Apparatus for aligning notes of value
11084677 · 2021-08-10
Assignee
Inventors
- Dirk Langhuber (Paderborn, DE)
- Thomas Kemmerling (Brilon-Madfeld, DE)
- Michael Schild (Paderborn, DE)
- Ludger Hoischen (Borchen, DE)
- Paul Freitag (Steinheim, DE)
Cpc classification
B65H27/00
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
B65H9/002
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
B65H9/106
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
B65H5/023
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
International classification
B65H9/00
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
B65H5/02
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
Abstract
An apparatus for aligning at least one note of value along a transport path has at least one transport element and at least one first drive unit for driving the transport element. The driven transport element moves the note of value along the transport path in a transport direction. The transport element includes an endless drive belt, which is deflected over at least two rotatably mounted deflecting elements and a second drive unit for displacing one of the deflecting elements along its axis of rotation. By displacing the deflecting element, the note of value contacting the belt is moved obliquely to the transport direction. A further apparatus includes at least one vane wheel by which the note of value is movable transversely to the transport direction.
Claims
1. An apparatus for aligning at least one note of value along a transport path comprising: an inlet shaft for transporting the at least one note of value along the transport path in a transport direction; an outlet shaft for transporting the at least one note of value along the transport path in the transport direction, said inlet shaft spaced from said outlet shaft along the transport path in the transport direction; at least one transverse transport element arranged between said inlet shaft and said outlet shaft along the transport path in the transport direction; at least one counter-pressure element arranged opposite to said at least one transverse transport element; wherein the transport path extends between said at least one transverse transport element and said at least one counter-pressure element; wherein said at least one transverse transport element includes at least one vane wheel having a hub and at least one rigid vane projecting radially away from said hub; wherein an axis of rotation of said at least one vane wheel runs parallel to the transport direction and has a distance to a transport plane in which the at least one note of value travels in the transport direction wherein said at least one rigid vane extends from a base end at said hub to a distal end remote from said hub, a width of said at least one rigid vane defined about said axis of rotation, and said width increasing continuously between said base end and said distal end; and wherein said at least one vane wheel, upon rotation, contacts, with said at least one rigid vane, the at least one note of value against said at least one counter-pressure element and moves the at least one note of value transversely to the transport direction and also moves the at least one note of value out of the transport plane.
2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said apparatus has at least one elastically deformable element that generates a press-on force of said at least one counter-pressure element on the at least one note of value arranged between said at least one rigid vane wheel and said at least one counter-pressure element.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said at least one rigid vane is further defined as a plurality of rigid vanes extending radially away from said hub.
4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said plurality of rigid vanes are evenly spaced from one another about said axis of rotation of said at least one vane wheel.
5. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein: an enveloping circle of the said at least one vane wheel is defined by a radius of outer points of the said at least one vane wheel; said enveloping circle has a circumference about said axis of rotation of said at least one vane wheel defined by a plurality of arcuate circumferential portions including a first set of arcuate circumferential portions defined by respective said distal ends of said plurality of rigid vanes and a second set of arcuate circumferential portions defined by gaps between said distal ends of said plurality of rigid vanes; and said second set of arcuate portions collectively define a greater portion of said circumference of said enveloping circle than defined collectively by said first set of arcuate circumferential portions.
6. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein: a gap is defined between a first rigid vane of said plurality of rigid vanes and a second rigid vane of said plurality of rigid vanes, said gap extends a first angle about said axis of rotation of said at least one vane wheel; said first rigid vane extends a second angle about said axis of rotation of said at least one vane wheel; said second rigid vane extends a third angle about said axis of rotation of said at least one vane wheel; and said first angle is greater than at least one of said second angle and said third angle.
7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said first angle is greater than both of said second angle and said third angle.
8. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein: said at least one transverse transport element is further defined as including a plurality of vane wheels, each of said plurality of vane wheels having a hub and at least one rigid vane projecting radially away from said hub, wherein said plurality of vane wheels includes a first vane wheel and a second vane wheel positioned at a same position along the transport path; and said at least one counter-pressure element is further defined as a plurality of counter-pressure elements includes a first counter-pressure element arranged opposite to said first vane wheel and a second counter-pressure element arranged opposite to said second vane wheel.
9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said first vane wheel and said second vane wheel are positioned between said input shaft and said output shaft along the transport path.
10. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein: said first vane wheel includes a first plurality of rigid vanes and said second vane wheel includes a second plurality of rigid vanes; and said first plurality of rigid vanes and said second plurality of rigid vanes are synchronized relative to one another whereby a first rigid vane of said first plurality of rigid vanes is engaged with said first counter-pressure element at the same time that a second rigid vane of said second plurality of rigid vanes is engaged with said second counter-pressure element.
11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said first plurality of rigid vanes and said second plurality of rigid vanes are synchronized relative to one another whereby said first counter-pressure element is not engaged with any of said first plurality of rigid vanes at the same time said second counter-pressure element is not engaged with any of said second plurality of rigid vanes.
12. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein: said at least one vane wheel is further defined as including a plurality of vane wheels, each of said plurality of vane wheels having a hub and at least one rigid vane projecting radially away from said hub, wherein said plurality of vane wheels includes a first vane wheel and a second vane wheel positioned at a same position along the transport path and adjacent to one another laterally relative to the transport path; and said at least one counter-pressure element is further defined as a plurality of counter-pressure elements including a first counter-pressure element arranged opposite to said first vane wheel and a second counter-pressure element arranged opposite to said second vane wheel.
13. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein said first vane wheel and said second vane wheel are positioned between said input shaft and said output shaft along the transport path.
14. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein said at least one rigid vane of said first vane wheel is further defined as a first plurality of rigid vanes extending radially away from a first hub of said first vane wheel and said at least one rigid vane of said second vane wheel is further defined as a second plurality of rigid vanes extending radially away from a second hub of said second vane wheel.
15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein: said first vane wheel is rotatable about a first axis of rotation; said second vane wheel is rotatable about a second axis of rotation, said first axis of rotation and said second axis of rotation parallel to one another; said first plurality of rigid vanes are spaced from one another about said first axis of rotation; and said second plurality of rigid vanes are spaced from one another about said second axis of rotation.
16. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein: a first enveloping circle of the said first vane wheel is defined by a radius of outer points of the said first vane wheel and a second enveloping circle of the said second vane wheel is defined by a radius of outer points of the said second vane wheel; said first enveloping circle has a first circumference about said first axis of rotation of said first vane wheel defined by a first plurality of arcuate circumferential portions including a first set of arcuate circumferential portions defined by respective said distal ends of said first plurality of rigid vanes and a second set of arcuate circumferential portions defined by gaps between said distal ends of said first plurality of rigid vanes; said second enveloping circle has a second circumference about said second axis of rotation of said second vane wheel defined by a second plurality of arcuate circumferential portions including a third set of arcuate circumferential portions defined by respective said distal ends of said second plurality of rigid vanes and a fourth set of arcuate circumferential portions defined by gaps between said distal ends of said second plurality of rigid vanes; and at least one of: said second set of arcuate portions collectively define a greater portion of said first circumference of said first enveloping circle than defined collectively by said first set of arcuate circumferential portions; and said fourth set of arcuate portions collectively define a greater portion of said second circumference of said second enveloping circle than defined collectively by said third set of arcuate circumferential portions.
17. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein: a first gap is defined between a first rigid vane of said first plurality of rigid vanes and a second rigid vane of said first plurality of rigid vanes, said first gap extends a first angle about a first axis of rotation of said first vane wheel; said first rigid vane of said first plurality of vanes extends a second angle about said first axis of rotation of said first vane wheel; said second rigid vane of said first plurality of vanes extends a third angle about said first axis of rotation of said first vane wheel; and said first angle is greater than at least one of said second angle and said third angle.
18. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein said first angle is greater than both of said second angle and said third angle.
19. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein said first plurality of rigid vanes and said second plurality of rigid vanes are synchronized relative to one another whereby a first rigid vane of said first plurality of rigid vanes is engaged with said first counter-pressure element at the same time that a second rigid vane of said second plurality of rigid vanes is engaged with said second counter-pressure element.
20. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein said first plurality of rigid vanes and said second plurality of rigid vanes are synchronized relative to one another whereby said first counter-pressure element is not engaged with any of said first plurality of rigid vanes at the same time said second counter-pressure element is not engaged with any of said second plurality of rigid vanes.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)
(5)
(6)
(7)
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
(8) In
(9) The notes of value 12 to 18 should have a target position relative to the transport path 10. From this target position, the positions of the notes of value 12 to 18 should only deviate within little tolerances. In the target position, the longitudinal sides of the notes of value 12 to 18 are aligned orthogonally to the transport direction T1 and the short central axis of the note of value 12 to 18 lies on the central axis 20 of the transport path 10. From the notes of value 12 to 18 illustrated in
(10) Deviations of the position of the notes of value 12 to 18 from the target position can in particular occur during the removal of notes of value 12 to 18 from value note boxes with poorly stacked notes of value 12 to 18, in the case of an incorrect input of notes of value 12 to 18 by a customer and/or in the case of a skewed pull of notes of value 12 to 18 during feed or during the transport along the transport path 10. When such deviations occur, it is necessary that the notes of value 12 to 18 are brought into their target position by the apparatus for aligning notes of value 12 to 18 in order to correct at least a detected lateral offset.
(11) Further, by the alignment of the notes of value 12 to 18 in the target position, the alignment of the notes of value 12 to 18 in stacks for the output of the notes of value 12 to 18 as a bundle or for storing the notes of value 12 to 18 as a stack, for example in a value note box, is improved. In this way, the notes of value 12 to 18 can be stored in a space-saving manner. Further, the notes of value 12 to 18 can be output to a customer as an orderly bundle in an attractive and comfortable manner.
(12) The note of value 14 shown in
(13) The note of value 12 has approximately the same lateral offset transversely to the central axis 20 of the transport path 10 as the note of value 14. However, the note of value 12 is additionally rotated by an angle A with respect to an orthogonal to the central axis 20 of the transport path 10. Such a deviation by an angle from the target position is also referred to as angular offset. The note of value 12 should be rotated by the angle −A and additionally be moved to the left, as viewed in transport direction T1, until the short central axis of the note of value 12 lies on the central axis 20 of the transport path 10 to bring the note of value 12 exactly into the target position.
(14) The note of value 16 has an angular offset of −A and a lateral offset transversely to the central axis 20 of the transport path 10 to the left as viewed in transport direction T1. To bring this note of value 16 into the target position, it has to be rotated by the angle A and moved to the right until the short central axis of the note of value 16 lies on the central axis 20 of the transport plane 10. It has been realized that in many cases it is sufficient to correct the lateral offset of a note of value. A correction of the angular offset is not absolutely necessary in many cases.
(15) In
(16) The roller 112 is firmly connected to a drive shaft 110 that is driven by a first non-illustrated drive unit. The roller 118 is arranged downstream of the driven roller 112 in transport direction T1 and is freely rotatable and axially movable via an axial bearing 120 on the shaft 116. The roller 118 can be axially moved by a second non-illustrated drive unit on the shaft 116 via the axial bearing 120, as shown by the arrow T2.
(17) Before or during rotation of the roller 112 by the first drive unit, the roller 118 can be moved along its axis of rotation on the shaft 116 by the second drive unit, so that the roller 118 has a lateral offset as compared to the roller 112 with respect to the central axis of the transport path 10. As a result, the note of value 12 is moved between the drive roller and the roller 118 obliquely to the transport direction T1.
(18)
(19) The transport path 10 for the transport of the notes of value 12 to 18 runs between the belt 114 and the second belt 214. By the second belt 214 it is guaranteed that the note of value 12 is pressed against the belt 114 during the transport along the transport path 10 in the area of the belts 114, 214 or is safely held between the belts 114, 214.
(20) The roller 212 is arranged opposite to the roller 112 with respect to the transport path 10. The roller 118 is arranged opposite to the roller 218 with respect to the transport path 10. The roller 212 is firmly connected to a shaft 210 and is driven preferably by the first drive unit at the same rotational speed and opposite rotation direction as the shaft 110 so that the belts 114, 214 are driven at the same circumferential speed. Alternatively, in other embodiments, the second belt 214 can be driven by friction with the first belt 114 and/or by friction with the rollers 112, 212; 118, 218.
(21) The roller 218 is arranged axially movable on a shaft 216 via an axial bearing 220. The displacement of the roller 218 takes place synchronously to the displacement of the roller 118 by the already mentioned second drive unit in a direction of the double arrow T2.
(22) In the case of a lateral displacement of the rollers 118, 218 in one of the directions of the double arrow T2, the note of value 12 is transported obliquely to the central axis of the transport path 10 and in doing so is reliably held between the opposite belts 114, 214. If there is no lateral displacement of the rollers 118, 218, the note of value 12 is transported in transport direction T1 along the transport path 10, i.e. without the note of value 12 being moved obliquely or transversely to the transport path.
(23)
(24) If during the rotation of the rollers 412, 432 by the first drive unit the second drive unit is activated, the rollers 418, 438 are displaced along their axis of rotation on the shaft in the same direction, dependent on the drive direction of the second drive unit, so that the rollers 418, 438 have a lateral offset as compared to the rollers 412, 432 with respect to the central axis of the transport path 10. As a result, a transport of the notes of value obliquely to the central axis of the transport path 10 takes place. It is thus possible that a note of value 12 fed to the apparatus 400 exits the apparatus 400 laterally offset relative to its feed position. As a result, a previously detected lateral offset of the note of value 12, i.e. a lateral deviation of the note of value 12 from a target position can be corrected or reduced. When the second drive unit is not activated, the rollers 418, 438 remain in their position shown in
(25) The two belts 414, 434 arranged next to each other in the embodiment according to
(26) In an alternative embodiment of the apparatus 400, the rollers 418, 438 can also be arranged in a rotationally fixed manner with the shaft 416 and axially displaceable on the shaft 416 via the axial bearings 420, 440 so that the rollers 418, 438 perform exactly the same rotary motions. In a further advantageous embodiment of the apparatus 400, the shaft 416 can additionally be drivable in the same manner as the shaft 410, preferably by the same drive unit.
(27) In a further embodiment, a further belt arrangement 200 can be arranged opposite to the belts 414, 434 in the same manner as shown in connection with
(28)
(29) A second, likewise not illustrated drive unit rotates the vane wheels 510 and 512, wherein the axis of rotation of the vane wheels 510 and 512 runs parallel to the transport direction T1 and thus parallel to the central axis of the transport plane.
(30) Two freely rotatable counter-pressure elements 520 and 522 formed as balls (see
(31) The bearing units 530 and 532 are each coupled with an elastically deformable element 540 and 542, which generate a counter-pressure force of the ball-shaped counter-pressure elements 520 and 522 on a note of value 12 arranged between the vane wheels 510, 512 and the counter-pressure elements 520 and 522. The elastically deformable element 540, 542 can be a spring, in particular a coil spring designed as a pressure spring, or an elastomer block.
(32) When the vane wheels 510 and 512 are rotated in one of the directions of the double arrow T3, the note of value 12 is transported transversely to the central axis of the transport path 10 and in doing so is reliably held between the opposite counter-pressure elements 520 and 522 and the vane wheels 510, 512. When there is no rotation of the vane wheels 510 and 512, the note of value 12 is transported in transport direction T1 along the transport path 10, i.e. without the note of value 12 being moved transversely to the transport path.
(33)
(34) The axes of rotation of the vane wheels 510 and 512 are arranged at a distance Z to the transport plane 10. The distance Z is smaller than the radius R of the enveloping circles 514 and 516 of the vane wheels 510, 512. The outer points of the vane wheels 510 and 512 move along the enveloping circle 514, 516 upon a rotation of the vane wheels 510, 512. As shown in
(35) In the position shown in
(36) The ball-shaped counter-pressure element 520 mounted in the bearing unit 530 is arranged opposite to the vane wheel 510, the ball-shaped counter-pressure element 522 mounted in the bearing unit 532 is arranged opposite to the vane wheel 512.
(37) The ball-shaped counter-pressure elements 520 and 522 project through an opening of the respective bearing unit 530 and 532 that is dimensioned such that the ball-shaped counter-pressure elements 520, 522 cannot be moved completely through the opening.
(38) The note of value 12 which is arranged in the transport plane 10 between the vane wheels 510 and 512 and the counter-pressure elements 520 and 522, is not contacted by the vane wheels 510 and 512 in the illustrated operating state. When driving the inlet shaft 548 and the outlet shaft 550 by the first drive unit, the note of value 12 is thus exclusively transported in transport direction T1 through the device 500.
(39)
(40) Upon rotation, the vane wheels 510 and 512 are moved out of the transport plane 10 by the distance based on the difference between the radius R of the vane wheel 510, 512 and the distance Z (R−Z) and in doing so are pressed against the counter-pressure elements 520 and 522.
(41) By moving the note of value 12 out of the transport plane 10, the adhesive force between the note of value 12 and the inlet shaft 548 and between the note of value 12 and the outlet shaft 550 is reduced so that the transport of the note of value 12 in the direction T1 during the alignment of the note of value 12 in one of the directions of the double arrow T3 is interrupted. Starting from their position shown in
(42) The minimum angle is the quotient from 360° and the number of vanes. In the present embodiment, the vane wheels 510, 512 each have three vanes so that the minimum angle between a leading edge of two adjacent vanes amounts to 120°, as is shown in