Device for processing valuable documents and method for operating the device

Abstract

The invention relates to an apparatus (1) for processing documents of value, in particular bank notes, and a method for operating such an apparatus (1). The apparatus (1) includes several processing zones (2, 3, 4, 5, 11, 12, 13), such as for example an input module (2), an operating module (3) and an output module (4). The apparatus (1) is further set up to detect events in the processing zones (2, 3, 4, 5, 11, 12, 13), which require an intervention of an operator. The processing zones (2, 3, 4, 5, 11, 12, 13) each have at least one cover (6), which, dependent on such a detected event, is automatically opened without intervention of the operator.

Claims

1. An apparatus for processing documents of value comprising: several processing zones located on the apparatus and arranged to process documents of value, each of said several processing zones having at least one door moveable between an open and a closed position, said apparatus comprising sensors arranged to detect events which require an intervention of an operator of the apparatus; a control unit; and at least one actuator associated with each door of the several processing zones arranged to open the door under the control of the control unit, wherein said control unit is arranged to monitor the sensors and as soon as the respective sensor detects a malfunction to select a correct door out of the several doors of the several processing zones associated with the event detected by the respective sensor; and to automatically operate the at least one actuator of a respective door upon detection of an event associated with the respective processing zone at which the door is located, so that by the selected correct door opening automatically an operator is led directly to the one processing zone of the several processing zones in which the intervention of the operator is required, wherein the apparatus is arranged to indicate the automatic opening of the door by one or more acoustic and/or visual signals before the automatic opening of the correct door.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the event is the malfunction whose elimination requires an intervention of the operator, includes at least one of: a malfunction of a strapping device, of a bundling device, of one of the sensors, of a light barrier or a transport malfunction, or the finding of a need for consumables of the apparatus.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the event is a transport malfunction and the transport malfunction is a bank note jam.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the door is closeable automatically.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said door is configured to be closed automatically when a switch is activated by the operator and/or when the apparatus has detected a certain event which was triggered through the intervention of the operator.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, comprising sensors arranged to detect the completely opened and completely closed position of the door.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus can be configured such that the automatic opening of the door is effected only after an opening confirmation by the operator of the apparatus.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said at least one actuator comprises an actuating cylinder connected to the door.

9. The apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising a valve connected with the actuating cylinder, said valve being arranged to slow down an opening movement of the door or a closing movement of the door by a temporary at least partial closure of the valve.

10. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the several processing zones are different processing zones from one another.

11. The apparatus according to claim 8, comprising, in addition to the at least one actuator for each at least one door, at least one gas pressure spring for each at least one door, said at least one gas pressure spring configured to support the opening movement of the door and to hold the door in fully opened position after its opening.

12. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus for processing documents is configured to stop when the correct door is opened, and configured to continue operation when all of the doors are closed.

13. A method for operating an apparatus for processing documents of value, said apparatus having several processing zones each having at least one door moveable between an open and a closed position, said method comprising the steps: detecting events requiring an intervention of an operator in the processing zones using sensors, wherein said events require an intervention of an operator; and as soon as a respective sensor detects a malfunction in one of the processing zones, using a control unit to select a correct door out of several doors of the several processing zones associated with the event detected by the respective sensor, and to automatically operate at least one actuator associated with the door of the processing zone upon detection of the event associated with the respective processing zone at which the door is located so that by the selected correct door opening automatically an operator is led directly to the one processing zone of the several processing zones in which the intervention of the operator is required, wherein the selected correct door opening automatically is indicated by one or more acoustic and/or visual signals before the automatic opening.

14. The method according to claim 13, further comprising the steps of assisting in the opening movement of the respective door using one gas pressure spring per door, and after the opening holding the door in fully opened position by the gas pressure spring.

15. The method according to claim 13, comprising the step of automatically closing the door by activating a switch and/or when the apparatus has detected an event which was triggered through the intervention of the operator.

16. The method according to claim 13, including the step of detecting the completely opened and/or the completely closed position of the door.

17. The method according to claim 13, further comprising the step of temporarily closing a valve connected with the actuator so that a closing movement of the door from an open position or an opening movement of the door from a closed position is slowed down, wherein the actuator is a fluid actuator.

18. The method according to claim 13, wherein the actuator is a fluid cylinder.

19. An apparatus for processing documents of value comprising: several processing zones located on the apparatus and arranged to process documents of value, each of said several processing zones having at least one door moveable between an open and a closed position, said apparatus comprising sensors arranged to detect events which require an intervention of an operator of the apparatus; a control unit; and at least one actuator associated with each door of the several processing zones arranged to open the door under the control of the control unit, wherein said control unit is arranged to monitor the sensors and as soon as the respective sensor detects a malfunction to select a correct door out of the several doors of the several processing zones associated with the event detected by the respective sensor; and to automatically operate the at least one actuator of a respective door upon detection of an event associated with the respective processing zone at which the door is located, so that by the selected correct door opening automatically an operator is led directly to the one processing zone of the several processing zones in which the intervention of the operator is required, and wherein the apparatus is arranged to indicate the automatic opening of the door by one or more acoustic and/or visual signals before the automatic opening of the door.

20. A method of notifying an operator of a bank note processing machine with multiple processing zones, said method comprising the following steps: detecting a first event which requires an intervention by the operator using sensors; determining a first processing zone of the machine out of the multiple processing zones which is associated with the detected first event; and wherein as soon as the detected first event is detected, automatically selecting a correct door out of multiple doors of the multiple processing zones so that by the selected correct door opening automatically the operator is notified and led directly to the first processing zone in which the intervention is required, wherein the selected correct door opening automatically is indicated by one or more acoustic and/or visual signals before the automatic opening.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The invention is described in the following with reference to the accompanying Figures, by way of example on the basis of an embodiment, in which:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a general view of a bank note processing machine in a perspective view,

(3) FIG. 2 shows a general view of a bank note processing machine with further modules in a front view,

(4) FIG. 3 shows a movement mechanism of a cover of a bank note processing machine.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

(5) In FIG. 1 there is represented a bank note processing machine 1, which is composed of many different processing zones, which are realized by modules 2, 3, 4, 5. The bank note processing machine 1 consists of an input module 2, an operating module 3, an output module 4 and a shredder module 5.

(6) Bank notes which are to be processed by the bank note processing machine 1 are inserted by an operator into the input module 2 disposed on the left beside the operating module 3. For this, the input module 2 comprises an input pocket 7 which receives a stack of bank notes. After the input, the bank notes are singled by means of a singler, and checked by a measuring system in the form of a measuring path having checking sensors for example as to authenticity and/or as to their denomination and/or as to their fitness for circulation.

(7) The input module 2 is followed by the operating module 3 which has a user interface with screen 8 and function keys 9 for operating the bank note processing machine 1 through an operator. Moreover, in the operating module 3 there is accommodated a reject pocket 24, where bank notes are stacked which were rejected on the basis of the measurements in the input module 2, for example bank notes recognized to be forgeries or bank notes which could not be unequivocally identified by the checking sensors in the input module 2. The bank notes from the reject pocket 24 are then subjected to a manual check and, if appropriate, again inserted into the input module 2. The other bank notes are further transported along a transport path in the bank note processing machine 1 to the output module 4.

(8) The output of the bank notes checked and deemed to be fit for circulation in the output module 4 is effected in a bundled or stacked form. For this, the output module 4 has several stackers, strapping devices and bank note output pockets 10. A bank note processing machine 1 can have several different output modules 4, depending on the volume to be processed, so as to be able to process larger quantities of bank notes and output them together.

(9) In the following shredder module 5, bank notes recognized to be unfit for circulation, for example damaged or heavily soiled bank notes, can be destroyed and then outputted into a secured pocket for disposal. The bank note processing machine 1 can further have a revision stacker for stacking bank notes unfit for circulation which are not to be destroyed. Optionally, there can also be connected to the bank note processing machine 1 a bundling device in which bank notes are bundled in certain quantities and wrapped with plastic foil.

(10) In FIG. 2 there is shown the structure of a bank note processing machine, which besides the input module 2, the operating module 3, the output module 4 and the shredder module 5, has additional modules.

(11) Two additional output modules 11, 12 increase the output volume of the bank note processing machine. The large output module 11 for outputting has two output stackers 14 without strapping device, into which larger quantities of bank notes can be outputted in a loosely stacked manner. The output module 12 is basically built-up like the output module 4, but has only two bank note output pockets 10, into which bank notes can be outputted in a bundled manner. In addition, this more complex bank note processing machine comprises a coupling module 13 which connects the output modules 12 and 4 to each other. This can also be formed as a drive module, in order to improve the transport of the bank notes to be processed along the long transport path. The modules of the bank note processing machine 1, in particular the input module 3, the shredder module 5, the coupling module 13 and the output modules 4, 11, 12 are closed by covers 6 which can be formed as lifting doors.

(12) For supplying the bank note processing machine 1, an internal or external air supply module can be provided, which provides, if needed, compressed air and, if necessary, negative pressure. This air supply module supplies e.g. pneumatic cylinders with compressed air, which according to the invention are provided for automatically opening the covers 6.

(13) The covers 6, which cover the respective modules of the bank note processing machine 1, are formed to automatically open themselves in case of a malfunction whose elimination requires an intervention of the operator, such as for example in case of a bank note jam, or in case of malfunctions of the strapping device or bundling device. There may also be other events which require an intervention of the operator. The covers 6 can also be automatically opened when consumables are to be refilled or replaced, or when light barriers or the checking sensors for evaluating the bank notes along the measurement path are to be checked and/or cleaned. Thus, such events can be manifold, so that here the concrete representation of the sensors, with which the respective events are detected, is omitted. The sensors are monitored by a control unit, which prompts the opening of the cover 6 associated to the respective sensor, as soon as the sensor detects a malfunction. Upon all these events, the bank note processing machine 1 is stopped by the control unit, so that the safety of operators is not endangered.

(14) The covers 6 are manually movable when the bank note processing machine 1 is switched off. This is expedient for example upon manual interventions, which cannot be carried out with a switched-on bank note processing machine 1. Also under safety aspects it is important that all covers 6 can be manually activated by the operator.

(15) FIG. 3 shows the structure of the movement mechanism for opening and closing the covers 6. In FIG. 3 there is represented the mechanism for a small cover 6 and therefore comprises only one actuating cylinder 15.

(16) Larger covers 6, because of their greater weight, however, require two or more actuating cylinders. The second actuating cylinder then is disposed for example mirror-symmetrically next to the first actuating cylinder and acts via corresponding mechanical components upon a second suspension of the cover. The larger covers 6 with two actuating cylinders are usually used with the input module and the stacking module. The other modules require, due to their smaller size, usually only one actuating cylinder 15. The actuating cylinder 15 is formed as a pneumatic cylinder here.

(17) Very small covers, as they can be present for example at the operating module, may not have a drive on their own in the form of an actuating cylinder 15, but are moved along with an adjacent cover 6.

(18) As to not hinder the access of the operator to the interior of the modules, the actuating cylinders 15 and further mechanical components necessary for the movement of the respective covers 6 are accommodated in each case in the machine frame 23 of the bank note processing machine 1, cf. the area outlined in dashed lines in FIG. 3. In FIG. 1 there is shown by way of example the section of the machine frame 23, in which are disposed the actuating cylinder 15 and the further mechanical components for opening the cover 6 of the output module 4 (for this, the upper right part of the cover 6 of the output module 4 is shown broken out).

(19) The actuating cylinder 15 is connected with a deflection member 16 which also functions as step-up or step-down. The deflection member 16 is rotatably mounted in a pivotal point 20 in a fixed part of the machine frame 23 of the bank note processing machine and thus transmits the movement of the actuating cylinder 15 to a coupling member 17. This can be adjusted in its length, in order to determine the end points of the movement and to make possible a complete opening and closing of the respective cover 6. The coupling member 17 guides a push rod 18 which is connected with the suspension 19 of the cover 6 and moves the cover. The cover 6 (not shown) is fastened to the suspension 19 and is opened or closed by the transmitted movement. The angle 21 upon which the push rod 18 acts is designed such that also a gas pressure spring 22 can act upon it, which supports the movements of the cover 6 and serves to hold open the cover 6.

(20) In the represented structure, present components, such as hinges or suspensions, can remain almost unchanged. Only an additional point of action for the push rod 18 is required, in order to transmit the movement of the actuating cylinder 15 to the cover 6.