GB2033877A

GB2033877A - Apparatus for optically detecting bank-notes for use in a bank-note counting machine

Info

Publication number: GB2033877A
Application number: GB7934014A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Laurel Bank Machine Co Ltd
Current assignee: Laurel Bank Machine Co Ltd
Priority date: 1978-10-12
Filing date: 1979-10-01
Publication date: 1980-05-29
Also published as: GB2033877B; DE2940128A1; JPS5557876U; JPS6239475Y2; DE2940128B2

Abstract

An apparatus for optically detecting bank-notes for use in a bank-note counting machine or the like includes a guide (8) provided along the passageway of bank-notes for making contact with the bank-notes passing along the passageway, and a photodiode (A1, A2) having its light-receiving part (A2) disposed in the guide (8) for optically detecting the bank-notes as they pass through the guide. A part-spherical glass member (B) is mounted over the light-receiving part (A2) of the photodiode with the top portion of the glass member projecting past the surface (8a) of the guide in the passageway of bank-notes. This top portion of the glass member (B) prevents dust carried by the bank-notes from accumulating on the light-receiving part of photodiode, the dust being swept from the top portion of the glass member by the passing bank-notes. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Apparatus for optically detecting bank-notes for use in a bank-note counting machine.

This invention relates to an apparatus for optically detecting bank-notes for use in a bank-note counting machine or the like.

Bank-notes ordinarily have some quantity of dust on their surfaces. Conventional bank-note counting machines or the like, incorporate, a photosensor unit for the purpose of optically detecting bank-notes to count the number thereof or of optically performing the secondary detection. The photosensor unit has its optical detection head disposed along the passageway of bank-notes, and has often failed to correctly detect bank-notes because of dust gradually accumulating on the detection head as the bank-notes pass along the passageway.

The invention provides an apparatus for optically detecting bank-notes for use in a bank-note counting machine comprising a passageway along which bank-notes are to be conveyed, a guide provided along the passageway for making contact with the bank-notes, a photodiode having its light-receiving part disposed in the guide for optically detecting the bank-notes as they pass through the guide, and a generally spherical glass member mounted on the guide with the top portion of the glass member projecting past the surface of the guide in the passageway of bank-notes, the light-receiving part ofthe photodiode being located behind the glass member.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example, reference being made to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a side view, partially in section, of an embodiment of the invention; Figure 2 shows a part of the embodiment of Figure 1;and Figure 3 is a side view schematically illustrating the interior of a bank-note discharging machine incorporating the apparatus of the invention.

Referring now to Figure 1 illustrating a preferred embodiment of the invention which may be used in a bank-note counting machine, a pair of conveying belts 1 and 1' are provided, their adjacent surfaces being in contact with each other as they run, so that the belts can convey bank-notes in succession by holding the bank-notes therebetween. On one side of the bank-note passageway formed between the belts or the bank-note holding surfaces of the belts 1 and 1' is provided a guide 2 which is adapted to make contact with central portions of the bank-notes conveyed in succession by the belts. The guide 2 has in its outside or bottom portion an opening 3. A support plate 5 is carried by a support frame 4 so that it is held between the outside surface of the guide 2 and a plate member 6 mounted on the support frame 4.The plate member 6, support plate 5 and guide 2 are fixed to one another by means of screws 7. On the plate member 6 is mounted a light-emitting element Al of a photodiode in such manner that the light-projecting top portion of the element Al is directed through the support plate 5 into the opening 3 provided in the guide 2. The photodiode is adapted to sense optically whether a bank-note is over the opening 3 or not.

Opposite to the guide 2, which is adapted to face one side of the bank-notes, is provided a guide 8 which is adapted to face the other side of the bank-notes and has an opening 11 therein (Figure 2) which is aligned with the opening 3. A support plate 10 is secured on the back of the guide 8 by screws 9 and carried thereon a light-receiving part A2 of the photodiode, the part A2 inserted in the opening 11.

The opening 11 is provided at its top end, which is near to the light-receiving face of the part A2, with a generally spherical glass member B which covers the opening 11 and has its spherical top portion projecting upward to a level a little higher than or past the surface 8a of the guide 8. The surface 8a is adapted to face the surfaces of bank-notes conveyed by the belts 1 and 1 '.

Figure 3 shows the interior of a bank-note discharging machine to which the invention is applied.

The illustrated machine has therein several stackers 12a, 12b, 12c, 12d which contain therein stacks of different sorts of bank-notes. In front of the stackers 12a, 12b, 12c, 12d are provided suction heads 13a, 13b, 13c, 13d, respectively, for extracting desired bank-notes, one at a time, from the corresponding stacks. Between the suction heads 13a, 13b, 13c, 13d and a conveying belt 14, which is provided ahead of the suction heads, are provided groups of rollers 15a, 15b, 15c, 15d, respectively. Each group of rollers is adapted to carry bank-notes, which have been extracted by the corresponding suction head, to the conveying belt 14 by holding the bank-notes between the rollers one at a time.In the groups of rollers 15a, 15b, 15c, 15d are provided, along the passageways of the bank-notes, photosensor units 16a, 16b, 16c, 16d. In association with the conveyance termination end of the conveying belt 14 are provided a pair of conveying belts 17 and 17' which have, at an intermediate portion thereof, a photosensor unit 16e. These photosensor units 16a, 16b, 16c, 1 6d, 1 6e have substantially the same construction as that of the apparatus shown in Figure 1, that is, each unit has over its light-receiving part a generally spherical glass member mounted with its spherical top portion projecting a little higher than or past the surface of a guide. Between the conveying belts 17, 17' and a bank-note discharging port 18 is provided means for transporting bank-notes from the belts 17, 17' to the port 18.

When a bank-note passes between the guides 8 and 2, the top portion of the spherical glass member B, which projects past the surfaces 8A of the guide 8 in the bank-note passageway, makes sliding contact with the surface of the bank-note, and accordingly dust, which exists on the surface of the bank-note, and comes into contact with the above-mentioned top portion of the glass member B, is swept aside from this top portion, and is prevented from accumulating on or covering the glass member B and accordingly the light-receiving part A2. Accordingly, sufficient transmission of light from the lightemitting elementA1 to the light-receiving partA2 can always be maintained, thus positive sensing operation of the photodiode is obtained at all times.

Further, if there is some dust on the surface of the spherical glass member B, this dust is removed therefrom by a bank-note passing over the glass member.

Claims

1. An apparatus for optically detecting banknotes for use in a bank-note counting machine comprises a passageway along which bank-notes are to be conveyed, a guide provided along the passageway for making contact with the bank-notes, a photodiode having its light-receiving part disposed in the guide for optically detecting the bank-notes as they pass through the guide, and a generally spherical glass member mounted on the guide with the top portion of the glass member projecting past the surface of the guide in the passageway; the light receiving part of photodiode being located behind the glass member.

2. An apparatus for optically detecting bank notes substantially as herein described with refer ence to and as shown in the accompanying draw ings.

3. A bank note counting machine including apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or 2.