JP2001225991A - Document reading device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To position a document at a reading position easily and accurately and inform change of documents when the documents are changed after reading the document. SOLUTION: A document reading device 1 has a scanner part 4 reading a document 2 and a printer part 5 printing certification on the document. A side end abutting guide 6 used when the document is set at the reading position is formed on a top face of a mat 3 on which documents are loaded, and a positioning line 7 aligning tips is provided. The printer part is provided with a clamp arm 15 which clamps the document at the reading position and sucks it into the printer part or discharges it from the printer part and a shutter 16. The shutter rotates in the interlocking relationship with the clamp arm, and a tip of the shutter coincides with the positioning line. When a document is set at the reading position, a tip abuts against the shutter, and the shutter rotates upward in the interlocking relationship with the clamp arm upon completion of reading to suck the document into the printer part.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a form reader for reading and processing images, such as a seal registration form and a transfer request form, used at a counter of a financial institution such as a bank. The present invention relates to a non-contact type reading device that performs reading without any need.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a counter terminal installed at a counter of a financial institution, a form set on a desk of a clerk is read by a non-contact scanner, and the read image is transmitted or character recognition is performed from the read image. Systems have been proposed.

For example, a document placed on a document table is irradiated with light, its reflected light is formed by an image forming means, and a reading unit is held at a predetermined height with respect to the formed image. 2. Description of the Related Art A stand-type non-contact image scanner that reads an image of a document has been proposed.

[0004] In such a system, it has been proposed that after a form is read by a non-contact scanner device, authentication printing is performed by a printing device as evidence of the reading. In this method, a printing device is provided in proximity to a form reading position, the form is sucked into the printing device immediately after the form reading is completed, and authentication printing is performed on the form. This facilitates the authentication printing operation.

[0005]

However, in a non-contact scanner equipped with the above-described printing device, after reading a form, the form is conveyed to a printing device located deeper than the reading position to perform authentication printing. Therefore, a butting guide for positioning the form at the reading position can be mounted on only one side surface. Therefore, positioning in the depth direction has been performed by providing a positioning line. However, positioning the form in line with the positioning line does not accurately match the line or takes time to align. This was especially true for operators who were not accustomed to handling the equipment.

In a non-contact scanner device provided with the above-described printing device, if a form is intentionally replaced after the form is read and before the form is sucked into the printing device, the form read by the scanner device is read. And the form on which the authentication print is performed is different.

[0007]

According to the present invention, there is provided a form reading apparatus for reading a form at a reading position by a non-contact scanner and performing authentication printing after reading the form, wherein the form is positioned at the reading position. The abutted member is provided so as to be retractable. When the form reader has a clamp mechanism that clamps and conveys the form from the reading position to the printing position, the abutting member is configured to retract in conjunction with the clamping operation of the clamp mechanism. When positioning the form at the reading position, it is sufficient to position the form so as to abut against the abutted member.
The positioning of the form becomes easy and accurate.

As another solution, the form is conveyed to a printing unit and positioned at a predetermined position before the form is read by a non-contact scanner, and the form is conveyed in a reverse direction by a predetermined distance from the predetermined position to transfer the form. Position it at the reading position.
With this configuration, there is no need to accurately position the form at the reading position, and positioning is facilitated.

Still another solution is to provide a monitoring means for monitoring whether or not the form is at the reading position after reading the form with the non-contact scanner and performing authentication printing.
When the monitoring means detects that there is no report, it is preferable to notify the host device. According to this configuration, when the form is replaced after the reading, the monitoring unit detects and notifies the host device.
It is immediately apparent that it has been replaced.

Still another solution is to perform authentication printing on a form by a printing unit before reading the form, then read the form with a non-contact scanner, and determine whether the form has been replaced based on the result of reading the form. It is to confirm. With this configuration, the form is not intentionally replaced after the form is read and before the form is sucked into the printing device.

[0011]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is an external view showing a form reading apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention. In FIG.
The form reader 1 includes a mat 3 on which a form 2 is placed and a form 2
The scanner unit 4 reads an image of the document 2, a printer unit 5 that performs authentication printing on the form 2, and a higher-level device (not shown).

On the upper surface of the mat 3, when the form 2 is set at the reading position, an abutment guide 6 for abutting the side end of the form 2 is formed, and a positioning line 7 for aligning the leading end of the form 2 is provided. Is provided. Scanner unit 4
Is constituted by a non-contact scanner 8 for reading an image of the form 2 set at the form reading position, a scanner base 9, and an arm 10 supporting the non-contact scanner 8.

FIG. 2 is a side view showing the printer section. 1 and 2, the printer unit 5 has a carriage 12 on which a print head 11 is mounted, transport rollers 13 and 14 for transporting the form 2, and clamps the form 2 at a reading position and sucks or sucks the form 2 into the printer unit 5. A clamp arm 15 ejected from the printer unit 5 and a shutter 16 as a member to be abutted are provided. The print head 11 is moved by the carriage 12 in the vertical direction with respect to the plane of FIG. 2 and performs authentication printing on the inhaled form 2.

The clamp arm 15 is fixed to a shaft 17 and rotates simultaneously with the rotation of the shaft 17. The shaft 17 is rotatably supported by the cover 5a of the printer unit 5. A shaft 18 is rotatably attached to the tip of the clamp arm 15, and a clamp roller 19 is fixed to the shaft 18. Shaft 17
Is rotated by a motor (not shown), the clamp arm 15 rotates counterclockwise in the figure, and the clamp roller 19 comes into contact with the mat 3. Clamp roller 19
The shaft 18 is rotated by a transport motor (not shown) in a state where the clamp roller 19 is in contact with the mat 3, and the clamp roller 19 is rotated. The transport motor that drives the clamp roller 19 also drives the transport rollers 13 and 14. A gear 20 is fixed to the shaft 17.

The shutter 16 has a substantially L-shape.
It is rotatably attached to the shaft 21. The shaft 21 is rotatably attached to the cover 5a, and the gear 22 is fixed. The gear 22 meshes with the gear 20. When the clamp arm 15 is at the position shown in FIG.
That is, when the form 2 is not clamped, the shutter 16
Are fitted into the mat 3, and the position of the shutter tip at this time coincides with the positioning line 7.

The front side of the printer unit 5 (left side in FIG. 2)
Is an opening 23 through which the form 2 can be inhaled.
Further, a positioning sensor 24 for positioning the sucked form 2 at a printing position is provided in the printer unit 5.

Next, the operation of the first embodiment will be further described with reference to FIG.
This will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 3 is a side view showing the operation of the first embodiment. When reading the form 2, the form reading device 1 is in the state shown in FIGS. The operator puts the form 2 on the butting guide 6 on the left and the shutter 16 on the back.
Hit. Since the leading end of the shutter 16 coincides with the positioning line 7, the form 2 can be easily positioned at the reading position. The operator operates a higher-level device (not shown) to instruct the start of reading. Thereby, the non-contact scanner 8 reads the form 2, and the read image data is sent to the host device.

Thereafter, when the operator instructs the start of authentication printing by the host device, the shaft 17 is rotated counterclockwise in FIG. 2 by a motor (not shown). As a result, the clamp arm 15 rotates in the same direction, and the clamp roller 19 contacts the form 2 as shown in FIG.
In conjunction with the rotation of the shaft 17, the gears 20, 22 are simultaneously
, The shaft 21 rotates clockwise, and the shutter 16 opens as shown in FIG. The gear ratio between the gears 20 and 22 is set so that the rotation range of the shutter 16 is smaller than the rotation range of the clamp arm 15. The rotation range of the shutter 16 is a range sufficient for the form 2 to pass below it.

Next, by rotating a transport motor (not shown), the clamp roller 19 and the transport rollers 13 and 1 are rotated.
4 rotates, and the form 2 is sucked into the inside from the opening 23 of the printer unit 5. The tip of the inhaled form 2 is detected by the positioning sensor 24. The form 2 is further conveyed a predetermined distance by the conveying rollers 13 and 14 from the time when the form 2 is detected, and authentication printing is performed by the print head 11.

As described above, in the first embodiment, the form 2 can be positioned against the shutter 16 by providing the retractable shutter 16 along one side of the reading position of the form 2. Positioning of the form 2 at the reading position can be easily and accurately performed.

Next, a second embodiment will be described. FIG. 4 is a side view showing a printer unit according to the second embodiment, and FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing the second embodiment. In the second embodiment, a form is positioned at a reading position by using a form transport mechanism of a printer unit.

In FIG. 4, a printer unit 5 according to the second embodiment includes a print head 1 similar to the first embodiment.
1, a carriage 12, transport rollers 13 and 14, a clamp arm 15, and a positioning sensor 24, but no shutter is provided.

In FIG. 5, the form reading device 1 is connected to a host device 31. The form reading device 1 includes a main control unit 32
The main control unit 32 controls the non-contact scanner unit 8 and the printer unit 5 in the apparatus 1. The printer unit 5 includes a printer control unit 33. The printer control unit 33 includes a spacing motor (SP motor) 34, a print head 11,
The clamp motor 35, the transport motor 36, and the positioning sensor 24 are connected respectively.

The SP motor 34 is a carriage 1 shown in FIG.
2 is a motor for spacing driving. The clamp motor 35 is connected to the shaft 17 of the clamp arm 15 shown in FIG.
Is to rotate. The transport motor 36 is a motor that drives the clamp roller 19 and the transport rollers 13 and 14 shown in FIG.

Next, the operation of the second embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.
This will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 6 is a side view showing the operation of the second embodiment, and FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the operation of the second embodiment.

First, the operator places the form 2 to be read on the mat 3. At this time, it is not always necessary to accurately place the sheet at the reading position, but it is assumed that the sheet is placed within a range where the clamp roller 19 can reach. When the operator instructs the start of reading from the host device 31, the clamp motor 35 is driven by the printer control unit 33. Thereby, the clamp arm 15 rotates counterclockwise in FIG. 4, and the clamp roller 19 clamps the form 2 (Step S).
1). Further, the clamp roller 19 is moved by the transport motor 36.
When the transport rollers 13 and 14 are driven, the form 2 is sucked into the printer unit 5 (step S29).

When the leading end of the form 2 passes (turns on) the positioning sensor 24 as shown in FIG. 6 (step S3), the printer controller 33 stops driving the transport motor 36 (step S4). Then, the transport motor 36 is rotated in the reverse direction (step S5). As a result, form 2
Is transported in the reverse direction by the clamp roller 19 and the transport rollers 13 and 14, and the trailing end of the form 2 in the traveling direction passes through the positioning sensor 24 (step S6). From this point, the printer control unit 33 drives the clamp roller 19 to a distance from the positioning sensor 24 to the positioning line 7 at the form reading position by the amount that the form 2 is conveyed, and stops (step S7). As a result, the form 2 is accurately positioned at the reading position. Thereafter, the form 2 is read by the non-contact scanner 8.

As described above, in the second embodiment, before the form 2 is read, the form 2 is sucked into the printer unit 5 and the form 2 is read based on the print positioning sensor 24 in the printer unit 5. Since the document 2 is positioned at the reading position, accurate positioning can be performed on the apparatus side even if the operator does not accurately position the form 2 in the depth direction.

Next, a third embodiment will be described. FIG. 8 is an external view showing the third embodiment, and FIG. 9 is a side view showing the third embodiment. In the third embodiment, a sensor for monitoring whether a form after reading is removed before performing authentication printing is provided.

Referring to FIGS. 8 and 9, the form reading apparatus according to the third embodiment detects whether the form 2 has been extracted from the printer unit 5 and the mat 3 on which the form 2 is placed. A transmission type monitoring sensor 40 is provided. Other configurations are the same as those of the second embodiment. In FIG. 9, the clamp arm is not shown. FIG. 11 is a block diagram showing the third embodiment. In FIG. 11, the monitoring sensor 40 is connected to the main control unit 32 of the form reading device 1.

After the reading is performed by the non-contact scanner 8 of the form reader, the main controller 32 starts monitoring the form 2 by the monitoring sensor 40 as to whether or not the form 2 is removed. As shown in FIG. 10, when the form 2 is extracted, the monitoring sensor 40
Is turned on to detect that the form 2 has been extracted.
When the removal is detected, the main control unit 32 notifies the host device 31. In this case, authentication printing is not performed.

As described above, in the third embodiment, the provision of the monitoring sensor 40 makes it possible to detect a case where the form 2 has been extracted before reading and before performing authentication printing.

Next, a fourth embodiment will be described. FIG.
FIG. 14 is a block diagram showing a fourth embodiment. In the fourth embodiment, whether or not a form has been replaced has been confirmed by reversing the order of reading and authentication printing of the form.

In FIG. 12, a host device 50 is connected to the form reading device 1. The host device 50 includes a recognition unit 51 for recognizing the read data sent from the form reader 1, a storage unit 52 for storing the contents of the authentication print, and comparing the recognition result with the content stored in the storage unit 52. Comparing part 5
3 is provided. The form reading device 1 includes a main control unit 32
The main control unit 32 controls the non-contact scanner 8 and the printer unit 5. The printer unit 5 includes a printer control unit 33
A spacing motor (SP motor) 34, a print head 11, a clamp motor 35, a transport motor 36, and a positioning sensor 24 are connected to the printer control unit 33, respectively. The mechanical configuration of the form reader 1 according to the fourth embodiment is the same as that shown in FIG.

Next, the operation of the fourth embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.
2. It will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 13 is a flowchart showing the operation of the fourth embodiment. First, the operator places the form 2 to be read on the mat 3 and instructs the start of reading by operating the host device 50 (step S1).
1) In the form reader 1, the clamp motor 35 is driven by the printer control unit 33. The clamp arm 15 rotates counterclockwise in FIG. 4, and the clamp roller 19 clamps the form 2. Further, the transport roller 36 is driven to drive the clamp roller 19 and the transport rollers 13, 1
When the printer 4 is driven, the form 2 is sucked into the printer unit 5 (step S12).

The form 2 passes through the position of the positioning sensor 24, is further conveyed by a predetermined amount from that point, and is positioned at the authentication printing start position. Next, the printer control unit 3
Reference numeral 2 drives the print head 11 to perform authentication printing (step S13). The authentication data is stored in the storage unit 52 of the host device 50, and the print head 11 sends data from the storage unit 52 to perform authentication printing.

When the authentication printing is completed, the conveying roller 36 is driven to drive the clamp roller 19 and the conveying rollers 13 and 1.
4 is driven in the reverse direction to eject the form 2 (step S1).
4) Position the form 2 output from the printer unit 5 at the reading position. Thereafter, the image of the form 2 is read by the non-contact scanner 8 (step S15). The read image data is sent to the host device 50. The host device 50 recognizes the authentication print portion of the sent image data by the recognition unit 51 (step S16).

The authentication print is made on the date 54, as shown in FIG.
It is composed of a branch number 55 and a processing number 56, and different numbers are printed for each form. The authentication print data is stored in the storage unit 5
2 and the recognition is completed (step S1).
7) Then, the comparison unit 53 compares the recognized number with the number stored in the storage unit 52 (step S18). Here, if the numbers match, it is confirmed that the form 2 has not been replaced. If they do not match, it is determined that the form 2 has been replaced, and error processing is performed (step S19).

As described above, according to the fourth embodiment,
Before performing the reading, the authentication printing is performed, then the authentication printed form 2 is read, and it is confirmed whether the authentication printing number and the read authentication number match. Therefore, the form 2 was intentionally replaced. However, the confirmation can be performed on the device side.

[0040]

As described above in detail, according to the present invention, since the retractable shutter is provided in accordance with the form reader, the position of the form can be easily determined. Before the form is read by the non-contact scanner, the form is conveyed to the printing unit and positioned at a predetermined position, and the form is conveyed in a reverse direction by a predetermined distance from the position to position the form at the reading position. There is no need to accurately position at the reading position,
The form can be easily read.

Also, a monitoring sensor is provided to monitor whether the form is at the reading position from the time the form is read by the non-contact scanner until the authentication printing is performed. Authentication printing, and then read the form with a non-contact scanner, and check whether the form was replaced based on the result of reading the form, so even if the form was replaced after reading, it was replaced Is effective immediately.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an external view showing a form reading apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view illustrating a printer unit according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a side view showing the operation of the first embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a side view illustrating a printer unit according to a second embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a second embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a side view showing the operation of the second embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing an operation of the second embodiment.

FIG. 8 is an external view showing a third embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a side view showing a third embodiment.

FIG. 10 is a side view showing the operation of the third embodiment.

FIG. 11 is a block diagram showing a third embodiment.

FIG. 12 is a block diagram showing a fourth embodiment.

FIG. 13 is a flowchart showing the operation of the fourth embodiment.

FIG. 14 is an explanatory diagram showing a form after performing authentication printing.

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 form reader 2 form 5 printer unit 8 non-contact scanner 15 clamp arm 16 shutter 24 print positioning sensor 40 monitoring sensor 50 host device 51 recognition unit 53 comparison unit

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Takashi Iwazuki 1-7-12 Toranomon, Minato-ku, Tokyo Oki Electric Industry Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Hiroaki Iwata 1-7-12 Toranomon, Minato-ku, Tokyo Oki Electric Industry Co., Ltd. F term (reference) 3F102 AA01 AB01 BA02 BA09 BB02 DA05 EA01

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A form reading device for reading a form at a reading position by a non-contact scanner and performing authentication printing after reading the form, wherein an abutted member for positioning the form at the reading position is provided so as to be retractable. Form reading device characterized by the following. 2. A clamp mechanism for clamping and transporting a form from the reading position to a printing position, wherein the clamp mechanism is retracted before the form is positioned at the reading position, and the form is moved to the reading position. 2. The form reading apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the form is clamped after being positioned, and the abutted member is retracted in conjunction with a clamping operation of the clamp mechanism. 3. A form reading apparatus having a printing unit for reading a form at a reading position by a non-contact scanner and performing authentication printing after reading the form, wherein the form is conveyed to the printing unit before the form is read by the non-contact scanner. A form reading apparatus, wherein the form is positioned at a predetermined position, and is conveyed in a reverse direction by a predetermined distance from the predetermined position to position the form at the reading position. 4. A form reading apparatus for reading a form at a reading position by a non-contact scanner and performing authentication printing after reading the form, wherein the form is read from the form by the non-contact scanner until the form is authenticated. A document reading device provided with a monitoring means for monitoring whether or not the document is read. 5. A form reading apparatus having a non-contact scanner for reading a form at a reading position and a printing unit for performing authentication printing on the form, wherein the printing unit first performs authentication printing on the form, and thereafter performs the authentication printing on the form. A form reader which reads a form and checks whether the form has been replaced based on the result of reading the form.