BANK NOTE CONTAINER PROVISION SYSTEM

Abstract

An apparatus is provided for receiving, temporarily storing and dispensing bank note containers as well as to a transport apparatus dockable thereto. The present invention further relates to a system arrangement comprising the proposed apparatus as well as the proposed transport apparatus. Further, a method arranged for operating the system arrangement is proposed as well as a computer program product having control commands executing the proposed method or operating the proposed system arrangement.

Claims

1.-15. (canceled)

16. An apparatus for receiving, temporarily storing and dispensing bank note containers, comprising: at least two buffer paths configured to be elongated and arranged for temporarily storing a plurality of bank note containers within the apparatus, wherein the at least two buffer paths are each movable, in particular tiltable, independently of each other into a first position for receiving bank note containers and are further movable, in particular tiltable, independently of each another into a second position for dispensing bank note containers.

17. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the at least two buffer paths are to be filled or emptied independently of each other in such a way that at least one first buffer path is to be filled with empty bank note containers and at least one second buffer path with filled bank note containers is to be emptied.

18. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the buffer paths are arranged one above the other.

19. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the buffer paths are mounted to be movable, in particular tiltable, in such a way that by means of an arising inclination the bank note containers are movable in a self-acting manner within the apparatus by means of gravity.

20. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the buffer paths comprise rollers for moving the bank note containers.

21. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the buffer paths comprise locking pawls for locking the bank note containers and/or for locking the position of the buffer paths.

22. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the buffer paths are conveyable from the first position into the second position by means of spring force and/or gravity.

23. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the buffer paths are secured by means of a cover against unauthorized intervention.

24. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein at least one transfer device for receiving and/or dispensing the plurality of bank note containers into and/or out of the apparatus is provided.

25. A transport apparatus for filling and/or emptying the apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the transport apparatus cooperates with the apparatus in such a way that a plurality of bank note containers are exchangeable between the transport apparatus and the apparatus.

26. A system arrangement for the mechanical supplying of a plurality of bank note containers, comprising the apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the transport apparatus cooperates with the apparatus in such a way that a plurality of bank note containers are exchangeable between the transport apparatus and the apparatus.

27. The system arrangement according to claim 26, wherein further processing machines are provided to which bank note containers are fed or from which bank note containers are taken by means of the apparatus.

28. The system arrangement according to claim 26, wherein the system arrangement is operable at least partly automatically.

29. A method arranged for operating the system arrangement of claim 26.

30. A computer program product having control commands which execute the method according to claim 29 when brought to be executed on a computer.

Description

[0032] Further advantageous configurations are explained in more detail with reference to the attached Figures. There are shown:

[0033] FIG. 1: an application example of the proposed system arrangement for linking three workstations according to one aspect of the present invention;

[0034] FIG. 2: a detailed application example for linking workstations according to another aspect of the present invention;

[0035] FIG. 3: the proposed apparatus for receiving, temporarily storing and dispensing bank note containers according to one aspect of the present invention;

[0036] FIG. 4: an application scenario of the proposed apparatus and the proposed transport apparatus according to another aspect of the present invention;

[0037] FIG. 5: the proposed transport apparatus according to one aspect of the present invention;

[0038] FIG. 6: the proposed apparatus as a buffer according to one aspect of the present invention;

[0039] FIG. 7: a cover of a guiding path according to another aspect of the invention; and

[0040] FIG. 8: the cooperation of the proposed apparatus and the proposed transport apparatus according to another aspect of the present invention.

[0041] FIG. 1 shows the system arrangement according to the invention, which shows in the center at the top a machine for measuring and sorting bank notes, to which bank note containers must be fed. For this purpose, the proposed apparatus is provided in several versions in the center of the present FIG. 1. In the present FIG. 1 at the bottom, the corresponding transport apparatus is arranged which respectively feeds bank note containers to the proposed apparatus or receives them therefrom. Further, on the top right, a machine is shown which packs bank notes, for which likewise the apparatus according to the invention is used. Thus, the apparatus for receiving, temporarily storing and dispensing bank note containers is configured as a buffer which has an effect in such a way that the machines in the upper area of FIG. 1 are always furnished with bank note containers or bank notes. While the proposed apparatus in the center of FIG. 1 is stationary with respect to location, the transport apparatus is configured with rollers in such a way that the bank note containers can be brought toward or away from the buffer.

[0042] FIG. 2 shows another application example in a similar representation, where the proposed apparatus 1 is configured with supports and the proposed transport apparatus 2 is configured with rollers. In front of the processing machines gripper arms are arranged which take bank note containers from the proposed apparatus or feed bank note containers to these. Thus at least a partial automation of the proposed system arrangement can be achieved.

[0043] FIG. 3 shows the proposed apparatus 1 having a bank note container on the left side. Here, two rails are provided, in this case arranged at the top, which form a buffer path. Underneath there are also arranged two rails, which represent a further buffer path. As apparent from the present FIG. 3, the inclination is adjusted such that the bank note containers can be taken on the left side. The lower buffer path is arranged in such a way that the bank note containers slide into the apparatus in such a way that they can be stowed inside apparatus 1.

[0044] FIG. 4 shows two apparatuses 1 according to the invention on the left and a transport apparatus 2 on the right. Here, the apparatuses act as buffers and the transport apparatus 2 is configured as a transport cart. Here, bank note containers on the transport cart are introduced into the respective buffer on the left-hand side or are taken therefrom. In the apparatus on the top left, the angle of inclination is adjusted in such a way that the bank note containers slide from right to left without the need for an additional motor. This is accomplished solely by the slope of the tiltably mounted buffer path. On the left side, the bank note container slides out of the apparatus. Likewise, it is possible to use the lower buffer path in such a way that the bank note containers slide into apparatus 1.

[0045] The apparatus and the transport apparatus 2 can interact in such a way that the buffer path is extended by means of the transport path of the transport cart and the bank note containers slide from the buffer into the transport apparatus. It is also possible for the bank note containers to slide on the other buffer path from the transport cart into the proposed apparatus on the left.

[0046] The transport cart can now be moved away from the upper buffer and docked to the lower buffer. In this way, full bank note containers can be taken from the upper buffer and added to the lower buffer.

[0047] FIG. 5 shows the proposed transport apparatus 2 which is variable with respect to location as it comprises rollers at the bottom. This transport apparatus has transport paths which correspond to the buffer paths of the buffer. Thus, a bringing in or removing of bank note containers can be accomplished on the left side, for example. Further, the tiltable positions of the respective transport path are schematically shown. These may differ by plus/minus 5 degrees, for example.

[0048] The cart can be docked to a buffer by pushing it toward it. By this movement the transport paths on the cart are swivelled. Locking pawls on the buffers are released and the containers can now roll on the inclined plane into the cart or the buffer by gravity. Upon docking, the transport paths in the buffer are locked. In the cart, always only one of the two transport paths is loaded, thus the transport paths are always inclined such that the containers are secured against unintentional rolling out. The respective angle of inclination or the first position or the second position are adjusted in such a way whether now the upper buffer path or the lower buffer path or transport path is to be served.

[0049] FIG. 6 shows the apparatus 1 according to the invention as a buffer. The bank note containers are moved on rollers onto the inclined plane by gravity. The rocker is locked at the bottom, the lock must be released after filling, which can be done manually or by means of a robot. The rocker moves upwards by spring force. The empty rocker must be moved down again manually or by robots and the like. An undesirable rolling of the bank note containers is prevented by locking pawls, for example. This is effected by means of singling the containers between the guide at the bottom and the rocker at the bottom.

[0050] FIG. 7 shows a cover of both the proposed apparatus 1 and the proposed transport apparatus. Here, a roller guide is arranged at the bottom and a locking on the left and the right side. The cover is arranged thereabove. The bank note containers can be covered on all the guide tracks, thus preventing direct access to the bank notes. Access security can be increased by mechanically locking the transfer points of the containers.

[0051] FIG. 8 shows on the left side the proposed apparatus 1 and on the right side the proposed transport apparatus 2. As can be seen from the above, the position of the buffer path is selected in such a way that the bank note containers slide out of apparatus 1 on the left side. Thus, these transport containers can be brought forward from the right side by means of transport apparatus 2 and be transferred from transport apparatus 2 to the apparatus only by means of rollers. In the lower transport path, a buffer path is coupled to the transport path of transport apparatus 2. Thus, in the lower path in the upper image, bank note containers can be inserted on the left and roll into the transport apparatus on the right.

[0052] In the lower area of the present FIG. 8, the angle of slope is represented inverse to the angle of the example above. Thus, in the lower part of FIG. 8, the bank note containers are inserted at the top left and slide into the transport apparatus 2 at the bottom right.

[0053] The opposite is true for the lower transport path of the lower part of the present FIG. 8. Here, the bank note containers can be taken on the left side. The upper illustration and the lower illustration of FIG. 8 may be the same apparatuses, where the buffer paths or transport paths can be inverted so that these can be tilted from a first position to a second position.

[0054] The bank note containers are moved on rollers onto the inclined plane by gravity. Filled containers travel downwards on a rocker by gravity. The rocker moves upward again by spring force. The rocker is locked at the top, the lock must be released after filling, which can be done manually or by means of a robot. An undesirable rolling of the containers is prevented by locking pawls. The locking pawl has the function that, if the rocker is arranged at the top, the containers can travel onto the rocker. If the rocker is in motion, the upper buffer path and the rocker are locked. If the rocker is at the bottom, the buffer path at the top is locked and the rocker is unlocked. The containers can thus roll onto the lower buffer path.

[0055] The locking pawl thus serves to lock the position of the buffer path as well as to lock the bank note containers.

[0056] Thus, a mechanical bank note container supplying system for linking workstations, for example in so-called cash centers, is proposed. According to the invention, handling and buffering a plurality of bank note containers is effected for linking workstations. Depending on the workstation, several empty bank note containers are supplied and filled bank note containers are transported away or vice versa.

[0057] Thus, according to the invention the advantage ensues that workstations can continuously work independently of each other and always hold enough bank notes in stock. When supplying bank note containers, whether full or empty, the containers no longer need to be moved manually. The transport and exchange of bank note containers always works with a plurality of bank note containers, which saves time. Further, the access security for the bank notes is guaranteed according to the invention.