JP7565044B2 - Coin deposit device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a coin deposit device.

Currently, typical ATMs (Automatic Teller Machines) allow the deposit and withdrawal of small amounts (decimal numbers) of coins. However, some users may wish to deposit larger amounts of coins, and so a coin deposit device is installed next to the ATM to allow for the deposit of larger amounts of coins.

Patent document 1 discloses a coin deposit device that can deposit large amounts of coins.

Patent No. 4732121

However, even in the above-mentioned operation, the amount (number) of coins that can be accepted in one transaction is generally limited, and if coins are inserted that far exceed this limit, there will be a large amount of surplus coins that cannot be accepted.

The present invention aims to provide a coin deposit device that can quickly collect surplus coins even when a large amount of coins is deposited and there are a large number of surplus coins.

A first aspect of the present invention is a coin deposit device having a recognition and counting unit that counts inserted coins and identifies whether they are genuine coins or not , a reject unit that returns coins that are recognized as not genuine based on the recognition result by the recognition and counting unit, a distribution unit that distributes and stores coins that have been counted as genuine coins by the recognition and counting unit to a temporary storage unit or a return unit based on the recognition and counting result by the recognition and counting unit, and distributes coins that have been determined to be surplus coins based on the recognition and counting result by the recognition and counting unit to the return unit, and a deposit control unit that stores coins stored in the temporary storage unit in a safe and stores the surplus coins in the return unit so that they can be returned.

As described above, according to the present invention, even if a large amount of surplus coins are present when a large amount of coins are deposited, the surplus coins can be quickly collected.

1 is an external perspective view of a coin depositing device according to an embodiment of the present invention; 1 is a top view of the inside of a coin depositing device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of the coin depositing device of the present embodiment, viewed from the right. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA of the coin receiving device of the present embodiment shown in FIG. FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram for explaining a configuration for storing coins in the coin deposit device of the present embodiment. 2 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of a control unit of the device main body of the present embodiment. FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the coin deposit device according to the present embodiment. 1A and 1B are explanatory diagrams of the operation of the temporary storage section, temporary storage bottom plate, and chute space frame of the coin deposit device of this embodiment, in which (b) is a view from the front-to-rear direction, and (a) is a view from above (b). FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram for explaining a configuration for storing coins in the coin deposit device of the present embodiment. 1A and 1B are explanatory diagrams of the operation of the temporary storage section, temporary storage bottom plate, and chute space frame of the coin deposit device of this embodiment, in which (b) is a diagram viewed from the front-to-rear direction, and (a) is a diagram viewed from above (b). 1A and 1B are explanatory diagrams of the operation of the temporary storage section, temporary storage bottom plate, and chute space frame of the coin deposit device of this embodiment, in which (b) is a view from the front-to-rear direction, and (a) is a view from above (b). 1A and 1B are explanatory diagrams of the operation of the temporary storage section, temporary storage bottom plate, and chute space frame of the coin deposit device of this embodiment, in which (b) is a view from the front-to-rear direction, and (a) is a view from above (b). 1 is an explanatory diagram for explaining a configuration for storing coins in the coin deposit device of the present embodiment. FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram of a modified example of the shutter of the coin depositing device of the present embodiment. FIG.

The following describes an embodiment of the present invention. The following embodiment is an example of an apparatus and method for embodying the technical idea of the present invention, and the technical idea (structure, arrangement) of the present invention is not limited to the one described below. The technical idea of the present invention can be modified in various ways within the technical scope described in the claims. The drawings are schematic, and the configuration of the apparatus and system may differ from the actual one. Furthermore, descriptions of already known technologies are omitted. Front, back, left, and right refer to the front of the coin deposit device 1 (the front side as seen from the place where the operator operates it), the rear of the coin deposit device 1 (the rear side as seen from the operator), and the left and right of the coin deposit device 1 (the left and right as seen from the operator). Furthermore, up and down refer to the direction perpendicular to the front, back, and left and right directions, and the directions are shown in coordinates in each drawing.

<General Configuration of Coin Deposit Device 1>
Fig. 1 is an external perspective view of a coin deposit device 1 according to this embodiment. Fig. 2 is a view of the inside of the coin deposit device 1 as seen from directly above. Fig. 3 is a configuration diagram of the inside of the coin deposit device 1 as seen from the right. Fig. 4 is a cross section A-A of the coin deposit device of Fig. 1 according to this embodiment. Fig. 5 is a diagram for explaining the configuration for storing coins in the coin deposit device 1. The coin deposit device 1 has a device main body 2 and a cart 3 that is detachable from the device main body 2 (Fig. 1).

Financial institution systems, including ATMs, are operated to allow large amounts of coins to be deposited, but financial institutions set an upper limit on the number of coins that can be deposited (hereinafter referred to as the deposit limit). The deposit limit may be determined for each financial institution or each coin deposit device. Furthermore, it may be determined for each user based on a contract between the financial institution and the user.

The coin deposit device 1 can quickly collect surplus coins even if more coins than the deposit limit (hereinafter referred to as surplus coins) are deposited. In the coin deposit device 1 (Fig. 1), when the number of genuine coins among the coins inserted through the shutter 2a exceeds the deposit limit, the coins up to the deposit limit are stored in the safes 12b and 12c loaded on the trolley 3. The coins stored in the safes 12b and 12c are collected by the financial institution. Furthermore, genuine coins that exceed the deposit limit are stored in the return section 10. The return section 10 can be withdrawn, and the coins stored in the return section 10 are returned to the user. Furthermore, coins that are not genuine coins are stored in the reject box 6. The reject box 6 can be withdrawn, and the coins stored in the reject box 6 that are not genuine coins are returned to the user.

The dolly 3 (Fig. 1) is pulled out to the front side of the device main body 2 by rolling casters 31 provided at the bottom. It can be removed from the device main body 2 for transportation, and can be attached to the device main body 2 by loading it from the front side. Safes 12b and 12c are provided side by side in the front-to-rear direction on the dolly 3.

The configuration of the device main body 2 will be described. The coin counting unit 4 (Figs. 2 and 3) has a hopper 41, a rotating disk 42, a coin separation unit 43, a coin passage 44, and an identification and counting unit 45. The hopper 41 is provided directly below the shutter 2a and stores inserted coins. The rotating disk 42 is a horizontally rotatable disk provided below the hopper 41 so as to form its bottom.

The coin separation unit 43 has an opening through which only one coin can pass, and uses the centrifugal force generated when the rotating disk 42 rotates to feed the coins one by one into the coin passage 44. The coin passage 44 is a passage that horizontally transports the coins fed one by one by the coin separation unit 43, and as is well known, a conveyor belt (not shown) is suspended along the coin passage 44 and is arranged to press the coins into the coin passage 44 from above. The identification and counting unit 45 (Figs. 3 and 5) is provided upstream of the coin passage 44, and identifies the authenticity and denomination of the coins being transported through the coin passage 44, and counts the number of coins.

The reject unit 5 stores coins other than genuine coins (hereinafter referred to as rejected coins) in the reject box 6 based on the counting results of the recognition and counting unit 45. The reject unit 5 has a reject hole 51, a reject member 52 for dropping coins into the reject hole 51, and an upstream coin sensor 53. The coin sensor 53 is used to control the opening and closing timing of the reject member 52. The reject box 6 is a detachable box that stores rejected coins that have been removed from the coin passage 44 by the reject unit 5.

The sorting units 7a, 7b, and 7c (Figs. 3-5) are disposed downstream of the reject unit 5 in the coin passage 44. The sorting units 7a, 7b, and 7c (hereinafter, when there is no need to distinguish between them individually, they will be simply referred to as sorting units 7; the same applies to other cases) have a mechanism for sorting coins that have been identified and counted as genuine coins and acceptable based on the counting results of the identification and counting unit 45 to the temporary storage unit 8b, the temporary storage unit 8c, or the chute space frame 9.

The sorting units 7a, 7b, and 7c each have sorting holes 71a, 71b, and 71c into which the largest coins they handle (500 yen coins in Japan) can fall. The sorting units 7a and 7b are provided with shutters 72a and 72b that can open and close the sorting holes 71a and 71b individually. The sorting unit 7c does not have a shutter. Coin sensors 73a, 73b, and 73c that detect the passage of coins are provided immediately upstream of the sorting units 7a, 7b, and 7c, respectively.

The temporary storage section 8b is a rectangular frame in a plan view and is provided below the sorting section 7b. When the shutter 72b of the sorting section 7b is opened, coins that reach the sorting section 7b fall from the sorting hole 71b into the temporary storage section 8b. When the shutter 72a of the sorting section 7a is closed, coins that reach the sorting section 7b fall from the sorting hole 71b into the temporary storage section 8b. The temporary storage section 8c is a rectangular frame in a plan view and is provided below the sorting section 7c. Since the sorting section 7c does not have a shutter, when the shutter 72a of the sorting section 7a and the shutter 72b of the sorting section 7b are closed, coins that reach the sorting section 7c fall from the sorting hole 71c of the sorting section 7c into the temporary storage section 8c.

The bottom of the temporary storage sections 8b and 8c is composed of a single plate-shaped temporary storage bottom plate 81 (Figures 3 and 4).

The chute space frame 9 is a frame (without a bottom) that is provided below the sorting section 7a. When the shutter 72a of the sorting section 7a is opened, coins that reach the sorting section 7a pass through the sorting hole 71a, the chute space frame 9, and fall into the return section 10 (Figures 3 and 4).

The temporary storage sections 8b, 8c and the chute space frame 9 are supported so as to be able to move horizontally in the left-right direction of the device housing as a unit. The temporary storage bottom plate 81 is also supported so as to be able to move horizontally in the left-right direction independently of the temporary storage sections 8b, 8c. The temporary storage sections 8b, 8c and the temporary storage bottom plate 81 move horizontally to store coins in a specified location, and this operation will be described later.

The return section 10 is a box with an opening at the top, and is configured so that it can be pulled out in the forward direction. The return section 10 is designed so that the pull-out is locked by a locking mechanism (not shown). The return section 10 is located below the temporary storage sections 8b, 8c and the chute space frame 9 when they are provided along the right side of the device housing.

Guide 11 (Fig. 5) is a guide that guides the coins stored in temporary storage sections 8b, 8c and temporary storage bottom plate 81 to be transferred to safes 12b, 12c when they move horizontally to the left as described below. It is also possible to not provide guide 11 and instead increase the height of safes 12b, 12c by the amount of guide 11 so that coins stored in temporary storage sections 8b, 8c can be transferred to safes 12b, 12c.

The safes 12b and 12c are located below the temporary storage sections 8b and 8c when they are provided along the left side of the device housing.

The safes 12b and 12c are placed on a cart 3 that can be attached to and detached from the device housing. They can also be supported by a safe carrier that is supported on a slide rail that can be inserted and removed from the device housing.

The safes 12b and 12c are boxes with openings at the top, and the top openings are provided with shutter members (not shown) that open and close the openings. When the safes 12b and 12c are located inside the device body 2, the shutter members open the top openings to allow coins to be received from above.

Furthermore, when safes 12b and 12c are inside the device body 2, the shutter members of safes 12b and 12c close and lock their upper openings upon receiving a collection command. They can then be pulled out from inside the device housing, and safes 12b and 12c with their upper openings closed by the shutter members can be pulled out of the device housing together with the dolly 3 or from a safe carrier supported by a slide rail.

When safes 12b and 12c are outside the device main body 2, the stored coins can be removed by opening the shutter or opening lid (not shown) with a special key.

The display operation unit 13 (Figure 3) displays information to the user and accepts operation inputs from the user. The control unit 14 controls each unit to execute the deposit process in the coin deposit device 1.

The dolly 3 is pulled out to the front side of the device main body 2 by rolling casters 31 provided at the bottom. It can be removed from the device main body 2 and transported, and can be attached to the device main body 2 by loading it from the front side. Safes 12b and 12c are placed side by side in the front-to-rear direction on the dolly 3.

<Configuration and Function of Control Unit>
6 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of the control unit 14 of the device main body 2. The deposit control unit 141 controls each unit from the input/output control unit 142 to the drive control unit 147 to execute the coin deposit process. The input/output control unit 142 causes the display operation unit 13 to display information supplied from the deposit control unit 141. The input/output control unit 142 also supplies information based on the results of operations on the display operation unit 13 to the deposit control unit 141. The memory unit 143 stores and reads out information in response to storage readout from the deposit control unit 141.

The recognition and counting control unit 144 executes recognition and counting processing via the coin counting unit 4. The reject control unit 145 executes reject processing via the reject unit 5. The sorting control unit 146 executes sorting processing via the sorting unit 7. The drive control unit 147 executes storage processing that controls the horizontal movement of the temporary storage units 8b, 8c, the temporary storage bottom plate 81, and the chute space frame 9, and stores the coins in a predetermined location. The processing of each unit will be described in detail later.

<Operation of the coin deposit device 1>
The coin deposit process of the coin deposit device 1 will be described with reference to Figures 7 to 13. When a user wishes to deposit a large amount of coins from an ATM (high-level machine), the user performs an operation for "depositing a large amount of coins" on the ATM.

When the "large amount of coins deposit" operation is performed on an ATM, it notifies the coin deposit device 1 attached to the ATM that a large amount of coins has been deposited.

When coin deposit processing is started, the chute space frame 9, temporary storage sections 8b, 8c, and temporary storage bottom plate 81 are located on the right side of the device housing (hereinafter, this position is referred to as the standby position) as shown in Figures 4 and 8. Figure 8(b) shows the chute space frame 9, temporary storage sections 8b, 8c, and temporary storage bottom plate 81 as viewed from the front, and Figure 8(a) shows the positions of the chute space frame 9, temporary storage sections 8b, 8c, and temporary storage bottom plate 81 as viewed from directly above, corresponding to the left and right directions of Figure 8(b).

In step S1, when an operation is performed from the input/output control unit 142 indicating that a large amount of coins is to be deposited into the ATM, the deposit control unit 141 controls the drive control unit 147 to open the shutter 2a of the coin deposit device 1 and accept the coins.

When a user inserts a batch of coins into the hopper 41 of the coin counting unit 4 and operates the ATM to start counting, in step S2, the deposit control unit 141 controls the drive control unit 147 to close the shutter 2a of the coin deposit device 1. The deposit control unit 141 then controls the recognition and counting control unit 144 to execute the recognition and counting process. Specifically, the recognition and counting control unit 144 starts each unit of the coin counting unit 4 and the reject unit 5. As a result, the coins on the rotating rotating disk 42 are separated one by one and sent to a conveyor belt (not shown) arranged above the coin passage 44, and the coins are conveyed downstream along the coin passage 44 while being pressed against the surface of the coin passage 44 by the conveyor belt. The recognition and counting unit 45 starts identifying and counting the coins inserted through the shutter 2a.

When a coin that cannot be identified as a genuine coin by the identification and counting unit 45 (a rejected coin) is detected by the coin sensor 53 of the reject unit 5, the reject member 52 opens. As a result, the rejected coin detected by the coin sensor 53 passes through the reject hole 51 and is stored in the reject box 6. Note that even commemorative coins that are not subject to handling and genuine foreign coins are stored in the reject box 6 as counterfeit coins. When a counterfeit coin or the like is rejected and stored in the reject box 6, a message to that effect is displayed on the ATM and an LED (not shown) on the front of the device body 2 of the coin deposit device 1 lights up or flashes, allowing the user to reliably collect the rejected coins, etc.

In step S3, the deposit control unit 141 starts the process of storing the coins identified as genuine coins in the temporary storage units 8b and 8c (FIG. 9). Here, storage in the temporary storage unit 8c starts first. Specifically, the shutter 72a of the sorting unit 7a and the shutter 72b of the sorting unit 7b are closed. As a result, the coins are sent to the sorting unit 7c through the coin passage 44, and fall from the sorting hole 71c into the temporary storage unit 8c, where they are stored. When the number of coins stored in the temporary storage unit 8c reaches a certain level or more, storage is switched to the temporary storage unit 8b. Specifically, the shutter 72a of the sorting unit 7a remains closed, and the shutter 72b of the sorting unit 7b is opened. As a result, the coins sent to the sorting unit 7b through the coin passage 44 fall from the sorting hole 71b into the temporary storage unit 8b, where they are stored.

In step S4, the recognition and counting control unit 144 determines whether the number of coins recognized as genuine coins (the number of coins stored in the temporary storage unit 8) has reached the deposit limit, and if it determines that the number of coins recognized as genuine coins has not reached the deposit limit, proceeds to step S5. Information indicating the deposit limit is stored in the memory unit 143, and the recognition and counting control unit 144 acquires the information via the deposit control unit 141 at a predetermined timing.

In step S5, the recognition and counting control unit 144 determines whether or not counting of the inserted coins has been completed. After there are no more coins on the rotating disk 42 of the coin counting unit 4 and no more coins are being guided to the coin passage 44 for transport, it is determined that counting of the inserted coins has been completed on the condition that coin counting in the recognition and counting unit 45 has not been performed continuously for a certain period of time. If it is determined in step S5 that counting of the inserted coins has not been completed, the recognition and counting control unit 144 returns to the processing of step 4.

If it is determined in step S5 that counting of the inserted coins has been completed, then in step S6, the recognition and counting control unit 144 stops the recognition and counting process. The recognition and counting control unit 144 also supplies the amount or number of coins by denomination stored in the temporary storage units 8b and 8c to the deposit control unit 141. The deposit control unit 141 controls the input/output control unit 142 to display the information supplied from the recognition and counting control unit 144 on the display unit of the ATM, and determines whether the displayed deposit amount, etc. has been approved.

If it is determined in step S6 that the deposit amount and other information displayed on the ATM display has been approved, in step S7, the deposit control unit 141 controls the drive control unit 147 to execute a process of storing the coins stored in the temporary storage units 8b and 8c in the safes 12b and 12c. Specifically, the drive control unit 147 first moves the temporary storage units 8b and 8c and the temporary storage bottom plate 81 together from the right side of the device body 2 (FIG. 8) to the left side (FIG. 10), and then moves only the temporary storage bottom plate 81 to the right side of the device body 2 (FIG. 11). As a result, the bottoms of the temporary storage units 8b and 8c fall out, and the coins stored in the temporary storage units 8b and 8c are guided by the guide 11 and stored in the safes 12b and 12c directly below through the open upper openings.

If the deposit is approved, the deposit result can be output, such as by printing a receipt. The procedure for storing coins stored in temporary storage units 8b, 8c in safes 12b, 12c is not limited to this, and coins can be stored in safes 12b, 12c located on the left side of device body 2 by moving only temporary storage units 8b, 8c to the left side of device body 2 while temporary storage units 8b, 8c and temporary storage bottom plate 81 are located on the right side of device body 2.

In addition, the temporary storage sections 8b, 8c and the temporary storage bottom plate 81 can be moved from the right side of the device body 2 to the left side while being kept together, stopped at a position halfway between the right side and the left side, and then the temporary storage sections 8b, 8c can be moved to the left side of the device body 2 while only the temporary storage bottom plate 81 is moved back to the right side of the device body 2, thereby storing the coins stored in the temporary storage sections 8b, 8c in the safes 12b, 12c directly below.

Next, in step S8, the deposit control unit 141 controls the drive control unit 147 to return the temporary storage units 8b and 8c and the temporary storage bottom plate 81 to their standby positions on the right side of the device main body 2 (Figure 8), and the coin deposit process is completed.

If it is determined in step S6 that the deposit amount and other information displayed on the ATM display unit has not been approved, then in step S9, the deposit control unit 141 controls the drive control unit 147 to execute a process to store the coins stored in the temporary storage units 8b and 8c in the return unit 10. Specifically, the drive control unit 147 moves only the temporary storage bottom plate 81 to the left side of the device housing (Figure 12). As a result, the coins stored in the temporary storage units 8b and 8c drop into the return unit 10 and are stored there.

In step S10, the deposit control unit 141 controls the drive control unit 147 to unlock the return unit 10, and controls the input/output control unit 142 to display a message encouraging the user to withdraw the coins from the return unit 10. At this time, a lamp such as an LED may be provided near the withdrawal unit of the return unit 10, and may light up or flash to encourage withdrawal. The user can cancel the deposit and retrieve the inserted coins.

Next, in step S11, the deposit control unit 141 controls the drive control unit 147 to return the temporary storage units 8b and 8c and the temporary storage bottom plate 81 to their standby positions on the right side of the device main body 2 (Figure 8), and locks the return unit 10. The coin deposit process then ends.

If it is determined in step S4 that the number of coins recognized as genuine coins (the number of coins stored in the temporary storage unit 8) has reached the deposit limit, in step S12, the deposit control unit 141 executes a process of storing the surplus coins in the return unit 10. Specifically, the deposit control unit 141 controls the identification and counting control unit 144 to stop the identification and counting process. In this example, storage in the temporary storage unit 8c is started first, and when the number of coins stored in the temporary storage unit 8c reaches a certain level or more, storage is switched to storage in the temporary storage unit 8b, so that the coins immediately before the number of coins recognized as genuine coins reaches the deposit limit are stored in the temporary storage unit 8b. After the identification and counting process is stopped, all genuine coins in the middle of transportation are temporarily stored in the temporary storage unit 8b. Next, the deposit control unit 141 controls the drive control unit 147 to open the shutter 72a of the sorting unit 7a. Thereafter, the deposit control unit 141 controls the recognition and counting control unit 144 to resume the recognition and counting process. As a result, the coins (surplus coins) that have passed through the coin passage 44 are sent to the chute space frame 9 (FIG. 13). In the standby state, the return unit 10 is located directly below the chute space frame 9, and since the bottom of the chute space frame 9 is open, the surplus coins sent to the chute space frame 9 drop into the return unit 10 and are stored.

In step S13, the recognition and counting control unit 144 determines whether or not counting of the inserted coins has been completed, as in step S5, and repeats this process until it determines that counting of the inserted coins has been completed.

If it is determined in step S13 that counting of the inserted coins has been completed, then in step S14, the recognition and counting control unit 144 stops the recognition and counting process. The recognition and counting control unit 144 also supplies the deposit control unit 141 with information on the amount or number of coins by denomination stored in the temporary storage units 8b and 8c, and the amount or number of coins by denomination stored in the return unit 10. The deposit control unit 141 controls the input/output control unit 142 to display the information supplied from the recognition and counting control unit 144 on the display unit of the ATM, and determines whether the displayed deposit amount, etc. has been approved.

If it is determined in step S14 that the deposit amount etc. displayed on the ATM display has been approved, in step S15, the deposit control unit 141 controls the drive control unit 147 to execute the process of storing the coins stored in the temporary storage units 8b and 8c in the safes 12b and 12c, as in step S7.

In step S16, the deposit control unit 141 controls the drive control unit 147 to unlock the return unit 10, and controls the input/output control unit 142 to display a message indicating that there are surplus coins and a message prompting the user to withdraw coins from the return unit 10.

Next, in step S17, the deposit control unit 141 controls the drive control unit 147 in the same manner as in step 11 to return the temporary storage units 8b and 8c and the temporary storage bottom plate 81 to their standby positions on the right side of the device main body 2 (Figure 8), and locks the return unit 10. The coin deposit process then ends.

In step S14, if the deposit amount displayed on the display unit of the ATM is not approved, the process proceeds to step S9, and the subsequent processes are executed. That is, if the deposit is canceled, the coins stored in the temporary storage units 8b and 8c are also stored in the return unit 10 and returned together with the surplus coins. Note that here, if the number of coins inserted exceeds the deposit limit and a return is requested, the coins stored in the temporary storage unit 8 are also stored in the return unit 10 and returned. That is, all inserted coins are stored in the return unit 10 and returned. On the other hand, it is also possible to first return the surplus coins in the return unit 10, where only the surplus coins are stored, and then the user can collect the surplus coins stored in the return unit 10, and when the user returns the return unit 10, the coins stored in the temporary storage unit 8 are stored in the return unit 10 and returned. If a large number of coins are inserted, returning them in two installments in this way makes it easier for the user to handle them.

The coin deposit process is carried out as described above.

As mentioned above, in financial institution systems including ATMs, the deposit limit may be determined by the coin deposit device 1, but the deposit limit in the coin deposit device 1 may be determined by the storage limit based on the size of the temporary storage unit 8. If the storage limit in each of the temporary storage units 8b and 8c is, for example, 700 coins each, then the deposit limit in the coin deposit device 1 will be a total of 1,400 coins.

To allow for some leeway, the storage limit value of each temporary storage unit 8 can be set to 600 sheets and the deposit limit to 1200 sheets, or the storage limit value of each temporary storage unit 8 can be set to 500 sheets and the deposit limit to 1000 sheets. The storage limit value of temporary storage unit 8c can be set to 700 sheets, the storage limit value of temporary storage unit 8b can be set to 300 sheets and the deposit limit to 1000 sheets, and the storage limit values of temporary storage units 8 can be switched for each process. That is, in the storage process to temporary storage unit 8 executed in step S3, the switching of the storage destination from temporary storage unit 8c to temporary storage unit 8b is performed based on the storage limit value. The storage limit value of temporary storage unit 8 is stored in the memory unit 143, and the deposit control unit 141 reads the storage limit value of temporary storage unit 8 from the memory unit 143 prior to the process of step S3.

Furthermore, the storage limit value of each temporary storage unit 8 can be changed each time based on the number of coins already stored in safes 12b and 12c. In other words, the storage limit amount of safes 12b and 12c is determined by the size of the safe itself, so the number of coins is automatically determined and stored in memory unit 143. As a result, each time coins are stored in safes 12b and 12c, the remaining capacity that can be stored in safes 12b and 12c (= storage limit amount - number of coins stored) decreases each time. This remaining capacity initially exceeds the storage limit value of each temporary storage unit 8, but by repeating the storage process, the remaining capacity may become equal to or smaller than the storage limit value of each temporary storage unit 8. In such a case, the storage limit value of each temporary storage unit 8 may be changed as appropriate within a range that does not exceed the remaining capacity that can be stored in safes 12b and 12c.

In the above-described embodiment, the configuration includes a coin counting unit 4 that counts inserted coins, a sorting unit 7 that sorts and stores the coins counted by the coin counting unit 4 to the temporary storage unit 8 or the return unit 10 based on the counting result by the coin counting unit 4, and the sorting unit 7 that sorts the coins determined to be surplus coins based on the counting result by the coin counting unit 4 to the return unit 10, and a control unit 141 that stores the coins stored in the temporary storage unit 8 in the safe 12 (step S3 or step S15), stores the surplus coins in the return unit 10 (step S12), and makes them returnable (step S16). With this configuration, even if coins exceeding the deposit limit are inserted, the coins that do not exceed the deposit limit can be stored in the safe 12 (while completing the transaction), and the surplus coins can be stored separately from the coins in the return unit 10 and returned to the user.

The coin counting unit 4 counts the coins inserted and identifies whether they are genuine or not, and further includes a rejection unit 5 that returns coins that are identified as not genuine by the coin counting unit 4. With this configuration, coins that are identified as not genuine can be returned to the user as counterfeit coins, separated from surplus coins.

The control unit 14 is configured to present information about the surplus coins stored in the return unit 10 (step S14), for example by presenting the number of surplus coins by denomination and value or the total number and value, so that the user can refer to that information to decide whether to deposit more coins or take them home.

As described above, the surplus coins are also counted, and the number or denomination amount information is displayed on the display unit and/or output to a receipt (step S14), so the user can know what amount of coins was deposited, as well as the number and amount of each denomination of the surplus coins, and can carefully examine the surplus coins that he or she has taken home.

<Modifications: Mechanical>
In the embodiment (FIG. 2), when viewed from the front of the device main body 2 of the coin deposit device 1, a hopper 41 and a rotating disk 42 are provided near the center at the rear of the coin deposit device 1. After proceeding from the rotating disk 42 to a coin passage 44 on the front side of the coin deposit device 1, a recognition and counting unit 45 is provided midway along the coin passage 44 along the front side of the coin deposit device 1, and a reject unit 5 is provided further downstream. Then, on the right side of the front side of the device main body 2, the coin passage 44 heads toward the rear of the device main body 2, and sorting units 7a, 7b, and 7c are provided in this order in the coin passage 44 toward the rear of the device main body 2. Thus, the sorting units 7b and 7c sort and temporarily store coins to be accepted at the rear of the device main body 2, while the sorting unit 7a sorts surplus coins in front of the device main body 2 and stores them in the return unit 10, but it is not necessary to remain in such an arrangement.

Coins to be accepted in the sorting units 7a and 7b may be temporarily stored in the temporary storage units 8a (and a temporary storage bottom plate (not shown) for making the temporary storage unit 8a) and 8b directly below, respectively, and surplus coins in the sorting unit 7c may be stored in the return unit 10 (there is no temporary storage bottom plate 81 that can constitute the temporary storage unit 8c). In this case, the safe 12 for storing the temporarily stored coins is provided with safes 12a and 12b corresponding to the temporary storage units 8a and 8b. Similarly, coins to be accepted in the sorting units 7a and 7c may be temporarily stored in the temporary storage units 8a and 8c directly below, respectively, and surplus coins in the sorting unit 7b may be stored in the return unit 10. In this case, the safe 12 for storing the temporarily stored coins is provided with safes 12a and 12c corresponding to the temporary storage units 8a and 8c.

In other words, any structure is acceptable as long as it can temporarily store coins that should be accepted and can store surplus coins, which are not rejected coins, in the return section 10. It is acceptable as long as it can temporarily store coins that should be accepted and then, if approved, can store them in two of the safes 12a, 12b, and 12c, and the surplus coins can be returned to the user by pulling out the return section 10.

In addition, the coin passage 44 of the coin counting unit 4 is arranged to bypass the front side of the device main body 2, but it may be arranged to bypass the rear side of the device main body 2.

In addition, without providing the chute space frame 9, as shown in FIG. 14, temporary storage sections 8a, 8b, and 8c and temporary storage bottom plates 81a, 81b, and 81c that can open and close the bottoms of the temporary storage sections 8a, 8b, and 8c individually can be provided directly below the sorting holes 71a, 71b, and 71c of all sorting sections 7a, 7b, and 7c. Furthermore, when the temporary storage sections 8a, 8b, and 8c move to the left side, the same number of safes 12a, 12b, and 12c may be provided for storing coins temporarily stored in the temporary storage sections 8a, 8b, and 8c.

By configuring in this manner, in one transaction, the temporary storage bottom plate 81a of the temporary storage section 8a can be moved to the left side to enter an open state, and surplus coins can be stored in the return section 10. In another transaction, the temporary storage bottom plate 81b of the temporary storage section 8b can be moved to the left side to enter an open state, and surplus coins can be stored in the return section 10. In yet another transaction, the temporary storage bottom plate 81c of the temporary storage section 8c can be moved to the left side to enter an open state, and surplus coins can be stored in the return section 10. In other words, by increasing the number of safes 12, the overall transaction volume can be increased.

As described in the embodiment, there may be at least two sorting mechanisms provided in the coin passage 44 after the counterfeit coin rejection section.

According to the embodiment, the return section 10 that stores surplus coins has a length corresponding to the arrangement length of the chute space frame 9 and the temporary storage sections 8b and 8c, as there is a possibility that the coins in the temporary storage section 8 may be returned. Although it is necessary to accept all coins from the chute space frame 9 and the temporary storage sections 8b and 8c at once, in a situation where only surplus coins are stored, there is a possibility that the stored coins will be concentrated in the lower position of the chute space frame 9.

To prevent this, one or more bounce members may be provided in the chute space frame 9 at a position close to the return section 10, or in the upper part of the return section 10 directly below the chute space frame 9, so that the coins falling in the chute space frame 9 collide with them and bounce them back in the length direction of the return section 10 and the front-to-rear direction of the device housing. That is, a bounce member is provided in the chute space frame 9 at a position close to the return section 10, or in the upper part of the return section 10 directly below the chute space frame 9, to bounce the coins back across the width of the return section 10 and the left-to-right direction of the device housing. It is also possible to arrange a plate material inclined at an angle of about 45 degrees across the coins so that the falling coins collide with them from above and bounce them back in the front-to-rear direction of the return section 10. In this way, when the falling coins hit this plate material, they are bounced back in either the front or back direction of the return section 10, and it is expected that they will not remain in the area directly below the chute space frame 9 but will be stored in a spread manner.

<Modification: Control System>
In the above embodiment, the coins inserted into the coin deposit device 1 are accepted within one transaction only if the number of coins is within the acceptable limit, and the transaction is terminated. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and continuous transactions may be possible, and the coin deposit device 1 may proceed with a large amount of coin deposit processing for returned surplus coins within the same transaction, or with the same transaction as a related transaction.

In this case, the number of surplus coins by denomination, the total number, their value, and the total value can be output during the initial coin deposit process by the coin deposit device 1, so that it is useful to select successive transactions or to select successive processing as separate transactions based on this.

In the above embodiment, the deposit limit may be a predetermined amount stored for each store in which the financial institution in which the ATM and coin deposit device 1 are installed is located, or for each user who plans to deposit a large amount of coins.

In the above embodiment, the authenticity and denomination of the transported coins are counted when counting surplus coins, just as when counting the coins deposited at the beginning of the transaction. However, since surplus coins are not necessarily deposited and stored immediately, it is also possible to calculate the denomination and number of coins without performing some of the counting functions.

In addition, when surplus coins are counted without performing some of the counting functions, the counting result can be displayed or printed to indicate that the counting was performed without performing some of the counting functions. For example, the displayed or printed result can be a simplified counting result, and not necessarily an official (as opposed to simplified) counting result. For example, it is desirable to add a statement that this is reference counting information.

In the example shown in FIG. 14, the chute space frame 9 is not provided, and temporary storage sections 8a, 8b, and 8c and temporary storage bottom plates 81a, 81, and 81c that can open and close the bottoms of each temporary storage section 8a, 8b, and 8c are provided directly below the sorting holes of all sorting sections 7a, 7b, and 7c. In this case, the same number of safes 12a, 12b, and 12c are provided for storing coins temporarily stored in the temporary storage sections 8a, 8b, and 8c when the temporary storage sections 8a, 8b, and 8c move to the left side. This allows not only transactions with the possibility of returning surplus coins, but also control or modes that allow temporary storage and storage or return in all temporary storage sections 8a, 8b, and 8c, or control according to the user, on the premise that the insertion of coins using all temporary storage sections 8a, 8b, and 8c is strictly observed to be less than the temporary storage storage limit.

That is, in the above configuration, when the machine has the temporary storage units 8a, 8b, and 8c and the temporary vault bottom plates 81a, 81b, and 81c that can be driven independently, the temporary storage units 8a, 8b, and 8c are not initially determined as the destination for surplus coin selection. When all inserted coins are guided and stored in the temporary storage units 8a, 8b, and 8c, and all inserted coins are successfully stored in any of the temporary storage units 8a, 8b, and 8c, storage in these safes 12a, 12b, and 12c is permitted. On the other hand, when all inserted coins cannot be guided and stored in the temporary storage units 8a, 8b, and 8c, and all temporary storage units 8a, 8b, and 8c become full during the operation of counting the inserted coins, the operation of counting the inserted coins is temporarily stopped. The temporarily stored coins in any of the temporary storage sections 8a, 8b, and 8c are determined to be surplus coins, and the temporary storage bottom plates 81a, 81b, and 81c of the temporary storage determined to be surplus coins are moved to the left side of the housing device. The coins temporarily stored in the temporary storage are dropped and stored in the return section, and then the temporary storage with the temporary storage bottom plates 81a, 81b, and 81c opened is treated as a chute space, and the counting of inserted coins is resumed, and all remaining inserted coins are dropped and stored in the return section via the temporary storage with the temporary storage bottom plates 81a, 81b, and 81c opened.

In this case, the temporary storage section 8a, 8b, or 8c into which the surplus coins will be stored is automatically selected based on predefined conditions, or the count information of the coins temporarily stored in each temporary storage section 8a, 8b, or 8c, i.e., the number of coins by denomination and the amount or the total amount information, can be displayed on a display unit or the like to allow the user to select.

In addition, in all the embodiments described above, there has been only one chute space frame 9 or temporary storage section 8 to which surplus coins are guided, but this is not limited to this. For a number M equal to the number of chute space frames 9 or temporary storage sections 8, i.e. the number of sorting sections 7, multiple N may be used as destinations for surplus coins, and M-N may be capable of storing in the safe. And, as is clear from the above explanation, in this case, it is possible to provide M safes.

This allows, for example, one temporary storage unit 8 to temporarily store up to 700 coins for deposit, and two temporary storage units 8 to store up to 700 x 2 = 1,400 surplus coins. In addition, by sending the surplus coins to the return unit 10 first, and using two temporary storage units 8 as chute space frames 9, it becomes possible to recover even more surplus coins, and various other controls become possible.

Furthermore, the coin insertion section, which is generally a hopper-like structure, may be provided with a sensor that is activated by the amount of coins so that the approximate amount of coins can be detected in advance, allowing the number of temporary storage sections 8 and the number of chute space frames 9 for surplus coins to be automatically controlled.

For example, if the sensor of the hopper 41 estimates that the number of inserted coins is, for example, between 1000 and 1500 (e.g., 1300 coins) and the storage limit is 500 coins, and the storage limit of the temporary storage unit 8 is 700 coins, one of the temporary storage units 8a, 8b, and 8c is set as the temporary storage unit 8 (e.g., temporary storage unit c). If the other two are set as the temporary storage unit 8 or chute space frame 9 for surplus coins, when 500 coins are stored in the temporary storage unit 8c, the remaining 800 coins are divided into temporary storage units 8a and 8b and stored in the return unit 10 directly below as temporary storage or chute space frame 9.

Even if the surplus coins are temporarily stored in temporary storage sections 8a and 8b, they are divided into groups of 500 and 300, or 700 and 100, for example, so collection time and collection work can be done more easily and in a shorter time than in a system where the surplus coins are distributed to one fixed location.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 Coin deposit device 2 Device body 3 Cart 4 Coin counting section 5 Reject section 6 Reject box 7 Sorting section 8 Temporary storage section 9 Chute space frame 10 Return section 11 Guide 12 Safe 14 Control section

Claims (3)

a recognition and counting unit that counts inserted coins and identifies whether they are genuine coins ;
a reject unit that returns coins that are identified as not being genuine based on the recognition result by the recognition and counting unit;
a sorting unit that sorts and stores the coins that have been counted as genuine coins by the recognition and counting unit based on the recognition and counting result by the recognition and counting unit, and sorts coins that have been determined to be surplus coins based on the recognition and counting result by the recognition and counting unit into the return unit;
a deposit control unit that stores the coins stored in the temporary storage unit in a safe and stores the surplus coins in the return unit so that they can be returned. The coin depositing device according to claim 1 , wherein the deposit control unit presents information about surplus coins stored in the return unit. The deposit control unit outputs the number of surplus coins or denomination and amount information to a display unit so that the number of surplus coins or denomination and amount information can be displayed and/or a receipt can be printed.
3. The coin receiving device according to claim 1 or 2.

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