DESCRIPTION
PAPER CURRENCY-PROCESSING DEVICE
5 TECHNICAL FIELD
[000 1] The present disclosure relates to a banknote handling apparatus which takes loose
banknotes therein, bundles the banknotes, and dispenses the bundled banknotes.
BACKGROUND ART
[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a banknote handling apparatus which takes loose
1 0 banknotes therein, bundles the banknotes, and dispenses the bundled banknotes. The
banknote handling apparatus is placed on the floor. A mount on which loose banknotes are
mounted is provided in an upper portion of the banknote handling apparatus. The banknotes
placed on the mount are taken into the apparatus by a feeding means. In the apparatus, the
banknotes taken in are recognized, and some of the banknotes to be bundled are transported to
15 a bundling unit, while the other banknotes not to be bundled are transpmted to a discharge
unit in the upper portion of the apparatus. The banknotes to be bundled are bundled with a
bundling band by the bundling unit, and then are dispensed to a collecting case. The
collecting case is provided in a lower portion of the apparatus, and is configured to be
drawable from the apparatus.
20 CITATION LIST
PATENT DOCUMENT
[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Utility Model Registration No. 2597752
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
TECHNICAL PROBLEM
25 [0004] Some people may want to use the banknote handling apparatus on a desk
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depending on the situation in which the banknote handling apparatus is to be used.
However, the banknote handling apparatus described above is designed to be placed on the
floor, and is not suitable for desktop use.
[0005] In view of the foregoing, it is therefore an object of the present disclosure to
5 provide a banknote handling apparatus suitable for desktop use.
SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM
[0006] The present disclosure rs intended for a banknote handling apparatus. The
banknote handling apparatus includes: an inlet through which banknotes are taken in one by
one; a transport unit configured to transport each of the banknotes taken in through the inlet;
10 at least one first stacking unit configured to stack any banknote taken in through the inlet and
to be bundled; a bundling unit configured to bundle the banknotes stacked in the first
stacking unit; a dispense port through which the banknotes bundled by the bundling unit are
dispensed; and a housing configured to house the transport unit, the first stacking unit, and
the bundling unit. The inlet is arranged in a lower half portion of the housing, and the
15 dispense port is arranged in an upper half poriion of the housing.
[0007] In general, when an operator works at a counter, a desk, a table, or any other
worktable, the height of the counter or any other worktable is determined such that the .
operator can work easily. Thus, work efficiency improves when the operator may work on
the apparatus at almost the same level as the height of the counter or any other worktable .
. 20 Note that one of tasks to be done on the banknote handling apparatus is placement of loose
banknotes on its .inlet. According to this configuration, the inlet is arranged at a relatively
low level. Thus, the operator can easily place the loose banknotes on the inlet. For
example, when the operator is working at a counter or any other worktable, loose banknotes
may be placed on the counter. In such a case, the banknotes on the counter can be placed
25 on the inlet by lifting the banknotes on the counter just slightly. "This allows for easy
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l
placement of the banknotes onto the inlet.
[0008] The dispense port is located at a relatively high level in the banknote handling
apparatus. However, the banknotes dispensed from the dispense port have been bundled,
and are easier to handle as compared with the loose banknotes. Thus, the dispense port,
5 even if arranged at the high level, does not have a significant effect on the work efficiency.
[0009] In addition, the inlet arranged at the relatively low level allows for leaving a space
above the inlet. . That is, a space for placing the loose banknotes may be ensured above the
inlet. On the other hand, the dispense port arranged at the relatively high level allows for
ensuring a space below the dispense pmi. That is, a space for placing the bundled
10 banknotes may be ensured below the dispense poti. Thus, the inlet arranged at the
relatively low level and the dispense port arranged at the relatively high level allow for
leaving the space for placing the loose banknotes and the space for placing the bundled
banknotes easily.
[0010] The inlet may be arranged in a bottom one-third portion of the housing, and the
15 dispense port may be arranged in a top one-third pmtion of the housing.
[00 11] According to this configuration, the inlet is arranged at an even lower level, and
the dispense poti is arranged at an even higher level. Thus, the banknotes are placeable on
the inlet more easily. Further, a larger space for piling the banknotes may be ensured above
the inlet, and a larger space for placing the bundled banknotes may be ensured below the
20 dispense port.
[0012] The housing may be provided with a first outlet through which the banknote
stacked in the first· stacking unit is removed, and the first outlet may be. provided with an
open/close unit which is openable and closable.
[00 13] According to this configuration, the banknotes stacked in the first stacking unit are
25 removable through the first outlet. The open/close unit provided for the first outlet allows
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for preventing unwanted popping of the banknotes from the first outlet.
[00 14] The inlet and the dispense port may be provided through a first predetermined side
surface of the housing.
[00 I 5] According to this configuration, the inlet and the dispense port are provided
5 tlu·ough the same side surface. Thus, if the banknote handling apparatus is placed on the
desk in such an orientation that the inlet is visible to the customer, the dispense pmt is also
visible inevitably to the customer. Thus, the intake of the banknotes and the dispensing of
the bundled banknotes may be performed in the front of the customer.
[0016] The banknote handling apparatus may further include: a recognition unit
10 configured to recognize each of the banknotes taken in through the inlet; and at least one
second stacking unit configured to stack the banknotes recognized, by the recognition unit,
as banknotes not to be bundled. A first outlet through which the banknote stacked in the
first stacking unit is removed and a second outlet through which the banknote stacked in the
second stacking unit is removed are provided through a second side surface of the housing
15 adjacent to the first side surface.
[00 17] According to this configuration, the banknotes stacked in the first and second
stacking units are removed through the first and second outlets, respectively. The first and
second outlets are provided through the second side surface adjacent to the first side surface
tluough which the inlet and the dispense pmt are provided. Since the first and second side
20 surfaces are adjacent to each other,. the customer can see both of the first and second side
surfaces easily depending on the angle from which the customer is looking at the banknote
handling apparatus. Specifically, the intake of the banknotes anc\ the dispensing of the
bundled banknotes may be performed in the front of the customer. When it is required to
remove the banknotes from the first and second stacking units, the removal may also be
25 performed in the front of him or her.
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i
[00 18] The banknote handling apparatus may further include a reject stacking unit
configured to stack the banknote recognized, by the recognition unit, as a banknote to be
rejected. A reject outlet through which the banknote stacked in the reject stacking unit is
removed may be provided through the first side surface of the housing.
5 [00 19] According to this configuration, the reject outlet is provided through the first side
. surface tlu·ough which the inlet is provided. Thus, after the banknotes stacked in the reject
stacking unit are removed through the reject outlet, the removed banknotes are placeable
again on the inlet easily.
[0020] The reject outlet may also be provided through the second side surface.
10 [0021] According to this configuration, the reject outlet is provided not only tlu·ough the
first side surface, but also through the second side surface. Thus, the rejected banknotes are
removable tlu·ough both of the first and second side surfaces.
[0022] The reject outlet may be provided through the first side surface between the inlet
and the dispense port.
15 [0023] According to this configuration, the reject outlet is positioned above the inlet, and
thus the inlet may be ananged at as low a level as possible. Further, since the reject outlet
is positioned below the dispense port, the dispense port may be arranged at as high a level as
possible.
[0024] The banknote handling apparatus may further include a reject stacking unit
20 configured to stack the banknote recognized, by the recognition unit, as a banknote to be
rejected. A reject outlet tlu·ough. which the banknote. stacked in the reject stacking unit is
removed.may. be provided through the second side surface of thy housing.
[0025] According to this configuration, the reject outlet is provided through the second
side surface through which the first and second outlets are provided. Thus, the rejected
25 · banknotes are removable from the same side surface from which the banknotes stacked in the
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first and second stacking units are removed.
[0026] The banknote handling apparatus may further include a display unit configured to
display information about the apparatus and/or an operating unit through which information
is entered into the apparatus. The display unit and/or the operating unit may be provided
5 for the second side surface of the housing.
[0027] According to this configuration, the banknote handling apparatus may be arranged
such that the operator can work on the second side surface easily. This allows for
improvement of the work efficiency in removing the banknotes from the first and second
stacking units, and confirming and entering information on/into the display unit and/or the
I 0 operating unit.
[0028] The banknote handling apparatus may further include: a recognition unit
configured to recognize each of the banknotes taken in through the inlet; and at least one
second stacking unit configured to stack the banknote recognized, by the recognition unit, as
a banknote not to be bundled A first outlet tlu·ough which the banknote stacked in the first
15 stacking unit is removed and a second outlet through which the banknote stacked in the
second stacking unit is removed may be provided through the first side surface of the
housing.
[0029] According to this configuration, the first and second outlets are provided through
the first side surface through which the inlet and the dispense port are provided. Thus, the
20 placement of the banknotes on the inlet, the removal of the banknotes from the dispense port,
, and the removal of the banknotes from the first and second outlets may be performed on the
smile side surface. Therefore, the placement and the renioval may be performed in the front
of the customer.
[0030] The inlet may be provided through a first predetermined side surface of the
, -25 housing, and the dispense port may be provided through a second side surface of the housing
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adjacent to the first side surface.
[0031] The banknote handling apparatus may further include: a recognition unit
configured to recognize each of the banknotes taken in through the inlet; and at least one
second stacking unit configured to stack the banknote recognized, by the recognition unit, as
5 a banknote not to be bundled. A first outlet tlu·ough which the banknote stacked in the first
stacking unit is removed and a second outlet tlU"ough which the banknote stacked in the
second stacking unit is removed may be provided through the first side surface of the
housing.
[0032] According to this configuration, the inlet and the first and second outlets are all
10 provided through the first side surface. Thus, the placement of the banknotes on the inlet,
and the removal of the banknotes from the first and second outlets may be performed through
the same side surface.
[0033] The banknote handling apparatus may fmther include: a recognition unit
configured to recognize each of the banknotes taken in through the inlet; and at least one
15 second stacking unit configured to stack the banknote recognized, by the recognition unit, as
a banknote not to be bundled A first outlet through which the banknote stacked in the first
stacking unit is removed and a second outlet through which the banknote stacked in the
second stacking unit is removed may be provided through the second side surface of the
housing.
20 [0034] According to this configuration, the dispense.port and the first and second outlets
·are all provided through the second side surface. Thus, the removal of the banknotcs from
the dispense port, and the removal of the banknotes from the first and second outlets may be
performed on the same side surface.
[0035] The banknote handling apparatus may further include: a recognition unit
25 configured to recognize each of the banknotes taken in through the inlet; and at least one
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I
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second stacking unit configured to stack the banknote recognized, by the recognition unit, as
a banknote not to be bundled. The first stacking unit and the bundling unit may be arranged
in the upper half or top one-third pmiion of the housing, and the second stacking unit may be
arranged in the lower half or bottom one-third portion of the housing.
5 [0036] According to this configuration, the first stacking unit is also arranged at the
relatively high level in the housing in the same manner as the dispense port. The banknotes
stacked in the first stacking unit are transported to the dispense port through the bundling
unit. Thus, the distance over which the stacked banknotes are transported is shortened by
arranging both of the units close to each other, and thus the banknote handling apparatus may
10 be configured as a compact apparatus. With the first stacking unit arranged at the relatively
high level in the housing, a space is ensured for the lower portion of the housing. Thus, the
banknote handling apparatus may be configured as a more compact apparatus by arranging
the second stacking unit in the lower pmtion of the housing.
[0037] The housing may be provided with a second outlet through which the banknote
15 stacked in the second stacking unit is removed, and the second outlet may have no
open/close unit, and may be kept opened.
[0038] According to this configuration, the second outlet has no open/close unit, and thus
the banknotes stacked in the second stacking unit are removable easily.
[0039] The banknote handling apparatus may further include a reject stacking unit
20 configured to stack the banknote recognized, by the recognition unit, as a banknote to be
rejected. A distance from the reject stacking unit to the inlet maybe shorter than a distance
from the second stacking unit to the inlet.
[0040] According to this configuration, the reject outh;t is arranged relatively close to the
inlet. Thus, the rejected banknotes may be placed on the inlet again easily.
25 [0041] The housing may be a desktop type housing.
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ADVANTAGES OF THE INVENTION
[0042] The above-described banknote handling apparatus improves work efficiency when
the banknote handling apparatus is used on a desk.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
5 [0043] [FIG. I] FIG. I is a view illustrating the appem;ance of a banknote handling
apparatus according to a first embodiment.
[FIG. 2] FIG. 2 illustrates a general configuration for the banknote handling
apparatus.
[FIG. 3] FIG. 3 is a plan view illustrating a bundling stacker with a pmiion thereof
10 not illustrated.
15
[FIG. 4] FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating a general configuration for the
banknote handling apparatus.
[FIG. 5] FIG. 5 is a view illustrating the appearance of a banknote handling
apparatus according to a second embodiment.
[FIG. 6] FIG. 6 illustrates a general configuration for the banknote handling
apparatus.
DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS
[0044] Embodiments will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.
[0045] (First Embodiment)
20
. FIG. 1 illustrates the appearance of a banknote handling.11pparatus 100, and FIG. 2
illustrates a general configuration for the banknote handling apparatus 100.
[0046] The banknote handling apparatus 100 is placed on a teller counter of a bank, for
example, and is used by an operator. The banknote handling apparatus 100 takes loose
25 banknotes therein, stacks the banknotes of a predetermined kind, bundles the banknotes in a
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predetermined bundling number, and dispenses the bundled banknotes.
[004 7] The banknote handling apparatus I 00 includes a hopper unit 2 which takes the
banknotes placed thereon into the apparatus, a recognition unit 3 which recognizes the
banknotes, bundling stackers 4 which stack the banknotes to be bundled, non-bundling
5 stackers 5 which stack the banknotes not to be bundled, a reject stacker 6 which stacks
rejected banknotes, a first transport unit 7 which transpmis the banknotes taken in tln·ough the
hopper unit 2 to the recognition unit 3, the bundling stackers 4, the non-bundling stackers 5,
and the reject stacker 6, a second transpmi unit 8 which transports the banknotes stacked in
the bundling stackers 4 to the predetermined position, a bundling unit 9 which bundles the
10 banknotes transported by the second transport unit 8, a dispense unit 10 through which the
banknotes that have been bundled (hereinafter referred to as "bundled banknotes") are
dispensed, and a box -shaped housing 11 which houses the recognition unit 3, the bundling
stackers 4, the non-bundling stackers 5, the reject stacker 6, the first transpmi unit 7, the
second transport unit 8, and the bundling unit 9.
15 [0048] The housing 11 has a top surface 111, a bottom surface 112, and four side surfaces.
The housing 11 is a desktop type housing. That is to say, the bottom surface 112 of the
housing 11 is not provided with casters or any other similar parts, and thus the housing 11 is
configured to be placed on the desk.
[0049] The hopper unit 2 and the dispense unit 10 are provided through a first side surface
20 113, which is one of the four side surfaces of the housing 11. First outlets 46 of the bundling
stackers 4 and second outlets 53 of the non-bundling stackers 5, which will be described in
detail later, are provided through a second side surface 114, which is another one of the four
side surfaces. The first and second side surfaces 113 and 114 are adjacent to each other.
[0050] The space inside the housing 11 is divided into a first handling section 115
25 configured to perform various kinds of handling processes for recognizing and sorting the
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banknotes and a second handling section 116 configured to perform various kinds of handling
processes for bundling the banknotes to be bundled. The second handling section 116 is
provided above the first handling section 115. The first handling section 115 includes the
hopper unit 2, the recognition unit 3, the non-bundling stackers 5, and the reject stacker 6.
5 The second handling section 116 includes the bundling stackers 4, the second transport unit 8,
and the bundling unit 9. Most of the first transport unit 7 is included in the first handling
section 115.
[0051] The bundling stackers 4 include two stackers, namely, a first bundling stacker 4A
and a second bundling stacker 4B. Both of the first and second bundling stackers 4A and 4B
I 0 stack the banknotes to be bundled. The banknotes stacked as those to be bundled are
determined as appropriate. The banknotes to be bundled are banknotes of a predetermined
kind. The predetermined kind is identified by denomination or the orientation of the
banknotes, or by determining whether the banknotes are fit or unfit, whether the banknotes are
facing up or down, or whether the banknotes are new or not, for example. In this example,
15 the banknotes to be bundled are fit banknotes of a predetermined denomination (e.g., I 00
Chinese Yuan). In the following description, the banknotes which are recognized as nonnal
by the recognition unit 3 will be hereinafter referred to as "normal banknotes," the banknotes
which are not recognized as normal by the recognition unit 3 will be hereinafter referred to as
"abnormal banknotes," and the banknotes which are transp01ted in an abnormal state, e.g.,
20 skewed or multi-fed, will be hereinafter referred to as "abnormally transported banknotes."
.For example, one of the conditions for determining whether the banknotes are normal or not is
whether the serial numbers. of the banknotes are distinguishable or not. HO\vever, the
normality of the banknotes may be checked based on a different condition, or an additional
condition may be applied to determine whether the banknotes are normal or not. The
25 banknotes which are determined as the normal banknotes but the destination of which (the
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bundling stacker, the non-bundling stacker, or other stackers) is not designated will be
hereinafter referred to as "undesignated banknotes." The "undesignated banknotes," the
"abnormal banknotes," and the "abnormally transported banknotes" will be hereinafter
collectively refetTed to as "rejected banknotes." Among the normal banknotes, those which
S are not stained or torn significantly will be hereinafter referred to as "fit banknotes," and those
which are stained or torn significantly will be hereinafter referred to as "unfit banknotes."
The bundling stacker 4 is an exemplary first stacking unit.
[OOS2] The first and second bundling stackers 4A and 4B are arranged vertically, i.e., one
on top of the other, in the second handling section 116. The first bundling stacker 4A is
I 0 positioned over the second bundling stacker 4B. The first and second bundling stackers 4A
and 4B have the same configuration. When it is not necessary to distinguish the two
stackers fi·om each other, they will be hereinafter referred to as "bundling stackers 4." A
detailed configuration of the bundling stackers 4 will be described later.
[OOS3] The non-bundling stackers S include two stackers, namely, a first non-bundling
IS stacker SA and a second non-bundling stacker SB. The first and second non-bundling
stackers SA and SB are aligned substantially horizontally, i.e., side by side, in the first
handling section liS. The second non-bundling stacker SB is arranged closer to the hopper
unit 2 than the first non-bundling stacker SA is. When it is not necessary to distinguish the
two stackers from each other, they will be hereinafter referred to as "non-bundling stackers
20 S." A detailed configuration of the non-bundling stackers S will be described later. The
banknotes to be stacked .in the non-bundling stackers S may be determined as appropriate.
Here, the first non-bundling stacker SA stacks unfit banknotes of the .predetermined
denomination. The second non-bundling stacker SB stacks bank:notes of every denomination
but the predetermined denomination. The non-bundling stacker S is an exemplary second
25 stacking unit:·
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[OOS4] The reject stacker 6 stacks the rejected banknotes. The reject stacker 6 is
positioned closer to the hopper unit 2 than the first and second non-bundling stackers SA and
5B are. The reject stacker 6 is positioned at a level slightly higher than the first and second
non-bundling stackers SA and 5B. A detailed configuration of the reject stacker 6 will be
S described later. The reject stacker 6 is an exemplary reject stacking unit.
[OOSS] The hopper unit 2 is provided for a portion of the first side surface 113
corresponding to the first handling section llS, and the dispense unit 10 is provided in a
portion of the first side surface 113 corresponding to the second handling section 116.
Specifically, the first side surface 113 has two recesses in upper and lower pmiions thereof,
10 and the dispense unit 10 is provided in the upper one of the two recesses, while the hopper
unit 2 is provided in a lower one of the two recesses. A step is formed between the dispense
unit 10 and the hopper unit 2.
[OOS6] The hopper unit 2 includes a mount 21 on which banknotes are placed, two guides
22, 22 which guide the banknotes placed on the mount 21, intake rollers 23, an inlet 24
1S tluough which the banknotes are taken in, and a banknote sensor 2S which senses the
banknotes on the mount 21. In the present embodiment, the banknotes are placed on the
hopper unit 2 such that the banknotes are taken in along their shorter edges.
[OOS7] As shown in FIG. 1, the inlet 24 is arranged at a corner where the mount 21 and the
first side surface 113 intersect with each other. The mount 21 is tilted such that the closer to
20 the inlet 24, the lower the level of the mount 21. Thus, the banknotes on the mount 21 go
toward the inlet 24 by themselves. The banknotes placed on the mount 21 are taken into the
housing 11 tlu·ough the inlet 24.
[OOS8] The banknote sensor 2S is provided near the inlet 24. The banknote sensor 2S
includes a transmitter which emits light and a receiver which receives the light, and senses the
2S banknotes when the light emitted from the transmitter toward the receiver is blocked. A
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banknotc sensor 45, stacking sensors 52 and 62, and tracking sensors 74 and I 03 to be
described later are also configured in the same manner. The banknote sensor 25 is arranged
such that the light is blocked by the banknotes placed on the mount 21. That is to say, the
banknote sensor 25 can sense that the banknotes are placed on the mount 21 when the light is
5 blocked.
[0059] The guides 22, 22 are configured such that the interval between them is adjustable.
Specifically, the interval between the guides 22, 22 is adjusted according to the banknotes
placed on the mount 21.
[0060] The intake rollers 23 include kicker rollers 23a, feed rollers 23b, and gate rollers
10 23c. The kicker rollers 23a are partially exposed from the mount 21, and are in contact with
the lowermost one of the banknotes placed on the mount 21. The kicker rollers 23a feed the
lowermost banknote on the mount 21 to the inlet 24. Thus, the banknotes are taken in
through the inlet 24 one by one. The banknotes taken in tlu·ough the inlet 24 are distributed
one by one by the feed rollers 23b and the gate rollers 23c into the housing II. The
15 banknotes thus taken in are passed to the first transp01t· unit 7.
[0061] The dispense unit 10 includes a dispense p01t 101 through which the bundled
banknotes are dispensed, a stage 102 on which the bundled banknotes dispensed through the
dispense p01t 101 are placed, and a tracking sensor 103 which senses the bundled banknotes
passing through the dispense port 1 0 I. The bundled banknotes are dispensed through the
20 dispense port 10 I along their sh01ter edges.
[0062] . The stage 102 is tilted such that the more distant from the dispense p01t 101, the
higher the level of the stage I 02. The stage 102 is configured to.be movable in the vertical
direction, and is biased upward by a bias spring (not shown). The stage 102 is located
immediately below the dispense port 101 when no bundled banknotes are placed thereon.
25 When the bundled banknotes are placed on the stage I 02;· the stage I 02 moves downward due
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to the weight of the bundled banknotes. The stage 102 moves downward at least until the
uppermost one of the banknotes on the stage 102 is located below the dispense port 101.
That is to say, no bundled banknotes are present at the same level as the dispense pmi 101.
Thus, the bundled banknotes dispensed from the dispense port 1 01 are mounted one after
5 another on the bundled banknotes that have already been placed on the stage 102. The
tracking sensor 103 is configured in the same mallller as the banknote sensor 25. The
tracking sensor 103 is provided at the dispense port 101 to sense the banknotes passing
tl!l"ough the dispense poti 101.
[0063] The first transpmi unit 7 may be configured as a transport belt or any other suitable
10 member. The first transport unit 7 includes a main transpoti path 71, four diverged paths 72,
72, ... diverged from the main transport path 71, sorting mechanisms 73 provided at junctions
between the main transport path 71 and the diverged paths, and a plurality of tracking sensors
7 4 which sense the passage of the banknotes. The first transport unit 7 transpmts the
banknotes along their shorter edges. The first transpmi unit 7 is an exemplary transport unit.
15 [0064] The main transport path 71 extends from the intake rollers 23 to the first bundling
stacker 4A. When they need to be distinguished from each other, the four diverged paths 72,
72, ... will be hereinafter referred to as a first diverged path 72a, a second diverged path 72b,
a third diverged path 72c, and a fourth diverged path 72d, respectively, in this order so that
the most upstream diverged path 72 is regarded as the first diverged path 72a, the second most
20 upstream one as the second, and so on. The first diverged path 72a extends to reach the
reject stacker 6. The second .diverged path 72b extends to reach the second non-btmdling
stacker SB. The third diverged path 72c extends to reach the first non-bundling stacker SA.
The fourth diverged path 72d extends to reach the second bundling stacker 4B.
[0065] The smting mechanisms 73 are driven by a solenoid (not shown). Each of the
25 sorting mechanisms 73 sorts the banknotes transported through the main transpmi path 71
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depending on whether they need to be guided to an associated one of the diverged paths 72 or
not. A tracking sensor 74 is provided upstream of each of the sorting mechanisms 73. The
tracking sensors 7 4 are configured in the same manner as the banknote sensor 25. That is,
the tracking sensors 74 can sense the passage of the banknotes if the reception of light by the
5 receiver of the tracking sensor 74 is temporarily interrupted and then resumed. In guiding
the banknotes to the diverged path 72, each sorting mechanism 73 is turned ON as soon as the
tracking sensor 74 immediately upstream thereof senses the passage of the banknotes.
[0066] The recognition unit 3 is provided on the main transport path 71 upstream of the
first diverged path 72a. The recognition unit 3 is configured to recognize each of the
I 0 banknotes being transported in terms of their denomination, authentication, and fitness.
Specifically, the recognition unit 3 includes a line sensor 31 and a magnetic sensor 32, and
senses the feature of each banknote. The recognition unit 3 determines whether the feature
of the banknote thus sensed corresponds with any of the features of the banknotes stored,
thereby making a determination about their denomination, authentication, and fitness. The
15 recognition unit 3 does not always include the line sensor and the magnetic sensor, but may
include any other suitable sensor such as an infrared sensor and an ultraviolet sensor as long
as they can sense the features of the banknotes. The line sensor 31 also has the function of
optically reading the serial numbers printed on the banknotes. Note that a control unit 120 to
be described later may have all of the functions of the recognition unit 3 but the sensing
20 function.
[0067] The second transport unit 8 grips the banknotes stacked in the bundling stackers 4
'and transports them to a predetermined position where they are bundled. The second
transport unit 8 includes a transpmt part 82 which grips the banknotes, a horizontal
displacement mechanism 83 which displaces the transport pmt 82 in the horizontal direction,
25 a vertical displacement mechanism 84 which displaces the transport part 82 in the vertical
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direction, a stage 85 on which the transported banknotes are placed, and a pushing mechanism
86 which pushes the bundled banknotes on the stage 85 ·toward the dispense pmt I 0 I. The
second transport unit 8 is an exemplaty transpmt unit.
[0068] The transport part 82 includes hands 81 including an upper hand 81 a and a lower
5 hand Sib, and a displacement mechanism 87 which displaces the upper hand 81a in the
vertical direction. The displacement mechanism 87 suppmts the upper hand 81a so that the
upper hand 8Ia is movable in the vertical direction, and displaces the upper hand 81a in the
vettical direction using a drive motor and a drive belt. The lower hand 81 b is fixed so as not
to be movable. The transport part 82 can grip the banknotes between the upper and lower
10 hands 81a and 81b by displacing the upper hand 81a vettically using the displacement
mechanism 87.
[0069] The horizontal displacement mechanism 83 supports the transpmt patt 82 so that the
transport part 82 is movable in the horizontal direction toward or away from the bundling
stacker 4. The horizontal displacement mechanism 83 displaces the transport part 82 in the
15 horizontal direction using the drive motor and the drive belt.
[0070] The vettical displacement mechanism 84 includes a guide shaft 84a which supports
the horizontal displacement mechanism 83 so that the horizontal displacement mechanism 83
is movable in the vertical direction, and a drive belt 84b which drives the horizontal
displacement mechanism 83 along the guide shaft 84a. The vettical movement of the
20 horizontal displacement mechanism 83 displaces the transport part 82 in the vettical direction,
too .
. [0071] The stage 85 is provided substantially horizontally, and is connected to the dispense
pmt 1 0 I at one end. In bundling the banknotes with the bundling unit 9, the banknotes are
placed on the stage 85.
25 [0072] The pushing mechanism 86 is configured to push the bundled banknotes on the-.
17 012-400
stage 85 toward the dispense port I 0 I.
[0073] The bundling unit 9 bundles the banknotes on the stage 85 with a bundling band.
Specifically, the bundling unit 9 includes a bundling band reel 91 housing the bundling band,
a bundling band stopper 92 which holds a tip end of the bundling band drawn from the
5 bundling band reel 91, a turning ann 93 which turns the bundling band stopper 92 around the
banknotes to wrap the bundling band around the banknotes, and a cutter 94 which cuts the
other end of the bundling band wrapped around the banknotes, and a heater 95 which
thermally seals the other end of the bundling band thus cut.
[0074] On the second side surface 114 of the housing 11, a touch panel 17 is provided to
10 serve as an operating unit tluough which information is entered into the banknote handling
apparatus 100 and as a display unit which displays information about the banknote handling
apparatus 100. Specifically, the touch panel 17 is provided above a second outlet 53b of the
second non-bundling stacker 5B and beside a first outlet 46 of the second bundling stacker
4B. The touch panel 17 is a human interface for the operator who operates this banknote
15 handling apparatus 100. The touch panell7 is an exemplary display unit and operating unit.
[0075]
FIG. 3 is a plan view of the bundling stacker 4 with a portion thereof not illustrated.
[0076] The bundling stackers 4 pile and stack the banknotes. Each of the bundling
stackers 4 includes a container 40 in which the banknotes are stacked, a stage 41 arranged in
20 the container 40 to carry the banknotes thereon, a stacking wheel 42 (shown in FIG. 2 only)
which brings,.the transported banknotes into the container 40, a door 43 which opens/closes
the first outlet 46 to be described later (shown in FIGS. 1 and 3), an aligner mechanism 44
(shown in FIG. 3 only) which aligns the edges of the stacked banknotes, and a banknote
sensor 45 (shown in FIG. 2 only) which senses the banknotes in the container 40.
25 [0077] The container 40 has a front wall 40a which is located in front in the transport
18 012-400
direction of the banknotes and is configured to be movable fmward and backward in the
transport direction. The position of the front wall 40a is adjusted according to the kind of the
banknotes specified as those to be bundled. In other words, the dimension of the container
40 in the transpmi direction is adjusted based on the dimension of the banknotes as measured
5 along their shorter edges. .In particular, the front wall 40a is arranged such that the
banknotes brought into the container 40 collide against the front wall 40a and fall as they are
to the bottom of the container 40 so as to be stacked there in contact with the front wall 40a.
The front wall 40a is also configured to open/close in the vertical direction. The front wall
40a opens when the stacked banknotes are transpmied by the second transport unit 8.
10 [0078] The container 40 has openings through the second side surface 114 of the housing
11. That is to say, the second side surface 114 is provided with the first outlets 46 tlu·ough
which the banknotes stacked in the bundling stackers 4 are removed out of the housing 11.
[0079] The door 43 is provided for each of the bundling stackers 4. The door 43 IS
configured to be rotatable around a predetermined rotation axis to change between an open
15 state where the first outlet 46 is opened and a closed state where the first outlet 46 is closed.
The door 43 is made of a material which allows for visual check of the inside of the bundling
stacker from outside. For example, the door 43 may be made of a transparent or translucent
material (e.g., glass or a resin). The door 43 is an exemplmy open/close unit.
[0080] The door 43 is manually opened/closed. Note that the door 43 is provided with a
20 lock mechanism 47 (shown in FIG. 3 only). The lock mechanism 47 is configured to be able
to switch the door 43 between a restricted state where the door 43 is restricted to the closed
state and a released state where the door 43 is openable and closable. Pmiicularly, the lock
mechanism 47 includes a pin 47a and a drive mechanism 47b including a solenoid and other
suitable members for driving the pin 47a. The pin 47a and the drive mechanism 47b are
25 provided on the housing H~ and an engaging member 47c which engages with the· pin 47a is
19 G 12-400
!
provided on the door 43. The lock mechanism 47 is controlled on a bundling stacker (4)
basis by a control unit 120 to be described later.
[0081] A stopper 43a (not shown in FIG. I) which the short edges of the banknotes come
into contact with is provided on an inner surface of the door 43. The stopper 43a is made of
5 a material which allows for visual check of the inside of the bundling stacker from outside.
For example, the stopper 43a may be made of a transparent or translucent material (e.g., glass
or a resin).
[0082] The stacking wheel 42 includes a plurality of flexible blades, and has the function
of tapping the banknotes falling into the container 40 on their rear edges in the transport
I 0 direction so as to help the banknotes fall. Even when the banknotes are brought into the
container 40 successively, each of the banknotes is prevented from being inserted below the
rear edge of the preceding banknote, and thus the banknotes can be sequentially stacked one
by one on top of the previously stacked ones.
[0083] The aligner mechanism 44 is provided for the container 40 on the opposite side
I 5 from the first outlet 46. The aligner mechanism 44 aligns the edges of the banknotes
orthogonal to both of the transport direction and the stacking direction of the banknotes
(hereinafter referred to as "the width direction"). In the present embodiment, the banknotes
are transpmied along their shmier edges, and thus the width direction corresponds to the
longer edges of the banknotes. That is to say, the aligner mechanism 44 aligns the shorter
20 sides of the banknotes with each other. The aligner mechanism 44 includes an arm 44a
provided at an end of the container 40 opposite from the. first outlet 46 so as to be rotatable
around the shaft extending in the stacking direction of the banknotes, and a stepping motor
44b which rotates the arm 44a. The aligner mechanism 44 presses, with the ann 44a, the
banknotes stacked in the container 40 on one of their ends in the width direction (i.e., on one
25 of their shorter sides) toward the door 4 3 in the width direction to bring the other end of the
20 Gl2-400
---------------------------
banknotes in the width direction (i.e., the other short side) into contact with the stopper 43a.
Thus, the banknotes in the container 40 are aligned while being in contact with the stopper
43a.
[0084] Two or more banknote sensors 45 are provided for each of the bundling stackers 4.
5 In the present embodiment, two banknote sensors 45 are provided in the container 40 at
different positions in the transport direction of the banknotes. Each of the banknote sensors
45 is arranged to project light in the stacking direction of the banknotes in the container 40.
That is to say, the banknote sensor 45 can sense the presence of the banknotes in the container
40 when the light is blocked. The provision of the two banknote sensors 45 at the different
10 positions in the transport direction enables any one of the banknote sensors 45 to sense the
presence of the banknotes even when the positions of the banknotes vary in the transport
direction in the container 40. Note that two or more banknote sensors 45 may be provided at
different positions in the direction orthogonal to both of the transpmt and thickness directions
of the banknotes (the direction coming out of the paper of FIG. 2).
15 [0085]
Since the first and second non-bundling stackers SA and 5B have the same
configuration, they are not distinguished from each other in the following description, and
will be hereinafter collectively referred to as "non-bundling stackers 5". When the nonbundling
stackers 5 need to be distinguished from each other, the members of the first non-
20 bundling stacker SA will be identified hereinafter by the suffix "a" added to their reference
numeral, and the members of the second c non,bundling stacker 5B will be identified
hereinafter by the suffix ''b" added to their reference numeral.
[0086] The non-bundling stackers 5 pile and stack the banknotes. Each of the nonbundling
stackers 5 includes a container 50 in which the banknotes are stacked, a stacking
25 wheel 51 which brings the transported banknotes into the container 50, and a stacking sensor
21 012-400
52 which senses the presence ofthe banknotes.
(0087] The container 50 of each of the non-bundling stackers 5 has a tilted bottom. Thus,
the banknotes brought into the container 50 arc collected to the lower end of the bottom.
(0088] The stacking sensor 52 is provided at the lower end of the bottom of the container
5 50. The stacking sensor 52 is configured in the same manner as the banknote sensor 25, and
senses the banknotes in the container 50 when the light is blocked. The stacking sensor 52 is
arranged such that the light is blocked by the banknotes in the container 50.
(0089] The stacking wheel 51 includes a plurality of blades, and catches the transported
banknotes between the blades to bring them into the container 50. The banknotes are
10 released from the blades of the stacking wheel 51 near the bottom of the container 50, and are
stacked in the container 50.
[0090] The container 50 has openings through the second side surface 114 of the housing
II. That is to say, the second side surface 114 is provided with second outlets 53 through
which the banknotes stacked in the non-bundling stackers 5 are removed out of the housing
15 II. The second outlets 53 have no door, and are kept opened. The second outlets 53a and
53b of the first and second non-bundling stackers SA and SB are opened tluough the second
side surface 114 and are arranged side by side in the horizontal direction.
(0091] Each of the non-bundling stackers 5 is provided with a pushing mechanism 54
which pushes the stacked banknotes toward the second outlet 53. The pushing mechanism
20 54 is provided at the horizontal depth of the container 50 (opposite from the second outlet 53),
and is configured to push the banknotes from the horizontal depth to the tl·ont (toward the
second outlet 53).
[0092]
The reject stacker 6 piles and stacks the banknotes. The reject stacker 6 includes a
25 container·60 in which the banknotes are stacked, a stacking ·wheel 61 which brings the
22 012-400
------~---------------
transported banknotes into the container 60, a stacking sensor 62 which senses the presence of
the banknotes, and stoppers 64, 64 which prevent the banknotes in the container 60 from
being ejected outside.
[0093] Specifically, the container 60 of the reject stacker 6 has an opening through the first
5 and second side surfaces 113 and 114 of the housing 11. That is, a reject outlet 63 through
which the banknotes stacked in the reject stacker 6 are removed out of the housing I 1 IS
provided through the first and second side surfaces I 13 and 114. The reject outlet 63 IS
opened through the first side surface 113 to be positioned above the inlet 24 and below the
dispense port 101. Specifically, the reject outlet 63 is opened immediately below the step
I 0 between the hopper unit 2 and the dispense unit I 0. The reject outlet 63 has no door and is
kept opened.
[0094] The bottom of the container 60 is tilted such that the more distant from the first side
surface 113, the lower the level of the bottom. Thus, the banknotes in the container 60 are
stacked deep inside the first side surface 113. Thus, the banknotes are prevented from being
15 ejected outside through the reject outlet 63 of the first side surface 113 when they are brought
into the container 60.
[0095] The two stoppers 64, 64 are provided at one edge of the bottom of the container 60
closer to the first side surface 113. The stoppers 64 are supported to be rotatable around an
axis extending parallel to the edge of the bottom closer to the first side surface 113, and are
20 biased by bias springs (not shown) to stand up on the bottom of the container 60. These
stoppers 64, 64 can also prevent the banknotes in the container 60 fro!'n being ejected outside._
through the reject outlet 63 of the first side surface 113. Ncite that in removing the
banknotes stacked in the reject stacker 6 through the reject outlet 63, the stoppers 64, 64 need
to be pressed down against the elastic force .of the bias springs.
25 [0096] The stacking wheel 61 includes a plurality of flexible blades, and has the function
23 Gl2-400
of tapping the banknotes falling into the container 60 on their rear edges in the transport
direction so as to help the banknotes fall. Even when the banknotes are brought into the
container 60 successively, each of the banknotes is prevented from being inserted below the
rear edge of the preceding banknote, and thus the banknotes can be sequentially stacked one
5 by one on top of the previously stacked ones.
[0097] The stacking sensor 62 is configured in the same manner as the banknote sensor 25,
and senses the banknotes in the container 60 when the light is blocked. The stacking sensor
62 is arranged such that the light is blocked by the banknotes in the container 60.
[0098]
10 FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating a general configuration for the banknote
handling apparatus 100.
[0099] The banknote handling apparatus 100 includes a control unit 120 based on a wellknown
microcomputer, for example. The control unit 120 is connected to the abovedescribed-
units, namely, the hopper unit 2, the recognition unit 3, the bundling stackers 4, the
15 non-bundling stackers 5, the reject stacker 6, the first and second transport units 7 and 8, the
bundling unit 9, the dispense unit 10, and the touch panel 17 so as to transmit and receive
signals to/Jiom these units. The control unit 120 is also connected to the banknote sensors
25 and 45, the stacking sensors 52 and 62, and the tracking sensors 74 and 103 to receive
detection signals from these sensors. The control unit 120 generates a control signal based
20 on the signal supplied from the touch panel 17, the detection signals from the sensors and
other suitable signals, and outputs the generated control signal to the hopper unit 2 and. other
units. :. The hopper unit 2 and other units operate in accordance with the control signal.
Taking the bundling stacker 4 as an example, the control unit 120 controls the front wall 40a
of the container 40, the stage 41, the stacking wheel 42, the lock mechanism 47 of the door
25·- 43, and the stepping motor 44b of the aligner mechanism 44.
24 G 12-400
[0100]
It will be described how to perform a deposit process using this banknote handling
apparatus I 00. In the deposit process, loose banknotes are sorted and stacked in the
predetermined stackers, and predetermined ones of them are bundled. In the following
5 description, a single . kind banknote bundling process will be described, in which a
predetermined number of banknotes of a prescribed kind to be bundled are stacked alternately
in the first and second bundling stackers 4A, 4B, and the predetermined number of banknotes
stacked are bundled sequentially by the bundling unit 9.
[0 10 I] The banknote handling apparatus 100 is placed on a teller counter to be positioned
10 on the front left side of the operator (on the front right side of a customer) when the operator
faces the customer over the teller counter. At this time, the banknote handling apparatus 100
is arranged such that the first side surface 113 of the housing 11 faces the customer. In this
state, the second side surface 114 of the housing 11 faces the operator. However, since the
banknote handling apparatus 100 is located slightly on the front left side of the operator, the
15 customer can also see the second side surface 114.
[0 1 02] First, the operator receives loose banknotes to be deposited from the customer, and
places the banknotes on the hopper unit 2. At this time, even if the loose banknotes include
banknotes of multiple different kinds, all the banknotes are just placed on the hopper unit 2
without sorting them. The operator adjusts the guides 22 according to the dimension of the
20 banknotes. Then, the. operator operates the touch panel 17 to start the . intake of the
banknotes. The banknoteJmndling apparatus 100 may automatically start the intake of the
banknotes when the banknote sensor 25 senses the banknotes placed on the hopper unit 2.
[0103] The banknotes placed on the hopper unit 2 are brought into the housing 11 one by
one through the inlet 24 as the intake rollers 23 are activated. The banknotes thus taken in
. " 25 are transported by the first transpmi unit 7, and pass through the recognition unit 3. The
25 Gl2-400
recognition unit 3 senses the kind of the banknotes passed, and informs the control unit 120 of
the kind of the banknotes.
[0104] The control unit 120 designates the banknotes' destination according to the kind of
the banknotes. In particnlar, if the banknotes are fit banknotes of a predetermined
5 denomination to be bundled, the control unit 120 designates the bundling stacker 4 (any one
of the bundling stackers 4A and 4B) as their destination. If the banknotes are unfit
banknotes of the predetermined denomination to be bundled, the control unit 120 designates
the first non-bundling stacker SA as their destination. If the banknotes are of any
denomination other than the predetermined denomination, the control unit 120 designates the
10 second non-bundling stacker 5B as their destination. If the banknotes are rejected
banknotes, the control unit 120 designates the reject stacker 6 as their destination.
[0105] The control unit 120 controls the first transpmi unit 7 such that the banknotes are
transported to the stacker designated as their destination. In particular, the control unit 120
controls the sorting mechanism 73 corresponding to the diverged path 72 leading to the
15 destination stacker such that the banknotes are guided from the main transport path 71 to the
diverged path 72. The control unit 120 switches the smiing mechanism 73 when the
tracking sensor 7 4 just before the diverged path 72 senses the banknotes. Further, the
control unit 120 controls the stacking wheel 42, 51, or 61 of the destination stacker to bring
the banknotes into that stacker.
20 . [0 1 06] The banknotes to be transported to the bundling stacker 4 are transported to one of
the two bundling stackers 4. When the number ofbanknotes stacked.in.one of the bundling
stackers 4 reaches a predetermined bundling number (e.g., I 00), the remaining banknotes are
then transported to the other bundling stacker 4. In this example, the banknotes arc supposed
to be transported to the first bundling stacker 4A first.
25 [0 1 07] When the banknotes are transported one after another to the first bundling stacker
26 012-400
4A, the stacking wheel 42 rotates to stack the banknotes one by one. The banknotes brought
into the container 40 come into contact with the front wall 40a, and thus the longer sides
thereof are aligned. While the bundling process is being performed, the lock mechanism 47
is in the restricted state, and the door 43 is kept closed.
5 [0 1 08] When the number of banknotes stacked in the first bundling stacker 4A reaches the
bundling number, the control unit 120 activates the aligner mechanism 44 to align the shorter
sides of the banknotes with each other. Optionally, the control unit 120 may activate the
aligner mechanism 44 to align the shorter sides of the banknotes with each other every time
the banknotes are brought into the container 40. Then, the control unit I 20 controls the
I 0 second transport unit 8 to grip the banknotes in the first bundling stacker 4A with the hands
81 to transport them to the stage 85. Thereafter, the control unit 120 controls the bundling
unit 9 so that the banknotes on the stage 85 are bundled with the bundling band.
[0109] When the number ofbanknotes stacked in the first bundling stacker 4A reaches the
bundling number, the remaining banknotes are stacked in the second bundling stacker 4B.
15 Then, when the number of banknotes stacked in the second bundling stacker 4B reaches the
bundling number, the remaining banknotes are stacked again in the first bundling stacker 4A.
By this time, the banknotes in the first bundling stacker 4A have already been bundled, and
thus the first bundling stacker 4A is now empty. Thus, the provision of the two bundling
stackers 4 allows for performing the bundling process while stacking the banknotes
20 continuously.
[01 10] Subst:quently, the controL unit 120 allows the pushing mechanism 86 to push the
bundled banknotes on the stage 85 to d.isperise them to the stage I 02 through the dispense port
10 I. When the bundled banknotcs are dispensed to the stage 102, the stage I 02 sinks under
the weight of the bundled banknotes to the level at which there are no bundled banknotes
25 horizontally outside of the dispense port I 0 I. Thus, the stage I 02 prepares for the next
27 G 12-400
dispense of the bundled banknotes.
[0 Ill] The unfit banknotes of the predetermined denomination are transported to the first
non-bundling stacker 5 A. When the banknotes are transported to the first non-bundling
stacker 5A, the stacking wheel 51 a rotates to stack the transported banknotes in the container
5 50a. Thus, the unfit banknotes of the predetermined denomination are stacked in the first
non-bundling stacker 5A. Likewise, the banknotes of any denominations other than the
predetermined denomination are transpmted to, and stacked in, the second non-bundling
stacker 5B. The rejected banknotes are also transported to, and stacked in, the reject stacker
6.
10 [0112] This series of processing steps will be performed over and over again until there are
no banknotes placed on the hopper unit 2. The banknote sensor 25 determines whether
banknotes are still present on the hopper unit 2 or not.
[0 113] When the handling of the banknotes placed on the hopper unit 2 is finished, the
rejected banknotes are taken in and recognized again. Specifically, the operator extracts the
15 rejected banknotes from the reject stacker 6, and places them on the hopper nnit 2 to take
them into the apparatus again. The rejected banknotes are those which were not recognized
as normal banknotes for any reason, and thus another attempt is made to take in and recognize
them. Banknotes still recognized as rejected banknotes, if any, are restacked in the reject
stacker 6. Then, the operator returns those restacked banknotes to the customer.
20 [0 114] Note that the banknotes stacked in the first and second non-bundling stackers 5A,
5B are not taken in again.
[0115] Thus, when the handling ofthe banknotes placed on the hopper unit 2 and therehandling
of the rejected banknotes are finished, the single kind banknote bundling process is
finished, i.e., the counting and sorting of the banknotcs passed as those to be deposited by the
25 customer are finished. The touch panel 17 displays the counted amount of the· banknotes.
28 0!2-400
I
The operator asks for a customer's approval of the amount, or checks whether the displayed
amount corresponds with the amount described on a deposit slip by the customer, and, if the
answer is YES, the operator operates the touch panel 17 to confirm the deposit amount.
When the confirmation is done, a teller terminal (not shown) is informed of the confirmed
5 deposit amount, thereby finishing the deposit process.
[0 116] After the deposit process is finished, the operator removes the bundled banknotes
stacked in the dispense unit 10, the banknotes stacked in the bundling stacker 4, and the
banknotes stacked in the non-bundling stackers 5, and stores them in a predetermined storage
place.
10 [0117] Specifically, the bundling stacker 4 may still have some banknotes to be bundled
which did not reach the bundling number. Thus, after the deposit process is finished, the
lock mechanism 47 of the bundling stacker 4 in which any banknotes are left is released.
The operator opens the door 4 3 of the bundling stacker 4 to remove the banknotes therein
through the first outlet 46.
15 [0118] Note that banknotes are left, if any, in only one of the two bundling stackers 4.
Thus, the lock mechanism 47 of the other bundling stacker 4 in which no banknotes are left
anymore is kept restricted.
[0119] The non-bundling stackers 5 have no door and are kept opened. Thus, the operator
removes the banknotes therein tlu·ough the second outlets 53. At this time, the operator
20 . operates the touch panel 17 to actuate the pushing mechanism 54. As a result, the banknotes
are .. pushed by the pushing mechanism 54. Alternatively,.the pushing mechanism 54 may be
actuated when the confirmation of the deposit amount is done.
[0120] The reject stacker 6 is also opened, and the operator removes the banknotes therein
through the reject outlet 63.
25 [0121] Through th10above-described process, the loose banknotes including banknotes of
29 Gl2-400
multiple different kinds are sorted into fit banknotes of a predetermined denomination, unfit
banknotes of the predetermined denomination, banknotes of any denominations other than the
predetermined denomination, and rejected banknotes. The fit banknotes of the
predetermined denomination are bundled into multiple bundles on a bundling number basis.
5 [0122]
In the banknote handling apparatus 100 configured as described above, if the
housing 11 is divided into two equal portions in the height direction, i.e., into an upper portion
P21 and a lower portion P22, the inlet 24 is provided in the lower pmiion, and the dispense
pmi 101 is provided in the upper portion. Specifically, if the housing 11 is divided into tlu·ee
10 equal portions in the height direction, i.e., into an upper portion P31, a middle pmiion P32,
and a lower pmiion P33, the inlet 24 is provided in the lower portion, and the dispense pmi
I 01 is provided in the upper pmiion. More specifically, if the housing II is divided into
four equal portions in the height direction, i.e., into an uppermost pmiion P41, a second
uppermost portion P42, a second lowermost portion P43, and a lowermost pmiion P44, the
15 inlet 24 is provided in the lowermost portion, and the dispense port 101 is provided in the
uppermost pmiion.
[0123] The inlet 24 and the dispense po1i 101 are provided through the same side surface,
in particular, the first side surface 113. The first side surface 113 is provided with the reject
outlet 63 ofthe reject stacker 6 between the inlet 24 and the dispense port 101.
20 [0124]
The banknote handling apparatus 1 00 described above includes an inlet 24 through
which banknotes are taken in one by one, first and second transpmi units 7, 8 configured to
transport each of the banknotes taken in through the inlet 24, a plurality of bundling stackers 4
configured to stack some of the banknotes that have been taken in through the inlet 24 and
25 that are supposed to be bundled, a bundling unit 9 configured to bundleihe banknotes stacked
30 Gl2-400
in the bundling stacker 4, a dispense port I 01 tlu·ough which a bundle of the banknotes
bundled by the bundling unit 9 is dispensed, and a housing 11 configured to house the first
and second transport units 7 and 8, the bundling stackers 4, and the bundling unit 9. When
the housing 11 is divided into two equal portions in the height direction, the inlet 24 is
5 arranged in the lower one of the two equal portions, and the dispense port 101 is arranged in
the upper one of the two equal pottions.
[0125] According to this configuration, the inlet 24 is arranged at a relatively low level in
the housing II. Since the banknote handling apparatus 1 00 is placed on a teller counter or
any other suitable worktable, the inlet 24 is located relatively close to the teller counter or any
I 0 other worktable. In general, the height of the teller counter or any other worktable is set to
be a level at which the operator can work easily. Thus, if the inlet 24 is arranged at almost
as high a level as the teller counter or any other worktable, the banknotes are placed easily on
the inlet 24. In pmticular, loose banknotes are difficult to handle, because they are not
organized, and the operator may need to handle the loose banknotes with both hands if there
15 are a large number of such loose banknotes. Further, loose banknotes may sometimes be
once placed on the teller counter. In such a case, the distance to be traveled by the loose
banknotes to the inlet 24 is so short that the banknotes are placed easily in the inlet 24.
[0126] The inlet 24 arranged at the relatively low level in the housing II allows for leaving
a space for placing the loose banknotes above the inlet 24. On the other hand, the dispense
20 port 101 atTanged at the relatively high level in the housing II allows for leaving a space for
placing the bundled banknotes below the dispense pott I 01.
[0127] When the-dispense port 101 is arranged at the relatively high level in the housing
11, the operator needs to handle banknotes which are located distant .fi'om the teller counter.
However, the banknotes dispensed tln·ough the dispense pott I 01 have been bundled, and are
25 easier to- handle than loose banknotes. Thus, the work efficiency of the operator is not
31 G 12-400
significantly deteriorated even if the dispense port 101 is arranged at the relatively high level.
[0 128] The inlet 24 and the dispense port I 01 are provided through the first side surface
113 of the housing 11.
[0129] Since the inlet 24 and the dispense port 101 are provided through the same side
5 surface, placement of the banknotes on the inlet 24 and removal of the banknotes fi·om the
dispense pmi 101may be performed on the same side surface of the housing 11.
[0130] The banknote handling apparatus 100 fiuther includes a recognition unit 3
configured to recognize the banknotes taken in through the inlet 24, and a plurality of nonbundling
stackers 5 configured to stack the banknotes recognized by the recognition unit 3 as
10 banknotes not to be bundled. A second side surface 114 of the housing 11 adjacent to the
first side surface 113 is provided with first outlets 46 through which the banknotes stacked in
the bundling stackers 4 are removed, and second outlets 53 through which the banknotes
stacked in the non-bundling stackers 5 are removed.
[0131] According to this configuration, the inlet 24, the dispense pmi 101, and the first and
15 second outlets 46 and 53 are provided tlu·ough the two adjacent side surfaces. Thus, the
operator can efficiently work on the inlet 24, the dispense port 101, and the first and second
outlets 46 and 53. Further, since the first and second side surfaces 113 and 114 are adjacent
to each other, both of the first and second side surfaces 113 and 114 are visible to the
customer depending on how the banknote handling apparatus 1 00 is placed. Thus, the work
20 on the inlet 24, the dispense port 101, and the first and second outlets 46 and 53 may be done
in the. front of the ·customer.
[0 132] The;banknote handling apparatus 100 finther includes a reject stacker 6 configured
to stack the banknotes recognized by the recognition unit 3 as banknotes to be rejected. The
first side surface 113 of the housing 11 is provided with a reject outlet 63 tlu·ough which the
25 banknotes stacked in the reject stacker 6 are removed.
32 G12-400
------------- ------------------
[0133] The banknotes stacked in the reject stacker 6 may be placed in the inlet 24 again to
perform the bundling process again. Therefore, the reject outlet 63 provided through the
first side surface 113 that has the inlet 24 allows for improving the work efficiency in placing
the rejected banknotes in the inlet 24.
5 [0134] Further, the reject outlet 63 is also provided tlu·ough the second side surface 114.
[0135] That is to say, the reject outlet 63 is provided through both of the first and second
side surfaces 113 and 114. Thus, the rejected banknotes are removable from both of the first
and second side surfaces 113 and 114.
[0136] The reject outlet 63 is provided through the first side surface 113 between the inlet
1 0 24 and the dispense port 1 01.
[0137] According to this configuration, even if the reject outlet 63 is provided through the
first side surface 113, the inlet 24 may be provided at as low a level as possible, and the
dispense port 101 may be provided at as high a level as possible.
[0138] The banknote handling apparatus 100 further includes a touch panel 17 configured
15 to display information about the apparatus, and through which information is entered into the
apparatus. The touch panel 17 is provided for the second side surface 114 of the housing 11.
[0 139] According to this configuration, the touch panel 17 is provided for the second side
surface 114 that has the first outlets 46 of the bundling stackers 4 and the second outlets 53 of
the non-bundling stackers 5. Thus, if the banknote handling apparatus 100 is placed to allow
20 the operator to work on the second side surface 114 easily, the work efficiency improves in
not only the work on the first and second outlets 46 and 53 but also the work on the touch
panel17.
[0 140] The banknote handling apparatus 100 further includes a recognition unit 3
configured to recognize the banknotes taken in tlu·ough the inlet 24, and a plurality of non-
25 · ~ bundling stackers 5 configured to stack the banknoten·ecognized by the recognition unit 3 as
33 . 012-400
banknotes not to be bundled. The bundling stackers 4 and the bundling units 9 are arranged
in the upper portion of the housing 11, and the non-bundling stackers 5 are arranged in the
lower portion of the housing 11.
[0 141] According to this configuration, the bundling stackers 4 in charge of bundling of the
5 banknotes are arranged in the upper portion of the housing 11 that is provided with the
dispense port 101 through which the bundled banknotes are dispensed. This reduces a
transport distance of the banknotes. In addition, the banknote handling apparatus I 00 may
have its overall size reduced by providing the non-bundling stackers 5 not in the upper portion
of the housing 11 where the bundling stacker 4 is provided but in the lower potiion of the
10 housing 11 where plenty of space is left.
[0142] The banknote handling apparatus 100 further includes a reject stacker 6 configured
to stack the banknotes recognized by the recognition unit 3 as banknotes to be rejected. The
distance from the reject stacker 6 to the inlet 24 is shorter than the distance from the nonbundling
stackers 5 to the inlet 24.
15 [0143] According to this configuration, the distance over which the rejected banknotes
removed from the reject stacker 6 are transported to the inlet 24 is shortened. This allows
the worker to place the rejected banknotes in the inlet 24 more efficiently.
[0 144] The housing 11 is a desktop type housing. In particular, the housing 11 has no
casters or other similar parts, and is configured to be placed stably on the desk. The size of
20 the housing 11 is suitable for placing it on the desk. Thus, the banknote handling apparatus
100 is usable on the desk. "
[0 145] The housing II is provided with first outlets 46 through which the banknotes
stacked in the bundling stackers 4 are removed, and the first outlets 46 are provided with
openable/closable doors 43 .
.. 25 [0 146] This thus prevents the banknotes from being removed from, or popping out of, the
34 Gl2-400
bundling stackers 4 at an unexpected timing.
[0147] The housing II is provided with second outlets 53 through which the banknotes
stacked in the non-bundling stackers 5 are removed. The second outlets 53 have no
open/close unit, and are kept opened.
5 [0148] The non-bundling stackers 5 do not perform the bundling of the banknotes stacked
therein and other related processes, and thus, it is almost mmecessary to prevent the removal
or popping of the banknotes at an unexpected timing. Thus, with the second outlets 53 kept
opened, the work efficiency improves when the banknotes are removed from the nonbundling
stackers 5.
10 [0149] (Second Embodiment)
Next, a banknote handling apparatus 200 according to a second embodiment will be
described. FIG. 5 shows the appearance of the banknote handling apparatus 200, and FIG. 6
shows a general configuration for the banknote handling apparatus 200.
[0150] The banknote handling apparatus 200 is different from the banknote handling
15 apparatus I 00 in the respective configurations of a reject stacker 206, a dispense unit 210, a
display unit 217, and an input unit 218. Thus, some components of the banknote handling
apparatus 200 which are the same or similar to their counterparts of the first embodiment will
be identified by the same reference characters, and they will not be described in detail. Note
that some components of the banknote handling apparatuses 100 and 200 having the same or
20 similar functions will be identified by the reference characters having the same numbers in the
tens place and the ones place.
[0151] Specifically, the reject stacker 206 includes a container 260 in which the banknotes
are stacked, a stacking wheel 261 which brings the transported banknotes into the container
260, and a stacking sensor 262 which senses the presence of the banknotes.
25 [0 152] The container 260 has a tilted bottom. Thus, the banknotes brought into the
35 012-400
container 260 are collected toward the lower end of the bottom. The stacking sensor 262 is
provided at the lower end of the bottom of the container 260. The stacking sensor 262 is
configured in the same manner as the banknote sensor 25, and senses the banknotes in the
container 260 when the light is blocked. The stacking sensor 262 is arranged such that the
5 light is blocked by the banknotes in the container 260. The stacking wheel261 is configured
in the same manner as the stacking wheel 51, includes a plurality of blades, and catches the
transpotied banknotes between the blades to bring them into the container 260. The
banknotes are released from the blades of the stacking wheel 261 near the bottom of the
container 260, and are stacked in the container 260.
10 [0153] The container 260 does not have any opening through the first side surface 113 of
the housing 11, but does have an opening through the second side surface 114. Specifically,
the second side surface 114 is provided with a reject outlet 263 through which the banknotes
stacked in the reject stacker 206 are removed out of the housing 11. The reject outlet 263
has no door, and is kept opened.
15 [0154] The dispense unit 210 includes a dispense port 101 through which the bundled
banknotes are dispensed, a stage 2102 on which the bundled banknotes dispensed from the
dispense port 101 are placed, a tracking sensor 103 which senses the passage of the bundled
banknotes through the dispense port 1 01, and a banknote sensor 2104 which senses the
bundled banknotes on the stage 2102.
20 (0155] The stage 2102 is configured to be movable in the vertical. direction, and is driven to
move in the vertical direction by a drive mechanism (not shown).
[0156] The banknote sensor 2104 is provided immediately below the dispense port 101 to
sense whether the banknotes on the stage 2102 are located immediately below the dispense
port 1 01 or not. The banknote sensor 2104 is configured in the same manner as the banknote
25 sensor 25. The stage 2102 is controlled such that the bundled banknotes that have already
36 G12-400
been placed thereon are located at such a level where the banknotes are not sensed by the
banknote sensor 2104 again. Thus, no bundled banknotes are present at the same level as the
dispense port 101, and the bundled banknotes dispensed from the dispense pmt I 01 are
stacked one after another on the bundled banknotes that have already been placed on the stage
5 2102.
[0157] The banknote handling apparatus 200 includes, in place of the touch panel 17,
operating buttons 217 through which information is entered into the banknote handling
apparatus 200, and a liquid crystal display panel 218 displaying information about the
banknote handling apparatus 200, both of which are provided on the second side surface 114
10 of the housing 11. Specifically, the operating buttons 217 and the liquid crystal display
panel 218 are provided above the second outlet 53b of the second non-bundling stacker 5B
and beside the second bundling stacker 4B. The operating buttons 217 include various types
of buttons. The operating buttons 217 and the liquid crystal display panel 218 is a human
interface for the operator who operates the banknote handling apparatus 200. The operating
15 buttons 217 is an exemplmy operating unit. The liquid crystal display panel 218 is an
exemplary display unit.
[0158] As can be seen from the foregoing description, the banknote handling apparatus 200
fmther includes a reject stacker 206 configured to stack the banknotes recognized by the
recognition unit 3 as banknotes to be rejected, and a reject outlet 263 through which the
20 banknotes stacked in the reject stacker 206 are removed is provided through the second side
surface 114 of the housing 11. .
[0 !59] (Other Embodiments)
Embodiments have just been described as examples of the technique disclosed in
the present application. However, the present disclosure is not limited to those exemplary
25 embodiments, but is also applicable to other embodiments which are altered or substituted, to
37 Gl2-400
which other features are added, or from which some features are omitted, as needed.
Optionally, the components described in those embodiments may be combined to create a
new embodiment. The components illustrated on the accompanying drawings and described
in the detailed description include not only essential components that need to be used to
5 overcome the problem, but also other unessential components that do not have to be used to
overcome the problem. Therefore, such unessential components should not be taken for
essential ones, simply because such unessential components are illustrated in the drawings or
mentioned in the detailed description.
[0 160] The above-described embodiments may be modified in the following manner.
10 [0161] In the above-described embodiments, two bundling stackers 4, two non-bundling
stackers 5, and a single reject stacker 6 are provided. However, the numbers of these
stackers are just an example and not limiting. For example, one bundling stacker 4 or three
or more bundling stackers 4 may be provided. One non-bundling stacker 5 or three or more
non-bundling stackers 5 may be provided. Two or more reject stackers 6 may be provided.
15 Alternatively, the non-bundling stackers 5 and the reject stacker 6 may even be omitted.
[0 162] In the first embodiment, the inlet 24, the dispense port 101 and the reject outlet 63
are provided through the first side surface 113, and the first and second outlets 46 and 53 and
the touch panel 17 are provided for the second side surface 114. However, this arrangement
is merely an example. In the second embodiment, the inlet 24 and the dispense pmt 101 are
20 provided through the first side surface 113, and the first and second outlets 46 and 53, the
, reject outlet 263, the operating buttons 217, and the liquid ctystal display panel 218 are
provided for the second side surface 114. However, this arrangement is merely an example,
too.
[0163] For example, the inlet 24 may be provided through the first side surface 113, and
25 the dispense pmt 101 may be provided through the second side surface 114. ·Conversely, the
38 Gl2-400
dispense port 101 may be provided through the first side surface 113, and the inlet 24 may be
provided through the second side surface 114. In addition to such a configuration, the first
and second outlets 46 and 53 may be provided through the first side surface 113.
Alternatively, the first and second outlets 46 and 53 may be provided through the second side
5 surface 114. Still alternatively, the first outlet 46 may be provided through the first side
surface 113 and the second outlet 53 may be provided through the second side surface 114.
Still alternatively, the second outlet 53 may be provided through the first side surface 113 and
the first outlet 46 may be provided through the second side surface 114.
[0164] If the inlet 24 is provided through the second side surface 114, the hopper unit 2 is
10 provided to have an opening through the second side surface 114 just like the non-bundling
stacker 5. If the dispense port 101 is provided through the second side surface 114, the
dispense unit 10 is provided to have an opening through the second side surface 114 just like
the non-bundling stacker 5.
[0165] In the foregoing description, the inlet 24, the dispense port 101, and the first and
15 second outlets 46 and 53 are all supposed to be provided through the first and second side
surfaces 113 and 114 only. However, they may be provided through any other surfaces.
Specifically, the inlet 24 and other pmis may be provided through the top surface Ill, the
side surface opposed to the first side surface 113, or the side surface facing the second side
surface 114 of the housing 11.
20 [0 166] In the above-described embodiments, banknotes of a single kind (namely, fit
.. banknotes of a predetermined denomination) are supposed to be bundled, and therefore,
banknotes of the single kind are stacked in the two bundling stackers 4. Hmvever, when
banknotes of two different kinds are supposed to be bundled, the banknotes of the two
different kinds may be stacked separately in the two bundling stackers 4.
25 [0167] The doors 43 of the bundling stackers 4 are configured to be openable and closable.
39 G 12-400
However, they may also be sliding doors. Optionally, the door 43 of the first outlet 46 may
be omitted.
[0168] The door 43 is made of a transparent or transiuccnt material, but this is only a nonlimiting
example. The door 43 may also be configured as a door with a lattice, slits or holes,
5 or a meshed door such that the inside of the bundling stacker 4 is visible from outside.
Conversely, the door 43 may even be configured such that the inside of the bundling stacker 4
is invisible from outside.
[0169] The stopper 43a is configured as a member provided separately from the door 43,
and is fixed to the door 43, but does not have to have such a configuration. Alternatively,
10 the stopper 43a and the door 43 may be integrated with each other. For example, the inner
surface of the door 43 may be configured as the stopper 43a. Still alternatively, a protrusion
may be provided on the inner surface of the door 43 so as to function as the stopper 43a. The
stopper 43a is made of a transparent or translucent material, but is not limited thereto. The
stopper 43a may also be configured as a stopper with a lattice, slits or holes, or a meshed
15 stopper such that the inside of the bundling stacker 4 is visible from outside. Conversely, the
stopper 43a may even be configured such that the inside of the bundling stacker 4 is invisible
from outside.
[0 170] An open/close unit such as a door may be provided for the second outlet 53 of the
non-bundling stacker 5 ancl/or the reject outlet 63 of the reject stacker 6.
20 (0171] The banknote handling apparatuses 100, 200 are supposed to handle loose
banknotes including banknotes of multiple different denominations, but the banknotes to be
handled by the apparatuses are not always the banknotes of multiple differe.nt denominations.
The bauknote handling apparatuses 100, 200 may be configured to handle banknotes of a
single predetermined denomination as well.
25 INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY
40 Gl2-400
i
[0 172] As can be seen from the foregoing description, the present disclosure is useful for a
banknote handling apparatus which takes in loose banknotes, bundles the banknotes, and
dispense the bundled banknotes.
DESCRIPTION OF REFERENCE CHARACTERS
5 [0173] I 00, 200 Banknote handling apparatus
10
15
20
25
24 Inlet
3 Recognition unit
4 Bundling stacker (first stacking unit)
43
46
Door (open/close unit)
First outlet
5 Non-bundl}ng stacker (second stacking unit)
53 Second outlet
6, 206 Reject stacker (reject stacking unit)
63, 263 Reject outlet
7
8
First transport unit (transport unit)
Second transport unit (transport unit)
9 Bundling unit
10 I Dispense port
II Housing
113 First side surface
114 Second side surface .
17 Touch panel (display unit, operating unit)
217 Operating button (operating unit)
218 Liquid crystal display panel (display unit)

CLAIMS
1. A banknote handling apparatus comprising:
an inlet through which banknotes are taken in one by one;
a transport unit configured to transport each of the banknotes taken in through the
inlet;
at least one first stacking unit configured to stack any banknote taken in through
the inlet and to be bundled;
a bundling unit configured to bundle the banknotes stacked in the first stacking
10 unit;
15
20
25
a dispense port through which the banknotes bundled by the bundling unit are
dispensed; and
a housing configured to house the transpmt unit, the first stacking unit, and the
bundling unit, wherein
the inlet is arranged in a lower half portion of the housing, and
the dispense port is arranged in an upper half portion of the housing.
2. The banknote handling apparatus of claim 1, wherein
the inlet is arranged in a bottom one-third portion of the housing, and
the dispense pmt is arranged in a top one-third portion of the housing.
.3. The banknote handling apparatus of claim I. or 2, wherein
the housing is provided with a first outlet through which the banknote stacked in
the first stacking unit is removed, and
the first outlet is provided with an open/close unit which is openable and closable.
42 G12-400
5
4. The banknote handling apparatus of claim 1 or 2, wherein
the inlet and the dispense port are provided through a first predetermined side
surface of the housing.
5. The banknote handling apparatus of claim 4, fmiher comprising:
a recognition unit configured to recognize each of the banknotes taken in tln·ough
the inlet; and
at least one second stacking unit configured to stack the banknotes recognized, by
10 the recognition unit, as banknotes not to be bundled, wherein
15
a first outlet through which the banknote stacked in the first stacking unit is
removed and a second outlet through which the banknote stacked in the second stacking unit
is removed are provided through a second side surface of the housing adjacent to the first
side surface.
6. The banknote handling apparatus of claim 5, fmiher comprising
a reject stacking unit configured to stack the banknote recognized, by the
recognition unit, as a banknote to be rejected, wherein
a reject outlet tln·ough which the banknote stacked in the reject stacking unit is
20 removed is provided through the first side surface of the housing .
. 7. The banknote handling apparatus of claim 6, wherein
the reject outlet is also provided tln·ough the second side surface.
8. The banknote handling apparatus of claim 6, wherein
43 Gl2-400
5
10
15
the reject outlet is provided tlu·ough the first side surface between the inlet and the
dispense port.
9. The banknote handling appatatus of claim 5, further comprising
a reject stacking unit configured to stack the banknote recognized, by the
recognition unit, as a banknote to be rejected, wherein
a reject outlet through which the banknote stacked in the reject stacking unit is
removed is provided tlu·ough the second side surface of the housing.
10. The banknote handling apparatus of claim 5, futiher comprising
a display unit configured to display information about the apparatus and/or an
operating unit through which information is entered into the apparatus, wherein
the display unit and/or the operating unit are/is provided for the second side surface
of the housing.
11. The banknote handling apparatus of claim 4, further comprising:
a recognition unit configured to recognize each of the banknotes taken in tlu·ough
the inlet; and
at least one second stacking unit configured to stack the banknote recognized, by
20 the recognition unit, as a banknote not to be bundled, wherein
25
a first outlet through which the banknote stacked m the first stacking unit is
removed and a second outlet through which the 'banknote stacked in the second stacking
unit is removed are provided through the first side surface of the housing.
12. The banknote handling apparatus of claim I or 2, wherein
44 Gl2-400
I
5
10
15
the inlet is provided through a first predetermined side surface ofthe housing, and
the dispense port is provided through a second side surface of the housing adjacent
to the first side surface.
13. The banknote handling apparatus of claim 12, further comprising:
a recognition unit configured to recognize each of the banknotes taken in through
the inlet; and
at least one second stacking unit configured to stack the banknote recognized, by
the recognition unit, as a banknote not to be bundled, wherein
a first outlet through which the banknote stacked in the first stacking unit is
removed and a second outlet tlu·ough which the banknote stacked in the second stacking
unit is removed are provided through the first side surface of the housing.
14. The banknote handling apparatus of claim 12, further comprising:
a recognition unit configured to recognize each of the banknotes taken in through
the inlet; and
at least one second stacking unit configured to stack the banknote recognized, by
the recognition unit, as a banknote not to be bundled, wherein
a first outlet through which the banknote stacked in the first stacking unit is
20 removed and a second outlet through which the banknote stacked in the second stacking
unit is removed"are provided through the second side surface of the housing.
15. The banknote handling apparatus of claim 1 or 2, further comprising:
a recognition unit configured to recognize each of the banknotes taken in through
25 the inlet; and
45 Gl2-400
at least one second stacking unit configured to stack the banknote recognized, by
the recognition unit, as a banknote not to be bundled, wherein
the first stacking unit and the bundling unit are arranged in the upper half or top
one-third portion of the housing, and
. 5 . the second stacking unit is arranged in the lower half or bottom one-third pmtion of
the housing.
16. The banknote handling apparatus of claim 15, wherein
the housing is provided with a second outlet through which the banknote stacked in
I 0 the second stacking unit is removed, and
the second outlet has no open/close unit, and is kept opened.
17. The banknote handling apparatus of claim 15, further comprising
a reject ·stacking unit configured to stack the banknote recognized, by the
15 recognition unit, as a banknote to be rejected, wherein
a distance from the reject stacking unit to the inlet is shatter than a distance from
the second stacking unit to the inlet.
18. The banknote handling apparatus of claim 1 or 2, wherein
20 ~ the housing is a desktop type housing.