JPH04197944A - Sheet-by-sheet paper feed detecting device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To correctly confirm plurally separated sheet bodies suction-held by a suction plate or the state of different kinds of sheet bodies being mixed together by forming sheet body detecting mechanism of a detecting head brought into contact with the sheet body and a sensor for detecting the change position of the detecting head. CONSTITUTION:The detecting head 62 of sheet body detecting mechanism 18 disposed in the vicinity of a suction plate 16 is brought to face sheet bodies 14 suction-held by the suction plate 16 so as to detect the quantity of displacement caused by the deflection of the sheet bodies 14 by a sensor 52. Plurally separated suction-held sheet bodies 14 are confirmed from the detected displacement quantity.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention [Industrial Application Field] The present invention detects the amount of deflection of a sheet body by a sheet body detection mechanism that comes into contact with a sheet body suction-held by a suction cup, and detects the amount of deflection of the sheet body. The present invention relates to a sheet body single wafer detection device that makes it possible to check individual sheets.

[Prior Art] A sheet body single-fed apparatus suctions and conveys a sheet body, for example, a photographic material, to a predetermined position under the displacement action of a suction cup communicating with a vacuum supply source. That is, sheets are taken out one by one from a supply magazine in which sheets such as photographic materials (e.g., X-ray film, etc.) and graphic arts films are stacked and stored, and sent to the next process (e.g., exposure, development, etc.). Transfer by suction. In this case, if a plurality of sheet bodies are brought into close contact with each other due to static electricity or the like, these plural sheet bodies will be conveyed to the next process. In order to avoid this, conventionally, the sheet body sucked by a suction cup is once introduced into a sheet body detection means consisting of a pair of rollers,
Based on the thickness of the sheet sandwiched between the pair of rollers, it is detected whether or not there are a plurality of sheets. That is, the thickness of the sheet that is about to pass through the rollers is set in advance on the thickness displacement meter, and when two or more sheets are held between the pair of rollers, the thickness displacement meter is set in advance. Since the gap between the rollers of the pair of rollers is larger than the set range of , it is determined whether or not a plurality of sheets are being processed based on the amount of displacement.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, in the sheet body single-fed apparatus according to this prior art, since the sheet body is thin (for example, around 0.2 mm), two sheets of this type are required. It has been pointed out that there is a problem in that it is difficult to accurately detect whether or not there are two sheets when the sheets are conveyed in a manner that overlaps each other. Moreover, if the mechanical connection between the thickness displacement meter and the rollers of the roller pair is not assembled precisely, the difference between two sheets and a single sheet will be different in the thickness displacement meter. It cannot be detected at all.

Furthermore, since the sheet is conveyed while being pressed between a pair of rollers, the photosensitive material coated on one side of the sheet may be damaged by the rollers, making it difficult to record high-quality images. are doing.

The present invention has been made to solve this kind of problem, and uses a sheet detection mechanism facing the sheet held by a suction cup to detect the amount of change according to the deflection of the sheet. It is an object of the present invention to provide a sheet body detection device that makes it possible to check a plurality of sheets.

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides a method for suction-holding the uppermost layer of sheet bodies among stacked sheet bodies and transporting the sheets one by one to a predetermined position. a suction cup; and a sheet body detection mechanism disposed near the suction cup and facing the sheet body suctioned by the suction cup, the forward bending sheet body detection mechanism detecting contact with the sheet body. It is characterized by comprising a head and a sensor that detects the amount of displacement of the detection head.

[Function] In the above-mentioned sheet body single wafer detection device according to the present invention, the detection head of the sheet body detection mechanism disposed near the suction cup faces the sheet body sucked and held by the suction cup to detect the sheet body. The amount of displacement caused by the bending is detected by a sensor, and the number of sheets held by suction can be confirmed from this amount of displacement.

[Embodiments] Preferred embodiments of the sheet body single wafer detection apparatus according to the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 10 indicates a sheet detection device according to this embodiment. This sheet body detection device includes a suction cup 16 for sequentially suctioning and holding sheet bodies, for example, photographic light-sensitive materials 14 stacked in a supply magazine 12, and a suction cup 16 for sequentially suctioning and holding sheet bodies, for example, photographic light-sensitive materials 14, stacked in a supply magazine 12, and 14
The sheet body detection mechanism 18 is provided at a position that abuts near the end of the sheet body. Although a supply magazine is used in this embodiment, it is not necessarily limited to this.
Any structure that allows sheet bodies to be stacked and placed may be used.

The suction cup 16 and the sheet body detection mechanism 18 are connected to the driving means 22.
Displaced integrally through. The drive means 22 includes a rotational drive source 24, and a rotating shaft 26 connected to the rotational drive source 24 via a boob and a belt has a guide bar 22.
8 is inserted perpendicularly thereto, and further the guide bar 28
A block-shaped holder 30 is fixed to and supports a rod 32.

One end of the rod 32 is inserted into the guide groove 34, and the end thereof is fixed to a belt 36, and this belt 36 is inserted into the guide groove 34. The hooks are passed through J38a and 38b, and a rotational drive source 40 is connected to these pulleys 38a and 38b.

On the other hand, a suction cup 16 is attached to the holder 30, and this suction cup 16 has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped-shaped non-flexible base body 42 and a flexible suction cup main body 44.

The base body 42 has a thickness that does not deform during the suction operation of the photographic light-sensitive material 14, while the suction cup body 44 has a thickness that allows it to hold the photographic light-sensitive material 14 during the suction operation of the photographic light-sensitive material 14. It is sufficient that the

The holder 30 also includes a conduit 46 whose one end communicates with a vacuum switching valve (not shown) and whose other end communicates with the suction cup 16.
are connected.

As shown in FIGS. 2a and 3, the sheet body detection mechanism 18 includes a boss-shaped seat 48 located near the suction cup 16 and fixed to the rod 32, and a pivot support on this seat 48. It consists of a detection rod 50 and an optical sensor 52. The detection rod 50 is provided with three adjustment parts, and the first sensor adjustment part is located above the catch seat 48 and moves up and down between the light emitting part 52a and the light receiving part 52b of the optical sensor 52 consisting of a photosensor. It consists of a screw 54 that adjusts the length of the upper end of the detection rod 50 that moves. Screw 5 which is the second spring adjustment part
Reference numeral 6 is located downward from the middle of the test rod 50, and one end of the compression coil spring 58 is fitted into the annular recess on the lower end side of the seat 48 in order to adjust the spring pressure of the compression coil spring 58. engaged. The third detection head adjustment section includes a screw 6 that adjusts the length of a detection head 62 made of synthetic resin located at the lower end of the detection rod 50.
It is 0. An oil-less bearing 64 that pivotally supports the detection rod 50 is disposed inside the catch seat 48.
Smooth vertical movement of the

In addition, FIG. 2 shows the optical sensor 5 shown in FIG. 2a.
An embodiment is shown in which a displacement sensor 80 is used instead of the optical sensor 2, and the configuration is the same except for the optical sensor 52.

Next, with reference to FIG. 4, a conveyance system incorporating the sheet detection device configured as described above will be described.

A guide roller 66 is disposed close to the outlet side of the supply magazine 12, and
A conveying mechanism 70 is provided for delivering the photographic material 14 removed from the photosensitive material 14 to an outlet 68 on the automatic processor side.

This conveyance mechanism 70 includes roller groups 72a to ? 2d, 73
a to 73d and belts 74.7 attached to these, respectively.
5, and the photographic light-sensitive material 14 is provided with this roller group 72a to ? 2d, 73a to 73d and a bell) 74.75, then transported downward in the figure, then directed upward, and further transported in the horizontal direction via guide plates 76a to 76c and a pair of rollers 77. It is then sent from the outlet 68 to an automatic developing machine (not shown).

Next, the sheet body single wafer detection device 1 configured as described above is explained.
0 and the operation of the transport system will be explained.

Supply magazine 12 is loaded. Next, under the action of the rotational drive source 40, the pulleys 38a, 38b and the belt 3
6, the rod 32 is displaced toward the supply magazine 12. The detection rod 62 of the sheet body single detection mechanism 18 detects the supply magazine 1 under the action of the compression coil spring 58.
The suction cup 16 approaches the photographic material 14 while being pressed against the end of the photographic material 14 in the uppermost layer in the photosensitive material 14 .

The suction cup 16 descends a predetermined distance and stops with a slight gap between it and the photosensitive material 14.

At this time, the suction cup 16 has started suctioning at a predetermined height slightly apart from the photosensitive material 14.
The photosensitive material 14 is sucked up without coming into contact with the photosensitive material 14, and the photosensitive material 14 is suctioned. When the photosensitive material 14 is suctioned, a negative pressure is detected by a sensor disposed in relation to the suction cup 16.

As a result, the end of the photographic material 14 is curved by the sheet detection mechanism 18 that protrudes below the base 42 of the suction cup 16, as shown in FIG. 2a.

Therefore, when one sheet of the photographic material 14 is suctioned and held by the suction cup 16, the rigidity of the photographic material 14 and the elastic force of the compression coil spring 58 of the sheet detection mechanism 18 are balanced, and the sheet The body detection mechanism 18 pushes the photosensitive material 14 by a predetermined amount, and the upper end of the detection rod 50 does not enter between the light emitting part 52a and the light receiving part 52b of the optical sensor 52, and the light from the light emitting part 52a is transmitted to the light receiving part. 52b is reached.

On the other hand, when two or more sheets of photographic light-sensitive material 14 are sucked and held by suction cup 16, the rigidity of photographic light-sensitive material 14 increases, and the edges of these photographic light-sensitive materials 4 do not curve downward as much. The upper end of the detection rod 50 enters between the light emitting part 52a and the light receiving part 52b against the biasing force of the compression coil spring 58 of the body detection mechanism 18, and enters a state in which the light source of the optical sensor 52 is blocked. As a result, it is detected that a plurality of photographic materials 14 are suctioned and held by suction #16. When a plurality of photosensitive materials 14 are detected in this way, the signal is used as a trigger signal to cause the rotational drive source 40 to rotate forward again, and the suction cup 16 is displaced toward the supply magazine 12 again. . and,
At a predetermined position, the vacuum state is released by a vacuum switching valve to remove the photographic material 14, and then the suction operation begins again.

On the other hand, if different types of photosensitive materials 14 are mixed in the supply magazine 12, the rigidity of the photosensitive materials 14 will change, so in FIG. The upper end of the photosensitive material 50 blocks the light source of the photosensor 52, and as shown in FIG. Photosensitive material 1
It is possible to change the single wafer operation (for example, the amount of tilting) and the processing conditions depending on the type of 4.

Next, when the suction cup 16 reaches a predetermined position under the action of the rotary drive source 40, the rotary drive source 40 is deenergized, and the rotary drive source 24 is driven to move the rod 32 through the rotary shaft 26. rotates within a predetermined angular range, and the photographic material 14, which is suctioned and held by the suction cup 16, is delivered to the conveyance mechanism 70.

In this case, the suction effect of the photosensitive material 14 by the suction cup 16 is released, while the roller groups 72a to 72d, 73a to 73d, belts 74.
The photosensitive material 14 is first conveyed downward through the guide plates 76a to 75, and then directed upward through the guide plates 76a to 7.
6C, and is conveyed in the horizontal direction from an outlet 68 to an automatic developing machine (not shown).

In this embodiment, the sheet body is explained by taking as an example the photographic light-sensitive material 14 after image recording has been completed, but the sheet body is not limited to this, and may also be used in the case of an unexposed photographic light-sensitive material or a graphic arts film. Of course, it can be used in the same way. Further, although a photosensor is described as a preferred embodiment of the sensor, it is also possible to use a linear encoder, potentiometer, etc. in accordance with the operation of the detection rod.

Thereby, the number of sheets can be detected based on the amount of displacement.

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, the sheet detection device according to the present invention has the following effects and advantages.

The top layer of the stacked sheet bodies is held by suction with a suction cup, the sheet body detection mechanism is made to face this sheet body, and the amount of displacement due to the deflection of the sheet body is detected by the sensor of the sheet body detection mechanism. . Therefore, it is possible to accurately confirm a plurality of sheets held by the suction cup, or when different types of sheet bodies are mixed together.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a sheet detection device according to the present invention, FIG. 2a is a schematic vertical sectional view of a sheet detection mechanism, and FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of another embodiment of the sheet detection mechanism 3 is an exploded perspective view of the sheet detection mechanism shown in FIGS. 2a and 2s. FIG. 4 is a schematic explanatory diagram of the sheet detection device and the conveyance system. 10... Sheet body single wafer detection device 14... Photographic photosensitive material 16... Suction cup 18... Sheet body detection mechanism 22... Drive means 32... Rod 48... Seat 50... ...Detection rod 52...Optical sensor 58...Compression coil spring 62-...Detection head

Claims (3)

[Claims] (1) A suction cup for suctioning and holding the topmost sheet among the stacked sheets and transporting the sheet to a predetermined position, and a suction cup disposed near the suction cup so that the suction cup a sheet body detection mechanism facing the sheet body being attracted; the sheet body detection mechanism is characterized by comprising a detection head that comes into contact with the sheet body, and a sensor that detects a displacement amount of the detection head. Single sheet detection device. (2) In the sheet body individual detection device according to claim 1,
A sheet characterized in that the sensor is composed of an optical sensor having a light emitting part and a light receiving part, and detects a plurality of sheets of the sheet body by exposing one end of a detection rod extending from a detection head to the optical sensor. Body single leaf detection device. (3) In the sheet body individual detection device according to claim 1,
1. A sheet body detection device, wherein the sensor detects a plurality of sheets of the sheet body by detecting the amount of displacement of a detection head.