Check-actuated control mechanisms – Control mechanism actuated by check – other than coin – which... – By pliant currency
Patent
1994-08-26
1997-08-19
Bartuska, F. J.
Check-actuated control mechanisms
Control mechanism actuated by check, other than coin , which...
By pliant currency
250556, G07F 704
Patent
active
056578474
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a validator suitable for validating banknotes.
BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION
Conventional banknote validators such as the Armatic type AL07 comprise a straight slot through which bank notes are fed and a transport mechanism in the form of a plurality of parallel rollers. In order for the authenticity and value of a banknote to be determined, such apparatus includes optical sensing means. In the aforementioned known validator, the optical sensing means comprises two linear arrays of optical transmitters and receivers arranged across the width of the transport mechanism and two sheet-like light guides having a J-shaped cross-section which direct light from the optical transmitters on to either side of a bank note to be validated and the reflected light back to the optical receivers.
Such validators suffer from a number of disadvantages. Firstly, a banknote being fed into the validator is prone to become crumpled during the operation. Secondly, the use of a large number of optical transmitters complicates the manufacture of the apparatus and necessitates regular balancing of the light levels emitted by the optical transmitters. A further disadvantage arises from the use of a flat transport mechanism since in order to accommodate a full range of bank notes the validator must be significantly wider than conventional coin validators which makes them unsuitable for use in most common vending machines. Yet another disadvantage is the need for a complex power supply for supplying the processor employed in the apparatus to determine the authenticity and value of banknotes to be validated. The present invention aims to overcome the aforementioned disadvantages.
A banknote validator is known from European Patent No. 72237, which includes an optical sensing means for sensing characteristics of a sheet, and guide means for guiding the sheet past the optical sensing means. An elongate optical sensing area extends transversely of the sheet path and light reflected from the surface of a banknote is guided to a single sensing station via a fishtail optical fibre array.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a validator, suitable for validating a banknote, including an optical sensing means or sensing characteristics of a sheet, and guide means for guiding the sheet past the optical sensing means, characterised in that said guide means is so arranged that a sheet to be validated is caused to bow transversely of its direction of travel past the optical sensing means.
Preferably the guide means includes a sheet path, along which a sheet, to be sensed passes and the optical sensing means comprises an elongate optical sensing area, transversely substantially coextensive with the sheet path, light source means for substantially evenly illuminating said sensing area over at least a major part thereof, an optical receiver station, and light guide means for causing light from the entire sensing area to converge upon the receiver station, whereby the output from the receiver station is substantially independent of the position of a sheet being sensed transversely of the sheet path.
Preferably the light source means includes a light source at an emitter station, and said light guide is arranged to cause light to diverge from the emitter station to the sensing area. The emitter station and the receiver station may be arranged at the same location.
Advantageously, the light guide includes a fan shaped portion, having an arcuate peripheral portion which at least in part defines said sensing area. The light guide may also include an arm portion, extending axially from the fan shaped portion, at the free end of which are located the emitter station and the receiver station.
Conveniently, the light guide includes light distributing means including an at least part conical light reflecting surface extending from the fan shaped portion towards the free end of the arm portion for distributing light from the emitter station subs
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Tod Anthony William
Tod Richard Timothy
Tod Timothy William
Bartuska F. J.
Innovative Technology Limited
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