Media processing equipment

Abstract

Maintain security. [Solution] The banknote processing device 1 comprises a housing 2 having a front opening 2A on the front side facing the user that connects the internal space 8 to the outside, a front door 3 that can open and close the front opening 2A of the housing, a front unit 6 that is housed in the internal space 8 and configured to move in the unit withdrawal direction Df, which is the front side, when the front opening 2A of the housing is opened from a state in which the front opening 2A of the housing is closed by the front door 3, and a rear unit 7 that is housed behind the front unit 6 in the internal space 8 and configured to move to the rear side. The front unit 6 and the rear unit 7 are connected to each other when housed in the internal space 8, and when the front unit 6 moves from the housing 2 in the unit withdrawal direction Df, the rear unit 7 is disconnected from the front unit 6 and remains housed in the internal space 8 without moving in the unit withdrawal direction Df.

Description

Technical Field

[0003] , ,

[0001] The present invention relates to a media processing device, and is suitable for application to a system used in a cashier's desk or backyard of a retail store such as a supermarket or a convenience store. <\

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, a media processing device has been proposed in which a storage bin is pulled out from the rear side of a housing, and bills as a medium are replenished or collected with respect to the storage bin (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In such a media processing device, it is desired to maintain security.

[0005] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above points, and intends to propose a media processing device capable of maintaining security.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] To solve these problems, the media processing apparatus of the present invention includes a housing with a front opening that connects the internal space to the outside, formed on the front side facing the user; a front door that can open and close the front opening of the housing; a front unit that is housed in the internal space and is configured to move forward when the front opening of the housing is opened, while the front opening of the housing is housed in the internal space and the front opening of the housing is closed by the front door; and a rear unit that is housed behind the front unit in the internal space and is configured to move backward. The front unit and the rear unit are connected to each other while housed in the internal space, and when the front unit moves forward from the housing, the rear unit is disconnected from the front unit and remains housed in the internal space without moving forward.

[0007] As a result, even when the front door is opened and the front unit is pulled out from the housing towards the front, the present invention allows the rear unit to remain positioned physically away from the front side accessible to the user, thus maintaining a state where it is difficult for the user to access the rear unit. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the present invention, even when the front door is opened and the front unit is pulled out from the housing to the front, the rear unit can remain positioned physically away from the front side accessible to the user, thus maintaining a state where it is difficult for the user to access the rear unit. Thus, the present invention can realize a media processing device that can maintain security. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1] This is a left side view showing the internal configuration of a banknote processing device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 2] This is a left side view showing the transport of banknotes during deposit processing according to the first embodiment. [Figure 3] This is a left side view showing the transport of banknotes during the withdrawal process according to the first embodiment. [Figure 4]This is a left side view showing the removal of the retractable retrieval compartment from the rear side according to the first embodiment. [Figure 5] This is a left side view showing the front unit being pulled out from the front side according to the first embodiment. [Figure 6] This is a left side view showing the internal configuration of a banknote processing device according to the second embodiment. [Figure 7] This is a left side view showing the removal of the retractable retrieval compartment from the rear and the extension of the stacker according to the second embodiment. [Figure 8] This is a left side view showing the front unit being pulled out from the front side according to the second embodiment. [Figure 9] This is a left side view showing the internal configuration of a banknote processing device according to a third embodiment. [Figure 10] This is a left side view showing the removal of a recyclable cassette from the rear side according to the third embodiment. [Figure 11] This is a left side view showing the front unit being pulled out from the front side according to the third embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0010] The embodiments for carrying out the invention (hereinafter referred to as embodiments) will be described below with reference to the drawings.

[0011] [1. First Embodiment] [1-1. Configuration of a banknote processing device] [1-1-1. Overall configuration of the banknote processing device] As shown in Figure 1, the banknote processing device 1 according to the first embodiment is centered around a box-shaped casing 2 and is installed, for example, in financial institutions and various commercial facilities, to perform cash-related transactions such as deposit and withdrawal processing with users (i.e., customers of financial institutions and commercial facilities). In the following, the side of the banknote processing device 1 that the user faces will be referred to as the front, the opposite side as the back, the left and right sides as viewed from the user facing the front will be referred to as the left and right sides respectively, and the top and bottom sides will be defined and explained.

[0012] The enclosure 2 has a front opening 2A on its front side that connects the internal space 8 enclosed by the enclosure 2 to the outside, and a front door 3 that can open and close the front opening 2A is provided on the front side that is the opening. The enclosure 2 houses the banknote processing unit 5 in the internal space 8. In a left side view, the front door 3 extends vertically upward from the lower end of the front opening 2A and has a shape that resembles the letter "U" rotated 90° counterclockwise and protruding forward, covering the lower, front, and upper sides of the banknote deposit and withdrawal section 10. When a transaction is being performed between the banknote processing unit 1 and the user, the front door 3 is closed and locked to protect the banknote processing unit 5. On the other hand, when maintenance work is being performed by workers such as store owners, store staff, maintenance personnel, or bank employees of financial institutions, the front door 3 can be unlocked and opened as needed, making it easy to perform work on each part of the banknote processing unit 5. Although not shown in Figure 1, the front door 3 has openings on the front and top sides of the banknote deposit / discharge section 10, allowing the user to access the banknote deposit / discharge section 10. The housing 2 and the front door 3 are manufactured with heights adjusted to match the number of stackers 16 (stackers 16A, 16B, 16C, and 16D) in the banknote processing device 1.

[0013] Furthermore, the housing 2 has a rear panel 2B that extends vertically along its rear side. The banknote processing device 1 is envisioned to be installed below a store counter or similar location, with the banknote deposit / withdrawal section 10 facing the user (customer) and the rear panel 2B facing the store staff. For this reason, the rear panel 2B of the banknote processing device 1 is positioned so that only those with access rights, such as store owners, store staff, maintenance personnel, and bank employees, can enter the space, and the device is operated under the assumption that users cannot access the rear panel 2B side.

[0014] The rear panel 2B of the housing has a stacker opening 2B1 for the rear of the housing for the housing rear surface stacker that communicates the internal space 8 of the housing 2 with the outside, and a stacker door 16DA that can open and close the stacker opening 2B1 for the rear of the housing is provided. Further, the rear panel 2B of the housing has a housing rear surface evacuation storage opening 2B2 that communicates the internal space 8 of the housing 2 with the outside formed so as to expose the safe housing 50 and the safe housing door 50A (described later) to the rear side.

[0015] The banknote processing unit 5 is provided with a banknote deposit / withdrawal unit 10, a transport unit 12, an authentication unit 14, stackers 16 (stackers 16A, 16B, 16C, and 16D), a collection bin 18, an evacuation collection bin 46, and a banknote control unit 4 that comprehensively controls the entire banknote processing apparatus 1. The banknote control unit 4 is configured around a CPU (Central Processing Unit) not shown, and reads and executes a predetermined program from a ROM, a flash memory, etc. not shown to perform various processes such as deposit processing and withdrawal processing. Further, the banknote control unit 4 has a storage unit inside that is composed of a RAM (Random Access Memory), a hard disk drive, a flash memory, etc., and stores various information in this storage unit. The banknote processing apparatus 1 is comprehensively controlled by the banknote control unit 4 for each unit (banknote deposit / withdrawal unit 10, transport unit 12, authentication unit 14, stackers (stackers 16A, 16B, 16C, and 16D), collection bin 18, and evacuation collection bin 46).

[0016] The banknote processing unit 5 is roughly composed of a front unit 6 and a rear unit 7. In the case of the first embodiment, the front unit 6 includes a banknote deposit / withdrawal unit 10, a conveyance unit 12, an authentication unit 14, stackers 16A, 16B, 16C, and 16D (hereinafter also collectively referred to as stacker 16), a collection bin 18, a front linear conveyance unit 40, and a rear linear conveyance unit 48. The rear unit 7 includes a storage collection bin 46 and a safe housing 50. The front unit 6 and the rear unit 7 are connected to each other when stored in the internal space 8. The front unit 6 is configured to be slidable in the front-rear direction with respect to the housing 2, for example, by slide rails. When the banknote processing apparatus 1 is in a transaction operation in which a transaction process is performed with a user, the front unit 6 is protected by closing and locking the front door 3 in a state where the front unit 6 is stored in the housing 2. On the other hand, when the banknote processing apparatus 1 is in a maintenance operation in which a maintenance operation of the front unit 6 is performed by an operator, the front door 3 is unlocked and opened, the connection with the rear unit 7 is released, and the front unit 6 is pulled out forward along the unit extraction direction Df from the housing 2 through the front housing opening 2A as shown in FIG. 5, so that operations on each part of the front unit 6 can be easily performed.

[0017] Here, when maintenance work is performed on the banknote deposit / withdrawal unit 10, stackers 16A, 16B, and 16C, collection bin 18, and front linear conveyance unit 40 in the front unit 6, even if the front unit 6 is not pulled out from the housing 2 along the unit extraction direction Df, when the front door 3 is opened in a state where the front unit 6 is stored in the housing 2, these members can be exposed to the outside, so that maintenance work can be performed.

[0018] On the other hand, when maintenance work is performed on the front unit 6, specifically the transport section 12, identification section 14, stacker 16D, and rear linear transport unit 48, these components are not exposed to the outside if the front door 3 is simply opened while the front unit 6 is housed in the housing 2. Therefore, maintenance work becomes possible only when the front unit 6 is further disconnected from the rear unit 7 and pulled out from the housing 2 along the unit withdrawal direction Df. Specifically, when maintenance work is performed on the rear linear transport unit 48, as shown in Figure 5, the front unit 6 is pulled out from the housing 2 along the unit withdrawal direction Df, the stacker 16D is moved rearward from the front unit 6 on a slide rail and retracted from the rotation path of the rear linear transport unit 48, and the rear linear transport unit 48 rotates clockwise in Figure 5 using the pivot axis provided at its lower end as a fulcrum, thereby enabling maintenance work on the rear linear transport unit 48.

[0019] [1-1-2. Configuration of the banknote deposit and withdrawal section] The banknote deposit and withdrawal unit 10 has a deposit unit 20 and a withdrawal unit 21, and by exchanging banknotes with the user, it allows the user to deposit banknotes or withdraw banknotes to the user. The deposit unit 20 has a container for storing banknotes, a placement unit 22 on which banknotes are placed, and a separation unit made up of various rollers that separates and feeds out the banknotes on the placement unit 22 one by one. During the deposit process, the user places banknotes on the plate-shaped placement unit 22. Above the placement unit 22, a top guide 23 is provided to guide the top surface of the banknotes placed on the placement unit 22. The deposit unit 20 separates the banknotes that have been inserted by the user and placed on the placement unit 22 one by one by the separation unit provided at the rear end of the inside of the deposit unit 20 and feeds them out to the transport unit 12.

[0020] The dispensing section 21 is located below the deposit section 20 and has a collection section for collecting the conveyed banknotes, a shutter for opening and closing the opening, and a collection section composed of various rollers for taking in banknotes. It stores banknotes that cannot be deposited during the deposit process and will be returned to the user, and banknotes that will be dispensed during the dispensing process, and hands them over to the user.

[0021] [1-1-3. Internal Configuration of the Transport Unit Enclosure] A transport unit housing 26 is provided behind the banknote deposit / discharge section 10. The transport unit housing 26 mainly houses the transport unit 12 and the authentication unit 14. The transport unit 12 consists of a ring transport unit 28, a deposit transport unit 30, an upper discharge transport unit 31, a lower discharge transport unit 32, a front storage unit transport unit 34, a rear storage unit transport unit 33, and a rear transport unit 35. Numerous rotating rollers and guides for guiding banknotes are appropriately arranged, and rectangular banknotes are transported along the transport path shown by the solid line in the figure with their shorter side aligned with the transport direction.

[0022] The annular transport section 28 is a circular transport path that transports banknotes in both clockwise and counterclockwise directions in Figure 1. Although this annular transport section 28 is connected to the banknote deposit / discharge section 10 via the deposit transport section 30, the upper discharge transport section 31, and the lower discharge transport section 32, the annular transport section 28 alone is not connected to the banknote deposit / discharge section 10 and is a closed annular transport path. The banknote processing device 1 is provided with only one such annular transport path. The deposit transport section 30, the upper discharge transport section 31, the lower discharge transport section 32, the front storage transport section 34, the rear storage transport section 33, and the rear transport section 35 are connected to this annular transport section 28.

[0023] The deposit transport section 30 connects the deposit section 20 and the annular transport section 28 along approximately the front-to-back direction. The upper withdrawal transport section 31 connects the withdrawal section 21 and approximately the front end of the annular transport section 28 along approximately the front-to-back direction below the deposit transport section 30. The lower withdrawal transport section 32 connects the withdrawal section 21 and the annular transport section 28 along approximately the front-to-back direction below the upper withdrawal transport section 31. Hereafter, the upper withdrawal transport section 31 and the lower withdrawal transport section 32 will be collectively referred to as the withdrawal transport section. The front storage transport section 34 connects the front linear transport unit 40 and the annular transport section 28 along approximately the vertical direction below the lower withdrawal transport section 32. The rear storage transport section 33 connects the front linear transport unit 40 and the annular transport section 28 along approximately the vertical direction behind the front storage transport section 34. Hereafter, the front storage compartment transport section 34 and the rear storage compartment transport section 33 will be collectively referred to as the storage compartment transport section. The rear transport section 35 extends downward from approximately the rear end of the annular transport section 28 behind the rear storage compartment transport section 33, curving and extending towards the rear.

[0024] At the front of the annular transport section 28, there is a forward branching section 36a where the banknote transport path branches off. The forward branching section 36a is provided with a forward switching section (not shown). The forward switching section consists of a blade (not shown) and a plurality of rollers (not shown) arranged around it, and the transport direction of the banknotes is switched by changing the inclination direction by rotating the blade. Each roller is arranged to face each other across the banknote transport path. This forward switching section, in accordance with the control of the banknote control unit 4, changes the inclination direction of the blade according to the transport destination of each banknote and rotates each roller in a predetermined rotation direction, thereby appropriately switching the transport direction of the banknotes and transporting them to the desired destination.

[0025] Specifically, the front switching unit changes the inclination direction of the blade to switch the banknote transport path in two ways. That is, the front switching unit forms a transport path connecting the authentication unit 14 and the front linear transport unit 40, or a transport path connecting the authentication unit 14 and the dispensing unit 21. For this reason, the front switching unit switches the transport path of banknotes transported clockwise from top to bottom in the annular transport unit 28 in one of two directions, to the front linear transport unit 40 or to the dispensing unit 21, as shown in Figure 3.

[0026] On the other hand, a lower branch section 36b is provided behind and below the front branch section 36a in the annular transport section 28, where the banknote transport path branches off. The lower branch section 36b is provided with a lower switching section (not shown) which has a configuration substantially the same as the front switching section. Specifically, the lower switching section changes the inclination direction of the blade to switch the banknote transport path in two ways. That is, the lower switching section forms a transport path connecting the authentication section 14 and the front linear transport unit 40, or a transport path connecting the authentication section 14 and the dispensing section 21. Therefore, the lower switching section switches the transport path of banknotes transported from rear to front in a counterclockwise direction in the annular transport section 28 in two directions, to the front linear transport unit 40 or to the dispensing section 21, as shown in Figure 2.

[0027] On the other hand, a rear branching section 36c is provided at the rear of the annular transport section 28, where the banknote transport path branches off. The rear branching section 36c is provided with a rear switching section (not shown) which has a configuration substantially the same as the front switching section. Specifically, the rear switching section changes the inclination direction of the blade to switch the banknote transport path in two ways. That is, the lower switching section forms a transport path connecting the authentication section 14 and the lower branching section 36b, or a transport path connecting the authentication section 14 and the rear transport section 35. Therefore, the rear switching section switches the transport path of banknotes transported from top to bottom in a counterclockwise direction through the annular transport section 28 in two directions: the annular transport section 28 or the rear transport section 35.

[0028] The identification unit 14 is located near the top of the annular transport unit 28. Inside, while transporting banknotes, it uses optical elements, magnetic detection elements, etc., to identify the denomination, authenticity, and degree of damage (genuine or damaged) of the banknotes, and notifies the banknote control unit 4 of the identification results. The identification unit 14 also reads and identifies the serial number, which is banknote identification information consisting of alphanumeric characters, etc., that is assigned to each banknote and pre-printed on one side of the banknote, from the image data of the captured banknotes. At this time, the identification unit 14 notifies the banknote control unit 4 of the identified characters as the identification result. In response, the banknote control unit 4 determines the destination of the banknotes based on the acquired identification results.

[0029] [1-1-4. Configuration of the collection area and stacker] Inside the enclosure 2, below the transport unit enclosure 26, the collection unit 18, stacker 16C, stacker 16B, and stacker 16A are arranged vertically from bottom to top, stacked on top of each other. The stackers 16A, 16B, and 16C and the collection unit 18 are formed in a rectangular parallelepiped shape, and banknotes are stored inside them with their paper faces facing up and down, arranged along the vertical direction. The stackers 16 and the collection unit 18 have the same length in the front-to-back direction.

[0030] Each stacker 16 has a predetermined set of banknote denominations to be stored and is identical to the others. The stacker 16 uses a storage and dispensing mechanism consisting of various rollers and the like, located at its front end, to take in banknotes transported from the front linear transport unit 40 through a dispensing and accumulating opening on the front side and store them, and also discharges the stored banknotes from the dispensing and accumulating opening and supplies them to the front linear transport unit 40.

[0031] The collection unit 18 uses a storage mechanism consisting of various rollers and the like, located at its front end, to take in banknotes transported from the front linear transport unit 40 through an opening on its front side and store them. Specifically, the collection unit 18 collects and stores banknotes identified as damaged (so-called lost banknotes) by the authentication unit 14, banknotes identified as counterfeit, banknotes of denominations that are not returned, such as 5,000 yen notes and 2,000 yen notes, and banknotes that users have forgotten to take from the banknote deposit / withdrawal unit 10 during transactions.

[0032] The collection compartment 18 is configured to be detachably attached to a slot provided in the banknote processing unit 5. The collection compartment 18 can be removed from the housing 2 by being pulled forward, and can be attached to the housing 2 by being aligned with the housing 2 and pushed backward. In other words, the collection compartment 18 is configured to be detachably attached to the front of the housing 2.

[0033] [1-1-5. Configuration of the front linear conveying unit] A front linear conveying unit 40 is provided in front of the stackers 16A, 16B, and 16C and the recovery unit 18. The front linear conveying unit 40 extends vertically and is configured to be movable by being fixed to a frame (not shown).

[0034] The front linear conveying unit 40 is configured to be openable and closable by rotating around a pivot point (not shown). When a transaction is performed between the banknote processing device 1 and the user, the front linear conveying unit 40 is closed together with the front door 3 to protect the banknote processing unit 5. On the other hand, when maintenance work is performed by an operator, the front linear conveying unit 40 is opened together with the front door 3 as needed. At this time, the storage and dispensing mechanisms of each 16A, 16B, and 16C move forward together with the front linear conveying unit 40. As a result, the area in front of the banknote storage space in the stackers 16A, 16B, and 16C is opened, and the banknote storage space is exposed to the outside. This makes it possible to remove banknotes from inside the stackers 16A, 16B, and 16C and to remove the collection box 18.

[0035] The front linear conveying unit 40 has a transfer port at its rear end where the upper end of the conveying path is connected to the lower ends of the rear storage conveying section 33 and the front storage conveying section 34. The front linear conveying unit 40 also has a conveying path that extends downward from the upper end and is connected to the unloading and accumulating ports of the stackers 16A, 16B, and 16C and the receiving port of the recovery storage 18 via transfer ports provided on the rear surface.

[0036] [1-1-6. Configuration of the stacker and evacuation / recovery storage area] Behind the stackers 16A, 16B, and 16C and the recovery unit 18 inside the enclosure 2, the retractable recovery unit 46, the safe enclosure 50, and the stacker 16D are arranged so as to be stacked on top of each other, vertically from bottom to top.

[0037] The retrieval storage unit 46 is made of metal or resin and is taller than the stacker 16. It is located inside the enclosure 2, behind the stackers 16A, 16B, and 16C, and below the stacker 16D. The retrieval storage unit 46 uses a storage mechanism consisting of various rollers to take in banknotes transported from the rear linear transport unit 48 through an opening on the front side and store them. Specifically, the retrieval storage unit 46 collects and stores excess banknotes from the stacker 16. At this time, the retrieval storage unit 46 stores the banknotes so that their thickness direction, which is perpendicular to the surface of the banknotes, is aligned with the vertical direction, and they overlap vertically. The retrieval storage unit 46 is enclosed by a thick, metal, box-shaped safe enclosure 50, and can only be accessed by staff of the security transport company. The length of the retrieval storage unit 46 in the front-to-back direction is approximately the same as the length of the stacker 16D in the front-to-back direction.

[0038] The safe enclosure 50 is a thick, metal box shape that encloses the entire storage compartment 46. An opening 50B is formed on the front side of the safe enclosure 50, which serves as a connection point that connects the internal space enclosed by the safe enclosure 50 to the outside and the transport path of the rear linear transport unit 48 to the receiving entrance of the storage compartment 46. The opening 50B may be shielded by a shutter or door (not shown) when the connection between the front unit 6 and the rear unit 7 is released, or it may be opened by a mechanism that is linked to the rearward pushing of the front unit 6, which opens the shutter or door. The safe enclosure 50 has an opening formed on its rear side, which serves as a rear opening for the safe enclosure that connects the internal space enclosed by the safe enclosure 50 to the outside, and a safe enclosure door 50A that can open and close this opening is provided on the rear side, which is the opening side. The storage compartment 46 is configured to slide in the front-rear direction relative to the safe enclosure 50, for example by a slide rail. The banknote processing device 1 protects the retrieval storage box 46 by closing and locking the safe enclosure door 50A when a transaction is being processed with a user. On the other hand, when maintenance work is being performed on the banknote processing device 1 and the retrieval storage box 46 is removed from the banknote processing device 1 by an operator (i.e., staff of the security transport company), the safe enclosure door 50A is unlocked and opened by the operator, allowing the retrieval storage box 46 to be removed from the safe enclosure 50.

[0039] Maintenance work performed by an operator includes tasks such as the operator retrieving the contents of the emergency collection box 46 or replacing the emergency collection box 46 with another empty emergency collection box 46. Maintenance work may be performed when the banknote processing device 1 is not processing transactions with users, or when it is processing transactions. In other words, the emergency collection box 46 can be pulled out from the rear side of the housing 2 at any time. For this reason, the banknote processing device 1 can perform maintenance work nonstop without interrupting the processing of transactions with users.

[0040] The stacker 16D has a predetermined set of banknote denominations to be stored and has the same configuration as stackers 16A, 16B, and 16C. It is located above the retractable collection compartment 46, which is behind stackers 16A, 16B, and 16C inside the housing 2. The stacker 16D, with a storage and dispensing mechanism provided at its front end, takes in banknotes transported from the rear linear transport unit 48 through a dispensing and accumulating opening on its front side and stores them, and also discharges the stored banknotes from the dispensing and accumulating opening and supplies them to the rear linear transport unit 48.

[0041] Furthermore, the stacker 16D is configured to slide in the front-to-back direction relative to the front unit 6 by a slide rail. As described above, the rear panel 2B of the housing has a stacker door 16DA behind the stacker 16D. The banknote processing device 1 protects the stacker 16D by closing and locking the stacker door 16DA when a transaction is being processed with a user. On the other hand, when maintenance work is being performed on the stacker 16D by an operator (i.e., a store owner or store staff), the banknote processing device 1 allows the operator to unlock and open the stacker door 16DA, enabling the operator to collect or replenish the banknotes in the stacker 16D.

[0042] [1-1-7. Configuration of the rear linear conveying unit] A rear linear transport unit 48 is provided between the recovery compartment 18 and stackers 16A, 16B, and 16C inside the housing 2, and between stacker 16D and the retracted recovery compartment 46. The rear linear transport unit 48 extends vertically and is configured to be movable by being fixed to a frame (not shown).

[0043] In this rear linear conveying unit 48, the front end of the conveying path is connected to the rear end of the rear conveying section 35 at a transfer port provided near the upper end of the front end. Furthermore, in the rear linear conveying unit 48, the conveying path extends downward from the upper end towards the rear, and is connected to a receiving port provided on the front side of the retrieval storage unit 46 and a dispensing and accumulating port provided on the front side of the stacker 16D via transfer ports provided on the rear surface.

[0044] [1-2. Payment Processing] In this configuration, the banknote processing device 1 performs banknote deposit and withdrawal processing, etc., based on the banknote authentication results and identification results of the authentication unit 14, and the banknote control unit 4 controls each part.

[0045] In other words, when a deposit transaction occurs, the banknote processing device 1 selects a deposit transaction via an operation display unit (not shown) by the user, and when banknotes are inserted into the deposit unit 20, the inserted banknotes are transported one by one from the deposit unit 20 to the annular transport unit 28 via the deposit transport unit 30 by the separation unit, and then transported to the authentication unit 14. If the banknote processing device 1 determines, based on the authentication and identification results of the authentication unit 14, that the banknotes are depositable and recyclable as withdrawn banknotes, then, as shown by the solid lines in Figure 2, the banknotes are transferred from the annular transport unit 28 to the front linear transport unit 40 via the rear storage transport unit 33 and transported to the stacker 16A, 16B, or 16C according to the denomination for storage, or transferred from the annular transport unit 28 to the rear linear transport unit 48 via the rear transport unit 35 and transported to the stacker 16D for storage.

[0046] On the other hand, if the banknote processing device 1 determines, based on the authentication and identification results of the authentication unit 14, that a banknote is eligible for deposit but should not be recycled as a disbursed banknote (i.e., unsuitable as a disbursed banknote) due to poor condition or being an old banknote, then, as shown by the solid line in Figure 2, the banknote BL is transferred from the annular transport unit 28 to the rear storage transport unit 33 and then to the front linear transport unit 40, and then transported to the collection unit 18 for storage. On the other hand, if the banknote processing device 1 determines, based on the authentication and identification results of the authentication unit 14, that a banknote is unsuitable for deposit, such as a banknote in extremely poor condition, a counterfeit banknote, a foreign object, or a banknote that is not handled, such as foreign currency, then, as shown by the dashed line in Figure 2, the banknote BL is returned from the annular transport unit 28 to the disbursement unit 21 via the lower disbursement transport unit 32 and then returned to the user by having the user open the shutter.

[0047] [1-3. Withdrawal Processing] On the other hand, during a withdrawal transaction, when a user selects a withdrawal transaction via an operation display unit (not shown) and enters the withdrawal amount, the banknote processing unit 1 recognizes the required number of banknotes of each denomination according to the requested amount. According to this number of banknotes of each denomination, it either feeds the banknotes BL from each stacker 16 (stacker 16A, 16B, or 16C) and transports them to the authentication unit 14 via the front linear transport unit 40 and the rear storage transport unit 33, or feeds the banknotes BL from stacker 16D and transports them to the authentication unit 14 via the rear linear transport unit 48 and the rear transport unit 35 to obtain the authentication result and serial number identification result. If the banknote processing unit 1 determines that withdrawal is possible based on the authentication result and identification result of the authentication unit 14, it transports the banknotes BL from the annular transport unit 28 to the withdrawal unit 21 via the upper withdrawal transport unit 31, as shown by the solid line in Figure 3.

[0048] On the other hand, if the banknote processing device 1 determines that the number of banknotes unsuitable for withdrawal is less than or equal to a predetermined number, such as one banknote, it transfers them from the annular transport unit 28 to the front storage transport unit 34 and then to the front linear transport unit 40, as shown by the dashed line in Figure 3, and then transports them to the collection unit 18 for storage.

[0049] Then, when the requested amount of banknotes (BL) is accumulated in the dispensing unit 21, the banknote processing device 1 prompts the user to open the shutter. This makes it possible to receive the banknotes accumulated in the dispensing unit 21, and the user receives these banknotes.

[0050] [1-4. How to remove the storage compartment from the rear of the enclosure] Next, we will explain the removal method for when an operator on the rear side of the housing 2 removes the retractable collection unit 46 from the banknote processing unit 5, using Figure 4.

[0051] With the safe enclosure 50 housed in enclosure 2, when the safe enclosure door 50A is unlocked and opened by the worker, the rear surface of the retractable retrieval unit 46 is exposed to the outside of the safe enclosure 50, and the retractable retrieval unit 46 becomes removable from the safe enclosure 50. In this state, the worker pulls the retractable retrieval unit 46 out almost directly backward along the pull-out direction D1, which is the rearward direction, using a slide rail (not shown), and removes it from the banknote processing unit 5.

[0052] On the other hand, when attaching the retractable collection unit 46 to the banknote processing unit 5 from the rear side of the housing 2, the operator performs the operation in the reverse procedure to the removal of the retractable collection unit 46 from the rear side as described above.

[0053] [1-5. How to pull out the front unit from the front of the enclosure] Next, the method of pulling out the front unit 6 from the housing 2 by an operator on the front side of the housing 2 will be explained using Figure 5. When the front door 3 is opened by the operator and the front unit 6 is pulled out from the housing 2 toward the front side along the unit pulling direction Df, the front unit 6 is positioned in front of the front opening 2A of the housing. At this time, the transport path of the rear linear transport unit 48 is inserted into the opening 50B of the safe housing 50, and the front unit 6 and the rear unit 7 are housed in the internal space 8 and connected to each other. When the front unit 6 is pulled out toward the front side along the unit pulling direction Df, the transport path of the rear linear transport unit 48 is removed from the opening 50B of the safe housing 50, and the connection between the front unit 6 and the rear unit 7 is released. In the first embodiment, since the stacker 16D is included in the front unit 6, the stacker 16D is pulled out toward the front side of the housing 2. Meanwhile, the rear unit 7, consisting of the safe enclosure 50 and the retrieval compartment 46, is disconnected from the front unit 6 and remains inside the enclosure 2 without being pulled out to the front side along with the front unit 6. In this state, the worker performs maintenance work on the front unit 6.

[0054] On the other hand, when pushing the front unit 6 into the interior of the housing 2 from the front side of the housing 2, the worker performs the operation in the reverse order of pulling out the front unit 6 from the front side as described above.

[0055] Incidentally, Figure 5 shows the state in which the front unit 6 is being pulled out from the front side of the housing 2, and at the same time, the retractable recovery compartment 46 is being removed from the rear side of the housing 2, as shown in Figure 4.

[0056] [1-6. Effects, etc.] In the above configuration, the banknote processing device 1 encloses the entire safe storage unit 46 with a thick metal safe case 50, and the safe case door 50A, which serves as the rear door, is closed and locked during transaction operations. Thus, the banknote processing device 1 can ensure the security of the safe storage unit 46 itself, which stores a large amount of banknotes.

[0057] Furthermore, the banknote processing device 1 is configured to position the retractable collection compartment 46 at the rearmost part of the banknote processing unit 5. This allows the banknote processing device 1 to position the retractable collection compartment 46 in a location physically separated from the front side accessible to the user, making it difficult for the user to access the retractable collection compartment 46. At the same time, the retractable collection compartment 46 can be removed from the rear of the enclosure 2, which is difficult for the user to access and offers high security.

[0058] Furthermore, when the front door 3 of the banknote processing device 1 is opened and the front unit 6 is disconnected from the rear unit 7 and pulled out from the front side of the housing 2 in the unit withdrawal direction Df, the rear unit 7, which is the retractable collection box 46 and the safe housing 50, is disconnected from the front unit 6 and does not get pulled out to the front side together with the front unit 6 (i.e., the safe housing 50 remains inside the housing 2), thus maintaining its position. Therefore, even when the front door 3 is opened and the front unit 6 is pulled out to the front side of the housing 2, the banknote processing device 1 can keep the retractable collection box 46 in a position physically separated from the front side accessible to the user, thus maintaining a state where it is difficult for the user to access the retractable collection box 46. In addition, the banknote processing device 1 eliminates the need for the operator to pull out the sturdy and heavy metal safe housing 50 to the front side of the housing 2, and reduces the weight that the operator needs to move when pulling out the front unit 6 to the front side of the housing 2.

[0059] Furthermore, the banknote processing device 1 allows the front door 3 to be locked and unlocked with keys held by workers such as store owners, store staff, maintenance personnel, and bank employees of financial institutions; the safe enclosure door 50A to be locked and unlocked with keys held by workers such as security transport company staff; and the stacker door 16DA to be locked and unlocked with keys held by workers such as store owners and store staff. As a result, the banknote processing device 1 can clearly distinguish access rights to banknotes within the same device, specifically between the front door 3 located on the front side, the safe enclosure door 50A located on the rear side, and the stacker door 16DA located on the rear side.

[0060] Furthermore, the banknote processing device 1 has an opening for the retractable collection compartment 46 on the front side of the retractable collection compartment 46, so that when maintenance work is performed on the front unit 6, the front unit 6, which is positioned in front of the retractable collection compartment 46, is pulled out to the front along the unit withdrawal direction Df so that it is separated from the retractable collection compartment 46. Therefore, compared to the case where the opening for the retractable collection compartment 46 is provided at a location other than the front side, such as the top side of the retractable collection compartment 46, the banknote processing device 1 can prevent the retractable collection compartment 46 from physically interfering with the front unit 6 when the front unit 6 is pulled out to the front along the unit withdrawal direction Df, and the retractable collection compartment 46 can easily remain inside the housing 2.

[0061] According to the above configuration, the banknote processing device 1 includes a housing 2 with a front opening 2A on the front side facing the user that connects the internal space 8 to the outside, a front door 3 that can open and close the front opening 2A of the housing, a front unit 6 that is housed in the internal space 8 and is configured to move in the unit withdrawal direction Df, which is the front side, when the front opening 2A of the housing is opened from a state in which the front opening 2A of the housing is closed by the front door 3, and a rear unit 7 that is housed behind the front unit 6 in the internal space 8 and is configured to move to the rear side. The front unit 6 and the rear unit 7 are connected to each other when housed in the internal space 8, and when the front unit 6 moves from the housing 2 in the unit withdrawal direction Df, the rear unit 7 is disconnected from the front unit 6 and remains housed in the internal space 8 without moving in the unit withdrawal direction Df.

[0062] As a result, even when the front door 3 is opened and the front unit 6 is pulled out from the housing 2 to the front, the banknote processing device 1 can keep the retractable collection unit 46 positioned at a location physically separated from the front side accessible to the user, thus maintaining a state where it is difficult for the user to access the retractable collection unit 46.

[0063] [2. Second Embodiment] [2-1. Internal Configuration of Banknote Processing Equipment] As shown in Figure 6, where the same reference numerals are used for the components corresponding to those in Figure 1, the banknote processing device 101 according to the second embodiment differs from the banknote processing device 1 according to the first embodiment in that it has a housing 102 instead of housing 2 and a banknote processing unit 105 instead of banknote processing unit 5, but is otherwise configured similarly. The housing 102 according to the second embodiment differs from the housing 2 according to the first embodiment in that the stacker door 16DA is omitted on the rear panel 2B of the housing, and a safe opening 2B3 is provided on the rear of the housing instead of the stacker opening 2B1 and the retractable collection compartment opening 2B2, but is otherwise configured similarly. The rear panel 2B of the housing 102 is formed such that a rear safe opening 2B3, which connects the internal space 8 of the housing 102 to the outside, exposes the safe housing 150, the safe housing door 150A1 for the retrieval safe, and the safe housing door 150A2 for the stacker (described later) to the rear. The banknote processing unit 105 according to the second embodiment differs from the banknote processing unit 5 according to the first embodiment in that it has a front unit 106 instead of the front unit 6 and a rear unit 107 instead of the rear unit 7, but is otherwise configured similarly.

[0064] The front unit 106 according to the second embodiment differs from the front unit 6 according to the first embodiment in that the stacker 16D is omitted, but is otherwise configured similarly. The rear unit 107 according to the second embodiment differs from the rear unit 7 according to the first embodiment in that the stacker 16D is added and has a safe enclosure 150 instead of the safe enclosure 50, but is otherwise configured similarly.

[0065] Thus, the front unit 106 according to the second embodiment includes a banknote deposit / discharge section 10, a transport section 12, an authentication section 14, stackers 16A, 16B and 16C, a collection box 18, a front linear transport unit 40, and a rear linear transport unit 48, while the rear unit 107 includes a stacker 16D, a retractable collection box 46, and a safe housing 150. The front unit 106 and the rear unit 107 are connected to each other when housed in the internal space 8.

[0066] [2-2. Safe enclosure configuration] The safe enclosure 150 is a thick, metal box shape that encloses both the stacker 16D and the storage compartment 46. Between the stacker 16D and the storage compartment 46, a plate member is positioned to separate the interior of the safe enclosure 150 into distinct spaces that house the stacker 16D and the storage compartment 46, respectively. The safe enclosure 150 also has openings 150B1 and 150B2 on its front side that connect the interior space enclosed by the safe enclosure 150 to the outside, linking the transport path of the rear linear transport unit 48 to the feed and collection port of the stacker 16D and the receiving port of the storage compartment 46, respectively. The openings 150B1 and 150B2 may be shielded by a shutter or door (not shown) when the connection between the front unit 106 and the rear unit 107 is released, or they may be opened by a mechanism that is linked to the rearward pushing of the front unit 106, causing the shutter or door to open. Furthermore, the safe enclosure 150 has an opening on its rear side that connects the internal space enclosed by the safe enclosure 150 to the outside, and a stacker safe enclosure door 150A2 and a retrieval safe enclosure door 150A1 that can open and close this opening are provided on the rear side, which is the opening side. The stacker safe enclosure door 150A2 is located behind the stacker 16D, and the retrieval safe enclosure door 150A1 is located behind the retrieval safe 46.

[0067] When only the safe enclosure door 150A2 for the stacker is unlocked, the safe enclosure door 150A1 for the emergency retrieval storage is locked and closed, so it is not possible to access the emergency retrieval storage 46 from outside the safe enclosure 150. Similarly, when only the safe enclosure door 150A1 for the emergency retrieval storage is unlocked, the safe enclosure door 150A2 for the stacker is locked and closed, so it is not possible to access the stacker 16D from outside the safe enclosure 150.

[0068] When a transaction is being processed between the banknote processing device 101 and a user, both the stacker safe enclosure door 150A2 and the emergency recovery safe enclosure door 150A1 are closed and locked, thereby protecting the stacker 16D and the emergency recovery safe 46.

[0069] On the other hand, during maintenance work in which banknotes are collected or replenished in the stacker 16D by a worker such as a store owner or store staff, the stacker safe enclosure door 150A2 is unlocked and opened by the worker, allowing banknotes to be collected or replenished in the stacker 16D. At this time, the worker does not have the authority to unlock the safe enclosure door 150A1 for the emergency collection safe, and therefore cannot unlock the safe enclosure door 150A1 for the emergency collection safe.

[0070] On the other hand, in the event of maintenance work in which the evacuated collection box 46 is removed from the banknote processing device 101 by workers such as staff of the security transport company, the evacuated collection box 46 can be removed from the safe enclosure 150 by the workers such as staff of the security transport company unlocking and opening the safe enclosure door 150A1 for the evacuated collection box. At this time, the workers do not have the authority to unlock the safe enclosure door 150A2 for the stacker, and therefore cannot unlock the safe enclosure door 150A2 for the stacker.

[0071] [2-3. Method for removing the retractable storage compartment and pulling out the stacker from the rear side of the enclosure] Next, the removal method for the retractable collection unit 46 when an operator on the rear side of the housing 102 removes it from the banknote processing unit 105, and the pulling method for the stacker 16D when pulling it out, will be explained using Figure 7.

[0072] With the safe enclosure 150 housed in the enclosure 102, when the worker unlocks and opens the safe enclosure door 150A1 for the emergency retrieval unit, the rear surface of the emergency retrieval unit 46 is exposed to the outside of the safe enclosure 150, and the emergency retrieval unit 46 becomes removable from the safe enclosure 150. In this state, the worker pulls the emergency retrieval unit 46 out almost directly backward along the pull-out direction D1 using a slide rail (not shown) and removes it from the banknote processing unit 105.

[0073] On the other hand, when attaching the retractable collection unit 46 to the banknote processing unit 105 from the rear side of the housing 102, the operator performs the operation in the reverse procedure to the removal of the retractable collection unit 46 from the rear side as described above.

[0074] Furthermore, with the safe enclosure 150 housed in the enclosure 102, when the worker unlocks and opens the safe enclosure door 150A2 for the stacker, the rear surface of the stacker 16D is exposed to the outside of the safe enclosure 150, and the stacker 16D becomes pullable out of the safe enclosure 150. In this state, the worker pulls the stacker 16D out almost directly backward along the pull-out direction D1 using a slide rail (not shown) and collects or replenishes banknotes in the stacker 16D.

[0075] On the other hand, when pushing the stacker 16D into the banknote processing unit 105 from the rear side of the housing 102, the operator performs the operation in the reverse order of pulling out the stacker 16D from the rear side as described above.

[0076] For the sake of explanation, Figure 7 shows a state in which the removal of the retrieval storage unit 46 and the drawing out of the stacker 16D are being performed simultaneously.

[0077] [2-4. How to remove the front unit from the front of the enclosure] Next, the method for pulling out the front unit 106 from the housing 102 by an operator on the front side of the housing 102 will be explained using Figure 8. When the front door 3 is opened by the operator and the front unit 106 is pulled out from the housing 102 toward the front along the unit pulling direction Df, the front unit 106 is positioned in front of the front opening 2A of the housing. At this time, the transport path of the rear linear transport unit 48 is inserted into the openings 150B1 and 150B2 of the safe housing 150, and the front unit 106 and the rear unit 107 are housed in the internal space 8 and connected to each other. When the front unit 106 is pulled out toward the front along the unit pulling direction Df, the transport path of the rear linear transport unit 48 is removed from the openings 150B1 and 150B2 of the safe housing 150, and the connection between the front unit 106 and the rear unit 107 is released. In the second embodiment, since the front unit 106 does not include the stacker 16D, the stacker 16D is disconnected from the front unit 106 and remains inside the housing 102 without being pulled out to the front side of the housing 102. Therefore, the rear unit 107, which consists of the safe housing 150, the retrieval storage unit 46, and the stacker 16D, is disconnected from the front unit 106 and remains inside the housing 102 without being pulled out to the front side together with the front unit 106. In this state, the worker performs maintenance work on the front unit 106.

[0078] On the other hand, when pushing the front unit 106 into the interior of the housing 102 from the front side of the housing 102, the worker performs the operation in the reverse order of pulling out the front unit 106 from the front side as described above.

[0079] [2-5. Effects, etc.] In the above configuration, the banknote processing device 101 encloses the entire retrieval and collection box 46 and stacker 16D with a thick metal safe case 150, and the safe case door 150A is closed and locked during transaction operations. Therefore, the banknote processing device 101 can ensure the security of not only the retrieval and collection box 46 itself but also the stacker 16D itself.

[0080] Furthermore, the banknote processing device 101 is configured to allow the operator to lock and unlock the stacker safe enclosure door 150A2, which corresponds to the stacker 16D, and the safe enclosure door 150A1, which serves as the rear door for the emergency recovery storage unit 46, depending on the operator's authority.

[0081] Furthermore, when the front door 3 is opened and the front unit 106 is pulled out from the front of the housing 102 in the unit withdrawal direction Df, the banknote processing device 101 is designed so that the rear unit 107, the safe housing 150, is not pulled out to the front side together with the front unit 106 (i.e., the safe housing 150 remains inside the housing 102) and maintains its position. As a result, even when the front door 3 is opened and the front unit 106 is pulled out to the front side from the housing 102, the banknote processing device 101 can keep the evacuated collection unit 46 and the stacker 16D in a position physically separated from the front side accessible to the user, thus maintaining a state where it is difficult for the user to access the evacuated collection unit 46 and the stacker 16D. In addition, the banknote processing device 101 eliminates the need for the operator to pull out the sturdy and heavy metal safe housing 150 to the front side from the housing 102, and reduces the weight that the operator needs to move when pulling out the front unit 106 to the front side from the housing 102. Furthermore, compared to the banknote processing device 1, the banknote processing device 101 eliminates the need for the operator to pull the stacker 16D out of the housing 102 towards the front, and further reduces the weight that the operator needs to move compared to when the front unit 6 is pulled out of the housing 2 towards the front.

[0082] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 8, when the front unit 106 of the banknote processing device 101 is pulled out to the front from the housing 102, the banknote processing unit 105 is pulled out to the front by the length of the stacker 16D as shown in Figure 5, which reduces the space required in front of the banknote processing device 101, making it possible to operate in even smaller stores.

[0083] In other respects as well, the banknote processing device 101 according to the second embodiment can achieve the same effects as the banknote processing device 1 according to the first embodiment.

[0084] [3. Third Embodiment] [3-1. Internal Configuration of Banknote Processing Equipment] As shown in Figure 9, where the same reference numerals are used for the components corresponding to those in Figure 1, the banknote processing device 201 according to the third embodiment differs from the banknote processing device 1 according to the first embodiment in that it has a housing 202 instead of housing 2 and a banknote processing unit 205 instead of banknote processing unit 5, but is otherwise configured similarly. The housing 202 according to the second embodiment differs from the housing 2 according to the first embodiment in that the stacker door 16DA is omitted from the housing rear panel 2B, and a housing rear storage compartment opening 2B4 is provided instead of the housing rear stacker opening 2B1 and the housing rear retractable collection compartment opening 2B2, but is otherwise configured similarly. The housing rear panel 2B of housing 202 is formed such that the housing rear storage compartment opening 2B4, which connects the internal space 8 of housing 202 to the outside, exposes the safe housing 250 and the safe housing door 250A (described later) to the rear side. The banknote processing unit 205 according to the third embodiment differs from the banknote processing unit 5 according to the first embodiment in that it has a front unit 206 instead of the front unit 6 and a rear unit 207 instead of the rear unit 7, but is otherwise configured similarly.

[0085] The front unit 206 according to the third embodiment differs from the front unit 6 according to the first embodiment in that it has a linear conveying unit 43 and a recycling cassette 44A instead of the stacker 16D and the rear linear conveying unit 48, but is otherwise configured similarly. The rear unit 207 according to the third embodiment differs from the rear unit 7 according to the first embodiment in that it has a retractable collection box 46 and a recycling cassette 44B and a safe enclosure 250 instead of the safe enclosure 50, but is otherwise configured similarly.

[0086] Thus, the front unit 206 according to the third embodiment includes a banknote deposit / discharge section 10, a transport section 12, an authentication section 14, stackers 16A, 16B and 16C, a collection box 18, a front linear transport unit 40, a linear transport unit 43, and a recycling cassette 44A, while the rear unit 207 includes a recycling cassette 44B and a safe housing 250. The front unit 206 and the rear unit 207 are connected to each other when housed in the internal space 8.

[0087] [3-2. Configuration of the Recycled Cassette and Linear Conveyor Unit] The recycling cassettes 44A and 44B (hereinafter collectively referred to as recycling cassette 44) are made of metal or resin and are installed inside the housing 202 behind the collection compartment 18 and stackers 16A, 16B, and 16C, aligned horizontally from front to back. The recycling cassette 44 is formed in a rectangular parallelepiped shape that is longer vertically than the stacker 16, and stores banknotes inside with the paper surface facing up and aligned vertically. The banknote storage capacity of the recycling cassette 44 is larger than that of the stacker 16.

[0088] Each recycling cassette 44 has a predetermined set of banknote denominations to be stored in it, and they are identical in configuration to each other. The recycling cassette 44, via a storage and dispensing mechanism located at its upper end, takes in banknotes transported from the linear transport unit 43 through a dispensing and accumulating opening and stores them, and also discharges the stored banknotes from the dispensing and accumulating opening to supply them to the linear transport unit 43. The lower end of the recycling cassette 44 is at the same height as the lower end of the collection unit 18, and the upper end is at the same height as the upper end of the stacker 16A. The length of the recycling cassette 44 in the front-to-back direction is approximately the same as the length of the stacker 16 in the vertical direction.

[0089] The linear conveying unit 43 is positioned above the recycling cassettes 44A and 44B. At a transfer port provided at the front end of the linear conveying unit 43, the front end of the conveying path is connected to the rear end of the conveying path of the rear conveying unit 35. Furthermore, the conveying path of the linear conveying unit 43 extends from the front end towards the rear and downwards, and is connected to the discharge and collection ports of the recycling cassettes 44A and 44B via transfer ports provided at the bottom surface.

[0090] [3-3. Safe enclosure configuration] The safe enclosure 250 is a thick, metal box shape that encloses the entire recycling cassette 44B, and has an opening 250B on its top side that connects the internal space enclosed by the safe enclosure 250 to the outside, and connects the transport path of the linear transport unit 43 to the dispensing and collection port of the recycling cassette 44B. The opening 250B may be shielded by a shutter or door (not shown) when the connection between the front unit 206 and the rear unit 207 is released, or it may be opened by a mechanism that opens the shutter or door in conjunction with pushing the front unit 206 in the rearward direction. The safe enclosure 250 has an opening on its rear side that connects the internal space enclosed by the safe enclosure 250 to the outside, and a safe enclosure door 250A that can open and close this opening is provided on the rear side, which is the opening side.

[0091] The banknote processing device 201 protects the recycled cassette 44B by closing and locking the safe enclosure door 250A when a transaction is being processed with the user.

[0092] On the other hand, in the event of maintenance work in which the recycled cassette 44B is removed from the banknote processing device 201 by workers such as staff of the security transport company, the recycled cassette 44B can be removed from the safe enclosure 150 by unlocking and opening the safe enclosure door 250A.

[0093] [3-4. How to remove the recycled cassette from the rear of the casing] Next, Figure 10 will be used to explain how an operator located on the rear side of the housing 202 removes the recycling cassette 44B from the banknote processing unit 205.

[0094] With the safe enclosure 250 housed in the enclosure 202, when the safe enclosure door 250A is unlocked and opened by the operator, the rear surface of the recycling cassette 44B is exposed to the outside of the safe enclosure 250, and the recycling cassette 44B becomes removable from the safe enclosure 250. In this state, the operator pulls the recycling cassette 44B out almost directly backward along the pull-out direction D1 using a slide rail (not shown) and removes it from the banknote processing unit 205.

[0095] On the other hand, when installing the recycling cassette 44B into the banknote processing unit 205 from the rear side of the housing 202, the operator performs the operation in the reverse order of removing the recycling cassette 44B from the rear side as described above.

[0096] [3-5. Method for removing the front unit from the front of the enclosure] Next, the method for pulling out the front unit 206 from the housing 202 by an operator on the front side of the housing 202 will be explained using Figure 11. When the front door 3 is opened by the operator and the front unit 206 is pulled out from the housing 202 towards the front along the unit pulling direction Df, the front unit 206 is positioned in front of the front opening 2A of the housing. At this time, the transport path of the linear transport unit 43 is connected to the opening 250B of the safe housing 250, and the front unit 206 and the rear unit 207 are stored in the internal space 8 and connected to each other. When the front unit 206 is pulled out towards the front along the unit pulling direction Df, the transport path of the linear transport unit 43 is disconnected from the opening 250B of the safe housing 250, and the connection between the front unit 206 and the rear unit 207 is released. In the third embodiment, since the front unit 206 does not include the recycling cassette 44B and the safe enclosure 250, the recycling cassette 44B and the safe enclosure 250 are disconnected from the front unit 206 and remain inside the enclosure 202 without being pulled out to the front side of the enclosure 202. Therefore, the rear unit 207, which consists of the recycling cassette 44B and the safe enclosure 250, is disconnected from the front unit 206 and remains inside the enclosure 202 without being pulled out to the front side together with the front unit 206. In this state, the worker performs maintenance work on the front unit 206.

[0097] On the other hand, when pushing the front unit 206 into the interior of the housing 202 from the front side of the housing 202, the worker performs the operation in the reverse order of pulling out the front unit 206 from the front side as described above.

[0098] [3-6. Effects, etc.] In the above configuration, the banknote processing device 201 encloses the entire recycling cassette 44B with a thick metal safe case 250, and the safe case door 250A, which serves as the rear door, is closed and locked during transaction operations. Thus, the banknote processing device 201 can ensure the security of the recycling cassette 44B.

[0099] Furthermore, when the front door 3 is opened and the front unit 206 is pulled out from the front of the housing 202 in the unit withdrawal direction Df, the banknote processing device 201 is designed so that the rear unit 207, which is the recycling cassette 44B and the safe housing 250, is not pulled out to the front side together with the front unit 206 (i.e., the safe housing 250 remains inside the housing 202) and maintains its position. As a result, even when the front door 3 is opened and the front unit 206 is pulled out to the front side from the housing 202, the banknote processing device 201 can keep the recycling cassette 44B in a position physically separated from the front side accessible to the user, thus maintaining a state where it is difficult for the user to access the recycling cassette 44B. In addition, the banknote processing device 201 eliminates the need for the operator to pull out the sturdy and heavy metal safe housing 250 to the front side from the housing 202, and reduces the weight that the operator needs to move when pulling out the front unit 206 to the front side from the housing 202.

[0100] In other respects as well, the banknote processing device 201 according to the third embodiment can achieve the same effects as the banknote processing device 1 according to the first embodiment.

[0101] [4. Other Embodiments] In the first embodiment described above, the banknote processing device 1 was described in a state where, when the front unit 6 is pulled out from the housing 2, the safe housing 50 and the retractable collection box 46 remain inside the housing 2. The present invention is not limited to this, and the banknote processing device 1 may include the stacker 16D in the rear unit 7 instead of the front unit 6, and when the front unit 6 is pulled out from the housing 2, the stacker 16D may remain inside the housing 2 together with the safe housing 50 and the retractable collection box 46.

[0102] Furthermore, in the first embodiment described above, the banknote processing device 1 was described in a case where the retractable collection box 46 and the safe housing 50 are positioned at the bottom and the stacker 16D is positioned at the top. The present invention is not limited to this, and the banknote processing device 1 may also be configured with the positions of the safe housing 50 and the retractable collection box 46 and the stacker 16D reversed in the vertical direction, with the retractable collection box 46 and the safe housing 50 at the top and the stacker 16D at the bottom. Alternatively, the banknote processing device 1 may be configured so that the retractable collection box 46 and the safe housing 50 and the stacker 16D are aligned horizontally.

[0103] Furthermore, in the second embodiment described above, the banknote processing device 101 was described in a case where the retractable collection compartment 46 was positioned lower and the stacker 16D was positioned upper inside the safe housing 150. The present invention is not limited to this, and the banknote processing device 101 may also be configured with the retractable collection compartment 46 and the stacker 16D positioned in the opposite vertical directions inside the safe housing 150, with the retractable collection compartment 46 positioned upper and the stacker 16D positioned lower. Alternatively, the banknote processing device 101 may be configured with the retractable collection compartment 46 and the stacker 16D positioned side by side in the left-right direction.

[0104] Furthermore, in the second embodiment described above, the banknote processing device 101 is provided with a separate safe enclosure door 150A2 for the stacker and a safe enclosure door 150A1 for the emergency retrieval compartment on the safe enclosure 150, and when the safe enclosure door 150A2 for the stacker is unlocked, only the stacker 16D is accessible, and when the safe enclosure door 150A1 for the emergency retrieval compartment is unlocked, only the emergency retrieval compartment 46 is accessible. The present invention is not limited to this, and depending on the method of operation of the authority, the banknote processing device 101 may be provided with only one door on the safe enclosure 150 that integrates the safe enclosure door 150A2 for the stacker and the safe enclosure door 150A1 for the emergency retrieval compartment, and when this door is unlocked, both the stacker 16D and the emergency retrieval compartment 46 are accessible.

[0105] Furthermore, in the first embodiment described above, the banknote processing device 1 was described in a case where the front door 3 could be unlocked by the store owner, store staff, maintenance personnel, or bank employees of a financial institution, the safe enclosure door 50A could be unlocked by staff of a security transport company, and the stacker door 16DA could be unlocked by the store owner or store staff. The present invention is not limited to this, and the banknote processing device 1 may also be configured so that the front door 3, the safe enclosure door 50A, and the stacker door 16DA can be unlocked by various other methods of operating authority. The same applies to the second or third embodiment.

[0106] Furthermore, in the first embodiment described above, when the retractable collection compartment 46 is removed from the rear side of the housing 2, the safe housing door 50A provided on the rear side of the safe housing 50 is opened, as shown in Figure 4, and the retractable collection compartment 46 is pulled out almost directly backward along the pulling direction D1 and removed from the banknote processing unit 5. The present invention is not limited to this, and the banknote processing device 1 may be provided with, together with, the safe housing door 50A, or in place of the safe housing door 50A, with a safe housing side door on at least one of the left or right side of the safe housing 50, and when the retractable collection compartment 46 is removed from the rear side of the housing 2, the safe housing side door is opened, and the retractable collection compartment 46 is pulled out along the left or right direction and removed from the banknote processing unit 5. The same applies to the safe housing 150 according to the second embodiment and the recycling cassette 44B according to the third embodiment.

[0107] Furthermore, in the second embodiment described above, the banknote processing device 101 was described in a case where the stacker 16D and the retractable collection box 46 are housed within the safe housing 150. The present invention is not limited to this, and the banknote processing device 101 may house other storage compartments in addition to the stacker 16D and the retractable collection box 46 within the safe housing 150.

[0108] Furthermore, in the first embodiment described above, the banknote processing device 1 may be provided with a replenishment and collection cassette instead of the evacuation and collection unit 46, which is used for collection processing to collect banknotes from stackers 16A, 16B, 16C, or 16D, replenishment processing to replenish banknotes to stackers 16A, 16B, 16C, or 16D, and verification processing to confirm whether the cash balance inside the banknote processing device 1 is correct. Alternatively, the banknote processing device 1 may be provided with stackers 16, a collection unit, etc., instead of the evacuation and collection unit 46. The same applies to the second embodiment.

[0109] Furthermore, in the first embodiment described above, the banknote processing device 1 may be equipped with a replenishment and collection cassette, a retracted collection box 46, or a collection box instead of the stacker 16D. The same applies to the second embodiment.

[0110] Furthermore, in the first embodiment described above, the banknote processing device 1 may omit the stacker 16D. The same applies to the second embodiment.

[0111] Furthermore, in the first embodiment described above, the banknote processing device 1 may have a rear opening formed on the rear side of the housing 2 that connects the internal space 8 enclosed by the housing 2 to the outside. The same applies to the second or third embodiment.

[0112] Furthermore, in the first embodiment described above, the banknote processing device 1 was described in the case where the front unit 6 is pulled out from the housing 2 towards the front side along the unit withdrawal direction Df by an operator, as shown in Figure 5. The present invention is not limited to this, and the banknote processing device 1 may also push the front unit 6 out from the housing 2 towards the front side along the unit withdrawal direction Df by a drive source such as a motor. The same applies to the second or third embodiment.

[0113] Furthermore, in the first embodiment described above, the banknote processing device 1 may be operated as a withdrawal-only machine by omitting the deposit section 20 within the banknote deposit / withdrawal section 10, or as a deposit-only machine by omitting the withdrawal section 21 within the banknote deposit / withdrawal section 10. The same applies to the second or third embodiment.

[0114] Furthermore, the first embodiment described above described the application of the present invention to a banknote processing device 1 that handles the deposit and withdrawal of banknotes used in cash registers of supermarkets, convenience stores, etc. The present invention is not limited to this, and may also be applied to various other devices such as automatic ticket vending machines installed in train stations, where the level of access privileges for people differs between the front and back of the device, or to devices that handle various other media such as securities. The same applies to the second or third embodiment.

[0115] Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above and other embodiments. That is, the scope of the present invention extends to embodiments that arbitrarily combine some or all of the embodiments described above and other embodiments. In addition, the scope of the present invention also extends when a part of the configuration described in any embodiment among the embodiments described above and other embodiments is extracted and substituted or adapted for a part of the configuration of any embodiment among the embodiments described above and other embodiments, or when the extracted part of the configuration is added to any embodiment.

[0116] Furthermore, in the embodiments described above, we have described a case in which a banknote processing device 1, 101, or 201 is configured as a media processing device by a housing 2, 102, or 202 as a housing, a front door 3 as a front door, a front unit 6, 106, or 206 as a front unit, and a rear unit 7, 107, or 207 as a rear unit. The present invention is not limited to this, and a media processing device may be configured by a housing, a front door, a front unit, or a rear unit having various other configurations. [Industrial applicability]

[0117] This invention can also be used in various conveying devices that transport and identify media such as banknotes. [Explanation of symbols]

[0118] 1, 101, 201...Banknote processing device, 2, 102...Housing, 2A...Front opening of housing, 2B...Rear panel of housing, 2B1...Opening for stacker on rear housing, 2B2...Opening for retractable collection compartment on rear housing, 2B3...Opening for safe on rear housing, 2B4...Opening for storage compartment on rear housing, 3...Front door, 4...Banknote control unit, 5, 105, 205...Banknote processing unit, 6, 106...Front unit, 7, 107...Rear unit, 8...Internal space, 10...Banknote deposit / discharge section, 12...Transport section, 14...Identification section, 16A, 16B, 16C, 16D...Stacker, 16DA...Stacker door, 18...Collection compartment, 20...Deposit section, 21...Discharge section, 22...Placement section, 23...Top gate Id, 26... Transport unit housing, 28... Circular transport unit, 30... Deposit transport unit, 31... Upper withdrawal transport unit, 32... Lower withdrawal transport unit, 33... Rear storage transport unit, 34... Front storage transport unit, 35... Rear transport unit, 36a... Front branching unit, 36b... Lower branching unit, 36c... Rear branching unit, 40... Front straight transport unit, 43... Straight transport unit, 46... Evacuation and retrieval unit, 48... Rear straight transport unit, 50, 150... Safe housing, 50A, 250A... Safe housing door, 150A1... Safe housing door for evacuation and retrieval unit, 150A2... Safe housing door for stacker, 50B, 150B1, 150B2, 250B... Opening, D1... Pull-out direction, Df... Unit pull-out direction.

Claims

1. A housing with a front opening that connects the internal space and the external space, formed on the front side facing the user, The front opening of the housing has a front door that can be opened and closed, A front unit is configured to be movable toward the front when the front opening of the housing is opened, from a state in which the front opening of the housing is closed by the front door, which is housed in the internal space, A rear unit configured to be movable toward the rear, from a state where it is stored behind the front unit in the internal space, It has, The front unit and the rear unit are connected to each other while housed in the internal space. When the front unit moves from the housing to the front, the rear unit is disconnected from the front unit and remains stored in the internal space without moving to the front. When the front unit moves from the housing to the front, the rear unit remains stored in the internal space without moving to the front. Media processing device.

2. Rear door provided on the rear side of the housing It further possesses, The rear unit is configured to move to the rear when the rear door is opened, from a state where it is housed in the internal space and closed by the rear door. The media processing apparatus according to claim 1.

3. A safe enclosure provided in the aforementioned internal space, which houses the rear unit and has a connecting portion for connecting the front unit and the rear unit. It further possesses, The safe enclosure is provided with a rear door, which is the rear door, that can open and close the rear opening of the safe enclosure that connects the internal space housing the rear unit to the outside. When the front unit moves from the housing to the front, the rear unit and the safe housing remain stored in the internal space without moving to the front. When the rear unit is removed from the rear side of the housing, the safe housing door is opened and the rear unit can be removed from the rear side while the safe housing is housed in the housing. The media processing apparatus according to claim 2.

4. The aforementioned rear unit is a storage compartment for storing media, The storage compartment stores the medium that has been transported from the transport path of the front unit. The media processing apparatus according to claim 1.

5. The front door and the rear door are unlocked by different authorities. The media processing apparatus according to claim 2.

6. The rear unit is housed at the rearmost position in the internal space. The media processing apparatus according to claim 1.

7. The aforementioned rear unit is a collection container for collecting the media. A media processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

Images