Sheet-material associating – Associating or disassociating – Sheet associating
Reexamination Certificate
2003-01-24
2004-10-12
Mackey, Patrick (Department: 3651)
Sheet-material associating
Associating or disassociating
Sheet associating
C270S052160, C270S052140, C271S069000, C198S839000, C198S703000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06802503
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a transport mechanism of a sorting machine for large thin paper sheets which sorts and collects large thin paper sheets such as postal matter and, more particularly, to a transport mechanism capable of surely collecting the transported objects.
2. Description of the Related Prior Art
In a sorting machine for large thin objects, which drops transported objects stored in a transport box above collection boxes into which they are to be sorted to collect them, for example, a sorting machine for large postal matter, the maximum size of the transported object and the size of the collection box differ depending on the users, but the transport box is formed to be sufficiently large with respect to transported objects in consideration of general versatility. Accordingly, if the size of the collection box is not smaller than the transport box, it is possible to hold the transported objects, which are stored in the transport boxes, in the collection boxes easily if they are dropped in predetermined timing, by positioning the collection boxes with respect to the transport boxes. However, conventionally, the size of the collection box is made a little larger than the maximum size of the transported object in order to enhance installation space efficiency of the sorting machine for large thin objects, and positioning of the transported objects in the transport boxes is not fixed in many cases. Accordingly, the transported objects which are dropped collide against edges of the collection boxes and they are not necessarily held in the collection box with reliability only by positioning the collection boxes with respect to the transport boxes, and thus there arises the problem that collection errors occur and stop of the operation and the like are caused.
If such a collection error occurs, the transported objects are not loaded into the collection boxes in the order in which they are to be collected. This becomes a serious problem when importance is placed on the order of loading, for example, when they are arranged in the order of delivery.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is made in view of the above-described problems, and consequently, the object of the present invention is to solve the above-described problems of the prior art and provide a transport mechanism of a sorting machine for large thin objects, which makes it possible to collect objects to be transported into smaller collection boxes than transport boxes with reliability by positioning the objects to be transported stored in the transport boxes inside the transport boxes.
A transport mechanism of a sorting machine for large thin objects of the present invention includes supply means which supplies large thin paper sheets given sorting information at least one by one, transport boxes which store and transport the paper sheets from the supply means at least one by one, collection boxes which collect predetermined paper sheets from the transport boxes based on the sorting information, a transporting rail placed between the supply means and the collection boxes, slide means which is attached to the rail to be relatively movable and moves at least from the supply means to the collection box while supporting the transport box, drive means which moves the slide means, and means which drops the aforementioned paper sheets stored in the aforementioned transport boxes into the aforementioned collection boxes, in a place directly above the aforementioned collection boxes, and the rail is twisted around a center line by predetermined length to tilt the slide means and the transport boxes, which move following this rail, correspondingly to the twist.
It is preferable that the large thin paper sheets are postal matter, and the slide means is a free chain.
It is preferable that the rail is twisted so that it is twisted at a region away from a position facing the collection boxes by a predetermined distance to an upstream side and return to a horizontal state just in front of the collection boxes.
Further, the twist of the rail is sharply applied in a short distance at the beginning and when it returns to the horizontal state, twist is gradually returned in a sufficient distance.
It is preferable that the collection boxes are provided with positioning means which position the collection boxes with the transport boxes to be transported, and the size of the collection box is a little larger as compared with the maximum size of the paper sheets to be collected.
Another transport mechanism of a sorting machine for large thin objects of the present invention includes supply means which supplies large thin paper sheets given sorting information at least one by one, transport boxes which store and transport the paper sheets from the supply means at least one by one, collection boxes which collect the predetermined paper sheets from the transport boxes based on the sorting information, a transporting rail placed between the supply means and the collection boxes, slide means which is attached to the transporting rail to be relatively movable and moves at least from the supply means to the collection box while supporting the transport box, drive means which moves the slide means, means which drops the paper sheets stored in the transport boxes into the collection boxes, in a place directly above the aforementioned collection boxes, a guide member which is placed along the transporting rail and twisted by predetermined length, guide rollers which are attached to outer surfaces of the transport boxes and slide to engage in the guide member, and rotating means which rotatably supports the transport boxes with respect to the slide means, and the transport boxes, which move following the transporting rail and the guide member, are tilted according to the twist of the guide member.
It is preferable that the large thin paper sheets are postal matter, and the slide means is a free chain.
It is preferable that the guide member are twisted so that it is twisted at a region away from a position facing the collection boxes by a predetermined distance to an upstream side and return to a horizontal state just in front of the collection boxes, and the twist of the guide member is sharply applied in a short distance at the beginning and when it returns to the horizontal state, twist is gradually returned in a sufficient distance.
It is preferable that the collection boxes are provided with positioning means which position the collection boxes with the transport boxes to be transported, the size of the collection box is a little larger as compared with the maximum size of the paper sheets to be collected.
According to the transport mechanism of the present invention as described above, the transport boxes under transporting movement are tilted, whereby the objects to be transported stored in the transport boxes can be positioned at a fixed position inside the transport boxes, and the objects to be transported can be collected into the smaller collection boxes than the transport boxes with reliability.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4706951 (1987-11-01), Leu
patent: 5050851 (1991-09-01), Eugster
patent: 5667211 (1997-09-01), Reist
patent: 5921538 (1999-07-01), Schlough
patent: 6227378 (2001-05-01), Jones et al.
Iida Kazuhito
Ikegami Kenichi
Mackey Patrick
Sughrue & Mion, PLLC
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