AUTOMATIC SELECTOR FOR FILE CASES

Abstract: A selector for automatically selecting only a specified case among a number of file cases capable of containing en bloc. various sorted documents, films, drawings, etc. This selector utilizes a spiral rotor which can exactly separate the specified case from the other cases, and incorporates various mechanisms for reliably exposing the specified case. When setting the code number of the specified case by operating a "controller", this automatic selector can thereafter operate the various mechanisms fully automatically to thereby expose the specified case only out of the row of the other cases to be easily extracted.

Description: SPECIFICATION: TITLE OF THE INVENTION: AUTOMATIC SELECTOR FOR FILE CASES FIELD OF THE TECHNOLOGY: The present invention relates to an apparatus for automatically selecting only designated file cases among a number of thin file cases which are randomly held in a single or a number of racks, said file cases containing materials such as clinical charts, X-ray film for each patient in a hospital or various papers, drawings, films, cards etc. which are classified for each case, goods, client, area, time etc. in public offices and private offices. BACKGROUND OF THE TECHNOLOGY: "System A" Designated file cases are exposed in a slanted state toward the front (facing an operator, the same reference is applied to words "rear" and "left and right"). This system is a combination of the structures described in Japanese Examined Patent Publications Nos. 36036/1974, 27400/1975, 8516/1978 and 6878/1978 and Japanese Examined Utility Model Publication No. 15358/1978 etc. "System B" A model obtained by improving the system A (Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 113799/1976) in which the designated cases are ejected horizontally toward the front. The publications described above are all invented by the inventors of the present patent application). "System C" The designated file cases are drawn using an electromagnet or a permanent magnet. No publication has officially been found even though the technique is used somewhere in Japan. DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION: System A has the advantages of a simple structure and reliable operation since gravity is effectively utilized, while having disadvantages in that it is not easy to draw the exposed portion of designated file cases in slanted position with fingers since the exposed portion is very limited and the projection formed in the lower side of the file cases enters into a recess which is produced by the lowering of code bars and in that it is impossible to carry out the next designated file case selecting operation before the exposed designated cases are removed. System B, which is designed to overcome the disadvantages of the system A, also has disadvantages in that device for accelerating the descending of the designated file cases is retained; a large amount of energy is temporarily required (a sudden increasing of the rotational torque of a motor) since both the front and rear end portions of all file cases in a rack must be simultaneously lifted up in a series of operations; and a part of the code bars having insufficient strength must support a whole weight of all file cases in the rack for a long time when the selector apparatus is not in use (before the initiation of the selecting operation) thereby causing an unstable holding condition for the file cases in the rack so that there is a risk of faulty operation. This system has the further disadvantage of the drawing other cases adjacent to the designated cases when they are drawn out. System C is poor practical utility, since the atractive force of the magnet is too small to ensure the exposure of the designated cases. Accordingly, this technique is not compared with the present invention. In order to overcome the disadvantages of the conventional techniques described above, the following features are employed in the invention of the present application (referred to as the present invention below): 1. A spirally rotating means (referred to as a spiral rotor below) is used as a descending acceleration means for the designated cases to accurately separate the designated file cases from other file cases. 2. Energy required for lifting up all file cases (rotational torque of a motor) is reduced to about a half by raising the front and the rear lift bars (reference numerals (10) and (8)) separately (sequentially). 3. A specially provided bar (referred to as a special bar, the reference numeral (12)) is utilized so that it normally supports the rear end portion of all file cases in the rack (before the operation of each member in the selector begins); keeps all the cases held in the rack in a stable condition in association with a front lift bar (10) supporting the front end portion of all the file cases; and sufficiently descends after the initiation of effective function of a spiral rotor (1) so as not to prevent the functioning of each members in the selector and ascends until said members complete the series of operations to return to the original positions so as to support the rear end portion of all the file cases again. 4. In order to provide the above-described features, the rotational angle of a driving shaft (13) is determined corresponding to the movement of each said important member, the shapes of various cams, rollers, gears etc. fixed to the driving shaft and the arrangement of these elements are improved and adjusted to reduce any sudden change of load on the motor. 5. A separation angle bar (9) is so designed as to assure the separation of designated cases from other cases and to limit the forward movement of all the file cases except the designated cases when they are ejected. With these features, the automatic selector of the present invention overcomes the disadvantages of the conventional techniques and performs the best function. Patent applications concerning a similar concept have been filed in Japanese Patent Office (Patent Application No. 68362/1978), U. S. Patent and Trademark Office (Serial No. 872, 117 which was granted on June 1979) and U. K. Patent Office (Application No. 2826/78 which is estimated to be granted until June 1980). Those application have not been published. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS: Drawings show an embodiment of the present invention wherein Figure 1 is a schematic view showing a concept of the present invention; Figure 2 is a partially removed plane view of an arrangement of an important portion; Figure 3 is a plane view of a spiral rotor (a side view and a sectional view of a part of the rotor are added); Figure 4 is a side view of a driving shaft (13) and an arrangement of parts fitted to the shaft and Figures 5 to 7 are sectional views showing a series of steps of the operation of important parts. PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION: In the description concerning to the preferred embodiment, the concept of the function of the present invention will be described with reference to Figure 1. The code number for the designated file case is converted to an electrical signal by operating a push button (6a) of a controller (6) or inserting a read-out card (7) into the controller so that the electrical signal is fed to an electrical system located at the corner (inside the portion (4b)) of a selector. Various means inside the selector are operated by the electrical system whereby the designated file cases (2) are sequentially or simultaneously (for example, three file cases in Figure 1) drawn out from other aligned file cases (2') and onto a front supporter (5). Thus, the designated file cases will be easily taken out. The electrical system comprises a series of solenoids which lower code bars (3) having the code numbers for the designated file cases and a motor for rotating a driving shaft (13) 360 , as main components. A detailed description of the electrical system is omitted. Figure 2 shows an arrangement of important elements held in the selector wherein the reference numeral (1) designates a spiral rotor and (3) designates aligned code bars. A front supporter (5), not shown, covers the spiral rotor (1). The reference numeral (8) designates a rear lift bar, (9) designates a separation angle bar, (10) designates a front lift bar, (11) designates a push-off angle bar, (12) designates a special bar (a specially provided bar), (13) designates a driving shaft5 (13b) designates an auxiliary driving shaft and (14) designate partition plates which are positioned with their lower ends adjacent to the upper surfaces of the aligned code bars and are vertically held to form a rack devided into several small spaces having an appropriate width. As shown in Figure 4, the driving shaft (13) comprises a gear wheel (13') for transmitting a rotating force to a spiral rotor shaft (1") and the auxiliary driving shaft (13b), an elongated roller (13") for lifting the lowered code bars (3) and cams (without reference numeral) having various shapes which operate said members (8), (9), (10), (11), (12) so as to suitably operate important members during the rotation of 360". Figure 3 shows the structure of the spiral rotor (1) which performs the most important function of the apparatus of the present invention. The spiral rotor (1) comprises the shaft (11) effecting rotation by the same angle as that of the driving shaft (13) imparting the rotating force and a slightly spiral blade (1') fixed to the driving shaft so that the front edges of all file cases held in the rack (2), (2') are sequentially lifted up by the edge of the blade (1') rotating in the arrow direction. Only one blade (1') is attached to them shaft (1") in Figures 2 and 3. However, two or three blades (1') may be attached to the shaft to operate them simultaneously. This reason is as follows. The operation and effect of the spiral rotor is greatly affected by the twist angle of the blade. In accordance with the result of experiments, it is desirable to provide an angle of 90" for a blade having a length of 500 mm in a normal condition (a file case including up to about 30 sheets of ordinary papers of A4 size). Accordingly, when the width of the rack is larger or greatly larger than 500 mm, it is desirable to provide blades having a twist angle as mentioned before at two or three positions on the shaft (1"). The width of the blade (the radius of rotation of the blade edge portion) is normally so determined as to lift up the front ends of the file cases (2), (2') about 15 mm. The entire function of the apparatus of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 5 to 7 wherein the symbols such as a, b, c for important elements designate the position in the steps of aHbHc --,e for the important elements. Figure 5 shows the position of the important elements in the selector of the present invention before the selecting operation starts (i. e. in the time of no use of the selector). All the code bars (3) are in the highest position (3a). The upper surface of the front lift bar (10) is in a position slightly higher (such as 2 - 3 mm) than that of the highest position (3a) for the code bars so as to hold the front edges of all the file cases (2a), (2'a) and the special bar (12a) is in the highest position (the upper surface of the bar (12a) is in a position 2 - 3 mm higher than the highest position (3a) of the code bars so as to hold the rear end portion of the file cases. The front supporter (5a) is in the highest position to limit the forward move ment of all the file cases which are prevented from moving backwards by a stopper (15) fixed at the rear portion of the rack structure. Thus, all the file cases are maintained in a stable condition. The rear lift bar (8a) together with the separation angle bar (9a) and the push-off angle bar (lea) which are pivotally held by the rear lift bar are in the lowest position and the separation angle bar (9a) is slightly turned outwards, while the longer side of the push-off angle bar (lea) is held upright so as not to prevent the designated file cases (2a) from descending. The blade of the spiral rotor (la) is ready for lifting up the front end portion of the file cases (2), (2'). When the controller (6) is operated to output the code number signal for the designated file cases (see Figure 6), the code bars corresponding to the code number descend to the position (3b) and then the driving shaft (13) is actuated to turn by about 50 whereby the front lift bar descends to the position (lOb) and the special bar descends to the position (12b) (the lowest position) so as not to prevent the designated file cases (2) from descending. The blade of the spiral rotor lifts up all the file cases from the position (lb) to the position (2b), (2'b) as shown by the dotted line and the driving shaft (13) (the spiral rotor (1)) is rotated to release the file cases in the position (2b), (2'b) by the blade (1') so that the designated file cases descend to the position (2c) and the other file cases are held in the position (2'c); thus the position (2c) is vertically spaced from the position (2'c) so as to produce a space between the rear and lower projections of the file cases located at the positions (2c) and (2'c). The function of the spiral rotor when the file cases are moved from the position (2b), (2'b) to the position (2c), (2'c) will be described. In the position (2b), (2'b) in which only the front end portion of the file cases (2), (2') are lifted up, the gravity center of the file cases (2), (2') is also raised from Ga to Gb. In this state, when the blade of the spiral rotor is disengaged from the file cases to release them from the position (2b), (2'b), gravity acts on Gb, causing the falling of the entire file cases with the rear end in the position (2b), (2'b). However, file cases other than the designated file cases are stopped in the position (2c) by the supporting of the projections in the lower side of the file cases by the upper surface of the code bars (3b) in the raised position, whereas the designated file cases continue to fall down by overcoming the friction with the adjacent file cases stopped in the position (2'c) due to the inertia of falling since the code bars corresponding to the projection of the lower side of the designated file cases are already descended and are finally stopped in the position (2c) because the projections of the lower side are supported by the upper surface of the descended code bars. When the file cases are not tightly packed in the rack resulting in only a slight friction between the designated file cases and the adjacent file cases, the designated file cases sometimes fall to the position (2c) without the functioning of the spiral rotor. In this state, the same result can be obtained by actuating the spiral blade. As the driving shaft (13) continues the rotation, the separation angle bar (9) enters into the space between the positions (2c) and (2'c) and this state is maintained (Figure 6). In Figure 7, following the entrance movement of the separation angle bar (9), the front lift bar starts to ascend and reaches the highest position (10c). Next, the rear lift bar (8) also starts to ascend and approaches the highest position (8e). At this moment, the push-off angle bar (11) rotates in the arrow direction because of the pulling force of a spring (not shown) to take the position (lle). When the push-off angle bar is moved to such a position, the upper side of the bar strongly pushes the rear lower cut portions of the designated file cases (2d) to eject them to the position (2e). In this case, the spiral blade (1') faces completely downwards to lower the front supporter in the lowest position (5e) so as not to prevent the file cases from being ejected from the position (2e). The other, non-designated, file cases are held in the position (2'e) and the rear lower projection of the cases are supported by the upper side of the angle bar (9) while the cut portions in the lower surface of the projections of the file cases in the position (2'e) are engaged with the stepped portions formed in the upper surface edge of the angle bar. Accordingly, when the designated file cases are ejected to the position (2e), the adjacent cases located in the position (2'd) are not drawn out from the position (2'e) by the friction. The various elements are returned to the original position as shown in Figure 5 until the driving shaft (13) stops after it finishes the rotation of 360" so as to safely perform the next selecting operation for designated file cases. In the operation of each important element, when certain file cases are held in the rack with an inclination greater than a degree such as about 15 , an operational trouble may occur. In order to prevent such a trouble and to satisfy the requirement of partitioning spaces for receiving the file cases etc. partition plates (14) are used to provide small spaces as shown in Figure 2. It is necessary to attach a metallic plate to the bottom and the inside of the front side portion of the file cases so as to slightly increase the weight of the file cases and so as to shift the gravity center toward the front end of the file cases so that the functioning of the spiral rotor is assured, as well as to increase the strength and durability of the file cases (Japanese Examined Utility Model Publication No. 15358/1978). INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY: The apparatus of the present invention is greatly effective for transacting business in public offices and private offices, especially, the handling of clinical charts and X-ray films in the medical field.

Claims: CLAIMS: 1) In an automatic selector for file cases for selecting only designated file cases among a number of file cases (referred to as cases hereinafter) which are provided with projections and concave portions corresponding to a code number at their lower portion and which are randomly held in a rack formed with partition plates, an improvement which comprises a controller (6) for transmitting a code number for designated cases to a selector as an electrical signal by operating a push button or a read-out card and various members inside the selector which are operable by receiving said signal, wherein only designated cases (2) are exposed from the other aligned cases (2') by a series of operations of said various members. 2) An automatic selector according to Claim 1 which comprises an electrical system comprising a series of solenoids which allow the lowering of code bars for designated code numbers among a large number of code bars (3) arranged in parallel by receiving signal from said controller (6) and a motor for actuating adriving shaft (13) to effect one turn. 3) An automatic selector according to Claim 1 wherein a spiral rotor (1) is used to assure separation of the designated file cases (2) from the other cases (2'). 4) An automatic selector which comprises a rear lift bar which pivotally holds a separation angle bar (9) for entering the space between the rear lower projections of the designated cases (2) and the other cases (2') which are vertically separated by the action of the spiral rotor (1) so as to maintain a separated state for the cases (2), (2') and a push-off angle bar (11) acting to the rear lower cut portions of the designated cases (2) to force the designated cases (2) out, said lift bar being vertically movable at a desired time and for a desired distance. 5) An automatic selector according to Claim 1 which comprises a front bar (10) which is normally in a raised position to hold all file cases in the rack in association with a special bar (12); is capable of lowering during the operation of the spiral rotor so as not to prevent the function of the spiral rotor; and operates to lift up the front end portions of all file cases (2), (2') when said push-off angle bar (11) ejects the file cases so as not to prevent the ejection of the designated cases (2). 6) An automatic selector according to Claim 1 which comprises a spiral bar (12) which is normally in a raised position to hold the rear end portions of all file cases in the rack so that the weight of all the file cases is shared in association with said front bar (10) for holding the rear end portions of all the file cases in the rack and which descends during effective operation of the spiral rotor (1) and at the ejecting operation of the push-off angle bar (11) so as not to prevent the functions of these means. 7) An automatic selector according to Claim 1 wherein the lifting-up movement of the front lift bar (10) is not overlapped in timing to that of the rear lift bar (8) so that load of a motor is reduced. 8) An automatic selector according to Claim 1 which comprises a front supporter (5) which is normally in a raised position to limit the forward movement of all file cases (other than already ejected designated cases) in the rack; allow the rotation of the spiral rotor and are lowered when the designated cases (2) are ejected so as not to prevent the forward movement of the cases. 9) An automatic selector according to Claim 1 which comprises a single driving shaft (13) provided with various means such as gears, rollers, cams in order to allow said important elements described in Claims 3 to 8 to operate these functions. 10) An automatic selector according to Claim 1 which comprises combination of one or two of members described in Claims 2 to 9 and a like.

Inventors: MATSUDA, TAKAYUKI, MATSUDA, CHIAKI
Applicants: MATSUDA, CHIAKI, MATSUDA, TAKAYUKI
Application year: 1981
Main classification: G06K21
IPC codes: G06K21