This application is a National Phase filing of International Application Ser. No. PCT/EP2020/068932, for a DEVICE FOR TRANSPORTING NOTES OF VALUE, filed 2020 Jul. 6, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
The invention relates to a device for transporting notes of value with an endless circulating belt which is guided around at least two deflection elements. In addition, in one aspect of the invention, a freely rotatable guide roller mounted in the device may be provided for guiding and/or tensioning the belt.
Such a device for transporting notes of value is in particular a component of a device for handling notes of value, such as an automated teller safe, an automatic point of sale (“POS”) system and/or an automated teller machine, for example a deposit machine for depositing banknotes and checks, a dispensing machine for dispensing banknotes or a recycling machine for depositing and dispensing banknotes.
From document WO 2012/110629A1 a device for handling notes of value is known, in which for the transport of individual notes of value or a value note stack circulating endless belts are used, which contact the front and/or rear side of a banknote, in order to transport these by the adhesive friction between the belt and the note of value with a circulating movement of the belt. The notes of value are transported between the belt and press-on and guide elements or between two belts arranged opposite each other.
For the safe transport of notes of value with the aid of circulating belts, the belts must have a predetermined belt tension, especially when the opposite belt or the press-on and guide elements are pressed against the belt. To ensure a desired belt tension, guide rollers are known which press against the belt from inside or outside, in particular press against the belt with the aid of a spring. The problem is that the belt tension decreases over time, in particular due to material fatigue of the belt.
The driving force that can be transmitted from a driven idler pulley to the belt is substantially dependent on the wrap angle of the belt around the idler pulley and on the shape/structure, contact pressure force and friction coefficients of the contacting surfaces of the idler pulley and the belt. If a further pulley in contact with the belt is used instead of the idler pulley to drive the belt, or if the further pulley is driven via the belt, the transmissible driving force is also substantially dependent on the wrap angle of the belt around the idler pulley and on the shape/structure, contact pressure force and coefficients of friction of the contacting surfaces of the further pulley and the belt. The problem is that the belt tension and thus the contact pressure force between the belt and the idler pulley decreases over time, in particular due to material fatigue of the belt, and/or the coefficient of friction decreases, so that a safe drive of the belt and thus a safe transport of the notes of value with the aid of the belt is no longer guaranteed. For this reason, the belts for transporting notes of value in devices for handling notes of value are replaced regularly and in the event of problems.
It is the object of the invention to provide a device for transporting notes of value which is simple in design and can be maintained at low cost.
This object is solved by a device having the features disclosed herein. Advantageous embodiments of the invention are disclosed herein.
In a first aspect of the invention, the device for transporting notes of value comprises a freely rotatable guide roller mounted in the device and having at least one connecting area for reception in a receiving opening of the device. In a first receiving position of the connecting area in the receiving opening, the axis of rotation of the guide roller can be received such that it has a first orthogonal distance to a plane in which the axes of rotation of the idler pulleys for deflecting the endless belt run. In a second receiving position of the connecting area in the receiving opening, the axis of rotation of the tension pulley has a second orthogonal distance to this plane. Due to the different distance between the first receiving position and the second receiving position, the guide roller can only contact the belt in the first receiving position and tension it in the second receiving position or deflect it by a first distance in the first receiving position and by a second distance in the second receiving position, so that different tensioning forces for tensioning the belt result between the first receiving position and the second receiving position.
This makes it easy to retention the belt by simply removing the connecting area from the receiving opening and inserting the receiving area into the receiving opening in a different way. In particular, in the event of a lengthening due to wear or aging of the belt, it can be easily retensioned and continued to be used. Replacement of the belt is thus no longer absolutely necessary.
It is particularly advantageous if the axis of rotation of the tension pulley runs parallel to the plane in which the axes of rotation of the idler pulleys are arranged. This ensures uniform tensioning of the belt over the entire belt width.
It is particularly advantageous if the connecting area of the guide roller can be inserted into a slot-shaped receiving opening of the device. The slot-shaped receiving opening is provided in particular in a stationary housing element, a frame or a chassis of the device. It is particularly advantageous if the connecting area of the guide roller can be inserted into the slot-shaped receiving opening from above. Furthermore, it is particularly advantageous if the tension pulley contacts the circumferential surface of the belt from the outside, at least in the second position. This allows a simple structure and an easy assembly and disassembly of the guide roller. The contact from the outside presses the belt inward so that the wrap angles of adjacent pulleys/rollers, in particular adjacent idler pulleys, are increased.
Furthermore, it is advantageous if the guide roller, at least in the second position, presses from the outside against the circumferential surface of the belt such that the wrap angle of the belt around at least one idler pulley or around one guide, driving and/or driven roller is increased compared to the first position. This can ensure a safe drive of the belt or a safe drive of a driven roller.
A second aspect of the invention relates to a further device for transporting notes of value, which has a first idler pulley mounted in the device and at least one second idler pulley mounted in the device and an endless belt running around the idler pulleys. The first idler pulley has at least one connecting area for being received in a receiving opening of the device, wherein the axis of rotation of the first idler pulley in a first receiving position of the connecting area in the receiving opening has a first distance to the axis of rotation of the second idler pulley. Furthermore, in a second receiving position of the connecting area in the receiving opening, the axis of rotation of the first idler pulley has a second distance to the axis of rotation of the second idler roller. This allows the distance between the axes of rotation of the idler pulleys to be easily changed from the first distance to the second distance and vice versa without the need for further components or other elements. The first idler pulley simply has to be removed from the receiving opening and inserted into the receiving opening in the respective other receiving position. In this way, different tensions can be realized or the belt can be retensioned.
Both in the device according to the first aspect of the invention and in the device according to the second aspect of the invention, the connecting area and the receiving opening are formed such that, after insertion of the connecting area into the receiving opening, the connecting area is received in the receiving opening in a non-rotating manner. This enables simple assembly. Furthermore, this ensures that the connecting area does not inadvertently move from the first to the second receiving position or vice versa.
Furthermore, it is advantageous if the connecting area is received in the receiving opening in the second position rotated by 180° about the axis of rotation of the guide roller or about the axis of rotation of the idler pulley relative to the first position. In this case, the receiving area preferably remains unchanged, i.e. no additional component is introduced into the receiving opening, nor is any component removed from the receiving opening.
Furthermore, it is advantageous if the receiving area is formed stationarily in a frame or in a component of the device. The component can in turn be designed to be movable relative to the frame of the device. This makes it possible to construct the device for transporting notes of value in a cost-efficient manner.
It is particularly advantageous if at least one, preferably the second, idler pulley can be driven with the aid of a drive unit, the other idler pulley preferably being mounted so as to be freely rotatable. In other embodiments, the second idler pulley serves as a driven pulley for driving a further element or a further assembly unit. This allows an easy and cost-efficient assembly as well as a simple construction of the device for transporting notes of value.
The belt can in particular be a flat belt, a fan belt, a toothed belt or a V-belt. The notes of value to be transported can rest individually or as a value note stack on the belt or be arranged between the belt and the tension pulley. This allows a simple design depending on the application and requirements.
It is also advantageous if the guide roller or the first idler pulley comprises a roller element that can rotate freely on an axle element. In this case, it is advantageous if a connecting element is provided at each end of the axle element projecting laterally from the roller element. In this way, the guide roller or the first idler pulley can easily be mounted on both sides, which considerably simplifies the construction of the device and allows the belt to be driven with low oscillation and vibration.
It is particularly advantageous if the roller element is arranged on the axle element so that it cannot be displaced axially. The guide roller or the first idler pulley is not displaced even in the event of transverse forces acting on the belt, so that the belt is reliably guided by the guide roller or the first idler pulley.
It is particularly advantageous if an axle element is formed in at least two parts. Preferably, the axle element comprises two axle element parts, wherein one axle element part each can be inserted into the roller element on one side. This permits a simple design and an easy assembly of the guide roller and the first idler pulley, respectively. The two axle element parts are preferably connected to each other in the roller element. This can be done in particular by means of a plug-in, snap-in, press, screw and/or welded connection. This allows an easy manufacture and an easy assembly and, if necessary, disassembly of the guide roller and the first idler pulley. It is particularly advantageous if the roller element is freely rotatably arranged on the axle element via at least one plain and/or roller bearing. This ensures good running properties of the roller element and thus low-loss rotation of the guide roller and the idler pulley, respectively.
Further features and advantages result from the following description of embodiments as well as in connection with the attached figures.
The device 10 comprises a head module 12 and a safe 14. Four value note cassettes 16a to 16d are arranged in the safe 14, in which the notes of value can be accommodated. In particular, one of the value note cassettes 16a to 16d is provided for receiving checks and the other three value note cassettes 16a to 16d are provided for receiving banknotes. The banknotes are accommodated in particular by type, i.e. only banknotes of one denomination are accommodated in one value note cassette 16a to 16d. Alternatively, mixed storage is also possible, i.e. notes of value of different denominations are mixed in one value note cassette 16a to 16d. In an alternative embodiment, also more than four or less than four, in particular two, value note cassettes 16a to 16d can be provided in the safe 14. In particular, a so-called reject cassette can be provided, in which notes of value that are suspected of being counterfeit and/or show damage are held. In a preferred embodiment, two value note cassettes 16a to 16d are provided, namely one for holding checks and one for holding banknotes.
The notes of value can be stored in the value note cassettes 16a to 16d both in stacked form in a receiving area and wound up between two film strips on a roll storage device. Different types of value note cassettes may also be used within the safe 14.
In the present embodiment, the device 10 may be designed as a depositonly device in which notes of value may only be received. Alternatively, it may be designed as a recycling device in which both notes of value can be input and notes of value can be output.
The head module 12 has an input and output unit 36, via which the notes of value can be input in the form of a value note stack. Furthermore, this input and output unit 36 can also be used to output individual notes of value and/or value note stacks to the operator of the device 10. In particular, the input and output unit 36 has a so-called shutter 38, via which an opening for feeding and outputting the notes of value can be opened and closed.
The safe 14 has a transfer slot 18 through which the notes of value are fed from the head module 12 to the safe 14. From the transfer slot 18, the notes of value are transported to the value note cassettes 16a to 16d via a transport path identified by the reference sign 22. The transport path 22 is formed by several transport units 24 to 28.
The head module 12 further comprises a control unit for controlling the components of the device 10, in particular for controlling drive units of the transport units 24 to 28: Furthermore, the head module 12 comprises an output unit 32 connected to the control unit 30, which output unit serves in particular for displaying information, and an input unit 34, which serves in particular for inputting information. The input unit 34 and the output unit 32 serve as a human-machine interface.
The transport unit 24 comprises a first driven idler pulley 40 and a second non-driven idler pulley 42 around which a circulating transport belt 44 is guided for transporting notes of value not shown.
The transport unit 24 further comprises a first removal unit 74 for removing notes of value from the cassette 16d, and a removal unit 76 for removing notes of value from the cassette 16c.
If, in other embodiments, only notes of value are to be deposited with the aid of the device 10, the units 74, 76 are designed as feed units and, if the device 10 is designed as a recycling device for depositing notes of value and for dispensing these notes of value again, they are designed as feed and withdrawal units for feeding notes of value into the respective cassette 16c, 16d and for withdrawing notes of value from the respective cassette 16c, 16d.
One axle end 84, 86 of each of the axle element parts 89, 90 protrudes laterally from the roller element 96. The axle ends 84, 86 each form a connecting area of the axle element 98.
The connecting areas 84, 86 are designed such that they can be inserted into the receiving openings 72, 88 both in the position shown in
In
The position of the axis of rotation is shifted by the amount Δx in variants 3 and 4 compared to variants 1 and 2.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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102019119450.4 | Jul 2019 | DE | national |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
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PCT/EP2020/068932 | 7/6/2020 | WO |
Publishing Document | Publishing Date | Country | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
WO2021/008909 | 1/21/2021 | WO | A |
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2466555 | Sep 2009 | EP |
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Number | Date | Country | |
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20220262188 A1 | Aug 2022 | US |