Patent ID: 8096546
Filing Date: 2012-01-17
Classification: B65H

Abstract:
1. A paper sheet pickup device comprising: a pickup member having a suction hole and configured to run along a paper sheet supplied to the pickup position; a negative pressure chamber provided on a reverse side of the pickup member and configured to apply negative pressure to the paper sheet at the pickup position through the suction hole; a vacuum pump configured to draw air from the negative pressure chamber; a valve unit configured to open and close a first passage that communicates the pump and the negative pressure chamber and configured to open and close a second passage that sends an exhaust of the pump to the negative pressure chamber; a tank provided on the second passage at an upstream side of the valve unit along an air feed-in direction by the pump and configured to retain the exhaust of the pump at a pressurized states; a controller configured to open the first passage after closing the second passage, when applying the negative pressure to the paper sheet at the pickup position, and also configured to open the second passage after closing the first passage, when releasing said negative pressure.