Banknote processing machine

Abstract

To provide an easy-to-use bill processing machine.SOLUTION: A bill processing machine includes: a loose bill storage unit that stores loose bills in a manner that they can be fed; a bundling unit that bundles a predetermined number of loose bills to form a bundled small bundle which is a small bundle W of bills; a small bundle storage unit 111 that can feed the small bundle W of bills while storing it as a stored small bundle; a small bundle withdrawal unit 71 that holds the small bundle W of bills in a manner that they can be removed from the bill processing machine; and a control unit. In one transaction of small bundle-of-bills withdrawal processing, the control unit merges both the stored small bundles stored by the small bundle storage unit 111 and the bundled small bundles created from the loose bills stored by the loose bill storage unit by bundling them by the bundling unit to be withdrawn to the small bundle withdrawal unit 71.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a banknote processing machine. [Background technology]

[0002] As one form of device for processing banknotes, a banknote processing machine has been disclosed that includes both a loose banknote processing unit that stores deposited loose banknotes and dispenses the stored loose banknotes as required, and a small bundle banknote processing unit that bundles loose banknotes into a predetermined number (100 sheets) to store them as small bundles of banknotes and dispenses the stored small bundles of banknotes as required (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[0003] The device disclosed in Patent Document 1 above is equipped with multiple loose banknote return cabinets dedicated to loose banknotes and multiple small bundle banknote return cabinets dedicated to small bundle banknotes, and it is possible to dispense the desired amount of loose banknotes or small bundle banknotes from the loose banknote withdrawal port and small bundle banknote withdrawal port, which are dedicated withdrawal ports respectively.

[0004] Furthermore, it is also possible to transport banknotes from the loose banknote processing unit to the small bundle banknote processing unit. For example, after the loose banknote processing unit feeds and transports banknotes from the loose banknote recycling box, the banknotes can be stacked in a stacking unit of 100 sheets, and the stacked banknotes can be handed over from the loose banknote processing unit to the small bundle banknote processing unit. The stacked banknotes received from the loose banknote processing unit are bundled into small bundle banknotes in a bundling unit of the small bundle banknote processing unit, and can be dispensed from a small bundle dispensing port or stored in the small bundle banknote recycling box. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 4302651 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] When performing a dispensing process for small bundles of banknotes using the above-mentioned device, the user inputs the desired denomination and number of bundles via the operation unit, and the small bundles of banknotes are fed and dispensed from the small bundle banknote return box based on the input information.

[0007] However, if the denomination and number of small bills desired by the user are not stored in the small bill return box, the user cannot dispense them, resulting in a shortage of small bills to be dispensed. The user must either give up on the shortage of small bills, or, as a method of making up for the shortage, create small bills from loose bills stored in the loose bill return box in the machine in the next transaction and store them in the small bill return box, and then perform a dispensing process for the small bills stored in the small bill return box in the next transaction, and combine the bills with the bills dispensed the previous time to make up the desired number of small bills. In this case, instead of a single transaction of dispensing small bills, a transaction of dispensing small bills is performed, followed by a process of moving bills stored in the machine to a high level, and then a second transaction of dispensing small bills, and multiple processes must be specified. This creates a problem of poor usability, as it is necessary for the user to repeatedly perform cumbersome operation inputs.

[0008] An object of the present invention is to provide a banknote processing machine that is easy to use. [Means for solving the problem]

[0011] The present invention relates to 1The aspect of the present invention is a banknote processing machine having a loose banknote storage unit that stores loose banknotes so that they can be fed out, a bundling unit that bundles a predetermined number of loose banknotes into a bundled small bundle that is a small bundle of banknotes, a small bundle storage unit that can store the small bundle of banknotes as a stored small bundle and feed them out, a small bundle dispensing unit that holds the small bundle of banknotes so that they can be removed outside the machine, and a control unit that controls the loose banknote storage unit, the bundling unit, the small bundle storage unit and the small bundle dispensing unit and also controls the transport of the loose banknotes and the small bundle of banknotes, When starting a transaction, the system compares the number of withdrawal requests for small bundles of banknotes of each denomination, the number of bundles of stored small bundles stored in the small bundle storage section as the total amount on board, and the number of loose banknotes stored in the loose banknote storage section as the total amount on board, and determines an operation pattern for the transaction by taking into consideration a predetermined storage amount for the stored small bundles, which is set in advance for each small bundle storage section, and a predetermined storage amount for the loose banknotes, which is set in advance for each loose banknote storage section, Effect of the Invention

[0012] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a banknote processing machine that is easy to use. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0013] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view showing a banknote processing machine according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] 1 is a side cross-sectional view that illustrates generally a first unit of a banknote processing machine according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a side cross-sectional view illustrating a schematic view of a second unit of the banknote processing machine according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] FIG. 1 is a side cross-sectional view showing generally a first unit of a banknote processing machine according to a first embodiment of the present invention, in which a banknote transport route for a loose banknote deposit process is indicated by a thick line. [Diagram 5] FIG. 1 is a side cross-sectional view showing a schematic view of a first unit of a banknote processing machine according to a first embodiment of the present invention, in which a banknote transport route for a loose banknote storage process is indicated by a thick line. [Figure 6]FIG. 1 is a side cross-sectional view showing generally a first unit of a banknote processing machine according to a first embodiment of the present invention, in which a banknote transport route for a loose banknote return process is indicated by a thick line. [Figure 7] FIG. 1 is a side cross-sectional view showing generally a first unit of a banknote processing machine according to a first embodiment of the present invention, in which a banknote transport route for a loose banknote dispensing process is indicated by a thick line. [Figure 8] FIG. 2 is a side cross-sectional view showing a schematic view of a second unit of the banknote processing machine according to the first embodiment of the present invention, in which a banknote transport route for a stored small bundle dispensing process is indicated by a thick line. [Figure 9] FIG. 1 is a side cross-sectional view showing a schematic view of a first unit of a banknote processing machine according to a first embodiment of the present invention, in which a banknote transport route in the first unit for processing bundled small bundles and dispensing is indicated by a thick line. [Figure 10] FIG. 2 is a side cross-sectional view showing a schematic view of a second unit of the banknote processing machine according to the first embodiment of the present invention, in which a banknote transport route in the second unit for processing bundled small bundles and dispensing is indicated by a thick line. [Figure 11] FIG. 2 is a side cross-sectional view showing a schematic view of a second unit of the banknote processing machine according to the first embodiment of the present invention, in which a banknote transport route in the second unit for a bundled small bundle refill process is indicated by a thick line. [Figure 12] FIG. 2 is a side cross-sectional view showing a schematic view of a second unit of the banknote processing machine according to the first embodiment of the present invention, in which a banknote transport route for a stored small bundle redistribution process is indicated by a thick line. [Figure 13] FIG. 2 is a side cross-sectional view showing a schematic view of a second unit of the banknote processing machine according to the first embodiment of the present invention, in which a banknote transport route for a small-bundle banknote loading process is indicated by a thick line. [Figure 14] FIG. 2 is a side cross-sectional view showing a schematic view of a second unit of the banknote processing machine according to the first embodiment of the present invention, in which a banknote transport route for a stored small bundle recovery process is indicated by a thick line. [Figure 15] FIG. 2 is a side cross-sectional view showing generally a second unit of the banknote processing machine according to the first embodiment of the present invention, in which a banknote transport route in the outward inspection process of the small bundle banknote inspection process is indicated by a thick line. [Figure 16]FIG. 2 is a side cross-sectional view showing generally a second unit of the banknote processing machine according to the first embodiment of the present invention, in which a banknote transport route for the inspection return path process of the small bundle banknote inspection process is indicated by a thick line. [Figure 17] FIG. 11 is a side cross-sectional view that illustrates generally a second unit of a banknote processing machine according to a second embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0014] First Embodiment A banknote processing machine according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to Figures 1 to 16. The banknote processing machine 11 of the first embodiment shown in Figure 1 performs deposit and withdrawal processes for banknotes. In the following description, the side on which an operator stands during main operations of the banknote processing machine 11 will be referred to as the "front", the opposite side as the "rear", and the left side as viewed from the operator at this time will be referred to as the "left" and the right side as the "right".

[0015] As shown in FIG. 1, the banknote processing machine 11 of the first embodiment is configured with a first unit 1 and a second unit 2 arranged side by side on the left and right. The first unit 1 on the right is a unit that performs deposit and withdrawal processing for loose banknotes S shown in FIG. 2. The second unit 2 on the left is a unit that performs deposit and withdrawal processing for small bundles of banknotes W shown in FIG. 3, which are made by accumulating loose banknotes S of a single denomination in a predetermined bundling unit number (for example, 100 sheets) and bundling them with bundling tape, and that performs withdrawal of new loose banknotes. The first unit 1 is capable of creating small bundles of banknotes W from loose banknotes S, and is configured to pass the created small bundles of banknotes W to the second unit 2.

[0016] [1st Unit 1] 1, the first unit 1 is provided with a bulk deposit section 20, a bulk withdrawal return section 21, and a bulk withdrawal rejected container 22 at the upper part of the front side of the body 10. The bulk withdrawal return section 21 is provided above the bulk deposit section 20, and the bulk withdrawal rejected container 22 is provided above the bulk withdrawal return section 21.

[0017] The bulk deposit section 20 has a shutter 23 that can be opened and closed. The shutter 23 is opened to insert bulk banknotes S from outside the machine, and then the shutter 23 is closed to feed the bulk banknotes S into the machine. The bulk deposit section 20 stacks and places the bulk banknotes S from bottom to top with their longitudinal direction aligned in the left-right direction. As shown in FIG. 2, the bulk deposit section 20 is provided at its lower part with a deposit and feed section 24 that separates the bulk banknotes S stacked in the bulk deposit section 20 one by one from the bottom end and feeds them into the machine at predetermined intervals. The bulk banknotes S are basically transported in the first unit 1 with their short sides aligned in the transport direction.

[0018] As shown in Fig. 1, the loose withdrawal return unit 21 has an openable and closable shutter 25. In the loose withdrawal return unit 21, the shutter 25 is closed to feed loose banknotes S for withdrawal from the inside of the machine, and then the shutter 25 is opened to remove the loose banknotes S from the machine. The loose withdrawal return unit 21 also feeds loose banknotes S that are rejected during the loose banknote deposit process. In the loose withdrawal return unit 21, the loose banknotes S fed from the machine are stacked and placed from bottom to top with their longitudinal direction aligned in the left-right direction.

[0019] The loose withdrawal rejected storage 22 is detachable from the machine body 10 of the first unit 1. The loose withdrawal rejected storage 22 stores loose banknotes S fed from within the machine, stacked from bottom to top with their longitudinal direction aligned in the left-right direction. The loose withdrawal rejected storage 22 is removed from the machine body 10 with the loose banknotes S stored therein, and then the loose banknotes S are removed from the inside.

[0020] 2, a bulk identification unit 31 is provided at the rear of the first unit 1 to identify the authenticity of the bulk banknotes S fed from the bulk deposit unit 20, the denomination of the genuine banknotes, and the presence or absence of transport abnormalities such as double feeding, skewing, or near feeding. The bulk identification unit 31 also identifies the front and back, top and bottom, left and right, etc. of the bulk banknotes S.

[0021] Behind the bulk deposit section 20, the bulk withdrawal return section 21, and the bulk withdrawal reject storage 22, there are provided a plurality of alignment sections 35, 36, specifically two alignment sections 35, 36, which align the bulk banknotes S and stack them in a predetermined number of bundling units. Behind the alignment sections 35, 36, there is provided an elevation conveying section 37 that conveys the bulk banknotes S in the number of bundling units stacked in the alignment sections 35, 36 upward. Above the alignment sections 35, 36, there is provided a bundling section 38 that binds the bulk banknotes S in the number of bundling units stacked in the alignment sections 35, 36 and transported by the elevation conveying section 37 with a bundling tape to form a small bundle of banknotes W. In front of the bundling section 38, there is provided a small bundle sending section 39 that sends the small bundle of banknotes W created in the bundling section 38 to the second unit 2 side. The small bundle delivery section 39 moves the small bundle of banknotes W one by one in the longitudinal direction with the accumulation direction of the loose banknotes S being up and down and the longitudinal direction being aligned in the left and right direction, and delivers them to the second unit 2 side.

[0022] A plurality of temporary storage containers 41, specifically four, having the same structure are arranged front to back in alignment with the top, bottom, left and right positions under the first unit 1. These temporary storage containers 41 are recycling containers capable of storing loose banknotes S and capable of feeding out the stored loose banknotes S.

[0023] In the first unit 1, among the multiple temporary storage storage containers 41, the temporary storage storage container 41(A) located at the rearmost position, the temporary storage storage container 41(B) located second from the rear, and the temporary storage storage container 41(C) located third from the rear all temporarily store genuine loose banknotes S of a predetermined single denomination that can be accepted in a state of being accumulated from bottom to top before the deposit is confirmed, and store them so that they can be paid out after the deposit is confirmed. Also, among the multiple temporary storage storage containers 41, the temporary storage storage container 41(D) located at the frontmost position temporarily stores genuine loose banknotes S that can be accepted in a state of being accumulated from bottom to top in a mixed denomination manner before the deposit is confirmed, and store them so that they can be paid out after the deposit is confirmed.

[0024] The temporary storage storage 41(A) stores, in a payable manner, genuine loose banknotes S of a predetermined single first denomination identified as acceptable (specifically, 10,000 yen notes), the temporary storage storage 41(B) stores, in a payable manner, genuine loose banknotes S of a predetermined single second denomination identified as acceptable (specifically, 5,000 yen notes), and the temporary storage storage 41(C) stores, in a payable manner, genuine loose banknotes S of a predetermined single third denomination identified as acceptable (specifically, 1,000 yen notes). The temporary storage storage 41(D) stores, in a payable manner, loose banknotes S other than the above identified as acceptable (specifically, genuine and soiled 2,000 yen notes, overflow and soiled 10,000 yen notes, overflow and soiled 5,000 yen notes, and overflow and soiled 1,000 yen notes).

[0025] That is, the first unit 1 has a plurality of temporary storage containers 41 for a single denomination (10,000 yen notes, 5,000 yen notes, and 1,000 yen notes) for each denomination. Note that the storage pattern of the temporary storage containers 41 is not limited to the above pattern and can be set arbitrarily.

[0026] The temporary storage storage cabinets 41(A) to 41(D) have a similar structure and each include a rectangular cylindrical container 40 which forms an internal space for storing loose banknotes S, an intake and delivery section 42 which is provided at the top of container 40 and which takes in and delivers loose banknotes S into the internal space, a shutter 46 which accumulates the loose banknotes S delivered from the intake and delivery section 42 into the internal space, a pair of openable and closable flaps 43 which are provided below the shutter 46 of container 40 and which divide the internal space into upper and lower sections, a stage 44 which supports the accumulated loose banknotes S and moves up and down within the internal space, and a pusher 45 which presses the loose banknotes S accumulated on stage 44 from above.

[0027] The pusher 45 is provided in each of the storage bodies 40 of the temporary storage containers 41(A) to 41(D) so as to be able to rise and fall within the corresponding storage body 40. The shutter 46 is provided in each of the storage bodies 40 of the temporary storage containers 41(A) to 41(D) so as to be able to rise and fall within the corresponding storage body 40 and to be able to advance and retreat relative to the corresponding storage body 40. When the shutter 46 is in a closed state in which it has entered the storage body 40, it forms a loose banknote temporary storage section 48 between the shutter 46 and the pusher 45 in the storage body 40 that has entered.

[0028] The pair of flappers 43 are provided so as to be able to advance and retreat with respect to each of the storage bodies 40 of the temporary storage containers 41(A) to 41(D). The stage 44 is provided in each of the storage bodies 40 of the temporary storage containers 41(A) to 41(D) so as to be able to ascend and descend within the corresponding storage body 40. When the pair of flappers 43 is in a closed state in which it has entered the storage body 40, a loose banknote storage section 49 is formed between the pair of flappers 43 in the storage body 40 that has entered and the stage 44 below it.

[0029] The loose bill temporary storage unit 48 temporarily stores the loose bills S taken in by the take-in and pay-out unit 42 on the shutter 46 in the closed state, and the loose bills S temporarily stored in this manner can be paid out by the take-in and pay-out unit 42. The loose bill temporary storage unit 48 can store the loose bills S temporarily stored in the loose bill storage unit 49 by opening the shutter 46 and the pair of flappers 43, pushing the pusher 45, and closing the flappers 43. When the shutter 46 and the pair of flappers 43 are in the open state and the stage 44 rises, the loose bill storage unit 49 can pay out the stored loose bills S by the take-in and pay-out unit 42. The loose bill storage unit 49 stores the loose bills S so that they can be paid out.

[0030] At the bottom of the first unit 1, at the front of the temporary storage repository 41 (D), there is provided a storage cassette section 51 which is removable from the body 10 and which takes in and stores loose banknotes S dispensed from the loose banknote storage section 49 for each denomination during the loose collection process, and which serves as a temporary bulk storage section into which loose banknotes S for replenishment are loaded outside the machine during the loose replenishment process and from which the loaded loose banknotes S are dispensed.

[0031] The storage cassette unit 51 stores loose banknotes S so that they can be taken in and fed out, and is provided at its upper part with an intake / feed-out unit 52 which takes in loose banknotes S therein and separates the loose banknotes S one by one starting from the top one and feeds them out at specified intervals. The storage cassette unit 51 is also provided with a stage 53 which moves up and down within the internal space.

[0032] A transport unit 61 for transporting loose banknotes S is provided inside the first unit 1 so as to appropriately connect each part. The transport unit 61 moves the loose banknotes S in a position where the short edge direction of the banknotes S is basically aligned with the transport direction.

[0033] The transport unit 61 has a transport path 61A that transports the loose banknotes S of the loose deposit unit 20 provided at the front of the body 10 toward the loose identification unit 31 provided at the rear of the body 10, and further toward the storage cassette unit 51 provided at the front of the body 10. The transport path 61A extends rearward from the deposit and payout unit 24 of the loose deposit unit 20 to between the transport paths 61J and 61M described below, then extends downward, then extends rearward, passes through the loose identification unit 31, turns back toward the front at the bottom, extends forward, extends downward from the front end of the first unit 1, and connects to the intake and payout unit 52 of the storage cassette unit 51.

[0034] In addition, the conveying section 61 has a conveying path 61C that branches downwardly between the connection position to the storage cassette section 51 on the conveying path 61A and the bulk identification section 31 and connects to the intake and feed section 42 of the temporary storage storage cabinet 41(A), a conveying path 61D that branches downwardly between the connection position to the storage cassette section 51 on the conveying path 61A and the branching position of the conveying path 61C and connects to the intake and feed section 42 of the temporary storage storage cabinet 41(B), a conveying path 61E that branches downwardly between the connection position to the storage cassette section 51 on the conveying path 61A and the branching position of the conveying path 61D and connects to the intake and feed section 42 of the temporary storage storage cabinet 41(C), and a conveying path 61F that branches downwardly between the connection position to the storage cassette section 51 on the conveying path 61A and the branching position of the conveying path 61E and connects to the intake and feed section 42 of the temporary storage storage cabinet 41(D).

[0035] In addition, the conveying section 61 has a conveying path 61G that branches upward from the side closest to the storage cassette section 51 on the conveying path 61A and then extends rearward to connect to the lower part of the portion of the conveying path 61A that extends downward from the bulk deposit section 20 toward the bulk identification section 31, a conveying path 61H that branches upward from a position between the branching position of the conveying path 61F on the conveying path 61A and the branching position of the conveying path 61G and connects to a midpoint of the conveying path 61G, and a conveying path 61J that branches upward from a position between the connection position of the conveying path 61H on the conveying path 61G and the connection position of the conveying path 61A and connects to between the connection position of the conveying path 61G on the conveying path 61A and the bulk deposit section 20.

[0036] In addition, the conveying section 61 has a conveying path 61K that branches off rearward between the connection position of conveying path 61G and the connection position of conveying path 61J on conveying path 61A, then extends upward and then extends forward to connect to the loose payment return section 21, and a conveying path 61L that branches off from a midway position at the top of conveying path 61K and connects to the loose payment reject storehouse 22.

[0037] The transport unit 61 also has a transport path 61M that branches upward from between the connection position of the transport path 61G on the transport path 61A and the bulk identification unit 31 and is connected between the branching position of the transport path 61K from the transport path 61A and the branching position of the transport path 61L, and a transport path 61N that branches from between the branching position of the transport path 61M on the transport path 61A and the bulk identification unit 31 and is connected to an intermediate position of the transport path 61M. The transport path 61N is provided with a front / back reversing unit 63 that reverses the front / back of the bulk banknotes S.

[0038] In addition, the conveying section 61 has a conveying path 61P that branches rearward between the branching position of conveying path 61L in conveying path 61K and the joining position of conveying path 61M and connects to the alignment section 35, and a conveying path 61Q that branches rearward between the branching position of conveying path 61P in conveying path 61K and the joining position of conveying path 61M and connects to the alignment section 36.

[0039] The loose banknotes S identified by the loose banknotes identification unit 31 are identified by the transport unit 61, and the temporary storage storage units 41(A) to 41(D) and the storage cassette unit 51 store the loose banknotes S identified by the loose banknotes identification unit 31 in a manner that allows them to be fed out.

[0040] The first unit 1 has a control unit 65 that controls the first unit 1 and the second unit 2, i.e., the entire banknote processing machine 11, and a touch panel type operation display unit 66 that receives operation input from an operator and displays information to the operator. The control unit 65 and the operation display unit 66 may be provided in the second unit 2.

[0041] With regard to the first unit 1, the control unit 65 controls the loose deposit unit 20, the loose identification unit 31, the alignment units 35, 36, the lifting and transporting unit 37, the bundling unit 38, the small bundle sending unit 39, the temporary storage storage cabinets 41(A) to 41(D) including the loose banknote temporary storage unit 48 and the loose banknote storage unit 49, the storage cassette unit 51, the transport unit 61, the operation display unit 66, etc.

[0042] [2nd Unit 2] As shown in Figure 1, the second unit 2 has a small bundle deposit / withdrawal section 71 (small bundle withdrawal section) at the upper part of the front side of the body 70, and has a new note withdrawal section 72 above the small bundle deposit / withdrawal section 71 on the front side of the body 70.

[0043] In the second unit 2, the portion rearward from the new note dispensing section 72 at the top of the body 70 serves as a new note storage and dispensing section 75 which stores new loose banknotes S and dispenses the stored new loose banknotes S from the new note dispensing section 72. The new note dispensing section 72 has an openable and closable shutter 76. When the shutter 76 is closed, new loose banknotes S to be dispensed are fed out of the machine, and then the shutter 76 is opened so that the new loose banknotes S are taken out of the machine.

[0044] The small bundle input / output section 71 has a shutter 81 that can be opened and closed. Also, as shown in FIG. 3, the small bundle input / output section 71 has a pair of openable and closable flappers 82 that constitute its bottom. The pair of flappers 82 are in a closed state in which they are horizontally arranged by the biasing force of a spring (not shown) and can be rotated upward against the biasing force of a spring (not shown) to be in an open state. Also, the pair of flappers 82 are rotated downward by the drive of a flapper motor (not shown) to be in an open state. The second unit 2 has a small bundle conveying section 91 directly below the small bundle input / output section 71. The small bundle conveying section 91 has a stage 92 that can move in the vertical direction, i.e., can be raised and lowered. The stage 92 can be raised and lowered beyond the pair of flappers 82 in the closed state, and is shaped to avoid interfering with the pair of flappers 82 at that time.

[0045] In the small bundle deposit / withdrawal unit 71, when the shutter 81 shown in Fig. 1 is opened by driving a shutter motor (not shown), a small bundle of banknotes W is placed from outside the machine on a pair of flappers 82 shown in Fig. 3 which is in a closed state at this time, and a stage 92 which is in a loading position which aligns its height with the pair of flappers 82 which is in the closed state at this time. At this time, the small bundle of banknotes W is placed on the pair of flappers 82 and the stage 92 with its longitudinal direction aligned in the left-right direction. Thereafter, when the shutter 81 is closed, the pair of flappers 82 are rotated downwards and opened by driving a flapper motor (not shown), and the stage 92 is lowered by driving a stage motor (not shown) to transport the small bundle of banknotes W toward the inside of the machine.

[0046] In the small bundle banknote deposit / withdrawal unit 71, the area above the pair of flappers 82 in the closed state forms a small bundle banknote accumulation space 85 in which small bundle banknotes W can be inserted and removed when the shutter 81 is in the open state. In other words, the pair of flappers 82 are provided at the lower end of the small bundle banknote accumulation space 85 so as to be able to open and close. When the stage 92 is located at the upper predetermined position, it is provided within this small bundle banknote accumulation space 85. The stage 92 places the small bundle banknotes W loaded in the small bundle banknote accumulation space 85 on it. The small bundle banknote accumulation space 85 has a limited number of small bundle banknotes W that can be reserved at one time, for example, 10 bundles.

[0047] When the shutter 81 shown in FIG. 1 is in a closed state, the small bundle of bills W for dispensing is conveyed from below to the small bundle input / output section 71 by the stage 92 of the small bundle conveying section 91 shown in FIG. 3. At that time, the stage 92, with the small bundle of bills W placed thereon, is raised from below the pair of flappers 82 to a predetermined upper position by the drive of a stage motor (not shown). Then, the small bundle of bills W passes through the pair of flappers 82 while rotating the pair of flappers 82 upward against the biasing force of a flapper spring (not shown). After this passage, the pair of flappers 82 rotate downward by the biasing force of the flapper spring to return to the closed state. Thereafter, the stage 92 descends, so that the stage 92 passes through the pair of flappers 82 in the closed state, but the small bundle of bills W is placed on the pair of flappers 82 in the closed state and remains in the small bundle of bills stacking space 85. In this manner, the stage 92 feeds the placed small bundle of banknotes W into the small bundle deposit / withdrawal section 71 at a predetermined upper position.

[0048] When a plurality of small bundle banknotes W are reserved in the small bundle banknotes deposit / withdrawal unit 71 for withdrawal, the stage 92 rises from below with the subsequent small bundle banknotes W placed on the pair of flappers 82 as described above, on the previously reserved small bundle banknotes W. Then, the stage 92 raises to a predetermined upper position beyond the pair of flappers 82 while opening the pair of flappers 82 with the subsequent small bundle banknotes W while placing the previous small bundle banknotes W placed on the pair of flappers 82 on the subsequent small bundle banknotes W. Then, after the pair of flappers 82 return to the closed state by the biasing force of the flapper springs, the stage 92 descends, so that the subsequent small bundle banknotes W is placed on the pair of flappers 82, and the previous small bundle banknotes W is placed on the subsequent small bundle banknotes W. By appropriately repeating such an operation, the small bundle banknotes W transported from inside the machine are placed in the small bundle depositing / dispensing unit 71 in a stacked state from bottom to top with the stacking direction of the loose banknotes S being up and down and the longitudinal direction being aligned in the left and right direction. The small bundle depositing / dispensing unit 71 can support a predetermined maximum number (e.g., 10 bundles) of small bundle banknotes W that can be retained in the small bundle banknote stacking space 85 by at least a pair of flappers 82. The small bundle transporting unit 91 places the small bundle banknotes W for dispensing one bundle at a time on a stage 92 below the small bundle depositing / dispensing unit 71, and each time a bundle of small bundle banknotes W is placed, the stage 92 is moved to a predetermined upper position to merge the multiple small bundle banknotes W in the small bundle depositing / dispensing unit 71.

[0049] When the stage 92 rises to a predetermined dispensing position above the pair of flappers 82, it lifts the small bundle of bills W above the pair of flappers 82, and then the shutter 81 is opened to remove the small bundle of bills W from the small bundle deposit / withdrawal unit 71 to the outside of the machine. In other words, the small bundle deposit / withdrawal unit 71 holds the small bundle of bills W so that it can be removed outside the machine. By setting the dispensing position to a position slightly above the pair of flappers 82, a gap is generated between the bottom surface of the small bundle of bills W at the lowest position and the pair of flappers 82 while stably holding the bottom surface of the small bundle of bills S, making it easier for the user to remove the small bundle of bills W. The dispensing position of the stage 92 may be set to a position below the pair of flappers 82. This makes it easier for the user to grab the middle part in the front-rear direction of the small bundle of bills W placed on the pair of flappers 82 and remove it.

[0050] The second unit 2 has a small bundle receiving section 101 behind the small bundle transport section 91, which receives the small bundle of banknotes W, which has been bundled by the bundling section 38 of the first unit 1 shown in FIG. 2 and sent out from the small bundle sending section 39, at a predetermined upper receiving position, holds it from above and below, and transports it downward. The small bundle receiving section 101 receives a bundle of small bundle of banknotes W from the second unit 2, holds the received small bundle of banknotes W, transports it to a predetermined lower limit position, and further transports it forward to deliver it onto the stage 92 of the small bundle transport section 91. The height position of the upper surface of the stage 92 at this time is defined as the first position. Therefore, the small bundle receiving section 101 delivers the small bundle of banknotes W to the stage 92 at the predetermined first position. The first position is different from the above-mentioned predetermined upper position in the small bundle deposit / withdrawal section 71, and is lower than the predetermined upper position. In other words, the stage 92 receives the small bundle of banknotes W from the small bundle receiving unit 101 at a first position that is lower than a predetermined upper position.

[0051] The small bundle receiving unit 101 receives a bundle of small bundle banknotes W sent from the small bundle sending unit 39 in a position with the stacking direction of the loose banknotes S being up and down and the longitudinal direction aligned with the left and right direction, in that position, transports it downward, and also transports it forward in that position to deliver it onto the stage 92. Therefore, the small bundle banknotes W delivered from the small bundle receiving unit 101 to the stage 92 also has a position with the stacking direction of the loose banknotes S being up and down and the longitudinal direction aligned with the left and right direction.

[0052] A plurality of small bundle storage sections 111, specifically four small bundle storage sections 111, each having a similar structure, are arranged front to back in alignment with the top, bottom, left and right positions at the bottom of the second unit 2. These small bundle storage sections 111 are capable of storing small bundles of banknotes W and are capable of feeding the stored small bundles of banknotes W.

[0053] In the second unit 2, of the multiple small bundle storage sections 111, the small bundle storage section 111(A) located at the rearmost position, the small bundle storage section 111(B) located second from the rear, the small bundle storage section 111(C) located third from the rear, and the small bundle storage section 111(D) located at the frontmost position all store small bundles of banknotes W in a stacked state accumulated from bottom to top.

[0054] The small bundle storage unit 111(A) stores small bundles of banknotes W in a mixed denomination manner so that they can be dispensed. On the other hand, the small bundle storage unit 111(B) stores small bundles of banknotes W of a predetermined single denomination (specifically, a small bundle of 1,000 yen notes), the small bundle storage unit 111(C) stores small bundles of banknotes W of a predetermined single denomination (specifically, a small bundle of 10,000 yen notes), and the small bundle storage unit 111(D) stores small bundles of banknotes W of a predetermined single denomination (specifically, a small bundle of 10,000 yen notes), each of which can be dispensed.

[0055] That is, the second unit 2 has a plurality of small bundle storage sections 111 for a single denomination (small bundles of 10,000 yen notes and small bundles of 1,000 yen notes) for each denomination. The storage pattern of the small bundle storage section 111 is not limited to the above and can be set arbitrarily.

[0056] Each of the small bundle storage units 111, which has a similar structure, includes a rectangular cylindrical storage body 115 that forms an internal space for storing small bundles of banknotes W, a pair of flappers 116 that are provided at the top of the storage body 115 and open and close the opening at the top of the storage body 115, and a stage 117 that supports the small bundles of banknotes W in an accumulated state and moves up and down within the internal space of the storage body 115. The pair of flappers 116 rotate downward from a horizontally arranged closed state to an open state by being driven by a flapper motor (not shown). In the small bundle storage unit 111, the small bundles of banknotes W are placed on the stage 117 in a stacked state accumulated from bottom to top with the accumulation direction of loose banknotes S being up and down and the longitudinal direction aligned in the left and right direction.

[0057] At the bottom of the second unit 2, in front of the small bundle storage section 111 (D), there is provided a small bundle collection cassette section 121 that is removable from the body 70 and stores small bundles of banknotes W transported from the small bundle storage section 111 when collecting the small bundles of banknotes W, and into which small bundles of banknotes W for refilling are loaded outside the machine when refilling the small bundles of banknotes W.

[0058] The small bundle collection cassette unit 121 has a rectangular cylindrical container 125 that forms an internal space for storing small bundles of banknotes W, a pair of flappers 126 that are provided at the top of the container 125 and open and close an opening at the top of the container 125, and a stage 127 that supports the small bundles of banknotes W in an accumulated state and moves up and down within the internal space of the container 125. The pair of flappers 126 rotate downward from a horizontally arranged closed state to an open state by being driven by a flapper motor (not shown). In the small bundle collection cassette unit 121, the small bundles of banknotes W are placed on the stage 127 in a stacked state accumulated from bottom to top with the accumulation direction of loose banknotes S aligned vertically and the longitudinal direction aligned left and right.

[0059] The second unit 2 is provided with a small bundle horizontal conveying section 131 between the small bundle collection cassette section 121 and the small bundle storage sections 111(A) to 111(D) and the small bundle receiving section 101 in the vertical direction, which receives the small bundle banknotes W sent out from the small bundle conveying section 91 and conveys them to the small bundle collection cassette section 121 and the small bundle storage sections 111(A) to 111(D), receives the small bundle banknotes W from the small bundle collection cassette section 121 and the small bundle storage sections 111(A) to 111(D), conveys them to the small bundle conveying section 91, and further conveys the small bundle banknotes W between the small bundle collection cassette section 121 and the small bundle storage sections 111(A) to 111(D). The small bundle horizontal conveying section 131 has an endless belt 132 extending in the front-rear direction and a plurality of ledges 133 provided at predetermined equal intervals on the outer periphery of the endless belt 132. The small bundle horizontal transport section 131 receives and transports a bundle of banknotes W between adjacent rails 133 in the rotation direction of the endless belt 132.

[0060] In the small bundle storage unit 111, a pair of flappers 116 rotate downward by the drive of a flapper motor (not shown) to enter an open state, and the stage 117 rises to cause the uppermost bundle of small bundle banknotes W among the small bundle banknotes W on the stage 117 to protrude above the container 115. In this state, the small bundle horizontal transport unit 131 moves a rail portion 133 protruding downward from the endless belt 132 forward, thereby pushing the bundle of small bundle banknotes W with the rail portion 133 and transporting it toward the small bundle transport unit 91. At this time, the small bundle storage unit 111 located in front of this small bundle storage unit 111 has the pair of flappers 116 in a closed state, and therefore the bundle of small bundle banknotes W moves forward on the pair of flappers 116. At this time, if the pair of flappers 126 of the small bundle collection cassette unit 121 are in a closed state, the bundle of banknotes W moves forward on the pair of flappers 126.

[0061] In the small bundle collection cassette unit 121, a pair of flappers 126 are rotated downward by the drive of a flapper motor (not shown) to enter an open state, and the stage 127 is raised to cause the uppermost bundle of small bundle banknotes W among the small bundle banknotes W on the stage 127 to protrude above the container 125. In this state, the small bundle horizontal conveying unit 131 moves the ribs 133 protruding downward from the endless belt 132 forward, thereby pushing the bundle of small bundle banknotes W with the ribs 133 and conveying it toward the small bundle conveying unit 91. Also, in this state, the small bundle horizontal conveying unit 131 moves the ribs 133 protruding downward from the endless belt 132 backward, thereby pushing the bundle of small bundle banknotes W with the ribs 133 and conveying it toward the small bundle storage unit 111.

[0062] In the small bundle collection cassette unit 121, when the pair of flappers 126 are rotated downwards and in the open state, the stage 127 rises, and if there are small bundle banknotes W on the stage 127, the topmost small bundle banknotes W is positioned at a predetermined receiving position slightly lower than the upper end of the container 125, or if there are no small bundle banknotes W, the stage 127 is positioned at a predetermined receiving position slightly lower than the upper end of the container 125. In this state, the small bundle banknotes W that have been pushed by the crosspiece 133 and transported forward from the small bundle storage unit 111 by the small bundle horizontal transport unit 131 are placed on the topmost small bundle banknotes W of the small bundle collection cassette unit 121 or on the stage 127. Alternatively, in this state, the small bundle banknotes W that have been pushed by the crosspiece 133 and transported backward from the small bundle transport unit 91 are placed on the topmost small bundle banknotes W of the small bundle collection cassette unit 121 or on the stage 127 by the small bundle horizontal transport unit 131. From these states, the stage 127 descends, whereby the small bundle collection cassette unit 121 stores the small bundle of banknotes W transported from the small bundle storage unit 111 or the small bundle transport unit 91 as described above.

[0063] At the bottom of the second unit 2, between the small bundle storage section 111(D) and the small bundle collection cassette section 121 in the front-to-rear direction, there is provided a small bundle identification section 135 that identifies the denomination, etc. of the small bundle banknotes W from image data of the small bundle banknotes W transported by the small bundle horizontal transport section 131. The small bundle identification section 135 identifies the small bundle banknotes W transported by the small bundle horizontal transport section 131 from the small bundle collection cassette section 121 side to the small bundle storage section 111(D) side, and also identifies the small bundle banknotes W transported by the small bundle horizontal transport section 131 from the small bundle storage section 111(D) side to the small bundle collection cassette section 121 side.

[0064] The second unit 2 has a sending mechanism 141 that pushes out the small bundle banknotes W received and conveyed by the small bundle horizontal conveyance unit 131 from the small bundle collection cassette unit 121 or the small bundle storage units 111(A) to 111(D) onto a stage 92 of the small bundle conveyance unit 91. The sending mechanism 141 descends to enter and ascends to retreat from the conveyance path of the small bundle banknotes W by the small bundle horizontal conveyance unit 131. The sending mechanism 141 pushes out the small bundle banknotes W conveyed by the small bundle horizontal conveyance unit 131 onto the stage 92 by descending behind it and moving forward. The position of the height of the upper surface of the stage 92 when receiving the small bundle banknotes W conveyed by the small bundle horizontal conveyance unit 131 and pushed out by the sending mechanism 141 is defined as the second position. The sending mechanism 141 delivers the small bundle banknotes W to the stage 92 at the second position. The second position is different from the first position described above and is lower than the first position. In other words, the stage 92 receives the bundle of bills W at a second position that is lower than the predetermined upper position.

[0065] The second unit 2 has a push-out mechanism 145 that pushes out the small bundle of banknotes W on the stage 92 towards the small bundle horizontal transport section 131. The push-out mechanism 145 moves rearward from a position at the front end to push out the small bundle of banknotes W on the stage 92 towards the small bundle horizontal transport section 131. The push-out mechanism 145 pushes out the small bundle of banknotes W from the stage 92 in the second position towards the small bundle horizontal transport section 131.

[0066] The small bundle storage section 111 is in an open state in which a pair of flappers 116 are rotated downward by the drive of a flapper motor (not shown), and in this state, the stage 117 rises, and if there are small bundle banknotes W on the stage 117, the uppermost small bundle banknotes W is positioned at a predetermined receiving position slightly below the upper end of the container 115, or if there are no small bundle banknotes W, the stage 117 is positioned at a predetermined receiving position slightly below the upper end of the container 115. In this state, when the small bundle banknotes W pushed out by the push-out mechanism 145 is transported rearward by the rail portion 133 of the small bundle horizontal transport section 131, the small bundle banknotes W is placed on the uppermost small bundle banknotes W of the small bundle storage section 111 or the stage 117. In this state, the stage 117 descends, and the small bundle storage section 111 stores the small bundle banknotes W transported from the small bundle transport section 91 by the small bundle horizontal transport section 131. At this time, the small bundle collection cassette unit 121 has a pair of flappers 126 in a closed state, and the small bundle of banknotes W moves rearward on the pair of flappers 126. The small bundle storage unit 111, which is located in front of the small bundle storage unit 111, also has a pair of flappers 116 in a closed state, and the small bundle of banknotes W moves rearward on the pair of flappers 116. The small bundle storage unit 111 operates in the same manner when storing the small bundle of banknotes W transported rearward from the small bundle collection cassette unit 121 by the rail portions 133 of the small bundle horizontal transport unit 131. The push-out mechanism 145 pushes out the small bundle of banknotes W from the stage 92 toward the small bundle collection cassette unit 121 and the small bundle storage units 111(A) to 111(D).

[0067] The push-out mechanism 145, the small bundle horizontal transport section 131, the feed mechanism 141, the small bundle collection cassette section 121 and the small bundle storage sections 111(A) to 111(D) are provided below a stage 92 located within the small bundle deposit / withdrawal section 71, and constitute a deposit / withdrawal mechanism 151 that deposits and withdraws small bundle banknotes W. When a small bundle banknotes W is withdrawn, the small bundle banknotes W received from the deposit / withdrawal mechanism 151 is placed on the stage 92 and transported to the small bundle banknote accumulation space 85 above, and when a small bundle banknotes W is deposited, the small bundle banknotes W loaded in the small bundle banknote accumulation space 85 is placed on the stage 92 and transported toward the deposit / withdrawal mechanism 151 below. The deposit / withdrawal mechanism 151 is provided with a small bundle collection cassette unit 121 and small bundle storage units 111(A)-111(D) that can receive and store small bundles of banknotes W from above the stage 92 and send the stored small bundles of banknotes W onto the stage 92. The small bundle collection cassette unit 121 and the small bundle storage units 111(A)-111(D) are provided on the rear side of the stage 92.

[0068] With regard to the second unit 2, the control unit 65 controls the small bundle input / output unit 71, the new note dispensing unit 72, the new note storage / dispensing unit 75, the small bundle transport unit 91, the small bundle receiving unit 101, the small bundle storage units 111(A)-111(D), the small bundle recovery cassette unit 121, the small bundle horizontal transport unit 131, the small bundle recognition unit 135, the send-out mechanism 141, the push-out mechanism 145, etc.

[0069] Next, the main processing of the banknote processing machine 11 of the first embodiment will be described.

[0070] When the banknote processing machine 11 is in a standby state, the shutter 23 of the loose deposit unit 20 is in a closed state, and the shutter 25 of the loose withdrawal return unit 21 is also in a closed state. Also, in this standby state, the temporary storage storage 41(A)-41(D) all have the flapper 43 and the shutter 46 in a closed state, and the pusher 45 is located at the upper limit position. Also, in this standby state, the temporary storage storage 41(A)-41(D) all have the loose banknote temporary storage unit 48 in an empty state, and appropriate loose banknotes S are stored in the loose banknote storage unit 49. Also, in this standby state, the storage cassette unit 51 is in an empty state, and the stage 53 of the storage cassette unit 51 is located at a predetermined standby position at the top where the loose banknotes S can be received.

[0071] In addition, in this standby state, the small bundle deposit / withdrawal unit 71 has the shutter 81 in a closed state and the pair of flappers 82 in a closed state. In addition, in this standby state, the small bundle transport unit 91 has the stage 92 in a dispensing position above the pair of flappers 82. In addition, in this standby state, the small bundle receiving unit 101 is in a predetermined upper receiving position. In addition, in this standby state, the small bundle storage units 111(A) to 111(D) store appropriate small bundles of banknotes W, and all of them have their pairs of flappers 116 in a closed state. In addition, in this standby state, the small bundle recovery cassette unit 121 is empty, and their pair of flappers 126 are in a closed state.

[0072] [Loose bill deposit processing] 4 indicates the banknote transport route of the loose banknote deposit process in which loose banknotes S inserted into the loose banknote deposit unit 20 from outside the machine are transported, identified, counted, and temporarily stored. When an operation to select the loose banknote deposit process is performed on the operation display unit 66, the control unit 65 starts the loose banknote deposit process and opens the shutter 23 of the loose banknote deposit unit 20. Then, when loose banknotes S are loaded into the loose banknote deposit unit 20 from outside the machine and an operation to start the loose banknote deposit process is performed on the operation display unit 66, the control unit 65 closes the shutter 23 and then causes the deposit payout unit 24 to pay out the loose banknotes S inserted into the loose banknote deposit unit 20 one by one at a predetermined interval, starting from the bottom, and transports the paid-out loose banknotes S to the loose recognition unit 31 via the transport path 61A. During this transport, the loose banknotes S are recognised and counted by the loose banknote recognition unit 31, and the control unit 65 distributes the loose banknotes S recognised as acceptable by the loose banknote recognition unit 31 to the transport paths 61C, 61D, 61E, 61F, as shown by the thick solid lines in Fig. 4. As a result, the temporary storage repositories 41(A) to 41(D) temporarily store the loose banknotes S in the loose banknote temporary storage unit 48 by the respective intake and pay-out units 42.

[0073] On the other hand, the control unit 65 transports, as rejected loose banknotes, loose banknotes S among the loose banknotes S paid out by the deposit and payout unit 24 from the loose deposit unit 20 that have been identified as unacceptable by the loose identification unit 31, i.e., loose banknotes S with poor denomination identification so that the denomination cannot be identified, and loose banknotes with transport abnormalities such as double feeding, skewing or near feeding, from conveying path 61A to conveying path 61H, conveying path 61G, conveying path 61A, conveying path 61M and conveying path 61K to the loose withdrawal return unit 21, as shown by the thick solid line, thick dashed line and thick dotted line in Figure 4.

[0074] At this time, the loose banknotes S leaving the loose deposit unit 20 heading toward the loose identification unit 31 on the transport path 61A and the loose banknotes S heading toward the transport path 61M from the transport paths 61H and 61G through the transport path 61A share part of the transport path 61A, so there is a possibility that they may cross each other at this portion. For this reason, when the loose identification unit 31 determines that the loose banknotes S are not acceptable, the control unit 65 stops the deposit and payout unit 24 at the timing of the intersection with the loose banknotes S, and interrupts the payout of the loose banknotes S from the loose deposit unit 20.

[0075] When the loose banknotes S in the loose deposit unit 20 are exhausted by performing the above-mentioned operation of the loose banknote deposit process, and all the loose banknotes S fed from the loose deposit unit 20 are transported to either the loose banknote temporary storage unit 48 of the temporary storage repository 41(A)-41(D) or the loose withdrawal return unit 21, the control unit 65 opens the shutter 25 of the loose withdrawal return unit 21 to enable removal of the loose banknotes S from the loose withdrawal return unit 21, and causes the operation display unit 66 to display the number of loose banknotes S by denomination and the total amount, etc., of the loose banknotes S that have been determined by the loose identification unit 31 to be acceptable and temporarily stored in the loose banknote temporary storage unit 48 of the temporary storage repository 41(A)-41(D).The control unit 65 then enters a state of waiting for input of a deposit confirmation operation or a deposit cancellation operation to the operation display unit 66, and ends the loose banknote deposit process.

[0076] [Loose bill storage processing] After the loose banknote deposit process, at the time of deposit confirmation when a deposit confirmation operation is input to the operation display unit 66, the control unit 65 confirms the deposit and performs a loose banknote storage process of storing the loose banknotes S temporarily stored in the loose banknote temporary storage units 48 of the temporary storage storage vaults 41(A) to 41(D) during the loose banknote deposit process in the loose banknote storage units 49 of the temporary storage storage vaults 41(A) to 41(D). The thick lines in Figure 5 indicate the banknote transport route for this loose banknote storage process.

[0077] In the loose bill storage process, under the control of the control unit 65, the shutters 46 of the temporary storage containers 41(A) to 41(D) are lowered to a lower position closest to the pair of flappers 43 above the pair of flappers 43 in the closed state and are opened to transfer the loose bills S temporarily stored onto the pair of flappers 43. After that, the pair of flappers 43 of the temporary storage containers 41(A) to 41(D) are opened to stack the loose bills S temporarily stored onto the loose bills S on the stage 44. Then, the pusher 45 descends to push the loose bills S on the stage 44 downward while lowering the stage 44, and when the pusher 45 is positioned below the pair of flappers 43, the pair of flappers 43 are closed. After that, the pusher 45 ascends to return to the upper limit position. As a result, the loose bills S are stored in the loose bill storage unit 49 between the pair of flappers 43 and the stage 44.

[0078] [Loose bill return processing] After the loose banknote deposit process, when a deposit cancellation operation is input to the operation display unit 66 to cancel the deposit, the control unit 65 does not confirm the deposit, and performs a return process in which all of the loose banknotes S temporarily stored in the loose banknote temporary storage units 48 of the temporary storage receptacles 41(A) to 41(D) during the loose banknote deposit process are fed to the loose withdrawal return unit 21. The thick lines in Figure 6 indicate the banknote transport route for this loose banknote return process.

[0079] In the loose banknote return process, the shutters 46 of each of the temporary storage receptacles 41(A)-41(D) are raised under the control of the control unit 65, and each take-in and feed-out unit 42 feeds out the loose banknotes S in the loose banknote temporary storage unit 48 at predetermined intervals while separating them one by one starting from the topmost one, and transports the fed out loose banknotes S to the loose withdrawal return unit 21 via corresponding transport paths 61C-61F and transport paths 61A, 61K, as shown by thick solid lines in Figure 6. At the end of the return process, the control unit 65 opens the shutter 25 of the loose withdrawal return unit 21 to enable the loose banknotes S to be removed from the loose withdrawal return unit 21.

[0080] [Loose bill withdrawal processing] The thick lines in Figure 7 indicate the banknote transport route for the loose banknote withdrawal process, in which loose banknotes S are withdrawn from a specified denomination among temporary storage storage vault 41(A) which stores loose 10,000 yen banknotes, temporary storage storage vault 41(B) which stores loose 5,000 yen banknotes, and temporary storage storage vault 41(C) which stores loose 1,000 yen banknotes, based on the loose banknote withdrawal operation inputted to the operation display unit 66.

[0081] In the loose banknote dispensing process, the control unit 65 opens the shutters 46 and the pair of flappers 43 and raises the stage 44 for the loose banknotes S to be dispensed among the temporary storage storages 41(A) to 41(C) based on the number of bills to be dispensed per denomination input to the operation display unit 66. Then, the loose banknotes S placed on the stage 44 are fed at predetermined intervals, starting from the topmost one, while being separated one by one by the take-in and feed-out unit 42. 7, the conveying unit 61 conveys the dispensed loose banknotes S to the loose banknote discrimination unit 31 via the corresponding conveying paths 61C-61E and conveying path 61A, and based on the discrimination result of the loose banknote discrimination unit 31, normal loose banknotes S that do not need to be inverted are directly conveyed to the loose withdrawal return unit 21 via conveying paths 61A and 61K, and normal loose banknotes S that need to be inverted are conveyed from the conveying path 61A via conveying path 61N to the face-back reversing unit 63, after which they are conveyed via conveying paths 61M and 61K to the loose withdrawal return unit 21. In this way, normal loose banknotes S of the denomination based on the loose banknote withdrawal operation are dispensed to the loose withdrawal return unit 21 with their faces aligned. In addition, rejected loose banknotes other than normal loose banknotes S that the loose identification unit 31 has identified as having a transport abnormality or as having a denomination identification error are transported to the loose withdrawal rejected banknotes vault 22 via transport paths 61A, 61K, 61L, as shown by the thick solid line and the thick dashed line in Figure 7, and stored in the loose withdrawal rejected banknotes vault 22.

[0082] In this manner, the inputted number of loose banknotes S to be dispensed for each denomination are fed, with the front and back aligned, for each denomination, to the loose banknote withdrawal return unit 21. At the end of the loose banknote withdrawal process, the control unit 65 opens the shutter 25 of the loose banknote withdrawal return unit 21 to enable the loose banknotes S to be removed from the loose banknote withdrawal return unit 21 to the outside of the machine.

[0083] [Small bill withdrawal processing] The thick lines in Figure 8 indicate the banknote transport route in the small bundle banknote withdrawal process, in which a small bundle banknote W is withdrawn to the small bundle input / dispensing unit 71 from a specified denomination of small bundle storage unit 111(B) storing small bundles of 1,000 yen notes, or small bundle storage units 111(C) and 111(D) storing small bundles of 10,000 yen notes, based on the small bundle banknote withdrawal operation input to the operation display unit 66. In addition, the thick lines in Figure 9 and the thick lines in Figure 10 indicate the banknote transport route in the bundled small banknote withdrawal process, in which small bundle banknotes W are created in the bundling section 38 from loose banknotes S of a specified denomination in the loose banknote storage section 49 of the temporary storage storage vault 41 (C) which stores loose 1,000 yen banknotes and the loose banknote storage section 49 of the temporary storage storage vault 41 (A) which stores loose 10,000 yen banknotes, based on the small bundle banknote withdrawal operation inputted to the operation display section 66, and are withdrawn to the small bundle deposit / withdrawal section 71. 9 and 11 indicate banknote transport routes for a bundling small bundle replenishment process in a small bundle banknote dispensing process in which small bundle banknotes W are created in the bundling section 38 from loose banknotes S of a specified denomination in the loose banknote storage sections 49 of the temporary storage storage vaults 41(A) and 41(C) and replenished in the corresponding small bundle storage sections 111(A) to 111(D) based on a small bundle banknote dispensing operation inputted to the operation display section 66. The thick lines in Fig. 12 indicate banknote transport routes for a stored small bundle redistribution process in the small bundle banknote dispensing process.

[0084] Here, among the small bundle banknotes W, the small bundle banknotes W stored in the small bundle storage units 111(B) to 111(D) and dispensed to the small bundle deposit / withdrawal unit 71 in one transaction such as a small bundle banknote dispensing process is referred to as a stored small bundle, and the small bundle banknotes W that is created by bundling a predetermined number of loose banknotes S from the loose banknote storage units 49 of the temporary storage storage vaults 41(A) and 41(C) with bundling tape and dispensed to the small bundle deposit / withdrawal unit 71 in one transaction such as a small bundle banknote dispensing process is referred to as a bundled small bundle. Thus, the small bundle storage units 111(B) to 111(D) can feed out the small bundle banknotes W while storing them as stored small bundle W. Also, the bundling unit 38 bundles a predetermined number of loose banknotes S with bundling tape to form a bundle banknote W, which is a small bundle banknote W.

[0085] In one transaction of the small bundle banknote withdrawal process, when the number of withdrawal bundles of each denomination requested to be withdrawn is input to the operation and display unit 66 and a withdrawal start operation is input to the operation and display unit 66, the control unit 65 will start one transaction of the small bundle banknote withdrawal process. When starting this transaction, first, based on the input number of withdrawal bundles of each denomination, the control unit 65 compares the amount of stored small bundles W already stored in the small bundle storage units 111(B) to 111(D) with the requested number of small bundle banknotes W requested to be withdrawn in that transaction, and based on the result of this comparison, determines a small bundle banknote withdrawal processing pattern, and carries out one transaction of the small bundle banknote withdrawal processing in accordance with the determined small bundle banknote withdrawal processing pattern.

[0086] The small bundle banknote dispensing processing patterns are a first pattern in which only a stored small bundle dispensing process is performed in which a stored small bundle W from small bundle storage sections 111(B) to 111(D) is dispensed to the small bundle input / output section 71, as shown by the thick lines in Figure 8; and a second pattern in which both a stored small bundle dispensing process is performed in which a stored small bundle W from small bundle storage sections 111(B) to 111(D) is dispensed to the small bundle input / output section 71, as shown by the thick lines in Figure 8, and a bundled small bundle dispensing process is performed in which a predetermined number of loose banknotes S from the loose banknote storage sections 49 of the temporary storage storage vaults 41(A), 41(C) are bundled in the bundling section 38 to create a bundled small bundle W, and this bundled small bundle W is dispensed to the small bundle input / output section 71, as shown by the thick lines in Figures 9 and 10. The control unit 65 selects and executes either the first pattern or the second pattern, and of the first pattern and the second pattern, the first pattern is executed with priority.

[0087] In other words, when performing a single transaction of small bundle banknote withdrawal processing, if the number of bundles of stored small bundles W already stored in both the stored small bundles W of 1,000 yen notes in the small bundle storage section 111(B) and the stored small bundles W of 10,000 yen notes in the small bundle storage sections 111(C) and 111(D) is equal to or greater than the number of small bundle banknotes W requested to be withdrawn in that single transaction, the control section 65 only performs a stored small bundle withdrawal process that causes the stored small bundles W stored in the small bundle storage sections 111(B) to 111(D) to be withdrawn to the small bundle input / output section 71.

[0088] In addition, when performing a transaction of small bundle banknote withdrawal processing, if the number of bundles of stored small bundles W already stored in at least one of the denominations of stored small bundles W of 1,000 yen notes in the small bundle storage section 111(B) and the stored small bundles W of 10,000 yen notes in the small bundle storage sections 111(C) and 111(D) is less than the number of bundles of small bundle banknotes W requested to be withdrawn in that transaction, the control section 65 only performs the stored small bundle withdrawal processing for the denominations that are not less than the number of withdrawal requests, and performs the stored small bundle withdrawal processing for the denominations that are less than the number of withdrawal requests, and also performs the bundle withdrawal processing of creating a bundled small bundle W in the bundling section 38 from the loose banknotes S of the relevant denomination that are stored in the loose banknote storage sections 49 of the temporary storage storage vaults 41(A) and 41(C) and dispensing it to the small bundle input / output section 71. In this way, in one transaction of small bundle banknote withdrawal processing, the control unit 65 merges both the stored small bundles W stored in the small bundle storage units 111(B) to 111(D) and the bundled small bundles W created by bundling loose banknotes S stored in the loose banknote storage units 49 of the temporary storage storage vaults 41(A), 41(C) in the bundling unit 38, and dispenses them to the small bundle input / output unit 71.

[0089] In addition to the small bundle banknote dispensing processing pattern, the control unit 65 also performs a bundle banknote replenishment process in which loose banknotes S in the loose banknote storage units 49 of the temporary storage storage vaults 41(A), 41(C) are bundled in the bundling unit 38 to create a bundled small bundle W and this bundled small bundle W is stored in the corresponding small bundle storage units 111(B) to 111(D) based on the comparison result between the amount of stored small bundles W already stored in the small bundle storage units 111(B) to 111(D) in one transaction of the small bundle banknote dispensing processing.

[0090] That is, when the control unit 65 performs a transaction of the small bundle banknote dispensing process, if it predicts that there is a denomination of at least one of the small bundle storage units 111(B) storing stored small bundles W of 1,000 yen notes and the small bundle storage units 111(C) and 111(D) storing stored small bundles W of 1,000 yen notes that will have a denomination of bundle shortage such that the stored small bundles W will be zero when the control unit 65 causes the stored small bundles W stored in the small bundle storage units 111(B) to 111(D) to be dispensed to the small bundle input / output unit 71 in the transaction, the control unit 65 temporarily includes the denomination of at least one of the small bundle storage units 111(B) storing stored small bundles W of 1,000 yen notes and the small bundle storage units 111(C) and 111(D) storing stored small bundles W of 1,000 yen notes in the transaction, and A bundling unit 38 creates a bundle W from the loose banknotes S of the bundle shortage denomination among the loose banknote storage units 49 of the storage storage vaults 41(A) and 41(C), and additionally executes a bundling small bundle replenishment process for storing the bundle W in the small bundle storage unit 111(B) and the small bundle storage unit 111 of the bundle shortage denomination among the small bundle storage units 111(C) and 111(D), thereby making the number of bundles stored in the small bundle storage unit 111(B) and the number of bundles stored in the small bundle storage units 111(C) and 111(D) all equal to or greater than the predetermined lower limit number of bundles. Note that the small bundle storage units 111(C) and 111(D) store the same denomination, so that the total number of bundles stored is equal to or greater than the predetermined lower limit number of bundles.

[0091] In this way, in one transaction of the small bundle banknote dispensing process, the control unit 65 merges both the stored small bundles W stored in the small bundle storage units 111(B) to 111(D) and the bundled small bundles W created by bundling the loose banknotes S stored in the loose banknote storage units 49 of the temporary storage storage units 41(A) and 41(C) in the bundling unit 38, and dispenses them to the small bundle input / output unit 71, and sends out the bundled small bundles W created by bundling the loose banknotes S stored in the loose banknote storage units 49 of the temporary storage storage units 41(A) and 41(C) in the bundling unit 38 toward the small bundle storage units 111(B) to 111(D) to store them. Note that a denomination for which the stored small bundles W is equal to or less than a predetermined bundle number greater than zero may be set as a denomination with a bundle number deficiency, and a bundle number greater than this predetermined bundle number by a predetermined value may be set as the lower limit bundle number.

[0092] Furthermore, the control unit 65 compares the number of withdrawal requests for small bundles W of each denomination of banknotes with the number of bundles W of 1,000 yen notes stored in small bundle storage unit 111(B) and the number of bundles W of 10,000 yen notes stored in small bundle storage units 111(C) and 111(D) as the total amount on board, and also compares the number of loose banknotes S stored in loose banknote storage units 49 of temporary storage storage vaults 41(A) and 41(C) as the total amount on board. Then, taking into consideration the predetermined lower limit number of bundles W to be left in the bundle storage section 111(B) for 1,000 yen notes and the predetermined storage amount, which is the lower limit number of loose notes S to be left in the loose note storage section 49 of the temporary storage storage vault 41(C) for 1,000 yen notes, as well as the predetermined lower limit number of bundles W to be left in the bundle storage sections 111(C), 111(D) for 10,000 yen notes and the predetermined lower limit number of loose notes S to be left in the loose note storage section 49 of the temporary storage storage vault 41(A) for 10,000 yen notes, the operation pattern for that transaction is determined.

[0093] In other words, when the control unit 65 starts a small bundle banknote dispensing transaction, if it is predicted that after the transaction, small bundle storage unit 111(B), which dispenses stored small bundles W of 1,000 yen notes, will maintain a lower limit number of bundles, which is a predetermined storage amount, and small bundle storage units 111(C) and 111(D), which dispense stored small bundles W of 10,000 yen notes, will together maintain a lower limit number of bundles, which is a predetermined storage amount, then the control unit 65 will only dispense the stored small bundles W in small bundle storage units 111(B) to 111(D).

[0094] In addition, when the control unit 65 starts a transaction for the small bundle banknote withdrawal process, if it is predicted that at least one of the small bundle storage unit 111(B) which dispenses stored small bundles W of 1,000 yen notes and the small bundle storage units 111(C), 111(D) which dispense stored small bundles W of 10,000 yen notes will not be able to maintain the specified lower limit number of bundles after the transaction, and if it is predicted that the loose banknotes S required to create the bundled bundle W to be replenished in the small bundle storage unit 111 which cannot maintain the minimum number of bundles is secured in the corresponding loose banknote storage units 49 of the temporary storage storage vaults 41(A), 41(C), then in the transaction, it will dispense at least the stored small bundles W of the stored small bundles W and the bundled bundles W, and then replenish the small bundle storage unit 111 which cannot maintain the minimum number of bundles with bundled bundles W to return it to the specified lower limit number.

[0095] In addition, when the control unit 65 starts a transaction for the small bundle banknote withdrawal process, if it is predicted that at least one of the small bundle storage unit 111(B) which dispenses stored small bundles W of 1,000 yen notes and the small bundle storage units 111(C), 111(D) which dispense stored small bundles W of 10,000 yen notes will not be able to maintain the specified storage amount, which is the minimum number of bundles, after the transaction, and it is predicted that the loose banknotes S required to create the bundled bundle W to be replenished to the small bundle storage unit 111 which cannot maintain the minimum number of bundles is not secured in the corresponding loose banknote storage units 49 of the temporary storage storage vaults 41(A), 41(C), then after dispensing at least the stored small bundles W and the bundled bundles W in the transaction, it will not replenish the small bundle storage unit 111 which cannot maintain the minimum number of bundles with bundled bundles W.

[0096] Furthermore, if the control unit 65 predicts that the combined number of loose banknotes S needed to create the bundled small bundles W to replenish the small bundle storage unit 111 that cannot maintain the minimum number of bundles and the minimum number of loose banknotes are not secured in the corresponding loose banknote storage units 49 of the temporary storage storage vaults 41(A), 41(C), it will not replenish the bundled small bundles W to the small bundle storage unit 111 that cannot maintain the minimum number of bundles.

[0097] In addition, when starting a transaction of the small bundle banknote withdrawal process, if no stored small bundles W of the denomination requested to be withdrawn are stored in the corresponding small bundle storage units 111(B) to 111(D), the control unit 65 causes only the bundled small bundle W formed by bundling loose banknotes S from the corresponding loose banknote storage units 49 of the temporary storage storage vaults 41(A), 41(C) using the bundling unit 38 to be withdrawn to the small bundle input / output unit 71.

[0098] Furthermore, when a plurality of denominations of small bundle banknotes W are dispensed at once to the small bundle deposit / withdrawal unit 71 in one transaction of the small bundle banknote dispensing process, and when both the stored small bundle W and the bundled small bundle W are dispensed, the control unit 65 merges the plurality of denominations of small bundle banknotes W by grouping them by denomination when merging the stored small bundle W and the bundled small bundle W. At that time, the small bundle banknotes W of higher denominations are merged at the small bundle deposit / withdrawal unit 71 so that they are grouped at the lower side.

[0099] Here, as a specific example, a case will be described in which, when starting a first transaction, which is one transaction of the small bundle banknote dispensing process, the breakdown of the stored small bundles W of the denomination requested to be dispensed is five small bundles W of 10,000 yen notes and five small bundles W of 1,000 yen notes. Moreover, when starting this first transaction, the stored small bundles W of 10,000 yen notes are in the small bundle storage section 111(C) and eight in the small bundle storage section 111(D), the stored small bundles W of 1,000 yen notes are in the small bundle storage section 111(B), and 800 loose banknotes S of 1,000 yen notes are in the loose banknote storage section 49 of the temporary storage storage vault 41(C). Also, an example will be described in which the minimum number of bundles W of 10,000 yen notes stored in the small bundle storage sections 111(C) and 111(D) is set to 3, the minimum number of bundles W of 1,000 yen notes stored in the small bundle storage section 111(B) is set to 3, and the minimum number of loose notes in the loose bill storage section 49 of the temporary storage storage box 41(C) is set to 300. Note that these settings are merely examples and are not limited to these. Also, the number of small bundles W that can be reserved at one time in the small bundle bill accumulation space 85 is 10 bundles.

[0100] First, when starting the first transaction, which is one of the transactions in the small bundle banknote withdrawal process, the control unit 65 causes the operation display unit 66 to display that the breakdown of the stored small bundles W of the denomination requested to be withdrawn is five small bundles W of 1,000 yen note bills and five small bundles W of 1,000 yen note bills, that all of the small bundles W of 1,000 yen note bills are stored small bundles W that do not require bundling and can be withdrawn, that four of the small bundles W of 1,000 yen note bills are stored small bundles W that do not require bundling and can be withdrawn, and that the remaining bundle is a bundled small bundle W that requires bundling and can be withdrawn. In addition, the control unit 65 displays three patterns on the operation display unit 66: dispensing all five small bundles of banknotes W of 10,000 yen notes and five small bundles of banknotes W of 1,000 yen notes, dispensing the maximum number of small bundles of banknotes W of 10,000 yen notes that do not require bundling processing and four small bundles of banknotes W of 1,000 yen notes, and canceling the dispensing, and waits for input of which pattern to dispensing. Here, a case where a pattern of dispensing all five small bundles of banknotes W of 10,000 yen notes and five small bundles of banknotes W of 1,000 yen notes is selected will be described. In contrast to this, when a pattern of dispensing the maximum number of small bundles of banknotes W of 10,000 yen notes that do not require bundling processing and four small bundles of banknotes W of 1,000 yen notes is selected, the only difference in processing is that the bundled small bundle dispensing process of one bundle of bundled small bundles W of 1,000 yen notes that requires bundling processing is not performed.

[0101] The control unit 65 performs a stored small bundle dispensing process for dispensing four stored small bundles W of 1,000 yen notes from the small bundle storage unit 111(B) to the small bundle deposit / withdrawal unit 71 in a first transaction of the small bundle banknote dispensing process, a bundled small bundle dispensing process for feeding out loose banknotes S of 1,000 yen notes from the temporary storage repository 41(C), bundling them in the bundling unit 38, and dispensing one bundled small bundle W to the small bundle deposit / withdrawal unit 71, and a control process for controlling the small bundle storage units 111(C), 11 The control is performed in a pattern in which a stored small bundle withdrawal process is performed in which a stored small bundle W of five 1,000 yen notes is withdrawn from small bundle storage section 111(D) to small bundle input / output section 71, and a bundled small bundle replenishment process is performed in which loose banknotes S of 1,000 yen notes are fed out from temporary storage storage 41(C) and bundled in bundling section 38 to replenish bundle storage section 111(B) as a bundled small bundle W of three 1,000 yen notes.

[0102] In the operation display unit 66, as the first transaction of the small bundle banknote withdrawal process, a bundle of five 1,000 yen note banknotes W and a bundle of five 1,000 yen note banknotes W are input as the withdrawal request numbers, an operation to withdraw all of the small bundle banknotes W is input, and a start operation is input.The control unit 65 then determines the above pattern and, in order to perform a stored small bundle withdrawal process in which the stored small bundle W of four 1,000 yen note banknotes is held in the small bundle input / withdrawal unit 71 as shown by the thick line in Figure 8, first, in the small bundle storage unit 111 (B), a pair of flappers 116 is opened downward, and then the stage 117 is raised, causing the uppermost bundle W of 1,000 yen note banknotes placed on the stage 117 to protrude into the small bundle horizontal conveying unit 131. 9 and 10, the control unit 65 starts the feeding of loose banknotes S of 1,000 yen notes from the loose banknote storage unit 49 of the temporary storage repository 41(C) to start the operation of creating a bundled bundle W of 1,000 yen notes, in order to perform a bundled bundle dispensing process for storing a bundled bundle W of one bundle of 1,000 yen notes in the small bundle deposit / withdrawal unit 71 and a bundled bundle refilling process for later refilling the small bundle storage unit 111(B) with bundled bundles W of three bundles of 1,000 yen notes. That is, the control unit 65 concurrently processes a stored bundle dispensing process for dispensing the stored bundle W of 1,000 yen notes stored in the small bundle storage unit 111(B) to the small bundle deposit / withdrawal unit 71, and a bundled bundle creation process for creating a bundle W in the bundling unit 38 from the loose banknotes S of 1,000 yen notes stored in the loose banknote storage unit 49 of the temporary storage repository 41(C). The small bundle preparation process is a part of the small bundle dispensing process and a part of the small bundle refill process.

[0103] In the stored small bundle dispensing process, as described above, the control unit 65 lowers the stage 92 of the small bundle conveying unit 91 to the second position while projecting the topmost stored small bundle W of 1,000 yen notes placed on the stage 117 of the small bundle storage unit 111(B) into the small bundle horizontal conveying unit 131. Then, when the topmost stored small bundle W of the small bundle storage unit 111(B) is projected into the small bundle horizontal conveying unit 131, the control unit 65 rotates the endless belt 132 so that the downwardly projecting rail portion 133 moves forward. Then, the first stored small bundle W of 1,000 yen notes is pressed by the rail portion 133 of the small bundle horizontal conveying unit 131 and conveyed forward, during which the denomination, bundling state, etc. are confirmed by the small bundle identifying unit 135. As a result, if there is no abnormality, the control unit 65 causes the small bundle horizontal conveying unit 131 to convey the first bundle of stored small bundles W of 1,000 yen notes to a predetermined front end position, and then causes the sending mechanism 141 to push the first bundle of stored small bundles W of 1,000 yen notes forward. Then, the first bundle of stored small bundles W of 1,000 yen notes is placed on the stage 92 at the second position of the small bundle conveying unit 91. Note that, when the crosspiece 133 conveying the first bundle of stored small bundles W of 1,000 yen notes forward passes over the small bundle storage unit 111(B), the control unit 65 causes the second bundle of stored small bundles W of 1,000 yen notes, which is placed on the stage 117 of the small bundle storage unit 111(B) and is in the uppermost position at this time, to protrude into the small bundle horizontal conveying unit 131. Then, the second bundle of stored small bundles W of 1,000 yen notes is conveyed forward by the next crosspiece 133 in the same manner as the first bundle, and reaches the predetermined front end position.

[0104] Here, when there is a stored small bundle W of 10,000 yen notes for which an abnormality of a different denomination has been detected by the small bundle discriminating unit 135, the control unit 65 rotates the pair of flappers 126 of the small bundle collecting cassette unit 121 downward to an open state, raises the stage 127, and places the stored small bundle W of 10,000 yen notes on the stage 127 by the small bundle horizontal conveying unit 131 as shown by a thick dashed line in FIG. 8, then lowers the stage 127 and rotates the pair of flappers 126 upward to a closed state. Then, the control unit 65 causes the corresponding small bundle banknotes W to be additionally dispensed in the first transaction. In this specific example, since there is no additional stored small bundle W of 10,000 yen notes in the small bundle storing unit 111(B), the control unit 65 causes the bundle W to be additionally dispensed in the first transaction. Incidentally, the stored small bundles W of different denominations temporarily stored in the small bundle collection cassette unit 121 in this manner are collected at the end of the first transaction and stored in the small bundle storage units 111(B) to 111(D) of the appropriate denominations by the small bundle horizontal transport unit 131 from the small bundle collection cassette unit 121 as shown by the thick line in FIG. 12. The mismatch in denominations occurs due to an operator's mistake in loading the small bundle banknotes W into the small bundle storage units 111(B) to 111(D). When the small bundle identification unit 135 detects an abnormality in the small bundle banknotes W, the small bundle horizontal transport unit 131 may be stopped at that point in time and the operation display unit 66 may be caused to notify an error including the location of the abnormal small bundle banknotes W. This control is performed particularly when the abnormality is poor bundling.

[0105] When the delivery mechanism 141 pushes the first bundle W of 1,000 yen notes forward and places it on the stage 92 at the second position, the control unit 65 raises the stage 92 to a predetermined upper position. Then, on the way there, the first bundle W of 1,000 yen notes on the stage 92 passes through the pair of flappers 82, which open upward, and as a result, the pair of flappers 82 close and return to the closed position. When the control unit 65 raises the stage 92 to the predetermined upper position, it lowers it to the second position. On the way there, the stage 92 places the first bundle W of 1,000 yen notes on the pair of flappers 82, which are in the closed state, and then positions itself at the second position.

[0106] Next, the control unit 65 causes the sending mechanism 141 to push forward the second bundle of stored small bundles W of 1,000 yen notes, which is transported to the front end predetermined position following the first bundle by the small bundle horizontal transport unit 131. Then, the second bundle of stored small bundles W of 1,000 yen notes is placed on the stage 92. The control unit 65 causes the third bundle of stored small bundles W of 1,000 yen notes, which is placed on the stage 117 of the small bundle storage unit 111(B) and is in the uppermost position at this time, to protrude into the small bundle horizontal transport unit 131 at the timing when the crosspiece 133, which transports the second bundle of stored small bundles W of 1,000 yen notes forward, passes over the small bundle storage unit 111(B). Then, the third bundle of stored small bundles W of 1,000 yen notes is transported forward by the next crosspiece 133 in the same way as the first and second bundles, and reaches the front end predetermined position. The control unit 65 controls the rotation and stop of the endless belt 132 so that interference between multiple stored small bundles W does not occur at the front end predetermined position.

[0107] When the delivery mechanism 141 pushes the second bundle of 1,000 yen notes W forward and places it on the stage 92, the control unit 65 raises the stage 92 to a predetermined upper position. Then, on the way, the second bundle of 1,000 yen notes W on the stage 92 passes through the pair of flappers 82 while opening the pair of flappers 82 upward, placing the first bundle of 1,000 yen notes W on it. Then, the pair of flappers 82 close and return to the closed position. When the control unit 65 raises the stage 92 to a predetermined upper position, it lowers it to the second position. On the way, the stage 92 places the second bundle of 1,000 yen notes W on the pair of flappers 82, and then places the first bundle of 1,000 yen notes W on it, and then positions it at the second position.

[0108] Next, the control unit 65 causes the third bundle of 1,000 yen notes W, which is being transported to a predetermined front end position by the small bundle horizontal transport unit 131 following the second bundle, to be pushed forward by the ejection mechanism 141 and placed on the stage 92.

[0109] By appropriately repeating the above, the stored bundle W of four bundles of 1,000 yen notes stored in the bundle storage section 111 (B) is placed in a stacked state on the pair of flappers 82 in the order of fourth bundle, third bundle, second bundle, and first bundle from the bottom, and the control section 65 then terminates the stored bundle dispensing process for the stored bundle W of four bundles of 1,000 yen notes, and then positions the stage 92 to the first position as part of the bundle dispensing process for one bundle W of 1,000 yen notes. In addition, since the stored bundle dispensing process will be performed for the five stored bundles W of 1,000 yen bills after this bundled small bundle dispensing process, the control unit 65 lowers the stage 117 of the small bundle storage unit 111(B) and closes the pair of flappers 116 of the small bundle storage unit 111(B) when the crossbar portion 133 transporting the fourth stored bundle W of 1,000 yen bills forward passes over the small bundle storage unit 111(B), and opens the pair of flappers 116 of the small bundle storage unit 111(D) downward when the crossbar portion 133 transporting the fourth stored bundle W of 1,000 yen bills forward passes over the small bundle storage unit 111(D), so that the first bundle, which is in the uppermost position at this time, of the stored bundles W of 1,000 yen bills placed on the stage 117 of the small bundle storage unit 111(D) is protruded into the small bundle horizontal transport unit 131. Then, the first stored bundle W of 10,000 yen note bills is similarly transported forward by the next rail 133 to the specified front end position. In this case, too, the control unit 65 controls the rotation and stopping of the endless belt 132 so that the multiple stored bundles W do not interfere with each other at the specified front end position. Following the first stored bundle W of 10,000 yen note bills, the second and subsequent stored bundles W of 10,000 yen note bills are transported in order to the specified front end position by the next rail 133.

[0110] In the first transaction, in the bundled small bundle preparation process of the bundled small bundle dispensing process that was started at the start of the stored small bundle dispensing process as described above, the control unit 65 opens the shutter 46 of the temporary storage storage 41(C) and also opens the pair of flappers 43, then raises the stage 44, and causes the loose banknotes S stored in the loose banknote storage unit 49 of the temporary storage storage 41(C) to be fed by the take-in and feed-out unit 42, and conveyed to the loose identification unit 31 by the conveying paths 61E, 61A of the conveying unit 61. Then, based on the recognition result, the loose banknotes S that are normal banknotes and do not need to be inverted are conveyed to the alignment unit 35 by the conveying paths 61A, 61K, 61P, and the loose banknotes S that are normal banknotes and do need to be inverted are conveyed to the alignment unit 35 by the conveying paths 61M, 61K, 61P after passing through the face-back inversion unit 63 by the conveying paths 61A, 61N. On the other hand, abnormal banknotes are transported to the bulk withdrawal rejected vault 22 via the transport paths 61A, 61K, and 61L.

[0111] Then, when 100 loose banknotes S, which is the bundling unit number of 100 yen notes, are accumulated in the alignment section 35, the control section 65 causes the lifting and transporting section 37 to transport the accumulated loose banknotes S to the bundling section 38, where they are bundled into a bundled small bundle W, and causes the small bundle sending section 39 to send this first bundled small bundle W to the small bundle receiving section 101 which is located at the upper receiving position. The control section 65 causes the small bundle receiving section 101 which has received this first bundled small bundle W to descend to the lower limit position. In the first transaction, one bundle W is required for withdrawal and three bundles for replenishment, so the control unit 65 stacks loose 1,000 yen bills S in alignment unit 36 ​​following stacking in alignment unit 35, and proceeds with processing the second bundle W without interfering with the processing of the first bundle W in the lifting and conveying unit 37, bundling unit 38, bundle delivery unit 39, and bundle receiving unit 101. Similarly, the processing of the third and fourth bundle W is also proceeded ahead without interfering with the processing of the previous bundle W.

[0112] When the small bundle receiving section 101 that has received the first bundled small bundle W is lowered to the lower limit position, if the stage 92 is not in the first position, the control section 65 waits until the stage 92 is in the first position, while if the stage 92 is in the first position or if the control section 65 waits and the stage 92 is in the first position, the small bundle receiving section 101 moves forward to send out the first bundled small bundle W onto the stage 92. Then, the control section 65 returns the small bundle receiving section 101 to the upper receiving position by the reverse route, and raises the stage 92 to a predetermined upper position. Then, on the way, the first bundled banknotes W of 1,000 yen notes on the stage 92, i.e., the fifth bundle of banknotes W of 1,000 yen notes to be dispensed, passes through the pair of flappers 82 after placing the first to fourth stored small bundles W while opening the pair of flappers 82 upward, and the pair of flappers 82 close and return to the closed position. The control unit 65 raises the stage 92 to a predetermined upper position, and then lowers it to the second position as part of the stored bundle dispensing process for the stored bundles W of 10,000 yen notes. On the way thereto, the stage 92 places the first bundled bundle W and the fourth to first stored bundles W in that order on the pair of flappers 82, and then moves to the second position. In this manner, five bundles of 1,000 yen note banknotes W are bundled together in the small bundle deposit / withdrawal unit 71.

[0113] Next, the control unit 65 causes the delivery mechanism 141 to push the first bundle of 10,000 yen note bills W, which is conveyed to the front end predetermined position following the fourth bundle of 1000 yen note bills W by the small bundle horizontal conveyance unit 131, forward to place it on the stage 92 at the second position, and then raises the stage 92 to a predetermined upper position. Then, on the way, the first bundle of 10,000 yen note bills W on the stage 92 passes through the pair of flappers 82 while opening the pair of flappers 82 upward, and then the pair of flappers 82 are opened and returned to the closed position. After raising the stage 92 to the predetermined upper position, the control unit 65 causes the stage 92 to lower to the second position. On the way, the stage 92 places the first bundle of 10,000 yen note bills W and the five bundles of 1000 yen note bills W on the pair of flappers 82, and then is positioned at the second position. Then, the control unit 65 causes the second bundle W of 10,000 yen note bills, which is being transported to a predetermined front end position following the first stored bundle W of 10,000 yen note bills by the small bundle horizontal transport unit 131, to be pushed forward by the ejection mechanism 141 and placed on the stage 92.

[0114] By appropriately repeating the above, the five bundles of stored small bundles W of 10,000 yen notes stored in the small bundle storage unit 111(D) are bundled together and placed in an accumulated state on the stage 92, and five bundles of small bills W of 1,000 yen notes are bundled together and placed on top of them, and then the control unit 65 stops the stage 92 at a predetermined dispensing position above the pair of flappers 82 and opens the shutter 81. As a result, the ten bundles of small bills W in the small bundle deposit / withdrawal unit 71 are taken out of the machine.

[0115] When the control unit 65 detects by a sensor (not shown) that all the small bundles of banknotes W in the small bundle deposit / withdrawal unit 71 have been removed to the outside of the machine, it closes the shutter 81 and, as a next step, positions the stage 92 at the first position as part of the bundled small bundle replenishment process for the bundled small bundles W of three bundles of 1,000 yen notes included in the first transaction. Then, as the bundled small bundle replenishment process, the control unit 65 receives the first bundle of bundled small bundles W of 1,000 yen notes to be replenished and moves the small bundle receiving unit 101, which is located at the lower limit position, forward to send out the first bundle of bundled small bundles W of 1,000 yen notes to be replenished onto the stage 92. Then, the control unit 65 returns the small bundle receiving unit 101 to the upper receiving position and lowers the stage 92 to the second position.

[0116] Next, the control unit 65 rotates the endless belt 132 of the small bundle horizontal conveying unit 131 so that the downwardly projecting crosspiece 133 moves backward, and at the same time, for the small bundle storage unit 111(B), opens the pair of flappers 116 downward to raise the stage 117 to a position where it receives the bundled small bundle W from the small bundle horizontal conveying unit 131, and causes the push-out mechanism 145 to push the first bundle W of 1,000-yen notes to be replenished on the stage 92 toward the small bundle horizontal conveying unit 131. Then, the crosspiece 133 of the endless belt 132 conveys the first bundle W of 1,000-yen notes to be replenished backward and places it on the stage 117 of the small bundle storage unit 111(B). Then, the control unit 65 lowers the stage 117 to a position where it receives the bundled small bundle W from the small bundle horizontal conveying unit 131 above the first bundle W of 1,000-yen notes to be replenished.

[0117] When the push-out mechanism 145 pushes out the first bundle W of 1,000-yen notes to be replenished on the stage 92 toward the small bundle horizontal transport section 131, the control section 65 raises the stage 92 to a first position. The control section 65 then receives the second bundle W of 1,000-yen notes to be replenished, and moves the small bundle receiving section 101, which is located at the lower limit position, forward to send out the second bundle W of 1,000-yen notes to be replenished onto the stage 92. The control section 65 then returns the small bundle receiving section 101 to the upper receiving position, and lowers the stage 92 to the second position to push out the second bundle W of 1,000-yen notes to be replenished on the stage 92 toward the small bundle horizontal transport section 131 with the push-out mechanism 145.

[0118] By repeating the above as appropriate, when the third bundle W of 1,000 yen notes to be replenished is placed on top of the second bundle W of 1,000 yen notes to be replenished on stage 117 in small bundle storage section 111(B), the control section 65 lowers the stage 117 of small bundle storage section 111(B) and closes the pair of flappers 116 of small bundle storage section 111(B) to return them to the closed position.

[0119] If the small bundle storage units 111(C) and 111(D) also need to be replenished with bundled bundles W of 10,000 yen notes, the bundled bundles W will be replenished to the small bundle storage units 111(C) and 111(D) following the replenishment to the small bundle storage unit 111(B) described above, but the processing is performed as far downstream as possible without causing interference in the alignment units 35, 36, the lifting and conveying unit 37, the bundling unit 38, the small bundle sending unit 39, and the small bundle receiving unit 101. In the bundled bundle replenishment process, the order of the denominations of the bundled banknotes W to be replenished to the small bundle storage units 111(B) to 111(D) may be either the 1,000 yen note bundles or the 10,000 yen note bundles first.

[0120] When the bundling small bundle replenishment process is completed, if there are stored small bundles W of different denominations temporarily stored in the small bundle recovery cassette unit 121, the control unit 65 causes them to be collected at the end of the first transaction and stored in the small bundle storage units 111(A) to 111(D) of the appropriate denominations from the small bundle recovery cassette unit 121 by the small bundle horizontal conveyor unit 131, as shown by the thick line in FIG. 12. Specifically, the control unit 65 opens the pair of flappers 126 of the small bundle recovery cassette unit 121 downward, then raises the stage 117 to project the stored small bundle W at the top position on the stage 117 into the small bundle horizontal conveyor unit 131, and then rotates the endless belt 132 of the small bundle horizontal conveyor unit 131 so that the crosspiece 133 projecting downward moves backward. As a result, the crosspiece 133 conveys the stored small bundle W at the top position of the small bundle recovery cassette unit 121 backward. Along the way, the small bundle identification unit 135 performs identification, and based on the result, one of the small bundle storage units 111(A) to 111(D) that is storing the bundle opens the pair of flappers 116 downwards, raises the stage 117 to a position to receive the bundled small bundle W from the small bundle horizontal conveying unit 131, and places it on the stage 117. By appropriately performing such operations, the control unit 65 causes the stored small bundles W of different denominations that are temporarily stored in the small bundle recovery cassette unit 121 to be stored in one of the small bundle storage units 111(A) to 111(D) of the appropriate denomination.

[0121] Then, when each section returns to the standby state, the control section 65 ends the first transaction of the small bundle banknote dispensing process. In this first transaction of the small bundle banknote dispensing process, when a start operation is input to the operation display section 66, if the processing proceeds normally until the first transaction is completed, the processing proceeds without any operation input to the operation display section 66 during that time.

[0122] As described above, the small bundle transport unit 91 transports the stored small bundle W and the bundled small bundle W toward the small bundle deposit / withdrawal unit 71. The bundled small bundle W is sent out from a first position by the small bundle receiving unit 101 to the small bundle transport unit 91, and the stored small bundle W is sent out from a second position different from the first position by the small bundle horizontal transport unit 131 and the sending mechanism 141, thereby merging small bundle banknotes W of multiple denominations so as to be grouped by denomination. At that time, the control unit 65 causes multiple bundles of small bundle banknotes W to merge in the small bundle deposit / withdrawal unit 71 by moving the stage 92 to an upper position every time one bundle of small bundle banknotes W is placed on the stage 92 of the small bundle transport unit 91. In addition, at the first position, the control unit 65 transfers the bundled small bundle W to the small bundle conveying unit 91 using the small bundle receiving unit 101, and then at the second position, the control unit 65 sends out the bundled small bundle W from the small bundle conveying unit 91 toward the small bundle storage units 111(A) to 111(D) using the push-out mechanism 145.

[0123] In the above specific example, an example has been given of a case where the small bundle of banknotes W is dispensed within the range that can be held in the small bundle input / output unit 71 at one time. However, when dispensing a small bundle of banknotes W exceeding the range that can be held in the small bundle input / output unit 71 at one time, if the dispense of small bundle of banknotes W in multiple denominations is instructed in one transaction of the small bundle banknote dispense process, the control unit 65 dispenses the small bundle of banknotes W by the small bundle input / output unit 71 for each denomination so that they can be removed outside the machine. That is, for example, when starting a transaction for small bundle banknote dispensing processing, if the small bundle banknotes W to be dispensed in the transaction are eight bundles of 1,000 yen bills W and fifteen bundles of 10,000 yen bills W, the shutter 81 is closed and, for example, the eight bundles of 1,000 yen bills W are first stored in the small bundle deposit / withdrawal unit 71, and then the shutter 81 is opened to make it possible to remove the eight bundles of 1,000 yen bills W from the machine, and when the eight bundles of 1,000 yen bills W are removed from the machine, When this is done, the shutter 81 is closed and the 10 small bundles of 10,000 yen bills W are stored in the small bundle input / output section 71, and then the shutter 81 is opened, allowing the 10 small bundles of 10,000 yen bills W to be removed from the machine, and when the 10 small bundles of 10,000 yen bills W have been removed from the machine, the shutter 81 is closed and the 5 small bundles of 10,000 yen bills W are stored in the small bundle input / output section 71, and then the shutter 81 is opened, allowing the 5 small bundles of 10,000 yen bills W to be removed from the machine.

[0124] Furthermore, when performing both the stored small bundle dispensing process and the bundled small bundle dispensing process for small bundles of banknotes W of the same denomination, the time required for the first small bundle of banknotes W to reach the small bundle deposit / withdrawal section 71 is faster in the stored small bundle dispensing process than in the bundled small bundle dispensing process, so as described above, the transport of the stored small bundle W to the small bundle deposit / withdrawal section 71 is performed first, and the transport of the bundled small bundle W to the small bundle deposit / withdrawal section 71 is performed later in the bundled small bundle dispensing process.

[0125] Although stored small bundles W and bundled small bundles W of the same denomination are bundled together in the small bundle deposit / withdrawal section 71, it is also possible to control the stored small bundles W and bundled small bundles W so as to minimize the processing time without bundling them, and to reserve the stored small bundles W and bundled small bundles W in the small bundle deposit / withdrawal section 71.

[0126] The above has described the bundled small bundle replenishment process as part of the small bundle banknote dispensing process, but when a selection operation for the bundled small bundle replenishment process is input to the operation display unit 66, the control unit 65 performs the bundled small bundle replenishment process alone. In this case, the bundled small bundle W that cannot be stored in the small bundle storage units 111(B) to 111(D) is stored in the small bundle storage unit 111(A).

[0127] In the above-described small bundle bill dispensing process, the control unit 65 selects and determines one of the following operation patterns. The control unit 65 performs processing based on the determined operation pattern.

[0128] [Pattern in which only the stored small bundle W is dispensed and the small bundle banknote dispensing process is terminated] The condition for the control unit 65 to select this pattern is that the small bundle storage unit 111(B) and the small bundle storage units 111(C) and 111(D) maintain a predetermined storage amount even after the stored small bundles W are dispensed.

[0129] [Pattern in which the bundled bundle W is replenished to the bundle storage section 111 after only the stored bundle W is dispensed, or after the stored bundle W and the bundled bundle W are dispensed] The condition for the control unit 65 to select this pattern is that the loose banknotes S required to create the replenished bundled small bundle W are secured in the corresponding loose banknote storage sections 49 of the temporary storage storage vaults 41(A), 41(C) even after the small bundle banknote withdrawal process is completed (excluding a predetermined number of banknotes that need to remain in the corresponding loose banknote storage sections 49 of the temporary storage storage vaults 41(A), 41(C)).

[0130] [Pattern in which the bundled bundle W is not replenished to the bundle storage section 111 after only the stored bundle W is dispensed, or after the stored bundle W and the bundled bundle W are dispensed] The condition for the control unit 65 to select this pattern is when the loose banknotes S for creating the replenished bundled small bundle W are not secured in the corresponding loose banknote storage unit 49 of the temporary storage storage vaults 41(A), 41(C) after the small bundle banknote dispensing process is completed. In this case, the remaining amount in the small bundle storage unit 111 becomes 0, and therefore, an empty state of the small bundle storage unit 111 is notified.

[0131] [Pattern in which only small bundles W are withdrawn] The condition for the control unit 65 to select this pattern is when the small bundle banknotes W of the requested denomination are not stored in the small bundle storage unit 111 (the small bundle storage unit 111 is empty). When the number of loose banknotes S to be left in the corresponding loose banknote storage unit 49 of the temporary storage storage 41(A) or 41(C) is other than the predetermined number and a number (in units of 100) sufficient to create a bundled small bundle W is secured at the time when the small bundle banknote dispensing process is completed, an operation of creating a bundled small bundle W and replenishing the small bundle storage unit 111 may be performed. Furthermore, when the loose banknote storage unit 49 has less than the predetermined number at the time when the small bundle banknote dispensing process is completed, the operation display unit 66 may notify the user of this in advance and obtain approval before performing the bundled small bundle dispensing process. Furthermore, after the small bundle banknote dispensing process is completed, the operation display unit 66 may notify the user that the loose banknote storage unit 49 is near empty (or empty).

[0132] The control unit 65 may determine, through a selection operation on the operation and display unit 66, whether or not denomination consolidation, in which small bundles of banknotes W are consolidated by denomination and dispensed during the small bundle banknote dispensing process, is to be performed.

[0133] [Small bill loading process] The thick lines in Figure 13 indicate the banknote transport route in the small bundle banknote loading process, in which small bundle banknotes W are stored from outside the machine in small bundle storage sections 111(B) to 111(D) based on the small bundle banknote loading operation input to the operation display unit 66.

[0134] When a small bundle bill storage operation is input to the operation display unit 66, the control unit 65 lowers the stage 92 of the small bundle conveying unit 91 in a standby state to a loading position where the height is aligned with the pair of flappers 82, and then opens the shutter 81. Then, when one or more small bundle bills W are loaded into the small bundle bill accumulation space 85 and a start operation is input to the operation display unit 66, the control unit 65 rotates the pair of flappers 82 downward by a flapper motor (not shown), and lowers the stage 92 as shown by a thick solid line in FIG. 13 and stops it at a second position. Then, the control unit 65 rotates the endless belt 132 of the small bundle horizontal conveying unit 131 so that the crosspiece 133 protruding downward moves backward, and the push-out mechanism 145 pushes out the bottom of the small bundle bills W on the stage 92 toward the small bundle horizontal conveying unit 131. As a result, the small bundle bills W are conveyed backward by the crosspiece 133 of the small bundle horizontal conveying unit 131. During this transport, the small bundle recognition unit 135 identifies the denomination, etc., of the bills, and based on the result, the bills are stored in the corresponding small bundle storage units 111(A) to 111(D).

[0135] Here, for a small bundle of banknotes W for which an abnormality has been detected by the small bundle identifying unit 135, the endless belt 132 is rotated in the reverse direction, and the small bundle of banknotes W is temporarily stored in the small bundle collection cassette unit 121, as shown by the thick dashed line in Fig. 13. When an abnormality in the small bundle of banknotes W is detected by the small bundle identifying unit 135, the small bundle horizontal transport unit 131 may be stopped at that point, and the operation display unit 66 may be caused to issue an error notification including the location of the abnormal small bundle of banknotes W.

[0136] After the above is repeated as appropriate to load the small bundle of banknotes W, when an operation to end the small bundle of banknotes loading process is input into the operation display unit 66, at the end of the small bundle of banknotes loading process, the control unit 65 causes the small bundle of banknotes W from the small bundle recovery cassette unit 121 to be transported forward by the small bundle horizontal transport unit 131, as shown by the thick dotted line in Figure 13, and then fed onto the stage 92 in the second position by the discharge mechanism 141, and held in the small bundle deposit / withdrawal unit 71 by raising the stage 92 to the dispensing position, and when all of the banknotes have been held in the small bundle deposit / withdrawal unit 71, the control unit 65 opens the shutter 81 and returns them so that they can be removed from the machine.

[0137] [Collection of small bundles] The thick lines in Figure 14 indicate the banknote transport route in the small bundle banknote collection process, in which the small bundle banknotes W in the small bundle storage sections 111(B) to 111(D) are stored and collected in the small bundle collection cassette section 121 based on the small bundle banknote collection operation input to the operation display section 66.

[0138] When a small bundle banknote collection operation is input to the operation display unit 66, the control unit 65 moves each small bundle banknote W from the topmost one forward through the small bundle storage units 111(A) to 111(D) in a predetermined order, as shown by the thick solid lines in Figure 14, using the small bundle horizontal transport unit 131 to move them forward, and while identifying them using the small bundle identification unit 135, stores normal ones in the small bundle collection cassette unit 121, and transports abnormal ones to the small bundle deposit / withdrawal unit 71 for retention by the small bundle horizontal transport unit 131, the delivery mechanism 141 and the small bundle transport unit 91, as shown by the thick solid line to the thick dashed line in Figure 14. Then, when all the small bundle banknotes W in the small bundle storage units 111(A) to 111(D) have been transported to the small bundle collection cassette unit 121 or the small bundle deposit / withdrawal unit 71, the small bundle transport unit 91, the push-out mechanism 145, and the small bundle horizontal transport unit 131 store the abnormal small bundle banknotes W held in the small bundle deposit / withdrawal unit 71 in the small bundle collection cassette unit 121, as shown by the thick dashed dotted line in Fig. 14. As a result, normal small bundle banknotes W are gathered at the bottom in the small bundle collection cassette unit 121, and abnormal small bundle banknotes W are gathered at the top and stored. Then, the small bundle banknotes W together with the small bundle collection cassette unit 121 is taken out of the machine.

[0139] It is also possible to store a normal small bundle of banknotes W in the small bundle collection cassette unit 121, remove the normal small bundle of banknotes W together with the small bundle collection cassette unit 121 to the outside of the machine, and then set another empty small bundle collection cassette unit 121, store an abnormal small bundle of banknotes W in this small bundle collection cassette unit 121 from the small bundle deposit / withdrawal unit 71, and remove the abnormal small bundle of banknotes W together with this small bundle collection cassette unit 121 to the outside of the machine. Also, all the small bundle of banknotes W in the small bundle storage units 111(A) to 111(D) may be stored in the small bundle collection cassette unit 121 and removed to the outside of the machine without being identified by the small bundle identification unit 135.

[0140] [Complete collection of small bundles] When a small bundle full recovery operation is selected and input by operating the operation display unit 66, the control unit 65 executes a small bundle full recovery processing mode, in which all stored small bundles W are transported from a small bundle storage unit for one denomination among the small bundle storage units 111(B) to 111(D) to the small bundle input / output unit 71 by the small bundle horizontal transport unit 131, the delivery mechanism 141 and the small bundle transport unit 91, and then a recovery operation is performed for all denominations by creating as many bundled small bundles W as possible in the bundling unit 38 from the loose banknotes S stored in the loose banknote storage unit 49 for one denomination among the loose banknote storage units 49 of the temporary storage storage vaults 41(A), 41(C) and transporting them to the small bundle input / output unit 71. As a result, for example, stored bundles W of 1,000 yen notes and bundled bundles W are stored together in the small bundle deposit / withdrawal unit 71 one or more times and then removed from the machine, and then stored bundles W of 10,000 yen notes and bundled bundles W are stored together in the small bundle deposit / withdrawal unit 71 one or more times and then removed from the machine.

[0141] [Small bill inspection process] The thick lines in Fig. 15 also show the banknote transport route in the outbound inspection process of the small bundle banknote inspection process, in which the small bundle banknotes W to be inspected in the small bundle banknote storage units 111(B) to 111(D) are temporarily stored in the small bundle collection cassette unit 121 based on the small bundle banknote inspection operation input to the operation display unit 66. The thick lines in Fig. 16 show the banknote transport route in the inbound inspection process of the small bundle banknote inspection process, in which the small bundle banknotes temporarily stored in the small bundle collection cassette unit 121 are identified by the small bundle identification unit 135 and returned to the corresponding ones in the small bundle storage units 111(B) to 111(D).

[0142] When a small bundle banknote inspection operation is input to the operation display unit 66, the control unit 65, as shown by the thick line in Fig. 15, for a predetermined small bundle storage unit 111 among the small bundle storage units 111(A) to 111(D), moves the small bundle banknotes W from the top position forward by the small bundle horizontal transport unit 131 and stores them in the small bundle collection cassette unit 121 as an inspection outward process. In this way, all the small bundle banknotes W in this small bundle storage unit 111 are stored in the small bundle collection cassette unit 121. Thereafter, as an inspection return process, the control unit 65 moves the small bundle banknotes W in the small bundle collection cassette unit 121 from the top position backward by the small bundle horizontal transport unit 131, identifies the small bundle by the small bundle identification unit 135, and stores the small bundle in the small bundle storage unit 111 based on the identification result, as shown by the thick line in Fig. 16. Thereafter, the reconciliation outward process and the reconciliation homeward process are performed in turn for the other small bundle storage units 111, thereby determining the details of the small bundles of banknotes W stored in each of the small bundle storage units 111(A) to 111(D).

[0143] As a result, if the current inspection result matches the managed in-machine inventory amount, the control unit 65 displays the inspection result on the display and ends the small bundle banknote inspection process.

[0144] On the other hand, if the current inspection result differs from the managed inventory balance, the control unit 65 displays the mismatch in inventory balance via the operation display unit 66. The control unit 65 then prompts the user to input approval for updating the inventory balance, which will use the current inspection result as the new on-board inventory balance. When approval for updating the inventory balance is input to the operation display unit 66 by the user, the on-board inventory balance is updated to the current inspection result, and the self-inspection process is terminated.

[0145] In the above description, the small bundle banknotes W are identified by the small bundle identifying unit 135 during the reconciliation return path process shown by the thick line in Fig. 16. However, instead of this, for example, the small bundle banknotes W may be identified by the small bundle identifying unit 135 during the reconciliation return path process shown by the thick line in Fig. 15. In this case, the small bundle identifying unit 135 may not only determine the denomination of the small bundle banknotes W, but also determine whether or not a wrapper strap is present. This makes it possible to quickly detect abnormal conditions, such as damage to the wrapper strap or the loss of the wrapper strap due to poor bundling, for the small bundle banknotes W fed out of the small bundle storage units 111(A) to 111(D). Since transporting an abnormal bundle of banknotes W may cause a transport jam, after detecting the abnormal bundle of banknotes W, the control unit 65 immediately stops the transport drive of the small bundle horizontal transport unit 131 and notifies the operation display unit 66 to the user to perform abnormality recovery processing work to retrieve the abnormal bundle of banknotes W from inside the machine.

[0146] According to the first embodiment described above, in one transaction of small bundle banknote withdrawal processing, the control unit 65 merges both the stored small bundles W stored in the small bundle storage units 111(B) to 111(D) and the bundled small bundle W created by bundling loose banknotes S stored in the loose banknote storage units 49 of the temporary storage storage vaults 41(A), 41(C) in the bundling unit 38, and dispenses them to the small bundle input / output unit 71. Therefore, it is not necessary to specify multiple processes, as in the case where the operation display unit 66 is operated to perform a stored small bundle dispensing process for dispensing the stored small bundles W stored in the small bundle storage units 111(B) to 111(D) to the small bundle deposit / withdrawal unit 71, and then the operation display unit 66 is operated again to perform a bundled small bundle dispensing process for bundling loose banknotes S stored in the loose banknote storage units 49 of the temporary storage storage vaults 41(A) and 41(C) in the bundling unit 38 to create a bundle W, and dispensing it to the small bundle deposit / withdrawal unit 71. This eliminates the need for the user to repeatedly perform cumbersome operation inputs, improving usability.

[0147] In addition, in one transaction of the small bundle banknote withdrawal processing, the control unit 65 merges both the stored small bundles W stored in the small bundle storage units 111(B) to 111(D) and the bundled small bundles W created by bundling the loose banknotes S stored in the loose banknote storage units 49 of the temporary storage storage units 41(A), 41(C) using the bundling unit 38, and dispenses them to the small bundle input / withdrawal unit 71, and also sends out the bundled small bundles W created by bundling the loose banknotes S stored in the loose banknote storage units 49 of the temporary storage storage units 41(A), 41(C) using the bundling unit 38 toward the small bundle storage units 111(B) to 111(D). Therefore, it is not necessary to specify and perform multiple processes, as in the case where, after operating the operation display unit 66 to perform a stored small bundle dispensing process, the operation display unit 66 is again operated to perform a bundled small bundle dispensing process, and then the operation display unit 66 is again operated to perform a bundled small bundle replenishment process in which the bundled small bundle W created by bundling the loose banknotes S stored in the loose banknote storage units 49 of the temporary storage storage vaults 41(A) and 41(C) in the bundling unit 38 is sent to the small bundle storage units 111(B) to 111(D) to replenish them. This eliminates the need for the user to repeatedly perform complicated operation inputs, making the system even easier to use.

[0148] Furthermore, in a single transaction of the small bundle banknote dispensing process, when a plurality of denominations of small bundle banknotes W are dispensed to the small bundle deposit / withdrawal unit 71 at one time, and when both the stored small bundle W and the bundled small bundle W are dispensed, the control unit 65 merges the small bundle banknotes W of a plurality of denominations together by denomination when the stored small bundle W and the bundled small bundle W are merged. Therefore, even when both the stored small bundle W and the bundled small bundle W are dispensed, the small bundle banknotes W are dispensed together by denomination to the small bundle deposit / withdrawal unit 71, eliminating the need for the user to group the small bundle banknotes W by denomination, making the system even easier to use.

[0149] The control unit 65 can also perform parallel processing of a stored small bundle dispensing process for dispensing the stored small bundles W stored in the small bundle storage units 111(B) to 111(D) to the small bundle deposit / withdrawal unit 71, and a bundled small bundle creation process for creating a bundled small bundle W in the bundling unit 38 from loose banknotes S stored in the loose banknote storage units 49 of the temporary storage storage vaults 41(A) and 41(C). In this way, instead of creating a bundled small bundle W from loose banknotes S after the transport of a predetermined stored small bundle W has been completed, it is possible to proceed with the creation of a bundled small bundle W from loose banknotes S in parallel while the predetermined stored small bundle W is being transported. This is expected to increase the speed of one transaction of the small bundle banknote dispensing process.

[0150] In addition, the small bundle transport unit 91 is caused to send out the bundled small bundle W from a first position, and then send out the stored small bundle W from a second position different from the first position, thereby causing the small bundle banknotes W of multiple denominations to merge and be bundled together by denomination. This makes it easy to bundle the small bundle banknotes W of multiple denominations by denomination.

[0151] Also, a small bundle transport section 91 is provided directly below the small bundle deposit / withdrawal section 71, and the small bundle transport section 91 has a stage 92 that is vertically movable, which sends the placed small bundle of banknotes W into the small bundle deposit / withdrawal section 71 at an upper position, receives the bundled small bundle W at a first position below this upper position, and receives the stored small bundle W at a second position below this upper position. This makes it possible to collect small bundles of banknotes W of multiple denominations by denomination with a simple and compact configuration.

[0152] Furthermore, the control unit 65 moves the stage 92 to an upper position every time a small bundle of banknotes W is placed on the stage 92 of the small bundle transport unit 91, thereby merging the small bundle of banknotes W in the small bundle deposit / withdrawal unit 71. This makes it possible to collect small bundles of banknotes W of multiple denominations by denomination with a simple and compact configuration.

[0153] Furthermore, at the first position, the control unit 65 transfers the bundled small bundle W from the small bundle receiving unit 101 to the small bundle transport unit 91, and then at the second position, sends out the bundled small bundle W from the small bundle transport unit 91 toward the small bundle storage unit 111. This makes it possible to replenish the bundled small bundle W in the small bundle storage unit 111 with a simple and compact configuration.

[0154] Furthermore, when starting a transaction of the small bundle banknote dispensing process, if the dispensing of the small bundle banknotes W in that transaction is instructed across multiple denominations, the control unit 65 causes the small bundle banknotes W to be dispensed by denomination so that they can be removed outside the machine by the small bundle deposit / withdrawal unit 71. This eliminates the need for the user to organize the small bundle banknotes W by denomination, improving usability.

[0155] In addition, when the control unit 65 performs a transaction of the small bundle banknote dispensing process, when the control unit 65 causes the small bundle W stored in the small bundle storage units 111(B) to 111(D) to be dispensed to the small bundle input / output unit 71 in the transaction, the number of stored small bundles W is zero (or a predetermined number of bundles greater than zero) in at least one of the small bundle storage unit 111(B) storing stored small bundles W of 1,000 yen notes and the small bundle storage units 111(C) and 111(D) storing stored small bundles W of 1,000 yen notes. If it is predicted that there is a denomination for which the number of bundles is insufficient, a bundling unit 38 creates a bundled small bundle W from the loose banknotes S of the denomination for which the number of bundles is insufficient, including the loose banknotes S of the loose banknotes S of the loose banknote storage units 49 of the temporary storage storage vaults 41(A) and 41(C) that are stored in the loose banknote storage units 49, and additionally executes a bundling small bundle replenishment process for storing the bundled small bundle W in the small bundle storage unit 111(B) and the small bundle storage units 111(C), 111(D) of the denomination for which the number of bundles is insufficient. This eliminates the need for the user to repeatedly perform cumbersome operational inputs, improving usability.

[0156] In other words, not only for the denominations for which the bundled small bundle withdrawal process has been performed in a single transaction of small bundle banknote dispensing processing (denominations for which the stored small bundle W alone is insufficient), but also for those denominations for which the stored small bundle W will become zero (it will simply become zero, and will not be accompanied by the bundled small bundle withdrawal process) or the stored small bundle W will fall below a predetermined number of bundles (a small number of bundles such as 1 bundle, 2 bundles, etc.) by performing the stored small bundle withdrawal process in that single transaction, one or more bundled small bundles W will be created from loose banknotes S at the end of that transaction, and these will be replenished in the small bundle storage sections 111(B) to 111(D) as stored small bundles W.

[0157] In addition, in the small bundle total recovery processing mode, the control unit 65 transports all stored small bundles W from the small bundle storage units for one denomination among the small bundle storage units 111(B) to 111(D) to the small bundle deposit / withdrawal unit 71 by the small bundle horizontal transport unit 131, the delivery mechanism 141, and the small bundle transport unit 91, and then performs a recovery operation for all denominations by creating a bundled small bundle W from the loose banknotes S stored in the loose banknote storage unit 49 for one denomination among the loose banknote storage units 49 of the temporary storage storage vaults 41(A) and 41(C) by the bundling unit 38 and transporting the bundled small bundle W to the small bundle deposit / withdrawal unit 71. As a result, even when performing the small bundle total recovery processing for a plurality of denominations, the small bundle banknotes W can be collectively dispensed by denomination by performing the small bundle total recovery processing one by one. In other words, if the stored small bundles W and the bundled small bundles W were simply processed in parallel, the bills could be dispensed without regard to the denomination, and the order of the denominations of the small bundles of banknotes W in the small bundle deposit / withdrawal unit 71 could be mixed up, which is undesirable in terms of appearance and confirmation work.

[0158] The control unit 65 also automatically determines the appropriate number of loose banknotes S of the denomination for which the bundled small bundle W was created, within the range of the number of loose banknotes remaining in storage after the bundled small bundle W was created, and continuously or successively feeds out the loose banknotes S from the temporary storage storage 41 for that number of loose banknotes, bundles them in the bundling unit 38, and controls the small bundle sending unit 39, small bundle receiving unit 101, small bundle transport unit 91, small bundle horizontal transport unit 131, etc. to store the small bundle banknotes W in the small bundle storage unit 111 of that denomination (create and store additional small bundles). This makes it possible to create and secure a certain number of small bundle banknotes W in advance, even if a transaction for the next small bundle banknote dispensing process is consecutively performed while a dispensing operation of the small bundle banknotes W is being performed. It is preferable that the additional creation and storage of small bundles be controlled at the stage when all the work of the original small bundle banknote dispensing process has been completed, i.e., immediately after all the small bundle banknotes W that have been instructed to be dispensed have been transported to the small bundle input / output section 71.

[0159] Furthermore, when starting one transaction of the small bundle banknote dispensing process, the control unit 65 compares the amount of stored small bundles W already stored in the small bundle storage units 111(B)-111(D) with the requested number of small bundle banknotes W requested to be dispensed in that transaction based on the input number of dispensing bundles by denomination, determines a small bundle banknote dispensing process pattern based on the comparison result, and performs the small bundle banknote dispensing process transaction in accordance with the determined small bundle banknote dispensing process pattern. This eliminates the need for the user to repeatedly perform cumbersome operational inputs, improving usability.

[0160] The small bundle banknote dispensing process patterns are a first pattern in which only a stored small bundle dispensing process is performed in which the stored small bundle W from the small bundle storage units 111(B) to 111(D) is dispensed to the small bundle deposit / withdrawal unit 71, and a second pattern in which both a stored small bundle dispensing process in which the stored small bundle W from the small bundle storage units 111(B) to 111(D) is dispensed to the small bundle deposit / withdrawal unit 71 and a bundled small bundle dispensing process in which a predetermined number of loose banknotes S from the loose banknote storage units 49 of the temporary storage storage vaults 41(A) and 41(C) are bundled by the bundling unit 38 to create a bundled small bundle W and dispense the bundled small bundle W to the small bundle deposit / withdrawal unit 71 are performed. The control unit 65 selects and executes either one of the first pattern and the second pattern. This eliminates the need for the user to repeatedly perform cumbersome operation inputs, improving usability.

[0161] In addition to the first pattern of performing only the stored small bundle dispensing process and the second pattern of performing both the stored small bundle dispensing process and the bundled small bundle dispensing process in one transaction of the small bundle banknote dispensing process, the control unit 65 additionally performs a bundled small bundle refill process of bundling a predetermined number of loose banknotes S from the loose banknote storage units 49 of the temporary storage storage vaults 41(A) and 41(C) in the bundling unit 38 to create a bundled small bundle W and storing this bundled small bundle W in the small bundle storage units 111(B) to 111(D). This eliminates the need for the user to repeatedly perform cumbersome operational inputs, improving usability.

[0162] In addition, when starting a transaction for the small bundle banknote withdrawal process, the control unit 65 compares the number of withdrawal requests for small bundle banknotes W of each denomination with the number of stored small bundles W of 1,000 yen notes stored in small bundle storage unit 111(B) as the amount on hand in the machine and the number of stored small bundles W of 10,000 yen notes stored in small bundle storage units 111(C) and 111(D). At the same time, the operation pattern for one transaction is determined in consideration of the lower limit number of bundles, which is the predetermined storage amount for leaving stored small bundles W set in the small bundle storage unit 111(B), and the lower limit number of loose bills, which is the predetermined storage amount for leaving loose bills S set in the loose bill storage unit 49 of the temporary storage storage unit 41(C), as well as the lower limit number of bundles, which is the predetermined storage amount for leaving stored small bundles W set in the small bundle storage units 111(C) and 111(D), and the lower limit number of loose bills, which is the predetermined storage amount for leaving loose bills S set in the loose bill storage unit 49 of the temporary storage storage unit 41(A). This eliminates the need for the user to repeatedly perform cumbersome operation inputs, improving usability.

[0163] Furthermore, when starting a transaction for dispensing small bundle banknotes, if it is predicted that after the transaction, small bundle storage unit 111(B), which dispenses stored bundles W of 1,000 yen notes, will maintain a lower limit number of bundles, which is a predetermined storage amount, and small bundle storage units 111(C), 111(D), which dispense stored bundles W of 10,000 yen notes, will together maintain a lower limit number of bundles, which is a predetermined storage amount, the control unit 65 dispenses only the stored bundles W of small bundle storage units 111(B) to 111(D).This is expected to speed up the transaction for dispensing small bundle banknotes.

[0164] In addition, when starting a transaction of the small bundle banknote dispensing process, if at least one of the small bundle storage units 111(B) and the small bundle storage units 111(C), 111(D) is expected to be unable to maintain the lower limit number of bundles, which is a predetermined storage amount, after the transaction, and if it is expected that the loose banknotes S for creating the bundled small bundle W to be replenished in the small bundle storage unit 111 that cannot maintain the lower limit number of bundles is secured in the corresponding loose banknote storage unit 49 of the temporary storage storage 41(A), 41(C), the control unit 65 dispenses at least the stored small bundle W of the stored small bundle W and the bundled small bundle W in the transaction, and then replenishes the bundled small bundle W to the small bundle storage unit 111 that cannot maintain the lower limit number of bundles. Thus, by replenishing the bundled small bundle W to the small bundle storage unit 111, it is possible to prevent a shortage of loose banknotes S in the loose banknote storage unit 49 of the temporary storage storage 41(A), 41(C).

[0165] In addition, when starting a transaction of the small bundle banknote dispensing process, if at least one of the small bundle storage units 111(B) and the small bundle storage units 111(C) and 111(D) is expected to be unable to maintain the lower limit number of bundles, which is a predetermined storage amount, after the transaction, and if it is expected that the loose banknotes S for creating the bundled small bundle W to be replenished in the small bundle storage unit 111 that cannot maintain the lower limit number of bundles is not secured in the corresponding loose banknote storage unit 49 of the temporary storage storage 41(A) and 41(C), the control unit 65 does not replenish the bundled small bundle W to the small bundle storage unit 111 that cannot maintain the lower limit number of bundles after dispensing at least the stored small bundle W of the stored small bundle W and the bundled small bundle W in the transaction. Therefore, by replenishing the bundled small bundle W to the small bundle storage unit 111, it is possible to prevent a shortage of loose banknotes S in the loose banknote storage unit 49 of the temporary storage storage 41(A) and 41(C).

[0166] Furthermore, when starting a transaction for the small bundle banknote dispensing process, if the stored small bundle W of the denomination requested to be dispensed is not stored in the small bundle storage units 111(B) to 111(D), the control unit 65 bundles the loose banknotes S from the corresponding loose banknote storage units 49 of the temporary storage storage vaults 41(A) and 41(C) with the bundling unit 38 and dispenses only the bundled small bundle W. This eliminates the need for the user to repeatedly perform cumbersome operational inputs, improving usability.

[0167] <Second embodiment> The second embodiment of the present invention will be described below mainly with reference to FIG. 17, focusing on the differences from the first embodiment.

[0168] In the second embodiment, the stage 92 of the small bundle transport unit 91 can move below the second position, and can accumulate small bundle banknotes W below the pair of flappers 82 up to the same maximum number (e.g., 10 bundles) as the small bundle banknote input / output unit 71. In the small bundle banknote withdrawal process, the operation when the stored small bundle W and the bundled small bundle W are merged is different from that in the first embodiment.

[0169] When receiving a bundled small bundle W from the small bundle receiving section 101, the stage 92 positions the top surface of the small bundle of banknotes W if there is no small bundle of banknotes W placed on its top surface, or the top surface of the topmost small bundle of banknotes W if there is a small bundle of banknotes W placed on its top surface, in the first position. Also, when receiving a stored small bundle W sent out by the sending mechanism 141, the stage 92 positions the top surface of the small bundle of banknotes W if there is no small bundle of banknotes W placed on its top surface, or the top surface of the topmost small bundle of banknotes W if there is a small bundle of banknotes W placed on its top surface, in the second position. This makes it possible for the stage 92 to accumulate a plurality of small bundles of banknotes W on its top surface below the small bundle money input / output section 71. When the stage 92 rises with a plurality of small bundles of banknotes W accumulated on its upper surface below the small bundle deposit / withdrawal section 71, the uppermost small bundle of banknotes W rotates the pair of flappers 82 upward to open them, and rises to a predetermined upper position beyond the pair of flappers 82. Then, after the pair of flappers 82 rotate downward by the biasing force of the flapper springs to return to the closed state, the stage 92 descends, and the plurality of small bundles of banknotes W are placed on the pair of flappers 82.

[0170] [Small bill withdrawal processing] In the small bundle banknote dispensing process, the small bundle transport unit 91 moves the stage 92 so that the upper surface of the stage 92 or the top surface of the small bundle banknotes placed on the stage 92 is in a position to receive the bundled small bundle W at the first position, and in a position to receive the stored small bundle W at the second position, and causes the stored small bundle W and the bundled small bundle W to merge on the stage 92, and then moves it to an upper position.

[0171] To explain this with a specific example similar to that of the first embodiment, the control unit 65 first causes the small bundle horizontal conveyor 131 to convey the topmost stored small bundle W of 10,000 yen note bills in either small bundle storage unit 111(C) or 111(D) to a predetermined front end position, and then causes the delivery mechanism 141 to deliver this first stored small bundle W of 10,000 yen note bills forward. Then, this first stored small bundle W of 10,000 yen note bills is placed on the stage 92 located at the second position of the small bundle conveyor 91.

[0172] Next, the control unit 65 lowers the stage 92 to position the top surface of the first stored bundle W of 10,000 yen note bills at the second position. Then, the second stored bundle W of 10,000 yen note bills, which is transported by the bundle horizontal transport unit 131 and sent out by the sending mechanism 141, is placed on top of the first bundle.

[0173] Next, the control unit 65 lowers the stage 92 to position the top surface of the second stored bundle W of 10,000 yen note bills at the second position. Then, the third stored bundle W of 10,000 yen note bills, which is then transported by the bundle horizontal transport unit 131 and fed out by the feed mechanism 141, is placed on top of the second bundle.

[0174] By appropriately repeating the above, the stored bundle W of five 10,000 yen note bills stored in either the small bundle storage unit 111(C) or 111(D) is placed in an accumulated state on the stage 92, and the control unit 65 ends the stored bundle dispensing process for the stored bundle W of five 10,000 yen note bills. In this way, the five bundles of 10,000 yen note bills W are bundled together in the small bundle transport unit 91.

[0175] Next, the control unit 65 lowers the stage 92, and positions the top surface of the fifth bundle of 10,000 yen notes W at the second position. Then, the control unit 65 places the first stored bundle W of 1,000 yen notes, which is transported by the small bundle horizontal transport unit 131 and sent out by the sending mechanism 141, on the top surface of the fifth stored bundle W of 10,000 yen notes, and then lowers the stage 92, and positions the top surface of the first stored bundle W of 1,000 yen notes at the second position. Then, the control unit 65 places the second stored bundle W of 1,000 yen notes, which is transported by the small bundle horizontal transport unit 131 and sent out by the sending mechanism 141, on the first stored bundle W of 1,000 yen notes.

[0176] Next, the control unit 65 lowers the stage 92 to position the top surface of the second stored bundle W of 1,000 yen notes at the second position. Then, the third stored bundle W of 1,000 yen notes, which is then transported by the bundle horizontal transport unit 131 and sent out by the sending mechanism 141, is placed on top of the second stored bundle W of 1,000 yen notes.

[0177] By appropriately repeating the above, when the stored bundle W of four bundles of 1,000 yen notes stored in the bundle storage unit 111(B) is placed in an accumulated state on the stage 92, the control unit 65 ends the stored bundle dispensing process for the stored bundle W of four bundles of 1,000 yen notes, and then, as part of the bundle dispensing process for the bundled bundle W of one bundle of 1,000 yen notes, raises the stage 92 and positions the upper surface of the stored bundle W of the fourth bundle of 1,000 yen notes at the first position. Then, the bundled bundle W of 1,000 yen notes bundled by the bundling unit 38 by the bundle creation process of the bundled bundle dispensing process that was started at the start of the stored bundle dispensing process is delivered by the bundle sending unit 39 and the bundle receiving unit 101 as the fifth bundle of 1,000 yen notes on the upper surface of the stored bundle W of the fourth bundle of 1,000 yen notes on the stage 92 located at the first position. In this manner, five bundles of 1,000 yen bills W are bundled together in the bundle transport section 91.

[0178] Next, the control unit 65 raises the stage 92 to an upper position. Then, the bundled small bundle W of 1,000 yen notes at the top position on the stage 92 opens the pair of flappers 82 upward, and when the bundle of 10 small bundle banknotes W passes through the pair of open flappers 82, the pair of flappers 82 closes. The control unit 65 then stops the stage 92 at a predetermined dispensing position above the pair of flappers 82 and opens the shutter 81. This causes the bundle of 10 small bundle banknotes W in the small bundle deposit / withdrawal unit 71 to be taken out of the machine.

[0179] In the second embodiment, in the small bundle banknote loading process, when the stage 92 is positioned at a loading position where its height is aligned with that of the pair of flappers 82, and small bundle banknotes W are loaded into the small bundle banknote accumulation space 85 in a state of being accumulated in multiple bundles, the control unit 65 lowers the stage 92 to position the underside of the small bundle banknotes W in the top position on the stage 92 at a second position, and pushes the small bundle banknotes W in the top position toward the small bundle horizontal conveying unit 131 using the extrusion mechanism 145, and then raises the stage 92 by one bundle, positions the underside of the small bundle banknotes W in the next top position at the second position, and pushes this small bundle banknotes W toward the small bundle horizontal conveying unit 131 using the extrusion mechanism 145.By repeating this operation, the multiple small bundle banknotes W on the stage 92 are transferred to the small bundle horizontal conveying unit 131 in order from the top.

[0180] According to the second embodiment described above, in the small bundle banknote dispensing process, the small bundle transport unit 91 moves the stage 92 so that the upper surface of the stage 92 or the top surface of the small bundle banknotes W placed on the stage 92 is a position for receiving the bundled small bundle W at the first position and a position for receiving the stored small bundle W at the second position, and after the stored small bundle W and the bundled small bundle W join together on the stage 92, it is moved to an upper position and positioned at the small bundle deposit / withdrawal unit 71. This is expected to increase the speed of one transaction in the small bundle banknote dispensing process. [Explanation of symbols]

[0181] 11 Banknote processing machine 38 Binding section 49 Loose bill storage section 65 Control Unit 71 Small bundle deposit / withdrawal section (Small bundle deposit / withdrawal section) 91 Small bundle transport section 92 Stages 111 Small bundle storage section S Loose banknotes W Small bills

Claims

1. A loose bill storage unit that stores loose bills in a retractable manner; A bundling unit for bundling a predetermined number of loose banknotes into a bundle of banknotes; A small bundle storage unit capable of storing and feeding small bundles of bills; a small bundle dispensing unit that holds small bundles of bills so that the small bundles can be removed outside the machine; a control unit that controls the loose banknote storage unit, the bundling unit, the small bundle storage unit, and the small bundle dispensing unit, and also controls the transportation of loose banknotes and small bundle banknotes; A banknote processing machine having The control unit is A banknote processing machine characterized in that, when starting a transaction for dispensing small bundle banknotes, the machine compares the number of withdrawal requests for small bundle banknotes of each denomination, the number of bundles of stored small bundles stored in the small bundle storage section as the total amount in the machine, and the number of loose banknotes stored in the loose banknote storage section as the total amount in the machine, and determines the operating pattern of the transaction by taking into consideration a predetermined storage amount for the stored small bundles set in advance for each small bundle storage section and a predetermined storage amount for the loose banknotes set in each loose banknote storage section.

2. The control unit is A banknote processing machine as described in claim 1, characterized in that when starting a transaction for dispensing small bundle banknotes, if the small bundle storage unit that dispenses the stored small bundle is expected to maintain the specified storage amount after the transaction, only the stored small bundle in the small bundle storage unit is dispensed.

3. The control unit is A banknote processing machine as described in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that when starting a transaction for dispensing small bundle banknotes, if it is expected that the loose banknotes in the loose banknote storage unit have enough loose banknotes to create the bundled small bundle to be replenished in the small bundle storage unit after the transaction, at least the stored small bundle of the stored small bundle and the bundled small bundle is dispensed in the transaction, and then the bundled small bundle is replenished in the small bundle storage unit.

4. The control unit is A banknote processing machine as described in claim 3, characterized in that when starting a transaction for dispensing small bundle banknotes, if it is predicted that the loose banknote storage unit does not have enough loose banknotes to create the bundled small bundle to be replenished in the small bundle storage unit after the transaction, after dispensing at least the stored small bundle of the stored small bundle and the bundled small bundle in the transaction, the bundled small bundle is not replenished in the small bundle storage unit.

5. The control unit is A banknote processing machine as described in any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that when starting a transaction for dispensing small bundle banknotes, if the stored small bundle of the denomination requested to be dispensed is not stored in the small bundle storage section, only the bundled small bundle is dispensed.

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