Currency handling equipment

Abstract

To prevent deterioration of the detection capability of optical sensors.SOLUTION: A change paying machine 3 is provided with a coin deposit / withdrawal device 5 including: a coin input unit 26 into which coins are input; a residual detection sensor 36 that has a light emitting unit for emitting detection light into the coin input unit 26 and a light receiving unit for receiving the detection light emitted from the light emitting unit; and a cleaning mechanism 44 having a cleaning mohair 47 for cleaning either or both of the light emitting unit and the light receiving unit. The coin deposit / withdrawal device 5 is provided to be withdrawable and retractable against a device enclosure 24. The cleaning mechanism 44 cleans either or both of the light emitting unit and the light receiving unit with the cleaning mohair 47 when the coin deposit / withdrawal device 5 is withdrawn or stored against the device enclosure 24.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 7

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a currency handling device, and is suitable for use in a cash register change dispenser used at the cash registers of retail stores such as supermarkets and convenience stores. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, cash register change dispensers that combine a POS register connected to a POS (Point Of Sales) system or the like with a change dispenser that processes the deposit and withdrawal of banknotes and coins have become widespread. Among these change dispensers, coin processing devices that process coins include, for example, a coin slot that allows a cashier to insert coins, a transport unit that transports coins, a recognition unit that recognizes the type of inserted coin, a storage unit that stores coins by denomination and dispenses coins for change, and a dispensing tray that stores coins dispensed from the storage unit and allows the cashier to take them out.

[0003] In this type of coin processing device, for example, an optical sensor provided in the transport section for detecting the presence or absence of coins can be manually cleaned by a cashier or the like to maintain the detection capability of the optical sensor (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[0004] Furthermore, there has been a coin processing device in which an optical sensor for detecting remaining coins in an insertion slot of the coin processing device that processes coins is provided in the insertion slot (see, for example, Patent Document 2). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 5810839 [Patent Document 2] JP 2015-121856 A (FIG. 13) Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] However, in conventional cashier change machines, the cashier or the like had to perform manual operations just to clean the optical sensor, and there was a possibility that the manual operation would be forgotten and the cleaning operation would not be performed. If the cashier change machine is operated for a long period of time without cleaning the optical sensor in this way, dust and the like will remain attached to the optical sensor, and the device will be operated with the optical sensor's detection ability reduced, which may cause equipment abnormalities.

[0007] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above points, and aims to propose a currency handling device that can prevent a decrease in the detection ability of an optical sensor. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] In order to solve such problems, the currency handling device of the present invention provides a coin handling device that includes an insertion slot through which coins are inserted, an optical sensor having an optical element which emits light into the insertion slot and an optical element which receives the light emitted from the optical element, and a cleaning mechanism having a cleaning member which cleans either or both of the optical element and the optical element, the coin handling device is arranged so that it can be withdrawn and stored in the housing, and the cleaning mechanism cleans either or both of the optical element and the optical element with the cleaning member when the coin handling device is withdrawn or stored in the housing.

[0009] The present invention can eliminate the need for manual operations just for cleaning the optical sensor, and can prevent forgetting to clean the optical sensor. Effect of the Invention

[0010] According to the present invention, it is possible to realize a currency handling device that can prevent a decrease in the detection ability of an optical sensor. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0011] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the external configuration of the cash register change machine. [Diagram 2] FIG. 1 is a plan view showing the configuration (1) of a coin depositing and dispensing device. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a front view showing the configuration (2) of the coin depositing and dispensing device. [Figure 4] 1 is a left side view showing a configuration of a coin depositing and dispensing device in a stored state according to a first embodiment. FIG. [Diagram 5] 1 is a left side view showing a configuration of a coin deposit and withdrawal device in a withdrawal state according to a first embodiment. FIG. [Figure 6] 2 is a perspective view showing the configuration of a coin insertion section in a state in which a sensor cleaning guide is lowered according to the first embodiment. FIG. [Figure 7] 2 is a perspective view showing the configuration of a coin insertion section in a sensor cleaning guide raised state according to the first embodiment. FIG. [Figure 8] 1 is a perspective view showing a configuration of a sensor cleaning guide according to a first embodiment. FIG. [Figure 9] FIG. 11 is a left side view showing the configuration of a coin depositing and dispensing device in a stored state according to a second embodiment. [Figure 10] FIG. 11 is a left side view showing the configuration (1) of a coin depositing and dispensing device in a mid-withdrawal state according to a second embodiment. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a left side view showing the configuration (2) of a coin depositing and dispensing device in the middle of withdrawal according to the second embodiment. [Figure 12] FIG. 11 is a left side view showing the configuration of a coin depositing and dispensing device in a withdrawal state according to a second embodiment. [Figure 13] FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing the configuration of a coin insertion section in a storage state with a sensor cleaning guide raised according to a second embodiment. [Figure 14] FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing the configuration of the coin insertion section in the middle of withdrawal with the sensor cleaning guide in the lowered state according to the second embodiment. [Figure 15] FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing the configuration of the coin insertion section in the pulled-out state and the sensor cleaning guide raised state according to the second embodiment. [Figure 16] FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing a configuration of a sensor cleaning guide according to a second embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0012] Hereinafter, modes for carrying out the invention (hereinafter referred to as embodiments) will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0013] 1. First embodiment [1-1. Overall configuration of the cash register change machine] As shown in the external view in Fig. 1, the cash register change machine 1 is composed of an upper POS register 2 and a lower change machine 3, which are independent devices. This cash register change machine 1 is operated by a cashier at a checkout (a so-called cash register) of a retail store such as a supermarket or convenience store, when a customer pays for products he or she wishes to purchase. In the following description, the side facing the cashier (hereinafter referred to as the operator) and the opposite side are respectively defined as the front and rear, and further defined as left, right, and up and down as viewed from the operator.

[0014] [1-1-1. POS register configuration] The POS register 2 has a register control unit 11, a display operation unit 12, a receipt processing unit 13, etc. A barcode reader (not shown) is also connected to the POS register 2, and the barcode attached to a product is read by this barcode reader to identify the product.

[0015] The cash register control unit 11 has a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a ROM (Read Only Memory), a RAM (Random Access Memory), etc., which are not shown, and performs various processes by executing predetermined programs read from the ROM etc. by the CPU, thereby providing overall control.

[0016] The display operation unit 12 is a so-called touch panel that displays the name and price of the recognized product, and also accepts input operations by the operator and sends them to the register control unit 11. In response to this, the register control unit 11 increases or decreases the quantity of products, corrects the price, etc. The receipt processing unit 13 prints the recognized product name, price, etc. on a receipt and discharges it from the receipt discharge port.

[0017] [1-1-2. Configuration of the change machine] Meanwhile, the change machine 3 is broadly composed of a banknote deposit and withdrawal device 4 that handles banknotes, a coin deposit and withdrawal device 5 that handles coins, and a display operation unit 6 located at the upper front side. Incidentally, like general coins, coins are made of metals such as nickel, copper, aluminum, etc., or alloys or combinations of these metals, and are formed into thin plates.

[0018] The banknote deposit / withdrawal device 4 takes in banknotes inserted by an operator from the banknote deposit / withdrawal section 21 and stores them in an internal banknote storage vault 22, and also feeds out banknotes instructed by the cash register control section 11 from the banknote storage vault 22 and dispenses them as change from the banknote deposit / withdrawal section 21.

[0019] The coin deposit and withdrawal device 5 takes in coins inserted by the operator through the coin insertion section 26 and stores them in an internal coin storage cabinet 34 (Figure 2), and also pays out coins from the coin storage cabinet 34 as instructed by the cash register control section 11 and dispenses them as change from the coin withdrawal tray 28.

[0020] The display operation unit 6 is configured by a combination of a predetermined display panel and predetermined operation switches. The display panel of the display operation unit 6 displays, as the operating status of the banknote deposit and withdrawal device 4 and the coin deposit and withdrawal device 5, for example, that there is a shortage of coins for change in the coin deposit and withdrawal device 5, that a predetermined sensor has detected an abnormality, and the location of the abnormality, etc. Furthermore, the operation switches of the display operation unit 6 receive instructions, for example, regarding the transportation of coins, via a pressing operation by an operator, etc.

[0021] [1-2. Configuration of the coin deposit and withdrawal device] As shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 4, the coin depositing and dispensing device 5 is stored in the device housing 24 at the rear side thereof. Hereinafter, this state will also be referred to as a stored state. The device housing 24 is configured as a hollow rectangular parallelepiped having an opening at the front side. Specifically, the device housing 24 is formed with a plate-shaped housing top plate 24U, a housing bottom plate 24D, a housing right side plate 24R, a housing left side plate 24L, and a housing rear side plate 24B on the upper side, lower side, right side, left side, and rear side, respectively, and a housing internal space 24S is formed surrounded by the housing top plate 24U, the housing bottom plate 24D, the housing right side plate 24R, the housing left side plate 24L, and the housing rear side plate 24B. In addition, the device housing 24 has a housing front side standing portion 24F standing upright along the vertical direction so as to be perpendicular to the housing top plate 24U from the front end of the housing top plate 24U.

[0022] The coin depositing and dispensing device 5 is configured to be reciprocable in the front-rear direction relative to the device housing 24. When a cashier or the like performs maintenance work on the inside of the coin depositing and dispensing device 5, the coin depositing and dispensing device 5 is pulled out forward from the device housing 24 in the pull-out direction dw, which is the near side as shown in Fig. 5, so that the coin depositing and dispensing device 5 is in a state in which the maintenance work can be performed on the inside of the coin depositing and dispensing device 5. Hereinafter, this state will also be referred to as the pull-out state. In this pull-out state, the abutment portion 52c, which is the rear end portion of the cleaning lever 52 (described later), is in a non-abutting state in which it is separated forward, which is the pull-out direction dw side, from the housing front standing portion 24F of the device housing 24.

[0023] On the other hand, when the coin depositing and dispensing device 5 is pushed rearward in the storing direction dp as shown in Fig. 4 by a cashier or the like after maintenance work is completed, most of the rear side of the coin depositing and dispensing device 5 is stored inside the device housing 24. In this stored state, the abutment portion 52c which is the rear end portion of the cleaning lever 52 (described later) is in abutment with the housing front standing portion 24F of the device housing 24.

[0024] As shown in Fig. 2, the coin depositing and dispensing device 5 has a coin control unit 25 that controls the entire device. Incidentally, the arrows in Fig. 2 indicate the travel path of the coins. The coin control unit 25 is mainly composed of a CPU (not shown), and performs overall control of the coin depositing and dispensing device 5 by reading and executing a predetermined program from a ROM, flash memory, etc. (not shown). As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, at the front side of the device housing 24, there are provided a coin insertion unit 26 into which coins as a medium are inserted, a coin reject tray 27 that ejects coins that have been identified as abnormal (i.e., rejected), and a coin dispensing tray 28 that ejects coins as change.

[0025] Coin insertion unit 26 is formed in a shape hollowed out like a mortar, and has a disk 26C built into its bottom for discharging coins one by one. Coin insertion unit 26 also has multiple residual detection sensors 36 built in for detecting the presence or absence of coins at predetermined locations, and notifies the coin control unit 25 of the detection results. In an actual settlement process, when a cashier or the like receives coins from a customer as payment for merchandise, the cashier or the like inserts these coins into coin insertion unit 26 all at once. When coin insertion unit 26 detects that coins have been inserted by residual detection sensors 36, it pays out the coins one by one to transport unit 30 under the control of coin control unit 25.

[0026] The conveying unit 30 drives the conveying belt 30B by a stepping motor, a pulley, etc., and conveys coins by the conveying belt 30B, and delivers them to the coin validator 31. The coin validator 31 validates the denomination of the coins (for example, six types: 1 yen, 5 yen, 10 yen, 50 yen, 100 yen, and 500 yen) and whether they are genuine or counterfeit, and notifies the coin control unit 25 of the coin validation result. Based on the obtained validation result, if the coin is abnormal, the coin control unit 25 drops the coin through a hole in the reject switching unit 32 and sends it to the coin reject tray 27, whereas if the coin is normal, the coin is transported downstream of the reject switching unit 32 and dropped through a hole in one of the sorting switching units 33 (sorting switching units 33A, 33B, 33C, 33D, 33E and 33F) to be transported to the coin storage unit 34 for each denomination (coin storage units 34A, 34B, 34C, 34D, 34E and 34F).

[0027] The coin reject tray 27 protrudes forward from the lower front surface of the coin depositing and dispensing device 5 and has a bowl-like shape with the upper center hollowed out, and receives and holds coins dropped from the transport unit 30 and allows them to be easily removed from the upper front. Coins dropped into the coin reject tray 27 are removed by a cashier facing the front of the coin depositing and dispensing device 5 and returned as rejected coins.

[0028] The coin storage vaults 34A-34F each store coins in a stack, and under the control of the coin control unit 25, a discharge mechanism (not shown) discharges the stored coins one by one onto the transport unit 35 toward the coin dispensing tray 28. In practice, the coin control unit 25 determines the type and number of coins according to the amount to be given to the customer as change, and then discharges the determined type and number of coins from each of the coin storage vaults 34A-34F. The transport unit 35 is composed of an endless belt, a stepping motor, a pulley, etc. (not shown), and transports the coins discharged from the coin storage vaults 34A-34F forward and drops them into the coin dispensing tray 28.

[0029] The coin dispensing tray 28 protrudes forward from the lower front surface of the coin depositing and dispensing device 5 and has a bowl-like shape with the upper center hollowed out, and receives and holds coins dropped from the transport unit 35 and allows them to be easily removed from the upper front. Coins dropped into the coin dispensing tray 28 are removed by a cashier facing the front of the coin depositing and dispensing device 5 and handed over to the customer as change.

[0030] In this way, the coin deposit and withdrawal device 5 separates coins paid by customers as payment for merchandise or the like and inserted into the coin insertion section 26 by denomination and stores them in the coin storage vaults 34A-34F, and also removes coins to be given as change from the coin storage vaults 34A-34F and discharges them from the coin withdrawal tray 28.

[0031] [1-3. Configuration of coin insertion section] As shown in Figures 6 and 7, the coin insertion section 26 is formed in a columnar shape with an opening at the top and a central axis aligned along the up-down direction as a whole. Specifically, the coin insertion section 26 has a cylindrical insertion port guide 26G for guiding coins, and a cylindrically recessed insertion space 26S for receiving coins in a misaligned state is formed inside the insertion port guide 26G, and a rotatable disk 26C for moving the coins is incorporated in the bottom of the insertion port guide 26G. Incidentally, the insertion port guide 26G is provided with a hole for passing detection light from a residual detection sensor 36 (described later).

[0032] Furthermore, the coin insertion section 26 also incorporates a plurality of residual detection sensors 36 that detect the presence or absence of coins in the insertion space 26S. The residual detection sensor 36 is an optical sensor arranged on the outer periphery of the insertion port guide 26G, and is composed of a pair of a light-emitting section and a light-receiving section. This residual detection sensor 36 notifies the coin control section 25 of the light-receiving result of the detection light irradiated from the light-emitting surface 36a of the light-emitting section at the light-receiving surface of the light-receiving section. Based on this light-receiving result, the coin control section 25 judges whether or not a coin is present (i.e., whether or not a coin remains) in the insertion space 26S. Specifically, when a coin blocks the detection light, the residual detection sensor 36 notifies the coin control section 25 of the light-receiving result indicating that the detection light is not received. On the other hand, when a coin does not block the detection light, the residual detection sensor 36 notifies the coin control section 25 of the light-receiving result indicating that the detection light is received. Based on the light reception result, the coin control unit 25 detects whether or not coins have been inserted into the coin insertion unit 26 when the counting operation starts, and whether or not there are any coins remaining in the coin insertion unit 26 before the counting operation ends.

[0033] When the coin insertion unit 26 detects by the residual detection sensor 36 that a coin has been inserted into the insertion space 26S, it rotates the motor 38 to transmit the driving force to the disk 26C by the drive gear 39, causing the disk 26C to rotate counterclockwise in a plan view, and centrifugal force is applied to the coin, transporting it to the outer periphery of the disk 26C and moving it to the gate 40 arranged on the rear right side. The gate 40 separates the coins one by one and allows them to pass to the feed roller 41 (FIG. 2) arranged behind the gate 40. The feed roller 41 is supplied with the driving force of the motor 38 and rotates, thereby feeding out the coins separated by the gate 40 and handing them over to the transport unit 30.

[0034] [1-4. Configuration of cleaning mechanism] Furthermore, the coin insertion portion 26 is provided with a cleaning mechanism 44 shown in Fig. 8. The cleaning mechanism 44 is composed of a sensor cleaning guide 46 and a guide up-down movement mechanism 50. For convenience of drawing in Fig. 8, the residual detection sensor 36 is shown separated to the left side from the cleaning mechanism 44.

[0035] [1-4-1. Sensor cleaning guide composition] As shown in FIG. 8, the sensor cleaning guide 46 is formed with a guide main body portion 46a, a guide protrusion portion 46b, and a guide shaft holding portion 46c.

[0036] The guide body 46a is a ring-shaped member disposed so as to surround the outer periphery of the insertion port guide 26G, and is capable of reciprocating up and down.

[0037] The guide protrusion 46b is a rectangular column-shaped member arranged to face the residual detection sensor 36 at the same position as the residual detection sensor 36 in the circumferential direction of the guide body 46a, and protrudes downward from the lower surface side of the guide body 46a. The guide protrusion 46b corresponding to the residual detection sensor 36 arranged at the rear of the outer circumferential side of the insertion port guide 26G is not shown in Figures 6, 7, and 8. The cleaning mohair 47 is attached to the mohair attachment part 49 formed at the lower end of the outer circumferential side surface of the guide body 46a of the guide protrusion 46b. The cleaning mohair 47 is composed of a large number of fine and soft hairs extending from the guide protrusion 46b toward the light-emitting surface 36a of the residual detection sensor 36. The cleaning mohair 47 cleans the light-emitting surface 36a by moving in the vertical direction while abutting against the light-emitting surface 36a of the residual detection sensor 36. Hereinafter, the state in which the cleaning mohair 47 is in contact with the light-emitting surface 36a will also be referred to as a contact state, and the state in which the cleaning mohair 47 is not in contact with the light-emitting surface 36a will also be referred to as a non-contact state.

[0038] Further, above the mohair attachment portion 49 in the guide protrusion portion 46b, a detection light passing hole 48, for example, in the shape of a rectangular prism, is drilled through the guide main body portion 46a from the outer peripheral surface to the inner peripheral surface. When the sensor cleaning guide is in the lowered state shown in FIG. 6, the detection light passing hole 48 as the light passing portion faces the light emitting surface 36a, thereby passing the detection light of the residual detection sensor 36. Further, below the lower end of the guide protrusion portion 46b, no member that blocks the detection light is disposed between the residual detection sensor 36 and the input port guide 26G. In this way, the guide protrusion portion 46b allows the detection light to pass on both the upper and lower sides of the mohair attachment portion 49 (i.e., the cleaning mohair 47).

[0039] The guide shaft holding portion 46c protrudes from the guide body 46a in the outer circumferential direction and is formed with a holding portion horizontal portion 46c1 and a holding portion vertical portion 46c2. The holding portion horizontal portion 46c1 is a plate-like member extending in the horizontal direction and protrudes from the guide body 46a in the outer circumferential direction.

[0040] The holding portion vertical portion 46c2 is a plate-like member along the vertical direction, and protrudes downward from the tip of the holding portion horizontal portion 46c1. Two cylindrical shaft slide holes 46ca are drilled in the holding portion vertical portion 46c2, penetrating from the upper end surface to the lower end surface. A shaft 51, which is fixed so as not to move and extends along the vertical direction, is slidably inserted into the shaft slide holes 46ca. As a result, the sensor cleaning guide 46 is held by the shaft 51 and is configured to be movable up and down along the extension direction of the shaft 51. In addition, a cylindrical engagement protrusion 46cb protrudes toward the cleaning lever 52 from the end surface of the holding portion vertical portion 46c2 facing the cleaning lever 52. This engagement protrusion 46cb engages with an engagement portion 52b of the cleaning lever 52.

[0041] [1-4-2. Configuration of the guide up / down movement mechanism] On the other hand, the guide vertical movement mechanism 50 serving as a cleaning member moving mechanism is composed of a shaft 51, a cleaning lever 52 and a spring 53, and moves the sensor cleaning guide 46 up and down in conjunction with the forward and backward movement of the coin depositing and dispensing device 5.

[0042] The two shafts 51 are cylindrical and extend vertically and are fixed so as not to move. The shafts 51 are slidably inserted into the shaft slide holes 46ca in the guide shaft holding parts 46c to hold the sensor cleaning guide 46 and to allow the sensor cleaning guide 46 to move up and down relative to the shafts 51 in the upward direction du or downward direction dd.

[0043] The cleaning lever 52 is positioned on the outer periphery of the inlet guide 26G relative to the holding portion vertical portion 46c2, and is shaped overall like a capital letter "L".It is rotatable around a rotation fulcrum 52a supported by a frame (not shown) that is not linked to the up and down movement of the sensor cleaning guide 46.

[0044] An engagement portion 52b recessed toward the rear is formed at the front end of the cleaning lever 52. An engagement protrusion 46cb of the guide shaft holding portion 46c of the sensor cleaning guide 46 fits inside the engagement portion 52b. Therefore, when the cleaning lever 52 rotates in the pull-out rotation direction rw, which is the counterclockwise direction around the rotation fulcrum 52a in the left side view, the engagement portion 52b lifts the engagement protrusion 46cb upward, thereby raising the sensor cleaning guide 46. On the other hand, when the cleaning lever 52 rotates in the storage rotation direction rp, which is the clockwise direction around the rotation fulcrum 52a in the left side view, the engagement portion 52b lifts the engagement protrusion 46cb downward, thereby lowering the sensor cleaning guide 46. In this way, the cleaning lever 52 raises or lowers the sensor cleaning guide 46 by rotating. Hereinafter, the state in which the cleaning lever 52 is fully rotated in the storage rotation direction rp will be referred to as the storage rotation state shown in Fig. 6, and the state in which the cleaning lever 52 is fully rotated in the pull-out rotation direction rw will be referred to as the pull-out rotation state shown in Fig. 7. In the storage rotation state, the cleaning mohair 47 is located below the light-emitting surface 36a as the sensor cleaning guide 46 descends. On the other hand, in the pull-out rotation state, the cleaning mohair 47 is located above the light-emitting surface 36a as the sensor cleaning guide 46 ascends.

[0045] Meanwhile, an abutment portion 52c that is bent upward is formed at the rear end portion of the cleaning lever 52. The abutment portion 52c is located rearward of the rear end portion of the guide shaft holding portion 46c.

[0046] The spring 53 is a compression spring, and its lower end abuts against a frame (not shown) and its upper end abuts against the lower surface of the horizontal portion 46c1 of the holding portion, so that the spring 53 is in a compressed state. Therefore, the spring 53 urges the sensor cleaning guide 46 upward and urges the cleaning lever 52 in the rotation direction rw when pulled out.

[0047] In the stored state shown in FIG. 4, the contact portion 52c of the cleaning lever 52 contacts the front surface of the housing front standing portion 24F of the device housing 24, and the cleaning lever 52 rotates from the pulled-out rotation state in the pulled-out rotation direction rp against the biasing force of the spring 53 in the pulled-out rotation direction rw to the pulled-out rotation state. Therefore, in the stored state, the cleaning lever 52 lowers the sensor cleaning guide 46 to the sensor cleaning guide lowered state shown in FIG. 6. On the other hand, in the pulled-out state shown in FIG. 5, the contact portion 52c of the cleaning lever 52 is separated forward from the front surface of the housing front standing portion 24F of the device housing 24, and the cleaning lever 52 rotates from the pulled-out rotation state in the pulled-out rotation direction rw by the biasing force of the spring 53 to the pulled-out rotation state. Therefore, in the pulled-out state, the cleaning lever 52 raises the sensor cleaning guide 46 to the sensor cleaning guide raised state shown in FIG. 7.

[0048] [1-5. Operation of cleaning mechanism] In such a configuration, when maintenance (servicing work) is performed on the coin deposit and withdrawal device 5, when the coin deposit and withdrawal device 5 in the stored state (Figure 4) is pulled out in the withdrawal direction dw from the device housing 24 by a cashier or the like to the pulled out state (Figure 5), the cleaning lever 52, whose abutment portion 52c was abutting against the front upright portion 24F of the device housing 24 in the stored rotated state (Figure 6), moves away from the device housing 24 in the pull-out direction dw, thereby rotating in the pull-out rotation direction rw and lifting the sensor cleaning guide 46 to the sensor cleaning guide raised state (Figure 7).

[0049] In this way, the coin depositing and dispensing device 5 can move the cleaning mohair 47 from below to above the light emitting surface 36a while contacting the light emitting surface 36a by raising the sensor cleaning guide 46. This allows the coin depositing and dispensing device 5 to remove dust and the like adhering to the light emitting surface 36a.

[0050] In this pulled-out state, a cashier or the like can move the sensor cleaning guide 46 up and down by repeatedly rotating the cleaning lever 52 in the pull-out rotation direction rw and the storage rotation direction rp, thereby manually cleaning the light-emitting surface 36a. In this pulled-out state, the optical axis OA of the detection light of the residual detection sensor 36 is located below the lower end of the guide protrusion 46b that is below the cleaning mohair 47, as shown in the upper right of FIG. 7. Therefore, in the pulled-out state, the detection light of the residual detection sensor 36 passes below the lower end of the guide protrusion 46b that is below the cleaning mohair 47. This allows the coin depositing and dispensing device 5 to check the remaining coins inside the coin insertion portion 26 when performing a test operation, for example, in the pulled-out state.

[0051] Thereafter, when maintenance etc. of the coin deposit / withdrawal device 5 is completed and the coin deposit / withdrawal device 5 in the withdrawal state (Figure 5) is pushed in the storage direction dp by a cashier or the like to be stored in the device housing 24 to enter the stored state (Figure 4), the cleaning lever 52, which was separated from the device housing 24 in the withdrawal direction dw in the withdrawal rotation state (Figure 7), abuts against the front upright portion 24F of the device housing 24, thereby rotating in the storage rotation direction rp and lowering the sensor cleaning guide 46 to enter the sensor cleaning guide lowered state (Figure 6).

[0052] In this way, the coin depositing and dispensing device 5 can move the cleaning mohair 47 from above to below the light emitting surface 36a while contacting the light emitting surface 36a by lowering the sensor cleaning guide 46. This allows the coin depositing and dispensing device 5 to remove dust and the like adhering to the light emitting surface 36a.

[0053] In this stored state, the optical axis OA of the detection light of the remaining detection sensor 36 is positioned in the detection light passing hole 48 above the cleaning mohair 47 of the guide protrusion 46b as shown in the upper right of Fig. 6. Therefore, in the stored state, the detection light of the remaining detection sensor 36 passes through the detection light passing hole 48 above the cleaning mohair 47 of the guide protrusion 46b. This allows the coin depositing and dispensing device 5 to check the remaining coins inside the coin insertion portion 26 even in the stored state, i.e., even in the operating state of the coin depositing and dispensing device 5.

[0054] [1-6. Effects, etc.] In the above configuration, the coin deposit / withdrawal device 5 rotates the cleaning lever 52 in the cleaning mechanism 44 in a withdrawal rotation direction rw and a storage rotation direction rp, directions in which the upward direction du and the downward direction dd are included as part of the rotation trajectory, in conjunction with movement in the withdrawal direction dw or the storage direction dp relative to the device housing 24 when the coin deposit / withdrawal device 5 transitions between the stored state and the withdrawal state, thereby raising or lowering the sensor cleaning guide 46 relative to the residual detection sensor 36.

[0055] Therefore, the coin deposit and withdrawal device 5 can clean the light-emitting surface 36a by abutting the cleaning mohair 47 fixed to the sensor cleaning guide 46 against the light-emitting surface 36a of the residual detection sensor 36 and moving the cleaning mohair 47 up and down, thereby eliminating the condition in which dust and the like is attached to the light-emitting surface 36a and maintaining the detection performance of remaining coins in the coin insertion section 26.

[0056] As a result, the coin deposit and withdrawal device 5 can clean the light-emitting surface 36a during attachment and detachment operations relative to the device housing 24, i.e., during movement in the withdrawal direction dw or storage direction dp relative to the device housing 24, which are operations performed for removing jammed coins and daily maintenance, without the need for a cashier or the like to intentionally operate the cleaning lever 52.

[0057] Thus, the coin deposit and withdrawal device 5 eliminates the need for a cashier or other such manual operation just for cleaning the residual detection sensor 36, such as pulling the coin deposit and withdrawal device 5 out of the device housing 24 and manually cleaning the residual detection sensor 36, and prevents a decrease in detection ability due to forgetting to clean the residual detection sensor 36.

[0058] In addition, the coin depositing and dispensing device 5 stops the up and down movement of the sensor cleaning guide 46 in the withdrawn state or the stored state in which the coin depositing and dispensing device 5 has completely moved in the withdrawal direction dw or the storage direction dp relative to the device housing 24. Furthermore, the coin depositing and dispensing device 5 passes the detection light of the residual detection sensor 36 below the lower end of the guide protrusion 46b in the withdrawn state (FIG. 5), while passing the detection light through the detection light passing hole 48 above the cleaning mohair 47 of the guide protrusion 46b in the stored state (FIG. 4). That is, in the coin depositing and dispensing device 5, the cleaning mechanism 44 blocks the detection light of the residual detection sensor 36 while moving in the withdrawal direction dw or the storage direction dp relative to the device housing 24, but in the withdrawn state or the stored state, the cleaning mechanism 44 is retracted from the detection light so as not to block the detection light. Therefore, the coin depositing and dispensing device 5 can pass the detection light into the insertion space 26S and check the remaining coins inside the coin insertion portion 26, whether in the withdrawal state or the storage state.

[0059] According to the above configuration, the change machine 3 as a currency handling device is provided with a coin deposit / withdrawal device 5 as a coin processing device including a coin insertion section 26 into which coins are inserted, a residual detection sensor 36 having a light-emitting section that irradiates detection light into the coin insertion section 26 and a light-receiving section that receives the detection light irradiated from the light-emitting section, and a cleaning mechanism 44 having cleaning mohair 47 as a cleaning member that cleans either or both of the light-emitting section and the light-receiving section, the coin deposit / withdrawal device 5 is provided so as to be able to be withdrawn and stored into the device housing 24, and the cleaning mechanism 44 cleans either or both of the light-emitting section and the light-receiving section with the cleaning mohair 47 when the coin deposit / withdrawal device 5 is withdrawn or stored into the device housing 24.

[0060] This makes it possible for the change machine 3 to eliminate the need for manual operation just for cleaning the remaining detection sensor 36, and prevents a decrease in detection ability due to forgetting to clean the remaining detection sensor 36.

[0061] 2. Second embodiment [2-1. Configuration of the cash register change machine, change machine and coin deposit and withdrawal device] As shown in FIG. 1, the cash register change machine 101 according to the second embodiment differs from the cash register change machine 1 according to the first embodiment in that it has a change machine 103 instead of the change machine 3, but is otherwise configured in the same manner. The change machine 103 according to the second embodiment differs from the change machine 3 according to the first embodiment in that it has a coin depositing and dispensing device 105 instead of the coin depositing and dispensing device 5, but is otherwise configured in the same manner. As shown in FIG. 2, the coin depositing and dispensing device 105 according to the second embodiment differs from the coin depositing and dispensing device 5 according to the first embodiment in that it has a coin insertion unit 126 instead of the coin insertion unit 26, but is otherwise configured in the same manner.

[0062] [2-2. Configuration of the coin insertion section] As shown in Figures 9, 10, 11 and 12, in which the same symbols are used for parts corresponding to those in Figures 4 and 5, and Figures 13, 14, 15 and 16, in which the same symbols are used for parts corresponding to those in Figures 6, 7 and 8, the coin insertion portion 126 of the second embodiment differs from the coin insertion portion 26 of the first embodiment in that it has a cleaning mechanism 144 instead of the cleaning mechanism 44, but is otherwise configured in the same way.

[0063] [2-3. Cleaning mechanism configuration] The cleaning mechanism 144 according to the second embodiment differs from the cleaning mechanism 44 according to the first embodiment in that it has a sensor cleaning guide 146 replacing the sensor cleaning guide 46, and a guide up-down movement mechanism 150 replacing the guide up-down movement mechanism 50, but is otherwise configured similarly.

[0064] [2-3-1. Composition of the sensor cleaning guide] 16, the sensor cleaning guide 146 according to the second embodiment differs from the sensor cleaning guide 46 according to the first embodiment in that it has a guide protrusion 146b instead of the guide protrusion 46b, but is otherwise configured in the same manner. The guide protrusion 146b according to the second embodiment differs from the guide protrusion 46b according to the first embodiment in that it does not have a detection light passing hole 48, but is otherwise configured in the same manner.

[0065] [2-3-2. Configuration of the guide up / down movement mechanism] The guide up-down movement mechanism 150 according to the second embodiment is configured similarly to the guide up-down movement mechanism 50 according to the first embodiment, except that it has a cam plate 60 instead of the cleaning lever 52. The cam plate 60 is formed in a rectangular shape that is thin in the left-right direction and extends in the front-rear direction, and is biased rearward by a spring (not shown).

[0066] A slide groove 60b is formed near the lower side of the cam plate 60. The slide groove 60b has a linear shape along the front-rear direction and is drilled so as to penetrate the cam plate 60 from the right side to the left side. A shaft (not shown) such as a stud fixed to a frame (not shown) that is not linked to the up-down movement of the sensor cleaning guide 146 and the front-rear movement of the cam plate 60 is slidably fitted into the slide groove 60b. Therefore, the cam plate 60 is restricted from moving in the up-down direction by the shaft fitted into the slide groove 60b, and can move only in the front-rear direction by sliding the shaft inside the slide groove 60b. Note that the slide groove 60b is not shown in Figures 9, 10, 11, and 12.

[0067] A cam groove 60a is formed on the cam plate 60 on the upper side near the front of the sliding groove 60b. The cam groove 60a is shaped like a capital letter "V" when viewed from the left side, and is drilled so as to penetrate the cam plate 60 from the right side to the left side. Specifically, the cam groove 60a is formed linearly from the rear end toward the front direction, then linearly extends diagonally downward, and when it reaches the center of the cam groove 60a in the front-rear direction, linearly extends diagonally upward, and is formed linearly toward the front end. The vertical heights of the front end and rear end of the cam groove 60a are the same. In this way, the cam groove 60a is shaped to incline in the upward direction du and downward direction dd with respect to the drawing direction dw and the storage direction dp.

[0068] The engaging protrusion 46cb of the guide shaft holding portion 46c of the sensor cleaning guide 146 is slidably fitted into the cam groove 60a. Therefore, when the engaging protrusion 46cb moves forward from a state in which the engaging protrusion 46cb is located at the rear end of the cam groove 60a, the cam groove 60a lowers the sensor cleaning guide 146, and then pushes the engaging protrusion 46cb upward to raise the sensor cleaning guide 146. On the other hand, when the engaging protrusion 46cb moves rearward from a state in which the engaging protrusion 46cb is located at the front end of the cam groove 60a, the cam groove 60a lowers the sensor cleaning guide 146, and then lifts the engaging protrusion 46cb upward to raise the sensor cleaning guide 146. In this manner, the cam plate 60 moves the engaging projection 46cb inside the cam groove 60a in association with the movement of the coin depositing and dispensing device 105 in the front-rear direction, thereby raising or lowering the sensor cleaning guide 146.

[0069] Further, the rear end of the cam plate 60 forms a contact portion 60c. The contact portion 60c is located rearward of the rear end of the guide shaft holding portion 46c.

[0070] In the stored state shown in FIG. 9, the contact portion 60c of the cam plate 60 contacts the front surface of the housing front standing portion 24F of the device housing 24. At this time, the engagement protrusion 46cb is located at the rear end of the cam groove 60a. In this stored state, the cam plate 60 raises the sensor cleaning guide 146 to the sensor cleaning guide raised state shown in FIG. 13. On the other hand, in the pulled-out state shown in FIG. 12, the contact portion 60c of the cam plate 60 is separated forward from the front surface of the housing front standing portion 24F of the device housing 24. At this time, the engagement protrusion 46cb is located at the front end of the cam groove 60a. In this pulled-out state, the cam plate 60 raises the sensor cleaning guide 146 to the sensor cleaning guide raised state shown in FIG. 15.

[0071] [2-4. Operation of cleaning mechanism] In this configuration, when the coin depositing and dispensing device 105 is pulled out in the pull-out direction dw from the device housing 24 by a cashier or the like in the stored state (FIG. 9) during maintenance of the coin depositing and dispensing device 105, the coin depositing and dispensing device 105 enters a mid-pull-out state between the stored state and the pull-out state as shown in FIG. 10. At this time, since the cam plate 60 is biased rearward, the engagement protrusion 46cb located at the rear end of the cam groove 60a moves forward and downward along the cam groove 60a while the abutment portion 60c of the cam plate 60 remains in contact with the housing front standing portion 24F of the device housing 24, and moves to the center of the cam groove 60a in the front-rear direction as shown in FIG. 10. As a result, the cam plate 60 lowers the sensor cleaning guide 146 to the sensor cleaning guide lowered state (FIG. 14).

[0072] In this way, the coin depositing and dispensing device 105 can move the cleaning mohair 47 from above the light emitting surface 36a to a vertical position facing the light emitting surface 36a while contacting the light emitting surface 36a by lowering the sensor cleaning guide 146. This allows the coin depositing and dispensing device 105 to remove dust and the like adhering to the light emitting surface 36a.

[0073] When the coin deposit and withdrawal device 105 is further pulled out in the pull-out direction dw from the device housing 24 by a cashier or the like, the cam plate 60 is biased rearward, so that the engagement protrusion 46cb moves forward and upward along the cam groove 60a while the abutment portion 60c of the cam plate 60 remains in contact with the housing front standing portion 24F of the device housing 24, and moves to the front end of the cam groove 60a as shown in Fig. 11. This causes the cam plate 60 to raise the sensor cleaning guide 146 to the sensor cleaning guide raised state (Fig. 15).

[0074] In this way, the coin depositing and dispensing device 105 can move the cleaning mohair 47 from a vertical position facing the light-emitting surface 36a to above the light-emitting surface 36a while contacting the light-emitting surface 36a by raising the sensor cleaning guide 146. This allows the coin depositing and dispensing device 105 to remove dust and the like adhering to the light-emitting surface 36a.

[0075] When the coin depositing and dispensing device 105 is further pulled out in the withdrawal direction dw from the device housing 24 by a cashier or the like, the engagement protrusion 46cb comes into contact with the front end of the cam groove 60a, and a force stronger than the biasing force of a spring (not shown) is applied forward, and with the engagement protrusion 46cb positioned at the front end of the cam groove 60a, the engagement protrusion 46cb pulls the cam plate 60 in the withdrawal direction dw, so that the contact portion 60c of the cam plate 60 moves away from the device housing 24 in the withdrawal direction dw, as shown in Fig. 12. As a result, the cam plate 60 moves in the withdrawal direction dw together with the coin depositing and dispensing device 105.

[0076] In this withdrawn state, a cashier or the like can manually clean the light emitting surface 36a by repeatedly moving the coin depositing and dispensing device 105 back and forth to move the sensor cleaning guide 146 up and down. Also, in this withdrawn state, the detection light of the remaining detection sensor 36 passes below the lower end of the guide protrusion 146b that is below the cleaning mohair 47. Therefore, in the withdrawn state, the coin depositing and dispensing device 105 can check the remaining coins inside the coin insertion portion 126 when performing a test operation, for example.

[0077] In this way, the coin depositing and dispensing device 105 moves forward when transitioning from the stored state to the withdrawal state. Therefore, the cam plate 60 moves backward relative to the slot guide 26G that moves forward together with the coin depositing and dispensing device 105 until the engagement projection 46cb reaches the front end of the cam groove 60a. Also, when transitioning from the stored state to the withdrawal state, the coin depositing and dispensing device 105 temporarily lowers the sensor cleaning guide 146 from the sensor cleaning guide raised state (FIGS. 9 and 13) to the sensor cleaning guide lowered state (FIGS. 10 and 14), and then raises it again to the sensor cleaning guide raised state (FIGS. 11, 12, and 15). Therefore, when the coin depositing and dispensing device 105 transitions from the storage state to the withdrawal state, the cleaning mohair 47 can be moved from above the light-emitting surface 36a to a vertical position facing the light-emitting surface 36a while contacting the light-emitting surface 36a, and then moved back above the light-emitting surface 36a while contacting the light-emitting surface 36a. This allows the coin depositing and dispensing device 105 to remove dust and the like attached to the light-emitting surface 36a.

[0078] Thereafter, maintenance or the like of the coin depositing and dispensing device 105 is completed, and the coin depositing and dispensing device 105 in the withdrawn state (FIG. 12) is pushed in the storing direction dp by a cashier or the like and stored in the device housing 24. At this time, when the coin depositing and dispensing device 105 transitions from the withdrawn state to the stored state, the cam plate 60 and the engagement protrusion 46cb perform the opposite operation to the above-mentioned operation during withdrawal, so that the sensor cleaning guide 146 is once lowered from the sensor cleaning guide raised state (FIGS. 11, 12, and 15) to the sensor cleaning guide lowered state (FIGS. 10 and 14), and then raised again to the sensor cleaning guide raised state (FIGS. 9 and 13).

[0079] In this way, the coin depositing and dispensing device 105 moves backward when transitioning from the withdrawn state to the stored state. Therefore, when the abutment portion 60c of the cam plate 60 abuts against the front-side upright portion 24F of the device housing 24, the cam plate 60 moves forward relative to the insertion port guide 26G that moves backward together with the coin depositing and dispensing device 105. In addition, when transitioning from the withdrawn state to the stored state, the coin depositing and dispensing device 105 can move the cleaning mohair 47 from above the light-emitting surface 36a to a vertical position facing the light-emitting surface 36a while contacting the light-emitting surface 36a, and then move the cleaning mohair 47 back to above the light-emitting surface 36a while contacting the light-emitting surface 36a, similar to the transition from the stored state to the withdrawn state. This allows the coin depositing and dispensing device 105 to remove dust and the like attached to the light-emitting surface 36a.

[0080] In this stored state, the detection light of the remaining coin detection sensor 36 passes below the lower end of the guide protrusion 146b that is below the cleaning mohair 47, just like in the withdrawn state. Therefore, the coin depositing and dispensing device 105 can check the remaining coins inside the coin insertion portion 26 even in the stored state, i.e., in the operating state of the coin depositing and dispensing device 105.

[0081] [2-5. Effects, etc.] In the above configuration, the coin deposit / withdrawal device 105 moves the engagement protrusion 46cb within the cam groove 60a in the cam plate 60 in a direction inclined in the upward direction du and downward direction dd relative to the withdrawal direction dw and the storage direction dp in conjunction with movement in the withdrawal direction dw or the storage direction dp relative to the device housing 24 when the coin deposit / withdrawal device 105 transitions between the withdrawal state and the storage state, thereby raising or lowering the sensor cleaning guide 146 relative to the residual detection sensor 36.

[0082] Therefore, the coin deposit and withdrawal device 105 can clean the light-emitting surface 36a by moving the cleaning mohair 47 fixed to the sensor cleaning guide 146 up and down while it is in contact with the light-emitting surface 36a of the residual detection sensor 36, thereby eliminating the condition in which dust and the like is attached to the light-emitting surface 36a and maintaining the detection performance of remaining coins in the coin insertion section 26.

[0083] Furthermore, when the coin depositing and dispensing device 5 according to the first embodiment transitions from the stored state (FIGS. 4 and 6) to the withdrawn state (FIGS. 5 and 7), the cleaning lever 52 is rotated only in one direction, the withdrawn rotation direction rw, from the stored rotation state to the withdrawn rotation state, and the sensor cleaning guide 46 is moved only in one direction, the upward direction du, from the sensor cleaning guide lowered state to the sensor cleaning guide raised state. Therefore, the coin depositing and dispensing device 5 is in the sensor cleaning guide lowered state in the stored state (FIGS. 4 and 6), and in the withdrawn state (FIGS. 5 and 7), the sensor cleaning guide is in the upward state. Therefore, the up-down position of the sensor cleaning guide 46 in the coin depositing and dispensing device 5 is different between the stored state (FIGS. 4 and 6) and the withdrawn state (FIGS. 5 and 7). For this reason, in order to prevent the sensor cleaning guide 46 from blocking the detection light of the residual detection sensor 36 when the sensor cleaning guide is in the lowered state, the coin deposit and withdrawal device 5 needed to form a detection light passage hole 48 above the mohair attachment portion 49 in the sensor cleaning guide 46.

[0084] In contrast, the coin depositing and dispensing device 105 forms a cam groove 60a shaped like a capital letter "V" in the cam plate 60, and slides the engagement protrusion 46cb of the sensor cleaning guide 146 inside the cam groove 60a. Therefore, when the coin depositing and dispensing device 105 transitions from the storage state (FIGS. 9 and 13) to the withdrawal state (FIGS. 12 and 15), the engagement protrusion 46cb is lowered once and then raised, thereby causing the sensor cleaning guide 146 to move up and down. Therefore, the coin depositing and dispensing device 105 can put the sensor cleaning guide into the raised state in both the storage state (FIGS. 9 and 13) and the withdrawal state (FIGS. 12 and 15). Therefore, the coin depositing and dispensing device 105 can make the vertical position of the sensor cleaning guide 146 the same in the storage state (FIGS. 9 and 13) and the withdrawal state (FIGS. 12 and 15). Therefore, in the coin depositing and dispensing device 105, it is not necessary to transmit the detection light through the upper side of the mohair attachment portion 49, and therefore it is not necessary to form the detection light passing hole 48 in the sensor cleaning guide 146. As a result, compared to the sensor cleaning guide 46, the shape of the sensor cleaning guide 146 in the coin depositing and dispensing device 105 can be simplified and the strength of the sensor cleaning guide 146 can be increased.

[0085] Furthermore, the coin depositing and dispensing device 105 does not stop in the sensor cleaning guide lowered state (FIG. 14) in either the stored state (FIG. 9) or the withdrawn state (FIG. 12). Therefore, in the sensor cleaning guide lowered state (FIG. 14), the coin depositing and dispensing device 105 can simply lower the sensor cleaning guide 146 to a vertical position where the cleaning mohair 47 faces the light emitting surface 36a (FIG. 14). This eliminates the need for the coin depositing and dispensing device 105 to lower the sensor cleaning guide 46 so that the detection light passing hole 48 faces the light emitting surface 36a, that is, to a position where the light emitting surface 36a reaches above the cleaning mohair 47 (FIG. 6), as in the coin depositing and dispensing device 5. Therefore, the coin depositing and dispensing device 105 can reduce the vertical movement of the sensor cleaning guide 146 when transitioning between the sensor cleaning guide raised state and the sensor cleaning guide lowered state, compared to the sensor cleaning guide 46. This allows the coin depositing and dispensing device 105 to have a smaller device size in the height direction than the coin depositing and dispensing device 5.

[0086] Furthermore, when the coin depositing and dispensing device 105 transitions from the storage state (FIGS. 9 and 13) to the withdrawal state (FIGS. 12 and 15), the cleaning mohair 47 is moved up and down relative to the light-emitting surface 36a by transitioning between the sensor cleaning guide raised state, the sensor cleaning guide lowered state, and the sensor cleaning guide raised state. Therefore, the coin depositing and dispensing device 105 can efficiently clean the light-emitting surface 36a during the transition between the storage state and the withdrawal state, compared to the coin depositing and dispensing device 5, which moves the cleaning mohair 47 only in one direction, upward, relative to the light-emitting surface 36a by transitioning between the sensor cleaning guide lowered state and the sensor cleaning guide raised state when transitioning from the storage state (FIGS. 4 and 6) to the withdrawal state (FIGS. 5 and 7).

[0087] In other respects as well, the coin depositing and dispensing device 105 according to the second embodiment can achieve the same effects as the coin depositing and dispensing device 5 according to the first embodiment.

[0088] 3. Other embodiments In the above-mentioned first embodiment, the sensor cleaning guide 46 is moved up and down by rotating the cleaning lever 52 in conjunction with the movement of the coin depositing and dispensing device 5 in the front-rear direction, and in the second embodiment, the sensor cleaning guide 146 is moved up and down by moving the engagement protrusion 46cb in the cam groove 60a of the cam plate 60 in a direction inclined up and down with respect to the front-rear direction in conjunction with the movement of the coin depositing and dispensing device 105 in the front-rear direction. The present invention is not limited to this, and the sensor cleaning guide 46 or 146 may be moved up and down by transmitting the moving force of the coin depositing and dispensing device 5 or 105 in the front-rear direction to the sensor cleaning guide 46 or 146 by various other mechanisms. In addition, the cleaning mohair 47 may be moved in various moving methods, such as moving in the front-rear direction or the left-right direction, or rotating, to clean the light emitting surface 36a of the residual detection sensor 36.

[0089] In the above-mentioned second embodiment, the cam groove 60a of the cam plate 60 is shaped like a capital letter "V" when viewed from the left side. The present invention is not limited to this, and the cam groove 60a may be shaped like a capital letter "U" or other various shapes. In short, the cam groove 60a may be shaped such that the inner side, which is the central part in the front-rear direction with respect to the pull-out direction dw and the storage direction dp (front-rear direction), is bent downward. Furthermore, the cam groove 60a may be shaped like a mountain, which is a "V" shape that is inverted upside down. Also, the cam groove 60a of the cam plate 60 may be shaped like only the rear half of the capital letter "V" shape when viewed from the left side. In this case, the cam groove 60a is formed so that the mohair attachment portion 49 moves below the light emitting surface 36a when the sensor cleaning guide is in the lowered state, and the detection light passing hole 48 for passing the detection light of the residual detection sensor 36 when the sensor cleaning guide is in the lowered state is drilled above the mohair attachment portion 49 in the guide protrusion 146b of the sensor cleaning guide 146 as in the first embodiment. In short, the cam groove 60a should include at least a portion formed along a direction that intersects the pull-out direction dw and the storage direction dp as a whole while inclining in the upward direction du and the downward direction dd with respect to the pull-out direction dw and the storage direction dp.

[0090] In the above-mentioned second embodiment, the case has been described where the vertical heights of the front end and rear end of the cam groove 60a of the cam plate 60 are the same. The present invention is not limited to this, and the vertical heights of the front end and rear end of the cam groove 60a of the cam plate 60 do not have to be the same as long as the lower end of the guide protrusion 146b can be positioned above the light-emitting surface 36a in both the stored state and the pulled-out state.

[0091] Furthermore, in the first embodiment described above, the sensor cleaning guide 46 and the guide vertical movement mechanism 50 may be configured upside down. The same applies to the second embodiment.

[0092] Furthermore, in the above-mentioned first embodiment, the case where the light emitting surface 36a of the light emitting part in the residual detection sensor 36 is cleaned by the cleaning mohair 47 has been described. The present invention is not limited to this, and it is sufficient to clean at least one of the light emitting surface 36a of the light emitting part or the light receiving surface of the light receiving part in the residual detection sensor 36 by the cleaning mohair 47, and it is also possible to clean both the light emitting surface 36a and the light receiving surface. Also, a sponge may be used instead of the cleaning mohair 47. In short, it is sufficient that the cleaning member is a member that can remove dust and the like attached to the light emitting surface 36a by contacting with the light emitting surface 36a. The same applies to the second embodiment.

[0093] Furthermore, in the above-described first embodiment, a case has been described in which, in the pulled-out state, a cashier or the like can rotate cleaning lever 52 to move sensor cleaning guide 46 up and down, thereby manually cleaning light-emitting surface 36a. The present invention is not limited to this, and in the pulled-out state, a cashier or the like can also hold sensor cleaning guide 46 and move it up and down to manually clean light-emitting surface 36a. The same is true in the second embodiment.

[0094] Furthermore, in the above-mentioned first embodiment, the detection light passing hole 48 is formed in the guide protrusion 46b, penetrating from the outer peripheral surface to the inner peripheral surface of the guide main body 46a, and the detection light of the residual detection sensor 36 is passed inside the detection light passing hole 48. The present invention is not limited to this, and a recessed portion may be formed in the guide protrusion 46b, recessed from one circumferential surface of the guide main body 46a toward the other circumferential surface of the guide main body 46a, penetrating from the outer peripheral surface to the inner peripheral surface of the guide main body 46a, and the detection light of the residual detection sensor 36 may be passed through the recessed portion of the recessed portion. Alternatively, the guide protrusion 46b may be formed of a transparent material that transmits light, and the detection light may be transmitted through the recessed portion of the recessed portion.

[0095] Furthermore, in the above-mentioned embodiment, the present invention has been described as being applied to the coin depositing and dispensing device 5 or 105 which constitutes the change machine 3 together with the banknote depositing and dispensing device 4. The present invention is not limited to this, and may be applied to, for example, the coin depositing and dispensing device 5 or 105 incorporated in a change machine 3 which does not have a banknote depositing and dispensing device 4 and which handles only coins.

[0096] Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiment and other embodiments. That is, the scope of application of the present invention extends to embodiments in which the above-mentioned embodiment and the other embodiments are combined in part or in whole in any manner, or embodiments in which a part is extracted.

[0097] Furthermore, in the above-mentioned embodiment, the coin depositing and dispensing device 5 or 105 as the coin processing device is configured by the coin insertion unit 26 or 126 as the insertion port, the residual detection sensor 36 as the optical sensor, and the cleaning mechanism 44 as the cleaning mechanism, and further, the change machine 3 or 103 as the money handling device is configured by the coin processing device and the device housing 24 as the housing. The present invention is not limited to this, and the coin processing device may be configured by an insertion port, an optical sensor, and a cleaning mechanism having various other configurations, and further, a money handling device may be configured by the coin processing device and a housing having various other configurations. [Industrial Applicability]

[0098] The present invention can be used, for example, in a coin depositing and dispensing device that processes coins with users. [Explanation of symbols]

[0099] 1, 101...cash register change machine, 2...POS register, 3, 103...change machine, 4...banknote deposit / withdrawal device, 5, 105...coin deposit / withdrawal device, 6...display operation unit, 11...cash register control unit, 12...display operation unit, 13...receipt processing unit, 21...banknote deposit / withdrawal unit, 22...banknote storage unit, 24...device housing, 24U...housing top plate, 24D...housing bottom plate, 24R...housing right side plate, 24L...housing left side plate, 24B...housing rear plate, 24S... ...Housing internal space, 24F...Housing front side standing portion, 25...Coin control portion, 26, 126...Coin insertion portion, 26S...Insertion space, 26G...Inlet guide, 26C...Disk, 27...Coin reject tray, 28...Coin dispensing tray, 30...Transport portion, 30B...Transport belt, 31...Coin validator, 32...Reject switch portion, 33...Sorting switch portion, 34...Coin storage, 35...Transport portion, 36...Residual detection sensor, 36a ......Light emitting surface, 38...Motor, 39...Drive gear, 40...Gate, 41...Feed-out roller, 44, 144...Cleaning mechanism, 46, 146...Sensor cleaning guide, 46a...Guide main body, 46b, 146b...Guide protrusion, 47...Cleaning mohair, 48...Detection light passage hole, 49...Mohair attachment portion, 46c...Guide shaft holding portion, 46c1...Holding portion horizontal portion, 46c2...Holding portion vertical portion, 46ca...Shaft Slide hole, 46cb...engagement protrusion, 50, 150...guide up and down movement mechanism, 51...shaft, 52...cleaning lever, 52a...rotation fulcrum, 52b...engagement portion, 52c...contact portion, 53...spring, 60...cam plate, 60a...cam groove, 60b...slide groove, 60c...contact portion, dw...pulling out direction, dp...storing direction, rw...rotation direction when pulled out, rp...rotation direction when stored, du...upward direction, dd...downward direction.

Claims

1. A coin slot into which coins are inserted; An optical sensor having a light emitting unit that irradiates light into the insertion port and a light receiving unit that receives the light irradiated from the light emitting unit; a cleaning mechanism having a cleaning member for cleaning either or both of the light emitting unit and the light receiving unit; A coin processing device including: The coin processing device includes: The device is provided so as to be retractable and storable from the housing, The cleaning mechanism cleans either or both of the light emitting unit and the light receiving unit with the cleaning member when the coin processing device is pulled out or stored in the housing. A currency handling device characterized by:

2. The cleaning mechanism includes: A cleaning member moving mechanism that moves the cleaning member while contacting either or both of the light emitting unit and the light receiving unit in conjunction with the movement of the coin processing device when the coin processing device is withdrawn or stored in the housing.

2. The currency handling device according to claim 1, further comprising:

3. The cleaning member moving mechanism includes: The coin processing device includes a contact portion that contacts the housing when the coin processing device is stored in the housing, and the contact portion transitions between a contact state in which the contact portion contacts the housing and a non-contact state in which the contact portion does not contact the housing, thereby transitioning the cleaning member to either a contact state in which the cleaning member contacts either or both of the light receiving portion and the light emitting portion, or a non-contact state in which the cleaning member does not contact the light receiving portion and the light emitting portion.

3. A currency handling apparatus according to claim 2.

4. The cleaning member moving mechanism includes: A guide is provided for holding the cleaning member and for moving the cleaning member, The guide is The contact portion moves when transitioning between the contact state and the non-contact state, thereby transitioning the cleaning member between the contact state and the non-contact state.

4. A currency handling apparatus according to claim 3.

5. The abutment portion is a rotatably provided lever, The lever is The cleaning member held by the guide is transitioned between the contact state and the non-contact state by rotating when the cleaning member transitions between the contact state and the non-contact state.

5. A currency handling apparatus according to claim 4.

6. The lever is When the contact state is changed to the non-contact state, the cleaning member held by the guide is moved upward by rotating in one direction.

6. A currency handling apparatus according to claim 5.

7. The guide is The light is transmitted between the light receiving unit and the light emitting unit in both a state in which the coin processing device is stored in the housing and a state in which the coin processing device is pulled out from the housing.

7. A currency handling apparatus according to claim 6.

8. The guide is A guide body portion that is movable in a vertical direction relative to the insertion port; a guide protrusion portion extending downward from the guide body portion, the cleaning member being provided thereon, and a light passing portion for passing the light being formed above the cleaning member; Equipped with the light transmitting portion is opposed to either or both of the light emitting portion and the light receiving portion in the contact state of the lever, thereby transmitting the light through the light transmitting portion; When the lever is in the non-contact state, the lower end of the guide protrusion is positioned above the optical axis of the optical sensor, thereby allowing the light to pass through.

8. A currency handling apparatus according to claim 7.

9. The abutment portion is a cam plate that is slidably provided, The cam plate is The coin processing device has a cam groove including at least a portion formed along a direction inclined with respect to a moving direction when the coin processing device is withdrawn or stored into the housing, The cam groove slidably engages with an engagement protrusion formed on the guide, and the engagement protrusion is slid in association with the movement of the coin processing device relative to the housing, thereby transitioning the cleaning member held by the guide between the contact state and the non-contact state.

5. A currency handling apparatus according to claim 4.

10. The cam plate is When the coin processing device is pulled out from the housing, the cleaning member held by the guide is moved downward by moving the engagement protrusion downward along the cam groove, and the cleaning member held by the guide is moved upward by moving the engagement protrusion upward along the cam groove.

10. A currency handling apparatus according to claim 9.

11. The guide is The light is transmitted between the light receiving unit and the light emitting unit in both a state in which the coin processing device is stored in the housing and a state in which the coin processing device is pulled out from the housing.

11. A currency handling apparatus as claimed in claim 10.

12. The guide is A guide body portion that is movable in a vertical direction relative to the insertion port; a guide protrusion portion extending downward from the guide body portion and provided with the cleaning member; Equipped with When the coin processing device is stored in the housing, the lower end of the guide protrusion is positioned above the optical axis of the optical sensor to allow the light to pass through. When the coin processing device is pulled out of the housing, the cleaning member is placed opposite either or both of the light emitting unit and the light receiving unit, and then the lower end of the guide protrusion is positioned above the optical axis of the optical sensor to allow the light to pass through.

12. A currency handling apparatus as claimed in claim 11.

Images