FR2921352A1 - STACKING DEVICE FOR POSTAL MAILING. - Google Patents

Abstract

The device (40) has a conveying system (41) for conveying postal items (P) towards a stacker (42) in which the items are stacked one behind the other on a narrow surface along a certain longitudinal direction. A deflector (53) is provided between the conveying system and the stacker. The deflector is oriented in a slanting manner with respect to the conveying system to move apart an upper edge of the items with respect to the direction.

Description

The invention relates to a stacking device for postal items comprising a conveyor system of shipments to a packer in which the postal items are stacked on edge in a longitudinal direction one behind the other to form a stack. In general, such a stacking device is located at a sorting outlet of a sorting machine.

FIG. 1 diagrammatically shows such a postal sorting machine 1.

The sorting machine 1 conventionally comprises a feed inlet 2 with a magazine and an unstacker for serialization on the edge of postal items, an acquisition system 3, and a conveyor belt 4 which directs the consignments to sorting outlets 5 aligned next to each other, each sorting outlet 5 being provided with a stacking device.

The acquisition system 3 acquires the image of the surface of each postal item having the distribution address information A. In addition, the acquisition system 3 is generally coupled to a processing system for OCR automatic address recognition and an operator coded video system. The decoding of the distribution address A determines a sorting destination for the sending which corresponds to a sorting output of the machine.

This type of machine 1 is intended to sort the shipments in several sorting passes, for example in two sorting passes.

In Figure 2, there is illustrated the detail of a sorting outlet 5 comprising a stacking device according to the prior art.

Classically, a stacking device 20 of postal items P comprises a conveyor system 21 for conveying the items to a packer 22.

The conveying system 21 moves a mailpiece P along the sorting outlets 5 via a main conveyor 23. Flaps 15 of switches 28, arranged along the conveying path of the main conveyor 23 at the level of each stacking device 20 directs a shipment to a stacking conveyor 24 of a particular stacking device.

The main conveyor 23 is constituted by a main belt 25 which extends along the sorting outlets 5 and by an insertion belt 26 which extends between two sorting outlets and a segment of which runs along the main belt 25. The main belt 25 is driven in motion by at least one motorized pulley (not shown). In FIG. 2, arrow 30 indicates the direction of movement of the main conveyor 23.

The stacking conveyor 24 is constituted by a segment of an adjacent insertion belt 26 and by a stacking belt 27. The stacking belt 27 extends partly between two insertion belts 26. sorting adjacent and partly between the insertion belt 26 and the corresponding packer 22. The insertion belt 26 and the stacking belt 27 have a common segment in friction so that the driving of the insertion belt 26 can cause the stacking belt 27. Consequently, the direction of movement of the postal items P is the same in the conveyors 23 and 24, that is to say from left to right in the example of FIG. In addition, the speeds of the conveyors 23 and 24 are substantially identical for a postal item P to pass from one to the other continuously. In FIG. 2, the arrow 31 indicates the longitudinal direction of displacement of the stacking conveyor 24.

In operation, a postal delivery P on edge pinched in its lower part between the two belts 25 and 26 is transported along the sorting outlets 5. The rotation of a switching flap 28 directs the shipment P to a conveyor d 24. The mailpiece P is pinched in its lower part between the insertion belt 26 of an adjacent stacker and the stacking belt 27 to be inserted at the rear of the stack of mail items P .

In FIG. 2, it is shown that the stacking belt forms a segment substantially perpendicular to a jogging wall 29 separating the packers of adjacent sorting outlets. The postal items P are thus stacked on edge one behind the other between a segment of the stacking belt 27 and a movable pallet 30 spring-biased, and pressed against the jogging wall 29.

However, such stackers do not handle a wide range of postal items, especially when the rate reaches 40000 letters per hour. Some postal items will tend to hit the last shipment of the stack thus forming a jam that requires the costly intervention of an operator.

The object of the invention is to overcome these disadvantages by providing a simple, inexpensive stacking device which is suitable for a wide spectrum of mail.

For this purpose, the subject of the invention is a stacking device for postal items comprising a system for conveying the items to a packer 20 in which the postal items are stacked on edge in a certain longitudinal direction one behind the other to form a stack, characterized in that there is provided a baffle between the conveying system and the packer, the baffle being oriented obliquely with respect to the conveying system so as to spread an upper edge of the shipments with respect to said direction longitudinal.

According to a particular embodiment of the stacking device according to the invention, the deflector is disposed at an upper top corner of a C4 format when it is stacked in the packer.

According to another particular embodiment of the stacking device according to the invention, the baffle forms an angle of approximately 30 ° with said longitudinal direction.

According to yet another particular embodiment of the stacking device according to the invention, there is provided a second deflector which, with the first deflector, is arranged in such a way as to define a baffle path 15 for the upper edge of the items.

According to a particular embodiment of the stacking device according to the invention, the conveying system comprises a pulley disposed at the inlet of the packer on which is engaged a conveyor belt which is arranged to bend the lower part of the items. In particular the pulley is a grooved pulley.

According to a particular embodiment of the stacking device according to the invention, the pulley and said first deflector are arranged in such a way as to bend an upper part of the items.

The invention extends to a postal sorting machine comprising the stacking device.

The invention will be better understood on reading the description which follows in relation to the drawings. This description is given as an illustrative and non-limiting example of the invention.

Figure 1 schematically illustrates a top view of a postal sorting machine.

FIG. 2 illustrates the detail of a top view of a sorting outlet comprising a stacking device according to the prior art.

Figure 3 illustrates a postal item seen from the front.

FIG. 4 illustrates a partial perspective view of a stacking device according to the invention.

FIG. 5 illustrates a view from above of a stacking device according to the invention.

Figure 6 illustrates a schematic top view of the stacking device according to the invention.

Figure 7 schematically illustrates a partial side view of the stacking device according to the invention.

FIGS. 1 and 2 have previously been described with reference to a stacking device according to the prior art. In the following figures, the identical reference numerals refer to identical elements whose functions are identical.

In FIG. 3, a postal item P having a delivery address information A is illustrated. This mailing can designate a simple letter or a small or large flat object such as a magazine, an envelope with or without window, newspaper, catalog with plastic envelope or paper with or without bellows ... In the postal field, there are envelopes according to size or ISO-269 format of the mail they are intended to contain. For example, for a sheet in A4 format, AS ... corresponds respectively to a C4, C5 format envelope. A C4 format envelope whose dimensions are 229 millimeters by 324 millimeters is therefore intended to contain a sheet in A4 format. whose dimensions are 210 millimeters by 297 millimeters. A C5-size envelope measuring 162 millimeters by 229 millimeters is intended to contain an A5-size sheet whose dimensions are 148 millimeters by 210 millimeters.

Various experiments have made it possible to highlight that the C4 format postal items generate an unacceptable proportion of stuffing when they are inserted into the mail stack. In particular, a current C4-format mail to be inserted tends to collapse on itself due to its size. Such a current mail generally strikes the previous mail already inserted into the stack and causes a jam.

FIGS. 4 and 5 show the stacking device 40 according to the invention comprising a conveyor system 41 for sending to a packer 42 in which the postal items P are stacked on edge one behind the other to form a stack. of items P shown in Figure 4 schematically for reasons of clarity.

Advantageously, the stacking device 40 comprises according to the invention a guide plate 50 or sliding edge disposed at the rear of the stack between said conveying system 41 and the packer 42. The guide plate 50 extends over the along the stacking belt 27 forming a bend. This bent shape of the stacking belt 27 defines an oblique portion 51 relative to the stack of items P indicated by the arrow 31 which extends in a substantially parallel portion 52 to the stack of items P. The oblique portion 51 extends between the main belt 23 and the packer 22 to move the shipments between these two elements.

The guide plate 50 is disposed in the inner portion of the endless stacking belt 27 so that the items are moved in front of the guide plate 50. In addition, the guide plate 50 extends over the belt. stacking 27 to support the top of shipments when they are inserted into the stack, especially C4 format shipments that tend to collapse due to their size.

The guide plate 50 comprises in its oblique portion 51 a first deflector 53 extending beyond the guide plate 50 to the stack of postal items. The first deflector 53 deviates from the guide plate 50 in the conveying direction 31, so it forms a drop in the guide plate which extends obliquely in a direction transverse to the plate.

As illustrated very schematically in FIG. 6, the first deflector 53 oriented obliquely with respect to the conveying system 41 moves a rear top corner of a mailpiece P2 stacked in the packer 42 with respect to the direction indicated by the arrow 31 thus forming an inlet cone 54. This inlet cone 54 is an open space prepared for the postal delivery P2 following the shipment P1. The postal item P2 has with the entry cone 54 sufficient space in its upper part to fit into the packer 42 behind the shipment P1. With the stacking device 40 according to the invention, a stack of mail items of extended spectrum is formed without causing jamming.

For example, the guide plate has a height of about 220 millimeters. The first deflector 53 is disposed at a height of about 220 millimeters, at a distance of about 180 millimeters from the jogging wall 29, and constitutes a substantially square tab about 40 millimeters at an angle of about 30 degrees. relative to the guide plate 50. Advantageously, the first deflector 53 disposed at the top of the unstacking plate 50 only deflects the top of the mailpieces in C4 and above format while the foot of the mail is guided by the belt of stacking 27.

In a particular embodiment, the stacking device according to the invention further comprises a second deflector 55 disposed opposite and slightly upstream of the first deflector 53 in the conveying direction indicated by the arrow 31.

The second deflector 55, also of elongated shape, is slightly curved at its furthest end in the conveying direction indicated by the arrow 31 so as to follow the shape of the guide plate 50. The second deflector 55 is disposed at a height of 20 ° C. 220 mm so that the postal item P2 is guided in its upper part between the guide plate 50 and the deflector 55. Consequently, the first 53 and the second deflector 55 define a baffled path for the upper edge of a postal item even C4 format which is then kept straight in its upper part before insertion into the mailing stack.

The second deflector 55 is disposed vertically above a grooved pulley 56 which constitutes the last pulley in the conveying direction 31 on which the insertion belt 26 is engaged.

The pulley 56 is a bone-shaped groove pulley, i.e. it comprises a substantially spherical boss 56a and 56b at each of its ends. The insertion belt 26 engages between the two projections 56a and 56b of the pulley 56.

As previously explained, the pulley 56 being arranged opposite the stacking belt 27, the postal item P2 is pinched and moved between the stacking belt 27 and the insertion belt 26. In addition, in FIG. it is shown that the bosses 56a and 56b extend horizontally slightly above and below the stacking belt 27.

With this arrangement, the postal item P2 is bent in its lower part which has the effect of increasing its rigidity and facilitate its insertion into the sending stack P. Moreover, the deflector 53 extends out of the guide plate 50 beyond the stacking belt 27 so as to cause a second bending in the upper part of the mailpiece P2, the second bending being curved in a direction opposite to the first bending.

Consequently, the postal item P2 that is released from the insertion belt 26 is doubly curved thus made sufficiently rigid not to collapse on itself and to be moved only by the stacking conveyor 27 and an effect ballistic.

With this arrangement according to the invention, a postal item is inserted right on edge in an entry cone 54 formed behind the stack of postal items disposed in the packer 42. The risk of jamming postal items is thus avoided.

Alternatively and without departing from the scope of the invention, a twisted belt twice as described in patent documents FR2555974 or FR2868760 can replace the stacking and inserting belts 27.

Claims (8)

1) Stacking device (40) for mailpieces (P, P1, P2) comprising a conveyor system (41) for shipments to a packer (42) in which the postal items are stacked on edge in a certain longitudinal direction ( 31) one behind the other to form a stack, characterized in that there is provided a deflector (53) between the conveying system (41) and the packer (42), the deflector being oriented obliquely to the conveying system such as to move an upper edge of the shipments relative to said longitudinal direction. 2) stacking device according to claim 1, wherein said deflector (53) is disposed at a top top corner of a C4 format when it is stacked in the packer. 3) Device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said baffle (53) forms an angle of about 30 ° with said longitudinal direction (31). 4) Device according to one of claims 1 to 3, wherein there is provided a second deflector (55) which, with the first deflector (53), is arranged in such a way as to define a baffle path for the upper edge shipments.15 5) Device according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the conveying system comprises a pulley (56) disposed at the inlet of the packer on which is engaged a conveyor belt which is arranged to bend the lower part of the items. 6) Device according to claim 5, wherein the pulley (56) and said first baffle are arranged so as to bend an upper part of the shipments. 10 7) Device according to claim 6, wherein said pulley is a grooved pulley. 8) Postal sorting machine comprising sorting outlets, characterized in that each sorting outlet comprises a stacking device according to one of claims 1 to 6.5