EP1676798A1 - Device for making available an imprinted ticket - Google Patents

Abstract

The device has a deflector surface (16) cooperating with a roller (10) to guide a printed ticket from blades (5, 6) of a printer to a ticket pinch line (13). A deflector surface (17) cooperates with a roller (11) to guide the ticket from the line (13) to a ticket pinch line (14). A roller (12) cooperates with a deflector surface (18) to guide the ticket from the line (14) to a ticket collection channel (19).

Description

The present invention relates to a device for making available to a user the ticket which is returned to him on which are printed the data of a transaction in which he participated. This is for example a receipt.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

These tickets vary in length from one user to another, depending mainly on the number of impression lines. It is useful that during the editing, which takes place gradually during the seizure, the ticket from the machine is temporarily stored in a buffer space and then be delivered in bulk to the user, in order not to not interfere with the seizure or be torn or stained.

Devices are known that perform this function. These are illustrated for example by documents US Pat. No. 5,215,393 or US Pat. No. 5,879,090. However, these mechanisms are not adapted to satisfy the need for equipment of an opening printing machine which offers great ease of implementation. place the paper ribbon from which the tickets come from. Indeed, these mechanisms require complicated handling for the introduction of the paper tape passing through them.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

The present invention proposes to overcome this disadvantage by the implementation of a particular structure of a mechanism for delivering a printed ticket which, in addition to being fully open downstream of a printer, is of a low Congestion at the output of this printer, which can be put to be installed on printers already implanted.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

For this purpose the invention therefore relates to a device for providing a printed ticket which comprises at least three rollers or lines of rollers rotating about parallel axes substantially transverse to the ticket path, located, seen at the end, at the apex of a triangle and defining between the first roller and the second roller and between the second roller and a third roller, two pinch lines of the ticket.

A first baffle surface defines with the first roll a first ticket guide from a supply source of the ticket to a first pinch line. A second baffle surface defines with the second roll a second ticket guide from the first pinch line to a second pinch line. Finally, the third roll defines with a third baffle surface from the second pinch line to a channel for collecting the ticket, the three guides being inscribed in the aforesaid triangle.

There is an extremely compact structure that will operate, as described below, in the manner of a referral to drive the ticket from a printer first towards a storage space and then without have dropped, bring it to the user's disposal. If the latter neglects to remove it, the device of the invention swallows the ticket to drive it into a collection space to release the device for the next user.

The switching function is achieved in particular by the fact that the ends of the first deflecting surface and the second deflecting surface adjacent to the first nipping line are two convergent faces towards this line of the same moving part subjected to a stress. reminder towards the aforementioned first roll. This movable part may be a baffle flap subjected to the effect of a spring or a shape memory elastic extension of a bearing part of the first and second baffle surfaces. This feature is similar to a railroad switch that in one direction deviates as the wheel passes and in the other direction supports the wheel to change its trajectory.

One of the rollers of the device is coupled to a drive motor, which motor is controlled in conjunction with the engine of the ticket printer.

The device includes of course a temporary storage warehouse ticket which is located beyond the first pinch line outside the aforementioned triangle.

The device also comprises a passage detector of a transverse edge of the paper in the second aforesaid guide between the end of the movable part and the first nipping line.

Finally, this device is in two parts movable relative to each other between a service position in which the first and second deflector surfaces are in the vicinity of the corresponding rollers, the second nip being made and a position of opening in which the first and second deflecting surfaces are at least partly spaced from the corresponding rollers as well as the second and third rollers so that a paper ribbon can freely pass between the two parts in their second position.

Other features and advantages of the invention will emerge from the description given below of an example of its embodiment.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

• la figure 1 est une vue en coupe transversale du dispositif selon l'invention associé à une machine d'impression de tickets,
• la figure 2 est une vue générale en perspective du dispositif de la figure 1 associé à un bâti ouvrant possédant une imprimante et une réserve pour un rouleau de papier duquel sont issus les tickets délivrés,
• la figure 3 est une vue en coupe partielle de détail de la figure 2,
• les figures 4, 5 et 6 illustrent trois phases principales du fonctionnement du dispositif selon l'invention.

Reference will be made to the appended drawings among which:

• FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of the device according to the invention associated with a ticket printing machine,
• FIG. 2 is a general perspective view of the device of FIG. 1 associated with an opening frame having a printer and a reserve for a roll of paper from which issued tickets are issued,
• FIG. 3 is a partial sectional view of a detail of FIG. 2,
• Figures 4, 5 and 6 illustrate three main phases of the operation of the device according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 shows a thermal printer housed in a housing 1 and which comprises, in a known manner, a printing head 2 which bears on the generator of a drive roller or capstan 3 for the printing of a paper tape not shown running in the passage 4 from a roll stored under the print head. The printed paper ribbon issuing from the print head is guided between two blades 5 and 6 of a cutting device known in itself here represented in the form of a rotary blade 5 and a stationary blade 6.

Thus, a printed ticket comes out of the print head according to the arrow A as it is printed. At the end of printing, the ticket is detached from the ribbon by the cutting device 5, 6 and, usually, falls outside the printer in a basket intended to collect it and keep it at the disposal of the printer. the user. These usual arrangements are suitable for small tickets such as money orders issued by automatic payment devices located for example on fuel dispensers or by automatic cash dispensers. On the other hand, as soon as the ticket gets longer, as is often the case with supermarket checkouts, it is increasingly necessary to organize the management of its delivery to the user. so as to release the cashier handling this ticket, to prevent the ticket from getting dirty or torn and to take into account the attitude of the user as he withdraws or abandons the ticket.

Thus, according to the invention, at the output of the printer, a device has been put in place which comprises three rollers 10, 11, 12, parallel rotating with axes 10a, 11a, 12a transverse to the direction of scrolling the ticket. These axes (seen end) are located at the top of a triangle whose dimensions are such that the rollers 10 and 11 are in contact along a generatrix forming a first pinch line 13 of the ticket while the rollers 11 and 12 are in contact along a second pinch generator 14 of the ticket. The rolls 10 and 12 are not in contact with each other. A motor, not shown, is coupled to one of the rollers, for example the roller 11 to drive them in rotation in both directions.

It should be understood, within the meaning of the invention, that the word roll also signifies a succession of rollers carried by the axes in question, these rollers being separated from each other along each of these axes but facing each other. others from one axis to another.

A frame member 15 has in front of the roll 10 a baffle surface 16 which envelops the roll. This same piece 15 has another deflecting surface 17 situated facing the roller 11. Finally, this piece 15 comprises a third deflecting surface 18 situated opposite the roller 12.

Note at the top of the piece 15 in the angle formed by the rollers 10 and 11 in the vicinity of the nip 13, the presence of a deflector flap 20, a face 21 is substantially in extension of the deflector surface 16 while a face 22, convergent with the face 21 in the direction of the line of contact and pinch 13, extends or precedes the deflector surface 17 of the part 15. Thus, the faces 16 and 21 define with the roller 10 the first paper guide leading from the output of the printer to the pinch line 13, and the surfaces 22 and 17 constitute with the roller 19 a second guide for the paper leading from the nip 13 to the nip 14, and the deflector surface 18 forms with the roller 13 a third guide for the paper to drive it from the pinch line 14 at the entrance of a receptacle 19 attached or integrated to the frame which carries the part 15. These three guides are housed in the triangle 10a, 11a, 12a.

Above the pinch line 13, the device of the invention comprises two plates 23 and 24 which define a passage guide 25 for the ticket leading to the entrance of a cylinder 26 whose inner cylindrical space 27 constitutes a temporary ticket magazine which is wound against the inner surface of the cylindrical magazine 26. An inner core 28 defines the storage space as an annular space 29 within the cylindrical space 27 to guide the winding the ticket in this storage space and if necessary to drive it if the core 28 is coupled to a drive motor.

Preferably this roller will be motorized to rotate in one direction as in the other to avoid such that the ticket extraction occurs a clamping effect or capstan effect of the paper on the core 28 preventing this extraction.

There will also be mentioned the presence of a fourth secondary roller 30 (or a line of rollers) which is mounted on an axis 30a which is urged in abutment against the roller 10 by a spring 31. This roller 30 projects from the inside the deflector surface 16 so as to cooperate with the roller 10 to facilitate the introduction of the paper inside the device of the invention.

FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary implementation of the device of the invention, in combination with a kiosk-type printer, that is to say a printer housed in a frame 100 which is capable of receiving a roll of paper 101 in a compartment closed by a tilting door 102. The frame 100 conventionally carries the print head 2 and the rotary blade 5 of the knife while the door 102 carries the capstan 3 and the stationary blade 6 of the knife.

The device of the invention is, to be compatible with an opening printer of this type, formed of two separable parts 103 and 104, one 103 attached to the frame 100 of the printer and carrying the magazine 26, the roller 10, the roller 11 and the flap 20, while the other 104 is fixed to the pivoting door 102 and carries the roller 12, the part 15 with its deflecting surfaces 16, 17 and 18 and the roller 30. When the door is closed 102 against the frame 100, the capstan 3 is slid under the print head 2 while the roller 30 comes into contact with the roller 10 and the roller 12 comes into contact with the roller 11, the piece 15 being housed under the shutter 20 and close the paper guides around the first and second rolls 10 and 11.

Figure 3 is a sectional view of Figure 2, the device and the printer being open, where we find all the elements already described with the same references. It will be noted in this figure that the flap 20 is mounted on an axis 20a and is subjected to a return force around this axis 20a by means of a spring not shown in the figures, tending to bring it closer to the plate against the roller 10 under a relatively weak force capable of being overcome by the front edge of the paper when it comes into contact with the flap 20 as illustrated In a variant not shown, this flap can be replaced by a lip integral with the part 15 which is curved towards the roller 10 and is elastically retained by shape memory in this state.

In this FIG. 4, the paper ribbon R from the printer is thus seen through the blades 5 and 6 which penetrates into the first guide formed by the deflector surface 16, the roller 10 and the roller 30, the front edge RA paper tape being forced in contact with the shutter 20 on the one hand by the driving force of the capstan 3 of the printer and on the other hand by the rotation of the roller 10 against which the ribbon R is applied under a relatively weak force by In this regard, it will be noted that the rollers 10, 11 and 12 are rotated, for example by coupling the roller 11 with a drive motor, the rollers 10 and 12 being driven by friction, the drive being at a speed such as the peripheral speed of the roll 10 and greater than the peripheral speed of the capstan 3. There is therefore a slippage between the roll 10 and the paper tape 5 as long as the printer is in phase. impression.

The front RA of the paper having raised the flap 20, reaches the nip 13 which helps to drive the paper in the corridor 25 leading to the magazine 26 (see Figure 5). At the end of the printing, the rotation of the capstan 3 and the rollers 10, 11, 12 is stopped and the paper is cut by rotation of the blade 5. The cutting being carried out, the drive of the rollers is reactivated. 10, 11 and 12. The ticket is driven by the rollers 10 and 11 at the pinch line 13 until the flap 20 falls against the roller 10. At this moment the rotation stops and the rear part the ticket remains trapped in the pinch line 13.

The next step of controlling the device is to reverse the direction of rotation of the rollers 10, 11, 12 so that the rear edge of the ticket, guided by the deflector surface 22 of the flap 20 and the deflecting surface 17 of the part 15 The ticket is then unrolled from the magazine 26, assisted for this purpose by the rotation of the core 28 until the front edge of this ticket is then detected by an optical detector 32 located in the pinch line. between the flap 20 and the pinch line 13, which triggers the stopping of the rotation of the rollers at the passage of the front edge RA of the ticket, which in this direction of movement, is the rear edge.

This state of the device is shown in FIG. 6. If the user does not support the ticket R that the device presents to him, after a certain time or at the discretion of the cashier, for example, the rotation of the rollers 10, 11, 12 is again controlled in the sense that the ticket is swallowed by the device and is led by the deflector surface 18 in the discharge channel 19 of the latter to a receptacle.

Claims (9)

Device for providing a printed ticket, characterized in that it comprises at least three rollers (10, 11, 12) or rows of rollers rotating about parallel axes (10a, 11a, 12a) substantially transverse to the path of the ticket, located, seen at the end, at the apex of a triangle and defining between a first roll (10) and a second roll (11) and between this second roll (11) and a third roll (12), two lines ( 13, 14), in that a first deflecting surface (16) defines with the first roller (10) a first guide of the ticket from a source of supply of the ticket (5, 6) to a first pinch line (13), in that a second baffle surface (17) defines with the second roller (11) a second guide of the ticket from the first nip (13) to a second pinch line (14). ) and in that the third roller (12) defines with a third deflector surface (18) a tr the third guide ticket from the second pinch line (14) to a collection channel (19) of the ticket, the three guides being inscribed in the aforesaid triangle. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the ends of the first deflecting surface (16) and the second deflecting surface (17) adjacent to the first nip (13) are two faces (21, 22) converging towards this line (13) of the same moving part (20) subjected to a return force towards the first roller (10) aforesaid. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that one of the rollers (10, 11, 12) is coupled to a drive motor. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the first deflector surface (16) contains the generatrix of a fourth roller (30) in contact with the first roller (10) Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a magazine (26) for temporary storage of the ticket located beyond the first pinch (13) outside the said triangle. Device according to claim 2, characterized in that it comprises a sensor (32) for passing a transverse edge of the paper in the second guide between the end of the aforementioned moving part (20) and the first line (13). pinch. Device according to claim 5, characterized in that the magazine (26) comprises an outer cage defining a cylindrical housing (27) for free winding of the paper in the cage. Device according to claim 7, characterized in that the cage (26) comprises a central core (28) motorized cylindrical. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it is in two movable parts (103, 104) relative to one another between a service position in which the first and second deflector surfaces ( 16, 17) are in the vicinity of the corresponding rollers (10, 11), the second nipping line (14) being formed and an opening position in which the first and second deflecting surfaces (16, 17) are at least partly spaced apart from the corresponding rollers (10, 11), as well as the second and third rollers (11, 12) so that a paper ribbon can freely pass between the two parts in their second position.

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