JPS6115752B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention reads sorting information given to paper sheets, such as mail, for example, and sorts and stacks them in a group of stacking sections arranged in a plurality of stages in the vertical direction. The present invention relates to a sorting machine with an automatic take-out device that automatically takes out leaves from each stacking section and transports them to the next process.

In recent years, various automatic mail processing machines have been put into practical use as postal services become labor-saving. One of these is an automatic postal code reading and sorting machine that automatically reads postal codes and automatically sorts them according to destination. Items are manually taken out from each stacking section by an attendant, and address cards are placed on the collected mail items and the items are bundled together. Therefore, there was a problem in that a dedicated staff member had to be stationed at all times, and the staff member had to move over a wide area, which placed an extremely heavy burden on them.

Therefore, there is a need for a sorting machine with an automatic take-out device that can automatically take out the mail items sorted and stacked in the stacking section group and sequentially transfer them to the next process, the destination card adding device section and the bundling device section.

As for the method of taking out mail from the group of stacking sections, since a large number of stacking sections are arranged horizontally,
A suitable method is to push the mail to the rear, that is, to the back side of the sorting machine body, transfer it to a horizontal conveyance path, and convey it to the next process. In addition, since the stacking section group is provided with multiple stages in the vertical direction, multiple horizontal conveyance paths are also required to convey the mail pushed out from the stacking section, and the next process is the destination card adding device and the bundling device. In order to efficiently process mail by minimizing the number of units (one set), it is desirable that the mail sent out from the plurality of horizontal conveyance paths are finally merged into one conveyance line.

As a method for this, the method shown in FIG. 1 has recently been considered. That is, when an automatic extrusion mechanism (not shown) is provided in each accumulation part b..., c..., d... of the sorting machine body a, and an appropriate amount of mail A... is accumulated, this mail group A... Endless transport conveyors e, f are provided corresponding to stacking section groups b..., c..., d..., which are provided in multiple stages vertically on the rear side of the sorting machine main body a. , g and transported horizontally.

Thereafter, the cards are transferred to an elevator and a transport line (not shown) and transported, so that destination cards are placed thereon and the cards are bundled.

However, in such a method, after the stacking section is full of mail items, the empty tray is pushed out when the corresponding position is reached.
For this reason, during the extrusion time, even if there are many mails accumulated in the stacking section where the extrusion is performed on the conveyance path, that is, there are many mails that are rejected, the extrusion continues as is.

This invention was made in view of the above circumstances,
The purpose of this is to determine whether or not the number of paper sheets accumulated in a predetermined stacking section is greater than or equal to a predetermined number within the retrieval time, and to make this determination. A section with an automatic take-out device that can reduce the number of rejected sheets when taking out the stacked sheets by stacking the sheets accumulated in the stacking section in accordance with the results in a preliminary stacking section equipped with a take-out mechanism. The aim is to provide the opportunity.

Hereinafter, one embodiment of the present invention will be described based on the drawings. FIG. 2 shows a sorting machine with an automatic take-out device according to the present invention, which has the following construction.
That is, a group of postcards, envelopes, etc., set in the supply section 1 in a standing position, are taken out one by one by the take-out section 2 and conveyed one by one, starting with the foremost mail item A, and are conveyed to the take-in conveyance path 3. The postal code given to the postal item A is read by the reading unit 4 placed in the middle of the postal item A.

Next, the mail A is transported by the gate mechanism 5 into divided transport paths 6a, 6 which are provided in multiple stages in the vertical direction.
b, 6c, and 6d based on the reading result of the reading section 4, and are sent to the horizontal division conveyance paths 8a, 8b, and 8c of the automatic extraction function-equipped sorting section 7, or to the exclusion pocket 9. ing.

The sorting section 7 with an automatic take-out function is provided with a plurality of stacking sections 10, a preliminary stacking section 100, and an exclusion stacking section 101 along the lower surface side of the horizontal sorting conveyance paths 8a, 8b, and 8c, respectively. The mail A sent into the horizontal sorting conveyance path 8a, 8b, or 8c is sorted and stacked in a predetermined stacking section 10 based on the reading result of the reading section 4 and the like.

Then, an appropriate amount of mail A... is accumulated in the accumulation section 10, and a forced extrusion switch (not shown) is activated.
When is pressed, a take-out mechanism, such as a push-out mechanism (described later), of the stacking section 10 moves, and the mail group A in the stacking section 10 is pushed out to the back side of the sorting section 7 with an automatic pick-up function.

The preliminary stacking section 100 is provided at the rearmost stage of the stacking sections 10..., and the accumulated mail A... in the preliminary stacking section 100 is transferred to the stacking section 10 where the accumulated mail A... should originally be accumulated. After the removal is completed and the initial state (receiving system) is reached, the above-mentioned accumulation section 10
An extrusion mechanism having the same structure moves and extrudes the paper to the back side of the automatic extraction function-equipped division section 7. The rejection/accumulation section 101 is for accumulating the mail A to be rejected on the transport paths 8a, 8b, and 8c.

On the back side of the automatic extraction function-equipped sorting section 7, the above-mentioned accumulation section group 10..., 100, 10..., 100, 10 is provided.
..., 100, the tray horizontal conveyance path 13
A tray circulation section 14 (transfer section) in which trays a, 13b, and 13c are vertically arranged in three stages is provided, and mail groups A...,A pushed out from each stacking section 10..., 100... ... is the tray horizontal conveyance path 13a1
The tray 15 is sequentially and intermittently transferred within 3b and 13c.
...It will be transferred within.

The tray horizontal conveyance path 13a, 13b, 13c
On the terminal side of
An elevator mechanism section 17 is provided at the terminal end of the tray c and is arranged to face the mail group A sequentially from top to bottom. ) Tray 15... is received and the next process of mail is carried out.
It will be carried to the separation section of the tray separation mechanism section 18. Then, in the mail/tray separation mechanism section 18, a mail pusher plate 19 and a tray drawer plate 20 are installed.
reciprocates, and during forward movement pushes out the mail groups A..., A..., A... in the tray 15 towards the front side to form the starting end of the common conveyance line 21. 22, the empty trays 15 are transferred to the arrangement end converting section 23 .

Further, the mail groups A..., A..., A... fed into the transport line 21 are transported by the assortment transport device 25 forming the transport line 21, and during this transport, the mail groups A..., A..., A... The ends and one end perpendicular to the transport direction are aligned. Next, the mail group A..., A..., for which the collection has been completed.
A... is transferred to another conveyance line 27 by a transfer mechanism section 26 orthogonal to the conveyance line 21, and is transferred to another conveyance line 27 by a destination card issuing/applying device 28 provided opposite to this conveyance line 27. A destination card 29 is placed on the top surface.

In addition, mail group A to which destination card 29 is attached
. . , A . . . , A .

On the other hand, the trays 15 sent into the tray return path 24 by the mail/tray separation mechanism 18 are conveyed to the elevator mechanism 31 provided at the starting ends of the horizontal tray conveyance paths 8a, 8b, and 8c. The tray is transferred to the tray mounting table 32 of the elevator mechanism section 31 by a tray transfer mechanism section (not shown) provided opposite the terminal end of the tray return path 24 . The elevator mechanism section 31 has a tray mounting table 32
. . . intermittently circulates through the tray horizontal conveyance path 13.
It is made to face the starting end portions of a, 13b, and 13c sequentially from bottom to top. Then, the trays 15 facing the starting ends of the tray horizontal conveyance paths 13a, 13b, 13c are pushed into one position by a pushing mechanism (not shown).
Each tray horizontal conveyance path 13a, 13b, 13c
As a result, the tray horizontal conveyance path 1
Trays 15..., 15 in 3a, 13b, 13c
..., 15... will be transferred one pitch, and the final tray 15... will be transferred to the elevator mechanism section 17.
The tray will be transferred to the tray mounting table 16 . The elevator mechanism section 31 and the tray return section 2
4. Regarding the tray transfer mechanism, patent application 1983-
No. 25095 (Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 121673, 1982), Utility Application No. 121673
Since it is explained in No. 47088 (Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. 147877/1983), it will be omitted here.

Note that 33 is a control unit that controls the entire system device, the details of which will be explained later.

The accumulation section 10 and the preliminary accumulation section 100 are
This will be explained using the diagram and FIG. That is, the extrusion part 40 is an extrusion plate 40 that also serves as a front cover.
a, a side plate 40b, a bottom plate 40c, and an inclination maintaining member 40d, and the bottom plate 40c is supported by guide rails 41, 41, so that it can freely move back and forth. There is a gap between the bottom plate 40c and the inclination maintaining member 40d that is large enough to allow passage of guide grooves 50a, 50a, which will be described later. A belt 43 is connected to the bottom plate 40c of the extrusion section 40 and runs using the extrusion section drive pulse motor 42 as a drive source, and when the drive pulse motor 42 is driven in the forward or reverse direction, The extrusion section 40 is adapted to move forward or backward along the longitudinal direction of the mounting table 44. Further, a stop position detector 46 is provided near one of the plates 45 supporting the guide rails 41, 41 to detect whether the push-out section 40 is at the stop position (postal A accumulation position). A return position detector 48 is provided near the other plate 47 to detect whether the extrusion section 40 is at the return position (extrusion completion position). The detectors 46 and 48 are located at the bottom 4 of the extrusion section 40.
The moving position of the extrusion section 40 is detected by turning it on and off using a protrusion (not shown) provided at 0c. The plate body 47
On the side opposite to the guide rails 41, 41, there is a stacking section 1.
An empty detector 49 is provided for detecting whether or not the tray 15 corresponding to No. 0 contains mail A, and this empty detector 49 is composed of, for example, a light emitting element and a light receiving element.

The mounting table 44 has the tilt maintaining member 4 approximately in the center.
A plate body 50 provided with guide grooves 50a, 50a for guiding 0d, and a guide groove 50 of this plate body 50.
a, 50a and the extrusion plate 40a
It is constituted by an inclined member 51 provided on the side. On the mounting table 44, the mail items A conveyed from the horizontal divided conveyance paths 8a, 8b, and 8c are placed. The above-mentioned mounting table 44 has horizontal plates 54, 5 fixed to a carriage 53 which is supported by guide rails 52, 52 so as to be movable up and down.
It is listed in 4. The above-mentioned carriage 53 includes
A belt 56 is connected to the carriage drive pulse motor 55 which runs as a drive source, and when the drive pulse motor 55 is driven in the forward or reverse direction, the mounting table 44 is lowered or raised. ing. Furthermore, a control circuit 57 for controlling the entire stacking section 10 is provided below the extrusion section 40 .

A side plate 58 is provided on the control circuit 57 and faces the side portion 40b of the extrusion section 40.
A mail detector 59 for detecting the mail A placed on the mounting table 44 is provided at the center of the upper part of the side plate 58, and the detector 59 is composed of, for example, a light emitting element and a light receiving element. This is a limit reflection type detection element. The side plate 58 has the carriage 53
An upper limit detector 60, an extrusion possible detector 61, a full detector 62, and a lower limit detector 63 are provided to detect the position of the mounting table 44 according to the movement of the table. The upper limit detector 60 detects whether the mounting table 44 is at the upper limit (initial state), and the extrusion possible detector 61 allows extrusion (retrieval) of the accumulated mail group A, . . . The full detector 62 detects whether the mounting table 44 is at the full position of the mail, and the lower limit detector 63 detects whether the mounting table 44 is at the lower limit (extrusion position). It is something to do. Note that the detector 46,
48, 60, 61, 62, and 63 are composed of micro switches, for example.

In addition, each of the above-mentioned accumulation sections 10 and the preliminary accumulation section 10
The electric circuit of 0 is shown in FIG.
That is, the control circuit 57 drives the motor 55 in the forward direction in response to a detection signal from the mail detector 59, thereby lowering the mounting table 44 a distance corresponding to a predetermined number of mail pieces. The control circuit 57 also outputs an extrusion enable signal output in response to a detection signal from the extrusion enable detector 61 and a full extrusion detector 6.
It is output in response to the second detection signal. The empty detector signal is outputted to the control section 33 in response to the full signal and the detection signal of the empty detector 49. Further, the control circuit 57 lowers the mounting table 44 by driving the motor 55 in the forward direction in response to the push signal supplied from the control section 33, and the motor 4 in response to the detection signal from the lower limit detector 63.
2 in the forward direction, the extrusion section 40 is moved forward. Furthermore, the control circuit 57
The mounting table 44 is raised to the initial position by driving the motor 55 in the opposite direction after the detection signal from the return position detector 48 is supplied until the detection signal from the upper limit detector 60 is supplied.
Furthermore, the control circuit 57 drives the motor 42 in the reverse direction after the detection signal from the return position detector 48 is supplied until the detection signal from the stop position detector 46 is supplied, thereby moving the extrusion section 40 to the home position. It will force you to move back.

FIG. 6 schematically shows the electrical circuit of the entire system. That is, the conversion section 70 converts the reading result of the reading section 4, that is, the postal code, into the classification code of the accumulating section 10 corresponding to the postal code. The output of the conversion section 70 is supplied to a classification code storage section 71. This classification code storage section 71
After the reading section 4, each conveyance path 3, 6a,...8
Mail A being conveyed to various positions of a,...
, and when a new classification code is supplied, the stored contents are updated by sequentially shifting each classification code. The storage contents of the classification code storage section 71 are supplied to a determination section 72, and this determination section 72 is supplied with an extrusion enable signal (preliminary full signal) output from each of the accumulation sections 10, . . . from an interface circuit 73. be done. When the determination unit 72 is supplied with an extrusion enable signal from a predetermined stacking unit 10, the determination unit 72 determines the sorting code corresponding to the mail A that is being conveyed immediately in front of the stacking unit in the sorting code storage unit 71, and It is compared whether the classification code of the mail A that is conveyed before this and within the pushing time of the stacking section 10 matches the sorting code of the stacking section that can be pushed out, and as a result of the comparison, it is found that the matching mail When the number is a predetermined number, for example 10 or more, a pre-integration unit designation signal is output, and is configured as follows, for example. That is, as shown in FIG. 7, the comparing section 74 is supplied with the sorting code of the extrudable stacking section and the sorting code of mail A that can be conveyed to the stacking section in order from the one in front of the stacking section, and compares them. are sequentially compared, and a logic "1" signal is output only when they match. The output of the comparator 74 is supplied to one input terminal of an AND circuit 75, and the other input terminal of the AND circuit 75 is supplied with a logic "1" signal for a predetermined period of time. This predetermined time is set to a time required for the comparing section 74 to compare the number of pieces that can be conveyed to the stacking section 10 within the extrusion time of the stacking section 10 . The output of the AND circuit 75 is supplied to a counter 76, and the output of this counter 76 is supplied to a comparator 77. This comparison section 77 outputs a pre-integration section designation signal when the count value of the counter 76 is "10" or more.

The output of the determination section 72, that is, the preliminary accumulation section designation signal from the comparison section 77, is supplied to the control section 33, which receives the classification code from the conversion section 40 and various information from the accumulation sections 10, . . . Signals are provided: enable extrusion, full signal and sense empty signal. The control unit 33 determines that extrusion is possible based on the supplied extrusion designation signal, or determines that it is full based on the full signal, and when an empty detection signal is supplied from the corresponding accumulation unit 10, the accumulation unit 10 It outputs a pushing signal to the mail item A and controls the sorting of the corresponding mail A according to the supplied sorting code. In addition, when the classification code of a certain stacking section 10 is supplied at the pushing time of a certain stacking section 10, and when the preliminary stacking section designation signal is supplied from the determination section 72, the control section 33 controls the processing of the corresponding mail item A. Preliminary accumulation part 1
00, and when the preliminary stacking unit designation signal is not supplied from the determining unit 72, no sorting control is performed on the corresponding mail item A, so that the corresponding mail item A is stacked in the exclusion stacking unit 101. It is.

Next, the operation in such a configuration will be explained. For example, now, postal items A set in the supply unit 1 are sequentially taken out to the take-out unit 2 and conveyed on the take-in conveyance path 3, and the postal code assigned to the postal item A by the reading unit 4 during the conveyance. is read. Then,
The read postal code is converted into a classification code by the conversion section 70, stored in the classification code storage section 71, and supplied to the control section 33. Thereby, the control section 33 performs transport control and sorting control so that the mail A is accumulated in the corresponding accumulation section 10 according to the sorting code. Hereafter, supply section 1
The mail pieces A sequentially taken out from the mail piece A are accumulated in the stacking section 10 corresponding to the postal code assigned to the mail piece A. At this time, the storage unit 71 sequentially stores sorting codes corresponding to the mail items A being conveyed on the conveyance path.

In this way, the mail A is stored in the predetermined stacking section 10.
When a predetermined amount of mail A is placed on the mounting table 44, the detector 59 detects the mail A, and in response to this detection signal, the control circuit 57 moves the motor 55 in the forward direction. By driving the mounting table 44
is lowered by a distance corresponding to a predetermined quantity of mail pieces A. Then, each time mail A is supplied, the same operation as described above is performed. In this way, when the mounting table 44 is lowered to the extrusion possible position before it is full due to the supply of a plurality of mail items A, the extrusion possible detector 61 detects this, and upon this detection, the control circuit 5
7 outputs an extrusion enable signal. As a result, the comparison unit 74 compares the sorting code of the extrudable stacking section 10 and the sorting code of the mail A on the conveyance path that can be transported to the stacking section 10, starting from the one before the stacking section, and finds that they match. outputs a logic “1” signal. Note that the gate of the AND circuit 75 is open only for the time required for the comparator 74 to compare the number of sheets that can be conveyed to the stacking section within the extrusion time of the stacking section. Thereby, the counter 76 counts the number of sheets accumulated in the accumulation section 10 within the extrusion time.
Therefore, the comparator 74 outputs the preliminary integration section designation signal when the count value of the counter 76 is "10" or more, and does not output the preliminary integration section designation signal when the count value of the counter 76 is "10" or less. . In addition,
The determination result of the determination unit 72 is updated every time the postal code of a new postal item A is read.

Further, when the extrusion enable signal and the empty detection signal from the extrudable accumulation section 10 are output, the control section 33 outputs an extrusion signal to the accumulation section 10. Then, the control circuit 57 lowers the mounting table 44 by driving the motor 55 in the forward direction, and the detection signal from the lower limit detector 63 causes the motor 5 to lower.
5 is stopped and the motor 42 is driven in the forward direction, the extrusion section 40 is moved forward along the longitudinal direction of the mounting table 44. As a result, the mail items A, . When this transfer is completed, a detection signal is output from the detector 48 by the protrusion provided on the bottom 40c of the extrusion section 40. Then, the control circuit 57 drives the motor 55 in the opposite direction to raise the mounting table 44, and also drives the motor 42 in the opposite direction to move the extruder 40 backward along the longitudinal direction of the mounting table 44. urge Thereafter, when the upper limit detector 60 detects when the mounting table 44 reaches the initial position, the control circuit 57 stops the motor 55.
Further, when the extrusion section 40 is in the normal position, a detection signal is output from the detector 46 by the protrusion on the bottom 40c of the extrusion section 40, and the control circuit 57 stops the motor 42 to move the extrusion section 40 to stop.

In addition, the designated signal is not output between the output of the detection signal of the extrusion possible detector 61 and the output of the detection signal of the full detector 62, and the control unit 3
Assume that no extrusion signal is supplied from 3. Then, the control circuit 57 outputs a full signal in response to the detection signal from the full detector 62. Then, the control section 33
When an empty detection signal is supplied from the control circuit 57 of the corresponding accumulating unit 10, it outputs a push signal to the corresponding accumulating unit 10. As a result, in the stacking unit 10, the control circuit 57 drives the motor 55 in the forward direction, thereby lowering the mounting table 44.
Thereafter, by operating in the same manner as when the mail items A, . . . before being full are transferred, the tray 15 corresponding to the mail items A, .
It will be transferred to.

Therefore, when the preliminary accumulation section designation signal is supplied from the determination section 72 at the time of extrusion, when the classification code of the accumulation section 10 being pushed out is supplied to the control circuit 33, the control section 33 responds accordingly. The sorting control is performed so that the mail A to be stored is stacked in the preliminary stacking section 100. Further, other mail items A are also sorted and stacked in the corresponding stacking section 10. Then, when the stacking section 10 finishes pushing out and returns to the stackable state, the corresponding mail A is stacked on the stacking section 10 again. Further, when the stacking section 10 returns to its original state, the control section 33 outputs a pushing signal to the preliminary stacking section 100. As a result, in the preliminary accumulation section 100, the control circuit 57 drives the motor 55 in the forward direction, thereby lowering the mounting table 44. Thereafter, by operating in the same manner as in the case of transferring the pre-full mail items A, . . . , the accumulated mail items A, .
is transferred to the corresponding tray 15. Thereafter, the band is bundled by a bundler 30 at a subsequent stage.

In addition, when the preliminary accumulation section designation signal is not supplied from the determination section 72 at the time of extrusion, the classification code of the accumulation section 10 being pushed out is determined by the control circuit 3.
3, the control unit 33 does not perform any sorting control on the corresponding mail A. For this reason,
The mail A is accumulated in the rejected ticket accumulation section 101. Other mail items A are accumulated in the corresponding accumulation section 10. Then, when the stacking section 10 finishes pushing out and returns to the state where it can be stacked, the mail A corresponding to the stacking section 10 is stacked again. In this way, the accumulated mail items A... accumulated in the rejected ticket accumulation section 101 are sorted and set in the supply section 11 again.

In this way, when a predetermined stacking section 10 is extruded after it is ready for extrusion or after it is full, the stacking section 1
If there are 10 or more pieces of mail A, . Accumulated. In other words, if the bundle limit is not reached, it is rejected. As a result, at the time of extrusion, several pieces of mail A... are accumulated in the preliminary accumulation section 100, and are then made into a rough bundle by the bunching device.
Alternatively, it is possible to prevent the system from stopping due to being unable to extrude to other full stacking sections 10 until the number of documents reaches 10.

In the above embodiment, the case where the bundle limit is 10 sheets has been described, but other number of sheets may be used.
Furthermore, although a case has been described in which the postal code is used after being converted into a classification code corresponding to each accumulation section, the present invention is not limited to this, and the postal code may be used as is. Furthermore, although the case has been described in which the transfer section is provided on the back side of the stacking section, the present invention is not limited to this, and the transfer section can be similarly implemented in a case where the transfer section is provided on the front side or the bottom side of the stacking section.

As explained above, according to the present invention, when taking out paper sheets accumulated in a predetermined stacking section, it is determined whether or not the number of paper sheets accumulated on the stacking section within the taking-out time is equal to or greater than a predetermined number. However, depending on the result of this judgment, the paper sheets to be stacked in the stacking section are stacked in the preliminary stacking section equipped with a take-out mechanism, thereby reducing the number of paper sheets that are rejected when the stacked paper sheets are taken out. We can provide a sorting machine with an automatic take-out device.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view schematically showing the configuration of a conventional sorting machine with an automatic take-out device, and FIGS. 2 to 7 show an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a sorting machine with an automatic take-out device of the present invention, FIGS. 3 and 4 are perspective views showing a stacking section,
FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing the electric circuit of the integrated section, FIG. 6 is a block diagram schematically showing the entire electric circuit, and FIG. 7 is a block diagram schematically showing the determination section. A... Mail (paper sheets), 10... Accumulation section, 1
4...Tray circulation unit (transfer unit), 39...Control unit, 40...Extrusion unit, 44...Placement table, 49...
... Empty detector, 57 ... Control circuit, 59 ... Mail detector, 60 ... Upper limit detector, 61 ... Extrusion possible detector, 62 ... Full detector, 70 ... Conversion section, 71 ... Classification code storage unit, 72...determination unit, 74, 77...comparison unit, 75...AND circuit, 76...counter.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1 By reading the sorting information given to the paper sheets and conveying them along the conveyance path, the paper sheets are sorted and stacked in a group of stacking sections arranged in multiple stages in the vertical direction, and the stacked paper sheets in the stacking sections are sorted into each stacking section. In the device that is automatically taken out and transported to the next step, a preliminary stacking section equipped with a take-out mechanism is provided, a fullness detection means for detecting when the accumulation section is full, and the stacking section is taken out by the fullness detection of the fullness detection means. a determining means for determining whether or not a predetermined number of paper sheets are to be stacked in the stacking section within the time for taking out the stacking section;
means for stacking paper sheets to be stacked in the take-out stacking section at the time of taking out in the preliminary stacking section when the judgment result of the judging means is a predetermined number or more; 1. A sorting machine with an automatic take-out device, comprising means for collecting paper sheets to be stacked in the take-out stack part at the time of take-out in a reject stack part.