A flattening device includes: a holder configured to support the following components; at least one flattening roller set, including a first flattening roller and a second flattening roller arranged oppositely at two sides of a sheet medium conveying path; and a power mechanism configured to drive the first and second flattening rollers to rotate. A surface of the first flattening roller is distributed with n arc-shaped grooves arranged in parallel with an axis direction of the first flattening roller, wherein n is a natural number greater than or equal to 1; and a surface of the second flattening roller is provided with at least one arc-shaped protruding portion in rolling engagement with the arc-shaped grooves of the first flattening roller; and wherein, the first flattening roller and the second flattening roller are in rolling engagement to form a conveying passage for the sheet medium.

A separation/collection device is provided in a paper sheet conveyance device for generating an airstream in a conveyance duct and for conveying a paper sheet inserted into the conveyance duct by being pushed from behind by a conveyance subsidiary body moving in the conveyance duct by receiving the airstream. The separation/collection device separates and collects the conveyance subsidiary body and the paper sheet at an ending portion of a conveyance path. The separation/collection device includes a separation unit that passes the paper sheet pushed and conveyed by the conveyance subsidiary body, in a downstream direction, and that stops the conveyance subsidiary body by contacting the conveyance subsidiary body with the separation unit, a tubular path part that receives the paper sheet output from the separation unit, and a rib provided on an inner wall of the path part.

A method and apparatus for processing documents are provided. The apparatus includes a feeder for receiving a packet of a plurality of documents and separating the documents to serially feed the documents to a scanner. A retard adjacent the feeder is operable in first and second positions. In the first position the retard forms a nip with the feeder so that the retard is operable to impede the progress of one or more documents in the packet while the feeder feeds one of the documents in the packet. In the second position, the retard is spaced apart from the feeder to form a gap between the feeder and the retard. The system further includes a sensor for detecting a characteristic of the documents in a packet indicative of whether the number of documents in the packet exceeds a predetermined threshold. A drive mechanism automatically drives the retard pad between the first and second positions in response to the detected characteristic

A sheet handling apparatus (for example, banknote handling apparatus 20) includes a storing and feeding unit (25) in which a sheet is stored on a rotary member (for example, drum (25a)) by winding the sheet on the rotary member and the sheet wound on the rotary member can be fed from the rotary member, a transport unit (23) that transports the sheet fed from the storing and feeding unit (25), a curl correction mechanism (70) that corrects a curl of the sheet transported by the transport unit (23), and a stacking unit (for example, banknote collection bag (34)) in which the sheet that has passed through the curl correction mechanism (70) is stacked.

A paper sheet conveyance device for generating an airstream in a conveyance duct and for conveying a paper sheet inserted into the conveyance duct by being pushed from behind by a conveyance subsidiary body moving in the conveyance duct by receiving the airstream. The paper sheet conveyance device includes an air volume adjustment unit that adjusts a strength of the airstream according to a position of the conveyance subsidiary body moving in the conveyance path.

A medium transport apparatus includes a transport section configured to support a medium and transport the medium in a transport direction, and a wrinkle reducing section configured to come into contact with the medium to reduce the formation of wrinkles in the medium. The wrinkle reducing section can change surfaces to come into contact with the medium. The medium transport apparatus having such a structure enables to reduce the formation of wrinkles in the medium.

A method and apparatus for processing documents are provided. The apparatus includes a feeder for receiving a packet of a plurality of documents and separating the documents to serially feed the documents to a scanner. A drop feeder conveys the document packets to the feeder. A sensor provides information related to the thickness of the document packets and the drop feeder is controlled in response to the information related to the thickness of a packet in the feeder. The method includes the control of the drop feeder in response to information related to the thickness of a document packet at the feeder.

A method and apparatus for processing documents are provided. The apparatus includes a feeder for receiving a packet of a plurality of documents and separating the documents to serially feed the documents to a scanner. A retard adjacent the feeder is operable in first and second positions. In the first position the retard forms a nip with the feeder so that the retard is operable to impede the progress of one or more documents in the packet while the feeder feeds one of the documents in the packet. In the second position, the retard is spaced apart from the feeder to form a gap between the feeder and the retard. The system further includes a sensor for detecting a characteristic of the documents in a packet indicative of whether the number of documents in the packet exceeds a predetermined threshold. A drive mechanism automatically drives the retard pad between the first and second positions in response to the detected characteristic.

A paper sheet conveyance device for conveying a paper sheet by an airstream generated in a tubular conveyance path. The paper sheet conveyance device includes a frame member that supports the conveyance path and are provided along an installation route of the conveyance path, pedestal units attached to the frame member and that slide along a longitudinal direction of the frame member, and a plurality of paper sheet capturing devices that send out the paper sheet to be conveyed into the conveyance path and are provided in the conveyance path. Each of the paper sheet capturing devices includes a path part that forms a part of the conveyance path, which is formed by joining a plurality of conveyance ducts and the path parts of the paper sheet capturing devices. The pedestal unit is provided for and holds each of the paper sheet capturing devices.

A medium transport apparatus includes a transport section configured to support a medium and transport the medium in a transport direction, and a wrinkle reducing section configured to come into contact with the medium to reduce the formation of wrinkles in the medium. The wrinkle reducing section can change surfaces to come into contact with the medium. The medium transport apparatus having such a structure enables to reduce the formation of wrinkles in the medium.