IP Library Patent Application 12024576
Patent Application
App. No. 12/024,576

MEDIUM PROCESSING APPARATUS

Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US None
App. No.
12/024,576
Abstract

In a bill processing apparatus 1 as a medium processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the invention, a swinging member 510 , which prevents the bills P from being inserted at the same time, is deformable due to contact with the bill P. As a result, even when a first end 510 a contacts the bill P by a swinging operation accompanying with the contact between a second end 510 b of the swinging member 510 and the bill P, the first end 510 a itself is deformed to alleviate the shock to the bill P. Therefore, the bill P is not damaged. Accordingly, in order to prevent the damage of the bill P, it is not necessary to set a distance between the first end 510 a and the second end 510 b larger than a length of the bill P in a delivery direction. Further, the distance between the first end 510 a and the second end 510 b is shortened to make the swinging member 510 and thus the entire apparatus 1 small.

Claims (24)

1 . A medium processing apparatus comprising:

an insertion slot through which a medium can be inserted;

a delivery passage with which the medium inserted into the insertion slot is delivered; and

a shutter device that blocks the insertion slot to prevent a medium from being further inserted when the medium is delivered by means of the delivery passage,

wherein the shutter device comprises a swinging member that is swingably supported by means of a spindle and has a first end provided at one side regarding the spindle and capable of blocking the insertion slot and a second end provided at the other side regarding the spindle and capable of blocking the delivery passage, and

wherein the swinging member is structured so that the first end blocks the insertion slot by a swinging operation through the spindle accompanying with contact between the medium delivered by the delivery passage and the second end and is also deformable by contact with the medium.

2 . The medium processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein a length between the first end and the second end is shorter than a length of the medium in a delivery direction.

3 . The medium processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein a portion of the swinging member between the spindle and the first end is provided with an area that is thinner than a portion of the swinging member between the spindle and the second end.

4 . The medium processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first end has a protrusion that protrudes toward the insertion slot.

5 . The medium processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the delivery passage has an engagement part that is engaged with the first end of the swinging member when the first end blocks the insertion slot.

6 . The medium processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the second end is formed, at a part opposite to a part facing on the insertion slot, with an inclined surface that is inclined to deviate from the delivery passage.

7 . The medium processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the swinging member is supported at one side while interposing the delivery passage and the second end of the swinging member contacts the other side of the delivery passage so that a gap of about one medium piece is formed between the first end and the delivery passage under non-contact state with the medium, thereby blocking the delivery passage.

8 . The medium processing apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the other side of the delivery passage is provided with an engagement part that is engaged with the second end of the swinging member.

9 . The medium processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the second end has a protrusion that protrudes toward the opposite side of the insertion slot.

10 . The medium processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the second end is formed, at a part opposite to a part facing on the insertion slot, with an inclined surface that is inclined toward the delivery passage.

11 . The medium processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first end is formed, at a part opposite to a part facing on the insertion slot, with an inclined surface that is inclined toward the delivery passage.

12 . The medium processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the second end is formed, at a part facing on the delivery passage, with an inclined surface that is inclined toward the delivery passage.

13 . The medium processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the swinging member is formed with an elastic member.

14 . The medium processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the swinging member is formed with resin.

15 . The medium processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first and second ends are bent toward the delivery passage.

16 . The medium processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the swinging member comprises a pair of swinging parts that are located at both sides of the delivery passage and have the first end and the second end, respectively, and a connection part that connects the swinging parts each other, and

wherein each of the swinging parts is formed with a recessed portion.

17 . The medium processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein a portion of the swinging member between the spindle and the first end and a portion of the swinging member between the spindle and the second end are formed with different materials, and

wherein a flexibility of the material forming the portion of the swinging member between the spindle and the first end is higher than a flexibility of the material forming the portion of the swinging member between the spindle and the second end.

Assignments (3)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jul 26, 2010
From: ARUZE CORPORATION
To: UNIVERSAL ENTERTAINMENT CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 024766/0576 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 21, 2010
From: SETA CORPORATION
To: ARUZE CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 024719/0798 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 27, 2008
From: OONISHI, TAKAHISA; OOTO, TAKASHI
To: ARUZE CORP.; SETA CORP.
Reel/Frame 020712/0857 →