Patent Publication Number: US-2010126915-A1

Title: Banknote handling apparatus

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates to a banknote handling apparatus and, more particularly, to a banknote handling apparatus for performing, in a combination, a bundling process of bundling a predetermined number of banknotes and a batch process of sorting banknotes by kinds of the banknotes. 
     BACKGROUND ART 
     In financial institutions and retail shops, a banknote handling apparatus for processing collected banknotes is used. When banknotes of a plurality of denominations including new and old notes are put in an inlet, a conventional banknote handling apparatus recognizes and sorts the banknotes by denominations or new/old. 
     On the other hand, a banknote handling apparatus disclosed in patent document 1 provides a batch mode (a mode of sorting banknotes of a plurality of denominations by kinds of the banknotes to be removed as a batch for predetermined number) and a bundling mode (a mode of sorting banknotes of a plurality of denominations by kinds of the banknotes of a predetermined number and bundling the banknotes). In the bundling mode, a banknote which is not to be bundled is transported to an external stacking unit. On the other hand, in the batch mode, banknotes are transported depending on fit/unfit and/or new/old. 
     However, in those banknote handling apparatuses, the batch mode and the bundling mode cannot be implemented simultaneously. Therefore, in the case of processing banknotes and bundling banknotes to be bundled (for example, re-using new notes as changes, and bundling old notes to bring the bundled old notes to a financial institution), at first, the batch mode is set and a batch process is implemented. After that, the setting has to be changed to the bundling mode and, then the bundling process has to be implemented.
     [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2006-107061   

     DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION 
     Problems to be Solved by the Invention 
     An object of the present invention is to improve handling efficiency in a banknote handling apparatus in the case of sorting banknotes put in an inlet by kinds of the banknotes and bundling the banknotes of a predetermined number of banknotes, and to reduce work load of operator(s). 
     Means for Solving the Problem 
     According to the present invention, there is provided a banknote handling apparatus comprising: 
     a receiving unit for receiving banknotes; 
     a recognition unit for recognizing kinds of the banknotes received by the receiving unit; 
     a first stacking unit for stacking the banknotes of a predetermined number to be bundled; 
     a second stacking unit for stacking banknotes of a predetermined number to be removed as a batch and the banknotes can be removed from outside; 
     a reject stacking unit for stacking rejected banknotes; 
     a transport unit for transporting banknotes received by the receiving unit to one of the first stacking unit, the second stacking unit, and the reject stacking unit in response to the recognition result of the recognition unit; 
     a bundling unit for bundling a predetermined number of banknotes stacked in the first stacking unit; 
     a setting unit for setting kinds of the banknotes to be bundled or kinds of banknotes to be removed as a batch; and 
     a controller configured to perform a transport control in which the transport unit is controlled to transport the banknotes received by the receiving unit to a predetermined destination of transport based on the setting of the setting unit, a bundling control in which the bundling unit is controlled to bundle the banknotes when a predetermined number of banknotes are stacked in the first stacking unit, and a batch control in which temporarily stopping or switching destination of transport is implemented when a predetermined number of banknotes to be removed as a batch are stacked in the second stacking unit. 
     Effect of the Invention 
     According to the present invention, handling efficiency of a banknote handling apparatus in the case of sorting banknotes put in an inlet by kinds of the banknotes and bundling the banknotes every predetermined number of banknotes can be improved. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a vertical cross section schematically showing an internal configuration of a banknote handling apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  shows an example of a mode setting screen displayed on an operation/display unit  11 . 
         FIG. 3  is a block diagram schematically showing an internal configuration of a controller  400  in the banknote handling apparatus  10  according to the embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  is a flowchart showing a procedure of a control unit  401  in a banknotes stacking process in the embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 5  is a flowchart showing a procedure of the control unit  401  in a transport control process in the embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 6  is a flowchart showing a procedure of the control unit  401  in a bundling control process in the embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 7  is a flowchart showing a procedure of the control unit  401  in a batch control process of a first embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIGS. 8(   a ) to ( c ) are examples of setting data of the first embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 9  is a flowchart showing a procedure of the control unit  401  in a batch control process of a second embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIGS. 10(   a ) to ( c ) are examples of setting data of the second embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS 
       10  banknote handling apparatus 
       11  operation/display unit 
       100  sorting and stacking unit 
       101  inlet 
       105  recognition unit 
       106  reject stacking unit 
       107  face/back inverting unit 
       111 - 115  first stacking units 
       121 , 122  second stacking units 
       130  odd banknote returning unit 
       131  tray 
       132  butt member 
       133  shutter 
       200  banknote bundling unit 
       202  rotating mechanism 
       209  bundled-banknotes ejection port 
       300  transport unit 
       301  guide shaft 
       302  belt 
       310  elevating unit 
       311 , 316  belts 
       312  block 
       313 , 314  hands 
       315  shaft 
       400  controller 
     BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION 
       FIG. 1  is a vertical cross section schematically showing an internal configuration of a banknote handling apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
     A banknote handling apparatus  10  has an operation/display unit  11  in a top part and is constructed mainly by a sorting and stacking unit  100  in an upper part of the front side, a banknote bundling unit  200  in a lower part of the front side, a transport unit  300  in the rear side, and a controller  400  in a lower part of the banknote bundling unit  200 . 
     (Sorting and Stacking Unit  100 ) 
     The sorting and stacking unit  100  is a part for sorting and stacking banknotes. On an almost center part of the front panel, an inlet  101  for receiving banknotes to be handled is provided. The banknotes to be handled, the banknotes being put in the inlet  101 , are fed by feed rollers  102  and  103  and transported along a transport path  104 . 
     A recognition unit  105  is provided in some midpoints of the transport path  104 . The banknotes transported along the transport path  104  pass through the recognition unit  105  where the kinds of the banknote (denomination, fit/unfit, genuine/counterfeit, face/back, and new/old) are recognized. 
     The transport path  104  is branched after the recognition unit  105 . According to a recognition result (fit/unfit or genuine/counterfeit) by the recognition unit  105 , old banknotes, unfit notes, counterfeit notes, and the like are stacked in a reject stacking unit  106  as rejected notes, and some of fit and genuine notes are inverted by a face/back inverting unit  107  so that the face/back sides of all of the banknotes become the same. Further, in response to the recognition result (denomination), banknotes to be bundled are stacked in any of first stacking units  111  to  115  for storage. In second stacking units  121  and  122 , banknotes to be removed as a batch are stacked. Banknotes to be removed as a batch denote banknotes satisfying predetermined conditions and sorted for predetermined number of banknotes, which can be taken out from the outside. The predetermined number is usually 100 and may be fixedly preset or may be set to an arbitrary value (for example, an arbitrary value of 200, 50, 25, or the like) by the operator. 
     The first stacking units  111  to  115  have stages  111   a  to  115   a  for stacking and can be moved in the vertical direction by driving units (not shown), respectively. In  FIG. 1 , the first stacking units  111  to  115  are shown in a state where banknotes can be stacked. That is, since the stages  111   a  to  115   a  are positioned in the positions of lower ends of wall members  111   b  to  115   b  provided at about a portion of ⅔ of height from the upper side, transported banknotes come into contact with the wall members  111   b  to  115   b,  and are stopped and stacked in the first stacking units  111  to  115 . In order to prevent jump-out of banknotes and to ensure stable stacking at this time, retainer plates  111   c  to  115   c  which can swing according to a stacked amount are provided. In the stages  111   a  to  115   a  and the wall members  111   b  to  115   b,  notches through which a hand of a transport unit described later can freely pass are formed. The banknotes to be removed by a batch are further transported and stacked in the second stacking units  121  and  122 . 
     The reject stacking unit  106 , the first stacking units  111  to  115 , and the second stacking units  121  and  122  have a pair of remaining-banknote detecting sensors  106   a,    111   d  to  115   d,    121   a,  and  122   a,  respectively. The remaining-banknote detecting sensors are optical sensors for detecting the presence or absence of a remaining banknote. 
     The second stacking units  121  and  122  have notifying units  121   b  and  122   b,  respectively, for notifying of the fact that the number of stacked banknotes reaches a predetermined number (urging the operator to remove banknotes as a batch). The notifying units  121   b  and  1221   b  warn the operator by characters, images, light, sound, or the like and take of forms of, for example, liquid crystal displays, LED lamps, loud speakers, or the like. 
     When the operator enters settings using keys (not shown) of the operation/display unit  11 , this unit functions as a setting unit to set variety of objects to be stacked in the first stacking units  111  to  115 , in the second stacking units  121  and  122 , and in the reject stacking unit  106 . By this function, various handlings can be implemented. For example, a setting can be made in a combination of kinds such as denominations, fit/unfit, and new/old. The operation/display unit  11  also has a function of a notifying unit for notifying the operator of various information via a display (not shown). 
     Under the operation/display unit  11 , an odd banknote returning unit  130  for returning odd banknotes which became objects to be bundled but the number of banknote did not reach the number to be bundled is provided. When the rear side of a front end part  132   a  of a butt member  132  provided on the under face of an odd banknote returning tray  131  is pressed, the odd banknote returning tray  131  moves forward, a shutter  133  provided at the front is opened, the odd banknote returning tray  131  advances to a position indicated by an alternate long and short dash line, and the odd banknotes can be taken out. 
     (Banknote Bundling Unit  200 ) 
     The banknote bundling unit  200  is a part for bundling (for bundling banknotes by winding the banknotes with a paper band) a predetermined number (usually, 100) of banknotes. 
     In the first stacking units  111  to  115 , stacked banknotes whose number has reached the predetermined number are transferred by the transport unit  300  to a setting unit  201  and gripped. A rotating mechanism  202  for winding a bundling tape around a predetermined portion of the gripped banknotes is provided. The tip of a bundling tape  204  taken from a bundling tape stacking unit  203  is retained by a tape retainer  205  and, by rotation, bundled banknotes are obtained. A cutter  206  for cutting the tip of the tape after the bundling and a heater  207  for thermally bonding the tip after the bundling are also provided. The bundled banknotes are ejected to a bundled-banknotes ejection port  209  by a belt-type transport mechanism  208 . In some midpoints of the transport, a printing unit  210  for printing denomination, time and date, serial number, and the like on the bundle and a sealing unit  211  for impressing a seal of the financial institute that implemented the handling are provided. 
     (Transport Unit  300 ) 
     The transport unit  300  transports banknotes to be bundled or odd banknotes between the first stacking units  111  to  115  and the banknote bundling unit  200  or the odd banknotes returning unit  130 . The transport unit  300  has a guide shaft  301  mounted perpendicularly from the lower end to the upper end of the apparatus, an elevating unit  310  which can move in the vertical direction with being engaged with the guide shaft  301 , and a drive belt  302  for making the elevating unit  310  move in the vertical direction. 
     The elevating unit  310  has a block  312  which can be moved in the forward/backward directions by a belt mechanism  311 . The block  312  has a fixed lower hand  313  and an upper hand  314  moved in the vertical direction along a shaft  315  by a belt  316 . The hands  313  and  314  are provided to grip and take out banknotes to be bundled or odd banknotes stacked in the first stacking units  111  to  114 , and to transfer the banknotes to be bundled or odd banknotes to the banknote bundling unit  200  or the odd banknotes returning unit  130 . 
     (Controller  400 ) 
     The controller  400  is a part for controlling the whole operation of the banknote handling apparatus  10 . Though, in  FIG. 1 , the controller  400  is drawn under the banknote bundling unit  200  for convenience, the controller  400  can be mounted in any place in the apparatus as long as the place is a secured space in designing. The details will be described later (refer to  FIG. 3 ). 
       FIG. 2  shows an example of a mode setting screen displayed on the operation/display unit  11 , which is a screen appeared when a setting button at the top position in the leftmost column is pressed. The screen is a touch sensing panel. Various operations can be implemented by touches of the operator on corresponding places in the screen. 
     By pressing various setting buttons provided in the column at the left end and in the two columns at the right end in the screen, the denomination, the kind of banknote, and the kind of printing can be designated by the first stacking units  111  to  115 , the second stacking units  121  and  122 , and the reject stacking unit  106 . 
     The second column from the left expresses the settings of each stacking unit and handled amount of money. Two rows at the top show settings to the second stacking units  121  and  122 , and the following four rows show settings to the first stacking units  111  to  115 . The third stacking unit  115  is used to stack banknotes which cannot be stacked. 
     In the example shown in  FIG. 2 , mixture is set in both of the two second stacking units  121  and  122 . In the four first stacking units  111  to  114 , mixture of fit and old notes and fit and new notes of 5,000 yen, mixture of unfit and old notes and unfit and new notes of 5,000 yen, mixture of fit and old notes and fit and new notes of 2,000 yen, and mixture of unfit and old notes and unfit and new notes of 2,000 yen are set, respectively. In the part below the display of the settings, amount of money of the banknotes actually received and the total amount are shown. 
       FIG. 3  is a block diagram schematically showing the internal configuration of the controller  400  in the banknote handling apparatus  10  according to the embodiment of the present invention. 
     The controller  400  in the banknote handling apparatus  10  has the control unit  401 , communication unit  402 , and storing unit  403 . As an example, the control unit  401  is a microprocessor, the communication unit  402  is a communication interface which can be connected to the communication line  30  (for example, intranet), and the storing unit  403  is a computer-readable storing medium such as a RAM. 
     The control unit  401  controls the operation/display unit  11 , the sorting and stacking unit  100 , the banknote bundling unit  200 , and the transport unit  300 . The communication unit  402  is connected to the server  20  (for example, a higher-ranking computer installed in the center of a financial institute or the like) via the communication line  30 . The storing unit  403  stores various data (for example, a control program for the control unit  401 , setting data which is set via the operation/display unit  11  (refer to  FIGS. 8(   a ) to  8 ( c ) and  FIGS. 10(   a ) to  10 ( c )), image data of a notification screen to be displayed on the operation/display unit  11 , and data indicative of the number of banknotes stacked in the sorting and stacking unit  100 ). 
     In the embodiment of the present invention, by starting the control program stored in the storing unit  403 , the control unit  401  performs a banknote stacking process (refer to  FIG. 4 ), a transport control process (refer to  FIG. 5 ), a bundling control process (refer to.  FIG. 6 ), and a batch control process (refer to  FIG. 7  or  8 ) which will be described later. 
       FIG. 4  is a flowchart showing a procedure of the control unit  401  in a banknotes stacking process in the embodiment of the present invention. 
     First, the control unit  401  controls the feeding rollers  102  and  103 , thereby banknotes put in the inlet  101  is received and transported along the transport path  104  (S 401 ). Then, the control unit  401  controls the recognition unit  105  provided in some midpoints of the transport path  104 , thereby the kinds (denomination, fit/unfit, genuine/counterfeit, face/back, and new/old) of the banknotes are recognized (S 402 ). Then, a transport control (refer to  FIG. 5 ) which will be described later is implemented (S 403 ). 
     In the case where, as a result of the transport control (S 403 ), the number of banknotes stacked in the first stacking units  111  to  115  reaches the predetermined number (Yes in S 404 ), a bundling control (refer to  FIG. 6 ) which will be described later is implemented (S 405 ), and the procedure advances to S 408 . In the case where, as a result of the transport control (S 403 ), the number of banknotes stacked in the second stacking units  121  and  122  reaches the predetermined number (No in S 404  and Yes in S 406 ), a batch control (refer to  FIG. 7  or  8 ) which will be described later is implemented (S 407 ), and the procedure advances to S 408 . On the other hand, in the case where, as a result of the transport control (S 403 ), the numbers of banknotes stacked in the second stacking units  121  and  122  have not reached the predetermined number (No in S 404  and No in S 406 ), the procedure advances to S 408 . 
     Then, when there is a banknote in the inlet  101  (Yes in S 408 ), the procedure returns to S 401 . On the other hand, when there is no banknote in the inlet  101  (No in S 408 ), receiving banknotes from the inlet  101  is stopped (S 409 ), and the banknote stacking process is finished. 
       FIG. 5  is a flowchart showing a procedure of the control unit  401  in the transport control process in the embodiment of the present invention. The transport control process is implemented subsequent to S 402  in  FIG. 4 . 
     First, in the case where the recognition result in S 402  is a rejected banknote (Yes in S 501 ), the control unit  401  controls the transport unit  300  to transport the rejected banknote to the reject stacking unit  106  (S 502 ). 
     In the case where the recognition result in S 402  is banknotes are to be bundled (No in S 501  and Yes in S 503 ), the control unit  401  controls the transport unit  300  to transport the banknotes to any of the first stacking units  111  to  115  (S 504 ). At this time, the control unit  401  determines, as a destination of transport, any of the first stacking units  111  to  115  with reference to the setting data stored in the storing unit  403  (any of  FIGS. 8(   a ) to  8 ( c ) and  FIGS. 10(   a ) to  10 ( c )). 
     On the other hand, in the case where the recognition result in S 402  is banknotes to be removed as a batch (No in S 501  and No in S 503 ), the control unit  401  controls the transport unit  300  to transport the banknotes for batch removal to a destination of the banknotes for batch removal. That is, when the destination of the banknotes for batch removal is the second stacking unit  121  or  122  (A in S 505 ), the control unit  401  controls the transport unit  300  to transport the banknotes for batch removal to any of the second stacking units  121  and  122  (S 506 ). When the destination of the banknotes for batch removal is the reject stacking unit  106  (B in S 505 ), the control unit  401  controls the transport unit  300  to transport the banknotes for batch removal to the reject stacking unit  106  (S 507 ). At this time, the control unit  401  normally determines any of the second stacking units  121  and  122  as the destination of transport of the banknotes for batch removal with reference to the setting data stored in the storing unit  403  (any of  FIGS. 8(   a ) to  8 ( c ) and  FIGS. 10(   a ) to  10 ( c )). When the destination of transport of the banknotes for batch removal is switched to the reject stacking unit  106  in the batch control (refer to  FIG. 7  or  8 ) which will be described later, the control unit  401  determines the reject stacking unit  106  as the destination of transport of the banknotes for batch removal. 
     After the step in any of S 502 , S 504 , S 506 , and S 507  is finished, the transport control is finished and the procedure advances to S 404  in  FIG. 4 . 
       FIG. 6  is a flowchart showing a procedure of the control unit  401  in the bundling control process in the embodiment of the present invention. The bundling control process is implemented in the case where the number in any of the first stacking units  111  to  115  has reached the predetermined number (Yes in S 404 ). 
     First, the control unit  401  controls the transport unit  300  to transport banknotes stacked in any of the first stacking units  111  to  115 , the number of the banknotes having reached the predetermined number, to the banknote bundling unit  200  (S 601 ). Then, the control unit  401  controls the banknote bundling unit  200  to bundle the banknotes (S 602 ). Then, the bundled banknotes are ejected from the bundled-banknotes ejecting port  209  (S 603 ). After completion of the step in S 603 , the bundling control is finished and the procedure advances to S 408  in  FIG. 4 . 
     First Embodiment 
     Next, a first embodiment of the present invention will be described. In the first embodiment of the present invention, the case where the banknote handling apparatus  10  has one second stacking unit (that is, only the second stacking unit  121 ) will be described. 
       FIG. 7  is a flowchart showing a procedure of the control unit  401  in the batch control process of the first embodiment of the present invention. The batch control process of the first embodiment of the present invention is implemented in the case where the number of banknotes stacked in the second stacking unit  121  has reached the predetermined number in S 406  in  FIG. 4  (Yes in S 406 ). 
     First, the control unit  401  controls the notifying unit  121   b  to urge removal of banknotes (S 701 ). 
     In the case where a “continuous reception mode” is set (Yes in S 702 ), the control unit  401  switches the destination of transport of the banknotes for batch removal to the reject stacking unit  106  (S 703 ). In the case where the banknotes stacked in the second stacking unit  121  are removed (Yes in S 704 ), the control unit  401  switches the destination of transport of the banknotes for batch removal to the second stacking unit  121  (S 705 ), and the batch control process is finished. On the other hand, when the banknotes stacked in the second stacking unit are not removed (No in S 704 ), in a state where the reject stacking unit  106  is set as the destination of transport of the banknotes for batch removal, and the batch control process is finished. 
     In the case where a “temporarily stopped reception mode” is set (No in S 702 ), the control unit  401  temporarily stops receiving banknotes from the inlet  101  (S 706 ). Then, the control unit  401  maintains the temporary stop state until the banknotes stacked in the second stacking unit  121  are removed (No in S 707 ). After the banknotes stacked in the second stacking unit  121  are removed (Yes in S 707 ), the control unit  401  restarts receiving banknotes from the inlet  101  (S 708 ), and the batch control process is finished. 
       FIGS. 8(   a ) to  8 ( c ) show an example of the setting data of the first embodiment of the present invention. The setting data is set by the operator via the operation/display unit  11  and stored in the storing unit  403 . 
       FIG. 8(   a ) shows setting data in the case of sorting 100 new and fit banknotes to the first stacking units  111  to  113  by denominations of banknotes (banknote of 10,000 yen, banknote of 5,000 yen, and banknote of 2,000 yen), sorting 100 new and fit banknotes of 1,000 yen to the second stacking unit  121 , and sorting an old or unfit banknote to the reject stacking unit  106 . 
     In the case of setting the setting data of  FIG. 8(   a ), a new and fit banknote of 1,000 yen can be taken out for a change, and banknotes of the other denominations can be bundled. 
       FIG. 8(   b ) shows setting data in the case of sorting 100 fit banknotes to the first stacking units  111  to  115  by denominations and new/old notes, sorting 100 new and fit banknotes of any denominations to the second stacking unit  121 , and sorting an unfit banknote to the reject stacking unit  106 . In the case of setting the setting data of  FIG. 8(   b ), a new and fit banknote can be taken out for a change, and banknotes of the other denominations can be bundled by new/old notes. 
       FIG. 8(   c ) shows setting data in the case of sorting 100 new banknotes to the first stacking units  111  to  115  by denominations and fit/unfit banknotes, sorting 100 new and fit banknotes of any denominations to the second stacking unit  121 , and sorting an old banknote to the reject stacking unit  106 . In the case of setting the setting data of  FIG. 8(   c ), a new and fit banknote can be taken out for a change, and banknotes of the other denominations can be bundled by fit/unfit notes. 
     According to the first embodiment of the present invention, in the case where banknotes to be bundled and banknotes for batch removal are mixedly put in the inlet  101 , and the bundling process and the batch process are implemented at once, even when the number of the banknotes for batch removal stacked in the second stacking unit  121  reaches the predetermined number, the handling can be continued without stopping reception of banknotes from the inlet  101 . As a result, the handling efficiency of the banknote handling apparatus  10  for sorting banknotes to be bundled and a removal of banknotes as a batch can be improved. 
     In the case where the temporarily stopped reception mode is set, when the number of the banknotes for batch removal reaches the predetermined number, reception of banknotes from the inlet  101  is temporarily stopped and is not restarted until the banknotes for batch removal is removed by the operator. Consequently, a batch of banknotes and a rejected banknote do not mixedly exist in the reject stacking unit  106 . 
     Notification to the operator via the notifying unit  121   a  can urge the operator to remove a batch of banknotes whose number has reached the predetermined number. As a result, the work efficiency of the operator can be improved. 
     Second Embodiment 
     Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. In the first embodiment of the present invention, the case where the banknote handling apparatus  10  has one second stacking unit (that is, only the second stacking unit  121 ) has been described. In the second embodiment of the present invention, the case where the banknote handling apparatus  10  has a plurality of second stacking units  121  and  122  will be described. 
       FIG. 9  is a flowchart showing a procedure of the control unit  401  in the batch control process of the second embodiment of the present invention. The batch control process of the second embodiment is a process implemented in the case where the number of banknotes stacked in any of the second stacking units  121  and  122  has reached the predetermined number in S 406  in  FIG. 4  (Yes in S 406 ). The case where the number of banknotes stacked in the second stacking unit  121  has reached the predetermined number will be described below. 
     First, the control unit  401  controls the notifying unit  121   b  to urge removal of banknotes (S 901 ). 
     Then, in the case where the number of banknotes stacked in the other second stacking unit (second stacking unit  122 ) has not reached the predetermined number (No in S 902 ), the control unit  401  switches the destination of stacking of a batch of banknotes to the other second stacking unit (second stacking unit  122 ) (S 903 ), and the batch control process is finished. 
     On the other hand, in the case where the number of banknotes stacked in the other second stacking unit (second stacking unit  122 ) has reached the predetermined number (Yes in S 902 ), the control unit  401  performs steps similar to those in S 702  to S 708  in  FIG. 7 , and the batch control process is finished. 
       FIGS. 10(   a ) to  10 ( c ) show an example of the setting data of the second embodiment of the present invention. The setting data is set by the operator via the operation/display unit  11  and stored in the storing unit  403 . 
       FIG. 10(   a ) shows setting data in the case of sorting 100 new and fit banknotes to the first stacking units  111  to  113  by denominations of banknotes (banknote of 10,000 yen, banknote of 5,000 yen, and banknote of 2,000 yen), sorting 100 new and fit banknotes of 1,000 yen to the second stacking units  121  and  122 , and sorting an old or unfit banknote to the reject stacking unit  106 . In the case of setting the setting data of  FIG. 10(   a ), a banknote of 1,000 yen can be taken out for a change, and banknotes of the other denominations can be bundled. In the case where the number of banknotes of 1,000 yen for a change stacked in the second stacking unit  121  reaches 100, the subsequent banknotes of 1,000 yen for a change can be stacked in the second stacking unit  122 . 
       FIG. 10(   b ) shows setting data in the case of sorting 100 fit banknotes to the first stacking units  111  to  115  by denominations and new/old notes, sorting 100 new and fit banknotes of 1,000 yen to the second stacking unit  121 , sorting 100 new and fit banknotes of any denominations to the second stacking unit  122 , and sorting an unfit banknote to the reject stacking unit  106 . In the case of setting the setting data of  FIG. 10(   b ), a new and fit banknote can be taken out for a change, and banknotes of the other denominations can be bundled by new/old notes. In the case where the number of banknotes of 1,000 yen for a change stacked in the second stacking unit  121  reaches 100, the subsequent banknotes of 1,000 yen for a change can be stacked in the second stacking unit  122 . 
       FIG. 10(   c ) shows setting data in the case of sorting 100 new banknotes to the first stacking units  111  to  115  by denominations and fit/unfit banknotes, sorting 100 new and fit banknotes to the second stacking unit  121 , sorting 100 new and fit banknotes of any denominations to the second stacking unit  122 , and sorting an old banknote to the reject stacking unit  106 . In the case of setting the setting data of  FIG. 10(   c ), a new and fit banknote can be taken out for a change, and banknotes of the other denominations can be bundled by fit/unfit notes. In the case where the number of banknotes of 1,000 yen for a change stacked in the second stacking unit  121  reaches 100, the subsequent banknotes of 1,000 yen for a change can be stacked in the second stacking unit  122 . 
     According to the second embodiment of the present invention, in addition to effects similar to those of the first embodiment of the present invention, even when the number of batch of banknotes stacked in the second stacking unit  121  reaches a predetermined number, a batch of banknotes can be transported to the other second stacking unit (second stacking unit  122 ). As a result, the handling efficiency of the banknote handling apparatus  10  at the time of sorting banknotes to be bundled and a batch removal of banknotes can be improved more than the first embodiment of the present invention. 
     By notification to the operator via the notifying units  121   b  and  122   b,  the operator can be explicitly notified of which the number of banknotes stacked in one of the second stacking units  121  and  122  has reached the predetermined number.