The invention relates to a device for filling a thin-walled transport container made of flexible material with notes of value.
Such a device often comprises a supply unit for supplying the notes of value, a stacking unit for stacking the supplied notes of value, a stuffing unit for transporting the stacked notes of value into the transport container in several successive filling steps, and a closing unit for closing the transport container. Notes of value are sheet-shaped documents of value, in particular banknotes, checks, coupons, vouchers or the like.
Such a device is used, for example, in automated teller machines, in particular cash deposit machines, and automatic cash safes, into which notes of value, in particular banknotes are deposited. The input notes of value are stacked in an unsorted manner or in a manner so as to be sorted according to at least one criteria and are subsequently placed in thin-walled transport containers. After filling with the notes of value, the transport containers are closed preferably in a revision-proof manner. The closed transport containers are usually removed from the automated teller machine or the cash safe by a cash/valuables-in-transit company.
From DE 10 2009 015 047 A1 a device for supplying notes or value into a flexible transport container is known. The supplied notes of value are stacked in a stacking unit, are transported into the transport container by means of a stuffing unit in several successive filling steps, and the transport container is closed thereafter.
Further, the documents WO 2009/138497 A1, WO 02/19289 A2, DE 10 2009 053 155 A1 and DE 10 2011 000 790 A1 each describe a device to which notes of value are suppliable and from which the supplied notes of value can be removed stacked in a transport container.
It is an object of the invention to specify a device for filling a thin-walled transport container with notes of value, in which it can easily be determined when the thin-walled transport container is completely filled.
The notes of value are fed into the thin-walled transport container in stacks of one or more notes of value such that, upon insertion into the entry area of the transport container, they are arranged in she container cross-section, and the note of value that is first supplied to the transport container in the first filling step lies flat against the bottom of the transport container. Each following filling step, in which further notes of value are fed to the transport container, increases the entire value note stack in the transport container. Here, the stuffing unit places the uppermost note of value or the value note stack supplied in the respective filling step at a same position for each filling step, as a result whereof the value note stack in the transport container moves the bottom of the transport container deeper and deeper into a receiving unit for receiving the transport container. The receiving unit comprises a contact sensor which, upon contact with the bottom of the transport container, generates a signal. A closing unit then closes the transport container dependent on this signal.
Preferably, the thin-walled transport container is made of a limp material, for example foil material. A transport container made of this material adapts particularly well to the value note stack contained therein and is closeable in a revision-proof manner by simple measures, such as welding or bonding.
In an advantageous embodiment, the contact sensor comprises a rod which is rotatably mounted about its longitudinal axis. The rod has a first rotary position in which the contact sensor generates no signal and a second rotary position in which the contact sensor generates a signal. When the contact sensor comes into contact with the bottom of the transport container, then the rod rotates from the first rotary position into the second rotary position. The position of the bottom of the transport container within the receiving unit is a suitable parameter for determining the filling level of the transport container with notes of value because the note of value that is first supplied to the transport container always bears against the bottom of the transport container. In the subsequent filling steps, the note of value that has been supplied first is moved further by the stuffing unit.
In preferred embodiments, the rod has a contact tab on its first rod end, which contact tab, upon contact with the transport container, rotates the rod from the first into the second rotary position. Further, at its second end the rod has a switching flag which triggers the signal generation in the second rotary position. This happens, for example, in that the switching flag interrupts the light beam of a light barrier in the second rotary position.
In a development of the invention, a torsion spring is provided which rotates the rod into the first rotary position and against the resistance of which the rod is rotatable into the second rotary position. In this way, it is on the one hand effectively prevented that the signal for closing the transport container is triggered early. On the other hand, after removal of the closed transport container from the receiving unit, the rod is again automatically rotated into the first rotary position.
It is advantageous when the transport container, after signal generation, is filled with notes of value for the last time in a final filling step and only afterwards the closing unit closes the transport container. In this way, it is possible for the stuffing unit to move the value note stack supplied in the final filling step up to a position such that the closing unit can easily and reliably close the transport container.
The invention will be explained in the following on the basis of an embodiment with reference to the figures, in which:
Notes of value to be deposited are transferred from the supply unit 12 to a stacking unit 14 known per se from the prior art. If the notes of value are sorted in the supply unit 12, then preferably for each sorting criteria one own stacking unit 14 is provided to which only notes of value are supplied that meet the respective sorting criteria. The stacking unit 14 stacks the supplied notes of value to value note stacks, i.e., the value note stack of the respective notes of value are oriented such that the facing surfaces of successive notes of value are in flat contact with each other and edges of approximately identical length are arranged approximately parallel to each other each time.
Further, the device 10 comprises a receiving unit 16 for receiving the thin-walled transport container 18 illustrated in
Near the second rod end 46 that is opposite to the first rod end 42, the switching flag 38 is connected to the rod 34 in a rotationally fixed manner. Thus, a rotation of the rod 34 causes a rotation of the switching flag 38 from a first into a second rotary position. In the second rotary position, the switching flag 38 triggers a contact 48 that generates a signal, upon which the closing unit 22 closes the thin-walled transport container 18 preferably in a revision-proof manner. The contact 48 is, for example, a light barrier, the light beam of which is interrupted by the switching flag 38.
One end of the torsion spring 40 is connected to the rear 30 and the other end thereof is connected to the contact tab 36 and is biased such that it exerts a torque on the rod 34 which rotates the rod 34 into the first rotary position. The torque is chosen such that the rod 34 is rotatable into the second rotary position against this torque when the transport container 18 and the contact tab 36 come into contact.
The entire disclosure of European Patent Application No. 13 151 453.1, filed Jan. 16, 2013, is expressly incorporated by reference herein.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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13 151 453.1 | Jan 2013 | EP | regional |
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 14154553 | Jan 2014 | US |
Child | 15695687 | US |