JP5808032B2 - Paper folding device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a paper folding device, and more particularly, to a paper folding device that folds a paper into a bellows shape by alternately folding a mountain and a valley at right angles to a paper feeding direction.

In the prior art, a paper folding device is known in which a paper is sandwiched between a pair of folding rollers so that the paper is alternately folded in a hill and a valley at right angles to the paper feeding direction and folded in a bellows shape (for example, (See Patent Documents 1 and 2).
FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of this type of paper folding apparatus. In FIG. 7, A is a paper feeding unit, B is a transport unit, and C is a paper folding unit. The paper feeding unit A includes a paper stacking table 1 on which a bundle of sheets can be moved up and down, and a roller 2 that feeds the uppermost sheet P of the sheet bundle placed on the paper stacking table 1. Then, the uppermost sheet P is sent out to the transport unit B one by one. The transport unit B includes a transport belt 3 that transports the paper P supplied from the paper feed unit A to the paper folding unit C, and a roller group 4 that suppresses the lifting of the paper P from the transport belt 3.

  The paper folding section C has a plurality of buckles b1 to b4, and the buckles b1 to b4 are provided with stoppers S1 to S4 whose positions can be adjusted. A pair of rotationally driven take-in rollers W, W1; W, W2; W2, W3; W3, W4 for taking the paper P into the buckles b1 to b4 are arranged in the vicinity of the entrances of the buckles b1 to b4. Further, a pair of rotationally driven discharge rollers W, W2; W2, W3; W3, W4 for folding the portion of the paper P introduced into the buckles b1 to b4 that protrudes outside the buckles b1 to b4. W4 and W5 are opposed to each other.

  The discharge roller related to the previous buckle simultaneously functions as a take-in roller related to the next buckle, and the paper P is sequentially introduced into a plurality of buckles and is alternately perpendicular to the paper feeding direction by the number corresponding to the number of bucks. Mountain folds and valley folds are folded into a bellows shape.

  That is, when the paper folding operation is performed, the stoppers S1 to S4 are fixed at positions corresponding to the paper folding positions. Then, the paper P sent from the transport unit B is drawn between the pair of rollers W and W1, and the leading end of the paper P is introduced into the buckle b1. When the leading edge of the paper P comes into contact with the stopper S1 of the buckle b1, the paper P bends in the vicinity of the entrance of the buckle b1, the bent portion is drawn between the pair of rollers W2 and W, and the paper P is folded to one side. .

Next, the folded sheet P is introduced into the buckle b2 with the fold as a leading end. When the leading edge of the paper P introduced into the buckle b2 comes into contact with the stopper S2, the paper P is bent at the entrance of the buckle b2, and the bent portion is drawn between the pair of rollers W2 and W3. Folded to the other side. In this way, the paper P is folded at two places. In the same manner, the paper P is sequentially folded by the pair of rollers W2 and W3, the pair of rollers W3 and W4, and the buckle b3, and by the movable roller W3, the movable roller W4, the movable roller W5, and the buckle b4.
In this way, the paper folded in a mountain-fold and valley-fold alternately at right angles to the paper feeding direction and folded in a bellows shape is discharged from the apparatus.

  According to this apparatus, the length of each fold of a bellows-like paper can be freely set by adjusting the positions of the stoppers S1 to S4 provided on the buckles b1 to b4. And in order to obtain the bellows-like paper folded equally (the length of each fold piece is equal), about all the stoppers S1-S4, from the stoppers S1-S4 to the entrance of the buckle b1-b4 concerned. The positions of the stoppers S1 to S4 are set so that the distances are the same.

  However, the speed at which the paper P comes into contact with the stoppers S1 to S4 is slightly different for each of the stoppers S1 to S4, and the stiffness and the bending of the paper P are slightly different for each paper. Therefore, a folding error may occur in which the last folded piece of the obtained bellows-like paper is longer or shorter than the remaining folded pieces.

  In such a case, in the prior art, the difference between the length of the last fold piece and the length of the remaining fold piece is measured. Based on the measurement result, the length to be actually folded for each of the buckles b1 to b4. The positions of the stoppers S1 to S4 were set again while taking into account the excess and deficiency. However, this resetting operation of the stopper requires skill and considerable time.

JP 2001-88227 A Japanese Patent No. 3253669

  Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a paper folding apparatus that can easily and quickly reset the position of the stopper when a folding error occurs in the process of folding the paper uniformly in a bellows shape.

  In order to solve the above-described problems, according to the present invention, a paper folding device that alternately folds a paper into a mountain and a valley at right angles to the paper feeding direction and folds the paper uniformly into a bellows shape. And a paper folding unit configured to fold the paper supplied from the paper feeding unit at a right angle to a paper feeding direction. The paper feeding unit includes a shelf including the paper stack, the shelf, and the shelf. A conveyance belt extending between the folding sections, and a sheet feeder that sequentially feeds the sheets from the sheet stack of the shelf onto the conveyance belt, and the folding section is a sheet fed from the conveyance belt Are sequentially introduced to each of the plurality of buckles, and stoppers are slidably disposed along the paper introduction direction, and the leading edge of the paper introduced into the buckles is the stopper. Abut Thus, the paper is positioned at a predetermined folding position, and the paper folding portion is further provided in each of the plurality of buckles, and a stopper driving mechanism that slides the stopper; A pair of rotationally driven take-in rollers that are disposed in the vicinity of the respective inlets of the plurality of buckles, and that are opposed to each other in the vicinity of the respective inlets of the plurality of buckles, and are introduced into the buckles. A pair of rotationally driven discharge rollers for folding a portion of the sheet that protrudes outside the buckle, and the discharge roller for the previous buckle simultaneously functions as the take-in roller for the next buckle The sheet is sequentially introduced into the plurality of buckles, and is folded a number of times corresponding to the number of the buckles. The paper folding apparatus includes a control unit that controls each of the stopper driving mechanisms of the paper folding unit, and the control unit includes the last folded piece of the bellows-like paper in which a folding error has occurred and the remaining folded pieces. When the value of the length difference is divided by the number of buckles, and the last piece is longer than the remaining pieces, the stopper Send a control command to each of the drive mechanisms to slide the relevant stoppers away from the relevant buckle entrance by the length value obtained by the division, in order to make the length difference zero. On the other hand, when the last fold piece is shorter than the remaining fold pieces, for each of the stopper drive mechanisms, the relevant stopper was obtained by the division to make the length difference zero. Of length There is provided a paper folding device characterized by sending a control command to slide in a direction approaching the entrance of a buckle that is related to the value.

  According to the present invention, there is provided a control unit that performs overall control of the stopper driving mechanism of each buckle of the paper folding device, and when a folding error occurs in the step of folding the paper equally into a bellows, the last folding of the bellows-like paper is performed. The position of each buckle stopper is automatically reset to compensate for the folding error just by inputting the value of the length difference between the piece and the remaining piece into the control unit. When an error occurs, the stopper position can be reset easily and in a short time.

It is a figure which shows schematic structure of the paper folding apparatus by one Example of this invention. It is an enlarged view which shows the structure of the paper folding part of the paper folding apparatus shown by FIG. It is a perspective view which illustrates the paper folded by the paper folding apparatus shown by FIG. 1 in the shape of a bellows. It is a figure which shows one of the display screens of the touchscreen display of the paper folding apparatus shown by FIG. It is a figure which shows one of the display screens of the touchscreen display of the paper folding apparatus shown by FIG. It is a figure which shows one of the display screens of the touchscreen display of the paper folding apparatus shown by FIG. It is a figure which shows schematic structure of the conventional paper folding apparatus.

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a paper folding device according to one embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is an enlarged view showing a configuration of a paper folding unit of the paper folding device shown in FIG.
Referring to FIG. 1, a paper folding apparatus according to the present invention includes a paper feeding unit A that sequentially supplies paper P from a paper stack M, and a paper that folds the paper P supplied from the paper feeding unit A at right angles to the paper feeding direction. Folded part B is provided.

  The paper feeding unit A includes an up and down shelf 1 on which the paper stack M is placed, a transport belt 2 extending between the shelf 1 and the paper folding unit B, and the top of the paper stack M placed on the shelf 1. Paper feeder 3 which sequentially feeds the paper P onto the conveyor belt 2. In this embodiment, the paper feeder 3 is composed of a rotationally driven roller disposed above the front end of the shelf 1. In the figure, reference numeral 4 denotes an idle roller group that suppresses the lifting of the paper P from the transport belt 2.

  The paper folding section B introduces the paper P into a plurality of buckles into which the paper P supplied from the conveyor belt 2 is sequentially introduced, in this embodiment, four buckles b1 to b4 and four buckles b1 to b4. It has stoppers S1 to S4 arranged so as to be slidable along the direction. In this case, each of the buckles b1 to b4 is provided with a guide rail (not shown) extending in parallel thereto, and the stoppers S1 to S4 are slidably attached to the guide rail. Then, the leading edge of the paper P introduced into the buckles b1 to b4 comes into contact with the stoppers S1 to S4, thereby positioning the paper P at a predetermined folding position.

The paper folding portion B further includes stopper driving mechanisms d1 to d4 that are provided on the buckles b1 to b4 and slide the stoppers S1 to S4.
Referring to FIG. 2, stopper drive mechanisms d1 to d4 are parallel to buckles b1 to b4 in this embodiment, and are supported by a screw shaft 5 of a ball screw rotatably supported around the axis, and buckle b1. The motor 6 that rotates the screw shaft 5 and is attached to the stoppers S1 to S4 and includes a nut (not shown) that is paired with the screw shaft 5 of the ball screw. The stoppers S1 to S4 are nuts. And screwed into the screw shaft 5.
Then, when the motor 6 rotates in the forward and reverse directions, the stoppers S1 to S4 are displaced in a direction toward or away from the inlets e of the related buckles b1 to b4.

The configuration of the stopper drive mechanisms d1 to d4 is not limited to this embodiment. For example, instead of the combination of a ball screw and a motor, the stopper drive mechanisms d1 to d4 are stretched between a pair of pulleys and extend parallel to the buckles b1 to b4. A combination of an endless belt and a motor that rotates one of the pulleys may be used to fix the stoppers S1 to S4 to the endless belt.
The stopper driving mechanisms d1 to d4 are comprehensively controlled by the control unit C.

  In the vicinity of the entrance e of each buckle b1 to b4, a pair of rotationally driven take-in rollers W, W1; W, W2; W2, W3; W3, W4 for taking the paper P into the buckles b1 to b4 are opposed to each other. In addition, a pair of rotationally driven discharge rollers W, W2; W2, W3; W3, W4 for folding portions of the paper P introduced into the buckles b1 to b4 that protrude outside the buckles b1 to b4. W4 and W5 are opposed to each other.

  The discharge roller related to the previous buckle simultaneously functions as a take-in roller related to the next buckle, and the paper P is sequentially introduced into a plurality of buckles and is alternately perpendicular to the paper feeding direction by the number corresponding to the number of bucks. Mountain folds and valley folds are folded into a bellows shape.

  That is, the paper P that has been sent on the transport belt 2 of the paper feeding unit A is drawn between the pair of rollers W and W1, and the leading end of the paper P is introduced into the buckle b1. When the leading edge of the paper P comes into contact with the stopper S1 of the buckle b1, the paper P bends in the vicinity of the entrance of the buckle b1, the bent portion is drawn between the pair of rollers W2 and W, and the paper P is folded to one side. (First fold).

  The folded paper P is then introduced into the buckle b2 with its fold as the leading edge. When the leading edge of the paper P introduced into the buckle b2 comes into contact with the stopper S2, the paper P is bent at the entrance of the buckle b2, and the bent portion is drawn between the pair of rollers W2 and W3. (The second fold).

  Hereinafter, similarly, the pair of rollers W2 and W3, the pair of rollers W3 and W4, and the buckle b3 fold the paper P to the opposite side (third fold), and then the pair of rollers W3. And W4, the pair of rollers W4 and W5, and the buckle b4, the sheet P is folded to the opposite side to the front (fourth folding). Thus, the paper P folded in a bellows shape is discharged from the paper folding device.

  In the paper folding apparatus of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 3A, in order to obtain the paper P that is equally folded in a bellows shape (the folded pieces P1 to P5 have the same length), the control unit C The positions of the stoppers S1 to S4 of the buckles b1 to b4 are set in advance (normally, all the buckles b1 to b4 are set so that the distances from the buckle inlet to the stoppers S1 to S4 are equal).

  However, the speed at which the paper P comes into contact with the stoppers S1 to S4 is slightly different for each of the stoppers S1 to S4, and the stiffness and the bending of the paper P are slightly different for each paper. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 3B, the last folded piece P5 of the obtained bellows-like paper P is longer than the remaining folded pieces P1 to P4 (L1), or as shown in FIG. 3C, The last folded piece P5 of the obtained bellows-like paper P may be shorter than the remaining folded pieces P1 to P4 (L2).

  According to the present invention, when such a folding error occurs, first, the length of the last folded piece P5 and the remaining folded pieces P1 to P4 of the bellows-like paper P in which the folding error has occurred is determined by the operator. The difference is measured.

  Then, the control unit C receives the measurement value of the length difference, divides the value of the length difference by the number of buckles b1 to b4 (4 in this embodiment), and the last piece P5 When this is longer than the remaining folded pieces P1 to P4 (see FIG. 3B), the stoppers S1 to S4 related to each of the stopper drive mechanisms d1 to d4 are set to have a zero difference in length. A control command for sliding in a direction away from the entrance of the related buckles b1 to b4 is sent by the length value (L1 / 4) obtained by the division. On the other hand, when the last folded piece P5 is shorter than the remaining folded pieces P1 to P4 (see FIG. 3C), the control unit C sets the difference in length to zero for each of the stopper drive mechanisms d1 to d4. Therefore, a control command for sliding the related stoppers S1 to S4 by the length value (L2 / 4) obtained by the division in a direction approaching the entrance of the related buckles b1 to b4 is sent.

  In addition, when the control unit C divides the input measurement value of the length by the number of buckles and cannot divide, the value obtained by rounding up or rounding up or down the result of the division The stopper driving mechanisms d1 to d4 are controlled based on the above.

In this embodiment, the control unit C has a touch panel display (not shown) as an input unit. FIG. 4 shows the set values of the positions of the stoppers S1 to S4 displayed on the touch panel display. Shown screen for input.
In FIG. 4, 7a is an area for inputting the set value of the position of the stopper S1 of the first buckle b1, and 7b is an area for inputting the set value of the position of the stopper S2 of the second buckle b2. 7c is an area for inputting the set value of the position of the stopper S3 of the third buckle b3, and 7d is an area for inputting the set value of the position of the stopper S4 of the fourth buckle b4. And the distance from the inlet of buckle b1-b4 to the said stoppers S1-S4 is set as a position of stopper S1-S4.

  In FIG. 4, the same set value (165.0 mm) is input for all the buckles b1 to b4. The numerical value is input using a numeric keypad (not shown) and a “+” button and a “−” button provided on the right side of each of the areas 7a to 7d.

  After completing the input of the set value, the operation of the paper folding apparatus is started. When a folding error occurs during the paper folding operation, the operator measures the difference in length between the last folded piece of the bellows-like paper and the remaining folded pieces.

  Next, the screen of the touch panel display is switched, and a measurement value input screen as shown in FIG. 5 is displayed. In FIG. 5, reference numeral 8 denotes an area for inputting a measurement value. When the last piece of the bellows-like paper is longer than the remaining pieces, the measurement value (the difference in length) is added to this area 8. When the last piece is shorter than the remaining pieces, the measured value (the difference in length) is entered in this area 8 as a negative value.

In FIG. 5, due to a folding error, the last piece is 8 mm longer than the remaining pieces, and therefore, a value of +8.0 mm is input to the region 8.
Thus, the measured value of +8 mm is input to the control unit C through the touch panel display by the operator.

  After the measurement value is input, the screen of the touch panel display is switched again to the input screen for the setting value of the stopper position. At this time, since the result of the division by the control unit C is 8 mm / 4 = 2 mm, the control unit C is required to displace all the stoppers S1 to S4 by 2 mm in the direction away from the buckle entrance, as shown in FIG. The set value 165.0 mm previously input in the areas 7a to 7d in the screen of the touch panel display is uniformly corrected to 167.0 mm. At the same time, a control command for sliding the stopper based on this correction value is sent from the controller C to each stopper driving mechanism. Thereby, the folding error is eliminated.

  Thus, according to the present invention, when a folding error occurs in the step of folding the paper uniformly in a bellows shape, the value of the difference in length between the last folded piece of the bellows-like paper and the remaining folded pieces is controlled. The position of the stopper of each buckle is automatically reset to eliminate the folding error just by inputting the number into the stopper, so the position of the stopper can be reset easily and quickly when a folding error occurs. be able to.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Shelf 2 Conveying belt 3 Paper feeder 4 Idle roller group 5 Screw shaft 6 Motors 7a to 7d Input area A for setting position of stopper of each buckle A Paper feeding part B Paper folding part C Control part M Paper stack S1 to S4 Stopper P Paper P1 to P5 Folded pieces W, W1; W, W2; W2, W3; W3, W4 Take-in rollers W, W2; W2, W3; W3, W4; W4, W5 Discharge rollers b1-b4 Buckle d1-d4 Mechanism e Buckle entrance

Claims (1)

A paper folding device that alternately folds and folds the paper at right angles to the paper feeding direction, and folds the paper uniformly into a bellows shape,
A paper feeding unit that sequentially feeds paper from the paper stack, and a paper folding unit that folds the paper supplied from the paper feeding unit perpendicular to the paper feeding direction,
The paper feeder is
A shelf with the paper stack;
A conveyor belt extending between the shelf and the paper folding section;
A paper feeder that sequentially feeds paper from the paper stack of the shelf onto the conveyor belt;
The paper folding part is
A plurality of buckles into which paper fed from the conveyor belt is sequentially introduced;
Each of the plurality of buckles has a stopper arranged to be slidable along the paper introduction direction, and the paper is determined in advance by the leading edge of the paper introduced into the buckle contacting the stopper. It is designed to be positioned at the folded position,
The folded paper portion is further
A stopper drive mechanism that is provided in each of the plurality of buckles and slides the stopper;
A pair of rotationally driven take-in rollers disposed opposite to each of the plurality of buckles in the vicinity of the inlet, for taking paper into the buckles;
And a pair of rotationally driven discharge rollers for folding a portion of the paper introduced into the buckle that protrudes outside the buckle. In the paper folding apparatus in which the discharge roller for the buckle simultaneously functions as the take-in roller for the next buckle, and paper is sequentially introduced into the plurality of buckles and folded a number of times corresponding to the number of buckles.
A control unit that performs overall control of each of the stopper driving mechanisms of the paper folding unit;
The control unit receives an input of a length difference value between the last folded piece of the accordion-shaped paper in which a folding error has occurred and the remaining folded pieces, and determines the length difference value according to the number of the buckles. When the last piece is longer than the remaining pieces, the relevant stopper is divided by the division so that the difference in length is zero for each of the stopper drive mechanisms. When the control command to slide away from the entrance of the buckle related only to the obtained length value is sent while the last fold is shorter than the remaining fold, each of the stopper drive mechanisms On the other hand, in order to make the difference in length zero, a control command is sent to slide the related stopper toward the related buckle entrance by the length value obtained by the division. When That sheet folding apparatus.

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