Patent ID: 12243395

*Description of Reference Numerals*100: upper module110: deposit/withdrawal unit111, 134: internal space112: separator113: accumulator120: discrimination unit130: temporary storage unit131: separator/accumulator132: front plate133: rear plate135: door140: clearance200: lower module210: recycling cassette220: reject cassette310: first conveyance path320: second conveyance path321: second lower conveyance path322: second upper conveyance path323: upper connective conveyance path330: third conveyance path340: fourth conveyance path350: first connective conveyance path360: second connective conveyance path

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Hereinafter, a structure and operation of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Referring toFIG.1, a medium handling apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes a deposit/withdrawal unit110in which a separator112for separating each individual medium in an internal space111and an accumulator113for loading media into the internal space111are provided, respectively, at a front portion and a rear portion thereof, a discrimination unit120for discriminating whether the media is abnormal and type of the medium, a medium storage unit including a plurality of recycling cassettes210for storing deposited media or a media to be withdrawn, a temporary storage unit130for temporarily storing media which have been discriminated as a normal media by the discrimination unit120when a deposit is made, and conveyance paths310to380for connecting the deposit/withdrawal unit110, the discrimination unit120, the temporary storage unit130, and the medium storage unit to each other and conveying the media. The media include a check and a banknote.

The deposit/withdrawal unit110is a space into which media is loaded for a deposit or in which a number of media is accumulated for a withdrawal. The deposit/withdrawal unit110provides the separator112for separating each individual media inserted into the internal space111on the conveyance path310, and the accumulator113for accumulating media conveyed through the conveyance path330in the internal space111. The internal space111may be divided into a plurality of spaces by one or more partitions.

Each of the separator112and the accumulator113is composed of a plurality of opposing rollers and separates or accumulates media by rotation of the rollers. The separator112includes a pickup roller for separating each individual media.

The discrimination unit120discriminates whether media conveyed along the conveyance paths310and321is abnormal and type of the medium. The discrimination unit120includes a conveyance path for conveying media therein. In the conveyance path, a driver which is driven so that media may be conveyed in two directions is provided, and the conveyance path is configured so that media may be discriminated regardless of conveyance direction when the media is conveyed in the two directions.

In the discrimination unit120, sensing means such as an image sensor, a two-sheet sensor, etc. are provided. The discrimination unit120senses media passing through the conveyance paths310and321and simultaneously scans images of the media, thereby discriminating whether the conveyed media is counterfeit, type of the medium, and whether the media has been damaged, and transmitting detected information to a controller.

The temporary storage unit130temporarily stores the media distinguished by the discrimination unit120when deposited media is counted, and discharges the temporarily stored media to the conveyance paths323and322when the deposited media is received.

A separator/accumulator131is provided on an entrance side of the temporary storage unit130, that is, a position close to the deposit/withdrawal unit110so that media may be accumulated or separated. The separator/accumulator131is composed of a pickup roller having a circumferential surface on which a rubber member is provided to separate each individual medium accumulated in the internal space134, a feed roller for applying conveyance power to the each individual medium separated by the pickup roller, and a guide roller installed opposite to the feed roller and preventing media from being separated in pairs.

The temporary storage unit130includes a front plate132and a rear plate133so that media is stood upright and arranged in a horizontal stack in the internal space134. The temporary storage unit130has a rectangular shape whose cross-section is long in a front-to-back direction as shown inFIG.1.

The front plate132is provided above the separator/accumulator131to guide accumulation of media when the media is accumulated in the internal space134, and the rear plate133is provided behind the front plate132so that media is accumulated standing upright between the rear plate133and the front plate132.

The rear plate133is movable forward or backward according to the number of media accumulated in the internal space134.

InFIG.1, the front indicates the right side on which the deposit/withdrawal unit110is provided, and the rear indicates the opposite side, that is, the left side at which a clearance140is positioned.

A door135for opening or closing the internal space134is provided on the upper side of the temporary storage unit130. When the door135is opened, a user may accumulate media in the internal space134or take out media accumulated in the internal space134.

The clearance140may be formed behind the temporary storage unit130. In this case, it is easy to increase the capacity of the temporary storage unit130by increasing the size in a rearward direction, which is a direction opposite to the deposit/withdrawal unit110. In particular, when the temporary storage unit130is used to perform a media tallying task according to the present invention, the temporary storage unit130may have a capacity large enough to accumulate all media stored in at least one recycling cassette210.

The conveyance paths310to380includes the first conveyance path310connecting the separator112of the deposit/withdrawal unit110and the discrimination unit120, the second conveyance path320connecting the discrimination unit120and the temporary storage unit130, the third conveyance path330connecting the accumulator113and the second conveyance path320, the first connective conveyance path350diverged from the first conveyance path310and connected downward to the front side of the medium storage unit, the second connective conveyance path360diverged from the second conveyance path320and connected downward to the rear side of the medium storage unit, and the fourth conveyance path340which is positioned above the plurality of recycling cassettes210, has a front end and a rear end connected, respectively, to the first connective conveyance path350and the second connective conveyance path360, and is connected to each of the plurality of recycling cassettes.

The second conveyance path320is composed of the second lower conveyance path321extending in a horizontal direction from the left end of the discrimination unit120, the second upper conveyance path322provided above and approximately in parallel with the second lower conveyance path321, and the second upper connective conveyance path323connecting the right end of the second upper conveyance path322to the separator/accumulator131of the temporary storage unit130. The lefts ends of the second lower conveyance path321and the second upper conveyance path322are connected. The second conveyance path320is driven so that notes may be conveyed in the two directions.

Media conveyed through the second upper conveyance path322and the second upper connective conveyance path323are accumulated in the internal space134of the temporary storage unit130by the separator/accumulator131, and the media accumulated in the internal space134are each individually separated by the separator/accumulator131and conveyed to any one of the second upper conveyance path322and the third conveyance path330.

The third conveyance path330diverges from a connection point between the second upper conveyance path322and the second upper connective conveyance path323and is connected to the accumulator113of the deposit/withdrawal unit110. Media conveyed through the third conveyance path330are accumulated in the internal space111of the deposit/withdrawal unit110by the accumulator113.

A three-way switch gate390is provided at a point where the second upper conveyance path322, the second upper connective conveyance path323, and the third conveyance path330meet. Therefore, when a direction of the three-way switch gate390is changed, the second upper conveyance path322and the second upper connective conveyance path323are connected, the second upper conveyance path322and the third conveyance path330are connected, or the second upper connective conveyance path323and the third conveyance path330are connected.

The first connective conveyance path350diverges from the first conveyance path310to connect the right side of the discrimination unit120with the fourth conveyance path340, and as a lower part of the deposit/withdrawal unit110, has a length in a vertical direction of a front portion of an automated teller machine (ATM).

The second connective conveyance path360is positioned in a rear portion of the ATM. The second connective conveyance path360has a shape which diverges from the left end of the second lower conveyance path321, extends in a horizontal direction, and is bent downward at the end of the horizontal portion, and is connected to the left end of the fourth conveyance path340.

The length of the fourth conveyance path340is in the front-to-back direction. The front end of the fourth conveyance path340is connected to the first connective conveyance path350, and the rear end is connected to the second connective conveyance path360. There are cassette connective conveyance paths370and380diverged downward from the second connective conveyance path360and connected to the plurality of recycling cassettes210and a reject cassette220, respectively.

The medium storage unit includes the plurality of recycling cassettes210and the reject cassette220.

The recycling cassettes210function to accumulate and store deposited media therein, and to separate each individual medium to be withdrawn and convey the separated media to the conveyance path340in response to a withdrawal signal. The recycling cassettes210may be composed of a plurality of cassettes for storing identical or different types of media. When a plurality of different types of media are handled, each cassette may be configured to store the plurality of types of media or one type of medium.

Separators/accumulators211for accumulating or separating each individual medium are provided at the insert opening of the recycling cassettes210.

The reject cassette220is provided behind the recycling cassettes210to store media which have been discriminated as reject medium by the discrimination unit120or lost and retrieved media which have not been taken out by a user from the deposit/withdrawal unit110.

The deposit/withdrawal unit110, the discrimination unit120, the temporary storage unit130, and the first to third conveyance paths310,320, and330constitute an upper module100. The plurality of recycling cassettes210, the reject cassette220, and the fourth conveyance path340constitute a lower module200under the upper module100. The first connective conveyance path350and the second connective conveyance path360are provided over the upper module100and the lower module200.

Medium conveyance paths in a handling apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference toFIGS.2to7.

Deposited media counting and rejection processes will be described with reference toFIG.2.

When a user inserts media into the internal space111of the deposit/withdrawal unit110for a deposit, the media are each individually separated by the separator112and then conveyed to the discrimination unit120through the first conveyance path310.

Normal media discriminated by the discrimination unit120as normal are passed through the second conveyance path320(321,322, and323) and temporarily stored in the temporary storage unit130by the separator/accumulator131such that a deposited medium counting process is finished.

When a medium is discriminated as a reject medium by the discrimination unit120, the direction of the three-way switch gate390is set so that the second upper conveyance path322and the third conveyance path330are connected. The reject medium discriminated by the discrimination unit120is passed through the second lower conveyance path321, the second upper conveyance path322, and the third conveyance path330, is accumulated in the internal space111of the deposit/withdrawal unit110by the accumulator113, and then is taken out by the user, such that a deposited medium rejection process is finished.

After the deposited medium counting process is performed as described above, a deposit reception process proceeds when the user inputs a deposit confirmation signal, and a deposit cancellation process proceeds when the user inputs a deposit cancellation signal.

When the deposit cancellation signal is input, the direction of the three-way switch gate390is set so that the second upper connective conveyance path323and the third conveyance path330are connected. The media temporarily stored in the temporary storage unit130are each individually separated by the separator/accumulator131, passed through the second upper connective conveyance path323and the third conveyance path330, accumulated in the internal space111of the deposit/withdrawal unit110, and then taken out by the user, such that a deposit process is finished.

A deposit reception process will be described with reference toFIG.3.

When the deposit reception process proceeds, the direction of the three-way switch gate390is set so that the second upper connective conveyance path323and the second upper conveyance path322are connected. The media temporarily stored in the temporary storage unit130are each individually separated by the separator/accumulator131, passed through the second upper connective conveyance path323, the second upper conveyance path322, the second lower conveyance path321, the discrimination unit120, the first connective conveyance path350, and the fourth conveyance path340, and accumulated in a recycling cassette210, such that a deposit process is finished. When a plurality of types of media are deposited, the media may be stored in a plurality of recycling cassettes according to type of media.

A withdrawal and rejection process will be described with reference toFIG.4.

When a user makes a withdrawal request, the direction of the three-way switch gate390is set so that the second upper conveyance path322and the third conveyance path330are connected. Media stored in a recycling cassette210are each individually separated by a separator/accumulator211.

Each individually separated medium is passed through the fourth conveyance path340and the first connective conveyance path350, and the discrimination unit120discriminates whether the media are abnormal. Media discriminated to be normal media by the discrimination unit120are passed through the second lower conveyance path321, the second upper conveyance path322, and the third conveyance path330and accumulated in the internal space111by the accumulator113of the deposit/withdrawal unit110. The media accumulated in the internal space111are taken out by the user such that a withdrawal process is finished.

A medium discriminated as a reject medium by the discrimination unit120is directly conveyed to the reject cassette220through the second lower conveyance path321and the second connective conveyance path360as indicated by the path of the broken line inFIG.4.

As described above, the second connective conveyance path360diverged from the second conveyance path320is provided in the rear portion of the ATM, and the reject cassette220is disposed behind the recycling cassettes210. Therefore, when a medium to be withdrawn is rejected, the reject medium may be discriminated by the discrimination unit120and then directly stored in the reject cassette220without being temporarily stored. Consequently, it is possible to reduce a handling time of the reject medium and shorten a conveyance path of the reject medium.

Retrieval of lost media will be described with reference toFIG.5.

When a user forgets to take out media accumulated in the internal space111of the deposit/withdrawal unit110in a withdrawal process, the media become lost medium. In this case, the media are each individually separated by the separator112, passed through the first conveyance path310, the discrimination unit120, the second lower conveyance path321, and the second connective conveyance path360, and stored in the reject cassette220.

An internal tallying process will be described with reference toFIGS.6and7.

First, a user inputs a signal for tallying the number of media stored in the recycling cassettes210.

When the tallying signal is input, media are each individually separated by a separator/accumulator211in any one of the plurality of recycling cassettes210, passed through the fourth conveyance path340, and conveyed to the discrimination unit120as shown inFIG.6, and the media are discriminated by the discrimination unit120.

Media passed through the discrimination unit120are passed through the second lower conveyance path321, the second upper conveyance path322, and the second upper connective conveyance path323, and stored in the temporary storage unit130.

When all the media of the recycling cassette210, which is a tallying target, are stored in the temporary storage unit130through such a process, the media of the temporary storage unit130are separated again and passed through the second upper connective conveyance path323, the second upper conveyance path322, the second lower conveyance path321, the discrimination unit120, and the fourth conveyance path340, and stored in the recycling cassette210, which is the tallying target, as shown inFIG.7.

In this case, the number of media may be sensed by the discrimination unit120, or a sensor provided in the conveyance path320or340may sense whether media are passed through.

When the number of media of the recycling cassette210, which is the tallying target, is determined through the above process, the number may be displayed on a display (not shown) so that the user may see the number.

When tallying of the recycling cassette210is completed as described above, tallying of the other recycling cassettes210is performed through the same process.

Next, a process of refilling a recycling cassette210with media due to a deficient number of media will be described.

In a method of refilling media, the deposit/withdrawal unit110or the temporary storage unit130may be used.

First, when a user wants to refill a recycling cassette210with media by using the deposit/withdrawal unit110, the user inserts media into the deposit/withdrawal unit110. The inserted media are separated one by one, passed through the first conveyance path310, and discriminated by the discrimination unit120. After being discriminated, normal media are stored in the temporary storage unit130, and the media stored in the temporary storage unit130are stored in the recycling cassette210, such that the recycling cassette210is refilled with the media. In this case, a conveyance path of the media is the same as that shown inFIGS.2and3.

Next, when a user wants to refill a recycling cassette210with media by using the temporary storage unit130, the user opens the door135provided in the temporary storage unit130and inserts media for refilling the internal space134.

The media in the internal space134are separated, passed through the second upper connective conveyance path323, the second upper conveyance path322, and the second lower conveyance path321, and conveyed to the discrimination unit120such that the media are discriminated. Media discriminated as normal media are passed through the first connective conveyance path350and the fourth conveyance path340and stored in the recycling cassette210to be refilled. In this case, a conveyance path of the media is the same as that shown inFIG.3. A medium discriminated as reject medium by the discrimination unit120is passed through the first connective conveyance path350and the fourth conveyance path340and stored in the reject cassette220.

As described above, according to exemplary embodiments of the present invention, by using a temporary storage unit, it is possible to perform a tallying task even when there is no empty cassette in an ATM, such that the internal space of the ATM can be efficiently used.