Media processor

Abstract

To reduce the momentum of foreign objects sliding down.SOLUTION: A media storage unit for storing media introduced from outside includes: an opening formed at the bottom of the media storage unit for allowing foreign objects introduced into the media storage unit to pass through; a foreign object discharge port for discharging the foreign objects; and a foreign object chute unit for forming a foreign object guide path that guides the foreign objects that have passed through the opening to the foreign object discharge port. The foreign object chute unit includes: a lower guide surface located below the foreign object guide path and inclined toward the foreign object discharge port; a lower guide section having a lower protrusion extending upward from the lower guide surface; an upper guide surface located on the upper side of the foreign object guide path; and an upper guide section having an upper protrusion that is located downstream of the foreign matter guide path relative to the lower protrusion on the upper guide surface and protrudes downward from the upper guide surface.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

[Technical Field]

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

[0002] In a banknote processing device serving as a media processing device, for example, banknotes inserted into a banknote storage section through a banknote insertion slot are taken in one by one, their denominations are determined, and they are deposited by storing them in a banknote storage vault according to their denominations.

[0003] One type of banknote processing device has a gap at the bottom of the banknote storage section with a predetermined spacing to allow foreign objects such as coins to fall through, and foreign objects that fall through this gap are caught on a slope provided below the banknote storage section, slide down to a foreign object discharge outlet, and are then discharged from the device through the foreign object discharge outlet (see, for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 5-28345 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] Foreign objects discharged outside the device are caught, for example, by a tray provided at the foreign object discharge port, or by falling and being caught in a tray provided below the foreign object discharge port. In conventional banknote processing devices, the foreign object may gain too much momentum as it slides down, which could result in the foreign object flying out of the tray. For this reason, it is desirable to suppress the momentum of the foreign object as it slides down.

[0006] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above points, and aims to propose a media processing device that can suppress the momentum of foreign objects as they slide down. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The media processing device of the present invention comprises a media storage section that stores media inserted from outside, an opening formed at the bottom of the media storage section to allow foreign objects inserted into the media storage section to pass through, a foreign object discharge outlet for discharging foreign objects, and a foreign object chute section that forms a foreign object guide path to guide the foreign objects that have passed through the opening to the foreign object discharge outlet, the foreign object chute section having a lower guide section that is located below the foreign object guide path and has a lower guide surface that is inclined toward the foreign object discharge outlet and a lower protrusion that protrudes upward from the lower guide surface, an upper guide section that is located above the foreign object guide path, and an upper protrusion that is located downstream of the lower protrusion on the upper guide surface in the foreign object guide path and protrudes downward from the upper guide surface.

[0008] In the media processing device of the present invention, as the foreign object slides down the lower guide surface, it comes into contact with the lower protrusion and the upper protrusion, thereby slowing it down. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to the present invention, it is possible to realize a media processing device that can suppress the momentum of a foreign object as it slides down. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view showing an external configuration of a depositing / dispensing machine according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the external configuration of the banknote unit according to the embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a side cross-sectional view showing the internal configuration of a banknote deposit unit according to an embodiment. [Figure 4] 10 is a top view of the area around the banknote insertion slot of the banknote deposit unit according to the embodiment, as viewed from above. FIG. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a top view of the banknote housing unit and the foreign object chute according to the embodiment, as viewed from above. [Figure 6] 1 is a side cross-sectional view of a foreign object guide path in a foreign object chute according to an embodiment, as viewed from the width direction. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a top view of the foreign object chute according to the embodiment; [Figure 8] FIG. 1 is a side cross-sectional view showing a state (1) in which a foreign object slides down inside the foreign object chute according to the embodiment. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional side view showing a state (2) of a foreign object sliding down inside the foreign object chute according to the embodiment. [Figure 10] 10A to 10C are side cross-sectional views showing different sizes of protrusion angles of lower protrusions according to the embodiment. [Figure 11] 10 is a side cross-sectional view showing a state in which a foreign object comes into contact with an upper protrusion according to an embodiment. FIG. [Figure 12] 10 is a graph showing the relationship between the size of the gap between the top surface of the foreign matter and the tip of the upper protrusion and the defect occurrence rate according to the embodiment. [Figure 13] 10 is a side cross-sectional view showing the widths of an upper protrusion and a lower protrusion according to an embodiment. FIG. [Figure 14] 10A and 10B are side cross-sectional views showing configuration examples of upper protrusions according to other embodiments. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] Hereinafter, modes for carrying out the invention (hereinafter referred to as embodiments) will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

[0012] [1. Configuration of the deposit / withdrawal machine] Fig. 1 shows the appearance of a depositing and dispensing machine 1. The depositing and dispensing machine 1 shown in Fig. 1 is, for example, a self-checkout machine that can deposit and dispense banknotes and coins, and is installed at the checkout counters of retail stores such as supermarkets, convenience stores, and gas stations. This depositing and dispensing machine 1 is connected to a cash register such as a POS register (not shown), and operates under the control of that register.

[0013] The depositing / dispensing machine 1 has a box-shaped device housing 2. Of the surfaces forming the device housing 2, the surface facing the user is referred to as the front surface 2a, and the surface above the user is referred to as the top surface 2b.

[0014] The device housing 2 is box-shaped and is longer vertically than it is in the front-to-back and left-to-right directions, and in the center of the top surface 2b are provided a receipt printer 3 that outputs receipts containing transaction details, etc., and an operation display unit 4 that functions as a display unit that displays various screens and an operation unit that accepts operation inputs for the various screens displayed on the display unit. The operation display unit 4 may be, for example, a display with a touch panel.

[0015] Furthermore, a banknote insertion slot 5, through which banknotes are inserted, is provided near the upper left of the front surface 2a of the device housing 2, and a banknote ejection slot 6, through which banknotes are ejected, is provided below the banknote insertion slot 5. The banknote insertion slot 5 is provided with, for example, a shutter, which is opened and closed to expose or cover the banknotes. Furthermore, on the front surface 2a of the device housing 2, between the banknote insertion slot 5 and the banknote ejection slot 6, a foreign object ejection slot 7 is provided to eject foreign objects inserted into the banknote insertion slot 5. The banknote insertion slot 5, banknote ejection slot 6, and foreign object ejection slot 7 are incorporated into the depositing and dispensing machine 1 as part of a banknote unit 8, which will be described later.

[0016] Furthermore, on the front surface 2a of the device housing 2, to the right of the banknote insertion slot 5, there is provided a coin insertion slot 9 into which coins are inserted, and further below the banknote ejection slot 6 there is provided a coin ejection slot 10 from which coins are ejected. Note that foreign objects (specifically, coins) ejected from the foreign object ejection slot 7 fall into a tray 11 provided at the coin ejection slot 10 below. The coin insertion slot 9 and coin ejection slot 10 are incorporated into the depositing and dispensing machine 1 as part of a coin unit 12.

[0017] [2. Banknote unit configuration] Next, the configuration of the banknote unit 8 will be described using Figure 2. As shown in the external perspective view of Figure 2, the banknote unit 8 has a housing 20 in the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped that is long in the front-to-rear direction, with a banknote inlet 5 through which banknotes are inserted provided at the upper front of this housing 20, a banknote outlet 6 through which banknotes are ejected provided at the lower front, and a foreign object outlet 7 provided between the banknote inlet 5 and the banknote outlet 6. This banknote unit 8 takes in banknotes inserted into the banknote inlet 5 by a user and stores them inside the housing 2, and also ejects the banknotes stored inside from the banknote outlet 6 as change. The banknote unit 8 also ejects foreign objects inserted into the banknote inlet 5 (for example, coins inserted together with banknotes) from the foreign object outlet 7.

[0018] Inside the housing 2 of this banknote unit 8, at the top front (i.e., at the back of the banknote insertion slot 5), there is provided a banknote deposit section 100 that takes in banknotes inserted into the banknote insertion slot 5. Also, inside the housing 2 of this banknote unit 8, there is provided a control section 500 at a predetermined location that controls the operation of the banknote unit 8. The configuration and operation of this banknote deposit section 100 will be described in detail below.

[0019] [3. Configuration and operation of the banknote deposit unit] Fig. 3 shows a side cross-sectional view of the banknote deposit unit 100 as seen from the right. Note that Fig. 3 is a schematic diagram in which some parts of the banknote deposit unit 100 are omitted or simplified.

[0020] As shown in FIG. 3, the banknote deposit unit 100 is mainly composed of a banknote storage unit 101 that stores banknotes inserted through the banknote insertion slot 5 (FIG. 2).

[0021] The banknote accommodation unit 101 is formed by a deposit frame Fr having a substantially box shape. Banknotes are inserted into the banknote accommodation unit 101 with their lengthwise direction aligned left-right and their thickness direction aligned front-to-rear. The inserted banknotes are stored in an upright position on a bottom 102 of the banknote accommodation unit 101 so that they are stacked in the front-to-rear direction. The banknote accommodation unit 101 is tilted so that the front side is positioned lower than the rear side overall. As a result, banknotes are stacked in a tilted state on the bottom 102 of the banknote accommodation unit 101. The banknote accommodation unit 101 can accommodate, for example, a maximum of 200 banknotes. Therefore, the length of the banknote accommodation unit 101 in the front-to-rear direction is sufficiently longer than the thickness of 200 banknotes.

[0022] The banknote storage unit 101 has an opening 103 in approximately the rear half of its upper end, and this opening 103 is connected to the banknote insertion slot 5 (FIG. 2). This opening 103 is opened or closed by an openable shutter 104. In the banknote deposit unit 100, by opening the shutter 104 to open the opening 103 of the banknote storage unit 101, banknotes can be inserted into the banknote storage unit 101 from the banknote insertion slot 5.

[0023] A pool guide 105 and a picker roller 106 are provided on the rear end side of the banknote housing unit 101. The pool guide 105 forms the rear wall surface of the banknote housing unit 101. The picker roller 106 is provided so that a portion of it protrudes from the pool guide 105 into the banknote housing unit 101.

[0024] A bottom 102 of the banknote housing unit 101 slopes downward from the rear to the front. A transport path Rb for sending out banknotes stored in the banknote housing unit 101 from the banknote housing unit 101 is connected to the rear end side of the bottom 102 of the banknote housing unit 101. A separation gate 107 for separating the banknotes stored in the banknote housing unit 101 one by one and sending them out to the transport path Rb is provided at the connection point between the banknote housing unit 101 and the transport path Rb.

[0025] The separation gate 107 is composed of a separation roller 108 and an opposing roller 109, which are arranged facing each other in the front-rear direction with the transport path Rb in between.

[0026] 3, as shown in FIG. 4, which is a view of the inside of the banknote accommodation unit 101 from the banknote insertion slot 5, and FIG. 5, which is a view of the inside of the banknote deposit unit 100 from above, the bottom 102 of the banknote accommodation unit 101 is provided with foreign object drop holes 110 in the front part in front of the separation gate 107, for dropping foreign objects (for example, coins) inserted into the banknote accommodation unit 101 downward. These foreign object drop holes 110 are holes whose length in the left-right direction (referred to as width) is sufficiently shorter than the longitudinal direction of the banknotes, and a plurality of these foreign object drop holes 110 (five in the example shown in FIGS. 4 and 5) are provided lined up in the left-right direction.

[0027] A foreign object chute 111 (FIGS. 3 and 5) is provided below these five foreign object drop holes 110 (i.e., below the banknote housing unit 101). In addition, rib-shaped banknote support parts 112 extending in the front-to-rear direction along the bottom 102 of the banknote housing unit 101 are provided between the foreign object drop holes 110. In other words, at the bottom 102 of the banknote housing unit 101, banknotes are supported by the banknote support parts 112, while foreign objects are dropped from the foreign object drop holes 110 into the foreign object chute 111.

[0028] The foreign object chute 111 extends to the foreign object discharge outlet 7 located diagonally below and in front of the banknote storage unit 101. The bottom of this foreign object chute 111 forms a lower guide surface 113 that slopes downward toward the front (i.e., toward the foreign object discharge outlet 7), and the front end of the lower guide surface 113 is connected to the foreign object discharge outlet 7.

[0029] As shown in Figure 5, the foreign object chute 111 has a rear portion with a length (i.e., width) in the left-right direction that is approximately the same as that of the banknote storage section 101, and the distance (i.e., width) between the left and right walls HL and HR narrows from the center in the front-to-rear direction toward the front (i.e., toward the foreign object discharge outlet 7).

[0030] 3, the banknote accommodation unit 101 (i.e., deposit frame Fr) located above the foreign object chute 111 has a bottom 102 that forms an upper guide surface 114 that faces above the lower guide surface 113 of the foreign object chute 111, and the lower guide surface 113 and the upper guide surface 114 form a foreign object guide path Rm. In other words, below the foreign object drop hole 110, the bottom 102 of the banknote accommodation unit 101 and the foreign object chute 111 form a foreign object guide path Rm.

[0031] Since the foreign object discharge port 7 is located forward of the front end of the bottom 102 of the banknote housing unit 101, the front end of the foreign object chute 111 is located forward of the front end of the bottom 102 of the banknote housing unit 101. In other words, the front end of the lower guide surface 113 is located forward of the front end of the upper guide surface 114.

[0032] Foreign objects that fall from the foreign object drop hole 110 into the foreign object chute 111 are guided along the foreign object guide path Rm to the foreign object discharge outlet 7, as shown by the dotted arrow in Fig. 3. At this time, the foreign object slides down the lower guide surface 113 of the foreign object chute 111, is gathered toward the center of the width of the foreign object chute 111, and is then discharged from the foreign object discharge outlet 7. The direction shown by the dotted arrow in Fig. 3, i.e., the direction perpendicular to the width direction (left-right direction) of the foreign object guide path Rm, running from the foreign object drop hole 110 to the foreign object discharge outlet 7, is referred to as the foreign object guiding direction. In addition, in the foreign object guide path Rm, the foreign object drop hole 110 side is referred to as the upstream side, and the foreign object discharge outlet 7 side is referred to as the downstream side.

[0033] 3 and 5, a bill press 115 that can slide in the front-to-rear direction within the banknote housing unit 101 is provided within the banknote housing unit 101. The bill press 115 is a plate-shaped member that is sufficiently shorter in the front-to-rear direction than the banknote housing unit 101 and has approximately the same lengths as the banknote housing unit 101 in the left-to-right and up-to-down directions.

[0034] The bill press 115 is connected to a bill press arm 116, and is capable of sliding by the bill press arm 116 in the front-to-rear direction along the bottom 102 of the banknote storage unit 101 (more specifically, in the diagonally downward forward direction toward the foreign object discharge outlet 7 and the diagonally upward rear direction opposite the foreign object discharge outlet 7). The bill press 115 is provided with roller units 117 (see FIG. 3, omitted in FIG. 5) on both left and right ends of the bill press 115, and the roller units 117 are inserted into guide grooves 118 that are provided on both left and right wall portions of the banknote storage unit 101 and extend in the front-to-rear direction along the bottom 102 of the banknote storage unit 101. As a result, the sliding direction and inclination of the bill press 115 are regulated by the guide grooves 118.

[0035] The bill press arm 116 is made up of a pair of arm sections 120 that form the left and right ends of the bill press arm 116, and a central section 121 (see FIG. 5) that is located between the pair of arm sections 120. The left and right arm sections 120 are elongated plate-like members that extend in the vertical direction and have a thickness in the left-right direction, and the central section 121 is a thin plate-like member that connects the left and right arm sections 120.

[0036] This bill press arm 116 is positioned inside the central foreign object drop hole 110, and as shown in Figure 3, extends from the foreign object chute 111 side through the central foreign object drop hole 110 into the banknote storage section 101.

[0037] This bill press arm 116 has engagement holes 122 at the upper ends of the left and right arm portions 120 that extend along the longitudinal direction of the arm portions 120, and is engaged (connected) with the bill press 115 by inserting a cylindrical protrusion 123 provided at a predetermined location on the rear side of the bill press 115 (i.e., the foreign object discharge port 7 side) into the engagement holes 122.

[0038] The bill press arm 116 also extends below the foreign object chute 111 through a hole (not shown) provided in the bottom of the foreign object chute 111, and the lower ends of the left and right arm sections 120 are supported by a rotation shaft 124 provided below the foreign object chute 111. In other words, the bill press arm 116 is rotatable around the lower ends of the left and right arm sections 120.

[0039] In the banknote deposit section 100, by rotating this bill press arm 116 counterclockwise in Figure 3, the bill press 115 slides forward (more specifically, diagonally downward and forward), and by rotating it clockwise in Figure 3, the bill press 115 slides backward (more specifically, diagonally upward and backward).

[0040] Here, a brief description will be given of the banknote taking-in operation of the banknote depositing unit 100. Note that this banknote taking-in operation is an operation controlled by the control unit 500. When a banknote is inserted, the banknote depositing unit 100 moves the bill press 115 to the standby position shown in FIG. 3 and opens the shutter 104. At this time, as shown in FIG. 4, the space SP between the bill press 115 and the pool guide 105 (both see FIG. 3) is visible from the banknote insertion slot 5, and the user inserts the banknote into this space SP. In other words, the banknote depositing unit 100 accommodates inserted banknotes in the space SP between the bill press 115 and the pool guide 105 of the entire banknote accommodation unit 101. In other words, the space SP between the bill press 115 and the pool guide 105 of the entire banknote accommodation unit 101 serves as the banknote accommodation space SP, and the banknote is inserted into this banknote accommodation space SP.

[0041] After the banknotes are inserted, the banknote depositing unit 100 closes the shutter 104, moves the bill press 115 toward the pool guide 105, and presses the banknotes stored in the banknote storage space SP against the picker roller 106. The banknote depositing unit 100 then rotates the picker roller 106 and the separation roller 108 to separate the stack of banknotes one by one and send them out onto the conveying path Rb below. The banknotes sent out from the banknote depositing unit 100 in this way pass through the conveying path Rb and are taken into the banknote unit 8.

[0042] 3 and 5, when the bill press 115 is in the standby position, at least a rear portion of the foreign object drop hole 110 is located behind the bill press 115 (i.e., located at the bottom of the banknote storage space SP). Therefore, the portion of the foreign object drop hole 110 located behind the bill press 115 (i.e., the rear portion) functions as an opening for dropping foreign objects inserted into the banknote storage space SP into the foreign object chute 111 below.

[0043] For this reason, if a foreign object such as a coin is inserted into the banknote storage space SP between the bill press 115 and the pool guide 105 when inserting banknotes, the foreign object will fall from the rear of the foreign object drop hole 110 located at the bottom of the banknote storage space SP into the foreign object chute 111. The foreign object that has fallen into the foreign object chute 111 then slides down the foreign object chute 111 and is discharged from the foreign object discharge port 7. The banknote intake operation of the banknote deposit unit 100 is as described above.

[0044] In this way, foreign objects inserted into the banknote insertion slot 5 fall from the foreign object drop hole 110 into the foreign object chute 111, then slide down the lower guide surface 113 of the foreign object chute 111, are discharged from the foreign object discharge slot 7, and fall into the tray 11 below.

[0045] Incidentally, when a coin is inserted as a foreign object into the banknote deposit unit 100, it is assumed that the foreign object (i.e., the coin) will fall down and slide down on the lower guide surface 113 of the foreign object chute 111. If the foreign object gains too much momentum as it slides down, the foreign object discharged from the foreign object discharge port 7 may not be able to be caught by the tray 11 and may fly out of the tray 11. In particular, if the foreign object is inserted with too much force into the banknote deposit port 5 or if the foreign object slides down without coming into contact with the banknote support unit 112 or the left and right walls HL and HR of the foreign object chute 111, it is likely to gain momentum as it slides down. Furthermore, 500 yen coins, which are the heaviest of the coins assumed to be foreign objects, are more likely to slide down with momentum than other coins.

[0046] To avoid such a situation, as shown in Fig. 6, which is a side cross-sectional view of the foreign object guide path Rm of the foreign object chute 111 viewed from the right in addition to Fig. 5, the banknote deposit unit 100 of this embodiment is configured such that the lower guide surface 113 of the foreign object chute 111 is provided with a lower protrusion 130 that protrudes upward from the lower guide surface 113 (i.e., toward the upper guide surface 114), and the upper guide surface 114 is provided with an upper protrusion 131 that protrudes downward from the upper guide surface 114 (i.e., toward the lower guide surface 113). The configurations and operations of the lower protrusion 130 and upper protrusion 131 will be described in detail below.

[0047] [4. Configuration and operation of the lower protrusion and upper protrusion] As shown in Figures 3, 5 and 6, the lower guide surface 113 is composed of a lower first guide surface 113A (Figure 3) that slopes downward and forward from the rear end of the foreign object drop hole 110, and a lower second guide surface 113B that slopes more gently than the lower first guide surface 113A and slopes downward and forward from the lower first guide surface 113A toward the foreign object discharge outlet 7.

[0048] A lower protrusion 130 is provided at the center of the lower second guide surface 113B in the front-to-rear direction and the center of the left-to-right direction (width direction), protruding upward from the lower second guide surface 113B (i.e., in the direction approaching the upper guide surface 114). The lower protrusion 130 is located below the front end of the upper guide surface 114, has a substantially triangular shape when viewed from the width direction (left-to-right direction), and has a rear inclined surface 130A and a front inclined surface 130B.

[0049] 3, 5, and 6, as well as FIG. 7, which is a view of the foreign object chute 111 viewed from above, the rear inclined surface 130A is an upward inclined surface relative to the lower second guide surface 113B, and has a trapezoidal shape with a wider rear end side than a wider front end side (top side) when viewed from above. Note that FIG. 7 is a view in which a portion of the bottom 102 of the banknote housing unit 101 is omitted. On the other hand, the front inclined surface 130B has a trapezoidal shape with a wider front end side than a wider rear end side (top side) when viewed from above. In addition, the connecting portion between the upper ends of the rear inclined surface 130A and the front inclined surface 130B (i.e., the top of the lower protrusion 130) has a smooth curved shape when viewed from the width direction.

[0050] 7, lower protrusion 130 has, at one end (left end) in the width direction, left-end inclined surface 130C that connects the left end side of rear inclined surface 130A with the left end side of front inclined surface 130B and descends from the left end of the apex of lower protrusion 130 toward lower second guide surface 113B. Lower protrusion 130 also has, at the other end (right end) in the width direction, right-end inclined surface 130D that connects the right end side of rear inclined surface 130A with the right end side of front inclined surface 130B and descends from the right end of the apex of lower protrusion 130 toward lower second guide surface 113B.

[0051] On the other hand, as shown in Figure 6, the upper guide surface 114 has an upper first guide surface 114A located behind the upper guide surface 114 and approximately parallel to the lower second guide surface 113B, and an upper second guide surface 114B located in front of the upper guide surface 114, approximately parallel to the lower second guide surface 113B, and closer to the lower second guide surface 113B than the upper first guide surface 114A.

[0052] An upper protrusion 131 that protrudes downward from the upper second guide surface 114B (i.e., in a direction approaching the lower guide surface 113) is provided in a central portion in the width direction at the front end of the upper second guide surface 114B. More specifically, the upper protrusion 131 is plate-shaped and extends in a direction approaching the lower guide surface 113 (i.e., diagonally downward and forward) toward the foreign object discharge outlet 7, and has a rear inclined surface 131A and a front inclined surface 131B located opposite the rear inclined surface 131A. The connecting portion between the lower end of the rear inclined surface 131A and the lower end of the front inclined surface 131B (i.e., the tip of the upper protrusion 131) forms a smooth curve when viewed in the width direction.

[0053] At least the tip (lower end) of this upper protrusion 131 is located downstream of the lower protrusion 130 in the foreign object guiding direction indicated by arrow Ar1 in the figure (i.e., downstream of the foreign object guide path Rm, closer to the foreign object discharge port 7 shown in FIG. 5 and other figures). In other words, the rear inclined surface 131A of the upper protrusion 131 is located downstream of the rear inclined surface 130A of the lower protrusion 130 in the foreign object guiding direction. Furthermore, the rear inclined surface 131A of the upper protrusion 131 is approximately parallel to the front inclined surface 130B of the lower protrusion 130. Furthermore, the tip of the upper protrusion 131 is located on an extension of the rear inclined surface 130A of the lower protrusion 130. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 5, the upper protrusion 131 has a trapezoidal shape in which the width of the front end (tip side) is narrower than the width of the rear end side when viewed from above, and is wider overall than the lower protrusion 130. That is, the left and right ends of the upper protrusion 131 are positioned outward in the width direction from the left and right ends of the lower protrusion 130 .

[0054] In this way, the banknote deposit unit 100 is provided with a lower protrusion 130 that protrudes upward from the lower guide surface 113 located below the foreign object guide path Rm, and an upper protrusion 131 that protrudes downward from the upper guide surface 114 located above the foreign object guide path Rm, so as to interfere with foreign objects sliding down along the foreign object guide path Rm. In this way, in the banknote deposit unit 100, foreign objects come into contact with the lower protrusion 130 and the upper protrusion 131 and are decelerated as they slide down on the lower guide surface 113 along the foreign object guide path Rm, so that the momentum of the foreign object when it is discharged can be suppressed. Below, the operation of the lower protrusion 130 and the upper protrusion 131 when the foreign object is discharged will be described in detail.

[0055] As shown in Figure 8(A), a foreign object Ci that has fallen from the rear of the foreign object drop hole 110 (Figure 3) into the foreign object chute 111 slides down on the lower guide surface 113 of the foreign object chute 111. The foreign object Ci is, for example, a 500 yen coin.

[0056] Here, the angle θA between the horizontal direction and the lower guide surface 113 (specifically, the lower second guide surface 113B) is defined as the chute inclination angle θA, and the angle θB between the horizontal direction and the direction in which the foreign object Ci slides down (the direction from the rear end to the front end of the foreign object Ci as it slides down, referred to as the apparent slope direction) is defined as the apparent slope angle θB. Also, the component force F1 of the gravity mg of the foreign object Ci in the apparent slope direction is defined as the apparent slope direction force F1. Furthermore, the angle θ' between the lower guide surface 113 (specifically, the lower second guide surface 113B) and the rear slope surface 130A is defined as the protrusion angle θ'.

[0057] Here, if the apparent inclination angle θB when the foreign object Ci slides down along the lower guide surface 113 is θB0, the apparent inclination angle θB0 coincides with the chute inclination angle θA.

[0058] 8(B), the tip of the foreign object Ci sliding down the lower guide surface 113 (i.e., the upstream end in the foreign object guiding direction) rides up onto the rear inclined surface 130A of the lower protrusion 130. If the apparent inclination angle θB at this time is θB1, the apparent inclination angle θB1 becomes smaller than the chute inclination angle θA (i.e., approaches horizontal) because the tip of the foreign object Ci has ride up onto the rear inclined surface 130A. Also, at this time, a frictional force FA1 is generated between the tip of the foreign object Ci and the rear inclined surface 130A.

[0059] 9A, the center of gravity Pg of the foreign object Ci reaches the top of the lower protrusion 130. At this time, the foreign object Ci passes under the upper protrusion 131 with the upper surface of its tip in contact with or close to the tip of the upper protrusion 131. If the speed at which the foreign object Ci slides down exceeds a predetermined value, the foreign object Ci bounces up when climbing over the lower protrusion 130, and its tip collides with the rear inclined surface 131A of the upper guide surface 114, thereby slowing down. Thereafter, the foreign object Ci passes under the upper protrusion 131 with the upper surface of its tip in contact with the tip of the upper protrusion 131. On the other hand, if the speed at which the foreign object Ci slides down does not exceed a predetermined value, the foreign object Ci passes under the upper protrusion 131 with the upper surface of its tip in close contact with the tip of the upper protrusion 131, without bouncing up when climbing over the lower protrusion 130.

[0060] When the upper surface of the foreign object Ci comes into contact with the tip of the upper protrusion 131, a friction force FB is generated between the upper surface of the foreign object Ci and the tip of the upper protrusion 131. Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 9(B), the rear end of the foreign object Ci passes over the top of the lower protrusion 130.

[0061] In this way, the foreign object Ci that has fallen from the rear of the foreign object drop hole 110 into the foreign object chute 111 climbs over the lower protrusion 130 while sliding down the lower guide surface 113. Here, when the foreign object Ci climbs over the lower protrusion 130, the apparent inclination angle θB becomes smaller than the chute inclination angle θA (i.e., approaches horizontal), so that the force F1 in the apparent inclined surface direction decreases, and the foreign object Ci decelerates. Furthermore, when the foreign object Ci climbs over the lower protrusion 130, it comes into contact with the rear inclined surface 130A of the lower protrusion 130 and the tip of the upper protrusion 131, and frictional forces (frictional forces FA1, FB) are generated, causing the foreign object Ci to decelerate. In this way, the banknote deposit unit 100 can suppress the momentum of the foreign object Ci when it is discharged from the foreign object discharge outlet 7.

[0062] [5. Appropriate shape and dimensions of the lower and upper protrusions] As described above, in the banknote deposit unit 100, the lower protrusion 130 and the upper protrusion 131 slow down the foreign object Ci in the foreign object guide path Rm, thereby suppressing the momentum of the foreign object Ci when it is discharged. On the other hand, if the foreign object Ci is slowed down too much, there is a possibility that the foreign object Ci will stop in the foreign object guide path Rm. For this reason, it is necessary to appropriately select the shapes and dimensions of the lower protrusion 130 and the upper protrusion 131 so that the momentum of the foreign object Ci when it is discharged can be suppressed and the foreign object Ci can be reliably discharged without stopping.

[0063] First, we will explain how to select the protrusion angle θ' of the rear inclined surface 130A of the lower protrusion 130. As shown in FIG. 8(B), when the tip of the foreign object Ci reaches the rear inclined surface 130A of the lower protrusion 130, the apparent inclination angle θB1 of the foreign object Ci becomes smaller than the chute inclination angle θA, so that the force F1 acting on the foreign object Ci in the apparent inclined direction decreases, causing the foreign object Ci to decelerate. Note that the foreign object Ci is, for example, a 500-yen coin. It is assumed here that the foreign object Ci slowly slides down and no force other than gravity mg is acting on the foreign object Ci. Therefore, the force F1' acting on the foreign object Ci to overcome the rear inclined surface 130A at this time is a component of the apparent inclined force F1 in the inclined direction of the rear inclined surface 130A.

[0064] 10(A) and 10(B), as the protrusion angle θ' of the rear inclined surface 130A increases, the slope normal component N1' of the apparent slope direction force F1 acting on the rear inclined surface 130A increases. This increases the frictional force FA1 generated between the foreign object Ci and the rear inclined surface 130A, while decreasing the force F1' that causes the foreign object Ci to overcome the rear inclined surface 130A. If the frictional force FA1 is too large compared to the force F1' that causes the foreign object Ci to overcome the rear inclined surface 130A, the foreign object Ci may stop moving. The frictional force FA1 generated between the foreign object Ci and the rear inclined surface 130A is μN1', where μ is the coefficient of kinetic friction.

[0065] For this reason, it is desirable to select the protrusion angle θ' of the rear inclined surface 130A and the chute inclination angle θA so that the force F1' with which the foreign object Ci tries to overcome the rear inclined surface 130A is sufficiently large relative to the friction force FA1.

[0066] Specifically, the protrusion angle θ' of the rear inclined surface 130A and the chute inclination angle θA should be selected so as to satisfy the condition F1'≧c×μN1' (this is the first condition). Note that c included in this formula is a safety factor, and is preferably 1.5 or more.

[0067] Also, as shown in Figure 9(A), when the center of gravity Pg of the foreign object Ci passes over the top of the lower protrusion 130, the apparent inclination angle θB2 of the foreign object Ci becomes smaller than the chute inclination angle θA, so that the apparent inclined force F2 acting on the foreign object Ci becomes smaller, causing it to decelerate.

[0068] In this case, if the friction force FA2 generated between the foreign object Ci and the top of the lower protrusion 130 is too large relative to the apparent slope direction force F2 applied to the foreign object Ci, there is a possibility that the foreign object Ci will come to a stop. The friction force FA2 generated between the foreign object Ci and the rear slope 130A is μN2, where μ is the coefficient of kinetic friction and N2 is the slope normal component of the apparent slope direction force F1 acting on the top of the lower protrusion 130.

[0069] For this reason, it is desirable to select the protruding angle θ' of the rear inclined surface 130A and the chute inclination angle θA so that the apparent inclined force F2 applied to the foreign object Ci is sufficiently large relative to the friction force FA2.

[0070] Specifically, the protrusion angle θ' of the rear inclined surface 130A and the chute inclination angle θA should be selected so as to satisfy the condition F2≧c×μN2 (this is the second condition). Note that c included in this formula is a safety factor, and is preferably 1.5 or more.

[0071] In this way, the protrusion angle θ' of the rear inclined surface 130A of the lower protrusion 130 may be selected so as to satisfy the first and second conditions described above.

[0072] Furthermore, even if the first and second conditions described above are satisfied, if the protrusion angle θ' is too small, even if the speed at which the foreign object Ci slides down exceeds a predetermined value, the foreign object Ci will not bounce up when climbing over the lower protrusion 130, and a sufficient deceleration effect cannot be obtained. For this reason, it is desirable to make the protrusion angle θ' of the rear inclined surface 130A as large as possible within a range that satisfies the first and second conditions described above.

[0073] Next, the selection of the height hB (see FIG. 8(A)) of the lower protrusion 130 from the lower second guide surface 113B will be described. It is desirable to make the height hB of the lower protrusion 130 as large as possible within a range that satisfies the first and second conditions described above. By selecting the height hB of the lower protrusion 130 in this manner, for example, even if the foreign object Ci slides down while bouncing on the lower guide surface 113, the foreign object Ci can be more reliably brought into contact with the lower protrusion 130 and decelerated.

[0074] Next, the selection of the inclination of the rear inclined surface 131A of the upper protrusion 131 will be described. As shown in Fig. 11, if the foreign object Ci bounces up as it slides down and passes over the lower protrusion 130 because its sliding speed exceeds a predetermined value, its tip will come into contact with the rear inclined surface 131A of the upper protrusion 131. At this time, if the rear inclined surface 131A is inclined so that the lower end side of the rear inclined surface 131A is located more upstream in the foreign object guiding direction indicated by the arrow Ar1 than the upper end side (i.e., the side farther from the foreign object discharge port 7 and to the right in the figure), there is a possibility that the foreign object Ci will come to a stop leaning against the rear inclined surface 131A.

[0075] For this reason, it is desirable that the rear inclined surface 131A of the upper protrusion 131 is inclined so that the lower end side is located downstream in the foreign object guide direction (i.e., the side closer to the foreign object discharge port 7, on the left side in the figure) than the upper end side, as shown in Figure 11.

[0076] Next, we will explain how to select the tip position of the upper protrusion 131. As shown in Figure 9(A), when the center of gravity Pg of the foreign object Ci passes over the top of the lower protrusion 130, if the upper surface of the foreign object Ci comes into contact with the tip of the upper protrusion 131, a frictional force FB is generated between the foreign object Ci and the tip of the upper protrusion 131.

[0077] In this case, if the resultant force of the friction force FA2 generated between the foreign object Ci and the top of the lower protrusion 130 and the friction force FB generated between the foreign object Ci and the tip of the upper protrusion 131 is too large relative to the apparent inclined force F2 acting on the foreign object Ci, there is a possibility that the foreign object Ci will come to a stop.

[0078] For this reason, it is desirable to select the position of the tip of the upper protrusion 131 so that the apparent inclined force F2 applied to the foreign object Ci is sufficiently large relative to the resultant force of the friction forces FA2 and FB.

[0079] Specifically, it was found that if the position of the tip of the upper protrusion 131 is selected so that when the foreign object Ci slides down the lower protrusion 130 at a speed that does not cause it to bounce, and the center of gravity Pg of the foreign object Ci passes over the top of the lower protrusion 130, there is a gap of approximately 0.10 mm between the top surface of the foreign object Ci and the tip of the upper protrusion 131, the foreign object Ci can be sufficiently decelerated without coming to a stop within the foreign object guide path Rm.

[0080] The graph in FIG. 12 shows the relationship between the size of the gap between the top surface of the foreign object Ci (specifically, a 500-yen coin) and the tip of the upper protrusion 131 and the failure rate. This graph shows the failure rate when the foreign object Ci is allowed to slide down a predetermined number of times for each gap size, which is −0.42 mm, −0.22 mm, −0.07 mm, +0.10 mm, and +0.58 mm. Note that a positive gap size indicates that the top surface of the foreign object Ci is separated from the tip of the upper protrusion 131, and a negative gap size indicates that the top surface of the foreign object Ci and the tip of the upper protrusion 131 overlap. Here, two cases are considered to be failures: when the foreign object Ci stops within the foreign object guide path Rm, and when the foreign object Ci flies out of the tray 11.

[0081] As can be seen from this graph, when the size of the gap between the upper surface of the foreign object Ci and the tip of the upper protrusion 131 is set to +0.10 mm, the foreign object Ci does not stop within the foreign object guide path Rm, and the foreign object Ci does not fly out of the tray 11, resulting in the lowest defect occurrence rate and good results.

[0082] Here, the position of the tip of the upper protrusion 131 is selected so that there is a gap of approximately +0.10 mm between the upper surface of the foreign object Ci and the tip of the upper protrusion 131, but this is just one example, and the optimal value of the gap between the upper surface of the foreign object Ci and the tip of the upper protrusion 131 will vary depending on the expected size of the foreign object Ci, the protrusion angle θ' of the rear inclined surface 130A, the chute inclination angle θA, etc.

[0083] Next, we will explain how to select the width of the lower protrusion 130. As shown in Figure 13, the foreign object chute 111 is shaped so that the distance (i.e., width) between the left and right walls HL and HR narrows from the center in the front-to-rear direction toward the front (i.e., toward the foreign object discharge port 7).

[0084] Here, a foreign object Ci that falls from the central foreign object drop hole 110 into the foreign object chute 111 slides straight down and forward on the lower guide surface 113, as shown by arrow Ar2 in the figure, and is discharged from the foreign object discharge port 7. On the other hand, a foreign object Ci that falls from the leftmost or rightmost foreign object drop hole 110 into the foreign object chute 111 comes into contact with the left wall HL or right wall HR of the foreign object chute 111 as it slides down, as shown by arrow Ar3 in the figure, and is moved toward the center in the width direction and is discharged from the foreign object discharge port 7.

[0085] In this way, a foreign object Ci that comes into contact with the left and right walls HL and HR of the foreign object chute 111 is decelerated by contact with the walls HL and HR. If the foreign object Ci, which has been decelerated by contact with the walls HL and HR, then comes into contact with the lower protrusion 130, it may be excessively decelerated and come to a stop. Furthermore, a foreign object Ci sliding down along the left and right walls HL and HR of the foreign object chute 111 slides down at an angle across the width of the lower guide surface 113 of the foreign object chute 111, so its sliding speed is slower than if it were sliding down in a straight line as shown by arrow Ar2.

[0086] 13, it is desirable to select the width of lower protrusion 130 so that both the left and right ends of lower protrusion 130 are spaced apart from the left and right walls HL, HR of foreign object chute 111 by at least the maximum diameter expected for foreign object Ci (for example, the diameter of a 500 yen coin). In other words, it is desirable to select the width of lower protrusion 130 so that it does not come into contact with foreign object Ci sliding down the left and right walls of foreign object chute 111.

[0087] Next, we will explain how to select the width of the upper protrusion 131. As shown by arrow Ar3 in Figure 13, a foreign object Ci that has fallen from the foreign object drop hole 110 into the foreign object chute 111 may slide down diagonally across the lower guide surface 113 in the width direction.

[0088] In order to allow the foreign object Ci sliding down in this manner to come into contact with the upper protrusion 131, which is located downstream of the lower protrusion 130 in the foreign object guiding direction, it is desirable to make the width of the upper protrusion 131 longer than the width of the lower protrusion 130 and to position both ends of the upper protrusion 131 in the width direction (left and right direction) further outward in the width direction than both ends of the lower protrusion 130. The shapes and dimensions of the lower protrusion 130 and the upper protrusion 131 are as described above. Note that here, the 500 yen coin, which is the largest and heaviest of all coins, is used as the reference foreign object Ci when selecting the shape and dimensions of the lower protrusion 130 and the upper protrusion 131. However, this is just one example, and other coins may also be used as the reference foreign object. For example, the coin that most frequently jumps out of the tray 11 in a conventional device may be used as the reference foreign object.

[0089] [6. Summary and Effects] As explained so far, in this embodiment, the banknote unit 8, which is an example of a media processing device, comprises the banknote storage section 101, which is an example of a media storage section that stores banknotes, which are an example of a medium input from the outside, the foreign object drop hole 110, which is formed at the bottom of the banknote storage section 101 and is an example of an opening that allows foreign objects Ci input into the banknote storage section 101 to pass through, the foreign object discharge outlet 7 that discharges foreign objects Ci to the outside, and the bottom 102 of the banknote storage section 101 and the foreign object chute 111, which are examples of a foreign object chute section that forms a foreign object guide path Rm that guides foreign objects Ci that have passed through the foreign object drop hole 110 to the foreign object discharge outlet 7.

[0090] The foreign object chute 111 functions as a lower guide unit having a lower guide surface 113 that is located below the foreign object guide path Rm and inclined toward the foreign object discharge port 7, and a lower protrusion 130 that protrudes upward from the lower guide surface 113. The bottom 102 of the banknote housing unit 101 (i.e., the deposit frame Fr) also functions as an upper guide unit having an upper guide surface 114 that is located above the foreign object guide path Rm, and an upper protrusion 131 that is located on the upper guide surface 114 downstream of the foreign object guide path Rm (i.e., downstream in the foreign object guiding direction) relative to the lower protrusion 130 and protrudes downward from the upper guide surface 114.

[0091] In the banknote unit 8, as the foreign object Ci slides down on the lower guide surface 113, the foreign object Ci climbs over the lower protrusion 130, and at this time the foreign object Ci slows down as it comes into contact with the lower protrusion 130 and the upper protrusion 131. In this way, in the banknote unit 8, it is possible to suppress the momentum of the foreign object Ci as it slides down inside the foreign object chute 111, and it is possible to prevent a situation in which the foreign object discharged from the foreign object discharge port 7 flies out of the tray 11.

[0092] Furthermore, in this way, the banknote unit 8 can prevent foreign objects Ci from flying out forcefully from the foreign object discharge outlet 7, so there is no need to install a door or the like to block the foreign object discharge outlet 7, and the inside of the foreign object chute 111 can be easily seen from the foreign object discharge outlet 7, so that even if a foreign object Ci becomes stuck in the foreign object chute 111, it can be easily confirmed.

[0093] Furthermore, in the banknote unit 8, the upper protrusion 131 extends from the upper guide surface 114 toward the foreign object discharge outlet 7 in a direction approaching the lower guide surface 113 (i.e., diagonally downward and forward), and a rear inclined surface 131A is provided on the upstream side (rear side) of the foreign object guide path Rm of the upper protrusion 131 as a first inclined surface that is inclined so that the lower end side is located downstream of the foreign object guide path Rm relative to the upper end side. The rear inclined surface 131A of the upper protrusion 131 is located on an extension of a rear inclined surface 130A as a second inclined surface that is provided on the upstream side (rear side) of the foreign object guide path Rm of the lower protrusion 130, and is configured to come into contact with the leading end of a foreign object Ci that has climbed over the rear inclined surface 130A of the lower protrusion 130. That is, the upper protrusion 131 is provided at a position where the rear inclined surface 131A can come into contact with the tip of the foreign matter Ci that has climbed over the rear inclined surface 130A of the lower protrusion 130.

[0094] In this way, in the banknote unit 8, even if a foreign object Ci that has climbed over the lower protrusion 130 comes into contact with the rear inclined surface 131A of the upper protrusion 131, the foreign object Ci will not lean against the rear inclined surface 131A, and the inclination of the rear inclined surface 131A will allow the foreign object Ci to slide smoothly down into the foreign object discharge outlet 7.

[0095] 7. Other Embodiments [7-1. Another embodiment 1] In the above-described embodiment, the plate-shaped upper protrusion 131 is provided so as to protrude downward from the upper guide surface 114 formed on the bottom 102 of the banknote housing unit 101. The upper protrusion 131 may be made of, for example, a hard material or an elastic material. As the elastic material, for example, a film-like member or a rubber spatula-like member can be used.

[0096] 14 shows an example in which a spatula-shaped upper protrusion 200 is provided on the bottom 102 of the banknote housing unit 101. The upper protrusion 200 extends vertically downward from the upper guide surface 114, and a rear inclined surface 200A also extends vertically downward.

[0097] When the tip of a foreign object Ci that has climbed over the lower protrusion 130 comes into contact with the rear inclined surface 200A, the upper protrusion 200 is pushed by the foreign object Ci and deforms so as to tilt forward toward the foreign object discharge outlet 7. As a result, the foreign object Ci that has come into contact with the rear inclined surface 200A smoothly slides down toward the foreign object discharge outlet 7 without leaning against the rear inclined surface 200A.

[0098] In addition, in the above-described embodiment, the shapes of the lower protrusion 130 and the upper protrusion 131 were described, but the shapes of the lower protrusion 130 and the upper protrusion 131 adopted in the embodiment are just examples, and various shapes may be adopted as long as they are capable of suppressing the momentum when coming into contact with the foreign object Ci and sliding down.

[0099] [7-2. Other embodiment 2] In addition, in the above-described embodiment, an upper guide surface 114 is formed on the bottom 102 of the banknote storage section 101 (i.e., the deposit frame Fr), and a lower guide surface 113 is formed on the foreign object chute 111 located below the bottom 102 of the banknote storage section 101, so that the upper guide surface 114 and the lower guide surface 113 form a foreign object guide path Rm.

[0100] Here, for example, the bottom 102 of the banknote housing unit 101 and the foreign object chute 111 may be integrally formed, so that the bottom 102 of the banknote housing unit 101 becomes a part of the foreign object chute 111. In this case, the foreign object chute 111 functions as an upper guide unit having an upper guide surface 114, and also functions as a lower guide unit having a lower guide surface 113.

[0101] [7-3. Other embodiment 3] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the present invention is applied to the banknote deposit unit 100 having a deposit function, but it is not limited to this, and can also be applied to a banknote deposit / withdrawal unit that has a withdrawal function in addition to a deposit function, as long as it has a mechanism for discharging foreign objects below the banknote storage unit, similar to the banknote deposit unit 100.

[0102] [7-4. Other embodiment 4] Furthermore, in each of the above-described embodiments, the present invention is applied to the banknote unit 8 as a medium processing device, and to the depositing and dispensing machine 1 as a medium handling device having the banknote unit 8. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and can also be applied to a medium processing device whose configuration is partially different from that of the banknote unit 8 or a medium handling device whose configuration is partially different from that of the depositing and dispensing machine 1, as long as it has a mechanism for discharging foreign objects other than media below the media storage section.

[0103] [7-5. Other embodiment 5] Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and the scope of application of the present invention extends to embodiments in which some or all of the above-described embodiments are arbitrarily combined, or embodiments in which some of the embodiments are extracted. [Industrial Applicability]

[0104] The present invention can be widely used in media processing devices that have a foreign object discharge mechanism, for example. [Explanation of symbols]

[0105] 1...deposit / withdrawal machine, 5...banknote input port, 7...foreign object discharge port, 8...banknote unit, 100...banknote deposit section, 101...banknote storage section, 102...bottom, 110...foreign object drop hole, 111...foreign object chute, 112...banknote support section, 113...lower inclined surface, 114...upper inclined surface, 130...lower protrusion, 130A...rear inclined surface, 130B...front inclined surface, 131, 200...upper protrusion, 131A, 200A...rear inclined surface, 131B...front inclined surface, 500...control section, Ar1...foreign object guide direction, Ci...coin, Rm...foreign object guide path, SP...banknote storage space.

Claims

1. a medium storage unit that stores media input from the outside; an opening formed in the bottom of the medium containing section to allow foreign matter introduced into the medium containing section to pass through; a foreign matter discharge port for discharging foreign matter; a foreign object chute portion that forms a foreign object guide path that guides foreign objects that have passed through the opening portion to the foreign object discharge port; Equipped with The foreign object chute unit is a lower guide portion having a lower guide surface located below the foreign object guide path and inclined toward the foreign object discharge port, and a lower protrusion protruding upward from the lower guide surface; an upper guide portion including an upper guide surface located above the foreign matter guide path, and an upper protrusion located downstream of the foreign matter guide path relative to the lower protrusion on the upper guide surface and protruding downward from the upper guide surface; 10. A media processing device comprising:

2. The upper protrusion is extending from the upper guide surface toward the foreign object discharge port in a direction approaching the lower guide surface; The media processing device according to claim 1 .

3. The upper protrusion has a first inclined surface on the upstream side of the foreign matter guide path, the first inclined surface being inclined so that the lower end side is located downstream of the foreign matter guide path relative to the upper end side. The media processing device according to claim 2 .

4. a second inclined surface that is an upward inclined surface relative to the lower guide surface is provided on the upstream side of the foreign object guide path in the lower protrusion, The first inclined surface is provided on an extension of the second inclined surface. The media processing device according to claim 3 .

5. The upper protrusion is The first inclined surface of the upper protrusion is disposed at a position where it can come into contact with the tip of a foreign object that has climbed over the second inclined surface of the lower protrusion. The media processing device according to claim 4 .

6. The upper protrusion is The size of the foreign object guide path in a width direction perpendicular to the foreign object guiding direction is larger than that of the lower protrusion, and both ends in the width direction are located outside both ends in the width direction of the lower protrusion.

6. The media processing device according to claim 1.

7. The lower protrusion is provided at the center in the width direction of the lower guide surface, The upper protrusion is The upper guide surface is provided at the center in the width direction. The media processing device according to claim 6 .

8. The upper protrusion is It is made of an elastic material that deforms when it comes into contact with the foreign object. The media processing device according to claim 1 .

Images