Mars, Incorporated

Landis & Gyr Betriebs Ag

Mei, Inc.

Other

Andre Gerlier

Roberto Polidoro

Guillermo Garcia

David Charles Deaville

Robert Clauser

Christian Voser

Thomas E Shuren

Philippe S Jard

Andreas Wuthrich

Neil M Young

Yves Berthet

Andre Delessert

Means for superposing a bundle of value sheets which have been misfed from a value sheet store is disclosed. Also disclosed is a value sheet handler which includes a first value sheet store for receiving value sheets from, and dispensing value sheets to, a user and a second value sheet store where the second value sheet store provides value sheets to resupply the first value sheet store. The handler may include means for detecting a misfeed from the second value sheet store and a bundle of misfed value sheets may be stored in a third store after superposition of the bundle, where it includes overlapping value sheets.

Banknote handling

A store for storing value sheets such as banknotes in a stack and for dispensing the value notes from the stack. When more than a single value sheet is dispensed from the stack, the store returns all but one of the value sheets to the stack while moving the stack to reduce friction between the returning value sheet and the topmost value sheet of the stack. Means for securing the stack are also provided: a support for the stack is anchored and/or extra pressure is applied to the stack. The store includes means for indicating when the stack contains more than a predetermined number of value sheets and means for preventing securing of the store when the predetermined number of value sheets is exceeded. A value sheet store with part of a sidewall integrally formed with the lid. A value sheet store which includes a lid attached to a housing by a hinge located on an edge of the housing. Apparatus and a method for determining the height of a stack of value sheets. A shutter arrangement in a value sheet store which acts to block an aperture through which value sheets are dispensed.

Dispensing value sheet store

A banknote conveyor which includes moveable means for transporting a banknote, the means engaging frictionally with the banknote at at least three points so that the force driving the banknote is dependent on the rigidity of the note. The banknote can further swivel about one of the points to align the note with a desired path. Also provided is a means for limiting the movement of the banknote if the force required to convey the banknote exceeds a predetermined limit and means for preventing the insertion of banknotes or other foreign objects into the conveyor when not in use.

Banknote conveyor

A value sheet handling apparatus comprises an actuating mechanism for exerting pressure onto a value sheet so as to move the value sheet, and further comprises detecting means to detect movement of the value sheet with respect to the actuating mechanism, wherein if the detecting means ascertains that the value sheet has not been moved by the actuating mechanism the pressure exerted Onto die flexible media is increased until motion of the value sheet is detected. Additionally or alternatively, the pressure is varied in dependence on the type of the value sheet. The value sheet is dispensed from a stack by buckling the sheet, the rest of the stack being gripped in the area exposed by the buckling of the sheet.

Value sheet handling apparatus

In a banknote store, banknotes are stacked such that alternate notes have their ends protruding from one end of the stack, with the intervening notes protruding from the opposite end. The topmost banknote can be dispensed individually by gripping the protruding end of the underlying banknote. A stack may be gripped at one end and/or along its edges while a new banknote is added to the store so that the new banknote does not shift the topmost banknote in the stack.

Banknote store

A banknote store comprises a rotatable structure such as a drum which has a number of banknote storage regions arranged around its periphery. Each stores a stack of banknotes, the stacks growing inwardly as banknotes are added. The drum can be rotated to bring each storage region into proximity to means for delivering banknotes to and/or retrieving banknotes from the store.

Banknote store with a rotatable structure having banknote-storing regions

A dispenser for dispensing flexible media such as cut sheets ( ) from a stack has a rotatable separating member ( ) which engages and reverse buckles one end of the top sheet ( ) so that that end is lifted away from the stack and positioned between transport rollers ( ). The transport rollers ( ) are driven independently from the separating member ( ) so that multiple sheets may be separated from the stack before being transported. The frictional engagement between the separating member ( ) and the stack varies as the separating member rotates, so that only one sheet is separated with each rotation. The center of the top sheet ( ) is held against the stack by a holding member ( ) so that the top sheet buckles only over part of its length.

Flexible media dispenser

A device for stacking banknotes, comprising a cashbox and a stacker arranged to stack banknotes of predetermined dimensions in said cashbox, said cashbox having a surface including an aperture therein, said aperture having a dimension in a first direction of W, said device being arranged to receive a banknote at a position overlying said aperture, said banknote having a dimension in said first direction of L, said stacking means being arranged to push said banknote through said aperture and into a stacked position in said cashbox, wherein said banknote is pushed to a predetermined maximum depth D in said cashbox relative to said aperture such that D<(L&minus;W)/2.

Banknote stacking apparatus

A device and technique for storing flexible media of different dimensions is described. In an implementation, the device includes a carriage having at least two rotating members, a membrane wrapped about each rotating member, a frame and at least one actuator. When flexible media, such as a banknote, is fed into the device, the actuator causes the carriage to move in a forward direction so that a first membrane unwraps to press a banknote onto a stack. The carriage then moves in a reverse direction back into an initial position, and the first membrane wraps about a rotating member and a second membrane unwraps to hold the banknote in place.

Flexible media stacking and accumulating device

In a sheet feeding device, the local feed of the sheet is measured in the vicinity of respective drive rollers by means of respective sensors for the purpose of aligning rectangular sheets of a preselected set. On the basis of signals from the light sensors, a control device determines an optimum pair of rollers for aligning the sheet. The control device compares the signals of the two associated sensors and adjusts the local feed of the sheet in such a way that the two sensors establish the same local feed, before the sheet leaves one of the selected rollers.

Device for aligning sheets with plural drive roller groups on a common shaft

Transport system for document validator

A banknote reader for initiating a service operation of a vending machine (6) comprises an installation housing of side plates (1) and a money container (11). An interior (14) between the side plates (1) has devices (15; 16; 18; 19; 21; 22; 24) for aligning, transporting, checking and rejecting banknotes (8) and are arranged as modules at predetermined locations along the transport path of the banknotes (8). The installation housing has exchangeable front parts (2; 3; 24) and has on opposite narrow sides (9; 12) a flap 13, which can be pivoted for maintenance work and contains a built-in control device (25), and a connecting opening (10) to the money container (11), respectively. A minimal design of the banknote reader comprises at least a transport system (15), an entry channel (16) for aligning the banknotes (8), a drive unit (22) of the transport system (15), a checking device (18) for recognising genuine banknotes (8), and the control device (25).

Banknote reader

Apparatus for handling value sheets

Apparatus is described for handling sheets, such as bank notes or other value sheets. An inserted note is transported to an intermediate position in which the note can either be rejected or encashed without affecting notes already stored on a temporary storage drum, or the note can be stored on the temporary storage drum from the intermediate position. The intermediate position may be in an output path of the apparatus and the note reversed on to the drum, the intermediate position may be a partially stored position of the note on the drum, from which the note can be discharged without discharging any additional notes already stored on the drum. A selectable transmission coupling is used to rotate the drum from a common drive source in one direction for storing successive notes as a bundle, and in a reverse direction of discharging the bundle. A passive guide is biased towards the drum to lift sheets off the drum when the drum in the reverse direction, and a sensor switch monitors the position of the guide means to determine when a discharge operation can be performed.

Growing community of inventors

Sciez, France

Andre Gerlier