# US 10,482,701 B2 · Sheet handling apparatus and sheet handling machine > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,482,701 B2 - Document ID: US10482701B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/919,555 - Filed: 2018-03-13 - Published: 2018-09-13 - Granted: 2019-11-19 - Earliest claimed: 2017-03-13 - Assignees: Glory Ltd. - Applicants: Glory Ltd. - Inventors: Hidetomo Yanagiuchi; Hisashi Ishitobi; Toshiyuki Kuroda; Masaaki Fukazawa - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10482701B2 ## CPC - G07D 11/18: Diverting into different paths or containers - B65H 3/063: {separating from the bottom of pile (B65H3/0615, B65H3/0623 take precedence)} - B65H 3/0653: {for separating substantially vertically stacked articles} - B65H 5/006: {Feeding stacks of articles to machines} - B65H 5/023: {between a pair of belts forming a transport nip} - B65H 7/02: by feelers or detectors - B65H 9/20: Assisting by photoelectric, sonic, or pneumatic indicators - B65H 29/12: by means of the nip between two, or between two sets of, moving tapes or bands {or rollers} - B65H 31/3027: {by the nip between moving belts or rollers (pile being formed between belts or rollers B65H29/145)} - B65H 31/3045: {on the outermost articles of the pile for clamping the pile} - G07D 11/13: with internal means for handling valuable papers - G07D 11/14: Inlet or outlet ports - G07D 11/16: Handling of valuable papers (within containers G07D11/13) - G07D 11/17: Aligning - B65H 2301/42262: by acting on surface of outermost articles of the pile, e.g. in nip between pair of belts or rollers - B65H 2404/741: movable in operation - B65H 2511/521: Presence of foreign object or undesirable material, i.e. material of another nature than the handled material - B65H 2515/60: Optical characteristics, e.g. colour, light - B65H 2553/42: Cameras - B65H 2701/1912: Banknotes, bills and cheques or the like - G07D 7/12: Visible light, infrared or ultraviolet radiation - G07D 2207/00: Paper-money testing devices - G07D 2211/00: Paper-money handling devices - G07D: HANDLING OF COINS OR VALUABLE PAPERS, e.g. TESTING, SORTING BY DENOMINATIONS, COUNTING, DISPENSING, CHANGING OR DEPOSITING - B65H: HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES ## Abstract A sheet handling apparatus (e.g., banknote insertion/discharge mechanism 20) includes a transport unit (e.g., first transport unit 30) configured to transport a sheet (e.g., banknote) in a first transport path 30a; and driving units 36m and 38m configured to move, along the width direction of the first transport path 30a, at least portions of guiding members 36 and 38 forming edges of the first transport path 30a. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A sheet handling apparatus comprising: a housing; a receptacle configured to insert a sheet into the housing; a transport unit configured to transport the sheet inserted into the housing along a transport direction of a transport path, the transport path including a first transport path and a second transport path connected to the first transport path, the first transport path is disposed upstream of the second transport path to transport the sheet from the first transport path to the second transport path; a driving unit configured to move at least a portion of a guiding member disposed at an edge of the second transport path along a width direction of the first transport path; and a first sheet detection unit disposed at an inlet of the first transport path, the first sheet detection unit configured to detect the sheet inserted into the housing, wherein when the sheet inserted into the housing is detected by the first sheet detection unit, the portion of the guiding member is moved along the width direction of the second transport path by the driving unit such that the width of the second transport path is greater than the width of the first transport path. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The sheet handling apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a pair of the guiding members are disposed at both the edges of the second transport path, and the driving unit is configured to move the guiding members in directions away from each other and in directions approaching each other. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The sheet handling apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the driving unit is configured to move the guiding members by the same movement amount. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The sheet handling apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the transport unit includes paired belts spaced from each other, and the belts are configured to be moved with sheets in a batch form being gripped therebetween, to transport the sheets in a batch form. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The sheet handling apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the driving unit configured to move the portion of the guiding member such that a first width of the second transport path in a case where the sheet inserted into the housing is transported by the transport unit is greater than a second width of the second transport path in a case where the sheet inserted into the housing is not transported by the transport unit. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The sheet handling apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when the sheet inserted into the housing is detected by the first sheet detection unit, transportation of the sheet by the transport unit is started. ### Claim 7 (depends on 2) The sheet handling apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the sheet being transported by the transport unit passes through the transport path between the both guiding members. ### Claim 8 (depends on 2) The sheet handling apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the transport unit includes a pair of gripping parts spaced from each other; the receptacle is configured to insert a batch of sheets into the housing; and the pair of guiding members provided at both sides of the gripping parts are configured to move in a direction perpendicular to a gripping direction of the gripping parts, wherein the transport unit is configured to transport the batch of sheets inserted into the housing by gripping the batch of sheets by the gripping parts. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The sheet handling apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising a feeding unit configured to feed the batch of sheets transported by the transport unit one by one. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The sheet handling apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the driving unit is configured to move the guiding members such that the first width of the transport path in a case where the gripping parts grip the batch of the sheets inserted into the housing is greater than a second width of the transport path in a case where the gripping parts do not grip the batch of sheets inserted into the housing. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The sheet handling apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the gripping parts include a pair of belts. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The sheet handling apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the gripping parts include a pair of belts.