Paper sheet transport device and duct for paper sheet transport device

Abstract

In a paper sheet transport device that transports paper notes by airflow within a duct, when the duct becomes clogged with paper notes, the entire duct must be removed from the paper sheet transport device. The duct (200) is configured as two detachable parts (210, 220), and when a bill becomes stuck in the duct (200), the upper part (210) of the duct (200) is pulled up from the lower part (220) to remove the bill stuck in the duct (200). This eliminates the need to remove the entire duct.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a paper sheet transport device that transports paper notes and other sheet-like paper sheets within a duct by using an air flow generated within the duct, and to a duct used in the paper sheet transport device. [Background technology]

[0002] An example of such a paper sheet transport device is described in Japanese Patent No. 7123453 (JP Patent Publication No. 2023-114893). FIG. 26 is a perspective schematic view showing the overall structure of the paper sheet transport device 100 described in the publication and the surrounding environment in which the paper sheet transport device 100 is used. The paper sheet transport device 100 includes a carrier 110 (see FIGS. 27 and 28) that transports paper sheets such as banknotes by pushing the front surface of the carrier 110, a duct 120 that is similar in shape to the carrier 110 and has an internal space in which the carrier 110 can travel, a paper sheet storage chamber 130 that stores the paper sheets transported by the carrier 110, and a paper sheet storage chamber 130 that is connected to one end of the duct 120 (the right end in FIG. 26) and that stores the paper sheets transported by the carrier 110. The apparatus is equipped with a first fan 140A that generates an air flow that causes the carrier 110 to travel in a direction X1 toward the paper sheet storage chamber 130, a second fan 140B that is connected to the other end of the duct 120 (the left end in Figure 26) and generates an air flow that causes the carrier 110 to travel within the duct 120 in a direction X2 away from the paper sheet storage chamber 130, and a carrier sending-out device (not shown in Figure 26) that sends the carrier 110 into the inside of the duct 120.

[0003] As shown in Figure 26, a plurality of pachinko machines and other gaming machines 20 are arranged in a row in the left-right direction in Figure 26 inside a gaming parlor, and a gaming medium lending device 21 for lending gaming media (pachinko balls, medals, etc.) is installed adjacent to each gaming machine 20. When a banknote is inserted into the gaming medium lending device 21, the number of gaming media according to the amount of the inserted banknote is paid out (in digital gaming machines, instead of paying out gaming media, the number of gaming media is displayed digitally on a display screen). The duct 120 is installed on the rear side of the gaming equipment 20 and the gaming media lending device 21 so as to extend parallel to the arrangement direction of the gaming equipment 20 and the gaming media lending device 21, and the duct 120 is connected at both ends to a first blower 140A and a paper sheet storage chamber 130, which are located away from the group of gaming equipment 20 and gaming media lending devices 21, respectively.

[0004] FIG. 27 is a perspective view of the carrier 110 used in the paper sheet transport device 100 when viewed from the front side, and FIG. 28 is a perspective view of the carrier 110 when viewed from the rear side. As shown in Figures 27 and 28, the carrier 110 is bullet-shaped, and specifically, is composed of a cylindrical main body portion 110a and a hemispherical rear portion 110b formed on the back side of the main body portion 110a and continuous with the main body portion 110a. The carrier 110 conveys banknotes by pushing them with the front surface 110c of the main body 110a. A plurality of identical hemispherical projections 110d are formed at equal intervals along the circumference of the front surface 110c of the main body 110a. The banknote is sandwiched between two adjacent projections 110d to hold it. The carrier 110 moves forward (in the X1 direction) by receiving the airflow (wind) from the first blower 140A at the rear portion 110b.

[0005] FIG. 29 is a perspective view of the duct 120, and FIGS. 30 and 31 are perspective views showing the relative positions of the carrier 110, the banknotes 50, and the duct 120. As shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 29, the duct 120 is made up of a first region 120a and a second region 120b. The first area 120a has a rectangular shape that is long from top to bottom, and its height is such that the short side 50a (see Figure 30) of the banknote 50 can pass through, and its width is set to be wide enough to allow the banknote 50 to pass through even if the banknote 50 is folded or curved. The second region 120b has a circular cross section, and is set to a size (radius) that allows the carrier 110 to pass through. The first region 120a and the second region 120b partially overlap each other, and the center line of the first region 120a extending in the vertical direction passes through the center of the second region 120b and protrudes from the second region 120b by the same length in the vertical direction.

[0006] 30 and 31 , the carrier 110 pushes the short side 50a of the banknote 50 with its front surface 110c, and transports the banknote 50 inside the duct 120. The banknote 50 passes through a first region 120a of the duct 120, and the carrier 110 passes through a second region 120b of the duct 120. As shown in FIG. 26, the paper sheet conveying device 100 has a carrier storage duct 141 that branches off from the duct 120 just before the paper sheet storage chamber 130, and the carrier storage duct 141 is connected to a second blower 140B. The paper sheet transport device 100 having the above-described structure operates as follows. The banknotes inserted into the game media lending device 21 are inserted into the duct 120 from behind the game media lending device 21.

[0007] When a banknote is inserted into the duct 120, a sensor (not shown) detects the presence of the banknote and transmits a banknote detection signal notifying the presence of the banknote to a control device (not shown). Upon receiving this banknote detection signal, the control device activates the carrier delivery device and delivers one carrier 110 into the second region 120b of the duct 120. The control device then operates the first fan 140A, generating an air flow (in the direction of X1) from the first fan 140A toward the paper sheet storage chamber 130 inside the duct 120, and the carrier 110 sent into the inside of the duct 120 receives the wind pressure of this air flow in its rear part 110b and begins to move in the direction X1 inside the second area 120b. The carrier 110 captures the banknote 50 with its front surface 110c while traveling toward the paper sheet storage chamber 130 (see FIG. 31), and continues traveling while pushing the banknote 50. In this state, as shown in FIG. 31, the carrier 110 travels inside the second region 120b of the duct 120, and the banknote 50 travels inside the first region 120a of the duct 120.

[0008] The carrier 110 and the banknotes 50 are separated at the branch point of the duct 120 and the carrier storage duct 141 in front of the paper sheet storage chamber 130. That is, only the carrier 110 changes its travel path from the duct 120 to the carrier storage duct 141, travels through the carrier storage duct 141, and is then stored in a carrier storage unit (not shown) arranged in front of the second blower 140B. Meanwhile, the banknote 50 travels through the second area 120b of the duct 120 due to the inertial force that has been exerted by the carrier 110, and is stored in the paper sheet storage chamber .

[0009] After the banknotes 50 are stored in the paper sheet storage chamber 130 and the carrier 110 is stored in the carrier storage unit, the control device stops the operation of the first blower 140A and then operates the second blower 140B to generate airflow inside the carrier storage duct 141 and the duct 120. The carrier 110 stored in the carrier storage unit receives the wind pressure of this air flow at its front surface 110c, travels in the direction X2 inside the carrier storage duct 141 and the second region 120b of the duct 120, and is stored again in the carrier sending-out device. The above process is one cycle until the banknotes 50 inserted into the game medium lending device 21 are stored in the paper sheet storage chamber 130. The banknotes 50 inserted into each game medium lending device 21 are collected in the paper sheet storage chamber 130 according to the above process. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0010] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 7123453 (Patent Publication No. 2023-114893) Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0011] Not all banknotes 50 can be transported as expected. For example, banknotes that have been worn out and have lost their hardness, or banknotes that have become bent, may become clogged inside the duct 120 during transport. In such cases, all further transport of banknotes 50 will be stopped. Conventionally, when a banknote 50 becomes jammed inside the duct 120, the entire duct 120 is removed from the paper sheet conveying device 100, the jammed banknote 50 is removed, and then the duct 120 is reattached to the paper sheet conveying device 100.

[0012] Such removal and reattachment of the duct 120 requires a lot of time and work, and is a major factor preventing improvement in the efficiency of conveying the banknotes 50. The present invention has been made in consideration of the problems with the conventional paper sheet conveying device 100 as described above, and aims to provide a paper sheet conveying device and a duct used in a paper sheet conveying device that, when a banknote 50 becomes stuck inside the duct 120, makes it possible to easily remove the banknote 50 stuck in the duct 120 from the conventional paper sheet conveying device 100 without having to remove the entire duct 120 from the paper sheet conveying device 100. [Means for solving the problem]

[0013] To achieve this object, the present invention provides, in a first aspect, a duct (120), a carrier (110) capable of moving within the duct (120), and fans (140A, 140B) that generate airflows that flow in one direction and in the opposite direction within the duct (120), The duct (200) is used in a paper sheet transport device (100) that uses an airflow generated in the duct (120) by a duct (140B) to run the carrier (110) in the duct (120) and transports the paper sheets (50) inserted into the duct (120) via the carrier (110), and the duct (120) forms a transport path for the paper sheets (50), and the duct (200) comprises a first duct portion (210) and a second duct portion (220) that is detachably attached to the first duct portion (210), and the second duct portion (220) comprises the upper portion when the duct (200) is vertically bisected by an arbitrary horizontal line that is above the center of the duct (200) in the vertical direction relative to the transport direction of the paper sheets (50), and the first duct portion (210) comprises the lower portion. The second duct portion (220) further includes a guide (300) that has an internal space (306) having a shape similar to the external shape of the duct (200) and is attached to the periphery of the duct (200), and the guide (300) has a pair of inner walls (303A, 303B) that guide the second duct portion (220) from both sides so that the second duct portion (220) fits into a predetermined position relative to the first duct portion (210) when the second duct portion (220) is attached to the first duct portion (210). The present invention provides a duct (200) for a paper sheet transport device.

[0014] For example, if the carrier (110) has a circular cross section, the duct (120) may be In the vertical direction of the duct (120) with respect to the conveying direction of the paper sheets (50), The paper sheets (50) can pass through As if The carrier (110) is configured to pass through a first region (120a) having a long rectangular shape and a second region (120b) through which the carrier (110) can pass. The first region (120a) intersects with the second region (120b) and protrudes in the vertical direction from the second region (120b). The first duct portion constitutes the second region (120b) and a portion (121a) of the first region below the second region (120b). The second duct portion (220) constitutes a portion (121b) of the first region above the second region (120b). The second duct portion (220) is preferably provided with a knob (222) for pulling the second duct portion (220) upward.

[0015] The guide (300) is preferably made of an elastic material. The guide (310) preferably includes a hook plate (315) that is movable between a first position where it is positioned above the second duct portion (220) and presses the second duct portion (220) from above, and a second position where it is not positioned above the second duct portion (220).

[0016] In a second aspect, the present invention provides a cooling system including a duct (120), a carrier (110) capable of moving within the duct (120), and fans (140A, 140B) that generate airflows that flow in one direction and in the opposite direction within the duct (120), a duct (200) used in a paper sheet transport device (100) that uses an airflow generated in the duct (120) by a flow of air from a flow control device (140B) to cause the carrier (110) to travel in the duct (120) and transport the paper sheets (50) inserted into the duct (120) via the carrier (110), and the duct (120) forms a transport path for the paper sheets (50), the duct (200) comprising a first duct portion (210) and a second duct portion (220) removably attached to the first duct portion (210), the second duct portion (220) comprising the upper portion when the duct (200) is vertically bisected by an arbitrary horizontal line above the center of the duct (200) in the vertical direction relative to the transport direction of the paper sheets (50), and the first duct portion (210) comprising the lower portion; The first duct portion (210A) comprises a first flange (212) extending horizontally outward from an upper end of the first duct portion (210A) and at least one rod-shaped body (213) extending upward from the first flange (212), the second duct portion (220A) comprises a second flange (223) extending horizontally outward from a lower end thereof, the second flange (223) having a through-hole (224) formed in a position corresponding to the rod-shaped body (213) and capable of being fitted with the rod-shaped body (213) when the first duct portion (210A) and the second duct portion (220A) are attached to each other to form the duct (200), and the second duct portion (220A) is slidable up and down relative to the first duct portion (210A) with the rod-shaped body (213) fitted in the through-hole (224). The present invention provides a duct (200) for a paper sheet transport device, characterized by the above. It is preferable that the duct (200) for the paper sheet transport device further includes driving means (430, 440) for lifting the second duct portion (220A) upward from the first duct portion (210A) and lowering the second duct portion (220A) toward the first duct portion (210A).

[0017] The present invention is threeIn one aspect, there is provided a paper sheet conveying device (100) comprising a duct (120), a carrier (110) capable of moving within the duct (120), and fans (140A, 140B) that generate air currents that flow in one direction and the opposite direction within the duct (120), wherein the air currents generated within the duct (120) by the fans (140A, 140B cause the carrier (110) to move within the duct (120), and paper sheets (50) inserted into the duct (120) are conveyed via the carrier (110), wherein the duct (120) is any one of the ducts (200) described above.

[0018] For example, the duct (200) is composed of a plurality of auxiliary ducts (200A, 200B, 200C), the paper sheet transport device (100A) includes a plurality of duct connection units (400A, 400B, 400C), each of the plurality of auxiliary ducts (200A, 200B, 200C) is attached between the adjacent duct connection units (400A, 400B, 400C), the paper sheet transport device (100A) is attached to each of the plurality of auxiliary ducts (200A, 200B, 200C), and the auxiliary ducts (200A, 200B, It is preferable that the auxiliary duct (200A, 200B, 200C) further includes a sensor (411) that transmits a jamming signal when a jam of the paper sheets (50) occurs inside the auxiliary duct (200A, 200B, 200C), and a control device (420) that receives the jamming signal from the sensor (411) and identifies the auxiliary duct (200A, 200B, 200C) in which the jam of the paper sheets (50) occurs. For example, it is preferable that the paper sheet conveying device (100A) further includes driving means (430, 440) for lifting the second duct portion (220A) upward from the first duct portion (210A) and lowering the second duct portion (220A) toward the first duct portion (210A), and that when the control device (420) identifies the auxiliary duct (200A, 200B, 200C) in which the paper sheet (50) has become jammed, the control device (420) activates the driving means (430, 440) corresponding to the auxiliary duct. The reference numerals in parentheses are used only to indicate the correspondence with the embodiments described later, and do not limit the scope of the rights. [Effects of the Invention]

[0019] In the conventional paper sheet transport device 100, when a banknote 50 becomes jammed inside the duct 120, it is necessary to remove the entire duct 120 and then reattach the duct 120. Such removal and reattachment of the duct 120 requires a lot of time and work, and is a major factor preventing improvement in the efficiency of conveying the banknotes 50. In contrast, when the duct according to the present invention is used, the work of removing and reinstalling the entire duct is not required.

[0020] Specifically, if a banknote becomes jammed inside the duct, the second duct portion can be removed from the first duct portion (pulled upward), making it easy to remove any jammed banknotes remaining in the first duct portion from above. In this way, by using the duct according to the present invention, it is not necessary to remove and reinstall the entire duct, and it is sufficient to simply remove and reinstall the second duct portion. Compared to the conventional paper sheet transport device 100, it is possible to significantly reduce the amount of work required to remove jammed banknotes 50, and ultimately improve the transport efficiency of banknotes 50. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0021] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view of a duct according to a first embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a first duct portion, which is a component of the duct shown in FIG. 1. [Figure 3] 3 is a plan view of the first duct portion shown in FIG. 2 as viewed from above. [Figure 4] FIG. 3 is a side view of the first duct portion shown in FIG. 2. [Figure 5] FIG. 3 is a bottom view of the first duct portion shown in FIG. 2. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a second duct portion, which is a component of the duct shown in FIG. 1. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a plan view of the second duct portion shown in FIG. 6 as viewed from above. [Figure 8] FIG. 7 is a side view of the second duct portion shown in FIG. 6. [Figure 9] FIG. 7 is a bottom view of the second duct portion shown in FIG. 6. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a second duct portion provided with a knob. [Figure 11] FIG.

[0022] [Figure 12] FIG. [Figure 13] FIG. 4 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a fixing guide. [Figure 14] 13 is a side view of the fixing guide as seen from the right side of FIG. 12. FIG. [Figure 15] FIG. [Figure 16] FIG. 4 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a fixing guide. [Figure 17] 13 is a side view of the fixing guide as seen from the right side of FIG. 12. FIG. [Figure 18] 18A and 18B are diagrams showing the process of removing banknotes jammed in the duct, in which FIG. 18A is a perspective view, FIG. 18B is a plan view as seen from above, and FIG. 18C is a side view. [Figure 19] 19A and 19B are diagrams showing the process of removing banknotes jammed in a duct, in which FIG. 19A is a perspective view, FIG. 19B is a plan view as seen from above, and FIG. 19C is a side view.

[0023] [Figure 20] 20A and 20B are diagrams showing the process of removing banknotes jammed in the duct, in which FIG. 20A is a perspective view, FIG. 20B is a plan view as seen from above, and FIG. 20C is a side view. [Figure 21]21A and 21B are diagrams showing the process of removing banknotes jammed in the duct, in which FIG. 21A is a perspective view, FIG. 21B is a plan view as seen from above, and FIG. 21C is a side view. [Figure 22] FIG. 10 is a conceptual diagram showing a part of a paper sheet transport device according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 23] FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a first duct portion used in a paper sheet transport device according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 24] FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a second duct portion used in a paper sheet transport device according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention.

[0024] [Figure 25] 25 is a perspective view showing a state in which the first duct portion shown in FIG. 23 and the second duct portion shown in FIG. 24 are attached to each other. FIG. [Figure 26] 1 is a perspective schematic view showing the overall structure of a conventional paper sheet transport device and the surrounding environment in which the paper sheet transport device is used. [Figure 27] 1 is a perspective view of a carrier used in a conventional paper sheet transport device, as viewed from the front side; [Figure 28] FIG. 28 is a perspective view of the carrier shown in FIG. 27 as seen from the rear side. [Figure 29] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a duct used in a conventional paper sheet transport device. [Figure 30] FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing the relative positions of a carrier, banknotes, and a duct in a conventional paper sheet transport device. [Figure 31] FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing the relative positions of a carrier, banknotes, and a duct in a conventional paper sheet transport device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0025] (First embodiment) FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a duct 200 according to a first embodiment of the present invention. The duct 200 is used in place of the duct 120 (see FIG. 29) in the paper sheet transport device 100 shown in FIG. The duct 200 is made up of a first duct portion 210 and a second duct portion 220 that is removably attached to the first duct portion 210 . The external shape of the duct 200 is the same as that of the duct 120. The duct 200 is structurally different in that the duct 120 is a single unit, whereas the duct 200 is made up of two components, a first duct portion 210 and a second duct portion 220. 2 to 5 are respectively a perspective view, a plan view when viewed from above, a side view, and a bottom view of the first duct portion 210, and FIGS. 6 to 9 are respectively a perspective view, a plan view when viewed from above, a side view, and a bottom view of the second duct portion 220.

[0026] As described above, the duct 120 consists of a first area 120a, which is a vertically long rectangular area through which banknotes 50 can pass, and a second area 120b through which carriers 110 can pass. The vertical center line of the first area 120a intersects with the center of the second area 120b, and the first area 120a protrudes from the second area 120b by equal lengths in both the upward and downward directions. The first duct portion 210 defines the second region 120b and a lower portion 121a of the first region 120a below the second region 120b. The second duct portion 220 constitutes the upper portion 121b of the first region 120a above the second region 120b. As shown in FIG. 2, the first duct portion 210 has a groove 211 formed in each of its two upper edges. As shown in FIG. 6, the second duct portion 220 has two lower edges each formed with a rail 221 that is shaped to fit into the groove 211 .

[0027] The rails 221 of the second duct portion 220 are fitted into the grooves 211 of the first duct portion 210 to form the duct 200 (FIG. 1). As described above, the duct 200 formed by interconnecting the first duct portion 210 and the second duct portion 220 has the same external shape as the duct 120 and can be used in place of the duct 120. By using the duct 200 according to this embodiment, the following effects can be obtained. In the conventional paper sheet conveying device 100, if a banknote 50 becomes jammed inside the duct 120, it is necessary to remove the entire duct 120 from the paper sheet conveying device 100 in order to remove the jammed banknote 50 from the duct 120, and further, after removing the jammed banknote 50 from the duct 120, it is necessary to reattach the duct 120 to the paper sheet conveying device 100.

[0028] Such removal and reattachment of the duct 120 requires a lot of time and work, and is a major factor preventing improvement in the efficiency of conveying the banknotes 50. In contrast to this, when the duct 200 according to this embodiment is used, the work of removing and reattaching the entire duct 120 becomes unnecessary. Specifically, if banknotes 50 become jammed inside the duct 200, the jammed banknotes 50 remaining in the first duct portion 210 can be easily removed from above the first duct portion 210 by removing the second duct portion 220 upward from the first duct portion 210. After the jammed banknote 50 has been removed, the second duct portion 220 is attached to the first duct portion 210. In this way, when the duct 200 according to this embodiment is used, it is not necessary to remove and reinstall the entire duct 120, and it is sufficient to simply remove the second duct portion 220 from the first duct portion 210 and reinstall it to the first duct portion 210. Compared to the conventional paper sheet transport device 100, it is possible to significantly reduce the amount of work required to remove jammed banknotes 50, and ultimately to improve the efficiency of transporting banknotes 50.

[0029] The duct according to this embodiment is not limited to the above structure, and various modifications are possible. The shape of the duct used in the paper sheet transport device is not limited to the shape of the duct 120 (or the duct 200), but may be changed depending on the shape of the carrier used. For example, when a cross-shaped carrier (Patent No. 7036434) is used, the duct is also configured in a cross shape according to the outer shape of the cross-shaped carrier. This embodiment can be applied regardless of the shape of the duct used.

[0030] When a duct of another shape is used, the duct is configured to consist of a first duct portion and a second duct portion that is removably attached to the first duct portion, similar to the duct 200 of this embodiment. In this case, the second duct portion is configured to consist of the upper portion when the duct is divided into two halves by an arbitrary horizontal line located above the vertical center of the duct, and the first duct portion is configured to consist of the lower portion. In this way, regardless of the shape of the duct, by dividing the duct into two parts, upper and lower, and removably attaching the two divided pieces to each other, it is possible to obtain the same effect as the duct 200 of this embodiment. Also, as shown in FIG. 10, it is possible to provide a knob 222 on the second duct portion 220. By gripping the knob 222, it is possible to easily pull the second duct portion 220 upward.

[0031] The knob 222 may be provided at a plurality of locations, such as near both the left and right ends of the second duct portion 220. (Second embodiment) The duct 200 is formed by attaching a first duct portion 210 and a second duct portion 220 to each other, and when attaching the second duct portion 220 to the first duct portion 210, a guide can be used to guide the second duct portion 220 to a predetermined position so that the second duct portion 220 fits into a predetermined position relative to the first duct portion 210. FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the guide 300. The guide 300 has a pair of spherical first inner walls 301 surrounding the second region 120b of the first duct portion 210, a pair of rectangular second inner walls 302 surrounding the lower portion 121a of the first region 120a below the second region 120b, and a pair of rectangular third inner walls 303A, 303B surrounding the upper portion 121b of the first region 120a above the second region 120b.

[0032] The pair of second inner walls 302 are connected to each other at their lower ends via a bottom wall 307 . At the upper end of each of the third inner walls 303A and 303B, extension walls 304A and 304B are formed, which extend obliquely outward. An opening 305 is formed between the pair of extension walls 304A, 304B, and a space 308 is formed between the third inner walls 303A, 303B so as to be continuous with the opening 305. The width of the space 308 (the horizontal distance between the third inner walls 303A, 303B) is set to a length that allows the second duct portion 220 to pass through without tilting in the vertical direction. The first inner wall 301, the second inner wall 302 and the third inner walls 303A and 303B are integrally formed via a bottom wall 307, and form an internal space 306 that surrounds the duct 200 as a whole.

[0033] The guide 300 is attached to the duct 200, for example by bonding the inner surface of the bottom wall 307 to the outer bottom surface of the first duct section 210. When the second duct portion 220 is removed from the first duct portion 210, the second duct portion 220 is pulled upward through the space 308 between the pair of third inner walls 303A, 303B, while the first duct portion 210 remains inside the guide 300. When attaching the second duct portion 220 to the first duct portion 210, the second duct portion 220 descends within the space 308 between the pair of third inner walls 303A, 303B, and at this time, both sides of the second duct portion 220 are in contact with and supported by each of the pair of third inner walls 303A, 303B. Therefore, the second duct portion 220 can move downward without being tilted, and can be attached to the first duct portion 210 at an appropriate position without shifting relative to the first duct portion 210.

[0034] Furthermore, in order to prevent the second duct portion 220 from coming off the first duct portion 210, for example, the guide 300 may be made of an elastic material. The internal space 306 of the duct 200 has a shape similar to the external shape of the duct 200, and is set to be slightly smaller than the external shape of the duct 200. Therefore, when the third inner walls 303A, 303B expand outward in the direction in which the opening 305 and the space 308 open, the guide 300 repels in the direction in which the opening 305 and the space 308 close. When the duct 200 is fitted inside the guide 300, the guide 300 is expanded outward by the duct 200, and a restoring force acts on the duct 200 to contract it to its original shape. This restoring force causes the guide 300 to adhere tightly to the outer periphery of the duct 200, and the first duct portion 210 and the second duct portion 220 are pressed down from the outside, resulting in a stronger connection. This makes it possible to prevent the second duct portion 220 from coming off the first duct portion 210. (Third embodiment)

[0035] As described above, by making the guide 300 from an elastic material, it is possible to prevent the second duct portion 220 from coming off the first duct portion 210. However, in order to physically prevent the second duct portion 220 from coming off the first duct portion 210, a fixing guide 310 can be used instead of the guide 300. 12 and 15 are perspective views of the fixing guide 310, FIGS. 13 and 16 are vertical cross-sectional views of the fixing guide 310, and FIGS. 14 and 17 are side views of the fixing guide 310 as viewed from the right in FIGS. The fixation guide 310 additionally includes a hook plate 315 compared to the guide 300 (FIG. 11). The hook plate 315 is composed of a plate-shaped portion 316 large enough to cover the opening 305, a C-shaped connecting portion 317 formed at one end (the left end in Figure 12) of the plate-shaped portion 316, a stopper portion 318 formed at the other end (the right end in Figure 12) of the plate-shaped portion 316, and a pair of knob portions 319A, 319B extending diagonally outward from both side edges of the plate-shaped portion 316.

[0036] For example, as shown in FIG. 15, each of the third inner walls 303A and 303B has an inclined wall 303C including the upper end of the third inner wall 303B, and a flat wall 303D extending downward from the lower end of the inclined wall 303C. The upper end of each inclined wall 303C is formed as a cylindrical bar 320, and an opening 321 is formed below the bar 320. 12 and 13, C-shaped coupling portion 317 of hook plate 315 is fitted onto bar 320 from below through opening 321 in third inner wall 303A, so that coupling portion 317 (and thus hook plate 315) can rotate around bar 320. The stopper portion 318 is formed continuously with one end (the right end in Figure 12) of the plate-shaped portion 316 and is composed of a first portion 318A having a curved shape that can fit into the bar 320 of the third inner wall 303B, a sloped second portion 318B formed continuously with the lower end of the first portion 318A, and a flat third portion 318C formed continuously with the lower end of the second portion 318B.

[0037] As shown in FIG. 12, when the first portion 318A is engaged with the bar 320 of the third inner wall 303B, the second portion 318B contacts the inclined wall 303C, and the third portion 318C contacts the flat wall 303D, thereby preventing the first portion 318A from coming off the bar 320. The hook plate 315 is rotatable between a first position shown in FIG. 12 and a second position shown in FIG. In the first position shown in FIG. 12, the hook plate 315 is positioned above the second duct portion 220 and contacts the upper surface of the second duct portion 220, thereby pressing down on the second duct portion 220 from above. When the entire hook plate 315 is pulled up by holding the handle portions 319A and 319B of the hook plate 315, the engagement between the first portion 318A of the stopper portion 318 and the bar 320 of the third inner wall 303B is released, and the coupling portion 317 rotates around the bar 320 of the third inner wall 303A.

[0038] This causes hook plate 315 to transition to the second position shown in FIG. In the second position, the hook plate 315 is not positioned above the second duct portion 220, so it does not press down on the second duct portion 220 from above, and the second duct portion 220 removed from the first duct portion 210 can be removed through the opening 305. As described above, the fixing guide 310 has the function of pressing the second duct portion 220 from above, and therefore the second duct portion 220 can be reliably prevented from coming off the first duct portion 210. When it is necessary to remove banknotes 50 from the duct 200, the hook plate 315 can be moved from the first position (Figure 12) to the second position (Figure 15) to remove the second duct portion 220 from the first duct portion 210, allowing the banknotes 50 stuck in the duct 200 to be removed. An example of the process of removing the banknotes 50 stuck in the duct 200 will be described below.

[0039] Figures 18 to 21 are figures showing the process of removing banknotes 50 jammed in duct 200, with each figure (A) being an oblique view, each figure (B) being a plan view as seen from above, and each figure (C) being a side view. The duct 120 shown in Figure 26 is not configured as a single duct from the first fan 140A to the second fan 140B, but is configured by multiple ducts (auxiliary ducts) connected to each other in a straight line. For example, as shown in Figure 18(A), a duct 200 is connected between two duct connection units 400, and similarly, multiple ducts 200 are interconnected in a straight line (or in some cases, a curved line) via multiple duct connection units 400. Each duct connection unit 400 is connected to a game media lending device 21 (see FIG. 26), and a bill 50 inserted into the game media lending device 21 passes through each duct connection unit 400 and is inserted into the inside of the duct 200.

[0040] 18 to 21 illustrate one of the plurality of ducts 200. FIG. 18, a knob 222 is provided on the second duct portion 220 of the duct 200. A guide 300 is attached to the duct 200, and the first duct portion 210 and the second duct portion 220 are fixed to each other by a fixing guide 310. A banknote detection sensor (not shown, see banknote detection sensor 411 described below) is attached to each of the multiple ducts 200, and a metal plate is embedded inside the carrier 110 (FIGS. 27 and 28). If the carrier 110 does not pass through the banknote detection sensor, it is determined that a banknote 50 has become stuck inside the duct 200, and at the same time, by detecting which banknote detection sensor has been activated, the duct 200 in which the banknote 50 has become stuck is identified. When the duct 200 clogged with banknotes 50 is identified, the hook plate 315 of that duct 200 is rotated and moved from the first position (FIG. 12) to the second position (FIG. 15), as shown in FIG. 19. This releases the second duct portion 220 from the restraint by the fixing guide 310.

[0041] Next, as shown in FIG. 20, the knob 222 is held and the second duct portion 220 is pulled up. As shown in Figure 21, the entire second duct portion 220 can be pulled upwardly away from the first duct portion 210, after which the jammed banknote can be removed from the duct 200. After the banknotes 50 are removed, the above process is reversed to connect the second duct portion 220 to the first duct portion 210 (the state shown in FIG. 18).

[0042] (Fourth embodiment) FIG. 22 is a conceptual diagram showing a part of a paper sheet transport apparatus 100A according to the fourth embodiment. The paper sheet conveying device 100A is equipped with a plurality of ducts 200A, 200B, 200C, etc. and a plurality of duct connection units 400A, 400B, 400C, etc., and each of the ducts 200A, 200B, 200C, etc. is connected in a straight line via each of the duct connection units 400A, 400B, 400C, etc. Each of the ducts 200A, 200B, 200C, etc. is provided with a bill detection sensor 411 that detects the passage of a bill 50 inside the duct, and all of the bill detection sensors 411 are connected to the control device 420. Each bill detection sensor 411 comprises an optical signal transmitting device and an optical signal receiving device, and the optical signal transmitting device and the optical signal receiving device are arranged on both sides of each duct 200A, 200B, 200C, etc., with each duct 200A, 200B, 200C, etc., sandwiched therebetween.

[0043] The optical signal transmitting device transmits an optical signal toward each of the ducts 200A, 200B, 200C, etc., and the optical signal passing through each of the ducts 200A, 200B, 200C, etc. is received by an optical signal receiving device located on the opposite side of each of the ducts 200A, 200B, 200C, etc. For example, as shown in FIG. 15, a bulging portion 301A (only the bulging portion 301A is shown in FIG. 15) that bulges outward is formed on the outside of each of a pair of first inner walls 301 of the fixing guide 310, and an optical signal receiving device and an optical signal receiving device can be embedded inside each of these bulging portions 301A. If the time during which the banknote 50 blocks the optical signal when the banknote 50 is transported through each duct 200A, 200B, 200C, etc. is T, the blocking time T will be extremely short if the banknote 50 is being transported normally without clogging within each duct 200A, 200B, 200C, etc.

[0044] On the other hand, when the bill 50 is jammed in each of the ducts 200A, 200B, 200C, etc., the interruption time T during which the bill 50 blocks the optical signal becomes longer. The control device 420 receives a signal indicating the length of the interruption time T from each optical signal receiving device, and determines whether or not a banknote 50 is jammed depending on the length of the interruption time T in each duct 200A, 200B, 200C, etc. For example, if the blocking time T is one second or less, it is determined that "no jam of banknotes 50 has occurred," and if the blocking time T is more than one second, it is determined that "a jam of banknotes 50 has occurred." When the control device 420 determines that "a jam of banknotes 50 has occurred," it displays the number of the duct in which the banknotes 50 are jammed on a monitor screen (not shown). This allows the manager of the paper sheet transport device 100A to immediately identify in which duct 200A, 200B, 200C, etc. the banknote 50 is jammed, thereby improving the efficiency of the work of removing the jammed banknote 50. (Fifth embodiment)

[0045] Figure 23 is an oblique view of a first duct portion 210A used in place of the first duct portion 210 in a paper sheet transport device according to the fifth embodiment, Figure 24 is an oblique view of a second duct portion 220A used in place of the second duct portion 220, and Figure 25 is an oblique view showing the first duct portion 210A and the second duct portion 220A attached to each other. As shown in Figure 23, the first duct portion 210A is formed with a pair of first flanges 212 extending horizontally outward from each of the two upper ends, and each first flange 212 has four cylindrical rod-like bodies 213 formed upright at equal intervals along the length of the first duct portion 210A. The first duct portion 210A has the same structure as the first duct portion 210, except that the groove 211 is not formed, and that a first flange 212 and a rod-shaped body 213 are formed. As shown in Figure 24, the second duct portion 220A has second flanges 223 extending horizontally outward from each of the two lower ends, and each second flange 223 has four through holes 224 formed at equal intervals along the length of the second duct portion 220A.

[0046] As shown in Figure 25, the position of the rod-shaped body 213 in the first flange 212 corresponds to the position of the through hole 224 in the second flange 223, and when the first flange 212 of the first duct portion 210A and the second flange 223 of the second duct portion 220A are overlapped, each rod-shaped body 213 fits into each through hole 224 from below. When the first flange 212 of the first duct portion 210A and the second flange 223 of the second duct portion 220A are in contact with each other and overlap one another vertically, and each rod-shaped body 213 is fitted into each through hole 224, the first duct portion 210A and the second duct portion 220A form the duct 200 (Figure 1). 25, the second duct portion 220A is connected to a motor 440 via a non-stretchable wire 430. The motor 440 is connected to a control device 420, and the on / off of the motor 440 is controlled by the control device 420.

[0047] When the motor 440 is operated by the control device 420, the second duct portion 220A is pulled upward via the wire 430, and when the motor 440 is rotated in the reverse direction, the second duct portion 220A is lowered downward via the wire 430 and coupled with the first duct portion 210A. Specifically, the second flanges 223 of the second duct portion 220A slide upward from the first flange 212 of the first duct portion 210A along the rod-shaped bodies 213 via the through-holes 224, and then descend from the upper position to couple with the first flange 212 of the first duct portion 210A. The paper sheet transport device according to this embodiment operates as follows. When a banknote 50 is jammed in any of the ducts 200A, 200B, 200C... (Fig. 22), the control device 420 can identify the duct in which the banknote 50 is jammed, as described in the fourth embodiment. For example, it is assumed that the duct 200A is clogged with banknotes 50.

[0048] When the duct 200A in which the banknote 50 is jammed is identified, the control device 420 activates the motor 440 corresponding to the duct 200A. As a result, the second duct portion 220A of the duct 200A is pulled upward via the wire 430. The height to which second duct portion 220A is raised is within the range of the length of rod-shaped body 213. In other words, second duct portion 220A is not raised to a height at which it comes out of rod-shaped body 213. Therefore, the length of rod-shaped body 213 can be set to any value within a range that ensures sufficient space for removing jammed banknotes remaining in first duct portion 210A, as will be described later. When the second duct portion 220A is raised to a sufficient height, the manager of the paper sheet transport device removes the banknotes 50 jammed inside the first duct portion 210A.

[0049] When the banknote 50 is removed, a banknote detection sensor (not shown) detects that the banknote 50 has been removed and sends a signal to the control device 420. The control device 420 receives this signal and rotates the motor 440 in the reverse direction, causing the second duct portion 220A to descend until the second flanges 223 of the second duct portion 220A overlap with the first flanges 212 of the first duct portion 210A (when descending, the second flanges 223 slide downward with the rod-shaped bodies 213 engaged with the through-holes 224). As described above, according to the paper sheet transport device of this embodiment, when a banknote 50 becomes jammed in a certain duct, the control device 420 detects the jam and raises the second duct portion 220A of that duct to a sufficient height, and after the banknote 50 is removed, the second duct portion 220A is lowered and reconnected with the first duct portion 210A. In this way, the manager of the paper sheet transport device can avoid the need to lift up the second duct portion 220A of the duct that is clogged with banknotes 50, and then lower the second duct portion 220A to connect it to the first duct portion 210A, thereby making the process of removing jammed banknotes 50 more efficient. [Explanation of symbols]

[0050] 200 Duct according to the first embodiment of the present invention 210 First duct section 220 Second duct section 222 knob 300 Guide 310 Fixing guide 400 Duct Connection Unit 411 Banknote detection sensor 420 Control device 440 motor

Claims

1. A duct; a carrier capable of traveling within the duct; a blower that generates airflows that flow in one direction and in the opposite direction within the duct; Equipped with The air blower causes the carrier to travel in the duct by an air flow generated in the duct, and paper sheets inserted into the duct are transported via the carrier, the duct being used in a paper sheet transport device that forms a transport path for the paper sheets, the duct comprises a first duct portion and a second duct portion removably attached to the first duct portion; the second duct portion is an upper portion when the duct is divided into two halves along an arbitrary horizontal line above the center of the duct in the vertical direction relative to the conveyance direction of the paper sheets, and the first duct portion is a lower portion, a guide having an internal space similar in shape to the outer shape of the duct and attached to the periphery of the duct; The guide is characterized in that it has a pair of inner walls that guide the second duct portion from both sides so that the second duct portion fits into a predetermined position relative to the first duct portion when the second duct portion is attached to the first duct portion.

2. the carrier has a circular cross section; The duct is a first area having a long rectangular shape so that the paper sheets can pass through in a direction perpendicular to the duct with respect to the conveyance direction of the paper sheets; a second region through which the carrier can pass; It consists of the first region intersects with the second region and protrudes from the second region in the up-down direction, the first duct portion defines the second region and a portion of the first region below the second region; 2. The duct for a paper sheet transport device according to claim 1, wherein the second duct portion constitutes a portion of the first area above the second area.

3. 2. The duct for a paper sheet transport device according to claim 1, wherein the second duct portion is provided with a knob for pulling up the second duct portion.

4. 2. The duct for a paper sheet transport device according to claim 1, wherein the guide is made of an elastic material.

5. The duct for a paper sheet transport device described in claim 1, characterized in that the guide is provided with a hook plate that is movable between a first position located above the second duct portion and pressing the second duct portion from above, and a second position not located above the second duct portion.

6. A duct; a carrier capable of traveling within the duct; a blower that generates airflows that flow in one direction and in the opposite direction within the duct; Equipped with The air blower causes the carrier to travel in the duct by an air flow generated in the duct, and paper sheets inserted into the duct are transported via the carrier, the duct being used in a paper sheet transport device that forms a transport path for the paper sheets, the duct comprises a first duct portion and a second duct portion removably attached to the first duct portion; the second duct portion is an upper portion when the duct is divided into two halves along an arbitrary horizontal line above the center of the duct in the vertical direction relative to the conveyance direction of the paper sheets, and the first duct portion is a lower portion, The first duct portion a first flange extending horizontally outward from an upper end of the first duct portion; at least one rod extending upward from the first flange; Equipped with the second duct portion includes a second flange extending horizontally outward from a lower end thereof; a through hole is formed in the second flange at a position corresponding to the rod-shaped body, into which the rod-shaped body can be fitted when the first duct portion and the second duct portion are attached to each other to form the duct; The second duct portion is slidable in the up and down direction relative to the first duct portion when the rod-shaped body is engaged with the through hole.

7. The duct for a paper sheet transport device according to claim 6, further comprising a driving means for lifting the second duct portion upward from the first duct portion and lowering the second duct portion toward the first duct portion.

8. Duct and a carrier capable of traveling within the duct; a blower that generates airflows that flow in one direction and in the opposite direction within the duct; Equipped with In a paper sheet transport device, the carrier travels in the duct by an air flow generated in the duct by the blower, and paper sheets inserted into the duct are transported via the carrier, 8. A paper sheet transport device, wherein the duct is the duct according to claim 1.

9. the duct comprises a plurality of auxiliary ducts; The paper sheet transport device includes a plurality of duct connection units, each of the plurality of auxiliary ducts is attached between adjacent ones of the duct connection units; The paper sheet transport device is a sensor attached to each of the plurality of auxiliary ducts, for transmitting a jam signal when a jam of paper sheets occurs inside the auxiliary duct; a control device that receives the jamming signal from the sensor and identifies the auxiliary duct in which the jamming of the paper sheet has occurred; The paper sheet transport device according to claim 8, further comprising:

10. a driving means for lifting the second duct portion upward from the first duct portion and lowering the second duct portion toward the first duct portion; The paper sheet transport device according to claim 9, characterized in that when the control device identifies the auxiliary duct in which the paper sheet has jammed, it activates the drive means corresponding to that auxiliary duct.

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