JPH0418988Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] (Industrial application field) The present invention is used as a means for feeding postcards one by one to the labeling position, for example, in an automatic labeling device that automatically pastes labels on postcards. This invention relates to a device for supplying postcards, etc. that can be utilized.

(Prior art and its problems) As a feeding device for postcards, etc. (hereinafter referred to as postcards) used as described above, a large number of stacked postcards are supported and conveyed horizontally with each postcard standing vertically. A postcard conveyance path equipped with a conveyor, a suction ascending conveyance means for suctioning and conveying the first postcard vertically upward one by one from the terminal position of the conveyance path, and a suction ascending conveyance means that abuts on the last postcard on the conveyance path and moves in the conveyance direction. A device has been devised that includes a biasing means for preventing postcards from falling.

This type of feeding device conveys a large number of postcards supported on the conveyor toward the suction and upward conveyance means, and always applies an appropriate pressure to the suction surface of the suction and upward conveyance of the first postcard. By bringing the postcards into contact with the conveyor, the postcards on the conveyor can be sent vertically upward one by one, starting from the first postcard, but the following problems have been found.

That is, instead of forcibly moving the postcard supported on the conveyor from the rear toward the suction lifting conveyance means, the entire postcard is moved forward by moving the support surface of the postcard, that is, the conveyance surface of the conveyor. Therefore, when the number of postcards on the conveyor is small, the frictional force between the postcards and the conveyor is small because the entire postcards have a small weight, and the first postcard hits the suction surface of the suction ascending conveyance means. After contact, the postcards will not easily continue to slip between themselves and the conveyor and be pressed with excessive force toward the suction surface, but if there are a large number of postcards on the conveyor, Due to the large weight of the entire postcard, even if the entire postcard and the conveyor are driven, the frictional force between the conveyor and the postcard is extremely large, making it difficult for slippage to occur between each postcard and the postcard support surface of the conveyor. become a state. Therefore, after the first postcard comes into contact with the suction surface, the conveying action of the conveyor tends to compress the entire postcard in the conveying direction, and the first postcard is strongly pressed against the suction surface.
As a result, the friction between the leading postcard and the succeeding postcards becomes too large, and even if the suction and upward conveyance means is activated, the leading postcard cannot be reliably suctioned and conveyed upward.

That is, when a large number of postcards are supported on the conveyor, there is a risk that the suction and upward conveyance means may not be able to reliably feed each postcard one by one.

(Means for Solving the Problems) The present invention proposes a postcard, etc., feeding device that can solve the conventional problems as described above, and its features are as follows: In the device, the postcards, etc. on one side of the conveyance path for the postcards, etc. are urged sideways toward the guide surface on the other side at a position slightly away from the suction surface of the suction and upward conveyance means. A biasing means is disposed, and the lower part of the postcard, etc. is brought into contact with the lower part of the first postcard, etc. immediately before the first postcard, etc. comes into contact with the suction surface of the suction/elevating conveyance means, and the lower part of the postcard, etc. is handled by the lower part of the postcard, etc.; The tip of the postcard is biased so as to protrude upward in the conveyance direction of the postcard, etc. from the postcard contact position, and when the lower part of the leading postcard etc. comes into contact with this protruding position, it moves backward and is conveyed by the conveyor. The point is that a touch sensor rod is provided to stop the operation.

(Example) An example of the present invention will be described below based on the attached illustrative drawings.

In FIGS. 1 to 4, reference numeral 1 denotes a postcard conveyance path, which is equipped with a conveyor 3 for horizontally supporting and conveying a large number of stacked postcards 2 with each postcard 2 standing vertically. The conveyor 3 is suspended between a conveyor frame 5 whose height is adjustable by a height adjustment means 4, and a drive roller 6 and an idling roller 7 that are pivotally supported by the conveyor frame 5. It is composed of a conveyor belt 9 that rotates while sliding on a support plate 8, and a motor 11 that is supported below one end of the conveyor frame 5 and is movably connected to the drive roller 6 via a transmission belt 10. There is. Reference numeral 12 denotes a side wall plate erected from a fixed frame separate from the conveyor frame 5 on one side of the conveyor 3, and the side surface on the postcard conveyance path 1 side serves as a postcard guide surface 12a.

The height adjusting means 4 adjusts the height of the conveyor 3 according to the vertical dimension of the postcard 2 set on the postcard conveyance path 1.
The two screw shafts 14a, 14b, front and rear, are provided to adjust the conveyance level of
Pulleys 15a and 15b fixed to the lower end of 4b
Transmission belt 16 suspended between, one screw shaft 14
Rotary operation handle 1 attached to the lower end of a
7, and nut-shaped members 18a and 18b that are screwed into each of the screw shafts 14a and 14b and fixed to the bottom of the conveyor frame 5, and by rotating the handle 17, both screw shafts 14a and 14b are aligned. By rotating in the direction, the conveyor frame 5 (conveyor 3) can be raised and lowered in parallel.

Reference numeral 19 denotes a suction and lifting conveyance means disposed at the end position in the conveyance direction of the postcard conveyance path 1, and includes an intake box 20 and a suction conveyance belt 21.
The intake box 20 includes a plurality of vertically elongated intake ports 22 in the left and right directions that open on a vertical end surface 20a facing the transport direction of the postcard transport path 1, an intake passage 23 that communicates with each of these vertically elongated intake ports 22, and It is provided with an intake pipe 24 that takes in air from inside the intake passage 23, and is installed between left and right side plates 25. The suction conveyance belt 21 includes an idling roller 2 that is pivotally supported between the left and right side plates 25 so as to rotate while slidingly contacting the vertical end surface 20a of the intake box 20.
6, 27, a take-up roller 28, and a drive roller 29, each of the vertically elongated intake ports 22
Small-diameter vent holes 21a are provided at small intervals in the circumferential direction at locations facing the.

Therefore, if air is removed from the intake passage 23 of the intake box 20 through the intake pipe 24 to create a negative pressure, the suction conveyor belt 21 facing each vertically long intake port 22 of the intake box 20 will be ventilated. Mouth 21a
Adsorption force due to the pressure difference with the outside air acts on the . In this state, the drive roller 29 is rotationally driven by a motor (not shown), and the suction conveyance belt 21 is rotated in a direction in which the vertical suction surface portion 21b that is in contact with the vertical end surface 20a of the intake box 20 rises. Postcard 2 facing the suction surface portion 21b
can be sucked up and sent vertically upward.

Reference numeral 30 denotes a postcard handling means disposed directly above the suction and conveyance means 19, and the feed roller 31
and a reversing roller 32 are supported parallel to each other with an interval approximately the length of one postcard between them, and at least one of the rollers, for example, the feed roller 3
1 is capable of finely adjusting its position in the distance direction with respect to the other reversing roller 32, and both rollers 31, 32
The distance between the two can be finely adjusted according to the thickness of the postcard 2. Further, the feed roller 31 is a single long roller that continues in the width direction of the postcard 2, whereas the reversing roller 32 is a plurality of short rollers attached to a single drive shaft 32a at appropriate intervals. It is.

However, the feed roller 31 is replaced by the reverse rotation roller 32.
If the reversing roller 32 is rotated by a motor (not shown) in the direction in which the portion facing the feed roller 31 is raised and the portion facing the feed roller 31 is rotated in the direction in which the portion facing the feed roller 31 is lowered, the suction conveyance of the suction upward conveyance means 19 is driven. Postcard 2 that is attracted to the belt 21 and sent up
If there is one sheet of postcard 2 normally, the single postcard 2 will normally rise and pass between the rollers 31 and 32 while receiving the feeding action of the feed roller 31, or if two postcards 2 are overlapped. At this time, the outer postcard is brushed off by the reversing roller 32, and only the inner postcard 2 passes upward between the rollers 31 and 32.

Reference numeral 33 is a means for preventing postcards from falling, and a tension spring spring 36 with a substantially constant winding torque is used to wind up a movable body 35 movably supported by two guide rods 34 installed horizontally on the outside of the side wall plate 12.
(shown in broken lines in FIG. 1) by the conveyor 3.
is urged in the conveyance direction, and a part of this movable body 36 is
The movable body 36 projects into the postcard conveying path 1 through a horizontal slit 37 provided in the side wall plate 12, and a postcard pressing unit 38 is attached to the projecting end of the movable body 36. This postcard pressing unit 38 is
A handle 39 is coupled to the protruding end of the movable body 36 and
a support member 40 having a support member 40, a postcard upper pressing roller 41 pivotally supported by the support member 40, a support plate 42 that can swing back and forth about the support shaft of this roller 41,
A lower postcard pressing roller 43 is pivotally supported by the support plate 42, and a spring 4 biases the support plate 42 in a direction that causes the lower roller 43 to protrude forward.
It consists of 4.

Therefore, when transferring a large number of stacked postcards 2 onto the postcard conveying path 1, the postcard pressing unit 37 is moved back together with the movable body 36 against the biasing force of the tension spring spring 36, and the postcards 2 are After the postcard is transferred, the postcard pressing unit 37 is brought into contact with the rearmost postcard 2 by the biasing force of the tension spring spring 36, thereby preventing the postcard 2 from falling backward.
The postcard 2 can be reliably held in a vertical position between the suction and lifting conveyance means 19. Of course, as the postcards 2 are sequentially sent out by the suction and lifting conveyance means 19 starting from the first postcard, the postcard pressing unit 37 automatically follows and moves forward by the biasing force of the tension spring spring 36, so that the last postcard 2 is always sent out. can be prevented from falling backward by pressing in the transport direction with a substantially constant pressing force.

Note that since the lower end of the postcard 2 rests on the conveyor belt 9, the support plate 42, the postcard lower pressing roller 43, and the spring 44 are omitted, and the support member 40 is
Even if the postcard 2 is prevented from falling over only by the postcard upper pressing roller 41 pivotally supported on the front end of the postcard, the desired effect can be sufficiently obtained.

Reference numerals 45a and 45b are rollers for sorting the lower end of postcards, which are coaxially supported in parallel to the end of the frame 46 so as to be positioned just below the suction and lifting conveyance means 19. The frame 46 is supported along a guide rail 47 fixed to the end of the conveyor frame 5 so as to be adjustable in its longitudinal position, and is fixed at the adjusted position by a fixed handle 48. Reference numeral 49 denotes a touch sensor rod, which is supported by the frame 46 at an intermediate position between the postcard bottom sorting rollers 45a and 45b so as to be movable back and forth within a certain range, and is biased forward by a spring 50. , the postcard lower part handling rollers 45a, 4
The tip protrudes upward in the postcard conveyance direction from the postcard contact surface position of 5b. 51 is a limit switch that detects when the touch sensor rod 49 moves backward against the spring 50, and is turned ON.
The operation energizes the drive motor 11 of the conveyor 3, causing the conveyor belt 9 to rotate.

52 is a side wall plate 12 at the terminal end of the postcard conveyance path 1.
It is a width-shifting box disposed on the opposite side to the side where the postcard 2 is conveyed toward the suction upward conveyance means 19, and comes into contact with the side edge near the lower end of the postcard 2, which is placed on the guide surface 12a of the side wall plate 12. It is provided with a guide surface 52a for positioning in the width direction between. This width adjustment box 52 is arranged on the side wall plate 12 according to the width of the postcard 2.
It is supported movably in the width direction on one side of the conveyor frame 5 via two front and rear guide rods 53 so that the distance between the conveyor frame 5 and the conveyor frame 5 can be adjusted, and is fixed at the adjusted position by a fixing screw 54. In addition, the width adjustment box 52 is provided with the postcard lower part handling roller 4.
5a, 45b, one side edge near the lower end of the postcard 2 is placed on the guide surface 12 on the other side at a position slightly away from the upper side in the conveying direction.
A biasing means 55 that biases sideways toward the a side is attached. This biasing means 55 includes a support member 57 attached to the width adjusting box 52 with two fixing screws 56 so as to be able to adjust and fix the position in the left and right width directions.
and the leaf spring 5 attached to this support member 57.
It consists of 8. The tip end portion 58a of the leaf spring 58 protruding into the postcard conveyance path 1 is bent obliquely toward the postcard lower part sorting rollers 45a, 45b.

A postcard upper width adjustment guide 59 is attached to a bracket 60 on one side plate 25 of the suction and lifting conveyance means 19 so as to be located above the leaf spring tip 58a of the lateral biasing means 55. It is attached so that its position in the width direction can be adjusted through the 6
1 is a fixing screw that fixes the guide 59 in the adjusted position. Reference numeral 62 denotes a postcard receiving tongue protruding from the end of the guide 59, and is close to the vertical suction surface portion 21b of the suction conveyance belt 21 in the suction upward conveyance means 19.

In the postcard feeding device configured as described above, each postcard 2 stands vertically as shown by the imaginary line in FIG. A large number of stacked postcards 2 are conveyed onto the conveyor belt 9 of the postcard conveyance path 1 so as to be in contact with each other.
Manually move the postcard 2 on the conveyor belt 9 in the transport direction so that the end of the postcard 2 on the transport direction side enters the guide surface 52a of the width adjustment box 52 and the upper postcard width adjustment guide 59. Push it in.
Then, the postcard pressing unit 38 of the postcard fall prevention means 33 is brought into contact with the back surface of the rearmost postcard 2, and the postcard 2 is held between the suction lifting conveyance means 19 and the postcard pressing unit 38.

In this state, when the motor 11 is operated to rotate the conveyor belt 9 and the entire postcard 2 supported on the conveyor belt 9 is transferred toward the suction and upward conveyance means 19, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. As shown in the figure, after the lower end of the first postcard 2 presses the touch sensor rod 49 against the urging force of the spring 50 and moves backward, the postcard lower part handling roller 45
a, 45b. On the other hand, the limit switch 51 is turned on by the backward movement of the touch sensor rod 49, and in conjunction with this, the power to the motor 11 is cut off and the conveyor belt 9 is stopped.

As mentioned above, when the postcard 2 is transferred by the conveyor belt 9 toward the suction and upward conveyance means 19, the postcard pressing unit 38 of the postcard fall prevention means 33 automatically follows and moves by the biasing force of the tension spring spring 36. Since the upper part of the postcard 2 continues to be biased in the conveying direction, the lower end of the first postcard 2 comes into contact with the lower postcard sorting rollers 45a and 45b, as shown in FIG.
When the conveyor belt 9 is stopped, the upper part of the first postcard 2 is placed on the vertical suction surface portion 21b of the suction conveyance belt 21 in the suction upward conveyance means 19.
Become in a leaning position. That is, a plurality of postcards 2 from the beginning are handled by the lower postcard sorting rollers 45a, 4.
5b, the lower end is bent backward and separated,
The close contact between the postcards is broken.

On the other hand, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, a plurality of postcards 2 located slightly behind the first postcard 2 have a leaf spring tip 58a of the lateral biasing means 55 on one side edge near the lower end. By pressing, the side wall plate 12
is pressed toward the inner guide surface 12a. That is, the plurality of postcards 2 located slightly behind the first postcard 2 are sandwiched in the width direction between the leaf spring tip 58a and the side wall plate inner guide surface 12a, so that the conveyance action by the conveyor belt 9 is applied. There will be resistance against. Therefore, when the postcards 2 are conveyed by the conveyor belt 9, each postcard 2 is slightly delayed from the conveyor belt 9 at the position where it comes into pressure contact with the leaf spring tip 58a, and the pressure contact force between the postcards is reduced at this point. becomes maximum, and the mutual pressure contact force between the plurality of postcards 2 that have come off the leaf spring tip 58a and moved toward the lower postcard handling rollers 45a, 45b is significantly reduced. As a result, when the touch sensor rod 49 is moved backward by the leading postcard 2 and the conveyor belt 9 is stopped, the lower end of the leading postcard 2 is unduly strong against the lower postcard sorting rollers 45a and 45b. In addition to not being forced, the first postcard 2
The frictional resistance between the postcard 2 and the postcard 2 immediately after is also reduced,
The first postcard 2 can be easily pulled upward.

Therefore, as mentioned above, the touch sensor rod 4
When the limit switch 51 detects the backward movement of the conveyor belt 9, the conveyor belt 9 is stopped.At the same time, the drive roller 29 of the suction lifting conveyance means 19 is driven to rotate the suction conveyance belt 21, and the suction conveyance belt 21 is rotated. When the air is removed from the intake passage 23 of the postcard 2, the leading postcard 2 whose upper half is in contact with the vertical suction surface portion 21b of the suction conveyance belt 21 in the suction and conveyance means 19 is suctioned and lifted as described above. It will be sent vertically upward by the conveying means 19. At this time, even if the conveyor belt 9 is stopped, the upper half of the following postcards 2 is urged to fall in the conveying direction by the postcard fall prevention means 33, so that the leading postcard 2 is not pulled up. Accordingly, the upper halves of the subsequent postcards 2 come into contact with the vertical suction surface portion 21b of the suction conveyance belt 21 one after another, and are fed vertically upward one by one.

As the postcards 2 are fed up one by one as described above, the lower postcard sorting rollers 45a, 45
As shown in FIG. 7, a space is created in the position just before point b, and the touch sensor rod 49 is connected to the spring 50.
When a certain number of postcards 2 have been sent out, the limit switch 5 is activated.
1 returns to the OFF state. In conjunction with this, the motor 11 is operated again, and then the conveyor belt 9 is rotated until the limit switch 51 is turned on, and the postcard 2 on the conveyor belt 9 is conveyed toward the suction and upward conveyance means 19. By driving the conveyor belt 9 intermittently in this manner, the suction and lifting conveyance means 19, which is in continuous operation, sequentially moves a large number of postcards 2 set on the postcard conveyance path 1 one by one, starting from the first one. It can be sent vertically upward one by one.

The postcard feeding device of the present invention can be effectively used as a means for feeding postcards and other various cards one by one to automatic labeling devices, automatic printing devices, etc. An example of the use of the device as a means for supplying postcards to an automatic labeling device is schematically illustrated in FIG.

In FIG. 8, 70 is the postcard feeding device of the present invention according to the above embodiment, and each postcard 2 fed vertically upward from the device 70 and passed through the postcard handling means 30 is used for pasting a label. The postcards are fed onto the horizontal transport path 71 by a pinch roller 72, a belt conveyor 73 for supporting and transporting postcards, and a belt conveyor 74 for holding postcards, spread out at appropriate intervals. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 9, a strip-shaped mount 76 on which labels 75 are removably pasted at regular intervals is attached to a label pasting sheet 76 disposed above the horizontal conveyance path 71 for label pasting, as shown in FIG. When the mount 76 is supplied to a means 77 and is made a U-turn around the label peeling knife edge member 78 in the means 77 as shown in FIG. 9, the label 75 on the mount 76 is peeled off from the mount 76. and the horizontal transport path 71 for pasting the label.
It is superimposed on the surface of the upper postcard 2 and is pressed and pasted by the label pressing roller 79. 80 is a drive roller that sends the labeled mount 76 toward the label peeling knife edge member 78; 81 is a drive roller that pulls the mount 76 from the label peeling knife edge member 78 after label peeling; 82;
is a drive roller that winds up the mount 76 after the label has been peeled off.

Of course, the driving rollers 80 and 81 in the label pasting means 77 are driven intermittently so as to supply one label 75 onto each postcard 2 sent onto the horizontal transportation path 71 for label pasting. Ru.

After the postcard 2 with the label 75 pasted is checked for the label pasting position, etc., it is sent onto the low-speed driven postcard delivery belt conveyor 83 so that the front and back postcards partially overlap each other. Resistance is provided by being sandwiched in the width direction between the 8-stage postcard receiving inclined plate and the guide surface on the other side, so the pressure force between the postcards becomes maximum at that point, and the postcards cross over the point. As a result, the pressure force between the postcards approaching the suction surface of the suction and conveyance means is significantly reduced.

Therefore, even in a situation where a large number of postcards are transferred onto the conveyor and there is a strong tendency for the entire postcards to be compacted in the conveyance direction by the conveyance action of the conveyor, the suction surface of the suction ascending conveyance means This prevents you from pressing the first postcard too hard on the
It is possible to maintain a state in which the first postcard is easily lifted vertically upward by the suction and lifting conveyance means, that is, the friction between the first postcard and the next postcard can be kept small.

Further, according to the present invention, when a postcard is conveyed by the conveyor toward the suction and upward conveyance means, the lower part of the first postcard contacts the touch sensor rod, moves the rod backward, and then contacts the lower sorting roller. come into contact with The conveyance of the conveyor is stopped by the backward movement of the touch sensor rod. At this time, the postcards on the conveyor are urged in the conveying direction by the postcard fall prevention means, so the lower part of the first postcard comes into contact with the lower sorting roller, and the conveyor stops conveying. With the upper part of the first postcard leaning against the suction surface of the suction and lifting means, the lower part of the first postcard is bent backwards by the lower handling roller to separate the postcards, thereby ensuring that the postcards are in close contact with each other. is solved.

Therefore, due to the synergistic effect of the above-mentioned sideways biasing means and the above-mentioned touch sensor rod and lower sorting roller, the suction and upward conveyance means can extremely reliably feed out the first postcard one by one. I can do it. Furthermore, with the configuration including the touch sensor rod and the lower sorting roller as described above, it is possible to easily and effectively control this conveyor and the suction lifting conveyance means, and therefore, the structure thereof can be simplified. It is possible to aim for

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a partially longitudinal cross-sectional view of the postcard feeding device according to the present invention, Fig. 2 is a partially omitted plan view of the same device with the suction lifting and conveying means omitted, and Fig. 3 is the main part of the device. Fig. 4 is a partially cutaway plan view of the same, Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional plan view of the main part to explain the working state, and Figs. 6 and 7 are longitudinal cross-sections of the main part to explain the working state. FIG. 8 is a schematic side view showing an automatic labeling device using the device of the present invention, and FIG. 9 is a perspective view illustrating a labeling method using the same device. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... Postcard conveyance path, 2... Postcard, 3... Conveyor, 4... Conveyor height adjustment means, 9... Conveyor belt, 12... Side wall plate having guide surface 12a, 19... Adsorption upward conveyance means , 20... Intake box, 21... Adsorption conveyance belt, 30... Postcard handling means, 33... Postcard fall prevention means, 38...
Postcard pressing unit, 45a, 45b...Postcard lower part handling roller, 49...Touch sensor rod,
51... Limit switch, 52... Width adjustment box, 55... Sideways biasing means, 58... Leaf spring, 58a... Leaf spring tip, 59... Postcard upper width adjustment guide.

Claims (1)

[Scope of claim for utility model registration] A transport path for postcards, etc., equipped with a conveyor that horizontally supports and transports a large number of stacked postcards, etc., with each postcard, etc. standing vertically, and a postcard, etc. from the end position of this transport path to the first postcard, etc. A feeding device for postcards, etc., comprising: a suction lift conveying means for suctioning and conveying vertically upward one by one; and a means for preventing falling of postcards, etc., which abuts on the last postcard, etc. on the conveying path and urges it in the conveying direction. A biasing means is disposed on one side of the conveyance path at a position slightly away from the suction surface of the suction upward conveyance means for laterally urging postcards, etc. on the conveyance path toward the guide surface on the other side. Furthermore, the first postcard, etc. is placed in the suction lift 4
They are conveyed to the point where they are stacked obliquely in front of the inclined plate 84 and held. Reference numeral 85 denotes a gate that can be opened and closed to remove defective postcards such as those with labels attached at incorrect positions. By opening this gate 85, defective postcards are separated and collected in a tray 86. (Operations and Effects of the Invention) The device of the present invention can be implemented and used as described above. Postcards, etc. (hereinafter referred to as postcards)
The first postcard, etc. is placed at a position slightly above the suction surface of the suction and upward conveyance means, and immediately before it comes into contact with the suction surface of the sideways biasing hand conveyance means disposed on one side of the conveyance path. A lower roller for handling postcards, etc. that comes into contact with the lower part of the roller is biased so that its tip protrudes upward in the transport direction of the postcards, etc., than the postcard contact position of the lower roller for handling the postcards, and at this protruding position, the first postcard is removed. A touch sensor rod that moves backward when the lower part of the conveyor comes into contact with the touch sensor rod to stop the conveyance of the conveyor.