Apparatus for aligning notes of value

Abstract

An apparatus for aligning at least one note of value along a transport path includes at least one transport element driven by at least one first drive unit and at least one counter-pressure element arranged opposite to the transport element. The transport path of the note of value extends between the transport element and the counter-pressure element. The counter-pressure element is ball-shaped and is mounted so as to be freely rotatable. Further, the apparatus includes a second drive unit for displacing the transport element along its axis of rotation so that a note of value arranged between the transport element and the counter-pressure element is moved transversely to the transport direction during displacement of the transport element.

Claims

1. An apparatus for aligning at least one note of value along a transport path comprising: at least one transport element driven by at least one drive unit, wherein the at least one transport element is connected to at least one drive shaft in a rotationally fixed manner and is axially displaceable thereon, wherein the at least one transport element comprises at least one roller pair, the rollers of which are connected with a connecting element having a circumferential toothing in the manner of a toothed rack and that the connecting element is arranged displaceably together with the rollers along the axis of rotation of the rollers on the at least one drive shaft; at least one counter-pressure element arranged opposite to the at least one transport element, wherein the transport path of the at least one note of value runs between the at least one transport element and the at least one counter-pressure element, and wherein the at least one transport element driven in a first direction of rotation moves the at least one note of value arranged between the at least one transport element and the at least one counter-pressure element in a transport direction, characterized in that the at least one counter-pressure element is ball-shaped and is mounted freely rotatably, and that a second drive unit engages with the circumferential toothing in the manner of a toothed rack for displacing the at least one transport element along its axis of rotation is provided so that the at least one note of value arranged between the at least one transport element and the at least one counter-pressure element is moved upon displacement of the at least one transport element transversely to the transport direction; wherein a first roller of the at least one roller pair is arranged on a first drive shaft of the at least one drive shaft in a rotationally fixed manner and is axially displaceable along the longitudinal axis of the first drive shaft; wherein a second roller of the at least one roller pair is arranged on a second drive shaft of the at least one drive shaft in a rotationally fixed manner and in an axially displaceable manner along the longitudinal axis of the second drive shaft; wherein the first drive shaft is driven by a first drive unit of the at least one drive unit and the second drive shaft is driven by a third drive unit of the at least one drive unit; wherein the first roller and the second roller are coupled to each other such that they are displaceable together with the connecting element along the axis of rotation of the first and second rollers and at least one of the first and second rollers is freely rotatable relative to the connecting element so that the first and second rollers are drivable at different rotational speeds; and wherein the first drive unit and the third drive unit are controlled at different rotational speeds so that at the different rotational speeds a rotation of the at least one note of value about an axis of rotation running perpendicular to a plane of the transport path takes place.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one counter-pressure element presses the at least one note of value arranged between the at least one transport element and the at least one counter-pressure element against a circumferential surface of the at least one transport element.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein during a rotation of the at least one transport element by the at least one drive unit, the second drive unit displaces the at least one transport element so that a transport of the at least one note of value obliquely to the transport direction takes place.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second drive unit is an electric motor which drives a gearwheel that is engaged with the circumferential toothing of the connecting element.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein a toothing of the gearwheel is engaged with the circumferential toothing of the at least one transport element so that given a rotation of the gearwheel caused by the electric motor an axial displacement of the at least one transport element on the at least one drive shaft takes place.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the transport path of the at least one note of value is delimited by a first guide element and a second guide element, wherein the first guide element is arranged with respect to the second guide element such that it is pivotable from an operating position into a maintenance position.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein at least first and second ball-shaped counter-pressure elements are provided, and that the first ball-shaped counter-pressure element is arranged in a first housing so as to be freely rotatable, and that the second ball-shaped counter-pressure element is arranged in a second housing so as to be freely rotatable, that the first and second housings are each pivotably connected to the first guide element, and wherein the first ball-shaped counter-pressure element projects through an opening of the first housing which is dimensioned such that the first ball-shaped counter-pressure element cannot completely be moved through the opening, and wherein the second ball-shaped counter-pressure element projects through an opening of the second housing which is dimensioned such that the second ball-shaped counter-pressure element cannot completely be moved through the opening of the second housing.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7 further comprising at least one elastically deformable element which generates a counter-pressure force on at least one of the first and second ball-shaped counter-pressure elements and on the at least one note of value arranged between the at least one transport element and the at least one counter-pressure element.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus has a banknote reader which detects a position of the at least one note of value, wherein the banknote reader determines a lateral offset of the at least one note of value with respect to a preset target position, and wherein an alignment of the at least one note of value takes place in that the second drive unit for moving the at least one transport element is controlled dependent on a determined lateral offset such that the lateral offset is reduced or corrected.

10. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a direction of rotation of the at least one transport element can be changed so that a bidirectional transport of the at least one note of value in the transport direction and in a second transport direction opposite to the transport direction.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 shows a schematic illustration of several notes of value transported along a transport path.

(2) FIG. 2 shows a side view of a transport unit with an apparatus for aligning notes of value according to a first embodiment of the invention.

(3) FIG. 3 shows a top view of the transport unit according to FIG. 2.

(4) FIG. 4 shows a bottom view of the transport unit according to FIGS. 2 and 3.

(5) FIG. 5 shows a schematic perspective illustration of the apparatus for aligning notes of value of the transport unit according to FIGS. 1 to 4.

(6) FIG. 6 shows a bottom view of the apparatus for aligning notes of value according to FIG. 5.

(7) FIG. 7 shows a schematic perspective illustration of a part of the apparatus for aligning notes of value according to FIGS. 1 to 6.

(8) FIG. 8 shows a bottom view of an apparatus for aligning notes of value according to a second embodiment of the invention, and

(9) FIG. 9 shows a top view of a transport unit with a first apparatus for aligning notes of value and with a second apparatus for aligning notes of value according to a third embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(10) In FIG. 1, a schematic illustration of several notes of value 12 to 18 arranged along a transport plane 10 is illustrated. The notes of value 12 to 18 are transported by means of non-illustrated transport means, such as rollers, drums, bands, and/or switches along the transport path 10 in transport direction T1. The dash-dotted line 20 indicates the central axis of the transport path 10. The notes of value 12 to 18 are transported in a transport plane formed by the transport path 10. In the following, such a transport plane is likewise identified with the reference sign 10.

(11) 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 FIG. 1, only the note of value 18 is in the target position. In the present embodiment, the longitudinal sides of the notes of value 12 to 18 are, at least in the target position, oriented substantially transversely to the transport direction T1. Such an orientation of the longitudinal sides of the notes of value 12 to 18 orthogonal to the transport direction T1 is also referred to as long side first (LSF) orientation. Further, it is advantageous when two successive notes of value 12 to 18 each have the same distance Y to each other. An alignment of the notes of value 12 to 18 in the target position is particularly important when the notes of value 12 to 18 are transported along the transport path 10 of an automated teller machine or an automatic cash safe at high speed. For aligning the notes of value 12 to 16, the position of which laterally deviates from the target position, an apparatus for aligning the notes of value 12 to 18 is provided according to the invention. The structure and the function of the apparatus for aligning notes of value 12 to 18 is described still in more detail in the following in connection with FIGS. 2 to 9. The notes of value 12 to 18 run through the apparatus at the same transport speed as during their transport along other transport paths 10 in the automated teller machine or in the automatic cash register system or cash safes, respectively. In the present embodiment, the deviation of the position of the note of value 12 to 18 from its target position is determined by a non-illustrated value note checking unit for checking the authenticity of the notes of value 12 to 18. The value note checking unit is arranged upstream of the apparatus for aligning the notes of value 12 to 18 in transport direction T1. Such a value note checking unit is also referred to as banknote reader.

(12) 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.

(13) 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.

(14) The note of value 14 shown in FIG. 1 is not in the target position. Its longitudinal sides are indeed perpendicular to the transport direction T1, but its short central axis does not lie on the central axis 20 of the transport path 10. The short central axis of the note of value 14 is offset to the right so that the note of value 14 has no angular offset but a lateral offset. The note of value 14 thus has to be moved to the left so far that the short central axis of the note of value 14 lies on the central axis 20 of the transport plane 10 to bring the note of value 14 in the target position.

(15) 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.

(16) 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.

(17) In FIG. 2, a side view of a transport unit 30 with an apparatus 200 for aligning notes of value 12 to 18 is shown. The transport path 10 of the notes of value 12 to 18 is delimited by an upper part serving as a first guide element 60 and by a lower part serving as a second guide element 80.

(18) The transport unit 30 comprises several drive shafts, of which three drive shafts 102, 108 and 220 are illustrated in FIG. 2. The direction of rotation of the drive shafts 102, 108 and 220 determines the direction of transport T1 of the notes of value 12 to 18. The drive shafts 102, 108 and 220 are mounted in the lower part 80 freely rotatably via bearings so that the notes of value 12 to 18 can be transported in a transport direction T1 or opposite to the transport direction T1 through the transport unit 30.

(19) The transport unit 30 moreover comprises two non-driven transport shafts 104 and 106, which are mounted in the upper part 60 via bearings so as to be freely rotatable and are arranged opposite to the drive shafts 102 and 108.

(20) Via gearwheels 40 to 56, the drive shafts 102, 108 and 220 are engaged with each other so that the drive shafts 102, 108 and 220 are drivable by a first drive unit shown schematically in FIG. 6 and FIG. 8. The first drive unit can be a central drive unit of the transport unit.

(21) Further, the first guide element 60 has three openings 62a to 62c and the second guide element 80 has six openings 82a to 82f, which serve to receive and mount further drive and transport shafts (not illustrated).

(22) The apparatus 200 for aligning notes of value comprises a second drive unit 210 which drives a gearwheel 212 and which is firmly connected to the lower part 80 via a holding device 214.

(23) FIG. 3 shows a top view of the transport unit according to FIG. 2. Two press-on units 260 and 262 are pivotably connected to the first guide element 60 about a pivot axis D. Inside the press-on units 260, 262, each time a ball is mounted freely rotatably, which ball serves as a ball-shaped counter-pressure 280 and 282. The ball-shaped counter-pressure elements 280, 282 are covered in the illustration according to FIG. 3, their arrangement is shown in FIG. 5. The press-on units 260, 262 are generally also referred to as bearing units.

(24) Further, two roller pairs are visible. The first roller pair comprises the rollers 120 and 122 and the second roller pair comprises the rollers 124 and 126. The first roller pair is firmly connected to the transport shaft 104 and the second roller pair is firmly connected to the transport shaft 106.

(25) The rollers 120, 122, 124 and 126 are arranged on the transport shafts 104 and 106 such that the lateral distance of the rollers 120 and 124 to the central axis 20 is identical to the lateral distance which the rollers 122 and 126 that are arranged on the opposite side of the central axis 20 have to the central axis 20. The rollers 120 and 126 are not driven and thus only rotate when they are pressed against respectively opposite drive rollers 128 to 134 or against a note of value 12 to 18 arranged between the respective roller 120 to 124 and the drive roller 128 to 134 opposite thereto. The drive rollers 128 to 134 are covered by the rollers 120 to 124 in the illustration according to FIG. 3, their exact arrangement is shown in FIG. 4. In other embodiments, the rollers can be arranged so as to be freely rotatable and non-displaceable in axial direction on the transport shafts 104, 106.

(26) The openings 140 to 144 present downstream of the transport shaft 106 in transport direction T1 serve to receive sensor elements for detecting the position and location of the notes of value 12 to 18. The signals generated by the sensor elements are evaluated in a non-illustrated control unit and a possible or current lateral and/or angular offset and/or a paper jam of the fed notes of value 12 to 18 is detected and/or a value note tracking is performed.

(27) FIG. 4 shows a bottom view of the transport unit 30 according to FIGS. 2 and 3 in which the second guide element 80 as well as the underside of the apparatus 200 for aligning notes of value 12 to 18 is visible. The apparatus 200 comprises a transport element 230 consisting of the rollers 222, 224 and their connecting element 226. The rollers 222, 224 and the connecting element are connected to the drive shaft 220 in a rotationally fixed manner and axially displaceable thereon. The connecting element 226 comprises a circumferential toothing in the manner of a toothed rack into which a gearwheel 212 engages that is driven by the second drive unit 210. When the gearwheel 212 is rotated by the second drive unit, an axial displacement of the transport element 230 on the drive shaft 220 takes place.

(28) Further, two drive roller pairs are visible, the first one comprises the drive rollers 128 and 130 firmly connected to the drive shaft 102 and the second one comprises the driver rollers 132 and 134 firmly connected to the drive shaft 108.

(29) The drive rollers 128 to 134 are preferably each arranged exactly opposite to one of the rollers 120 to 126 illustrated in FIG. 3. Thus, the drive roller 128 is arranged opposite to the roller 122, the drive roller 130 is arranged opposite to the roller 120, the drive roller 132 is arranged opposite to the roller 126, and the drive roller 134 is arranged opposite to the roller 124.

(30) FIG. 5 shows a schematic perspective illustration of the apparatus 200 for aligning notes of value 12 to 18, which forms part of the transport unit 30 according to FIGS. 1 to 4.

(31) The apparatus 200 comprises a transport element 230 with rollers 222 and 224 and with a connecting element 226, a drive shaft 220 which is driven via a first drive unit shown schematically in FIG. 6 and FIG. 8, and a drive unit 210 which drives a gearwheel 212 which engages with a circumferential toothing of the connecting element 226. The rotation of the gearwheel 212 causes an axial displacement of the transport element 230 on the drive shaft 220 along the axis of rotation of the drive shaft or the axis of rotation of the rollers 222 and 224.

(32) Further, the apparatus 200 comprises two ball-shaped counter-pressure elements 280 and 282, each of which being arranged opposite to a roller 222 and 224 of the transport element 230 and each of which being mounted in a bearing unit 260 and 262 so as to be freely rotatable. The bearing units 260 and 262 are connected to the first guide element 60 pivotably about the pivot axis D. The bearing units 260 and 262 are each connected with an elastically deformable element 240 and 242, which, as a result, cause a counter-pressure force of the ball-shaped counter-pressure elements 280 and 282 on a note of value 12, arranged between the transport element 230 and the counter-pressure elements 280 and 282.

(33) When a note of value 12 is arranged between the rollers 222, 224 of the transport element 230 and the counter-pressure elements 280, 282 during the transport along the transport path 10, it is pressed against the circumferential surface of the rollers 222, 224 by the counter-pressure elements 280, 282. During the rotation of the transport element 230 via the drive shaft 220, the rollers 222, 224 of the transport element 230 are axially displaced by the second drive unit 210 on the drive shaft 220 so that the note of value 12 is transported obliquely to the transport direction T1.

(34) FIG. 6 shows a bottom view of the apparatus 200 for aligning notes of value 12 to 18 according to FIG. 5.

(35) FIG. 7 is a perspective illustration of the bearing units 260 and 262, in the inside of which the two ball-shaped counter-pressure elements 280 and 282 formed as balls being mounted freely rotatably in a bearing bush (not illustrated). Thus, the ball-shaped counter-pressure element 280 is mounted in the bearing unit 260; the ball-shaped counter-pressure element 282 is mounted in the bearing unit 262. The ball-shaped counter-pressure elements 280 and 282 project through an opening of the respective bearing unit 260 and 262, which is dimensioned such that these cannot completely be moved through the opening.

(36) The bearing units 260 and 262 are each coupled with an elastically deformable element 240 and 242, which generates a counter-pressure force of the ball-shaped counter-pressure elements 240 and 242 on a note of value 12 arranged between the transport element 230 and the counter-pressure elements 280 and 282, as already described in connection with FIG. 5.

(37) The elastically deformable elements 240 and 242 are coupled with a cover plate 160 of the first guide element 60 of the transport unit 30 such that they generate a force on the bearing units 260, 262 toward the transport plane. In doing so, they are rotated about the pivot axis D. To move the bearing units 260 262 away from the transport plane, these must be moved against the press-on force of the elastically deformable elements 240, 242. The elastically deformable elements 240, 242 are designed as coil springs in the present embodiment. In other embodiments, the elastically deformable elements may also comprise other springs or an elastomer block.

(38) In FIG. 8, a view of an apparatus 200 for aligning notes of value 12 to 18 according to a second embodiment of the invention is shown. The apparatus 200 differs from the apparatus 200 of FIGS. 1 to 8 in that additionally to a central drive unit driving the drive shaft 220 and to the drive unit 210 a further third drive unit, shown schematically in FIG. 8, is provided that drives the drive shaft 232. Elements having the same structure or the same function are identified with the same reference signs.

(39) The roller 222 is arranged on the drive shaft 220 in a rotationally fixed manner and axially displaceable along the longitudinal axis of the drive shaft 220. The roller 224 is arranged on the drive shaft 232 in a rotationally fixed manner and axially displaceable along the longitudinal axis of the drive shaft 232.

(40) The rollers 222 and 224 are coupled to each other by a connecting element 226 having a circumferential toothing in the manner of a toothed rack such that they are displaceable together with the connecting element 226 along the axis of rotation of the rollers 222 and 224. In doing so, at least one of the rollers 222 and 224 is freely rotatable relative to the connecting element 226 so that the rollers 222 and 224 are drivable with different rotational speeds.

(41) The correction of the lateral offset of a note of value 12 to 18 present between the ball-shaped counter-pressure elements 280 and 282 and the rollers 222 and 224 takes place as in the first embodiment which has been described in connection with FIGS. 1 to 7, by the displacement of the transport element 230, i.e. by the displacement of the rollers 222, 224 along their axes of rotation.

(42) In addition to the correction of the lateral offset, an angular correction of the angle A is possible. For this, the drive unit that rotates the drive shaft 220 and the third drive unit that rotates the drive shaft 232 drive the shafts 220, 232 at different rotational speeds so that a rotation of the note of value 12 to 18 about an axis of rotation running perpendicular to the plane of the transport path 10 takes place.

(43) FIG. 9 shows a top view of a transport unit 30 with a first apparatus 200 for aligning notes of value 12 to 18 and with a second apparatus 200 for aligning notes of value 12 to 18 according to a third embodiment of the invention arranged downstream of the first apparatus in transport direction T1. The first apparatus 200 can be designed as the apparatus 200 or as the apparatus 200. Likewise, the second apparatus 200 can be designed as the apparatus 200 or as the apparatus 200. Elements having the same structure or the same function are identified with the same reference signs.

(44) A note of value 12 to 18 is successively fed to the apparatus 200 and the apparatus 200 in transport direction T1. In doing so, a first alignment of the notes of value 12 to 18 fed to the apparatus by the apparatus 200 takes place and a second alignment of the notes of value 12 to 18 takes place by the apparatus 200. In FIG. 9, the position of two notes of value 12 and 14 is illustrated by a broken line.