Radiant energy – Photocells; circuits and apparatus – With circuit for evaluating a web – strand – strip – or sheet
Reexamination Certificate
1999-12-01
2002-08-20
Allen, Stephone (Department: 2878)
Radiant energy
Photocells; circuits and apparatus
With circuit for evaluating a web, strand, strip, or sheet
C250S559290, C250S222100, C356S434000, C356S448000, C194S207000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06437356
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates to a method and apparatus for processing paper moneys used in various kinds of automatic service machines such as automatic vending machines or the like, and more particularly, to a method and apparatus for processing paper moneys capable of preventing malfunctioning of the apparatus due to soiling of photosensors.
BACKGROUND ART
A paper money processing apparatus used in an automatic service machine, such as an automatic vending machine, is composed such that it conveys a paper money inserted via a paper money input opening into the apparatus by means of a conveyor belt driven by a transfer motor, causing the paper money to pass a position where a paper money identification sensor is installed. A paper money that is determined to be genuine on the basis of the output of the paper money identification sensor is held temporarily in reserve (escrow). Thereafter, if a money return command is issued, then the paper money held temporarily in reserve is returned to the paper money input opening by driving the transfer motor in reverse, whereas if a money collection command is issued, then the paper money held temporarily in reserve is stored in a stacker.
FIG. 7
is a side view illustrating an example of configuration of a paper money processing apparatus.
In this diagram, the paper money processing apparatus comprises a paper money input opening
51
, a paper money conveyance path
52
, a stacker
53
, a shutter
54
, a shutter motor
55
, a paper money conveyor belt
56
, pulleys
57
and
58
, an entrance sensor
59
, an photosensor
60
, a magnetic sensor
61
, and a paper money passage sensor
62
.
When a paper money
70
is inserted into the paper money processing apparatus
50
, firstly, the paper money
70
is inserted via the paper money input opening
51
. When the paper money
70
is input, it is detected by the entrance sensor
59
, and the shutter
54
is opened by driving the shutter motor
55
. When the shutter
54
is open, the paper money
70
is conveyed into the paper money conveyance path
52
by means of the paper money conveyor belt
56
supported by pulleys
57
and
58
, which are driven by a transfer motor (not illustrated). When the paper money
70
conveyed into the paper money conveyance path
52
passes the photosensor
60
and magnetic sensor
61
, the authenticity of the paper money is determined according to the outputs of the sensors.
When the paper money
70
has passed the photosensor
60
and the magnetic sensor
61
, conveyance thereof is halted in the position indicated in
FIG. 8
, for example, and it is held temporarily in reserve (escrow). In this case, if it is determined that the paper money
70
is not genuine, or if a money return command is issued by the user, then the paper money
70
is ejected via the paper money input opening by driving the transfer motor (not illustrated) in reverse. On the other hand, if the user selects a product to buy (in the case of an automatic vending machine), or the like, whilst the paper money
70
is held temporarily in reserve, a control section (not illustrated) initiates money collection processing for collecting and storing the paper money
70
, and on this basis the transfer motor (not illustrated) is driven forwards and the paper money
70
is conveyed and stored in a stacker
53
.
The output from the photosensor
60
is used not only to determine whether or not an input paper money
70
is genuine, but also whether or not a paper money is present, and along with the outputs from the entrance sensor
59
, paper money passage sensor
62
, and the like, it is used to detect the position of the paper money
70
in the paper money conveyance path
52
, various controls being implemented on the basis of these detection results.
FIGS.
9
(
a
) and
9
(
b
) are diagrams illustrating the states of various sections when paper money
70
is inserted into the paper money processing apparatus
50
.
When a paper money
70
is inserted into the paper money input opening
51
, as illustrated in FIG.
9
(
a
), firstly, the entrance sensor
59
detects the paper money
70
, and on the basis of this the transfer motor (not depicted) is driven in a forward direction, thereby starting conveyance of the paper money
70
. When the paper money
70
is conveyed into the paper money conveyance path
52
, this is detected by the photosensor
60
, whereupon the paper money passage sensor
62
detects the paper money
70
. When the paper money
70
thus conveyed has passed the position of the photosensor
60
and reaches the position where it is temporarily held in reserve, the transfer motor is halted. Thereupon, if the control unit (not illustrated) issues a money collection command, the transfer motor is driven forwards again, and the paper money
70
is stored in the stacker
53
.
Furthermore, if a money return command is issued by the control unit whilst the paper money
70
is being held in reserve temporarily, then as illustrated in FIG.
9
(
b
), the transfer motor is driven in reverse, and the paper money
70
is conveyed in the direction of the paper money input opening
51
, passing successively through the positions of the photosensor
60
and entrance sensor
59
and being ejected via the paper money input opening
51
.
Thus, in the paper money processing apparatus
50
, since each section is controlled on the basis of outputs from various sensors, it is possible to detect irregular states on the basis of these various sensor outputs.
FIGS.
10
(
a
) and
10
(
b
) are diagrams illustrating examples where an irregular state is detected.
FIG.
10
(
a
) shows an example where reverse conveyance of a paper money is detected, in which after the paper money
70
has been held temporarily in reserve, it is detected by the photosensor
60
, which would not be expected to detect this paper money if it was being stored, and hence it is recognized that an irregular extraction operation has been performed with regard to the paper money
70
, the transfer motor is halted and processing relating to the extraction operation is carried out.
FIG.
10
(
b
) shows as example where a paper money jam is detected: in the process of inserting the paper money
70
, the photosensor
60
detects the paper money
70
continuously, even though the transfer motor is being driven forwards to convey the paper money
70
, and hence it is recognized that a paper money jam has occurred, the transfer motor is halted and processing relating to the paper money jam is carried out.
In some cases, the output level of the photosensor
60
may vary, due to dirt, or the like. In particular, since the paper money processing apparatus
50
is used in automatic vending machines, and the like, depending on the position and environment in which the machine is installed, it is possible that dirt may accumulate on the photosensor
60
, causing the output level thereof to become unstable.
For example, when the output level of a photosensor
60
, which normally has an output level as illustrated in FIG.
11
(
a
) (in a state where there is little soiling), approaches, at standby mode, close to the judgement value (threshold level) for determining whether or not a paper money
70
is present as shown in FIG.
11
(
b
), due to accumulation of dirt, then the detection results of the sensor become unstable, and the sensor may assume an unstable state. As a result, although detection results are relatively stable when the apparatus is at standby, if a paper money
70
is inserted, the sensor continues to detect the paper money
70
even after it has passed.
When the output level of the photosensor
60
enters this state, it starts to detect a paper money that is not actually present, and hence the outputs of each sensor will match the sensor outputs in cases where a paper money is conveyed in the reverse direction or a paper money becomes jammed, as illustrated in
FIG. 10
, thereby causing the control unit (not illustrated) to perform an irregular halt, or other such processing, in other words, causing the apparatus to malfunctio
Ishida Takeshi
Sakamoto Yuichi
Yasuda Shigeru
Allen Stephone
Hogan & Hartson L.L.P.
Kabushiki Kaisha Nippon Conlux
Spears Eric
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