Patent ID: 8485338

Claim:
A paper money processor comprising a transaction slot where paper money is at least either inserted or dispensed with an orientation such that one of lengthwise ends of the paper money is positioned at a side of a first lengthwise end of the transaction slot, the transaction slot including: a first side face which extends from the first lengthwise end to a second lengthwise end of the transaction slot along a lengthwise direction of the transaction slot; a second side face which faces the first side face with a distance therebetween in a widthwise direction of the transaction slot so as to form a space for storing the paper money, the widthwise direction substantially perpendicular to the lengthwise direction, the second side face extending from the first lengthwise end to a position between the first and second lengthwise ends; a main opening which is continuous with the space, the main opening extending from a first widthwise end of the transaction slot to a second widthwise end of the transaction slot along the widthwise direction, and the main opening opening on the second lengthwise end of the transaction slot; a lateral opening which is continuous with the space and the main opening, the lateral opening extending from the position between the first and second lengthwise ends to the second lengthwise end along the lengthwise direction so as to substantially align with the second side face, and the lateral opening opening on the first widthwise end of the transaction slot, an inner narrowing portion which extends from the first lengthwise end toward the second lengthwise end; an enlargement portion which is adjacent to the inner narrowing portion, the enlargement portion extending from the first widthwise end toward the second widthwise end, the enlargement portion extending from the second lengthwise end toward the first lengthwise end, and the enlargement portion having an oblique shape so that a dimension in a height direction of the transaction slot widens toward the second lengthwise end; and an outer narrowing portion which is adjacent to the inner narrowing portion and the enlargement portion, the outer narrowing portion extending from the second widthwise end toward the first widthwise end, and the outer narrowing portion extending from the second lengthwise end toward first lengthwise end, a dimension of the inner narrowing portion in the height direction of the transaction slot is narrower than a dimension of at least a portion of the enlargement portion in the height direction of the transaction slot, and a dimension of the outer narrowing portion in the height direction of the transaction slot is equal to a dimension of the inner narrowing portion in the height direction of the transaction slot, the height direction is orthogonal to the lengthwise and widthwise directions.