EP0811208A1

EP0811208A1 - Process and device for the safe deposit and distribution of bank notes

Info

Publication number: EP0811208A1
Application number: EP96902202A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Fritz Zwahlen; Robert Brügger
Original assignee: Ascom Autelca AG
Current assignee: De la Rue International Ltd
Priority date: 1995-02-24
Filing date: 1996-02-22
Publication date: 1997-12-10
Anticipated expiration: 2016-02-22
Also published as: WO1996026504A1; US5975273A; DE59600574D1; ATE171293T1; CA2213407A1; AU707638B2; JPH11500552A; AU4661696A; ES2124082T3; EP0811208B1

Abstract

In a device for depositing and distributing bank notes, the deposited bank notes, in particular bank note bundles, are separated, conveyed through an insertion channel (A, B, C) with no branching channels, temporarily stored and checked. The check result, in particular the bank note value, is then displayed. If the client requests it, and/or depending on the check results, the bank notes are returned from the temporary storage (20) through return channel (E, F) that has only one branching channel (24b). The client may thus manually check the result of the automatic sum and/or value determining operations, if they seem incorrect to him. The bank notes may be conveyed to a final storage through the single branching channel (24b). An extremely fault-proof bank note depositing system is thus obtained that also allows the introduced bank notes to be returned in their original order of introduction to the client that introduced them and wishes to check them again. This gives to the client that introduces bank notes into the system the highest possible feeling of trust.

Description

Process and device for secure storage and output of Ban knots

The invention relates to a method according to the preamble of claim 1 and a device according to the preamble of claim 3.

Devices for the input and output of banknotes are known from GB-A 2 149 175, DE-U 93 14 342.7, EP-A 0 164 717 and GB-A 2 225 662.

In GB-A 2 225 662 z. B. the entered banknotes isolated and checked for authenticity. The wrong or not recognizable are separated from the real notes and the real notes are turned in such a way that the tops of the notes point in one and the same direction. The real, aligned notes and the wrong and non-processable notes are then collected in separate storage containers. These notes, collected in different containers, are then returned individually to the input tray. They can be removed there or after the separation of values are stored in the different stack memories.

Another automatic banknote input and output machine is known from EP-A 0 317 537. After the notes have been entered, they are separated, pass through a note confluence point and are then checked for authenticity in a checking unit. Real notes run via a first branch point and a large number of further branch points, which are assigned to the different end stores, into an intermediate store and remain there until the entire bank note entry has been completed.

Incorrect and unrecognizable banknotes are directed from the first branch to a return path, from which they are branched off by a second branch to the input unit and are entered there for a new check.

If the entire transaction is terminated by the customer, all banknotes of the buffer store are transported back to the input unit via the bank entry point, the first and second branch points.

When banknotes are output from the end stores, they are transported past the intermediate storage via the junction point to the test unit and then stored in an output trough via the first and now a converted second branching unit.

Further non-generic inputs and outputs of bank notes are described in DE-A 39 31 571 and EP-A 0 409 809.

DE-A 39 31 571, the banknotes were entered individually and transported to a storage device via a banknote transport path. A banknote checking unit is all arranged on the transport route. Not proper banknotes are immediately re-issued at the input after the check. Banknotes that are found to be correct pass through the checking unit for intermediate storage. These cached banknotes can be returned via the input path if requested externally. The simple design of this input / output path is only possible because an automatic separation process, bundling etc. has been dispensed with.

In EP-A 0 409 809 only one is rotatable

Intermediate memory described, in which banknotes can be stored. There is no separation unit. After being rotated through 90 °, the temporarily stored banknotes could be released into a final store and after a further rotation through 90 °, they could be output via a stacking wheel, bundling the issued banknotes in an output unit.

The object of the invention is to provide a fail-safe banknote storage system with a banknote check, in which, in particular, the inputted banknotes can be reissued in their original input assignment for renewed checking by the entering customer.

The known banknote transport systems are complex and therefore prone to misdirection of the entered banknotes. In particular, the customer depositing notes is therefore not sure whether the device also counts the same values that he entered and counted up beforehand. He only feels comfortable when, in the event of an alleged or actual discrepancy in the input value automatically determined by the device, he can reclaim the banknotes he has input, the input and output paths being designed in such a simple way that he is convinced of the correctness can be.

The banknote transport route before the final storage of the banknotes is, as described below, with only one ner single banknote through, um- and -einleitelement up to the intermediate storage and only a further analog element in contrast to the many, differing in function from the two elements branching points of the known devices so simple that malfunctions, at which in particular could misdirect grades are excluded. These clear paths can be shown to a complaining customer, and thus the certainty can be given that incorrect manipulations on the banknote path are excluded.

In a preferred embodiment, care has been taken to ensure that the customer cannot come into contact with any of the mechanical drive parts; on the one hand to exclude injuries and on the other hand to prevent damage to the mechanical drive parts. So z. B. in the delivery trough, the fan wheel depositing the banknotes is pivoted back through the trough rear wall before the closure flap is opened and the wall opening is then closed.

Examples of the device according to the invention are explained in more detail below with reference to drawings. Further advantages of the invention result from the following description. Show it:

1 is a perspective view of the device according to the invention,

2 shows a longitudinal section through the device shown in FIG. 1 with a simplified, schematic representation of the banknote transport routes, through, u, and introduction, intermediate storage and release,

3 shows a cross section through a banknote through, around and introducing element with which the banknotes can be guided past the intermediate store and out of it to the relevant banknote transport area and

FIG. 4 shows the element shown in FIG. 3 in a position in which the banknotes can be routed from the input unit into the buffer.

The device for secure storage and dispensing of banknotes shown in FIG. 1 is designed in such a way that it can be operated by bank customers without the help of bank employees. It is primarily intended so that businessmen can enter their earnings after the shop closes, the amount entered is determined, a receipt is printed, the banknote amount is stored securely and the automatically determined amount is credited to the bank customer account. The bank staff does not need to count the amount entered at a later point in time. If the bank customer has doubts about the correctness of the entered banknote amount ascertained by the device, he can have the banknotes entered re-issued, counted and re-entered or also refrain from re-entry. The device also checks the authenticity of the notes. Incorrect or non-verifiable notes, combined notes, ... are output in an output trough 4.

The device shown in FIG. 1 has an upper and a lower part 1 and 3 respectively. The lower part 3 serves to secure the final storage of the entered banknotes against unauthorized removal, from which banknotes can also be issued again. For safety reasons, the lower part 3 is surrounded by armored walls and firmly anchored in a room.

The upper part 1 contains the control devices for the transport and the checking of the banknotes, discharge and input troughs 4 and 5, a keyboard 6 for data input, an input slot 7 for an identification medium of the bank account. den (credit card), a screen 9 for communication between the device and the bank customer and an output unit 11 for receipts. The upper part 1 is provided with a front cover 12 which can be opened upwards for service purposes. The front cover 12 can only be opened if the bank employees observe the general safety precautions. The dispensing and input troughs 4 and 5 are each provided with an openable flap 13 or 14.

FIG. 2 shows a schematic longitudinal section through the upper part 1. In the upper part 1 there are a banknote separating device 15 in the bottom 17 of the input trough 5, two note checking devices 19a and 19b, a buffer store 20, a pivotable fan wheel 21 in the rear wall 23 of the dispenser. trough 4 for the orderly storage of the banknotes to be issued in the dispensing trough 4 as well as a banknote passage, diversion and introduction element 24a for guiding the banknotes onto the intermediate storage 20, down again from this and past it and another banknote through -, -um- and -einleit¬ element 24b arranged.

The transport route for the banknotes is divided into seven sections A to G, not all sections having the same conveying speed for the banknotes. The partial areas A, B, C, E and G represent the input path. The partial area F forms the return path.

The conveying speed in the first sub-area A, which begins with the bank note separation 15 at the input trough 5, is set such that the separation is error-free and that with the note checking devices 19 a and 19 b arranged on both sides of the transport section area A, a perfect authenticity check and Value recognition can be reached. A thickness measuring device 18 is arranged in front of the two note checking devices 19a and 19b, which determines whether folded banknotes have been entered. For the authenticity check, it should be noted that the inventive - 1 -

According to the device, the banknotes are checked in the width direction in contrast to the known devices. The note checking devices 19a and 19b are adjacent, but are nevertheless arranged offset from one another. This offset arrangement prevents stray light from one grading device from falsifying the measurement results of the other. The transport subarea B adjoining the transport subarea A is designed as a “waiting room” for a banknote that has just been checked. The banknote waiting there is set in motion as soon as an evaluation unit (not shown) sends out a signal for the completed check.

With the two subsequent transport subareas C and D, the banknote is then taken over from the transport subarea B and stored via the element 24a in the intermediate storage 20 designed as a roller storage (storage drum). For example, the storage drums described in EP-A 0 182 137 can be used as the roll storage device. In the buffer 20, the banknotes entered into the input trough 5 and checked with the note checking devices 19a and 19b are then successively stored ("wound up") in the separated state. In Figure 2, the diameter of the empty or full storage drum is indicated by dashed lines.

Depending on the design of the device, illegible or incorrect notes as well as folded notes could also be stored on the buffer memory 20. Depending on the prevailing legal provisions, the incorrect or unreadable notes are then separated out during the storage process into the lower part via the switch 24b and transported into the output trough 4 with the aid of the fan wheel 21 or stored separately in the lower part. If permitted by law, the bank customer will then receive his notes back in a reciprocal order. The same can be done with the folded notes. In the exemplary embodiment shown here, however, the folded and incorrect notes and notes which are not recognizable by the note checking device 19a, 19b and 18 are passed past the intermediate memory 20 as a result of a corresponding position of the element 24a to the subarea E.

However, since the issuance of counterfeit notes is prohibited in most countries, the device can be designed in such a way that the notes in the lower part 3 can be stored on a separate memory (roll memory), not shown. From this, they can then be issued by bank employees for control purposes, with the bank customer in question; here too, storage is carried out in a predetermined order.

In addition to an authenticity check, the note checking devices 19a and 19b additionally record the value of the passing notes and pass the recognized values on to a registration unit (not shown). This registration unit registers the number of notes according to note values and forms a total. These values are displayed on the screen 9 together with an identifier or the address of the bank customer, which is or was read by an identification means (credit card) inserted into the input slot and, if desired, is printed out by the output unit 11. Storage on the roll memories (not shown) in the lower part 3 takes place after a corresponding command input on the keyboard 6 by the bank customer.

If the bank customer now believes that the printed or displayed data does not reflect what he has entered into the input trough 5 in terms of banknotes, he inputs an output command on the keyboard 6. The banknotes stored on the intermediate storage 20 are now unwound and introduced into the partial area E via the partial area D and the changed element 24a and from there via the correspondingly placed element 24b and partial area F. transported to the output trough 4. The transport sections D and E have approximately the same conveying speed, while the transport section F has a higher conveying speed. This higher conveying speed is required in order to insert the conveyed notes into one of the compartments of the rotating fan wheel 21. The fan wheel 21 is in the position shown in FIG. 2, pivoted out to the right and protruding into the dispensing trough 4. The closure flap 13 of the dispensing trough 4 is closed and locked. The notes deposited in the fan wheel 21 are deposited as an ordered bundle on the bottom of the dispensing trough 4 designed as a flap 25. If all of the notes entered at that time are stored in the output trough 4, the fan wheel 21 is pivoted back out of the output trough 4 to the left. After swiveling back, a wall opening, not shown, in the rear wall 23 of the trough 4, through which the fan wheel 21 can be partially swiveled, is closed. After closing, the closure flap 13 of the dispensing trough 4 is unlocked, the bank customer can open it and remove his banknotes. By pivoting the fan wheel 21 away, any possibility of injury to the customer when taking notes is excluded, and damage to the fan wheel 21 cannot be caused by carelessness.

If the bank customer now forgets to take out his notes - the presence of notes in the output trough 4 is preferably determined by a note sensor 27 (several could also be used) - the flap 25 folds down after a predetermined time interval, as a result of which the notes fall into one secured collecting container 29 that cannot be accessed from the outside. If the bank customer later notices his mistake, he can receive these notes from a bank employee after identification. Identification is possible in the device, since every bank customer has to identify himself before inserting transactions into the device by inserting an identification means (eg credit card) into the input slot 7. If the bank customer agrees with the amount of money automatically determined by the device, he types in his consent via the keyboard 6, whereupon the element 24b is changed over and the banknotes then via the transport sections D, E and G in the lower part 3 for notes ¬ values are saved separately saved.

In the schematically illustrated transport subareas A to G, several pairs of belts are arranged next to one another. Each pair of tapes has two tapes lying on top of each other, between which the notes can be clamped and transported. The transport sections A to G are arranged in such a way that the belts can be separated from one another for service purposes. The distance between the pairs of bands is now chosen to be so narrow that quartered notes can also be transported by folding. If the quartered banknotes are not stored temporarily and are then transported immediately after the check into the output trough 4, a larger spacing of the holding straps can be selected in the intermediate storage 20.

Since the tapes are now pretensioned for a correct transport of the notes, a separating force occurs when separating two cooperating pairs of tapes. In order to prevent the assemblies from snapping away when they are separated, they are secured with double-acting pawls 31, one of which is indicated in FIG. 2. When the latch 31 is opened, the assembly can only be moved until the straps are relaxed. A final loosening and pulling apart is only possible in a second opening process.

The routing of the banknotes for remaining on the input path (passing through), redirecting away from the input path towards the buffer store 20 and introducing the banknotes retrieved from the buffer store into the input path is shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. um- and Einleitelement 24a made. The element 24a is a circular cylinder rotatable about its longitudinal axis 37 with a drive (not shown). The circular cylinder is traversed by two axially extending longitudinal slots 39a and 39b. The longitudinal slots 39a and 39b cut through the circular cylinder to form three longitudinal cylinder sections 40a, 40b and 40c, each of which is mechanically not shown on the cylinder base and / or head are held together.

The two longitudinal slots 39a and 39b are brought together at one point of the cylinder jacket to form a curved V. The ends of the V-legs of the longitudinal slots 39a and 39b are funnel-shaped in cross-section to ensure a good entry of the banknotes.

In FIG. 3, the element 24a is in a position in which banknotes coming from the transport section C from the input — indicated by an arrow with the reference number 41 — are guided by the guide rollers 43a and 43b and additionally guided are introduced into the longitudinal slot 39a by auxiliary entry elements 44a and 44b and then leave this on the input path on the transport section E in the direction 45 to the final store or to the output. The guide to the transport part area E takes place via funnel-shaped guide plates 46a and 46b and a belt conveyor, only its rollers 47a and 47b being shown. The banknotes are transported from the transport section C directly to the transport section E when the banknotes have been judged by the note checking devices 19a and 19b and the thickness measuring device 18 as not conforming to the standard (wrong, unreadable, folded, ...).

To temporarily store the banknotes, the element 24a is pivoted in such a way that the funnel-shaped opening of the longitudinal slot 39b, as shown in FIG. 4, can receive banknotes coming from the transport part area C. As shown in FIG. 3, the banknotes are transported out of the intermediate store 20 via the transport part area D through the longitudinal slot 39b of the element 24a to the transport part area E.

Element 24b is designed analogously to element 24a and functions in the same way.

Instead of the screen 9, a so-called touch screen can be used for communication between the device and bank customers. However, the keyboard 6 will generally not be omitted, since e.g. B. the entry of the PIN code on the touch screen is very well visible, while an entry on the keyboard is optically shieldable.

After identifying a bank customer in the manner already described above, banknotes can be output from the roll stores arranged in the lower part 3, preferably used, not shown, by entering the requested value via the keyboard 6. The output takes place via the transport subregions G and F and the switch 24b via the fan wheel 21 into the output trough 4. The pivoting of the fan wheel 21 also takes place here analogously to the above-described output of the notes from the buffer memory 20.

The device according to the invention must now not only be used for bank customer transactions; it can be used just as well in the bank's internal areas as well as in general in the money-processing area (supermarket, chain stores, postal companies, ...). Customer information can also be output on the screen 9 or the touch screen.

Instead of roller stores in the lower part 3, containers can also be used.

Claims

claims

1. A method for receiving and issuing banknotes, in particular bundles of banknotes, in which the banknotes are separated, checked, temporarily stored and then finally stored or on a path different from the input path (A, B, C, E, G) Return path (F) can be returned, characterized in that the test result, in particular in terms of value, is displayed. The banknotes are passed without branching points to a pass-through, divert and initiate element (24a), depending on the test result, pass through the lead element (24a) or redirected directly to intermediate storage and re-introduced after the intermediate storage by precisely this banknote guiding element (24a), and the banknotes then, depending on the test result or according to a command to be entered by the customer, by means of only one further passing, redirecting and introductory element (24b) to the final storage (G) or to the return route (F), the customer then avoiding or avoiding can manually check any discrepancies in the automatic determination of the sum and / or value of the notes entered during the test.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the notes are transported at different speeds and in particular are accelerated for return in order to bring them individually into a fan wheel (21), from which they are then stored bundled in a storage compartment.

3. Device for carrying out the method according to claim 1 or 2 with an input and output unit (5, 4) for banknotes, in particular for bundles of banknotes, with a command input unit (6) for customer commands, an intermediate store (20), one on a bank no. running from the input unit (5) to the buffer store (20) The input path (λ, B, C, E, G) arranged separation (15) and banknote checking unit (18, 19a, 19b) and a banknote return path (F) starting from the intermediate memory (20), characterized by a display - A unit (9) for displaying, in particular for displaying the value of the checked banknotes, a banknotes directly connected to the intermediate store (20) through, redirecting and introducing element (24a), arranged in an entry path (A, B, C, E, G), the banknotes depending on the test result being passed through or for intermediate storage by the guiding element (24a) and reinserted by the latter into the input path (A, B, c, E, G), and by only one further banknote passing, diverting and introducing element (24b), with which the banknotes, depending on the customer command and / or test result, either on a path branch (G) into an end store or on the return path (F) to the output unit (4) are eligible.

4. Apparatus according to claim 3, characterized by mutually offset, on the input path (A) opposite note checking devices (19a _f 19b) and in particular a note thickness checking device (18), which is preferably upstream of the note checking devices (19a, 19b).

5. Apparatus according to claim 3 or 4, characterized by a plurality of transport areas (A - G) on the input or return path for the notes to be input or output, which can be driven at different transport speeds, in particular one straight to hold the scanned note with the note checking devices (18, 19a, 19b) in a waiting position (B, F) until the authenticity result has been determined or to preferably accelerate the notes to be issued in order to insert them correctly into a fan wheel (21) with which the notes can then be stacked into a bundle in an output trough (4) of the output unit.

6. Device according to one of claims 3 to 5, characterized in that the intermediate store (20) is arranged in a rigid position and is designed as a roll store (20) which winds up in both directions of rotation in order to be able to record and deliver notes.

7. Device according to one of claims 3 to 6, gekenn¬ characterized by a perpendicular to its axis of rotation in an output trough (4) of the output unit pivotable fan wheel (21) for the separate exception of several notes, and their bundle-like storage on the bottom of the output trough (4).

8. The device according to claim 7, characterized by a closable rear wall (23) of the dispensing trough (4) through which the fan wheel (21) is at least partially pivotable into the dispensing trough (4).

9. The device according to claim 7 or 8, characterized by a swiveling the output trough (4) closing

Locking flap (13), when the fan wheel (21) is opened, it can be pivoted out of the dispensing trough (4) and the trough rear wall (23) can be closed.

10. Device according to one of claims 7 to 9, marked by a storage compartment (29), in particular secured against access, into which notes from the dispensing trough (4) can be inserted, which after one, preferably by a predetermined time interval triggered in the storage compartment sensor (27) has not been removed.