Optics: measuring and testing – Document pattern analysis or verification
Reexamination Certificate
2000-03-20
2004-08-03
Smith, Zandra V. (Department: 2877)
Optics: measuring and testing
Document pattern analysis or verification
Reexamination Certificate
active
06771357
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a false note detecting apparatus conducting a judge based on an ultraviolet rays irradiation pattern printed on notes. The present invention also relates to an electric bulb for use in detecting a false note for giving availability in using a flashlight as a portable false note detecting device.
2. Related Art Description
There are notes which has an ultraviolet irradiation pattern on their surfaces with ultraviolet reaction ink in order to detect false notes.
Conventionally, a false note detecting device of the desktop type and the like is provided inside with an ultraviolet irradiation lamp, which irradiates an ultraviolet light on notes sent from a note-insertion and reads its design to judge the note's truth or false based on a result of the reading.
Taking into the consideration of the present circumstance where the foreign notes are circulated with the liberalization of finance, it is convenient to detect the false notes at general retail shops. It is also convenient to detect the truth or false when pedestrian exchange notes in a city.
However, conventionally, ideas that fulfill above demands have not yet been proposed.
One of the purposes of the present invention is to propose a small and light false note detecting device.
Another purpose of the present invention is to propose a false note detecting device to be able to read an ultraviolet irradiation pattern in line.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A false note detecting device according to the present invention comprises an LED that emits an ultraviolet light, an ultraviolet transmitting filter positioned at an irradiation side of the LED, a case in which the LED is accommodated and an ultraviolet irradiation opening formed in the case.
It is desirable to cover the ultraviolet irradiation opening by an ultraviolet transmitting protection plate for preventing dusts from invading into the case.
Also, for portable use, it is desirable that the false note detecting device according to the present invention comprises a power supply installed inside the case and an on-off switch for controlling power supply to the LED. Adopting this, it will no longer be necessary to supply power from the commercial power supply with using a voltage transformer or the like, consequently, it becomes possible to check notes wherever you want
Further, to conduct a judgement of note's truth or false automatically, the false note detecting device according to the present invention comprises a light receiving element that detects an ultraviolet reflected light which was reflected on a predetermined point after irradiated outside, a signal processing circuit that conducts a judgement of the truth or false of the notes to be inspected based on an output signal of the light receiving element and an alarm means for informing the results of the note's truth or false obtained by the signal processing circuit. The alarm means may be a liquid crystal display device, a buzzer or the like.
To judge the truth or false of the notes accurately, it is desirable to detect not only the ultraviolet irradiation pattern but also a magnetic pattern vested on notes. For doing this, a false note detecting device according to the present invention is equipped with a permanent magnet and a magnetic sensor, wherein the signal processing circuit conducts a judgement whether the note to be inspected is false or not based on an output signal of the magnetic sensor.
For scanning the note's surface by manually moving the false note detecting device case, it is necessary to keep a prescribed space between the light receiving element and the surface of the note. For this, the case may be formed on its surface with a guiding projection to scan the surface of the note by the ultraviolet light with maintaining the prescribed space with respect to the light receiving element.
Next, the present invention is directed to a false note detecting sensor block which is suitable for assembling into a false note detecting device which reads an ultraviolet irradiation pattern on a surface of a note in line and judges whether the concerned note is true or false. The false note detecting sensor block comprises an LED array that has a plurality of ultraviolet irradiating LEDs arranged in a row, a collimating lens for making the irradiated light from the LED array to be a collimating one and for irradiating the collimating light on a surface of a note to be inspected, an ultraviolet transmitting filter arranged between the LED array and the collimating lens, a condenser lens for converging an ultraviolet reflected light reflected on the surface of the note to be inspected, and an inline image sensor for detecting the ultraviolet reflected light received through the condenser lens.
The sensor block is further provided with a signal processing circuit which, based on the inline image sensor's output signal, determines the ultraviolet irradiation pattern printed on the surface of the note with ultraviolet reaction ink, and thereby judges truth or false of the note to be inspected.
Next, the present invention is directed to a false note detecting device equipped with the false note detecting sensor block of the above constitution. The false note detecting device comprises a note transfer mechanism for transferring the note to be inspected along a transfer path which passes through a detecting area by the false note detecting sensor block.
In this case, the note transfer mechanism is provided with first and second note discharge paths and a distribution mechanism for distributing notes to the first and second discharge paths based on the result of inspection by the false note detecting sensor block, whereby true and false notes can be retrieved separately.
On the other hand, the inventor of the present invention paid attention to the flashlight, and conceived an idea to detect the false note by using the flashlight as it is, by means of installing a false note detecting bulb substituting for the flashlight bulb. Namely, a false note detecting bulb according to the present invention is characterized in that it is exchangeable for the flashlight bulb and irradiates an ultraviolet light.
A typical false note detecting bulb has an irradiating tube, a screwed base installed on the irradiating tube, an LED for irradiating an ultraviolet light enclosed inside the irradiating tube, and an ultraviolet transmitting filter which is installed inside of the irradiating tube.
Where the false note detecting bulb of the present invention is installed in exchange for the marketed flash light bulb, the flashlight concerned becomes a flashlight note detecting device for irradiating an ultraviolet light. In other words, irradiating the ultraviolet light to the notes, a design formed on the note's surface will come out, and then it becomes visible. Confirming this design, it is possible to judge the note's truth or false.
Accordingly, using the false note detecting bulb of the present invention, it is possible to judge the truth or false notes wherever and whenever you want. So it is more convenient than the conventional false note detecting method that should have used the installed false note detecting device in a fixed place or specific place.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3618765 (1971-11-01), Cooper et al.
patent: 4296326 (1981-10-01), Haslop et al.
patent: 4618257 (1986-10-01), Bayne et al.
patent: 5574790 (1996-11-01), Liang et al.
patent: 5918960 (1999-07-01), Hopwood et al.
patent: 6269169 (2001-07-01), Funk et al.
Osha & May L.L.P.
SEL, Inc.
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