JPS637833B2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] This invention performs administrative processing such as calculating charges for developing and printing and issuing slips, and sorting photographic bags containing developed and printed products (photos) by delivery store or delivery route. The present invention relates to an automatic pricing and sorting method for photographic bags in a photographic processing laboratory that automatically and continuously performs delivery and sorting processing.

In general, a photo lab not only develops and prints the photographed and undeveloped film collected from each store, but also calculates fees based on enlargement size, number of prints, etc., and issues slips (hereinafter referred to as these processes). The scope of work also includes the processing of sorting finished products by delivery store or delivery route (hereinafter referred to as delivery sorting processing).

However, the above-mentioned administrative processing and delivery sorting processing at photofinishing laboratories is generally extremely complicated.
In other words, when it comes to administrative processing, there are differences in the number of images that can be taken, such as 36 or 24 images, differences in development fees due to black and white and color, etc.
In addition, the fees vary depending on the size of the enlargement, the number of prints, etc., making the calculation of fees and the issuing of slips extremely complicated. Furthermore, the delivery sorting process is extremely complicated because the number of delivery destinations is often enormous. For this reason, the current situation is that a lot of manpower is required until the product is delivered after development and printing is completed, resulting in a large amount of expense and errors in sorting and delivery.

This invention was made in view of the above circumstances.
We handle administrative processing and delivery sorting at the photo lab.
Automatically and continuously to prevent missorting and
The purpose of the present invention is to provide an automatic pricing and sorting method for photographic bags that does not cause erroneous delivery, erroneous charges, etc.

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the flow of photographic bags in an automatic pricing and sorting method for photographic bags according to an embodiment. In the figure, 1 is an introduction conveyor for supplying photographic bags 2 containing developed and printed products (photographs). Further, 3 is a barcode reading unit that reads each barcode attached to the photographic bag 2 conveyed by the introduction conveyor 1 and sends the contents as a reading signal to the arithmetic control unit 4; 5 is for calculating charges; It has a unit price table in which data is written in advance, a store master table in which data for searching for a store from the bar code attached to the photo bag 2 is written in advance, and the calculation is performed by the calculation control unit 4. A setting/result data storage section (hereinafter referred to as data storage section) in which actual values such as charges (amounts billed to each store) are recorded for each photo bag processing; 6 is the actual results of the data storage section 5; A printer 7 prints out the data (the amount charged to each store), the amount charged for each store, the total amount, and other data; , is a label issuing/applying device that attaches the label to the corresponding photo bag.

Further, 8 is a transport conveyor that holds and transports the photographic bag 2 in such a state that the barcode reading section 3 and the label issuing/applying device 7 can operate normally, and 9 is a downstream stage of this transport conveyor 8. a sorting section, 1, which is arranged at
Reference numeral 0 denotes a conveyor/sorting section control device which operates the introduction conveyor 1, transport conveyor 8, and sorting section 9 in response to instructions from the arithmetic control section 4.

Specifically, the sorting section 9 has a large number of sorting shelves 9 ₁ , 9 ₂ , 9 ₃ . . . corresponding to the delivery categories, and each of the sorting shelves 9 ₁ , 9 ₂ , 9 ₃ . The conveyor/sorting unit control device 10 is assigned a number corresponding to
The sorting operation is controlled by the

FIG. 2 shows a photographic bag 2 used in this embodiment. On this photographic bag 2, a first barcode _C1 indicating a serial number unique to this photographic bag 2 is printed in advance. has been done. And this first
It is predetermined in advance that photo bags 2 with barcode _C1 numbers of, for example, 1 to 100 correspond to store A, and those with barcodes C1 of 101 to 200 correspond to store B. Then, photo bags 2 with this first barcode _C1 attached are distributed to each store. That is, this first bar coat C ₁
contains two pieces of information: the bag number of each photographic bag 2 handled in the photo lab and the store number.

Then, the photographic bags 2 containing undeveloped film from each store are collected at the photo lab, where they are developed and printed according to the customer's requests, and 36 photos are taken and 24 photos are taken.
A second barcode C ₂ indicating the type and number of film (finished number of sheets when printing simultaneously), etc., such as photocopying, and a second barcode C 2 indicating the type of developing/printing work, such as the type of photographic paper or the number of sheets to be printed, such as the enlarged size. 3 barcode C ₃ will be automatically printed after the development and printing process.

This photographic bag 2 stores products (photographs, developed film, etc.), and stores the first, second and third bags.
The first barcode C ₁ , C ₂ , C ₃ is attached.
It is placed on the introduction conveyor 1 shown in the figure.

Next, the flow of the photographic bag 2 as described above will be explained in order.

First, the photographic bag 2 supplied to the introduction conveyor 1
moves to the conveyor 8 and passes in front of the barcode reading section 3. The barcode reading unit 3 reads the aforementioned first, second, and third barcodes C ₁ , C ₂ , and C ₃ attached to the photographic bag 2, and sends each of the above-mentioned three contents as a reading signal. It is sent to the arithmetic control unit 4 as a. The arithmetic control section 4 searches the store master table stored in advance in the data storage section 5 based on the reading signal corresponding to the first barcode _C1 from the barcode reading section 3, and searches for the photo bag. The store data corresponding to the first barcode _C1 attached to 2 is read out.

This store master table is formed, for example, as shown in FIG. That is, for example, if the first barcode number attached to photo bag 2 is [12345], the store number corresponding to this photo bag 2 is [0288], and the sorting number is [55]. becomes. This sorting number refers to the number assigned to each sorting shelf 9 ₁ , 9 ₂ , 9 ₃ . . . of the sorting section 9 shown in FIG.

The arithmetic control unit 4 also controls the data storage unit 5 based on the read signals corresponding to the second and third barcodes C ₂ and C ₃ from the barcode reading unit 3.
Search the unit price table stored in advance in
The unit price corresponding to each barcode C ₂ and C ₃ is read out.

This unit price table is formed, for example, as shown in FIG. In other words, for example, if the work type code is [31], the work type indicates development work,
The unit price is 150 yen. Also, the work type code is [60]
In the case of , the work type indicates printing work of a certain specific size, and the unit price for one sheet is 45 yen.

Note that the settings of the store master table and unit price table formed in the data storage section 5 can be freely changed as necessary.

Furthermore, the arithmetic control unit 4 calculates the fee using the unit price of each work read out previously. That is, if the number of developing operations is 1 and the number of prints is 24, the total charge will be (150 x 1 + 45 x 24) = 1230 yen.

On the other hand, when the photographic bag 2 that has passed through the barcode reading section 3 is further sent and reaches the labeling and pasting device 7, the labeling and pasting device 7 selects a predetermined value for the photographic bag 2 based on a command from the arithmetic control section 4. Attach a label as shown in Figure 5 at the location. That is, when the above calculation is performed in the calculation control section 4,
This arithmetic control unit 4 outputs signals for printing the developing fee, printing fee, total amount, etc., as well as signals for printing the store number and date, and the label issuing/applying device 7 operates based on these signals. An operation is performed in which a label as shown in FIG. 5 is affixed to a predetermined position on the corresponding photographic bag 2.

The photo bag 2 with the label attached is
It is further sent and reaches the sorting section 9. At this time, a sorting command using a sorting number corresponding to the unique number indicated by the first barcode _C1 of the photo bag 2 has already been input to the sorting unit 9 from the arithmetic control unit 4. In response to the sorting command signal, the photographic bags 2 are sorted into predetermined shelves. In other words, if the number of the first barcode _C1 is [12345], the store number is [0288], as is clear from the store master table in Figure 3.
Since the sorting number is [55], the corresponding photographic bag 2 is automatically sorted to the shelf numbered [55] in the sorting section 9.

Therefore, each photo bag 2 that is sequentially supplied to the introduction conveyor 1 and subjected to the barcode reading process described above is
The products are sorted into the sorting shelves 9 ₁ , 9 ₂ , 9 ₃ . . . corresponding to the unique numbers indicated by the first barcode C ₁ .

On the other hand, the contents read by the barcode reading section 3 and further processed by the arithmetic control section 4, such as date, bag number, type and quantity of work, total amount, etc., are stored in the data storage section 5 as performance data. It is stored in a predetermined location corresponding to the number. This stored content is then printed out by the printer 6.

In this way, the photographic bags 2 supplied one after another to the introduction conveyor 1 are read by the barcode reading unit 3 into three sets of barcodes C ₁ , C ₂ , C ₃ attached to each photographic bag 2.
is read, a label with printed data such as charges calculated based on this read signal is attached, and the above calculation contents are stored as performance data in the data storage unit 5 for each photographic bag 2. is done automatically and continuously. Therefore, office work such as fee calculation and slip issuance, and delivery sorting processing for sorting photo bags by store or delivery route can be performed automatically and continuously.

In addition, when it is necessary to change the unit price for each store, for each work type, or for each day, or when changing the delivery classification due to the addition, change, or reduction of stores, etc., the data storage unit 5 By only changing the unit price data or sorting number data, it is possible to change the printed items on the label and the sorting classification at the same time, simplifying the work at the time of change. Furthermore, by increasing the storage capacity of the unit price table in the data storage section 5, it is also possible to set different unit price data for each store.

In particular, as mentioned above, the photographic bag 2 has a first bar code that shows the serial number along with a field where customers can write in their order details at each store and various precautions. C ₁ is printed at a printing shop. Then, when distributing the unused photographic bags 2 to each store at the photo lab, the number and store name may be set in the store master table shown in FIG. By including the store number information in the bag number of each photographic bag 2 in this way, there is no need to create a dedicated photographic bag for each store in advance, and it is also possible to There is no need to keep a certain number of bags in stock. Furthermore, since all the photographic bags 2 are given different numbers, there will be no missorting or incorrect billing due to duplication of numbers. In addition, each store also has unused photographic bags 2 sent in advance from the photo lab and kept in stock.
Since the serial numbers are assigned to the bags 2, the photo lab can easily grasp the inventory status of the bags 2 at each store by looking at the numbers of the bags 2 collected from each store. Furthermore, since the serial numbers are attached, when an accident occurs, the store to which the photographic bag 2 involved in the accident belongs can be immediately identified, and the accident can be promptly dealt with. In addition, since the first barcode C ₁ is pre-printed when the photographic bag 2 is manufactured, there is no need to print this first barcode C ₁ at the photo lab, which further streamlines administrative processing at the photo lab. Can be simplified.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram showing a device for realizing an automatic pricing and sorting method for photographic bags according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is an example of a photographic bag used in the same embodiment. Figure 3 shows the first
FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a store master table in the data storage section shown in the figure, FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a unit price table in the same data storage section, and FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a label affixed to a photo bag in the same embodiment. 1...Introduction conveyor, 2...Photo bag, 3...
Barcode reading unit, 4... Arithmetic control unit, 5... Data storage unit, 6... Printer, 7... Label issuing and pasting device, 8... Conveyor, 9... Sorting unit, 9 ₁ , 9 ₂ , 9 ₃ ... Sorting shelf, 10... Conveyor/sorting unit control device, 51... Actual data storage unit.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. Photographic bags distributed from a photo processing laboratory to each store, in which films, etc. are stored, are collected at the photo processing laboratory, and after the film is developed or printed. Automatic pricing of photographic bags in which a label indicating at least the processing fee is issued, the film and printed photographic products are stored in the photographic bags, sorted by each store or delivery route, and returned to each store. - In the sorting method: The photographic bags distributed in advance are attached with a first barcode indicating a series of consecutive bag numbers; After the processing, the photographic bags are provided with a second barcode indicating the number of finished sheets. A barcode and a third barcode indicating the type of work such as developing or printing are attached; a plurality of photographic bags attached with these first, second, and third barcodes are arranged and transported in sequence. , during transportation, a barcode reading unit reads the first, second, and third barcodes attached to the photographic bag, and each photographic bag corresponds to a predetermined number of consecutive bag numbers. A plurality of store number data determined by From multiple set unit price data,
Calculating the processing fee for the photographic bag, and storing the actual value of the processing fee etc. calculated for each photographic bag in a data storage unit; and then storing the characters or symbols corresponding to the store number data and the processing. Issue a label with the charge printed on it and attach the label to the corresponding photo bag being transported; The photo bag with the label attached corresponds to the sorting number data obtained by the barcode reading unit. Automatic pricing of photo bags, characterized in that the photo bags can be sorted into predetermined sorting shelves and returned to each store, and actual values such as processing fees can be managed for each store. - Sorting method.