JP2002230612A - Medium delivery unit and medium releasing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To simplify the design of a medium releasing device. SOLUTION: The medium delivery unit 31 comprises a medium storage part 32, sensors for detecting the length and thickness of a medium, a path of conveyance for conveying the medium, and a reject allotting gate 41 for feeding defective media in the direction of a reject storage part 43 while feeding normal media in the direction of a discharge port 42. The use of the medium delivery unit 31 facilitates the design of the medium releasing machine.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a medium feeding unit and a medium discharging device incorporated in a medium discharging device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An automatic teller machine installed in a bank of a financial institution pays out banknotes stored therein one by one when a user requests cash withdrawal, and pays for the requested amount of money. The bills are discharged to a cash outlet.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a configuration of a conventional dispensing machine 11. In FIG. 9, the bill holding plate 12 holds the bill in the medium storage unit 13 and applies pressure in the feeding direction. The banknotes in the medium storage unit 13 are fed out one by one by the separation roller 14 and sent out to the transport path.

[0004] The feeding sensor 15 is a sensor for detecting bills fed from the medium storage unit 13 to the outside. The feed-out sensor 15 includes a light emitting sensor and a light-receiving sensor that are arranged to face each other.
The presence / absence of a bill is detected by blocking the incoming light during 5.

[0005] A position sensor 16 for detecting whether or not a bill has passed is provided on the transport path. This position sensor 16 is also composed of two optical sensors. Subsequent to the position detection sensor 16, a thickness sensor 17 for detecting the thickness of the bill is provided. The motor 18 drives a roller for conveying bills.

[0006] The sorting gate 19 is a guide for switching the destination of bills conveyed on the conveying path to the discharge port or the reject storage unit 20. When the thickness sensor 17 detects that the thickness of the bill is equal to or greater than or equal to a specified value, the sorting gate 19 is switched to send the medium to the reject storage unit 20 side. To be sent out in the direction of the discharge port 22.

The outlet sensor 21 is a sensor for detecting bills conveyed in the direction of the outlet 22. The reject detection sensor 22 is a sensor for detecting a bill conveyed toward the reject storage unit 20. When the reject detection sensor 23 detects that the banknote is being conveyed in the direction of the reject storage unit 20, the reject shutter 24 is opened, and the conveyed banknote is stored in the reject storage unit 20.

A feeding shutter 25 is provided near the feeding roller 14. When the shutter 25 is closed, bills are not fed from the storage unit 13.

[0009]

The above-described conventional dispensing machine is different from the above-described conventional dispensing machine because a bill storage unit, a bill feeding mechanism, a check mechanism including various sensors, and a reject mechanism are designed as separate members. When designing a dispensing machine with specifications, those mechanisms had to be redesigned.

[0010] When a medium feeding mechanism, a check mechanism, a reject mechanism, etc. are designed for each type of dispensing machine,
It is necessary to develop programs for controlling the motors for driving them and for controlling the sensors, and there is a problem that it takes time to develop products.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to simplify the design of a medium discharge device by integrating a medium feeding mechanism, a medium checking mechanism and the like into one unit.

[0012]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a medium feeding unit, a medium feeding mechanism for feeding a medium stored in the medium storing unit, and a check for checking whether or not the medium is abnormal. The mechanism is configured as one unit.

According to the present invention, since the medium storage section, the medium feeding mechanism and the check mechanism are one unit, it is possible to use one medium feeding unit in common for medium discharge devices of different specifications. As a result, the design time of the medium discharge device can be reduced.

In the above invention, a medium having an insertion port and a discharge port for a medium, the medium discharged from an adjacent medium feeding unit is conveyed through an internal conveyance path, and the insertion port of the next medium feeding unit is discharged from the discharge port. Alternatively, the medium may be sent out to a transport path inside the medium discharging device.

With this configuration, when a plurality of medium feeding units are used, it is not necessary to provide a conveyance path for conveying the medium separately from the medium feeding unit, so that the size of the medium discharging device can be further reduced.

[0016]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a medium feeding unit 31 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

A medium holder 33 is provided in the medium storage section 32, and presses a medium, such as a bill or a certificate, housed in the medium storage section 32 against an extruding roller 34. The pushing roller 34 pushes out the medium stored in the medium storing unit 32 to the outside.
The medium extruded by the extruding roller 34 is separated one by one by a separating roller 35 and sent out to the transport path. The separation roller 35 can adjust the mounting position of the separation roller 35 so as to be able to handle media having different thicknesses.

The two length sensors 36 disposed opposite to each other are:
The length of the medium is measured by detecting the leading and trailing ends of the medium to detect that the medium has been fed one by one. The thickness sensor 37 detects the thickness of the medium by detecting the displacement of the roller 38, and detects whether or not the medium is sent out in an overlapping manner. These sensors constitute a check mechanism.

The feeding motor 39 is provided with the pushing roller 3.
4, a motor for rotating the separation roller 35 and the like. The transport motor 40 is a motor for rotating a transport roller to transport a medium.

The reject distribution gate 41 is a transport path switching mechanism for switching between transporting the medium in the direction of the discharge port 42 and transporting the medium in the direction of the reject storage section 43.

The outlet sensor 44 includes a light-emitting sensor and a light-receiving sensor arranged opposite to each other.
Is detected in the vicinity of. In addition, a medium storage unit empty sensor 45 that detects whether the medium storage unit 32 is empty and a reject storage unit full sensor 46 that detects whether the reject storage unit 43 is full are provided.

Next, a description will be given of a medium feeding operation of the medium feeding unit 31 configured as described above. The medium stored in the medium storage unit 32 is pushed out by an extruding roller 34, and is sent out to a transport path one by one by a separating roller 35.

When the leading end of the medium reaches the roller 47, the medium is conveyed upward by being sandwiched between the belt 48 of the left conveying system and the belt 49 of the right conveying system. When the medium is transported along the transport path, it is checked by the length sensor 36 and the thickness sensor 38 whether or not the medium satisfies predetermined length and thickness conditions. When the medium satisfies the two conditions of the length and the thickness, the reject distribution gate 41 is switched so that the medium is sent out in the direction of the outlet 42, and when the medium does not satisfy the condition of the length or the thickness. The reject distribution gate 41 is switched so that the medium is sent out in the direction of the reject storage unit 43.

As described above, the medium storage unit 32, the extruding roller 34, the separation roller 35, the length sensor 36, the thickness sensor 37, the reject storage unit 43, and the like are integrated into one unit, so that the dispensing machine and the automatic cash depositing machine can be used. When designing a medium discharge device such as a paying machine, it is not necessary to design them every time, so that the design work can be greatly reduced. In addition, by sharing the medium feeding unit 31, a program for controlling a motor or the like in the medium feeding unit 31, a program for measuring the length and thickness of the medium by a sensor, or a part of the program is changed. The design work can be further reduced.

Next, FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a configuration of a dispensing machine 51 according to the first embodiment of the present invention using a common medium feeding unit 31. Medium feeding unit 31
The length and thickness of the medium fed from the medium storage unit 32 of the medium feeding unit 31 are detected by the length sensor 36 and the thickness sensor 37, and when the detected values are determined to be appropriate, the outlet 42 of the medium feeding unit 31 is Is discharged to the outside. The medium discharged from the medium feeding unit 31 is stored in the medium pool unit 54 via a transport path 52 and a storage roller 53 inside the dispensing machine 51.

When the number of media (for example, bills) desired by the user has been collected in the media pool 54, the shutter 55 is opened to eject the media to the outside. Although not shown in FIG. 2, the dispensing machine 51 in which the medium feeding unit 31 is incorporated has a motor control of the medium feeding unit 31, determination of medium quality based on detection signals of various sensors, reject distribution. A control unit for switching gates is provided, and control signals and the like are exchanged between the medium feeding unit 31 and the control unit.

Next, FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a configuration of a dispensing machine according to a second embodiment of the present invention. The dispensing machine 61 includes a medium check unit 63 for checking a medium such as a check inserted from a medium entrance 62, a printing unit 64 for printing on a medium that has been checked, and a primary storage medium for storing a predetermined number of bills to be paid out. A medium storage cassette 66 for storing the medium inserted from the medium inlet / outlet 62; and an additional conveyance path 68 for feeding the medium fed from the medium feeding unit 31 to the conveyance path 67.

When the amount is designated by the user, the designated number of bills is fed out from the medium feeding unit 31, and the bills are stored in the medium primary storage section 65 via the additional conveyance path 68 and the conveyance path 67. Then, when a predetermined number of bills are collected, the bills are sequentially transported in the direction of the medium entrance 62 through the transport path 67 and are discharged to the outside.

According to the second embodiment, by incorporating the medium feeding unit 31 into the dispensing machine 61 having the function of inputting a check or the like, a medium storage section, a transport mechanism from the medium storage section, and the like can be newly provided. There is no need to design, and design efficiency can be improved. In addition, by using a common unit, the cost of the dispensing machine can be reduced.

Next, FIG. 4 illustrates a structure of a dispensing machine 71 according to a third embodiment of the present invention using a plurality of medium feeding units 31. The medium fed from the medium feeding unit 31a on the left side when viewed from the front in FIG. 4 is transported rightward on the transport path 72. Further, the medium fed from the medium feeding unit 31b on the right side in FIG. 4 is sent out to a merged conveyance path 73 that merges with the conveyance path 72. The medium transported through the transport path 72 and the merged transport path 73 is sent out to the pool section 75 by the storage roller 74. Then, when a predetermined number of media are collected in the pool section 75, the shutter 76 is opened and the media is discharged out of the apparatus.

According to the third embodiment, when designing a dispensing machine 71 for dispensing banknotes of different types, it is not necessary to design a medium storage section, a mechanism for transporting a medium, and the like. Since it is only necessary to incorporate the same medium feeding unit 31, the design time of the medium discharger can be greatly reduced.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a configuration of a medium feeding unit according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. 5, the same members as those of the above-described medium feeding unit in FIG. 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof will be omitted.

The medium feeding unit 81 is provided with a mechanism for storing a medium such as a bill received from a user in the storage section 32. The medium inserted from the medium insertion port 82 is conveyed into the medium feeding unit 81 by the transfer roller 83. Then, the storage sensor 84
When it is detected that the medium has been conveyed into the medium feeding unit 81 by this, the storage roller 85 is driven to send out the medium downward in FIG. 5 and the medium falls into the storage section 32. Thus, the medium inserted into the insertion port 82 is stored in the storage unit 32.

The medium stored in the storage section 32 is stored in the storage section 3 by the aforementioned extruding roller 34, separation roller 35 and the like.
2 is sent out to the transporting path inside the medium feeding unit 81, and is further sent out from the discharge port 42 to the transporting path inside the dispensing machine.

According to the fourth embodiment, the medium inserted by the user is stored in the storage section 32 of the medium feeding unit 81.
Since the stored medium can be discharged to the outside, the number of replenishment of the medium can be reduced as compared with the conventional case.

Next, FIGS. 6A and 6B are views showing the structure of a medium discharger according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 6A, the medium discharging unit 91 of the fifth embodiment has a medium feeding unit 31 and a medium feeding unit 31 so that two types of media (for example, bills) can be discharged. And a transport path for transporting the medium discharged from the printer to the outlet.

The medium fed from the medium feeding unit 31 is supplied to the belt 9 between the rollers 94 and 95 at the top of the apparatus.
It is transported upward sandwiched between 6, 97, and temporarily stored in the pool section 98. When a predetermined number of media are stored in the pool section 98, the media are conveyed one by one to the right, and sandwiched between the belts 96 and 99, and the outlet 100 is provided.
Is discharged from.

The other medium storage devices have the same configuration, and include a pool section 98 for temporarily storing the medium fed from the medium feeding unit 31 and a transport for transporting the medium stored in the pool section 98 to the outlet 100. It has a road.

According to the fifth embodiment, when designing the medium discharging device 91 for discharging a plurality of types of media, a common unit can be used as the medium feeding unit 31 for storing and feeding the medium. Therefore, the design of the medium discharger can be performed in a short time. In addition, since the design of the transport system for transporting the medium from the medium feeding unit 31 to the discharge port 100 can be shared, the efficiency of the design of the medium discharger can be improved.

Next, FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a configuration of a medium discharger according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention. The medium discharger 111 according to the sixth embodiment has a structure in which two medium storage devices 112 and 113 are arranged in a vertical direction so as to discharge a plurality of types of media.

The medium storage device 112 on the upper side is composed of a medium feeding unit 114 having a medium transfer section, and a transport system for transporting the medium discharged from the medium feeding unit 114 to the outlet 100.

The medium discharged from the upper medium feeding unit 114 enters between the rollers 94 and 95 at the upper part of the apparatus, is conveyed rightward by being sandwiched between the belts 96 and 97, and is temporarily stored in the pool part 98. . Then, when a predetermined number of media are stored in the pool section 98, the media are fed one by one rightward, transported rightward between the belts 96 and 99, and discharged from the outlet 100. .

The lower medium storage device 113 is constituted only by the medium feeding unit 113, and transfers the medium fed from the medium storage unit 32 or the medium discharged from the adjacent medium feeding unit 114 to the internal transport path. It has a function of sending out to the next medium feeding unit 114 via the same.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing the configuration of the medium feeding unit 114 according to the sixth embodiment. The medium feeding unit 114 in FIG. 8 and the medium feeding unit 3 in FIG.
The first difference is that the medium feeding unit 114 in FIG.
An insertion opening 117 for receiving a medium sent from an adjacent medium feeding unit, a pair of transfer rollers 115, and a frigate 115 for sending the medium received by the transfer rollers 115 to an internal conveyance path.
It is to have.

When the medium is discharged from the outlet 42 of the lower medium feeding unit 114, the medium is inserted into the lower insertion port 117 of the upper medium feeding unit 114, and is sandwiched by the transfer rollers 115. 7 is transported upward.

The frigate 116 is usually provided in the storage section 32.
8 is held by a spring or the like at a position shown in FIG. 8, that is, in a state inclined to the left so that the medium fed out of the printer can be transported upward. When the medium is ejected from the lower medium feeding unit 114 and the medium is sent upward by the transfer roller 115 and comes into contact with the frigate 116, the frigate 116 is pushed by the medium and moves rightward, and the leading end of the medium is conveyed. It enters between the rollers 38. When the leading edge of the medium enters between the transport rollers 38, the medium
The medium is conveyed in the upward direction between the belt and the belt 119.

Note that the belt 118 is
120 and 121 and the transfer roller 115. Further, the belt 119 is provided with the conveying rollers 47,
38, 120, 122, and 123.

According to the sixth embodiment, the medium can be conveyed to the adjacent medium feeding unit 114 by using the conveyance path inside the medium feeding unit 114, so that the medium discharged from the medium feeding unit is conveyed. It is not necessary to provide a transport path for performing the operation separately from the medium feeding unit 114. Therefore, the structure of the medium discharging device can be simplified, and the medium discharging device can be downsized.

In the above-described embodiment, the case where the present invention is applied to a banknote dispensing machine or the like has been described. However, a unit for feeding out a paper medium other than a banknote, such as a certificate, or another medium such as a plastic card. Alternatively, it can be applied to a discharge device.

[0050]

According to the present invention, when designing a medium discharging apparatus, the apparatus is designed by using a medium feeding unit in which a medium storing unit, a medium conveying mechanism, and a checking mechanism are configured as one unit. Time can be greatly reduced.
In addition, when a plurality of medium feeding units are used, the medium can be transported to an adjacent medium feeding unit using a transport path inside the medium storage unit. realizable.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a medium feeding unit.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a dispensing machine according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a dispensing machine according to a second embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a dispensing machine according to a third embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a medium feeding unit according to a fourth embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a medium discharger according to a fifth embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a medium discharger according to a sixth embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a medium feeding unit according to a sixth embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a configuration of a conventional dispensing machine.

[Explanation of symbols]

 31 Medium storage unit 32 Storage section 35 Separation roller 36 Length sensor 37 Thickness sensor 41 Reject distribution gate 42 Discharge port 43 Reject storage section 51 Dispenser

 ────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Toshihiko Moriya 1776 Yanoguchi, Inagi-shi, Tokyo F-term in Fujitsu Kiden Co., Ltd. (reference) 3E040 AA01 BA01 BA06 FA01 FC05 FC15 FD02 FD05 FD08 FF06 FG03 FL01 3E041 AA02 BA02 BA04 BB01 DA03 EA02 EA04 EA05 3F343 FA04 FB07 FC21 GA01 GB02 GC01 GD01 HB07 HB08 HC22 HC28 HC30 JA01 KB03 KB04 KB05 KB06 KB13

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A medium storage unit, a medium feeding mechanism for feeding out a medium stored in the medium storage unit, and a check mechanism for checking a medium are configured as one unit, and can be incorporated in a medium discharge device. A medium feeding unit. 2. A medium feeding unit according to claim 1, further comprising a reject storage mechanism for storing a medium determined to be defective by said check mechanism. 3. A medium having an insertion port and a discharge port for a medium, which conveys a medium discharged from an adjacent medium feeding unit through an internal conveyance path, and an insertion port or a medium of a next medium feeding unit from the discharge port. 3. The medium feeding unit according to claim 1, wherein the medium can be fed to a transport path inside the discharging device. 4. A medium comprising a medium storage unit, a medium feeding mechanism for feeding a medium stored in the medium storage unit, and a medium feeding unit including a check mechanism for checking whether or not the medium is abnormal. Discharge device. 5. A plurality of medium feeding units each comprising a medium storage unit, a medium feeding mechanism for feeding the medium stored in the medium storage unit, and a check mechanism for checking whether or not the medium is abnormal. A medium discharge device, wherein a medium discharged from a discharge port of a medium feeding unit is inserted into an insertion port of an adjacent medium feeding unit.