JPH03125282A - Micr coding apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To speed up a slip processing by moving slips and the like along a slip guide and encoding the slips and the like with selected data and permitting discharge members to discharge the slip and the like from a guide member and a device. CONSTITUTION: When a sensor 44 is covered at first, the slip is detached from a printing machine and moves to left. When the sensor 44 is not covered at first, it moves to right to the printing machine. When the front edge of the slip is detected, the position of the slip is sufficiently known and the slip moves much more by a driving system along the slip guide. Then, it is encoded by information inputted by an operator through a keyboard. Then, the clamp of the driving system is opened by the complete encoding of the slip. Then, the slip is discharged from the slip guide with the operation of the discharge mechanisms 90 and 92. Thus, the slip processing is speeded up.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial Application Field] The present invention generally relates to a document encoding device (encoder).
More particularly, the present invention relates to a portable MICR (Magnetic Ink Character Recognition) slip encoding device that operates at relatively high speeds.

[Prior art] Until relatively recently, MICR code-based vouchers, checks,
Encoding of other documents and other documents has been done by mechanical and electromechanical devices. Generally, these machines were very bulky and difficult to operate. The procedure for encoding the information to be encoded on the slip was tedious, tedious, and generally time consuming. Therefore, such devices could not be considered very flexible when it came to operation. One is the subject matter of Bivin, U.S. Pat. ing.

Problem to be Solved by the Invention However, since the commercial introduction of that particular coding device, other coding devices have been introduced that have electronic circuitry and programmability to compete with that coding device. Ta. Even though such machines have generally achieved substantial commercial success, it is desirable to substantially increase the throughput of vouchers, ie, the speed at which vouchers are processed by the machine. Until now, a substantial increase in processing speed has been
Because it is difficult to increase paper speed using existing paper transport systems used in current coding devices such as U.S. Pat. No. 4,624,588;
It was impossible. Attempting to increase paper speed using such systems results in a substantial increase in the number of paper jams in the document guide, paper waving during transport leads to poor print quality, and This is because misalignment of the paper again causes deterioration in print quality and character placement errors. These factors and others have prevented substantial increases in paper processing speed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to realize a MICRIC type encoding device having a paper transport mechanism capable of processing a document approximately twice as fast as existing systems.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a guide member capable of receiving documents including vouchers, checks, and other documents to be encoded, and sensors disposed at first and second spaces. and a member for detecting a leading edge of the voucher. . Additionally, the device includes not only a member for encoding documents with selected data, but also a device for selectively clamping documents and then
and a member for moving the slips along the slip guide. It likewise includes an element for ejecting the documents from the document guide, which ejection element is arranged downstream of the coding element and includes an element for gripping and moving the documents. The discharge member acts on the documents even while the documents are clamped by the document clamp moving member, but the discharge member acts only when the document clamp moving member itself is acting on the documents. This is insufficient to overcome the gripping action and control of document movement exerted by the document clamp moving member. Additionally, the device includes a member for releasing the clamping member, thereby allowing an ejection member to eject the document from the guide member and the device.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 shows the outer part of an improved MICR encoding device according to the invention, designated generally by the reference numeral 10. Encoding device 10 is generally defined as a programmable electronic document encoding device. The information encoded on the voucher is conveniently controlled by the operator through a keyboard interface, indicated generally at 12. The actual operation of the device is controlled by the microprocessor in response to information and commands entered by the operator through the keyboard 12.

Since the printed information is displayed on the screen 15, it is possible to check it accurately.

To simplify the operation of the device of the invention, the document 13 is inserted by the operator into a document guide 14 that extends laterally across the width of the device. In the illustrated embodiment, the document may be inserted laterally into the document guide 14 from the left side, as indicated by the solid line, or - into the document guide 14, as indicated by the dash-dot line. It may be inserted vertically. After being inserted, the document 13 is first sensed to determine its correct position within the document guide and then moved to a base position from which information entered by the operator at the keyboard is transferred onto the document. Pass through the printing font, which will be coded. The slip is then ejected from the device. The transaction printed on the slip is also printed as a hard copy by the printer 20.

Referring now to FIGS. 3 and 4, the document guide 14, which is comprised of a rear section 24 and a front section 26, is shown in detail. The front section of the document guide 14 includes a narrow horizontal flange 28 at its lower edge, which is connected to the rear section 24.
is fixed to a mating flange 30 at the lower edge of. The rear section 24 and the front section 26 have respective flanges 2
When fixed to each other along 8 and 30, 7 between them
The grooves 33 are arranged and formed so that a groove 33 having a letter shape is formed.

It is this groove 33 that receives the slip to be coded. The distance between the two areas 24 and 26 at the top of the groove is approximately 1/8 inch;
The distance between areas 24 and 26 at the bottom of is approximately 0,1
It is 6 centimeters (1/16 inch). Areas 24 and 26
At the top of each is an upper flange 29 and 31 which curves outward from the respective area to form an entrance to the form guide 14.

In the illustrated embodiment, the document guide 14 has a diameter of approximately 0.
It is made of clear plastic 16 centimeters (approximately 1/16 inch) thick. Arranged within the slip guide 14 are a plurality of sensors. Each sensor includes a conventional light emitting diode (LED) and an infrared sensor. The information provided by each sensor is provided to a microprocessor that controls the functionality of the device, as described below.

Sensors 40 and 42 are located near the bottom of the document guide 14 and are responsible for ascertaining whether the document is properly received within the document guide 14 and in a selected longitudinal position of the document guide. Sensors 40 and 42 are in the same horizontal plane and are separated by about 2 inches and 1/8 in the illustrated embodiment. When both sensors 40 and 42 are covered, i.e. the slip covers two elements of each sensor (LED, sensor)
When the light path between the two is completely blocked, the slip is clamped as described below and then conveyed along the slip guide for printing.

Sensor 44 is located at a relatively small distance above sensor 42 (
It is placed slightly forward at a distance of approximately 146 centimeters (5/8 inch). Sensor 44 is connected to sensors 40 and 42
The leading edge of the document is detected along with information from the document, resulting in complete confirmation of the document's position prior to encoding. Located in substantially the same horizontal plane as sensors 40 and 42, but slightly in front of sensor 44 (approximately 1/4 inch) is sensor 46. When the document is correctly placed as confirmed by sensors 40, 42 and 44, sensor 46
Provides information on determining the presence of a complete lower front corner of the document. This is called a "corner break" sensor and detects the presence of a corner break in the lower corner of the leading edge of the document.

A slip clamping mechanism is also shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. It includes two fixed drive wheels 48 and 50 in the illustrated embodiment. Slip guide 1
The front section 26 of 4 is cut out to accommodate fixed drive wheels 48 and 50. Fixed drive wheel 4
8 and 50 are mounted on vertical drive shafts 52 and 54, respectively. At the bottom of vertical shafts 52 and 54 are pulleys 56 and 58, respectively.

Fixed drive wheels 48 and 5 in the illustrated embodiment
0 is made of metal and has an overall length of approximately 0.6 inches and also includes a knurled vertical surface portion of approximately 0.835 inches. .

The top and bottom edges of the fixed drive wheels are raised.

Drive rollers 60 and 62, which are arranged in the same lateral plane as drive wheels 48 and 50 with respect to document guide 14,
It extends through a corresponding cutout portion 61 , 63 in the rear section 24 of the document guide 14 . Drive rollers 60 and 62 are made of polyurethane and are rounded as best seen in FIG.

In the illustrated embodiment, drive rollers 60 and 62 are mounted on vertical drive shafts 64 and 66, respectively.

Subsequently, the drive shafts 64 and 66 are connected to a horizontal support plate 88.
mounted on top. The support plate 68 is supported for pivoting movement in the vertical plane about horizontal pins 70.71 extending into the side edges of the plate 68 in the vicinity of the front edge of the plate 68. Plate 68 includes a rear section 72 that moves vertically under the control of a solenoid 72. The operation of solenoid 72 is controlled by pins 70 and 7.
1, so that drive rollers 60 and 62 towards drive wheels 48 and 5o
This will result in a movement of .

In one operating position, where solenoid 72 is not actuated, drive rollers 60 and 62 will not be in physical contact with drive shafts 48 and 50.

In the other operating position, in which the solenoid 72 is actuated, the drive rollers 60 and 62 move in close proximity to the drive wheels 48 and 50 to positively grip and clamp the document located between them. become.

Referring now to FIG. 5, the document shows drive wheels 48 and 5.
0 rotation into the slip guide 14. This connects pulley wheels 56 and 58 through a first drive belt 78.
drive both the drive shaft 52.54 and the drive shaft 48.50
This is accomplished by a motor 76 which causes rotation of the document, thereby causing the document to move in the selected direction.

In the illustrated embodiment, motor 76 is a two-way motor so that the slip can be moved in both directions within the guide member by motor 76 and drive wheels 48.50. In one particular embodiment, motor 76 is a stepper motor that allows precision t,7 (control) with respect to the position of the motor.

The voucher is coded by a printing mechanism, indicated generally by reference numeral 80 in FIG.

This printing mechanism includes a rotating printing font 82 with the characters to be printed and a rear area 2 of the document guide 14 as the document moves between the impact hammer 84 and the printing font 82.
an impact hammer 84 that moves through a notched portion 85 in 4.

Disposed downstream of the slip drive system, ie, to the right of the printing mechanism 80, drive wheel 50, and drive roller 62 combination in FIG. 3, is a slip ejecting mechanism. In the illustrated embodiment, the voucher ejection mechanism includes a pair of spaced ejection wheels that engage ejection rollers. Ejection wheels 90 and 92
are fixed in place and extend through corresponding cutout portions 91 , 93 in the front section 26 of the document guide 14 .

The ejection wheels 90 and 92 in the illustrated embodiment are metal with relatively flexible plastic or polyurethane rims and are supported by vertical drive shafts 94 and 96. A pulley 9 is provided at the lower end of the drive shafts 94 and 96.
There are 8 and 100.

In the illustrated embodiment, ejection wheels 90 and 92 are separated by a distance of approximately 3 inches between their respective centerlines.

A discharge roller 102 .works in engagement with discharge wheels 90 and 92 .
104 is also configured such that the slip is close enough to the ejection wheels 90 and 92 to be able to move pinched between them as the ejection wheels rotate without any other forces acting on the slip. It is fixed in place and extends through openings 106 and 108 in the rear section 24 of the guide 14. However, while the slip is clamped between the drive wheels 48, 50 and the drive rollers 60, 62, the gripping action of the ejection mechanism is insufficient to influence the movement of the slip due to the action of the ejection wheels. It is. This allows the ejection wheel to move continuously through the document encoding process without interfering with the document motion 1 until the drive rollers 60, 62 are unclamped.

Referring to FIG. 5, the exhaust drive wheels 90 and 92 also
It is driven by a motor 76 through a second drive belt 102 . A second drive belt 102 extends around drive pulleys 98, 100 and idler wheel 104 as shown.

Therefore, the slip ejection mechanism is driven independently of the slip drive mechanism, but is also driven by the same motor.

When voucher encoding is complete and the voucher is in a position such that at least the first ejection wheel and roller combination contacts the voucher, the voucher is unclamped by releasing solenoid 72. Drive rollers 60, 62 are drive wheels 48.
50 and the slip is no longer gripped between them.

However, at this point the document has been moved along the document guide far enough that the front end of the document is wedged between the ejection wheel 90 and the ejection roller 102 that engages it, and the ejection wheel 90 Since it is actively and continuously driven by the motor 76, the document is moved through the document guide 1.
4 will be further moved along. The document will soon be moved far enough to be gripped by both ejection wheels and their associated ejection rollers. The slip is then quickly moved along the rest of the slip guide and discharged from the device into a storage box or the like.

When a document is moved along a document guide, increasing the speed of the document generally causes the document to move rapidly back and forth within the guide, creating an undesirable effect commonly referred to as "undulation." This effect is generally not eliminated by simply narrowing the angle of the document guide, since this generally greatly increases the likelihood of paper jams.

To prevent rippling effects, the illustrated embodiment includes:
A slip deflector member is provided.

The document deflector, indicated generally by the reference numeral 120 in FIG. 3 and shown in detail in FIG.
Consisting of a strip of flexible plastic material fixed to the front surface of 9.

Deflectors 1 and 20 in the illustrated embodiment have a thickness of about 2 mils, a width of about 0.28 inches, and a length of about 2.8 inches. 68 inches). The end portions 122, 124 of the strip are square, while the central portion 126 of the strip is slightly curved downward. The upper edge 128 of the central portion 126 is approximately 2.85 cm (1,125 inches)
, while its lower edge 130 has a radius of approximately 4.4
It has a radius of 4 centimeters (1,75 inches). The lower edges of the end portions 122, 124 generally coincide with the demarcation line between the flange 29 and the rear section 24 of the document guide, while the central portion 126 has a
16 inches) into the groove of the document guide in the general direction of the front section 26 of the document guide, thereby reducing the width of the groove slightly at that particular location.

While encoding the information on the voucher, the device also provides a hard copy of that particular transaction. In the illustrated embodiment, the information to be printed on a given document, ie, a single transaction document determined by an operator at a keyboard, is fed into a buffer storage 110 coupled to a printer 20.

Buffer storage 110 provides temporary storage of information for each successive transaction document prior to the actual printing of the transaction document so that the document is coded as quickly and continuously as possible regardless of the actual speed of the printer. It will be possible. printer 2
It is assumed that printing by 0 involves processing data in the buffer area when there is a break in the slip encoding process. Such a configuration transfers the document encoding process to the printer 2.
0, thereby speeding up the overall document encoding process.

The use of the apparatus briefly described above will now be described in more detail.

The slip is first inserted into the slip guide 14 by the operator from either the top or the left side of the MCR encoding device 10. When the sensors 40 and 42 are completely covered, the slip is clamped between the drive wheels 48, 50 and the drive rollers 60, 62 that engage them.

If a corner fold is detected, the document is prevented from being coded until it is ejected or the document is removed.

Depending on the position of the document within the guide, a complete document with no tears or corner folds will move away from the printing machine to the left, with sensor 44 covered first, and sensor 44 must be covered first. For example, move to the right toward the printing mechanism. When the leading edge of the document is detected, the position of the document is fully known. This is called the base position of the document. In the illustrated embodiment, the base position of the document is in close proximity to the printing mechanism of FIG. Paper jams and the like can be minimized.

The voucher is then moved further by the drive system along the voucher guide and is encoded with information entered by the operator through the keyboard 12. Following complete encoding of the document, the clamp of the drive system is released and the document is ejected from the document guide by the action of the ejection mechanism.

In the embodiments, only slips have been described, but the present invention is applicable not only to slips but also to slips including checks and other documents.

From the foregoing, the present invention provides an improved programmable electronic MICR encoder system that incorporates numerous improvements to substantially increase voucher processing speed.

Although preferred embodiments of the invention have been disclosed herein by way of illustration, various modifications, changes and substitutions may be made to such embodiments without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined by the claims. shall be understood as being incorporated.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

1 is a perspective view of the device of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the device of FIG. 1 with the outer portion removed, and FIG.
4 is a perspective view of the paper conveyance system of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1, FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the slip clamp portion of the sheet conveyance system shown in FIG. 3, and FIG. 6 is a bottom view of a portion of the structure of the apparatus shown in FIG. 3, showing the drive system for the paper transport system of FIG.
FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a slip deflector portion of the paper conveyance system shown in the figure. 10... MICR encoding device 12... Keyboard interface 13... Slip 14...
Slip kite 15... Screen 20... Printer 24... Front area 26... Rear area
28...Horizontal flange 30...Companion flange
33...Groove 39...Top flange 31...Top flange...Sensor 76...Motor 82...Rotary printing font 120...Deflector 40, 42. 44. 46 80...Printing mechanism 90.92...Ejection wheel

Claims (8)

[Claims] (1) A portable MICR encoding device for automatically encoding MICR characters on vouchers and other documents, the device being capable of receiving vouchers containing vouchers and other documents to be encoded. a guide member including first and second spaced apart sensors for detecting when the document is accurately positioned within the document guide; and a member for detecting a leading edge of the document. a member for selectively clamping the slips when both the first and second sensors detect the presence of the slips, and then moving the slips along the slip guide; , a member for encoding the slips according to selected data, and a member for ejecting the slips from the slip guide, the ejecting member being disposed downstream of the encoding member;
It includes a member for gripping and moving slips, and the ejecting member acts on the slips even while the slips are clamped by the clamp moving member; and a member for releasing the clamp member from the slips. A MICR encoding device, characterized in that: an ejecting member allows slips to be ejected from the guide member and the device. (2) The MICR encoding device according to claim 1, wherein the guide member is configured to receive slips from above the guide or from one side thereof. (3) The MICR encoding device according to claim 1, further comprising a sensor member for detecting the presence of a complete lower leading edge of a document. (4) the clamp moving member includes first and second spaced apart drive wheels and first and second spaced apart drive rollers that engage the drive wheels;
in a first position of the drive roller, the document is securely clamped between the drive wheel and the drive roller, and in a second position of the drive roller, the document is clamped securely between the drive wheel and the drive roller. between the first position and the second position; The MICR encoding device according to claim 1, further comprising a member for moving the drive roller. (5) The ejecting member is a member for driving first and second ejecting wheels arranged apart from each other, and first and second ejecting rollers and ejecting wheels arranged apart from each other that engage with them. and the ejection wheel and the ejection roller are each arranged such that the documents are gripped between them as long as the documents are actually between them, and when the documents are clamped by the document clamp moving means. 2. The MICR encoding device according to claim 1, wherein the discharge wheel is continuously driven. (6) The MICR encoding device according to claim (5), wherein the discharge wheel is driven independently of the drive wheel. (7) includes a member for separately recording encoded data on each slip, and a buffer storage member for temporarily storing said data prior to its recording; MICR encoding device according to claim 1, characterized in that it is arranged to prevent any delay in encoding the document by the device. (8) a relatively thin document deflector member disposed within the guide member in the vicinity of the document encoding member, said document deflector member being configured to extend slightly inwardly within the guide member, thereby 2. The MICR encoding device according to claim 1, wherein the guide member is slightly narrowed at a certain point.