JPS61181584A - Mail treater - 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 processing device that primarily sorts mail based on sorting information on the mail, and further divides the primary sorted mail into secondary classification. .

[Technical background of the invention]

Conventionally, when there are many mail items from overseas that do not have a postal code assigned, the coding system that assigns F), Bar: L-Dra by inputting the address from the address on the mail item has been used. Provided. Then, as mentioned above, the postal items to which the barcodes have been assigned are first sorted into the corresponding sorting boxes by the primary sorting machine as a preliminary sorting machine (for example, coarse sorting is done by sorting each mail item in the 100s, 200s, etc.). )do. When a predetermined amount of this sorted mail has been collected, the mail is taken out and subjected to secondary sorting (for example, fine sorting of mail pieces in the 100s by number) using a sorting machine for secondary sorting. It is supposed to be done.

[Problems with background technology]

However, in the above-mentioned apparatus, the classification designation of the secondary sorting machine is fixed.

Because of this, depending on the date and time, there may be cases where there are an abnormally large number of items in a particular postal code, or there may be cases where there are only a small number of items, and the optimal classification box may not be specified. As a result, there are problems such as an increase in the labor of the fourth rotor as the sorting boxes become full, or a loss of driving time due to a supply stop when the sorting boxes become full.

[Purpose of the invention]

This invention was made in view of the above circumstances, and its purpose is to temporarily sort mail by a primary sorting machine based on mail sorting information, and to further sort the primary sorted mail into secondary sorters. To provide a mail processing device which can perform optimal sorting according to the sorting situation with a secondary sorting machine and can perform sorting efficiently in a mail item which is finely secondary sorted by a machine.

[Summary of the invention]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides primary sorting means for reading sorting information on mail pieces and stacking the mail pieces in a predetermined stacking section based on the sorting information, and sorting information on the primarily sorted mail pieces. There is a secondary sorting means (secondary sorting means) which reads the reading information and finely sorts the mail by accumulating it in a predetermined accumulation section designated for sorting according to the reading information, and then processes the sorting information read by the above-mentioned primary sorting means. The classification designation in the secondary classification means is determined in accordance with the storage result of the storage means for storing the situation.

[Embodiments of the invention]

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

FIG. 1 is an external view of the mail processing apparatus of the present invention. In the figure, 1 is a mail sorting device to which sorting and stamping sections are connected, and 3 is a mail sorting device (secondary sorting machine) to which sorting and stamping sections are not connected. Further, 7 is a coding room consisting of a plurality of video coding disks 81...

In the above-mentioned mail sorting device 1, 1o sorts small regular mail items that can be machine processed from the mail items P supplied to the supplying section 11, aligns the direction according to the position of the stamp, and sorts the items after postmarking. This is a sorting, arranging and stamping machine that outputs to the machine coupling machine 12. The sorting machine coupling machine 12 is the sorting, arranging and stamping machine 1.
o and the reading/sorting machine 13 are connected.

The reading and sorting machine 13 of the mail sorting device 1 is used for switching between primary and secondary sorting, and the mail sorting device 3 is used for primary sorting.

Next, the sorting, arranging and stamping machine 10 will be explained with reference to FIG. This sorting, arranging and stamping machine 1o includes a supply section 11 that feeds the mail items P received in the mail receiving section 21 while leveling them (by conveying them diagonally upward), Supplied mail P... Non-standard mail P with a predetermined thickness or more is sorted using a belt-type thickness sorting system.
A thickness sorting section 22 that removes ..., and a width sorting section that removes non-standard-sized mail P... having a predetermined width or more from among the nine mail P... that pass through the thickness sorting section 22. 23.23, 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 section 23, the non-standard mail items P... are removed by the removal conveyance section 24 and the chute 25.
You will be led down through the steps one after another.

On the other hand, the regular-sized mail P that has passed through the width sorting section 23.23...
・The stamps are taken out one by one by a stamp takeout unit (not shown) to the collection stamp unit 26 ・Here, a stamp detector 21 such as a color detection method is used.
After the stamp is detected by the stamps m and 27b, it is postmarked by a stamping mechanism 28 based on the location of the stamp, and the orientation can be aligned via a switch pack mechanism 29 based on the location of the stamp. Further, among the regular mail items P for which the postmark has been completed, the express mail items are accumulated in the express mail stacking section 30, and the remaining items are carried out to the sorting machine coupling machine 12 side.

In addition, when the sorting, sorting, stamping machine is used alone without being connected to the 311d sorting machine coupling machine 12 side, or when the post-processing machine is down, ordinary mail P...
・It is an ordinary mail collection department for independently collecting 32
33 is a reject collection section, and 33 is a pre-selected nine-shaped mail piece p.
This is a manual feeding section for directly feeding m... to the procurement stamping section 26 side.

Further, the sorting machine connecting machine 12 connected to the sorting, arranging and stamping machine 10 configured in this way is a known buffer stacker), and the stamped regular-sized mail pieces carried out from the sorting, arranging and stamping machine 10. It reliably supplies P... one mail at a time according to the processing capacity of the reading and sorting machine 13, and has the function of stocking surplus mail in excess of the supply amount.

Next, with reference to Figure 3 and Figure WC4, read and sort machine 1.
3 will be explained. This reading and sorting machine 13 is used for mail P...
An image reading unit 41 photoelectrically converts the above address information and address information to obtain image quality information, delays the mail P from the image reading unit 41, and after this delay, the discrimination result of the discrimination unit,
Or video coding disk 81..., 8
□Delay in printing the barcode (specific code) on the mail P according to the address information coded with...
It is comprised of a printing section 43, and a sorting section (primary sorting machine) 45 that sorts into each sorting box 44 according to the barcode printed by the delay/printing section 43.

The image reading section 41 and the delay/print section 43 #
:ts 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 ph 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 56 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 after parcode glint all at once in an upright position.
. . . is carried out by the take-out unit 63] 1 sequentially from the endmost mail item P
The sheets are taken out upward one by one and taken in and conveyed to the accumulation sorting section 65@ via the taking-in conveyance path 64. The above intake conveyance path 64
Reading devices 98 and 99 are electrically distributed along the transport path to read the barcode and postal code 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 6 for carrying in the mail P supplied from the delay/print section 43.
6 are merging, and the mail P to be carried in is on the intake conveyance path 6.
4 is sent.

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 61J provided in five stages in the vertical direction by a dart mechanism (not shown).
They can be selectively sorted into h to 611e or the exclusion pocket 69 based on the reading result of the reading device 911.99. The above-mentioned horizontal division conveyance path 68&~6
A large number of each (about 220) along the lower surface of the starting end of 8.
A collection box 44 for designated classification is provided. 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 611h to 68.

The mail sorting device 3 for secondary sorting also has the same configuration as the sorting section 45 of the mail sorting device I.

As shown in FIG. 5, the video coding desk 81... has CRT display devices 81 and 82 for displaying image information supplied from a main control section 9, which will be described later, and images displayed on the CRT display device 82. It consists of a keypad 83 such as a numeric keypad for inputting the postal code (or address information) corresponding to the information.

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

That is, the main control section 91 controls the entire delay glint section 4.
3, the sorting unit 45, the mail processing device 3, and the video coding desk 8□, . . .

The delay/print section 43 includes a control section 92 and a determination section 93.
, the image reading section 58, and the printer 55. The control section 92 reads the image information for each piece of mail P from the image reading section 58, and causes the discrimination section 93 to discriminate the postal code. In addition, the control unit 92
By supplying the barcode information corresponding to the determined postal code or the barcode information supplied from the video coding disk 81, . . . via the main control unit 91 to the printer 55, the corresponding postal item P A barcode is printed on the top. In addition, the control unit 9
2 outputs image information to the video coding disk 88, . . . via the main control section 91. The discrimination unit 93 receives the image information υ・4 from the image reading unit 58.
The postal code is determined based on the turn information.

The sorting section 45 is composed of a control section 94, a driver 96, and the reading devices 98 and 99. That is, the control unit 94 determines the postal code based on the barcode information supplied from the reading device 98, or
9 is determined, and the corresponding mail P is conveyed to the collection box 44 corresponding to the above-mentioned postal code. For example, by outputting a sorting dart control signal in response to a detection signal from a conveyance detector (not shown), the driver 96 is used to control the sorting darts 97 . The reading device 98 is a well-known device that includes a photoelectric conversion section that photoelectrically converts the barcode on the mail P. The reading device 99 includes a photoelectric conversion section that photoelectrically converts the postal code on the mail P, and a discrimination section that discriminates the postal code by recognizing characters and base turns according to the output of the photoelectric conversion section. This is a well-known fact.

The mail processing device Wt, 3 includes a control section 101. Driver 102, classification specification table 104, and the reading device 9
8.99. That is, the control unit 1
01 determines the postal code based on the barcode information supplied from the reading device 98 or the postal code from the reading bag fl199, reads the category designation data corresponding to the above zip code from the category designation table 104, and selects this category. The mail P is conveyed to the collection box 44 corresponding to the specified data (address of the collection box). For example, the driver 102 is used to control the sorter cart 103 by outputting a sorter cart control signal in response to a detection signal from a conveyance detector (not shown).

The category designation table 104 stores the addresses of the collection boxes 44 corresponding to the postal codes as the category designation data. In addition, the control section 1
01 is the result of the postal code tally based on the temporary classification supplied from the main control unit 91, and the operator panel (
The collection box 44 for each postal code is determined by the range of postal codes for which secondary classification is performed (not shown).
* is created and stored in the classification designation table 104. Thereby, the number of collection boxes 44 for each postal code can be increased or decreased depending on the tally result.

Further, the main control section 91 converts the barcode information supplied from the video coding disks 81, . Further, the main control unit 91 internally tallies each postal code for the processed mailpieces according to the postal code supplied from the control unit 92 and the postal code supplied from the video coding disks 8□, . The information is stored in a memory (not shown), and the stored contents are output to the control unit 101 in the mail processing device 3.

Next, the operation in such a configuration will be explained. first,
Mail items P... are supplied to the supply section 11.

Then, the commemorative mail P... supplied to the supply unit 11 is sorted by the sorting, arranging and stamping machine 10 into small ordinary regular mail that can be processed mechanically, the orientation is arranged by detecting the position of the stamp, and the postmark is stamped. be done.

The mail P from the sorting, arranging and stamping machine 10 is conveyed to the reading section M and the 13-pick image reading section 4 via the sorting machine coupling machine 12. Next, in the image reading section 41, the mail P supplied from the sorting machine coupling machine 12 or the mail P taken out from the supply section 51 is conveyed on the conveyance path 52. As a result, the information on the surface of the mail P conveyed through the conveyance path 52 is optically read by the image reader 58, and the reading result is supplied to the control section 92. Then, the control unit 92 determines whether the image information read by the determination unit 93 can be recognized as address information. With this determination,
If the address can be recognized from the image information, the control unit 92 converts the address information into barcode information corresponding to the address information. At this time, the mail P that has passed through the image reader 58 is transferred to the transport path 5.
3.54, and faces the printer 55 after a predetermined period of time has elapsed.

Further, as a result of the above-mentioned determination, if the control section 92 cannot recognize the address from the image information, it outputs the image information to the main control section 91, respectively. Thereby, the main control unit 91 outputs the image information to any of the video coding units 81 . Therefore, in the video coding disk 81 to which the image information is supplied, the image information is
It is displayed on the RT display device 82, and the operator inputs the next postal code using the key date 83 in response to this display. The postal code input by the code 83 is supplied to the main control section 91. ), main control section 9
1 converts the supplied postal code into corresponding barcode information and outputs it to the control unit 92 of the corresponding sorting device.

As a result, the control section 92 outputs the barcode information supplied from the main control section 9 or the barcode information converted from the address information to the printer 55, so that the postal item P whose address information has been read can be printed by the printer 55. 55, a barcode is printed on the mail P. The postal item P on which the small code is printed is supplied to the sorting section 45.

Next, in the sorting unit 45, the postal item PI supplied from the delay/print unit 43 or the barcode taken out from the supply unit 62 is printed, and the nine postal items P are conveyed on the conveyance path 64. As a result, the barcode 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 65.

Next, the operator sends the mail group P that has been temporarily sorted by the sorting section 45 as described above...for example, the mail group P with postal codes in the 100s to the supply section 62 of the mail processing device 3. Set. Further, the operator specifies the range of postal codes of the mail group P to be processed using an operator panel (not shown). Then, the control unit 101 calculates the aggregation result of postal codes counted according to the temporary classification supplied from the main control unit 91 and the postal code to be subjected to secondary classification designated by an operator panel (not shown). Based on the range of , postal code and data specifying which collection box 44 . . . like this .

In this state, the mails P in the supply section 62 are taken out one by one by the takeout section 63 and conveyed along the conveyance path 64. During this transportation, the barcode on the mail P is read by the reading device 98. Then, the control unit 101 determines the postal code (based on the barcode information) and reads out the pocket address corresponding to this postal code from the category designation table 104. Then, the control unit 101 controls the transport of the mail P according to this address. Then, by controlling the sorting gate 103 in response to a detection signal from a conveyance detector (not shown), the mail P is accumulated in the accumulation box 44 corresponding to the postal code. In this way, other mail P
are also sequentially accumulated in the corresponding accumulation boxes 44...

As mentioned above, aggregation of mail items processed by primary classification (
Processing) When performing secondary classification, the classification is specified according to the status.

Thereby, when performing secondary classification, the number of collection boxes 44 for each postal code can be increased or decreased depending on the total results (processing status) of the primary classification. In other words, the optimal classification can be specified according to the classification situation, and the classification process can be performed efficiently.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As detailed above, according to the present invention, mail is temporarily sorted by a temporary sorter based on mail sorting information, and the temporarily sorted mail is further finely secondary-sorted by a secondary sorter. It is possible to provide a mail processing device that can perform optimal sorting according to the sorting situation using a secondary sorting machine, and can perform sorting efficiently.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

The drawings show one embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 1 is an external view schematically showing the overall configuration, FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the configuration of the sorting, arranging and stamping machine, and FIG. 3 is an image reading section. 4 is a perspective view showing the structure of the dividing section, FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing the external appearance of the video coding disk, and FIG. 6 is a diagram schematically showing the structure of the electric circuit. . 1.3... Mail sorting device, 8□~... Video coding disk, 13... Reading sorting machine, 41...
Image reading unit, 43... Delay/print unit, 44-...
- Sorting box, 45... Sorting section, 51... Supply section, 52
．． 53.54... Conveyance path, 55... Printer, 58
. . . Image reader, FIZ, 82 . . . CRT' ice play device, 83 . . . Keyboard, 91 . , 96 , I 02...driver, 97, 103.
・Division dart, 98.99 ・Reading device, 104・
...Category specification table. Applicant's agent Patent attorney Takehiko Suzue tg2Figure 3jI4Figure 5

Claims (3)

[Claims] (1) primary sorting means that reads sorting information on the mail and stacks the mail in a predetermined stacking section based on this sorting information;
A storage means for storing the processing status of the sorting information read by the primary sorting means, and a storage means for reading the sorting information of the primarily sorted mail and sorting and sorting the mail according to the read information. A mail processing device comprising: a secondary sorting means for finely classifying mail by accumulating it; and means for determining a sorting designation in the secondary sorting means according to the processing status obtained by the storage means. (2) The mail processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the classification information is a postal code or barcode information corresponding to the postal code. (3) The mail processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the processing status is the number of processing for each postal code.