JPS61124469A - Bundle of sheets separating device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To accurately control the number of sheets without damaging said sheets by inserting a separating head into a gap provided by blowing air jet against the border of bundles of sheets at which a mark attached to the side of a piles of sheets per each defined number of sheets, is photoelectrically detected. CONSTITUTION:When a head H on the same table as a video camera V is advanced until its end comes close to the side of a pile of sheets S, its height becomes the same as the height of a border between the top bundle of sheets and the second bundle from the top, of the pile of sheets. After the end of the head is brought close to the pile of sheets, a control unit C makes air jet out from a jet port N at a pressure of approximately 2kg/cm<2> to blow against the side of the pile of sheets, which, in turn, is parted up and down at the border between the top and second bundles of sheets providing a gap. The head is further advanced to increase the gap and a pusher is inserted into the increased gap to push and send the top bundle of sheets of the piles of sheets S leftward. Then, the control unit C drives a table lifter T to elevate the piles of sheets S by the amount of one bundle of sheets, completing one cycle of operation and, thereby, obtaining the accurate number of sheets without damaging the sheets.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION A. Field of Industrial Application The present invention relates to an apparatus for taking a predetermined number of sheet bundles from a pile of sheets and sending them to the next process.

Conventional technology When paper that has been cut to a certain size is packaged and shipped by a certain number of sheets, the process involves taking a certain number of sheets from the pile of paper that has been cut to a certain size in the cutting process and sending it to the packaging process. is usually done manually.

However, such a sheet bundle has a thickness of 10-50 mm and weighs a considerable amount of 20-25 kg, so
It is quite hard work and automation is desired. However, it is difficult to automate the work of separating a fixed number of sheet bundles from a stack of sheets, and when the work is performed by a machine, there is a high risk of damaging the sheets when the sheet bundles are sent out. For this reason, no satisfactory device has been proposed that automatically separates a certain number of sheet bundles from a stack of sheets and feeds them to the next process.

For example, the technique described in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 55-47779 blows air on the side of the paper stack at the position where the paper stacks should be separated, causing the upper paper stack to float slightly, and then inserting a separation plate into the gap formed there. It uses air to avoid damaging the paper, but when it comes to separating a certain number of sheets of paper, it is necessary to insert it at a certain distance below the top of the paper stack.
Since this is a lecture in which air is blown, there is a large error in the number of sheets of paper, and it cannot be applied in cases where accuracy in the number of sheets of paper is required, such as when packaging each sheet by a predetermined number.

In order to manually separate a predetermined number of sheet bundles from a stack of sheets, generally, in the cutting process, a marking paper is inserted into the sheet stack every predetermined number of sheets, and this mounting paper is passed through the marking pad to separate the sheet bundles. However, if the backing paper is not removed before packaging, if the sheet is unwrapped and fed directly to the printing process, the backing paper that got inside the packaging will get caught up in the printing machine and cause printing defects. Problems like this occur. Therefore, it is preferable not to use a mount or the like for separating sheet bundles.

C. As stated in the problem to be solved by the invention, a satisfactory technology for automating the work of separating a predetermined number of sheets from a pile of sheets and feeding them to the next process has not yet been established. . The present invention proposes a solution in this regard.

2.Means for solving the problem Photoelectrically detect marks placed on the side of the sheet pile for each predetermined number of sheets in the cutting process, or photoelectrically detect and count lines for each sheet on the side of the sheet pile. A boundary between a predetermined number of sheet bundles is detected, an air jet is blown onto the detected boundary to form a gap at the boundary, and a sheet bundle separation head is inserted into the gap.

E. Example In Japanese Patent Application No. 59-43269, the applicant of the present patent proposes a method of writing marks on the sides of stacked sheets, that is, a pile of sheets, every predetermined number of sheets. In the embodiment described below, a predetermined pile of sheets is placed on the table lifter T by the method according to this proposal or by another suitable method. The table lifter T raises the sheet pile by the thickness of one sheet bundle every time a predetermined number of sheet bundles are sent out from the sheet pile S, and the upper surface of the sheet pile is always kept at substantially the same height lζ. L is a mark line, and its lower end position is the boundary between the upper and lower sheet bundles. ■ is installed on stand A that can be moved up and down with a video camera, and lens l + c
Therefore, an image of the mark on the side of the sheet pile S is formed on the two-dimensional image sensor I. H is a wedge-shaped head that is installed on the same table as the video camera V so that it can move back and forth (left and right in the figure), and its tip is at the same height l as the X-direction coordinate x0 on the image sensor I of the video camera. This has been adjusted. In other words, if the tip of the head H is extended horizontally and intersects with the side surface of the sheet pile, the head H
The height positional relationship between the video camera V and the video camera V is adjusted. Stand A, where the video camera and head are installed, is the sheet pile S.
Image sensor for marking on the side of the top sheet bundle■
In the image above, it is explained that the lower end of the mark is located on the line of coordinate x0, and that you can move up and down within the range at hand. The control device C scans the image sensor ■ while moving the platform A up and down, and the lower end of the landmark image is at the coordinate X. Find the height that matches the line and stop the platform at that position. Next, the head H is advanced to a position where its tip is close to the side surface of the sheet pile S. As mentioned above, the image of the line where the horizontal extension of the tip of the head H intersects with the sheet mountain S is
Since the upper image is tilted f so that it coincides with the xo line, in this case, the height of the tip of the head H is the same as the height of the boundary between the top sheet bundle of the sheet pile and the sheet bundle below it. We are doing so. Air jet holes N are arranged in a row at the tip of the head H, and after the head tip is brought close to the sheet pile, the control device C blows out air from the air jet holes N at a pressure of about 2 kg/crn2. Spray the sheet mountain S. For this reason, the side surface of the sheet pile is divided into upper and lower parts at the boundary of the topmost sheet bundle, and a gap is formed. Thereafter, the monument control device C blows out air from the tip of the head H and moves the N head forward, inserts it into the gap that has been formed, enlarges the gap, and inserts a pusher (not shown) into the enlarged gap. Then sheet Lll
Push the topmost sheet bundle on lS to the left in the figure. The control device C drives the table lifter T to lift the sheet pile S to -
It is raised by the number of sheet bundles to complete the -cycle operation, and the above-described operation is repeated to send out a predetermined number of sheet bundles one after another.

It runs longitudinally through the main body of Rad H and opens at the tip of the head, and has a hole diameter of 2 mm. FIG. 3 shows the top surface of the spatula H, and three air ejection holes N are provided. Note that the air ejection holes are not limited to milk-like ones, and slit-like ones of an appropriate size can be appropriately selected and used depending on the purpose.

FIG. 4 is an image of the video signal obtained by scanning the image sensor. The L-jo is a landmark image, and the many horizontal lines Z are the boundaries of each sheet.

Scanning proceeds in the y direction while drawing a scanning line in the x direction. That is, the horizontal scan lines of a normal television are now vertical. FIG. 5 shows a video signal. y is a video signal along the scanning line y in FIG. 4, and the pulse-like waveform is a signal along the boundary line of each sheet. Figure 5y. is the fourth
In the figure, the step-like H level portion on the left side of the video signal for one of the scanning lines included in the range from yo to yo+Δy that includes the image Li is the portion of the image Li. As the platform A descends, the lower end of the image Li gradually comes to a point where it crosses the horizontal line x0 (imaginary). If the descending speed of the platform A is slow compared to the scanning period, scanning is performed several times between yo and Y0+Δy even while the lower end of the image Li actually coincides with the line x0. In the third diagram, the period t of the signal r of the image of the boundary line of each sheet is determined by the thickness of the sheet and the scanning speed, and is approximately constant. The control device C detects that the scanning is in progress in the section y0+△y when the H level of the video signal continues for a period longer than the period t for each scanning line, and during this period, the X direction scanning is continued. At the timing when the scanning point passes through the coordinate point xo, a pulse with a time width J (t) as shown in FIG. Figure 5 w
Wait until the video signal becomes L level at the falling edge of the pulse. As the platform gradually descends, the edge of the image Li that was initially above the line .

The state of H level continues even after 1 hour, and the end of Li becomes line x.
0, the video signal becomes H level at the timing of x0, and becomes L level after a period of time. This state is repeated while scanning is performed in the range from yo to y0+△y, so if the above state is repeated, for example, three times in a row during one screen scan, the height position of the tip of the head H It is determined that the height matches the lower end height of the mark on the side of the sheet mountain S, and the descent of the platform A is stopped. In this way, the height of the lower end of the landmark is searched.

Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. In this embodiment, the image sensor used in the video camera in the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 is simply changed to a one-dimensional line sensor instead of a two-dimensional image sensor. is different from the upper side.

In this embodiment, no mark is placed on the side surface of the sheet stack S in advance, and the sheet bundle separating means divides the number of sheets by itself, and separates the sheet speed using air at a predetermined number of sheets. This embodiment will be explained with reference to FIG.

In this embodiment, the magnification of the camera is set such that the thickness of the sheet bundle is sufficiently within the field of view of the camera. - At the beginning of the operation of the cycle, the video camera V is in the first position, the upper surface of the sheet pile S not being within the field of view of the video camera. There is a light source near the video camera that illuminates the sides of the sheet mountain, and the sides of the sheet mountain appear white, but the area beyond the top of the sheet mountain is dark when viewed from the video camera. Therefore, the signal obtained by scanning the licensor of the video camera initially is as shown in FIG. 6A, -
It is at H level throughout the scanning. Next, platform A begins to descend. Then, the end of the sheet mountain comes into view (because the cubic C image in the field of view of the video camera is inverted), and the video signal becomes as shown in FIG. 6B. In the diagram B, the pulse-like signal r indicates the boundary between each sheet, as described above.

As the platform descends, the dark (H level) area behind the pile of sheets in the video signal gradually shrinks as shown in FIGS. 6B and 6C. The control circuit C counts the rising edge of the signal r for each scan and detects the rising edge of the signal r at the end or beginning of the scan.
The ζ count value is cleared. This count value gradually increases. Therefore, the lowering of platform A is stopped when the count value of the rising edge of signal r up to the position U in FIG. 6 on the video signal matches the value of the predetermined number of sheets. Thereafter, the operations of moving the head H forward, blowing out air, etc. are the same as in the embodiment described above.

When blowing air on the side of the sheet mountain, it is more effective to move the head tip as close to the sheet mountain as possible without touching the sheet mountain. When the side of the sheet mountain is completely vertical and straight, it is sufficient to simply set the height of the head H to be constant, but in reality, the side of the sheet mountain is usually tilted or slightly uneven. It is. Therefore, a means is required to detect the distance between the video camera and the side surface of the sheet mountain, and the distance between the head tip and the side surface of the sheet mountain. FIG. 7 shows one means for this purpose. This means: light source F, aperture a, translucent @! It consists of m, a light projecting lens, a light receiving aperture d, and a light receiving element G, and is fixed to the stand A. Table A is held by a robot arm (not shown) that can move not only up and down (but also back and forth).

The lens P is adjusted so that the image of the aperture a is formed slightly behind the vertical plane passing through the tip of the head H. If the side surface of the sheet mountain is located at a position that exactly coincides with the image of the diaphragm a formed by the lens P, the light from the light source F is focused to the smallest extent on the side surface of the sheet mountain, and the brightness of the image is maximum. The aperture d is located at a symmetrical position to the aperture a with respect to the semi-transparent mirror m, and in this case, the sheet peak (
I! Since the image of the aperture a on one surface is formed by the aperture dJll, the distance passing through the aperture d is maximum at this time, so the output of the light receiving element G is also maximum. Therefore, by slightly moving stand A back and forth to detect the position where the output of light receiving element G is maximum, the video camera will focus on the side of the sheet pile, and the tip of head H will not come into contact with the side of the sheet pile. It will be set at the position closest to the side of the seat mountain. In this case, after the controller C detects the boundary of the sheet bundle,
There is no need for the step of moving the head H forward by a certain amount to bring the leading end close to the side surface of the sheet crest.

Effects The apparatus of the present invention has the above-described configuration, and detects the boundary between the sheet bundle and the sheet bundle below it in the stack of sheets, and separates the sheet bundle by blowing air to the boundary. The number of sheets in the bundle can be accurately controlled, and the boundaries of the sheet bundle can be detected and separated in a non-contact manner, so there is no risk of damaging the sheets, and there is no need to insert marking paper, etc. at the boundary of the sheet bundle.・Waste such as paying attention to the removal of the mount and adding equipment can be avoided.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a schematic perspective view of an apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a head used in the same embodiment, Fig. 3 is the same (plan view), and Fig. 4 is a sheet image taken by a video camera. A side image, FIG. 5 is a time chart of the end detection operation of the mark image, FIG. 6 is a time chart of the sheet counting operation in another embodiment f of the present invention, and FIG. 7 is the front and rear positioning of the head, etc. It is a principle diagram of an example of means. S... Sheet pile, V-... Video camera, H...
...Head, N...Air outlet. Agent: Patent attorney: Hiroshi Ne. Written amendment (spontaneous): Commissioner of the Patent Office: Mr. Ichi, Jitsugaku 1. Indication of case: 1981 Patent Application No. 1 S'Y733
No. 2, title of the invention sheet, division device 3, relationship with the person making the amendment case Patent applicant 1 Principal PfV Tokyo 413 Chuo-ku Shingen-dokoro 4-cho-day-9-ko delta? R-title: Konkan Gyakumashiki Kinsha Representative Oni 4, Proxy Mei 6, Brief explanation of the face to be amended, 1 Drawings and old additions 7, Contents of amendment Special application as per attached sheet No. 59-159733 Contents of amendment Attachment ■, The scope of patent claims will be amended as on a separate page. 2. Correct "Soku" at the beginning of the 6th line on page 10 of the statement to read "1 bundle." 3. On page 11, line 17 of the specification, amend it to read ``Effective'' and ``Effective''. 4. Insert the following sentence between page 13 of the specification, line 6, ``Unnecessary.'' and line 4 of the same page, ``Effect.'' FIG. 8 shows another embodiment, in which a predetermined number of sheets can be counted without miscounting, especially when handling sheets whose boundaries are difficult to distinguish when photographed with a video camera V. Show the means. Descriptions of items common to the above embodiments will be omitted, and only different portions will be described. An air nozzle AN having a slit-shaped air outlet N at the front part is provided at the front part of the stand A so as to be able to blow air from bottom to top and at an angle to the sheet layer on the side surface of the air sheet pile S. . At the rear end of stand A is a video camera V.
is installed to view the sheet layer above from the center of the air outlet N of the air nozzle. A head H having a guide bar on the underside is installed between the air nozzle and the video camera V with its tip facing the side of the sheet mountain.
It is slidably attached to the top. Note that the air outlet and the head tip are adjusted to approximately the same level. Further, FIG. 8 shows a state in which the device has finished counting a predetermined number of sheets, and the actual operation starts from the top of the sheet. First, the control device C switches the switching valve K to the low-pressure air source Lp side, blows out air at a low speed from the air outlet N, and turns on the video camera V to connect the image sensor.
When the video signal obtained by I is taken in and platform A is lowered at a predetermined speed, the sheet layers are separated one by one from the top using a low-speed air blower, leaving a slight gap between the sheet layers, so each sheet is separated one by one. The boundaries between the sheets can be clearly distinguished. Therefore, the control device can count the number of sheets without miscounting. When the count value matches the predetermined number, the control device C stops the descent of the platform A and first switches the switching valve K to the high pressure air source Hp.
By switching to the side and blowing out high-speed air from the air outlet, it is possible to create a large gap between a predetermined number of sheets and the next sheet. A guide bar is introduced, and then the head is pushed in using this guide bar as a rail, and after separating a bundle of sheets, it waits for the pusher to enter.The installation angle and shape of the air outlet as described above. , low-pressure air, high-pressure air, etc., are factors that must be changed depending on the applied sheet thickness and predetermined number of sheets.
A sheet stack S made of +J art paper is separated into a bundle of 250 sheets (it has 3 rows of slit-type air outlets each having a width of 1 mm and a length of 75 m, and blows air at an angle of 75° to the side of the sheet stack). Use an air nozzle installed to spray the air.If you use a 2.7 kg/c+j low pressure air source and a 3.5 kg/c+j high pressure air source, you can achieve the specified number of sheets without any miscounts. It was possible to process a bundle of sheets at high speed.In addition, when a phenomenon in which sheets stick together due to electrostatic force occurs, the electrostatic force can be reduced by using ionized air or humidifying air as the air to be applied. 5. Delete "Separation also" on page 13, line 12 of the specification. 6. Correct "not at all," in lines 13 to 14 of the same page to "extremely little (,"). 7. On page 14 of the specification, line 15, "This is a diagram of the principle." followed by "Figure 8 is a schematic perspective view showing another embodiment." 8. As shown in the attached sheet. Figure 8 of the drawing is added. (Next page below) Claims (1) On the side of the sheet pile, - the boundary of the sheet bundle is electrically detected and air is blown to the detected boundary position. (2) A means for electrically detecting the boundary of the sheet bundle is configured to levitate the upper sheet bundle and form a gap at the boundary. The sheet east separation device according to claim 1, which is a device that electrically detects the marks attached to each sheet. The sheet east separation according to claim 1, comprising means for obtaining a video signal, and means for counting the boundary line of each sheet using this signal and comparing this count with a predetermined value. (4) The means for photoelectrically detecting the boundary of a sheet bundle is a means of blowing low-speed air onto the side surface of the sheet pile, or a means of blowing low-speed air onto the side surface of the sheet pile. 2. The sheet east separation apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising means for obtaining the boundary line of each sheet based on this signal, and means for comparing this count with a predetermined value. Agent: Hiroshi Agata, Patent Attorney Figure 0, Continuation of Amendment, December 1985/1985 Commissioner of the Patent Office: F. Huang Kanbe 1, Indication of Case Showa Gobeito Request No. 1S'f'133 No. 2, Name of the invention Rate Sakae-i Y Fumenga and Oki 3, Relationship with the case of the person making the amendment Patent applicant Principal Location Tokyo Seki P Nakachimi-ku Ginna 4-9-9) Showa 6
December 2, 2006, 6, Number of inventions increased by amendment O. Japanese Patent Application No. 159733/1983 Attachment of contents of amendment (1)
As of June 28, 1985, the content of the amendment to the written procedural amendment is attached to page 4, lines 14 to 18, "7. Specification, page 14, line 1.
5 lines... Add it first. ” is corrected as follows. 7th page of the specification, page 14, line 5, ``This is a diagram of the principle.'' followed by ``Figure 8 is a schematic 1-1 view showing another embodiment.'' is added.

Claims (3)

[Claims] (1) The boundary of one sheet bundle is photoelectrically detected on the side of the sheet pile, and air is blown to the detected boundary position to float the upper sheet bundle and form a gap at the boundary. Sheet bundle separation device. (2) The sheet bundle according to claim 1, wherein the means for photoelectrically detecting the boundary of the sheet bundle is a device that photoelectrically detects a mark attached to the side surface of the sheet pile for each sheet bundle. Separation device. (3) A means for photoelectrically detecting the boundary of a sheet bundle, a means for obtaining a video signal of the side surface of the stack of sheets, and a means for counting the boundary line of each sheet based on this signal, and setting this count to a predetermined value. 2. A sheet bundle separating device according to claim 1, further comprising means for comparing the sheet bundle separating device.