Patent Description:
Paper sheet handling apparatuses such as automated teller machines (ATMs) have conventionally included paper sheet storage apparatuses for storing paper sheets such as bills, checks, or valuable paper. For example, the paper sheet storage apparatus may be an attachable/detachable bill storage cassette. A paper sheet storage apparatus may include, for example, a bill storage cassette for each denomination.

Such paper sheet storage apparatuses may use a sensor that emits, to a space between a position above a placement mount on which bills are placed and a position below a transportation unit for transporting bills onto the placement mount, detection light for determining the presence/absence of an accumulation space in accordance with whether the detection light is blocked by bills (see, for example, Patent document <NUM>).

<CIT> discloses a paper sheet stacking apparatus with a stacking chamber in which paper sheets fed through a carry-in path are sequentially stacked, a beating device that forcibly introduces the fed paper sheets into the stacking chamber, a detection device that is provided in the vicinity of an inlet of the stacking chamber and detects the paper sheets, and a check means for detecting abnormality when the paper sheet is not detected at the time of starting the beating device or when the paper sheet is detected at the time of returning the beating device based on the output of the detection device.

<CIT> discloses a system that detects the number of bank notes on a lower guide by causing an upper guide to fall from an upper edge position, pressing the bundle of the bank notes on the lower guide and measuring the falling quantity of the upper guide until a pressure sensor detects a prescribed pressure.

<FIG> is a left side view illustrating the internal structure of a paper sheet storage apparatus <NUM> in accordance with a reference art.

The paper sheet storage apparatus <NUM> includes a placement mount <NUM>, a leading-edge position restriction guide <NUM>, a sensor <NUM>, and a transportation unit <NUM>.

The placement mount <NUM> can be lifted or lowered and has bills B placed thereon.

The leading-edge position restriction guide <NUM> restricts the position of the leading edge portion of a bill B in an entering direction D in which the bill B advances when being transported onto the placement mount <NUM>.

The sensor <NUM> detects the presence/absence of an accumulation space S (indicated by a two-dot dash line) for bills B that is located above the placement mount <NUM>. For example, the sensor <NUM> may include an emission unit for horizontally emitting detection light L and a light reception unit for receiving the detection light L.

The transportation unit <NUM> includes a plurality of rollers and an impeller and transports a bill B in the entering direction D onto the placement mount <NUM>.

In the paper sheet storage apparatus <NUM>, if a bill B leans, as depicted in <FIG>, against the leading-edge position restriction guide <NUM>, the horizontal detection light L will be blocked by the bill B, like when there are several tens to hundreds of bills B, despite the presence of the sufficient accumulation space S. Thus, the sensor <NUM> will detect that a sufficient accumulation space S is not present. Likewise, if a bill B is folded upward, the sensor <NUM> could detect that a sufficient accumulation space S is not present, despite the presence of the sufficient accumulation space S.

In the case of a sensor that, as described above, emits detection light to a space between a position above a placement mount on which bills are placed and a position below a transportation unit for transporting a bill onto the placement mount, if a plurality of bills lean against the leading-edge position restriction guide <NUM> depicted in <FIG>, such a sensor would not be capable of detecting that there is no accumulation space on the leading-edge side of the bills. Thus, a fault such as jamming of a bill could occur.

An object of the present invention is to provide a paper sheet storage apparatus and a paper sheet handling apparatus that are capable of enhancing the accuracy in detecting the presence/absence of an accumulation space for paper sheets.

In one aspect, a paper sheet storage apparatus includes: a placement mount on which paper sheets are placed; a leading-edge position restriction guide that restricts a position of a leading edge portion of a paper sheet in an entering direction in which the paper sheet advances when being transported onto the placement mount; and a sensor that detects presence/absence of an accumulation space for paper sheets that is located above the placement mount, wherein the sensor detects the presence/absence of the accumulation space by using detection light emitted to a space between a first position that is located on an opposite side of the leading-edge position restriction guide from the paper sheets on the placement mount and a second position below the first position that is located on an opposite side of the paper sheets on the placement mount from the leading-edge position restriction guide.

In another aspect, a paper sheet handling apparatus includes: a transportation path for transporting a paper sheet; and a paper sheet storage apparatus that stores the paper sheet transported on the transportation path, wherein the paper sheet storage apparatus includes: a placement mount on which paper sheets are placed; a leading-edge position restriction guide that restricts a position of a leading edge portion of a paper sheet in an entering direction in which the paper sheet advances when being transported onto the placement mount; and a sensor that detects presence/absence of an accumulation space for paper sheets that is located above the placement mount, wherein the sensor detects the presence/absence of the accumulation space by using detection light emitted to a space between a first position that is located on an opposite side of the leading-edge position restriction guide from the paper sheets on the placement mount and a second position below the first position that is located on an opposite side of the paper sheets on the placement mount from the leading-edge position restriction guide.

The above aspects allow the accuracy in detecting the presence/absence of an accumulation space for paper sheets to be enhanced.

The following describes a paper sheet storage apparatus and a paper sheet handling apparatus in accordance with embodiments by referring to the drawings.

<FIG> is a left side view illustrating the internal structure of a paper sheet handling apparatus <NUM> in accordance with embodiments.

As depicted in <FIG>, the paper sheet handling apparatus <NUM> includes a plurality of paper sheet storage apparatuses <NUM>, a money reception-ejection unit <NUM>, a separation unit <NUM>, a validation unit <NUM>, a temporary retention unit <NUM>, a reject unit <NUM>, and a transportation path <NUM>. For example, the paper sheet handling apparatus <NUM> may be an automated teller machine (ATM).

The money reception-ejection unit <NUM> receives or ejects a bill B, i.e., an example of a paper sheet. The paper sheet may be another type of paper sheet such as a check or valuable paper.

The separation unit <NUM> lifts bills B to an upper position at which a bill B is received from the money reception-ejection unit <NUM> or lowers bills B to a lower position at which a bill B is drawn out toward the validation unit <NUM>. The separation unit <NUM> temporarily stores a bill B received by the money reception-ejection unit <NUM>.

The validation unit <NUM> performs validation of a bill B transported from the separation unit <NUM>. For example, the validation unit <NUM> may determine whether the bill B is normal on the basis of the authenticity, thickness, length, or deterioration thereof.

The temporary retention unit <NUM> temporarily stores a bill B that has undergone validation performed by the validation unit <NUM>.

The reject unit <NUM> stores bills B not to be returned to customers, among bills B determined to be abnormal by the validation unit <NUM>.

The transportation path <NUM> is a transportation path for transporting bills B between the plurality of paper sheet storage apparatuses <NUM>, the money reception-ejection unit <NUM>, the separation unit <NUM>, the validation unit <NUM>, the temporary retention unit <NUM>, and the reject unit <NUM>. Transportation members such as transportation rollers for transporting bills B are disposed on the transportation path <NUM>.

<FIG> is a left side view illustrating the internal structure of the paper sheet storage apparatus <NUM>.

<FIG> is a plan view illustrating the internal structure of the paper sheet storage apparatus <NUM>.

As depicted in <FIG>, the paper sheet storage apparatus <NUM> includes a placement mount <NUM>, a leading-edge position restriction guide <NUM>, a sensor <NUM>, a transportation unit <NUM>, a rear-edge position restriction guide <NUM>, a spacer <NUM>, an open-close gate <NUM>, and a pressing part <NUM>. Note that indications of the rear-edge position restriction guide <NUM>, the spacer <NUM>, the open-close gate <NUM>, and the pressing part <NUM> are omitted in <FIG>.

For example, the paper sheet storage apparatus <NUM> may be a bill storage cassette that can be attached to and detached from the paper sheet handling apparatus <NUM> depicted in <FIG>. The paper sheet storage apparatus <NUM> may be integral with, i.e., incapable of being detached from, the paper sheet handling apparatus <NUM>.

For example, the placement mount <NUM> can be lifted or lowered to a height H0 indicated in <FIG> and <FIG>, a height H1 indicated in <FIG> less than the height H0, or a height H2 indicated in <FIG> and <FIG> less than the height H1. Bills B may be placed on the placement mount <NUM>.

The leading-edge position restriction guide <NUM> is located on the downstream side in an entering direction D in which a bill B advances when being transported onto the placement mount <NUM> (located on the left side in <FIG>), and restricts the position of the leading edge portion of the bill B. An uneven surface <NUM> is formed on a surface of the leading-edge position restriction guide <NUM> that contacts (a) bill(s) B. The uneven surface <NUM> is provided to prevent a bill B transported by the transportation unit <NUM> from entering the space between the leading-edge position restriction guide <NUM> and a plurality of bills B on the placement mount <NUM> depicted in <FIG>. For example, the uneven surface <NUM> may be a jagged surface.

The sensor <NUM> detects the presence/absence of an accumulation space S (indicated by a two-dot dash line) for bills B that is located above the placement mount <NUM>. The sensor <NUM> detects the presence/absence of an accumulation space S by using detection light L emitted to a space between a first position P1 that is located on an opposite side of the leading-edge position restriction guide <NUM> from the bills B on the placement mount <NUM> (located on the left side in <FIG>) and a second position P2 below the first position P1 that is located on an opposite side of the bills B on the placement mount <NUM> from the leading-edge position restriction guide <NUM> (located on the right side in <FIG>). For example, the sensor <NUM> may include an emission unit that is disposed at either of the first position P1 and the second position P2 and emits detection light L, and a light reception unit that is disposed at the other of the first position P1 and the second position P2 and receives the detection light L. The first position P1 is located above the upper edge of the accumulation space S (e.g., above the lower edge of the transportation roller <NUM>). Detection light L is emitted to travel above the accumulation space S from the leading-edge side of bills B on the placement mount <NUM>. The orientation of detection light L (sensor <NUM>) is set such that the accumulation space S ensures a sufficient space for preventing a bill B from causing a jam.

The transportation unit <NUM> includes transportation rollers <NUM>-<NUM> and impellers <NUM>. As depicted in <FIG>, two transportation rollers <NUM>, two transportation rollers <NUM>, two transportation rollers <NUM>, and two transportation rollers <NUM> are arranged in the width direction W of a bill B that is orthogonal to the entering direction D. Four impellers <NUM> are arranged in the width direction W of a bill B.

In the process of the paper sheet storage apparatus <NUM> storing a bill B received by the paper sheet handling apparatus <NUM>, the transportation unit <NUM> transports the bill B, which is transported from the transportation path <NUM> depicted in <FIG>, onto the placement mount <NUM>. In the process of the paper sheet storage apparatus <NUM> drawing out a bill B upon money ejection of the paper sheet handling apparatus <NUM>, the transportation unit <NUM> transports the bill B from the placement mount <NUM> to the transportation path <NUM>.

The transportation roller <NUM> is a driven roller disposed to face the transportation roller <NUM>, which is a driving roller. The transportation roller <NUM> rotates in accordance with a rotation of the transportation roller <NUM>.

The transportation roller <NUM> is a driving roller that rotates through a driving operation using the same driving source as the transportation roller <NUM>. A transmission belt (not illustrated) covers the central shaft of the transportation roller <NUM> and the central shaft of the transportation roller <NUM>. As depicted in <FIG>, the two transportation rollers <NUM> each include two rollers adjacent to each other in the width direction W of bills B that is orthogonal to the entering direction D of the bills B. For example, the rollers on the outsides in the width direction W may serve to separate a bill B when the bill B is being drawn out.

The transportation roller <NUM> is disposed below the transportation roller <NUM>. As with the transportation roller <NUM>, the transportation roller <NUM> is a driven roller that is disposed to face the transportation roller <NUM> and rotates in accordance with a rotation of the transportation roller <NUM>.

The transportation roller <NUM> is a driving roller that rotates through a driving operation using the same driving source as the transportation roller <NUM>. The transportation roller <NUM> is disposed to be swingable with respect to the central shaft of the transportation roller <NUM> and biased downward by a biasing member (not illustrated). In the process of the paper sheet storage apparatus <NUM> drawing out a bill B, the transportation roller <NUM> draws out the bill B while being lifted by being pressed upward by the bill B against the biasing force of the biasing member.

The impeller <NUM> is disposed below the transportation roller <NUM>. The impeller <NUM> slaps, by using a plurality of blades, downward the rear edge portion of a bill B transported from between the transportation rollers <NUM> and <NUM> toward the placement mount <NUM>, so as to prevent collision of the following bill.

The rear-edge position restriction guide <NUM> is disposed to face the leading-edge position restriction guide <NUM> and restricts the position of the rear edge portion of a bill B. The rear-edge position restriction guide <NUM> includes a transportation guide section <NUM>. The transportation guide section <NUM> extends upward to guide a bill B transported by the transportation unit <NUM>. The transportation guide section <NUM> is provided with a through hole or a notch (not illustrated) for preventing interference with the transportation rollers <NUM> and <NUM>.

The spacer <NUM> is disposed between the open-close gate <NUM> and the leading-edge position restriction guide <NUM> and defines a position for the leading-edge position restriction guide <NUM> in accordance with the size of bills B.

The open-close gate <NUM> closes the paper sheet storage apparatus <NUM> in an openable manner.

The pressing part <NUM> is disposed to be swingable with respect to the central shaft of the transportation roller <NUM> and lowered under the weight thereof to the position indicated in <FIG>. When the placement mount <NUM> is lifted, the pressing part <NUM> is pressed upward by the bills B on the placement mount <NUM>. When a bill B is being transported by the transportation unit <NUM> onto the placement mount <NUM>, the pressing part <NUM> also functions as a guide for preventing the bill B from entering the space upward of the leading-edge position restriction guide <NUM>. The pressing part <NUM> is disposed at a position in the width direction W of bills B at which the pressing part <NUM> does not interfere with detection light L, or includes a through hole through which detection light L passes.

<FIG> are explanatory diagrams for the detecting of the presence/absence of an accumulation space S in the paper sheet storage apparatus <NUM> in accordance with embodiments.

As indicated in <FIG>, a bill B is transported by the transportation unit <NUM> in the entering direction D onto the placement mount <NUM>, comes into contact with the uneven surface <NUM> of the leading-edge position restriction guide <NUM>, and is placed on the placement mount <NUM>.

If a bill B on the placement mount <NUM> slightly leans, as depicted in <FIG>, against the leading-edge position restriction guide <NUM> or if a bill B placed on the placement mount <NUM> is folded upward (this situation is not illustrated), detection light L will not be blocked by the bill B, so the sensor <NUM> detects that there is a sufficient accumulation space S, unlike the sensor <NUM> of the paper sheet storage apparatus <NUM> in accordance with the reference art depicted in <FIG>.

By contrast, if, as depicted in <FIG>, a bill B leaning against the leading-edge position restriction guide <NUM> lifts the pressing part <NUM> and the leading edge portion of the bill B reaches a position above the lower edge of the transportation roller <NUM>, i.e., above the position of the upper edge of an accumulation space S, the sensor <NUM> detects that a sufficient accumulation space S is not present. Thus, the transportation unit <NUM> and the transportation path <NUM> depicted in <FIG> stop transportation of bills B onto the placement mount <NUM>. Accordingly, owing to the bill B lifting the pressing part <NUM>, the following bill B is not placed onto the placement mount <NUM>, thereby preventing a jam from occurring within the transportation unit <NUM>.

5A-5F are explanatory diagrams for processing performed by the paper sheet handling apparatus <NUM> in accordance with embodiments.

A plurality of bills B1 inserted into the money reception-ejection unit <NUM> by, for example, a customer are, as indicated in <FIG>, temporarily stored in the separation unit <NUM>, then lowered within the separation unit <NUM>, and transported one by one to the validation unit <NUM>. The number of bills B1 may be counted when the bills B1 are being transported one by one from the separation unit <NUM>. Then, bills B1 undergo validation performed by the validation unit <NUM> and are transported to the temporary retention unit <NUM> (bills B2).

If a bill B2 transported to the temporary retention unit <NUM> has been determined to be abnormal by the validation unit <NUM> and thus should be returned, the bill B2 will be, as indicated in <FIG>, transported to the money reception-ejection unit <NUM> (bill B3).

When bills B2 transported to the temporary retention unit <NUM> have been determined to be normal by the validation unit <NUM>, the bills B2 will, as indicated in <FIG>, be transported to the separation unit <NUM> again, pass the validation unit <NUM>, and be transported to paper sheet storage apparatuses <NUM> for, for example, corresponding denominations (bills B4 and B5). A bill determined to be abnormal by the validation unit <NUM> is transported to the reject unit <NUM>.

In the ejecting of bills B, bills B4 and B5 drawn out of paper sheet storage apparatuses <NUM> pass the validation unit <NUM> and are transported to the temporary retention unit <NUM> (bills B6), as indicated in <FIG>. A bill determined to be abnormal by the validation unit <NUM> is transported to the reject unit <NUM>.

As indicated in <FIG>, a bill B6 transported to the temporary retention unit <NUM> is transported to the money reception-ejection unit <NUM> (bill B7) and ejected.

In the embodiments described so far, the paper sheet storage apparatus <NUM> includes: the placement mount <NUM> on which a bill B, i.e., an example of the paper sheet, is placed; the leading-edge position restriction guide <NUM> that restricts the position of the leading edge portion of a bill B in the entering direction D in which the bill B advances when being transported onto the placement mount <NUM>; and the sensor <NUM> that detects the presence/absence of an accumulation space S for bills B that is located above the placement mount <NUM>. The sensor <NUM> detects the presence/absence of an accumulation space S by using detection light L emitted to a space between a first position P1 that is located on an opposite side of the leading-edge position restriction guide <NUM> from the bills B on the placement mount <NUM> and a second position P2 below the first position P1 that is located on an opposite side of the bills B on the placement mount <NUM> from the leading-edge position restriction guide <NUM>.

As described above, detection light L is emitted to the space between the first position P1 that is located on an opposite side of the leading-edge position restriction guide <NUM> from the bills B on the placement mount <NUM> and the second position P2 located obliquely downward of the first position P1. Accordingly, if a bill B on the placement mount <NUM> slightly leans, as depicted in <FIG>, against the leading-edge position restriction guide <NUM> and a sufficient accumulation space S is present, it is possible to suppress an erroneous detection that a sufficient accumulation space S is not present, unlike in the case of the sensor <NUM> of the paper sheet storage apparatus <NUM> in accordance with the reference art depicted in <FIG> that horizontally emits detection light L. Moreover, the first position P1 for the sensor <NUM> is located on the opposite side of the leading-edge position restriction guide <NUM> from the bills B on the placement mount <NUM>, so in comparison to when the first position P1 is located above the placement mount <NUM>, it can be detected that a sufficient accumulation space S is not present on the leading-edge side of bills B due to, for example, a bill B leaning against the leading-edge position restriction guide <NUM>, thereby suppressing a fault such as a jam from occurring.

Accordingly, embodiments allow the accuracy in detecting the presence/absence of an accumulation space S for bills B to be enhanced.

The first position P1 is located above the accumulation space S. Accordingly, if a bill B on the placement mount <NUM> slightly leans, as depicted in <FIG>, against the leading-edge position restriction guide <NUM> and a sufficient accumulation space S is present, it is possible to more reliably suppress an erroneous detection that a sufficient accumulation space S is not present.

Detection light L is emitted to travel above the accumulation space S from the leading-edge side of bills B on the placement mount <NUM>. In this way, it can be more reliably detected that a sufficient space S is not present on the leading-edge side of bills B due to, for example, a bill B leaning against the leading-edge position restriction guide <NUM>.

Claim 1:
A paper sheet storage apparatus (<NUM>) comprising:
a placement mount (<NUM>) on which paper sheets (B) are placed;
a leading-edge position restriction guide (<NUM>) that restricts a position of a leading edge portion of a paper sheet (B) in an entering direction (D) in which the paper sheet (B) advances when being transported onto the placement mount (<NUM>);
a sensor (<NUM>) that detects presence/absence of an accumulation space (S) for paper sheets (B) that is located above the placement mount (<NUM>);
and
a pressing part (<NUM>) disposed to be swingable, wherein when a paper sheet (B) is being transported on the placement mount (<NUM>), the pressing part (<NUM>) functions as a guide configured to prevent the paper sheets (B) from entering the space upward of the leading-edge position restriction guide (<NUM>), wherein
the sensor (<NUM>) is configured to detect the presence/absence of the accumulation space (S) by using detection light (L) emitted to a space between a first position (P1) that is located on an opposite side of the leading-edge position restriction guide (<NUM>) from the paper sheets (B) on the placement mount (<NUM>) and a second position (P2) below the first position (P1) that is located on an opposite side of the paper sheets (B) on the placement mount (<NUM>) from the leading-edge position restriction guide (<NUM>),
the first position (P1) is located above the upper edge of the accumulation space (S),
and
the detection light (L) is emitted to travel above the accumulation space (S) from a leading - edge side of the paper sheets (B) on the placement mount (<NUM>),
characterised in that
the pressing part (<NUM>) either is disposed at a position in the width direction (W) orthogonal to the entering direction (D) at which the pressing part (<NUM>) does not interfere with the detection light (L), or includes a through hole through which the detection light (L) passes, and
the sensor (<NUM>) is configured, if a paper sheet (B) leaning against the leading - edge position restriction guide (<NUM>) lifts the pressing part (<NUM>) lowered under its weight and the leading - edge portion of the paper sheet (B) reaches a position above the upper edge of the accumulation space (S), to detect that a sufficient accumulation space (S) is not present.