Patent Publication Number: US-8967522-B2

Title: Paper sheet receiving/dispensing apparatus

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from prior Japanese Application No. 2010-243149, filed Oct. 29, 2010, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a paper sheet receiving/dispensing apparatus, and more particularly, to a paper sheet receiving/dispensing apparatus, provided with strip films for receiving or dispensing a paper sheet, for controlling a running velocity of the strip films to be stably constant with high precision. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Conventionally, there are bill receiving/dispensing apparatuses of a bill recycling unit (hereinafter abbreviated to BRU) that is included, for example, in an ATM (Automated Telling Machine) or the like used in a financial institution or the like. Also a ticketing machine installed in a station yard or the like includes a paper sheet receiving/dispensing apparatus. 
     Such units include a paper sheet receiving/dispensing apparatus of a strip film type for receiving and dispensing a bill or a ticket (hereinafter referred to as a paper sheet). 
     This paper sheet receiving/dispensing apparatus is sometimes used as an apparatus dedicated to receipt and dispensing of a paper sheet, dedicated to receipt of a paper sheet, or dedicated to dispensing of a paper sheet. 
     Structures of such apparatuses dedicated to receipt and dispensing of a paper sheet, dedicated to receipt of a paper sheet, and dedicated to dispensing of a paper sheet are almost identical. Therefore, these apparatus are described below uniformly as a paper sheet receiving/dispensing apparatus. 
     This paper sheet receiving/dispensing apparatus has advantages that paper sheets can be received and dispensed at low cost without providing a complicated mechanism, many paper sheets can be wound and dispensed with a small capacity, and many types of bills can be received and dispensed only by additionally providing an individual paper sheet receiving/dispensing apparatus. 
     When receiving a paper sheet, this paper sheet receiving/dispensing apparatus sandwiches the paper sheet between two strip films, and receives the paper sheet by winding the sandwiched paper sheet around a winding drum along with the two strip films. 
     Additionally, when dispensing a paper sheet, the paper sheet receiving/dispensing apparatus dispenses the paper sheet by rewinding the two strip films wound around the winding drum along with the paper sheet. 
     Incidentally, in the structure of such a paper sheet receiving/dispensing apparatus, a drum diameter of the winding drum (not the diameter of the drum itself but an outer diameter of the strip films that sandwich a paper sheet and are wound. The same applies hereinafter) increases as the strip films and the paper sheet are being wound around the drum when receiving the paper sheet. 
     Inversely, when dispensing a paper sheet, the drum diameter decreases as the strip films and the paper sheet are being dispensed. 
     It is preferable to normally make the receiving velocity and the dispensing velocity of a paper sheet constant in paper sheet receiving/dispensing apparatuses without being limited to the strip film type. 
     If the receiving velocity or the dispensing velocity of a paper sheet increases or decreases, a velocity difference occurs in a passing part between the paper sheet receiving/dispensing apparatus and a paper sheet conveyance path of a parent machine provided with the paper sheet receiving/dispensing apparatus. 
     If the velocity difference occurs in the passing part as described above, a paper sheet is stretched or loosened by the passing part. 
     Such tension changes of a paper sheet in the passing part lead to a paper sheet jam. To prevent the paper sheet jam, the receiving velocity and the dispensing velocity of a paper sheet need to be kept constant. 
     In the meantime, if an angular velocity of a drum is made constant in the paper sheet receiving/dispensing apparatus of the strip film type, a surface linear velocity of a drum diameter, namely, the running velocity of strip films is fast when the drum diameter is large. Therefore, the receiving or dispensing velocity of a paper sheet becomes fast. 
     Inversely, if the drum diameter is small, the surface linear velocity, namely, the running velocity of the strip films is slow. Therefore, the receiving or dispensing velocity of a paper sheet becomes slow. 
     If the receiving velocity or the dispensing velocity of a paper sheet increases or decreases, a problem such as a paper sheet jam occurs in the passing part as described above. 
     To prevent this problem, it is necessary to control the surface linear velocity of a drum diameter to be constant regardless of whether the drum diameter is either large or small. 
     To control the surface linear velocity of the drum diameter to be constant, the drum diameter being operated needs to be detected. 
     For the detection of a drum diameter, for example, Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. HEI10-181972 proposes a tape velocity control device for calculating the running velocity of a tape (equivalent to the above described strip film) on a winding drum from an obtained drum diameter and the angular velocity of the winding drum after calculating the drum diameter from the number of rotations of the winding drum, or after calculating the drum diameter from the number of received paper bills. 
     For the above described detection of the number of rotations of the winding drum, an encoder sensor is provided on a shaft of a motor that drives the running of tapes and rotations of the winding drum via a timing belt, and the number of rotations of the motor is obtained from the number of pulses of a pulse signal output from the encoder sensor. 
     Then, the number of rotations of the winding drum is obtained from the number of rotations of the motor, and the drum diameter is calculated from the number of rotations of the winding drum, so that the running velocity of the tape on the winding drum is detected from the calculated drum diameter. 
     However, if the running velocity of the tape suddenly changes such as at the winding or dispensing start of the tape, a slide occurs between the tape and a pulley. 
     Also if impurities such as dust, paper dust or the like adhere to the timing belt or the pulley while the device is being operated, a slide similarly occurs between the timing belt and the pulley. 
     Additionally, a relative change occurs in a driving force between the tape and the pulley depending on an environmental condition such as a temperature, humidity or the like at an installation site of the device. 
     If the slide or the relative change of a driving force occurs between the tape and the pulley as described above, the pulse signal output from the encoder sensor becomes inaccurate. 
     If the number of rotations of the motor, the drum diameter and the running velocity of the tape are calculated based on the inaccurate pulse signal and the rotational velocity of the motor is controlled based on the calculations, a desired rotational velocity of the motor cannot be achieved. 
     If the desired rotational velocity of the motor cannot be achieved, the receiving velocity or the dispensing velocity of a paper sheet cannot be kept at a predetermined constant velocity. 
     In such a case, the problem such as a paper sheet jam or the like is caused by the stretch or the looseness of a paper sheet as described above. 
     Additionally, if the tape and the pulley are engaged more tightly in order to prevent the slide between the tape and the pulley, a frictional force or a load imposed on both of the members increases, leading to shortening of lifetime of the tape such as an early-stage cut of the tape due to its wear-out and the like as well as shortening of the lifetime of both of the members. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention overcomes the above described conventional problems, and an object thereof is to provide a paper sheet receiving/dispensing apparatus of a strip film type, which can control the running velocity of strip films with a simple configuration and with high precision in order to stably receive and dispense a paper sheet. 
     To overcome the above described problems, the paper sheet receiving/dispensing apparatus according to the present invention is a paper sheet receiving/dispensing apparatus of a strip film type for receiving a paper sheet by sandwiching the paper sheet between two strip films respectively held by two holding rollers, and by winding the paper sheet around a winding drum along with the strip films, and for dispensing the paper sheet by rewinding the strip films wound around the winding drum. The apparatus includes: a stepping motor for driving rotations of the holding rollers and the winding drum in forward and backward directions; the strip films at least one of which is affixed, on at least one of front and back sides, with marks at intervals of a predetermined pattern in a predetermined shape and in a color different from a color of the strip films; a detection sensor for detecting the marks; a storage device for storing a stepping motor/slewing table that indicates an association between an index corresponding to a roll outer diameter of the strip films wound around the winding drum and the number of driving pulses or a pulse cycle of the stepping motor, which is specified by the index; and a controlling unit. In the apparatus, the controlling unit includes: pulse signal obtaining means for obtaining a pulse signal indicating that the marks have been detected by the detection sensor during running of the strip films; drum rotation number calculating means for calculating the number of rotations of the winding drum based on the number of pulses of the pulse signal obtained by the pulse signal obtaining means; roll outer diameter calculating means for calculating the roll outer diameter based on the number of rotations of the winding drum, which is calculated by the drum rotation number calculating means, and thicknesses of the strip films and the paper sheet, which are obtained in advance; driving pulse setting means for setting the number of driving pulses for the stepping motor based on the roll outer diameter calculated by the roll outer diameter calculating means, and the stepping motor/slewing table stored in the storage device; and velocity controlling means for controlling a running velocity of the strip films to be a predetermined constant velocity by applying, to the stepping motor, the number of driving pulses set by the driving pulse setting means. 
     With the paper sheet receiving/dispensing apparatus according to the present invention, the velocity of tapes can be stably controlled without being affected by the conventional problems such as a change of a driving force caused by a sudden velocity change, and a slide between members due to attachment of impurities such as dust, paper dust or the like to the members being operated. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a BRU (Bill Recycling Unit) that is dedicated to bills and provided with a plurality of paper sheet receiving/dispensing apparatuses according to a first embodiment of the present invention and; 
         FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional view illustrating a configuration of a plurality of circulation stackers provided in the paper sheet receiving/dispensing apparatus according to the first embodiment; 
         FIG. 3  illustrates a stepping motor slewing table for controlling driving of a stepping motor in order to keep the running velocity of a tape of the circulation stacker constant; 
         FIG. 4  illustrates unequal interval marks affixed on a surface of a tape in order to directly obtain, from the tape, the running amount of the tape in the circulation stacker according to the first embodiment; 
         FIG. 5  illustrates a pulse table for deciding a driving pulse of the stepping motor in order to control the running velocity of the tape to be constant based on the unequal interval marks of the circulation stacker according to the first embodiment; 
         FIG. 6  is a flowchart illustrating a process for controlling the running velocity of the tape to be constant based on the unequal interval marks of the circulation stacker according to the first embodiment; 
         FIG. 7  illustrates equal interval marks affixed to a surface of the tape in order to directly obtain, from the tape, the running amount of the tape of a circulation stacker according to a second embodiment; 
         FIGS. 8A and 8B  are flowcharts of a process for controlling the running velocity of the tape to be constant based on the equal interval marks in the circulation stacker according to the second embodiment; 
         FIG. 9  is a flowchart illustrating another example of the process for controlling the running velocity of the tape to be constant based on the equal interval marks in the circulation stacker according to the second embodiment; and 
         FIG. 10  illustrates an example where a tape start mark and a tape end mark are added to equal interval timing marks in a circulation stacker according to a third embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Embodiments according to the present invention are described in detail below. 
     First Embodiment 
       FIG. 1  is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a BRU (Bill Recycling Unit) that is dedicated to bills and provided with a plurality of paper sheet receiving/dispensing apparatuses according to a first embodiment. 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 1 , the BRU  1  includes a controlling unit  2 , an identifying unit  5 , an inserting unit  6 , a dispensing retaining unit  7 , a dispensing unit  8 , four circulation stackers  9  ( 9   a ,  9   b ,  9   c ,  9   d ) and a collection box  10 , which are connected to the controlling unit  2  via a system bus  3  and a conveyance path  4 . The BRU  1  externally has an attachable/detachable refill cassette  11 . 
     The inserting unit  6  is an entering unit, in which a customer enters a bill. The dispensing retaining unit  7  is a place for temporarily receiving bills to be dispensed until all of them are prepared. 
     The dispensing unit  8  is a place to collectively dispense bills prepared in the dispensing retaining unit  7 . The circulation stackers  9  are apparatuses included within the BRU (Bill Recycling Unit)  1  as paper sheet receiving/dispensing apparatuses according to the present invention. 
     Additionally, the circulation stacker  9   a  is an apparatus for receiving, for example, a one-thousand-yen bill and for dispensing the received one-thousand-yen bill. The circulation stacker  9   b  is an apparatus for receiving, for example, a five-thousand-yen bill and for dispensing the received five-thousand-yen bill. 
     The circulation stacker  9   c  is an apparatus for receiving a ten-thousand-yen bill and for dispensing the received ten-thousand-yen bill. Also the circulation stacker  9   d  is an apparatus similar to that for a ten-thousand-yen bill. 
     The refill cassette  11  is a cassette device for refilling the circulation stackers  9  with bills if bills within the circulation stackers  9  become insufficient because bills are successively dispensed. 
     The collection box  10  is a collecting device, configured to be attachable/detachable, for receiving bills dispensed from any of the circulation stackers  9  when a maintenance person collects bills from the BRU (Bill Recycling Unit)  1 . 
     The identifying unit  5  identifies whether a bill that passes through the conveyance path  4  from the inserting unit  6  at the time of bill entry and is collected in any of the circulation stackers  9  is either real or fake, and also identifies the type of the bill. 
     The identifying unit  5  also identifies the types and the number of bills that pass through the conveyance path  4  from any of the circulation stackers  9  when being dispensed and are conveyed to the dispensing retaining unit  7 . 
     Furthermore, the identifying unit  5  identifies the types and the number of bills that pass through the conveyance path  4  from the refill cassette  11  when being refilled, and are received in any of the circulation stackers  9 . 
     The controlling unit  2  includes a ROM (Read Only Memory), a RAM (Random Access Memory), a cache memory and the like although they are not particularly illustrated. 
     The controlling unit  2  controls operations of the above described components according to a control program read from the ROM while temporarily holding data being processed in the RAM, the cache memory or the like. 
       FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional view illustrating a configuration of the above described circulation stackers  9 . Internal configurations of the four circulation stackers  9  are identical although they receive or dispense different types of bills. 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 2 , for the circulation stackers  9 , a housing  12  includes a winding drum  16  composed of a winding shaft  15  provided with a manual knob  14 . 
     The winding drum  16  winds and rewinds (dispenses) a bill along with two strip films as will be described later. However, the winding drum  16  is referred to as a winding drum here for the sake of convenience. 
     To the winding shaft  15  of the winding drum  16 , starts  17  ( 17   a - 1 ,  17   b - 1 ) of the two strip films (hereinafter referred to as tapes) are respectively fixed. 
     The two tapes  17  are extended on a tension roller  18  and a rotation conveyance roller  19 , held between them, wound around the winding drum  16 , or rewound from the winding drum  16 . 
     An end of the tape  17   a  extended on the tension roller  18  is held by a tape holding roller unit  23  provided with a torsion spring  21  and a torque limiter  22 , and rewound from the tape holding roller unit  23  or wound around the tape holding roller unit  23 . 
     A bill passage detection sensor  24  for detecting the passage of a bill as a medium is arranged in the neighborhood of the tension roller  18  and the tape  17   a.    
     Additionally, the tape  17   b  extended on the rotation conveyance roller  19  is configured to run around the outside of a guide roller  25  arranged below the rotation conveyance roller  19  in the neighborhood of the bottom of the housing  12 . 
     Additionally, an end of the tape  17   b  is held by a tape holding roller unit  28  having a torsion spring  26  and a torque limiter  27 , and rewound from or wound around the tape holding roller unit  28 . 
     A tape sensor  29  as a timing sensor for detecting the running velocity of the tape  17   b  and double as an end detection sensor for detecting the end of the tape is arranged between the rotation conveyance roller  19  and the guide roller  25 . 
     The tape sensor  29  is arranged to detect marks affixed on at least one of front and back sides of the tape  17   b.    
     The marks include timing marks and an end mark, and they will be described in detail later. The timing marks include unequal interval marks and equal interval marks. 
     These marks are printed in a color different from that of the tape. For example, the tape is transparent or translucent, whereas the marks are black or the like. 
     Additionally, a stepping motor  30  is provided in the neighborhood of the tape holding roller unit  23  and the tape holding roller unit  28  on the side opposite to the winding drum  16 . 
     The stepping motor  30  drives the winding drum  16 , the tape holding roller unit  23 , the tape holding roller unit  28  and the rotation conveyance roller  19  in forward and backward directions via a gear system, not illustrated, under the control of the controlling unit  2 . 
       FIG. 3  illustrates a stepping motor slewing table for controlling the driving of the stepping motor  30  in order to keep the running velocity of the tape of the circulation stackers  9  constant. 
     The stepping motor slewing table  31  is configured with a pulse cycle field  32 , a pulse number field  33 , and a pulse index field  34 . 
     A pulse cycle (μs) in the pulse cycle field  32  is intended to compare with a pulse cycle at a time point when an unequal interval mark as a timing mark is read with the tape sensor  29 . 
     The number of pulses per second (pps) in the pulse number field  33  is intended to compare with the number of pulses per second at a time point when an equal interval mark as a timing mark is read with the tape sensor  29 . 
     Associations between the pulse cycle (μs) in the pulse cycle field  32  and the number of pulses per second (pps) in the pulse number field  33 , which are represented in association with the leftmost numbers  1  to  22 , can be easily obtained from μs=10^−6·s. 
     The number of pulses per second is the number of pulses for originally driving the stepping motor (hereinafter referred to simply as a motor in some cases). 
     In this embodiment, as one example, pulse indexes 1, 2, 3, . . . , 10 and 11 are set as illustrated in the pulse index field  34 , and the number of driving pulses  602 ,  633 ,  668 , . . . ,  1091  and  1199  are respectively assigned. 
     The above described pulse indexes respectively correspond to drum diameters of the winding drum  16 . The pulse index 1 indicates an index when the drum diameter is close to a maximum diameter (a state where the capacity of wound bills is full and no more bills can be wound). 
     The pulse index 11 indicates an index when the drum diameter is close to a minimum diameter (an initial state where the capacity is empty with no wound bills). 
     The drum diameter of the winding drum  16  indicates not the diameter of the drum itself but the outer diameter of the tapes  17  that sandwich a bill and are wound as described above. 
     In other words, the drum diameter indicates the outer diameter of the roll shape (roll outer diameter) of the tapes  17  wound around the winding drum  16  in the state of sandwiching a bill, or in the initial state of not sandwiching a bill. 
     To keep the running velocity of the tapes  17 , namely, the rotational linear velocity of the drum diameter of the winding drum  16  constant, it is necessary to make rotations of the winding drum  16  slowest if the drum diameter is close to the maximum, and fastest if the drum diameter is close to the minimum. 
     For example, the driving pulse velocity is made to be late (the number of pulses per second is reduced) by sequentially decrementing the setting of the pulse index from 11 to a smaller value with an increase in the drum diameter until the capacity is filled with bills after starting receiving (entering, winding) bills when the drum diameter is the minimum. 
     Additionally, for example, the driving pulse velocity is made to be fast (the number of pulses per second is increased) by sequentially incrementing the setting of the pulse index from “1” to a larger value with a decrease in the drum diameter until no more bills are left after starting dispensing (outputting, rewinding) bills when the drum diameter is the maximum. 
     Each of the associations between a pulse index and the number of pulses per second in the stepping motor slewing table  31  shown in  FIG. 3  represents a relationship between a pulse index and the number of pulses per second for rotating the motor  30  as for a drum diameter (roll outer diameter) indicated by the pulse index so that the running velocity of the tape  17  is kept equal to the velocity before the drum diameter changes. 
     For this relationship, the number of rotations of the winding drum  16 , which is obtained from the running amount of the tape  17  at a certain time point as a base point, is initially calculated, and the drum diameter (roll outer diameter) is calculated based on the calculated number of rotations of the winding drum  16 , and the thicknesses of the tape  17  and a bill, which are obtained in advance. 
     Next, each of the associations is a relationship between a pulse index and the number of pulses per second for rotating the motor  30 , which can make the tape  17  run at a velocity equal to that of a drum diameter before changing to the above calculated drum diameter and is empirically obtained, as for the calculated drum diameter. 
     In the meantime, if the running amount of the tape is indirectly calculated by using the encoder or the like attached to a rotational system for making the tape run, an accurate running amount of the tape cannot be obtained due to a slide or the like occurring between the rotational system and the tape as described above. 
     In this embodiment, the running amount of the tape  17  is directly obtained from the tape  17 . 
       FIG. 4  illustrates unequal interval marks affixed on either of the front and the back sides of the tape  17   b  in order to directly obtain the running amount of the tape  17  from the tape  17 . 
     Timing marks  35  illustrated in  FIG. 4  are printed in a color (such as black in this embodiment) different from the color (such as transparent or translucent in this embodiment) of blank parts  17 - 0  of the tape  17 . 
     As the unequal interval marks  37  ( 37 - 1 ,  37 - 2 ,  37 - 3 , . . . ,  37 - n ) as the timing marks  35 , the unequal interval marks  37 - 1  having the narrowest interval are printed at the start of the tape  17 . The unequal interval marks  37 - 1  are printed by a predetermined length on the tape  17 . 
     Next, the unequal interval marks  37 - 2  having a slightly wider interval than that of the unequal interval marks  37 - 1  are printed. The unequal interval marks  37 - 2  are printed by a predetermined length on the tape  17 . 
     Then, the unequal interval marks  37 - 3  having a slightly wider interval than that of the unequal interval marks  37 - 2  are printed. The unequal interval marks  37 - 3  are printed by a predetermined length on the tape  17 . 
     Similarly, unequal interval marks  37  having a slightly wider interval than that of preceding unequal interval marks  37  are repeatedly printed by a predetermined length up to the end of the tape  17 . 
     Namely, an interval of unequal interval marks becomes narrower toward the start of the tape. In other words, a pulse cycle of detected marks becomes faster toward the start of the tape. Accordingly, a predetermined pulse number average time can be obtained in a relatively short time. 
     Originally, to make the tape run at a constant velocity on the start side of the tape, the motor  30  needs to be rotated fast, and to be accurately controlled to become a suitable number of rotations in a short time. 
     The reason why the intervals of unequal interval marks become narrower toward the start of the tape is to quickly control the motor  30  that rotates fast by obtaining an average time of a predetermined number of pulses in a short time and by comparing with the reference table of the number of pulses (or pulse cycles). 
       FIG. 5  illustrates a pulse table for deciding the driving pulse of the stepping motor  30  in order to control the running velocity of the tape  17  to be constant based on the above described unequal interval timing marks  35 . 
     A velocity control table  40  illustrated in  FIG. 5  is configured with the pulse table  41  composed of a pulse average time table on the left side, and a pulse index field  42  on the right side. 
     A print pitch field  34  and a winding diameter field  44  at the center are illustrated for reference. 
     Numeric values in the print pitch field  43  indicate intervals of the unequal interval marks  37  in units of mm. For example, 3 (mm) indicates an interval of the unequal interval marks  37 - 1  of  FIG. 4 , 6 (mm) indicates the unequal interval marks  37 - 2  of  FIG. 4 , and 33 (mm) indicates an interval of the unequal interval marks  37 - 11  of  FIG. 4 . 
     The winding diameter field  44  indicates a drum diameter (winding diameter (start, **, **, **, . . . , end)) when the unequal interval marks  37 - 1  to  37 - 11  are detected by the tape sensor  29 . 
     The winding diameter is calculated based on the type and the thickness of a bill, and is not decided as a fixed value. 
     Indexes “11, 10, . . . , 3, 2, 1” in the pulse index field  42  are identical to those indicated in the pulse index field  34  of the stepping motor slewing table  31  of  FIG. 3  although their order is reverse. 
     The velocity control table  40  is a table for obtaining a pulse index that indicates a driving pulse of the stepping motor  30  for rotating the winding drum  16  at an optimum drum diameter linear velocity when the unequal interval marks  37 - 1  to  37 - 11  are detected by the tape sensor  29 . 
     The velocity control table  40  is created so that each of the pulse indexes directly corresponds to an average time of a predetermined number of pulses detected when the unequal interval marks  37 - 1  to  37 - 11  are detected by the tape sensor  29 . 
     Accordingly, the velocity control table  40  does not originally need to represent a print pitch that generates detected pulses approximated to an average time of a predetermined number of detected pulses, and a winding diameter corresponding to the print pitch. 
     However, the print pitch field  43  and the winding diameter field  44  are additionally represented in the velocity control table  40  as a reference indicating that the pulse index is an index associated with the unequal interval marks  37  and the drum diameter (winding diameter) calculated from the unequal interval marks  37 . 
     Note that the pulse index 1 indicates an index when the drum diameter is close to the maximum (the state where the capacity of wound bills is full and no more bills can be wound (winding end)), and the pulse index 11 indicates an index when the drum diameter is close to the minimum (the initial state where there are no wound bills (tape start) as described with reference to  FIG. 3 . 
       FIG. 6  is a flowchart illustrating a process for a rotation control of the stepping motor  30 , which is executed by the controlling unit  2  in order to keep the tape velocity constant in the above described hardware configuration and data configuration. 
     In  FIG. 6 , the entire mechanism relationship is initially reset. Then, the motor  30  is driven at a rotational velocity set so that the tape velocity becomes a predetermined constant velocity with respect to the preceding stoppage position of the tape. 
     For example, pn is selected from the pulse table  41 . Here, p=1, 2, 3, . . . , 11, and n=a, b, c, . . . , k are assumed. The index in the pulse index field  42  corresponding to the selected table numerical value pn is 6. 
     The number of pulses per second of the motor driving, which corresponds to the pulse index “6” that is equal to the index “6” in the pulse index field  42  and indicated by the stepping motor slewing table  31  (hereinafter referred to simply as the table  31 ) of  FIG. 3 , is 801 pps. 
     The controlling unit  2  makes the tape  17  run by driving the motor  30  with the number of pulses  801  (pps). Then, the unequal interval marks  37  of the tape  17  are read with the tape sensor  29  to generate pulses (step S 1 ). 
     Next, the controlling unit  2  calculates a pulse average time (ms) by obtaining a predetermined number of successive pulses from the pulse cycles transmitted from the tape sensor  29  (step S 2 ). 
     Then, the controlling unit  2  determines whether or not the pulse table value pn of the velocity control table  40 , which corresponds to the calculated pulse average time, is n=k (step S 3 ). 
     If n≠k (“NO” in the determination of step S 3 ), the controlling unit  2  prepares a bill entry process by setting the driving pulse of the motor  30  to m (pps) in the table  31  (step S 4 ). 
     With this process, the controlling unit  2  initially reads a pulse index in the pulse index field  42  corresponding to the pulse table value pn in the velocity control table  40 , which corresponds to the above calculated pulse average time. Next, the controlling unit  2  reads the same pulse index as that from the table  31  of  FIG. 3 . 
     Then, the controlling unit  2  reads, from the pulse number field  33 , the number of pulses per second “m (pps)” corresponding to the read pulse index, and sets the read number of pulses per second “m (pps)” as the driving pulse of the motor  30  “m (pps)”. 
     Next, the controlling unit  2  determines whether or not a bill entry notification generated by shielding of the optical path of the bill passage detection sensor  24  has been made (step S 5 ). If the bill entry notification has not been made (“NO” in the determination of step S 5 ), the controlling unit  2  waits until the notification is made. 
     If the bill entry notification has been made (“YES” in the determination of step S 5 ), the controlling unit  2  executes a bill entry process by controlling the driving of the motor  30  with the above set driving pulse “m (pps)” in the table  31  (step S 6 ). 
     The controlling unit  2  calculates an average time (ms) of a predetermined number of pulses obtained by reading the unequal interval marks  37  of the tape  17  with the tape sensor  29  while the tape  17  is being wound in the bill entry process (step S 7 ). 
     Upon completion of the bill entry process for one bill (step S 8 ), the controlling unit  2  suspends the motor  30  (step S 9 ). 
     Then, the controlling unit  2  selects a pulse table value to be used thereafter from the calculated pulse average time (ms) while the tape  17  is being wound in the bill entry process (step S 10 ). 
     Assume that a first cycle of the sequence process is currently being executed in this process. Also assume that the pulse table value pn initially set in the velocity control table  40  is “6f”. 
     Further assume that the pulse average time (ms) calculated while the tape  17  is being wound in the bill entry process indicates “6g”. 
     Currently, the bill entry process is being executed and the tapes  17  are being wound while sandwiching a bill. Therefore, the drum diameter of the winding drum  16  is gradually increasing. 
     Namely, the rotations of the winding drum  16  need to be gradually slowed down in order to keep the running velocity of the tape  17  constant. 
     Therefore, the controlling unit  2  sets the number of pulses per second “m (pps)” (driving pulses) corresponding to the pulse index “5” in the table  31 , and selects “5n” in the pulse table  41 . 
     Next, the flow goes back to step S 3 , in which the controlling unit  2  again determines whether or not the pulse average time (ms) calculated in step S 7  is “n=k” in “5n” in the pulse table  41 . 
     If n≠k (“NO” in the determination of step S 3 ), steps S 4  to S 3  are repeated, and the bill entry process proceeds. Accordingly, the drum diameter of the winding drum  16  is gradually increasing. 
     With selections of the pulse table  41 , the pulse index gradually decrements from 4n, to 3n, to 2n, and the running velocity of the tape  17  is gradually slowing down. 
     If n=k is determined in the determination of step S 3 , the controlling unit  2  makes a suitable display device display the winding end (step S 11 ), and completely stops the motor  30  (step S 12 ). 
     Also with the dispensing process, the pulse table 6n is similarly selected at a base time point of the process although this is not particularly illustrated. The motor driving pulse is a driving pulse set at the preceding suspension. 
     In the dispensing process, the drum diameter of the winding drum  16  gradually decreases. Namely, the rotations of the winding drum  16  need to be gradually sped up in order to keep the running velocity of the tapes  17  constant. 
     Then, in the determination of step S 3 , whether or not n=a is determined. If n=a, this means that the start of the tape  17  is close (no received bills are left). Therefore, the controlling unit  2  makes the suitable display device display the start of the tape  17  in step S 11 . Then, in step S 12 , the controlling unit  2  completely stops the motor  30 . 
     Second Embodiment 
       FIG. 7  illustrates equal interval timing marks affixed on either of the front and the back sides of the tape  17  in order to directly obtain, from the tape  17 , the amount of running of the tape  17  in the circulation stackers  9  according to the second embodiment. 
     Equal interval marks  46  as timing marks  45  illustrated in  FIG. 7  are printed in a color  36  (such as black in this embodiment) different from a color (such as transparent or opaque in this embodiment) of blank parts  17 - 0  of the tape  16 . 
     These equal interval marks  46  are printed successively at equal intervals from the start to the end of the tape  17 . 
     Accordingly, by counting the number of equal interval marks, namely, the number of detected pulses transmitted from the bill passage detection sensor  24  at each read of each of the marks, the running length of the tape  17  can be easily obtained. 
     Moreover, the drum diameter used as a base of the process executed this time is stored at the termination of the preceding process. Therefore, if the running length (the number of detected pulses) of the tape  17  is obtained with the process executed this time, the number of rotations of the winding drum  16  can be calculated both in forward and backward directions. 
     If the number of rotations of the winding drum  16  is obtained, the drum diameter can be calculated based on the thickness of the tape  17  and that of a bill. 
     The minimum (Y mm, the start of the tape) and the maximum (X mm, the winding end) of the drum diameter are learned in advance, and stored in a storage device or the like within the controlling unit  2 . 
     Also in this embodiment, the number of pulses per second set in association with the indexes “1”, “2”, “3”, . . . , “11” in the pulse index field  34  of the table  31  illustrated in  FIG. 3  is associated with each drum diameter. 
     In this association, assuming that the number of bills storable in one circulation stacker  9  is 100, the above described index increments or decrements by 1 each time every 10 bills are wound (entered) or rewound (dispensed). 
     Namely, a tolerance corresponding to 10 bills is set for a change of the drum diameter and a change of the running velocity of the tape  17 . 
     Here, assume that the drum diameter D takes the amount of a change, including the above described tolerance of n 1  (mm), n 2  (mm), n 3  (mm), nd (mm) (d=4, 5, 6, . . . , 10) every 10 bills. 
       FIG. 8  is a flowchart illustrating a process for controlling the running velocity of the tape  17  to be constant for the circulation stackers  9  for entering/dispensing a bill with the use of the tape  17  affixed with the above described equal interval marks  45 . 
     The controlling unit  2  initially makes the tapes  17  run by driving the motor  30 , and generates detection pulses with the equal interval marks  45  (step S 101 ). 
     Then, the controlling unit  2  determines whether the current process is either a bill entry process or a dispensing process (step S 102 ). 
     Here, only the bill entry process is described below to simplify the flow of the process. Namely, if determining that the current process is the bill entry process in step S 102 , the controlling unit  2  accumulatively adds the number of detected pulses (step S 103 ). 
     Next, the controlling unit  2  calculates the number of rotations of the winding drum  16  from the number of detected pulses that have been accumulatively added (step S 105 ). 
     Additionally, the controlling unit  2  calculates the thickness of the tape  17  and that of an entered bill (step S 106 ). 
     Then, the controlling unit  2  calculates the current diameter, namely, the current drum diameter D from the above calculated number of rotations of the winding drum  16  and the calculated thicknesses of the tape  17  and the entered bill (step S 107 ). 
     Then, the controlling unit  2  determines whether or not a bill receipt amount of the circulation stacker  9  reaches the winding end (step S 108 ). 
     This process is a process for determining whether or not the calculated drum diameter D is equal to or larger than the maximum diameter X mm by comparing the above calculated drum diameter D with the maximum diameter X mm of the drum diameter, which is stored in the storage device and learned in advance. 
     In the meantime, in the determination of step S 108 , whether or not the winding end has been reached, and whether or not the film start has been reached (the start of the tape  17 . The same applies hereinafter) are simultaneously determined. 
     Here, the determination of whether or not the winding end has been reached is the determination made for the bill entry process, and the determination of whether or not the film start has been reached is the determination made for the dispensing process. 
     If the bill receipt amount has not reached the winding end yet in the determination of step S 108  (“NO” in step S 108 ), the controlling unit  2  then determines whether or not to perform a velocity control  1  for each winding diameter (step S 109 ). 
     With this process, whether or not to perform the control is determined depending on whether or not the drum diameter D is equal to or smaller than n 1  (mm). 
     If the drum diameter D is equal to or smaller than n 1  (mm) (“YES” in the determination of step S 109 ), the number of received bills is smaller than 10. Namely, the 10 bills have not been wound yet from the tape start. 
     In this case, the controlling unit  2  controls the driving of the motor  30  with the number of pulses  1199  (see  FIG. 3 . The same applies hereinafter) corresponding to the running velocity of the tape at the start of the tape, which is set in association with the pulse index 11, and receives a bill (step S 110 ). 
     Then, the controlling unit  2  suspends the motor  30  (step S 117 ), and the flow goes back to step S 102 . Then, steps S 102 , S 103 , S 105  to S 112 , S 117  and S 102  are repeated. 
     Thereafter, if the 10 bills have been wound, the drum diameter D becomes larger than n 1  (mm) in the determination of step S 109  (“NO” in the determination of step S 109 ). 
     In this case, the controlling unit  2  determines whether or not to perform a velocity control  2  for each winding diameter (step S 111 ). 
     With this process, whether or not to perform the velocity control is determined depending on whether or not the drum diameter D is equal to or smaller than n 2  (mm). If the drum diameter D is equal to or smaller than n 2  (mm) (“YES” in the determination of S 111 ), the number of received bills is smaller than 20. 
     In this case, the controlling unit  2  controls the driving of the motor  30  with the number of pulses per second “1091” corresponding to the tape running velocity set in association with the pulse index “10” slower than that at the tape start, and receives a bill (step S 112 ). 
     Then, the controlling unit  2  suspends the motor  30  (step S 117 ), and the flow goes back to step S 102 . Then, steps S 102 , S 103 , S 105  to S 112 , S 117  and S 102  are repeated. 
     If the 20 bills have been received in total, the drum diameter D becomes larger than n 2  (mm) in the determination of step S 111  (“NO” in the determination of S 111 ). 
     Next, the controlling unit  2  determines whether or not to perform a velocity control  3  for each winding diameter (step S 113 ). 
     Hereafter, the controlling unit  2  similarly determines whether or not to perform a velocity control d (d=4, 5, . . . 9, 10) for each winding diameter if the drum diameter D becomes larger than n 3  (mm). If the drum diameter D is equal to or smaller than nd, the controlling unit  2  receives a bill by controlling the driving of the motor  30  with the number of pulses per second corresponding to the tape running velocity set in association with the pulse index “d”. 
     Then, if the drum diameter D becomes larger than nd, the controlling unit  2  sets the drum diameter D to d=d+1, and repeats the above described processes with respect to the new d. 
     Thereafter, in the determination of step S 108 , the winding diameter D, namely, the drum diameter D becomes larger than X mm (“YES” in the determination of step S 108 ). 
     In this case, the controlling unit  2  makes the suitable display device display the winding end of the bill (step S 118 ), completely stops the motor  30  (step S 119 ), and terminates the process. 
     For example, if the dispensing process is executed in the winding end state of a bill, the flow goes from step S 102  to step S 104 , and further from steps S 105  to S 109 , S 111 , S 113 , and S 115  although detailed explanations are omitted. Hereafter, the determinations proceed until the drum diameter D becomes n 10 . 
     Then, the drum diameter D≦n 10  is determined, and one bill is rewound (dispensed), and the flow goes back to step S 102  via step S 117 . 
     Thereafter, each time a bill is dispensed, the determination of step S 115 , the determination of step S 113 , the determination of step S 111 , and the determination of step S 109  sequentially result in “YES”, and the last bill is dispensed. 
     Then, the flow goes to steps S 117 , S 102 , S 104  and S 105  to S 108 , and the determination of the film start results in “YES”. Then, the controlling unit  2  makes the suitable display device display the film start (step S 118 ), and completely stops the motor  30  (step S 119 ). Here, the process is terminated. 
       FIG. 9  is a flowchart illustrating another example of the process for controlling the running amount of the tape  17  to be constant based on the equal interval marks  45  of the circulation stacker  9  according to the second embodiment. 
     Also in this embodiment, the table  31  illustrated in  FIG. 3  is used. Assume that the pulse indexes 1, 2, 3, . . . , 10, 11 in the pulse index field  34  are represented as a algebra n. 
     Also assume that the number of bills storable in one circulation stacker  9  is 100 and the above described index n decrements by 1 each time every 10 bills are wound (entered). 
     Additionally, a pulse table that makes an association between a pulse average time (ms) obtained by counting pulses and the pulse index n in the table  31  is prepared in this embodiment although the table is not particularly illustrated. 
     In  FIG. 9 , the controlling unit  2  initially resets the entire mechanism relationship. Then, the controlling unit  2  drives the motor  30  at a rotational velocity set so that the tape velocity becomes a predetermined constant velocity with respect to the preceding stoppage position of the tape. 
     Then, the controlling unit  2  obtains pulses generated by the scanning of the equal interval marks  45  of the running tape  17  by the tape sensor  29  (step S 201 ), and calculates a pulse average time (ms) from the obtained predetermined number of pulses (step S 202 ). 
     Next, the controlling unit  2  determines the index in the table (step S 203 ). 
     This process is a process for determining that which of the pulse indexes 1, 2, 3, . . . , 10, 11 is the pulse index n obtained from the above described pulse table corresponds to in association with the above calculated pulse average time (ms). 
     If n≠1, the flow goes to step S 204 , in which the controlling unit  2  temporarily stores (sets) the determined pulse index n in a memory within the controlling unit  2  (step S 204 ). 
     Then, the controlling unit  2  determines whether or not the bill passage detection sensor  24  has detected the passage of a bill (the entered bill has shielded the optical path of the sensor) (step S 205 ). 
     If the bill passage detection sensor  24  has not detected the passage of a bill (“NO” in the determination of step S 205 ), the controlling unit  2  waits until the bill passage detection sensor  24  detects the passage of a bill. If the bill passage detection sensor  24  has detected the passage of a bill (“YES” in the determination of step S 205 ), the controlling unit  2  reads the number of pulses per second corresponding to the pulse index n set in the memory from the pulse number field  33  of the table  31 . 
     The controlling unit  2  drives the motor  30  with the read number of pulses per second (step S 206 ). 
     Then, the controlling unit  2  calculates a pulse average time (ms) from the predetermined number of pulses obtained from the equal interval marks  45  of the tape  16  that is made to run by the driving of the motor  30 , and pulses generated by the tape sensor  29  (step S 207 ). 
     Next, the controlling unit  2  determines the index in the table by determining whether or not the calculated pulse average time has changed in comparison with the pulse average time obtained in step S 202  (step S 208 ). 
     Based on this determination, the controlling unit  2  sets the pulse index n to n if the pulse average time has not changed. 
     This is because the pulse average time is within the duration of winding every 10 bills. 
     Alternatively, if the pulse average time has changed, the controlling unit  2  sets the pulse index n to n−1. This is because the pulse average time exceeds the duration of winding every 10 bills (step S 209 ). 
     Then, the controlling unit  2  reads the number of pulses per second corresponding to the set pulse index n from the pulse number field  33  of the table  31 , and drives the motor  30  with the read number of pulses per second (step S 210 ). 
     When one bill is entered (received) as described above, the controlling unit  2  suspends the motor  30  (step S 211 ). Then, the flow goes back to step S 203 . 
     Next, the controlling unit  2  repeats steps S 204  to S 211  and S 203  if n≠1 in the determination of step S 203 . 
     Alternatively, if n=1 in the determination of step S 203 , the controlling unit  2  makes the suitable display device display the detection of the winding end (step S 212 ), and completely stops the motor  30  (step S 213 ). 
     In the dispensing process, steps  201  and  202  are identical to those of the bill entry process although they are not particularly illustrated. 
     In step S 203 , whether or not n≠11 is determined. If n≠11, a pulse index n within the range from 1 to 10 is set in and after step S 204 . In step S 205 , the bill passage detection sensor  24  detects the passage of a bill. 
     In step S 209 , if the pulse average time has not changed, n is set to n. This is because the pulse average time is within the duration of winding every 10 bills. If the pulse average time has changed, n is set to n+1. This is because the pulse average time exceeds the duration of winding every 10 bills. 
     If n=11 is determined in step S 203 , the display device or the like is made to display the tape start (winding end) in step S 212 . Processes in the other steps are identical to those of the bill entry process. 
     With the above described processes using the unequal interval marks or equal interval marks as timing marks, a constant tape velocity, and the start and the end (winding end) of a tape are detected only by detecting the timing marks. 
     However, a tape start mark and a tape end mark may be added and used to detect the start and the end (winding end) of a tape without limiting to the timing marks. 
       FIG. 10  illustrates an example where the tape start mark and the tape end mark are further added to equal interval marks as timing marks in a circulation stacker according to a third embodiment. 
     Two tape sensors  29  are used for the circulation stacker according to this embodiment although they are not particularly illustrated. 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 10 , equal interval marks  46  as timing marks are printed by being staggered on the tape  17  in this embodiment respectively for an optical path  47  of a first tape sensor  29  and an optical path  48  of a second tape sensor  29 . 
     Additionally, the start (or the end)  49  of the tape  17  is blank with no printed equal interval marks  46 . 
     Furthermore, the end (or the start)  50  of the tape  17  is solid-printed in the same color as that of the equal interval marks  46 . 
     The start (or the end)  49  and the end (or the start)  50  are provided in a range longer than an interval of the equal interval marks  46 . 
     Accordingly, the start (or the end)  49  or the end (or the start)  50  can be immediately detected if a duration during which pulses of the equal interval marks  46  are low or a duration during which pulses are high is longer than the pulses of the equal interval marks  46 .