Coin deposit device

Abstract

To provide a coin payment device that can prevent inflow of liquid into a coin receiving port.SOLUTION: A coin payment device of the present embodiment includes: a coin input part having a hole for inputting a coin; a money placement surface provided adjacent to the coin input part and capable of placing at least the coin; a slope sloped upward from the money placement surface toward the coin input part; and a processing unit for accepting the coin input to the coin input part and performing payment processing.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] An embodiment of the present invention relates to a coin deposit device. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, supermarkets and other stores have begun to use POS (Point Of Sales) terminals, so-called self-checkout devices, that allow customers to process payments themselves. Some self-checkout devices are provided with an area (hereinafter referred to as a placement section) where customers can temporarily place and check money before putting it in a drawer. Such placement sections are called inspection tables or coin validation tables. Conventionally, a configuration has been proposed in which the placement section and a coin receiving slot are linearly connected, allowing coins to be inserted from the placement section into the coin receiving slot.

[0003] The above-mentioned placement table is provided on a flat surface of the self-tick-out device so that money can be easily placed on it, but at the same time, it has the characteristic of being prone to receiving foreign objects other than money. Therefore, a configuration has been proposed to remove foreign objects such as dust that have entered the coin receiving opening together with coins.

[0004] Incidentally, the foreign matter received by the placement section is not limited to solid matter, and may also be liquid, such as water droplets. For example, some products contain moisture or have moisture attached to them, and moisture (liquid) leaking from the product may fall onto the placement section. In such a case, if liquid gets into the coin receiving port from the placement section, it may cause a breakdown or malfunction, and therefore technology to prevent the inflow of liquid is desired. Note that the above-mentioned conventional technology is designed to remove solid foreign matter, but is unable to prevent the inflow of liquid into the coin receiving port. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a coin depositing device capable of preventing the inflow of liquid into a coin receiving port. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The coin deposit device of the present embodiment includes a coin insertion section having a hole for inserting coins, a money placement surface provided adjacent to the coin insertion section and capable of placing at least coins, and a sloped portion extending upward from the money placement surface toward the coin insertion section. a drain hole having a diameter smaller than that of the coin, the drain hole being provided on the surface of the money placement surface for draining liquid accumulated on the money placement surface; and a processing unit that receives the coins inserted into the coin insertion unit and performs a deposit process. The coin placement surface is coated with a low friction material. The inclined portion is provided between the coin insertion portion and the drain hole. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a front view showing the appearance of a self-checkout device according to an embodiment. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the appearance of the payment terminal with the door open. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the external appearance of the self-checkout device as viewed from above. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a plan view showing the external appearance of the coin insertion portion and its vicinity. [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a schematic cross section taken along the line AA shown in FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a plan view showing the appearance of a modified example near the coin insertion portion. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a cross section taken along the line BB shown in FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0008] Hereinafter, an embodiment of a coin deposit device will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In this embodiment, a payment terminal of a self-checkout device that allows customers to register products and make payments by themselves will be described as an example of the coin deposit device.

[0009] Fig. 1 is a front view showing the appearance of a self-checkout equipment 100 according to an embodiment. As shown in Fig. 1, the self-checkout equipment 100 includes a payment terminal 1, a basket shelf 2, and a bagging shelf 3. The payment terminal 1 includes a deposit / withdrawal unit 4, a reading unit 5, a display operation unit 6, etc. The payment terminal 1 also includes a control unit (not shown) therein that controls each unit.

[0010] The payment terminal 1 comprises a first housing 11 and a second housing 12. The first housing 11 comprises a door 111 that can be opened and closed. The door 111 rotates vertically around a hinge portion 1111. The first housing 11 houses therein a banknote change machine (banknote deposit and withdrawal device) 41 and a coin change machine (coin deposit and withdrawal device) 42 (both see FIG. 2) that constitute the deposit and withdrawal unit 4. The second housing 12 houses therein a control unit (not shown).

[0011] The reading unit 5 is equipped with a scanner 50 that reads the appearance of a product or a code (a code symbol such as a barcode) attached to the product in order to identify the product. The reading unit 5 also has a printer 51 that prints receipts and the like. The printer 51 has a receipt discharge tray 511 that supports discharged receipts protruding from the first housing 11. In other words, the receipt discharge tray 511 is a convex portion that protrudes from the wall surface of the first housing 11. The reading unit 5 also has a card reader 52 that reads credit cards and the like.

[0012] The display operation unit 6 includes a monitor 61 and a touch panel 62. The monitor 61 displays an image under the control of a control unit (not shown). The touch panel 62 is provided on the surface of the monitor 61, and outputs information based on the position touched by the operator to the control unit (not shown).

[0013] The basket shelf 2 is a storage stand on which the basket is placed when products are removed from the basket and held over the reading unit 5. The basket shelf 2 is provided on one side of the payment terminal 1.

[0014] The bagging shelf 3 is a table for bagging the scanned products. The bagging shelf 3 is provided on the other side of the payment terminal 1 (opposite the basket placement shelf 2).

[0015] Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing the exterior of the payment terminal 1 with the door 111 open. As shown in Fig. 2, the inside of the first housing 11 is opened by rotating the door 111 upward, exposing the banknote change machine 41 and the coin change machine 42. The banknote change machine 41 and the coin change machine 42 are stored one on top of the other in the first housing 11, and the banknote change machine 41 is located below the coin change machine 42.

[0016] The banknote change machine 41 judges whether a banknote taken in through a banknote insertion port 411 described later is genuine, stores genuine coins, and dispenses banknotes as change from a banknote discharge port 412 described later. The coin change machine 42 judges whether a coin taken in through a coin insertion unit 421 described later is genuine, stores genuine coins, and dispenses coins as change from a coin discharge tray 422. If the coin change machine 42 judges that a coin is not genuine, it dispenses the non-coin taken in from a reject tray 423. That is, the coin change machine 42 functions as an example of a processing unit that accepts coins inserted into the coin insertion unit 421 and performs a deposit process. The banknote change machine 41 and the coin change machine 42 communicate the amount of stored coins to a control unit (not shown). The banknote change machine 41 and the coin change machine 42 also receive communication of the amount to be dispensed as change from a control unit (not shown).

[0017] FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the appearance of the self-checkout device 100 as seen from above. As shown in FIG. 3, the first housing 11 has a coin insertion section 421, which is an insertion port for coins to be deposited in the coin changer 42, and a money placement section 70 arranged side by side on the upper surface thereof. Note that FIG. 3 shows an example in which the money placement section 70 and the coin insertion section 421 are arranged side by side from the left to the right of the payment terminal 1, but the order and direction of arrangement are not limited thereto. For example, the money placement section 70 and the coin insertion section 421 may be arranged side by side from the right to the left of the payment terminal 1. Also, the money placement section 70 and the coin insertion section 421 may be arranged side by side from the back to the front of the payment terminal 1.

[0018] In addition, in the first housing 11 (deposit / withdrawal unit 4), from the back side where the coin insertion unit 421 and the money placement unit 70 are provided to the front side, the coin discharge tray 422, the reject tray 423, the banknote insertion slot 411 and the banknote discharge slot 412 are provided in a stepped manner. That is, the surface where the coin insertion unit 421 and the money placement unit 70 are provided is the upper stage, the surface where the coin discharge tray 422 and the reject tray 423 are provided is the middle stage, and the surface where the banknote insertion slot 411 and the banknote discharge slot 412 are provided is the lower stage. By arranging the various insertion slots and discharge slots (discharge trays) in a stepped manner in this way, it is possible to see all of the insertion slots and discharge slots (discharge trays) from the back side to the front side.

[0019] The coin discharge tray 422 is a tray that receives coins discharged from the coin change machine 42. The reject tray 423 is a tray that receives coins (rejected coins) that should not be stored in the coin change machine 42, such as deformed coins, foreign coins, and counterfeit coins. The positional relationship between the coin insertion section 421, the coin discharge tray 422, and the reject tray 423 depends on the structure of the coin change machine 42.

[0020] As shown in Fig. 3, the coin discharge tray 422 is provided at the end opposite to the widthwise end of the payment terminal 1 at which the coin insertion portion 421 is provided. Since the coin insertion portion 421 and the coin discharge tray 422 are thus provided offset from each other in the height, width, and depth directions, the visibility and operability of the coin discharge tray 422 are good. The reject tray 423 is provided next to the coin discharge tray 422 below the coin insertion portion 421.

[0021] The banknote input port 411 is an input port for banknotes to be deposited into the banknote change machine 41. The banknote discharge port 412 is an discharge port for banknotes to be discharged from the banknote change machine 41. The positional relationship between the banknote input port 411 and the banknote discharge port 412 depends on the structure of the banknote change machine 41.

[0022] Next, the configuration of the vicinity of the coin insertion portion 421 and the money placement portion 70 will be described with reference to Fig. 4 and Fig. 5. Here, Fig. 4 is a plan view showing the appearance of the vicinity of the coin insertion portion 421. Fig. 5 is a schematic diagram showing a cross section along the line AA shown in Fig. 4.

[0023] As shown in FIG. 4, the first housing 11 (door 111) includes a coin insertion portion 421, and a money placement portion 70 arranged adjacent to the coin insertion portion 421 at a position aligned with the payment terminal 1 in the width direction.

[0024] The money placement unit 70 is generally called an examination table or a coin validation table. The money placement unit 70 is used by a customer to visually check the money to be used for payment by removing the money from his / her wallet and arranging it on the table during payment processing at the payment terminal 1.

[0025] The money placing section 70 has a concave shape recessed from the surface of the first housing 11. More specifically, the money placing section 70 includes a flat money placing surface 71 forming the bottom of the concave shape, and a guide wall 72 forming the wall of the concave shape. Note that the money placing surface 71 is not limited to a flat shape, and may be curved into a concave shape.

[0026] The money placement surface 71 is a surface for placing money (coins, bills) on. A customer can check the money to be used for payment by taking money out of his / her wallet and placing it on the money placement surface 71.

[0027] Furthermore, when a coin is slid from the money placement surface 71 into the coin insertion portion 421, it is required from the viewpoint of operability that the coin can be moved smoothly over the surface of the money placement surface 71.

[0028] Therefore, in this embodiment, the coefficient of friction of the money placing surface 71 is set lower than the coefficient of friction of the installation surface of the first housing 11 on which the money placing surface 71 is placed. More specifically, the surface of the money placing surface 71 is processed to have a lower coefficient of friction. For example, the surface of the money placing surface 71 is coated with a low-friction material such as fluororesin, thereby setting the coefficient of friction lower than the coefficient of friction of the installation surface of the first housing 11. Also, for example, the surface of the money placing surface 71 is formed with irregularities such as fine dimples or ribs, thereby setting the coefficient of friction lower than the coefficient of friction of the installation surface of the first housing 11.

[0029] 4 shows an example in which a sheet 711 coated with a low-friction material such as fluororesin is attached to the surface of the money placement surface 71. As shown in FIG. 4, by attaching a sheet 711 or the like having a friction characteristic lower than the friction coefficient of the installation surface of the first housing 11 to the surface of the money placement surface 71, the money placement surface 71 may be integrally formed.

[0030] When the sheet 711 is attached onto the surface of the money placement surface 71, it is preferable that the sheet 711 is attached to an area other than an area where a drainage hole 73, which will be described later, is provided on the surface of the money placement surface 71. Also, by attaching the sheet 711 onto the surface of the money placement surface 71, it is possible to prevent the money placement surface 71 from being soiled or damaged by the placed coins.

[0031] In this way, the surface of the money placement surface 71 on which money (coins) are placed is set to have a lower friction coefficient than the installation surface of the first housing 11, allowing the coins to slide smoothly. Therefore, coins can be smoothly inserted from the money placement surface 71 into the coin insertion portion 421, allowing customers to insert coins easily.

[0032] Furthermore, since many customers are unfamiliar with the operation of self-checkout devices, there is a problem in that it is difficult for them to understand how to use the money placement surface 71.

[0033] Therefore, in this embodiment, information such as characters and illustrations explaining the usage mode (method of use) of the money placement section 70 (money placement surface 71) is displayed on the surface of the money placement surface 71. Note that the display method is not particularly limited, and various forms are possible.

[0034] For example, as shown in Fig. 4, guide information 74 and guide information 75, which inform the customer that coins can be placed, are displayed on the money placement surface 71. This allows a customer to easily understand that coins can be placed on the money placement surface 71 by looking at the guide information 74 and guide information 75. Also, as shown in Fig. 4, guide information 76, which informs the customer to slide the coin in the direction of the coin insertion portion 421, is displayed on the money placement surface 71.

[0035] This allows a customer to easily understand by looking at guide information 76 that they should slide the coin in the direction of coin insertion portion 421. Note that, although Fig. 4 shows an example in which the information is displayed on the surface of sheet 711, if sheet 711 is not attached, the information may be displayed directly on the surface of money placement surface 71.

[0036] In this way, by displaying the usage mode (method of use) on the surface of the money placement surface 71, customers can easily understand how to use the money placement surface 71, thereby improving convenience and making it easier to insert coins.

[0037] Also, a guide wall 72 is provided on the edge of the money placement surface 71. More specifically, the guide wall 72 is provided on the edge of the money placement surface 71 excluding the connecting portion (side) with the coin insertion portion 421 (inclined surface 4211). The guide wall 72 protrudes upward from the money placement surface 71 to support the side of money (particularly coins) placed on the money placement surface 71. The guide wall 72 is provided perpendicular to the money placement surface 71 or with an incline downward to the money placement surface 71. The height of the guide wall 72, that is, the depth of the concave shape of the money placement portion 70, is a value larger than the thickness of the coin, for example, 15 mm. The depth of the concave portion of the money placement portion 70 is set to a depth that can avoid collision with the receipt discharge tray 511 of the printer 51 when the inside of the first housing 11 is open.

[0038] Moreover, the lower part of the guide wall 72 is formed so as to be smoothly connected to the money placement surface 71. More specifically, the corner connecting the money placement surface 71 and the guide wall 72 is formed in a curved shape that smoothly connects the money placement surface 71 and the guide wall 72. This curved shape allows coins to slide smoothly from the money placement surface 71 along the guide wall 72, making it easy to remove coins from the money placement section 70. The radius of curvature of the corner is not particularly important, and may be, for example, 10R.

[0039] In the example of Fig. 4, all of the corners connecting the money placement surface 71 and the guide wall 72 are curved, but this is not limiting, and only some of the corners may be curved. For example, the corner on the front side where the user removes coins may be curved. In addition, the corner (the upper end of the peripheral portion 91 described later) connecting the upper part of the guide wall 72 and the first housing 11 may be curved as above, or may be configured to be connected in a flat surface (straight line).

[0040] The money placement section 70 thus formed in a concave shape on the door 111 of the first housing 11 is positioned so as to interfere with the receipt discharge tray 511 of the printer 51 when the door 111 is rotated upward to open the inside of the first housing 11.

[0041] 4, the first housing 11 is set back toward the rear side of the first housing 11 in the vicinity of the money placement section 70. In other words, the distance between the guide wall 72 on the front side of the money placement section 70 and the wall surface of the first housing 11 facing the guide wall 72 is formed shorter than the distance at the coin insertion section 421. This makes it possible for the customer to easily see the coin discharge tray 422 located below the money placement section 70. In addition, since the coin can be picked up and removed from the money placement section 70 with the thumb or the like placed on the edge of the first housing 11, the operability when removing the coin from the money placement section 70 can be improved.

[0042] On the other hand, the coin insertion portion 421 has a funnel-shaped inclined surface 4211 that descends from the outside to the inside, and a hole 4212 provided at the bottom of the inclined surface 4211. The coin insertion portion 421 also has a connection portion 4213 that continues from the inclined surface 4211 at a position (connection portion) where it connects to the money placement surface 71. Note that, in this embodiment, the connection portion 4213 is a part of the coin insertion portion 421, but it may be a part of the money placement surface 71, or may be a member independent of the coin insertion portion 421 and the money placement surface 71.

[0043] Hole 4212 has a size that allows one or more coins to pass through. In other words, the dimension of hole 4212 in the longitudinal direction is larger than the diameter of the largest coin, and in the width direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, is larger than the thickness of the thickest coin. Also, it is more preferable that the dimension of hole 4212 is large enough to allow multiple coins to pass through while overlapping each other. In other words, it is more preferable that the dimension of hole 4212 in the width direction is larger than twice the thickness of the thickest coin.

[0044] Moreover, the hole 4212 is an elongated hole that is vertically long when viewed from a customer standing in front of the payment terminal 1. In other words, the long side of the hole 4212 is arranged along a direction (the front-rear direction of the payment terminal 1) perpendicular to the arrangement direction of the money placement unit 70 and the coin insertion unit 421. By arranging the hole 4212 in this way, it becomes possible for the coin insertion unit 421 to efficiently accept coins inserted from the money placement surface 71.

[0045] The inclined surface 4211 is a guide member for sliding the coins down into the hole 4212. The inclined surface 4211 has a pair of a first inclined surface 42111 and a second inclined surface 42112 sandwiching the hole 4212 from the front and rear, and a pair of a third inclined surface 42113 and a fourth inclined surface 42114 sandwiching the hole 4212 from the left and right. The inclined surface 4211 forms a slope that descends toward the hole 4212. Here, the upper end of the inclined surface 42113 is connected to the connecting portion 4213 (the money placement surface 71). Moreover, the inclined surfaces 42111, 42112, and 42114 are smoothly connected to each other, and their upper ends are at the same height as the guide wall 72. Moreover, the inclined surfaces 42111 and 42112 are connected to the guide wall 72 via the connecting portion 4213. As a result, the money placement unit 70 and the coin insertion unit 421 have an integrated shape.

[0046] In this embodiment, the money placement unit 70 (money placement surface 71) and the coin insertion unit 421 are linearly connected. This makes it easy to move (insert) coins from the money placement unit 70 to the coin insertion unit 421.

[0047] Further, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4 and the like, a convex peripheral portion 91 is provided on the periphery of the money placement portion 70 (money placement surface 71) and the coin insertion portion 421, so as to integrally surround the periphery. Specifically, the peripheral portion 91 is provided on the upper end of the guide wall 72 of the money placement portion 70, the upper end of the inclined surface 4211 (42111, 42112, 42114), and the upper end of the connecting portion 4213. The peripheral portion 91 has a convex shape, and is formed so as to protrude from the upper surface when the money placement portion 70 and the coin insertion portion 421 are installed on the upper surface of the first housing 11. In addition, the corners at the upper end of the peripheral portion 91 are formed in a curved shape. The height of the peripheral portion 91 is not particularly limited, but it is preferable that the height is such that a finger can be caught (for example, 7 mm).

[0048] In this way, by providing the convex peripheral portion 91 on the periphery between the money placement portion 70 and the coin insertion portion 421, it is possible to improve the operability when inserting a coin from the money placement portion 70 into the coin insertion portion 421. For example, when sliding a coin from the money placement portion 70 to insert it into the coin insertion portion 421, the coin can be easily moved in the direction of the coin insertion portion 421 by sliding the index finger over the coin on the money placement surface 71 while sliding the thumb along the peripheral portion 91. Therefore, it is possible to realize smooth insertion of the coin from the money placement surface 71 into the coin insertion portion 421.

[0049] In addition, because the corners at the upper end of the peripheral portion 91 are formed into a curved surface, the feel when the hand or fingers touch the peripheral portion 91 can be improved. This configuration also improves the operability when removing coins from the money placement portion 70 or the coin insertion portion 421. For example, when removing coins from the front side of the first housing 11, the coin can be removed with the thumb hooked on the peripheral portion 91. In addition, when removing coins from the rear side of the first housing 11, the coin can be removed with the thumb hooked on the peripheral portion 91. Therefore, coins can be smoothly removed from the money placement portion 70 or the coin insertion portion 421.

[0050] Incidentally, some of the products sold in stores contain moisture or have moisture attached to them. When such products are moved from the basket placement shelf 2 to the bagging shelf 3, moisture leaking from the products or moisture attached to the products (hereinafter referred to as liquid) may fall onto the money placement section 70 (money placement surface 71). In such a case, if liquid flows from the money placement surface 71 into the coin insertion section 421 (hole 4212), it may cause a breakdown or malfunction. Furthermore, in the configuration of this embodiment, as a coin is inserted into the coin insertion section 421, the liquid on the money placement surface 71 is moved in the direction of the coin insertion section 421, so that the structure is such that liquid is likely to flow into the coin insertion section 421.

[0051] Therefore, in the payment terminal 1 of this embodiment, in order to prevent liquid from flowing from the money placement surface 71 into the coin insertion portion 421, an inclined portion 425 is provided that rises from the money placement surface 71 toward the coin insertion portion 421. Specifically, in the payment terminal 1 shown in Figures 4 and 5, the inclined portion 425 is provided in the connection portion 4213. The inclined portion 425 will be described below.

[0052] The inclined portion 425 is a member for preventing liquid from flowing from the money placement surface 71 to the coin insertion portion 421. Specifically, the inclined portion 425 is provided in a connection portion 4213 that connects the coin insertion portion 421 and the money placement surface 71, and is formed so as to rise from the money placement surface 71 toward the coin insertion portion 421. The inclined portion 425 is provided over the entire area in the depth direction of the connection portion, and serves as a partition that separates the money placement surface 71 and the coin insertion portion 421.

[0053] Here, among the inclined surfaces forming the inclined portion 425, the surface that rises from the money placing surface 71 toward the coin insertion portion 421 is smoothly connected to the money placing surface 71. Moreover, among the inclined surfaces forming the inclined portion 425, the surface that descends from the apex position in the height direction toward the coin insertion portion 421 is connected to the third inclined surface 42113. Moreover, it is preferable that the height of the inclined portion 425 is less than the depth of the concave shape of the money placing portion 70.

[0054] In this way, by providing the inclined portion 425 between the money placement surface 71 and the coin insertion portion 421, the payment terminal 1 can prevent liquid accumulated on the money placement surface 71 from flowing into the coin insertion portion 421. In addition, since the inclined portion 425 is smoothly connected to the money placement surface 71, it is possible to realize smooth insertion of coins from the money placement surface 71 to the coin insertion portion 421.

[0055] Furthermore, the settlement terminal 1 of this embodiment is provided with drainage holes 73 for draining (removing) liquid accumulated on the money placement surface 71 on the surface of the money placement surface 71. The drainage holes 73 will be described below.

[0056] Drain hole 73 is formed to be large enough to prevent coins from falling out. Specifically, the diameter (long axis) of drain hole 73 is formed to be smaller than the outer diameter of the coin. More preferably, the diameter of drain hole 73 is formed to be smaller than the smallest diameter (outer diameter) of the coins that can be deposited in coin changer 42. This allows liquid accumulated on money placement surface 71 to fall through drain hole 73 while the coins remain on money placement surface 71.

[0057] Furthermore, drain hole 73 may be formed in an elongated hole shape as shown in Fig. 4. In this case, the short side (short diameter) of drain hole 73 is formed to be smaller than the thickness of the coin. More preferably, the short side of drain hole 73 is formed to be smaller than the smallest coin among the coins that can be deposited in coin changer 42. Note that, when drain hole 73 is formed in an elongated hole shape, the long side of drain hole 73 is preferably arranged along the direction from money placement surface 71 toward inclined portion 425.

[0058] This arrangement can prevent the coin from getting stuck or caught in the drain hole 73 when the coin is slid from the money placement surface 71 in the direction of the inclined portion 425. This allows the coins on the money placement surface 71 to be smoothly carried to the coin insertion portion 421, making it easy to insert the coins. The shape of the drain hole 73 is not limited to an elongated hole, and may be other shapes such as a circle or a rectangle.

[0059] Furthermore, the drain holes 73 may be configured as multiple holes. For example, as shown in Fig. 4, the drain holes 73 in the form of long holes (slits) may be arranged in a staggered or lattice pattern. By arranging them in this manner, the area and installation region of the drain holes 73 can be enlarged while maintaining the planar shape of the money placement surface 71, so that liquid on the money placement surface 71 can be efficiently drained.

[0060] 4, the drain hole 73 is provided at the lowest point of the inclined portion 425 on the money placement surface 71, that is, at a position adjacent to the inclined portion 425. This allows liquid carried along with the coin to fall from the drain hole 73 when a customer slides a coin toward the coin insertion portion 421, so that liquid accumulated on the money placement surface 71 can be efficiently removed. Also, the moisture that slides down the inclined portion 425 toward the money placement surface 71 can fall from the drain hole 73, so that liquid can be efficiently removed.

[0061] The location of the drain hole 73 is not limited to the example in Fig. 4, and it may be provided at another location on the surface of the money placing surface 71. Also, in Fig. 4, the drain hole 73 is provided in a part of the money placing surface 71, but this is not limiting, and the drain hole 73 may be provided in a plurality of parts, or the drain hole 73 may be provided on the entire surface of the money placing surface 71. Also, the drain hole 73 may also serve as a dust drop hole for removing solid foreign objects (e.g., dust) other than coins placed on the money placing surface 71.

[0062] A holder 80 (see FIG. 5) for holding water that has fallen through the drain hole 73 is provided at a position corresponding to the drain hole 73 on the back side of the money placement surface 71. The holder 80 has an opening (not shown) on the back side of the money placement surface 71, and collects liquid that has passed through the drain hole 73 in a storage space 81. A tube (not shown) for moving the liquid in the storage space 81 to another location may be provided, so that the liquid can be held in another location. The holder 80 is configured to be detachable from the first housing 11 (money placement surface 71).

[0063] Furthermore, the payment terminal 1 of this embodiment is provided with a shielding portion 424 to prevent liquid that has dropped from a commodity from directly flowing into the coin insertion portion 421. The shielding portion 424 will be described below.

[0064] The shielding portion 424 is a shielding material that covers the coin insertion portion 421. Specifically, the shielding portion 424 is provided above the coin insertion portion 421, for example, on the peripheral portion 91 of the coin insertion portion 421, and covers at least the upper portion of the hole 4212. In Figs. 4 and 5, the shielding portion 424 covers the entire coin insertion portion 421, and an end portion closer to the money placement portion 70 is extended to the position of the connection portion 4213 (inclined portion 425). More specifically, the end portion closer to the money placement portion 70 of the shielding portion 424 is extended to a position equivalent to the apex position of the inclined portion 425, or to a position closer to the money placement portion 70 that exceeds the apex position.

[0065] This makes it possible to prevent liquid from flowing into the coin insertion portion 421 (hole 4212) even if liquid falls from above the coin insertion portion 421. Note that the shielding portion 424 is preferably made of, for example, a light-transmitting material so that the position of the hole 4212 and the movement of the coins can be observed from the outside.

[0066] Further, the shielding portion 424 forms an opening between itself and the connecting portion 4213. More specifically, the shielding portion 424 forms an opening (gap) between itself and the inclined portion 425 provided on the connecting portion 4213. Here, the size of the opening is formed to be at least larger than the thickness of one coin, and a coin is inserted into the coin insertion portion 421 through the opening.

[0067] Here, the inclination angle of the inclined portion 425 and the size of the opening between the shielding portion 424 and the inclined portion 425 are not particularly important, but should be formed to a value that allows coins to be smoothly inserted from the money placement surface 71 into the coin insertion portion 421.

[0068] The shielding part 424 may be fixedly provided above the coin insertion part 421, or may be provided so as to be openable and closable (detachable). For example, a sliding mechanism may be provided on the peripheral part 91 of the coin insertion part 421, and the shielding part 424 may be configured to be openable and closable via the sliding mechanism.

[0069] The payment terminal 1 also includes a sensor (not shown) that detects objects (wallets, coins, etc.) placed on the money placement surface 71 or around the money placement surface 71. Examples of the sensor include an optical sensor, a magnetic sensor, and an image sensor. The optical sensor is, for example, arranged so that the optical axis of the optical sensor crawls along the money placement surface 71, and determines that an object is present on the money placement surface 71 when the optical axis is blocked. The magnetic sensor is, for example, arranged at a position corresponding to the back side of the money placement surface 71, and determines that an object is present on the money placement surface 71 when metal is detected. The image sensor is, for example, arranged above the money placement surface 71, and determines that an object is present on the money placement surface 71 by image recognition. A control unit (not shown) executes a process of notifying remaining money based on the determination result of the sensor.

[0070] With the above configuration, the first housing 11 (deposit / withdrawal section 4) allows coins to be inserted from the money placement section 70 to the coin insertion section 421. Specifically, when processing a payment with the payment terminal 1, a customer removes money (coins, bills) to be used for payment from his / her wallet and arranges them on the money placement surface 71 of the money placement section 70 for confirmation. Next, the customer carries the coin to the coin insertion section 421 by sliding it over the money placement surface 71. At this time, the guide wall 72 of the money placement section 70 supports the side of the coin, thereby preventing the coin from falling from the money placement surface 71.

[0071] Furthermore, the payment terminal 1 is provided with an inclined portion 425 between the money placement surface 71 and the coin insertion portion 421, thereby making it possible to prevent liquid accumulated on the money placement surface 71 from flowing into the coin insertion portion 421. Furthermore, the payment terminal 1 is provided with a drainage hole 73 on the surface of the money placement surface 71, thereby making it possible to drain liquid accumulated on the money placement surface 71. Furthermore, the payment terminal 1 is provided with a shielding portion 424 that covers the upper side of the coin insertion portion 421 (hole 4212), thereby making it possible to prevent liquid from flowing into the coin insertion portion 421 (hole 4212) even if liquid falls from above the coin insertion portion 421.

[0072] The above-described embodiment can be modified as appropriate by changing a part of the configuration or function of each of the above-described devices. Therefore, some modified examples of the above-described embodiment will be described below as other embodiments. Note that the following mainly describes the differences from the above-described embodiment, and a detailed description of the common points with the contents already described will be omitted. The modified examples described below may be implemented individually or in appropriate combination.

[0073] (Variation 1) In the above embodiment, an example has been described in which the payment terminal 1 of the self-checkout device 100 for customers to register products and make payments by themselves is applied as the coin deposit device, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the payment device may be an accounting machine that is installed in a semi-self-checkout lane and is used for payment processing by customers after product registration by a store clerk. In addition, the payment device may be a ticket vending machine (ticket issuing machine) that issues meal tickets for restaurants, a payment machine in a parking lot or station, a vending machine, etc. Furthermore, the coin deposit device may be applied to devices other than payment devices, and there is no particular restriction on the type or use of the device as long as it involves the insertion of coins other than coins or currency.

[0074] (Variation 2) In the above embodiment, the inclined portion 425 is provided in the connection portion 4213 that connects the coin insertion portion 421 and the money placement surface 71, but the configuration of the inclined portion 425 is not limited to this. For example, the inclined portion 425 may be provided over the entire area of ​​the money placement surface 71 (and the connection portion 4213).

[0075] Hereinafter, a configuration example of the vicinity of the coin insertion unit 421 and the money placement unit 70 according to this modified example will be described with reference to Fig. 6 and Fig. 7. Here, Fig. 6 is a plan view showing the appearance of the vicinity of the coin insertion unit 421 according to this modified example. Fig. 7 is a schematic diagram showing a cross section along the line BB shown in Fig. 6.

[0076] Here, the inclined portion 426 according to this modification is provided across the entire area between the money placement surface 71 and the connection portion 4213, and is formed so as to rise from the money placement surface 71 toward the coin insertion portion 421. Specifically, the inclined portion 426 functions as a money placement surface on which money (coins, bills) is placed, and also functions as a blocking member for blocking liquid flowing from the money placement surface 71 into the coin insertion portion 421.

[0077] In this modification, a drain hole 731 is provided at the lowest point of the inclined portion 426, thereby removing moisture other than money from the surface of the inclined portion 426 (money placement surface 71). Furthermore, a holder 801 (see FIG. 7) for storing moisture that has fallen through the drain hole 731 is provided at a position corresponding to the drain hole 731 on the rear side of the inclined portion 426. The holder 801 has an opening (not shown) on the rear side of the inclined portion 426, and stores the moisture that has passed through the drain hole 731 in a storage space 811.

[0078] According to this modification, like the above-described embodiment, it is possible to prevent a situation in which liquid flows from the money placement surface 71 into the coin insertion portion 421.

[0079] (Variation 3) In the above embodiment, the configuration of the payment terminal 1 including the three elements of the shielding portion 424, the inclined portion 426, and the drain hole 731 to prevent liquid from flowing into the coin insertion portion 421 has been described, but the configuration is not limited to this. For example, the payment terminal 1 may be configured to include any one or two of the three elements of the shielding portion 424, the inclined portion 426, and the drain hole 731.

[0080] Although the embodiment of the present invention has been described above, this embodiment is presented as an example and is not intended to limit the scope of the invention. This new embodiment can be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and modifications can be made without departing from the gist of the invention. This embodiment and its modifications are included in the scope and gist of the invention, and are included in the scope of the invention and its equivalents described in the claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0081] 1. Payment terminal 11 First cabinet 4. Deposit and Withdrawal Section 41 Banknote deposit and withdrawal device 411 Bill slot 412 Bill ejection port 42 Coin deposit and withdrawal device 421 Coin slot 4211 Slope 4212 holes 4213 Connection part 422 Coin Discharge Tray 424 Shielding part 425 Slope 426 Slope 70 Money storage area 71 Money Placement Surface 72 Guide Wall 73 Drain hole 731 Drain hole 80 Holding part 801 Holding part 81 Storage Space 811 Storage Space 91 Periphery [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0082] [Patent Document 1] JP 2017-138939 A

Claims

1. a coin insertion portion having a hole for inserting coins; A money placement surface is provided adjacent to the coin insertion portion and capable of placing at least coins thereon; a slope portion that rises from the money placement surface toward the coin insertion portion; a drain hole having a diameter smaller than that of the coin, the drain hole being provided on the surface of the money placement surface for draining liquid accumulated on the money placement surface; A processing unit that receives the coins inserted into the coin insertion unit and performs a deposit process; Equipped with The coin placement surface is coated with a low-friction material, The inclined portion is provided between the coin insertion portion and the drain hole. Coin deposit device.

2. The inclined portion is provided at a connection portion between the money placement surface and the coin insertion portion, or over the entire area of ​​the money placement surface. The coin depositing device according to claim 1.

3. Further, a shielding portion is provided to cover the upper portion of the coin insertion portion, The shielding portion forms an opening between the shielding portion and the inclined portion. The coin receiving device according to claim 1 or 2.

4. The shielding portion is made of a light-transmitting transparent material. The coin depositing device according to claim 3.

5. The drainage hole is provided on the surface of the money placement surface and at the lowest point of the inclined portion or adjacent to the lowest point. The coin receiving device according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

6. The money placement surface displays information regarding the manner of use of the money placement surface. The coin receiving device according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

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