Sheet feeding or delivering – Feeding – Separators
Reexamination Certificate
2001-12-10
2004-06-01
Walsh, Donald P. (Department: 3653)
Sheet feeding or delivering
Feeding
Separators
C271S102000, C271S107000, C271S167000, C414S797000, C414S903000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06742779
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a method for automatically inserting documents such a microfiches, microfilm jackets or the like to be displayed on a display device and/or copied in a digitizing device. In this method, documents are conveyed one at a time from a holding magazine from a stack of documents to be processed to a document support, and from there to a deposit magazine for the processed documents. The invention, furthermore, relates to a device for carrying out the method.
2. The Prior Art
In light of the fact that the amount of documents that has to be digitized for more comfortable handling and for space reasons in companies, administrative offices and hospitals has grown in the course of time, the time factor plays an important role in connection with the digitizing and filing of such documents.
A commonly employed method for said purpose is to insert the documents individually under the digitizing device by hand and to remove them again manually after they have copied and digitized.
Due to the complicated handling of the documents during feeding, for example when processing microfilm jackets, a put-through of only 30 to 60 jackets per hour can be achieved, which means that new jackets would have to be continually inserted by hand at about 1- to 2-minute intervals. This requires the constant presence of a person while the digitizing device is being operated.
Patent application 198 46 899.7 describes an automated method and a device adapted to said method. It is possible with the help of said method and device to significantly increase the processing speed. The device described in said patent operates with purely mechanical means, which makes the device susceptible to trouble and maintenance-intensive.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Therefore, the invention is based on the problem of controlling or designing a method and a device of the type specified above in such a manner that the expenditure in terms of engineering expenditure remains low; that only a few moving parts are present; and that a reliable mode of operation is achieved nonetheless.
The invention solves this problem in that the top document is lifted up by suction from a stack of documents contained in a holding magazine, to about the level of the document support, and the remaining stack is subsequently kept in the holding magazine by suction in the opposite direction; the document pulled up by suction is then transported to the document support sideways and deposited on the document support by cancelling the suction effect. After the document has been processed, it is lifted up again by suction and transported to the deposit magazine.
A possible way of controlling the method is represented by the following sequence:
The holding magazine is filled.
No document is present on the document support.
The deposit magazine is emptied.
The pump generating the suction effect is shut off.
The suction element is positioned above the filled magazine, while the depositing element is positioned above the still-empty deposit magazine.
The suction device is started.
At least one document is lifted from the stack by suction.
This causes the vacuum to rise and a limit pressure valve is opened.
Any other document that may adhere to the document is removed and sucked back into the magazine; the remaining stack is retained.
The vacuum is controlled down to a lower value.
The document lifted by suction is displaced sideways to the document support.
The suction device is shut off (so that the vacuum will rapidly break down; either a bypass valve is opened and the outlet side of the suction device is briefly closed, or the drive of the suction device is slowed down electrically or mechanically).
The vacuum breaks down; the document drops onto the document support.
The document is digitized.
Following digitizing, the document is lifted from the document support by suction effect as well and transported to the deposit magazine.
Simultaneous with the lifting of the digitized document from the document support, the next document is collected from the holding magazine by suction.
According to a preferred way of controlling the method, in connection with which the limit pressure valve and the second conveyor means transporting the processed document from the document support to the deposit magazine are omitted, the operational sequence is as follows:
The holding magazine is filled.
No document is present on the document support.
The deposit magazine is emptied.
The transport means lifting the document by suction is positioned on top of the filled magazine.
The suction device located in the transport means is started.
At least one document is lifted from the stack by suction.
The suction openings in the transport means are closed, which either actuates a microswitch arranged within the zone of said suction openings, said microswitch generating a signal for cancelling the return suction effect (such a sensor may be located also in another site).
The documents lifted by suction is displaced sideways to the document support.
The suction device in the transport means is shut down.
The vacuum breaks down; the document drops onto the document support.
The transport means is driven away from the document support sideways.
The document is digitized.
Following digitizing, the document is again picked up from the document support by the transport means and transported to the deposit magazine.
After the transport means has ejected the processed document into the deposit magazine, it drives back into the original position above the holding magazine and the sequence starts anew.
A device according to a preferred embodiment is employed in connection with this second variation of the method. This device is characterized in that the plane board provided with the suction openings is part of a housing that is displaceable on guides and divided in two part areas by means of a partition wall, whereby one of the part areas is arranged located above the suction openings and can be evacuated by means of a suction blower arranged in the second part area, whereby the second part area has an opening that is aligned with an opening in the holding magazine so that the air aspirated from the first part area is received in the double-walled bottom part of the holding magazine.
This means that as long as no document adheres to the plane board, covering the suction openings located there, the air moved by the suction blower circulates through the openings in the double-walled bottom area that are aligned with each other, and from there through the openings in the side walls of the magazine and then through the suction openings in the plane board to the suction blower.
Now, when a document engaged by suction adheres to said plane board, the suction openings are closed and the flow of air is interrupted.
A second suction blower located in the bottom zone of the holding magazine is now activated, causing the inner cavity in the holding magazine to be evacuated, so that the remaining stack present in the container is retained and only one single document actually adheres to the plane board of the transport means. As stated above, provision may be made in the plane board for a microswitch serving as the means for triggering the second suction blower, said microswitch being pressed through the document engaged by suction.
Such a microswitch, furthermore, offers the advantage that the document is actively repelled by spring force of said microswitch, which supports the effect of gravity.
A second possibility for triggering the second suction blower is to make provision in the flow of air of the first suction blower for a microswitch that is deflectable against the force of a spring. Said microswitch pivots back into its switching position when the flow of air is interrupted as a document is being engaged by suction.
The aspirated document is deposited on a document support which, according to a further embodiment, preferably comprises a framework corresponding with the document. A glass panel covering the document is pivot-mount
Blanke Jürgen
Schreier Susanne
Collard & Roe P.C.
DRS Digitale Repro Systeme GmbH
Schlak Daniel K
Walsh Donald P.
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