KR102341542B1 - Paper storage and supply apparatus, management system and operating method thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

A paper storage and feeding device, a management system, and an operating method thereof are provided. A paper storage and supply device according to some embodiments of the present disclosure includes a housing including an opening for supplying or replenishing paper, a paper loading unit on which paper replenished through the opening is loaded, and a paper loading unit connected to the paper loading unit It may include a conveying unit moving in the direction of the opening or in the opposite direction of the opening, and a control unit controlling the movement of the paper loading unit through the conveying unit. By controlling the movement of the paper loading unit according to an operation mode set among the paper feeding mode or the paper replenishing mode, the control unit can guarantee user convenience and safety when feeding or replenishing paper.

Description

PAPER STORAGE AND SUPPLY APPARATUS, MANAGEMENT SYSTEM AND OPERATING METHOD THEREOF

The present disclosure relates to a paper storage and supply device, a management system, and an operating method thereof. In more detail, it relates to a paper storage and supply device that can ensure user convenience and safety when supplying or replenishing paper, a management system for the paper storage and supply device, and an operating method thereof.

Most of the companies or offices have a number of paper boxes around the printing device, and whenever the paper runs out, the user directly orders the paper online or over the phone to manage the paper. However, this management method causes various problems such as waste of manpower, damage to the aesthetics of the office, and difficulty in grasping inventory, and the process of disassembling the delivered paper box, releasing individual packaging, and then relocating it is also very cumbersome and tiring.

In order to improve the above problems, a paper storage device has been proposed, where the paper storage device means, for example, a device for storing paper to be supplied to a printer or a printing device. A representative example of such a paper storage device is disclosed in Patent Registration No. 10-1472036 (hereinafter referred to as 'Patent Document 1').

However, the paper storage device of Patent Document 1 focuses only on the function of maintaining the quality of the stored paper through internal temperature and humidity control, and there is little improvement in terms of user convenience, and the paper storage device and the paper There is a problem in that the convenience of management is greatly reduced in that the user must directly manage the overall delivery.

Registered Patent Publication No. 10-1472036 (Registered on Dec. 5, 2014)

A technical problem to be solved through some embodiments of the present disclosure is to provide a paper storage and supply device that can ensure user convenience and safety when supplying or replenishing paper, and an operating method of the apparatus.

Another technical problem to be solved through some embodiments of the present disclosure is to provide a management system capable of improving the management convenience of a paper storage and supply device, and a method of operating the system.

The technical problems of the present disclosure are not limited to the above-mentioned technical problems, and other technical problems not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the following description.

In order to solve the above technical problem, a paper storage and supply device according to some embodiments of the present disclosure includes a housing including an opening for supplying or replenishing paper, a paper loading unit on which paper replenished through the opening is loaded; It may include a conveying unit connected to the paper loading unit to move the paper loading unit in the direction of the opening or in a direction opposite to the opening, and a control unit controlling the movement of the paper loading unit through the conveying unit. In this case, the control unit may control the movement of the paper loading unit according to an operation mode set among the paper supply mode or the paper replenishment mode.

In some embodiments, when the paper replenishment mode is set, the control unit may move the paper loading unit in the opposite direction of the opening in response to receiving a user input or detecting that replenishment paper is loaded in the paper loading unit. have.

In some embodiments, when the paper feeding mode is set, the control unit may move the paper loading unit toward the opening in response to receiving a user input or detecting that the loaded paper is being fed.

In some embodiments, the opening is located at an upper end of the housing, the paper loading unit includes a support on which the refilled paper is loaded, and the control unit is configured to prevent the height of the support from being higher than the lowermost end of the opening. The upward movement of the loading part can be controlled.

In some embodiments, a communication unit for communicating with the management server may be further included, wherein the control unit may transmit status information of the paper storage and supply device to the management server through the communication unit.

In some embodiments, the status information includes information on a power state of the paper storage and supply device, and the control unit transmits the power state information of the paper storage and supply device in response to detecting a power-off request of the user. It can be sent to the management server.

In some embodiments, the management server may group-manage the plurality of paper storage and supply devices based on the installation positions of the plurality of paper storage and supply devices.

In some embodiments, the management server receives status information for a plurality of paper storage and supply devices, and receives status information collected in a group unit, wherein the collection is at least one selected from among the plurality of paper storage and supply devices. It may be performed by the device of a separate device or by a separate device.

According to some embodiments of the present disclosure described above, the movement of the paper loading unit in the paper storage and supply device may be controlled according to a set mode among the paper supply mode and the paper replenishment mode. For example, when the paper feed mode is set, the paper loading unit is automatically moved upward to place the paper on the opening. can be Accordingly, the user's convenience when supplying or replenishing paper can be greatly improved, and paper supply and replenishment can also be performed quickly.

Also, in the paper feeding mode, the support of the paper loading unit can be controlled so as not to exceed the height of the opening. Accordingly, a gap is prevented from being formed between the pedestal and the opening, so that the use stability of the paper storage and feeding device can be improved and the risk of breakage can be reduced.

In addition, since a plurality of paper storage and supply devices can be automatically managed by the management server, the management convenience of a user using the paper storage and supply device can be greatly improved.

In addition, by grouping and managing a plurality of paper storage and supply devices based on an installation location, management efficiency can be greatly improved. For example, by grouping a plurality of adjacently installed paper storage and supply devices into one management group, a batch paper delivery service may be provided for the plurality of paper storage and supply devices. This can minimize waste of human and material resources by preventing individual paper delivery to a plurality of paper storage and supply devices installed adjacent to each other.

Effects according to the technical spirit of the present disclosure are not limited to the above-mentioned effects, and other effects not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the following description.

1 is an exemplary configuration diagram illustrating a management system for a paper storage and supply device according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.
2 is an exemplary diagram for explaining a group management function of a management system for a paper storage and supply device according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.
3 is an exemplary configuration diagram illustrating a management system for a paper storage and supply device according to some other embodiments of the present disclosure;
4 is an exemplary flowchart illustrating an operation method of a management system for a paper storage and supply device according to some other embodiments of the present disclosure.
5 to 7 are exemplary views for explaining a paper storage and supply device according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.
8 and 9 are exemplary views for explaining a method of calculating the elevation height of the paper loading unit according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.
10 is an exemplary flowchart for explaining a method of operating a paper storage and supply device according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.
11 to 13 are exemplary views for further explaining the operation of the paper storage and supply apparatus in the paper supply mode according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.
14 is an exemplary diagram for further explaining the operation in the paper replenishment mode of the paper storage and supply apparatus according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.
15 illustrates an example computing module that may implement an apparatus according to various embodiments of the present disclosure.

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Advantages and features of the present disclosure, and methods of achieving them will become apparent with reference to the embodiments described below in detail in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. However, the technical spirit of the present disclosure is not limited to the following embodiments, but may be implemented in various different forms, and only the following embodiments complete the technical spirit of the present disclosure, and in the technical field to which the present disclosure belongs It is provided to fully inform those of ordinary skill in the scope of the present disclosure, and the technical spirit of the present disclosure is only defined by the scope of the claims.

In adding reference numerals to the components of each drawing, it should be noted that the same components are given the same reference numerals as much as possible even though they are indicated on different drawings. In addition, in describing the present disclosure, if it is determined that a detailed description of a related known configuration or function may obscure the gist of the present disclosure, the detailed description thereof will be omitted.

Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used herein may be used with the meaning commonly understood by those of ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure belongs. In addition, terms defined in a commonly used dictionary are not to be interpreted ideally or excessively unless clearly defined in particular. The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing the embodiments and is not intended to limit the present disclosure. In this specification, the singular also includes the plural unless specifically stated otherwise in the phrase.

In addition, in describing the components of the present disclosure, terms such as first, second, A, B, (a), (b), etc. may be used. These terms are only for distinguishing the elements from other elements, and the essence, order, or order of the elements are not limited by the terms. When it is described that a component is “connected”, “coupled” or “connected” to another component, the component may be directly connected or connected to the other component, but another component is formed between each component. It should be understood that elements may also be “connected,” “coupled,” or “connected.”

As used herein, “comprises” and/or “comprising” refers to a referenced component, step, operation and/or element of one or more other components, steps, operations and/or elements. The presence or addition is not excluded.

Hereinafter, some embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 is an exemplary configuration diagram illustrating a management system for a paper storage and supply device according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

As illustrated in FIG. 1 , the management system may include one or more paper storage and supply devices A_1 to A_n and a management server 10 . However, this is only a preferred embodiment for achieving the purpose of the present disclosure, and it goes without saying that some components may be added or deleted as needed. In addition, it should be noted that each component of the management system shown in FIG. 1 represents functional elements that are functionally separated, and a plurality of components may be implemented in a form that is integrated with each other in an actual physical environment.

In addition, in an actual physical environment, each of the components may be implemented in a form separated into a plurality of detailed functional elements. For example, a first function of the management server 10 may be implemented in a first computing device, and a second function may be implemented in a second computing device. Alternatively, a specific function of the management server 1 may be implemented in a plurality of computing devices. Hereinafter, each component of the management system will be described, and for convenience of explanation, the paper storage and feeding device (A_1 or A_2 or ?? or A_n) will be abbreviated as “paper feeding device”, and paper will be abbreviated as “paper”. do. In addition, when referring to an arbitrary paper feeder (A_1 or A_2 or ?? or A_n) or a plurality of paper feeders (A_1 to A_n), the reference number “A” is used.

The paper feeding device A may refer to a device having a function of storing and supplying paper. More specifically, the paper feeding device (A) may be a device that stores a paper therein and supplies a certain amount of paper according to a user's request. The detailed structure and operation method of the paper supply device A may vary, and the structure and operation method of the paper supply device A according to some embodiments will be described in detail later with reference to FIGS. 5 to 14 . . However, in addition to the paper feeder A, which will be described later, various types of paper feeders may be applied to the management system illustrated in FIG. 1 without limitation.

The paper feeding device A may be manually or automatically registered in the management server 10 , and may transmit status information of the device A to the management server 10 periodically or aperiodically. For example, the paper feeding device A may include a computing module including a control unit and a communication unit, and the computing module may transmit state information to the management server 10 through a network. Here, the network is implemented as all types of wired/wireless networks such as a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN), a mobile radio communication network, and a Wibro (Wireless Broadband Internet). can be For an example of the computing module, refer to FIG. 15 .

The status information may include, for example, various information such as the operation mode of the device A (eg paper supply mode, paper replenishment mode), failure (error occurrence), inspection result, power status, remaining paper amount, etc. . However, the present invention is not limited thereto.

In some embodiments, the paper supply device A transmits power status information (eg status information informing power-off) to the management server 10 before the power is turned off in response to detecting the power-off request of the user. can Any method may be used for detecting the power-off. In this case, since the management server 10 can accurately determine whether the power of the paper supply device A is normally turned off, device management can be performed more efficiently. In other words, when the management server 10 does not communicate with the paper feeder A, the management server 10 fails in the paper feeder A (eg, abnormal power due to communication unit failure or power failure) It is difficult to accurately distinguish whether a power-off occurs or a normal power-off by a user. However, if information on this is provided when the power is turned off by the user, the management server 10 can accurately distinguish the current state of the paper feeder A, so that maintenance services are provided unnecessarily (eg by the user). Inefficiencies such as providing an engineer on-site service even though the power is off) can be improved.

Next, the management server 10 may be a computing device that provides management services for one or more paper supply devices (A). The computing device may be, for example, a notebook, a desktop, a laptop, etc., but is not limited thereto, and may include any type of device equipped with a computing function and a communication function. However, in an environment in which a plurality of paper supply devices A are managed in real time, the management server 10 may be preferably implemented as a high-performance server-class computing device. Referring to FIG. 15 for an example of a computing device.

More specifically, the management server 10 may monitor the status of one or more paper feeders A, and provide a management service for the paper feeders A based on the monitoring result. Examples of the management service may include, but are not limited to, a maintenance service for device failure, a paper delivery service, and the like. In order to provide convenience of understanding, the paper delivery service is further described. The management server 10 may automatically provide the paper delivery service in response to the determination that the remaining amount of paper in the paper feeder A is less than or equal to the reference value. . For example, the management server 10 may provide a paper delivery service by transmitting a delivery request including the location information of the paper supply device A to the terminal of the paper delivery company. In this case, the user who uses the paper feeder (A) does not need to perform management tasks such as checking the remaining amount of paper in the paper feeder (A) and requesting delivery. can be greatly improved.

A method in which the management server 10 monitors the state of the paper supply device A may be implemented in various forms. For example, monitoring may be performed by the management server 10 periodically or aperiodically requesting and receiving status information from the paper feeder A. As another example, even if there is no request from the management server 10 , the paper supply device A voluntarily transmits status information to the management server 10 , whereby monitoring may be performed.

Meanwhile, according to some embodiments of the present disclosure, in order to more efficiently operate a paper delivery service, the management server 10 may perform group management for a plurality of paper supply devices A. More specifically, the management server 10 may manage by grouping a plurality of paper supply apparatuses (A) based on the installation location (ie, geographical proximity) of the paper supply apparatus (A). For example, as illustrated in FIG. 2 , four paper feeders A_1 to A_4 installed in a first site (eg an office, a specific floor of an office, a specific area of an office, etc.) are provided in the first management group 31 . , and the three paper feeders A_5 to A_7 installed at the second site may be managed as the second management group 33 . In this case, batch paper delivery can be made to the paper feeders (e.g. A_1 to A_7) of the same or adjacent sites (e.g. 31, 33), so that management efficiency can be greatly improved. For example, when the paper feeders (e.g. A_1 to A_4) are individually managed, paper delivery to the same site (e.g. 31) occurs frequently, so that human/material resources may be operated inefficiently. In addition, if the paper delivery time (the paper replenishment time) is changed once, the next paper delivery time is also likely to change, resulting in continuous inefficient paper delivery. On the other hand, when group management is performed, as batch paper is delivered to the same site (e.g. 31), human/material resources required for managing paper delivery can be minimized.

In some embodiments, a management group may be formed based on the paper delivery route. For example, a plurality of paper delivery paths may be calculated for a plurality of paper feeders A, and the paper feeders A belonging to the same paper delivery route may be grouped into the same management group. In this case, the paper delivery path may be calculated by comprehensively considering the installation location of the paper supply device A, traffic information, and the like, and the calculation criterion of the paper delivery route may be the shortest distance, the minimum time, or other factors. In this case, management efficiency can be further improved compared to the case where the management group is formed based only on geographic proximity.

In the above-described embodiments, a method for establishing a management group may be various.

As an example, an administrative group may be manually set up by a user or an administrator. For example, the user of the paper feeder A or the manager of the management server 10 may manually group the plurality of paper feeders A. As shown in FIG. In this case, the management server 10 may provide a user interface (eg, a web interface such as a web page) for group setting for user convenience, but the scope of the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and group setting is a different interface Even if it is done through

As another example, the management group may be automatically set by the management server 10 . For example, the management server 10 may automatically group the plurality of paper feeders (A) based on installation location information or IP information registered in the profile of the plurality of paper feeders (A).

As another example, the management server 10 may automatically perform grouping according to the above-described example and provide the created management group information to a user or an administrator. Then, the management group can be set based on the management group information provided by the user or the administrator.

On the other hand, in some embodiments, as illustrated in FIG. 3 , the management server 10 does not receive the status information from the individual paper feeder A, but the status information collected from the aggregator 20 in a group unit. may receive. 3 illustrates that the assembling device 20 is a separate device as an example, the assembling device 20 may be a specific paper feeder (e.g. A_1) selected from the management group (e.g. 31). That is, the specific paper supply device (e.g. A_1) may operate to collect status information of the management group (e.g. 31) and transmit it to the management server 10 .

So far, a management system for the paper feeder A according to some embodiments of the present disclosure has been described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3 . Hereinafter, an operating method of the management system will be described in more detail with reference to FIG. 4 to provide more convenience of understanding.

4 is an exemplary flowchart illustrating a method of operating a management system according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. However, this is only a preferred embodiment for achieving the purpose of the present disclosure, and it goes without saying that some steps may be added or deleted as needed. In addition, although FIG. 4 illustrates a case in which the assembling device 20 is included in the management system as an example, the management system may operate in a manner similar to that described later even when the assembling device 20 is not included.

As shown in FIG. 4 , the operation method may be started in step S10 in which the paper feeder A generates status information. In this step, the paper feeding device A may generate status information by monitoring its status, and the monitoring method may be any method. For example, the paper feeder A may detect a failure of a specific module through a built-in test or measure the remaining amount of paper (ie, the amount of paper loaded). A sudden failure that cannot be detected by the paper feeder A may be detected by the management server 10 .

In step S20 , the paper feeding device A may transmit the status information to the assembling device 20 . As mentioned above, the assembling device 20 may be a separate device, or may be a specific paper feeding device A belonging to a management group.

In step S30, the aggregator 20 may collect the received state information. For example, the aggregator 20 may aggregate the received state information in units of management groups.

In some embodiments, the aggregator 20 may perform predetermined processing (e.g. statistical processing) on the aggregated state information. For example, the aggregator 20 calculates the average remaining paper amount for each group, analyzes a failure pattern, or calculates an optimal paper delivery path (eg, shortest distance path, minimum time path) of the management group. can be performed. In this case, the effect that the processing load of the management server 10 is reduced can be achieved.

In step S40 , the aggregation device 20 may transmit the collected state information to the management server 10 .

In step S50, the management server 10 may determine whether a paper delivery service is required based on the received status information. For example, the management server 10 may determine whether a paper delivery service is required based on the average amount of paper remaining in the management group or the number of paper storage and supply devices A having the remaining amount of paper in the group equal to or less than a threshold. As a more specific example, the management server 10 may determine that the paper delivery service is necessary when the average amount of remaining paper is less than or equal to a threshold or the number of the paper storage and supply devices A is greater than or equal to a certain number. As another example, the management server 10 determines that paper delivery is required to the first management group and the average amount of paper remaining in the second management group that is related to the delivery of the first management group is a reference value (here, the reference value is a value greater than the threshold value) In the following cases, it may be determined that the paper delivery service is necessary for the second management group. Here, the shipping relevance may be determined based on a physical distance and/or travel time between the two management groups, whether they exist on a shipping route, or the like. As another example, when the average paper exhaust speed of a specific device group is greater than or equal to a threshold value (or when the number of paper feeders A whose paper exhaust speed is greater than or equal to the threshold is a certain number or more), the management server 10 sends a message to the management group. You may decide that paper delivery service is necessary. As another example, the management server 10 may determine whether a paper delivery service is required based on a combination of the various examples described above.

In step S60, in response to the determination that the paper delivery service is necessary, the management server 10 may request the paper delivery service. For example, the management server 10 may transmit a paper delivery request to the paper delivery terminal.

In some embodiments, the management server 10 may calculate an optimal paper delivery path for a management group requiring paper delivery. For example, the management server 10 may calculate the shortest distance delivery route based on the shortest route algorithm or the like. As another example, the management server 10 may calculate the minimum time delivery route in consideration of current traffic information. As another example, the management server 10 may calculate an optimal delivery time and delivery route in consideration of past traffic information. The calculated information may be transmitted to the terminal of the paper delivery side together with the paper delivery request.

Meanwhile, although not shown in FIG. 4 , the management server 10 may request a maintenance service based on the failure information. In addition, the management server 10 may request a maintenance service based on status information other than the failure information. For example, the management server 10 determines that a failure has occurred in the corresponding paper feeder (A) if only the remaining paper amount of a specific paper feeder (A) in the device group does not change or is different from other paper feeders and may request maintenance service.

Also, in some embodiments, the management server 10 may dynamically reconfigure the management group based on the usage pattern information of the management group. Here, the group reconfiguration may include addition, change, and deletion of the paper feeder A, merging of groups, subdivision of groups, and the like. In addition, usage pattern information includes all types of information related to usage patterns, such as, for example, paper exhaust speed (paper feed speed), paper run-out time, time period in which paper run-out (feed) mainly occurs, and time period in which paper replenishment occurs mainly. can do. As a specific example, the management server 10 may subdivide a management group having a paper exhaustion rate equal to or greater than a threshold into a plurality of groups, and vice versa, may merge a plurality of management groups. As another example, the management server 10 may exclude the paper feeders A having different paper exhaust speeds in the management group from the corresponding group, or may move them to another management group. As another example, the management server 10 may reconfigure a plurality of paper feeders A having similar paper exhaust speeds into a new management group. As another example, the management server 10 may reconfigure a plurality of paper supply devices A having similar paper exhaust times into a new management group. According to the present embodiment, since the group is reconfigured based on the actual usage pattern of the management group, management efficiency can be further improved. For example, resources invested in delivery management may be further minimized.

So far, an operation method of the management system for the paper feeder A according to some embodiments of the present disclosure has been described with reference to FIG. 4 . According to the above description, the user's intervention in managing the paper feeding device A can be minimized. Accordingly, the user-side management convenience can be greatly improved.

Hereinafter, the configuration and operation of the paper feeder A according to some embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to FIGS. 5 to 14 .

5 to 7 are views for explaining the paper feeder A according to some embodiments of the present disclosure, and FIG. 5 is an exemplary front perspective view showing the external and internal structures of the paper feeder A together. 6 is an exemplary rear perspective view showing both the exterior and internal structure of the paper supply device A, and FIG. 7 is an exemplary rear view showing the exterior and internal structure of the paper supply device A together.

5 to 7 , the paper supply device A includes a housing 100 , a paper loading unit including a support 300 on which the paper P is loaded, a conveying unit for moving the paper loading unit, and the conveying unit It may include a control unit 600 for controlling the movement of. However, this is only a preferred embodiment for achieving the purpose of the present disclosure, and it goes without saying that some components may be added or deleted as needed. Hereinafter, each component of the paper feeding device A will be described in more detail.

The housing 100 may form the outer shape of the device. The housing 100 may be composed of, for example, the frame 102 constituting the frame of the paper feeding device A and a plate material for finishing the outer shape. However, the scope of the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

The housing 100 may include an opening 101 formed in the upper front portion. The opening 101 may be used to feed or replenish the paper P. For example, in the paper supply mode, the user can receive the paper P loaded on the pedestal 300 through the opening 101 , and in the paper replenishment mode, the user can receive the paper P through the opening 101 . ) can be supplemented (input). The replenished paper P may be loaded and stored on the pedestal 300 .

Next, the paper loading unit may include the support 300 on which the paper P is loaded, and may further include additional components so that the paper P can be safely loaded (stored). Hereinafter, for convenience of understanding, it is assumed that the paper loading unit is composed of only the support 300 and the description is continued. However, the scope of the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

The pedestal 300 may be moved (ie, raised and lowered) in an upward direction by the transfer unit. The area and/or shape of the support 300 may vary depending on the type of paper P, and may be designed in various ways. The pedestal 300 may be formed, for example, in a plate shape, but the scope of the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

Next, the transfer unit may include a means for moving the pedestal 300 or the paper loading unit (ie, transferring the stored paper) according to the control of the controller 600 . For example, the transfer unit is installed on the rotary transfer shaft 410 and the pedestal 300 that are connected to the motor 200 and the motor 200 for generating power and rotate, and are installed on the pedestal ( ) by the rotation of the rotary transfer shaft 410 . It may include a lead screw 400 composed of a nut 420 that moves 300 in the vertical direction. In addition, the transfer unit may further include a guide unit 500 for guiding the lifting and lowering of the pedestal 300 and preventing sagging of the pedestal 300 . However, the scope of the present disclosure is not limited to this example, and the transfer unit may be implemented to include a transfer means other than the motor 200 .

In the above-described example, a general motor that rotates forward and reverse to implement the motor 200 may be applied, or a stepper motor that precisely rotates a rotation range at a specific angle or step may be applied. However, the present invention is not limited thereto.

In addition, the lead screw 400 is composed of a rotational feed shaft 410 that is a male thread and a nut 420 that is a female thread, and is inserted so that a steel ball rolls therebetween to convert a rotational motion into a linear motion. That is, the outer circumferential surface of the rotary transfer shaft 410 and the inner circumferential surface of the nut 420 may have a screw shape. (300) can be converted into a vertical linear motion.

Next, the control unit 600 may control the overall operation of the paper feeding device (A). For example, the controller 600 may control the movement of the transport unit according to a set mode among the paper supply mode or the paper replenishment mode. This will be described in detail later with reference to FIGS. 10 to 14 .

The control unit 600 may calculate the elevation height of the pedestal 300 and calculate the remaining amount of paper (ie, the amount of paper loading) based on the calculated elevation height. In addition, the control unit 600 may calculate various information such as the paper exhaust speed.

A method for the control unit 600 to calculate the elevation height may be varied, which may vary according to an embodiment.

In some embodiments, the controller 600 may calculate the elevation height of the pedestal 300 based on the number of rotations of the rotary transfer shaft 420 . In order to count the number of revolutions, the control unit 600 may use the sensor wheel 610 illustrated in FIG. 6 . Hereinafter, the present embodiment will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 6, 8 and 9 .

As illustrated in FIG. 6 , a sensor wheel 610 may be provided at the upper end of the rotary transfer shaft 410 . The sensor wheel 610 may be coaxially coupled to the rotary feed shaft 410 and rotate together as the rotary feed shaft 410 rotates. The sensor wheel 610 may have a count film formed in the circumferential direction or a perforated portion may be formed in the circumferential direction. The count film and/or the perforated portion may be formed at equal intervals on the sensor wheel 610 .

In addition, a sensor for sensing the rotation of the sensor wheel 610 may be disposed on the substrate of the control unit 600, and the sensor is the sensor wheel 610 based on a signal sensed from the count film and/or perforated portion. It is possible to count the number of rotations, that is, the number of rotations of the rotary transfer shaft 410 . And, the control unit 600 may determine the elevation height of the pedestal 300 based on the counting information. For example, the controller 600 may calculate the movement amount of the nut 420 according to one rotation of the rotary transfer shaft 410 based on the male thread pitch of the rotary transfer shaft 410 , and the calculated movement amount of the nut 420 . It is possible to calculate the moving distance and the lifting height of the bed 300 based on the.

In order to provide more convenience of understanding, a method of calculating the number of revolutions of the rotary transfer shaft 410 or the sensor wheel 610 will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 8 and 9 .

8 is an exemplary view for explaining a method of calculating the rotation speed of the paper feeder A according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. Each of the components shown in FIG. 8 is simplified and exaggerated for clarity of description, and some components are omitted.

As shown in FIG. 8 , the sensor wheel 610 is coaxially coupled to the rotary feed shaft 410 to rotate together as the rotary feed shaft 410 rotates, and the rotation of the sensor wheel 610 controls the control unit. It may be sensed by the sensor 710 provided on one surface of the constituting substrate 720 . 8 illustrates that the sensor 710 is disposed in the lower direction of the sensor wheel 610 as an example, the scope of the present disclosure is not limited to this arrangement.

As the sensor wheel 610 rotates, the first and second state signals may be alternately configured to be detected by the sensor 710 . That is, the angle or the number of rotations of the sensor wheel 610 may be monitored through the alternating first and second state signals.

More specifically, as shown in FIG. 8 , the sensor wheel 610 has a first sensor wheel region 612 in which a plurality of perforated portions are alternately formed in the circumferential direction, and a second sensor in which the plurality of perforated portions are not formed. A wheel area 614 may be provided. The first and second sensor wheel regions 612 and 614 may be preferably formed on the sensor wheel 610 at equal intervals.

Meanwhile, FIG. 8 illustrates that eight perforated portions are provided in the sensor wheel 610 as an example, but the scope of the present disclosure is not limited by the number or spacing of the perforated portions. For example, only one perforated portion may be provided in the sensor wheel 610 . However, in order to calculate the rotation angle or number of rotations of the sensor wheel 610 with more precise resolution, it may be preferable that about 3 to 10 perforations are formed in the sensor wheel 610 .

In addition, the first sensor wheel area 612 and the second sensor wheel area 614 are not limited to being divided according to whether a perforated part is provided, and the method of generating the first and second state signals can be performed by various methods. can be implemented. For example, unlike illustrated, the count film may be provided in the first sensor wheel area 612 of the sensor wheel 610 and the count film may not be provided in the second sensor wheel area 614 .

The sensor 710 may separate and sense the first state signal in the first sensor wheel region 612 and the second state signal in the second sensor wheel region 614 .

Specifically, referring to FIG. 8A , the reference signal Si transmitted to the second sensor wheel region 614 may be returned to the sensor 710 as a second state signal. The second state signal may be a non-zero signal (Sa, see FIG. 9 ), such as one for example.

Referring to FIG. 8B , the reference signal Si transmitted to the first sensor wheel area 612 passes through the perforated portion formed in the first sensor wheel area 612 and is not returned to the sensor 710 . does not That is, from the perspective of the sensor 710 , the first state signal in the first sensor wheel region 612 may be 0 or a base signal Sb (refer to FIG. 9 ).

9 is an exemplary diagram illustrating a signal state sensed by the sensor 710 according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

As the sensor wheel 610 rotates, a signal as shown in FIG. 9 may be detected by the sensor 710 . That is, the sensor 710 may detect the first state signal Sa and the second state signal Sb which alternate according to the rotation of the sensor wheel 610 .

The number of rotations of the sensor wheel 610 may be calculated according to the number of counted first state signals Sa and/or second state signals Sb. For example, if the sensor wheel 610 is provided with eight first and second sensor wheel regions 612 and 614 , respectively, a specific time t1 after the rotation of the sensor wheel 610 starts. The number of rotations of the sensor wheel 610 may be about 0.75 times.

When the number of rotations is calculated in the above-described manner, the control unit 600 may calculate the elevation height d of the pedestal 300 based on Equation 1 below. More specifically, the control unit 600 is the number of rotations (x / N) and the lifting height (d) of the pedestal 300 based on the lifting distance (α) of the pedestal 300 according to one rotation of the rotary transfer shaft 410 . ) can be calculated.

[Equation 1]

In Equation 1, d is the pedestal elevation height [mm] for a specific time period, α is the pedestal elevation height per unit rotation of the rotational transfer shaft [mm], x is the first state signal counted for the specific time period and/or the number of the second state signals, N, indicates the number of first sensor wheel regions 612 or second sensor wheel regions 614 formed in the sensor wheel.

An embodiment in which the control unit 600 calculates the elevation height of the pedestal 300 based on the number of rotations of the rotary transfer shaft 410 has been described. Continuing, the description of the control unit 600 is continued.

In some other embodiments, the controller 600 may measure the elevation height of the pedestal 300 using a distance measuring sensor. For example, the control unit 600 uses a distance measuring sensor (eg an infrared sensor) disposed to face the pedestal 300 inside the lower end of the housing 100 from the lower end of the housing 100 to the pedestal 300 . By measuring the distance, it is possible to calculate the elevation height of the pedestal 300 .

The controller 600 may include a central processing unit (CPU), a micro processor unit (MPU), a micro controller unit (MCU), or any type of processor well known in the art of the present disclosure. Also, the controller may perform an operation on at least one application or program for executing the method according to the above-described embodiments of the present disclosure.

Meanwhile, although not clearly shown in FIGS. 5 to 7 , in some embodiments, the paper feeding device A may further include a communication unit. In addition, the paper supply device (A) may further include an input unit for receiving a user input or an output unit for outputting status information of the paper supply device (A), and the like. The input unit may include, for example, a button for receiving a physical input from a user, a microphone for receiving a user's voice command, and the like, but is not limited thereto. The output unit (not shown) may include, for example, a display capable of displaying various information, and a speaker for outputting a warning sound, but is not limited thereto. The above-described control unit 600 , communication unit, input unit, or output unit may be collectively referred to as a computing module, and for the computing module, reference will be made to the description of FIG. 15 .

Meanwhile, in some embodiments, the paper supply device (A) may further include at least one limit sensor 103 disposed inside the housing 100 to limit upward and downward movement of the pedestal 300 . have. The limit sensor 103 may detect that the user takes out or puts the paper P through the opening 101, and this embodiment will be described later with reference to FIGS. 10 to 14 .

For reference, the limit sensor 103 may be used as a reference point when calculating the remaining amount of paper (%). For example, when the support 300 comes up to the limit sensor 103 provided at the inner upper end of the housing 100 , the remaining amount of the paper P is 0%, and the support 300 is the housing 100 . When it comes down to the limit sensor 103 provided in the lower inner part, the remaining amount of paper of the paper P may be set to 100%.

Hereinafter, an operation method of the paper feeder A according to some embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 10 to 14 .

10 is an exemplary flowchart illustrating an operation method of the paper feeder A according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. However, this is only a preferred embodiment for achieving the purpose of the present disclosure, and it goes without saying that some steps may be added or deleted as needed. Hereinafter, it is assumed that each step of the operation method is performed by the control unit 600 to continue the description. Accordingly, when the subject of each operation is omitted in the following description, it may be understood that the operation may be performed by the controller 600 .

As shown in FIG. 10 , the operation method may be started in step S110 of setting the operation mode of the paper feeder A. As shown in FIG. The operation mode may include, for example, a paper feed mode and a paper replenishment mode. However, the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, the operation mode of the paper feeder A may further include an inspection mode.

The paper feed mode may mean a mode in which the paper feeder (A) supplies paper to the user, and the paper replenishment mode is a mode in which the user replenishes (inserts) paper to store paper in the paper feeder (A). can mean

In this step, the operation mode may be set manually or automatically by the user, and may be set in any manner. For example, the controller 600 may receive an operation mode input from the user through a predetermined setting interface. The setting interface may include, for example, a physical interface such as a button, a graphical user interface (GUI) such as a web interface, or a voice interface (eg, when a user sets an operation mode through a voice command). However, the present invention is not limited thereto. As another example, the controller 600 may automatically set or switch the operation mode by detecting that the user takes out or inserts the paper through the opening 101 .

In steps S120 to S160 , the controller 600 may control the movement of the paper loading unit (or the pedestal 300 ) based on the set operation mode. More specifically, when the set operation mode is the paper feed mode, the control unit 600 controls the movement of the paper loading unit according to step S130, and when the set operation mode is the paper replenishment mode, the control unit 600 controls the paper loading according to step S160. You can control the movement of wealth.

In step S130 , the control unit 600 may control the paper loading unit to move upward whenever paper is supplied. For example, in response to a user input (eg, a user input indicating that the paper has been withdrawn) is received (eg a button input, a voice command, etc.) or the withdrawal of the paper is detected, the control unit 600 controls the transport unit to raise the pedestal 300 can control In order to provide more convenience of understanding, this step will be described in more detail with reference to drawings such as FIG. 11 .

11 illustrates the moving state of the support 300 before and after the paper P is supplied.

11, as the paper P is supplied to the user through the opening 101, the control unit 600 controls the transfer unit (eg motor 200) so that the height of the pedestal 300 rises by a predetermined distance d1. ) can be controlled. This control process may be repeated whenever the paper P is fed. In this case, the next paper (P) to be supplied to the user is again positioned at the height of the opening 110, so that the user's convenience when feeding the paper can be greatly improved.

In some embodiments, the control unit 600 may detect that the paper (P) is supplied based on the limit sensor (103_1) located on the top of the housing 100, based on the limit sensor (103_1) pedestal 300 ) to stop the upward movement. For example, when the remaining paper P comes up to the vicinity of the limit sensor 103_1 by the upward movement of the support 300 after the paper P is supplied, the control unit 600 controls the upward movement of the support 300 . can be stopped

On the other hand, when the pedestal 300 is continuously moved upward by feeding the paper, as illustrated in FIG. 12 , the pedestal 300 rises to a higher position than the opening 101 (more precisely, than the lowermost end of the opening 101 ). cases may occur. In this case, a gap 102 may be formed under the pedestal 300 to increase the risk of failure or use of the paper feeder A. For example, the pedestal 300 descends in a state where a part of the user's body, such as a hand, etc. is caught or entered in the gap 102 due to the user's carelessness, thereby causing damage to the body. Alternatively, as an external object enters the inside of the paper feeding device A through the gap 102 , a malfunction may occur in the device A.

In order to solve the above problem, in some embodiments of the present disclosure, as illustrated in FIG. 13 , an additional member 104 is provided to close the gap 102 between the opening 101 and the pedestal 300 . The paper loading unit may be configured together with the support 300 . In this case, since the above-described problem is solved, the risk of damage to the paper feeding device A is reduced, and safety in use can be improved.

In some other embodiments, without introducing the additional member 104 , the control unit 600 may control the movement of the pedestal 300 to solve the above problem. Specifically, the controller 600 may control the height of the pedestal 300 not to exceed the opening 101 (precisely, the lowermost end of the opening 101) when moving upward. By doing so, the above-mentioned problem can be solved without introducing the additional member 104 . Furthermore, since the solution method according to the present embodiment does not require the introduction of the additional member 104, there is an advantage in that the external appearance of the paper feeding device A is not increased or there is no risk of damage to the aesthetics.

It will be described again with reference to FIG. 10 .

In step S160 , the control unit 600 may control the paper loading unit to move downward whenever paper is replenished. For example, in response to a user input (eg a user input requesting replenishment of paper) being received (eg a button input, a voice command, etc.) or the input of replenishment paper (or loading of replenishment paper) is detected, the control unit 600 is, The transfer unit may be controlled so that the pedestal 300 is lowered. In order to provide more convenience of understanding, the present step will be described in more detail with reference to FIG. 14 .

14 illustrates a state before and after replenishment of the paper P.

As illustrated in FIG. 14 , the control unit 600 may provide a space in which the paper P can be inserted by lowering the support 300 by a predetermined distance d2 before the paper P is replenished. This control process may be performed whenever the paper P is replenished. When the space is provided, the user can easily insert the replenishment paper (P) through the opening 101, so that the user's convenience when replenishing the paper can be greatly improved.

The descending distance d2 of the pedestal 300 may be a preset fixed value or a variable value that varies depending on circumstances, and the specific numerical value may vary according to embodiments.

In some embodiments, the descending distance d2 may be a value that varies based on the remaining amount of paper (ie, the amount of paper loaded). For example, as the amount of remaining paper decreases, the descending distance d2 may be determined to be a large value, and vice versa, the descending distance d2 may be determined to be a small value. In this case, since the descent distance d2 is gradually reduced as the paper P is replenished, the effect of notifying the user of the replenishment completion time and the approximate amount of remaining paper can be achieved.

In some embodiments, the descent distance d2 may be set to a constant value. In this case, there is an effect of forcing the user to input only a predetermined amount of the paper P when replenishing the paper P, and there is an advantage that the paper P can be well aligned and stacked on the pedestal 300 . It may be preferable that the constant value be determined as an optimal value in consideration of various factors such as the average input amount of a plurality of users, the size of the opening 101, and the number of paper P constituting one packaging bundle. .

So far, the operation method of the paper feeder A according to some embodiments of the present disclosure has been described with reference to FIGS. 10 to 14 . According to the above-described method, the movement of the paper loading unit is automatically controlled according to the paper feeding mode or the paper replenishing mode, so that the user's convenience and safety can be greatly improved when feeding or replenishing paper.

Hereinafter, an exemplary computing module 800 that can implement devices (e.g. management server 10, assembling device 20, paper supply device A, etc.) according to various embodiments of the present disclosure will be described.

15 is an exemplary hardware configuration diagram illustrating the computing module 800 .

As shown in FIG. 15 , the computing module 800 includes a control unit 810 , a bus 850 , a communication unit 870 , and a memory (loading) a computer program 891 executed by the control unit 810 (load). 830 and a storage 890 for storing the computer program 891 may be included. However, only components related to the embodiment of the present disclosure are illustrated in FIG. 15 . Accordingly, one of ordinary skill in the art to which the present disclosure pertains can know that other general-purpose components other than those shown in FIG. 15 may be further included. That is, the computing module 800 may further include various components in addition to the components shown in FIG. 15 . Also, in some cases, at least one of the components illustrated in FIG. 15 may be omitted when configuring the computing module 800 .

The controller 810 controls the overall operation of each component of the computing module 800 . The controller 810 may be implemented with one or more processors. For example, the controller 810 includes at least one of a central processing unit (CPU), a micro processor unit (MPU), a micro controller unit (MCU), or any type of processor well known in the art of the present disclosure. can be Also, the controller 810 may perform an operation on at least one application or program for executing the method/operation according to the embodiments of the present disclosure.

Next, the memory 830 stores various data, commands, and/or information. The memory 830 may load one or more programs 891 from the storage 890 to execute methods/operations according to embodiments of the present disclosure. The memory 830 may be implemented as a volatile memory such as RAM, but the scope of the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

Next, the bus 850 provides a communication function between the components of the computing module 800 . The bus 850 may be implemented as various types of buses, such as an address bus, a data bus, and a control bus.

Next, the communication unit 870 supports wired/wireless Internet communication of the computing module 800 . Also, the communication unit 870 may support various communication methods other than Internet communication. To this end, the communication unit 870 may be configured to include a communication module well-known in the technical field of the present disclosure.

Next, the storage 890 may non-temporarily store the one or more programs 891 . The storage 890 is a non-volatile memory such as a read only memory (ROM), an erasable programmable ROM (EPROM), an electrically erasable programmable ROM (EEPROM), a flash memory, a hard disk, a removable disk, or well in the art to which the present disclosure pertains. It may be configured to include any known computer-readable recording medium.

Next, the computer program 891 may include one or more instructions that, when loaded into the memory 830 , cause the controller 810 to perform methods/operations according to embodiments of the present disclosure. . That is, the controller 810 may perform the method/operations according to the embodiment of the present disclosure by executing the one or more instructions.

For example, the computer program 891 may include one or more instructions to transmit status information to the management server 10 or to perform an operation for controlling the transfer of the paper loading unit according to a set mode. In this case, the paper supply device A according to some embodiments of the present disclosure may be implemented through the computing module 800 .

As another example, the computer program 891 may include one or more instructions to receive status information from the paper feeder A, and to perform an operation to manage the paper feeder A based on the received status information. can In this case, the management server 10 according to some embodiments of the present disclosure may be implemented through the computing module 800 .

So far, an exemplary computing module 800 capable of implementing devices (eg management server 10, assembling device 20, paper supply device A, etc.) according to various embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to FIG. 15 . .

The technical idea of the present disclosure described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 15 may be implemented as computer-readable codes on a computer-readable medium. The computer-readable recording medium may be, for example, a removable recording medium (CD, DVD, Blu-ray disk, USB storage device, removable hard disk) or a fixed recording medium (ROM, RAM, computer-equipped hard disk). can The computer program recorded on the computer-readable recording medium may be transmitted to another computing device through a network such as the Internet and installed in the other computing device, thereby being used in the other computing device.

In the above, even though all components constituting the embodiment of the present disclosure are described as being combined or operated in combination, the technical spirit of the present disclosure is not necessarily limited to this embodiment. That is, within the scope of the present disclosure, all of the components may operate by selectively combining one or more.

Although acts are shown in a particular order in the drawings, it should not be understood that the acts must be performed in the specific order or sequential order shown, or that all illustrated acts must be performed to obtain a desired result. In certain circumstances, multitasking and parallel processing may be advantageous. Moreover, the separation of the various components in the embodiments described above should not be construed as necessarily requiring such separation, and the program components and systems described may generally be integrated together into a single software product or packaged into multiple software products. It should be understood that there is

Although embodiments of the present disclosure have been described above with reference to the accompanying drawings, those of ordinary skill in the art to which the present disclosure pertains may practice the present disclosure in other specific forms without changing the technical spirit or essential features. can understand that there is Therefore, it should be understood that the embodiments described above are illustrative in all respects and not restrictive. The protection scope of the present disclosure should be interpreted by the following claims, and all technical ideas within the equivalent range should be interpreted as being included in the scope of the technical ideas defined by the present disclosure.

A: Paper storage and feeder 10: Management server
20: assembly device 100: housing
200: motor 300: pedestal
400: lead screw 500: guide part
600: control unit 800: computing module

Claims (12)

a housing including an opening for feeding or replenishing paper;
a paper loading unit on which paper replenished through the opening is loaded;
a transfer unit connected to the paper loading unit to move the paper loading unit in the direction of the opening or in a direction opposite to the opening;
a control unit for controlling the movement of the paper loading unit through the conveying unit; and
Including a communication unit for communicating with the management server;
The control unit controls the movement of the paper loading unit according to an operation mode set among the paper supply mode or the paper replenishment mode,
The control unit transmits the status information of the paper storage and supply device to the management server through the communication unit,
The state information includes information about the power state of the paper storage and supply device,
The control unit, characterized in that in response to detecting the power-off request of the user, to transmit the power state information of the paper storage and supply device to the management server,
Paper storage feeder.
According to claim 1,
When the paper replenishment mode is set,
In response to receiving a user input or detecting that replenishment paper is loaded in the paper loading unit, the control unit moves the paper loading unit in a direction opposite to the opening,
Paper storage feeder.
3. The method of claim 2,
wherein the control unit controls the moving distance of the paper loading unit based on the paper loading amount of the paper loading unit,
Paper storage feeder.
According to claim 1,
When the paper feed mode is set,
In response to receiving a user input or detecting that the loaded paper is ejected, the control unit moves the paper loading unit in the direction of the opening,
Paper storage feeder.
5. The method of claim 4,
The opening is located on the upper side of the housing,
The paper loading unit includes a support on which the supplemented paper is loaded,
wherein the control unit controls the upward movement of the paper loading unit so that the height of the pedestal does not become higher than the lowermost end of the opening,
Paper storage feeder.
delete delete According to claim 1,
The management server is characterized in that the group management of the plurality of paper storage and supply devices based on the installation location of the plurality of paper storage and supply devices,
Paper storage feeder.
9. The method of claim 8,
The management server determines whether or not to provide a paper delivery service to the group based on the number of paper storage and supply devices for which the average amount of paper remaining in the group or the amount of paper remaining in the group is less than or equal to a threshold value,
Paper storage feeder.
9. The method of claim 8,
The management server reconfigures the group associated with the plurality of paper storage and supply devices based on the information related to the paper exhaust speed or the paper exhaust point of the plurality of paper storage and supply devices,
Paper storage feeder.
According to claim 1,
wherein the management server group-manages the plurality of paper storage and supply devices based on a paper delivery path for the plurality of paper storage and supply devices,
Paper storage feeder.
According to claim 1,
The management server receives status information for a plurality of paper storage and supply devices, and receives status information collected in groups,
The assembling is performed by at least one device selected from among the plurality of paper storage and supply devices or a separate device,
Paper storage feeder.

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