Sheet take-out apparatus

Abstract

A sheet take-out apparatus includes an insertion portion configured to stack and insert a plurality of sheets in an upright state, a supply structure configured to move the plurality of inserted sheets in the stacking direction and supply a sheet at a leading edge in a moving direction to a take-out position at one end of the insertion portion, a take-out structure configured to rotate in contact with the sheet supplied to the take-out position, thereby take out the sheet in a direction almost perpendicular to the stacking direction, and a suction structure configured to permit an air current to act on the sheet, supplied to the take-out position by the supply structure, at the leading edge in the moving direction and absorb the sheet toward the take-out position. Wherein the suction structure, so as to raise the fallen sheet at the leading edge in the moving direction and permit it to face the take-out structure, makes a flow rate of the air current acting on the sheet different in a surface thereof.

1 . A sheet take-out apparatus comprising:
 an insertion portion configured to stack and insert a plurality of sheets in an upright state;   a supply structure configured to move the plurality of inserted sheets in the stacking direction and supply a sheet at a leading edge in a moving direction to a take-out position at one end of the insertion portion;   a take-out structure configured to rotate in contact with the sheet supplied to the take-out position, thereby take out the sheet in a direction almost perpendicular to the stacking direction and horizontal direction; and   a suction structure configured to permit an air current to act on the sheet, supplied to the take-out position by the supply structure, at the leading edge in the moving direction and absorb the sheet toward the take-out position,   wherein the suction structure, so as to raise the fallen sheet at the leading edge in the moving direction and permit it to face the take-out structure, makes a flow rate of the air current acting on the sheet, that is, a flow rate of an air current acting on an upper side portion in a direction perpendicular to the take-out direction of the sheet higher than a flow rate of an air current acting on a lower side portion.   
     
     
         2 . The sheet take-out apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the supply structure supplies the sheet at the leading edge in the moving direction toward the take-out position in a posture that the upper end thereof is inclined toward an upstream side in the moving direction; and   the suction structure makes the flow rate of the air current acting on the neighborhood of the upper end of the inclined sheet at the leading edge in the moving direction higher than the flow rate of the air current acting on the other part.   
     
     
         3 . The sheet take-out apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the suction structure comprises:
 a conveying guide extended along the take-out position and given many through holes;   a suction chamber opposite to an opening connected to the many holes on a back away from the take-out position of the conveying guide; and   a suction apparatus configured to generate an air current to suck air in the suction chamber and draw the sheet to the take-out position via the many holes of the conveying guide,   wherein the many holes of the conveying guide are formed so that an opening area of the holes opposite to the neighborhood of the upper end of the sheet supplied to the take-out position is larger than an opening area of the holes opposite to the other part.   
     
     
         4 . The sheet take-out apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the suction structure comprises:
 a conveying guide extended along the take-out position and given many through holes;   a suction chamber opposite to an opening connected to the many holes on a back away from the take-out position of the conveying guide; and   a suction apparatus configured to generate an air current to suck air in the suction chamber and draw the sheet to the take-out position via the many holes of the conveying guide,   wherein the many holes of the conveying guide are formed so that density of the holes opposite to the neighborhood of the upper end of the sheet supplied to the take-out position is higher than density of the holes opposite to the other part.   
     
     
         5 . The sheet take-out apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the suction structure comprises:
 a conveying guide extended along the take-out position and given many through holes;   a suction chamber opposite to an opening connected to the many holes on a back away from the take-out position of the conveying guide;   a suction apparatus configured to generate an air current to suck air in the suction chamber and draw the sheet to the take-out position via the many holes of the conveying guide; and   a partition wall configured to specify an air flow path in the suction chamber, among the many holes of the conveying guide, so as to suck air starting from the holes opposite to the neighborhood of the upper end of the sheet supplied to the take-out position and then suck slowly from the lower holes.   
     
     
         6 . A sheet take-out apparatus comprising:
 an insertion portion configured to stack and insert a plurality of sheets in an upright state;   a supply structure configured to move the plurality of inserted sheets in the stacking direction and supply a sheet at a leading edge in a moving direction to a take-out position at one end of the insertion portion;   a take-out structure configured to rotate in contact with the sheet supplied to the take-out position, thereby take out the sheet in a direction almost perpendicular to the stacking direction;   a suction structure configured to permit an air current to act on the sheet, supplied to the take-out position by the supply structure, at the leading edge in the moving direction and absorb the sheet toward the take-out position; and   a posture detection portion configured to detect the posture of the sheet, supplied to the take-out position by the supply structure, at the leading edge in the moving direction,   wherein the suction structure, according to detection results by the posture detection portion, switches a position to permit the air current to act on the sheet at the leading edge in the moving direction.   
     
     
         7 . The sheet take-out apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein the suction structure, so as to permit the air current to act on a part where the sheet at the leading edge in the moving direction is away from the take-out position and absorb the sheet to the take-out position, switches the position where the air current acts on the sheet according to the posture of the sheet. 
     
     
         8 . A sheet take-out apparatus comprising:
 an insertion portion configured to stack and insert a plurality of sheets in an upright state;   a supply structure configured to move the plurality of inserted sheets in the stacking direction and supply a sheet at a leading edge in a moving direction to a take-out position at one end of the insertion portion;   a take-out structure configured to rotate in contact with the sheet supplied to the take-out position, thereby take out the sheet in a direction almost perpendicular to the stacking direction and lateral direction; and   a suction structure configured to permit an air current to act on the sheet, supplied to the take-out position by the supply structure, at the leading edge in the moving direction and absorb the sheet toward the take-out position, wherein   the supply structure supplies the sheet at the leading edge in the moving direction toward the take-out position in a posture that the upper end thereof is inclined toward an upstream side in the moving direction; and   the suction structure, so as to permit the air current to act on an upper part of the sheet in a direction perpendicular to the take-out direction of the sheet supplied to the take-out position, via holes formed in an upper part of the take-out structure, permits the air current to act on a neighborhood of an upper end of the inclined sheet at the leading edge in the moving direction, raises the sheet, and permit it to face on the take-out structure.   
     
     
         9 . The sheet take-out apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein the suction structure, via holes arranged under a position where the take-out structure makes contact with the sheet supplied to the take-out position, permits the air current to act also on a neighborhood of a lower end of the sheet at the leading edge in the moving direction. 
     
     
         10 . The sheet take-out apparatus according to  claim 9  further comprising:
 a posture detection portion configured to detect a posture of the sheet, supplied to the take-out position by the supply structure, at the leading edge in the moving direction; and   a controller, on the basis of detection results of the posture detection portion, configured to switch turning on or off the air current acting on the sheet at the leading edge in the moving direction via the upper holes of the suction structure and the air current acting on the sheet at the leading edge in the moving direction via the lower holes.   
     
     
         11 . The sheet take-out apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein the take-out structure comprises:
 a take-out belt having many absorbing holes to make contact with the sheet supplied to the take-out position and move in the almost horizontal direction;   a negative pressure generation structure configured to permit a negative pressure to act on the sheet supplied to the take-out position and absorb the sheet to the take-out belt; and   a negative pressure detection portion configured to detect the negative pressure by the negative pressure generation structure, and   the controller, on the basis of the detection results of the posture detection portion and the detection results of the negative pressure detection portion, to switch turning on or off the air current acting on the sheet at the leading edge in the moving direction via the upper holes of the suction structure and the air current acting on the sheet at the leading edge in the moving direction via the lower holes.