JP2003317130A - Paper sheet discriminating device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a paper sheet discriminating device which prevents a paper sheet from being misdiscriminated as much as possible. <P>SOLUTION: The vertical interval L between a couple of top and bottom slide plates 41 and 41 constituting a sensor unit 20 which reciprocally travels at right angles to the traveling direction of the paper sheet 11 is set smaller than the vertical interval S between paper sheet conveyance paths 4, and 5. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a paper sheet discriminating apparatus for discriminating the authenticity of paper sheets such as banknotes, cash vouchers, coupons, and the like, and particularly, for discriminating paper sheets with a significantly improved discrimination accuracy. Regarding the device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, in a paper sheet identification apparatus for identifying the authenticity of paper sheets such as banknotes, cash vouchers, coupon tickets, etc., the paper sheet to be identified is made to run along a paper sheet transport path, A change in a specific part of the paper sheet is detected by various paper sheet identification sensors such as a magnetic sensor or a photo sensor arranged on the paper sheet conveyance path during traveling, and the paper is detected based on the detection result. I try to identify the authenticity of the leaves.

FIG. 5 is a conceptual plan view of an essential part showing a conventional example of the above-described paper sheet discriminating apparatus 1, and FIG. 6 is an AA enlarged sectional view of FIG. The paper sheet identification part 2 which discriminates false is shown.

In the paper sheet discriminating section 2, as shown in FIG. 6, paper sheet conveying paths 3 communicating with a paper sheet inlet (not shown) are arranged so as to face each other in the vertical direction. It is composed of upper and lower chutes 4 and 5, and as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, a pair of driving and driven rollers 7 and 8 supported by a shaft 6 is provided on the side of the paper sheet conveying path 3. A pair of paper sheet conveying means 9 and 10 are provided.

Further, in the paper sheet conveying path 3 located between the pair of paper sheet conveying means 8 and 9, a traveling direction of the banknote 11 (arrow C is indicated by an arrow B by a drive device (not shown). )
On the other hand, a sensor unit 20 is disposed which travels back and forth in a direction perpendicular to each other and thereby determines the authenticity of the bill 11 traveling back and forth.

As shown in FIG. 6, the sensor unit 20 includes a pair of slide plates 2 which are arranged vertically facing each other.
1 and 22, and an identification sensor 25 composed of a pair of a light emitting element 23 and a light receiving element 24, which are arranged to face each other at predetermined positions of the pair of slide plates 21 and 22. The light emitting and receiving elements 23 and 24 are composed of photosensors.

On the other hand, the interval M between the pair of slide plates 21 and 22 of the sensor unit 20 is set in order to ensure the running stability of the banknote 11 that runs while penetrating between the pair of slide plates 21 and 22. The distance is set to be larger (M >> S) than the interval S between the upper and lower chutes 4 and 5 that form the class conveying path 3.

[0008]

By the way, according to the above-mentioned sheet identifying apparatus 1, the distance M between the pair of slide plates 21 and 22 constituting the reciprocating sensor unit 20.
Is designed to be larger than the interval S between the upper and lower chutes 4 and 5 (M >> S) forming the paper sheet transport path 3, so that light easily enters from the outside into the large interval M. Therefore, there is a possibility that it may not be possible to accurately determine the authenticity of the paper sheet due to the influence of ambient light that enters the identification sensor 25 including the light emitting and light receiving elements 23 and 24.

Although it is conceivable to cover the entire sensor unit 20 to prevent the entry of ambient light in order to prevent such a fear, it becomes impossible to reduce the size of the entire apparatus 1 and reduce the manufacturing cost.

In view of the above-mentioned circumstances, it is an object of the present invention to provide a paper sheet identifying apparatus which prevents paper sheet identification errors as much as possible.

[0011]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, according to the present invention, there is provided a sensor unit which reciprocates in a direction perpendicular to a traveling direction of a paper sheet traveling on a paper sheet conveying path, A sensor unit including a pair of upper and lower slide plates arranged to face each other and an identification sensor mounted on the pair of slide plates is used to determine the authenticity of the paper sheet traveling on the paper sheet conveyance path. In the paper sheet identifying apparatus, the vertical distance L between the pair of upper and lower slide plates is smaller than the vertical distance S between the paper sheet conveying paths (L
≦ S) is set.

[0012]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION An embodiment of a paper sheet identifying apparatus according to the present invention will be described in detail below.

FIG. 1 shows a paper sheet identifying apparatus 3 according to the present invention.
0 is a conceptual plan view of a main part of FIG. 2, and FIG. 2 is a DD enlarged sectional view of FIG.
The same parts as those in FIGS. 5 and 6 are designated by the same reference numerals.

The sensor unit 4 of the paper sheet identification section 2
As shown in FIG. 2, reference numeral 0 designates a pair of slide plates 41 and 42 which are vertically opposed to each other, and the pair of slide plates 4
The identification sensor 25 includes a pair of a light emitting element 23 and a light receiving element 24, which are disposed at predetermined positions of 1 and 42 so as to face each other.

On the other hand, in the above-described sensor unit 40, the vertical interval L between the pair of slide plates 41 and 42 is equal to or narrower than the interval S between the upper and lower chutes 4 and 5 that form the paper sheet transport path 3. (L ≦ S) is formed.

Further, the pair of slide plates 41,
42, that is, both ends 41a of the slide plate 41,
41b and both ends 42a and 42b of the slide plate 42 are extended along the paper sheet conveying path 3, respectively.

That is, in the embodiment, both ends 41a and 41b of the slide plate 41 and both ends 42a and 42 of the slide plate 41 are used.
b is a pair of adjacent paper sheet conveying means 9, 10
Than the tangent line 50 connecting between the peripheral surfaces of the drive and driven rollers 7 and 8 constituting the drive and driven rollers 7, 8.
It is extended to the side of the shaft 6 which supports 8.

Therefore, the above-mentioned sensor unit 4
According to 0, the vertical distance L between the pair of slide plates 41 and 42 is L.
Is formed to be equal to or smaller than the interval S between the upper and lower chutes 4 and 5 forming the paper sheet conveying path 3 (L ≦ S), so that the gap between the pair of slide plates 41 and 42 ( It is difficult for light to enter the vertical interval L), and therefore the influence of ambient light on the identification sensor 25 including the light-emitting and light-receiving elements 23 and 24 is reduced as much as possible. Can be determined.

In the embodiment described above, the slide plate 4
1. Both end portions 41a and 41b of 1 and both end portions 4 of the slide plate 42
2a and 42b are extended along the paper sheet conveying path 3, and specifically, the respective drive and driven rollers 7 and 8 are provided.
Since it is extended to the shaft 6 side with respect to the tangent line 50 connecting the respective peripheral surfaces, the visor effect is high and the light shielding property is further improved.

On the other hand, as described above, when the arrangement interval L of the pair of slide plates 41 and 42 constituting the sensor unit 40 is set to be narrow (L≤S), the banknotes 11 (paper sheets) passing between them are wrinkled. If there is a swell or the like, the bills 11 are likely to be jammed between them, which may make it impossible to determine the authenticity.

Therefore, in the paper sheet discriminating apparatus 30 of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 4 which is a conceptual plan view of an essential part of FIG. 3 and an EE enlarged sectional view of FIG. 3, a gap between the pair of slide plates 41 and 42 is shown. In order to promote stable running of the banknote 11 passing through L,
The sensor unit 40 is further provided with a paper sheet stable traveling means 60.
Are arranged.

As shown in FIG. 4, the paper sheet stable traveling means 60 is arranged in the vicinity of the identification sensor 25 composed of the light emitting and light receiving elements 23 and 24 so as to face and abut each other, and in any direction. It is composed of a pair of upper and lower balls 61 and 62 that rotate freely.

The balls 61, 62 are made of a light material such as hard plastic or ceramic having a relatively high hardness and a small friction coefficient.

The pair of upper and lower balls 61, 62 are arranged in holes 41c, 42c formed in the pair of slide plates 41, 42 at positions facing each other.

Of these, the slide plate 41 located above
Since the pressing force of the coil spring 71, which is the urging means, acts downward on the ball 61 arranged in the hole 41c of the ball 61 through the disk-shaped spacer 70, the ball 61 is formed in the hole 41c.
It can move up and down in c.

The coil spring 71 is prevented from coming off by a set screw 72 screwed into the hole 41c.

Although the coil spring 71 is used as the urging means in the above embodiment, it may be a leaf spring.

On the other hand, the ball 62 disposed in the hole 42c of the slide plate 42 located below is supported by the disk-shaped spacer 70 at its lower part, and its downward movement is prevented. Each of the balls 61 and 62 described above is supported by a disk-shaped spacer 70, and the contact area thereof is small, and the point contact makes the friction coefficient when rotating small. Therefore, the balls 61 and 62 are smooth. It is configured to freely rotate in all directions.

In the above embodiment, the upper ball 61 is pressed by the biasing means such as the coil spring 71 and the lower ball 6 is pressed.
2 is simply supported by the spacer 70, but the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and the lower ball 6
2 may be pressed by a biasing means such as a coil spring 71 so that the upper ball 61 is simply supported by the spacer 70.

On the other hand, as shown by the alternate long and short dash line 80 in FIG.
The paper sheet stable traveling means 60 composed of the pair of balls 61 and 62 described above is arranged in a plurality of diamond-shaped locations at a predetermined pitch on the pair of slide plates 41 and 42, and the corner portions 81 and 82 thereof are respectively arranged. Each of the balls 61, 62 of the one sheet stable traveling means 60 located in the banknote 1 reciprocally travels.
It is set so as to first come into contact with the end of the banknote 1, and thereafter, the end of the banknote 11 gradually becomes a plurality of paper sheet stable traveling means 60.
It is configured so as to contact the balls 61 and 62.

Therefore, since the end portion of the banknote 11 first comes into contact with the balls 61 and 62 of the one sheet stable traveling means 60, the contact pressure is extremely small, and the balls 61 and 62 smoothly move. Since it rotates freely in any direction,
The end portion of the bill 11 is the balls 6 of the paper sheet stable traveling means 60.
The conveyance is not blocked by 1, 62.

Next, the operation of the paper sheet discriminating apparatus 30 provided with the above-mentioned paper sheet stable traveling means 60 will be described.

As shown in FIG. 4, when the banknote 11 is conveyed from the left side to the right side of the drawing by the drive of the sheet conveying means 9 and the driven rollers 7 and 8, the leading end 11a of the bill 11 is moved to the position shown in FIG.
As indicated by the alternate long and short dash line 80 in FIG. 1, the ball 61, 62 of one sheet stable traveling means 60 located at the corner portion 81 of the lobe shaped sheet stable traveling means 60 is first contacted with. After that, the sheet is stably gripped between the balls 61 and 62 of the one sheet stable traveling means 60 and conveyed to the right side of the drawing.

As described above, the leading end 11a of the bill 11 is initially the balls 61 of the sheet stable traveling means 60,
Since it abuts against 62, the abutting pressure is small, and the balls 61 and 62 smoothly rotate freely in each direction, so that the leading edge 11a of the bill 11 is moved by the balls 61 and 62 of the paper sheet stable traveling means 60. The transportation is not blocked.

When the banknote 11 is conveyed to the right side of the drawing in this way, the banknote 11 is successively gripped between the balls 61 and 62 of the plurality of paper sheet stable traveling means 60 arranged in a diamond shape. As a result, the banknote 11 becomes the balls 61, 6
The area gripped by 2 is enlarged and smoothly conveyed to the right side of the drawing.

As described above, each ball 61 of the plurality of paper sheet stable traveling means 60 in which the bill 11 is arranged in a rhombus shape,
When the bill 11 is conveyed while being gripped one after another between the 62, the identification sensor 2 including the light emitting and light receiving elements 23 and 24
5 is prevented from moving up and down while passing through 5, and wrinkles, undulations, etc. of the banknote 11 are corrected, so that the banknote 11 moves within the narrow space L between the pair of slide plates 41, 42 constituting the sensor unit 40. Since the bill can be smoothly passed and the distance between the identification sensor 25 and the banknote 11 is always constant, the bill 1
The detected value of the authenticity determination of 1 is stable, and therefore, the authenticity determination of the banknote 11 can be performed quickly and accurately.

[0037]

As described above, in the paper sheet discriminating apparatus of the present invention, the vertical distance L between the pair of upper and lower slide plates constituting the sensor unit that reciprocates in the direction perpendicular to the traveling direction of the paper sheets. Is set to be smaller than the vertical interval S of the paper sheet conveying path, the gap L between the pair of slide plates is
It is difficult for light to enter inside, and as a result, the influence of ambient light on the identification sensor consisting of the light emitting and light receiving elements is reduced as much as possible. Therefore, the identification sensor more accurately determines the authenticity of the paper sheet, and Misidentification of leaves can be prevented as much as possible.

Further, since the pair of upper and lower slide plates constituting the sensor unit are provided with the sheet stable traveling means for grasping the sheet and comprising a pair of upper and lower balls which freely rotate in all directions, the discrimination sensor When the bill passes through, the bill is prevented from moving up and down, and wrinkles and undulations of the bill are corrected. It is possible to prevent the misidentification of the paper sheets as much as possible by performing the authenticity determination of the paper sheets.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a main part of a paper sheet identifying apparatus according to the present invention.

2 is a DD enlarged cross-sectional view of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of a principal part showing another embodiment of the paper sheet identifying apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an EE enlarged cross-sectional view of FIG.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of a main part of a conventional paper sheet identification device.

6 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along the line AA in FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

3 ... Paper path 11 ... Paper sheets 25 ... Identification sensor 30 ... Paper sheet identification device 40 ... Sensor unit 41, 42 ... slide plate 41a, 41b, 42a, 42b ... Both ends 61, 62 ... Ball 60: Paper sheet stable traveling means 71 ... Biasing means L: Vertical spacing between a pair of upper and lower slide plates S: Vertical spacing of paper sheet transport path

   ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued front page    (72) Inventor Satoru Tsurumaki             2-2-2 Uchisaiwaicho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo             Ceremony company Japan Conlux F term (reference) 2G051 AA34 AB20 BA20 CA20 CB02                       DA06                 3E041 AA01 AA02 BB01 EA05

Claims (9)

[Claims] 1. A sensor unit which reciprocates in a direction perpendicular to a traveling direction of a paper sheet traveling on a paper sheet conveying path, and a pair of upper and lower slide plates arranged to face each other and the pair. In a paper sheet identification device configured to determine the authenticity of a paper sheet traveling on the paper sheet conveyance path by a sensor unit including an identification sensor mounted on the slide plate, the upper and lower sides of the pair of upper and lower slide plates. A sheet identifying apparatus, wherein the interval L is set to be smaller than the vertical interval S of the sheet conveying path (L≤S). 2. The paper sheet identifying apparatus according to claim 1, wherein both ends of the pair of slide plates extend along the paper sheet conveying path. 3. A sensor unit that reciprocates in a direction perpendicular to a traveling direction of a paper sheet traveling on a paper sheet conveying path, and a pair of upper and lower slide plates arranged to face each other and the pair. In the paper sheet identification device configured to determine the authenticity of the paper sheet traveling on the paper sheet conveyance path by the sensor unit including the identification sensor mounted on the slide plate, the pair of upper and lower slide plates, A paper sheet stable traveling means composed of a pair of upper and lower balls that hold the upper and lower surfaces of the paper sheet passing between the pair of upper and lower slide plates and that freely rotate. Leaf identification device. 4. A plurality of paper sheet stable running means composed of a pair of upper and lower balls are arranged on the pair of upper and lower slide plates along a rhombus shape. Paper sheet identification device. 5. The paper sheet discriminating apparatus according to claim 3, wherein one of the pair of upper and lower balls is supported by an urging means so as to be vertically movable. . 6. A sensor unit that reciprocates in a direction perpendicular to a traveling direction of a paper sheet traveling on a paper sheet conveying path, and a pair of upper and lower slide plates arranged to face each other and the pair of slide plates. In a paper sheet identification device configured to determine the authenticity of a paper sheet traveling on the paper sheet conveyance path by a sensor unit including an identification sensor mounted on the slide plate, the upper and lower sides of the pair of upper and lower slide plates. The distance L is set to be smaller than the vertical distance S of the paper sheet conveying path (L ≦ S), and the upper and lower surfaces of the paper sheets passing between the pair of upper and lower slide plates are set to the upper and lower slide plates. A paper sheet identification device characterized in that a paper sheet stable traveling means composed of a pair of upper and lower balls which are gripped and freely rotated is arranged. 7. The paper sheet discriminating apparatus according to claim 6, wherein both ends of the pair of slide plates are arranged to extend along the paper sheet conveying path. 8. A plurality of paper sheet stable running means composed of a pair of upper and lower balls are arranged on the pair of upper and lower slide plates along a rhombus shape. Paper sheet identification device. 9. The paper sheet discriminating apparatus according to claim 6, wherein one of the pair of upper and lower balls is movably supported by an urging means. .