Information
-
Patent Grant
-
6334610
-
Patent Number
6,334,610
-
Date Filed
Wednesday, March 29, 200024 years ago
-
Date Issued
Tuesday, January 1, 200222 years ago
-
Inventors
-
Original Assignees
-
Examiners
Agents
- Armstrong, Westerman, Hattori, McLeland & Naughton, LLP
-
CPC
-
US Classifications
Field of Search
US
- 271 304
- 271 301
- 271 126
- 271 147
- 271 157
- 271 158
- 271 159
-
International Classifications
-
Abstract
A leaf transfer mechanism unit, to be incorporated in general in an automatic teller machine, defines a leaf reception room between a pickup roller and a partition member. Behind the partition member, a leaf delivery room is defined between the partition member and a retrieval urging member. When the retrieval urging member is allowed to move forward within the limit of a front limit position, bills received in the leaf delivery room can be urged against the pickup roller. During this operation, the partition member is kept at a turnout position beyond the front limit position of the retrieval urging member. The pickup roller is exposed behind the partition member. Since the turnout position can be defined at the extension of the path of movement for the retrieval urging member, it is possible to avoid the partition member at the turnout position from largely and remarkably protruding out of the path of movement. The leaf transfer mechanism unit is thus allowed to operate within a smaller space as compared with a prior art leaf transfer mechanism unit.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a leaf management apparatus such as an automatic teller machine (ATM) located in a bank, a convenience store, and the like, for example.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A leaf transfer mechanism unit incorporated in an ATM is well known as is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 9-147193, for example. The leaf transfer mechanism unit may comprise a leaf reception room defined between a pickup roller and a front or reception urging member. When a customer intends to deposit cash, the leaf reception room is designed to receive bills. The reception urging member is driven to move forward so as to urge the received bills against the pickup roller. Rotation of the pickup roller serves to sequentially transfer the bills, one by one, to a discrimination section.
Behind the reception urging member, a leaf delivery room is defined between a partition member and a rear or retrieval urging member. Bills determined unacceptable at the discrimination section, such as false bills and other types of leaves, are temporarily stored in the leaf delivery room. When all of the bills have been taken out of the leaf reception room, the retrieval urging member is driven to move forward toward the pickup roller. Such advancement of the retrieval urging member causes the leaf delivery room to lead to a leaf delivery opening of the ATM. The customer is allowed to pick up the bills or other types of leaves, which have been determined unacceptable at the discrimination section, out of the leaf delivery opening.
If the customer has left the unacceptable bills and other types of leaves in the leaf delivery room, the left bills and leaves should be retrieved into a retrieval container. The retrieval urging member is driven to move forward so as to urge the left bills and leaves against the pickup roller. When the pickup roller is driven to rotate, the left bills and leaves are sequentially transferred, one by one, to the retrieval container.
During such operation, the aforementioned reception urging member and the partition member in front of the retrieval urging member should be removed from the path of movement for the retrieval urging member advancing toward the pickup roller.
Removal of the partition member may be achieved, as is disclosed in the aforementioned Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 9-147193, by moving the upright partition member in the direction perpendicularly intersecting the path of movement for the retrieval urging member. However, such movement of the partition member inevitably suffers from occupation of a larger space in the ATM. Moreover, the disclosed leaf transfer mechanism unit is designed to drive the partition member and the reception urging member by separate drive sources, so that a drive mechanism inevitably gets complicated.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide a leaf transfer mechanism unit capable of operating or acting within a smaller space.
According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a leaf transfer mechanism unit comprising: a pickup roller; a retrieval urging member designed to move forward toward the pickup roller along a predetermined path leading to a front limit position allowing the retrieval urging member to collide against the pickup roller; and a partition member designed to move forward in front of the retrieval urging member along the predetermined path beyond the front limit position for the retrieval urging member so as to reach a turnout position.
When the retrieval urging member is allowed to move forward, bills received between the pickup roller and the retrieval urging member can be urged against the pickup roller. The rotating pickup roller serves to sequentially transfer the bills, one by one, urged against the pickup roller. During this operation of the pickup roller, the partition member is allowed to move forward to the turnout position beyond the front limit position for the retrieval urging member, so that the retrieval urging member is reliably prevented from interfering or colliding with the partition member during the advancement of the retrieval urging member.
In general, the partition member and the retrieval urging member are kept in an attitude upright to the predetermined path of movement. If the turnout position of the partition member can be defined at the extension of the predetermined path of movement, it is possible to avoid the partition member at the turnout position from largely and remarkably protruding out of the predetermined path of movement. The leaf transfer mechanism unit is thus allowed to operate within a smaller space as compared with a prior art leaf transfer mechanism unit.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a leaf transfer mechanism unit comprising: a pickup roller; a partition member designed to move toward the pickup roller; a leaf reception room defined between the pickup roller and the partition member; a retrieval urging member designed to move forward toward the pickup roller within the limit of a front limit position allowing the retrieval urging member to collide against the pickup roller; and a leaf delivery room defined behind the partition member between the partition member and the retrieval urging member, wherein the partition member is designed to reach a turnout position where the pickup roller is exposed in the leaf delivery room behind the partition member.
With the above arrangement, bills can be received in the leaf reception room defined between the pickup roller and the partition member while bills can also be received in the leaf delivery room defined between the partition member and the retrieval urging member. When all bills are taken out of the leaf reception room, the bills in the leaf delivery room are then subjected to a transferring operation. During the transferring operation, the bills can reliably be urged against the pickup roller exposed behind the partition member which is kept at the turnout position. The rotating pickup roller serves to sequentially transfer the bills, one by one, out of the leaf delivery room.
As described above, the partition member is usually kept in an attitude upright to its path of movement. If the turnout position of the partition member can be defined at the extension of the path of movement, it is possible to avoid the partition member at the turnout position from largely and remarkably protruding out of the path of movement. The leaf transfer mechanism unit is thus allowed to operate within a smaller space as compared with a prior art leaf transfer mechanism unit.
The leaf transfer mechanism unit may further comprise a reception urging member interlocked with or incorporated in the partition member and designed to move forward toward the pickup roller within the limit of a collision position allowing the reception urging member to collide against the pickup roller. This arrangement allows the reception urging member to urge bills, received between the partition member and the pickup roller, against the pickup roller when the reception urging member is allowed to move forward. The rotating pickup roller serves to sequentially transfer the bills, one by one, urged against the pickup roller.
The leaf transfer mechanism unit may further comprise: a guide passage formed in the partition member for guiding movement of the reception urging member; and a driving piece connected to the reception urging member and designed to move along a circular orbit described around a rotation axis in parallel with a rotational axis of the pickup roller. With this arrangement, the movement of the drive piece along the orbit causes not only movement of the reception urging member but also movement of the partition member interlocked with the reception urging member. A drive source may be employed common to the reception urging member and the partition member. A drive mechanism can be simplified as compared with a prior art leaf transfer mechanism unit.
Alternatively, the aforementioned leaf transfer mechanism unit may further comprise: a reception urging member disposed between the pickup roller and the retrieval urging member at a rearmost position remotest from the pickup roller; and a guide passage formed in the partition member for guiding movement of the reception urging member. In this case, the reception urging member is designed to selectively trace a first and a second advancement path. The first advancement path extends toward the pickup roller from the rearmost position so as to reach a collision position allowing the reception urging member to collide against the pickup roller, while the second advancement path extends from the rearmost position so as to make a roundabout of the pickup roller. When the reception urging member traces the first advancement path, the reception urging member is allowed to urge bills, received between the pickup roller and the partition member, against the pickup roller. On the other hand, when the reception urging member traces the second advancement path, the partition member is allowed to reach the turnout position without inducing collision between the reception urging member and the pickup roller during the advancement of the partition member.
The above arrangement may employ a driving piece connected, directly or indirectly, to the reception urging member so as to move along a circular orbit described around a rotation axis in parallel with a rotational axis of the pickup roller. The driving piece serves to drive the reception urging member along the first and second advancement paths with a relatively simpler structure.
According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a leaf transfer mechanism unit comprising: a pickup roller; a rear urging member designed to move forward toward the pickup roller within the limit of a front limit position allowing the rear urging member to collide against the pickup roller; and a front urging member disposed between the pickup roller and the rear urging member at a rearmost position remotest from the pickup roller, wherein the front urging member selectively traces a first and a second advancement path, the first advancement path extending toward the pickup roller from the rearmost position so as to reach a collision position allowing the front urging member to collide against the pickup roller, the second advancement path extending from the rearmost position so as to make a roundabout of the pickup roller.
With the above arrangement, bills can be received between the pickup roller and the front urging member, at the same time, bills can be received between the front and rear urging members. When the front urging member traces the first advancement path, the front urging member is allowed to urge the bills, received between the pickup roller and the front urging member. The rotating pickup roller serves to sequentially transfer the received bills, one by one. Moreover, when rear urging member moves forward following the advancement of the front urging member along the second advancement path, the rear urging member is allowed to reach the front limit position without inducing the collision between the front urging member and the pickup roller. The rear urging member is allowed to reliably urge the bills, received between the front and rear urging members, against the pickup roller. The received bills can thus sequentially be transferred one by one.
In general, the front and rear urging members are kept in an attitude upright to the path of movement for the rear urging member. If the front urging member is allowed to trace the second advancement path keeping the attitude, it is possible to avoid the front urging member from largely and remarkably protruding out of the path of movement of the rear urging member. The leaf transfer mechanism unit is thus allowed to operate within a smaller space as compared with a prior art leaf transfer mechanism unit.
The above arrangement may employ a driving piece connected, directly or indirectly, to the front urging member so as to move along a circular orbit described around a rotation axis in parallel with a rotational axis of the pickup roller. The driving piece serves to drive the front urging member along the first and second advancement paths with a relatively simpler structure.
The aforementioned leaf transfer mechanism unit may be incorporated in a leaf management apparatus such as an automatic teller machine (ATM), for example. The leaf may include any of a paper sheet such as a money bill and a valuable ticket, a magnetic card, a plastic card such as a credit card, and the like.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiment in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:
FIG. 1
is a perspective view illustrating an automatic teller machine (ATM);
FIG. 2
schematically illustrates paths for transfer of bills within the ATM;
FIG. 3
is an enlarged plan view, observed through a leaf input opening, schematically illustrating a leaf transfer mechanism unit;
FIG. 4
is an enlarged partial side view of the ATM for schematically illustrating the structure of the leaf transfer mechanism unit;
FIG. 5
is a side view of the leaf transfer mechanism unit for schematically illustrating a guide mechanism for movement of a partition unit;
FIG. 6
is a front view schematically illustrating the structure of the partition unit;
FIG. 7
is a front view of the partition unit for illustrating a reception urging member at a lower limit position;
FIG. 8
is a front view of the partition unit for schematically illustrating an intermediate plate;
FIG. 9
is a side view of the leaf transfer mechanism unit for illustrating a path for movement of a retrieval urging member;
FIG. 10
is a side view of the leaf transfer mechanism unit for illustrating a first and a second advancement path for the reception urging member;
FIG. 11
is a side view illustrating the operation of the leaf transfer mechanism unit when bills are input;
FIG. 12
is a side view illustrating the operation of the leaf transfer mechanism unit when bills are transferred;
FIG. 13
is a side view illustrating the operation of the leaf transfer mechanism unit when bills are dispensed; and
FIG. 14
is a side view illustrating the operation of the leaf transfer mechanism unit when the left bills are transferred.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
FIG. 1
illustrates an automatic teller machine (ATM)
10
as a leaf or sheet management apparatus. The operation of the ATM
10
allows a customer to deposit and/or draw cash in and/or from an own account, to pay cash into another account, or the like. When the customer intends to deposit or pay cash, bills can be received in the ATM
10
through a leaf input opening
11
while coins can be received in the ATM
10
through a coin input opening
12
. When the customer intends to draw cash, the customer can pick up bills and coins through the leaf input opening
11
and the coin input opening
12
, respectively. The bill input opening
11
and the coin input opening
12
can be closed with covers
13
,
14
, respectively.
In general, a cash card is employed to operate the ATM
10
. The cash card can be inserted into the ATM through a card insertion opening
15
. In addition, the ATM
10
is designed to make an entry of each item in a bankbook. The bankbook can be inserted into the ATM
10
through a book insertion opening
16
.
The ATM
10
includes a so-called touch panel
17
. Key buttons for options as well as ten keys and character keys can be displayed on the screen of the touch panel
17
. When a customer touches any of the key buttons, the ten keys and the character keys, the ATM
10
is designed to detect or recognize a signal corresponding to the touched key button or key. The operation of these key buttons and keys can be employed to input the sum of cash to be dispensed, a code number of a cash card, or the like, into the ATM
10
.
As shown in
FIG. 2
, a leaf transfer mechanism unit
21
is connected to the leaf input opening
11
. When a plurality of or a stack of bills are inserted into the leaf input opening
11
, the leaf transfer mechanism unit
21
is designed to sequentially transfer the input bills one by one. The bills are then transferred to a discrimination section
22
. The discrimination section
22
is designed to distinguish genuine bills from false bills and other types of leaves and to calculate the total amount of money for the genuine bills.
The genuine bills are transferred to a temporary storage room
23
. The remaining leaves, which have been determined unacceptable, are returned to the leaf transfer mechanism unit
21
. The remaining leaves may include false bills and other types of leaves such as shopping receipts. A customer is allowed to pick up the leaves, returned to the leaf transfer mechanism unit
21
, through the leaf input opening
11
. The genuine bills temporarily stored in the temporary storage room
23
can be returned to the leaf transfer mechanism unit
21
through the discrimination section
22
in response to cancellation of the transaction. The customer is allowed to pick up the returned genuine bills out of the leaf transfer mechanism unit
21
.
On the other hand, when continuation of the transaction has been confirmed, the genuine bills stored in the temporary storage room
23
is transferred to the discrimination section
22
a second time. This time, the discrimination section
22
serves to distinguish reusable ¥10,000 bills and ¥1,000 bills from the remaining genuine bills such as heavily damaged ¥10,000 and ¥1,000 bills, not suitable to reuse, and the other kinds of genuine bills, including ¥5,000 bills, for example. The remaining genuine bills are retrieved into a storage container
24
. The reusable genuine ¥10,000 bills are transferred to a ¥10,000 bill container
25
, while the reusable genuine ¥1,000 bills are transferred to a ¥1,000 bill container
26
. The customer sometimes carelessly leaves the bills which has been not received in the ATM
10
. The bills left in the leaf transfer mechanism unit
21
is transferred to a retrieval container
27
through the discrimination section
22
.
When a customer intends to take cash out of the ATM
10
, ¥10,000 bills and/or ¥1,000 bills corresponding to the requested amount of money are picked up from the ¥10,000 bill container
25
and/or the ¥1,000 bill container
26
. The width and thickness of the bills are then measured and examined at a width sensor
28
and a thickness sensor
29
, respectively. The approved bills are thereafter transferred to the leaf transfer mechanism unit
21
. The customer is expected to receive a set of ¥1,000 bills and/or ¥1,000 bills corresponding to the requested amount of money out of the leaf input opening
11
. The customer sometimes carelessly leaves the bills dispensed in the leaf transfer mechanism unit
21
. The bills left in the leaf transfer mechanism unit
21
is transferred to the retrieval container
27
through the discrimination section
22
.
Next, the structure of the leaf transfer mechanism unit
21
will be described in detail. As shown in
FIG. 3
, the leaf transfer mechanism unit
21
comprises, for example, three rotative pickup rollers
32
supported on a rotation axis
31
for rotation, and four separators
33
arranged alternately with the pickup rollers
32
in the longitudinal direction of the rotation axis
31
. As is conventionally known, the pickup roller
32
includes a slippery surface
34
defined on the outer cylindrical periphery for allowing the slippage between the pickup roller
32
and a leaf during rotation of the pickup roller
32
, and a friction surface
35
likewise defined on the outer cylindrical periphery for generating a larger friction between the pickup roller
32
and a leaf during rotation of the pickup roller
32
. A drive source
36
is designed to control the rotation or action of the pickup rollers
32
. The drive source
36
may comprise a servo motor responsive to pulse signals, for example. The separator
33
comprises at least a friction surface defined on the outer surface. A rubber roller, prevented from rotation, may be employed as the separator
33
, for example.
As is apparent from
FIG. 3
, a stack of bills
PP
are urged against the pickup rollers
32
in the radial direction
37
of the pickup rollers
32
. When the rotating pickup rollers
32
contact the first or top bill
PP
at the friction surface
35
, the rotation of the pickup rollers
32
is transformed into a movement of the first bill
PP
between the pickup rollers
32
and the separators
33
. The first bill
PP
is then transferred to subsequent rollers, not shown. The separators
33
are designed to exert a friction on the remaining bills
PP
, namely, the second and subsequent bills
PP
. The remaining bills
PP
cannot pass by the separators
33
. When the slippery surface
34
comes to contact the top bill
PP
of the stack, the rotation of the pickup rollers
32
is terminated. The pickup rollers
32
are designed to repeat such an action or behavior in the aforementioned manner until all of the bills
PP
in the leaf transfer mechanism unit
21
are taken out.
As shown in
FIG. 4
, the leaf transfer mechanism unit
21
comprises a slide plane
38
defined by a rigid plate or rigid frames. The slide plane
38
is designed to guide a forward sliding movement of the bills
PP
toward the pickup rollers
32
. The slide plane
38
is tilted up in the forward direction. A partition unit
40
is disposed on or above the slide plane
38
. The partition unit
40
is design ed to define a leaf reception room
39
between the pickup rollers
32
and itself. Likewise, a retrieval or rear urging member
42
is disposed on or above the slide plane
38
. The retrieval urging member
42
may be a rigid plate or frame. The retrieval urging member
42
is designed to define a leaf delivery room
41
between the partition unit or member
40
and itself behind the partition unit
40
. The partition unit
40
and the retrieval urging member
42
are maintained in an attitude upright to the slide plane
38
. In addition, the partition unit
40
is allowed to move forward and backward along a predetermined path between a rearmost or standard position
43
remotest from the pickup rollers
32
and a front or turnout position
44
where the pickup rollers
32
is exposed in the leaf delivery room
41
behind the partition unit
40
. The retrieval urging member
42
is allowed to move forward and backward along a predetermined path between a rear limit position
45
remotest from the partition unit
40
and a front limit position
46
where the retrieval urging member
42
collides against the pickup rollers
32
.
As shown in
FIG. 5
, a guide frame
49
is disposed to extend in the forward and backward direction in parallel with the slide plane
38
. The guide frame
49
serves to establish the predetermined path for the sliding movement of the partition unit
40
in combination with a pair of front and rear rollers
48
supported on the partition unit
40
for rotation. The rollers
48
are received and guided in the guide frame
49
. The rollers
48
and the guide frame
49
may be arranged on left and right sides of the partition unit
40
in the lateral direction, as shown in FIG.
6
. The combination of the rollers
48
and the guide frame
49
serves to allow the partition unit
40
to move forward and backward along the predetermined path keeping the attitude upright to the slide plane
38
.
As shown in
FIG. 6
, the partition unit
40
includes a pair of upright frames
51
standing upright at left and right sides of the bills
PP
on or above the slide plane
38
. A front or reception urging member
52
is disposed between the upright frames
51
. The reception urging member
52
is maintained in an attitude upright to the slide plane
38
in the same manner as the partition unit
40
and the retrieval urging member
42
. Moreover, the reception urging member
52
is designed to move between a lower limit position closest to the slide plane
38
and an upper limit position remotest from the slide plane
38
. As is apparent from
FIG. 7
, when the reception urging member
52
is positioned at the lower limit position, the reception urging member
52
is allowed to be opposed to the pickup rollers
32
protruding out of the slide plane
38
.
An intermediate member or plate
53
is employed to rigidly connect the upright frames
51
to each other, as shown in
FIG. 8
, for example. A recess
54
is defined in the intermediate plate
53
for allowing the pickup rollers
32
protruding out of the slide plane
38
to pass through when the partition unit
40
is caused to move forward to the turnout position
44
(see FIG.
4
). The recess
54
serves to avoid collision between the pickup rollers
32
and the intermediate plate
53
during the forward and backward movement of the partition unit
40
along the slide plane
38
. The recess
54
can be closed with the reception urging member
52
at the lower limit position.
As shown in
FIG. 9
, a guide frame
56
is formed in the respective upright frames
52
for defining a guide passage which extends in a direction orthogonal to the slide plane
38
. The guide frames
56
are designed to guide the vertical movement of the reception urging member
52
in combination with pairs of upper and lower rollers
55
supported on left and right sides of the reception urging member
52
for rotation.
The reception urging member
52
is provided with a horizontal rod
57
protruding in the horizontal direction from left and right sides of the reception urging member
52
, referring to
FIGS. 6 and 9
. The opposite ends of the horizontal rod
57
are received in slots
58
formed in the upright frames
52
, respectively, as is apparent from FIG.
9
. The slots
58
are designed to define the upper and lower limit positions of the reception urging member
52
in combination with the horizontal rod
57
.
As shown in
FIG. 9
, a guide frame
62
is also disposed to extend in the forward and backward direction in parallel with the slide plane
38
. The guide frame
62
serves to establish a path of movement for the retrieval urging member
42
in combination with a pair of front and rear rollers
61
supported on the retrieval urging member
42
for rotation. The rollers
61
are received and guided in the guide frame
62
. The rollers
61
and the guide frame
62
may be arranged on left and right sides of the retrieval urging member
42
in the lateral direction. The combination of the rollers
61
and the guide frame
62
serves to allow the retrieval urging member
42
to move forward and backward along the slide plane
38
keeping the attitude upright to the slide plane
38
.
A drive source
63
is designed to control the forward and backward movement of the retrieval urging member
42
. The drive source
63
may comprise a servo motor responsive to pulse signals, for example. The driving force from the drive source
63
is transmitted to the retrieval urging member
42
through a transmission belt
65
wound around a pair of front and rear pulleys
64
, for example.
As shown in
FIG. 10
, a driving piece
67
is rotatively coupled to the reception urging member
52
. The driving piece
67
is designed to move along a circular orbit described around a rotation axis
66
in parallel with the rotational axis of the pickup rollers
32
. The driving piece
67
may be formed as the tip end of a lever
68
designed to swing around a support axis
66
, for example. The horizontal rod
57
may receive the respective driving piece
67
at the opposite ends protruding from the left and right sides of the reception urging member
52
in the aforementioned manner. When the driving piece
67
moves in response to the swinging movement of the lever
68
, the reception urging member
52
is allowed to move in the vertical direction while being guided by the partition unit
40
. The vertical movement of the reception urging member
52
in this manner induces the forward and backward movement of the partition unit
40
. A drive source
69
is connected to the support axis
66
for controlling the swinging movement of the lever
68
. The drive source
69
may comprise a servo motor responsive to pulse signals, for example.
For example, when the partition unit
40
is positioned at the standard position
43
, the reception urging member
52
is located at a rearmost position
RR
remotest from the pickup rollers
32
. If the driving piece
67
moves from the rearmost position
RR
in the normal direction, namely, the clockwise direction in
FIG. 10
, so as to turn around the support axis
66
, the reception urging member
52
is allowed to trace a first advancement path
70
. The first advancement path
70
is designed to extend toward the pickup rollers
32
from the rearmost position
RR
so as to reach a front or collision position
FD
allowing the reception urging member
52
to collide against the pickup rollers
32
. On the other hand, if the driving piece
67
moves from the rearmost position
RR
in the reverse direction, namely, the counterclockwise direction in
FIG. 10
, so as to turn around the support axis
66
, the reception urging member
52
is allowed to trace a second advancement path
71
. The second advancement path
71
is designed to extend from the rearmost position
RR
so as to make a roundabout of the pickup rollers
32
. The second advancement path
71
of the reception urging member
52
serves to avoid collision between the pickup rollers
32
and the reception urging member
52
during the advance movement of the partition unit
40
reaching the turnout position
44
. In this manner, determination of the direction for rotation of the driving piece
67
serves to allow the reception urging member
52
to selectively trace either of the first and second advancement paths
70
,
71
.
Next, description will be made on the operation of the aforementioned leaf transfer mechanism unit
21
. Assume that a stack of bills
PP
are thrown into the leaf input opening
11
, for example. As shown in
FIG. 11
, the partition unit
40
has been positioned at the standard position
43
prior to insertion of the bills
PP
. Accordingly, the leaf reception room
39
is defined between the pickup rollers
32
and the partition unit
40
for receiving the bills
PP
through the leaf input opening
11
. When the cover
13
is opened, a customer is allowed to insert the bills PP, in an upright attitude, into the leaf reception room
39
. The slide plane
38
receives the lower ends or edges of the bills
PP
. The retrieval urging member
42
is expected to stand by right behind the partition unit
40
. The reception urging member
52
incorporated within the partition unit
40
is positioned at the rearmost position
RR
remotest from the pickup rollers
32
(see
FIG. 10
, for example).
When the cover
13
is then closed, the drive source
69
drives the lever
68
for swinging movement around the support axis
66
in the normal direction. The partition unit
40
is consequently allowed to move forward as shown in FIG.
12
. The reception urging member
52
is caused to move forward toward the pickup rollers
32
along the first advancement path
70
. The reception urging member
52
is expected to urge the bills
PP
against the pickup rollers
32
. The rotating pickup rollers
32
serve to transfer the bills
PP
, one by one, to the subsequent rollers
73
. The subsequent rollers
73
are designed to hand the received bills
PP
over the discrimination section
22
.
Prior to the initial operation of the pickup rollers
32
, the drive source
63
drives the retrieval urging member
42
for backward movement until the retrieval urging member
42
reaches the rear limit position
45
, as shown in FIG.
12
. The leaf delivery room
41
is defined behind the partition unit
40
between the retrieval urging member
40
and the partition unit
40
. The leaf transfer mechanism unit
21
is thus prepared to receive bills
PP
, determined unacceptable at the discrimination section
22
in the aforementioned manner. The bills
PP
to be returned from the discrimination section
22
to the leaf transfer mechanism unit
21
are sequentially discharged into the leaf delivery room
41
through a discharge slot
74
defined in the slide plane
38
.
Assume that all of the bills
PP
have been taken out of the leaf reception room
39
. If a bill
PP
is detected in the leaf delivery room
41
, the drive source
69
is designed to drive the lever
68
for swinging movement in the reverse direction around the support axis
66
. The partition unit
40
is thus allowed to once return backward to the standard position
43
and then move forward to the turnout position
44
. During the advancement of the partition unit
40
, the reception urging member
52
is allowed to trace the second advancement path
71
(see
FIG. 10
, for example). The reception urging member
52
is lifted up so as to open the recess
54
in the partition unit
40
. The partition unit
40
and the reception urging member
52
are thus reliably prevented from collision against the pickup rollers
32
during the advancement of the partition unit
40
along with the incorporated reception urging member
52
to the turnout position
44
.
As shown in
FIG. 13
, when the partition unit
40
has reached the turnout position
44
, at the same time, the drive source
63
is designed to allow the retrieval urging member
42
to advance to the position corresponding to the standard position
43
of the partition unit
40
. The bills
PP
in the leaf delivery room
41
are urged to move forward along the slide plane
38
, keeping the upright attitude. When the cover
13
is opened, the customer is allowed to pick up the bills
PP
, including other types of leaves, returned to the leaf delivery room
41
through the leaf input opening
11
.
Assume that the customer carelessly leaves the returned bills
PP
in the leaf delivery room
41
. The drive source
63
is then designed to allow the retrieval urging member
42
to further move forward toward the pickup rollers
32
, as shown in FIG.
14
. The retrieval urging member
42
is thus caused to urge the bills
PP
against the pickup rollers
32
. The rotating pickup roller
32
serve to sequentially transfer the bills
PP
, one by one, to the subsequent rollers
73
. Since the partition unit
40
is allowed to reach the turnout position
44
beyond the front limit position
46
of the retrieval urging member
42
, the pickup rollers
32
are reliably exposed behind the partition unit
40
. The bills
PP
left in the leaf delivery room
41
can reliably be urged against the pickup rollers
32
by the retrieval urging member
42
behind the partition unit
40
.
When cash is to be dispensed, the retrieval urging member
42
is moved backward to the rear limit position
45
, while the partition unit
40
is kept at the standard position
43
. The leaf delivery room
41
is thus prepared between the partition unit
40
and the retrieval urging member
42
so as to receive bills sequentially discharged from the discharge slot
74
. When a set of bills corresponding to the requested amount of money are prepared in the leaf delivery room
41
, the partition unit
40
is caused to move forward to the turnout position
44
while the retrieval urging member
42
is allowed to move forward to the position corresponding to the standard position
43
of the partition unit
40
in the same manner as described above. When the cover
13
is opened, a customer is allowed to pick up the bills out of the leaf delivery room
41
. If any bill is left in the leaf delivery room
41
, the retrieval urging member
42
is allowed to move forward to urge the left bill against the pickup rollers
32
in the same manner as described above. The urged bill can finally be transferred to the subsequent rollers
73
.
Claims
- 1. A leaf transfer mechanism unit comprising:a pickup roller; a retrieval urging member moveable forward toward the pickup roller along a predeterminied path leading to a front limit position allowing the retrieval urging member to collide against the pickup roller; and a partition member moveable forward in front of the retrieval urging member along the predeterimined path beyond the front limit position for the retrieval urging member so as to reach a turnout position.
- 2. The leaf transfer mechanism unit according, to claim 1, further comprising a reception urging member interlocked with the partition member and moveable forward toward the pickup roller within the limit of a collision position allowing the reception urging member to collide against the pickup roller.
- 3. The leaf transfer mechanism unit according to claim 2, further comprising:a guide passage formed in the partition member for guiding movement of the reception urging member; and a driving piece connected to tie reception urging member and moveable along a circular orbit described around a rotation axis in parallel with a rotational axis of the pickup roller.
- 4. The leaf transfer mechanism unit according to claim 1, further comprising:a reception urging member disposed between the pickup roller and the retrieval urging member at a rearmost position remotest from the pickup roller; and a guide passage formed in the partition member for guiding movement of the reception urging member, wherein the reception urging member selectively traces a first and a second advancement path, the first advancement path extending toward the pickup roller from the rearmost position so as to reach a collision position allowing the reception urging member to collide against the pickup roller, the second advancement path extending from the rearmost position so as to make a roundabout of the pickup roller.
- 5. The leaf transfer mechanism unit according to claim 4, wherein a driving piece is connected to the partition member so as to move along a circular orbit described around a rotation axis in parallel with a rotational axis of the pickup roller.
- 6. A leaf transfer mechanism unit comprising:a pickup roller; a real urging member moveable forward toward the pickup roller within the limit of a front limit position allowing the rear urging member to collide against the pickup roller; a front urging member disposed between the pickup roller and the rear urging member at a rearmost position remotest from the pickup roller; and a driving mechanism connected to the front urging member so as to guide the first urging member selectively along a first and a second advancement path, the first advancement path extending toward the pickup roller from the rearmost position so as to reach a collision position allowing the front urging member to collide against the pickup roller, the second advancement path extending, from the rearmost position so as to make a roundabout of the pickup roller.
- 7. The leaf transfer mechanism unit according, to claim 6, wherein said driving mechanism includes a driving piece connected to the front urging member so as to move alone a circular orbit described around a rotation axis parallel to a rotational axis of the pickup roller.
- 8. A leaf management apparatus comprising:a pickup roller; a partition member moveable toward the pickup roller, a leaf reception room defined between the pickup roller and the partition member; a retrieval urging member moveable forward toward the pickup roller within the limit of a front limit position allowing the retrieval urging member to collide against the pickup roller; and a leaf delivery room defined behind the partition member between the partition member and the retrieval urging member, wherein the partition member may reach a turnout position where the pickup roller is exposed in the leaf delivery room behind the partition member.
- 9. A leaf management apparatus comprising:a pickup roller; a rear urging member moveable forward toward the pickup roller within the limit of a front limit position allowing the rear urging member to collide against the pickup roller; a front urging member disposed between the pickup roller and the rear member at a rearmost position remotest from the pickup roller; and a driving mechanism connected to the front urging member so as to guide the first urging member selectively along a first and a second advancement path, the first advancement path extending toward the pickup roller from the rearmost position so as to reach a collision position allowing the front urging member to collide against the pickup roller, the second advancement path extending from the rearmost position so as to make a roundabout of the pickup roller.
- 10. The leaf management apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said mechanism includes a driving piece connected to the front urging member so as to move along a circular orbit described around a rotation axis parallel to a rotational axis of the pickup roller.
Priority Claims (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
Kind |
11-277965 |
Sep 1999 |
JP |
|
US Referenced Citations (3)
Number |
Name |
Date |
Kind |
5199697 |
Yamada et al. |
Apr 1993 |
A |
5398931 |
Tohgoh |
Mar 1995 |
A |
6015147 |
Kimura et al. |
Jan 2000 |
A |
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Number |
Date |
Country |
2-163259 |
Jun 1990 |
JP |
95-02142 |
Nov 1995 |
JP |
9-147193 |
Jun 1997 |
JP |