JPH02282163A - Sorter device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To improve the sorting ability with a series of action surely performed for charging of a sheet, discharging it, setting an empty rack part and so on by continuously arranging on an endless belt the plurality of rack parts providing a fall-off preventing means of copying sheets and a release means opening a holding condition of the sheets before a charge position. CONSTITUTION:A fall-off preventing means (retaining plate 57, strut part 52) in rack parts 42, provided by a predetermined pitch in a turning endless belt 41, is released by an opening means 65 and can be charged with a copying sheet 11. When the sheet 11 is received to the rack part 42, the above described fall-off preventing means operates placing the sheet 11 in a condition held to the strut part 52 in the rack part 42 and preventing a fall-off of the sheet 11 before it comes to a take out position even in a return path of a circulating path. After the sheet 11 is discharged, by actuating the opening means 65 before a charge position and placing the sheet 11 again in a chargeable condition, all the rack parts 42 are effectively operated while surely setting the empty rack part 42.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to a sorting apparatus for sorting copy sheets such as printed photographs and copies for each order.

[Conventional technology]

A sorting device (sorter) is used to sort printed photographs into orders. This sorting equipment is
For example, as shown in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 63-26662, a copy sheet tray is provided below the copy sheet discharge port, and this tray stores one order of copy sheets discharged into the tray. When the set of copy sheets is loaded, this set of copy sheets is loaded onto the shelf section of the endless belt, and thereafter, the copy sheets for one order are loaded onto the next shelf section, so that the copy sheets are sorted by order. This is what I did.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

However, in the above-mentioned sorting system, the shelf section of the device has partition plates arranged at a predetermined pitch on the endless belt.

Because of this configuration, when the shelf is oriented downward, the stored copy sheets will fall off the shelf. Therefore, in the conventional sorting apparatus, the shelves can only be used on the outward journey with each shelf facing upward, and there is a problem in that the sorting capacity is limited.

[Purpose of the invention]

The present invention was made in view of the above circumstances, and it is an object of the present invention to provide an efficient sorting device that can utilize all shelves.

[Means to solve the problem]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention includes an endless belt placed between pulleys, a shelf section provided at a predetermined pitch on the endless belt and storing copy sheets loaded at a loading position; Sorting is carried out by means of a falling-off prevention means provided on the shelf to sandwich the copy sheets, and an opening means that engages with the falling-off prevention means at a loading position to open the falling-off prevention means and allow copy sheets to be loaded. This is the configuration of the device.

In addition, in addition to the above-described structure, another invention includes a release means that engages with the falling-off preventing means to open the falling-off preventing means and release the copy sheet from being clamped when the shelf section is located at the ejection position. It is something that

In yet another invention, sorting is carried out by an endless conveyor that circulates on the same plane, and shelves that are provided at a predetermined pitch in the circumferential direction of the endless conveyor and that store copy sheets that are loaded at a loading position. It consists of

[Effect]

The endless belt rotates, and the shelf portion moved to the loading position is brought into a state in which copy sheets can be loaded by the opening means without operating the falling-off prevention means.

When a copy sheet is loaded onto the shelf, the opening means is disengaged, and the copy sheet is held within the shelf by the falling-off prevention means. When the loaded shelf reaches the copy sheet removal position, the operator removes the copy sheet. Further, if for some reason a copy sheet is not taken out at the take-out position, this loaded shelf is transferred to the return path of the circulation path.

On the return trip, the shelf portion faces downward, but the falling-off prevention means prevents the copy sheet from falling. If the copy sheet is not taken out on this return trip, the release means releases the copy sheet grip of the falling-off prevention means at the forced ejection position immediately before the loading position, and the copy sheet in the shelf is removed from the tray below the ejection port. It is discharged into the dish.

In another invention, copy sheets are loaded onto a shelf provided on an endless conveyor that circulates on the same plane. Since the shelf moves in circulation on a flat surface, the shelf does not face downward.
Copy sheets are prevented from falling off the shelf.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

〔Example〕

In FIG. 1 showing a first embodiment of the present invention, reference numeral 10 denotes a printer processor that prints and exposes a photographic film onto photographic paper and develops it. Cut marks 12 and sort marks 13 are written along the longitudinal direction of the sheet-shaped printed photograph 11 after the development process. Note that this cut mark 12 is set for each frame, and the sort mark 13 is set for each frame.
A group of photographs, for example - A series of photographs printed from a book's negative film are printed in a printer processor 10 during printing exposure.

Sensors 14 and 15 for detecting the cut mark 12 and the sort mark 13 are arranged above the printed photograph 11, respectively, and output a cut signal and a sort signal to the control section 16 at the time of detection. This sensor 14.1
A cutter 17 for cutting the sheet-shaped printed photograph 11 at the cut mark 12 is provided on the right side of the cutter 5 .

This cutter 17 is operated by a motor 18, and its timing is controlled by a drive signal output from a control section 16 to a driver 19.

Adjacent to the cutter 17 is a tray 26 for storing the printed photographs 11 cut frame by frame. This reception ijl! One side of the I26 is a part of the side plate of the printer processor IO, and a discharge port 27 through which the printed photograph 11 is discharged is formed on this side. Therefore, the printed photo 11 cut by the cutter 17 is stored at this outlet 27.
The receiver falls down and is stored in the gutter 26.

In this receiver, a notch 28 is formed on the other side of the gutter 26, and a delivery rod 30 provided on a delivery device 29 is inserted into this notch 28.

The tip of this delivery rod 30 is guided to a guide groove 31 formed on the side surface of the discharge port 27. The other end of the delivery rod 30 is fixed to a belt 33 (including a chain) that is placed around a pair of pulleys 32a and 32b. A motor 35 driven by the control unit 16 via a driver 34 is attached to the pulley 32a. This motor 35
When driven, the belt 33 rotates counterclockwise. Due to this rotation, the tip slides on the guide groove 31, and the delivery rod 30 moves from the back side to the front side in the figure.

A sorting device 37 is arranged in front of the receiving gutter 26. In this sorting device 37, a plurality of shelves 42 are attached at a predetermined pitch along the circumferential direction of a flat bell 41 which is hung on a pair of pulleys 39 and 40 provided at different levels. A pulse motor 43 is attached to the pulley 39, and this pulse motor 43 is a flat bell).
41 counterclockwise. In addition, the pulse motor 43
is controlled via a driver 44 by a drive signal from the control section 16.

FIGS. 2 and 3 show the shelf 42, and the support column 52 of the shelf 42 is screwed to the flat belt 41. As shown in FIG. A bottom plate 53 is integrally formed in the lower part of this support portion 52 in the horizontal direction. This support section 52 and the bottom plate 5
A stopper plate 54 is attached to one side of the copy sheet 3 to prevent the copy sheet from falling off during loading. Further, a notch 55 is formed in the bottom plate 53, and a shaft 56 is inserted into the notch 55.

A holding plate 57 is rotatably attached to this shaft 56, and a bottle 58 is attached to the lower end of this holding plate 57.
is provided. This pressing plate 57 is biased counterclockwise by a spring 59 whose both ends are hooked to the bottom plate 53 and the pin 58.

The abutting surface 60 of the press plate 57 that presses against the support column 52 is formed in an arc shape so as not to damage the printed photograph 11 held between the support plate 52 and the press plate 57. An engaging portion 61 that engages with a release claw described later is formed on the upper portion of the contact surface 60. Note that this retaining portion 61 is inclined with respect to the vertical direction, and serves as a guide surface when the shelf portion 42 of the opening claw is inserted.

As shown in FIG.
is provided, and this press release unit 65 is driven by the control section 16.

This release unit 65 is movable in the vertical direction, and when lowered, the holding plate 57 of the shelf 42 is in the loading position.
to enable loading of the printed photograph 11. Also,
After the printed photograph 11 is loaded, it is moved upward to a retracted state, allowing the flat belt 41 to rotate. The holding unit 65 is provided with a pair of opening claws 66 and 67 that open the holding plate 57 of the shelf section 42 when lowered.

As shown in FIG. 4, the upper boot 17-
The shelf section 42 located below the shelf section 39 is provided with a discharge lever 70 that engages with and pushes the retaining section 61 of the presser plate 57 of the shelf section 42 .

When the holding plate 57 is rotated by the ejection lever 70, the clamping of the printed photograph 11 is released, and the printed photograph 11 falls onto the tray 71 below. Therefore, at this ejection position, the remaining printed photographs 11 in the shelf section 42 are forcibly ejected, so that the unloaded shelf section 42 is set at the loading position.

The operation of the sorting apparatus of the present invention constructed in this way will be explained. A sheet-shaped printed photograph 11 that has been printed and developed from a negative film in the printer processor 10 is sent toward a discharge port 27 by a feeding roller. sensor 1
4 detects the cut mark 12, the sensor 14 outputs a cut signal to the control section 16. The control unit 16 to which the cut signal has been input stops the feed motor (not shown) of the printer processor at the timing when the cut mark 12 is positioned at the cutting edge of the cutter 17. In synchronization with this, the driver 19 to which the drive signal is output from the control section 16 drives the motor 1.
Activate 8. Due to the operation of this motor 18, the cutter 1
At step 7, one frame of the printed photograph 11 is cut off from the sheet-like printed photograph 11.

This one-frame printed photograph 11 falls from the discharge port 27 and is stored in the gutter 26. Sensor 14.15 is the cut mark 12. When each sort mark 13 is detected, a cut signal and a sort signal are output to the control section 16. The control unit 16 cuts the printed photograph 11 as described above based on the cut signal. After a certain period of time after this cutting is completed, the control section 16 lowers the press release unit 65 based on the sort signal, and after lowering, the release claw 66.6
By opening 7, the holding plate 57 of the shelf section 42 is opened.

As a result, the shelf section 42 becomes ready for loading the printed photographs 11.

Thereafter, the control unit 16 rotates the motor 35 via the driver 34 to rotate the belt 33 counterclockwise. As the belt 33 rotates, the delivery rod 30 is moved to the gutter 26.
A set of printed photographs 11 stored in the camera is sent to a shelf section 42 at a loading position.

When the printed photographs 11 are loaded on the shelf section 42, the feed-out rod 30 that sent out the printed photographs 11 is detected by a sensor (not shown). This detection signal causes the press release unit 65 to retreat upward. Thereby, the printed photograph 11 comes to be held between the support section 52 and the pressing plate 57. When detecting upward retraction of the press release unit 65, the control section 16 outputs a drive signal to the driver 44 to rotate the pulse motor 43 by a certain amount. This rotation causes the flat belt 41 to rotate counterclockwise, and the next shelf 42 is transferred to the loading position.

Then, the above-described operation is repeated, and a new batch of printed photographs 11 is loaded onto this shelf section 42.

In this manner, the printed photographs 11 discharged from the printer processor 10 and grouped together by the gutter 26 are sequentially loaded onto the shelf 42 . Eventually, when the loaded shelf 42 is located at a take-out position near the operator's hand, the printed photographs 11 in the shelf 42 are taken out. Note that even if the printed photo 11 is not taken out at the take-out position due to the temporary absence of the operator, the printed photo 11 is held between the holding plate 57 and the support section 52, so that it will not fall downward.

Therefore, according to the sorting device of the present invention, the flat belt 4
Since it is possible to use the shelf section 42 that moves on the bottom surface of the device 1, sorting of the same size requires more than twice the number of shelves 4 compared to the device.
2 can be used for sorting.

Further, as shown in FIG. 4, when the loaded shelf section 42 is set to the forced ejection position, the ejection lever 70 comes into contact with the engaging part 61 of the holding plate 57, and the holding plate 57 is rotated to print. The photo 11 is released and the printed photo 11 falls onto the tray 71.

As a result, the unloaded shelf portion 42 is set at the loading position.

In the above embodiment, the pressing plate 57 is released using the pressing release unit 65, but instead of this, a lever similar to the ejecting lever 70 provided at the ejecting position is used to release the pressing plate 57 of the shelf 42. You may also open it.

FIG. 5 shows a second embodiment of the present invention, in which a printer 81. Processor 82° Dryer 83
A pair of chain sprockets 84 and 85 are arranged in the same horizontal plane along the longitudinal direction of the printer processor. An endless chain 86 is wound around the chain sprockets 84 and 85. This chain 86 has a structure in which the chain 86 is
Shelf portions 87 are provided at a predetermined pitch in the outer circumferential direction of 6. The shelf portion 87 includes a bottom plate 88 and a partition plate 89 extending upward from the front and rear edges of the bottom plate 88.

The dryer 83 is formed with a discharge port 90 for the printed photographs 11, and the printed photographs 11 discharged from the discharge port 90 are loaded onto the shelf 87.

In the second embodiment configured in this way, since the shelf section 42 is always facing upward, the printed photographs will not fall off the shelf section 42, and the printed photos will not fall off the shelf section on the outward route of the circulation path as well as the shelf section on the return route. This will improve your sorting ability.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained above, in the sorting apparatus of the present invention, the copy sheets are removed from the shelf and fall off even if the shelf is located on the return path of the circulation path, since the shelf is provided with a means to prevent the copy sheets from being pulled out. This can be prevented. As a result, all the shelves can be used effectively, and the sorting capacity of the sorter can be improved.

Furthermore, since a release means is provided in front of the loading position to release the sheet grip of the means for preventing the loaded shelf from falling off, the copy sheet held on the shelf can be stored in the tray, and the unloaded copy sheet can be stored in the tray. The shelf can now be set in the loading position.

In addition, by providing an endless conveyor that circulates on the same plane and forming a shelf on this conveyor, the shelf does not face downward, so copy sheets can be stored without falling off the shelf. All shelves can be used for sorting, and the sorting capacity can be improved.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the main parts of a first embodiment of the sorting apparatus of the present invention. FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 are side views showing a partially broken shelf section of the same embodiment. FIG. 4 is a side view showing the forced ejection means in the same embodiment. FIG. 5 is a plan view of a second embodiment of the invention. 11...Print photos 32a, 32b, 39.40...Pulley 41
・42゜70 ・86 ・・・Flat belt 87・・Shelf・・Ejection lever・・・Chain.

Claims (3)

[Claims] (1) An endless belt placed between the pulleys, a shelf provided at a predetermined pitch on the endless belt for storing copy sheets to be loaded at a loading position, and a shelf provided on the shelf and provided with the a means for preventing the copy sheet from falling out, which clamps the copy sheet;
A sorting device comprising: an opening means that engages with a falling-off preventing means at a loading position to open the falling-off preventing means and allow copy sheets to be loaded. (2) An endless belt placed between pulleys, a shelf provided at a predetermined pitch on the endless belt for storing copy sheets loaded at a loading position, and a shelf provided on the shelf for storing copy sheets. an opening means that engages with the falling-off preventing means at the loading position to open the falling-off preventing means and allows the copy sheet to be loaded; and an opening means at the forced ejection position where the shelf faces downward. 1. A sorting device comprising a releasing means that engages with the falling-off preventing means to open the falling-off preventing means and release the copy sheet from being clamped. (3) It is characterized by consisting of an endless conveyor that circulates on the same plane, and shelves that are provided upward at a predetermined pitch in the circumferential direction of the endless conveyor and that store copy sheets that are loaded at a loading position. sorting equipment.