WO1992016444A1 - Dispositif d'alimentation de document a intervalle constant et procede de fonctionnement du dispositif - Google Patents

Dispositif d'alimentation de document a intervalle constant et procede de fonctionnement du dispositif Download PDF

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Publication number
WO1992016444A1
WO1992016444A1 PCT/US1991/001880 US9101880W WO9216444A1 WO 1992016444 A1 WO1992016444 A1 WO 1992016444A1 US 9101880 W US9101880 W US 9101880W WO 9216444 A1 WO9216444 A1 WO 9216444A1
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WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
document
take
speed
transport means
feeder
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/US1991/001880
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Rodney Guthmueller
Walter Hosiner
Jimmy Ogles
Ganesh Rajagopal
Original Assignee
Bell & Howell Phillipsburg Company
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Bell & Howell Phillipsburg Company filed Critical Bell & Howell Phillipsburg Company
Priority to JP3506632A priority Critical patent/JPH07508253A/ja
Priority to DE69128799T priority patent/DE69128799D1/de
Priority to CA002106684A priority patent/CA2106684C/fr
Priority to EP91907358A priority patent/EP0576422B1/fr
Priority to PCT/US1991/001880 priority patent/WO1992016444A1/fr
Priority claimed from CA002106684A external-priority patent/CA2106684C/fr
Publication of WO1992016444A1 publication Critical patent/WO1992016444A1/fr

Links

Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H7/00—Controlling article feeding, separating, pile-advancing, or associated apparatus, to take account of incorrect feeding, absence of articles, or presence of faulty articles
    • B65H7/02—Controlling article feeding, separating, pile-advancing, or associated apparatus, to take account of incorrect feeding, absence of articles, or presence of faulty articles by feelers or detectors
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H5/00—Feeding articles separated from piles; Feeding articles to machines
    • B65H5/34—Varying the phase of feed relative to the receiving machine
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H2220/00—Function indicators
    • B65H2220/02—Function indicators indicating an entity which is controlled, adjusted or changed by a control process, i.e. output
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H2301/00—Handling processes for sheets or webs
    • B65H2301/40—Type of handling process
    • B65H2301/44—Moving, forwarding, guiding material
    • B65H2301/445—Moving, forwarding, guiding material stream of articles separated from each other
    • B65H2301/4452—Regulating space between separated articles
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H2511/00—Dimensions; Position; Numbers; Identification; Occurrences
    • B65H2511/20—Location in space
    • B65H2511/22—Distance
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H2511/00—Dimensions; Position; Numbers; Identification; Occurrences
    • B65H2511/50—Occurence
    • B65H2511/51—Presence
    • B65H2511/514—Particular portion of element
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H2513/00—Dynamic entities; Timing aspects
    • B65H2513/10—Speed
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H2701/00—Handled material; Storage means
    • B65H2701/10—Handled articles or webs
    • B65H2701/13—Parts concerned of the handled material
    • B65H2701/131—Edges
    • B65H2701/1311—Edges leading edge
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H2701/00—Handled material; Storage means
    • B65H2701/10—Handled articles or webs
    • B65H2701/13—Parts concerned of the handled material
    • B65H2701/131—Edges
    • B65H2701/1313—Edges trailing edge

Definitions

  • This invention pertains to document feeders, and particularly to a type of feeder that maintains a constant gap spacing between documents regardless of varying document sizes.
  • Examples of document feeders purportedly designed for postal transport purposes are shown in the following United States Patents: 3,503,603 to Dvorak; 3,847,383 to ojtowicz et al.; 3,944,214 to Fallos; 4,295,645 to Nahar et al.; 4,318,540 to Paanenen et al.; 4,346,876 to Guenther et al.; 4,431,175 to Smith; 4,451,027 to Alper; 4,573,675 to Svyatsky et al.; and, 4,607,833 to Svyatsky et al.
  • Some prior art feeders operate in a manner to provide a constant distance interval between leading edges of consecutively-fed documents.
  • the practice of providing a constant distance interval between leading edges of consecutively-fed documents may be adequate in a case wherein all documents are of the same size.
  • this practice is not necessarily efficient when handling documents of differing sizes.
  • a constant distance interval of eighteen inches (45.72 cm) is required between leading edges to accommodate 14 (35.56 cm) inch envelopes.
  • a gap of 4 inches (10.16 cm) exists between a trailing edge of a first 14 inch (35.56 cm) envelope and a leading edge of a next 14 inch (35.56 cm) envelope.
  • gap refers to a distance between a trailing edge of a first document and a leading edge of the subsequent document.
  • the size of the gap would be 9.5 inches (23.13 cm) should a 14 inch (35.56 cm) envelope follow a 5.5 inch (13.97 cm) envelope.
  • the throughput speed is reduced by almost a factor of two.
  • Various prior art feeders have attempted to provide a constant gap between documents, with varying degrees of throughput efficiency.
  • One example of a constant gap feeder is shown in United States Patent 4,331,328 to Fasig.
  • the feeder of United States Patent 4,331,328 requires three pluralities of pairs of rollers, with the first and second pluralities of pairs of rollers being driven at different speeds by servo means and the third plurality of pairs of rollers being driven at a constant speed. Further, the feeder of United States Patent 4,331,328 demands, after a required gap is obtained, that the speed of the servo means be changed to a speed which will impart the constant transport speed to the document for entry into control by the constant speed third plurality of rollers.
  • An advantage of the present invention is the provision of a constant gap feeder having a simplified mechanical transport structure.
  • a further advantage of the present invention is the provision of a constant gap feeder that does not require the large number of rollers involved with the prior art.
  • a document feeder comprises servo-controlled feeder transport means positioned to receive documents from a hopper and take-away transport means positioned downstream from the servo-controlled feeder transport means to receive documents from the servo-controlled feeder transport means.
  • the take-away transport means is driven at a desired constant take-away transport speed to transport the documents received therein at the constant take-away transport speed.
  • the controller ensures a desired constant gap between a trailing edge of a first document and a leading edge of a subsequent document.
  • the controller decreases the speed of the feeder transport upon the detection of a leading edge of a first document at an entrance to the take ⁇ away transport.
  • the controller then linearly increases the speed of the feed transport along a speed ramp until a trailing edge of the first document is detected.
  • the controller sets the speed of the feeder transport (22) to a constant value. Thereafter the controller detects a leading edge of the subsequent document.
  • the controller determines the magnitude of an initial gap between the trailing edge of the first document and the leading edge of the subsequent document.
  • the controller uses the magnitude of the initial gap and the magnitude of the desired constant gap to adjust the speed of the feeder transport to an adjusted speed whereby the desired constant gap will be provided between the trailing edge of the first document and the leading edge of the subsequent document by the time that the leading edge of the subsequent document reaches the entrance to the take-away transport.
  • the detection of a leading edge of a first document at an entrance to the take-away transport means is accomplished using a take-away sensor means positioned proximate an entrance to the take-away transport means.
  • the controller receives an interrupt upon the detection of the trailing edge of the first document from either a gap sensor or an early sensor.
  • the gap sensor is positioned a first predetermined distance upstream from the take-away transport means.
  • the early sensor is positioned at a second predetermined distance upstream from the entrance to the take-away transport means.
  • the early sensor detects the formation of a gap between documents at positions more upstream than otherwise expected, thereby requiring the controller to make an early pre-adjustment to the speed of the feeder transport.
  • the early sensor is not provided, with the trailing edge of the first document being detected exclusively by the gap sensor.
  • Adjusted speeds of the feeder transport are determined by reference to look-up tables stored in a memory of the controller.
  • a Ramp Table is consulted for determining the speed of the feeder transport during a RAMP STATE.
  • a Gap Table is consulted for determining the speed of the feeder transport during a NORMAL ADJUSTMENT STATE.
  • An Early Table is consulted for determining the speed of the feeder transport during an EARLY ADJUSTMENT STATE. The Gap Table and the Early Table are constructed using the formula
  • VI is the speed of the take-away transport
  • I is the magnitude of the initial gap
  • D is the magnitude of the desired gap
  • X is the distance from a sensor which detects the trailing edge of the first document to the entrance to the take-away transport.
  • Fig. 1 is a schematic plan view of a constant gap feeder system according to an embodiment of the invention.
  • Fig. 2 is a schematic view showing circuitry included in the constant gap feeder system of the embodiment of Fig. 1.
  • Fig. 3 is a graph showing amplitudes of a signal applied by a controller to a feeder belt servo of the constant gap feeder system of the embodiment of Fig. 1.
  • Fig. 4 is a schematic view illustrating states and steps executed by a processor included in the controller of the constant gap feeder system of the embodiment of Fig. 1.
  • Fig. 5 is a schematic plan view of a constant gap feeder system according to a second embodiment of the invention.
  • Fig. 1 shows a constant gap feeder system 20 suitable for handling documents, including postal documents such as envelopes.
  • the constant gap feeder system 20 includes feeder transport means, such as feeder transport 22; take-away transport means, such as take-away transport 24; control means such as controller 25; and, servo means 26.
  • the feeder transport 22 is positioned to receive documents on-edge from a hopper 27 and to transport the documents in a direction of conveyance denoted by arrow 28.
  • the take-away transport 24 is positioned downstream from the feeder transport 22 with respect to the direction of conveyance.
  • the feeder transport 22 includes a pair of right pulleys 30 and a pair of left pulleys 32, with the right pulleys 30 being situated to the right of a path travelled by on-edge documents and the left pulleys 32 being situated to the left of that path.
  • the right pulleys 30 have an a belt 34 entrained thereabout.
  • the left pulleys 32 similarly have a belt 36 entrained thereabout.
  • the right pulleys 30 and left pulleys 32 are rotatably driven by an unillustrated motor included in the servo means 26.
  • one or more of the pulleys in each pair are coupled to an output drive shaft of a motor, with the motor being governed by the servo means 26 for adjusting the rotational speed of the pulleys 30, 32, and hence the transport speed of the belts 34, 36.
  • the take-away transport 24 similarly comprises a pair of left pulleys 40 and a pair of right pulleys 42, only one pulley in each pair being illustrated in Fig. 1.
  • the belts 40, 42 of the take-away transport 24 are wider and closer together than are the belts 34, 36 of the feeder transport 22, so that documents are more tightly engaged therebetween.
  • the pulleys 40, 42 of the take-away transport 24 are driven by an unillustrated motor at a speed whereby documents engaged between the belts 44, 46 travel at a constant speed.
  • the constant speed at which documents engaged between the belts 44, 46 travel is on the order of 160 inches per second (406.4 cm per second).
  • the constant gap feeder system 20 includes four sensors, particularly take-away sensor 50; gap sensor 52; early sensor 54; and hopper-empty sensor 56.
  • the take-away sensor is positioned at an entrance to the take-away transport 24, e.g. to detect the leading edge of a document as it is introduced between the pulleys 40, 42 shown in Fig. 1.
  • the gap sensor 52 is positioned just upstream of the downstream ones of the pulleys 30, 32 comprising the feeder transport 22. More particularly, the gap sensor 52 is positioned a first predetermined distance 60 upstream from the entrance to the take-away transport 24, and specifically from an axis 51 of detection of the take-away sensor 50. In the preferred embodiment, the first predetermined distance 60 is on the order of about 4 inches (10.16 cm) .
  • the early sensor is positioned just downstream from the upstream ones of the pulleys 30, 32 comprising the feeder transport 22. More particularly, the early sensor 54 is positioned a second predetermined distance 62 upstream from the entrance to the take-away transport 24, and specifically from the axis 51 of detection of the take-away sensor 50. In the preferred embodiment, the second predetermined distance 62 is on the order of about 6 inches (15.24 cm) .
  • the hopper-empty sensor 56 is positioned to generate a signal when the hopper 27 is empty.
  • the terms “upstream” and “downstream” are understood with respect to the direction of conveyance depicted by arrow 28.
  • the sensors 50, 52, 54, and 56 can be of any suitable type, including reflective-type sensors or interrupt-type sensors. In embodiments wherein the sensors 50, 52, and 54 are optical sensors, rays from the optical sensors are directed across the path of transport beneath the belts of the respective transport.
  • Fig. 2 shows the controller 25 in more detail.
  • the controller 25 includes a processor 70 having a memory 71 connected thereto; a clock 72; a digital- to-analog converter (DAC) 74; and, an operational amplifier 76.
  • the processor 70 is a 68705U3 microcomputer.
  • the processor 70 is connected to an unillustrated host computer.
  • the host computer communicates with the processor 70 to tell the processor 70 when the constant gap feeder system 20 is to commence feeding and to stop feeding.
  • the host computer tells the processor 70 what is the length of the desired constant gap, whereby the processor 70 stores in its memory 71 a value indicative of the length of the desired constant gap as downloaded from the host computer.
  • the processor 70 is also connected to receive interrupts from the sensors 50, 52, 54, and 56, as well as a clock signal from the clock 72.
  • a data output port of the processor 70 is connected by an eight-bit data bus 78 to an input port of the DAC 74.
  • An analog output terminal of the DAC 74 is connected to the operational amplifier (OA) 76, which in turn is connected to apply an analog signal to the feeder transport 26.
  • OA operational amplifier
  • the operation of the constant gap feeder system 20 of the present invention is facilitated by the execution of a set of coded instructions resident in the processor 70 of the controller 25.
  • the operation is understood with respect to the steps of Fig. 4 and the timing diagram depicted in Fig. 3.
  • the operation of the constant gap feeder system 20 of the present invention will now be described with respect to a first document, a second document, and a third document.
  • the second document is a subsequent document for the first document
  • the third document is a subsequent document for the second document.
  • the first document will be presumed to be a long document.
  • the notation Tl 1f T2 1f and T3 1 is employed to refer to a time frame wherein the first document enters the take-away transport 24 while the second document is in the feeder transport 22.
  • the notation Tl 2 , T2 2 , and T3 2 is employed to refer to a time frame wherein the second document enters the take-away transport 24 while the third document is in the feeder transport 22.
  • the terminology "the speed” shall be understood to refer to both the speed of the servo 26 and the speed of the feeder transport 22, with the speed of the servo 26 and the speed of the feeder transport 22 being used interchangeably.
  • the description of the operation of Fig. 4 arbitrarily commences with the processor 70 being in a WAIT STATE.
  • the processor 70 receives an interrupt as the take-away sensor 50 detects the leading edge of a first document at the entrance of the take-away transport 24.
  • the processor 70 directs the servo 26 (via the data bus 78, DAC 74, and OP AMP 76) to decrease the speed of the feeder transport 22 to speed SI (see Fig. 3), which reduction occurs essentially immediately thereafter.
  • the speed SI is on the order of 50 inches per second (127.0 cm per second).
  • statements to the effect of the processor 70 changing the speed of the servo 26 refer to the processor 70 outputting a value (via the data bus 78, DAC 74, and OP AMP 76) to control the speed of the servo 26.
  • the output value is a predetermined constant value; on other occasions the value(s) are obtained from one of a plurality of look-up tables stored in the memory 71.
  • the processor 70 Immediately after the feeder transport 22 has been decreased to speed SI at step 102, the processor 70 enters a
  • the processor 70 consults a look-up table (called the "Ramp Table") stored in the memory 71 to determine what the speed should be.
  • the processor 70 checks the Ramp Table to determine a new speed for the servo 26.
  • the Ramp Table has stored therein a set of order pairs, with each pair consisting of a distance (in inches) and a corresponding new servo speed (in inches per second) . As shown in Fig.
  • the Ramp Table initially causes the speed of the servo 26 to linearly increase (e.g., "ramp up"), as indicated by reference letter R in Fig. 3.
  • a linear increase of the speed is implemented to facilitate the development of a gap between the first document and the subsequent document at a low speed, but also to prevent the formation of too large a gap as might occur when the first document is a very long document.
  • the ramp R may continue until the speed of the servo 26 reaches a predetermined maximum ramp speed S2.
  • the predetermined maximum ramp speed S2 is on the order of 200 inches per second (508.0 cm per second). The speed may remain at the predetermined maximum ramp speed as the document travels another 3/8 inch into the take-away transport 24.
  • the letters RP designate a ramp plateau RP during which the speed remains at the predetermined maximum speed for a long document.
  • the processor 70 realizes that the document is more than 6 inches (15.24 cm) long, and the speed is linearly decreased as indicated by letter D in Fig. 3. Thereafter, the speed is held constant at a predetermined minimum ramp state speed S3.
  • the minimum ramp state speed S3 is on the order of 90 inches per second (228.6 cm per second). The decrease and minimum ramp speed adjustment is a precaution in the event that two documents are overlapped, giving the impression of an ultra-long document.
  • the speed may normally not reach the predetermined maximum ramp speed, or travel on the ramp plateau RP, or decrease in region D as shown in Fig. 3.
  • the processor 70 may switch to an EARLY ADJUSTMENT STATE or to a GAP DETECT STATE, as described below.
  • the processor 70 continually monitors for an interrupt from the early sensor 54. If an interrupt is received by the processor 70 during the RAMP STATE, the processor 70 realizes that the trailing edge of the first document has been sensed by the early sensor 54, and accordingly that a gap is starting to develop relatively early upstream between the first document and the second document (which previously may have been slightly overlapped or essentially contiguous) . When such an interrupt is sensed at step 106, the execution of the processor 70 jumps into an EARLY ADJUSTMENT STATE. In the example of the first document being a long document, however, an interrupt is not received from the early sensor 54.
  • the processor 70 monitors for an interrupt from the gap sensor 54.
  • the processor 70 realizes that the trailing edge of the first document has been sensed by the gap sensor 52, and accordingly that a gap is starting to develop between the first document and the second document.
  • the execution of the processor 70 jumps into the GAP DETECT STATE.
  • the interrupt from gap sensor 52 occurs at time T2 t . That is, at time T2 1 the gap sensor 52 sees the trailing edge of the first document, which signals the beginning of the detection of a gap between the first document and the subsequent document. Detection of the trailing edge of the first document at step 110 causes the execution of the processor 70 to jump into the GAP DETECT STATE.
  • the processor 70 immediately sets the speed of the servo 26 at a predetermined speed S4.
  • the predetermined speed S4 is on the order of about 150 inches per second (381 cm per second) .
  • the processor 70 While in the GAP DETECT STATE with a servo speed of S4, at step 112 the processor 70 awaits an interrupt from the gap sensor 52 caused by the detection of the leading edge of the subsequent (e.g., next) document. When the interrupt from gap sensor 52 is detected, the processor jumps to step 114 in a NORMAL ADJUSTMENT STATE. Should an interrupt not be received from the gap sensor 52 within a predetermined time interval, at step 118 the processor 70 sets the servo to a very fast speed, such as 212 inches per second (538.5 cm per second), for example, before again entering the WAIT STATE.
  • a very fast speed such as 212 inches per second (538.5 cm per second
  • an initial gap has just been detected by the gap detector 52 between the trailing edge of the first document and the leading edge of the subsequent document.
  • the processor 70 calculates the length I of the initial gap, knowing the speed VI of the first document (160 inches per second) and the time elapsed between subsequent interrupts of the gap detect sensor 52.
  • the processor 70 consults another look-up table (called the "Gap Table") stored in the memory 71.
  • the processor 70 obtains an adjusted speed V2 from the Gap Table.
  • the adjusted speed V2 is the speed at which the servo 26 must be set in order for a desired gap of length D to be provided between the trailing edge of the first document and the leading edge of the subsequent document by the time the subsequent document reaches the entrance to the take-away transport 24. Recall that the magnitude of the desired constant gap was downloaded from the host computer and stored in the memory of the processor 70.
  • the Gap Table stored in the memory 71 is composed using the following formula:
  • V2 VI( ) X+D-I
  • VI, I, and D are as before defined, and where X is the distance from the gap sensor 52 to the entrance to the take ⁇ away transport 24 (i.e., the first predetermined distance 60) .
  • the Gap Table is comprised of a set of ordered pairs, with the first member of each ordered pair being a gap differential (D - I) between the desired gap and the initial gap distances, and the second member of each ordered pair being the adjusted speed V2 required for the associated gap differential.
  • step 116 Upon executing step 116, at time T3 1 the processor 70 sets the speed at the adjusted speed V2 determined at step 116.
  • the particular adjusted speed V2., shown in Fig. 3 is 120 inches per second (304.8 cm per second).
  • the processor 70 has determined an adjusted speed V2 for the servo 26 which will enable the first document to reach the entrance to the take ⁇ away transport 24 with a desired gap D being provided between the leading edge of the first document and the preceding document.
  • the processor 70 returns to the WAIT STATE to await (at step 100) an interrupt from the take-away sensor 50.
  • Such an interrupt indicates that the second document has been detected at the entrance to the take-away transport 24.
  • the processor 70 executes steps 102 and 104 as previously described to respectively decrease and then ramp-up the speed of the servo 26.
  • the early sensor 54 may detect (step 106) the formation of a gap early upstream. That is, the early sensor 54 may see the trailing edge of a preceding document separating from the leading edge of the subsequent document. (Such a gap would not occur if the two documents were essentially contiguous or overlapped) . Assuming such to be the case with respect to the second and third documents involved in the present discussion, at time T2 2 the processor 70 enters the EARLY ADJUSTMENT STATE as indicated in Fig. 4.
  • the processor 70 sets the speed of the servo 26 to the predetermined speed S4. Thereafter the processor 70 waits (at step 122) for another interrupt from the early sensor 54, indicating that the leading edge of the third document has been detected. Immediately after detection of the leading edge of the third document at step 122, the processor 70 adjusts the speed at step 124 by consulting another look-up table (called the "Early Table") stored in the memory 71.
  • the Early Table is composed in the same manner (e.g., according to the same formula) as was the Gap Table, but the distance X utilized in the formula is the second predetermined distance 62 rather than the first predetermined distance 60. As shown in Fig. 3, an adjusted speed V2E 2 is set for the servo 26.
  • the early sensor 54 and the Early Table are not used to increase the speed of the servo 26 to close up a gap that is too large. Instead, the sensor 54 and Early Table are used to open up a gap that is too small.
  • the only occasion upon which the early sensor 54 is used to increase the speed of the servo 26 above 160 inches per second, for example, is if there is a very large gap at the gap sensor 52 and if the early sensor 54 is still not covered. Under such conditions, the servo 26 is set to an ultra-fast speed.
  • step 124 of the EARLY ADJUSTMENT STATE the processor 70 jumps back to step 108 of the RAMP STATE. Thereafter the processor 70 executes the steps of the GAP DETECT STATE and the NORMAL
  • the embodiment of Fig. 5 is identical to the embodiment of Fig. 1, except that the embodiment of Fig. 5 does not include the early sensor 54. Accordingly, the controller of the embodiment of Fig. 5 does not execute steps the EARLY ADJUSTMENT STATE, but instead executes step 108 after step 106.
  • the desired gap distance D is on the order of about 4 inches (10.16 cm), the gap distance may be varied for other applications.

Abstract

Un dispositif de commande (25) maintient un intervalle constant désiré entre un bord arrière d'un premier document et un bord avant d'un document succédant au premier. Le dispositif de commande (25) réduit la vitesse d'un transporteur d'alimentation (22) lorsqu'il détecte le bord avant d'un premier document à l'entrée d'un transporteur de sortie (24). Le dispositif de commande (25) augmente ensuite de façon linéaire la vitesse du transporteur d'alimentation (22) par rapport à un accroissement linéaire (R) de vitesse, jusqu'à ce que le bord arrière du premier document soit détecté. Lorsque le dispositif de commande (25) a détecté le bord arrière du premier document, il règle la vitesse du transporteur d'alimentation (22) à une valeur constante (34). Après ceci, le dispositif de commande (25) détecte un bord avant du document suivant, et détermine la largeur d'un intervalle initial (I) entre le bord arrière du premier document et le bord avant du document suivant.
PCT/US1991/001880 1991-03-21 1991-03-21 Dispositif d'alimentation de document a intervalle constant et procede de fonctionnement du dispositif WO1992016444A1 (fr)

Priority Applications (5)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
JP3506632A JPH07508253A (ja) 1991-03-21 1991-03-21 一定間隔書類フィーダーおよびその運転方法
DE69128799T DE69128799D1 (de) 1991-03-21 1991-03-21 Vorrichtung zum zuführen von dokumenten mit konstantem abstand zwischen diesen und verfahren zum betrieb derselben
CA002106684A CA2106684C (fr) 1991-03-21 1991-03-21 Alimentateur de documents a intervalle constant et methode d'exploitation
EP91907358A EP0576422B1 (fr) 1991-03-21 1991-03-21 Dispositif d'alimentation de document a intervalle constant et procede de fonctionnement du dispositif
PCT/US1991/001880 WO1992016444A1 (fr) 1991-03-21 1991-03-21 Dispositif d'alimentation de document a intervalle constant et procede de fonctionnement du dispositif

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
CA002106684A CA2106684C (fr) 1991-03-21 1991-03-21 Alimentateur de documents a intervalle constant et methode d'exploitation
PCT/US1991/001880 WO1992016444A1 (fr) 1991-03-21 1991-03-21 Dispositif d'alimentation de document a intervalle constant et procede de fonctionnement du dispositif

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WO1992016444A1 true WO1992016444A1 (fr) 1992-10-01

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Cited By (12)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5423527A (en) * 1993-11-05 1995-06-13 Unisys Corporation Document transport with gap adjust
EP0718232A1 (fr) * 1994-12-20 1996-06-26 Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba Dispositif pour saisir de feuilles de papier
WO2000043671A2 (fr) * 1999-01-25 2000-07-27 Bell & Howell Mail And Messaging Technologies Company Appareil d'alimentation en feuilles et son procede de commande de debit
EP1038812A2 (fr) * 1999-03-17 2000-09-27 Francotyp-Postalia AG & Co. Méthode et dispositif pour le contrôle d'un débit de documents
WO2001053179A1 (fr) * 2000-01-18 2001-07-26 Currency Systems International, Inc. Dispositif de chargement de billets de banque
US6378859B1 (en) * 1998-01-15 2002-04-30 Siemens Aktiengesellschaft Method for controlling a device used to remove packages from a pile
US6499733B1 (en) * 1996-10-22 2002-12-31 Oce Printing Systems Gmbh Method and apparatus for feeding sheet material into a printer or copier
WO2007144420A1 (fr) * 2006-06-16 2007-12-21 Siemens Aktiengesellschaft Procédé pour optimiser la distance entre des produits lors de leur séparation
US7651090B2 (en) * 2004-01-29 2010-01-26 Tohoku Ricoh Co., Ltd. Paper conveyance apparatus
WO2010116086A2 (fr) * 2009-04-09 2010-10-14 Solystic Dispositif d'alimentation d'objets plats avec un synchronisateur a plusieurs motorisations
EP2740693A3 (fr) * 2012-12-07 2014-12-10 Francotyp-Postalia GmbH Station d'acheminement
EP2740694A3 (fr) * 2012-12-07 2014-12-10 Francotyp-Postalia GmbH Station d'acheminement

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US4893804A (en) * 1987-07-01 1990-01-16 Nec Corporation Apparatus for feeding sheet articles

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US4331328A (en) * 1980-06-30 1982-05-25 Burroughs Corporation Controller for a servo driven document feeder
US4893804A (en) * 1987-07-01 1990-01-16 Nec Corporation Apparatus for feeding sheet articles

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See also references of EP0576422A4 *

Cited By (20)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5423527A (en) * 1993-11-05 1995-06-13 Unisys Corporation Document transport with gap adjust
EP0718232A1 (fr) * 1994-12-20 1996-06-26 Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba Dispositif pour saisir de feuilles de papier
US6499733B1 (en) * 1996-10-22 2002-12-31 Oce Printing Systems Gmbh Method and apparatus for feeding sheet material into a printer or copier
US6378859B1 (en) * 1998-01-15 2002-04-30 Siemens Aktiengesellschaft Method for controlling a device used to remove packages from a pile
WO2000043671A2 (fr) * 1999-01-25 2000-07-27 Bell & Howell Mail And Messaging Technologies Company Appareil d'alimentation en feuilles et son procede de commande de debit
WO2000043671A3 (fr) * 1999-01-25 2000-11-23 Bell & Howell Mail & Messaging Appareil d'alimentation en feuilles et son procede de commande de debit
US7168700B2 (en) 1999-01-25 2007-01-30 Bowe Bell + Howell Company Sheet feeder apparatus and method with throughput control
EP1038812A2 (fr) * 1999-03-17 2000-09-27 Francotyp-Postalia AG & Co. Méthode et dispositif pour le contrôle d'un débit de documents
EP1038812A3 (fr) * 1999-03-17 2001-08-16 Francotyp-Postalia AG & Co. Méthode et dispositif pour le contrôle d'un débit de documents
US6378863B1 (en) 1999-03-17 2002-04-30 Francotyp Postalia Ag & Co. Method and configuration for controlling the passage of printed media
WO2001053179A1 (fr) * 2000-01-18 2001-07-26 Currency Systems International, Inc. Dispositif de chargement de billets de banque
US6439563B1 (en) * 2000-01-18 2002-08-27 Currency Systems International, Inc. Note feeder
US7651090B2 (en) * 2004-01-29 2010-01-26 Tohoku Ricoh Co., Ltd. Paper conveyance apparatus
WO2007144420A1 (fr) * 2006-06-16 2007-12-21 Siemens Aktiengesellschaft Procédé pour optimiser la distance entre des produits lors de leur séparation
WO2010116086A2 (fr) * 2009-04-09 2010-10-14 Solystic Dispositif d'alimentation d'objets plats avec un synchronisateur a plusieurs motorisations
FR2944268A1 (fr) * 2009-04-09 2010-10-15 Solystic Dispositif d'alimentation d'objets plats avec un synchronisateur a plusieurs motorisations
WO2010116086A3 (fr) * 2009-04-09 2011-02-24 Solystic Dispositif d'alimentation d'objets plats avec un synchronisateur a plusieurs motorisations
EP2740693A3 (fr) * 2012-12-07 2014-12-10 Francotyp-Postalia GmbH Station d'acheminement
EP2740694A3 (fr) * 2012-12-07 2014-12-10 Francotyp-Postalia GmbH Station d'acheminement
US8972046B2 (en) 2012-12-07 2015-03-03 Francotyp-Postalia Gmbh Feed station for feeding flat items to a processing apparatus

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