U.S. patent application number 13/957538 was filed with the patent office on 2014-02-06 for sheet guiding device and sheet processing apparatus including sheet guiding device.
This patent application is currently assigned to KOMORI CORPORATION. The applicant listed for this patent is KOMORI CORPORATION. Invention is credited to Yoichiro ABE, Akihiko SATO.
Application Number | 20140035224 13/957538 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 48917309 |
Filed Date | 2014-02-06 |
United States Patent
Application |
20140035224 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
SATO; Akihiko ; et
al. |
February 6, 2014 |
SHEET GUIDING DEVICE AND SHEET PROCESSING APPARATUS INCLUDING SHEET
GUIDING DEVICE
Abstract
A sheet guiding device includes: gripper bars provided to
delivery chains and each having a holding portion configured to
hold an end portion of a paper sheet, the gripper bars configured
to transport the paper sheet along a paper sheet transporting route
spaced away from a travelling route of the delivery chains; a
delivery cylinder having a guide surface and configured to guide
the transported paper sheet, the guide surface extending along an
arc-shaped transporting route portion in the paper sheet
transporting route which is located outside an arc-shaped
travelling route portion in the travelling route of the delivery
chains and which is formed by the holding portion travelling along
the arc-shaped travelling route portion; a linear travelling route
portion formed downstream of the arc-shaped travelling route
portion in a travelling direction of the delivery chains; and a
suction guide for guiding the paper sheet to an inner side than the
linear travelling route portion, the paper sheet located in a
region downstream of a shift position from the arc-shaped
travelling route portion to the linear travelling route portion in
a sheet transporting direction.
Inventors: |
SATO; Akihiko; (Tsukuba-shi,
JP) ; ABE; Yoichiro; (Tsukuba-shi, JP) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
KOMORI CORPORATION |
Tokyo |
|
JP |
|
|
Assignee: |
KOMORI CORPORATION
Tokyo
JP
|
Family ID: |
48917309 |
Appl. No.: |
13/957538 |
Filed: |
August 2, 2013 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
271/264 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65H 2301/44712
20130101; B65H 5/00 20130101; B65H 2801/31 20130101; B41F 21/08
20130101; B65H 2301/44714 20130101; B65H 29/04 20130101; B65H
2404/341 20130101; B65H 2406/122 20130101; B65H 2553/42 20130101;
B65H 2701/1912 20130101; B65H 2406/33 20130101; B65H 2301/44712
20130101; B65H 2553/46 20130101; B65H 2301/542 20130101; B65H
2801/21 20130101; B65H 2220/01 20130101; B65H 2220/02 20130101;
B65H 2301/44714 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
271/264 |
International
Class: |
B65H 5/00 20060101
B65H005/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Aug 3, 2012 |
JP |
2012-172764 |
Claims
1. A sheet guiding device comprising: a sheet holding device
provided to a transporting chain, and having a holding portion
configured to hold an end portion of a sheet, the sheet holding
device configured to transport the sheet along a sheet transporting
route formed by the holding portion and spaced away from a
travelling route of the transporting chain; a guide having a guide
surface and configured to guide the transported sheet, the guide
surface extending along an arc-shaped transporting route portion in
the sheet transporting route which is located outside an arc-shaped
travelling route portion in the travelling route of the
transporting chain and which is formed by the holding portion
travelling along the arc-shaped travelling route portion; a linear
travelling route portion formed downstream of the arc-shaped
travelling route portion in a travelling direction of the
transporting chain; and guiding means for guiding the sheet to an
inner side than the linear travelling route portion, the sheet
located in a region downstream of a shift position from the
arc-shaped travelling route portion to the linear travelling route
portion in a sheet transporting direction.
2. The sheet guiding device according to claim 1, wherein the
guiding means includes sheet contact means which brings the sheet
in contact with the guide surface of the guide which is located on
an inner side than the linear travelling route portion, the sheet
located in the region downstream of the shift position from the
arc-shaped travelling route portion to the linear travelling route
portion in the sheet transporting direction.
3. The sheet guiding device according to claim 2, wherein the guide
surface of the guide is formed in an arc shape and is a rotating
body configured to rotate at a circumferential speed substantially
equal to a transporting speed of the sheet transported by the
holding portion in the sheet holding device travelling along the
arc-shaped transporting route portion.
4. The sheet guiding device according to claim 3, wherein the sheet
contact means includes sucking means for sucking the sheet in a
region of the arc-shaped guide surface downstream of the shift
position in the sheet transporting direction.
5. The sheet guiding device according to claim 4, wherein the
sucking means sucks the sheet also in a region upstream of the
shift position in the sheet transporting direction.
6. The sheet guiding device according to claim 2, wherein the sheet
contact means includes air blowing means for blowing air to the
sheet.
7. A sheet processing apparatus including the sheet guiding device
according to claim 1, comprising a processing device configured to
perform processing on the sheet on the guide surface of the guide
extending along the arc-shaped transporting route portion.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present invention relates to a guiding device for a
sheet which is transported while being held by a sheet holding
device provided to a transporting chain and to a sheet processing
apparatus including the sheet guiding device.
BACKGROUND ART
[0002] Patent Literature 1, for example, discloses one of such
guiding devices. In this guiding device, a sheet guide is provided
to guide a sheet which is transported while being held by a gripper
bar provided in a transporting chain.
[0003] However, the guiding device has the following defect. Since
the sheet guide is provided outside a transporting route of the
sheet, an outer surface of the sheet comes in contact with the
sheet guide. Hence, it is impossible to perform processing on the
sheet transported by the gripping bar, such as checking the outer
surface of the sheet with a checking device and printing the outer
surface of the sheet.
[0004] Meanwhile, Patent Literature 2 describes an apparatus in
which a guiding device guides an inner surface of a sheet
transported by a transporting chain along an arc shaped trajectory
and a checking device checks an outer surface of the sheet.
CITATION LIST
Patent Literatures
[0005] {Patent Literature 1} Japanese Utility Model Registration
No. 2576838
[0006] {Patent Literature 2} Japanese Patent Application
Publication No. 2010-221410
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
Technical Problem
[0007] In a normal configuration, there is a certain distance (gap)
between a travelling route of the transporting chain and the sheet
transporting route by the gripper bar, as in Patent Literature 1.
In a linear travelling route portion of the travelling route of the
transporting chain, the travelling speed of the transporting chain
and the transporting speed of the sheet are the same. However, in
an arc-shaped travelling route portion of the travelling route of
the transporting chain, the travelling speed of the transporting
chain and the transporting speed of the sheet are different from
each other due to a difference between the curvature radius of the
arc-shaped travelling route portion of the transporting chain and
the curvature radius of an arc-shaped transporting route portion of
the sheet.
[0008] Particularly, when the arc-shaped transporting route portion
of the sheet is located outside the arc-shaped travelling route
portion of the transporting chain as in Patent Literature 1, the
transporting speed of the sheet in the arc-shaped transporting
route portion of the sheet is faster than the travelling speed of
the transporting chain. Moreover, in a case where the linear
transporting route portion follows the arc-shaped transporting
route portion of the sheet, the leading end of the sheet is
transported at the same speed as the transporting chain while the
trailing end of the sheet is transported at a faster speed than the
transporting chain.
[0009] The faster speed of the trailing end of the sheet as
described above makes the sheet loose. In a case where the guiding
device (sheet guide) is provided inside the transporting route of
the sheet as in Patent Literature 2, the looseness of the sheet
causes the sheet to flutter, and thereby the sheet may be damaged
or rubbed. Moreover, the fluttering of the sheet also makes the
sheet on the sheet guide unstable and accurate check with the
checking device (camera) may be hindered.
[0010] In view of this, an object of the present invention is to
provide a sheet guiding device capable of stably transporting a
sheet at a shift position from an arc-shaped travelling route
portion to a linear travelling route portion of the transporting
chain, and to provide a sheet processing apparatus including the
sheet guiding device.
Solution to Problem
[0011] To achieve the object described above, the present invention
provides a sheet guiding device including: [0012] a sheet holding
device provided to a transporting chain, and having a holding
portion configured to hold an end portion of a sheet, the sheet
holding device configured to transport the sheet along a sheet
transporting route formed by the holding portion and spaced away
from a travelling route of the transporting chain; and [0013] a
guide having a guide surface and configured to guide the
transported sheet, the guide surface extending along an arc-shaped
transporting route portion in the sheet transporting route which is
located outside an arc-shaped travelling route portion in the
travelling route of the transporting chain and which is formed by
the holding portion travelling along the arc-shaped travelling
route portion, characterized in that [0014] the sheet guiding
device comprises: [0015] a linear travelling route portion formed
downstream of the arc-shaped travelling route portion in a
travelling direction of the transporting chain; and [0016] guiding
means for guiding the sheet to an inner side than the linear
travelling route portion, the sheet located in a region downstream
of a shift position from the arc-shaped travelling route portion to
the linear travelling route portion in a sheet transporting
direction.
[0017] Moreover, the sheet guiding device is characterized in that
[0018] the guiding means includes sheet contact means which brings
the sheet in contact with the guide surface of the guide which is
located on an inner side than the linear travelling route portion,
the sheet located in the region downstream of the shift position
from the arc-shaped travelling route portion to the linear
travelling route portion in the sheet transporting direction.
[0019] Furthermore, the sheet guiding device is characterized in
that the guide surface of the guide is formed in an arc shape and
is a rotating body configured to rotate at a circumferential speed
substantially equal to a transporting speed of the sheet
transported by the holding portion in the sheet holding device
travelling along the arc-shaped transporting route portion.
[0020] Moreover, the sheet guiding device is characterized in that
the sheet contact means includes sucking means for sucking the
sheet in a region of the arc-shaped guide surface downstream of the
shift position in the sheet transporting direction.
[0021] Furthermore, the sheet guiding device is characterized in
that the sucking means sucks the sheet also in a region upstream of
the shift position in the paper-sheet transporting direction.
[0022] Moreover, the sheet guiding device is characterized in that
the sheet contact means includes air blowing means for blowing air
to the sheet.
[0023] To achieve the object described above, the present invention
provides a sheet processing apparatus including the sheet guiding
device, characterized in that [0024] the sheet processing apparatus
comprises a processing device configured to perform processing on
the sheet on the guide surface of the guide extending along the
arc-shaped transporting route portion.
Advantageous Effects of Invention
[0025] In the sheet guiding device of the present invention, a
loose portion of the sheet is smoothly guided by the guiding means
without fluttering, the loose portion formed due to the speed
difference in sheet transporting at the shift position from the
arc-shaped travelling route portion to the linear travelling route
portion of the travelling route of the transport chain.
Accordingly, the sheet can be stably transported.
[0026] In the sheet processing apparatus of the present invention,
the sheet can be highly accurately processed while being stably
transported.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0027] FIG. 1 shows an example of the present invention and is a
plan cross-sectional view of a delivery cylinder portion.
[0028] FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a main portion
of FIG. 1.
[0029] FIG. 3 is a view in the direction of the arrow III of FIG.
1.
[0030] FIG. 4 is a view in the direction of the arrow IV of FIG.
1.
[0031] FIG. 5 is an enlarged side view of a main portion of a
four-color offset perfector.
[0032] FIG. 6A is a view for explaining an operation of a suction
guide.
[0033] FIG. 6B is another view for explaining the operation of the
suction guide.
DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENT
[0034] A sheet guiding device of the present invention and a sheet
processing apparatus including the sheet guiding device are
described below in detail by using an example and the drawings.
Example
[0035] FIG. 1 shows an example of the present invention and is a
plan cross-sectional view of a delivery cylinder portion, FIG. 2 is
an enlarged cross-sectional view of a main portion of FIG. 1, FIG.
3 is a view in the direction of the arrow III of FIG. 1, FIG. 4 is
a view in the direction of the arrow IV of FIG. 1, FIG. 5 is an
enlarged side view of a main portion of a four-color offset
perfector, FIG. 6A is a view for explaining an operation of a
suction guide, and FIG. 6B is another view for explaining the
operation of the suction guide.
[0036] As shown in FIG. 5, in a printing unit 1 of the four-color
offset perfector, a blanket impression cylinder 2 including a
paper-sheet gripping device (not illustrated) and a blanket
cylinder 3 including no paper-sheet gripping device are
substantially-horizontally supported, and circumferential surfaces
of the cylinders come in contact with each other. Moreover, the
blanket cylinder 3 is in contact with the blanket impression
cylinder 2 while being disposed lateral to the blanket impression
cylinder 2, and the blanket impression cylinder 2 and the blanket
cylinder 3 are arranged respectively on a delivery unit (not
illustrated) side and a feeding unit (not illustrated) side.
[0037] Furthermore, four plate cylinders 4 are disposed on the
circumferential surface of the blanket impression cylinder 2 while
four plate cylinders 5 are disposed on the circumferential surface
of the blanket cylinder 3. Inking units 6 and 7 are provided to be
movable toward and away from the plate cylinders 4 and 5, and can
supply inks and water in a state in contact with the plate
cylinders 4 and 5.
[0038] Moreover, four transfer cylinders 9 to 12 including
paper-sheet gripping devices (not illustrated) and configured to
receive the paper sheet (sheet) W (see FIGS. 6A and 6B) from a
register 8 and transfer the paper sheet W to the blanket impression
cylinder 2 are arranged above the blanket impression cylinder 2,
that is upstream of a printing position P1 in a rotating direction
of the blanket impression cylinder 2, the printing position P1
being a contact position between the blanket impression cylinder 2
and the blanket cylinder 3. In addition, a transfer cylinder 13
including a paper-sheet gripping device and configured to receive
the paper sheet W from the blanket impression cylinder 2 and
transfer the paper sheet W to delivery chains (transporting chain)
20 is provided below the blanket impression cylinder 2, that is
downstream of the printing position P1 in the rotating direction of
the blanket impression cylinder 2.
[0039] The paper sheet W is supplied from the feeding unit to the
register 8 via a feeder board 14. Moreover, the paper sheet W is
transported from the transfer cylinder 13 onto a delivery pile (not
illustrated) of the delivery unit via the delivery chains 20
including gripper bars (sheet holding device) 22 (see FIG. 2 and
other drawings). Specifically, a delivery cylinder 21 on an
upstream side of the delivery chains 20 in a paper-sheet
transporting direction is in contact with a lower side of the
transfer cylinder 13, and receives the paper sheet W from the
transfer cylinder 13.
[0040] The delivery chains 20 are arranged in the following way.
The delivery cylinder 21 on the upstream side thereof is arranged
below the blanket impression cylinder 2 and the delivery chains 20
extend along a floor to the delivery unit side of the delivery
cylinder 21, on the right side of the drawing, without traversing a
space below the contact position between the blanket impression
cylinder 2 and the blanket cylinder 3.
[0041] In the illustrated example, the blanket impression cylinder
2 and the blanket cylinder 3 are triple-size cylinders while the
four transfer cylinders 9 to 12, the four plate cylinders 4, the
four plate cylinders 5, the transfer cylinder 13, and the delivery
cylinder 21 are single-size cylinders.
[0042] Moreover, a checking camera (processing device) 23
configured to detect a printing condition on one surface of the
paper sheet W on the delivery cylinder 21 is located on the feeding
unit side of the delivery cylinder 21 together with paired
illuminators 24 and is arranged in an oblique downward direction in
such a way that its axis is directed toward the delivery cylinder
21, the paper sheet W transported by being transferred from the
paper-sheet gripping device of the transfer cylinder 13 to the
gripper bar 22 of the delivery chains 20. Note that an
optical-electronic imaging device such as a CCD line camera and a
CCD line sensor is used as the checking camera 23.
[0043] Furthermore, a first air blowing nozzle (air blowing means:
sheet contact means: guiding means) 25 is disposed upstream of, and
close to, the paired illuminators 24 in the paper-sheet
transporting direction while a second air blowing nozzle (air
blowing means: sheet contact means: guiding means) 26 is disposed
downstream of and close to, the paired illuminators 24 in the
paper-sheet transporting direction. Reference numeral 27 in FIG. 5
denotes a paper-sheet guide for guiding the paper sheet W which has
just moved from a position on the delivery cylinder 21 to a
position on the delivery chains 20.
[0044] The first air blowing nozzle 25 blows compressed air sent
from a not-illustrated compressed air supply source such as a
compressor, to a circumferential surface (guide surface) of the
delivery cylinder 21. Meanwhile, the second air blowing nozzle 26
blows the compressed air sent from the not-illustrated compressed
air supply source such as a compressor, along a linear travelling
route portion C1a (see FIG. 3) in a travelling route (trajectory of
the delivery chains: travelling route of the transporting chain) C1
of the delivery chains 20.
[0045] The checking camera 23, the paired illuminators 24, the
first air blowing nozzle 25, the second air blowing nozzle 26, and
the paper-sheet guide 27 are supported by paired left and right
main unit frames 28 via a not-illustrated supporting bar.
[0046] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, in the delivery cylinder 21, left
and right end portions of a shaft 30 are rotatably supported
respectively by the paired left and right main unit frames 28 via
bearings 31 and a rotating force of a not-illustrated drive motor
is transmitted, via a gear train, to a gear 32 fixedly provided at
a shaft end on the drive side, in such a way that the shaft 30 is
rotationally driven.
[0047] Moreover, sprockets 34 are fixedly provided in both end
portions of the shaft 30 via keys 35 to be located in the main body
frames 28 and the delivery chains 20 described above are wound
around the sprockets 34 and paired left and right sprockets
provided on a terminal end side of the not-illustrated delivery
unit. Multiple gripper bars 22 described above are laid between the
paired left and right delivery chains 20 at predetermined intervals
in a chain longitudinal direction. Reference numeral 36 in FIG. 1
denotes a chain guide.
[0048] Furthermore, in the example, a suction guide (sucking means:
sheet contact means: guiding means) 40 is provided on a portion of
the shaft 30 located between the paired left and right sprockets
34.
[0049] Specifically, as shown also in FIGS. 3 and 4, four
supporting legs 41 are implanted in an inner surface of each of the
paired left and right main unit frames 28 and a base end portion
42b of a supporting plate 42 is joined to the supporting legs 41 by
bolts 43 with a half-circular arc portion 42a surrounding
substantially a half of a circumference of the shaft 30 with a gap
therebetween.
[0050] A base end portion 44b of a suction duct 44 is joined to an
inner surface of each of the supporting plates 42 by two reamer
bolts 45 with a half-circular arc portion 44a surrounding
substantially the half of the circumference of the shaft 30 with a
minor gap therebetween, Thereby the suction duct 44 is attached to
be movable relative to the supporting plate 42 in a cylinder axial
direction. In other words, a gap II (see FIG. 2) for play is set
between a head of each reamer bolt 45 and a stepped surface of the
suction duct 44 in which a shaft of the reamer bolt 45 is inserted.
Moreover, compression coil springs 46 are installed in four
positions between opposed surfaces of each supporting plate 42 and
the corresponding suction duct 44 through respective spring
receiving holes 42c, 44c. Accordingly, the suction duct 44 is
constantly biased in a direction away from the supporting plate 42
and a side surface of the suction duct 44 is pressed against a side
surface of a corresponding one of ring-shaped end plates 51 in a
suction cylinder (rotating body) 50 to be described later.
[0051] A suction open groove 47a is formed in the inner surface of
the half-circular arc portion 44a of each suction duct 44 to extend
along the shape of the half-circular arc portion 44a substantially
over the entire length thereof. The suction open groove 47a
communicates with a communication hole 47b formed inside the base
end portion 44b. The communication hole 47b is connected to a
suction hose 49 via a joint 48 to communicate with a
not-illustrated negative pressure source such as a vacuum pump.
[0052] The left and right end plates 51 forming the suction
cylinder 50 are fixedly provided on the shaft 30 via keys 52 at
positions adjacent to the suction ducts 44. An arc-shaped guide
plate (guide) 53 having a length of substantially 3/4 of the
circumference of an imaginary circle in a side view, i.e. having a
length long enough to place a maximum-length sheet to be
transported, stretches between the left and right end plates 51.
The guide plate 53 has an arc-shaped guide surface 53a extending
along an arc-shaped transporting route portion C2b in a
transporting route (transporting route of the sheet) C2 of the
paper sheet W (to be exact, a trajectory of a holding portion of
the paper sheet W which includes a gripper 22a and a gripper pad
22b of each gripper bar 22), the arc-shaped transporting route
portion C2b formed outside an arc-shaped travelling route portion
C1b in the travelling route C1 by the travelling of the
aforementioned delivery chains 20 along the arc-shaped travelling
route portion C1b (see FIG. 3).
[0053] Multiple (seven in the illustrated example) elongated
negative pressure boxes 54a to 54g each having a length equal to
the length of the guide plate 53 in the cylinder axial direction
are arranged on a back surface of the guide plate 53 at equal
intervals in the circumferential direction. In each of the negative
pressure boxes 54a to 54g, suction holes 56 are formed in the guide
plate 53 in two rows in the circumferential direction and many in
the cylinder axial direction to communicate with the corresponding
negative pressure box.
[0054] Multiple (seven in the illustrated example to correspond to
the number of the negative pressure boxes 54) communication holes
57a to 57g are formed in each of the left and right end plates 51
at equal intervals in the circumferential direction. Two, i.e.,
left-side and right-side portions of each of the negative pressure
boxes 54a to 54g arc connected to corresponding two of suction
hoses 59a to 59g. Thus, the negative pressure boxes 54a to 54g
always communicate with inner-surface-side opening portions of the
communication holes 57a to 57g through joints 58a to 58g and the
suction hoses 59a to 59g.
[0055] Meanwhile, outer-surface-side opening portions of the
communication holes 57a to 57g in each of the left and right end
plates 51 are sequentially made to communicate with the
aforementioned suction open groove 47a of the corresponding suction
duct 44 and are then sequentially isolated from the suction open
groove 47a at predetermined timings by the rotation of the left and
right end plates 51 (i.e. the suction cylinder 50).
[0056] Due to this configuration, each of the paper sheets W
supplied from the feeding unit and positioned by the register 8 is
transported along a route shown by the arrows in the drawings,
specifically along the circumferential surfaces of the transfer
cylinders 9 to 12, the blanket impression cylinder 2, the transfer
cylinder 13, and the delivery cylinder 21 in this order, and is
subjected to printing simultaneously on both surfaces upon passing
through the printing position P1 between the blanket impression
cylinder 2 and the blanket cylinder 3 from above to below.
[0057] The paper sheets W having been subjected to printing are
transported one by one to the delivery unit by the delivery chains
20 and are piled on a predetermined delivery pile in the delivery
unit.
[0058] Moreover, in the example, the printing condition on one
surface of the paper sheet W transferred from the paper-sheet
gripping device of the transfer cylinder 13 to the gripper bar 22
of the delivery cylinder 21 at a sheet transferring position P2 of
the paper sheet W is detected by a checking camera 23 while the
paper sheet W is transported on the delivery cylinder 21, i.e. in
the arc-shaped transporting route portion C2b in the transporting
route C2 of the paper sheet W.
[0059] In this case, the paper sheet W is brought in contact with a
guide surface 53a of the guide plate 53 which extends along the
arc-shaped transporting route portion C2b, by the air blow
operation of the first air blowing nozzle 25 and the second air
blowing nozzle 26 and by the suction operation of the suction
cylinder 50 in the suction guide 40 to be described later.
Accordingly, in a checking unit of the delivery cylinder 21, the
paper sheet W can be highly accurately checked while being stably
transported.
[0060] Moreover, when the paper sheet W is transferred from the
transfer cylinder 13 and is transported by the delivery chains 20
through the arc-shaped travelling route portion C1b of the
travelling route C1, the travelling speed of the delivery chains 20
and the transporting speed of the paper sheet W are different from
each other due to a difference between the curvature radius of the
arc-shaped travelling route portion C1b of the delivery chains 20
and the curvature radius of the arc-shaped transporting route
portion C2b in the transporting route C2 of the paper sheet W.
[0061] Specifically, when the arc-shaped transporting route portion
C2b of the paper sheet W is located outside the arc-shaped
travelling route portion C1b of the delivery chains 20, the
transporting speed of the paper sheet W in the arc-shaped
transporting route portion C2b of the paper sheet W is faster than
the travelling speed of the delivery chains 20. Moreover, since the
speed of a leading end of the paper sheet W having passed a shift
position S (see FIG. 3) from arc-shaped transporting route portion
C2b to a linear transporting route portion C2a of the paper sheet W
is equal to the speed of the delivery chains 20, a trailing end of
the paper sheet W is transported at a faster speed than the
delivery chains 20.
[0062] The faster speed of the trailing end of the paper sheet P as
described above makes the paper sheet W loose and fluttering of the
paper sheet W occurs. The paper sheet W may be thereby damaged or
rubbed. Moreover, the fluttering of the paper sheet W also makes
the paper sheet W on the guide plate 53 unstable and accurate check
with the checking camera 23 may be hindered.
[0063] In the example, a loose portion of the paper sheet W which
is formed by the speed difference in paper-sheet transport as
described above is smoothly guided without fluttering due to the
suction operation of the suction cylinder 50 in the aforementioned
suction guide 40 and the sheet can be stably transported.
[0064] Specifically, as shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B, when the paper
sheet W is transferred from the paper-sheet gripping device of the
transfer cylinder 13 to the gripper bar 22 of the delivery cylinder
21 at the transferring position P2 (see the transferring position
(I) in FIG. 6A) and the first communication hole 57a formed in each
end plate 51 reaches (communicates with) a front end portion of the
suction open groove 47a formed in the corresponding suction duct 44
due to the rotation of the suction cylinder 50 (see a suction start
position (II) of the first communication hole 57a in FIG. 6A), the
first negative pressure box 54a communicates with the negative
pressure source via the suction hose 59a, the joint 58a, the
communication hole 57a, the suction open groove 47a, the
communication hole 47b, the joint 48, and the suction hose 49, and
suction is performed in the first negative pressure box 54a.
[0065] Due to this, a negative pressure acts on the paper sheet W
transported along the arc-shaped transporting route portion C2b in
the transporting route C2 of the paper sheet W through the many
suction holes 56. As a result, the paper sheet W is brought in
contact with the guide surface 53a of the guide plate 53.
[0066] Thereafter, the second communication hole 57b to the seventh
communication hole 57g sequentially reach (communicate with) the
front end portion of the fixed suction open groove 47a due to the
further rotation of the suction cylinder 50, and suction is
performed sequentially in the second negative box 54b to the
seventh negative box 54g. Accordingly, portions of the paper sheet
W are sequentially brought in contact with the guide surface 53a of
the guide plate 53 from the leading end to the trailing end.
[0067] Then, when the first communication hole 57a passes a base
end portion of the suction open groove 47a (see suction end
position (III) of the first communication hole 57a in FIG. 6B), the
communication between the first communication hole 57a and the
suction open groove 47a is blocked and the suction operation by the
first communication hole 57a is terminated. Thereafter, the second
communication hole 57b to the seventh communication hole 57g
sequentially pass the base end portion of the suction open groove
47a, the communication between the suction open groove 47a and each
of the communication holes is blocked, and the suction operations
by the second communication hole 57h to the seventh communication
hole 57g are terminated.
[0068] In this state, the suction guide 40 is configured to
continuously perform sucking even after passing the shift position
S where the transporting route C2 of the paper sheet W shifts from
the arc-shaped transporting route portion C2b to the linear
transporting route portion C2a, according to the preset length of
the suction open groove 47a from the front end portion to the base
end portion thereof and the preset circumferential length of the
suction guide 40 including the number of the communication holes
57a to 57g and the number of negative pressure boxes 54a to 54g.
Accordingly, even when a loose portion is formed in the paper sheet
W at the shift position S due to the speed difference in
paper-sheet transport described above, a rear half of the loose
portion is sucked to the guide plate 53 by the suction operation of
the suction cylinder 50 and does not flutter. In this state, the
loose portion is held not only when the sheet trailing end passes a
check position K (see check end position (IV) of the checking
camera 23 in FIG. 6B) of the checking camera 23, but also after the
sheet trailing end passes the shift position S. In other words, the
loose portion is held until the communication hole 57g passes the
suction open groove 47a.
[0069] As described above, in the example, since the loose portion
of the paper sheet W formed by the speed difference in paper-sheet
transport is smoothly guided with the fluttering prevented by the
suction cylinder 50, the paper sheet W can be stably transported.
Accordingly, there are no risk of the paper sheet W being damaged
and rubbed and no risk of accurate checking by the checking camera
23 being hindered.
[0070] Moreover, in the suction guide 40, the side surface of each
suction duct 44 is biased to be pushed against the side surface of
the corresponding ring-shaped end plate 51 in the suction cylinder
50. This configuration effectively absorbs an assembly error of the
suction cylinder 50, mechanical vibrations, and the like.
Accordingly, the stable suction operation is achieved and the
reliability is high.
[0071] Moreover, the present invention has such an advantage that a
portion of the paper sheet W having passed the shift position S is
guided to an inner side than the linear travelling route portion
C1a by the air blown from the second air blowing nozzle 26 and the
contact of the paper sheet W to the guide plate 53 is thereby
assisted.
[0072] Note that the present invention is not limited to the
example described above, and various changes can be made within the
scope not departing from the sprit of the present invention as a
matter of course. For example, the structure of the suction guide
including the suction cylinder can be changed and the processing
device such as the checking camera can be changed. Moreover,
although the description is given of the example using both of the
suction guide 40 and the second air blowing nozzle 26 as the
guiding means, only one of the suction guide 40 and the second air
blowing nozzle 26 can be used. In a case where only the second air
blowing nozzle 26 is used, the suction guide 40 may be simply an
arc-shaped guide with no suction force acting thereon. In this case
also, the portion of the paper sheet W having passed the shift
position S is guided to the inner side than the linear travelling
route portion C1a by the air from the second air blowing nozzle 26
and is brought in contact with the guide surface 53a of the guide
plate 53. Moreover, although the guide plate 53 is described as a
single plate, multiple plates can be arranged in the
circumferential direction. In this case, the suction holes 56 and
the negative pressure box 54 are configured to be provided in each
of the plates.
INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY
[0073] The sheet guiding device of the present invention and the
sheet processing apparatus including the sheet guiding device can
be effectively used in a printing press for printing bank notes,
securities, and the like in which quality control is important.
REFERENCE SIGNS LIST
[0074] 1 printing unit [0075] 2 blanket impression cylinder [0076]
3 blanket cylinder [0077] 4 plate cylinder [0078] 5 plate cylinder
[0079] 6 inking unit [0080] 7 inking unit [0081] 8 register [0082]
9 to 12 transfer cylinder [0083] 13 transfer cylinder [0084] 14
feeder board [0085] 20 delivery chain (transporting chain) [0086]
21 delivery cylinder [0087] 22 gripper bar (sheet holding device)
[0088] 22a gripper [0089] 22b gripper pad [0090] 23 checking camera
(processing device) [0091] 24 paired illuminators [0092] 25 first
air blowing nozzle (air blowing means: sheet contact means: guiding
means) [0093] 26 second air blowing nozzle (air blowing means:
sheet contact means: guiding means) [0094] 27 paper-sheet guide
[0095] 28 main unit frame [0096] 30 shaft [0097] 31 bearing [0098]
32 gear [0099] 34 sprocket [0100] 35 key [0101] 36 chain guide
[0102] 40 suction guide (sucking means: sheet contact means:
guiding means) [0103] 41 supporting leg [0104] 42 supporting plate
[0105] 42a half-circular arc portion [0106] 42b base end portion
[0107] 42c spring receiving hole [0108] 43 bolt [0109] 44 suction
duct [0110] 44a half-circular arc portion [0111] 44b base end
portion [0112] 44c spring receiving hole [0113] 45 reamer bolt
[0114] 46 compression coil spring [0115] 47a suction open groove
[0116] 47b communication hole [0117] 48 joint [0118] 49 suction
hose [0119] 50 suction cylinder (rotating body) [0120] 51 end plate
[0121] 52 key [0122] 53 guide plate (guide) [0123] 53a guide
surface [0124] 54a to 54g negative pressure box [0125] 56 suction
hole [0126] 57a to 57g communication hole [0127] 58a to 58g joint
[0128] 59a to 59g suction hose [0129] W paper sheet (sheet) [0130]
H gap [0131] P1 printing position [0132] P2 sheet transferring
position [0133] S shift position from arc-shaped travelling
(transporting) route, portion to linear travelling (transporting)
route portion [0134] K checking position of checking camera [0135]
C1 travelling route of delivery chains (trajectory of delivery
chains: travelling route of transporting chain) [0136] C1a linear
travelling route portion [0137] C1b arc-shaped travelling route
portion [0138] C2 transporting route of paper sheet (trajectory of
holding portion of paper sheet which includes gripper and gripper
pad of each gripper bar: transporting route of sheet) [0139] C2a
linear transporting route portion [0140] C2b arc-shaped
transporting route portion
* * * * *