DEVICE AND METHOD FOR SEPARATING VALUE DOCUMENTS, IN PARTICULAR BANKNOTES, AND VALUE DOCUMENT PROCESSING SYSTEM

Abstract

An apparatus and a method for singling value documents involve a feeding device adapted to feed a respectively uppermost value document of a stack of value documents to a picking device adapted to pick the value document from the stack. A conveying device is adapted to receive the stack and to convey it relative to the feeding device. A distance sensor is adapted to detect at least one distance of the respectively uppermost value document of the stack received by the conveying device relative to the feeding device and generate at least one corresponding distance sensor signal. A control device is adapted to control the conveying of the stack relative to the feeding device and the location of the feeding device relative to the stack based on the distance sensor signal.

Claims

1.-11. (canceled)

12. An apparatus for singling value documents, comprising: a feeding device, which is adapted to feed a respectively uppermost value document of a stack of value documents to a picking device which is adapted to pick the value document from the stack, a conveying device, which is adapted to receive the stack and to convey it relative to the feeding device, at least one distance sensor, which is adapted to detect at least one distance of the respectively uppermost value document of the stack relative to the feeding device and to generate at least one corresponding distance sensor signal, and a control device, which is adapted to control the conveyance of the stack relative to the feeding device and/or the location of the feeding device relative to the stack, to the respectively uppermost value document of the stack, on the basis of the at least one distance sensor signal.

13. The apparatus according to claim 12, having at least one stack sensor which is adapted to detect a height and/or a density of the stack of value documents and to generate a corresponding stack sensor signal, wherein the control device is adapted to control the conveyance of the stack relative to the feeding device and/or the location of the feeding device relative to the stack, to the respectively uppermost value document of the stack, on the basis of the at least one distance sensor signal and the at least one stack sensor signal.

14. The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the control device is adapted to control a speed and/or direction of the conveyance of the stack relative to the feeding device on the basis of the at least one distance sensor signal, on the basis of the at least one distance sensor signal and the at least one stack sensor signal.

15. The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the feeding device is configured as an air baffle plate, which is adapted to suction the respectively uppermost value document of the stack and thereby lift it off the stack and convey it in the direction of the picking device.

16. The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the feeding device, configured as an air baffle plate, is pivotably mounted and a driving device is provided which is adapted to adjust an inclination angle of the feeding device relative to the conveying device and/or relative to the stack, to the respectively uppermost value document of the stack, by pivoting the feeding device.

17. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the control device is adapted to control the driving device for adjusting the inclination angle of the feeding device relative to the conveying device or to the stack, to the respectively uppermost value document of the stack, on the basis of the at least one distance sensor signal, on the basis of the at least one distance sensor signal and the at least one stack sensor signal.

18. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the control device is adapted to control the driving device to adjust the inclination angle of the feeding device such that the feeding device extends substantially parallel to the respectively uppermost value document of the stack.

19. The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the control device is adapted to control the conveying device for conveying the stack relative to the feeding device in dependence on the at least one distance of the respectively uppermost value document of the stack such that the stack is conveyed at a first speed in the direction of the feeding device, if the at least one distance is greater than a predetermined first distance value, and/or the stack is conveyed at a second speed, which is lower than the first speed, in the direction of the feeding device, if the at least one distance is smaller than the first distance value, and/or the stack is conveyed at the second speed and/or a third speed different from the second speed in the direction of the feeding device and/or away from the feeding device, if the at least one distance of the respectively uppermost value document of the stack relative to the feeding device is smaller than a predetermined second distance value, which is smaller than the first distance value.

20. The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the at least one distance sensor is configured as an optical and/or acoustic and/or capacitive sensor which is adapted to detect the at least one distance of the respectively uppermost value document relative to the feeding device by means of electromagnetic waves, acoustic waves or capacity determination.

21. A value document processing system for processing, for sorting, counting and/or checking value documents with an apparatus for singling value documents according to claim 12.

22. A method for singling value documents, in which a stack of value documents is received by a conveying device and a respectively uppermost value document of the received stack is fed by means of a feeding device to a picking device which picks the value document from the stack, wherein at least one distance of the respectively uppermost value document of the received stack relative to the feeding device is detected and at least one corresponding distance sensor signal is generated, and a conveyance of the received stack relative to the feeding device and/or a location of the feeding device relative to the stack, to the respectively uppermost value document of the stack, is controlled and/or adjusted on the basis of the at least one distance sensor signal.

Description

[0032] Further advantages, features and application possibilities of the present invention will result from the following description in connection with the figures. There are shown:

[0033] FIG. 1 an example of a value document processing system;

[0034] FIG. 2 a second example of an apparatus for singling value documents; and

[0035] FIG. 3 a third example of an apparatus for singling value documents.

[0036] FIG. 1 shows a schematic representation of an example of a value document processing system 1 with a first example of an apparatus 5 for singling value documents 2, in particular banknotes, which are inserted into the apparatus 5 in the form of a stack 3 and conveyed by a conveying device 4, 6 in the direction of a feeding device 7.

[0037] In the present example, the conveying device 4, 6 has a support element 4, preferably configured as a rake, which can be moved towards the feeding device 7 and/or away from the feeding device 7 with the aid of a conveying drive 6.

[0038] The feeding device 7 is preferably configured as a so-called air baffle plate, which is adapted to suction the respectively uppermost value document 2 located on the stack 3 with the aid of a stream of air and thereby lift it off the stack 3 and convey it towards a so-called singling roller 8 which—possibly in interaction with further singler elements—picks the value document 2 from the stack 3 and transfers it to a transport apparatus 10. Possible further singler elements, e.g. in the form of one or several rollers and/or belts are represented in the present example only by a so-called retention roller 8′ for illustrative reasons.

[0039] The singled value documents 2 are conveyed by the transport device 10 to a checking apparatus 20 in which the value documents 2 are checked with respect to their properties, such as, for example, denomination and/or condition and/or authenticity. For this purpose, one or several checking sensors 21 are provided which detect the physical properties of the value documents 2 and convert them into corresponding sensor signals which are evaluated in a control device 9.

[0040] The control device 9 is further adapted to control switches 11, 12 in such a manner that the processed value documents 2 are transferred into a first or second container 13 or 14 depending on the properties ascertained in each case. Here, for example, value documents 2 in a good condition (“fit”) are deposited in the first container 13 and value documents 2 in a poor condition (“unfit”) in the second container 14. Depending on the application case, the value documents 2 can also be stored in the different containers 13, 14, for example in line with the denomination. Further switches and further containers (not represented) or further processing elements, such as, for example, a shredder for destroying value documents 2 with certain properties, can also be provided, which is indicated by an arrow 15.

[0041] In the region of the feeding device 7, one or several distance sensors 16, 17 are arranged, which are adapted to detect a distance of the respectively uppermost value document 2 of the stack 3 relative to the feeding device 7 and/or to the distance sensors 16, 17 and to generate corresponding distance sensor signals.

[0042] The control device 9 is adapted to control and/or adjust the conveyance of the stack 3 relative to the feeding device 7 and/or the position of the feeding device 7 relative to the stack 3, in particular relative to the respectively uppermost value document 2 of the stack 3, on the basis of the distance sensor signals or signals or parameters derived therefrom. As a result, it is possible to adjust in a simple and cost-effective manner a location or position of the stack 3 or of the respectively uppermost value document 2 relative to the feeding device 7 which is advantageous for a particularly reliable singling of the value documents of the stack 3.

[0043] FIG. 2 shows a schematic representation of a second example of an apparatus 5 for singling value documents 2, in particular banknotes. In the present example, two distance sensors 16, 17 are provided, which are configured, for example, as optical path measurement sensors and are arranged above the feeding device 7. An optical path measurement sensor preferably has an optical detector and a light source which sends at least one, preferably visible or infrared, light beam (shown in dashed lines) in the direction of the value document 2 and detects the light reflected by value document 2 with the aid of the optical detector. Even if the distance sensors 16, 17 are in contact with the upper side of the feeding device 7 in the present representation, they can in principle also be spaced apart from the upper side of the feeding device 7. It would also be possible that the distance sensors are integrated in the feeding device 7 or are arranged on the lower side of the feeding device 7, i.e. on the side of the feeding device 7 which is directed towards the stack 3.

[0044] In the present example, the feeding device 7 has two breakthroughs 7a and 7b through which the light emitted by the respective distance sensor 16, 17 and the light reflected by the respective value document 2 can pass through the feeding device 7.

[0045] Based on the distance sensor signals generated by the distance sensors 16, 17, a distance d of the stack 3 or of the respectively uppermost value document 2 from the feeding device 7 is ascertained in the control device 9. Alternatively or additionally, it is also possible that a distance d′ between the respective distance sensor 16 or 17 on the one hand and the respectively uppermost value document 2 of the stack 3 on the other hand is ascertained based on the distance sensor signals. Since the distance d′ ascertained here differs only by a known amount—in the present example by the height of the feeding device 7—from the distance d, the distance d′ also represents a measure of the distance of the respectively uppermost value document 2 relative to the feeding device 7 within the meaning of the present invention.

[0046] The control device 9 is preferably adapted to control the speed v and/or the direction of conveyance of the stack 3 relative to the feeding device 7 on the basis of the distance sensor signals and/or a distance d or d′ ascertained therefrom. For example, different modes of operation for tracking the stack 3 can be provided for this purpose. To illustrate this, three different operating modes are explained below by way of example.

i) If, for example, it is found that the uppermost value document 2 has a distance d from the feeding device 7 which is greater than, for example, 40 mm, a tracking speed v that is faster with reference to a pre-adjusted normal or standard tracking speed is adjusted through corresponding activation of the conveying drive 6.
ii) If, for example, there results that the distance d is less than 40 mm, a slower, in particular a pre-adjusted normal, tracking speed v is adjusted through corresponding activation of the conveying drive 6.
iii) If, for example, there results that the distance d between the uppermost value document 2 and the feeding device 7 is smaller than, for example, 10 mm, an assessment of the normal tracking speed adjusted so far can take place in the control device 9 and, optionally, the tracking speed can be re-regulated. Optionally, an inverse tracking, i.e. a conveyance of the stack 3 or the support element 4 away from the feeding device 7, can also take place.

[0047] The above-described detection of distances d or d′ of the stack 3 or the respectively uppermost value document 2 of the stack 3 from the feeding device 7 can in principle take place with only one distance sensor 16 or 17 or also with more than two distance sensors. This applies correspondingly to the controlling of the tracking of the stack 3 on the basis of one or more than two distance sensor signals or the distances d and d′ derived therefrom.

[0048] As an alternative or in addition to optical path measurement sensors, the distance sensors 16, 17 can also be configured as acoustic, for example ultrasound-based, and/or capacitive sensors.

[0049] As an alternative or in addition to the controlling of the tracking of the stack 3 described above, it is possible to change the position and/or location of the feeding device 7 relative to the stack 3 and/or relative to the respectively uppermost value document 2 of the stack 3 on the basis of the distance sensor signals or the distances d and d′ derived therefrom. This will be explained in more detail below.

[0050] FIG. 3 shows a third example of an apparatus 5 for singling value documents. In contrast to the example shown in FIG. 2, the feeding device 7 is pivotably mounted so that, if necessary, it can be pivoted out of a location substantially parallel to the support element 4 in order to preferably assume a location substantially parallel to the respectively uppermost value document 2.

[0051] For this purpose, a driving device 23, 24 is provided, which is represented only very schematically in the present example and has, for example, a stepper motor 23 which is fixedly arranged in the apparatus 5 and which interacts, e.g. via a gear, with an actuating element 24 provided on the feeding device 7, so that said actuating element can be pivoted together with the feeding device 7 in a direction indicated by a double arrow.

[0052] The distance sensors 16, 17 preferably detect the distance of the respectively uppermost value document 2 from the feeding device 7 several times and/or at short intervals and/or continuously during the pivoting of the feeding device 7, wherein the control device 9 controls the driving device 23, 24 in dependence on the distance sensor signals generated thereby, and in particular adjusts an inclination angle of the feeding device 7 which substantially corresponds to the inclination of the respectively uppermost value document 2.

[0053] In addition to adjusting the inclination angle of the feeding device 7, it is also possible to effect a tracking of the stack 3 with the aid of the conveying device 4, 6 on the basis of the distance sensor signals or the distances derived therefrom.

[0054] As an alternative or in addition to pivoting the feeding device 7, it is also possible to determine a height and/or density of the stack 3 and to effect a tracking of the stack 3 with the aid of the conveying device 4, 6 in dependence on the ascertained height or density of the stack.

[0055] The height of the stack 3 can be detected, for example, by means of a camera 18, the images of which are analyzed in the control device 9, for example by means of automatic detection of the edges of the value documents. The density of the stack 3 can be determined with the aid of a transmitted light barrier 19, for example.

[0056] The control device 9 is preferably adapted to control the conveying device 4, 6 for tracking the stack 3 and/or the driving device 23, 24 for pivoting the feeding device 7 on the basis of both the distance sensor signals or the distances derived therefrom and the ascertained height and/or density of the stack 3.