Collating device and collating device management system

Abstract

To provide a gathering device capable of reducing labor and time with a user as well as a maintenance manager by reducing frequency of communicating device information on the gathering device between the user and the maintenance manager.SOLUTION: A gathering device for performing a gathering operation of stacking sheet materials such as paper sheets fed from each of feed parts of a plurality of paper-feeding devices 1 or the like to prepare a gathered bundle comprises communication means such as a tablet communication unit 8 capable of transmitting / receiving device information about a device thereof by communicating with external information processing means such as a management server 203 via a communication network such as an Internet line 200.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 7

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a collating device and a collating device management system.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, a collating device that creates a collated bundle by stacking sheet materials fed from each of a plurality of feeding devices is known (Patent Document 1, etc.).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Patent Document 3

Patent Document 4

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In the collating device, the main body control unit controls various mechanisms based on a control program stored in the storage unit, and executes a collating operation to create a collated bundle. This control program may be updated, such as by version upgrade, for performance improvement. In conventional collating devices, maintenance managers such as sales companies grasp the version information of the control program stored in the storage unit. When an updated version of the control program is released, the service personnel of the maintenance manager contact the users using the collating device in which the control program to be updated is recorded by means of communication such as telephone, email, fax, etc., set the visit date and time, and visit to perform the update work. Thus, when an updated version of the control program is released, service technicians and users need to communicate about the information, and service technicians need to visit the users, which is time-consuming and troublesome for both the users and the service technicians.

[0005] Thus, the time and effort required to handle information related to collating devices is not limited to when the control program is updated. For example, if an error occurs in the device, the user must contact a service technician to report the error, and the service technician must visit the user to address the error, which is time-consuming and troublesome for both the user and the service technician. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention One aspect This refers to a collating device that performs a collating operation to create a collated bundle by stacking sheet materials fed from each of multiple feeding device units, and includes a communication means capable of communicating with an external information processing means via a communication network and sending and receiving device information related to the device, A storage unit for storing a control program used in the control unit that controls the collating operation, Equipped with ,before From the time the collation device is powered on until the standby screen is displayed on the display unit, the external information processing means The device communicates with the external information processing unit to obtain update information regarding the control program stored in the storage unit, and between the time the power is turned on and the standby screen is displayed, it compares the identification information regarding the control program stored in the storage unit with the update information to determine whether or not there is a control program to be updated. The device information can receive control program information, which constitutes at least a part of the control program, from the external information processing unit and store it in the storage unit. If it is determined that there is a control program to be updated, the display unit displays a confirmation message to ask whether or not to receive the control program information from the external information processing unit, and after the user inputs whether or not to receive, the standby screen is displayed. It is characterized by doing so. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, the frequency of communication between users and maintenance managers regarding device information can be reduced, thereby reducing the effort and time required for both users and maintenance managers, which is a significant advantage. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] A perspective view showing the external appearance of a collating machine according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] A schematic diagram of the internal structure of a collating machine, viewed from the front. [Figure 3] Rear view of the paper feed device. [Figure 4] Front view of the paper feed device. [Figure 5] Plan view of the paper feed device. [Figure 6] Left side view of the paper feed device. [Figure 7] A block diagram showing the electrical configuration, centered on the control unit of the collating machine. [Figure 8] A flowchart illustrating how the collating machine downloads its control program. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] In the following, identical or equivalent components, members, and processes shown in each drawing will be denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant explanations will be omitted as appropriate. Furthermore, the dimensions of members in each drawing will be enlarged or reduced as appropriate for ease of understanding. Additionally, some members that are not important for explaining the embodiment will be omitted from the drawings.

[0010] The following describes one embodiment of the collating device according to the present invention. Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the external appearance of the collating machine 10 according to this embodiment, and Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the collating machine 10 viewed from the front. The collating machine 10 has ten shelves on each side of the housing 9. The shelves on the left side are equipped with the first to tenth paper feed devices 1 (1A to 1J), which consist of the first to tenth paper feed trays 14 (14A to 14J) and the first to tenth paper feed mechanisms 18 (18A to 18J) (for convenience, the symbols "1A" to "1I" and "18A" to "18I" are not shown in the diagram). On the right-hand shelf is the 11th to 20th paper feed device 1 (1K to 1U), which includes the 11th to 20th paper feed trays 14 (14K to 14U) and the 11th to 20th paper feed mechanisms 18 (18K to 18U) (for convenience, the symbols "1L" to "1U" and "18L" to "18U" are not shown in the diagram). Below the first paper feed tray 14A on the bottom left is the folding paper feed device 1X, which includes a folding paper feed tray 14X and a folding paper feed mechanism 18X. The paper feed device 1 (1A to 1X) and its constituent paper feed trays 14 (14A to 14X) and paper feed mechanisms 18 (18A to 18X) have similar structures, although their mounting positions, mounting directions, sizes, and shapes differ. In the following description, unless otherwise specified, these will be collectively referred to as "paper feed device 1," "paper feed tray 14," and "paper feeding mechanism 18," respectively.

[0011] The paper feeder 1, which includes a paper feed tray 14 and a paper feed mechanism 18, is detachably mounted on the housing 9. Specifically, the paper feeder 1 is configured so that when a locking mechanism (not shown) is released by the user, it is disengaged from the housing 9 and can be removed from the housing 9. Since such engagement methods are well known, a detailed explanation is omitted. A sub-operation panel 5 is provided on the front left side of the housing 9, which includes a start key 152 for initiating the collating operation and a stop key 154 for stopping the collating operation.

[0012] A tablet terminal 4 equipped with a main operation panel 16 is detachably provided on the front of the housing 9 of the stapling machine 10 with respect to the housing 9 constituting the apparatus main body. The main operation panel 16 has a touch panel type liquid crystal display, and a user can perform a predetermined operation input for stapling processing. In a state where the tablet terminal 4 is attached to the housing 9, it is connected by wire through a wired connection terminal such as a USB, and the main body control unit 50 and the tablet control unit 6 described later can communicate with each other through a wired line. On the other hand, in a state where the tablet terminal 4 is removed from the housing 9, the main body control unit 50 and the tablet control unit 6 described later can communicate with each other through a wireless communication line such as Wifi (registered trademark). The main operation unit such as the main operation panel 16 is not limited to a configuration that is detachable from the apparatus main body, and may be fixed to the housing 9, or may be one that cannot be attached to the apparatus main body and is used in a separated state.

[0013] The paper feeding device 1 includes a paper feeding operation panel 20 so as to correspond to the paper feeding mechanisms 18 provided in each of them. The paper feeding operation panel 20 is provided with a plurality of operation buttons for a user to perform a predetermined operation input for paper feeding processing. Details thereof will be described later.

[0014] As shown in FIG. 2, the stapling machine 10 further includes a sub conveyance mechanism 22 and a main conveyance mechanism 24. The sub conveyance mechanism 22 is provided so as to correspond to the paper feeding mechanisms 18 of each shelf. The paper feeding mechanism 18 sends out the topmost sheet of the stack of sheets placed on the paper feeding tray 14 one by one to the conveyance path of the sub conveyance mechanism 22. The sub conveyance mechanism 22 feeds the paper sent out from the paper feeding mechanism 18 into the main conveyance mechanism 24. The main conveyance mechanism 24 is provided so as to extend in the vertical direction within the housing 9. The main conveyance mechanism 24 conveys the paper fed in from each sub conveyance mechanism 22 downward while creating a stapled bundle alone or by stacking a plurality of sheets.

[0015] The collating machine 10 further includes a folded paper transport plate 26, a folded paper placement plate 28, a folded paper stopper 30, a folding knife 32, and a pair of folding rollers 34. The folding paper feed tray 14X is loaded with paper that is folded in half so as to sandwich the collated bundles transported by the main transport mechanism 24 (hereinafter referred to as "folded paper"). The folding paper feed mechanism 18X feeds the top folded paper from the stack of folded paper loaded in the folding paper feed tray 14X one sheet at a time to the folded paper transport plate 26.

[0016] The folded paper transport plate 26 is positioned so that its downstream end (right side in Figure 2) in the folded paper transport direction is slightly upstream (left side in Figure 2) of the lower end of the main transport mechanism 24. The folded paper mounting plate 28 is provided so that two plates overlap with a gap between them. The folded paper mounting plate 28 is positioned so that its upstream end (left side in Figure 2) in the folded paper transport direction is slightly downstream (right side in Figure 2) of the lower end of the main transport mechanism 24. The folded paper stopper 30 is positioned so that it contacts the leading edge of the folded paper guided into the folded paper mounting plate 28. The folded paper stopper 30 is configured to be movable upstream and downstream along the folded paper mounting plate 28 by operating an actuator such as a motor.

[0017] The collating machine 10 is equipped with a main control unit 50. The main control unit 50 has a CPU that performs various calculations, a ROM that stores various control programs, and RAM that is used as a work area for data storage and program execution, and controls the operation of actuators installed inside the collating machine 10. The user can input various settings using the main operation panel 16 or the paper feed operation panel 20. The main control unit 50 acquires the information thus input by the user and controls the operation of the collating machine 10 according to the acquired information.

[0018] The collating machine 10 further includes a belt conveying mechanism 36, a pair of discharge rollers 38, and a stacker tray 40. When collating by sandwiching a collated bundle between folded paper loaded on a folding paper feed tray 14X, the folded paper is first conveyed from the folding paper feed tray 14X toward the folded paper mounting plate 28, where it abuts against the folded paper stopper 30 and stops. The collated bundle, formed while being conveyed downward by the main conveying mechanism 24, has its tip abut against the folded paper stopped on the folded paper mounting plate 28. At this timing, the main control unit 50 rotates the folding knife 32, abutting its tip against the folded paper stopped on the folded paper mounting plate 28 and pressing it toward the pair of folding rollers 34. In this way, the collated bundle is held by the folding roller pair 34 together with the folded paper that has stopped on the folded paper mounting plate 28, and the folded paper that has stopped on the folded paper mounting plate 28 is folded so as to sandwich the paper bundle, forming a collated bundle with the folded paper, which is then conveyed to the belt conveying mechanism 36.

[0019] The belt conveying mechanism 36 further conveys the collated bundles downstream. The discharge roller pair 38 discharges the conveyed collated bundles into the stacker tray 40. The stacker tray 40 is detachably attached to the housing 9 and is used to stack and store the created collated bundles. If the collated bundles are not sandwiched between folded paper as described above, the folded paper is not supplied from the folding paper feed tray 14X, and the collated bundles formed while being conveyed downward by the main conveying mechanism 24 are then held by the folding roller pair 34 and conveyed to the belt conveying mechanism 36.

[0020] The main control unit 50 performs paper collating according to the number of copies specified by the user via the main operation panel 16 (hereinafter also referred to as the "collation setting number of copies"). The main control unit 50 can also send a signal to the paper feed device 1 to perform an initial adjustment process to properly adjust the separation pressure by the paper feeding mechanism 18 prior to collating, and can send a signal to the paper feed device 1 to perform an additional adjustment process to readjust the separation pressure as needed during collating. The specific configuration and details of the process for adjusting this separation pressure will be described later.

[0021] Next, the configuration and operation of the paper feed device 1, which includes a paper feeding mechanism 18 that includes a paper handling pressure adjustment mechanism, will be described. Figures 3 to 6 are explanatory diagrams showing the paper feed device 1 and the sub-transport mechanism 22. Figure 3 is a rear view of the paper feed device 1 installed on the left shelf shown in Figures 1 and 2, and Figure 4 is a front view of the paper feed device 1 installed on the left shelf. Furthermore, Figure 5 is a top view of the paper feed device 1, and Figure 6 is a left side view of the paper feed device 1. However, for the sake of explanation, some structural elements have been omitted from the illustrations in each figure. For example, in Figures 5 and 6, the guide plate 41, which is part of the paper feed device 1 and extends from the paper feed mechanism 18 to the position of the sub-transport mechanism 22, has been omitted from the illustration.

[0022] The paper feed tray 14 functions as a "storage area" where stacks of paper set by the user are loaded. Because the paper feed tray 14 is installed at an angle, the stacks of paper on the paper feed tray 14 are loaded in an angled manner, with the higher sheets of paper shifted forward (downstream in the paper feeding direction). For convenience, Figures 3 to 6 show the state before the stacks of paper are set.

[0023] A guide plate 41 and a paper feeding mechanism 18 are provided on the downstream side of the paper feed tray 14 in the feeding direction. The guide plate 41 constitutes a lateral transport path to which the sub-transport mechanism 22 is provided, supporting the paper fed by the paper feeding mechanism 18 from below and guiding it toward the main transport mechanism 24. The guide plate 41 is provided on both sides and is supported by a pair of frames (not shown) that constitute the housing of the paper feeding device 1. The guide plate 41 has a notch at its downstream end in the paper feeding direction (right side in Figure 4) where the roller members (68, 70) of the sub-transport mechanism 22 are located in the width direction (front-to-back direction in Figure 4, direction perpendicular to the paper plane in Figure 4). This notch allows the paper feeding device 1 to be mounted in the housing 9 without the guide plate 41 on the paper feeding device 1 side and the sub-transport mechanism 22 on the main body side of the collating machine 10 interfering with each other.

[0024] The paper feeding mechanism 18 includes a paper feed roller 42, an auxiliary paper feed roller 44, a paper separator plate 46, etc. The paper feed roller 42 and the auxiliary paper feed roller 44 are each supported by a bracket 48. The paper feed roller 42 is a driven roller that is rotationally driven by a motor (not shown, described later as a paper feed motor 77), and rotates in contact with the top surface of the paper stack to feed out the top sheet of paper. The auxiliary paper feed roller 44 is a driven roller connected to the paper feed roller 42 via a timing belt 52, and rotates in contact with the top surface of the paper stack. Since the bracket 48 is rotatably supported on a pivot axis (not shown) coaxial with the paper feed roller 42, the height position of the auxiliary paper feed roller 44 can be appropriately adjusted to a position corresponding to the number of sheets in the paper stack.

[0025] The paper separation plate 46 functions as a "paper separation member" and constitutes a paper separation mechanism that separates the second and subsequent sheets of paper from the top of the paper stack at the same time as the first sheet. The paper separation plate 46 is positioned opposite the paper feed roller 42 below it. The paper separation plate 46 is a plate-shaped member made of, for example, urethane rubber. Below the paper separation plate 46 is a paper separation pressure adjustment mechanism 54 that adjusts the pressure generated between the paper separation plate 46 and the paper feed roller 42 as paper separation pressure by adjusting the position of the paper separation plate 46 in the direction of contact with and away from the paper feed roller 42. The paper separation pressure adjustment mechanism 54 is housed in a housing member 55 fixed to the pair of frames described above.

[0026] With this configuration, when the top sheet of paper in the stack of paper loaded in the paper tray 14 is fed between the paper feed roller 42 and the separator plate 46 by the auxiliary paper feed roller 44, the paper feed roller 42 then feeds that paper further downstream. This paper is fed while being held between the paper feed roller 42 and the separator plate 46 with appropriate pressure. At this time, the difference between the frictional force between the paper feed roller 42 and the paper and the frictional force between the separator plate 46 and the paper prevents the feeding of the second and subsequent sheets of paper from the top. As a result, only the top sheet of paper is fed through the gap between the paper feed roller 42 and the separator plate 46.

[0027] A timing sensor 56 is provided inside the storage member 55, slightly downstream in the paper feeding direction from the paper separation plate 46. The timing sensor 56 is a reflective optical sensor and is used to detect when the second and subsequent sheets of paper from the top are stuck near the downstream side of the paper feeding mechanism 18 due to a decrease in the paper separation pressure.

[0028] As shown in Figures 3 and 4, a double-feed detection mechanism 60 is provided adjacent to the paper feeding mechanism 18 on the downstream side in the paper feeding direction. The double-feed detection mechanism 60 has a reference roller 62 and a displacement roller 64. The displacement roller 64 functions as a "measuring roller" and contacts the reference roller 62 from above. The shaft of the reference roller 62 is fixed at both ends to the pair of frames described above. On the other hand, the shaft of the displacement roller 64 is fixed to one end of the lever member 65. Since the other end of the lever member 65 is rotatably supported on a pivot shaft (not shown) provided on the frame, the displacement roller 64 is able to move relative to the reference roller 62. A sensing surface 67 (upper surface) is provided on one end (upper part) of the lever member 65, and a displacement sensor 69 is provided on the frame to detect the displacement of the sensing surface 67.

[0029] A rolling roller 66 is provided below the reference roller 62. Downstream of the double-feed detection mechanism 60, a pair of conveying rollers, an upper conveying roller 68 and a lower conveying roller 70, are provided vertically as a sub-conveying mechanism 22. The upper conveying roller 68 and the lower conveying roller 70 can contact each other, and the rolling roller 66 contacts the lower conveying roller 70 and the reference roller 62, respectively. The upper conveying roller 68 and the lower conveying roller 70 are driven by a motor (described later) not shown. The driving force of the lower conveying roller 70 is transmitted to the reference roller 62 via the rolling roller 66.

[0030] With this configuration, when paper passes between the reference roller 62 and the displacement roller 64, the axial position of the displacement roller 64 rises by the thickness of the paper. The displacement sensor 69 detects the amount of rise of the detection surface 67 at this time. Since the lever member 65 is biased by a tension spring (not shown), the displacement roller 64 is pressed against the reference roller 62 by the biasing force of the tension spring when no paper is passing through. Based on the detection information from the displacement sensor 69, it is possible to determine whether or not a double feed of paper has occurred.

[0031] As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the paper handling pressure adjustment mechanism 54 includes a paper handling base 72 that supports the paper handling plate 46, an inclined member 74 provided below the paper handling base 72, a link mechanism 76 that displaces the inclined member 74 in a direction parallel to the rotation axis of the paper feed roller 42, and an adjustment motor 78 as an actuator that drives the link mechanism 76. In this embodiment, a DC brushless motor is used as the adjustment motor 78, but in modified examples, other motors such as a stepping motor may be used. The paper handling base 72 has a body that extends in a direction perpendicular to the rotation axis of the paper feed roller 42, and one end of the body is rotatably supported on a pivot shaft 80. The pivot shaft 80 is provided parallel to the rotation axis of the paper feed roller 42 and is fixed to a housing member 55. The paper handling plate 46 is fitted onto the upper surface of about half of the other end of the body of the paper handling base 72.

[0032] A ball 82 is embedded and fixed in the lower surface of the paper handling base 72 in such a manner that its lower half is exposed. An inclined member 74 is provided below the ball 82. The inclined member 74 has an inclined surface 84 that is inclined in a direction parallel to the pivot axis 80 (see Figure 6), and the ball 82 can slide along this inclined surface 84. Since the positional relationship between the ball 82 and the paper handling base 72 does not change, the paper handling base 72 rotates around the pivot axis 80 as the ball 82 moves up and down along the inclined surface 84. This allows the height position of the paper handling plate 46 to be changed. In other words, the paper handling base 72, the ball 82, and the inclined member 74 constitute a "lifting mechanism" that changes the height position of the paper handling plate 46, and also constitute a "pressure mechanism" that applies a pressing force to the paper feeding roller 42 by the paper handling plate 46. Furthermore, the connection structure between the link mechanism 76 and the inclined member 74 constitutes a "coordination mechanism" that operates in coordination with the link mechanism 76 and its pressurizing mechanism in accordance with the displacement of the link mechanism 76.

[0033] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 4, a jam sensor 58 is provided alongside the lower transport roller 70. The jam sensor 58 is a reflective optical sensor that detects paper jams during the paper feeding process, but it also functions as a "paper sensor" used together with the timing sensor 56 to determine a decrease in the paper separation pressure.

[0034] As shown in Figures 5 and 6, a motor housing 86 is provided on one side (the rear side) of the housing member 55, and the adjustment motor 78 is housed in it. A control unit housing 88 is provided on the other side (the front side) of the housing member 55, and the paper feed control unit 3, which controls the input and output of the paper feed operation panel 20 and the various motors of the paper feed device 1, is housed in it.

[0035] The paper feed operation panel 20 includes a display unit 162 that shows the corresponding shelf number, etc., as well as a single / stop button 164 that is pressed when switching the use / disuse of the corresponding shelf, an initial adjustment button 166 that is pressed when performing the initial adjustment process of the paper handling pressure described later, and a continuous stage setting button 168 that is pressed when setting the continuous stage. Furthermore, the paper feed operation panel 20 is equipped with a timing advance button 170 to advance the paper feeding timing of the corresponding paper feeding mechanism 18, and a timing delay button 172 to delay the paper feeding timing. In addition, the paper feed operation panel 20 is equipped with a forward rotation button 174 that rotates the paper feeding motor in the forward direction in case of a paper jam, a reverse rotation button 176 that rotates the paper feeding motor in the reverse direction in case of a paper jam, and a test paper feed button 178 that is pressed when performing a test paper feed.

[0036] Since the configuration and operation of the sabaki pressure adjustment mechanism 54 can be the same as those known, such as the configuration described in Reference 1, a detailed explanation will be omitted.

[0037] The paper feed device 1, as described with reference to Figures 3 to 6, is an auto-sparing unit equipped with an auto-sparing function that automatically adjusts the sorting pressure before continuous collating by acquiring thickness data, which is data related to the thickness of the paper, in advance and controlling the rotation amount of the adjustment motor 78 based on this thickness data. In this auto-sparing unit, a preparation paper feed operation is performed in the initial adjustment process before continuous collating. Based on the value detected by the displacement sensor 69 during this preparation paper feed operation, the thickness data of the paper to be fed in the continuous collating process is calculated. Then, the return amount corresponding to that thickness data is calculated and the height of the sorting plate 46 is adjusted appropriately. The paper feed control unit 3 maintains a table that associates the paper thickness data detected by the displacement sensor 69 with the rotation amount of the adjustment motor 78, and refers to these tables in the sorting adjustment process. In this auto-sparing unit, the thickness data acquired by the preparation paper feed operation is used for double feeding detection in the paper feeding operation during continuous collating. Thus, the paper feeder 1, equipped with an auto-scattering function, acquires thickness data as sheet preparation information through a preparatory paper feeding operation.

[0038] The paper feeder 1 is not limited to one equipped with the automatic sorting function described above. For example, the paper feeder 1 may be one that does not have a drive source for automatically adjusting the sorting pressure, such as an adjustment motor 78, and operates the sorting pressure adjustment mechanism manually. In this paper feeder 1, the adjustment amount that will result in the recommended sorting pressure is calculated based on the thickness data acquired during the preparation paper feeding operation, and the calculated adjustment amount is displayed on the display unit, prompting the user to adjust the sorting pressure adjustment mechanism with the calculated adjustment amount.

[0039] Furthermore, there is a paper feed device 1 that does not calculate the adjustment amount for the recommended sorting pressure, but instead acquires information about the paper during a preparatory paper feed operation performed before continuous collating. For example, there is a paper feed device 1 that acquires double-feed detection data, such as thickness data, during the preparatory paper feed operation, which can be used for double-feed detection, and uses the double-feed detection data only for double-feed detection during the paper feed operation in continuous collating. As the paper feed device 1 for acquiring double-feed detection data, a thickness detection paper feed device can be used that, similar to the double-feed detection mechanism 60 of the above-described embodiment and the configuration described in Reference 2, acquires paper thickness data by sandwiching the paper between multiple members and calculates a threshold for determining whether or not a double feed has occurred based on the acquired thickness data. As for the double-feed detection configuration, an optical double-feed detection method is used that irradiates the paper being fed with light and detects double feeds by utilizing the fact that the amount of light transmitted differs depending on the number of sheets of paper, or an ultrasonic double-feed detection method is used that irradiates the paper being fed with ultrasonic waves and detects double feeds by utilizing the fact that the attenuation rate of the ultrasonic waves received by the receiving unit differs depending on the number of sheets of paper, and a threshold for determining double-feed detection can be calculated in either case.

[0040] Figure 7 is a block diagram showing the electrical configuration of the collating machine 10, centered on the main control unit 50. Figure 7 is a block diagram of a collating machine 10 with two types of paper feed devices 1, an automatic sorting paper feed device 1α and a thickness-detecting paper feed device 1β, mounted on the housing 9. Although only two paper feed devices 1 (1α, 1β) are shown in Figure 7 for convenience, all paper feed control units 3 and the main unit control unit 50 of all paper feed devices 1 mounted on the collating machine 10 are capable of communicating with each other.

[0041] The paper feed control unit 3 of the automatic paper feeder 1α receives detection signals from the limit sensor S1, home sensor S2, upper limit sensor S3, timing sensor 56, jam sensor 58, and displacement sensor 69, as well as operation signals from the paper feed operation panel 20. The limit sensor S1, home sensor S2, and upper limit sensor S3 are sensors used when automatically adjusting the paper feeding pressure with the automatic paper feeding function described above. Based on these detection signals, operation signals, and various signals input from the main unit control unit 50, the paper feed control unit 3 of the automatic paper feeder 1α performs predetermined calculation processing for paper feeding control and paper feeding pressure adjustment control, outputs control command signals to the paper feed motor 77 and adjustment motor 78, and outputs display command signals to the display unit 162 of the paper feed operation panel 20.

[0042] The thickness-detecting paper feed device 1β is an optional paper feed device that performs double-feed detection and is equipped with a mechanical double-feed detection means that detects double-feeds based on thickness data acquired by sandwiching paper. The thickness-detecting paper feed device 1β differs from the auto-dispensing paper feed device 1α in that it does not have a function to automatically adjust the dispensing pressure and does not have a limit sensor S1, home sensor S2, upper limit sensor S3, and adjustment motor 78. On the other hand, it is equipped with the same timing sensor 56, jam sensor 58, displacement sensor 69, paper feed operation panel 20, and paper feed motor 77 as the auto-dispensing paper feed device 1α. The paper feed control unit 3 of the thickness-detecting paper feed device 1β receives detection signals from the timing sensor 56, jam sensor 58, and displacement sensor 69, as well as operation signals from the paper feed operation panel 20. Furthermore, the paper feed control unit 3 of the thickness-detecting paper feed device 1β performs predetermined calculation processing for paper feed control based on these detection signals, operation signals, and various signals input from the main unit control unit 50, outputs a control command signal to the paper feed motor 77, and outputs a display command signal to the display unit 162 of the paper feed operation panel 20.

[0043] The paper feed control unit 3 of the automatic paper feeder 1α and the thickness-detecting paper feeder 1β controls the various sensors, drive units, and display units of the paper feeder 1 based on the paper feed control program stored in the paper feed memory unit 31, and also communicates with the main unit control unit 50. Furthermore, since the automatic paper feeder 1α and the thickness-detecting paper feeder 1β have different functions, the paper feed control programs stored in the paper feed memory unit 31 are different.

[0044] The main control unit 50 receives input signals from the sub-operation panel 5, input signals from the main operation panel 16 via the tablet control unit 6, and input signals from the paper feed operation panel 20 via the paper feed control unit 3. It also receives detection signals from the paper discharge sensor 180, which detects the discharge of paper into the stacker tray 40. Based on the main control program stored in the main storage unit 51, the main control unit 50 controls various sensors, drive units, and display units of the main unit, and communicates with the paper feed control unit 3 and the tablet control unit 6. In addition, as shown in Figure 7, the main body of the collating machine 10 is equipped with a main auxiliary storage unit 59, which can communicate with the main control unit 50. The main auxiliary storage unit 59 has a larger capacity than the main storage unit 51, but its communication speed with the main control unit 50 is slower. While the main storage unit 51 corresponds to the main memory, the main auxiliary storage unit 59 corresponds to storage. The main auxiliary storage unit 59 can store settings for collating operations entered by the user.

[0045] The sub-operation panel 5 is equipped with a start key 152 for initiating the collating process and a stop key 154 for stopping the collating process. The main operation panel 16 of the tablet terminal 4 is a touch panel that allows various settings to be made before continuous collating. On the other hand, the paper feed operation panel 20 includes various switches corresponding to the buttons shown in Figure 6. However, the paper feed operation panel 20 of the thickness-detecting paper feed device 1β is equipped with function buttons that have the same appearance as the initial adjustment button 166 in Figure 6, and perform predetermined functions when pressed simultaneously with other buttons.

[0046] The main control unit 50 and each paper feed control unit 3 perform predetermined calculations for paper feed control, transport control, folding control, etc., based on inputs from various switches, buttons, and sensors, and output control command signals to the paper feed motor 77, adjustment motor 78, main motor 182, etc. The main motor 182 is a motor shared by the various transport rollers that make up the sub-transport mechanism 22 and the main transport mechanism 24. The tablet control unit 6 displays the setting screen for collating, error notifications, etc., on the liquid crystal display of the main operation panel 16.

[0047] Next, the distinctive features of the collating machine 10 of this embodiment will be described. As shown in Figure 7, the tablet terminal 4 is equipped with a tablet communication unit 8, and the tablet control unit 6 is capable of data communication with the management server 203 via the internet line 200. Based on the tablet control program stored in the tablet storage unit 47, the tablet control unit 6 controls the display of the main operation panel 16 on the tablet body, and also communicates with the main unit control unit 50 and with the management server 203 via the internet line 200.

[0048] Device information from the collating machine 10 is transmitted from the tablet control unit 6 to the tablet communication unit 8, from the tablet communication unit 8 to the Wi-Fi router 201 via the Wi-Fi line, and then to the modem 202. The modem 202 transmits the device information from the collating machine 10 to the management server 203 via the internet line 200, and the management server 203 stores the received device information as needed. The stored device information can be checked by maintenance personnel and other service staff.

[0049] The tablet control unit 6 can transmit operational information and error information of the collating machine 10 to an external device when the collating machine 10 is powered on or when an error occurs. The operational information transmitted to the external device may include, but is not limited to, the type and position of the paper feed device 1 used for collating, the type of sheet material loaded, and a cumulative counter indicating the number of collating operations performed by the collating machine 10. Furthermore, it may be possible to obtain information such as fault repair methods and control program version update information from the external device via a communication network.

[0050] The collating machine 10 of this embodiment is configured to allow updates for control programs, such as the main unit control program, the tablet control program, and the paper feed control program, to be downloaded from the management server 203 via the internet connection 200.

[0051] Figure 8 is a flowchart showing the control flow when the collating machine 10 downloads the control program. As shown in Figure 8, when the power of the collating machine 10 is turned ON (S1), the collating machine 10 acquires identification information of the control programs stored in each memory unit (S2). The identification information of the control programs includes the type of control program, version, and update history. The types of control programs differ between the main unit control program, the tablet control program, and the paper feed control program. Furthermore, even among paper feed control programs, the automatic sorting paper feeder 1α and the thickness detection paper feeder 1β have different functions, so the types of control programs differ between them.

[0052] In the step of verifying the identification information of the stored control program (S2), the main unit control unit 50 communicates with each of the paper feed control units 3 of the multiple paper feed devices 1, obtains the identification information of the paper feed control program stored in each paper feed storage unit 31, and transmits it to the tablet control unit 6 as information linked to each paper feed storage unit 31. The tablet control unit 6 stores the received information in the tablet storage unit 47. The main unit control unit 50 also transmits the identification information of the main unit control program stored in the main unit storage unit 51 to the tablet control unit 6, and the tablet control unit 6 stores the received information in the tablet storage unit 47. The tablet control unit 6 also stores the identification information of the tablet control program stored in the tablet storage unit 47 in a format that makes it easy to retrieve.

[0053] In the flowchart shown in Figure 8, the identification information of the stored control programs is checked after power-on, but the identification information of the stored control programs may be stored in the tablet storage unit 47 before power-on. However, there is a possibility that some or all of the paper feed device 1 may have been replaced while the power is off. For this reason, it is desirable that the tablet control unit 6 acquires the identification information of each stored control program when power-on and stores it in the tablet storage unit 47. Furthermore, the storage unit that stores the identification information of each control program is not limited to the tablet storage unit 47, but may also be the main unit storage unit 51.

[0054] When the identification information of each control program is stored in the tablet storage unit 47, the tablet control unit 6 controls the tablet communication unit 8 and starts communication with the management server 203 via the internet line 200 (S3). Next, the tablet control unit 6 obtains update information for various control programs that can be used in the collating machine 10, which is stored in the management server 203 (S4), and compares the identification information of each control program stored in the tablet storage unit 47 with the obtained update information to determine whether or not there are any control programs to be updated in the collating machine 10 (S5). If there are no programs to be updated ("No" in S5), the main screen, which is a standby screen, is displayed on the main operation panel 16 (S11). The main screen is shown in Figure 4 of Patent Document 4, but is not limited to this.

[0055] If there are programs to be updated (S5, "Yes"), the main control panel 16 displays the type of program to be updated and prompts the user to confirm whether or not to download the update program. If the user decides not to download the update (S7, "No"), the main control panel 16 displays the main screen, which is a waiting screen (S11). If the user approves the download (Yes in S7), the tablet control unit 6 sends a signal to the management server 203 requesting the update program (S8). Upon receiving this signal, the management server begins sending the corresponding update program, and the download begins (S9). The downloaded update program is stored in the storage unit that stores the updated control program. If it is a main unit control program, it is stored in the main unit storage unit 51; if it is a tablet control program, it is stored in the tablet storage unit 47. The paper feed control program is stored in the paper feed storage unit 31, but in the case of a configuration with multiple types of paper feed devices 1, it is stored in the paper feed storage unit 31 of the paper feed device 1 that uses the paper feed control program corresponding to the update program.

[0056] Once all the update data sent from the management server 203 is stored in the corresponding memory unit, the download is complete and a download completion message is displayed on the main operation panel 16 (S10). Subsequently, after the user presses the confirmation button or after a predetermined time has elapsed, the main screen, which is a waiting screen, is displayed on the main operation panel 16 (S11).

[0057] In this embodiment, the collating machine 10 stores two control programs—a control program before the update and a control program after the update—when an update program is downloaded, and the user can select which control program each control unit (50, 6, 3) uses. Specifically, for the main unit control program and the paper feed control program, both the pre-update and post-update control programs are stored in the main unit auxiliary storage unit 59. The main unit control program used by the main unit control unit 50 is also stored in the main unit storage unit 51, and the paper feed control program used by the paper feed control unit 3 is also stored in the paper feed storage unit 31. For the tablet control program, both the pre-update and post-update control programs are stored in the tablet storage unit 47, and the tablet control unit 6 calls up the selected control program and uses it for control.

[0058] The reason for storing both the pre-update and post-update control programs is that the collating machine 10 is used differently by different users, and an update program designed to be easy for many users to use may be difficult for some users to use. Furthermore, there may be a bug in the update program that is difficult to detect, and under certain conditions, the bug may occur, potentially rendering the collating machine 10 unusable. In such cases, the collating machine 10 can be restarted by changing the settings to use the pre-update control program, which was working without problems. Alternatively, when an update program is downloaded, the system may be configured to delete the control program before the update and store only the updated control program in each memory unit.

[0059] In the flowchart shown in Figure 8, the download of the update program begins after the user approves the download (selects "Yes" in S7). The timing of the download start is not limited to this; the download may start when the tablet control unit 6 determines that there is an update available. The update program downloaded at this time may then be stored in the tablet storage unit 47.

[0060] In this configuration, after storing the update program in the tablet storage unit 47, the main operation panel 16 displays the type of program to be updated and prompts the user to confirm whether it is necessary to rewrite the control programs stored in each storage unit (51, 47, 31) with the update program. If the user performs an operation indicating that rewriting is unnecessary, the main screen, which is a standby screen, is displayed on the main operation panel 16. If the user performs an operation indicating that rewriting is necessary, the tablet control unit 6 sends the update program stored in the tablet storage unit 47 to the corresponding control unit (50, 3), and each control unit (50, 3) rewrites the control programs stored in the storage units (51, 31). In the case of an update program for the tablet control program, the tablet control program in the area of ​​the tablet storage unit 47 allocated for saving the control program used by the tablet control unit 6 is rewritten. Once the rewriting of the control program is complete, the main operation panel 16 displays an indication that the rewriting is complete, and then, after the user presses the confirmation button or after a predetermined time has elapsed, the main screen, which is a standby screen, is displayed on the main operation panel 16.

[0061] Thus, if the update program is stored in the tablet storage unit 47 regardless of whether the user needs to update, the update program can be installed even if, for some reason, communication between the collating machine 10 and the management server 203 is interrupted after the user has authorized the overwriting of the update program. Furthermore, if the update program is stored in the tablet storage unit 47, it becomes easier for a service technician to rewrite the update program when visiting a user. In conventional collating devices, when rewriting an update program, the service technician had to remove a part of the outer cover, expose the SD card reader, insert the SD card containing the update program, and then perform the update. In contrast, if the update program is stored in the tablet storage unit 47, the service technician can perform the update simply by operating the tablet terminal 4.

[0062] Furthermore, rewriting the control programs stored in each memory unit requires a restart of the collating machine 10, and it takes time before it can begin collating operations. In contrast, if the system is configured to confirm with the user whether an update or rewriting is necessary when an update program is available, it is possible to prevent interrupting the work of users who want to start collating immediately after powering on the machine.

[0063] In Figure 7, the collating machine 10 uses wireless communication via a Wi-Fi line for the tablet communication unit 8, but it is also possible to configure the collating machine 10 to be connected to an internet line 200 by connecting a wired communication line. Furthermore, the configuration is not limited to using the communication unit of the tablet terminal 4; it may also be configured to communicate with the management server 203 using the communication unit of the main unit of the device.

[0064] In the embodiment described above, the update programs for the main unit control program, tablet control program, and paper feed control program can be downloaded from the management server 203 via the internet connection 200. However, it is also possible to configure the system so that only some of the control programs can be downloaded. Furthermore, while the tablet terminal 4 currently stores identification information for the control program used in the collating machine 10 and determines whether or not there are any updates to be made to the control program used in the collating machine 10, this could also be configured to be performed by the main storage unit 51 or the main control unit 50 of the main device.

[0065] Furthermore, while the collating machine 10 acquires update information and determines whether or not there are control programs to be updated in its control unit, it is also possible to send identification information to the management server 203, have the management server 203 determine whether or not there are programs to be updated, receive the result of that determination, and then decide whether or not to download the update program. However, as in the embodiment described above, determining whether or not there are programs to be updated on the collating machine 10 side reduces the information processing burden on the management server 203.

[0066] The configuration for downloading information about the control program from the management server 203 is not limited to a configuration that downloads an update program containing the entire data of the control program, such as a version upgrade. It may also be a configuration that downloads information to update some pattern files of the control program, such as an update. An example of information regarding an update program is the addition of a control that, when multiple automatic paper sorting devices 1α are provided, performs the initial adjustment for automatic sorting on all automatic paper sorting devices 1α by pressing a single operation button, instead of having to perform the initial adjustment for automatic sorting on each device individually.

[0067] Furthermore, the collating machine 10 of this embodiment can transmit not only information related to the control program, but also past operational information of the collating machine 10 to the management server 203 via the internet line 200. Examples of operational information to be transmitted include a cumulative counter representing the cumulative number of collations, the number of errors that have occurred, the number of errors of each type, and the number of times each paper feeder 1 has been fed. Information such as which of the multiple shelves in the housing 9 has which paper feeder 1 (serial number, type, etc.) installed may also be transmitted. In addition, the configuration may include transmitting the number of times paper has been fed since the sorting of the paper feeder 1 was replaced, and, if the paper feeder 1 has multiple sorting options, the number of times paper has been fed for each sorting option, to the management server 203. This enables maintenance managers to respond quickly when errors occur, take preventative measures before errors occur, and replace consumables before they are completely worn out.

[0068] When the tablet terminal 4 is mounted in the housing 9, the tablet control unit 6 and the main unit control unit 50 are connected via a USB terminal, enabling communication via a wired connection. The main unit also includes a main unit communication unit 53, and when the tablet terminal 4 is removed from the housing 9, the main unit communication unit 53 and the tablet communication unit 8 can communicate via a Wi-Fi® connection. However, when the tablet communication unit 8 is connected to the main unit communication unit 53, the tablet communication unit 8 cannot communicate with the Wi-Fi router 201. Therefore, the control program download is performed with the tablet terminal 4 mounted in the housing 9. Furthermore, since communication with the management server 203 is performed when the power is turned on, it is desirable that the tablet terminal 4 is mounted in the housing 9 when the collating machine 10 is powered on. If the tablet terminal 4 is not mounted in the housing 9 when the power is turned on, communication with the management server 203 via the internet connection 200 may be initiated when the tablet terminal 4 is first mounted in the housing 9 after power is turned on.

[0069] In this embodiment, the collating machine 10 has multiple paper feeders 1 arranged vertically. However, the collating machine that can be implemented in this invention is not limited to one in which multiple feeding devices are arranged vertically, but may also have multiple feeding devices arranged horizontally. By arranging multiple feeding devices vertically, as in the collating machine 10 of this embodiment, the installation space can be reduced.

[0070] The above is just one example; each of the following embodiments produces its own unique effects.

[0071] [Aspect 1] A collating device such as a collating machine 10 performs a collating operation to create a collated bundle by stacking sheet materials such as paper fed from each of the feeding sections of multiple paper feeders 1, and is characterized by comprising communication means such as a tablet communication unit 8 that communicates with external information processing means such as a management server 203 via a communication network such as an internet line 200 and can send and receive device information (update programs, etc.) related to the device. This reduces the frequency of communication between users and maintenance managers regarding collating device information, thereby saving both users and maintenance managers time and effort.

[0072] [Aspect 2] The collating device according to Embodiment 1 is characterized in that it can receive control program information (information related to update programs, etc.) that constitutes at least a part of the control programs (main control program, tablet control program, paper feed control program, etc.) used in the control units (main control unit 50, tablet control unit 6, paper feed control unit 3, etc.) of the collating device from an external information processing means, and store the control programs in storage units such as the main storage unit 51, tablet storage unit 47, and paper feed storage unit 31, which store the control programs. In conventional collating machines, updating the control program required a service technician to visit the user's site, connect a storage medium such as an SD card containing control program information (including update programs) to the machine's reader, and perform the update. Therefore, obtaining control program information, such as updates, was time-consuming and costly. In contrast, in the collating device of embodiment 2, control program information can be obtained from an external information processing means via a communication network, thereby reducing the number of visits by service technicians to the user's site and saving time and costs.

[0073] [Aspect 3] The collating device according to Embodiment 2 comprises a main control unit such as a main control unit 50 that controls the operation of the main body of the collating device, a main storage unit such as a main storage unit 51 that stores a main control program which is a control program used in the main control unit, an operation input control unit such as a tablet control unit 6 that controls an operation information input unit such as a main operation panel 16, and an operation input storage unit such as a tablet storage unit 47 that stores an operation input control program such as a tablet control program which is a control program used in the operation input control unit, and is characterized in that it receives control program information of the main control program and program information of the operation input control program from an external information processing means via a common communication means (tablet communication unit 8, etc.). Previously, updating the main unit control program required inserting an SD card containing the update program into the main unit's slot, and updating the tablet control program required inserting an SD card containing the update program into the tablet's slot. Furthermore, each time a different type of control program was updated, a service technician had to visit the user's site with the storage medium containing the update program. In contrast, in the collating device having the configuration of Embodiment 3, control program information for multiple types of control programs can be obtained from an external information processing means via a communication network using a common communication means, thereby reducing the effort and frequency required to obtain the control program information. In the embodiment described above, a collating machine 10 capable of downloading update programs from a management server 203 was described. However, it is desirable that such a collating machine 10 also be configured to be able to import update programs recorded on a recording medium. This is because some users may not want to connect the collating machine 10 to an external communication line such as an internet connection 200.

[0074] [Aspect 4] The collating device according to embodiment 3 is characterized in that it includes an operation information input unit, an operation input control unit and an operation input storage unit, and is equipped with an operation input unit such as a tablet terminal 4 that is detachable (e.g., attachable to the main body of the device), and the communication means is located in the operation input unit. According to this, communication between the main control unit and external information processing means becomes possible via an operation input unit that can be separated from the main body of the collating device. Even if the main body of the device does not have means for connecting to a communication network, it is possible to obtain control program information used by the main control unit, such as update programs for the main control program.

[0075] [Aspect 5] The collating device according to Embodiment 2 comprises a main control unit such as a main control unit 50 that controls the operation of the main body of the collating device, a main storage unit such as a main storage unit 51 that stores a main control program which is a control program used in the main control unit, and an operation input unit such as a tablet terminal 4 that has an operation information input unit such as a main operation panel 16 and is detachable (removable, etc.) from the main body of the device, and is characterized in that the control program information of the main control program is received from an external information processing means via a communication means arranged in the operation input unit. According to this, communication between the main control unit and external information processing means becomes possible via an operation input unit that can be separated from the main body of the collating device. Even if the main body of the device does not have means for connecting to a communication network, it is possible to obtain control program information used by the main control unit, such as update programs for the main control program.

[0076] [Aspect 6] A collating device according to any of embodiments 2 to 5 comprises a main control unit such as a main control unit 50 that controls the operation of the main body of the collating device, a main storage unit such as a main storage unit 51 that stores the main control program which is the control program used by the main control unit, a paper feed control unit such as a paper feed control unit 3 that is arranged in at least one of a plurality of paper feed units and controls the operation of the paper feed unit, and a paper feed storage unit such as a paper feed storage unit 31 that stores the paper feed control program which is the control program used by the paper feed control unit, and is characterized in that control program information of the main control program and program information of the paper feed control program are received from an external information processing means via a common communication means. According to this, control program information for multiple types of control programs can be obtained from external information processing means via a communication line network using a common communication means, thereby reducing the effort and frequency required to obtain control program information. Furthermore, in an embodiment dependent on embodiment 4, the program information for the main unit control program, the feeding control program, and the operation input control program can be obtained from an external information processing means via an operation input unit that is separable from the main unit of the collating device.

[0077] [Aspect 7] A collating device according to any of embodiments 2 to 6 is provided with an identification information storage unit such as a tablet storage unit 47 that stores identification information of control programs stored in a storage unit (type of control program, version, update history, etc.), and a control unit such as a tablet control unit 6 compares update information regarding control programs obtained through communication with an external information processing unit using a communication means with the identification information, and if it determines that there is a control program to be updated, it sends an update request signal to the external information processing unit requesting information on the control program to be updated and receives the control program information. According to this, it is possible to realize a configuration in which the collating device can determine whether or not there are items to be updated, and can easily obtain the latest control program information.

[0078] [Aspect 8] A collating device according to any of embodiments 2 to 6 is provided with an identification information storage unit such as a tablet storage unit 47 that stores identification information of control programs stored in a storage unit (type of control program, version, update history, etc.), and a control unit such as a tablet control unit 6 transmits the identification information stored in the identification information storage unit to the external information processing unit when communicating with an external information processing unit using a communication means, and the external information processing unit compares update information regarding the control program with the received identification information, and if there is a control program to be updated, it receives the transmitted control program information. According to this, it is possible to realize a configuration in which the external information processing means can determine whether or not there is a target for update, and the latest control program information can be easily obtained.

[0079] [Aspect 9] In a collating device according to any of embodiments 2 to 8, when an updated control program, which is an updated version of the control program stored in the memory unit, is received from an external information processing means as control program information, both the control program before the update and the updated control program can be stored in a predetermined memory unit such as the main auxiliary memory unit 59, and the control unit can select which one to use. This makes it possible to easily use the previous control program when requested by the user.

[0080] [Aspect 10] A collating device according to any of the embodiments 1 to 9 is characterized in that it can transmit collating operation information related to the collating operation of the collating device (cumulative counter, number of errors, number of errors of each type, number of paper feeds for each paper feed device, etc.) to an external information processing means as device information. According to this, maintenance managers with access to external information processing means will be able to respond quickly when errors occur in the collating device, take preventative measures before errors occur, and replace consumables before they are completely worn out.

[0081] [Aspect 11] A collating device according to any of the embodiments 1 to 10, characterized in that when the power of the collating device is turned on, device information is transmitted and received with an external information processing means using a communication means. The timing at which the user turns off the power to the collating device after it has been powered on is unknown. If the power is turned off while device information is being transmitted or received, the communication up to that point may be wasted or it may cause malfunctions. In contrast, by adopting the configuration of embodiment 11, device information can be transmitted and received after power-on, when the likelihood of the user turning off the power is low, thereby preventing malfunctions caused by the power being turned off during transmission and reception.

[0082] [Aspect 12] The present invention relates to a collating device management system characterized by comprising a collating device such as a collating machine 10 according to any of the embodiments 1 to 11, and an external information processing means such as a management server 203 that communicates with the collating device via a communication network such as an internet line 200 and is capable of sending and receiving device information (update programs, etc.). This will make it easier to obtain updates for collating equipment and easier for service technicians to manage the collating equipment used by users. [Explanation of symbols]

[0083] 1: Paper feeder 2: Batch adjustment button 3: Paper feed control unit 4: Tablet devices 5: Sub-control panel 6: Tablet Control Unit 8: Tablet Communication Department 10: Collation device 11: First Link 12: Second Link 13: Third Link 14: Paper feed tray 16: Main control panel 18: Paper feeding mechanism 20: Sub-control panel 22: Sub-transport mechanism 24: Main transport mechanism 30: Folding paper stopper 31: Paper feed memory unit 40: Stackable Tray 42: Paper feed roller 44: Auxiliary paper feed roller 46: Sabaki board 50: Control Unit 51: Main memory unit 54: Sabaki pressure adjustment mechanism 55: Containing member 56: Timing Sensor 58: Jam Sensor 59: Main unit auxiliary storage 60: Double feed detection mechanism 62: Reference Roller 64: Displacement roller 66: Rolling roller 68: Conveyor roller 69: Displacement Sensor 70: Conveyor lower roller 72: Sabaki Base 74: Inclined member 76: Linkage mechanism 77: Paper feed motor 78: Adjustment Motor 80: Rotary shaft 82: Sphere 84: Inclined surface S1: Limit sensor S2: Home Sensor S3: Upper limit sensor

Claims

1. In a collating device that performs a collating operation to create a collated bundle by stacking sheet materials fed from each of multiple feeding sections, A communication means capable of communicating with external information processing means via a communication network and sending and receiving device information related to the device, The system includes a storage unit for storing a control program used in the control unit that controls the collating operation, From the time the collating device is powered on until the standby screen is displayed on the display unit, the device communicates with the external information processing means and obtains update information regarding the control program stored in the storage unit. The configuration involves comparing the identification information relating to the control program stored in the memory unit with the update information between the time the power is turned on and the time the standby screen is displayed, and determining whether or not there is a control program to be updated. The device information can receive control program information, which constitutes at least a part of the control program, from the external information processing means and store it in the storage unit. Collating device characterized in that, when it is determined that there is a control program to be updated, the display unit displays a confirmation message to ask whether or not to receive the control program information from the external information processing means, and after the user performs an operation to input whether or not to receive, the standby screen is displayed.

2. In the collating device according to claim 1, If the user performs an action to acknowledge receipt of the aforementioned confirmation display, A collating device characterized by displaying the standby screen after receiving the control program information from the external information processing means.

3. In the collating device of claim 1 or 2, The main unit control unit controls the operation of the main body of the collating device, The main unit storage unit stores the main unit control program, which is the control program used in the main unit control unit, An operation input control unit that controls the operation information input unit, The operation input storage unit is a storage unit that stores the operation input control program, which is the control program used in the operation input control unit, A collating device characterized by receiving the control program information of the main unit control program and the control program information of the operation input control program from the external information processing means via a common communication means.

4. A collating device that performs a collating operation to create a collated bundle by stacking sheet materials fed from each of a plurality of feeding units, It comprises communication means capable of communicating with external information processing means via a communication network and sending and receiving device information relating to the device, As the device information, it is possible to receive control program information, which constitutes at least a part of the control program used in the control unit of the collating device, from the external information processing means and store it in the storage unit that stores the control program. The configuration is such that the control program information is received from the external information processing means between the time the collating device is powered on and the time the standby screen is displayed on the display unit. The main unit control unit controls the operation of the main body of the collating device, The main unit storage unit stores the main unit control program, which is the control program used in the main unit control unit, An operation input control unit that controls the operation information input unit, The operation input storage unit is a storage unit that stores the operation input control program, which is the control program used in the operation input control unit, A collating device characterized by receiving the control program information of the main unit control program and the control program information of the operation input control program from the external information processing means via a common communication means.

5. A collating device that performs a collating operation to create a collated bundle by stacking sheet materials fed from each of a plurality of feeding units, A communication means capable of communicating with external information processing means via a communication network and sending and receiving device information related to the device, The system includes a storage unit for storing a control program used in the control unit that controls the collating operation, From the time the collating device is powered on until the standby screen is displayed on the display unit, the device communicates with the external information processing means and obtains update information regarding the control program stored in the storage unit. The device information can receive control program information, which constitutes at least a part of the control program, from the external information processing means and store it in the storage unit. The system compares the identification information relating to the control program stored in the memory unit with the update information, and if it determines that there is a control program to be updated, it sends an update request signal to the external information processing means requesting the control program information to be updated, and receives the control program information. The main unit control unit controls the operation of the main body of the collating device, The main unit storage unit stores the main unit control program, which is the control program used in the main unit control unit, An operation input control unit that controls the operation information input unit, The operation input storage unit is a storage unit that stores the operation input control program, which is the control program used in the operation input control unit, A collating device characterized by receiving the control program information of the main unit control program and the control program information of the operation input control program from the external information processing means via a common communication means.

6. A collating device that performs a collating operation to create a collated bundle by stacking sheet materials fed from each of a plurality of feeding units, A communication means capable of communicating with external information processing means via a communication network and sending and receiving device information related to the device, The system includes a storage unit for storing a control program used in the control unit that controls the collating operation, The device information can receive control program information, which constitutes at least a part of the control program, from the external information processing means and store it in the storage unit. From the time the collating device is powered on until the standby screen is displayed on the display unit, the device communicates with the external information processing means and transmits the identification information of the control program stored in the storage unit to the external information processing means. The configuration is such that the external information processing means compares the update information relating to the control program with the identification information received from the collating device and receives the control program information transmitted from the external information processing means when it determines that there is a control program to be updated. The main unit control unit controls the operation of the main body of the collating device, The main unit storage unit stores the main unit control program, which is the control program used in the main unit control unit, An operation input control unit that controls the operation information input unit, The operation input storage unit is a storage unit that stores the operation input control program, which is the control program used in the operation input control unit, A collating device characterized by receiving the control program information of the main unit control program and the control program information of the operation input control program from the external information processing means via a common communication means.

7. In the collating device according to any one of claims 3 to 6, The device comprises an operation information input unit, an operation input control unit, and an operation input storage unit, and is detachable from the main body of the device. The collating device is characterized in that the communication means is located in the operation input unit.

8. In the collating device according to claim 1 or 2, The main unit control unit controls the operation of the main body of the collating device, The main unit storage unit stores the main unit control program, which is the control program used in the main unit control unit, The device comprises an operation input unit having an operation information input section and being detachable from the main body of the device, A collating device characterized by receiving the control program information of the main unit control program from the external information processing means via the communication means arranged in the operation input unit.

9. A collating device that performs a collating operation to create a collated bundle by stacking sheet materials fed from each of a plurality of feeding units, It comprises communication means capable of communicating with external information processing means via a communication network and sending and receiving device information relating to the device, As the device information, it is possible to receive control program information, which constitutes at least a part of the control program used in the control unit of the collating device, from the external information processing means and store it in the storage unit that stores the control program. The configuration is such that the control program information is received from the external information processing means between the time the collating device is powered on and the time the standby screen is displayed on the display unit. The main unit control unit controls the operation of the main body of the collating device, The main unit storage unit stores the main unit control program, which is the control program used in the main unit control unit, The device comprises an operation input unit having an operation information input section and being detachable from the main body of the device, A collating device characterized by receiving the control program information of the main unit control program from the external information processing means via the communication means arranged in the operation input unit.

10. A collating device that performs a collating operation to create a collated bundle by stacking sheet materials fed from each of a plurality of feeding units, A communication means capable of communicating with external information processing means via a communication network and sending and receiving device information related to the device, The system includes a storage unit for storing a control program used in the control unit that controls the collating operation, From the time the collating device is powered on until the standby screen is displayed on the display unit, the device communicates with the external information processing means and obtains update information regarding the control program stored in the storage unit. The device information can receive control program information, which constitutes at least a part of the control program, from the external information processing means and store it in the storage unit. The system compares the identification information relating to the control program stored in the memory unit with the update information, and if it determines that there is a control program to be updated, it sends an update request signal to the external information processing means requesting the control program information to be updated, and receives the control program information. The main unit control unit controls the operation of the main body of the collating device, The main unit storage unit stores the main unit control program, which is the control program used in the main unit control unit, The device comprises an operation input unit having an operation information input section and being detachable from the main body of the device, A collating device characterized by receiving the control program information of the main unit control program from the external information processing means via the communication means arranged in the operation input unit.

11. A collating device that performs a collating operation to create a collated bundle by stacking sheet materials fed from each of a plurality of feeding units, A communication means capable of communicating with external information processing means via a communication network and sending and receiving device information related to the device, The system includes a storage unit for storing a control program used in the control unit that controls the collating operation, The device information can receive control program information, which constitutes at least a part of the control program, from the external information processing means and store it in the storage unit. From the time the collating device is powered on until the standby screen is displayed on the display unit, the device communicates with the external information processing means and transmits the identification information of the control program stored in the storage unit to the external information processing means. The configuration is such that the external information processing means compares the update information relating to the control program with the identification information received from the collating device and receives the control program information transmitted from the external information processing means when it determines that there is a control program to be updated. The main unit control unit controls the operation of the main body of the collating device, The main unit storage unit stores the main unit control program, which is the control program used in the main unit control unit, The device comprises an operation input unit having an operation information input section and being detachable from the main body of the device, A collating device characterized by receiving the control program information of the main unit control program from the external information processing means via the communication means arranged in the operation input unit.

12. A collating device that performs a collating operation to create a collated bundle by stacking sheet materials fed from each of a plurality of feeding units, It is equipped with communication means capable of communicating with external information processing means via a communication network and sending and receiving device information related to the device, As the device information, it is possible to receive control program information, which constitutes at least a part of the control program used in the control unit of the collating device, from the external information processing means and store it in the storage unit that stores the control program. The multiple feeding units are detachably attached to the main body of the collating device. A feeding control unit is provided in at least one of the multiple feeding units and controls the operation of the feeding unit, The system comprises a feeding storage unit which stores the feeding control program used in the feeding control unit, A collating device characterized by receiving the control program information of the feeding control program from the external information processing means between the time the power of the collating device is turned on and the time a standby screen is displayed on the display unit.

13. A collating device that performs a collating operation to create a collated bundle by stacking sheet materials fed from each of a plurality of feeding units, A communication means capable of communicating with external information processing means via a communication network and sending and receiving device information related to the device, The system includes a storage unit for storing a control program used in the control unit that controls the collating operation, From the time the collating device is powered on until the standby screen is displayed on the display unit, the device communicates with the external information processing means and obtains update information regarding the control program stored in the storage unit. The device information can receive control program information, which constitutes at least a part of the control program, from the external information processing means and store it in the storage unit. Collating device characterized by comparing identification information relating to the control program stored in the storage unit with the update information, and if it is determined that there is a control program to be updated, sending an update request signal to the external information processing means to request the control program information to be updated, storing the updated control program information, which is the control program information received from the external information processing means, in the updated control program information storage unit, displaying a confirmation message on the display unit to confirm whether or not to rewrite the control program information of the control program stored in the storage unit with the updated control program information, and displaying the standby screen after the user has performed an operation to input whether or not to rewrite.

14. A collating device that performs a collating operation to create a collated bundle by stacking sheet materials fed from each of a plurality of feeding units, A communication means capable of communicating with external information processing means via a communication network and sending and receiving device information related to the device, The system includes a storage unit for storing a control program used in the control unit that controls the collating operation, The device information can receive control program information, which constitutes at least a part of the control program, from the external information processing means and store it in the storage unit. From the time the collating device is powered on until the standby screen is displayed on the display unit, the device communicates with the external information processing means and transmits the identification information of the control program stored in the storage unit to the external information processing means. A collating device characterized in that the external information processing means compares update information relating to the control program with the identification information received from the collating device, and if it determines that there is a control program to be updated, it receives the determination result from the external information processing means, displays a confirmation on the display unit to confirm whether or not to receive the control program information from the external information processing means, and displays the standby screen after the user has performed an operation to input whether or not to receive.

15. A collating device that performs a collating operation to create a collated bundle by stacking sheet materials fed from each of a plurality of feeding units, It comprises communication means capable of communicating with external information processing means via a communication network and sending and receiving device information relating to the device, As the device information, it is possible to receive control program information, which constitutes at least a part of the control program used in the control unit of the collating device, from the external information processing means and store it in the storage unit that stores the control program. The main unit control unit controls the operation of the main body of the collating device, The main unit storage unit stores the main unit control program, which is the control program used in the main unit control unit, An operation input control unit that controls the operation information input unit, The operation input storage unit is a storage unit that stores the operation input control program, which is the control program used in the operation input control unit, A collating device characterized by receiving the control program information of the main unit control program and the control program information of the operation input control program from the external information processing means via a common communication means.

16. In the collating device of claim 15, The device comprises an operation information input unit, an operation input control unit, and an operation input storage unit, and is detachable from the main body of the device. The collating device is characterized in that the communication means is located in the operation input unit.

17. A collating device that performs a collating operation to create a collated bundle by stacking sheet materials fed from each of a plurality of feeding units, It comprises communication means capable of communicating with external information processing means via a communication network and sending and receiving device information relating to the device, As the device information, it is possible to receive control program information, which constitutes at least a part of the control program used in the control unit of the collating device, from the external information processing means and store it in the storage unit that stores the control program. The main unit control unit controls the operation of the main body of the collating device, The main unit storage unit stores the main unit control program, which is the control program used in the main unit control unit, The device comprises an operation input unit having an operation information input section and being detachable from the main body of the device, A collating device characterized by receiving the control program information of the main unit control program from the external information processing means via the communication means arranged in the operation input unit.

18. In a collating device according to any one of claims 1 to 11 or 13 to 17, The main unit control unit controls the operation of the main body of the collating device, The main unit storage unit stores the main unit control program, which is the control program used in the main unit control unit, A feeding control unit is provided in at least one of the multiple feeding units and controls the operation of the feeding unit, The system comprises a feeding storage unit which stores the feeding control program used in the feeding control unit, A collating device characterized by receiving the control program information of the main unit control program and the control program information of the feeding control program from the external information processing means using a common communication means.

19. In the collating device of claim 12, The main unit control unit controls the operation of the main body of the collating device, The system comprises a main unit storage unit which stores the main unit control program, which is the control program used in the main unit control unit, A collating device characterized by receiving the control program information of the main unit control program and the control program information of the feeding control program from the external information processing means using a common communication means.

20. A collating device according to any one of claims 1 to 19, A collating device characterized in that it receives an updated control program, which is an updated version of the control program stored in the storage unit, from the external information processing means as the control program information.

21. In the collating device of claim 20, When the update control program is received from the external information processing means as the control program information, A collating device characterized in that it can store both the control program before updating and the updated control program in a predetermined storage unit, and the control unit can select which one to use.

22. In a collating device according to any one of claims 1 to 21, A collating device characterized by transmitting operational information and error information of the collating device to the external information processing means when an error occurs in the collating device.

23. In a collating device according to any one of claims 1 to 22, A collating device characterized in that it can transmit collating operation information relating to the collating operation of the collating device to the external information processing means as device information.

24. A collating device according to any one of claims 1 to 23, A collating device management system comprising the external information processing means capable of communicating with the collating device via the communication network and transmitting and receiving device information.