AU2008202386B2

AU2008202386B2 - Apparatus and method for processing bank notes

Info

Publication number: AU2008202386B2
Application number: AU2008202386A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Walter Berngeher; David Sacquard; Jens Wolfarth
Original assignee: Giesecke and Devrient GmbH
Current assignee: Giesecke and Devrient GmbH
Priority date: 2007-05-30
Filing date: 2008-05-30
Publication date: 2013-03-21
Anticipated expiration: 2028-05-30
Also published as: AU2008202386A1; DE102007025250A1

Abstract

Abstract The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for cleaning bank notes, as well as a container for receiving the bank notes to be cleaned which can be loaded into 5 the cleaning apparatus. For cleaning, the bank notes are cleaned riot in a singled fashion, but in stacks. For cleaning, the bank notes are exposed to a gas stream, for example to compressed air, which flows through the bank notes disposed in the container, along their surface, takes impurities off the bank notes and transports them away. The gas stream is sucked out of the cleaning apparatus with the help of a suction 10 device, there being the possibility that the impurities are filtered out. (Fig. Ia) -3 22,, 17 Fig. 3

Description

I AUSTRALIA FB RICE & CO Patent and Tade Mark Attorneys Patents Act 1990 GIESECKE & DEVRIENT GMBH COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT Invention Title: Apparatus and method for processing bank notes The following statement is a full description of this invention including the best method of performing it known to us:- IA Apparatus and method for processing bank notes The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for cleaning bank notes as well as a container for receiving bank notes and for loading into a cleaning apparatus. 5 Within an apparatus for bank note processing impurities can get off the bank notes, which in the course of time have deposited on the bank notes and lead to a soiling of the apparatus. This is not always tolerable with the highly complex bank note sorting apparatuses, which are used for verifying and sorting bank notes. In particular with 10 polymer bank notes there is the problem, that dust and dirt stick to the bank note because of the electrostatic charging of the bank notes, and get off the bank notes and are whirled up when the bank notes are processed within the sorting apparatus. Components within the sorting apparatus, for example the transport system or the sensor system, become soiled because of such impurities, which in extreme cases can 15 lead to e.g. a blocking of diverters within the transport apparatus or faulty measurements of the sensor system. Thus a frequent maintenance work for cleaning the apparatus is necessary. This problem aggravates with the machine-processing of bank notes, for example in 20 bank note sorting apparatuses, but also with automatic teller machines having bank note deposit function as well as with automatic teller machines having money input and output capability, so-called recycling devices. From the prior art there are known various methods for cleaning bank notes, wherein 25 the bank notes e.g. are brushed, disinfected, irradiated or ironed. With these cleaning methods, within a bank note processing machine, for example a bank note sorting machine or an automatic teller machine, the bank notes are transported through a cleaning unit, in which each bank note is cleaned separately. But the cleaning of every single bank note requires a relatively high expenditure of time when processing the 30 bank notes. Cleaning methods wherein the cleaning unit is disposed within the bank note processing machine, moreover, have the disadvantage that the impurities remain within the machine. For removing the impurities from the machine, its operation has to be interrupted time and again. 35 Any discussion of documents, acts, materials, devices, articles or the like which has been included in the present specification is not to be taken as an admission that 2 any or all of these matters form part of the prior art base or were common general knowledge in the field relevant to the present disclosure as it existed before the priority date of each claim of this application. 5 Throughout this specification the word "comprise", or variations such as "comprises" or "comprising", will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated element, integer or step, or group of elements, integers or steps, but not the exclusion of any other element, integer or step, or group of elements, integers or steps. 10 In a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a cleaning apparatus for cleaning bank notes, in which a plurality of bank notes can be cleaned at the same time, wherein the cleaning apparatus has a container receptacle for receiving a container, in which at least one stack of the bank notes can be deposited for cleaning, the container receptacle defining an open or at least air permeable upper side and lower side so that a 15 gas stream can flow through the container accommodated in the container receptacle, the gas stream flowing through the stack of bank notes along the surface of the banknotes. A related aspect provides a container, which is formed to be loaded into a cleaning 20 apparatus according to the first aspect and to receive a plurality of bank notes, in particular at least one stack of bank notes, and in which the bank notes can be cleaned in the stack at the same time, wherein the container has at least a first side and a second side, which are continuously open or at least partially open, and wherein the first side, in particular a bottom side of the container, and the second side, in 25 particular a top side of the container, are disposed opposite each other. A yet further aspect provides a method for cleaning bank notes using the cleaning apparatus according to the first aspect including the following steps: depositing a plurality of bank notes in the container, 30 loading the container into the cleaning apparatus, cleaning the bank notes in the cleaning apparatus, the bank notes being disposed in the container during the cleaning. With the cleaning apparatus there can be cleaned a plurality of bank notes at the same 35 time in one cleaning step. The cleaning apparatus has at least one container receptacle, in which a container can be disposed, in which one or a plurality of stacks of bank 3 notes can be deposited for their cleaning. With that the bank notes can be cleaned in stacks in the cleaning apparatus. The container receptacle, preferably, is designed such that the container, which receives the bank notes to be cleaned, can be taken out of the cleaning apparatus. The cleaning apparatus can be formed such, that the container is 5 loaded into the cleaning apparatus before the cleaning and is taken out after the cleaning. Moreover, the cleaning apparatus has its own housing. The housing can be made of e.g. substantially antistatic plastic material or of metal and be electrostatically grounded. 10 The housing prevents, that the impurities, such as dust and soil particles, getting off the bank notes during the cleaning spread out in the surroundings of the cleaning apparatus. Therefore, the housing is dusttight at the bottom and preferably also at the sides. Such housings are also referred to as dusttight, when pipes are flanged to the respective wall, e.g. leading to a compressed air device or to a suction device. 15 In contrast to the known cleaning apparatuses for single bank notes, within the cleaning apparatus according to the invention, in particular in the housing of the cleaning apparatus, a device for singling the bank notes is not disposed and the cleaning apparatus according to the invention is not connected with a device for singling the 20 bank notes. The cleaning apparatus according to the invention can be advantageously used independent of all further bank note processing machines. Thus, the cleaning of the bank notes can be carried out both efficiently as well as flexible and demand-oriented. 25 Whether the cleaning is necessary can be determined for example by the operating staff with the help of a visual inspection and/or on the basis of experience. E.g. length and intensity of the cleaning can be individually adjusted to the degree of soiling of the bank notes to be cleaned.

3A In a preferred embodiment the cleaning apparatus is formed such that the bank notes are cleaned by a gas stream, in particular by a compressed air stream. Instead of simple compressed air other gases can also be used for the gas stream, such as e.g. pure nitrogen, and/or the gas can be provided with cleaning additives. In addition, at first a 5 gas stream with increased humidity and after that a gas stream for drying the bank notes can be used, for example, to be able to better take electrostatically sticking impurities off the bank notes. The cleaning apparatus can have at least one compressed air device or can be at least 10 connected with a compressed air device. The compressed air device can be an external compressed air source, which can be connected with the cleaning apparatus via a connecting pipe, such as e.g. a compressor, a compressed air aggregate or a pre installed compressed air pipe. But the compressed air device can also be integrated in the cleaning apparatus. The compressed air device can also have a compressed air gun, 15 which co-operates with the cleaning apparatus, for example by a gas stream, e.g. a compressed air stream, being directed out of the compressed air gun into the cleaning apparatus. The compressed air gun can be connected to the cleaning apparatus or to an external compressed air source. The compressed air device can also contain one or a plurality of nozzles, which are disposed the cleaning apparatus and through which a gas 20 stream, e.g. a compressed air stream, is directed onto the bank notes. Preferably, the nozzles are disposed above the bank note stack and are movable over it, this movement for example being controlled automatically. Here a single nozzle or a nozzle lath with a plurality of nozzles can be moved linear or also screenlike over the bank note stack. Additionally, the compressed air device can be formed such that the compressed air 25 stream is alterable and/or controllable in its intensity. For cleaning, the bank notes are exposed to a gas stream, e.g. compressed air. Here compressed air is purposefully directed onto the bank notes, in order to take off impurities deposited thereon and to transport such impurities away from the bank notes. 30 The advantage of using compressed air is that dust and coarse dirt can be blown off with it. Additionally, in the cleaning apparatus, e.g. at the nozzle or at the nozzle lath, there can be disposed mechanical devices for opening spaces in between the bank notes. These can be brushes, which reach into the spaces between the bank notes of the bank note stack and open them, so that the getting in of the gas stream into the spaces is 35 facilitated.

4 Furthermore, the cleaning apparatus can have a device for sucking out impurities or at least be connected with a device for sucking out impurities. Such a device can be integrated in the cleaning apparatus as well as be an external suction device, which is connected via a pipe to the cleaning apparatus, for example a vacuum cleaner. 5 Advantageously, the cleaning apparatus has at least one sieve and/or at least one filter, which are disposed gas-downstream after the container, i.e. when viewed in the flow direction of the gas stream after the container. The sieve and/or the filter can be disposed e.g. at the bottom side of the container receptacle. The bottom side of the 10 container receptacle can also be formed at least partially by the sieve and/or the filter. But the sieve and/ or the filter can also be disposed immediately before the suction device. Preferably, the sieve and/or the filter can be taken out of the cleaning apparatus. In this way they can be separately cleaned and if required replaced. The sieve and/or 15 the filter can be formed such that torn off parts of the bank notes are held back in the cleaning apparatus, e.g. so that as far as possible no torn off bank note parts are sucked out by the suction device. This can be achieved, for example, by appropriate fineness of the sieve or filter, or by arranging the sieve or filter in the cleaning apparatus e.g. in such a way that the gas stream can flow to the suction device only through the sieve or 20 the filter. For cleaning the bank notes deposited in the container, the container receptacle is formed such that the gas stream can flow through the container when the container is disposed in the container receptacle. For this purpose the top side and/or the bottom 25 side of the container receptacle can be open or at least air permeable. The cleaning apparatus preferably has a hold-back element, which holds back the bank notes in the container even during the cleaning, in particular when the gas stream is switched on. Preferably, the bank notes are deposited in the container in such a way that, despite the forces acting because of the gas stream, they remain disposed upright in the container. 30 The hold-back element can be a grid disposed at the top side of the container receptacle and/or of the housing, through which the gas stream can be directed onto the bank notes in the container. The top side of the container receptacle and/ or of the housing can be formed in particular at least partially by the grid. 35 The housing of the cleaning apparatus preferably has a cleaning opening for cleaning the inside of the housing. Through this opening impurities of the cleaned bank notes 5 can be removed from the cleaning apparatus. The cleaning opening can be lockable by a door, this door being openable independent of whether the container is disposed in the cleaning apparatus or not. Additionally, the housing can have at least one air permeable opening, through which a gas stream, in particular a compressed air stream, 5 can be directed onto the bank notes and the bank notes in the container are exposed to the gas stream. The air permeable opening of the housing, preferably, is disposed at the top side of the housing. Through the air permeable opening the bank notes in the container, for example, can be manually exposed to compressed air coming from a compressed-air gun or also to compressed air coming from a compressed air source 10 firmly connected to the cleaning apparatus. In a special embodiment a connecting pipe leading to a compressed air source can be connected at the air permeable opening of the housing. In addition, the air permeable opening can be disposed immediately adjacent to the air permeable top side of the container receptacle and/or be at least partially identical with it. The air permeable opening, preferably, is at least partially covered, in 15 particular by a grid, which can be identical with the grid of the top side of the container receptacle. In a special embodiment the cleaning apparatus is formed such that the cleaning of the bank notes is effected automatically. In particular, the cleaning, in particular the gas 20 stream, can automatically switch on in dependence on the loading of the container into the cleaning apparatus and/or can automatically switch off in dependence on the removal of the container. This can be effected at the same time with the loading and/ or the removal of the container or with a definite time lag. Switching off the cleaning, in particular the gas stream, can be effected automatically after a definite time interval 25 and/or in dependence on the impurity of the bank notes. The cleaning apparatus can also have one or a plurality of further cleaning units or can be connected with at least one further cleaning unit. The further cleaning unit can be a device for exposing the bank notes to ultrasound and/or a device for shaking the bank 30 notes and/or a radiation source for disinfecting the bank notes, in particular with the help of disinfecting radiation, e.g. UV radiation, and/or a device for discharging the electrostatic charge of the bank notes.

6 A container embodying the invention, which can be loaded into the container receptacle of the cleaning apparatus, is suitable for receiving one or a plurality of stacks of bank notes. The container in particular can have the form of a drawer and for example can substantially be made of materials such as antistatic plastic material or cardboard or 5 metal. Preferably, the container is dimensioned such that the bank notes can be disposed in the container standing on their longitudinal edge. So that the number of bank notes, which can be cleaned in the container, can remain flexible, the container can be formed such that the bank notes are stabilized in their standing position. For this purpose in the container a stabilizing element can be disposed, which presses onto the 10 side of the bank note stack. In this way, even with a number of bank notes to be cleaned lower than the maximum receiving capacity of the container, a position of the bank notes favorable for their cleaning can be achieved. Preferably, the bank notes stand with their longitudinal edge vertically on the bottom of the container. 15 In a preferred embodiment the container has at least two sides, which are continuously open or partially open and which are preferably disposed opposite to each other. For example, the container has as a first side a bottom side of the container, which is at least partially open, and as a second side a top side of the container, which is at least partially open. The at least partially open sides are characterized in that they are air 20 permeable. Due to the air permeability of two sides of the container a gas stream for cleaning the bank notes can get into the container, flow through the container along the bank notes and then flow out of the container. By the gas flowing along the bank notes impurities are taken off the bank notes and transported away. The impurities are transported through the partially open side disposed gas-downstream of the container, 25 e.g. through the air permeable bottom side, out of the container and settle down in the cleaning apparatus, e.g. on the sieve and/or the filter or on the bottom of the cleaning apparatus. The partially open sides of the container in particular can be formed in that the respective sides are provided with a plurality of holes and can be formed such that torn off parts of the bank notes are held back in the container despite the gas stream. 30 The partially open sides e.g. can be formed by a grid or by a hole screen. The extent of the holes or the grid meshes is chosen e.g. such that torn off bank note parts from a given minimum size on are held back in the container, while smaller bank note parts can be removed from the container with the gas stream. The latter then can be filtered out of the gas stream with the help of the sieve or the filter of the cleaning apparatus. 35 7 In a preferred embodiment the first side or the bottom side of the container is partially open and the second side or the top side of the container is continuously open. In this case the top side of the container receptacle of the cleaning apparatus can serve as a hold-back element, e.g. with the help of a grid mounted thereto, so that the bank notes 5 are held in the container during the cleaning. In a different embodiment the first side or the bottom side of the container is partially open and the second side or the top side of the container is partially open, too. In this case it is not necessary to provide the top side of the container receptacle with a grid, 10 the top side of the container receptacle then can have very large openings or be continuously open. For cleaning the bank notes, in a first step a multiplicity of bank notes is deposited in a container according to the invention. When depositing e.g. one or a plurality of stacks 15 of bank notes are inserted into the container. The stack or the stacks can be inserted into the container by hand and/or by reloading from a transport container into the container according to the invention. For cleaning the bank notes, the container is loaded into the cleaning apparatus, in particular disposed in the container receptacle of the cleaning apparatus. The loading of the container into the cleaning apparatus can be effected 20 before as well as after the depositing of the bank notes in the container. Then the bank notes deposited in the container are cleaned in the cleaning apparatus, in particular impurities dust and/or dirt being removed from the bank notes. The bank note stack or bank note stacks deposited in the container for cleaning can be 25 composed in any way. For cleaning, bank notes of the same type but also bank notes of different types can be disposed in the container, in particular of a plurality of denominations and/or currencies and/or fitness classes. Sorting the mixed bank note stack preferably is effected after the cleaning of the bank notes in the cleaning apparatus. The method according to the invention is used, for example, for cleaning 30 bank notes, which tend to be electrostatically charged, such as e.g. plastic bank notes, the surface of the plastic bank notes mainly, in particular at least 50%, consisting of plastic material. In a development of the method the container is removed from the cleaning apparatus 35 after the cleaning and the bank notes are taken out of the container. The latter can be effected before as well as after the removal of the container out of the cleaning 8 apparatus. For being further processed then the bank notes are brought to a bank note processing machine, to which they can be transported with the help of the container according to the invention. The cleaned bank notes are inserted into an input pocket of the bank note processing machine and then can be processed, e.g. sorted, in this 5 machine. For the transport to the bank note processing machine, alternatively, the bank notes can be reloaded from the container according to the invention into a transport container, e.g. into the transport container in which they were brought to the cleaning apparatus. 10 In contrast to the cleaning methods usual until now, in the method according to the invention the bank notes are and will not be singled. Instead, a multiplicity of bank notes is cleaned at the same time. When the bank notes are cleaned, preferably, they are exposed to a gas stream, which 15 flows through the container. In a special embodiment the gas stream gets into the container at the air permeable top side of the container, flows along the surface of the bank notes, substantially in parallel to the plane of the bank note, through the bank note stack and out of the container at the air permeable bottom side of the container. Here the gas stream splits up into a multiplicity of individual partial streams, which each run 20 between two adjacent bank notes and after having flowed through the bank note stack again converge. The gas stream can be directed from outside the cleaning apparatus into the cleaning apparatus in a freely flowing manner, e.g. with the help of a compressed air gun, the gas stream being blown through the air permeable opening into the cleaning apparatus. 25 Alternatively, the gas stream can be guided to the cleaning apparatus with the help of connecting pipes and can be directed through one or a plurality of nozzles, which are disposed the cleaning apparatus, onto the bank notes. Preferably, during the cleaning of the bank notes the one or a plurality of nozzles are moved at least temporarily, this 30 movement can be effected, for example, automatically. A single nozzle or a nozzle lath with a plurality of nozzles can be moved linear, e.g. perpendicular to the bank note plane, or also screenlike over the bank note stack. The movement of the nozzle is executed in such a way that as many bank notes as possible are cleaned. Preferably, the course of the nozzle movement covers the entire bank note stack. The nozzle 35 movement cannot be effected only translatory but also in such a way that the direction of the gas stream onto the bank notes is varied. The intensity of the gas stream can be 9 varied in dependence on the bank note quality and/or in dependence on the bank note material. For example, in case of badly used or soiled bank notes a gas stream with higher pressure can be applied. 5 During the cleaning of the bank notes, a sucking out of impurities can be effected at least temporarily. With that there can be prevented, that the impurities removed from the bank notes with the cleaning reach the bank notes again. Preferably, the gas stream used for cleaning is led out of the cleaning apparatus with the help of a suction device. Here the impurities of the bank notes can be filtered out of the gas stream at least 10 partially by one or a plurality of sieves and/or filters, which are disposed in the cleaning apparatus and/or in the pipes and/or in the suction device. Apart from the cleaning by gas stream, alternatively or additionally, further cleaning measures can also be used. In the cleaning step, the bank notes can be exposed to, for 15 example, ultrasound and/or shaking and/or an electrostatic discharging of the bank notes can be effected. Additionally, the bank notes can be disinfected when being cleaned, in particular by disinfecting radiation or by disinfecting additives in the gas stream. The further cleaning measures can be used, e.g. temporarily, during the cleaning by gas stream or before and/ or after that. 20 In a development of the method the cleaning of the bank notes is carried out automatically in the cleaning apparatus. The cleaning can automatically switch on by loading the container and/or automatically switch off by removing the container. Switching on and/or switching off the cleaning can be effected at the same time with 25 the loading or removal or with a time lag. The cleaning can also be manually switched on and/or off, here the cleaning period and/or cleaning unit and/or cleaning intensity can be chosen as needed, for example, by the operating staff. In a special embodiment a time period for the cleaning, in particular the gas stream, can be preset. Then the switching on is effected manually, the switching off is effected automatically after the 30 preset cleaning period. Further advantages and embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail with reference to the Figures. 35 Fig. lashows a three-dimensional representation of a cleaning apparatus with partially loaded bank note container and with connected suction device, 10 Fig. lb shows a three-dimensional representation of a bank note container for loading into the cleaning apparatus, 5 Fig. 2a,2b show a cleaning apparatus with closed door (Fig. 2a) and with open door (Fig. 2b) for removing impurities, Fig. 3 shows a sectional view through a cleaning apparatus with connected compressed air source and suction device. 10 Figure 1 a shows a first embodiment of a cleaning apparatus I with a housing 2, to which a suction device 8 is connected. For cleaning bank notes 9 a container 10, which is formed to receive bank notes 9, is loaded into the container receptacle 4 of the cleaning apparatus 1. For a better representation the container 10 is drawn without the 15 bank notes 9 to be inserted therein and only partially loaded into the cleaning apparatus 1. For cleaning, bank notes 9 are inserted into the container 10 and the container 10 is completely pushed into the container receptacle 4. For cleaning the bank notes 9, with the help of a compressed air gun 19 a compressed 20 air stream 18 is directed through the air permeable opening 3 of the housing 2 into the cleaning apparatus 1. On the air permeable opening 3 a grid 12 is disposed, which covers this opening. In this embodiment the grid 12 also forms the air permeable top side of the container receptacle 4. The grid 12 of the air permeable opening 3 extends over at least the extent of the container 10 disposed in the container receptacle 4, 25 approximately over the base surface of the container 10. The container 10 has two air permeable opposite sides, namely a top side 13, which is continuously open, and a bottom side 14, which is formed by an air permeable bottom 14 provided with a hole screen 15. In the container 10 a stack of the bank notes 9 to be 30 cleaned is deposited such that the bank notes 9 stand with their longitudinal edge upright on the bottom 14. Depositing the bank notes 9 can be effected by manually inserting them, but the bank notes 9 e.g. can also be reloaded, e.g. dumped, out of a transport container into the container 10. Preferably, the bank notes are arranged in the container 10 such that despite the forces, which act on them with a switched-on 35 compressed air, they remain standing in the container 10. For this purpose, a hold-back element can be used, which holds back the bank notes in the container. In the shown I1 example the grid 12 of the cleaning apparatus 1 holds the bank notes 9 in the container 10 even when compressed air acts on them. To also laterally stabilize the bank notes 9, for example, the amount of bank notes 9 present in the inserted stack can be chosen such that the stack approximately takes up the container 10, but there remaining 5 sufficient spaces in between for the compressed air flow 18 through the stack. A lateral stabilization of the stack can also be effected by a stabilizing element, such as e.g. by a movable slide, which can be disposed in the container 10 (not shown). When cleaned by the compressed air stream 18, the bank notes 9 slightly move or flutter because of the flow forces, but by the stabilization the bank notes 9 remain disposed upright in the 10 container. In the case of a one-dimensional grid 12, which has grid bars extending only in one direction, the orientation of the bank notes 9 in the container 10 is to be chosen such that the bank notes are disposed approximately perpendicular to the grid bars. The compressed air stream 18 can get into the container 10 through the continuously 15 open top side 13 of the container 10, can stream through the stack of bank notes 9 located therein and flow through the hole screen 15 of the air permeable bottom 14 out of the container 10. With the flow along the surface of the bank notes the compressed air stream 18 takes impurities off the bank notes 9 and transports these impurities out of the container 10 into the bottom part of the cleaning apparatus 1. 20 In Figure Ib is shown a further container 11 for receiving the bank note stack, which can be loaded into the cleaning apparatus 1. The container 11 consists of e.g. metal. The top side 13 of the container 11 is continuously open, at the bottom side 14 of the container 11 is disposed a grid 16, through which the compressed air can flow through. 25 The impurities of the bank notes 9 taken off with the compressed air, at least mostly are transported with the compressed air through the grid 16. Alternatively to the shown embodiments, instead of the continuously open top side 13, the container, which is loaded into the cleaning apparatus 1, can have a lid provided with holes, which can act as a hold-back element for the bank notes. Then the grid 12 of the cleaning apparatus 1 30 is not necessarily required. I.e. both the bottom and the lid of the container can have a grid 16 and/ or a hole screen 15. In the Figures 2a, 2b the housing 2 of the cleaning apparatus 1 is shown without a container located therein. In the cleaning apparatus I a sieve 6 is disposed gas 35 downstream, which can filter at least a part of the impurities out of the compressed air stream 18. In addition, the housing 2 has a connection point for the suction device 8 as 12 well as a bottom 24 impermeable to dust. Within the housing 2, in particular on the sieve 6 and on the bottom 24, in the course of time there accumulate the impurities getting off the bank notes 9. For maintaining the cleaning apparatus 1, the housing 2 can be opened by a door 5 and the impurities deposited in the housing can be removed 5 through the cleaning opening 7, cf. Figure 2b. If required, the sieve 6 can be taken out and cleaned, too. In Figure 3 is shown a second embodiment of a cleaning apparatus 1. The same reference signs are used analogous to the corresponding parts of the first embodiment. 10 In contrast to the first embodiment, in this case not only a suction device 8 is connected to the cleaning apparatus 1 but also a compressed air source 20. The compressed air source 20 is connected with the housing 2 of the cleaning apparatus I by a compressed air pipe. With the help of the compressed air source 20 a compressed air stream 17 is provided in the cleaning apparatus. This compressed air stream, analogous to the first 15 embodiment, flows through the cleaning apparatus I from the top to the bottom, in particular through a stack of bank notes 9 deposited in a standing upright fashion in the container 21. The compressed air stream 17 can be guided within the cleaning apparatus with the help of guide elements 23, which are disposed below the container 21, and sucked out with the help of the suction device 8. With the compressed air 20 stream 17 impurities from the bank notes 9 are transported away through the grid 16 at the bottom of the container 21, the impurities depositing on the sieve 6. Instead of the sieve 6 there can also be used a plurality of sieves or filters of different fineness. The container receptacle 4 has reception rails 20, which are mounted at the walls of the 25 housing 2. At the top side of the container receptacle 4 is disposed a grid 22, through which the compressed air stream 17 flows. The grid 22 serves as a hold-back element for the bank notes 9, which approximately vertically stand in the container 21 on their longitudinal edge. For this purpose the grid 22 has grid bars, the orientation of which is perpendicular to the plane of the bank notes 9. So that the orientation of the bank notes 30 9 in the container 21 can remain flexible, a two-dimensional grid 22 can also be used, which is suitable for holding back the bank notes independently of their orientation. The grid 22 of the container receptacle 4 and the grid 16 of the container 21 have a wider mesh than the sieve 6. The gas stream 17 is directed through a nozzle 25 onto the bank notes 9, which is moved over the stack of bank notes 9 (in the direction of the 35 arrows), in order to clean the bank notes 9.

Claims

1. A cleaning apparatus for cleaning bank notes, in which a plurality of bank notes can be cleaned at the same time, wherein the cleaning apparatus has a container 5 receptacle for receiving a container, in which at least one stack of the bank notes can be deposited for cleaning, the container receptacle defining an open or at least air permeable upper side and lower side so that a gas stream can flow through the container accommodated in the container receptacle, the gas stream flowing through the stack of bank notes along the surface of the banknotes. 10

2. The cleaning apparatus according to one or a plurality of the previous claims, wherein the cleaning apparatus to clean the bank notes is formed by a gas stream, preferably by a compressed air stream, and in particular has mechanical devices for 15 opening spaces between the bank notes.

3. The cleaning apparatus according to one or a plurality of the previous claims, wherein the cleaning apparatus has at least one device for sucking out impurities or is at least connected with a device for sucking out impurities. 20

4. The cleaning apparatus according to one or a plurality of the previous claims, wherein the cleaning apparatus has at least one compressed air device or is connected with at least one compressed air device and/or at least co-operates with a compressed air device, the compressed air device being in particular a compressed air source and/or 25 a compressed air gun and/or a compressed air nozzle and/or a nozzle lath with a plurality of compressed air nozzles.

5. The cleaning apparatus according to one or a plurality of the previous claims, wherein the cleaning apparatus has a hold-back element for holding the bank notes in 30 the container, in particular a grid, which is disposed at a top side of the housing and/or at a top side of the container receptacle.

6. The cleaning apparatus according to one or a plurality of the previous claims, wherein the cleaning apparatus has at least one sieve and/or at least one filter, which 35 are disposed gas-downstream after the container and preferably can be taken out of the cleaning apparatus. 14

7. The cleaning apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the sieve and/or the filter are formed such that torn off parts of the bank notes are held back in the cleaning apparatus. 5

8. The cleaning apparatus according to one or a plurality of the previous claims, wherein the cleaning apparatus has a housing, which in particular has a bottom impermeable to dust. 10

9. The cleaning apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the housing has a cleaning opening, through which in particular impurities of the cleaned bank notes can be removed from the cleaning apparatus.

10. The cleaning apparatus according to one or a plurality of the claims 8 to 9, 15 wherein the housing has at least one air permeable opening, through which a gas stream, in particular a compressed air stream, can be directed onto the bank notes.

11. The cleaning apparatus according to one or a plurality of the previous claims, wherein the cleaning apparatus is formed such that the cleaning of the bank notes is 20 effected automatically, in particular that at least the gas stream automatically switches on in dependence on the loading of the container into the cleaning apparatus and/or automatically switches off in dependence on the removal of the container from the cleaning apparatus. 25

12. A container, which is formed to be loaded into a cleaning apparatus according to one or a plurality of the previous claims and to receive a plurality of bank notes, in particular at least one stack of bank notes, and in which the bank notes can be cleaned in the stack at the same time, wherein the container has at least a first side and a second side, which are continuously open or at least partially open, and wherein 30 the first side, in particular a bottom side of the container, and the second side, in particular a top side of the container, are disposed opposite each other.

13. The container according to claim 12, wherein the first side and/or the second side of the container are provided with holes and preferably are formed such that torn 35 off parts of the bank notes are held back in the container, the first side and/or the second side having in particular a grid and/ or a hole screen. 15

14. A method for cleaning bank notes using the cleaning apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 11 including the following steps: depositing a plurality of bank notes in the container, 5 loading the container into the cleaning apparatus, cleaning the bank notes in the cleaning apparatus, the bank notes being disposed in the container during the cleaning.

15. The method according to claim 14, including the further steps of: 10 removing the container from the cleaning apparatus, removing the bank notes from the container, inserting the bank notes into a bank note processing machine, in particular in an input pocket of a bank note sorting machine and/or of an automatic teller machine. 15

16. The method according to one or a plurality of the claims 14 to 15, wherein for cleaning, the bank notes are exposed to a gas stream, preferably to a compressed air stream, the gas stream for cleaning the bank notes flowing in particular through the container. 20

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the gas stream for cleaning the bank notes is directed freely flowing into the cleaning apparatus, in particular through an air permeable opening of the cleaning apparatus, preferably with the help of a compressed air gun. 25

18. The method according to one or a plurality of the claims 16 to 17, wherein the gas stream is directed through at least one nozzle onto the bank notes, in particular through a single nozzle or through a plurality of nozzles, at least one of the nozzles being at least temporarily moved during the cleaning of the bank notes. 30

19. The method according to one or a plurality of the claims 14 to 18, wherein during the cleaning a sucking out of impurities of the bank notes is effected at least temporarily, in particular with the help of a device for sucking out. 35

20. The method according to one or a plurality of the claims 14 to 19, wherein the cleaning of the bank notes in the cleaning apparatus is carried out automatically, in 16 particular the cleaning switches on automatically in dependence on the loading of the container and/or switches off automatically in dependence on the removal of the container.