Information
-
Patent Grant
-
6464449
-
Patent Number
6,464,449
-
Date Filed
Monday, July 24, 200024 years ago
-
Date Issued
Tuesday, October 15, 200222 years ago
-
Inventors
-
Original Assignees
-
Examiners
- Ellis; Christopher P.
- Mackey; Patrick
Agents
- Nath & Associates PLLC
- Nath; Gary M.
- Heiman; Lee C.
-
CPC
-
US Classifications
Field of Search
US
- 414 7912
- 271 902
- 271 911
- 271 912
- 271 913
- 271 94
- 271 98
- 271 105
- 271 31
- 271 207
- 271 213
- 271 220
- 271 221
- 270 5201
- 270 5204
- 270 5206
- 270 5801
- 270 5803
- 270 5811
- 270 5823
- 270 5825
- 399 403
- 399 404
-
International Classifications
-
Abstract
According to the collating apparatus of the present invention, if the collation error is detected, the erroneously collated matter selection and discharge unit discharges the erroneously collated matter so as to be distinguishable from the correctly collated matters. Besides, the collation error can be recognized and the erroneously collated matter can be removed after the collation operation is completed for all collated matters. Therefore, it is possible to continue the collation operation without stopping the collation operation when the collation error occurs.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a paper collating apparatus for stacking a plurality of types (contents) of paper in a predetermined order and for discharging them as a collated matter.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 1
is an overall perspective view of a collating apparatus.
FIG. 2
is a perspective view of the neighborhood of a stacker section of the collating apparatus.
In
FIGS. 1 and 2
, the collating apparatus is provided with a paper feed section
71
having a plurality of paper feed trays
70
a
to
70
j
arranged vertically and conveying many sheets
72
stacked on the respective paper feed trays
70
a
to
70
j
one by one at predetermined timing, a collating and conveying section (not shown) collating the plural sheets
72
conveyed from the respective paper feed trays
70
a
to
70
j
of the paper feed section
71
to provide collated matters
73
(shown in
FIG. 3B
) and conveying the collated matters
73
to a discharge section
74
, the discharge section
74
discharging the collated matters
73
conveyed from the collating and conveying section (not shown) to a stacker section
75
, and the stacker section
75
stacking the collated matters
73
discharged from the discharge section
74
.
The stacker section
75
has a paper discharge tray
76
provided at the falling position of the collated matters
73
discharged from the discharge section
74
, and a pair of side fences
77
and
78
positioned on both outer sides of the collated matters
73
discharged onto the paper discharge tray
76
and restricting an orthogonal direction to the discharge direction of the collated matters
73
. The widths of paired side fences
77
and
78
are variable according to the widths of the sheets
72
to be collated.
Also, the stacker section
75
is provided with sorting means
79
. This sorting means
79
consists of a fixed base tray
76
a
, a movable paper discharge tray
76
b
horizontally movable on the fixed base tray
76
a
, and a driving mechanism (not shown) applying a driving force to horizontally move the movable paper discharge tray
76
b.
With the above configuration, many sheets
72
sorted according to paper types are stacked on, for example, the uppermost paper feed table
70
a
to the lowermost paper feed table
70
j
, respectively. One unit of a collated matter
73
obtained by stacking sheets in the vertical order of these paper feed trays
70
a
to
70
j
will be described.
When a start mode is selected, respective sheets
72
from the uppermost paper feed tray
70
a
to the lowermost paper feed tray
70
j
are sequentially conveyed with predetermined timing delays. The conveyed sheets
72
are collated by the collating and conveying section (not shown) to thereby provide collated matters
73
. The resultant collated matters
73
are discharged to the stacker section
75
through the discharge section
74
. By executing the series of operations continuously, many collated matters of paper sheets
72
are stacked on the stacker section
75
.
In a normal mode, the movable paper discharge tray
76
b
is not moved and, as shown in
FIG. 3A
, the units of collated matters
73
are stacked without being horizontally offset with respect to one another. In a sort mode, on the other hand, the movable paper discharge tray
76
b
is moved horizontally in synchronization with the discharge timing of the sheets from the discharge section
74
and, as shown in FIG.
3
(B), collated matters
73
are horizontally offset and stacked according to units.
In the meantime, in the collation operation process stated above, there are cases where collation errors that the sheets
72
are not conveyed from one or more of the paper feed trays
70
a
to
70
j
(which state will be referred to as “empty feed” hereinafter) or where a plurality of sheets
72
are simultaneously conveyed from one or more of the paper feed trays
70
a
to
70
j
(which state will be referred to as “stack paper feed” hereinafter), may occur. Conventionally, if such a collation error is detected, the collation operation is automatically stopped at the detection point. This is designed to allow an operator to instantly recognize the fact of a collation error and recognize that an erroneously collated matter is sorted.
Nevertheless, according to the conventional collating apparatus, if a collation error occurs, the operator is required to remove an erroneously collated matter from the paper discharge tray
76
and to restart a collation operation. This follows that the operator is obliged to always monitor the collating apparatus and to be responsible for the removal of such an erroneously collated matter, if any, and for a restart processing of restarting the collating operation whenever a collation error occurs. This is disadvantageously inconvenient for the operator and working efficiency becomes disadvantageously lower.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has been made to overcome the above-stated disadvantages. It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a collating apparatus which does not require an operator to monitor a collation error and to conduct an error processing whenever a collation error occurs.
A collating apparatus according to the present invention is provided with a paper feed section, having a plurality of paper feed trays, for conveying a plurality of sheets stacked on the plurality of paper feed trays one by one at predetermined timing; a collating and conveying section for collating the plurality of sheets conveyed from the respective paper feed trays of the paper feed section to provide collated matters, and for conveying the collated matters to a discharge section; the discharge section for discharging the collated matters conveyed from the collating and conveying section to a stacker section; and the stacker section having a paper discharge tray for stacking the collated matters discharged from the discharge section, and is characterized by comprising erroneously collated matter selection and discharge means for discharging an erroneously collated matter so as to be distinguishable from other correctly collated matters when a collation error is detected during a collation operation.
According to this collating apparatus, if a collation error is detected, the erroneously collated matter selection and discharge means discharges the erroneously collated matter so as to be distinguishable from the correctly collated matters. Besides, the collation error can be recognized and the erroneously collated matter can be removed after the collation operation is completed for all collated matters. It is, therefore, possible to continue the collation operation without stopping the collation operation when a collation error occurs.
Here, it is possible to constitute the collating apparatus so that the collation operation is continued even after the erroneously collated matter selection and discharge means completes discharging the erroneously collated matter.
By doing so, the fact of the collation error can be recognized and the erroneously collated matter can be removed after the collation operation is completed for all of the collated matters without the need for an operator to conduct a restart processing of the collation operation when a collation error occurs.
Further, the erroneously collated matter selection and discharge means may be a pair of paper discharge wings each displaced between a wait position at which each of the paper discharge wings does not interfere with the collated matters discharged from the discharge section and an interference position at which each of the paper discharge wings interferes with the collated matters discharged from the discharge section and offsets a collated matter discharge direction almost in an orthogonal direction to the discharge direction, the paper discharge wings having opposite offsetting directions to each other, and the pair of paper discharge wings may stack the erroneously collated. matter while offsetting the erroneously collated matter with respect to the other correctly collated matters.
With this constitution, if there is a collation error, the paper discharge wings can stack the erroneously collated matter while offsetting the erroneously collated matter with respect to the other correctly collated matters.
Moreover, the erroneously collated matter selection and discharge means may be a conveying passage changing guide plate capable of selectively changing a conveying route of the collated matters conveyed from the collating and conveying section between a side of the stacker section and another route different from the stacker section side, and the conveying passage changing guide plate may allow the erroneously collated matter to take a conveying route different from a conveying route of the other corrected collated matters.
With this constitution, if there is a collation error, the conveying passage changing guide plate allows the erroneously collated matter to take a different conveying route from the conveying route of the correctly collated matters and to be discharged to a position different from the positions at which the correctly collated matters are discharged.
Furthermore, if a sort mode is selected as a paper discharge mode, a sorting operation may be carried out by alternately moving the pair of paper discharge wings from the wait position to the interference position in accordance with timing at which the collated matters are discharged from the discharge section; if a normal mode is selected as the paper discharge mode, a normal stacking operation may be carried out by locating each of the pair of paper discharge wings at the wait position; and if a collation error is detected in a normal mode, one of the pair of paper discharge wings may be moved from the wait position to the interference position with respect to the erroneously collated matter discharged from the discharge section.
Thus, the correctly collated matters are stacked in a normal state, whereas only the erroneously collated matter among the stacked matters is offset.
Additionally, if a sort mode is selected as a paper discharge mode, a sorting operation may be carried out by alternately moving the pair of paper discharge wings from the wait position to the interference position in accordance with timing at which the collated matters are discharged from the discharge section; if a normal mode is selected as the paper discharge mode, a normal stacking operation may be carried out by locating each of the pair of paper discharge wings at the wait position; and if the collation error is detected in the sort mode, the erroneously collated matter conveyed from the collating and conveying section may be forced to take a conveying route different from a conveying route of the other correctly collated matters.
Thus, the correctly collated matters are conveyed to the stacker section side, whereas the erroneously collated matter is conveyed to the different route side.
Other and further objects and features of the present invention will become obvious upon understanding of the illustrative embodiments about to be described in connection with the accompanying drawings or will be indicated in the appended claims, and various advantages not referred to herein will occur to one skilled in the art upon employing of the invention in practice.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1
is an overall perspective view of a conventional collating apparatus;
FIG. 2
is a perspective view of the neighborhood of a stacker section of the conventional collating apparatus;
FIG.
3
(A) is a perspective view showing a normal mode and FIG.
3
(B) is a perspective view showing a sort mode;
FIG. 4
is an overall perspective view of a collating apparatus in the first embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 5
is a block diagram showing a paper feed section, a collating and conveying section, a discharge section and a stacker section in the first embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 6
is a side view showing a drive transfer system for transferring a driving force to the paper feed section, a collating and conveying section and the discharge section in the first embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 7
is a perspective view showing the distribution of a driving force to the respective paper feed sections in the first embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 8
is a perspective view of the stacker section in the first embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 9
is a partial front view of the stacker section in the first embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 10
is a perspective view of a paper discharge wing driving section in the first embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 11
is a circuit block diagram of paper discharge wings in the first embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 12
is a flow chart of a sort mode in the first embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 13
is a schematic flow chart of a collating operation in the first embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 14
is a selection processing flow chart of an erroneously collated matter selection and discharge means in the first embodiment of the present invention;
FIGS.
15
(A) and
15
(B) are schematic front views for describing the operation of the discharge wings, respectively, in the first embodiment of the present invention;
FIGS.
16
(A) and
16
(B) are schematic front views showing a state in which erroneously collated matter is offset by the discharge wings in the normal mode, and a state in which only the erroneously collated matter is offset, respectively, in the first embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 17
is a view showing a state in which the erroneously collated matter is conveyed to a different route by a conveying passage changing guide plate and correctly collated matters are conveyed to the stacker section in the stacking mode in the first embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 18
is a perspective view of a stacker section of a collating apparatus in the second embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 19
is a partial front view of the stacker section in the second embodiment of the present invention; and
FIGS.
20
(A) and
20
(B) are schematic front views for describing the operation of discharge wings, respectively, in the second embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Various embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. It is to be noted that the same or similar reference numerals are applied to the same or similar parts and elements throughout the drawings, and the description of the same or similar parts and elements will be omitted or simplified.
The embodiments of a collating apparatus according to the present invention will be described hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings.
As shown in
FIGS. 4
to
7
, the collating apparatus consists of a paper feed section A conveying a plurality of types (contents) of sheets
1
at predetermined timing one by one for each type, a collating and conveying section B collating the plural sheets conveyed from the paper feed section A and conveying them as collated matters
2
to a discharge section C, the discharge section C discharging the collated matters
2
from the collating and conveying section B to a stacker section D, and the stacker section D stacking thereon the collated matters
2
discharged from the discharge section C.
The paper feed section A has ten paper feed trays
3
a
to
3
j
which are vertically arranged. Each of these paper feed trays
3
a
to
3
j
consists of a fixed paper feed tray section
4
and a movable paper feed tray section
6
having a conveying tip end side vertically moving with a support shaft
5
used as a fulcrum as shown in
FIG. 5
in detail. The movable paper feed tray section
6
is provided with a paper detection sensor S
1
having a lever
7
. The paper detection sensor S
1
detects whether or not sheets
1
are stacked on the respective paper feed trays
3
a
to
3
j
. A paper feed roller
9
supported by a rotary shaft
8
is arranged at a position above the conveying tip end side of the movable paper feed tray section
6
. If the movable paper feed tray portion
6
is positioned above, a stacked sheet
1
at the uppermost position is press-contacted with the paper feed roller
9
.
When the paper feed roller
9
is rotated, only the stacked sheet
1
at the uppermost position is conveyed with the involvement of the effect of a stripper plate (not shown). An upper guide plate
10
and a lower guide plate
11
guiding sheets
1
to be conveyed are provided at positions downstream of the paper feed roller
9
. The conveyed sheets
1
are guided by the upper and lower guide plates
10
and
11
and supplied to the collating and conveying section B.
A stack paper feed detector S
2
has a light emission section
12
and a light reception section
13
arranged across the passages of the upper and lower guide plates
10
and
12
and detects whether or not the number of conveyed sheets
1
is one (the sheets
1
are stacked) based on a sensor output level. The detector S
2
also detects the presence/absence of empty feed or sheet jamming based on whether or not there is a sensor output within a predetermined time after the start of the rotation of the paper feed roller
9
. In other words, the stack paper feed section S
2
detects a collation error.
Further, the rotation timing of each paper feed roller
9
corresponding to each of the paper feed trays
3
a
to
3
j
is controlled by a electromagnetic clutch (not shown) to be described below and sheets
1
are conveyed to the collating and conveying section B from each of the paper feed trays
3
a
to
3
j
at predetermined timing. The drive transfer system for the respective paper feed rollers
9
and the timing thereof will be described below.
As shown in
FIG. 5
in detail, the collating and conveying section B has conveyer rollers
15
provided at the discharge sides of the upper and lower guide plates
10
and
11
corresponding to each of the paper feed trays
3
a
to
3
j
, and presser rollers
16
provided to face the conveyer rollers
15
, respectively. Each of the presser rollers
16
arranged vertically is urged toward the corresponding conveyer roller
15
by a spring, which is not shown in
FIG. 5
, and a conveyer belt
17
is laid on these presser rollers
16
. Each of the presser rollers
16
is press-contacted with the corresponding conveyer roller
15
through the conveyer belt
17
. The drive transfer system of the conveyer rollers
15
will be described below.
Further, perpendicular guide plates
18
and
19
are provided on both sides of the conveyer belt
17
which is press-contacted with each conveyer roller
15
and each presser roller
16
. A perpendicular conveying passage
20
is arranged between the perpendicular guide plates
18
and
19
at the both sides of the conveyer belt
17
. One perpendicular guide plate
18
is comprised of a plate, whereas the other guide plate
19
is comprised of a plurality of plates integral with the upper and lower guide plates
10
and
11
of the paper feed section A.
When the respective rollers
15
rotate, the rotatable conveyer belt
17
is moved by the presser rollers
16
in response to the frictional force of the conveyer rollers
15
and the sheets
1
conveyed from the paper feed section A are put between the rotating conveyer rollers
15
and the moving conveyer belt
17
and conveyed downward over the perpendicular conveying passage
20
. Here, if the sheet
1
at the lower paper feed tray side is conveyed to the collating and conveying section B at timing at which the sheet
1
conveyed from above passes through the conveyer rollers
15
provided below, the lower sheet is stacked on the upper sheet
1
and conveyed downward. The conveying operation and stacking operation of the sheets
1
are repeated to thereby create a desired collated matter
2
and the resultant collated matter
2
is conveyed to the discharge section C provided further below.
As shown in
FIG. 5
in detail, the discharge section C has a conveying passage changing guide plate
21
which is rotatably provided between a stacker position indicated by a solid line and a position for a device for treating imaged-sheets indicated by a virtual line in FIG.
5
. The conveying passage changing guide plate
21
is urged toward a stacker position side by a spring which is not shown in FIG.
5
and driven by a electromagnetic solenoid
81
(shown in FIG.
11
). The conveying passage changing guide plate
21
is located at the stacker position when the electromagnetic solenoid
81
is turned off and at the imaged-sheet treatment device position (another route) when the electromagnetic solenoid
81
is turned on. At the stacker position, the upper end of the conveying passage changing guide plate
21
is positioned along one perpendicular guide plate
18
of the collating and conveying section B and the collated matters
2
conveyed from the collating and conveying section B are introduced toward the stacker section D side. At the imaged-sheet treatment device position, the upper end of the conveying passage changing guide plate
21
is positioned along the other perpendicular guide plate
19
of the collating and conveying section B and the collated matters
2
conveyed from the collating and conveying section B are introduced toward the opposite side to the stacker section D. The conveying passage changing guide plate
21
functions as erroneously collated matter selection and discharge means E in the sort mode. The function of the selection and discharge means E will be described later.
Further, a stacker section side guide plate
22
and an imaged-sheet treatment device side guide plate
23
are provided below the conveying passage changing guide plate
21
. The collated matters
2
are conveyed selectively through the guide plates
22
and
23
.
A discharge detection sensor S
3
has a light emission section
24
and a light reception section
25
arranged across the stacker section side guide plate
22
and detects the discharge timing of the collated matters
2
based on a sensor output. Namely, when the collated matters
2
start passing through the sensor S
3
, a light from the light emission section
24
is shielded and the output of the light reception section
25
turns into L level. When the passage of collated matters
2
is finished, the light from the light emission section
24
is not shielded and the output of the light reception section
25
returns to H level. Based on this, the sensor S
3
detects the discharge timing of the collated matters
2
. The discharge detection sensor S
3
also detects sheet jamming at the discharge section C when, for example, the sensor output is kept at high level H over a predetermined time.
A pair of discharge rollers
26
and
27
, which are vertically arranged, are provided at the lowest downstream of the stacker section side guide plate
22
, i.e., at positions confronting the stacker section D. The paired discharge rollers
26
and
27
are arranged in an almost press-contact state and the upper end portion of the lower discharge roller
27
is slightly protruded upward of the stacker section side guide plate
22
. The upper discharge roller
26
is a driving roller, for which a drive transfer system will be described later. As the upper discharge roller
26
rotates, the lower discharge roller
27
rotates following the rotation of the upper discharge roller
26
. The collated matters
2
conveyed from the collating and conveying section B are inserted between the paired discharge rollers
26
and
27
and discharged to the stacker section D in response to the. rotation of the paired discharge rollers
26
and
27
.
Next, description will be given to the drive transfer system of the paper feed rollers
9
, the conveyer rollers
15
and the upper discharge. roller
26
. As shown in
FIG. 6
, a driving pulley
31
, a discharge pulley
32
and a conveying pulley
33
are fixed to the output shaft
30
a
of a main motor
30
, the rotary shaft
26
a
of the discharge roller
26
and the rotary shaft
15
a
of the lowermost conveyer roller
15
, respectively. The first driving belt
35
is laid on these pulleys
31
,
32
and
33
and an auxiliary pulley
34
.
Further, a relay pulley
37
supported by a rotary shaft
36
is provided between the vertically adjacent paper feed rollers
9
and the conveying pulleys
33
are fixed to the rotary shafts
15
a
of the respective conveyer rollers
15
. The second driving belt
39
is laid on these relay pulleys
37
, the conveying pulleys
33
and the auxiliary pulleys
38
. As shown in
FIG. 7
, a relay gear
40
is fixed to the rotary shaft
36
of each relay pulley
37
and paper feed gears
41
arranged at upper and lower positions are engaged with the relay gear
40
, respectively. The paper feed gears
41
are coupled to the rotary shaft
8
of the paper feed roller
9
through electromagnetic clutches
82
a
to
82
j
, respectively.
When the main motor
30
is driven, the first driving belt
35
is moved and the upper discharge roller
26
is thereby rotated in a direction indicated by an arrow shown in FIG.
6
. Following the movement of the first driving belt
35
, the second driving belt
39
is moved to thereby rotate the respective conveyer rollers
15
in a direction indicated by an arrow b in FIG.
6
and the respective paper feed gears
41
are also rotated through the respective relay pulleys
37
. Then, only the paper feed roller
9
having the electromagnetic clutch
82
a
to
82
j
turned on is rotated in a direction indicated by an arrow c shown in FIG.
6
.
FIG. 8
is a perspective view of the stacker section and
FIG. 9
is a partial front view thereof.
As shown in
FIGS. 8 and 9
, the stacker section D has a paper discharge tray
42
provided at the falling position of the collated matters
2
discharged from the discharge section C and a pair of side fences
43
and
44
positioned at both outer sides of the collated matters
2
discharged onto the discharge tray
42
and restricting an orthogonal direction to the discharge direction of the collated matters
2
. One of the paired side fences
43
and
44
(left fence in the drawings) is provided to be movable horizontally and the other fence (right fence in the drawings) is fixed to the paper feed tray
42
. By moving. a side fence
43
, the distance between paired side fence
43
and
44
is variable according to the width of the sheets
1
to be collated. A front fence
45
(shown in
FIG. 4
) is arranged on the paper feed tray
42
to restrict the forward side of the discharge direction of the collated matters
2
. The front fence
45
is provided movably in an oblique direction to the discharge direction of the collated matters
2
.
Moreover, the stacker section D is provided with sorting means
46
. The sorting means
46
has a pair of paper discharge wings
47
and
48
provided in notch holes
43
a
and
44
a
of the paired side fences
43
and
44
, respectively. The upper ends of the paired paper discharge wings
47
and
48
are rotatably supported through support shafts
49
, respectively. Each of the paired paper discharge wings
47
and
48
is formed by bending a flat plate and part of the lower end of each wing is tapered so that the wing becomes gradually narrower toward the discharge section side. The paired paper discharge wings
47
and
48
are driven by a driving mechanism
50
so that each wing is displaced between a wait position (indicated by a virtual line shown in Fig .
9
) at which the wing does not interfere with the collated matters
2
discharged from the discharge section C and an interference position (indicated by a solid line shown in
FIG. 9
) at which the wing interferes with the collated matters
2
discharged from the discharge section C. The paired paper discharge wings
47
and
48
function as erroneously collated matter selection and discharge means. E in the normal mode. The function of the selection and descharge means E will be described later in detail.
FIG. 10
is a perspective view of a paper discharge wing driving mechanism.
As shown in
FIG. 10
, the driving mechanism
50
has a wing motor
51
serving as a driving source. A worm gear
52
is fixed to the output shaft of the wing motor
51
. A worm wheel
53
is engaged with the worm gear
52
. The first flat gear
54
is fixed coaxially, integrally with the worm wheel
53
. The second flat gear
55
is engaged with the first flat gear
54
. The second flat gear
55
is fixed to a hexagonal shaft
56
. A pair of right and left cylindrical cams
57
and
58
are inserted into the hexagonal shaft
56
. One cylindrical cam
57
(left cam in
FIG. 10
) is movable in axial direction, whereas the other cylindrical cam
58
(right cam in
FIG. 10
) is fixed. This is because when one side fence
43
(left fence in the drawings) is moved horizontally, the cylindrical cam
57
is moved together with the side fence
43
(left fence in the drawings) to thereby allow transferring a driving force. Transfer systems following the cylindrical cam
57
are all supported by one side fence
43
(left fence in the drawings) so as to move them together with the cylindrical cam
57
.
Cam grooves
59
are formed on the outer peripheral surfaces of the paired cylindrical cams
57
and
58
, respectively. The shapes of the cam grooves
59
are set to be 180-degree-symmetric with respect to each other about the rotation center of the hexagonal shaft
56
. In a rotation range from a reference rotation position to a position at 180 degrees therefrom, only one horizontal link
60
and one perpendicular link
63
(left links in
FIG. 10
) to be described later are driven to be rotated. In a rotation range from the 180-degree rotation position to the reference rotation position, only the other horizontal link
60
and the other perpendicular link
63
(right links in
FIG. 10
) to be described later are driven to be rotated.
The paired horizontal links
60
are rotatably supported by the paired side fences
43
and
44
with support shafts
60
a
as fulcrums, respectively. Cam pins
61
engaged with the cam grooves
59
are fixed to one end sides of the horizontal links
60
, respectively. Long holes
62
are formed on the other end sides of the horizontal links
60
, respectively. The pins
64
of the perpendicular links
63
are inserted into the respective long holes
62
. The paired perpendicular links
63
are rotatably supported by the paired side fences
43
and
44
, respectively and a wing presser arm
65
and a lower arm plate
66
are fixed to the upper and lower ends of each of the perpendicular links
63
. The above-stated pin
64
is fixed to the tip end of the lower arm plate
66
. A roller
67
is rotatably provided on the tip end of the wing press arm
65
. As shown in
FIG. 8
, the respective rollers
67
are arranged to be adjacent to the rear surfaces of the paired side fences
43
and
44
, respectively.
That is to say, when the wing motor
51
rotates, the rotation thereof is transferred to the worm gear
52
, the worm wheel
53
, the first flat gear
54
and the second flat gear
55
in this order, whereby the paired cylindrical cams
57
and
58
rotate from the respective reference rotation positions. From the reference rotation positions to rotation positions at 180 degrees therefrom, only the left cylindrical cam
57
and the corresponding cam pin
61
are effective as a cam mechanism. The left horizontal link
60
and the left perpendicular link
63
rotate in a direction indicated by an arrow M shown in FIG.
10
and the discharge wing
47
at the left side rotates toward the interference position (in a state shown in FIG.
15
(A)). Thereafter, the links
60
and
63
rotate in an opposite direction indicated by an arrow N shown in
FIG. 10
, whereby the discharge wing
47
at the left side returns from the interference position to the wait position by its self-weight. From the 180-degree rotation positions to the reference rotation positions, only the right cylindrical cam
58
and the corresponding cam pin
61
are effective as a cam mechanism. The right horizontal link
60
and the right perpendicular link
63
rotate in a direction indicated by the arrow N shown in FIG.
10
and the discharge wing
48
at the right side rotates toward the interference position (in a state shown in FIG.
15
(B)). Thereafter, the links
60
and
63
rotate in an opposite direction indicated by the arrow M shown in
FIG. 10
, whereby the discharge wing
48
at the right side returns from the interference position to the wait position by its self-weight. A rotation angle θ (which is an angle at the interference position with respect to the perpendicular direction) of each of the discharge wings
47
and
48
is about 50 degrees.
As shown in
FIG. 11
, the outputs of the paper detection sensor S
1
, the stack paper sensor S
2
and the paper discharge sensor S
3
are fed to a control section
68
. Also, a command signal and the like are outputted from an operation panel (not shown) to the control section
68
. The control section
68
controls the main motor
30
, the wing motor
51
, the electromagnetic solenoid
81
and the electromagnetic clutches
82
a
to
82
j
based on predetermined programs. In a collating operation mode, for example, the control section
68
controls the main motor
30
, the wing motor
51
, the electromagnetic solenoid
81
and the electromagnetic clutches
82
a
to
82
j
so as to execute a flow shown in FIG.
13
. When the paper discharge mode is a sort mode, the control section
68
controls them so as to execute a flow shown in FIG.
12
. When a collation error is detected, the control section
68
controls them so as to execute a flow shown in FIG.
14
. The details of the control operation will be described in the following part for the description of function.
Next, the function of the above configuration will be described. For example, ten different types (different contents) of sheets are to be collated, many sheets
1
sorted according to types are stacked on the uppermost paper feed tray
3
a
to the lowermost paper feed tray
3
j
, respectively in a collation order. As shown in
FIG. 13
, when a start switch (not shown) is turned on (in a step S
10
), a collation operation starts. That is, the main motor
30
is driven (in a step S
11
) and the paper feed rollers
9
of the uppermost paper feed tray
3
a
to the lowermost paper feed tray
3
j
are sequentially rotated under the control of the respective electromagnetic clutches
82
a
to
82
j
in this order (in a step S
12
), thereby sequentially conveying the sheets
1
of the respective types (contents) to the collating and conveying section B one by one. The sheets
1
thus conveyed are collated on the portions of the conveyer rollers
15
and conveyed downward. The final collating treatment is conducted at the portion of the conveyer roller
15
at the lowermost position to thereby provide a desired collated matter
2
. The collated matter
2
is fed to the discharge section C, progressed by the conveying passage changing guide plate
21
toward the stacker section D side and discharged to the stacker section D by the rotation of the paired discharge rollers
26
and
27
. The series of these operations are continuously executed, thereby sequentially discharging collated matters
2
in units.
Here, if a normal mode is selected as a paper discharge mode, the widths of the paired side fences
43
and
44
are adjusted to be slightly larger than that of a sheet
1
. Since the wing motor
51
is not driven and the paired paper discharge wings
47
and
48
are held at the respective wait positions, the collated matters
2
are stacked on the paper discharge tray
42
without being horizontally offset.
If a sort mode is selected as a paper discharge mode, the widths of the paired side fences
43
and
44
are adjusted to be slightly larger than that of a sheet
1
(about +35 mm). As shown in
FIG. 12
, when. timing at which the detection output of the discharge detection sensor S
3
is changed from L level to H level is detected (in a step S
1
), the wing motor
51
starts to be driven after a predetermined time (t
1
) (in a step S
2
). When the cylindrical cam
57
rotates from the reference rotation position by 180 degrees (in a step S
3
), the driving of the wing motor
51
stops (in a step S
4
). Next, when timing at which the detection output of the discharge detection sensor S
3
is changed from L level to H level (in a step S
1
), the wing motor
51
starts to be driven after a predetermined time (t
1
) (in a step S
2
). When the cylindrical cam
57
rotates by 180 degrees (in a step S
3
), the driving of the wing motor
51
is stopped. As a result, the cylindrical cam
57
returns to the reference rotation position. Thereafter, whenever timing at which the detection output of the discharge detection sensor S
3
is changed from L level to H level, the wing motor
51
is driven as stated above.
Here, when the cylindrical cam
57
rotates by 180 degrees from the reference rotation position, the left-side paper discharge wing
47
is displaced from the wait position to the interference position, the left end of the collated matter
2
discharged from the discharge section C comes in contact with the left-side paper discharge wing
47
and the right end of the collated matters
2
are abutted against the right side fence
44
and put on the paper discharge tray
42
as shown in FIG.
15
(A). When the cylindrical cam
57
rotates from the 180-degree rotation position to the reference rotation position, the right-side paper discharge wing
48
is displaced from the wait position to the interference position, the right end of the collated matter
2
comes in contact with the right-side paper discharge wing
48
and the left end of the collated matter
2
is abutted against the left side fence
43
and put on the paper discharge tray
42
as shown in FIG.
15
(B). The operations of the right and left paper discharge wings
47
and
48
are carried out synchronously with the collated matters
2
discharged, so that the collated matters
2
are stacked while being offset horizontally by a shift amount d
1
for each collated matter
2
.
Furthermore, in the course of the above-stated collation operation process, as shown in
FIG. 13
, the control section
68
checks whether or not a collation error occurs based on the output of the stack paper detection sensor S
2
every time a unit of a collated matter is fed in response to the turned-on electromagnetic clutches
82
a
to
82
j
(in a step S
13
). If no collation error is detected, collation operation is carried out for predetermined number of collated matters and the apparatus is stopped (in a step S
14
). If a collation error (empty feed or stack paper feed) is detected, the erroneously collated matter selection and discharge means E is allowed to carry out a selection and discharge processing (in a step S
15
).
Next, description will be given to the selection and discharge processing of the erroneously collated matter selection and discharge means E. As shown in
FIG. 14
, if paper discharge is in a normal mode (in a step S
20
) and timing at which the output of the paper discharge detection sensor S
3
is changed from L to H level is detected (in a step S
21
), then one paper discharge wing
47
is displaced to the interference position by driving the wing motor
51
as shown in FIG.
16
(A), only an erroneously collated matter
83
is held offset with respect to the correctly collated matters
2
(in a step S
22
). It is noted that the other paper discharge wing
48
may be displaced to the interference position.
If paper discharge is in a sort mode (in a step S
23
), the electromagnetic solenoid
81
is turned on only for a predetermined time. As indicated by a virtual line shown in
FIG. 17
, the conveying passage changing guide plate
21
is put at an imaged-sheet treatment device position and only an erroneously collated matter
83
is conveyed to an imaged-sheet treatment device conveying route opposite to the stacker section (in a step S
24
). As shown in
FIG. 13
, even after the erroneously collated matter selection and discharge means E finishes its selection processing (in a step S
15
), the collation operation is executed. The apparatus is not stopped until the collation operation has been executed for a predetermined number of collated matters (in a step S
14
).
As can be seen from the above, according to the present collating apparatus, if a collation error is detected, the paper discharge wing
47
and the conveying passage changing guide plate
21
serving as the erroneously collated matter selection and discharge means E discharge the erroneously collated matter
83
so as to be distinguishable from correctly collated matters
2
. After the collation operation is completed for all the collated matters, the collation error can be recognized and the erroneously collated matter
83
can be removed. Thus, it is possible to continue the collation operation without stopping the operation during the occurrence of a collation error. In case of the first embodiment, even after a collation error is detected, a predetermined collation operation is executed. Accordingly, it is not necessary for an operator to monitor the presence of a collation error and to conduct an error processing every time a collation error occurs, thereby greatly improving working efficiency.
Next, the second embodiment of the present invention will be described. If comparing the second embodiment with the first embodiment, they are the same except for the constitution of the sorting means
46
of the stacker section D. To avoid repeating description, the same constituent elements will not be described herein and only the constitution of the sorting means
46
will be described. It is noted that the same constituent elements in the second embodiments as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference symbols for clarification purposes.
Namely, as shown in
FIGS. 18 and 19
, a pair of auxiliary perpendicular links
90
as well as a pair of side fences
43
and
44
and a pair of perpendicular links
63
are rotatably provided at the sorting means
46
in the second embodiment. One ends of intermediate horizontal arms
91
and auxiliary arm members
92
extending in horizontal direction are fixed to the perpendicular links
63
and the auxiliary perpendicular links
90
, respectively. Engagement pins
93
at the center of the horizontal arms
91
are engaged with long holes
94
at the center of the auxiliary arm members
92
, respectively.
That is to say, the auxiliary arm members
92
move horizontally in cooperation with the rotation of corresponding wing presser arms
65
. While the paper discharge wings
47
and
48
are at wait positions, the auxiliary arm members
92
are located at retreat positions (indicated by virtual lines in FIGS.
20
(A) and
20
(B) at which the members
92
do not interfere with collated matters
2
discharged from a discharge section C. While the paper discharge wings
47
and
48
are at interference positions, the auxiliary arm members
92
are located at protrusion positions (indicated by solid lines in FIGS.
20
(A) and
20
(B)) at which the members are below the wings
47
and
48
and protrude further inward of the tip ends of the paper discharge wings
47
and
48
by a dimension R. The remaining constituent elements of the sorting means
46
are the same as those in the first embodiment, which description will not be, therefore, given herein.
With the above constitution, as shown in FIGS.
20
(A) and
20
(B), the left-side paper discharge wing
47
and the right-side paper discharge wing
48
are controlled to be alternately moved to interference positions synchronously with the collated matter
2
discharged, whereby the same sorting operation can be carried out in the second embodiment as that of the first embodiment. In the second embodiment, as shown in FIGS.
20
(A) and
20
(B), the auxiliary arm members
92
are located further inside of the tip ends of the paper discharge wings
47
and
48
at their interference positions and the auxiliary arm members
92
interfere with the collated matters
2
further inside of the paper discharge wings
47
and
48
to change the discharge direction of the collated matters
2
. Due to this, it is possible to increase a sorting offset quantity d
2
without lengthening the paper discharge wings
47
and
48
.
If a collation error is detected in a normal mode, either the paper discharge wing
47
or
48
is displaced to the interference position, whereby the second embodiment can obtain the same function and advantage as those of the first embodiment. That is to say, it is not necessary for an operator to observe the presence of a collation error and to conduct an error processing every time a collation error occurs, thereby greatly improving working efficiency.
In the first and second embodiments, the paper discharge wings
47
and
48
serving as the erroneously collated matter selection and discharge means E are controlled to be positioned at the wait positions when no collation error occurs in the normal mode. Only when a collation error is detected, one of the paper discharge wings
47
and
48
is controlled to be displaced to the interference position. Conversely, when no collation error occurs, one of the paper discharge wings
47
and
48
may be controlled to be always located at the interference position. When a collation error is detected, one of the paper discharge wings
47
and
48
may be controlled to be located at the wait positions. In short, it suffices that the collated matters are stacked on the paper discharge tray
42
while the erroneously collated matter
83
is offset with respect to the correctly collated matters
2
.
In the above-stated embodiments, the collating apparatus having the paper discharge wing
47
and
48
has been described. The present invention is also applicable to a collating apparatus which is not provided with any paper discharge wing almost in the same manner. Namely, by utilizing a mechanism which conduct a sorting operation in a normal mode, collated matters may be stacked on the paper discharge tray
42
while an erroneously collated matter.
83
is offset with respect to correctly collated matters
2
. For example, the present invention is applicable to a conventional collating apparatus having a movable paper discharge tray.
In the above-stated embodiments, the correctly collated matters
2
are stacked on the stacker section and the erroneously collated matter
83
is discharged to the imaged-sheet treatment device side (another route) in the sort -mode. If the correctly collated matters
2
are conveyed to the imaged-sheet treatment device side(another route), the erroneously collated matter
83
is discharge to the stacker section side. In short, the erroneously collated matter
83
may take a different discharge route from that of the correctly collated matters
2
.
In the embodiments stated so far, the driving mechanism
50
of the paper discharge wings
47
and
48
is constituted by using the worm gear
52
and the worm wheel
53
. The mechanism
50
may be constituted by using only flat gears.
OTHER EMBODIENTS
Various modifications will become possible for those skilled in the art after receiving the teachings of the present disclosure without depending from the scope thereof.
As stated so far, it is obvious that the present invention includes various embodiments besides the embodiments stated above. Accordingly, the technical scope of the present invention should be defined only by the following claims which are reasonably deduced from the above description.
Claims
- 1. A collating apparatus having an erroneously collated matter selection and discharge unit for discharging an erroneously collated matter so as to be distinguishable from correctly collated matters when a collation error is detected during a collation operation, wherein said erroneously collated matter selection and discharge unit comprises a pair of Paper discharge wings each displaced between a wait position at which each of the paper discharge wings does not interfere with the collated matters discharged from a discharge section of said collating apparatus and an interference position at which each of the paper discharge wings interferes with the collated matters discharged from said discharge section.
- 2. The collating apparatus of claim 1, whereinthe collation operation is continued after said erroneously collated matter selection and discharge unit completes discharging the erroneously collated matter.
- 3. The collating apparatus of claim 1, wherein said erroneously collated matter selection and discharge unit offsets a collated matter discharge direction almost in an orthogonal direction to a discharge direction of said discharge section operating in said wait position, the paper discharge wings having opposite offsetting directions to each other, and the pair of paper discharge wings stack the erroneously collated matter while offsetting the erroneously collated matter with respect to correctly collated matters.
- 4. The collating apparatus of claim 1, wherein said erroneously collated matter selection and discharge unit is a conveying passage changing guide plate capable of selectively changing a conveying route of the collated matters conveyed from a collating and conveying section between a side of a stacker section and another route different from said stacker section side, and wherein the conveying passage changing guide plate allows the erroneously collated matter to take a conveying route different from a conveying route of correctly collated matters.
- 5. The collating apparatus of claim 3, wherein if a sort mode is selected as a paper discharge mode, a sorting operation is carried out by alternately moving said pair of paper discharge wings from the wait position to the interference position in accordance with timing at which the collated matters are discharged from said discharge section, and if a normal mode is selected as the paper discharge mode, a normal stacking operation is carried out by locating each of said pair of paper discharge wings at the wait position; and if the collation error is detected in a normal mode, one of said pair of paper discharge wings is moved from the wait position to the interference position with respect to the erroneously collated matter discharged from said discharge section.
- 6. The collating apparatus of claim 4, wherein if a sort mode is selected as a paper discharge mode, a sorting operation is carried out by alternately moving said pair of paper discharge wings from the wait position to the interference position in accordance with timing at which the collated matters are discharged from said discharge section, and if a normal mode is selected as the paper discharge mode, a normal stacking operation is carried out by locating each of said pair of paper discharge wings at the wait position; and if the collation error is detected in the sort mode, the erroneously collated matter conveyed from said collating and conveying section is forced to take a conveying route different from a conveying route of the correctly collated matters.
Priority Claims (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
Kind |
11-210883 |
Jul 1999 |
JP |
|
US Referenced Citations (13)
Foreign Referenced Citations (5)
Number |
Date |
Country |
475 852 |
Jul 1969 |
CH |
954 506 |
Dec 1956 |
DE |
0 968 948 |
Jan 2000 |
EP |
07101615 |
Apr 1995 |
JP |
11005379 |
Dec 1999 |
JP |