JPS60159607A - Thickness detector - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To detect correctly the number of banknotes in an automatic cash dispenser by inputting at least one reference signal to a detecting means in place of the output signal from a thickness detecting sensor and testing the operation thereof. CONSTITUTION:A CPU11 feeds first a control signal C1 to operate a relay 151 which inputs a high level reference voltage V to a thickness detecting circuit 13. The circuit is decided to be normal if an output signal S1 is a 1 level in this stage. If the circuit is normal, a control signal C2 is fed to operate a relay 152 which inputs a low level reference voltage V to the circuit 13. The circuit is decided to be normal if an output signal S2 is a 1 level in this stage. If the circuit is normal, a control signal C3 is fed to operate a relay 153 which inputs the output signal from a sensor 18 to the circuit 13 to execute ordinary thickness detection. The circuit 13 feeds the results of the respective signals via a latching circuit 19 to the CPU11.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Technical Field of the Invention] The present invention relates to a thickness detection device for detecting abnormal thickness of banknotes in, for example, a currency transaction device.

[Technical background of the invention 1] For example, in a currency transaction device such as an automatic teller machine,
It is essential to take out only the specified number of banknotes. Therefore, a thickness detection device is usually used to detect stacking and removal of two or more banknotes. As a thickness detecting device for such a purpose, one configured as shown in FIG. 1 is conventionally known. This thickness detection device is
Thickness detection sensor 1 installed on the conveyance path immediately after the banknote takeout section
The output signal is input to the thickness detection circuit (detection means) 2.

The thickness detection circuit 2 is a cp which controls the main control section of the currency transaction device.
It is operated by a control signal sent from u <central processing unit) 3 via the latch circuit 4, and for example, by comparing the output signal of the sensor 1 with a preset reference signal, the output signal of the sensor 1 is determined as a reference signal. When the level is higher than that of the signal, it is determined that the thickness is abnormal and a high level signal is sent to the CPU 3 via the latch circuit 5.

The CPU 3 checks the contents of the latch circuit 5 to determine whether there is overlapping extraction.

[Problems with the Background Art] However, in such conventional thickness detection devices, there is no means to check even if an abnormality occurs in the operation of the thickness detection circuit 2, and therefore it is difficult to detect abnormality in thickness. There was a problem in that it could not be done accurately and it was always impossible to take out the designated number of bills.

[Purpose of the Invention] The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and its purpose is to be able to check whether or not there is an abnormality in the operation of the detection means, and to accurately detect the thickness. The purpose of the present invention is to provide a thickness detection device that achieves the following.

[Summary of the Invention] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a method in which the operation of the detection means can be tested by inputting at least one reference signal to the detection means instead of the output signal of the thickness detection sensor. This is what I did.

[Embodiment of the Invention] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

In FIG. 2, 11 is a CPU (Central Processing Unit) that controls the main control section of the currency transaction device, and this CPU 11 controls an overlap detection circuit 13 via a latch circuit 12.
l is connected to the control signals CI, C2, C2,
C3 is sent to drivers 141, 142, 143, respectively, and these drivers 141, 142, 143 operate relays 151, 152, 153, respectively.

The contact 161 of the relay 151 is connected to the output terminal 17 of the reference voltage generation circuit 17 which outputs the high level reference voltage ■, the contact 162 of the relay 152 is connected to the output terminal 17 which outputs the low level reference voltage ■, and the contact 163 of the relay 153 is connected to the output terminal 17 which outputs the high level reference voltage ■. Thickness detection sensor 1 installed on the conveyance path immediately after the banknote takeout section
are connected to the output terminals of CPtJll and CPtJll respectively.
The high level reference voltage V 10 - level reference voltage V 1 is switched to the output signal of the sensor 18 by the control signals 01.02 and C3 from the high level reference voltage V 10 and is selectively input to the thickness detection circuit 13 . The thickness detection circuit 13 divides the results into two types depending on the level change of the input signal. When the input signal is at a high level, the output signal S1 is set to the °°1" level, and when the input signal is at the O- level, the output signal is set to the @°1" level. When S2 is set to the 11111 level and the input signal is at the level of the reference voltage equivalent to the thickness of one banknote (preset), the output signal S1.32
Both are set to the "0" level and sent to the CPU 11 via the latch circuit 19, respectively. When the high-level reference voltage ■ or the low-level reference voltage V is input as an input signal to this thickness detection circuit 13, the output signal S1.82 becomes ``1''.
If the thickness detection circuit 13 is not at the same level, the circuit can be tested as an abnormal operation of the thickness detection circuit 13.

That is, the CPU 11 first sends the control signal C1 to operate the relay 151, thereby controlling the thickness detection circuit 13.
Input the high level reference voltage V to
If it is at 1 I+ level, it is determined to be normal, and if it is not at 1" level, it is determined to be abnormal. As a result of checking with this control signal C1, if it is normal, then control signal C2 is sent to operate relay 152. , the low level reference voltage V is input to the thickness detection circuit 13, and at this time the output signal S
2 is at the "1" level, and if it is at the "1" level, it is determined to be normal, and if it is not at the tl I IT level, it is determined to be abnormal. As a result of this check using the control signal C2, it is determined that it is normal. If so, the output signal from the sensor 18 is input to the thickness detection circuit 13 by sending the control signal C3 to operate the relay 153, thereby causing the thickness detection circuit 13 to perform normal thickness detection. This is done for each transaction.The operation timing chart in the above explanation is shown in Fig. 3.

In the above embodiment, a case has been described in which the operation test of the thickness detection circuit is performed by inputting two reference signals of different levels to the thickness detection circuit.
It is not necessarily necessary to use a plurality of reference signals, and it is sufficient to use at least one reference signal.

Further, in the above embodiment, a case was described in which the device is applied to a thickness detection device that detects stacking and taking out of banknotes in a currency transaction device, but the present invention is not limited to this.
It can also be applied to thickness detection devices that detect abnormalities in the thickness of other paper sheets.

[Effects of the Invention] As detailed above, the present invention provides a thickness detection device that can check whether there is an abnormality in the operation of the detection means and can accurately detect the thickness. can.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram showing a conventional thickness detection device, FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a timing chart for explaining the operation of the same embodiment. 11...CPU, 12.19...Latch circuit, 13...Thickness detection circuit (detection means),
151-153...Relay, 17...
Reference voltage generation circuit (reference signal generation means), 18...
...Thickness detection sensor.

Claims (1)

[Claims] A thickness detection sensor outputs a signal at a level corresponding to the thickness of the detected medium being conveyed, and the output signal of this sensor is input, and the thickness of the detected medium is detected based on that signal and the detection result is output. a detection means; a reference signal generation means for generating at least one reference signal; a reference signal outputted from the reference signal generation means is inputted to the detection means in place of the output signal of the sensor, and the detection means uses the reference signal; 1. A thickness detecting device comprising: a test means for testing whether or not there is an abnormality in the operation of the detecting means based on a signal output from the detecting means during this operation.