Paper sheet conveying device

Abstract

This enables the smooth transport of banknotes between paper transport devices designed for back-to-back gaming machines with different installation heights. [Solution] The connecting duct (200) is equipped with a sub-duct body (231) that extends diagonally according to the difference in the installation height of the gaming equipment. The sub-duct body (231) is connected to a first intermediate joint (210) and a second intermediate joint (220) via a first bent portion (232) and a second bent portion (233) that are shaped like quarter-circular segments. The first intermediate joint (210) and the second intermediate joint (220), which are connected to the two ducts respectively, have a spirally twisted shape. Banknotes and carriers transported from one duct pass through the first intermediate joint (210), the sub-duct body (231), and the second intermediate joint (220) before entering the other duct.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a sheet conveyance device that conveys banknotes and other sheet-like paper in a duct by an air flow generated in the duct, and a connecting duct used for the sheet conveyance device.

Background Art

[0002] As an example of such a sheet conveyance device, there is one described in Japanese Patent No. 7123453 (Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2023-114893). FIG. 9 is a schematic perspective view showing the overall structure of a sheet conveyance device 100 described in the publication and the surrounding environment in which the sheet conveyance device 100 is used. The sheet conveyance device 100 includes a carrier 110 (see FIGS. 10 and 11) that conveys banknotes and other sheets by pushing them on its front surface, a duct 120 that is similar in outer shape to the carrier 110 and has an internal space in which the carrier 110 can travel, a sheet storage chamber 130 that stores the sheets conveyed by the carrier 110, a first blower 140A that is connected and disposed at one end (the right end in FIG. 9) of the duct 120 and generates an air flow that causes the carrier 110 to travel in the duct 120 in the direction X1 toward the sheet storage chamber 130, a second blower 140B that is connected and disposed at the other end (the left end in FIG. 9) of the duct 120 and generates an air flow that causes the carrier 110 to travel in the duct 120 in the direction X2 away from the sheet storage chamber 130, and a carrier delivery device (not shown in FIG. 9) that delivers the carrier 110 into the duct 120.

[0003] As shown in FIG. 9, a plurality of pachinko machines and other gaming devices 20 are arranged in a row in the left-right direction of FIG. 9 inside the game arcade, and a game medium lending device 21 for lending game media (such as pachinko balls and medals) is installed adjacent to each gaming device 20. When banknotes are inserted into the game medium lending device 21, a number of game media corresponding to the amount of the inserted banknotes are paid out (in the case of digital gaming devices, instead of game media being paid out, the number of game media is digitally displayed on the display screen). The duct 120 is installed on the rear side of the gaming equipment 20 and the gaming media dispensing device 21, extending parallel to the direction in which the gaming equipment 20 and the gaming media dispensing device 21 are arranged. The duct 120 is connected at both ends to the first blower 140A and the paper sheet storage room 130, which are located at a distance from the group of gaming equipment 20 and the gaming media dispensing device 21. Figure 10 is a perspective view of the carrier 110 used in the paper sheet transport device 100, viewed from the front, and Figure 11 is a perspective view of the carrier 110, viewed from the rear.

[0004] As shown in Figures 10 and 11, the carrier 110 is bullet-shaped and specifically consists of a cylindrical main body portion 110a and a hemispherical rear portion 110b that is formed on the back side of the main body portion 110a and is continuous with the main body portion 110a. The carrier 110 transports banknotes within the duct 120 by pressing them with the front surface 110c of the main body 110a. Multiple hemispherical protrusions 110d are formed at equal intervals along the circumference of the front surface 110c of the main body 110a. The banknotes are held in place by being sandwiched between two adjacent protrusions 110d. The carrier 110 moves forward (travels in the X1 direction) by receiving airflow (wind) from the first blower 140A at its rear section 110b, and moves backward (travels in the X2 direction) by receiving airflow (wind) from the second blower 140B. Figure 12 is a perspective view of the duct 120, and Figures 13 and 14 are perspective views showing the relative positions of the carrier 110, the banknotes 50, and the duct 120. As shown in Figure 12, the duct 120 is composed of a first region 120a and a second region 120b.

[0005] The vertical cross-section of the first region 120a has a long rectangular shape, with a height that allows the shorter side 50a (see Figure 13) of the banknote 50 to pass through, and a width that allows the banknote 50 to pass through even if it is folded or curved. The second region 120b has a circular longitudinal section and is set to a size (radius) that allows the carrier 110 to pass through. The first region 120a and the second region 120b partially overlap, the vertically extending centerline of the first region 120a passes through the center of the second region 120b, and the first region 120a protrudes from the second region 120b by the same length in both the vertical and horizontal directions. As shown in Figures 13 and 14, the carrier 110 pushes the short side 50a of the banknote 50 with its front surface 110c, transporting the banknote 50 so that it is positioned in a vertical plane inside the duct 120. The banknote 50 passes through the first region 120a of the duct 120, and the carrier 110 passes through the second region 120b of the duct 120.

[0006] As shown in Figure 9, the paper sheet transport device 100 is equipped with a carrier storage duct 141 that branches off from the duct 120 before the paper sheet storage chamber 130, and the carrier storage duct 141 is connected to a second blower 140B at its end. The paper sheet transport device 100 having the structure described above operates as follows. The banknotes inserted into the game media dispensing device 21 are fed into the duct 120 from behind the game media dispensing device 21. When a banknote is inserted into the duct 120, a sensor (not shown) detects the presence of the banknote and transmits a banknote detection signal to a control device (not shown). Upon receiving this banknote detection signal, the control device activates a carrier feeding device (not shown) and sends one carrier 110 into the second region 120b of the duct 120.

[0007] Subsequently, the control device activates the first blower 140A, generating an airflow (in the direction of X1) from the first blower 140A towards the paper sheet storage chamber 130 inside the duct 120. The carrier 110, which has been sent into the duct 120, receives the wind pressure from this airflow at its rear portion 110b and begins to move in direction X1 inside the second region 120b. As the carrier 110 travels toward the paper sheet storage chamber 130, it captures the banknotes 50 with its front surface 110c (see Figure 14) and continues traveling while pressing the banknotes 50. In this state, as shown in Figure 14, the carrier 110 travels inside the second region 120b of the duct 120, and the banknotes 50 travel inside the first region 120a of the duct 120. The carrier 110 and the banknotes 50 are separated at the point where the duct 120 and the carrier storage duct 141 diverge, in front of the paper sheet storage chamber 130. That is, only the carrier 110 changes its path from duct 120 to the carrier storage duct 141, travels through the carrier storage duct 141, and is then stored in a carrier storage unit (not shown) located in front of the second blower 140B.

[0008] Meanwhile, the banknotes 50, under the influence of the inertial force being pushed by the carrier 110, continue to travel through the first region 120a of the duct 120 and are stored in the paper sheet storage chamber 130. After the banknotes 50 are placed in the paper sheet storage chamber 130 and the carrier 110 is stored in the carrier storage unit, the control device stops the operation of the first blower 140A, and then activates the second blower 140B to generate airflow inside the carrier storage duct 141 and duct 120. The carrier 110, which was stored in the carrier storage unit, receives the air pressure of this airflow at its front surface 110c, travels in direction X2 inside the second region 120b of the carrier storage duct 141 and duct 120, and is then stored again in the carrier feeding device. The above process constitutes one cycle from the time the banknotes 50 inserted into the game medium dispensing device 21 until they are stored in the paper sheet storage room 130. The banknotes 50 inserted into each game medium dispensing device 21 are collected in the paper sheet storage room 130 according to the process described above. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0009] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 7123453 (Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2023-114893) [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2025-121064 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0010] In amusement parlors, in order to make effective use of space, typically, one row of gaming machines 20, as shown in Figure 9, is placed back-to-back with another row of gaming machines 20. In this case, it is possible to place the first paper sheet transport device 100A (identical to the paper sheet transport device 100 described above) behind the gaming equipment 20 of one row, and the second paper sheet transport device 100B (identical to the paper sheet transport device 100 described above) behind the gaming equipment 20 of the other row, and to operate the first paper sheet transport device 100A and the second paper sheet transport device 100B independently of each other. However, this would lead to increased equipment costs and decreased banknote transport efficiency, so it is desirable to operate the first paper sheet transport device 100A and the second paper sheet transport device 100B as a single paper sheet transport device. To achieve this, it is necessary to connect the duct 120A of the first paper sheet conveying device 100A and the duct 120B of the second paper sheet conveying device 100B at their respective ends via connecting ducts.

[0011] With this configuration, for example, banknotes 50 inserted into duct 120A of the first paper sheet conveying device 100A are captured by a carrier 110 that travels under the airflow generated by the first blower 140A, travel through duct 120A, the connecting duct and duct 120B, and are stored in the paper sheet storage chamber 130 of the second paper sheet conveying device 100B. As a result, the first paper sheet conveying device 100A and the second paper sheet conveying device 100B can share the first blower 140A, the second blower 140B, and the paper sheet storage chamber 130, etc., thereby reducing equipment costs. Furthermore, since the conveyance of banknotes 50 can be managed centrally, the efficiency of banknote conveyance can be improved.

[0012] If duct 120A and duct 120B are at the same height, the connecting duct can be installed horizontally, allowing the banknotes 50 to be transported between duct 120A and duct 120B without any problems. However, if the back-to-back gaming machines 20 are of different models, or if the floor surfaces on which each gaming machine 20 is installed are at different heights, then duct 120A and duct 120B will be at different heights. Figure 15 is a schematic diagram of such a case. For example, consider the case where duct 120A is located at a higher position than duct 120B. In such cases, as shown in Figure 15, the connecting duct 122 that connects duct 120A and duct 120B will be configured to have two bends 122A and 122B along its length. Alternatively, as shown in Figure 16, the connecting duct 123 that connects duct 120A and duct 120B to each other will be configured to extend diagonally in a straight line between duct 120A and duct 120B.

[0013] When using the connecting duct 122 shown in Figure 15, there is a high risk that the banknotes 50 or carrier 110 that have been transported inside duct 120A will become jammed at the two bends 122A and 122B before reaching duct 120B. Even when using the connecting duct 123 shown in Figure 16, the connecting duct 123 also has two bends 123A and 123B, so, as with the connecting duct 122, there is a high risk that the banknotes 50 or carrier 110 will get stuck at the two bends 123A and 123B. As described above, even with the use of connecting ducts 122 and 123, there is a high risk of interference with the transport of the banknotes 50. Therefore, conventionally, it was necessary to operate the first paper sheet transport device 100A and the second paper sheet transport device 100B independently of each other, making it impossible to reduce equipment costs or improve the efficiency of transporting the banknotes 50.

[0014] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2025-121064 (Patent Document 2) proposes a solution for commonly using a single sheet conveyance device for back-to-back gaming machines with different installation heights. This solution involves placing spacers under the gaming machine with the lower installation height to align its installation height with that of the gaming machine with the higher installation height. However, it becomes necessary to perform additional operations such as the removal operation of the gaming machine before spacer placement, the spacer placement operation, and the attachment operation of the gaming machine after spacer placement, resulting in a significant increase in the workload. The present invention has been made in view of the problems in the conventional sheet conveyance device as described above, and enables the common use of each duct 120A and 120B of the sheet conveyance devices 100A and 100B corresponding to the gaming machines 20 arranged back-to-back without causing a large workload. An object of the present invention is to provide a sheet conveyance device and a connecting duct for connecting two sheet conveyance devices to each other.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0015] FIG. 17 is a schematic diagram showing the gist of the present invention. When using the connecting ducts 122 (FIG. 15) and 123 (FIG. 16), since the center lines 121A and 121B of the ducts 120A and 120B are both oriented in the vertical direction, the connecting ducts 122 and 123 for connecting the duct 120A and the duct 120B both inevitably have two bending points 122A, 122B; 123A, 123B, and these two bending points 122A, 122B; 123A, 123B have been the cause of jams of the banknote 50 or the carrier 110. In the present invention, as shown in FIG. 17, the ducts 120A and 120B are arranged such that their center lines 121A and 121B form the same angle (are inclined with respect to the vertical direction) from the vertical direction.

[0016] Therefore, a straight line (diagonal line) 124 perpendicular to the centerlines 121A and 121B passes through the centers of the two ducts 120A and 120B, and the ducts 120A and 120B are positioned parallel to each other and facing each other on the straight line 124. Therefore, the connecting duct 125 that connects the two ducts 120A and duct 120B to each other has no bends and extends in a straight line between the two ducts 120A and duct 120B, and unlike the connecting ducts 122 and 123, it can eliminate the cause of blockage of banknotes 50 or carrier 110. As described above, according to the present invention, the first paper sheet conveying device 100A and the second paper sheet conveying device 100B, which were previously used separately, can be connected and used as a single paper sheet conveying device.

[0017] Specifically, in a first aspect of the present invention, the present invention includes a first duct (120A), a first paper sheet conveying device (100A) that generates an airflow within the first duct (120A) and conveys paper sheets (50) introduced into the first duct (120A), and a first paper sheet conveying device (100A) positioned at a different height from the first duct (120A). Furthermore, it is positioned away from the first duct (120A) in the horizontal direction. A second paper sheet conveying device (100B) is provided with a second duct (120B) which generates an airflow within the second duct (120B) and conveys the paper sheets that are fed into the second duct (120B), and a connecting duct (200) which connects the two, wherein the connecting duct (200) connects one end of the first duct (120A) and one end of the second duct (120B), and the paper sheets fed into the first duct (120A) are transported through the connecting duct (2 The connection duct (200) is configured to be transported to the second duct (120B) via (00), and the connecting duct (200) comprises a first intermediate joint (210) that is detachably connected to one end of the first duct (120A), a second intermediate joint (220) that is detachably connected to one end of the second duct (120B), and a sub-duct (230) that detachably connects the first intermediate joint (210) and the second intermediate joint (220), The first duct (120A) and the second duct (120B) are arranged such that their vertically extending centerlines (121A, 121B) are at the same angle from the vertical, and the subduct (230) extends linearly inclined between the first duct (120A) and the second duct (120B) in a vertical plane, sloping downward from one of the first duct (120A) and the second duct (120B) toward the other.The first intermediate joint (210) has a first paper sheet inlet (211) that receives the paper sheets (50) that have been transported so that the surface of the paper sheets (50) is located in a vertical plane, a first paper sheet outlet (212) that sends out the paper sheets (50) so that the surface of the paper sheets (50) is located in a plane that is at an angle to the vertical plane, and a main body (210A) that extends between the first paper sheet inlet (211) and the first paper sheet outlet (212) and has a spirally twisted shape, and the second intermediate joint (220) has the subduct (230) The present invention provides a connecting duct (200) comprising: a second paper sheet inlet (221) that receives the paper sheets (50) conveyed from the first intermediate joint (210) such that the surface of the paper sheets (50) is located in a plane that forms an angle with the vertical plane; a second paper sheet outlet (222) that discharges the paper sheets (50) that have been conveyed such that the surface of the paper sheets (50) is located in the vertical plane; and a main body (220A) that extends between the second paper sheet inlet (221) and the second paper sheet outlet (222) and has a spirally twisted shape.

[0018] For example, the angle at which the body (210A) of the first intermediate joint (210) twists and the angle at which the body (220A) of the second intermediate joint (220) twists are set to be equal. Preferably, the first intermediate joint (210) and the second intermediate joint (220) have a structure that allows for a variable twisting angle. For example, the first intermediate joint (210) and the second intermediate joint (220) have a bellows structure, or the first intermediate joint (210) and the second intermediate joint (220) are made of rubber or other flexible material.

[0019] In a second aspect, the present invention provides a paper sheet conveying device comprising: a first paper sheet conveying device (100A); a second paper sheet conveying device (100B); and a connecting duct (200) connecting the first paper sheet conveying device (100A) and the second paper sheet conveying device (100B), wherein each of the first paper sheet conveying device (100A) and the second paper sheet conveying device (100B) comprises: a duct (120A, 120B); a carrier (110) capable of traveling within the duct (120A, 120B); and a blower (140A, 140B) that generates an airflow in one direction and in the opposite direction within the duct (120A, 120B), wherein the blower (140A, 140B) connects the duct (120A, The airflow generated within 120B) causes the carrier (110) to travel within the duct (120A, 120B), and the duct (120A, The paper sheets (50) fed into the duct (120B) are transported via the carrier (110), and the duct (120A) of the first paper sheet transport device (100A) and the duct (120B) of the second paper sheet transport device (100B) are at different heights, and the connecting duct (200) connects one end of the duct (120A) of the first paper sheet transport device (100A) and one end of the duct (120B) of the second paper sheet transport device (100B), and the paper sheets (50) fed into the duct (120A) of the first paper sheet transport device (100A) are transported via the connecting duct (200) to the duct (120B) of the second paper sheet transport device (100B). The paper is transported to 120B), and the connecting duct (200) comprises a sub-duct (231) that extends diagonally in a straight line in a vertical plane between the duct (120A) of the first paper conveying device (100A) and the duct (120B) of the second paper conveying device (100B), a curved first bend portion (232) connecting one end of the sub-duct (231) to one end of the duct (120A) of the first paper conveying device (100A), and a curved second bend portion (233) connecting the other end of the sub-duct (231) to one end of the duct (120B) of the second paper conveying device (100B), wherein the first bend portion (232) is,The first paper sheet conveying device comprises a first paper sheet inlet (211) that receives the paper sheets (50) that have been conveyed so that the surface of the paper sheets (50) is located in a vertical plane, and a first paper sheet outlet (212) that discharges the paper sheets (50) so that the surface of the paper sheets (50) is located in a plane that is at an angle to the vertical plane, wherein the first bent portion (232) has a spirally twisted shape between the first paper sheet inlet (211) and the first paper sheet outlet (212), and the second bent portion (233) is connected to the first paper sheet conveying device via the subduct (231). The present invention provides a paper sheet conveying device comprising: a second paper sheet inlet (221) that receives the paper sheets (50) conveyed from the duct (120B) of (100B) such that the surface of the paper sheets (50) is located in a plane that forms an angle with the vertical plane; and a second paper sheet outlet (222) that discharges the paper sheets (50) that have been conveyed such that the surface of the paper sheets (50) is located in the vertical plane, wherein the second bent portion (233) has a spirally twisted shape between the second paper sheet inlet (221) and the second paper sheet outlet (222).

[0020] Preferably, the connecting duct (200) is detachable from the duct (120A) of the first paper sheet conveying device (100A) and the duct (120B) of the second paper sheet conveying device (100B). The reference numerals in parentheses are solely for the purpose of indicating the correspondence with the embodiments described later, and do not limit the scope of the rights. In the first embodiment, the first intermediate joint and the second intermediate joint of the connecting duct have a spirally twisted shape, thereby realizing the duct 120A and duct 120B shown in Figure 17. In the second embodiment, the first intermediate joint and the second intermediate joint in the first embodiment are integrally configured with the main ducts of the first paper sheet conveying device and the second paper sheet conveying device, thereby achieving the same configuration as in the first embodiment. [Effects of the Invention]

[0021] According to the connecting duct of the present invention, it becomes possible to smoothly transport banknotes 50 between the respective paper sheet transport devices 100A and 100B that correspond to back-to-back gaming machines 20 with different installation heights, without causing jamming of the carrier 110 or banknotes 50 due to the difference in installation height. As a result, the two paper sheet conveying devices 100A and 100B, which were previously operated separately, can be used as a single paper sheet conveying device. This allows common components (for example, the first blower 140A, the second blower 140B, the carrier 110, etc.) that were previously used separately in the two paper sheet conveying devices 100A and 100B to be shared amongst themselves, thereby reducing equipment costs. Furthermore, since the transport of banknotes 50 can be controlled collectively in a single, integrated paper sheet transport device, the efficiency of banknote transport can be improved. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0022] [Figure 1] This is a schematic diagram showing the usage of a connecting duct according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] Figure 1 is a perspective view of a sub-duct, which is a component of the connecting duct shown in Figure 1. [Figure 3] This is a front view of the subduct as seen from direction A in Figure 2. [Figure 4] Figure 2 is a front view showing the banknote entry point of the first intermediate joint as seen from direction R1. [Figure 5] This is a rear view showing the banknote exit of the first intermediate joint as seen from direction R2 in Figure 2. [Figure 6] Figure 5 is a perspective view. [Figure 7] Figure 2 is a front view showing the banknote entry point of the first intermediate joint as seen from direction R1. [Figure 8] This is a rear view showing the banknote exit of the first intermediate joint as seen from direction R2 in Figure 2. [Figure 9]This is a schematic perspective view showing the overall structure of a conventional paper sheet conveying device and the surrounding environment in which the device is used. [Figure 10] This is a perspective view of a carrier used in a conventional paper sheet conveying device, as seen from the front.

[0023] [Figure 11] Figure 10 is a perspective view of the carrier as seen from the rear side. [Figure 12] This is a perspective view of a duct used in a conventional paper sheet conveying device. [Figure 13] This is a perspective view showing the relative positions of the carrier, banknotes, and duct in a conventional paper sheet conveying device. [Figure 14] This is a perspective view showing the relative positions of the carrier, banknotes, and duct in a conventional paper sheet conveying device. [Figure 15] This is a schematic diagram showing the case where the ducts of two paper sheet conveying devices are at different heights. [Figure 16] This is a schematic diagram showing the case where the ducts of two paper sheet conveying devices are at different heights. [Figure 17] This is a schematic diagram illustrating the gist of the present invention. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0024] (First embodiment) Figure 1 is a schematic diagram showing the usage of the connecting duct 200 according to the first embodiment of the present invention, viewed from above. The connecting duct 200 connects the first paper sheet transport device 100A, which is installed behind the gaming equipment 20 in one row, and the second paper sheet transport device 100B, which is installed behind the gaming equipment 20 in the other row, which is arranged back-to-back with the first paper sheet transport device 100A. Specifically, as shown in Figure 1, the connecting duct 200 detachably connects the duct 120A of the first paper sheet conveying device 100A and the duct 120B of the second paper sheet conveying device 100B. In this embodiment, the duct 120A of the first paper sheet conveying device 100A is positioned higher than the duct 120B of the second paper sheet conveying device 100B (see Figure 4 below).

[0025] The connecting duct 200 connects one end of duct 120A of the first paper sheet conveying device 100A to one end of duct 120B of the second paper sheet conveying device 100B, so that the banknotes 50 that are put into duct 120A of the first paper sheet conveying device 100A pass through duct 120A and the connecting duct 200 (arrow A) and are conveyed to duct 120B (arrow B). As will be described later, after the banknotes 50 are guided into duct 120B, they are stored in the paper sheet storage chamber 130 of the second paper sheet conveying device 100B. As shown in Figure 1, the connecting duct 200 includes a first intermediate joint 210 that is detachably connected to one end of duct 120A, a second intermediate joint 220 that is detachably connected to one end of duct 120B, and a sub-duct 230 that detachably connects the first intermediate joint 210 and the second intermediate joint 220.

[0026] The first intermediate joint 210, the second intermediate joint 220, and the subduct 230 have the same longitudinal cross-section as the duct 120 (Figure 12). Figure 2 is a perspective view of the connecting duct 200 from the front, Figure 3 is a perspective view of the connecting duct 200 from the rear, Figure 4 is a front view of the connecting duct 200, Figure 5 is a rear view of the connecting duct 200, and Figure 6 is a perspective view of Figure 5. The subduct 230 includes a subduct body 231 (see Figure 4) that extends linearly inclined downwards from duct 120A to duct 120B in a vertical plane between duct 120A and duct 120B, a first bent portion 232 connecting one end of the subduct body 231 (right end in Figure 2) to the first intermediate joint 210, and a second bent portion 233 connecting the other end of the subduct body 231 (left end in Figure 2) to the second intermediate joint 220. The first bent portion 232 and the second bent portion 233 are connected to the subduct body 231 and consist of quarter-circular portions 232A and 233A with a quadrant-shaped cross-section, and straight portions 232B and 233B connected to the first intermediate joint 210 and the second intermediate joint 220.

[0027] The inclination angle of the subduct body 231 within the vertical plane is the angle corresponding to the height difference between duct 120A and duct 120B. Figure 7 is a front view showing the banknote slot 211 of the first intermediate joint 210 as viewed from direction R1 in Figure 2, and Figure 8 is a rear view showing the banknote outlet 212 of the first intermediate joint 210 as viewed from direction R2 in Figure 2. The first intermediate joint 210 includes a banknote inlet 211 (the double-lined portion in Figure 7) that receives the banknotes 50 as they are transported through the duct 120A so that the surface of the banknotes 50 is in the vertical plane, and a banknote outlet 212 (the double-lined portion in Figure 8) that sends out the banknotes 50 so that the surface of the banknotes 50 is in a plane that is at an angle to the vertical plane. The main body 210A of the first intermediate joint 210 (see Figure 2) between the banknote inlet 211 and the banknote outlet 212 has a spirally twisted shape.

[0028] In other words, as shown in Figure 7, the center line S1 extending vertically through the banknote slot 211 is oriented vertically, and as shown in Figure 8, the center line S2 extending vertically through the banknote exit 212 is at an angle (inclined) to the vertical. The second intermediate joint 220 has the same shape as the first intermediate joint 210 (therefore, the angle at which the main body 210A twists and the angle at which the main body 220A twists are the same), but it differs in that the entrance and exit points for the banknotes 50 are reversed compared to the first intermediate joint 210. That is, as shown in Figure 2, the part corresponding to the banknote exit point 212 of the first intermediate joint 210 becomes the banknote entrance point 221, and the part corresponding to the banknote entrance point 211 of the first intermediate joint 210 becomes the banknote exit point 222. The first intermediate joint 210 is connected to the straight portion 232B of the first bent portion 232 at the banknote exit 212, and the second intermediate joint 220 is connected to the straight portion 233B of the second bent portion 233 at the banknote entrance 221. In the paper sheet transport device equipped with a connecting duct 200 according to this embodiment, the banknotes 50 are transported as follows.

[0029] When banknotes 50 are introduced into the duct 120A of the first paper sheet transport device 100A, a control device (not shown) detects this and starts operating the first blower 140A. The carrier 110 travels through the duct 120A towards the first intermediate joint 210, riding the airflow from the first blower 140A, and along the way, captures the banknotes 50 introduced into the duct 120A with its front 110c. The carrier 110 and banknotes 50, which have been transported through the duct 120A, are transported from the banknote inlet 211 of the first intermediate joint 210 into the body 210A of the first intermediate joint 210 with the face of the banknotes 50 in a vertical plane. As they pass through the body 210A of the first intermediate joint 210, the orientation of the face of the banknotes 50 changes, and they are discharged from the banknote outlet 212 of the first intermediate joint 210 with the face of the banknotes 50 positioned in a plane that is at an angle to the vertical plane. In this state, they are pushed by the carrier 110 and enter the interior of the first bent section 232. The carrier 110 and the banknote 50 reach the second intermediate joint 220 from the first bent portion 232, through the subduct body 231 and the second bent portion 233, while the surface of the banknote 50 remains positioned in a plane that makes an angle with the vertical plane.

[0030] Upon reaching the second intermediate joint 220, the carrier 110 and the banknotes 50 pass through the banknote inlet 221 of the second intermediate joint 220 with the face of the banknote 50 positioned in a plane that makes an angle with the vertical plane, and then pass through the main body 220A (see Figure 2) of the second intermediate joint 220. This changes the orientation of the face of the banknote 50, so that its face is positioned in the vertical plane. In this state, the banknotes 50 are pushed by the carrier 110 and transported from the banknote outlet 222 of the second intermediate joint 220 into the interior of the duct 120B. Subsequently, the carrier 110 and the banknotes 50 travel inside the duct 120B and are stored in the paper sheet storage chamber 130 of the second paper sheet transport device 100B. As described above, by using the connecting duct 200 according to this embodiment, even if the heights of duct 120A and duct 120B differ due to different installation heights, for example, it becomes possible to smoothly transport the banknotes 50 between the paper sheet transport devices 100A and 100B corresponding to the back-to-back gaming equipment 20 without causing jamming of the carrier 110 or the banknotes 50.

[0031] As a result, the two paper sheet conveying devices 100A and 100B, which previously operated independently, can now be used as a single paper sheet conveying device. Furthermore, components that were commonly used in the two paper sheet conveying devices 100A and 100B can now be shared between them, thereby reducing equipment costs. Specifically, it becomes possible to reduce the number of first blowers 140A, second blowers 140B, carriers 110, control devices (not shown), carrier feeding devices (not shown), carrier storage ducts 141, and carrier storage units (not shown) used in the two paper sheet transport devices 100A and 100B from two to one. Furthermore, since the transport of banknotes 50 can be controlled collectively in a single, integrated paper sheet transport device, the efficiency of banknote transport can be improved. The connecting duct 200 according to this embodiment is not limited to the structure described above, and various modifications are possible.

[0032] The first intermediate joint 210 and the second intermediate joint 220 can be configured such that the angle at which they twist their main bodies 210A and 220A is variable. For example, the main bodies 210A and 220A of the first intermediate joint 210 and the second intermediate joint 220 can be configured to have a bellows structure. Alternatively, the bodies 210A and 220A of the first intermediate joint 210 and the second intermediate joint 220 can be made of rubber or other flexible material. In this embodiment, the first intermediate joint 210 and the second intermediate joint 220 are formed as part of the connecting duct 200. However, it is also possible to configure the first intermediate joint 210 integrally with duct 120A and the second intermediate joint 220 integrally with duct 120B. In this case, the connecting duct 200 consists only of the sub-duct 230, and the sub-duct 230 is configured to be detachable from the first intermediate joint 210 and the second intermediate joint 220.

[0033] (Second Embodiment) In the first embodiment, the connecting duct 200 is detachably provided to the two paper sheet conveying devices 100A and 100B, but in the second embodiment, the paper sheet conveying device is configured as a single paper sheet conveying device in which the connecting duct 200 and the two paper sheet conveying devices 100A and 100B are integrally formed. The same effects as those of the first embodiment can be obtained with the paper sheet conveying device according to the second embodiment. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0034] 50 banknote 100 Paper sheet conveying device 100A First Paper Sheet Conveying Device 100B Second paper sheet conveying device 110 Carriers 120 duct 200 Duct according to the first embodiment of the present invention 210 First Intermediate Joint 220 Second Intermediate Joint 230 Subduct

Claims

1. A first paper sheet conveying device comprising a first duct, which generates an airflow within the first duct and conveys the paper sheets introduced into the first duct, A second paper sheet conveying device comprising a second duct located at a different height from the first duct and located horizontally away from the first duct, which generates an airflow within the second duct and conveys the paper sheets fed into the second duct, A connecting duct that connects them to each other, The connecting duct connects one end of the first duct and one end of the second duct, so that paper sheets placed in the first duct are transported to the second duct via the connecting duct. The aforementioned connecting duct is A first intermediate joint is detachably connected to one end of the first duct, A second intermediate joint is detachably connected to one end of the second duct, A subduct that detachably connects the first intermediate joint and the second intermediate joint, Equipped with, The first duct and the second duct are arranged such that their vertically extending centerlines are at the same angle from the vertical. The subduct extends linearly and inclined between the first duct and the second duct in a vertical plane, sloping downward from one of the first ducts and the second duct towards the other. The first intermediate joint is A first paper sheet entrance that receives the paper sheets that have been transported so that the surface of the paper sheets is located within a vertical plane, A first paper sheet outlet that feeds out the paper sheets such that the surface of the paper sheets is located in a plane that forms an angle with the vertical plane, A main body extending between the first paper sheet entrance and the first paper sheet exit, having a spirally twisted shape, It has, The aforementioned second intermediate joint is A second paper sheet inlet receives the paper sheets such that the surface of the paper sheets conveyed from the first intermediate joint via the subduct is located in a plane that forms an angle with the vertical plane, A second paper sheet outlet that delivers the paper sheets that have been transported so that the surface of the paper sheets is located within a vertical plane, A main body extending between the second paper sheet entrance and the second paper sheet exit, having a spirally twisted shape, A connecting duct that has the following features.

2. The connecting duct according to claim 1, characterized in that the angle at which the body of the first intermediate joint twists is equal to the angle at which the body of the second intermediate joint twists.

3. The connecting duct according to claim 1, characterized in that the first intermediate joint and the second intermediate joint have a structure in which the twisting angle is variable.

4. The connecting duct according to claim 3, characterized in that the first intermediate joint and the second intermediate joint have a bellows structure.

5. The connecting duct according to claim 4, characterized in that the first intermediate joint and the second intermediate joint are made of rubber or other flexible material.

6. The first paper sheet transport device, The second paper sheet conveying device, A connecting duct that connects the first paper sheet conveying device and the second paper sheet conveying device to each other, A paper sheet conveying device equipped with, Each of the first paper sheet conveying device and the second paper sheet conveying device is: Ducts and, A carrier that can travel inside the duct, A blower that generates airflow in one direction and in the opposite direction within the duct, Equipped with, The blower generates an airflow within the duct, which causes the carrier to move within the duct, thereby transporting the paper sheets introduced into the duct via the carrier. The duct of the first paper sheet conveying device and the duct of the second paper sheet conveying device are located at different heights. The connecting duct connects one end of the duct of the first paper sheet conveying device to one end of the duct of the second paper sheet conveying device, so that paper sheets fed into the duct of the first paper sheet conveying device are conveyed to the duct of the second paper sheet conveying device via the connecting duct. The aforementioned connecting duct is A sub-duct extending diagonally in a straight line within a vertical plane between the duct of the first paper sheet conveying device and the duct of the second paper sheet conveying device, A curved first bend connects one end of the subduct and one end of the duct of the first paper sheet conveying device, A curved second bend connects the other end of the subduct to one end of the duct of the second paper sheet conveying device, Equipped with, The first bent portion is A first paper sheet entrance that receives the paper sheets that have been transported so that the surface of the paper sheets is located within a vertical plane, A first paper sheet outlet that feeds out the paper sheets such that the surface of the paper sheets is located in a plane that forms an angle with the vertical plane, Equipped with, The first bent portion has a spirally twisted shape between the first paper sheet entrance and the first paper sheet exit. The second bent portion is A second paper sheet inlet receives the paper sheets, such that the surface of the paper sheets transported from the duct of the first paper sheet transport device via the subduct is located in a plane that forms an angle with the vertical plane, A second paper sheet outlet that delivers the paper sheets that have been transported so that the surface of the paper sheets is located within a vertical plane, Equipped with, A paper sheet conveying device wherein the second bent portion has a spirally twisted shape between the second paper sheet inlet and the second paper sheet outlet.

7. The paper sheet conveying device according to claim 6, characterized in that the connecting duct is detachable from the duct of the first paper sheet conveying device and the duct of the second paper sheet conveying device.

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