JPS6367072A - Method and equipment for receiving facsimile - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To contain a secret document in an envelope by switching a carrying path of receiving paper, by reading an identifying pattern which is attached to the head of a transmitting original of the secret document, and has been reproduced as it is on the head of a receiving document, by a photoelectric device. CONSTITUTION:In case when an identifying pattern as a secret document is attached to the head of a receiving document, when a photoelectric device 5 reads it, a solenoid 9 is operated by its signal, a crank 8 is turned, and an opening and closing plate 6 is opened in a position shown by a chain line. Therefore, the secret document to which the identifying pattern has been attached to fed in between a pair of guide plates 11, 12 placed in the lower part of the opening and closing plate 6. The guide plates 11, 12 lead the document along a bent path so that the mentioned surface of a character, etc. in the document is inverted and turned to the lower direction. Also, a device for containing the secret document into an envelope is placed in the lower part of the guide plates 11, 12.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to a facsimile receiving method and an apparatus for implementing the same, particularly when the content of a received document requires secrecy (hereinafter referred to as a "confidential document"). and a method and apparatus for automatically storing the information in an envelope so as to maintain secrecy.

[Prior Art] In recent years, facsimile machines have become widely popular as one type of office automation equipment, but with normal machines, received documents are placed on a board with a receiver installed in an office, etc. It has been sent out as a copy and piled up so that it can be seen by the human eye.

Therefore, if the contents of the document must be kept confidential from third parties other than the single addressee, such as personnel evaluation materials sent from a local office to the human resources department at the head office, or a draft of a contract containing confidential matters, In such cases, it is not advisable to use facsimile, so you will have to rely on means of delivery such as postal mail.

In addition, as a means of using facsimile to keep the contents of the document confidential, the recipient side does not make a hard copy, but records it in an appropriate memory device, and the recipient uses a predetermined password or ID unique to the recipient. Using the code,
Currently, received contents are read out from a memory device.

[Problems to be solved by the invention] Transmission means such as postal mail naturally take longer than facsimile, and can be more expensive.
Moreover, if the facsimile machine cannot be used due to the content of the document, the value of installing a facsimile machine is significantly reduced.

In order to store received documents in a memory device instead of making them a hard copy, it is necessary to attach ancillary equipment to each transmitter/receiver, and the sender must separately contact the recipient by phone or other means to send confidential documents. Please let us know that you have sent the
The recipient must operate the device themselves and read the received document from the memory device using a predetermined password or their own ID code. People who are in a position to receive and receive confidential documents in the course of their work are usually busy people, and methods that require such people to take the trouble are impractical.

In addition, if an ID code is used to read data from the memory device, only the person who has the ID code can receive and receive confidential documents, so it is important to limit the range of people who need to do so. There is also a problem in practice as to whether it should be defined as such.

A simpler method would be to telephone the person in charge of the receiving party and instruct them to immediately place the received document in an envelope, but this would avoid the issue of confidentiality. It is not completely reliable as it depends on the integrity of the person in charge, and it is inconvenient that it cannot be applied when the person in charge is absent, such as during off-duty hours.

The present invention solves the problems of these conventional means.

[Means for Solving the Problem] 4. The present invention utilizes a frame of control information provided in a facsimile transmission signal to transmit a specific control code signal when transmitting a confidential document, and Either the machine receives this control code signal, or it attaches a specific identification pattern to the beginning of the transmitted document and sends it, and scans the received document with a photoelectric device attached to the receiver. By reading the identification pattern, the conveyance path of the received paper is switched to the side where the envelope for confidential documents is installed, and the paper is automatically accommodated in the envelope.

For envelopes, use "window-perforated envelopes" that allow the recipient's name to be read, and store an appropriate number of envelopes in the standby position.
When receiving confidential documents, they are automatically set one by one in a predetermined position.

[Operation] By receiving a specific control signal or reading the identification pattern attached to the beginning of the transmitted JjKti% of the confidential document and copied as is at the beginning of the received document using a photoelectric device, the received paper can be identified. Switch the conveyance path and store it in an envelope.

[Embodiment] FIG. 1 is a partially cutaway side view showing the configuration of an embodiment of an apparatus of the present invention using an identification pattern, and FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the main parts of the apparatus.

In FIG. 1, (1) is an ordinary facsimile receiver, and a received document is sent out by a feed roller (2) with the written side facing upward.

A light-shielding cover (3) is attached to the paper feeding section of the receiver (1), and a light source (4) and a photoelectric device (5) are installed inside the light-shielding cover (5) facing the conveying surface of the received document. If an identification pattern, which will be described later, is attached to the beginning of the image, this is read and a signal is generated.

An opening/closing plate (6) for switching the document conveyance path is pivotally mounted behind the reading position of the photoelectric device (5) by a shaft (7).

A crank (8) is attached to the shaft (7) with which the rod of the solenoid (9) engages.

Under normal conditions, the opening/closing plate (6) is closed at the position shown by the solid line.
A document sent from the receiver (1) is placed on a receiver plate (10) in the same way as in a normal facsimile machine.

If the received document has an identification pattern attached to the top of the document as a confidential document, when the photoelectric device (5) reads this, the solenoid (9) is actuated by the signal and the crank (8) is activated. Rotate to open the opening/closing plate (6) to the position shown by the chain line. Therefore, a secret document with an identification pattern attached thereto is fed between the pair of guide plates (11) and (12) below the opening/closing plate (6). Guide plate (11) (
12) guides the received document along a curved path so that the written surface of the received document is reversed and faces downward. Further, the lower end portion of the guide plate (12) is formed with an auxiliary guide portion (13) that expands downward in a wedge shape.

Below the guide plates (11) and (12), a device for accommodating the received confidential document in an envelope is arranged.

A pair of base plates (14) (15) are connected to the guide plate (11).
A saddle plate (16) is formed at the lower end of the base plate (14) and projects inward at a right angle. It is.

(The base plate (5) is not shown in Fig. 2) A pair of upper and lower guide shafts (17) are installed on both sides of each base plate (14) (15), and the upper and lower guide shafts (17), a pair of left and right screw shafts (18) are rotatably supported.

A suction plate (19) is placed between the base plates (14) and (15).
A pair of upper and lower sliders (2
1) is engaged with the guide shaft (J7), and the pair of left and right nuts 1- (22) are screwed into the threaded shaft (I8).

The suction plate (19) is a hollow box-shaped body, and the base plate (14)
A suction hole for sucking the envelope is provided on the side surface, and an exhaust pipe (23) connected to the back surface is connected to a vacuum pump (not shown). Furthermore, an overhang (20) is formed at the two ends of the suction plate (19), which is present when the suction plate (19) is in the standby position shown by the solid line.

This is for closing the opening at the lower end of the guide plate (1, 1,) (1, 2).

Attach pulleys (24) to the parts of the left and right screw shafts (18) close to the base plate (15), respectively, and install the belt (25) as shown in the second figure to tighten the left and right screw shafts (18). Rotate synchronously. Also, one screw shaft has a pre-
(26) is attached, and a belt (28) is installed between it and the pulley of the motor (27) arranged on the base plate (15). Thus, by driving the motor (27), the left and right screw shafts (18) rotate synchronously, and the suction plate (19) is moved along the guide shaft (J7).

On the other hand, a pressure bonding plate (29) is arranged between the guide plate (14) and the adsorption plate (19), and two guide rods (30) erected thereon are inserted through the guide plate (14). Guide dedication (3
A stopper (3I) is attached to the end of each of the clamps 0), and a spring (32) fitted therein biases the pressure bonding plate (29) toward the suction plate.

Place an appropriate number of envelopes (E) on the saddle plate (13). In this case, the total thickness of the overlapping envelopes (E) is set within a dimension corresponding to the movable distance of the pressure bonding plate (29) regulated by the stopper (31).

This envelope has a flap (41) on the periphery as shown in Figure 3.
It is preferable to use a so-called ``gusseted envelope'' with a wide opening. One edge of the opening forms a contact part (42) with a shape similar to the flap of a normal envelope, and a window (43) with a transparent film such as cellophane pasted on the surface where the contact part (42) is provided is placed at the appropriate place. ) so that the recipient's name displayed on the received document can be read.

In addition, heat seal adhesive (
44) was applied. However, if the sealing means is not heat sealing but a stapler or tape is used, application of adhesive is unnecessary.

Further below the saddle plate (16) is a guide plate (33).
, P1 sealing device for sealing (34), guide plate (3
5), Stopper (36), Feeding guide plate (37)
are arranged in sequence.

The operation of the above-mentioned component device is as follows.

First, place an appropriate number of envelopes (E) on the saddle plate (16) with the surface with the contact part (42) and window (43) facing the crimp plate (29). ) to move the suction plate (19) to a position where it contacts the uppermost envelope. (Hereinafter, this state will be referred to as "special position.") In this embodiment, as described above, an identification pattern is attached to the beginning of one document, and when the pattern is detected by the photoelectric device on the receiver side, The document is to be stored in an envelope as a secret document, and as its identification pattern, for example, a barcode pattern (45) as shown in FIG. 4 is applied.

That is, if a specific barcode pattern is provided at the beginning of the first page of the document when sending, the barcode pattern will be displayed at the beginning of the received document.

As a means of providing a predetermined barcode pattern on a transmitted document, a suitable card with a barcode pattern printed on it in advance is prepared near the facsimile transmitter.
The card may be pasted at the beginning of the document when it is sent, or the card may be folded in half and attached by sandwiching the leading edge of the first page of the document.

Alternatively, a specific sheet of paper with a barcode pattern displayed at a predetermined position may be used for the first page. In particular, since it is necessary to display the addressee in a specific area corresponding to the position of the window (43) on the envelope in the transmitted document, a specific form with the addressee's entry column displayed along with the barcode pattern is used. It is more practical to use.

The barcode pattern displayed at the beginning of the transmitted document by any of the above means is duplicated and displayed at the beginning of the received document. Thus, when a received document leaves the receiver (1), the optoelectronic device (5) first scans the barcode pattern and generates a signal corresponding to the pattern. This signal is compared with reference data stored in an appropriate storage means in advance corresponding to the pattern, and if they match, the solenoid (
9) to open the opening/closing plate (6) upward via the crank (8) and shaft (7). As a result, confidential documents with barcode patterns attached can be placed on the lower guide plate (11
, ) (12).

On the other hand, in parallel with the excitation of the solenoid (9), the control circuit starts the vacuum pump connected to the suction plate (19) and the motor (27). This allows the saddle plate (1
6) Hold the top one of the envelopes (E) by suction and move it to the lower end of the guide plates (11) and (12).

As the suction plate (19) moves, the remaining envelopes are also moved by being pushed by the crimp plate (29).
31), the envelopes other than those that have been suctioned are left on the saddle plate (16).

One envelope held on the suction plate (19) is held on the suction plate (19).
9) Move with. When the envelope contact part (42) moves to the lower end of the guide plate (12), it comes into contact with it and is stopped, but the suction plate (19) still moves to the position shown by the two-dot chain line, so it is stopped by this. The suctioned surface moves together with the suction plate (19), and the opening of the envelope moves with the guide plate (11).
(12) is opened at a position aligned with the lower end.

Therefore, the received document (P) sent out through the guide plates (11, 12) is smoothly accommodated in the envelope.

In addition, since an auxiliary guide part (13) that expands downward is formed at the lower end of the guide plate (12), the received document (P) can be inserted into the window (43) at the upper end of the envelope (E). ) is sent to a position slightly away from a certain surface. This results in
When the received document has a plurality of pages, there is no trouble that the subsequent page gets caught on the upper edge of the already stored paper, and it can be stored overlapping the pages.

Note that the first page of the received document has only a few lines and is sent out quickly, so the guide plate (1
1) (], 2), if the overhang (20) at the upper end of the suction plate (]9) or the upper edge of the suction plate itself reaches the guide plate (1, 1) (1) , 2) is closed at the lower end and prevents documents from being sent out until the envelope is set, thereby preventing problems such as scattering of documents outside the envelope.

The received document is sent in from the receiver (1) at an inverted angle from the attitude in which it was sent out as shown in the figure, so the document is stored in the envelope with the written side facing downward and is placed in the envelope through the window (4).
Enter the addressee's entry displayed in the position corresponding to 3) in the window (
43) can be read through. In addition, in order to store the document in this position, if the document has multiple pages, the pages can be stacked in order. Note that the illustrated device is applied to a facsimile receiver that sends out received documents with the written side facing upwards; Install the guide plates (11) and (12) by turning them left and right.
) may have a shape that allows the receiving paper to advance straight without bending.

When all pages have been received, the control circuit switches to the receiver (1).
The time lag from the time the reception end signal is received from the end of the document, or the time the last page of the document passes the position of the photoelectric device (5) and the reception signal ends, until the last page of the document is stored in the envelope. After that, stop the vacuum pump.

As a result, the envelope (E) containing the received document is released from being held by the suction plate (19) and falls to the bottom.

At the same time, the excitation of the solenoid (9) is stopped and the opening/closing plate (6) is stopped.
) closes to the position shown by the solid line, the motor (27) starts rotating in reverse, and the suction plate (19) returns to the standby position.

The envelope (E) released from the suction plate (19) passes through the guide plate (33) and falls between the guide plates (35), and is stopped at two points by the stopper (36) closing its lower end. −
15 = Stopped at the position indicated by the dashed line. At this time, the adhesive application part (44) of the stopped envelope (E) is placed between the guide plates (33) and (35) on the heat sealing hot plate (
34), the distance between the hot plate (34) and the stopper (36) is set in advance.

Therefore, a pair of hot plates (34) are driven by a drive device (not shown).
The envelope (E) is moved inward and the adhesive coated part of the envelope (E) is heated and pressed to seal it.

When the sealing is completed, release the pressure on the hot plate (34), open the stopper (36) as shown by the chain line, pass the envelope (E) through the guide plate (37) at the bottom, and insert the appropriate receiver into the box. let it fall.

The confidential document received in this way is stored in an envelope without being visible to the public eye, and the receiver is stored in a box, so that the written contents can be completely concealed. And the addressee is indicated as
Since the window on the envelope can be read through, it is possible to ensure that the addressee written on the envelope receives the receipt.

Note that, if necessary, a display means, such as a notification lamp, for notifying that a confidential document has been received may be provided at an appropriate location on the device.

This notification lamp may be turned on by the control circuit at an appropriate stage in the above-mentioned operation, for example, when sealing is completed and the envelope is placed in the final stage of the box.

Although the present invention has been described above based on the illustrated embodiments, the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned contents, and various modifications and applications are possible.

In the illustrated embodiment, the switching of the conveyance path for storing the document in an envelope or not is controlled by the identification pattern displayed on the document itself, but this can also be controlled by other means. For example, a control information frame of a facsimile transmission signal may be used to send a specific control code signal as a carrier path switching signal from the transmitting side at the start of transmission.

Further, the identification pattern is not necessarily limited to the bar code pattern of the double-part embodiment, but may be any pattern that can be read and identified by a photoelectric device when the received document passes through. For example, it is also possible to display a suitable number of marks at a specific location at the beginning of a document, and when a corresponding number of photoelectric devices detect these marks at the same time, the document is classified as a secret and the transport path is switched. It is.

Furthermore, although the suction plate (19) is moved by a screw feed driven by a motor in the illustrated embodiment, it may be driven by an air cylinder.

Furthermore, the sealing means is not limited to the heat sealing shown in the illustrated embodiment, but may include mechanical sealing such as a stapler,
Sealing with adhesive tape or the like may be applied, and the structure may be configured according to a conventional means generally used for automatic sealing of envelopes. In particular, if the applied facsimile device is of a heat-sensitive recording type and there is a risk that the received characters, etc. will be damaged by the heat generated during heat sealing, it is desirable to seal with a stapler or adhesive tape.

[Effects of the Invention] (1) When sending or receiving a facsimile, a document that requires secrecy can be automatically stored in an envelope to conceal its contents from third parties other than the addressee.

(2) If a document is to be marked with an identification pattern and scanned by a photoelectric device placed at the delivery section of the received paper to distinguish between confidential and general documents, the facsimile machine itself must be modified in some way. It is not necessary and can be easily implemented.

(3) An envelope containing a received document is automatically set when a confidential document is received, and the received paper can be automatically accommodated in pages.

(4) Therefore, no human effort is required on the receiving side.

It can be used even when the receiving side is unattended, such as during off-duty hours or on holidays.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a partially cutaway side view showing a device according to an embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the main parts of the apparatus, FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of an envelope for storing a secret document, and FIG. 4 is a view showing a document with an identification tag pattern attached thereto. (1)...Facsimile receiver, (4)...Lamp, (5)...Photoelectric device, (6)...
Opening/closing plate, (9)... Solenoid, (10)...
・Normal document receiver is a board, (11) (12)...Guide plate, (13)...Auxiliary guide part, (14) (15)・
... Base plate, (16) ... Saddle board, (17)
...Guide shaft, (18) ...Screw shaft, (1
9)...Adsorption plate, (21)...Slider, (22)...Nut, (23)...
Exhaust pipe, (27)...Motor, (29)...
・・Crimping plate, (34) ・・Hot plate for heat sealing, (
36)...Stopper, (E)...Envelope,
(P)... Received document, (42)... Hit part,
(43)...window. (44)...Adhesive for heat sealing, (45)...
... Identification pattern (barcode) (46) ... Addressee description section. ¥3)” Figure 4

Claims (5)

[Claims] (1) A facsimile machine in which the received document sending path of the facsimile receiver is configured to be switchable in two directions, and an envelope is attached to the end of one of the feeding paths to accommodate the received document being sent out. How to receive. (2) The identification pattern displayed at the beginning of the received document is detected by a photoelectric device placed in the document sending section of the facsimile receiver, and the document is sent out based on the presence or absence of the identification pattern. 2. The facsimile receiving method according to claim 1, wherein the paths are switched and the document with the identification pattern is accommodated in an envelope attached to the end of one of the conveyance paths. (3) The facsimile receiving method according to claim (2), wherein a barcode pattern is used as the identification pattern. (4) The addressee is displayed in the area following the identification pattern at the beginning of the document, and the document is housed in an envelope with a transparent window in the area corresponding to the addressee display area. A facsimile receiving method according to claim (2) or (3). (5) A photoelectric device attached to the received document feeder of the facsimile receiver that scans the document surface and outputs a signal compares the signal with predetermined identification pattern data and determines whether the identification pattern is correct. a control circuit that generates a control signal when the identification pattern is detected; a conveyance path switching means that switches the document conveyance path downstream of the photoelectric device so as to select the document conveyance path depending on the presence or absence of the identification pattern; A guide means for guiding a certain document in an inclined position with the writing surface facing downward, and an envelope holding means for holding an envelope for storing the document at the distal end of the guide means. Features of facsimile receiving device.