Banknote handling equipment

Abstract

To enable easy transition, through a simple configuration, between a state in which foreign matters can be discharged while forming a space suitable for inserting and removing banknotes by a user, and a state suitable for separating and accumulating the banknotes.SOLUTION: A banknote deposit / withdrawal unit 10 of a banknote processing device 1 includes a guide depression 33 in a guide groove 32 where a bill press guide unit 42 moves, and allows, in conjunction with the opening / closing of a shutter 14, an auxiliary guide 36 to shift to the groove exposed or buried state and shift a bill press body 41 to the inclined or vertical posture. When the shutter 14 is opened, the banknote deposit / withdrawal unit 10 allows the bill press body 41 to be in an inclined posture to expand the opening of a foreign object drop hole 22 and allows foreign objects to fall through the foreign object drop hole 22 and be discharged. When the shutter 14 is closed, the bill press unit 10 can return the bill press body 41 to a vertical position to properly hold banknotes between a pool guide 15 and itself.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a banknote processing device, and is suitable for application to a banknote processing device that processes various types of banknotes, for example, among cash transaction devices that process various types of cash transactions with users. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventional banknote processing devices that have been widely used include, for example, a deposit / withdrawal unit that receives and delivers banknotes to and from users, a transport unit that transports banknotes, a recognition unit that recognizes banknotes, a temporary storage unit that temporarily stores banknotes, and multiple banknote storage vaults that store banknotes.

[0003] Of these, the deposit / withdrawal unit forms an internal space for storing, for example, accumulated banknotes, and includes a shutter that closes or opens the internal space from the outside, a separation / accumulation mechanism that separates the banknotes in the internal space one by one and takes them into the device, and accumulates banknotes transported sequentially from inside the device in the internal space, etc. This separation / accumulation mechanism forms gates by arranging rollers, etc., at positions facing each other across the banknote transport path, and transmits driving force to the banknotes by appropriately rotating each roller, etc.

[0004] Furthermore, some depositing and dispensing units have a bill press, which is a plate-like member that can move within the internal space and limits the storage range for storing banknotes within the internal space. For example, when the depositing and dispensing unit opens the shutter to allow a user to insert or remove banknotes, the storage range is slightly widened to support the banknotes so that they do not fall over and make it easier to grasp the banknotes. Furthermore, when separating banknotes one by one, the depositing and dispensing unit narrows the storage range to press the banknotes against the rollers of the separation and accumulation mechanism, transmitting driving force to allow them to be taken in.

[0005] Furthermore, in the depositing / withdrawing unit, assuming that a foreign object such as a coin or paper clip is accidentally inserted when the shutter is opened, a foreign object drop opening may be provided at the bottom of the internal space to allow the foreign object to pass through and be discharged from the internal space. In this case, from the viewpoint of preventing abnormalities and damage to various parts of the depositing / withdrawing unit, it is desirable to discharge the foreign object through the foreign object drop opening without allowing it to enter the gate. On the other hand, in the depositing / withdrawing unit, when the shutter is opened, the storage range is narrowed by the bill press to the extent that banknotes do not fall over, making it difficult to open the foreign object drop opening sufficiently large.

[0006] Therefore, a proposed deposit / withdrawal section is provided with a foreign object removal guide that closes or opens the gate, and when the gate is closed by the foreign object removal guide, the foreign object is actively guided into the foreign object drop opening (see, for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0007] [Patent Document 1] JP-A-10-188080 (Fig. 1, etc.) Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0008] However, a deposit / withdrawal unit with such a configuration requires various parts that make up the foreign matter removal guide, various mechanisms for moving the foreign matter removal guide, and a driving force source such as a motor, which leads to an increase in the number of parts and a more complex configuration, resulting in increased costs.

[0009] The present invention has been made taking the above points into consideration, and aims to propose a banknote processing device that can easily transition, with a simple configuration, between a state in which foreign objects can be efficiently discharged while creating a space suitable for users to insert and remove banknotes, and a state in which the banknotes can be separated and stacked. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] In order to solve this problem, the banknote processing device of the present invention comprises a storage unit having a bottom surface along the alignment direction and storing banknotes aligned along the alignment direction, a shutter that opens or closes an opening provided in the storage unit opposite the bottom surface, a bottom support unit that forms part of the bottom surface of the storage unit, supports banknotes, and has a foreign object passing hole formed therein to allow foreign objects inserted through the opening to pass through, a banknote support plate that supports banknotes within the storage unit with its banknote support surface facing the paper surface of the banknote and can assume a vertical position with the banknote support surface approximately perpendicular to the bottom surface and an inclined position inclined from the vertical position, and an interlocking unit that interlocks the shutter and the banknote support plate so that the banknote support plate is in the vertical position when the shutter is closed and the banknote support plate is in the inclined position when the shutter is opened. In the storage section, a bill support plate in a vertical position and an opposing support plate provided at a position opposite to the bill support plate are provided. Setting In the inclined position, the banknote support plate has a larger distance from the banknote support surface to the opposing support plate at a point on the banknote support surface closest to the bottom surface than at a point on the banknote support surface farthest from the bottom surface. I did so.

[0011] The present invention is capable of opening a foreign object passage hole in a bottom support portion with a sufficient size while properly supporting the banknote when the banknote support plate is in an inclined position. At the same time, the distance between the bill support surface and the opposing support plate can be made relatively small at a location far from the bottom surface, so that bills can be supported without falling over. On the other hand, in the present invention, when the bill support plate is in a vertical position, the bill separation process and stacking process can be performed appropriately. Furthermore, in the present invention, the position of the bill support plate can be changed in conjunction with the opening and closing of the shutter without providing a dedicated drive force source. [Effects of the Invention]

[0012] According to the present invention, a banknote processing device can be realized that, with a simple configuration, can easily transition between a state in which foreign objects can be efficiently discharged while creating a space suitable for users to insert and remove banknotes, and a state in which the banknotes can be separated and stacked. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0013] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic perspective view showing the overall configuration of a banknote processing device. FIG. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view showing the configuration of the banknote deposit and withdrawal section with the shutter open. [Figure 3]10 is a schematic plan view showing the configuration of the banknote deposit and withdrawal section with the shutter open. FIG. [Figure 4] 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the banknote deposit and withdrawal unit with the shutter open. FIG. [Figure 5] 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the banknote deposit and withdrawal section when the shutter is closed. FIG. [Figure 6] 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the banknote deposit and withdrawal unit with the shutter open. FIG. [Figure 7] 10 is a schematic perspective view showing the configuration of the banknote deposit and withdrawal section with the shutter closed. FIG. [Figure 8] 10 is a schematic diagram showing the relationship between the posture of the bill press body and the opening range of the foreign object drop hole. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0014] Hereinafter, modes for carrying out the invention (hereinafter referred to as embodiments) will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0015] [1. Configuration of banknote processing device] As shown in the schematic external view of Fig. 1, the banknote processing device 1 according to this embodiment is configured as a rectangular parallelepiped overall, and is configured to perform various processes related to banknotes. The banknote processing device 1 is also configured to be incorporated into a cash processing device (not shown) that processes transactions related to currency (coins and banknotes) with users. This cash processing device is a so-called ATM (Automatic Teller Machine), and also incorporates a control device that comprehensively controls the entire device, a coin processing device (not shown) that processes coins, and the like. Therefore, the cash processing device is configured to perform various transaction processes related to currency, such as deposit transactions and withdrawal transactions, with users.

[0016] In the following description, the direction facing the user in the banknote handling machine 1 is defined as the front direction, and the opposite direction as the rear direction, and the upward, downward, leftward and rightward directions as seen from the user are respectively defined.

[0017] The banknote processing device 1 has a banknote receiving and dispensing unit 10 in its front portion that receives banknotes from users and hands them over to them, as well as a transport unit that transports the banknotes, a recognition unit that recognizes the denomination and authenticity of the banknotes, a temporary storage unit that temporarily stores the banknotes, etc. The front portion of the banknote processing device 1 is covered by a front panel 2.

[0018] [2. Configuration of the banknote deposit / withdrawal unit] Fig. 2 is a schematic perspective view of the banknote deposit and withdrawal unit 10 in a state in which the front panel 2 (Fig. 1) is omitted. Fig. 3 is a schematic plan view of the banknote deposit and withdrawal unit 10. Figs. 4(A) and (B) are schematic cross-sectional views showing the A1-A2 cross section and the B1-B2 cross section, respectively, in a state in which the front panel 2 is omitted from Fig. 3. Figs. 5(A) and (B) and Figs. 6(A) and (B) are schematic cross-sectional views corresponding to Figs. 4(A) and (B), respectively, and show states in which the positions and attitudes of some components are changed from the states shown in Figs. 4(A) and (B).

[0019] [2-1. Basic configuration of the banknote deposit / withdrawal unit] The banknote deposit and withdrawal unit 10 has various parts attached to a frame 11 (FIG. 4(A)) configured in a predetermined shape, and forms an internal space 12 (FIG. 4(B)) for storing banknotes therein. In other words, the banknote deposit and withdrawal unit 10 has a configuration in which various parts are arranged around the internal space 12.

[0020] The internal space 12 is formed in the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped having a side along a direction connecting the lower front side and the upper rear side (hereinafter referred to as the alignment direction), a side along a direction approximately perpendicular to the alignment direction (hereinafter referred to as the vertical direction), and a side along the left-right direction. In other words, the internal space 12 has a shape like a rectangular parallelepiped having sides along the front-rear, up-down, and left-right directions, but tilted (rotated) around an imaginary axis along the left-right direction so that the front side is lowered and the rear side is raised.

[0021] In the following, the direction toward the lower-front side of the alignment direction is also referred to as the front alignment direction, and the direction toward the upper-rear side is also referred to as the rear alignment direction. Also, in the following, the direction toward the upper-front side of the vertical direction is also referred to as the vertically upward direction, and the direction toward the lower-rear side is also referred to as the vertically downward direction.

[0022] In this internal space 12, a plurality of banknotes are stored in a state where they are stacked and aligned with their short and long sides aligned, with the paper faces of the banknotes facing the front and rear alignment directions, with their long sides aligned in the left-right direction and their short sides aligned in the generally vertical direction. That is, a plurality of banknotes aligned along the alignment direction are stored in the internal space 12. Therefore, the lengths of the internal space 12 along the left-right and vertical directions are slightly longer than the lengths of the long and short sides of the banknotes, respectively. Furthermore, the length of the internal space 12 along the alignment direction is sufficiently greater (longer) than the thickness of the maximum number of banknotes (e.g., 200) that can be stored in the internal space 12 when stacked.

[0023] Approximately half of the upper side of the internal space 12 is closed at the front and approximately half of the upper side is open at the rear, forming an opening 13. This opening 13 connects the inside and outside of the internal space 12, and can be opened or closed by a shutter 14 (described in detail later) that moves along the alignment direction. In the banknote deposit / withdrawal unit 10, when the opening 13 is open, a user inserts banknotes into the internal space 12 through the opening 13, and the user also removes banknotes from the internal space 12 through the opening 13.

[0024] A pool guide 15 is fixed to the rear side of the internal space 12. A front surface 15F of the pool guide 15, which serves as an opposing support plate, is formed in a flat shape that is generally aligned in the vertical direction. A predetermined hole is formed near the center of the pool guide 15, and a picker roller 16 is disposed so as to be embedded therein, with a portion of the picker roller protruding forward from the front surface 15F.

[0025] A separation gate 17 is provided below the pool guide 15. This separation gate 17 is composed of a banknote guide 18 that guides banknotes along the transport path W, a separation roller 19 and an opposing roller 20 that are provided at opposing positions across the transport path W. The opposing roller 20 is located in front of the transport path W, and below the bottom surface 12B of the internal space 12.

[0026] As shown in Fig. 3, a sorting section 21 is formed in front of the separation gate 17 on the bottom surface 12B of the internal space 12. This sorting section 21 has a plurality of foreign object drop holes 22 formed so as to be aligned in the left-right direction, and ribs 23 are formed between each of the foreign object drop holes 22 (Fig. 3).

[0027] The length of each side of the foreign object drop hole 22, which serves as a foreign object passage hole, is sufficiently larger (longer) than the size of an expected foreign object (for example, a coin, a paper clip, etc.), and is sufficiently smaller (shorter) than the long side of a banknote. Therefore, the sorting unit 21 can drop foreign objects downward through the foreign object drop hole 22 and remove them from the internal space 12, and can support the banknotes with the ribs 23 to keep them within the internal space 12 without letting them fall.

[0028] A foreign object slope 24 having an inclined surface generally along the alignment direction is provided below the sorting unit 21, and its front lower end is connected to a foreign object discharge port 25 (FIG. 1). Therefore, when a foreign object passes through the foreign object drop hole 22 of the sorting unit 21 and falls, the foreign object slope 24 causes the foreign object to slide diagonally downward and forward, and then drops the foreign object downward and forward of the banknote processing device 1 via the foreign object discharge port 25.

[0029] Incidentally, a coin discharge tray provided in a coin processing device (not shown) is located in front of and below the foreign object discharge outlet 25, and foreign objects discharged from the foreign object discharge outlet 25 fall slightly before being stored in this coin discharge tray.

[0030] [2-2. Configuration of the lateral guide section] A lateral guide portion 30 is provided on each of the left and right sides of the internal space 12. The left and right lateral guide portions 30 are configured to be approximately symmetrical with respect to each other. This lateral guide portion 30 is configured around a lateral side plate 31. The lateral side plate 31 is a plate-like member that is thin in the left-right direction, and a guide groove 32 is formed slightly below the center. The guide groove 32 serving as a guide portion is an elongated hole that extends roughly along the alignment direction and penetrates the lateral side plate 31 in the left-right direction. In addition, a guide recess 33 that is locally widened vertically downward is formed at a predetermined location on the guide groove lower edge 32B, which is the lower edge of the guide groove 32.

[0031] Here, the portion of guide groove lower side 32B other than guide recess 33 is at a substantially constant distance from bottom surface 12B of the internal space. Hereinafter, this portion will be referred to as constant distance portion 32B0, and this distance will be referred to as constant distance D0. On the other hand, the portion of guide groove lower side 32B where guide recess 33 is formed is at a distance from bottom surface 12B of the internal space that is shorter than constant distance D0. Hereinafter, this portion will be referred to as variable distance portion 32B1, and this distance will be referred to as different distance D1.

[0032] An auxiliary guide shaft 35 and an auxiliary guide body 36 are provided on the outer side of the lateral side plate 31 of the lateral guide portion 30, i.e., on the opposite side from the internal space 12. The auxiliary guide shaft 35 is configured in a slender cylindrical shape along the left-right direction, and is erected outward in the left-right direction from a position below the guide groove 32 in the frame 11.

[0033] The auxiliary guide body 36 is configured in the shape of a long, thin rod that extends generally along the alignment direction, and its upper surface, an auxiliary guide portion 36G, is formed in a flat shape. A shaft hole 36H that penetrates in the left-right direction is formed near the end of the auxiliary guide body 36 on the front side of alignment. Furthermore, an abutment portion 37 is provided at the lower rear end of the auxiliary guide body 36. This abutment portion 37 is formed in an arc shape when viewed from the left-right direction.

[0034] The auxiliary guide body 36 has a shaft hole 36H through which the auxiliary guide shaft 35 is inserted. Therefore, the auxiliary guide body 36 can rotate around the auxiliary guide shaft 35. The auxiliary guide body 36 is also arranged so that the auxiliary guide portion 36G is adjacent to or sufficiently close to the outer side of the guide groove 32 (i.e., the side opposite the internal space 12) in the left-right direction.

[0035] As shown in Figure 5, when the auxiliary guide body 36 is aligned with its longitudinal direction in the alignment direction, the distance from the bottom surface 12B of the internal space 12 to the auxiliary guide portion 36G can be aligned to approximately the constant distance D0, and the auxiliary guide portion 36G can be made into a plane that is approximately continuous with the constant distance portion 32B0 of the guide groove lower edge 32B.

[0036] Looking at this from another perspective, at this time, when viewed from the left and right direction, the banknote deposit and withdrawal unit 10 is in a state in which the guide recess 33 of the guide groove 32 is covered or buried by the auxiliary guide body 36. Hereinafter, such a state of the auxiliary guide body 36 will be referred to as a groove buried state.

[0037] Furthermore, when the auxiliary guide body 36 is rotated counterclockwise from the groove-buried state, the auxiliary guide portion 36G can be positioned closer to the bottom surface 12B (i.e., lower) than the different distance portion 32B1 in the vicinity of the guide recess 33, as shown in Fig. 4. From another perspective, at this time, the banknote deposit and withdrawal unit 10 is in a state in which the guide recess 33 of the guide groove 32 is exposed when viewed from the left and right. Hereinafter, this state of the auxiliary guide body 36 is referred to as the groove-exposed state.

[0038] [2-3. Composition of the Building Press Department] The banknote deposit / withdrawal unit 10 is also provided with a bill press unit 40. The bill press unit 40 is roughly composed of a bill press main body 41, a bill press guide unit 42, a bill press drive arm 43, and a bill press biasing unit 44.

[0039] The bill press body 41, which serves as a banknote support plate, is provided within the internal space 12 and is a plate-shaped component extending generally vertically overall. The rear surface 41E (hereinafter also referred to as the banknote support surface), which is the surface toward the rear of the alignment, is generally flat. In the banknote deposit / withdrawal unit 10, it is assumed that banknotes are stored in a stacked state in the space within the internal space 12 sandwiched between the pool guide 15 and the bill press body 41. For this reason, hereinafter, the space within the internal space 12 sandwiched between the pool guide 15 and the bill press body 41 will be referred to as the stacking space 12C or banknote stacking space. In addition, a recess larger than a user's fingertips is formed near the center in the left-right direction near the top end of the bill press body 41. For this reason, the bill press body 41 allows banknotes stacked in the stacking space 12C to be easily grasped by the user's fingertips.

[0040] The bill press guide parts 42, which serve as support plate guides, are provided on both the left and right sides of the bill press main body 41, and are composed of a guide base 51 and guide rollers 52 and 53. The guide base 51 is configured as a pillar that extends roughly along the alignment direction, and is erected from a position slightly below the vertical center on both the left and right sides of the bill press main body 41, facing roughly in the rear alignment direction.

[0041] The guide rollers 52 and 53 are both rollers that can rotate around a central axis along the left-right direction, and are provided near the front end and rear end, respectively, of the guide base 51. The diameters of the guide rollers 52 and 53 are slightly smaller than the groove width (i.e., the size in the vertical direction) of the guide groove 32. For convenience of explanation, the guide roller 53 will also be referred to as the guide abutment portion hereinafter.

[0042] The guide rollers 52 and 53 have a length in the left-right direction (i.e., width) that is approximately twice as large (long) as the length in the left-right direction (i.e., thickness) of the lateral side plate 31. Furthermore, the guide rollers 52 and 53 have their central portions (i.e., on the internal space 12 side) positioned within the guide groove 32 in the left-right direction, and their outer portions in the left-right direction positioned vertically above the auxiliary guide portion 36G of the auxiliary guide body 36.

[0043] With this configuration, in the bill press unit 40, the posture of the rear surface 41E of the bill press main body 41 is determined according to the relative positions of the guide rollers 52 and 53 in the bill press guide unit 42. That is, when the auxiliary guide body 36 is embedded in the groove as shown in Fig. 5, for example, the bill press guide unit 42 has the guide roller 53 positioned behind the aligned guide roller 52. At this time, the bill press main body 41 is in a posture in which the rear surface 41E faces vertically (hereinafter referred to as the vertical posture).

[0044] 4, when the auxiliary guide body 36 is in the groove exposed state and the guide roller 53 is positioned within the guide recess 33, the guide roller 53 is positioned vertically lower than the rear side of the aligned guide rollers 52. At this time, the bill press body 41 is in a position where the rear surface 41E is slightly tilted counterclockwise from the vertical direction (hereinafter referred to as the tilted position). Also, at this time, the bill press body 41 has a larger distance to the front surface 15F of the pool guide 15 at the rear surface lowermost point 41EL, which is the point of the rear surface 41E closest to the bottom surface 12B, than at the rear surface uppermost point 41EU, which is the point of the rear surface 41E farthest from the bottom surface 12B.

[0045] The bill press drive arm 43, which serves as the support plate moving part, is configured in the shape of a plate or rod that is long in the diagonal direction connecting the lower rear side and the upper front side and short (thin) in the left-right direction. This bill press drive arm 43 is attached to a bill press drive shaft 45 near its lower end.

[0046] The bill press drive shaft 45 is disposed vertically below the bottom surface 12B of the internal space 12 and is configured to be rotatable about a rotation axis along the left-right direction. A driving force is transmitted to the bill press drive shaft 45 from a bill press drive motor (not shown) via a predetermined gear or the like, and when this driving force is transmitted, the bill press drive shaft 45 can rotate integrally with the bill press drive arm 43.

[0047] Furthermore, a through hole 46 penetrating in the left-right direction is formed near the upper end of the bill press drive arm 43. This through hole 46 is an elongated hole along the longitudinal direction of the bill press drive arm 43, and an interlocking shaft 47 provided on the bill press main body 41 is inserted through this through hole 46. Therefore, the bill press drive arm 43 is designed so that the interlocking shaft 47 can be freely moved along the longitudinal direction within the through hole 46.

[0048] The bill press biasing part 44 as a biasing part is a torsion spring, with the wound part inserted into the interlocking shaft 47, one straight part abutting against the bill press main body 41, and the other straight part abutting against the bill press drive arm 43. This bill press biasing part 44 is assembled in an elastically deformed state, and by applying a restoring force, it biases the bill press main body 41 in a direction to rotate counterclockwise relative to the bill press drive arm 43 around the interlocking shaft 47.

[0049] With this configuration, the bill press unit 40 can displace the bill press body 41 in the alignment direction in response to the rotation of the bill press drive arm 43, while guiding the guide rollers 52 and 53 of the bill press guide unit 42 by the guide groove 32 and the auxiliary guide unit 36G. Furthermore, when the guide roller 53 is positioned in the guide recess 33, the bill press unit 40 can place the bill press body 41 in a vertical position or an inclined position depending on whether the auxiliary guide body 36 is in a groove-embedded state or a groove-exposed state.

[0050] 6, when the guide roller 53 is positioned rearward of the guide recess 33 and the guide roller 52 is positioned in the guide recess 33, a counterclockwise force is applied to the bill press guide unit 42 by the bill press biasing unit 44 on the bill press main body 41. Therefore, even if the groove is exposed, the bill press guide unit 42 abuts its upper side against the upper edge of the guide groove 32 without causing the guide roller 52 to enter the guide recess 33. This causes the bill press main body 41 to assume a vertical position. At this time, in the banknote deposit and withdrawal unit 10, if the shutter 14 is open, the rear surface 41E of the bill press main body 41 is positioned slightly rearward of the rear end of the shutter 14.

[0051] [2-4. Shutter drive unit configuration] Furthermore, shutter drive units 60 are provided on both the left and right sides of the internal space 12 in the banknote deposit and withdrawal unit 10 (FIGS. 2, 4(A), and 5(A)). The left and right shutter drive units 60 are configured to be approximately symmetrical with each other. The shutter drive unit 60 is broadly composed of an inner plate 61, an outer plate 62, a slider 63, a shutter interlocking body 64, and a shutter drive train 65. FIG. 7 is a schematic perspective view corresponding to FIG. 2, and, like FIGS. 5(A) and (B), shows the state in which the opening 13 is closed by the shutter 14.

[0052] The inner plate 61 is a plate-like member that is thin in the left-right direction and is provided in an upper portion adjacent to the outside of the lateral side plate 31, more specifically, vertically above the guide groove 32. This lateral side plate 31 is formed with a plurality of grooves that extend along the alignment direction, such as the shutter guide groove 61H1 (FIGS. 4(A) and 5(A)). Shutter rollers 14P1 and 14P2 provided on the lateral side surface of the shutter 14 are inserted into this shutter guide groove 61H1. The shutter 14 can move along the alignment direction by sliding the shutter rollers 14P1 and 14P2 within the shutter guide groove 61H1.

[0053] The outer plate 62 is a plate-like member that is thin in the left-right direction, similar to the inner plate 61, and is attached to the outside of the inner plate 61 (the side opposite the internal space 12) with a predetermined gap between it and the inner plate 61. Similar to the inner plate 61, the outer plate 62 is provided with guide grooves 62H1 and 62H2 that extend generally along the alignment direction.

[0054] The slider 63 is a plate-like member that is thin in the left-right direction and is disposed between the inner plate 61 and the outer plate 62. Guide protrusions 63P1 and 63P2 are provided on the outside of the slider 63, i.e., on the outer plate 62 side. Both guide protrusions 63P1 and 63P2 are inserted into guide grooves 62H2 of the outer plate 62. Therefore, the slider 63 can move along the alignment direction by sliding the guide protrusions 63P1 and 63P2 within the guide grooves 62H2. In addition, a rack 63R is formed at the lower end of the slider 63.

[0055] The shutter interlocking body 64 is a component that is rotatable relative to the slider 63 and the shutter 14, and has a guide protrusion 64P1 that is inserted into a guide groove 62H1 of the outer plate 62. Therefore, when the slider 63 is moved along the alignment direction, the shutter interlocking body 64 interlocks with the slider 63, moves the guide protrusion 64P1 within the guide groove 62H1, and moves generally along the alignment direction, further moving the shutter 14 in the alignment direction.

[0056] The shutter drive train 65 is made up of multiple gears and belts, shafts that rotatably support each gear, etc. Specifically, the shutter drive train 65 is made up of a shutter drive shaft 71, rotation shafts 72, 73, and 74, a shutter drive gear 75, transmission gears 76, 77, and 78, a transmission belt 79, etc.

[0057] The shutter drive shaft 71 is the output shaft of a shutter drive motor (not shown) located at the rear of the internal space 12, and rotates clockwise or counterclockwise in Fig. 2. The rotation shafts 72, 73, and 74 are all configured in the shape of a long, thin cylinder with their central axes aligned in the left-right direction, and rotatably support transmission gears 76, 77, and 78, respectively.

[0058] The shutter drive gear 75 is attached to the shutter drive shaft 71 and rotates integrally with the shutter drive shaft 71. The transmission gear 76 is configured by combining a gear that meshes with the shutter drive gear 75 and a pulley that tensions the transmission belt 79, and rotates around the rotation shaft 72. The transmission gear 77 is configured by combining a pulley that tensions the transmission belt 79 and a gear that meshes with the rack 63R, and rotates around the rotation shaft 73. The transmission gear 78 has a gear that meshes with the gear of the transmission gear 76.

[0059] With this configuration, when the shutter drive motor (not shown) rotates, the shutter drive train 65 appropriately rotates the shutter drive gear 75 and the transmission gears 76 and 77, thereby applying a force in the forward or backward alignment direction to the slider 63. This allows the shutter drive unit 60 to move the shutter 14 in the forward or backward alignment direction, thereby opening or closing the opening 13.

[0060] Furthermore, when the shutter drive train 65 rotates the transmission gear 76, it also rotates the transmission gear 78 that meshes with the transmission gear 76. A cam 80 is provided on this transmission gear 78. The cam 80 is disposed on the outside of the gear portion of the transmission gear 78, and has a spiral shape when viewed from the left and right. Therefore, when focusing on the distance (i.e., radius) to the outer circumferential surface of the cam 80 in a predetermined direction (for example, the vertically upward direction) with respect to the rotation shaft 74, the radius can be gradually increased or decreased as the transmission gear 78 rotates.

[0061] The cam 80 is located almost directly below the abutment portion 37 of the auxiliary guide body 36 in the lateral guide section 30. As described above, the auxiliary guide body 36 is configured to be rotatable about the auxiliary guide shaft 35, and is urged downward by the action of gravity. Therefore, the cam 80 abuts against the abutment portion 37 of the auxiliary guide body 36, and maintains this abutment state. For convenience of explanation, the portion of the cam 80 that abuts against the abutment portion 37 will be referred to below as the cam abutment portion 80T.

[0062] Furthermore, the relationship between the position of the shutter 14 driven by the shutter drive train 65 and the radius at the cam abutment point 80T (the distance between the outer surface and the rotation axis 74, hereinafter referred to as the cam abutment radius) is appropriately adjusted taking into account the posture of the auxiliary guide body 36.

[0063] Specifically, the cam contact radius of the cam 80 is smallest when the shutter 14 opens the opening 13 (FIGS. 2, 3, and 4). At this time, the cam 80 places the auxiliary guide body 36 in a groove-exposed state (FIG. 4(A)), and positions the auxiliary guide portion 36G vertically below the different-distance portion 32B1 of the guide groove lower side 32B. Accordingly, the bill press body 41 of the bill press unit 40 can have the rear surface 41E in an inclined position.

[0064] Furthermore, the cam 80 has the largest cam contact radius when the shutter 14 closes the opening 13 (FIGS. 5 and 7). At this time, the cam 80 causes the auxiliary guide body 36 to be embedded in the groove (FIG. 5(A)), and positions the auxiliary guide portion 36G at the same height in the vertical direction as the fixed distance portion 32B0 of the guide groove lower side 32B. Accordingly, the bill press body 41 of the bill press unit 40 can have the rear surface 41E in a vertical position.

[0065] In this way, the shutter drive unit 60 rotates the auxiliary guide body 36 in conjunction with the opening and closing of the shutter 14, and as a result, the rear surface 41E of the bill press body 41 can be transitioned to an inclined position (FIG. 4(B)) or a vertical position (FIG. 5(B)). For convenience of explanation, the lateral guide unit 30 and the shutter drive unit 60 will hereinafter be collectively referred to as the interlocking unit.

[0066] [2-5. Position and posture of the bill press body when returning banknotes] However, prior investigations into the banknote deposit / withdrawal unit 10 have revealed that when banknotes are returned to a user, if the bill press main body 41 is in an inclined position when the user is asked to remove banknotes accumulated in the accumulation space 12C, it is difficult for the user to remove the banknotes.

[0067] On the other hand, in the banknote deposit and withdrawal unit 10, the configuration of the shutter drive unit 60 described above causes the auxiliary guide body 36 to rotate in conjunction with the opening and closing of the shutter 14, switching between a groove exposed state and a groove buried state. That is, in the banknote deposit and withdrawal unit 10, when the shutter 14 is opened, the auxiliary guide body 36 is in a groove exposed state, which inevitably increases the possibility that the guide roller 53 will enter the guide recess 33.

[0068] Therefore, in the banknote deposit and withdrawal unit 10, when returning banknotes, as shown in Figure 6, the shutter 14 is opened to expose the auxiliary guide body 36, and the bill press drive arm 43 is rotated slightly counterclockwise to position the bill press main body 41 and the bill press guide unit 42 slightly behind the alignment. As a result, in the bill press unit 40, the guide roller 53 of the bill press guide unit 42 is positioned behind the guide recess 33, so the bill press main body 41 can be in a vertical position. Accordingly, in the banknote deposit and withdrawal unit 10, the paper faces of the banknotes accumulated in the accumulation space 12C are oriented in a substantially vertical direction, allowing the user to easily remove the banknotes.

[0069] [3. Effects, etc.] In the above-described configuration, the banknote deposit and withdrawal unit 10 of the banknote processing device 1 according to this embodiment has a guide recess 33 formed in the guide groove 32 of the lateral guide unit 30, and is provided with a rotatable auxiliary guide body 36. Furthermore, the banknote deposit and withdrawal unit 10 positions the bill press guide unit 42 of the bill press unit 40 within the guide groove 32, and moves the bill press main body 41 integrally with the bill press guide unit 42 in the alignment direction, and is capable of transitioning its posture between a vertical posture and an inclined posture (FIGS. 4 and 5). Furthermore, the banknote deposit and withdrawal unit 10 has a cam 80 provided on a transmission gear 78 that rotates in conjunction with the opening and closing of the shutter 14 in the shutter drive unit 60, and rotates the auxiliary guide body 36 in conjunction with the rotation of the transmission gear 78, transitioning it to a groove exposed state or a groove buried state (FIGS. 2, 4, 5, and 7).

[0070] When accepting banknotes, the banknote deposit / withdrawal unit 10 stops the bill press body 41 at a predetermined position in the alignment direction and opens the shutter 14 using the shutter drive unit 60, thereby transitioning the auxiliary guide body 36 to a groove exposed state and placing the rear surface 41E of the bill press body 41 in an inclined position (Figures 2, 3 and 4).

[0071] 8 is an enlarged schematic diagram of the vicinity of the lower end of the bill press body 41 in Figures 4(B) and 5(B). In Figure 8, the bill press body 41 and bill press guide part 42 in an inclined position are shown by solid lines, and the bill press body 41 in a vertical position is shown by a dotted line.

[0072] 8, on the bottom surface 12B of the banknote deposit and withdrawal unit 10, the opposing rollers 20 and the like are arranged behind the alignment, and the sorting unit 21 is arranged ahead of the alignment. Furthermore, in the banknote deposit and withdrawal unit 10, when the shutter 14 is opened, it is necessary to support the banknotes stored in the accumulation space 12C without tipping them over, so the gap between the pool guide 15 and the bill press main body 41 cannot be widened sufficiently.

[0073] For this reason, in the banknote deposit and withdrawal unit 10, if the bill press body 41 is left in a vertical position when the shutter 14 is opened, a portion of the foreign object drop hole 22 on the front side of the alignment will be blocked by the bill press body 41. In other words, in this case, the foreign object drop hole 22 has a length L22V in the alignment direction of the portion facing the accumulation space 12C that is slightly shorter, so there is a risk that foreign objects will not be able to pass through.

[0074] Therefore, in the banknote deposit and withdrawal unit 10 according to this embodiment, taking this into consideration, when the shutter 14 is opened during banknote acceptance, the bill press body 41 is tilted. As a result, in the banknote deposit and withdrawal unit 10, the vertically lower portion of the bill press body 41 is positioned in front of the alignment, and the foreign object drop hole 22 can be opened as wide as possible. That is, in this case, the foreign object drop hole 22 has a length L22N in the alignment direction of the portion facing the accumulation space 12C that is slightly longer, so that foreign objects can pass through smoothly and be discharged to the outside from the foreign object discharge port 25 via the foreign object slope 24.

[0075] At this time, the banknote deposit and withdrawal unit 10 can keep the gap between the vertical upper part of the bill press body 41 and the pool guide 15 relatively small (narrow). Therefore, in the banknote deposit and withdrawal unit 10, the banknotes stored in the accumulation space 12C can be leaned against the bill press body 41 or the pool guide 15 without falling over.

[0076] As a result, when the banknote receiving / dispensing unit 10 receives banknotes, the banknotes can be clamped in an orderly stacked state between the bill press body 41 and the pool guide 15, and the banknotes can be taken in while being separated one by one.

[0077] From another perspective, compared to a configuration in which the posture of the bill press main body 41 is fixed, the banknote deposit and withdrawal unit 10 is provided with a guide recess 33, a rotatable auxiliary guide body 36, and a rotatable transmission gear 78 having a cam 80. As a result, the banknote deposit and withdrawal unit 10 does not need to be provided with a driving force source such as a motor, which makes it possible to keep manufacturing costs to a minimum and also avoid complicating the control of each motor.

[0078] From another perspective, when the shutter 14 of the banknote deposit and withdrawal unit 10 is opened, the position of the bill press main body 41 is necessarily determined depending on conditions such as the maximum number of banknotes to be deposited or withdrawn (for example, 200), how easily the banknotes can be gripped without falling over, etc. Furthermore, when the shutter 14 of the banknote deposit and withdrawal unit 10 is closed, the bill press main body 41 is in a vertical position, so there is no need to tilt it. Therefore, in the banknote deposit and withdrawal unit 10, the position and depth of the guide recess 33 can be easily set in accordance with the position of the guide roller 53 of the bill press guide unit 42 in the guide groove 32 when the shutter 14 is open, and in accordance with the tilt angle of the bill press main body 41.

[0079] Furthermore, the banknote deposit and withdrawal unit 10 is configured so that the guide roller 53 of the bill press guide unit 42 is positioned forward of the guide recess 53 when banknotes are returned (FIG. 6). This allows the banknote deposit and withdrawal unit 10 to keep the bill press main body 41 in a vertical position even when the auxiliary guide body 36 is in an exposed groove state, allowing the user to easily remove banknotes from the accumulation space 12C.

[0080] According to the above configuration, the banknote deposit and withdrawal unit 10 of the banknote processing device 1 is provided with a guide recess 33 in the guide groove 32 along which the bill press guide 42 moves, and transitions the auxiliary guide body 36 between a groove exposed state and a groove buried state in conjunction with the opening and closing of the shutter 14, transitioning the bill press main body 41 to an inclined position or a vertical position. Therefore, when the shutter 14 is opened, the banknote deposit and withdrawal unit 10 can place the bill press main body 41 in an inclined position to enlarge the opening of the foreign object drop hole 22, allowing foreign objects to drop and be discharged through the foreign object drop hole 22. On the other hand, when the shutter 14 is closed, the banknote deposit and withdrawal unit 10 returns the bill press main body 41 to the vertical position, and can properly clamp banknotes between the bill press main body 41 and the pool guide 15.

[0081] 4. Other Embodiments In the above-described embodiment, the auxiliary guide body 36 is transitioned between the groove buried state and the groove exposed state by rotating the auxiliary guide body 36 around the auxiliary guide shaft 35. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the auxiliary guide body 36 may be transitioned between the groove buried state and the groove exposed state by adopting various configurations that can change at least one of the position and posture of the auxiliary guide body 36 relative to the guiding section 32, such as by translating the auxiliary guide body 36 along the vertical direction.

[0082] In the above-described embodiment, the bill press unit 40 is provided with a bill press drive arm 43, and the driving force from the bill press drive motor (not shown) is transmitted to the bill press main body 41 by the bill press drive arm 43. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and for example, a bill press drive belt may be stretched along the alignment direction, the driving force of the bill press drive motor may be transmitted to the bill press drive belt, and the bill press main body 41 may be moved in the alignment direction via the bill press guide unit 42.

[0083] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the bill press body 41 and the bill press guide part 42 are rotated about the interlocking shaft 47 that interlocks the bill press body 41 and the bill press interlocking arm 43 to change their positions. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and for example, a rotation center may be provided at a location different from the interlocking shaft 47, and the bill press body 41 and the bill press guide part 42 may be rotated about that rotation center to change their positions.

[0084] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the guide groove 32 is provided with the guide recess 33, and the auxiliary guide body 36 is rotated to transition between the groove exposed state and the groove buried state, i.e., to either moving the bill press guide portion 42 along the alignment direction or changing the posture of the bill press guide portion 42 and the bill press main body 41. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, a guide protrusion that can protrude vertically downward may be disposed on the upper side of the guide groove 32, and the protrusion of the guide protrusion into the guide groove 32 may be switched in conjunction with the opening and closing of the shutter 14. In this case, the bill press biasing portion 44 may bias the guide rollers 52 and 53 of the bill press guide portion 42 so that they abut against the upper side of the guide groove 32.

[0085] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the bill press biasing portion 44 of the bill press unit 40 is a torsion spring. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and various biasing members, such as a coil spring or a leaf spring, can be used. In this case, it is essential that the bill press main body 41 can be biased counterclockwise in FIG. 4 relative to the bill press drive arm 43. Alternatively, for example, if part of gravity acts on the bill press main body 41 in a counterclockwise direction, the bill press biasing portion 44 may be omitted.

[0086] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the bill press guide part 42 is fixed to the bill press main body 41 in the bill press part 40, and the position of the bill press main body 41 is changed by changing the position of the bill press guide part 42 relative to the alignment direction. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and for example, the bill press guide part 42 may be configured to be rotatable relative to the bill press main body 41, and the position of the bill press main body 41 may be changed by rotating the bill press main body 41 relative to the bill press guide part 42.

[0087] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, when returning banknotes, the shutter 14 is opened and the guide roller 53 of the bill press guide unit 42 is positioned forward of the guide recess 53, and the bill press main body 41 is in a vertical position (FIG. 6). However, the present invention is not limited to this, and for example, when returning banknotes, the guide roller 53 of the bill press guide unit 42 may be positioned in the guide recess 53, and the bill press main body 41 may be in an inclined position (FIG. 4), just as when depositing banknotes.

[0088] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the pool guide 15 is fixed. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the pool guide 15 may be configured to be movable along the alignment direction, or the position (inclination) of the front surface 15F of the pool guide 15 may be configured to be changeable.

[0089] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the foreign matter that has fallen from the foreign matter drop hole 22 is discharged to the outside from the foreign matter discharge port 25 (FIG. 1). However, the present invention is not limited to this, and for example, a foreign matter storage space may be formed in front of the foreign matter slope 24, and the foreign matter may be stored in the foreign matter storage space.

[0090] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the present invention has been described as being applied to the banknote deposit and withdrawal unit 10 that receives banknotes from a user and delivers them to the user. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the present invention may be applied to a case where the banknote deposit unit that receives banknotes from a user and the banknote withdrawal unit that delivers banknotes to the user are configured independently of each other. In this case, the present invention may be applied to at least one of the banknote deposit and banknote withdrawal units. For example, when the present invention is applied to the banknote deposit unit, if a banknote inserted by a user during a deposit transaction or the like is not properly recognized and is returned to the user from the banknote deposit unit, the bill press main body 41 may be in a vertical position, as in the case of returning banknotes in the embodiment.

[0091] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the banknote processing device 1 is described as being incorporated into a cash processing device (not shown). However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the banknote processing device 1 may be incorporated into various devices that handle banknotes, such as self-checkouts or semi-self-checkouts installed at checkout counters in retail stores such as supermarkets.

[0092] Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments and other embodiments, and the scope of application of the present invention extends to embodiments in which the above-described embodiments and other embodiments are combined in part or in whole, or in which only a part of the above-described embodiments is extracted.

[0093] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the banknote receiving and dispensing unit 10 as a banknote processing device is configured by the internal space 12 as a storage unit, the shutter 14 as a shutter, the sorting unit 21 as a bottom support unit, the bill press main body 41 as a banknote support plate, and the lateral guide unit 30 and shutter drive unit 60 as interlocking units. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the banknote processing device may be configured by a storage unit, shutter, bottom support unit, banknote support plate, and interlocking unit having various other configurations. [Industrial Applicability]

[0094] The present invention can be used in various banknote processing devices that exchange banknotes with users. [Explanation of symbols]

[0095] 1...banknote processing device, 10...banknote deposit / withdrawal section, 11...frame, 12...internal space, 12B...bottom surface, 12C...accumulation space, 13...opening, 14...shutter, 15...pool guide, 15F...front surface, 21...sorting section, 22...foreign object drop hole, 23...rib, 24...foreign object slope, 25...foreign object discharge port, 30...lateral guide section, 31...lateral side plate, 32...guide groove, 32B...lower edge of guide groove, 32B0...fixed distance section, 32B1...different distance section, 33...guide recess, 36...auxiliary guide body, 36G...auxiliary guide section, 40...bil press section 41...Bill press main body, 41E...rear, 41EL...lowest point of rear, 41EU...uppermost point of rear, 42...Bill press guide part, 43...Bill press drive arm, 44...Bill press urging part, 47...interlocking shaft, 51...guide base, 52...guide roller, 53...guide roller, 60...shutter drive part, 65...shutter drive train, 71...shutter drive shaft, 72, 73, 74...rotating shaft, 75...shutter drive gear, 76, 77, 78...transmission gear, 80...cam, 80T...cam contact point, D0...fixed distance, D1...different distance.

Claims

1. a storage unit having a bottom surface along the alignment direction and configured to store banknotes aligned along the alignment direction; a shutter that opens or closes an opening provided at a location facing the bottom surface of the storage section; a bottom support portion that forms a part of the bottom surface of the storage portion, supports the banknotes, and has a foreign object passing hole formed therein that allows foreign objects inserted from the opening portion to pass through; a banknote support plate that supports the banknotes in the storage unit with a banknote support surface facing the paper surface of the banknote, and that can take a vertical position in which the banknote support surface is approximately perpendicular to the bottom surface, and an inclined position inclined from the vertical position; an interlocking unit that interlocks the shutter and the banknote support plate so that the banknote support plate is in the vertical position when the shutter is closed and the banknote support plate is in the inclined position when the shutter is opened; an opposing support plate provided at a position opposing the bill support plate in the vertical position in the storage unit; Equipped with In the inclined position, the banknote support plate has a larger distance from the banknote support surface to the opposing support plate at a location closest to the bottom surface than at a location farthest from the bottom surface on the banknote support surface. A banknote processing device characterized by:

2. The banknote support plate forms a banknote stacking space for stacking the banknotes between itself and the opposing support plate, and the portion of the foreign object passing hole of the bottom support part that contacts the banknote stacking space is wider when the banknote support plate is in the inclined position than when the banknote support plate is in the vertical position. The banknote processing device according to claim 1 .

3. a guide portion provided in the accommodation portion and formed along the alignment direction; a support plate guide provided on the banknote support plate and guided by the guide portion; Further comprising: The interlocking unit changes the posture of the support plate guide body relative to the alignment direction, thereby transitioning the banknote support plate to the vertical posture or the inclined posture. The banknote processing device according to claim 1 .

4. an auxiliary guide portion configured to be able to change at least one of its position and attitude relative to the guide portion and capable of supporting the support plate guide body; Further comprising: the guide portion has a fixed distance portion that sets the distance from the bottom surface to the support plate guide body at a predetermined fixed distance, and a variable distance portion that is located at a position close to or far from the fixed distance portion to the bottom surface, When the shutter is closed, the interlocking unit sets the distance from the bottom surface to the support plate guide body to the fixed distance by the support of the auxiliary guide unit, thereby setting the banknote support plate in the vertical position, and when the shutter is opened, sets the banknote support plate in the inclined position by abutting at least a part of the support plate guide body against the different distance portion.

4. The banknote processing device according to claim 3.

5. a support plate moving unit that moves the banknote support plate and the support plate guide along the alignment direction; a biasing unit that biases the banknote support plate so as to transition from the vertical posture to the inclined posture; Further comprising: The support plate moving unit is When a user receives a banknote by storing the banknote in the storage section, the guide abutment portion of the support plate guide body is moved to a position corresponding to the different distance portion, and when the posture of the support plate guide body is changed in conjunction with the opening of the shutter by the interlocking portion, the guide abutment portion is brought into contact with the different distance portion by the action of the biasing portion, so that the banknote support plate is in the inclined posture; When the banknotes stored in the storage section are to be removed by the user during banknote return, the guide abutment section is moved to a position different from the different distance section, and when the position of the support plate guide body is changed in conjunction with the opening of the shutter by the interlocking section, the banknote support plate is maintained in the vertical position with the guide abutment section in contact with the fixed distance section by the action of the biasing section. The banknote processing device according to claim 4 .

Images