EP0953533A1 - Method for storing and unstoring flat flexible objects, in particular banknotes, and corresponding storage device for use in banking apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

The banknote storage device uses a storage band (1) displaced in a transport direction (T) between a band reel (3) and a storage reel (19), with the outermost winding of the storage band on the storage reel fed in a loop (25) with a first section (29) cooperating with a section (11) of the storage band fed to the storage reel to define an input and extraction point for the banknotes. An Independent claim for an automatic bank telling machine with a banknote storage device is also included.

Description

Technical field

The invention relates to a method for storing and / or storing sheet-shaped, flexible objects, in particular banknotes, according to claim 1, a storage device for this purpose according to claim 5 and a bank note machine according to claim 10.

State of the art

EP-B 0 290 731 describes a storage device for storing and / or withdrawing of sheet-shaped, flexible objects, in particular banknotes. In the known device, the objects are made in one piece with one in the winding direction

Storage tape stored on a storage reel. For this, the objects are through two rollers pressing against each other. It runs around one of the two roles Storage tape. The banknotes are drawn in by the two rollers and on the The tape is guided horizontally to the jacket of the storage reel and there together with the storage tape wound up. They are then kept between the individual storage tape layers. To store the banknotes, the storage coil is in the opposite Direction of rotation moved and the storage tape unwound. So that the objects are not on the storage coil jacket stick, there is a scraper that holds the objects for storage on the leading storage tape. Because of the banknotes get a curvature like a cylindrical cylinder, which they try to maintain.

Saving using a scraper is extremely prone to failure, since it is not ensured that the objects are always perfect by the stripper put on the leading storage tape and remain there. The same applies when storing the tape path between the two rolls and the storage coil. EP-B 0 290 731 therefore also proposes instead of one Tape to use two storage tapes that can be unwound from a reel between which the objects are placed jammed on the storage spool. The scraper is no longer necessary. Loading and unloading has become more secure; however, the memory content of the memory coil has now decreased with the same diameter. Additional space is also required for the second reel. One on this analog device is described in GB-A 2 134 493.

Presentation of the invention Object of the invention

The object of the invention is to demonstrate a method and a device to create which safe and / or safe storage of sheet-shaped, flexible objects, in particular banknotes, guaranteed, only a small diameter of the storage coil should be necessary, i.e. the needed Storage volume should only be that of EP-B 0 290 731 with only one Correspond to the storage tape in the transport direction.

A single storage tape in the winding direction is understood to mean only one tape, that starts from a place, here a reel, and on a storage reel ends. The objects are held between the windings on the storage coil. In The width direction, i.e. perpendicular to the transport direction, can of course be several Tapes preferably run parallel to one another.

Solution of the task

The above object is achieved in that only in the direction of transport a single band is used, which forms a loop on the Storage spool is wound up or unwound, the loop from the top tape circulation the storage reel is pulled out, and a first band part of a loop part together with a second tape part, which leads to the tape reel, to Transport of the objects pressed onto the storage spool. The merge the first with the second band part serves as an inlet or outlet mouth for the objects.

Although only a single storage tape is used here in the transport direction the objects are nevertheless transported between two belt parts due to the formation of a loop, which results in extremely safe transport.

Brief description of the drawing

Examples of the method according to the invention and the storage device according to the invention are explained in more detail below with reference to a drawing. The single figure shows a basic illustration of the device according to the invention, the thickness ratios of the objects 33 to be stored on a storage reel 19 and those of the storage tape 1 being shown greatly exaggerated.

Ways of Carrying Out the Invention

The schematic representation of the storage device according to the invention shown in the single figure shows a side view. The end of a single storage tape 1 which is in one piece in the transport direction T is fastened to a tape reel 3 . The storage tape 1 is on the reel 3 and unwound from this. The reel 3 is rotatable about its axis 5 . From the reel 3, the storage tape 1 runs over a pulley 7, which is arranged opposite a press roller. 9 From the deflection roller 7 , the path of the storage tape 1 , referred to here as the second tape part 11 according to claim 1, leads via a tensioning roller 13 as a storage tape tensioning element to a deflection roller 15 as a storage tape deflection element. After the deflection, the storage tape 1 runs outside as a third tape part 17 on a storage spool 19 . The storage coil 19 is rotatable about a fixed axis 20 . The belt part 17 runs as the belt part 22 , except for an outlet area 21 on the outside of the circumference of the storage reel 19 and is then guided away from the circumference with a further deflection roller 23 as a deflection element. From this deflection roller 23 , the storage tape 1 runs as a loop 25 via a deflection roller 27 to the pressure roller 9 . After this pressure roller 9 , it is guided together with the second band part 11 lying under it as the first band part 29 via the tensioning roller 13 and the deflection roller 15 to the storage reel 19 . Then on the storage reel 19, it runs underneath the band portion 17 as the fourth belt 31 and is wound up by a plurality of windings which are indicated schematically here by dashed lines, mounted in the vicinity of the axis 20 in the storage coil 19th

The diameter of the storage reel 19 changes when the objects 33 are stored and stored as a result of the winding and unwinding of the storage tape 1 . The two deflection rollers 15 and 23 should always be as close as possible to one another (smallest possible outlet area 21 ) and as close as possible to the changing circumference of the storage spool 19 . In order to achieve this, the distance between the axes 32 and 34 of the two deflecting rollers 23 and 15 relative to the axis 20 of the storage spool 19 is designed to be variable as a function of the changing storage spool diameter. In the exemplary embodiment described here, the axis 20 is selected to be rigid. The axis 34 can be pivoted about the axis of the pressure roller 9 and the axis 32 can be pivoted about the axis 34 .

As explained above, the diameter d of the storage spool 19 changes when the objects 33 are stored and stored due to the winding and unwinding of the storage tape 1 . With the change in diameter d , its circumference U also changes in accordance with the known relationship U = π · d . If a "storage layer" has the thickness Δ, the circumference changes with each increasing or decreasing turn of the storage tape on the storage spool 19 Δ · π . This circumferential difference is absorbed by moving the deflection roller 27 . For this purpose, the deflection roller 27 can be moved in any direction. However, the deflection roller 27 is preferably displaced in the direction V of the greatest longitudinal extent of the loop 25 in order to minimize the displacement path. A shift by a predetermined distance results in a double change in the length of the tape loop. The deflection roller 27 is preferably moved outwards by a spring force in the direction V.

A further circumferential difference between the inside and outside tape sections also results in the deflection roller 15 . The difference in circumference on the tension roller 13, since the wrap is low, negligible at the tensioner pulley. 13 The circumferential difference occurring on the deflection roller 15 can be reduced by reducing the wrap angle. In order to reduce the wrap angle, the longitudinal extent of the loop 25 must have a radial course to the storage coil 19 ; can be pivoted about 90 ° in the figure.

The circumferential difference on the deflection roller 15 can remain if the resulting path length difference is compensated for by belt sections that slide on one another. In order to achieve this, the strip material must be selected in such a way that the strip surfaces have little friction against one another, that is to say they slide well against one another, but nevertheless have a large friction against the surface of the sheet-shaped objects 33 .

The top and bottom of the storage tape 1 can also be formed with different coefficients of friction. In the loop part with the two band parts, the top and bottom of the storage band 1 are adjacent to one another. One side of the storage tape can thus be designed to slide to the other and the other to be adhesive to the objects 33 .

The outlet area 21 is to be chosen as narrow as possible so that the jacket section becomes smaller than the smallest width of the coiled objects 33 described below, here banknotes. The objects 33 are already "pre-bent" by an almost complete revolution on the jacket of the storage coil 19 ; the free circumference of the jacket will advantageously be limited to a third of the object width.

In the single figure, only one storage tape 1 is visible in the side view transverse to the transport direction T. Depending on the transverse extent of the objects to be transported, several storage tapes 1 , usually at least two, are used.

In order to store sheet-shaped, flexible objects, in particular bank notes, these are usually brought to an insertion or output slot 35 by means of a belt conveyor (not shown). The slot 35 is formed from the belt parts running over the deflection roller 7 and the pressure roller 9 . The objects 33 are now clamped and transported between the two belt parts. The jamming during transport is caused by the deflection of the tension roller 13 transversely to the transport direction T. Since the position of the two deflecting rollers 15 and 23 changes during the storage of objects or their removal, the tension of the tensioning roller 13 must also be changed by shifting its position, since the axis 5 of the tape reel 5 has been fixed.

A belt tension is preferably achieved by an axle bearing of the axle of the tensioning roller 13 which is loaded with a spring force transversely to the tape running direction.

To store the sheet-shaped objects, here for example the bank notes 33 , the storage coil 19 is displaced in the direction of rotation 37 using a single electric motor and a so-called (not shown) swivel gear. The tape reel 3 is braked to generate the tape tension. The swiveling gear is switched over in such a way that the tape reel 3 is now driven and the storage reel 19 is braked. The braking force must always be selected to be at least large enough to prevent the tape or storage reel 3 or 19 from running on in any case. Depending on the desired control, if the coils are driven directly, this is done with analog motors or with stepper motors.

In order to press the two belt parts 11 and 29 against one another for transporting the objects 33 , the pressure roller 9 can also be designed with a rigid axis. However, it must always make a belt deflection. The pressing of the two band parts 11 and 29 is then generated by the deflection and by braking.

A belt tension can also be achieved by shifting the axis 5 and by shifting the position of the deflection roller 27 . To store the objects 33 , the storage coil is rotated in the opposite direction to the storage direction 37 .

As described above, the belt can be transported with a single drive and a corresponding gear. However, storage reel 19 and reel 3 can also be driven by themselves with a corresponding control.

The storage of the objects 33 is preferably monitored for optimal use of storage space on the storage spool 19 with sensors (not shown). An optical sensor can now be arranged in front of the insertion / output slot 35 , which monitors the distance of the arriving objects 33 from one another. Depending on the distance between the objects 33 , the drive for the storage coil 19 is then switched on or off via a control (not shown). The objects 33 are securely stored on the circumference of the storage coil 19 . The storage coil 19 is therefore always driven until the “last” object 33 is wound on the storage coil jacket. When stored again, a circumferential length which corresponds to the belt path from location 35 to approximately the location of deflection roller 15 would thus always be “lost”. In order to avoid this memory loss, a storage tape retraction is carried out before each new storage, until the “last” object 33 is again in the immediate area of the deflection roller 7 or the pressure roller 13 . The "retraction path" is preferably monitored with a further sensor which is arranged in the immediate vicinity of the deflection roller 7 or the pressure roller.

Instead of the axle 34 about the axis of the pressure roller 9 and the axis 32 form pivotable about the axis 34, the axes 34 and 32 independently of one another, are resiliently pressed in a radial direction to the axis of the twentieth

Only the axis 20 can also be designed to be displaceable. In this case, the axis 20 will be displaced perpendicular to a tangential plane lying on the two jackets of the deflecting rollers 15 and 23 . The three axes 20 , 32 and 34 run parallel to one another.

A pivoting of the axis 34 about the axis of the pressure roller 9 and a displacement of the axis 20 have the advantage that the input and output location for the sheet-like material always takes place at the same location.

Due to a bending effect, the objects adhere well to the circumference of the storage coil 19 , since they are bent during an almost complete revolution. This adhesion effect is further enhanced by a certain static charge in a storage tape 1 made of electrically insulating material and also electrically non-conductive objects. In the case of heavily soiled and / or "lobed" objects 33 , however, this liability can be greatly reduced. In order to prevent an extremely unlikely lifting of the objects 33 in the outlet area 21 , a guide element 39 with a cross-section and a dashed line in the figure can be arranged there.

It is preferred to use two pulleys 15 and 23 . However, it is also possible to work with only one if the storage tape 1 is already guided tangentially to the storage spool 19 at one location.

The storage device described above is preferably used in banknote machines, preferably in self-cashing machines. Instead of banknotes, other flexible sheet-shaped objects such as checks, type plates, labels, packaging bags, ... can also be stored and removed for other uses. The objects 33 need not have the same dimensions. It is only necessary to ensure that a minimum transverse dimension given by the outlet area 21 is not undershot.

Claims (10)

Method for storing and / or storing sheet-shaped, flexible objects (33) , in particular bank notes, in a transport coil (3) that has only one single storage tape (1) that can be unwound from a tape reel (3), in the transport direction (T ) , wherein the storage tape (1) is wound up or unwound to form a loop (25) on the storage reel ( 19) , the loop (25) is pulled out of the uppermost tape circulation (17) of the storage reel (19) and a first tape part (29) of a loop part together with a second band part (11) , which leads as an extension to the band reel (3) , is pressed against one another for transporting the objects (33) onto the storage reel ( 19) , and the merging of the first and the second band part (29, 11) serves as an entry or exit mouth (35) for the objects (33) . A method according to claim 1, characterized in that the second band part (11) in its extension as a third band part (17) on the outside of the storage reel except for an outlet area ( 21) and the first band part (29) in its extension as a fourth band part (31) is guided under the third band part (17) into the storage reel (19) . Method according to Claim 2, characterized in that the outlet area (21) on the circumference of the storage spool (19 ) is chosen to be small compared to the width of the objects (33) in the transport direction (T) , so that the objects (33) in this area (21 ) do not lift off, the two closely adjacent deflection points (15, 23) for the runout are each held in the immediate vicinity of the storage coil jacket in order to adapt to the changing storage coil diameter as objects or objects (33) are picked up or released. Method according to one of Claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the first and second belt parts (29, 11) are deflected transversely to the transport direction (T) in order to generate a tension force which presses the two belt parts against one another. Memory device for performing a method according to any one of claims 1 to 4 for the input and / or withdrawal of sheet-like, flexible objects (33), in particular bank notes, having a direction of transport (T) only a single one-piece storage tape (1) storage coil ( 19) , the objects (33) to be stored or stored between a first and a second pressed-together band part (29, 11) of the one-piece storage band on the storage spool (19) or away from it and the merging area (35) of the two Band parts (29, 11 ) serves to take over the objects (33) . Apparatus according to claim 5, characterized by a tape loop (25) of the storage tape (1) which is led out of the storage reel ( 19) in an outlet area (21) and which is guided such that a loop tape part as the first tape part (29) parallel to the second tape part ( 11) and preferably the outlet area (21) has a radial jacket section on the outside of the storage coil, which is smaller than the smallest width of the objects (33) , so that their detachment in the jacket section in the outlet area (21) can be prevented. Apparatus according to claim 5 or 6, characterized by at least one, preferably two deflecting elements (15, 23) which guide the storage tape ( 1) in the outlet area ( 21) and which preferably have their outer edge, in particular parallel to the storage spool axis (20) arranged in the immediate vicinity of the storage coil jacket and thus preferably with respect to the diameter of the storage coil (19) which changes during the loading and unloading, preferably radially to the storage coil axis (20) . Device according to one of claims 5 to 7, characterized by a tensioning element (13) which is preferably arranged in the middle of the line of the first and second belt part (29, 11) and with which both belt parts (29, 11) can be deflected transversely to the transport direction (T) for belt tensioning are. Device according to one of claims 6 to 8, characterized by a belt strap clamping element (27) due to a different amount of stored objects (33), wherein the clamping element (27) preferably for changing the belt loop circumference depending on the diameter of the storage reel (19) as a spring-mounted guide roller is formed, around which a band part of the band loop (25) is deflected. Automatic bank note machine, in particular self-cashing machine with a storage device according to one of claims 5 to 9, for storing and / or storing sheet-shaped, flexible objects (33) , in particular bank notes with a single, one-piece storage tape (1) in the transport direction (T ). Storage spool (19) , the objects (33) to be stored or stored between a first and a second pressed-together tape part (29, 11) of the one-piece storage tape on the storage spool (19) or away from it and the merging area (35 ) of the two belt parts (29, 11 ) serves to take over the objects (33) .

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