Abstract:
Disclosed is an automatic transaction apparatus  1  provided with a temporary accumulating unit that accumulates paper money temporarily and discharges them again, wherein jammed paper money can be discharged and removed easily with a simple construction. The automatic transaction apparatus  1,  which is provided with the temporary accumulating unit  30  that accumulates paper money  7   a  temporarily by conveying the paper money  7   a  with a conveyor roller section  40  and winding them around a drum  60,  and dispenses the temporarily accumulated paper money  7   a  from the drum  60  and discharges them from the conveyor roller section  40,  was also provided with a manipulation knob  100  that is pushed-in between a gear  65  that rotates the drum  60  and a gear  47  that rotates the conveyor roller section  40 , and intermeshed to the gears, enabling the knob to rotate both the gears simultaneously.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates to technology for removing medium that has been left behind in an automatic transaction apparatus, such as an automated teller machine, into which a medium such as cash is introduced and a desired transaction performed. 
     BACKGROUND ART 
     In an automatic transaction apparatus such as an automated teller machine, generally when the medium to be handled, for example a banknote, has been introduced, it is checked and counted in an authentication section, then temporarily accumulated in a temporary accumulating unit. When the amount for deposit has been confirmed, the banknotes are then conveyed so as to be accumulated in a banknote storage section. Configuration is made such that when the banknote encounter a conveying error, such as a jam, at this point in time, an operator can remove a banknote that has been left behind in the conveying path by manually rotating operation knobs. 
     Examples of methods for temporary accumulation include, for example, a method in which banknotes are wound around a circular cylindrical shaped drum using tape. A temporary accumulating unit employing such a method is configured, as shown in  FIG. 7 , including: a conveying roller section  40  for conveying a banknote  7   a  that has been introduced by a user along to a drum  60 ; and the drum  60  for accumulating a banknote  7   b  that has been conveyed from the conveying roller section  40 , by winding the banknote  7   b  on the drum  60  using tape, not shown in the drawings. 
     The conveying roller section  40  is configured from a drive roller  41   a  and a coaxial drive roller  41   b , and a following roller  42   a  and a coaxial following roller  42   b  that are each pressed by and follow rotation of their respective drive rollers. 
     Further, a gear  44  is provided to an end of a roller shaft  43  of the drive rollers  41   a ,  41   b , and a gear  47  is provided on a motor shaft  46  of a conveying motor  45 . The gear  44  and the gear  47  are meshed together so as to provide a configuration in which rotation of the conveying motor  45  is transmitted to the drive rollers  41 . 
     On the other hand, on the drum  60  side there is also a gear  62  provided on a drum shaft  61  of the drum  60  for winding banknotes  7   b  on, and a gear  65  is provided on a motor shaft  64  of a drum drive motor  63 . The gear  62  and the gear  65  are meshed together so as to provide a configuration in which rotation of the drum drive motor  63  is transmitted to the drum  60 . 
     In addition, a drum knob  70 , which is provided on the drum shaft  61  at the outside of the gear  62  for rotating the drum  60 , and a roller knob  50 , which is provided on the roller shaft  43  at the outside of the gear  44  for rotating the following rollers  42  together with the drive rollers  41 , are provided to remove banknotes that have been left behind. 
     According to the above configuration, in the related temporary accumulating unit  30 , the gear  47  is rotated in the arrow F direction by driving the conveying motor  45 , the gear  44  meshed with the gear  47  rotates in the arrow E direction, rotating the drive rollers  41  in the arrow E direction, the following rollers  42  disposed against the drive rollers  41  accordingly undertake following rotation in the arrow D direction, and the banknote  7   a  nipped therebetween is conveyed towards the drum  60 , namely in the arrow B direction. 
     Then the gear  65  is rotated in the arrow H direction by driving the drum drive motor  63 , the gear  62  meshed with the gear  65  is rotated in the arrow G direction, rotating the drum  60  in the arrow C direction such that the banknote  7   b  is wound onto the drum  60  by tape, not shown in the drawings, and accumulated. 
     On the other hand, when a conveying error or the like occurs at the periphery of the drum  60 , configuration is made such that the drum knob  70  is rotated in the opposite direction to the arrow G direction, conveying the banknote  7   b  in the opposite direction to the arrow C direction. The roller knob  50  is then rotated in the opposite direction to the arrow E direction, the banknote  7   b  is accordingly conveyed from the conveying roller section  40  in the opposite direction to the arrow B direction, and can then be ejected from the temporary accumulating unit  30 . 
     When this is performed, the drum  60  and the conveying roller section  40  are separate drive systems and if the drum knob  70  is rotated alone then the conveying roller section  40  does not rotate. Hence, when a banknote  7  has become stuck at a location on the conveying roller section  40  the following issues arise. Thus, when using one hand, both the drum knob  70  and the roller knob  50  need to be alternately rotated, and it takes time to remove the banknote  7 . Further, if both hands are employed to rotate the drum  60  and the conveying roller section  40  together at the same time, the banknote  7  that has been removed cannot be caught since both hands are full, and so gets dropped. 
     Technology for jam processing employing a single operation knob has been proposed in order to address the above issues (see for example Japanese Patent No. 3207504). According to a sheet conveying apparatus of Japanese Patent No. 3207504, in a conveying device an upstream side conveying roller is rotationally driven by a first drive motor and a downstream side conveying roller is rotationally driven by a second drive motor. During conveying, rotation from first and second rotation transmission systems is prevented from being transmitted to a third rotation transmission system by a one-way clutch. However during jam processing, rotation of an operation knob is transmitted to the first and the second rotation transmission systems through the third rotation transmission system. Each of the conveying rollers is accordingly rotated so as to feed out jammed paper. 
     DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION 
     Technical Problem 
     However, the method of the above Japanese Patent No. 3207504 requires provision of a high cost one-way clutch mechanism between the first and second rotation transmission systems. Furthermore, since a one-way clutch mechanism is provided, such technology cannot be employed in a mechanism such as a temporary accumulating unit in which banknotes that have been temporarily accumulated are then re-conveyed by rotating a drum and conveying roller in the opposite direction to the direction during accumulation. 
     In the method of the above Japanese Patent No. 3207504 it is possible to rotate the operation knob in both a state in which the temporary accumulating unit has been shut (referred to below as a “closed state”) and in a state in which the temporary accumulating unit has been opened (referred to below as a “open state”). There is therefore an issue of an operator mistakenly operating the operation knob when the apparatus is running. 
     Solution to Problem 
     The present invention employs the following configuration in order to address the above issues. Namely, an automatic transaction apparatus is provided including a temporary accumulating unit for conveying a medium with a conveying section, accumulating the medium, and then re-conveying the medium, wherein: an operation knob is provided for inserting between and meshing with a gear for rotating the conveying section and a gear for rotating the temporary accumulating unit such that both the gears are capable of being rotated at the same time. 
     Advantageous Effects of Invention 
     According to the automatic transaction apparatus of the present invention, configuration is made with the automatic transaction apparatus provided so as to include the temporary accumulating unit for conveying a medium with the conveying section, accumulating the medium, and then re-conveying the medium. The operation knob is also provided for inserting between and meshing with the gear for rotating the conveying section and the gear for rotating the temporary accumulating unit such that both the gears are capable of being rotated at the same time. Accordingly, a jammed banknote can accordingly be easily removed using a simple configuration even in an automatic transaction apparatus having a temporary accumulating unit requiring two-way conveying. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic perspective view of an automatic transaction apparatus of a first exemplary embodiment. 
         FIG. 2  is a side view of an automatic transaction apparatus of the first exemplary embodiment, as viewed from the arrow A direction of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a control system block diagram of an automatic transaction apparatus of the first exemplary embodiment. 
         FIG. 4  is an explanatory diagram of the configuration and operation of a temporary accumulating unit of an automatic transaction apparatus of the first exemplary embodiment. 
         FIG. 5A  is an explanatory diagram of the operation of a temporary accumulating unit of an automatic transaction apparatus of the first exemplary embodiment (closed state). 
         FIG. 5B  is an explanatory diagram of the operation of a temporary accumulating unit of an automatic transaction apparatus of the first exemplary embodiment (open state). 
         FIG. 6A  is an explanatory diagram of the operation of a temporary accumulating unit of an automatic transaction apparatus in a modified example (closed state). 
         FIG. 6B  is an explanatory diagram of the operation of a temporary accumulating unit of an automatic transaction apparatus in a modified example (open state). 
         FIG. 7  is an explanatory diagram of the configuration and operation of a temporary accumulating unit of a related automatic transaction apparatus. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS 
     Explanation follows regarding an exemplary embodiment according to the present invention, with reference to the drawings. Common elements in the drawings are allocated the same reference numerals. In the following exemplary embodiment explanation is given of cases in which a banknote is employed as an example of a medium, however a leaf shaped medium that is not a banknote may also be employed. 
     First Exemplary Embodiment 
     Configuration 
     An automatic transaction apparatus of a first exemplary embodiment has the external appearance as shown in  FIG. 1 , and includes a coin deposit and withdrawal port  2 , a banknote deposit and withdrawal port  3 , an operation section  4 , a passbook insertion port  5  and a card insertion port  6 . 
     The coin deposit and withdrawal port  2  and the banknote deposit and withdrawal port  3  are opening portions for the introduction and withdrawal of coins or banknotes, respectively. A shutter is provided to the coin deposit and withdrawal port  2  and to the banknote deposit and withdrawal port  3 , respectively. The coin deposit and withdrawal port  2  and the banknote deposit and withdrawal port  3  are each opened or closed by movement of respective shutters. A coin handling section  25  or a banknote handling section  26  are provided at the far portions of these ports for performing coin or banknote deposit and withdrawal processing, described later. 
     The passbook insertion port  5  is a portion into which a passbook for use in a transaction is inserted, and from out of which the passbook is ejected when the transaction is complete. A passbook processing section  23  is provided at a back portion thereof. The card insertion port  6  is a portion into which a card is inserted or from which a card is ejected. A card processing section  21 , described later, is provided at a back portion thereof. 
     The operation section  4  is configured with an LCD, for displaying an operation screen during a transaction, integrated to a touch panel for inputs such as transaction selection, PIN number and transaction amount. 
       FIG. 2  is a side view illustrating the internal configuration of an automatic transaction apparatus of the first exemplary embodiment, as seen from the arrow A direction of  FIG. 1 . The coin handling section  25  has been omitted from illustration for simplicity. As shown in  FIG. 2 , inside the automatic transaction apparatus of the first exemplary embodiment are provided: a customer interface section  38  configured from the operation section  4  for user operation and the banknote deposit and withdrawal port  3 ; an authentication section  39  for determining the authenticity of banknotes; a temporary accumulating unit  30  where input banknotes are temporarily held; and denomination specific cassettes, provided at the bottom side of the apparatus and serving as a banknote storage section  31 . 
     A reject banknote housing section  33  is also provided for housing banknotes rejected during transaction inspection and reject banknotes not taken by a user. 
     A control system of the automatic transaction apparatus of the first exemplary embodiment is, as shown in the control system block diagram of  FIG. 3 , provided with a main controller  20  for performing control on each section, described later, and the operation section  4  for operation by a user according to displayed guidance. 
     The control system of the automatic transaction apparatus of the first exemplary embodiment is also provided with: the card processing section  21  for performing read-write processing of data, such as the account number stored on a cash card; a voice guidance section  22  for voice output of guidance such as operation guidance; the passbook processing section  23  for performing read-write processing on a magnetic stripe of a passbook, in which data such as the account number is stored, and performing control of printing in the passbook; a transaction receipt processing section  24  for printing and outputting transaction receipts; a coin processing section  25  for controlling deposit and withdrawal of coins; and a banknote processing section  26  for controlling deposit and withdrawal of banknotes. 
     Further, there are provide a power source section  27  for supplying power to each section, a memory section  28  serving as a storage section, the memory section  28  acting as the storage section of the main controller  20  and able to store various control parameters, and an interface section  29  for controlling an interface with a host computer  50 . 
     Next, explanation follows regarding a configuration of the temporary accumulating unit  30  of the automatic transaction apparatus of the first exemplary embodiment, with reference to  FIG. 4 . As shown in  FIG. 4 , the temporary accumulating unit  30  of the automatic transaction apparatus of the first exemplary embodiment is configured including: a conveying roller section  40  for conveying a banknote  7   a  that has been introduced by a user to a drum  60  serving an example of a temporary accumulating unit; and the drum  60  for accumulating a banknote  7   b  that has been conveyed from the conveying roller section  40 , by winding the banknote  7   b  on the drum  60  using tape, not shown in the drawings. 
     Further, the conveying roller section  40  is configured from a drive roller  41   a  and a coaxial drive roller  41   b , and a following roller  42   a  and a coaxial following roller  42   b  that are each pressed by and follow rotation of their respective drive rollers. 
     In addition, a gear  44  is provided to an end of a roller shaft  43  of the drive rollers  41   a ,  41   b , and a gear  47  is provided on a motor shaft  46  of a conveying motor  45 . The gear  44  and the gear  47  are meshed together so as to provide a configuration in which rotation of the conveying motor  45  is transmitted to the drive rollers  41 . 
     On the drum  60  side there is also a gear  62  provided on a drum shaft  61  of the drum  60  for winding banknotes  7   b  on, and a rotation gear  65  is provided on a motor shaft  64  of a drum drive motor  63 . The gear  62  and the gear  65  are meshed together so as to provide a configuration in which rotation of the drum drive motor  63  is transmitted to the drum  60 . 
     An operation knob  100  is provided as an operation knob for removing banknotes that have been left behind. The operation knob  100  is formed with a profile so as to enable manual rotation and is provided with a gear profile for inserting between and meshing with a gear  65  and the gear  47 . 
     The operation knob  100  is structured so as to be capable of sliding along the axial direction of a gear shaft  101  (the arrow J and the arrow K directions), and a coil spring  102  is provided to the gear shaft  101 . 
     The operation knob  100  meshes with both the gear  65  and the gear  47  when the operation knob  100  is pushed in by a hand in the arrow J direction in the figure. On removing the hand, the operation knob  100  is pushed back in the arrow K direction by biasing force of the coil spring  102 , thereby ceasing to mesh with the gear  65  and the gear  47 . 
     A stay  110  is provided at the inside of the operation knob  100  of the temporary accumulating unit  30 . When the temporary accumulating unit  30  is in an open state the stay  110  maintains the open state, as described later in detail with respect to  FIG. 5 . The stay  110  is rotatable about a support axis of a support shaft  110   a  attached at a fixed position, for example to the main body, of the automatic transaction apparatus  1 . A slide hole  110   b  is provided to the stay  110 , into which a projection portion  30   b  provided to a cover  30   a  of the temporary accumulating unit  30  fits and slides. 
     Due to provision of the stay  110  as described above, when the temporary accumulating unit  30  is in a closed state, the stay  110  is inserted at the inside of the operation knob  100 , such that the stay  110  impedes the operation knob  100 . Accordingly, the operation knob  100  does not move in the arrow J direction and meshing of the operation knob  100  with the gear  65  and the gear  47  does not occur even if the operation knob  100  is pushed in. 
     Operation 
     According to the above configuration, the temporary accumulating unit of the automatic transaction apparatus of the first exemplary embodiment operates as set out below. Detailed explanation follows regarding such operation, with reference to the operation explanatory diagrams of  FIG. 4  and  FIG. 5A ,  5 B. Since operation for performing temporary accumulation of the banknote  7  introduced by a user is similar to conventional operation, for simplicity explanation of further details thereof is omitted. 
     When a conveying problem or the like has occurred in the temporary accumulating unit  30 , the cover  30   a  of the temporary accumulating unit  30  is opened, the operation knob  100  is pushed in along the arrow J direction, thereby coupling together the gear  65  and the gear  47 . The operation knob  100  is then rotated in the arrow P direction. 
     The gear  65  meshed with the operation knob  100  then rotates in the arrow G direction, and the gear  62  meshed with the gear  65  rotates in the arrow R direction, such that a banknote  7   b  that has been left on the drum  60  is fed out in the arrow M direction. 
     The gear  47  meshed with the operation knob  100  also rotates in the arrow S direction, the gear  44  meshed therewith rotates in the arrow T direction and the drive rollers  41  also rotate in the arrow T direction. The following rollers  42  disposed against the drive rollers  41  accordingly undertake following rotation in the arrow U direction, and the banknote  7   a  nipped therebetween is ejected in the arrow N direction. 
     In a closed state when the temporary accumulating unit  30  has been shut along with the cover  30   a , namely when the temporary accumulating unit  30  has been closed in the arrow X direction, as shown in  FIG. 5A , the projection portion  30   b  provided to the cover  30   a  of the temporary accumulating unit slides along the slide hole  110   b  of the stay  110  to the position shown in  FIG. 5A . The stay  110  rotates in the clockwise direction about a support axis of the support shaft  110   a , positioning the stay  110  at the inside of the operation knob  100 . Then even if the operation knob  100  is pushed towards the bottom face of the paper of  FIG. 5A , namely in the arrow J direction of  FIG. 4 , the operation knob  100  is impeded by the stay  110  and cannot be pushed back so as to couple with the gear  65  and the gear  47 , and the drum  60  and the conveying roller section  40  do not rotate even if the operation knob  100  is rotated. 
     On the other hand, when the temporary accumulating unit  30  is opened together with the cover  30   a  in the arrow Y direction to an open state, the closed state of  FIG. 5A  transitions to the open state of  FIG. 5B , and the projection portion  30   b  provided to the temporary accumulating unit  30   a  slides along the slide hole  110   b  of the stay  110  to the position shown in  FIG. 5B , and the stay  110  rotates in an anti-clockwise direction about a support axis of the support shaft  110   a , so as to retreat from being disposed at the inside of the operation knob  100 . 
     When the operation knob  100  is pushed in while in the open state, the operation knob  100  is not impeded by the stay  110 , and the gear portion of the operation knob  100  couples with both the gear  65  and the gear  47 . Then, as described above, when both the drum  60  and the conveying roller section  40  are rotated at the same time by the operation knob  100 , the banknote  7   b  left behind in the drum  60  is unwound from the drum  60 , and can then be ejected from the temporary accumulating unit  30  via the conveying roller section  40 . 
     Explanation has been given of a case in the above exemplary embodiment in which a banknote jammed between the conveying roller section and the drum is removed. However, application may also be applied to a case for removing a banknote jammed in a drive system between one conveying roller on the conveying upstream side separated from another conveying roller on the conveying downstream side, by configuring such that the operation knob of the present invention can be inserted between and meshed with gears that drive these rollers so as to enable rotating. 
     Furthermore, while explanation has been given in the above exemplary embodiment of a case in which the stay  110  is disposed at the inside of the operation knob  100  as shown in  FIG. 5A  and  FIG. 5B , configuration may also be made such that the stay  110  is disposed at the outside of the operation knob  100 , as shown in  FIG. 6A  and  FIG. 6B . In such a case, in the closed state when the temporary accumulating unit  30  has been shut, as shown in  FIG. 6A , the stay  110  covers the operation knob  100  so that it cannot be operated. In the open state when the temporary accumulating unit  30  has been opened, the stay  110  is separated from the operation knob  100 , as shown in  FIG. 6B , such that the operation knob  100  can be operated. 
     Advantageous Effects of First Exemplary Embodiment 
     The automatic transaction apparatus of the first exemplary embodiment, as described in detail above, is an automatic transaction apparatus equipped with a temporary accumulating unit that conveys banknotes with a conveying roller section, temporarily accumulates the banknotes by winding them around a drum, and unwinds the temporarily accumulated banknotes from the drum and ejects the banknotes from the conveying roller section. An operation knob is provided for inserting between and meshing with a gear for rotating the drum and a gear for rotating the conveying roller, enabling both the gears to be rotated at the same time. A jammed banknote can accordingly be easily removed using a simple configuration even in an automatic transaction apparatus having a temporary accumulating unit requiring two-way conveying. 
     Furthermore, a stay is provided that maintains an open state and retreats from a peripheral position to the operation knob when the temporary accumulating unit has been opened, and that moves to the operation knob peripheral position when the temporary accumulating unit is shut. Consequently, a configuration can be achieved such that the drum and the conveying roller are rotated by the operation knob only when the temporary accumulating unit is opened to eject a banknote that has been left behind. 
     INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY 
     As described above, the present invention can be widely applied to an automatic transaction apparatus such as an automated teller machine for temporarily accumulating and processing an introduced medium, such as cash.