Paper sheet conveying apparatus, control method, and recording medium having control program recorded thereon

Abstract

To solve the problem, a paper sheet conveying device is provided, which can enter a paper sheet collecting area without paper sheets being caught on a conveying belt. The paper sheet conveying device includes a control section 120 that controls driving of a belt driving mechanism 4 and a suction switching mechanism 7, a counting unit 111 that counts the number of paper sheets stacked in a paper sheet stacking area, a first determination unit 112 that determines whether the number of paper sheets stacked in the paper sheet stacking area is two or more or one based on the count of paper sheets from the counting unit 111, (a) when the number of paper sheets stacked in the paper sheet stacking area is determined to be two or more by the first determination unit, paper sheets are conveyed from the paper sheet stacking area, and (b) when the number of paper sheets stacked in the paper sheet stacking area is determined to be one by the first determination unit, the paper sheets are not conveyed from the paper sheet stacking area.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application relates to a paper conveying device that conveys paper discharged from a paper handling device on an upstream side to a paper handling device on a downstream side, a control method thereof, and a recording medium on which a control program thereof is recorded. BACKGROUND

[0002] In a binding process, a paper conveying device that conveys paper discharged from a paper handling device (printer, etc.) on an upstream side to a paper handling device (binding device, etc.) on a downstream side is used, thereby improving productivity. The paper conveying device is connected to the paper handling device on the upstream side and the paper handling device on the downstream side.

[0003] In this case, the paper conveying device supplies paper in a manner that the processing timing of the paper handling device on the upstream side and the processing timing of the paper handling device on the downstream side coincide.

[0004] The processing speed of the paper handling device on the upstream side and the processing speed of the paper handling device on the downstream side are generally different, and for example, when the processing speed of the paper handling device on the upstream side is faster than the processing speed of the paper handling device on the downstream side, the paper conveying device needs to temporarily stack paper and convey the stacked paper to the downstream side in a manner that the processing timing of the paper handling device on the downstream side coincides.

[0005] A conventional paper conveying device is disclosed in, for example, Patent Literature 1. As shown in Fig. 18 of Patent Literature 1, the paper conveying device includes a conveying belt 3 having a plurality of air holes and a suction box 6. The paper conveying device temporarily stacks paper 1 on the conveying belt 3 in a paper stacking area. Then, the paper conveying device makes the inside of the suction box 6 negative pressure, and the paper 1 is sucked to the conveying belt 3 through the air holes, and the paper 1 is conveyed one sheet by one sheet by rotation of the conveying belt 3.

[0006] [Patent Literature]

[0007] [Patent Literature]

[0008] [Patent Literature 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 3-272931 SUMMARY

[0009] [Problems to be Solved by the Invention]

[0010] However, when all the paper stacked in the paper stacking area is conveyed, and there is no paper on the conveying belt after the paper is conveyed, there is a problem that the paper is caught on the conveying belt when the next paper enters the paper stacking area, the paper is broken, and the paper is jammed (paper jam).

[0011] The present application relates to a paper conveying device that conveys paper discharged from a paper handling device on an upstream side to a paper handling device on a downstream side, a control method thereof, and a recording medium on which a control program thereof is recorded.

[0012] [Technical means for solving the problem]

[0013] The paper sheet conveying apparatus according to the first aspect of the present application is a paper sheet conveying apparatus that conveys a paper sheet output from a paper sheet processing apparatus on an upstream side to a paper sheet processing apparatus on a downstream side, characterized by comprising:

[0014] a conveying section that conveys the paper sheet;

[0015] a conveying section drive mechanism that drives the conveying section;

[0016] a paper sheet accumulation region that accumulates the paper sheet output from the paper sheet processing apparatus on the upstream side on the conveying section;

[0017] and a control section that controls the conveying of the paper sheet by the conveying section, wherein

[0018] the control section includes a counting unit that counts the number of paper sheets accumulated in the paper sheet accumulation region,

[0019] a conveying instruction signal is received from the paper sheet accumulation region to the paper sheet, and when the number of paper sheets accumulated in the paper sheet accumulation region is counted by the counting unit as one, the one paper sheet is not conveyed from the paper sheet accumulation region, and the conveying of the one paper sheet is stopped until the next paper sheet is guided onto the one paper sheet.

[0020] In the paper sheet conveying apparatus described above, the control section includes a first determination unit that determines whether the number of paper sheets accumulated in the paper sheet accumulation region is two or more or one, based on the count of the paper sheet from the counting unit,

[0021] the paper sheet can also be conveyed from the paper sheet accumulation region when the number of paper sheets accumulated in the paper sheet accumulation region is determined by the first determination unit as two or more.

[0022] In the paper sheet conveying apparatus described above, the control section includes a second determination unit that determines whether the paper sheet accumulated in the paper sheet accumulation region is a final paper to be processed,

[0023] the paper sheet can also be controlled to be conveyed from the paper sheet accumulation region when the paper sheet accumulated in the paper sheet accumulation region is determined by the second determination unit as a final paper to be processed.

[0024] In the above-described paper conveying device, the second determination unit can determine whether the paper stacked in the paper stacking region is the final paper to be processed, based on the count of the paper from the counting unit, after receiving the number information of the paper to be processed from the paper processing device on the upstream side.

[0025] In the above-described paper conveying device, a ventilation hole can be formed in the conveying section, and the paper conveying device can include a suction switching mechanism configured to switch whether the paper is sucked to the conveying section through the ventilation hole or not.

[0026] The control method of the paper conveying device according to the second aspect of the present application is a control method of a paper conveying device that conveys paper output from a paper processing device on an upstream side to a paper processing device on a downstream side, characterized by

[0027] The paper conveying device includes:

[0028] a conveying section that conveys the paper;

[0029] a conveying section driving mechanism that drives the conveying section; and

[0030] a paper stacking region that stacks the paper output from the paper processing device on the upstream side on the conveying section,

[0031] when a conveying instruction signal to convey the paper is received from the paper stacking region, and when the count of the number of the paper stacked in the paper stacking region is one, the one paper is not conveyed from the paper stacking region, and the conveying of the one paper is stopped until the next paper is guided onto the one paper.

[0032] The third aspect of the present application is a non-transitory computer-readable recording medium that records a control program of a paper processing device for causing a computer to function as the paper processing device described above.

[0033] The paper conveying device according to the present application enables the paper to enter the paper stacking region without being caught in the conveying section. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0034] Figure 1 is a side view of a paper conveying device and a paper processing device according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0035] Figure 2A is a plan view of a paper conveying device according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0036] Figure 2B is a side view of a paper conveying device according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0037] Figure 3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a part of a paper conveying device according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0038] Fig. 4 is a side view for explaining the operation of the paper conveying device according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0039] Figure 5 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the paper conveying device according to an embodiment of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0040] Hereinafter, an embodiment of a paper conveying device according to the present application will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0041] [Configuration]

[0042] According to Figures 1-3 , the configuration of the paper conveying device 100 will be described.

[0043] As shown in Figure 1 , the paper conveying device 100 is connected with a paper handling device (printer or the like) 101 on the upstream side and a paper handling device (binding device or the like) 102 on the downstream side. The paper conveying device 100 conveys a paper sheet S discharged from the paper handling device 101 on the upstream side to the paper handling device 102 on the downstream side in a manner that the processing timing of the paper handling device 101 on the upstream side and the paper handling device 102 on the downstream side is coincident.

[0044] As shown in Figure 2A and Figure 2B , the paper conveying device 100 includes a driving roller 1 and an idle roller 2 which are parallel to each other and extend horizontally, four endless conveying belts (conveying sections) 3 which are arranged between the driving roller 1 and the idle roller 2, and a belt driving mechanism 4 which rotates the driving roller 1.

[0045] The driving roller 1 includes a horizontal shaft 1a and four first pulleys 1b which are arranged at intervals in the axial direction on the shaft 1a. The first pulleys 1b are rotatably installed integrally with the shaft 1a.

[0046] The idle roller 2 includes a shaft 2a which is parallel to the shaft 1a of the driving roller 1 and four second pulleys 2b which freely rotate around the shaft 2a. The second pulleys 2b are arranged opposite to the four first pulleys 1b, respectively.

[0047] Each of the conveying belts 3 is arranged between the first pulley 1b of the driving roller 1 and the second pulley 2b of the idle roller 2. Each of the conveying belts 3 has a plurality of air holes 3a at intervals over the entire length.

[0048] The belt driving mechanism 4 includes a pulley 4a fixed to one end of the rotation shaft 1a of the driving roller 1, a motor 4b having a driving shaft parallel to the driving roller 1, a pulley 4c fixed to the driving shaft of the motor 4b, and a looped belt 4d stretched between the pulley 4a and the pulley 4c.

[0049] The paper conveying device 100 is accompanied by the rotational drive of the driving roller 1 by the motor 4b, and the four conveying belts 3 rotate at a certain speed. The paper S placed on the conveying surfaces 3b of the four conveying belts 3 is conveyed from the side of the idler roller 2 (the upstream side) to the side of the driving roller 1 (the downstream side). Therefore, the conveying belts 3 are formed of a material having a large coefficient of friction (for example, natural resin, synthetic resin) to prevent the paper S from slipping.

[0050] The paper conveying device 100 includes a suction switching mechanism 7 Figure 3 ) configured to switch whether the paper S is sucked to the conveying belts 3 through the air holes 3a of the conveying belts 3 or not. The suction switching mechanism 7 includes a suction box 11 disposed between the upper and lower portions 3c and 3d of the four conveying belts 3 and a suction fan (air suction source) 12 directly connected to the suction box 11. The suction fan (air suction source) 12 is configured to generate a negative pressure in the suction box 11.

[0051] The suction box 11 has four air suction holes 11a on the upper surface. Each air suction hole 11a is disposed opposite to the upper portion 3c of each conveying belt 3. The suction box 11 further includes a shutter 11b that opens and closes the air suction hole 11a.

[0052] The suction switching mechanism 7 includes a shutter driving mechanism that drives the shutter 11b. The shutter driving mechanism includes, for example, a lifting mechanism (not shown) attached to the shutter 11b and a motor (not shown) attached to the lifting mechanism. In the operation of the paper conveying device 100, the suction fan 12 is continuously operated, and on the other hand, the shutter 11b is moved up and down by the lifting mechanism. The shutter 11b is opened and closed at a prescribed timing, and the suction through the air suction hole 11a is switched.

[0053] As shown in FIG. 1, Figure 2B The paper conveying device 100 includes an input roller 13 on the upstream side. The input roller 13 is disposed above the upstream end u of the conveying surfaces 3b of the conveying belts 3, takes in the paper S, and conveys it onto the conveying surfaces 3b. The paper conveying device 100 further includes a stopper plate 14 that extends upward from the conveying surfaces 3b.

[0054] In this embodiment, the stopper plate 14 is divided into four portions in the width direction perpendicular to the length direction of the conveying belts 3, and each portion of the stopper plate 14 corresponds to each conveying belt 3. Alternatively, the stopper plate 14 can be a single plate that extends across the entire conveying surfaces 3b of the four conveying belts 3.

[0055] The lower end 14a of the stop plate 14 is opposite to the suction box 11 and is arranged at a predetermined interval from the conveying surface 3b.

[0056] The paper conveying device 100 includes a paper stacking area 15 formed by the area on the conveying surface 3b from the stop plate 14 to the upstream end u of the conveying surface 3b.

[0057] The paper conveying device 100 includes an output roller 16 on its downstream side. The output roller 16 receives paper S from the downstream end w of the conveying surface 3b and discharges it to the outside of the paper conveying device 100.

[0058] During the operation of the paper conveying device 100, paper S is picked up from the upstream paper processing device 101 via the input roller 13. The leading edge of the paper S collides with the stop plate 14 and is sequentially piled into the paper accumulation area 15. Then, the bottommost paper S in the pile is sequentially attracted by the suction box 11 onto the conveying surface 3b of the conveyor belt 3, separating it from the remaining paper S. Then, the bottommost paper S is conveyed by the conveyor belt 3 through the gap between the conveying surface 3b and the stop plate 14 to the downstream end w of the conveying surface 3b, and is supplied to the downstream paper processing device 102 by the output roller 16.

[0059] In this way, even when the processing speed of the upstream paper processing device 101 differs from that of the downstream paper processing device 102, the paper conveying device 100 will temporarily accumulate the papers S sequentially discharged from the upstream paper processing device 101 in the paper accumulation area 15. When the processing speed matches that of the downstream paper processing device 102, the bottommost paper S from the accumulated paper S can be supplied one by one from the paper accumulation area 15 to the downstream paper processing device 102. Therefore, the paper conveying device 100 can smoothly transfer the paper S between the upstream and downstream paper processing devices 101 and 102.

[0060] like Figure 2A , Figure 2B and Figure 3 As shown, the paper conveying device 100 includes an input sensor 18 disposed downstream of the input roller 13. The input sensor 18 is configured to detect the paper S input into the paper stacking area 15. The paper conveying device 100 also includes an output sensor 19 disposed downstream of the stop plate 14. The output sensor 19 is configured to detect the paper S output from the paper stacking area 15.

[0061] like Figure 3As shown, the paper conveying device 100 includes a control section 120 connected to the input sensor 18, the output sensor 19, the belt driving mechanism 4, and the suction switching mechanism 7. The control section 120 includes, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a RAM (Random Access Memory), a ROM (Read Only Memory), and a computer-readable storage medium. Also, as an example, a series of processes for realizing various functions are stored in the storage medium or the like in the form of a program, the CPU reads out the program into the RAM or the like, and performs processing of information and arithmetic processing, whereby various functions are realized. Alternatively, the program can be provided in a state stored in a computer-readable storage medium, distributed via a wired or wireless communication unit, or the like. The computer-readable storage medium refers to a magnetic disk, a magneto-optical disk, a CD-ROM, a DVD-ROM, a semiconductor memory, or the like.

[0062] The control section 120 is also connected to a conveying instruction unit 110. The conveying instruction unit 110 is programmed, for example, in a control section (not shown) of the paper processing device 101, 102. The conveying instruction unit 110 sends a stacking instruction signal AS to the control section 120 of the paper conveying device 100 to stack the paper S without conveying the paper S from the paper stacking area 15, and a conveying instruction signal CS to convey the paper S from the paper stacking area 15.

[0063] The control section 120 includes a counting unit 111, a first determination unit 112, a second determination unit 113, and a conveying control unit 114. The counting unit 111, the first determination unit 112, the second determination unit 113, and the conveying control unit 114 are controlled by a control program stored in the control section 120.

[0064] The counting unit 111 is configured to count the number of papers S stacked in the paper stacking area 15 based on a difference between the number of papers S counted by the input sensor 18 to the input paper stacking area 15 and the number of papers S counted by the output sensor 19 to be conveyed from the paper stacking area 15.

[0065] The first determination unit 112 is configured to determine whether the number of papers S stacked in the paper stacking area 15 is two or more or one based on the count of the papers S from the counting unit 111.

[0066] When receiving the signal of the end of the processing from the conveyance instruction unit 110, the second determination unit 113 determines the paper sheet S stacked in the paper sheet stacking region 15 as the final paper FS to be processed. In addition, when receiving the information of the number of paper sheets S to be processed from the conveyance instruction unit 110, the second determination unit 113 determines whether the paper sheet S stacked in the paper sheet stacking region 15 is the final paper FS to be processed based on the count of the paper sheet S from the counting unit 111. For example, when the number of paper sheets S to be processed is 10, the 10th paper sheet S conveyed from the paper sheet stacking region 15 is determined as the final paper FS.

[0067] The conveyance control unit 114 is configured to control the drive of the belt driving mechanism 4 and the suction switching mechanism 7. When conveying the paper sheet S from the paper sheet stacking region 15, the conveyance control unit 114 opens the gate 11b, sucks the paper sheet S on the conveyance surface 3b of the conveyance belt 3, and controls the conveyance belt 3 to rotate. On the other hand, when stacking the paper sheet S in the paper sheet stacking region 15, the conveyance control unit 114 closes the gate 11b and controls the conveyance belt 3 not to rotate.

[0068] [Operation]

[0069] Based on Figures 4A-4C and Figure 5 , the operation of the paper sheet conveyance device 100 will be described.

[0070] The paper sheet conveyance device 100 receives the stacking instruction AS and the conveyance instruction CS from the conveyance instruction unit 110 (step S1). When receiving the stacking instruction AS from the conveyance instruction unit 110, the paper sheet conveyance device 100 stacks the paper sheet S from the input roller 13 in the paper sheet stacking region 15 without conveying the paper sheet S from the paper sheet stacking region 15 (step S2).

[0071] When receiving the conveyance instruction CS from the conveyance instruction unit 110, the paper sheet conveyance device 100 determines whether the number of paper sheets S stacked in the paper sheet stacking region 15 is two or more or one by the first determination unit 112 (step S3).

[0072] When the number of paper sheets S stacked in the paper sheet stacking region 15 is two or more, the paper sheet conveyance device 100 conveys the paper sheet S from the paper sheet stacking region 15 as shown in Figure 4A

[0073] When the number of paper sheets S stacked in the paper sheet stacking region 15 is one, the paper sheet conveyance device 100 determines whether the paper sheet S stacked in the paper sheet stacking region 15 is the final paper FS to be processed by the second determination unit 113 (step S5).

[0074] ​Even when the conveyance instruction CS is received from the conveyance instruction unit 110, the paper sheet conveying device 100 does not convey the paper sheet S from the paper sheet stacking region 15 when the paper sheet S stacked in the paper sheet stacking region 15 is not the final paper FS to be processed, but leaves the paper sheet S in the paper sheet stacking region 15 as a skid paper KS (step S6).

[0075] As shown in Fig. 6, the paper sheet S remaining in the paper sheet stacking region 15 is used as a skid paper KS, and the paper sheet S input from the input roller 13 slides on the remaining paper sheet S (skid paper KS) and is stacked in the paper sheet stacking region 15. Since the friction coefficient of the paper sheet S (skid paper KS) is not higher than the conveyance belt 3, the next paper sheet S does not get caught on the conveyance belt 3, and the next paper sheet S can smoothly enter the paper sheet stacking region 15. Figure 4B

[0076] After two paper sheets S are stacked in the paper sheet stacking region 15, the first determination unit determines that the number of paper sheets S stacked in the paper sheet stacking region 15 is two or more (step S3), and as shown in Fig. 6, the paper sheet S used as a skid paper KS is conveyed from the paper sheet stacking region 15 (step S4). Figure 4C

[0077] When the number of paper sheets S stacked in the paper sheet stacking region 15 is determined to be one by the first determination unit 112 (step S3) and the paper sheet S stacked in the paper sheet stacking region 15 is determined to be the final paper FS to be processed by the second determination unit 113, the paper sheet conveying device 100 conveys the paper sheet S from the paper sheet stacking region 15 (step S7). This is because, since the next paper sheet S is not input to the paper sheet stacking region 15 thereafter, it is not necessary to leave the paper sheet S in the paper sheet stacking region 15 as a skid paper KS.

[0078] The effects of the present embodiment will be described below.

[0079] Even when the conveyance instruction CS is received from the conveyance instruction unit 110, the paper sheet conveying device 100 does not convey the paper sheet S from the paper sheet stacking region 15 when the paper sheet S stacked in the paper sheet stacking region 15 is not the final paper FS to be processed, but leaves only the paper sheet S in the paper sheet stacking region 15.

[0080] The paper sheet S remaining in the paper sheet stacking region 15 is used as a skid paper KS, and the next paper sheet S input from the input roller 13 slides on the remaining paper sheet S (skid paper KS) and is stacked in the paper sheet stacking region 15. As a result, the paper sheet S does not get caught on the conveyance belt 3, and the paper sheet S can enter the paper sheet stacking region 15.

[0081] The above describes a preferred embodiment of the present application, but the structure of the present application is not limited to this embodiment. ​​

[0082] For example, the suction switching mechanism 7 can also include an opening and closing mechanism that connects the path between the suction box 11 and the suction source 12 and the opening and closing path, and by opening and closing the opening and closing path, it is switched whether the paper S is sucked to the conveyance belt 3 through the air hole 3a of the conveyance belt 3 or not. In addition, the suction switching mechanism 7 can also not include the suction box 11, and directly connect the suction source 12 and the air hole 3a of the endless conveyance belt 3 through the path.

[0083] In addition, in the present embodiment, the conveyance belt 3 is described, but the present application is not limited thereto, and for example, a conveyance section such as a conveyance roller can be used.

[0084] Reference Signs

[0085] 3 conveyance belt (conveyance section)

[0086] 3a air hole

[0087] 3b conveyance surface

[0088] 3c upper side portion

[0089] 3d lower side portion

[0090] 4 belt driving mechanism

[0091] 11 suction box

[0092] 11a suction hole

[0093] 11b shutter

[0094] 12 suction fan (suction source)

[0095] 14 stopper plate

[0096] 15 paper accumulation area

[0097] 7 suction switching mechanism

[0098] 120 control section

[0099] 110 conveyance instruction unit

[0100] 111 counting unit

[0101] 112 first determination unit

[0102] 113 second determination unit

[0103] 114 conveyance control unit

[0104] S paper

[0105] FS final paper

[0106] KS glide paper

Claims

1. A paper conveying device that conveys paper output from an upstream paper handling unit to a downstream paper handling unit, characterized in that, including: a conveying section that conveys the paper; a conveying section drive mechanism that drives the conveying section; a paper stack area that stacks the paper output from the upstream paper processing device on the conveying section; and a control section that controls the conveying of the paper by the conveying section, wherein the conveying section is configured to convey the lowermost paper one sheet at a time among one or more papers stacked in the paper stack area, the control section includes a counting unit that counts the number of sheets of the paper stacked in the paper stack area, a conveying instruction signal to convey the paper is received from the paper stack area, and when the number of sheets of the paper stacked in the paper stack area is counted by the counting unit as one sheet, the one sheet is not conveyed from the paper stack area, and the conveying of the one sheet is stopped until the next sheet is guided onto the one sheet.

2. The paper conveying device according to claim 1, wherein the control section includes a first determination unit that determines whether the number of sheets of the paper stacked in the paper stack area is two or more or one sheet based on the count of the paper from the counting unit, the paper is conveyed from the paper stack area when the number of sheets of the paper stacked in the paper stack area is determined by the first determination unit as two or more.

3. The paper conveying device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the control section includes a second determination unit that determines whether the paper stacked in the paper stack area is a final paper to be processed, the paper is controlled to be conveyed from the paper stack area when the paper stacked in the paper stack area is determined by the second determination unit as the final paper to be processed.

4. The paper conveying device according to claim 3, wherein the second determination unit can also determine whether the paper stacked in the paper stack area is the final paper to be processed based on the count of the paper from the counting unit after receiving the number of sheets of the paper to be processed from the upstream paper processing device.

5. The paper conveying device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein an air hole is formed in the conveying section, the paper conveying device includes a suction switching mechanism configured to switch whether the paper is sucked to the conveying section through the air hole or not.

6. A control method of a paper conveying device that conveys a paper output from an upstream paper processing device to a downstream paper processing device, characterized by the paper conveying device including: a conveying section that conveys the paper; a conveying section drive mechanism that drives the conveying section; and a paper stack area that stacks the paper output from the upstream paper processing device on the conveying section, the conveying section is configured to convey the lowermost paper one sheet at a time among one or more papers stacked in the paper stack area, When a conveyance instruction signal to convey the paper is received from the paper stacking area, and when the count of the number of sheets of the paper stacked in the paper stacking area is one sheet, the one sheet of paper is not conveyed from the paper stacking area, and the conveyance of the one sheet of paper is stopped until a next sheet of paper is guided onto the one sheet of paper.

7. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium that records a control program for causing a computer to function as a paper processing apparatus according to claim 1.

Images