JP2022102959A - Plasma treatment apparatus and coin treatment apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a plasma treatment apparatus for sterilizing viruses attached to an object to be processed and a coin treatment apparatus.SOLUTION: A plasma sterilizing apparatus 20 for sterilizing notes B is provided with a plasma generating portion 40 for generating atmospheric pressure plasma, a plasma treatment chamber 30 through which the atmospheric pressure plasma is introduced, and the notes B are passed along a transfer direction D1, and a first support portion 51 and a second support portion 52 each supporting note B passing through the inside of plasma treatment chamber 30. A not-supported range A1 where the note B is not supported by the first support portion 51 and the non-supported range A2 where the note B is not supported by the second support portion 52 are provided on positions different in a width direction D2, all surface of the note B is treated during the note B passes through the plasma treatment chamber 30.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

The present invention relates to a plasma processing apparatus and a money processing apparatus including the plasma processing apparatus.

In recent years, epidemics of viruses and bacteria (hereinafter referred to as viruses) may cause serious social problems. As one method of preventing the epidemic of a virus or the like, it is considered to sterilize an article or a place where the virus or the like may have adhered by cleaning or the like.

On the other hand, a lot of money is in circulation in our social life, and when a carrier of a virus or the like touches the money, the virus or the like adheres to the money and another person who touches the money can be infected with the virus or the like. There is sex. Therefore, there is a need to sterilize viruses and the like attached to money.

For example, Patent Documents 1 and 2 disclose a banknote sterilizer in which the counter itself is set in the housing of the banknote sterilizer, and anions are sprayed onto the accumulated banknotes exposed to the outside of the counter to sterilize the banknotes. Has been done. Further, Patent Document 3 discloses a plasma processing apparatus technique for sterilizing a virus or the like adhering to an object to be treated by utilizing the sterilizing action of atmospheric pressure plasma.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2016-2458 Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2017-23682 Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2015-72913

However, in the banknote disinfecting machine disclosed in Patent Documents 1 and 2, it is necessary to perform a sterilization process separately from the banknote counting process by the counter, and the money process is required to perform the banknote deposit / withdrawal process at high speed. There was a problem that it could not be applied to the device.

Further, in the plasma processing apparatus disclosed in Patent Document 3, since the physical distance from the plasma generation unit to the object to be processed is large, ions are generated before the plasma generated in the plasma generation unit reaches the object to be processed. The concentration may decrease and a sufficient bactericidal effect may not be obtained.

Further, when the plasma processing device disclosed in Patent Document 3 is applied to a money processing device to sterilize viruses and the like attached to banknotes, the banknotes processed by the money processing device are sent by a transport roller and on a transport path. Since it is transported so as to slide, it is not possible to expose the atmospheric pressure plasma to both sides of the bill at once. It is also conceivable to expose both sides of the banknote to atmospheric pressure plasma by reversing the front and back of the banknote and reciprocating the transport path. There was a problem that the speed became slow.

Therefore, a technical problem to be solved in order to sterilize a virus or the like adhering to the object to be treated at high speed arises, and an object of the present invention is to solve this problem.

In order to achieve the above object, the plasma processing apparatus according to the present invention is a plasma sterilizing apparatus for sterilizing an object to be processed, and a plasma generating unit for generating atmospheric pressure plasma and the atmospheric pressure plasma are introduced. A plasma processing chamber for passing the object to be processed along a predetermined transport direction and a support portion for supporting the object to be processed passing through the plasma processing chamber are provided, and the object to be processed is supported by the support portion. The non-supported range is set so as to cover the entire surface of the object to be processed in the plasma processing chamber as the object to be processed moves.

In the present invention, since the entire surface of the object to be processed is exposed to atmospheric pressure plasma while the object to be processed is conveyed in the plasma processing chamber, the entire surface of the object to be processed is reliably exposed without slowing down the processing speed of the object to be processed. Can be sterilized.

It is a schematic diagram which shows the structure of the banknote processing apparatus which is one Embodiment of the money processing apparatus which concerns on this invention. It is a vertical sectional view which shows the 1st Embodiment of the plasma processing apparatus which concerns on this invention. It is a top view which shows the plasma processing apparatus. It is a perspective view which shows the support part and the 2nd electrode. (A) is a sectional view taken along line aa of FIG. 2, and (b) is an enlarged view of part c of FIG. 5 (a). (A) is a sectional view taken along line bb of FIG. 2, and (b) is an enlarged view of a portion d of FIG. 6 (a). It is a top view which shows the non-support part range in which a bill is not supported by a support part. It is a top view which shows the structure which provided 2 sets of 1 set of 1st support part and 2 sets of 2nd support part in a transport direction. It is a perspective view which shows the structure which formed the 1st support part and the 2nd support part so that it gradually becomes higher in a transport direction. It is a side view of the 1st support part and the 2nd support part shown in FIG. It is a schematic diagram in the case of transporting a bill in a U shape when viewed from the side in a plasma processing apparatus. (A) is a plan view showing a structure in which columnar support portions are arranged in a staggered manner, and (b) is a plan view showing a structure in which wavy support portions are arranged. It is a top view which shows the structure which formed the through hole in a part of the transport path, and formed the support part. It is a perspective view which shows the structure which formed the support part in the dielectric provided on the 2nd electrode. It is a side view which shows the structure which used the roller as a support part. It is a side view which shows the structure which combined the direct method which makes the generated atmospheric pressure plasma act on a banknote, and the indirect method which makes a pre-generated atmospheric pressure plasma act on a banknote. It is a vertical sectional view which shows the plasma processing apparatus which concerns on 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a top view which shows the plasma processing apparatus shown in FIG.

<First Embodiment>
The banknote processing apparatus 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following, when the number, numerical value, quantity, range, etc. of the components are referred to, the number is limited to the specific number unless it is explicitly stated or the principle is clearly limited to the specific number. It is not a thing, and it may be more than or less than a specific number.

In addition, when referring to the shape and positional relationship of components, etc., unless otherwise specified or when it is considered that it is not clearly the case in principle, those that are substantially similar to or similar to the shape, etc. are used. include.

In addition, the drawings may be exaggerated by enlarging the characteristic parts in order to make the features easy to understand, and the dimensional ratios of the constituent elements are not always the same as the actual ones. Further, in the cross-sectional view, hatching of some components may be omitted in order to make the cross-sectional structure of the components easy to understand.

<Money processing equipment>
An embodiment of the banknote processing apparatus according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows the structure of a banknote processing device 1 that performs deposit / withdrawal processing of banknotes. The bill processing device 1 is provided with a deposit / withdrawal unit 2 at the upper part on the front side thereof, in which loose bills are inserted from outside the machine and loose bills for withdrawal are sent out from inside the machine.

The deposit / withdrawal portion 2 is provided so that the mounting plate 3 constituting the bottom thereof can be raised and lowered in a posture of tilting backward, and the bearing surface 4 on the back side thereof rises backward so as to be orthogonal to the mounting plate 3. It is provided at an angle. In the deposit / withdrawal section 2, banknotes are collected on the mounting plate 3 in a posture in which the length direction is along the left-right direction, and the banknotes have a bearing surface 4 at the rear end edge due to the inclination of the mounting plate 3. Contact with.

On the rear side of the upper part of the deposit / withdrawal unit 2, the loose banknotes collected on the mounting plate 3 are separated one by one from the one at the upper end and sent out into the machine at a predetermined interval, and the banknotes from the machine are taken in and out. A feeding portion 2a to be fed is provided in the gold portion 2.

Below the deposit / withdrawal unit 2, a deposit / reject unit 5 is provided at a position in front of the bill processing device 1 in which deposit rejected bills determined to be unacceptable are withdrawn from the machine. A withdrawal reject section 6 for storing withdrawal reject banknotes determined to be withdrawal is provided on the rear side of the deposit / withdrawal section 2 and the deposit reject section 5, and is provided at the lower part behind the withdrawal reject section 6. Is provided with an identification unit 7 for identifying bills.

Further, an arranging portion 8 for arranging banknotes and accumulating a predetermined number of bundled banknotes is provided in the upper part behind the withdrawal reject portion 6. A binding portion 9 is provided in which a binding tape is wound around a number of banknotes to form a small bundled banknote. On the front side of the binding portion 9, a bundle withdrawal portion 10 for feeding out the small bundled bills created by the binding portion 9 to the outside of the machine is provided.

Further, at the lower part of the bill processing device 1, five bill storage boxes 11 are arranged in the front-rear direction of the bill processing device 1 so as to align the top, bottom, left, and right positions. The bill storage box 11 arranged on the innermost side, the bill storage box 11 arranged second from the back, and the bill storage box 11 arranged third from the back are all predetermined single money after payment is confirmed. The loose bills of the seeds are stored in a state of being accumulated vertically, and the bill storage box 11 arranged second from the front is a state in which the loose bills after payment is confirmed are stacked vertically in a mixed denomination. It is for storing. The bill storage box 11 arranged on the frontmost side is for temporarily storing the deposited loose bills before the payment is confirmed in a state of being vertically accumulated.

At the upper part of the bill storage box 11, there are a payout unit 11a that feeds out bills inside and separates the internal bills one by one from the one at the upper end, and a payout detection sensor 11b that detects the bills to be paid out by the payout unit 11a. Is provided. The payout detection sensor 11b detects a stagnation of banknotes while driving the payout unit 11a, thereby detecting a payout abnormality such as a jam. Inside the bill storage box 11, there is no elevator 11c that can be raised and lowered to collect bills, a near full detection sensor 11d that detects that the stored bills are in a near full state, and no bills to be stored. An empty detection sensor 11e for detecting the empty state is provided.

Inside the bill processing device 1, a bill transport path 12 for transporting bills is provided so as to appropriately connect the respective parts. The banknote transport path 12 extends backward from the feeding portion 2a, then downwards, then vertically downwards, then once extends to the front side, and then folded back to the rear side on the lower side. A transport path 12A that extends backward, passes through the plasma processing device 20 described later, slightly extends downward through the identification unit 7, and continuously extends downward slightly to the transport path 12A and then extends forward. It has a transport path 12B that slightly extends downward from the delivery front end, and a transport path 12C provided in the bill storage box 11 arranged on the frontmost side so as to be continuous with the transport path 12B.

Further, the banknote transport path 12 includes a transport path 12D that branches from the middle of the transport path 12B, and a transport path 12E provided in the bill storage box 11 arranged at the innermost side so as to be continuous with the transport path 12D. The transport path 12F branched from the bill storage box 11 side arranged on the front side of the road 12D and the transport path 12G provided on the bill storage box 11 arranged second from the back so as to be continuous with the transport path 12F. And, it is provided in the transport path 12H branching from the bill storage box 11 side arranged on the front side of the transport path 12F, and the bill storage box 11 arranged third from the back so as to be continuous with the transport path 12H. In the transport path 12I, the transport path 12J branching from the bill storage box 11 side arranged on the frontmost side of the transport path 12H, and the bill storage box 11 arranged second from the front so as to be continuous with the transport path 12J. The provided transport path 12K, the transport path 12L that branches from the bill storage box 11 side arranged on the front side of the transport path 12J and extends upward, and the transport path 12L that is connected to the transport path 12L and bends and extends rearward. It has a transport path 12M connected between the deposit / withdrawal section 2 and the identification section 7 of the transport path 12A.

Further, the bill transport path 12 branches upward from a position between the branch position of the transport path 12J and the branch position of the transport path 12L, and extends upward continuously to the transport path 12N. A transport path 12O connected to an intermediate position of the transport path 12M, a transport path 12P branched from a position between the connection position of the transport path 12O in the transport path 12M and the connection position to the transport path 12A, and connected to the deposit reject portion 5. The connection position of the transport path 12Q that branches from the position between the connection position of the transport path 12M in the transport path 12A and the deposit / withdrawal unit 2 and extends forward to connect to the intermediate position of the transport path 12P, and the transport path 12Q in the transport path 12P. It has a transport path 12R that branches upward from the position between the deposit and the deposit reject portion 5 and extends upward afterwards to connect to the withdrawal reject portion 6.

Further, the bill transport path 12 has a transport path 12S connecting a position between the deposit / withdrawal portion 2 and the branch position of the transport path 12Q in the transport path 12A and a position between the connection position of the transport path 12M and the identification unit 7. It has a transport path 12T that branches rearward from a position between the connection position of the transport path 12S in the transport path 12A and the deposit / withdrawal section 2 and is connected to the alignment section 8. The transport path 12S is provided with a front / back reversing portion (not shown) for reversing the front and back of the bill.

Here, the above-mentioned transport paths 12A to 12M are capable of transporting banknotes in both forward and reverse directions, and the transport paths 12N to 12T are capable of transporting banknotes in only one direction.

The bill processing device 1 includes a control unit 13 that controls its operation. The control unit 13 includes an operation unit (not shown) in which an operation input is made by the operator, a display unit (not shown) that displays a notification or the like directed to the operator, and information on each banknote based on the identification result of the banknote by the identification unit 7. Is connected to a storage unit (not shown) that stores the data and the like.

When performing a deposit process for identifying and counting while transporting loose bills inserted into the deposit / withdrawal unit 2 from outside the machine, the loose bills are placed on the mounting plate 3 of the deposit / withdrawal unit 2 and the payout unit 2a is placed. Will separate the banknotes on the mounting plate 3 of the deposit / withdrawal unit 2 one by one in order from the one at the upper end and pay out the banknotes at predetermined intervals, and the paid out banknotes will be conveyed by the transport path 12A. .. Banknotes (banknotes of denominations that can be handled) that pass through the plasma processing device 20 during transportation in the transport path 12A, and the identification unit 7 identifies and counts the banknotes, and the identification unit 7 determines that the banknotes are acceptable. Is transported to the bill storage box 11 arranged on the frontmost side in the transport passages 12B and 12C, while the bills determined to be unacceptable by the identification unit 7 are deposited from the transport passage 12B through the transport passages 12N, 12O, 12M and 12P. It is conveyed to the reject unit 5. As a result, acceptable banknotes are temporarily stored in the banknote storage box 11 arranged on the frontmost side, and unacceptable banknotes are discharged to the deposit reject unit 5.

In addition, the bills temporarily stored in the bill storage box 11 arranged on the front side in the deposit processing are stored in the corresponding bill storage boxes 11 arranged in the first, second, third, and fourth positions from the back. When the storage process is performed, the banknotes in the banknote storage box 11 arranged on the front side are fed out from the one at the upper end by the feeding section 11a, and the banknotes drawn out are delivered from the transport paths 12C, 12B, 12L, 12M. Banknotes transported to the identification unit 7 by 12A and arranged in the first, second, third and fourth from the back by the corresponding ones in the transport paths 12B, 12D to 12K based on the identification result of the identification unit 7. Transport to the corresponding item in the storage box 11. As a result, the banknotes are stored in the corresponding items of the banknote storage boxes 11 arranged first, second, third and fourth from the back. Banknotes identified as double-feed by the identification unit 7 in the storage process are transported to the withdrawal reject unit 6 by the transport paths 12B, 12N, 12O, 12M, 12P, 12R and stored in the withdrawal reject unit 6. do.

Further, in the case of returning the bills temporarily stored in the frontmost bill storage box 11 to the deposit / withdrawal unit 2 in the deposit processing, the bills in the frontmost bill storage box 11 are placed at the upper end. The payout unit 11a is to be paid out from the banknote, and the paid out bills are conveyed to the deposit / withdrawal unit 2 by the transport paths 12C, 12B, and 12A. As a result, the banknotes are returned to the deposit / withdrawal unit 2.

In addition, banknotes are picked up from the designated denominations of the banknote storage box 11 arranged on the innermost side, the banknote storage box 11 arranged second from the back, and the banknote storage box 11 arranged third from the back. When withdrawing loose banknotes to be withdrawn, in the bulk withdrawal process, the banknotes are stored in the designated denomination of the banknote storage boxes 11 arranged first, second and third from the back. The payout unit 11a will pay out the bills from the upper end, and the payouts will be conveyed to the identification unit 7 by the corresponding ones of the transport paths 12D to 12I and the transport paths 12B and 12A, and the banknotes will be fed to the identification unit 7. Based on the identification result, those that do not require front-back inversion are in the deposit / withdrawal section 2 in the transport path 12A, and those that require front-back inversion are inversion in the front-back inversion section via the transport path 12S, and then in the transport path 12A. It is transported to the deposit / withdrawal section 2 respectively. As a result, the loose bills based on the withdrawal operation are sent out to the deposit / withdrawal unit 2. Banknotes identified as double-feed by the identification unit 7 in the withdrawal process are conveyed to the withdrawal reject unit 6 by the transport paths 12A, 12Q, 12P, 12R and stored in the withdrawal reject unit 6.

Further, in the case of performing a bundle withdrawal process of bundling and withdrawing banknotes from the designated denomination of the banknote storage boxes 11 arranged first, second and third from the back, from the back. Among the banknote storage boxes 11 arranged in the first, second, and third positions, the banknotes stored in the designated denominations are to be paid out by the payout unit 11a from the upper end, and the banknotes to be paid out are delivered. The corresponding ones of the transport paths 12D to 12I and the transport paths 12B and 12A are transported to the identification unit 7, and based on the identification result of the identification unit 7, those that do not need to be turned upside down are aligned in the transport paths 12A and 12T. Items that require front / back inversion are inverted in the front / back inversion section via the transport path 12S, and then transported to the alignment section 8 in the transport paths 12A and 12T, respectively. As a result, the designated single denomination banknotes are paid out to the alignment unit 8 by the number of binding units. Then, the binding unit 9 binds the product and feeds the product to the withdrawal unit 10. Such processing will be performed for the specified number of bundles for each specified denomination. Banknotes identified as double-feed by the identification unit 7 in the bundle withdrawal process are conveyed to the withdrawal reject unit 6 by the transport paths 12A, 12Q, 12P, 12R and stored in the withdrawal reject unit 6.

Further, when the banknotes stored in the banknote storage box 11 are to be scrutinized, for example, the banknotes in the banknote storage box 11 arranged first from the back are sent out to the transport path 12E, and the transport paths 12D, 12A. The banknotes identified as appropriate for storage in the banknote storage box 11 arranged first from the back based on the identification result of the identification unit 7 are stored in a storage cassette (not shown) by a distribution unit (not shown). .. On the other hand, banknotes such as double-feeding banknotes that were not identified as appropriate for storage in the banknote storage box 11 arranged first from the back based on the identification result of the identification unit 7 are stored in a reject cassette (not shown) by the distribution unit. do. In this way, all the banknotes in the banknote storage box 11 arranged first from the back are conveyed to the storage cassette or the reject cassette.

Next, the banknotes in the storage cassette are fed out and transported in the transport path 12A, and the banknotes identified as appropriate for storage in the banknote storage box 11 arranged first from the back based on the identification result of the identification unit 7. Is sorted by the transport path 12D, transported by the transport path 12E, and stored in the bill storage box 11 arranged first from the back. On the other hand, banknotes such as double-feeding banknotes that are not identified as appropriate for storage in the banknote storage box 11 arranged first from the back from the identification result of the identification unit 7 are stored in the reject cassette.

Similarly, after all the banknotes in the banknote storage box 11 arranged second from the back are conveyed to the storage cassette or the reject cassette, the banknotes in the storage cassette are transferred to the banknote storage box 11 or the reject cassette arranged second from the back. Transport to. Further, after all the bills in the bill storage box 11 arranged third from the back are conveyed to the storage cassette or the reject cassette, the bills in the storage cassette are conveyed to the bill storage box 11 or the reject cassette arranged third from the back. do.

<Plasma processing equipment>
Next, the structure of the plasma processing apparatus 20 will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the structure of the plasma processing apparatus 20. The plasma processing apparatus 20 plasma-treats the banknote B as an object to be processed by atmospheric pressure plasma to sterilize it. The object to be processed may have any shape such as a planar shape or a three-dimensional shape, and in addition to banknotes, paper leaves such as paper, coins, sheets or thin plates are preferable. The plasma processing apparatus 20 includes a plasma processing chamber 30, a plasma generation unit 40, and a support unit 50.

The plasma processing chamber 30 is formed in a substantially rectangular shape, and has a carry-in inlet 31 provided on the upstream side (carry-in side) of the transport direction D1 in which the bill B is transported and a downstream side (carry-out side) of the transport direction D1. A carry-out port 32 provided on the side) is formed. The carry-in inlet 31 and the carry-out port 32 are connected to the carry-in passage 12A, respectively.

A pair of upper and lower transfer rollers (not shown) are provided outside the carry-in inlet 31 and the carry-out port 32 of the plasma processing chamber 30, respectively. The bill B is sandwiched between a pair of transport rollers and pushed out in the rotational direction of the transport rollers. That is, the bill B is extruded in the direction of the transport path 12A from the pair of transport rollers on the carry-in port 31 side, and is pushed out in the direction of being discharged from the transport path 12A by the pair of transport rollers on the carry-out port 32 side. As a result, the bill B is conveyed along the transport direction D1 by a pair of transport rollers (not shown) on the carry-in inlet 31 side and a pair of transport rollers (not shown) on the carry-out port 32 side. Reference numeral 33 indicates a HEPA filter for suppressing the virus or the like removed from the bill B and floating in the plasma processing chamber 30 from spreading to the outside from the carry-out port 32.

The plasma generation unit 40 is provided in the plasma processing chamber 30. The plasma generation unit 40 includes a first electrode 41, a second electrode 42, and a dielectric 43.

The first electrode 41 and the second electrode 42 are provided so as to face each other with a predetermined distance (for example, 0.5 to 10 mm) across the transport path 12A of the bill B. The first electrode 41 is provided on the entire top surface of the plasma processing chamber 30. The second electrode 42 is provided on the entire bottom surface of the plasma processing chamber 30, except for the first support portion 51 and the second support portion 52, which will be described later. The first electrode 41 and the second electrode 42 are connected to a power supply device 44 which is an AC power source (for example, a frequency of 50 Hz to 50 MHz) that can apply a high voltage (for example, 1 to 15 kV). Since the higher the frequency of the power supply, the easier it is to discharge, it is possible to omit the dielectric 43 when the frequency of the power supply is high.

As for the AC voltage output from the power supply device 44 to the first electrode 41 and the AC voltage output from the power supply device 44 to the second electrode 42, one is grounded and the other outputs a sinusoidal or square wave AC voltage. Or by outputting a sinusoidal or rectangular wave-shaped AC voltage whose phases are offset by 90 to 180 degrees from each other to the first electrode 41 and the second electrode 42, the first electrode 41 and the second electrode 42 Atmospheric pressure plasma is generated in the meantime. The "atmospheric pressure plasma" is plasma generated by discharging under substantially atmospheric pressure due to the potential difference between the first electrode 41 and the second electrode 42. In order to stably generate atmospheric pressure plasma, it is preferable that the electric capacity between the first electrode 41 and the second electrode 42 is stable. When either the first electrode 41 or the second electrode 42 is grounded, a potential difference is generated with respect to the grounded electrode, which is preferable in terms of ease of designing and setting the power supply circuit. Neither the electrode 41 nor the second electrode 42 may be grounded.

A dielectric 43 is provided adjacent to the first electrode 41. The dielectric 43 is provided so as to cover the entire surface of the first electrode 41 (the surface facing the second electrode 42). In this embodiment, the case where the dielectric 43 is provided so as to cover the entire surface of the first electrode 41 has been described as an example, but the dielectric 43 is the first electrode 41 or the second electrode 41. It may be provided so as to cover at least one of the electrodes 42 or both the first electrode 41 or the second electrode 42. For example, the dielectric 43 may be provided so as to cover at least one of the electrodes 42 or the first electrode 41 and the second electrode 42. It may be provided so as to cover each surface of the second electrode 42, or may be provided so as to cover the surface of the second electrode 42 (the surface facing the first electrode 41). By interposing the dielectric 43 between the first electrode 41 and the second electrode 42, it is possible to prevent the discharge from concentrating at a predetermined position between the first electrode 41 and the second electrode 42. Therefore, stable atmospheric pressure plasma can be generated over a wide range in the plasma processing chamber 30.

A gas supply unit 45 is provided on the carry-in side of the plasma generation unit 40. After being supplied to the plasma processing chamber 30, the induced gas flowing in the gas supply unit 45 moves along the transport direction D1 of the bill B and is discharged from the carry-out port 32. The induced gas is, for example, air, preferably air containing a predetermined amount of water vapor, but is not limited thereto.

<Support part>
In the plasma processing chamber 30, a support portion 50 for supporting the bill B from the second electrode 42 side is provided. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the support portion 50 includes a first support portion 51 and a second support portion 52. The first support portion 51 and the second support portion 52 are respectively erected so as to project from the bottom surface of the plasma processing chamber 30 toward the first electrode 41. The first support portion 51 and the second support portion 52 are made of an insulator such as glass or plastic.

The first support portion 51 is formed in a wall shape and extends from the carry-in entrance 31 to substantially the center of the plasma processing chamber 30 when viewed from a plane. As shown in FIG. 5A, three first support portions 51 are arranged side by side with a gap in the width direction D2 perpendicular to the transport direction D1. That is, the bill B is supported at three locations, the center and the left and right ends, by the three first support portions 51.

The height of the support surface 51a that supports the bill B of the first support portion 51 is set so as to be substantially flush with the transport path 12A. Further, as shown in FIG. 5B, it is preferable that the support surface 51a is formed in a semicircular cross section having a convex shape toward the upper side. As a result, the contact area between the bill B and the support surface 51a can be reduced, and the transport resistance on the support surface 51a when the bill B is transported is reduced. Further, since the banknote B and the support surface 51a are in contact with each other in a substantially point contact state on the paper surface of FIG. 5B, atmospheric pressure plasma treatment is performed on a wide range of the banknote B except for the contact portion with the support surface 51a. Can be done.

The second support portion 52 is formed in a wall shape and extends from substantially the center of the plasma processing chamber 30 to the carry-out port 32 when viewed from a plane. As shown in FIG. 6A, two second support portions 52 are arranged side by side with a gap between them in the width direction D2. That is, the bill B is supported by the two second support portions 52 at two locations, the middle of the center and the left end and the middle of the center and the right end.

The height of the support surface 52a that supports the bill B of the second support portion 52 is set so as to be substantially flush with the transport path 12A. Further, as shown in FIG. 6B, it is preferable that the support surface 52a is formed in a semicircular cross section having a convex shape toward the upper side. As a result, the contact area between the bill B and the support surface 52a can be reduced, and the transport resistance on the support surface 52a when the bill B is transported is reduced. Further, since the banknote B and the support surface 52a are in contact with each other in a substantially point contact state on the paper surface of FIG. 6B, atmospheric pressure plasma treatment is performed on a wide range of the banknote B except for the contact portion with the support surface 52a. Can be done.

In this way, the support surfaces 51a and 52a form a transport path for the banknote B in the plasma processing chamber 30. It is preferable that the heights of the support surfaces 51a and 52a are set substantially intermediate between the first electrode 41 and the second electrode 42.

The first support portion 51 and the second support portion 52 may be overlapped with each other in the transport direction D1 at the positions of the end portions on the center side of the first support portion 51 and the second support portion 52 when viewed from a plane. As a result, when the bill B is delivered from the first support portion 51 to the second support portion 52, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of jam in which the tip of the bill B is caught by the second support portion 52.

<Atmospheric pressure plasma processing>
Next, the atmospheric pressure plasma processing on the bill B by the plasma processing apparatus 20 will be described with reference to the drawings.

As for the timing of the plasma processing of the bill B by the plasma processing apparatus 20, for example, it is conceivable that the bill processing apparatus 1 performs a sterilization treatment by atmospheric pressure plasma at the time of deposit processing. In this case, since the plasma processing device 20 is installed on the upstream side of the transport path 12A from the identification unit 7, all banknotes B are sterilized by atmospheric pressure plasma regardless of the discrimination result of the identification unit 7. Processing can be applied.

The plasma processing device 20 applies an AC voltage between the power supply device 44 and the first electrode 41 and the second electrode 42 to generate atmospheric pressure plasma between the first electrode 41 and the second electrode 42. ..

Next, as shown in FIG. 7, when the banknote B is carried into the plasma processing chamber 30 from the carry-in port 31, the banknote B has three first surfaces (back surfaces) facing the second electrode 42. It is transported along the transport direction D1 while being supported by the support portion 51. In the plasma processing chamber 30, the banknote B is exposed to the atmospheric pressure plasma in the non-support range A1 (hatched portion in FIG. 7) that is not supported by the first support portion 51.

Further, since the first support portion 51 is erected from the bottom surface of the plasma processing chamber 30, the back surface of the bill B is easily exposed to the atmospheric pressure plasma. Further, since the support surface 51a is curved upward in a convex shape, there is a gap between the bill B and the first support portion 51 except for a slight contact region between the bill B and the first support portion 51. Since the atmospheric pressure plasma wraps around the opposite range with a gap, the area where the bill B is exposed to the atmospheric pressure plasma can be widened. Further, since the support surface 51a is set substantially between the first electrode 41 and the second electrode 42, both sides of the banknote B are exposed to the atmospheric pressure plasma substantially evenly.

Next, when the bill B moves from the first support portion 51 to the second support portion 52, the back surface of the bill B is conveyed along the transport direction D1 while being supported by the two second support portions 52. .. In the plasma processing chamber 30, the banknote B is exposed to the atmospheric pressure plasma in the non-support range A2 (hatched portion in FIG. 7) that is not supported by the second support portion 52.

Further, since the second support portion 52 is erected from the bottom surface of the plasma processing chamber 30, the back surface of the bill B is easily exposed to the atmospheric pressure plasma. Further, since the support surface 52a is curved upward, there is a gap between the banknote B and the second support portion 52 except for a slight contact area between the banknote B and the second support portion 52. Since the atmospheric pressure plasma wraps around the facing range, the region where the bill B is exposed to the atmospheric pressure plasma can be widened. Further, since the support surface 52a is set substantially between the first electrode 41 and the second electrode 42, both sides of the banknote B are exposed to the atmospheric pressure plasma substantially evenly.

Further, as shown in FIG. 7, the non-support ranges A1 and A2 in which the banknote B is exposed to the atmospheric pressure plasma are set at different positions in the width direction D2 so as to cover the entire surface of the banknote B in the plasma processing chamber 30. It is set. As a result, the entire surface of the banknote B is exposed to atmospheric pressure plasma while being transported in the plasma processing chamber 30 along the transport direction D1, so that both sides of the banknote B can be reliably sterilized.

Then, after passing through the second support portion 52, the bill B is carried out from the plasma processing chamber 30 to the transport path 12A via the carry-out port 32.

The timing at which the plasma processing device 20 plasma-processes the banknote B may be any time as long as the banknote B passes through the plasma processing chamber 30. For example, the plasma processing device 20 is driven when the power of the banknote processing device 1 is turned on. You may. Therefore, in the banknote processing device 1, the plasma processing device 20 can be constantly driven during the driving period of the banknote processing device 1 to constantly sterilize the banknote B. Further, for example, a sterilization treatment using an atmospheric pressure plasma may be performed during the scrutiny treatment. In this case, since the transport speed of the bill B can be set to be lower than that of the deposit processing or the like, it is possible to secure a longer time for the atmospheric pressure plasma to act on each bill B. Therefore, by performing the sterilization process of the banknote B during the scrutiny process of the banknote processing device 1, it is possible to reliably sterilize the virus or the like attached to the banknote B.

The plasma processing device 20 is not limited to the one installed on the upstream side of the transport path 12A from the identification unit 7.

For example, when the plasma processing device 20 is installed in the deposit / withdrawal unit 2, it is possible to sterilize the bill B by applying atmospheric pressure plasma at the time of deposit. Therefore, in the banknote processing device 1, the banknotes B accumulated in the deposit / withdrawal unit 2 can be plasma-processed for a predetermined time until the banknote B is fed into the machine by the payout unit 2a.

Further, when the plasma processing device 20 is installed in the bill storage box 11, the time for applying the atmospheric pressure plasma to the bill can be lengthened, and the sterilization effect can be further enhanced.

Further, when the plasma processing device 20 is installed on the downstream side of the transport path 12A from the identification unit 7, it does not affect the discrimination of the banknote B by the identification unit 7, and after passing through the identification unit 7, the banknote B is used. It can be sterilized by applying atmospheric pressure plasma.

Further, the plasma processing chamber 30 and the plasma generation unit 40 are not limited to those formed in a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape, and may be formed in a substantially cylindrical shape with respect to each other, for example.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, the case where the support portion 50 is configured by providing the first support portion 51 and the second support portion 52 in this order along the transport direction D1 has been described as an example. The non-support range in which B is not supported by the support portion 50 and is exposed to the atmospheric pressure plasma moves with the transportation of the bill B, and the atmospheric pressure plasma acts on the entire surface of the bill B in the plasma processing chamber 30. If so, the support portion 50 may have any configuration.

For example, as shown in FIG. 8, a first support portion 51 and a second support portion 52 may be provided as one set, and a plurality of sets may be provided along the transport direction D1. According to such a configuration, even if the concentration of the atmospheric pressure plasma varies depending on the location in the plasma processing chamber 30, the non-support range in the transport direction D1 is set to overlap at least twice. Therefore, an opportunity to plasma-process the non-supported range of the banknote B at two or more different positions in the transport direction D1 is secured, and the plasma processing of the banknote B can be performed more reliably.

Further, the support surfaces 51a and 52a are not limited to those set substantially between the first electrode 41 and the second electrode 42, and for example, as shown in FIG. 9, the first support portion 51 and the support surface 51a and 52a are set. The second support portion 52 may be formed so as to gradually increase in the transport direction D1. By inclining the support surfaces 51a and 52a in this way, as shown in FIG. 10, the support surface 51a is arranged closer to the second electrode 42, and the support surface 52a is arranged closer to the first electrode 41. To. Therefore, on the carry-in side of the transport direction D1, the space between the surface of the bill B facing the dielectric 43 and the dielectric 43 becomes large, and the concentration of the atmospheric pressure plasma becomes relatively high, so that the dielectric of the bill B becomes a dielectric. Plasma processing on the surface facing the 43 can be performed more reliably, and on the carry-out side in the transport direction D1, the space between the surface facing the second electrode 42 of the bill B and the second electrode 42 is large. Since the concentration of the atmospheric pressure plasma is relatively high, the plasma treatment on the surface of the bill facing the second electrode 42 can be performed more reliably. This makes it possible to efficiently sterilize both sides of the bill B.

Further, the configuration in which one side of the banknote B is intensively plasma-processed by locally changing the distance between the transport path of the banknote B and the dielectric 43 is not limited to the above-mentioned one. For example, when the transport path of the bill B is set horizontally and the dielectric 43 is formed in a tapered shape that gradually becomes thinner from the carry-in side to the carry-out side in the transport direction D1, the carry-in side in the transport direction D1 Since the space between the surface of the bill B facing the second electrode 42 and the second electrode 42 becomes large and the concentration of the atmospheric pressure plasma becomes relatively high, the bill B faces the second electrode 42. The plasma treatment of the surface can be performed more reliably, and on the carry-out side in the transport direction D1, the space between the surface of the bill B facing the dielectric 43 and the dielectric 43 becomes large, and the concentration of the atmospheric pressure plasma is relative. Therefore, the plasma treatment of the surface of the bill B facing the dielectric 43 can be performed more reliably.

Further, the transport direction D1 of the bill B is not limited to the one set in one direction from the carry-in inlet 31 toward the carry-out port 32, and for example, as shown in FIG. 11, the plasma processing chamber 30 is made to make a U-turn. You may set it to. As a result, the banknote B is conveyed closer to the first electrode 41 on the outward path, the concentration of the atmospheric pressure plasma becomes relatively high between the banknote B and the second electrode 42, and the banknote B is on the return path. Since the concentration of the atmospheric pressure plasma is relatively high between the bill B and the first electrode 41, the bill B can be efficiently sterilized on both sides.

Further, as shown in FIG. 12A, the first support portion 51 and the second support portion 52 may be formed in a columnar shape, respectively, and may be provided in a staggered manner when viewed from a plane. Further, as shown in FIG. 12B, the support portion 50 may be formed in a wavy shape when viewed from a plane. According to such a configuration, the non-supporting range of the banknote B can be moved along the transport direction D1, and the plasma processing of the banknote B can be performed on the entire surface.

Further, the first support portion 51 and the second support portion 52 are not limited to the wall-shaped members erected on the bottom surface of the plasma processing chamber 30, and are, for example, in the plasma processing chamber 30 as shown in FIG. It may be a meat portion obtained by partially forming a through hole 53 in the arranged block body. Thereby, the first support portion 51 and the second support portion 52 can be easily manufactured.

Further, the first support portion 51 and the second support portion 52 are not limited to those made of an insulator, and for example, as shown in FIG. 14, the surface of the second electrode 42 (on the first electrode 41). When the dielectric 43 is provided so as to cover the entire surface of the facing surface, the first support portion 51 and the second support portion 52 are formed on the surface of the dielectric 43 in a ridge shape along the transport direction D1. It doesn't matter.

Further, the first support portion 51 and the second support portion 52 are not limited to those that support the bill B so as to slide on the support surfaces 51a and 52a. For example, as shown in FIG. 15, a rotating body 54 such as a free roller or a drive roller may be used. As a result, the transport resistance of the banknote B can be reduced, the banknote B can be smoothly transported, and the banknote B can be prevented from being rubbed and damaged. Further, since the non-supporting range of the bill B moves between the rollers adjacent to the roller in the transport direction D1 while being conveyed by the rollers, the plasma processing of the bill B can be performed on the entire surface.

Further, the atmospheric pressure plasma acting on the bill B is not limited to the case where the plasma generated between the first electrode 41 and the second electrode 42 is directly acted on the bill B (direct method). For example, as shown in FIG. 16, one first electrode 41 is provided on the upper and lower sides of the second electrode 42, and the first electrode 41 is generated between the upper first electrode 41 and the second electrode 42. The direct method of applying the atmospheric pressure plasma to the bill B and the atmospheric pressure plasma generated in advance between the lower first electrode 41 and the second electrode 42 act through the through hole 46 of the second electrode 42. You may use both the case of making it (indirect method) and the case of making it (indirect method). The thick arrow in FIG. 16 indicates the flow direction of the induced gas supplied from the gas supply unit 45 and flowing the atmospheric pressure plasma, and the thin arrow indicates the flow of the atmospheric pressure plasma supplied through the through hole 46. show.

As described above, the plasma processing apparatus 20 according to the embodiment of the present invention is an apparatus for processing bill B (object to be processed) by atmospheric pressure plasma, and includes a plasma generating unit 40 for generating atmospheric pressure plasma. The bill B is provided with a plasma processing chamber 30 in which the atmospheric pressure plasma is introduced and the bill B is passed along a predetermined transport direction D1, and a support portion 50 for supporting the bill B passing through the plasma processing chamber 30. The non-support range not supported by the support portion 50 is set so as to cover the entire surface of the bill B in the plasma processing chamber 30 as the bill B moves.

According to this configuration, while the banknote B is conveyed in the plasma processing chamber 30, the non-supported range in which the banknote B is not supported by the support portion extends over the entire surface of the banknote B, so that the entire surface of the banknote B is atmospheric pressure plasma. Therefore, the entire surface of the banknote B can be reliably sterilized by one transportation of the banknote B.

Further, in the plasma processing apparatus 20, the support portion 50 has a first support portion 51 that supports at least a part of the bill B in the width direction D2 orthogonal to the transport direction D1, and a first support portion 51 in the width direction. A second support portion 52 that supports the bill B at positions that do not overlap is provided, and the first support portion 51 and the second support portion 52 are provided at different positions in the transport direction D1.

According to this configuration, the first support portion 51 and the second support portion 52 support the bill B at different positions in the width direction, so that the bill B is conveyed in the plasma processing chamber 30. Since the non-supporting range in which the banknote B is not supported by the support portion 50 extends over the entire surface of the banknote B, the entire surface of the banknote B is exposed to the atmospheric pressure plasma, and the banknote B can be sterilized efficiently.

Further, the plasma processing apparatus 20 is configured such that the first support portion 51 and the second support portion 52 are provided so as to project above the bottom surface of the plasma processing chamber 30.

According to this configuration, since the banknote B is transported in a state of being supported with a gap from the bottom surface of the plasma processing chamber 30, the back surface of the banknote B is easily exposed to the atmospheric pressure plasma, and the banknote B is efficiently used. Can be sterilized.

Further, in the plasma processing apparatus 20, the plasma generation unit 40 includes a first electrode 41 and a second electrode 42 provided on the opposite side of the first electrode 41 with the support unit 50 interposed therebetween. At least one of the electrode 41 of 1 and the second electrode 42 is provided at a position where it does not overlap with the support portion 50 in a plan view.

According to this configuration, in the plasma generation unit 40, the support unit 50 does not come into contact with the second electrode 42, so that the support unit 50 has a short distance between the first electrode 41 and the first electrode 41. It is possible to prevent a discharge phenomenon (arc discharge) from occurring between them, and it is possible to stably generate atmospheric pressure plasma.

Further, the banknote processing device 1 has a configuration in which the banknote B is money and is provided with the plasma processing device 20 described above.

According to this configuration, the atmospheric pressure plasma can be applied to the bill B to sterilize the virus or the like attached to the money.

Further, the banknote processing device 1 further includes an identification unit 7 (money identification unit) that identifies and counts money, and a control unit 13 that controls the banknote processing device 1. The control unit 13 further includes a banknote processing device 1. The banknote B is sterilized with atmospheric pressure plasma when the scrutiny process is performed.

The scrutiny of the money processing device is generally performed when the money processing device is not used for normal business such as at night or on holidays. Therefore, by performing atmospheric pressure plasma processing during the scrutiny processing of the money processing device, it is possible to expose the money to atmospheric pressure plasma while counting the coins one by one, and the range that does not hinder the start of the next business. The speed of scrutiny processing (transportation) can be reduced, and the processing time of atmospheric pressure plasma for money can be lengthened. Therefore, the money can be sterilized more reliably by performing the atmospheric pressure plasma treatment at the time of the scrutiny processing of the money processing apparatus.

<Second embodiment>
Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 17 is a vertical sectional view of the plasma processing apparatus 20 according to the present embodiment. FIG. 18 is a plan view of the plasma processing apparatus 20 according to this modification. Among the configurations of the plasma processing apparatus 20 according to the present modification, the configurations common to the plasma processing apparatus 20 according to the above-described embodiment are designated by the same reference numerals and duplicated description will be omitted.

The configuration corresponding to the first support portion 51 described in the first embodiment is a pair of upper and lower carry-in side transport belts 55, and each carry-in side transport belt 55 has a first drive roller 55a and a first. It is configured to be wound around a driven roller 55b and orbit around an orbit. A pair of upper and lower carrying-in side transport belts 55 are provided at intervals so that one bill B can be held from above and below. The pair of upper and lower carry-in side transport belts 55 carry the bill B as the carry-in side transport belt 55 rotates while holding the bill B.

The carry-in side transport belt 55 is provided on the upstream side (carry-in side) of the transport direction D1 from substantially the center in the plasma processing chamber 30. Three carry-in side transport belts 55 are arranged side by side with a gap between them in the width direction D2, and the bill B is sandwiched between the center and the left and right ends by the three carry-in side transport belts 55.

Corresponding to the second support portion 52 described in the first embodiment is a pair of upper and lower carry-out side transport belts 56, and each carry-out side transport belt 56 has a second drive roller 56a and a second. It is configured to be wound around a driven roller 56b and orbit around an orbit. A pair of upper and lower carry-out side transport belts 56 are provided at intervals so that one bill B can be held from above and below. The pair of upper and lower carry-out side transport belts 56 transport the bill B with the rotation of the carry-out side transport belt 56 in a state where the bill B is sandwiched.

The carry-out side transport belt 56 is provided on the downstream side (carry-out side) of the transport direction D1 from substantially the center in the plasma processing chamber 30. Two carry-out side transport belts 56 are arranged side by side with a gap in the width direction D2, and the bill B is formed on the middle side between the center and the left end and the middle side between the center and the right end by the two carry-out side transport belts 56. It is sandwiched between two places.

In this way, the banknote B is transported while being sandwiched between the carry-in side transport belt 55 and the carry-out side transport belt 56, so that the transport resistance of the banknote B is reduced, the banknote B can be smoothly transported, and the banknote B can be transported. It can prevent rubbing and damage.

Further, the non-support range A1 in which the bill B is not supported by the carry-in side transport belt 55 and the non-support range A2 in which the bill B is not supported by the carry-out side transport belt 56 are provided at different positions in the transport direction D1, and the atmospheric pressure plasma is generated. , While the bill B passes through the plasma processing chamber 30, it acts on the entire surface of the bill B.

Further, in the present embodiment, the banknote processing device for processing banknotes has been described as an example of the money processing device, but the present invention can also be applied to a coin processing device for processing coins. When the coin is treated with atmospheric pressure plasma, the atmospheric pressure plasma may be applied in a state where the metal coin is in direct contact with the electrode without providing a dielectric.

Further, the present invention can be modified in various ways other than the above as long as it does not deviate from the spirit of the present invention, and it is natural that the present invention extends to the modified ones.

Further, the above-described embodiments and modifications may be combined as appropriate. For example, the transport belt provided in the upper part of the plasma processing chamber may be configured to transport the banknotes while being pressed against the wall-shaped support portion erected from the bottom surface of the plasma processing chamber.

1: Bill processing device 20: Plasma processing device 30: Plasma processing room 31: Carry-in inlet 32: Carry-out port 33: HEPA filter 40: Plasma generator 41: First electrode 42: Second electrode 43: Dielectric 44: Power supply device 45: Gas supply unit 50: Support unit 51: First support unit 51a: Support surface 52 (of the first support unit): Second support unit 52a: Support surface (second support unit) 53: Through hole 54: Rotating body 55: Carry-in side transport belt 55a: First drive roller 55b: First driven roller 56: Carry-out side transport belt 56a: Second drive roller 56b: Second driven roller A1, A2: Non-supported range

Claims (6)

A plasma sterilizer that sterilizes the object to be treated.
A plasma generator that generates atmospheric pressure plasma, and
A plasma processing chamber in which the atmospheric pressure plasma is introduced and the object to be processed is passed along a predetermined transport direction.
A support portion that supports the object to be processed passing through the plasma processing chamber, and a support portion.
Equipped with
The non-support range in which the object to be processed is not supported by the support portion is set so as to cover the entire surface of the object to be processed in the plasma processing chamber as the object to be processed moves. Processing equipment. The support portion is
A first support portion that supports at least a part of the object to be processed in a width direction orthogonal to the transport direction, and a first support portion.
A second support portion that supports the object to be processed at a position that does not overlap the first support portion in the width direction, and a second support portion.
Equipped with
The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first support portion and the second support portion are provided at different positions in the transport direction. The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the first support portion and the second support portion are provided so as to project upward from the bottom surface of the plasma processing chamber. The plasma generation unit is
With the first electrode
A second electrode provided on the opposite side of the first electrode with the support portion interposed therebetween
Equipped with
The plasma processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the first electrode and the second electrode is provided at a position that does not overlap with the support portion in a plan view. The object to be processed is money and is
A money processing apparatus comprising the plasma processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4. A currency identification unit that identifies and counts the currency, and
A control unit that controls the money processing device and
Further prepare
The money processing device according to claim 5, wherein the control unit sterilizes the money with the atmospheric pressure plasma at the time of a close examination process for determining the position of the money identification unit.

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