JPH07187103A - Envelope conveyance apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To reduce the size of the apparatus with its structure simplified while reducing the rate of damages occurring to envelopes by minimizing the distance between each of the envelopes to be conveyed. CONSTITUTION:When conveying envelopes 32 on a conveyance table 30 with conveyance fins 22A-22E provided to an endless belt 28, a second endless belt 30 equipped with stopper fins 36A-36E and moving synchronised with the endless belt 28 is provided over the endless belt 28, and the stopper fins 36A-36E are made to move simultaneously with the conveyance fins 22A-22E with the envelopes 32 interposed in between.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an envelope conveying device,
In particular, the present invention relates to an envelope transporting device which is suitable for use in detecting an envelope thickness for measuring the thickness of the envelope after the content is sealed by the sealing and sealing machine and checking the content for missing or overfilling.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there is a method in which an envelope conveying device 1 as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 conveys an envelope 2 and an envelope thickness detecting device 3 checks the thickness of the envelope 2.

This envelope transporting device 1 is provided with a plurality of transport fins 4A to 4D which are formed on the outer peripheral surface thereof so as to project at regular intervals.
An endless belt 4 wound around a pair of transport pulleys 5A and 5B and driven to rotate along a linear feed line 2A partially in a horizontal plane, and an end edge 6A are the feed lines 2A.
And a transport table 6 which is horizontally disposed adjacent to the transport fins 4A to 4D in parallel to and outside of the movement paths of the transport fins 4A to 4D, and the envelope 2 of which is slidable on the upper surface thereof. The leading edge of the envelope 2 sent from the enclosing and sealing machine 7 through the roller 8 is brought into contact with the carry-in envelope cover plate 11, and the edge 6
Between the pair of transport fins 4A and 4B adjacent to A, on the transport table 6 (first stage), a part of the edge 6A is provided.
The envelope 2 is dropped so as to protrude from the envelope 2, and the envelope 2 is sent out to the front second stage by the rear-side transfer fins 4B.

At the second stage, the solenoid 9 stops by abutting a stopper 10 protruding from below into the feed line 2A, and in this state, the envelope thickness detecting device 3 checks the thickness.

After checking the thickness, the solenoid 9 is demagnetized and the stopper 10 is moved by the spring 10A to the feed line 2.
When it is returned to a position lower than A, the endless belt 4 is driven by the stepping motor 12 to be sent out from the transfer table 6 by the transfer fins 4A, and the next envelope 2 is transferred to the second stage by the transfer fins 4B on the rear side. Sent to
The above steps will be sequentially repeated. Here, the stopper 10 is driven by the solenoid 9 as soon as the rear end of the envelope 2 of the second stage passes, and the stopper 10 is driven.
The next envelope 2 which is projected into A is prevented from being blown off by inertia when the transport fin is stopped.

[0006]

Here, from the viewpoint of space efficiency, the device is naturally required to be as small as possible, but for that purpose, it is conceivable to shorten the pitch between the envelopes 2.

For this purpose, the gap indicated by symbol A in FIG. 5 is narrowed.
After sending out the envelope 2 in the second stage, the solenoid 9
It is necessary to shorten the time until the stopper 10 is projected through the next envelope 2 before the stopper 10 projects.
Is sent from the first stage and the stopper 10
There is a problem that it may jump forward from. Therefore, there is a limit to shortening the gap A.

It is also conceivable to increase the speed of the stepping motor 12 in order to increase the processing speed of the envelope conveying device 1 instead of reducing the gap A, but at this time as well, until the stopper 10 is projected through the solenoid 9. The time has to be shortened and the same problem as above occurs.

Further, depending on the size of the envelope 2, the stopper 10 and the unit of the solenoid 9 for driving the stopper 10 must be moved in the feed direction, which causes a problem that the mechanism is complicated.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems of the prior art. The gap between successive envelopes can be minimized, the processing speed does not need to be increased, and the position of the stopper is larger than that of the envelope. An object of the present invention is to provide an envelope transport device that does not need to be moved according to the size.

[0011]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is provided with a plurality of conveying fins formed on an outer peripheral surface thereof so as to project at regular intervals, and is wound around a pair of conveying pulleys so that a part of the conveying fins extends along a linear feed line. A first endless belt that is rotationally driven by a rotary table; and a transport table that is arranged in parallel with the linear feed line and has an envelope slidably mounted on its upper surface, and moves along the transport table. In an envelope transporting device that transports envelopes by transporting fins, a pair of stopper pulleys that are coaxial with the pair of transport pulleys and rotate in synchronization with the pair of transport pulleys, and are wound around the stopper pulleys. A second endless belt provided with stopper fins protruding from the endless belt at the same number and with the same pitch so as to enter the movement locus of the endless fins; Drive control means for stopping the first and second endless belts when the stopper fin moves to a predetermined position, and the stopper pulley has a phase difference in a rotational direction with respect to the transport pulley. By making it relatively adjustable, the above object is achieved.

[0012]

When the envelope is conveyed, the stopper fin, which comes into contact with the leading end of the envelope and serves as a stopper, can adjust the distance in the feeding direction with respect to the convey fin and is further rotated in synchronization with the convey fin. The distance between can be set to the minimum.

[0013]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

The envelope transfer device 20 according to this embodiment has a plurality of transfer fins 22 formed on the outer peripheral surface thereof so as to project at regular intervals.
A to 22E, and a pair of transport pulleys 24A, 24B
The endless belt 28, which is wound around and is driven to rotate along a linear feed line 26 in a horizontal plane, and an end edge 30A of the endless belt 28 are parallel to the linear feed line 26 and are conveyed. The transfer table 30 is horizontally arranged outside the movement loci of the fins 22A to 22E and adjacent to it, and has an upper surface adjacent to the upper side of the pair of transfer pulleys 24A and 24B. , A pair of stopper pulleys 34A, 34B arranged coaxially with them and rotated in synchronization with them, and a pair of stopper pulleys 34A, 34B wound around the stopper pulleys 34A, 34B, and the conveying fins of the endless belt 28 on the outer peripheral surface. 22A to 22E and the same number and the same pitch as the stopper fins 36A to 36E projectingly formed so as to enter into the movement locus of the transport fins 22A to 22E. A second endless belt 38 with,
Is provided.

As shown in FIG. 2, one of the pair of transport pulleys 24A and 24B is one of the transport pulleys 24A.
Is supported by the rotary shaft 40A of the stepping motor 40, and one of the pair of stopper pulleys 34A, 34B is also adjusted in the rotational direction with respect to the rotary shaft 40A via the hugging device 42. It is attached freely.

Reference numeral 46 in FIG. 2 indicates an enclosing envelope patch plate.
The encapsulation envelope contact plate 46 is located above the stopper fin in the stopped state, and extends from the encapsulation and sealing machine 48 to the roller 49.
The front end of the envelope 32 sent by is collided and stopped, so that the envelope 32 falls between the stopper fin and the transport fin on the rear side (first stage). Reference numeral 50 in FIG. 1 indicates an envelope thickness detecting device (not shown in FIG. 2).

Here, the transfer fins 2A to 22E,
The relationship with the stopper fins 36A to 36E is shown in FIG.
As shown in an enlarged manner in FIG. 4, almost all of them overlap each other when viewed from the envelope feeding direction.

That is, the transport fins 22A to 22E extend upward from the endless belt 28 disposed on the lower side,
The stopper fins 36A to 36E extend downward from the second endless belt 38 on the upper side.

Further, as for the height relationship of both of them with respect to the transport table 30, as shown in FIG. 4, the lower endless belt 2 is provided.
The intermediate position in the height direction 8 and the upper surface of the transport table 30 are arranged to be substantially at the same height.

Next, the operation of the envelope conveying device 20 according to the above embodiment will be described.

First, as an initial setting, the screw 42A of the embracing device 42 is loosened, and the second endless belt 38 is moved with respect to the endless belt 28 in accordance with the B dimension of the envelope 32 (see FIG. 1). Tighten the screw 42A and attach the stopper pulley 34A to the rotary shaft 40 of the stepping motor 40.
Fix to A.

Envelope 32 carried in from the enclosing and sealing machine 48
Hits the carry-in envelope contact plate 46 and falls between the stop fin 36B stopped at the first stage and the carry fin 22B.

When the thickness of the preceding envelope 32 on the first stage is detected by the envelope thickness detecting device 50, the stepping motor 40 is rotated and the envelope 32 on the second stage is rotated.
And the envelope of the first stage is pushed by the transport fins 22B and is transported to the second stage.

At this time, if the stopper fin 36B is stopped at a predetermined position by stopping the stepping motor 40, this becomes the stop position of the second stage. Since the next stopper fins 36C and the transfer fins 22C have come to the first stage, the envelope 32 sent from the enclosing and sealing machine 48 is dropped between the fins in the same manner as described above, and the first stage is moved to the first stage. Will be set.

In this embodiment, the stopper fin 3
Since 6A to 36E move together with the envelope 32, the operation time of the stopper becomes the same as the conveyance, and the operation time for the stopper driven by the solenoid as in the conventional case is unnecessary, and the processing speed can be increased. Further, since the envelope 32 is securely restrained between the front and rear stopper fins and the transport fin, the distance between the tail end of the leading envelope and the leading end of the trailing envelope is minimized to reduce the size of the entire apparatus. Can be made smaller.

Furthermore, when the envelope 32 reaches the second stage, the envelope 32 moves together with the stopper fin as a stopper, unlike the conventional case where the envelope 32 collides with the stopper, so that the tip of the envelope 32 is less damaged.

Although the conveyor pulley 24A and the stopper pulley 34A are attached to the rotary shaft 40A of one stepping motor 40 in the above embodiment, the present invention is not limited to this, and the endless belt 28 and Different motors may be used as long as the second endless belt 38 can be rotated in synchronization.

[0028]

According to the present invention, when the envelope is conveyed, the stopper fin that comes into contact with the leading end of the envelope and serves as a stopper is adjustable in the feed direction with respect to the conveying fin, and is synchronized with the conveying fin. Since it is rotated in parallel, the size between the envelopes can be set to a minimum, and it is not necessary to increase the processing speed, and further, it is not necessary to move and set the stopper and its drive unit according to the size of the envelope. There is an effect.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view showing an envelope transport device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic front view showing the same embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a schematic front view showing an enlarged main part of the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line IV-IV in FIG.

FIG. 5 is a schematic plan view showing a conventional envelope transport device.

FIG. 6 is a schematic front view showing the conventional envelope transport device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 20 ... Envelope Conveying Device 22A-22E ... Conveying Fins 24A, 24B ... Conveying Pulley 26 ... Feeding Line 28 ... Endless Belt 30 ... Conveying Table 30A ... Edge 32 ... Envelopes 34A, 34B ... Stopper Pulleys 36A-36E ... Stopper Fin 38 ... Second endless belt 40 ... Stepping motor 40A ... Rotating shaft 42 ... Hugging device 46 ... Carry-in envelope patch plate 48 ... Enclosing and sealing machine 50 ... Envelope thickness detection device

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A first transporting fin, comprising a plurality of transporting fins projectingly formed on an outer peripheral surface thereof at regular intervals, wound around a pair of transporting pulleys, and partially driven to rotate along a linear feed line. An envelope which comprises an endless belt and a transport table which is arranged parallel to the linear feed line and has an envelope slidable on its upper surface, and which is transported by the transport fins along the transport table. In the transport device, a pair of stopper pulleys that are coaxial with the pair of transport pulleys and that are rotated in synchronization with these, and a pair of stopper pulleys that are wound around the stopper pulleys and have the same number as the transport fins of the endless belt on the outer peripheral surface, At the same pitch,
A second endless belt having stopper fins formed to project so as to enter the movement path of the transport fins, and stopping the first and second endless belts when the stopper fins move to a predetermined position. And a drive control means for controlling the phase difference in the rotational direction of the stopper pulley relative to the conveyor pulley.