JP5562537B2 - Paper sheet sorting apparatus, paper sheet processing apparatus, and paper sheet sorting method - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to, for example, a paper sheet sorting apparatus, a paper sheet handling apparatus, and a paper sheet sorting method that are applied to a mail processing apparatus and sort mail according to its thickness.

  In a mail processing apparatus, a plurality of types of mail having different thicknesses supplied from a supply unit are put into a sorting device and sorted according to the thickness, and then a mail having a desired thickness is conveyed to Based on the category information, the category is accumulated in the category box.

  As a sorting device, a sorting area is formed by arranging a long sorting blade along the inner peripheral surface of the rotating drum in a cylindrical shape with the end portions in the width direction overlapping each other with a gap therebetween. What is formed is known.

  In this sorting apparatus, by rotating the sorting blade around the center of the sorting area based on the rotation of the rotating drum, a mail piece that is thinner than the gap among the plurality of pieces having different thicknesses in the sorting area is removed from the gap. It is made to pass and sort (for example, refer to patent documents 1).

  By the way, in the rotary type sorting apparatus described above, when a large amount of mail items are put together in the sorting area, it is impossible to break the chunks of the mail items even if the sorting blade is rotated and moved. There was a problem that sorting became difficult.

Therefore, in the past, by increasing the length of the sorting blade of the sorting device or increasing the diameter of the sorting area, the number of opportunities for mail to reach the gap between the sorting blades is increased, and the sorting processing capability is increased. I try to keep it.
JP 2000-255761 A

  However, when the length of the sorting blade is increased or the diameter of the sorting area is increased as in the prior art, there is a problem that the apparatus becomes larger and the cost increases, and a large installation space is required.

  The present invention has been made by paying attention to the above circumstances, and its object is to increase the sorting capacity without increasing the size, reduce the cost, and reduce the installation space. An object of the present invention is to provide a paper sorting device, a paper sheet processing device, and a paper sheet sorting method.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the invention according to claim 1 is a rotating drum and a plurality of paper sheets having different thicknesses by being disposed in a cylindrical shape along the inner peripheral surface of the rotating drum. A plurality of sorting blades that form a sorting area for feeding the sheet, and whose end portions in the width direction are overlapped with a gap between each other, and the amount of paper sheets that are put into the sorting area of the rotating drum A plurality of sheets of paper having different thicknesses that have been thrown into the sorting area by rotating and moving the sorting blade around the center of the sorting area by rotationally driving the rotating drum; The rotation state of the rotating drum changes while the driving means for passing a paper sheet thinner than the gap through the gap and the input amount measuring means are measuring a predetermined amount or more of the paper sheets. To control the drive of the drive means ; And a stage.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a supply means for supplying a plurality of paper sheets having different thicknesses, a rotary drum provided on the paper supply side of the supply means, and an inner peripheral surface of the rotary drum. Are arranged in a cylindrical shape along the line to form a sorting area for feeding a plurality of paper sheets having different thicknesses, and the end portions in the width direction are overlapped with a gap between each other. A sorting blade, an input amount measuring means for measuring an input amount of paper sheets to be put into the sorting area of the rotating drum, and rotating the rotating drum to rotate the sorting blade to the center of the sorting area. A driving means for rotating the paper around the paper sheet and passing paper sheets thinner than the gap among the plurality of paper sheets of different thickness fed into the sorting area; and the input amount measuring means. while measuring the quantitation or more paper sheets, the rotating Dora Control means for controlling the drive of the drive means so that the rotational state of the paper changes, a transport means for transporting paper sheets fed from the rotary drum through a gap between the sorting blades, and by the transport means Sorting and accumulating means for sorting and accumulating the transported paper sheets based on the sorting information;

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a sorting region in which a plurality of sorting blades are arranged in a cylindrical shape along the inner peripheral surface of the rotating drum so that the end portions in the width direction overlap each other with a gap therebetween. Forming a plurality of paper sheets having different thicknesses into the sorting area, and measuring the amount of paper sheets fed into the sorting area of the rotating drum by the feeding amount measuring means. And rotating the rotating drum by a driving means to rotate the sorting blade around the center of the sorting area, and among the plurality of paper sheets of different thickness thrown into the sorting area The driving means is configured to allow a paper sheet thinner than the gap to pass through the gap and to change the rotation state of the rotary drum while the input amount measuring means measures a paper sheet of a predetermined amount or more. Controlling the drive of To Bei.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to increase the sorting capacity without increasing the size, reduce the cost, and reduce the installation space of the paper sheet sorting device, the paper sheet handling device, and the paper sheet sorting. Can provide a method.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to embodiments shown in the drawings.
FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram showing a mail processing apparatus as a paper sheet processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

  In the figure, reference numeral 1 denotes a transfer conveyer that receives and conveys a postal letter (hereinafter referred to as a letter) as a large number of sheets fed in a lump. The unloading side of the conveyer 1 receives the letter. A hopper conveyor 2 is provided as supply means for conveying upward.

  On the carry-out side of the hopper conveyor 2, there is provided a rotary letter sorter 3 according to the present invention that receives letters dropped from the hopper conveyor 2 and sorts the thickness thereof. On the carry-out side of the letter sorter 3, a take-out device 4 for taking out letters one by one is provided. The letter taken out from the take-out device 4 is conveyed along the conveyance path. Then, sequentially along the conveying direction of the letter, the width selection unit 6, the hardness selection unit 7, the thickness detection unit 8, the exclusion unit 9, the address reading unit 10, the switchback unit 11, the upside down unit 12, and the stamp unit 13 A front / back reversing unit 14, a barcode reading unit 15, and a sorting / stacking unit 16 as sorting / stacking means are provided.

  The letters that are put together on the conveyor 1 are sent out onto the hopper conveyor 2 as the conveyor 1 travels. This letter is conveyed upward by the travel of the hopper conveyor 2 and is put into the letter sorter 3. The letter put into the letter sorter 3 is subjected to thickness sorting and sent out as will be described in detail later. The sent letters are taken out one by one by the take-out device 4 and conveyed to the width selecting unit 6 for width selection, and then conveyed to the hardness selecting unit 7 for hardness selection. The selected letter is sent to the thickness detection unit 8 to detect the thickness, and a letter of a predetermined thickness or more is eliminated by the exclusion unit 9. The letter that has not been rejected is sent to the address reading unit 10, where the address is read, and then conveyed to the stamping unit 13 via the switchback unit 11 and the upside down unit 12 for stamping. The stamped letter is sent to the bar code reading unit 15 via the front / back reversing unit 14, and after the bar code is read, it is classified and accumulated in the sorting / accumulating unit 16 based on the read information.

  FIG. 2 is an external view showing the rotary letter sorter 3 described above.

  As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the letter sorting apparatus 3 includes a rotating drum 21, and a plurality of long sorting blades 22 are integrally formed along the inner peripheral surface of the rotating drum 21. It is arranged. The plurality of sorting blades 22 are arranged in a cylindrical shape with their widthwise ends overlapped with each other to form a sorting region 24, and the overlapping portions of each sorting blade 22 are as shown in FIG. A gap 25 is formed. Letters P1 and P2 thinner than the gap 25 can pass through the gap 25, but letter P3 thicker than the gap 25 cannot pass through the gap 25. Further, a remaining amount detection sensor 42 as a remaining amount detecting means for optically detecting the remaining amount of the letter is provided in the sorting area 24 described above.

  As shown in FIG. 4, a drive motor 28 is connected to the rotary drum 21 via a power transmission mechanism 27, and the rotary drum 21 is rotated counterclockwise by the drive motor 28. The plurality of sorting blades 22 are rotated around the center of the sorting area 24 based on the rotation of the rotary drum 21.

  The rotating drum 21 and the sorting area 24 are disposed so as to be inclined so that the letter receiving side is high and the counter-accepting side is low. By rotating, the letter can be moved along the inner bottom surface to the counter-accepting side and discharged. It has become.

  A chute part 30 for guiding letters P1 and P2 discharged from the rotary drum 21 is provided on the opposite side of the rotary drum 21. A letter P1 and P2 are taken out from the chute part 30 toward the take-out device 4. A conveying conveyor 31 is provided as a conveying means for conveying.

  A chute 33 for guiding the letter P3 discharged from the sorting area 24 is provided on the opposite side of the sorting area 24, and an accumulation part 34 for collecting the letter P3 is provided below the chute 33. Yes.

  By the way, on the upper side of the hopper conveyor 2, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, there is a first sensor such as an ultrasonic sensor as a first measuring means for detecting the amount of letters conveyed by the hopper conveyor 2. A quantity detection sensor 36 is provided, and a second quantity detection sensor 37 such as an ultrasonic sensor as a second measuring means for detecting the quantity of letters conveyed by the conveyance conveyor 31 is provided on the upper side of the conveyance conveyor 31. Is provided.

  Further, the hopper conveyor 2 described above is stretched between the driving roller 43 and the driven rollers 44 and 45 as shown in FIG. The drive roller 43 is rotationally driven by a drive motor 46 so that the hopper conveyor 2 travels in the direction of the arrow.

  The first and second amount detection sensors 36 and 37 and the above-described remaining amount detection sensor 42 are connected to a control unit 40 as control means via a transmission circuit as shown in FIG. The drive motor 28 of the rotary drum 21 and the drive motor 46 of the hopper conveyor 2 described above are connected via a circuit.

  When the detected amount of the letter transmitted from the first amount detection sensor 36 is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, that is, when the first amount detection sensor 36 detects a large number of letters at once, the control unit 40 rotates the drive motor 28. The rotational speed of the sorting blade 22 is increased or decreased by increasing or decreasing the speed. By controlling the rotational speed, it is possible to give an impact to the lump of letters that are put in a large amount into the sorting area 24 at a time and break it.

  In addition, when the detected amount of the letter transmitted from the second amount detection sensor 37 exceeds a predetermined value, the control unit 40 determines that a letter exceeding the sorting capacity has been input into the sorting area 24. Thus, the rotational movement of the sorting blade 22 by the drive motor 28 is stopped.

  Furthermore, the control unit 40 stops the control for increasing or decreasing the rotational speed of the rotating drum 21 based on the remaining amount detection sensor 42 detecting a remaining amount equal to or less than a predetermined amount.

  In addition, when the remaining amount detection sensor 42 detects a remaining amount equal to or greater than a predetermined amount, the control unit 40 determines that the amount of letters input from the hopper conveyor 2 is too large and determines that the drive motor 46 for the hopper conveyor 46 The operation is stopped to stop the letter input.

  Next, the sorting operation of the letter sorter 3 will be described.

  First, the drive motor 28 is rotated to rotate and move the plurality of sorting blades 22 around the center of the sorting area 24, and the gaps 25 between the sorting blades 22 are moved forward. From this state, a plurality of types of letters having different thicknesses are transported as shown in FIG.

  The letter placed in the sorting area 24 is dropped onto the sorting blade 22 constituting the lower side of the sorting area 24 and then conveyed so as to be scraped upward obliquely as the sorting blade 22 moves. . As a result, the letter is moved by its own weight toward the gap 25 between the sorting blades 22. Of the letters P 1 to P 3, letters P 1 and P 2 thinner than the gap 25 pass through the gap 25 and are sent out from the sorting area 24 into the rotary drum 21 in the gap 25 between the sorting blades 22. In addition, the letter P3 thicker than the gap 25 is not sent out to the rotary drum 21 but is led to the opposite side of the sorting area 24 and discharged, and is accumulated in the accumulating unit 34 via the chute 33. In this way, the thin letters P1, P2 having a predetermined thickness or less and the thick letters P3 are selected.

  By the way, when a large number of letters are put together in the sorting area 24 at the time of sorting, even if the sorting blade 22 rotates at a constant speed, the chunk of letters cannot be broken. For this reason, the thin letters P1, P2 are obstructed by the thick letter P3, and the chance of reaching the sorting blade 22 is reduced. As a result, the thin letters P1, P2 cannot pass through the gap 25 between the sorting blades 22 and may be removed together with the thick letter P3.

Therefore, in this embodiment, the amount of letters put into the sorting area 24 is detected by the first amount detection sensor 36, and when the detected amount exceeds a predetermined value, the control unit 40 rotates the drive motor 28. The rotational speed of the sorting blade 22 is increased or decreased by increasing or decreasing the speed. This
An impact can be applied to the pile of letters put into the sorting area 24 as shown in FIG. Accordingly, it is possible to shorten the time until the letters P1 and P2 reach the sorting blade 22 and increase the chances, and to pass the thin letters P1 and P2 through the gap 25 without fail from the sorting area 24 to the rotary drum 21. Can be sent to.

  The thin letters P1 and P2 sent to the rotary drum 21 are discharged to the transfer conveyor 31 via the chute 30 and transferred to the take-out device 4.

  In addition, when the remaining amount detection sensor 42 detects a remaining amount of a predetermined amount or more during the above-described letter sorting operation, the control unit 40 sends the amount of letters put into the sorting area 24 by the hopper conveyor 2. It is judged that there are too many, and the drive of the drive motor 46 for hopper conveyors is stopped. As a result, the travel of the hopper conveyor 2 is stopped, and insertion of letters into the sorting area 24 is stopped.

  On the other hand, the amount of letters conveyed to the take-out device 4 via the conveyor 31 is detected by the second amount detection sensor 37. When the amount of letters detected by the second amount detection sensor 37 exceeds a predetermined amount, the control unit 40 determines that a letter exceeding the sorting capacity has been input into the sorting area 24 and drives the drive motor 28. Is stopped to stop the rotational movement of the sorting blade 22.

  The remaining amount of letters in the sorting area 24 is detected by the remaining amount detecting sensor 42. When the remaining amount falls below a predetermined amount, the control unit 40 does not need to control to increase or decrease the rotational movement speed of the sorting blade 22. Determination is made to stop the drive motor 28 and the rotational movement of the sorting blade 22 is stopped.

  As described above, according to this embodiment, when the amount of letters put into the sorting area 24 of the rotary drum 21 is detected by the first amount detection sensor 36 to be a predetermined amount or more, the sorting blade In order to increase / decrease the rotational movement speed of 22, it is possible to give an impact to the lump of letters put in the sorting area 24 and break it. Accordingly, it is possible to shorten the time until the letters P1 and P2 reach the sorting blade 22, and to increase the chances, and the thin letters P1 and P2 are surely passed through the gap 25 without being enlarged. can do.

  In addition, when the remaining amount detection sensor 42 detects a remaining amount of a predetermined amount or more during the letter sorting operation, the control unit 40 has an excessive amount of letters put into the sorting area 24 by the hopper conveyor 2. Therefore, the letter insertion is stopped and the letter is not clogged in the sorting area 24.

  In addition, when the amount of letters that have been sorted and sent out toward the take-out device 4 is detected by the second quantity detection sensor 37 to be greater than or equal to a predetermined quantity, letters that exceed the capacity are put into the sorting area 24. Since the drive of the drive motor 28 is determined to be determined, an appropriate amount of letters can be sent to the take-out device 4, and there is no possibility of clogging the letters in the post-processing step.

  Furthermore, when the sorting process advances and the remaining amount of letters in the sorting area 24 decreases, the drive speed control of the drive motor 28 is stopped, so that useless drive control can be prevented and power consumption can be reduced.

  In the above embodiment, the rotation speed of the rotary drum 21 is increased or decreased to break up the chunk of letters. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and by repeatedly starting and stopping the rotary drum 21, Or you may make it break the lump of letters by carrying out forward / reverse rotation.

  Further, the rotational speed of the rotating drum 21 is not controlled by measuring the amount of letters using the first amount detection sensor 36, but the rotational speed of the rotating drum 21 is automatically changed periodically. Also good.

  Note that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment as it is, and can be embodied by modifying the constituent elements without departing from the scope of the invention in the implementation stage. Various inventions can be formed by appropriately combining a plurality of constituent elements disclosed in the above-described embodiments. For example, you may delete some components from all the components shown by embodiment mentioned above. Furthermore, you may combine the component covering different embodiment suitably.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The external appearance perspective view which shows the mail processing apparatus which is one embodiment of this invention generally. The perspective view which shows the letter sorter | selector of the mail processing apparatus of FIG. The side view which shows the rotating drum of the letter sorter | selector of FIG. The front view which shows the rotating drum of FIG. The figure which shows the arrangement configuration of the selection blade of the rotating drum of FIG. The block diagram which shows the drive control system of the letter sorter | selector of FIG. The figure which shows the state in which the letter was thrown in collectively in the selection area | region comprised by the selection blade of FIG. The figure which shows the state by which the lump of the letter put into the selection area | region of FIG. 7 was destroyed.

Explanation of symbols

    P1, P2, P3 ... letters (paper sheets), 2 ... hopper conveyor (feeding means), 16 ... sorting / stacking section (sorting / stacking means), 21 ... rotating drum, 22 ... sorting blade, 24 ... sorting area, 25 ... Gap, 31 ... conveying conveyor (conveying means), 36 ... first amount detecting sensor (first measuring means), 37 ... second amount detecting sensor (second measuring means), 40 ... control unit (control means) ), 42... Remaining amount detection sensor (remaining amount detecting means).

Claims (6)

A rotating drum,
By being arranged in a cylindrical shape along the inner peripheral surface in this rotating drum, a sorting area for feeding a plurality of paper sheets having different thicknesses is formed, and the end portions in the width direction are mutually connected. A plurality of sorting blades overlapped with a gap between them;
An input amount measuring means for measuring an input amount of paper sheets to be input into the selection area of the rotating drum,
By rotating and driving the rotating drum, the sorting blade is rotated around the center of the sorting area, and the paper thinner than the gap among the plurality of paper sheets having different thicknesses fed into the sorting area. Drive means for passing leaves through the gap;
Control means for controlling the driving of the driving means so that the rotation state of the rotating drum changes while the input amount measuring means measures a paper sheet of a predetermined amount or more. Paper sheet sorting device. A feed amount measuring means for measuring the amount of paper sheets fed from the rotary drum through the gap of the sorting blade;
The said control means controls the drive of the said drive means so that rotation of the said rotating drum may be stopped based on the said sending amount measurement means measuring the paper sheets more than predetermined amount. The paper sheet sorting apparatus according to 1. The said control means controls the drive of the said drive means so that the rotational speed of the said rotating drum may increase / decrease, or it may rotate intermittently, or it may rotate forward / reversely. The paper sheet sorting apparatus according to 1. Supply means for supplying a plurality of paper sheets of different thicknesses;
A rotating drum provided on the paper supply side of the supply means;
By being arranged in a cylindrical shape along the inner peripheral surface in this rotating drum, a sorting area for feeding a plurality of paper sheets having different thicknesses is formed, and the end portions in the width direction are mutually connected. A plurality of sorting blades overlapped with a gap between them;
An input amount measuring means for measuring an input amount of paper sheets to be input into the selection area of the rotating drum,
By rotating and driving the rotating drum, the sorting blade is rotated around the center of the sorting area, and the paper thinner than the gap among the plurality of paper sheets having different thicknesses fed into the sorting area. Drive means for passing leaves through the gap;
Control means for controlling the driving of the driving means so that the rotation state of the rotating drum changes while the input amount measuring means measures a paper sheet of a predetermined amount or more;
Conveying means for conveying paper sheets fed from the rotating drum through a gap between the sorting blades;
A paper sheet processing apparatus, comprising: a paper sheet stacking unit that performs paper sheet transporting by the transporting unit based on the sorting information. A remaining amount detecting means for detecting the remaining amount of paper sheets in the selection area of the rotating drum;
5. The control unit according to claim 4, wherein the control unit controls the supply operation of the paper sheet by the supply unit based on detection of the remaining amount equal to or greater than a predetermined amount. The paper sheet processing apparatus as described. A plurality of sorting blades are arranged in a cylindrical shape along the inner peripheral surface of the rotating drum so that the end portions in the width direction overlap each other with a gap therebetween, thereby forming a sorting region. Putting a plurality of paper sheets of different thicknesses into
Measuring the input amount of paper sheets to be input into the selection area of the rotating drum by an input amount measuring means;
By rotating the rotary drum by a driving means, the sorting blade is rotated around the center of the sorting area, and the plurality of paper sheets having different thicknesses fed into the sorting area are removed from the gap. Passing a thin paper sheet through the gap,
And controlling the driving of the driving means so that the rotation state of the rotating drum changes while the input amount measuring means measures a paper sheet of a predetermined amount or more. Leaf sorting method.

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