JP5175069B2 - Paper sheet identification machine - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a paper sheet identification machine for identifying paper sheets such as banknotes sent to a conveyance path by a photo sensor disposed on the openable / closable conveyance path, and in particular, to open and close the conveyance path using a photo sensor. The present invention relates to a paper sheet classifier capable of identifying a state.

  Between the game tables in the game store, a game machine platform machine for renting game media such as pachinko balls used in the game table is arranged. A bill discriminator is mounted on the inter-table machine for gaming machines, and the inserted bills can be identified and gaming media can be lent out. In addition, a photo sensor is incorporated in the banknote discriminator, and light emitted from the light emitting element of the photo sensor is applied to the banknote fed along the conveyance path, and transmitted light or reflected light from the banknote is received by the light receiving element. The authenticity and type of banknotes are identified based on the change in

In such a banknote discriminator, a transport path is formed between the main unit and the open / close unit attached to be openable and closable so that it is possible to easily take out the banknotes jammed in the transport path. Further, there is known a configuration in which the conveyance path is switched to an open state when the opening / closing unit is opened. Patent Document 1 proposes that in such a banknote recognition apparatus, the open / close state of the lid (opening / closing unit) is determined using a photosensor for banknote identification. In Patent Document 1, if the light emitting means mounted on the main body part or the lid part emits light, and the amount of light received by the light receiving means mounted on the other is equal to or greater than a specified value, the interval between the light receiving and emitting elements is It is held within a predetermined value, and it is determined that the lid is closed.
JP 2007-94807 A

  However, in the method disclosed in Patent Document 1, since an abnormality has occurred in the photosensor, it is determined that the lid is open even when the amount of received light is lower than the specified value. Therefore, when the power is turned on, an erroneous determination may be made that the lid is open despite the lid being closed due to an abnormality of the photosensor.

  In order to determine the open / closed state of the lid, generally, the photosensor is dimmed by turning on the power with the lid normally closed at the time of shipment of the banknote recognition device, and a prescribed amount of received light is obtained. Thus, the light quantity on the light emitting side is adjusted. This light emission amount is stored and held in a memory or the like, and when the power is turned on, the light emitting element of the photosensor is illuminated with the light emission amount to determine the open / closed state of the lid. However, due to changes in the surrounding environment, deterioration of the light emitting / receiving element, etc., there may be a case where a prescribed light receiving amount cannot be obtained even if light is emitted with a light emitting amount set at the time of shipment. When falling into such a state, it may not be possible to accurately determine the open / closed state of the lid.

  An object of the present invention is to propose a paper sheet classifier that can accurately recognize whether a conveyance path is open or an abnormality has occurred in a photo sensor using a photo sensor for identifying paper sheets. is there.

  Another object of the present invention is to provide a paper sheet discriminator capable of accurately recognizing the open / closed state of the conveyance path without being affected by changes in the surrounding environment and changes in the detection characteristics of the photosensor caused by deterioration of the light emitting / receiving elements. Is to propose.

In order to solve the above problems, the paper sheet identifier of the present invention is:
The main unit,
An open / close unit attached to the main unit so as to be openable and closable;
Formed between the main unit and the opening / closing unit, and a conveyance path that is opened when the opening / closing unit is opened,
A plurality of photosensors arranged in the transport path for detecting optical information of the paper sheet transported along the transport path;
Monitoring means for monitoring whether or not the opening / closing unit is open based on the outputs of these photo sensors;
A reference value memory storing and holding a reference value for open / close discrimination indicating a detection signal level of the photosensor indicating a predetermined light reception amount set in advance ,
The monitoring means includes
When all the detection signal levels of the photo sensor are below the reference value for opening / closing determination, it is determined that the opening / closing unit is in an open state,
When all of the detection signal levels of the photosensors exceed the reference value for opening / closing determination, it is determined that the opening / closing unit is in a closed state,
If at least one of the detection signal levels of the photosensor is lower than the open / close discrimination reference value and at least one exceeds the open / close discrimination reference value, it is determined that an abnormality has occurred in the photosensor. It is characterized by that.

  Focusing on the fact that a plurality of photosensors are generally mounted in a paper sheet classifier and optical information of a paper sheet inserted along a plurality of scanning lines is read, in the present invention, detection signals of a plurality of photosensors are used. Based on this, it is possible to accurately recognize whether the opening / closing unit is open or whether an abnormality has occurred in the photo sensor.

  In the paper sheet discriminator according to the present invention, a light emission current value memory that stores and holds a value of a light emission current for discrimination to be sent to a light emitting element of each photosensor at the time of monitoring by the monitoring means, and at the time of monitoring by the monitoring means A light emission control means for causing the light emission current for determination to flow to the light emitting element of each photosensor; and an update means for performing a process of updating the value of each light emission current for determination stored in the light emission current value memory. In the update process of the means, the light emission control means adjusts the light emission current flowing through the light emitting element of each photosensor so that the detection signal level of the light receiving element of each photosensor becomes the reference value for open / close determination, It is characterized in that the value of each distinguishing light emitting current is updated with the value of the light emitting current.

  By updating the value of the light emission current for discrimination for identifying the open / closed state of the open / close unit (open / closed state of the transport path) by the updating means, the ambient environment of the paper sheet classifier, the deterioration of the light receiving / emitting element of the photo sensor, etc. Even if the detection characteristics of the photo sensor fluctuate due to this, it is possible to accurately identify the open / closed state of the open / close unit.

  Here, the update process of the update means may be performed at least one time point among the time point when the power is turned on and the time point when the paper sheet is inserted into the transport path.

  Further, a transmissive photosensor can be used as the photosensor. In this case, one of the light emitting element and the light receiving element of each photosensor is mounted on the main unit, and the other is mounted on the opening / closing unit. Of course, a reflective photosensor can also be used.

  In the paper sheet identification machine of the present invention, the open / close state of the open / close unit (the open / close state of the conveyance path) is identified using detection outputs of a plurality of photosensors arranged for paper sheet identification. Therefore, it is possible to accurately identify whether the opening / closing unit is open or whether the photo sensor is abnormal, and it is possible to reliably prevent erroneous detection that the opening / closing unit is open due to the abnormality of the photo sensor. .

  In addition, since the update means reflects the detection output fluctuation of the photosensor caused by the ambient environment, deterioration of the light receiving and emitting elements of the photosensor, the open / closed state of the open / close unit can always be accurately identified.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of a paper sheet classifier to which the present invention is applied will be described with reference to the drawings.

(overall structure)
FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a bill validator according to the present embodiment, and FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the bill validator with the opening / closing unit opened.

  The bill validator 1 includes a main unit 2, an opening / closing unit 4 accommodated in a recess 3 formed on the surface of the main unit 2 and extending in the front-rear direction of the apparatus, and a front end of the main unit 2 on the bill insertion slot side. It has the insertion opening lid unit 5 attached to the part. The opening / closing unit 4 can be opened and closed within a predetermined angle range from the closed position stored in the recess 3 around the support shafts 6a and 6b formed on both sides of the rear end portion. Further, engaging levers 7a and 7b formed on both sides of the front end portion of the opening / closing unit 4 are inserted into engaging grooves 7c and 7d formed in the main unit 2, so that the opening / closing unit 4 is locked in the closed position. Has been. By pulling the left and right engaging levers 7a and 7b inward, the engaging levers 7a and 7b can be disengaged from the engaging grooves 7c and 7d to open the opening / closing unit 4.

  FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing the internal configuration of the bill validator 1. The internal configuration of the bill validator 1 will be described with reference to this figure as well. A bill insertion slot 8 is formed on the front surface of the main unit 2 of the bill validator 1, and the bill insertion slot 8 is formed between the front end of the main unit 2 and the insertion slot lid unit 5. Via the path 9, it leads to a bill conveyance path 10 formed between the main unit 2 and the opening / closing unit 4. The rear end of the banknote transport path 10 is a banknote outlet 10a, and banknotes discharged from the banknote path 10 are stored in a banknote storage (not shown). In addition, a control board 40A is mounted on the main unit 2.

  A pair of left and right inlet sensors 9a and 9b are arranged on the upstream side of the banknote transport path 10 following the banknote insertion path 9 in order to detect the insertion of banknotes on the main unit 2 side. As the inlet sensors 9a and 9b, those provided with a photocoupler and a mechanical switch can be used. On the downstream side of these inlet sensors 9a and 9b, a solenoid-type bill withdrawal prevention mechanism 20 is incorporated on the main body unit 2 side. A shutter piece 20a for switching the bill conveyance path 10 between a closed state and an open state is provided.

  At the site of the banknote transport path 10 on the downstream side of the shutter piece 20a, four sets of transmissive photosensors 11 to 14 for detecting a light transmission pattern that is an optical feature of the banknote transported through the banknote transport path 10 are provided. It is arranged in the width direction. The light emitting elements 11 a to 14 a of these transmission type photosensors are mounted on the open / close unit 4, and the light receiving elements 11 b to 14 b are mounted on the main unit 2. A magnetic head 15 for detecting the magnetic properties of the banknotes is disposed in a portion of the banknote transport path 10 on the downstream side of the installation positions of the transmission type photosensors 11 to 14. The magnetic head 15 is mounted on the main unit 2, and a pressing roller 16 for pressing a bill against the detection surface of the magnetic head 15 is mounted on the opening / closing unit 4.

  A pair of left and right outlet sensors 17a and 17b are arranged on the side of the main unit 2 in the vicinity of the banknote outlet 10a in order to detect the banknotes to be discharged. As these exit sensors, those equipped with a photocoupler and a mechanical switch can be used.

  The transport mechanism for transporting the banknotes along the banknote transport path 10 is of a belt / pulley type, and includes a pair of left and right drive pulleys 21a and 21b and three pairs of left and right driven pulleys 22a, 22b, 23a and 23b. 24a, 24b and a pair of left and right conveying belts 25a, 25b stretched between the driving pulley 21a and the driven pulleys 22a-24a and between the driving pulley 21b and the driven pulleys 22b-24b, respectively. I have. These parts are mounted on the main unit 2 side, the driving pulleys 21a and 21b are arranged on the downstream end side of the bill conveyance path 10, and the driven pulleys 22a, 22b, 23a and 23b are driving pulleys. 21a, 21b and the magnetic head 15 are disposed, and the driven pulleys 24a, 24b are disposed closer to the bill insertion slot 8 than the light emitting elements 11a to 14a.

  The transport mechanism includes four pairs of left and right pressing rollers 31a, 31b, 32a, 32b, 33a, 33b and 34a, 34b mounted on the opening / closing unit 4 side. These are mounted on the opening / closing unit 4 so as to be slidable in the vertical direction and are rotatable. From the top of the conveyor belts 25a and 25b, the driving pulleys 21a and 21b, the driven pulleys 22a and 22b, 23a, 23b and 24a, 24b are pressed by spring force.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 1, the transport mechanism includes a transport motor 26 built in a portion of the main body unit 2 on the side of the recess 3. The rotational force of the conveying motor 26 is transmitted to the driving pulleys 21a and 21b via a reduction gear train (not shown) and a driving shaft 28.

(Control system)
FIG. 4 is a schematic block diagram showing a control system of the bill validator 1. The control system is mounted on the control board 40A of the main unit 2, and includes a control unit 40 configured mainly with a microcomputer including a CPU, a ROM, and a RAM. The control unit 40 includes a conveyance control unit 41 that performs conveyance control of the inserted bill P, a light emission control unit 42 that performs light emission control of the transmission type photosensors 11 to 14, a transmission type photosensors 11 to 14, and a magnetic head 15. An identification unit 43 for identifying the authenticity and type of the bill P inserted based on the detection signal is provided. In addition, the control unit 40 includes an open / close monitoring unit 44 that monitors whether the open / close unit 4 is open based on detection outputs of the transmission photosensors 11 to 14, a memory 45 that stores various information, and a memory And an update unit 46 for updating 45 stored contents.

  When detecting that the banknote P has been inserted by the entrance sensors 9a and 9b, the transport control unit 41 excites the solenoid 20b of the banknote withdrawal prevention mechanism 20 to open the shutter piece 20a. At the same time, the conveyance motor 26 is driven via the motor driver 50 to start conveyance of the inserted bill P. When the conveyance of the banknote P is started, the light emission control unit 42 drives the light emitting elements 11a to 14a of the transmission type photo sensors 11 to 14 via the drivers 51 to 54 to emit light. The detection signals of the light receiving elements 11b to 14b of the transmissive photosensors 11 to 14 and the detection signal of the magnetic head 15 are input to the identification unit 43 via the signal processing circuits 55 to 59, respectively.

  The identification unit 43 identifies the inserted bill P based on the light transmission pattern and the magnetic pattern stored and held in the memory 45. The conveyance control unit 41 continues the feeding operation of the banknote P and feeds it to a predetermined feeding position (escrow position). As shown in FIG. 3, the feeding position is a position where the trailing end PB of the fed banknote P has passed the detection position of the magnetic head 15.

  When the banknote P is sent to the feeding position, the conveyance control unit 41 temporarily holds the banknote P at the feeding position and closes the shutter piece 20a. Thereafter, the identification unit 43 identifies the authenticity and type of the banknote P based on the detection signals of the transmission type photosensors 11 to 14 and the magnetic head 15 and the contents of the memory 45. When the bill is a genuine note and is a denominated bill, the transport control unit 41 drives the transport motor 26 to unload the bill P held at the feeding position from the bill discharge port 10a. The bill is stored in the bill storage unit. In the case of a counterfeit bill or a banknote of an unacceptable denomination, the transport control unit 41 reversely rotates the transport motor 26 to send the banknote P held at the feeding position toward the banknote insertion slot 8. Then, it is discharged from the bill insertion slot 8 and returned to the bill inserter.

(Monitoring the open / close status of the open / close unit)
Here, in the memory 45, the detection signal level output from each of the transmission type photosensors 11 to 14 when the opening / closing unit 4 is closed is stored and held in advance as the reference value S for opening / closing determination. In addition, the determination light emission current values A1 to A4 to be passed through the light emitting elements 11a to 14a of the transmission type photosensors 11 to 14 during monitoring by the open / close monitoring unit 44 are stored and held. These values are set at the time of shipment. That is, when the banknote discriminator 1 is shipped, the power is turned on in a state where the opening / closing unit 4 is normally closed, and the dimming processing of each of the transmissive photosensors 11 to 14 is performed. Therefore, the light quantity on the light emitting side of each transmissive photosensor is adjusted. The determination light emission current values A1 to A4 representing the light emission amount and the open / close determination reference value S are stored in the memory 45. It is also possible to set the open / close discrimination reference value S for each of the transmissive photosensors 11 to 14 separately.

  The open / close monitoring unit 44 determines that the open / close unit 4 is in the open state when all the detection signal levels of the transmission type photosensors 11 to 14 are below the open / close determination reference value S. Further, when all of the detection signal levels of the transmission type photosensors 11 to 14 exceed the reference value S for opening / closing determination, it is determined that the opening / closing unit 4 is in a normal closed state. Further, when a part of the detection signal level of the transmission type photosensors 11 to 14 is lower than the open / close determination reference value S and the rest is higher than the open / close determination reference value S, one of the transmission type photosensors 11 to 14 is selected. It is determined that an abnormality has occurred.

  That is, as shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B, when the open / close unit 4 is closed, the distance between the light emitting elements 11a to 14a and the light receiving elements 11b to 14b in each of the transmissive photosensors 11 to 14 is narrow and constant. And the detection signal level exceeds the open / close discrimination reference value S. On the other hand, when the opening / closing unit 4 is open, the gap L2 is large between the light emitting elements 11a to 14a and the light receiving elements 11b to 14b, and the detection signal level is significantly lower than the reference value S for opening / closing determination. Therefore, the open / close state of the open / close unit 4 (open / close state of the transport path 10) can be identified based on the detection signal level.

  Further, when the four transmissive photosensors 11 to 14 are normal, all of these detection signal levels are in a state exceeding or below the reference value S. When detection signal levels appear above and below the reference value S, it can be determined that an abnormality such as a failure has occurred in any of the transmission type photosensors. For example, when the detection signal levels of three transmission photosensors are higher than the open / close discrimination reference value S, but the remaining one transmission photosensor is lower than that value, the 1 It can be determined that an abnormality such as a failure has occurred in each transmission photosensor.

  Next, the update unit 46 uses the light emission control unit 42 to set the detection signal levels of the light receiving elements 11b to 14b of the transmission photosensors 11 to 14 to the reference value S for opening / closing discrimination. The light emission currents flowing through the light emitting elements 11a to 14a are adjusted, and the light emission current values A1 to A4 for determination in the memory 45 are updated with the light emission current values after adjustment.

  For example, as shown in the flowchart of FIG. 6, the update unit 46 determines that the inlet sensors 9a and 9b indicate that the banknote has been inserted at the time (step ST2) after the end of the initialization process (step ST1) when the power is turned on. At the time (steps ST3 and ST4) after being detected by the above, the update processing of the values A1 to A4 (light control to light emission amount storage processing) is performed.

  The update unit 46 updates the discrimination light emission current values A1 to A4 for identifying the open / closed state of the open / close unit 4 (open / closed state of the transport path), thereby allowing the ambient environment of the bill validator 1 and the transmission type photosensors 11 to 11 to be updated. Even if the detection characteristics fluctuate due to deterioration of the 14 light emitting / receiving elements, the open / close state of the open / close unit 4 can be accurately identified.

(Other embodiments)
In the above example, the present invention is applied to a banknote discriminator, but the present invention is a photo sensor mounted on a paper sheet discriminator for discriminating paper sheets other than banknotes such as tickets and coupons. It can be used for dimming.

  In the above example, a transmissive photosensor is used as a photosensor. However, the present invention can be similarly applied to a case where a reflective photosensor is used. In this case, for example, a reflecting surface is formed on the guide surface that defines the banknote conveyance path so that the light emitted from the light emitting element can be received by the light receiving element when the values A1 to A4 are updated (during light control). Just keep it.

It is a top view of the bill identification machine to which the present invention is applied. It is a perspective view of the bill discriminating machine in the state where the opening / closing unit is opened. It is an internal block diagram of a banknote identification machine. It is a schematic block diagram which shows the principal part of the control system of a banknote identification machine. It is explanatory drawing of the monitoring operation | movement of the opening / closing unit of a banknote identification machine. It is a flowchart which shows the example of the update time of the value of the light emission current for discrimination | determination of a banknote identification machine.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Banknote identification machine 2 Main body unit 3 Recessed part 4 Opening / closing unit 5 Insertion port cover unit 6a, 6b Support shaft 7a, 7b Engagement lever 7c, 7d Engagement groove 8 Banknote insertion port 9 Banknote insertion path 9a, 9b Entrance sensor 10 Banknote conveyance path 10a Banknote outlets 11-14 Transmission type photosensors 11a-14a Light emitting element 11b-14b Light receiving element 15 Magnetic head 16 Pressing rollers 17a, 17b Exit sensor 20 Bill withdrawal prevention mechanism 20a Shutter piece 20b Solenoid 21a, 21b Driving pulleys 22a-24a , 22b-24b Driven pulleys 25a, 25b Conveyor belt 26 Conveyor motor 28 Drive shafts 31a-34a, 31b-34b Press roller 40 Control unit 40A Control board 41 Conveyance control unit 42 Light emission control unit 43 Identification unit 44 Opening / closing monitoring unit 45 Memory 46 Update unit 50 Motor driver 51 54 Driver 55-59 Signal processing circuit

Claims (4)

The main unit,
An open / close unit attached to the main unit so as to be openable and closable;
Formed between the main unit and the opening / closing unit, and a conveyance path that is opened when the opening / closing unit is opened,
A plurality of photosensors arranged in the transport path for detecting optical information of the paper sheet transported along the transport path;
Monitoring means for monitoring whether or not the opening / closing unit is open based on the outputs of these photo sensors;
A reference value memory storing and holding a reference value for open / close discrimination indicating a detection signal level of the photosensor indicating a predetermined light reception amount set in advance ,
The monitoring means includes
When all the detection signal levels of the photo sensor are below the reference value for opening / closing determination, it is determined that the opening / closing unit is in an open state,
When all of the detection signal levels of the photosensors exceed the reference value for opening / closing determination, it is determined that the opening / closing unit is in a closed state,
If at least one of the detection signal levels of the photosensor is lower than the open / close discrimination reference value and at least one exceeds the open / close discrimination reference value, it is determined that an abnormality has occurred in the photosensor. Paper sheet classifier characterized by that. In the paper sheet discriminator according to claim 1,
A light emission current value memory that stores and holds the value of the light emission current for determination to be passed through the light emitting element of each photosensor during monitoring by the monitoring means;
Light emission control means for causing the light emission current for discrimination to flow through the light emitting element of each photosensor during monitoring by the monitoring means;
Update means for performing update processing of the value of each determination light emission current stored and held in the light emission current value memory,
In the update process of the updating means, the light emission control means adjusts the light emission current that flows through the light emitting element of each photosensor so that the detection signal level of the light receiving element of each photosensor becomes the reference value for opening / closing discrimination, and after the adjustment A paper sheet discriminator characterized in that the value of each discriminating light-emitting current is updated with the value of each light-emitting current. In the paper sheet discriminator according to claim 2,
The update processing of the update means is performed at least at one of a power-on time and a time when a paper sheet is inserted into the transport path. In the paper sheet identifier according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
Each photo sensor is a transmissive photo sensor,
One of the light emitting element and the light receiving element of each photo sensor is mounted on the main body unit, and the other is mounted on the opening / closing unit.

Images