JPH0428435B2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Technical Field of the Invention] The present invention relates to a paper sheet comprising, for example, an automatic sorting machine that sorts mail, and a conveyance device that conveys the accumulated mail discharged from this machine to the next process. It relates to a processing device.

[Technical background of the invention]

Generally, in a paper sheet processing apparatus, such as a mail processing apparatus, the postal code of the mail is automatically read by an automatic sorting machine, and the mail is sorted and stacked based on the read information. and,
When the sorted and accumulated mail reaches a predetermined amount, it is delivered to a transport tray by a delivery device and transported by the transport device, so that it is supplied to the destination guarding device and the bundling device in the next process. It's summery.

[Problems with background technology]

However, in the above-mentioned mail processing apparatus, when a transport abnormality occurs in the transport device and the mail is stopped, the sorting machine also stops taking out the mail at the same time. For this reason, the sorting machine has been stopped even if there is a simple abnormality, such as when mail is caught between trays in the conveying device. Therefore, processing efficiency has been reduced.

[Purpose of the invention]

This invention was made in view of the above circumstances,
The purpose is to provide a paper sheet processing device that can improve processing efficiency.

[Summary of the invention]

In a mail processing device consisting of a sorting machine and a conveying device, when an abnormality such as a conveyance abnormality occurs on the conveying device side, the sorting machine side detects whether there is a stacking section that is full. If there is a stacking section that is full, the sorting operation of the sorting machine is stopped, and if there is no stacking section that is full, the sorting operation is continued and the sorting operation is continued until the above abnormality is resolved. When the stacking section becomes full, the sorting operation of the sorting machine is stopped.

[Embodiments of the invention]

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

In Fig. 1, 1 is the main body of the sorting machine that sorts and accumulates mail A as paper sheets whose sorting information has been read by the reader 2, based on the sorting information; This is a temporary stacking section in which mail items A, such as those that cannot be sent, are stacked in advance without being transported to the sorting machine main body 1 side.

The sorting machine main body 1 includes a plurality of sorting machine units 4.
It has a configuration in which horizontally connected stacking boxes (accumulating parts) groups 5a..., 5b..., 5c..., 5d... are arranged vertically in four stages, and each stacking box When an appropriate amount of mail A... is accumulated in 5a, 5b, 5c, 5d, the mail group is automatically
An automatic extrusion mechanism (not shown) for extruding A' to the rear side of the sorting machine main body 1 is provided.

Further, a conveying device 6 is installed in parallel to the sorting machine body 1 to automatically convey the sorted and accumulated mail A to the next process in each of the collection boxes 5a, 5b, 5c, and 5d. This conveying device 6 is connected to the sorting machine unit 4...
A first conveyance mechanism 8 constituted by a plurality of transverse feed units 7 provided on the back side corresponding to the above-mentioned transverse feed units 7; A merging mechanism 10 installed in the lifter unit 9, a distributing mechanism 12 installed in the ascending lifter unit 11 connected to the other end of the lateral feed unit 7..., and a mailpiece connecting mechanism 12 connected to the descending lifter unit 9. A second transport mechanism 14 built into the transfer unit 13 and the lateral transport unit 7
..., a third conveyance mechanism 15 constituted by a descending lifter unit 9, an ascending lifter unit 11, and a mail transfer unit 13.

The first conveyance mechanism 8 is a group of mails A'... pushed out from each collection box 5a, 5b, 5c, 5d of the collection box groups 5a..., 5b..., 5c..., 5d... of the sorter main body 1. A tray horizontal conveyance path 17 that intermittently conveys trays 16 that receive trays in the horizontal direction so as to face the adjacent stacking boxes 5a, 5b, 5c, and 5d.
a, 17b, 17c, and 17d.

The merging mechanism 10 includes the tray horizontal transport paths 17a, 17b, 17c, 1 of the first transport mechanism 8.
It receives and merges the trays 16 sent out from the trays 7d, and the tray horizontal conveyance paths 17a,
Merging transfer conveyance paths 18a, 18b, provided corresponding to the respective terminal ends of 7b, 17c, 17d,
18c, 18d, and the above-mentioned merging transfer conveyance path 18
Tray 16 sent out from a, 18b, 18c
... are lowered to the same position as the merging transfer conveyance path 18d, and in this state, the descending elevators 19a, 19b, which send the trays 16 sent out from the merging transfer conveyance path 18d to the second conveyance mechanism 14,
19c.

The second transport mechanism 14 has a merging tray transport path 20 that transports the trays 16 merged by the merging mechanism 10 in the horizontal direction. In addition, a tray 1 is provided near the end of this converging tray conveyance path 20.
A mail transfer device 22 is arranged to transfer the mail group A'... in 6... to a bundle pin line 21 in which a destination card attaching device (not shown) and a binding device (not shown) are arranged as the next process. has been done. Furthermore, at the end of the merge tray conveyance path 20, the empty trays 16 to which the mail A has been transferred by the mail transfer device 22 are transferred to the empty tray conveyance path 23 of the third conveyance mechanism 15, which will be described later. A first empty tray transfer device 24 is arranged. In addition, 25 is a grouping unit that collects mail pieces A... having the same classification information stored in different trays 16... into a predetermined number or more of the same tray 16, and 26 is a mail piece A to be excluded.
This is the reject part.

The third conveyance mechanism 15 has an empty tray conveyance path 23 that receives the empty tray 16 from the second conveyance mechanism 14 and returns it to the starting end side of the horizontal tray conveyance paths 17a, 17b, 17c, and 17d. There is. Furthermore, a second empty tray transfer device 28 for transferring the empty trays 16 from the empty tray transfer path 23 to the distribution mechanism 12 is arranged at the end of the empty tray transfer path 23.

The distribution mechanism 12 distributes and supplies empty trays 16 returned by the third transport mechanism 15 to the starting ends of the horizontal tray transport paths 17a, 17b, 17c, and 17d.
Transfer conveyance paths 29a, 2 for distribution provided corresponding to the respective starting ends of a, 17b, 17c, 17d
9b, 29c, 29d, and distribution transfer conveyance path 29
The distribution transfer conveyance path 2 is located at the same position as d.
9d as well as the trays 16 transferred by the second empty tray transfer device 28, the elevators 30a, 30b, and 30c are provided to receive the trays 16 and the trays 16 transferred by the second empty tray transfer device 28, and supply them to the distribution transfer conveyance paths 29a, 29b, and 29c.

Note that the first to third transport mechanisms 8, 14, 15
and ascending/descending elevators 30a, 30b, 3
0c, 19a, 19b, and 19c are an endless conveyor belt that transports the tray 16 horizontally, a stopper mechanism that slides the tray 16 on the conveyor belt and stops it at a predetermined position, and a transport detector 31 that detects the transport position of each tray 16. It is configured with

For example, as shown in FIG. 4, the conveyance detectors 31 . . .
c, the above-mentioned stopper mechanism (not shown) on 17d.
The tray 16 is provided with a micro switch that is turned on at the bottom plate 16a of the tray 16 conveyed by the conveyor belt 32.

Therefore, each collection box 5a, 5 of the sorting machine main body 1
When an appropriate amount of mail A... is accumulated in boxes 5a..., 5c, 5d, the automatic extrusion mechanism operates to push it out to the back side, and the mail pieces A... Tray horizontal transport path 1 of transport mechanism 8 of 1
Empty tray 16 in 7a, 17b, 17c, 17d
Mail group A'... is transferred to....

On the other hand, tray horizontal conveyance paths 17a, 17b, 17
The trays 16 of c, 17d... are successively stacked in the adjacent collection box 5.
A, 5b, 5c, 5d are moved one pitch at a time, and the tray 16 located at the terminal end is connected to the merging transfer conveyance path 18a, 18b, of the merging mechanism 10.
18c and 18d, respectively, and the trays 16 of the merging transfer conveyance paths 18a, 18b, 18c...
Further, descending elevators 19a, 19b, 19
The descending elevator 19 is moved to c.
Due to the downward movement of a, 19b, and 19c, they are positioned at the same position as the tray 16 on the merging transfer conveyance path 18d. These trays 16... are connected to a merging tray conveyance path 2 which is a common conveyance path for these trays 16...
sent to 0.

Tray 1 sent to the merging tray conveyance path 20
6..., the mail A is transferred to the bundle pin line 21 by the mail transfer device 22. Then, the empty trays 16 to which the mail A has been transferred are transferred to the empty tray conveyance path 23 by the first empty tray transfer device 24, and the tray horizontal conveyance paths 17a, 17b, 17
It is returned to the starting end side of c and 17d.

The returned empty trays 16 are transferred to the ascending elevators 30a, 30 by the second empty tray transfer device 28.
b, 30c and distribution transfer conveyance path 29d, and ascending elevators 30a, 30b, 30c.
The trays 16 . . . which have been transferred to the trays 16 . And distribution transfer conveyance path 29
Trays 16 on a, 29b, 29c, 29d... are tray horizontal conveyance paths 17a, 17b, 17c, 17
d is supplied to each starting end.

Note that the empty tray transport path 2 of the third transport mechanism 15
The operation of returning the empty trays 16 in step 3 may be an intermittent feeding operation, but it may also be a constant operation to speed up the return of the empty trays 16.
6... can be reduced in number.

FIG. 5 shows the main part of the electric circuit of the transport device 6, which is configured as follows, for example.
That is, 51 is a CPU that controls the whole, 52 is a ROM (read only memory) in which a control program is stored, 53 is a ROM in which an operation table is stored, and 54 is an interrupt control for interrupt control when an abnormality is detected. 55 is an interrupt controller for interrupt control during a single function, 56 is an interrupt controller that controls communication with the sorting machine 1 through an interface 57, and 58 is an interface with a bunching device (not shown). , 59 is a timer which outputs a signal every 500 msec, for example. 60 is the conveyance detector 31...
a detector interface that stores signals from;
A command register 61 stores a drive signal supplied from the CPU 51 and outputs the stored contents to the drive circuit 62. The drive circuit 62 operates the transport paths 17a, 17b, 17c, 17d, 18a,
18b, 18c, 18d, 20, 29a, 29
motors (not shown) that drive the elevators 19a, 19b, 19c,
A drive signal is output to a lifter (not shown) that drives 30a, 30b, and 30c.
63 to 66 are respective operation panels (not shown)
This interface connects the floppy disk device 67, printer 68, keyboard 69, CRT display device 70, and reader 71 provided in the CPU 51.

Next, the operation in such a configuration will be explained. For example, a start switch on an operation panel (not shown) in the sorting machine 1 is now turned on. Then, the sorting machine 1 is driven, and a start signal is supplied from the sorting machine 1 to the CPU 51 of the conveying device 6 via the interface 57. As a result, the CPU 51 starts the operation of the timer 59,
Each time a signal from the timer 59 is supplied, a corresponding drive signal is stored in the command register 61. In response to the output signal of the command register 61, the drive circuit 62 controls each of the transport paths 17a..., 1.
Motors 8a..., 20, 29a... (not shown)
And the lifters (not shown) of the elevators 19a...30a... are driven. Thereafter, the CPU 51 determines the processing according to the tray position detection signal from the detector interface 60 and the signal from the timer 59, stores a drive signal according to the result of this determination in the command register 61, and stores the drive signal according to the result of this determination in the command register 61. The drive control of each conveyance path and the elevator is performed according to the output.

The mail group A' that has been sorted and accumulated by the sorter 1 is delivered and conveyed in each sorting box. Then, when it is conveyed a predetermined distance, it is temporarily stopped, and the transfer device 22 transfers the pin line 2 for the next process.
The mail group A' is transferred to No. 1. After this,
A card with destination information printed thereon is attached to the mail group A' by a destination card attaching device, and then bundled by a bundler.

In such a state, when the tray 16 becomes conveyed abnormally due to a simple abnormality, for example, one piece of mail, the CPU 51 outputs an abnormality signal to the sorting machine 1 via the interface 57. Then, the sorting machine 1 displays an abnormality in the conveying device on an operator panel (not shown) and notifies the operator. At this time, the sorting machine 1 checks whether or not there is a full stacking section, and if there is a full stacking section, it stops the sorting operation. Furthermore, if there is no full accumulation section, the sorting machine 1 continues to operate. Thereafter, the sorting machine 1 stops the sorting operation when any of the stacking sections becomes full. However, if the conveyance abnormality in the conveyance device 6 is canceled before any of the stacking sections becomes full, the abnormality signal from the CPU 51 to the sorter 1 is immediately cut off, and the abnormality in the conveyance device is displayed on the operator panel (not shown). The light goes out, and the sorting machine 1 and the conveying device 6 return to normal operation.

A flowchart for explaining the main parts of the above operation is shown in FIG.

As mentioned above, when a simple abnormality occurs in the conveyance device 6, if the abnormality is cleared before the collected mail A' is discharged from the sorting machine 1, processing can be performed without stopping the sorting machine 1. The system can continue processing, improving processing efficiency, and is especially effective when processing New Year's cards, which requires high processing efficiency.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As described in detail above, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a paper sheet processing apparatus that can improve processing efficiency.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

The drawings show one embodiment of the invention.
Figure 2 is a schematic configuration diagram of the automatic mail processing device,
Fig. 3 is a diagram showing the state of the tray in the transport device, Fig. 4 is a diagram for explaining the relationship between the detector and the tray, Fig. 5 is a block diagram of the electric circuit of the transport device, and Fig. 6 is This is a flowchart for explaining the main parts of the operation. 1... Sorting machine, 5a~, 5b~, 5c~, 5d
~... Accumulation box (accumulation section), 6... Conveyance device, A...
...Mail (paper sheets), 16...Tray, 31...
Conveyance detector, 51...CPU, 59...Timer,
60...Detector interface, 61...Command register, 62...Drive circuit.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A sorting machine that sorts and stacks paper sheets into a plurality of stacking sections based on sorting information written on the paper sheets, and paper sheets that are discharged from the stacking sections of this sorting machine. In a sheet processing device consisting of a transport device that transports paper sheets to the next process, when an abnormality such as a transport abnormality occurs on the transport device side, is there a stacking section that is full on the sorter side? If there is a stacking section that is full, the sorting operation of the sorting machine is stopped,
The sorting machine is provided with a control means that continues the sorting operation when no stacking section is full, and stops the sorting operation of the sorting machine when any of the stacking sections becomes full before the above-mentioned abnormality is resolved. A paper sheet processing device characterized by: