JPS5911962Y2 - sorter - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] The present invention relates to the improvement of a sorting device (hereinafter simply referred to as a sorter) such as a collator that sorts copies, printed matter, etc. by page, or a sorter that aligns the pages. The purpose is to make the capacity and the number of sorting sections variable, thereby increasing the range of use.

For example, a sorter with a bin capacity of 100 sheets and 30 bins can sort a total of 3,000 copies into 30 copies of 100 copies each, but it cannot sort more than 30 copies. However, it is not possible to sort more than 100 sheets per copy.

However, there are cases where it is desired to sort a total of 2,000 copies into 40 copies each of 50 copies, and there are cases where it is desired to sort a total of 2000 copies into 10 copies each.

Although the total number of these sheets is within the capacity of the sorter, it becomes impossible to sort them because either the number of bins or the bin capacity is insufficient.

The purpose of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems by making a plurality of juxtaposed bottles removable and
The number and spacing of the bins can be adjusted, and the guide unit that moves along the input side of the bins and selectively guides paper to be sorted onto the bins is equipped with a sensor that detects the presence or absence of bins. , the stop position of the guide unit is controlled according to the output of the sensor, for example, the total capacity 3 as described above.
000 sheets sorter, 50 removable bins with a capacity of 60 sheets per bin are installed to increase the maximum number of sorted sheets to 50, and by reducing the number of bins to 30, the capacity per bin can be increased. It will increase to 100 sheets or 200 sheets.
The purpose is to increase the scope of use by sorting each sheet into 15 copies.

Next, the present invention will be explained with reference to illustrated embodiments.

Numerals 1 to 6 are bottles, which are removably attached to the frame 7, with only the bottle 4 shown being removed.

Each of the bins 1 to 6 is configured as a shelf with the right side in the drawing being the carry-in side and the shelf being sloped downward toward the left take-out side.

Reference numeral 8 denotes a group of carry-in rollers, which are arranged horizontally above the bins 1 to 6 and form a carry-in path 20 together with a guide plate 9.

Reference numeral 10 denotes an endless belt provided with a large number of holes 16, which is stretched between the pulleys 11 and 12 arranged above and below, and arranged vertically on the loading side of the bottles 1 to 6.

A vacuum device 13 is installed inside the endless bell 10, and its numerous suction holes 14 open toward the bottles 1 to 6.

The vacuum device 13 is connected to a pump (not shown) via a hose 15.

The endless belt 10 constantly runs in the vertical direction as shown by arrow A by driving the pulley 12 with a motor 17.

The end of the carry-in path 20 reaches near the upper end of the endless bell 10, and a curved guide 18 bridges the two ends.

Reference numeral 19 denotes a guide unit 2 which is in pressure contact with each other.
A book roller 22, two holders 23 (only one of which is shown in the figure) that supports both ends thereof,
It is composed of a curved guide 24 whose ends are fixed to both holders 23 and a shielding plate 25, and is horizontally supported by a chain 21 fixed to both holders 23.

The chain 21 is suspended between a wheel 27 attached to a shaft 26 located above the pulley 11 and a wheel 29 fixed to a shaft 28 located below the pulley 9-12. The guide unit 19 is driven to run in the direction of arrow B or the opposite direction, thereby moving the guide unit 19 while keeping it horizontal.

The two rollers 22 are constantly driven in the directions of arrows C and D by a motor (not shown) built into the holder 23.

Further, the curved guide 24 faces the front surface of the endless bell 10, and the shielding plate 25 is disposed between the back surface of the endless bell 10 and the vacuum device 13.

31 is an upper limit switch, and 32 is a lower limit switch, which are pressed by the holder 23 and turned on when the guide unit 19 reaches the upper limit position and the lower limit position, respectively.

Reference numeral 33 denotes a microswitch attached to the upper front surface of the holder 23, which is turned on by contacting the front edge of each of the bottles 1 to 6.

34a and 34b are a light source and a light receiver that constitute the photoelectric switch 34, and are arranged above and below so as to be shielded from light by the paper P carried into each bin 1 to 6, and the light receiver 34b
When the light is received after being once blocked, the photoelectric switch 34 emits a pulse output.

Each of these switches 31 to 34 and a counter switch 35, which is turned on when a paper counter (not shown) reaches a set value, are connected to a circuit shown in FIG. 3, and control the rotation of the motor 30. do.

That is, the output of the lower limit switch 32 and the output of the counter switch 35 are supplied to the set terminal of the flip-flop circuit 37 and the NOT gate 39 via the OR gate 38, and the output of the NOT gate 39 is supplied to the pulse output of the charging switch 34. It is also supplied to the set terminal of the flip-flop circuit 36 via an AND gate 40.

Further, the output of the upper limit switch 31 is supplied to a reset terminal of a flip-flop circuit 37, and the output of the microswitch 33 is supplied to a reset terminal of a flip-flop circuit 36.

The flip-flop circuits 36 and 37 respectively switch the motor 30 between normal rotation and reverse rotation when they are in the set state.

Next, the operation of the device will be explained.

First, select the number of bins 1 to 6 according to the number of sorting categories,
Remove unnecessary bottles.

In the illustrated example, only bin 4 out of six bins 1 to 6 has been removed, but in reality, the total number of bins is many.
Moreover, the intervals between each bin should be equal.

In this way, each time one bottle is removed, the capacity of the lower bin increases by one bottle.

In the standby state, the guide unit 19 is in the uppermost position, and only the upper limit switch 31 is on.

When the paper P is fed into the carry-in path 20 as shown by the arrow E,
A group of carry-in rollers 8 drives it and conveys it in the same direction.

The paper P is deflected downward by the curved guide 18 and comes into contact with the surface of the endless belt 10.

The vacuum device 13 installed behind the endless belt 10 sucks the paper P through the holes 16, so the paper P is attached to the endless belt.
It is adsorbed to the surface of 10 and is conveyed downward as shown by arrow A.

When the leading edge of the paper P reaches the position of the guide unit 19,
Due to the action of the shielding plate 25, it is released from being attracted to the endless belt 10, bends its course along the curved guide 24, and is fed onto the topmost bin 1.

At this time, since the paper P crosses the optical path 34C between the light source 34a and the light receiver 34b, the incident light to the light receiver 34b is temporarily blocked, and when the rear end of the paper P passes the charging switch 34 is an AND game} 40 which provides an output pulse.

Both the lower limit switch 32 and the counter switch 35 are off, and the NOT gate 39 ANDs the output.
Since it is applied to the gate 40, the flip-flop circuit 3
A pulse signal is applied to the set terminal 6, and the flip-flop circuit 36 is placed in the set state.

As a result, the motor 30 rotates normally, driving the chain 21 and lowering the guide unit 19.

By lowering the guide unit 19, the micro switch 3
3 contacts the leading edge of the topmost bin 1, it provides a signal to the reset terminal of the flip-flop circuit 36, which is reset and the rotation of the motor 30 is stopped.

In this state, the guide unit 19 has its outlet located below the topmost bin 1.

Therefore, when the second sheet of paper P is conveyed, that paper P is carried onto the bin 2 on the second stage.

The charging switch 34 emits a pulse signal due to the light shielding by the second sheet of paper P, the flip-flop circuit 36 is set again, the motor 30 is rotated in the normal direction, and the guide unit 19 is further lowered by one step.

After carrying the third sheet of paper P onto the bin 3 in the same manner,
The guide unit 19 descends by one step, and the fourth sheet P passes through it, but since the bin 4 has been removed, the fourth sheet P is carried onto the bin 5. .

Next, the motor 30 rotates forward and the guide unit 19 descends, but this time it does not stop at that position because the bin 4 has been removed, but stops when the microswitch 33 detects the bin 5.

Therefore, the fifth sheet P is carried onto the bin 6.

When the fifth sheet P passes, the guide unit 19 further descends and the microswitch 33 detects the bin 6, the flip-flop circuit 36 is reset and the motor 30 is stopped, but at this time the lower limit limit 32 is turned on. Therefore, the flip-flop circuit 37 becomes set, and the motor 30 rotates in reverse.

As a result, the guide unit 19 moves upward, and at the highest position, the upper limit switch 31 is turned on.

The upper limit switch 31 is a flip-flop circuit 37
and stop the motor 30.

Thus, the first page of paper P is in each bin 1 to 3, 5, and 6.
By repeating the same cycle, the second and subsequent pages of paper P are distributed to each of the bins 1 to 6.

In actual use, not all bins 1 to 6 are necessarily used.

In that case, set the required number of bins, compare it with the number of bins detected by the microswitch 33, and when it reaches the set value, a signal is issued in place of the lower limit switch 32, and the motor 30 is activated. Perform a reverse rotation to shorten the stroke.

In the above embodiment, since the number of removed bottles is not counted, there is a risk that the operator may set a number of bottles greater than the number of remaining bottles due to operator error. Nevertheless,
Malfunctions can be prevented by sensing that the number of detected bins does not reach the set value and issuing a paper feed prohibition command or by discharging excess paper to the outside of the sorter.

Of course, if a detector is provided for each bin, it is possible to prevent the number of bins from being set higher than the number of remaining bins.

In the above embodiment, a sorter was described, but the present invention can also be implemented in a collator that sorts each original.

In the embodiment of the present invention, the explanation has been given in which the bottles are pulled out by hand, but it is also possible to automatically change the interval between the bottles depending on the number of sets.

As described above, this invention makes the bins removable, so the number of sorting categories and the number of sheets per category can be made variable, making it possible to perform various sortings within the total capacity, expanding the scope of use. can be done.

The stopping position of the guide unit that selectively carries paper onto multiple bins is controlled according to the output of a sensor that detects the presence or absence of bins, so paper is transferred onto the remaining bins regardless of the bins that have been removed. It can be imported.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

The drawings show an embodiment of the present invention, in which FIG. 1 is a side view, FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the main parts of the paper carrying device, and FIG. 3 is a system diagram of the control circuit of the motor 30. 1 to 6...Bin, 19...Guide unit, 21.
...Chain, 30...Motor, 33...Micro switch, 36.37...Flip 0 flip 0 circuit.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] In a sorter equipped with a plurality of bins arranged in parallel and a guide unit that moves along the inlet side of the group of bins and selectively guides sheets to be sorted onto the bins, the bins are detachably attached. , the number and interval can be increased or decreased, and the guide unit is provided with a sensor for detecting the presence or absence of a bottle, and the stop position of the guide unit is controlled according to the output of the sensor. Sorter with