JP5056699B2 - Media alignment mechanism - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a medium width adjusting mechanism for shifting a medium conveyed on a conveyance path to a reference surface provided on one side of the conveyance path.

Printers used in financial institutions, etc., read and write data on magnetic stripes provided on media such as bankbooks and slips, and print on the media in order to read the magnetic stripes and print positions on the media using magnetic heads and printouts. It is necessary to accurately position the head at a position facing the head. For this reason, a medium width adjusting mechanism is provided in the printer.
As a conventional media width adjusting mechanism, a reference surface is provided on one side of a conveyance path constituted by an upper guide plate and a lower guide plate, and a medium inserted into the conveyance path from a medium insertion port is fed by a feed roller and a press roller. After nipping and transporting a certain amount, the medium is nipped from the vertical direction by the width adjusting roller and the press roller, and the press roller corresponding to the feed roller is retracted to the lower position of the lower guide plate, and then the width adjusting roller There is one in which the medium is pushed closer to the reference plane side by rotating so that one side of the medium is parallel to the reference plane (see, for example, Patent Document 1).
JP 2003-12195 A

  However, in the conventional technique described above, the press roller corresponding to the feed roller is retracted to the lower position of the lower guide plate when the medium is shifted, so that a medium having high rigidity such as a passbook performs width adjustment without any problem. However, a medium with low rigidity such as a slip hangs down on both sides lower than the part sandwiched between the width-shifting roller and the press roller, so that one side of the medium can be stably pressed against the reference surface. It is difficult, and there is a problem that one side of the suspended medium is caught on the lower guide plate and buckled or deformed, resulting in trouble in printing or the like of the next process.

  An object of the present invention is to solve such a problem.

  Therefore, in the present invention, a plurality of reference surfaces provided on one side of the conveyance path formed by the upper guide plate and the lower guide plate are arranged in a direction perpendicular to the medium conveyance direction on the upper guide plate side. A first feed roller, a first press roller provided on the lower guide plate side and capable of being pressed against and separated from the first feed roller; and the first feed roller at a position downstream of the first feed roller. A plurality of second feed rollers arranged on the upper guide plate side in a direction orthogonal to the medium conveying direction, and a second feed roller provided on the lower guide plate side and capable of being pressed against and separated from the second feed roller. 2 press rollers, a width-shifting roller disposed on the upper guide plate side so as to be positioned in the center of an area surrounded by the feed rollers, and the feed rollers and the press rollers. A sensor for detecting the width of the medium transported in the transport path, transported by the first feed roller and the first press roller, and the leading end held between the second transport roller and the second press roller; The sensor detects the width of the medium conveyed until it reaches the position to be detected, and determines whether the medium is a high rigidity medium or a low rigidity medium from the detected width. 1. The second press roller is separated to the lower side of the lower guide plate, and the medium having high rigidity is made closer to the reference surface side by the width adjusting roller. The first and second press rollers are separated so that the first and second press rollers are not pressed against the first and second feed rollers, and the low rigidity medium is held flat by the first and second press rollers. do it It characterized in that it asked the width of the body on the reference side by the biassing rollers.

  In the present invention as described above, when the rigidity of the medium to be width-shifted is low, the press roller at the width-alignment position is lowered by a certain amount to separate the press roller from the feed roller to the extent that the medium is not pressed against the feed roller, As a result, both sides of the medium are supported by a press roller, held in a substantially flat state, and shifted by a width-shifting roller, so that even if the rigidity of the medium is low, one side of the medium can be reliably secured. It is possible to press against the reference surface, and it is possible to perform the width adjustment without causing buckling or deformation of the medium.

  Embodiments of the media width adjusting mechanism according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing the first embodiment, and FIG. 2 is a side view showing the first embodiment.
In the figure, reference numeral 1 denotes a medium width adjusting mechanism, which is provided in a conveyance path 2 such as a printer used in a financial institution.
The transport path 2 is formed by arranging an upper guide plate 3 and a lower guide plate 4 at a predetermined interval, and a reference surface 5 serving as a transport reference for the medium P is provided on one side of the transport path 2. It is formed integrally with the plate 4.

The upper end side of the conveyance path 2 is opened on the upper surface of the desk as an insertion / extraction port 6 that also serves as an insertion port and a discharge port for the medium P. The transport path 2 is formed wide so that any medium P can be transported.
The arrow A in the figure is the direction in which the medium P is transported from the insertion / discharge port 6 toward the back of the transport path 2, that is, the suction direction, and the arrow B is the direction in which the medium is narrowed toward the reference plane 5. .

A pair of rotatable feed rollers (first feed rollers) 7 and a press roller 8, a feed roller (second feed roller) 9 and a press roller 10, which form a pair in the conveyance path 2, are inserted in the suction direction from the insertion / discharge port 6. The feed rollers 7 and 9 are rotated in turn using a motor (not shown) as a drive source.
The interval between the roller pairs is set to be shorter than the length of the medium P having the shortest length in the transport direction.

Two feed rollers 7 and two feed rollers 9 positioned downstream of the feed roller 7 in the transport direction are arranged at predetermined intervals in a direction orthogonal to the transport direction of the medium P, and press rollers are provided so as to correspond thereto. Two (first press rollers) 8 and two press rollers (second press rollers) 10 are also arranged.
The distance between one of the feed rollers 7 and 9 and the reference surface 5 is the same, and the distance between the other feed rollers 7 and 9 and the reference surface 5 is also the same.

Further, the interval between the feed rollers 7 and the interval between the press rollers 8 is an interval at which the narrowest media P can be sandwiched, and the interval between the feed rollers 9 and the press roller 10 is the same.
The feed roller 7 is attached to the shaft 11 shown in FIG. 2 so that the axial direction is orthogonal to the conveyance direction of the medium P, and rotates when the shaft 11 is driven by a motor.

Similarly, the press roller 8 is also attached to the shaft 12 so that the axial direction is perpendicular to the conveyance direction of the medium P, and can be moved up and down (moved up and down) integrally with the shaft 12 by an elevating mechanism (not shown).
The feed roller 9 is also attached to the shaft 13 in the same direction as the feed roller 7, and the press roller 10 is also attached to the shaft 14 in the same direction, and can be rotated or raised in the same manner. Yes.

Here, the feed rollers 7 and 9 are arranged on the upper guide plate 3 side, the press rollers 8 and 10 are arranged on the lower guide plate 4 side, and the feed rollers 7 and 9 are part of the outer circumference of the upper guide plate. The press rollers 8 and 10 can enter and exit the conveyance path 2 through the holes provided in the lower guide plate 4.
The press rollers 8 and 10 are lifted and lowered by a lifting mechanism (not shown), and when the medium P is transported, the press rollers 8 and 10 are moved up into the transport path 2 and pressed against the feed rollers 7 and 9. The medium P is sandwiched between the two, and when the width is adjusted or after the medium is discharged, the medium P is lowered and separated from the feed rollers 7 and 9, and waits under the lower guide plate 4.

15 is a width adjusting roller, 16 is a press roller that forms a pair with the width adjusting roller 15, and the width adjusting roller 15 has a part of the outer periphery entering the conveying path 2 through a hole provided in the upper guide plate 3, The press roller 16 can enter and exit the conveyance path 2 through a hole provided in the lower guide plate 4.
The press roller 16 is lifted and lowered by a lift mechanism (not shown) different from that of the press rollers 8 and 10, and is lifted when the medium P is width-adjusted and enters the conveyance path 2, and presses against the width-adjustment roller 15. The medium P is sandwiched between the width adjusting roller 15 and the medium P is lowered and separated from the width adjusting roller 15 except when the width is being adjusted, and waits under the lower guide plate 4.

Further, the width adjusting roller 15 is disposed at the center of a rectangular region surrounded by a total of four rollers of the feed rollers 7 and 9, and is positioned so that the press roller 16 faces the width adjusting roller 15 below. .
In the present embodiment, a plurality of types of media P having different sizes are conveyed. However, even when the minimum medium P handled by the printer 1 is conveyed, the width adjusting roller 15 has the minimum medium P width. They are arranged as described above so that they can be shifted, so that any size medium P passes through the position of the width adjusting roller 15.

For example, high friction members 17 are provided at both ends of the outer peripheral surface of the width adjusting roller 15 at a position of 180 degrees, for example.
An insertion detection sensor 18 is arranged between the feed rollers 7 so as to be downstream in the transport direction from the feed roller 7 and upstream in the transport direction from the width adjusting roller 15.
The insertion detection sensor 18 optically detects the tip of the medium P inserted into the transport path 2 from the insertion / discharge port 6 and can be detected with any size of medium P by being arranged as described above. Further, the insertion detection sensor 18 also serves as a sensor for detecting the rear end of the medium when the medium is discharged.

Reference numeral 19 denotes a width adjustment completion detection sensor, which optically detects that one side of the medium P has been pressed against the reference surface 5, and is predetermined in the medium conveyance direction at a position between the feed rollers 7 and 9 and in contact with the reference surface 5. Two are arranged at intervals of.
3 to 5 are front views showing the operation of the first embodiment having the above-described configuration, and FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the operation of the first embodiment having the above-described configuration, with reference to FIGS. The shifting operation will be described according to the steps indicated by S in FIG.

Note that the operation of each unit described below is controlled by a control unit (not shown) based on a program (software) stored in a storage unit (not shown).
Before the medium P is inserted into the conveyance path 2, the press rollers 8 and 10 are separated from the feed rollers 7 and 9 and stand by at a position below the lower guide plate 4, and the press roller 16 is also a width adjusting roller. It is waiting at a position below the lower guide plate 4 away from 15.

In this state, when the medium P is inserted into the transport path 2 from the insertion / discharge port 6 and the leading end of the medium P is detected by the insertion detection sensor 18, the press rollers 8 and 10 are lifted and transported by a lifting mechanism (not shown). In the path 2, the vicinity of the front end of the medium P is sandwiched between the feed roller 7 and the press roller 8.
Subsequently, a motor (not shown) is driven, the feed rollers 7 and 9 are rotated, and the medium P is conveyed (sucked) in the direction of arrow A shown in FIG. 1 by the rotation of the feed rollers 7 and 9 (S1). When the medium P is conveyed by a predetermined conveyance amount and the leading end passes through the nipping position between the feed roller 9 and the press roller 10, the drive of the motor is stopped and the rotation of the feed rollers 7 and 9 is stopped. As shown in FIG. 1, P stops at the position where the width adjusting roller 15 comes to substantially the center of the medium P, that is, the medium width adjusting position (S2).

Next, the press roller 16 is lifted by an elevating mechanism (not shown), the medium P is sandwiched between the pressing roller 16 and the width of the medium P is detected by a width detection sensor (not shown) (S3). From the width, the control unit (not shown) determines whether the medium P has high rigidity or the medium P has high rigidity (S4).
Since a slip used in a financial institution is generally wider than an open bankbook, a sensor corresponding to the width of the slip or bankbook is arranged in the conveyance path 2 as a width detection sensor. If the width of P is detected, it is possible to determine whether the medium P is a passbook with high rigidity or a slip with low rigidity.

When it is determined that the medium P has a high rigidity, the press rollers 8 and 10 are moved down by the lifting mechanism (not shown) as shown in FIG. 3 and retracted to the lower position of the lower guide plate 4 (S5).
When the medium P has high rigidity, the medium P is held in a flat state by its own rigidity even if the press rollers 8 and 10 are retracted to the lower position of the lower guide plate 4.
If it is determined that the medium P has low rigidity, the press rollers 8 and 10 are lowered by a lifting mechanism (not shown) as shown in FIG. 4 and separated from the feed rollers 7 and 9 by a predetermined interval L (S6). .

  In the case of the medium P having low rigidity, if the press rollers 8 and 10 are lowered and retracted to the lower position of the lower guide plate 4, both sides of the medium P hang down as shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 4, the press rollers 8 and 10 are lowered by a certain amount so as to be separated from the feed rollers 7 and 9 by a distance L. That is, the press rollers 8 and 10 do not press the medium P against the feed rollers 7 and 9. The two sides of the medium P are supported by the press rollers 8 and 10 so as to be held in a substantially flat state.

Thereafter, the motor is driven to rotate the width adjusting roller 15 (S7), and thereby the medium P is sent in the direction of arrow B shown in FIG.
As a result, one side of the medium P is pressed against the reference surface 5 and when the two width alignment completion detection sensors 19 detect the medium P together (S8), it is assumed that the width alignment of the medium P has been completed normally, and the width alignment roller 15 Is stopped, and the width adjusting operation is finished.

Thereafter, the press rollers 8 and 10 are raised, the medium P is sandwiched between the feed rollers 7 and 9 and the press rollers 8 and 10, the press roller 16 is separated from the width adjusting roller 15, and as described above. The medium P is transported in the direction of the arrow A shown in FIG.
After the processing, the sheet is conveyed in the direction opposite to the arrow A direction and discharged from the insertion / discharge port 6.

  As described above, in the first embodiment, when the rigidity of the medium P to be shifted is low, the medium P is moved to the feed rollers 7 and 9 by lowering the press rollers 8 and 10 at the width-shifting position by a certain amount. The press rollers 8 and 10 are separated from the feed rollers 7 and 9 to such an extent that they are not pressed against each other, whereby both sides of the medium P are supported by the press rollers 8 and 10 and held in a substantially flat state. Therefore, even when the medium P has low rigidity, one side of the medium P can be stably pressed against the reference surface 5 without causing buckling or deformation of the medium. The effect that it becomes possible to perform width alignment is acquired.

7 is a plan view showing a second embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 8 is a side view showing the second embodiment, and FIG. 9 is a front view showing the second embodiment.
In the figure, reference numeral 20 denotes a magnetic head, which is provided in the printer 1 for reading and writing data in the transport path 2 with respect to the magnetic stripe provided on the medium P.
In this embodiment, the magnetic head 20 is used as a moving body that performs the width adjustment of the medium P.

As shown in FIG. 9, the magnetic head 20 is disposed below the lower guide plate at a position between the width adjusting roller 15 and the feed roller 9 (position between the press rollers 16 and 10). The mechanism can be moved up and down, and can be moved in a direction perpendicular to the transport direction of the medium P by a moving mechanism (not shown).
Since the other configuration is the same as that of the first embodiment described above, the same reference numerals are given and description thereof is omitted.

Next, the operation of the second embodiment will be described.
In the present embodiment, the medium P is inserted and transported to the width adjustment position in the same manner as in the first embodiment.
When the medium P is conveyed to the width alignment position and is nipped by the width alignment roller 15 and the press roller 16, the width of the medium P is detected by a width detection sensor (not shown) as in the first embodiment, and the detection is performed. A control unit (not shown) determines whether the medium P has high rigidity or the medium P has low rigidity.

If it is determined that the medium P is highly rigid, the press rollers 8 and 10 are lowered by an elevating mechanism (not shown) and retracted to the lower position of the lower guide plate 4, and the width is reduced as in the first embodiment. The roller 15 is rotated, whereby the medium P is sent in the direction of arrow B shown in FIG.
On the other hand, when it is determined that the medium P has low rigidity, the press rollers 8 and 10 are lowered by a certain amount by a lifting mechanism (not shown) as shown in FIG. By separating them so as not to be in pressure contact with 7 and 9, both sides of the medium P are supported by the press rollers 8 and 10 so as to be held in a substantially flat state.

  At the same time, the magnetic head 20 is lifted by a lifting mechanism (not shown) so that the upper end surface (read / write surface) of the magnetic head 20 enters the transport path 2 through the through hole of the lower guide plate 4 and contacts the lower surface of the medium P. After that, along with the rotation of the width adjusting roller 15, it moves at the same speed as the movement speed of the medium P in the direction orthogonal to the medium conveyance direction, that is, the direction of the reference plane 5 shown by the arrow C in FIG. Thus, the medium P is brought closer to the reference surface 5 side, and one side of the medium P is pressed against the reference surface 5.

  As described above, in the second embodiment, when the rigidity of the medium P is low, the press rollers 8 and 10 are separated from the feed rollers 7 and 9 so as not to press the medium P against the feed rollers 7 and 9. Both sides of the medium P are supported by the press rollers 8 and 10 to be held in a substantially flat state, and the magnetic head 20 is brought into contact with the lower surface of the medium P and moved to the reference surface 5 side. Since the medium P is brought closer together in cooperation with the roller 15, the same effect as that of the first embodiment can be obtained, and the width can be more reliably brought about.

  In the second embodiment described above, the magnetic head 20 provided in the printer 1 is used as a moving body that moves in a direction orthogonal to the conveyance direction of the medium P. However, such a magnetic head 20 is used. If it is not provided, a moving body that moves up and down in the same manner may be added.

Plan view showing the first embodiment Side view showing the first embodiment Front view showing the operation of the first embodiment Front view showing the operation of the first embodiment Front view showing the operation of the first embodiment Flow chart showing the operation of the first embodiment Plan view showing a second embodiment Side view showing the second embodiment Front view showing the operation of the second embodiment

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Printer 2 Conveyance path 3 Upper guide plate 4 Lower guide plate 5 Reference surface 6 Insertion discharge port 7 Feed roller 8 Press roller 9 Feed roller 10 Press roller 15 Alignment roller 16 Press roller 17 High friction member 18 Insertion detection sensor 19 Alignment Completion detection sensor 20 Magnetic head

Claims (2)

A reference surface provided on one side of the conveyance path formed by the upper guide plate and the lower guide plate, and a plurality of first feed rollers arranged on the upper guide plate side in a direction orthogonal to the medium conveyance direction; A first press roller provided on the lower guide plate side and capable of being pressed against and separated from the first feed roller; and a medium on the upper guide plate side at a position downstream of the first feed roller. A plurality of second feed rollers arranged in a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction, and a second press roller provided on the lower guide plate side and capable of being pressed against and separated from the second feed roller, A width-adjusting roller disposed on the upper guide plate side so as to be positioned in the center of an area surrounded by each of the feed rollers, and conveyed through the conveyance path by being sandwiched between the respective feed rollers and a press roller. A sensor for detecting the width of the medium,
The sensor detects the width of the medium conveyed by the first feed roller and the first press roller until the leading end reaches a position sandwiched between the second conveyance roller and the second press roller. , Determining whether the medium is a rigid medium or a rigid medium from the detected width,
In the case of a medium having high rigidity, the first and second press rollers are separated to the lower side of the lower guide plate, and the medium having high rigidity is made closer to the reference surface side by the width adjusting roller,
In the case of a medium having low rigidity, the first and second press rollers are separated by separating the first and second press rollers to such an extent that the medium having low rigidity is not pressed against the first and second feed rollers. The medium width adjusting mechanism is characterized in that the medium having low rigidity is held in a flat state and the medium is width-adjusted to the reference surface side by the width adjusting roller. The medium width adjusting mechanism according to claim 1,
Provided on the lower guide plate side is a movable body that is movable in a direction perpendicular to the medium conveyance direction at a position between the width adjusting roller and the second feed roller,
When the medium having a low rigidity is held flat by the first and second feed rollers and the medium is brought close to the reference surface side by the width adjusting roller, the moving body is placed on the lower surface of the medium having the low rigidity. A medium width adjusting mechanism which is brought into contact with and moved toward the reference surface.

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