Check-actuated control mechanisms – Control mechanism actuated by check – other than coin – which... – By pliant currency
Reexamination Certificate
1997-07-14
2001-02-13
Bartuska, F. J. (Department: 3652)
Check-actuated control mechanisms
Control mechanism actuated by check, other than coin , which...
By pliant currency
Reexamination Certificate
active
06186307
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a sheets handling apparatus for discriminating sheets to determine whether they are genuine or false and handling them and, for example, to a sheets handling apparatus used for actualizing an ATM (Automatic Teller's machine).
BACKGROUND ARTS
In recent years, with advancements of automation in a variety of sectors, apparatuses automatically discriminate among paper money, securities, certificates of tax payments, book coupons, beer coupons, a variety of tickets and admission tickets (which are referred to as sheets).
Specific construction of such apparatuses (hereinafter termed sheets handling apparatus) differ depending on the type of sheets to be handled by the apparatuses. For instance, the sheets handling apparatus that treats paper money includes an inserting unit into which the sheets are put, a discriminating unit for making a discrimination as to whether or not the sheet put into the inserting unit is appropriate, a discharging unit for discharging the sheet discriminated as inappropriate by the discriminating unit, a storing unit for storing the sheets discriminated as appropriate by the discriminating unit of the sheets handling apparatus treating the paper money, and a carry mechanism for transferring the sheets between the respective units. Further, this sheets handling apparatus includes an operation unit through which the user indicates a content of the operation of the sheet handling apparatus, and a control unit for generally controlling the respective units.
The control unit, when operating the operational unit to indicate a receipt of the paper money, the paper money put into the inserting unit is carried sheet by sheet to the discriminating unit by controlling the inserting unit and the carry mechanism between the inserting unit and the discriminating unit.
The discriminating unit includes an optical sensor for obtaining whole image data in order to acquire information about an external shape, etc. of the paper money, a magnetic sensor for detecting an existence of magnetic ink, a thickness sensor for detecting a thickness of the paper money, and dictionary data comprising of the image data, etc. of the appropriate paper money. The discriminating unit makes the discrimination as to whether or not the paper money carried in is appropriate based on the information obtained by the various sensors as well as on the dictionary data. The control unit, if the paper money is discriminated as appropriate by the discriminating unit, stores the storing unit with the paper money by controlling the carry mechanism provided between the discriminating unit and the storing unit. On the other hand, the control unit, if the paper money is discriminated as inappropriate by the discriminating unit, carries this paper money to the discharging unit by controlling the carry mechanism provided between the discriminating unit and the discharging unit. That is to say, the sheets handling apparatus stores only the paper money discriminated as appropriate by the discriminating unit among the sheets of paper money put into the inserting unit by the user, and returns the paper money other than the above-mentioned money to the user via the discharging unit.
Thus, the conventional sheets handling apparatus is constructed so that the discriminating unit minutely discriminates among the paper money (sheets) put into the inserting unit. Therefore, if a different kind of paper money is mistakenly put thereinto, i.e., when the paper money easily visually discriminated as inappropriate is put thereinto, the inappropriate paper money is carried to the discriminating unit and, after obtaining a result of the discrimination by the discriminating unit, carried to the discharging unit.
Thus, the conventional sheets handling apparatus, as it happens, performs futile processes. Further, since it might happen that the inappropriate paper money is carried by the carry mechanism designed for the appropriate paper money, a probability of causing a jam is high in the conventional sheets handling apparatus.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a sheets handling apparatus for efficiently handling inserted sheets.
To accomplish the above object, according to the present invention, a sheets handling apparatus comprises a discriminating unit for making discriminations as to whether sheets are appropriate or not, a preparatory discriminating unit for making discriminations as to whether or not the sheets put in have predetermined characteristics, and a supplying unit for supplying the discriminating unit with only the sheets so discriminated by the preparatory discriminating unit as to have the predetermined characteristics.
In the thus constructed first sheets handling apparatus, if the sheet put into the handling apparatus is not appropriate, this sheet is discriminated. Hence, this sheets handling apparatus efficiently handles the inserted sheets. Further, obviously inappropriate sheets are not carried to the discriminating unit, and therefore the probability of causing a jam is low in the present sheets handling apparatus.
Moreover, a second sheets handling apparatus according to the present invention comprises a discriminating unit for making discriminations as to whether or not sheets are appropriate, a holding unit for holding a plurality of sheets to be discriminated, a fetching unit for sequentially fetching the plurality of sheets held by the holding unit, a preparatory discriminating unit for making discriminations as to whether or not the sheets fetched by the fetching unit have predetermined characteristics, and a supplying unit for supplying the discriminating unit with only the sheets so discriminated by the preparatory discriminating unit as to have the predetermined characteristics.
In the thus constructed second sheets handling apparatus, an obviously inappropriate sheet is discriminating from among the sheets put into the handling apparatus. Accordingly, the present sheets handling apparatus invariably efficiently handles the inserted paper money. Further, as the obviously inappropriate sheets are not carried to the discriminating unit, the probability of causing a jam is low in the second sheets handling apparatus.
Incidentally, on the occasion of actualizing the second sheets handling apparatus, it is desirable to use a supplying unit for supplying the discriminating unit with the sheets so discriminated by the preparatory discriminating unit as having the predetermined characteristics, and returning, to the holding unit, the sheets so discriminated by the preparatory discriminating unit as not having the predetermined characteristics.
Furthermore, on the occasion of actualizing the second sheets handling apparatus, a unit may be used as the preparatory discriminating unit for obtaining data about a shape of the sheet fetched by the fetching unit and, if the obtained data falls within a predetermined range, determining that the sheet has the predetermined characteristics. In the case of constructing the sheets handling apparatus in this way, the sheets having inappropriate shapes are not carried to the discriminating unit and, hence, the probability of causing the jam can be further reduced.
Further, a unit may be used as the preparatory discriminating unit for detecting whether or not a thread exists on the sheet fetched by the fetching unit, and making a discrimination as to whether or not the sheet has the predetermined characteristics on the basis of a result of the detection. Incidentally, in the case of constructing the sheets handling apparatus treating the sheets having the threads, the preparatory discriminating unit is used for making such a discrimination that the sheet has the predetermined characteristic when the thread exists on the sheet. Reversely, in the case of constructing the sheets handling apparatus treating the sheets having no thread, the preparatory discriminating unit is used for making such a discrimination that the sheet has the predetermined characteristic
Bartuska F. J.
Fujitsu Limited
Staas & Halsey , LLP
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