JP6972397B2 - Accounting equipment - Google Patents

Description

Embodiments of the present invention relate to accounting equipment.

Conventionally, an accounting device for a customer to perform accounting by himself / herself has been used. As the accounting device, for example, there are a self-checkout device and a semi-self-checkout device. The self-checkout device is a device that allows customers to register product data and make payments by themselves. The semi-self-checkout device is a device in which the customer himself / herself accounts for the price calculated based on the product data registered by the clerk.

By the way, in the above-mentioned accounting device, it is necessary for the clerk to work such as collecting coins and banknotes and adding coins for change. During such work, an unscrupulous clerk may wear money. In order to deter such fraud, it is desired by stores that install accounting devices to be able to monitor the work of store clerks as described above.

An object to be solved by the present invention is to provide an accounting device capable of monitoring the work of a clerk.

The accounting device of the embodiment has a deposit / withdrawal unit that receives coins and bills from the insertion unit, stores the coins, and pays out change to the withdrawal unit, and an opening that stores the deposit / withdrawal unit and makes the deposit / withdrawal unit accessible. A main body having a portion on the front surface, a door for closing the opening, and a support portion for movably supporting the door between a first position for closing the opening and a second position for opening the opening. An opening provided in the door to expose the charging portion and the payout portion through the door in the first position, and an opening provided above the main body portion to expose the loading portion and the payout portion. A camera that outputs image data overlooking the part, a window provided on at least a part of the door so that the camera can see the opposite side of the door at the second position, and the door. A sheet material that covers a range visible from the window while the door is in the first position is provided.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the appearance of the self-checkout device of the embodiment. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the appearance of the self-checkout device with the door open. FIG. 3 is a right side view showing the appearance of the self-checkout device with the door open. FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the appearance of the door. FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a self-checkout device with an open door looking down from an oblique direction. FIG. 6 is a perspective view looking up at the self-checkout device with the door open. FIG. 7 is a plan view of the self-checkout device with the door open. FIG. 8 is a plan view showing a state in which the opposite side can be seen through the door.

(First Embodiment)
The embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the appearance of the self-checkout device 1. In the present embodiment, an accounting device for accounting for a payment amount calculated based on sales data will be described using the self-checkout device 1 as an example.

Accounting devices are installed and used in retail stores such as supermarkets. Examples of the accounting device include a deposit / withdrawal device used together with a POS terminal device operated by a clerk, a self-checkout device and a semi-self-checkout device which are devices for customers to perform their own accounting.

The self-checkout device is a device that allows customers to register product data and make payments by themselves. The semi-self-checkout device is a device in which the customer himself / herself accounts for the price calculated based on the product data registered by the clerk. The deposit / withdrawal device used together with the POS terminal device stores coins and banknotes used for payment of goods, and discharges coins and banknotes as change.

The self-checkout device 1 includes a housing 2, a display 3, a scanner 4, a printer 5, a card reader 6, a bill change machine 7, a coin change machine 8, a warning light 9, a camera 10, a control unit 11, and the like. In the following description, the direction facing the display 3 is the front of the self-checkout device 1. In the housing 2, a display 3 is placed on the upper surface, a warning light 9 is set up behind the display 3, and other parts (scanner 4, printer 5, card reader 6, bill change machine 7, coin change machine 8, etc.) It has a built-in control unit 11).

The display 3 displays information to the operator (mainly the customer) of the self-checkout device 1. The scanner 4 reads a barcode or the like attached to the product. The printer 5 prints a receipt or the like and issues it. The card reader 6 reads the information recorded on the credit card or the like.

The warning light 9 includes a pole 91 and a lamp 92. The pole 91 is erected on the back side of the upper surface of the housing 2. The lamp 92 is provided at the upper end of the pole 91 and lights up when notifying the surrounding clerk that an abnormality has occurred in the self-checkout device 1.

Since the self-checkout device 1 is operated by the customer, the portion that should not be touched by the customer is covered with the housing 2. The housing 2 includes a main body portion 21 having an opening 21a on the front surface, and a door 22 for closing the opening 21a.

The main body 21 is a vertically long box-shaped container that houses a bill change machine 7 and a coin change machine 8. The door 22 is attached to the main body 21 by a support portion and is movably supported between the first position and the second position. The first position is a position where the opening 21a is closed. The second position is a position above and toward the front of the housing 2, and is a position where the opening 21a is opened. The support portion rotatably attaches the upper side portion of the door 22 to the upper edge portion (near the upper edge) of the opening 21a. The support portion is composed of, for example, a hinge.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the appearance of the self-checkout device 1 with the door 22 open. FIG. 3 is a right side view showing the appearance of the self-checkout device 1 with the door 22 open. FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the appearance of the door 22.

The opening 21a of the main body 21 exposes the banknote change machine 7 and the coin change machine 8. The serviceman or the clerk opens the door 22 when accessing the banknote change machine 7 or the coin change machine 8 stored in the housing 2.

The door 22 has an upper side portion 22a rotatably attached to the edge portion of the opening portion 21a, and according to the rotation, the door 22 is flipped up to the first position for closing the opening portion 21a and the opening portion 21a to open the opening portion 21a. Move between two positions.

Since a plurality of self-checkout devices 1 are installed in a limited space, it is preferable that the installation space is small. If the rotation axis of the door 22 is vertical, the second position is on the side of the housing 2, so it is necessary to secure a space for opening the door on the side of the housing 2, and this space should be included. As a result, the installation space for the self-checkout device 1 becomes large.

However, since the door 22 of the present embodiment is a flip-up type, the second position is above the main body portion 21, so that it is not necessary to separately secure a space for opening the door as described above. Further, the movement locus of the door 22 at the time of opening and closing passes through the front of the self-checkout device 1, but since the front of the device is originally open for use by the operator, there is no inconvenience of hitting another device.

The banknote change machine 7 receives the payment of banknotes for settlement from the slot 71 and stores them, and discharges the banknotes as change from the discharge port 72. The bill change machine 7 is built in the housing 2, and the door 22 has an opening 23 for exposing the input port 71 and the discharge port 72.

The coin change machine 8 receives and stores coins for settlement from the slot 81, and discharges the coins as change to the change plate 82. The coin change machine 8 is built in the housing 2, and the door 22 has an opening 24 for exposing the slot 81 and the change tray 82.

The slot 81 takes in coins into the housing 2 in response to the coins being inserted by an operator (customer or the like). The slot 81 has a shape like a funnel, with a wide mouth facing upward and gradually narrowing downward.

A scrutiny table 83 is provided on the left side of the slot 81. The scrutiny table 83 is used for such purposes as spreading and confirming coins to be inserted into the insertion slot 81. The scrutiny table 83 has a shape that allows coins on the scrutiny table 83 to be slid to the right side so that the coins can be dropped into the slot 81.

The bill change machine 7 and the coin change machine 8 function as an example of a deposit / withdrawal unit, and receive and store coins and banknotes from the insertion unit (insertion port 71, insertion port 81) and the payout unit (discharge port 72, change plate). Pay out the change to 82).

The camera 10 is supported by the support column 12. The support column 12 is substantially L-shaped and includes a portion 12a extending upward from the back surface side of the housing 2 and a portion 12b extending upward from the upper end of this portion 12a toward the front side. The camera 10 is attached to the front end of the portion 12b.

The camera 10 is mainly provided for watching or monitoring the operation of the customer, and at least looks down on the input unit (input port 71, input port 81) and the payout unit (discharge port 72, change plate 82). Output the image data.

The camera 10 is also used to capture (or photograph) the work of the clerk when the door 22 is opened.

The image data output by the camera 10 is input to the control unit 11. The control unit 11 is composed of a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a ROM (Read Only Memory), a RAM (Random Access Memory), and the like, and each of the above units (display 3, scanner 4, printer 5, card reader 6, bill change machine 7). , Coin change machine 8, warning light 9, camera 10) are collectively controlled.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the self-checkout device 1 with the door 22 opened, looking down from an oblique direction. Further, FIG. 6 is a perspective view looking up at the self-checkout device 1 in which the door 22 is opened. Further, FIG. 7 is a plan view of the self-checkout device 1 in which the door 22 is opened. FIG. 8 is a plan view showing a state in which the opposite side can be seen through the door 22.

As shown in FIGS. 4 to 6, the door 22 is provided with windows 25, 26, 27, 28. The windows 25, 26, 27, 28 are formed by fitting transparent plates 25b, 26b, 27b, 28b made of plastic, glass, or the like into the through holes 25a, 26a, 27a, 28a made in the door 22. .. The windows 25 to 28 are provided on at least a part of the door 22 so that the other side of the door 22 (that is, the opposite side across the door 22) can be seen.

Further, as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, in the windows 25 to 28, with the door 22 in the second position, the camera 10 has an insertion unit (input port 71, input port 81) and a discharge unit (discharge port). 72, the change plate 82) is provided at a position where imaging is possible. In other words, the windows 25 to 28 are provided at least at a position sandwiched between the input portion and the payout portion and the camera 10 when the door 22 is in the second position.

The self-checkout device 1 having such a configuration registers the product based on the product information input from the scanner 4 or the like, and settles the price of the product.

The camera 10 captures an operation status by a customer or a clerk when the self-checkout device 1 is in operation. In addition, an image is taken even during non-operation such as during maintenance, that is, while the door 22 is open, and at least the input unit and the discharge unit are observed and monitored through the windows 25 to 28.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, a camera capable of performing fraudulent acts related to the deposit / withdrawal section (banknote change machine 7, coin change machine 8) that could have been performed in the conventional configuration by opening the door 22. By reducing the blind spots of 10 and making the main parts of the deposit / withdrawal section (insertion port 71, input port 81, discharge port 72, change tray 82) not blind spots, the deterrence against fraudulent activities is high. can do.

In the present embodiment, the windows 25 to 28 have transparent plate materials 25b to 28b fitted into the through holes 25a to 28a, but may not include the plate materials 25b to 28b.

Further, a sheet material may be provided that covers the range visible from the windows 25 to 28 and makes it invisible while the door 22 is in the first position. This sheet material must be provided at a position that does not interfere with the image pickup by the camera 10 through the windows 25 to 28 when the door 22 is in the second position, or must be removed during maintenance.

Further, in the present embodiment, the windows 25 to 28 are provided in at least a part of the door 22, but in the embodiment, the windows 25 to 28 may be provided as a whole of the door 22.

Although some embodiments of the present invention have been described, these embodiments are presented as examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These novel embodiments can be implemented in various other embodiments, and various omissions, replacements, and changes can be made without departing from the gist of the invention. These embodiments and modifications thereof are included in the scope and gist of the invention, and are also included in the scope of the invention described in the claims and the equivalent scope thereof.

1… Self-checkout device (accounting device)
2 ... Housing 21 ... Main body, 21a ... Opening 22 ... Door, 22a ... Upper side 23, 24 ... Openings 25 to 28 ... Windows, 25a to 28a ... Through holes, 25b to 28b ... Plate material 3 ... Display 4 ... Scanner 5 ... Printer 6 ... Card reader 7 ... Banknote change machine (consists of deposit and withdrawal section)
71 ... Insertion port 72 ... Discharge port 8 ... Coin change machine (consists of deposit and withdrawal section)
81 ... Input port 82 ... Change plate 83 ... Examination table 9 ... Warning light 91 ... Pole 92 ... Lamp 10 ... Camera 11 ... Control unit 12 ... Support

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 10-208149

Claims (5)

A deposit / withdrawal section that accepts coins and banknotes from the input section, stores them, and pays out change to the payout section.
A main body portion having an opening on the front surface for storing the deposit / withdrawal portion and making the deposit / withdrawal portion accessible.
A door that closes the opening and
A support portion that movably supports the door between a first position for closing the opening and a second position for opening the opening.
An opening provided in the door and exposing the loading portion and the dispensing portion through the door in the state of being in the first position.
A camera provided above the main body and outputting image data overlooking the input section and the payout section.
A window provided on at least a part of the door so that the camera can see the opposite side of the door at the second position.
A sheet material that covers the area visible from the window with the door in the first position,
Accounting device equipped with. The accounting device according to claim 1, wherein the window is provided at least at a position sandwiched between the input unit, the payout unit, and the camera when the door is in the second position. .. The accounting device according to claim 1, wherein the window is a through hole. The accounting device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the window is formed by fitting a transparent plate material into a through hole. The accounting device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the support portion has an upper side portion of the door rotatably attached to an upper edge portion of the opening portion.

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