed out or the subsequent letter It is composed of a letter position detection sensor 13 or the like composed of a plurality of sensors for detecting the position.
[0019]
The feeding belt 2 has a surface coated with a material having a high friction coefficient in order to feed out letters. Further, the feeding belt 2 is provided with a plurality of holes 15 for allowing the negative pressure of the chamber 3 to act on the letter.
[0020]
As shown in FIG. 2, the feeding belt 2 is applied with a predetermined tension to a pulley 16 for driving the feeding belt and a roller 17 that rotates following the feeding belt. The drive pulley 16 is driven by a servo motor (not shown). Further, the feeding belt 2 in this embodiment is a hard belt that is not easily worn.
[0021]
Similarly to the hole 15 of the feeding belt 2, a hole is provided on the surface of the chamber 3 on the loading table side. The inside of the chamber 3 is in a negative pressure state lower than the atmospheric pressure by a blower (not shown), and the letter on the loading table 1 is sucked and drawn toward the feeding belt 2 by this negative pressure, and is attracted to the feeding belt. To do. The conveying force acting on the letter that is fed out increases as the suction force and the friction coefficient of the feeding belt 2 increase.
[0022]
As shown in FIG. 3, the separation roller 4 is arranged so as to come between the plurality of feeding belts 2. Further, the separation roller 4 is arranged in a state of entering the chamber 3 side from the position of the surface of the feeding belt 2. When arranged in this manner, the leading edge of the first letter is deformed into a waveform along the separation roller 4 and the feeding belt 2, but the second letter and subsequent letters are less likely to be deformed. Is difficult to enter between the separation roller 4 and the feeding belt 2 and can prevent the double feeding of letters.
[0023]
The separation roller 4 that applies a resistance force to the paper sheets of the present embodiment has a high friction member on the outer periphery thereof. Further, a support shaft 41 positioned at the rotation center of the separation roller 4, another shaft 42 having a center at a position different from the rotation center of the separation roller 4, and an arm 43 as a connecting means for connecting the shaft 42 and the support shaft 41, A rotation spring 44 is provided so that the separation roller 4 returns to a predetermined position. In order to ensure the effect of applying a resistance force to the paper sheet, a plurality of separation rollers 4 are provided in the sheet conveying direction.
[0024]
The separation roller 4 is attached to be pressed against the chamber 3 by a spring means so that the separation roller 4 can move corresponding to the thickness of the letter to be fed out. The separation roller 4 and the chamber 3 may be in contact with each other, but the position of the separation roller 4 may be determined using another stopper, and a gap may be provided between the separation roller 4 and the chamber 3.
[0025]
Blowing nozzles 5A and 5B for blowing pressurized air, which are provided in the vicinity of the frontmost part of the bundled letter, are provided at two locations on the frame 14 side and the end side of the guide 18 adjacent to the loading table 1. A chamber (not shown) is provided on the back side of the frame 14 and the lower side of the guide 18. Further, pressurized air is supplied from a blower (not shown) to the chamber and blown out from the nozzle.
[0026]
The nozzle 5A provided at the end of the guide 18 adsorbs to the vicinity of the foremost part of the bundle of letters on the loading table 1, and the nozzle 5B provided to the frame 14 adsorbs to the letter bundle on the loading table 1 and the feeding belt 2. Pressurized air is blown near the written letter. The height position of the blowing nozzle 5B provided on the frame 14 is between the uppermost hole of the chamber 3 and the lowermost one of the roller 10, and the position of the blowing nozzle provided on the guide 18 is the rear side protruding roller 10A. It is on the near side.
[0027]
The detection lever 6 </ b> A on the near side has a dogleg shape as shown in FIG. 2, and is attached to the shaft 19 so as to move freely. A spring 20 is attached to a part of the detection lever, and the spring 20 is hung on a spring attachment shaft 21. Further, a stopper 22 is provided in the vicinity of the end of the detection lever 6A opposite to the letter contact portion to prevent the detection lever from rotating by a spring force.
[0028]
When the letter is not on the letter suction surface A, the position of the stopper 22 is adjusted so that the letter contact portion of the detection lever 6A is located at the position protruding from the letter suction face A toward the stacking board 1 side. When the letter is on the letter suction surface A, the letter contact portion is pushed by the sucked letter and is retracted from the letter suction surface.
[0029]
The detection lever 6B on the back side is also attached to the shaft 19 so as to freely rotate. A spring 23 is also attached to a part of the back side detection lever 6 </ b> B, and the spring 23 is hung on the spring attachment shaft 21. Further, a stopper 22 is also provided in the vicinity of the end of the back side detection lever 6B opposite to the letter contact portion, thereby preventing the back side detection lever 6B from rotating by a spring force.
[0030]
In the present embodiment, the protruding lever 7 attached so that the letter protrudes from the contact surface A that contacts the feeding belt 2 toward the loading table 1 is the position of the corner on the tip side of the attracted letter and the resistance means. It is attached to the front side surface of the chamber 3 so as to correspond to both the positions of the corners on the front end side of the letter stopped just before the separation roller 4. Further, the protruding lever 7 is attached to the shaft 23 so as to freely rotate as shown in FIG. A spring 24 is attached to a part of the protruding lever 7, and the spring 24 is hung on a spring attachment shaft 25. Further, a stopper 26 is provided in the vicinity of the protrusion lever 7 to prevent the protrusion lever 7 from rotating due to the spring force.
[0031]
In this embodiment, a screw is used for the stopper 26, and the protruding amount of the protruding lever 7 is adjusted by this screw. When the letter is not on the letter suction surface A, the letter contact portion of the protrusion lever 7 is adjusted to a position that does not protrude from the letter contact portions of the detection levers 6A and 6B.
[0032]
On the loading table 1, the letter conveying surface 8 </ b> A of the feed belt 8 is provided so as to be somewhat higher than the surface of the loading table 1. The feed belt 8 is driven by a drive pulley 27 as shown in FIG. A driving force is transmitted to the driving pulley 27 from a servo motor (not shown). The letter conveying surface of the feed belt 8 is coated with a material having a high friction coefficient so that the letter can be conveyed.
[0033]
The fork 9 is provided so as to protrude from a long hole portion 28 provided in the frame 14. The fork 9 is attached to a chain (not shown) on the back side of the frame 14 and is driven by a servo motor (not shown).
[0034]
The feed belt 8 and the fork 9 are driven in synchronization. Driving on and off is determined by the operation of the detection levers 6A and 6B. When there is no letter on the letter suction surface and the letter contact portion of the detection lever 6 protrudes from the letter suction face A, the detection levers 6A and 6B do not block the light emitted from the light emitting element of the detection lever sensor 12. . At this time, the feed belt 8 and the fork 9 are driven so as to feed the letter on the loading table 1 toward the feed belt 2. When the letter is sucked and sucked onto the feeding belt 2, the detection levers 6A and 6B are pushed in by the suction force. At this time, the detection levers 6A and 6B shield the detection lever sensor 12, and the drive of the feed belt 8 and the fork 9 is stopped by this signal.
[0035]
Further, in this embodiment, the roller 10 as the protrusion means attached so as to protrude from the contact surface A where the letter contacts the feeding belt 2 toward the loading table 1 is positioned at the corner of the rear end side of the attracted letter. It is attached so that it can respond. As shown in FIG. 2, the roller 10 is attached to a shaft 29 so as to freely rotate. A spring 31 is attached to a part of the lever 30 that holds the roller 10, and the spring 31 is hung on a spring attachment shaft 32. A stopper 33 is provided in the vicinity of the lever 30 to prevent the lever 30 from rotating due to the spring force.
[0036]
A guide 18 is provided on the chamber 3 side of the loading table 1, and a flexible elastic material for preventing excessive drop of the letter between the separation roller 4 and the feeding belt 2 is provided at the front end portion thereof. An auxiliary guide 34 is provided. The surface of the loading table 1 and the surfaces of the guide 18 and the auxiliary guide 34 are coated with a material having a low coefficient of friction so that the letter can be fed smoothly.
[0037]
Of the letters sent to the vicinity of the feeding belt 2, the thin letter has a small weight and is easily attracted to the feeding belt 2 by the suction force from the chamber 3. At this time, since the letter adsorbed to the feeding belt 2 pushes the detection levers 6A and 6B, the driving of the feed belt 8 and the fork 9 is stopped.
[0038]
By the way, as described above, the roller 10 as the protrusion means provided on the rear end side of the letter is attached in a state where it protrudes from the letter suction surface A to the loading table 1 side. For this reason, when a bundle of letters is sent toward the feeding belt 2, the leading edge of the letter is adsorbed after the trailing edge of the letter first comes into contact with the roller 10, and the density of the bundle of letters is determined by the trailing edge of the letter. High on the side and low on the tip side. In this state, since the compressed air is blown from the blowing nozzles 5A and 5B from the frame 14 and the guide 25 to the leading end side, a gap is formed between the letters on the leading end side of the letter.
[0039]
On the other hand, since the density of the letter is high on the rear end side of the letter, a gap is hardly generated by the pressurized air. Therefore, the letters come into contact with each other on the rear end side, and a frictional force is exerted by the force pressed against the roller 10. This frictional force is a resistance force against the conveyed letter, but in the present invention, the position of the roller and the spring connected to the roller so that the frictional force is somewhat larger than the weight of the letter. Since the strength is set and the conveying force acting on the letter to be delivered is set to be larger than this resistance force, it does not interfere with the delivery of the letter, but rather the delivery of the bundle of letters to be delivered. The part near the side is prevented from dropping excessively from the height position of the loading platform. In a device that delivers letters in a horizontal or near horizontal direction, this effect is even greater because gravity does not act in the feeding direction.
[0040]
In the present embodiment, the protruding amount of the rear roller is set to be larger than the protruding amount of the front roller 10. In this way, when a bundle of letters on the loading table is sent by a feeding means such as a fork 9, double feed is less likely to occur as the protruding amount is larger at the leading portion of the bundle. However, if the amount of protrusion is large, there is no gap when a letter in the middle of a bundle is fed out, so there is a slight occurrence of a double feed due to the transport force acting on the following letter at the trailing edge of the letter. For this reason, in this embodiment, the amount of protrusion of the back side roller 10 and the near side roller 10 is made different so that a gap is also formed in the portion on the rear end side of the letter. As a result, the above-mentioned problems can be solved, and the double feed can be further reduced.
[0041]
If the protruding amount of the protruding roller 10 is too larger than the gap dimension between the feeding belt 2 and the guide 18, the above-mentioned pressing force increases, so that the resistance force also increases, and there are cases where it cannot be conveyed, or the letter falls back. Therefore, conversely, it may be difficult to generate a gap between letters. Therefore, it is desirable that the protruding amount of the roller 10 be smaller than the gap size between the feeding belt 2 and the guide 18.
[0042]
If the protruding amount of the protruding roller 10 is too larger than the gap dimension between the feeding belt 2 and the guide 18, the above-mentioned pressing force increases, so that the resistance force also increases, and there are cases where it cannot be conveyed, or the letter falls back. Therefore, conversely, it may be difficult to generate a gap between letters. Therefore, it is desirable that the protruding amount of the roller 10 be smaller than the gap size between the feeding belt 2 and the guide 18.
[0043]
By the way, depending on the state of the letter on the loading table and the feed amount of the fork, the leading end of the letter bundle near the feeding belt 2 may be wedge-shaped and enter the space immediately before the separation roller. At this time, a resistance force from the separation roller 4 acts on most letters, and since this resistance force is larger than the feeding force acting from the letters to be fed out, these letters are not entrained and sent, but the leading edge of the letter Since there is no gap between the letters of the part, double feeding may occur.
[0044]
Therefore, in order to prevent the occurrence of this double feed, the projection lever 7 is provided corresponding to the corner portion on the leading end side of the letter. That is, the corner on the leading end side of the letter that has become wedge-shaped and has dropped to the vicinity of the separation roller is separated from the adsorption surface by the protruding lever 7, and the letter corresponding to the adsorption surface is adsorbed by the feeding belt. In the letter S1 to be fed out, a three-dimensional deformation occurs in which the portion corresponding to the suction surface is recessed. In the present embodiment, since the protruding roller 10 is provided at the corner on the rear end side of the letter, the rear end side of the letter is also separated from the suction surface, so that three-dimensional deformation is more likely to occur.
[0045]
On the other hand, the suction or suction force from the chamber 3 does not act on the letter S2 following the letter S1 adsorbed on the feeding belt 2. Accordingly, a three-dimensional deformation in which a portion corresponding to the suction surface is depressed is less likely to occur, resulting in a two-dimensional deformation state close to a simple bending deformation. At this time, a gap G is formed between the thin letter S1 adsorbed by the feeding belt 2 and the subsequent letter S2 in the recessed portion as shown in FIG. Since the pressure air is blown from the blowing nozzle 5B into this gap, a large peeling force acts between the letters S1 and S2. Accordingly, the portion of the bundle of letters in the vicinity of the feeding belt 2 is in a state in which a gap is formed between the letters, and it is easy to prevent double feeding in which letters are taken out.
[0046]
At this time, it is more effective to blow pressurized air into the letter gap G from the conveying direction. Therefore, you may provide the nozzle 35 which blows in pressurized air from the conveyance direction of a letter. Of course, this effect is effective not only for a wedge-shaped letter but also for a letter that has not dropped excessively.
[0047]
If the strength of the pressure air blown from the blowing nozzle is excessively strong, the letter on the loading table 1 is blown off or the posture during separation is disturbed. Therefore, in this embodiment, the strength of the pressure air from the blowing nozzle is adjusted so that the letter is not blown out and the posture is not disturbed. On the other hand, if the spring force connected to the protrusion lever 7 or the detection lever 6 is excessively large, the lever is not pushed in completely, and a particularly thick letter is not attracted to the feeding belt 2 and the feeding is poor. Accordingly, in the present embodiment, the springs of the detection lever 6 and the protruding lever 7 are attached so that a thick letter can be pressed against the feeding belt 2. Of course, the lever 7 may be fixed. In the present embodiment, the roller 10 is also retractable, but it is needless to say that this may be a fixed type.
[0048]
【The invention's effect】
According to the present invention, it is possible to reliably generate a gap between the fed paper sheets, and to reduce double feeding during separation.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an outline of a letter separating apparatus as an embodiment of a paper sheet separating apparatus.
FIG. 2 is another explanatory diagram of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating positions of a feeding belt and a separation roller in the present embodiment.
FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a mounting state of a protruding lever in the present embodiment.
FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing a deformed state of a letter at the time of separation.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Loading platform, 2 ... Feeding belt, 3 ... Chamber, 4 ... Separation roller, 5 ... Outlet nozzle, 6 ... Detection lever, 7 ... Protrusion lever, 8 ... Feed belt, 9 ... Fork, 10 ... Projection roller, 12 ... Detection lever sensor, 13 ... letter position detection sensor, 14 ... frame, 18 ... guide, 34 ... auxiliary guide, 35 ... blowing nozzle.

Claims (2)

A stacking unit for stacking bundled paper sheets, a feeding unit for sequentially feeding out the paper sheets on the stacking unit, and a bundle of paper sheets on the stacking unit in the direction of the feeding unit. A feeding unit for feeding, a chamber in which the inside of the stacking unit sucks in the direction of the feeding unit, and the inside of the feeding unit is negatively adsorbed and fed out by the feeding unit; The paper sheet on the stacking means is a resistance means for preventing paper sheets adjacent to the paper sheet to be fed out simultaneously when the paper sheets are attracted and fed out by the feeding means. A contact means for detecting the adsorption to the feeding means and a blowing means for blowing pressurized air in the vicinity of the foremost portion of the paper sheets on the stacking means, and the contact between the feeding means and the paper sheets to be fed out Product from surface position Protruding means for deforming the paper sheet that is projected to the means side and sent to the vicinity of the feeding means is provided corresponding to both the rear end side corners opposite to the feeding direction of the paper sheet, The paper sheet separating apparatus is characterized in that the protruding amount of the protruding means is different. In a paper sheet separating apparatus in which a gravity component acts on a fed paper sheet in a transport direction, a stacking unit for stacking bundled paper sheets, and a paper sheet on the stacking unit in order. A feeding means for feeding, a feeding means for feeding a bundle of sheets on the stacking means in the direction of the feeding means, a sheet on the stacking means being sucked in the direction of the feeding means, and the feeding; A chamber in which the inside is negative pressure so that the paper sheet is attracted and fed out by the means, and a paper sheet adjacent to the paper sheet that is fed out when the paper sheet is attracted and fed out by the feeding means Resistance means for preventing the paper from being fed out simultaneously, detection means for detecting that the paper sheets on the stacking means are adsorbed to the feeding means, and blowing pressurized air near the frontmost part of the paper sheets on the stacking means Blowing means A first projecting means for deforming the paper sheets adsorbed by the feeding means, attached to the feeding means so as to protrude from the contact surface where the feeding means and the paper sheets to be fed come into contact with each other; At least one paper sheet is provided in correspondence with the leading edge of the paper sheet. The paper sheet is fed from the position of the contact surface where the paper sheet to be fed contacts with the feeding means, and is sent to the vicinity of the feeding means. An apparatus for separating paper sheets, characterized in that at least one second projecting means for deforming the received paper sheets is provided in correspondence with a rear end side corner of the sent paper sheets.

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