Paper sorting device

Abstract

To provide a paper classification device improved in classification work efficiency and in paper alignment performance of cut paper loaded on the paper classification device in the paper conveyance direction, furthermore, having a compact and simple structure.SOLUTION: A paper classification device has: a collecting and transferring part for continuously transferring loaded cut paper downstream for every stacked and loaded cut paper after receiving and stacking the continuously discharged cut paper for every classification unit; and a stacker part arranged on the downstream side of the collecting and transferring part and capable of continuously loading the loaded cut paper transferred from the transferring and loading part on different positions on a loading face.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a paper sorting device that is attached to the discharge side of a paper processing device or the like and stacks and sorts the papers discharged in a single sheet state in a predetermined number of sheets.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, as a stacker device for stacking papers discharged from a processing device in a single sheet state, a conveyor stacker is known. The conveyor stacker slowly conveys the single-sheet papers after cutting processed and discharged from the processing device by a belt conveyor, and stacks the single-sheet papers in a fork-like manner in a state of being obliquely erected on a stacker provided at its end. Also, Patent Document 1 below discloses a paper sorting device that stacks the papers discharged in the single sheet state on a belt conveyor in a predetermined number of sheets.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] Regarding the conveyor stacker, it is troublesome for an operator to align the single-sheet papers stacked in a fork-like manner on the stacker in units of a predetermined number of sheets.

[0005] Furthermore, in the paper sorting device disclosed in Patent Document 1, since the paper, which is discharged in single sheet form, is stacked in predetermined numbers on a single (single drive) belt conveyor and transported downstream while leaving a predetermined gap, the loading (discharge) of subsequent discharged paper must be stopped while the preceding paper is being transported (while the belt conveyor is running) until the predetermined gap is opened on the downstream side, resulting in poor work efficiency. The predetermined gap is the gap necessary for the operator to easily remove the stacked single sheets of paper from the belt conveyor.

[0006] Furthermore, depending on the type of paper, aligning the width of the single sheets stacked on the conveyor belt in predetermined quantities can be problematic. For example, installing side guides on the conveyor belt to align the width of the single sheets can improve paper alignment, but this presents problems such as paper slipping through the gap between the lower end of the side guides and the top surface of the conveyor belt. Also, if side guides are placed on the conveyor belt, the drive mechanism for the side guides must be positioned in the space above the conveyor belt, which imposes design constraints.

[0007] The object of the present invention is, in view of the problems of the prior art, to provide a paper sorting device that can improve the efficiency of sorting work, improve the alignment performance of single sheets of paper in the paper transport width direction when stacked on the paper sorting device, and furthermore, has a compact and simple configuration. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The invention described in claim 1 comprises: an accumulation transfer unit that receives continuously discharged single sheets of paper, stacks them in sorted units, and then continuously transfers each stacked single sheet of paper downstream; a stacker unit located downstream of the accumulation transfer unit and capable of continuously stacking the stacked single sheets of paper transferred from the accumulation transfer unit at different positions on a mounting surface; and a control unit that controls the stacked single sheets of paper transferred to the stacker unit by the accumulation transfer unit so that a predetermined gap is formed between the stacked single sheets of paper that have been transferred earlier and the subsequent stacked single sheets of paper, wherein the accumulation transfer unit is provided with transport rollers that load the stacked single sheets of paper on a plurality of rotating rollers, and the accumulation transfer unit is provided with side guides that restrict the paper transport width direction of the single sheets of paper when stacking the continuously discharged single sheets of paper, and the side guides have notches in their side walls through which the plurality of rollers each pass, and are configured so that the installation position in the paper transport width direction can be adjusted through the notches.

[0009] The invention described in claim 2 is a paper sorting device according to claim 1, wherein the stacking and transporting unit is capable of loading a plurality of stacked single sheets of paper in the transporting direction, and the control unit in the stacking and transporting unit is characterized in that, at least when the single sheets of paper are stacked, the single sheets of paper are received in a transport-stopped state, stacked in sorting units, and then the stacked single sheets of paper are accumulated sequentially and gradually, while being shifted and transported with pauses along the way, and the stacked single sheets of paper are controlled to be transferred sequentially and gradually from the stacked single sheets of paper to the stacker unit.

[0010] The invention described in claim 3 is characterized in that, in the paper sorting device described in claim 1 or claim 2, the stacking transport unit and the stacker unit are driven independently of each other to transport the stacked single sheets of paper.

[0011] The invention described in claim 4 is a paper sorting device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the stacker section is provided with a belt conveyor that loads the stacked single sheets of paper onto a belt that travels in a circular motion.

[0012] The invention described in claim 5 is a paper sorting device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the stacking and transporting unit is provided with transport rollers that load the stacked single sheets of paper onto a plurality of rotating rollers.

[0014] Claim 6 The invention described is, 1 or claim 5 The paper sorting device described above is characterized in that the accumulation and transfer unit is provided with auxiliary guides to fill the gaps between the plurality of rollers.

[0015] Claim 7 The invention described relates to a paper sorting device according to any one of claims 1 to 4. Furthermore, the collection and transfer unit has a belt on which the stacked single sheets of paper are loaded. It is characterized in that a conveyor is provided.

[0016] Claim 8 The invention described in claim 1 to claim 7 In the sheet sorting device according to any one of the above claims, the stacking transfer unit receives and stacks the single-sheet papers of the sorting units that are continuously discharged, and thus is at least in a state of advancing into the conveyance path during stacking, and has a abutting guide that regulates the leading end of the single-sheet paper. It is characterized by this.

[0017] Claim 9 The invention described in claim 1 is a processing unit having a processing material for performing a predetermined processing on a predetermined position of the conveyed sheet, and the sheet sorting device according to any one of claims 1 to claim 8 among them, characterized by comprising: device.

Advantages of the Invention

[0018] According to the invention described in claim 1, the stacking and transporting unit is equipped with a side guide that restricts the paper transport width direction of the single sheets of paper when stacking the single sheets of paper that are continuously discharged. The side guide has notches in its side wall through which multiple rollers pass, and is configured so that the installation position in the paper transport width direction can be adjusted through the notches. As a result, there is no problem of paper slipping through the gap between the lower part of the side guide and the multiple rollers in the paper transport width direction, and the alignment performance of the single sheets of paper loaded in the stacking and transporting unit can be improved.

[0019] According to the invention described in claim 2, the stacking transfer unit can stack a plurality of single-sheet papers in the stacking unit in the conveyance direction. In the stacking transfer unit, the control unit at least receives the single-sheet papers in a transfer stop state during stacking of the single-sheet papers, stacks them in sorting units, and then sequentially and stepwise accumulates the stacked single-sheet papers while shifting and transferring them with intermediate stops, and sequentially and stepwise from the accumulated stacked single-sheet papers to the stacker unit, controls so that the stacked single-sheet papers are delivered, and thus the sorting work efficiency can be improved.

[0020] According to the invention described in claim 3, the stacking transfer unit and the stacker unit are independently driven from each other to convey the stacked single-sheet papers, so that the sorting work efficiency can be improved.

[0021] According to the invention described in claim 4, the stacker section is provided with a belt conveyor that loads the stacked single sheets of paper onto a belt that travels in a circular motion, so the means for loading and transporting the stacked single sheets of paper can be configured simply and inexpensively.

[0022] According to the invention described in claim 5, the stacking and transporting unit is provided with transport rollers that load stacked single sheets of paper onto a plurality of rotating rollers, so that the means for loading and transporting stacked single sheets of paper can be configured simply and inexpensively.

[0024] Claim 6 According to the invention described, the stacking and transporting unit is equipped with auxiliary guides between each of the multiple rollers to compensate for gaps in the paper transport path, thereby preventing jams from occurring in the paper transport path.

[0025] Claim 7 According to the invention described, the stacking and transporting unit is equipped with a belt conveyor that loads the stacked single sheets of paper onto a belt that travels in a circular motion, so the means for loading and transporting the stacked single sheets of paper can be configured simply and inexpensively.

[0026] Claim 8 According to the invention described, the stacking and transporting unit receives and stacks single sheets of paper in sorting units that are continuously discharged, and is in a forward position relative to the transport path at least when stacking, and has a stopper guide that restricts the leading edge of the single sheets of paper, thereby improving the alignment performance of the single sheets of paper in the paper transport direction when stacked on the paper sorting device.

[0027] Claim 9 According to the invention described, the processing apparatus includes a processing unit having a processing member that performs a predetermined processing on a predetermined position of a sheet being conveyed, and claims 1 to claim 8 Since it is equipped with a paper sorting device described in any one of the items, the efficiency of sorting work can be improved. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0028] [Figure 1] This is a longitudinal cross-sectional view showing the schematic configuration of a processing apparatus D according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] This is a plan view showing an example of a sheet processing pattern. [Figure 3] This is an overall perspective view of the paper sorting device 2. [Figure 4] This is a perspective view of the accumulation and transfer unit 91. [Figure 5] This is a perspective view of the accumulation and transfer unit 91. [Figure 6] This is a perspective view of the accumulation and transfer unit 91. [Figure 7] This is a schematic diagram showing the sorting operation of the paper sorting device 2. [Figure 8] This is a schematic diagram showing the sorting operation of the paper sorting device 2. [Figure 9] This is a schematic diagram showing the sorting operation of the paper sorting device 2. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0029] [Overall configuration of processing equipment D] The general configuration of the processing apparatus according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following description, the direction perpendicular to the transport direction F of the transport unit 4 that transports the sheet S will be referred to as the width direction W, and the right side when viewed from the upstream side to the downstream side of the transport direction F will be referred to as the right side of the apparatus, and the left side will be referred to as the left side of the apparatus. Figure 1 is a schematic longitudinal cross-sectional view of the processing apparatus D according to the present invention. In Figure 1, the processing apparatus D is equipped with a supply unit 3 at the upstream end of the transport direction F of the sheet S (single sheet paper) of the apparatus body 1, and a paper sorting device 2 for placing the processed single sheet paper Q at the downstream end of the transport direction F, and a substantially horizontal transport path 5 is configured between the supply unit 3 and the paper sorting device 2.

[0030] The transport path 5 is equipped with a transport section 4 on which multiple pairs of upper and lower transport rollers 9 to 17 are installed. The transport rollers 9 to 17 are spaced apart in the transport direction F. Each of the transport rollers 9 to 17 constituting the transport section 4 is connected to a transport drive unit 41 to 44 via a power transmission mechanism (not shown), and each of the transport drive units 41 to 44 is electrically connected to a control unit 45.

[0031] The control unit 45 has a built-in CPU and storage devices such as RAM and ROM, and the operation panel 46 and the reading unit 26 are electrically connected to the interface of the control unit 45. The operation panel 46 is configured to serve as both a setting unit and a display unit for setting various processing information, including information related to the cutting process of the sheet S. The reading unit 26 is also configured as the setting unit.

[0032] The conveying path 5 is equipped with a processing unit 24 for processing the conveyed sheet S. In Figure 1, the processing unit 24 includes a cutting unit 19 and a crease processing unit 21 that forms folds perpendicular to the conveying direction F. The cutting unit 19 is composed of three slitter processing units 20 and a cutter processing unit 22.

[0033] The slitter processing unit 20, the crease processing unit 21, and the cutter processing unit 22 are each configured as detachable units and can be attached and detached to any desired position within the main body 1 of the device using a cassette system. Therefore, the arrangement order of each processing unit 20, 21, and 22 can be changed depending on the type of processing, or other processing units 24 such as a mechanism for creasing along the transport direction F, a chamfering mechanism, or a perforation forming mechanism can be replaced or added.

[0034] A reading unit 26 and a reject mechanism 25 are located upstream of the slitter processing unit 20, and a scrap removal mechanism 27 is located downstream of the slitter processing unit 20. A scrap collection unit 23 is located at the bottom of the main body 1 of the device.

[0035] The transport path 5 is further equipped with multiple light-transmitting detection units 31 to 35 that detect the front edge (downstream edge) Sf or rear edge (upstream edge) Sr of the sheet S, and each is electrically connected to the interface of the control unit 45. In the transport direction F of the sheet S, the first detection unit 31, which is the most upstream, is located between the suction transport unit 62 and the supply roller 8 of the supply unit 3, the second detection unit 32 is located near the upstream side of the slitter processing unit 20, the third detection unit 33 is located in the middle of the slitter processing unit 20, the fourth detection unit 34 is located near the upstream side of the crease processing unit 21, and the fifth detection unit 35, which is the most downstream, is located near the upstream side of the stacker unit 2.

[0036] The first detection unit 31 detects the front edge Sf of the sheet S before it is gripped by the supply roller 8, or the rear edge Sr of the sheet S that is gripped by the supply roller 8 and being transported, and uses the detected position of the sheet S as a reference to calculate the position of the sheet S that is subsequently being transported on the transport path 5.

[0037] The second detection unit 32 and the third detection unit 33 detect jams in the sheets S during processing. The fourth detection unit 34 is installed as an auxiliary unit to correct the sheet position information obtained by the first detection unit 31 and make it more accurate in case the transport path 5 becomes longer and the positional deviation (transportation error) of the sheets S in the transport direction F on the transport path 5 accumulates. The fifth detection unit 35 detects the discharge of single sheets Q after processing to the paper sorting device 2. The fifth detection unit 35 also detects jams of single sheets Q in the paper sorting device 2.

[0038] [Supply section 3] The supply unit 3 comprises a supply table 61, a supply roller 8, a suction conveying unit 62, and a separation blowing unit 63. The supply table 61 is provided for loading sheets S and supplying the sheets S to the conveying path 5. The supply table 61 is movable up and down by a lifting mechanism (not shown). When supplying sheets S, the lifting mechanism raises the supply table 61 from the standby position to a predetermined supply position where the top sheet S can be suction conveyed by the suction conveying unit 62 and supplied to the conveying path 5. Thus, the supply table 61 is movable between the standby position and the supply position.

[0039] The supply rollers 8 are installed in pairs, one above the other. The suction conveying unit 62 is equipped with a suction fan 67, a conveying belt 64, and a belt roller 65. In the supply unit 3, a predetermined number of sheets S stacked on the supply table 61 are supplied one by one from the top to the conveying path 5 using the suction conveying unit 62 and the pair of upper and lower supply rollers 8.

[0040] The separation and blowing unit 63 uses a fan (not shown) to blow air toward the front edge Sf of the sheet S on the supply table 61, separating the top sheet S from the stacked sheets S, which is then sucked onto the suction and conveying unit 62 and conveyed. One of the belt rollers 65 and the lower supply roller 81 of the supply rollers 8 are connected to the paper feeding drive unit 47. The separation and blowing unit 63, the suction fan 67, and the paper feeding drive unit 47 are electrically connected to the control unit 45.

[0041] [Reading section 26] The reading unit 26 reads an image of a position mark M1 printed on the front corner of the sheet S, as shown in Figure 2, to detect the reference position for processing in the transport direction F and the width direction W perpendicular to the transport direction F of the sheet S. In addition, the reading unit 26 can also be configured as a setting unit that automatically reads and sets processing information, separate from the manual input of various processing information by the operation panel 46. Specifically, it reads an image of a barcode M2 ​​printed on the front end of the sheet S, as shown in Figure 2, to obtain various processing information to be applied to the sheet S. The reading unit 26 is composed of a CCD sensor or the like.

[0042] [Rejection mechanism 25] The reject mechanism 25 in Figure 1 activates when the position mark M1 or barcode M2 ​​printed on the sheet S is unclear and therefore cannot be read by the reading unit 26. It drops the unreadable sheet S and collects it in the tray 25a.

[0043] [Slitter processing unit 20] The slitter processing unit 20 has three units arranged in the transport direction F, and each unit has two sets of cutting blades 36, each consisting of upper and lower rotary cutting blades, spaced apart in the width direction W. The cutting blades 36 are installed to be movable in a direction intersecting the transport direction F of the transport unit 4, and constitute processing members that perform predetermined processing at predetermined positions on the transported sheet S. The driving force of the rotary drive unit 48, which acts as a processing member drive unit that drives the processing members, rotates either the upper or lower cutting blade 36 of the transport path 5, and the other cutting blade 36 is driven to rotate, thereby cutting along the transport direction F by the transport unit 4 and forming a cutting line T on the sheet S.

[0044] [Crease processing area 21] The crease processing unit 21 comprises a lower die 39 having an upper end recess and an upper die 38 having a lower end protrusion that fits into the recess. The upper die 38 is connected to a folding die drive unit 49, such as a motor, via a power transmission mechanism. That is, by lowering the upper die 38 with the driving force of the folding die drive unit 49, a crease is formed on the sheet S in the width direction W perpendicular to the transport direction F.

[0045] [Cutter Processing Unit 22] The cutter processing unit 22 extends in the width direction W and is equipped with a pair of opposing cutting blades 69. One cutting blade 69 is composed of an upper movable blade 71, and the other cutting blade 69 is composed of a lower fixed blade 73. The upper movable blade 71 contacts and separates from the lower fixed blade 73, cutting the sheet S in the width direction W perpendicular to the transport direction F, and forming a cutting line K on the sheet S. The upper movable blade 71 is connected to a cutting drive unit 50 such as a motor via a power transmission mechanism.

[0046] [Paper sorting device 2] The paper sorting device 2 consists of a stacking and transfer unit 91 and a stacker unit 92. The stacking and transfer unit 91 receives processed single sheets of paper Q continuously discharged from the device body 1 (processing unit), stacks them in sorting units, and then continuously transfers each stacked single sheet of paper Q' downstream. The single sheets of paper Q stacked in sorting units are hereafter referred to as stacked single sheets of paper Q'. Furthermore, the stacker section 92 is located downstream of the stacking and transfer section 91 and continuously stacks the stacked single sheets Q' transferred from the stacking and transfer section 91, dividing them into different positions on the mounting surface. Specifically, the stacking and transfer section 91 is equipped with transport rollers that load the stacked single sheets Q' onto a plurality of rotating rollers 94 (drive rollers). The stacker section 92 is equipped with a mounting section 83 that can load the stacked single sheets Q' into different positions on the mounting surface. The mounting section 83 is equipped with a belt conveyor 86 that loads the stacked single sheets Q' onto a belt 85 that travels in a circular motion. The stacked single sheets Q' transferred from the stacking and transfer section 91 are transported and placed on the belt conveyor 86. The stacking and transfer section 91 may be configured with a belt conveyor 88 instead of the plurality of rotating rollers 94.

[0047] The stacking and transporting unit 91 and the stacker unit 92 are driven independently of each other to transport the stacked single sheets of paper Q'. The roller drive unit 40 is electrically connected to the control unit 45, and the control unit 45 controls the amount of drive of the roller drive unit 40 so that the multiple rollers 94 are adjusted to travel at a predetermined speed. In addition, the conveyor drive unit 51 is electrically connected to the control unit 45, and the control unit 45 controls the amount of drive of the conveyor drive unit 51 so that the belt conveyor 86 is adjusted to travel at a predetermined speed.

[0048] The specific configuration and operation of the paper sorting device 2 will be described later.

[0049] [Scrap fabric collection unit 23] The scrap collection unit 23 includes a scrap collection box 54 and guides 59 and 60. The scrap collection box 54 is formed in the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped with an opening at the top. The scrap collection box 54 collects and stores the scraps J that are cut off and become unnecessary in the cutting unit 19. The guides 59 and 60 guide the scraps J that are cut off and fall in the cutting unit 19 to the scrap collection box 54.

[0050] [Control Unit 45] The control unit 45 controls the operation of the entire processing apparatus D. The control unit 45 acquires information from the detection units 31 to 35 and controls the drive of the supply unit 3, transport unit 4, paper sorting device 2, and each processing unit 24 based on the processing information of the sheet S set by the operation panel 46 or reading unit 26, and performs the processing of the sheet S.

[0051] [Sheet processing patterns] Figure 2 is a plan view showing an example of a processing pattern for sheet S. The processing pattern shown in the figure is designed to produce multiple single sheets Q from a single sheet S. Multiple cutting lines T are set as processing lines that extend parallel to the transport direction F, and multiple cutting lines K are set as processing lines that extend in the width direction W perpendicular to the transport direction F.

[0052] In Figure 2, the first cutting lines T1 and T6, shown at the far right and left, are formed by unit 20a, which is located furthest upstream in the slitter processing unit 20 on the transport path 5 in Figure 1. The second and fifth cutting lines T2 and T5, formed inside the first and sixth cutting lines T1 and T6 respectively, are formed by unit 20b, which is located in the center in the transport direction F. The third and fourth cutting lines T3 and T4, formed further inside the second and fifth cutting lines T2 and T5, are formed by unit 20c, which is located furthest downstream in the transport direction F. The strip-shaped unwanted scraps Jb between the second and third cutting lines T2 and T3, and between the fourth and fifth cutting lines T4 and T5, are guided downward by the scrap removal mechanism 27 shown in Figure 1 and collected in the scrap collection unit 23.

[0053] Furthermore, the cutting lines K are formed when the sheet S is cut parallel to the transport direction F along the cutting lines T1 to T6, and the long pieces of scraps J cut off from the sheet S are removed, thereby simultaneously performing the cutting process multiple times on multiple strip-shaped pieces arranged in the width direction W.

[0054] Furthermore, in the processing pattern of sheet S shown in Figure 2, no fold lines are set by the crease processing unit 21. Therefore, in the processing processing unit 24 exemplified in Figure 1, the crease processing unit 21 is either kept in the receiving unit 6 but not allowed to function, preventing the crease processing from being performed, or it is replaced with a transport processing unit (not shown), or the crease processing unit 21 is detached from the receiving unit 6 and used in an empty state.

[0055] The various processing information to be applied to the sheet S regarding the arrangement pattern of the single sheets of paper Q after such processing is set by the user using the operation panel 46 or recorded in the barcode M2 ​​of the sheet S. This various processing information includes information about the sheet S itself, such as the length in predetermined directions such as the length in the transport direction and the width direction of the sheet S, thickness, type, etc.; information about the single sheets of paper Q, such as the arrangement, number, and dimensions of the single sheets of paper Q; and information about the processing of the sheet S, such as the size and number of unnecessary scraps J cut from the sheet S, and information about the sorting process of the single sheets of paper Q. Information about the sorting process includes sorting necessity information, whether or not to perform sorting in the paper sorting device 2, sorting timing information, the timing at which sorting should be performed, sorting distance information, the distance between the single sheets of paper Q sorted before and after each other in the loading section 83, sorting loading information, such as the overlap length between the preceding single sheet of paper Q and the succeeding single sheet of paper Q, and sorting notification information, such as whether or not to notify with light or sound when sorting is performed.

[0056] Once the processing information has been set, it can be stored in the storage device of the control unit 45. By assigning a number, processing name, name, etc., to each of the multiple processing information items with different arrangement patterns of single sheets Q after processing sheet S, and storing them in the storage device, the user can operate the operation panel 46, which acts as the operation unit, to retrieve the processing information related to the necessary processing content from the storage device and process sheet S.

[0057] [Configuration of Paper Sorting Device 2] Next, the specific configuration of the paper sorting device 2 will be explained based on Figures 3 to 6.

[0058] As shown in Figure 3, the paper sorting device 2 consists of a stacking and transfer unit 91 and a stacker unit 92, and the stacking and transfer unit 91 and the stacker unit 92 are driven independently of each other. The stacking and transfer unit 91 receives the processed single sheets of paper Q continuously discharged from the device body 1 (processing unit) with a placement unit 95, stacks them in sorting units, and then continuously transfers each stacked single sheet of paper Q' downstream. The stacker unit 92 is located downstream of the stacking and transfer unit 91 and continuously stacks the stacked single sheets of paper Q' transferred from the stacking and transfer unit 91, sorting them into different positions on the placement surface. Specifically, the stacking and transfer unit 91 is provided with transport rollers that load the stacked single sheets of paper Q' onto a plurality of rotating rollers 94 (drive rollers). The stacker unit 92 is provided with a placement unit 83 that can load the stacked single sheets of paper Q' into different positions on the placement surface. The loading section 83 is provided with a belt conveyor 86 that loads the single sheets of paper Q' onto a belt 85 that travels in a circular motion. The single sheets of paper Q' transported from the accumulation and transfer section 91 are transported and placed onto the belt conveyor 86. The accumulation and transfer section 91 may be configured with a belt conveyor 88 instead of the rotating rollers 94.

[0059] By using belt conveyors 86 and 88 in the stacker section 92 and the stacking and transfer section 91, the means for loading and transferring the stacked single sheets of paper Q' can be configured simply and inexpensively.

[0060] The belt conveyor 86 in the stacker section 92 comprises an endless belt 85, conveyor rollers 87, and a conveyor drive unit 51. The conveyor rollers 87 are installed at three locations spaced a predetermined distance apart in the discharge direction of the stacked single sheets of paper Q', which is the same direction as the conveying direction F of the sheet S, and the belt 85 is stretched across them. The conveyor drive unit 51 is a drive mechanism for rotating the endless belt 85 to transport the stacked single sheets of paper Q' after sorting processing toward the downstream side of the paper conveying direction F, and comprises a drive motor 101 that functions as a driving means, a pulley 511 attached to the rotating shaft of the drive motor 101, a pulley 512 attached to the rotating shaft 513 of the conveyor roller 87, and a timing belt 514 stretched between these pulleys 511 and 512. When the drive motor 101 is rotated, the driving force is transmitted to the rotating shaft 513 of the conveyor roller 87 via the pulleys 511 and 512, causing the conveyor roller 87 to rotate and the endless belt 85 to rotate.

[0061] The length of the belt 85 in the width direction W is a predetermined length that is approximately the same as or slightly longer than the width direction W of the transport path 5 on which the sheets S are transported, and multiple processed single sheets Q that are discharged in parallel in the width direction W can be placed on the belt 85. The conveyor drive unit 51 is electrically connected to the control unit 45, and the control unit 45 controls the amount of drive of the conveyor drive unit 51 so that the belt conveyor 86 is adjusted to run at a predetermined speed.

[0062] Next, the configuration of the stacking and transfer unit 91 will be described. As shown in Figure 4, the stacking and transfer unit 91 consists of a loading unit 95 that receives the processed single sheets Q continuously discharged from the main body of the device 1 (processing unit), and a plurality of rollers 94 (drive rollers) that serve as transport rollers to continuously transfer the received single sheets Q to the stacker unit 92 after stacking them in partition units.

[0063] According to this, the means for loading and transporting the stacked single sheets of paper Q' can be configured simply and inexpensively.

[0064] The abutment guide 93 and side guides 961-964 in the mounting section 95 are driven by the guide drive unit 52, and the multiple rollers 94 are driven by the roller drive unit 40. Both drive units are electrically connected to the control unit 45, which controls the amount of drive to adjust the position of each guide. The guide drive unit 52 includes a motor 103 for driving the abutment guide 93 in the vertical direction, a motor 102 for driving it in the front-rear direction of the conveying direction F, and motors 104-106 for driving the side guides 961-964 in the left-right direction of the conveying width. The roller drive unit 40 includes a motor 108 for rotating the multiple rollers 94. In this embodiment, motor 101 is a DC gear motor, and the other motors 102 to 108 are stepping motors.

[0065] The stopper guide 93 restricts the front edge of the processed single sheet of paper Q discharged from the main body 1 (processing unit) in the transport direction F, so that the front edge of the single sheet of paper Q is aligned when it is loaded onto the loading unit 95. In addition, the left and right edges in the width direction W perpendicular to the transport direction F can be aligned using the side guides 961 to 964. In this embodiment, the example shows a case where three rows of processed single sheet of paper Q shown in Figure 2 are discharged from the main body 1 and received by the loading unit 95.

[0066] The abutment guide 93 is composed of multiple guide members, each mounted on a guide folder 5221 which is integrally attached to the subframe 522. The guide folder 5221 is cylindrical, and each guide member has a stopper 5222 attached to its upper part. The guide members are inserted into the guide folder 5221 from above so that they can move up, down, left, and right by their own weight up to the stopper's restricted position. Lateral movement is possible only by the gap between the guide member and the guide folder 5221.

[0067] Next, the drive mechanism for moving the abutment guide 93 in the guide drive unit 52 will be described. The subframe 522 is configured to slide vertically relative to the main frame 521 via guide shafts 5223 installed at two locations in the transport width direction. A lead nut 5224 is integrally fixed to the subframe 522, and a lead screw 5225 is screwed into this lead nut 5224. The lead screw 5225 is integrally fixed to the rotation shaft of the motor 103 fixed to the main frame 521, and by rotating the motor 103, the lead nut 5224 screwed into the lead screw 5225 drives the subframe 522 in the vertical direction. As a result, the abutment guide 93 can be driven vertically.

[0068] Figure 4 shows the state in which the stopper guide 93 has advanced downward relative to the transport path when stacking single sheets of paper Q, and Figure 5 shows the state in which the stopper guide 93 has retracted upward relative to the transport path when the stacked single sheets of paper Q' are transported downstream.

[0069] Next, the drive mechanism in the guide drive unit 52 that slides the abutment guide 93 in the front-rear direction of the transport direction F will be described. The main frame 521 is installed at two locations in the transport width direction and is configured to slide in the front-rear direction of the transport direction F via a guide shaft 5228 fitted into a linear bush 5229. A lead nut 5226 is integrally fixed to the main frame 521, and a lead screw 5227 is screwed into this lead nut 5226. The lead screw 5227 is integrally fixed to the rotation shaft of the motor 102, and by rotating the motor 102, the lead nut 5226 screwed into the lead screw 5227 drives the entire unit of the main frame 521 and subframe 522 in the front-rear direction. As a result, the abutment guide 93 of the mounting section can slide in the front-rear direction of the transport direction F according to the size of the single sheet of paper Q to be loaded. In Figures 3 to 6, the motor 102 and one end of the guide shaft 5228 are shown as floating in mid-air, but in reality, they are integrally fixed to an outer frame (not shown) that is positioned around the main frame 521 and subframe 522.

[0070] Next, the drive mechanism for the left-right direction in the transport width direction of the side guides 961 to 964 in the guide drive unit 52 will be described. Since the drive mechanisms of the side guides 961 to 964 are all the same configuration, only one of them will be described. The side guide 961 has notches 9611 in its side wall through which multiple rollers 94 each pass, and is configured so that its installation position in the paper transport width direction can be adjusted through the notches 9611.

[0071] According to this, problems such as paper slipping through the gap between the side wall of the side guide and the multiple rollers are eliminated, and the alignment performance in the paper transport width direction of the single sheets of paper Q stacked on the paper sorting device 2 can be improved.

[0072] Each of the multiple rollers 94 is equipped with an auxiliary guide 9612 between the rollers to compensate for any gaps in the paper transport path.

[0073] This prevents jams from occurring along the paper transport path.

[0074] A lead nut 9613 is integrally fixed to the side guide 961, and a lead screw 9614 is screwed into this lead nut 9613. The lead screw 9614 is integrally fixed to the rotating shaft of the motor 104, and by rotating the motor 104, the lead nut 9613 screwed into the lead screw 9614 moves the side guide 961 in the left-right direction in the paper transport width direction according to the size of the single sheet paper Q being loaded.

[0075] When the side guide 961 moves left to right in the paper transport width direction according to the size of the single sheet of paper Q, the stop guide 93 moves while retracted upward relative to the transport path. After the position of the side guide 961 is adjusted, as the abutment guide 93 advances downward along the transport path, it is possible that one of the guide members may hit the upper end of the side guide 961. However, since each guide member is configured to move up, down, left, and right by its own weight up to the stopping position of the stopper, the guide member hitting the upper end of the side guide 961 can be lifted upward and moved out of the way. Alternatively, the guide member hitting the upper end of the side guide 961 can avoid the upper end of the side guide 961 by shifting to the left or right by the amount of the gap between the guide member and the guide holder 5221.

[0076] Next, the rotational drive mechanism for the multiple rollers 94 in the roller drive unit 40 will be described. The roller drive unit 40 is a drive mechanism for rotating the multiple rollers 94 to transport the stacked single sheets of paper Q' after sorting processing toward the downstream side of the paper transport direction F, and includes a drive motor 108 that functions as a driving means, a pulley 401 attached to the rotation shaft of the drive motor 108, a pulley 402 attached to the rotation shaft 403 of the roller 941, and a timing belt 404 stretched between these pulleys 401 and 402. When the drive motor 108 is rotated, the driving force is transmitted to the rotation shaft 403 of the roller 941 via the pulleys 401 and 402, and as a result the roller 941 rotates. As shown in Figure 6, a gear 405 is attached to the side of roller 941 opposite the drive motor 108, and gears 405 are also attached to the same side of each of the other rollers 94. These gears mesh with each other in sequence, transmitting the rotational drive from roller 941 to all of the other rollers 94 in sequence.

[0077] [Paper sorting operation of paper sorting device 2] When using the processing apparatus D, the user inputs various processing information via the operation panel 46 shown in Figure 1. When executing the same processing as that already registered and stored in the storage device, the user operates the operation panel 46, which acts as the control unit, and inputs the number, processing name, name, etc., to retrieve the necessary processing information from the storage device. The user then inputs the number of sheets S to be processed and the number of sections (section units) of the single-sheet paper Q after processing via the operation panel 46, and then performs the operation to start the processing.

[0078] At this time, the setting positions of the stopper guide 93 and side guides 961-964 are automatically adjusted in advance according to the size of the processed single sheet of paper Q from the input processing information. The stopper guide 93 restricts the front end of the processed single sheet of paper Q discharged from the main body 1 (processing unit) in the transport direction F, so that the front edge of the single sheet of paper Q is aligned when it is loaded onto the loading unit 95. The side guides 961-964 can also align the left and right edges in the width direction W perpendicular to the transport direction F. At this time, the stopper guide 93 is set to extend downward relative to the transport path. The stopper guide 93 and side guides 961-964 may also be configured to perform a jogger operation.

[0079] When the user initiates the processing start operation, the sheet S loaded in the supply unit 3 of the processing device D is supplied to the transport path 5 of the device body 1, and the processing unit 24 performs the predetermined processing on the sheet S as it is being transported. The processed single sheet Q is then discharged from the device body 1 toward the paper sorting device 2.

[0080] The paper sorting device 2 consists of a collection and transfer unit 91 and a stacker unit 92. The processed single sheets of paper Q discharged from the device body 1 are first received by the loading unit 95 of the collection and transfer unit 91, stacked in sorting units, and then continuously transferred to the stacker unit 92 located downstream, one stack of single sheets of paper Q' at a time. In this embodiment, the collection and transfer unit 91 is equipped with transport rollers that load the stacked single sheets of paper Q' onto a plurality of rotating rollers 94. Alternatively, the collection and transfer unit 91 may be configured to have a belt conveyor 88 that loads the stacked single sheets of paper Q' onto a belt that travels in a circular motion, instead of the plurality of rollers 94.

[0081] The stacker unit 92 continuously stacks the stacked single sheets Q' that are transported from the accumulation and transfer unit 91 at different positions on the placement surface 83. The control unit 45 controls the stacked single sheets Q' that are transported to the stacker unit 92 by the accumulation and transfer unit 91 so that a predetermined gap is formed between the stacked single sheets Q' that are transported earlier and the stacked single sheets Q' that are transported later. The stacker unit is equipped with a belt conveyor 86 that loads the stacked single sheets Q' onto a belt that travels in a circular motion.

[0082] The stacking and transfer unit 91 is capable of holding multiple stacked single sheets of paper Q' in the transport direction, and in the stacking and transfer unit 91, the control unit 45 controls the stacking and transfer unit 91 to receive the single sheets of paper Q in a stopped transport state when stacking the single sheets of paper Q, stack them in partition units, and then stack the stacked single sheets of paper Q' sequentially and gradually, shifting and transferring them while pausing along the way, and to transfer the stacked single sheets of paper Q' sequentially and gradually from the stacked single sheets of paper Q' to the stacker unit 92.

[0083] Based on the above, the efficiency of the sorting process can be improved.

[0084] Next, the sorting operation of the paper sorting device 2 will be explained with specific examples. Figures 7 to 9 are schematic diagrams showing the sorting operation of the paper sorting device 2. Note that side guides 961 to 964 are omitted in Figures 7 to 9.

[0085] The sorting operation of the paper sorting device 2 in this embodiment describes a series of sorting operations when a sheet S with the processing pattern shown in Figure 2 is discharged from the device body 1 as a single sheet of paper Q after processing.

[0086] (1) As shown in Figure 7(a), the processed single sheets of paper Q are continuously discharged from the transport roller 17 of the main body of the device 1 toward the loading section 95 of the accumulation and transfer section 91, and the single sheets of paper Q are stacked in an aligned state by the stop guide 93 and the side guides 961 to 964. The number of single sheets of paper Q discharged from the main body of the device 1 is counted by the fifth detection section 35.

[0087] (2) Next, after the number of single sheets of paper Q stacked on the loading section 95 reaches the number of sheets to be divided (dividing unit), as shown in Figure 7(b), the stopper guide 93 is retracted upward, and then the roller drive unit 40 rotates the multiple rollers 94 to move the stacked single sheets of paper Q'1 downstream by a predetermined distance (roughly the length of the single sheets of paper Q in the transport direction plus the thickness of the stopper guide 93), and then the rotation drive is stopped. At this time, the discharge of single sheets of paper Q from the transport rollers 17 of the main body of the device 1 is stopped.

[0088] (3) Next, as shown in Figure 7(c), after the stop guide 93 has once again advanced downward relative to the transport path, the discharge of single sheets of paper Q from the transport roller 17 of the device body 1 is resumed.

[0089] (4) Next, after the number of single sheets of paper Q stacked on the loading unit 95 reaches the number of sheets to be sorted (sorting unit), As shown in Figure 7(d), the stopper guide 93 is retracted upward, and the roller drive unit 40 rotates the multiple rollers 94 to transport the stacked single sheets Q'1 and Q'2 downstream by a predetermined distance, after which the rotational drive is stopped. At this time, the discharge of single sheets Q from the transport rollers 17 of the device body 1 is stopped.

[0090] (5) Next, as shown in Figure 8(e), after the stop guide 93 has once again advanced downward relative to the transport path, the discharge of single sheets of paper Q from the transport roller 17 of the device body 1 is resumed.

[0091] (6) Next, after the number of single sheets of paper Q stacked on the loading unit 95 reaches the number of sheets to be sorted (sorting unit), As shown in Figure 8(f), the stop guide 93 is retracted upward, and the roller drive unit 40 rotates the multiple rollers 94 to transport the stacked single sheets Q'1, Q'2, and Q'3 downstream by a predetermined distance, at which point the rotational drive is stopped. At this time, only Q'1 is transferred from the accumulation transfer unit 91 to the placement unit 83 (belt conveyor 86) of the stacker unit 92. The conveyor drive unit 51 rotates the belt conveyor 86 when the stacked single sheets Q'1, Q'2, and Q'3 are transferred, and stops after transferring the stacked single sheet Q'1 from the accumulation transfer unit 91 to the stacker unit 92. At this time, the discharge of single sheets Q from the transport rollers 17 of the main body of the device 1 is stopped.

[0092] (7) Next, as shown in Figure 8(g), after the stop guide 93 has moved downward relative to the transport path again, the discharge of single sheets of paper Q from the transport roller 17 of the device body 1 is resumed.

[0093] (8) Next, after the number of single sheets of paper Q stacked on the loading unit 95 reaches the number of sheets to be sorted (sorting unit), As shown in Figure 8(h), after the stop guide 93 is retracted upward, the roller drive unit 40 rotates the multiple rollers 94 to transport the stacked single sheets Q'2, Q'3, and Q'4 downstream by a predetermined distance, and then the rotational drive is stopped. At this time, only Q'2 is transferred from the accumulation transfer unit 91 to the placement unit 83 (belt conveyor 86) of the stacker unit 92. The conveyor drive unit 51 rotates the belt conveyor 86 when transporting the stacked single sheets Q'2, Q'3, and Q'4, and stops after transferring the stacked single sheet Q'2 from the accumulation transfer unit 91 to the stacker unit 92. At this time, the discharge of single sheets Q from the transport rollers 17 of the main body of the device 1 is stopped.

[0094] The integrated transfer unit 91 and the stacker unit 92 are configured to be independently driven from each other. The gap X1 between the stacked single - ticket papers Q' on the integrated transfer unit 91 and the gap X2 between the stacked single - ticket papers Q' on the stacker unit 92 are specially controlled by the roller drive unit 40 and the conveyor drive unit 51 via the control unit 45. Regarding X1, generally, it is a gap obtained by adding a margin for the smooth forward and backward movement of the abutting guide 93 to the thickness of the abutting guide 93, and a gap of about 10 mm may be sufficient. Regarding X2, it is a gap required for easy extraction when the operator takes out the stacked single - ticket paper on the belt conveyor, and a gap of about 20 mm to 50 mm is a guide. The two have a relationship of X1 < X2, and the conveyance speeds V1 and V2 of the stacked single - ticket papers Q' of the integrated transfer unit 91 and the stacker unit 92 also have a relationship of V1 < V2. That is, when delivering (shifting and transferring) the stacked single - ticket paper Q' from the integrated transfer unit 91 to the stacker unit 92, control is performed to accelerate the conveyance speed and widen the gap from X1 to X2. In the embodiment, the number of stacked single - ticket papers Q' arranged on the integrated transfer unit 91 is described as 3, but it is not limited to this, and it may be 1 or 3 or more. Also, the number of stacked single - ticket papers Q' arranged on the stacker unit 92 is described as 2, but it is not limited to this, and it may be 1 or 2 or more.

[0095] According to the above, as long as the minimum gap X1 between the stacked single - ticket papers Q' on the integrated transfer unit 91 is ensured, and then, while shifting and transferring to the stacker unit 92, control is automatically performed independently of the integrated transfer unit 91 to widen the gap to X2 where the stacked single - ticket paper Q' can be easily taken out. Therefore, the stop time of the integrated transfer unit 91 can be minimized, and the working efficiency is good. In the prior art, since the discharged single - ticket paper Q is stacked on a single (one - drive) belt conveyor at predetermined intervals while being transferred downstream with a predetermined gap opened, it is necessary to stop the stacking operation (discharge operation) of the subsequent discharged paper during the transfer of the preceding paper (while the belt conveyor is running) until the predetermined gap is opened downstream, and the working efficiency is poor.

[0096] (9) The accumulation and transfer unit 91 shown in Figure 9 is equipped with a belt conveyor 88 that loads the single sheets of paper Q' onto a belt that travels in a circular motion, instead of the multiple rollers 94 shown in Figures 7 and 8. The control operation itself is the same as when using multiple rollers 94. Figure 9(i) corresponds to Figure 7(a), Figure 9(j) corresponds to Figure 7(b), and Figure 9(k) corresponds to Figure 8(h). (Figures 7(c) to 8(g) omit the corresponding illustrations in Figure 9.)

[0097] The paper sorting device 2 according to the present invention, when combined with the processing device 1, can improve the efficiency of sorting work and improve the alignment performance of the paper transport direction of single sheets of paper loaded on the paper sorting device 2. In addition, it may be combined with other paper processing devices that perform sorting of printed materials, cards, mail, folded books, etc., or may be installed in the middle of a general paper transport device.

[0098] It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to this embodiment, and within the scope of the technical concept of the present invention, this embodiment can be modified as appropriate in ways other than those suggested here. Furthermore, the number, position, shape, etc. of the constituent members are not limited to this embodiment, and can be set to a number, position, shape, etc. that is suitable for carrying out the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0099] D Processing equipment F Conveying direction K Cutting line Q Single sheet paper S Seat T cutting line 1. Main unit of the device 2. Paper sorting device 40 Roller drive unit 45 Control Unit 46 Control Panel 51 Conveyor drive unit 52 Guide drive unit 83 Mounting section 85 belt 86 Belt Conveyor 87 Conveyor Roller 88 Belt Conveyor 91 Accumulation and Transfer Unit 92 Stacker section 93 Hitting Guide 94 Drive rollers 95 Mounting section 96 Side Guide

Claims

1. A paper sorting device comprising: an accumulation and transfer unit that receives continuously discharged single sheets of paper, stacks them in sorting units, and then continuously transfers each stacked single sheet of paper downstream; a stacker unit located downstream of the accumulation and transfer unit, capable of continuously stacking the stacked single sheets of paper transferred from the accumulation and transfer unit at different positions on a mounting surface; and a control unit that controls the stacked single sheets of paper transferred to the stacker unit by the accumulation and transfer unit so that a predetermined gap is formed between the stacked single sheets of paper transferred earlier and the subsequent stacked single sheets of paper, wherein the accumulation and transfer unit is provided with transport rollers that load the stacked single sheets of paper on a plurality of rotating rollers, the accumulation and transfer unit is provided with side guides that restrict the paper transport width direction of the single sheets of paper when stacking the continuously discharged single sheets of paper, and the side guides have notches in their side walls through which the plurality of rollers each pass, and are configured to allow adjustment of the installation position in the paper transport width direction through the notches.

2. The stacking and transporting unit is capable of holding a plurality of stacked single sheets of paper in the transport direction, and in the stacking and transporting unit, the control unit is characterized in that it at least receives the single sheets of paper in a transport-stopped state when stacking the single sheets of paper, stacks them in sorting units, and then stacks the stacked single sheets of paper sequentially and in stages, while shifting and transporting them with pauses in between, and controls the stacked single sheets of paper to be transferred sequentially and in stages from the stacked single sheets of paper to the stacker unit.

3. The paper sorting device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the stacking and transporting unit and the stacker unit are driven independently of each other to transport the stacked single sheets of paper.

4. The paper sorting device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the stacker section is provided with a belt conveyor that loads the stacked single sheets of paper onto a belt that travels in a circular motion.

5. The paper sorting device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the accumulation and transfer section is provided with transport rollers that load the stacked single sheets of paper onto a plurality of rotating rollers.

6. The accumulation transfer unit is provided with auxiliary guides to fill the gaps between the plurality of rollers. A paper sorting device according to claims 1 to 5, characterized by the features of the claim.

7. The paper sorting device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the accumulation and transfer section is provided with a belt conveyor that loads the stacked single sheets of paper on a belt that travels in a circular motion.

8. The paper sorting device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the stacking and transporting unit receives and stacks the single sheets of sorting units that are continuously discharged, and is in a state of being advanced relative to the transport path at least when stacking, and has a stopper guide that restricts the leading edge of the single sheets of sorting.

9. A processing apparatus comprising a processing unit having a processing member for performing a predetermined processing on a sheet being transported, and a paper sorting device according to any one of Claims 1 to 8.

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