JPH07120447B2 - Automatic ticket gate - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (a) Field of Industrial Application The present invention relates to an automatic ticket gate apparatus for ticket processing of tickets such as airline tickets.

(B) Conventional technology Conventionally, in the automatic ticket gate business for airports, the above-mentioned airline ticket is cut at its asymmetric position in the longitudinal direction, one of the cut tickets is written with necessary information and returned as a boarding pass, and also cut. The other of the latter needs to be recovered as a recovery ticket.

As an automatic ticket gate apparatus for performing such processing, for example, an insertion port is formed at one end, a take-out port is formed at the other end, and a conveyance path is provided to convey the knots through the insertion port and the take-out port.
An information reading means for reading the information of the ticket is arranged at the front of the transportation route, a cutting device for cutting the cutting portion of the ticket is arranged at the rear of the transportation path, and information is recorded on the ticket at the rear of the cutting device. It can be configured by disposing a print head for printing, further disposing a boarding pass at the rear of the print head, and disposing a sorting unit for collecting the collected tickets.

However, in the case of such a configuration, the above-described print head also passes the recovery ticket that does not require printing, and even the boarding pass passes the boarding pass that is determined to be invalid and does not require printing. As a result, there is a serious problem of abrasion and damage of the print head.

(C) Problem to be Solved by the Invention The present invention avoids the non-printable portion of a ticket from passing through the printing means, reduces abrasion and damage of the printing means, and obtains long-term use of the printing means. The purpose is to provide an automatic ticket gate device that can

(D) Means for Solving the Problems The present invention has an inlet at one end and an outlet at the other end,
A transport path for transporting the knot ticket is provided at these inlets and outlets, an information reading means for reading the information of the ticket is arranged in front of the transport path, and a cutting section for cutting the cutting portion of the ticket in the rear position. An automatic ticket gate apparatus in which a device is provided, which has a bypass start end in the rear transport path of the cutting device, and a bypass passage which joins the rear end of the bypass in the rear transport path, and the bypass passage. Print means for arranging and printing information in a predetermined print area of the ticket, and allocating means for allocating the conveyed ticket to one of the bypass path and the transfer path, provided at the bypass start end of the bypass path, It is provided with a judging means for judging whether or not printing is necessary based on the output of the information reading means, and a control means for distributing and controlling the distributing means so as to guide the ticket to the bypass path based on the judgment output of the necessity of printing by the judging means. Automatic break Characterized in that it is a device.

(E) Effect of the Invention According to the present invention, after the unprinted portion of the ticket is cut, only the required printing portion is guided to the printing means through the sorting means to print, so that the unprinted portion is passed through the printing means. In addition, even for the discharged ticket, when printing is not required, the printing means is not passed by the sorting control of the sorting means, so that the printing means is not worn or damaged because the printing means is not passed, The maintenance cycle can be lengthened and the printing means can be used for a long time.

(F) Embodiment of the Invention One embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

The drawing shows an automatic ticket gate apparatus. In FIG. 1, this automatic ticket gate apparatus has a front end 2 of a housing 1 in which a slot 3 for a ticket gate A is formed and a rear end 4 thereof is formed with a take-out opening 5, respectively. A first transport path 6, a second transport path 7, and a third transport path 8 connecting the respective inlets and outlets 5, 3 are formed between the inlet 3 and the outlet 5.

The above-described first transport path 6 is the first stretched between the rollers 9.
A belt 10 and a second belt 12 stretched between rollers 11 are provided. The first sensor S1 is provided on the feed start end side of the first transport path 6 in the vicinity of the inlet 3 and the ticket gate is provided in the middle portion. A magnetic head 13 which reads the magnetic information of A and outputs a forward / reverse signal of a ticket insertion direction and a signal indicating whether or not printing is required, and a clamper 14 which clamps the rear end of the ticket ticket A in the insertion direction are provided at the sending end portions. is doing.

Further, the above-described second transport path 7 includes the third belt 16 stretched between the rollers 15 and 15 and the fourth belt 18 stretched between the rollers 17 and 17, and the feed of the second transport path 7 is performed. A second sensor S2 is provided at the start end side, and a front stopper 19 and a rear stopper 20 are provided at an intermediate portion so as to be spaced apart from each other.

Further, a cutting device 21 for cutting the cutting portion of the ticket voucher A is arranged between the second transport path 7 and the first transport path 6 described above.

Furthermore, the above-described third conveyance path 8 includes the fifth belt 23 stretched between the rollers 22 and the sixth belt stretched between the rollers 24.
A belt 25 is provided, and a third sensor S3 is disposed on the feed end side of the third transport path 8 in the vicinity of the outlet 5.

On the other hand, a fourth conveyance path 27 is stretched in an inclined manner between the above-mentioned feed end of the second conveyance path 7 and the stacker 26 for storing the recovered tickets after cutting.

The fourth conveyance path 27 includes a seventh belt 29 stretched between the rollers 17, 28 and 28 and an eighth belt 31 stretched between the rollers 30 and 30.
And a fourth sensor in the middle of the fourth transport path 27.
S4 is installed.

Further, the tickets after cutting from the second transport path 7 are sorted and transported to one of the transport paths 27 and 8 at the feed start end portions of the fourth transport path 27 and the third transport path 8 described above. A recovery flapper F1 is provided.

Further, a bypass path 32 that bypasses the transfer path 8 is formed in the third transfer path 8 described above, and the bypass path 32 is provided.
In addition, for example, a printing device 35 including a platen roller 33 and a thermal head 34 is arranged.

Then, a print flapper F2 for distributing and transporting the ticket after cutting from the second transport route 7 to one of these routes 32 and 8 at the feed start end portion of the bypass route 32 and the third transport route 8 described above. Are installed.

Further, in the above-mentioned housing 1, a first motor M1 for driving the first to fourth transport paths 6, 7, 8, 27 and a second motor M2 for transporting a ticket during printing are provided. There is.

FIG. 2 shows a ticket gate A, which has a cutting portion a at a longitudinally asymmetrical position, one side of this cutting portion a is set as a return ticket B, and the other side is set as a recovery ticket C. At the same time, a print area D is formed on the return ticket B, and a magnetic stripe E is formed on the back surface of the ticket gate A.

FIG. 3 shows a control circuit of the automatic ticket gate, and the CPU 40, based on the inputs from the magnetic head 13 and the first to fourth sensors S1 to S4, according to the program stored in the ROM 38,
The clamper 14, the front and rear stoppers 19 and 20, the cutting device 21, the printing device 35, the recovery flapper F1, the printing flapper F2, and the first and second motors M1 and M2 are drive-controlled, and the RAM 39 is a ticket insertion direction correct. Necessary data such as reverse signal data and permission / prohibition signal data requiring printing is stored.

Further, the CPU 40 determines the insertion direction of the ticket A and variably controls the stop position of the ticket A with respect to the cutting device 21 based on the determination result.

The operation of the automatic ticket gate constructed in this way will be described with reference to the flowcharts of FIGS. 4 to 6.

Now, when the ticket A is inserted into the slot 3, the CPU 40 determines whether or not the first sensor S1 is turned on in the first step 41, and when the first sensor S1 is turned on. The process proceeds to the next second step 42.

In the second step 42, the CPU 40 drives the first motor M1 to drive the first to fourth transfer paths 6, 7, 8, 27 in the predetermined direction.

Next, in a third step 43, the CPU 40 reads the magnetic recording information of the magnetic stripe E on the ticket A from the magnetic head 13, so-called ticket data (forward / reverse signal data of ticket insertion direction, signal data of necessity of printing), and the required data. Is stored in RAM39.

Next, in a fourth step 44, the CPU 40 determines whether or not the recovery ticket C of FIG. 2 has been inserted forward. Second ticket gate A
When the card is inserted in the normal direction in the figure, the recovery ticket C faces forward, so the process proceeds to the next fifth step 45, and in this fifth step 45, the CPU 40 turns on the rear stopper 20. That is, after this, the tip of the ticket A is controlled to stop at the stopper 20 position.

When the ticket A is inserted in the reverse direction of FIG. 2 contrary to the above, the process shifts from the fourth step 44 to the sixth step 46, and in this sixth step 46, the CPU 40 causes the front stopper 19 to move. O
N is set, and control is performed to stop the front end of the ticket gate A at the position of the front stopper 19.

As described above, in the above-mentioned fourth step 44, the insertion direction of the ticket gate A is determined, and the CPU 40 determines the ticket ticket A based on the determination result.
Since the stop position for the cutting device 21 is variably controlled, the cutting portion a of the ticket A can be made to correspond to the cutting device 21 regardless of whether the ticket A is inserted in the normal direction or the reverse direction.

Next, in a seventh step 47, the CPU 40 determines whether or not the second sensor S2 is turned on, the leading edge of the ticket A is brought into contact with the rear stopper 20 or the front stopper 19, and the sensor S2 is turned on to turn the ticket. When the traveling of A is stopped, the process proceeds to the next eighth step 48.

In the eighth step 48, the CPU 40 turns on the clamper 14 and clamps the rear part of the ticket voucher A with the clamper 14 from above and below.

Next, in a ninth step 49, the CPU 40 operates the cutting device 21, cuts the cutting portion a of the ticket A with the cutting blade, and then
In step 50, the CPU 40 starts the disconnect timer (CPU built-in timer) to check the disconnect time.

Next, in the eleventh step 51, the CPU 40 determines whether or not the coupon ticket C is inserted forward based on the data stored in advance in the RAM 39, in other words, the ticket gate A is inserted in the forward direction of FIG. It is determined whether or not.

When the CPU 40 determines that the ticket gate A has been inserted in the forward direction, the process proceeds to the next twelfth step 52.

In the twelfth step 52, the CPU 40 turns on the recovery flapper F1 to connect the second transport path 7 and the fourth transport path 27.

Next, in a thirteenth step 53, the CPU 40 determines whether or not the aforementioned disconnection timer has timed out, and when the time has expired, the CPU40 proceeds to the next fourteenth step 54.

In the fourteenth step 54, the CPU 40 turns off the cutting device 21, and in the next fifteenth step 55, the CPU 40 turns on the stopper 20 after turning it on in the fifth step 45.

After this, when the stopper 20 is turned off, the recovered ticket C as one half of the cut ticket is recovered from the second transport path 7 by the recovery flapper F1.
It is conveyed to the fourth conveyance path 27 through the lower side of the.

The return ticket B as the other stub after cutting is held by the clamper 14.

Next, in a sixteenth step 56, the CPU 40 determines that the above-mentioned collected ticket C is the fourth one.
Whether or not the sensor S4 has been passed through the fourth sensor,
It is determined by the signal input from S4, and if it is passed, the process moves to the 17th step 57.

In this 17th step 57, the CPU 40 turns off the recovery flapper F1, and in the next 18th step 58, the CPU 40 reads the data from the RAM 39, determines whether or not printing is necessary, and printing is necessary. In that case, the process proceeds to the following 19th step 59.

In the 19th step 59, the CPU 40 turns on the print flapper F2 to connect the second transport path 7 and the bypass path 32.

Next, in a twentieth step 60, the CPU 40 drives the second motor M2 which conveys the ticket during printing.

Next, in the 21st step 61, the CPU 40 turns off the clamper 14,
The return ticket B held by the clamper 14 is conveyed.

The return ticket B is conveyed from the second conveyance path 7 to the bypass 32 through the upper sides of the collection flapper F1 and the print flapper F2.

Next, in a 22nd step 62, the CPU 40 drives the printing device 35,
Required items are printed in the print area D of the return ticket B.

The return ticket B after printing is completed from the bypass 32 to the third
The sheet is received on the conveying path 8 and is conveyed in the direction of the outlet 5.

Next, in a 23rd step 63, the CPU 40 determines whether or not the third sensor S3 is turned on, and when the above-mentioned return ticket B is conveyed to the take-out port 5 and the third sensor S3 is turned on, 24th step 64 of.

In the 24th step 64, the CPU 40 turns off the second motor M2, and in the next 25th step 65, the CPU 40 turns off the print flapper F2.
Set to FF and set this print flapper F2 to the original position.

Next, in a 26th step 66, the CPU 40 turns off the first motor M1 to stop driving the first to fourth transport paths 6, 7, 8, 27, and then in a 27th step 67, CPU40 is the third sensor S3
When the return ticket B at the exit 5 is pulled out by the passenger and the third sensor S3 is turned off,
A series of processes for the printed return ticket B is completed.

On the other hand, in the above-mentioned 18th step 58, when the CPU 40 determines that printing is not necessary, the process proceeds to the next 28th step 68, and in this 28th step 68, the CPU 40 turns off the clamper 14,
The return ticket B held by the clamper 14 is conveyed.

The return ticket B is received from the second transport path 7 through the upper side of the collection flapper F1 and the lower side of the print flapper F2 to the third transport path 8, and then the return ticket B is taken out at the third transport path 8.
Is conveyed in the direction.

Next, in a 29th step 69, the CPU 40 determines whether or not the third sensor S3 is turned ON, and when the above-mentioned return ticket B is conveyed to the takeout port 5 and the third sensor S3 is turned ON, The process proceeds to the 26th step 66 described above, and the same process as described above is performed in the step 66 and the following 27th step 67 to finish the process of returning the unprinted return ticket B.

By the way, in the eleventh step 52 shown in FIG. 4, when the recovery ticket C is inserted backward, that is, when the CPU 40 determines that the ticket gate A is inserted in the opposite direction of FIG.
Go to step 30 70 in the figure.

In this third step 70, the CPU 40 determines whether or not the disconnection timer has timed out, and when the time is up, the next 31st
Go to step 71.

In the 31st step 71, the CPU 40 turns off the cutting device 21, and in the next 32nd step 72, the CPU 40 reads the data from the RAM 39, determines whether or not the printing is necessary, and the printing is required. If there is, the process moves to the next 33rd step 73.

In the 33rd step 73, the CPU 40 turns on the print flapper F2 to connect the second transport path 7 and the bypass path 32.

Next, in a 34th step 74, the CPU 40 drives the second motor M2 which conveys the ticket during printing.

Next, in a thirty-fifth step 75, the CPU 40 turns off the front stopper 19 which was already turned on in the sixth step 46.

When the front stopper 19 is turned off, the cut-off return ticket B, which has been stopped and controlled by the stopper 19, is conveyed from the second conveyance path 7 to the bypass path 32 through the upper side of each of the collection flapper F1 and the print flapper F2. To be done.

The recovered coupon C after cutting is held by the clamper 14 at this point.

Next, in a 36th step 76, the CPU 40 drives the printing device 35,
Required items are printed in the print area D of the return ticket B.

The return ticket B after printing is completed from the bypass 32 to the third
The sheet is received on the conveying path 8 and is conveyed in the direction of the outlet 5.

Next, in a 37th step 77, the CPU 40 determines whether or not the third sensor S3 is turned ON, and when the above-mentioned return ticket B is conveyed to the takeout port 5 and the third sensor S3 is turned ON, Next 38th
Go to step 78.

At the 38th step 78, the CPU 40 turns off the second motor M2, and at the next 39th step 79, the CPU 40 causes the print flapper F to operate.
Turn OFF 2 to return the print flapper F2 to its original position.

On the other hand, if the CPU 40 determines in the above-mentioned 32nd step 72 that printing is not necessary, the process moves to the next 40th step 80.

In the 40th step 80, the CPU 40 turns off the front stopper 19.

When the front stopper 19 is turned off, the cut-off return ticket B, which has been stopped and controlled by the stopper 19, passes from the second transport path 7 to the upper side of the collection flapper F1, the lower side of the print flapper F2, and the third transport path 8. It is conveyed through in the direction of the outlet 5.

The fact that the recovered coupon C after cutting is held by the clamper 14 is the same as in the 35th step 75 described above.

Next, in a forty-first step 81, the CPU 40 determines whether or not the third sensor S3 is turned on, and when the above-mentioned return ticket B is conveyed to the take-out port 5 and the third sensor S3 is turned on, Next 42nd
Go to step 82.

That is, it is determined in the above-described 32nd step 72 whether or not printing is necessary, and if printing is necessary, the return ticket B is bypassed to the bypass 32.
On the other hand, when the return ticket B is conveyed to the outlet 5 through the second conveying path 7 and the third conveying path 8 in this order, the return ticket B is processed. 42nd step 82 of.

In the 42nd step 82, the CPU 40 turns on the recovery flapper F1 to connect the second transport path 7 and the fourth transport path 27.

Next, in the 43rd step 83, the CPU 40 turns off the clamper 14,
The recovery ticket C held by the clamper 14 is conveyed from the above-mentioned second conveyance path 7 to the fourth conveyance path 27 through the lower side of the collection flapper F1 which is turned ON.

Next, in a forty-fourth step 84, the CPU 40 determines that the above-mentioned collected ticket C is the fourth one.
Whether or not the sensor S4 has been passed through the fourth sensor,
It is determined by the signal input from S4, and if it is passed, the process proceeds to the forty-fifth step 85. The above-mentioned fourth sensor S4
The collection ticket C that has passed through the arrangement portion is stored in the stacker 26.

In the 45th step 85 described above, the CPU 40 turns off the collection flapper F1.
Then, the recovery flapper F1 is returned to the original position.

Next, in a forty-sixth step 86, the CPU 40 turns off the first motor M1 and stops the driving of the first to fourth conveyance paths 6, 7, 8, 27.

Next, in a forty-seventh step 87, the CPU 40 determines whether or not the third sensor S3 is turned off, and when the return ticket B at the exit 5 is taken out by the passenger and the third sensor S3 is turned off, a series of processing is performed. To finish.

In short, the fourth step 44 of the CPU 40 (see FIG. 4)
The CPU 40 variably controls the stop position of the ticket A with respect to the cutting device 21 on the basis of the determination result, and the direction of the ticket A is either forward or reverse. Even if it is thrown in, the cutting process at the predetermined cutting part a can be performed.

Furthermore, after cutting the collecting ticket C that does not require printing of the ticket gate A,
Since only the return ticket B that needs to be printed is guided to the printing device 35 through the printing flapper F2 and printed, the recovery ticket C that does not need to be printed does not pass through the printing device 35, and the return ticket B that is released Also, if it is determined that the printing is not necessary due to the invalidity, the printing flapper F2 is controlled so that it does not pass through the printing device 35.
The wear and damage of 35 can be reduced, the maintenance cycle can be extended, and the printer 35 can be used for a long period of time.

In the correspondence between the configuration of the present invention and the above-described embodiments, the ticket of the present invention corresponds to the ticket A having the return ticket B and the recovery ticket C of the embodiment, and the determination means is the fourth Corresponding to the configuration of the CPU 40 that executes the process of step 44, the information reading means is the magnetic head 13 of the embodiment.
The sorting means corresponds to the print flapper F2, the printing means corresponds to the printing device 35, and the control means corresponds to the CPU 40.However, the present invention is not limited to the configuration of the above embodiment. Not something.

Further, as the ticket gate A, an air ticket for boarding is exemplified, but it is needless to say that the ticket may be a ticket for the station service and the boarding of the ship.

[Brief description of drawings]

 The drawings show one embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 1 is an internal side view of an automatic ticket gate, FIG. 2 is an explanatory view of a ticket gate, FIG. 3 is a control circuit block diagram, FIG. 4 is a flow chart, and FIG. FIG. 6 is a flowchart, and FIG. 6 is a flowchart. 3 ... Input port, 5 ... Ejection port 6 ... First transfer path, 7 ... Second transfer path 8 ... Third transfer path, 13 ... Magnetic head 21 ... Cutting device, 32 ... Bypass path 35 …… printing device, 40 …… CPU A …… ticket ticket, A …… cutting section F2 …… printing flapper

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An inlet is formed at one end and an outlet is formed at the other end,
A transport path for transporting the knot ticket is provided at these inlets and outlets, an information reading means for reading the information of the ticket is arranged in front of the transport path, and a cutting section for cutting the cutting portion of the ticket in the rear position. An automatic ticket gate equipped with a device, having a bypass start end in a conveyance path behind the cutting device,
A bypass path at which the rear end of the bypass merges with a further downstream transport path, a printing means disposed in the bypass path for printing information on a predetermined printing area of the ticket, and a bypass start point of the bypass path Then, the sorting means for sorting the transported ticket into one of the bypass path and the transport path, the determining means for determining whether or not the printing is necessary based on the output of the information reading means, and the determination of the printing necessity of the determining means. An automatic ticket gate equipped with control means for allocating and controlling the allocating means so as to guide the ticket to the bypass route based on the output.