JPS60137475A - Sorter for mail - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention [Technical Field of the Invention] The present invention relates to a mail sorting method in which a bar code is assigned to the entire mail item according to the reading result or coding of the address on the mail item, and the classification is performed according to this bar code. Regarding equipment.

[Technical background of the invention]

Recently, the address written on the mail is optically scanned, and the address is read based on the results of this optical scanning. If the correct address is read, a barcode corresponding to this address is added to the mail. It is supposed to be done. In addition, if the correct address cannot be read, the result of the above-mentioned optical scanning, that is, the scanned image, is displayed on the display gray, and the operator can input the address using the keyboard to write the shiba code on the mail piece. A coding system is provided to assign the Then, the postal items to which barcodes have been added as described above are sorted and accumulated in corresponding sorting boxes.

[Problems with background technology]

However, in the above-mentioned apparatus, when an address written on a mail piece includes both English characters and Chinese characters, different barcodes are assigned to each as a result of reading or coding. For this reason, even addresses with the same content were stored in different boxes, resulting in a decrease in the number of categories.

[Purpose of the invention]

This invention was made in view of the above circumstances, and its purpose is to avoid a decrease in the number of classifications even when mail items whose address information is written in different types of characters are classified. An object of the present invention is to provide a mail sorting device.

[Summary of the invention]

In this invention, when the destination information has the same contents but in different character types, the same specific code is given to the mail pieces so that the mail pieces are collected in the same sorting box.

[Embodiments of the invention]

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. .

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a mail processing system in which the mail sorting device of the present invention is installed. In the figure, 1°2 is a mail sorting device to which sorting and stamping parts are connected, and 3 to 6 are sorting,
This is a mail sorting device that does not have a stamping section connected to it. Further, 7 is a plurality of video coding disks 81...
8□ This is a coding room consisting of a distributor 9 and a data control unit 14.

In the mail sorting devices 1 and 2, 10 is a supply section 1
A sorting, sorting, and stamping unit that sorts small ordinary regular mail items that can be machine-processed from the mail items P supplied in 1, aligns the directions based on the position of the stamps, and outputs them to the sorting machine coupling machine 12 after being postmarked. It is a machine.

The sorting machine connecting machine 12 connects the sorting, arranging and stamping machine 10 and the reading and sorting machine 13.

The reading and sorting machines 13 13 of the mail sorting devices 1 and 2 are for primary and secondary switching sorting, and the mail sorting devices 3 and 4 .
is for primary sorting, and mail sorting device 6 is for secondary sorting.

Next, the sorting, arranging and stamping machine 10f will be explained with reference to FIG. The sorting, arranging and stamping machine 10 has a supply unit 1 which supplies mail pieces P received in a mail receiving unit 21 while flattening them by conveying them all diagonally upward, and a supply unit 11 Supplied mail P: Non-standard mail P with a predetermined thickness or more is sorted using a full-length belt type thickness sorting system.
A thickness sorting section 22 that removes ..., and a width sorting section 23 that removes non-standard size mail P... having a predetermined width or more from among the mail P that has passed through the thickness sorting section 22. 23, and all non-standard mail items P... that are inappropriate for mechanical processing in the subsequent process are removed here. Then, the thickness selection section 2
2 and the width sorting sections 23, 23, the non-standard size mail items P... are transferred to the removal conveyance section 24 and the sheeter 25.
You will be led down through the steps one after another.

On the other hand, the standard size and postal items P that have passed through the width sorting section 23.23f
. . . are carried out one by one by a stamp take-out unit (not shown) to the collecting and stamping unit 26, where a stamp detector 2 such as a color detection method is used.
After the stamp is detected by 7a and 27b, it is moved to the stamp position and is postmarked by the stamping mechanism 28, and the direction is aligned to the stamp position via the switch pack mechanism 29't-. There is. Also, among the regular mail items P... for which the postmark has been completed, serial mail items are sent to the express mail collection unit 30.
The remaining items are carried out to the sorting machine coupling machine 12 side.
When using the sorting, sorting, stamping machine alone without being connected to the side, or when the machine in the subsequent process is down, the regular mail P... can be collected independently in the regular mail stacking section. Reference numeral 32 designates a reject collection section, and 33 a manual feeding section for directly supplying pre-selected standard-sized mail items P to the collection stamp section 26 side.

Further, the sorting machine coupling machine 12 connected to the sorting, arranging and stamping machine 10 configured as described above is constituted by a known buffer stacker, and the sorting, arranging and stamping machine 12 can be used to stamp, sort, arrange, and stamp regular mail items in the stamp tube carried out from the machine 10. P...It reliably supplies one mail piece at a time according to the processing capacity of all the reading and sorting machines 13, and has a stock function for surplus mail brought in in excess of the supplied amount.1 Next, the third Reading and sorting machine 13 with reference to the figure and FIG.
Explain. This reading and sorting machine 13 photoelectrically converts the destination information on the postal item P... to the image information t-
A control section 42 having a determination section that determines address information according to the image information read by the image reading section 41, mail P from the image reading section 41... Total delay. After this delay, the judgment result of the above-mentioned judgment section or the video coding button 81..., 82...
・A delay in printing size-5-code (categorization information) on the mail P according to the gender information coded in ・The print section 43 and this delay ・In accordance with the bar code printed by the print section 43. It is composed of a dividing section 45 that divides into each sorting box 44.

The image reading section 41 and the delay/print section 43 are
It is constructed as shown in FIG.

That is, the mail P supplied from the supply section 51 or the mail P conveyed from the sorting machine coupling machine 12 is conveyed on the conveyance path 52. On this conveyance path 52 is an image reader 5 that optically scans information on the mail P being conveyed.
8 is provided. The mail P that has passed through the image reader 58 is supplied to the sorting section 45 via the conveyance path 53 and the delay conveyance path 54. Near the end of the conveyance path 54 is a printer 5 that prints a barcode corresponding to the address information on the mail P being conveyed through the conveyance path 54.
5 and stackers 5G and '57 are provided.

The dividing section 45 is constructed as shown in FIG.

That is, the supply reading section 61 is provided with a supply section 62 that sets the postal items P on which barcodes have been printed all at once and in an upright position.
. . . is sequentially picked up by the take-out unit 63 starting from the endmost mail P.
The sheets are taken out upward one by one and taken and conveyed to the collecting section 651tJ through the taking-in conveyance path 64. A reading device 65 is disposed in the middle of the take-in conveyance path 64, and is adapted to read the barcode of the mail P on the conveyance path. Further, on the starting end side of the intake conveyance path 64, there is a carry-in path 66 for carrying in the mail P supplied from the delay/print section 43.
are converging, and the mail P to be carried in is transported through the intake conveyance path 64.
It is designed to be sent to

Further, the terminal end of the intake conveyance path 64 is a vertical division conveyance path 67.
The mail P is conveyed through a horizontal divided conveyance path 68a provided in five vertical stages by a dart mechanism (not shown).
~68e or the above-mentioned reader 65 in the exclusion pocket 69
They can be selectively sorted based on the reading results. A large number (approximately 220) of designated sorting accumulation boxes 44 are arranged along the lower surfaces of the starting ends of the horizontal sorting conveyance paths 68h to 68e.

Further, ten preliminary sorting accumulation boxes 71 and ten rejection accumulation boxes 72 are respectively arranged at positions corresponding to the terminal ends of the horizontal sorting conveyance paths 68a to 61je.

Note that the other mail sorting devices 3 to 6 are also the mail sorting device 1,
It has the same configuration as the reading and sorting machine 13 of No. 2.

The above video coding dexf 81...

8, . . . are CRTs that display image information supplied from the control section 42 via the distributor 9, as shown in FIG.
It is composed of display devices 81 and 82 and a keyboard 83 for inputting address information corresponding to the image information displayed on the CRT display device 82. The keyboard 83 is provided with keys for alphabetic characters in the case of the video coding disk 81 for alphabetic characters, and the video coding disk 81 for kanji characters. ···in the case of,
It is equipped with keys for kanji.

Next, the main parts of the electric circuit will be explained with reference to FIG.

That is, the control section 42 of the mail sorting device 1 reads the image information for each 211 pieces of mail from the image reader 58, and causes the discriminating section 9 to discriminate the address information. Also,
The control unit 42 prints the barcode on the corresponding postal item P by supplying the barcode information corresponding to the identified address information or the barcode information supplied from the data processing unit 14 to the printer 55. It is something that allows you to print. Furthermore, when the address information cannot be determined, the control section 42 outputs the image information to the data processing section 14. That is, the control unit 42 outputs the address information in kanji when the discriminating unit 91 cannot distinguish alphabetic characters, and outputs it as address information in alphabetic characters when the discriminating unit 91 detects an alphabetic text but cannot distinguish the alphabetic address. It looks like this. The determination unit 91 determines whether the image information, that is, the optical pattern information, from the image reader 58 can be recognized as a combination of alphabetic characters and whether or not it can be recognized as an alphabetic address. The other mail sorting devices 2 to 6 also have the same configuration as described above.

The data processing section 14 transfers the supplied image information to a distributor 9.
Each video coding disk 81...
, 8! It is to be distributed to... For example, a video for processing alphabetic addresses.

Distribute the kanji address to the coding dexfu 8□..., and distribute the kanji address to the video coding dexfu 8□...
・It is designed to be distributed to In addition, the upper 6 data processing unit 14 is a video coding/decoding unit 8□...
, 8. . . , is converted into barcode information corresponding to the address information to be donated, and the barcode information is output to the control unit 42 of the corresponding mail sorting device. In this case, when the contents of address information in alphabetical characters and kanji characters are the same, the same barcode information is output.

Next, the operation in such a configuration will be explained. first,
Mail P... is supplied to all the supply units 11. Then, the mail P... supplied to the supply unit 11 is sent to the sorting, arranging and stamping machine 1.
0, small regular mail items that can be machine processed are sorted, aligned in multiple directions by detecting the position of the stamps, and postmarked.

The mail P from the sorting, arranging and stamping machine 10 is read and sorted by a sorting machine 132 via a sorting machine coupling machine 12 and an image reading unit 41.
transported to. Next, in the image reading section 41, the mail P supplied from the sorting machine coupling machine 12 or the supply section 51
The mail P taken out is transported on the transport #Ir52. As a result, the information on the surface of the mail P being conveyed through the conveyance path 52t is optically read by the image reader 58.
The reading result is supplied to the control section 42. Then, the control unit 42 recognizes whether the image information read by the determination unit 91 is an alphabetic character or a Chinese character, and in the case of an alphabetic character, determines whether or not the address information can be recognized. Based on this determination, if the image information is an alphabetic character and the address can be recognized, the control unit 42 converts the address information into barcode information corresponding to it.

At this time, the mail P that has passed through the image reader 58 is conveyed by the conveyance paths 53 and 54, and faces the printer 56 after a predetermined period of time has elapsed.

Furthermore, in accordance with the above determination, if the 1lfli image information is not an alphabetic character, or if it is an alphabetical character but the address cannot be recognized, the control unit 42 outputs the image information to the data processing unit 14, respectively. As a result, when the data processing unit 14 is supplied with image information of alphabetic characters, it is outputted to one of the video coding differential screens 81 for alphabetic characters via the distributor 9, and the image information of kanji is supplied. If so, the kanji video coding button 8 is sent via the distributor 9.
Output to either. Therefore, the video coding button 81, to which the image information of the alphabetic characters is supplied,
...Then, the image information is transmitted to the CRT display device 82.
is displayed, and the operator inputs address information in alphabetical characters according to this display using a key date 83 for alphabetic characters. In addition, video coding, which is supplied with image information of kanji,
Butasuf 8. . . . Then, the image information is displayed on the CRT display device 82, and the operator inputs address information in kanji according to this display using the kanji key 83. The alphabetic characters entered by the above key 83,
Kanji address information is supplied to the data processing section 14. Thereby, the data processing unit 14 converts the supplied address information into corresponding barcode information and outputs it to the control unit 42 of the corresponding sorting device. In this case, when the contents of address information in alphabetic characters and kanji characters are the same, the same barcode information is output. As a result, the control unit 42 outputs the barcode information supplied from the data processing unit 14 or the barcode information converted from yearly information to the printer 55, and the postal item P whose address information has been read is output to the printer 55. When facing the printer 55, a bar code is printed on the mail P. The mail P on which this barcode is printed is supplied to the sorting section 45.

Next, in the sorting section 45, the mail P supplied from the delay/print section 43 or the mail P on which the barcode is printed and taken out from the supply section 62 is conveyed on the conveyance path 64. Thereby, the bar code on the surface of the mail P conveyed through the conveyance path 64 is optically read by the reading device 65. Then, the mail P is sorted and stacked in the corresponding stacking box 44 based on the reading result of the reading device 66.

Note that the same operation as described above is also performed when the mail P is sorted by the other mail sorting devices 2 to 6. However, the mail sorting devices 3 to 6 are designed to operate after the sorting and stamping processes are performed.

In the above embodiment, the case where English characters and Chinese characters are mixed is described, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the same implementation can be made in the case where English characters and Arabic characters are mixed.

Furthermore, although a case has been described in which the discrimination unit can discriminate address information in alphabetical characters, the present invention is not limited to this, and may be configured to be able to discriminate address information in alphabetical characters and Chinese characters individually. For example, - it is determined whether the image information is an alphabet or a kanji character, and the address information for each alphabet is set as the first
The kanji address information is discriminated by the second discrimination unit, and the image information that could not be discriminated by the first discrimination unit is transferred to the first video coding disk group based on these discrimination results. This can be implemented in a system that distributes image information that cannot be determined by the second determining section to a second group of video coding disks.

Further, when image information of kanji is displayed on the coding screen, address information is input in kanji, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the operator may decide to input kanji in alphabetical characters. In this case, the keyboard only needs to have alphabetic characters, and the keyboard can be simplified.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As described in detail above, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a complete mail sorting device that does not cause a decrease in the number of sorts even when sorting mail pieces whose destination information is written in different character types.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

The drawings show an entire embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 1 is an overview of the mail processing system, Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing the configuration of the sorting, sorting, and stamping machine, and Fig. 3 is a diagram of the image reading unit. FIG. 4 is a plan view showing the configuration, FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the configuration of the dividing section, FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing the appearance of the video coding disk, and FIG.
The figure is a configuration diagram showing the main parts of an electric circuit. 1-6... Mail sorting device, 81-, 8. ~...Video coding disk, 9...Distributor, 13
−°° reading segmenter, 14... data processing section, 41...
- Image reading section, 42... Control section, 43... Delay/Print section, 44 -... Sorting box, 45... Sorting section, 5
1... Supply section, 52, 53. 54... Conveyance path, 55
... printer, 58 ... image reader, 65 ... reading device, 81.82 ... CRT display device, 8
3...Keyboard, 91...Discrimination section.

Claims (8)

[Claims] (1) A reading means for reading address information on a mail item, a determining means for determining the destination according to the reading result by the reading means, and a reading result by the reading means when the destination cannot be determined by the determining means. A display means for displaying a key date, a key date into which destination information according to the display means can be entered, and classification information according to the destination information from the keyboard or the discrimination result by the discrimination means are added to the mail piece, In a mail sorting device equipped with a sorting/accumulating means for sorting and accumulating in predetermined sorting boxes according to sorting information, if the address information has the same content even if it is of different character types, the same sorting information is used for the same sorting information. 1. A mail sorting device characterized in that the mail sorting device is configured to be applied to mail so that the mail is collected in the same sorting box. (2) The mail sorting device according to claim 1, wherein the sorting information is a bar code. (3) The mail sorting device according to claim 1, wherein a coding desk is constituted by a - key and a display means. (4) A first reader that reads the address information on the mail written in a first language, and sorts the mail into predetermined sorting boxes according to the information read by the first reader. a second reading device that reads information on a mail piece in which address information is written in a language different from the first language; A control means for controlling the mail to be sorted into the same sorting box if the destination information is the same as the destination information read by the first reading device. (5) The second reading device includes an imaging means for imaging the destination information t-i of the mail, a display means for displaying the information captured by the imaging means, and a display device corresponding to the information displayed by the display means. 5. The mail sorting device according to claim 4, further comprising input means for assigning sorting information. (6) The mail sorting device according to claim 4, wherein the first language is English and the other language p1 is Kanji. (7) The mail sorting device 0 according to claim 4, wherein the second reading device is provided with input means for sorting information corresponding to the first language. (8) The mail sorting device according to claim 4, wherein the first reading device is an optical character reading device.