U.S. patent application number 11/012063 was filed with the patent office on 2005-06-16 for apparatus and method for processing a sheet material.
This patent application is currently assigned to Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba. Invention is credited to Horiuchi, Haruhiko.
Application Number | 20050127591 11/012063 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 34510605 |
Filed Date | 2005-06-16 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050127591 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Horiuchi, Haruhiko |
June 16, 2005 |
Apparatus and method for processing a sheet material
Abstract
A sheet material processing apparatus comprises a second sorting
section configured to allow the sheet which is processed by the
processing section to be sorted in a third or a fourth direction
based on processing information of a processing section, a stacking
section configured to allow the sheet which is sorted by a second
sorting section to be stacked thereon, a second conveying path
configured to allow the sheet which is sorted by a second sorting
section in the fourth direction to be conveyed, a meeting site
where the first and second conveying paths meet, and a "discharge"
stacking section configured to allow the sheet which is conveyed
along the first or second conveying path and passed through the
meeting site to be stacked thereon.
Inventors: |
Horiuchi, Haruhiko;
(Yokohama-shi, JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
PILLSBURY WINTHROP SHAW PITTMAN, LLP
P.O. BOX 10500
MCLEAN
VA
22102
US
|
Assignee: |
Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
Tokyo
JP
|
Family ID: |
34510605 |
Appl. No.: |
11/012063 |
Filed: |
December 15, 2004 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
271/97 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65H 2301/4482 20130101;
B65H 29/60 20130101; B65H 39/10 20130101; B65H 2701/1912 20130101;
G07D 11/50 20190101 |
Class at
Publication: |
271/097 |
International
Class: |
B65H 039/10; B65H
003/14 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Dec 16, 2003 |
JP |
2003-417598 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. An apparatus for processing a sheet material comprising: a
pick-up device configured to pick up a sheet; a conveying device
configured to allow the sheet which is picked up by the pick-up
device to be conveyed along a conveying path; a first processing
device configured to process the sheet which is conveyed by the
conveying device; a first sorting device configured to allow the
sheet which is processed by the first processing device to be
sorted in first and second directions based on processing
information of the first processing device; a second processing
device configured to process the sheet which is sorted by the first
sorting device in the first direction; a first conveying path
configured to allow the sheet which is sorted by the first sorting
device in the second direction to be conveyed; a second sorting
device configured to allow the sheet which is processed by the
second processing device to be sorted in a third or a fourth
direction based on the processing information of the second
processing device; a stacking section configured to allow the sheet
which is sorted by the second sorting device in the third direction
to be stacked thereon; a second conveying path configured to allow
the sheet which is sorted by the second sorting device in the
fourth direction to be conveyed; a meeting site where the first and
second conveying paths meet; and a discharge stacking section
configured to allow the sheet which is conveyed along the first or
second conveying path and passed through the meeting site to be
stacked thereon.
2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the guide site has a
guide configured to allow the sheets which are conveyed by the
first and second conveying paths to be guided and met thereat.
3. An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the meeting site has
a conveyor belt pair configured to allow the sheet which is guided
by the guide to be sandwiched therebetween and conveyed.
4. An apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the conveyor belt
pair is configured to run on a fixed idle roller and to obtain a
sandwiching force by being downwardly bent with the fixed idle
roller as a fulcrum.
5. An apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the conveyor belt
pair obtains a sandwiching force by being sandwiched between the
fixed idle roller and a pinch idle roller.
6. An apparatus for processing a sheet material comprising: a
device configured to pick up a sheet; a conveying device configured
to allow the sheet which is picked up by the pick-up device to be
conveyed along a conveying path; a first processing device
configured to process the sheet which is conveyed by the conveying
device; a first sorting device configured to allow the sheet which
is processed by the first processing device to be sorted in first
and second directions based on the processing information of the
first processing device; a second processing device configured to
process the sheet which is sorted by the first sorting device in
the first direction; a first conveying path configured to allow the
sheet which is sorted by the first sorting device in the second
direction to be conveyed; a second sorting device configured to
allow the sheet which is processed by the second processing device
to be sorted in a third or a fourth direction based on the
processing information of the second processing device; a stacking
section configured to allow the sheet which is sorted by the second
sorting device in the third direction to be stacked thereon; a
second conveying path configured to allow the sheet which is sorted
by the second sorting device in the fourth direction to be
conveyed; a meeting site where the first and second conveying paths
meet; and a discharge stacking section configured to allow the
sheet which is conveyed along the first or second conveying path
and passed through the meeting site to be stacked thereon, wherein,
with L1 indicating a path length extending from the first sorting
device through the second processing device and further through the
second conveying path to the meeting site and L2 indicating a path
length of the first conveying path, a relation L1=m.times.P+.alpha.
and L2=n.times.P+.alpha. is established, where P: a conveying
distance of the sheet; .alpha.: a constant distance; and m, n:
integers.
7. An apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the difference
between the path lengths L1 and L2 is an integral multiple of the
conveying distance of the sheet.
8. An apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the guide site has a
guide configured to allow the sheet which is conveyed by the first
and second conveying paths to be guided and met thereat.
9. An apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the meeting site has
a conveying belt pair configured to allow the sheet which is guided
by the guide to be sandwiched therebetween and conveyed.
10. An apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the conveying belt
pair is configured to run on a fixed idle roller and to obtain a
sandwiching force by being downwardly bent with the fixed idle
roller as a fulcrum.
11. An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the conveyor belt
pair obtains a sandwiching force by being sandwiched between the
fixed idle roller and a pinch idle roller.
12. A method for processing a sheet material comprising: a step of
picking up a sheet; a step of conveying the picked-up sheet along a
conveying path; a step of processing the conveyed sheet by a first
processing device; a step of sorting the sheet which is processed
by the first processing device by a first sorting device in first
and second directions based on processing information of the first
processing device; a step of processing the sheet which is sorted
by the first sorting device in the first direction by a second
processing device; a step of conveying the sheet which is sorted by
the first sorting device in the second direction by a first
conveying path; a step of sorting the sheet which is processed by
the second processing device by a second sorting device in a third
or a fourth direction based on the processing information of the
second processing device; a step of stacking the sheet which is
sorted by the second sorting device on a stacking section; a step
of conveying the sheet which is sorted by the second sorting device
in the fourth direction by a second conveying path; a step of
meeting the first and second conveying paths at a meeting site; and
a step of stacking the sheet which is conveyed along the first or
second conveying path and passed through the meeting site onto a
discharge stacking section.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is based upon and claims the benefit of
priority from prior Japanese Patent Application No. 2003-417598,
filed Dec. 16, 2003, the entire contents of which are incorporated
herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for
processing a sheet material which allow a sheet which is discharged
based on, for example, a result of checking to be stacked on a
discharge stacking section.
[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0005] This kind of sheet material processing apparatus is known,
for example, in JPN PAT APPLN KOKAI PUBLICATION No. 2003-216999. In
this sheet material processing apparatus, a sheet is picked up from
a pick-up section and, for example, conveyed to a checking section
where checking is made to see whether or not it is rejected. The
sheet, if being found "not fit", is rejected and rejected sheet is
discharged on a first discharge stacking section.
[0006] If, on the other hand, the sheet is found to be normal, it
is sorted by kind and stacked onto a "normal processing" stacking
section. Where a predetermined number of normal sheets are stacked
on the normal processing stacking section, a subsequent sheet and
sheets are stacked onto a second discharge stacking section.
[0007] In the prior art disclosed, it is necessary to provide first
and second discharge stacking sections and it is also necessary to
manually collect those stacked sheets on these discharge stacking
sections. Therefore, such manual collection operations are
cumbersome and time-consuming.
[0008] Further, even if an automatic discharge sheet collection
operation is adopted, it takes a longer operation time and requires
more complex mechanism because a plurality of (two) discharge
collection sections are involved.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0009] One aspect of the present invention has been achieved with
the above situations in view and the object of the present
invention is to provide a sheet material processing apparatus and
method which can stack those sheets which are discharged in a
plurality of directions onto a single discharge stacking
section.
[0010] In one aspect of the present invention, there is provided an
apparatus for processing a sheet material which comprises a pick-up
device configured to pick up a sheet; a conveying device configured
to allow the sheet which is picked up by the pick-up device to be
conveyed along a conveying path; a first processing device
configured to process the sheet which is conveyed by the conveying
device; a first sorting device configured to allow the sheet which
is processed by the first processing device to be sorted in first
and second directions based on processing information of the first
processing device; a second processing device configured to process
the sheet which is sorted by the first sorting device in the first
direction; a first conveying path configured to allow the sheet
which is sorted by the first sorting device in the second direction
to be conveyed; a second sorting device configured to allow the
sheet which is processed by the second processing device to be
sorted in a third or a fourth direction based on the processing
information of the second processing device; a stacking section
configured to allow the sheet which is sorted by the second sorting
device in the third direction to be stacked thereon; a second
conveying path configured to allow the sheet which is sorted by the
second sorting device in the fourth direction to be conveyed; a
meeting site where the first and second conveying paths meet; and a
discharge stacking section configured to allow the sheet which is
conveyed along the first or the second conveying path and passed
through the meeting site to be stacked thereon.
[0011] In another aspect of the present invention, there is
provided an apparatus for processing a sheet material which
comprises a pick-up device configured to pick up a sheet; a
conveying device configured to allow the sheet which is picked up
by the pick-up device to be conveyed along a conveying path, a
first processing device configured to process the sheet which is
conveyed by the conveying device; a first sorting device configured
to allow the sheet which is processed by the first processing
device to be sorted in first and second directions based on
processing information of the first processing device; a second
processing device configured to process the sheet which is sorted
by the first sorting device in the first direction; a first
conveying path configured to allow the sheet which is sorted by the
first sorting device in the second direction to be conveyed; a
second sorting device configured to allow the sheet which is
processed by the second processing device to be sorted in a third
or a fourth direction based on processing information of the second
processing device; a stacking section configured to allow the sheet
which is sorted by the second sorting device in the third direction
to be stacked thereon; a second conveying path configured to allow
the sheet which is sorted by the second sorting device in the
fourth direction to be conveyed; a meeting site where the first and
second conveying paths meet; and a discharge stacking section
configured to allow the sheet which is conveyed along the first or
the second conveying path and passed through the meeting site to be
stacked thereon, wherein, with L1 indicating a path length
extending from the first sorting device through the first sorting
device and further through the second sorting device to the meeting
site and L2 indicating a path length of the first conveying path, a
relation of L1=m.times.P+.alpha. and L2=n.times.P.times..alpha. is
established, provided that P: a conveying distance; .alpha.: a
constant distance, and m, n: integers.
[0012] In another aspect of the present invention, there is
provided a method for processing a sheet material comprising a step
of picking up a sheet; a step of conveying the picked-up sheet
along a conveying path; a step of processing the conveyed sheet by
a first processing device; a step of sorting the sheet which is
processed by the first processing device by the first sorting
device in first and second directions based on the processing
information of the first processing device; a step of processing
the sheet which is sorted by the first sorting device in the first
direction by a second processing device; a step of conveying the
sheet which is sorted by the first sorting device in the second
direction by the first conveying path; a step of sorting the sheet
which is processed by the second processing device by a second
sorting device in a third or a fourth direction based on the
processing information of the second processing device; a step of
stacking the sheet which is sorted by the second sorting device in
the third direction onto a stacking section; a step of conveying
the sheet which is sorted by the second sorting device in the
fourth direction by a second conveying path; a step of meeting the
first and second conveying paths at a meeting site; and a step of
stacking the sheet which is conveyed along the first or the second
conveying path and passed through the meeting site onto a discharge
stacking section.
[0013] Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be
set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be
obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the
invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be
realized and obtained by means of the instrumentalities and
combinations particularly pointed out hereinafter.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING
[0014] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and
constitute a part of the specification, illustrate presently
preferred embodiments of the invention, and together with the
general description given above and the detailed description of the
preferred embodiments given below, serve to explain the principles
of the invention.
[0015] FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic view showing a sheet material
processing device according to one embodiment of the present
invention;
[0016] FIG. 2 is a front view showing a sheet meeting site in the
sheet material processing device;
[0017] FIG. 3 is a plan view showing the sheet meeting site;
[0018] FIG. 4 is a side view showing the sheet meeting site;
and
[0019] FIG. 5 is a front view showing a sheet meeting site
according to another embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0020] The embodiments of the present invention will be explained
below with reference to the drawing.
[0021] FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic view showing a sheet material
processing apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present
invention.
[0022] In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 shows a loading section for
receiving sheets S in a stacked state and, at the loading section
1, a pick-up roller 1a is provided, as a pick-up device, to
sequentially separate and pick up the sheet from a top surface side
on a one-by-one basis.
[0023] A conveying roller pair 2 is provided as a conveying device
to allow the sheet which is picked up by the pick-up roller 1a to
be conveyed along a conveying path 3. At the conveying path 3, a
checking section 4 is provided as a first processing device to
check whether or not the sheets S are conveyed, for example, in a
partially/wholly overlapped state.
[0024] At the sheet conveying side of the checking section 4, a
first sorting device 6 is provided as a first sorting device to
allow any overlapped sheets to be separated in a first direction
and in a second direction. The sheet separated in the first
direction (an arrow a direction) is conveyed along a conveying path
3 while, on the other hand, the sheet separated in a second
direction (an arrow b direction) is conveyed along a first
"discharge" conveying path 8 as a first conveying path.
[0025] In the conveying path 3, a processing section 10 is provided
as a second processing device to check whether the sheet is fit or
unfit. On the sheet conveying side of the processing section 10, a
second sorting device comprising second sorting sections 12 and 13
is provided for allowing the sheet to be sorted in a third
direction and in a fourth direction. In the third direction. (an
arrow C direction) sorted by the second sorting sections 12 and 13,
stacking sections 15, 16 are arranged to allow the fit sheet to be
stacked thereon.
[0026] In the fourth direction (an arrow d direction) sorted by the
second sorting section 13, a second "discharge" conveying path 18
is provided as a second conveying path. The second "discharge"
conveying path 18 and first "discharge" conveying path 8 meet at a
meeting site 19. On the sheet conveying side of the meeting site
19, a stacking unit 20 is provided as a single "discharge" stacking
unit 20.
[0027] If the conveying path length extending from the first
sorting section 6 through the processing section 10 and then
through the second sorting sections 12, 13 to the meeting site 19
is given by L1 and the conveying path length of the first
"discharge" conveying path 8 extending from the first sorting
section 6 to the meeting site 19 is given by L2, the sheet
conveying path is so designed as to satisfy a relation
L1=m.times.P+.alpha.
L2=n.times.P+.alpha.
[0028] (P: sheet pick-up distance; .alpha.: a given distance, m, n:
integers)
[0029] By doing so, the sheet conveyed by the first "discharge"
conveying path 8 and sheet conveyed by the second "discharge"
conveying path 18 can have their leading edges substantially
coincide with each other if these sheets meet at the meeting site
19.
[0030] FIG. 2 shows a structure of the meeting site 19.
[0031] As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, a guide 22 is provided at the
meeting site 19 to allow the sheet which is conveyed on the first
and second "discharge" conveying paths 8, 18 to be guided
therealong. The sheet passed through the meeting site 19 is
conveyed past a conveying path 23 onto the stacking section 20 for
discharge.
[0032] The first "discharge" conveying path 8 is so configured as
to have a roller 8a, a conveying belt 8b running on the roller 8a,
and a conveying belt 8c overlappingly running on the upper surface
of the conveying belt 8b. The second "discharge" conveying path 18
is so configured as to have a roller 18a, a conveying belt 18b
running on the roller 18a, and a conveying belt 18c overlappingly
running on the lower surface of the conveying belt 18b. The
conveying path 23 comprises the conveying belt 8c and conveying
belt 18c. The conveying belts 8c, 18c are wrapped around a fixed
idle roller 24 such that these belts are downwardly bent with the
fixed idle roller 24 as a fulcrum to impart a sandwiching force
thereto.
[0033] The guide 22 is so formed as to bend a rectangular plate
partway at an acute angle. One side section 22a of the guide 22 is
provided opposite to the lower surface side of the conveying belt
8c in a manner to be spaced a predetermined distance, while, on the
other hand, the other side section 22b of the guide 22 is provided
opposite to the upper surface side of the conveying belt 18c in a
manner to be spaced a predetermined distance.
[0034] An explanation will be made below about the processing
operation of the sheet material processing apparatus.
[0035] When the pick-up roller 1a is rotated, the sheets S on the
sheet loading section 1 are sequentially picked up, one by one,
from their top side and sent out onto the conveying path 3. The
sheets S thus sent out, while being sandwiched between the paired
rollers 2, are conveyed at a constant speed to a checking section 4
where they are subjected to various processing, for example, they
are checked whether or not they are conveyed in an overlapped
state.
[0036] If, as a result of checking, the sheets are found as not
being in the overlapped state, the respective sheet is sorted in
the first direction as indicated by an arrow a in FIG. 1. If, on
the other hand, the sheets are found as being in the overlapped
state, the overlapped sheet is separated in the second direction as
indicated by an arrow b in FIG. 1.
[0037] The sheet S sorted in the first direction as indicated by an
arrow a is conveyed along the conveying path 3 to the processing
section 10 where the content of the sheet is decided as being
normal or not. The sheet S separated in the second direction as
indicated by an arrow b is conveyed along the first "discharge"
conveying path 8 to a meeting site 19. At the meeting site 19, the
sheet is guided by the one side section 22a of the guide 22 as
indicated by a solid arrow onto the conveying path 23 and further
conveyed past the conveying path onto a "discharge" stacking
section 20 where it is stacked.
[0038] The sheet S processed by the processing section 10 is
conveyed therefrom and, based on the processing information of the
processing section 10, the sheet S thus conveyed is sorted by the
operations of the second sorting sections 12 and 13 and conveyed in
the third or fourth direction. That is, the normal sheet which is
sorted by the second sorting sections 12, 13 in the third direction
(arrow c direction) is stacked, as in a bundle unit, onto the
normal sheet stacking sections 15, 16. The sheet which is sorted in
a fourth direction (arrow d direction) as being not normal is
conveyed through the second "discharge" conveying path 18 to the
meeting site 19. At the meeting site 19, the sheet is guided, by
the other side section 22b of the guide 22, as indicated by a
broken arrow line onto the conveying path 23 and, along the
conveying path 23, onto the "discharge" stacking unit 20 where the
sheet is stacked.
[0039] According to the present embodiment, as set out above, the
first and second "discharge" conveying paths 8, 18 meet at the
meeting site 19 and, therefore, the sheets discharged from the
first and second "discharge" conveying paths 8 and 18 can be
stacked onto a single "discharge" stacking unit (20). It is not
necessary to provide individual corresponding stacking units and it
is easier to collect the discharged sheets and to obtain a simple
automatic unit.
[0040] With L1 indicating the conveying path length extending from
the first sorting section 6 through the processing section 10 and
then through the second sorting sections 12 and 13 to the meeting
site 19 and L2 indicating the conveying path length of the first
"discharge" conveying path 8 extending from the first sorting
section 6 to the meeting site 19, the relation is set to be
L1=m.times.P+.alpha. and L2=n.times.p+.alpha.. As a result, when
the sheet conveyed from the first "discharge" conveying path 8 and
sheet conveyed from the second "discharge" conveying path 18 meet
at the meeting site 19, the leading edges of these sheets are made
to substantially coincide with each other, so that it is possible
to improve the stacking performance at the "discharge" stacking
unit 20.
[0041] Further, by freely varying the conveying path lengths L1 and
L2, it is possible to intentionally change an overlapped state at a
sheet meeting time.
[0042] Further, at the sheet meeting time, the conveying belt 8c
can be freely set on the fixed idle roller 24 in accordance with
the thickness of the sheet and it is possible to prevent jamming of
sheets and their lodging.
[0043] FIG. 5 shows another embodiment of a meeting site 19.
[0044] In this embodiment, a conveying belt 8c and conveying belt
18c are sandwiched between a fixed idle roller 24 and a pinch
roller 25. By doing so, a proper sandwiching can be provided
without forcing the conveying belts 8c and 18c to be bent with the
fixed idle roller 24 as a fulcrum. It is, therefore, possible to
freely set the direction of a conveying path provided by the
conveying belts 8c and 18c.
[0045] Even in this embodiment, when a plurality of sheets meet at
a meeting site 19, the pinch roller 25 is retracted in accordance
with the thickness of the sheet and it is of course possible to
prevent jamming or lodging of sheets.
[0046] Additional advantages and modifications will readily occur
to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the invention in its
broader aspects is not limited to the specific details and
representative embodiments shown and described herein. Accordingly,
various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit
or scope of the general inventive concept as defined by the
appended claims and their equivalents.
* * * * *