EP0296991B1 - Installation for treating order envelopes for photographic prints - Google Patents

Abstract

An installation for processing of photograph envelopes intended to equip a large photography processing laboratory. The installation includes a picking station, a bar code reading station, a thickness detection station, a station for recognition of shapes and characters, a manual input and introduction station, a marking station, and finally a station for feeding a traditional sorting machine.

Description

The present invention relates to an installation for processing photographic proof pockets intended to equip a large photographic processing laboratory.

In general, orders for photographic work are made by consumers from a retailer, small merchant or large area, which places the photographic proof to be processed (film, disc, paper print, slide, ...) in a special rectangular pocket, one side of which is transparent, and the other side of which contains various indications relating to the work to be carried out, as well as two bar codes, including a retailer identification code and an order identification code which corresponds to this pocket.

These pouches are placed by the retailer in boxes placed on the storefront, and specialized teams collect them each night and transport them before daybreak to the processing laboratory where they are stored in bulk in the bins used for their transport.

Manual pouches are then sorted by common final technical characteristics (for example: film format, surface condition of the paper: matt or glossy, format of the paper print), in order to form batches.

Each of these batches is then brought to a first processing station, where the films, for example, are extracted from their pouches, then glued end to end with simultaneous marking of each film and each pouch in order to obtain, on the one hand, a cassette. containing the films marked and glued end to end, and on the other hand a stack of empty sleeves placed in the same order as these films and marked.

This cassette and the associated pocket stack are then brought to the second photographic processing station, for example for developing the negative in the example considered, and so on, the stack of covers constantly following the corresponding photographic prints.

At the end of technical processing, the finished proofs (negative and paper print for example) are replaced in the corresponding pockets, on which are then manually entered the quantity of proofs processed (number of paper prints in the example considered) and the code recovery, intended for billing and dependent on processing photographic done.

The closed pouch is then sent to the recovery station where billing takes place. It is an automatic machine with a keyboard on which an operator types the quantity of proofs printed and the valuation code that he reads on the cover. This keyboard is linked to a central computer which, based on the latter two data, and the retailer's identification barcode that it reads on the pocket placed for this purpose on the machine, deducts the price to be charged and orders its automatic printing on the cover. On this machine is also read, on the cover, the bar code representative of the order number, which is then (and only now) recorded by the central computer.

The pouches are then sent to an automatic sorting machine, for example of the "LASER SORT" type (registered trademark), in order to be grouped by addresses of retailers and finally re-routed to them.

• ― Le tri d'entrée des pochettes, qui est manuel et qui s'effectue de nuit, nécessite un accroissement de main d'oeuvre proportionnel à l'accroissement de volume des options personnalisées ou des réductions de cycle de production. L'apprentissage des saisonniers est à renouveler chaque année aux périodes nécessaires. Le tri est effectué en cascade avec perte de l'information sur facteur d'identification de l'étape précédente, il est lent, limité dans ses capacités, source d'erreur. Tout changement de produits, de circuits, entraîne des erreurs.
• ― Le marquage de la date d'entrée n'est pas effectué, ce quine permet pas d'avoir une information fiable et maitrisée sur la date de prise en charge par le laboratoire, et handicape la maîtrise des délais.
• ― En ce qui concerne l'identification de la commande:
  • · pour les films avec développement, on connaît après le tri d'entrée et le collage, le nombre de lots à produire par format de film et par type d'option surface, par format papier, par circuit commercial de pochettes associées par lot. On peut donc éventuellement déduire la quantité à traiter. Ces informations ne sont pas saisies ni associées au client ni au numéro de la commande. Elles ne sont pas traitées et sont perdues au niveau statistique,
  • · pour les pochettes plates (retirages), ces informations sont saisies dans le laboratoire, après un tri fin sans enregistrement et sans connaissance du volume,
  • · pour le studio reportage, traitement des travaux des photographes, les pochettes sont enregistrées avec un appareil de lecture de codes à barres, mais le type de commande n'est pas associé au numéro de pochette et au numéro de client.

These traditional installations have the following drawbacks:

• - The manual sorting of the pockets, which is carried out at night, requires an increase in labor proportional to the increase in volume of the personalized options or reductions in the production cycle. Seasonal apprenticeship is to be renewed every year at the necessary times. The sorting is carried out in cascade with loss of information on the identification factor of the previous step, it is slow, limited in its capacities, source of error. Any change of products, circuits, leads to errors.
• - The entry date is not marked, which does not allow reliable and controlled information on the date of treatment by the laboratory, and handicaps the control of deadlines.
• - Regarding the identification of the order:
  • · For films with development, after entry sorting and gluing, we know the number of batches to be produced by film format and by type of surface option, by paper format, by commercial circuit of associated sleeves per batch. We can therefore possibly deduct the quantity to be treated. This information is not entered or associated with the customer or the order number. They are not processed and are lost statistically,
  • · For flat pockets (reprints), this information is seized in the laboratory, after a fine sorting without recording and without knowledge of the volume,
  • · For the reportage studio, processing of photographers' work, the covers are recorded with a barcode reader, but the type of order is not associated with the cover number and the customer number.

• ― La facturation est extrêmement lente, à hauts risques d'erreurs (il est connu statistiquement qu'une saisie clavier provoque une erreur sur 300), peu flexible (empêche la personnalisation), va d'autant moins vite que le volume croît. Les erreurs de saisies au désavantage du laboratoire sont rarement récupérables.
• ― Le marquage de la date de sortie du laboratoire n'est pas effectué. Le carnet de commande n'est connu qu'au moment de la valorisation, alors que le produit sort de l'entreprise.
• ― Le tri de sortie est fait au moins partiellement sur une machine de triage automatique, très onéreuse, dont le taux d'utilisation est extrêmement faible.

The lack of knowledge of the order book upstream of production does not allow to have a short-term forecast organization of production. This knowledge is, however, imperative in order to know the charges and bottlenecks as soon as possible, monitor the service, and reduce costs and deadlines.

• - Billing is extremely slow, at high risk of errors (it is known statistically that a keyboard entry causes an error out of 300), not very flexible (prevents personalization), goes all the more slowly as the volume increases. Data entry errors to the disadvantage of the laboratory are rarely recoverable.
• - The marking of the date of exit from the laboratory is not carried out. The order book is only known at the time of the valuation, when the product leaves the company.
• - The sorting of output is done at least partially on an automatic sorting machine, very expensive, whose utilization rate is extremely low.

• ― un dispositif d'alimentation et d'égrenage automatiques des pochettes, agencé pour fournir ces pochettes une à une, debout sur chant et sur leur grand côté, à un convoyeur de défilement;
• ― un dispositif de lecture automatique des codes-barres portés sur la pochette, suivi d'un dispositif d'éjection automatique des pochettes non lues;
• ― un dispositif de contrôle automatique de l'épaisseur des pochettes, suivi d'un dispositif d'éjection automatique des pochettes trop épaisses;
• ― un dispositif de reconnaissance automatique de la forme des épreuves contenues dans les pochettes, ainsi que des caractères inscrits sur la pochette, suivi d'un dispositif d'éjection automatique des pochettes dont la forme n'a pas été reconnue et/ou dont les caractères inscrits n'ont pas été lus;
• ― un dispositif de saisie et d'introduction manuelles dans la chaîne des pochettes précédemment rejetées ou des pochettes ayant des caractéristiques spéciales;
• ― un dispositif de marquage automatique des pochettes;
• ― un dispositif de synchronisation et d'alimentation automatiques en pochettes d'une machine de tri;
• ― un ordinateur central qui reçoit et enregistre les diverses informations issues des différents postes, et qui fournit en conséquences des ordres de commande synchronisés à ces postes.

The invention aims to remedy all these drawbacks. It relates to a semi-automatic processing installation, at the input and then at the output of the laboratory, pouches containing photographic proofs, respectively before photographic processing then after photographic processing thereof, this semi-automatic installation comprising a series of stations in cascade forming a continuous chain with, from upstream to downstream:

• - an automatic feed and ginning device for the pockets, arranged to supply these pockets one by one, standing on edge and on their long side, to a scrolling conveyor;
• - a device for automatic reading of bar codes worn on the cover, followed by an automatic ejection device for unread covers;
• - an automatic pocket thickness control device, followed by an automatic pocket ejection device too thick;
• - an automatic device for recognizing the form of the proofs contained in the sleeves, as well as the characters inscribed on the sleeve, followed by an automatic device ejection device whose form has not been recognized and / or whose characters entered were not read;
• - a device for manual entry and insertion into the chain of previously rejected pouches or pouches having special characteristics;
• - a device for automatically marking the pockets;
• - a device for automatic synchronization and supply of bags to a sorting machine;
• - a central computer which receives and records the various information from the various stations, and which consequently supplies control orders synchronized to these stations.

The order of successive positions between the feeding and ginning station and the manual entry station for rejected or special bags is entirely arbitrary. As for the different ejection stations, they can be placed in various places in the chain, and be grouped into two stations or even a single ejection station.

• Figure 1 est une vue en plan très simplifiée de cette installation semi-automatique;
• Figure 2 est une vue en perspective partiellement écorchée du poste d'alimentation et égrenage automatiques;
• Figure 3 est une vue en perspective du poste de la lecture automatique des codes-barres;
• Figure 4 est une vue en perspective d'un poste d'éjection;
• Figure 5 est une vue en perspective du poste de contrôle de l'épaisseur des pochettes; et
• Figure 6 montre les quatre positions possibles d'une pochette sur chant en sortie du poste d'alimentation et d'égrenage automatiques.

In any case, the invention will be well understood, and its advantages and other characteristics will emerge during the following description of a nonlimiting exemplary embodiment, with reference to the appended schematic drawings in which:

• Figure 1 is a very simplified plan view of this semi-automatic installation;
• Figure 2 is a partially cutaway perspective view of the automatic feeding and ginning station;
• Figure 3 is a perspective view of the automatic barcode scanning station;
• Figure 4 is a perspective view of an ejection station;
• Figure 5 is a perspective view of the pocket thickness control station; and
• Figure 6 shows the four possible positions of a pocket on the edge of the automatic feed and ginning station.

• ― Poste 1: poste d'alimentation et d'égrenage automatiques des pochettes. Ce premier poste a pour rôle de fournir les pochettes une à une, debout sur chant et sur leur grand côté, au convoyeur de défilement 11 de la chaîne 9.
• ― Poste 2: ce poste comporte successivement un dispositif 12 de lecture des codes-barres portés sur chaque pochette, et un dispositif 13 d'éjection des pochettes dont les codes-barres n'ont pas été lus correctement.
• ― Poste 3: ce poste comporte un dispositif 14 de contrôle automatique de l'épaisseur des pochettes, suivi d'un dispositif 15 d'éjection des pochettes trop épaisses.
• ― Poste 4: ce poste comporte successivement un dispositif 16 de reconnaissance de la forme du contenu de la pochette par ombre chinoise, un dispositif 17 de lecture des caractères (autres que les codes-barres) inscrits sur la pochette, ou vice-versa, et un dispositif 18 d'éjection des pochettes dont la forme du contenu n'a pas été correctement reconnue et/ou de celles dont lesdits caractères inscrits n'ont pas été lus correctement.
• ― Poste 5: à ce poste, les pochettes particulières, par exemple éjectées précédemment, sont introduites manuellement dans la chaîne 9 au moyen d'un convoyeur latéral, après que toutes leurs caractéristiques aient été saisies manuellement sur un clavier 20 relié à l'ordinateur 8 par le réseau local 10.
• ― Poste 6: ce poste comporte un dispositif 21 de marquage a jets d'encre des pochettes: marquage de la date d'entrée et d'un numéro chronologique à l'entrée, marquage de la valorisation (facturation) et de la date de sortie à la sortie.
• ― Poste 7: il s'agit d'un poste de synchronisation et d'alimentation automatiques en pochettes d'une machine de tri 22, par exemple une machine traditionnelle du genre LASERSORT. Il comporte plusieurs volets d'accumulation 23, 24 et un volet d'entrée 25 pour la machine de tri 22.

Referring first to FIG. 1, this machine for automatically processing the filled pouches, at the inlet and at the outlet of the photographic processing laboratory, is in the form of a continuous chain 9, comprising several cascading stations 1 to 7 connected by a local network 10 to a central computer 8. The relative positions of the first station 1, as well as those of the two last 6, 7 are frozen. On the other hand, those of the four intermediate stations 2, 3, 4 and 5 can be other than those according to the present exemplary embodiment. These successive positions are as follows:

• - Station 1: automatic bagging and ginning station. The role of this first station is to supply the pockets one by one, standing on edge and on their long side, to the scroll conveyor 11 of the chain 9.
• - Station 2: this station successively comprises a device 12 for reading the bar codes carried on each pocket, and a device 13 for ejecting the pockets whose bar codes have not been read correctly.
• - Station 3: this station includes a device 14 for automatically checking the thickness of the pockets, followed by a device 15 for ejecting excessively thick pockets.
• - Station 4: this station successively includes a device 16 for recognizing the shape of the contents of the pocket by shadow shadow, a device 17 for reading the characters (other than bar codes) written on the pocket, or vice versa, and a device 18 for ejecting the sleeves, the shape of the contents of which has not been correctly recognized and / or of those whose said written characters have not been read correctly.
• - Station 5: at this station, the specific pockets, for example ejected previously, are manually introduced into the chain 9 by means of a lateral conveyor, after all their characteristics have been entered manually on a keyboard 20 connected to the computer 8 by local network 10.
• - Station 6: this station includes a device 21 for ink jet marking of the sleeves: marking the entry date and a chronological number at the entry, marking the valuation (invoicing) and the date of exit to exit.
• - Station 7: this is an automatic synchronization and supply station with pockets for a sorting machine 22, for example a traditional machine of the LASERSORT type. It comprises several accumulation flaps 23, 24 and an inlet flap 25 for the sorting machine 22.

These successive items will now be described in more detail with reference to all of FIGS. 1 to 6.

The station 1 is shown in detail in FIG. 2. It includes a hopper 26 for receiving the pockets 27, this hopper having a capacity of reception of approximately 1000 pockets for example. At its bottom, it includes a lifting belt 28 with an adherent conveyor belt, driven at an adjustable speed by an electric motor 29.

A delivery brush 30 is rotated by the motor 29, in the same direction as the endless belt 28. It is placed above the belt 28, downstream thereof, and at a height adjusted to let pass in thickness, between the brush and the carpet, a pocket and only one: if two pockets are superimposed, the top pocket is pushed back towards the bottom of the hopper.

At the outlet of the endless lifting belt 28 is placed a gravity outlet ramp 31, consisting of a stainless steel floor, with adjustable slope.

The pockets finally fall, on edge, standing or lying, on a receiving conveyor 32 constituted by a horizontal endless belt driven by a motor 33. At the output of this conveyor 32, they are pressed by suction onto a suction conveyor 70 constituted by a vertical endless belt, made of breathable material, and an extractor hood 34. The pockets 35 which, despite the repressing brush 30, have remained superimposed on another, then fall on a return conveyor 36, composed of an endless belt driven by a motor 37, which is followed by a recycling ramp (return to the hopper 26) comprising two transfer links at right angles 38, 39, an endless belt 40 driven by a motor 41 (FIG. 1) , and a chute 42 for introduction into the hopper 26.

At the outlet of the separation conveyor 70, a template stop 43 causes the vertical pockets 44 to tilt in a horizontal position. The pockets are then routed, and placed longitudinally on edge in the direction of their length, between two guide ramps 45 and 46, one behind the other on the general conveyor of the chain 9 which is composed of an endless belt 11 driven by a motor 47. The pockets are then presented in one of the four positions A, B, C, D drawn at Figure 6.

These pockets 50 then pass in front of the device 12 for reading the two bar codes 48 and 49 (FIG. 6), which is shown in detail in FIG. 3. This device uses a photoelectric cell (not shown) whose concealment by the pocket 50 signals to the computer 8 the arrival of this pocket, and two barcode readers of the scanner type 51, 52 which are located face to face on either side of the conveyor 11 in order to be able to read the codes 48, 49 whatever the position A, B, C or D, of the pocket 50.

The source of the message (scanner 51 or scanner 52) gives the computer an indication of the position (respectively C, D or A, B) of the faces of the cover, while the time between the occultation of the presence cell and the arrival of the message gives him the indication of the position of the code on the cover (at the front as in A and D, or at the back as in B and C).

In the event that neither of the two scanners 51, 52 sends a correct message, the unread pocket 53 is discharged laterally, by means of an ejector 13 consisting of a flap 54 actuated by a pneumatic cylinder 55, in a bin 56 for recovering unread covers.

The other pockets continue their journey on the conveyor 11, between the two guide bars 45 and 46, to arrive at station 3, the first portion of which is drawn in FIG. 5.

The detection of pockets that are too thick is carried out simply by means of two articulated feelers 57, 58 which are each connected to a housing 59, 60 which houses a limit switch. The two feelers 57, 58 are separated by a value equal to the maximum thickness of the pockets. The pockets that are too wide separate the probes from each other and consequently trigger at least one of the two limit switch switches, which gives the computer 8 information about excess thickness. The excessively large pocket is then evacuated using the ejection device 15 (FIG. 1), identical to the device 13 previously described (FIG. 4).

The bags that are not ejected then pass to station 4, where a photoelectric cell (not shown) for entry of the station provides a signal for the presence of a pocket. Each of the devices 16 and 17 is equipped with a camera 61, 62 in front of which is placed, on the other side of the chain 9, a lighting lamp 63, 64 of high power, of the halogen or fluorescent type by example.

According to the information on the position of the pocket which been collected at station 2, the computer assigns to camera 61 or camera 62, as the case may be, the task of pattern recognition or that of character recognition. It also selects the corresponding lighting required.

Pattern recognition is carried out by determining the overall characteristics (surface, perimeter) of the film format, which is seen in Chinese shadow thanks to the lighting (63 or 64 depending on the case) which is located behind the cover.

The characters are read by the other camera in a window located at the front or back of the cover and in one direction or the other depending on the information given by the station 2. The lighting is then fluorescent type and located in front of the pocket.

In the event of non-recognition of shapes or of non-reading of characters, the pocket considered is evacuated by the device 18, which is also identical to station 13 in FIG. 3.

At the next station 5, the bags ejected previously, as well as the special bags, are entered manually on the keyboard 20 and inserted into the chain 9 by the lateral conveyor 19 driven by a motor 65.

All the pockets are then conveyed by the chain 9 to the marking station 6. Here again, a photoelectric cell (not shown) signals the entry of a pocket in this marking area.

The marking device 21 is equipped with two identical ink jet markers 66, 67, which are placed face to face, on either side of the chain 9.

Depending on the position of the pocket (detected at station 9 or fixed for the pockets introduced at 5), the computer 8 controls one or the other marking head 66, 67 and gives it the direction of the marking. In entry, it is the marking of the entry date, and in exit it is the marking of the invoicing and the date of exit. In addition to the entry date, each pocket receives a chronological number allowing it to be individualized: with this number will be associated in memory all the information concerning this pocket. A lot number is also printed.

At station 7, the bags are introduced directly into the sorting machine 22 by means of an accumulation and synchronization device with several barriers 23, 24, 25: there is creation of a buffer zone creating a line waiting to insert the covers. This zone preferably comprises five barriers, only three of them being shown in FIG. 1.

The presence of a pocket in this buffer zone triggers the closing of the barrier located behind this pocket. When the last barrier closes, the buffer zone is saturated and the conveyor stops. The plunging of the pockets towards the buckets of the sorting machine 22 is carried out by a helical ramp, not shown. The last barrier 25 is located at the upstream end of this ramp, as close as possible to the buckets in order to facilitate introduction.

The oversized pockets are entered on a terminal connected to the computer 8 and processed manually.

The machine which has just been described operates as well at the inlet of the pouches to the laboratory, before photographic processing, as at the outlet of the latter, after photographic processing.

In input, it lists and marks the sleeves before sorting them in the machine 22, and in output, it marks the sleeves again (release date and invoicing), before sorting them again for reshipment to retailers .

Of course, the invention is not limited to the embodiment which has just been described. The machine can for example be composed, for a single sorting machine, of two chains 9 working in parallel and feeding together this sorting machine. As mentioned previously, the order of stations 2, 3, 4 and 5 may be different from that shown: station 3 can for example be placed before the others, in order to eject the pockets that are too thick before any automatic reading. We could have only one ejection station common to successive positions 2, 3 and 4 and placed after the last of these. The transport of the pouches could also be conveyed by an air carrier provided with movable clamps. Likewise, the local network can be replaced by a direct computer link.

Claims (5)

1. An installation for processing photographic material, on entering and on leaving a laboratory for processing this material, characterized in that it comprises a series of step by step processing stations (1 to 7) forming a continuous chain with, from first to last:

― an automatic feeding and facing appliance (1) for the envelopes, equipped to supply these envelopes one by one, upright on edge and lengthwise, to a successive feeding conveyor (11);

― an appliance (12) for automatic reading of the bar codes (48, 49) carried on the envelope, followed by an appliance (13) for automatic ejection of envelopes that are not read;

― an appliance (14) for automatic inspection of the thicknesses of the envelopes, followed by an appliance (15) for automatic ejection of envelopes that are too thick;

― an appliance (16, 17) for automatic recognition of the shape of the photographic material contained in the envelopes, as well as characters inscribed on the envelopes, followed by an appliance (18) for automatic ejection of envelopes where the shape has not been recognized and/or the inscribed characters have not been read;

― an appliance (20, 19) for manual entry and introduction into the chain of envelopes previously rejected or envelopes having special characteristics;

― an appliance (21) for automatic marking of the envelopes;

― an appliance (23, 25) for synchronization and automatic feeding of the envelopes to a sorting machine (22);

― a central computer (8) that receives and registers the various items of information generated by the different processing stations, and that supplies in consequence synchronized control orders to these stations.

2. An installation according to Claim 1, characterized in that the automatic feeding and facing station (1) for the envelopes comprises:

― a hopper (26) for reception of the envelopes (27), comprising at its base an elevating conveyor belt (28);

― an appliance (30) to throw back superimposed envelopes, placed above this elevating conveyor (28);

― an exit ramp (31) from this elevator conveyor, suitable to deliver the envelopes on edge to a reception conveyor (32);

― an appliance (33 to 42, 70) to separate and recycle envelopes (35) that have remained superimposed on another envelope;

― a height gauge (43) to cause vertical envelopes to tip over into a horizontal position.

3. An installation according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, characterized in that the appliance (16 or 17) for recognition of shapes consists of a camera (61 or 62) placed on one side of the chain (9) and of an illumination appliance (63 or 64) placed on the other side of that chain, facing the camera, so as to recognize the shape by reading its shadow projection.

4. An installation according to one of Claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the marking appliance (21) comprises two ink-jet markers (66, 67) which are placed face to face, one on each side of the chain (9).

5. An installation according to one of Claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the station (7) for synchronization and feeding of the sorting machine (22) comprises an accumulation station consisting of successive barriers (23 to 25) placed over the successive feeding conveyor (11) of the envelopes.

Images