JP6931512B1 - Paper leaf transport system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a paper leaf transport system capable of exclusive control capable of preventing collision and merging of paper leaves during transport without significantly reducing the transport capacity of the paper leaves. SOLUTION: A plurality of bill feeding devices 6 provided at appropriate positions on a transport path 21 from the most upstream transport flow generator 31 to the most downstream bill collecting device 32 can communicate with a transport control unit 32c via a communication line 5. The transport control unit 32c, which has received the bill transport request message that the bill feed device 32 wants to feed the bill PM into the transport path 21, does not have the bill feed device during the transport process, and the bill feed device of the message transmission source. Only when there is no banknote PM on the upstream side of 4, the banknote transport permission is given. [Selection diagram] Fig. 1

Description

The present invention includes a transport pipe that forms a transport path that guides paper sheets from upstream to downstream, a transport flow generator that generates a transport flow in the transport pipe, and a plurality of paper leaf feeds that feed paper leaves into the transport pipe. The present invention relates to a paper leaf transport system including an apparatus and a paper leaf collection device provided at the most downstream side of a transport pipe to collect paper leaves.

Conventionally, when transporting paper leaves such as thin plastic or paper cards and banknotes, a paper leaf transport device that sandwiches and sends out the paper leaves using a belt or roller has been known and has become widespread in the market. ing. For example, in a game hall where a game machine such as a pachinko machine or a slot machine is installed, a game medium lending device or the like is provided adjacent to the game machine, and paper is not stored in the game medium lending device. A paper leaf transport system is used when transporting and managing banknotes to a banknote safe or the like having the function of a leaf collection device. In the paper leaf transport system of the game hall, the bills identified by the bill identification unit such as the game media lending device are taken in and attached to the island edge of the game island where the game machine is installed by the transport mechanism consisting of belts and rollers. It is transported to the banknote safe.

In such a paper leaf transport system, since the banknotes are transported by using a mechanism for sandwiching the banknotes with a belt or a roller, there is a problem that the banknotes are often jammed at the connecting portion of the belt or the roller. In order to clear the banknote jam, it is necessary to have the player playing the game on the gaming machine interrupt the game, identify the defective part on the game island, and remove the jammed banknotes, which causes inconvenience to customers. At the same time, the burden on the game clerk was not small.

In recent years, a paper leaf transport system has been proposed in which an air stream for transport is generated in a transport pipe and the banknotes are transported on the air stream. If the banknotes are transported by air flow, there is no risk of the banknotes being clogged at the mechanism because no mechanism such as a belt or roller is used. As a paper leaf transport device for air transport, a device has been proposed in which the rear end portion of a banknote is deformed and the wind pressure of the air stream for transport is applied to the deformed portion to smooth the transport of the bill (for example). , Patent Document 1). The paper leaf transport device described in Patent Document 1 counts the paper leaves being transported in the blower pipe and warns that the detected paper leaf count value exceeds the specified value, so that the amount is excessively large. The paper leaves are controlled so that they are not sent into the transport path.

In addition, instead of directly transporting the paper leaves by the air flow, the paper leaves are transported by pushing the paper leaves from the rear with a transport auxiliary that moves from the upstream to the downstream by the air flow. Devices have been proposed (see, eg, Patent Document 2). In the paper leaf transport device described in Patent Document 2, the transport auxiliary is directed to the paper leaf capture device in which the paper leaf capture operation is completed, and the paper leaves are collected one by one by the transport auxiliary. It is supposed to be transported to.

Japanese Patent No. 4409626 Japanese Patent No. 60014746

However, it cannot be said that the risk of collision merging can be avoided only by controlling the number of paper sheets that can be sent to the transport tube to a certain number, as in the paper leaf transfer device described in Patent Document 1. Collision merging is the timing at which paper leaves are fed into the transport pipe from the loading device, and the paper leaves sent from the loading device located upstream of the loading device flow into each other. Is a phenomenon in which they collide. When collision merging occurs, the transport operation of the paper leaves becomes unstable, and there is a risk that the paper leaves will be clogged in the transport pipe.

Further, in the control of transporting paper sheets by using the transporting auxiliary as in the paper leaf transporting device described in Patent Document 2, the transporting auxiliary must be directed to the paper leaf taking-in device, so that the transfer assisting body must be directed to the paper leaf taking-in device. The time is wasted and the paper leaf transport capacity is significantly reduced.

Further, in the paper leaf transport system using the transport fluid, when two or more paper leaf feed devices are operated at the same time, the transport fluid flows out and flows through the paper leaf feed device, and the transport fluid flows out and flows into the transport pipe. There is a problem that the fluid pressure for transportation changes and stable transportation of paper sheets becomes impossible. In order to prevent such a problem, it is effective to limit the number of paper leaf feeding devices to be operated to one and not to operate a plurality of paper leaf feeding devices at the same time, but simply to operate the paper leaf feeding device. Similar to the paper leaf transport device described in Patent Document 1, it is not possible to reliably prevent the occurrence of collision merging only by exclusive control of the operation of the device. If the operation of the paper leaf feeding device is exclusively controlled so that only one sheet of paper is transported in the transport path, the paper is similar to the paper leaf transporting device described in Patent Document 2. The carrying capacity of leaves is significantly reduced.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a paper leaf transport system capable of exclusive control that can prevent collision and merging of paper leaves during transport without significantly reducing the transport capacity of the paper leaves.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a transport pipe forming a transport path for guiding paper sheets from upstream to downstream, a transport flow generator for generating a transport flow in the transport pipe, and the paper leaves in the transport pipe. In a paper leaf transport system including a plurality of paper leaf feed devices to be fed and a paper leaf collection device provided at the most downstream of the transport pipe to collect the paper leaves, the paper leaf feed device is used. The paper sheets are provided with a transport control unit capable of exclusive control that determines whether or not the paper leaf feeding operation is possible and prevents the paper leaf feeding operations from being simultaneously executed by the plurality of the paper leaf feeding devices. The feeding device transmits a paper leaf transport request message to the transport control unit, receives a paper leaf transport permission message from the transport control unit, and receives the paper leaf transport permission message based on the receipt of the paper leaf transport permission message. When a feed control means for executing the leaf feed operation is provided and the transport control unit intends to transmit the paper leaf transport permission message to the paper leaf feed device that has received the paper leaf transport request message, Set in advance corresponding to the first transport permission condition that there is no paper leaf feed device that is executing the paper leaf feed operation, and the paper leaf feed device that is the source of the paper leaf transport request message. The success or failure of the second transport permission condition that there is no paper leaf being transported within the collision merging avoidance range is determined, and the paper is only satisfied when both the first transport permission condition and the second transport permission condition are satisfied. It is characterized in that the exclusive control is performed by transmitting the paper leaf transport permission message to the paper leaf feed sending device which is the transmission source of the leaf transport request message.

Further, in the above configuration, the paper leaf feeding device includes a paper leaf material insertion port for feeding the paper leaf to the transport path and a valve capable of opening and closing the paper leaf insertion port by the feeding control means. The paper leaf feeding operation executed by the feeding control means controls the valve, opens the paper leaf insertion port, feeds the paper leaves into the transport path, and then controls the valve. A series of operations of closing the paper leaf insertion port is performed, and the paper leaf being transported in the transport path is detected at an appropriate position downstream of the paper leaf insertion port in all the paper leaf feeding devices. A possible transporting paper leaf detection means may be provided.

Further, in the above configuration, the feeding control means of the paper leaf feeding device is such that the paper sheets fed into the transport path from the paper leaf insertion port during the paper leaf feeding operation are being transported. It may be determined that the feeding of the paper sheets into the transport path is completed by not detecting the paper sheets after being detected by the paper leaf detection means.

Further, in the above configuration, the transport control unit uses the paper leaf feeding device located on the downstream side of the paper leaf feeding device, which is the source of the paper leaf transport request message, immediately before the paper leafs. When the feeding operation is executed, it is considered that there is no paper leaf being transported within the collision merging avoidance range, and it is determined that the second transport permission condition is satisfied, and the paper leaf transport request is made. If the paper leaf feeding operation is executed immediately before by the paper leaf feeding device located upstream of the paper leaf feeding device that is the source of the message, the paper leaf transport request message By detecting the passage of the paper leaves by the transporting paper leaf detection means corresponding to the paper leaf feeding device which is the transmission source of the above, it is determined that the second transport permission condition is satisfied. May be good.

Further, in the above configuration, an authenticity determination operation for determining the authenticity of the paper leaves thrown in from the slot is performed, and if the thrown paper leaves are determined to be fake, they are returned from the slot and thrown in. Even if it is determined that the paper sheets thrown in from the mouth are genuine, the paper sheets are not discharged to the intake side while the discharge operation suppression signal is input, and the discharge operation suppression signal is no longer input. In this case, a paper leaf identification device for discharging the paper leaves determined to be genuine to the intake side is provided corresponding to all the paper leaf feeding devices, and the feeding control means of the paper leaf feeding device is provided. Always outputs the discharge operation suppression signal to the paper leaf identification device, and the paper leaf identification device performs the authenticity determination operation to transmit the paper leaf transport request message to the transport control unit. Then, by receiving the paper leaf transport permission message from the transport control unit, the discharge operation suppression signal is stopped, and the paper leaves determined to be genuine by the paper leaf identification device are discharged to the take-in side. It may be accepted and the paper leaf feeding operation may be executed.

Further, in the above configuration, the feeding control means of the paper leaf feeding device receives the paper from the paper leaf identification device within a predetermined paper leaf acceptance grace period after starting the paper leaf feeding operation. If the leaves are not received, the paper leaf feeding operation is stopped, the paper leaf transport canceling message is sent to the transport control unit, and the received paper leaf transport permission message is cancelled. You may.

Further, in the above configuration, the paper leaf feeding device includes a paper leaf receiving port connected to the taking-in side of the paper leaf identification device and the paper leaf fed from the loading port. When the paper leaf identification device performs the authenticity determination operation, the paper leaf receiving passage through which a part of the paper leaf enters from the paper leaf receiving port and the paper leaf are the paper leaf. An authenticity determination operation detecting means for detecting a state in which the paper leaf identification device is performing the authenticity determination operation based on entering the class receiving passage is provided, and the feed control means detects the authenticity determination operation. Based on the detection information from the means, the paper leaf identification device determines whether or not the authenticity determination operation is being executed, and if it is determined that the authenticity determination operation is being executed, the transport control unit. The paper leaf transport request message may be transmitted to.

Further, in the above configuration, the authenticity determination operation detecting means is a first paper that detects the paper sheets shallowly entered into the paper sheet receiving passage when the paper leaf identification device executes the authenticity determination operation. The leaf sensor includes a leaf sensor and a second paper leaf sensor that detects the paper leaf deeply entered into the paper leaf receiving passage when the paper leaf identification device executes the authenticity determination operation. The feed control means is based on a combination of the detection state of the paper leaves by the first paper leaf sensor and the detection state of the paper leaves by the second paper leaf sensor, and the authenticity of the paper leaf identification device by the paper leaf identification device. The execution of the determination operation may be determined.

According to the present invention, the transport control unit that determines whether or not the paper leaf feeding operation is possible based on the first transport permission condition and the second transport permission condition controls the execution timing of the paper leaf feeding operation by the paper leaf feeding device. Therefore, it is possible to perform exclusive control in which a plurality of paper leaf feeding devices are not operated at the same time, and it is possible to prevent the paper leaves from colliding and merging during transportation without significantly reducing the paper leaf transporting ability.

(A) is a schematic block diagram of a paper leaf transport system according to an embodiment of the present invention. (B) is a schematic configuration diagram showing an example of a bill collecting device and a bill feeding device. The relationship between the bill feeding operation by the bill feeding device and the transporting fluid flowing in the transport pipe is shown, (A) is an explanatory diagram of a state in which all bill feeding devices are not operating, and (B) is only one bill feeding device. An explanatory diagram of an operating state, (C) is an explanatory diagram of a state in which a bill feeding device on the upstream side and a bill feeding device on the downstream side are operating at the same time. (A1) is an explanatory diagram of a bill feeding device in a state where the bill insertion slot is closed by a valve, and (A2) is a bill feeding device converted into a bill feeding operation state in which the bill insertion slot is opened to feed bills into a transport path. Explanatory drawing, (B) is an explanatory view of collision merging that occurs between a banknote sent out from a banknote feeding device in a banknote feeding operation state and a banknote transported from upstream, and (C1) is an explanatory diagram of a collision merging caused by a banknote sensor during transportation of the banknote feeding device. An explanatory diagram of a state in which a banknote being transported is detected, and (C2) is an explanatory diagram of a state in which the banknote sensor during transportation of the banknote feeding device no longer detects the passed banknote. (A) is a schematic configuration diagram of a bill identification device into which bills are inserted, (B) is a schematic configuration diagram of a bill identification device that scans the inserted bills for authenticity determination, and (C) is a schematic configuration diagram of the bill identification device into which bills are inserted. FIG. 6D is a schematic configuration diagram of a bill identification device that has finished scanning the bills, and FIG. 3D is a schematic configuration diagram of the bill identification device that is waiting until the determined bill can be ejected to the take-in side. (A) is a schematic configuration diagram of a bill taking-in device that receives a bill being scanned by the bill identification device into a bill receiving passage. (B) is a schematic configuration diagram of a bill identification device of a second configuration example including a branch passage for receiving bills being scanned by the bill identification device. (A) is a determination operation explanatory diagram when the bill feeding device determines a transport request instruction of the bill identification device from the detection states of the first inserted bill sensor and the second inserted bill sensor. (B) is a determination operation explanatory diagram in the case where the bill sending device determines the bill returning operation of the bill identification device from the detection states of the first inserted bill sensor and the second inserted bill sensor. It is a flowchart which shows the bill feeding process performed by the bill feeding apparatus. It is a flowchart which shows exclusive control processing performed by a transfer control part. It is a flowchart which shows the transport permission processing performed by the transport control unit.

Next, an embodiment of the paper leaf transport system according to the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. The paper leaves to be transported are papers with shape-retaining properties such as banknotes and documents (excluding those that do not have shape-retaining properties with respect to the transport flow, such as tissue paper), and resin films. (Including plastic banknotes) and thin cards can be applied. The paper leaf transport system of the present embodiment will be described as a bill transport system for transporting paper bills (rectangular bills composed of a pair of long sides and a pair of short sides). Further, as the transport fluid, not only gas but also liquid can be used, but in the bill transport system of the present embodiment, air is used as the transport fluid.

The banknote transfer system 1 shown in FIG. 1 (A) can be installed in, for example, a game store, and can be used to collect banknotes PM inserted into a game medium lending device, a card sales device, or the like and collect them in one place. .. Various transport pipes 2 (for example, a straight transport pipe 2a, a curved transport pipe 2b, etc.) are connected to form a continuous transport path 21 from the most upstream to the most downstream.

When applying the bill transfer system 1 to an island facility in which a large number of game machines are lined up in a game store, if the transfer flow generator 31 and the bill collection device 32 are provided in the island safe 3 provided at one end of the island facility. The transport flow generator 31 is at the most upstream of the transport path 21, and the banknote collection device 32 is at the most downstream of the transport path 21. Then, the banknote PM sent from the banknote feeding device 4 as the paper leaf feeding device appropriately connected in the middle of the transport pipe 2 to the transport path 21 becomes the transport target and is transported toward the downstream. That is, the banknote PM as paper notes is transported from the upstream to the downstream by the transport pipe 2 in which the transport path 21 for guiding the transport flow TF generated by the transport flow generator 31 to the downstream is formed, and is provided at the most downstream. This is a banknote transport system 1 that collects banknotes PM by a banknote collection device 32 as a paper leaf collection device.

The transport flow generator 31 discharges transport air from the most upstream portion of the transport pipe 2 to generate a blowout flow, and at the same time, generates a suction flow for sucking the transport air that has reached the bill collection device 32. A transport flow TF that circulates inside the pipe 2 and the island safe 3 is generated. Further, all the bill feeding devices 4 are provided with a feeding control unit 4a as a feeding control means (see FIG. 1B), and can perform bidirectional communication with the bill collecting device 32 via the communication line 5 to enable bidirectional communication with the bill collecting device 32. Waiting for an instruction from the collection device 32, the operation of sending the bill PM to the transport path 21 is executed. This is to realize exclusive control (detailed later) that prevents the bill feeding operation as the paper leaf feeding operation by the plurality of bill feeding devices 4 from being executed at the same time.

The bill feeding device 4 of this configuration example has a flow path connecting structure capable of connecting the transport pipes 2 to the upstream side and the downstream side, respectively, and the bill flow path 4b formed in the bill feeding device 4 is the transport path 21. It is intended to function as a part, but is not limited to this structure. For example, by providing a mounting structure for mounting the bill feeding device 4 on the transport pipe 2 and mounting the bill feeding device 4 at the corresponding location, the bill PM can be fed from the bill feeding device 4 into the transport pipe 2. You may do so. Further, the communication line 5 connecting the bill collecting device 32 and the bill sending device 4 and the like may be a wired connection line or a line using a wireless communication network.

In the bill feeding device 4, a bill insertion slot 4c as a paper leaf insertion slot is provided at a portion facing the bill flow path 4b, and the valve 4d opens the bill insertion slot 4c to transfer the bill PM to the bill. It can be inserted into the flow path 4b (sent into the transport path 21). The feed control unit 4a controls the opening and closing of the valve 4d. In the bill feeding operation as the paper leaf feeding operation executed by the control of the feeding control unit 4a, the valve 4d is controlled to open the bill insertion slot 4c, the bill PM is fed into the transport path 21, and then the valve 4d is opened. This is a series of operations for controlling and closing the bill insertion slot 4c.

Further, at an appropriate position on the downstream side of the bill flow path 4b in the bill feeding device 4, a transporting bill sensor 6 is provided as a transporting paper leaf detecting means that can detect the bill PM being transported in the transport path 21 in a non-contact manner. There is. As an example of the transporting bill sensor 6, the optical axes of the floodlight 6a and the receiver 6b are aligned (see FIG. 1B), and the transporting bill PM blocks the optical axis to block the bill. The presence or absence of PM can be detected. The detection information of the banknote sensor 6 during transportation is supplied to the feed control unit 4a and also to the banknote collection device 32 via the communication line 5.

A bill identification device 7 is provided on the front side (the side away from the transport path 21) of the bill sending device 4, and the bill identification device 7 determines the authenticity of the bill PM inserted into the game medium lending device, the card sales device, or the like. To do. Only the bill PM determined to be appropriate by the bill identification device 7 is accepted by the bill feeding device 4, and is fed from the bill feeding device 4 to the transport path 21 in the transport pipe 2. The bill PM sent into the transport pipe 2 is transported to the most downstream of the transport path 21 by the transport flow TF, and is collected by the bill collection device 32.

The above-mentioned bill collecting device 32 includes a transport mode conversion unit 32a, a bill storage unit 32b, and a transport control unit 32c as functions for collecting the transported bill PM. The transport mode conversion unit 32a converts the transport mode of the banknote PM from the non-contact transport mode by the transport flow TF to the contact transport mode by a transport force transmitter (detailed later) such as a transport belt or a transport roller. The bill PM separated from the transport flow TF by the transport mode conversion unit 32a and sent out in the contact conversion mode is stocked in the bill stocker of the bill storage unit 32b. The transport control unit 32c comprehensively controls the overall transport operation of the bill PM, and controls the transport mode conversion unit 32a and the bill storage unit 32b. The air volume control of the transport flow generator 31 may be performed by the transport control unit 32c. Further, the function of the transfer control unit 32c may not be provided in the bill collecting device 32, but may be provided in another device such as the leading bill feeding device 4 or the transport flow generator 31, or may be separately provided as an independent device. Is also good.

Further, the transport control unit 32c determines whether or not the banknote feeding operation by all the banknote feeding devices 4 is possible, and performs exclusive control to prevent the banknote feeding operations by the plurality of banknote feeding devices 4 from being executed at the same time. It has a function as an exclusive control means 32d. On the other hand, the feeding control unit 4a of the bill feeding device 4 transmits a bill transport request message as a paper leaf transport request message to the transport control unit 32c, and at the same time, bill transport as a paper leaf transport permission message from the transport control unit 32c. Receives the permission message and executes the bill sending operation based on the receipt of the bill transfer permission message. After the banknote PM is fed into the transport path 21 by executing the bill feed operation, the bill feed device 4 transmits a transport end message to the transport control unit 32c, and the bill feed device 4 that has received the bill transport permission sends the bills. Notify the transport control unit 32c that the operation is completed. A unique identification ID or the like is attached to each bill feeding device 4, so that the transport control unit 32c can individually recognize each bill feeding device 4 and its installation location.

As described above, in order for the transfer control unit 32c to perform exclusive control, the telegram exchanged with each bill sending device 4 is important. At least, a bill transport request message and a bill transport end message transmitted from the bill feed device 4 to the transport control unit 32c, and a bill transport permission message transmitted from the transport control unit 32c to the bill feed device 4 are indispensable. In addition to these, when the bill feeding operation by the bill feeding device 4 is not performed properly, the bill transport canceling message as the paper sheet transport canceling message transmitted from the bill feeding device 4 to the transport control unit 32c is also included. It is desirable to keep it. If the received banknote transfer permission message is canceled by transmitting this banknote transfer stop message, the order of transfer permission can be turned to the other banknote sending device 4, so that the transfer efficiency of the banknote PM is significantly reduced. You can prevent that. In addition, in order to notify the transmitting side that the receiving side has received correctly, it is common to return an ACK signal from the receiving side to the transmitting side. Etc. shall be omitted, and each telegram shall be transmitted and received appropriately.

Before the exclusive control is described in detail, the reason why the exclusive control for preventing the bill feeding operation by the plurality of bill feeding devices 4 from being executed at the same time is important will be described with reference to FIG. 2 (A) to 2 (C) show a transport path 21 formed by a transport pipe 2 between the transport flow generator 31 and the bill collection device 32. For example, the upstream side bill feeding device 4-U is provided on the upstream side of the transport path 21 (the side close to the transport flow generator 31), and the downstream side is provided on the downstream side of the transport path 21 (the side close to the bill collection device 32). A bill feeding device 4-D is provided.

As shown in FIG. 2A, both the bill insertion slot 4c of the upstream bill feeding device 4-U and the bill insertion slot 4c of the downstream bill feeding device 4-D are closed, and the transport pipe 2 is sealed. In this case, the flow rate and pressure of the transport air are substantially constant between the first transport flow TF1 on the upstream side, the second transport flow TF2 near the middle, and the third transport flow TF3 on the downstream side. Therefore, the banknote PM can be stably transported from the upstream to the downstream of the transport path 21.

As shown in FIG. 2B, when only the bill insertion slot 4c of the downstream bill feeding device 4-D is opened, the first transport flow TF1 on the upstream side and the second transport flow TF2 near the middle and the downstream side In the third transport flow TF3, the flow rate and pressure of the transport air are substantially constant. Even when only the bill insertion slot 4c of the upstream bill feeding device 4-U is opened, the first transport flow TF1 on the upstream side, the second transport flow TF2 near the middle, and the third transport flow TF3 on the downstream side remain. , The flow rate and pressure of the transport air are almost constant. Therefore, if only one of the bill insertion slot 4c of the upstream bill feed device 4-U or the bill insertion slot 4c of the downstream bill feed device 4-D is open, the banknote insertion port 4c of the upstream side bill feed device 4-U is open from the upstream side to the downstream side of the transport path 21. Banknote PM can be stably transported up to.

However, as shown in FIG. 2C, when both the bill insertion slot 4c of the upstream bill feed device 4-U and the bill insertion slot 4c of the downstream bill feed device 4-D are opened, the transport air Leakage and inflow occur. Since the first transport flow TF1 on the upstream side is strongly affected by the blowout flow by the transport flow generator 31, the transport air leaks to the outside from the bill insertion port 4c of the upstream bill feed device 4-U. Therefore, the second transport flow TF2 passing through the upstream bill feed device 4-U and heading toward the downstream bill feed device 4-D is in a state in which the flow rate and pressure of the transport air are reduced. However, since the third transport flow TF3 on the downstream side is strongly affected by the suction flow by the bill collection device 32, the transport air is taken in from the outside through the bill insertion slot 4c of the downstream bill feed device 4-D. The flow rate and pressure of the transport air return to the same level as the first transport flow TF1.

When the flow rate and pressure of the transport air change extremely in the transport path 21, as in the case of the first transport flow TF1, the second transport flow TF2, and the third transport flow TF3 described above, the transport of the banknote PM becomes unstable. In some cases, it becomes impossible to carry the banknotes, and there is a risk that the banknotes may be jammed in the transport tube 2. Therefore, exclusive control is important to prevent the bill feeding operation by the plurality of bill feeding devices 4 from being executed at the same time (the bill insertion openings 4c are opened at a plurality of locations). Therefore, when the transport control unit 32c tries to transmit the bill transport permission message to the bill feed device 4 that has received the bill transport request message, the first transport permission condition is that there is no bill feed device 4 in which the bill feed operation is being executed. Judge success or failure. It should be noted that this first transport permission condition is not a necessary and sufficient condition for transmitting the bill transport permission message to the bill sending device 4 which is the transmission source of the bill transport request message, and must be satisfied together with the second transport permission condition described later. For example, the transfer control unit 32c does not transmit the banknote transfer permission message to the banknote sending device 4, which is the source of the banknote transfer request message.

The second transfer permission condition for the transfer control unit 32c to determine success or failure is that there is no banknote PM being transported within the collision merging avoidance range set in advance corresponding to the banknote sending device 4 which is the source of the banknote transfer request telegram. That's what it means. Hereinafter, the collision merging avoidance range will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 3 is a simplified view of only the main internal structure of the bill feeding device 4 connected between the upstream side transport pipe 2 and the downstream side transport pipe 2.

The bill feeding device 4 shown in FIG. 3 (A1) is one of a first side surface portion 41 and a second side surface portion 42 (for example, the first side surface portion 41 side) that opposes the paper surface of the bill PM passing through the bill flow path 4b. Is provided with a bill insertion slot 4c, and the bill insertion slot 4c is closed by the valve body 4d1 of the valve 4d. In the bill feeding device 4 shown in FIG. 3 (A2), the valve body 4d1 is moved by the drive mechanism 4d2 of the valve 4d to open the bill insertion slot 4c, and the bill receiving passage 43 as the paper leaf receiving passage is passed through the transport path 21. It is in a state of being communicated with. When the banknote insertion slot 4c is opened, the banknote PM received from the banknote receiving port 43a as the paper leaf receiving port (banknote PM ejected from the banknote identification device 7) is sent into the transport path 21 by the roller pair 44. be able to.

As shown in FIG. 3B, while the bill feeding device 4 is feeding the bill PM from the bill insertion slot 4c to the transport path 21 (banknote flow path 4b), the bill PM'is transported from the upstream side. In this case, a collision merging occurs in which the banknote PM'abuts or comes into contact with the banknote PM in the process of being sent out. In such a collision merging, the bill feeding device 4 on the upstream side of the bill feeding device 4 during the feeding operation has completed the bill feeding operation immediately before, and the bill PM'sent to the transport path 21 is still sent out. It occurs when the banknote feeding device 4 in operation has not been passed. When a collision merge occurs in the transport path 21, there is a risk that the speed of the banknote PM'flowing from the upstream will decrease or stop. In addition, the banknote PM sent from the banknote feeding device 4 to the transport path 21 may not be able to be transported because the transport force of the transport flow TF cannot be obtained well.

In order to prevent the occurrence of such transfer merging, the range on the upstream side of the transfer merging bill sensor 6 of the bill transfer device 4 which is the source of the bill transfer request telegram is set as the collision merging avoidance range, and the transfer merging avoidance range is set. When there is a banknote PM'being transported on the upstream side of the banknote feeding device 4, the banknote feeding operation of the banknote feeding device 4 is restricted. For example, the transport control unit 32c that receives the detection information from the transporting bill sensor 6 of each bill feed device 4 confirms the transport position of the bill PM', and the bill feed device 4 that is the transmission source of the bill transport request message. When the banknote PM'passes through the detection area of the banknote sensor 6 during transportation, it is determined that the second transport permission condition is satisfied. The transporting bill sensor 6 before the bill PM'reaches the detection area of the transport bill sensor 6 is in the OFF state, and when the bill PM'enters the detection area, the transport bill sensor 6 changes to the ON state ( 3 (C1)), when the banknote PM'passes the detection area, the transporting banknote sensor 6 changes to the OFF state (see FIG. 3C2). From such a change in the detection state of the bill sensor 6 during transport, the transport control unit 32c can determine that the bill PM'has passed the collision merging avoidance range and has been transported further downstream.

It is not necessary to set the collision merging avoidance range used for determining the second transport permission condition to the range upstream of the transporting bill sensor 6 of the bill sending device 4 which is the source of the bill transport request telegram, and the bills. It may be arbitrarily set so as to be suitable for the transport system 1. For example, after the transport control unit 32c transmits the bill transport permission message to the bill feed device 4 which is the transmission source of the bill transport request message, the bill PM is actually sent from the bill feed device 4 into the transport path 21. It is also possible to determine the second transport permission condition at an earlier timing in consideration of the delay time until. If the distance that the banknote PM'travels in the transport path 21 at the standard transport speed by the time when this delay time elapses is about several times the installation interval of the bill feed device 4, the source of the bill transport request message It is possible to set the collision merging avoidance range on the upstream side of the transporting bill sensor 6 of the bill feeding device 4, which is located several upstream side of the bill feeding device 4.

However, when the collision merging avoidance range is set by the bill feeding device 4 located several units upstream of the bill feeding device 4 which is the transmission source of the bill transport request message, the transport control unit 32c is the second transport permission condition. There is a risk that an unforeseen situation may occur, such as a sudden decrease in the transport speed of the banknote PM'after determining the establishment. Therefore, the collision merging avoidance in which the range on the upstream side of the transporting bill sensor 6 of the bill feeding device 4 which is the transmission source of the bill transport request message is used as a reference for determining the second transport permission condition is used. Setting the range is useful for ensuring the stability of the banknote transport system 1.

Further, in the bill feeding device 4 of this configuration example, the transporting bill sensor 6 is provided in the vicinity of the downstream end of the bill flow path 4b, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the appropriate position downstream of the bill insertion slot 4c is provided. It suffices if it can be detected that the bill PM'has passed. For example, the transporting bill sensor 6 may be provided at an appropriate position on the upstream side of the transport pipe 2 connected to the downstream side of the bill feeding device 4. The transporting bill sensor 6 can be used not only to detect the bill PM'carried from the upstream, but also to detect the bill PM sent by the bill feeding device 4 into the transport path 21. For example, if the bill insertion slot 4c is provided with a sensor capable of detecting the passage of the bill PM, it can be seen that the bill PM sent into the transport path 21 by the feeding roller pair 44 has passed through the bill insertion slot 4c, and the bill is inserted. The opening 4c can be closed to complete the bill feeding operation. However, if a sensor is also provided in the bill insertion slot 4c, the cost will increase accordingly. Therefore, it is determined that the feeding of the banknote PM into the transport path 21 is completed because the banknote PM sent into the transport path 21 by the feed roller pair 44 is detected by the banknote sensor 6 during transportation and then is not detected. If the bill insertion slot 4c is closed to complete the bill feeding operation, it is not necessary to provide a sensor in the bill insertion slot 4c, which is efficient.

As described above, by receiving the bill transport request message transmitted by the feed control unit 4a of the bill feed device 4, it is determined whether or not the transport control unit 32c transmits the transport permission message. The bill sending device 4 is not notified by the bill identifying device 7 of the timing at which the request should be made. This is because the generally used bill identification device 7 does not have such a function. Therefore, the bill feeding device 4 of this configuration example is provided with a function capable of detecting a state in which the bill identification device 7 is performing an authenticity determination operation, and this detection function determines a transport request instruction from the bill identification device 7. It is assumed that a bill transport request is made to the transport control unit 32c. First, the operation of the bill identification device 7 will be described with reference to FIG.

A bill identification device 7 as a paper leaf identification device is provided corresponding to all the bill feeding devices 4. The bill identification device 7 performs an authenticity determination operation for determining the authenticity of the bill PM inserted into the intake path 7b from the insertion slot 7a, and if the inserted bill PM is determined to be fake, it is returned from the insertion slot 7a and is genuine. If it is determined, the waste is discharged from the intake side (the discharge port 7c which is the downstream end of the intake path 7b). However, even if the banknote PM inserted from the insertion port 7a is determined to be genuine, while the BUSY signal as the discharge operation suppression signal is input, the banknote PM is not discharged to the discharge port 7c and stands by, and the BUSY signal is input. At the timing when the signal is no longer input, the banknote PM determined to be genuine is discharged to the discharge port 7c.

When the bill PM is inserted from the insertion slot 7a, the bill PM is taken into the back side (downstream side) of the intake path 7b by a bill transfer function such as a transport belt (not shown) (see FIG. 4 (A)). .. A pull-out prevention unit 71 is provided on the upstream side (insertion port 7a side) of the take-in path 7b, and is taken in beyond the pull-out prevention unit 71 unless the pull-out prevention function is released when the bill PM is returned. The bill PM is prevented from being pulled out from the slot 7a. This is to prevent fraud in pulling out the bill PM by attaching a thread or the like to the bill PM and inserting it into the bill identification device 7 and pulling the thread or the like after the authenticity determination of the bill PM is successful.

Further, a bill identification unit 72 is provided on the downstream side (exhaust port 7c side) of the intake path 7b. The banknote identification unit 72 scans the paper surface of the banknote PM with a magnetic sensor, an optical sensor, or the like to acquire the authenticity determination information of the banknote PM, and determines the authenticity depending on whether or not the authenticity determination condition is satisfied. For example, if all the acquired authenticity judgment information meets the authenticity judgment conditions, it is treated as a genuine banknote PM, and a banknote PM that does not meet the authenticity judgment condition even at one point of the authenticity judgment information is regarded as a forged or altered banknote and returned. do.

In order to obtain the authenticity determination information in the bill identification device 7, the bill PM must be conveyed deep into the take-in passage 7b so that the paper surface of the inserted bill PM passes through the bill identification unit 72. However, the bill identification device 7 which has been made into a small unit for mounting on a game medium lending device or the like has a short depth, and the front part of the bill PM (to the bill feeding device 4) taken into the intake path 7b until it exceeds the pull-out prevention unit 71. The near portion) is in a state of protruding from the discharge port 7c by the first determination length L1 (detailed later) (see, for example, FIG. 4B). Further, when the banknote PM is moved until it exceeds the banknote identification unit 72 in order to scan the entire paper surface of the banknote PM, the length of the front portion of the banknote PM protruding from the discharge port 6c is further increased (for example, FIG. 4 (C). ), Only the second determination length L2 (detailed later) protrudes from the discharge port 7c.

That is, in the state where the banknote identification device 7 is performing the authenticity determination operation on the banknote PM inserted from the insertion slot 7a, the banknote PM is deep until it exceeds the banknote identification unit 72 in order to scan the paper surface of the banknote PM. It can be determined that the banknotes are being transported to. When the scanning of the bill PM is completed, the rear portion of the bill PM (the portion near the insertion slot 7a) is pulled back to the vicinity downstream of the pull-out prevention portion 71, and the standby state is reached until the BUSY signal is no longer input (for example, FIG. 4 (D)). In this standby state, the front portion of the bill PM is in a state of protruding from the discharge port 7c to the same extent as the first determination length L1. If it is determined from the acquired authenticity determination information that the bill PM is not genuine, the pull-out prevention function of the pull-out prevention unit 71 is canceled and the bill PM is directly inserted from the insertion slot 7a without stopping the bill PM in the standby state. Discharge.

The discharge port 7c of the bill identification device 7 is connected to the upstream end (banknote receiving port 43a) of the bill receiving passage 43 of the bill feeding device 4, and the bill PM passing through the bill receiving port 7c receives the bill of the bill feeding device 4. Accepted in passage 43. That is, when the authenticity determination operation is performed by the bill identification device 7, a part of the bill PM enters the bill receiving passage 43 from the bill receiving port 43a, so that the bill identifying device 7 depends on how the bill PM is inserted. It is possible to judge the authenticity judgment operation by. Specifically, when the banknote identification device 7 starts scanning for the authenticity determination operation, first, the front part of the banknote PM being scanned enters the banknote receiving passage 43 as shallowly as in the standby state. When the determination length L1 is reached and near the end of the scan, the second determination length L2 deeply entered into the bill receiving passage 43 is reached.

At a shallow position of the bill receiving passage 43, a first paper leaf that detects a state in which the bill PM shallowly enters the bill receiving passage 43 up to the first determination length L1 when the bill identification device 7 executes the authenticity determination operation. A first inserted bill sensor 45a is provided as a kind sensor. Similarly, at a deep position of the bill receiving passage 43, when the bill identification device 7 executes the authenticity determination operation, it is detected that the bill PM has entered the bill receiving passage 43 deeply up to the second determination length L2. 2 A second inserted banknote sensor 45b as a paper leaf sensor is provided. The first inserted bill sensor 45a detects the bill PM from the middle of scanning the bill PM (for example, the bill PM passes through the pull-out prevention unit 71) to the standby state after the scanning is completed. The second inserted bill sensor 45b detects the bill PM for a while from the end of the scan on the bill PM to the start of returning to the standby state after the scanning is completed. Therefore, when the first inserted bill sensor 45a is changed from OFF to ON and then the second inserted bill sensor 45b is also changed from OFF to ON, the scanning operation for the bill PM (authentication determination for the bill PM into which the bill identification device 7 is inserted) is performed. It can be judged that there is a high probability that the operation) is being performed.

In this way, in the first and second inserted bill sensors 45a and 45b provided corresponding to the first and second determination lengths L1 and L2 in which the bill PM being scanned enters the bill receiving passage 43, the bill PM is a bill. Based on entering the receiving passage 43, the bill identification device 7 functions as an authenticity determination operation detecting means 45 for detecting a state in which the authenticity determination operation is being performed. The authenticity determination operation detecting means 45 is not limited to the case where the first and second inserted bill sensors 45a and 45b are configured, and is composed of three or more inserted bill sensors corresponding to a larger number of determination lengths. Is also good. If more insertion bill sensors can detect the passing point of the bill PM, the position of the bill PM in the bill receiving passage 43 can be detected more finely. Alternatively, a plurality of inserted bill sensors corresponding to the first determination length L1 and the second determination length L2 in which the bill PM being scanned enters the bill receiving passage 43 may be provided. Even if an erroneous detection occurs in one of the inserted bill sensors due to dust or the like mixed with the bill PM, the error detection of the abnormality can be corrected from the detection information of the other inserted bill sensor, so that the bill identification device 7 It is possible to improve the detection accuracy of the authenticity judgment operation performed by.

When the bill identification device 7 moves the bill PM to the innermost position for scanning, the bill is accepted so that the front portion of the bill PM does not hit the feeding roller pair 44 or the valve 4d of the bill feeding device 4. It is desirable that the passage 43 is set to a sufficient length (see FIG. 5 (A)). This is because if the bill PM being scanned interferes with the feed roller pair 44 or the valve 4d, the determination accuracy of the bill identification device 7 is lowered. When a sufficient length cannot be secured in the bill receiving passage 43, a branch passage 43'is provided as in the bill receiving device 4'shown in FIG. 5 (B), and a passage for guiding the bill PM by the switching valve 46 is provided. You may switch.

The authenticity determination operation detecting means 45 including the first and second inserted bill sensors 45a and 45b arranged at appropriate positions in the bill receiving passage 43 sends the detection information of the bill PM inserted into the bill identification device 7 and supplies the detection information to the control unit 4a. do. When the sending control unit 4a, which has received the detection information from the authenticity determination operation detecting means 45, determines whether or not the authenticity determination operation is being executed by the bill identification device 7, and determines that the authenticity determination operation is being executed. Is to send a bill transport request telegram to the transport control unit 32c.

The determination method by the feed control unit 4a will be described with reference to FIG. 6 (A). When the bill PM is not inserted into the bill identification device 7, both the first and second inserted bill sensors 45a and 45b are OFF. When the bill PM is inserted into the bill identification device 7, scanning is started in order to acquire the authenticity determination information of the bill PM, so that the bill PM is accepted into the bill receiving passage 43 of the bill sending device 4 via the intake path 7b. Be done. Then, when the front portion of the bill PM traveling through the bill receiving passage 43 reaches the detection position of the first inserted bill sensor 45a, the first inserted bill sensor 45a changes from OFF to ON. Further, when the scanning by the bill identification device 7 progresses and the front part of the bill PM reaches the detection position of the second inserted bill sensor 45b, the second inserted bill sensor 45b changes from OFF to ON.

In this way, when the bill identification device 7 performs the authenticity determination operation, the combination of the detection states of the first and second inserted bill sensors 45a and 45b is "OFF, OFF" when the bill is not inserted, and the inserted bill is being scanned. It changes like "ON, OFF", "ON, ON" just before the end of the inserted banknote scan. That is, the feed control unit 4a can determine the execution of the authenticity determination operation by the bill identification device 7 from the combination of the bill detection state by the first insertion bill sensor 45a and the bill detection state by the second insertion bill sensor 45b. Then, the feeding control unit 4a of the bill feeding device 4 determines that the bill identification device 7 performs the authenticity determination operation as a transport request instruction, and transmits a bill transport request telegram to the transport control unit 32c.

The feed control unit 4a of the bill feed device 4 constantly outputs a BUSY signal to the bill identification device 7, so that the bill identification device 7 that has completed the authenticity determination operation discharges the bill PM determined to be genuine. , It is prevented from being handed over to the bill sending device 4. Therefore, since the banknote PM is pulled back to the standby position after the scanning is completed, the second inserted banknote sensor 45b changes from ON to OFF, and the combination of the detected states of the first and second inserted banknote sensors 45a and 45b is changed. It changes to "ON, OFF" in the standby state.

After that, the sending control unit 4a, which receives the bill transport permission message from the transport control unit 32c, stops the BUSY signal (releases the BUSY), discharges the bill PM determined by the bill identification device 7 to be genuine, and discharges the bill PM, which is determined to be genuine, and the bill receiving passage 43. Accepts the banknotes and performs the above-mentioned banknote sending operation. When the BUSY is released, the banknote PM is transferred to the banknote PM through the banknote identification device 7 take-in path 7b, so that the second inserted banknote sensor 45b changes from OFF to ON again. When the rear part of the bill PM completely passes through the discharge port 7c of the bill identification device 7 and enters the bill feeding device 4, the bill PM is fed from the bill insertion port 4c to the transport path 21 by the bill transport mechanism and the feed roller pair 44 (not shown). Go away. Therefore, when the rear part of the bill PM exceeds the detection position of the first inserted bill sensor 45a, the first inserted bill sensor 45a changes from ON to OFF, and the rear part of the bill PM is the detection position of the second inserted bill sensor 45b. When the value exceeds, the second inserted bill sensor 45b also changes from ON to OFF.

FIG. 6B shows changes in the detection state of the first and second inserted bill sensors 45a and 45b when the bill identification device 7 that determines that the inserted bill PM is not a genuine bill based on the authenticity determination result returns the bill. Shown in. By performing the authenticity determination operation in the bill identification device 7, it is the same until the second inserted bill sensor 45b is turned OFF after both the first and second inserted bill sensors 45a and 45b are turned ON. In the case of returning the bill, the bill PM is returned from the slot a as it is without being in the standby state. Therefore, the combination of the detection states of the first and second inserted bill sensors 45a and 45b changes to "OFF, OFF". The feed control unit 4a determines that this is a return instruction, and transmits a transport stop message to the transport control unit 32c. As a result, even if the transport permission based on the previously transmitted transport request telegram is issued, the transport control unit 32c cancels it.

Further, even if the banknote identification device 7 does not return the banknote because it is determined to be a genuine banknote based on the authenticity determination result for the inserted banknote PM, the transfer request message transmitted to the transfer control unit 32c must be canceled. There is a case. This is a case where a bill jam or the like occurs in the bill identification device 7 after the BUSY is released, and the bill feeding device 4 cannot accept the bill PM from the bill identification device 7. If a deadlock occurs that keeps waiting for the completion of the bill feeding operation in a state where it is unlikely that the bill feeding operation can be completed, the entire bill transport system 1 malfunctions. Therefore, after the feed control unit 4a of the bill feed device 4 releases the BUSY from the bill identification device 7 and starts the bill feed operation, the bill identification device 7 is within the monitoring period as a predetermined paper leaf acceptance grace period. If the banknote PM is not received, the feed control unit 4a performs a deadlock avoidance process.

An example of the deadlock avoidance process performed by the feed control unit 4a is to start timing the monitoring period after both the first and second inserted bill sensors 45a and 45b are turned on, and then the first and second inserted bill sensors. If the monitoring time elapses without changing the detection states of 45a and 45b, the bill feeding operation is stopped and the bill transport canceling telegram is transmitted. By stopping the bill feeding operation, the bill insertion slot 4c in the bill feeding device 4 is closed, and the transport control unit 32c receiving the bill transport canceling message cancels the bill transport permission for the bill feeding device 4, and the like. The bill transport request received from the bill feed device 4 of the above can be permitted.

As described above, the exclusive control performed for the stable transportation of the banknote PM is collectively performed by the transport control unit 32c including the exclusive control means 32d, but in order to realize it, each banknote feeding device 4 cooperates with each other. is required. Therefore, in order to realize exclusive control, the flow of processing operations performed by the bill feeding device 4 and the transport control unit 32c will be described.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart of the bill feeding process performed by the bill feeding device 4. In the bill sending process, initialization processing such as output of a BUSY signal to the bill identification device 7 and reception of a system READY signal from the transport control unit 32c is performed at the time of activation or reset (step S101). When the initialization process is completed, it is determined whether or not there is a transport request instruction from the bill identification device 7 (step S102), and if there is no transport request instruction yet, the determination is repeated until there is a transport request instruction.

When the authenticity determination operation is performed in the bill identification device 7, the bill feeding device 4 determines in step S102 that it is a transport request instruction, and transmits a bill transport request telegram to the transport control unit 32c (step S103). After that, it is determined whether or not the banknote identification device 7 that has determined that the inserted banknote PM is a fake has returned the banknote (step S104), and if the banknote has been returned, the banknote transfer stop message is sent to the transfer control unit. It is transmitted to 32c (step S105), and the previously transmitted banknote transfer request message cancels the transfer request. After that, the process returns to step S102 and waits for the next transport request instruction.

On the other hand, when it is determined in step S104 that the banknotes have not been returned, it is determined whether or not the banknote transfer permission message from the transfer control unit 32c has been received (step S106), and the banknote transfer permission message is still received. If not, the process is repeated until a bill transfer permission message is received. When it is determined in step S106 that the banknote transfer permission message from the transfer control unit 32c has been received, the BUSY signal output to the banknote identification device 7 is stopped (BUSY is released) and the banknote sending operation is started (step). S107).

Further, with the start of the bill sending operation in step S107, the time counting of the sending grace period is started. The sending grace period is a sufficient time for the bill PM sent out into the transport path 21 after the bill feeding device 4 starts the bill sending operation to pass through the detection area of the transporting bill sensor 6. If the banknote PM does not pass through the detection area of the banknote sensor 6 during transportation even after the delivery grace period has elapsed, the banknote PM may jam in the banknote feeding device 4 and the banknote PM may enter the transport path 21 from the banknote insertion slot 4c. May not be able to be sent out.

Therefore, after starting the bill sending operation, whether or not the end of transport is detected (a state in which the bill PM is detected by the transporting bill sensor 6 and turned ON, and then the bill PM passes and is turned OFF). Is determined (step S108). If the end of transportation has not been detected, it is determined whether or not the timeout of the delivery grace period has been detected (step S109), and if the delivery grace period has not yet passed, the process returns to step S108 to detect the end of transportation. To judge. When the time-out of the sending grace period is detected in step S109, the BUSY signal is output to the bill identification device 7 and the bill sending operation is stopped (step S110). As a result, the banknote PM whose authenticity has been determined from the banknote identification device 7 is restricted from being delivered to the banknote sending device 4, and the banknote insertion slot 4c is closed by the valve 4d. Next, the banknote transfer stop message is transmitted to the transfer control unit 32c (step S105), and the transfer request by the previously transmitted banknote transfer request message is canceled.

On the other hand, when the end of transport is detected in step S108, a BUSY signal is output to the bill identification device 7 and the bill sending operation is stopped (step S111). At this time, the timing of the sending grace period is also cleared. Subsequently, a banknote transfer completion telegram is transmitted to the transfer control unit 32c (step S112), and the transfer control unit 32c is notified that the banknote transfer operation by the banknote feed device 4 is completed. After that, the process returns to step S102 and waits for the next transport request instruction.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart of the exclusive control process performed by the transfer control unit 32c. In the exclusive control process, a system READY signal is transmitted to each banknote sending device 4 at the time of activation or reset, and an initialization process for managing the completion of initialization of each banknote sending device 4 is performed (step S201). When the initialization process is completed, a telegram reception process for receiving a telegram from each bill sending device 4 is performed (step S202). When a telegram is received, the following processing is performed according to the source of the telegram and the content of the telegram.

When the telegram is received in step S202, it is determined whether or not the content of the telegram is a bill transport request message (step S203), and if the bill transport request message is received, the bill transport permission message is transmitted. It is determined whether or not the banknote sending device 4 in the process of being conveyed already exists (step S204). That is, in step S204, the success or failure of the first transport permission condition is determined.

If it is determined in step S204 that there is no banknote sending device 4 being conveyed, it is determined whether or not there is a banknote PM on the upstream side of the banknote sending device 4 that is the source of the banknote transfer request telegram (step S205). ). That is, in step S205, the success or failure of the second transport permission condition is determined. Since the transport control unit 23c has acquired the detection information from the transporting bill sensor 6 of each bill feeding device 4, whether or not there is a transporting bill PM in the transport path 21 and whether or not the transporting bill PM exists, the bill PM being transported If there is, the position (which bill feeding device 4 has passed) is known. Therefore, when it is determined in step S205 that the banknote PM is on the upstream side of the banknote feeding device 4 which is the transmission source of the banknote transport request telegram, the detection area of the banknote sensor 6 during transport of the banknote feeding device 4 is passed. Loop to.

When the second transport permission condition is satisfied by passing the bill PM through the detection area of the bill sensor 6 during transport in the bill feed device 4 which is the source of the bill transport request telegram, the transport control unit 23c sends the bill feed device. A banknote transport permission message can be sent to 4. That is, in step S205, when it is determined that there is no banknote PM on the upstream side of the banknote sending device 4 which is the source of the banknote transport request message, the banknote transport permission message is transmitted to the banknote sending device 4 ( Step S206). In this way, only when the first transport permission condition and the second transport permission condition are satisfied at the same time, the bill transport permission is performed so that the bill insertion ports 4c of the two or more bill feed devices 4 are not opened at the same time. In addition to exclusive control, it is also possible to avoid collision and merging of banknotes PM.

If the collision merging avoidance control is performed such that the banknote PM is collected by the banknote collection device 32 and the banknote transfer permission message is transmitted to the banknote delivery device 4 waiting for the transfer permission, the longer the transfer path 21 is, the longer it is. The more the loss time becomes, the longer the loss time may be, and the efficiency of transporting the banknote PM may become extremely poor. On the other hand, the transport control unit 32c of the present configuration example transmits a bill transport permission message when the bill PM already being transported in the transport path 21 reaches the downstream of the bill feed device 4 waiting for transport permission. However, since the corresponding bill feeding device 4 starts the bill feeding operation, the transport efficiency of the bill PM is not significantly reduced.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step S204 that there is a banknote feeding device 4 that is already being transported, the first transport permission condition is not satisfied. Therefore, a transport permission is immediately issued to the banknote feeding device 4. I can't. As an escrow control for holding the banknote sending device 4 waiting for the transfer permission, for example, the banknote sending device 4 of the telegram transmission source is added to the last column of the waiting list (step S207). After that, the process returns to step S202 and waits for a newly transmitted telegram from any of the bill sending devices 4.

If it is determined in step S203 that the received message is not a bill transport request message, it is determined whether or not the received message is a bill transport end message (step S208). When the received message is a banknote transfer end message, the transfer end process is performed (step S209), and the banknote sending device 4 treated as being in the transfer process after the transmission of the banknote transfer permission message is deleted from the monitoring target. As a result, the transport control unit 23c can issue a transport permit to another bill feeding device 4 and monitor the transport process.

Next, the transport control unit 23c determines whether or not the bill feed device 4 waiting for transport permission by escrow control is on the standby list (step S210), and the bill feed device 4 pending transport permission should be placed on the standby list. If so, the process returns to step S202 as it is, and waits for a newly transmitted telegram from any of the bill sending devices 4. On the other hand, when it is determined in step S210 that the banknote sending device 4 whose transfer permission is pending is in the waiting list, the banknote sending device 4 described in the first line of the waiting list is taken out as the highest priority device, and the subsequent banknote sending device 4 in the waiting list is taken out. The priority is raised (step S211). The selection of the priority device in the standby list is not necessarily limited to the order in which the banknotes are held, and the banknote sending device 4 as the priority device is selected according to the weighting order such as the operating status of the game medium lending device corresponding to the banknote sending device 4. You may.

As described above, the transfer control unit 23c performs the transfer permission process for the bill sending device 4 newly selected from the standby list (step S30). An example of the transport permission process is shown in FIG. In this transport permission process, a process of whether or not to grant a transport permit is performed based on the success or failure of the second transport permit condition. This is because the transfer process of the other banknote sending device 4 is completed in step S209 of the exclusive control process, and the first transfer permission condition is satisfied.

In the transport permission process, first, it is determined whether or not the newly selected bill feed device 4 is located upstream of the bill feed device 4 whose transport process has been completed immediately before (step S31). If the newly selected banknote feeding device 4 is located upstream of the banknote feeding device 4 whose transfer process has been completed immediately before, the collision and merging of the banknote PMs will not occur, so that the second transfer permission condition is satisfied. It is determined that the banknotes have been sent, and a banknote transfer permission message is transmitted to the newly selected banknote sending device 4 (step S32), and the transfer permission process is completed.

On the other hand, if the newly selected banknote feeding device 4 is located downstream of the banknote feeding device 4 whose transfer process has been completed immediately before, it is determined to be negative in step S31. Therefore, whether or not the banknote PM sent into the transport path 21 from the bill feed device 4 whose transport process has been completed immediately before has passed the detection area of the transporting bill sensor 6 of the newly selected bill feed device 4. (Step S33), and the determination in step S33 is repeated until the occurrence of collision merging can be avoided. When the banknote PM sent into the transport path 21 from the bill feed device 4 whose transport process has been completed immediately before passes through the detection area of the transporting bill sensor 6 of the newly selected bill feed device 4, the second transport permission condition is satisfied. Is established, and in step S32, a banknote transfer permission message is transmitted to the newly selected banknote sending device 4.

After performing the transport permission process (step S30) as described above and monitoring the newly selected bill feed device 4 as being in the transport process, the process returns to step S202 and any of the bill feed devices 4 Wait for a new telegram sent from.

If it is determined in step S208 that the received message is not a banknote transfer end message, the received message can be identified as a banknote transfer stop message, and the sender of the banknote transfer stop message is monitored as being in the process of transfer. It is determined whether or not the banknote sending device 4 is used (step S212). When the sender of the bill transfer stop message is the bill feed device 4 during the transport process, the transport stop process is performed (step S213), and the banknote feed device 4 treated as being during the transport process is deleted from the monitoring target. That is, there is a possibility that the banknote PM cannot be sent out from the banknote insertion slot 4c into the transport path 21 due to jamming of the banknote PM in the banknote sending device 4 that has transmitted the banknote transport stop message. The transport permission issued to the bill sending device 4 is cancelled. As a result, the transfer control unit 23c can issue a transfer permission to another banknote feeding device 4 and monitor the transfer process, so that the process proceeds to step S210 described above.

On the other hand, in step S212, if the sender of the banknote transfer stop message is not the banknote feed device 4 monitored as being in the process of transfer, the banknote transfer stop from the banknote feed device 4 described in the standby list by escrow control. It can be judged as a telegram. This is because there is a high possibility that the banknote identification device 7 provided corresponding to the banknote sending device 4 has returned the inserted banknote PM as a forged or altered banknote, so that the banknote sending device 4 of the telegram transmission source is on standby. Search from the list and delete the corresponding line to exclude it from the escrow target. As a result, the transfer request based on the transfer request message transmitted from the bill sending device 4 which is the transmission source of the transfer stop message is canceled.

As described above, in the bill transfer system 1 of the present embodiment, the transfer control unit 32c and all the bill feed devices 4 cooperate with each other to perform exclusive control that does not operate a plurality of bill feed devices 4 at the same time, and the bill PM. Collision merging avoidance can be realized at the same time. Moreover, in order to avoid the collision and merging of the banknotes PM, the carrying capacity of the banknotes PM is not significantly reduced.

Although the paper leaf transport system according to the present invention has been described above based on the embodiment, the present invention is not limited to this embodiment and can be realized as long as the configuration described in the claims is not changed. All paper leaf transport systems are included as a scope of rights.

1 Banknote transport system 2 Transport pipe 21 Transport path 31 Transport flow generator 32 Banknote collection device 32d Transport control unit 4 Banknote feed device 4a Feed control unit

Claims (8)

A transport pipe that forms a transport path that guides paper sheets from upstream to downstream, a transport flow generator that generates a transport flow in the transport pipe, and a plurality of paper leaf feed devices that feed the paper leaves into the transport pipe. In a paper leaf transport system including the paper leaf collection device provided at the most downstream of the transport pipe and collecting the paper leaves.
A transport control unit capable of exclusive control that determines whether or not the paper leaf feeding operation by the paper leaf feeding device is possible and prevents the paper leaf feeding operation by the plurality of paper leaf feeding devices from being executed at the same time. With
The paper leaf feeding device is equipped with
A paper leaf insertion slot for feeding the paper leaves into the transport path, and
A paper leaf detecting means during transportation, which is provided at an appropriate position downstream of the paper leaf insertion port and can detect the paper leaf being transported in the transport path.
A paper leaf transfer request message is transmitted to the transfer control unit, a paper leaf transfer permission message is received from the transfer control unit, and the paper leaf transfer operation is performed based on the reception of the paper leaf transfer permission message. The feed control means to be executed and
Provided
When the transport control unit intends to transmit the paper leaf transport permission message to the paper leaf feed feed device that has received the paper leaf transport request message, the paper leaf that is executing the paper leaf feed feed operation. The paper leaf being transported within the collision merging avoidance range set in advance corresponding to the first transport permission condition that there is no class feed device and the paper leaf feed device that is the source of the paper leaf transport request message. The success or failure of the second transport permission condition that there is no such thing is determined based on the paper leaf transport request message acquired from all the paper leaf feed feeding devices and the detection information of the paper leafs detection means during transport, and the above Only when both the first transport permission condition and the second transport permission condition are satisfied, the paper leaf transport permission message is transmitted to the paper leaf delivery device which is the transmission source of the paper leaf transport request message. , A paper leaf transport system characterized in that the exclusive control is performed. The paper sheet feeding device,
A valve capable of opening and closing the paper sheet insertion slot by a pre-Symbol feeding control means,
With
The paper feed feeding operation executed by the feeding control means controls the valve to open the paper leaf insertion port to feed the paper leaves into the transport path, and then controls the valve. A series of actions to close the paper leaf insertion slot ,
The paper leaf transport system according to claim 1. The feeding control means of the paper leaf feeding device is such that the paper leaves fed into the transport path from the paper leaf insertion port during the paper leaf feeding operation are carried by the transporting paper leaf detecting means. The paper leaf transport system according to claim 2, wherein it is determined that the feeding of the paper leaves into the transport path is completed when the paper leaves are not detected after being detected. In the transport control unit, the paper leaf feeding operation is executed immediately before by the paper leaf feeding device located on the downstream side of the paper leaf feeding device which is the transmission source of the paper leaf transport request message. If this is the case, it is considered that there is no paper leaf being transported within the collision merging avoidance range, and it is determined that the second transport permission condition is satisfied, and the message is the source of the paper leaf transport request message. If the paper leaf feeding operation is executed immediately before by the paper leaf feeding device located upstream of the paper leaf feeding device, the paper leaf feeding request message is transmitted. The claim is characterized in that it is determined that the second transport permission condition is satisfied by detecting the passage of the paper leaves by the paper leaf detection means during transportation corresponding to the paper leaf feeding device. The paper leaf transport system according to item 2 or claim 3. The authenticity determination operation for determining the authenticity of the paper sheets thrown in from the slot is performed, and if the thrown paper leaves are determined to be fake, they are returned from the slot and the paper thrown in from the slot. Even if the paper sheets are judged to be genuine, they are not discharged to the intake side while the discharge operation suppression signal is input, and when the discharge operation suppression signal is no longer input, it is determined to be genuine. A paper leaf identification device for discharging the paper leaves to the intake side is provided corresponding to all the paper leaf feeding devices.
The feed control means of the paper leaf feed device constantly outputs the discharge operation suppression signal to the paper leaf identification device, and the paper leaf identification device performs the authenticity determination operation to control the transport. The paper leaf transport request message is transmitted to the unit, and the paper leaf transport permission message is received from the transport control unit to stop the discharge operation suppression signal, and the paper leaf identification device determines that the paper leaf is genuine. The paper leaf according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the paper leaf is discharged to the intake side and received, and the paper leaf feeding operation is executed. Transport system. The feeding control means of the paper leaf feeding device did not receive the paper sheets from the paper leaf species identification device within a predetermined paper leaf acceptance grace period after starting the paper leaf feeding operation. In this case, the paper leaf feeding operation is stopped, the paper leaf transport canceling message is transmitted to the transport control unit, and the received paper leaf transport permission message is canceled. The paper leaf transport system according to claim 5. The paper leaf feeding device is equipped with
A paper leaf receiving port connected to the intake side of the paper leaf identification device, and
When the paper leaf identification device performs the authenticity determination operation on the paper leaves thrown in from the insertion port, a part of the paper leaves enters from the paper leaf receiving port. Class reception passage and
An authenticity determination operation detecting means for detecting a state in which the paper sheet identification device is performing the authenticity determination operation based on the paper sheets entering the paper sheet acceptance passage.
Provided
The feed control means determines whether or not the authenticity determination operation is being executed by the paper leaf identification device based on the detection information from the authenticity determination operation detection means, and the authenticity determination operation is executed. The paper leaf transport system according to claim 5 or 6, wherein the paper leaf transport request message is transmitted to the transport control unit when it is determined to be present. The authenticity determination operation detecting means includes a first paper leaf sensor that detects the paper leaves that have entered the paper leaf receiving passage shallowly when the paper leaf identification device executes the authenticity determination operation, and the above. Includes a second paper leaf sensor that detects the paper leaf that has entered deep into the paper leaf receiving passage when the paper leaf identification device executes the authenticity determination operation.
The feed control means is described by the paper leaf identification device based on a combination of the detection state of the paper leaves by the first paper leaf sensor and the detection state of the paper leaves by the second paper leaf sensor. The paper leaf transport system according to claim 7, wherein the execution of the authenticity determination operation is determined.

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