Banknote processing equipment

Abstract

To reduce the momentum of foreign substances when the foreign substances slide down.SOLUTION: In a billing processing apparatus, a bill storage unit is provided, at its bottom, with a plurality of bill support parts that extend in the fore-and-aft direction of the apparatus and are arranged at an interval in a width direction orthogonal to the fore-and-aft direction of the apparatus, and foreign substance fall holes that are located on both sides in the width direction of the bill support parts and connected with a foreign substance ejection part. The size in the width direction of the foreign substance fall holes is larger than the diameter of coins with the maximum diameter assumed as foreign substances. The foreign substance ejection part has a bottom inclined from the rear toward the front of the apparatus, is configured to eject the foreign substances from a front end being an end on the front side of the apparatus, and has, on the front side of the apparatus, squeezed wall parts that are reduced in width toward the front end of the foreign substance ejection part. The distance between a front end of the squeezed wall part and a front end of the bill support part adjacent to the inside in the width direction when seen from the front end of the squeezed wall part, is smaller than the diameter of coins with the minimum diameter assumed as the foreign substances.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a banknote processing apparatus.

Background Art

[0002] In a banknote processing apparatus having a banknote depositing function, for example, banknotes inserted from a banknote insertion slot are taken in one by one into a banknote storage section, the denomination is discriminated, and the banknotes are deposited by storing them in a banknote storage for each denomination.

[0003] As this type of banknote processing apparatus, the bottom of the banknote storage section is composed of a plurality of banknote support portions extending in the front-rear direction arranged at intervals in the width direction of the apparatus, and foreign object dropping holes between the banknote support portions, and foreign objects inserted into the banknote storage section are dropped downward from the foreign object dropping holes (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[0004] Also, as this type of banknote processing apparatus, a foreign object receiver is provided below the banknote storage section and inclined so as to descend from the rear to the front of the apparatus, and foreign objects dropped from the banknote storage section are received by the foreign object receiver and slide down to the outside of the apparatus for discharge (see, for example, Patent Document 2).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0006] Foreign objects discharged outside the device are caught, for example, in a tray provided at the foreign object discharge port, or they fall into a tray provided below the foreign object discharge port and are caught there. In conventional banknote processing devices, foreign objects can sometimes slide down with too much momentum, which can cause them to fly out of the tray or create noise due to the large impact when the object is caught. Therefore, it is desirable to suppress the momentum of the foreign objects as they slide down.

[0007] This invention was made in consideration of the above points, and aims to propose a banknote processing device that can suppress the momentum of foreign objects as they slide down. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] To solve the above problems, the banknote processing apparatus of the present invention comprises a banknote storage section for storing inserted banknotes and a foreign matter discharge section provided below the banknote storage section, wherein the bottom of the banknote storage section is provided with a plurality of banknote support sections extending in the front-rear direction of the apparatus and spaced apart in the width direction perpendicular to the front-rear direction of the apparatus, and foreign matter drop holes located on both sides of the banknote support sections in the width direction and connected to the foreign matter discharge section, wherein the size of the foreign matter drop holes in the width direction is larger than the diameter of the largest diameter coin assumed to be a foreign object, the foreign matter discharge section has a bottom that slopes from the rear to the front of the apparatus, and foreign matter is discharged from the front end which is the front end of the apparatus, the front side of the apparatus has a constricted wall section that narrows the width of the foreign matter discharge section as it approaches the front end of the foreign matter discharge section, and the distance between the front end of the constricted wall section and the front end of the banknote support section adjacent to the front end of the constricted wall section in the width direction is smaller than the diameter of the smallest diameter coin assumed to be a foreign object.

[0009] In this way, foreign objects that fall from the foreign object drop hole, which is located outside in the width direction of the banknote support section adjacent to the inside in the width direction when viewed from the front end of the constricted wall section, will slide down the bottom of the foreign object discharge section, collide with the constricted wall section, and be decelerated.

[0010] Furthermore, the banknote processing apparatus of the present invention comprises a banknote storage section for storing inserted banknotes and a foreign matter discharge section provided below the banknote storage section, wherein the bottom of the banknote storage section is provided with a plurality of banknote support sections extending in the front-rear direction of the apparatus and spaced apart in the width direction perpendicular to the front-rear direction of the apparatus, and foreign matter drop holes located on both sides of the banknote support sections in the width direction and connected to the foreign matter discharge section, wherein the size of the foreign matter drop holes in the width direction is larger than the diameter of the largest diameter coin assumed to be foreign matter, the bottom of the foreign matter discharge section is inclined from the rear to the front of the apparatus and the foreign matter is discharged from the front end, which is the front end of the apparatus, the front side of the apparatus has a constricted wall section that narrows the width of the foreign matter discharge section as it approaches the front end of the foreign matter discharge section, and a deceleration member is provided at the bottom of the foreign matter discharge section, inside the width direction from the front end of the constricted wall section, for decelerating the foreign matter sliding down the bottom.

[0011] In this way, foreign objects that fall outside the width direction of the front end of the constricted wall are slowed down by colliding with the constricted wall as they slide down the bottom of the foreign object discharge section, while foreign objects that fall inside the width direction of the front end of the constricted wall are slowed down by coming into contact with the deceleration member as they slide down the bottom of the foreign object discharge section. [Effects of the Invention]

[0012] According to the present invention, it is possible to suppress the momentum with which foreign objects slide down. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0013] [Figure 1] This is a perspective view showing the external configuration of a deposit / withdrawal machine according to the first embodiment. [Figure 2] This is a perspective view showing the external configuration of the banknote unit according to the first embodiment. [Figure 3] This diagram shows the internal configuration of the banknote deposit section according to the first embodiment. [Figure 4] This figure shows how foreign matter is discharged from the foreign matter discharge port according to the first embodiment. [Figure 5]It is a diagram showing the operation of the bill depositing unit (when a bill is inserted) according to the first embodiment. [Figure 6] It is a diagram showing the operation of the bill depositing unit (when a bill is taken in) according to the first embodiment. [Figure 7] It is the first diagram showing the operation of the bill depositing unit (when foreign matter is discharged) according to the first embodiment. [Figure 8] It is the second diagram showing the operation of the bill depositing unit (when foreign matter is discharged) according to the first embodiment. [Figure 9] It is the third diagram showing the operation of the bill depositing unit (when foreign matter is discharged) according to the first embodiment. [Figure 10] It is a diagram showing the configuration to be compared of the bill depositing unit according to the first embodiment. [Figure 11] It is a diagram showing the internal configuration of the bill depositing unit according to the second embodiment. [Figure 12] It is a diagram showing the operation of the bill depositing unit (when foreign matter is discharged) according to the second embodiment. [Figure 13] It shows another example of the internal configuration of the bill depositing unit according to the second embodiment. [Figure 14] It shows the internal configuration of the bill depositing unit according to the third embodiment. [Figure 15] It is the first diagram showing the operation of the bill depositing unit (when foreign matter is discharged) according to the third embodiment. [Figure 16] It is the second diagram showing the operation of the bill depositing unit (when foreign matter is discharged) according to the third embodiment.

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

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

[0015] [1. First Embodiment] [1-​​1. Appearance Configuration of the Deposit and Withdrawal Machine] Figure 1 shows the external appearance of a cash deposit / withdrawal machine 1 as a first embodiment. The cash deposit / withdrawal machine 1 shown in Figure 1 is, for example, a self-service payment machine capable of depositing and withdrawing banknotes and coins, and is installed in the payment area of ​​retail stores such as supermarkets, convenience stores, and gas stations. This cash deposit / withdrawal machine 1 is connected to a cash register such as a POS register (not shown) and operates based on the control of the said cash register.

[0016] The deposit / withdrawal machine 1 has a box-shaped device housing 2. Of the surfaces forming the device housing 2, the surface facing the user is called the front surface 2a, and the surface above the user is called the top surface 2b.

[0017] The device housing 2 is a box shape that is longer in the vertical direction than in the front-to-back and left-to-right directions. In the center of the top surface 2b, there is a receipt printer 3 that outputs receipts containing transaction details, and an operation display unit 4 that functions as a display unit for displaying various screens and an operation unit for receiving operation input for the various screens displayed on the display unit. For example, a touch panel display is used as the operation display unit 4.

[0018] Furthermore, a banknote slot 5 for inserting banknotes is provided on the upper left side of the front surface 2a of the device housing 2, and a banknote outlet 6 for discharging banknotes is provided below the banknote slot 5. The banknote slot 5 is equipped with, for example, a shutter, which can be opened or closed to expose or conceal the banknotes. Additionally, a foreign object outlet 7 for discharging foreign objects that have been inserted into the banknote slot 5 is provided on the front surface 2a of the device housing 2, between the banknote slot 5 and the banknote outlet 6. The banknote slot 5, banknote outlet 6, and foreign object outlet 7 are incorporated into the deposit / withdrawal machine 1 as part of a banknote unit 8, which will be described later.

[0019] Furthermore, on the front surface 2a of the device housing 2, a coin slot 9 is provided to the right of the banknote slot 5, and a coin outlet 10 is provided below the banknote outlet 6, for discharging coins. Foreign objects (specifically coins) discharged from the foreign object discharge outlet 7 fall into a tray 11 located in the coin outlet 10 below. The coin slot 9 and coin outlet 10 are incorporated into the deposit / withdrawal machine 1 as part of the coin unit 12.

[0020] [1-2. Configuration of the banknote unit] Next, the configuration of the banknote unit 8 will be explained using Figure 2. As shown in the external perspective view in Figure 2, the banknote unit 8 has a rectangular parallelepiped housing 20 that is long in the front-to-back direction. A banknote slot 5 into which banknotes are inserted is provided at the upper front of this housing 20, and a banknote outlet 6 into which banknotes are discharged is provided at the lower front. A foreign object discharge port 7 is provided between the banknote slot 5 and the banknote outlet 6. The banknote unit 8 takes in banknotes inserted into the banknote slot 5 by the user and stores them inside the housing 2, and also discharges the banknotes stored inside as change from the banknote outlet 6. The banknote unit 8 also discharges foreign objects (for example, coins inserted together with banknotes) inserted into the banknote slot 5 from the foreign object discharge port 7.

[0021] Inside the housing 2 of this banknote unit 8, a banknote deposit section 100 is provided at the front upper part (i.e., behind the banknote slot 5) to take in banknotes inserted into the banknote slot 5. The configuration of this banknote deposit section 100 will be described in detail below.

[0022] [1-3. Configuration of the banknote deposit section] Figure 3(A) shows a top view of the banknote deposit section 100 as seen from above. Figure 3(B) shows a side view of the banknote deposit section 100 as seen from the right. Figures 3(A) and (B) are schematic diagrams with some parts omitted or simplified. As shown in Figures 3(A) and (B), the banknote deposit section 100 is mainly composed of a banknote storage section 101 that stores banknotes inserted from the banknote slot 5 (Figure 2). In the banknote deposit section 100, as shown in Figures 5(A) and (B), banknotes are inserted into the banknote storage section 101 with the long side of the banknote in the left-right direction and the thickness in the front-back direction, and the inserted banknotes are stored in an upright position on the bottom of the banknote storage section 101, stacked in the front-back direction.

[0023] The upper end of the banknote compartment 101 is open and connected to the banknote slot 5 (Figure 2). A front frame 102 is provided at the front end of the banknote compartment 101, forming the front wall surface of the banknote compartment 101, and a guide 103 is provided at the rear end of the banknote compartment 101, forming the rear wall surface of the banknote compartment 101. The guide 103 extends below the bottom of the banknote compartment 101. Although not shown, side frames are provided at the left and right ends of the banknote compartment 101, forming the left and right wall surfaces, respectively.

[0024] The bottom of the banknote storage section 101 slopes downward from rear to front, with the rear end of this bottom serving as a gate guide 104, and the portion located in front of the gate guide 104 serving as a banknote support section 105. Furthermore, a foreign object duct 106 is provided below the banknote support section 105.

[0025] The gate guide 104 is a plate-shaped member with an L-shaped cross-section, whose rear end portion extends downward. A predetermined gap R is formed between the downward-extending portion of the gate guide 104 and the lower end portion of the guide 103, and the banknotes stored in the banknote storage section 101 are fed out one by one through this gap R and taken into the banknote unit 8. Therefore, this gap R will be referred to as the transport path R below. In other words, the gate guide 104 consists of an upper part that forms the rear end portion of the bottom of the banknote storage section 101 and a lower part that forms the transport path R.

[0026] Furthermore, a gate roller 107 is provided on the gate guide 104 side (front side) of the transport path R, and a feed roller 108 is provided on the guide 103 side (rear side). These gate roller 107 and feed roller 108 are positioned opposite each other so that a portion of them protrudes into the transport path R from the gate guide 104 and guide 103, respectively, and they come into contact with each other within the transport path R. Above the feed roller 108, a picker roller 109 (omitted in Figure 3(A)) is provided so that a portion of it protrudes into the banknote storage section 101 from the guide 103.

[0027] These gate roller 107, feed roller 108, and picker roller 109 are rollers that rotate by actuators (not shown) and have the function of feeding out banknotes one by one through the transport path R that are stored in the banknote storage section 101.

[0028] The banknote support section 105 (105SL, 105SR, 105CL, 105CR) is a rectangular bar-shaped member that extends in the front-to-back direction and has a length in the width direction (i.e., left-to-right direction) that is sufficiently shorter than the banknote storage section 101, extending from the upper front end of the gate guide 104 to the lower end of the front frame 102. The width of the banknote support section 105 is approximately 2 mm, which is sufficiently small even when compared to the diameter of the smallest diameter coin (e.g., a 1 yen coin) that is considered a foreign object. This banknote support section 105 is a member (rib) that supports the banknotes stored in the banknote storage section 101. The upper part of the gate guide 104 and the banknote support section 105 that form the bottom of the banknote storage section 101 are inclined downwards from rear to front.

[0029] At the bottom of the banknote storage section 101, multiple banknote support sections 105 (four in this embodiment) are arranged at intervals in the width direction. Of the four banknote support sections 105, the banknote support section 105 located at one end (left end) in the width direction of the banknote storage section 101 is designated as banknote support section 105SL, the banknote support section 105 adjacent to the inner side (right side) in the width direction as viewed from banknote support section 105SL is designated as banknote support section 105CL, the banknote support section 105 located at the other end (right end) in the width direction of the banknote storage section 101 is designated as banknote support section 105SR, and the banknote support section 105 adjacent to the inner side in the width direction as viewed from banknote support section 105SR is designated as banknote support section 105CR. The banknote support sections 105SL and 105CL are positioned to the left of the center of the banknote storage section 101 in the width direction, while the banknote support sections 105SR and 105CR are positioned to the right of the center of the banknote storage section 101 in the width direction.

[0030] Furthermore, at the bottom of the banknote storage section 101, there are foreign object drop holes 110 connecting the banknote storage section 101 to the foreign object duct 106, located between the banknote support sections 105 and the leftmost banknote support section 105SL and the rightmost banknote support section 105CL, respectively, in the width direction. As shown in Figure 3(A), the banknote storage section 101 is provided with five of these foreign object drop holes 110.

[0031] In the banknote deposit section 100, banknotes inserted into the banknote storage section 101 are supported by the banknote support sections 105 (105SL, 105SR, 105CL, 105CR), while foreign objects (assuming coins) inserted into the banknote storage section 101 are dropped into the foreign object duct 106 through the foreign object drop hole 110. Focusing solely on the dropping of foreign objects, it is desirable to make the width (length in the left-right direction) of the foreign object drop hole 110 as wide as possible. However, widening the width of the foreign object drop hole 110 would increase the spacing between the banknote support sections 105. Note that the width of the foreign object drop hole 110 referred to here is the width of the rear side of the foreign object drop hole 110. To prevent banknotes inserted into the banknote storage section 101 from falling out through the foreign object drop hole 110, the spacing between the banknote support sections 105 is at least narrower than the longitudinal length of the smallest banknote, and wider than the diameter of the largest coin (for example, a 500 yen coin) that could be considered a foreign object. In this embodiment, the foreign object drop hole 110 located in the center in the width direction is considerably larger than the other foreign object drop holes 110, and this central foreign object drop hole 110 is narrower than the longitudinal length of the smallest banknote.

[0032] Furthermore, a bill press 112 is provided within the bill storage section 101, which is slidable in the front-to-back direction within the bill storage section 101. The bill press 112 is a plate-like member whose length in the front-to-back direction is considerably shorter than that of the bill storage section 101, and whose length in the left-to-right and up-to-down directions is approximately the same as that of the bill storage section 101. In the bill deposit section 100, when a bill is inserted, the bill press 112 is moved to a position close to the front frame 102, and the inserted bill is stored between the bill press 112 and the guide 103. In other words, the space between the bill press 112 and the guide 103 of the entire bill storage section 101 is the bill storage space, and bills and foreign objects are inserted into this bill storage space.

[0033] A small gap is provided between the lower end of the bill press 112 and the banknote support section 105 to account for manufacturing and assembly tolerances. This gap is large enough to allow a coin of the maximum thickness anticipated as a foreign object to pass through.

[0034] The foreign matter duct 106 is sloped downwards from rear to front at its bottom, with its upper and front ends open. The upper end is connected to the banknote storage section 101 via the foreign matter drop hole 110, and the front end is connected to the foreign matter discharge port 7 (Figure 2).

[0035] Foreign objects (i.e., coins) that fall from the banknote storage section 101 into the foreign object duct 106 slide forward along the bottom of the foreign object duct 106 and are discharged from the foreign object discharge port 7. Subsequently, as shown in Figure 4, a side cross-sectional view of the device housing 2 of the deposit / withdrawal machine 1 viewed from the right, the coins Ci discharged from the foreign object discharge port 7 fall into the tray 11 located below and are caught by the tray 11.

[0036] At this time, if the foreign object is discharged towards the center in the width direction (left-right direction) of the foreign object discharge port 7, the visibility of the foreign object to the user will be improved. For this reason, as shown in Figure 3(A), the foreign object duct 106, except for the front end portion 106AL of the outer wall on the left end, is perpendicular to the width direction (left-right direction) of the foreign object duct 106, while the front end portion 106AL is tilted so as it moves forward (i.e., as it approaches the foreign object discharge port 7) it moves towards the center in the width direction of the foreign object duct 106. Similarly, the front end portion 106AR of the outer wall on the right end is also tilted so as it moves forward it moves towards the center in the width direction of the foreign object duct 106. In other words, the foreign object duct 106 has a tapered shape at the front end portions 106AL and 106AR of the outer walls on the left and right sides, which narrows the width of the foreign object duct 106 as it moves forward, so that foreign objects that have fallen from the banknote storage section 101 can be discharged towards the center in the width direction (left-right direction) of the foreign object discharge port 7. Furthermore, the front end portions 106AL and 106AR of the left and right outer walls will hereafter be referred to as the tapered wall portions 106AL and 106AR.

[0037] Furthermore, as described above, the constricted wall portions 106AL and 106AR on the left and right sides of the foreign object duct 106 have a constricted shape that narrows towards the center in the width direction. Therefore, the foreign object drop holes 110 where the constricted wall portion 106AL is located on the front side (the leftmost foreign object drop hole 110 and the foreign object drop hole 110 next to it) and the foreign object drop holes 110 where the constricted wall portion 106AR is located on the front side (the rightmost foreign object drop hole 110 and the foreign object drop hole 110 next to it) are narrower in width towards the front.

[0038] Furthermore, the leftmost of the four banknote support sections, 105SL, is positioned outside the width direction of the foreign object duct 106 compared to the front end of the constricted wall section 106AL at the left end of the foreign object duct 106. Also, the banknote support section 105CL, located next to the leftmost banknote support section 105SL and closer to the left center, is positioned inside the width direction of the foreign object duct 106 compared to the front end of the constricted wall section 106AL at the left end of the foreign object duct 106. Specifically, as shown in Figure 3(A), the banknote support section 105CL closer to the left center is positioned inside the width direction by a distance X1 from the front end of the constricted wall section 106AL at the left end. This distance X1 is smaller than the diameter of the smallest diameter coin (for example, a 1 yen coin).

[0039] As will be explained in more detail later, the reason why the distance X1 is made smaller than the diameter of the smallest diameter coin (for example, a 1-yen coin) is to ensure that when a coin falls from the foreign object drop hole 110 located near the left center, between the banknote support part 105SL at the left end and the banknote support part 105CL near the left center, into the foreign object duct 106, it will slide forward into the foreign object duct 106 and collide with the constricted wall part 106AL to decelerate it.

[0040] Furthermore, the rightmost banknote support portion 105SR is positioned outside the width direction of the foreign object duct 106 compared to the front end of the rightmost constricted wall portion 106AR. Also, the right-center banknote support portion 105CR, located next to the rightmost banknote support portion 105SR, is positioned inside the width direction of the foreign object duct 106 compared to the front end of the rightmost constricted wall portion 106AR. Specifically, as shown in Figure 3(A), the right-center banknote support portion 105CR is positioned inside the width direction by a distance X2 from the front end of the rightmost constricted wall portion 106AR. This distance X2 is the same length as distance X1, and like distance X1, it is smaller than the diameter of the smallest diameter coin (for example, a 1 yen coin).

[0041] As will be explained in more detail later, the reason why distance X2 is made smaller than the diameter of the smallest diameter coin (for example, a 1-yen coin) is the same as for distance X1: to ensure that when a coin falls from the foreign object drop hole 110 located between the banknote support part 105SR at the far right and the banknote support part 105CR located near the center on the right side into the foreign object duct 106, it will slide forward into the foreign object duct 106 and collide with the constricted wall part 106AR to decelerate it. The distance X1 mentioned above is the distance on a hypothetical plane (in other words, the plane of paper in Figure 8) when the banknote deposit section 100 is viewed from above, as shown in Figure 8, and the banknote support part 105CL located near the center on the left side and the front end of the constricted wall part 106AL at the far left are considered to be on the same plane. Similarly, the distance X2 mentioned above is the distance on a hypothetical plane (in other words, the plane of paper in Figure 8) when the banknote deposit section 100 is viewed from above, as shown in Figure 8, and the banknote support section 105CR near the center on the right side and the front end of the tapered wall section 106AR at the right end are considered to be on the same plane. The configuration of the banknote deposit section 100 is as described above.

[0042] [1-4. Operation of the banknote deposit section] Next, the normal operation of the banknote deposit section 100 when it takes in inserted banknotes will be explained using Figures 5 and 6. Figure 5 shows the normal operation when inserting banknotes, and Figure 6 shows the normal operation when taking in banknotes.

[0043] As shown in Figures 5(A) and (B), when inserting banknotes, the banknote deposit section 100 is opened in front of the bill press 112 in the banknote storage section 101, and a bundle of banknotes Bi is inserted into it. At this time, the banknotes Bi are supported by the banknote support section 105 (105SL, 105SR, 105CL, 105CR) so that they do not fall into the foreign object drop hole 110 while in an upright position.

[0044] Subsequently, as shown in Figures 6(A) and (B), when banknotes are taken in, the banknote deposit unit 100 moves the bill press 112 backward (towards the guide 103), pressing the stack of banknotes Bi against the picker roller 109 (Figure 6(B)). At this time, the stack of banknotes Bi is supported in an upright position by the upper part of the gate guide 104 located behind the banknote support unit 105. In this state, the banknote deposit unit 100 rotates the picker roller 109 and the feed roller 108 to separate the stack of banknotes Bi one by one and send them to the transport path R below, from which they are fed out. The banknotes Bi fed out from the banknote deposit unit 100 in this way are taken into the banknote unit 8.

[0045] In this embodiment, the banknote deposit unit 100 is only equipped with a deposit function, but it can also be equipped with a withdrawal function. In this case, the banknote deposit unit 100 rotates the gate roller 107 and the feed roller 108 to feed the banknotes that have been sent from inside the banknote unit 8 to the transport path R, and accumulates them between the bill press 112 and the guide 103. At this time, as the number of banknotes accumulated increases, the banknote deposit unit 100 moves the bill press 112 forward to widen the banknote storage space between the bill press 112 and the guide 103. The user receives the banknotes stored in the banknote deposit unit 100 in this way from the banknote slot 5.

[0046] Next, as an operation of the banknote deposit section 100, the discharge operation in which foreign objects inserted from the banknote slot 5 are discharged from the foreign object discharge port 7 will be explained using Figures 7 to 9.

[0047] Figures 7(A) and (B) show the discharge operation when a coin Ci, as a foreign object, falls onto the leftmost foreign object drop hole 110, which is located outside the width direction of the leftmost banknote support section 105SL. In this case, the coin Ci falls through the foreign object drop hole 110 into the foreign object duct 106 and slides forward along the bottom of the foreign object duct 106. Here, the leftmost constricted wall portion 106AL of the foreign object duct 106 is located in front of the leftmost foreign object drop hole 110. Therefore, the coin Ci that falls from the leftmost foreign object drop hole 110 into the foreign object duct 106 and slides forward collides with the constricted wall portion 106AL, and then proceeds along the constricted wall portion 106AL to the front end of the foreign object duct 106 and is discharged forward.

[0048] In this case, the coin Ci, as a foreign object, falls directly through the foreign object drop hole 110 at the left end to the foreign object duct 106 without coming into contact with the banknote support section 105. In this pattern, the coin Ci tends to gain momentum as it slides down the bottom of the foreign object duct 106. If the coin Ci is discharged from the foreign object discharge port 7 with too much momentum, it may fly out of the tray 11, or the impact on the tray 11 when it catches the coin Ci may become large, causing noise. Therefore, the banknote deposit section 100 is designed to suppress the momentum as the coin Ci slides down by causing it to collide with the constricted wall section 106AL after it has fallen through the foreign object drop hole 110 at the left end to the foreign object duct 106, thereby slowing it down.

[0049] Furthermore, the ejection procedure when a foreign object, such as a coin Ci, falls onto the foreign object drop hole 110 at the right end, which is located outside the width direction of the banknote support section 105SR at the right end, is the same, so the explanation is omitted.

[0050] Figures 8(A) and (B) show the discharge operation when a coin Ci, acting as a foreign object, falls onto the foreign object drop hole 110 located near the left center, situated between the banknote support section 105SL at the left end and the banknote support section 105CL near the left center. In this case, the coin Ci falls through the foreign object drop hole 110 into the foreign object duct 106 and slides forward along the bottom of the foreign object duct 106. Here, the constricted wall section 106AL at the left end of the foreign object duct 106 is located to the left of the foreign object drop hole 110 near the left center. The distance X1 between the front end of this constricted wall section 106AL and the front end of the banknote support section 105CL near the left center is smaller than the diameter of the smallest diameter coin, as described above. Therefore, the coin Ci that falls from the foreign object drop hole 110 near the center on the left side into the foreign object duct 106 and slides down collides with the constricted wall portion 106AL, and then proceeds along the constricted wall portion 106AL to the front end of the foreign object duct 106 and is discharged forward.

[0051] In this pattern as well, the banknote deposit section 100 slows down the coins Ci sliding down the bottom of the foreign object duct 106 by causing them to collide with the constricted wall section 106AL, thereby suppressing their momentum as they slide down.

[0052] Furthermore, the ejection procedure when a foreign object, such as a coin Ci, falls onto the foreign object drop hole 110 located between the banknote support section 105SR at the far right and the banknote support section 105CR near the center on the right side is the same, so the explanation is omitted.

[0053] Figures 9(A) and (B) show the ejection operation when a coin Ci, acting as a foreign object, falls onto the banknote support section 105CL located near the center on the left side. In this case, after the coin Ci collides with the banknote support section 105CL, it shifts inward or outward in the width direction (inward in Figure 9(A)), passes through the foreign object drop hole 110, falls into the foreign object duct 106, and slides forward along the bottom of the foreign object duct 106.

[0054] In this pattern, when the coin Ci, as a foreign object, collides with the banknote support section 105 and then falls through the foreign object drop hole 110 into the foreign object duct 106, the momentum with which the coin Ci slides down the bottom of the foreign object duct 106 is suppressed compared to a pattern where the coin Ci falls through the foreign object drop hole 110 into the foreign object duct 106 without colliding with the banknote support section 105. In other words, in this pattern, even without the coin Ci colliding with the constricted wall section 106AL, the momentum with which the coin Ci slides down the bottom of the foreign object duct 106 is suppressed.

[0055] To summarize the patterns shown in Figures 7 to 9 above, in the banknote deposit section 100, if the outer edge of the banknote storage section 101 in the width direction (left-right direction) of the coin Ci inserted into the banknote storage section 101 is located within the range L1 (see Figure 9(A)) outside the inner edge in the width direction of the banknote support section 105CL near the left center, or within the range L2 outside the inner edge in the width direction of the banknote support section 105CR near the right center, the momentum of the coin Ci as it slides down the bottom of the foreign object duct 106 can be suppressed by the coin Ci colliding with the constricted wall sections 106AL and 106AR, or with the banknote support section 105.

[0056] [1-5. Summary and Effects] As described above, in this embodiment, the banknote unit 8, which serves as a banknote processing device, is provided with a banknote storage section 101 for storing inserted banknotes and a foreign object duct 106 located below the banknote storage section 101 as a foreign object discharge section. Furthermore, the bottom of the banknote storage section 101 is provided with a plurality of banknote support sections 105 (105SL, 105CL, 105SR, 105CR) that extend in the front-to-back direction of the banknote unit 8 and are spaced apart in the width direction perpendicular to the front-to-back direction of the banknote unit 8, and foreign object drop holes 110 located on both sides of the banknote support sections 105 in the width direction and connected to the foreign object duct 106, and the width of the foreign object drop holes 110 is made larger than the diameter of the largest coin expected to be considered as foreign object.

[0057] Furthermore, the foreign matter duct 106 has a bottom that slopes downward from the rear to the front of the banknote unit 8, and foreign matter is discharged from the front end, which is the front end of the banknote unit 8. The front side of the foreign matter duct 106 has constricted wall sections 106AL and 106AR that narrow the width of the foreign matter duct 106 as it approaches the front end of the foreign matter duct 106. In addition, the distances X1 and X2 between the front ends of the constricted wall sections 106AL and 106AR and the front ends of the banknote support sections 105CL and 105CR, which are adjacent to the front ends of the constricted wall sections 106AL and 106AR in the width direction are made smaller than the diameter of the smallest diameter coin that is assumed to be foreign matter.

[0058] In this way, in the banknote unit 8 of this embodiment, if the outer edge of the banknote storage section 101 in the width direction (left-right direction) of the coin Ci inserted into the banknote storage section 101 is located within the range L1 (see Figure 9(A)) outside the inner edge in the width direction of the banknote support section 105CL near the left center, or within the range L2 outside the inner edge in the width direction of the banknote support section 105CR near the right center, the momentum at which the coin Ci slides down the bottom of the foreign object duct 106 can be suppressed by the coin Ci colliding with the constricted wall sections 106AL and 106AR, or with the banknote support section 105.

[0059] Here, as a comparison target, FIG. 10 shows a configuration in which the position of the banknote support portions 105 (105SL, 105CL, 105SR, 105CR) is shifted inward in the width direction, and the intervals between the banknote support portions 105 are made closer to being equal. Even with such a configuration, if the outer ends in the width direction (left-right direction) of the banknote storage portion 101 of the coin Ci inserted into the banknote storage portion 101 are within the range L10 outside the front end of the left constriction wall portion 106AL or within the range L20 outside the front end of the right constriction wall portion 106AR, the coin Ci collides with the constriction wall portions 106AL and 106AR, thereby suppressing the momentum when the coin Ci slides down onto the bottom of the foreign object duct 106. However, in the configuration shown in FIG. 10, since L10 < L1 and L20 < L2, the range in which the momentum when the coin Ci slides down can be suppressed becomes narrower at both end portions in the width direction of the banknote storage portion 101 as compared with the banknote unit 8 of the present embodiment. That is, in the banknote unit 8 of the present embodiment, even when compared with the configuration shown in FIG. 10, it can be said that the momentum when the coin Ci slides down can be more suppressed (more easily suppressed) at both end portions in the width direction of the banknote storage portion 101. Incidentally, a configuration for suppressing the momentum when the coin Ci slides down at the central portion in the width direction of the banknote storage portion 101 will be described below as the second embodiment.

[0060] [2. Second Embodiment] Next, the second embodiment will be described. This second embodiment is an embodiment in which the configuration of the banknote depositing portion 100 is different from that of the first embodiment. Therefore, here, only the banknote depositing portion 100 will be described. For the sake of distinction from the first embodiment, the banknote depositing portion 100 according to the second embodiment is referred to as the banknote depositing portion 100x.

[0061] [2-1. Configuration of Banknote Depositing Portion] FIGS. 11(A) and (B) corresponding to FIGS. 3(A) and (B) show the configuration of the banknote depositing portion 100x of the second embodiment. As shown in FIG. 11(A), the banknote depositing portion 100x has a configuration in which the position of the banknote support portions 105 (105SL, 105CL, 105SR, 105CR) is shifted inward in the width direction, and the intervals between the banknote support portions 105 are made closer to being equal.

[0062] Furthermore, the banknote deposit section 100x is provided with a projection 200 that protrudes upward from the bottom surface 106S at the center of the width direction on the front end side of the bottom surface 106S of the foreign matter duct 106. Specifically, as shown in Figure 11(A), the projection 200, when viewed from above, is generally an elliptical shape that is long in the width direction (left-right direction) of the banknote storage section 101, and its rear end is an approximately arc shape that bulges backward. Also, as shown in Figure 11(B), when viewed from the width direction, the projection 200 is generally a gentle mountain shape, and its rear end is inclined to rise slightly from rear to front.

[0063] The projection 200 is located between the banknote support section 105CL on the left side (closer to the center) and the banknote support section 105CR on the right side (closer to the center), when viewed from above. Furthermore, the projection 200 is sized such that the distance L31 between the left end of the projection 200 and the right end of the banknote support section 105CL on the left side (closer to the center) is smaller than the diameter of the smallest coin, and the distance L32 between the right end of the projection 200 and the left end of the banknote support section 105CR on the right side (closer to the center) is smaller than the diameter of the smallest coin. Note that distances L31 and L32 are the distances on a hypothetical plane (in other words, the plane of paper in Figure 11) when the banknote deposit section 100x is viewed from above, as shown in Figure 11, and the left end (right end) of the projection 200 and the right end of the banknote support section 105CL on the left side (the left end of the banknote support section 105CR on the right side) are considered to be on the same plane. The other components are the same as those of the banknote deposit section 100 in the first embodiment, so a detailed explanation will be omitted. The configuration of the banknote deposit section 100x is as described above.

[0064] [2-2. Operation of the banknote deposit section] Next, as an operation of the banknote deposit section 100, the discharge operation in which foreign objects inserted from the banknote slot 5 are discharged from the foreign object discharge port 7 will be explained using Figure 12.

[0065] Figures 12(A) and (B) show the ejection operation when a coin Ci, acting as a foreign object, falls onto the central foreign object drop hole 110 at a position that is just within the width of the banknote support section 105CL near the center on the left side, and just barely missing the banknote support section 105CL. In this case, the coin Ci falls through the central foreign object drop hole 110 into the foreign object duct 106 and slides forward along the bottom of the foreign object duct 106. Here, because the distance L31 between the left end of the projection 200 provided on the bottom surface 106S of the foreign object duct 106 and the right end of the banknote support section 105CL near the center on the left side is smaller than the diameter of the smallest diameter coin, the coin Ci that falls through the central foreign object drop hole 110 into the foreign object duct 106 will inevitably collide with this projection 200.

[0066] At this time, the coin Ci slows down as it collides with the projection 200, and slides further forward along the outer circumference of the projection 200 (or over the projection 200), and is discharged forward from the front end of the foreign object duct 106.

[0067] Furthermore, the height and inclination of the projection 200 are appropriately selected so as to decelerate the incoming coin Ci but not stop it. In addition, the projection 200 should be positioned such that its rear end is located in front of the rear surface of the bill press 112 when the bill press 112 moves to the position closest to the front frame 102. Therefore, the position of the projection 200 may be shifted forward from the position shown in Figure 11(A).

[0068] In this way, the banknote deposit section 100x is designed to reduce the momentum of the coins as they slide down by causing the coins Ci, which have fallen through the central foreign object drop hole 110 to the foreign object duct 106, to collide with the projection 200 provided in front of the bottom surface 106S of the foreign object duct 106, thereby slowing them down.

[0069] Although a detailed explanation will be omitted, in the banknote deposit section 100x, if a coin Ci, as a foreign object, falls into the foreign object duct 106 from the foreign object drop hole 110 at the left end, the momentum of the sliding coin Ci is suppressed by causing it to collide with the constricted wall 106AL at the left end as it slides down the bottom of the foreign object duct 106, thereby slowing it down. Furthermore, in the banknote deposit section 100x, if a coin Ci falls into the foreign object duct 106 from the foreign object drop hole 110 at the right end, the momentum of the sliding coin Ci is suppressed by causing it to collide with the constricted wall 106AL at the right end as it slides down the bottom of the foreign object duct 106, thereby slowing it down. In addition, in the banknote deposit section 100x, if a coin Ci falls onto the banknote support section 105, the momentum of the sliding coin Ci is suppressed by causing it to collide with the banknote support section 105.

[0070] Incidentally, as shown in Figure 13, it is also conceivable to widen the width of the projection 200 so that the left end of the projection 200 reaches near the front end of the constricted wall portion 106AL on the left end, and the right end of the projection 200 reaches near the front end of the constricted wall portion 106AR on the right end. In this case, coins Ci that fall into the foreign object duct 106 from the foreign object drop hole 110 near the center on the left side and the foreign object drop hole 110 near the center on the right side will also collide with the projection 200, and the momentum as they slide down will be suppressed.

[0071] On the other hand, if the width of the projection 200 is widened in this way, a coin Ci that, for example, collides with the banknote support part 105CL near the center on the left side and then falls through the foreign object drop hole 110 into the foreign object duct 106 will collide with both the banknote support part 105CL and the projection 200, potentially suppressing its momentum as it slides down more than necessary. Taking this into consideration, in this embodiment, the projection 200 is positioned between the banknote support part 105CL near the center on the left side and the right end of the banknote support part 105CR near the center on the right side. However, since the probability of a coin Ci as a foreign object colliding with both the banknote support part 105CL and the projection 200 is considered low, if this situation does not need to be considered, the width of the projection 200 may be widened as shown in Figure 13.

[0072] [2-3. Summary and Effects] As described above, in this embodiment, the banknote unit 8, which serves as a banknote processing device, is provided with a banknote storage section 101 for storing inserted banknotes and a foreign object duct 106 located below the banknote storage section 101 as a foreign object discharge section. Furthermore, at the bottom of the banknote storage section 101, there are provided a plurality of banknote support sections 105 (105SL, 105CL, 105SR, 105CR) that extend in the front-to-back direction of the banknote unit 8 and are spaced apart in the width direction perpendicular to the front-to-back direction of the banknote unit 8, and foreign object drop holes 110 located on both sides of the banknote support sections 105 in the width direction and connected to the foreign object duct 106, and the width of the foreign object drop holes 110 is made larger than the diameter of the largest coin expected to be considered as foreign object.

[0073] Furthermore, the foreign matter duct 106 has a bottom that slopes downward from the rear to the front of the banknote unit 8, and foreign matter is discharged from the front end, which is the front end of the banknote unit 8. The front side of the foreign matter duct 106 has constricted wall sections 106AL and 106AR that narrow towards the front end of the foreign matter duct 106. In addition, a projection 200 is provided at the bottom of the foreign matter duct 106, inward in the width direction from the front ends of the constricted wall sections 106AL and 106AR, as a deceleration member to slow down foreign matter sliding down the bottom.

[0074] In this way, in the banknote unit 8 of this embodiment, foreign objects that fall outside in the width direction beyond the front ends of the constricted walls 106AL and 106AR can be made to collide with the constricted walls 106AL and 106AR as they slide down the bottom of the foreign object duct 106, thereby suppressing their momentum as they slide down. On the other hand, foreign objects that fall inside in the width direction beyond the front ends of the constricted walls 106AL and 106AR can be made to collide with the projections 200 as they slide down the bottom of the foreign object duct 106, thereby suppressing their momentum as they slide down.

[0075] Furthermore, a projection 200 is provided between the banknote support portion 105CL located near the center on the left side and the banknote support portion 105CR located near the center on the right side, both located inside the width direction from the front ends of the constricted wall portions 106AL and 106AR. The distance L31 between the banknote support portion 105CL located near the center on the left side and the left end of the projection 200 is made smaller than the diameter of the smallest diameter coin, and the distance L32 between the banknote support portion 105CL located near the center on the right side and the right end of the projection 200 is made smaller than the diameter of the smallest diameter coin.

[0076] In this way, the banknote unit 8 of this embodiment can suppress the momentum of the coin Ci as it slides down by ensuring that it collides with the projection 200, passing through the central foreign object drop hole 110 located between the left-center banknote support portion 105CL and the right-center banknote support portion 105CR, without contacting them.

[0077] [3. Third Embodiment] Next, a third embodiment will be described. This third embodiment is a combination of the banknote deposit section 100 of the first embodiment and the banknote deposit section 100x of the second embodiment. Therefore, only the banknote deposit section 100 will be described here. In order to distinguish it from the first and second embodiments, the banknote deposit section 100 of the third embodiment will be referred to as the banknote deposit section 100y.

[0078] [3-1. Configuration of the banknote deposit section] Figures 14(A) and 14(B), corresponding to Figures 3(A) and 3(B), show the configuration of the banknote deposit section 100y of the third embodiment. As described above, the banknote deposit section 100y is a combination of the banknote deposit section 100 and the banknote deposit section 100x, and specifically, the position of the banknote support section 105 (105SL, 105CL, 105SR, 105CR) is the same as that of the banknote deposit section 100.

[0079] In other words, the banknote support portion 105CL on the left side, closer to the center, is located inward in the width direction from the front end of the leftmost constricted wall portion 106AL, and is positioned at a distance X1 smaller than the diameter of the smallest coin from the front end of the constricted wall portion 106AL, while the leftmost banknote support portion 105SL is positioned further outward in the width direction from this banknote support portion 105CL. Similarly, the banknote support portion 105CR on the right side, closer to the center, is located inward in the width direction from the front end of the rightmost constricted wall portion 106AR, and is positioned at a distance X2 smaller than the diameter of the smallest coin from the front end of the constricted wall portion 106AR, while the rightmost banknote support portion 105SR is positioned further outward in the width direction from this banknote support portion 105CR.

[0080] Furthermore, the banknote deposit section 100y, like the banknote deposit section 100x, is provided with a projection 300 that protrudes upward from the bottom surface 106S at the center of the width direction on the front end side of the bottom surface 106S of the foreign matter duct 106. This projection 300 differs in shape from the projection 200; when viewed from above, it is a long rectangle in the width direction (left-right direction) of the banknote storage section 101, and when viewed from the width direction, it is triangular, with the rear end slightly inclined upward from the rear to the front. Alternatively, a projection 200 having the same width as projection 300 may be provided instead.

[0081] The other components are the same as those of the banknote deposit section 100 in the first embodiment, so a detailed explanation will be omitted. The configuration of the banknote deposit section 100y is as described above.

[0082] [3-2. Operation of the banknote deposit section] Next, as an operation of the banknote deposit section 100y, the discharge operation in which foreign objects inserted from the banknote slot 5 are discharged from the foreign object discharge port 7 will be explained using Figures 15 and 16.

[0083] Figures 15(A) and (B) show a pattern similar to Figures 8(A) and (B) described in the first embodiment, illustrating the discharge operation when a coin Ci, as foreign matter, falls onto the foreign matter drop hole 110 located near the left center, situated between the banknote support section 105SL at the left end and the banknote support section 105CL near the left center. In this case, the coin Ci falls through the foreign matter drop hole 110 into the foreign matter duct 106 and slides forward along the bottom of the foreign matter duct 106. Here, the constricted wall section 106AL at the left end of the foreign matter duct 106 is located to the left front of the foreign matter drop hole 110 near the left center. The distance X1 between the front end of this constricted wall section 106AL and the front end of the banknote support section 105CL near the left center is smaller than the diameter of the smallest diameter coin, as described above. Therefore, the coin Ci that falls from the foreign object drop hole 110 near the center on the left side into the foreign object duct 106 and slides down collides with the constricted wall portion 106AL, and then proceeds along the constricted wall portion 106AL to the front end of the foreign object duct 106 and is discharged forward.

[0084] In other words, in this pattern, the banknote deposit section 100y, similar to the banknote deposit section 100, slows down the coins Ci sliding down the bottom of the foreign object duct 106 by causing them to collide with the constricted wall section 106AL, thereby suppressing their momentum as they slide down.

[0085] Figures 16(A) and (B) show a pattern similar to Figures 12(A) and (B) described in the second embodiment, illustrating the discharge operation when a coin Ci, as a foreign object, falls onto the central foreign object drop hole 110 at a position that is just within the width direction of the banknote support part 105CL near the center on the left side, and just barely missing the banknote support part 105CL. In this case, the coin Ci falls through the central foreign object drop hole 110 into the foreign object duct 106 and slides forward along the bottom of the foreign object duct 106. Here, since the distance L31 between the left end of the projection 300 provided on the bottom surface 106S of the foreign object duct 106 and the right end of the banknote support part 105CL near the center on the left side is smaller than the diameter of the smallest diameter coin, the coin Ci that falls through the central foreign object drop hole 110 into the foreign object duct 106 will inevitably collide with this projection 300.

[0086] At this time, the coin Ci decelerates as it collides with the projection 300, then slides over the projection 300 and further forward, and is discharged forward from the front end of the foreign object duct 106.

[0087] Furthermore, the height and incline of the projection 300 are appropriately selected so as to decelerate the incoming coin Ci but not stop it. In addition, the projection 300 should be positioned such that its rear end is located in front of the rear surface of the bill press 112 when the bill press 112 moves to the position closest to the front frame 102. Therefore, the position of the projection 300 may be shifted forward from the position shown in Figure 16(A).

[0088] In this way, the banknote deposit section 100y slows down the coin Ci that has fallen through the central foreign object drop hole 110 to the foreign object duct 106 by causing it to collide with a projection 300 provided in front of the bottom surface 106S of the foreign object duct 106, thereby suppressing its momentum as it slides down.

[0089] Although a detailed explanation will be omitted, in the banknote deposit section 100y, if a coin Ci, acting as a foreign object, falls into the foreign object duct 106 from the foreign object drop hole 110 at the left end, the momentum of the sliding coin Ci is suppressed by causing it to collide with the constricted wall 106AL at the left end as it slides down the bottom of the foreign object duct 106, thereby slowing it down. In addition, in the banknote deposit section 100y, if a coin Ci falls into the foreign object duct 106 from the foreign object drop hole 110 at the right end, the momentum of the sliding coin Ci is suppressed by causing it to collide with the constricted wall 106AL at the right end as it slides down the bottom of the foreign object duct 106, thereby slowing it down. Furthermore, in the banknote deposit section 100y, if a coin Ci falls onto the banknote support section 105, the momentum of the sliding coin Ci is suppressed by causing it to collide with the banknote support section 105.

[0090] In this way, the banknote deposit section 100y is designed so that, throughout the entire width of the banknote storage section 101, the momentum of coins Ci, which are foreign objects inserted into the banknote storage section 101, as they fall from the foreign object drop hole 110 into the foreign object duct 106 and slide down the bottom of the foreign object duct 106 can be suppressed.

[0091] [3-3. Summary and Effects] As described above, in the third embodiment, the banknote unit 8, which serves as a banknote processing device, is provided with a banknote storage section 101 for storing inserted banknotes and a foreign matter duct 106 located below the banknote storage section 101 as a foreign matter discharge section. Furthermore, the bottom of the banknote storage section 101 is provided with a plurality of banknote support sections 105 (105SL, 105CL, 105SR, 105CR) that extend in the front-to-back direction of the banknote unit 8 and are spaced apart in the width direction perpendicular to the front-to-back direction of the banknote unit 8, and foreign matter drop holes 110 located on both sides of the banknote support sections 105 in the width direction and connected to the foreign matter duct 106, and the width of the foreign matter drop holes 110 is made larger than the diameter of the largest coin expected to be considered as foreign matter.

[0092] Furthermore, the foreign matter duct 106 has a bottom that slopes downward from the rear to the front of the banknote unit 8, and foreign matter is discharged from the front end, which is the front end of the banknote unit 8. The front side of the foreign matter duct 106 has constricted wall sections 106AL and 106AR that narrow towards the front end of the foreign matter duct 106.

[0093] Furthermore, similar to the first embodiment, the distances X1 and X2 between the front ends of the constricted wall portions 106AL and 106AR and the front ends of the banknote support portions 105CL and 105CR, which are adjacent to the front ends of the constricted wall portions 106AL and 106AR in the width direction, were made smaller than the diameter of the smallest coin assumed to be a foreign object.

[0094] Furthermore, similar to the second embodiment, a projection 300 is provided at the bottom of the foreign matter duct 106, inward in the width direction from the front ends of the constricted wall portions 106AL and 106AR, as a deceleration member to slow down foreign matter sliding down the bottom.

[0095] In this way, the banknote unit 8 of this embodiment can suppress the momentum of coins Ci, which are foreign objects inserted into the banknote storage section 101, as they fall from the foreign object drop hole 110 into the foreign object duct 106 and slide down the bottom of the foreign object duct 106, throughout the entire width of the banknote storage section 101.

[0096] [4. Other Embodiments] [4-1. Other Embodiments 1] In the second and third embodiments described above, projections 200 and 300 are provided on the bottom surface 106S of the foreign matter duct 106 as deceleration members to slow down foreign matter sliding down. However, other deceleration members besides projections 200 and 300 may be provided on the bottom surface 106S of the foreign matter duct 106, as long as they can slow down foreign matter sliding down. For example, instead of projections 200 and 300, friction members with a coefficient of friction higher than that of the bottom surface 106S of the foreign matter duct 106 may be provided. Alternatively, in the locations where projections 200 and 300 are located on the bottom surface 106S, a brush composed of bundles of bristles protruding from the bottom surface 106S may be provided.

[0097] Furthermore, the shapes of the projections 200 and 300 may be different from those described in the second and third embodiments.

[0098] [4-2. Other Embodiments 2] Furthermore, in the first embodiment described above, the number of banknote support sections 105 was set to four, but there may be more than four. For example, one more central banknote support section 105 may be added between the banknote support section 105CL located near the center on the left and the banknote support section 105CR located near the center on the right. The same applies to the second and third embodiments. In the third embodiment, for example, if one more central banknote support section 105 is added between the banknote support section 105CL located near the center on the left and the banknote support section 105CR located near the center on the right, for example, two protrusions with a width of about half the width of the protrusion 300 may be prepared, one of which may be placed between the banknote support section 105CL located near the center on the left and the central banknote support section 105, and the other may be placed between the banknote support section 105CR located near the center on the right and the central banknote support section 105. The same applies to the second embodiment.

[0099] [4-3. Other Embodiments 3] Furthermore, in the first to third embodiments described above, the front ends of the foreign matter duct 106 in the width direction were made into constricted wall portions 106AL and 106AR. However, this is not limited to this, and for example, only the left end (or right end) of the front end of the foreign matter duct 106 in the width direction may be made into a constricted wall portion 106AL (106AR).

[0100] [4-4. Other Embodiments 4] Furthermore, in the first embodiment described above, as shown in Figure 3(A), the front end of the constricted wall portion 106AL at the front left end of the foreign object duct 106 and the banknote support portion 105CL near the left center are separated by a distance X1. In this case, in Figure 3(A), the distance between the banknote support portion 105CL near the left center and the banknote support portion 105CR near the right center, that is, the width of the central foreign object drop hole 110, becomes larger than the width of the other foreign object drop holes 110. Therefore, the constriction angle of the constricted wall portion 106AL at the left end may be changed to shift the front end of the constricted wall portion 106AL toward the center in the width direction of the banknote storage portion 101. In this way, the width of the central foreign object drop hole 110 can be made smaller compared to the case in Figure 3(A). Similarly, the constriction angle of the constricted wall portion 106AR at the right end may be changed to shift its front end toward the center in the width direction of the banknote storage portion 101.

[0101] [4-5. Other Embodiments 5] Furthermore, in the first to third embodiments described above, the present invention was applied to banknote deposit sections 100, 100x, and 100y that have a deposit function. However, the invention is not limited to these, and can also be applied to banknote deposit and withdrawal sections that have a withdrawal function in addition to a deposit function, as long as they have a configuration similar to the banknote deposit sections 100, 100x, and 100y, with a banknote support section at the bottom of the banknote storage section.

[0102] [4-6. Other Embodiments 6] Furthermore, in each of the embodiments described above, the present invention was applied to a banknote unit 8 as a banknote processing device and a deposit / withdrawal machine 1 as a banknote handling device having the banknote unit 8. However, the present invention is not limited to these, and can also be applied to banknote processing devices that have a banknote support portion at the bottom of the banknote storage portion, which have a partially different configuration from the banknote unit 8, or to banknote handling devices that have a partially different configuration from the deposit / withdrawal machine 1 (for example, deposit machines).

[0103] Furthermore, while the present invention was applied to a banknote unit 8 and a deposit / withdrawal machine 1 in the embodiments described above, it is not limited to these, and the present invention can also be applied to various media processing devices and media handling devices that handle paper-like media other than banknotes (for example, tickets and vouchers).

[0104] [4-7. Other Embodiments 7] Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above. That is, the scope of application of the present invention extends to embodiments that arbitrarily combine some or all of the embodiments described above, or embodiments that extract some of them. [Industrial applicability]

[0105] This invention can be used, for example, in a banknote processing device that handles banknotes. [Explanation of symbols]

[0106] 1... Deposit / withdrawal machine, 2... Device housing, 5... Banknote slot, 7... Foreign object discharge port, 8... Banknote unit, 100, 100x, 100y... Banknote deposit section, 101... Banknote storage section, 102... Front frame, 103... Guide, 104... Gate guide, 105SR, 105CR, 105SL, 105CL... Banknote support section, 106... Foreign object duct, 106AL, 106AR... Constricted wall section, 110... Foreign object drop hole, 112... Bill press, 200, 300... Protrusion, Bi... Banknote, Ci... Coin.

Claims

1. A banknote compartment for holding the inserted banknotes, A foreign object discharge section provided below the banknote storage section and Equipped with, The bottom of the banknote storage section is provided with a plurality of banknote support sections that extend in the front-to-back direction of the device and are spaced apart in the width direction perpendicular to the front-to-back direction of the device, and foreign object drop holes located on both sides of the banknote support sections in the width direction and connected to the foreign object discharge section. The width of the aforementioned foreign object drop hole is larger than the diameter of the largest coin that could be considered a foreign object. The aforementioned foreign matter discharge unit is The bottom of the device is sloped from the rear to the front, and foreign matter is discharged from the front end, which is the front end of the device. The front side of the device has a constricted wall portion that narrows the width of the foreign matter discharge portion as it approaches the front end of the foreign matter discharge portion. The distance between the front end of the constricted wall and the front end of the banknote support portion adjacent to the front end of the constricted wall on the inside in the width direction is smaller than the diameter of the smallest coin assumed to be a foreign object. A banknote processing device characterized by the following features.

2. At the bottom of the foreign matter discharge section, a deceleration member is provided in the width direction, inward from the front end of the constricted wall, to slow down the foreign matter sliding down the bottom. The banknote processing device according to feature 1.

3. The deceleration member is provided in the width direction inward from the front end of the constricted wall portion, compared to the adjacent banknote support portion in the width direction. The banknote processing device according to feature 2.

4. The distance between the banknote support portion adjacent to the front end of the constricted wall portion in the width direction and the end of the reduction member in the width direction is smaller than the diameter of the smallest coin assumed to be a foreign object. The banknote processing device according to feature 3.

5. The aforementioned deceleration member is This is a projection that protrudes from the bottom surface of the foreign matter discharge section. A banknote processing device according to any one of features 2 to 4.

6. The aforementioned protrusion is The rear end of the device, which is the rearmost end, has a roughly arc shape that bulges outwards towards the rear of the device when viewed from above. The banknote processing device according to feature 5.

7. A banknote compartment for holding the inserted banknotes, A foreign object discharge section provided below the banknote storage section and Equipped with, The bottom of the banknote storage section is provided with a plurality of banknote support sections that extend in the front-to-back direction of the device and are spaced apart in the width direction perpendicular to the front-to-back direction of the device, and foreign object drop holes located on both sides of the banknote support sections in the width direction and connected to the foreign object discharge section. The width of the aforementioned foreign object drop hole is larger than the diameter of the largest coin that could be considered a foreign object. The aforementioned foreign matter discharge unit is The bottom of the device is sloped from the rear to the front, and the foreign matter is discharged from the front end, which is the front end of the device, and the front side of the device has a constricted wall portion that narrows the width of the foreign matter discharge portion as it approaches the front end of the foreign matter discharge portion. At the bottom of the foreign matter discharge section, a deceleration member is provided in the width direction, inward from the front end of the constricted wall, to slow down the foreign matter sliding down the bottom. A banknote processing device characterized by the following features.

8. The deceleration member is provided in the width direction inward from the front end of the constricted wall portion, compared to the adjacent banknote support portion in the width direction. The banknote processing device according to feature 7.

9. The distance between the banknote support portion adjacent to the front end of the constricted wall portion in the width direction and the end of the reduction member in the width direction is smaller than the diameter of the smallest coin assumed to be a foreign object. The banknote processing device according to feature 8.

10. The aforementioned deceleration member is This is a projection that protrudes from the bottom surface of the foreign matter discharge section. A banknote processing device according to any one of the features of 7 to 9.

11. The aforementioned protrusion is The rear end of the device, which is the rearmost end, has a roughly arc shape that bulges outwards towards the rear of the device when viewed from above. The banknote processing device according to feature 10.

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