JPH10265095A - Paper sheet stacking device - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [PROBLEMS] To provide a technique capable of easily and surely confirming the presence or absence of paper sheets in a plurality of accumulation boxes. SOLUTION: In a sheet stacking apparatus for stacking sheets in a plurality of stacking boxes, a plurality of stacking boxes transmitting light and a plurality of stacks forming a row in a specific direction among the plurality of stacking boxes. The light-emitting unit includes a light-emitting unit that emits light that passes through the inside of the box, and a light-receiving unit that detects light that has passed through the plurality of accumulation boxes that form a row in the specific direction.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a sheet stacking apparatus for stacking sheets in a plurality of stacking boxes, and more particularly to detecting the presence or absence of sheets in a plurality of stacking boxes arranged in a matrix. The present invention relates to a technique which is effective when applied to a paper sheet stacking apparatus.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a conventional paper sheet stacking apparatus for sorting and stacking postal items such as paper sheets, a large number of stacking boxes, usually 150 to 400, are provided in a matrix, and mail address information is stored. , And mails are sorted and accumulated in the large number of accumulation boxes based on the address information.

[0003] During operation of the conventional paper sheet stacking apparatus, mails are sequentially taken out of the full stacking box, and after all mails are sorted and stacked, the mails are sorted and stacked. The mail is taken out from all the collecting boxes.

[0004] In the conventional paper sheet stacking apparatus, the mails in the stacking box are all taken out by the operator's hand.
As mentioned above, since there are many bins, for example, if you forget to take out the mail from the bin with a very small stacking amount, or if you intend to take out all the mail in a bin, It is quite possible that mail remains in the bin.

[0005] If the mail remains in the stacking box, the remaining mail will be mixed with the mail to be processed next time, causing a delay in delivery or an erroneous delivery. For this reason, after the sorting and stacking by the paper sheet stacking device is completed and the mail is removed from the stacking box by the worker, it is necessary to check whether or not any mail remains in all stacking boxes. is there.

However, in the conventional paper sheet stacking apparatus, it is very troublesome to visually check the presence / absence of all the mails in a large number of stacking boxes. There is also a possibility that confirmation may be omitted in the upper stacking box or the like of the stacking stacking boxes.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 5-97278 discloses a paper remaining amount detecting device for detecting "small remaining amount" or "out of paper" of a sheet by using an actuator and an optical sensor which rotate in conjunction with the amount of stacked sheets. Have been.

By detecting the presence or absence of mail in all the collecting boxes by such a configuration, the trouble of visual confirmation can be saved. However, in the case of a paper sheet stacking apparatus having a large number of stacking boxes as described above, mounting the actuators and the optical sensors in all the stacking boxes causes a significant increase in cost.

[0009]

By the way, in the conventional paper sheet stacking apparatus, it is necessary to check whether or not any paper sheets remain in all the stacking boxes. Visually checking the presence or absence of all paper sheets is a very time-consuming task.Because it is visual, there is a possibility that confirmation may be missed, especially in the upper stacking boxes in a matrix. There was a problem.

Further, in the above-mentioned conventional paper sheet stacking apparatus, if the presence or absence of mail in all the stacking boxes is detected by the actuators and the optical sensors provided in all the stacking boxes, the trouble of visual confirmation is required. However, in the case of a paper sheet stacking apparatus having a large number of stacking boxes, mounting the actuators and the optical sensors in all the stacking boxes has a problem that the cost is greatly increased.

An object of the present invention is to provide a technique capable of easily and reliably confirming the presence or absence of paper sheets in a plurality of stacking boxes.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a technique capable of confirming the presence / absence of paper sheets in a plurality of stacking boxes constituting a plurality of rows with a smaller number of light emitting units and light receiving units. is there.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a technique capable of immediately confirming whether paper sheets remain in a plurality of stacking boxes.

[0014]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention, in a sheet stacking apparatus for stacking sheets in a plurality of stacking boxes, light passing through a plurality of stacking boxes forming a row in a specific direction is detected. Thus, the presence or absence of paper sheets in a plurality of stacking boxes in the row is detected.

When the sheets are sorted and stacked by the sheet stacking apparatus, the sorted sheets are stacked in one of a plurality of light-transmitting stacking boxes.

The light emitting section of the sheet stacking device emits light passing through a plurality of stacking boxes forming a row in a specific direction, and the sheets are stacked in any one of the plurality of stacking boxes. If present, the light from the light emitting unit is blocked, and the light receiving unit detects that a sheet is present in any of the stacking boxes in the row.

As described above, according to the paper sheet stacking apparatus of the present invention, the presence or absence of paper sheets in the plurality of stacking boxes is detected by the light passing through the plurality of stacking boxes forming a row in a specific direction. Therefore, it is possible to easily and reliably confirm the presence or absence of paper sheets in a plurality of stacking boxes.

[0018]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A paper sheet stacking apparatus according to an embodiment for detecting presence or absence of mail in a plurality of stacking boxes arranged in a matrix in the sheet stacking apparatus of the present invention will be described below. I do.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a sheet stacking apparatus according to the present embodiment. In FIG. 1, 1 is a hopper, 2
Is a separation section, 3 is a conveyance path, 4 is a reading section, 5 is a conveyance path,
Reference numeral 6 denotes a branch conveyance path, 7 denotes an accumulation unit, 8 denotes an operation unit, 9 denotes a display, and 10 denotes a residual confirmation button. As shown in FIG. 1, the paper sheet stacking apparatus of the present embodiment reads mail address information and sorts and sorts mail based on the mail address information.
1 shows a stacking device, in which mails are fed out one by one by a separation unit 2 from a bundle of mails placed on a hopper 1.

In the sheet stacking apparatus of the present embodiment, the mail fed out by the separation unit 2 passes through the transport path 3 and
After being conveyed to the reading unit 4, the address information is read by the reading unit 4, it is conveyed to the branch conveyance path 6 through the conveyance path 5. In the branch transport path 6, based on the address information read by the reading unit 4, the mail is sorted into each stage, and then the mail is transported to a stacking unit 7 including a plurality of stacking boxes arranged in a matrix. It is accumulated in the accumulation box assigned based on the address information read by the reading unit 4.

As shown in FIG. 1, in the paper sheet stacking apparatus of the present embodiment, eight stacking boxes are mounted in one row of the stacking unit 7, but the sheet stacking apparatus is increased or decreased according to the number of rows. The number of stacking boxes per unit can be changed, and usually 150 to 400 stacking boxes are often mounted.

FIG. 2 shows a sheet stacking apparatus 1 according to this embodiment.
It is a figure which shows the outline | summary of the presence / absence detection of the mail in an accumulation box for every column. In FIG. 2, 20 is a mail, 21 is a collecting box,
Reference numeral 22 denotes a gate, 23 denotes a lamp, 24 denotes an accumulation box, 30 denotes a transport direction, 35 denotes a light emitting unit, and 40 denotes a light receiving unit. As shown in FIG. 2, in the detection of the presence or absence of mail in the stacking box in units of one row, the light passing through the plurality of stacking boxes transmitting light and the plurality of stacking boxes forming one row in a specific direction is detected. Emitting light emitting part 35
And a light receiving unit 40 for detecting light that has passed through a plurality of collecting boxes forming one row in the specific direction.

In the paper sheet stacking apparatus of the present embodiment, the postal matter 20 sorted by the branch conveyance path 6 is conveyed in the direction of the arrow 30 and reaches the accumulation box 21 where the mail is to be accumulated. Stacking box 2 branched from 5
1 are integrated. Above each stacking box, a lamp 23 indicating the full state of the mail 20 in the stacking box is mounted, and from above the uppermost stacking box 21 to below the lowermost stacking box 24, 1 lamp is provided. A light-emitting unit 35 that emits light that passes through a plurality of accumulation boxes for rows is mounted.

The light emitting section 35 and the light receiving section 40 of the present embodiment
Is composed of, for example, a light-emitting device that emits laser light or infrared light and a light-receiving device that receives the light, and detects the presence of the object when the light from the light-emitting unit 35 is blocked by an object such as the postal matter 20. is there.

All the components in the stacking box are mounted so as to avoid the optical axis through which the light from the light emitting section 35 passes, or
A hole is made in a portion through which light from 5 passes, so that the light from the light emitting section 35 is blocked only when the postal matter 20 is in the stacking box. In addition, a portion through which the light from the light emitting unit 35 passes in the stacking box is made of a transparent material through which the light from the light emitting unit 35 passes, and only when the postal matter 20 is in the stacking box, the light emitting unit 35 The light may be shielded.

Next, a procedure for sorting mails 20 using the paper sheet stacking apparatus of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.

In the sheet stacking apparatus of the present embodiment, mails 20 are sequentially placed on the hopper 1 by an operator, fed out one by one, and sorted and stacked in the stacking section 7. Usually, since there are thousands to tens of thousands of mails 20 to be processed at one time, the worker supplies the mails 20 to the hopper 1 one after another,
On the other hand, another worker sequentially takes out the mail 20 from each stacking box which is full and the lamp 23 is turned on.

When the sorting and stacking of all the mails 20 is completed, the mails 20 are taken out from all the stacking boxes. It may cause delivery. For this reason, after taking out the postal matter 20 from all the collecting boxes, it is necessary to confirm whether or not the postal matter 20 remains in the collecting box. Then, the user presses the residual check button 10 provided on the operation unit 8 of the paper sheet stacking apparatus to check whether the mail 20 remains in the stacking box.

At this time, if the postal matter 20 remains in the stacking box 21 as shown in FIG. 2, the light from the light emitting unit 35 is blocked, and the light receiving unit 40 detects the postal matter 20 remaining. When the light receiving section 40 detects the postal matter 20, all the lamps 23 of the stacking boxes in that row are blinked, whereby the worker is informed that the postal matter 20 remains in the stacking section 7 and the postal mail in which row. It is possible to know whether the object 20 remains.

If there is a line where the lamp 23 is blinking, the operator takes out the mail 20 from each stacking box in that line,
It is possible to confirm that no postal matter 20 remains in the stacking unit 7 only by checking that the lamps 23 of all the rows are not blinking.

As described above, according to the sheet stacking apparatus of the present embodiment, the presence or absence of sheets in the plurality of stacking boxes is determined by light passing through the plurality of stacking boxes forming a row in a specific direction. Since detection is performed in units of rows, it is easy to check the presence or absence of paper sheets in a plurality of storage boxes with fewer light emitting units 35 and light receiving units 40 without providing a sensor for detecting paper sheets in all storage boxes. And it is possible to perform it reliably.

FIG. 3 shows a sheet stacking device 2 of the present embodiment.
It is a figure which shows the outline | summary of the presence / absence detection of the postal matter 20 in a collection box by a column unit. In FIG. 3, 25 is a lamp, 36 and 3
7 is a mirror. As shown in FIG. 3, the presence / absence detection of the mail 20 in the stacking box in units of two rows is a notification means for indicating that the mail 20 is present when the mail 20 is present in any stacking box. The lamp 25 and mirrors 36 and 37 which are optical axis direction changing means for changing the direction of light emitted from the light emitting unit 35 to a direction passing through a plurality of stacking boxes forming another row different from the row in the specific direction. Have.

In the sheet stacking apparatus of the present embodiment, two adjacent rows in a specific direction among a plurality of stacking boxes arranged in a matrix of the stacking unit 7 are regarded as one block and the mail 20
When detecting the presence or absence of light, the light from the light emitting unit 35 is refracted by the mirrors 36 and 37 so that the light from the light emitting unit 35 passes through all the collecting boxes in the block.

FIG. 4 shows a sheet stacking device 3 according to the present embodiment.
It is a figure which shows the outline | summary of the presence / absence detection of the postal matter 20 in a collection box by a column unit. In FIG. 4, 38 and 39 are mirrors. As shown in FIG. 4, the mail 2 in the collection box in three-row units
In the detection of the presence / absence of 0, the mirror 36 serving as optical axis direction changing means for changing the direction of light emitted from the light emitting unit 35 to a direction passing through a plurality of stacking boxes forming a plurality of other rows different from the row in the specific direction. 37 and mirrors 38 and 39.

In the paper sheet stacking apparatus of the present embodiment, three adjacent rows in a specific direction among a plurality of stacking boxes arranged in a matrix of the stacking unit 7 are formed as one block.
When detecting the presence / absence of light, the light from the light emitting unit 35 is refracted by the mirrors 36 and 37 and the mirrors 38 and 39 so that the light from the light emitting unit 35 passes through all the collecting boxes in the block. To

That is, in the presence / absence detection of the postal matter 20 shown in FIG. 2, the presence / absence of the postal matter 20 in the one-line stacking box is detected by one set of the light emitting part 35 and the light receiving part 40. 4
In the detection of the presence / absence of the postal matter 20 shown in FIG. 5, the light from the light emitting section 35 is refracted by the mirrors 36 and 37 and the mirrors 38 and 39, so that two rows in FIG. 3 and three rows in FIG. The presence or absence of the mail item 20 in the box is determined by a set of light emitting portions 35.
And the light receiving unit 40 can detect it.

Similarly, in the paper sheet stacking apparatus of the present embodiment, a set of the light-emitting unit 35 and the light-receiving unit 40 includes the mail items 20 in the stacking box of four or more rows and all the stacking boxes arranged in a matrix. It is also possible to detect the presence or absence of the postal matter 20 in the inside.

In the presence / absence detection of the postal matter 20 shown in FIG. 2, when the remaining postal matter 20 is detected, all the lamps 23 provided in each stacking box are turned on and off.
As shown in (1), one lamp 25 is provided for each block in which the presence / absence of the mail 20 is detected by a set of the light emitting unit 35 and the light receiving unit 40. When the remaining mail 20 is detected, this lamp 25 is used. May be made to blink.

In the above-described paper sheet stacking apparatus, the method of notifying the remaining mail item 20 by blinking the lamp 23 or the lamp 25 is adopted. Information such as the presence or absence of a row or block of postal matter 20 and the number of the row or block of postal matter 20 may be displayed on a display 9 of the operation unit 8.

Further, in the paper sheet accumulating apparatus of this embodiment,
Although the light from the light emitting section 35 is refracted by the mirrors 36 and 37 or the mirrors 38 and 39, the direction of the optical axis may be changed by another optical axis direction changing means such as an optical fiber.

As described above, according to the sheet stacking apparatus of the present embodiment, the presence or absence of sheets in the plurality of stacking boxes is caused by the light passing through the plurality of stacking boxes forming a row in a specific direction. Is detected, it is possible to easily and reliably confirm the presence or absence of paper sheets in a plurality of stacking boxes.

According to the sheet stacking apparatus of the present embodiment, the presence or absence of sheets in the plurality of stacking boxes is detected by the light passing through the plurality of stacking boxes forming the plurality of rows. It is possible to confirm the presence / absence of paper sheets in a plurality of stacking boxes constituting a plurality of rows with a smaller number of light emitting units and light receiving units.

Further, according to the paper sheet stacking apparatus of the present embodiment, when there is a paper sheet in any one of the stacking boxes, it is notified that the paper sheet is present. It is possible to immediately confirm whether or not any kind remains.

[0044]

According to the present invention, the presence or absence of paper sheets in a plurality of stacking boxes is detected by light passing through the plurality of stacking boxes forming a row in a specific direction. It is possible to easily and surely confirm the presence or absence of paper sheets.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of a sheet stacking apparatus according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an outline of detecting presence / absence of a mail in a stacking box in a unit of one row of the sheet stacking apparatus of the present embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an outline of detection of the presence / absence of a mail item 20 in a stacking box in units of two rows of the sheet stacking apparatus of the present embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an outline of detection of presence / absence of a mail item 20 in a stacking box in a unit of three rows of the paper sheet stacking apparatus of the present embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Hopper, 2 ... separation part, 3 ... conveyance path, 4 ... reading part, 5 ... conveyance path, 6 ... branch conveyance path, 7 ... stacking part, 8 ... operation part, 9 ... display, 10 ... residual confirmation button, 20
… Mail, 21… stacking box, 22… gate, 23… lamp, 24… stacking box, 30… transport direction, 35…
0: light receiving unit, 25: lamp, 36 and 37: mirror, 3
8 and 39 ... Mirror.

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A sheet stacking apparatus for stacking sheets in a plurality of stacking boxes, comprising: a plurality of stacking boxes transmitting light; and a plurality of rows forming a row in a specific direction among the plurality of stacking boxes. A paper sheet stacking device, comprising: a light emitting unit that emits light passing through a stacking box; and a light receiving unit that detects light passing through a plurality of stacking boxes forming a row in the specific direction. 2. An optical axis direction changing means for changing a direction of light emitted by the light emitting unit to a direction passing through a plurality of stacking boxes constituting another row different from the row in the specific direction. The paper sheet stacking device according to claim 1, wherein: 3. A device according to claim 1, further comprising a notifying means for notifying that a sheet is present when there is a sheet in any one of the stacking boxes. Paper sheet stacking device.