Supply Module and Method for Supplying Value Documents to a Value Document Preparation Device

Abstract

A feed module for feeding value documents, in particular bank notes, to a value-document processing apparatus, has a receiving device in which one or more value documents to be processed can be inserted. The receiving device includes a first aligning element which the value documents lying in the receiving device are aligned to with a first edge of the value documents when the receiving device is in a first state, and a second aligning element which the value documents lying in the receiving device are aligned to with a second edge of the value documents when the receiving device is in a second state. A positioning device through which the receiving device is brought from the first state to the second state.

Claims

1-15. (canceled)

16. A feed module for feeding value documents to a value-document processing apparatus, comprising: a receiving device in which one or more value documents to be processed can be inserted, and which has a first aligning element, which respective first edges of the value documents lying in the receiving device are aligned to when the receiving device is in a first state, and which has a second aligning element, which respective second edges of the value documents lying in the receiving device are aligned to when the receiving device is in a second state, and a positioning device through which the receiving device can be brought from the first state to the second state.

17. The feed module according to claim 16, wherein the receiving device in the first state and/or in the second state is inclined by an angle of inclination () relative to the horizontal.

18. The feed module according to claim 17, wherein the angle of inclination () is at least 10.

19. The feed module according to claim 17, wherein the angle of inclination () of the receiving device in the first state and second state is substantially identical.

20. The feed module according to claim 19, wherein the angle of inclination () is at least 10.

21. The feed module according to any of claim 17, wherein the horizontally inclined receiving device has a first portion and a second, in relation to the first portion lower-lying portion, and the first aligning element is in the region of the lower-lying portion of the receiving device when the receiving device is located in the first state, and the second aligning element is in the region of the lower-lying portion of the receiving device when the receiving device is located in the second state.

22. The feed module according to claim 16, wherein the second edges of the value documents lying in the receiving device are adjacent to the first edges of the value documents, and extend perpendicular to the first edges.

23. The feed module according to claim 16, wherein the positioning device is so configured for moving the receiving device through a translation relative to the value-document processing apparatus, wherein the receiving device is moved, and into an input pocket of the value-document processing apparatus.

24. The feed module according to claim 16, wherein the positioning device is configured for bringing the receiving device located in the first state to the second state through a rotation of the receiving device by an angle of rotation.

25. The feed module according to claim 23, wherein the positioning device is so configured that rotation and translation of the receiving device are effected at the same time.

26. The feed module according to claim 24, wherein the angle of rotation is between about 80 and 100.

27. The feed module according to claim 16, wherein the positioning device is so disposed and configured that the value documents located in the receiving device are fed to the value-document processing apparatus, and to an input pocket to the value-document processing apparatus after the receiving device has been brought from the first state to the second state.

28. An input module for feeding value documents to at least one value-document processing apparatus having a removal device for removing value documents from a container in which the value documents are supplied, and for feeding the value documents removed from the container to the value-document processing apparatus, and to an input pocket of the value-document processing apparatus, and a feed module according to claim 16.

29. A value-document processing apparatus for processing value documents which has a feed module according to claim 16.

30. A method for feeding value documents to a value-document processing apparatus having the following steps: a) inserting one or more value documents to be processed into a receiving device, b) aligning the first edges of the value documents inserted in the receiving device to a first aligning element when the receiving device is in a first state, c) shifting the receiving device from the first state to a second state and d) aligning the second edges of the value documents inserted in the receiving device to a second aligning element when the receiving device is in the second state, e) moving the receiving device into an input pocket of the value-document processing apparatus.

31. The method according to claim 31, wherein the inserted value documents are reject value documents and said reject value documents are inserted into the receiving device of the feed module before the value-document processing apparatus has processed all value documents inserted in the input pocket of the value-document processing apparatus of the deposit to which said reject value documents belong and in the case when the apparatus has been informed that the reject value documents of the deposit just being processed are already lying in the receiving device, the value-document processing apparatus will independently cause the receiving device to move into the input pocket as soon as it has processed all value documents of said deposit which are located in the input pocket.

Description

[0029] Further features, advantages and application possibilities of the present invention will result from the following description in connection with the figures. There are shown:

[0030] FIG. 1 a perspective view of a detail of a bank note processing apparatus with a feed module;

[0031] FIG. 2 a perspective view of a detail of a bank note processing apparatus with a feed module, in a first phase;

[0032] FIG. 3 a perspective view of the detail of the bank note processing apparatus shown in FIG. 2 with the feed module, in a second phase;

[0033] FIG. 4 a perspective view of the detail of the bank note processing apparatus shown in FIG. 3 with the feed module, in a third phase;

[0034] FIG. 5 a perspective view of the detail of the bank note processing apparatus shown in FIG. 4 with the feed module, in a fourth phase;

[0035] FIG. 6a) to c) perspective views of a receiving device in different phases upon removal of bank notes by means of a rake;

[0036] FIG. 7 a perspective view of a singler;

[0037] FIG. 8 a bottom view of a first example of a positioning device with a receiving device in a first state;

[0038] FIG. 9 a bottom view of the first example of a positioning device with the receiving device in a second state; and

[0039] FIG. 10 a top view of a second example of a positioning device with a receiving device in a second state.

[0040] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a detail of a bank note processing apparatus 1 together with a feed module 10 and an input module 30.

[0041] In the represented detail of the bank note processing apparatus 1, a so-called reject output pocket 2 can be seen, to which bank notes are outputted which are rejected by the check in the bank note processing apparatus 1 (e.g. not recognized bank notes, bank notes with misfeeds etc.) and are there not outputted to one of the intended other output pockets (not shown).

[0042] Bank notes outputted to the reject output pocket 2 can in principle be reworked manually by an operator, for example to determine their denomination, authenticity or condition. To reduce the effort of manual reworking, a rechecking and processing of the reject bank notes is preferably carried out in the bank note processing apparatus 1 by the bank notes outputted to the reject output pocket 2 being removed from the output pocket 2 by the operator and inserted into the feed module 10, which is indicated by a dotted arrow in the chosen representation.

[0043] The feed module 10 is preferably so configured that the inserted bank notes 9 are aligned along their transverse edges as well as their longitudinal edges and are inserted into an input pocket 4 of the bank note processing apparatus 1, where they are then individually removed from stack and supplied again for checking and processing.

[0044] For example, the bank note processing apparatus 1 is so configured that it requests the operator, where applicable, to manually insert the bank notes outputted to the reject-output pocket 2 into the receiving device 11 of the feed module 10. Such an command output can, for example, be the displaying of a corresponding instruction in display 3. A suitable point in time for outputting a corresponding request can be present, for example, when the bank note processing apparatus 1 has completed the processing of a so-called deposit with bank notes to be deposited and now the reject bank notes of this deposit are to be post-processed. However, this request to the operator is pointed out only if the device has previously not received any information from the operator whether the reject bank notes of the respective deposit have already been inserted into the receiving device 11 of the feed module 10. If the operator has already informed the device that the reject bank notes have been inserted into the receiving device 11, the above-mentioned request can be omitted.

[0045] FIG. 1 further shows an input module 30 which is so configured that bank notes supplied in a container (not shown) can be removed from the container by means of a removal device (e.g. gripper) and likewise be inputted into the input pocket 4. In the shown example, the bank notes are taken from a container inside the input module 30 by means of the removal device and are inserted into the lower part of the input pocket which is located below the feed module. Preferably the input module 30 is of mobile configuration so as to be displaceable toward as well as away from the bank note processing apparatus 1.

[0046] The feed module 10 can be a permanent component of the bank note processing apparatus 1 but can also be a temporarily coupleable component. Alternatively or additionally it is also possible that the feed module 10 is a permanent component of the input module 30 but can also be a temporarily coupleable component.

[0047] Construction and the manner of functioning of the feed module 10 will be explained below more closely with reference to FIGS. 2 to 7.

[0048] FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of a detail of a bank note processing apparatus 1 together with a feed module 10 in a first phase. A receiving device 11 intended for receiving bank notes has a longitudinal wall 12 as well as a lateral wall 13 extending transversely to the longitudinal wall 12. Starting out from the longitudinal wall 12, there extend shorter pins 14 and longer pins 14 through which a bottom-side supporting plane is formed for the bank notes to be received. At the distal end of the longer pins 14 these merge directly into an abutment region 15 which runs perpendicular to the pins 14.

[0049] The receiving device 11 is coupled with a positioning device 19 through which the receiving device 11 can be brought to different states, i.e. orientations and/or positions, i.e. locations. In the shown alignment of the receiving device 11 represented here by way of example, the receiving device is in a first state in which the longitudinal side of the receiving device 11, which is formed by the abutment region 15 and is thus partially open, is pointing in the direction of the operator.

[0050] The receiving device 11, in particular the bottom-side supporting plane defined by the pin 14 and 14 of the receiving device 11, is inclined to the horizontal by an angle of inclination , wherein the angle of inclination a amounts preferably to at least 10, in particular to at least 20.

[0051] FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of the detail of the bank note processing apparatus 1 shown in FIG. 2 with the feed module 10 in a second phase, in which a stack of bank notes 9, in particular reject bank notes, has been inserted into the receiving device 11 by an operator. The underside of the stack of bank notes 9 is lying on the bottom region of the receiving device 11 formed by the long and short pins 14 and 14 and slides by gravity in the direction of the lateral wall 13 of the receiving device 11 due to the inclination of the receiving device 11 relative to the horizontal so that the transverse edges of the bank notes 9 are aligned to the lateral wall 13. Here, the longitudinal wall 12 and the abutment regions 15 opposing it prevent that the bank notes 9 of the stack slip out at the back or front of the receiving device 11.

[0052] FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of the detail of the bank note processing apparatus 1 shown in FIG. 3 with the feed module 10 in a third phase, in which the receiving device 11 has been brought by the positioning device 19 in a second state, in which the receiving device 11 is rotated by about 90 in anticlockwise direction relative to the first state shown in FIG. 2. In the second state shown here, the partially open longitudinal side of the receiving device 11 formed by the abutment regions 15 is now pointing toward the input pocket 4 of the bank note processing apparatus 1.

[0053] In this second state the bottom surface of the receiving device 11 also retains its inclination relative to the horizontal so that the bank notes 9 located in the receiving device 11 are now moved by gravity toward the abutment regions 15 and are aligned to these.

[0054] For this, the rotation of the receiving device 11 is preferably carried out such that the aligning of the bank notes 9 with their transverse edges to the lateral wall 13 effected already in the second phase (see FIG. 3) is retained. In the third phase represented here, the bank notes 9 of the stack inserted in the receiving device 11 are now aligned along their transverse edges as well as along their longitudinal edges.

[0055] In the shown example the positioning device 19 is preferably so configured that the receiving device 11 is moved toward the input pocket 4 through a translation, i.e. a linear motion, in addition to the rotation.

[0056] FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of the detail of the bank note processing apparatus 1 shown in FIG. 4 with the feed module 10 in a fourth phase, in which the receiving device 11 has been moved completely into the input pocket 4 of the bank note processing apparatus 1 by the positioning device 19. The bank notes located in the receiving device 11 and aligned along their transverse and longitudinal edges can then be removed in the input pocket 4 from the receiving device 11 and be fed to a singling device, which will be explained more closely hereinafter with reference to FIGS. 6 and 7.

[0057] FIG. 6a) to c) shows perspective views of a receiving device 11 in different phases upon the removal of bank notes 9 by means of a rake 41 located in the input pocket 4 of the bank note processing apparatus 1 (see FIGS. 1 to 4).

[0058] As indicated by FIG. 6a), the bank notes 9 of the bank note stack lying in the receiving device 11 with their transverse edges aligned to the lateral wall 13 and with their longitudinal edges to the abutment regions 15. The rake 41 moves toward the receiving device 11 and engages meshingly between the individual short and long pins 14 and 14 (see FIG. 2). This is illustrated in FIG. 6b).

[0059] Through a vertically upward motion of the rake 41 (see FIG. 6c), the bank notes 9 are lifted from the receiving device 11 and can be fed, as is illustrated by way of example in FIG. 7, to a singling device 42 through which they are drawn individually from the stack in direction P.

[0060] FIG. 8 shows a bottom view of a first example of a positioning device 19 with a receiving device 11 in a first state. A stack of bank notes 9 is lying at the bottom region of the receiving device 11 formed by shorter pins 14 and longer pins 14 and is aligned to the lateral wall 13 due to the inclination relative to the horizontal of the bottom surface of the receiving device 11.

[0061] The positioning device 19 has a pneumatic cylinder 20 which is mounted movably to a piston rod 21 and is guided by means of additional guide rods 22. The pneumatic cylinder 20 is preferably mounted stationarily in the region of the input pocket 4 of the bank note processing apparatus 1 or at the input module 30 (see FIG. 1) so that the receiving device 11 coupled with the piston rod 21 and the guide rods 22 by a connection piece 23 can be moved in the direction v toward the input pocket 4 through the pneumatic cylinder 20.

[0062] A pin 24 located on a lever 26 engages with a bent and likewise stationarily arranged sliding block guide 25 and follows the motion of the connection piece 23 driven through the pneumatic cylinder 20 along the initially curved course of the sliding block 25. The pin 24 is coupled with the receiving device 11 via the lever 26 equipped with a tooth segment such that the deflection of the pin 24 upon its movement along the curved section of sliding block 25 leads to a rotation of the receiving device 11. For this purpose, the tooth segment of lever 26 engages a second tooth segment 27 which is mounted to a rotation axis 28 located on the receiving device 11.

[0063] After the pin 24 has passed the initially curved course of the sliding block 25, it now follows a linear course of the sliding block 25 until the end of the sliding block 25 is finally reached. This situation is illustrated in FIG. 9. The positioning device 19 thus requires only a single drive, namely the pneumatic cylinder 20, to rotate the receiving device 11 from the first state shown in FIG. 8 to the second state shown in FIG. 9 and at the same time to move it translationally, i.e. in a straight line, toward the input pocket or away from it.

[0064] Due to the preferably unchanged inclination of the receiving device 11 relative to the horizontal, in particular of the bottom region of the receiving device 11, the bank notes 9 located in the receiving device 11 in the second state shown in FIG. 9 are aligned with their longitudinal edge to the abutment regions 15.

[0065] By a reversal of the drive through the pneumatic cylinder 20, the connection piece 23, together with the receiving device 11 rotatably mounted thereto, can again be moved in direction r away from the input pocket, wherein the pin 24 follows the stationarily arranged sliding block 25 in opposite direction so that the hereinabove described mechanism is executed in the reverse order until finally the first state of the receiving device 11 as shown in FIG. 8 is again reached.

[0066] By a choice of a suitable gear transmission ratio of the intended tooth segments on the lever 26 and the rotation axis 28, the swivel angle by which the receiving device 11 can be swiveled from the first state to the second state and vice versa can be influenced.

[0067] FIG. 10 shows a top view of a second example of a positioning device 19 with a receiving device 11 in a second state. Unlike the example shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, here a coupling between the rotatably mounted receiving device 11 and the pin 24 guided in the sliding block 25 is effected via a first lever 31, which is coupled via a connecting rod 32 with a second lever 33 attached to the rotation axis 28.

[0068] Unlike the example shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, a driveinstead of a pneumatic cylinderis to be provided through an endless belt 35 which is driven by a motor 29. The linear motion of the endless belt 35 is transferred to the pin 24 by means of a coupling element 36 and the mechanics 31 to 33 coupled with it. Through a motion of the coupling element 36 in direction r, the pin 24 runs in the sliding block 25 and by the end of run follows the curved section of the sliding block 25, wherein the first lever 31 is rotated in clockwise direction and thereby effects through the connecting rod 32 a rotation of the second lever 33 and thus the receiving device 11 likewise in clockwise direction. Thus the example shown in FIG. 10 of a positioning device 19 also allows a simultaneous translation and rotation of the positioning device 11 through a single linear drive.