DEVICE AND METHOD FOR STACKING VALUE DOCUMENTS

Abstract

A device and a method are for stacking value documents. The device includes a stacker unit for receiving the value documents and a conveyor unit for conveying the value documents into the stacker unit. The stacker unit has a rotatable stacker wheel for receiving the value documents, wherein the rotatable stacker wheel has a plurality of deflectable stacker wheel segments which are provided along the circumference of the rotatable stacker wheel in a mutually spaced manner. Each of the deflectable stacker wheel segments defines a respective receiving region for receiving at least one of the value documents. The device additionally has a deflecting unit which is designed to deflect each stacker wheel segment individually to thus modify the size of the respective receiving region associated with the stacker wheel segment.

Claims

1.-15. (canceled)

16. A device for stacking value documents, comprising: a stacker unit for receiving the value documents; possibly, a conveyor unit for conveying the value documents into the stacker unit; wherein the stacker unit comprises a rotatable stacker wheel for receiving the value documents; wherein the rotatable stacker wheel has a plurality of deflectable stacker wheel segments which are provided along the circumference of the rotatable stacker wheel in a mutually spaced manner; wherein each of the deflectable stacker wheel segments defines a respective receiving region for receiving one of the value documents conveyed into the stacker unit; and a deflecting unit is comprised, which is designed to deflect each stacker wheel segment individually in order to thus modify a size of the respective receiving region associated with the stacker wheel segment.

17. The device according to claim 16, wherein the deflecting unit is designed to deflect the stacker wheel segments arranged along the circumference of the rotatable stacker wheel, in particular some or each of the deflectable stacker wheel segments of the rotatable stacker wheel, one after the other in time and thereby modify the size of the receiving region associated with the respective stacker wheel segment.

18. The device according to claim 16, wherein the plurality of stacker wheel segments comprises a first stacker wheel segment having a first associated receiving region and a second stacker wheel segment having a second associated receiving region spaced apart from each other along the circumference of the rotatable stacker wheel; wherein the deflecting unit is designed to deflect the first stacker wheel segment and the second stacker wheel segment differently one after the other in such a way that a size, in particular width, of the first receiving region when the first stacker wheel segment is deflected differs from a size, in particular width, of the second receiving region when the second stacker wheel segment is deflected.

19. The device according to claim 16, wherein the deflecting unit is designed to deflect the deflectable stacker wheel segments in the direction of an inner region of the rotating stacker wheel, in particular with a radial directional component towards the axis of rotation of the stacker wheel.

20. The device according to claim 16, wherein the rotatable stacker wheel has an axis of rotation fixed within the device, and wherein the stacker wheel and thus the deflectable stacker wheel segments provided on the circumference of the stacker wheel can be rotated about the fixed axis of rotation at a predeterminable rotational speed, and wherein the deflecting unit is designed to deflect the deflectable stacker wheel segments relative to the fixed axis of rotation of the rotating stacker wheel in such a way that a distance between the stacker wheel segments and the fixed axis of rotation is reduced.

21. The device according to claim 16, wherein the deflecting unit has a static deflection element which is arranged in such a way that, when the stacker wheel rotates, it comes into contact with each of the deflectable stacker wheel segments of the rotatable stacker wheel in turn in order to deflect it and thereby modify the size of the receiving region associated with the respective stacker wheel segment.

22. The device according to claim 16, wherein the deflecting unit has a movable deflection element which can be transferred from a non-deflecting state to a deflecting state, wherein the deflection element comes into contact with one of the deflectable stacker wheel segments in the deflecting state in order to deflect this deflectable stacker wheel segment.

23. The device according to claim 16, wherein an outer side of the respective deflectable stacker wheel segment defines a rear delimitation of the respective receiving region, or a delimitation of said respective receiving region following the respective receiving region along the direction of rotation of the stacker wheel, and wherein a stacker wheel segment running ahead of the respective receiving region along the direction of rotation of the stacker wheel defines a front delimitation of the receiving region, or a delimitation of said receiving region running ahead of the respective receiving region along the direction of rotation of the stacker wheel.

24. The device according to claim 16, wherein each stacker wheel segment of the plurality of deflectable stacker wheel segments comprises at least two stacker wheel fingers arranged in particular along the circumference of the stacker wheel at substantially the same azimuthal position of the stacker wheel and spaced apart along the axis of rotation of the stacker wheel; wherein the deflecting unit is designed to simultaneously deflect the at least two stacker wheel fingers of the respective stacker wheel segment.

25. The device according to claim 16, comprising: a control unit which is designed to cause the deflecting unit, in particular the movable deflection element, to deflect the respective stacker wheel segment, wherein the control unit is designed in particular to decide for one or more value documents whether or not it causes the deflecting unit to deflect the respective stacker wheel segment, into the associated receiving region of which the respective value document is conveyed.

26. The device according to claim 25, wherein the control unit makes the decision as to whether or not it causes the deflecting unit to deflect the respective stacker wheel segment as a function of any time delay of the respective value document conveyed into the stacker unit, and possibly as a function of the time delays of further value documents conveyed into the stacker unit before the respective value document.

27. The device according to claim 25, wherein the deflecting unit, in particular the movable deflection element, is designed to deflect the respective stacker wheel segment by a variable deflection distance and the control unit is designed to variably control the deflecting unit in such a way as to deflect the respective stacker wheel segment by the variable deflection distance, wherein the control unit determines the variable deflection distance in particular as a function of any time delay of the respective value document conveyed into the stacker unit and possibly as a function of the time delays of further value documents conveyed into the stacker unit before the respective value document.

28. A value document processing device comprising: a stacking device for stacking value documents according to claim 16 and a device for separating value documents from an output stack and for feeding the separated value documents to the stacking device.

29. A method for stacking value documents, in particular comprising a device according to claim 16, said method comprising the steps of: conveying value documents one at a time to a stacker unit comprising a rotating stacker wheel for receiving the value documents, wherein the rotating stacker wheel has a plurality of deflectable stacker wheel segments which are arranged at a distance from one another along a circumference of the rotating stacker wheel, wherein the deflectable stacker wheel segments each define a receiving region for receiving one of the value documents conveyed into the stacker unit, and deflecting one of the stacker wheel segments by means of a deflecting unit in order to modify the size of a receiving region of the stacker wheel associated with the stacker wheel segment, and conveying one of the value documents conveyed to the stacker unit into the stacker unit, in particular into the receiving region of the stacker wheel associated with the respective deflected stacker wheel segment.

30. The method according to claim 29, wherein the deflection of the respective stacker wheel segment increases a size, in particular a width, of the receiving region associated with the respective stacker wheel segment, into which the respective value document is conveyed.

Description

[0049] Further features of the invention can be found in the claims, the figures and the following description of the figures, in which:

[0050] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a device for stacking value documents according to an exemplary embodiment;

[0051] FIG. 2 shows a detailed perspective view of a deflection element of the device of FIG. 1 according to an exemplary embodiment;

[0052] FIG. 3 shows a deflection of a stacker wheel segment in a side view according to an exemplary embodiment;

[0053] FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of a device for stacking value documents with a static deflection element according to an exemplary embodiment

[0054] FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of a device for stacking value documents with the static deflection element from FIG. 4 when a stacker wheel segment is deflected according to an exemplary embodiment;

[0055] FIG. 6 shows a perspective view of a device for stacking value documents with a dynamically movable deflection element according to an exemplary embodiment;

[0056] FIG. 7 shows a perspective view of a device for stacking value documents with the dynamically movable deflection element from FIG. 6 when a stacker wheel segment is deflected, according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0057] The illustrations in the figures are schematic and not to scale. If the same reference signs are used in different figures in the following description of the figures, these denote like or similar elements. However, like or similar elements may also be denoted by different reference signs.

[0058] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a device 10 for stacking value documents 12, e.g., banknotes. The device 10 comprises a stacker unit 20 for stacking the value documents 12 and a conveyor unit 30 for conveying the value documents 12 into the stacker unit 20. The value documents 12 are fed to the device 10 one after the other at high speed. The conveyor unit 30 has transport means which, in the example shown here, comprise conveyor belts 31 and one or more conveyor belt rollers 32. The conveyor belts or bands 31 can be arranged in two layers, wherein an upper layer is arranged above the value document 12 and a lower layer is arranged below the value document 12, while the value document 12 is moved in the conveyor unit 30 to the stacker unit 20. In other words, the conveyor belts or bands 31 grip the value document 12 on both sides in order to convey it to the stacker unit 20. Only the portion of the conveyor unit 30 or the conveyor belts 31 just before the stacker unit 20 is shown in the illustration shown. The upper layer of the conveyor belts or bands 31 can extend further above the stacker unit 20. The lower layer of the conveyor belts or bands 31 can branch off downwards around the conveyor belt roller 32, so that the value documents 12 continue to be guided by a guide element 41 after passing the conveyor belt roller 32.

[0059] The stacker unit 20 is designed to receive the value documents 12 and for this purpose has a rotatable stacker wheel 22, or a stacker wheel that rotates during operation of the device, with a plurality of receiving regions 26 into which the value documents 12 are inserted one after the other. In FIG. 1, only some of these receiving regions 26 are marked for illustration purposes. The rotating stacker wheel 22 further comprises a plurality of deflectable stacker wheel segments 24, which are provided spaced apart from one another along a circumference of the rotating stacker wheel 22. Again, only some of the stacker wheel segments 24 are labeled for illustrative purposes. The deflectable stacker wheel segments 24 extend away from the interior of the stacker wheel 22 with a radial directional component and a circumferential directional component. The deflectable stacker wheel segments 24 may be elastically deformable, thereby enabling deflection of the stacker wheel segments 24 from their non-deflected state to a deflected state and back. The deflectable stacker wheel segments 24 each define one of the receiving regions 26. For example, two adjacent deflectable stacker wheel segments 24 define an intermediate receiving region 26.

[0060] The receiving regions 26 form the region into which the value documents 12 are inserted individually during operation of the device 10. It may be provided that only a single value document 12 is inserted into the respective receiving region 26 and that another value document 12 is not inserted into this one receiving region 26 until the next rotation of the stacker wheel 22. The receiving region 26 can form an entry opening which has an access for the value document 12 to a stacker wheel compartment 28. Each receiving region 26 forms the outer end of a stacker wheel compartment 28 into which the individual value documents 12 are inserted for stacking. The stacker wheel compartments 28 can be formed in a spiral shape in the stacker wheel 22, as can be clearly seen in FIG. 1. The rotating stacker wheel 22 comprises an axis of rotation 70 fixed to a base plate (see FIG. 1) of the device 10, about which the stacker wheel 22 can rotate continuously.

[0061] The device 10 also has a deflecting unit 40, which is designed to deflect the stacker wheel segments 24 individually one after the other in order to thus modify the size of a respective receiving region 26 associated with a stacker wheel segment 24. The deflecting unit 40 has a movable deflection element 42, which is movable relative to the device 10. The movable deflection element 42 is arranged adjacent to the guide element 41 and is rotatably attached thereto. The guide element 41 can also be fixed to the base plate shown in FIG. 1. In the configuration shown in FIG. 1, the deflection element 42 can be moved or deflected in the direction of the inside of the stacker wheel 23 in order to deflect a stacker wheel segment 24 moving past the deflecting unit 40 in the direction of the inside of the stacker wheel 23. This reduces a distance between the stacker wheel segment 24 and the fixed axis of rotation 70, which in turn increases the receiving region 26 associated with the stacker wheel segment 24, which is located above an upwardly directed outer side of the stacker wheel segment 24. This relationship will be explained in greater detail.

[0062] The device also has a control unit 60, which is designed to control the deflecting unit 40 in order to deflect the stacker wheel segments 24 arriving at the deflecting unit 40 during rotation, possibly as a function of a time delay of the respective value document 12. For this purpose, the control unit 60 can be coupled via a wired and/or wireless signal connection to an actuator of the deflecting unit 40, which is mounted on the rear side of the base plate shown in FIG. 1 (not visible in the figures).

[0063] The device 10 optionally has a detection unit 50, which may be provided in the form of a light barrier. The detection unit 50 provides information about the time delay of one or more value documents 12, which is then used by the control unit 60 to decide whether a deflection of a stacker wheel segment 24 should or should not take place and, if applicable, by what deflection distance the stacker wheel segment 24 should be deflected. The control unit 60 can therefore also control the deflecting unit 40 in such a way that the stacker wheel segment 24 that has just moved past the deflecting unit 40 is deflected by a predetermined deflection distance, wherein the predetermined deflection distance is dependent on the detected time delay of the relevant value document 12. The time delay of the value document 12 is considered in comparison to an expected arrival time of the respective value document at the detection unit 50.

[0064] FIG. 2 shows a detailed perspective view of the deflection element 40 of the device 10 of FIG. 1. The deflection element 42 can have a movable plate which is rotatably attached to the guide element 41. The deflection element 42 then has a free end which can be moved in the direction of the stacker wheel 22 in order to finally deflect the stacker wheel segment 24b which is moving past at this time. The deflection element 42 can be actuated by an actuator, e.g. mechanically or magnetically, in order to be moved downwards. The arrow drawn in FIG. 2 indicates the direction of movement of the deflection element 42 when it is deflected.

[0065] FIG. 2 shows a first stacker wheel segment 24a with a first associated receiving region 26a and a second stacker wheel segment 24b with a second associated receiving region 26b. The second receiving region 26b is formed by an outer side 27b or rear side 27b of the second stacker wheel segment 24b and a freely movable end 25a or by the inner side of the first stacker wheel segment 24a (see FIG. 3). At the moment shown in FIG. 2, the first stacker wheel segment 24a has already been moved past the deflecting unit 24 immediately before the second stacker wheel segment 24b. FIG. 2 thus shows the moment of deflection of the second stacker wheel segment 24b, which is thus pressed in the direction of the inside of the stacker wheel. In the process, the deflection element 42 comes into contact with the second stacker wheel segment 24b and thereby exerts a force on the second stacker wheel segment 24b to push it in the direction of the inside of the stacker wheel. In order to minimize wear both on the free ends of the stacker wheel segments 24 and on the deflection element 42, a free-running roller can be provided at the end of the deflection element 42.

[0066] As can also be seen in FIG. 2, each stacker wheel segment 24a, 24b has one or more stacker wheel fingers 241, 242, 243, 244. When an individual stacker wheel segment 24a, 24b is deflected, the deflection element 42 simultaneously deflects all stacker wheel fingers 241, 242, 243, 244 of the respective stacker wheel segment 24a, 24b moved past the deflection element 42 in order to thus increase a size of the respective associated receiving region 26a, 26b. At the moment shown in FIG. 2, the second stacker wheel segment 24b and thus all stacker wheel fingers 241, 242, 243, 244 of the second stacker wheel segment 24b are deflected by the deflection element 42. This deflection increases the distance between the free ends of the stacker wheel fingers 241, 242, 243, 244 of the first stacker wheel segment 24a and the outer sides or rear sides of the stacker wheel fingers 241, 242, 243, 244 of the second stacker wheel segment 24b, which results in the second receiving region 26b, in particular its entry opening, being enlarged. This in turn results in the second receiving region 26b remaining open for a longer time for a value document 12 to be fed in. As a result, a value document 12 that arrives delayed or late at the second receiving region 26b can still safely enter the second receiving region 26b, which remains open.

[0067] With reference to FIG. 2, it should also be noted that, in a particular exemplary embodiment, the deflecting unit 40 can deflect the first stacker wheel segment 24a and the second stacker wheel segment 24b in succession such that the size of the first receiving region 26a when the first stacker wheel segment 24a is deflected differs from the size of the second receiving region 26b when the second stacker wheel segment 24b is deflected. In other words, the deflecting unit can individually adjust the respective size of the receiving regions 26a, 26b to be set. Thus, each stacker wheel segment 24a, 24b can be deflected by a different distance.

[0068] In FIG. 3, the deflection of the second stacker wheel segment 24b by the deflection element 42 of the deflecting unit 40, as described above, is now shown in greater detail in a side view. In particular, the first stacker wheel segment 24a and the second stacker wheel segment 24b are each shown at least partially in FIG. 3. Between the first stacker wheel segment 24a and the second stacker wheel segment 24b is the second receiving region 26b associated with the second stacker wheel segment 24b. It can be seen that a part of the outer side or front side 27b of the second stacker wheel segment 24b together with the inner side or free end 25a of the first stacker wheel segment 24a defines the second receiving region 26b. Due to the illustrated deflection of the second stacker wheel segment 24b, the second receiving region 26b can be enlarged, leaving more time for the value document to be fed (not shown) to reach the second receiving region 26b.

[0069] FIG. 3 shows the second stacker wheel segment 24b in the deflected state 46 (solid line) and also in a non-deflected state 44 (dashed line). The non-deflected state 44 corresponds to the state that the second stacker wheel segment 24b would assume if it were not deflected by the deflection element 42 of the deflecting unit 40. This means that the non-deflected state 44 corresponds to the starting position or normal position of the second stacker wheel segment 24b. The deflection of the second stacker wheel segment 24b from the non-deflected state 44 to the deflected state 46 leads to an elastic bending or deformation of the second stacker wheel segment 24b, as a result of which the second stacker wheel segment 24b is displaced by a deflection distance d in the direction of the inside of the stacker wheel (not shown here). The deflection distance d can, for example, define a radial displacement of the free end of the second stacker wheel segment 24b with respect to the rotating stacker wheel 22.

[0070] The control unit 60 already described with reference to FIG. 1 can be designed to control the deflecting unit 40 in order to deflect the second stacker wheel segment 24b by a predetermined deflection distance d. The predetermined deflection distance d depends on the detected position of the value document 12, as determined by the detection unit 50, which has also already been described, before it enters the stacker unit 20 (see FIG. 1). In this case, the control unit 60 can control the deflecting unit 40 in such a way that the deflection element 42 of the deflecting unit 40 is transferred to a deflected state by a specific angle corresponding to the deflection distance d, in order thus to deflect the second stacker wheel segment 24b shown in FIG. 3 by the predetermined deflection distance d if it has been determined that the value document 12 arrives delayed in the receiving region 26b. The deflection distance d can thus be set as a function of the time delay of the value document 12 in the conveyor unit 30. For example, the delay is determined on the basis of the arrival of the front edge 13 of the value document 12 (see FIG. 1) at the detection unit 50.

[0071] FIGS. 4 and 5 each show a perspective view of the device 10 of FIG. 1 with a statically arranged deflection element 42 of the deflecting unit 40. During operation of the device 10, the position of the static deflection element is fixed. FIG. 4 shows a point in time at which the value document 12 has just left the conveyor unit 30 and entered the stacker unit 20. In particular, FIG. 4 shows the statically arranged deflection element 42, wherein the second stacker wheel segment 24b, which is just approaching the deflection element 42, is still in the non-deflected state 44. This means that the second stacker wheel segment 24b has not yet reached the deflection element 42 and is thus immediately before contact with the deflection element 42. The first stacker wheel segment 24a, which has already passed the deflection element 42, has elastically returned to its normal position after its deflection and is therefore also in a non-deflected state. In this state or at this point in time, the size of the first receiving region 26a and the size of the second receiving region 26b are still the same, since none of the stacker wheel segments 24a, 24b associated with these receiving regions 26a, 26b is deflected. Both stacker wheel segments 24a, 24b are virtually in their undeformed starting position.

[0072] However, the deflection element 42 is arranged such that the second stacker wheel segment 24b will come into contact with the deflection element 42 at a certain point in time, thereby deflecting the second stacker wheel segment 24b. In other words, the deflection element 42 is fixedly mounted in the device 10 such that it contacts all the stacker wheel segments 24 of the stacker wheel 22, one after the other during the stacker wheel rotation, for a certain period of time in order to deflect the respective passing stacker wheel segment 24. However, since the deflection element 42 is fixedly mounted in the device 10 and cannot move itself, each stacker wheel segment 24 undergoes the same deflection. This means that each stacker wheel segment 24 is deflected by the same deflection distance in the direction of the inner region 23 of the stacker wheel 22.

[0073] The position of the static deflection element 42 can be non-adjustable or adjustable, but can be permanently preset. This presetting can be carried out, for example, when the operation of the device 10 is interrupted in order to find an optimum position of the deflection element 42. The setting can be made manually or automatically.

[0074] FIG. 5 shows a point in time at which the value document 12 has just left the conveyor unit 30 and enters the stacker unit 20 of the device 10. In particular, FIG. 5 shows the statically arranged deflection element 42 at a point in time immediately following the point in time shown in FIG. 4, wherein the second stacker wheel segment 24b moving past is now in the deflected state 46. This means that the second stacker wheel segment 24b has reached the deflection element 42 in the meantime and is thus in contact with the deflection element 42. The first stacker wheel segment 24a has already passed the deflection element 42 and is still in a non-deflected state. In this state or at this point in time, the size of the first receiving region 26a and the size of the second receiving region 26b are different, since the second stacker wheel segment 24b associated with the second receiving region 26b is in the deflected state 46 and the stacker wheel segment 24a associated with the first receiving region 26a is not deflected.

[0075] FIGS. 6 and 7 each show a perspective view of the device 10 of FIG. 1 with a dynamically movable deflection element 42 of the deflecting unit 40. The exemplary embodiment shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 can be an alternative exemplary embodiment to the exemplary embodiment shown in FIGS. 4 and 5.

[0076] FIG. 6 initially again shows a point in time at which the value document 12 is just leaving the conveyor unit 30 and entering the stacker unit 20. In particular, FIG. 6 shows the dynamically movable deflection element 42, wherein the second stacker wheel segment 24b moving past is still in the non-deflected state 44. This means that the second stacker wheel segment 24b has not yet reached the deflection element 42 and is therefore immediately before contact with the deflection element 42. The first stacker wheel segment 24a has already passed the deflection element 42 and is therefore in a non-deflected state. In this state or at this point in time, the size of the first receiving region 26a and the size of the second receiving region 26b are still the same, since none of the stacker wheel segments 24a, 24b associated with these receiving regions 26a, 26b is deflected. Both stacker wheel segments 24a, 24b are virtually in their undeformed starting position.

[0077] In the example shown here, the dynamically movable deflection element 42 is designed to be movable, i.e., to be displaceable or rotatable relative to the guide element 41 or the device 10. At a certain point in time at which the second stacker wheel segment 24b is within reach of the deflection element and the first stacker wheel segment 24a is out of reach for the deflection element, the deflection element 42 is thus actively moved or displaced or rotated, for example by the control unit 60 described in FIG. 1, in order to thus specifically establish contact with the second stacker wheel segment 24b, as a result of which the second stacker wheel segment 24b is deflected.

[0078] In other words, the deflection element 42 is movably mounted in the device 10 in such a way that it can selectively contact the individual passing stacker wheel segments 24 of the stacker wheel 22 for a certain period of time or not, in order to deflect the respective stacker wheel segment 24 by a deflection distance, e.g., only certain or all stacker wheel segments 24. This deflection distance can be a fixed deflection distance, which is selected identically for each of the deflected stacker wheel segments, or can be selected (stacker wheel segment-) individually. In other words, the decision between deflecting or not deflecting the deflection element 42 can be made dynamically and individually for the respective value document 12. In addition, an angle of the deflection element 42 corresponding to the deflection distance can also be selected individually for the respective value document 12, for example depending on the delay of the respective value document in front of the stacker wheel 22. So that an individual deflection can be impressed on each stacker wheel segment 24, the deflection element 42 is mounted in the device 10 so as to be movable or displaceable or rotatable in steps or continuously. Each stacker wheel segment 24 can then be deflected by a different deflection distance in the direction of the inner region 23 of the stacker wheel 22.

[0079] The deflection element 42 can thus be actively dynamically movable by control by means of the control unit 60 in order to select the position of the deflection element 42 individually for the respective value document 12, possibly in dependence on or as a function of the delay of the respective value document 12 in front of the stacker wheel 22 determined by the detection unit 50.

[0080] In order to determine the fixed deflection distance of the dynamically movable deflection element 42, an optimum position of the deflection element 42 can be determined during test operation of the device 10, in which the stack is formed most reliably by the stacker wheel.

[0081] FIG. 7 shows a point in time at which the value document 12 has just left the conveyor unit 30 and enters the stacker unit 20 of the device 10. In particular, FIG. 7 shows the dynamically movable deflection element 42 at a point in time immediately following the point in time shown in FIG. 6, wherein the second stacker wheel segment 24b moving past is now in the deflected state 46. This means that the second stacker wheel segment 24b has reached the deflection element 42 in the meantime and is thus in contact with the deflection element 42. The first stacker wheel segment 24a may also have been deflected or not, but is in any case in the non-deflected state at this point in time. In this state or at this point in time, the size of the first receiving region 26a and the size of the second receiving region 26b are different, since the stacker wheel segment 24b associated with the second receiving region 26b is deflected and the stacker wheel segment 24a associated with the first receiving region 26a is not deflected.