TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present invention relates to a paper sheet handling apparatus that recognizes
kinds of paper sheets, and stacks the paper sheets in stacking units according to the recognition
results.
BACKGROUND ART
[0002] To date, in financial facilities such as banks, paper sheet handling apparatuses that handle paper sheets such as banknotes and checks have been used. For example, a banknote handling apparatus is used to perform authentication of banknotes, or count the number of banknotes or the monetary amount of the banknotes. A small banknote handling apparatus that can be used at a teller window by a person (teller) in charge of the teller window is disclosed in Patent Literature 1. The banknote handling apparatus has a function of feeding banknotes placed in a hopper, one by one, into the apparatus, performing recognition of denominations of the banknotes and authentication of the banknotes, and counting the banknotes. The banknote handling apparatus includes, in addition to the hopper, two stacking units in which the recognized and counted banknotes are stacked, and a reject unit into which rejected notes such as counterfeit notes, and banknotes for which denominations or authenticity cannot be recognized, are discharged. The banknotes in the hopper are transported into the stacking units or the reject unit according to the recognition results. For example, banknotes received from a customer at a teller window are handled by the banknote handling apparatus, whereby results of authentication of the banknotes, and results of the handling such as the number of banknotes per denomination or the total monetary amount of the banknotes, can be obtained.
Therefore, the burden of the task on a teller can be reduced. Further, banknotes are recognized and counted by the banknote handling apparatus, whereby human error in authentication or calculating of the monetary amount can be prevented.
[0003] The banknote handling apparatus disclosed in Patent Literature 1 includes a
pushing member in the stacking unit in which banknotes are stacked, and the banknotes stacked in a stacking space of the stacking unit are pushed toward an opening, whereby the stacked banknotes can be easily taken out.
CITATION LIST [PATENT LITERATURE]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
PROBLEMS TO BE SOLVED BY THE INVENTION
[0005] However, in the above conventional art, banknotes cannot be pushed by the
pushing member in some cases. Specifically, for example, banknotes are located outside a region in which the banknotes can be pushed in the stacking space by the pushing member, and the banknotes cannot be pushed even when the pushing member is operated, in some cases. Further, in the above conventional art, the pushing member is formed such that the end portion of the stacking space projects three-dimensionally when the banknotes are pushed (see FIG. 7 in Patent Literature 1). Therefore, when the pushing member is moved to the retracted position, the side surface portion that forms the pushing member is further moved rearward from the rear surface of the stacking unit, so that a space into which the side surface portion can be retracted needs to be assuredly provided on the back side of the stacking unit, and a problem also arises that the size of the paper sheet handling apparatus cannot be reduced. The side surface portion acts to close the space on the back side of the pushing surface in order to prevent a paper sheet from entering the back side portion of the pushing surface. Therefore, the pushing member cannot be structured so as to eliminate the side surface portion.
[0006] The present invention is made in order to solve the aforementioned problem of the
conventional art, and an object of the present invention is to provide a paper sheet handling apparatus which has a reduced size, and is capable of assuredly pushing, toward an opening, paper sheets stacked in a stacking unit.
SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEMS
[0007] In order to solve the aforementioned problem and attain the object, the present invention is directed to a paper sheet handling apparatus that recognizes and counts paper sheets, and the paper sheet handling apparatus includes: a stacking unit having an opening oriented in a direction in which paper sheets stacked in a stacking space are pushed; and a pushing member formed so as to include a first side surface plate that forms a side surface opposing the opening of the stacking space, the pushing member configured to be movable toward the opening, the pushing member configured to push the paper sheets stacked in the stacking space, toward the opening, by the first side surface plate, when moving toward the opening.
[0008] Further, according to the present invention, in the above-described invention, the pushing member is formed so as to include the first side surface plate, and a bottom surface plate that forms a part of a bottom surface of the stacking space.

[0009] Further, according to the present invention, the bottom surface plate is moved toward
the opening defined by a back side of a wall surface of the stacking unit which forms the
stacking space, when the pushing member moves.
[0010] Further, according to the present invention, the pushing member is formed so as to
include the first side surface plate and a second side surface plate adjacent to the first side
surface plate.
[0011] Further, according to the present invention, the second side surface plate is moved
toward the opening on the back side of the wall surface, of the stacking unit, which forms the
stacking space, when the pushing member moves.
[0012] Further, according to the present invention, the first side surface plate is formed so as to
include the entirety of the side surface that opposes the opening of the stacking space.
[0013] Further, according to the present invention, a projection is formed on an outer
circumferential edge portion of the first side surface plate, a groove is formed in the wall surface
of the stacking unit which forms the stacking space such that the groove extends from the first
side surface plate toward the opening so as to correspond to the projection, and the projection is
moved in the groove in the wall surface when the pushing member moves.
[0014] Further, according to the present invention, a driving mechanism configured to
reciprocate the pushing member between a retracted position for stacking paper sheets in the
stacking space and a pushed position for pushing, paper sheets stacked in the stacking space
toward the opening, is further provided.
[0015] Further, according to the present invention, a slide guide configured to allow the
pushing member to slide between the retracted position and the pushed position and limit
movement of the pushing member in another direction is further provided.
[0016] Further, according to the present invention, the driving mechanism includes: a motor; a
cam plate configured to be rotated by the motor; and a link plate configured to transform rotation
of the cam plate into reciprocal movement. The pushing member is connected to the link plate
and reciprocates between the retracted position and the pushed position.
[0017] Further, according to the present invention, a retracted position detection sensor
configured to detect that the pushing member is at the retracted position is further provided.
The motor starts rotating after stacking of paper sheets in the stacking unit has been completed
and stops rotating based on a detection result by the retracted position detection sensor.
[0018] Further, according to the present invention, a stacked paper sheet detection sensor
configured to detect whether paper sheets stacked in the stacking space are present or absent,
based on change between transmission and blocking of detection light that is transmitted through
the stacking space, is further provided.

[0019] Further, according to the present invention, the pushing member has a through hole, and
the stacked paper sheet detection sensor performs transmission and reception of the detection
light between a light transmitter unit and a light receiver unit which are disposed on an outer side
of the stacking unit, by using the through hole formed in the pushing member.
[0020] Further, according to the present invention, a through hole is defined by the wall surface,
of the stacking unit, which forms the stacking space, and the stacked paper sheet detection sensor
performs transmission and reception of the detection light between the light transmitter unit and
the light receiver unit which are disposed on the outer side of the stacking unit, by using the
through hole formed in the wall surface of the stacking unit.
[0021] Further, according to the present invention, the pushing member has a through hole
corresponding to a through hole formed in the wall surface of the stacking unit such that the
through hole formed in the wall surface of the stacking unit is not closed by the pushing member
when the pushing member moves to the pushed position toward the opening.
[0022] Further, according to the present invention, the pushing member includes a sensor brush
configured to clean the stacked paper sheet detection sensor, and the sensor brush cleans the
stacked paper sheet detection sensor according to pushing of the paper sheets by the pushing
member.
[0023] Further, according to the present invention, the sensor brush is disposed at a position on
the pushing member at which the sensor brush passes by the stacked paper sheet detection sensor
corresponding to each sensor brush when the pushing member moves to the pushed position.
The sensor brush cleans the stacked paper sheet detection sensor during movement from the
retracted position to the pushed position and movement from the pushed position to the retracted
position.
ADVANTAGEOUS EFFECTS OF THE INVENTION
[0024] According to the present invention, by moving the pushing member provided so as to
form the rear surface of the stacking space of the stacking unit, all the paper sheets stacked in the
stacking space can be assuredly pushed toward the opening. Further, also when the pushing
member is at the retracted position on the rear surface side of the stacking space, a space need
not be formed on the back side of the stacking unit, so that the size of the apparatus can be
reduced.
[0025] Further, according to the present invention, the pushing member that includes the rear
surface plate, the side surface plate, and the bottom surface plate is structured to receive paper
sheets that are discharged into the stacking space and transported by the stacking wheel, and then
push the paper sheets, whereby the paper sheets can be assuredly pushed toward the opening side.

[0026] Further, sawtooth-shaped projections are formed on the outer circumferential edge portion of the rear surface plate and the projections are moved in the grooves formed in the inner wall of the stacking unit when the pushing member is moved, whereby a paper sheet is prevented from entering a gap between the pushing member and the inner wall of the stacking unit. [0027] Further, according to the present invention, rotation of the motor in one direction is transformed into reciprocal movement by the driving mechanism, whereby the pushing member is reciprocated between the retracted position and the pushed position, and it is detected, by the retracted position detection sensor, that the pushing member has returned to the retracted position, whereby the motor can be stopped. Thus, the driving mechanism can be implemented by using inexpensive members such as the motor, the cam plate and the link plate.
[0028] Further, according to the present invention, whether or not paper sheets are present in the stacking unit, can be detected by the stacked paper sheet detection sensor. The through hole is formed at a corresponding position in the pushing member so as not to block detection light from the stacked paper sheet detection sensor in the case of the pushing member having been moved to the pushed position, whereby a paper sheet can be detected by the stacked paper sheet detection sensor also when the pushing member is at the pushed position.
[0029] Further, according to the present invention, the pushing member has the sensor brush at a position at which the sensor brush passes by the stacked paper sheet detection sensor when the pushing member reciprocates, whereby the stacked paper sheet detection sensor can be cleaned when the pushing member reciprocates.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0030] [FIG. 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an external appearance of a banknote
handling apparatus according to an embodiment.
[FIG. 2] FIG. 2 is a plan view of an external appearance of the banknote handling apparatus.
[FIG. 3] FIG. 3 illustrates an opening and closing operation of an upper unit and a rear unit.
[FIG. 4] FIG. 4 illustrates a structure of a reject unit.
[FIG. 5] FIG. 5 illustrates a positional relationship between two banknote stacking units and an operation display unit on the apparatus front surface.
[FIG. 6] FIG. 6 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating a schematic internal structure of the banknote handling apparatus.
[FIG. 7] FIG. 7 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating an opening and closing operation of a recognition unit.

[FIG. 8] FIG. 8 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating an opening and closing operation of the upper unit.
[FIG. 9] FIG. 9 illustrates a structure of a dust receiver unit.
[FIG. 10] FIG. 10 illustrates a structure of the banknote stacking unit.
[FIG. 11] FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram illustrating a structure of a transport path.
[FIG. 12] FIG. 12 is a perspective view illustrating a structure of a pushing member disposed in the banknote stacking unit, and a driving mechanism for moving the pushing member.
[FIG. 13] FIG. 13 illustrates a method for moving the pushing member by a pushing mechanism.
[FIG. 14] FIG. 14 is a schematic diagram illustrating a retracted position and a pushed position of the pushing member in the banknote stacking unit.
[FIG. 15] FIG. 15 is a perspective view illustrating stacked-banknote detection sensors for detecting presence or absence of banknotes stacked in the banknote stacking unit, and sensor brushes for cleaning the sensors.
[FIG. 16] FIG. 16 illustrates a method for performing cleaning by the sensor brushes.
[FIG. 17] FIG. 17 illustrates positions at which the stacked-banknote detection sensors are positioned relative to the banknote stacking unit.
[FIG. 18] FIG. 18 is a development illustrating a structure of a banknote transport path in the banknote handling apparatus.
[FIG. 19] FIG. 19 is a schematic diagram illustrating a position where a stacking wheel is positioned in the banknote stacking unit.
[FIG. 20] FIG. 20 illustrates an example of a screen displayed on the operation display unit during handling of banknotes.
[FIG. 21] FIG. 21 illustrates an example of a screen displayed on the operation display unit when a rejected note occurs during handling of banknotes.
[FIG. 22] FIG. 22 illustrates an example of a screen displayed on the operation display unit when restoration is performed in a case where an error occurs during handling of banknotes.
[FIG. 23] FIG. 23 illustrates priority setting for a plurality of banknote stacking units disposed in the banknote handling apparatus.
[FIG. 24] FIG. 24 is an external view illustrating an example of a banknote handling apparatus that includes multiple banknote stacking units.

[FIG. 25] FIG. 25 is a schematic diagram illustrating a method for setting kinds of banknotes to be stacked in banknote stacking units, respectively.
DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS
[0031] A paper sheet handling apparatus according to the present invention will be
described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Although the paper sheet
handling apparatus according to the present invention is capable of handling paper sheets such as
banknotes, checks, and gift coupons, a banknote handling apparatus that handles banknotes will
be described below as an example.
[0032] [External structure of apparatus]
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an external appearance of a banknote handling apparatus 1. The banknote handling apparatus 1 which has a hopper 20 and a reject unit 50 on a side surface, and two banknote stacking units 30, 40 on the front surface, has a characteristic that the size of the apparatus is reduced by banknotes being stacked so as to be tilted in a standing state in the banknote stacking units 30, 40 each having an opening through which the banknotes are taken out, and by the protrusion of the reject unit 50 from the apparatus side surface being minimized to reduce the lateral width of the apparatus.
[0033] In the present embodiment, among four side surfaces of the apparatus, the
apparatus front side surface on which an operation display unit 70 is disposed is referred to as the
front surface, the side surface on the right side and the side surface on the left side as viewed
from an operator who operates the operation display unit 70 on the front surface side of the
banknote handling apparatus 1 are referred to as the right side surface and the left side surface,
respectively, and the surface on the rear side is referred to as the rear surface. Further, in the
present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, a direction from the apparatus left side surface toward
the right side surface is defined as the X-axis direction, a direction from the apparatus front
surface toward the rear surface is defined as the Y-axis direction, and a direction from the
apparatus bottom surface toward the upper surface is defined as the Z-axis direction.
[0034] An upper unit 11 and a lower unit 12 are included on the front surface side of the
banknote handling apparatus 1. The banknote handling apparatus 1 is a small apparatus that can be mounted in a space in which the lateral width (in the X-axis direction) is 450 mm, the depth (in the Y-axis direction) is 450 mm, and the height (in the Z-axis direction) is 400 mm. A part of the reject unit 50 protrudes on the right side surface, whereby the lateral width of an installation surface is further reduced to be less than or equal to 400 mm.
[0035] In the lower left and right end portions of the front surface of the banknote
handling apparatus 1, recesses 36, 46 are provided so as to form gaps into which hands are

placed between a desk and an apparatus housing in a case where, for example, the banknote handling apparatus 1 is installed on the desk. Rrecesses 36, 46 are formed also on the apparatus rear surface side. Hands can be placed in the recesses 36, 46 at the four corners on the bottom surface, whereby the banknote handling apparatus 1 can be carried.
[0036] At almost the center of the front surface of the upper unit 11, a large operation
display unit 70 that allows input operation of various kinds of information and output display of various kinds of information, is disposed. In the operation display unit 70, the upper side is disposed at almost the same position as the apparatus front surface, whereas the lower side protrudes forward from the apparatus front surface, and the operation display unit 70 is fixed so as to be tilted upward such that an operator can easily view the displayed contents. A push-to-open type dust tray 71 is disposed in a portion leftward of the operation display unit 70, and is ejected from the front surface side by pushing the tray toward the rear surface side. Dust such as paper powder generated while banknotes are transported in the apparatus is collected into the dust tray 71, and the dust tray 71 can be taken out from the apparatus.
[0037] On the right side surface of the upper unit 11, the hopper 20 in which banknotes to
be recognized and counted are placed, is provided. Below the hopper 20, the reject unit 50 into which rejected notes are discharged, is disposed. In the reject unit 50, the upper surface of a stacking space in which the rejected notes are stacked is in the upper unit 11, and the bottom surface thereof is in the lower unit 12. On the upper surface of the upper unit 11, an openable and closable upper lid 13 is disposed. An engagement member is disposed between the upper lid 13 and the upper unit 11, and the upper lid 13 and the upper unit 11 are usually fixed by the engagement member. As shown in FIG. 1, a lever for disengaging the engagement by the engagement member is disposed at almost the center position in the front-rear direction on the right side of the upper lid 13. When an operation of opening the upper lid 13 upward in a state where a finger is placed on the lever, is performed, an operation of disengaging the engagement by the engagement member and an operation of opening the upper lid 13 having been disengaged can be performed as a series of operation. By opening the upper lid 13, the recognition unit and the transport path in the upper unit 11 are exposed to allow inspection, maintenance, or the like to be performed.
[0038] In the hopper 20, banknotes can be placed in a stacked state such that the short
edges of the banknotes face toward the front surface side (in the Y-axis negative direction), and the long edges of the banknotes face forward in the transporting direction (in the X-axis negative direction). The banknotes stacked on a stage of the hopper 20 are fed one by one into the transport path in the apparatus in order starting from the lowermost banknote. The banknotes in the transport path are transported in a state where the long edge of each banknote faces forward

in the transporting direction. The hopper 20 includes guide members 21 that support the banknotes placed in a stacked state, from the short edge sides (in the Y-axis direction). The guide members 21 are formed of a transparent resin, and the banknotes placed in the hopper 20 can be checked from the outside. The two guide members 21 having shapes which are symmetrical with respect to the XZ plane can cooperate to slide in the Y-axis direction. Positions of the two guide members 21 are adjusted according to the length of the long edges of the banknotes, whereby the banknotes can be placed at almost the center of the hopper 20 in the front-rear direction (the Y-axis direction) and fed into almost the center portion, in the width direction (the Y-axis direction), of the transport path. The stage on which the banknotes are placed in the hopper 20 is shaped such that almost the center portion in the front-rear direction (the Y-axis direction) is recessed leftward (in the X-axis negative direction). Through the recess, the stacking space of the reject unit 50 below the hopper 20 can be seen (see (B) of FIG. 2). After all the banknotes on the stage are fed into the apparatus, whether or not a rejected note discharged into the reject unit 50 is present can be easily checked.
[0039] As shown in FIG. 1, the reject unit 50 includes: two stopper members 52 that stop
a rejected note discharged from the transport path of the apparatus into the stacking space of the reject unit 50 so as not to eject the rejected note to the outside; and a holder member 53 that holds, from the upper side, the rejected note that have stopped in the stacking space. The stopper members 52 are maintained at a normal position shown in FIG. 1 by a spring member, and are also supported so as to be pivotable, about the Y axis, outward of the apparatus. When the rejected notes stacked in the reject unit 50 are taken out from the apparatus right side, the stopper members 52 pivot clockwise, to allow the rejected notes to be easily taken out. At the lower right portion on the front surface of the upper unit 11, a recess 51 is formed so as to be recessed from the housing front surface toward the rear surface. Further, a side wall that supports the rejected notes in the stacking space of the reject unit 50 from the short edge side is shaped such that the right side portion of the side wall on the front surface side is cut leftward. By the cutting of the side wall, the stacking space of the reject unit 50 and the space of the recess 51 connect with each other in a portion inward of the housing outer side surface. The space of the recess 51 on the housing front surface is connected with the stacking space of the reject unit 50 disposed on the right side surface, whereby an operator of the banknote handling apparatus 1 is allowed to easily check whether or not rejected notes are in the reject unit 50, and to easily take out the rejected notes from the reject unit 50 when the operator is on the apparatus front surface side.
[0040] In the recess 51, a lever for disengaging engagement by the engagement member
by which the upper unit 11 and the lower unit 12 are engaged with each other is disposed at a

diagonally upper left position. The lever is disposed at a position where a finger can be placed on the lever when a right hand is inserted into the recess 51 so as to raise the right side surface portion of the upper unit 11 upward. Thus, an operation of opening the upper unit 11 upward in a state where a hand is inserted into the recess 51 and a finger is placed on the lever, is performed, whereby an operation of disengaging the engagement by the engagement member and an operation of opening the upper unit 11 having been disengaged can be performed as a series of operation.
[0041] The two banknote stacking units 30 and 40 each having an opening on the front
surface side are disposed on both the left and the right outer sides of the lower unit 12. The banknotes fed from the hopper 20 into the apparatus are recognized and counted by the recognition unit in the apparatus. Banknotes which are recognized to be stacked in the banknote stacking unit 30 or 40 are stacked in the first banknote stacking unit 30 or the second banknote stacking unit 40 according to the recognition result. The banknotes discharged into the banknote stacking unit from the upper right portion in the first banknote stacking unit 30 are transported toward a left side wall in the banknote stacking unit by a stacking wheel 33 that rotates about the Y axis counterclockwise. The left side wall is tilted such that the upper portion thereof is on the left side and the lower portion thereof is on the right side. The banknotes transported toward the left side wall by the stacking wheel 33 are stacked such that the banknote face is parallel to the wall surface of the tilted left side wall, and the banknotes are stacked so as to be tilted in a standing state. Similarly, the banknotes discharged into the banknote stacking unit from the upper left portion in the second banknote stacking unit 40 are transported toward a right side wall in the banknote stacking unit by a stacking wheel 43 that rotates about the Y axis clockwise. The right side wall is tilted such that the upper portion thereof is on the right side, and the lower portion thereof is on the left side. The banknotes transported toward the right side wall by the stacking wheel 43 are stacked such that the banknote face is parallel to the wall surface of the tilted right side wall, and the banknotes are stacked so as to be tilted in a standing state. That is, the banknotes are stacked in the stacking space of the banknote stacking unit, in a state where the short edge faces forward and the long edge contacts with the bottom surface, so as to be tilted in a standing state such that the upper side portion of the short edge is closer to the outer side of the apparatus than the lower side portion of the short edge is. The stacking wheels 33, 43 are stacking wheels that rotate for stacking banknotes in an aligned state in the stacking spaces of the first banknote stacking unit 30 and the second banknote stacking unit 40.
[0042] The banknote handling apparatus 1 has the two banknote stacking units 30, 40 on
the left and the right sides, and stacks banknotes in each of the banknote stacking units such that

the banknotes are tilted in a standing state. Thus, the lateral width of the stacking space necessary for stacking the banknotes is reduced as compared to a case where the banknotes are stacked in a state where the banknote face is horizontally oriented.
[0043] On the front side of the left side surface of the lower unit 12, a cut portion 31(cut-
away portion 31) is formed by the left side surface being cut from the front surface side toward
the rear surface side so as to be curved. Similarly, also on the front side of the right side surface
of the lower unit 12, a cut portion 41(cut-away portion 41) is formed by the right side surface
being cut from the front surface side toward the rear surface side so as to be curved. Further, on
the front surface of the lower unit 12, a recess 60 is formed between the left and the right
banknote stacking units 30 and 40 so as to be recessed toward the rear surface side.
[0044] The front end of the left side wall which forms the stacking space of the first
banknote stacking unit 30 is closer to the rear surface side than the cut portion 31 of the housing left side surface is, and the cut portion 31 and the front end of the left side wall of the stacking space are connected through an opening left side surface 35. Further, the front end of the right side wall which forms the stacking space of the first banknote stacking unit 30 is closer to the rear surface side than the recess 60 formed between the first banknote stacking unit 30 and the second banknote stacking unit 40 is, and is closer to the front surface side than the stacking wheel 33 is. The recess 60 and the front end of the right side wall of the stacking space are connected through an opening right side surface 32. Similarly, the front end of the right side wall which forms the stacking space of the second banknote stacking unit 40 and the cut portion 41 are connected through an opening right side surface 45. Further, the front end of the left side wall which forms the stacking space of the second banknote stacking unit 40 and the recess 60 are connected through an opening left side surface 42.
[0045] An operator who is positioned by the front surface side is allowed to visually
check, with ease, whether or not banknotes are stacked in the first banknote stacking unit 30 and the second banknote stacking unit 40, by the recess 60 and the left and the right opening side surfaces 32, 42 on the front surface of the lower unit 12. Further, in the first banknote stacking unit 30, by: the cut portion 31 on the housing left side surface, and the opening left side surface 35 connecting from the cut portion 31 to the left side wall of the stacking space; and the opening right side surface 32 connecting from the right side wall of the stacking space to the recess 60, the banknotes stacked so as to be tilted along the left side wall of the stacking space in a standing state can be easily held from the left and the right sides and taken out. Similarly, also in the second banknote stacking unit 40, by: the cut portion 41 on the housing right side surface, and the opening right side surface 45 connecting from the cut portion 41 to the right side wall of the stacking space; and the opening left side surface 42 connecting from the left side wall of the

stacking space to the recess 60, the banknotes stacked so as to be tilted along the right side wall of the stacking space in a standing state, can be easily taken out.
[0046] In the first banknote stacking unit 30 and the second banknote stacking unit 40,
the cut portions 31, 41 are formed on the side surfaces, and the bottom surfaces continuously extend to the housing front surface of the apparatus. Therefore, the banknotes can be stably stacked so as to be tilted in a standing state such that the long edge portions are along the bottom surface.
[0047] The opening right side surface 32 and the opening left side surface 35 formed at
the opening of the first banknote stacking unit 30 are each formed as a curved surface that is
tilted so as to reduce the opening area toward the stacking space. However, the tilted curved
surfaces may be removed and the front ends of the left and right side walls of the stacking space
may be exposed. Similarly, the opening left side surface 42 and the opening right side surface
45 formed at the opening of the second banknote stacking unit 40 are each formed as a curved
surface that is tilted so as to reduce the opening area toward the stacking space. However, also
for these, the front ends of the left and right side walls of the stacking space may be exposed.
[0048] Thus, in the banknote handling apparatus 1, the cut portions 31, 41 on the left and
right side surfaces of the housing of the lower unit 12, the recess 60 formed between the first
banknote stacking unit 30 and the second banknote stacking unit 40, the tilted opening side
surfaces 32, 35 of the first banknote stacking unit 30, and the tilted opening side surfaces 42, 45
of the second banknote stacking unit 40, are formed. Thus, whether or not banknotes are
stacked in the stacking space of each of the first banknote stacking unit 30 and the second
banknote stacking unit 40, can be easily checked from the apparatus right side. Further,
similarly, whether or not banknotes are stacked in the first banknote stacking unit 30 and the
second banknote stacking unit 40, can be easily checked also from the apparatus left side.
[0049] For example, at a counter of a teller window of a bank, the banknote handling
apparatus 1 is installed such that the apparatus right side surface that includes the hopper 20 and the reject unit 50 faces toward a customer outside the teller window. A teller operates the banknote handling apparatus 1 from the apparatus front surface side. At this time, the customer can see a state where banknotes delivered to the teller are placed in the hopper 20 and fed one by one into the apparatus, or a state where rejected notes are discharged into the reject unit 50. Further, in a case where the lower unit 12 has the cut portions 31, 41, the recess 60, and the opening side surfaces 32, 35, 42, 45, a customer who is on the right side of the apparatus so as to be opposite a teller, can see a state where banknotes are stacked in the first banknote stacking unit 30 and the second banknote stacking unit 40. Thus, the banknote handling apparatus 1 is disposed so as to allow a customer to easily see the hopper 20, the first banknote stacking unit 30,

the second banknote stacking unit 40, and the reject unit 50, and a teller handles, in front of the
customer, the banknotes received from the customer, thereby avoiding doubt about an operation,
by the teller, for handling the banknotes and banknote handling by the banknote handling
apparatus 1.
[0050] [Position at which ports and the like are arranged]
FIG. 2 is a plan view of an external appearance of the banknote handling apparatus 1. FIG. 2(A) illustrates the front surface of the banknote handling apparatus 1, FIG. 2(B) illustrates the upper surface thereof, FIG. 2(C) illustrates the right side surface thereof, and FIG. 2(D) illustrates the left side surface thereof. FIG. 2(B) illustrates an exemplary case where the banknote handling apparatus 1 is installed at a place where two side surfaces thereof face wall surfaces such that the rear surface and the left side surface face the wall surfaces. The cross sections of the wall surfaces as viewed from above the upper surface are indicated by diagonal lines.
[0051] The banknote handling apparatus 1 has a characteristic that a slot into which a
memory card that is a portable storage medium is inserted, ports for connection of a USB cable and a LAN cable, an inlet for connection of a power supply cable, and the like, are disposed collectively on the rear side of the right side surface on which the hopper 20 and the reject unit 50 are disposed, whereby the banknote handling apparatus 1 can be installed without a gap between: the apparatus left side surface and the apparatus rear surface; and the wall surfaces, as shown in FIG. 2(B).
[0052] As shown in FIG. 2(C), the upper unit 11 and the lower unit 12 are disposed on the
apparatus front side, and a rear unit 14 in which upper and lower portions are integrated with each other is disposed on the rear side. That is, the housing of the banknote handling apparatus 1 includes three units which are the upper unit 11 on the front side, the lower unit 12 on the front side, and the rear unit 14 on the rear side.
[0053] In the banknote handling apparatus 1, as shown in FIG. 2(C), a memory card slot
62, a USB port 63, a LAN port 64, a dedicated port 65 for connection of a dedicated external device such as a printer, a main power supply switch 66, and a power supply inlet 67 are provided on the right side surface of the rear unit 14 so as to be aligned in line in the vertical direction. That is, the ports and the like are disposed collectively in a vertically elongated partial region on the rear side of the housing right side surface.
[0054] The power supply inlet 67 to which a power supply cable is connected when the
banknote handling apparatus 1 is used, is disposed at the lowermost position. Further, above the power supply inlet 67, the LAN port 64 to which a LAN cable may be connected, and the dedicated port 65 to which a cable for connection of an external device may be connected, are

disposed. Further, above the ports 64, 65, the USB port 63 to which a USB cable may be connected is disposed. The memory card slot 62 to which a cable or the like is not connected, is disposed at the uppermost position. Thus, the more likely a port is to be a port to which a cable or the like is connected, the lower a position at which the port is disposed. Thus, connection of a cable or the like to each port, and insertion of a portable storage medium such as a memory card or a USB memory, can be facilitated.
[0055] The memory card slot 62 allows insertion thereinto of a memory card in which,
for example, new template data for banknote recognition, or new firmware for updating a function of the banknote handling apparatus 1, is stored, and is used for updating the template data for recognition, the firmware, or the like. Further, in a memory card inserted into the memory card slot 62, data for handling of banknotes, or log data for, for example, recording of operation of each component in the banknote handling apparatus 1, can be stored. Further, the USB port 63 can be used for, for example, updating template data for recognition, updating firmware, or recording log data by using a USB memory. Further, the USB port 63 is used for connection of a USB cable when a device capable of performing data communication using the USB cable is connected.
[0056] The LAN port 64 is used for connecting the banknote handling apparatus 1 to a
network via a LAN cable. By the banknote handling apparatus 1 being connected to a network,
data communication with an external device such as a higher-ranking terminal or a management
server can be performed, or the banknote handling apparatus 1 can be controlled from an
external device. Further, for example, updating of template data for recognition for the
banknote handling apparatus 1, updating of firmware therefor, or collecting of log data therefor,
can be performed via a network from another device such as a higher-ranking terminal.
[0057] The dedicated port 65 is an interface for connection of a dedicated device such as
a printer or a display device. The power supply inlet 67 is a port for connection of a power
supply cable for supplying power to the banknote handling apparatus 1. The main power
supply switch 66 is a switch for controlling ON and OFF of power supplied through the power
supply cable. As shown in FIG. 2(C), an auxiliary power supply switch 61 is provided on the
right side surface of the lower unit 12 of the banknote handling apparatus 1, and both the main
power supply switch 66 and the auxiliary power supply switch 61 are made ON, whereby the
banknote handling apparatus 1 is actuated. In a state where the main power supply switch 66 is
OFF, even if the auxiliary power supply switch 61 is ON, the banknote handling apparatus 1
cannot perform banknote handling. In a state where the main power supply switch 66 is ON
and the auxiliary power supply switch 61 is OFF, the apparatus is in a standby state.
[0058] On the right side surface, of the banknote handling apparatus 1, on which the

hopper 20 and the reject unit 50 are disposed, banknotes need to be placed in the hopper 20, and banknotes need to be taken out from the reject unit 50. Therefore, in general, the banknote handling apparatus 1 cannot be installed so as to bring the right side surface into close contact with a wall surface. Similarly, on the front surface in which the opening of each of the first banknote stacking unit 30 and the second banknote stacking unit 40 is formed, banknotes stacked thereinside need to be taken out. Therefore, in general, the banknote handling apparatus 1 cannot be installed so as to bring the front surface into close contact with a wall surface. In the banknote handling apparatus 1, the ports and the like are disposed on a surface, of the housing, which cannot be usually positioned so as to face a wall surface.
[0059] Specifically, all of the memory card slot 62, the USB port 63, the LAN port 64, the
dedicated port 65 for connection of an external device, the main power supply switch 66, and the power supply inlet 67 are disposed collectively on the right side surface which cannot be positioned so as to oppose a wall surface since a state of handling of banknotes is shown to a customer when the banknotes are handled. Thus, the left side surface and the rear surface on which ports and the like are not disposed, can be disposed so as to nearly contact with wall surfaces as shown in FIG. 2(B), whereby an unnecessary space may not be formed between the wall surface and the apparatus when the apparatus is installed. Further, also in a case where the banknote handling apparatus 1 is installed as shown in FIG. 2(B), the right side surface on which the ports and the like are disposed, is open, whereby the ports and the like can be used without moving the banknote handling apparatus 1.
[0060] FIG. 3 illustrates a state where the upper unit 11, the lower unit 12, and the rear
unit 14 are opened and closed. The engagement member is disposed between the upper unit 11
and the lower unit 12, and the upper unit 11 and the lower unit 12 are usually fixed by the
engagement member. In the banknote handling apparatus 1, the engagement member is
unlocked, whereby, as shown in FIG. 3(A), the right side portion of the upper unit 11 can be
opened upward relative to the lower unit 12. Further, the right side portion, of the rear unit 14,
in which the ports and the like are collectively disposed as shown in FIG. 2(C), can be opened
rearward relative to the upper unit 11 and the lower unit 12, as shown in FIG. 3(B).
[0061] By the upper unit 11 being opened upward, for example, in a case where a
banknote is jammed in the transport path in the apparatus, during handling of banknotes, due to occurrence of an error such as jamming of a banknote (jamming), the jammed banknote can be removed from the transport path, or inspection or repair of each component of the apparatus can be performed.
[0062] In the rear unit 14, a substrate to which the memory card slot 62, the USB port 63,
the LAN port 64, the dedicated port 65 for an external device, the main power supply switch 66,

the power supply inlet 67, and the like are connected, a power supply unit, and the like are
accommodated. Further, substrates for, for example, controlling the recognition unit that
performs recognition of denominations of banknotes and the like in the banknote handling
apparatus 1, controlling transporting of banknotes in the transport path are also accommodated in
the rear unit 14. For example, in a case where the banknote handling apparatus 1 installed as
shown in FIG. 2(B) is out of order, the banknote handling apparatus 1 is moved forward, and the
rear unit 14 is opened rearward, whereby, for example, a motor for driving rollers in the transport
paths in the upper unit 11 and the lower unit 12 can be inspected.
[0063] [Structure of reject unit]
FIG. 4 illustrates structures of the reject unit 50, and the housing recess 51 formed on the apparatus front surface side of the reject unit 50. FIG. 4(A) is a perspective view of an external appearance of the reject unit 50, and FIG. 4(B) is a plan view of the reject unit 50 as viewed from thereabove. The banknote handling apparatus 1 has a characteristic that the right side portion of a side wall 11a on the front surface side of the reject unit 50 is cut, and the recess 51 is formed on the housing front surface so as to connect with the stacking space of the reject unit 50 via a cut portion 51a (cut-away portion 51a). The recess 51 is recessed from a front surface 11b of the upper unit 11 toward the rear surface side, and the recess 51 and the stacking space of the reject unit 50 are connected with each other via the cut portion 51a, of the side wall 11a, formed so as to be continuous with a front surface 51b of the recess 51.
[0064] By such a structure, rejected notes can be easily taken out also from the apparatus
front surface side. As shown in FIG. 4(A), a corner portion 15a, on the right side of the short edge, of rejected notes 15 stacked in the reject unit 50 protrudes from the stacking surface of the reject unit 50 in the front-right direction. The rejected notes 15 can be taken out by nipping and holding the corner portion 15a from the upper and the lower sides.
[0065] A lever 51c for opening the upper unit 11 is disposed in the recess 51. By
gripping the lever 51c so as to lift the lever 51c upward, the engagement between the upper unit 11 and the lower unit 12 by the engagement member is disengaged. By further lifting the lever 51c upward, the upper unit 11 having been disengaged, is lifted upward, whereby opening can be performed as shown in FIG. 3(A).
[0066] As shown in FIG. 4(B), in the stacking space of the reject unit 50, the rejected
notes 15 are stacked as indicated by dashed lines. On the stacking surface on which the rejected notes 15 are stacked, a stacking surface 50b between the two stopper members 52 is positioned so as to be cut in the leftward direction (the X-axis negative direction) of the apparatus, and the rejected notes 15 can be taken out by nipping and holding the rejected notes 15 from the upper side and the lower side in the cut portion.

[0067] A rear surface side stacking surface 50c of the reject unit 50 is positioned so as to
be cut up to the same position as the stacking surface 50b between the stopper members 52 in the
leftward direction (the X-axis negative direction) of the apparatus. Meanwhile, a front surface
side stacking surface 50a of the reject unit 50 is positioned so as to be cut more deeply, in the
leftward direction of the apparatus, than the stacking surface 50b between the stopper members
52, and the rear surface side stacking surface 50c. Further, the cut portion 51a of the side wall
of the reject unit 50 on the apparatus front surface side is retracted, in the leftward direction of
the apparatus, more greatly than the front surface side stacking surface 50a. On the apparatus
front surface side, the stacking surface 50a is positioned so as to be cut more deeply than the
other stacking surfaces 50b, 50c, and the cut portion 51a of the side wall is positioned so as to be
cut more deeply than the stacking surface 50a. That is, on the apparatus front surface side, two
levels of the cut portions are formed by the front surface side stacking surface 50a and the cut
portion 51a of the side wall.
[0068] [Operation display unit]
FIG. 5 illustrates a positional relationship between the two banknote stacking units 30, 40 and the operation display unit 70. The banknote handling apparatus 1 has a characteristic that the banknote handling apparatus 1 is a small apparatus but has a large operation display unit 70 capable of displaying multiple information, and information for each banknote stacking unit is displayed on the operation display unit 70 so as to allow the relationship between the displayed information and each banknote stacking unit to be easily recognized.
[0069] The operation display unit 70 is a touch panel type liquid crystal display device
that has a 7-inch liquid crystal screen having a longitudinal dimension of 107 mm and a transverse dimension of 142 mm, displays information such as characters, still images, and moving images in color, and can receive input of information through a touch panel. The front surface of the banknote handling apparatus 1 that includes the upper unit 11 and the lower unit 12 has a longitudinal dimension of about 390 mm and a transverse dimension of about 350 mm. The size of the display screen of the operation display unit 70 corresponds to about 11% of the area of the apparatus front surface.
[0070] As shown in FIG. 5, the first banknote stacking unit 30 and the second banknote
stacking unit 40 are disposed on both the left and the right outer sides, respectively, of the lower unit 12. The operation display unit 70 is disposed, in a portion that includes the center line of the banknote stacking unit, at almost the center in the left-right direction as viewed from the front surface side. Further, the banknote stacking units 30, 40 are disposed in the lower unit 12 and the operation display unit 70 is disposed in the upper unit 11, whereby the operation display

unit 70 in which a display screen made of liquid crystal has a lateral width (D1) wider than a distance (D2) between the left and the right banknote stacking units 30 and 40.
[0071] The left end of the display screen of the operation display unit 70 is disposed, in
the apparatus, outward (leftward) of the right end of the first banknote stacking unit 30, and the right end of the display screen thereof is disposed, in the apparatus, outward (rightward) of the left end of the second banknote stacking unit 40. Therefore, a first display region 201 dedicated for displaying information for the first banknote stacking unit 30 is disposed in the lower left portion of the display screen of the operation display unit 70, and a second display region 202 dedicated for displaying information for the second banknote stacking unit 40 is disposed in the lower right portion of the display screen thereof, whereby information corresponding to each banknote stacking unit can be easily recognized. For example, as shown in FIG. 5, the number of banknotes stacked in the first banknote stacking unit 30 is displayed in the first display region 201, and the number of banknotes stacked in the second banknote stacking unit 40 is displayed in the second display region 202, and the total number of the banknotes obtained as a sum of the numbers of banknotes is displayed at almost the center of the operation display unit 70. Thus, even if character information indicating whether the information displayed in each of the first display region 201 and the second display region 202 is for the banknote stacking unit 30 or the banknote stacking unit 40, is not displayed, an operator of the banknote handling apparatus 1 can easily recognize the relationship between the displayed information and the banknote stacking units 30, 40.
[0072] Thus, in a case where the display screen is divided into a plurality of divisional
regions such that the upper side of the display screen of the operation display unit 70 corresponds to the upper surface of the banknote handling apparatus 1, the left and the right sides of the display screen correspond to the left and the right side surfaces of the banknote handling apparatus 1, the lower side of the display screen corresponds to the bottom surface of the banknote handling apparatus 1, and the display screen of the operation display unit 70 is regarded as the apparatus front surface, the information for the banknotes stacked in the first banknote stacking unit 30 is displayed in the first display region 201 formed in the lower left portion, of the screen, corresponding to a position at which the first banknote stacking unit 30 is disposed, and the information for the banknotes stacked in the second banknote stacking unit 40 is displayed in the second display region 202 formed in the lower right portion, of the screen, corresponding to the second banknote stacking unit 40. Thus, the information for the banknotes stacked in the first banknote stacking unit 30 is displayed, in the first display region 201 close to the first banknote stacking unit 30, on the display screen of the operation display unit 70, and the information for the banknotes stacked in the second banknote stacking unit 40 is displayed, in

the second display region 202 close to the second banknote stacking unit 40, on the display screen.
[0073] When the information for the banknote handling apparatus 1 is displayed on the
display screen of the operation display unit 70, the information is displayed such that the position of the displayed information corresponds to a position of the component, of the banknote handling apparatus 1, associated with the information, whereby an operator can easily recognize the relationship between the displayed information and the component of the banknote handling apparatus 1.
[0074] In FIG. 5, an exemplary case where the number of banknotes stacked in each
banknote stacking unit is displayed on the display screen of the operation display unit 70, is
illustrated. In addition thereto, for example, the kinds of banknotes such as denominations and
fitness/unfitness, the total monetary amount of banknotes stacked in each banknote stacking unit,
and information indicating the remaining number of banknotes by which a predetermined
number of banknotes are reached can be displayed, by changing the setting for the displayed
information. Further, for example, information for an operation to be performed for each
banknote stacking unit, such as information of instruction for taking out banknotes from the
banknote stacking unit, can be displayed. Further, for example, a plurality of kinds of
information, such as both the denomination and the number of banknotes, can be displayed in
each of the display regions 201 and 202. Further, the batch number of banknotes, or the
number of times the batch has been obtained can be displayed on the screen when the batch
process is performed, which will be described below in detail.
[0075] [Internal structure of apparatus]
Next, an internal structure of the banknote handling apparatus 1 will be described.
FIG. 6 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating a schematic internal structure of the
banknote handling apparatus 1 as viewed from the front thereof. A banknote, located on the
lowermost position, among a plurality of banknotes placed in a stacked state in the hopper 20
which is disposed in the upper right portion of the apparatus is fed into the apparatus by a kicker
roller 23. The banknotes are separated one by one by a feed roller 25 and a reverse rotation
roller 24 which oppose each other, and only the banknote located on the lowermost position is
fed into the transport path. The banknote fed into the apparatus, is transported leftward in the
transport path formed by an upper transport guide 26 and a lower transport guide 27. In the
transport path, multiple rollers, and transport belts 90 to 95 wound around a plurality of rollers
are exposed into the transport path from the transport guides 26, 27, and the banknotes are
transported by the rollers or the transport belts 90 to 95.
[0076] In each of the transport belts 91 to 95, the upper transport belt and the lower

transport belt wound around the rollers on both ends, are not parallel to each other, and the transport belt which forms the transport path is pushed upward or downward by the rollers. Thus, even when the rollers may not be disposed on the upper side and the lower side in the transport path so as to oppose each other, a gripping force between the transported banknote and the transport belt is assured, whereby transporting can be stably performed.
[0077] The transport path of the banknote handling apparatus 1 includes: an upper
transport path that transports banknotes leftward (in the X-axis negative direction) in the upper unit 11; a lower transport path that transports banknotes rightward (in the X-axis positive direction) in the lower unit 12; and an the intermediate transport path that connects between the upper transport path and the lower transport path, and transports banknotes downward (in the Z-axis negative direction). The banknote which is fed from the hopper 20 and transported leftward in the upper transport path passes through the recognition unit 100, and the banknote is thereafter transported in a different direction so as to be transported downward in the intermediate transport path, and the banknotes is thereafter transported in a different direction again so as to be transported rightward in the lower transport path.
[0078] The recognition unit 100 disposed in the upper transport path includes: a line
sensor 101 for obtaining an transmission image, an image obtained by the upper face of a banknote being reflected, and an image obtained by the back face of the banknote being reflected; a UV sensor 102 for detecting light emission excited by applying UV light (ultraviolet); a thickness detection sensor 103 for detecting the thickness of a banknote; and a magnetic detection sensor 104 for detecting magnetic characteristic of a banknote. Recognition of a denomination of the banknote, authentication of the banknote, recognition of
fitness/unfitness of the banknote, recognition of the face/back of the banknote, recognition of an orientation of the banknote, and the like can be performed based on the banknote optical characteristic, the banknote magnetic characteristic, and the banknote thickness obtained by these sensors.
[0079] In the transport path, a plurality of banknote detection sensors 80 to 85 for
detecting passage of the banknote are disposed. The banknote detection sensors 80 to 85 each include a light transmitter unit and a light receiver unit, and detect a banknote based on change between transmission of light and blocking of light due to passage of the banknote. In the upper transport path, the recognition unit 100 performs, when having recognized a banknote passing timing on the basis of the detection result by the banknote detection sensor 81, recognition of the banknote that passes therethrough.
[0080] In the lower transport path, a first diverter 111 is disposed at a first diverging point,
and a second diverter 112 is disposed at a second diverging point located downstream of the first

diverging point. At the first diverging point, the banknote is diverted by the first diverter 111 so as to be transported downstream in the lower transport path or be transported to the first banknote stacking unit 30. Similarly, at the second diverging point, the banknote is diverted by the second diverter 112 so as to be transported to the reject unit 50 or the second banknote stacking unit 40.
[0081] Specifically, the first diverter 111 is controlled on the basis of the recognition
result by the recognition unit 100, and a banknote passing time detected by the banknote detection sensor 83 in the intermediate transport path. In a case where the banknote detected by the banknote detection sensor 83 is not a banknote to be stacked in the first banknote stacking unit 30, the first diverter 111 enters the state shown in FIG. 6 and the banknotes is not diverted so as to be transported to the first banknote stacking unit 30 and is transported rightward through the first diverging point. Meanwhile, in a case where the banknote is a banknote to be stacked in the first banknote stacking unit 30, the first diverter 111 rotates clockwise, and the banknote is diverted from the transport path, and then transported toward the first banknote stacking unit 30. Similarly, the second diverter 112 is controlled on the basis of the recognition result, and a banknote passing time detected by the banknote detection sensor 84 in the lower transport path. The banknote to be stacked in the second banknote stacking unit 40 is diverged from the transport path, and then transported toward the second banknote stacking unit 40. Meanwhile, in a case where the banknote is a rejected note, the banknote is not diverted so as to be transported toward the second banknote stacking unit 40, and the banknote is further transported rightward through the second diverging point into the reject unit 50. In the reject unit 50, although the rejected note transported at a high speed is vigorously discharged, the front end of the rejected note is received by the stopper members 52 and the rear end of the rejected note is pushed downward by an elastic fin wheel 54 which is rotating. Further, the rejected note is pressed downward by the holder member 53 and thus stacked into the reject unit 50. The elastic fin wheel 54 is a stacking wheel that rotates so as to stack banknotes in an aligned state in the stacking space of the reject unit 50.
[0082] A tilt transport path is formed so as to be tilted upward on the side downstream of
the second diverter 112 such that the height at which the tilt transport path is positioned is increased toward the downstream side. The reject unit 50 is disposed below the tilt transport path so as to be embedded in the leftward direction, and the rejected note having been transported diagonally upward in the tilt transport path is discharged from the upper left side of the reject unit 50 into the stacking space of the reject unit 50. The reject unit 50 is disposed in the innermost possible portion in the apparatus by the transport path being tilted. As a result, the rotation shaft of the elastic fin wheel 54 is positioned inward (in the X-axis negative

direction) of the rotation shaft of the kicker roller 23 of the hopper 20 in the horizontal direction (the X-axis direction) in the apparatus. In the banknote handling apparatus 1, in addition to the banknotes being stacked in the banknote stacking units 30, 40 so as to be tilted in a standing position, a part of the reject unit 50 is thus embedded in the apparatus, whereby the size of the banknote handling apparatus 1 can be reduced.
[0083] The banknote detection sensor 85 is disposed downward of the second diverter
112, and the banknote detection sensors 86 and 87 are disposed in a diverging transport path that diverges from the first diverter 111 toward the first banknote stacking unit 30, and a diverging transport path that diverges from the second diverter 112 toward the second banknote stacking unit 40, respectively, (see FIG. 11), and a banknote in the transport path can be detected. The banknote detection sensors 80 to 87 not only detects whether or not a transported banknote is present but also is used for detecting whether or not a banknote remains in the transport path when transporting of banknotes is stopped due to occurrence of an error.
[0084] Further, pushing members 34, 44 are disposed on the rear surface sides of the first
banknote stacking unit 30 and the second banknote stacking unit 40, respectively. Handling of
the banknotes placed in the hopper 20 is completed, and all the banknotes are each stacked in the
first banknote stacking unit 30, the second banknote stacking unit 40, or the reject unit 50, and
thereafter the pushing members 34, 44 move forward, whereby all the banknotes stacked in the
stacking spaces are pushed toward the front surface opening, which will be described below in
detail.
[0085] [Opening and closing of apparatus upper portion]
Next, opening and closing of the upper unit 11 of the banknote handling apparatus 1, and opening and closing of the recognition unit 100 of the upper unit 11 will described. A pivot 19 that acts as the rotation center when the upper unit 11 is opened upward as shown in FIG. 3(A), is disposed in a frame 106 fixed to the lower unit 12, as shown in FIG. 6. Further, a pivot 18 that acts as the rotation center when the recognition unit 100 of the upper unit 11 is opened upward in a state where the upper unit 11 is closed, is disposed in a frame fixed to the upper unit 11.
[0086] Further, the upper lid 13 of the housing is divided into a front lid 13a and a rear lid
13b. The rear lid 13b is supported by a pivot 17 disposed at the rear end of the front lid 13a so as to be pivotable upward about the pivot 17 clockwise.
[0087] FIG. 7 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating a state where the recognition
unit 100 is opened upward. The recognition unit 100 is separated into two portions that are a portion above the transport path and a portion below the transport path. A recognition upper unit 105 includes: a portion, of the recognition unit 100, above the transport path; and a part of

rollers disposed on the upper side of the transport path on the upstream side and the downstream side of the recognition unit 100. The recognition upper unit 105 pivots about the pivot 18 and is opened upward. Thus, inspection or maintenance for each of the sensors 101 to 104 disposed in the recognition unit 100 can be performed, or a banknote or dust jammed in the upper transport path can be removed.
[0088] When the recognition upper unit 105 with the front lid 13a are opened upward as
indicated by a solid line arrow in FIG. 7, the rear lid 13b pivots about the pivot 17 as indicated by
a dashed line arrow. The rear lid 13b pivots while the lower rear end thereof is moved
downward along a housing left side surface 12a. Thus, unlike in a case where the front lid 13a
and the rear lid 13b are integrated with each other, pivoting of the recognition upper unit 105 is
prevented from being restricted by the lower rear end of the rear lid 13b interfering with another
member. Therefore, the recognition upper unit 105 can be widely opened upward.
[0089] FIG. 8 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating a state where the upper unit
11 is opened upward. When the upper unit 11 pivots about the pivot 19 and is opened upward as indicated by a solid line arrow shown in FIG. 8, the rear lid 13b pivots about the pivot 17 as indicated by a dashed line arrow. The rear lid 13b pivots while the lower rear end thereof is moved downward along the housing left side surface 12a, whereby pivoting of the upper unit 11 is prevented from being restricted by the upper lid 13 interfering with another member, whereby the upper unit 11 can be widely opened upward.
[0090] The upper transport path that includes the recognition unit 100 is included in the
upper unit 11 that moves upward when the upper unit 11 is opened upward as shown in FIG. 8.
Further, the intermediate transport path is divided into a right side portion of the transport path
and a left side portion of the transport path, and the units in the right side portion are included in
the upper unit 11, and the units in the left side portion are included in the lower unit 12. The
lower transport path is divided into an upper portion of the transport path and a lower portion of
the transport path, and the units in the upper portion are included in the upper unit 11 and the
units in the lower portion are included in the lower unit 12. Thus, the intermediate transport
path and the lower transport path are each divided into the upper unit 11 and the lower unit 12,
whereby the upper unit 11 is opened to open the intermediate transport path and the lower
transport path, and a banknote, dust, or the like jammed in the transport path can be removed.
[0091] The hopper 20 and the holder member 53 that holds banknotes in the reject unit 50
are included in the upper unit 11, and the main body portion of the reject unit 50 is included in the lower unit 12. In the banknote handling apparatus 1, the components are positioned such that the main body portion of the reject unit 50 is embedded into the innermost possible portion of the apparatus so as to prevent the reject unit 50 from greatly protruding outward of the

apparatus right side surface, in order to reduce the size of the apparatus. However, when the upper unit 11 is opened as shown in FIG. 8, a banknote, dust, or the like jammed in the reject unit 50 or the lower transport path up to the rejected unit 50 can be easily removed.
[0092] In the lower unit 12, the length of the diverging transport path to the first banknote
stacking unit 30 from the first diverging point at which a banknote is diverted from the lower transport path toward the first banknote stacking unit 30, is shorter than the length, in the transporting direction, of a banknote, that is, the length of the short edge of the banknote. Therefore, even in a case where a banknote that is diverted at the first diverging point is jammed while being transported to the first banknote stacking unit 30, the front end of the banknote is exposed into the stacking space of the first banknote stacking unit 30 or the rear end of the banknote is exposed into the lower transport path. Similarly, the length of the diverging transport path to the second banknote stacking unit 40 from the second diverging point at which a banknote is diverted from the lower transport path toward the second banknote stacking unit 40, is also shorter than the length of the short edge of the banknote. Even when transporting of a banknote is stopped at that position, the front end of the banknote in the stacking space of the second banknote stacking unit 40 or the rear end of the banknote in the lower transport path can be confirmed.
[0093] Thus, in the banknote handling apparatus 1, in a case where transporting of
banknotes is stopped due to jamming of a banknote or the like, the recognition upper unit 105
and the upper unit 11 are opened upward as shown in FIG. 7 and FIG. 8, whereby, for example, a
banknote in the upper transport path, the intermediate transport path, or the lower transport path,
or a banknote that has passed through the first diverging point or the second diverging point and
has then stopped, can be assuredly removed.
[0094] [Dust receiver unit]
As shown in FIG. 1, on the front surface of the upper unit 11, the push-to-open type dust tray 71 that is ejected from the front surface side by being pushed toward the rear surface side, is disposed. As shown in FIG. 6, the dust tray 71 slides in the front-rear direction in a groove formed in a dust receiver plate 72 fixed below the recognition unit 100. On the rear surface side of the dust tray 71, a push-to-open mechanism is provided. A dust receiver unit is formed by the dust tray 71 and the dust receiver plate 72.
[0095] In the thickness detection sensor 103 of the recognition unit 100, a reference roller
which is disposed on the lower side of the transport path and supported on a fixed shaft so as to be rotatable, and a detection roller which is supported so as to be movable in the up-down direction and rotatable on the upper side of the transport path, are brought into close contact with each other to form a roller pair. The thickness of a banknote is detected on the basis of

movement of the detection roller that moves in the up-down direction when the banknote passes
between the rollers of the roller pair. Multiple roller pairs each of which includes the reference
roller and the detection roller are disposed in the direction (the Y-axis direction) perpendicular to
the transporting direction, and dust adhered to a banknote is easily removed and falls down while
the banknote passes through a plurality of the roller pairs in each of which rollers closely contact
with each other. Further, paper powder may be removed and fall from a banknote itself. In
the magnetic detection sensor 104, a banknote is brought into close contact with the magnetic
detection sensor disposed on the upper side of the transport path, by a flocked roller disposed on
the lower side of the transport path, and dust or paper powder is likely to occur in this portion.
Therefore, the dust tray 71 is disposed below the thickness detection sensor 103 and the
magnetic detection sensor 104, to receive paper powder or dust by the dust tray 71.
[0096] FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram illustrating the shapes of the dust tray 71 and the
dust receiver plate 72. FIG. 9(A) illustrates the dust tray 71 and the dust receiver plate 72 as viewed from thereabove. FIG. 9(B) illustrates the dust tray 71 and the dust receiver plate 72 as viewed from the front thereof. Further, FIG. 9(C) illustrates the dust tray 71 and the dust receiver plate 72 as viewed from the front thereof when the upper unit 11 is opened as shown in FIG. 8. FIG. 9(A) illustrates a portion of the recognition unit 100 below the transport path. Therefore, the reference roller is shown at the position of the thickness detection sensor 103, and the flocked roller is shown at the position of the magnetic sensor 104.
[0097] As shown in FIG. 9(A), the length of each of the dust tray 71 and the dust receiver
plate 72 in the apparatus front-rear direction (the Y-axis direction) is greater than the width (the length in the Y-axis direction) of the transport path formed by the transport guides 26, 27, and is longer than the recognition unit 100.
[0098] As shown in FIG. 9(B), in a portion leftward of the dust tray 71, the shape of the
dust receiver plate 72 as viewed from the front thereof, is tilted downward toward the dust tray
71 from the left end positioned below the magnetic detection sensor 104. Thus, as indicated by
an arrow in FIG. 9(B), paper powder or dust received at the tilted portion slides into the dust tray
71.
[0099] Further, the shape of the dust receiver plate 72 is horizontal in a portion rightward
of the dust tray 71. However, when the right side surface of the upper unit 11 is opened upward as shown in FIG. 8, the dust receiver unit that includes the dust tray 71 and the dust receiver plate
72 is tilted together with the upper unit 11 such that the right side portion is raised upward as
shown in FIG. 9(C). Therefore, as indicated by an arrow in FIG. 9(C), paper powder or dust
stored in the horizontal portion on the right side of the dust receiver plate 72 slides downward, to
be collected into the dust tray 71.

[0100] Thus, when the dust tray 71 into which paper powder or dust is collected, is
pushed toward the rear surface side, a part of the dust tray 71 is ejected toward the front surface side by the push-to-open mechanism disposed on the rear surface side. The dust tray 71, a part of which is ejected from the housing front surface, is removed from the apparatus, whereby the paper powder or dust collected into the dust tray 71 can be discarded.
[0101] The structure of the dust receiver unit is not limited to a structure in which the
dust receiver plate 72 is shaped such that a groove portion that allows the dust tray 71 to slide
and a plate portion on which dust is collected, are integrated with each other. The dust tray 71
that slides and a plate portion on which dust is collected may be separately provided, and the
plate portion on which dust is collected may be provided as the dust receiver plate 72. Further,
the dust receiver plate 72 may be formed as a single plate or a plurality of plates. Further, tilted
plates that allow dust to be slid downward into the dust tray 71 may be disposed, as the dust
receiver plate 72, on the right side, the rear surface side, or the like as well as in a portion
leftward of the dust tray 71. At least one of the dust tray 71 and the dust receiver plate 72 is
disposed below the thickness detection sensor 103 and the magnetic detection sensor 104 of the
recognition unit 100, regardless of the structure of the dust receiver unit.
[0102] [Structure of banknote stacking unit]
FIG. 10 illustrates a structure of the first banknote stacking unit 30. The second banknote stacking unit 40 has the same structure as the first banknote stacking unit 30, and, when the first banknote stacking unit 30 shown in FIG. 10 is laterally mirrored, the structure of the second banknote stacking unit 40 is obtained. Therefore, the description of the second banknote stacking unit 40 is not given. Thus, the first banknote stacking unit 30 will be described.
[0103] The stacking space of the first banknote stacking unit 30 is formed by a plurality
of members such as the side wall members. In FIG. 10, the bottom surface and the left and right side walls are indicated as a part of the first banknote stacking unit 30 by reference characters 30a, 30b, 30c, respectively. On the front end of the left side wall 30b, a triangular surface parallel to the XZ-plane is formed, and, also on the front end of the right side wall 30c, an almost triangular surface parallel to the XZ-plane is formed. The bottom side of the front end flat surface portion of the left side wall 30b and the bottom side of the front end flat surface portion of the right side wall 30c are different from each other in height. The left side wall 30b and the right side wall 30c are retracted toward the rear surface side as compared to the bottom surface 30a. On the surface (see reference character 130a in FIG. 15) that protrudes forward from the bottom side of the triangular flat surface of the left side wall 30b so as to be parallel to the XY-plane, the opening left side surface 35 shown in FIG. 1 is formed. On the surface (see 131a in

FIG. 15) that protrudes forward from the bottom side of the almost triangular flat surface of the right side wall 30c so as to be parallel to the XY-plane, the opening right side surface 32 shown in FIG. 1 is formed. Specifically, the opening left side surface 35 shown FIG. 1 is formed so as to connect between the left side wall 30b and the cut portion 31 of the housing left side surface such that the opening left side surface 35 covers the triangular flat surface portion positioned at the front end of the left side wall 30b. The opening right side surface 32 shown in FIG. 1 is formed so as to connect between the right side wall 30c and the recess 60 such that the opening right side surface 32 covers the almost triangular flat surface portion positioned at the front end of the right side wall 30c.
[0104] A banknote that is diverted from the lower transport unit by the first diverter 111,
is transported in the diverging transport path, and discharged from the upper right portion into the stacking space in the first banknote stacking unit 30. The banknote discharged into the banknote stacking unit is transported leftward by the stacking wheel 33 that rotates counterclockwise, and stacked such that the banknote face is along the tilted side wall 30b, and the long edge portion of the banknote contacts with the bottom surface 30a.
[0105] An angle a between the horizontal plane and the side wall 30b as shown in FIG. 10
is 70 degrees. An angle b between the horizontal plane and the bottom surface 30a is 15 degrees. An angle c between the bottom surface 30a and the side wall 30b is 95 degrees. Reduction of the angle a causes increase of the size, in the lateral direction (the X-axis direction), of the banknote stacking unit, thereby increasing the size of the banknote handling apparatus 1. Further, when the angle a is increased, the banknotes that are tilted in a standing state are not stabilized, and the stacked banknotes are tilted toward the stacking wheel 33, and interfere with a banknote that enters the banknote stacking unit anew, whereby the banknotes are not normally stacked. Therefore, the angle a is preferably greater than or equal to 60 degrees and not greater than 80 degrees.
[0106] For example, a banknote which is stacked for the first time in a state where no
banknotes are stacked, is stacked in many cases such that the long edge portion on the upper side contacts with the side wall 30b, and the long edge portion on the lower side contacts with the bottom surface 30a at a position distant from the side wall 30b. Thereafter, while the subsequent banknotes are sequentially stacked, the long edge portion, on the lower side of the banknote, which contacts with the bottom surface 30a is pushed and moved toward the side wall 30b, and the banknote face of the banknote which has been stacked for the first time is along the side wall 30b. The subsequent banknotes are similarly moved and stacked on the banknote which has been stacked for the first time. The angle b formed by the bottom surface 30a is preferably greater than 0 degrees such that the banknote is easily moved on the bottom surface

30a toward the side wall 30b by the long edge portion on the lower side of the banknote which has been previously stacked being pushed by subsequent banknotes. Meanwhile, in a case where the angle b is excessively increased, the angle a needs to be reduced according to the increase. Thus, the size, in the lateral direction, of the banknote stacking unit is increased to increase the size of the apparatus. Therefore, the angle b is preferably greater than 0 degrees, and preferably less than or equal to 30 degrees.
[0107] According to the ranges of the angle a and the angle b being set as described
above, the angle c between the bottom surface 30a and the side wall 30b is preferably greater than 70 degrees and less than 120 degrees. Further, a length d of the side wall 30b is set according to the largest banknote, among the banknotes to be handled, having the largest short edge length. For example, in a case where the short edge length of the largest banknote is 85 mm, the length d of the side wall 30b is set as 93 mm.
[0108] Height e from the center of the rotation shaft of the stacking wheel 33 to the top of
the stacking space is set according to the largest banknote, among banknotes to be handled, which has the largest short edge length. In a case where a banknote that enters the stacking space from the upper right portion hits against the top portion that forms the stacking space while the banknote is transported leftward by the stacking wheel 33 which rotates counterclockwise, the banknotes cannot be stacked so as to be aligned, and the banknotes cannot be normally stacked. Therefore, the height e is set such that, while the stacking wheel 33 rotates in a state where the largest banknote is inserted between blades of the stacking wheel 33 and one of the long edge portions of the largest banknote contacts with the root portions of the blades, the trajectory of the other of the long edge portions of the largest banknote is formed in a portion lower than the top of the stacking space.
[0109] In the banknote handling apparatus 1, 16 blades are provided at 30 degree
intervals on the outer circumferential surface of a base body portion which is disposed around the rotation shaft positioned at the center and which has the outer diameter of 50 mm, and the front end of each blade extends in the direction opposite to the direction in which the stacking wheel 33 rotates, and the stacking wheel 33 having the outer diameter of 100 mm is formed. The central angle from the root portion of each blade to the front end of the blade is 60 degrees as viewed from the center of the stacking wheel 33. In the banknote handling apparatus 1, the height e is set as 71.5 mm so as to stack the largest banknotes having the short edge length of 85 mm by the stacking wheel 33 such that the banknotes are prevented from being abnormally stacked.
[0110] A length f of the bottom surface 30a is set according to the number of banknotes
stacked in the banknote stacking unit. A dog earred note or a wrinkled note is included in

banknotes to be handled. Therefore, the length f is set in consideration thereof. In the
banknote handling apparatus 1, the length f is set as 33 mm in order to stack 200 banknotes.
[0111] [Structure of banknote transport path]
FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram illustrating the shape of the lower transport path in the lower unit 12 as viewed from the front thereof. FIG. 11(A) shows the shape of the lower transport path of the banknote handling apparatus 1 shown in FIG. 6, and FIG. 11(B) shows an exemplary case where the shape of the lower transport path is different. In FIG. 11, for allowing the shape of the lower transport path to be easily understood, the transport belts and the rollers are not shown, and the shape of the transport path is indicated by the transport guides 26, 27. The banknotes are transported between the transport guides 26 and 27. Further, as shown in FIG. 11, the banknote detection sensor 86 is disposed in the diverging transport path which diverges from the lower transport path toward the first banknote stacking unit 30, and the banknote detection sensor 87 is disposed also in the diverging transport path that diverges from the lower transport path toward the second banknote stacking unit 40, which are not shown in FIG. 6.
[0112] As shown in FIG. 11(A), in the lower transport path in which the banknote 15
having been transported downward in the intermediate transport path is transported in a different direction so as to be transported rightward, the transport path is horizontally formed up to a position where the banknote passes through a first diverging point 111a at which the first diverter 111 is mounted. In the banknote handling apparatus 1, also at a second diverging point 112a at which a banknote is diverted so as to be transported to the second banknote stacking unit 40, a diverter member having the same shape as the first diverter 111 is used as the second diverter 112.
[0113] In order to transport a banknote to the second banknote stacking unit 40 or the
reject unit 50 by swinging the second diverter 112, an angle between a transporting direction 112b toward the second banknote stacking unit 40 and a transporting direction 112c toward the reject unit 50 needs to be set as a predetermined angle or a greater angle. In other words, if the transport path at the second diverging point 112a is horizontal, an angle between the horizontal transport path and the transport path that diverges in the transporting direction 112b is reduced, and the second diverter 112 cannot be used. Therefore, in the banknote handling apparatus 1, the transport path at the second diverging point 112a is tilted upward such that the height is increased on the downstream side, and the angle between the transporting direction 112b toward the second banknote stacking unit 40 and the transporting direction 112c toward the reject unit 50 is increased, whereby the components as used for the first diverter 111 can be used for the second diverter 112. As a result, the transporting direction in which the banknote passes

through the first diverging point Ilia toward the second banknote stacking unit 40, and the transporting direction in which the banknote passes through the second diverging point 112a toward the reject unit 50, are made different.
[0114] Further, a direction in which a banknote is transported toward the first banknote
stacking unit 30 in the diverging transport path after the banknote is diverted at the first diverging point Ilia, and a direction in which a banknote is transported toward the second banknote stacking unit 40 in the diverging transport path after the banknote is diverted at the second diverging point 112a, are made different. Specifically, a straight line that connects between the first diverging point Ilia and the rotation shaft of the stacking wheel 33 of the first banknote stacking unit 30, and a straight line that connects between the second diverging point 112a and the rotation shaft of the stacking wheel 43 of the second banknote stacking unit 40, extend in different directions, respectively.
[0115] Further, as described above, a distance from the lower transport path to the
stacking space needs to be shorter than the short edge length of a banknote such that, also in a
case where transporting of banknotes is stopped, the front end, in the transporting direction, of
the banknote is exposed into the stacking space of the banknote stacking unit, or the rear end, in
the transporting direction, of the banknote is exposed into the lower transport path. If the first
diverter 111 and the second diverter 112 are disposed at the same height, and the first banknote
stacking unit 30 and the second banknote stacking unit 40 are formed in the same shape, the
position of the second banknote stacking unit 40 is made higher than the position of the first
banknote stacking unit 30. Therefore, in the banknote handling apparatus 1, the height at which
the second diverter 112 is mounted is made lower than the height at which the first diverter 111
is mounted, whereby the condition concerning the transporting distance is satisfied, and the
positional relationship is satisfied such that the first banknote stacking unit 30 and the second
banknote stacking unit 40 having the same shape are positioned at the same height.
[0116] The lower transport path is formed such that the transport path is tilted downward
so as to reduce its height in a portion downstream of the first diverging point Ilia and then tilted in a different direction so as to connect to the transport path that is tilted upward, in order to connect between the horizontal transport path at the first diverging point Ilia and the upward tilted transport path at the second diverging point 112a.
[0117] Thus, in the lower transport path of the banknote handling apparatus 1, a banknote
that has passed through the first diverging point Ilia in the horizontal direction, is transported in the transport path that is tilted downward relative to the horizontal direction, then transported in the different direction so as to be transported in the upward tilted transport path, and reaches the second diverging point 112a, and then transported in the upward tilted transport path toward the

confinement boxes and/or may be redeposited on the strip, thus creating unacceptable visible defects.
To limit the oxidation before wiping, it may also be desirable, but not obligatory, to extend the confinement boxes right up to the surface of the bath or up to an intermediate position between the bath and the wiping line, preferably located at a distance of 10 cm, or even 15 cm, beneath the wiping line. This is because when the surface of the metal sheet is exposed to free air, such a layer forms systematically but is usually removed and returned to the coating bath under the impact of the wiping jet. Such confinement therefore makes it possible to reduce the amount of oxides in the bath that may be entrained by the running strip and thus may create unacceptable defects. However, it has the drawback here again of promoting the vaporization of zinc from the bath or from the liquid coating, and it will therefore be preferable for the atmosphere in these additional confinement boxes to have a higher oxidizing power than that of an atmosphere containing 0.15% oxygen by volume and 99.85% nitrogen by volume.
Although all kinds of wiping nozzles may be used to implement the process according to the invention, it is more particularly preferred to chose nozzles having a blade-shaped outlet orifice, the width of which exceeds that of the strip to be coated, since this type of nozzle enables the bottom part of the wiping zone to be properly confined. In particular, nozzles of triangular cross section, as shown schematically in figure 1, may advantageously be used. These nozzles are generally located 30 or even 40 cm above the surface of the bath.
By respecting these settings, a surprising and significant reduction in the waviness of the coatings in question is observed, as the trials presented below demonstrate.
When the coated strip has completely cooled, it may undergo a skin-pass operation enabling it to be given a texture facilitating its subsequent forming process. This is because the skin-pass operation gives the surface of the strip sufficient roughness in order for the forming process to be properly carried out thereon, by promoting good retention of the oil applied to the strip before it is formed.