HK1258981B - Paper currency processing device - Google Patents

Description

Banknote processing device

This application is a divisional application of the application with application number 201480069856.2, application date December 10, 2014, and invention name “Banknote Processing Device”.

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a banknote processing device that is installed in equipment such as vending machines, exchangers, and toll machines in unmanned parking lots and has a multi-currency banknote storage function and a banknote payment function, and in particular relates to a technology for preventing adverse situations such as miscalculation failures and operation stoppage.

Background Art

Generally, banknote processing devices installed in equipment such as vending machines, money changers, and parking lot toll machines include: a banknote recognition unit that identifies the authenticity and denomination of inserted banknotes, and a banknote storage unit that stores banknotes that have been identified as genuine.

In the past, various banknote processing devices have been known. Regarding the banknote storage section, there are known banknote storage technologies that neatly stack banknotes one by one from the banknote conveying path and store them in the banknote storage box, technologies that have multiple banknote storage boxes and store banknotes according to currency types, and technologies that extract banknotes one by one from the banknote storage box so that the temporarily stored banknotes can be returned.

In such banknote handling devices, such as vending machines, money changers, and parking lot toll machines, the space required to house the banknote handling devices is limited, leading to a desire for miniaturization of the banknote handling devices themselves. Furthermore, there is a need for technologies that prevent problems such as miscalculations that cause the dispensing of extra change, and operational stops caused by banknote jams.

For example, a banknote handling device is disclosed that can store banknotes by denomination and includes a plurality of circulating banknote storage units, and has a function of dispensing stored banknotes as small change (Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2012-155751).

However, the banknote handling device of Patent Document 1 has multiple banknote transport paths connecting the deposit port to the various banknote storage bins. Because the banknote handling device itself is large, sufficient loading space is required on the side of the mounted equipment. It should be noted that as the device becomes larger, the banknote transport paths become longer and the transport mechanism becomes more complex, which can cause banknotes to clog the banknote transport paths.

As a technology taking miniaturization into consideration, the following banknote processing device is disclosed, which comprises: a banknote storage mechanism that does not reduce the effective capacity of the banknote storage box as the banknotes are stored, and two banknote storage sections, a thousand-yuan (yen) banknote storage section and a high-denomination banknote storage section, which are arranged up and down in the longitudinal direction and connected by a single banknote conveying path. The banknote processing device can draw out the banknotes stored in the thousand-yuan banknote storage box one by one and use them as small change (Patent Document 2: Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 62-290671).

Here, the known banknote extraction mechanism used in patent document 2 for dispensing banknotes arranged and stacked in a banknote storage box one by one is constructed so that the surface of the last banknote stored in the arranged and stacked banknotes comes into contact with the pick-up roller (extraction roller) to extract the banknote and deliver it through the feed roller (delivery roller) and the gate roller (stop roller). At this time, due to the large friction between the banknotes, there is a situation where two banknotes are extracted at the same time, and the two banknotes are directly delivered when overlapping.

In this case, in the banknote processing device of patent document 2, the thousand-yuan banknote storage box for storing small bills is arranged closer to the cash outlet side than the high-denomination banknote storage box, so the two overlapping banknotes remain in this state when they reach the cash outlet, resulting in an undesirable situation such as miscalculation failure.

To avoid miscalculation, the system could be controlled to stop the function if two banknotes are fed out within the banknote transport path before reaching the cash outlet. However, this would result in a potential operational halt. Furthermore, a banknote storage compartment could be installed between the 1,000-yuan banknote storage compartment and the cash outlet to allow two overlapping banknotes to escape, but this would result in a larger device.

Furthermore, in the banknote handling devices disclosed in Patent Documents 1 and 2, the deposit and withdrawal ports are the same. This complicates the banknote transport path and mechanism to facilitate bidirectional banknote transport, making banknote jams more likely to occur. Furthermore, if the structure of the banknote transport path is complex, as in Patent Document 1, it is difficult to eliminate the jam when banknotes are jammed and operation is stopped.

Furthermore, in the banknote handling device of Patent Document 2, banknotes are stored directly while being held between a conveyor belt and a pressure roller located in the banknote transport path. This poses the risk of banknotes shifting during storage, potentially leading to incorrect storage. Furthermore, in order to reliably push even shifted banknotes into the banknote storage compartment, the maximum travel distance of the stacking guide must be sufficient, hindering device miniaturization.

Prior art literature

Patent Literature

Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2012-155751

Patent Document 2: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 62-290671

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be solved by the invention

Therefore, in view of the above situation, an object of the present invention is to provide a banknote processing device having the function of depositing and withdrawing banknotes, and the banknote processing device is compact and prevents the occurrence of malfunctions such as miscalculation failures and operation stoppages.

Means for solving problems

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, in the banknote handling device of the present invention described in technical solution 1, the banknote handling device is configured to have a single path, namely a banknote conveying path, with an inlet for inserting banknotes as an upstream end and an outlet for discharging banknotes as a downstream end, passing through a banknote recognition mechanism, a recyclable banknote storage section, and a non-recyclable banknote storage section in order from upstream, the banknote recognition mechanism identifying the type of banknotes, the recyclable banknote storage section storing recyclable banknotes that can be used as small change, and the non-recyclable banknote storage section storing non-recyclable banknotes that are not used as small change. The banknote handling device includes: a banknote extraction mechanism provided in the recyclable banknote storage section for extracting and separating the recyclable banknotes stored in the recyclable banknote storage section into individual sheets; and an extraction sensor provided downstream of the banknote extraction mechanism and upstream of the non-recyclable banknote storage section for detecting the number of recyclable banknotes extracted and storing recyclable banknotes detected as two or more by the extraction sensor in the non-recyclable banknote storage section.

In addition, in the banknote processing device of the present invention described in technical solution 2, the banknote conveying path for conveying banknotes is provided with: a banknote conveying mechanism, which conveys the banknotes along the banknote conveying path; a banknote storage box, which, in the banknote storage section through which the banknote conveying path passes, neatly stacks and stores the banknotes in the banknote conveying path in a direction approximately perpendicular to the plane of the banknotes, and always presses the stored banknotes toward the banknote conveying path side; and a banknote storage mechanism, which is arranged opposite to the banknote storage box across the banknote conveying path, so that the banknotes move from the banknote conveying path to the banknote storage box, wherein the banknote storage mechanism has: a stacking guide, which stacks the side edges in the long direction of the banknotes stored in the banknote storage box with the side edges in the long direction of the banknotes The side edges of the banknotes passing through the banknote conveying path are separated in the long direction; a reciprocating mechanism, which causes the stacking guide to reciprocate in a direction approximately perpendicular to the plane of the banknotes; a banknote storage section conveying mechanism, which is arranged on the banknote conveying path on the banknote storage mechanism side in the banknote storage section and is integrally formed with the reciprocating mechanism; and a pressing roller, the axis of which is fixed to the stacking guide and is arranged opposite to the banknote storage section conveying mechanism. The pressing roller clamps the banknotes together with the banknote storage section conveying mechanism, and when the reciprocating mechanism causes the stacking guide to move toward the banknote storage mechanism side, before the stacking guide starts to move, the banknote storage section conveying mechanism retreats from the banknote conveying path and separates from the pressing roller.

Effects of the Invention

In the banknote processing device described in Technical Solution 1, when two banknotes are drawn out and overlap when returning banknotes, the banknote transport mechanism is not driven in reverse to return the banknotes or to store them in a separately provided storage bin dedicated to two overlapping banknotes. Instead, the banknotes are formed to be stored in a non-circulating banknote storage bin even though they are transported only in one direction, and thus a structure is formed that can cope with two overlapping banknotes. Therefore, the possibility of banknote jamming is low, which contributes to miniaturization and can prevent miscalculation failures.

Furthermore, by limiting banknote transport to a single direction, the configuration of the transport belts and pulleys is simplified, and the number of components is reduced. This simplifies the banknote transport path, preventing banknote jams. Furthermore, since a structure that opens the banknote transport path is easily implemented, even if a banknote jam occurs, it can be easily resolved.

In the banknote handling device described in Technical Solution 2, during storage, the gripping of the banknote's longitudinal side edges is first released, thereby suppressing banknote shifting and preventing operation stoppage due to incorrect storage. Furthermore, since banknote shifting is suppressed during storage, the maximum travel distance of the stacking guide can be reduced, thereby contributing to space conservation.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG1 is a schematic longitudinal sectional right side view of the entire banknote handling apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the circulating banknote storage unit.

Figure 3 is a diagram of the circulating banknote storage section showing a state in which no banknotes are stored in a waiting state, (a) is the X-X sectional view of Figure 2, (b) is the Y-Y sectional view of Figure 2, and (c) is the Z-Z sectional view of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a diagram showing a circulating banknote storage unit with banknotes stored in a waiting state, (a) is the X-X sectional view of Figure 2, (b) is the Y-Y sectional view of Figure 2, and (c) is the Z-Z sectional view of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a diagram showing the circulating banknote storage section when the banknote clamping is released, (a) is the X-X sectional view of Figure 2, (b) is the Y-Y sectional view of Figure 2, and (c) is the Z-Z sectional view of Figure 2.

Figure 6 is a diagram showing the circulating banknote storage section during the banknote storage operation, (a) is the X-X sectional view of Figure 2, (b) is the Y-Y sectional view of Figure 2, and (c) is the Z-Z sectional view of Figure 2.

Figure 7 is a diagram showing the circulating banknote storage section when storing banknotes, (a) is the X-X sectional view of Figure 2, (b) is the Y-Y sectional view of Figure 2, and (c) is the Z-Z sectional view of Figure 2.

Figure 8 is a diagram showing the circulating banknote storage section just before the banknote storage action is completed, (a) is the X-X sectional view of Figure 2, (b) is the Y-Y sectional view of Figure 2, and (c) is the Z-Z sectional view of Figure 2.

Figure 9 is a diagram showing the banknote extraction action of the circulating banknote storage unit, (a) is the X-X sectional view of Figure 2, (b) is the Y-Y sectional view of Figure 2, and (c) is the Z-Z sectional view of Figure 2.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing a deposit operation of the banknote processing apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing an operation of storing non-circulated banknotes in the escrow state of FIG. 10 .

FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing the operation of returning the banknotes in the escrow state of FIG. 10 .

FIG. 13 is a flowchart showing a dispensing operation of circulating banknotes in the stored state of FIG. 12 .

Description of reference numerals:

1 banknote processing device;

2. Banknote handling channel;

20. Deposit port;

21 Banknote handling mechanism;

22 drive pulley;

23 driven pulley;

24 transport belts;

25 driven roller;

3. Banknote identification unit;

4. Recyclable banknote storage unit;

40. Recyclable banknote storage;

41 housing;

42 support plate;

43 connecting rod mechanism;

44 first link arm;

45 second link arm;

46 axis;

47 torsion spring;

50 circulating banknote storage mechanism;

51 stacking guide;

52 reciprocating mechanism;

53 lifting arm;

54 gears;

55 center gear;

56 idler pulley;

57 Banknote handling agency;

58 transport belt;

59 pulley;

60 banknote extraction mechanism;

61 extraction roller (pick-up roller);

62 delivery roller (conveying roller);

63 blocking roller (gate roller);

7. Non-circulating banknote storage section;

70 Non-circulating banknote storage;

8. Cash outlet;

81 baffle;

M circulating banknotes.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the banknote handling apparatus according to the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 13. It should be noted that in each of the figures, the side where the deposit port 20 for inserting banknotes is provided is defined as the front side.

In the banknote processing device 1 shown in Figure 1, the banknote conveying path 2 for conveying banknotes extends rearward (to the right in the figure) with the deposit port 20 arranged at the lower part of the front of the device body as the upstream end, bends upward at the approximate center in the depth direction and extends vertically upward, bends forward again at the upper part of the device and faces obliquely downward, and ends with the upper part of the withdrawal port 8 as the downstream end.

At the upstream end of the banknote conveying path 2, an unillustrated entrance sensor is provided near the deposit port 20 for detecting banknotes inserted from the deposit port 20. Based on the detection output of the entrance sensor, a banknote conveying mechanism is driven to convey the inserted banknotes to the downstream of the banknote conveying path 2.

It should be noted that a banknote transport mechanism generally utilizes a transport belt, driven by a transport motor and spanned between a drive pulley and a plurality of driven pulleys, and a plurality of driven rollers pressed against the transport belt to grip banknotes passing through the banknote transport path and transport banknotes within the banknote transport path. As an example, FIG1 illustrates the banknote transport mechanism 21 of the non-circulating banknote storage section 7 (described later). The banknote transport mechanism 21 includes a transport belt 24, driven by a transport motor (not shown), spanned between a drive pulley 22 and a plurality of driven pulleys 23, and a plurality of driven rollers 25 pressed against the transport belt 24. For details on the banknote transport mechanism 57 in the circulating banknote storage section 4, please refer to the description below.

Meanwhile, a withdrawal sensor (not shown) is located at the downstream end of the banknote transport path 2 to count the number of banknotes dispensed into the withdrawal port 8. Furthermore, a shutter 81 is located on the front side of the withdrawal port 8. This shutter 81 closes before all banknotes have been returned or dispensed from the withdrawal port 8. This prevents users from forgetting to withdraw any remaining change, such as withdrawing change mid-payment.

In addition, the banknote conveying path 2 passes through, from upstream, a banknote identification unit 3 for identifying the authenticity and denomination of banknotes passing through the banknote conveying path 2, a circulating banknote storage unit 4 for storing banknotes that can be used as small change (hereinafter referred to as circulating banknotes), and a non-circulating banknote storage unit 7 for storing high-denomination banknotes that are not used as small change (hereinafter referred to as non-circulating banknotes).

The banknote identification unit 3 is equipped with multiple identification sensors, including magnetic sensors and optical sensors. Each sensor scans a banknote passing through the banknote transport path 2 at a predetermined location to detect the physical characteristics of the banknote. Based on this detection output, a comprehensive determination of the banknote's authenticity and denomination is made. It should be noted that the structures of the magnetic and optical sensors are well-known technologies, and therefore a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

The recycled banknote storage unit 4 is located downstream of the banknote identification unit 3 and perpendicular to the banknote transport path 2. It generally comprises a recycled banknote storage box 40 located at the rear of the banknote transport path 2 and a recycled banknote storage mechanism 50 located at the front. The recycled banknote storage mechanism 50 stores recycled banknotes located in the banknote transport path 2 opposite the recycled banknote storage box 40 one by one.

A banknote extraction mechanism 60 is provided on the downstream side of the circulating banknote storage section 4, which extracts only the last circulating banknote M1 (see FIG4 , etc.) stored (located at the front) among the circulating banknotes M (see FIG4 , etc.) stored in the circulating banknote storage box 40, and returns the circulating banknotes by separating one of the banknotes and transporting it to the downstream of the banknote transport path 2.

The non-circulated banknote storage section 7 is located further downstream of the banknote extraction mechanism 60 and above the recirculated banknote storage section 4. It generally comprises a non-circulated banknote storage box 70 located at the rear of the banknote conveying path 2 and a non-circulated banknote storage mechanism (not shown) located at the front. The non-circulated banknote storage mechanism is configured to store non-circulated banknotes located in the banknote conveying path 2 opposite the non-circulated banknote storage box 70 one by one into the recirculated banknote storage box 40.

Note that the structures of the non-circulated banknote storage 70 and the non-circulated banknote storage mechanism are known technologies and therefore detailed description thereof is omitted. For example, a lifting platform composed of a link mechanism as described in Japanese Patent No. 4728538 can be applied.

The detailed structures of the recyclable banknote storage box 40, the recyclable banknote storage mechanism 50, and the banknote extraction mechanism 60 in the recyclable banknote storage unit 4 are described below with reference to the diagrams shown in Figures 2 to 4. It should be noted that Figure 2 is a front view showing the main portion and surrounding area of the recyclable banknote storage unit 4, while Figures 3 and 4 show cross-sectional views at the positions shown in Figure 2.

The circulating banknote storage box 40 has, inside the shell 41 which forms its outer shell, a support plate 42, which is horizontally arranged relative to the banknotes passing through the banknote conveying path 2 (refer to Figure 1. The same applies below) and is in the shape of a roughly rectangular plate, and neatly stacks and stores the circulating banknotes M on the front surface; and a connecting rod mechanism 43 of a conductive bow structure, which connects the support plate 42 and the shell 41, and moves the support plate 42 back and forth in the vertical direction while maintaining the horizontal posture of the support plate 42.

The link mechanism 43 is formed by arranging two sets of mutually intersecting first link arms 44 and second link arms in a bilaterally symmetrical manner and connecting the intersections via shafts 46. Here, each first link arm 44 and second link arm 45 is provided to be rotatable relative to each other via the shafts 46 at the intersections.

A shaft portion 44a is provided at one end of the first link arm 44 to engage with a shaft hole 41a formed in the upper rear portion of the housing 41. The first link arm 44 is supported so as to be rotatable about the shaft portion 44a. Furthermore, a shaft portion 44b provided at the other end of the first link arm 44 is supported so as to be slidable and rotatable in the vertical direction along a long hole 42b formed in the lower portion of the rear side of the support plate 42.

On the other hand, a shaft portion 45a is provided at one end of the second link arm 45 to engage with a shaft hole 42a formed in the upper portion of the rear side of the support plate 42. The second link arm 45 is supported so as to be rotatable about the shaft portion 45a. In addition, a shaft portion 45b provided at the other end of the second link arm 45 is supported so as to be slidable and rotatable in the vertical direction along a long hole 41b formed in the lower rear portion of the housing 41.

Furthermore, a torsion spring 47 is provided on the shaft portion 44a of the first link arm 44. This constantly biases the first link arm 44 in the clockwise direction as shown in Figures 3(b) and 4(b), thereby constantly biasing the support plate 42 forward. This allows the support plate 42 and the link mechanism 43 to press the stored recyclable banknotes M toward the stacking guide 51. Specifically, the stored recyclable banknotes M neatly stacked on the support plate 42 are pressed toward the banknote conveyance path 2, enabling the banknote extraction mechanism 60, described later, to extract the recyclable banknotes M1.

The circulating banknote storage mechanism 50 comprises a pair of stacking guides 51 having a pair of grooves (slits) 51a for guiding the longitudinal edges of banknotes; a pair of reciprocating mechanisms 52 connecting the stacking guides 51 to the device body and moving the stacking guides 51 forward and backward while maintaining their position; and a pair of banknote transport mechanisms 57 that contact the front surfaces of banknotes passing through the banknote transport path 2 and transport the banknotes upward. The pair of stacking guides 51, the pair of reciprocating mechanisms 52, and the pair of banknote transport mechanisms 57 are arranged symmetrically. The following describes the configuration of one side.

In the standby state shown in FIG4 , the grooves 51a of the stacking guide 51 form the front and rear surfaces and both side edges of the banknote conveying path 2. Furthermore, the stacking guide 51 provides a certain gap between the conveying position of the received banknotes and the stored recyclable banknotes M after storage, so that the stored banknotes M do not interfere with the conveying of the banknotes.

Specifically, the stacking guide 51 is configured to prevent the stored recyclable banknotes M stored in the recyclable banknote storage 40 from returning to the banknote conveying path 2, to prevent banknotes in the banknote conveying path 2 from entering the recyclable banknote storage 40, and to serve as a wall that limits the width of the banknote conveying path 2 at the longitudinal side edges of the banknotes. Furthermore, the stacking guide 51 is configured to be restricted from movement in the left-right and up-down directions relative to the device body, and is movable only in a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction.

It should be noted that as long as it has the above-mentioned functions, the shape of the stacking guide 51 can be any shape. For example, the wall separating the banknote conveying path 2 from the circulating banknote storage box 40 and the wall limiting the width of the path on the side edge of the long side of the banknote can be set integrally or separately.

The reciprocating mechanism 52 is formed by arranging two sets of two lifting arms 53, 53' that swing left and right around the axis and gear trains 54, 54', 55, 56, 56' that rotate left and right around the axis in a bilaterally symmetrical manner.

Axles 53a, 53a' provided at the base ends of the first and second lifting arms 53, 53' are rotatably supported at predetermined positions within the apparatus body. Furthermore, at the front ends of the first and second lifting arms 53, 53', axles 53b, 53b' are provided that slide along flat holes 51b, 51b' formed on the front surface of the stacking guide 51. Rotating the first and second lifting arms 53, 53' in the clockwise direction shown in the figures from the positions shown in Figures 3(a) and 4(a) causes the stacking guide 51 to move forward.

The gear train 54, 54', 55, 56, 56' includes: a first gear 54 and a second gear 54' that form a cam structure together with the first lifting arm 53 and the second lifting arm 53'; a central gear 55 that is located at the center of the gear train and is driven by a driving source such as a motor not shown; and a first idler gear 56 and a second idler gear 56' that transmit the rotation of the central gear 55 to the first gear 54 and the second gear 54' respectively.

On the outer side surfaces of the first gear 54 and the second gear 54' (the right side surfaces in the gear train on the right side of the device shown in Figures 3(b) and 4(b)), cylindrical guide protrusions 54a and 54a' are formed, offset from the center of rotation. Meanwhile, the first and second lifting arms 53 and 53' are formed with substantially elliptical guide grooves 53c and 53c' that are elongated in the longitudinal direction of each lifting arm 53 and 53'. The guide protrusions 54a and 54a' are inserted into these guide grooves 53c and 53c', and the first and second lifting arms 53 and 53', together with the first and second gears 54 and 54', form a cam structure.

With this structure, the first and second lifting arms 53, 53' swing about the shafts 53a, 53a' as the first and second gears 54, 54' rotate. It should be noted that the first and second lifting arms 53, 53' are always parallel to each other.

The banknote transport mechanism 57 includes a drive pulley 59a and driven pulleys 59b, 59c, and 59d, which are mounted on the shafts 53a and 53b of the first lifting arm 53 and the shafts 53a' and 53b' of the second lifting arm 53'; a conveyor belt 58 that extends between the drive pulley 59a and the driven pulleys 59b, 59c, and 59d; and pressure rollers 51c and 51c', which are fixed to a predetermined position on the stacking guide 51 and positioned opposite the rear of the driven pulleys 59b and 59d. In the standby state shown in Figures 2 to 4, the conveyor belt 58 between the driven pulleys 59b and 59d forms the front of the banknote transport path 2. The conveyor belt 58 and the pressure rollers 51c and 51c' grip and transport banknotes passing through the banknote transport path 2.

In addition, the flat holes 51b and 51b' of the stacking guide 51 are arranged to include a long hole portion that is longer in the upper and lower directions and an arc portion that is arc-shaped. The arc portion is connected to the upper part of the long hole portion and is bent in the direction of the banknote conveying path 2, and the fulcrum of the arc portion is the same as the fulcrum of the shaft portion 53a of the first lifting arm 53 and the shaft portion 53a' of the second lifting arm 53'. When the banknote conveying mechanism 57 is driven and the first lifting arm 53 and the second lifting arm 53' rotate in the right-hand direction shown in Figures 3(a) and 4(a), first, the conveying belt 58 retreats from the banknote conveying path 2, and then the stacking guide 51 moves forward later than the movement of the banknote conveying mechanism 57.

The banknote extraction mechanism 60 includes an extraction roller (pick-up roller) 61 , a feed roller (transport roller) 62 , and a check roller (gate roller) 63 .

The extraction roller 61 is arranged in the downstream part of the circulating banknote storage section 4 which is opposite to the circulating banknote storage box 40 across the banknote conveying path 2. It has the function of extracting the circulating banknote M1 located at the front among the stored circulating banknotes M neatly stacked on the support plate 42 and conveying it to the downstream of the banknote conveying path 2, the function of conveying non-circulating banknotes to the downstream of the banknote conveying path 2, and the function of pressing the circulating banknote M1 against the stored circulating banknotes M stored in the circulating banknote storage box 40 when the circulating banknote M1 is stored in the circulating banknote storage box 40 (refer to Figure 9).

The delivery roller 62 and the check roller 63 are positioned opposite each other in a nested, meshed arrangement downstream of the withdrawal roller 61. When the recycled banknote M1 is withdrawn by the withdrawal roller 61, the check roller 63 stops rotating, and the recycled banknote M1 is conveyed downstream solely by the rotational force of the delivery roller 62, separating the recycled banknotes M1 one by one (see Figure 9). It should be noted that when receiving non-recycled banknotes, both the delivery roller 62 and the check roller 63 rotate in the conveyance direction, ensuring smooth conveyance of the non-recycled banknotes.

Furthermore, a draw-out sensor (not shown) is provided between the feed roller 62 and the check roller 63 and the non-circulated banknote storage unit 7 (see FIG. 1 ) to check whether the drawn-out recycled banknotes M1 are accurately separated into individual pieces by the feed roller 62 and the check roller 63 .

4 to 9 , a series of operations of the circulating banknote storage unit 4 during storage and return of circulating banknotes in the banknote handling apparatus 1 configured as above will be described.

In the waiting state, when the collected recycled banknote M1 reaches the recycled banknote storage unit 4, the drive pulley 59a of the banknote transport mechanism 57 transmits drive to the transport belt 58, which then grips the recycled banknote M1 between the transport belt 58 and the pressure roller 51c and transports it downstream. At this point, the recycled banknote M1 is transported between the grooves 51a of the stacking guide 51. As shown in Figure 4, when the recycled banknote M1 reaches a position opposite the recycled banknote storage unit 40, the banknote transport mechanism 57 stops driving, causing the recycled banknote M1 to stop at this position and shift to the storage operation.

As shown in Figure 5, the reciprocating mechanism 52 is driven, and the first gear 54 and the second gear 54' rotate in the left-hand direction shown in Figures 5(a) and 5(b) via the central gear 55 and the idler gears 56 and 56', and the guide protrusions 54a and 54a' of the first gear 54 and the second gear 54' move in the guide grooves 53c and 53c' of the first lifting arm 53 and the second lifting arm 53', so that the first lifting arm 53 and the second lifting arm 53' rotate in the right-hand direction shown in Figures 5(a) and 5(b).

Then, the driven pulleys 59b and 59d provided on the front end shafts 53b and 53b' of the first and second lifting arms 53 and 53' move forward, and the conveyor belt 58 retreats from the banknote conveying path 2. Then, the pressing roller 51c provided on the stacking guide 51 separates from the conveyor belt 58, and the banknotes are released from being clamped.

As shown in Figure 6 , when the first and second lifting arms 53 and 53' further rotate in the clockwise direction shown in Figures 6(a) and 6(b), the stacking guide 51 begins to move forward. As the stacking guide 51 moves to a position forward of the banknote conveyance path 2, the pressure exerted by the stacking guide 51 on the stored recyclable banknotes M is released, and instead, the delivery roller 61 receives pressure from the stored recyclable banknotes M.

When the stored circulating banknotes M1 are clamped by the stored circulating banknotes M and the extraction roller 61 to prevent them from deviating to the left and right directions, when the stacking guide 51 moves further forward, the side edges of the circulating banknotes M1 in the long side direction are relatively pulled out from the groove 51a of the stacking guide 51. As shown in Figure 7, before the stacking guide 51 reaches the maximum movement position, the circulating banknotes M1 escape from the groove 51a.

As shown in Figure 8, when the first gear 54 and the second gear 54' further rotate in the counterclockwise direction shown in Figures 8(a) and 8(b), the first lifting arm 53 and the second lifting arm 53' rotate in the counterclockwise direction shown in Figures 8(a) and 8(b), the stacking guide 51 returns to the rear, and the circulating banknotes M1 are stored in the circulating banknote storage box 40, returning to the waiting state shown in Figure 4.

When returning the recycled banknotes M stored in the recycled banknote storage 40, as shown in Figure 9 , the stacking guide 51 is moved to its maximum position. While pressing the frontmost recycled banknote M1 toward the withdrawal rollers 61, the withdrawal rollers 61 are rotated to withdraw the recycled banknote M1. The withdrawn recycled banknotes M1 are then separated one by one by the delivery rollers 62 and the stop rollers 63 and conveyed downstream along the banknote conveyance path 2.

At this time, when the circulating banknotes M1 cannot be separated one by one and are transported downstream in a state of two overlapping banknotes, and the overlapping of the two banknotes is detected by the above-mentioned extraction sensor (not shown), the circulating banknotes M1 are stored in the non-circulating banknote storage box 70 shown in Figure 1, and the return action is performed again, and the circulating banknotes M1 are extracted from the circulating banknote storage box 40, thereby preventing miscalculation failures.

In this way, the banknote processing device 1 of the present invention is equipped with: a mechanism (circulating banknote storage mechanism 50) that can store the circulating banknotes M1 transported from the banknote identification unit 3 in the circulating banknote storage box 40 when circulating banknotes are taken in; a mechanism (non-circulating banknote storage mechanism not shown) that can store the non-circulating banknotes transported from the banknote identification unit 3 in the non-circulating banknote storage box 70 when non-circulating banknotes are taken in; and a mechanism (banknote extraction mechanism 60) that can extract the circulating banknotes M1 from the circulating banknote storage box 40 and separate them one by one when disbursing circulating banknotes.

Furthermore, when the recycled banknote storage mechanism 50 and the banknote transport mechanism 57 , which integrally constitute the recycled banknote storage section 4 , perform storage operations and return and dispensing operations, the transport belt 58 retreats from the banknote transport path 2 .

During the storage operation, before the recycled banknote M1 is pulled out of the groove 51a of the stacking guide 51, the conveyor belt 58 and the pressure roller 51c release their grip on the longitudinal edges of the recycled banknote M1. Instead, the withdrawal roller 61 of the withdrawal mechanism 60 clamps the center of the recycled banknote M1, thereby preventing the recycled banknote M1 from shifting when stored in the recycled banknote storage cassette 40. This prevents operation stops caused by incorrect banknote storage. Furthermore, preventing banknote shifting reduces the margin in the maximum travel distance of the stacking guide 51, contributing to space savings and, in other words, miniaturization of the banknote handling device 1 as a whole.

It should be noted that the aforementioned banknote release function is also useful when transporting non-circulated banknotes. Specifically, the banknote handling device 1 is configured so that the transport speeds of the delivery roller 62 and the downstream banknote transport mechanism 21 are faster than the transport speed of the banknote transport mechanism 57 in the recyclable banknote storage unit 4, preventing the subsequent banknotes from catching up with the preceding ones. Consequently, when a non-circulated banknote reaches the delivery roller 62, a difference in transport speed occurs between the delivery roller 62 and the transport belt 58. If this state persists, transport resistance will be generated. This transport resistance can be eliminated by separating the transport belt 58 from the pressure roller 51c.

Furthermore, the deposit port 20 and the withdrawal port 8 are provided separately, and the banknote conveying path (banknote conveying passage 2 ) from the deposit port 20 to the withdrawal port 8 is shortened and simplified.

As a result, banknote transport is limited to a single direction, simplifying the configuration of the transport belts and pulleys and reducing the number of components. The simplified banknote transport path prevents banknote jams. Since the banknote transport path 2 can be easily opened, even if a banknote jam occurs, it can be easily resolved.

In addition, the storage box for circulating banknotes that will be used for small bills (circulating banknote storage box 40) is set on the upstream side of the banknote conveying path 2, and the storage box for high-denomination banknotes other than small bills (non-circulating banknote storage box 70) is set on the downstream side. There is no branch in the banknote conveying path 2, so that the banknotes stored in each storage box pass through the same path.

Therefore, it is possible to set up that even if a banknote extraction failure occurs in the banknote extraction mechanism 60 in which two circulating banknotes M1 are fed out from the circulating banknote storage box 40 in an overlapping manner, the two overlapping banknotes can be detected by a extraction sensor (not shown) and then stored in the non-circulating banknote storage box 70 arranged immediately behind. Therefore, miscalculation failures can be prevented without the need to configure an additional storage box.

Next, Figures 10 to 13 illustrate an example of banknote handling control in a banknote handling device employing the above-described configuration. It should be noted that, hereinafter, the portion of the banknote conveyance path 2 that faces the recyclable banknote storage 40 is referred to as the "recycling conveyance section," and the portion of the banknote conveyance path 2 that faces the non-recyclable banknote storage 70 is referred to as the "non-recycling conveyance section."

First, the flow from the waiting state to the completion of deposit will be described using the flowchart shown in FIG. 10 .

In the deposit waiting state (step S100), when a banknote is inserted from the deposit port 20 (step S101), the inserted banknote is identified in the banknote identification unit 3 (step S102). If it cannot be identified, the banknote is returned from the deposit port 20 at that moment (step S103), and the banknote waits for insertion. If it can be identified, the currency type is further determined to be a circulating banknote or a non-circulating banknote (step S104).

In the case of recycled banknotes, the recycled banknotes are stored in the recycled banknote storage cassette 40 according to the aforementioned banknote storage operation (step S106), and the number of stored recycled banknotes is confirmed (step S109). If the number reaches ten, or if the number is nine or fewer but no additional deposits are made (step S110), the deposit is terminated at that point (step S111). If the number is nine or fewer and additional deposits are made (step S110), the process returns to the deposit waiting state, i.e., step S100.

In step S104, if the non-recycled banknote is a non-recycled banknote, it is checked whether the received non-recycled banknote is the first or second banknote (step S105). If it is the first banknote, the non-recycled banknote is temporarily stored in the non-recycled transport unit (the banknote is stopped in the transport unit) (step S107), and the process proceeds to step S110. If it is the second banknote, the non-recycled banknote is temporarily stored in the recycled transport unit (step S108), and the deposit is completed (step S111).

When the deposit is completed during the period from step S100 to step S111 and a command to withdraw the non-circulated banknotes is issued to select a product or the like in, for example, an automatic vending machine equipped with the banknote handling apparatus 1, the process proceeds to the non-circulated banknote storage operation shown in FIG. 11 .

When the non-circulated banknote storage operation begins (step S200), the non-circulated transport unit checks for the presence of temporarily stored banknotes (step S201). If there are temporarily stored banknotes, the non-circulated banknotes in the non-circulated transport unit are stored in the non-circulated banknote storage box 70 (step S202). Next, the circulating transport unit checks for the presence of temporarily stored banknotes (step S203). If there are temporarily stored banknotes, the non-circulated banknotes in the circulating transport unit are transferred to the non-circulated transport unit (step S204) and stored in the non-circulated banknote storage box 70 (step S205), thus completing the storage operation (step S206). If there are no temporarily stored banknotes in either step S201 or step S203, the process proceeds to step S206, completing the storage operation.

On the other hand, if the deposit is completed during the period from step S100 to step S111 and a return instruction is issued thereafter, the process proceeds to the return operation of the recycled banknotes and the non-circulated banknotes shown in FIG. 12 .

When the return operation begins (step S300), the non-circulating transport unit checks for the presence of temporarily stored banknotes (step S301). If there are temporarily stored banknotes, the banknotes in the non-circulating transport unit are moved to the cash outlet 8 (step S302). Next, the circulating transport unit checks for the presence of temporarily stored banknotes (step S303). If there are temporarily stored banknotes, the banknotes in the circulating transport unit are moved to the cash outlet 8 (step S304). If there are recycled banknotes stored in the recycled banknote storage 40 after the deposit begins (step S100), the process proceeds to the disbursement operation (steps S400 to S415), described later. If there are no recycled banknotes to be disbursed, or if the disbursement operation ends, the cash outlet 8 is opened (step S306), and the return operation ends (step S307). If there are no temporarily stored banknotes in step S301 or step S303, the process proceeds to step S305.

When dispensing small change or returning recycled banknotes, the process proceeds to the dispensing operation of recycled banknotes shown in FIG. 13 .

When the disbursement action starts (step S400), the stacking guide 51 is moved to a position where it can be pulled out (refer to Figure 9) (step S401), and the banknote conveying action of the banknote conveying mechanism 21 is started in the non-circulating banknote storage section 7 (step S402). Next, the extraction action from the circulating banknote storage box 40 is started (step S403).

The number of withdrawn recycled banknotes M1 is detected by a withdrawal sensor (not shown) (step S404). If two banknotes are detected, the banknote conveying action of the non-circulated banknote storage unit 7 is stopped (step S405), the withdrawn recycled banknotes M1 are stored in the non-circulated banknote storage box 70 (step S406), and then the process returns to step S402.

Next, the withdrawn recycled banknote M1 is detected through the exit (not shown) (step S407). If no recycled banknote is detected, the system waits for detection. If a recycled banknote is detected, the number of dispensed banknotes is incremented by 1 (step S408), thereby confirming the number of dispensed banknotes (step S409). If the number of banknotes is insufficient, the system returns to step S403, and steps S403 to S409 are repeated until the number of banknotes is reached.

When the number of banknotes to be dispensed is reached, the banknote transporting action of the non-circulating banknote storage unit 7 is stopped (step S410), the stacking guide 51 is returned to the waiting position (refer to Figure 4, etc.), the banknote outlet 8 is opened (step S412), and the disbursement action of the circulating banknotes is completed (step S413).

In this way, in the banknote processing device of the present invention, when two banknotes are drawn out and overlap when returning banknotes, the banknote conveying mechanism is not driven in reverse to return the banknotes or to store them in a storage box specially provided for two overlapping banknotes. Instead, a structure is formed in which the banknotes can be stored in a non-circulating banknote storage box even if they are conveyed only in one direction, and can cope with two overlapping banknotes. Therefore, there is little concern about banknote jamming, which contributes to miniaturization and can prevent miscalculation failures.

It should be noted that the above embodiments are merely preferred embodiments of the present invention, and the technical scope of the present invention is not limited by the above embodiments at all.

In addition, the above-mentioned embodiment is limited to the banknote processing device recorded as processing circulating banknotes used as small bills, but the structure of releasing the clamping of banknotes when storing banknotes, and the structure of separately providing the deposit port and the withdrawal port and making the conveying direction of banknotes single can also be applied to banknote processing devices that do not process circulating banknotes.

Claims (1)

1. A banknote handling device, comprising, in a banknote transport path for transporting banknotes: A banknote handling mechanism that transports the banknotes along the banknote handling path; A banknote storage compartment, in a banknote storage section through which the banknote transport passage passes, neatly stacks and stores banknotes in the banknote transport passage along a direction substantially perpendicular to the plane of the banknote, and always presses the stored banknotes towards the banknote transport passage side; and A banknote storage mechanism is positioned opposite the banknote storage compartment across the banknote transport path, allowing banknotes to move from the banknote transport path into the banknote storage compartment. The banknote processing device is characterized by having: A stacking guide that separates the long-side edge of banknotes stored in the banknote storage compartment from the long-side edge of banknotes passing through the banknote transport passage. A reciprocating mechanism that causes the stacking guide to reciprocate in a direction substantially perpendicular to the plane of the banknotes; A banknote storage unit conveying mechanism is disposed on the banknote conveying path on the banknote storage unit side of the banknote storage unit, and is integrally formed with the reciprocating mechanism; and A pressing roller, the shaft of which is fixed to the stacking guide and is positioned opposite the banknote storage and conveying mechanism, together with the banknote storage and conveying mechanism, clamps the banknotes. When the reciprocating mechanism moves the stacking guide toward the banknote storage mechanism, the banknote storage part conveying mechanism retracts from the banknote conveying passage and separates from the pressing roller before the movement of the stacking guide begins.