JP2023052075A - Paper sheet collection and transport system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a paper sheet collection/conveyance system capable of appropriately controlling an air-flow generating device of a sub conveyance device for conveying a paper sheet by the action of an air-flow to a take-in point located at the halfway point of a conveyance pipe of a main conveyance device for conveying a paper sheet by the action of an air-flow.

SOLUTION: A paper sheet collection/conveyance system 1 comprises: a main conveyance device 8 for conveying a bill in a vertical posture by the action of an air-flow generated in a main conveyance pipe 40 extending to a safe 4 of an office via a plurality of take-in devices 45; a relay box 6 for temporarily storing and delivering the bills collected in a game island; and a sub conveyance device 9 for conveying the bills received from the relay box 6 by the action of an air-flow generated by a going-side air-flow generating device into a sub conveyance pipe 91 and delivering them to the take-in devices 45. When a bill is conveyed to the take-in device, the sub conveyance device operates the going-side air-flow generating device, and when the take-in device has finished sending the bill into the conveyance pipe of the main conveyance device, the sub conveyance device stops the going-side air-flow generating device.

SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

COPYRIGHT: (C)2023,JPO&INPIT

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a paper sheet collecting/conveying system that conveys and collects paper sheets such as bills by an air flow generated in a conveying pipe.

Inside the game machine island, multiple sets of a game ball lending machine that lends out game balls (pachinko balls, etc.) to players upon receipt of banknotes and game machines such as pachinko machines are housed side by side. A transport device is provided along the longitudinal direction of the game machine island for transporting banknotes inserted into each game ball lending machine to a safe provided at the end of the game machine island.

Further, in Patent Documents 1 and 2 below, banknotes stored in the safes of each game machine island distributed in the game hall are collected by a store clerk after the store is closed and collected by visiting each game machine island. In order to reduce the work of transporting bills to and storing them in a local main cash box, a transport system is disclosed that automatically transports bills from the cash box of each game machine island in the game arcade to the main cash box of the office.

In such a transportation system, various installation modes are required according to the circumstances of each game hall, such as setting the transportation path across different floors or passing it through the ceiling. In addition, it is desirable to provide a curved portion for changing the course to the left and right, and a curved portion for changing the course from the horizontal direction to the vertical direction (or from the vertical direction to the horizontal direction).

However, bills can easily be bent inward with the paper surface (curving in which the direction perpendicular to the paper surface is the radial direction), but cannot be deformed in the direction perpendicular to this (curving in a plane including the paper surface). do not. Therefore, only a curved portion through which bills bend in the former direction is prepared. In places where the course is changed to the left or right, a torsion tube is placed in front of and behind the curved portion to change the posture of the banknote between the horizontal posture and the vertical posture.

That is, after the banknote is changed from horizontal to vertical in the torsion tube on the upstream side of the bending portion, the course is changed to the left and right in the bending portion, and the posture of the banknote is changed from the vertical to the original position in the torsion tube downstream of the bending portion. It was done to return to the side posture.

Further, according to Patent Documents 1 and 2, since the main transport path for collecting banknotes from the safes of each game machine island and transporting them to the main safe of the office is installed in the ceiling or near the ceiling, the number of game machine islands increases. A sub-conveyance path is provided for vertically conveying bills from the safe to the main conveyance path above, and a take-in device is installed at the end of the sub-conveyance path to feed the bills conveyed by the sub-conveyance path into the main conveyance path. Was. The sub-conveyance path is tubular, and an airflow generating device generates an airflow from the bottom to the top in the sub-conveyance path. It's becoming After the completion of the transfer, the air flow is stopped so that the auxiliary transfer body is naturally dropped to the standby position below.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2018-2378 JP 2014-198617 A

As the curved portion, only a curved portion of the type in which the banknote passes while bending the paper surface inward is prepared, and twisted tubes are provided in front and behind the curved tube to deal with curves in other directions, which requires a complicated structure. Since a torsion tube is required, the part cost increases. Also, bills tend to clog at the torsion tube. In Patent Literatures 1 and 2, twisted tubes are centrally arranged in front and behind the curved portion to facilitate inspection and clogging work, but clogging of banknotes cannot be fundamentally eliminated. Furthermore, in order to reduce sticking of bills to the inner wall of the conveying pipe, it is desirable to convey bills in a vertical posture.

Also, in the portion where banknotes are fed from the sub-transport path to the main transport path via the take-in device, banknotes that are bent in a Z shape (Z-shaped bills), banknotes that are cut off at the tip (cut bills), and curled bills (curled bills) ) etc. was easily clogged. In addition, the take-in device disclosed in Patent Document 1 includes a conveying section that nips the taken-in banknotes between a conveying belt and pinching rollers and sends them out to the main conveying path. As a result, problems such as entanglement in the discharge rollers in front of the exit to the main transport path occur, and the edges of the banknotes are torn or damaged, and the banknotes are jammed.

In addition, bills are pushed up from below and conveyed by the auxiliary conveying body that moves under the action of the upward air flow sent out by the air flow generating device. The sub-conveyor, which has a free-falling back structure, cannot cope with the case where the initial portion of the path from the take-up device to the standby position is horizontal. In addition, the details of airflow control are limited to the on/off and strength of the airflow from the bottom to the top. In many cases, manual labor was required to remove the

An object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems, and the paper sheets are conveyed by the action of the air flow to a take-in point in the middle of the conveying pipe of the main conveying device that conveys the paper sheets by the action of the air flow. It is an object of the present invention to provide a paper sheet collecting and conveying system capable of appropriately controlling an air flow generating device of a sub-conveying device .

The gist of the present invention for achieving this object lies in the following inventions.

[1] A paper sheet collecting and conveying system that collects paper sheets from a plurality of intake locations in a facility and conveys the collected paper sheets to a predetermined destination by the action of airflow,
a conveying pipe extending to the destination via the plurality of intake locations; an air flow generating device for generating an air flow toward the destination in the conveying pipe; a main conveying device provided with a paper sheet take-in device for feeding a paper sheet into the conveying pipe;
a relay device provided corresponding to the paper sheet take-in device and having a function of temporarily storing paper sheets collected in a predetermined local area and a function of feeding out the stored paper sheets;
A sub-conveyance pipe connecting the relay device and the corresponding paper sheet take-in device; a sub-conveyor that conveys the paper sheets fed into the sub-conveyance pipe from the relay device by the action of the air flow generated by the forward air flow generation device and delivers the paper sheets to the paper sheet take-in device; a device;
with
The sub-conveying device operates the outbound airflow generating device when conveying the paper sheet to the paper sheet taking-in device, and the paper sheet taking-in device conveys the conveyed paper sheet to the main conveying device. Stop the forward air flow generator after the delivery into the conveying pipe of the device is completed.
A paper sheet collecting and conveying system characterized by:

1 is a diagram showing an example of an in-store layout of a game arcade in which a paper sheet collecting and conveying system according to the present invention is installed; FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the entire paper sheet collecting and conveying system according to the present invention; FIG. It is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of the intra-island bill transport device installed in the game island. FIG. 11 is an explanatory view showing a state in which the auxiliary transport body pushes and moves the banknotes in the transport tube from the trailing end side of the banknotes; It is a perspective view which shows the conveying pipe of a straight part. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view perpendicular to the direction in which the straight portion of the conveying pipe extends; It is a figure which shows the plane and front of a conveyance auxiliary body. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing the carrier pipe and the carrier carrier in a state where the carrier carrier is inserted into the carrier pipe; It is a figure which shows an example of the positional relationship of a relay box, a sub-transport apparatus, and a take-in apparatus. It is a figure which shows the structure of a torsion tube. FIG. 8 is a diagram showing another example of the positional relationship among the relay box, the sub-transport device, and the take-in device; FIG. 8 is a diagram showing another example of the positional relationship among the relay box, the sub-transport device, and the take-in device; Fig. 11 is a perspective view showing a second bending tube of type 1; FIG. 10 is a front view and a plan view of a second curved tube of type 1; FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA of FIG. 14; Fig. 10 is a perspective view showing a second bending tube of type 2; FIG. 10 is a front and plan view of a second curved tube of type 2; FIG. 18 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line BB of FIG. 17; FIG. 10 is a diagram showing how a normal bill without folds or the like passes through a type 1 second bending tube. FIG. 10 is a diagram showing how a normal bill without folds or the like passes through a type 2 second bending tube. It is a figure which illustrates various abnormal bills. FIG. 10 is a diagram showing how an abnormal tag (Z tag) passes through a type 1 second curved tube; FIG. 23 is a diagram showing how the same abnormal tag as in FIG. 22 passes through the second curved tube of type 2; FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing a sub-transport device and a take-up device connected thereto (and main transport pipes before and after it). FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a banknote feeding device of the sub-conveying device and its surroundings; FIG. 3 is a plan view showing the appearance of the capture device; FIG. 27 is a sectional view taken along line CC of FIG. 26; FIG. 27 is a cross-sectional view of the take-in device of FIG. 26 taken along line DD of FIG. 27 (nipping rollers are at retracted positions); FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing the take-in device with pinching rollers in the pinching position; FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a take-in device (conventional take-in device) without a restrictor and a guide wall; FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing how the end of a curled banknote enters between ribs and how the restricting portion prevents this entering. FIG. 10 is a diagram showing how a curled banknote is sandwiched between a nipping roller and a conveyor belt, fixed in a curled shape and in an inclined posture, and conveyed in a conventional take-in device. FIG. 33 is a diagram showing how the banknote is further conveyed in the state of FIG. 32 and reaches the banknote discharge roller. FIG. 10 is a diagram showing how the front end of a curled banknote passes through a passing section in a take-in device having a regulating section. FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a state in which a curled banknote reaches in front of a delivery roller in a take-in device having a regulating portion; FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a curled banknote entering between delivery rollers almost straight in a take-in device having a regulating portion; FIG. 27 is a diagram showing the capture device viewed from the direction of arrow E in FIG. 26; FIG. 38 is a diagram showing a state in which a conventional capture device is viewed in the same state as in FIG. 37; FIG. 10 is a diagram showing widths E1 and E2 in the banknote thickness direction at the outlet of the passage portion of the take-in device according to the present invention and the conventional take-up device in comparison. FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the transition from the passage section to the transport section of the take-up device with guide walls; FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a transition from the passing section to the conveying section of the take-in device without guide walls; 4 is a flow chart showing the operation of the sub-conveying device and the taking-in device when normally conveying bills from the relay box into the insertion passage portion of the taking-in device.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION An embodiment of the present invention will be described below based on the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows an example of an in-store layout of a playground 2 in which a paper sheet collecting and conveying system 1 (see FIG. 2) according to the present invention is installed. In the game hall 2, a plurality of game machine islands 3 are arranged with passages interposed therebetween. On each game machine island 3, a set of a game ball lending machine 4 for receiving bills and lending game balls (pachinko balls) to a player and a game machine 5 such as a pachinko machine are arranged back to back. Multiple sets are stored side by side on the front and back. Inside the game machine island 3, an intra-island bill conveying device 7 is provided for taking in bills discharged from the back of each game ball lending machine 4 and conveying them to the relay box 6 at the end of the game machine island 3.例文帳に追加

FIG. 2 shows the overall configuration of the paper sheet collecting and conveying system 1. As shown in FIG. The paper sheet collection/conveyance system 1 has a function of temporarily storing paper sheets collected from the game ball lending machine 4 by the intra-island bill transport device 7 in each game machine island 3, with each game machine island 3 as a local area. , a relay box (relay device) 6 having a function of delivering stored functions, and conveying paper sheets to a safe 41 in an office through above the relay box 6 of each game machine island 3 that is stretched in each store. and a sub-conveying device 9 for conveying banknotes drawn out from the relay box 6 to the conveying path (main conveying pipe 40) of the main conveying device 8 passing above the relay box 6. be. A transport path (main transport pipe 40 ) of the main transport device 8 is installed, for example, so as to pass through the ceiling space of the game arcade 2 .

The relay box 6 includes therein a control unit 23 (see FIG. 3) for controlling the intra-island bill transport device 7 associated with the relay box 6, the sub-transport device 9, and the take-in device 45 connected to the sub-transport device 9. ing. A main control unit for controlling the operation of the entire paper sheet collecting and conveying system 1 is provided in the safe 4 of the office, and the main control unit and the control units in the relay boxes 6 are connected by communication. work together.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of the intra-island bill transport device 7. As shown in FIG. The island bill transport device 7 includes a transport pipe 12 (island transport pipe) that serves as a transport path for banknotes (paper sheets) and an air flow generating device (blower) that generates an air flow flowing in the transport pipe 12 in the extending direction. ) 14. The island bill transport device 7 inserts a transport auxiliary body 16 which is movable in the transport pipe 12 by receiving an air flow into the transport pipe 12 upstream from the banknote P to be transported, and the transport pipe 16 is moved by the transport auxiliary body 16. The banknotes P in 12 are pushed from the rear and conveyed downstream.

Inside the relay box 6 provided at the end of the game machine island 3, an airflow generating device 14 and a banknote separating/conveying auxiliary body circulating device 11 are provided. The banknote separation and auxiliary carrier body circulation device 11 has the function of the carrier carrier inserting device 11a that feeds the carrier carrier body 16 into the carrier pipe 12, and the banknote P and the carrier carrier body 16 that pushes and moves the banknote P from the rear. and recovering them, and the function of returning the recovered auxiliary conveying bodies 16 to the conveying auxiliary body inserting device 11a for circulation. The banknotes P collected by the separating and collecting device 11b are temporarily stored in the relay box 6 and then delivered to the sub-conveying device 9. As shown in FIG.

The air blowing side (air blowing passage 14a) of the air flow generating device 14 is connected to the air inlet side of the auxiliary conveying body inserting device 11a, and the beginning end of the conveying pipe 12 is connected to the air outlet of the auxiliary conveying body inserting device 11a. It is The conveying pipe 12 includes an outward path 12a extending from the air outlet of the auxiliary conveying body inserting device 11a to the other end of the game machine island 3, a turn portion 12b that is turned in a U shape at the other end, After turning back at the turn portion 12b, a return path 12c is provided so as to return to the relay box 6 along the outward path 12a above the outward path 12a. The end of the return path 12c is connected to the air inlet of the separation and recovery device 11b, and the air suction side (air suction passage 14b) of the air flow generator 14 is connected to the air outlet of the separation and recovery device 11b.

The airflow generator 14 generates an airflow by rotating a fan with a motor. The airflow generated by the airflow generating device 14 flows from the air blowing passage 14a through the auxiliary conveying body inserting device 11a into the beginning end of the conveying pipe 12, passes through the outward path 12a, the turn portion 12b, and the return path 12c, and then enters the separating and recovering device 11b. , through the air intake passage 14b so as to be drawn into the intake side of the air flow generator 14. As shown in FIG.

The outward path 12a and the return path 12c of the transport pipe 12 have a predetermined length. By connecting the necessary number of these with the connecting unit 17, the path length can be adjusted according to the length of the game machine island 3 in the longitudinal direction. Moreover, at the construction site, the conveying pipe 12 is cut to a required length on the spot and used.

In the middle of the return path 12c of the conveying pipe 12, a bill take-in device 18 is arranged at a position corresponding to each game ball lending machine 4 to take in the bill P discharged from the back of the game ball lending machine 4 into the conveying pipe 12. is set. The banknote take-in device 18 takes in banknotes P from the game ball lending machine 4 arranged on the front side of the game machine island 3 and bills P from the game ball lending machine 4 arranged on the back side of the game machine island 3. It is provided so as to be paired with the one for taking in bills P. The banknote take-in device 18 plays a role of interposing between the transport pipes 12 and the transport pipes 12 forming the return path 12c to connect them.

In the on-island bill transport device 7, the bill P taken in from the bill take-in device 18 into the return path 12c of the transport pipe 12 stays at a predetermined take-in completion position with the paper surface oriented along the extending direction of the transport pipe 12. . In order to transport and collect the banknotes P which are taken in and stay in the transport pipe 12 to the relay box 6, the transport auxiliary body 16 is sent into the transport pipe 12 by the transport auxiliary body inserting device 11a in the relay box 6. .

The auxiliary conveying body 16 sent into the conveying pipe 12 moves toward the turn portion 12b in the outward path 12a under the action of the airflow generated by the airflow generating device 14, and makes a U-turn at the turn portion 12b. After that, it moves further toward the terminal end in the return path 12c. At this time, as shown in FIG. 4, the auxiliary transport body 16 pushes the banknotes P in the transport tube 12 from the rear end side of the banknotes P toward the terminal end of the transport tube 12 (see FIG. 4). A banknote P is conveyed in the conveying direction F). As shown in FIG. 4, the banknotes P are transported in the transport tube 12 in a vertical posture with the paper surface thereof being vertical.

The banknote separation/transport auxiliary body circulation device 11 and the banknote take-in device 18 include a control unit 23 (see FIG. 3) having a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a ROM (Read Only Memory), a RAM (Random Access Memory), etc. as main parts. ) is controlled by

In this example, the airflow generating device 14 is always operated, and when the sensor provided in the banknote take-in device 18 detects the banknote P discharged from the back of the game ball lending machine 4, the control unit 23 takes in the banknote. By operating the device 18 , the bill P is taken into the transport pipe 12 . Then, when this taking-in operation is completed, the auxiliary conveying body 16 is fed into the conveying pipe 12 from the auxiliary conveying body inserting device 11 a of the banknote separation/assistant conveying body circulation device 11 . Then, the auxiliary conveying body 16 moves inside the conveying pipe 12 under the action of the air flow, and pushes and conveys the bill P from the rear. When the separating and collecting device 11b in the relay box 6 detects the arrival of the auxiliary conveying body 16, it separates the bills P and the auxiliary conveying body 16 and collects them respectively, and the collected auxiliary conveying bodies 16 are prepared for the next delivery. The bills P thus collected are temporarily stored in the relay box 6 and then sent out to the sub-conveyor 9 (see FIG. 2).

In addition, when the air flow generating device 14 is required (for example, from the time when the bill take-in device 18 detects the bill from the game ball lending machine 3 until the bill is collected by the separating and collecting device 11b in the relay box 6) It may be controlled to operate only during the interval).

In this manner, the auxiliary conveying body 16 is moved by the action of the air flow, and the auxiliary conveying body 16 pushes and conveys the banknotes P from the rear end side. you don't have to get Therefore, the banknotes P can be conveyed by the airflow without taking measures such as folding the banknotes P to receive the airflow. Further, since the auxiliary transport body 16 can obtain a driving force from the air flow more efficiently than the banknotes P, the banknotes P can be transported efficiently.

Next, the shapes of the conveying pipe 12 and the conveying auxiliary body 16 will be described in detail.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the conveying pipe 12 in the linear portion (outward path 12a and return path 12c), and FIG. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing a cross-sectional shape perpendicular to the flow direction). The transfer pipe 12 is made of resin with a thickness of about 1.5 mm. The carrier pipe 12 is formed by extrusion molding, for example.

The cross-sectional shape of the cross section perpendicular to the extending direction F of the straight portion of the transfer pipe 12 has a shape in which the central portions of the left and right side walls of a vertically long rectangle expand outward into a rectangle. Specifically, the conveying pipe 12 includes upper and lower walls 31 , left and right side walls 32 , and an extended portion 33 projecting outward in a rectangular shape from the central portion of the left and right side walls 32 in the vertical direction. Note that the short side direction in the substantially rectangular cross section perpendicular to the extending direction (conveying direction F) of the conveying pipe 12 is the X direction (or width direction, left and right direction), and the long side direction is the Y direction (or height direction, up and down). direction). In each of the X direction and the Y direction, the direction toward the center of the conveying pipe 12 is called the inner side, and the direction from the center toward the inner wall is called the outer side. In this embodiment, the conveying pipe 12 is used so that the long sides of the cross section are in the vertical direction, but it may be used so that the short sides are in the vertical direction.

The extended portion 33 is divided into upper and lower parts by a separation wall 34 erected inwardly of the carrier pipe 12 . The separation wall 34 is formed by attaching a T-shaped member to the inner wall of the extended portion 33 .

A plurality of ribs 35 projecting toward the inside of the conveying pipe 12 are formed on the side wall portion 32 so as to extend along the conveying direction. In this example, a rib 35 protruding toward the inside of the conveying pipe 12 is formed along the conveying direction at the boundary between the side wall portion 32 and the expanded portion 33 . Separation wall 34 is flush with rib 35, and the top of separation wall 34 acts as a rib.

The side wall portion 32 is a pair of inner walls facing the paper surface of the banknotes P to be conveyed. The banknotes P are rectangular, and are conveyed in the conveying tube 12 with the long side facing the conveying direction F. As shown in FIG. In other words, the banknote P is conveyed in such a direction that the paper surface faces the side wall portion 32 of the conveying tube 12 and one short side of the banknote P faces the leading end in the conveying direction and the other short side faces the trailing end.

A distance Dy between the upper wall portion 31 and the lower wall portion 31 of the transport tube 12 is slightly longer than the short side of the banknote P. Further, the interval Dx between the left and right side wall portions 32 (portions where the ribs 35, the extension portions 33, and the separation wall 34 are not formed (referred to as a reference plane portion)) is set to about 21 mm. The extended portions 33 provided on the left and right side wall portions 32 extend outward by about 6 mm from the side wall portions 32 (reference flat portions). The rib 35 and the top of the separation wall 34 have a height of about 2 mm inward from the side wall portion 32 (reference plane portion). The height of the rib 35 may be appropriately set.

FIG. 7 shows a plan view and a front view of the transport auxiliary body 16. FIG. The auxiliary conveying body 16 has a columnar shape with a circular cross section and different diameters at different portions. The auxiliary conveying body 16 is used by being inserted into the conveying pipe 12 so that the central axis of the cylinder is in the Y direction (height direction) of the conveying pipe 12 . The auxiliary conveying body 16 has a vertically symmetrical shape, and from top to bottom, it has a head portion 16a, a neck portion 16b with a slightly smaller diameter than the head portion, a large diameter portion 16c with a larger diameter than the head portion 16a, and a neck portion 16b with the same diameter. It has a constricted portion 16d, a large-diameter portion 16c, a neck portion 16b, and a head portion 16a positioned at the center of the upper and lower sides. The auxiliary conveying body 16 is lightweight and strong, and is made of, for example, plastic with a hollow interior. It should be noted that it may be made of expanded polystyrene or extruded expanded polystyrene if it is lightweight and strong.

FIG. 8 shows a cross section perpendicular to the extending direction F and passing through the central axis of the auxiliary conveying body 16 when the auxiliary conveying body 16 is inserted into the conveying pipe 12 . The diameter of each portion of the auxiliary conveying body 16 corresponds to the shape of the inner edge of the conveying pipe 12 . That is, the cross-sectional shape passing through the central axis of the auxiliary conveying body 16 has a shape corresponding to the shape of the inner edge of the conveying pipe 12 in the cross section perpendicular to the extending direction F, and the inner side of the conveying pipe 12 is positioned between the inner wall. It has a shape that closes almost completely with a predetermined clearance.

In this manner, the auxiliary conveying body 16 has a shape corresponding to the shape of the inner edge of the conveying pipe 12 (substantially the same shape with a slight clearance) and closes almost the entire cross section of the conveying pipe 12, so that the action of the air flow is suppressed. Able to receive and move efficiently. Further, the auxiliary conveying body 16 prevents the air flow from the upstream from reaching the downstream side of the auxiliary conveying body 16, thereby suppressing the turbulence of the air flow on the downstream side.

Banknotes P tend to stick to the side wall portion 32 when acted upon by the airflow in the transport tube 12 . That is, the space between one paper surface of the banknote P and the side wall portion 32 facing it and the space between the other paper surface and the side wall portion 32 facing this are almost never equal. If the space is narrower than the other side, the flow velocity of the air flow becomes faster on the side of the narrow space than on the side of the wide space. 32 is sucked and pressed. As a result, the space on the side of the narrow space becomes narrower, and a phenomenon occurs in which the banknotes P stick to the side wall portion 32 and stick to it.

If the banknote P strongly sticks to the side wall portion 32, it becomes difficult to push and transport the banknote P by the auxiliary transport body 16, but as described above, the auxiliary transport body 16 blocks the flow of air to the downstream side ( Therefore, the sticking and sucking force of the paper money P is reduced, and smooth transport is realized.

The two large-diameter portions 16c of the auxiliary conveying body 16 are engaged with the two enlarged portions 33 of the conveying pipe 12 separated by the separating wall 34, respectively. The enlarged portion 33 engages with the large-diameter portion 16 c of the auxiliary conveying body 16 to serve as a guide for regulating the position and posture of the auxiliary conveying body within the conveying tube 12 . In this example, the extension part 33 is divided into two by the separation wall 34, and these extension parts 33 are provided near the center of the transfer pipe 12 in the Y direction, so that the auxiliary transfer body 16 can be maintained in a stable posture. can be moved by In addition, since the posture of the auxiliary conveying body 16 is stabilized, the large-diameter portion 16c of the auxiliary conveying body 16 linearly abuts against the rear end of the banknote P, and a stable conveying force can be applied. In addition, bills P are less likely to be caught between the transport tube 12 and the transport auxiliary body 16 .

By providing the large-diameter portion 16c, the auxiliary conveying body 16 can increase the area of the portion that receives the action of the air flow, and can efficiently receive the force for movement. Moreover, since the large-diameter portion 16c is provided to efficiently receive the action of the air flow, the diameter of the head portion 16a can be reduced accordingly. By reducing the diameter of the head portion, it is possible to narrow the interval (width (Dx)) between the pair of side wall portions 32 facing each other in the transport tube 12 and prevent the banknotes P from falling down.

Furthermore, due to the existence of the plurality of ribs 35 provided on the side wall portion 32 , the bills P are prevented from sticking tightly to the side wall portion 32 . That is, the contact area between the bill P and the side wall portion 32 is reduced, the friction is reduced, and the generation of static electricity can be suppressed. In addition, even when the banknote P sticks to the side wall portion 32, the banknote P is supported by the tip portion of the rib 35, so a gap is secured between the side wall portion 32 and the banknote P around the rib 35. Sticking force can be kept small. In addition, since the banknotes P are supported by the separation wall 34 , the banknotes P are prevented from falling into the depression of the extended portion 33 .

Further, the plurality of ribs 35 protruding inward from the side wall portion 32 and the top portion of the separation wall 34 define the substantial passage width W of the banknotes P in the width direction (X direction) of the conveying pipe 12 as the distance Dx between the reference plane portions. serve a narrower role. As a result, the banknotes P in the vertical posture are less likely to fall sideways in the transport tube 12, and the banknotes P are held in the Y direction. In particular, by providing a plurality of ribs 35 , it is possible to appropriately prevent banknotes P from falling down and to effectively prevent banknotes P from sticking to the side wall portion 32 . Dx can be increased by the amount of the ribs 35 provided, which increases the cross-sectional area of the conveying pipe 12 and makes the auxiliary conveying body 16 more susceptible to the action of the air flow.

In the case of the auxiliary conveying body 16 according to the present embodiment, the diameter of the large-diameter portion 16c is the largest, so as shown in FIG. Become. The shape of the auxiliary transport body 16 and the shape of the transport pipe 12 are not limited to the above. For example, it may have a shape having only one large-diameter portion 16c, a cylindrical shape with a constant diameter, or a shape like a rugby ball whose diameter gradually increases toward the center of the axis.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the transport pipe 12 of the island bill transport device 7 is in a vertical posture, and the bill P is placed in the transport pipe 12 of the island banknote transport device 7 with its paper face up and down ( transported in a vertical position). On the game machine island 3, since the front width of the game ball lending machine 4 is formed to be narrow in order to increase the number of installed machines, the banknote insertion slot provided in the game ball lending machine 4 is usually vertically long. The banknote P is inserted into the banknote slot in a vertical posture with the paper surface upright. Therefore, the transport pipe 12 of the island-inside bill transport device 7 receives the bill P from the game ball lending machine 4 while maintaining the vertical posture with the paper surface upright, and transports the bill P while maintaining the vertical posture.

The main transport device 8 has, as a transport path, a main transport pipe 40 having the same structure as the transport pipe 12 of the island bill transport device 7 (see FIG. 2). to move the auxiliary conveying body 16, push the bill P from the rear side by the auxiliary conveying body 16, and convey it to the destination (the safe 41). The main conveying pipe 40 of the main conveying device 8 is in a vertical posture throughout.

The main conveying device 8 includes an air flow generating device 14, a conveying auxiliary body inserting device 11a, and a separating and recovering device 11b in a safe 41. As shown in FIG. A relay device 44 is inserted in the middle of the main transport pipe 40 (at a turn-around point). The relay device 44 has the function of receiving the auxiliary conveying body 16 coming from the outward route of the main conveying pipe 40 and once holding it, and then sending it out to the returning route of the main conveying pipe 40 . In addition, it has the function of intensifying the airflow by sucking air from the terminal end of the outward path of the main conveying pipe 40 and sending the airflow to the starting end of the return path.

In the middle of the return path of the main transport pipe 40 that constitutes the transport path of the main transport device 8, a take-in device 45 is provided that takes in the banknotes P transported by the sub-transport device 9 into the main transport pipe 40 in a vertical posture. be.

The sub-conveyor 9 receives bills P drawn out from the relay box 6 and conveys them to a take-in device 45 provided in the middle of the return path of the main conveyer pipe 40 extending above the ceiling or the like. The sub-conveyance device 9 has a sub-conveyance pipe 91 having the same structure as the conveyance pipe 12 of the intra-island bill conveyance device 7 as a conveyance path, and conveys the banknotes P by pushing them up with a conveyance auxiliary body 16 that moves with an air flow. For example, as shown in FIG. 11, the sub-conveying device 9 conveys the banknotes P in a vertically long vertical posture upward, changes the course to a horizontal direction at the second curved tube 52 on the way, and makes the banknotes P horizontally long. The banknote P is delivered to the take-in device 45 in the laterally long vertical posture.

The method of transporting banknotes P in island banknote transport device 7, main transport device 8, and sub-transport device 9 is not limited to the method using air flow and transport auxiliary body 16. A method of conveying the banknotes P by the action of an air flow may be used instead of using the airflow.

The main conveying pipe 40 and the sub-conveying pipe 91 are configured by connecting straight pipes and curved pipes. The straight pipe is a straight conveying pipe shown in FIGS. In the curved tube, there is a first curved tube 51 through which the banknote P passes while bending the paper surface inward and changes the traveling direction by 90 degrees, and a banknote P which is curved in a plane including the paper surface while the paper surface is flat. There are two types of second bends 52 that change direction by 90 degrees.

As shown in FIG. 2, when the banknote P is conveyed in a vertical posture, the first bending tube 51 is used at the portion where the bill P is bent to the left and right, and the second bending tube 51 is used at the portion where the course is changed vertically (vertically)/horizontally (horizontally). A curved tube 52 is used.

FIG. 9 shows an example of the positional relationship among the relay box 6, the sub-transport device 9, and the take-in device 45. As shown in FIG. FIG. 9 is an enlarged view of a part of FIG. A sub-conveying pipe 91 of the sub-conveying device 9 is composed of a straight pipe 50 , a twisted pipe 54 and a second curved pipe 52 . In the example of FIG. 9 , the banknote P initially advances upward through the straight tube 50 in a vertically long posture in which the paper surface is parallel to the banknote P being transported in the main transport tube 40 before and after the take-in device 45 , and then , through the torsion tube 54, the orientation of the paper surface is changed by 90 degrees while maintaining the vertically long vertical posture. After that, the banknote P changes its traveling direction to the horizontal direction toward the take-in device 45 through the second curved tube 52 and assumes a horizontally long vertical posture. be The take-in device 45 bends the banknotes P in the horizontally long vertical posture so that the paper surface faces inward, changes the course to the extending direction of the main carrier pipe 40 , and feeds them into the main carrier pipe 40 .

As shown in FIG. 10, the twisted tube 54 is twisted at a desired angle by connecting a plurality of short sub-twisted tubes 54a that are twisted little by little. Here, 10 sub-twisted pipes 54a are connected to form a twist of 90 degrees, and the downstream end thereof is connected to a connecting portion 54b with a conveying pipe. The connecting portion 54b is straight without any twist.

FIG. 11 shows another example of the positional relationship among the relay box 6, the sub-transport device 9, and the take-in device 45. As shown in FIG. In FIG. 11 , the sub-transport pipe 91 of the sub-transport device 9 is composed of a straight pipe 50 and a second curved pipe 52 . In the figure, initially, the paper money P is transported in the main transport pipe 40 in front of and behind the take-in device 45, and moves upward through the straight tube 50 in a vertically long vertical posture in which the paper surface is perpendicular to the paper surface of the paper money P. After that, the moving direction is changed to the horizontal direction toward the retrieving device 45 through the second bending tube 52 to take a horizontally long vertical posture, and the squirrel is delivered to the retrieving device 45 through the straight tube 50 while maintaining the horizontally long vertical posture. The take-in device 45 bends the banknotes P in the horizontally long vertical posture so that the paper surface faces inward, changes the course to the extending direction of the main carrier pipe 40 , and feeds them into the main carrier pipe 40 .

FIG. 12 shows another example of the positional relationship among the relay box 6, the sub-transport device 9, and the take-in device 45. As shown in FIG. In FIG. 12, the sub-conveying pipe 91 of the sub-conveying device 9 is composed of a straight pipe 50 , a twisted pipe 54 , a first curved pipe 51 and a second curved pipe 52 . In FIG. 12 , initially, the banknote P advances upward through the straight tube 50 in a vertically long vertical posture in which the paper surface is perpendicular to the paper surface of the paper currency P transported in the main transport pipe 40 in front of and behind the take-in device 45 , After that, the orientation of the paper surface is changed by 90 degrees through the twist tube 54 while maintaining the vertically long vertical posture, so that the paper surface is oriented parallel to the paper surface of the banknotes P transported in the main transport pipe 40 . After that, the movement direction is changed to the horizontal direction through the second bending tube 52 to take a horizontal vertical posture, and the course is changed to the left by 90 degrees while maintaining the horizontal vertical posture through the first bending pipe 51 to enter the take-in device 45 . be handed over. The take-in device 45 bends the banknotes P in the horizontally long vertical posture so that the paper surface faces inward, changes the course to the extending direction of the main carrier pipe 40 , and feeds them into the main carrier pipe 40 .

Next, the shape of the second bending tube 52 will be described in detail. A type 1 second bending tube 52a and a type 2 second bending tube 52b are shown.

<Second curved tube 52a of type 1>
13 is a perspective view showing the second bending tube 52a of type 1, FIG. 14 is a front and plan view of the second bending tube 52a of type 1, and FIG. 15 is a sectional view taken along the line AA of FIG. The cross-sectional shape of the second curved pipe 52a of type 1 perpendicular to the conveying direction is basically the same as that of the conveying pipe 12, and includes upper and lower wall portions 31, left and right side wall portions 32, an extension portion 33, a separation wall 34, A rib 35 is provided.

The second curved tube 52a of type 1 has the same cross-sectional shape and size as the conveying tube 12 at the inlet and outlet, but the distance (Dy) between the inner wall on the outer diameter side and the inner wall on the inner diameter side of the curve is different from the inlet to the outlet. It is formed so that it becomes gradually larger from both ends (inlet and outlet) of the path toward the center of the path. The distance (Dy) between the inner wall on the outer diameter side and the inner wall on the inner diameter side is maximized at the central portion of the path.

In addition, the distance L1 from the inner wall on the outer diameter side to the expanded portion 33 and the distance L2 from the inner wall on the inner diameter side to the expanded portion 33 are the same (L1=L2) at any point on the path from the inlet to the outlet. The width (Dy−(L1+L2)) of the extension 33 in the Dy direction is constant at any point along the route from the entrance to the exit.

Therefore, at any point along the path from the inlet to the outlet, the expanded portion 33 is positioned at the center of the inner wall on the outer diameter side and the inner wall on the inner diameter side. It decreases and returns to the same length at the exit as the entrance. Since the auxiliary conveying body 16 moves while engaging the large diameter portion 16c with the extended portion 33 (moves while being guided by the extended portion 33), the auxiliary conveying body 16 moves inside the second curved tube 52a along the outer diameter side and the inner wall. It passes through the second curved tube 52a while being positioned at the center of the inner wall on the inner diameter side.

<Second curved tube 52b of type 2>
16 is a perspective view showing the second bending tube 52b of type 2, FIG. 17 shows the front and top views of the second bending tube 52b of type 2, and FIG. 18 shows a cross-sectional view taken along line BB of FIG. The cross-sectional shape of the second curved pipe 52b of type 2 perpendicular to the conveying direction is basically the same as that of the conveying pipe 12 of the straight portion 50, and includes the upper and lower walls 31, the left and right side walls 32, the extended portion 33, the separation It has walls 34 and ribs 35 .

The second curved pipe 52b of type 2 has the same cross-sectional shape and size at the entrance and the exit as the conveying pipe 12 of the straight part, but the distance (Dy) between the inner wall on the outer diameter side and the inner wall on the inner diameter side of the curve is the same as the entrance from both ends (inlet and outlet) of the path to the outlet. The distance (Dy) between the inner wall on the outer diameter side and the inner wall on the inner diameter side is maximized at the central portion of the path.

The difference from the curved portion 52a of type 1 is as follows. In the second curved tube 52b of type 2, the distance L1 from the inner wall on the outer diameter side to the expanded portion 33 and the distance L2 from the inner wall on the inner diameter side to the expanded portion 33 are the same at the inlet and the outlet, but The difference between L2 and L1 gradually decreases from the central portion to the exit, and returns to L1=L2 at the exit. Here, L1 is constant everywhere along the path from the entrance to the exit, and L2 increases toward the center.

Therefore, at the inlet and outlet of the second curved tube 52b, the expanded portion 33 is positioned at the center between the inner wall on the outer diameter side and the inner wall on the inner diameter side. It is in. Since the auxiliary conveying body 16 moves with the large diameter portion 16c engaged with the enlarged portion 33 (moves while being guided by the enlarged portion 33), the auxiliary conveying body 16 moves inside the second curved tube 52b along the inner wall on the outer diameter side. Pass while leaning in one direction.

FIG. 19 shows a state in which a normal bill (normal bill) P without folds or the like passes through the type 1 second bending tube 52a, and FIG. It shows how it passes through the tube 52b. As shown in FIG. 19, in the second curved tube 52a of type 1, the gap between the inner wall on the inner diameter side and the end of the auxiliary conveying body 16 facing the inner wall and the outer diameter The gap between the side inner wall and the end of the conveying auxiliary body 16 facing it is equal, and the conveying auxiliary body 16 passes through the second curved tube 52a while being always positioned at the center between the outer diameter side inner wall and the inner diameter side inner wall.

As shown in FIGS. 19 and 20, in the vicinity of the entrance and exit of the second curved tube 52, the axial direction of the auxiliary conveying body 16 is parallel to the trailing side of the banknote P, so the diameter of the auxiliary conveying body 16 is large. The portion 16c contacts the rear end side of the banknote P in a wide range and pushes the banknote P.

On the other hand, in the central portion of the path from the entrance to the exit, the trailing side of the banknote P is inclined with respect to the axial direction of the auxiliary conveying body 16 . Therefore, the contact area between the large-diameter portion 16c of the auxiliary conveying body 16 and the trailing edge of the banknote P is reduced. Since it is in linear contact with the side portion of the trailing end of the banknote P rather than the corner portion of the trailing end, the auxiliary transport body 16 can push and move the banknote P firmly.

Since the auxiliary conveying body 16 has a large-diameter portion 16c at the central portion in the axial direction, which is thicker than both ends, the trailing side of the banknotes P is inclined with respect to the axial direction of the auxiliary conveying body 16. However, the large-diameter portion 16c is likely to come into linear contact with the trailing edge of the banknote P.

As shown in FIG. 21, the bills P to be conveyed include Z bills bent in a Z shape, bills with cut ends, bent bills with bent corners, curled bills with curled bills, and bills with leading and trailing ends facing the paper surface. There are various abnormal cards such as rolled cards inside. The curved portion 52 must be able to pass even such abnormal bills without clogging.

22 shows how an abnormal tag (for example, a Z card) passes through the type 1 second curved tube 52a, and FIG. 23 shows the same abnormal tag P as in FIG. 22 passing through the type 2 second curved tube 52b. It shows how to do it.

As shown in FIG. 22, in the second bending tube 52a of type 1, the banknote P travels toward the inner wall on the outer diameter side in the central part of the path while contacting the inner wall on the outer diameter side at the corners of the front end and the rear end. On the other hand, the auxiliary conveying body 16 is guided by the expanded portion 33 and moves between the inner wall on the outer diameter side and the inner wall on the inner diameter side. Therefore, in the case of a Z bill whose height is lowered due to folding, the large-diameter portion 16c of the conveying assisting body 16 is pierced not at the rear edge of the bill P, but at the corner at the rear end. come into contact with As a result, the banknotes P cannot be stably pushed and moved by the large-diameter portion 16c of the auxiliary conveying body 16, and the corners of the banknotes P that are in point contact with each other are separated from the large-diameter portion 16c of the auxiliary conveying body 16, A portion deviating from the diameter portion 16 may be caught between the inner wall of the second curved tube 52a and the auxiliary conveying body 16, causing the paper money P to be jammed.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 23, in the second bending tube 52b of type 2, the banknote P leans against the inner wall on the outer diameter side in the central portion of the path while the corners of the front end and the rear end are in contact with the inner wall on the outer diameter side. , and the auxiliary conveying body 16 is also guided by the expanded portion 33 and moves while being biased to the inner wall side on the outer diameter side. Therefore, even if the height of the banknote is lowered due to folding, the large-diameter portion 16c of the conveying assisting body 16 is not the corner of the back end of the banknote P, but the side of the back end. are in linear contact with each other, and the large-diameter portion 16c of the auxiliary conveying body 16 can stably push and move the banknote P. Therefore, the rear end of the banknote P may be separated from the large-diameter portion 16c of the auxiliary conveying body 16, or the banknote P separated from the large-diameter portion 16 may be caught between the inner wall of the second curved tube 52b and the auxiliary conveying body 16. Therefore, even abnormal bills can be passed through without clogging.

The second curved tube 52b of type 2 is more preferable than the second curved tube 52a of type 1 in consideration of abnormal tags. Abnormal bills such as Z bills can be passed through without any problem.

Note that the width of the extended portion 33 may be gradually increased from both ends to the central portion.

Next, the sub-conveyor 9 will be described.

FIG. 24 is a sectional view showing the sub-transport device 9 and the take-in device 45 connected to the sub-transport device 9 (and the main transport pipe 40 before and after it). In FIG. 24, the middle portion of the sub-conveyance pipe 91 is omitted. In the lower half of FIG. 24, the sub-transport pipe 91 extends in the vertical direction, and shows a cross section of the sub-transport pipe 91 cut in a direction perpendicular to and perpendicular to the paper surface of the bills being transported upward. ing. In the upper half of FIG. 24, the sub-conveyance pipe 91 extends horizontally toward the take-in device 45, and the sub-conveyance pipe 91 extends in the horizontal direction perpendicular to the paper surface of the banknotes that are horizontally conveyed in the landscape orientation. A cross-section cut through the center of tube 91 is shown.

The sub-transport device 9 includes a sub-transport pipe 91, a transport auxiliary body 16 that reciprocates in the sub-transport pipe 91, and is attached to the lower end of the sub-transport pipe 91. an outward airflow generating device 95 that generates an air flow in the sub-transportation pipe 91 from the side of the bill feeding device 93 toward the side of the taking-in device 45; A return airflow generating device 97 is provided to generate an airflow directed from the 45 side to the banknote delivery device 93 side.

As shown in FIGS. 9, 11, and 12, the sub-conveying pipe 91 is configured by connecting the straight pipe 50 and the second curved pipe 52, or further connecting the twisted pipe 54. As shown in FIGS.

As shown in FIG. 25, the banknote feeding device 93 includes a passage portion 101 having the same cross-sectional shape as the sub-transport pipe 91 and communicating with the lower end of the sub-transport pipe 91, and one side wall of the passage portion 101. A banknote take-in opening 102 for taking in the banknotes P, and a conveying roller 103 for sending out the banknotes obliquely upward into the passage portion 101 from the banknote take-in opening 102, and the like. A shutter 104 is provided in the middle of the banknote passage toward the banknote take-in opening 102 so that the air inside the sub-transport pipe 91 does not leak to the outside. The shutter 104 is biased by a spring in a direction to close the banknote passage, and the banknote P pushes it open to pass through.

The lower end of the passage portion 101 is narrowed and serves as a standby position for receiving and holding the auxiliary conveying body 16 . At the lower end of the passage portion 101, a lower vent 105 serving as an inlet for the air flow from the outward air flow generator 95 and an outlet for the air flow from the return air flow generator 97 is provided. The airflow from the inbound airflow generator 97 is exhausted to the outside through the lower vent 105 and the outbound airflow generator 95 .

As shown in FIG. 24 , the upper end of the sub-transport pipe 91 is provided with a narrowed bill passage opening 106 , and the auxiliary conveying body 16 is positioned at the narrow bill passage opening 106 at the upper end of the sub-conveyance pipe 91 . The banknotes P that have come into contact with the periphery and stopped and have been transported by the transport assisting body 16 pass through the banknote passage port 106 and enter the take-in device 45 . The position at which the auxiliary transport body 16 stops at the narrow portion of the upper end of the sub-transport pipe 91 is defined as the transport completion position.

The return airflow generator 97 communicates in the middle of the passage from the banknote passage opening 106 to the take-in device 45 , and the airflow from the return airflow generation device 97 is sent into the sub-conveyance pipe 91 from the bill passage opening 106 . be In addition, the airflow from the outward airflow generator 95 is exhausted to the outside through the banknote passage port 106 and the return airflow generator 97 .

As shown in FIG. 24, the sub-conveying device 9 includes a banknote feeding sensor S11 for detecting whether or not there is a banknote P passing through the banknote intake opening 102, and a banknote feed-out sensor S11 for detecting whether or not the auxiliary transport body 16 exists at the standby position. It has a standby position sensor S12 for detecting, and a transport completion position sensor S13 for detecting whether or not the transport auxiliary body 16 exists at the transport completion position.

The banknote delivery sensor S11, the standby position sensor S12, the transport completion position sensor S13, the banknote detection sensor S14, and the banknote ejection detection sensor S15, which will be described later, are transparent optical sensors provided with a light emitting portion and a light receiving portion arranged opposite to each other, and emit light. If there is an object blocking the light between the light-emitting unit and the light-receiving unit (detection target such as banknote P or the auxiliary conveying body 16), the sensor output becomes (dark), and an object blocking the light exists between the light-emitting unit and the light-receiving unit. If not, it will be on (bright). Note that the type of sensor is not limited to this, and may be selected as appropriate.

The sub-conveying device 9 moves bills P taken into the passage portion 101 at the lower end of the sub-conveying pipe 91 by the bill feeding device 93 from the rear by the auxiliary conveying body 16 which is moved by the air flow generated by the outward air flow generating device 95 . Pushing and moving the banknote P to the fetching device 45 (conveyance completion position), the outward air flow generating device 95 is operated until the banknote P is fed into the main conveying pipe 40 by the fetching device 45 to convey the auxiliary conveying body 16. Hold in the completed position.

When the transported banknotes P are sent out into the main transport pipe 40, the forward airflow generator 95 is stopped, and instead the backward airflow generator 97 is activated so that the airflow generated by the backward airflow generator 97 The auxiliary conveying body 16 is moved to the standby position at the lower end of the sub-conveying pipe 91 . Since the sub-conveyance pipe 91 in a predetermined range just before reaching the take-in device 45 extends horizontally, the auxiliary conveyance body 16 does not return to the standby position just by turning off the outward air flow generating device 95, and the return air flow does not return. A flow generator 97 is used to move the auxiliary transport body 16 to the standby position.

Next, the capturing device 45 will be described.

26 is a plan view showing the appearance of the take-in device 45, FIG. 27 is a CC cross-sectional view of FIG. 26, and FIG. 28 is a cross-section of the take-in device 45 of FIG. 26 taken along line DD of FIG. It is a diagram.

The take-in device 45 has the same cross-sectional shape as the straight pipe 50 of the main conveying pipe 40, and has an insertion passage portion 120 to which the straight pipe 50 of the main conveying pipe 40 is connected in the front and rear. The insertion passage portion 120 has the same inner shape as the straight portion 50 of the main conveying pipe 40 , so that the auxiliary conveying body 16 can smoothly pass through the insertion passage portion 120 . The insertion passage portion 120 of the take-in device 45 allows bills P to pass through in a horizontally long vertical posture, similar to the main conveying pipe 40 .

An opening 121 is formed in the wall surface of the insertion passage portion 120 facing one paper surface of the passing banknotes P to take in the bills P conveyed by the sub-conveying device 9 into the insertion passage portion 120 . there is A banknote ejection detection sensor S15 for detecting banknotes P entering through the opening 121 is provided in the insertion passage portion 120 in the vicinity of the downstream of the opening 121 (see FIG. 24).

The take-in device 45 is provided with an entrance passage portion 130 serving as a passage through which the banknotes P conveyed by the sub-conveyance device 9 are received and delivered from the opening 121 into the insertion passage portion 120 . The entry passageway portion 130 is orthogonal to the insertion passageway portion 120 .

The entrance passage portion 130 is connected to the banknote passage port 106 of the sub-conveyor 9 , and the range of the entrance passage portion 130 from the banknote passage port 106 to a predetermined distance downstream is covered by banknotes entering from the banknote passage port 106 . A rib 131 protruding inward toward the paper surface of the banknote P from the inner wall facing the paper surface of the banknote P forms a passage portion 130a extending along the entering direction of the banknote P. As shown in FIG. A space between ribs 131 protruding inward from both inner walls serves as a passage for banknotes P in the passing portion 130a. The height of the rib 131 increases toward the downstream, and the width of the passage in the banknote thickness direction becomes narrower toward the end of the passage portion 130a.

In the entrance passage portion 130, the downstream side of the passage portion 130a in which the rib 131 is formed serves as a transport portion 130b that conveys the bills P that have passed through the passage portion 130a toward the opening 121 of the insertion passage portion 120. there is

The transport unit 130b further feeds the banknote P transported by the banknote guide path 133 leading to the opening 121, the transport belt 134 for transporting the banknote P, and the banknote P transported by the transport belt 134 toward the opening 121, and the banknote P to the end thereof. A pair of banknote ejection rollers 135a and delivery rollers 135b, which work to send the banknotes completely into the insertion passage portion 120, and the air flow in the main transport pipe 40 are directed from the opening 121 of the insertion passage portion 120 to the outside through the banknote guide path 133. A shutter 136 for opening and closing the bill guiding path 133 is provided in the middle of the bill guiding path 133 to prevent leakage, and a motor for driving the conveying belt 134, the bill discharging roller 135a, and the delivery roller 135b.

The shutter 136 is normally urged toward the closed position by a spring or the like, and when the bill P moves toward the opening 121, the shutter 136 is pushed open to pass through.

Further, the transport unit 130b presses the banknotes P that have not been successfully transported by the transport belt 134 and are stuck in the banknote guide path 133 toward the transport belt 134, and sandwiches them between the transport belt 134 to assist the transport. A nipping roller 137 is provided for holding.

The nipping roller 137 is supported by one end of a movable arm 139 that swings. It is displaced to a sandwiching position (see FIG. 29) in which the banknote P is sandwiched therebetween and a retracted position (see FIG. 28) in which the banknote guide path 133 is retracted.

As shown in FIG. 27, two conveyor belts 134 are stretched across the left and right sides of the banknote P, and the nipping roller 137 is positioned between these conveyor belts 134 (at the center of the banknote width). It is located upstream of the conveyor belt 134 . Further, a banknote detection sensor S14 for detecting banknotes P is provided slightly downstream of the nipping roller 137 . As described above, the banknote detection sensor S14 is a transmissive optical sensor having a light-emitting portion and a light-receiving portion.

When the banknote detection sensor S14 detects banknotes for a predetermined period of time or more, that is, when it detects that the banknotes P are jammed in the banknote guide path 133 due to failure in transportation by the conveyor belt 134, the take-in device 45 The solenoid 138 is turned on to displace the nipping roller 137 to the nipping position, and the bill P is nipped between the nipping roller 137 and the conveyor belt 134 and conveyed.

When the banknote detection sensor S14 no longer detects the banknote P, the solenoid 138 is turned off to return the nipping roller 137 to the retracted position. If the banknote detection sensor S14 does not detect a banknote jam, the take-in device 45 does not turn on the solenoid 138, keeps the nipping roller 137 at the retracted position, and transfers the banknote P to the transport belt 134, the banknote ejection roller 135a, and the delivery roller. 135b.

Further, in the banknote guide path 133 immediately before reaching the pair of banknote discharge rollers 135a, there are provided banknote discharge roller guides 135c for guiding the banknotes P to the banknote discharge rollers 135a by coming into contact with the banknotes P from the left and right sides (Fig. 27). reference).

As shown in FIG. 27, the rib 131 is provided only in the central portion in the width direction of the entrance passage portion 130, and both sides are provided with a restricting portion 141 forming a wall surface corresponding to the height of the top of the rib 131. It's becoming

Between the passing portion 130a and the conveying portion 130b, there is provided a guide wall 143 extending from the base of the rib 131 formed in the passing portion 130a to the downstream conveying portion 130b while tilting obliquely toward the top side ( See FIG. 28 for the inclination of the guide wall 143).

Roles of the restricting portion 141 and the guide wall 143 will be explained in comparison with the case without them.

FIG. 30 shows a take-in device 45' without the restricting portion 141 and the guide wall 143. As shown in FIG. FIG. 30 is a diagram corresponding to FIG. The same reference numerals are assigned to the same portions as those of the take-in device 45 of FIG.

<Role of Regulator 141>
In the configuration in which the ribs 131 are arranged at predetermined intervals over the entire width of the passing portion 130a without the restricting portion 141 as in the take-in device 45', the curled bills enter from the sub-conveying device 9 obliquely. In this case, as shown in FIG. 31(a), the ends of the curled banknote P in the width direction enter between the ribs 131 and reach the conveying unit 130b through the passing unit 130a in the curled shape. do.

When such banknotes P are stagnated in front of the feeding roller 135b and the banknote detection sensor S14 detects the banknotes P for a predetermined period of time or more (detects a banknote jam), the solenoid 138 is actuated to move the nipping roller 137 and the conveying belt. 134, the curled and slanted banknote P is sandwiched and conveyed as it is.

Even such banknotes P will not be clamped by the nipping rollers 137 unless they are transported normally by the transport belt 134 and the delivery rollers 135b and do not stagnate. ), and the inclination of the banknote P decreases as it moves downstream in the play of the passage. In addition, since the banknote guide path 133 becomes narrower as it advances toward the delivery roller 135b, the banknote P is regulated in its posture in the process of advancing downstream, and is gradually decurled, jammed, or collided with the banknote discharge roller guide 135c. It is discharged to the insertion passage portion 120 without being damaged.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 32, when the curled banknote P stays in front of the delivery roller 135b and the nipping roller 137 is actuated, the banknote P is sandwiched between the nipping roller 137 and the conveying belt 134 and is curled.・It is fixed and transported in an inclined posture. Therefore, even if the banknote P advances downstream, the curled shape and tilted posture are not corrected, and if the edge of the banknote P hits the banknote discharge roller guide 135c and enters between the pair of banknote discharge rollers 135a in that state (Fig. 33), the edge of the banknote P (the edge indicated by the thick line in FIG. 33) may be damaged or clogged.

On the other hand, like the take-in device 45 of the present invention, the rib 131 is provided only in the central portion of the passage portion 130a in the width direction of the passage, and both sides of the rib 131 are provided as regulating portions that form flat walls at the height of the top of the rib 131. When set to 141, as shown in FIG. 31(b), both ends of the curled bill P in the width direction come into contact with the regulating portions 141, and the posture is regulated so as to reduce curling. Since the restriction portion 141 prevents the edge of the banknote P in the width direction from entering between the ribs 131 and 131, the inclination of the banknote posture is gradually corrected as the banknote advances downstream, and the banknote before the delivery roller 135b. By the time it reaches , there is no curl and the slope is corrected.

FIG. 34 shows how the front end of the banknote P passes through the passing portion 130a having the restricting portion 141, and FIG. 35 shows how the banknote P reaches the front of the delivery roller 135b. By the time it reaches the position shown in FIG. 35, the inclination of the posture is corrected.

Therefore, even if the paper money P is stagnated before the delivery roller 135b and the nipping roller 137 is actuated to fix the posture of the paper money P between the nipping roller 137 and the conveyor belt 134, the paper money P is already removed. Since the inclination is corrected, as shown in FIG. 36, the end of the banknote P enters between the pair of banknote discharge rollers 135a almost straight without hitting the banknote discharge roller guide 135c, and is damaged or jammed. It is discharged from the opening 121 to the insertion passage portion 120 without being pushed.

FIG. 37 shows the take-in device 45 viewed from the direction of arrow E in FIG. As shown in the figure, the curled banknote is regulated in a straight line by the regulating portion 141 .

FIG. 38 shows a conventional take-in device 45' viewed in the same manner as in FIG. Since there is no regulating portion 141, the edge of the banknote P enters between the ribs, and the shape of the banknote P remains curled and is not regulated.

Note that, as shown in FIG. 39, the width E1 in the banknote thickness direction at the exit of the passage portion 130a of the take-in device 45 (FIG. 39(a)) according to the present invention is b)) is considerably narrower than the width E2 in the banknote thickness direction at the exit of the passage portion 130a', so that the curl of the banknote P is sufficiently straightened when it exits the passage portion 130a of the take-in device 45. posture. In addition, in the conventional take-in device 45', the edge of the banknote P enters deep between the ribs (the hatched range), so the curl of the banknote P is maintained (Fig. 31(a)). )reference).

<Role of guide wall 143>
40 shows the transition from the passing portion 130a to the transport portion 130b of the intake device 45 with the guide wall 143, and FIG. 41 shows the same portion of the intake device 45' without the guide wall 143. . As shown in FIG. 41 , the inner wall of the banknote guide path 133 of the transport section 130 b (the inner wall facing the paper surface of the banknote P) is located at a height between the base and the top of the rib 131 . As a result, the banknotes P that have entered along the crests of the ribs 131 can move to the transport section 130b through a small step difference.

However, when the edge of the card or Z card is deeply inserted between the ribs 131 and 131 and is about to proceed from the passage section 130a to the conveying section 130b, the portion that is deeply inserted between the ribs 131 and 131 is formed. Since the banknote hits against the conveying portion 130b, it cannot be smoothly transferred to the conveying portion 130b, and the paper money P is jammed or damaged.

Guide wall 143 serves to solve this problem. That is, the guide wall 143 is obliquely inclined from the root (or outside the root) of the rib 131 formed in the passage portion 130a to the top side (toward the inside of the passage) between the passage portion 130a and the conveying portion 130b. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 40, the ends of the bills and Z bills are deeply inserted between the ribs 131 and 131 when they are transported from the passage portion 130a to the conveying portion. 130b, the portion deeply inserted between the ribs 131 rides on the guide wall 143 without hitting the end of the guide wall 143, and is guided by the guide wall 143 to smoothly move the conveying section. 130b to prevent jams and banknotes P from being damaged.

The transport of the bills P from the relay box 6 to the main transport pipe 40 by the sub-transport device 9 and the take-in device 45 is performed as follows.

In the standby state before transportation, the forward airflow generator 95 and the backward airflow generator 97 are stopped. The auxiliary conveying body 16 is held at a standby position at the lower end of the passage portion 101 of the sub-conveying device 9 (see FIGS. 24 and 25).

The sub-conveying device 9 can transport a plurality of (up to three) banknotes P in piles at once, and the take-in device 45 transports the plurality of banknotes P into the banknote guide path 133 at once. can wait. Then, when a command is received from the control unit to feed the banknotes P into the main transport pipe 40 (the insertion passage portion 120 of the take-in device 45), the banknotes P waiting in the banknote guide path 133 are held by the transport belt 134. The roller 137, the bill discharge roller 135a, the delivery roller 135b, etc. are driven to feed the bill into the insertion passage portion 120. As shown in FIG.

<During normal operation>
As shown in FIG. 42, the banknote delivery device 93 of the sub-transport device 9 drives the transport rollers 103 when delivering the banknotes P into the sub-transportation pipe 91, and moves the banknotes P arriving from the relay box 6 to the passage portion. The banknote 101 is sent out toward the banknote take-in opening 102 (step S101). At this time, while the banknote P is passing through the banknote intake opening 102, the banknote feeding sensor S11 becomes (dark), and when the banknote P is completely delivered into the passage portion 101, the banknote feeding sensor S11 returns to (bright). Note that the banknote delivery device 93 can deliver a maximum of three banknotes P into the sub-transport pipe 91 at once.

When the sub-conveyance device 9 confirms that the auxiliary conveyance body 16 is waiting at the standby position by checking that the standby position sensor S12 is (dark) (step S102; Yes), the forward airflow generator 95 is activated. to generate an upward airflow (step S103).

By the action of this air flow, the auxiliary conveying body 16 pushes the banknotes P from the rear end and rises in the sub-conveying pipe 91, passes through the second curved pipe 52, and abuts the bill passage port 106 at the other end of the sub-conveying pipe 91. , stops at the transfer completion position. The bill P conveyed by the auxiliary conveying body 16 passes through the bill passage opening 106 and advances into the take-in device 45 . The transportation completion position sensor S13 (dark) confirms that the auxiliary transportation body 16 has reached the transportation completion position, and the banknote detection sensor S14 (dark) detects that the bill P has entered the bill guide path 133 of the take-in device 45. ) (step S104). Note that even after the auxiliary conveying body 16 reaches the conveying completion position, the forward airflow generating device 95 continues to generate the airflow until the bills P are completely discharged by the taking-in device 45 into the main conveying pipe 40 .

When the take-in device 45 confirms that the transport completion position sensor S13 is (dark) and the banknote detection sensor S14 is (dark) (step S104; Yes), it drives the motor of the transport unit 130b and the transport belt 134 , bill discharge roller 135a and delivery roller 135b are operated (step S105). As a result, the bills P are sent out from the take-in device 45 into the main transport pipe 40 (more specifically, the insertion passage portion 120 of the take-in device 45). At this time, the transport completion position sensor S13 remains (dark), and the fetching device 45 recognizes that the banknote P has passed the transport unit 130b when the banknote detection sensor S14 becomes (bright). It is recognized that the banknote P is being discharged from the opening 121 to the insertion passage portion 120 when the banknote discharge detection sensor S15 becomes (dark).

After that, when the banknote discharge detection sensor S15 becomes (bright) (step S106; Yes), it is determined that the banknote P has been completely discharged into the main transport pipe 40 (the insertion passage portion 120 of the take-in device 45). , the forward airflow generator 95 of the sub-conveyor 9 is stopped, and after a predetermined time (for example, 5 seconds) has elapsed, the backward airflow generator 97 is activated (step S107).

The auxiliary conveying body 16 held at the conveying completion position moves toward the standby position at the other end in the sub-conveying pipe 91 by the action of the air flow generated by the backward air flow generator 97 . As a result, the transport completion position sensor S13 becomes (bright). After that, when it is confirmed by the standby position sensor S12 (dark) that the auxiliary conveying body 16 has arrived at the standby position (step S108; Yes), the return air flow generator 97 is stopped (step S109), and the normal sequence of operations is performed. end (END).

Next, a description will be given of the conditions under which an abnormality occurs in the operation of transporting banknotes P from the relay box 6 into the main transport pipe 40, the recovery operation, and the like.

<Err01 Auxiliary transport body standby error>
Occurrence condition: Occurs when the auxiliary conveying body 16 is not at the waiting position at the lower end of the sub-conveying pipe 91 in the standby state.

Restoration condition: set the auxiliary conveying body 16 to the standby position at the lower end of the sub-conveying pipe 91 . As a result, the standby position sensor S12 changes to (dark), and automatic restoration is performed.

<Err02 Abnormal clogging of auxiliary transfer body on return trip>
Occurrence condition: Occurs when the auxiliary conveying body 16 does not return to the standby position during the conveying operation by the sub-conveying device 9 .

Restoration condition: Automatic recovery is achieved by removing clogging of the auxiliary conveying body 16 from the sub-conveying pipe 91 and returning the auxiliary conveying body 16 to the standby position (standby position sensor S12 (dark)).

The operation until the clogging error (Err02) of the assisting conveying body in the return path occurs is as follows.

(1) In step S107 of FIG. 42, the return airflow generator 97 is activated. Note that the return air flow generator 97 is stopped after a preset return blower operation time has elapsed. The return blower operating time is set according to the path length of the sub-conveyance pipe 91 .

(2) If the standby position sensor S12 remains (bright) even after the return blower operation time has elapsed, wait for a predetermined air flow direction switching waiting time (for example, 3 seconds) to elapse.

(3) After the waiting time for switching the airflow direction has passed, the outward airflow generating device 95 is activated. It should be noted that the forward air flow generator 95 is stopped after a predetermined forward blower operation time elapses. The outward blower operation time is set according to the path length of the sub-conveyance pipe 91 .

(4) Waiting for the air flow direction switching waiting time to elapse.

(5) An abnormality occurs when the assisting transport member 16 does not return to the standby position even after the operations (1) to (4) are repeated a predetermined number of times (for example, three times).

<ERR03 Abnormal clogging of auxiliary transfer body on forward trip>
Occurrence condition: Occurs when the conveying completion position sensor S13 does not change to (dark) during the conveying operation by the sub-conveying device 9 (when the auxiliary conveying body 16 does not reach the conveying completion position).

Restoration condition: After removing the bill jam factor near the bill delivery device 93 at the lower end of the sub-transport pipe 91 , the operation is restored by operating the error release switch in the relay box 6 . However, it is a condition that both the transportation completion position sensor S13 and the banknote detection sensor S14 are (bright) when the error cancellation switch is operated.

・Transportation by the main transport device 8 is not performed when an error occurs.

- Set the removed banknotes on the auxiliary conveying body 16 in the sub-conveying pipe 91 .

・The sub-conveying device 9 is activated by the restoration operation (operation of the error canceling switch) to convey the paper to the take-in device 45 .

When the banknote P is delivered from the take-in device 45 into the main transport pipe 40, it is transported by the main transport device 8. As shown in FIG.

- If the auxiliary conveying body 16 is in the sub-conveying pipe 91 before the restoration operation, it is necessary to return it to the standby position (manually operate the air blower or return blower in the control section of the relay box 6).

If the recovery operation is performed without setting the removed banknotes on the auxiliary conveying body 16 in the sub-conveying pipe 91, Err04 occurs during the conveying operation of the sub-conveying device 9.

The operation up to the occurrence of the clogging error (Err03) of the assisting conveying body on the forward pass is as follows.

(1) In step S103 of FIG. 42, the forward airflow generator 95 is activated. It should be noted that the forward air flow generator 95 is stopped after a predetermined forward blower operation time elapses. The outward blower operation time is set according to the path length of the sub-conveyance pipe 91 .

(2) If the transport completion position sensor S13 and the banknote detection sensor S14 remain (bright) even after the forward blower operation time has elapsed, wait for a predetermined air flow direction switching waiting time (for example, 3 seconds) to elapse. .

(3) After the waiting time for switching the airflow direction has elapsed, the return airflow generator 97 is activated. Note that the return air flow generator 97 is stopped after a preset return blower operation time has elapsed. The return blower operating time is set according to the path length of the sub-conveyance pipe 91 .

(4) Waiting for the air flow direction switching waiting time to elapse.

(5) An abnormality occurs when the assisting transport member 16 does not return to the standby position even after the operations (1) to (4) are repeated a predetermined number of times (for example, three times).

<ERR04 Feeding sensor jam: Banknote jam error near transfer completion position sensor S13>
Occurrence condition: Occurs when the auxiliary conveying body 16 stagnates above the sub-conveying pipe 91 during the conveying operation by the sub-conveying device 9 . (In step S104 in FIG. 42, the transport completion position sensor S13 (dark) is set, but the banknote detection sensor S14 (bright: never changes to dark) remains, or the banknote detection sensor S14 (dark) in S104, and the banknote is discharged in S105. After detecting the detection sensor S15 (dark), the state does not change to the bill detection sensor S14 (bright)).

Restoration condition: After removing the cause of the jam near the transport completion position sensor S13 in the sub-transport pipe 91, the error reset switch in the relay box 6 is operated to restore. However, it is a condition that both the transport completion position sensor S13 and the banknote detection sensor S14 are (bright) when the error release switch is operated.

- Set the removed banknotes in the main transport pipe 40 .

- Perform error check processing for Err02, Err03, and Err04 at the time of recovery to check remaining bills, etc.

・Transport by the main transport device 8 at the time of restoration.

There are two types of operations A and B below until Err04 occurs.

A. In the case where the transfer completion position sensor S13 (dark) is detected in step S104 of FIG. 42 but the banknote detection sensor S14 (dark) is not detected (1) The forward airflow generating device 95 is activated in step S103 of FIG. . It should be noted that the forward air flow generator 95 is stopped after a predetermined forward blower operation time elapses. The outward blower operation time is set according to the path length of the sub-conveyance pipe 91 .

(2) After the conveyance completion position sensor S13 detects (dark), the bill detection sensor S14 does not (dark) detect.

(3) Activate the solenoid 138 (nipping roller 137) (do not activate the first time, activate during the second and subsequent times the forward airflow generating device 95 is activated)
(4) Stop the forward airflow generator 95 and wait for the waiting time for switching the airflow direction to elapse.

(5) After the waiting time for switching the airflow direction has elapsed, the return airflow generator 97 is activated. Note that the return air flow generator 97 is stopped after a preset return blower operation time has elapsed. The return blower operating time is set according to the path length of the sub-conveyance pipe 91 .

(6) Wait for the air flow direction switching waiting time to elapse.

(7) An abnormality occurs when the auxiliary transport member 16 does not return to the standby position even after repeating the operations (1) to (6) a predetermined number of times (for example, three times).

B. When the banknote detection sensor S14 (dark) is detected in step S104 of FIG. 42 and the banknote ejection detection sensor S15 (dark) is detected in step S105, and the banknote detection sensor S14 (bright) does not change (1) Step S103 of FIG. to start the forward airflow generator 95 . It should be noted that the forward air flow generator 95 is stopped after a predetermined forward blower operation time elapses. The outward blower operation time is set according to the path length of the sub-conveyance pipe 91 .

(2) Detecting the transport completion position sensor S13 (dark) and bill detection sensor S14 (dark).

(3) The banknote detection sensor S14 does not become (bright) in the state of the transport completion position sensor S13 (dark) and the banknote discharge detection sensor S15 (dark).

(4) Activate the solenoid 138 (nipping roller 137) (not activated for the first time, but activated during the second and subsequent outward air flow generators 95)
(5) Stop the forward airflow generator 95 and wait for the waiting time for switching the airflow direction to elapse.

(6) After the waiting time for switching the airflow direction has elapsed, the return airflow generator 97 is activated. Note that the return air flow generator 97 is stopped after a preset return blower operation time has elapsed. The return blower operating time is set according to the path length of the sub-conveyance pipe 91 .

(7) Wait for the air flow direction switching waiting time to elapse.

(8) An abnormality occurs when the assisting transport member 16 does not return to the standby position even after the operations (1) to (7) are repeated a predetermined number of times (for example, three times).

<ERR05 Banknote jam error near opening 121 of insertion passage 120>
Occurrence condition: Occurs when banknotes P are stagnant within the banknote guide path 133 near the opening 121 of the take-in device 45 . (After banknote detection sensor S14 (dark) is detected during transport, banknote discharge detection sensor S15 (dark) is not detected)
Restoration condition: After removing the cause of the jam in the banknote guide path 133 near the opening 121 of the take-in device 45 , the operation is restored by operating the error release switch in the relay box 6 . However, it is a condition that both the transportation completion position sensor S13 and the banknote detection sensor S14 are (bright) when the error cancellation switch is operated.

- Set the removed banknotes in the main transport pipe 40 (the insertion passage portion 120 of the take-in device 45).

- Perform error check processing for Err02, Err03, and Err04 at the time of recovery to check remaining bills, etc.

・Transport by the main transport device 8 at the time of restoration.

The operation until Err05 occurs is as follows.

(1) During the transport operation by the sub-transport device 9, after the banknote detection sensor S14 (dark) is detected in S104 of FIG. 42, the banknote discharge detection sensor S15 (dark) is not detected in S105 (2) A predetermined time (for example, 5 seconds) After waiting, turn on the solenoid 138 (drive for 15 seconds)
(3) An abnormality occurs when the banknote discharge detection sensor S15 (dark) does not occur even after the operations (1) and (2) are repeated a predetermined number of times (for example, three times).

Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above with reference to the drawings, the specific configurations are not limited to those shown in the embodiments, and modifications and additions may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. is also included in the present invention.

The gaming machine island 3 is not limited to the configuration that accommodates the pachinko machine and the game ball lending machine illustrated in the embodiment, and may be a gaming machine island that accommodates a token lending machine, a slot machine, and the like.

In the embodiment, bills are used as paper sheets, but other types of paper sheets such as tickets and cards may be used. Also, the shape of the paper sheet is not limited to a rectangle. Also, the installation location of the paper sheet collecting and conveying system 1 is not limited to the game hall, and may be other facilities.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... Paper sheet collection|recovery conveyance system 2... Game center 3... Game machine island 4... Game ball lending machine 5... Game machine 6... Relay box 7... Island bill conveyance apparatus 8... Main conveyance apparatus 9... Sub conveyance apparatus 11... Bills Separating/conveying auxiliary body circulation device 11a...Conveying auxiliary body inserting device 11b...Separating and collecting apparatus 12...Conveying pipe 12a...Outward path 12b...Return path 14...Air flow generator 14a...Air blowing passage 14b...Air suction passage 16...Auxiliary conveying body DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 16a... Head 16b... Small neck part 16c... Large diameter part 16d... Constriction part 18... Bill take-in apparatus 23... Control part 31... Upper and lower wall part 32... Side wall part 33... Expansion part (guide)
34 … Separation wall (rib)
35... Rib 40... Main transport pipe 41... Safe 44... Relay device 45... Taking-in device 50... Straight tube 51... First curved tube 52... Second curved portion 52a... Second curved tube of type 1 52b... Type 2 Second curved tube 54 Twisted tube 91 Sub-transport tube 93 Banknote delivery device 95 Outgoing airflow generator 97 Incoming airflow generator 101 Passage 102 Banknote intake opening 103 Conveying roller 104 Shutter 105 LOWER VENT OPEN 106 Banknote passing port 120 Insertion passage portion 121 Passage portion 121 Opening 130 Entrance passage portion 130a Passing portion 130b Conveying portion 131 Rib 133 Bill guiding path 134 Conveying belt 135a Bill discharge Roller 135b... Feeding roller 135c... Banknote discharge roller guide 136... Shutter 137... Sandwiching roller 138... Solenoid 139... Movable arm 141... Regulating section 143... Guide wall S11... Banknote feeding sensor S12... Standby position sensor S13... Conveyance completion position sensor S14 Banknote detection sensor S14 Banknote detection sensor S15 Banknote discharge detection sensor P Banknote Dx Distance between reference plane portions of transport pipe Dy Y-direction inner dimension of transport pipe F Extension direction of transport pipe W Passage width X... Width direction of conveying pipe Y... Height direction of conveying pipe

Claims (2)

A paper sheet collecting and conveying system for collecting paper sheets from a plurality of intake locations in a facility and conveying the collected paper sheets to a predetermined destination by the action of airflow,
a conveying pipe extending to the destination via the plurality of intake locations; an air flow generating device for generating an air flow toward the destination in the conveying pipe; a main conveying device provided with a paper sheet take-in device for feeding a paper sheet into the conveying pipe;
a relay device provided corresponding to the paper sheet take-in device and having a function of temporarily storing paper sheets collected in a predetermined local area and a function of feeding out the stored paper sheets;
A sub-conveyance pipe connecting the relay device and the corresponding paper sheet take-in device; a sub-conveyor that conveys the paper sheets delivered from the relay device into the sub-conveyance pipe by the action of the air flow generated by the forward air flow generating device and transfers the paper sheets to the paper sheet take-in device; a device;
with
The sub-conveying device operates the forward airflow generating device when conveying the paper sheet to the paper sheet taking-in device, and the paper sheet taking-in device conveys the conveyed paper sheet to the main conveying device. Stop the forward air flow generator after the delivery into the conveying pipe of the device is completed.
A paper sheet collecting and conveying system characterized by: The sub-conveying device is
The paper sheets delivered from the relay device into the sub-conveyance pipe are pushed from behind by a conveyance auxiliary member that moves in the sub-conveyance pipe under the action of the air flow generated by the outgoing air flow generating device. Conveying to the paper sheet take-in device,
A return airflow generating device for generating an airflow directed from the paper sheet take-in device to the relay device is provided in the sub-conveyance pipe,
After the paper sheet take-in device finishes feeding the paper sheets into the conveying pipe of the main conveying device and the forward airflow generating device is stopped, the return airflow generating device is operated to operate the auxiliary conveying body. to the relay device side
The paper sheet collecting and conveying system according to claim 1, characterized in that:

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