JPS60244754A - Sorter - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To enable an operator to take out property arranged copies easily at the time of collecting copies by arranging sheets in a virtual bin in order of page from the back. CONSTITUTION:A sorter body 7 comprises indicating means 8 corresponding to the respective bins, deflecting means 9 for deflecting a sheet advancing path, a sensor 10 for detecting that a sheet enters a bin, and a sensor 11 for detecting the existence/absence of a sheet in the bin. An operator, first, inputs the number of documents to an operation part 1, and secondly inputs the number of documents required. Whereupon, according to a table memoried in ROM or RAM3 from the number J of bins required per one virtual bin 1 and the required number of copies, a solenoid of the bin corresponding thereto is turned on. When the number of sheets in the bin amounts to the number of copies, the next page sheet comes out, that is, the sheets in the virtual bin are arranged in order of page from the back, whereby an operator can easily obtain the arranged copies.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Technical Field] The present invention relates to a sorter used in conjunction with a copying machine or a printing machine.

[Prior art]

The sorter usually has 10 to 20 stages of sorting trays called bins, and copy sheets are sorted into the bins one by one. Then, sheets corresponding to the number of original copies are stacked in one bin.

By the way, since the maximum number of sheets that can be stored in a bin (the number of sheets that can be stored) is determined, if the number of originals is set to be greater than the maximum number of sheets that can be stored, the bin will overflow.

Conventionally, in such a case, the copy sheet of overflow 4 was controlled to be stored in the next bin. Regarding a plurality of bins together as one bin in this way is called a virtual bin.

In this way, one set of copies corresponding to the number of originals can be made in one virtual bin (which may extend over several stages).

However, in conventional devices, there is no means to distinguish between this virtual bin and a subsequent virtual bin containing another set of copy sets, and therefore there is a risk that the user may make a mistake when collecting the sorted sheets. .

〔the purpose〕

The purpose of the present invention is to eliminate such drawbacks of the conventional example, and to control the page order so that the order of pages is accurately aligned by manipulating the order in which sheets are sent to each bin when using virtual bins. [Configuration] The configuration of the present invention will be described below based on an illustrated embodiment.

FIG. 1 shows a circuit block diagram and a schematic diagram of the main body mechanism of a sorter according to the present invention.

Reference numeral 1 denotes an operation section for inputting the number of original sheets, the number of copies, etc., and displaying the numerical values and other messages. Reference numeral 2 indicates an interface for exchanging data between the operation section 1 and a CPU, which will be described later.
It has 10 ports. 3 is a ROM or RA in which the glodarum or data necessary to control this sorter is stored.
It is M. Reference numeral 4 denotes a control device (CPU) for controlling and calculating the present sorter. Reference numeral 5 denotes an I10 port for outputting data from the control device 4 to the boats to which each controlled member is connected, or for inputting signals from sensors and the like to the control device 4.

6 is I10! -) It is a means for driving an LED and a solenoid, which will be described later, according to a signal output from 5.

7 is a sorter body (hereinafter simply referred to as a sorter).

8 is a display means such as an LED arranged corresponding to each bin. Denoted at 9 is a deflecting means for deflecting the traveling path of the conveyed sheet and feeding it into each bin. SQL 1~SQ
L8 is a solenoid that drives a deflection claw which is one of the deflection means. 81 to B8 are the bins (receivers are plates) of the sorter. A sensor 10 detects that the sheet that has passed through the deflection means 9 is fed into the bin. 1 more
Reference numeral 1 denotes a sensor that detects the presence or absence of sheets in the bin.

In the figure, the direction of the broken line arrow indicates the conveyance direction of the sheet.

The operation of the sorter according to the present invention will be explained below.

FIG. 2 is an example of a flowchart for calculating the number of bins required for one virtual bin and locating the virtual bins for a given number of originals and copies.

First, a display is displayed on the operation unit 1 prompting the operator to input the number of original sheets. When the operator inputs the number of originals, the display disappears and the set value is stored in the RAM at a location labeled 0RIN. Next, the input of the required number of copies is similarly displayed on the operation unit l, prompting the fourth controller to enter the number of copies manually. When a value is entered manually, this display disappears and the value is stored in the location indicated by the label name C0PN.

Next, change the value of 0RIN to the maximum capacity of 9 per bin B I
Divide by NVOL and put the quotient in J1 and the rest in K. Here, if the remainder K is not 0, it is a large number for BINVOL and a bin is required to accommodate it, so add 1 to the value of J and use this to create the number of bins required per virtual bin. number. Next, the total number of bins for this sorter, NBIN
Divide by the J you just found and check whether the quotient is smaller than the required number of copies. If it is smaller, the number of virtual bins that can be set on the sorter is insufficient for the number of copies set by the operator, so the operator is prompted to re-enter the numerical value. Otherwise, it will display something like ``Copy OKJ.'' For example, 0
RIN=100 (sheets), C0PN=2 (copies),
BINVOr, =40 (sheets), NBIN=8 (bin)
Then, the number of bins J in the virtual bin is 3, 9, NBIN
Since (=8)÷J(=3)=2...2, it can be seen that the number of bins is also sufficient.

FIG. 3 is an example of a flowchart for controlling the storage of sheets in each bin of the sorter.

When the print key on the copying machine is turned on, initial value settings are performed. COUNT 1 counts the number of copies made from one original. COUNT 2 counts the number of pages. COUNT 3 counts the number of sheets in one single bin. B I NNO contains a number from 1 to 8 that corresponds to the position of the bin where the sheet is to be placed. At first, the sheet is placed in the bottom bin of the first virtual bin, so BINNOK J is placed in it.

Next, call SUB 3. This turns on the solenoid of the bottle corresponding to the case in BINNO, and performs the following operation. First issue in SUB 3?
Ink (PTR) is set at the head of the 5OLDTA table (the data table will be described later based on FIG. 5). Next, add (BINNO-1) to PTH. That P
When the data indicated by TH is stored in 5QLON and further outputted to port (PB), a predetermined solenoid is turned on (this state is shown in the subroutine of FIG. 4). For example, if J=3 now, the data of 5QLON is φ
It becomes 4H, and the third solenoid from the top turns on. In this way, when the solenoid is turned on and the deflection claw is driven, the conveyed paper enters the bin. At this time, if the ejection sensor 10 detects the paper and it is found that the trailing edge of the paper has passed through the ejection sensor 10 and entered the bin, the program will change to C0.
Increase UNT 1 by 1, and one copy is completed. When C0UNT 1 becomes equal to the preset number of copies C0PN, it means that one page has been copied, and C0UNT 1 is returned to O.
Add 1 to T2. If they are not equal, move one virtual bin and turn on the solenoid. When C0UNT2 becomes equal to the set number of pages 0RIN, sorting is completed, but if not, the bin position, that is, B I
Return the NNO to the first virtual bin and turn on the solenoid. At this time, C0UNT 3 represents the number of sheets in the bin.
is increased by 1, but if this becomes equal to the maximum storage capacity BINVOL, that bin is no longer usable, so the used bin position is moved back one position in the virtual bins.

FIG. 5 shows a data table in which what data should be output by SUB 3 in order to turn on the solenoid corresponding to BINNOK is set in advance in ROM or RAM 3. Since an 8-bin sorter is used in the embodiment, the number of data stored in this data table (its starting address is represented by 5OLDTA) is 8 bytes. In the data in this table, 0 corresponds to the solenoid being off and 1 corresponds to the solenoid being on.

FIG. 6 shows an example of sorting with and without the above series of operations.

Figure 6 (,) relates to the conventional example, and in this example the pages are out of order in the virtual bin, but in Figure 6 (b) according to the present invention, the pages are arranged in order from the bottom. .

〔effect〕

The present invention is as described above. According to this method, the sheets in the virtual bin are lined up sequentially from page to page, so the operator can easily make one complete copy when collecting the sheets. You can get it.

This eliminates mistakes when changing the page order.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of a sorter according to the present invention, and FIG.
Figures 3 and 4 are flowcharts related to the control operation, Figure 5 is a data table in ROM or RAM that stores data for turning on the solenoid of the deflection means, and Figure 6 is a sheet in the bin. The classification is an explanatory diagram showing the state, where (a) is a conventional example and (b) is a BQ diagram showing an example according to the present invention. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1...Operation unit, 4...Control device as calculation means and data storage means, 5, 6...I as command means
10 ports, driver, 9...deflection means. (9) Figure 1

Claims (1)

[Claims] In a sorter that is connected to a copier or the like to sort sheets, enter the number of originals, number of copies, etc., and display the operation section, A for the number of originals, and B for the maximum storage capacity per bin.
In this case, means for calculating 100, means for obtaining data indicating the position of the bin in which the sheet should be stored based on the result of the calculation, and means for issuing a command in response to the obtained data; A sorter characterized by being provided with means for receiving the command and storing sheets in each bin of the sorter.