JPH07186593A - Enclosing and sealing machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To permit the flap of an envelope to be open positively by jetting air to the rear surface in the proximity of the flap of an envelope in an expansion area of the flap, and performing the expansion of the flap by means of a swayable absorbing pad. CONSTITUTION:The flap expansion area P2 is provided with two absorbing pads 42 rotatably disposed integral with each other at distance left and right so as to be opposite to the flap E1 supplied to a predetermined position by a circular transportation mechanism 24. The absorbing pad 42 has a rotatable center at a folding center of the flap E1 and on the path of transportation. Between the absorbing pads 42 and a flap expansion ancillary arm 46, an air nozzle is arranged to jet air continuously to the rear surface of the envelope E to be delivered at an angle of elevation of the order of 65 degree toward the upstream side in the direction of transportation. As a result, an expansion of the flap E1 can be conducted easily and positively.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an enclosing and sealing machine for automatically enclosing an enclosed item in an envelope, and more particularly to a flap expanding portion for surely opening a flap of the envelope enclosing the enclosed item. The present invention relates to an enclosing and sealing machine having.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there is known an enclosing and sealing machine 1 which automatically inserts an enclosed item such as a direct mail into an envelope or the like to seal it.

First, an endless conventional circulating and conveying mechanism 2 for holding and conveying envelopes in this type of enclosing and sealing machine 1 will be described with reference to a schematic side view shown in FIG.

In the conventional enclosing and sealing machine, the circulating and conveying mechanism 2
Has a chain 3 wound around a plurality of sprockets (not shown) and carrying the envelope E. This chain 3
The chain 3 is wound around a plurality of sprockets so as to travel along a so-called track-shaped motion locus with semicircles attached to both sides of the rectangle in the vertical plane.
Six grippers 4, 4 ... Holding the envelope E are arranged at equal intervals.

Further, the circulation path of the circulation transfer mechanism 2 is
The outward path 2a located below and the return path 2 located above
b, and above the receiving portion P1 of the envelope E, which is the starting point of the circulation path located at the left end in the figure, from the envelope hopper 5a and the envelope hopper 5a that stock the envelopes E in an aligned manner. An envelope hopper mechanism 5 having a suction pad for picking up the envelopes E one by one, and an envelope transport mechanism 7 including three pairs of rollers 6 for transporting the envelope E delivered from the envelope hopper mechanism 5 to the envelope receiving section P1. Is provided.

Further, an enclosed material supply mechanism 8 for supplying the enclosed material L is disposed upstream of the return path 2b of the circulation path.
Similarly, in the downstream portion of the return path 2b, the glue applied to the flap E1 of the envelope E is impregnated with water, and the flap E1 is sealed in the envelope E.
A sealing mechanism (not shown) that is attached to the back surface of to seal is provided.

The operation of the conventional enclosing and sealing machine described above will be briefly described.

First, the envelopes E stacked in the envelope hopper 5a are separated one by one by the suction pad of the envelope hopper mechanism 5. The separated envelope E is nipped by the pickup roller 6a and the pressure roller 6b arranged upstream in the envelope transport mechanism 7, and is further sent to the downstream side via the feed rollers 6c and 6c. Then, the envelope rollers E are surely sent to the envelope receiving portion P1 by the most downstream slip rollers 6d and 6d.

On the other hand, the circulation transport mechanism 2 stops the gripper 4 with the envelope receiving portion P1, which is the starting point of the circulation path, with the gripper 4 open upward, and the envelope E is supplied to the gripper 4. Then, the mouth is closed and the envelope E is gripped. In this state, the conveyance of the envelope E is started so that the bottom of the envelope E gripped by the gripper 4 faces the front.

When the envelope E is conveyed, the gripper 4 moves the envelope E.
It is controlled so that the conveyance and the stop are repeated in accordance with the timing of sandwiching. When the conveyance is stopped, in addition to the supply operation of the envelope E described above, in the upstream portion of the outward path 2a, the flap expanding operation and the return path 2b are performed. The enclosing operation is performed in the upstream portion, and the envelope discharging operation is performed in the downstream portion of the return path 2b in each mechanism.

That is, the outward path 2a of the circulation transport mechanism 2
Envelope E received at the envelope receiving portion P1 by the grippers 4, 4 ... Which move along the circulation path consisting of the return path 2b and the return path 2b.
Is conveyed to the flap expanding portion P2 which is one step ahead. Here, the flap E1 of the envelope E is expanded, and the enclosed material L is inserted into the envelope E by the enclosed material supply mechanism 8 in the enclosing portion P3 of the return path 2b on the subsequent transportation path, and the enclosing portion of the next step is performed. At P4, it is delivered to a sealing mechanism (not shown) separately arranged, and the flap E1 is bent and sealed in the sealing mechanism.

Here, the flap expanding mechanism 11 arranged in the flap expanding portion P2 will be briefly described with reference to FIG.

The flap expanding mechanism 11 includes a flap E.
1 has two suction pads 12 and 12 which are provided so as to be rotatable so as to be opposed to each other with a space left and right, and the center of rotation of each suction pad 12 is the center of folding and opening of the flap E1. Envelope flap E1 to reduce the difference with
It is provided on the envelope conveying surface that coincides with the folding position of.
Further, the suction pad 12 has an air filter 13, a solenoid valve 14 for exhausting air from the suction pad 12,
A pipe line 17 in which a vacuum pump 15 is sequentially interposed is connected.

A flap E1 is provided on the downstream side of the position of the suction pad 12 in the conveying direction of the envelope E.
Handle 16a that handles the envelope E so as to further open the envelope
Plate-shaped flap expansion assisting arm 16 having a protruding end
Are arranged so as to face the upstream side of the transport path.
The flap expansion assisting arm 16 is controlled by a cam (not shown) so as to move up and down as the chain 3 travels.

Next, the operation of the conventional example will be described.

The envelope E is conveyed to the flap expanding portion P2 while being held by the gripper 4 as described above, and then stopped. When the envelope E stops at a predetermined position, the suction pad 12 is brought into contact with the flap E1 from below, and the electromagnetic valve 14 communicating with the vacuum pump 15 is opened to evacuate the suction pad 12 and the flap E1. Adsorb. And in that state, the suction pad 1
2 is rotated clockwise, that is, about 90 ° downward, to open the flap E1. At the same time, the flap expansion assisting arm 16 is moved upward, and the handle portion 16a at the tip thereof is moved.
Abuts the envelope E, and in this state, the solenoid valve 14
Is closed and the suction of the flap E1 by the suction pad 12 is released. Then, as the envelope E is conveyed by running the chain 3, the handle portion 16a of the flap expansion assisting arm 16 moves the envelope E so that the flap E1 in an incompletely opened state approaches the main body side of the envelope E. It pushes open while handling E, and completes the expansion of flap E1.

[0017]

However, in the conventional flap expanding mechanism 11, the envelope E conveyed to the flap expanding portion P2 has the weight of the envelope E as shown in FIG.
The free end side of the envelope E, that is, the flap E1 side may hang down with the gripper 4 side holding the envelope E as the fixed end, depending on the moment of inertia when the envelope E rotates around the corner of the circulation transport mechanism 2. As described above, the suction pad 12
Since the center of rotation of the envelope E is near the opening / closing center of the envelope E in the plane of the envelope E, when the front end side of the envelope E hangs down, the flap E1 of the envelope E moves away from the center of rotation of the suction pad 12. It will be located and the suction pad 1
When 2 reaches the flap E1, the free end of the envelope E is pushed to bend the envelope, and as shown in FIG. 5, the envelope portion between the handle portion 16a and the suction pad 12 is bent. As a result, a position that is partially deviated from the region of the flap E1 is sucked, the suction force does not sufficiently act on the flap E1, and there is a risk that expansion failure of the flap E1 may occur.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a sealing and enclosing machine having a flap expanding portion for surely opening the flap of an envelope, overcoming the problems in the above-mentioned prior art.

[0019]

In order to achieve the above object, the enclosing and sealing machine of the present invention has a conveying means for grasping an end portion of the envelope on the side opposite to the flap and carrying the same. Envelope receiving part for receiving envelopes one by one in the envelope conveying path, flap expanding part for expanding the flap of the envelope, encapsulating part for inserting the enclosed item into the envelope, and sealing part for attaching the flap to the back surface of the envelope. In the enclosing and sealing machine provided with the above, the flap expanding portion has air expanding means for injecting air toward the back surface of the envelope of the envelope in the vicinity of the base of the flap, and the flap expanding by the swingable suction pad. A flap suction means for opening is provided.

The enclosing and sealing machine according to claim 2 is the same as that according to claim 1.
In the enclosing and sealing machine of No. 2, a vacuum pump for sucking air from the suction pad of the flap suction means and a pipe line for supplying the exhaust air of the vacuum pump to the air injection means are further provided.

[0021]

As described above, according to the enclosing and sealing machine of the present invention, the flap side (tip) of the envelope body is lowered by constantly injecting air into the envelope body at the flap expansion portion or after stopping the conveyance of the envelope. Since the air layer can be formed between the flap and the envelope back surface, the suction pad can suck only one flap, and the flap can be easily and surely expanded.

[0022]

The present invention will be described below with reference to the embodiments shown in the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an enclosing and sealing apparatus showing an embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 1, the enclosing and sealing machine 21 of the present invention stores an envelope E in which the enclosed material L is to be enclosed, and sends out one by one, an envelope hopper mechanism 22 and this envelope hopper mechanism. A transport mechanism 23 for sending the envelopes E sent from 22 one by one, a circulation transport mechanism 24 for sequentially sending the envelopes E to a work area required for enclosing the enclosed items L, and an enclosure for supplying the enclosed items L The article supply mechanism 25 and a sealing mechanism (not shown) that seals the envelope E are provided.

The circulatory transfer mechanism 24 includes an envelope receiving portion P.
1, a flap expanding portion P2, a sealing portion P3, and a sealing portion P4. The circulation transport mechanism 24 is used for the chain 2
8 has four sprockets 29 wound so as to travel in a vertical plane with a substantially rectangular motion trajectory.
Further, an AC servo motor 30 for intermittently driving one of the sprockets 29a is provided,
The output shaft 30a of the AC servomotor 30 has a pulley 3
0b is fitted. Also, the sprocket 29a
A rotary shaft 31a is disposed in the vicinity of the rotary shaft 31a, and a pulley 31b and a gear 33a are integrally fitted to the rotary shaft 31a. A timing belt 32 is wound around the pulleys 30b and 31b.
The rotation of b is transmitted to the pulley 31b.
Further, the gear 33b is coaxial with the sprocket 29a.
And the gear 33b is fitted with the gear 33a. Therefore, the sprocket 29a is rotationally driven by the driving of the AC servomotor 30, and the chain 28 is run.

Further, six grippers 34, 34, ... Are supported on the chain 28 at equal intervals.
The envelope E supplied at a required position can be gripped or released as the vehicle travels 8.

The circulation path of the circulation transfer mechanism 24 is composed of a forward path 24a located below it and a return path 24b located above it, and in FIG. The portion that travels downward) is the envelope receiving portion P1 that is the starting point of the circulation path.
Has become. Above this, an envelope hopper mechanism 22 in which the envelopes E are stocked, and this envelope hopper mechanism 2
A transport mechanism 23 including three pairs of rollers 35, 35, ... For transporting the envelope E sent from 2 to the envelope receiving portion P1 is provided. These rollers 35, 35 ...
Is configured to be driven intermittently by making full use of a clutch and a brake by an AC motor (not shown).

An upstream portion of the outward path 24a of the circulation path is a flap expanding portion P2 of the envelope, and a flap expanding means 41 is provided.

The flap expanding means 41 of this embodiment has a flap E which is supplied to a predetermined position by the circulating and conveying mechanism 24.
Two suction pads 42, 4 which are integrally rotatably provided at left and right intervals so that they can face each other.
The suction pad 42 has a flap E1 of the envelope E in order to reduce the difference from the center of rotation of the flap E1.
The rotation center is provided at the same position as the folding center (on the transport path). The suction pad 42 has an air filter 43 for sucking air from the suction pad 42.
A pipeline 44a in which a vacuum pump 45 is sequentially inserted is connected.

Immediately downstream of the position where the suction pad 42 is disposed, a plate-shaped flap expanding portion is provided with a hook-shaped handle portion 46a for handling the envelope E so as to open the flap E1. The opening assist arm 46 is disposed so as to face the upstream side of the transport path. This flap expansion assist arm 4
6 is controlled by a cam (not shown) so as to move up and down in accordance with the traveling of the chain 28. The movable uppermost position of the flap expansion assisting arm 46 is a position where the handling portion 46a of the flap expansion assisting arm 46 presses the envelope E to be conveyed from below, and the movable lowermost position is
The position is such that the envelope E held by the grippers 34, 34 disposed on the chain 28 does not interfere with the traveling of the envelope E.

Further, in this embodiment, particularly, between the suction pad 42 and the flap expansion assisting arm 46, there is an elevation angle of about 65 degrees toward the upstream side in the transport direction with respect to the back surface of the transported envelope E. An air nozzle 47 is provided as an air ejecting means that is controlled to continuously blow air. This air nozzle 47 is a suction pad 42.
Vacuum pump 45 and pipe line 44b for exhausting air from the
The exhaust of the vacuum pump 45 is ejected from the air nozzle 47.

Then, the flap expanding auxiliary arm 46
A guide wire 48 that is parallel to the chain 28 that travels on the outward path 24a of the circulation transport mechanism 24 is disposed below the chain 28 on the downstream side of the guide wire 48.
It is designed to prevent the flap E1 from closing again by coming into contact with the flared flap E1.

An enclosed material supply mechanism 25 for supplying the enclosed material L is disposed upstream of the return path 24b of the circulation path, and the flap E of the envelope E is also provided downstream of the return path 24b.
There is provided a sealing mechanism (not shown) for impregnating the glue applied to 1 with water and attaching the flap E1 to the back surface of the envelope E for sealing.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

First, the envelopes E stacked in the envelope hopper 22a are separated one by one by the pickup pad 22b for pickup of the envelope hopper mechanism 22. Envelope E isolated
Of the transport mechanism 23 reaches the outer peripheral surface of the pickup roller 35a disposed upstream of the transport mechanism 23 and stops, and the pressure roller 35b rotates in the direction of the arrow in the drawing to clamp the lower end of the envelope E. Then, by enclosing the clutch of the feed roller 35c further downstream, the envelope E
Is conveyed, and the envelope E is reliably sent to the envelope receiving portion P1 by the most downstream slip roller 35d (ST1).

On the other hand, the circulation transport mechanism 24 has a gripper 34 at the envelope receiving portion P1 which is the starting point of the circulation path.
When the envelope E is fed to the gripper 34, the gripper 34 holds the envelope E by closing its mouth through a known cam and a link. Transport of E is started (ST
2).

The envelope E is transported by the gripper 34.
Is controlled so as to repeat the conveyance and the stop in accordance with the timing of clamping the envelope E. The envelope E received by the gripper 34 at the envelope receiving portion P1 is the forward path 24a and the return path 24b of the circulation transport mechanism 24. According to the circulation path consisting of and, the sheet is conveyed to the flap expanding portion P2 one step ahead and stopped. At this time, the suction pad 42 of the flap expanding mechanism 41 is on standby at a position avoiding the envelope transport path, and the flap expanding auxiliary arm 46 is also on standby at the lowermost position.

After the envelope E conveyed in the flap expanding portion P2 is stopped, the suction pad 42 is rotated upward to bring the suction pad 42 into contact with the flap E1 from below and the vacuum pump. 45 is operated to suck air from the suction pad 42 to suck the flap E1 and to eject the exhaust gas from the air nozzle 47 toward the upstream side in the conveying direction with respect to the back surface of the envelope E at an elevation angle of about 65 degrees. E Lift the main body from below and float the envelope E at a proper position. Further, this air injection forms an air layer between the flap E1 and the envelope E main body, and separates the flap E1 from the envelope E main body.

Further, the flap opening assisting arm 46 is rotated upward so that the handle portion 4 of the flap expanding assisting arm 46 is rotated.
6a is pressed against the back surface of the envelope E being conveyed.

Then, before the envelope E is conveyed to the next step by running the chain 28, the suction pad 42 is turned clockwise, that is, downward by about 90 ° while the flap E1 is suctioned to open the flap E1. Let Also,
The handling portion 46a, which is in contact with the back surface of the envelope E, causes the flap E1 in a state of being incompletely separated from the main body of the envelope E to be substantially flat with the main body of the envelope E while handling the envelope E as the envelope E is transported. The flap E1 is pushed open to complete the expansion of the flap E1 (ST3).

Further, in the next transportation, the clearance formed by the chain 28 running under the circulation transportation mechanism 24 and the guide wire 48 is passed with the flap E1 of the envelope E opened. Flap E
1 can be prevented from closing again (S
T4).

After that, in the enclosed material supply mechanism 25 of the enclosed portion P3 in the return path 24b, the stopped gripper 34 is opened, and the enclosed material is supplied (ST-b) from the enclosed material supply device (ST-a) into the envelope E. Insert the enclosed item L (ST5),
Further, the envelope E is conveyed to the next step (ST6).

Then, in the sealing portion P4, an envelope E containing the enclosed material L is delivered to a separately-provided sealing mechanism 26 (ST7), and the flap E1 is impregnated with water in the sealing mechanism 26, and the flap is closed. Work and other necessary work are performed (OP), and finally the sealed envelopes E are collected (ST8).

As described above, the enclosing and sealing machine 21 of the present invention.
In the flap expanding means 41, the exhaust of the vacuum pump 45 is ejected from the air nozzle 47 to the envelope E main body at all times or after the envelope conveyance is stopped, so that the flap E1 side (tip) of the envelope E main body is lowered. Can be prevented. Therefore, when picking up the flap E1, the suction pad 42 does not come off from the area of the flap E1. Further, since the air layer is formed between the flap E1 and the main body of the envelope E, the flap expanding efficiency can be improved. Further, the air ejected from the air nozzle 47 can be implemented at low cost in terms of cost by utilizing the exhaust of the vacuum pump 45 for adsorption.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, but can be modified as necessary. For example, depending on the capacity of the air source ejected from the air nozzle 47, even if the injection amount of air is controlled by using a solenoid valve, the same effect as this embodiment can be obtained.

[0046]

As described above, since the present invention is constructed and operates as described above, it is possible to prevent the flap side of the envelope body from being lowered by the air jetted by the air jetting means in the flap expanding portion, so that the suction is performed. The pad can adsorb the flap without coming off from the flap area, and since the flap is separated from the envelope body by forming an air layer between the flap and the envelope body, in the adsorption type enclosing and sealing machine, The flap can be expanded easily and reliably. Further, since the air ejected from the air nozzle can utilize the exhaust of the vacuum pump for adsorption, there is an effect that it can be implemented at low cost in terms of cost.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side view showing a structure of a main part of a sealing and enclosing machine of this embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the operation of the enclosing and sealing machine according to this embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a schematic side view of a conventional circulation transfer mechanism.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged side view showing a structure of a conventional flap expanding portion and an example of supplying envelopes.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged side view showing an incompletely sucked state of the flap in the conventional flap expanding portion.

[Explanation of symbols]

 21 Enclosing and Sealing Machine 22 Envelope Hopper Mechanism 22a Envelope Hopper 22b Adsorption Pad 23 Transport Mechanism 24 Circulating Transport Mechanism 24a Outgoing Route 24b Return Route 25 Enclosed Material Supply Mechanism 26 Enclosing Mechanism 28 Chain 29 Sprocket 30 AC Servo Motor 30a Main Shaft 31b Spindle 31a Pulley 32 Timing belt 33a Gear 33b Gear 34 Gripper 35 Roller 35a Pickup roller 35b Pressure roller 35c Feed roller 35d Slip roller 41 Flap expansion means 42 Adsorption pad 43 Air filter 44b Pipe line 45 Vacuum pump 46 Flap expansion auxiliary arm 47 Air nozzle 48 Guide wire P1 Envelope receiving part P2 Flap expansion part P3 Enclosing part P4 Enclosing part E Envelope E1 flap L Enclosed item

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. An envelope receiving part for receiving envelopes one by one, and an envelope flap, which has a conveying means for grasping an end portion of the envelope opposite to the flap and conveying the envelope. In the enclosing and sealing machine, which is provided with a flap expanding section for expanding, an enclosing section for inserting the enclosed matter into the envelope, and a sealing section for sticking the flap on the back surface of the envelope, the flap expanding section is conveyed to the flap expanding section. An enclosing and sealing machine comprising: an air ejecting means for injecting air to the back surface of the flap of the envelope in the vicinity of the base portion; and a flap suction means for expanding the flap by a swingable suction pad. 2. A vacuum pump for suctioning air from a suction pad of the flap suction means, and a pipeline for supplying exhaust air of the vacuum pump to the air injection means. Enclosed sealing machine described.