JP5124309B2 - Gift certificate processing machine - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a gift certificate processing machine that processes gift certificate sheets such as collected gift certificates and checks.

Gift certificate sheets used in place of cash in stores and stored in cash registers etc. are collected for each cash register at the time of sales collection, for example, and are identified and counted by gift certificate processing machines so that they are settled (For example, refer to Patent Document 1).
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-340368

  By the way, in the above technique, the identification information of the gift certificate sheet read by the gift certificate processing machine is inquired online to the management center, and after authenticating the authentication information, the identification information is used as data is processed. By performing processing and clearly indicating that it has been used visually, the gift certificate sheet can be discarded by the management of the gift certificate processing machine thereafter. However, in fact, depending on the issuer who issued the gift certificate sheet, if there is an issuer that can be discarded after the revocation process, the issuer that requires the company to collect it even after the revocation process Therefore, it has been necessary to classify the gift certificate sheets that have been erased into those for further disposal and those for collection. In the case where it is necessary to sort the used gift certificate sheet after processing by the gift certificate processing machine in this way, it has been performed manually.

  In addition, when considering that the above-mentioned sorting work is to be performed by a gift certificate processing machine, when distributing gift certificate sheets for each processing unit such as a cash register unit, a gift certificate sheet of one processing unit If the gift certificate sheet for this processing unit is removed and the gift certificate sheet for the next processing unit is not processed, the processing unit gift certificate sheet during or after processing is processed. If it becomes necessary to distinguish between them, it will not be possible to respond. For this reason, it is necessary to extract the gift certificate sheet for each processing unit, and it takes time and effort when processing a plurality of processing units.

  Therefore, according to the present invention, used gift certificate sheets can be separated according to a predetermined category, and it is necessary to distinguish which processing unit is a gift certificate sheet without taking time and effort. The purpose is to provide a gift certificate processing machine capable of responding to the occurrence of a problem.

  In order to achieve the above object, the invention according to claim 1 separates and transports a ticket insertion part into which a gift certificate sheet is inserted and a gift certificate sheet inserted into the ticket insertion part one by one. A ticket transport unit, a ticket information reading unit that reads information from a gift certificate sheet being transported by the ticket transport unit, a ticket distribution unit that sorts the gift certificate sheet after reading by the ticket information reading unit, and a gift certificate M ticket temporary storage units for stacking the same type of sheet, M ticket storage units for storing the one-on-one gift certificate sheets stacked in the temporary ticket storage unit, and the gift certificates N pieces of ticket stacking units for stacking sheets (N is 1 or more), one ticket excluding unit for stacking gift certificate sheets, and gift ticket sheets loaded in the ticket inserting unit are read the ticket information The M ticket temporary storage units and the N A gift certificate processing machine having a control unit that selectively distributes the ticket collection unit to the one ticket excluding unit, wherein the ticket information reading unit includes a processing specific sheet other than the gift certificate sheet. When the information is made readable, the control unit, when the ticket information reading unit reads N + 1 consecutive processing specific sheets, determines the start of the sorting process, and reads the processing specific sheet When the ticket information reading unit reads the gift certificate sheet by the distribution means, one by one to the N ticket stacking unit and the one ticket exclusion unit, the gift certificate sheet is determined in advance. The M ticket temporary storage unit, the N ticket stacking unit, and the one ticket excluding unit are selectively distributed according to the classification.

  The invention according to claim 2 is the invention according to claim 1, wherein the ticket information reading unit is capable of reading information from an end sheet, and the control unit is configured such that the ticket information reading unit is connected to the N + 1 sheets. When the process specific sheet is read, the start of the sorting process is determined, and the process specific sheet is distributed to the N ticket stacking unit and the one ticket excluding unit one by one by the ticket distribution unit, Subsequently, when the ticket information reading unit reads the gift certificate sheet, the M ticket temporary storage unit, the N ticket stacking unit, and the one according to a predetermined classification of the gift certificate sheet. The ticket information is selectively distributed to the ticket exclusion unit, and thereafter, when the ticket information reading unit reads the end sheet, the end of the sorting process is determined.

  The invention according to claim 3 is the invention according to claim 2, wherein when the approval operation is input to the operation unit after the end of the sorting process, the control unit temporarily transmits the M number of tickets by the sorting process. The gift certificate sheets accumulated in the storage unit are stored in the M ticket storage units.

  The invention according to claim 4 is the invention according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein M = 1 and N = 1, and the control unit is the same as the ticket information reading unit. When the two consecutive process specifying sheets for specifying the process are read, the gift certificate sheet read by the ticket information reading unit following the process specifying sheets is deposited for the specified process. It is memorized as being a kind sheet.

  The invention according to claim 5 is the invention according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the control unit is capable of accepting and storing gift certificate sheets based on a reading result of the ticket information reading unit; The identified gift certificate sheet is sent to the ticket temporary storage unit, and the gift certificate sheet identified as a gift certificate sheet that can be received and not stored is sent to the ticket stacking unit, and is identified as a gift certificate sheet that cannot be accepted and excluded. The gift certificate sheet is sent to the ticket exclusion unit.

  The invention according to claim 6 is the invention according to claim 5, wherein a gift certificate that can be received and stored at a position immediately before the sorting means in the ticket transport unit based on a reading result of the ticket information reading unit. And an endorser that prints a used mark on a gift certificate sheet identified as a gift certificate sheet identified as a category sheet and a gift certificate sheet that can be received and not stored.

  The invention according to claim 7 is the invention according to claim 5 or 6, wherein the ticket information reading unit reads a ticket image of a gift certificate sheet and reads a ticket identification number described in the gift certificate sheet, The control unit, based on the reading result of the ticket information reading unit, the gift certificate sheet identified as the accepted and stored gift certificate sheet and the gift certificate sheet identified as the acceptable and unacceptable gift certificate sheet The ticket surface image and the ticket specific number are stored in association with each other.

  The invention according to claim 8 is the invention according to any one of claims 1 to 7, further comprising type input means for designating a type of a gift certificate sheet, wherein the control unit uses the type input means to make a product. When the type of the ticket sheet is selected, based on the reading result of the ticket information reading unit, the ticket temporary storage unit and the ticket stacking are performed by the sorting unit on the gift certificate sheet identified as the selected type. The gift certificate sheet identified as a type different from the selected type is sent to the other one of the ticket temporary storage unit and the ticket stacking unit by the sorting means, and is selected. The gift voucher sheet that could not be identified as either the type or the type different from the selected type is sent to the ticket exclusion unit by the sorting means.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, the gift voucher sheet inserted into the ticket insertion unit is separated and conveyed one by one by the ticket conveyance unit, the ticket information reading unit reads the information, and the control unit, While appropriately processing, based on the reading result of the ticket information reading unit, the ticket distribution unit selectively distributes the M ticket temporary storage unit, the N ticket stacking unit, and the one ticket excluding unit. Therefore, used gift certificate sheets can be divided according to a predetermined category. Also, when N + 1 process specific sheets are inserted at the top of each processing unit gift certificate sheet, and a plurality of processing unit gift certificate sheets are stacked and inserted into the ticket insertion unit, the ticket information reading unit The consecutive N + 1 process specific sheets inserted at the beginning of the first processing unit are read, whereby the control unit determines the start of one unit distribution process and transfers the process specific sheet to the ticket distribution. The sorting means distributes the N tickets one by one to the N ticket stacking unit and the one ticket excluding unit. Subsequently, when the ticket information reading unit reads the gift certificate sheet, the M ticket temporary storage unit, the N ticket stacking unit, and the one ticket excluding unit according to a predetermined category, Selectively distribute to. After that, the ticket information reading unit reads N + 1 consecutive processing specific sheets inserted at the head of the next processing unit, whereby the control unit finishes the one unit sorting process, and It is determined that the unit distribution process is started, and the same process as the one unit distribution process described above is performed for the next unit distribution process. In this way, at the start of each unit distribution process, the processing specific sheets are distributed one by one to N ticket stacking units and one ticket removing unit. Therefore, in N ticket stacking units and one ticket removing unit, It can be seen that the gift certificate sheets accumulated between one process specific sheet and the next process specific sheet are gift certificate sheets included in the processing unit corresponding to the one process specific sheet. become. Therefore, even if the gift certificate sheets of a plurality of processing units are continuously processed without taking the time and effort of extracting gift certificate sheets for each processing unit, N ticket stacking units and one ticket With respect to the gift certificate sheets accumulated in the exclusion unit, it is possible to cope with a case where it is necessary to distinguish which processing unit gift certificate sheet is the processing unit.

  According to the second aspect of the present invention, when a plurality of processing unit gift certificate sheets are stacked, and the end sheet is inserted into the end of the ticket insertion section, the ticket information reading section finally ends the end sheet. Is read, the control unit determines the end of a series of sorting processes. Therefore, it is possible to immediately and reliably determine the end of a series of sorting processes.

  According to the invention of claim 3, when the approval operation is input to the operation unit after the end of the sorting process, the control unit collects the gift certificates accumulated in the M ticket temporary storage units by the sorting process. For example, after approving a gift voucher sheet to be discarded, which does not need to be identified later as to which processing unit gift voucher sheet is to be stored in order to store the voucher sheet in M ticket storage units It can be stored together and discarded together. Therefore, the efficiency of the disposal process can be improved.

  According to the invention which concerns on Claim 4, there is one ticket temporary storage part, there is one ticket stacking part, and a control part is two continuous process specification sheets which a ticket information reading part specifies the same process. Is stored as a gift certificate sheet that has been subjected to a deposit process for the specified process, following the process specifying sheet. Therefore, for example, it is necessary to identify which processing unit gift certificate sheet is to be collected later. Gift certificate sheets to be discarded that do not need to be identified later can be accumulated in the temporary ticket storage unit and can be properly classified.

  According to the invention which concerns on Claim 5, a control part sends in the ticket temporary storage part the gift certificate sheet identified from the gift certificate sheet which can be received based on the reading result of a ticket information reading part, and is accommodated, and ticket information A gift certificate sheet that is received based on the reading result of the reading unit and that is identified as a gift certificate sheet that is not stored, is sent to the ticket stacking unit, and is rejected based on the reading result of the ticket information reading unit. The gift certificate sheet that can be accepted and stored in the machine, the gift certificate sheet that can be accepted and taken out without being stored in the machine, and the product that is rejected and cannot be accepted The ticket sheet can be properly classified.

  According to the invention which concerns on Claim 6, it can accept based on the reading result of the ticket information reading part which can be received based on the reading result of a ticket information reading part, and is identified as the gift certificate sheet to store, and a ticket information reading part Further, since the used mark is printed by the endorser on the gift certificate sheet identified as the gift certificate sheet that is not stored, it can be clearly shown that the gift certificate sheet has been used.

  According to the invention according to claim 7, when the ticket information reading unit reads the ticket surface image of the gift certificate sheet and reads the ticket identification number described in the gift certificate sheet, the control unit, A gift certificate sheet identified as a gift certificate sheet that can be accepted and stored, and a ticket face image of the gift certificate sheet identified as a gift certificate sheet that can be accepted and not stored, and a ticket identification number are stored in association with each other as necessary. , You can check these associated data.

  According to the invention of claim 8, when the type of the gift certificate sheet is selected by the type input means, the control unit identifies the selected type based on the reading result of the ticket information reading unit. The class sheet is sent to one of the ticket temporary storage unit and the ticket stacking unit by the sorting means, and the gift certificate sheet identified as a type different from the type selected based on the reading result of the ticket information reading unit is sorted. Gift certificate that was sent to either the ticket temporary storage unit or the ticket stacking unit by means and could not be identified as either the type selected based on the reading result of the ticket information reading unit or the type different from the selected type Since the sort sheet is sent to the ticket rejection unit by the sorting means, the sorting method can be easily set.

The gift certificate processing machine of one Embodiment of this invention is demonstrated below with reference to drawings.
As shown in FIG. 1, the gift certificate processing machine 11 of the present embodiment includes a processing machine main body 12, an upper unit 13 that can be pulled out on the front side upper part of the processing machine main body 12, and a front surface of the processing machine main body 12. The whole is composed of a lower unit 14 provided in the lower part of the side so as to be able to be pulled out.

  On the upper surface on the front side of the upper unit 13, a touch panel type display operation unit 18 that performs input by the user and displays operation guidance and the like to the user, and sheets such as gift certificate sheets are stacked in an integrated state. The ticket insertion unit 19 is provided. In the ticket insertion unit 19, a horizontally long sheet is loaded in a state of being stacked in the vertical direction along the longitudinal direction in the longitudinal direction of the machine body, and at that time, a bill press 20 that pushes the sheet from above is provided. Yes. Further, on the front surface of the upper unit 13, when the power switch 23, the ticket removing unit 24 and the ticket stacking unit 25 for collecting sheets fed out from the machine so that they can be taken out, and when the upper unit 13 is pulled out from the processing machine main body 12. A drawer handle 26 to be operated is provided.

  On the front surface of the lower unit 14, a drawer handle 27 that is operated when the lower unit 14 is pulled out from the processor main body 12, and for locking and unlocking the lower unit 14 in a closed state with respect to the processor main body 12. A dedicated key 28 is provided.

  On the upper surface of the processor main body 12, a storage medium insertion port 31 is provided that can communicate with the external storage medium 30 by inserting the removable external storage medium 30.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the gift certificate processing machine 11 includes a control unit 33 that controls the entire gift certificate processing machine 11 and a storage unit 34 that stores various data. The unit 33 can also communicate with the external storage medium 30 attached to the storage medium insertion slot 31 shown in FIG.

  Inside the ticket insertion unit 19, there is provided a ticket conveyance unit 37 that separates and feeds the stacked sheets S loaded into the ticket insertion unit 19 one by one from the bottom one. The ticket transport unit 37 has a front transport unit 38 extending from the position of the ticket insertion unit 19 toward the rear of the machine body, and is curved in a semicircular shape downward from the terminal of the front transport unit 38 to change the transport direction by 180. An intermediate conveyance unit 39 that is reversed, and a rear conveyance unit 40 that extends from the terminal of the intermediate conveyance unit 39 toward the front of the machine body.

  In the preceding stage conveyance unit 38 of the ticket conveyance unit 37, a ticket information reading unit 43 that reads information from the sheet S being conveyed by the previous stage conveyance unit 38 is provided. The ticket information reading unit 43 includes an image detection device 44 such as a CCD camera, for example, and images the ticket surface image data of the sheet S being conveyed. Then, when the sheet S is a gift certificate sheet S (1) as shown in FIG. 3, the control unit 33 performs image processing on the ticket surface image data to obtain a ticket type (issuer), a face value, and a gift certificate. A ticket identification number or the like given individually to the sheet S (1) is determined. Here, the gift certificate sheet S (1) on which all the information to be read is printed on the surface is the processing target. That is, there is no information to be read on the back side of the acceptable gift certificate sheet S (1). Therefore, the image detection device 44 is provided only on one side so that the surface can be imaged. In accordance with this, the direction of the gift certificate sheet S (1) at the time of loading into the ticket insertion unit 19 is also directed downward so that the surface faces the image detection device 44 arranged on the lower side during conveyance. Stipulated in

  Here, for example, in the gift certificate sheet S (1), the ticket identification number A is printed at a unique position for each issuer, and therefore the control unit 33 uses the ticket surface image data read by the image detection device 44. The number display is cut out, and the issuer, that is, the ticket type is specified from the printing position. In addition, the ticket specific number A is calculated by performing OCR processing on the cut-out number-displayed ticket surface image data, and the face value is calculated from the numbers included in the ticket specific number A. In addition, when barcode B which shows a ticket specific number is described, you may read information from now on.

  In addition to the gift certificate sheet S (1), the ticket information reading unit 43 can also read information on the processing specification sheet S (2) shown in FIG. 4 and the end sheet S (3) shown in FIG. ing.

  The gift certificate sheet S (1) is processed for each processing unit using, for example, a cash register unit or a store unit as a processing unit, and the processing specification sheet S (2) has each processing unit as another processing unit. It is for identification. In the process specification sheet S (2), a process specification number C for specifying a process unit is printed at a position different from the print position of the ticket specification number of all gift certificate sheets that can be accepted. The control unit 33 cuts out the number display from the ticket surface image data read by the image detection device 44, and specifies the processing specification sheet S (2) from the printing position. Further, OCR processing is performed on the cut-out number-displayed ticket surface image data to determine the processing specific number C. When the cash register unit is a processing unit, the processing identification number C is a cash register identification number that identifies the cash register, and when the cash register unit is the processing unit, the processing identification number C is a store identification number that identifies the store. Further, in the process specifying sheet S (2), for easy visual recognition, characters of “process specifying sheet” and a register specifying number D for specifying a register as a processing unit are described. As for this process specific sheet S (2), the same process specific number is used as the number of the ticket removal unit 24 and the ticket stacking unit 25, that is, a set of two sheets.

  In the end sheet S (3), an end number E that identifies the end sheet S (3) that cannot be taken by the process specific number C at the same position as the process specific number C of the process specific sheet S (2). Is printed. When the control unit 33 reads the end number E from the ticket surface image data read by the image detection device 44, the control unit 33 identifies the end sheet S (3). Further, the end sheet S (3) has characters of “end sheet” for easy visual recognition.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the rear conveyance unit 40 of the ticket conveyance unit 37 has branch conveyance paths 46 and 47 that branch in two directions on the upstream side, and one branch conveyance path 46 is substantially horizontal. Extending forward, the other branch conveyance path 47 extends forward of the machine body in a forward-downward posture. Further, the downstream conveyance section 40 has branch conveyance paths 48 and 49 that further branch the branch conveyance path 46 in two directions on the downstream side, and one branch conveyance path 48 extends substantially in front of the airframe. The other branch conveyance path 49 extends forward from the body in a posture of lowering forward. The branch conveyance path 48 is connected to the above-described ticket removing unit 24, and the branch conveyance path 49 is connected to the above-described ticket stacking unit 25.

  An upstream side ticket distribution unit (ticket distribution means) 51 that selectively distributes the sheet S conveyed from the intermediate conveyance unit 39 to the branch conveyance paths 46 and 47, in the subsequent conveyance unit 40 of the ticket conveyance unit 37, A downstream side ticket distribution unit (ticket distribution means) 52 that selectively distributes the sheet S conveyed from the branch conveyance path 46 to the branch conveyance paths 48 and 49 is provided. The upstream-side ticket distribution unit 51 and the downstream-side ticket distribution unit 52 distribute the sheet S mainly composed of the gift certificate sheet after being read by the ticket information reading unit 43, that is, downstream of the ticket information reading unit 43.

  At the terminal position of the branch conveyance path 47 that branches on the upstream side, there is provided a ticket temporary storage section 55 that can accumulate and temporarily store the gift certificate sheets S (1) in the vertical direction and that can be opened and closed at the bottom. The ticket temporary storage unit 55 includes a predetermined gift certificate sheet S (1) stored in the plane among the gift certificate sheets S (1) identified as acceptable based on the reading result of the ticket information reading unit 43, Specifically, the used gift certificate sheet S (1) which is not collected by the issuer and is collectively discarded by the management side of the gift certificate processing machine 11 is accepted.

  The ticket temporary storage unit 55 includes a rectangular frame-like frame body 56 that opens up and down, and a pair of shutters 57 and 57 that open and close the lower opening of the frame body 56 by moving horizontally so as to approach and separate from each other. And a pusher 58 that moves up and down so as to penetrate the inside of the frame 56 vertically. The temporary ticket storage section 55 places the gift certificate sheet S (1) fed out one by one from the branch conveyance path 47 on the shutters 57, 57 in the closed state, with the pusher 58 positioned above the frame body 56. Accumulate from bottom to top. The ticket temporary storage unit 55 includes the ticket insertion unit 19, the ticket transport unit 37, the ticket information reading unit 43, the upstream ticket distribution unit 51, the downstream ticket distribution unit 52, the ticket exclusion unit 24, and the ticket stacking unit 25. When the upper unit 13 is provided in the unit 13 and pulled out from the processing machine main body 12, the accumulated gift certificate sheets S (1) can be taken out of the machine.

  Below the temporary ticket storage section 55, a ticket storage section 60 for storing the gift certificate sheets S (1) accumulated in the temporary ticket storage section 55 is provided. The ticket storage unit 60 includes a bottomed cylindrical box 61 having an upper opening, a bottom plate 62 that moves up and down in the box 61 and is biased upward by a spring (not shown), and a box 62. And a pair of locking plates 63 and 63 provided so as to be swingable at the opposite side positions of the upper opening. The pair of locking plates 63, 63 both swing downward from the closed state in the horizontal position to the open state, and are biased by a spring (not shown) so as to maintain the closed state.

  The ticket storage unit 60 holds the gift certificate sheets S (1) stacked one above the other between a pair of closed locking plates 63, 63 and a bottom plate 62 biased upward. When storing the gift certificate sheet S (1) of the ticket temporary storage unit 55, the gift certificate sheet dropped from the ticket temporary storage unit 55 by opening the shutters 57 of the ticket temporary storage unit 55. S (1) is received by the closed pair of locking plates 63, 63 and the already-stored gift certificate sheet S (1). And the pusher 58 of the ticket temporary storage part 55 descend | falls, and the pusher 58 is the gift certificate sheet S (1) on the latching plates 63 and 63, and the gift certificate sheet already accommodated in the ticket accommodating part 60. S (1) and the bottom plate 62 are pressed downward to lower them. Then, the gift certificate sheet S (1) on the locking plates 63, 63 descends while opening the pair of locking plates 63, 63, and the product on the locking plates 63, 63. When the ticket sheet S (1) passes through the pair of locking plates 63, 63, the pair of locking plates 63, 63 returns to the closed state by a biasing force of a spring (not shown). Thereafter, when the pusher 58 is raised, the bottom plate 62 is raised by the urging force of a spring (not shown), and the gift certificate sheet S (1) is held between the pair of locking plates 63 and 63. The pusher 58 finally returns to the standby position above the frame 56.

  The ticket storage unit 60 is detachably provided on the lower unit 14, and is removed from the lower unit 14 in a state where the lock is released by the key 28 and the lower unit 14 is pulled out from the processor main body 12.

  The ticket rejection unit 24 accumulates sheets S mainly consisting of gift certificate sheets fed out one by one from the branch conveyance path 48 in order from the bottom to the top, and is accumulated by opening to the outside of the machine. The sheet S can be taken out as it is. The ticket excluding unit 24 accumulates gift certificate sheets identified as unacceptable based on the reading result of the ticket information reading unit 43.

  The ticket stacking unit 25 stacks sheets S mainly composed of gift certificate sheets fed out one by one from the branch conveyance path 49 in order from the bottom to the top. The sheet S can be taken out of the apparatus as it is. The ticket stacking unit 25 includes a gift certificate sheet that can be received based on the reading result of the ticket information reading unit 43 and that is not stored in the machine, specifically, a used gift certificate that is collected by the issuer. Accumulate sheets.

  In the position immediately before the upstream ticket distribution unit 51 in the ticket transport unit 37, a gift certificate sheet (that is, a temporary ticket certificate) that can be received based on the reading result of the ticket information reading unit 43 and identified as a gift certificate sheet to be stored. A gift certificate sheet sent to the storage unit 55) and a gift certificate sheet identified as a gift certificate sheet that can be accepted and not stored based on the reading result of the ticket information reading unit 43 (that is, a product sent to the ticket stacking unit 25) An endorser 65 provided with an ink roller (not shown) for printing a used mark as an erasing process is provided on the ticket sheet.

  As described above, since the ticket transport unit 37 transports the gift certificate sheet from the front to the rear, inverts 180 degrees on the lower side and transports it from the rear to the front, it is considered when taking out by the user. Then, in order to stack the gift certificate sheets so that the surface side is the upper side in the ticket stacking unit 25 and the ticket removing unit 24, the loading direction of the gift certificate sheet in the ticket inserting unit 19 as described above, the surface is downward, The image detection device 44 is arranged on the lower side of the upstream conveyance unit 38 of the ticket conveyance unit 37. However, the image detection device 44 may be arranged so as to be arranged above the conveyance range of the preceding conveyance unit 38 of the ticket conveyance unit 37. In this case, the gift certificate sheet at the time of loading into the ticket insertion unit 19 is arranged. The orientation is also defined so that the surface on which the information is written faces upward. In addition, a pair of image detection devices 44 may be provided so as to sandwich the ticket transport unit 37 so that both sides of the gift certificate sheet can be detected. In this case, the gift certificate sheet at the time of loading the ticket insertion unit 19 Therefore, it is not necessary to specify the direction of the integration.

  Next, the control content of the control part 33 is demonstrated with the action | operation of the gift certificate processing machine 11. FIG.

  First, as shown in FIG. 6, the operator inserts a set of two processing specific sheets S (2) at the top of the gift certificate sheet S (1) of each processing unit T, and inserts the ticket insertion unit at a time. A plurality of processing units T are stacked and inserted into the ticket insertion unit 19 so that the end sheet S (3) is inserted at the end of the last processing unit T to be input to 19. In other words, the operator can process one processing specification sheet S (2) with one processing specification number, one processing specification sheet S (2) with the same processing specification number, and one processing unit. One or more gift certificate sheet S (1) of T, one processing specification sheet S (2) on which another processing specification number is described, and one processing specification on which the same processing specification number is described Sheets are stacked in the order of sheet S (2) and one or more gift certificate sheets S (1) of another processing unit T, and one end sheet S (3) is stacked at the end of the stacking. At this time, the operator specifies that the processing specification sheet S (2), the gift certificate sheet S (1), and the end sheet S (3) are all on the front side in the order in the above-described stacking order. And are inserted into the ticket insertion unit 19 with the front side facing down. At this time, the loaded sheet group is pressed by the pill press 20 from above.

  Then, when an operation input for starting the sorting process is made to the display operation unit 18, the control unit 33 drives the ticket transport unit 37 to separate the stacked sheets S one by one from the bottom one. Take it into the machine and transport it. Then, the ticket information reading unit 43 sequentially reads the surface of the sheet S and stores it in the storage unit 34, and the control unit 33 calculates the position of the number display from the read and stored ticket surface image data and sets the number display number. By determining and comparing these with the master data stored in the storage unit 34, whether the read sheet S is the process specific sheet S (2), the gift certificate sheet S (1), or the end sheet It is determined whether it is S (3) or other than these.

  In the control unit 33, the sheet S first read by the ticket information reading unit 43 after the start of the sorting process is the process specific sheet S (2) on which one process specific number is written, and then the read sheet S However, if it is the process specification sheet S (2) in which the same process specification number is described, it is determined that one unit distribution process specified by this process specification number is started, and these process specification sheets S (2) is distributed to the ticket exclusion unit 24 and the ticket stacking unit 25 one by one. That is, these processing specific sheets S (2) are guided to the branch conveyance path 46 by the upstream side ticket distribution unit 51, and further, one processing specific sheet S (2) is branched by the downstream side ticket distribution unit 52. The other processing specific sheet S (2) is fed to the ticket stacking unit 25 via the branch conveyance path 49 to the ticket rejection unit 24 via the conveyance path 48.

  The ticket information reading unit 43 reads the gift certificate sheet S (1) following the above-described two processing specification sheets S (2), but the control unit 33 determines the product based on the reading result. The ticket sheet S (1) is selected by the upstream ticket distribution unit 51 and the downstream ticket distribution unit 52 as the ticket temporary storage unit 55, the ticket removal unit 24, and the ticket stacking unit 25 according to a predetermined category. Sort out.

  That is, the printing position of the number display is determined from the ticket surface image data read by the ticket information reading unit 43, and the gift certificate sheet S (1) for which the number display cannot be read and the data of the printing position of the number display. A gift certificate sheet S (1) that has no matching master data stored in the storage unit 34 and a gift certificate sheet S (1) that is similar to two or more types of master data and cannot be specified as one. For 1), it is determined that the ticket cannot be accepted, and the ticket is excluded by the upstream ticket distribution unit 51 and the downstream ticket distribution unit 52 without OCR processing of the ticket specific number and without printing by the endorser 65. Feed out to part 24.

  In addition, the gift certificate sheet S (1) having a match in the master data stored in the storage unit 34 with respect to the print position data based on the reading result of the ticket information reading unit 43 is accepted. Identifying it as possible, identifying it as a matched master data ticket type, specifying the ticket specific number by OCR processing, ticket type, ticket specific number, and the entire surface of the gift certificate sheet S (1) Are stored in the storage unit 34 in association with all the process specific numbers printed on the process specific sheet S (2) that has been used and the start of the one unit distribution process is determined. Perform the erase process. For the gift certificate sheet S (1) that can be accepted, a used mark is further printed by the endorser 65, and stored in the storage unit 34 for each ticket type. Accordingly, the ticket is temporarily distributed to the ticket temporary storage unit 55 and the ticket stacking unit 25. That is, the gift certificate sheet S (1) identified as the acceptable ticket type and the stored ticket type is stored in the temporary ticket storage section 55, and the gift certificate sheet S (1) identified as the acceptable and non-acceptable ticket type is the ticket. Each is sent to the stacking unit 25. In addition, as a deletion process, you may make it refer to the issuer calculated | required a ticket specific number from ticket kind online.

  Here, even if there is a match in the master data with respect to the data of the print position of the number display, the gift certificate sheet S (1) and the ticket identification number whose ticket identification number could not be identified by the OCR process The error sheet such as the gift voucher sheet S (1) that is inappropriate is determined to be unacceptable, and is sent to the ticket exclusion unit 24 without being printed by the endorser 65.

  After all the gift certificate sheets S (1) of the first processing unit T are sorted as described above, the ticket information reading unit 43 reads the processing specification sheet S (2) on which another processing specification number is described. The control unit 33 determines the end of the one unit distribution process, that is, the unit distribution process of the gift certificate sheet S (1) of the first processing unit T.

  As described above, when the ticket information reading unit 43 reads two consecutive process specifying sheets S (2) that specify the same unit distribution process, the control unit 33 follows these process specifying sheets S (2). Process specific sheet, assuming that the accepted gift certificate sheet S (1) read by the ticket information reading unit 43 is the gift certificate sheet S (1) that has been deposited for the specified process. All the process identification numbers printed in S (2) are associated with each other and stored in the storage unit 34.

  In the control unit 33, the sheet S read by the ticket information reading unit 43 is the process specifying sheet S (2) on which another process specifying number is described as described above, and the sheet S read next is In the case of the process specification sheet S (2) in which the same process specification number is described, the start of the next unit distribution process specified by this process specification number is determined, and these process specification sheets S (2) Are distributed one by one to the ticket removing unit 24 and the ticket stacking unit 25, and then the same processing as described above is performed.

  In this way, when the ticket information reading unit 43 reads all the gift certificate sheet S (1) of the last processing unit T and finally reads the end sheet S (3), the control unit 33 reads one or more units. For the gift certificate sheet S (1) that has been judged to have been completed by a series of sorting processes and has been erased by this series of sorting processes, the display operation unit 18 is informed, for example, by face value. Data and total face value are displayed separately for each ticket type. Note that the end sheet S (3) is sent to the ticket removing unit 24 (or the ticket stacking unit 25 is acceptable), and when the sending is completed, the control unit 33 stops the ticket transport unit 37. When the operator sees the above display and inputs an approval operation to the display operation unit 18, the control unit 33 stores the voucher sheet S (1) accumulated in the temporary ticket storage unit 55 by this series of sorting processes. Housed in part 60.

  After the above-described series of distribution processing is completed, the used gift certificate sheet S (1) to be collected by the issuer is accumulated in the ticket accumulating unit 25. The operator takes out this, for example, Visually classify and prepare for collection to each publisher.

  Also, the used gift certificate sheet S (1) that does not need to be collected by the issuer is stored in the ticket storage unit 60, and the used gift certificate processed by a plurality of sorting processes is stored. The class sheet S (1) is collectively discarded on the management side of the gift certificate processing machine 11.

  Further, for the gift certificate sheet S (1) excluded by the ticket exclusion unit 24, the operator visually confirms and manually associates the ticket type and the ticket identification number with the used one. Then, the erasure process stored in the storage unit 34 is performed, and the product is classified into those to be discarded on the management side of the gift certificate processing machine 11 or those to be collected to the issuer. Or about gift certificate sheet S (1) excluded by ticket exclusion part 24, it is one sheet so that it may adjoin each processing specific sheet S (2) already inserted one by one between processing units T. The processing specification sheet S (2) may be added one by one and inserted into the ticket insertion unit 19 to perform the sorting process again.

  When the cancel operation is input to the display operation unit 18 instead of the approval operation described above, the control unit 33 stores the gift certificate sheet S (1) accumulated in the ticket temporary storage unit 55 in the ticket storage unit 60. Do not store. Therefore, the operator pulls out the upper unit 13 and takes out the gift certificate sheet S (1) accumulated in the temporary ticket storage 55.

  In the distribution process, when the process specific sheet S (2) is read first by the ticket information reading unit 43, the process specific sheet S (2) is read immediately after the gift certificate sheet S (1). As for the case, when two process specific sheets S (2) having the same process specific number including each read process specific sheet S (2) could not be read in succession (read three or more sheets). The control unit 33 determines that the sheet S is not properly inserted into the ticket insertion unit 19 and an error has occurred, generates an alarm, and stops the conveyance by the ticket conveyance unit 37. become. Thus, the operator opens the side surface by pulling out the upper unit 13 and takes out the sheet S from the ticket transport unit 37 and the ticket temporary storage unit 55, and the ticket insertion unit 19, the ticket removal unit 24, and the ticket stacking unit. The sheet S in the section 25 is taken out, collected again, and inserted into the ticket insertion section 19.

  Note that when the ticket information reading unit 43 detects the third processing specific sheet S (2), which is larger than the second continuous detection number, the control unit 33 stops the transport by the ticket transport unit 37. Sometimes, the transport length of the ticket transport unit 37 and the like so that the two process specific sheets S (2) read before the third process specific sheet S (2) remain in the ticket transport unit 37. Is set. This is to make it easy to distinguish the unit distribution process in which an error has occurred from the previous unit distribution process.

  Further, when the error occurs, the subsequent conveyance of the sheet S from the ticket insertion unit 19 by the ticket conveyance unit 37 is stopped, and all the sheets S existing in the ticket conveyance unit 37 are transferred to the upstream side ticket distribution unit 51. Alternatively, the downstream ticket distribution unit 52 may feed the ticket removal unit 24. In this case, since there is a possibility that an error may occur together with the processed sheet S already accumulated in the ticket exclusion unit 24, a second ticket exclusion unit for accumulating the error sheet S exclusively is provided. Is good.

  According to the gift certificate processing machine 11 of the present embodiment described above, the ticket conveyance unit 37 separates and conveys the gift certificate sheet S (1) inserted into the ticket insertion unit 19 one by one, The ticket information reading unit 43 reads the information, and the control unit 33 performs an appropriate deletion process and, based on the reading result of the ticket information reading unit 43, the upstream ticket distribution unit 51 and the downstream ticket distribution unit 52 The ticket temporary storage unit 55, the one ticket stacking unit 25, and the one ticket excluding unit 24 are selectively distributed. Therefore, the used gift certificate sheet S (1) can be divided according to a predetermined category.

  Further, two processing specific sheets S (2) are respectively inserted at the top of the processing unit gift certificate sheet S (1), and the plurality of processing unit T gift certificate sheets S (1) are overlapped. When the ticket is inserted into the ticket insertion unit 19, the ticket information reading unit 43 reads the two consecutive processing specific sheets S (2) inserted at the head position of the first processing unit T, whereby the control unit 33 determines the start of one unit distribution process, and uses the upstream ticket distribution unit 51 and the downstream ticket distribution unit 52 to process one sheet stacking unit 25 and one process specific sheet S (2). Are distributed one by one to the ticket exclusion unit 24. Subsequently, when the ticket information reading unit 43 reads the gift certificate sheet S (1), the gift certificate sheet S (1) is divided into one ticket temporary storage unit 55 and one ticket according to a predetermined category. This is selectively distributed to the stacking unit 25 and the single ticket excluding unit 24. Thereafter, the ticket information reading unit 43 reads the two consecutive processing specific sheets S (2) inserted at the head of the next processing unit, and the control unit 33 thereby performs one unit distribution processing. And the start of the next unit distribution process are determined, and the next unit distribution process is performed in the same manner as the one unit distribution process described above.

  In this way, at the start of each unit distribution process, the processing specific sheet S (2) is distributed to the ticket stacking unit 25 and the ticket removing unit 24 one by one. The gift certificate sheet S (1) accumulated between the process specific sheet S (2) and the next process specific sheet S (2) is included in the processing unit corresponding to the one process specific sheet S (2). It will be understood that the gift certificate sheet S (1). Accordingly, even if the gift certificate sheets S (1) of a plurality of processing units are continuously processed without taking time and effort of extracting the gift certificate sheet S (1) for each processing unit, the ticket stacking unit As for the gift certificate sheet S (1) accumulated in 25 and the ticket exclusion unit 24, it is possible to deal with a case where it is necessary to distinguish which processing unit T is the gift certificate sheet S (1). Become.

  In addition, when the voucher sheets S (1) of a plurality of processing units T are stacked and the end sheet S (3) is inserted into the ends of the sheets, the voucher is loaded into the voucher loading unit 19, and finally the voucher information reading unit 43 is inserted. Read the end sheet S (3), the control unit 33 determines the end of a series of sorting processes. Therefore, it is possible to immediately and reliably determine the end of a series of sorting processes. Note that all the sheets S inserted into the ticket insertion unit 19 are no longer present in the ticket insertion unit 19 by being sent to any of the ticket exclusion unit 24, the ticket stacking unit 25, and the ticket temporary storage unit 55. If detected, the control unit 33 may determine the end of a series of sorting processes.

  In addition, when an approval operation is input to the display operation unit 18 after determining the end of a series of sorting processes, the control unit 33 stores the gift certificate sheets S accumulated in the ticket temporary storage unit 55 by the series of sorting processes. Regarding the gift voucher sheet S (1) to be discarded so that it is not necessary to identify which processing unit T is the gift voucher sheet S (1) later in order to store (1) in the voucher storage unit 60. Can be stored together in the ticket storage unit 60 after being approved, and can be discarded together on the management side of the gift certificate processing machine 11. Therefore, the efficiency of the disposal process can be improved.

  Further, there is one ticket temporary storage unit 55, there is one ticket stacking unit 25, and the control unit 33 has two consecutive process specifying sheets S for which the ticket information reading unit 43 specifies the same sorting process. When (2) is read, the gift certificate sheet S (1) read by the ticket information reading unit 43 is read after the processing specific sheet S (2) and before the end sheet S (3) is read. It memorize | stores as it is the gift certificate sheet S (1) by which payment processing was carried out about the specified series of distribution processing. Therefore, the gift certificate sheet S (1) to be collected, which may need to be identified later as to which processing unit is the gift certificate sheet S (1), is stored in the ticket stacking unit 25, and which processing unit is the product. The gift certificate sheet S (1) to be discarded on the management side of the gift certificate processing machine 11 that does not need to be identified later as to whether it is the ticket sheet S (1) is accumulated in the ticket temporary storage unit 55. Can be classified.

  Further, the control unit 33 sends the gift certificate sheet S (1) identified as acceptable and stored based on the reading result of the ticket information reading unit 43 to the ticket temporary storage unit 55, and the reading result of the ticket information reading unit 43. The gift certificate sheet S (1) identified as acceptable and not received based on the certificate is sent to the ticket accumulating unit 25, and the gift certificate sheet S identified as rejected and rejected based on the reading result of the ticket information reading unit 43 A gift certificate sheet S (1) that can be accepted and stored in the machine, and a gift certificate sheet S (1) that can be accepted and taken out without being accommodated in the machine in order to send (1) to the ticket removal unit 24 The gift certificate sheet S (1) that cannot be excluded can be appropriately classified.

  Further, the gift certificate sheet S (1) identified as acceptable and stored based on the reading result of the ticket information reading unit 43 and identified as acceptable and not stored based on the reading result of the ticket information reading unit 43. Since the used mark is printed by the endorser 65 on the gift certificate sheet S (1), it can be clearly indicated that it has been used for the gift certificate sheet S (1) that has been accepted and erased.

  Further, when the ticket information reading unit 43 reads the ticket image of the gift certificate sheet S (1) and reads the ticket identification number described in the gift certificate sheet S (1), the control unit 33 can accept and The gift certificate sheet S (1) identified when stored and the ticket face image of the gift certificate sheet S (1) identified as acceptable and not stored are stored in association with the ticket identification number. The displayed data can be displayed on the display operation unit 18 for confirmation. It is also possible to store this data in the external storage medium 30 inserted in the storage medium insertion port 31 and manage it with an external management device. Even when the ticket information reading unit 43 is configured to be able to read both sides of the ticket image data of the gift certificate sheet, the both sides of the ticket image data are stored in the storage unit 43 in association with the ticket identification number or stored externally. Or can be stored in the medium 30.

  In the above description, the case of having one ticket temporary storage unit 55 and one ticket stacking unit 25 has been described as an example. For example, each of the gift certificate sheets S (1) is ticket type (issuer) 1) M or more of the ticket temporary storage unit 55, one or more M of the ticket storage unit 60 as the temporary ticket storage unit 55, and one or more N of the ticket stacking unit 25. It may be an individual. In this case, when expressed using M and N, N + 1 process specific sheets S (2) are inserted in front of the gift certificate sheet S (1) of each distribution process unit, and the control is performed. When the ticket information reading unit 43 reads the consecutive N + 1 processing specification sheets S (2), the unit 33 determines the start of one unit distribution process, and determines N processing specification sheets S (2). When the ticket information reading unit 43 reads the gift certificate sheet S (1), the gift certificate sheet S (1) is preliminarily distributed to the ticket stacking unit 25 and the one ticket excluding unit 24. According to the determined division, the M ticket temporary storage unit 55, the N ticket stacking unit 25, and the one ticket excluding unit 24 are selectively distributed.

  Further, in the above, the used gift certificate sheet S (1) is discarded on the management side of the gift certificate processor 11 without being collected and the gift certificate sheet S (1) to be collected. Although distributed to the gift certificate sheet S (1), in the local mode, the type of distribution is specified by an operation input to the display operation unit (type input means) 18, and the specified type of gift certificate You may make it distribute to sheet S (1) and gift certificate sheet S (1) other than that based on the reading result of the ticket information reading part 43. FIG.

  In this case, when the type of the gift certificate sheet S (1) is selected, the control unit 33 is selected from the gift certificate sheet S (1) identified as the selected type, that is, a plurality of master data. The gift certificate sheet S (1) identified as matching the type of master data is sent to the ticket temporary storage unit 55, and the gift certificate sheet S (1) identified as a type different from the selected type, that is, a plurality of masters. The gift certificate sheet S (1) identified as matching the master data other than the selected type of the data is sent to the ticket stacking unit 25, and the selected type and the type other than these are different from the selected type. The gift certificate sheet S (1) that has not been identified as matching any master data may be sent to the ticket exclusion unit 24. Alternatively, the gift certificate sheet S (1) identified as the selected type is sent to the ticket stacking unit 25, and the gift certificate sheet S (1) identified as a type different from the selected type is stored in the ticket temporary storage unit 55. The gift certificate sheet S (1) that is not identified as either the selected type or the type different from the selected type may be sent to the ticket exclusion unit 24. In this case, for example, by specifying a specific issuer as a type, the gift certificate sheet S (1) of a specific issuer may be classified as a gift certificate sheet S (1) of another issuer. it can. In this way, the distribution method can be easily set.

It is a perspective view which shows the gift certificate processing machine of one Embodiment of this invention. It is a sectional side view which shows the gift certificate processing machine of one Embodiment of this invention. It is a front view which shows an example of the gift certificate sheet | seat processed with the gift certificate processor of one Embodiment of this invention. It is a front view which shows an example of the process specific sheet | seat used for the gift certificate processing machine of one Embodiment of this invention. It is a front view which shows an example of the completion | finish sheet | seat used for the gift certificate processing machine of one Embodiment of this invention. It is a side view which shows the arrangement | sequence at the time of the injection | throwing-in of the sheet | seat thrown in with respect to the gift certificate processing machine of one Embodiment of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

11 Gift certificate processing machine 18 Display operation part (operation part, type input means)
19 ticket insertion unit 24 ticket exclusion unit 25 ticket stacking unit 37 ticket transport unit 33 control unit 43 ticket information reading unit 51 upstream ticket distribution unit (ticket distribution means)
52 Downstream ticket distribution section (ticket distribution means)
55 Ticket Temporary Storage 60 Ticket Storage 65 Endorser S (1) Gift Certificate Sheet (Sheet)
S (2) Processing specific sheet (sheet)
S (3) End sheet (sheet)

Claims (8)

A ticket insertion unit into which gift certificate sheets are inserted;
A ticket transport unit that separates and transports the gift certificate sheets inserted into the ticket input unit one by one;
A ticket information reading unit that reads information from a gift certificate sheet being conveyed by the ticket conveying unit;
Ticket distribution means for distributing the gift certificate sheet after reading by the ticket information reading unit;
M ticket temporary storage units for collecting gift certificate sheets (M is 1 or more);
M ticket storage units that store the gift certificate sheets accumulated in the ticket temporary storage unit on a one-to-one basis;
N (N is 1 or more) ticket stacking units for stacking gift certificate sheets;
1 ticket exclusion unit for collecting gift certificate sheets,
Based on the reading result of the ticket information reading unit, the M ticket temporary storage unit, the N ticket stacking unit, and the one piece A gift certificate processing machine having a control unit that selectively distributes to a ticket exclusion unit,
The ticket information reading unit can read information from a processing specific sheet in addition to the gift certificate sheet,
When the ticket information reading unit reads N + 1 consecutive processing specific sheets, the control unit uses the ticket distribution means to extract the N ticket stacking units and the one ticket exclusion unit. When the ticket information reading unit reads the gift certificate sheet one by one, the M ticket temporary storage unit and the N number of the ticket temporary storage unit according to a predetermined category. A gift certificate processing machine that selectively distributes a ticket stacking unit to the one ticket excluding unit. The ticket information reading unit can read information from the end sheet,
When the ticket information reading unit reads N + 1 consecutive processing specific sheets, the control unit determines the start of the sorting process, and the processing unit distributes the processing specific sheets by the ticket distribution unit. When the ticket information reading unit reads the gift certificate sheet one by one to the ticket stacking unit and the one ticket excluding unit, the M ticket sheets are determined according to a predetermined category. The ticket temporary storage unit, the N ticket stacking unit, and the one ticket excluding unit are selectively distributed, and then the end of the sorting process is determined when the ticket information reading unit reads the end sheet. The gift certificate processing machine according to claim 1.   When an approval operation is input to the operation unit after determining the end of the distribution process, the control unit displays the M voucher sheets accumulated in the M ticket temporary storage units by the distribution process. The gift certificate processing machine according to claim 2, wherein the gift certificate processing machine is stored in a storage unit. M = 1 and N = 1,
The control unit, when the ticket information reading unit reads the two consecutive processing specification sheets specifying the same process, the gift certificate sheet read by the ticket information reading unit following these processing specification sheets The gift certificate processing machine according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the gift certificate processing sheet is stored as a gift certificate sheet deposited for the specified process.   The control unit sends a gift certificate sheet identified as an acceptable and stored gift certificate sheet based on a reading result of the ticket information reading unit to the temporary ticket storage unit, and is accepted and not stored 5. A gift certificate sheet identified as a sheet is sent to the ticket stacking unit, and a gift certificate sheet identified as a gift certificate sheet to be rejected and rejected is sent to the ticket exclusion unit. The gift certificate processing machine according to any one of the above.   A gift certificate sheet identified as a gift certificate sheet that can be accepted and stored based on a reading result of the ticket information reading unit and a gift certificate sheet that can be received and not received at the position immediately before the sorting means in the ticket transport unit 6. The gift certificate processing machine according to claim 5, further comprising an endorser for printing a used mark on the gift certificate sheet identified as the gift certificate sheet. The ticket information reading unit reads a ticket image of a gift certificate sheet and reads a ticket identification number described on the gift certificate sheet,
The control unit, based on the reading result of the ticket information reading unit, the gift certificate sheet identified as the accepted and stored gift certificate sheet and the gift certificate sheet identified as the acceptable and unacceptable gift certificate sheet The gift certificate processing machine according to claim 5 or 6, wherein the ticket surface image and the ticket identification number are stored in association with each other. Has a type input means to specify the type of gift certificate sheet,
When the type of the gift certificate sheet is selected by the type input means, the control unit sorts the gift certificate sheet identified as the selected type based on the reading result of the ticket information reading unit. The ticket temporary storage unit and the ticket stacking unit are sent to either the ticket temporary storage unit or the ticket stacking unit by means, and the gift ticket sheet identified as a type different from the selected type is used by the sorting unit. A gift certificate sheet that could not be identified as either the selected type or the type different from the selected type, and sent to the ticket exclusion unit by the sorting means. The gift certificate processing machine according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

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