Paper sheet separation device and paper sheet separation method

Abstract

A paper sheet separation device includes a separation roller coming into contact with paper sheets, a feed roller rotating with respect to the separation roller to convey the paper sheets separately one by one, and a pair of guide members having guide faces coming into sliding contact with a front end of the paper sheets and being provided on both sides in an axial direction of the separation roller. A friction coefficient of the guide face is smaller than a friction coefficient of a peripheral face of the separation roller. The guide face is provided protruding outward of the separation roller from the peripheral face of the separation roller in a radial direction of the separation roller. The guide face is supported to be able to move inward in the radial direction of the separation roller at a contact point between the separation roller and the feed roller.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A paper sheet separation device comprising:
 a separation roller that comes into contact with paper sheets, which are conveyed from an accumulation unit accumulating the paper sheets;   a feed roller that is arranged in contact with the separation roller and rotates with respect to the stopped separation roller to convey the paper sheets separately one by one; and   a pair of guide members that has guide faces, which come into sliding contact with a front end of the paper sheets, which is conveyed from the accumulation unit, and is provided on both sides in an axial direction of the separation roller,   wherein a friction coefficient of the guide face is smaller than a friction coefficient of a peripheral face of the separation roller, the guide face is provided protruding outward of the separation roller from the peripheral face of the separation roller in a radial direction of the separation roller, and the guide face is supported to be able to move inward in the radial direction of the separation roller at a contact point between the separation roller and the feed roller.   
     
     
         2 . The paper sheet separation device according to  claim 1 , further comprising a biasing member configured to bias the pair of guide members toward a contact point side, wherein
 the pair of guide members is provided movably in a radial direction of a rotary shaft of the separation roller.   
     
     
         3 . The paper sheet separation device according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the guide faces of the pair of guide members protrude outward in the radial direction of the separation roller from the peripheral face of the separation roller over an entire periphery of the separation roller.   
     
     
         4 . The paper sheet separation device according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the pair of guide members is connected such that the guide faces are extended in the axial direction of the separation roller to cover the peripheral face of the separation roller.   
     
     
         5 . The paper sheet separation device according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the guide faces of the pair of guide members are extended from an accumulation unit side along the peripheral face of the separation roller toward the contact point between the separation roller and the feed roller, and the vicinity of the contact point is positioned inward in the radial direction of the separation roller from the peripheral face of the separation roller.   
     
     
         6 . The paper sheet separation device according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the guide faces of the pair of guide members are extended from an accumulation unit side along the peripheral face of the separation roller toward the contact point between the separation roller and the feed roller, pass through the contact point, and extend inward in the radial direction of the separation roller from the peripheral face of the separation roller.   
     
     
         7 . A method for separating paper sheets using a paper sheet separation device, the paper sheet separation device comprising a separation roller that comes into contact with paper sheets conveyed from an accumulation unit accumulating the paper sheets, a feed roller that is arranged in contact with the separation roller and rotates with respect to the stopped separation roller to convey the paper sheets separately one by one, and a pair of guide members that has guide faces, which come into sliding contact with a front end of the paper sheets conveyed from the accumulation unit, and is provided on both sides in an axial direction of the separation roller, a friction coefficient of the guide face being smaller than a friction coefficient of a peripheral face of the separation roller, the guide face being provided protruding outward of the separation roller from the peripheral face of the separation roller in a radial direction of the separation roller, and the guide face being supported to be able to move inward in the radial direction of the separation roller at a contact point between the separation roller and the feed roller, the method comprising:
 sliding the front end of the paper sheets, which is conveyed from the accumulation unit, along the guide faces to the contact point;   moving the guide faces inward in the radial direction of the separation roller by the paper sheets at the contact point to bring the paper sheets into contact with the peripheral face of the separation roller; and   separating the paper sheets by the separation roller and the feed roller.