JPH09155299A - Sorting device - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) 【Abstract】 PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enable sorting without sandwiching paper sheets, prevent stains on paper sheets, and simplify the structure of a sorting device. SOLUTION: In the sorting device 31, a first conveyor 45 having a horizontal conveying surface, a first dog 47 protruding from the conveying surface of the first conveyor 45 and abutting on a sheet 33,
A second conveyor 61 having a substantially vertical conveying surface, and a sheet 33 placed between the first conveyor 45 and the second conveyor 61 and placed on the conveying surface of the first conveyor 45 and conveyed. First branching unit 49 for standing up, a second dog 63 projecting on the conveying surface of the second conveyor 61 and mounting the paper sheets 33 in a leaning state, and a sorting shelf provided facing the second conveyor. 65, and a second branching unit 67 provided between the second conveyor 61 and the sorting shelf 65 and sending out the paper sheets 33 conveyed by the second conveyor to the sorting shelf 65.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a sorting device for sorting paper sheets such as mail.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Paper sheets are often sorted according to their purpose in various fields. For example, in the case of postal items, assortment work is performed to sort the postal items along the delivery route. The sorting device shown in FIG. 2, for example, is one that automatically performs this sort of sorting work. The sorting device 1 has a primary sorter 7 and a secondary sorter 9 that sort the supplied mail items 3 into predetermined sorting shelves 5. The primary sorter 7 has a vertical conveyor 15 composed of a belt 13 wound around upper and lower horizontal rollers 11a and 11b, and a guide conveyor 17 that moves in contact with substantially the upper half of the peripheral circuit of the vertical conveyor 15. Vertical conveyor 15
A transport path for sandwiching and transporting the postal matter 3 is formed between and the guide conveyor 17.

The downward circuit of the vertical conveyor 15 includes:
A plurality of movable conveyors 19 are arranged along the vertical conveyor 15. The movable conveyor 19 is revolved in synchronism with the vertical conveyor 15 to form a conveyance path for nipping and conveying the postal matter 3 with the vertical conveyor 15, and a lower end roller is separated from the vertical conveyor 15. It is possible to move in parallel to. A secondary sorter 9 extending in the horizontal direction is disposed at the end of each movable conveyor 19. The secondary sorter 9 has a horizontal upper conveyor 21 and a plurality of loading conveyors 23 arranged along the upper conveyor 21. Input conveyor 2
Reference numeral 3 indicates a conveying path that is revolved in synchronism with the upper conveyor 21 to sandwich and convey the postal matter 3 with the upper conveyor 21, and a roller at the leading end in the conveying direction separates from the upper conveyor 21. It is possible to move in parallel to.

In the conventional sorting apparatus 1 thus constructed, when the postal matter 3 is sent to the primary sorter 7, the postal matter 3 is sandwiched between the vertical conveyor 15 and the guide conveyor 17 and then conveyed upward. At the terminal end of the guide conveyor 17, the vertical conveyor 15 and the movable conveyor 19 sandwich it, and the primary sorter 7 is conveyed by the downward circular movement. Then, when it reaches a predetermined secondary sorter 9, the movable conveyor 19 is moved, and the postal matter 3 is sent from the primary sorter 7 to the secondary sorter 9. The postal matter 3 sent to the secondary sorter 9 is sandwiched between the upper conveyor 21 and the input conveyor 23 and conveyed in the horizontal direction (the direction of arrow a in the figure), and when it reaches the upper part of the predetermined sorting shelf 5, it is input. By moving the conveyor 23, the conveyor 23 is loaded into a predetermined sorting shelf 5 provided below and sorting is performed.

[0005]

However, in the above-described conventional sorting apparatus 1, since the primary sorter 7 forms the circulation moving path for conveying the mail 3 upward and then downward. Vertical conveyor 1
5 and the guide conveyor 17, or the vertical conveyor 15 and the movable conveyor 19, must be carried while sandwiching them. As a result, if the conveyors sandwiching these mail pieces 3 are out of synchronization with each other, the mail piece 3 and the conveyors There was a problem in that the mail 3 was rubbed and the mail 3 was damaged. Also, this is
The same applies to the secondary sorter 9 in which the postal matter 3 is sandwiched and conveyed by the upper conveyor 21 and the input conveyor 23. Further, in the sorting device 1 described above, the mail 3
Since it is necessary to form a conveyance path for sandwiching and conveying the conveyor, it is necessary to dispose the conveyors so as to face each other with the conveyance path interposed therebetween, which has a drawback that the apparatus becomes complicated and large. The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a sorting device that can sort sheets without sandwiching them, and to prevent stains on the sheets and simplify the device structure.

[0006]

To achieve the above object, the structure of a sorting apparatus according to the present invention comprises: a first conveyor having a substantially horizontal conveying surface on which paper sheets are placed; A first dog having a substantially vertical transport surface provided above the transport surface, the first dog protruding from the transport surface of the conveyor and contacting an end portion of the paper sheet placed on the opposite side of the transport direction; Two conveyors, which are placed between the first conveyor and the second conveyor, are laid on the conveyor surface of the first conveyor by swinging a first branch plate toward the first conveyor, and are transported. The first branching unit for standing up the coming paper sheets along the first branching plate, and the lower end of the paper sheet in the standing state protruding from the conveying surface of the second conveyor are brought into contact with each other. The second door that holds the paper sheets while leaning against the upper conveyor surface of the second conveyor. And a sorting shelf which is provided so as to face the upper conveying surface of the second conveyor and is arranged in a plurality of stages in the vertical direction, and a second branching plate which is provided between the second conveyor and the sorting shelf. A second branching unit for swinging to the second conveyor side and branching and moving the paper sheets conveyed in the leaning state along the second branching plate and sending out to the sorting shelf. It is what Then, in the sorting apparatus configured as described above, the paper sheet is conveyed toward the second conveyor side by the first conveyor, and when it reaches the second conveyor in the predetermined row, the first branching unit is operated and the paper sheet is conveyed. Classes are pushed up along the first branch plate to the standing state. Next, the paper sheets are transferred to the second conveyor by the second dog provided on the second conveyor. When the paper sheet transferred to the second conveyor approaches the predetermined sorting rack, the second branching unit is operated, the paper sheet is guided along the second branching plate, and is sent to the predetermined sorting rack. Therefore, in this sorting device, the transport surface is configured by the horizontal direction of the first conveyor and the upward direction of the second conveyor, and there is no transport in the gravity direction, and the paper sheets can be transported only by placing the paper sheet. It is no longer necessary to place the conveyors facing each other to pinch the leaves.

[0007]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of a sorting apparatus according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG.
FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram showing an example of a sorting apparatus according to the present invention. In the supply section of the sorting device 31, paper sheets 33 such as postal matter are provided.
A magazine 35 for accommodating the sheets is stacked.
A discharge port 37 for discharging the paper sheets 33 is provided below the magazine 35, and the stacked paper sheets 3 are discharged from the discharge port 37.
3 are sequentially discharged from the lower side.

Various mechanisms are conceivable as a mechanism for discharging from the discharge port 37. For example, while the discharge port 37 is formed in the lower part of the side surface of the magazine 35, a slit extending toward the discharge port 37 side is formed on the bottom surface of the magazine 35, and a dog of the primary sorter described later is inserted into this slit, whereby the paper sheet A mechanism may be considered in which the class 33 is pushed out sequentially from the bottommost one through the discharge port 37. In addition, as a discharging mechanism of the magazine 35, in addition to this, a movable push-out means that crosses the accommodation space of the magazine 35 from the side opposite to the discharge port 37 is provided, and the paper sheet 3 is moved by the movement of the push-out means.
3, a mechanism for sending out 3 from the discharge port 37, a vacuum pad is movably provided in the above-mentioned slit, and the lowermost sheet 33
The sheet 33 is discharged to the discharge port 3 by moving the vacuum pad that has adsorbed to the discharge port 37 side along the slit.
It may be a mechanism for sending out from 7.

Below the magazine 35, one end of a primary sorter 39 is arranged. Primary sorter 39
Are rollers 41a, 41b arranged in parallel on a horizontal plane.
It has a first conveyor 45 constituted by a horizontal belt 43 hung around the. In the first conveyor 45, the horizontal belt 43 is rotated in the clockwise direction by rotating the rollers 41a and 41b in the clockwise direction in the drawing. That is, the paper sheets 33 supplied from the magazine 35 onto the first conveyor 45 are conveyed rightward in the drawing while being placed on the horizontal belt 43.

On the surface of the horizontal belt 43, which is the conveying surface,
The protruding first dogs 47 are provided at predetermined intervals in the longitudinal direction of the horizontal belt 43. The first dog 47 is in contact with the end of the paper sheet 33 placed on the horizontal belt 43 on the opposite side in the transport direction, and allows the paper sheet 33 to be transported while being hooked on the horizontal belt 43. The horizontal belt 43 may be either one, or two parallel belts arranged on both sides of the paper sheet 33. In the case of the horizontal belt 43 made of one sheet, the conveyance is performed with the central portion of the paper sheet 33 placed, and in the case of the horizontal belt 43 made of two parallel sheets, the paper sheet 33 is conveyed. The transportation is performed with both sides of the class 33 placed.

Above the first conveyor 45, a plurality of first branch units 49 are arranged at equal intervals in the transport direction of the first conveyor 45. The first branch unit 49 has a first branch plate 51 whose base end is swingably supported by a swing shaft 50 having the same center as the rollers 41a and 41b.
The first branch plate 51, which is swung about the swing shaft 50, is arranged such that the front end side is lower than the mounting surface of the horizontal belt 43. The swing of the first branch plate 51 is performed by, for example, a solenoid. Further, the first branch plate 51 of the first branch unit 49 has a U-shape in plan view which can be arranged on both sides of the horizontal belt 43 when the first conveyor 45 is composed of one horizontal belt 43. In the case where the first conveyor 45 is composed of two horizontal belts 43, it is formed of a single plate that can be arranged between the two belts.

Therefore, when the solenoid operates and the tip of the first branch plate 51 is located below the placement surface of the horizontal belt 43, the paper sheet 33 conveyed on the horizontal belt 43 is By being pushed up in the direction of the swing shaft 50 along the one branch plate 51, the standing state is achieved. The first branch plate 5
The upper surface (guide surface) of 1 is preferably formed in a concave curved surface. If the guide surface of the first branch plate 51 is formed in a concave curved surface shape, only the leading end portion of the paper sheet 33 slides on the guide surface when the conveyed paper sheet 33 contacts the first branch plate 51. As a result, the entire back surface of the paper sheet 33 comes into contact with the guide surface in parallel and is not rubbed. In addition, the first branch unit 4
In No. 9, the first branch plate 51 returns to the standby position (horizontal position) so that the interference with the paper sheet 33 conveyed by the first conveyor 45 is cut off.

Above the first conveyor 45, a plurality of secondary sorters 55 are arranged in parallel so as to correspond to the respective first branch units 49. Secondary sorter 55
Are the horizontal rollers 57a and 57b provided above and below.
A second conveyor 61 consisting of a vertical belt 59 hung on the
have. The second conveyor 61 includes rollers 57a, 5
By rotating 7b counterclockwise in the figure, the vertical belt 59 is rotated counterclockwise. On the outer peripheral surface of the vertical belt 59, protruding second dogs 63 are arranged at equal intervals in the longitudinal direction of the vertical belt 59. The second dog 63 is
By hooking the lower end of the paper sheet 33, the paper sheet 33 can be placed in a leaning state. In addition,
The first branch unit 49 operates so that the second dog 63 of the second conveyor 61 operates when the second dog 63 reaches a predetermined position.
The movement is controlled in synchronization with the movement of the.

That is, the first branching unit 49 operates, and the paper sheet 33 which has been erected by the first branching plate 51 is leaned against the lower end by being hooked on the second dog 63 of the second conveyor 61. It is placed in an open state and is conveyed upward by the second conveyor 61.
Since the second conveyor 61 conveys the paper sheets 33 while leaning them against each other, it is preferable to install the second conveyor 61 with the upper part thereof slightly inclined in the left direction in the figure in order to improve the holding property of the paper sheets 33. . Further, the holding property of the paper sheet 33 is that the second dog 6
The shape of 3 can also be improved.
For example, a standing piece standing upright in the carrying direction is provided at the tip of the second dog 63.

The second conveyor 61 may be composed of either one or two, like the first conveyor 45 described above.

A sorting shelf 65 is provided so as to face the upward conveying surface of the second conveyor 61, and the sorting shelves 65 are vertically arranged in a plurality of stages. A second branch unit 67 is provided between each sorting shelf 65 and the second conveyor 61. The second branch unit 67 has a structure similar to that of the first branch unit 49 described above.
That is, the base end of the second branch plate 69 is swingably supported by the swing shaft 71. The second branch plate 69 is swung by a solenoid or the like, so that the front end is arranged on the transport surface of the second conveyor 61.

In the secondary sorter 55, the tip of the second branch plate 69 of the second branch unit 67 is swung on the transport surface of the second conveyor 61, so that the paper transported upward by the second conveyor 61. The leaf 33 is the second branch plate 69
And is guided along the second branch plate 69 by the conveying force of the second conveyor 61 and fed to the sorting shelf 65 on the right side of the second branch plate 69. The second branching unit 67 is designed so that the second branching plate 69 returns to the standby position (vertical position) so that the interference with the paper sheets 33 conveyed by the second conveyor 61 is cut off.

The operations of the first branching unit 49 and the second branching unit 67 described above are controlled by a computer (not shown). That is, the numbers, bar codes, etc. attached to the respective paper sheets 33 are read by a bar code reader (not shown), and the information is sent to the computer. The paper sheets 33 delivered to the transport path are compared with the sorting information stored in the computer, and as a result, the first branch unit 49 and the second branch unit 67 are transported so as to be transported to the designated sorting shelf 65. Are sequentially controlled to move.

The operation of the sorting apparatus 31 thus constructed will be described. The paper sheets 33 discharged (cut out) from the discharge port 37 of the magazine 35 are stored in the primary sorter 3
The first dog 47 of the first conveyor 45 at 9 conveys the first conveyor 45 toward the secondary sorter 55 side.

When the paper sheet 33 reaches the secondary sorter 55 in a predetermined row, the first branch unit 49 is operated,
The paper sheet 33 is pushed up along the first branch plate 51 to the upright state. Next, the lower end of the paper sheet 33 is placed on the second dog 63 by the synchronization of the second dog 63 provided on the second conveyor 61 of the secondary sorter 55, and is transferred to the second conveyor 61.

Paper sheets 33 transferred to the second conveyor 61
Is transported upwards and approaches the specified sorting shelf 65,
The second branching unit 67 is operated and the second branching plate 69 is swung on the conveying surface of the second conveyor 61, so that the upper end is guided along the second branching plate 69, and the predetermined sorting shelf 65.
Sent out to As a result, the paper sheets 33 are put into the predetermined sorting shelf 65, and the sorting is completed.

In this sorting device 31, the conveying surface is constituted by the horizontal direction of the first conveyor 45 and the upward direction of the second conveyor 61, there is no conveyance in the direction of gravity, and the paper sheet 33 is placed only by placing it. It can be transported. Further, this eliminates the need for arranging the conveyors to face each other as in the case of sandwiching and holding the paper sheets 33. Further, the magazine 35 is arranged above the first conveyor 45, and the lowermost one of the paper sheets 33 stacked in the magazine 35 is taken out, so that the paper sheets 33 are placed at the lowermost stage by utilizing gravity. It is possible to sequentially cut out the items from the first conveyor 45.

According to the sorting apparatus 31 described above, the paper sheets 3
Since the paper sheet 33 can be conveyed only by placing the paper sheet 33 on the gravitational direction, it is not necessary to sandwich the paper sheet 33, and thus the paper sheet 33 can be sorted without being contaminated. Will be able to. Further, since it is not necessary to sandwich the paper sheets 33, it is not necessary to provide the conveyors facing each other, and the device can be configured with a simple structure. Further, since the magazine 35 in which the paper sheets 33 are stored in a stacked state is arranged above the first conveyor 45, by using the first dog 47 of the first conveyor 45 which moves in a circular manner, the paper at the bottom end can be used. The leaves 33 can be sequentially sent out, and cutting can be performed without providing a special cutting device.

[0024]

As described in detail above, according to the sorting apparatus of the present invention, the conveying surface is constituted by the substantially horizontal direction and the upward direction, and the conveyance in the gravity direction is eliminated, so that the paper sheets are It can be conveyed only by placing, and it is possible to reliably prevent stains due to rubbing that occurs when the paper sheets are sandwiched by the conveyor. Further, since the paper sheets can be conveyed only by placing them without sandwiching them, there is no need to arrange the conveyors facing each other to sandwich the paper sheets, and the number of conveyors can be reduced by half, and the device structure is simplified. It can be anything.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram showing an example of a sorting apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram showing a conventional sorting device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 31 sorting device 33 paper sheet 45 first conveyor 47 first dog 49 first branching unit 51 first branching plate 61 second conveyor 63 second dog 65 sorting shelf 67 second branching unit 69 second branching plate

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A first conveyor (45) having a substantially horizontal conveying surface on which a paper sheet (33) is placed, and a protruding surface provided on the conveying surface of the first conveyor (45). A first dog (47) that abuts an end of the paper sheet (33) on the side opposite to the conveying direction, and a second conveyor (61) provided above the conveying surface and having a substantially vertical conveying surface The first branch plate (51) provided between the first conveyor (45) and the second conveyor (61) is swung to the first conveyor (45) side to thereby move the first conveyor (4).
Paper sheets (3) that are placed and conveyed on the conveyance surface of 5)
A first branching unit (49) for standing up 3) along the first branching plate (51), and a sheet (33) projecting from the conveying surface of the second conveyor (61) and in the standing up state. ) And a second dog (63) for placing the paper sheet (33) in a state of leaning against the upper conveying surface of the second conveyor (61) by contacting the lower end of the second conveyor (61). ) A sorting shelf (65) that is provided so as to face the upper conveying surface and is arranged in a plurality of stages in the vertical direction.
And a second branch plate (69) provided between the second conveyor (61) and the sorting shelf (65).
The second branch which swings to the 1) side to branch and move the paper sheet (33) conveyed in the leaning state along the second branch plate (69) and send it to the sorting shelf (65). A sorting device (31) comprising: a unit (67);