Paper sheet transport device

Abstract

To provide a paper sheet carrier capable of confirming whether the device operates normally before actual conveyance.SOLUTION: A paper sheet carrier for pressing and moving a paper sheet by a conveyance auxiliary body 16 that travels by receiving an air flow in a conveyance pipe 12 has an operation confirmation mode for confirming that the conveyance auxiliary body reaches a destination by operating an air flow generation device when no paper sheets are taken into the conveyance pipe, and executes it after removing jamming of paper sheets for a fixed time interval after starting the device. The conveyance pipe forms an annular route in which an end section and a start section are connected via a circulation device, and the circulation device includes a separation section 50 for separating paper sheets and the conveyance auxiliary body arriving from the end section and collecting them and an insertion section 70 for moving the conveyance assisting body after separation to the start section and inserting it, and uses the conveyance assisting body repeatedly and in circulation. In the operation confirmation mode, the conveyance assisting body is inserted into the start section of the conveyance pipe and operates the air flow generation device, and confirms that the conveyance assisting body arrives at the separation section.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a paper sheet transport device that transports paper sheets by the action of airflow. [Background technology]

[0002] Inside the gaming machine island, which houses multiple sets of gaming ball dispensing machines that receive inserted banknotes and lend gaming balls (such as pachinko balls) to players, and gaming machines such as pachinko machines, a banknote transport device is installed along the length of the gaming machine island to transport the banknotes inserted into each gaming ball dispensing machine to a safe installed at the end of the gaming machine island.

[0003] Some paper sheet transport devices for transporting paper sheets such as banknotes utilize an air flow generated within a transport tube. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a paper sheet transport device that transports paper sheets by pushing them from behind using a transport auxiliary body that moves in response to the air flow within the transport tube.

[0004] In the paper sheet transport device disclosed in Patent Document 1, a paper sheet intake device is provided along the transport path, and the paper sheets to be transported are taken into a transport tube. When collecting the taken-in paper sheets, a transport auxiliary inserting device provided at the beginning of the transport tube sends a transport auxiliary into the transport tube, and a separating and collecting device provided at the end of the transport tube separates and collects the paper sheets and the transport auxiliary. In this paper sheet transport device, the transport tube is configured to loop around the desired collection path (for example, in the case of an amusement machine island, it is configured with an outbound path from one end of the island to the other, a U-shaped return section, and a return path from the other end of the island back to the first end). The beginning and end of the transport tube are brought close to each other, and the transport auxiliary collected by the separating and collecting device provided at the end is moved to the transport auxiliary inserting device at the beginning for repeated circulation. The collected paper sheets are stored in a safe or the like. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2012-82062 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] In a paper sheet conveying device that uses an air flow to convey paper sheets, it is necessary to separate the air flow and the paper sheets at the end of the conveying tube, and a separation method that is simple in configuration yet does not cause problems such as paper sheets getting jammed or entangled is desired. For example, if a stopper member is provided at the opening at the end of the conveying tube to come into contact with and stop the paper sheets, separating the air flow from the paper sheets, an obstacle can occur when the leading edge of the paper sheet collides with the stopper member and slides sideways into a small gap between the members (for example, the joint between the end face at the end of the conveying tube and the stopper member). Incidentally, in a paper sheet transport device, it is desirable to be able to check whether the device is operating normally before actually transporting paper sheets.

[0007] The present invention aims to solve the above problems, It is possible to check whether the equipment is working properly before the actual transport. The object is to provide a paper sheet transport device. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The gist of the present invention to achieve this object resides in the following inventions.

[0009] [1] A paper sheet conveying device that conveys paper sheets by pushing them with a conveying auxiliary body that moves in response to an air flow in a conveying pipe, monitors whether or not there are any paper sheets taken into the conveying pipe, and if there are any paper sheets, operates an air flow generating device to convey the paper sheets to a destination by the conveying auxiliary body; No paper sheets are taken into the transport pipe On the condition that, The air flow generating device is operated to Same as when transporting paper sheets Operation check mode to confirm that the destination is reached Execute A paper sheet transport device characterized by: [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1]1 is a plan view showing an outline of a gaming machine island including a paper sheet transport device according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 2] 1 is a front view showing the schematic configuration of a paper sheet transport device provided on the gaming machine island. FIG. [Figure 3] 10 is an explanatory diagram showing a state in which a transport auxiliary body pushes a banknote in a transport tube from the rear end side of the banknote. FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the conveying pipe in the straight portion (the outward and return portions). [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a conveying pipe in a straight section. [Figure 6] 1A and 1B are plan and front views of a transport aid; [Figure 7] 10 is a cross-sectional view passing through the central axis of the conveying auxiliary body when the conveying auxiliary body is inserted into the conveying pipe. FIG. [Figure 8] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing a turn portion. [Figure 9] FIG. [Figure 10] FIG. 2 is a front view showing the separation, recovery and delivery device with the door of the storage box open. [Figure 11] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the separation, recovery and delivery device with the door of the storage box open. [Figure 12] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the main unit of the separation, recovery and delivery device with the storage box removed. [Figure 13] FIG. 2 is a right side view of the main unit of the separation, recovery, and delivery device. [Figure 14] FIG. 2 is a front view of a main unit of the separation, recovery, and delivery device. [Figure 15] FIG. 2 is a left side view of the main unit of the separation, recovery, and delivery device. [Figure 16] 15 is a cross-sectional view showing, in a partially simplified manner, the cross section AA in FIG. 14 of the main body unit of the separating, recovering, and delivering device. [Figure 17] 1 is a perspective view showing a main unit of the separating, collecting, and sending-out device with the door of the storage section open. FIG. [Figure 18] 10 is a perspective view showing the separation section and the delivery section in a state where the opening and closing rib is closed. FIG. [Figure 19] FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing the separation section and the delivery section with the opening / closing rib open. [Figure 20] 10 is a front view showing the separation section and the delivery section in a state where the opening / closing rib is closed. FIG. [Figure 21] 10 is a front view showing the separation section and the delivery section in a state where the opening / closing rib is closed and the transport auxiliary body is captured. FIG. [Figure 22] 21 is a cross-sectional view of the separation section and the delivery section (cross-section BB in FIG. 20). [Figure 23] FIG. [Figure 24] FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing the entrance of the recovery passage as viewed from the separation section. [Figure 25] 10 is a diagram showing a horizontal cross section of a separation section (opening / closing rib open state) and a recovery passage with some parts omitted. FIG. [Figure 26] 10 is a diagram showing a horizontal cross section of a separation section (opening / closing rib closed state) and a recovery passage with some parts omitted. FIG. [Figure 27] 10 is a diagram showing a horizontal cross section of a separation section (opening / closing rib closed state, conveyance auxiliary body supplement) and a recovery passage with some parts omitted. FIG. [Figure 28] FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing one wall surface of the delivery section with the check valve in the hanging position. [Figure 29] FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing one wall surface of the delivery section with the check valve in a closed position. [Figure 30] 21 is a cross-sectional view (cross-section BB in FIG. 20) of the separating section and the sending section, showing a state in which the transport auxiliary body is falling through the falling passage. FIG. [Figure 31] 10 is a diagram (viewed from above) showing the positional relationship between the transport auxiliary body falling through the falling passage and the guide roller. FIG. [Figure 32] 21 is a cross-sectional view (cross-section BB in FIG. 20) of the separating section and the delivery section, showing a state in which a transport auxiliary body is at a standby position in the delivery section. FIG. [Figure 33] 21 is a cross-sectional view (cross-section BB in FIG. 20) of the separating section and the delivery section, showing the state in which the transport auxiliary body is delivered from the standby position toward the transport pipe (delivery start). FIG. [Figure 34]21 is a cross-sectional view (cross-section BB in FIG. 20) of the separating section and the delivery section, showing a state in which the transport auxiliary body is being delivered from the standby position toward the transport pipe (during delivery). FIG. [Figure 35] 21 is a cross-sectional view (cross-section BB in FIG. 20) of the separation section and the delivery section, showing how the transport auxiliary body is delivered from the standby position toward the transport pipe (delivery completed). FIG. [Figure 36] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a safe unit. [Figure 37] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a storage assembly. [Figure 38] FIG. [Figure 39] FIG. 2 is a partially exploded perspective view of a pressing assembly. [Figure 40] FIG. [Figure 41] FIG.

[0011] See Figure 41). [Figure 42] 10 is an explanatory diagram showing how a banknote gets caught between the end of the collection passage and the end plate of the connection duct when no measures such as providing unevenness on the abutting member are taken. FIG. [Figure 43] 10 is an explanatory diagram showing a state in which a banknote is pushed from the collection passage into the storage unit (a state in which a banknote to be pushed is present in the collection passage). FIG. [Figure 44] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing how banknotes are pushed from the collection passage into the storage unit. [Figure 45] FIG. 45 is an explanatory diagram showing how banknotes are pushed from the collection passage into the storage unit (continuation of FIG. 44). [Figure 46] 10A and 10B are diagrams showing the state in which the door of the storage box of the separation, recovery and sending device is opened to the right and left. [Figure 47] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a state in which two storage boxes of the separation, recovery and delivery device are arranged adjacent to each other. [Figure 48] 10A to 10C are explanatory diagrams showing various positional relationships between the storage box and the main unit. [Figure 49]FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing how the connection duct can be reassembled between a right-hand specification and a left-hand specification. [Figure 50] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing an overview of the process of converting a safe unit from a right-hand specification to a left-hand specification. [Figure 51] 10A and 10B are explanatory diagrams showing the process of converting the pressing assembly from a right-hand type to a left-hand type. [Figure 52] 10A and 10B are explanatory diagrams showing a process of changing the guide member of the storage section from a right-hand type to a left-hand type. [Figure 53] 10A and 10B are explanatory diagrams showing a process of changing the pressure plate of the storage section from a right-hand specification to a left-hand specification. [Figure 54] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing the reconfiguration of the fullness detection assembly from right-hand specifications to left-hand specifications. [Figure 55] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an airflow enhancement unit. [Figure 56] FIG. 10 is a top view showing the airflow augmentation unit. [Figure 57] FIG. 57 is a cross-sectional view (cross-section AA in FIG. 56) showing the airflow enhancement unit. [Figure 58] 57A and 57B are cross-sectional views (cross-section BB in FIG. 56) showing the air flow enhancing unit when the shutter plate is closed and when it is open. [Figure 59] 10A and 10B are front and DD cross-sectional views of the movable wall. [Figure 60] 10A to 10C are diagrams illustrating various aspects of the slope portion. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0012] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0013] FIG. 1 is a plan view showing an outline of a gaming machine island 2 including a paper sheet transport device 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a front view showing a schematic configuration of the paper sheet transport device 10 provided on the gaming machine island 2. In this embodiment, the gaming machine island 2 accommodates multiple sets of gaming media dispensers 3, which receive inserted banknotes and dispense gaming media such as gaming balls (pachinko balls) to players, and gaming machines 4, such as pachinko machines, back-to-back on the front and back sides. The paper sheet transport device 10 is provided on the gaming machine island 2 and functions to take in banknotes 6 ejected from the back of each gaming media dispenser 3 and transport them to a safe (storage unit) in a separating, collecting, and sending device 40 provided at one end of the gaming machine island 2 for storage.

[0014] The paper sheet transport device 10 generates an airflow in the transport tube 12 which serves as a transport path for banknotes (paper sheets), and inserts a transport auxiliary body 16 which receives the airflow and moves within the transport tube 12 upstream of the banknotes 6 to be transported into the transport tube 12, and the transport auxiliary body 16 pushes the banknotes 6 in the transport tube 12 from behind to transport them downstream. In this embodiment, the banknotes 6 are transported within the transport tube 12 in a landscape orientation with the paper face upright, as shown in Figure 3.

[0015] The paper sheet transport device 10 has a transport pipe 12 and a separating, collecting, and sending device 40 provided at one end of the gaming machine island 2. The transport pipe 12 is composed of an outgoing path 12a extending from the separating, collecting, and sending device 40 provided at one end of the gaming machine island 2 to the other end of the gaming machine island 2, a turning portion 12b that turns back in a U-shape at the other end, and a returning path 12c that turns back at the turning portion 12b and then extends above the outgoing path 12a along the outgoing path 12a to return to the separating, collecting, and sending device 40.

[0016] The outgoing path 12a and the returning path 12c of the conveying pipe 12 are divided into units of a predetermined length, for example, a length corresponding to the width of one set of gaming machines 4 and gaming media lending machines 3 housed together in the gaming machine island 2, and by connecting the required number of these with connecting units, the path length can be adjusted according to the longitudinal length of the gaming machine island 2. Furthermore, at the construction site, the conveying pipe 12 can be cut to the required length on the spot for use.

[0017] The paper sheet transport device 10 further has an intake device 13 that is inserted in the return path 12c of the transport tube 12 and takes in the banknotes 6 discharged from the gaming media lending machine 3 into the transport tube 12. The intake devices 13 are provided in pairs, one for taking in the banknotes 6 from the gaming media lending machine 3 arranged on the front side of the gaming machine island 2 and the other for taking in the banknotes 6 from the gaming media lending machine 3 arranged on the back side of the gaming machine island 2. The intake device 13 is interposed between the transport tubes 12 that make up the return path 12c to connect them, and also functions as a transport tube that forms part of the return path 12c.

[0018] An air flow enhancement unit 14 is also inserted at an appropriate location in the transport pipe 12 to enhance the air flow in the transport pipe by merging the air flow from the auxiliary blower. In this example, the air flow enhancement unit 14 is provided in the return path 12c, downstream of the intake device 13. The air flow enhancement unit 14 may also be provided in the outgoing path 12a.

[0019] The separating, recovering and sending device 40 has the functions of sending an air flow into the conveying tube 12, sending the conveying auxiliary body 16 from the starting end of the conveying tube 12 into the conveying tube 12, separating the banknotes 6 conveyed by the conveying auxiliary body 16 from the conveying auxiliary body 16 at the end of the conveying tube 12, moving the separated conveying auxiliary body 16 to the starting end side of the conveying tube 12 so that it can be reused for the next sending, and storing the separated banknotes 6 in a safe (storage section). Details of the separating, recovering and sending device 40 will be described later.

[0020] In the paper sheet transport device 10, the banknotes 6 taken into the return path 12c of the transport tube 12 from the take-in device 13 stay at the take-in completion position in a landscape orientation with the paper face upright, as shown in Figure 3. The separating, collecting, and sending-out device 40 generates an air flow in the transport tube 12 to transport and collect the banknotes 6 to the separating, collecting, and sending-out device 40 at the island end.

[0021] The action of this airflow causes the separation, recovery, and delivery device 40 to send out the transport auxiliary body 16 into the transport tube 12, where the transport auxiliary body 16 moves along the outbound path 12a to the turn section 12b, makes a U-turn at the turn section 12b, and then moves further along the inbound path 12c toward the terminal end. At this time, as shown in Figure 3, the transport auxiliary body 16 pushes the banknotes 6 in the transport tube 12 from the rear end side of the banknotes 6, causing the banknotes 6 to be transported toward the terminal end of the transport tube 12 (in the transport direction F in the figure).

[0022] In this way, the transport auxiliary body 16 moves in response to the action of the airflow, and the banknotes 6 are transported by being pushed from their trailing ends, so the banknotes 6 themselves do not need to receive propulsion from the airflow. Therefore, the banknotes 6 can be transported by the airflow without having to take measures such as folding the banknotes 6 to receive the airflow. Furthermore, the transport auxiliary body 16 can obtain propulsion from the airflow more efficiently than the banknotes 6, so the banknotes 6 can be transported efficiently.

[0023] Next, the shapes of the conveying pipe 12 and the conveying auxiliary body 16 will be described in detail.

[0024] Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the conveying tube 12 in the straight portion (the outgoing path 12a and the returning path 12c), and Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing the cross-sectional shape of the conveying tube 12 in the same portion, perpendicular to the extension direction F (= the banknote conveying direction F = the airflow direction). The conveying tube 12 is made of resin with a thickness of about 1.5 mm. The conveying tube 12 is formed, for example, by extrusion molding.

[0025] The cross-sectional shape of the straight portion of the conveying tube 12 perpendicular to the extension direction F of the conveying tube 12 is a vertically elongated rectangle with the central portions of the left and right side walls expanding outward. Specifically, the conveying tube 12 includes upper and lower wall portions 31, left and right side wall portions 32, and rectangular expansion portions 33 extending outward from the vertical central portions of the left and right side wall portions 32. The short side direction of the approximately rectangular cross-section perpendicular to the extension direction (conveying direction F) of the conveying tube 12 is referred to as the X direction (or width direction, left-right direction), and the long side direction is referred to as the Y direction (or height direction, up-down direction). In the X direction and the Y direction, the direction toward the center of the conveying tube 12 is referred to as the inward direction, and the direction from the center toward the inner wall is referred to as the outward direction. In this embodiment, the conveying tube 12 is used with the long side of the cross-section oriented vertically, but it may also be used with the short side oriented vertically. In this case, the banknotes 6 are conveyed in a landscape orientation with the paper surface facing up and down.

[0026] The expansion section 33 is divided into two sections, upper and lower, by a separation wall 34 erected toward the inside of the conveying pipe 12. The entire conveying pipe 12, including the separation wall 34, has an integrated structure. The expansion section 33 is provided with a position control rib 36 that protrudes toward the inside of the conveying pipe 12 in the center of each area separated into two by the separation wall 34. The position control rib 36 functions to control the position of the conveying auxiliary body 16 in the X direction within the conveying pipe 12.

[0027] The side wall portion 32 is formed with a plurality of ribs 35 extending in the conveying direction and protruding inward of the conveying pipe 12. In this example, the ribs 35 protruding inward of the conveying pipe 12 are formed along the conveying direction at the boundary between the side wall portion 32 and the expansion portion 33. The separation wall 34 is at the same height as the ribs 35, and the top of the separation wall 34 functions as a rib. Hereinafter, when the separation wall 34 is treated as a rib, it will also be referred to as the rib 34.

[0028] The side walls 32 are a pair of inner walls that face the paper surface of the transported banknotes 6. The banknotes 6 are rectangular, and are transported inside the transport tube 12 with their long sides oriented in the transport direction F. In other words, the paper surface faces the side walls 32 of the transport tube 12, and the banknotes 6 are transported with one short side facing the leading edge in the transport direction and the other short side facing the trailing edge.

[0029] The distance Dy between the upper and lower wall portions 31 of the conveying tube 12 is slightly longer than the short side of the banknote 6. The distance Dx between the left and right side wall portions 32 (portions (reference plane portions) where the ribs 35, extension portions 33, and separation wall 34 are not formed) is set to approximately 21 mm. The extension portions 33 provided on the left and right side wall portions 32 each extend approximately 7.5 mm outward from the side wall portions 32 (reference plane portions). The peaks of the ribs 35 and separation wall 34 are approximately 2 mm high from the side wall portions 32 (reference plane portions) inward. The height of the ribs 35 may be set as appropriate.

[0030] FIG. 6 shows the top and front views of the transport auxiliary body 16. The transport auxiliary body 16 is a columnar body with a circular cross section and different diameters at different parts. The transport auxiliary body 16 moves inside the transport pipe with its axis oriented perpendicular to the transport direction. Here, it is inserted into the transport pipe 12 so that the central axis of the cylinder is in the Y direction (height direction) of the transport pipe 12. The transport auxiliary body 16 is vertically symmetrical and is composed of, from top to bottom, a head 16a, a neck 16b with a diameter slightly smaller than that of the head, a large-diameter portion 16c with a diameter larger than that of the head 16a, a constricted portion 16d with the same diameter as the neck 16b and located in the center of the top and bottom, the large-diameter portion 16c, the neck 16b, and the head 16a.

[0031] The shapes of the conveying pipe 12 and the conveying auxiliary body 16 are not limited to these. The outer shape of the conveying auxiliary body 16 corresponds to the inner shape of the conveying pipe 12, and has irregularities corresponding to the ribs 34, 35 protruding inward from the side wall portion 32.

[0032] The transport aid 16 is lightweight and strong, and is hollow inside and made of, for example, plastic, etc. However, it may also be made of polystyrene foam, extruded polystyrene foam, etc., as long as it is lightweight and strong.

[0033] 7 shows a cross section perpendicular to the extension direction F and passing through the central axis of the conveying auxiliary body 16 when the conveying auxiliary body 16 is inserted into the conveying pipe 12. The diameter of each part of the conveying auxiliary body 16 corresponds to the inner edge shape of the conveying pipe 12. In other words, the cross section shape passing through the central axis of the conveying auxiliary body 16 corresponds to the inner edge shape of the conveying pipe 12 in a cross section perpendicular to the extension direction F, and is shaped to almost completely seal the inside of the conveying pipe 12 with a predetermined clearance between it and the inner wall.

[0034] The position of the conveying auxiliary body 16 in the Y direction within the conveying pipe 12 is regulated by the upper or lower surface of the large diameter portion 16c abutting against the rib 35 or the separation wall 34. These also regulate the inclination of the axis of the conveying auxiliary body 16. In addition, the position of the conveying auxiliary body 16 in the X direction within the conveying pipe 12 is regulated by the outer periphery of the head portion 16a contacting the side wall portion 32 or the outer periphery of the large diameter portion 16c contacting the inside of the expansion portion 33.

[0035] In this way, the transport auxiliary body 16 has a shape corresponding to the inner edge shape of the transport pipe 12 (almost the same shape with a small clearance) and blocks almost the entire cross section of the transport pipe 12, so it can move efficiently under the action of the air flow. Furthermore, the transport auxiliary body 16 prevents the air flow from upstream from reaching the downstream side of the transport auxiliary body 16, thereby suppressing turbulence of the air flow on the downstream side.

[0036] When acted upon by the air flow inside the conveying tube 12, the banknotes 6 tend to stick to the side wall 32. In other words, the distance between one side of the banknote 6 and the opposing side wall 32 and the distance between the other side of the banknote 6 and the opposing side wall 32 are rarely equal, and when one of the distances is narrower than the other, the air flow velocity is faster on the narrower side than on the wider side, so that the air pressure on the narrower side is lower than that on the wider side, and this difference in air pressure causes the banknotes 6 to be attracted to and pressed against the side wall 32 on the narrower side. When this happens, the gap on the narrower side becomes even narrower, causing the banknotes 6 to stick to and be attracted to the side wall 32.

[0037] If the banknotes 6 stick strongly to the side wall portion 32, it becomes difficult for the transport auxiliary body 16 to push and transport the banknotes 6, but as described above, the transport auxiliary body 16 acts to block (reduce) the air flow downstream, so the force with which the banknotes 6 stick and adhere is reduced, and smooth transport is achieved.

[0038] The two large diameter portions 16c of the conveying auxiliary body 16 engage with two expansion portions 33 separated by a separation wall 34 of the conveying tube 12. In this example, the expansion portion 33 is separated into two by the separation wall 34, and these expansion portions 33 are provided near the center of the conveying tube 12 in the Y direction, so that the conveying auxiliary body 16 can be moved while maintaining a stable posture. Furthermore, because the posture of the conveying auxiliary body 16 is stable, the large diameter portions 16c of the conveying auxiliary body 16 appropriately abut against the rear end of the banknote 6, allowing a stable conveying force to be applied. Furthermore, the banknote 6 is less likely to become entangled between the conveying tube 12 and the conveying auxiliary body 16.

[0039] Furthermore, by providing the large diameter portion 16c, the conveying auxiliary body 16 has an increased area that is affected by the airflow, allowing it to efficiently receive the force required for movement. Furthermore, since the large diameter portion 16c is provided to efficiently receive the airflow, the diameter of the head portion 16a can be reduced accordingly. By reducing the diameter of the head portion, the distance (width (Dx)) between a pair of opposing side wall portions 32 inside the conveying tube 12 can be narrowed, preventing the banknotes 6 from tipping over.

[0040] Furthermore, the presence of multiple ribs 35 on the side wall 32 prevents the banknotes 6 from sticking tightly to the side wall 32. In other words, the contact area between the banknotes 6 and the side wall 32 is reduced, reducing friction and suppressing the generation of static electricity. Even if the banknotes 6 stick to the side wall 32, the banknotes 6 are supported by the tips of the ribs 35, ensuring a gap between the side wall 32 and the banknotes 6 around the ribs 35, thereby reducing the sticking force. Furthermore, because the separation wall 34 supports the banknotes 6, the banknotes 6 are prevented from falling into the recesses of the expansion section 33.

[0041] Furthermore, the multiple ribs 35 protruding inward from the side wall 32 and the tops of the separation walls 34 serve to narrow the effective passage width W of the banknotes 6 in the width direction (X direction) of the conveying tube 12 to the distance Dx between the reference flat portions. This makes it difficult for the banknotes 6 to tip sideways within the conveying tube 12, and the posture of the banknotes 6 is maintained along the Y direction. In particular, by providing multiple ribs 35, the banknotes 6 are appropriately prevented from tipping over and are effectively prevented from sticking to the side wall 32. Note that Dx can be increased by the amount of the ribs 35 provided, which increases the cross-sectional area of ​​the conveying tube 12 and makes the conveying auxiliary body 16 more susceptible to the action of airflow.

[0042] In the case of the transport auxiliary body 16 according to this embodiment, the diameter of the large diameter portion 16c is the largest, so as shown in FIG. 3, this large diameter portion 16c comes into contact with the rear end of the banknote 6 and pushes it.

[0043] FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the turn section 12b, and FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the turn section 12b. The turn section 12b has a shape that connects a circular arc section 12bb, which extends along the conveying pipe 12 so as to draw a 90-degree arc with the Y direction as the radial direction, a straight section 12bc, and a 90-degree arc section 12bb, and changes the path of the conveying auxiliary body 16 by 180 degrees. The turn section 12b also has ribs 35 and expansion sections 33, but does not have separation walls 34 to prevent the conveying auxiliary body 16 from getting caught when moving along the arc section 12bb. Furthermore, the ribs 35 and expansion sections 33 are provided so as to provide clearance (larger clearance than the straight section) in the areas that overlap with the trajectory of the conveying auxiliary body 16 as it passes through the turn section 12b. This allows the turning radius of the turn section 12b at the arc section 12bb to be reduced. The length of the straight section 12bc may be determined appropriately depending on the distance required between the outgoing path 12a and the returning path 12c, depending on the size of the separation, recovery, and delivery device 40 and the intake device 13. Two ribs 12ba are provided on the expansion section 33 of the turning section 12b in correspondence with the large diameter section 16c of the transport auxiliary body 16, and the position of the transport auxiliary body 16 is restricted toward the center in the X direction.

[0044] Next, the separation, recovery and delivery device 40 will be described.

[0045] Fig. 10 is a front view showing the separating, recovering, and sending device 40 with the door 46 of the storage box 41 open, and Fig. 11 is a perspective view showing the separating, recovering, and sending device 40 with the door 46 of the storage box 41 open. Fig. 12 is a perspective view showing the main unit 42 of the separating, recovering, and sending device 40 with the storage box 41 removed, Fig. 13 is a right side view of the main unit 42 of the separating, recovering, and sending device 40, Fig. 14 is a front view of the main unit 42 of the separating, recovering, and sending device 40, Fig. 15 is a left side view of the main unit 42 of the separating, recovering, and sending device 40, and Fig. 16 is a cross-sectional view of the main unit 42 taken along line AA in Fig. 14, with some simplification.

[0046] 10 and 11, a main unit 42 of the separating, collecting, and sending device 40 is stored in a storage box 41. A control unit 43 that controls the operation of the entire paper sheet transport device 10, including the separating, collecting, and sending device 40, is attached to the upper inside of the storage box 41. The control unit 43 is mainly composed of a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a ROM (Read Only Memory), a RAM (Random Access Memory), etc.

[0047] As shown in Figure 12, the main unit 42 of the separation, recovery, and delivery device 40 is fixed with screws to the end plate 18 of the gaming machine island 2 separately from the storage box 41. The storage box 41 has an open back and is attached with screws to the end plate 18 separately from the main unit 42 so as to cover the main unit 42. This makes it possible to arbitrarily adjust the relative positions of the main unit 42 and the storage box 41 depending on the installation location. This point will be described in detail later.

[0048] As shown in Figures 13 to 16, the main unit 42 of the separating, recovering and sending out device 40 comprises a sending section 70 which is provided at the start of the outgoing path 12a of the conveying tube 12 and sends out the conveying auxiliary body 16 into the conveying tube 12, a separating section 50 which is provided at the end of the return path 12c of the conveying tube 12 and passes the banknotes 6 conveyed by the conveying auxiliary body 16 and receives the conveying auxiliary body 16 which has pushed the banknotes and separates them, and a storage section 90 which serves as a safe for storing a large number of banknotes. The system is configured to include a recovery unit 110 that receives banknotes 6 that have passed through the separation unit 50 downstream of the separation unit 50 into a recovery passage 111, stops the banknotes 6, and moves the stopped banknotes 6 into the storage unit 90 for storage, an air flow generator 130 that sends an air flow to the delivery unit 70, and a connection duct 140 that sucks in the air flow that is discharged from the end of the conveying pipe 12 through the separation unit 50 and the recovery passage 111 of the recovery unit 110, and returns it to the air intake port of the air flow generator 130 for circulating it. The air flow generated by the air flow generator 130 is sent into the beginning end of the conveying pipe 12 through the delivery unit 70.

[0049] As shown in FIGS. 15, 18, etc., the main unit 42 is integrally formed by attaching each section, such as the sending section 70 and the separating section 50, to a support frame 45.

[0050] FIG. 17 shows the main unit 42 of the separating, collecting, and sending out device 40 with the door 91 of the storage section 90 for storing the banknotes 6 open.

[0051] In the separation, recovery and delivery device 40, the separation section 50 is located directly above the delivery section 70, and the transport auxiliary body 16 captured by the separation section 50 is dropped into the delivery section 70 through a drop passage 71 (see cross-sectional view in Figure 16), and the dropped transport auxiliary body 16 is used for the next delivery, thereby allowing the transport auxiliary body 16 to be circulated.

[0052] The starting end of the outgoing path 12a of the conveying pipe 12 is connected to the conveying pipe connection port 72 of the delivery section 70, and the ending end of the return path 12c of the conveying pipe 12 is connected to the conveying pipe connection port 51 of the separation section 50 (see Figure 16).

[0053] Next, the configuration of the separator 50 will be described.

[0054] Fig. 18 is a perspective view showing the separation section 50 and the delivery section 70 below it when the opening / closing rib 52, which will be described later, is closed, and Fig. 19 is a perspective view showing the separation section 50 and the delivery section 70 below it when the opening / closing rib 52 is open. Fig. 20 is a front view showing the separation section 50 and the delivery section 70 below it when the opening / closing rib 52 is closed, and Fig. 21 is a front view showing the separation section 50 and the delivery section 70 below it when the opening / closing rib 52 is closed and the transport auxiliary body 16 is captured. Fig. 22 is a cross-sectional view (cross-section BB in Fig. 20) of the separation section 50 and the delivery section 70. Fig. 23 is an exploded perspective view of the separation section 50.

[0055] As shown in the exploded perspective view of FIG. 23, the separation section 50 includes a pair of left and right passage walls 56, a pair of left and right opening / closing ribs 52, and a pair of left and right contact sections 64.

[0056] The pair of left and right passage walls 56 are symmetrical in shape and include a vertically oriented flat side wall 57, a ceiling wall 58 extending horizontally from the upper end of the side wall 57, and a bottom wall 59 extending horizontally from the lower end of the side wall 57 in the same direction as the ceiling wall 58. By combining the left and right walls so that the ceiling wall 58 and the bottom wall 59 are butted against each other, a passage (separation passage 56a) having a vertically elongated rectangular outer shape corresponding to the conveying pipe 12 is formed. Five ribs 61 (61a to 61e) are arranged at intervals in the vertical direction on the side wall 57 in approximately half the region (upstream area) on the upstream side of the separation passage 56a, protruding horizontally into the passage and extending in the length direction of the passage.

[0057] The top and bottom ribs 61a and 61e function as corresponding to the side wall portion 32 of the conveying pipe 12 (see FIG. 7), and their horizontal protrusion height is set to a height that, when the left and right passage walls 56 are combined to form the separation passage 56a, leaves a gap corresponding to Dx in FIG. 7 between the opposing ribs. The three ribs 61b to 61d, excluding the top and bottom, correspond to the ribs 34 of the conveying pipe 12 (rib 35 and separation wall 34, see FIG. 7). These are provided at vertical positions corresponding to the neck portion 16b and the constricted portion 16d of the conveying auxiliary body 16. Their horizontal protrusion height is set to a height that, when the left and right passage walls 56 are combined to form the separation passage 56a, leaves a gap corresponding to the passage width W in FIG. 7 between the opposing ribs.

[0058] The ribs 61 present in the upstream area are not present in the downstream area (downstream area) of the pair of left and right passage walls 56. Instead, slits 62 (62a to 62e) that are long in the passage length direction and located at the same vertical positions as the ribs 61a to 61e are provided. Also, the bottom wall 59 present in the upstream area is not present in the downstream area, and the bottom is open when the pair of left and right passage walls 56 are combined to form the separation passage 56a.

[0059] The opening / closing rib 52 includes a vertically oriented flat side wall 53, five ribs 54 (54a to 54e) that protrude horizontally from the side wall 53 toward the inside of the passage, and a bottom plate 55. The arrangement of the five ribs 54 (54a to 54e) corresponds to the slits 62 (62a to 62e). Each rib 54 of the opening / closing rib 52 is inserted into each slit 62 of the passage wall 56 from the outside of the passage wall 56. The bottom plate 55 is at a height that allows each rib 54 of the opening / closing rib 52 to be flush with the bottom wall 59 of the passage wall 56 when inserted into each slit 62 of the passage wall 56. When each rib 54 of the opening / closing rib 52 is inserted into each slit 62 of the passage wall 56, the bottom plate 55 is configured to abut and be connected when each rib 54 is inserted all the way into the slit 62 (to a position where the side wall 53 abuts against the outer surface of the side wall 57).

[0060] The closed state of the opening / closing rib 52 is a state in which the ribs 54 (54a to 54e) of the opening / closing rib 52 are fully inserted into the slits 62 (62a to 62e) of the passage wall 56 at the closed position (see FIGS. 18, 20, and 21). The open state of the opening / closing rib 52 is a state in which the pair of left and right opening / closing ribs 52 are retracted outward (the distance between them is increased) until the ribs 54 (54a to 54e) of the opening / closing rib 52 are pulled out of the slits 62 (62a to 62e) (until the bottom plate 55 is not inside the separation section passage 56a ... separation section 50 is provided with an opening / closing drive unit 68 that displaces the left and right opening / closing ribs 52 between an open state and a closed state (see FIGS. 18, 20, etc.). The separation section 50 has the opening / closing drive unit 68 that displaces the opening / closing ribs 52 between an open state and a closed state. The opening / closing drive unit 68 is configured with a motor or a solenoid as a drive source.

[0061] The pair of left and right contact portions 64 allow banknotes 6 arriving from the end of the conveying tube 12 due to the airflow to pass through, while the conveying auxiliary body 16 that has been pushing the banknotes 6 comes into contact with them from the downstream side to receive and stop them. The contact portions 64 include a plurality of contact claws 66 (66a to 66f) that come into contact with the large diameter portion 16c of the conveying auxiliary body 16, and a support plate 65 that supports the plurality of contact claws 66 by aligning them vertically at a predetermined interval. The left and right contact portions 64 have a symmetrical shape, and are arranged with a predetermined gap between them that allows banknotes to pass through.

[0062] The contact claw 66 of the right contact portion 64 of the pair, as viewed from downstream, has a concave arc-shaped inner shape that contacts, from the downstream side, the outer periphery of the downstream right half of the large diameter portion 16c of the transport auxiliary body 16. The contact claw 66 of the left contact portion 64 of the pair, as viewed from downstream, has a concave arc-shaped inner shape that contacts, from the downstream side, the outer periphery of the downstream left half of the large diameter portion 16c of the transport auxiliary body 16.

[0063] Each abutment claw 66 is inserted between the ribs 54 on the opening / closing rib 52 side. Specifically, the uppermost abutment claw 66a is inserted between the ceiling wall 58 of the passage wall 56 and the adjacent rib 54a below it, and abutment claw 66b is inserted between the rib 54a and the second rib 54b from the top. Abutment claw 66c is inserted between the rib 54b and the third rib 54c from the top, and abutment claw 66d is inserted between the rib 54c and the fourth rib 54d from the top. Abutment claw 66e is inserted between the rib 54d and the fifth rib 54e from the top, and abutment claw 66f is inserted between the rib 54e and the bottom plate 55 of the opening / closing rib 52. Each abutment claw 66 is inserted until the support plate 65 of the abutment portion 64 abuts against the end face of the passage wall 56.

[0064] Figure 24 is a perspective view showing the entrance to the recovery passage 111 as seen from the separation unit 50. As shown in Figure 24, the storage unit 90 and the recovery unit 110 form an integrated safe unit 150. The abutting part 64 of the separation unit 50 is attached to the entrance to the recovery passage 111 of the recovery unit 110, and when the separation unit 50 and the safe unit 150 are attached to the support frame 45 and assembled into the main unit 42, the abutting claws 66 of the abutting part 64 are inserted into the aforementioned positions and engage with the ribs 54 of the separation unit 50.

[0065] 25 to 27 show, with some parts omitted, horizontal cross sections of the separation unit 50 and the collection passage 111 of the collection unit 110 arranged downstream thereof. Fig. 25 shows the open state of the opening / closing rib 52, Fig. 26 shows the closed state of the opening / closing rib 52, and Fig. 27 is a diagram of Fig. 26 with the addition of the transport auxiliary body 16 captured by the separation unit 50 and the banknotes 6 stopped in the collection passage 111.

[0066] The ribs in the conveying pipe 12 connected to the conveying pipe connection port 51 of the separation section 50, the ribs 61 in the upstream area of ​​the separation section 50, the ribs 54 of the opening / closing rib 52 in the closed state, and the abutment claws 66 of the abutment section 64 are connected in a sequential step from upstream to downstream (the peak of the downstream rib is lower than the peak of the upstream rib (outside the passage)) (see Figure 26).

[0067] Each rib 54 of the opening / closing rib 52 protrudes slightly higher toward the inside of the passage near its downstream end. Specifically, it is slightly higher so as to fit along the outer periphery of the head 16a (or neck 16b or constricted portion 16d) of the captured conveying auxiliary body 16 (see FIG. 27). This not only maintains the correct posture of the captured conveying auxiliary body 16, but also narrows the gap between the left and right ribs 54 in the closed state as they approach the downstream end, so that banknotes 6 arriving at the separation section 50 are guided between the left and right contact portions 64, allowing the banknotes 6 to proceed smoothly into the collection passage 111 (see FIGS. 26 and 27).

[0068] 27, when the opening / closing rib 52 of the separation section 50 is closed, the abutment claws 66 of the abutment section 64 receive and capture the transport auxiliary body 16. The joint between the rib 54 of the opening / closing rib 52 and the rib 61 in the upstream area of ​​the separation section passage 56a is a forward step from the rib 61 toward the rib 54, so that when the captured transport auxiliary body 16 is viewed in the direction returning to the upstream area of ​​the separation section passage 56a, it is a reverse step. Therefore, the transport auxiliary body 16 captured by the abutment section 64 can be maintained in a stable posture in the captured position.

[0069] 19, 22, 25, etc., a drop passage 71 is located directly below the captured transport auxiliary body 16. When the opening / closing rib 52 is opened, the bottom of the downstream area of ​​the separation section passage 56a is opened, and the transport auxiliary body 16 falls into the drop passage 71.

[0070] In this way, the opening / closing rib 52 is normally in a closed state, and is displaced to an open state when the captured transport auxiliary body 16 is dropped, so the opening / closing rib 52 is in a closed state when the banknote 6 passes through the separation unit 50. Therefore, when the banknote 6 passes through, the entire path from the end of the transport tube 12 through the separation unit passage 56a of the separation unit 50 to the collection passage 111 of the collection unit 110 is in a state where the ribs are connected, just like inside the transport tube 12, and the posture of the banknote 6 can be maintained by the ribs, making it possible to prevent the banknote 6 from getting jammed.

[0071] For example, even if the opening / closing rib 52 does not have the rib 54 and only the bottom plate 55 is configured to open and close, it is possible to receive and capture the transport auxiliary body 16 arriving from upstream with the abutment portion 64, and then open the bottom plate 55 at the appropriate time to drop the transport auxiliary body 16 through the drop passage 71 to the delivery section 70. However, since there is no rib in the downstream area of ​​the separation section passage 56a even when the bottom plate 55 is closed, the posture of the banknotes 6 passing through this passage becomes unstable, making it more likely for the banknotes 6 to become jammed. Furthermore, it becomes difficult to maintain the correct posture of the captured transport auxiliary body 16. When the bottom plate 55 is opened, the transport auxiliary body 16 may not fall properly because it does not enter the drop passage 71 properly, or the falling posture may become distorted, hindering the movement of the transport auxiliary body 16 to the delivery section 70.

[0072] In the separation unit 50 according to this embodiment, when the opening / closing rib 52 is closed, the entire path from the end of the conveying tube 12 to the collection passage 111 of the collection unit 110 has ribs equivalent to those inside the conveying tube 12, so that the ribs can maintain the posture of the banknotes 6 and prevent jamming of the banknotes 6. Furthermore, when the opening / closing rib 52 is closed, the conveying auxiliary body 16 can be held in an appropriate posture, so that when the opening / closing rib 52 is opened, the conveying auxiliary body 16 can be dropped appropriately and moved to the sending unit 70.

[0073] The separation unit 50 has a sensor 68a that detects whether the transport auxiliary body 16 is present at a position captured by the contact portion 64, located on the upper surface of the separation unit passage 56a and directly above the falling passage 71 (see FIGS. 18 and 19). In addition, a sensor 68b that detects the passage of banknotes 6 is provided on the side surface of the upstream area of ​​the separation unit passage 56a (see FIG. 13). If the sensor 68b detects a banknote 6 and then changes to non-detection after a predetermined time required for the banknote 6 to pass, the control unit 43 determines that the banknote 6 has passed normally, and if the detection state continues for a certain period of time or more, determines that the banknote 6 is jammed at the sensor 68b. The separation unit 50 has an opening / closing sensor 68c that detects whether the opening / closing rib 52 is open or closed (see FIG. 13).

[0074] Next, the delivery section 70 will be described with reference to Figures 18 to 22 and Figures 28 to 35. The delivery section 70 has a cylindrical delivery passage 73 with a vertically elongated rectangular cross section. The downstream end of the delivery passage 73 is a conveying pipe connection port 72, to which the starting end of the conveying pipe 12 is connected. The upstream end of the delivery passage 73 is an air flow intake port 73a from the air flow generating device 130, to which the air duct from the air flow generating device 130 is connected. A fall passage 71 is provided on the upper surface near the upstream end of the delivery passage 73. The fall passage 71 communicates with the interior of the delivery passage 73. A position directly below the fall passage 71 is a standby position where the conveying auxiliary body 16 that has fallen through the fall passage 71 waits in preparation for the next delivery.

[0075] The delivery section 70 includes a check valve 75 as a cover member that opens and closes the opening at the lower end of the drop passage 71, a pair of left and right guide rollers 76 for correcting the posture of the conveying auxiliary body 16, posture guide members 77 (a-c) for stably maintaining the posture of the conveying auxiliary body 16 in the standby position, and ribs 78 (a-c).

[0076] Figures 28 and 29 are perspective views showing one side wall of the delivery passage 73 and the check valve 75, with Figure 28 showing the check valve 75 in a hanging position and Figure 29 showing the check valve 75 in a closed position.

[0077] Figure 30 shows the state in which the transport auxiliary body 16 is falling from the separation section 50 through the falling passage 71 into the delivery section 70, and Figure 32 shows the state in which the transport auxiliary body 16 is at a standby position in the delivery section 70. Figures 33 to 35 show in chronological order how the transport auxiliary body 16 is delivered from the standby position toward the beginning of the transport tube 12.

[0078] The check valve 75 is a plate-like member that is pivotally supported at its upper end by a shaft 75c (see Figures 28 and 29) in the width direction of the delivery passage 73, at a position adjacent to the upstream side (upstream side in terms of the flow of air flow during delivery) of the opening at the lower end of the fall passage 71, and when it is hanging down, it is in a position (hanging position) where it blocks the intake port for the air flow from the air flow generating device 130, and when the air flow generating device 130 generates an air flow, it rotates downstream due to the action of the air flow and closes the opening at the lower end of the fall passage 71. The rotation range of the check valve 75 ranges from the hanging position (see Figure 28) where it abuts against the intake port to a closing position (see Figure 29) where it closes the opening at the lower end of the fall passage 71.

[0079] A weight may be attached to the check valve 75 so that it quickly returns to the hanging position when the air flow generating device 130 stops, and does not interfere with the fall of the conveyance aid 16. The weight may be attached to the tip of the check valve 75.

[0080] The check valve 75 in the hanging position functions as one of the side walls (upstream side wall) that regulates the position of the transport auxiliary body 16 so that the transport auxiliary body 16 that has fallen through the falling passage 71 is stably held in an appropriate posture at the standby position (see Figures 30 and 32). In this function, the weight described above plays a role in stabilizing the check valve 75 in the hanging position (position that serves as a wall for regulating position) when the air flow is stopped.

[0081] 28 and 29, the check valve 75 has a lid 75a that closes the opening at the lower end of the drop passage 71, and an extension 75b that extends from the lid 75a. In this embodiment, the length of the extension 75b of the check valve 75 is such that, when the check valve 75 is in a hanging position in front of the air flow inlet, the tip of the extension 75b reaches approximately the center of the large diameter portion 16c on the lower side of the conveying auxiliary body 16 that is waiting in the waiting position (see FIG. 32).

[0082] The extension 75b has a length and shape suitable for pushing the conveying auxiliary body 16, which is in the standby position, in the delivery direction with the tip of the extension 75b when the check valve 75 is rotated by the action of airflow from a hanging position to a blocking position where it blocks the opening at the lower end of the drop passage 71. Figure 33 shows how the conveying auxiliary body 16 is pushed out by the tip of the check valve 75 at the start of delivery. When pushing out the conveying auxiliary body 16, the position where the tip of the extension 75b first comes into contact with the conveying auxiliary body 16 is preferably at least below the center of the conveying auxiliary body 16 in the axial direction.

[0083] The guide roller 76 is a circular rotating body that rotates on an axis that is perpendicular to the plane including the outgoing direction and falling direction of the transport auxiliary body 16, and is supported on the axis at a position downstream of the outgoing direction of the outlet of the falling passage, where it contacts the transport auxiliary body 16 from the side as it falls from the outlet, and where it contacts the transport auxiliary body 16 from above as it is being sent out into the transport pipe, thereby regulating the posture of the transport auxiliary body 16 as it falls and is being sent out.

[0084] Specifically, as shown in Fig. 28, the guide rollers 76 are circular plate-shaped members several millimeters thick, and are rotatably supported on a rotating shaft 76a that is erected vertically on the side wall of the delivery passage 73. As shown in Fig. 31, the pair of left and right guide rollers 76 are journaled at positions where they abut from downstream in the delivery direction on the sides of the outer circumferential surface of the large-diameter portion 16c of the transport auxiliary body 16 falling through the fall passage 71, and at positions where the lowest points of the guide rollers 76 contact from above the upper surface of the upper large-diameter portion 16c of the transport auxiliary body 16 that is delivered from the standby position toward the transport pipe 12, as shown in Fig. 33. In this way, the guide rollers 76 function to regulate the posture and fall position of the transport auxiliary body 16 falling through the fall passage 71, and to correct the posture of the transport auxiliary body 16 when it is delivered from the standby position.

[0085] A posture guide member 77 for stably maintaining the posture of the transport auxiliary body 16 in the standby position is attached to the side wall of the delivery passage 73 (see Figure 29). The posture guide member 77a abuts against the outer periphery of the large diameter portion 16c of the transport auxiliary body 16 in the standby position to regulate the posture. The posture guide member 77b abuts against the underside of the lower large diameter portion 16c of the transport auxiliary body 16 from below to regulate the posture. The posture guide member 77c abuts against the outer periphery of the lower head portion 16a of the transport auxiliary body 16 to regulate the posture.

[0086] The ribs 78 correspond to the ribs 34, 35 (see Figures 5 and 7) of the conveying pipe 12. As shown in Figure 32, the lowest rib 78c starts near the conveying auxiliary body 16 in the standby position (at the position where it connects to the posture guide member 77b) and extends to the downstream end of the delivery passage 73. At the start of the rib 78c, the upper surface is inclined downward toward the tip, and at the joint with the posture guide member 77b, a step is formed where the upper surface of the start of the rib 78c is lower than the upper surface of the posture guide member 77b.

[0087] The starting end of rib 78b is set immediately below the rotation axis of guide roller 76. The starting end of rib 78a is set slightly downstream of rib 78b, at a position immediately before it comes into contact with the circumferential surface of guide roller 76 from the upstream side.

[0088] A sensor 79 is provided on the wall surface of the delivery passage 73 to detect whether or not the transport auxiliary body 16 is present at the standby position (see FIG. 18).

[0089] The paper sheet conveying device 10 is initially in the state shown in Figure 21, in which the separation section 50 with the opening / closing rib 52 closed is capturing the conveying auxiliary body 16, and operates as follows when recovering banknotes 6 discharged from the intake device 13 into the conveying tube 12.

[0090] In the initial state, the airflow generating device 130 is stopped, and the transport auxiliary body 16 is waiting while being captured by the separation section 50. First, when the intake device 13 detects a banknote 6 discharged from the back of the gaming medium lending machine 3, it takes in the banknote 6 and inserts it into the transport tube 12. The control section 43 periodically monitors the status of each intake device 13 by polling, and when it recognizes that a banknote 6 has been taken in, it changes the opening / closing rib 52 of the separation section 50 from the closed state to the open state, and drops the transport auxiliary body 16 through the drop passage 71 to the delivery section 70.

[0091] 30 and 31, when the conveying auxiliary body 16 comes out from the lower end of the drop passage 71, its position is restricted from three directions by the left and right side walls of the delivery passage 73 (and the posture guide members 77 provided on the side walls) and the check valve 75 in the hanging position, and its position is restricted in the remaining one of the four directions by the guide roller 76, so that it falls into the delivery section 70 while maintaining a proper posture (a nearly vertical posture without tilting beyond a certain level). Because the guide roller 76 is a rotating body, even if the conveying auxiliary body 16 comes into contact with it while falling, it rotates together with the conveying auxiliary body 16 and lets the conveying auxiliary body 16 escape downward, preventing the conveying auxiliary body 16 from getting caught on the guide roller 76.

[0092] When the control unit 43 recognizes through detection by the sensor 79 that the conveying auxiliary body 16 has moved normally to the delivery unit 70, it closes the opening / closing rib 52 and then activates the airflow generating device 130 to generate an airflow. Then, in response to the airflow sent in from the intake port, the check valve 75 of the delivery unit 70 begins to rotate toward the closed position. The conveying auxiliary body 16, which is in the standby position, begins to move toward the beginning of the conveying pipe 12 due to the action of the airflow flowing in from the intake port and being pushed by the tip of the extension part 75b of the check valve 75 that has begun to rotate (see Figure 33).

[0093] At this time, the position of the transport auxiliary body 16 is restricted by the ribs 78c provided on the side walls of the delivery passage 73 and the guide rollers 76, and the transport auxiliary body 16 begins to move without tilting forward or backward more than a certain amount. For example, if the transport auxiliary body 16 attempts to float up while proceeding downstream, the upper surface of the large diameter portion 16c on the upper side of the transport auxiliary body 16 comes into contact with the guide rollers 76, restricting its position. When the transport auxiliary body 16 comes into contact with the guide rollers 76, the guide rollers 76 rotate to move the transport auxiliary body 16 forward, so that the transport auxiliary body 16 can be smoothly delivered without getting caught while correcting its position.

[0094] 34, the conveying auxiliary body 16 is then guided by the ribs 78a to 78c and enters the conveying pipe 12 in the correct posture. The check valve 75 is acted upon by the air flow to move to a closing position where it closes the opening at the lower end of the drop passage 71 (FIG. 35), and remains in the closing position while the air flow continues, preventing the air flow from flowing back through the drop passage 71 to the separation section 50.

[0095] The transport auxiliary body 16 sent from the delivery unit 70 transports banknotes 6 while pushing them from behind and reaching the separation unit 50. Because the opening / closing rib 52 of the separation unit 50 is closed, the transported banknotes 6 are guided by the rib 61 in the separation unit passage 56a, the rib 54 of the opening / closing rib 52, and the abutment claw 66, passing through the separation unit passage 56a in the correct posture, and then passing between the left and right abutment portions 64 to enter the recovery passage 111 of the recovery unit 110, where they come into contact with the end of the recovery passage 111 and stop (see FIG. 27 ). When the sensor 68a detects that the transport auxiliary body 16 has come into contact with the abutment claw 66 of the abutment portion 64 of the separation unit 50 and stopped, the control unit 43 stops the airflow generating device 130. Thereafter, the banknotes 6 in the recovery passage 111 are stored in the storage unit 90, and the system returns to the initial state.

[0096] By performing the above operation every time a banknote 6 is collected, one transport auxiliary body 16 is used cyclically. Note that, on the condition that no banknotes 6 have been taken into the take-in device 13 (no banknotes 6 have been taken into the transport tube 12), the transport auxiliary body 16 waiting in the separation section 50 may be moved to the output section 70, and then the air flow generating device 130 may be operated to execute an air flow generating device operation check mode to confirm that the transport auxiliary body 16 has returned to the separation section 50. The air flow generating device operation check mode may be executed when the paper sheet transport device 10 is started up, or may be executed at regular intervals (for example, every 30 minutes), or may be executed as a check operation after an error such as a jam has been cleared.

[0097] Furthermore, the air flow generating device 130 may be operated while the transport auxiliary body 16 is waiting in the separation section 50, and it may be confirmed whether a signal indicating that the air flow generating device 130 has operated normally has been output. In this way, it is possible to prevent a situation in which the air flow generating device 130 does not operate and the transport auxiliary body 16 is unable to collect the banknotes even though the banknotes have been taken into the take-in device 13 and the transport auxiliary body 16 has fallen from the separation section 50.

[0098] In the separation section 50, the conveying auxiliary body 16 has a forward step in the direction of entry into the separation section passage 56a, and therefore has a reverse step in the direction in which the captured conveying auxiliary body 16 tilts or moves toward the end of the conveying path, allowing the conveying auxiliary body 16 to be held in a stable position at the captured position. On the other hand, in the delivery section 70, which delivers the conveying auxiliary body 16 that has fallen from the drop passage 71 to the beginning of the conveying tube 12, the delivery section 70 has a forward step in the delivery direction so that the conveying auxiliary body 16 can be delivered smoothly without getting caught. Guide rollers 76 and the like are also provided. Therefore, the separation section 50 is more suitable than the delivery section 70 for maintaining the conveying auxiliary body 16 in a stable position for a long period of time.

[0099] In the paper sheet transport device 10 according to this embodiment, the transport auxiliary body 16 is kept waiting in the separation section 50, and when transporting the next paper sheet, the transport auxiliary body 16 waiting in the separation section 50 is moved to the delivery section 70 and then an air flow is generated, so that the transport auxiliary body 16 can be held in a stable position in the separation section 50 until just before the next delivery. In addition, since the air flow is generated after the transport auxiliary body 16 has fallen from the separation section 50 to the delivery section 70 through the fall passage 71, the fall is not impeded.

[0100] Furthermore, it is also possible to send only an air flow into the transport pipe 12 while the transport auxiliary body 16 is still captured in the separation section 50, which can be used to resolve some obstacles, etc. For example, if the transport auxiliary body 16 is held in the separation section 50, even if its posture becomes disturbed while being held, by generating an air flow for a short time before it falls, the transport auxiliary body 16 can be returned to the correct captured position and then dropped.

[0101] Furthermore, when the transport auxiliary body 16 is first set in the separation section 50, the posture of the transport auxiliary body 16 can be corrected to the normal posture by blowing an air flow from the air flow generating device 130 for a short time (for example, about 10 seconds).

[0102] Next, the storage section 90 and the collection section 110 will be described.

[0103] As shown in Figures 24 and 36, the collection unit 110 and the storage unit 90 are integrated into a safe unit 150. Figure 36 is a perspective view showing the entrance of the collection passage 111 as seen from the separation unit 50 side. The collection unit 110 is equipped with a collection passage 111 that receives and stops banknotes 6 that have passed through the separation unit 50 (see Figure 27). The collection passage 111 is a hollow passage with a vertically long rectangular cross section. The collection passage 111 receives banknotes 6 in a horizontally long position with the paper face upright. The passage length is slightly longer than the long side of the banknotes 6, and its end is an outlet 112 for the air flow that flows in from the separation unit 50. The outlet 112 is provided with an abutting member 113 that comes into contact with the banknotes 6 arriving from the separation unit 50 and stops them in the collection passage 111.

[0104] As shown in FIG. 16, one end of a connecting duct 140 is connected to the exhaust port 112 at the end of the recovery passage 111, and the other end of the connecting duct 140 is connected to the air intake port of the airflow generating device 130. In this example, the abutting member 113 is provided on the side of the connecting duct 140 that is connected to the exhaust port 112 (see FIG. 41). More specifically, the end of the connecting duct 140 that is connected to the end of the recovery passage 111 is an end plate 142 that has an airflow suction port 141. The connection duct 140 is connected to the recovery passage 111 by aligning the positions of the suction port 141 and the exhaust port 112 and by bringing the end plate 142 into contact with the end of the recovery passage 111. The abutting member 113 is provided on the end plate 142 so as to cross the suction port 141.

[0105] The abutment member 113 provided on the end plate 142 is provided so as to cross the discharge port 112 at the end of the recovery passage 111 in the passage width direction at a position approximately in the center of the height direction of the recovery passage 111 when the connection duct 140 is connected to the recovery passage 111. Here, two abutment members 113 are provided at a predetermined interval in the height direction of the recovery passage 111.

[0106] 27 and 41, the surface (contact surface) of the abutting member 113 against which the banknote 6 abuts has multiple protrusions provided at intervals in a direction across the paper surface of the paper sheet (a direction across the paper surface vertically or diagonally). Specifically, protrusions and recesses are provided in a wavy pattern with the passage width direction as the wavelength direction. When a banknote 6 entering the collection passage 111 from the separation unit 50 abuts against the abutting member 113, the leading edge of the banknote 6 fits into one of the recesses, thereby preventing the leading edge of the banknote 6 from sliding in the passage width direction upon impact and stabilizing the stopping position of the banknote 6.

[0107] The height of the protrusions should be sufficient to catch the leading edge of a banknote, and is 0.5 mm to 1 mm, preferably 1 mm. The spacing between protrusions should be 3 mm to 5 mm, preferably 4 mm, and the width of the protrusions should be as small as possible while still ensuring strength. However, the height, spacing, and width of the protrusions are not limited to these. Furthermore, the direction in which the multiple protrusions cross the discharge outlet 112 at the end of the recovery passage 111 is not limited to directly across, but may be diagonal or zigzag, as long as they are arranged at intervals in the passage width direction.

[0108] One side wall of the recovery passage 111 (first side wall 115) forms the boundary with the storage section 90 and is composed of an upper first side wall 115a and a lower first side wall 115b which are separated into upper and lower parts, and between these is an opening 115c for pushing banknotes 6 in the recovery passage 111 into the storage section 90 (see Figures 37, 40, and 44). Figure 37 is a perspective view showing a storage assembly 152 in which the storage section 90 and the first side wall 115 of the recovery passage 111 are integrated.

[0109] Figure 38 is a perspective view showing the pressing assembly 151, and Figure 39 is a partially exploded perspective view of the pressing assembly 151. The other side wall (second side wall 117) of the recovery passage 111 includes a movable wall 117a that is displaceable so as to be able to advance into the storage section 90 through the opening 115c, a fixed, rod-shaped upper second side wall 117b with a rectangular cross section that constitutes the second side wall 117 above the movable wall 117a, and a fixed, rod-shaped lower second side wall 117c with a rectangular cross section that constitutes the second side wall 117 below the movable wall 117a (see Figures 38, 39, and 44).

[0110] FIG. 59 shows the front and DD cross section of the movable wall 117a. The movable wall 117a is configured by providing multiple ribs 118b on a base plate 118a parallel to the first side wall 115. The ribs 118b are provided vertically from the base plate 118a toward the inside of the recovery passage 111 and extend long in the passage length direction of the recovery passage 111 (over the entire length of the second side wall 117). The multiple ribs 118b are provided parallel to each other at intervals in the passage height direction, forming grooves between them. The height of the ribs 118b from the base plate 118a is zero at the start end on the entrance side of the recovery passage 111, and the height gradually increases from the start end toward the end end within a predetermined range (near the entrance of the recovery passage 111, for example, within about 5 cm from the entrance), and then extends to the end end at a constant height. The portion where the height gradually increases is called the increased height region.

[0111] The height of rib 118b (the height of the part that extends to the end at a constant height) is about 10 mm, the thickness is about 2 mm, and the groove width is about 10 mm. The height of rib 118b is preferably 9 mm to 10 mm, the thickness of rib 118b is preferably 1.5 mm to 2 mm, and the groove width is preferably 5 mm to 6 mm.

[0112] The groove between the ribs 118b near the entrance of the collection passage 111 is provided with a sloped surface 119 that deflects the airflow flowing in from the separation unit 50 toward the paper surface of the bills in the passage. When the airflow from the separation unit 50 strikes the sloped surface 119, it deflects from a downstream flow along the paper surface to a diagonal downstream flow toward the paper surface. The cross-sectional view of Figure 59 also includes an illustration of the airflow and the bills. Here, the sloped surface 119 is located between the ribs 118b in the height-increasing region and prevents the airflow from extending beyond the peaks of the ribs 118b into the passage. In this embodiment, the sloped surface 119 is located in approximately one-quarter of the end of the height-increasing region of the rib 118b, and is inclined at an angle that starts at zero and reaches the same height as the peaks of the ribs 118b near the end of the height-increasing region.

[0113] The number, position, range, and inclination angle of the inclined surface portions 119 are not limited to those described above and may be any suitable arrangement as long as they have the effect of bending the path of the airflow flowing into the recovery passage 111 so that the airflow is directed toward the paper surface of the banknotes in the recovery passage. For example, the inclined surface portions 119 may be provided in any range within the height-increasing region. The inclined surface portions 119 may begin at the beginning of the recovery passage 111, as with the ribs 118b, or may be located downstream. Furthermore, the end of the inclined surface portions 119 is not limited to the end of the height-increasing region, but may end closer to the beginning. Furthermore, the inclined surface portions 119 may be curved or flat. Figure 60(a) illustrates an inclined surface portion 119 with a gentler slope than that of Figure 59.

[0114] The sloped surface 119 may be provided downstream of the height-increasing region, or may be provided from the height-increasing region downstream thereof. The sloped surface 119 is not limited to being provided near the entrance of the recovery passage 111, but may be provided downstream of this entrance of the recovery passage 111, or another sloped surface 119b may be additionally provided downstream of the sloped surface 119 provided near the entrance of the recovery passage 111, as shown in Figure 60(b).

[0115] 60(c), the rib 118b and the sloped surface 119 may be integrated, for example, so that the entire height-increasing region is the sloped surface 119. The sloped surface 119 may be provided on the first side wall 115 side near the entrance of the recovery passage 111, or may be provided on both side walls.

[0116] The sloped portion 119 has the effect of guiding the banknotes 6 to the end of the recovery passage 111. If the sloped portion 119 is not provided, the banknotes 6 that have entered the recovery passage 111 from the separation unit 50 may not reach the end of the recovery passage 111, and if the movable wall 117a is advanced in this state to store the banknotes 6 in the storage unit 90, the rear ends of the banknotes 6 will not properly enter the opening 115c and will be folded, which will be a problem.

[0117] That is, when the transport auxiliary body 16 is captured by the separation section 50, the banknotes 6 are no longer pushed by the transport auxiliary body 16, and must instead receive the force of the airflow directly to move downstream. However, because the airflow is flowing parallel to the paper surface of the banknotes 6, they are less likely to be subjected to the force of the airflow.

[0118] In particular, when the transport auxiliary body 16 is captured in the separation section 50, the transport auxiliary body 16 obstructs the flow of air, weakening the air flow in the recovery passage 111 downstream of the separation section 50 and making it more likely that the above-mentioned obstructions will occur.

[0119] By providing the sloped surface 119, the path of the airflow flowing in from the separation unit 50 side is bent from a direction flowing parallel to the paper surface of the banknote to a direction toward the paper surface (diagonally downstream direction), so that the diagonally downstream airflow hits the paper surface of the banknote 6 and moves the banknote 6 downstream. This movement is a few centimeters until the leading edge of the banknote 6 reaches the abutting member 113 at the end of the recovery passage 111, and it is sufficient to move the banknote 6 forward little by little. The sloped surface 119 is provided at a position where the banknote 6 can be moved downstream until the leading edge of the banknote reaches the abutting member 113. Specifically, it is preferable to provide the sloped surface 119 so that the rear end of the banknote whose leading edge has reached the abutting member 113 is upstream of the end of the sloped surface 119 (the end on the abutting member 113 side).

[0120] A sensor may be provided to directly confirm that the leading edge of the banknote 6 has reached the abutment member 113 at the end of the recovery passage 111, but it may also be possible to estimate that the leading edge of the banknote 6 has reached the abutment member 113 at the end of the recovery passage 111 by waiting for a predetermined time to elapse after the sensor detects that the transport auxiliary body 16 has reached the separation unit 50. In the embodiment, control is performed so that the operation of storing the banknote from the recovery passage 111 into the storage unit 90 begins 2 to 3 seconds after the sensor 68c detects that the transport auxiliary body 16 has reached the separation unit 50.

[0121] 59, if a slope 119 with a slope greater than the slope of the ribs 118b is provided in the groove between the ribs 118b in the height-increasing region, even if the banknote 6 sticks to the top of the rib 118b, an air flow will flow in the groove between the ribs 118b, and the air flow will change direction at the slope 119 and hit the paper surface of the banknote 6. Therefore, the slope with the above configuration can more appropriately ensure the conveying force of the air flow compared to a slope with a configuration (without a groove) as shown in FIG. 60(c) in which the ribs 118b and the slope 119 are integrated.

[0122] Furthermore, even in the area downstream of the height increase region, the grooves formed between the multiple ribs 118b ensure an airflow path on the movable wall 117a side of the paper surface of the banknotes 6 in the recovery passage 111 (an airflow path is ensured even if the banknotes stick to the ribs 118b), so that air flows on both sides of the paper surface of the banknotes 6, allowing the banknotes 6 to be smoothly guided to the end of the recovery passage 111. Furthermore, providing the ribs 118b reduces the contact area between the movable wall 117a and the banknotes 6, reducing resistance and making it easier to bring the banknotes 6 to the end of the recovery passage 111.

[0123] The rib 118b and the sloped surface 119 are not limited to the movable wall 117a as long as they are provided on a wall surface facing the paper surface of the paper sheets in the recovery passage 111. For example, they may be formed on a fixed wall surface instead of a movable wall surface like the movable wall 117a.

[0124] Furthermore, the collection section 110 has a displacement mechanism 120 that displaces the movable wall 117a. The displacement mechanism 120 is composed of a motor and a link that converts the rotation of the motor into a linear reciprocating motion that moves the movable wall 117a forward and backward. The movable wall 117a moves forward and backward in the passage width direction of the collection passage 111, thereby displacing between a stored position shown in FIGS. 38 and 43 and a pushed-in position (see FIG. 44(c)) where it has advanced into the storage section 90 through the opening 115c.

[0125] The height-wise length of the movable wall 117a in the recovery passage 111 is slightly shorter than the height-wise length of the opening 115c in the recovery passage 111, and the center position of the movable wall 117a in the recovery passage height direction coincides with the center position of the opening 115c in the recovery passage height direction.

[0126] The pressing assembly 151 shown in Fig. 38 is an assembly in which the second side wall 117 of the recovery passage 111 of the recovery section 110 and the displacement mechanism section 120 are integrated together, and Fig. 39 is a perspective view showing the movable wall 117a separated from the upper second side wall 117b and the lower second side wall 117c of the second side wall 117 compared to Fig. 38. Fig. 40 shows a portion (guide member 157) of the recovery passage 111 that is attached to the storage section 90 side. The guide member 157 is a member that forms the first side walls 115a, 115b and the upper and lower wall portions 126, 127 of the recovery passage 111.

[0127] Of the second side walls 117, the upper second side wall 117b and the lower second side wall 117c, which are shaped like a rectangular rod in cross section, extend beyond the abutting member 113 and into the suction port 141 provided in the end plate 142 of the connection duct 140, as shown in Figures 16, 27, and 41. This prevents the leading end of a banknote 6 from getting in between the end of the recovery passage 111 and the end plate 142 of the connection duct 140. Figure 41 is a perspective view showing the connection duct 140, with the upper second side wall 117b and the lower second side wall 117c also indicated.

[0128] Even if manufacturing precision is improved, a gap will inevitably occur between the end of the recovery passage 111 and the end plate 142 on the connecting duct 140 side. For this reason, if the abutting member 113 is not provided with any unevenness and the upper second side wall 117b and the lower second side wall 117c are terminated at or just before the end of the recovery passage 111 as shown in Figure 42, when a banknote 6 collides with the abutting member 113, the leading edge of the banknote 6 may slide over the abutting surface of the abutting member 113 which has no unevenness, enter into the gap between the end of the recovery passage 111 and the end plate 142 of the connecting duct 140, and be caught therein.

[0129] In the separation, recovery, and delivery device 40 of this embodiment, the unevenness of the abutting member 113 prevents the leading edge of the banknote 6 from sliding sideways on the abutment surface, and the upper second side wall 117b and the lower second side wall 117c are extended beyond the abutting member 113 into the suction port 141 of the connecting duct 140, so that the leading edge of the banknote 6 abutting on the abutment surface of the abutting member 113 is blocked by the upper second side wall 117b and the lower second side wall 117c and does not enter the gap between the end of the recovery passage 111 and the end plate 142 of the connecting duct 140 and become pinched.

[0130] As shown in FIG. 27, the starting end (the end on the separation unit 50 side) of the second side wall 117 (117a to 117c) of the recovery passage 111 is located outside the passage width direction of the banknote 6 passing area formed between the pair of left and right abutment claws 66 of the separation unit 50, and the connection to the adjacent abutment claw 66 on the upstream side is stepped in the passage width direction. The second side wall 117 is inclined in a direction approaching the first side wall 115 within a predetermined range of the starting end, and when the wall surface approaches the center of the passage width (the center position in the passage width direction of the passing area between the pair of left and right abutment claws 66), it then becomes parallel to the passage length direction and extends to the end. In other words, the second side wall 117 narrows the effective passage width of the recovery passage 111 to approximately half that of the first side wall 115 side, thereby suppressing the banknote 6 from tilting in its vertical position.

[0131] The starting ends (ends on the separation unit 50 side) of the upper first side wall 115a and the lower first side wall 115b constituting the first side wall 115 are located outside the passageway width direction of the banknote 6 passing area formed between the pair of left and right abutment claws 66, and the connection with the adjacent abutment claw 66 on the upstream side forms a step in the passageway width direction. The first side wall 115 is inclined toward the second side wall 117 within a small range of the starting end, and then approaches a position closer to the center until the wall surface is slightly outside the passageway width direction, after which it becomes parallel to the passageway length direction and extends to its end. The position of the wall surface of the first side wall 115 in the passageway width direction in the portion parallel to the passageway length direction is aligned with the tip of the rib 61 formed on the side wall 57 of the separation unit passage 56a on the same side as the first side wall 115. Like the second side wall 117, the first side wall 115 narrows the effective passageway width of the collection passage 111 to prevent the banknote 6 from tilting vertically.

[0132] As shown in Figures 17 and 37, The storage unit 90 has a hollow rectangular parallelepiped shape for storing banknotes 6, and has a door 91 on the front that opens and closes. The storage unit 90 and the collection passage 111 are adjacent to each other and integrated via a first side wall 115 of the collection passage 111 (one side wall of the collection passage facing one side of the stopped paper sheets). The side of the storage unit 90 facing the collection passage 111 is open, and the boundary between the storage unit 90 and the collection passage 111 is the first side wall 115 on the collection passage 111 side, and the storage unit 90 and the collection passage 111 communicate with each other via an opening 115c in the first side wall 115.

[0133] Figure 43 is a schematic diagram showing a cross section of the collection passage 111 and the storage unit 90 at a position corresponding to line CC in Figure 13. Inside the storage unit 90, there are provided a pressing plate 92 for pressing the side of the banknote 6 to be stored toward the first side wall 115 of the collection passage 111, and a spring 94 for urging the pressing plate 92 toward the first side wall 115 of the collection passage 111.

[0134] A rubber plate 96 is attached to the surface of the first side wall 115 (upper first side wall 115a, lower first side wall 115b) of the recovery passage 111 facing the storage section 90. The pressing plate 92 has a base 92a pressed by a spring 94, an upper pressing portion 92b extending diagonally upward and forward from the upper part of the base 92a (front: toward the recovery passage 111) and having its tip abutting with a surface against the rubber plate 96 of the upper first side wall 115a, and a lower pressing portion 92c extending diagonally downward and forward from the lower part of the base 92a and having its tip abutting with a surface against the rubber plate 96 of the lower first side wall 115b. The other end of the spring 94 is attached to the side wall of the storage section 90. As shown in FIG. 37, U-shaped notches 92d are provided on both ends of the base 92a of the pressing plate 92 in the passage length direction of the recovery passage.

[0135] 44 and 45 are explanatory diagrams showing an outline of the operation when banknotes 6 stopped in the collection passage 111 of the collection unit 110 are stored in the storage unit 90. Similar to FIG. 43, FIGS. 44 and 45 show an outline of a cross section of the collection passage 111 and the storage unit 90 at a position corresponding to line CC in FIG.

[0136] Fig. 44(a) shows a state in which several banknotes 6 have been stored in the storage unit 90 and the next banknote 6 to be stored has arrived at the collection passage 111. When the banknotes 6 in the collection passage 111 are stored in the storage unit 90, the movable wall 117a advances into the storage unit 90, and when it reaches the push-in position shown in Fig. 44(c), it starts to retreat and returns to the storage position shown in Fig. 45(a), completing the series of operations.

[0137] As shown in Fig. 44(b), when the banknote 6 is pushed by the movable wall 117a and passes through the opening 115c of the first side wall 115, the upper and lower ends of the banknote 6 come into contact with the upper first side wall 115a and the lower first side wall 115b, causing the banknote 6 to curve, and when the banknote 6 has passed through, the curve returns to its original state and becomes flat (Fig. 44(c)). After that, when the movable wall 117a moves back from the pushing position toward the storage position, the pressing plate 92 pressed by the spring 94 moves integrally with the movable wall 117a toward the collection passage 111 while sandwiching the banknote 6 between itself and the movable wall 117a.

[0138] As shown in Figure 45(a), the movable wall 117a passes through the opening 115c and returns to the storage position, and the bill 6, which has now returned to its flat state and has restored its curve, has its upper and lower ends abutting against the rubber plate 96 on the upper first side wall 115a and the rubber plate 96 on the lower first side wall 115b, and is clamped between the first side wall 115 (115a, 115b) and the pressure plate 92.

[0139] When an operator removes the banknotes 6 stored in this manner from the storage unit 90, the operator opens the door 91 of the storage unit 90 and uses the notch 92d provided in the pressure plate 92 to pinch the banknote 6 with his / her fingers and remove it. Note that, if one or more banknotes 6 are stored, as shown in Figures 44(a) and 45(a), the opening 115c of the first side wall 115 of the recovery passage 111 is blocked by the banknote 6 sandwiched between the pressure plate 92 and the rubber plate 96. Therefore, even if the pressure plate 92 has the notch 92d, the airtightness of the boundary between the recovery passage 111 and the storage unit 90 is ensured. Therefore, the suction force when the air flow generating device 130 sucks the air flow from the end of the recovery passage 111 can be maintained high, and the conveyance auxiliary body 16 and the banknotes 6 can be conveyed quickly and stably.

[0140] 45(a), the state in which the movable wall 117a is advanced again to the position shown in FIG. 45(b) may be regarded as the end position of the storing operation. If the state shown in FIG. 45(a) is regarded as the end of the storing operation, when opening the door 91 of the storage unit 90 and attempting to remove the banknotes 6, the fingers (the fingers on the side opposite the notch 92d) will hit the wall member at the boundary between the recovery passage 111 and the storage unit 90, making it difficult to remove the banknotes 6. If the storing operation is ended at the position shown in FIG. 45(b), there is nothing obstructing the fingers removing the banknotes 6, making it easy to remove the banknotes 6.

[0141] As described above, when the air flow is discharged from the discharge outlet 112 at the end of the recovery passage 111, the banknotes 6 that have entered the recovery passage 111 are stopped by abutting them against the abutment member 113, and then the air flow is stopped, thereby recovering the banknotes 6 and separating them from the air flow, so that the banknotes 6 can be separated from the air flow and recovered with a simple configuration.

[0142] Furthermore, by pushing the paper surface of the banknote 6 stopped in the collection passage 111 in the direction of the passage width with the movable wall 117a, the banknote is stored directly from the stopped position into the storage section 90, which simplifies the storage mechanism compared to when banknotes are transported to the safe using a belt conveyor or the like, thereby reducing the risk of malfunctions and banknote jamming.

[0143] As shown in Figure 43, the height of the collection passage 111 is made greater than the height of the banknotes 6 to allow for clearance, and the banknotes 6 stopped in the collection passage 111 are positioned downwards with their lower edges in contact with the bottom surface of the collection passage 111 due to their own weight, so the height center of the collection passage 111 and the height center of the banknotes 6 in the passage are misaligned.

[0144] However, in order for the banknotes 6 to be pushed into the storage unit 90 from the recovery passage 111 through the opening 115c of the first side wall 115, it is desirable that the center position in the height direction of the banknotes 6 coincides with the center position in the height direction of the opening 115c of the first side wall 115. For this reason, the length in the passage height direction of the upper first side wall 115a is made longer than the length in the passage height direction of the lower first side wall 115b.

[0145] The upper pressing portion 92b and the lower pressing portion 92c of the pressing plate 92 are sized and shaped to correspond to the upper first side wall 115a and the lower first side wall 115b on which the rubber plate 96 that they come into contact with is provided.

[0146] Next, the flexibility of installation of the separation, recovery and delivery device 40 will be described.

[0147] As shown in Figure 46, the door 46 of the storage box 41 of the separating, collecting, and sending device 40 can be used as either a right-opening or left-opening door by inverting it upside down relative to the main body of the storage box 41. In either case, a window 46a is provided in a position symmetrical with respect to the center of the door from top to bottom and the center of the door from left to right so that the display unit of the control unit 43 can be seen. The window 46a that is not used is covered with a blind member.

[0148] 47, two separating, collecting, and sending devices 40 may be used side by side, and two storage boxes 41 may be placed adjacent to each other. In this case, the periphery of the door 46 is chamfered to form a sloped surface at an angle of 45 degrees so that the door 46 can be opened up to 90 degrees.

[0149] Furthermore, by changing the orientation and assembly method of some of the components, the main unit 42 of the separation, recovery and delivery device 40 can be used in both a right-hand configuration in which the storage section 90 is arranged on the right side of the recovery section 110 (see Figures 48(a)(b)), and a left-hand configuration in which the storage section 90 is arranged on the left side of the recovery section 110 (see Figure 48(c)).

[0150] The separation, recovery and delivery device 40 consists of a storage box 41 and a main unit 42, which are separate entities and are attached individually to the end panel 18. The main unit 42 can also be changed to a right- or left-handed specification, allowing for a variety of installation methods as shown in Figure 48.

[0151] Figure 48(a) shows a state in which a right-hand specification main unit 42 is attached to the left side of a storage box 41 with a door 46 that opens to the right. Figure 48(b) shows a state in which a right-hand specification main unit 42 is attached to the right side of a storage box 41 with a door 46 that opens to the left. Figure 48(c) shows a state in which a left-hand specification main unit 42 is attached to the right side of a storage box 41 with a door 46 that opens to the left.

[0152] For example, if the separating, recovering and sending device 40 shown in Figure 48(c) is installed adjacent to the left side of the separating, recovering and sending device 40 shown in Figure 48(a), the two conveying pipes 12 connected to these two separating, recovering and sending devices 40 can be installed as close to each other as possible, making it possible to reduce the island width of the gaming machine island 2 configured to have two banknote conveying paths installed side by side.

[0153] The right and left specifications are recombined as follows:

[0154] As shown in Figure 49, the connection duct 140 is formed by combining a lower duct 144, an upper duct 145, upper and lower connection plates 146, and an end plate 142. The lower duct 144 is a duct that extends downward from one end of a rectangular first opening 144a facing upward, then bends 90 degrees to reach a second opening 144b on the other end side that is connected to the air intake port of the airflow generation device 130. The upper duct 145 has a rectangular cross-section with one end closed and the other end open, and one side of the duct is open, and the end plate 142 is fitted into the open side to combine them.

[0155] The upper and lower connecting plate 146 is a plate-like member that is placed over the first opening 144a of the lower duct 144, and has a rectangular cutout portion 146a at one corner that corresponds to the opening at the lower end of the upper duct 145 combined with the terminal plate 142, and the lower end of the combined terminal plate 142 and upper duct 145 are screwed together by aligning the opening at the lower end with the cutout portion 146a.

[0156] The terminal plate 142 is a rectangular plate-like member having a rectangular notch 142a at one corner, which serves as a suction port 141 that communicates with the terminal end of the recovery passage 111, and is provided with an abutment member 113 that protrudes into the notch 142a. The abutment member 113 has unevenness (protrusions) formed on both the front and back surfaces.

[0157] For the right-hand type connecting duct 140, the upper and lower connecting plates 146 are turned over and the positions of the notches 146a are reversed left and right and combined with the lower duct 144, and the end plate 142 is turned over and combined with the upper duct 145 with the positions of the notches 142a reversed left and right, thereby connecting the upper duct 145 side and the lower duct 144 side to form a left-hand type connecting duct 140.

[0158] Figure 50 shows an overview of the process of reassembling the safe unit 150 from a right-hand specification to a left-hand specification. Figure 50(a) shows the assembled state of the right-hand specification safe unit 150, Figure 50(b) shows the disassembled state of the right-hand specification safe unit 150, Figure 50(c) shows the disassembled state of the left-hand specification safe unit 150, and Figure 50(d) shows the assembled state of the left-hand specification safe unit 150.

[0159] <1st process> The safe unit 150 is disassembled into a pressing assembly 151 in which the second side wall 117 of the collection unit 110 and the displacement mechanism unit 120 are integrated, and a storage assembly 152 in which the first side wall 115 side of the collection unit 110 and the storage unit 90 are integrated. In addition, a fullness detection assembly 153 consisting of a sensor that detects whether the storage unit 90 is full of banknotes 6 and its support member, and a lock mechanism assembly 154 for locking the door 91 of the storage unit 90 are removed from the storage assembly 152 (see Figure 50(b)).

[0160] <Second process> (1) Reassembling the pressure assembly 151 from right-hand to left-hand specifications As shown in Figure 51, the second side wall 117 (movable wall 117a, upper second side wall 117b, and lower second side wall 117c) is removed from the pressing assembly 151 (Figure 51(b)), and is then reassembled to the pressing assembly 151 upside down (Figure 51(c)). Also, the clamp 155 that was attached to the mounting position for the right-hand specification is removed and assembled to the mounting position for the left-hand specification.

[0161] (2) Reconfiguring the storage assembly 152 from right-hand to left-hand specifications As shown in FIG. 52, the guide members 157, such as the first side wall 115, attached to the storage section 90 side of the recovery passage 111 are removed, turned upside down, and reassembled.

[0162] 53, the pressure plate 92 of the storage unit 90 is temporarily removed, reassembled from the right-hand specification to the left-hand specification, and then reassembled inside the storage unit 90. Specifically, the detection plate 158 that is the detection target of the fullness detection sensor that was attached in the right-hand specification position and the handle 159 that is used to manually move the pressure plate 92 are temporarily removed from the pressure plate 92, and after these are attached in the left-hand specification position, the pressure plate 92 is reassembled inside the storage unit 90.

[0163] As shown in Figure 54, the full detection assembly 153 is reassembled from the right-hand specification (Figure 54(a)) to the left-hand specification (Figure 54(b)). Specifically, the sensor 153b attached to the support member 153a is temporarily removed, and the sensor 153b is then reassembled to the support member 153a in the left-hand specification position.

[0164] <3rd process> As shown in Figure 50(c), the storage assembly 152 is inverted upside down and left and right relative to the right-hand specification orientation, and a full detection assembly 153 and a locking mechanism assembly 154 modified to the left-hand specification are attached to it, and further a pressing assembly 151 is attached which is inverted left and right relative to the right-hand specification orientation.

[0165] As a result of the above, the left specification is changed as shown in Figure 50(d).

[0166] Next, the airflow augmentation unit 14 will be described.

[0167] 55 is a perspective view showing the airflow augmenting unit 14, FIG. 56 is a top view of the airflow augmenting unit 14, FIG. 57 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. 56, and FIG. 58 is a cross-sectional view taken along line BB in FIG.

[0168] The airflow enhancement unit 14 is provided midway along the straight portion of the conveying pipe 12. The airflow enhancement unit 14 includes a passage section 171 that is connected between the conveying pipes 12 and forms part of the conveying path, and a junction section 172 that stands upright from the top surface of the passage section 171, inclined obliquely upward in the upstream direction (upstream of the conveying direction) and introduces the airflow from the auxiliary blower into the passage section 171. The junction section 172 is connected to the inside of the passage section 171 and includes a junction base section 172a that has a rectangular cross section and extends obliquely upward in the upstream direction from the middle of the passage section 171, and a cylindrical hose connection section 172b that stands upright from the top end of the junction base section 172a, inclined further upward in the upstream direction. An air blowing hose from the auxiliary blower is connected to the hose connection section 172b.

[0169] As shown in Figure 57, a shutter plate 173 that opens and closes to close the internal air passage below the hose connection part 172b is provided inside the junction base part 172a. One end of the shutter plate 173 is rotatably supported on a shaft 174 that is provided upstream of the internal air passage in the conveyance direction of the banknotes 6 in the passage part 171, and is biased by a spring in the direction to close the air passage. The shutter plate 173 opens when airflow generated by the auxiliary blower is blown in from the hose connection part 172b.

[0170] The shutter plate 173 does not open to an angle where its lower end is directly below the rotation shaft 174, and its rotation range is restricted so that the limit of opening is an angle at which it is inclined so that the lower end of the shutter plate 173 is downstream in the conveying direction from the shaft 174. When the shutter plate 173 receives the air flow flowing in from the hose connection part 172b, it takes an inclined position when it is opened to the limit position, as shown by the broken line in Figure 57, and therefore guides the incoming air flow downstream in the conveying direction.

[0171] A passage sensor 175 for detecting the passage of the transport auxiliary body 16 is provided on the side wall of the passage portion 171 .

[0172] To make effective use of the space within the gaming facility, it is desirable to reduce the thickness of the gaming machine island 2, and there is little room in the thickness direction inside the gaming machine island. Because the airflow enhancement unit 14 blows air from above the passage portion 171, the air blower hose connected to the hose connection portion 172b is also connected from above, which reduces the installation space in the thickness direction of the gaming machine island 2 compared to when the air blower hose is connected from the side.

[0173] Furthermore, the airflow enhancement unit 14 blows the airflow into the passage 171 from above in an obliquely downstream direction (downstream in the conveying direction), thereby efficiently enhancing the airflow toward the downstream direction of the conveying pipe 12. Note that the airflow enhancement unit 14 may be configured to blow the airflow into the passage 171 from below in an obliquely downstream direction, for example.

[0174] The confluence of the airflow into the conveying pipe by the airflow enhancement unit 14 is not limited to confluence from the upper (or lower) surface of the conveying path in an obliquely downstream direction. Airflow inlets may be provided on the left and right side surfaces of the conveying pipe 12, and the airflow from the auxiliary blower may be introduced from the side surface of the conveying pipe to be confluent. Furthermore, the airflow inlet may be formed so as to straddle the upper and side surfaces of the conveying pipe 12, and the inlet may be provided at any location on the outer periphery of the conveying pipe.

[0175] As shown in Figure 58, the air flow enhancement unit 14 has ribs 176 similar to the ribs 34, 35 of the conveying pipe 12 within the passage section 171 over its entire length. The air flow enhancement unit 14 has a confluence section 172 approximately in the center of the entire length of the passage section 171, and the passage section 171 in the front and rear portions has the same shape as the conveying pipe 12. The confluence base 172a of the confluence section 172 has the same inner shape as the conveying pipe 12 in the portion corresponding to the expansion section 33 of the conveying pipe 12 and the portion below it, and the portion above the portion corresponding to the expansion section 33 has the same air passage width as the expansion section 33 of the conveying pipe 12, and has a pair of partition walls 177 inside the air passage that correspond to the left and right side wall portions 32 of the conveying pipe 12.

[0176] The pair of partition walls 177 extend to the height of the shutter plate 173 in the closed position. The shutter plate 173 has notches 173a in places corresponding to the pair of partition walls 177 to avoid this. When the shutter plate 173 is in the closed position, the notches 173a are blocked by the partition walls 177 to prevent air from leaking.

[0177] When the shutter plate 173 is opened, the outer portions of the pair of notches 173a come into contact with the inner wall of the confluence base portion 172a, thereby restricting the limit angle of opening.

[0178] The air flow enhancement unit 14 has a pair of partition walls 177 provided within the confluence base 172a of the confluence section 172, so that the inside shape of the banknote passage is the same as the inside of the conveying tube 12 over its entire length, allowing the banknotes 6 and conveying auxiliary body 16 to pass through while maintaining their posture properly.

[0179] Since intake device 13 connected midway along conveying pipe 12 has an opening for taking in banknotes 6, even if a lid that opens only when taking in banknotes is provided, air flow inside the conveying pipe is likely to leak out from intake device 13. Therefore, air flow enhancement unit 14 is preferably provided downstream of intake device 13, preferably adjacent to and downstream of intake device 13. Furthermore, multiple air flow enhancement units 14 (for example, up to five units) can be installed midway along conveying pipe 12.

[0180] The control of the operation of the airflow augmentation unit 14 will now be described.

[0181] The auxiliary blower is activated when the passage of the transport auxiliary body 16 is detected by the passage sensor 175. More specifically, the time required for the transport auxiliary body 16 to reach the corresponding air flow enhancement unit 14 after being sent out from the sending section 70 is measured, and the masking time is preset to be the required time plus α. If there are no obstructions such as clogging, the transport auxiliary body 16 will pass through the corresponding air flow enhancement unit 14 after being sent out before the masking time has elapsed.

[0182] After the delivery of the transport auxiliary body 16, the air flow enhancing unit 14 operates the auxiliary blower to merge the air flows on the condition that the passage sensor 175 detects the passage of the transport auxiliary body 16 and the mask time has elapsed since the delivery of the transport auxiliary body 16. That is, - Passage detection after mask time has elapsed After the passage is detected, the mask time has elapsed The auxiliary blower is started by either

[0183] The mask time serves to prevent the auxiliary blower from being activated when the banknote 6 taken into the take-in device 13 moves in the conveying direction due to the action of the air flow and the passing sensor 175 of the air flow enhancement unit 14 detects the banknote 6 before it passes through the conveying auxiliary body 16.

[0184] The air flow enhancement unit 14 stops the auxiliary blower when it receives a stop command from the control unit 43 of the separating, collecting, and sending device 40. For example, when the separating, collecting, and sending device 40 detects the arrival of the transport auxiliary body 16, the control unit 43 sends a stop command to each air flow enhancement unit 14.

[0185] The timing for stopping the auxiliary blower is not limited to this, and for example, if multiple air flow enhancement units 14 are provided along the conveying path, the auxiliary blower of the first air flow enhancement unit 14 may be stopped on the condition that the second air flow enhancement unit 14 downstream (one or more downstream) from the first air flow enhancement unit 14 has started its auxiliary blower.

[0186] Furthermore, in a transport retry after a transport error occurs, the auxiliary blower is operated after the mask time has elapsed, regardless of whether or not passage is detected. This is intended to move the banknotes 6 and the transport auxiliary body 16 to the end of the transport pipe by blowing air from the auxiliary blower, even if an event occurs in which the passage sensor 175 of the air flow enhancement unit 14 cannot detect passage (the transport auxiliary body 16 is transported at high speed).

[0187] The air flow enhancement unit 14 operates the auxiliary blower to blow in an air flow after the conveying auxiliary body 16 has passed, so when the banknotes 6 and the conveying auxiliary body 16 pass, the shutter plate 173 is in a position to close the air inlet and does not interfere with the passage of the banknotes 6 and the conveying auxiliary body 16. Furthermore, when air flow is not being blown from the auxiliary blower, the shutter plate 173 closes the air passage at the junction 172, so that the air flow in the conveying pipe 12 is prevented from leaking out from the junction 172.

[0188] The above describes an embodiment of the present invention with reference to the drawings, but the specific configuration is not limited to that shown in the embodiment, and changes and additions that do not deviate from the gist of the present invention are also included in the present invention.

[0189] The shape of the transport auxiliary body 16 is not limited to that exemplified in the embodiment. The shape of the transport tube 12 is also not limited to that exemplified in the embodiment. The inner shape may be any shape that corresponds to the shape of the transport auxiliary body 16.

[0190] In the embodiment, the paper sheet transport device 10 collects the banknotes 6 within the gaming machine island 2 up to the separating, collecting and sending device 40 at the island end, but the invention is not limited to this and may be used as a device that collects paper sheets from a wider area. For example, the device may be configured as a transport device that collects the banknotes 6 from the safes of each gaming machine island 2 within an amusement parlor to a main safe in an office. Furthermore, the place of use is not limited to an amusement parlor and the device may be applied to any facility.

[0191] The separating, collecting, and sending device 40 may be configured as a separate device by extracting some of its functions. For example, in a paper sheet transport device that transports paper sheets by the action of air flow without using the transport auxiliary body 16, the separating unit 50 is not necessary, and the collecting unit 110 and the storing unit 90 may be used to configure a device that separates the air flow from the paper sheets and stores the paper sheets in a safe.

[0192] The gaming machine island 2 is not limited to the configuration accommodating the gaming machines 4 and gaming media lending machines 3 exemplified in the embodiment, but may be a gaming machine island accommodating medal lending machines and slot machines, etc. Paper sheets to be transported are not limited to banknotes.

[0193] In the embodiment, a transport auxiliary body 16 is used to transport paper sheets, but the paper sheets can be transported by the action of air flow, and the present invention can also be applied to transport methods in which the paper sheets are transported by the air flow acting directly on them without using a transport auxiliary body 16. [Explanation of symbols]

[0194] 2. Gaming Machine Island 3...Gaming media rental machine 4...Amusement machines 6...Banknotes 10...Paper sheet transport device 12...Transport pipe 12a...Outbound 12b...Turn section 12c…Return 13...Capture device 14...Airflow enhancement unit 16...Transportation auxiliary body 16a...Head 16b...Neck 16c...large diameter section 16d...Constricted part 18…wife board 31...Upper and lower walls 32...Side wall 33...Extension 34...Separation wall (rib) 35...Ribs 40...Separation, collection and sending device 41...Storage box 42...Main unit 43...Control unit 45...Support frame 46...door 46a...Window 50…Separation part 51...Transport pipe connection port 52...Opening and closing rib 53…Side wall 54(a~e)...Rib 55...Bottom plate 56…Aisle wall 56a...Separation section passage 57…Side wall 58...Ceiling wall 59...Bottom wall 61(a~e)...Rib 62(a~e)...Slit 64...Contact part 65...Support plate 66(a~f)...Abutment claw 68...Opening and closing drive unit 68a...Sensor (detects auxiliary transport body at supplementary position) 68b...Sensor (banknote passing detection) 68c...Open / close sensor 70...Sending section 71...Falling passage 72...Transport pipe connection port 73...Delivery passage 73a...Air flow intake 75...Check valve 75a…Lid part 75b...extension 75c…shaft 76...Guide roller 76a...Rotation axis 77(a-c)... Posture guide member 78(a~c)...Rib 79...Sensor (detection of auxiliary transport body at standby position) 90...Storage area 91...door 92...Pressure plate 92a...Base 92b...Upper pressing part 92c...Lower pressing part 92d...notch 94...Spring 96...Rubber plate 110...Recovery department 111...Collection passage 112...Terminal outlet 113...butting member 115...First side wall 115a...Top first side wall 115b…Lower first side wall 115c…Opening 117...Second side wall 117a…Movable wall 117b...Top second side wall 117c…lower second side wall 118a...Base plate 118b...Rib 119...Sloped section 120...Displacement mechanism 126, 127...Upper and lower walls 130...Air flow generating device 140...Connecting duct 141...Suction port 142…Terminal plate 142a...Notch 144...Lower duct 144a…1st opening 144b…Second opening 145...Upper duct 146...Upper and lower connecting plate 146a...Notch part 150...Safe unit 151...Pressing assembly 152...Storage assembly 153...Full detection assembly 153a...support member 153b...Sensor (full detection) 154... Locking mechanism assembly 155...Clamp 157...Guide member 158...Detection plate 159...Handle 171...Aisle section 172...Confluence 172a…Confluence base 172b...Hose connection 173...Shutter plate 173a...Incision 174...Axis 175...Passage sensor 176...Rib 177...Partition wall Dx: Distance between reference flat surfaces of the transfer pipe Dy...Inner dimension of the conveying pipe in the Y direction F: Extension direction of conveying pipe W…Aisle width X: Width direction of the conveying pipe Y: Height of the conveying pipe

Claims

1. A paper sheet conveying device that conveys paper sheets by pushing them with a conveying auxiliary body that moves in response to an air flow in a conveying pipe, monitors whether or not there are any paper sheets taken into the conveying pipe, and if there are any paper sheets, operates an air flow generating device to convey the paper sheets to a destination by the conveying auxiliary body; On the condition that no paper sheets are taken into the conveying pipe, an operation check mode is executed in which the air flow generating device is operated to check whether the conveying auxiliary body reaches the same destination as when conveying paper sheets. A paper sheet transport device characterized by:

2. the conveying pipe forms a circular path in which a terminal end and a starting end are connected via a circulation device; The circulation device has a separation unit that separates the paper sheets and the conveying auxiliary body arriving from the terminal end of the conveying tube and collects each of them, and an insertion unit that moves the separated conveying auxiliary body to the starting end of the conveying tube and inserts it, In the operation confirmation mode, the conveying auxiliary body is inserted into the starting end of the conveying pipe, the air flow generating device is activated, and it is confirmed that the conveying auxiliary body reaches the separating section.

2. The paper sheet transport device according to claim 1.

3. The operation check mode is executed at least one of when the sheet transport device is started, at regular time intervals, and after a jammed sheet is cleared.

3. The paper sheet transport device according to claim 1 or 2.

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