Patent ID: 8276734

Claim:
A bill validator with a centering device comprising: a conveyer device for inwardly transporting a bill inserted from an inlet into the validator along a passageway; a validation sensor for converting a physical feature of the bill moved along the passageway into electric signals; a control device for receiving the electric signals from the validation sensor to discriminate authenticity of the bill and drive the conveyer device in response to the result of the authenticity discrimination; said centering device mounted on the validator ahead of the validation sensor, the centering device comprising a pair of pinch jaws positioned on the opposite sides of the passageway, and a centering motor such as a stepping motor for moving the pinch jaws toward and away from each other for reciprocation of the pinch jaws; wherein the conveyer device comprises belts which have a front belt mounted on a lower casing and a pair of side belts in the opposite sides of the front belt, a roller device provided on an upper casing, an inlet sensor provided ahead of the belts in electric connection to the control device, and a convey motor for driving the belts; the centering device further comprises a trigger sensor provided in the vicinity of the belts in electric connection to the control device; the roller device comprises a front roller and a pair of side rollers which respectively are in contact to the front and side belts mounted on the lower casing, a holder formed into a U-shape, a first shaft mounted on the holder for supporting the front roller, a second shaft rotatably mounted on the holder, the second shaft having end stems extending from the holder for supporting the side rollers thereon, and springs wound around the end stems of the second shaft for applying elastic force on the holder when the holder is rotated around the second shaft; the front and side rollers of the roller device are rotated respectively in contact to the front and side belts to inwardly transport the bill inserted from the inlet when the convey motor is rotated in the forward direction; the trigger sensor detects the bill to produce a detection signal to the control device which causes the convey motor and side rollers to rotate in the adverse direction so that the bill is returned toward the inlet and at the same time, the holder together with the front roller is rotated around the second shaft away from the front belt under a frictional force applied on the holder by elastic force of the springs to thereby keep the holder in the inclined condition and release the engagement of the bill with the belts; then, the centering motor is activated to move the pinch jaws toward and away from each other for the centering operation of the bill; the centering motor can arrive at slippage when warpage resistance of the centered bill is greater than an inherent holding torque of the stepping motor; and the conveyer device further inwardly transports the bill along the passageway after the stepping motor arrives at slippage.