JPH10157903A - Paper sheet handling device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To avoid the generation of a conveyance jam, wrong division and lowering of handling efficiency and take smooth switching action by overlapping a succeeding paper sheet with a preceding paper sheet only in case the thickness of the preceding paper sheet measured by a thickness measuring means is less than the specified thickness. SOLUTION: Paper sheets 2 set to a hopper 1 are separated sheet by sheet by a separating means 4. Overlap feed and flexural t rigidity of the paper sheets are detected by a detecting means, and thickness is detected by a thickness detecting part 21. In case of the thickness being larger than the specified value, the paper sheets are taken into a rejection box. A paper sheet overlap-conveying path 5 formed of two long and short conveying routes is provided downstream of a bar code reading part 9. In case paper sheets to be stacked in the same division shelf are continuous by two sheets, the succeeding paper sheet is conveyed through the shorter conveying path 7a and overlapped with the preceding paper sheet, and two paper sheets are stacked in the overlapped state in the division shelf 11. As a result, fluctuation of spacing of the paper sheets is reduced, and a conveyance jam at the time of stacking and at a gate part is prevented so as to be able to handle the paper sheets with high reliability and at high speed.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] The present invention relates to a paper sheet processing apparatus.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Paper sheets are separated from a supply means one by one or one by one, and the paper sheets are sorted and stored in designated storage means based on information written on the paper sheets. Patent Document 25, in which a conveying device comprising a long and short conveying route for stacking paper sheets is provided.
There is a paper sheet transport device shown in 07975.

[0003] This is because when two sheets are stored in the same section shelf in succession, the succeeding sheet is superimposed on the preceding sheet, and the two sections are superimposed on one another. To improve reliability during storage. Normally, paper sheets are transported along a long transport path of a transport route. When stacking paper sheets, a succeeding paper sheet is transported along a shorter transport path and is stacked on a preceding paper sheet. By stacking the sheets in this way, when the sheets are successively stored on the same section shelf, it is possible to prevent a jam caused by a succeeding sheet colliding with a preceding sheet.

[0004]

However, in the paper sheet sorting apparatus provided with the conveying means for stacking the paper sheets as described above, the paper sheets stacked by the stacking and conveying means are separated from the single sheets. There is a problem that the transport speed of the paper sheets is different and the interval between the transported paper sheets is gradually reduced.

When only one belt is driven and the other is driven in a rotating manner, the load applied when the belt is driven to rotate is different. In addition, the frictional force decreases due to paper sheets being sandwiched between the conveyor belts, and in fact, the speed of the conveyor belt driven in a co-rotating manner is faster than the speed of the conveyor belt driven by the motor. Will also be lower.

[0006] On the other hand, even if both endless belts that are opposed to and contact with each other are driven by the drive roller, the drive roller may be driven at a different angle, for example, due to a difference in the winding angle of the drive belt means around a shaft on which the drive roller is fixedly held. There may be a difference in the number of rotations. Even in this case, a speed difference also occurs between the endless belts that are the conveying means.

[0007] As described above, the speed of a sheet conveyed while being sandwiched between conveying belts having different speeds is faster than that of a conveying belt having a lower speed if the sheet is a single sheet. It is transported at a slower speed than the faster transport belt.

On the other hand, in the sheets stacked by the stacking and conveying means, the coefficient of friction between the sheets and the conveyor belt is larger than the coefficient of friction between the stacked sheets. The leaves are transported at the speed of the transport belt that is in contact. Therefore, a gap occurs between the stacked sheets, and the speed at which the sheets are conveyed is different from that of a single sheet.

For this reason, for example, when the preceding sheet is a single sheet and the succeeding sheet is a stacked sheet, the subsequent sheet is conveyed. The speed may be faster than the transport speed of the preceding single sheet, and may become smaller as the interval between both sheets is transported.

When the interval between the sheets becomes smaller, when the switching means performs the switching operation, the succeeding stacked sheets reach the switching means before the operation of the switching means is completed, and the conveyance jam occurs. May occur, or a wrong classification may be performed. In addition, since the switching unit does not reach the operable sheet interval, the switching operation is not performed,
Both papers are eliminated and there is a problem that the processing efficiency is reduced.

[0011]

Means for Solving the Problems In order to solve the above problems, the paper sheet processing apparatus of the present invention uses the following means. That is, a sheet is provided with a thickness measuring means for measuring the thickness of the sheet, and further, when two sheets stored in the same storing means are continuous, the succeeding sheet is replaced with the preceding sheet. For stacking, in a paper sheet processing apparatus having an overlap conveying means consisting of two long and short conveying means, when the thickness of the preceding sheet measured by the thickness measuring means is equal to or less than a predetermined thickness Only, the succeeding paper sheet is superimposed on the preceding paper sheet by the above-mentioned superimposing conveyance means.

[0012]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to FIGS.
This will be described with reference to FIG.

FIG. 1 is an explanatory view of a sorting machine for sorting postal letters such as postcards and sealed letters, which is one embodiment of the paper sheet processing apparatus of the present invention.

The letter sorter shown in FIG. 1 reads not only the postal code written on the paper sheet but also the address, and prints this information as a bar code on the paper sheet to process the paper sheet. Do. Therefore, the separating means 4 for separating the sheets one by one, the detecting means 20 for detecting the double feed of the sheets, etc.,
In addition to the thickness detecting means 21 for detecting the thickness of the paper sheet, the alignment means 3 for correcting the skew and shift of the paper sheet, a reading section 9a for reading a postal code and an address, a bar code are provided. A printer 22 for printing and bar code reading units 9b and 9c for reading bar codes are provided. As the printer 22 for printing a barcode, an ink jet printer is used for printing on paper sheets of various thicknesses and materials.

There are two types of sorting machines, off-line and on-line, for recognizing postal codes and addresses and printing bar codes. The sorting machine shown in FIG. 1 uses paper sheets whose addresses cannot be read. Is once assigned an ID code and removed,
Offline type that performs re-sorting using another device. In addition,
The present invention is not limited to an off-line letter sorter.

Next, the flow of paper sheets in the letter sorter shown in FIG. 1 will be described.

The paper sheets 2 set in the hopper 1 of the letter sorter are separated one by one by separation means 4. Such a sheet separating means generally employs a suction method using a vacuum suction belt. The vacuum chamber is subjected to a negative pressure to suction the sheets 2 to the suction belt, and the suction belt is, for example, an electric motor. By rotating using the driving means, it is possible to separate and convey only one of the paper sheets 2 closest to the suction belt.

The paper sheets separated one by one are double-fed by the detecting means 20 and the bending rigidity (hardness) of the paper sheets is reduced in order to prevent erroneous classification of the paper sheets and obstacles during transportation in advance. The thickness detecting section 21 detects the thickness of the paper sheet. This detecting means 2
A sheet with a value of 0 is regarded as a double feed, or a sheet whose bending stiffness (hardness) is considered to be excessive, or the sheet thickness is determined by the thickness detecting unit 21 to be larger than a predetermined value. The transport gate 23 on the downstream side of the detecting unit 20 and the thickness detecting unit 21 is switched to the reject box 2
4.

Sheets that are not regarded as abnormal by the detecting means 20 or 21 are conveyed to the alignment means 3 and the skew and shift are corrected. This alignment means 3 corrects the posture of the paper sheet or reads the barcode printing position in order to normally read by the address reading unit 9a and the barcode reading unit 9b on the downstream side. It is provided to match the sensor position.

The paper sheet 2 that has passed through the positioning means 3 first reads a zip code and an address in an address reading section 9a, and then reads a sender and other stations in a bar code reading section 9b provided downstream thereof. Reads the barcode given to the paper sheet.

For paper sheets to which no barcode is given, the barcode is printed at the position of the paper sheet determined by the ink jet printer 22 based on the information read by the address reading section 9a.

The bar code printed on the paper sheet is read by the bar code reading section 9c on the downstream side of the printer 22. The barcode information is used to switch between the gate 25 and a gate (not shown) provided above the sorting shelf so that the sheets are stacked on the sorting shelf 11 determined in advance. The paper sheet whose address could not be read is provided with an ID code and is conveyed to the reject section shelf 11A.

In the sorting machine shown in FIG. 1, a stack transport path 5 for paper sheets, which is composed of two long and short transport routes, is provided downstream of the bar code reading section 9c. This means that if two sheets are stacked on the same section shelf in succession, the succeeding sheet is stacked on the preceding sheet, and the two sheets are stacked on the section shelf with the two sheets stacked. This improves the reliability of integration. Normally, paper sheets are conveyed along the longer conveyance path 7b of the stacked conveyance paths of the paper sheets. When the paper sheets are stacked, the succeeding paper sheets are conveyed to the shorter conveyance path 7a. Is transported and stacked on the preceding sheet. By stacking paper sheets in this way,
When paper sheets are continuously stacked on the same section shelf, a jam caused by a succeeding paper sheet colliding with a preceding paper sheet is prevented.
The operation of the stacking conveyance path 5 will be described later in detail.

A transport path 16 for transporting paper sheets to the sorting shelf is provided above each section of the sorting shelf 11.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the configuration of the sorting machine of the present invention shown in FIG. In FIG. 2, reference numeral 1 denotes a supply unit that can hold a plurality of paper sheets 2, and can move the paper sheets 2 in the direction of arrow A. Reference numeral 68 denotes a supply unit control unit that can control the operation of the supply unit 1.

Reference numeral 67 denotes separation means control means for controlling the operation of the separation means 4.

Reference numeral 7 denotes a conveying means for conveying the paper sheets 2 separated into single leaves by the separating means 4. In the transport means 7, the paper sheets 2 separated by the separating means 4 are transported, for example, with the front and back sandwiched between belts.

Reference numeral 21 denotes a thickness measuring unit, for example, in which a roller 21c is provided at the tip of an arm 21b which is rotatably supported around a rotation center 21a.
This can be realized by measuring the rotation angle of the arm when passing through 1c by a measuring unit (not shown) such as a distance sensor using a laser.

Reference numeral 8a denotes a branch portion provided in the conveying means 7, which operates the sorting and selecting means 14 to change the traveling direction of the sheet 2 to the conveying means 7a and the conveying means 7b.
Can be branched to any of

Reference numeral 62 denotes distribution control means for controlling the distribution selection means 14.

Reference numeral 8b denotes a merging portion provided in the conveying means 7, which can convey the sheet 2 conveyed by either the conveying means 7a or the conveying means 7b to the conveying means 7c on the downstream side. it can. Here, the transporting means 7a and the transporting means 7b have different lengths from the branching portion 8a to the junction 8b, and the transporting means 7b is longer than the transporting means 7a.

Reference numeral 5 denotes a superimposing means,
a, transporting means 7a, transporting means 7b, merging section 8b, and sorting selecting means 14.

Reference numeral 9 denotes a reading means, which is an address reading section 9a or a bar code reading section 9b for reading a destination such as an address or a bar code given to the sheet 2 in advance.

Reference numeral 11 denotes a stacking unit that can sort and stack the sheets 2 that have been read, and are provided with a plurality of stacks.

Reference numeral 71 denotes section information input means for inputting section information for classifying the sheets 2.

Reference numeral 13 denotes a sorting unit for associating the sorting information input from the sorting information inputting unit 71 with the destination code read by the reading unit 9 and sorting the sheets 2 into any of the corresponding stacking units 11 for input. Selection means.

Numeral 66 denotes control means for controlling the reading means 9, supply means control means 68, transport interval storage section 69, separation means control means 67, sorting information input means 71, distribution control means 61, and distribution control means 62. I do.

FIG. 3 shows an accumulating means 11 constituting the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a side view showing an example of the configuration of the distribution selection unit 13. In FIG. 3, reference numeral 31 denotes a part of the transport means 16 and a belt for transporting the paper sheets 2, which moves in the direction of arrow A. 18 is a pulley for driving the belt 31;
Reference numeral 34 denotes a roller for sandwiching the paper sheet 2 with the belt 31.

Reference numeral 35 denotes a switching gate for distributing the sheets 2 sandwiched between the belt 31 and the rollers 34 and conveyed from the direction A in FIG. 36 around a predetermined angle. For example, if the switching gate 35 is 35
When the sheet 2 is in a position substantially parallel to the belt 31 as shown in FIG.
1 and is transported to the switching gate 35b. Here, when the switching gate 35b is rotated by a predetermined angle around the rotation center 36b so that the tip of the switching gate 35b is closer to the pulley 18 than the belt 31,
As shown in the sheet 2 ′, the sheet 2 ′ passes through the lower side of the switching gate 35 b and is put into the predetermined stacking unit 11. Reference numeral 37 denotes a paper sheet guide for guiding the paper sheets 2 entering the stacking means 11 and appropriately pressing the paper sheets 2 already stacked inside the stacking means 11.

By providing a necessary number of such configurations, the paper sheets 2 can be sorted and stacked in the predetermined stacking means 11.

Next, the movement and problems of the paper sheets 2 when the paper sheets 2 enter the stacking means 11 and are stacked will be described with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5. FIG.

FIG. 4 is a side view for explaining the movement of the paper sheet 2 when the paper sheet 2 enters the stacking means 11. Belt 3
The paper sheet 2 sandwiched by 1 and conveyed from the direction of arrow A is bent in the direction of arrow B by the switching gate 35 in the operating state, and advances along the switching gate 35 and the paper sheet guide 37, The paper sheet 2 ″ that has already been stacked inside the stacking means 11 enters the stack. The leading end of the paper sheet 2 ′ in the traveling direction collides with the wall surface W of the stacking means 11, and the paper sheet 2 ′ stops. I do.

Thereafter, the trailing end of the paper sheet 2 'begins to fall,
When a certain time has elapsed, a gap g is formed at the rear end of the sheet 2 'with respect to the switching gate 35 or the sheet guide 37, as shown in 2a. If the succeeding paper sheet 2 'is successively stacked on the same stacking means 11 after the paper sheet 2', the leading end of the next paper sheet 2 is generated at the rear end of the paper sheet 2 '. The paper sheet 2 enters the inside of the gap g, and the paper sheet 2 can accumulate immediately above the paper sheet 2 ′.

On the other hand, FIG. 5 shows that, for example, the preceding sheet 2 ′ is very light and takes too much time due to the formation of the gap g, or the following sheet 2 and the preceding sheet This shows a collision of the paper sheet 2 that occurs when the conveyance interval 2 'is small. That is, before the trailing end of the sheet 2 that has entered the stacking unit 11 falls and the gap g is generated, the subsequent sheet 2 enters the inside of the stacking unit 11, and thus the preceding sheet 2 The leading end of the next paper sheet 2 collides with the rear end of the class 2 'at the point P, and a jam occurs. Such a phenomenon occurs only when two continuous paper sheets 2 are put into the same stacking unit 11. That is, if two sheets 2 are put into separate stacking means 11, the preceding sheet 2 ′ is put inside the stacking means 11 and the switching gate 35 is operated in the closing direction. Then, the next paper sheet 2 is conveyed to be put into another stacking means 11. Therefore, the paper sheets 2 do not collide with each other.

Next, the operation of the superposing means 5 for avoiding collision between the paper sheets described with reference to FIG. 5 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 6 is a diagram schematically showing the configuration of the superposing means 5, and the conveying means 7 is shown in a straight line. Here, it is assumed that the length of the conveying means 7a from the branching portion 8a to the merging portion 8b is A1, the length of the conveying means 7b from the branching portion 8a to the merging portion 8b is A2, and A2 > A1.

Now, it is assumed that the two sheets 2 (a) and (b) are conveyed continuously on the conveying means 7 in the conveying direction. Here, if it is known that both of these sheets 2 are to be accumulated in the same accumulation unit 11 based on the destination code 15 read by the destination code reading unit 9, the first sheet 2 ( Immediately before (a) reaches the branching section 8a, the second switching means 14 is operated to guide the paper sheet 2 (a) to the transport means 7b. Next, immediately before the second sheet 2 (b) reaches the branch portion 8a, the second switching means 14 is operated again, and the sheet 2 (b) is guided to the transport means 7a. The two sheets 2 (a) and (b) are conveyed on separate conveying means as indicated by (a ') and (b'), respectively, and merge again into the single conveying means 7c at the merging section 8b. . Here, the lengths A1 and A2 of the transporting means 7a and 7b are A2> A.
Since it is 1, the paper sheets 2 (a ") and (b") conveyed from the junction 8b to the conveying means 7c are superposed.

The paper sheets 2 thus superimposed
(A ") and (B") are conveyed as they are and are fed into a predetermined stacking means 11 integrally. Since these paper sheets 2 (a ") and (b") are overlapped in advance, when they are put into the stacking means 11, a jam as described with reference to FIG. 5 does not occur.

The collision between the paper sheets 2 as shown in FIG. 5 occurs only when the preceding paper sheet 2 'is thin and lightweight. That is, when the preceding sheet 2 ′ is a thick letter, the sheet 2 ′ is dropped into the stacking unit 11 and starts to fall under its own weight at the same time. The tip does not collide. On the other hand, when the sheets are conveyed while being superimposed as described above, the conveying speed of the sheets stacked by the superimposing means and the single sheet is different, and the interval between the conveyed sheets is reduced. The problem that it becomes smaller gradually occurs.

Therefore, in the present invention, the thickness of the conveyed paper sheets is measured, and when two consecutive paper sheets 2 are stacked on the same sorting shelf, It is assumed that the superposing means 5 is operated only when it is predicted that a jam due to the collision between the paper sheets as described with reference to FIG. That is, even when two consecutive paper sheets 2 are stacked on the same sorting shelf,
When the preceding sheet is thicker than a predetermined thickness, the superposing means 5 is not operated.

Such an operation will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 7 showing the operation of the thickness measuring means and the superposing means. First, the maximum thickness T1 that can be conveyed by the conveying means and the maximum thickness T2 for performing the superimposition by the superimposing means 5 are input (procedure 100). For example, T1 = 6m
m, T2 = 1 mm. Next, the paper sheet 2 is supplied to the supply means 1 (procedure 101), and is moved by the supply means control means 68 to the separation means 4 in the direction of FIG. The separating means 4 is driven by the separating means control means 67 to separate the paper sheets 2 into single leaves (procedure 102). The separated paper sheet 2 is conveyed through the conveyance path 7, passes through the thickness measuring unit 21, and the thickness T is measured by the thickness measuring means 70 (step 103). The measured thicknesses T and T1 are compared with each other (step 104). If T> T1, the transfer gate 23 is switched (step 105) because the transfer gate 23 is too thick and cannot be transferred. It accumulates (procedure 106). Then T and T2
Are compared (step 107). If T2 <T, it is determined that the sheets 2 are thick and do not need to be overlapped, so the address reading means 9a or the barcode reader 9b
After the destination has been read (step 108), the sheet is transported through the transport paths 7 and 16 as it is and
Is operated (step 112) and the data is accumulated on the separate shelves 11 corresponding to the respective destinations.

On the other hand, when it is determined in step 107 that T <T2, superposition may be required. Therefore, the address reading means 9a or the bar code reader 9b
After reading the destination (step 109), it is determined whether or not the subsequent sheets 2 are to be stacked on the same stacking unit 11 (step 110). If the sheets are not stacked on the same stacking means 11, it is not necessary to operate the superimposing means 5; therefore, the sheets are conveyed as they are, and the predetermined sorting means 13 is operated (step 112). Are stored on separate sorting shelves 11 corresponding to the above.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step 110 that the sheets are to be stacked on the same stacking means 11, the superimposing means 5 is operated (step 111), and the preceding paper sheet is read as described with reference to FIG. 2 and the succeeding paper sheet 2 are superimposed and conveyed, and the predetermined sorting means 13 is operated (step 112).
The sheets 2 are stacked on the sorting shelf 11 while being superposed.

This operation is repeated until all the sheets 2 supplied to the supply means 1 are completely separated (step 113).

By such an operation, the superposing means 5
The number of times that the sheets 2 are overlapped with each other can be reduced, thereby preventing a jam due to a collision between the sheets and also preventing a problem that the interval between the conveyed sheets gradually decreases. Can be.

Further, when the total thickness of the stacked sheets 2 exceeds a certain thickness, for example, 6 mm, normal conveyance cannot be performed as in the case of an excessively thick single sheet. Therefore, it is desirable not to perform the superposition.

[0056]

According to the present invention, it is possible to reduce the fluctuation of the interval between the conveyed paper sheets, to prevent the paper jam at the time of stacking on the sorting shelves and at the gate portion,
A highly reliable and high-speed paper sheet processing apparatus can be realized.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a mail sorting machine as an embodiment of a paper sheet processing apparatus.

FIG. 2 is a simplified block diagram showing the configuration of the sorting machine of the present invention shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a side view showing an example of the configuration of an accumulation unit and a sorting and selecting unit which constitute the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a side view illustrating the movement of the paper sheet when the paper sheet enters the stacking unit.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a state of a collision when a sheet enters a stacking unit.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of a configuration of a superposing unit.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart of an operation of a thickness measuring unit and an overlapping unit.

[Description of Signs] 1 ... supplying means, 2 ... paper sheets, 4 ... separating means, 5 ... overlapping means, 7 ... conveying means, 8a ... branching section, 8b ... merging section, 9 ... reading section, 11 ... stacking Means 13, 14 ... Distributing means, 21 ... Thickness detecting unit, 61, 62 ... Distributing control unit, 66 ... Control means, 67 ... Separating means control means, 6
8: supply means control means, 70: thickness measurement means, 71: classification information input means.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A paper for separating paper sheets one by one from a supply means and storing the paper sheets in a designated storage means based on information written on the paper sheets. A leaf processing apparatus, comprising a thickness measuring means for measuring the thickness of the paper sheet, and further, when two sheets stored in the same storage means are continuous, In a sheet processing apparatus having an overlapping conveyance unit including two long and short conveyance units for stacking a leaf on a preceding sheet, the thickness of the sheet measured by the thickness measuring unit is a predetermined value. The sheet processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when the thickness is equal to or less than the thickness, the succeeding sheet is superimposed on the preceding sheet by the overlap conveying means.