Coin processing device and currency handling device

Abstract

To ensure that a shutter of a coin withdrawal tray can be regulated to be opened inadvertently by a simple configuration.SOLUTION: In a coin processor 6 of a cash register 1, when the settlement process is performed, a shutter 25 of a coin withdrawal tray 12 is set to the closed state and a cover 30 is attached to a cover mounting portion 40 on an outer bottom 23. This allows the coin processor 6 to store coins withdrawn from a coin vault 16 in a storage space 20S of the coin withdrawal tray 12 and to prevent the shutter 25 from being switched to the open state with high accuracy by the cover 30, which is simply constructed.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 7

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a coin processing device and currency handling device to and is suitable for application to a cash register used for settlement processing and the like in a cashier's office of a retail store such as a supermarket or a convenience store.

Background Art

[0002] In recent years, in cash registers, those connected to a POS (Point Of Sales) system or the like and performing deposit and withdrawal processing of banknotes and coins have been increasingly popular. As a coin processing device for processing coins in this cash register, for example, there is one having a coin deposit slot into which coins are inserted, a discrimination unit for discriminating the type of coins, a storage for storing coins by denomination, and a coin payout tray for storing and taking out the coins paid out from the storage.

[0003] Among these, the coin payout tray is mainly a part for temporarily storing the coins paid out as change, and is configured to be able to store at most about 50 coins. On the other hand, in the coin processing device, for example, when performing a recovery process for recovering a large number (for example, dozens to hundreds) of coins stored in the storage, these large numbers of coins cannot be stored in the coin payout tray.

[0004] Therefore, there has been proposed a coin processing device in which a through-hole larger than the diameter of the coin is provided at the bottom of the coin payout tray, and a shutter capable of opening and closing this through-hole is provided (see, for example, Patent Document 1). When performing settlement processing, this coin processing device can store the paid-out coins in the coin payout tray by closing the shutter of the coin payout tray, and can take out these coins. Further, when performing a coin recovery process or the like, this coin processing device can drop a large number of paid-out coins from the through-hole and continuously store them in a predetermined coin recovery bag by opening the shutter of the coin payout tray and attaching a predetermined coin recovery bag to the lower side of the coin payout tray. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2015-118672 (Figure 1B, etc.) [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0006] Incidentally, in recent years, a form of operation called self-checkout has been spreading, where customers operate the checkout machine themselves, rather than being assisted by a cashier at a retail store. In retail stores that use self-checkout, customers approach the checkout machine and perform various operations.

[0007] In addition, retail stores sometimes have children accompanied by their parents. Generally, children have a lower eye level than adults, so they are more likely to notice the shutter when looking up at the coin dispenser tray from below. If they touch it out of curiosity, they may open the shutter and then walk away. This poses a problem for the cash register: for example, when the next customer is processing their transaction, the cashier may not notice that the coin dispenser tray shutter is open and proceed with the transaction, potentially causing the dispensed change to fall through the tray's passage hole.

[0008] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above points, and is a coin processing device that can prevent the shutter of the coin dispensing tray from being opened unintentionally with a simple configuration. and Currency handling device of This is what I would like to propose. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] To solve these problems, the coin processing apparatus of the present invention is provided with a coin storage compartment in which coins are stored, and a dispensing tray section which forms a storage space for storing coins discharged from the coin storage compartment in a state that can be removed from the outside, and the dispensing tray section has a bottom with a passage hole through which coins can pass, a shutter that can be switched between an open state and a closed state for the passage hole, and an outer bottom surface on the opposite side of the storage space at the bottom can Cover mounting part and A cover that, when attached to the cover mounting part, covers the shutter. Provide When the shutter is in a covered state with the cover attached, the switching from the closed state to the open state is restricted. I did that.

[0010] Furthermore, the currency handling device of the present invention includes an instruction unit for instructing the processing of coins, a coin storage compartment for storing coins, and a dispensing tray section that forms a storage space for storing coins discharged from the coin storage compartment in a state that can be removed from the outside. The dispensing tray section has a bottom with a passage hole through which coins can pass, a shutter that can be switched between an open and closed state for the passage hole, and an outer bottom surface opposite to the storage space at the bottom. can Cover mounting part and A cover that, when attached to the cover mounting part, covers the shutter. Provide When the shutter is in a covered state with the cover attached, the switching from the closed state to the open state is restricted. I did that.

[0012] This invention makes the presence of the through-hole less noticeable by attaching a cover to the cover mounting portion and covering it. This cover restricts the switching of the shutter to the open state, This prevents accidental switching of the shutter from the bottom side, allowing the shutter to remain closed and coins to be stored properly in the storage space. On the other hand, when the cover is removed from the cover mounting part, the present invention allows the through hole on the bottom side to be exposed, and the shutter can be switched to the open state through this through hole. [Effects of the Invention]

[0013] According to the present invention, a coin processing device can prevent the shutter of the coin dispensing tray from being opened unintentionally with a simple configuration. and Currency handling device of It can be achieved. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0014] [Figure 1] It is a schematic perspective view showing the overall configuration of the cash register. [Figure 2] It is a schematic perspective view showing the configuration of the coin processing device. [Figure 3] It is a schematic perspective view showing the configuration of the coin processing device. [Figure 4] It is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the coin processing device. [Figure 5] It is a schematic perspective view showing the configuration of the cover according to the first embodiment. [Figure 6] It is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of the cover according to the first embodiment. [Figure 7] It is a schematic perspective view showing the attachment of the cover to the coin processing device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 8] It is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of the cover and the connecting member according to the second embodiment. [Figure 9] It is a schematic perspective view showing the attachment and peeling off of the cover to the coin processing device according to the second embodiment.

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0015] Hereinafter, the mode for carrying out the invention (hereinafter referred to as the embodiment) will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0016] [1. First Embodiment] [1-1. Configuration of Cash Register] As shown in the schematic appearance in FIG. 1, the cash register 1 according to the first embodiment is operated in a form called self-checkout and is installed at the checkout (so-called cash register) of a retail store such as a supermarket or a convenience store. In this retail store, a customer arrives at the checkout with the purchased goods in a shopping basket or the like, registers each item by operating the cash register 1, and further pays the total amount to perform the checkout procedure.

[0017] The cash register 1, which serves as a currency handling device, is mounted on a base (not shown) and positioned at a height that is easily accessible to customers. In the following explanation, the side facing the customer and the opposite side will be referred to as the front and rear, respectively, and the left, right, and top and bottom will be defined and explained from the customer's perspective.

[0018] The cash register 1 is broadly composed of a POS (Point of Sales) register device 2 located at the top and connected to a predetermined POS system, and a cash processing device 3 located at the bottom that handles cash (i.e., banknotes and coins). Furthermore, the cash processing device 3 is broadly composed of a banknote processing device 5 located on the left that handles the deposit and withdrawal of banknotes, and a coin processing device 6 located to its right that handles the deposit and withdrawal of coins.

[0019] The POS register device 2, acting as an instruction unit, includes, for example, a control unit that performs various calculations, a display and operation unit that displays various information and accepts operations, a reading unit that reads product barcodes, and a receipt processing unit (none of which are shown) that issues receipts.

[0020] POS register device 2 reads the barcode of each product using its reader unit based on customer operations and registers the products sequentially. Once all products have been registered, POS register device 2 calculates the total amount due, displays this amount on the display unit to prompt the customer to pay, and instructs the cash processing unit 3 to process the deposit. When POS register device 2 receives the total amount of cash deposited from the cash processing unit 3, it calculates the change amount, which is the difference between the deposit amount and the total amount, and instructs the cash processing unit 3 to process the withdrawal of this change amount.

[0021] The banknote processing device 5 is the part that processes banknotes, and includes a banknote deposit slot for receiving banknotes, a banknote authentication unit for authenticating banknotes, a banknote transport unit for transporting banknotes, a banknote storage unit for storing banknotes by denomination, and a banknote dispensing slot for dispensing banknotes.

[0022] Specifically, when the banknote processing device 5 receives a deposit instruction from the POS register device 2, if there are banknotes deposited into the banknote deposit slot, it separates them one by one as it takes them in, transports them by the banknote transport unit, and identifies the denomination and whether they are genuine or damaged by the banknote identification unit. Next, if there are any rejected banknotes that cannot be accepted due to reasons such as being of an unhandled denomination or being severely damaged, the banknote processing device 5 returns them through the banknote dispensing slot. If there are any banknotes that can be accepted, the banknote processing device 5 separates them by denomination and stores them in the banknote storage unit, and counts the denomination and number of banknotes. Finally, when the banknote processing device 5 has finished taking in all the deposited banknotes, it calculates the total amount from the denominations and number of banknotes that have been accepted, notifies the POS register device 2 of this, and ends the deposit process.

[0023] Furthermore, when the POS register device 2 instructs the banknote processing device 5 to process a payout, it determines the denominations and number of banknotes to be dispensed according to the amount of change, dispenses the determined denominations and number of banknotes from the banknote storage compartment and transports them sequentially, then collects them at the banknote dispensing slot for the customer to take out.

[0024] As shown in a magnified view in Figure 2, the coin processing device 6 has a coin deposit slot 11 for receiving coins, a coin withdrawal tray 12 for storing withdrawn coins, and a reject tray 13 for returning rejected coins that cannot be deposited, etc., in its front section. Inside the coin processing device 6, there is a coin transport section 14 for transporting coins, a coin identification section 15 for identifying coins, and a coin storage compartment 16 for storing coins by denomination, etc. Figure 2 is a simplified perspective view showing the front section of the coin processing device 6 as seen from the front diagonally to the upper right.

[0025] Specifically, when the POS register device 2 instructs the coin processing device 6 to process a deposit, if there are coins inserted into the coin deposit slot 11, the device separates them one by one, takes them in, transports them using the coin transport unit 14, and identifies the denomination, whether they are genuine or damaged, etc., using the coin identification unit 15.

[0026] Next, the coin processing unit 6 ejects any rejected coins (coins that cannot be accepted due to being of an unhandled denomination or being severely damaged) from the reject tray 13 and returns them. The coin processing unit 6 also sorts any accepted coins (hereinafter referred to as accepted coins) by denomination and stores them in the coin storage unit 16, while counting the denominations and quantities of each coin. Once the coin processing unit 6 has finished taking in all the inserted coins, it calculates the total amount from the denominations and quantities of the accepted coins, notifies the POS register device 2 of this total, and completes the deposit process.

[0027] Furthermore, when the coin processing device 6 receives a payment processing instruction from the POS register device 2, it determines the denominations and number of coins to be dispensed according to the amount of change, dispenses the determined denominations and number of coins from the coin storage unit 16 and transports them sequentially, then transports them to the coin dispensing tray 12 for storage, and allows the customer to take them out.

[0028] [1-2. Configuration of the coin dispensing tray] Next, the detailed configuration of the coin dispensing tray 12 will be explained with reference to Figures 2, 3, and 4. Figure 3 is a schematic perspective view showing the front portion of the coin processing device 6 from a different direction than in Figure 2, specifically a view looking upwards from the front, diagonally to the lower right. Figure 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a hypothetical cross-section normalized to the left-right direction, viewed from the left.

[0029] The coin dispensing tray 12, which serves as the dispensing tray section, is mainly composed of a tray body 20. The overall shape of this tray body 20 is similar to that of a bowl or similar object, and when viewed from above, it is an oval shape that is slightly longer in the left-right direction than in the front-back direction, and is also concave downwards. The tray body 20 also has an inner surface 21, a front surface 22, and an outer bottom surface 23, which is the lower side and also the outer bottom surface, and a storage space 20S for storing coins is formed inside the inner surface 21.

[0030] The tray body 20 is composed of a combination of resin materials and metal parts formed into a predetermined shape. For example, the inner surface 21 is mainly composed of molded parts made of resin material having sufficient strength and durability. The front surface 22 is part of the decorative plate 8 that is attached to cover the front part of the coin processing device 6, and is a molded part made of a different resin material than the parts that make up the inner surface 21.

[0031] The outer bottom surface 23 is mainly composed of a plate-shaped lower plate 9. Unlike the resin material that constitutes the inner surface 21 and the front surface 22, this lower plate 9 is made of a steel plate, which is a magnetic material (also called a magnetic body). Furthermore, the area near the front end of the lower plate 9 is covered on both its front and bottom sides by a portion of the decorative panel 8. As a result, the outer bottom surface 23 protrudes slightly (for example, about 0.5 mm) downwards in the portion covered by the decorative panel 8 compared to the portion where the lower plate 9 is exposed.

[0032] A through hole 24 is formed near the center of the bottom of the tray body 20, penetrating the tray body 20 in the vertical direction. This through hole 24 is also called an opening, and it connects an inner surface hole 21H drilled in the inner surface 21 and an outer bottom surface hole 23H drilled in the outer bottom surface 23.

[0033] As partially shown in Figure 2, the inner surface hole 21H has a shape that resembles a rectangle with rounded edges near each vertex when viewed from directly above. On the other hand, the outer bottom surface hole 23H is formed in a nearly rectangular shape, as shown in Figure 3. Furthermore, the size of the through hole 24, that is, the length in the left-right and front-back directions of the inner surface hole 21H and the outer bottom surface hole 23H, is sufficiently larger than the diameter of the acceptable coin. For this reason, the through hole 24 can allow the acceptable coin to pass through.

[0034] In addition, the coin dispensing tray 12 is provided with a shutter 25 near the center of the bottom of the tray body 20. The shutter 25 is generally a thin plate in the vertical direction. Furthermore, the shutter 25 is formed so that its outer shape in the front-to-back and left-to-right directions is slightly smaller than the inner surface hole 21H, and it is curved so as to be convex downwards. Moreover, a shutter pivot shaft 26 is provided on the front part of the shutter 25. This shutter pivot shaft 26 is formed in a cylindrical shape that is generally aligned in the left-to-right direction, and is rotatably supported by a bearing portion 27 provided on the lower side of the inner surface 21 of the tray body 20.

[0035] With this configuration, the coin dispensing tray 12 can be switched between a closed state, as shown in Figure 4(A), where the passage hole 24 is closed, and an open state, as shown in Figure 4(B), by rotating the shutter 25 relative to the tray body 20.

[0036] In the closed state (Figure 4(A)), the coin dispensing tray 12 has an inner surface 21 and the upper surface of the shutter 25 that form a continuous curved surface, allowing coins to be stored in the storage space 20S. In the closed state, the rear end of the shutter 25 is in contact with the tray body 20, and this rear end can rotate in the upward direction but cannot rotate in the downward direction. At this time, the shutter 25 is located towards the upper part of the passage hole 24, so there is sufficient space below it.

[0037] Therefore, the coin dispensing tray 12 maintains its closed state even when a downward force is applied from above the shutter 25, for example, when the weight of coins stored in the storage space 20S is applied, or when a downward force is applied to the upper surface of the shutter 25 by a customer's fingertip or the like.

[0038] When an upward force is applied to the lower surface of the shutter 25 in this closed state, that is, when the shutter 25 is pushed up from below the outer bottom surface 23 through the through hole 24 by a fingertip or the like, the coin dispensing tray 12 rotates so that its rear end is displaced upward and forward, switching it to the open state (Figure 4(B)).

[0039] At this time, the coin dispensing tray 12 connects the storage space 20S and the space below the outer bottom surface 23 through a passage hole 24. Therefore, if a coin dispensed from the coin storage compartment 16 (Figure 2) descends into the storage space 20S, the coin dispensing tray 12 will allow the coin to fall downward through the passage hole 24.

[0040] In the coin processing device 6, for example, settlement processing is performed based on customer operations during the business hours of a retail store. At this time, the coin dispensing tray 12 is closed, so that the coins dispensed as change from the coin storage unit 16 are reliably stored in the storage space 20S and can be received by the customer.

[0041] On the other hand, in the coin processing device 6, a collection process may be performed to collect coins stored in the coin storage compartment 16, for example, outside of the retail store's business hours, based on the operation of a store employee or other person. In this case, the coin processing device 6 switches the shutter 25 of the coin dispensing tray 12 to an open state and attaches a predetermined storage bag to the underside of the coin dispensing tray 12, and then dispenses coins from the coin storage compartment 16. This allows the coin processing device 6 to sequentially store the coins dispensed from the coin storage compartment 16 into the storage bag.

[0042] Furthermore, in the coin processing device 6, even when a coin inspection process is performed using, for example, the coin inspection assistance unit described in Patent Document 1, the shutter 25 of the coin dispensing tray 12 is switched to the open state.

[0043] [1-3. Cover Configuration and Installation] In addition to the above configuration, the coin dispensing tray 12 of the coin processing device 6 can be fitted with the cover 30 shown in Figures 5 and 6. Figures 5(A) and (B) are perspective views showing the cover 30 from different directions. Figures 6(A) and (B) are a plan view and a front and side view of the cover 30, respectively.

[0044] The cover 30 is formed as a thin plate in the vertical direction as a whole, and is relatively simply constructed, broadly divided into a lower cover body portion 31 and a protruding portion 32 that protrudes upward from the upper surface of the cover body portion 31. The cover body portion 31 is, for example, a magnetic sheet having a thickness of about 1 to 2 mm, and its upper surface, the adhesive surface 31U, has sufficient magnetic force and is flexible. The lower surface 31L of the cover body portion 31 is covered with a protective layer made of, for example, a predetermined resin material, and is a similar color (for example, gray) to the lower plate 9 (Figure 3, etc.) which makes up most of the outer bottom surface 23.

[0045] When viewed from above, the cover body 31 has a shape that is generally similar to a parallelogram, with both the front and rear edges running roughly in the left-right direction, while the left and right edges are inclined to connect the left rear and right front. Furthermore, the cover body 31 has a shape in which the vicinity of the left rear vertex and the vicinity of the right front vertex have been cut off and the vertices have been rounded.

[0046] The protruding portion 32, which serves as a mounting guide, is a thin plate-like structure in the vertical direction and is formed in a rectangular shape that is slightly smaller than the cover body portion 31 when viewed from above. The length of this protruding portion 32 in the left-right and front-back directions is slightly shorter in each direction than the length of the outer bottom hole 23H formed in the outer bottom surface 23 of the tray body portion 20 in the left-right and front-back directions. In addition, the protruding portion 32 is a slightly different color from the attachment surface 31U of the cover body portion 31.

[0047] Therefore, the cover 30 as a whole has a 180-degree rotationally symmetrical shape around the cover central axis 30X, which is an imaginary line passing through the center in the front-to-back and left-to-right directions and extending in the vertical direction, within a plane parallel to the attachment surface 31U of the cover body 31. In other words, even when the cover 30 is rotated half a turn around this cover central axis 30X, it maintains the same shape before and after the half-turn.

[0048] When the cover 30 is brought into contact with the underside of the outer bottom surface 23 of the coin dispensing tray 12, it exerts a magnetic force between the lower plate 9 and the attachment surface 31U of the cover body 31. As a result, the cover 30 is attached to the tray body 20 by attaching the attachment surface 31U of the cover body 31 to the outer bottom surface 23, as shown in the schematic perspective view in Figure 7, and covering the underside of the passage holes 24 and shutters 25 from below. Hereafter, this state will also be referred to as the covered state. Also, as shown in Figure 3, the state in which the cover 30 is not attached and the passage holes 24 and shutters 25 are exposed on the underside will be referred to as the exposed state.

[0049] At this time, the protruding portion 32 of the cover 30 fits into the outer bottom hole 23H, thereby restricting the front-rear and left-right position relative to the outer bottom surface 23, as well as the rotation angle around the cover's central axis 30X. This guides the cover 30 to the appropriate position relative to the coin dispensing tray 12, i.e., it is properly positioned. Also at this time, the left front slanted edge of the cover 30 is slightly separated from the decorative plate 8 to the right rear, and the adhesive surface 31U contacts the lower plate 9 without riding up on the decorative plate 8, thus applying magnetic force. On the other hand, the area near the right front apex of the cover 30 is raised onto the decorative plate 8.

[0050] For the sake of explanation, the portion of the outer bottom surface 23 of the coin dispensing tray 12 to which the cover 30 is attached will be referred to as the cover mounting portion 40 below. The boundary line representing the outer shape of this cover mounting portion 40 is a hypothetical line and is a parallelogram shape corresponding to the contour of the cover body portion 31 of the cover 30. Although the majority of this cover mounting portion 40 is the lower plate 9, a part of the decorative plate 8 is included only in a small portion near the vertex on the right front side.

[0051] [1-4. Effects, etc.] In the above configuration, when a settlement is performed based on customer operation, such as during the business hours of a retail store, the coin processing device 6 of the cash register 1 according to the first embodiment is in a covered state with the shutter 25 of the coin dispensing tray 12 closed and the cover 30 attached to the cover mounting portion 40 on the outer bottom surface 23 (Figure 7).

[0052] As a result, the coin processing device 6 stores the coins dispensed as change from the coin storage unit 16 in the storage space 20S of the coin dispensing tray 12 during the dispensing process, and allows the customer to take them out, thus ensuring that the customer receives their change.

[0053] Furthermore, since the coin processing device 6 is covered by attaching a cover 30 to the outer bottom surface 23 of the coin dispensing tray 12, the possibility of children or others with a low eye level noticing the existence of the passage hole 24 or the fact that the shutter 25 can be opened and closed is significantly reduced. As a result, the coin processing device 6 can prevent children or others from intentionally or accidentally switching the shutter 25 to the open state when settlement processing is taking place. In other words, by attaching a cover 30 to the outer bottom surface 23 of the coin processing device 6, it is possible to restrict the application of external force to the shutter 25 from the outer bottom surface 23 side toward the storage space 20S side by customers or others, thereby preventing the shutter 25 from becoming open.

[0054] At this time, the cover 30 exerts a magnetic force between the attachment surface 31U of the cover body 31 and the lower plate 9 in most of the cover mounting portion 40, except for the right front portion. As a result, the coin processing device 6 can exert a sufficiently large adhesive force between the cover mounting portion 40 and the cover 30, and can effectively prevent the cover 30 from coming off unintentionally.

[0055] Furthermore, the lower surface 31L of the cover body 31 is painted in a color similar to the lower plate 9. As a result, when the cover 30 is attached to the outer bottom surface 23 of the coin dispensing tray 12 of the coin processing device 6, the presence of the cover 30 is less noticeable, and the unauthorized removal of the cover 30 is effectively prevented.

[0056] On the other hand, when coin collection is performed outside of retail store hours, the coin processing device 6 removes the cover 30 from the outer bottom surface 23 of the coin dispensing tray 12, exposing it (Figure 3). This allows the coin processing device 6 to apply an external force to the shutter 25 from the outer bottom surface 23 side toward the storage space 20S side, and the shutter 25 can be switched to an open state by pushing it up from below the passage hole 24 with a fingertip or the like (Figure 4).

[0057] At this time, the cover 30 is attached by magnetic force acting between the attachment surface 31U of the cover body 31 and the lower plate 9, without the use of screws or the like. Therefore, in the coin processing device 6, by simply applying downward force to a part of the cover body 31 with a fingertip or the like, the cover body 31 can be gradually pulled away from the lower plate 9 and easily removed.

[0058] Furthermore, the cover 30 is attached to the outer bottom surface 23 with its upper right front apex slightly raised over the decorative panel 8, that is, slightly lifted from the lower side plate 9. As a result, the coin processing device 6 can relatively easily peel off the cover 30 from the upper right front apex.

[0059] Furthermore, the cover 30 is constructed of a flexible material, with the cover body 31 being made of a flexible material. Therefore, when the coin processing device 6 peels the cover 30 from its covering state, it is sufficient to apply a relatively small force to gradually peel it off while bending the cover body 31, and there is no need to apply a large force all at once that exceeds the total magnetic force acting between the cover and the cover mounting portion 40.

[0060] Incidentally, in the coin processing device 6, when the collection process is completed, the shutter 25 of the coin dispensing tray 12 is switched back to the closed state, and the cover 30 is attached to the cover mounting part 40 on the outer bottom surface 23, thus covering the coins.

[0061] In this case, the cover 30 is first attached to the coin dispensing tray 12 with the shutter 25 in the open position, and then the shutter 25 is switched to the closed position. The cover 30 has a different color for the attachment surface 31U of the cover body 31 and the color for the protruding portion 32. Therefore, when the cover 30 is attached to the outer bottom surface 23 of the coin dispensing tray 12 in the coin processing device 6, the outer shape of the protruding portion 32 can be easily seen by visually inspecting the upper surface of the cover 30 through the passage hole 24, and the position of the protruding portion 32 can be easily aligned with the passage hole 24.

[0062] From another perspective, even if a coin processing device without a cover 30 were manufactured and already installed and in operation, if a portion usable as a cover mounting portion 40 is formed, the same configuration as the coin processing device 6 according to this embodiment can be achieved by separately preparing a cover 30. In this case, there is no need to perform any modifications to the existing coin processing device, and the cover 30 can be used very easily.

[0063] With the above configuration, in the coin processing device 6 of the cash register 1 according to the first embodiment, when a settlement process is performed, the shutter 25 of the coin dispensing tray 12 is closed and the cover 30 is attached to the cover mounting portion 40 on the outer bottom surface 23. As a result, the coin processing device 6 can store the coins dispensed from the coin storage compartment 16 in the storage space 20S of the coin dispensing tray 12, and the simply constructed cover 30 can prevent the shutter 25 from being switched to the open state with a high degree of certainty.

[0064] [2. Second Embodiment] The cash register 201 according to the second embodiment differs from the cash register 1 according to the first embodiment in that it has a cash processing device 203 instead of a cash processing device 3. The cash processing device 203 differs from the cash processing device 3 according to the first embodiment in that it has a coin processing device 206 instead of a coin processing device 6.

[0065] The coin processing device 206 differs from the coin processing device 6 according to the first embodiment in that it has a coin dispensing tray 212 instead of the coin dispensing tray 12, but is otherwise configured similarly. The coin dispensing tray 212 differs in that a cover 230 is attached to the outer bottom surface 23 instead of the detachable cover 30, but is otherwise configured similarly.

[0066] As shown in Figure 8, which includes a front view, a top view, and a right side view, the cover 230 is formed as a thin plate in the vertical direction overall, and is relatively simply constructed with only the cover body portion 231, which corresponds to the cover body portion 31 in the first embodiment.

[0067] The cover body portion 231 is a magnetic sheet having a thickness of, for example, 1 to 2 mm, similar to the cover body portion 31 in the first embodiment, and its upper surface, the adhesive surface 231U, has sufficient magnetic force and is flexible. The lower surface 231L of the cover body portion 231 is covered with a protective layer made of, for example, a predetermined resin material, and, similar to the first embodiment, is gray, similar to the lower plate 9 (Figure 3, etc.).

[0068] However, the cover body portion 231 has a shape that is partially different from the cover body portion 31 according to the first embodiment. When viewed from above or below, it is formed in a generally rectangular shape, with the portion near the left front vertex cut off at an angle, and each vertex rounded.

[0069] As shown in the schematic perspective view in Figure 9, which corresponds to Figure 7, the cover 230 is attached to the outer bottom surface 23 of the coin dispensing tray 212 by a connecting member 251. The connecting member 251 is made of, for example, a flexible resin material and is formed as a thin, flat plate in the vertical direction. When viewed from below, the connecting member 251 is rectangular in shape, with its length in the left-right direction being slightly shorter than that of the cover body 231. The lower surface of the connecting member 251 is gray, similar to the lower plate 9 (Figure 3, etc.), as is the lower surface 231L of the cover body 231.

[0070] A predetermined adhesive is applied to the upper surface of the connecting member 251. Approximately half of the connecting member 251 is attached so that its front half overlaps with approximately half of the rear half of the lower surface 231L of the cover body 231. The remaining approximately half of the connecting member 251 is attached slightly behind the passage hole 24 on the outer bottom surface 23 of the coin dispensing tray 212.

[0071] With this configuration, as shown by the dashed line in Figure 9, the cover 230 can cover the passage holes 24 and the lower side of the shutter 25 by magnetic force by attaching the upper surface 231U of the cover body 231 to the outer bottom surface 23 of the coin dispensing tray 212, similar to the first embodiment. Hereinafter, the part covered by the cover 230 will be referred to as the cover mounting portion 240.

[0072] Furthermore, when the cover 230 is attached to the outer bottom surface 23 and a force is applied to the vicinity of the front end in a downward diagonal rearward direction, it is peeled off the outer bottom surface 23, causing the connecting member 251 to bend and the upper surface 231U to face forward, as shown by the solid line in Figure 9, and exposing the passage holes 24 and the like. As a result, in the coin dispensing tray 212, when an upward force is applied to the shutter 25 through the passage holes 24, the shutter 25 can be switched to an open state.

[0073] Thus, in the coin processing device 206 of the cash register 201 according to the second embodiment, similar to the first embodiment, the simply constructed cover 230 effectively prevents the shutter 25 of the coin dispensing tray 212 from being unintentionally switched from the closed state to the open state.

[0074] In addition, in the coin dispensing tray 212, the rear portion of the connecting member 251 is attached to the outer bottom surface 23 of the coin dispensing tray 212 (Figure 9). Therefore, the coin processing device 206 can eliminate the possibility of the cover 230 being lost after being peeled off the outer bottom surface 23.

[0075] Furthermore, in the coin dispensing tray 212, the attachment position of the connecting member 251 to the outer bottom surface 23 remains unchanged regardless of the state of the cover 230. Therefore, in the coin dispensing tray 212, the cover 230, which had been peeled off the outer bottom surface 23, can be attached to the cover mounting portion 240 simply by pushing the bent portion of the connecting member 251 back into a flat state by pushing it upwards and forwards.

[0076] In other respects as well, the cash register 201 according to the second embodiment can obtain the same effects and advantages as the first embodiment.

[0077] [3. Other Embodiments] In the first embodiment described above, the attachment surface 31U, which is the upper surface of the cover body portion 31 of the cover 30, has magnetic force, and this magnetic force is applied to the cover mounting portion 40 on the outer bottom surface 23 of the tray body portion 20 to attract it. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and for example, the cover mounting portion 40 may be made magnetic and the cover body portion 31 may be made of a magnetic material such as a steel plate. In short, it is sufficient if at least the portion of the cover body portion 31 that constitutes the attachment surface 31U and the cover mounting portion 40 are both made of magnetic material, and at least one of them is magnetized so that the cover 30 can be attached to the cover mounting portion 40 using magnetic force.

[0078] Alternatively, for example, an adhesive may be applied to the adhesive surface 31U, and the cover 30 may be attached to the cover mounting portion 40 by this adhesive force. In this case, by adjusting the adhesive force of the adhesive to be appropriately weak, the cover 30 can be peeled off and reattached by applying an appropriate force. Alternatively, for example, one material constituting the hook-and-loop fastener may be provided on the adhesive surface 31U and the other material on the cover mounting portion 40, and the cover 30 may be attached to and peeled off the cover mounting portion 40 by utilizing the function of this hook-and-loop fastener. Furthermore, it is sufficient that at least a portion of the adhesive surface 31U of the cover 30 exerts an adhesive force between it and the cover mounting portion 40. In short, it is sufficient that the cover 30 can be attached to the cover mounting portion 40 by applying various adhesive forces simply by bringing the cover 30 into contact with the cover mounting portion 40 and maintaining that state, and that it can be peeled off and reattached by applying a force that is easily applied by a worker in the direction away from the cover mounting portion 40.

[0079] Furthermore, in the first embodiment described above, the cover body portion 31 of the cover 30 is made flexible, so that when the cover 30 is peeled off from the covering state, the cover body portion 31 is bent and peeled off little by little. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and for example, when the magnetic force acting between the cover 30 and the cover mounting portion 40 is relatively weak, the cover body portion 31 may be configured as a rigid body so that when the cover is peeled off from the covering state, the cover body portion 31 can be peeled off all at once without bending. The same applies to the second embodiment.

[0080] Furthermore, in the first embodiment described above, the case in which the cover 30 has a 180-degree rotationally symmetric shape was described (Figures 5 and 6). However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the cover 30 may also have a rotationally symmetric shape of other predetermined angles, such as 120 degrees or 90 degrees. This makes it even easier to attach the cover 30 to the cover mounting part 40 in the correct state. Alternatively, the cover 30 may have a shape that is not rotationally symmetric.

[0081] Furthermore, in the first embodiment described above, a protrusion 32 is provided on the upper side of the cover body 31 of the cover 30, and the cover 30 is attached to the cover mounting portion 40 by fitting the protrusion 32 into the through hole 24. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and for example, positioning protrusions may be provided at multiple locations on the attachment surface 31U of the cover 30, and holes may be provided in the cover mounting portion 40 at positions corresponding to each protrusion, so that each protrusion is fitted into each hole. Alternatively, for example, a positioning plate made of a non-magnetic material may be attached to the lower plate 9 in a part other than the cover mounting portion 40. In short, by limiting physical interference and the range that reacts to magnetism, etc., an attachment guide portion that guides the position in which the cover 30 is attached should be provided on at least one of the cover 30 and the lower plate 9 so that the cover 30 is attached to the cover mounting portion 40 on the lower plate 9. Alternatively, the protrusion 32 may simply be omitted from the cover 30.

[0082] Furthermore, in the first embodiment described above, a case was described in which the protruding portion 32 of the cover 30 is a slightly different color from the adhesion surface 31U of the cover body 31. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and for example, the protruding portion 32 may be the same color as the adhesion surface 31U.

[0083] Furthermore, in the first embodiment described above, a part of the decorative panel 8 is included in the cover mounting portion 40, so that when the cover 30 is attached to the cover mounting portion 40, a part of it is lifted away from the lower plate 9 (Figure 7). However, the present invention is not limited to this, and for example, a locally bent recess, a bent protrusion, or a step may be formed near the boundary line (outer circumference) of the cover mounting portion 40 on the lower plate 9 or in the portion that straddles the boundary line. This makes it easier to hook a fingertip or nail onto the edge of the cover 30 attached to the cover mounting portion 40, and the cover 30 can be easily peeled off. In this case, the decorative panel 8 may not be included in the cover mounting portion 40. The same applies to the second embodiment.

[0084] Furthermore, in the second embodiment described above, the connecting member 251 is a thin plate-shaped member made of a flexible resin material, and the position and orientation of the cover 230 relative to the cover mounting portion 240 are changed by bending. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and a connecting member 251 with various configurations may be used, for example, by using a connecting member having a hinge in which the front part rotates relative to the rear part around a pivot axis along the left-right direction. The point is that the position and orientation of the cover 230 relative to the cover mounting portion 240 can be changed, and when the cover 230 is brought close to the lower plate 9, the cover 230 should be able to be attached in alignment with the cover mounting portion 240. Alternatively, for example, a connecting member having a pivot axis along the vertical direction may be provided on the lower plate 9 instead of the connecting member 251, and the cover 230 may be rotated along a plane parallel to the lower plate 9 around the pivot axis while slightly bending the cover 230 downwards, thereby transitioning between a covered state and an exposed state. Alternatively, the cover 230 may be made movable (i.e., slideable) in the front-to-back direction, and the cover 230 may be slightly bent downwards while sliding it almost parallel to the front-to-back direction to transition between a covered state and an exposed state.

[0085] Furthermore, in the first embodiment described above, the case in which the shutter 25 rotates around the shutter pivot axis 26 relative to the tray body 20 in the coin dispensing tray 12 to switch between a closed state and an open state was described (Figure 4, etc.). However, the present invention is not limited to this, and various configurations may be used to switch between a closed state and an open state, such as a configuration in which the shutter 25 can be attached to and detached from the tray body 20. The same applies to the second embodiment.

[0086] Furthermore, in the first embodiment described above, we described a case in which the cash processing device 3 is equipped with a banknote processing device 5 and a coin processing device 6. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and for example, if there is no need to handle banknotes in the cash processing device 3, the banknote processing device 5 may be omitted. The same applies to the second embodiment.

[0087] Furthermore, in the first embodiment described above, the present invention was applied to a cash register 1 operated as a so-called self-checkout register, and the cash register 1 reads and registers the barcodes of products at the customer's operation, and performs deposit and withdrawal processing related to cash payments. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and may also be applied to a cash register operated as a so-called semi-self-checkout register. In this case, the cash register may be connected to a POS register, and after the POS register operated by a cashier reads and registers the barcodes of products, the total amount may be notified from the POS register to the cash register, and the cash register may perform deposit and withdrawal processing related to cash payments at the customer's operation. The same applies to the second embodiment.

[0088] Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above or any other embodiments. That is, the scope of application of the present invention extends to embodiments that arbitrarily combine some or all of the embodiments described above and any other embodiments described above, as well as embodiments that extract some of them.

[0089] Furthermore, in the first embodiment described above, the coin processing device 6 was configured with a coin storage compartment 16 as a coin storage compartment and a coin dispensing tray 12 as a dispensing tray section. In this case, the dispensing tray section was configured with an outer bottom surface 23 as a bottom section, a shutter 25 as a shutter, and a cover mounting section 40 as a cover mounting section. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the coin processing device may be configured with a coin storage compartment and a dispensing tray section of various other configurations, or the dispensing tray section may be configured with a bottom section, a shutter, and a cover mounting section of various other configurations. [Industrial applicability]

[0090] The present invention can be used, for example, in a cash register machine in a retail store where the customer performs the payment process. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0091] 1, 201... Cash register, 2... POS register device, 3, 203... Cash processing device, 5... Banknote processing device, 6, 206... Coin processing device, 8... Decorative panel, 9... Lower side panel, 12, 212... Coin dispensing tray, 16... Coin storage compartment, 20... Tray body, 20S... Storage space, 21... Inner surface, 21H... Inner surface hole, 22... Front surface, 23... Outer bottom surface, 23H... Outer bottom surface hole, 24... Through hole, 25... Shutter, 26... Shutter pivot shaft, 27... Bearing part, 30, 230... Cover, 30X... Cover central shaft, 31, 231... Cover body, 31L, 231L... Bottom surface, 31U, 231U... Adhesion surface, 32... Protruding part, 40, 240... Cover mounting part, 251... Connecting member.

Claims

1. A coin storage compartment where coins are stored, A coin tray section forms a storage space for storing the coins discharged from the coin storage compartment in a state that allows them to be removed from the outside. It has, The aforementioned withdrawal tray section is The bottom has a through hole through which the coin can pass, A shutter is provided that can be switched between an open state and a closed state for the aforementioned through hole, A cover mounting portion is provided on the outer bottom surface, which is on the opposite side of the storage space at the bottom, A cover that, when attached to the cover mounting portion, covers the shutter. Equipped with, When the shutter is in the covered state with the cover attached, the switching from the closed state to the open state is restricted. A coin processing device characterized by the following features.

2. The aforementioned shutter is, The withdrawal tray section is rotatable around a shaft provided at its bottom, When in the closed state, it forms the bottom surface of the storage space. When an external force is applied from the outer bottom side toward the storage space side while the system is in the closed state, it switches to the open state. The coin processing device according to feature 1.

3. The cover and the cover mounting portion have properties or structures such that at least one of them adheres when it comes into contact with the other. When an external force is applied to the cover in a direction away from the cover mounting portion while it is in the covered state, the cover will change from the covered state to an exposed state in which the shutter is exposed to the outer bottom surface, and will allow the shutter to switch from the closed state to the open state. The coin processing device according to feature 2.

4. The cover is formed of a magnetic material, The cover mounting portion uses magnetic force to attract the cover and bring the shutter into the covered state. The coin processing device according to claim 3.

5. The cover is shaped in such a way that it can be attached to the cover mounting portion even when it is rotated by a predetermined angle within the outer bottom surface around the through hole. The coin processing device according to feature 1.

6. Mounting guide portion for attaching the cover to the appropriate position on the cover mounting portion The coin processing device according to claim 1, further comprising:

7. When the shutter is in the closed state, at least a portion of the surface of the shutter opposite to the storage space is located on the storage space side than the outer bottom surface. The mounting guide portion protrudes from the attachment surface that is attached to the cover mounting portion and enters into the through hole in the covered state. The coin processing device according to feature 6.

8. A connecting member that connects the cover and the bottom, and changes the angle of the cover relative to the bottom, thereby transitioning the cover between an exposed state where the shutter is exposed to the outer bottom surface and a covered state. The coin processing device according to claim 1, further comprising:

9. An instruction unit that gives instructions for processing coins, A coin storage compartment in which the aforementioned coins are stored, A coin tray section forms a storage space for storing the coins discharged from the coin storage compartment in a state that allows them to be removed from the outside. It has, The aforementioned withdrawal tray section is The bottom has a through hole through which the coin can pass, A shutter is provided that can be switched between an open state and a closed state for the aforementioned through hole, A cover mounting portion is provided on the outer bottom surface, which is on the opposite side of the storage space at the bottom. A cover that, when attached to the cover mounting portion, covers the shutter. Equipped with, When the shutter is in the covered state with the cover attached, the switching from the closed state to the open state is restricted. A currency handling device characterized by the following features.

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