JPS63208708A - Deciding device for paper or the like - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To decide the thickness direction, etc., of paper, etc., which is different in thickness between its right and left sides by comparing the output levels of two thickness detector with two kinds of mutually different reference levels respectively and deciding the adequacy of the paper, etc. CONSTITUTION:The output of the displacement sensor 20 of a thickness detector is sampled at a constant period and converted by an A/D converting circuit 26 into a digital signal, which is inputted to a CPU 24. The CPU 24 is equipped with a memory 25 for storing its execution program and various data. While the paper money passes through the thickness detectors, the integral values of the output signals of right and left displacement sensors 20 are calculated respectively. Those integral values are divided by the time from the leading edge of the output signals of the displacement sensor to the trailing edge to find the thickness of the paper money. Then it is compared with data on normal paper money in the memory 25 to decide whether or not the paper money is real money.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] Summary of the Invention Two thickness detection devices on the left and right are arranged at a predetermined interval in the width direction of a conveyance path for paper sheets, and independent reference levels for the left and right sides and the detection of these thicknesses are provided. By comparing the output of the device, the thickness, direction, etc. of paper sheets, etc., which have different thicknesses on the left and right sides, are determined.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention is based on the thickness of paper sheets being conveyed, including one banknote.
Regarding a device for determining the conveyance direction, etc., for example, a device for determining the above-mentioned characteristics of a banknote ejected from a banknote ejection machine installed in a bank transaction processing device such as an automatic teller machine (ATM) or an automatic cash dispenser (CD). Regarding.

Some banknotes, such as the Australian dollar banknote, have different thicknesses on the left and right sides. Conventional thickness detection devices cannot detect the thickness of such banknotes or detect two banknotes based on the thickness detection.

Summary of the Invention This invention provides a banknote with different thicknesses on the left and right sides.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a device that determines whether the thickness of paper sheets having partially different thicknesses is appropriate and, if necessary, the direction of conveyance thereof.

The paper sheet determination device according to the present invention includes at least two thickness detection devices arranged at a predetermined interval in the width direction of the paper sheet conveyance path and outputting electrical signals corresponding to the thickness of one paper sheet. , and means for determining the suitability of paper sheets by respectively comparing at least two different reference levels with the level represented by the output electrical signal of the thickness detecting device. do.

At least two thickness detection devices are arranged, and different reference levels are set for the output signals of these thickness detection devices, so the level represented by the output signal of each thickness detection device is set according to the above reference level. level or by comparing it to a predetermined level range based on a reference level.
It is determined whether the paper sheet has a thickness that meets this standard level. In this way, the thickness detection device can detect the thickness of paper sheets that have partially different thicknesses, such as banknotes that have different thicknesses on the left and right sides. If it is placed, it becomes possible to judge the thickness. Also.

By comparing the output signals of each thickness detection device with all reference levels, it is also possible to determine the direction in which a single sheet is being conveyed.

Description of the Embodiment In this embodiment, the thickness of banknotes and the direction in which they are being conveyed are determined for banknotes having different thicknesses on the left and right sides.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, one banknote P is conveyed along the conveyance path 2 with its elongated direction perpendicular to the conveyance direction.

The conveyance path 2 is a belt 2 that conveys one banknote P by sandwiching it from both sides.
2 and a number of rollers or pulleys (paths shown) on which these belts 22 are hung. This conveyance path 2
On the way, two banknote thickness detectors 1 are provided on the left and right sides at a predetermined interval in the width direction of the transport path 2 (direction orthogonal to the transport direction). The thickness of the banknote P is different between the left side and the right side of the conveyance path 2, and the thickness detector 1 is arranged at a position where it can detect these different thicknesses. A roller 17 is arranged directly below each of these thickness detectors l. A shaft 18 is passed between the frames 23 on both sides, and the roller 17 is rotatably supported on this shaft 18. These rollers 17 are formed with grooves 17a on which the lower belt 22 is hung, and the circumferential surface of the rollers 17 is the same as or protrudes more than the clamping surface of the belt 22.

Since the two thickness detectors 1 have exactly the same configuration, only one of them will be explained. Thickness detector 1 is a detection lever IO
Contains. This detection lever 10 is L-shaped and has two ends 10a and 10b. A boss 11 is formed at the bent part near the end 10a of the detection lever 10, and a support shaft 12 fixed between the frames 23 passes through the boss 1, so that the lever lO is
It is supported so that it can swing freely around the center. The end 10b direction of the detection lever 10 is long and there is a detection roller 13 in the middle.
is rotatably provided by a shaft 14. On the other hand, a tension spring 15 is provided between the end 10a of the detection lever 10 and a spring receiver 16 fixed to the frame 23. As a result.

The detection lever 10 is biased by a spring 15 so that the detection roller 13 comes into pressure contact with the roller 17 . The detection roller 13 is in contact with the circumferential surface of the roller 17 other than the belt 22.

When the banknote P enters between the roller 17 and the detection roller 13 while being sandwiched between the belt 22, the detection roller 13 moves in a direction away from the conveyance roller 17 by the thickness thereof.

As a result, the detection lever 10 also swings as shown by the chain line. Since the detection roller 13 is provided between the end tob and the shaft 12, the amount of displacement of the end 10b is larger than the amount of displacement of the detection roller 13. The amount of displacement is expanded by the detection lever 10.

The amount of displacement of the i section 10b of the detection lever 10 is
Displacement sensor 2 fixed to mounting member 21 fixed to 3
Detected by 0. The displacement sensor 20 includes a light emitter (light emitting element, e.g., a light emitting diode) provided at opposing positions across the end 10b of the detection lever lO, and a light receiver (light receiving element, e.g., a phototransistor) that receives light from the emitter. (See Figure 3). When there is no bill between the roller 17 and the detection roller 13, the optical path of the light emitted from the projector is directed to the detection lever lO.
Almost no light is blocked by the end portion 10b, and most of the light is received by the light receiver. One banknote passes through roller 17.1
When the detection lever 10 is swung by entering the space between 3 and 3, two parts of the optical path are blocked by the displacement of the end portion tob. The detection range for the thickness of a banknote covers the displacement range of the end 10b of the lever 10 that occurs when one banknote (not just one banknote, but two or more banknotes may be used) enters between the rollers 17.13. It is determined by the diameter of the projected light beam of the projector and the light receiving range of the receiver.

FIG. 3 shows an outline of the electrical configuration of a device for determining the thickness of banknotes, etc., including the displacement sensor 20 of the thickness detector 1 described above.

The output of the displacement sensor 20, that is, the output electric signal of its optical receiver, is sampled at regular intervals. This sampled voltage value is converted into a digital signal by the A/D conversion circuit 26 and taken into the CPU 24. The CPU 24 includes a memory 25 that stores its execution programs and various data. For convenience of explanation, two displacement sensors 2
One of them will be called a left displacement sensor and the other one will be called a right displacement sensor.

FIG. 4 shows an example of signal waveforms output from the left and right displacement sensors 20. This output signal rises when the banknote P enters between both rollers 13 and 17.
It falls when it passes between 3.17 and 17.

Since the left and right sides of banknote B have different thicknesses, the output signals of the left and right displacement sensors also differ in magnitude and level accordingly.

The outputs of the left and right displacement sensors 20 are sampled at regular intervals as described above and are taken into the CPU 24. And 9
The integral values of the output signals of the left and right displacement sensors 20 while the banknote P passes between both rollers 13 and 17 are calculated (the integral values are indicated by A and B, respectively). This can be obtained by adding the input sampling data in the memory 25 separately for the left and right displacement sensors. The thickness of one banknote is determined by dividing these integral values by the time from the rise to the fall of the output signal of the displacement sensor. As long as the length of the banknote P (width of the banknote P in the transport direction) is constant, the integral value is proportional to the thickness, so in the following explanation, for convenience, this integral value will be used as the detected thickness A,
Let's call it B. The length of the banknote is also detected, and when determining the type, authenticity, etc. of the banknote based on this length data, thickness data, etc., the time from the rise to the fall of the signal is measured as described above, and the conveyance speed is determined. The length, thickness, etc. can be calculated accurately using .

In the memory 25, below the thickness of the left side part of the regular banknote,
The upper limit value AI, A2 (below the left threshold, upper limit), the lower thickness of the right side part, the upper limit old, and B2 (below the right threshold, upper limit) are set. Whether or not the banknote being conveyed is a regular banknote and the direction in which it is being conveyed is determined using the detected left and right thicknesses A and B and these threshold values.

An example of this determination processing procedure is shown in FIG. This determination process is executed by the CPU 24.

The detected thickness A on the left is below the left threshold and between the upper limits AI and A2 (YES at step 31), and the detected thickness B on the right is below the right threshold and between the upper limits B1 and B2. If it is in between (YES in step 32), it is determined that this bill is genuine and is being conveyed in the forward direction (step 33).

Conversely, the detected thickness A on the left is below the right threshold and is between the upper limit Bl and B2 (YES at step 34), and the detected thickness B on the right is below the left threshold and between the upper limit AI. If it is between the banknote and A2 (YES in step 35), it is determined that this banknote is genuine and is being conveyed in the opposite direction (step 36).

N in any of steps 31.32.34.35 above
.

In this case, it is determined that the banknote is not a regular banknote (step 37). Examples of banknotes that are determined to be not genuine include counterfeit banknotes and genuine banknotes that are conveyed in a stacked state.

The determination result of the conveyance direction of the banknotes will be used when discharging two banknotes or storing the banknotes in a storage box, etc., to align the directions of the banknotes or to alternately reverse the direction of the banknotes.

In this way, it is possible to determine whether the left and right banknotes have different thicknesses. For banknotes with slightly different thickness on the left and right sides, it becomes possible to improve the accuracy of thickness detection and determination of whether the banknotes are genuine or not, and for banknotes with significantly different thickness on the left and right side, it is possible to improve the accuracy of the thickness detection, etc. This method can be used in nine different applications, including the ability to identify foreign objects with uniform thickness.

There are various types of integration means other than the above-mentioned addition process. For example, the output signal of the displacement sensor may be integrated by an integrating circuit over the time period during which the banknote passes the detection roller, and this integrated signal may be A/D converted and input to the CPU. Further, a V/F conversion circuit that converts the thickness detection signal of the displacement sensor into a pulse signal with a frequency corresponding to the voltage;
A counter for counting the output pulses of the V/F conversion circuit may be provided, and the counter may be operated over a period of time during which one banknote passes the detection roller, and the counted value may be input to the CPU. The integration time of the integration circuit and the counting time of the counter can be determined by detecting the rise and fall of the output signal of the displacement sensor from the offset level.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

1 and 2 show a thickness detector, with FIG. 1 being a plan view and FIG. 2 being a sectional view. FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the electrical configuration of the banknote thickness determination device. FIG. 4 is a waveform diagram showing signals output from the left and right displacement sensors. FIG. 5 is a flow chart showing the banknote thickness determination process. 1... Thickness detector, 2... Conveyance path. 10...Detection lever, 13...Detection roller. 15...Spring, 17...Roller. 20...Displacement sensor, 24...CPU. 25...Memory, P...Banknotes. Patent applicant Tateishi Electric Co., Ltd. Agent Patent attorney Kenji Ushiku (1 other person) Figure 5

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) At least two thickness detection devices that are arranged at a predetermined interval in the width direction of the paper sheet conveyance path and output electrical signals according to the thickness of the paper sheet, and at least two different types. means for determining the suitability of a paper sheet by respectively comparing a reference level of the thickness detection device with a level represented by an output electric signal of the thickness detection device. (2) Determination means The paper sheet determination device according to claim (1), which determines the orientation of the paper sheet by the above comparison.