Paper sheet pickup device and paper sheet processing apparatus

Abstract

According to one embodiment, a paper sheet pickup device includes an input portion, pickup mechanism, and pickup assist mechanism. The pickup mechanism picks up, one by one, the paper sheets supplied to a pickup position. The pickup assist mechanism is arranged upstream of the pickup mechanism in the pickup direction of the paper sheet. The pickup assist mechanism includes a suction belt configured to be arranged to be able to travel in the pickup direction, an air drawing portion configured to suck a paper sheet to the suction belt through the suction belt, and a driving motor configured to drive the suction belt.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A paper sheet pickup device comprising:
 an input portion configured to place a plurality of paper sheets while overlapping each other;   a pickup mechanism configured to pick up, one by one, the paper sheets supplied to a pickup position of the input portion; and   a pickup assist mechanism configured to be arranged upstream of the pickup mechanism in a pickup direction of the paper sheet,   the pickup assist mechanism including a suction belt configured to be arranged to be able to travel in the pickup direction, an air drawing portion configured to suck a paper sheet to the suction belt through the suction belt, and a driving motor configured to drive the suction belt, and   the pickup assist mechanism sucking a paper sheet to the suction belt to feed the paper sheet to the pickup position, and while the pickup mechanism picks up the paper sheet, sucking and holding a next paper sheet.   
     
     
         2 . The paper sheet pickup device according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the pickup mechanism includes a pickup belt configured to pick up a paper sheet present at the pickup position, an air drawing portion configured to evacuate through the pickup belt and suck the paper sheet to the pickup belt, and a driving motor configured to drive the pickup belt to travel in the pickup direction, and   the driving motor of the pickup assist mechanism drives the suction belt at a speed lower than a traveling speed of the pickup belt.   
     
     
         3 . The paper sheet pickup device according to  claim 2 , wherein a width of the suction belt is formed to be smaller than a width of the pickup belt. 
     
     
         4 . The paper sheet pickup device according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the air drawing portion of the pickup assist mechanism includes a sub-air chamber configured to be open to the paper sheets in the input portion, a negative pressure generator configured to evacuate an inside of the sub-air chamber, and a guide plate configured to cover the opening of the sub-air chamber, face the paper sheets, and include a plurality of evacuation holes, and   the suction belt includes a plurality of suction holes, and is arranged on the guide plate to overlap the guide plate.   
     
     
         5 . The paper sheet pickup device according to  claim 2 , wherein
 the air drawing portion of the pickup assist mechanism includes a sub-air chamber configured to be open to the paper sheets in the input portion, a negative pressure generator configured to evacuate an inside of the sub-air chamber, and a guide plate configured to cover the opening of the sub-air chamber, face the paper sheets, and include a plurality of evacuation holes, and   the suction belt includes a plurality of suction holes, and is arranged on the guide plate to overlap the guide plate.   
     
     
         6 . The paper sheet pickup device according to  claim 3 , wherein
 the air drawing portion of the pickup assist mechanism includes a sub-air chamber configured to be open to the paper sheets in the input portion, a negative pressure generator configured to evacuate an inside of the sub-air chamber, and a guide plate configured to cover the opening of the sub-air chamber, face the paper sheets, and include a plurality of evacuation holes, and   the suction belt includes a plurality of suction holes, and is arranged on the guide plate to overlap the guide plate.   
     
     
         7 . A paper sheet processing apparatus including a paper sheet pickup device defined in  claim 1 , comprising:
 a determination unit configured to determine a sorting destination of a paper sheet picked up by the paper sheet pickup device; and   a stacking unit configured to stack the paper sheet sorted based on a result of the determination of the sorting destination by the determination unit.   
     
     
         8 . A paper sheet processing apparatus including a paper sheet pickup device defined in  claim 2 , comprising:
 a determination unit configured to determine a sorting destination of a paper sheet picked up by the paper sheet pickup device; and   a stacking unit configured to stack the paper sheet sorted based on a result of the determination of the sorting destination by the determination unit.   
     
     
         9 . A paper sheet processing apparatus including a paper sheet pickup device defined in  claim 3 , comprising:
 a determination unit configured to determine a sorting destination of a paper sheet picked up by the paper sheet pickup device; and   a stacking unit configured to stack the paper sheet sorted based on a result of the determination of the sorting destination by the determination unit.   
     
     
         10 . A paper sheet processing apparatus including a paper sheet pickup device defined in  claim 4 , comprising:
 a determination unit configured to determine a sorting destination of a paper sheet picked up by the paper sheet pickup device; and   a stacking unit configured to stack the paper sheet sorted based on a result of the determination of the sorting destination by the determination unit.   
     
     
         11 . A paper sheet processing apparatus including a paper sheet pickup device defined in  claim 5 , comprising:
 a determination unit configured to determine a sorting destination of a paper sheet picked up by the paper sheet pickup device; and   a stacking unit configured to stack the paper sheet sorted based on a result of the determination of the sorting destination by the determination unit.   
     
     
         12 . A paper sheet processing apparatus including a paper sheet pickup device defined in  claim 6 , comprising:
 a determination unit configured to determine a sorting destination of a paper sheet picked up by the paper sheet pickup device; and   a stacking unit configured to stack the paper sheet sorted based on a result of the determination of the sorting destination by the determination unit.