Cash processing apparatus

A cash processing apparatus comprises a housing provided with a depositing and dispensing section; a display section; a coin insertion section at a position at one side of a central part in a width direction of the housing and into which the coin is inserted; a coin placing section in the housing and having a coin placing surface for temporarily placing the coin, connecting to the coin insertion section side by side and extend to an opposite side across the central part in the width direction of the housing from the coin insertion section to form a shape elongated in the width direction; and a settlement module, wherein both a distance between the coin insertion section and one side end of the housing which is closest to the coin insertion section and a distance between the coin placing section and the other side end of the housing which is closest to the coin placing section are smaller than a depth distance of the coin placing section.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from Japanese Patent Application No. 2016-100491, filed May 19, 2016, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD

Embodiments described herein relate generally to a cash processing apparatus.

BACKGROUND

Conventionally, in a POS (Point Of Sales) terminal used in a supermarket and the like, an area is arranged for temporarily holding cash deposited from a customer to confirm the cash before the cash is housed in a drawer. Such an area is called an examination tray or a cash checking tray. By arranging such an area, a store clerk can avoid trouble at the time of receiving and delivering the cash, and can carry out register responsibilities quickly and precisely.

In recent years, in a supermarket and the like, a self-checkout apparatus (self-register) with which a customer can execute a settlement operation by himself or herself independently of the store clerk is used. A coin insertion section capable of receiving a plurality of coins at one time so that the customer can complete an insertion operation of the coins at one time is arranged in the self-register.

Incidentally, among the customers who use the above-mentioned self-register, there exists a customer who inserts requested coins into the coin insertion section after the coins in a purse are temporarily aligned for confirmation in a flat area on the self-register at the time of the settlement.

In such a usage, it is necessary for the customer to pick up the requested coins in hand to insert the coins into the coin insertion section after the coins are aligned for confirmation in the flat area on the self-register. Thus, a flat area as wide as possible is essential while miniaturizing the device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In accordance with an embodiment, a cash processing apparatus used in a settlement processing by a customer comprises a housing provided with a depositing and dispensing section configured to store a coin and dispense the stored coin; a display section configured to display total payment to a customer; a coin insertion section arranged at a position at one side of a central part in a width direction of the housing and into which the coin is inserted; a coin placing section, which is arranged in the housing and have a coin placing surface for temporarily placing the coin, configured to connect to the coin insertion section side by side and extend to an opposite side across the central part in the width direction of the housing from the coin insertion section to be a shape elongated in the width direction; and a settlement module configured to receive the coin inserted into the coin insertion section to execute a processing, wherein both a distance between the coin insertion section and one side end of the housing which is closest to the coin insertion section and a distance between the coin placing section and the other side end of the housing which is closest to the coin placing section are smaller than a length of a depth of the coin placing section.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of a cash processing apparatus is described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the present embodiment, an example of applying a self-checkout apparatus for executing commodity registration and settlement by a customer as a cash processing apparatus is described. In the present embodiment, an example of applying a coin change machine as a coin housing section is described. Furthermore, a deposit processing refers to a processing of depositing a coin in a coin change machine accompanied with the settlement processing. The deposit processing refers to a processing of depositing the coin such as a change reserve fund in the coin change machine. Cash is used as a collective term of the coin and a bill, or in a case of unspecifically indicating either the coin or the bill. In other words, the cash processing apparatus is used to handle the coin and/or the bill.

FIG. 1is a front view illustrating the appearance of the self-checkout apparatus100according to the embodiment. As shown inFIG. 1, the self-checkout apparatus100includes a settlement terminal1, a basket placing shelf2and a bag packing shelf3. The settlement terminal1includes a depositing and dispensing section4, a reading section5, a display operation section6and a controller7(refer toFIG. 6) for controlling each section.

The settlement terminal1includes a first housing11and a second housing12. The first housing11includes a door111that is openable and closable. The door111rotates in a vertical direction around a hinge section111a. The first housing11houses a bill change machine41and a coin change machine42constituting a depositing and dispensing section4(refer toFIG. 2for all) at the inner side thereof. The second housing12houses the controller7at the inner side thereof.

The reading section5includes a scanner50for reading an appearance of a commodity and a symbol (barcode or the like) attached to the commodity to specify the commodity. The reading section5includes a printer51for printing a receipt relating to a commodity sales data processing executed by the controller7. The printer51issues the discharged receipt from a receipt issuing port51b. The issued receipt is supported by a receipt discharge table51afrom the lower side thereof. The receipt discharge table51ais a convex shape protrusion protruding from a front surface11avertically arranged on the first housing11towards a front side in the depth direction. Furthermore, the reading section5includes a card reader52for reading a credit card relating to a settlement processing executed by the controller7. The settlement processing refers to a processing relating to the payment of commodities purchased by a customer.

The display operation section6includes a monitor61and a touch panel62. The monitor61displays an image under the control of the controller7. The touch panel62is provided on a surface of the monitor61, and outputs information based on a position touched by an operator to the controller7.

The basket placing shelf2is an object placing table that is used as a storage place for a basket at the time of taking out the commodity in the basket to hold it over the reading section5. The basket placing shelf2is located at one side of the settlement terminal1.

The bag packing shelf3is a table for packing the commodity after scanning. The bag packing shelf3is arranged at the other side (opposite to the basket placing shelf2) of the settlement terminal1.

Herein,FIG. 2is a perspective view illustrating the appearance of the settlement terminal1with the door111thereof opened. As shown inFIG. 3, the first housing11opens the inside of the first housing11by rotating the door111upwards to expose the bill change machine41and the coin change machine42. The bill change machine41and the coin change machine42are housed in the first housing11in a stacked manner and the bill change machine41is positioned below the coin change machine42.

The bill change machine41determines correctness of the acquired bill to store specie and dispenses the bill as the change. The coin change machine42determines correctness of the acquired coin to store the coin and dispenses the coin as the change. The bill change machine41and the coin change machine42inform the controller7of the amount of the housed money. The bill change machine41and the coin change machine42receive the information of the amount required to be dispensed as the change from the controller7.

The controller7collectively controls each section (the depositing and dispensing section4, the reading section5and the display operation section6) of the settlement terminal1. The controller7acquires code information from the reading section5. The controller7outputs information displayed on a monitor61of the display operation section6and acquires the information of an operation executed by an operator from the touch panel62. Furthermore, the controller7grasps the depositing to the depositing and dispensing section4to issue an instruction of the dispensing to the depositing and dispensing section4.

Herein,FIG. 3is a perspective view illustrating the appearance of the self-checkout apparatus100if viewed from the above. As shown inFIG. 3, the first housing11is provided with a coin placing section70for placing the coin and a coin insertion section421which is a cash insertion port for depositing the cash in the coin change machine42at one end side of an upward flat surface section11b. The coin insertion section421receives the inserted coin. The coin received by the coin insertion section421is housed in the coin change machine42which is the coin storage section.

The first housing11(depositing and dispensing section4) is provided with a dish-shaped coin discharge section422and a rejection dish423, a bill insertion section411and a bill discharge section412which is a discharge section stepwise in order from a rear side at which the coin insertion section421is arranged to a front side. In other words, a surface on which the coin insertion section421is arranged is an upper stage, a surface on which the coin discharge section422and the rejection dish423are provided is a middle stage, and a surface on which the bill insertion section411and the bill discharge section412are provided is a lower stage. By arranging various insertion ports and discharge ports stepwise in this manner, it is possible to overlook all the insertion ports and discharge ports from the rear side to the front side.

The coin discharge section422is a dish for receiving the coin discharged from the coin change machine42. The rejection dish423is a dish for receiving the coin (rejected coin) that should not be stored in the coin change machine42such as a deformed coin, foreign money, counterfeit money and the like.

As shown inFIG. 3, the coin discharge section422is arranged at an end opposite to an end where the coin insertion section421is arranged in a width direction of the settlement terminal1. In this way, the coin insertion section421and the coin discharge section422are arranged to be deviated respectively in a height direction, the width direction and a depth direction, and good visibility and operability for the coin discharge section422can be obtained. Furthermore, the rejection dish423and the coin discharge section422are arranged side by side at a lower position of the coin insertion section421.

The bill insertion section411is an insertion port for receiving the bill deposited in the bill change machine41. The customer inserts the bill into the coin insertion section411in such a manner that the bill drops from the above. The bill insertion section411receives the inserted bill. The bill received by the bill insertion section411is stored in the bill change machine41. The bill discharge section412is a discharge port for supporting the bill discharged from the bill change machine41. The bill which becomes the change is conveyed upwards from the bill change machine41, and the conveyed bill is supported by the bill discharge section412to be stopped on the bill discharge section412. In this way, the bill is dispensed from the bill change machine41. The customer receives the dispensed bill.

In addition, LEDs43˜46for notifying an operation procedure and an error are arranged respectively nearby the coin insertion section421, the coin discharge section422, the rejection dish423, the bill insertion section411and the bill discharge section412. Furthermore, the positions where the LEDs43˜46are arranged are not limited to the vicinities of those sections. The number of the LEDs43˜46and the arrangement thereof are also not specifically limited.

Next, the constitutions of the coin insertion section421and the coin placing section70and the constitutions in the vicinities thereof are described. Herein,FIG. 4is a plan view illustrating the appearance of the vicinity of the coin insertion section421. As shown inFIG. 4, the coin insertion section421has a funnel-shaped inclined surface421athat descends from the outside toward the inside and a hole421bprovided at the lowermost portion of the inclined surface421a. The hole421bis the hole for enabling the coin sliding down from the inclined surface421ato fall into the coin change machine422. The hole421bis a vertically long hole if viewed by the customer standing in front of the settlement terminal1. A dimension in the longitudinal direction of the hole421bis larger than a diameter of a 500-yen coin which is the largest coin, and a dimension in the width direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the hole421bis set such that a plurality of coins can pass through the hole in an overlapped manner. With such a constitution, the coin insertion section421can collectively receive the plurality of coins.

The hole421bhas a shape in which a length in a direction orthogonal to a direction in which the coin slides towards the coin insertion section is longer than a length in a direction in which the coin slides towards the coin insertion section421. Ideally, the hole421bis a long hole with a longitudinal direction thereof formed in a direction orthogonal to the direction in which the coin slides towards the coin insertion section421; however, the longitudinal direction of the hole421bis not necessarily the direction orthogonal to the direction in which the coin slides towards the coin insertion section421.

In addition, the door111of the first housing11includes a coin placing section70arranged at a position connected to the coin insertion section421side by side in the width direction of the settlement terminal1in the flat surface section11b. The coin placing section70is generally called an examination tray or a cash checking tray. The coin placing section70is used for visually confirming the cash which is taken out by the customer from a purse to be used for payment at the time of the settlement processing by the settlement terminal1. The coin placing section70is positioned at a central part of the first housing11. The coin insertion section421is positioned at one side in the width direction of the first housing11with respect to the central part of the first housing11. The coin placing section70is arranged to extend at a side opposite to the coin insertion section421with respect to the central part of the first housing11.

More specifically, the coin placing section70is a concave shape that is recessed slightly downwards from the flat surface section11b, and a coin placing surface71of a planar shape for placing the coin is arranged at the bottom part of the coin placing section70. The coin placing surface71is flat surface for temporarily placing the coin. The coin placing section70includes a guidance wall72for forming three peripheral parts of the coin placing surface71. The guidance wall72descends downwards from the flat surface section11btowards the coin placing surface71. Furthermore, the coin placing surface71is not limited to the planar shape, and may be curved into a concave shape. An edge for surrounding the three peripheral parts of the coin placing surface71protruding upwards is arranged in the flat surface section11b, and may be used as the coin placing section70of the concave shape recessed downwards from an upper end of the edge. In this case, the coin placing surface71may be positioned above the flat surface section11b, in the same plane as the flat surface section11b, or below the flat surface section11b. In this case, the edge may continuously surround the periphery of the coin placing section70. The edge may intermittently surround the periphery of the coin placing section70in such an extent that the coin cannot spill from the coin placing section70. Furthermore, the coin placing surface71is formed at a substantially identical size to the coin placing section70.

Incidentally, there is a case in which the customer wants a mark indicating which position in the coin placing section70the coin in the purse is required to be placed. Thus, in the embodiment, a sheet71amade of plastics and metal is pasted on the coin placing surface71. The surface of the sheet71ais subjected to low friction coating such as fluorine process. Therefore, the coin placed on the sheet71ais easy to slide on the sheet71a.

The sheet71ais pasted to prevent the coin placing section70from being soiled or scratched by the placed cash. On the surface of the sheet71a, an explanation display of a usage mode of the coin placing section70is provided. In an embodiment, as an example of a guide showing that the coin placing section70is an area for placing the coin, a character71bof “coin”, a drawing71cof the coin and a drawing of an arrow71dare displayed on the surface of the sheet71a. In other words, the character71bof “coin” and the drawing71cof the coin indicate that the coin placing section70is an area where the coin is placed. In addition, the drawing of the arrow71dshows the customer an operation of sliding the coin on the sheet71ain a direction of the arrow which is the insertion direction of the cash. In a case in which the sheet71ais pasted on the coin placing surface71, the surface of the sheet71ais the coin placing surface71.

Furthermore, the guide may be directly displayed on the coin placing surface71such as being printed on the coin placing surface71of the coin placing section70. The guide may be displayed on the coin placing surface71so as to project from above onto the coin placing surface71. The coin placing surface71has a color that is largely different from the color of the coin placed on the coin placing surface71, or has a color (for example, gray) with which the coin placed on the coin placing surface71can be clearly recognized. Specifically, the coin placing surface71is formed in a color different from silver color of 1-yen coin, 50-yen coin, 100-yen coin and 500-yen coin, and a copper color of 5-yen coin and 10-yen coin. Therefore, the customer distinguishes the coin placed on the coin placing surface71from the coin placing surface71to recognize it. Therefore, the customer can visually confirm the presence or absence of the coin left behind on the coin placing surface71easily.

It is not necessary to print all the character71b, the drawing71cand the arrow71d, and, for example, in order to show the position where the coin on the coin placing section70is placed, either or both of the character71band the drawing71cmay be printed. Instead of pasting the sheet71aon the coin placing surface71, the character71b, the drawing71cof the coin and the arrow71dmay be directly printed (form a guide section) on the coin placing surface71.

The coin insertion section421includes four inclined surfaces421a. The first inclined surface421ais an inclined surface421a1connected to the coin placing surface71described later. The inclined surface421a1is inclined downwards in a direction in which the coin slides. The second inclined surface421ais an inclined surface421a2provided at the side opposite to the inclined surface421a1. The inclined surface421a2is inclined downwards from the side opposite to the inclined surface421a1(in other words, inclined downwards to the opposite side to the direction in which the coin slides). The third inclined surface and the fourth inclined surface are connected to the first inclined surface421a1and the second inclined surface421a2and inclined downwards in a direction orthogonal to the direction in which the coin slides. The third inclined surface and the fourth inclined surface421aare provided at positions facing each other.

By the first inclined surface421a1, the second inclined surface421a2, the third inclined surface and the fourth inclined surface421a, the coin insertion section421is formed into a square shape. The first inclined surface421a1, the second inclined surface421a2, the third inclined surface and the fourth inclined surface421arespectively form the inclined surfaces descending towards the central part of the coin insertion section421. In other words, the coin insertion section421includes four inclined surfaces inclined downwards towards the central part of the coin insertion section421. The coin insertion section421includes a hole421bat the central part. The hole421bcommunicates with individual inclined surfaces.

A length K of the second inclined surface421a2in the inclined direction is longer than a length J of the first inclined surface421a1in the inclined direction. In other words, the length J of the first inclined surface421a1in the inclined direction is shorter than the length K of the second inclined surface421a2in the inclined direction. In other words, the second inclined surface421a2is formed until a position higher than the first inclined surface421a1. Thus, even if the coin sliding from the coin placing surface71to be conveyed to the coin insertion section421and sliding vigorously down from the first inclined surface421a1jumps over the hole421band is conveyed to the second inclined surface421a2side, there is no possibility that the coin passes over the second inclined surface421a2and jumps out to the outside, and the coin slides down from the second inclined surface421a2towards the hole421b.

The coin sliding on the coin placing surface71is received by the inclined surface421aprovided in the coin insertion section421. Then, the coin that slides down from the inclined surface421afalls into the hole421bto be stored in the coin change machine422.

The coin insertion section421is formed in a color largely different from the colors of the coin placing section70and the first housing11, in a color with which the coin insertion section421is emphasized, or in a color (for example, orange color) with which the coin insertion section421can be clearly recognized. Therefore, the customer can visually confirm the position of the coin insertion section421easily.

The coin placing section70includes a plurality of dirt removal holes70bat the upstream side of the connection section421cof the coin placing face71in a sliding direction of the coin. The dirt removal hole70bremoves dirt and the like adhering to the coin. The dirt removal hole70bis formed by arranging long holes in a zigzag shape in the sliding direction (i.e., the arrow71ddirection) of the coin. Therefore, the coin that slides in the arrow71ddirection is hard to get caught in the long hole. The sheet71ais pasted at a position in front of the dirt removal hole70band is not pasted on a position to hide the dust removal hole70b.

It is desired that the depositing is executed in such a manner that the coin sliding on the sheet71ato be inserted into the coin insertion section421is not caught in the hole421band jam does not occur. Thus, in the embodiment, the hole421bis formed in such a manner that the longitudinal direction of the hole intersects with the sliding direction of the coin (that is, the direction of the arrow) (in the embodiment, the longitudinal direction is orthogonal to the sliding direction of the coin). By forming the hole421bin such a direction, since the dimension of the hole421bin the longitudinal direction is larger than the diameter of the 500-yen coin which is the maximum coin that slides on the sheet71ato be carried by fingers to the coin insertion section421, passes through the connection section421cand slides down from the inclined surface421atowards the hole421b, the coin is not jammed in the vicinity of the hole421b.

Even if the sliding direction of the coin is not a direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the hole421b, as long as it is a direction that intersects with the longitudinal direction at a certain angle, the coin can be deposited without being jammed in the vicinity of the hole421b.

The guidance wall72is provided at the edge except a side connected to the coin insertion section421of the coin placing surface71. The guidance wall72protrudes upwards from the coin placing surface71to support a side of the cash (particularly, the coin) placed on the coin placing surface71. Incidentally, such a guidance wall72is formed as a part of the first housing11.

On the other hand, the coin insertion section421has a connection section421cof a planar shape extending from the inclined surface421aat a position connected to the coin placing surface71. In other words, the coin insertion section421and the coin placing surface71are connected. It is needless to say that the connection section421cis molded according to the shape in a case in which the coin placing surface71is curved into a concave shape. Herein, that the coin insertion section421and the coin placing surface71are connected refers to that the coin insertion section421and the coin placing surface71are connected via a substantially flat surface, for example. In the case where the coin insertion section421and the coin placing surface71are connected by a surface that is slightly uneven, it is considered that the coin insertion section421and the coin placing surface71are connected. Since the coin slidably moves from the coin placing surface71to the coin insertion section421, it is considered that the coin insertion section421and the coin placing surface71are also connected.

The coin placing section70formed in a concave shape in the door111of the first housing11is arranged at a position that does not interfere with the receipt discharge table51aof the printer51in a state in which the door111is rotated upwards and the inside of the first housing11is opened. The depth of the concave part of the coin placing section70is set to a depth (that is, a depth larger than the length of the receipt discharge table51a) that can avoid collision with the receipt discharge table51a.

Next, in order to prevent that the customer forgets to take away the coin which is the change discharged to the coin discharge section422, it is desired that the coin discharge section422is easy to see for the customer. In order to confirm that the customer forgets the coin which is the change, it is desired that an image obtained by photographing the vicinity of the coin discharge section422with a camera (not shown) from above is set as an image used for easily confirming that the user forgets to take away the coin. Therefore, as shown inFIG. 4, in the vicinity of the coin placing section70of the first housing11, a part of the first housing11is set back to make the coin discharge section422easy to see from the camera (not shown) and the customer. Further, an LED47(refer toFIG. 6), which is an irradiation section for emitting light, is provided above the coin discharge section422which is located below the coin placing section70in the first housing11. The LED47irradiates the coin discharge section422by emitting the light at the time the coin which is the change is discharged to the coin discharge section422.

In other words, inFIG. 4, the first housing11includes a front surface11ein front of the coin placing section70along the width direction of the first housing11. The length of the front surface11ein the width direction of the first housing11is substantially equal to the length of the coin placing section70in the width direction of the first housing11. The first housing11has a front surface11fin front of the coin insertion section421along the width direction of the first housing11. The front surface11eis positioned at a rear side in the depth direction of the first housing11with respect to the front surface11f. Further, the front surface11eis located at the rear side in the depth direction of the first housing11with respect to an edge422aof the coin discharge section422at the front side in the depth direction of the first housing11. As a result, the front surface11eis notched with respect to the front surface11f, and in this way, the camera positioned above the self-checkout apparatus100can photograph the whole or at least a part of the coin discharge section422positioned below the coin placing section70. Therefore, by confirming the image captured by the camera at the time the LED47irradiates the coin discharge section422, it is possible to confirm whether or not the customer forgets to take away the coin which is the change.

The settlement terminal1includes a sensor73(refer toFIG. 6) which is a detection section for detecting an object (such as a purse or a coin) placed on the coin placing surface71or around the coin placing surface71. As the sensor73, an optical sensor, a magnetic sensor, an image sensor and the like are exemplified. For example, the optical sensor is arranged in such a manner that the optical axis of the optical sensor faces the coin placing surface71, and if the optical axis is obstructed, it is determined that there is an object on the coin placing surface71. The magnetic sensor is arranged, for example, at a position corresponding to the rear side of the coin placing surface71, and if the metal is detected, it is determined that there is an object on the coin placing surface71. The image sensor is arranged, for example, above the coin placing surface71and determines that there is an object on the coin placing surface71by image recognition.

InFIG. 4, A-G indicate the length of each section of the first housing11. A indicates a distance between an end70aat a side opposite to the connection section421cbetween the coin insertion section421and the coin placing section70in the width direction of the first housing11and a left side end11hof the first housing11. B indicates the length in the width direction of the first housing11of the coin placing section70. C indicates the length of the coin insertion section421in the width direction of the first housing11. D indicates a distance between an end421dat a side opposite to the connection section421cbetween the coin insertion section421and the coin placing section70in the width direction of the housing11and a right side end11g(the other side end) of the first housing11. E indicates the length of the coin placing section70in the depth direction of the first housing11. F indicates the length of the coin insertion section421in the depth direction of the first housing11. G indicates the length in the width direction of the first housing11. H indicates the central part in the width direction of the first housing11. A is the length between the coin placing section70and the side end closest to the coin placing section70of the first housing11. D is the length between the closest side end of the first housing11and the cash insertion port421. Further, the length F of the coin insertion section421in the depth direction of the first housing11is longer than the length E of the coin placing section70in the depth direction of the first housing11.

Herein, the coin placing section70that can easily execute an operation of inserting the coins after aligned into the coin insertion section with respect to the coin change machine so that the customer who uses the self-register inserts the coins into the coin insertion section421after confirming the coins. Thus, in the embodiment, the length (B+C) combining the length (B) of the coin placing section70in the width direction of the first housing11and the length (C) of the coin insertion section421in the width direction of the first housing11is set to 70% or more of the length (G) in the width direction of the first housing11. Both the distance (A) between the end70aat the side opposite to the connection section421cbetween the coin insertion section421and the coin placing section70in a width direction of the first housing11and the left side end11hof the first housing11and the distance (D) between the end421dat a side opposite to the connection section421cbetween the coin insertion section421and the coin placing section70in the width direction of the housing11and the right side end11gof the first housing11are smaller than the length (E) in the depth direction of the coin placing section70.

The coin insertion section421is arranged at the right side (one side) in the width direction of the first housing11with respect to the central part H. The coin insertion section421is connected to the coin placing surface71in the width direction of the first housing11at a position on the right side of the central part H. In other words, the coin insertion section421is connected to the coin placing section70in the width direction of the first housing11at the position on the right side of the central part H. The coin placing section70is formed by extending to a side opposite to the coin insertion section421with respect to the central part H from the connected position. In other words, the coin placing section70is formed at both sides across the central part H in the width direction of the first housing11or is arranged with a size across the central part H. The cash insertion port421is positioned at one side from the central part H in the width direction of the first direction11, and the coin placing section70is positioned at a position including the central part H in the width direction of the first housing11and is provided by extending from the cash insertion port421to the opposite side to the central part H of the first housing11.

In this way, in the embodiment, as it is possible to provide the coin placing section70larger than the first housing11in both the width direction and the depth direction, the coin placing section70enables the coins to be inserted into the connected coin insertion section421after the aligned coins are confirmed. Specifically, in the settlement processing of the settlement terminal1, the customer can take out the cash (coins) used for payment from the purse and confirm the cash by aligning them on the coin placing surface71of the coin placing section70. The customer can slide the aligned coins on the coin placing surface71towards the coin insertion section421in a direction of the arrow71dto insert them into the coin insertion section421to perform the payment. In the embodiment, in this way, as the coin placing section70is larger than the first housing11in both the width direction and the depth direction to some extent, it is easy for the customer to perform the operation of inserting the coins after aligned into the coin insertion section421with respect to the coin change machine. At this time, the guidance wall72of the coin placing section70prevents the coin from falling down from the coin placing surface71by supporting the side part of the coin.

The arrangement relationship of the top and the bottom and the arrangement relationship of the front and back among the receipt issuing port51b, the coin placing section70, the coin discharge section422, the bill insertion section411and the bill discharge section412are described. Since the settlement terminal1is operated by the customer, in order to improve operability thereof, it is necessary for the customer to overlook all of the receipt issuing port51b, the coin placing section70, the coin discharge section422, the bill insertion section411and the bill discharge section412. Therefore, in the embodiment, the arrangement relationship of the top and the bottom and the arrangement relationship of the front and back are as follows.FIG. 5is a schematic view illustrating the first housing11if viewed from the left side inFIG. 3. InFIG. 5, a dotted line is a virtual line showing the constitution of a part that is hidden by the housing and is not actually visible.

The front surface11aof a planar shape on the top of the first housing11is provided with a receipt issuing port51bfor issuing a receipt Ron which contents based on the settlement processing (commodity information, settlement information, etc.) are printed. The receipt R is issued to the right direction inFIG. 5. The receipt discharge table51ais a convex protrusion protruding to the front side (right side inFIG. 5) in the depth direction of the first housing11. The receipt discharge table51asupports the receipt R immediately after issuance from the receipt issuing port51bfrom the lower side to the upper side.

The coin placing section70is formed at the front side in the depth direction of the first housing11with respect to the receipt issuing port51bon the flat surface section11bbelow the receipt issuing port51b. A receiving surface for receiving the receipt R issued from the front surface11alocated at a high position is desired. Therefore, the settlement apparatus1issues the receipt R towards the coin placing surface71. Therefore, a tip part of the receipt R issued by the receipt issuing port51band beyond the receipt discharge table51aeventually abuts against the coin placing surface71of the coin placing section70to receive the receipt R. The coin placing section70is the receiving surface of the receipt R. The coin insertion section421is also formed in the same flat surface section11bas the coin placing section70.

The length L1from the hinge section111ato the receipt issuing port51band the length L2from the hinge section111ato the central part in the depth direction of the first housing11are substantially the same. Therefore, in a case in which the door111is rotated upwards, the receipt discharge table51aand the coin placing section70interfere with each other. Then, the receipt discharge table51afits into the concave part of the coin placing section70and does not collide with each other.

The coin discharge section422is formed at the front side in the depth direction of the first housing11with respect to the coin placing section70in the flat surface section11cbelow the coin placing section70. The bill insertion section411and the bill discharge section412are formed side by side at the front side in the depth direction of the first housing11with respect to the coin discharge section422in the flat surface section11dbelow the coin discharge section422. The bill insertion section411is formed at the front side in the depth direction of the first housing11with respect to the bill discharge section412.

In this way, from the upper side to the lower side of the first housing11, the receipt issuing port51b, the coin placing section70, the coin discharge section422, the bill insertion section411and the bill discharge section412are formed into substantially stepwise shape. Thus, the customer can overlook all of the receipt issuing port51b, the coin placing section70, the coin discharge section422, the bill insertion section411and the bill discharge section412. As the coin is more frequently dispensed to the customer as the change than the bill, the coin discharge section422is positioned above the bill discharge section412. The bill insertion section411at the lowermost part is formed to open upwards. Then, the bill insertion section411receives the bill that the customer inserts downward from above. Therefore, the customer can easily execute the deposit operation. The bill discharge section412is formed to open upwards. Then, the bill discharge section412discharges the bill dispensed from the bill change machine41from the lower side to the upper side. Therefore, the customer can easily receive the dispensed bill. The receipt issuing port51b, the coin placing section70, the coin discharge section422, the bill insertion section411and the bill discharge section412are formed gradually downwards in this order and just formed gradually at the front side in the depth direction in this order and may not necessarily be formed in a stepwise shape.

Next, the hardware structure of the self-checkout apparatus100is described.FIG. 6is a block diagram illustrating the hardware structure of the self-checkout apparatus100.

As shown inFIG. 6, the settlement terminal1includes the controller7, an I/O device controller81, and the communication I/F82. The communication I/F (interface)82is connected to the bag packing shelf3in a communicable manner. The I/O device controller81is connected to the controller7, the bill change machine41, the coin change machine42, the LEDs43-47, the scanner50, the printer51, the card reader52, the monitor61, the touch panel62, and the sensor73.

On the other hand, the bag packing shelf3further includes an I/O device controller31, a communication I/F32, and a weighing device33. The weighing device33measures the weight of the commodity placed on the bag packing shelf3. The communication I/F (interface)32is connected to the settlement terminal1in a communicable manner. In other words, the I/O device controller31connects the weighing device33to the controller7via the communication I/F32and the communication I/F82. The weighing device33measures the weight of the commodity on the bag packing shelf3for a purpose of preventing unauthorized use.

The controller7has a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a ROM (Read Only Memory), and a RAM (Random Access Memory). The ROM stores various computer programs executed by the CPU and various data. The RAM temporarily stores data and the computer program at the time the CPU executes the computer program. The controller7copies or decompresses the computer program read out from the ROM by the CPU on the RAM and executes it, thereby collectively controlling each section.

The computer program executed by the self-checkout apparatus100of the present embodiment is recorded in a computer-readable recording medium such as a CD-ROM, a FD (Flexible Disk), a CD-R, a DVD (Digital Versatile Disk) and the like in the form of installable or executable file to be provided.

Further, the computer program executed by the self-checkout apparatus100of the present embodiment is stored in a computer connected with a network such as the Internet and may be provided by being downloaded via the network. The computer program executed by the self-checkout apparatus100of the present embodiment may be supplied or distributed via the network such as the Internet.

The computer program executed by the self-checkout apparatus100of the present embodiment may be incorporated into a ROM or the like to be provided.

Next, among various processing executed by the controller7of the settlement terminal1of the self-checkout apparatus100, the settlement processing which is the characteristic function of the present embodiment is described. Herein,FIG. 7is a functional block diagram illustrating the functions relating to the settlement processing, andFIG. 8is a flowchart illustrating the flow of the settlement processing.

In the settlement processing, the controller7of the settlement terminal1operates according to the computer program to realize an irradiation module91and a notification module92as the functional sections as shown inFIG. 7.

The irradiation module91enables the LED47to generate light to emit the light in response to the timing of the dispensing of the coin change machine42.

If detecting an object (a purse, a coin and the like) placed on the coin placing surface71or around the coin placing surface71by the sensor73at the end of payment, the notification module92notifies a message indicating an object is detected.

The settlement processing is described with reference to the flowchart shown inFIG. 8. As shown inFIG. 8, first, the controller7of the settlement terminal1executes a commodity registration processing (Act S1).

Herein, the commodity registration processing is described. If the customer holds the image in which a commodity code is encoded over the scanner50, the scanner50reads the code and outputs the commodity code. If the scanner50outputs the commodity code, the controller7refers to a PLU (Price Look Up) file stored in a storage section of the settlement terminal1or an external device that is online connected. The PLU file is used to record a name, a price and the like of the commodity in association with the commodity code in the form of a table, for example.

Next, the controller7obtains information associated with the commodity code read by the scanner50among the information recorded in the PLU file. Then, the information is recorded as commodity information, and a price of the commodity is added to a purchase price. Thus, the commodity registration is carried out.

The controller7of the settlement terminal1performs the settlement processing (Act S3) if the customer finishes commodity registration and bagging (Yes in Act S2). The controller7of the settlement terminal1returns to the commodity registration processing (Act S1) if the customer does not finish the processing such as commodity registration processing (No in Act S2).

The settlement processing is described. The controller7of the settlement terminal1displays the price obtained by totaling the prices of the registered commodities on the monitor61if receiving an operation for proceeding to the settlement from the customer. Along with this, the controller7of the settlement terminal1starts reception of the settlement operation by the customer.

In the cash settlement, the controller7calculates a difference (change) between the payment and the deposited cash if the depositing to the bill insertion section411of the bill change machine41and the coin insertion section421of the coin change machine42is performed. The controller7dispenses a change from the bill discharge section412of the bill change machine41and the coin discharge section422of the coin change machine42if there is the change.

The controller7(irradiation module91) of the settlement terminal1executes irradiation of the LED47in response to the timing of the dispensing to the coin discharge section422of the coin change machine42(Act S4). By executing the irradiation of the LED47in response to the timing of dispensing of the coin change machine42in this manner, it is possible to prevent the customer from forgetting to take away the coin discharged to the coin discharge section422.

The controller7(notification module92) of the settlement terminal1notifies a message indicating the detection of the object (Act S6) if an object (purse, coin, etc.) placed on the coin placing surface71or in the vicinity of the coin placing surface71is detected (Yes in Act S5) at the end of the payment by the customer (an example of the state where the deposit processing is ended). That message is a message indicating that an object is forgotten to be took away. The notification method includes a voice, a screen display, an output of a signal to an attendant terminal (not shown) and the like. Thus, that customer leaves the purse, the coin and the like on the coin placing surface71or in the vicinity of the coin placing surface71. The controller7(notification module92) of the settlement terminal1proceeds to the processing in Act S7as it is if the object (purse, coin, etc.) is not detected (No in Act S5). The state where the deposit processing is finished is not limited to the stage at the end of the payment by the customer but also at the stage where the settlement processing is finished or the state where a human sensor does not detect a person after the payment by the customer is finished.

The controller7of the settlement terminal1terminates one transaction with completion of the settlement (Yes in Act S7) and shifts to a state (Act S1) of waiting for the start of a next transaction.

In this way, according to the settlement apparatus1of the present embodiment, the customer places the coin on the coin placing surface71of the coin placing section70and then slides the requested coin on the coin placing surface71to insert the coin into the coin insertion section421. Therefore, the customer does not need to pick up the requested coins from the coins placed side by side for confirmation on the coin placing surface71and insert them into the coin insertion section421, and it is possible to easily perform the operation of inserting the coins on the coin placing surface71into the coin insertion section421of the coin change machine42.

In the embodiment, both the distance between the coin placing section70and the side end11hof the first housing11closest to the coin placing section70and the distance between the coin insertion section421and the other side end11gof the first housing11closest to the coin insertion section421are smaller than the length E of the depth of the coin placing section70. Therefore, it is possible to secure a wide area of the coin placing section70in the flat surface section11bof the settlement terminal1.

While an embodiment of the present invention has been described, the embodiment has been presented byway of example only, and is not intended to limit the scope of the invention. Indeed, the novel embodiments described herein may be embodied in a variety of other forms; furthermore, various omissions, substitutions and changes in the form of the embodiments described herein may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. The accompanying claims and their equivalents are intended to cover such forms or modifications as would fall within the scope and spirit of the invention.

For example, although the coin placing surface71is described as the flat surface in the embodiment, it is not limited thereto. For example, the coin placing surface71may be a concavo-convex surface that repeats unevenness in a direction orthogonal to the sliding direction of the coin. In this case, since the contact surface between the coin and the coin placing surface71is reduced, the coin slides easily on the coin placing surface71.

In the embodiment, an example of applying the settlement terminal1which is the self-checkout apparatus100for the customer to execute the commodity registration and the settlement by himself/herself is described; however, the present invention is not limited to that. For example, as the cash processing apparatus, a checkout apparatus installed in a semi-self-check-out lane and used for the settlement processing by the customer after the commodity registration by the store clerk may be applied.

In the embodiment, as the cash processing apparatus, a ticket vending machine (ticket issuing machine) for issuing a ticket of a restaurant, a checkout machine in a parking lot or a station, a vending machine or the like can also be applied.

In the embodiment, an example in which the coin change machine42is applied as a cash depositing device and the cash depositing and dispensing device is described. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the bill change machine41may be applied as the cash depositing device and the cash depositing and dispensing device.

In the embodiment, as shown inFIG. 4, the coin placing section70is connected to the left side of the coin insertion section421, but it is not limited to this. For example, if the coin insertion section421is arranged on the left side, the coin placing section70may be connected to the right side of the coin insertion section421.