Collating machine and collation program

Abstract

To provide a collating machine and a collating program capable of improving work efficiency when it is necessary to handle a plurality of types of newspapers. The collating machine includes a setting unit and a control unit. The setting unit receives data on the delivery order of multiple newspaper copies and sets the order in which the multiple newspaper copies will be discharged from the collating mechanism. The control unit controls the collating mechanism to perform an assembly operation in which multiple newspaper copies are retrieved from multiple paper feed shelves in the order in which they are discharged, and a collated bundle containing the retrieved newspaper copies is discharged from a discharge port in the order in which they are discharged.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present embodiment relates to a collating machine and a collating program. [Background technology]

[0002] A collator is a device that stacks different types of paper sheets together to form a paper bundle. Such collators are used, for example, to collate inserts that are placed between newspapers before being delivered to newspaper subscribers. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2014-91604 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In recent years, there has been an increase in cases where a single newspaper delivery store delivers multiple types of newspapers. In these cases, the newspaper delivery store must stack the multiple types of newspapers in the order they are to be delivered by the newspaper delivery staff. This task has traditionally been done manually, which is inefficient.

[0005] The present embodiment aims to provide a collating machine and a collating program that can improve work efficiency when multiple types of newspapers need to be handled. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The collating machine of one aspect has a setting unit and a control unit. The setting unit receives input data on the delivery order of the plurality of newspaper copies and sets the order in which the plurality of newspaper copies are discharged from the collating mechanism. The control unit In the built-in mode where multiple types of newspapers are collated according to delivery order,The collating mechanism is controlled to perform an assembly operation in which multiple copies of newspapers fed into multiple paper feed shelves are acquired from the paper feed shelves in the order of discharge, and a collated bundle including the acquired bundle of newspapers is discharged from a discharge port in the order of discharge. When the built-in mode is not selected, the collating mechanism is controlled to acquire a plurality of sheets from a sheet feed shelf according to a current setting regardless of the delivery order, and to discharge a collated bundle including the acquired bundle of sheets from a discharge port. . [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to this embodiment, it is possible to provide a collating machine and a collating program that can improve work efficiency when multiple types of newspapers need to be handled. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view showing the appearance of a gathering machine according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the collating mechanism. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the collating machine. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the main operation of the collating machine. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the embedding process. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of delivery order data. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of a confirmation screen for the mapping result. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of the insert issue selection screen. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an example of the incorporation issue selection screen. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of the separator sheet usage confirmation screen. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an example of the shelf selection screen. [Figure 12] FIG. 12 is a diagram showing an example of a packaging use confirmation screen as an embedded setting screen. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of a confirmation screen for the settings of the paper feed shelf. [Figure 14] FIG. 14 is a diagram showing an example of the discharge order data generated based on the determined discharge order. [Figure 15] FIG. 15 is a flowchart showing the embedding operation. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view showing the appearance of a collating machine 1 according to an embodiment. The collating machine 1 collates paper sheets. In the embodiment, the paper sheets include, for example, inserts. Furthermore, in the embodiment, the paper sheets include newspapers. In the following description, it is assumed that the discharge direction of the collated bundle from the collating machine 1 is the front of the collating machine 1. The Y direction is along the front-to-rear direction of the collating machine 1. The positive direction of the Y direction is the front direction. The X direction is the left-to-right direction when the collating machine 1 is viewed from the front. The positive direction of the X direction is the right direction. The Z direction is the up-down direction when the collating machine 1 is viewed from the front. The positive direction of the Z direction is the upward direction. The X direction, Y direction, and Z direction are assumed to be set in the same manner in FIG. 2.

[0010] The collating machine 1 has a collating mechanism 10. The collating machine 1 may be used in combination with various mechanisms such as a newspaper supply mechanism (inserter), a folding and transport mechanism (conveyor), and a lifting mechanism (lifter). By being used in combination with these mechanisms, the collating machine 1 can perform a series of operations, for example, by sandwiching collated inserts between newspapers supplied from the supply mechanism and transporting them.

[0011] The collating mechanism 10 has multiple paper feed shelves. The collating mechanism 10 is a mechanism that stacks and discharges paper sheets fed from the paper feed shelves according to collation settings and assembly settings. The assembly settings are various settings for stacking multiple types of newspapers to generate a bundle of multiple types of newspapers. The assembly settings will be explained in detail later.

[0012] The following provides a further explanation of the collating mechanism 10. FIG.

[0013] The collating mechanism 10 has a housing 11 that is approximately rectangular parallelepiped and elongated in the Z direction. Multiple paper feed shelves 12 are arranged in the Z direction on the front side (left side in the figure) and rear side (right side in the figure) of the housing 11 along the Y direction. Hereinafter, the front-side paper feed shelf 12 will be referred to as the front-side paper feed shelf 12, and the rear-side paper feed shelf 12 will be referred to as the rear-side paper feed shelf 12. Each paper feed shelf 12 is mounted so as to incline downward toward the inside of the housing 11. Multiple sheets of paper are stacked and fed into each paper feed shelf 12. In the embodiment, multiple stacked newspapers may be fed as paper sheets. Different types of newspapers may be fed into all the paper feed shelves, or the same type of newspapers may be fed into multiple paper feed shelves. Furthermore, some newspapers may require flyers to be folded into them. In this case, multiple flyers may be fed into the paper feed shelf 12 as paper sheets. As will be explained later, flyers are folded into newspapers fed from a newspaper feed mechanism (inserter). Paper feed shelf 12a, located at the bottom of the front side of housing 11, is assigned as a folding shelf for feeding folded paper. Each paper feed shelf into which paper sheets are fed is numbered. The paper feed shelf number and the type of paper sheets fed can be associated with each other on the setting screen of the collating machine 1, for example.

[0014] A transport path 13 is provided inside the housing 11, extending in the Z direction through the center of the housing 11. The transport path 13 is provided along the XZ plane between the front paper feed shelf 12 and the rear paper feed shelf 12. In other words, paper sheets taken out at predetermined times from each paper feed shelf 12 are fed into the transport path 13 and stacked on top of each other. The stacked paper sheets are then transported downward via the transport path 13. The transport path 13 is provided with multiple pairs of transport rollers 14. The pairs of transport rollers 14 transport the stacked paper sheets while sandwiching them.

[0015] A first paper feed roller 15 and a second paper feed roller 16 are provided at the lower end of each paper feed shelf 12 in the inclined direction, i.e., at the end closer to the center and closer to the conveying path 13. The first paper feed roller 15 is arranged so as to contact the uppermost paper sheet among the plurality of paper sheets conveyed from the paper feed shelf 12. The second paper feed roller 16 is provided downstream of the first paper feed roller 15 in the paper sheet feeding direction. Furthermore, a feed roller pair 18 is provided downstream of the second paper feed roller 16 in the paper sheet removal direction.

[0016] The first paper feed roller 15 rotates while making contact with the topmost sheet or part of sheets among multiple sheets placed on the paper feed shelf 12, and feeds the topmost sheet to the feed roller pair 18. The second paper feed roller 16 presses the leading edge of the next or subsequent sheet or parts of sheets against the separation plate 17, thereby preventing the next or subsequent sheets from being fed to the feed roller pair. In other words, the sheets fed from the paper feed shelf 12 are fed one sheet or one part at a time to the feed roller pair 18. The feed roller pair 18 feeds the sheets into the conveying path 13.

[0017] A pair of folding rollers 19 is disposed at the lower end of the conveying path 13. The pair of folding rollers 19 is disposed in a position where its nip is located on an extension of the conveying path 13. With this configuration, multiple paper sheets conveyed downward via the conveying path 13 are sent into the nip of the pair of folding rollers 19.

[0018] A pair of feed rollers 18a is provided downstream in the paper feed direction (on the right side in the figure) of the paper feed shelf 12a for feeding origami paper. The pair of feed rollers 18a feeds origami paper inserted from the paper feed shelf 12a above the pair of folding rollers 19. A locking portion 20 is provided at the leading end of the paper feed shelf 12a in the paper feed direction. The locking portion 20 stops the origami paper at a position where the center position of the origami paper in the paper feed direction faces the nip of the pair of folding rollers 19. A folding knife 21 is provided diagonally above the pair of folding rollers 19. The folding knife 21 pushes the center of the origami paper toward the nip of the pair of folding rollers 19.

[0019] With this configuration, paper sheets fed from each paper feed shelf 12 are stacked on the conveying path 13 and fed into the nip between the pair of folding rollers 19. At this point, the center of the folded paper sheet that has been fed in advance has been folded by the folding knife 21. Then, the stacked paper sheets conveyed through the conveying path 13 are pushed into the center of the folded paper sheet and sandwiched between the folded paper sheets by the rotation of the pair of folding rollers 19. The bundle of paper sheets folded in half after passing through the pair of folding rollers 19, i.e., a collated bundle formed by sandwiching multiple paper sheets between the folded paper sheets, is transferred to the conveying belt 22 and discharged via the pair of discharge rollers 23 from a discharge opening 24 provided on the front side of the housing 11. In this way, a collated bundle is produced. In the embodiment, the collated bundle may be formed by stacking multiple copies of newspapers.

[0020] Furthermore, an operation panel 11a serving as an interface device is provided on the housing 11 of the collating mechanism 10. The operation panel 11a is, for example, a touch panel equipped with a display element. A user operates the operation panel 11a to perform settings related to the collating machine 1.

[0021] FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the collating machine 1. The collating machine 1 of FIG. 3 includes a main control circuit 101, sub-control circuits 102, 103, 104, and 105, a display 106, operation switches 107, and a communication module 108. The collating machine 1 of FIG. 3 also includes a newspaper supply mechanism 30, a folding and transport mechanism 40, and a lifting mechanism 50 in addition to the collating mechanism 10. The newspaper supply mechanism 30 is a mechanism that feeds multiple stacked newspapers one by one into the folding and transport mechanism 40. The newspapers fed into the newspaper supply mechanism 30 may be newspapers that require flyers to be folded into them. The folding and transport mechanism 40 is a mechanism that folds flyers that have been collated by the collating mechanism 10 into newspapers fed from the newspaper supply mechanism 30 and transports the newspapers with the folded flyers to the lifting mechanism 50. The folding and transport mechanism 40 is also a mechanism that transports newspapers that have been collated by the collation mechanism 10 to the lifting mechanism 50 without newspapers being fed from the newspaper supply mechanism 30. The lifting mechanism 50 is a mechanism that raises and lowers the newspapers transported from the folding and transport mechanism 40. Mechanisms other than the newspaper supply mechanism 30, the folding and transport mechanism 40, and the lifting mechanism 50 may be used in combination with the collating machine 1.

[0022] The main control circuit 101 is a circuit that controls the overall operation of the collating machine 1, including the sub-control circuits 102, 103, 104, and 105. The main control circuit 101 is configured, for example, with a processor and memory. The processor of the main control circuit 101 controls the operation of the collating machine 1 according to a control application program stored in the memory. For example, the main control circuit 101 may operate as a setting unit that receives input data on the delivery order of multiple sheets and sets the discharge order of the multiple sheets in the collating mechanism. The main control circuit 101 may also operate as a control unit that controls the collating mechanism 10 to retrieve multiple sheets inserted into multiple paper feed shelves from the paper feed shelves in the discharge order and discharge the retrieved sheets from the discharge outlet in the discharge order. The processor is, for example, a CPU, but it does not necessarily have to be configured as a CPU. The main control circuit 101 may also be configured as a hardware logic circuit such as an ASIC. The processor does not necessarily have to be configured as a single processor, but may be configured as multiple processors.

[0023] The sub-control circuit 102 is connected to the collating mechanism 10. The sub-control circuit 102 is a dedicated circuit that controls the operation of the collating mechanism 10 under the control of the main control circuit 101. The sub-control circuit 102 may or may not have a processor and memory separate from the main control circuit 101.

[0024] The sub-control circuit 103 is connected to the newspaper supply mechanism 30. The sub-control circuit 103 is a dedicated circuit that controls the operation of the newspaper supply mechanism 30 under the control of the main control circuit 101. The sub-control circuit 103 may or may not have a processor and memory separate from the main control circuit 101.

[0025] The sub-control circuit 104 is connected to the folding and transport mechanism 40. The sub-control circuit 104 is a dedicated circuit that controls the operation of the folding and transport mechanism 40 under the control of the main control circuit 101. The sub-control circuit 104 may or may not have a processor and memory separate from the main control circuit 101.

[0026] The sub-control circuit 105 is connected to the lifting mechanism 50. The sub-control circuit 105 is a dedicated circuit that controls the operation of the lifting mechanism 50 under the control of the main control circuit 101. The sub-control circuit 105 may or may not have a processor and memory separate from the main control circuit 101.

[0027] Here, the collating machine 1 may have sub-control circuits other than the sub-control circuits 102, 103, 104, and 105.

[0028] The display 106 is a display such as an LED and a liquid crystal display on the operation panel 11a for displaying various states of the collating machine 1. For example, the display 106 has a display for displaying an indication that the power of the collating machine 1 is on. The display 106 also has a display for displaying a counter for displaying various collation counts. The collation count includes information such as the total number of sheets collated during the collation operation and the number of remaining sheets. The display 106 also has a display for displaying various setting screens. The various settings include settings for sheets by row, settings for region and area, etc. The various settings also include settings for installation operations. The display 106 also has a display for notifying various errors.

[0029] The operation switches 107 include various switches provided on the collating machine 1 and the operation panel 11a described above. For example, the switches of the operation switches 107 include a power switch for the collating machine 1. Also, for example, the operation switches 107 include various mode switches. The mode switch is a switch for setting the mode of the collating machine 1 to a specific mode. The specific mode includes, for example, a collating mode in which only paper sheets are collated, and a folding mode in which the collated bundle is folded into a newspaper. Furthermore, in an embodiment, the specific mode includes an integration mode in which multiple types of newspapers are collated according to the delivery order. The operation switches 107 may include switches other than these switches. Also, operations similar to those of the various switches of the operation switches 107 can be performed on the operation panel 11a.

[0030] The communication module 108 is a module including a processing circuit for the collating machine 1 to communicate with an external device such as a server, etc. The communication module 108 includes, for example, a wireless communication module required for wireless LAN communication.

[0031] The following describes the operation of the collating machine 1. Figure 4 is a flowchart showing the main operation of the collating machine 1. The processing in Figure 4 is controlled by the main control circuit 101.

[0032] In step S1, the main control circuit 101 determines whether to power on the collating machine 1. For example, when the power switch is turned on, it determines to power on the collating machine 1. Alternatively, the main control circuit 101 may monitor whether or not a command has been received from the outside via the communication module 108, and determine to power on the collating machine 1 when reception of the command is confirmed. In step S1, the main control circuit 101 waits for processing until it determines to power on the collating machine 1. When it determines to power on the collating machine 1 in step S1, the processing proceeds to step S2.

[0033] In step S2, the main control circuit 101 starts a control application program for the collating machine 1 and displays a startup screen on, for example, the operation panel 11a. While the startup screen is displayed, the main control circuit 101 performs various processes required to start up the collating machine 1.

[0034] In step S3 after the startup process is complete, the main control circuit 101 displays a main screen on, for example, the operation panel 11a. On the main screen, the user can start the collating operation or the assembly operation of the collating machine 1, and can check various statuses during the collating operation. In addition, the user can display various setting screens from the main screen.

[0035] In step S4, the main control circuit 101 determines whether or not to perform the collating operation. For example, when an instruction to set or start the collating operation is given on the main screen by operating the operation panel 11a, etc., it is determined that the collating operation will be performed. On the other hand, when an instruction to set or start the assembling operation is given on the main screen, it is determined that the assembling operation will be performed. If it is determined in step S4 that the collating operation will be performed, the process proceeds to step S5. If it is determined in step S4 that the collating operation will not be performed, the process proceeds to step S11.

[0036] In step S5, if it is determined that the collation operation is to be performed, the main control circuit 101 determines whether or not to perform settings related to the collation operation. For example, if settings related to the collation operation are instructed by operating the operation panel 11a, etc., it is determined that settings related to the collation operation are to be performed. If it is determined in step S5 that settings related to the collation operation have been instructed, the process proceeds to step S6. If it is determined in step S5 that settings related to the collation operation have not been instructed, the process proceeds to step S7.

[0037] In step S6, the main control circuit 101 performs settings related to the collation operation in accordance with the instructions. For example, the main control circuit 101 performs settings for each sheet row, area and region, and operation mode in accordance with the instructions. The main control circuit 101 also performs settings for the sub-control circuits 102, 103, 104, and 105 as necessary. During the settings, the main control circuit 101 also transitions the setting screen displayed on the operation panel 11a, for example, as necessary. After the settings related to the collation operation have been performed, the process proceeds to step S7.

[0038] In step S7, the main control circuit 101 determines whether or not an instruction to start the collating operation has been issued. If it is determined in step S7 that an instruction to start the collating operation has been issued, the process proceeds to step S8. If it is determined in step S7 that an instruction to start the collating operation has not been issued, the process proceeds to step S10.

[0039] In step S8, the main control circuit 101 executes the collating operation in accordance with the current setting. For example, when the collating machine 1 is set to perform collating only, the main control circuit 101 controls the sub-control circuit 102 to execute the collating operation using the collating mechanism 10. On the other hand, when the collating machine 1 is set to perform collating and folding, the main control circuit 101 controls the sub-control circuits 102, 103, and 104 to execute the collating operation while interlocking the collating mechanism 10, the newspaper supply mechanism 30, and the folding and conveying mechanism 40.

[0040] In step S9, the main control circuit 101 determines whether the collating operation is complete. For example, the collating operation is determined to be complete when the specified number of collated bundles have been collated or when the specified number of collated bundles have been folded into newspapers. If it is determined in step S9 that the collating operation is not complete, the process returns to step S8. If it is determined in step S9 that the collating operation is complete, the process proceeds to step S10.

[0041] In step S10, the main control circuit 101 determines whether or not to power off the collating machine 1. For example, when the power switch is turned off or a power-off command is received, it is determined that the power to the collating machine 1 is to be turned off. If it is determined in step S10 that the power to the collating machine 1 is not to be turned off, the process returns to step S4. If it is determined in step S10 that the power to the collating machine 1 is to be turned off, the process of FIG. 4 ends.

[0042] If it is determined that the embedding operation is to be performed, the main control circuit 101 performs the embedding process in step S11. After the embedding process, the process proceeds to step S10. The embedding process will be described below.

[0043] 5 is a flowchart showing the assembly process. In this embodiment, the assembly process is a series of operations for collating multiple different types of newspapers as paper sheets. As will be explained later, in the assembly process, not only flyers but also newspapers are fed into paper feed shelf 12.

[0044] In step S101, the main control circuit 101 determines whether or not to implement settings related to the built-in operation. For example, when a setting related to the built-in operation is instructed by operating the operation panel 11a, etc., it is determined that the setting related to the built-in operation is to be implemented. When it is determined in step S101 that a setting related to the built-in operation has been instructed, the process proceeds to step S102. When it is determined in step S101 that a setting related to the built-in operation has not been instructed, the process proceeds to step S113.

[0045] In step S102, the main control circuit 101 determines whether data has been input. In this embodiment, for example, settings for the integration operation are made by importing delivery order data created in advance. In step S102, it is determined whether data to be imported has been input by the user. In step S102, the process waits until data to be imported is input. If it is determined in step S102 that data has been input, the process proceeds to step S103.

[0046] FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of delivery order data. The delivery order data may be data in various formats, such as CSV (Comma Separated Value). The delivery order data may be managed by the newspaper delivery store where the collating machine 1 is installed, or by a server or the like that centrally manages data from the newspaper delivery stores. Furthermore, the delivery order data may be managed by a cloud server constructed separately from the newspaper delivery store or the like. The delivery order data includes, for example, items such as "delivery store name," "delivery area name," "delivery route," "reader name," "brand name," and "copy." These names may be determined appropriately by the newspaper delivery store or the server. "Delivery store name" is the name of the newspaper delivery store. "Delivery store name" may include the names of newspaper delivery stores where the collating machine 1 is not installed. "Delivery area name" is the name of the area where the corresponding newspaper delivery store delivers newspapers. "Delivery area name" may include the names of delivery areas of newspaper delivery stores where the collating machine 1 is not installed. "Delivery route" is the delivery route of newspapers for the corresponding newspaper delivery store. The delivery order is specified by the "delivery route." The "delivery area name" may also include the delivery route of a newspaper delivery store where the collating machine 1 is not installed. The "reader name" is the name of the newspaper reader on the corresponding delivery route. The "brand name" is the brand name of the newspaper delivered on the corresponding delivery route. The "copies" is the number of copies of the newspaper delivered on the corresponding delivery route. The delivery order data may include information other than the above.

[0047] In step S103, the main control circuit 101 maps the items of the input delivery order data with items that are required for setting the built-in operation that is preset in the collating machine 1. For example, the main control circuit 101 recognizes the items of the input delivery order data and associates items that are similar to the recognized items. After mapping the data in this way, the main control circuit 101 displays a confirmation screen for the mapping results on, for example, the operation panel 11a. Note that if it is guaranteed that each item in the delivery order data corresponds to each item set in the collating machine 1, the mapping process is not necessary.

[0048] 7 is a diagram showing an example of a confirmation screen for mapping results. As shown in Fig. 7, the confirmation screen includes a required information display area 201 and an imported data name display area 202. The confirmation screen further includes an OK button 203.

[0049] The required information display area 201 is an area for displaying a list of items that are required for setting up the embedded operation. In Fig. 7, the required information display area 201 shows, as an example, the items "area name," "route," "reader name," "brand name," and "number of copies."

[0050] The imported data name display area 202 is an area for displaying a list of items imported from the delivery order data. The main control circuit 101 imports items corresponding to "area name," "route," "reader name," "brand name," and "number of copies," which are essential items for setting up the integration operation, from the read delivery order data, and displays the import results in the imported data name display field 202a of the imported data name display field 202. For example, Figure 7 shows an example in which "delivery area name" is displayed as the item corresponding to "area name," "delivery route" is displayed as the item corresponding to "route," "reader name" is displayed as the item corresponding to "reader name," "brand name" is displayed as the item corresponding to "brand name," and "copies" is displayed as the item corresponding to "number of copies" in the imported data name display field 202a.

[0051] In step S104, the main control circuit 101 determines whether an item has been corrected by the user of the collating machine 1, for example, through operation of the operation panel 11a. The user of the collating machine 1 compares each item in the required information display area 201 with each item in the imported data name display area 202 to confirm whether the items are correctly mapped. If an item is not correctly mapped, the user corrects the item displayed in the corresponding imported data name display field 202a. For example, the user selects an item to be associated from a drop-down list 202b displayed together with the imported data name display field 202a. Alternatively, the user directly enters the name of the item in the imported data name display field 202a. If any of these operations is performed, the main control circuit 101 determines that an item has been corrected. If it is determined in step S104 that an item has been corrected, the process proceeds to step S105. If it is determined in step S104 that an item has not been corrected, the process proceeds to step S106.

[0052] In step S105, the main control circuit 101 corrects the mapping result in accordance with the content of the user's correction. Accordingly, the main control circuit 101 updates the confirmation screen for the mapping result. Thereafter, the process proceeds to step S106.

[0053] In step S106, the main control circuit 101 determines whether the mapping process has been completed by the user operating the operation panel 11a, etc. The user compares each item in the essential information display area 201 with each item in the imported data name display area 202, confirms that the items have been correctly mapped, and then selects the OK button 203. In this case, it is determined that the mapping process has been completed. If it is determined in step S106 that the mapping process has been completed, the process proceeds to step S107. If it is determined in step S106 that the mapping process has not been completed, the process returns to step S104.

[0054] In step S107, the main control circuit 101 displays an embedded setting screen based on the result of the mapping process.

[0055] In step S108, the main control circuit 101 determines whether or not setting data has been input on the built-in setting screen. If it is determined in step S108 that setting data has been input on the built-in setting screen, the process proceeds to step S109. If it is determined in step S108 that setting data has not been input on the built-in setting screen, the process returns to step S107.

[0056] In step S109, the main control circuit 101 stores the input setting data in, for example, a memory.

[0057] In step S110, the main control circuit 101 determines whether input of all setting data on the corresponding built-in setting screen has been completed. If it is determined in step S110 that input of all setting data on the built-in setting screen has not been completed, the process returns to step S107. In this case, the main control circuit 101 displays the next built-in setting screen. If it is determined in step S110 that input of all setting data on the built-in setting screen has been completed, the process proceeds to step S111.

[0058] Here, the built-in setting screen will be explained. Figures 8 to 12 are diagrams showing examples of the built-in setting screen. Each built-in setting screen will be explained below.

[0059] 8 is a diagram showing an example of an insert brand selection screen as an incorporation setting screen. An insert brand is a brand of newspaper that needs to be folded into a flyer. In the embodiment, newspapers that need to be folded into a flyer are fed from the newspaper feed mechanism 30 into the collating mechanism 10. The brand name of the newspaper fed from the newspaper feed mechanism 30 is set on the insert brand setting screen.

[0060] The insert brand selection screen includes a brand display area 204. The brand display area 204 is an area for displaying a list of brand names taken from the delivery order data. A check box 204a is provided for each brand name. The user can check the check box 204a for the brand name they wish to set as the insert brand. A checked brand name is displayed in bold, for example. A checked brand name may also be displayed in a different color instead of in bold.

[0061] The user checks the checkbox 204a of the issue name that the user wants to set as the inclusion issue, and then selects the OK button 205. This causes the main control circuit 101 to store the information of the checked issue name as inclusion issue setting data, for example, in memory. The main control circuit 101 then transitions the incorporation setting screen to the next incorporation setting screen, which is the incorporation issue selection screen. Here, it is not necessary to select the inclusion issue. In this case, the user selects the OK button 205 without checking the checkbox 204a. In this case as well, the main control circuit 101 transitions the incorporation setting screen to the next incorporation setting screen, which is the incorporation issue selection screen.

[0062] Furthermore, depending on the configuration of the newspaper supply mechanism 30, it may not be possible to feed multiple types of newspapers into the collating machine 1. In such cases, a limit may be placed on the number of insert brands that can be set. For example, if the newspaper supply mechanism 30 is configured to only feed one type of newspaper, the number of insert brands that can be set may be limited to one.

[0063] FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an example of an incorporation brand selection screen as an incorporation setting screen. An incorporation brand is a brand of newspaper that does not require flyer insertion among the brands of newspapers that are the target of the incorporation operation. In the embodiment, newspapers that do not require flyer insertion are fed from the paper feed shelf 12 to the collating mechanism 10. The brand names of such newspapers fed from the paper feed shelf 12 are set on the incorporation brand setting screen. Here, the incorporation brand selection screen may be displayed, for example, when the number of loaded brand names is greater than the number of paper feed shelves 12 that can be used in the incorporation operation of the collating machine 1. When the number of loaded brand names is equal to or less than the number of paper feed shelves 12 that can be used in the incorporation operation of the collating machine 1, the display of the incorporation brand selection screen may be omitted.

[0064] The incorporation brand selection screen includes a brand display area 206. The brand display area 206 is an area for displaying a list of brand names taken from the delivery order data. Here, the brand name selected on the insert brand selection screen is not displayed in the brand display area 206 on the incorporation brand selection screen. Also, a check box 206a is provided for each brand name. The user can check the check box 206a for the brand name they wish to set as an incorporation brand. A checked brand name is displayed in bold, for example. A checked brand name may also be displayed in a different color instead of in bold.

[0065] The incorporation issue selection screen also includes a remaining number display area 207. The remaining number display area 207 is a display area for displaying the remaining number that can be selected as incorporation issues. For example, FIG. 9 shows an example in which the number that can be selected as incorporation issues is "2." In this case, since two check boxes 206a have already been checked, the remaining number display area 207 displays "0."

[0066] The user checks the checkbox 206a for the issue name they wish to set as an incorporated issue, and then selects the OK button 208. This causes the main control circuit 101 to store the information for the checked issue name as incorporated issue setting data, for example, in memory. The main control circuit 101 then transitions the incorporated setting screen to the next incorporated setting screen, which is a separator sheet usage confirmation screen. Here, it is not necessarily necessary to select the maximum number of incorporated issues that can be selected.

[0067] FIG. 10 shows an example of a separator sheet usage confirmation screen as an installation setting screen. Separators are sheets of paper inserted between collated stacks to indicate the divisions between newspapers delivered to the same reader. As shown in FIG. 6, one reader may subscribe to multiple types of newspapers or multiple copies of newspapers. In other words, there may be cases where multiple newspapers need to be delivered to one reader. Meanwhile, in the installation operation described later, newspapers fed from the paper feed shelf 12 or newspaper supply mechanism 30 are stacked in order according to the delivery order. In this case, it may become impossible to determine the division positions of newspapers to be delivered to each reader. Separators are inserted at division positions where there is a change in the delivery destination in the delivery order.

[0068] The separator sheet usage confirmation screen includes a Yes button 209 and a No button 210. The Yes button 209 is selected when separator sheets are to be used. The No button 210 is selected when separator sheets are not to be used.

[0069] The user selects either the Yes button 209 or the No button 210, and then selects the OK button 211. This causes the main control circuit 101 to store information indicating whether or not separator sheets are to be used as setting data, for example, in memory. Thereafter, the main control circuit 101 transitions the installation setting screen to the next installation setting screen, which is the shelf selection screen to be used.

[0070] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an example of a shelf selection screen serving as an installation setting screen. The shelf selection screen is a screen for selecting a paper feed shelf to be used for the installation operation. The shelf selection screen includes a shelf selection display area 212. The shelf selection display area 212 includes a list of paper feed shelves 12 showing the general layout of the paper feed shelves 12 shown in FIG. 2. The user can select a paper feed shelf to be used for the installation operation from this list of paper feed shelves 12. However, as described above, the paper feed shelf at the bottom of the front side of the housing 11 among the paper feed shelves 12 is assigned as a folding shelf, which is a paper feed shelf for inserting origami paper. Therefore, the folding shelf 1212a is displayed, for example, in black so that it cannot be selected by the user. The user selects a paper feed shelf to be used for the installation operation from the remaining shelves. The paper feed shelf 1212b selected by the user is displayed, for example, in a bold frame to indicate to the user that it has been selected. The shelf selection display area 212 also includes a display of a newspaper supply mechanism (inserter) as the paper feed shelf to be used for the installation operation. When an insert brand has been selected, the inserter is displayed with a bold frame, for example. The display indicating that the insert has been selected is not limited to a bold frame, and may be a display that changes color, etc.

[0071] The shelf selection screen also includes a remaining number display area 213. The remaining number display area 213 is a display area for displaying the remaining number of shelves available for use. The initial value of the remaining number display area 213 may be determined, for example, based on the number of brands to be incorporated selected on the brand selection screen, whether separators are used, and the types of flyers to be folded into the brand. For example, when the number of brands to be incorporated is "2," separators are "used," and the types of flyers are "three types," the number of available paper feed shelves may be set to "6." The initial value of the remaining number display area 213 may also be set to a number greater than the sum of the number of brands to be incorporated selected on the brand selection screen, whether separators are used, and the types of flyers to be folded into the brand. FIG. 11 shows an example in which the number of available paper feed shelves is "6." In this case, three paper feed shelves have already been selected, so "3" is displayed in the remaining number display area 213.

[0072] The user selects the paper feed shelf that they want to set as the shelf to be used, and then selects the OK button 214. This causes the main control circuit 101 to store the information of the selected paper feed shelf as setting data, for example, in memory. The main control circuit 101 then transitions the installation setting screen to the next installation setting screen, which is a packaging use confirmation screen. It is not necessarily necessary to select the maximum number of paper feed shelves that can be selected.

[0073] FIG. 12 shows an example of a packaging use confirmation screen as an incorporation setting screen. For example, when delivering in the rain, newspapers may get wet due to raindrops. These raindrops can be prevented from entering by wrapping the newspapers in wrapping film. Here, when newspapers are fed into a wrapping machine that wraps the newspapers, the order in which the newspapers are discharged from the collating machine 1 is reversed from the order in which the newspapers are fed into the wrapping machine. Therefore, if newspapers discharged from the collating machine 1 are fed directly into the wrapping machine, the newspapers to be delivered to the same person will not be properly wrapped. Therefore, during the incorporation operation, the order in which the newspapers are discharged from the collating machine 1 is changed depending on whether or not wrapping is used.

[0074] The wrapping use confirmation screen includes a Yes button 215 and a No button 216. The Yes button 215 is a button selected when wrapping is to be used. The No button 216 is a button selected when paving is not to be used.

[0075] The user selects either the Yes button 215 or the No button 216, and then selects the OK button 217. This causes the main control circuit 101 to store information indicating whether or not packaging is to be used as setting data, for example, in memory. This completes the input of all setting data on the built-in setting screen, and the process proceeds to step S111.

[0076] Returning now to the description of FIG. 4, in step S111, the main control circuit 101 sets the paper feed shelf based on the setting data. For example, the main control circuit 101 assigns the built-in brand stored in memory as the brand to be fed into the newspaper feed mechanism (inserter). Furthermore, the main control circuit 101 assigns the insert flyer to the paper feed shelf selected for use. The flyer to be folded into the insert brand newspaper may be set during the collating operation, or may be newly set, for example, on the insert brand selection screen. Furthermore, the main control circuit 101 assigns the built-in brand stored in memory as the brand to be fed into the paper feed shelf selected for use. Furthermore, when separator sheets are used, the main control circuit 101 assigns the separator sheets to the paper feed shelf selected for use. Furthermore, if one paper feed shelf cannot accommodate the required number of sheets or copies, the main control circuit 101 may assign the sheets to multiple paper feed shelves. After setting the paper feed shelves in this way, the main control circuit 101 displays a screen for confirming the paper feed shelf setting. 13 is a diagram showing an example of a confirmation screen for paper feed shelf settings. The confirmation screen for paper feed shelf settings includes a paper feed shelf setting display area 218. When used, the paper feed shelf setting display area 218 includes a display of assignment to the selected paper feed shelf.

[0077] In step S112, the main control circuit 101 determines whether the settings related to the assembly operation have been completed. The user places newspapers and inserts into the paper feed shelves according to the settings of the paper feed shelves displayed in the paper feed shelf setting display area 218. Then, after the user has finished placing newspapers and inserts into the paper feed shelves according to the settings of the paper feed shelves displayed in the paper feed shelf setting display area 218, the user selects the OK button 219. At this time, the main control circuit 101 determines that the settings related to the assembly operation have been completed. In step S112, the main control circuit 101 waits until it is determined that the settings related to the assembly operation have been completed. When the settings related to the assembly operation have been completed in step S112, the process proceeds to step S113.

[0078] In step S113, the main control circuit 101 sets the discharge order from the collating mechanism 10. Thereafter, the process returns to step S101. FIG. 14 is a diagram showing an example of discharge order data generated based on the determined discharge order. The discharge order is usually determined, for example, in the reverse order of the delivery order. The delivery order is also specified by the "route." Here, setting of the discharge order for newspapers not selected on the built-in brand selection screen is omitted.

[0079] In Figure 14, an example is shown in which reader A is to be delivered first and reader D is to be delivered last. The collating mechanism 10 stacks the paper sheets in the order in which they are inserted. Therefore, the paper sheets inserted first will be at the bottom. Therefore, if newspapers are inserted in the order in which they are to be delivered, the newspaper that should be delivered first will be at the bottom. In contrast, by determining the order in which they are discharged in the reverse order of the delivery order, the newspaper that should be delivered first will be discharged at the top. This makes it easier for the newspaper deliverer to deliver the newspapers.

[0080] Here, when the setting is to use separator sheets, the discharge order of the separator sheets is also determined. As mentioned above, the discharge order of the separator sheets corresponds to the position of the separator. In FIG. 14, the discharge order of the separator sheets is 1, 3, 6, 10, and 12. The discharge of the first separator sheet and the last separator sheet, 12, may be omitted. When separator sheets are inserted, the newspaper deliverer can determine the division of the newspapers to be delivered by the separator sheets. Also, the user can determine the division of the newspapers to be fed into the packaging machine.

[0081] Furthermore, when the setting is to use wrapping, the discharge order is determined, for example, in the same order as the delivery order, which is the opposite of what is shown in FIG. 14. In this case, it is easy for the user to feed bundles of newspapers into the wrapping machine. If separators are inserted, the newspaper deliverer can use the separators to determine the divisions of the newspapers to be fed into the wrapping machine. In other words, wrapping can be done for each newspaper delivered to the same person.

[0082] Returning now to the description of Fig. 4, in step S114, the main control circuit 101 determines whether or not an instruction to start the embedding operation has been issued. If it is determined in step S114 that an instruction to start the embedding operation has been issued, the process proceeds to step S115. If it is determined in step S114 that an instruction to start the embedding operation has not been issued, the process proceeds to step S116.

[0083] In step S115, the main control circuit 101 executes the embedding operation in accordance with the current settings. The embedding operation will be described below. Figure 15 is a flowchart showing the embedding operation.

[0084] In step S201, the main control circuit 101 refers to the discharge order data and determines whether the next discharge order is a separating sheet. If it is determined in step S201 that the next discharge order is a separating sheet, the process proceeds to step S202. If it is determined in step S201 that the next discharge order is not a separating sheet, the process proceeds to step S203.

[0085] In step S202, the main control circuit 101 controls the collating mechanism 10 via the sub-control circuit 102 so that the separator sheets are fed from the paper feed shelf 12 assigned to the separator sheets. The collating mechanism 10 discharges the separator sheets fed from the paper feed shelf 12 from the discharge port 24. The folding and transport mechanism 40 transports the separator sheets to the lifting mechanism 50. Then, the process proceeds to step S206.

[0086] In step S203, the main control circuit 101 refers to the discharge order data and determines whether the next discharge order is a newspaper of an insert brand. If it is determined in step S203 that the next discharge order is a newspaper of an insert brand, the process proceeds to step S204. If it is determined in step S203 that the next discharge order is not a newspaper of an insert brand, i.e., a newspaper of an incorporated brand, the process proceeds to step S205.

[0087] In step S203, the main control circuit 101 controls the collating mechanism 10 via the sub-control circuit 102 so that the inserts are sequentially fed from the respective paper feed shelves to which the inserts are assigned. Synchronously with this, the main control circuit 101 controls the newspaper supply mechanism 30 via the sub-control circuit 102 so that newspapers are transported from the newspaper supply mechanism 30. The collating mechanism 10 sequentially discharges the inserts fed from the paper feed shelf 12 from the discharge opening 24. The folding and transporting mechanism 40 folds the flyers collated by the collating mechanism 10 into the newspapers fed from the newspaper supply mechanism 30, and transports the newspapers with the folded flyers to the lifting mechanism 50. The process then proceeds to step S206.

[0088] In step S205, the main control circuit 101 controls the collating mechanism 10 via the sub-control circuit 102 to feed a copy of newspapers from the paper feed shelf to which the next newspaper of the incorporated brand in the discharge order is assigned. The collating mechanism 10 discharges the newspapers fed from the paper feed shelf 12 from the discharge opening 24. The folding and transport mechanism 40 transports the newspapers to the lifting mechanism 50. Then, the process proceeds to step S206.

[0089] In step S206, the main control circuit 101 determines whether the assembly operation is complete. For example, the assembly operation is determined to be complete when all paper sheets included in the discharge order data have been discharged. If it is determined in step S206 that the assembly operation is not complete, the process returns to step S201. If it is determined in step S206 that the assembly operation is complete, the main control circuit 101 ends the process of FIG. 15.

[0090] As described above, according to the embodiment, multiple types of newspapers are collated in delivery order. This eliminates the need for newspaper delivery stores to stack multiple newspapers in delivery order. Furthermore, newspaper deliverers can make deliveries by simply picking newspapers in order from the collated stack of newspapers. This improves work efficiency when multiple newspapers need to be handled. Furthermore, in the embodiment, the assembly operation can be performed using a mechanism provided in an existing collating machine. This means that the manufacture of a dedicated mechanism for the assembly mode can be omitted.

[0091] Furthermore, according to the embodiment, separators are inserted at positions where there is a change in the delivery destination in the delivery order. The separators allow the deliverer to distinguish between divisions in the delivery order, thereby enabling the correct delivery of newspapers even when the same person subscribes to multiple copies or types of newspapers. The separators also allow the newspaper stacks to be correctly fed into the wrapping machine. Furthermore, according to the embodiment, the order in which paper sheets are discharged from the collating mechanism 10 is changed depending on whether or not wrapping is used. As a result, newspapers are wrapped for each reader even when wrapping is used. Furthermore, the newspaper stacks discharged from the wrapping machine are stacked in delivery order.

[0092] [Variation] A modified example of the embodiment will be described below. In the embodiment, the input of delivery order data for generating discharge order data is performed by importing delivery order data prepared in advance. However, the data input for generating discharge order data may be entirely input manually. In this case, mapping processing is not required.

[0093] In the embodiment, whether or not the delivery order is changed is determined depending on whether or not packaging is used. As described above, packaging is used, for example, when it is raining. Therefore, whether or not the delivery order is changed may be determined depending on weather conditions, such as when it is raining. In this case, the weather conditions may be input manually by the user, or may be input by a server that can communicate with the collating machine, which obtains the weather conditions from a weather forecast site, etc.

[0094] Furthermore, the above-described respective built-in setting screens are merely examples and may be changed as appropriate. Furthermore, in the embodiment, the respective built-in setting screens are displayed, for example, on the operation panel 11a. However, the respective built-in setting screens may be displayed on a display device separate from the collating machine 1. For example, the built-in setting screens may be displayed on a display device of a terminal such as a smartphone that can communicate with the collating machine 1.

[0095] In the above-described embodiment, newspapers are cited as examples of paper sheets that are the target of the incorporating operation. However, the paper sheets that are the target of the incorporating operation are not limited to newspapers. For example, the paper sheets that are the target of the incorporating operation may be booklets, catalogs, etc., as long as they are relatively thin.

[0096] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications can be made in the implementation stage without departing from the spirit of the invention. Furthermore, the embodiments may be implemented in appropriate combinations, in which case the combined effects can be obtained. Furthermore, the above-described embodiments include various inventions, and various inventions can be extracted by combining selected elements from the disclosed elements. For example, if the problem can be solved and the desired effect can be obtained even if some elements are deleted from all elements shown in the embodiments, the configuration from which these elements are deleted can be extracted as an invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0097] 1 Collator, 2 Paper feed shelf, 10 Collator mechanism, 11 Housing, 11a Operation panel, 12, 12a Paper feed shelf, 13 Conveyor path, 14 Conveyor roller pair, 15 First paper feed roller, 16 Second paper feed roller, 17 Separator plate, 18, 18a Feed roller pair, 19 Folding roller pair, 20 Engagement portion, 21 Folding knife, 22 Conveyor belt, 23 Discharge roller pair, 24 Discharge outlet, 30 Newspaper supply mechanism, 40 Folding and conveying mechanism, 50 Lifting mechanism, 101 Main control circuit, 102, 103, 104, 105 Sub-control circuit, 106 Display, 107 Operation switches, 108 Communication module.

Claims

1. a setting unit that receives input data on the delivery order of a plurality of newspaper copies and sets the delivery order of the plurality of newspaper copies in the collating mechanism; a control unit that controls the collating mechanism to perform an assembly operation in which, when in an assembly mode in which multiple types of newspapers are collated in accordance with delivery order, the multiple copies of newspapers fed into multiple paper feed shelves are acquired from the paper feed shelves in accordance with the discharge order, and a collated bundle including the acquired bundle of newspapers is discharged from a discharge outlet in accordance with the discharge order, when not in the assembly mode, controls the collating mechanism to perform an operation in which the collating mechanism acquires multiple paper sheets from the paper feed shelves in accordance with a current setting that is not based on the delivery order, and a collated bundle including the acquired bundle of paper sheets is discharged from the discharge outlet; A collating machine equipped with:

2. The setting unit sets the discharge order of the separator paper at a separator position where a change in delivery destination occurs in the delivery order, the control unit controls the collating mechanism to acquire the separator sheets from the paper feed shelf in the discharge order of the separator sheets and discharge the acquired separator sheets from the discharge outlet in the discharge order. The collating machine according to claim 1.

3. The collating machine according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the setting unit further allocates the paper feed shelves into which the plurality of newspapers are fed.

4. The setting unit displaying a setting screen for allowing a user to select the paper feed shelf that can be used for the allocation; 4. The collating machine according to claim 3, wherein the allocation is performed among the paper feed shelves selected by a user.

5. The setting unit displaying a setting screen for allowing a user to select a newspaper to be a target of the embedding operation from among the plurality of newspapers; 5. The collating machine according to claim 3, wherein the paper feed shelf is allocated to newspapers to be subjected to the assembling operation selected by a user.

6. The setting unit displaying a setting screen for allowing a user to select a newspaper that requires the folding of another paper sheet from among the plurality of newspapers; 6. The collating machine according to claim 4, wherein a newspaper supply mechanism different from the paper supply shelf is allocated to a newspaper that needs to be folded into another paper sheet selected by a user.

7. receiving data on the delivery order of the plurality of newspaper copies and setting the delivery order of the plurality of newspaper copies in the collating mechanism; When in an assembly mode in which multiple types of newspapers are collated in accordance with delivery order, the collating mechanism is controlled to perform an assembly operation in which the multiple copies of newspapers fed into multiple paper feed shelves are acquired from the paper feed shelves in accordance with the discharge order, and a collated bundle including the acquired bundle of newspapers is discharged from a discharge outlet in accordance with the discharge order, and when not in the assembly mode, the collating mechanism is controlled to perform an operation in which the multiple paper sheets are acquired from the paper feed shelves in accordance with a current setting that is not based on the delivery order, and a collated bundle including the acquired bundle of paper sheets is discharged from the discharge outlet. A collating program for causing a processor of a collating machine to execute the above.

Images