Currency processing device

Abstract

To provide a currency processing device in which jamming currency can be smoothly taken out of a conveyance path to lighten the burden on an attendant.SOLUTION: A currency processing device 1 comprises: a delivery part 200 which delivers paper currency one by one; a conveyance part 700 which has a conveyance path and conveys paper currency delivered by the delivery part 200 through the conveyance path; jam detection parts 751, 754 to 757, and 800 which detect paper currency jamming in the conveyance path; and a control part 51. The control part 51 executes first processing for removing a jam detected by the jam detection parts 751, 754 to 757, and 800 and second processing for conveying, with the conveyance part 700, paper currency having its jam removed through the first processing to a specific region (second conveyance path 723, third conveyance path 733) not in relation to the position where the jam is detected in the conveyance path.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 8

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a currency processing device. [Background technology]

[0002] A currency depositing and dispensing machine that stops the drive of the conveying means when a jam in an object being conveyed on the conveying path is detected by a jam detection means is described in Patent Document 1. In this currency depositing and dispensing machine, after the drive of the conveying means is stopped, an operator opens a conveying path opening structure that corresponds to the location on the conveying path where the jam has occurred, and removes the jammed banknote.

[0003] Furthermore, an automatic transaction device is described in Patent Document 2 in which a location in a banknote transport path where a transport path sensor is provided and which is closest to the jam position is set as a re-movable position, and the jammed banknote is temporarily moved from the jam position to the re-movable position to clear the jam. In this automatic transaction device, the banknote moved to the re-movable position is collected in a reject section that stores defective banknotes. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2005-200118 A [Patent Document 2] JP 2019-109644 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] Coin jams can occur at various points along the conveyance path. In the coin depositing and dispensing machine of Patent Document 1, when removing jammed coins (hereinafter referred to as "jammed coins"), the coin depositing and dispensing machine must always access the location where the jam occurred, which may vary from time to time. For this reason, when an attendant who is unfamiliar with operating the machine removes jammed coins, the removal cannot be performed smoothly, which may be a heavy burden on the attendant.

[0006] In recent years, currency handling devices have increasingly been used as change dispensers in self-checkouts and semi-self-checkouts installed in supermarkets and other retail stores, and in automated teller machines (ATMs) installed in convenience stores. This has made it easier for people who are unfamiliar with operating the equipment to remove jammed banknotes.

[0007] Therefore, in a currency processing device, if it is possible to remove jammed currency by accessing a specific area of ​​the conveying path that is unrelated to the location where the jam occurred, regardless of the location where the jam occurred, even people who are unfamiliar with operating the equipment will be able to remove the currency smoothly.

[0008] In the automated teller machine of Patent Document 2, jammed banknotes are collected in a reject section outside the conveying path after the jam is cleared. However, if a jam occurs again before the banknotes reach the reject section and the banknotes remain in the conveying path, the banknotes are not moved to a specific area in the conveying path. Therefore, an attendant cannot access the specific area of ​​the conveying path to remove the banknotes.

[0009] In view of such problems, the present invention aims to provide a currency processing device that can smoothly remove jammed currency from the conveying path and reduce the burden on staff. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] A main aspect of the present invention relates to a currency handling device. The currency handling device according to this aspect includes a payout unit that pays out currency one by one, a transport unit that has a transport path and transports the currency paid out by the payout unit along the transport path, a jam detection unit that detects currency jams along the transport path, and a control unit. Here, the control unit executes a first process for clearing a jam detected by the jam detection unit, and a second process for transporting the currency after the jam has been cleared by the first process, by the transport unit, to a specific area on the transport path that is unrelated to the position where the jam was detected. A currency processing device.

[0011] For example, in the first process, the control unit causes the conveying unit to convey the money in a direction opposite to the conveying direction when the jam occurred, in order to clear the jam.

[0012] According to the currency handling device of this aspect, it is possible to remove currency from the same place (specific area) of the conveying path as much as possible, regardless of the location of the jam. Therefore, the attendant can smoothly remove the jammed currency from the conveying path, reducing the burden on the attendant.

[0013] In the currency processing device of this aspect, the control unit may be configured to execute a third process to enable access to the specific area after the second process.

[0014] For example, the third process may be a process of notifying an attendant that a jam has occurred, or a process of allowing an attendant to open a specific area to the outside of the currency processing device, such as a process of releasing the lock using a locking device so that the currency processing unit including the conveying section can be pulled out from within the housing.

[0015] According to the above configuration, the attendant can smoothly access the specific area where the jammed bills are present.

[0016] In the currency processing device of this embodiment, the control unit may be configured to perform a fourth process after the first process, in which the currency after the jam has been cleared is transported by the transport unit to a destination location located outside the transport path, and to perform the second process if the currency cannot be transported to the destination location by the fourth process.

[0017] For example, if a coin jam is detected during a deposit process in which coins dispensed from the dispensing section are transported to the storage section, the dispensing port section from which the coins dispensed from the storage section are dispensed is set as the destination section, and in the fourth process, the coins are transported to the dispensing port section.

[0018] Furthermore, for example, if a coin jam is detected during a dispensing process in which coins taken out of the storage unit are dispensed to the dispensing port unit, the dispensing reject unit is set as the transport destination, and the coins are transported to the dispensing reject unit in the fourth process. Usually, coins that are taken out of the storage unit and are not recognized as normal as a result of being recognized by the recognition unit are transported to the dispensing reject unit.

[0019] According to the above configuration, after the jam is cleared, the jammed currency is transported to the destination area before being transported to the specific area. This allows the attendant to simply remove the currency that cannot be transported to the destination area and remains in the transport path from the specific area, further reducing the burden on the attendant.

[0020] In the currency handling device according to the present aspect, the transport path may include a branched transport path having a main path and a branch path branching off from the main path, and a branched non-transport path that does not have the branch path. In this case, the branched non-transport path may be the specific area.

[0021] According to the above configuration, the specific area does not have a complex path, so that a jam occurring in the specific area and making it difficult to remove the currency is unlikely to occur.

[0022] The currency handling device according to this aspect may be further configured to include a storage section in which currency dispensed from the dispense section is stored. In this case, the transport path may include a dispense-side transport path located on the dispense section side, a storage-side transport path located on the storage section side, and an intermediate transport path located between the dispense-side transport path and the storage-side transport path. The intermediate transport path may be the specific area.

[0023] According to the above configuration, even if a coin jam occurs at any position on the conveying path, the conveying distance until the jammed coin reaches the specific area is shortened, thereby reducing the probability that the jammed coin will not reach the specific area.

[0024] For example, the conveying paths may be configured in a bent shape such that the pay-out side conveying path and the storage side conveying path extend generally in a vertical direction, the intermediate conveying path extends generally in a horizontal direction, one end of the intermediate conveying path is located at the lower end of the pay-out side conveying path, and the upper end of the storage side conveying path is located at the other end of the intermediate conveying path. In this case, the height of the currency handling device can be reduced.

[0025] The currency handling device according to this aspect may further include a housing in which the transport unit is housed. In this case, the transport unit may be configured to include a transport path member having the specific area provided therein. Furthermore, the transport path member may be configured to be able to remove currency present in the specific area by a single operation when the transport path member is opened to the outside of the housing.

[0026] According to the above configuration, it is possible to easily remove jammed currency from a specific area.

[0027] In the currency handling device according to this aspect, the currency may include banknotes. In this case, the specific area may have a narrow portion whose dimension in a width direction perpendicular to a conveyance direction of the banknote is smaller than the dimension of the banknote in the width direction, and an end of the banknote in the width direction may protrude from the narrow portion.

[0028] According to the above configuration, the part of the bill protruding from the narrow width portion can be pinched with the fingers and pulled out from the specific area, making it possible to easily remove the jammed bill from the specific area.

[0029] In the above configuration, the transport section may further include a transport path member having the specific region provided therein. In this case, the narrow width portion may be formed by a part of a side surface of the transport path member being recessed in the width direction, and a part of an end portion of the banknote in the width direction in the transport direction may protrude from the narrow width portion.

[0030] With this configuration, when the banknotes are transported through the specific area, the portion of the banknote that protrudes from the specific area is reduced, so that the banknotes can be transported stably through the specific area.

[0031] In the currency handling device according to this aspect, currency may include banknotes. In this case, the transport unit may be configured to have a transport mechanism for transporting banknotes along the transport path. Furthermore, the transport mechanism may generate a gripping force by pinching both sides of the banknote, and hold the banknote on the transport path by the gripping force. The gripping force in the specific area may be made weaker than the gripping force in other areas of the transport path.

[0032] According to the above configuration, it becomes possible to easily remove jammed banknotes from a specific area.

[0033] In the above configuration, the specific area may be configured to extend in the horizontal direction.

[0034] Here, the wording "horizontal" in claim 10 includes the concept of "almost horizontal."

[0035] With this configuration, the banknotes are not transported upwards through the specific area, so even if the gripping force in the specific area is weak, there is no need to worry about the banknotes falling (slipping off) when transported upwards, as opposed to when the specific area extends vertically.

[0036] In the currency handling device according to the present aspect, the transport section may be configured to include a transport path member having the specific area provided therein. In this case, the transport path member may be made of a transparent material.

[0037] According to the above configuration, it is easy to check money present in a specific area from outside the transport path member.

[0038] The currency handling device according to this aspect may be configured to further include a housing in which the transport unit is housed. In this case, an openable and closable front door may be provided on the front surface of the housing. The transport unit may be configured to include a transport path member in which the specific area is provided. The transport path member may include a first member and a second member that are disposed adjacent to the front door and face each other in the front-to-rear direction, and the specific area may be provided between the first member and the second member. The second member may be fixed to the front door and may be separated from the first member when the front door is opened.

[0039] According to the above-mentioned configuration, by simply opening the front door, the currency can be removed from the conveying path with a single action, i.e., the action of removing the currency. Therefore, it is possible to easily remove jammed currency from the conveying path.

[0040] When the above configuration is adopted, the first member may further be provided with a fall prevention section that prevents banknotes present in the specific area from falling away from the first member when the second member is separated from the first member.

[0041] With this configuration, coins are less likely to fall out of a particular area when the front door is opened. Effect of the Invention

[0042] As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a currency processing device that can smoothly remove jammed currency from the transport path and reduce the burden on staff.

[0043] The effects and significance of the present invention will become clearer from the following description of the embodiment. However, the embodiment described below is merely an example of how the present invention can be put into practice, and the present invention is not limited to the embodiment described below. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0044] [Figure 1]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a banknote processing device according to an embodiment. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a main part of the banknote processing device according to the embodiment, showing a portion of a deposit port. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing an internal configuration of the banknote handling device according to the embodiment. [Figure 4] 4(a) and (b) are a plan view and a bottom view of the second transport unit according to the embodiment. [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 is a side view of the second conveying unit according to the embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a first member constituting a third transport path member of a third transport unit according to the embodiment. [Figure 7] 7(a) and (b) are side views of the recognition unit according to the embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing a main configuration of a banknote handling device according to an embodiment. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing a deposit jam handling process executed by the control unit according to the embodiment. [Figure 10] 10A and 10B are diagrams for explaining a jam handling process during deposit according to an embodiment. [Figure 11] 11A and 11B are diagrams for explaining a jam handling process during deposit according to an embodiment. [Figure 12] FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing a dispensing jam handling process executed by the control unit according to the embodiment. [Figure 13] 13(a) to 13(c) are diagrams for explaining a process for dealing with a jam during dispensing according to an embodiment. [Figure 14] 14(a) and (b) are diagrams for explaining a procedure for removing banknotes from a transport path according to an embodiment. [Figure 15] FIG. 15 is a schematic diagram showing an internal configuration of a banknote handling device according to the first modified example. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0045] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0046] In this embodiment, a banknote handling device 1 is shown as an example of a currency handling device of the present invention. However, these are merely examples, and the present invention is not limited in any way to these configurations.

[0047] The banknote processing device 1 processes banknotes, such as depositing and dispensing. The banknote processing device 1 is combined with, for example, an information terminal device for performing settlement operations for transaction objects such as merchandise, and a coin processing device for performing processes such as depositing and dispensing coins, to form a self-checkout device or semi-self-checkout device installed in a retail store such as a supermarket, or an automatic payment device (kiosk) installed in a restaurant or the like. In this case, the banknote processing device 1 functions as a banknote change machine, accepting deposits of banknotes as fees for transaction objects such as merchandise, and dispensing banknotes as change.

[0048] Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the banknote processing device 1. Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the main parts of the banknote processing device 1, showing the deposit port unit 110.

[0049] The banknote processing device 1 includes a housing 100 that forms an outer shell. The housing 100 has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape with a depth dimension (front-rear direction) greater than a width dimension (left-right direction) and a height dimension (up-down direction) greater than the depth and width dimensions. The housing 100 includes a main body 101 with an open front side, a front panel 102 provided on the upper side of the front surface of the main body 101, and a front door 103 provided on the lower side of the front surface of the main body 101.

[0050] The front panel 102 is provided at its upper end with a deposit port 110 through which bills are inserted, and below the deposit port 110 is provided with a withdrawal port 120 through which bills are dispensed.

[0051] The deposit port 110 opens upward and forward. An insertion port 111 is provided at the bottom of the rear surface of the deposit port 110. The insertion port 111 is covered by a lid 112 that is provided at the rear surface of the deposit port 110 and can be opened and closed in the vertical direction. The bottom surface of the deposit port 110 serves as a placement surface 113 on which bills to be inserted into the insertion port 111 are placed. When the lid 112 is closed, a gap is formed between the lid 112 and the placement surface 113 in front of the insertion port 111, and bills can be inserted into the gap and inserted into the insertion port 111. When more bills are to be inserted, the lid 112 can be manually opened.

[0052] The placing surface 113 has, on its front side, an inclined surface 113a that slopes downward toward the front. An opening 114 is formed in the inclined surface 113a. The opening 114 is covered by a translucent panel 115 on which a predetermined pattern is drawn. A light-emitting plate 116 is disposed below the opening 114. A light-emitting device 117 having a plurality of LEDs 117a is disposed below the light-emitting plate 116. When the plurality of LEDs 117a are lit and the light-emitting plate 116 emits light, the panel 115, i.e., the inclined surface 113a of the placing surface 113, emits light.

[0053] The outlet 120 opens to the front. A discharge port 121 through which banknotes are discharged is provided at the rear surface of the outlet 120.

[0054] A collection door 130 is provided at the bottom of the front panel 102, and a key unit 140 for locking the collection door 130 is provided above the collection door 130. When the key unit 140 is unlocked, the collection door 130 can be opened forward around its lower end portion. A collection cassette 500 is disposed behind the collection door 130 inside the housing 100 (see FIG. 3). When the collection door 130 is opened, the collection cassette 500 can be removed from inside the housing 100.

[0055] An operation display device 150 is provided on the top surface of the housing 100 immediately behind the front panel 102. The operation display device 150 has a display unit 151 and an operation unit 152. The display unit 151 is, for example, a liquid crystal display and displays various images (screens). The display unit 151 may be a touch panel. The operation unit 152 is made up of a plurality of operation buttons 152a and accepts various operations via these operation buttons 152a.

[0056] Fig. 3 is a schematic diagram showing the internal configuration of the banknote handling machine 1. Fig. 3 is a diagram showing the banknote handling machine 1 as viewed from the left side.

[0057] The banknote processing unit 10 is disposed inside the housing 100. A front panel 102 and a front door 103 are fixed to the front surface of the banknote processing unit 10. This results in the banknote processing unit 10, front panel 102, and front door 103 being integrated together. The banknote processing unit 10 can be pulled out together with the front panel 102 and front door 103 towards the front of the housing 100, i.e., the main body 101.

[0058] The banknote processing unit 10 includes a feeding unit 200, a dispensing unit 300, a withdrawal rejection unit 400, a collection cassette 500, three (plural) storage units 600, a transport unit 700, and a recognition unit 800. The feeding unit 200, the dispensing unit 300, the withdrawal rejection unit 400, the collection cassette 500, the multiple (three) storage units 600, the transport unit 700, and the recognition unit 800 are integrated by being assembled into a holding frame 900 having a predetermined shape. The collection cassette 500 can be removed by moving it forward relative to the holding frame 900.

[0059] The feeding unit 200 is disposed behind the deposit port unit 110. The feeding unit 200 has a feeding mechanism, and takes in banknotes inserted into the insertion port 111 of the deposit port unit 110 one by one, and sends them to the transport unit 700.

[0060] The dispensing unit 300 is disposed below the feeding unit 200 and behind the dispensing port unit 120. The dispensing unit 300 includes a discharge mechanism, and discharges the banknotes sent from the transport unit 700 through the discharge port 121 to the dispensing port unit 120.

[0061] The withdrawal rejection unit 400 is disposed below the dispensing unit 300. The withdrawal rejection unit 400 stores banknotes whose attributes cannot be recognized by the recognition unit 800 during a withdrawal process and which are not considered to be normal.

[0062] The collection cassette 500 is disposed below the withdrawal reject unit 400 and behind the collection door 130. The collection cassette 500 stores the banknotes collected from each storage unit 600 in the collection process.

[0063] The three storage units 600 are arranged vertically side by side at the bottom inside the housing 100. Banknotes fed from the feeding unit 200 and identified by the recognition unit 800 are stored in each storage unit 600 by sorting them by denomination. For example, the three storage units 600 are assigned denominations of 10,000 yen, 1,000 yen, and 5,000 yen. Each storage unit 600 is equipped with a feeding mechanism and can feed the stored banknotes to the transport unit 700.

[0064] The transport unit 700 is arranged among the feeding unit 200, the dispensing unit 300, the withdrawal rejection unit 400, the collection cassette 500, and the three storage units 600, and transports banknotes among them. The transport unit 700 has a transport path 701 and a transport mechanism 702, and banknotes are transported along the transport path 701 by the operation of the transport mechanism 702.

[0065] The transport section 700 is composed of a first transport unit 710, a second transport unit 720, and a third transport unit 730. The first transport unit 710 is disposed behind the feeding section 200, the dispensing section 300, the dispensing reject section 400, and the collection cassette 500. The second transport unit 720 is disposed between the collection cassette 500 and the uppermost storage section 600. The third transport unit 730 is disposed in front of the three storage sections 600, adjacent to the front door 103.

[0066] The first transport unit 710 includes a first transport path member 711 and a first transport mechanism 712. The first transport path member 711 extends long in the up-down direction (vertical direction) and has a first transport path 713 therein. The first transport path 713 includes a main path 713a extending in the up-down direction between the pay-out unit 200 and the recognition unit 800, and a first branch path 713b, a second branch path 713c, and a third branch path 713d branching from the main path 713a and extending to the dispensing unit 300, the dispensing reject unit 400, and the collection cassette 500, respectively.

[0067] The first transport path member 711 includes a rear first member 711a and a front second member 711b that face each other in the front-rear direction. A main path 713a is provided between the first member 711a and the second member 711b, and a first branch path 713b, a second branch path 713c, and a third branch path 713d are provided in the second member 711b. The left and right sides of the first transport path 713 are blocked by guide portions (not shown) provided on the left and right ends of the second member 711b.

[0068] The first conveying mechanism 712 includes a plurality of first rollers 714, a plurality of second rollers 715, and a belt 716. The plurality of first rollers 714 are rotatably arranged in a vertical line on the first member 711a. The plurality of second rollers 715 are rotatably arranged in a vertical line on the second member 711b. The belt 716 is stretched between the plurality of first rollers 714.

[0069] The multiple second rollers 715 come into contact with the belt 716 in the main path 713a of the first conveying path 713. The second rollers 715 that do not face the first rollers 714 push the belt 716 toward the first member 711a. As a result, the belt 716 is bent at the push point where the belt 716 is pushed by the second rollers 715.

[0070] As the belt 716 rotates, the banknote moves along the first conveying path 713 while being sandwiched between the belt 716 and the second roller 715. The first conveying mechanism 712 generates a gripping force by pinching both sides of the banknote, and the gripping force holds the banknote on the first conveying path 713. As each second roller 715 is pushed deeply into the belt 716, the bending of the belt 716 at each pushing point becomes deeper, i.e., the larger the bending angle, the greater the gripping force on the first conveying path 713.

[0071] In the first transport unit 710, a first sorting mechanism 741, a second sorting mechanism 742, and a third sorting mechanism 743 are provided at branch points between the main path 713a and the first branch path 713b, the second branch path 713c, and the third branch path 713d, respectively. The first sorting mechanism 741, the second sorting mechanism 742, and the third sorting mechanism 743 respectively sort banknotes flowing on the main path 713a in the direction from the recognition unit 800 to the pay-out unit 200 to the first branch path 713b side, the second branch path 713c side, and the third branch path 713d side, i.e., the dispensing unit 300 side, the withdrawal rejection unit 400 side, and the collection cassette 500 side, respectively.

[0072] The first transport unit 710 is provided with a first passing sensor 751, a second passing sensor 752, and a third passing sensor 753, which are, for example, photosensors. The first passing sensor 751 is disposed at a position near the dispensing unit 300 on the first branch path 713b, and detects banknotes passing through this position. The second passing sensor 752 is disposed at a position near the withdrawal reject unit 400 on the second branch path 713c, and detects banknotes passing through this position. The third passing sensor 753 is disposed at a position near the collection cassette 500 on the third branch path 713d, and detects banknotes passing through this position.

[0073] The first transport path member 711 can be opened and closed in the front-rear direction. That is, the first member 711a is locked in a connected state with the second member 711b by a locking mechanism (not shown). When the lock is released by a manual release operation, the first member 711a can be rotated backward around its lower end portion as an axis and separated from the second member 711b.

[0074] 4(a) and (b) are a plan view and a bottom view of the second transport unit 720. FIG 5 is a side view of the second transport unit 720.

[0075] 3 and 4(a) to 5, the second transport unit 720 includes a second transport path member 721 and a second transport mechanism 722. The second transport path member 721 extends long in the front-rear direction (horizontal direction) and has a second transport path 723 therein. The second transport path member 721 includes a lower first member 721a and an upper second member 721b that face each other in the up-down direction. The first member 721a and the second member 721b, i.e., the second transport path member 721, are formed of a transparent material, for example, a transparent resin such as acrylic. The second transport path 723 is provided between the first member 721a and the second member 721b. Both the left and right sides (both sides in the width direction) of the second transport path 723 are open and not blocked by guide parts or the like. Since the second transport path member 721 is transparent, the banknotes present in the second transport path 723 can be easily confirmed from outside the second transport path member 721.

[0076] The second conveying path 723 is a specific area in the conveying path 701. The specific area is a predetermined area in the conveying path 701 that is unrelated to the position where a jam was detected. To the specific area, banknotes that have jammed in the conveying path 701 and have been cleared and that have had to be removed from the conveying path 701 are conveyed in a jam handling process described below. That is, removal of banknotes from the conveying path 701 is performed in the second conveying path 723, which is a specific area, as much as possible.

[0077] The second conveying mechanism 722 includes a plurality of first rollers 724, a plurality of second rollers 725, a first belt 726, and a second belt 727. The plurality of first rollers 724 are rotatably arranged in the first member 721a so as to be aligned in the front-rear direction. The plurality of second rollers 725 are rotatably arranged in the second member 721b so as to be aligned in the front-rear direction. The first belt 726 is stretched between the plurality of first rollers 724. The second belt 727 is stretched between the plurality of second rollers 725.

[0078] In the second conveying path 723, the first belt 726 and the second belt 727 come into contact with each other. The first roller 724 presses the second belt 727 toward the second member 721b via the first belt 726, and the second roller 725 presses the first belt 726 toward the first member 721a via the second belt 727. As a result, the first belt 726 is bent at the pressing point by the second roller 725, and the second belt 727 is bent at the pressing point by the first roller 724.

[0079] As the first belt 726 rotates, the banknote moves along the second conveying path 723 while being sandwiched between the first belt 726 and the second belt 727. The second conveying mechanism 722 generates a gripping force by sandwiching both sides of the banknote, and holds the banknote on the second conveying path 723 by the gripping force. Here, the average bending angle of the first belt 726 and the second belt 727 at each push point of the second conveying path 723 is smaller than the average bending angle of the belts 716, 736 at each push point of the first conveying path 713 and the third conveying path 733. As a result, the gripping force on the second conveying path 723 (specific area) is weaker than the gripping force on the first conveying path 713 and the third conveying path 733 (other areas).

[0080] 4(a) to 5, the second transport path 723, which is a specific region, has narrow portions 728 whose dimensions in a width direction (left-right direction) perpendicular to the transport direction (front-rear direction) of the banknotes are smaller than the dimensions of the banknotes in the width direction. The narrow portions 728 are formed by partially recessing the left and right side portions of the second transport path member 721 in the width direction (left-right direction) as shown by the hatched portions in FIGS. 4(a) and 4(b).

[0081] As shown by the dashed line in FIG. 4(a), when a bill is present in the second conveying path 723, both ends in the width direction of the bill, i.e., a part of the end in the conveying direction (front-rear direction) of the bill, protrude from the narrow width portion 728 of the second conveying path 723. As a result, the left end of the bill protruding from the narrow width portion 728 can be pinched with fingers and pulled out to the left from the second conveying path 723 as shown by the arrow in FIG. 4(a). At this time, since the gripping force of the second conveying path 723 is weaker than the gripping forces of the first conveying path 713 and the third conveying path 733, it is easy to pull out the bill caught in the second conveying mechanism 722. In addition, the second conveying path 723 extends in the horizontal direction, and the bill is not conveyed in the upward direction. Therefore, even if the gripping force of the second conveying mechanism 722 is weak, unlike the case where the second conveying path 723 extends in the vertical direction, there is no need to worry about the bill falling (slipping down) when conveyed in the upward direction.

[0082] In this way, the second transport path member 721 has an open side (left side) of the second transport path 723, and a narrow portion 728 is provided in the second transport path 723, so that when the second transport path member 721 is open to the outside of the housing 100, banknotes present in a specific area, the second transport path 723, can be removed with a single operation.

[0083] In this embodiment, the banknote also protrudes from the right side of the narrow width portion 728, but since the holding frame 900 is present on the right side of the second transport path 723, the banknote cannot be pulled out to the right from the second transport path 723. However, by providing an opening in the holding frame 900, it may be possible to pull out the banknote to the right from the second transport path 723.

[0084] 5, the second transport path member 721 is provided with a tapered guide portion 729 in front of the narrow portion 728, i.e., in front of the recess in the side surface, such that the width of the second transport path 723 in the up-down direction gradually widens toward the rear, i.e., toward the narrow portion 728. As a result, when the banknote flows forward in the second transport path 723, i.e., toward the storage unit 600, the protruding end of the banknote is guided by the guide portion 729, making it easier for the banknote to enter the second transport path 723 again.

[0085] The second transport unit 720 is provided with a fourth passing sensor 754, which is, for example, a photosensor. The fourth passing sensor 754 is disposed in front of the narrow width portion 728 in the second transport path 723, i.e., at a position on the side of the storage unit 600, and detects banknotes passing through this position. Two fourth passing sensors 754 are provided on the left and right sides of the first belt 726 and the second belt 727.

[0086] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a first member 731a constituting the third transport path member 731 of the third transport unit 730. FIG.

[0087] 3 and 6, the third transport unit 730 includes a third transport path member 731 and a third transport mechanism 732. The third transport path member 731 extends long in the up-down direction (vertical direction) and has therein a third transport path 733. The third transport path 733 includes a main path 733a extending in the up-down direction from the second transport unit 720 side to the bottommost storage section 600 side, and a fourth branch path 733b and a fifth branch path 733c branching from the main path 733a and extending to the topmost storage section 600 and the central storage section 600, respectively.

[0088] The third transport path member 731 is disposed close to the front door 103 and includes a rear first member 731a and a front second member 731b that face each other in the front-rear direction. A main path 733a is provided between the first member 731a and the second member 731b, and a fourth branch path 733b and a fifth branch path 733c are provided in the first member 731a. The first member 731a is fixed to the holding frame 900, while the second member 731b is fixed to the back side of the front door 103.

[0089] The third conveying mechanism 732 includes a plurality of first rollers 734, a plurality of second rollers 735, and a belt 736. The plurality of first rollers 734 are rotatably arranged in a vertical line on the first member 731a. The plurality of second rollers 735 are rotatably arranged in a vertical line on the second member 731b. The belt 736 is stretched between the plurality of second rollers 735.

[0090] The multiple first rollers 734 come into contact with the belt 736 in the main path 733a of the third transport path 733. The second roller 735 located between the two first rollers 734 presses the belt 736 toward the first member 731a. As a result, the belt 736 is bent at the point where the second roller 735 presses the belt 736.

[0091] As the belt 736 rotates, the banknote moves along the third transport path 733 while being sandwiched between the belt 736 and the first roller 734. The third transport mechanism 732 generates a gripping force by sandwiching both sides of the banknote, and holds the banknote on the third transport path 733 by the gripping force.

[0092] 6, guide portions 737 are provided on both the left and right ends of the first member 731a of the third transport path member 731 so as to extend in the up-down direction. Both the left and right sides of the third transport path 733 are blocked by the left and right guide portions 737. Furthermore, the first member 731a is provided with a drop prevention portion 738 that prevents the banknotes present on the third transport path 733 from falling away from the first member 731a when the second member 731b moves away from the first member 731a.

[0093] The fall prevention section 738 is composed of a pair of protruding pieces 738a protruding from the left and right guide sections 737 towards the third transport path 733. The pair of protruding pieces 738a has a shape elongated in the up-down direction. As shown by the dashed line in Fig. 6, both left and right ends of a banknote present in the third transport path 733 abut against the pair of protruding pieces 738a, so that the banknote does not fall out of the third transport path 733 forward, i.e., towards the second member 731b.

[0094] The pair of protruding pieces 738a are bent obliquely so that both upper and lower ends move forward away from the third transport path 733. For this reason, banknotes flowing in the vertical direction on the third transport path 733 are less likely to get caught on the both ends. Therefore, banknote jams caused by the pair of protruding pieces 738a, i.e., the drop prevention parts 738, are less likely to occur.

[0095] In the third transport unit 730, a fourth sorting mechanism 744 and a fifth sorting mechanism 745 are provided at the branch points of the main path 733a, the fourth branch path 733b, and the fifth branch path 733d, respectively. The fourth sorting mechanism 744 and the fifth sorting mechanism 745 respectively sort the banknotes flowing on the main path 733a in the direction of the lowermost storage unit 600 to the fourth branch path 733b side and the fifth branch path 733c side, i.e., the uppermost storage unit 600 side and the central storage unit 600 side, respectively.

[0096] The third transport unit 730 is provided with, for example, a fifth passing sensor 755, a sixth passing sensor 756, and a seventh passing sensor 757, which are photosensors. The fifth passing sensor 755 is disposed at a position near the storage unit 600 on the fourth branch path 733b, and detects banknotes passing through this position. The sixth passing sensor 756 is disposed at a position near the storage unit 600 on the fifth branch path 733c, and detects banknotes passing through this position. The seventh passing sensor 757 is disposed at a position near the storage unit 600 on the main path 733a, and detects banknotes passing through this position.

[0097] The third transport path member 731 can be opened and closed in the front-rear direction. That is, the front door 103 to which the second member 731b is fixed is locked in a closed state by the door lock mechanism 160. This connects the first member 731a and the second member 732b. The door lock mechanism 160 includes, for example, a lever 161 provided on the holding frame 900 and an engagement portion 162 provided on the front door 103 with which the lever 161 engages. When the lever 161 is disengaged from the engagement portion 162 by a manual release operation, the front door 103 can be rotated forward with its lower end portion as an axis, and the second member 731b can be moved forward away from the first member 731a.

[0098] In the conveying section 700, a conveying path 701 is formed by a first conveying path 713, a second conveying path 723, and a third conveying path 733, and a conveying mechanism 702 is formed by a first conveying mechanism 712, a second conveying mechanism 722, and a third conveying mechanism 732. The first conveying mechanism 712, the second conveying mechanism 722, and the third conveying mechanism 732 are driven by a single drive motor provided in the conveying section 700, and operate in conjunction with each other.

[0099] The first conveying path 713 is a feed-out side conveying path located on the feed-out section 200 side, the third conveying path 733 is a storage side conveying path located on the storage section 600 side, and the second conveying path 723 is an intermediate conveying path located between the feed-out side conveying path and the storage side conveying path. The first conveying path 713 and the third conveying path 733 are branched conveying paths having a branch path, and the second conveying path 723 is a non-branched conveying path having no branch path. In this embodiment, the second conveying path 723, which is an intermediate conveying path and a non-branched conveying path, is set in a specific area.

[0100] In the conveying path 701, the first conveying path 713 (feed-out side conveying path) and the third conveying path 733 (storage side conveying path) extend generally in a substantially vertical direction, the second conveying path 723 (intermediate conveying path) extends generally in a substantially horizontal direction, one end of the second conveying path 723 is located at the lower end side of the first conveying path 713, and the upper end side of the third conveying path 733 is located at the other end side of the second conveying path 723. This makes it possible to shorten the vertical length of the conveying path 701 and to reduce the height of the banknote processing device 1.

[0101] The recognition unit 800 is disposed midway through the transport unit 700 , specifically, between the first transport unit 710 and the second transport unit 720 .

[0102] 7(a) and (b) are side views of the recognition unit 800. Fig. 7(b) shows the recognition unit 800 in an open state.

[0103] 7(a) and (b) in addition to Fig. 3, the recognition unit 800 includes a first housing member 810, a second housing member 820, four first rollers 830, four second rollers 840, a first sensor unit 850, and a second sensor unit 860. The recognition unit 800 uses the first sensor unit 850 and the second sensor unit 860 to recognize attributes of banknotes, such as denomination, authenticity, and fitness.

[0104] The first housing member 810 and the second housing member 820 are coupled in the front-rear direction. A banknote passage 870 is formed between the first housing member 810 and the second housing member 820. The passage 870 is connected to the first transport path 713 and the second transport path 723. The left and right sides of the passage 870 are blocked by the left and right end portions of the first housing member 810.

[0105] Four first rollers 830 are arranged on the upper left and right and the lower left and right in the first housing member 810. Four second rollers 840 are arranged on the upper left and right and the lower left and right in the second housing member 820. In the passage 870, the four first rollers 830 and the four second rollers 840 come into contact with each other, and the banknotes move through the passage 870 while being sandwiched between the first rollers 830 and the second rollers 840.

[0106] The first sensor unit 850 and the second sensor unit 860 are composed of optical sensors or magnetic sensors. The first sensor unit 850 is disposed between the upper and lower first rollers 830 in the first housing member 810, and the second sensor unit 860 is disposed between the upper and lower second rollers 840 in the second housing member 820. The first sensor unit 850 and the second sensor unit 860 sense both the front and back sides of the banknotes flowing through the passage 870.

[0107] The second housing member 820 extends downward further than the first housing member 810, and has a rotation shaft 821 at its lower end. The rotation shaft 821 is rotatably held by a bearing portion 760 that is provided so as to extend from the lower end of the first transport path member 711 of the first transport unit 710 to the lower side of the recognition portion 800. The center of gravity G of the second housing member 820 is located rearward of the center P of the rotation shaft 821.

[0108] A leaf spring 20 is provided at the rear inside the housing 100. A base end of the leaf spring 20 is attached to an attachment portion 30 arranged on the rear surface of the housing 100. A tip end of the leaf spring 20 abuts against the second housing member 820 from behind. As a result, the leaf spring 20, by its elastic force, pushes the second housing member 820 forward, i.e., toward the first housing member 810, and also pushes the banknote processing unit 10 forward, i.e., in the direction in which the banknote processing unit 10 is removed from inside the housing 100.

[0109] As shown in FIG. 7(a), the second housing member 820 maintains a coupled state with the first housing member 810 due to the pressing force from the leaf spring 20. When the banknote processing unit 10 is pulled forward from within the housing 100, the second housing member 820 moves away from the leaf spring 20. As shown in FIG. 7(b), the second housing member 820 rotates rearward due to its own weight and moves away from the first housing member 810. This opens the passage 870. When the banknote processing unit 10 is stored within the housing 100, the second housing member 820 is pressed by the leaf spring 20 to rotate forward and is coupled to the first housing member 810. In this way, the recognition unit 800 can be automatically opened and closed in response to the insertion and removal of the banknote processing unit 10 into and from the housing 100.

[0110] A locking device 40 is provided at the rear inside the housing 100. The banknote processing unit 10 is pushed in a direction to be taken out of the housing 100 by the leaf spring 20, but is kept inside the housing 100 by being locked by the locking device 40.

[0111] FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing the main configuration of the banknote handling machine 1. As shown in FIG.

[0112] The banknote processing device 1 includes a control unit 51 and a storage unit 52 in addition to the above-mentioned components.

[0113] The control unit 51 includes an arithmetic circuit such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit). The control unit 51 controls the display unit 151, the light emitting device 117, the locking device 40, the payout unit 200, the dispensing unit 300, the dispensing reject unit 400, the collection cassette 500, the storage unit 600, the transport unit 700, the recognition unit 800, and the like, in accordance with an operation program stored in the storage unit 52, based on each signal from the operation unit 152, the recognition unit 800, and the passage sensors 751 to 757. The storage unit 52 includes storage media such as a ROM (Read Only Memory), a RAM (Random Access Memory), and a hard disk, and stores the operation program for the control unit 51, and is also used as a work area during the control processing of the control unit 51.

[0114] When functioning as a banknote change machine, the banknote processing device 1 performs a deposit process for accepting deposits of banknotes that are the fee for a transaction, and a dispensing process for dispensing banknotes that are the change.

[0115] During a deposit process, a bill is inserted into the insertion port 111 of the deposit port 110. At this time, the placement surface 113 of the deposit port 110 flashes, so that the user can easily know where to insert the bill. The placement surface 113 has an inclined surface 113a that slopes downward toward the front, and the inclined surface 113a flashes, so that even a short user can easily see the flashing of the inclined surface 113a. Furthermore, since the placement surface 113 has the inclined surface 113a, even if liquid such as water is accidentally spilled on the placement surface 113, the water flows down the inclined surface 113a and is discharged to the front of the deposit port 110, and is unlikely to enter the payout unit 200 from the insertion port 111.

[0116] When a deposit process is started, banknotes inserted into the insertion slot 111 are taken in by the feeding unit 200 and fed to the transport unit 700. The banknotes are transported by the transport unit 700 along the transport path 701 toward the storage unit 600, and their attributes are recognized as they pass through the recognition unit 800. The recognition unit 800 also counts the banknotes. As a result of the recognition by the recognition unit 800, banknotes that are normal and whose denominations have been recognized are transported to the storage unit 600 corresponding to the denominations, and stored in the storage unit 600. On the other hand, as a result of the recognition by the recognition unit 800, banknotes that are abnormal or whose denominations cannot be recognized are transported to the dispensing unit 300, and are discharged to the withdrawal port unit 120 as rejected banknotes by the operation of the dispensing unit 300. When the inserted banknotes are stored in the storage unit 600, the deposit process ends.

[0117] If the accepted amount is greater than the fee amount and change is required in the form of paper money, a dispensing process is initiated.

[0118] Banknotes of the denomination to be given as change are fed from the corresponding storage unit 600 to the transport unit 700 and transported along the transport path 701 towards the dispensing unit 300. The banknotes are recognised by the recognition unit 800, and banknotes that are normal and whose denomination has been recognised are transported to the dispensing unit 300 and discharged to the dispensing port 120 by the operation of the dispensing unit 300. On the other hand, banknotes that are abnormal or whose denomination cannot be recognised as a result of recognition by the recognition unit 800 are transported to the dispensing rejection unit 400 and stored in the dispensing rejection unit 400 as rejected banknotes. When the banknotes for the change have been dispensed to the dispensing port 120, the dispensing process ends.

[0119] During deposit and withdrawal processes, the banknote processing device 1 monitors whether or not a jam has occurred in the banknotes being transported along the transport path 701. If a jam has occurred, a corresponding process is executed.

[0120] The deposit jam handling process executed during the deposit process and the withdrawal jam handling process executed during the withdrawal process will be described below.

[0121] Fig. 9 is a flow chart showing the deposit jam handling process executed by the control unit 51. Fig. 10(a) to Fig. 11(b) are diagrams for explaining the deposit jam handling process.

[0122] In the deposit jam handling process, the recognition unit 800 , the fourth passing sensor 754 , the fifth passing sensor 755 , the sixth passing sensor 756 and the seventh passing sensor 757 function as a jam detection unit that detects a banknote jam on the transport path 701 .

[0123] When the deposit process is started, the deposit jam handling process is started. The control unit 51 monitors whether or not a bill jam has been detected (S101).

[0124] When the recognition unit 800 does not detect a banknote within a time limit after the banknote is fed by the feeding unit 200 or when the recognition unit 800 continues to detect the banknote for a specified time or more, the control unit 51 determines that the recognition unit 800 has detected a banknote jam. Also, when the fourth passing sensor 754 does not detect a banknote within a time limit after the banknote passes the recognition unit 800 or when the fourth passing sensor 754 continues to detect the banknote for a specified time or more, the control unit 51 determines that the fourth passing sensor 754 has detected a banknote jam. Furthermore, when a passing sensor at a position where the banknote should pass among the fifth to seventh passing sensors 755-757 does not detect the banknote within a time limit after the banknote passes the fourth passing sensor 754 or when the passing sensor continues to detect the banknote for a specified time or more, the control unit 51 determines that the passing sensor has detected a banknote jam.

[0125] 10(a), banknote jams can occur anywhere along the transport path 701. Jams along the first transport path 713 and the passage 870 of the recognition unit 800 are detected by the recognition unit 800, jams along the second transport path 723 are detected by the fourth passage sensor 754, and jams along the third transport path 733 are detected by the fifth to seventh passage sensors 755-757. When depositing banknotes, banknote jams are particularly likely to occur along the third transport path 733, which branches off to the storage unit 600.

[0126] When the control unit 51 determines that a banknote jam has been detected (S101: YES), it stops the operation of the transport unit 700 (transport mechanism 702) and stops transport of the banknotes (S102). Next, as a first process for clearing the detected jam, the control unit 51 operates the transport unit 700 so that the banknotes are transported in the opposite direction to the direction toward the storage unit 600, i.e., reverse transport, and as a fourth process, transports the cleared banknotes to the dispensing unit 300 as is (S103). At this time, the transport speed is set to be slower than the normal speed at which the banknotes are transported from the pay-out unit 200 to the storage unit 600.

[0127] As shown in FIG. 10(b), the banknote is transported in the reverse direction from the position where the jam occurred, and if no jam occurs during transport, it reaches the dispensing section 300, and then is discharged to the destination, the withdrawal port section 120, by the operation of the dispensing section 300.

[0128] The control unit 51 judges whether the transport of the banknote to the dispensing unit 300 has been successful (S104). When the first passage sensor 751 detects the passage of the banknote within a specified time from the start of the reverse transport, the control unit 51 considers the transport to the dispensing unit 300 to have been successful, and when the first passage sensor 751 does not detect the passage of the banknote even after the specified time has elapsed, the control unit 51 considers the transport to the dispensing unit 300 to have been unsuccessful. The specified time is set, for example, to a time longer than the time required for the banknote to be transported from the third transport path 733, which is the furthest from the dispensing unit 300, to the position of the first passage sensor 751 when a banknote jam occurs therein. The specified time may be set to a length according to the position where the jam occurs.

[0129] When the transport of the banknote to the dispensing unit 300 is successful and the banknote is discharged to the dispensing port 120 (S104: YES), the control unit 51 causes the display unit 151 to notify the user by displaying a screen prompting the user to re-insert the banknote into the deposit port 110 (S105). After the deposit jam response process is temporarily completed, it is restarted.

[0130] On the other hand, if a jam occurs during the reverse transport and transport of the banknote to the dispensing unit 300 fails (S104: NO), the control unit 51 operates the transport unit 700 for a short predetermined time (for example, 100 ms) so that the banknote is transported forward at a low speed (S106). Thereafter, the control unit 51 operates the transport unit 700 again so that the banknote is transported backward at a low speed, and transports the banknote to the dispensing unit 300 (S107).

[0131] As shown in FIG. 11(a), when the cause of the jam is resolved, for example, by moving the bill slightly backward so that the folds in the bill are improved, the bill is conveyed to the dispensing unit 300 by reverse conveyance again.

[0132] When the transport of the banknote to the dispensing unit 300 is successful (S108: YES), the control unit 51 executes a notification to reinsert the banknote (S105).

[0133] On the other hand, if the cause of the jam is not resolved even after forward transport and transport of the banknote to the dispensing unit 300 fails (S108: NO), the control unit 51 determines whether or not the banknote can be transported to the second transport path 723, which is a specific area (S109).

[0134] When a banknote jam is detected on the third transport path 733 and the fourth passage sensor 754 does not detect the passage of the banknote and the banknote remains on the third transport path 733 at the time when the transport failure is determined in S108, it can be considered that the banknote cannot be transported to the second transport path 723. Also, when the banknote exists on the dispensing unit 300 side (the first transport path 713 or the recognition unit 800) from the second transport path 723 at the time when the transport failure is determined, but it is found that the banknote does not move due to the forward transport in S106 and the reverse transport in S107 (the recognition unit 800 continues to detect the banknote, etc.), it can be considered that the banknote cannot be transported to the second transport path 723. Furthermore, when the banknote exists on the second transport path 723 at the time when the transport failure is determined, that is, when the fourth passage sensor 754 detects the banknote, it is natural that the banknote cannot be transported to the second transport path 723. Therefore, when a determination is made that transport has failed, if the banknote is present on the dispensing section 300 side of the second transport path 723 and it has not been determined that the banknote is not moving, it can be assumed that the banknote can be transported to the second transport path 723.

[0135] When the control unit 51 determines that the banknote can be transported to the second transport path 723 (S109: YES), as a second process, it operates the transport unit 700 so that the banknote is transported forward at a low speed, and transports the banknote to the second transport path 723, which is a specific area, as shown in Fig. 11(b) (S110). The fact that the banknote has reached the second transport path 723 can be detected by the fourth passage sensor 754.

[0136] When the banknote is transported to the second transport path 723 (S110), or when it is determined that the banknote cannot be transported to the second transport path 723 (S109: NO), the control unit 51 causes the display unit 151 to display a jam notification screen notifying that a banknote jam has occurred (S111), as a third process for enabling access to a specific area. The jam notification screen indicates the position of the banknote on the transport path 701.

[0137] Furthermore, as a third process, the control unit 51 sets one operation button 152a of the operation unit 152 as a release button for releasing the lock by the lock device 40 (S112). The position of the operation button 152a which is the release button is indicated by the jam notification screen.

[0138] In this way, the deposit jam handling process is completed. The deposit jam handling process is restarted when the banknotes are removed from the transport path 701 and the deposit process is resumed.

[0139] In this way, in the banknote processing device 1, if a banknote jam occurs on the transport path 701 during a deposit process, the jam is first cleared and the jammed banknote is transported to the dispensing unit 300 and returned to the dispensing port unit 120. Then, if the banknote cannot be returned to the dispensing port unit 120 and remains on the transport path 701, the banknote is moved as far as possible to the second transport path 723, which is a specific area.

[0140] When multiple banknotes are inserted into the deposit port 110, the subsequent banknote is fed from the feed-out unit 200 when the preceding banknote passes the position of the fourth passage sensor 754. Therefore, when the preceding banknote jams on the third transport path 733, the subsequent banknote is present on the transport path 701. In this case, the control unit 51 causes the transport unit 700 to transport the subsequent banknote to the dispensing unit 300 and discharge it to the withdrawal port 120, and then executes the processes from S103 onwards.

[0141] Fig. 12 is a flow chart showing the process of dealing with a jam during dispensing, which is executed by the control unit 51. Fig. 13(a) to (c) are diagrams for explaining the process of dealing with a jam during dispensing.

[0142] In the dispensing jam handling process, the first passage sensor 751 , the recognition unit 800 and the fourth passage sensor 754 function as a jam detection unit that detects a jam of a banknote on the transport path 701 .

[0143] When the dispensing process is started, the dispensing jam handling process is started. The control unit 51 monitors whether or not a bill jam has been detected (S201).

[0144] When the fourth passing sensor 754 does not detect a banknote within a time limit after a banknote is fed by any of the storage units 600 or when the fourth passing sensor 754 continues to detect the banknote for a specified time or more, the control unit 51 determines that the fourth passing sensor 754 has detected a banknote jam. Also, when the recognition unit 800 does not detect a banknote within a time limit after the banknote passes the fourth passing sensor 754 or when the recognition unit 800 continues to detect the banknote for a specified time or more, the control unit 51 determines that the recognition unit 800 has detected a banknote jam. Also, when the first passing sensor 751 does not detect a banknote within a time limit after the banknote passes the recognition unit 800 or when the first passing sensor 751 continues to detect the banknote for a specified time or more, the control unit 51 determines that the first passing sensor 751 has detected a banknote jam.

[0145] 13(a), banknote jams can occur anywhere along the transport path 701. Jams along the first transport path 713 are detected by a first passage sensor 751, jams along the passage 870 of the recognition unit 800 and the second transport path 723 are detected by the recognition unit 800, and jams along the third transport path 733 are detected by a fourth passage sensor 754. When dispensing money, banknote jams are particularly likely to occur along the first transport path 713, which branches off to the dispensing unit 300.

[0146] When the control unit 51 determines that a banknote jam has been detected (S201: YES), it stops the operation of the transport unit 700 (transport mechanism 702) and stops transport of the banknotes (S202). Next, as a first process, the control unit 51 operates the transport unit 700 for a short predetermined time (for example, 50 ms) so that the banknotes are transported in the direction opposite to the direction toward the dispensing unit 300, that is, reverse transport (S203). At this time, the transport speed is set to be slower than the normal speed at which the banknotes are transported from the storage unit 600 to the dispensing unit 300. Thereafter, as a fourth process, the control unit 51 operates the transport unit 700 so that the banknotes are transported forward at a low speed, and transports the banknotes to the withdrawal rejection unit 400, which is the transport destination (S204).

[0147] 13(b), when the cause of the jam is resolved, for example by moving the banknote back a little and improving the fold of the banknote, the banknote is transported by normal transport to the withdrawal rejection unit 400. The reason why the banknote is not transported to the dispensing unit 300 is because a jam may cause damage to the banknote.

[0148] The control unit 51 judges whether the transport of the banknote to the withdrawal rejection unit 400 has been successful (S205). When the second passage sensor 752 detects the passage of the banknote within a specified time from the start of the forward transport, the control unit 51 considers the transport to the withdrawal rejection unit 400 to have been successful, and when the second passage sensor 752 does not detect the passage of the banknote even after the specified time has elapsed, the control unit 51 considers the transport to the withdrawal rejection unit 400 to have been unsuccessful. The specified time is set, for example, to a time longer than the time required for the banknote to be transported from the third transport path 733, which is the furthest from the withdrawal rejection unit 400, to the position of the second passage sensor 752 when a banknote jam occurs in the third transport path 733. The specified time may be set to a length according to the position where the jam occurs.

[0149] When the transport of the banknote to the withdrawal rejection unit 400 is successful (S205: YES), the control unit 51 ends the withdrawal jam handling process. The feeding of new banknotes from the storage unit 600 to the dispensing unit 300 is started. At the same time, the withdrawal jam handling process is started again.

[0150] On the other hand, if the cause of the jam, such as a folded banknote, is not resolved and transport of the banknote to the withdrawal rejection unit 400 fails (S205: NO), the control unit 51 determines whether or not the banknote can be transported to the second transport path 723, which is a specific area (S206). When it is determined in S205 that transport has failed, if the banknote is located closer to the dispensing unit 300 than the second transport path 723 and it is not known that the banknote is not moving, it can be considered that the banknote can be transported to the second transport path 723.

[0151] If the control unit 51 determines that the banknote can be transported to the second transport path 723 (S206: YES), as a second process, it operates the transport unit 700 to transport the banknote in the reverse direction at a low speed, and transports the banknote to the second transport path 723, which is a specific area, as shown in Figure 13 (c) (S207).

[0152] When the banknote is transported to the second transport path 723 (S207), or when it is determined that the banknote cannot be transported to the second transport path 723 (S206: NO), the control unit 51 causes the display unit 151 to display a jam notification screen (S208), as a third process. Furthermore, the control unit 51 sets one operation button 152a of the operation unit 152 as a release button for releasing the lock by the locking device 40 (S209), as a third process.

[0153] In this way, the dispensing jam handling process is completed. The dispensing jam handling process is restarted when the banknotes are removed from the transport path 701 and the dispensing process is resumed.

[0154] In this way, in the banknote processing device 1, if a banknote jam occurs on the transport path 701 during a dispensing process, the jam is first cleared and the jammed banknote is transported to the withdrawal rejection unit 400. Then, if a banknote cannot be transported to the withdrawal rejection unit 400 and remains on the transport path 701, the banknote is moved as far as possible to the second transport path 723, which is a specific area.

[0155] 14(a) and (b) are diagrams for explaining the procedure for taking out banknotes from the transport path 701. FIG.

[0156] When a staff member at the facility where the banknote processing device 1 is installed confirms the occurrence of a jam from the jam notification screen on the display unit 151, he or she presses the operation button 152a, which is a release button. The lock by the locking device 40 is released, and the banknote processing unit 10 is pushed forward by the pressing force of the leaf spring 20 and slightly pulled out from within the housing 100, as shown in FIG. 14(a). Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 14(b), the staff member pulls out the banknote processing unit 10 completely from within the housing 100. This causes the second transport path 723, which is a specific area, to be opened to the outside. Furthermore, as described in FIG. 7(b), the passage 870 of the recognition unit 800 is also opened to the outside.

[0157] 9 and 12, a banknote is present on the second transport path 723. As described with reference to FIG. 4(a), the clerk picks up the portion of the banknote exposed from the second transport path 723 with his / her fingers and pulls out the banknote from the second transport path 723.

[0158] When a bill cannot be transported to the second transport path 723 due to the jam handling process, the bill exists in the first transport path 713, the third transport path 733, or the passage 870 of the recognition unit 800. When a bill exists in the first transport path 713, the clerk opens the first member 711a of the first transport path member 711 backward to open the first transport path 713 to the outside, as shown in FIG. 14(b), and removes the bill from the first transport path 713. When a bill exists in the third transport path 733, the clerk opens the second member 731b of the third transport path member 731 forward together with the front door 103 to open the third transport path 733 to the outside, as shown in FIG. 14(b), and removes the bill from the third transport path 733. When a bill exists in the passage 870 of the recognition unit 800, the clerk removes the bill from the passage 870 that has already been opened to the outside, as shown in FIG. 14(b).

[0159] In this embodiment, the front door 103 and the first member 711a are what is called vertical opening. However, the front door 103 and the first member 711a may be what is called horizontal opening.

[0160] <Effects of the embodiment> According to this embodiment, the following effects can be achieved.

[0161] In a deposit process or a withdrawal process, if a jam of a banknote is detected on the conveying path 701, the banknote is conveyed in the reverse direction by the process of S105 in FIG. 9 or S203 in FIG. 12 (first process), and the jam is cleared. Thereafter, the jammed banknote is conveyed to the second conveying path 723, which is a specific area unrelated to the position where the jam was detected, by the process of S110 in FIG. 9 or S207 in FIG. 12. This makes it possible to remove the banknote from the same place (specific area) on the conveying path 701 as much as possible, regardless of the position where the jam occurred. This allows the attendant to smoothly remove the jammed banknote from the conveying path 701, reducing the burden on the attendant.

[0162] Furthermore, after the banknotes are transported to the second transport path 723 (specific area), in order to enable access to the second transport path 723, a notification is issued to inform of the occurrence of a jam in S111 of Fig. 9 or S208 of Fig. 12, and the operation button 152a is set to unlock the lock device 40 in S112 of Fig. 9 or S209 of Fig. 12. This allows the clerk to smoothly access the second transport path 723 where the jammed banknotes are present.

[0163] Furthermore, after the jam is cleared, the jammed banknote is transported to the withdrawal port section 120 by the processing of S103 in Fig. 9 during a deposit process, or to the withdrawal rejection section 400 by the processing of S204 in Fig. 12 during a withdrawal process, before being transported to the second transport path 723 (specific area). This allows the clerk to simply remove the banknotes that cannot be transported to the withdrawal port section 120 or the withdrawal rejection section 400 and remain in the transport path 701 from the second transport path (specific area), further reducing the burden on the clerk.

[0164] Furthermore, the second conveying path 823, which is a branchless conveying path that does not have a branch path, is set in a specific area. This prevents the specific area from becoming a complicated path, so that a jam that occurs in the specific area and makes it difficult to remove the bills is unlikely to occur.

[0165] Furthermore, the second transport path 723 located between the first transport path 713 and the third transport path 733 is set as a specific area. This shortens the transport distance until the jammed banknote reaches the specific area, regardless of where a banknote jam occurs on the transport path 701, thereby reducing the probability that the jammed banknote will not reach the specific area.

[0166] Furthermore, the second transport path member 721 having the second transport path 723 (specific area) has a configuration in which the side of the second transport path 723 is open, and when the second transport path member 721 is opened to the outside of the housing 100, that is, when the banknote processing unit 10 is pulled out from inside the housing 100, banknotes present on the second transport path 723 can be removed by one operation. This makes it possible to remove jammed banknotes from the second transport path 723 without much effort.

[0167] Furthermore, the second transport path 723 (specific area) has a narrow width portion 728 whose dimension in a width direction perpendicular to the transport direction of the banknote is smaller than the dimension of the banknote in the width direction, and the end portion of the banknote in the width direction protrudes from the narrow width portion 728. This makes it possible to pull out the banknote from the second transport path 723 by pinching the portion of the banknote protruding from the narrow width portion 728 with the fingers. This makes it possible to easily remove a jammed banknote from the second transport path 723.

[0168] Furthermore, narrow width portion 728 is formed by partially recessing a side surface of second transport path member 721 in the width direction. A part of the end of the width direction of the banknote in the transport direction protrudes from narrow width portion 728, but the entire banknote does not protrude from the end in the transport direction. This reduces the portion of the banknote that protrudes from second transport path 723 when the banknote is transported on second transport path 723, so that the banknote can be transported stably on second transport path 723.

[0169] Furthermore, the gripping force on the banknotes in the second transport path 723 (specific area) is made weaker than the gripping force on the banknotes in the first transport path 713 and the third transport path 733 (other areas of the transport path 701). This makes it possible to easily remove jammed banknotes from the second transport path 723.

[0170] Furthermore, the second transport path 723 (specific area) extends horizontally. Therefore, the banknotes are not transported upwards on the second transport path 723. Therefore, even if the gripping force of the second transport path 723 is weak, unlike when the second transport path 723 extends vertically, there is no need to worry about the banknotes dropping (slipping down) when transported upwards.

[0171] Furthermore, the second transport path member 721 having the second transport path 723 (specific area) is made of a transparent material. This makes it easy to check the banknotes present in the second transport path 723 from outside the second transport path member 721.

[0172] Although the embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and various modifications of the embodiment of the present invention are possible.

[0173] <Change Example 1> Fig. 15 is a schematic diagram showing an internal configuration of the banknote handling machine 1 according to Modification Example 1. Fig. 15 shows the banknote handling machine 1 with the front door 103 open.

[0174] In the above embodiment, in the transport section 700, the second transport path 723 of the second transport unit 720 is set in a specific area that is not related to the position in the transport path 701 where the jam was detected.

[0175] In contrast to this, in this modified example 1, the third transport path 733 of the third transport unit 730 is set in a specific area. That is, in the third transport unit 730, the second member 731b of the third transport path member 731 is fixed to the front door 103, and the third transport path 733, i.e., the specific area, is provided between the first member 731a and the second member 731b. When the front door 103 is opened, the second member 731b moves away from the first member 731a to open the third transport path 733 (specific area), and it becomes possible to remove the banknotes present in the third transport path 733.

[0176] Furthermore, in this modified example 1, a door locking device 170 that locks the front door 103 in a closed state is provided in the housing 100 instead of the door locking mechanism 160. Even if the banknote processing unit 10 is not pulled out from inside the housing 100, when the locking by the door locking device 170 is released, the front door 103 can be opened.

[0177] In this modified example 1, in S110 of the deposit jam handling process shown in Fig. 9 and in S207 of the withdrawal jam handling process shown in Fig. 12, the jammed banknote is transported to the third transport path 733. At this time, in order to stop the banknote in the center part of the third transport path 733, for example, the operation of the transport unit 700 is stopped at a predetermined timing after the banknote passes the fourth passage sensor 754.

[0178] Furthermore, in the processing of S112 in FIG. 9 and S209 in FIG. 12, when a banknote is present on the first transport path 713 or the second transport path 723, the control unit 51 sets the operation button 152a to unlock the locking device 40 so that the banknote processing unit 10 can be pulled out from within the housing 100, but when a banknote is present on the third transport path 733, the control unit 51 unlocks the door locking device 170 so that the front door 103 can be opened.

[0179] In this way, in this modified example 1, when a banknote jam is detected in the transport path 701, the jam is cleared but the banknotes cannot be transported to the dispensing port unit 120 or the withdrawal reject unit 400, and the banknotes remaining in the transport path 701 are transported to the third transport path 733. The attendant opens the front door 103 to open the third transport path 733 to the outside, and removes the banknotes present in the third transport path 733. The attendant can then remove the banknotes from the transport path 701 simply by opening the front door 103, i.e., by performing a single action, that is, the action of removing the banknotes. This makes it possible to easily remove jammed banknotes from the transport path 701.

[0180] Furthermore, as explained in Figure 6, even if the front door 103 is opened and the second member 731b separates from the first member 731a, the fall prevention part 738 prevents the banknotes from falling from the third conveying path 733, thereby preventing the fallen banknotes from scattering around the banknote processing device 1 and being lost.

[0181] <Other changes> In the above embodiment, when banknotes are transported in S103, S106, S107, and S110 of the jam handling process during deposit shown in Fig. 9, the transport speed is set to be slower than the normal transport speed when banknotes are transported from the pay-out unit 200 to the storage unit 600 so that jams are less likely to occur. However, the transport speed in S102, S105, and S109 may be set to the same as the normal transport speed. Similarly, the transport speed in S203, S204, and S207 of the jam handling process during withdrawal shown in Fig. 12 may be set to the same as the normal transport speed when banknotes are transported from the storage unit 600 to the dispensing unit 300.

[0182] Furthermore, in the jam handling process during deposit, if it is determined in S108 that transport of the banknote to the dispensing unit 300 has failed, the forward transport and reverse transport processes of S106 and S107 may be repeated multiple times. Similarly, in the jam handling process during withdrawal, if it is determined in S205 that transport of the banknote to the dispensing rejection unit 400 has failed, the reverse transport and forward transport processes of S203 and S204 may be repeated multiple times.

[0183] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, in S112 of the deposit jam handling process and S209 of the withdrawal jam handling process, a process is performed in which one operation button 152a of the operation unit 152 is set as an unlocking button for the locking device 40 so that the banknote processing unit 10 can be pulled out from within the housing 100 as a third process for enabling access to a specific area. However, a process for unlocking the locking device 40 may also be performed. Furthermore, in a configuration in which the locking device 40 is unlocked by a dedicated button, or the banknote processing unit 10 is prevented from being pulled out from within the housing 100 by a locking device that is opened and closed by a key instead of the locking device 40, the processes of S112 and S209 may not be performed, and only the notification of the occurrence of a jam in S111 and S208 may be performed.

[0184] Furthermore, the configurations of the transport section 700 and the transport path 701 are not limited to those of the above embodiment. For example, the transport section 700 may be divided into two or less or four or more transport units instead of three transport units, and the transport path 701 may be divided into two or less or four or more transport paths instead of three. Furthermore, the transport path 701 may have a linear shape instead of a bent shape in which the first transport path 713 and the third transport path 733 extend vertically and the second transport path 723 extends horizontally.

[0185] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the banknote processing unit 10 is configured to be pulled out from inside the housing 100 in order to open the second transport path 723, which is a specific area, to the outside of the housing 100. However, an opening covered with a door may be provided at a position corresponding to the second transport path 723 on the side of the housing 100, and the second transport path 723 may be opened to the outside of the housing 100 through the opening by opening the door.

[0186] Furthermore, the present invention can also be applied to banknote processing devices that function as a banknote change machine other than the banknote processing device 1 of the above embodiment. For example, this banknote processing device can be combined with an information terminal device and a coin processing device to configure an automated teller machine (ATM) installed in financial institutions, convenience stores, etc., a currency deposit and withdrawal machine or teller system installed in financial institutions, etc.

[0187] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, a banknote processing device that performs processes such as depositing and dispensing banknotes is shown as an example of a currency processing device. However, the present invention can also be applied to a coin processing device that performs processes such as depositing and dispensing coins.

[0188] In addition, the embodiments of the present invention can be modified as appropriate within the scope of the claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0189] 1. Banknote handling device (currency handling device) 51 Control section 100 Case 103 Front door 120 Withdrawal port section (delivery destination section) 200 Payout section 400 Withdrawal rejection section (destination section) 600 Storage area 700 Conveyor 701 Transport Path 702 Conveyor mechanism 713 First conveying path (branched conveying path, feeding side conveying path) 713a main road 713b First Fork (Fork) 713c Second Fork (Fork) 713d 3rd Fork (Fork) 721 Second conveying path member (conveying path member) 723 Second conveying path (specific area, branch non-conveying path, intermediate conveying path) 728 Narrow section 731 Third conveying path member (conveying path member) 731a First member 731b Second member 733 3rd transport path (specific area, branched transport path, storage side transport path) 733a main road 733b 4th Junction (Junction) 733c 5th Junction (Junction) 738 Fall prevention part 751 First passing sensor (jam detection section) 754 4th passing sensor (jam detection section) 755 5th passing sensor (jam detection part) 756 6th Passing Sensor (Jam Detector) 757 7th passing sensor (jam detection section) 800 Identification unit (jam detection unit)

Claims

1. A dispenser that dispenses coins one by one; A conveying unit having a conveying path and conveying the coins fed by the feeding unit through the conveying path; a jam detection unit that detects a jam of currency in the transport path; A control unit, The control unit is a first process for eliminating a jam detected by the jam detection unit; and executing a second process of conveying the currency after the jam has been cleared by the first process, to a specific area on the conveying path that is not related to the position where the jam was detected, by the conveying unit. A currency processing device.

2. 2. The currency processing device according to claim 1, the control unit executes a third process for enabling access to the specific area after the second process. A currency processing device.

3. 3. The currency handling device according to claim 1, The control unit executes a fourth process of conveying the paper money after the jam is cleared to a conveyance destination provided outside the conveyance path by the conveyance unit after the first process, When the currency cannot be transported to the destination unit by the fourth process, the second process is executed. A currency processing device.

4. 2. The currency processing device according to claim 1, The conveying path includes a branched conveying path having a main path and a branch path branching off from the main path, and a branchless conveying path not having the branch path, The branch non-conveying path is the specific area. A currency processing device.

5. 2. The currency processing device according to claim 1, Further comprising a storage section in which the coins dispensed from the dispenser are stored, the conveying path includes a feed-out side conveying path located on the feed section side, a storage side conveying path located on the storage section side, and an intermediate conveying path located between the feed-out side conveying path and the storage side conveying path, The intermediate conveying path is the specific area. A currency processing device.

6. 2. The currency processing device according to claim 1, The transport unit further includes a housing having the transport unit therein. the transport section includes a transport path member having the specific area provided therein, the transport path member has a configuration in which, when the transport path member is opened to the outside of the housing, the currency present in the specific area can be taken out by one operation. A currency processing device.

7. 2. The currency processing device according to claim 1, Currency includes paper money, the specific area has a narrow portion whose dimension in a width direction perpendicular to a conveyance direction of the banknote is smaller than the dimension of the banknote in the width direction, The end of the banknote in the width direction protrudes from the narrow portion. A currency processing device.

8. 8. The currency processing device according to claim 7, the transport section includes a transport path member having the specific area provided therein, a narrow width portion is formed by a portion of a side surface of the transport path member being recessed in the width direction, a part of an end portion of the banknote in the width direction protrudes from the narrow portion in the conveying direction; A currency processing device.

9. 2. The currency processing device according to claim 1, Currency includes paper money, The transport unit has a transport mechanism for transporting banknotes through the transport path, the conveying mechanism generates a gripping force by pinching both sides of the banknote, and holds the banknote on the conveying path by the gripping force; the gripping force in the particular area is weaker than the gripping force in other areas of the transport path; A currency processing device.

10. 10. The currency processing device according to claim 9, The specific region extends in a horizontal direction. A currency processing device.

11. 2. The currency processing device according to claim 1, the transport section includes a transport path member having the specific area provided therein, The transport path member is formed of a transparent material. A currency processing device.

12. 2. The currency processing device according to claim 1, The transport unit further includes a housing having the transport unit therein. A front door that can be opened and closed is provided on the front surface of the housing, the transport section includes a transport path member having the specific area provided therein, the transport path member is disposed adjacent to the front door and includes a first member and a second member opposed to each other in a front-rear direction; The specific region is provided between the first member and the second member, The second member is fixed to the front door and is separated from the first member when the front door is opened. A currency processing device.

13. 13. The currency processing device according to claim 12, The first member is provided with a drop prevention unit that prevents the banknotes present in the specific area from dropping away from the first member when the second member is separated from the first member. A currency processing device.

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