JP2003288631A - Sheet transporting device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent overlapping of sheets on a transport passage with a simple constitution without affected by the difference in an internal mechanism of game medium dispenser. <P>SOLUTION: A control signal including a periodical releasing signal is outputted to the game medium dispensers 11L, 11R mounted oppositely to a relay controller 30 through the transport passage 20, with time lag, and each of the game medium dispensers can feed out bills to an introduction passage 15 only during the releasing signal. When a transport detection sensor 35 detects the bill at an upstream of the transport passage, the feeding-out of the bills from the game medium dispensers 11L, 11R is inhibited to allow the passage of the bill on the transport passage with priority. A bill charging detection sensor by each game medium dispenser becomes unnecessary, further the wiring to the relay controller becomes unnecessary, and the transporting device is not affected by various charge detecting sensors of various manufacturing companies. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a paper sheet transport apparatus for transporting paper sheets such as banknotes input from a plurality of input devices to a collection section. 2. Description of the Related Art As a conventional apparatus of this type, for example, there is a bill transporting apparatus in which a bill inserted into a game medium lending machine in a game store is conveyed to a collection device at an island end while being sandwiched between transport belts or the like. is there. That is, between the gaming tables arranged back to back on both sides of the transport path including a transport belt and the like, a game medium lending machine is installed, each is connected to the transport path by the introduction path, lending the game media lending The machine joins the transport path via the introduction path. In such an apparatus, the number of bills to be collected must be counted because sales are managed for each island, but a large number of gaming medium lending machines are installed adjacent to a plurality of gaming tables, and When a banknote is arbitrarily inserted from the medium lending machine, there is a problem that the banknote is overlapped with the banknote being conveyed on the conveyor belt and accurate counting becomes impossible. Accordingly, the present applicant has disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 6-1835.
An apparatus disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 93 has been proposed in which bills are prevented from overlapping on a conveyor belt. In this apparatus, as shown in FIG. 7, a ball lending machine 41 (41L, 41R) as a game medium lending machine is installed between pachinko machines 40 arranged back to back on both sides of the transport path 20, as shown in FIG. And each ball rental machine 41 is placed in the introduction path 15 (15L, 15R).
, The banknotes inserted from the slot of the ball lending machine 41 are merged into the transport path 20 via the introduction path 15. [0004] A converging point P with the introduction path 15 is provided on the conveying path 20.
A conveyance detection sensor 35 for detecting bills sent through the conveyance path 20 is provided on the more upstream side, and the billing machine 41 has an insertion detection sensor 45 (45) for detecting bills inserted from an insertion slot.
L, 45R). Then, the ball lending machine 41 is provided with a bill acceptance prohibition function, and the transport detection sensor 35 is provided.
When the banknote is detected in the upstream transport path, or when the insertion detection sensor 45 detects the insertion of the banknote from one of the ball rental machines 41 facing back to back, the ball rental machine 41R
In order to prohibit acceptance of banknotes, the banknotes are prevented from overlapping. [0005] That is, when a bill is detected in the upstream conveyance path 20 by the conveyance detection sensor 35, the ball lending machine 41L,
41R is set to prohibit the acceptance of bills. After that, when the set time until the bill passing through the conveyance detection sensor 35 passes the downstream position of the ball lending machine 41, for example, the junction P, the prohibition of accepting bills is released. In addition, one ball lending machine 41L (or 41R) opposing the insertion detection sensor 45L (or 45R).
When the bill inserted in R) is detected, the other ball lending machine 41R (or 41L) is immediately prohibited from accepting the bill, and thereafter, a set time until the bill passing through the insertion detection sensor 45 passes the junction P. Is passed, the bill acceptance prohibition is released. [0006] However, in the above-described transport device, the insertion detection sensor 4 is provided to each of the ball lending machines 41L and 41R in order to control the bills so as not to overlap.
5L, 45R are provided, and the ball rental machine 41L,
In addition to wiring for sending a control signal to 41R, wiring for sending a sensor signal from each of the closing detection sensors 45L and 45R to the controller is also required, and it is difficult to suppress cost increase due to the closing detection sensor and a large number of wirings. [0007] Further, the installation position of the insertion detection sensor 45 in the ball lending machine 41 is variously different depending on the maker of the internal mechanism, and when the internal mechanisms of different manufacturers are mixed, the bills passing through the insertion detection sensor 45 may be mixed. There is a problem that the time required to pass through the junction P is different, and the response is complicated. Furthermore, depending on the manufacturer,
Since the output generation mode of the closing detection sensor 45 is different and the detection signal is ON / OFF reversed, the signal continuation time is different, and the like, the control may be different from the setting if input as it is. Accordingly, the present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and has a simple configuration and is not affected by a difference in an internal mechanism of a game medium lending machine, and is configured to prevent paper sheets such as banknotes from overlapping on a transport path. It is an object of the present invention to provide a leaf transport device. [0008] For this reason, the present invention is directed to a paper feeding apparatus in which a plurality of loading machines opposing back to back across a transport path are installed along both sides of the transport path, and In the paper sheet conveying device that conveys the leaves to the conveyance path via the introduction path, and conveys the sheet to the storage unit in the conveyance path, the sheet is conveyed at each junction with the introduction path from the opposing loading machine. A conveyance detection sensor provided upstream of a predetermined distance and detecting a sheet conveyed on the conveyance path, a control unit connected to the conveyance detection sensor and outputting a holding signal and a release signal, and , Connected to the control unit, having a sheet introduction preventing unit that receives the holding signal, prevents feeding of the paper sheet to the introduction path, receives the release signal, and allows the feeding of the paper sheet. At the confluence point so that the sheets do not overlap. When the output sensor detects a sheet, a holding signal is output to both opposing throwing machines for a first predetermined time, and after a lapse of the first predetermined time, a release signal is output between the facing throwing machines.
Are periodically output with a predetermined time delay. An embodiment of the present invention will be described below. FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of an embodiment in which the present invention is applied to a bill transport device that transports bills from a plurality of gaming medium lending machines to a common storage unit. The game medium lending machine 11 (11L, 11R) as an input machine is a pachinko machine ball machine or a medal machine machine installed adjacent to a plurality of game machines 10 (for example, pachinko machines or pachislot machines). In addition, they are provided on both sides of the transport path 20 back to back. Each gaming media lending machine 11 has a bill slot,
A bill acceptance delaying mechanism 12 is provided as a sheet introduction preventing unit inside. In addition, the game medium lending machine 11
Is further provided with a bill validator (not shown). The game media lending machine 11 and the transport path 20 are connected to the introduction path 15.
(15L, 15R). At one end of the transport path 20, there is provided a storage section 18 for storing banknotes sent from the game medium lending machine 11 to the transport path 20 via the introduction path 15 in an aligned manner. Is provided with a bill counter 17. Conveyance path 2
0 is a predetermined distance L from the junction P with each introduction path 15.
A transport detection sensor 35 for detecting a bill is provided only on the upstream side. A predetermined distance L for installing the conveyance detection sensor 35
The bill detected by the conveyance detection sensor 35 reaches the junction P after the bill fed from the gaming medium lending machine 11 passes the junction P when the conveyance detection sensor 35 detects the banknote. Set to length. A game medium lending machine 11 and a conveyance detection sensor 3
5, a relay controller 30 as a control unit is connected. The transport detection sensor 35 includes a light-emitting element 36 and a light-receiving element 37 provided to face each other with the transport path 20 interposed therebetween, and while the light from the light-emitting element 36 to the light-receiving element 37 is blocked by the bill, “there is a bill”. (For example, ON) is sent to the relay controller 30. When the detection signal of “the presence of a bill” has disappeared, the bill has passed through the conveyance detection sensor 35 and has exited. The relay controller 30 is composed of an electronic circuit having a CPU (arithmetic processing unit), takes in a detection signal from the conveyance detection sensor 35, and sends the game medium lending machine 1
For 1, the control signal including the hold signal and the release signal is transmitted. The release signal is sent from the game media rental machine 11 to the introduction path 1
5. The bill is allowed to be paid out to 5, and the holding signal prohibits the bill to be paid out. Therefore, when a bill is inserted into the bill insertion slot while the gaming medium lending machine 11 is receiving the holding signal, the acceptance delay operation mechanism 12 repeats the acceptance delay operation of the bill. This acceptance delay operation is to accept a bill once at the bill insertion slot but immediately return it, and is the same as the acceptance delay operation function described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 6-183593. The relay controller 30 has a timer count unit 31 and a control signal generation unit 32. The control signal generating unit 32 is normally configured to control the game medium lending machine 1 based on the count value of the timer counting unit 31 as shown in FIG.
For the control signal A and the control signal B, a release signal of an L level (OFF) is periodically output at a predetermined interval T0 as a control signal A and a control signal B to the game medium lending machine 11R, respectively, at a predetermined interval T0. ing. The output of the control signal B for the game medium lending machine 11R is shifted from the control signal A for the game medium lending machine 11L by the time T2. The pulse width of the release signal in the control signal A is T1, and the pulse width of the release signal in the control signal B is T3. That is, the times T0 and T2 are for preventing the bills from the opposing gaming medium lending machines 11L and 11R from overlapping each other. At the point in time when the time has elapsed, before the bills fed from the game medium lending machine 11R reach the junction P via the introduction path 15R, the bills fed from the game medium lending machine 11L are The length is set such that it has passed the point P. The same applies to the time T4 from the time when the bill is paid out from the gaming medium lending machine 11R to the time when the bill is allowed to be paid out from the gaming medium lending machine 11L, so that the time T4 has the same length as T2. Here, if the time T2 is set to, for example, 4 sec, and the pulse width of the release signal is set to 1 sec for each of T1 and T3, the time T0 is set to 9 sec. Next, the conveyance detection sensor 35 is connected to the conveyance path 20.
Is detected, the relay controller 30 forcibly changes the output of the control signal generator 32 to H.
Level, that is, the output state of the holding signal, and this state is continued for a time T5. This time T5 is equal to the length of time that the bills detected by the conveyance detection sensor 35 pass through the junction P before the banknotes fed from the gaming medium lending machine 11 reach the junction P at that time. Set. When the time T5 elapses, the control signal generator 32 returns to the normal control signal output state again. Next, the flow of the above control will be described. The flow described below is executed by interruption processing at one-second intervals. FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the processing in the timer counting unit 31. Timer count unit 3
At 1, two counting processes of timer A and timer B are performed. First, for the timer A of FIG.
At 00, the timer A is incremented. In step 101, the count value of the timer A is equal to the interval T0 (= T1 + T2 + T3) of the release signal in the normal control signal.
Check if + T4) has been reached. If the count value of the timer A has reached T0, the process proceeds to step 102, where the count value of the timer A is set to 0, returns to step 100, and repeats the above flow. If the count value of the timer A has not reached T0, the process returns to step 100 as it is. The counting process of the timer B shown in FIG. 3B is started when a detection signal indicating "the presence of a bill" is received from the transport detection sensor 35. When the timer count unit 31 receives the detection signal of "the presence of a bill", first, in step 200, the flag is set to FLG = 1. Then, in step 201, the timer B is incremented. In step 202, it is checked whether or not the count value of the timer B has reached T5. If the count value of the timer B has not reached T5, the process returns to step 201 and continues counting up. If the count value reaches T5 in the check in step 202, the process proceeds to step 203, and the flag is reset (FLG = 0). Subsequently, in step 204, the count value of the timer B is set to 0, and the process ends. From the state of the flag, it is possible to know whether or not the time T5 has elapsed since the bill was detected by the conveyance detection sensor 35. FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the processing in the control signal generator 32. In step 300, first, it is checked whether the flag of the timer B is set. If the flag is set, the banknote is detected by the conveyance detection sensor 35, and the lapse of the current time T5 is being counted. Therefore, the process proceeds to step 301, and both the control signals A and B are held at the H level of the holding signal. . As a result, both of the game medium lending machines 11L and 11R enter a state in which bill feeding is prevented. If the flag is not set in the check in step 300, in step 302, the timer A
It is checked whether the count value is 0 or more and smaller than T1. If the count value of the timer A is equal to or larger than 0 and smaller than T1, in step 303, the control signal A is set to an L level release signal, and the control signal B is set to an H level holding signal. As a result, the blocking state of the game medium lending machine 11L is released, and the bills inserted from the bill insertion slot are introduced into the introduction path 15L.
L. During this time, since the control signal B is held at the H level of the holding signal, bills from the opposing gaming medium lending machine 11R are prevented from being fed. If it is determined in step 302 that the count value of timer A is not smaller than T1, step 304
, The control signal A is held at the H level of the holding signal. Then, the process proceeds to step 305 to check whether the count value of the timer A is equal to or more than T1 + T2 and smaller than T1 + T2 + T3. When the count value of the timer A is within this range, in step 306, the control signal B is set to an L level release signal. As a result, the blocking state of the gaming medium lending machine 11R is released, and the bill inserted from the bill insertion slot can be fed out to the introduction path. During this time, since the control signal A is held at the H level of the holding signal, bills from the opposing gaming medium lending machine 11L are prevented from being fed.
If it is determined in step 305 that the count value of the timer A is not smaller than T1 + T2 and smaller than T1 + T2 + T3, in step 307, the control signal B
Is also held at the H level of the holding signal. Step 303, 3
After steps 06 and 307, the flow returns to step 300 to repeat the above flow. In the above description, the position in the direction coincides with the transport path 20 of the opposing gaming medium lending machine 11L, 11R, and the junction of each of the introduction paths 15L, 15R and the transport path 20 is set to P. Game media lending machine 11
When the positions of L and 11R are displaced from each other, as shown in FIG. 5, there are two merging points P1 and P2. In this case, assuming that the merging point P1 is on the upstream side of P2, it is at the merging point P2 that the bills from both gaming medium lending machines 111 and 11R may overlap. Here, the time from when the bill is fed out of the gaming medium lending machine 11L to the time when the bill passes through the junction P2, and when the bill is fed from the gaming medium lending machine 11R and the bills are merged. The time required to pass the point P2 will be different. Therefore, as shown in FIG.
The hold signal time from the release of the release signal in the control signal A to the release of the release signal in the control signal B is T2 'longer than T2 when the positions of both gaming medium lending machines coincide, and conversely. The holding signal time from the release signal in the control signal B to the release signal in the control signal A is set to T4 'which is shorter than T4. The present embodiment is configured as described above, and the game medium lending machine 11L, which is opposed from the relay controller 30,
11R, a control signal including a periodic release signal is output with a time lag so that the bills from the respective gaming medium lending machines do not overlap on the transport path 20.
In 1, the bill is fed to the introduction path 15 only during the release signal, and when the transport detection sensor 35 detects the bill, it is given priority to pass the bill, so that an insertion detection sensor for each game medium lending machine is unnecessary. Therefore, the wiring from the insertion detection sensor to the relay controller is not required, so that the cost can be reduced and the game medium rental machine 11 itself and the entire game island can be further downsized. Similarly, since the insertion detection sensor in the game medium lending machine is not required, there is no influence on the control due to the difference in the internal mechanism of each maker.
It can be easily implemented. In addition, the control signal generator 32 of the relay controller 30 can easily change the settings of the times T1 to T5 and the like, so that the position of the transport path 20 and its transport detection sensor 35, the introduction path 15, and the rental of the game medium are performed. It can be easily applied to various specifications such as the machine 11. In the embodiment, as the paper sheet introduction inhibiting means, the bill receiving delay mechanism 12 of the game medium lending machine 11 is used. However, the present invention is not limited to this.
For example, it is also possible to adopt a configuration in which a brake device is provided for holding the bills fed to the introduction path 15 therebetween, and the brake device is operated while receiving the holding signal. As the brake device, various drive systems such as those using an electromagnetic solenoid, an electric motor or an air cylinder are possible. In this case, it is not necessary to eliminate the bill receiving delay operation mechanism, and the receiving delay operation can be performed while the brake device is in the operating state. Further, the transport detection sensor 35 is configured by a light emitting element and a light receiving element, but any type of sensor can be used as long as it can detect passage of a bill. Further, in the embodiment, the counting process of the timer A is always continued, and when the time T5 has elapsed since the bill was detected by the conveyance detection sensor 35, the count value of the timer A at that time is used. Normal control signal output is resumed, but this is not a limitation.
For example, the processing may be started from the release signal T1 or T3 for one of the game medium lending machines 11L and 11R, whereby the waiting time on the game medium lending machine 11 side can be shortened. The control signal generator 3
In the process of 2, the control signals A and B are controlled in a series of flows, but the control signal A and the control signal B may be controlled by another process in parallel. The game medium lending machine 11 is exemplified by a ball lending machine between pachinko machines, for example. A device for providing a card to be borrowed is also included in the game media lending machine. Further, although the gaming medium rental machine 11 in the embodiment is shown as a combination with a pachinko machine or a pachislot machine,
The present invention can be applied to other various fee payment machines. In addition, although the description has been given of the transport of banknotes as paper sheets, the present invention is also applicable to the transport of other standardized-sized paper pieces or flexible plastic cards. As described above, according to the present invention, the feeding machine is provided with the paper sheet introduction preventing means, and the feeding path is conveyed upstream by a predetermined distance at each junction with the introduction path from the opposing feeding machine. A detection sensor is provided, and when the conveyance detection sensor detects a sheet, the control unit outputs a holding signal to both opposing throwing machines for a first predetermined time, and after a lapse of the first predetermined time, a release signal. Are periodically output with a shift of a second predetermined time between the opposing charging machines, so that the paper sheets do not overlap at the confluence. Becomes unnecessary, and the cost is reduced. Further, since there is no influence on the control due to the difference in the internal mechanism for each maker of the input machine, the implementation is particularly easy regardless of the application target.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a control signal. FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a process in a timer counting unit. FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a process in a control signal generator. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a junction in a modified example. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a control signal in a modified example. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a configuration of a conventional example. [Description of Signs] 10 gaming table 11, 11L, 11R game media lending machine (insertion machine) 12 bill acceptance delay operation mechanism (sheet introduction prevention means) 15, 15L, 15R introduction path 17 bill counter 18 storage section 20 Conveyance path 30 Relay controller (control unit) 31 Timer count unit 32 Control signal generation unit 35 Conveyance detection sensor 36 Light emitting element 37 Light receiving element 40 Pachinko machine 41L, 41R Ball lending machine 45L, 45R Input detection sensors P, P1, P2 junction

Claims (1)

Claims: 1. A plurality of loading machines opposing back to back across a transport path are installed along both sides of the transport path, and sheets fed into the loading machine are respectively passed through the introduction paths. In a sheet transport device that joins a transport path and transports the sheet to a storage unit in the transport path, the transport path is provided at a predetermined distance upstream of each junction point of the transport path with the introduction path from the opposed loading machine, A conveyance detection sensor that detects paper sheets conveyed on the road, the conveyance detection sensor is connected, a control unit that outputs a holding signal and a release signal, and a control unit that is provided in the input machine and is connected to the control unit; Receiving a holding signal to prevent feeding of the paper sheets to the introduction path, receiving a release signal, and permitting the feeding of the paper sheets. The transport detection sensor is used so that paper sheets do not overlap. When a sheet is detected, a holding signal is output to both of the opposing dispensers for a first predetermined time, and after a lapse of the first predetermined time, a release signal is output between the opposing dispensers. A sheet conveying device for periodically outputting a sheet with a predetermined time shift.