Paper sorting device

Abstract

To provide a paper classification device capable of improving paper classification work efficiency as well as improving alignment performance of cut sheets loaded on the paper classification device.SOLUTION: An abutment guide comprises a plurality of rod-like guide members arranged in a vertical direction such that a front-end part of a discharged cut sheet abuts thereto, and the plurality of guide members are arranged along a direction right to a discharging direction of cut sheets.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

Technical Field

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

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, as a stacker device for stacking the papers discharged in a single-sheet state from a processing device, a conveyor stacker is known. The conveyor stacker slowly conveys the cut single-sheet papers discharged from the processing device by a belt conveyor, and stacks the single-sheet papers in a sashimi shape in a stacker provided at its end in a state of standing obliquely. Further, Patent Document 1 below discloses a paper sorting device that stacks the papers discharged in the single-sheet state on a belt conveyor in a predetermined number of sheets. Further, Patent Document 2 below discloses a sorting device for the cut papers discharged from a paper cutting device.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

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

[0005] Furthermore, in the paper sorting device disclosed in Patent Document 1, while the paper discharged in single-sheet form is transported downstream on a conveyor belt in predetermined quantities, depending on the type of paper, aligning the single-sheet paper stacked on the conveyor belt may be a problem.

[0006] Furthermore, the paper sorting device disclosed in Patent Document 2 improves the alignment performance of the loaded paper by determining the position in the paper transport direction with partition plates and side plates, and determining the position perpendicular to the paper transport direction with stopper plates, thereby allowing multiple rows of cut paper discharged from the paper cutting device to be sequentially stacked in a predetermined location. However, in the aforementioned paper sorting device, the installation positions of the side plates and stopper plates are fixed, making it impossible to flexibly accommodate the specifications of the paper being loaded. For example, even if the installation positions of the side plates and stopper plates were simply made movable, depending on the paper size, the side plates and stopper plates may interfere with each other, making it impossible to flexibly accommodate the specifications of the paper. Simply put, if the positional relationship between the side plates and stopper plates is such that they do not interfere with each other regardless of the paper size, gaps will be created between them, resulting in the problem that sufficient alignment performance of the loaded paper in both the front-to-back and left-to-right directions cannot be ensured.

[0007] In view of the problems of the prior art described above, the object of the present invention is to provide a paper sorting device that can improve the efficiency of sorting work and improve the alignment performance of single sheets of paper stacked on the paper sorting device. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] To achieve the above objective, the invention described in claim 1 is: The paper is ejected continuously in one or more columns in the direction of paper travel. In a paper sorting device equipped with a loading section for receiving and stacking single sheets of paper, The aforementioned mounting section contains the stacked single sheets of paper. Downstream side in the direction of paper travel end edge It includes a stopper guide that restricts the width and side guides that restrict the left and right edges of the single sheet of paper in the paper transport width direction, The aforementioned stopper guide is the part that the front end of the single sheet of paper abuts against. Vertically positionedIt comprises multiple rod-shaped guide members, and the guide members are connected to the single sheet paper. towards the previously described mounting section discharge It will be done In terms of direction, the side guides are arranged upstream from the downstream end of the side guide and along the paper transport width direction.

[0009] The invention described in claim 2 is, A paper sorting device, comprising a loading section for receiving and stacking single sheets of paper continuously discharged in one or more rows in the paper forwarding direction, wherein the loading section comprises a stopper guide for restricting the front end of the single sheets of paper when stacking them, and side guides for restricting the left and right edges of the single sheets of paper in the paper transport width direction, the stopper guide is composed of a plurality of rod-shaped guide members provided vertically so as to contact the front end of the discharged single sheets of paper, and the plurality of guide members are arranged in a direction perpendicular to the discharge direction of the single sheets of paper, The aforementioned stopper guide is characterized by having a plurality of cylindrical guide holders that support each of the guide members by their own weight when each guide member is inserted from the upper opening, and each of the guide members has a stopper at its upper end to prevent it from coming out downward from the upper opening.

[0010] The invention described in claim 3 is characterized in that, in the paper sorting device described in claim 2, the lower surface of the stopper having an arc-shaped convex surface is supported in contact with the upper end of the straight guide folder.

[0011] The invention described in claim 4 is characterized in that, in the paper sorting device described in claim 2, the lower surface of the stopper having an arc-shaped convex surface is supported in contact with the upper end of the guide folder having an arc-shaped concave surface, and the lower surface of the stopper is formed to have a smaller radius of curvature than the upper end of the guide folder.

[0012] The invention described in claim 5 is characterized in that, in the paper sorting device described in claim 2, each guide member is configured to be movable in the paper transport width direction by at least a predetermined clearance from the guide folder into which each guide member is inserted.

[0013] The invention described in claim 6 is characterized in that, in the paper sorting device described in claim 2, the guide folder is formed in the shape of a substantially rectangular tube, and the guide member is formed in the shape of a substantially rectangular shape that fits the inner surface of the guide folder as an anti-rotation body.

[0014] The invention according to claim 7 is based on claim 1 or claim 2 In the sheet sorting device described in claim 1, the placement unit includes a conveying roller that receives, stacks, and conveys the single-sheet papers continuously discharged onto a plurality of rollers, and a plurality of side guides are arranged so as to partition the single-sheet papers between one row or multiple rows of the placement unit, which is characterized by this.

[0015] The invention according to claim 8 is in the sheet sorting device according to claim 7, wherein the side guide has notch portions through which the plurality of rollers respectively penetrate in a side wall portion, and is configured such that the installation position of the side guide in the paper conveyance width direction can be adjusted through the notch portions, which is characterized by this.

[0016] The invention according to claim 9 is in the sheet sorting device according to any one of claims 1 to 6 After receiving the continuously discharged single-sheet papers and stacking them in sorting units, an accumulation transfer unit is provided that continuously transfers them downstream for each of the stacked single-sheet papers after stacking, In the accumulation transfer unit, in order to receive and stack the single-sheet papers of the continuously discharged sorting units, at least a control unit is provided that controls to make the abutting guide protrude into the conveyance path at the time of stacking and regulate the leading end of the single-sheet paper, which is characterized by this.

[0017] The invention according to claim 10 is in the sheet sorting device according to claim 9, and includes a stacker unit that is arranged on the downstream side of the accumulation transfer unit and can continuously stack the stacked single-sheet papers transferred from the accumulation transfer unit at different positions on the placement surface, which is characterized by this.

[0018] The invention according to claim 11 is The paper is ejected continuously in one or more columns in the direction of paper travel. In a sheet sorting device including a placement unit that receives and stacks single-sheet papers, the placement unit has a conveying roller that receives, stacks, and conveys the single-sheet papers onto a plurality of rollers, and the Downstream side in the direction of paper travel end edgeA abutting guide for restricting [the movement], and a side guide for restricting the left and right edges in the paper conveyance width direction of the single-form paper, and the abutting guide is arranged along the paper conveyance width direction upstream of the downstream end of the side guide in the towards the previously described mounting section discharge It will be done direction. This is the gist of the invention. Multiple guide members arranged vertically It is characterized in that it is arranged.

Advantages of the Invention

[0019] According to the invention described in claim 1, the abutting guide includes a plurality of rod-shaped guide members against which the end of the single-form paper abuts. The guide members are arranged along the paper width direction upstream of the downstream end of the side guide in the Downstream side in the direction of paper travel end edge abuts Vertically positioned discharge direction. Therefore, the speed and impact of the paper can be absorbed, and the paper can be aligned at a relatively fixed position as much as possible. Thus, the alignment performance of the stacked single-form paper can be improved. towards the previously described mounting section discharge It will be done direction. Therefore, the speed and impact of the paper can be absorbed, and the paper can be aligned at a relatively fixed position as much as possible. Thus, the alignment performance of the stacked single-form paper can be improved. ]

[0020] According to the invention described in claim 2, the abutting guide has a plurality of cylindrical guide folders that support themselves by their own weight with each guide member inserted from the upper opening. Each guide member has a stopper at its upper end for preventing downward escape from the upper opening. Therefore, after the position of the side guide is adjusted, when any one of the plurality of guide members hits the upper end of the side guide on the way the abutting guide advances downward with respect to the conveyance path, the guide members can each be lifted upward and retracted. Thus, it is possible to flexibly respond to the specifications of the paper to be stacked.

[0021] According to the invention described in claim 3, since the lower surface of the stopper having an arc-shaped convex surface is supported in a state of abutting against the upper end of the linear guide folder, the stopper (guide member) can swing at the contact portion with the guide folder to prevent damage caused by contact (twisting) between the guide member and the side guide.

[0022] According to the invention described in claim 4, the lower surface of the stopper having an arc-shaped convex surface is supported in contact with the upper end of the guide folder having an arc-shaped recess, and since the lower surface of the stopper is formed with a smaller radius of curvature than the upper end of the guide folder, the stopper (guide member) can swing at the contact point with the guide folder, preventing damage due to contact (twisting) between the guide member and the side guide. Furthermore, the lower surface of the stopper having an arc-shaped convex surface is maintained in the center of the upper end of the guide folder having an arc-shaped recess, and the stopper can swing stably in both left and right directions.

[0023] According to the invention described in claim 5, each guide member is configured to be movable in the paper transport width direction by at least a predetermined clearance from the guide folder into which the guide member is inserted. Therefore, the guide member that is in contact with the upper end of the side guide can avoid the upper end of the side guide by shifting to the left or right by the gap between the guide member and the guide folder.

[0024] According to the invention described in claim 6, the guide folder is formed in a substantially rectangular cylindrical shape, and the guide member is formed in a substantially rectangular shape that fits the inner surface of the guide folder as an anti-rotation body, so that the front end of the ejected single sheet of paper can always come into contact with the flat part of the guide member, and the alignment of the front end is stable.

[0025] According to the invention described in claim 7, the loading section of the paper sorting device is equipped with transport rollers that receive and stack continuously discharged single sheets of paper on a plurality of rollers and transport them, and the side guides are arranged in a plurality so as to partition the single sheets of paper between one or more rows of the loading section, so that single sheets of paper discharged continuously in one or more rows can be received and stacked in their sorted state.

[0026] According to the invention described in claim 8, the side guide has notches in its side wall through which multiple rollers each pass, and is configured so that the installation position of the side guide in the paper transport width direction can be adjusted through the notches. As a result, there is no problem such as paper slipping through the gap between the side wall of the side guide and the multiple rollers, and the alignment performance in the paper transport width direction of single sheets of paper stacked on the paper sorting device can be improved.

[0027] According to the invention described in claim 9, the paper sorting device is equipped with a stacking and transport unit that receives continuously discharged single sheets of paper, stacks them in sorting units, and then continuously transports each stacked single sheet of paper downstream. The stacking and transport unit is equipped with a control unit that, in order to receive and stack the continuously discharged single sheets of paper in sorting units, controls the stopper guide to extend relative to the transport path and restrict the leading edge of the single sheet of paper when stacking, thereby improving the alignment performance of the paper transport direction of the single sheets of paper stacked on the paper sorting device.

[0028] According to the invention described in claim 10, a stacker unit is provided which is located downstream of the accumulation and transfer unit and which can continuously stack the stacked single sheets of paper being transferred from the accumulation and transfer unit at different positions on the placement surface. As long as the minimum gap between the stacked single sheets of paper on the accumulation and transfer unit is secured, the stacker unit can then be handed over to the stacker unit while shifting the paper over it. The stacker unit can then automatically control the gap to widen enough to easily remove the stacked single sheets of paper, independently of the accumulation and transfer unit. This minimizes the stopping time of the accumulation and transfer unit and improves the efficiency of the sorting work.

[0029] According to the invention described in claim 11, The paper is ejected continuously in one or more columns in the direction of paper travel. A paper sorting device equipped with a loading section for receiving and stacking single sheets of paper, wherein the loading section includes transport rollers for receiving, stacking, and transporting the single sheets of paper on multiple rollers, and the stacked single sheets of paper Downstream side in the direction of paper travel end edge It comprises a stopper guide that restricts the single sheet of paper, and side guides that restrict the left and right edges in the paper transport width direction of the single sheet of paper, wherein the stopper guide is the single sheet of paper towards the previously described mounting section discharge It will be doneIn that direction, upstream from the downstream end of the side guide along the paper transport width direction Multiple guide members arranged vertically Because they are arranged in a specific way, the alignment performance of the paper transport direction of the single sheets of paper stacked in the mounting section can be improved. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0030] [Figure 1] This is a longitudinal cross-sectional view showing the schematic configuration of a processing apparatus D according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] This is a plan view showing an example of a sheet processing pattern. [Figure 3] This is an overall perspective view of the paper sorting device 2. [Figure 4] This is a perspective view of the accumulation and transfer unit 91. [Figure 5] This is a perspective view of the accumulation and transfer unit 91. [Figure 6] This is a perspective view of the accumulation and transfer unit 91. [Figure 7] This is a schematic diagram showing the sorting operation of the paper sorting device 2. [Figure 8] This is a schematic diagram showing the sorting operation of the paper sorting device 2. [Figure 9] This is another embodiment of the accumulation and transfer unit 91. [Figure 10] This is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of one guide member in the abutment guide 93. [Figure 11] Figure 10 shows a cross-sectional view (AA section) of the guide folder section. [Figure 12] This is a magnified view of the main part of the stopper guide 93. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0031] [Overall configuration of processing equipment D] The general configuration of the processing apparatus according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following description, the direction perpendicular to the transport direction F of the transport unit 4 that transports the sheet S will be referred to as the width direction W, and the right side when viewed from the upstream side to the downstream side of the transport direction F will be referred to as the right side of the apparatus, and the left side will be referred to as the left side of the apparatus. Figure 1 is a schematic longitudinal cross-sectional view of the processing apparatus D according to the present invention. In Figure 1, the processing apparatus D is equipped with a supply unit 3 at the upstream end of the transport direction F of the sheet S (single sheet paper) of the apparatus body 1, and a paper sorting device 2 for placing the processed single sheet paper Q at the downstream end of the transport direction F, and a substantially horizontal transport path 5 is configured between the supply unit 3 and the paper sorting device 2.

[0032] Furthermore, in the present invention, the paper sorting device includes at least two devices: one that simply receives single sheets of paper continuously discharged in one or more rows in the paper forwarding direction and stacks them in their sorted state; and one that receives single sheets of paper continuously discharged in one or more rows in the paper forwarding direction, stacks them in sorted units, and then has a stacking and transfer unit that continuously transfers each stacked single sheet of paper downstream.

[0033] The transport path 5 is equipped with a transport section 4 on which multiple pairs of upper and lower transport rollers 9 to 17 are installed. The transport rollers 9 to 17 are spaced apart in the transport direction F. Each of the transport rollers 9 to 17 constituting the transport section 4 is connected to a transport drive unit 41 to 44 via a power transmission mechanism (not shown), and each of the transport drive units 41 to 44 is electrically connected to a control unit 45.

[0034] The control unit 45 has a built-in CPU and storage devices such as RAM and ROM, and the operation panel 46 and the reading unit 26 are electrically connected to the interface of the control unit 45. The operation panel 46 is configured to serve as both a setting unit and a display unit for setting various processing information, including information related to the cutting process of the sheet S. The reading unit 26 is also configured as the setting unit.

[0035] The conveying path 5 is equipped with a processing unit 24 for processing the conveyed sheet S. In Figure 1, the processing unit 24 includes a cutting unit 19 and a crease processing unit 21 that forms folds perpendicular to the conveying direction F. The cutting unit 19 is composed of three slitter processing units 20 and a cutter processing unit 22.

[0036] The slitter processing unit 20, the crease processing unit 21, and the cutter processing unit 22 are each configured as detachable units and can be attached and detached to any desired position within the main body 1 of the device using a cassette system. Therefore, the arrangement order of each processing unit 20, 21, and 22 can be changed depending on the type of processing, or other processing units 24 such as a mechanism for creasing along the transport direction F, a chamfering mechanism, or a perforation forming mechanism can be replaced or added.

[0037] A reading unit 26 and a reject mechanism 25 are located upstream of the slitter processing unit 20, and a scrap removal mechanism 27 is located downstream of the slitter processing unit 20. A scrap collection unit 23 is located at the bottom of the main body 1 of the device.

[0038] The transport path 5 is further equipped with multiple light-transmitting detection units 31 to 35 that detect the front edge (downstream edge) Sf or rear edge (upstream edge) Sr of the sheet S, and each is electrically connected to the interface of the control unit 45. In the transport direction F of the sheet S, the first detection unit 31, which is the most upstream, is located between the suction transport unit 62 and the supply roller 8 of the supply unit 3, the second detection unit 32 is located near the upstream side of the slitter processing unit 20, the third detection unit 33 is located in the middle of the slitter processing unit 20, the fourth detection unit 34 is located near the upstream side of the crease processing unit 21, and the fifth detection unit 35, which is the most downstream, is located near the upstream side of the stacker unit 2.

[0039] The first detection unit 31 detects the front edge Sf of the sheet S before it is gripped by the supply roller 8, or the rear edge Sr of the sheet S that is gripped by the supply roller 8 and being transported, and uses the detected position of the sheet S as a reference to calculate the position of the sheet S that is subsequently being transported on the transport path 5.

[0040] The second detection unit 32 and the third detection unit 33 detect jams in the sheets S during processing. The fourth detection unit 34 is installed as an auxiliary unit to correct the sheet position information obtained by the first detection unit 31 and make it more accurate in case the transport path 5 becomes longer and the positional deviation (transportation error) of the sheets S in the transport direction F on the transport path 5 accumulates. The fifth detection unit 35 detects the discharge of single sheets Q after processing to the paper sorting device 2. The fifth detection unit 35 also detects jams of single sheets Q in the paper sorting device 2.

[0041] [Supply section 3] The supply unit 3 comprises a supply table 61, a supply roller 8, a suction conveying unit 62, and a separation blowing unit 63. The supply table 61 is provided for loading sheets S and supplying the sheets S to the conveying path 5. The supply table 61 is movable up and down by a lifting mechanism (not shown). When supplying sheets S, the lifting mechanism raises the supply table 61 from the standby position to a predetermined supply position where the top sheet S can be suction conveyed by the suction conveying unit 62 and supplied to the conveying path 5. Thus, the supply table 61 is movable between the standby position and the supply position.

[0042] The supply rollers 8 are installed in pairs, one above the other. The suction conveying unit 62 is equipped with a suction fan 67, a conveying belt 64, and a belt roller 65. In the supply unit 3, a predetermined number of sheets S stacked on the supply table 61 are supplied one by one from the top to the conveying path 5 using the suction conveying unit 62 and the pair of upper and lower supply rollers 8.

[0043] The separation and blowing unit 63 uses a fan (not shown) to blow air toward the front edge Sf of the sheet S on the supply table 61, separating the top sheet S from the stacked sheets S, which is then sucked onto the suction and conveying unit 62 and conveyed. One of the belt rollers 65 and the lower supply roller 81 of the supply rollers 8 are connected to the paper feeding drive unit 47. The separation and blowing unit 63, the suction fan 67, and the paper feeding drive unit 47 are electrically connected to the control unit 45.

[0044] [Reading section 26] The reading unit 26 reads an image of a position mark M1 printed on the front corner of the sheet S, as shown in Figure 2, to detect the reference position for processing in the transport direction F and the width direction W perpendicular to the transport direction F of the sheet S. In addition, the reading unit 26 can also be configured as a setting unit that automatically reads and sets processing information, separate from the manual input of various processing information by the operation panel 46. Specifically, it reads an image of a barcode M2 ​​printed on the front end of the sheet S, as shown in Figure 2, to obtain various processing information to be applied to the sheet S. The reading unit 26 is composed of a CCD sensor or the like.

[0045] [Rejection mechanism 25] The reject mechanism 25 in Figure 1 activates when the position mark M1 or barcode M2 ​​printed on the sheet S is unclear and therefore cannot be read by the reading unit 26. It drops the unreadable sheet S and collects it in the tray 25a.

[0046] [Slitter processing unit 20] The slitter processing unit 20 has three units arranged in the transport direction F, and each unit has two sets of cutting blades 36, each consisting of upper and lower rotary cutting blades, spaced apart in the width direction W. The cutting blades 36 are installed to be movable in a direction intersecting the transport direction F of the transport unit 4, and constitute processing members that perform predetermined processing at predetermined positions on the transported sheet S. The driving force of the rotary drive unit 48, which acts as a processing member drive unit that drives the processing members, rotates either the upper or lower cutting blade 36 of the transport path 5, and the other cutting blade 36 is driven to rotate, thereby cutting along the transport direction F by the transport unit 4 and forming a cutting line T on the sheet S.

[0047] [Crease processing area 21] The crease processing unit 21 comprises a lower die 39 having an upper end recess and an upper die 38 having a lower end protrusion that fits into the recess. The upper die 38 is connected to a folding die drive unit 49, such as a motor, via a power transmission mechanism. That is, by lowering the upper die 38 with the driving force of the folding die drive unit 49, a crease is formed on the sheet S in the width direction W perpendicular to the transport direction F.

[0048] [Cutter processing section 22] The cutter section 22 extends in the width direction W and is equipped with a pair of opposing cutting blades 69. One cutting blade 69 is composed of an upper movable blade 71, and the other cutting blade 69 is composed of a lower fixed blade 73. The upper movable blade 71 contacts and separates from the lower fixed blade 73, cutting the sheet S in the width direction W perpendicular to the transport direction F, and forming a cutting line K on the sheet S. The upper movable blade 71 is connected to a cutting drive unit 50 such as a motor via a power transmission mechanism.

[0049] [Paper sorting device 2] The paper sorting device 2 consists of a stacking and transfer unit 91 and a stacker unit 92. The stacking and transfer unit 91 receives processed single sheets of paper Q continuously discharged from the device body 1 (processing unit), stacks them in sorting units, and then continuously transfers each stacked single sheet of paper Q' downstream. The single sheets of paper Q stacked in sorting units are hereafter referred to as stacked single sheets of paper Q'. Furthermore, the stacker section 92 is located downstream of the stacking and transfer section 91 and continuously stacks the stacked single sheets Q' transferred from the stacking and transfer section 91, dividing them into different positions on the mounting surface. Specifically, the stacking and transfer section 91 is equipped with transport rollers that load the stacked single sheets Q' onto a plurality of rotating rollers 94 (drive rollers). The stacker section 92 is equipped with a mounting section 83 that can load the stacked single sheets Q' into different positions on the mounting surface. The mounting section 83 is equipped with a belt conveyor 86 that loads the stacked single sheets Q' onto a belt 85 that travels in a circular motion. The stacked single sheets Q' transferred from the stacking and transfer section 91 are transported and placed on the belt conveyor 86. Note that, as shown in Figure 9, the stacking and transfer section 91 may be composed of a belt conveyor 88 instead of the plurality of rotating rollers 94.

[0050] The stacking and transporting unit 91 and the stacker unit 92 are driven independently of each other to transport the stacked single sheets of paper Q'. The roller drive unit 40 is electrically connected to the control unit 45, and the control unit 45 controls the amount of drive of the roller drive unit 40 so that the multiple rollers 94 are adjusted to travel at a predetermined speed. In addition, the conveyor drive unit 51 is electrically connected to the control unit 45, and the control unit 45 controls the amount of drive of the conveyor drive unit 51 so that the belt conveyor 86 is adjusted to travel at a predetermined speed.

[0051] The specific configuration and operation of the paper sorting device 2 will be described later.

[0052] [Scrap fabric collection unit 23] The scrap collection unit 23 includes a scrap collection box 54 and guides 59 and 60. The scrap collection box 54 is formed in the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped with an opening at the top. The scrap collection box 54 collects and stores the scraps J that are cut off and become unnecessary in the cutting unit 19. The guides 59 and 60 guide the scraps J that are cut off and fall in the cutting unit 19 to the scrap collection box 54.

[0053] [Control Unit 45] The control unit 45 controls the operation of the entire processing apparatus D. The control unit 45 acquires information from the detection units 31 to 35 and controls the drive of the supply unit 3, transport unit 4, paper sorting device 2, and each processing unit 24 based on the processing information of the sheet S set by the operation panel 46 or reading unit 26, and performs the processing of the sheet S.

[0054] [Sheet processing patterns] Figure 2 is a plan view showing an example of a processing pattern for sheet S. The processing pattern shown in the figure is designed to produce multiple single sheets Q from a single sheet S. Multiple cutting lines T are set as processing lines that extend parallel to the transport direction F, and multiple cutting lines K are set as processing lines that extend in the width direction W perpendicular to the transport direction F.

[0055] In Figure 2, the first cutting lines T1 and T6, shown at the far right and left, are formed by unit 20a, which is located furthest upstream in the slitter processing unit 20 on the transport path 5 in Figure 1. The second and fifth cutting lines T2 and T5, formed inside the first and sixth cutting lines T1 and T6 respectively, are formed by unit 20b, which is located in the center in the transport direction F. The third and fourth cutting lines T3 and T4, formed further inside the second and fifth cutting lines T2 and T5, are formed by unit 20c, which is located furthest downstream in the transport direction F. The strip-shaped unwanted scraps Jb between the second and third cutting lines T2 and T3, and between the fourth and fifth cutting lines T4 and T5, are guided downward by the scrap removal mechanism 27 shown in Figure 1 and collected in the scrap collection unit 23.

[0056] Furthermore, the cutting lines K are formed when the sheet S is cut parallel to the transport direction F along the cutting lines T1 to T6, and the long pieces of scraps J cut off from the sheet S are removed, thereby simultaneously performing the cutting process multiple times on multiple strip-shaped pieces arranged in the width direction W.

[0057] Furthermore, in the processing pattern of sheet S shown in Figure 2, no fold lines are set by the crease processing unit 21. Therefore, in the processing processing unit 24 exemplified in Figure 1, the crease processing unit 21 is either kept in the receiving unit 6 but not allowed to function, preventing the crease processing from being performed, or it is replaced with a transport processing unit (not shown), or the crease processing unit 21 is detached from the receiving unit 6 and used in an empty state.

[0058] The various processing information to be applied to the sheet S regarding the arrangement pattern of the single sheets of paper Q after such processing is set by the user using the operation panel 46 or recorded in the barcode M2 ​​of the sheet S. This various processing information includes information about the sheet S itself, such as the length in predetermined directions such as the length in the transport direction and the width direction of the sheet S, thickness, type, etc.; information about the single sheets of paper Q, such as the arrangement, number, and dimensions of the single sheets of paper Q; and information about the processing of the sheet S, such as the size and number of unnecessary scraps J cut from the sheet S, and information about the sorting process of the single sheets of paper Q. Information about the sorting process includes sorting necessity information, whether or not to perform sorting in the paper sorting device 2, sorting timing information, the timing at which sorting should be performed, sorting distance information, the distance between the single sheets of paper Q sorted before and after each other in the loading section 83, sorting loading information, such as the overlap length between the preceding single sheet of paper Q and the succeeding single sheet of paper Q, and sorting notification information, such as whether or not to notify with light or sound when sorting is performed.

[0059] Once the processing information has been set, it can be stored in the storage device of the control unit 45. By assigning a number, processing name, name, etc., to each of the multiple processing information items with different arrangement patterns of single sheets Q after processing sheet S, and storing them in the storage device, the user can operate the operation panel 46, which acts as the operation unit, to retrieve the processing information related to the necessary processing content from the storage device and process sheet S.

[0060] [Configuration of Paper Sorting Device 2] Next, we will explain the specific configuration of the paper sorting device 2.

[0061] As shown in Figure 3, the paper sorting device 2 consists of a stacking and transfer unit 91 and a stacker unit 92, and the stacking and transfer unit 91 and the stacker unit 92 are driven independently of each other. The stacking and transfer unit 91 receives the processed single sheets of paper Q, which are discharged continuously in one or more rows in the direction of paper travel from the device body 1 (processing unit), at the placement unit 95, stacks them in sorting units, and then continuously transports each stacked single sheet of paper Q' downstream. The stacker unit 92 is located downstream of the stacking and transfer unit 91 and sorts the stacked single sheets of paper Q' transported from the stacking and transfer unit 91 into different positions on the placement surface and continuously stacks them. Specifically, the stacking and transfer unit 91 is provided with transport rollers that load and transport the stacked single sheets of paper Q' on a plurality of rotating rollers 94 (drive rollers). Furthermore, the stacker section 92 is provided with a loading section 83 that allows the stacked single sheets of paper Q' to be loaded at different positions on the loading surface. The loading section 83 is provided with a belt conveyor 86 that loads the stacked single sheets of paper Q' onto a belt 85 that travels in a circular motion. The stacked single sheets of paper Q' transported from the accumulation and transfer section 91 are transported and loaded onto the belt conveyor 86. Note that the accumulation and transfer section 91 may be configured with a belt conveyor 88 as shown in Figure 9 instead of the multiple rotating rollers 94.

[0062] By using belt conveyors 86 and 88 in the stacker section 92 and the stacking and transfer section 91, the means for loading and transferring the stacked single sheets of paper Q' can be configured simply and inexpensively.

[0063] Next, the drive mechanism for rotating the belt conveyor 86 in the conveyor drive unit 51 will be described. The belt conveyor 86 in the stacker unit 92 comprises an endless belt 85, conveyor rollers 87, and a conveyor drive unit 51. The conveyor rollers 87 are installed at three locations spaced a predetermined distance apart in the discharge direction of the stacked single sheets of paper Q', which is the same direction as the conveying direction F of the sheet S, and the belt 85 is stretched across them. The conveyor drive unit 51 is a drive mechanism for rotating the endless belt 85 to transport the stacked single sheets of paper Q' after sorting processing toward the downstream side of the paper conveying direction F, and comprises a drive motor 101 that functions as a driving means, a pulley 511 attached to the rotating shaft of the drive motor 101, a pulley 512 attached to the rotating shaft 513 of the conveyor roller 87, and a timing belt 514 stretched between these pulleys 511 and 512. When the drive motor 101 is rotated, the driving force is transmitted to the rotating shaft 513 of the conveyor roller 87 via the pulleys 511 and 512, causing the conveyor roller 87 to rotate and the endless belt 85 to rotate.

[0064] The length of the belt 85 in the width direction W is a predetermined length that is approximately the same as or slightly longer than the width direction W of the transport path 5 on which the sheets S are transported, and multiple processed single sheets Q that are discharged in parallel in the width direction W can be placed on the belt 85. The conveyor drive unit 51 is electrically connected to the control unit 45, and the control unit 45 controls the amount of drive of the conveyor drive unit 51 so that the belt conveyor 86 is adjusted to run at a predetermined speed.

[0065] Next, the configuration of the stacking and transfer unit 91 will be described. As shown in Figure 4, the stacking and transfer unit 91 consists of a loading unit 95 that receives the processed single sheets of paper Q which are continuously discharged in one or more rows in the direction of paper travel from the main unit 1 (processing unit), and a plurality of rollers 94 (drive rollers) that serve as transport rollers to continuously transfer the received single sheets of paper Q to the stacker unit 92 after stacking them in division units. In this embodiment, the single sheets of paper Q are discharged from the main unit 1 in three rows and stacked in three rows in division units.

[0066] According to this, the means for loading and transporting the stacked single sheets of paper Q' can be configured simply and inexpensively.

[0067] The mounting section 95 is equipped with a stopper guide 93 that restricts the front end of the single sheets of paper Q when stacking them, and side guides 961-964 that restrict the left and right edges of the single sheets of paper Q in the paper transport width direction. In this embodiment, the example shows a case where three rows of processed single sheets of paper Q, as shown in Figure 2, are discharged from the main body of the device 1 and received by the mounting section 95.

[0068] The abutment guide 93 and side guides 961-964 in the mounting section 95 are driven by the guide drive unit 52, and the multiple rollers 94 are driven by the roller drive unit 40. Both drive units are electrically connected to the control unit 45, which controls the amount of drive to adjust the position of each guide. The guide drive unit 52 includes a motor 103 for driving the abutment guide 93 in the vertical direction, a motor 102 for driving it in the front-rear direction of the conveying direction F, and motors 104-106 for driving the side guides 961-964 in the left-right direction of the conveying width. The roller drive unit 40 includes a motor 108 for rotating the multiple rollers 94. In this embodiment, motor 101 is a DC gear motor, and the other motors 102 to 108 are stepping motors.

[0069] Next, the configuration of the stopper guide 93 will be described. As shown in Figures 4 and 5, the stopper guide 93 consists of a plurality of rod-shaped guide members 931 that are provided vertically so as to come into contact with the front end of the ejected single sheet of paper Q. The plurality of guide members 931 are arranged in a direction perpendicular to the ejection direction of the single sheet of paper Q. Each of the plurality of guide members 931 is mounted on a guide folder 5221 which is integrally attached to the subframe 522. This method absorbs the speed and impact of the paper, allowing it to align as consistently as possible. Therefore, it can improve the alignment performance of stacked single sheets of paper.

[0070] Figure 10(a) is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of one guide member 931 in the abutment guide 93. As shown in Figure 10(a), the abutment guide 93 has a plurality of cylindrical guide holders 5221 that support each guide member 931 by its own weight when inserted into the upper opening 933, and each guide member 931 has a stopper 5222 at its upper end to prevent it from coming out downward from the upper opening 933. The stopper 5222 is fixed to the upper part of the guide member 931 with screws 932. The stopper 5222 may be formed integrally with the guide member 931. According to this, after the positioning of the side guides 961, 962, 963, and 964 is adjusted, as the abutment guide 93 moves downward from its retracted position relative to the transport path, it is possible that one of the guide members 931 may hit the upper end of the side guides 961, 962, 963, and 964. However, each of the guide members 931 can be lifted upward and retracted, as shown in Figure 10(b). Therefore, it is possible to flexibly accommodate the specifications of the paper being loaded.

[0071] Figure 12 is an enlarged view of the main part of the stopper guide 93. As shown in Figure 12(a), the lower surface 934 of the stopper, which has an arc-shaped convex surface, is supported in contact with the upper end portion 935 of the straight guide folder 5221. According to this, the stopper 5222 (guide member 931) swings at the contact point with the guide holder 5221, preventing damage caused by contact (twisting) between the guide member and the side guide.

[0072] Alternatively, as shown in Figure 12(b), the lower surface 934 of the stopper having an arc-shaped convex surface may be supported in contact with the upper end portion 936 of the guide folder 5221 having an arc-shaped concave surface, and the lower surface 934 of the stopper may be formed to have a smaller radius of curvature than the upper end portion 936 of the guide folder. According to this design, the stopper (guide member) swings at the contact point with the guide folder, preventing damage caused by contact (twisting) between the guide member and the side guide. Furthermore, the lower surface of the stopper, which has an arc-shaped convex surface, is maintained at the center of the upper end of the guide folder, which has an arc-shaped concave surface, allowing the stopper to swing stably in both left and right directions.

[0073] Figure 11 is a cross-sectional view (AA cross-section) of the guide folder section in Figure 10. As shown in Figure 11, each guide member 931 is configured to be movable in the paper transport width direction W by at least a predetermined clearance (a, b) from the guide folder 5221 into which each guide member 931 is inserted. According to this, the guide member 931, which is in contact with the upper end of the side guides 961, 962, 963, and 964, can avoid the upper end of the side guides 961, 962, 963, and 964 by shifting to the left or right by the clearance (a, b) between the guide member 931 and the guide holder 5221.

[0074] Furthermore, the guide folder 5221 is formed in a roughly square, cylindrical shape, and the guide member 931 is formed in a roughly square shape that fits the inner surface of the guide folder 5221, serving as an anti-rotation body. According to this, the leading edge of the ejected single sheet of paper Q can always come into contact with the flat surface of the guide member 931, ensuring stable alignment of the leading edge.

[0075] Next, the drive mechanism for moving the abutment guide 93 in the guide drive unit 52 will be described. The subframe 522 is configured to slide vertically relative to the main frame 521 via guide shafts 5223 installed at two locations in the transport width direction. A lead nut 5224 is integrally fixed to the subframe 522, and a lead screw 5225 is screwed into this lead nut 5224. The lead screw 5225 is integrally fixed to the rotation shaft of the motor 103 fixed to the main frame 521, and by rotating the motor 103, the lead nut 5224 screwed into the lead screw 5225 drives the subframe 522 in the vertical direction. As a result, the abutment guide 93 can be driven vertically.

[0076] Figure 4 shows the state in which the stopper guide 93 has advanced downward relative to the transport path when stacking single sheets of paper Q, and Figure 5 shows the state in which the stopper guide 93 has retracted upward relative to the transport path when the stacked single sheets of paper Q' are transported downstream. This improves the alignment performance of the paper transport direction of single sheets of paper stacked on the paper sorting device.

[0077] Next, the drive mechanism in the guide drive unit 52 that slides the abutment guide 93 in the front-rear direction of the transport direction F will be described. The main frame 521 is installed at two locations in the transport width direction and is configured to slide in the front-rear direction of the transport direction F via a guide shaft 5228 fitted into a linear bush 5229. A lead nut 5226 is integrally fixed to the main frame 521, and a lead screw 5227 is screwed into this lead nut 5226. The lead screw 5227 is integrally fixed to the rotation shaft of the motor 102, and by rotating the motor 102, the lead nut 5226 screwed into the lead screw 5227 drives the entire unit of the main frame 521 and subframe 522 in the front-rear direction. As a result, the abutment guide 93 of the mounting section can slide in the front-rear direction of the transport direction F according to the size of the single sheet of paper Q to be loaded. In Figures 3 to 6, the motor 102 and one end of the guide shaft 5228 are shown as floating in mid-air, but in reality, they are integrally fixed to an outer frame (not shown) that is positioned around the main frame 521 and subframe 522.

[0078] Next, the drive mechanism for the side guides 961 to 964 in the left-right direction of the transport width in the guide drive unit 52 will be described. Since the drive mechanisms for the side guides 961 to 964 are all the same, we will focus on and explain one of them, side guide 961.

[0079] Multiple side guides 961 are arranged to divide the single sheets of paper Q between one or more columns of the mounting section 95. According to this, single sheets of paper Q, which are continuously discharged in one or more columns, can be received and stacked in their original, separated state.

[0080] The side guide 961 has notches 9611 in its side wall through which each of the multiple rollers passes, and is configured so that the installation position of the side guide 961 in the paper transport width direction can be adjusted through the notches 9611. According to this, there are no problems such as paper slipping through the gap between the side wall of the side guide 961 and the multiple rollers 94, and the alignment performance in the paper transport width direction of the single sheets of paper Q stacked on the paper sorting device 2 can be improved.

[0081] Each of the multiple rollers 94 is equipped with an auxiliary guide 9612 between the rollers to compensate for any gaps in the paper transport path.

[0082] This prevents jams from occurring along the paper transport path.

[0083] A lead nut 9613 is integrally fixed to the side guide 961, and a lead screw 9614 is screwed into this lead nut 9613. The lead screw 9614 is integrally fixed to the rotating shaft of the motor 104, and by rotating the motor 104, the lead nut 9613 screwed into the lead screw 9614 moves the side guide 961 in the left-right direction in the paper transport width direction according to the size of the single sheet paper Q being loaded.

[0084] When the side guide 961 moves left to right in the paper transport width direction according to the size of the single sheet of paper Q, the stop guide 93 moves while retracted upward relative to the transport path. After the position of the side guide 961 is adjusted, as the abutment guide 93 advances downward along the transport path, it is possible that one of the guide members 931 may hit the upper end of the side guide 961. However, since each guide member 931 is configured to move up, down, left, and right by its own weight up to the stopping position of the stopper, the guide member 931 that is hitting the upper end of the side guide 961 can be lifted upward and moved out of the way. Alternatively, the guide member 931 that is hitting the upper end of the side guide 961 can avoid the upper end of the side guide 961 by shifting to the left or right by the clearance between the guide member 931 and the guide holder 5221.

[0085] Next, the rotational drive mechanism for the multiple rollers 94 in the roller drive unit 40 will be described. The roller drive unit 40 is a drive mechanism for rotating the multiple rollers 94 to transport the stacked single sheets of paper Q' after sorting processing toward the downstream side of the paper transport direction F, and includes a drive motor 108 that functions as a driving means, a pulley 401 attached to the rotation shaft of the drive motor 108, a pulley 402 attached to the rotation shaft 403 of the roller 941, and a timing belt 404 stretched between these pulleys 401 and 402. When the drive motor 108 is rotated, the driving force is transmitted to the rotation shaft 403 of the roller 941 via the pulleys 401 and 402, and as a result the roller 941 rotates. As shown in Figure 6, a gear 405 is attached to the side of roller 941 opposite the drive motor 108, and gears 405 are also attached to the same side of each of the other rollers 94. These gears mesh with each other in sequence, transmitting the rotational drive from roller 941 to all of the other rollers 94 in sequence.

[0086] [Paper sorting operation of paper sorting device 2] When using the processing apparatus D, the user inputs various processing information via the operation panel 46 shown in Figure 1. When executing the same processing as that already registered and stored in the storage device, the user operates the operation panel 46, which acts as the control unit, and inputs the number, processing name, name, etc., to retrieve the necessary processing information from the storage device. The user then inputs the number of sheets S to be processed and the number of sections (section units) of the single-sheet paper Q after processing via the operation panel 46, and then performs the operation to start the processing.

[0087] At this time, the setting positions of the stopper guide 93 and side guides 961-964 are automatically adjusted in advance according to the size of the processed single sheet of paper Q from the input processing information. The stopper guide 93 restricts the front end of the processed single sheet of paper Q discharged from the main body 1 (processing unit) in the transport direction F, so that the front edge of the single sheet of paper Q is aligned when it is loaded onto the loading unit 95. The side guides 961-964 can also align the left and right edges in the width direction W perpendicular to the transport direction F. At this time, the stopper guide 93 is set to extend downward relative to the transport path. The stopper guide 93 and side guides 961-964 may also be configured to perform a jogger operation.

[0088] When the user initiates the processing start operation, the sheet S loaded in the supply unit 3 of the processing device D is supplied to the transport path 5 of the device body 1, and the processing unit 24 performs the predetermined processing on the sheet S as it is being transported. The processed single sheet Q is then discharged from the device body 1 toward the paper sorting device 2.

[0089] The paper sorting device 2 consists of a collection and transfer unit 91 and a stacker unit 92. The processed single sheets of paper Q discharged from the device body 1 are first received by the loading unit 95 of the collection and transfer unit 91, stacked in sorting units, and then continuously transferred to the stacker unit 92 located downstream, one stack of single sheets of paper Q' at a time. In this embodiment, the collection and transfer unit 91 is equipped with transport rollers that load the stacked single sheets of paper Q' onto a plurality of rotating rollers 94. Alternatively, the collection and transfer unit 91 may be configured to have a belt conveyor 88 that loads the stacked single sheets of paper Q' onto a belt that travels in a circular motion, instead of the plurality of rollers 94.

[0090] The stacker unit 92 continuously stacks the stacked single sheets Q' that are transported from the accumulation and transfer unit 91 at different positions on the placement surface 83. The control unit 45 controls the stacked single sheets Q' that are transported to the stacker unit 92 by the accumulation and transfer unit 91 so that a predetermined gap is formed between the stacked single sheets Q' that are transported earlier and the stacked single sheets Q' that are transported later. The stacker unit is equipped with a belt conveyor 86 that loads the stacked single sheets Q' onto a belt that travels in a circular motion.

[0091] The stacking and transfer unit 91 is capable of holding multiple stacked single sheets of paper Q' in the transport direction, and in the stacking and transfer unit 91, the control unit 45 controls the stacking and transfer unit 91 to receive the single sheets of paper Q in a stopped transport state when stacking the single sheets of paper Q, stack them in partition units, and then stack the stacked single sheets of paper Q' sequentially and gradually, shifting and transferring them while pausing along the way, and to transfer the stacked single sheets of paper Q' sequentially and gradually from the stacked single sheets of paper Q' to the stacker unit 92.

[0092] Based on the above, the efficiency of the sorting process can be improved.

[0093] Next, the sorting operation of the paper sorting device 2 will be explained with specific examples. Figures 7 to 9 are schematic diagrams showing the sorting operation of the paper sorting device 2. Note that side guides 961 to 964 are omitted in Figures 7 to 9.

[0094] The sorting operation of the paper sorting device 2 in this embodiment describes a series of sorting operations when a sheet S with the processing pattern shown in Figure 2 is discharged from the device body 1 as a single sheet of paper Q after processing.

[0095] (1) As shown in Figure 7(a), the processed single sheets of paper Q are continuously discharged from the transport roller 17 of the main body of the device 1 toward the loading section 95 of the accumulation and transfer section 91, and the single sheets of paper Q are stacked in an aligned state by the stop guide 93 and the side guides 961 to 964. The number of single sheets of paper Q discharged from the main body of the device 1 is counted by the fifth detection section 35.

[0096] (2) Next, after the number of single sheets of paper Q stacked on the loading section 95 reaches the number of sheets to be divided (dividing unit), as shown in Figure 7(b), the stopper guide 93 is retracted upward, and then the roller drive unit 40 rotates the multiple rollers 94 to move the stacked single sheets of paper Q'1 downstream by a predetermined distance (roughly the length of the single sheets of paper Q in the transport direction plus the thickness of the stopper guide 93), and then the rotation drive is stopped. At this time, the discharge of single sheets of paper Q from the transport rollers 17 of the main body of the device 1 is stopped.

[0097] (3) Next, as shown in Figure 7(c), after the stop guide 93 has once again advanced downward relative to the transport path, the discharge of single sheets of paper Q from the transport roller 17 of the device body 1 is resumed.

[0098] (4) Next, after the number of single sheets of paper Q stacked on the loading unit 95 reaches the number of sheets to be sorted (sorting unit), As shown in Figure 7(d), the stopper guide 93 is retracted upward, and the roller drive unit 40 rotates the multiple rollers 94 to transport the stacked single sheets Q'1 and Q'2 downstream by a predetermined distance, after which the rotational drive is stopped. At this time, the discharge of single sheets Q from the transport rollers 17 of the device body 1 is stopped.

[0099] (5) Next, as shown in Figure 8(e), after the stop guide 93 has once again advanced downward relative to the transport path, the discharge of single sheets of paper Q from the transport roller 17 of the device body 1 is resumed.

[0100] (6) Next, after the number of single sheets of paper Q stacked on the loading unit 95 reaches the number of sheets to be sorted (sorting unit), As shown in Figure 8(f), the stop guide 93 is retracted upward, and the roller drive unit 40 rotates the multiple rollers 94 to transport the stacked single sheets Q'1, Q'2, and Q'3 downstream by a predetermined distance, at which point the rotational drive is stopped. At this time, only Q'1 is transferred from the accumulation transfer unit 91 to the placement unit 83 (belt conveyor 86) of the stacker unit 92. The conveyor drive unit 51 rotates the belt conveyor 86 when the stacked single sheets Q'1, Q'2, and Q'3 are transferred, and stops after transferring the stacked single sheet Q'1 from the accumulation transfer unit 91 to the stacker unit 92. At this time, the discharge of single sheets Q from the transport rollers 17 of the main body of the device 1 is stopped.

[0101] (7) Next, as shown in Figure 8(g), after the stop guide 93 has moved downward relative to the transport path again, the discharge of single sheets of paper Q from the transport roller 17 of the device body 1 is resumed.

[0102] (8) Next, after the number of single sheets of paper Q stacked on the loading unit 95 reaches the number of sheets to be sorted (sorting unit), As shown in Figure 8(h), after the stop guide 93 is retracted upward, the roller drive unit 40 rotates the multiple rollers 94 to transport the stacked single sheets Q'2, Q'3, and Q'4 downstream by a predetermined distance, and then the rotational drive is stopped. At this time, only Q'2 is transferred from the accumulation transfer unit 91 to the placement unit 83 (belt conveyor 86) of the stacker unit 92. The conveyor drive unit 51 rotates the belt conveyor 86 when transporting the stacked single sheets Q'2, Q'3, and Q'4, and stops after transferring the stacked single sheet Q'2 from the accumulation transfer unit 91 to the stacker unit 92. At this time, the discharge of single sheets Q from the transport rollers 17 of the main body of the device 1 is stopped.

[0103] The integrated transfer unit 91 and the stacker unit 92 are configured to be independently driven from each other. The gap X1 between the stacked single-ticket papers Q' on the integrated transfer unit 91 and the gap X2 between the stacked single-ticket papers Q' on the stacker unit 92 are specially controlled by the roller drive unit 40 and the conveyor drive unit 51 via the control unit 45. Regarding X1, it is generally a gap obtained by adding a margin for the smooth forward and backward movement of the abutting guide 93 to the thickness of the abutting guide 93, and a gap of about 10 mm may be sufficient. Regarding X2, it is a gap required for easy removal when the operator removes the stacked single-ticket papers on the belt conveyor, and a gap of about 20 mm to 50 mm is a guideline. The two have a relationship of X1 < X2, and the conveyance speeds V1 and V2 of the stacked single-ticket papers Q' of the integrated transfer unit 91 and the stacker unit 92 also have a relationship of V1 < V2. That is, when delivering (shifting and transferring) the stacked single-ticket papers Q' from the integrated transfer unit 91 to the stacker unit 92, control is performed to accelerate the conveyance speed and widen the gap from X1 to X2. In the embodiment, the number of stacked single-ticket papers Q' arranged on the integrated transfer unit 91 is described as 3, but it is not limited to this, and it may be 1 or 3 or more. Also, the number of stacked single-ticket papers Q' arranged on the stacker unit 92 is described as 2, but it is not limited to this, and it may be 1 or 2 or more.

[0104] According to the above, as long as the minimum gap X1 between the stacked single-ticket papers Q' on the integrated transfer unit 91 is ensured, then, while shifting and transferring to the stacker unit 92 and delivering, control is automatically performed independently of the integrated transfer unit 91 to widen the gap to X2 where the stacked single-ticket papers Q' can be easily taken out. Therefore, the stop time of the integrated transfer unit 91 can be minimized, and the working efficiency is good. In the prior art, since the discharged single-ticket papers Q are stacked on a single (one-driven) belt conveyor at predetermined intervals while being transferred downstream while opening a predetermined gap, it is necessary to stop the stacking operation (discharge operation) of the subsequent discharged papers during the transfer of the preceding papers (while the belt conveyor is running) until the predetermined gap is opened downstream, and the working efficiency is poor.

[0105] The paper sorting device 2 according to the present invention, when combined with the processing device 1, can improve the efficiency of sorting work and improve the alignment performance of the paper transport direction of single sheets of paper loaded on the paper sorting device 2. In addition, it may be combined with other paper processing devices that perform sorting of printed materials, cards, mail, folded books, etc., or may be installed in the middle of a general paper transport device.

[0106] It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to this embodiment, and within the scope of the technical concept of the present invention, this embodiment can be modified as appropriate in ways other than those suggested here. Furthermore, the number, position, shape, etc. of the constituent members are not limited to this embodiment, and can be set to a number, position, shape, etc. that is suitable for carrying out the present invention. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0107] D Processing equipment F Conveying direction K Cutting line Q Single sheet paper S Seat T cutting line 1. Main unit of the device 2. Paper sorting device 40 Roller drive unit 45 Control Unit 46 Control Panel 51 Conveyor drive unit 52 Guide drive unit 83 Mounting section 85 belt 86 Belt Conveyor 87 Conveyor Roller 88 Belt Conveyor 91 Accumulation and Transfer Unit 92 Stacker section 93 Hitting Guide 94 Drive rollers 95 Mounting section 96 Side Guide

Claims

1. A paper sorting device comprising a loading section for receiving and stacking single sheets of paper that are continuously discharged in one or more rows in the direction of paper travel, The mounting section includes a stopper guide that restricts the downstream edge of the stacked single sheets in the paper travel direction, and side guides that restrict the left and right edges of the single sheets in the paper transport width direction. The abutment guide comprises a plurality of rod-shaped guide members provided in a vertical direction against which the front end of the single sheet of paper abuts, and the guide members are arranged upstream of the downstream end of the side guide and along the paper transport width direction in the direction in which the single sheet of paper is discharged toward the preceding writing section, characterized in that the paper sorting device is a paper sorting device.

2. A paper sorting device equipped with a loading section for receiving and stacking single sheets of paper that are continuously discharged in one or more rows in the direction of paper travel, The mounting section is equipped with a stopper guide that restricts the front edge of the single sheets of paper when the single sheets are stacked, and side guides that restrict the left and right edges of the single sheets of paper in the paper transport width direction. The stopper guide is composed of a plurality of rod-shaped guide members provided vertically so as to contact the front end of the ejected single sheet of paper, and the plurality of guide members are arranged in a direction perpendicular to the ejection direction of the single sheet of paper. The abutment guide has a plurality of cylindrical guide folders that support each of the guide members by their own weight when each guide member is inserted from the upper opening, and each of the guide members has a stopper at its upper end to prevent it from coming out downward from the upper opening, characterized in that the paper sorting device.

3. The paper sorting device according to claim 2, characterized in that the lower surface of the stopper having an arc-shaped convex surface is supported in contact with the upper end of the straight guide folder.

4. The paper sorting device according to claim 2, characterized in that the lower surface of the stopper having an arc-shaped convex surface is supported in contact with the upper end of the guide folder having an arc-shaped concave surface, and the lower surface of the stopper is formed to have a smaller radius of curvature than the upper end of the guide folder.

5. The paper sorting device according to claim 2, characterized in that each of the guide members is configured to be movable in the paper transport width direction by at least a predetermined clearance from the guide folder into which each of the guide members is inserted.

6. The paper sorting device according to claim 2, characterized in that the guide folder is formed in a roughly rectangular cylindrical shape, and the guide member is formed in a roughly rectangular shape that fits the inner surface of the guide folder as an anti-rotation body.

7. The paper sorting device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the loading section is equipped with transport rollers that receive and load the continuously discharged single sheets of paper onto a plurality of rollers and transport them, and the side guides are arranged in a plurality so as to partition the single sheets of paper between one or more rows of the loading section.

8. The side guide has notches in its side wall through which each of the multiple rollers passes, The configuration allows for adjustment of the installation position of the side guide in the paper transport width direction through the notch. The paper sorting device according to claim 7, characterized in that it is provided.

9. The system includes a stacking and transfer unit that receives continuously discharged single sheets of paper, stacks them in sorted units, and then continuously transfers each stacked single sheet of paper downstream. The paper sorting device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the accumulation and transfer unit includes a control unit that, in order to receive and stack the continuously discharged single sheets of sorting units, controls the stopper guide to extend relative to the transport path and restrict the leading edge of the single sheets of sorting when stacking.

10. The paper sorting device according to claim 9, further comprising a stacker unit located downstream of the accumulation and transfer unit, which is capable of continuously stacking the stacked single sheets of paper transferred from the accumulation and transfer unit at different positions on the mounting surface.

11. A paper sorting device comprising a loading section for receiving and stacking single sheets of paper continuously discharged in one or more rows in the paper forwarding direction, wherein the loading section comprises a transport roller for receiving, stacking, and transporting the single sheets of paper on a plurality of rollers, a stopper guide for restricting the downstream edge of the stacked single sheets of paper in the paper forwarding direction, and side guides for restricting the left and right edges of the single sheets of paper in the paper transport width direction, wherein the stopper guide comprises a plurality of guide members arranged vertically along the paper transport width direction upstream from the downstream end of the side guide in the direction in which the single sheets of paper are discharged toward the loading section.

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