JP2006323206A - Packing device and method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a packing device and a method therefor where, in the production of a print pack for packing prints classified for every item, a stacked body of prints can be securely charged to a packing material. <P>SOLUTION: The packing device comprises: a holding means for allowing a print insertion port in a print packing bag to open to the upper part and holding the print packing bag in a sagged state; a charging means for charging the print packing bag held by the holding means from the upper part of the print packing bag toward the print insertion port; and a supporting means for supporting the print packing bag from the lower part in a state where the lower end of the print packing bag held by the holding means so as to be sagged is raised upon the charging of the prints by the charging means. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a packing apparatus and a method for packaging prints such as photographic prints for each case.

With the spread of personal computers (PCs), PDAs (Personal Digital Assistance), and the like, the penetration rate of digital cameras is increasing. Furthermore, mobile phones having a photographing function are also widespread.
An image taken with a digital camera, a mobile phone or the like is usually handled as image data and used for various purposes. For example, it is taken in and processed by a PC or the like, used for creating a home page or New Year's card, displayed on a display of a PC or the like for viewing, or output by a home printer. However, there are many requests to leave images taken with a digital camera or the like as high-quality (photo) prints. Correspondingly, in recent years, prints are created from images taken with a digital camera, a mobile phone, or the like by a specialist such as a lab shop.

  When ordering print production of images taken with a digital camera or the like, for example, a print order receiving machine (hereinafter referred to as a receiving machine) installed in a store such as a lab shop or various commercial facilities. Done with.

The accepting machine normally loads a recording medium such as a memory card, IC card, or CD-R that stores the captured image (image data), or connects a digital camera or a mobile phone directly or using a connection means. The image is read and displayed on the display together with the order screen.
The customer inputs order information such as an image to be printed, a print size, and the number of prints for each image, using a display serving as a touch panel and a predetermined input method. When the order is confirmed and an output instruction is issued, the image and the order information are associated with each other and sent to a server or an image processing apparatus such as a lab shop, where the image is supplied to a digital photo printer. A print corresponding to the order information is created and output.

  Also, in recent years, a PC at home is operated as a reception machine by installing photo ordering software or browsing a lab store's homepage using communication means such as the Internet, and images and order information are transmitted to the lab by communication means. A so-called online order is also made in which a print order is sent to a store or the like.

  In traditional print production from photographic film, when a print production order is received at a lab store or the like, the name of the customer (print orderer) and contact information (address, telephone number, etc.) are stored in a special bag called a DP bag. When a photographic film (patrone, cartridge, etc.) is stored in the DP bag and prints are made, the photographic film is taken out of the DP bag and developed, and the developed film is used (finished photo) ) Create a print, put the print and developed film in the corresponding DP bag and return it to the customer.

On the other hand, there is no photographic film when creating a print from an image taken with a digital camera or the like. Therefore, the work at the time of shipment is simplified, the process from the creation of the print to the packaging is automated, and the print can be provided to the customer as a print pack in which the print is accommodated in a bag-like packaging material and sealed. It becomes possible.
For example, Patent Document 1 includes an order information storage unit that stores order information, an image data storage unit for creating a (photo) print, an image exposure unit that exposes a photosensitive material based on image data, A print receiving means for converting the order information into image data and sending it to the image exposure unit to expose the order information print on the photosensitive material and storing the print and the order information print in a print storage bag Or a digital photo printer (photo processor) having a mechanism for closing an order information print and a print storage bag containing a predetermined number of prints.
JP 2003-35938 A

  In producing such a print pack, as a method of storing the print in a bag-shaped packaging material, a method of forming a bag body after wrapping the print with a sheet-shaped packaging material, a guide member, a conveying member, etc. Various methods are conceivable, such as a method of pushing a print into a bag-shaped packaging material. Above all, as one of the methods that can simplify the structure and realize a low-cost device, the prints are collected and the print laminate is put from above the bag-like wrapping material to accommodate the prints in the wrapping material. A way to do this is conceivable.

Here, considering the commercial value, it is not preferable that the print is disturbed in the print pack, such as the print being rotated or a part of the print being turned sideways. In consideration of cost and the like, it is preferable that the amount of the packaging material used is small. Therefore, it is preferable to reduce the size of the bag body serving as the print pack as much as possible according to the size of the print to be accommodated, the maximum number of prints, and the like.
Considering these points, in order to securely store the prints by putting them into the bag-like packaging material, it is necessary to put the prints into the packaging material in an orderly stacked state without being disturbed. However, there is no known device that can put stacked prints into a bag-shaped packaging material in an orderly and reliable manner without being disturbed.

  An object of the present invention is a packing device for producing a print pack in which prints such as photographic prints are collected in a bag and sealed in a bag, and the print laminate is neatly wrapped without being disturbed. It is an object of the present invention to provide a packing apparatus and method that can be put into a material and can securely store a print in a packaging material even in a small bag.

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention is a packing device for bagging prints on a case-by-case basis,
Holding means for opening a print insertion port of the print packaging bag upward and holding the print packaging bag in a suspended state; and
An input unit that inputs the prints to be packed in one of the accumulated print packaging bags from above the print packaging bag held by the holding unit toward the print insertion port;
And a supporting device for supporting the print packaging bag from below while lifting the lower end of the print packaging bag held and suspended by the holding device when the printing device inputs the print. To do.

Here, it is preferable to further have a sealing means for sealing the print insertion opening of the print packaging bag.
In addition, the support means includes a support base for supporting the print packaging bag, and after the print insertion opening is sealed, the support base is inclined downward so that the print packaging bag in which the prints are packed is provided. It is preferable to guide to the discharge part.
When the prints are accumulated while regulating the position in the direction orthogonal to the conveyance direction, and the prints are packed in one print packaging bag, the accumulated prints are conveyed to the input unit. It is preferable to have a collecting means.

Further, the present invention is a packing method for bagging prints on a case-by-case basis,
Open the print insertion port of the print packaging bag upward, and hold the print packaging bag in a suspended state,
Supporting the print packaging bag from below in a state where the lower end of the printed bag hanging down is held,
Provided is a packing method in which the prints to be packed in one integrated print packaging bag are input from above the print packaging bag toward the print insertion port.

Here, it is preferable that the print insertion port is sealed after the printing is input.
In addition, after sealing the print insertion opening, it is preferable that a support base that supports the print packaging bag is inclined downward to guide the print packaging bag packed with the print to the discharge unit.
Also, the prints are accumulated while regulating the position in the direction perpendicular to the conveyance direction,
It is preferable that after the prints to be inserted into one print packaging bag are accumulated, the accumulated prints are conveyed to a loading position where the prints are loaded into the print packaging bag.

  According to the present invention as described above, when a print pack is formed by sorting prints such as photographic prints and storing / sealing them in a bag, the print laminate can be neatly arranged without being disturbed. Since it can be put into the packaging material in a stacked state, even small packaging materials (bags) according to the print size, maximum number of sheets, etc. can be stored securely and neatly in a stacked state. be able to.

  Hereinafter, the packing apparatus and method of the present invention will be described in detail based on the preferred embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a printer that uses the packing apparatus of the present invention for carrying out the packing method of the present invention.
The printer 10 shown in FIG. 1 photoelectrically reads a print image obtained by performing predetermined processing on an image (image data) photographed with a digital camera, a mobile phone, or the like, or an image photographed on a photographic film. A print image obtained by applying a predetermined process to the image is obtained, and a photosensitive material A (printing paper) is exposed imagewise by a light beam modulated in accordance with the print image to form a latent image. The photosensitive material A is subjected to a predetermined development process (finished photo) to obtain a print P, and further packed (bag-packed) one by one to obtain a print pack 12.
In the illustrated example, the printer 10 includes an exposure unit 16, a processor 18, and a packer 20 that is an example of a print packing apparatus of the present invention.
Although not specifically described, the photosensitive material A is conveyed to each part by a known conveying means such as a conveying roller pair or a guide.

  The exposure unit 16 cuts the photosensitive material A into a size corresponding to the print to be produced, records a back print on the cut photosensitive material A, and modulates the light beam according to the above-described printing image (data). The photosensitive material A is imagewise exposed by L to record a latent image, and the exposed photosensitive material A is supplied to the processor 38.

The exposure unit 16 is loaded with a magazine 26 containing a photosensitive material roll 24 formed by winding the photosensitive material A at a predetermined position, and further includes a back printer 28, an exposure unit 30, and two sub-scanning conveyance roller pairs 32. And are provided.
The illustrated printer 10 can be loaded with two magazines 26. The photosensitive material A is pulled out from the magazine 26 and cut according to the print size by the cutter 34, and then the back print is recorded by the back printer 28 and supplied to the sub-scanning conveyance roller pair 32.

The aforementioned print image is supplied to the exposure unit 30.
The exposure unit 30 deflects the light beam L (recording light) modulated in accordance with the print image in the main scanning direction (in the direction perpendicular to the paper surface in FIG. 1) and enters the predetermined exposure position. On the other hand, the photosensitive material A is scanned and conveyed in the sub-scanning direction orthogonal to the main scanning direction while being positioned at the exposure position by the sub-scanning conveying roller pair 32 arranged with the exposure position sandwiched in the conveying direction. Therefore, the photosensitive material A is two-dimensionally scanned and exposed by the light beam L modulated according to the image, and a latent image is recorded on the entire surface.
The photosensitive material A on which the latent image is recorded is then supplied to the processor 18.

The processor 18 includes a developing unit 38 and a drying unit 40.
The photosensitive material A formed with the latent image in the exposure unit 16 and supplied to the processor 18 is first developed in the developing unit 42 in the developing unit 38 to be a visible image, and bleached in the bleaching / fixing unit 44. Fixing is performed, and the water is washed in the four water washing tanks 46 and conveyed to the drying unit 40.
The developed photosensitive material A is then dried by a heater, warm air, or the like in the drying unit 40, and is discharged to the packer 20 as a (finished photograph) print P from the exit roller pair 50 of the discharge unit 48.

Here, in the illustrated printer 10, for example, a print P larger than a predetermined size, such as a print larger than the postcard size, is not conveyed to the packer 20, and the large-size print discharge unit 52 located above the discharge unit 48. To discharge.
The conveyance path may be switched by a known method such as a method using a switching guide.

  The packer 20 is a packing device according to the present invention that packs and packs the prints P discharged from the exit roller pair 50 of the discharge unit 48 of the processor 18 one by one, and includes a stacking unit 56, a transport unit 58, The feeding unit 60 includes a feeding unit 62 for the packaging sheet S, a holding unit 64, a seal / cut unit 66, a print loading load reduction unit 68, and a product storage unit 70.

  FIG. 2 shows a schematic diagram of the stacking unit 56, the transport unit 58, and the input unit 60. 2A is a front view (a view seen from the same direction as FIG. 1), and FIG. 2B is a plan view.

The stacking unit 56 stacks the prints P discharged from the outlet roller pair 50, aligns the prints P in a direction orthogonal to the transport direction (hereinafter referred to as the width direction), and transports the prints P to the downstream transport unit 58. It is.
In the illustrated example, the stacking unit 56 includes a conveyor 72 and a width adjusting guide 74 (indicated by a dotted line in FIG. 2A).

The conveyor 72 is a known belt conveyor including a pair of rollers 76 and 76 and an endless belt 78 stretched around the rollers 76 and 76. The print P is accumulated and conveyed to the conveyance unit 58 downstream of the belt. To do. The rotation axes of the rollers 76 and 76 are respectively supported by support plates 76a and 76a (see FIG. 2B) provided on both sides in the width direction.
The conveyor 72 is located below the exit roller pair 50 in the vertical direction and upstream in the transport direction of the print P so that the prints P discharged from the exit roller pair 50 are accumulated on the endless belt 78. The roller 76 (that is, the upstream end portion of the conveying surface of the endless belt 78) is disposed at substantially the same position as the exit roller pair 50 (slightly downstream position in the illustrated example) or upstream thereof. Further, the width of the endless belt 78 is narrower than the minimum size in the width direction of the corresponding print P, and a width alignment guide 74 described later is brought into contact with the width direction end portion of the print P, thereby the width alignment guide 74. This ensures that the width can be adjusted.

In the conveyor 72 of the stacking unit 56, the print P discharged from the exit roller pair 50 is printed on the surface (outer peripheral surface) of the endless belt 78 in order to prevent the print P from going downstream from the predetermined position. It is preferable to provide a restricting member 78a such as a protrusion or a wall located downstream of the discharge position (stacking position) when discharging P.
Further, in order to more surely convey the print P by the conveyor 72, on the surface of the endless belt 78, when the print P is discharged, the upstream side of the print P discharge position (print P accumulation position) by the exit roller pair 50. It is preferable to have a pressing member 78b such as a protrusion or a wall portion located.

The width adjusting guides 74 and 74 are a pair of plate-shaped guide members that are arranged with their guide surfaces facing each other so as to sandwich the conveyor 72 in the width direction.
The two width adjusting guides 74 and 74 are known means using a solenoid or the like, and reciprocate in synchronization with a direction indicated by an arrow a in FIG. By this reciprocation, as shown by a dotted line in FIG. 2 (B), the print P discharged / accumulated on the conveyor 72 is brought into contact with the width direction end of the print P so as to be sandwiched from both sides in the width direction. Then, the position in the width direction of the prints P discharged from the exit roller pair 50 is regulated (moved in the width direction), and the accumulated prints P are aligned in the width direction (width-adjusted).

In the stacking unit 56, the drive timing of the width adjusting guide 74 (timing for aligning the prints P) is not particularly limited, and a predetermined number of prints P set as appropriate according to the number of prints that can be moved. After the sheets are discharged and accumulated, before the next print P is discharged, the width alignment guide 74 may be driven to align the prints P.
Here, considering the burden on the print P, the clamping force (pressing force) by the width adjusting guide 74 is preferably small. In particular, since the photographic print as shown in the figure has a relatively large surface friction coefficient, if a large number of sheets are overlapped, a large force is required for width adjustment. In addition, it is possible to align prints reliably and orderly by performing the width adjustment for every small number of sheets.

  In consideration of the above points, it is preferable that the stacking unit 56 drives the width adjusting guide 74 to align the prints P every time a set number of prints P of 5 or less are appropriately discharged. It is preferable to align the prints P by driving the width adjusting guide 74 every time, especially when one print is discharged.

  The transport unit 58 is a part that receives the stacked body of prints P (hereinafter referred to as “print stacked body”) collected by the stacking unit 56 and aligned in the width direction, and transports it to the downstream input unit 60. The curl crushing roller 82 and the swinging means of the conveyor 80 (not shown) are included.

  The conveyor 80 is a known belt conveyor including an endless belt 84 and a pair of rollers 86 and 86 that stretch the endless belt 84. In the example of illustration, the conveyance part 58 has 2 sets of conveyors 80 and 80 which are arrange | positioned in parallel with the width direction and are driven synchronously. The rollers 86 and 86 of each conveyor 80 have their rotation shafts supported by support plates 86a and 86a (see FIG. 2B) provided on both sides in the width direction. In addition, each support plate 86a of the two conveyors 80 and 80 is an integral member. Further, the conveying surfaces of the endless belts 84 and 84 of both conveyors 80 and 80 are the same plane, and are arranged at an interval narrower than the minimum width of the print P.

  In the illustrated example, the two sets of conveyors 80, 80 are arranged at positions sandwiching the conveyor 72 of the stacking unit 56 in the width direction, the rotation shafts of the rollers 86, 86 on the upstream side, and the conveyor 72 of the stacking unit 56. The rotation axis of the roller 76 on the downstream side is arranged in a straight line (coaxial) extending in the width direction. The roller diameters of the roller 76 and the roller 86 are substantially the same. With the endless belt 78 and the endless belt 84, the belt conveying surface of the conveyor 80 shown as a solid line in FIG. The conveying surface is substantially the same plane. Thereby, the conveyance region is overlapped by the stacking unit 56 and the transport unit 58 to ensure the transport of the print laminate from the stacking unit 56 to the transport unit 58. At the same time, the transport direction of the print P by the conveyor 80 and the conveyor 72 of the stacking unit 56 is substantially linear, and the transport path for transporting the print laminate from the stacking unit 56 to the transport unit 58 is linear. It is configured.

As will be described later, the conveyor 80 is inclined so that the upstream side is lifted and the conveying direction is obliquely downward when conveyed to the input unit 60 (indicated by a dotted line in FIG. 2A). .
At this time, in order to prevent the print laminate from collapsing in the transport direction, the maximum stack height corresponding to the maximum number of prints P in the print pack 12 is provided on the surface (outer peripheral surface) of the endless belt 84 of the conveyor 80. A wall portion 88 higher than the height is erected. The conveyor 80 controls the drive so that the wall portion 88 is located on the downstream side of the print laminate when receiving the print laminate from the stacking unit 56 and located on the upper surface of the conveyor 80 when the loading is completed. Is done.
Similarly to the conveyor 72 of the stacking unit 56, in order to more reliably convey the print laminate, the upstream side of the print laminate is placed on the surface of the endless belt 84 when the print laminate is completely placed on the conveyor 80. It is preferable to have a pressing member 84a, such as a protrusion or a wall, located in

The conveyance part 58 has the curl crushing roller 82 as a preferable aspect.
The print P immediately after drying is normally curled with a concave image surface (having a hook shape). The concave curl extends as time passes. This is due to the difference in moisture absorption of the layers constituting the photosensitive material A (for example, the gelatin layer on the image surface). Therefore, in one print laminate in which the prints P are sequentially processed, discharged, and laminated one by one, the degree of curling of each print P is slightly different.
Also, in the photographic printer, it is preferable that the paper is discharged with the image surface facing upward, from the viewpoint that the image reproduced on the print P can be immediately confirmed, and the printer 10 in the illustrated example also has the image surface facing upward. Thus, the print P is discharged from the discharge unit 48 to the stacking unit 56.
The curl crushing roller 82 presses the central portion in the width direction of the print laminate from above to crush and correct the curl of the print P, while increasing the height of the print laminate that is bulky due to different curls of each print P. Hold down.
Thus, by having the curl correcting means such as the curl crushing roller 82, it is possible to prevent the print laminate from becoming difficult to enter the packaging sheet S due to the curl of the print P, and the print laminate can be more reliably attached to the packaging sheet. S can be input.

  Further, the curl of the print P has a stronger influence on the short side direction (width direction) than the long side direction in the rectangular print P. That is, the print P immediately after drying is curved in the width direction. In the printer 10, the print creation process is performed with the longitudinal direction of the print P aligned with the transport direction. Therefore, in FIGS. 1 and 2, the accumulated print P is recessed in the direction perpendicular to the paper surface. And curved.

In the illustrated example, the curl crushing roller 82 is provided at a position corresponding to the central portion in the width direction of the printed laminate conveyed by the endless belts 84 and 84 so as to face the conveyance surface of the endless belts 84 and 84. The curl crushing roller 82 is pivotally supported on one end of a rod-shaped arm 90. The other end of the arm 90 is swingably supported by a fixed shaft 92, and the curl crushing roller 82 is fixed as shown by an arrow b in the figure by swinging the arm 90 by a drive source (not shown). It is rotated up and down around the shaft 92.
The curl crushing roller 82 is moved upward before the print laminate is carried from the stacking unit 56 to the transport unit 58. When the print laminate is conveyed from the stacking unit 56 to the conveyance unit 58, the curl crushing roller 82 is moved downward to press the print laminate from above to correct the curl.
The curl crushing roller 82 may be a driven roller (idle roller), or a driving roller that is rotationally driven in synchronization with the conveyance of the print laminate to the input unit 60 described later.

  The conveyor 80 of the transport unit 58 can swing around the rotation axis of the downstream roller 86. For example, the upstream roller 86 is lifted by a driving source (not shown), and a dotted line in FIG. As shown in FIG. 4, the downstream side is inclined downward and becomes the same angle (substantially the same angle) as the conveyor 96 of the input unit 60 described later. The curl crushing roller 82 also moves in synchronization with the swing of the conveyor 80, and the curl crushing roller 82 presses the printed laminate even when the conveyor 80 is inclined. In addition, as will be described later, the conveyor 80 and the conveyor 96 of the charging unit 60 are arranged so that the rotation axes of the rollers are linear (coaxial). It becomes straight.

In the transport unit 58, the print laminate is received from the stacking unit 56 in a state where the conveyor 80 is horizontal, and then the upstream side of the conveyor 80 is lifted to the same angle as the conveyor 96 of the input unit 60. The print laminate is conveyed to 60. Thus, the transport unit 58 transports the print laminate to the input unit 60 through a linear transport path by transporting obliquely downward at substantially the same angle as the input unit 60.
Thus, by making the conveyance direction of both into a linear form, when a print laminated body is conveyed from the conveyance part 58 to the input part 60, it can prevent that a print laminated body collapses.

  The input unit 60 inputs the print laminate received from the conveyance unit 58 obliquely downward into the packaging sheet S serving as a print packaging bag. In the illustrated example, the input unit 60 includes a conveyor 96, a shutter 98, a guide plate 100, and two curl crushing rollers 102 that are pivotally supported by the guide plate 100 (or a support member thereof). Although the details will be described later, the packaging sheet S is a long cylindrical transparent sheet as shown in FIG. 3, and has a cut d serving as a print insertion opening.

The conveyor 96 is a known belt conveyor including a pair of rollers 104 and 104 and an endless belt 106 stretched around the rollers 104 and 104, and is disposed obliquely with the conveying direction facing downward. The roller 104 is supported by a support plate (not shown) similar to the support plates 76a and 86a that support the rollers 76 and 86 described above. The conveyor 96 is disposed at a position sandwiched between the two sets of conveyors 80 and 80 of the transport unit 58 in the width direction, and the conveyor 96 of the input unit 60 is similar to the arrangement relationship of the stacking unit 56 and the transport unit 58 described above. The rotation shaft of the upstream roller 104 and the rotation shaft of the roller 86 on the downstream side of the conveyor 80 of the transport unit 58 are arranged in a straight line (coaxial) extending in the width direction. Further, the roller diameter of the roller 86 roller 104 is substantially the same. As shown by a broken line in FIG. 2A, the endless belt 84 and the endless belt 106 are used in a state where the conveyor 80 of the conveying unit 58 is inclined. The conveyance surfaces are substantially the same plane. Thereby, the conveyance area is overlapped by the conveyance unit 58 and the input unit 60 (both conveyors) to enable reliable conveyance, and the conveyance path of the print laminate in the conveyance unit 58 and the input unit 60 is more preferably linear. It is possible to make it.
In the printer 10 of the illustrated example, the print laminate is put into the print insertion opening (notch d) of the packaging sheet S by this obliquely lower conveyance and gravity drop.

In order to prevent the transported print laminate from collapsing and falling, the surface of the endless belt 106 of the conveyor 96 has a maximum according to the maximum number of prints P that can be stored in the print pack 12. A wall 108 is erected having a height exceeding the stacking height. The conveyor 96 is positioned on the downstream side of the print laminate when the wall portion 108 receives the print laminate from the transport unit 58 (preferably abutting the front end surface of the print laminate), and at the end of carrying-in. The drive is controlled so as to be positioned on the upper surface of the conveyor 96.
Similarly to the conveyor 72 and the like of the stacking unit 56, when the print stack is completely placed on the conveyor 96 on the surface of the endless belt 106, the print stack is more reliably transported. It is preferable to have a pressing member 106a such as a protrusion or a wall portion that is located upstream of the surface.

Here, the conveyance speed of the conveyor 96 when the printed laminate is put into the packaging sheet S is not particularly limited, but is preferably higher than the free fall speed of the printed laminate.
Thereby, it can prevent more reliably that a printed laminated body collapses at the time of throwing into the packaging sheet S, and it becomes possible to throw the printed laminated body into the packaging sheet S more reliably in an orderly laminated state. .

The guide plate 100 is a plate-like member having a width over the entire width of the print P, and is spaced apart from the endless belt by the maximum height corresponding to the maximum number of printed laminates and the curl amount.
In the illustrated example, the guide plate 100 is gradually inclined downward (direction approaching the conveyance surface of the conveyor 96) toward the conveyance direction in a predetermined section on the upstream side (print carry-in portion), and then the conveyance surface of the conveyor 96 It has a shape that is parallel to. A slit-shaped opening is formed at the center of the guide plate 100 in the width direction so that the pressing member 106a and the wall 108 pass therethrough.

The guide plate 100 abuts against the upper end of the print laminate conveyed to the input unit 60 to regulate the height, supports the curl crushing roller 102 and is conveyed from the conveyance unit 58. Is guided below the curl crushing roller 102 on the upstream side.
As described above, since the print P has a curl shape with the upper surface concave and curved in the width direction, the end portion of the print P in the width direction contacts the guide plate 100. Therefore, the guide plate 100 does not damage the image surface or the like of the print P, and does not deteriorate the quality of the print P as a product.
The curl crushing roller 102 corrects the curling of the print by pressing the print laminate from above, like the curl crushing roller 82 described above. Note that the curl crushing roller 102 is provided as a preferred mode, and the curl crushing roller 102 does not need to be provided when the curl is small due to the paper quality of the print P or the like.

The shutter 98 mainly functions as a guide member in the width direction and the drop direction when the printed laminate is put into the packaging sheet S.
In the illustrated example, the shutter 98 is a so-called double door which is composed of two doors 98a that are pivotally supported at the ends in the width direction and open from the center toward both sides as indicated by arrows c in FIG. Is a shutter that opens and closes. Further, the door 98a has a substantially L-shaped cross-sectional shape when viewed from the conveyance direction in an open state.
The two doors 98a are opened, and at least the front ends thereof are inserted into the packaging sheet S through the notches d of the packaging sheet S. Thereby, the function as a guide by the shutter 98 is made more suitable.

As described above, in the illustrated packer 20, after the print stack is transferred from the stacking unit 56 to the transport unit 58, the transport unit 58 is configured so that the transport path of the transport unit 58 is linear with the transport path of the input unit 60. The print laminate is conveyed to the input unit 60 through a linear conveyance path by inclining 58 and conveying it obliquely downward at the same angle as the input unit 60. With this configuration, it is possible to prevent the printed laminated body from being disturbed or collapsed during the conveyance and to perform more reliable input.
In addition, by making the conveyance unit 58 and the input unit 60 a linear conveyance path, the print stacking from the input unit 60 to the packaging sheet S following the transfer of the print laminate from the conveyance unit 58 to the input unit 60 is performed. The body is being thrown in. According to this configuration, the printed laminated body can be reliably put into the packaging sheet S at high speed while suppressing the disorder in the transport direction.
In addition, as shown in the illustrated example, a conveyance unit 58 is provided between the accumulation unit 56 and the input unit 60, and the conveyance unit 58 is inclined to convey the print laminate to the input unit 60. After the prints for one item are collected at 56 and conveyed to the conveyance unit 58, the next print P can be accumulated immediately, and smooth and efficient print production becomes possible.
However, the packing apparatus of the present invention is not limited to this, and the process from the accumulation of prints to the input may be performed by another configuration.

For example, as shown in FIG. 4, the input unit 60 a is configured by a guide 114 that guides the printed laminated body from the conveyance unit 58 to the cut d of the packaging sheet S, and is conveyed by the endless belt 84 of the conveyance unit 58 and pressed. The printed laminate pushed out by 84a may be dropped into the packaging sheet S by dropping along the guide 114. The guides 114 are preferably provided on the top, bottom, left and right of the transport path of the print P to restrict the variation in print. In addition, it is also preferable to provide a shutter similar to the shutter 98 described above at the tip portions of the guides 114 and 114 to reliably guide the print laminate to the notch d of the packaging sheet S. If the print P (photosensitive material A) is easily curled, it is also preferable to provide the curl crushing roller 102 described above.
Further, the feeding unit 60 a having the guides 114 and 114 may be arranged following the stacking unit 56 without providing the transport unit 58.

Further, for example, as shown in FIG. 5, a stacking / feeding unit 61a may be provided at a position for receiving the print P discharged from the outlet roller pair 50 of the processor 18 instead of the stacking unit 56 that conveys the conveyor.
The stacking / feeding unit 61a is disposed below and downstream of the exit roller pair 50 so as to receive the print P discharged from the exit roller pair 50, and the upstream side (processor 18 side) of the placement table 118. ) And a regulating member 118a provided on the upstream side of the upper surface of the mounting table 118 (that is, the mounting surface of the print P), and provided on both sides in the width direction on the downstream side thereof. The front door 120a that opens the door and the width regulating guides 122 provided on both sides in the width direction are provided.

  As shown in FIG. 5A, such a stacking / loading unit 61a stacks the prints P with the mounting table 118 in a horizontal state, and when the stacking of one print P is completed, the shaft 116 is moved. The mounting table 118 is rotated and moved to the center so that the mounting table 118 is inclined at a predetermined angle, and its downstream end (tip) is directed to the notch d of the packaging sheet S. At the same time, the front door 120a is opened, and the printed laminate on the mounting table 118 is put into the packaging sheet S. At this time, similarly to the shutter 98 in the above-described example, it is preferable that the front end portion of the front door 120a is inserted into the cut d of the packaging sheet S to function as a guide. Thereby, a printed laminated body can be thrown into the packaging sheet S reliably.

It is also preferable that the width regulation guide 122 has the same configuration as the width adjustment guide 74 in the above example. In this case, it is possible to minimize the deviation in the width direction of the print laminate, to ensure that the print laminate is put into the packaging sheet S, and to prevent disturbance of the print P in the print pack 12 in the width direction. Can be small.
Further, it is preferable that the upstream side (the rear end side of the print P) restricting member 118a is movable in the print P conveying direction and is driven so as to push out the rear end of the print laminated body when the print laminated body is put in. As a result, the disturbance in the transport direction of the print laminate can be reduced, the print laminate can be loaded into the packaging sheet S reliably and at high speed, and the disturbance in the length direction of the print P in the print pack 12 can be reduced. be able to.

  When the next print P is to be collected while the accumulated print P for one case is put into the packaging sheet S, the stacking unit 56 in the example of FIGS. 1 and 2 is left as it is. Instead of the transport unit 58 and the input unit 60, the stacking / input unit 61a may be arranged. In this case, the stacking unit 56 stacks the prints P discharged from the exit roller pair 50, and the stacking / loading unit 61a receives the print laminate transferred from the stacking unit 56 and loads it onto the packaging sheet S. .

Further, as shown in FIG. 6A, instead of the front door 120a of the stacking and loading portion 61a, the front end that extends from the surface of the print mounting surface of the mounting table 118 in the print stacking height direction and opens upward. A door 120b may be provided. The front door 120b has a height direction equal to or higher than the height of the printed stack placed on the mounting table 118, and a gap smaller than the thickness of one print P between the mounting table 118 and the front door 120b. Or leave no gap. Further, the width direction may be limited to only a part such as only the center part or only both end parts as long as the fall of the print laminate can be regulated, or may be provided to cover the entire print width.
The front door 120b may be slid upward to open, but in order to simultaneously drop the prints on the print stack, the upper end of the front door 120b is placed with respect to the mounting table 118 as shown in the illustrated example. It is preferable to connect to a fixed shaft so as to be swingable and to open by rotating upward.

  Such a stacking / loading unit 61b moves the mounting table 118 at a predetermined angle when one print P is stacked on the mounting table 118 or when one print stack is transferred from the upstream side. The leading end is directed to the notch d of the packaging sheet S, then the leading door 120b is opened, and the printed laminate on the mounting table 118 is loaded into the packaging sheet S.

  In addition, as shown in FIG. 6B, the front door may be a front door 120c that opens downward. That is, the lower end of the door member similar to the front door 120b in FIG. 6A is swingably connected to a shaft fixed to the front end of the mounting table 118, and is opened by rotating downward. Also good.

Next, the packaging sheet supply unit 62 supplies the packaging sheet S to the print input position by the input unit 60. The loading unit of the sheet roll 110, the conveying roller pair 112, and others It has conveyance guide means for the packaging sheet S (not shown).
In the illustrated example, the packaging sheet S is a cylindrical transparent long sheet formed by stacking two long sheets and bonding them at the ends in the width direction as shown in FIG. On one surface, a cut d is formed extending in a direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction at an interval t corresponding to one print pack 12.

In the sheet supply unit 62, the packaging sheet S is loaded as a sheet roll 110 wound in a roll shape with the surface having the notch d facing the input unit 60, and is conveyed by the conveyance roller pair 112, a conveyance guide (not shown), or the like. It is transported along a predetermined route.
For the conveyance of the packaging sheet S, for example, the position where the notch d is slightly below the lower end of the conveyor 96 of the input unit 60, such as the position where the notch d corresponds to the input of the printed laminate from the input unit 60. When you come to, stop.

The holding means 64 hangs down and holds the print packaging bag portion of the packaging sheet S in a state where the print insertion opening (notch d) of the packaging sheet S to be a print packaging bag is opened upward. And a holding means 64a for the packaging sheet S and an opening means 64b.
When the notch d of the packaging sheet S is in a predetermined position, the gripping means 64a grips a position that is in the vicinity of the notch d of the packaging sheet S and does not hinder the opening and closing of the notch d. For example, the both ends of the cut d of the packaging sheet S are gripped. A known gripping tool or the like can be used as the gripping means 64a. In addition, the gripping force by the gripping means 64a may be large enough to support the weight when the print P is put into the bag-like packaging sheet S that hangs down from the gripping portion.

  Further, the gripping means 64a holds the packaging sheet S so that the cut d of the packaging sheet S containing the prints is located at a position corresponding to the seal / cut portion 66 after the printing has been put into the packaging sheet S. It moves downward, and when the sealing / cutting of the packaging sheet S, which will be described later, is finished, the packaging sheet S is released, and a predetermined portion of the packaging sheet S supplied as the next printed packaging bag (near the notch d) Grip.

The opening means 64b holds the packaging sheet S directly below the notch d (for example, sucking and holding), and moves in the direction of opening the cylinder of the packaging sheet S (in the direction of the arrow in the figure), so that the packaging sheet S The notch d is opened. Furthermore, it is preferable to blow the wind from the fan from above to the cut d, increase the opening of the cut d, and inflate the packaging sheet S.
The opening means 64b stops the holding of the packaging sheet S after the printing has been put into the packaging sheet S.

The seal / cut section 66 is for fusing the notch d of the packaging sheet S, sealing the print packaging bag in which the print is inserted, and separating it from the long packaging sheet S. As a preferred embodiment, a fusing heater capable of simultaneously performing heat fusion and cutting (cutting) of the packaging sheet S is used for the seal / cut portion 66. This heater has a minute convex portion extending in the width direction at the center of the heater (the center in the conveying direction of the packaging sheet S (the vertical direction in FIG. 1)).
The delivery of the packaging sheet S stops at a position where the convex portion at the center of the heater coincides with the notch d. Next, the heater of the seal / cut portion 66 is pressed against the packaging sheet S, the packaging sheet S is sealed (closed) at the upper and lower portions of the cut d, and is wrapped at the cut d by the convex portion at the center of the heater. The sheet S for cutting is cut (melted).
Accordingly, the lower end of the packaging sheet S that accommodates the next print P (the lower end of the packaging sheet S connected to the sheet roll 110) is closed, and the upper end of the packaging sheet S that accommodates one print P is closed. Closing and cutting completes one print pack 12.

  Note that the seal / cut section 66 is not limited to the above, and has a heat sealer and a cutter separately, and seals the notch d of the packaging sheet S and cuts from the packaging sheet S of the print pack 12. May be performed separately, or the cut d may be bonded using an adhesive.

  The print input load reducing unit 68 is a characteristic part of the present invention, and when the print is input by the input unit 60, the lower part (lower end) of the bag-like part of the packaging sheet S held by the holding unit 64 is lifted. It supports in a state. FIG. 7 shows a schematic configuration of the print input load reducing unit 68. The print input load reducing unit 68 includes a print load reducing table 124 including a base 124a, an impact absorbing material 124b, and a shaft 124c.

The base 124a is a flat plate having a width approximately equal to the width of the packaging sheet S, and an impact absorbing material 124b is provided on the upper surface (supporting surface of the packaging sheet S). The base 124a is arranged so that the surface of the shock absorbing material 124b is above the lower part of the packaging sheet S when it is gripped and suspended by the gripping means 64a. Therefore, the print load reducing table 124 supports the bottom of the print packaging bag in a lifted state.
The shock absorbing material 124b prevents the print P input to the packaging sheet S from colliding with the base 124a, thereby damaging the edge of the print P and preventing the print P from bouncing back and disturbing the print laminate. Any elastic material can be used.

  One side (right side in the illustrated example) extending in the width direction of the base 124a is supported by a shaft 124c so as to be swingable. The base 124a has a first position (indicated by a solid line in FIG. 1) that supports the lower portion of the bag-like portion of the packaging sheet S when the print is put in, and releases the support of the bag-like portion of the packaging sheet S after the print is put in. In addition, it can swing between a second position (shown by a broken line in FIG. 1) retracted from the conveyance path of the print pack 12.

When the packaging sheet S is held in a state in which the print insertion opening is opened by the holding means 64, and the print laminate is dropped in a state where the bottom is simply suspended from the holding portion, the dropped print is the bag-shaped portion. By pushing the bottom downward, the packaging material (packaging sheet S) forming the bag-like portion is pulled downward. As a result, the shrinkage force acts on the inside of the bag on the packaging material, the two sheets forming the side packaging material are brought together, the inside of the bag becomes narrow, and the frictional force between the print P and the packaging material increases. To do.
In addition, since the frictional force between the prints is small compared to the frictional force between the print and the packaging material, when the printed laminate is put into the print packaging bag of the packaging sheet S, the uppermost part and the lowermost part (two sheets which are the outermost surfaces) The printing speed of the print P becomes lower than the printing speed of the print P in the meantime, and as a result, the middle of the print bundle becomes a wedge-shaped projection, and the print P stored in the print packaging bag is scattered in the insertion direction ( It will be in a state of being shifted. In addition, the print P may not be sufficiently deep, and the print P may be applied in the vicinity of the cut d serving as a seal portion, or may protrude from the print packaging bag.
Such a problem becomes more serious as the interval between the cuts d, that is, the length of the printed packaging bag is set smaller. In addition, it is more likely to occur as the number of prints P to be packed increases.

  With respect to this problem, the packer of the present invention, by loading the print laminate into the packaging sheet S while supporting the lower portion of the packaging sheet S by the print loading load reducing unit 68 having the above-described configuration, While preventing tearing of the packaging sheet S and reducing the frictional load between the print P and the packaging sheet S due to the input of the print P, the print laminate can be quickly and without greatly disturbing the input direction. It can be surely inserted into the bag-like portion of the packaging sheet S. Further, a compact print pack 12 can be produced without using a bag that is unnecessarily long for the size of the print P. By using the compact print pack 12, it is possible to prevent the print P from being disturbed inside the print pack 12 after it is completed, and to reduce the amount of the packaging sheet S used.

Here, the vertical position of the support surface of the packaging sheet S of the print load reduction base 124, that is, the surface of the shock absorbing material 124b, is the maximum of the packaging sheet S when it is held and held by the holding means 64. It must be above the lower part (lower end).
The preferred range varies depending on the size and number of prints P and the thickness of the paper used for the prints P. For example, 1 to 101 photographic printing papers of king size (postcard size) are printed in one print packaging bag. In the case of packing in a package, the distance f between the lowermost part of the packaging sheet S and the support surface of the print load reducing table 124 (see FIG. 7) in order to secure a margin inside the packaging sheet S at the time of printing. Is preferably set to f = 5 mm or more.
If the f is too large, the length of the wrapping sheet S where the print P is inserted becomes short, the print laminate is not properly accommodated when the print is input, and the print P is caught on the print insertion opening. Therefore, it is preferable that f = 25 mm or less.

  Further, the depth dimension of the support surface of the packaging sheet S, that is, the depth dimension of the base 124a and the shock absorber 124b (direction perpendicular to the width direction, dimension in the left-right direction in the figure) is the size and number of prints P, print The preferred range varies depending on the type of paper used for P, the print input speed, the print input angle, etc., but is inclined toward the packer 20 of the present embodiment, that is, the print insertion opening (cut d) of the packaging sheet S. 1 to 101 king-size photographic printing papers in one packing bag, in a packing device for feeding the printed laminate to the packaging sheet S at a free fall speed or slightly higher speed by the feeding unit 60 In the case of packing, it is preferable to set the following range.

That is, as shown in FIG. 7, when the packaging sheet S is opened in the depth direction evenly in the front-rear direction (left and right in the figure), from the packaging material center (indicated by the center line in the figure) to the input side (figure The length h of the middle left side is preferably 10 mm or more. This is because the print P inserted into the packaging sheet S is reliably supported on the print load reduction table 124.
Further, the length g on the outer side (the side opposite to the charging side) from the packaging material center is preferably 70 mm or more. This is surely supported on the print load reduction table 124 even when the packaging sheet S is swung in the loading direction (right direction in the figure) due to the inertial force of the printed laminate loaded by the inclined loading unit 60. Because.

  In the present embodiment, a preferred example of the shock absorber 124b is an EPDM (ethylene propylene rubber) sponge having a thickness e = 5 mm. Note that the impact absorbing material 124b may not be provided when the impact of the print stack is small, such as when the weight of the print stack is small or when the input speed is low.

As shown in FIG. 8 (A), the print load reducing table 124 waits at the first position where the support surface is horizontal as shown in FIG. Sometimes supports the bottom of the packaging sheet S.
After printing, as shown in FIG. 8B, the print load reducing table 124 is inclined as the packaging sheet S is moved downward by the gripping means 64a of the holding means 64 described above. When the cut d of the packaging sheet S comes to the position of the seal / cut portion 66, the packaging sheet S is sealed and cut. At this time, the print load reduction base 124 is separated from the packaging sheet S or is in a state of being hardly supported even if it is touched, and the prints inside the packaging sheet S are aligned and the packaging sheet S is aligned. Since it has reached the bottom, the print P is not sandwiched in the seal portion (near the notch d).

  Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 8C, the print load reduction table 124 further moves, and the print load 12 is cut from the seal / cut unit 66 to become the print pack 12 from the path where the product pack 70 is dropped. Retreat (second position). Alternatively, the print load reduction table 124 may be slightly inclined and the print pack 12 may be guided to the product storage unit 70 by the support surface.

  The operation of the print load reduction table 124 as described above is synchronized with the operation of feeding the packaging sheet S by the movement of the gripping means 64a and the operation of feeding the packaging sheet S by the conveying roller pair 112 of the packaging sheet supply unit 62. Therefore, it is possible to appropriately perform each step of the packing while suppressing an excessive load on the packaging sheet S and an excessive loosening of the packaging sheet S.

  In the present embodiment, following the printing input to the packaging sheet S, the packaging sheet S is sealed and cut at the position where the sheet S is sent downward, and then discharged downward. 68, a print load reduction base 124 that can be moved to a first position that supports the lower end of the packaging sheet S and a second position that is retracted from the conveyance path of the print pack 12 is used. In such a case, the print load reduction base may be simply moved up and down between the print input position and the seal / cut position by using known drive means such as an air cylinder, a hydraulic cylinder, or a link mechanism. Alternatively, when the packaging sheet S is sealed without being lowered or discharged from the print input position without being sealed, a stationary support base may be used as the print input load reduction unit 68.

  In the above-described example, the print load reduction table 124 is rotated about one axis (axis 124c) and moved between the horizontal first position and the inclined or vertical second position. In the printer 10 of FIG. 1, when the discharge port of the print pack 12 is provided on the side that is the operation side of the operator (for example, the front side of the paper in the printer 10 of FIG. 1), the print load reduction stand 124 is provided. It is preferable that the print pack 12 be ejected toward the front by rotating it about two axes.

That is, as shown in FIG. 9, a shaft 124d that rotatably supports the support surfaces of the base 124a and the shock absorber 124b and a shaft 124e that rotates the support surface to face the front side in the figure. The base 124a is supported by the above, and the position (seal position) for sealing the packaging sheet S shown in FIG. 9B from the print input position (supporting position of the packaging sheet S) shown in FIG. ), The base 124a is moved around the shaft 124d, and the base 124a is moved around the shaft 124e from the seal position in FIG. 9B to the discharge position in FIG. 9C.
With this configuration, the print pack 12 can be guided to the discharge port on the front side of the apparatus by the print load reduction table 124.

  Next, the operation of the packer 20 in the printer 10 will be described.

As described above, the print P is conveyed through the discharge unit 48 of the processor 18 and is discharged and collected on the stacking unit 56 (on the conveyor 72) by the exit roller pair 50. Further, the stacking unit 56 aligns the prints P in the width direction with the prints P stacked by the width adjusting guides 74 and 74 at a predetermined timing such as one by one.
When the packer 34 detects that one print P (or the maximum number of sheets that can be accommodated in the print pack 12) is stacked on the stacking unit 56 by sorting information or the like, for example, the packer 34 conveys it to the conveyor 72 of the stacking unit 56. The print laminate is transported from the stacking unit 56 to the transport unit 58 by driving the conveyor 80 of the unit 58 synchronously.

  When the print laminate is transported to the transport unit 58, the curl crushing roller 82 is moved downward to press the print laminate from above to correct the curl, and then the upstream roller 86 is lifted, whereby FIG. As shown by the dotted line in FIG.

  On the other hand, the packaging sheet S is held in a state where the vicinity of the notch d is gripped by the gripping means 64a, the notch d is opened by the opening means 64b, and is hanging down. At this time, the lower end portion of the packaging sheet S is supported in a slightly lifted state by the print load reducing base 124 of the print input load reducing portion 68.

  When the conveyor 80 of the conveying unit 58 has the same angle as the conveyor 96 of the loading unit 60, the shutter 98 is opened, and then the conveyor 80 and the conveyor 96 are driven in synchronization to remove the print laminate from the conveying unit 58. The sheet is conveyed to the input unit 60, and subsequently conveyed obliquely downward by the input unit 60, and the printed laminate is input to the packaging sheet S from the opened cut d. At this time, by opening the shutter 98, the door 98a of the shutter 98 has at least a front end inserted into the packaging sheet S and acts as a guide for loading the printed laminate.

  The transport of the printed laminate from the transport unit 58 through the input unit 60 to the input to the packaging sheet S is not limited to being performed continuously as described above, and the transport unit 58 and the input unit 60 may be performed intermittently. For example, after the transport unit 58 is inclined and the print laminate is transported from the transport unit 58 to the input unit 60, the input unit 60 (conveyor 96) is reached when the wall portion 108 reaches a predetermined position upstream of the shutter 98. In this case, the printing laminate is temporarily stopped, the shutter 98 is opened, and then (or synchronously), the conveyance by the conveyor 96 is resumed, so that the printed laminate is inserted from the cut d of the packaging sheet S. Good.

  When the print is input by the input unit 60, the bottom of the packaging sheet S is supported by the print input load reducing unit 68, and the space for the print insertion is maintained in the bag-shaped portion of the packaging sheet S. The bag-like portion of the packaging sheet S can be prevented from narrowing by entering and pulling the bottom, and the friction between the uppermost and lowermost prints P and the packaging sheet S in the printed laminate can be prevented. It is possible to prevent a difference in the insertion speed of each print into the packaging sheet S, and thus it is possible to suppress the print laminate from being scattered (disturbed) in the loading direction. Further, by being supported by the print load reducing table 124, the leading ends of the print laminate are aligned. Moreover, it is possible to prevent the packaging sheet S from being damaged by the impact of printing.

Further, when the printed laminated body input by the input unit 60 reaches the bottom of the packaging sheet S, it collides with the print load reduction table 124 of the print input load reduction unit 68, but the impact is absorbed by the shock absorber 124b. Is absorbed, so that the end of the print P can be prevented from being damaged. Furthermore, since it is possible to suppress the print P from bouncing upward, it is possible to suppress the print P from being disturbed inside the packaging sheet S.
In this way, by providing the print input load reducing unit 68, it is possible to input a print laminate in an orderly stacked state without being disturbed, so a small packaging material (bag body) according to the print size, maximum number of sheets to be accommodated, etc. ) Even if the prints are neatly stacked, they can be reliably stored.

  When the printed laminate (one print P) is accommodated in the packaging sheet S, the opening means 64 releases the packaging sheet S (or further stops the fan), and then the sheet roll 110 rotates and cuts. The packaging sheet S is sent out until d reaches the seal / cut portion 66. At this time, the gripping means 64a moves downward while gripping the packaging sheet S. In addition, the print load reduction table 124 also moves downward and leaves the packaging sheet S.

  When the cut d moves to a predetermined position, the seal / cut part 66 fuses and melts the packaging sheet S. At the same time, the gripping means 64 a releases the packaging sheet S, and the finished product that is the print pack 12 with the opening sealed is accommodated in the product accommodating portion 70.

  As mentioned above, although the packing apparatus and packing method of this invention were demonstrated in detail, this invention is not limited to the said various Example, You may perform various improvement and a change in the range which does not deviate from the summary of this invention. Of course.

  For example, in the above example, a photo print created by exposing a photosensitive material (photographic paper) is packed into a print pack, but the present invention is not limited to this, and an inkjet printer, an electrophotographic printer, etc. By using the packing device of the present invention for various types of printers, various types of prints such as inkjet prints and electrophotographic prints can be packed into a print pack.

  In the above example, the print is packaged by using a long cylindrical packaging sheet to create a print pack. However, the packaging material for wrapping the print is formed in an individual bag shape in advance. May be used.

1 is a conceptual diagram of a printer that uses an example of a packing device of the present invention. It is the elements on larger scale of the packer of the printer shown in FIG. 1, Comprising: (A) is a front view, (B) is a top view. It is a schematic perspective view of an example of the packaging sheet which packs a print. It is a schematic diagram which shows the other example of an injection | throwing-in part. It is a figure which shows the other example of a stacking part and an injection | throwing-in part, (A) is a front view, (B) is a top view. (A) And (B) is a front view which shows the other example of a stacking | stacking part and an injection | throwing-in part. It is sectional drawing explaining schematic structure of an example of a printing input load reduction part. (A)-(C) is a figure explaining operation | movement of a printing input load reduction part. (A)-(C) is a figure explaining operation | movement of the other example of a printing input load reduction part.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Printer 12 Print pack 16 Exposure part 18 Processor 20 Packer 24 Photosensitive material roll 26 Magazine 28 Back printer 30 Exposure unit 32 Sub scanning conveyance roller pair 34 Cutter 38 Developing part 40 Drying part 42 Developing tank 44 Bleaching / fixing tank 46 Washing tank 48 Discharge unit 50 Exit roller pair 52 Large size print discharge unit 56 Accumulation unit 58 Conveying unit 60, 60a Input unit 61a, 61b, 61c Accumulation / input unit 62 Packaging sheet supply unit 64 Opening means 66 Seal / cut unit 68 Print input load Reducing part 70 Product accommodating part 72, 80, 96 Conveyor 74 Width adjusting guide 76, 86, 104 Roller 78, 84, 106 Endless belt 78a Restricting member 78b Pressing member 82, 102 Curl crushing roller 84a Pressing member 88, 108 Wall part 90 arm 92 shaft 98 shutter 98a door 100 guide plate 110 sheet roll 112 conveyance roller pair 114 guide 116 shaft 118 mounting table 118a regulating member 120a, 120b, 120c front end door 122 width regulation guide 124 print load reduction table 124a base 124b shock absorption Material 124c, 124d, 124e shaft

Claims (8)

A packing device for bagging prints on a case-by-case basis,
Holding means for opening a print insertion port of the print packaging bag upward and holding the print packaging bag in a suspended state; and
An input unit that inputs the prints to be packed in one of the accumulated print packaging bags from above the print packaging bag held by the holding unit toward the print insertion port;
And a support device for supporting the print packaging bag from below while lifting a lower end of the print packaging bag held and suspended by the holding device when the printing device inputs the print.   The packing device according to claim 1, further comprising sealing means for sealing the print insertion opening of the print packaging bag.   The support means includes a support base for supporting the print packaging bag, and after the print insertion opening is sealed, the support base is inclined downward to discharge the print packaging bag in which the prints are packed. The packing device according to claim 2, wherein the packing device guides the   An accumulating unit that conveys the accumulated prints to the input unit after accumulating the prints while regulating the position in a direction orthogonal to the conveyance direction and accumulating the prints to be packed in one print packaging bag. The packing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3. A packing method for bagging prints on a case-by-case basis,
Open the print insertion port of the print packaging bag upward, and hold the print packaging bag in a suspended state,
Supporting the print packaging bag from below in a state where the lower end of the printed bag hanging down is held,
A packing method in which the prints to be packed in one integrated print packaging bag are input from above the print packaging bag toward the print insertion port.   The packing method according to claim 5, wherein the print insertion opening is sealed after the printing is input.   The packing method according to claim 6, wherein after the print insertion opening is sealed, a support base that supports the print packaging bag is inclined downward to guide the print packaging bag packed with the print to the discharge unit. . Accumulating the print while regulating the position in the direction perpendicular to the conveyance direction,
The packing method according to any one of claims 5 to 7, wherein the prints to be inserted into one print packaging bag are accumulated, and then the accumulated prints are conveyed to a loading position where the prints are loaded into the print packaging bag.

Images