Paper Sheet Discharge Stacking Mechanism for Banknote Curl Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing circulation-type banknote processing devices face issues with stacking failures and alignment deterioration due to curling habits and reduced stiffness of banknotes, leading to increased user wait times and decreased device efficiency.

Innovation Solution

A paper sheet discharge stacking device with a discharge transport route, last discharging mechanism, paper sheet holding lever, and guide protruded parts that correct the shape and stiffness of banknotes to prevent stacking failures on the dispense tray.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Quantity of substance

If banknotes are retained on the circulation drum in a superimposed manner, then storage capacity is improved, but curling habits are formed on banknotes causing stacking failures

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestorage capacityVSAvoidstacking accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts banknotes from the circulation drum one by one using a separation mechanism. The banknote separation lever and guide members work together to separate each banknote from the stacked bundle on the drum surface, preventing curling habits from forming while maintaining storage capacity. This extraction process removes banknotes individually rather than in bulk, solving the contradiction between storage and stacking accuracy.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces intermediary components including a banknote separation lever, guide members, and a flattening mechanism. These intermediaries act between the circulation drum and the dispense tray to correct banknote curling and ensure proper alignment. The flattening mechanism specifically serves as an intermediary that presses banknotes to eliminate curling habits before they reach the dispense tray, resolving the stacking accuracy issue while preserving storage capacity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Loss of time

If banknotes are dispensed one by one to a dispense tray, then user wait time is reduced, but stacking failures occur due to curling habits

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveuser wait timeVSAvoidstacking accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of timeVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by flattening banknotes before they are dispensed to the tray. The flattening mechanism, positioned upstream in the dispensing path, pre-corrects any curling habits on banknotes extracted from the circulation drum. This preliminary flattening action ensures that even though banknotes are dispensed one by one (maintaining fast service), they arrive at the dispense tray in a flat, properly aligned state, preventing stacking failures.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The flattening mechanism and guide members serve as intermediaries between the circulation drum and the dispense tray. These components intercept banknotes during the dispensing process, correct their curvature, and guide them into proper alignment before placement on the tray. This intermediary correction allows rapid one-by-one dispensing while maintaining high stacking accuracy.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Ease of operation

If banknotes with reduced stiffness are discharged, then handling flexibility is improved, but alignment on the dispense tray deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvehandling flexibilityVSAvoidalignment precision
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces guide members and a flattening mechanism as intermediaries to compensate for reduced banknote stiffness. These components provide physical guidance and pressing force to banknotes with lower rigidity, ensuring they maintain proper alignment as they travel through the dispensing mechanism and onto the tray. The guide members constrain the movement of flexible banknotes, while the flattening mechanism applies pressure to maintain alignment, resolving the contradiction between handling flexibility and alignment precision.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the physical state parameters of banknotes by applying pressure through the flattening mechanism. This pressure temporarily increases the effective stiffness of flexible banknotes during the critical dispensing and alignment phase, allowing them to maintain proper orientation and alignment. After dispensing, the banknotes return to their naturally flexible state, preserving handling ease while achieving precision during the alignment-critical dispensing process.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

Prevents stacking failures and ensures proper alignment of banknotes on the dispense tray, allowing for efficient and collective retrieval of dispensed banknotes.

Implementation Method 1

a paper sheet holding lever that has a rear part supported about an axis to be pivotable in an upper-lower direction and that has a front portion protruding on the discharge tray to hold the paper sheets discharged from the last discharging mechanism

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElastic force: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentEP4600193A1Paper sheet discharge and collection device and circulation-type paper sheet processing device
Publication Date: 2025.08.13 JAPAN CASH MASCH CO LTD
  • EP4600193A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4600193A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4600193A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

To provide a paper sheet discharge stacking device and a circulation-type paper sheet processing device that prevent a paper sheet dispensed from a circulation unit from causing a stacking failure on a dispense tray. The present invention includes a discharge transport route 510 on which paper sheets dispensed from circulation units 30 and 40 are transported to a discharge tray 700 with a short side thereof at the head, and a forming mechanism 550 that forms a short side shape of each of the paper sheets transported on the discharge transport route into a predetermined shape across the entire length in a long edge direction and that discharges the formed paper sheet onto the discharge tray.