BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention:
[0001] The present invention relates to bill acceptor technology and more particularly,
to a bill acceptor with bill passage anti-light pollution arrangement, which has privacy
filters installed in the light path of the bill-receiving unit thereof to reduce light
pollution, avoiding errors and faults and enhancing detection accuracy and reliability.
2. Description of the Related Art:
[0002] Following fast development of modern technology, convenience and rapidness have become
important demands in our modern daily life. Nowadays, different automatic vending
machines, card dispensers, auto teller machines, ticket machines and bill exchange
machines are used everywhere to sell different products and/or to provide different
services without serviceman. These machines are highly appreciated for the advantage
of saving much labor and bringing convenience to people.
[0003] Further, commercial automatic vending machines, auto teller machines and other consumer
systems may be equipped with a bill acceptor for receiving paper money. To avoid direct
loss due to counterfeiting and to avoid inadvertently passing counterfeit valuable
papers to consumers, a bill acceptor has recognition means to recognize the authenticity
of a valuable paper before receiving it. However, the bill passage of a bill acceptor
is specifically designed for a particular valuable paper of one specific width. Because
different valuable papers issued from different countries have different sizes (length,
width and thickness) and different anti-counterfeit characteristics at different locations.
A valuable paper that is inserted into a bill acceptor must be kept in accurate alignment
with the recognition device so that the recognition device can accurate recognize
the anti-counterfeit characteristics. If a valuable paper is inserted into a bill
acceptor in an offset manner, the recognition device of the bill acceptor may reject
the valuable paper due to a recognition error. In this case, the user must insert
the valuable paper again, causing inconvenience.
[0004] Further, during the operation of a recognition device of a bill acceptor to validate
the authenticity of an inserted valuable paper, a light emitter (for example, light-emitting
diode) of the recognition device emits light through a lens set and the inserted valuable
paper toward a light sensor. The light sensor determines the authenticity of the valuable
paper by measuring the energy of the light that passes through the inserted valuable
paper. Subject to the anti-counterfeit characteristics (watermark, seal, hidden barcode
or laser tag) and material thickness, the authenticity and face value of the inserted
valuable paper can be accurately validated.
[0005] However, during validation operation of a recognition device of a bill acceptor,
sunlight or external luminous light or flashing light may pass through the bill slot
of the face panel into the internal bill passage of the bill acceptor to fall upon
the dust cover and the lens set of the recognition device to interfere with the light
being emitted by the light emitter toward the light sensor, resulting in a false detection
or detection error. The dust cover has wear-resistant, dustproof and anti-stain characteristics,
but it cannot filtrate external light rays to eliminate light pollution. When a light
pollution occurs, the validation accuracy will be affected. If an inserted valuable
paper cannot be validated and is rejected, the user shall have to insert the valuable
paper into the bill slot again, causing inconvenience.
[0006] Therefore, it is desirable to provide a bill acceptor that filtrates light pollution,
avoiding errors and faults.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] The present invention has been accomplished under the circumstances in view. It is
therefore one object of the present invention to provide a bill acceptor with bill
passage anti-light pollution arrangement, which reduces light pollution, avoids errors
and faults, and enhances detection accuracy and reliability.
[0008] To achieve this and other objects of the present invention, a bill acceptor comprises
a housing defining a bill slot in a face panel thereof for the insertion of a bill,
a bill-receiving unit accommodated in the housing, and at least one privacy filter
mounted in the bill-receiving unit to prevent light pollution. The bill-receiving
unit comprises a holder base defining therein a bill passage in communication with
the bill slot, a control module, a transmission mechanism controllable by the control
module to transfer an inserted bill, and a recognition circuit assembly mounted in
opposing top and bottom sides of the bill passage. The recognition circuit assembly
comprises a sampling and validating module consisting of a plurality of light emitters
and light sensors and controllable by the control module to validate the authenticity
and face value of an inserted bill. The at least one privacy filter is mounted in
a light path in the bill-receiving unit between the bill passage and the light sensors
to filtrate external light sources and to let the light emitted by the light emitters
pass toward the light sensors.
[0009] Further, the holder base of the bill-receiving unit comprises at least one light
transmissive portion disposed around the bill passage corresponding to the recognition
circuit assembly, a privacy filter locating groove extending around each light transmissive
portion, and a dust cover mounted in each privacy filter locating groove to hold one
respective privacy filter in each privacy filter locating groove. The privacy filter
is made using blind ultra-fine (micro louver) optical technology, and designed to
control reflection of light and to reduce glare. The privacy filter decreases the
angle of the light path in the bill passage, allowing only the light emitted by the
light emitters to pass through the bill passage toward the light sensors. Further,
the privacy filter with the respective dust cover can be made in any of a variety
of shapes and sizes subject to requirements without affecting the original dust protection
function of the dust cover.
[0010] Further, the holder base of the bill-receiving unit comprises at least one light
transmissive portion disposed around the bill passage corresponding to the recognition
circuit assembly, a privacy filter locating groove extending around each light transmissive
portion, and a dust cover mounted in the privacy filter locating groove to hold one
respective privacy filter in the at least one light transmissive portion. Further,
the control module of the bill-receiving unit comprises two circuit boards respectively
mounted in the holder base at opposing top and bottom sides of the bill passage, a
plurality of sensors installed in the circuit boards and adapted to sense the insertion
of a bill into the bill slot, a bearing shell mounted at each circuit board over the
sensors at the respective circuit board. The bearing shell comprises a privacy filter
locating groove accommodating at least one privacy filter, and a plurality of retaining
protrusions projecting into the privacy filter locating groove to hold at least one
privacy filter in the privacy filter locating groove. The privacy filter at the bearing
shell filtrates external light rays that are not emitted by the light emitters, reducing
light pollution, avoiding errors and faults, and prolonging the lifespan of the bill
acceptor.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0011]
FIG. 1 is an elevational view of a bill acceptor with bill passage anti-light pollution
arrangement in accordance with the present invention.
FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the bill acceptor with bill passage anti-light pollution
arrangement in accordance with the present invention.
FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the bill-receiving unit of the bill acceptor with bill
passage anti-light pollution arrangement in accordance with the present invention.
FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of part A of FIG. 3.
FIG. 5 is a sectional side view of the bill acceptor with bill passage anti-light
pollution arrangement in accordance with the present invention.
FIG. 6 is a sectional side view, in an enlarged scale, of a part of the bill acceptor
with bill passage anti-light pollution arrangement in accordance with the present
invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0012] Referring to FIGS. 1-6, a bill acceptor with bill passage anti-light pollution arrangement
in accordance with the present invention is shown comprising a housing
1, and a bill-receiving unit
2. The housing
1 comprises a face panel
11 defining a bill slot
111. Further, the housing
1 defines therein an accommodation chamber
10. The bill-receiving unit
2 is accommodated in the accommodation chamber
10 of the housing
1, comprising a holder base
21 consisting of a first base member
211 and a second base member
212, a bill passage
20 defined between the first base member
211 and the second base member
212 in communication with the bill slot
111, a control module
22, a transmission mechanism
23 and a recognition circuit assembly
24 mounted in top and bottom sides of the bill passage
20, and a bill box
25 mounted at the rear side of the housing
1. The control module
22 comprises two circuit boards
221 respectively mounted in the top and bottom sides of the bill passage
20 near the bill slot
111, and a plurality of sensors
222 installed in the circuit boards
221 and adapted to sense the presence of an inserted bill
4 and to control on/off of the transmission mechanism
23. The transmission mechanism
23 comprises at least one motor
231 and at least one bill-transfer roller set
232 rotatable by the at least one motor
231 to transfer each inserted bill
4 to the recognition circuit assembly
24 for validating its authenticity and face value. The bill box
25 comprises a bill pressing-down mechanism
251 and a box body
252.
[0013] Further, the recognition circuit assembly
24 comprises a sampling and validating module
240 for validating the authenticity and face value of an inserted bill
4. The sampling and validating module
240 comprises a plurality of light emitters
241 installed in one circuit board
221 of the control module
22, a plurality of light sensors
242 installed in the other circuit board
221 of the control module
22 and respectively aimed at the light emitters
241, and a plurality of lens holders
243 respectively mounted around the light emitters
241 and the light sensors
242. The light emitters
241 can be light-emitting diodes of different colors. In this embodiment, the sampling
and validating module
240 is a transmissive optical sensor module. However, this design is not a limitation,
i.e., reflective optical sensor design or contact image sensor design can be selectively
used as a substitute.
[0014] Further, the holder base
21 of the bill-receiving unit
2 comprises two light transmissive portions
213 disposed at opposing top and bottom sides of the bill passage
20 corresponding to the recognition circuit assembly
24, a locating groove
2131 extending around each light transmissive portion
213, a privacy filter
3 mounted with a dust cover
214 in each locating groove
2131 over the respective light transmissive portion
213. Preferably, the privacy filter
3 is disposed in the light path of the light sensors
242 that passes through the bill passage
20. Further, the privacy filter
3 can be directly bonded to an outer side of the dust cover
214 opposite to the bill passage
20. Further, each lens holder
243 comprises a through hole
2430 corresponding to one light sensor
242, and a lens set
2431 mounted in the through hole
2430.
[0015] The privacy filters
3 are multilayer filters made using blind ultra-fine (micro louver) optical technology,
designed to control reflection of light and to reduce glare. The privacy filters
3 decrease the angle of the light path in the bill passage
20, allowing only the light emitted by the light emitters
241 to pass through the bill passage
20 at 90° angle or 60°±5° angle. The privacy filters
3 have wear-resistant, dustproof and anti-stain characteristics. Further, the privacy
filters
3 with the respective dust covers
214 can be made in any of a variety of shapes and sizes subject to requirements without
affecting the original dust protection function of the dust covers
214. Further, two or more privacy filters
3 can be arranged in a stack and mounted with one dust cover
214 for application. As the materials, optical structure and fabrication of the privacy
filters
3 are of the known art, no further detailed description in this regard will be necessary.
[0016] The bill acceptor with bill passage anti-light pollution arrangement in accordance
with the present invention can be used in an automatic vending machine, auto teller
machine, game console, or any of a variety of other consumer systems. After installation
of the bill acceptor in the housing of the automatic vending machine, auto teller
machine, game console or consumer system, the circuit boards
221 of the control module
22 of the bill-receiving unit
2 are electrically connected to the power circuit and main unit of the automatic vending
machine, auto teller machine, game console or consumer system by electrical connectors
(not shown) for the transmission of power supply and data, enabling the automatic
vending machine, auto teller machine, game console or consumer system to provide bill-validating,
bill-receiving and bill-rejecting functions. Further, the bill acceptor is capable
of validating any of a variety of bills
4 that can be paper notes, valuable securities (such as banker's checks, banker's drafts,
stocks, ownership certificates, prepaid tickets, gift certificates, etc.) or security
documents (such as ID cards, drivers licenses, vehicle licenses, passports, etc.).
[0017] When a person inserts a bill
4 into the bill slot
111 of the face panel
11 of the housing
1, the bill
4 will enter the bill passage
20 of the bill-receiving unit
2 to induce the sensors
222 of the control module
22. When one or a number of the sensors
222 of the control module
22 is induced by the inserted bill
4, the control module
22 immediately drives the at least one motor
231 of the transmission mechanism
23 to transfer the bill
4 to the recognition circuit assembly
24, enabling the sampling and validating module
240 to validate the authenticity and face value of the bill
4 subject to the functioning of the light emitters
241 and the light sensors
242 and the control of the control module
22. If the bill
4 is recognized to be authentic, the transmission mechanism
23 will be controlled by the control module
22 to transfer the bill
4 to the bill box
25, enabling the bill pressing-down mechanism
251 to press the bill
4 into the inside of the box body
252. If the bill
4 is validated to be a counterfeit, the transmission mechanism
23 will be controlled by the control module
22 to transfer the bill
4 backwardly to the bill slot
111 of the face panel
11 of the housing
1.
[0018] Further, during operation of the light emitters
241 and light sensors
242 of the sampling and validating module
240 to validate the authenticity and face value of the bill
4, the light emitters
241 emit light toward the lens sets
2431 in the through holes
2430 of the surrounding lens holders
243. At this time, the emitted light goes through the privacy filter
3 in the proximal dust cover
214, then the bill passage
20 and the bill
4, and then the privacy filter
3 in the distal dust cover
214 and then the lens sets
2431 in the through holes
2430 of the distal lens holders
243, and then falls upon the light sensors
242. Thus, the light sensors
242 can measure the energy of the incident light accurately, enabling the sampling and
validating module
240 to determine the authenticity and face value of the bill
4. The privacy filters
3 filtrate external sunlight, indoor luminous light and other full-spectrum light sources
that are not emitted by the light emitters
241, reducing light pollution, avoiding errors and faults, and enhancing detection accuracy
and reliability.
[0019] Referring to FIGS. 3, 4 and 6 again, the holder base
21 of the bill-receiving unit
2 further comprises a plurality of mounting grooves
2132, a plurality of dust covers
214 respectively mounted in the mounting grooves
2132 over the respective light transmissive portion
213. The control module
22 further comprises a bearing shell
223 mounted at each circuit board
221 over the respective sensors
222. The bearing shell
223 comprises a locating groove
2231, a plurality of through holes
2230 disposed in the locating groove
2231 corresponding to the sensors
222, a privacy filter
3 mounted in the locating groove
2231 and covered over the through holes
2230, and a plurality of retaining protrusions
2232 projecting into the locating groove
2231 and pressed on the privacy filter 3 to hold the privacy filter
3 in the locating groove
2231 positively. The privacy filter
3 filtrates external light rays that are not emitted by the light emitters
241, reducing light pollution, avoiding errors and faults, and prolonging the lifespan
of the bill acceptor.
[0020] Although a particular embodiment of the invention has been described in detail for
purposes of illustration, various modifications and enhancements may be made without
departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is
not to be limited except as by the appended claims.
1. A bill acceptor comprising:
a housing comprising a face panel defining a bill slot for the insertion of a bill;
a bill-receiving unit accommodated in said housing, said bill-receiving unit comprising
a holder base defining therein a bill passage in communication with said bill slot,
a control module, a transmission mechanism controllable by said control module to
transfer an inserted bill, and a recognition circuit assembly mounted in opposing
top and bottom sides of said bill passage, said recognition circuit assembly comprising
a sampling and validating module consisting of a plurality of light emitters and light
sensors and controllable by said control module to validate the authenticity and face
value of an inserted bill; and
at least one privacy filter mounted in a light path in said bill-receiving unit between
said bill passage and said light sensors to filtrate external light sources and to
let the light emitted by said light emitters pass toward said light sensors.
2. The bill acceptor as claimed in claim 1, wherein said holder base of said bill-receiving
unit comprises at least one light transmissive portion disposed around said bill passage
corresponding to said recognition circuit assembly, and a privacy filter locating
groove extending around each said light transmissive portion to accommodate at least
one said privacy filter.
3. The bill acceptor as claimed in claim 2, wherein each said privacy filter locating
groove accommodates two said privacy filters in a stack.
4. The bill acceptor as claimed in claim 2, wherein said holder base of said bill-receiving
unit further comprises a dust cover mounted in each said privacy filter locating groove
to hold at least one said privacy filter in each said privacy filter locating groove.
5. The bill acceptor as claimed in claim 1, wherein said control module of said bill-receiving
unit comprises two circuit boards respectively mounted in said holder base at opposing
top and bottom sides of said bill passage, and a plurality of sensors installed in
said circuit boards and adapted to sense the insertion of a bill into said bill slot;
said light emitters and light sensors of said sampling and validating module of said
recognition circuit assembly are respectively installed in said two circuit boards
of said control module of said bill-receiving unit.
6. The bill acceptor as claimed in claim 5, wherein said sampling and validating module
further comprises a plurality of lens holders respectively mounted around said light
emitters and said light sensors, each said lens holder comprising a through hole aimed
at one said light sensor and a lens set mounted in said through hole.
7. The bill acceptor as claimed in claim 1, wherein said holder base of said bill-receiving
unit comprises at least one light transmissive portion disposed around said bill passage
corresponding to said recognition circuit assembly, and a privacy filter locating
groove extending around each said light transmissive portion, a dust cover mounted
in said privacy filter locating groove to hold at least one said privacy filter in
said at least one light transmissive portion; said control module of said bill-receiving
unit comprises two circuit boards respectively mounted in said holder base at opposing
top and bottom sides of said bill passage, a plurality of sensors installed in said
circuit boards and adapted to sense the insertion of a bill into said bill slot, and
a bearing shell mounted at each said circuit board over the sensors at the respective
circuit board, said bearing shell comprising a privacy filter locating groove.
8. The bill acceptor as claimed in claim 1, wherein said bearing shell comprises at least
one through holes disposed in said privacy filter locating groove corresponding to
the sensors; said privacy filter locating groove accommodates at least one said privacy
filter and a plurality of retaining protrusions projecting into said privacy filter
locating groove to hold at least one said privacy filter in said privacy filter locating
groove.