JPS63139823A - Sheet material feeder - 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] [Industrial Application Field] The present invention provides a stacked sheet material (a 5 tack of 5
It relates to a device that separates the top sheet material of a stack of envelopes and feeds it to the required position, and more specifically, a device that continuously peels off the top sheet material from a stack of envelopes. It relates to a device that feeds a conveyor system and delivers it to the required location.

[Conventional technology]

Although the present invention will be described in connection with an envelope feeder in photofinishing operations, it should be understood that the feeder may be used with other sheet materials and in other applications. It is. The following description as if it were limited to envelopes is meant to be illustrative only and not limiting. In photofinishing businesses, a customer's film is sent to processing in an envelope that includes the customer's name. After the film is processed, the film is reintegrated with the original envelope and the finished order is returned to the customer according to the information contained on the envelope. In general.

Processing is such that the order of the films as they progress through the processing steps is maintained in the same order as the envelopes from which they were removed. Therefore, at the end of the processing process, operators are gathered together to take one envelope from the tomo envelope and deliver it to the customer.
The completed orders are placed in an envelope. The operator can stay in one place and pick up the envelopes that are being fed from the stack while keeping the rest of the order, prints and processed film, in the same position. It would be advantageous if it was delivered. Material sheet feeders have been developed that slide the top sheet away from the remaining sheets, but the sliding flat head does not work well when boiling envelopes for photographic customers. Since the envelopes have already been used and are therefore wrinkled, they tend to interfere with each other.

Some envelopes have adhesives or stabilizers that can easily stick to the next envelope in the stack when you try to slide the top envelope over the second one. .

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an envelope feeding system that feeds the topmost envelope from a stack of envelopes even when the envelopes are wrinkled and tend to stick together due to adhesive on the surface of the envelope. The purpose is to provide equipment.

Another object of the present invention is an envelope feeder for peeling an envelope from the top of a stack and rolling it away from the remaining envelopes rather than sliding it laterally relative to the other envelopes. The goal is to provide the following.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide an envelope feed system that allows envelopes to be fed at a rate that matches the processing speed of orders and that allows photofinishing operations to function economically without suffering from machine failure or rapid wear and tear on parts. The purpose is to provide equipment.

[Means for solving problems]

In accordance with the above objects, an envelope feeding device is provided which includes stack holding means for holding stacks of envelopes. It is also equipped with an envelope separating means, and can be operated with 5 VC attached to the top envelope of a stack of envelopes. The separating means is rotatable and peels the top envelope from the rest of the stack by bringing the edges of the envelopes together and curling the envelopes in a precise motion. A control means interlocked with the envelope separating means is provided to control the close contact of the envelope separating means with the envelope and the release of the envelope separating means from the envelope. feed roller
A roller means is also included which is operable in conjunction with the envelope separating means to receive the envelope from the envelope separating means and transport the envelope to the desired final location.

It is preferable that the envelope feeding device includes an envelope pressing means that can be operated in a fixed time relationship with the envelope separating means, and when the envelope separating means is removing the topmost envelope of the stack, the pressing means can hold the remaining envelopes. Holds stacked envelopes. A preferred embodiment of the invention includes stack height adjustment means, the stack height control means being coupled to the stack height adjustment means to adjust the height of the stack of envelopes to a predetermined height at which the envelopes are removed. Keep it safe.

The stack separating means includes a suction cup connected to a vacuum source by valve means, the valve controlling the vacuum applied to the suction cup to attract the suction cup to and from the envelope as determined by the control means. It is desirable to keep friends apart.

The advantages and operation of the present invention will be better understood by those of ordinary skill in the art and others after reading the following examples in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

〔Example〕

FIG. 1 is an illustration of a custom finishing station for use in a film developer's processing room. At the order finishing station, the processed film, the prints made from the film, and the original customer envelope containing the film received by the processing room are all brought together and prepared for pricing. This is where the products are collected and returned to the customer. At the order finishing station, a reel 10 of prints is placed
It is attached to the print cutter 12 for delivery to the print cutter 12, which separates the photos into ffi. At the same time, rolls of developed film and negatives 14 are also mounted at custom finishing stations for grouping by individual customers for assembly into prints to be cut by print cutters. After the prints and negatives have been assembled into the correct group, they enter the quarts that are distributed from the wallet-feeder 16, which is also part of the custom finishing station.
It will be done.

Typically, the only information that the processing U room has as to the identity of the customer whose order is being processed is on the original envelope that contained the film at the time it was received from the customer. Accordingly, the customer's envelopes are kept in order under the control of the processing room so that they match the order of the film that is to be developed and printed in the processing room. When the developed film and prints are delivered to the custom finishing station, it is common for the customer's stack of envelopes 18 to be delivered as well, so that the developed film and prints are delivered to the customer before they are returned to the customer. can be placed in an envelope. An envelope feeder 20 is included as part of the custom finishing station and feeds envelopes 18 into one.
Operated to deliver sheet-by-sheet to the operator, the envelope is used in connection with the operator's collection of orders and preparation for return to the customer.

FIG. 2 shows an envelope feeder 20 constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention for use in the next order finishing station shown in FIG.
An example of this is described.

The stacked envelopes 18 are placed on an elevating pedestal 22 in the feeding device 20, and this pedestal keeps the height of the stacked envelopes at a predetermined level, and the topmost envelope is taken out by the feed mechanism.
to be delivered to the operator. The feed mechanism is
Suction block 3 to which a flexible suction cup 32 is fixed
Contains 0. Suction block 30 and suction cup 52
is shown as a solid line in FIG. 2 at the envelope extraction position.

Suction block is fixed to shaft 64 gfl, shaft 3
4 is supported by a first sprocket 36 fixed to the first end of the shaft and a second sprocket 58 fixed to the opposite second end of the shaft 34. Each sprocket 36°38 is connected to the first and second sprockets of the envelope feeder 20.
2 side panels 44 and 46, respectively, and rest on nine racks 40 or 42. The shaft 34 extends through skin slots formed in the first and second side panels 44 and 46 of the envelope feeder.

The slot allows shaft 54 to rotate and move linearly. First and second sprockets 36 and 5
The sun is moved by a reciprocating mechanism 48.

Arm 48 is rotatably attached at a first end to sprocket 56 and rotatably attached at a second end to crank arm 50, which in turn is rotatably attached to sprocket 56.
The arm 50 is rotatably mounted to the first side panel 44 of the envelope feeder and is in turn fixed to a timing gear 52. Timing gear 52 is driven by a timing belt 54 which is drivingly connected to a pulley 56 fixed to the shaft of a motor 58. As the motor 58 rotates, the timing gear 52 rotates and the reciprocating arm 48 supports the shaft 64 and the second sprocket 38 of the rack 4.
Move the sprocket 56f back and forth so as to cross 0. When the sprockets 66 and 38 rotate to move the shaft 34t, the suction block 307% rotates about 180 degrees with the shaft 34 from the envelope extraction position shown in solid lines in FIG. 2 to the envelope release position shown in pseudo lines. .

A vacuum line 60 from a vacuum source (not shown) is
A vacuum valve 64 is mounted on the first side panel 44 immediately adjacent to the timing gear 52 and is mechanically connected to a simultaneously actuated vacuum valve 64 operated by the timing gear 52 as described in more detail below. The output of the vacuum valve 64 is connected to the second vacuum line 66, which is connected to the second vacuum line 766.
1ri, connected to a manifold block 68 at a first end of shaft 64. The manifold block is fixed to the sprocket 36Vc.

The hole in the vacuum block 30 communicates with a hole formed in the shirt 34, which in turn communicates with another hole formed in the vacuum block 30, which applies suction to the rubber suction cup 32.
is attracted to the topmost envelope 18 when it comes into contact with the envelope,
As the vacuum block 60 rotates in response to the rotation of the shaft 34, it assists in lifting the seal.

The second timing gear 70 is the first timing gear 52
Align the position and install it, and move at the same time. Second
The timing gear 7o is engaged by the drive belt 72 and the drive belt is 6% engaged.

The shaft 76 is drivingly engaged with a conveyor drive pulley 74 mounted on a first end of the shaft 76 .
are rotatably journaled to side panels 44 and 46 of envelope feeder 20. Conveyor drive pulley 74 rotates a shaft 76 to which a second drive pulley 78 is fixed. The second drive pulley 78 is the second drive pulley 78.
8 to a series of feed roller pairs 82 and 84, each forming a niff assembly, in which the envelope 1 is
8 is inserted by the feed mechanism and moved from the feeder 2Q into the reach of the operator, as best shown in FIG.

The operation of suction block 30 and suction cup 32 is best understood with reference to FIGS. 2 and 5. As previously mentioned, the solid lines in FIG. 2 indicate the envelope extraction position of the suction block 30 and suction cup 62. Sprocket 36 pulls in the rack. Vacuum valve 64 allows timing gear 52 to move sprocket 36 to rack 4 as shown in FIG.
Once in the forward most position on the envelope 18a, the vacuum valve 64 is opened and suction is created on the suction cup 32, attaching the cup to the envelope 18a. As timing gear 52 continues to rotate, crank arm 50 and reciprocating arm 48 shift sprocket 36 into a timing position.
Movement in the direction of gear 52 rotates sprocket 56, thereby moving suction block 30 to an intermediate position shown in phantom lines in FIG. Envelope 18a is carried by suction cup 32 and wound clockwise as seen in FIG. As sprocket 36 continues to move toward timing gear 52 under the control of reciprocating arm 48 and crank arm 50.

The envelope 18a is fed until the end of the envelope is inserted into the nip of the pair of feed rollers and is pulled to the right by the pair of feed rollers as shown in solid lines in FIG.

Continue moving towards the feed roller pair. The valve 64 is
This portion of the movement of suction block 30 and envelope 18a is designed to close so that suction cup 32 moves away from envelope 18a. The length of the reciprocating arm 48 is such that the block 30 moves a little more than 180 degrees as shown by the pseudo-line in FIG. The envelope 18a is then moved to the operator's station via the pair of feed rollers.

The reciprocating arm 48 then follows the movement of the crank arm 50 and rotates the sprocket 36 timing/gear 52.
The suction cup 52 is returned to the first envelope extraction position, and at this point the next envelope at the top of the stack is picked up.

The envelopes removed from the stack of envelopes are those that have already been used to transport the customer's order to the processing laboratory. In many cases, coupons are attached to envelopes with a stable stopper or adhesive and require special marking.

Second, envelopes are generally not perfectly flat and wrinkled from use. Therefore, the possibility that an envelope sticks to the next envelope either mechanically or by adhesive means,
The second envelope in the stack may follow the top envelope just after the top envelope is stripped from the stack by the suction cup 32 and suction block 60. Accordingly, hold-down fingers 86 and 88 are provided to engage the second envelope of the stack so that the second envelope sticks to it when the first envelope is peeled off by the envelope separating means. It is desirable to prevent this. Second
Two inters 86 and 88 shown in the figure are used for this purpose. Fingers 86 and 88 extend toward the fi stacking envelopes and are secured to mounting blocks 9o and 92, respectively. The mounting blocks 9o and 92 are fixed to a shaft 94 which is rotatably journaled on the side panels 44 and 46 of the envelope feeder. The first shaft 94
The end is fixed here. A cam member 96 that rotates together with a shaft 94 is provided. The coil spring 98 is the first
is secured at one end to the cam member 96 and at a second end to a pin 100 projecting from the first side panel 44 of the envelope feeder. Spring 98 acts to bias cam member 96 in a clockwise direction, thereby retaining fingers 86 and 88 against the stack of envelopes. The fingers 86 and 88 are in the fifth position when pressing the stacked envelopes.
It is shown in the figure. but.

Move fingers 86 and 88 out of the way.

5. The top envelope will be removed from the stack of envelopes.
It is then necessary to reinsert the finger onto the stack of envelopes to hold the second envelope once the top envelope is separated. To this end, a control block 102 is mounted on the shaft 34, rests on the rack 40, and moves linearly back and forth with the shaft 54. control pin 104
control block 102 also extends, and as control block 102 moves forward with shaft 34 and sprocket 36, control pin 104 engages cam member 96 and forces the cam member counterclockwise, thereby causing finger 8
6 and 88t- are also pushed in a counterclockwise direction away from the stack. The movement of the control pin 104 on the cam member 91 and the corresponding positions of the fingers 86 and 88 are shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, and as shown in FIG.
The finger 86 is spaced apart from the top envelope in the stack so that the envelope can be removed by the suction cup 32. The sprocket 36 is the envelope 113a;i
Upon movement toward timing gear 52 a sufficient distance to wind, control pin 104 on control block 102 disengages cam member 96 and coil spring 98 forces cam member 56 as shown in FIG. Pull clockwise into position to bring fingers 86 and 88t into contact with the envelope stack, which again holds down the primary envelope while the top envelope is removed.

Suction power Tsubu 321! - In order to properly adhere to the top envelope of the stack, the stack height must be kept high enough to contact the suction cup 32. The stacking height is varied by means whose structure is shown in FIG. It includes a pair of cross arms 106 and 108.

The motor 110 includes a threaded shaft 112t extending therethrough. The motor 110 moves as a nut relative to the threaded shaft 112, and as the motor 110 rotates, the length of the portion of the shaft 112 below the motor 110 increases and the motor 110 of the shaft 112 increases.
The length of the upper part is reduced. By increasing the length of the lower part of the motor 11G of the motor 112, the motor 110 becomes the cross arm 10.
6 and 108 upward and simultaneously to increase the angle and move envelope tray 22 upward as shown by arrow 114 in FIG.

Operation of the motor 110 is controlled by a switch 116 mounted on the side panel 44 of the envelope feeder 20.

The switch 116 has a button 1186 extending from it, which is pivoted to the side panel 44 and attached to the control finger 120 on the control arm 120.
Close to a. Spring 121 has a first end secured to side panel 44 and a second end secured to control arm 120, as seen in FIG.
t in a counterclockwise direction, control finger 120ai
button 118 , thereby causing switch 116
is closed and the motor 110i is operated.

Control arm 120 is fixed to one end of shaft 124, rotatably journaled to shaft 124Fi, side panels 44 and 46 of the envelope feeder, and fixed to height sensing member 126. The height sensing member 126 has a finger portion 126a that overlies the edge of the envelope stack 18 so that the stacked envelope sieve is
6a, the stacking envelope pushes up the finger 126a and the height sensing member rotates counterclockwise as shown in FIG. The control member 120ji-
Rotate to overcome the biasing force of spring 121 and remove control finger 120 from contact with button 118, thereby opening switch 116 and stopping motor 110. A pair of interlocking blocks 160 and 132 are also fixed to shaft 124 and rotate together with shaft 124. As seen in FIG.
and 88 are in the hold down position in contact with the envelope stack as shown in FIGS.
and holds it in a position that prevents rotation of the height sensing member 126. A spring 98 attached to the cam member 96
The strength of the A7't spring 1 attached to the control arm 120 is
The strength is higher than that of 21. In this manner, the presser fingers 86 and 88 move the height sensing member 126 up and down the lift motor 1.
Fix it in a position that prevents the operation of 10. Presser foot finger 8
6 and 8875 - Only after the control pin 1040 is released from the stack of envelopes by engagement with the cam member 96 can the finger portion 126a be moved by the force of the spring 121 to close the switch 116 and enable the lift motor 110 to operate. become.

In summary, the sliding movement between the top envelope and the next envelope in the stack is largely avoided during the separation process.
An envelope feeding device is provided for removing a top envelope from a stack of envelopes. The feeder includes extraction means which attaches to the topmost envelope, rotates the edge of the envelope away from the remaining envelopes in the stack, and directs the edge of the envelope towards the feed roller bearer, which attaches to the topmost envelope and rotates the edge of the envelope away from the remaining envelopes in the stack. feeds the iC envelope to the operator's stage by biting the edge of the envelope. A hold-down member is provided which does not engage the stack of envelopes during the initial extraction process and which re-engages while the top envelope is being separated to hold the second envelope in the stack. Press down to release any stable or adhesive mechanical bonds that may be present between the top envelope and the remaining envelopes in the stack. The height of the stacked envelopes is automatically adjusted by the lifting means, and the uppermost envelope is maintained at a predetermined height by interlocking design so that the extracting means and the uppermost envelope can engage with each other. A preferred embodiment of the extraction means includes a suction member, the suction member being connected to a vacuum source and operated through a valve, the n% valve controlling the application and termination of suction in conjunction with movement of the extraction member to is attracted to the envelope, and when the envelope is grabbed by the feed roller, the extraction member is released from the envelope.

As described above, the feeding apparatus of the present invention is described and described in connection with supplying customer envelopes in the laboratory of a photofinishing company. It is important to understand that it can be used on sheet materials such as plastic sheets, new or used envelopes.

The description of the invention with respect to photo finishing should be considered limited.
rather, it should be considered merely an example of one environment in which this feeder can be used. It should be noted that certain modifications may be made to the herein described and described embodiments of the invention without exceeding the scope of the invention. For example, means other than vacuum means can be used as the extraction means. We will describe and explain mechanical height sensing devices and then electronically activated devices such as magic eyes to monitor stack height and control operations of lift motors to automatically adjust stack height. A sensor can also be used.

Since such modifications may be made to the described embodiments, the invention should be described only in connection with the appended claims.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a custom finishing stage 1 which handles photo processing custom tubes and includes a friend envelope shipping unit 1 made in accordance with the principles of the present invention; FIG. FIG. 5 is an isometric view of one embodiment of an envelope feeding device; FIG. 5 is a side view of a portion of the envelope feeding surface shown in FIG. The figure shows the power transmission path of the envelope separating means. Envelope transport #*# shown in Figure 2
5 is a side view of the envelope feeding device of FIG. 2, and FIG. 6 is a side view of the envelope clamping unit of FIG. 2 with a part showing the envelope extracting means and pressing means removed. Side view of a portion. Figure 7 shows envelope feed 5#ψ in Figure 2! 1 is a front view, partially in section, of an envelope stack lifter made in accordance with the principles of the present invention for use with FIG. In the figure, 18... Envelope 20... Envelope feeding device 5
2... Suction cup 48... Reciprocating arm 6
0...Vacuum lie/64...Vacuum valve 82.84.
... Feed roller bear 86.88 - ... Presser finger 96 ... Cam member 104 ... Control pin Patent applicant Bretaft Akchengesell shaft procedure correction river (method) Patent application No. 220078 1988 2, Invention Name: Sheet Material Feeding Device 3, Relation to the Amended Person's Case Address of Patent Applicant: Regensdorf, Switzerland, 8105. Althardstrasse 70 Name Taletaf Akchengeserschat 4, Agent (101) Address 1-6 Shufunotomo Building, Kanda Surugadai, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
Telephone (291) 9721 ~ 4 (No change in content)

Claims (10)

[Claims] (1) An apparatus for moving a top sheet of material from a stack of sheets, the device comprising: a base; a stack holding tray movably mounted on the base; extraction means operable to removably attach to the sheet of material; and controls for moving said extraction means in an arcuate manner to bend said topmost sheet of material away from the remainder of the stack of sheets; A device consisting of means. (2) further comprising a presser means operable to engage the remainder of said stack of sheets while said top sheet material is being separated by said extraction means. The device described. 3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising lifting means coupled to said stack holding tray and operable to move said stack holding tray relative to said base. (4) stack height monitoring means for emitting a first signal relating to stack height; and a stack coupled to said lifting means and operable to activate said lifting means in response to said first signal. 6. The device according to claim 5, further comprising lifting control means. (5) further comprising a stop means connected to the stack height monitoring means and operable to stop the lifting means in response to the first signal when the stack of sheet materials reaches a predetermined height; 5. The apparatus of claim 4, comprising: (6) further comprising a conveyance means provided on said base and operable to receive said top sheet material when said top sheet material is released by said extraction means. equipment. (7) The extraction means comprises: a suction member adapted to come into contact with the uppermost sheet material; a vacuum means connected to the suction member; and a vacuum means connected to the suction member. valve means for controlling the application of vacuum to the suction member; and control means associated with the valve means for operating the valve means in relation to the position of the extraction means. An apparatus according to claim 1. (8) An envelope feeder for delivering envelopes one envelope at a time to an operator at a custom finishing station where photographic prints and developed film are brought together and placed in a customer's envelope, said custom finishing station a stack retaining tray mounted on the tray and adapted to receive a customer's stack of envelopes; a stack holding tray mounted adjacent to the tray and operable to removably attach to the topmost one of said stack; first control means associated with the extracting means for controlling the arcuate movement of the extracting means to bend said top envelope away from said stack of envelopes; an envelope feeding device comprising a second control means for controlling whether the extracting means is attached to or separated from the uppermost envelope depending on the position of the means; (9) conveyor means adapted to receive said top envelope from said extraction means and convey it to said operator; 9. An envelope feeding apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising said control means for receiving by said means. (10) A presser means attached to the finishing station that can be operated to engage with the stacked envelopes; and a extractor device that controls the presser means depending on the position of the extractor device, so that the extractor device first attaches the topmost envelope to the stacked envelope. 10. The envelope feeding device of claim 9, further comprising a presser foot control means for engaging said stacked envelopes after said envelopes are in close contact with each other and for not engaging said stacked envelopes during said first close contact.