JPH0585948B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a banknote processing apparatus, for example, a banknote processing apparatus installed in a banknote handling apparatus such as an automatic teller machine.

The banknote processing device includes a banknote input slot for inputting banknotes, a banknote discharge port or return port for discharging or returning banknotes, a temporary holding section for temporarily holding banknotes, and a banknote storage for storing banknotes. The banknotes are conveyed through a conveyance path between these openings and sections. Among the errors that can occur in such a banknote processing apparatus, the most frequently occurring error is the occurrence of banknote jamming, that is, banknotes becoming tangled or jammed between belts or rollers on a conveyance path. Jams occur not only on the conveyance path but also at each of the ports and parts mentioned above.
When a jam occurs, the banknote handling machine itself and the automatic machine equipped with the banknote processing machine have to be interrupted, as recovery work by staff is required. This will cause inconvenience to customers. In particular, if the automatic teller machine is located outside a bank branch or is used outside the bank's opening hours, it may take some time for the staff to arrive, or you may have to go to the bank's counter at a later date. There may be situations where this should not happen.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The purpose of the present invention is to operate a banknote processing device as much as possible even if a jam occurs, and to prevent the above-mentioned situation from occurring as much as possible.

The banknote processing device according to the present invention includes a common conveyance path provided between a banknote slot and a plurality of banknote storage units, with the banknote slot as one end, and one end of each of the common transport paths connected to the other end of the common transport path. a banknote conveyance path comprising a plurality of individual conveyance paths each having an end connected to each banknote storing section; a banknote discriminating means including a banknote validating device provided on the conveyance path and determining a banknote storage section in which the banknote is to be stored according to a determination result by the banknote validating device; provided on the common conveying path, the banknote validating device; A banknote temporary holding means holds the banknotes discriminated according to the order of discrimination, and the banknotes are stored in the banknote temporary holding unit, which stores information about the banknote storage section determined by the banknote discriminating means. a means for storing the information in association with the order; a switching mechanism provided at a point where the common conveyance path joins the plurality of individual conveyance paths and selectively connects the common conveyance path to any one of the individual conveyance paths;
The conveyance abnormality detection means detects abnormality in the conveyance of banknotes in each of the common conveyance path and the individual conveyance path, and the conveyance abnormality detection means does not detect any abnormality in the conveyance of banknotes in either the common conveyance path or the individual conveyance paths. In some cases, the common conveyance path is connected to an individual conveyance path coupled to a banknote storage section in which each banknote held in the temporary storage means is to be stored, according to information stored in the storage means. When the conveyance abnormality detection means detects a conveyance abnormality of banknotes in any of the individual conveyance paths, the banknotes to be stored in the banknote storage unit connected to the individual conveyance path in which the conveyance abnormality has been detected are stored in the storage means. Regardless of stored information,
The switching mechanism is controlled so that the common conveyance path is connected to a specific individual conveyance path other than the individual conveyance path in which the conveyance abnormality has been detected, and the conveyance abnormality detection means controls the conveyance of banknotes on the common conveyance path. The device is equipped with a control means that stops the operation of the entire device when an abnormality is detected.

The bill slot includes a bill insertion slot, a bill return slot, a bill discharge slot, and the like. The banknote conveyance path also includes the vicinity of the entrance and the vicinity of the exit (feeding port) of the banknote storage section. Various banknote storage units are included depending on the embodiment. Examples include those that store incoming banknotes all at once, those that store outgoing banknotes by denomination, banknote collection units, and those that store incoming banknotes and outgoing banknotes by denomination. Good morning.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the plurality of banknote storage sections include a denomination-specific storage section and a collection section, and the individual conveyance path is connected to a first individual conveyance path coupled to the denomination-specific storage section and the collection section. and a coupled second individual conveyance path. A switching mechanism selectively connects the common conveyance path to one of the first or second individual conveyance paths. The control means controls the switching mechanism so that the common conveyance path is connected to the second individual conveyance path when the conveyance abnormality detection means detects an abnormality in the conveyance of banknotes in the first individual conveyance path.
When the conveyance abnormality detection means detects an abnormality in the conveyance of banknotes in the second individual conveyance path, the control means stops the operation of the entire apparatus.

According to this invention, if a banknote transport abnormality, such as a jam, occurs during banknote processing operations, the transport abnormality will not have a decisive effect on the operation of the entire apparatus as long as the occurrence point is on an individual transport path. Therefore, it is possible to continue processing by transporting banknotes through other individual transport paths where there is no transport abnormality. Although part of the banknote processing function is lost for the individual conveyance path where the conveyance abnormality has occurred, it is possible to stop part of the operation mode of the banknote processing device and continue banknote processing only in other operation modes. For example, when this invention is applied to an automatic teller machine, the operating rate of the machine can be increased by displaying available modes on the customer service screen. In this way, it is possible to eliminate as much as possible the inconvenience to customers due to interruptions in processing due to the occurrence of transport abnormalities, waiting for staff to arrive, and the like. If a conveyance abnormality occurs on the common conveyance path, it is impossible to continue banknote processing, and the banknote processing apparatus is shut down and left to the recovery process by an attendant.

The banknote temporary storage unit is used to return the inserted and verified banknotes when a cancellation input is received before the end of transaction processing. When storing banknotes that have been held in the banknote temporary storage unit into the banknote storage unit by denomination, it is generally necessary to re-identify the banknotes. According to this invention, since the information regarding the banknote storage unit in which the banknotes held in the banknote temporary storage unit should be stored is stored for each banknote, the information is stored only once when the banknotes inserted into the banknote temporary storage unit are held. It is sufficient to perform banknote discrimination, and the banknote storing operation can be performed quickly.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 shows an outline of the overall configuration in which the present invention is applied to a circulating banknote processing device in an automatic teller machine. The banknote input section 1 is also used as a return section. The input section 1 may also be used as a discharge section. The banknote processing device also includes Bill Checker 2,
Banknote temporary storage section 3, banknote storage sections 4A to 4 by denomination
C, a banknote collection box 4D, and a temporary hold for defective banknotes 5 are provided, and each of these parts 1, 2, 3, 4A to 4D,
There are conveyance paths 11 to 20, 28, and 29 between 5,
Banknotes are conveyed along this conveyance path. A distribution flapper is provided at each branch point of the conveyance path. Further, bill sensors (monitoring sensors, passing sensors) are arranged at appropriate locations on the conveyance path. These flappers and sensors will be explained in detail later. The bill checker 2 distinguishes the authenticity and type of banknotes. Input/return section 1, banknote storage section 4A
~4C and the banknote temporary storage unit 3 are for holding the banknotes that have been inserted or carried in, and have a mechanism for stacking the banknotes carried in from the conveyance path and a mechanism for feeding out the stacked and held banknotes one by one. have. The defective banknote temporary storage section 5 also holds the banknotes that have been brought in, but the banknotes held are fed out all at once. The collecting section 4D is for carrying in and accumulating banknotes.

Figure 2 shows the banknote storage section 4 for each denomination (4A to 4C).
(collectively referred to as ). In this figure, a box body for storing banknotes is omitted.
The input/return section 1 also has almost the same structure as the banknote storage sections 4A to 4C. However, the input/return section 1 merely has an input/return port 1a.

In FIG. 2, a collection belt 51 is placed horizontally at the bottom of the box of the banknote storage section 4 and is hung between rollers. A pressing plate 53 is provided upright on the upper part of the accumulating belt 51, and the belt 5
1 is driven by the motor 52,
The pressing plate 53 is moved in the front-back direction depending on the amount of banknotes B accumulated on the accumulation belt 51. A holding plate 58 is provided below the upper part of the accumulating belt 51 on which banknotes B are placed so that the upper part thereof remains horizontal. The front side of the accumulating belt 51 serves as a feedout port, and a shutter 55 is provided to open and close this feedout port. This shutter 55 is opened and closed by a solenoid 56 via a link 57. The shutter 55 also functions to hold the accumulated banknotes.

In front of such a banknote stacking section, there is a stacking roller 31 at the top and a feeding roller 32 at the bottom.
are arranged respectively, and these rollers 31, 32
A conveyor belt 33 is hung on. roller 3
1, 32 and belt 33 are driven by a motor 38. The accumulating roller 31 includes a pressing roller 3.
4 are in contact. A two-sheet feeding prevention roller 35 is in contact with the feeding roller 32 below the feeding opening. This roller 35 is driven to rotate in the opposite direction to the feeding roller 32. A guide plate 44 is provided below the feeding roller 32 along the circumferential surface of the roller 32.

The conveyance path 16 is composed of a large number of rollers 41 and a belt 42 that is hung around these rollers 41.
A belt 33 is opposite to 2, and both belts 42,
33, the banknotes are sandwiched and conveyed. A guide plate 43 is also provided below this portion. A sorting flapper 36 is provided above the collecting roller 31 at a location where the conveying path 16 branches to the entrance to the banknote storage section 4 . This fratsupa 3
6 is driven by a solenoid 37.

When the transported banknotes are to be accumulated in the banknote storage section 4, the flapper 36 is switched to block the transport path 16, and the shutter 55 is switched to the position where the outlet is closed (as shown in FIG. 2). (all shown with chain lines). When the motor 38 is driven, the banknotes that have been conveyed through the conveyance path 16 from the bottom to the top in FIG. Sent. The pressing plate 53 is sequentially moved rearward according to the number of banknotes B stacked.

In order to dispense the stacked banknotes, the sorting flapper 36 is switched to a position that blocks the above-mentioned stacking path as shown by the solid line, and the shutter 55 is opened. When the motor 38 is driven, the feeding roller 32 is made of rubber and the prevention roller 35 is driven in the opposite direction, so the bills are fed out one by one and passed between the guide plate 44 and the roller 32. It enters the conveyance path 16 and is sent upward in FIG. 2.

A monitoring sensor 45 for detecting banknotes is installed near the entrance where the accumulating roller 31 of the banknote storage box 4 is installed.
is provided. The sorting flapper 36 and the monitoring sensor 45 are located in the storage boxes 4A to 4A in FIG.
4C are shown with symbols A to C added to them, respectively. In FIG. 1, a distribution flapper 36D is provided at a location where the conveyance path 15 branches into a conveyance path 16 and a recovery path 18. Further, in FIG. 1, there are points where the conveyance path 12 branches into conveyance paths 19 and 13, a place where the conveyance path 14 branches into conveyance paths 29 and 15, and a place where the conveyance path 19 branches into conveyance paths 20 and 28.
There are distribution flappers 24, 25,
26 are provided respectively. There are other distribution flappers, but their symbols are omitted.

In FIG. 1, banknote passage sensors 21 and 22 are disposed on the conveyance path 14 and on the conveyance path 16 up to the storage box 4C, respectively. A monitoring sensor 45D is provided in the recovery path 18. Furthermore, banknote sensors are provided at appropriate locations on the conveyance path shown in FIG. The banknote sensor (passing sensor, monitoring sensor) is composed of, for example, a photoelectric detector.

FIG. 3 shows the electrical configuration of the banknote processing device. The banknote processing device is controlled by the CPU 60, and the CPU 60 is a ROM that stores the program.
61 and a RAM 62 for storing various data. In addition, the various banknote sensor groups 64, flapper group 65, bill checker 2, and transport path drive unit 66 are connected to the CPU 6 via the interface 63.
Connected to 0.

FIG. 4 shows part of the contents of RAM 62. In addition to the number of banknotes stored in each storage section/temporary storage section, the type and number of banknotes to be ejected, and other data, the RAM 62 contains a banknote storage destination table, a timer setting time table, and an abnormality flag table. are provided and are used as pass timers and watchdog timers. These timers can also be provided externally without using an area in the RAM.
The banknote storage destination table indicates where each banknote held in the temporary holding unit 3 should be sent to, among the storage units 4A to 4D, and is determined based on the discrimination result of the bill checker 2. The abnormality flag is used to remember where an abnormality has occurred in a banknote, and the timer setting time is used to determine that an abnormality has occurred. The meanings of the abnormality, flag, and timer setting time are as follows.

Each of the flags FA to FC records the occurrence of a jam at the entrance of each denomination banknote storage section. That is, if a bill does not pass the position of each monitoring sensor 45A to 45C until a certain period of time TS has elapsed after each of the monitoring sensors 45A to 45C detects a bill, each of these flags FA to FC is set to 1.
is set to

The flag FD is set to 1 when the banknote remains at the position of the monitoring sensor 45D for a time TK (which may be the same as TS) or more.

The flag F1 is used to record the occurrence of jamming of banknotes between the dispensing port of the temporary holding section 3 and the passing sensor 21 on the conveyance path 14. is set to 1 if no bill is detected.

The flag F2 is used to record jamming of banknotes between the sensor 21 and the passage sensor 22 on the conveyance path 16, and is used to record jamming of banknotes between the sensor 21 and the passage sensor 22 on the conveyance path 16, and the occurrence of jamming between the sensor 21 detecting the banknote and the elapse of a certain period of time T2. Set to 1 if sensor 22 does not detect a bill.

The flag F3 is set from the sensor 22 to each storage box 4A,
The occurrence of a jam in a banknote is stored during the period up to the monitoring sensor 45A, 45B, or 45C of 4B or 4C, and the time for determining that a jam has occurred is given by Ta, Tb, or Tc, respectively.

The flag F4 stores the occurrence of a jam between the sensor 21 and the sensor 45D of the recovery path 18, and the presence or absence of a jam is determined using the time T4.

FIG. 5 shows the case where banknotes are conveyed one by one from the temporary holding section 3 to one of the storage sections 4A to 4D.
An example of a processing procedure by the CPU 60 is shown.
The banknotes inserted into slot 1 are fed out one by one,
The bills are sent to the bill checker 2 through the conveyance paths 11 and 12, where the authenticity and type of the banknotes are determined.Only genuine banknotes are then passed through the conveyance paths 12 and 13 and stored in the temporary holding section 3. It is assumed that there is Based on the denomination determination result by the bill checker 2, the destination (any of 4A to 4D) for each banknote held in the holding unit 3 has already been determined and is stored in the banknote destination table. shall be. Even if the banknotes are genuine, they are unsuitable for use as dispensing banknotes due to some damage, etc., and the destination is the collection unit 4D.

First, the sorting flapper 25 is switched to the storage side, that is, the conveyance path 15, so that the banknotes can be conveyed (step 71), the feeding mechanism of the temporary holding section 3 is driven (step 72), and the passage timer is set to time T1. This timer operation is started (step 73). If the sensor 21 detects a banknote before the time T1 elapses (step 74
If YES or NO in step 75), one bill is normally fed out and conveyed through the conveyance path 14. Time T1 until sensor 21 detects banknotes
If the time has elapsed (NO in step 74, YES in step 75), the abnormality flag F1 is set to 1, and the occurrence of a jam near the outlet of the temporary holding section 3 is stored (step 76). This feeding abnormality affects the operation of the entire banknote handling device, and since further operation is impossible, the operation will be stopped, and a separately installed monitoring device (remote monitor, etc.) will be detected to have an abnormality. You will be notified of the occurrence (step 121). In this case, you will have to wait for the staff to perform the recovery process.

If the feeding is normal, the storage destination table in the RAM 62 is referred to (step 77), and it is determined whether the destination of the bill is storage section 4A, 4B, 4C, or 4D (steps 78 to 80). If the destination is the storage section 4A, it is checked whether the flag FA is 0 (step 81). If FA=0, banknotes can be stored in the storage section 4A. The flappers 36A to 36D of each of the storage units 4A to 4D are normally located in the direction in which banknotes are conveyed, that is, on the side that prohibits carrying of banknotes into the storage unit. Therefore, the flapper 36A is switched to the storage side in order to carry the bill into the storage section 4A (step 82), time Ta is set on the monitoring timer, and the monitoring sensor 45 is switched to the storage side (step 82).
A is set to a state where banknotes can be detected. That is, for example, a light projecting element that has been turned off to save power is energized (step 83). Flag FA is 1
In this case, it is impossible to store banknotes in the storage section 4A. In such a case, the process moves to a collection process to be described later in order to carry the banknote into the collection unit 4D. Similar processing is performed when the destination is the storage unit 4B or 4C (steps 84-89).

Subsequently, time T2 is set in the passage timer and the operation of this timer is started (step 90). If the banknote is detected by the sensor 22 before the time T2 elapses (step 91), the banknote is detected by the sensor 22.
This means that the paper has been transported normally from the position 1 to the position of the sensor 22. Step 83, 86 or 89
The operation of the monitoring timer to which respective times Ta, Tb or Tc are set is started (step 94), and if the sensor 45A, 45B or 45C is turned on before these times elapse (step 95), the banknote is This means that the product has been normally transported to the entrance of the storage section 4A, 4B, or 4C.

If the time T2 has elapsed before the sensor 22 detects a bill (step 92), the flag F2 is set to 1 (step 93) and the operation is stopped (step 121). If the time Ta, Tb or Tc elapses before the sensor 45A, 45B or 45C detects a banknote (step 96), the flag F3 is set to 1 (step 97), and the operation is also stopped in this case. (Step 121).

Now, when the banknotes reach the entrance of the storage section 4A, 4B or 4C, a time TS is set in the monitoring timer and this timer is started (step 9).
8). Before the time TS elapses, the banknote is sent to sensor 45.
If the bill passes through the positions A, 45B, or 45C (step 99), it means that the bill has been properly stored in the storage section. Thereupon, it is checked whether all the bills in the temporary holding section 3 have been fed out or not (step 103), and if not, the process returns to step 72 and the above-described operation is repeated.
Here, for convenience, after one bill is carried into the storage section, the next bill is fed out from the temporary holding section 3, but bills are fed out from the temporary holding section 3 one after another at regular intervals. You may also choose to release it.

Sensor 45A, 45B or 45C for a certain period of time
If a banknote continues to be detected for Ts or more (step 100), it is determined that a jam has occurred, and the corresponding one of flags FA to FC is set to 1 (step 101), and a message to that effect is set. The monitoring device is notified (step 102). In this case, the operation does not stop and the step (10
Proceed to 3). This is because even if a jam occurs at the entrance of one or more storage sections,
This is because the next banknote can be sent to the collecting section 4D (see steps 81, 84, and 87 above).

If the destination of the banknotes dispensed from the temporary storage unit 3 is the collection unit 4D (NO in step 80), or if the destination storage unit is abnormal (NO in steps 81, 84 or 87), the flapper 36D collects the banknotes. At the same time, the sensor 45D is set to the operable state (step 111). A time T4 is then set in the passage timer, and this timer is started (step 112). If the sensor 45D detects a banknote before time T4 elapses (step 113), it means that the banknote has been normally conveyed to the position of the sensor 45D. Subsequently, time TK is set in the monitoring timer and this timer is started (step 116). If the banknote passes the position of the sensor 45D before the time TK has elapsed (step 117), the banknote has been properly stored in the collecting section 4D. If the sensor 45D does not detect a bill before the time T4 elapses, the flag F4 is set to 1 (steps 114, 1).
15) If the sensor 45D still detects a bill even after the time TK has elapsed, the flag FD is set to 1 (steps 118, 119), and in either case, the operation is stopped (step 121).

When all the banknotes in the temporary holding section 3 have been fed out (YES in step 103), it is checked whether the flag FA is 1 (step 104).
If FA=1, it means that the storage unit 4A for denomination A is abnormal, and therefore it is impossible to withdraw money from this storage unit 4A. Therefore, a mode in which withdrawals are not allowed is set for denomination A, and a notification to that effect is displayed at an appropriate location in the customer service department (step 105). In this case, although the automatic teller machine is restricted in that it cannot withdraw money for denomination A, it is possible to operate withdrawals using other denominations. Similar processing is performed for other denominations (steps 106 to 10).
9). If all flags FA to FC are 1, withdrawal processing will be impossible. However, as long as the collection unit 4D is normal, deposit processing is possible.

In this way, even if the banknote processing device becomes abnormal locally, that is, in the storage units 4A to 4C, it is possible to continue processing by carrying deposited banknotes into the collection unit 4D. Each storage section 4A
Similar countermeasures may be possible even if the bill dispensing mechanism of ~4C becomes abnormal.

Note that the operation of storing banknotes from the temporary storage unit 3 into each storage unit is generally performed after the customer completes the transaction process.

By the way, banknotes determined to be counterfeit banknotes by the bill checker 2, banknotes whose denomination cannot be determined, etc. are transferred to the temporary holding section 5 through the conveyance paths 19 and 28.
After all the banknotes in the input/return section 1 are fed out, the banknotes are returned to the return section 1. The banknotes in the temporary holding section 3 are returned through the conveyance paths 29 and 20. When the input unit 1 also serves as a discharge port, the bills dispensed from each of the storage units 4A to 4C pass through the conveyance paths 16, 17, and 12, are re-identified by the bill checker 2, and then are transferred to the conveyance path. 12,
It is discharged to the discharge port 1 through 19 and 20.

Although the above-mentioned embodiment is related to a circulating banknote processing device, it goes without saying that the present invention is applicable to other types of banknote processing devices.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the overall configuration of the banknote processing device, FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of the temporary holding mechanism, FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the electrical configuration of the banknote processing device, and FIG.
The figure shows the contents of the RAM, and FIG. 5 is a flow chart showing the operation of storing banknotes in the temporary storage unit into banknote storage units by denomination. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... Input/return section, 2... Bill checker, 3... Bill temporary storage section, 4A to 4C... Bill storage section, 4D... Bill collection section, 11 to 20, 28, 29... Conveyance path, 2
1, 22, 45A to 45D...Banknote sensor, 24,
25, 36A to 36D...Distribution flap.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A common conveyance path provided between a banknote slot and a plurality of banknote storage units and having the banknote slot as one end, each one end of which is coupled to the other end of the common transport path, and each other end and a plurality of individual conveyance paths each connected to each banknote storage section, the common conveyance path for determining at least the type of banknotes inserted into the bill slot and conveyed through the common conveyance path. a banknote discriminating means, which includes a banknote validating device provided on the common conveyance path, and determines a banknote storage section in which the banknote is to be stored according to the discrimination result by the banknote validating device; A banknote temporary holding means for holding the discriminated banknotes in accordance with the order of discrimination, and a banknote temporary holding unit that stores information about the banknote storage unit determined by the banknote discriminating unit in the order in which the banknotes are held in the banknote temporary holding unit. a switching mechanism that is provided at a joining point between the common conveyance path and the plurality of individual conveyance paths and selectively connects the common conveyance path to any one of the individual conveyance paths; and a conveyance abnormality detection means for detecting an abnormality in the conveyance of banknotes in each of the individual conveyance paths; According to the information stored in the means, the common conveyance path is connected to the individual conveyance path connected to the banknote storage section in which each banknote held in the temporary holding means is to be stored;
When the conveyance abnormality detection means detects a banknote conveyance abnormality in any of the individual conveyance paths,
Regarding the banknotes to be stored in the banknote storage unit connected to the individual conveyance path in which the conveyance abnormality has been detected, the banknotes to be stored in the banknote storage section connected to the individual conveyance path in which the conveyance abnormality has been detected are not based on the information stored in the storage means, but are stored in the banknote storage unit connected to the individual conveyance path in which the conveyance abnormality has been detected. Controlling each of the switching mechanisms so that the common conveyance path is connected to a specific individual conveyance path, and stopping the operation of the entire device when the conveyance abnormality detection means detects an abnormality in the conveyance of banknotes in the common conveyance path. A banknote processing device comprising means. 2 The plurality of banknote storage units include a denomination-specific storage unit and a collection unit, and the individual conveyance path includes a first individual conveyance path connected to the denomination-specific storage unit and a second individual conveyance path connected to the denomination-specific storage unit. an individual conveyance path, the switching mechanism selectively connects the common conveyance path to one of the first or second individual conveyance path, and the control means is configured such that the conveyance abnormality detection means Claim 1, wherein the switching mechanism is controlled so that the common conveyance path is connected to the second individual conveyance path when an abnormality in the conveyance of banknotes in the first individual conveyance path is detected. banknote handling equipment. 3. The banknote processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein when the transport abnormality detection means detects a transport abnormality of the banknote in the second individual transport path, the control means stops the operation of the entire apparatus.