Profile and feeding state detection apparatus for paper sheet

Claim 2

A profile and/or feeding state detection apparatus having a light source (31) disposed and spaced apart from one of upper and lower surfaces of a paper sheet and an optical system (33) disposed to oppose said light source (31) through the paper sheet, characterized in that there are provided: sensor means (35) disposed in a direction perpendicular to a feeding direction of the paper sheet, for scanning at least two detection areas split with respect to a center of feeding; and electronic processing circuit means (45) for processing an output signal from said sensor means (35).

Claim 3

An apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that said electronic processing circuit means (45) includes: a timing generator (47), gate means (49, 55) for controlling an output signal from said sensor means (35) in accordance with at least two timing signals from said timing generator (47), counter means (57, 61) respectively connected to said gate means (49, 55), for counting output signals from said gate means (49, 55), memory means (75) for storing output signals from said counter means (57, 61), and a programmable microprocessor (66) which is connected to said timing generator (47), said counter means (57, 61) and said memory means (75), and which includes a central processing unit (63) for receiving the output signals from said counter means (57, 61) and also including a read-only memory (64) for storing a permanent program executed by said central processing unit (63) so as to allow said electronic processing circuit means (45) to perform specific operations, wherein said sensor means (35) scans the paper sheet in a scanning direction perpendicular to the feeding direction with a predetermined frequency to measure a plurality of widths W 1 , W 2 , W 3 ,..., W which correspond in number to the predetermined frequency, a predetermined number of widths W i (i = 1 through n) which satisfy the following inequality are selected from among said plurality of widths W 1 , W 2 , W 3 ,..., W : where W s is a standard width of the paper sheet, and ΔW is an allowance of the paper sheet, and a mean value of the predetermined number of widths W i (i = 1 through n) is determined to be a width of the paper sheet.

Claim 4

An apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that each of the widths W i (i = 1 through n) is obtained by adding a constant to one of two pieces of data which are respectively obtained from said at least two detection areas split with respect to the center of feeding.

Claim 5

An apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that said electronic processing circuit means (45) includes: a timing generator (47), gate means (49, 55) for controlling an output signal from said sensor means (35) in accordance with at least two timing signals from said timing generator (47) , counter means (57, 61) respectively connected to said gate means (49, 55), for counting output signals from said gate means (49, 55), memory means (75) for storing output signals from said counter means (57, 61), and a programmable microprocessor (66) which is connected to said timing generator (47), said counter means (57, 61) and said memory means (75), and which includes a central processing unit (63) for receiving the output signals from said counter means (57, 61) and also including a read-only memory (64) for storing a permanent program executed in said central processing unit (63) so as to allow said electronic processing circuit means (45) to perform specific operations, wherein said sensor means (35) scans the paper sheet in a scanning direction perpendicular to the feeding direction with a predetermined frequency to measure a plurality of widths W 1 , W 2 , W 3 ,..., W which correspond in number to the predetermined frequency and which are generally represented by widths W i (i = 1 through n), each of the widths Wi. (i = 1 through n) is compared with a reference value, and said central processing unit (63) determines that the paper sheet has a damaged portion when a predetermined number of widths W i (i = 1 through n) which are smaller than the reference value are consecutively detected.

Claim 6

An apparatus according to claim 4, characterized in that each of the widths W i (i = 1 through n) is obtained by adding a constant to one of two pieces of data which are respectively obtained from said at least two detection areas split with respect to the center of feeding.

Claim 7

An apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that said electronic processing circuit means (45) includes: a timing generator (47), gate means (49, 55) for controlling an output signal from said sensor means (35) in accordance with at least two timing signals from said timing generator (47) , counter means (57, 61) respectively connected to said gate means (49, 55), for counting output signals from said gate means (49, 55), memory means (75) for storing output signals from said counter means (57, 61), and a programmable microprocessor (66) which is connected to said timing generator (47), said counter means (57, 61) and said memory means (75), and which includes a central processing unit (63) for receiving the output signals from said counter means (57, 61) and also including a read-only memory (64) for storing a permanent program executed in said central processing unit (63) so as to allow said electronic processing circuit means (45) to perform specific operations, wherein said sensor means (35) scans the paper sheet in a scanning direction perpendicular to the feeding direction with a predetermined frequency to measure a plurality of widths W 1 , W 2' W 3 ,..., W which correspond in number to the predetermined frequency and which are generally represented by widths W i (i = 1 through n), two widths W x and W Y at two positions of the paper sheet which are spaced apart from each other are selected from among the widths Wi (i = 1 through n) to check whether or not the two widths W x and W Y respectively satisfy equations (1): where W S is a standard value of the paper sheet, and ΔW is an allowance thereof, subtraction is performed between partial widths of the widths W X and Wy at the two positions to obtain a skew value, each of the partial widths being a width of one of said at least two detection areas split with respect to the center of feeding, and the skew value is compared with a reference value to determine presence or absence of skew.

Claim 8

An apparatus according to claim 6, characterized in that each of the widths W i (i = 1 through n) is obtained by adding a constant to one of two pieces of data which are respectively obtained from said at least two detection areas split with respect to the center of feeding.

Claim 9

An apparatus according to claim 6, characterized in that the skew value is represented by a skew distance.

Claim 10

An apparatus according to claim 6, characterized in that the skew value is represented by a skew angle.

Claim 11

An apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that said electronic processing circuit means (45) includes: a timing generator (47), gate means (49, 55) for controlling an output signal from said sensor means (35) in accordance with at least two timing signals from said timing generator (47), counter means (57, 61) respectively connected to said gate means (49, 55), for counting output signals from said gate means (49, 55), memory means (75) for storing output signals from said counter means (57, 61), and a programmable microprocessor (66) which is connected to said timing generator (47), said counter means (57, 61) and said memory means (75), and which includes a central processing unit (63) for receiving the output signals from said counter means (57, 61) and also including a read-only memory (64) for storing a permanent program executed in said central processing unit (63) so as to allow said electronic processing circuit means (45) to perform specific operations, wherein said sensor means (35) scans the paper sheet in a scanning direction perpendicular to the feeding direction with a predetermined frequency to measure a plurality of widths W 1 , W 2 , W 3 ,..., W n which correspond in number to the predetermined frequency and which are generally represented by widths W i (i = 1 through n), two widths Wand W Y at two positions of the paper X sheet which are spaced apart from each other are selected from among the widths W i (i = 1 through n) to check whether or not the two widths W X and Wy respectively satisfy equations (1): where Wsis a standard value of the paper sheet, and ΔW is an allowance thereof, subtraction is performed between partial widths of the widths W and W Y at the two positions to obtain first and second skew values, the partial widths being widths of said at least two detection areas split with respect to the center of feeding, and a smaller one of the first and second skew values is compared with a reference value to determine presence or absence of skew.

Claim 12

An apparatus according to claim 10, characterized in that each of the widths W i (i = 1 through n) is obtained by adding a constant to one of two pieces of data which are respectively obtained from said at least two detection areas split with respect to the center of feeding.

Claim 13

An apparatus according to claim 10, characterized in that the skew value is represented by a skew distance.

Claim 14

An apparatus according to claim 10, characterized in that the skew value is represented by a skew angle.

Claim 15

An apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that said electronic processing circuit means (45) includes: a timing generator (47), gate means (49, 55) for controlling an output signal from said sensor means (35) in accordance with at least two timing signals from said timing generator (47) , counter means (57, 61) respectively connected to said gate means (49, 55), for counting output signals from said gate means (49, 55), memory means (75) for storing output signals from said counter means (57, 61), and a programmable microprocessor (66) which is connected to said timing generator (47), said counter means (57, 61) and said memory means (75), and which includes a central processing unit (63) for receiving the output signals from said counter means (57, 61) and also including a read-only memory (64) for storing a permanent program executed in said central processing unit (63) so as to allow said electronic processing circuit means (45) to perform specific operations, wherein said sensor means (35) scans the paper sheet in a scanning direction perpendicular to the feeding direction with a predetermined frequency to measure a plurality of widths W 1 , W 2 , W 3 ,..., W which correspond in number to the predetermined frequency, a predetermined number of widths W i (i = 1 through n) which satisfy the following inequality are selected from among said plurality of widths W 1 , W 2 , W 3 ,..., W : a difference between two of the predetermined number of widths which belong to said at least two detection areas split with respect to the center of feeding is defined as a misalignment value, and the misalignment value is compared with a reference value to determine presence or absence of misalignment.

Claim 16

An apparatus according to claim 14, characterized in that each of the widths W i (i = 1 through n) is obtained by adding a constant to one of two pieces of data which are respectively obtained from said at least two detection areas split with respect to the center of feeding.

Claim 17

An apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that said electronic processing circuit means (45) includes: a timing generator (47), gate means (49, 55) for controlling an output signal from said sensor means (35) in accordance with at least two timing signals from said timing generator (47) , counter means (57, 61) respectively connected to said gate means (49, 55), for counting output signals from said gate means (49, 55), memory means (75) for storing output signals from said counter means (57, 61), and a programmable microprocessor (66) which is connected to said timing generator (47), said counter means (57, 61) and said memory means (75), and which includes a central processing unit (63) for receiving the output signals from said counter means (57, 61) and also including a read-only memory (64) for storing a permanent program executed in said central processing unit (63) so as to allow said electronic processing circuit means (45) to perform specific operations, wherein said sensor means (35) scans the paper sheet in a scanning direction perpendicular to the feeding direction with a predetermined frequency to measure a plurality of widths W 1 , W 2 , W 3 ,..., W which correspond in number to the predetermined frequency, a predetermined number of widths W. (i = 1 through n) which satisfy the following inequality are selected from among said plurality of widths W . , W 2 , W 3 ,..., W n : a difference between first and second mean values of the predetermined number of widths which belong to said at least two detection areas split with respect to the center of feeding is defined as a mean misalignment value, and the mean misalignment value is compared with a reference value to determine presence or absence of misalignment.

Claim 18

An apparatus according to claim 16, characterized in that each of the widths W 1 (i = 1 through n) is obtained by adding a constant to one of two pieces of data which are respectively obtained from said at least two detection areas split with respect to the center of feeding.

Claim 19

An apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that said electronic processing circuit means (45) includes: a timing generator (47), gate means (49, 51, 55) for controlling an output signal from said sensor means (35) in accordance with at least three timing signals from said timing generator (47) , counter means (57, 59, 61) respectively connected to said gate means (49, 51, 55), for counting output signals from said gate means (49, 51, 55), memory means (75) for storing output signals from said counter means (57, 59, 61), and a programmable microprocessor (66) which is connected to said timing generator (47), said counter means (57, 59, 61) and said memory means (75), and which includes a central processing unit (63) for receiving the output signals from said counter means (57, 59, 61) and also including a read-only memory (64) for storing a permanent program executed in said central processing unit (63) so as to allow said electronic processing circuit means (45) to perform specific operations, wherein said sensor means measures a length of a puncture or hole, and the puncture or hole is detected when an optically nonshielded state is detected within an optically shielded state and when the width of the puncture or hole is greater than an allowable reference value and is continuously formed exceeding a predetermined length in the feeding direction.

Claim 20

An apparatus according to claim 18, characterized in that the length of the puncture or hole formed in the feeding direction is checked by comparing the length measured by said sensor with at least first and second levels, whereby the length below the first level indicates the absence of the puncture or hole, the length between the first and second levels indicates the presence of the puncture or hole, and the length of the puncture exceeding the second level indicates a rejected paper sheet.

Claim 21

An apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that said electronic processing circuit means (45) includes: a timing generator (47), gate means (49, 55) for controlling an output signal from said sensor means (35) in accordance with at least two timing signals from said timing generator (47), counter means (57, 61) respectively connected to said gate means (49, 55), for counting output signals from said gate means (49, 55), memory means (75) for storing output signals from said counter means (57, 61), and a programmable microprocessor (66) which is connected to said timing generator (47), said counter means (57, 61) and said memory means (75), and which includes a central processing unit (63) for receiving the output signals from said counter means (57, 61) and also including a read-only memory (64) for storing a permanent program executed in said central processing unit (63) so as to allow said electronic processing circuit means (45) to perform specific operations, wherein said sensor means (35) scans the paper sheet in a scanning direction perpendicular to the feeding direction with a predetermined frequency to measure a plurality of widths W 1 , W 2 , W 3 ,..., W which correspond to the predetermined frequency, a predetermined number of widths W i (i = 1 through n) which satisfy the following inequality are selected from among said plurality of widths W 1 , W 2 , W 3 ,..., W : where W S is a standard width of the paper sheet, and ΔW is an allowable range of the paper sheet, a detection area and an area adjacent to the detection area are obtained by the predetermined number of widths W i (i = 1 through n) to define a difference between the detection area and the area adjacent to the detection area as a dog ear amount, and the dog ear amount is compared with a reference value to determine presence or absence of a dog ear.

Claim 22

An apparatus according to claim 20, characterized in that each of the widths W i (i = 1 through n) is obtained by adding a constant to one of two pieces of data which are respectively obtained from said at least two detection areas split with respect to the center of feeding.