JPS5817041A - Positioning method and device for forward end of sheet matter - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To perform an accurate positioning, by constituting a device such that, after a forward end of a intermittent feed paper is grasped at a given position, the center thereof is pushed upward to bend it in a ?-shape, and the rear end is restrained, the grasping of the forward end and the push-up of the center are released, and the forward end is brought into contact with a stopper through elasticity of the paper. CONSTITUTION:A forward end of a flexible sheet S, fed intermittently, is held at a given position by a holding means 3, and with a push-up tool 4 turned, the center of the sheet S is then pushed upward to bend the sheet S in a ?-shape. Then, with a restraint means 5 turned, the rear end of the sheet S is restrained. If holding of the holding means 3 and push-up of the push-up tool 4 are released, the forward end of the sheet S is pushed forward under the own weight of the sheet S and through elasticity of the sheet S itself to make contact with a stopper 6, the forward ends are trued up at a given position, and the sheets S are positioned in an accurate location. This constitution causes the sheets to be reliably positioned, and enables to save a laber and automate a device.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a method for positioning the front end of a sheet-like object that can position the front end of a flexible sheet-like object that is intermittently supplied at a predetermined position, and a method for implementing the method. This invention relates to a positioning device for the front end of a sheet-like object.

In general, there are many cases where a flexible sheet-like material of a predetermined shape, such as a plastic sheet, paper, or metal plate, must be intermittently supplied to the next processing step after being subjected to a certain treatment. In such a process, if the sheet-like material is flexible and made of a relatively weak material, it is not possible to simply feed the sheet-like material by a belt conveyor or the like and bring it into contact with the stopper. It is no exaggeration to say that it is impossible to accurately position the front end of the sheet at a predetermined position because the front edge of the sheet that comes into contact with the stone is bent. When the sheet-like material is fed intermittently, the front end of the sheet-like material is not always fed under constant conditions in the feeding direction of the sheet-like material. It was very difficult to accurately position the In this way, if the front end of a sheet-like material cannot be accurately positioned at a predetermined position, for example, in the manufacturing process of printed matter or photographs, after the initial processing such as printing and exposure, subsequent processing such as cutting, multicolor printing, perforation, etc. When carrying out subsequent processing, it is not possible to carry out subsequent processing based on the external shape of a sheet-like object that has already been subjected to the initial processing, which has been a serious hindrance to labor saving and automation of the apparatus.

In order to eliminate such obstacles, the present inventors have developed a sheet-like material that can accurately position the front end of a sheet-like material such as a thin and relatively weak glass sheet at a predetermined position. As a result of intensive research to develop a method and device for positioning the front end of an object, it was discovered that the shortcomings of conventional methods and devices could be overcome by effectively utilizing the flexibility and gravity of a sheet-like object. . That is, in a positioning operation in which the front edge of a sheet-like object is positioned at a predetermined angle, for example, perpendicular to the feeding direction of the sheet-like object, and the sheet-like object is stopped at a predetermined position, the sheet-like object is accurately aligned with respect to the feeding direction. It is rare for the sheet to move at a predetermined angle, but at arbitrary varying angles, so the front edge of the sheet is detected and the sheet is moved. is stopped, the front end of the sheet-like object is temporarily held, and then the central part of the sheet-like object is pushed up with a push-up tool to deform the sheet-like object in the front-rear direction into a cursive shape. When the rear end of the sheet-like object, which has moved forward due to the 7-shaped deformation, is restrained from moving backward, and the front end of the sheet-like object is temporarily released and the push-up tool is lowered, the sheet-like object moves under its own weight. The front edge of the sheet tries to return to a flat state due to the elasticity and moves forward just like an inchworm moves, and the front edge of the sheet comes into contact with a strut jar placed at a predetermined angle with respect to the feeding direction of the sheet. The inventors have discovered that it is possible to position a portion of the front end of a sheet-like object using the following method.

In addition, when this positioning is completed, the sheet material is pushed up by the push-up tool and has a low, gentle curved shape, so it is Although it is normal for the degree of deformation of the left end and right end to be different, it has been determined that this difference in deformation does not pose any problem.

That is, the present invention supplies a flexible sheet-like material in a predetermined direction, temporarily holds the front end of the sheet-like material, and then pushes up the central portion of the sheet-like material to move the sheet-like material in the front-back direction. A pushing tool that restrains the rear end of the sheet after deforming it into a square shape, and then temporarily releases the front end of the sheet and pushes up the center of the sheet. is lowered, and the front end of the sheet is further moved forward by the weight and elasticity of the sheet, so that the front edge of the sheet is brought into contact with and supported by the stone z# -K. The present invention provides a method for positioning the front end of a sheet-like object and a positioning device for the front end of a sheet-like object for carrying out the method.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, embodiments of the apparatus of the present invention for carrying out the method of positioning the front end of a sheet-like object according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a plan view of an embodiment of a positioning device for the front end of a sheet according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line A-A in FIG. 1, and FIG. A plan view of another embodiment of the front end positioning device, FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line B--B in FIG. 3. In the drawing, 1 is a conveyor for supporting a flexible sheet material S such as a plastic sheet, paper, or metal plate in a planar manner and feeding it in a predetermined direction. As shown in Figure 2, a plurality of endless bells (la) are arranged in parallel to each other and rotated in the same direction, with a predetermined gap between the edges of adjacent bells (la). 1
b is provided with a belt conveyor or a third,
As shown in Figure 4, there are cases where the conveyor is a roller conveyor in which rollers are arranged in a staggered manner. 2 is provided near the sheet-like material discharge side of the conveyor 1, and detects that the sheet-like material S is supplied to the sheet-like material discharge side of the conveyor 1 and issues a signal to stop the conveyor 1. If the sheet-like object S is a relatively strong metal plate, the detector 2 may be a limit switch that detects it by contacting the sheet-like object S. In the case of soft glass sheets, paper, etc., a combination of a light source and a light receiving element that can detect the feeding of the sheet material S without contact is preferable.

In the illustrated embodiment, two detectors 2 are provided in a direction perpendicular to the sheet-like material supply direction of the conveyor 1, but this is because the front edge of the sheet-like material S is Since the supply is not necessarily perpendicular to the supply direction, if only one detector 2 is present, when the detector 2 detects the supply of the sheet-like material S and stops the conveyor 1, the sheet-like material This is to eliminate such an obstacle, since the front edge of the object S is further advanced than the desired position and comes into contact with the strut horn 4-, which will be described later, in a one-sided manner, making subsequent positioning difficult. In order to achieve this purpose, two detectors 2 are installed at positions close to both sides of the conveyor 1, and when one of the two detectors 2 detects the supply of the sheet-like material S, Preferably, the structure is such that a signal to stop the conveyor 1 is immediately issued. Reference numeral 3 denotes a holder for holding the front end of the sheet S on the conveyor 1 which is activated and stopped by a signal for stopping the conveyor 1 from the detector 2; The front edge of object S no longer moves. At this time, the holder 3 is preferably located on the sheet-like material supply side of the conveyor 1 from the detector 2 so that the holder 3 can reliably hold the sheet-like material S. 4
is usually located on the same plane as the sheet-like material transfer section of conveyor l or below it, that is, in the case of Figs. 1 and 2, it is usually located below between bells) la of conveyor 1. In addition, in the case of FIGS. 3 and 4, it is normally located on the same surface as the rollers of the conveyor 1, and when the front end of the sheet S is held by the holder 3, the sheet of the conveyor 1 This is a push-up tool that rises above the material transfer section and pushes up the center portion of the sheet material S. It is preferable that the part of this push-up tool 4 that comes into contact with the sheet-like material S is made of a rotatable roll so as not to damage the sheet-like material S, and the pushing-up part that pushes up the central part of the sheet-like material S is preferably made of a rotatable roll. Even if the movement locus is arcuate as shown in Figures 1 and 2, or
, 4, it may be in the form of a straight line such as a cylinder. Reference numeral 5 denotes a restraint device that restrains the rear end of the sheet-like object S from retreating after the push-up tool 4 completes pushing up the central part of the sheet-like object S. There are objects that move upward and hold the rear end of the sheet S between the conveyor 1 and objects that move above and below the sheet S in the direction of the sheet S. Something that holds the rear end of the sheet-like material S,
As shown in the figure, a sheet material S is fed by a conveyor 1.
A roller 7 with a reversal prevention mechanism such as a ratchet, which is sandwiched between the conveyor 1 and the conveyor 1, and a roller 7, which moves behind the conveyor 1 as shown in FIGS. Various types of supports, such as fork-like supports, whose edges are supported at a predetermined angle with respect to the feeding direction of the sheet-like material S (in the illustrated embodiment, an angle perpendicular to the feeding direction of the sheet-like material S) are available. When the restraint device 5 is in a fork shape, its tip is inserted into the gap 1b between the bells (la) of the conveyor l, and the rear end edge of the sheet material S is bent at the base. It has a shape that prevents it from being moved or moved. 6 holds the front end of a sheet-like object S whose rear end is restrained by a restraint device 5, whose front end is held by a holder 3 and whose central part is pushed up by a push-up tool 4. When the hold by the holder 3 is released and the push-up tool 4 is slightly lowered, the front end of the sheet S moves forward and comes into contact with it, forming a predetermined angle with respect to the feeding direction of the sheet S. In addition to the round rod shape shown in the figure, the strut horns and the 6-socket supports may be plate-shaped. This stopper 6 is to be moved so as not to cause deformation to the front edge of the sheet-like material S when the sheet-like material S is transferred to the next process after the positioning of the sheet-like material S is completed. preferable. 7 holds the sheet S whose front edge is in contact with the stone rig 6 at its front end by suction or clamping using vacuum or magnetic force, and holds it at the next predetermined position (in the illustrated embodiment, the sheet The moving device 7 is a moving device that moves the shaped material S to a position perpendicular to the supply direction.This moving device 7 is a stone or a stone as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4.
It may also serve as 6.

Next, the operation of positioning the front edge of the sheet S at a predetermined position with respect to the feeding direction of the sheet S using the positioning device according to the present invention having such a configuration will be described. First, the sheet-like material S is fed onto the conveyor 1 in a flat form and is moved in that state to the conveyor 1's cartridge-like material discharge side. In this state, the front edge of the sheet-like material S rarely forms a predetermined angle with respect to the intended feeding direction of the sheet-like material S. In this way, when the front edge of the sheet-like material S is supplied to the position of the detector 2 provided near the sheet-like material discharge side of the conveyor 1, the detector 2 detects the sheet-like material S.
The conveyor 1 is stopped, and the holder 3 is simultaneously driven and the front end of the sheet S is held by the holder 3. When the front end of the sheet S is securely held by the holder 3 in this manner, the push-up tool 4 is driven to push up the central portion of the sheet S. By this operation, if the sheet-like object S is made of a weak material, its shape becomes A-shaped, and the sheet-like object S
When it is made of a strong material such as a metal plate, it becomes mace-like. In such a state, if the restraint device 5 is in a fork shape as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the tip of the fork is inserted 51bi between the belts 18 of the conveyor 1 from the rear of the conveyor 1, and the root of the fork is inserted into the belt la. The rear end edge of the sheet-like material S is supported at a predetermined angle with respect to the feeding direction of the sheet-like material S by the endless belt conveyor l. The sheet-like material S is in a state where it is lightly pressed toward the sheet-like material discharge side of the entreshold conveyor 1 by the trailing edge. Further, if the restraint device 5 is a roller with a reverse rotation prevention mechanism as shown in Fig. 3-4, the roller rotates by the length of the sheet-like material S pulled out when the center portion is pushed up by the push-up device 4. The rear end of the sheet is restrained.

When the rear end edge of the sheet-like object S is restrained by the restrainer 5 in this way, the holder 3 that was holding the front end of the sheet-like object S is driven and the holding of the sheet-like object S is released. At the same time, the push-up tool 4 is lowered a little. As the push-up tool 4 descends, the front end edge of the sheet-like material S whose rear end is restrained by the restraint tool 5 moves toward the stone 6 side.

At this time, since the only position in the sheet-like object S that is restrained is the rear end of the sheet-like object S, the front end edge of the sheet-like object S is restrained by its own weight and elasticity so that it comes into contact with the strut horn and -6. It moves forward and is positioned at a predetermined position where it lightly touches the stone 6. At this time, the sheet-like material S
If the smoothness of the sheet S is insufficient, or if the surface of the holder 3, the surface of the moving device 7, or the surface of the conveyor 1 cannot move the sheet S satisfactorily, the sheet S It is also possible to blow air into the lower surface of the sheet material S or to apply vibrations to the sheet material S. As described above, the front end of the sheet-like object S has been positioned at a predetermined position, so in this state, the holder 3 is driven again to securely hold the sheet-like object S, and the push-up tool 4 is lowered. Even if the sheet-like object S is made into a flat shape by releasing the restraint by the restraining device 5, the front end of the sheet-like object S is not made into a flat shape, and the front end of the sheet-like object S is held by the restraining means. It can also be transferred to the next process. In addition, when it is desired to further position the positioned sheet-like object S in the width direction, etc., the front end of the sheet-like object S is held by the moving device 7 and the sheet-like object S is moved to the next predetermined position (not shown). In this embodiment, it is sufficient to move the moving device 7 to a position perpendicular to the feeding direction of the sheet-like material S.

The method and device for positioning the front end of a sheet-like object according to the present invention as described in detail above can effectively prevent undesirable phenomena such as bending of the front edge of a sheet-like object, even if the sheet-like object is weak. This is an epoch-making method and device that has a mechanism that can accurately position the front end at a predetermined position, and has the advantage of being inexpensive and easy to implement because it has a small number of components, as well as being easy to maintain. It is very effective for performing the desired processing on flexible sheet-like materials that are supplied intermittently, such as plastic sheets, paper, and thin metal plates, and ensures the processing of such sheet-like materials. It can be made practical, and its industrial value is extremely large.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a plan view of one embodiment of the positioning device for the front end of a sheet-like object according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line A-A in FIG. 1, and FIG. conveyor
la...Endless belt 1b...Gap 2...Detector 3...Holder 4...Pushing tool 5...Restraint 6...Stopper 7...Moving device S...・Autumn sheet

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A flexible sheet-like material is fed in a predetermined direction, its front end is temporarily held, and then the central part of the sheet-like material is pushed up to move the sheet-like material in the front-rear direction. A push-up method in which the rear end of the sheet-like object is restrained after it is deformed into a double-sided shape, and then the front end of the sheet-like object is temporarily released from being held, and the central part is pushed up. A sheet characterized by lowering the tool and using the own weight and elasticity of the sheet-like material to move the front end of the sheet-like material further forward so that the front end edge of the sheet-like material is brought into contact with and supported by a stopper. How to position the front end of a shaped object. 2. A method for positioning the front end of a sheet-like object as set forth in claim 1, wherein the rear end of the sheet-like object is held in place. 3. To restrain the rear end of the sheet-like object, use the trailing edge of the sheet-like object.
A method for positioning a front end of a sheet-like article according to claim 1, which is carried out by supporting the front end of a sheet-like article. 4. A conveyor (1) that supports and supplies a flexible sheet (S) in a planar manner, and a conveyor (1) provided near the sheet-like material discharge side of the conveyor (1). A detector (2) detects that a sheet-like object (mark) is being supplied near the side and issues a signal to stop the conveyor (1), and a conveyor (2) that is stopped by a signal from the detector (2). 1) Holder (3) that holds the front end of the upper sheet-like object
) and the holding device (3) and the sheet-like object (■) that rises above the conveyor (1) and pushes up the central part of the sheet-like object (S) (4). and push-up tool (4
) After the pushing up of the sheet-like object [F]) is completed, a restraint device (5) restrains the rear end of the sheet-like object [F]), and the rear end is restrained by the restraint device (5), and the front end is held by the holder (3). When the push-up tool (4) is lowered in the released state, the front edge of the sheet-like object (■) moves and is supported in contact with the sheet-shaped object (6).
1. A positioning device for the front end of a special toe-like object, characterized by forming a toyoshi. 5. The positioning device for the front end of a sheet-like object according to claim 4, wherein the contact portion of the push-up tool (4) with the sheet-like object (■) is a rotatable roll. 6. A sheet having flexibility. A conveyor (1) is provided near the sheet-like material discharge side of the conveyor (1) to support and supply the sheet-like material (G) in a planar manner. ) is supplied and issues a signal to stop the conveyor (1), and a sheet-like object ( A holder that holds the front end of the mark (
3), and when the sheet-like object (S) is held by the holder (3), it rises onto the conveyor (1) and becomes the sheet-like object G).
A push-up tool (4) that pushes up the center part of the
) After the pushing up of the sheet-like object (■) is completed, the rear end is restrained by the restraint (5) and the restraint (5), and the front end is released from being held by the retainer (3). When the push-up tool (4) is lowered in this state, the front edge of the sheet-like object [F] moves and is supported in contact with the stopper (6). A moving device (a positioning device for the front end of a sheet-like object, characterized in that it consists of a force) that holds the front end of the sheet-like object (S) in contact and moves it to the next predetermined position. 7 Push-up tool (4 7. The positioning device for the front end of a sheet-like object according to claim 6, wherein the contact portion of the sheet-like object (S) in contact with the sheet-like object (S) is a rotatable roll.