Patent ID: 9245401
Filing Date: 2016-01-26
CPC Classification: B65H,G07D,G07F

Claim Text:
1. A banknote handling device, comprising: multiple banknote storage compartments in which banknotes are stored; a banknote loading compartment in which stored are banknotes to be loaded into each of the multiple banknote storage compartments; a banknote determination unit which obtains serial numbers from banknotes in conveyance between the multiple banknote storage compartments and the banknote loading compartment; banknote conveyance paths which connect the banknote loading compartment, the banknote determination unit, and the multiple banknote storage compartments; and a control unit for performing banknote loading processing to make the banknote determination unit obtain the serial numbers of the banknotes while loading the banknotes from the banknote loading compartment to each of the multiple banknote storage compartments by controlling the conveyance path to convey the banknotes in a first conveying direction from the banknote loading compartment to each of the multiple banknote storage compartments via the banknote determination unit; wherein: the control unit controls the conveyance path to convey banknotes in a second conveying direction toward the banknote loading compartment from the multiple banknote storage compartments via the banknote determination unit, and performs banknote recovery processing to make the banknote determination unit obtain the serial numbers of the banknotes while recovering the banknotes from each of the multiple banknote storage compartments to the banknote loading compartment; the banknote handling device, further comprising: a reject banknote storage compartment for storing reject banknotes which are banknotes not satisfying a prescribed standard, wherein: the banknote determination unit has a function to detect the reject banknotes in the banknotes in conveyance, the conveyance path has a switching mechanism for switching a conveyance destination of the banknotes being conveyed in the first or second conveying direction to the reject banknote storage compartment, and the control unit, if the reject banknotes are detected by the banknote determination unit, conveys the reject banknotes to the reject banknote storage compartment via the switching mechanism; wherein: the reject banknote storage compartment is arranged next to the banknote loading compartment; the conveyance path includes: a first conveyance path which is formed to have a loop shape and connects the banknote determination unit and the individual inlet ports of the multiple banknote storage compartments, and a second conveyance path which is respectively connected to the first conveyance path, an inlet port of the reject banknote storage compartment, and an inlet port of the banknote loading compartment; the switching mechanism includes: a first gate part which controls conveyance of banknotes between the first conveyance path and the second conveyance path, and a second gate part which switches the banknote conveyance destination to the banknote loading compartment or the reject banknote storage compartment by the second conveyance path; and the control unit: (i) when the banknote loading processing is performed, conveys the banknotes fed from the banknote loading compartment to the second conveyance path to the first conveyance path via the first gate part, to store into each of the multiple banknote storage compartments via the banknote determination unit, passes the reject banknotes detected by the banknote determination unit through the inlet ports of the multiple banknote storage compartments, and returns from the first conveyance path to the second conveyance path via the first gate part to convey to the reject banknote storage compartment via the second gate part, and (ii) when the banknote recovery processing is performed, conveys the banknotes, which were fed from each of the multiple banknote storage compartments to the first conveyance path, to the second conveyance path through the first gate part via the banknote determination unit, and conveys to the banknote loading compartment through the second gate part, and conveys the reject banknotes detected by the banknote determination unit to the second conveyance path through the first gate part, and conveys to the reject banknote storage compartment through the second gate part.