DESCRIPTION
PAPER SHEET BUNDLING DEVICE
5 TECHNICAL FIELD
[000 1] The present disclosure relates to a paper sheet bundling apparah1s which bundles
stacked paper sheets with a tape.
BACKGROUND ART
10 [0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a bundling apparatus which bundles an object with a
tape. In this bundling apparatus, a small loop is formed by the tape and enlarged into a large
loop. Then, the object is arranged in the large loop and the tape is rewound to wind the tape
around the object, thereby bundling the object.
15 CITATION LIST
PATENT DOCUMENT
[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent No. 4298548
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
20 TECHNICAL PROBLEM
[0004] According to the bundling apparatus of the Patent Document 1, however, the object
needs to be arranged manually in the large loop that has been formed once, which makes the
bundling work complicated.
[0005] In view of the foregoing, it is therefore an object of the presenLdisclosure to
25 improve work efficiency when paper sheets are bundled together with a tape.
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SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM
[0006] The present disclosure is directed to a paper sheet bundling apparatus configured to
bundle stacked paper sheets with a tape. The paper sheet bundling apparatus includes: a
5 stacking unit configured to stack paper sheets; a tape loop forming unit configured to form a
small tape loop from the tape and feed the tape to enlarge the small tape loop into a large
tape loop; and a paper sheet transport unit configured to grip the paper sheets stacked in the
stacking unit to transport the paper sheets into the large tape loop.
[0007] According to this configuration, a tape loop which is large enough to receive the
1 0 paper sheets transported thereto is not formed from the begilming, but a small tape loop is
formed first, and then is enlarged into a large tape loop. This allows easy formation of such
a tape loop that is large enough to receive the paper sheets transported thereto. In addition,
the paper sheet transport unit transports the paper sheets stacked in the Stacking unit
automatically into the large tape loop, thereby bundling the paper sheets with improved
15 efficiency as compared with the confignration in which the paper sheets are transported
manually into the tape loop.
[0008] In one embodiment, the paper sheet transport unit may transport the paper sheets
into the large tape loop by moving the paper sheets in a direction parallel to longer edges
thereof.
20 [0009] This confignration allows winding of the tape around the paper sheets in a
direction parallel to their shorter edges by rewinding the tape forming the large tape loop.
[0010] In another embodiment, the paper sheet transpott unit may remove the paper sheets
from the stacking unit by moving the paper sheets in a direction parallel to shorter edges
thereof.
25 [00 11] According to this configuration, the paper sheets are removed in a direction
2 Gl4-123
parallel to their shorter edges, and thus the distance traveled by the paper sheets removed
from the stacking unit is reducible as compared with the configuration in which the paper
sheets are removed in a direction parallel to their longer edges. That is to say, the distance
traveled by the paper sheet transport unit is reducible, which eventually allows saving of the
5 space in the paper sheet bundling apparatus.
[0012] In still another embodiment, the stacking unit may include a plurality of stacking
units. The paper sheet transport unit may remove the paper sheets fi·om a selected one of
the plurality of stacking units and may transport the removed paper sheets into the large tape
loop.
10 [0013] According to this configuration, the paper sheet transport unit transports the paper
sheets automatically from the selected one of the plurality of stacking units into the large
tape loop. As a result, the process to be performed until the paper sheets stacked in the
stacking unit are bundled may be carried out more efficiently and more quickly than in the
case where the same process is performed manually.
15 [0014] In this pmticular embodiment, the plurality of stacking units may be arranged at
different positions in a vertical direction, and the paper sheet transport unit may move in the
vertical direction after having removed the paper sheets fi·om the stacking unit.
[0015] According to this configuration, the paper sheet transpmt unit is allowed to move
the paper sheets in at least three different directions, namely, the vertical direction, the
20 direction parallel to their shorter edges, and the direction parallel to their longer edges.
Tlus allows transportation of the paper sheets to various different locations through various
different paths.
[0016] In yet another embodiment, the paper sheet bundling apparatus may further include
'
a temj:mrary gripping unit configured to temporarily grip the paper sheets transported into the
25 large tape loop. The paper sheet transport unit may retreat fi·om a bundling position of the
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tape after the temporary gripping unit has gripped the paper sheets.
[00 17] According to this configuration, the paper sheet transport unit retreats fi·om the
bundling position for bundling the paper sheets when the paper sheets are bundled together
with the tape, and thus the paper sheet transport unit is allowed to grip the paper sheets being
5 transported into the large tape loop without taking the bundling position into account. That
is to say, in transporting the paper sheets into the large tape loop, the paper sheet transport
unit is allowed to grip the paper sheets at a suitable position for the transport.
[00 18] In yet another embodiment, the bundling position of the tape relative to the paper
sheets may be adjustable in accordance with the degree of insertion of the paper sheets
1 0 brought into the large tape loop by the paper sheet transport unit. The temporary gripping
unit may be configured such that the position of the temporary gripping unit in gripping the
paper sheets is adjustable in accordance with the degree of insertion of the paper sheets into
the large tape loop by the paper sheet transport unit.
[0019] According to this configuration, the degree ofinsettion of the paper sheets into the
15 large tape loop is changed according to the bundling position of the tape. Thus, if the
position of the temporary gripping unit is fixed, the temporary gripping unit may possibly
fail to grip the paper sheets suitably depending on the degree of insertion of the paper sheets
into the large tape loop. Therefore, by adjusting the position of the temporary gripping unit
in gripping the paper sheets in accordance with the degree of insertion of the paper sheets
20 into the large tape loop, the paper sheets are gripped suitably by the temporary gripping unit
irrespective of the degree of insertion of the paper sheets into the large tape loop.
[0020] In yet another embodiment, the paper sheet bundling apparatus may further include
a bundle transpmt unit configured to transpmt the bundled paper sheets in a direction parallel
to shorter edges thereof. The paper sheet transport unit may draw the bundled paper sheets
25 in an opposite direction to the direction of transport of the paper sheets into the large tape
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loop, and the bundle transport unit may transport the bundled paper sheets drawn by the
paper sheet transport unit.
[0021] In some cases, some structure may be present at the destination of the paper sheets
moving in the direction parallel to their shorter edges from the position where the paper
5 sheets are bundled. In such a case, according to this configuration, the bundled paper sheets
are once drawn in a direction parallel to their longer edges so as to be transported in the
direction parallel to their shorter edges while avoiding contact with the stmcture.
[0022] In yet another embodiment, the paper sheet bundling apparatus may further include
a guide configured to come into contact with an outer peripheral surface of the large tape
10 loop to define the shape of the large tape loop when the tape loop forming unit forms the
large tape loop.
[0023] This configuration allows formation ofthe large tape loop into a suitable shape.
[0024] The tape loop forming unit may include a tape gripping part which rotates while
gripping the tape at an end portion thereof to form the small tape loop and a feeder which
15 feeds the tape to enlarge the small tape loop into the large tape loop, and may form the large
tape loop under the tape gripping part.
[0025] According to this configuration, the small tape loop expands downward from the
tape gripping part, and the large tape loop is formed under the tape gripping part finally. If
the small tape loop expands upward, a portion of the tape loop may sag downward due to the
20 tape's own weight during the formation of the large tape loop, because the tape is flexible.
On the other hand, if the small tape loop is configured to expand downward, the tape loop
does not sag easily during the formation of the large tape loop. That is to say, the large tape
loop is formed easily.
[0026] In this particular embodiment, the paper sheet bundling apparatus may further
25 include a bonding unit configured to bond together portions of the tape wound around the
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paper sheets, and a cutting unit configured to cut the tape at a pmtion not wound around the
paper sheets. At least one of the bonding unit and the cutting unit may be arranged above
the tape gripping part.
[0027] In another embodiment, the paper sheet bundling apparatus may further include a
5 guide configured to come into contact with an outer peripheral surface of the large tape loop
to define the shape of the large tape loop when the tape loop forming unit forms the large
tape loop. The guide may include a lower guide which comes into contact with the outer
peripheral surface of the large tape loop from under the large tape loop to define the shape of
the large tape loop.
10 [0028] According to this configuration, the small tape loop expands downward to form the
large tape loop. Thus, the large tape loop tends to expand downward due to the tape's own
weigtht and eventually have a vertically elongated shape. On the other hand, providing the
lower guide allows formation of the large tape loop, which tends to be elongated vertically,
into a desired shape.
15 [0029] In this patticular embodiment, the lower guide may have a pair of sidewalls which
regulates the position of the tape in a tape width direction.
[0030] According to this configuration, the lower guide allows formation of the large tape
loop into a desired shape, and for regulating the position of the tape in the tape width
direction.
20 [0031] In another embodiment, the paper sheet bundling apparatus may further include a
lateral guide configured to come into contact with the outer peripheral surface of the large
tape loop horizontally with respect to the large tape loop to define the shape of the large tape
loop when the tape loop forming unit forms the large tape loop.
[0032] This configuration allows defining ofthe shape of the large tape loop not only from
25 below, but also horizontally.· Thus, the large tape loop is easily formed into a desired shape.
6 GI4-123
[0033] In a specific embodiment, the lateral guide may be configured to retreat during the
transport of the bundled paper sheets so as not to inte1fere with the transport of the bundled
paper sheets.
[0034] According' to this configuration, even if the lateral guide which comes into contact
5 with the large tape loop horizontally is provided, the lateral guide retreats after the paper
sheets have been bundled together. Thus, the bundled paper sheets are movable toward the
position where the lateral guide was located.
[0035] The guide may define the shape of the large tape loop as a rectangle having
rounded corners.
10 [0036] According to this configuration, the large tape loop that is large enough to receive
the paper sheets transported thereto may be formed out of as short a tape as possible. That
is to say, in the configuration in which the paper sheets are moved in a direction parallel to
their longer edges and transported into the large tape loop, the cross-sectional shape of the
paper sheets orthogonal to the moving direction of the paper sheets is rectangular. Thus, by
15 forming the large tape loop in the rectangular shape, too, an extra pmtion of the tape to use to
form the large tape loop is reducible as much as possible. Note that shaping the"large tape
loop into a rectangle having rounded corners instead of a regular rectangle allows smooth
feeding of the tape in forming the large tape loop, and for smooth rewinding of the tape in
winding the tape around the paper sheets.
20 [0037] In yet another embodiment, the paper sheet bundling apparatus may further include
a clamp configured to press the paper sheets in a stacking direction when the paper sheets are
bundled together with the tape. When the paper sheets are bundled with the tape, at least a
portion of the tape gripping part may be caught in a gap between the tape and an upper
surface of the bundled paper sheets. The paper sheet transport unit may draw the bundled
25 paper sheets in an opposite direction to the direction of transport of the paper sheets into the
7 GI4-123
large tape loop until the tape gripping part is withdrawn from the gap between the tape and
the paper sheets. The clamp may include a pair of upper clamps which are arranged on
respective sides of the tape in a tape width direction above the paper sheets, and a pair of
lower clamps which are arranged on the respective sides of the tape in the tape width
5 direction below the paper sheets and are configured to be movable vertically so as to
sandwich the paper sheets between the upper and lower clamps. One of the pair of upper
clamps on one side of the tape, toward which the paper sheets are drawn, may be configured
to move upward when the bundled paper sheets are drawn.
[0038] According to this configuration, a portion of the tape gripping part needs to be
10 withdrawn from the gap between the tape and the paper sheets to transport the bundled paper
sheets. The portion of the tape gripping part is withdrawable fi·om the gap between the tape
and the paper sheets by moving the bundled paper sheets in a direction parallel to their
longer edges. Note that the upper clamp is located on one side of the tape toward which the
bundled paper sheets are drawn in the direction parallel to their longer edges, and thus the
15 tape may be caught on the upper clamp when the paper sheets are drawn. Therefore, the
upper clamp is moved upward when the bundled paper sheets are drawn. This allows
drawing of the bundled paper sheets while preventing the tape from coming into contact with
the upper clamp.
[0039] In yet another embodiment, the paper sheet bundling apparatus may further include
20 a sensor configured to detect that the large tape loop has reached a predetermined size.
[0040] This configuration allows determination of whether the large tape loop has been
formed successfully or not.
[0041] The sensor may detect that the large tape loop has reached the predetermined size
by determining whether or not the tape is present at a predetermined position above the paper
25 sheets transported into the large tape loop.
8 0!4-123
[0042] This configuration allows detection of the sag of the large tape loop accurately.
That is to say, if any portion of the large tape loop sags inward, it is highly likely that the
upper portion of the large tape loop sags due to the tape's own weight. Thus, providing the
sensor at the above-described position allows detection of the sag at the position where the
5 large tape loop tends to sag.
[0043] The tape loop forming unit may rewind the tape if the sensor does not detect that
the large tape loop has reached the predetermined size even when the tape is fed to a length
that allows formation of the large tape loop, and then feed the tape again to the length that
allows formation of the large tape loop.
10 [0044] This configuration allows a retry of the formation of the large tape loop if the large
15
tape loop has not been formed properly even if the tape is fed to the predetermined length.
In that case, the tape is once rewound and then fed again. Thus, if the large tape loop has
l
not been formed properly due to the sag of the tape, the large tape loop may possibly be
formed properly by feeding the tape again.
ADVANTAGES OF THE INVENTION
[0045] The paper sheet bundling apparatus described above allows improvement of work
efficiency when paper sheets are bundled together.
20 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0046] [FIG. 1] FIG. 1 is a view illustrating the appearance of a banknote handling
apparatus.
[FIG. 2] FIG. 2 illustrates a general configuration for the banknote handling
apparatus.
25 [FIG. 3] FIG. 3 illustrates a general configuration for bundling stackers and a
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il
5
bundling unit.
[PIG. 4] FIG. 4(A) is a perspective view illustrating a tape gripping patt in a closed
state, and FIG. 4(8) is a perspective view illustrating the tape gripping part in an open state.
[FIG. 5] FIG. 5 is a perspective view illustrating a tape loop forming unit.
[FIG. 6] FIG. 6 is a perspective view illustrating a lower portion of the tape loop
forming unit as viewed obliquely from above.
[FIG. 7] FIG. 7 is a perspective view illustrating an upper pmtion of the tape loop
forming unit as. viewed obliquely from below.
[FIG. 8] FIG. 8 is a block diagram illustrating a general configuration for the
10 banknote handling apparatus.
[FIG. 9] FIGS. 9(A) and 9(8) illustrate a banknote compression process performed
in a bundling stacker, wherein FIG. 9(A) illustrates a state just after the banknotes have been
stacked, and FIG. 9(8) illustrates a state where the banknotes have just been compressed.
[FIG. 10] FIG. 10 illustrates a state where a second transport unit has removed the
15 banknotes from the bundling stacker.
[FIG. 11] FIG. 11 illustrates a state where the second transpmt unit has transported
the banknotes to beside a tape loop.
[FIG. 12] FIG. 12 illustrates a state where a tape gripping part has gripped an end
pmtion of the tape.
20 [FIG. 13] FIG. 13 illustrates a state where the tape gripping part has started to
rotate while gripping the tape at the end portion thereof.
[FIG. 14] FIG. 14 illustrates a state where the tape gripping part has formed a small
tape loop.
[FIG. 15] FIG. 15 illustrates a state where a large tape loop has been formed.
25 [FIG. 16] FIGS. 16(A)-16(C) illustrate how the respective members operate while
10 G14-123
the banknotes are transported into the large tape loop and gripped by the temporary gripping
unit as viewed in a thickness direction of the banknotes, wherein FIG. 16(A) illustrates a
state where the banknotes transported are about to reach the large tape loop, FIG. 16(B)
illustrates a state where the banknotes are transported into the large tape loop, and FIG.
5 16(C) illustrates a state where the banknotes are gripped by the temporary gripping unit.
[FIG. 17] FIGS. 17(A}-17(C) illustrate how the respective members operate while
the banknotes are transported into the large tape loop and gripped by the temporary gripping
unit as viewed in a direction parallel to shorter edges of the banknotes, wherein FIG. 17(A)
illustrates a state where the banknotes transported are about to reach the large tape loop, FIG.
I 0 17(B) illustrates a state where the banknotes are transported into. .t he large tape loop, and
FIG. 17(C) illustrates a state where the banknotes are gripped by the temporary gripping unit.
[FIG. 18] FIGS. 18(A)-18(C) illustrate how the respective members operate while
the banknotes are gripped again by the gripper and the tape is wound around the banknotes
as viewed in a thickness direction of the banknotes, wherein FIG. 18(A) illustrates a state
15 where the gripper grips the banknotes again, FIG. 18(B) illustrates a state where a clamp
presses the banknotes, and FIG. 18(C) illustrates a state where the tape is wound around the
banknotes.
[FIG. 19] FIGS. 19(A)-19(C) illustrate how the respective members operate while
the banknotes are gripped again by the gripper and the tape is wound around the banknotes
20 as viewed in a direction parallel to shorter edges of the banknotes, wherein FIG. 19(A)
illustrates a state where the banknotes are gripped again by the gripper, FIG. 19(B) illustrates
a state where the banknotes are pressed by a clamp, and FIG. 19(C) illustrates a state where
the tape is wound around the banknotes.
[FIG. 20] FIG. 20 illustrates a state of a guide when the clamp presses the
25 banknotes.
II 014-123
5
[FIG. 21] FIGS. 2l(A) and 21(B) illustrate how the tape is bonded and cut, and a
seal is stamped on the tape, wherein FIG. 21(A) illustrates a state where first and second
pressers press the tape, and FIG. 2l(B) illustrates a state where a heater heat-seals the tape
and a cutter cuts the tape.
[FIG. 22] FIGS. 22(A)-22(C) illustrate how the respective members operate while
the bundled banknotes are dispensed to a dispense unit as viewed in the thickness direction
of the banknotes, wherein FIG. 22(A) illustrates a state where the bundled banknotes are
removed in a second horizontal direction, FIG. 22(B) illustrates a state where a third
transport unit grips the bundled banknotes, and FIG. 22(C) illustrates a state where the third
1 0 transport unit transports the bundled banknotes to the dispense unit.
[FIG. 23] FIGS. 23(A) and 23(B) illustrate how the respective members operate
while the bundled banknotes are dispensed to the dispense unit as viewed in a direction
parallel to shorter edges of the banknotes, wherein FIG. 23(A) illustrates a state where the
. bundled banknotes are removed in the second horizontal direction, and FIG. 23(B) illustrates
15 a state where the third transport unit grips the bundled banknotes.
[FIG. 24] FIG. 24 illustrates positions in the banknote handling apparatus for
detecting whether work is necessary or not.
[FIG. 25] FIGS. 25(A) and 25(B) illustrate how the respective members operate in
another embodiment while the banknotes are transported into the large tape loop and gripped
20 by the temporary gripping unit, and then gripped again by the gripper as viewed in a
thickness direction of the banknotes, wherein FIG. 25(A) illustrates a state where the
banknotes are transported into the large tape loop, and FIG. 25(B) illustrates a state where
the gripper grips the banknotes again.
25 DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS
12 014-123
[0047] Embodiments will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.
[0048]
FIG. 1 illustrates the appearance of a banknote handling apparatus I 00, and FIG. 2
illustrates a general configuration for the banknote handling apparatus 100.
5 [0049] The banknote handling apparatus 100 is placed on a teller counter of a bank, for
example, and is used by an operator. The banknote handling apparatus 100 takes loose
banknotes therein, stacks the banknotes of a predetermined kind, bundles the banknotes in a
predetermined bundling number, and dispenses the bundled banknotes.
[0050] The banknote handling apparatus I 00 includes a hopper unit 2 which takes the
10 banknotes placed thereon into the apparatus, a recognition unit 3 which recognizes the
banknotes, bundling stackers 4 which stack the banknotes to be bundled, non-bundling
stackers 5 which stack the banknotes not to be bundled, a reject stacker 6 which stacks
rejected banknotes, a first transport unit 7 which transp01ts the banknotes taken in through the
hopper unit 2 to the recognition unit 3, the bundling stackers 4, the non-bundling stackers 5,
15 and the reject stacker 6, a second transport unit 8 which transports the banknotes stacked in
the bundling stackers 4 to the predetermined position, a bundling unit 9 which bundles the
banknotes transported by the second transport unit 8, a third transport unit 10 which transports
the banknotes that have been bundled (hereinafter referred to as "bundled banknotcs"), a
dispense unit II through which the bundled banknotes are dispensed, and a box-shaped
20 housing 12 which houses the recognition unit 3, the bundling stackers 4, the non-bundling
stackers 5, the reject stacker 6, the first transp01t unit 7, the second transport unit 8, the
bundling unit 9, and the third transport unit 10.
[0051] The housing 12 has a top surface 121, a bottom surface 122, and four side smfaces.
The housing 12 is a desktop type housing. That is to say, the bottom surface 122 of the
25 housing 12 is not provided with casters or any other similar pmts, and thus the housing 12 is
13 Gl4-123
configured to be placed on the desk.
[0052] The hopper unit 2 and the dispense unit II are provided through a first side surface
123, which is one of the four side surfaces of the housing 12. First outlets 47 of the bundling
stackers 4 and second outlets 53 of the non-bundling stackers 5, which will be described in
5 detail later, are provided through a second side surface 124, which is another one of the four
side surfaces. The first and second side surfaces 123 and 124 are adjacent to each other.
[0053] The space inside the housing 12 is divided into a first handling section 126
configured to perform various kinds of handling processes for recognizing and sorting the
banknotes and a second handling section 127 configured to perform various kinds of handling
1 0 processes for bundling the banknotes to be bundled. The second handling section 127 is
provided above the first handling section 126. The first handling section 126 includes the
hopper unit 2, the recognition unit 3, the non-bundling stackers 5, and the reject stacker 6.
The second handling section 127 includes the bundling stackers 4, the second transport unit 8,
the bundling unit 9, and the third transport unit 10. Most of the first transport unit 7 is
15 included in the first handling section 126.
[0054] The bundling stackers 4 include two- stackers, namely, a first bundling stacker 4A
and a second bundling stacker 4B. Both of the first and second bundling stackers 4A and 4B
stack the banknotes to be bundled. The banknotes stacked as those to be bundled are
determined as appropriate. The banknotes to be bundled are banknotes of a predetermined
20 kind. The predete1mined kind is identified by denomination or the orientation of the
banknotes, or by determining whether the banknotes are fit or unfit, whether the banknotes are
facing up or down, or whether the banknotes are new or not, for example. In this example,
the banknotes to be bundled are fit banknotes of a predetermined denomination (e.g., 100
Chinese Yuan). In the following description, the banknotes which are recognized as normal
25 by the recognition unit 3 will be hereinafter referred to as "normal banknotes," the banknotes
14 Gl4-123
which are not recognized as normal by the recognition unit 3 will be hereinafter referred to as
"abnormal banknotes," and the banknotes which are transported in an abnormal state, e.g.,
skewed or multi~fed, will be hereinafter refened to as "abnormally transported banknotes."
For example, one of the conditions for determining whether the banknotes are normal or not is
S whether the serial numbers of the banknotes are distinguishable or not. However, the
normality of the banknotes may be checked based on a different condition, or an additional
condition may be applied to determine whether the banknotes are normal or not. The
banknotes which are determined as the normal banknotes but the destination of which (the
bundling stacker, the non-bundling stacker, or other stackers) is not designated will be
10 hereinafter referred to as "undesignated banknotes." Among the normal banknotes, those
which are not stained or torn significantly will be hereinafter referred to as "fit banknotes,"
and those which are stained or torn significantly will be hereinafter referred to as "unfit
banknotes." The bundling stacker 4 is an exemplary stacking unit.
[OOSS] The first and second bundling stackers 4A and 4B are arranged vertically, i.e., one
1S on top of the other, in the second handling section 127. The first bundling stacker 4A is
positioned over the second bundling stacker 4B. The first and second bundling stackers 4A
and 4 B have the same ·configuration. When it is not necessary to distinguish the two
stackers fi·om each other, they will be hereinafter referred to as "bundling stackers 4." A
detailed configuration of the bundling stackers 4 will be described later.
20 [OOS6] The non-bundling stackers S include two stackers, namely, a first non-bundling
stacker SA and a second non-bundling stacker SB. The first and second non-bundling
stackers SA and SB are arranged substantially horizontally, i.e., side by side, in the first
handling section 126. The second non-bundling stacker SB is arranged closer to the hopper
unit 2 than the first non-bundling stacker SA is. When it is not necessary to distinguish the
2S two stackers from each other, they will be hereinafter referred to as "non-bundling stackers
15 Gl4-123
5." A detailed configuration of the non-bundling stackers 5 will be described later. The
banknotes to be stacked in the non-btmdling stackers 5 may be determined as appropriate.
Here, the first non-bundling stacker SA stacks unfit banknotes of the predetermined
denomination. The second non-bundling stacker 5B stacks banknotes of every denomination
5 but the predetermined denomination.
[0057] The reject stacker 6 stacks the rejected banknotes. The reject stacker 6 is
positioned closer to the hopper unit 2 than the first and second non-bundling stackers SA and
SB are. The reject stacker 6 is positioned at a level slightly higher than the first and second
non-bundling stackers SA and SB. A detailed configuration of the reject stacker 6 will be
I 0 described later. The banknotes to be stacked in the reject stacker 6 may be determined as
appropriate. Here, the reject stacker 6 stacks "undesignated banknotes," "abnormal
banknotes," and "abnormally transported banknotes" as the rejected banknotes.
[OOS8] The hopper unit 2 is provided for a portion of the first side surface !23
corresponding to the first handling section 126, and the dispense unit I I is provided in a
15 portion of the first side surface 123 corresponding to the second handling section I 27.
[OOS9] The hopper unit 2 includes a mount 21 on which banknotes are placed, two guides
22, 22 which guide the banknotes placed on the mount 21, intake rollers 23, an inlet 24
tln·ough which the banknotes are taken in, and a banknote sensor 2S which detects the
banknotes on the mount 21. In the present embodiment, the banknotes are placed on the
20 hopper unit 2 such that the banknotes are taken in in a direction parallel to their shorter edges.
[0060] As shown in FIG. 1, the inlet 24 is arranged at a corner where the mount 21 and the
first side surface 123 intei·sect with each other. The mount 21 is tilted such that the closer to
the inlet 24, the lower the level of the mount 21. Thus, the banknotes on the mount 21 go
toward the inlet 24 by themselves. The banknotes placed on the mount 21 are taken into the
2S housing 12 tln·ough the inlet 24.
16 G14-123
[0061] The banknote sensor 25 is provided near the inlet 24. The banknote sensor 25
includes a transmitter which emits light and a receiver which receives the light, and detects
the banknotes when the light emitted from the transmitter toward the receiver is blocked.
First and second banknote sensors 45 and 46, stacking sensors 52 and 62, tracking sensors 74,
5 and first, second, and third tape sensors 9210, 9211 and 926e to be described later are also
configured in the same manner. The banknote sensor 25 is arranged such that the light is
blocked by the banknotes placed on the mount 21. That is to say, the banknote sensor 25 can
detect that the banknotes are placed on the mount 21 when the light is blocked.
[0062] The guides 22, 22 are configured such that the interval between them is adjustable.
10 Specifically, the interval between the guides 22, 22 is adjusted according to the banknotes
placed on the mount 21.
[0063) The intake rollers 23 include kicker rollers 23a, feed rollers 23b, and gate rollers
23c. The kicker rollers 23a are partially exposed from the motmt 21, and are in contact with
the lowermost one of the banknotes placed on the mount 21. The kicker rollers 23a feed the
15 lowermost one of the banknotes on the mount 21 to the inlet 24. Thus, the banknotes are
taken in tlu·ough the inlet 24 one by one. The banknotes taken in through the inlet 24 are
distributed one by one by the feed rollers 23b and the gate rollers 23c into the housing 12.
The banknotes thus taken in are passed to the first transport unit 7.
[0064] The dispense unit 11 includes a dispense port 111 tlu·ough which the bundled
20 banknotes are dispensed. In. the dispense unit 11, the bundled banknotes are dispensed
through the dispense port 111 in the direction parallel to their shorter edges.
[0065] The first transport unit 7 may be configured as a transport belt or any other suitable
member. The first transport unit 7 includes a main transport path 71, first to fourth diverged
paths 72a to 72d diverged fi·om the main transport path 71, sorting mechanisms 73 provided at
25 junctions between the main transport path 71 and the diverged paths, and a plurality of
17 014-123
tracking sensors 74 which detect the passage of the banknotes. The first transport unit 7
transports the banknotes in the direction parallel to their shorter edges. The first transport
unit 7 is an exemplary transport unit.
[0066] The main transport path 71 extends from the intake rollers 23 tln·ough the first
5 bundling stacker 4A. The first diverged path 72a is the most upstream path in the main
transport path 71, and the second, third, and fourth diverged paths 72b, 72c and 72d are
arranged in this order downstream of the first diverged path 72a. ·. When it is not necessary to
distinguish the first to fourth diverged paths 72a to 72d fi·om each other, they will be
hereinafter referred to as "diverged paths 72." The first diverged path 72a extends to reach
10 the reject stacker 6. The second diverged path 72b extends to reach the second non-bundling
stacker SB. The third diverged path 72c extends to reach the first non-bundling stacker SA.
The fourth diverged path 72d extends to reach the second bundling stacker 4B.
[0067] The sorting mechanisms 73 are driven by a solenoid (not shown). Each of the
sorting mechanisms 73 sorts the banknotes transported t!n·ough the main transport path 71
15 depending on whether they need to be diverged to an associated one of the diverged paths 72
or not. A tracking sensor 74 is provided upstream of each of the sorting mechanisms 73.
The tracking sensors 74 are configured in the same manner as the banknote sensor 25. That
'
is, the tracking sensors 7 4 can detect the passage of the banknotes if the reception of light by
the receiver of the tracking sensor 74 is temporarily interrupted and then resumed. In
20 guiding the banknotes to the diverged path 72, each sorting mechanism 73 is turned ON as
soon as the tracking sensor 7 4 immediately upstream thereof detects the passage of the
banknotes.
[0068] The recognition unit 3 is provided on the main transport path 71 upstream of the
first diverged path 72a. The recognition unit 3 is configured to recognize each of the
25 banknotes being transported in terms of their denomination, authentication, and fitness.
18 014-123
Specifically, the recognition unit 3 includes a line sensor 31 and a magnetic sensor 32, and
detects the feature of each banknote. The recognition unit 3 determines whether the feature
of the banknote thus detected corresponds with any of the features of the banknotes stored,
thereby making a determination about their denomination, authentication, and fitness.
5 [0069] The recognition unit 3 does not always include the line sensor and the magnetic
sensor, but may include any other suitable sensor such as an infrared sensor and an ultraviolet
sensor as long as they can detect the features of the banknotes. The line sensor 31 also has
the function of optically reading the serial numbers printed on the banknotes. Note that a
control unit 120 to be described later may have all of the functions of the recognition unit 3
I 0 but the detecting function.
[0070] The bundling unit 9 bundles the stacked banknotes. As will be described in detail
later, the bundling unit 9 forms a tape loop L out of a tape, and rewinds the tape after the
banknotes have been transported into the tape loop L so that the banknotes are bundled with
the tape.
15 [0071] The second transpmt unit 8 grips the banknotes stacked in the bundling stacker 4 to
transport the banknotes into the tape loop L. The second transport unit 8 includes a gripper
81 which grips the banknotes, a first horizontal displacement mechanism which displaces the
gripper 81 in the horizontal direction parallel to the shorter edges of the banknotes (this
direction will be hereinafter referred to as a "first horizontal direction"), a second horizontal
20 displacement mechanism which displaces the gripper 81 in the horizontal direction parallel to
the longer edges of the banknotes (hereinafter referred to as a "second horizontal direction"),
and a ve1tical displacement mechanism which displaces the gripper 81 in the vertical
direction. The second transport unit 8 is an exemplary paper sheet transport unit.
[0072] The gripper 81 includes an upper arm 8la, a lower arm 8lb facing the upper arm
25 8la, and a gripping mechanism which displaces the upper arm 81a in the vertical direction.
19 014-123
The upper ann 8la includes three fingers extending parallel to each other and a coupling
portion which couples the tlu·ee fingers together (see FIG. 16). Likewise, the lower arm 81 b
also has three fingers extending parallel to each other and a coupling portion which couples
the three fingers together. The gripping mechanism supports the upper arm 8la so that the
5 upper arm 8la is movable in the vertical direction, and moves the upper arm 8la in the
vmtical direction using a motor and a drive belt. This configuration allows the upper and
lower arms 81 a and 81 b to grip the banknotes.
[0073] The first horizontal displacement mechanism supports the gripper 81 so that the
gripper 81 is movable in the first horizontal direction, and displaces the gripper 81 in the first
10 horizontal direction using the motor and the drive belt.
[0074] The vertical displacement mechanism suppot1s the first horizontal displacement
mechanism so that the first horizontal displacement mechanism is movable in the vertical
direction, and displaces the first horizontal displacement mechanism in the vertical direction
using the motor and the drive belt.
15 [0075] The second horizontal displacement mechanism supports the vet1ical displacement
mechanism so that the vertical displacement mechanism is movable in the second horizontal
direction, and displaces the vertical displacement mechanism in the second horizontal
direction using the motor and the drive belt.
[0076] Thus, the gripper 81 is configured to be readily moved along three mthogonal axes
'
20 by the first and second horizontal displacement mechanisms and the vertical displacement
mechanism.
[0077] The third transport unit 10 transports the bundled banknotes to the dispense unit 11.
The third transport unit 10 includes an upper gripping pm1101, a lower gripping part 102, and
a horizontal displacement mechanism which displaces the upper and lower gripping parts 101
25 and 102 in the first horizontal direction. In displacing the upper gripping part 101 in the first
20 014-123
horizontal direction, the horizontal displacement mechanism displaces the upper gripping part
101 in the vertical direction, too. That is, the third transport unit 10 is configured to pass
beside the bundling unit 9 in the first horizontal direction. When the third transport unit 10
is positioned opposite to the dispense unit 11 relative to the bundling unit 9, the upper
5 gripping part 101 is positioned over, and sufficiently distant fi"om, the lower gripping part 102.
The upper gripping part 101 moves downward from this position as it approaches the bundled
banknotes in the bundling unit 9. Then, when the upper gripping part 101 reaches the
bundled banknotes, the bundled banknotes are gripped by the upper and lower gripping parts
101 and 102. The upper and lower gripping parts 101 and 102 transport the bundled
10 banknotes to the vicinity of the dispense unit II while gripping them. In the vicinity of the
dispense unit II, the upper gripping part 101 moves upward as it approaches the dispense unit
11. As a result, the bundled banknotes gripped by the upper and lower gripping parts 1 0 I
and 102 are released from the upper and lower gripping parts 10 I and 102 at the dispense unit
II, and are dispensed to the dispense unit 11.
15 [0078] On the second side surface 124 of the housing 12, as shown in FIG. 1, a touch panel
17 is provided to serve as an operating unit through which information is entered into the
banknote handling apparatus I 00 and as a display unit which displays information about the
banknote handling apparatus 100. The touch panel 17 is a human interface for the operator
who operates tlus banknote hmidling apparatus I 00.
20 [0079]
FIG. 3 illustrates a general configuration for the bundling stackers 4 and the
bundling unit 9.
[0080] The bundling stackers 4 pile and stack banknotes B. As shown in FIGS. 1-3, each
of the bundling stackers 4 includes a container 40 in which the banknotes B are stacked, a
25 stage 41 arranged in the container 40 to carry the banknotes B thereon, a stacking \\>heel 42
21 GJ4-123
which brings the transported banknotes B into the container 40, a door 43 which opens/closes
the first outlet 47 to be described later, a top plate 44 which determines a ceiling of the
container 40, a first banknote sensor 45 which detects the banknotes B in the container 40,
and a second banknote sensor 46 which detects the banknotes B of a predetermined height in
5 the container 40.
[0081] The container 40 has a front wall 40a which is located in front in the transpoit
direction of the banknotes B and is configured to be movable fmward and backward in the
transport direction. The position of the front wall 40a is adjusted according to the dimension
of the shorter edges of the banknotes B specified as those to be bundled. In particular, the
10 front wall 40a is arranged such that the banknotes B brought into the container 40 collide
against the front wall 40a and fall as they are to the bottom of the container 40 so as to be
stacked there in contact with the Jiont wall 40a. The front wall 40a is also configured to
open/close in the vertical direction. The fi·ont wall 40a opens when the stacked banknotes B
are transported by the second transport unit 8.
15 [0082] The stage 41 is configured to be movable in the vertical direction. For example,
the stage 41 moves in the vertical direction in accordance with the amount of the banknotes B
stacked.
[0083] The container 40 has an opening through the second side surface 124 of the housing
12. That is, the first outlet 47 through which the banknotes B stacked in the bundling
20 stackers 4 are removed out of the housing 12 is provided through the second side surface 124
as shown in FIG. 1.
[0084] The door 43 is provided for each of the bundling stackers 4. The door 43 is
configured to be rotatable around a predetermined rotation axis to change between an open
state where the first outlet 47 is opened and a closed state where the first outlet 47 is closed,
25 and is opened/closed manually. The door 43 is made of a material which allows visual
22 Gl4-123
check of the inside of the bundling stacker from outside. For example, the door 43 may be
made of a transparent or translucent material (e.g., glass or a resin).
[0085] The stacking wheel 42 includes a plurality of flexible blades, and has the function
of tapping the banknotes B falling into the container 40 on their rear edges in the transport
5 direction so as to help the banknotes B fall. Even when the banknotes B are brought into the
container 40 successively, each of the banknotes B is prevented from being inserted below the
rear edge of the preceding banknote B, and thus the banknotes B can be sequentially stacked
one by one on top of the previously stacked ones.
[0086] Two or more banknote sensors 45 are provided for each of the bundling stackers 4.
I 0 In the present embodiment, two banknote sensors 45 are provided in the container 40 at
different positions in the transport direction of the banknotes B. The first banknote sensor
45 is configured in the same manner as the banknote sensor 25. Each of the banknote
sensors 45 is arranged to project light in the stacking direction of the bank:notes B in the
container 40. That is to say, the banknote sensor 45 can detect the presence of the banknotes
15 B in the container 40 when the light is blocked. The provision of the two banknote sensors
45 at the different positions in the transport direction enables any one of the banknote sensors
4 5 to detect the presence of the banknotes B even when the positions of the banknotes B vary
in the transport direction in the container 40. Note that two or more banknote sensors 45
may be provided at different positions in the direction orthogonal to both of the transport and
20 thickness directions of the banknotes B (the direct.ion coming out of the paper of FIG. 2).
[0087] The second banknote sensor 46 is configured to detect the banknotes B located at a
predetermined height in the container 40. The second banknote sensor 46 is configured in
the same manner as the banknote sensor 25. The second banknote sensor 46 is arranged
such that light emitted from the transmitter to the receiver is blocked by the banknotes B
25 when the banknotes B are present at a level higher than the predetermined height, and that the
23 014-123
light emitted from the transmitter is received by the receiver when the banknotes B are not
present at the level higher than the predetermined height.
[0088]
Since the first and second non-bundling stackers SA and SB have the same
5 configuration, they are not distinguished fi'om each other in the following description, and
will be hereinafter collectively referred to as "non-bundling stackers 5".
[0089] The non-bundling stackers 5 pile and stack the banknotes. As shown in FIG. 2,
each of the non-bundling stackers 5 includes a container 50 in which the banknotes are
stacked, a stacking wheel 51 which brings the transported banknotes into the container 50,
1 0 and a stacking sensor 52 which detects the presence of the banknotes.
[0090] The container 50 of each of the non-bundling stackers 5 has a tilted bottom. Thus,
the banknotes brought into the container 50 are collected to the lower end of the bottom.
[0091] The stacking sensor 52 is provided at the lower end of the bottom of the container
50. The stacking sensor 52 is configured in the same manner as the banknote sensor 25, and
15 detects the banknotes in the container 50 when the light is blocked. The stacking sensor 52
is arranged such that the light is blocked by the banknotes in the container 50.
[0092] The stacking wheel 51 includes a plurality of blades, and catches the transported
banknotes between the blades to bring them into the container 50. The banknotes are
released from the blades of the stacking wheel 51 near the bottom of the container 50, and are
20 stacked in the container 50.
[0093] The container 50 has openings through the second side surface 124 of the housing
12. That is to say, the second side surface 124 is provided with second outlets 53 through
which the banknotes stacked in the non-bundling stackers 5 are removed out of the housing
12. The second outlets 53 have no door, and are kept opened. The second outlets 53 of the
25 first and second non-bundling stackers SA and 5B are opened through the second side surface
24 014-123
124 and are arranged side by side in the horizontal direction.
[0094] Each of the non-bundling stackers 5 is provided with a pushing mechanism 54
which pushes the stacked banknotes toward the second outlet 53. The pushing mechanism
54 is provided at the horizontal depth of the container 50 (opposite fi·om the second outlet 53),
5 and is configured to push the banknotes from the horizontal depth to the front (toward the
second outlet 53).
[0095]
The reject stacker 6 piles and stacks the banknotes. The reject stacker 6 includes,
as shown in FIG. 2, a container 60 in which the banknotes are stacked, a stacking wheel 61
10 which brings the transported banknotes into the container 60, a stacking sensor 62 which
detects the presence of the banknotes, and stoppers 64, 64 which prevent the banknotes in the
container 60 from being ejected outside.
[0096] Specifically, the container 60 of the reject stacker 6 has an opening through the first
side surface 123 of the housing 12. That is, a reject outlet 63 tlu·ough which the banknotes
15 stacked in the reject stacker 6 are removed out of the housing 12 is provided through the first
side surface 123. The reject outlet 63 is opened through the first side surface 123 to be
positioned above the inlet 24. The reject outlet 63 has no door and is kept opened.
[0097] The bottom of the container 60 is tilted such that the more distant from the first side
surface 123, the lower the level of the bottom. Thus, the banknotes in the container 60 are
20 stacked deep inside the first side surface 123. Thus, the banknotes are prevented from being
ejected outside tlu·ough the reject outlet 63 of the first side surface 123 when they are brought
into the container 60.
[0098] The two stoppers 64, 64 are provided at one edge of the bottom of the container 60
closer to the first side surface 113. The stoppers 64 are snp]Jmted to be rotatable around an
25 axis extending parallel to the edge of the bottom closer to the first side surface 123, and are
25 Gl4-123
biased by bias springs (not shown) to stand up on the bottom of the container 60. These
stoppers 64, 64 can also prevent the banknotes in the container 60 from being ejected outside
through the reject outlet 63 of the first side surface 123. Note that in removing the
banknotes stacked in the reject stacker 6 through the reject outlet 63, the stoppers 64, 64 need
5 to be pressed down against the elastic force of the bias springs.
[0099] The stacking wheel 61 includes a plurality of flexible blades, and has the function
of tapping the banknotes falling into the container 60 on their rear edges in the transport
direction so as to help the banknotes fall. Even when the banknotes are brought into the
container 60 successively, each of the banknotes is prevented from being inserted below the
10 rear edge of the preceding banknote, and thus the banknotes can be sequentially stacked one
by one on top of the previously stacked ones.
[0 1 00] The stacking sensor 62 is configured in the same manner as the banknote sensor 25,
and detects the banknotes in the container 60 when the light is blocked. The stacking sensor
62 is arranged such that the light is blocked by the banknotes in the container 60.
15 [0101]
As shown in FIG. 3, the bundling unit 9 includes a tape feeding unit 91 which feeds
a tape T, a tape loop forming unit 92 which forms a tape loop L from the tape T, a temporary
gripping unit 93 which temporarily grips the banknotes B transported into the tape loop L by
the second transp01t unit 8 (see FIGS. 6 and 7), a clamp 94 which presses the banknotes B in
20 the stacking direction when the banknotes B are bundled together with the tape T, a heater 95
which heat-seals portions of the tape T wound around the banknotes B, a cutter 96 which cuts
the tape T at a p01tion not wound around the banknotes B, a printer 97 which prints characters
on the tape T, and a stamper 98 which stamps a seal on the tape T.
[01 02] The tape feeding unit 91 includes a tape reel911 around which the tape Tis wound,
25 and a tape transporter 912 which transp01is the tape T drawn from the tape reel 911. The
26 Gl4-123
tape transporter 912 transports the tape T along a predetermined transport path. The tape
transporter 912 has a guide (not shown) and multiple pairs of rollers.
[01 03] The tape loop forming unit 92 forms a tape loop L from the tape T, and rewinds the
" tape T after the stacked banknotes B are arranged in the tape loop L to wind the tape T around
5 the banknotes B. The tape loop forming unit 92 includes a pair of feed rollers 920 which
feeds and rewinds the tape T, a tape gripping part 921 which grips an end portion of the tape
'
. T, a guide 925 which defines the shape of the tape loop L being formed from the tape T, a first
tape sensor 9210 which detects the end portion of the tape T, and a second tape sensor 9211
which detects that a large tape loop L2 has been formed. The tape loop forming unit 92 has
I 0 a small tape loop L 1 formed from the tape T by the tape gripping part 921, and then has the
tap~ T fed by the pair of feed rollers 920 to enlarge the small tape loop L I into a large tape
loop L2. In the meantime, the guide 925 guides the tape T to define the shape of the large
tape loop L2, and the second tape sensor 9211 detects that the large tape loop L2 has been
formed.
15 [0104] The pair of feed rollers 920 is driven by a stepping motor, feeds the tape T in
forming the tape loop L, and rewinds the tape T to wind the tape T around the banknotes B
after the banknotes B have been put into the tape loop L. The pair of feed rollers 920 is
located at the downstream end of the tape transporter 912, and forms part of the tape
transporter 912. The pair of feed rollers 920 is an exemplary feeder. A pair of rollers of
20 the tape transporter 912 is also driven by the motor of the pair of feed rollers 920 through a
belt, a gear, or any other suitable mechanism.
[0105] The first tape sensor 9210 is provided on the transport path of the tape T between
the pair of feed rollers 920 and the tape gripping part 921. The first tape sensor 9210 is
configured in the same mam1er as the banknote sensor 25. The first tape sensor 9210 detects
25 the tape T when the light is cut off. For example, the first tape sensor 9210 may detect the
27 014-123
end portion of the tape T when the light that has been cut off starts being received again by the
first tape sensor 9210 as the pair of feed rollers 920 rewinds the tape T.
[0 1 06] The tape gripping part 921 is arranged at a position where the tape gripping part 921
can receive the tape T fed from the pair of feed rollers 920. The tape gripping part 921"is
5 configured to be able to grip the tape T and rotatable while gripping the tape T. The tape
gripping part 921 rotates while gripping, at the end portion thereof, the tape T fed from the
pair of feed rollers 920, thereby forming the tape loop L.
[0107] FIGS. 4(A) and 4(B) are perspective views illustrating the tape gripping part 921.
FIG. 4(A) shows the tape gripping part 921 in a closed state, while FIG. 4(B) shows the tape
10 gripping part 921 in an open state. More specifically, the tape gripping part 921 includes a
base 922, a movable part 923, and a rotating shaft 924. The base 922 includes a flat base
plate 922a and a base block 922b which forms an integral part of the base plate 922a. The
base plate 922a is provided with first and second recessed grooves 922c and 922d extending
parallel to each other. The first and second recessed grooves 922c and 922d extend in a tape .
15 width direction. The rotating shaft 924 is rotatably inserted through the base block 922b.
The rotating shaft 924 extends in the tape width direction, and is driven in rotation by a
motor. The movable part 923 is arranged to face the base plate 922a, and is fixed to an end
of the rotating shaft 924 to be non-rotatable about the rotating shaft 924. The movable part
923 is driven in rotation via the rotating shaft 924. The movable part 923 includes a fitting
20 923a attached to the end of the rotating shaft 924, a pressing part 923b provided on the fitting
923a to be eccentric to the rotating shaft 924 and to extend parallel to the rotating shaft 924
(i.e., in the tape width direction), and first and second guides 923c and 923d provided at both
ends of the pressing part 923b, respectively. The first guide 923c forms a guide groove 923e
between itself and the fitting 923a.
25 [0 1 08] If the rotating shaft 924 rotates in one direction about its axis, the movable part 923
28 014-123
overlaps with the base plate 922a as shown in FIG. 4(A). This state will be hereinafter
referred to as a "closed state" of the tape gripping part 921. On the other hand, if the
rotating shaft 924 rotates in the other direction about the axis, a gap is formed between the
movable pmt 923 and the base plate 922a as shown in FIG. 4(B). This state will be
5 hereinafter referred to· as an "open state" of the tape gripping part 921. When the tape
gripping part 921 is in the open state, the tape Tis insertable between the movable part 923
and the base plate 922a. Then, the tape gripping part 921 is turned into the closed state to
grip the tape T between the movable pmt 923 and the base plate 922a. The movable part
923 is configured to be lockable onto the base plate 922 while overlapping with the base plate
10 922a, i.e., in the closed state. Once the movable part 923 is locked, the movable part 923
and the base 922 can no longer rotate relative to each other, and thus the movable part 923
and the base plate 922a are kept overlapped with each other. If the rotating shaft 924 rotates
with the movable part 923 locked, the tape gripping part 921 rotates about the rotating shaft
924 with the tape T sandwiched by the base plate 922a and the movable patt 923.
15 [0109] While the tape gripping part 921 is in the closed state, the pressing part 923b of the
movable part 923 overlaps with a portion of the base plate 922a adjacent to the second
recessed groove 922d. That is, the second recessed groove 922d is exposed beside the
pressing pmt 923b. In this state, the first and second guides 923c and 923d extend
perpendicularly to the base plate 922a. Likewise, the guide groove 923e also extends
20 perpendiculat'ly to the base plate 922a.
[OliO] In forming the large tape loop L2, the guide 925 comes into contact with an outer
peripheral surface of the large tape loop L2 to define the shape of the large tape loop L2.
The guide 925 defines the shape of the large tape loop L2 to be a generally rectangular shape,
more specifically, a rectangular shape having rounded corners.
25 [0111] FIG. 5 illustrates a perspective view of the tape loop forming unit 92. The guide
29 GI4-123
925 includes a lower guide 926 which comes into contact with the outer peripheral surface of
the large tape loop L2 from under the large tape loop L2, first and second lateral guides 927
and 928 which come into contact with the outer peripheral surface of the large tape loop L2
horizontally, and four corner guides, namely, first to fourth corner guides 929a to 929d, which
5 correspond to the four corners of the rectangle.
[0112] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a lower portion of the tape loop forming unit 92 as
viewed obliquely from above. The lower guide 926 has a pair of sidewalls 926a, 926a which
regulates the position of the tape T in the tape width direction and a bottom wall 926b, and
thus has the shape of a groove. The bottom wall 926b is broader than the width of the tape.
10 The pair of sidewalls 926a, 926a are inclined such that the groove increases its width toward
the opening end of the groove from the bottom wall 926b (i.e., upward from the bottom wall
926b ). The bottom wall 926b is provided with a plurality of rollers 926c, 926c, . . . to
improve slidability of the tape T. The bottom wall 926b has a tlu·ough hole 926d through
which a stamp 981 of the stamper 98 (to be described later) passes.
15 [0113] The first and second corner guides 929a and 929b are respectively provided at the
longitudinal ends of the bottom wall 926b. The first corner guide 929a curves the tape T
located at the corner formed by the lower guide 926 and the first lateral guide 927. The
second corner guide 929b curves the tape T located at the corner formed by the lower guide
926 and the second lateral guide 928 (not shown in FIG. 6). Each of the first and second
20 corner guides 929a and 929b is made up of two plates. Each of the two plates has an edge
curved in a concave shape, and the two plates are provided to stand upright on the bottom wall
926b and face each other.
[0114] The lower guide 926 is provided with a third tape sensor 926e which detects the
tape T that has fallen on the lower guide 926. More specifically, the third tape sensor 926e
25 is configured in the same manner as the banknote sensor 25, and detects the tape T when the
30 014-123
light emitted fi·om the transmitter toward the receiver is cut off. The transmitter and receiver
of the third tape sensor 926e are respectively provided at the longitudinal ends of the bottom
wall 926b. The transmitter emits the light in the longitudinal direction of the bottom wall
926b above the bottom wall 926b. The third tape sensor 926e is an exemplary fall detection
5 sensor.
[0115] The lower guide 926 is provided with a displacement mechanism, and is configured
to be readily moved in the vertical direction by the displacement mechanism. The
displacement mechanism also functions as a displacement mechanism for lower clamps 943,
944 which will be described later. The displacement mechanism includes a motor, a disk
10 driven in rotation by the motor, a support which supports the lower guide 926 such that the
lower guide 926 is movable in the vertical direction, and a link which couples the disk and the
lower guide 926 together. The disk is provided with a cam groove. The link transfers the
rotation of the disk to the lower guide 926 in accordance with the shape of the cam groove.
The lower guide 926 moves up and down in accordance with the shape of the cam groove as
15 the disk is driven in rotation.
[0116] The first lateral guide 927 extends in the vertical direction at one of longitudinal
ends of the lower guide 926 closer to the bundling stacker 4 as shown in FIG. 5. The first
lateral guide 927 includes a sidewall 927a and a bottom wall 927b, and thus has the shape of a
groove. The sidewall 927a regulates the position of the tape T in the tape width direction.
20 The bottom wall 927b is broader than the width of the tape. The bottom wall 927b IS
provided with two slits through which the first corner guide 929a passes.
[0 117] The second lateral guide 928 extends in the vertical direction at the other
longitudinal end of the lower guide 926 closer to the dispense unit 11. The second lateral
guide 928 is substantially in the shape of a flat plate, and does not have a portion
25 corresponding to the sidewall 927a of the first lateral guide 927. The second lateral guide
31 G 14-.!23
928 is suppor[ed to be movable up and down by the support, and is coupled to the lower guide
926 through the link. Thus, the second lateral guide 928 moves upward or downward as the
lower guide 926 moves upward or downward. Note that the magnitude of movement ofthc
second lateral guide 928 is amplified by the link. The second lateral guide 928 is configured
5 to retreat upward during the transport of the bundled banknotes B so as not to interfere with
the transport of the bundled banknotes B.
[0118] A third corner guide 929c and a fourth corner guide 929d are provided above the
first and second corner guides 929a and 929b at almost the same level as the tape gripping
part 921. The third corner guide 929c is arranged adjacent to the first lateral guide 927.
10 The third corner guide 929c has two plates. Each of the two plates has an edge curved in a
concave shape, and the two plates are provided to stm1d upright on the bottom wall 927b and
face each other. The fourth corner guide 929d is arranged adjacent to the second lateral
guide 928. The fourth corner guide 929d is formed of a block having a surface curved in a
concave shape. When it is not necessary to distinguish the first to fourth corner guides 929a
15 to 929d from each other, they may be hereinafter referred to as "corner guides 929"
collectively.
[0 119] The second tape sensor 9211 is configured in the same mmmer as the banknote
sensor 25, and detects the tape T when the light is cut off. The receiver of the second tape
sensor 9211 is attached to the fourth corner guide 929d as shown in FIG. 5. The transmitter
20 of the second tape sensor 9211 is arranged such that the light emitted from the transmitter is
cut off by the tape T guided along the fourth corner guide 929d. That is, the second tape
sensor 9211 detects that the fomih corner guide 929d is guiding the tape T, i.e., the tape loop
L has reached a predetermined size, when the light emitted from the transmitter is not
received by the receiver. The second tape sensor 9211 is an exemplary tape loop detection
25 sensor.
32 014-123
[0120] The temporary gripping unit 93 temporarily grips the bank:notes B transported into
the tape loop L by the second transport unit 8. The temporary gripping unit 93 is arranged
opposite to the second transport unit 8 relative to the tape loop L in the second horizontal
direction, i.e., in the tape width direction. The temporary gripping unit 93 grips the
5 banknotes B at their portion opposite to the second transpmt unit 8 relative to the tape loop L.
The temporary gripping unit 93 includes an upper gripping patt 931, a lower gripping part
932, and a vertical displacement mechanism which displaces the upper and lower gripping
parts 931 and 932 in the vertical direction. The temporary gripping unit 93 grips the
banknotes B with the upper and lower gripping parts 931 and 932.
10 [0121] FIG. 7 is a perspective view illustrating an upper portion of the tape loop forming
unit 92 as viewed obliquely from below. The upper gripping part 931 includes an upper
base plate 933, an upper movable plate 934, and first second abutting portions 931 a, 931 b
provided for the upper movable plate 934. The first and second abutting portions 93la, 931 b
are arranged side by side in the direction parallel to the shorter edges of the banknotes B.
15 The first and second abutting portions 931 a and 931 b are located at the same level. The base
plate 922a of the tape gripping part 921 is arranged between the first and second abutting
portions 931 a and 931 b. The upper movable plate 934 is suppmted by the upper base plate
933 such that the upper movable plate 934 is movable along the width of the tape T.
[0122] The lower gripping part 932 includes, as shown in FIG. 6, a lower base plate 935, a
20 lower movable plate 936, and first and second abutting portions 932a, 932b provided for the
lower movable plate 936. 11Je first and second abutting pmtions 932a, 932b are arranged
side by side in the direction parallel to the shorter edges of the banknotes B. The first and
second abutting portions 932a and 932b are located at the same level. The first and second
abutting portions 932a, 932b respectively face the first and second abutting pmtions 931a,
25 931 b of the upper gripping part 931. The lower movable plate 936 is supported by the lower
33 G14-123
base plate 935 such that the lower movable plate 936 is movable along the width of the tape
T.
[0123] The vertical displacement mechanism includes a motor, a disk driven in rotation by
the motor, a support which supp01is the upper and lower base plates 93 3 and 93 5 such that
5 these plates 933 and 935 are movable up and down, and a link which couples the disk to the
upper and lower base plates 933 and 935. The disk is provided with a cam groove. The
link transfers the rotation of the disk to the upper and lower base plates 933 and 935 in
accordance with the shape of the cam groove. The upper and lower base plates 933 and 935
move up and down in accordance with the shape of the cam groove as the disk is driven in
I 0 rotation. Thus, the upper and lower gripping patis 931 and 932 move away from, or
approaches, each other. The cam groove for the upper base plate 933 and the cam groove for
the lower base plate 935 have different shapes. Thus, the upper and lower gripping parts 931
and 932 do not move up and down to the same extent but move in mutually different ways.
[0124] Note that the upper and lower movable plates 934 and 936.are configured to move
15 in the second horizontal direction synchronously with the movement of the second transport
unit 8 while the banknotes are being transported into the large tape loop L2.
[0125] Specifically, the upper movable plate 934 is supported not only by the upper base
plate 933, but also by a vertically extending shaft as well. Likewise, the lower movable
plate 936 is also supported not only by the lower base plate 935, but also by a vetiically
20 extending shaft as well. Since these shafts extend vertically, the upper and lower movable
plates 934 and 936 move up and down along the shafts as the upper and lower gripping parts
931 and 932 move up and down. Thus, the shafts do not interfere with the vetiical
movement of the upper and lower gripping parts 931 and 932. These two shafts form
integral parts of a frame. The frame and the shafts are configured to be readily moved by a
25 displacement mechanism in the second horizontal direction. The frame and the shafts are
34 G14-123
allowed by the displacement mechanism to move in the second horizontal direction
synclu-onously with the movement of the second transport unit 8 while the banknotes are being
transported into the large tape loop L2. That is to say, when the second transport unit 8
transpmts the banknotes into the large tape loop L2, the displacement mechanism moves the
5 frame in the second horizontal direction synclu·onously with the movement of the second
transport unit 8. As the frame moves in the second horizontal direction, the upper and lower
movable plates 934 and 936 suppmted by the shafts of the frame also move in the second
horizontal direction.
[0126] In this manner, the positions of the first and second abutting pmtions 93la, 931b of
10 the upper gripping part 931 and the first and second abutting portions 932a, 932b of the lower
gripping part 932 in the second horizontal direction are changed according to the degree of
insertion of the banknotes into the large tape loop L2 by the second transport unit 8.
[0127] The clamp 94 presses the banknotes B in the stacking direction when the banknotes
B are bundled together with the tape T. The clamp 94 presses the banknotes B around their
15 portion to be bundled with the tape T. The clamp 94 includes, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, a
pair of upper clamps 941, 942 provided above the banknotes B transported into the tape loop
L, a pair of lower clamps 943, 944 provided below the banknotes B, and a displacement
mechanism which allows one of the upper clamps 942 and the lower clamps 943, 944 to move
up and clown.
20 [O 128] The upper clamps 941, 942 are arranged on the respective sides of the tape T in the
tape width direction. The upper clamp 941 located more distant fi·om the second transport
unit 8 is fixed, and is not movable up or clown. On the other hand, the upper clamp 942
located closer to the second transport unit 8 is configured to be movable up and clown.
When it is necessary to distinguish the upper clamps from each other, the former will be
25 hereinafter referred to as an "upper fixed clmnp 941," and the latter will be hereinafter
35 014-123
referred to an "upper movable clamp 942."
[0129] The upper fixed clamp 941 includes first and second abutting portions 941a, 941b.
The first and second abutting portions 941 a, 941 b are arranged side by side in the direction
parallel to the shorter edges of the banknotes B. The first and second abutting portions 941a
5 and 941 b are located at the same level. The base plate 922a of the tape gripping part 921 is
arranged between the first and second abutting portions 941 a and 941 b. The base plate 922a
is located at a lower level than the first and second abutting pmiions 94la, 94lb.
[0 130] On the other hand, the upper movable clamp 942 includes first to third abutting
pmiions 942a to 942c. The first to third abutting portions 942a to 942c are arranged side by
10 side in the direction parallel to the shorter edges of the banknotes B. The third abutting
portion 942c is located between the first and second abutting portions 942a and 942b in the
direction parallel to the shorter edges of the banknotes B. The first and second abutting
portions 942a and 942b are located at the same level. The third abutting portion 942c is
located at a lower level than the first and second abutting portions 942a and 942b. The
15 upper movable clamp 942 moves up m1d down between a clamp position where the first and
second abutting portions 942a and 942b are level with the first and second abutting portions
941 a and 941 b of the upper fixed clamp 941, and a retreat position where the third abutting
portion 942c is at a higher level than the first and second abutting portions 941a and 941b uf
the upper fixed clamp 941. When the upper movable clamp 942 is at the clamp position, the
20 third abutting portion 942c is located at substantially the same level as the base plate 922a of
the tape gripping part 921.
[0131] The lower clamps 943, 944 are arranged on the respective sides of the tape Tin the
tape width direction. The lower clamp 94 3 located more distant from the second transport
unit 8 and the lower clamp 944 located closer to the second transport unit 8 are configured in
25 the same manner. The lower clamp 943 includes first and second abutting portions 943a,
36 Gl4-123
943b. The first and second abutting portions 943a, 943b are arranged side by side in the
direction parallel to the shorter edges of the banknotes B. The first and second abutting
portions 943a and 943b are located at the same level. The first and second abutting pmtions
943a, 943b respectively face the first and second abutting portions 941a, 941 b of the upper
5 fixed clamp 941. The lower clamp 944 includes first and second abutting portions 944a,
944b. The first and second abutting portions 944a, 944b are arranged side by side in the
direction parallel to the shorter edges of the banknotes B. The first and second abutting
portions 944a and 944b are located at the same level, and also at the same level as the first
and second abutting pmtions 943a and 943b of the lower clamp 943. The first and second
10 abutting portions 944a, 944b respectively face the first and second abutting portions 942a,
942b of the upper movable clamp 942.
[0132] The vertical displacement mechanism includes a motor, a disk driven in rotation by
the motor, a support which supports the upper movable clamp 942 and the lower clamps 943,
944 such that these clamps are movable up and down, and a link which couples the disk to the
15 upper movable clamp 942 and the lower clamps 943, 944. The disk is provided with a cam
groove. The link transfers the rotation of the disk to the upper movable clamp 942 and the
lower clamps 943, 944 in accordance with the shape of the cam groove. The upper movable
clamp942 and the lower clamps 943, 944 move vertically in accordance with the shape of the
cam groove as the disk is driven in rotation. Thus, the lower clamps 943, 944 approaches, or
20 move away fi"om, the upper clamps 941, 942, and the upper movable clamp942 moves up and
down between the clamp position and the retreat position. Since the cam groove for the
upper movable clamp 942 and the cam groove for the lower clamps 943, 944 have different
shapes, the upper movable clamp 942 and the lower clamps 943, 944 do not move up and
down to the same extent, but move in mutually different ways. The motor also functions as
25 the motor for the displacement mechanism of the temporary gripping unit 93.
37 Gl4-123
lj
[0133] The lower clamps 943, 944 form integral parts of the lower guide 926 of the guide
925. That is, the lower clamps 94 3, 944 and the lower guide 926 move up and down
altogether. In other words, the displacement mechanism which displaces the lower clamps
943, 944 in the vertical direction also function as the displacement mechanism for the lower
5 guide 926.
[0134] The heater 95 bonds together portions of the tape T wound around the banknotes B.
The heater 95 heat-seals such portions of the tape T. The heater 95 is an exemplary bonding
unit.
[0135] The cutter 96 cuts a portion of the tape T not wound around the banknotes B, that is,
10 an extra portion of the tape T that has not been used to bundle the banknotes B together with
the tape T. The cutter 96 has a saw-toothed cutting edge at its end. The cutter 96 has
guiding tabs 96a protruding outward from its side edges as shown in FIG. 5. The cutter 96 is
an exemplary cutting unit.
[0136] The heater 95 and the cutter 96 are configured as a unit as shown in FIG. 5, and is
15 arranged opposite to the stamper 98 relative to the banknotes B brought into the tape loop L,
that is, opposite to the stamper 98 in the stacking direction of the banknotes B, i.e., above the
tape gripping part 921.
[0137] More specifically, the heater 95 and the cutter 96 are configured as a unit together
with first and second tape pressers 991, 992. The first and second tape pressers 991, 992 are
20 arranged side by side in the first horizontal direction. Each of the first and second tape
pressers 991, 992 is a flat plate member, and has a lower end face extending in the tape width
direction. The heater 95 and the cutter 96 are arranged between the first and second tape
pressers 991, 992.
[0138] The heater 95, the cutter 96, and the first and second tape pressers 991 and 992 are
25 configured to be movable up and down. The heater 95, the cutter 96, and the first and
38 014-123
second tape pressers 991 and 992 move down toward the tape gripping part 921 in bonding
and cutting ·the tape T. The first tape presser 991 is configured to fit in the first recessed
groove 922c of the base plate 922a so that the tape T is sandwiched between itself and the
bottom surface of the first recessed groove 922c. The second tape presser 992 is configured
5 to sandwich the tape T between itself and the pressing part 923b of the movable part 923.
The heater 95 bonds the tape T between the first and second recessed grooves 922c and 922d
of the base plate 922a. The cutter 96 enters the second recessed groove 922d of the base
plate 922a to cut the tape T.
[0139] The printer 97 is arranged in the tape transporter 912 as shown in FIG. 3. The
10 printer 97 prints characters on the tape T transported by the tape transporter 912. The printer
97 prints, for example, information about the banknotes B to be bundled (e.g., denomination,
date, and/or serial number) on the tape T. The print made by the printer 97 is shifted in the
tape width direction from a portion on which a seal will be stamped by the stamper 98 so that
the print does not overlap with the seal stamped by the stamper 98.
15 [0 140] The stamper 98 stamps a seal on the tape T wound around the banknotes B
compressed by the clamp 94. The stamper 98 stamps a seal related to the banknotes B to be
bundled (e.g., a seal of a financial institution, a seal indicating the kind of the banknotes such
as fit or unfit notes) on the tape T. The stamper 98 is arranged opposite to the heater 95 and
the cutter 96 relative to the banknotes B brought into the tape loop L as shown in FIG. 5, in
20 particular, opposite to the heater 95 and the cutter 96 in the stacking direction of the
banknotes B. The stamper 98 includes a stamp 981 and a displacement mechanism 982
which displaces the stamp 981 in the vertical direction. When the displacement mechanism
982 displaces the stamp 981 upward, the stamp 981 stamps a seal on the tape T wound around
the banknotes B in the stacking direction of the banknotes B. The stamper 98 forms an
25 integral part of the lower guide 926, and moves up and down along with the lower guide 926
39 014-123
that is moving up and down. The stamp 981 is arranged between the pair of sidewalls 926a,
926a of the lower guide 926 in the direction parallel to the shorter edges of the lower guide
926, i.e., in the width direction of the tape T, as shown in FIG. 6. Note that the stamp 981 in
a normal state is arranged under the tlu·ough hole 926d of the bottom wall 926b of the lower
5 guide 926, and does not protrude upward from the bottom wall 926b. When moved upward
by the displacement mechanism 982 , the stamp 981 goes tlu·ough the through hole 926d to
protrude upward from the bottom wall 926b, thereby stamping a seal on the tape T.
[0 141]
FIG. 8 is a block diagram illustrating a general configuration for the banknote
10 handling apparatus 100.
[0142] The banknote handling apparatus 100 includes a control unit 120 based on a wellknown
microcomputer, for example. The control unit 120 is connected to the abovedescribed
units, namely, the hopper unit 2, the recognition unit 3, the bundling stackers 4, the
non-bundling stackers 5, the reject stacker 6, the first and second transport units 7 and 8, the
15 bundling unit 9, the third transport unit 10, and the touch panel 17 so as to transmit and
receive signals to/from these units. The control unit 120 is also connected to the banknote
sensor 25, the first and second banknote sensors 45 and 46, the stacking sensors 52 and 62,
the tracking sensors 74, the first, second and third tape sensors 9210, 9211 and 926e to
receive detection signals from these sensors. The control unit 120 generates a control signal
20 based on the signal supplied from the touch panel 17, the detection signals from the sensors
and other suitable signals, and outputs the generated control signal to the hopper unit 2 and
other units. The hopper unit 2 and other units operate in accordance with the control signal.
Taking the bundling stacker 4 as an example, the control unit 120 controls the front wall 40a
of the container 40, the stage 41, and the stacking wheel42.
25 [0143]
40 014-123
lt will be described how to perform a deposit process using this banknote handling
apparatus 100. In the deposit process, loose banknotes are sorted and stacked in the
predetermined stackers, and predetermined ones of them are bundled. In the following
description, a single kind banknote bundling process will be described, in which a
5 predetermined number of banknotes of a prescribed kind to be bundled are stacked alternately
in the first and second bundling stackers 4A, 4B, and the predetermined number ofbanknotes
stacked are bundled sequentially by the bundling unit 9.
[0144] The banknote handling apparatus 100 is placed on a teller counter to be positioned
on the front left side of the operator (on the front right side of a customer) when the operator
1 0 faces the customer over the teller counter. At this time, the banknote handling apparatus 1 00
is arranged such that the first side surface 123 of the hotlsing 12 faces the customer. In this
state, the second side surface 124 of the housing 12 faces the operator. However, since the
banknote handling apparatus 100 is located slightly on the front left side of the operator, the
customer can also see the second side surface 124.
15 [0145] First, the operator receives loose banknotes to be deposited from the customer, and
places the banknotes on the hopper unit 2. At this time, even if the loose banknotes include
banknotes of multiple different kinds, all the banknotes are jnst placed on the hopper unit 2
without sorting them. The operator adjusts the guides 22 according to the dimension of the
banknotes. Then, the operator operates the touch panel 17 to start the intake of the
20 banknotes. The banknote handling apparatus 1 00 may automatically start the intake of the
banknotes when the banknote sensor 25 detects the banknotes placed on the hopper unit 2.
[0 146] The banknotes placed on the hopper unit 2 are brought into the housing 12 one by
one through the inlet 24 as the intake rollers 23 are activated. The banknotes thus taken in
are transported by the first transport unit 7, and pass tln·ough the recognition unit 3. The
25 recognition unit 3 detects the kind of the banknotes passed, and informs the control unit 120
41 014-123
of the kind of the banknotes.
[0147] The control unit 120 designates the banknotes' destination according to the kind of
the banknotes. In particular, if the banknotes are fit banknotes of a predetermined
denomination to be bundled, the control unit 120 designates the bundling stacker 4 (any one
5 of the bundling stackers 4A and 4B) as their destination. If the banknotes are unfit
banknotes of the predetermined denomination to be bundled, the control unit 120 designates
the first non-bundling stacker 5A as their destination. If the banknotes are of any
denomination other than the predetermined denomination, the control unit 120 designates the
second non-bundling stacker 5B as their destination. If the banknotes are rejected
10 banknotes, the control unit 120 designates the reject stacker 6 as their destination.
[0 148] The control unit 120 controls the first transport unit 7 such that the banknotes are
transpmted to the stacker designated as their destination. In particular, the control unit 120
controls the sorting mechanism 73 corresponding to the diverged path 72 leading to the
destination stacker such that the banknotes are guided from the main transport path 71 to the
15 diverged path 72. The control unit 120 switches the sorting mechanism 73 when the
tracking sensor 74 just before the diverged path 72 detects the banknotes. Further, the
control unit 120 controls the stacking wheel 42, 51, or 61 of the destination stacker to bring
the banknotes into that stacker.
[0149] The banknotes to be transpmted to the bundling stacker 4 are transported to one of
20 the two bundling stackers 4. When the number of banknotes stacked in one of the bundling
stackers 4 reaches a predetermined bundling number (e.g., 1 00), the remaining banknotes are
then transported to the other bundling stacker 4. In this example, the banknotes are supposed
to be transported to the first bundling stacker 4A first. When the banknotes are transported
one after another to the first bundling stacker 4A, the stacking wheel 42 rotates to stack the
25 banknotes one by one. At this time, when the uppermost one of the banknotes on the stage
42 014-123
il
41 is detected by the second banknote sensor 46, the stage 41 moves downward to a
predetermined degree so that the second banknote sensor 46 does not detect any banknotes.
Then, when the banknotes are fmther stacked much enough for the second banknote sensor 46
to detect the banknotes, the stage 41 then moves downward again to the predetermined
5 degree. Performing this series of processing steps a number of times makes it possible to
keep the distance for the banknotes falling into the bundling stacker 4 to travel within a
predetermined range, thus enabling the banknotcs falling freely to be stacked at the same
position and with the same orientation.
[0150] When the number ofbanknote.s stacked in the first bundling stacker 4A reaches the
10 bundling number, the control unit 120 controls the second transport unit 8 so that ,the
banknotes in the first bundling stacker 4A are gripped by the gripper 81 and transported to the
bundling unit 9. Then, the control unit 120 controls the bundling unit 9 so that the banknotes
are bundled with the tape T.
[0 151] When the number of banknotes stacked in the first bundling stacker 4A reaches the
15 bundling number, the remaining banknotes are stacked in the second bundling stacker 4B.
Then, when the number of banknotes stacked in the second bundling stacker 4B reaches the
bundling number, the remaining banknotes are stacked again in the first bundling stacker 4A.
By this time, the banknotes have already been transported from the first bundling stacker 4A,
and thus the first bundling stacker 4A is now empty. Thus, the provision of the two
20 bundling stackers 4 makes it possible to perform the bundling process while stacking the
banknotes continuously.
[0152] Subsequently, the control unit 120 controls the third transport unit I 0 so that the
bundled banknotes are dispensed through the dispense port Ill.
[0153] The unfit banknotes of the predetermined denomination are transpmted to the first
25 non-bundling· stacker SA. When the banknotes are transported to the first non-bundling
43 014-123
~I
stacker 5A, the stacking wheel 51 a rotates to stack the transported banknotes in the container
50. Thus, the unfit banknotes of the predetermined denomination are stacked in the first
non-bundling stacker 5A. Likewise, the banknotes of any denominations other than the
predetermined denomination are transported to, and stacked in, the second non-bundling
5 stacker 5B. The rejected banknotes are also transpmied to, and stacked in, the reject stacker
6.
[0154] This series of processing steps will be performed over and over again until there are
no banknotes placed on the hopper unit 2. The banknote sensor 25 determines whether
banknotes are still present on the hopper unit 2 or not.
10 [01 55] When the handling of the banknotes placed on the hopper unit 2 is finished, the
rejected banknotes are taken in and recognized again. Specifically, the operator extracts the
rejected banknotes from the reject stacker 6, and places them on the hopper unit 2 to take
them into the apparatus again. The rejected banknotes are those which were not recognized
as normal banknotes for any reason, and thus another attempt is made to take in and recognize
15 them. Banknotes still recognized as rejected banknotes, if any, are restacked in the reject
stacker 6. Then, the operator returns those restacked banknotes to the customer.
[0156] Note that the banknotes stacked in the first and second non-bundling stackers 5A,
5B are not taken in again.
[0157] Thus, when the handling of the banknotes placed on the hopper unit 2 and the re-
20 handling of the rejected banknotes are finished, the single kind banknote bundling process is
finished, i.e., the counting and sorting of the banknotes passed as those to be deposited by the
customer are finished. The touch panel 17 displays the counted amount of the banknotes.
The operator asks for' a customer's approval of the amount, or checks whether the displayed
amount corresponds with the amount described on a deposit slip by the customer, and, if the
25 answer is YES, the operator operates the touch panel 17 to confirm the deposit amount.
44 Gl4-123
When the confirmation is done, a teller terminal (not shown) is informed of the confirmed
deposit amount, thereby finishing the deposit process.
[0158] After the deposit process is finished; the operator removes the bundled banknotes
stacked in the dispense unit II, the banknotes stacked in the bundling stackers 4, and the
5 banknotes stacked in the non-bundling stackers 5, and stores them in a predetermined storage
place.
[0159] By performing this series of processing steps, loose banknotes of different kinds are
sorted into fit banknotes of a predetermined denomination, unfit banknotes of the
predetermined denomination, banknotes of every denomination but the predetermined
10 denomination, and rejected banknotes. The fit banknotes of the predetermined denomination
are bundled on a bundling number basis.
[0160]
Processes to be performed until the banknotes stacked in the bundling stacker 4 are
dispensed to the dispense unit II will be described below.
15 [0 161] -Compression of Stacked Banknotes-
FIGS. 9(A) and 9(B) show a banknote compression process performed in the
bundling stacker. FIG. 9(A) shows a state just after the banknotes have been stacked, and
FIG. 9(B) shows a state where the banknotes have just been compressed. In FIGS. 9(A) and
9(B), the first banknote sensor 45 is not shown.
20 [0162] As shown in FIG. 9(A), the stage 41 is located at a relatively low level just after the
banknotes have been stacked in the bundling stacker 4, and the uppermost one of the
banknotes B on the stage 41 is located away from the top plate 44.
[0163] When the stacking of the banknotes B is finished, the stage 41 moves upward to
compress the stacked banknotes B between the stage 41 and top plate 44. The control unit
25 120 moves the stage 41 upward to a position where the distance between the stage 41 and the
45 014-123
top plate 44 becomes a predetermined value T1 as shown in FIG. 9(B). As a result, the
banknotes B on the stage 41 are compressed until their combined thickness becomes equal to
the predetermined value T1. If the combined thickness of the banknotes B that have fallen
fi'ee1y to, and been stacked on, the stage 41 is short of the predetermined value T1 (e.g., if the
5 banknotes B are new banknotes ), the banknotes B are not compressed even if the stage 41
moves upward as described above. The stage 41 and the top plate 44 are an exemplary
compressing unit.
[0164] -Transpmtation ofBanknotes to the Bundling Unit-
When the stacking of the banknotes B is finished, the second transport tmit 8
10 transports the banknotes B fi·om the bundling stacker 4 to the bundling unit 9. FIG. 10
shows a state where the second transport unit 8 has removed the banknotes B from the
bundling stacker 4. FIG. 11 shows a state where the second transport unit 8 has transpmted
the banknotes B to beside the tape loop L.
[0165] Specifically, when the banknotes B have been stacked, the second transport unit 8
15 moves to the bundling stacker 4 in which the banknotes B have been stacked, grips the
banknotes B in the bundling stacker 4, and removes the banknotes B fi·om the bundling
stacker 4 as shown in FIG. 10. In this case, suppose that the banknotes B have been stacked
in the first bundling stacker 4A. Then, the gripper 81 of the second transpmt unit 8 grips the
banknotes B in the first bundling stacker 4A. A gap in which the gripper 81 is insettable is
20 provided between the stage 41 and top plate 44 of the bundling stacker 4. Thus, the gripper
81 is allowed to grip the banknotes B sandwiched between the stage 41 and the top plate 44.
The gripper 81 sandwiches the banknotes B, compressed by the stage 41 and the top plate 44,
in the stacking direction to further compress them. That is, the thickness T2 of the banknotes
B gripped by the gripper 81 becomes smaller than .the thickness T1 of the banknotes B
25 compressed by the stage 41 and the top plate 44. Note that the stage 41 moves downward
46 014-123
after the gripper 81 has sandwiched the banknotes B: The second transport unit 8 removes
the gripped banknotes B from the first bundling stacker 4A in the first horizontal direction.
At this time, the second transport unit 8 moves the banknotes B in the first horizontal
direction to a first predetermined position (the position shown in FIG. 1 0). Tltis first
5 position corresponds with a first horizontal position for transpmiing the banknotes B into the
large tape loop L2 as will be described later.
[0166] Subsequently, the second transport unit 8 displaces the banknotes B vertically to a
second predetermined position as shown in FIG. 11. At this second position, the banknotes
B are going to be transported into the large tape loop L2. At the second position, the
10 banknotes B are located around the center of the large tape loop L2 as viewed in a direction
parallel to the longer edges ofthe banknotes B.
[0167] -Formation of Tape Loop-
The control unit 120 forms a tape loop L while the second transport unit 8 is
transporting the banknotes B from the bundling stacker 4 to the second position. FIG. 12
15 shows a state where the tape gripping part 921 has gripped an end portion of the tape T.
FIG. 13 shows a state where the tape gripping part 921 has started to rotate while gripping the
tape Tat the end portion thereof. FIG. 14 shows a state where the tape gripping pmi 921 has
formed a small tape loop Ll. FIG. IS shows a state where a large tape loop L2 has been
formed.

CLAIMS
1. A paper sheet bundling apparatus configured to bundle stacked paper
sheets with a tape, the paper sheet bundling apparatus comprising:
a stacking unit configured to stack paper sheets;
a tape loop forming unit configured to form a small tape loop from the tape and
feed the tape to enlarge the small tape loop into a large tape loop; and
a paper sheet transport unit configured to grip the paper sheets stacked in the
stacking unit to transport the paper sheets into the large tape loop.
2. The paper sheet bundling apparatus of claim I, wherein
the paper sheet transport unit transports the paper sheets into the large tape loop by
moving the paper sheets in a direction parallel to longer edges thereof.
3. The paper sheet bundling apparatus of claim I or 2, wherein
the paper sheet transport unit removes the paper sheets from the stacking unit by
moving the paper sheets in a direction parallel to shorter edges thereof.
4. The paper sheet bundling apparatus of any one of claims 1-3, wherein
the stacking unit includes a plurality of stacking units, and
the paper sheet transport unit removes the paper sheets from a selected one of the
stacking units and transports the removed paper sheets into the large tape loop.
5. The paper sheet bundling apparatus of claim 4, wherein
the plurality of stacking units are arranged at different positions m a vertical
79 Gl4-123
5
direction, and
the paper sheet transpmt unit moves in the vertical direction after having removed
the paper sheets from the stacking unit.
6. The paper sheet bundling apparatus of any one of claims 1-5, further
comprising:
a temporary gripping unit configured to temporarily grip the paper sheets
transported into the large tape loop, wherein
the paper sheet transport unit retreats from a bundling position of the tape after the
10 temporary gripping unit has gripped the paper sheets.
7. The paper sheet bundling apparatus of claim 6, wherein
the bundling position of the tape relative to the paper sheets is adjustable in
accordance with the degree of insertion of the paper sheets into the large tape loop by the
15 paper sheet transport unit, and
20
25
the temporary gripping unit is configured such that the position of the temporary
gripping unit in gripping the paper sheets is adjustable in accordance with the degree of
insertion of the paper sheets into the large tape loop by the paper sheet transpmt unit.
8. The paper sheet bundling apparatus of claim 2, further comprising:
a bundle transport unit configured to transport the bundled paper sheets m a
direction parallel to shorter edges thereof, wherein
the paper sheet transport unit draws the bundled paper sheets in an opposite
direction to the direction of transport of the paper sheets into the large tape loop, and
the bundle transport unit transports the bundled paper sheets drawn by the paper
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sheet transport unit.
9. The paper sheet bundling apparatus of claim 1, fmther comprising:
a guide configured to come into contact with an outer peripheral surface of the
5 large tape loop to define the shape of the large tape loop when the tape loop forming unit
forms the large tape loop.
10. The paper sheet bundling apparatus of claim I, wherein
the tape loop forming unit includes a tape gripping part which rotates while
I 0 gripping the tape at an end portion thereof to form the small tape loop and a feeder which
feeds the tape to enlarge the small tape loop into the large tape loop, and fonns the large tape
loop under the tape gripping part.
15
II. The paper sheet bundling apparatus of claim!O, fi.uther comprising:
a bonding unit configured to bond together portions of the tape wound around the
paper sheets; and
a cutting unit configured to cut the tape at its pmtion not wound around the paper
sheets, wherein
at least one of the bonding unit and the cutting unit is arranged above the tape
20 gripping part.
12. The paper sheet bundling apparatus of claim 10, further comprising:
a guide configured to come into contact with an outer peripheral surface of the
large tape loop to define the shape of the large tape loop when the tape loop forming unit
25 forms the large tape loop, wherein
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5
10
15
the guide includes a lower guide which comes into contact with the outer
peripheral surface of the large tape loop from under the large tape loop to define the shape of
the large tape loop.
13. The paper sheet bundling apparatus of claim 12, wherein
the lower guide has a pair of sidewalls which regulates the position of the tape in a
tape width direction.
14. The paper sheet bundling apparatus of claim 12, further comprising
a lateral guide configured to come into contact with the outer peripheral surface of
the large tape loop horizontally with respect to the large tape loop to define the shape of the
large tape loop when the tape loop forming unit forms the large tape loop.
15. The paper sheet bundling apparatus of claim 14, wherein
the lateral guide is configured to retreat during the transport of the bundled paper
sheets so as not to interfere with the transport of the bundled paper sheets.
16. The paper sheet bundling apparatus of claim 9 or 12, wherein
the guide defines the shape of the large tape loop as a rectangle having rounded
20 corners.
25
17. The paper sheet bundling apparatus of claim 10, further comprising.
a clamp configured to press the paper sheets in a stacking direction when the paper
sheets are bundled together with the tape, wherein
when the paper sheets are bundled with the tape, at least a pmtion of the tape
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gripping part is caught in a gap between the tape and an upper surface of the bundled paper
sheets,
the paper sheet transport unit draws the bundled paper sheets in an opposite
direction to the direction of transport of the paper sheets into the large tape loop until the
5 tape gripping part is withdrawn from the gap between the tape and the paper sheets,
the clamp includes a pair of upper clamps which are arranged on respective sides
ofthe tape in a tape width direction above the paper sheets, and a pair of lower clamps which
are arranged on the respective sides of the tape in the tape width direction below the paper
sheets and are configured to be movable vertically so as· to sandwich the paper sheets
10 between the upper and lower clamps, and
one of the pair of upper clamps on one side of the tape, toward which the paper
sheets are drawn, is configured to move upward when the bundled paper sheets are drawn.
18. The paper sheet bundling apparatus of any one of claims 9-17, further
15 comprising
a sensor configured to detect that the large tape loop has reached a predetermined
Size.
19. The paper sheet bundling apparatus of claim 18, wherein
the sensor detects that the large tape loop has reached the predetermined size by
determining whether or not the tape is present at a predetermined position above the paper
sheets transported into the large tape loop.
20. The paper sheet bundling apparatus of claim 18 or 19, wherein
the tape loop forming unit rewinds the tape if the sensor does not detect that the
large tape loop has reached the predetermined size even when the tape is fed to a length that
allows formation of the large tape loop, and then feeds the tape again to the length that
allows formation of the large tape loop.