GB2237501A

GB2237501A - Guide apparatus for guiding an inner unit

Info

Publication number: GB2237501A
Application number: GB9023723A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Yasuo Tsukada; Masahide Yamauchi; Takahiro Yamada; Hideaki Baba; Yoshimichi Sato
Original assignee: Toshiba Corp; Toshiba Intelligent Technology Co Ltd
Current assignee: Toshiba Corp; Toshiba Intelligent Technology Co Ltd
Priority date: 1989-11-02
Filing date: 1990-10-31
Publication date: 1991-05-08
Also published as: GB9023723D0

Abstract

A guide apparatus for guiding an inner unit (13) comprises a coil spring (23) for energizing an intermediate rail (18) in its housing direction. If the intermediate rail (18) is always energized by the coil spring (23), it can be prevented from remaining outside a housing (11) even when a drawing operation of the inner unit (13) is stopped and changed. Further, the intermediate rail (18) can be prevented from jumping out of the housing even when the inner unit is suddenly drawn. <IMAGE>

Description

"GUIDE APPARATUS FOR GUIDING AN INNER UNIT" The present invention relates to a guide apparatus for guiding an inner unit and, more particularly, to a guide apparatus for guiding an inner unit in and out of an automatic cash transaction apparatus such as a bill handling apparatus.

An automatic cash transaction apparatus such as a bill handling apparatus includes an inner unit such as a deposit/withdrawal unit. The inner unit is freely guided in or out of a main body of the apparatus by a slide rail mechanism.

As illustrated in Figs. 1A to 1C, the slide rail mechanism comprises outer rail 2 fixed in main body 1 and inner rail 4 fixed in the bottom of inner unit 3.

To greatly move inner unit 3, intermediate rail 5 needs to be arranged between outer rail 2 and inner rail 4.

Inner unit 3 is housed in main body 1 of the guide apparatus as shown in Fig. 1A. The inner unit is drawn, as shown in Fig. 1B, and then pushed into main body 1 in the opposite direction, as illustrated in Fig. 1C.

When intermediate rail 5 is used, if inner unit 3 is housed in main body 1, only intermediate rail 5 cannot be housed therein and may remain outside the main body because of a difference in frictional resistance between rails 2, 3 and 5. To house intermediate rail 5 in main body 1 without remaining outside, it is thought that a pin (not shown) is fixed to intermediate rail 5 and caught in inner rail 4.

When inner unit 3 is small and shorter than main body 1, the length of inner rail 4 is the same as that of inner unit 3. Since outer and intermediate rails 2 and 5 need to be made as long as possible to resist a load acting on the rails, only inner rail 4 may be shortened and, in this case, intermediate rail 5 cannot be prevented from remaining outside the main body even though a pin is fixed to intermediate rail 5.

It is therefore devised to prevent intermediate rail 5 from remaining outside the main body using the mechanism shown in Figs. 2A to 2C. Pins 8 and 9 which are elastically energized by coils 6 and 7, are arranged on the upper and lower surfaces of intermediate rail 5, respectively, and engaged with recesses 10, 11 and 12 formed in outer and inner rails 2 and 4. The engagement of pin 8 of intermediate rail 5 and recess 10 of inner rail 4 is more strongly set than that of pin 9 of intermediate rail 5 and recess 12 of outer rail 2 by the strength of the energization of coils 6 and 7. When inner unit 3 is drawn from main body 1, the engagement of pin 9 and recess 12 prevents intermediate rail 5 from jumping out of the main body. When inner unit 3 is housed in the main body, the engagement of pin 8 and recess 10 prevents intermediate rail 5 from remaining outside the main body.

However, when the drawing operation of inner unit 3 is stopped halfway and changed or when the drawing operation is stopped and inner unit 3 is returned to an original position before pin 8 of intermediate rail 5 is engaged with recess 10 of inner rail 4, rail 5 cannot be retracted and remains outside the main body. Since intermediate rail 5 is not sufficiently held by the engagement of pin 9 and recess 12, rail 5 will jump out of main body 1 when inner unit 3 is suddenly drawn.

It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide a guide apparatus for guiding an inner unit in which an intermediate rail can be prevented from remaining outside even when a drawing operation of the inner unit is stopped and changed and the intermediate rail can be prevented from jumping out even when the inner unit is suddenly drawn.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a guide apparatus for guiding an inner unit, comprising: a housing having an opening to take out the inner unit from inside toward outside of the housing; a first rail fixed in said housing; an intermediate rail slidably attached to said first rail; a second rail slidably attached to said intermediate rail; an inner unit fixed to said second rail and slidably supported by said first rail through said intermediate rail; and energizing means for energizing said intermediate rail toward the inside of said housing.

According to a second aspect of the invention, there is also provided a guide apparatus for guiding an inner unit, comprising: a housing having an opening to take out the inner unit from inside toward outside of the housing; a first rail fixed in said housing; an intermediate rail slidably attached to said first rail; a second rail slidably attached to said intermediate rail; an inner unit fixed to said second rail and slidably supported by said first rail through said intermediate rail; first and second magnetism members arranged on said first and second rails, respectively; and a magnet arranged on said intermediate railr for selectively attracting said first and second magnetic members on said first and second rails.

According to a third aspect of the invention there is further provided a guide apparatus for guiding an inner unit, comprising: a housing having an opening to take out the inner unit from inside toward outside of the housing; a supporting member for supporting the inner unit; a first guide member for slidably guiding said supporting member toward the outside of said housing through said opening; a second guide member fixed in said housing, for slidably guiding said first guide member toward the outside of said housing through said opening; and energizing means for energizing said first guide member toward the inside of said housing.

This invention can be more fully understood from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: Figs. 1A to 1C are views illustrating a first conventional apparatus; Figs. 2A to 2C are views illustrating a second conventional apparatus; Fig. 3 is a perspective view of an automatic teller machine according to an embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 4 is a side view of the automatic teller machine shown in Fig. 3 from which an inner unit is drawn; Fig. 5 is a plan view of a slide mechanism of the inner unit shown in Fig. 4; Fig. 6 is a front view of the slide mechanism shown in Fig. 5; Figs. 7A and 7B are views illustrating the operation of coils when the slide mechanism shown in Fig. 5 is drawn; Figs. 8A and 8B are views illustrating a first modification example of the slide mechanism shown in Fig. 5;; Fig. 9 is a plan view illustrating a second modification example of the slide mechanism shown in Fig. 5; Fig. 10 is a front view of the slide mechanism shown in Fig. 9; Fig. 11 is a perspective view of a disassembled magnet of the slide mechanism shown in Fig. 9; and Figs. 12A to 12C are views illustrating the operations of the slide mechanism shown in Fig. 9.

A guide apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figs. 3 to 6, 7A and 7B.

Fig. 3 illustrates an automatic cash transaction apparatus such as a bill handling apparatus. In Fig. 3, reference numeral 11 indicates a main body of the apparatus serving as a housing. Coin unit 12 for keeping coins-is included in main body 11, and a deposit/ withdrawal unit 13 for taking in or sending out bills is arranged on an inner bottom of main body 11. Bankbook reading/printing unit 14 for reading a bankbook inserted from slot 14a and for printing necessary items on the bankbook is arranged in an upper portion of main body 11. Slip handling unit 15 for recording the contents of transaction on slips and feeding the slips to take-out slit 15a is arranged at the side portion of unit 14.

Unit 13 is slidably held by slide rail mechanism 16.

Fig. 4 illustrates deposit/withdrawal unit 13 which is drawn from slide mechanism 16.

The slide mechanism is constructed as shown in Figs. 5 and 6. Referring to Figs. 5 and 6, outer rail 17 serving as a first rail whose section is concave is fixed to main body 11. Intermediate rail 18 serving as an intermediate rail is slidably arranged in outer rail 17. Furthermore, inner rail 19 serving as a second rail is fixed onto a bottom portion of unit 13 and is slidably arranged in intermediate rail 18, Spring hook 21 is attached to one end of outer rail 17, and spring hook 22 is attached to one end of intermediate rail 18. Coil spring 23 is caught in spring hooks 21 and 22 as an energizing member, and intermediate rail 18 is coercively energized by the energization of coil spring 23 in the direction in which the intermediate rail is retracted.

Deposit/withdrawal unit 13, which is housed as shown in Fig. 7A, is pulled out against the energization of coil spring 23 as illustrated in Fig. 7B. On the other hand, unit 13, as shown in Fig. 7B, is pushed back and inserted into main body 11. At the same time, intermediate rail 18 is housed in main body 11 by tensile force of coil spring 23.

When the drawing operation of unit 13 is stopped and returned to main body 11, intermediate rail 18 is attracted to unit 13 by coil spring 23 and coercively housed in main body together with unit 13. It is therefore possible to reliably prevent rail 18 from remaining outside the main body.

Even though unit 13 is abruptly drawn from the main body, intermediate rail 18 is prevented from jumping out of the main body since it is always attracted by coil spring 23 in a direction opposite to the drawing direction.

In the above embodiment, a single rail 18 is used as an intermediate rail. However, as shown in Fig. 8A, an intermediate rail can be constituted of a plurality of rails 31 and 32 and, as shown in Fig. 8B, unit 13 can be extended to draw unit 13. According to the embodiment shown in Figs. 8A and 8B, unit 13 can be slid farther and pulled out.

In the above embodiment, intermediate rail 18 is energized by coil spring 23. However, as illustrated in Figs. 9 and 10, it can be energized by magnet 41.

Magnet 41 is thus attached to the leading edge of rail 18.

Steel plates 45 and 46 of metal piece are attached to the middle portion of inner rail 19 and at the leading edge of outer rail 17.

As shown in Fig. 11, magnet 41 is constituted of a plurality of magnet pieces 42 and steel pieces 43 and attached to intermediate rail 18 by means of mounting plate 44. Mounting plate 44 and outer, intermediate and inner rails 17, 18 and 19 are made of a non-magnetic aluminum alloy. Magnetic 41 slidably move in the direction of thickness of intermediate rail 18 and selectively protrudes to outer rail 17 and inner rail 19.

Therefore, magnetic 41 is selectively fixed on steep plates 45 and 46.

The attraction force of magnet 41 and steel plate 45 is greater than that of magnet 41 and steel plate 46.

The surfaces of steel plates 45 and 46 and the upper and lower end faces of steel piece 43 are coarsely processed to increase the frictional resistance caused when steel plates 45 and 46 and steel piece 43.

When deposit/withdrawal unit 13 is completely housed in main body 11 as shown in Fig. 12A, magnet 41 opposes steel plate 46 of outer rail 1 and is attracted and fixed to steel plate 46. When unit 13 is drawn in this state, only unit 13 and inner rail 19 fixed thereto are drawn, and intermediate rail 18 is not drawn since it is fixed to outer rail 17. When inner rail 19 slidably moves by a predetermined distance to make magnet 41 of intermediate rail 18 and steel piece 45 of inner rail 19 opposite to each other, magnet 41 is attracted to steel piece 45. Unit 13 is further drawn and, as shown in Fig. 12B, intermediate rail 18 is drawn together with inner rail 19. Steel plate 46 of outer rail 17 and magnet 41 are detached from each other.

Fig. 12C illustrates a guide apparatus in which unit 13 is completely pulled out.

When unit 13 is housed, it is pushed back into main body 11 from the state shown in Fig. 12C. Intermediate rail 18 is inserted into main body 11 together with unit 13, as shown in Fig. 12B. When rail 18 is completely housed in main body 11, one end of the inserted rail is stopped by a stopper (not shown). Unit 13 slidably moves on rail 18 as it is and is housed in main body 11 as illustrated in Fig. 12A.

Since unit 13 slidably moves dn intermediate rail 18, steel plate 45 is spaced apart from magnet 41 of rail 18 and magnet 41 is attracted and fixed to steel plate 46 of outer rail 17.

As described above, magnet 41 of intermediate rail 18 and steel plate 46 of outer rail 17 are attracted and fixed to each other when unit 13 is pulled out. Therefore, rail 18 does not jump out even if unit 13 is suddenly pulled out.

When unit 13 is drawn by a predetermined distance, steel plate 45 of inner rail 19 and magnet 41 of intermediate rail 18 are attracted and fixed to each other.

If the drawing operation of unit 13 is stopped to be housed again, intermediate rail 18 as well as unit 13 can be inserted into main body 11 and rail 18 does not remain outside the main body.

Claims

Claims:

1. A guide apparatus for guiding an inner unit, comprising: a housing having an opening to take out the inner unit from inside toward outside of the housing; a first rail fixed in said housing; an intermediate rail slidably attached to said first rail; a second rail slidably attached to said intermediate rail; an inner unit fixed to said second rail and slidably supported by said first rail through said intermediate rail; and energizing means for energizing said intermediate rail toward the inside of said housing.

2. The guide apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said energizing means includes a coil spring one end of which is connected to said first rail and other end of which is connected to said intermediate rail.

3. A guide apparatus for guiding an inner unit, comprising: a housing having an opening to take out the inner unit from inside toward outside of the housing; a first rail fixed in said housing; an intermediate rail slidably attached to said first rail; a second rail slidably attached to said intermediate rail; an inner unit fixed to said second rail and slidably supported by said first rail through said intermediate rail; first and second magnetism members arranged on said first and second rails, respectively; and a magnet arranged on said intermediate rail, for selectively attracting said first and second magnetic members on said first and second rails.

4. The guide apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said first and second magnetism members have coarse surfaces opposing said magnet.

5. The guide apparatus according to claim 3, wherein, when said inner unit is guided into said housing, said second magnetism member on the second rail and said magnet on the intermediate rail are attracted to each other to guide the intermediate rail into said housing.

6. The guide apparatus according to claim 3, wherein, when said inner unit is drawn out of said housing, said first magnetism member on the first rail and said magnet on the intermediate rail are attracted to each other to hold the intermediate rail in said housing until said inner unit is moved by a predetermined distance.

7. A guide apparatus for guiding an inner unit, comprising: a housing having an opening to take out the inner unit from inside toward outside of the housing; a supporting member for supporting the inner unit; a first guide member for slidably guiding said supporting member toward the outside of said housing through said opening; a second guide member fixed in said housing, for slid ably guiding said first guide member toward the outside of said housing through said opening; and energizing means for energizing said first guide member toward the inside of said housing.

8. A guide apparatus for guiding. an inner unit, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figs. 3 to 12c of the accompanying drawings.