Classifications

• • G—PHYSICS
  • G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
  • G07B—TICKET-ISSUING APPARATUS; FARE-REGISTERING APPARATUS; FRANKING APPARATUS
  • G07B3/00—Machines for issuing preprinted tickets
  • G07B3/04—Machines for issuing preprinted tickets from a stack

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a container stacker of cards including contactless and a card recycler module comprising such a container.
• the invention applies for example for containers installed in access gates to recover contactless cards at the end of validity, these containers then being re-installed quickly in automatic sales equipment or counter.
• the correct layout inside a container is the stacking of the cards.
• the risk is that the stack eventually get rid. This can happen in particular when a card is positioned poorly on arrival in the container.
• An object of the invention is in particular to allow the realization of a container capable of storing a very large number of cards in any reliability.
• the subject of the invention is a stacking container for cards, characterized in that it comprises at least:
• the position of the elevator is, for example, slaved so as to maintain a dv clearance distance substantially constant between the top of the stack and the top of the block during the emptying phase.
• the elevator is for example mechanically coupled to a worm itself driven by a motor, the rotation of the screw without one in one direction or the other causing the rise or fall of the elevator.
• the container comprises, for example, a sensor placed at the filling distance dr, the sensor comprising a transmitting part of a signal and a receiving part of this signal, the control of the elevator at the rising in the filling phase being a function of the passage signal between the two parties.
• it may comprise a sensor placed at the filling distance dv, the sensor comprising a transmitting part of a signal and a receiving part of this signal, the control of the elevator at the rise in emptying phase being a function of the passage signal between the two parties.
• the container comprises for example a pivoting lid whose axis of rotation is fixed at the top of the block, mechanically secured to two parallel walls and substantially centered on their width, the lid being inclined during the filling or emptying phase to allow the cards to pass. .
• the lid has an opening for passing a tool to dislodge the cards from the block.
• the container may include an electronic card for controlling the elevator.
• the control card is for example connected to the sensors and to the engine, the electronic card controlling the engine according to the signals received from the sensors and the filling or emptying phase, the electronic card delivering further information on the status of the engine. filling the block.
• the motor and the electronic card are for example housed in a compartment at the bottom of the block, a movable wall closing the bottom of the block.
• the invention also relates to a card recycler module.
• This recycler module comprises one or more containers such as the one previously described, included in a storage block.
• the recycler module further comprises an input block and a sorting block, the input block analyzing the cards and directing them towards the sorting block, the role of the sorting block being to recover the cards coming from the block of sorting. input and direct them to the containers of the storage block according to their state of filling.
• This recycler module can be advantageously placed in an access gate.
• FIG. 3 the block diagram of a module, card recycler with one or more containers of the previous type.
• FIG. 1 illustrates, by a block diagram, an exemplary embodiment of a stacker container according to the invention, more particularly it presents the container in its card collection phase.
• the container is for example placed in a rebreather module.
• the container is shown in a vertical position in the state of collecting cards 1. It comprises a block 2 of rectangular section formed of four side walls 3, only two of which are shown in the figure, in profile view.
• the inner section of the block 2 substantially corresponds to the dimensions of a card 1, the cards being stacked inside the block.
• Block 2 has an opening 4 at the top to allow cards to pass.
• the container comprises an elevator 5 on which is placed the stack of cards 1.
• This elevator consists essentially of a tray supporting the stack of cards.
• N is controlled such that the distance dr between the last stacked card and the top of the block remains substantially constant.
• a first sensor 6 detects the top of the stack.
• the control of the elevator is thus enslaved on the distance dr between the top of the stack and the upper limit of the block 2.
• the sensor 6 is for example formed of a transmitting part and a receiving part facing one the other.
• the slaving is for example carried out so that when the transmission between the two parts is interrupted as a result of the elementary incrementation of the stack the elevator descends an elementary step.
• An elementary incrementation stack corresponds for example to one or a few cards, depending on the thickness of the latter.
• the position of the sensor 6 substantially defines a level of filling, this level being determined relative to the top of the container.
• the advantage of maintaining a constant filling level, that is to say a substantially constant distance d between the top of the stack and the entrance of the container is the positioning reliability of a new incoming card on the stack. Indeed, the distance dr is defined so that a new incoming card is positioned flat on the stack and in the right direction. For this it is not necessary that this distance dr is too great if an incoming card can turn over or even hangs in an almost vertical position and break the stack. This distance dr defines in a way a distance of fall.
• the control system of the elevator is for example composed of at least one motor coupled to a worm 8 and an electronic control circuit 10. More precisely, the motor drives the rotation of a support 9 mechanically secured of the worm 8.
• the motor 7 is for example a stepper motor. It is arranged at the bottom of the block 2.
• the worm 8 is connected to the elevator 5 so that in its direction of rotation it raises or lowers the elevator.
• the endless screw slides for example in a thread integral with the elevator 5. This thread may be disposed at the periphery of the elevator plate preferably on an outgrowth.
• the worm 8 and the integral thread of the elevator 5 are for example housed at the periphery of a side wall of the block 2, outside or in a trough made in the wall.
• the electronic control circuit 10 is connected to the sensor 6 by means of unrepresented interfaces. This interfacing may in particular require an electrical connection. In order not to disturb the stacking of the cards, this link can pass outside the block. For this purpose, it can be provided that the sidewalls comprising the sensor 6 form a chute for the passage of the electrical connection.
• the electronic circuit 10 controls the motor 7 according to the signal received from the sensor 6, this signal is for example binary. When the signal is interrupted between the two parts of the sensor 6, that is to say that the stack of cards 1 exceeds the margin of the filling level defined by the distance dr above, the sensor for example delivers signal. In this case the motor is controlled to cause the rotation of the worm 8 in the direction that lowers the elevator 5.
• the control circuit 10 stops the motor to stop the movement of the elevator.
• the motor 7 and the electronic circuit 10 are connected to an electrical source, for example the electrical network, for example via a converter.
• the latter delivers a suitable DC voltage for the circuit 10 and the motor 7.
• the motor 7, the nut 9 and the electronic circuit 10 are for example placed in a compartment at the bottom of the container, this compartment being limited upwards by a wall and downwards by a movable wall 12 closing the bottom of the container.
• An electrical connection not shown allows the connection to an external electrical network.
• the power converter of the circuit 10 and the motor 7 is for example also arranged in the compartment.
• the worm 8 when the container is removed from its location, the worm 8 remains blocked and therefore the elevator also remains blocked.
• the container comprises for example a pivoting lid 13, the axis of rotation 16 being fixed at the top of the block 2, mechanically secured to two parallel walls and substantially centered on their widths.
• the cover In the collection phase of the cards 1, the cover is inclined so as to leave the cards between the edge of the wall 3 of the block 2 and its inner face.
• a flap 14 oriented towards the inside of the block may be provided, in this case the passage of cards is made between the flap 14 and the edge of the wall 3.
• the passage is provided sufficiently wide and oriented towards the arrival of cards.
• the pivoting cover may for example be inclined by about 20 °.
• the axis of rotation can be raised relative to the opening edge of a wall. In this case, the flap 14 serves to completely close the opening.
• the elevator 5 thus descends until the maximum map height is reached. This maximum height is for example determined by the lowest position that can take the elevator. Once this maximum stack height is reached, the container can be emptied. In the emptying phase, the elevator 5 will go up until the top of the stack reaches the emptying level, for example detected by a sensor 15.
• Figure 2 shows the container in its phase of emptying cards. Between this phase and the previous phase of collection, the container has for example been removed from the rebreather module. The container can be emptied when the stack height is reached, but it can also be removed before this maximum height is reached.
• the elevator rises until the stack height reaches a dump level. This level is higher than the filling level previously defined, that is to say that the distance dv between the top of the block 2 and the top of the stack is less than the distance dr of previous filling.
• the movement of the elevator is controlled in the same way as in the previous phase, but this time to enslave the top of the pile on the fill level. The elevator is no longer controlled to descend but to climb as the cards are removed from the stack.
• the electronic control circuit takes into account the signals from this sensor 15 defining the level of emptying. So after filling the container, the top of the stack is returned to the dump level. The pivoting lid 13 is then closed.
• the container may be removed from the recycler module before filling, for example following a power failure. In this case the top the stack is not returned to the dump level but remains at the fill level. However, since the filling distance dr between the top of the stack and the lid, the stack is not destructured even if the cards are no longer tight.
• the pile is reconstituted. In all cases, that the top of the pile is fixed at the emptying level or the level of filling, the pile is reconstituted after transport of the container.
• Figure 2 shows the container in the filling phase.
• the top of the stack is maintained at the filling level as the cards go.
• a tool can be used to dislodge the cards 1 from the container.
• the lid 13 is opened again and slightly inclined to leave the cards.
• An opening, smaller than the dimensions of the cards, is made in the cover 13 to let the tool used to dislodge the cards.
• a rubber wheel 21 may for example be used to remove the cards. The position of the axis of the rubber wheel is adjusted so that the wheel touches the top card of the stack. As a result of this contact the card is raised and driven towards the exit in the direction 22 parallel to the tangential speed of the wheel 21.
• This emptying device consisting of this rubber wheel and its control system can be integrated into the rebreather module. .
• FIG. 3 presents in a functional diagram a rebreather module according to the invention installed in a trunk of gate 30.
• This module makes it possible to reuse transport tickets very quickly by means of an automatic redistribution or a counter.
• the module comprises three functional blocks 31, 32, 33:
• a sorting block 32 - A storage block 33, consisting essentially of containers 34 of the type described above and devices for collecting and routing cards to these containers.
• Each block can be activated individually, but in normal operation, it is for example a fourth block 35 called control block which manages the rebreather module.
• the recycler module is for example mechanically installed in the trunk of the gate 30 on the output side of the stations in order to retrieve the user cards.
• the module is electrically connected to the gate by the control block. The easy interchangeability of the rebreather module allows for improved operation and quick maintenance of the gate.
• the role of the input block 31 is in particular to analyze the introduced cards and direct them to the sorting block.
• the main functions of the input block are for example:
• the conveying of the cards to the sorting block the information of the control block 35 on the position of the cards.
• the role of the sorting block 32 is to recover the cards from the input block and direct them to the storage block.
• the conveying direction is not reversible, a card engaged in the sorting block can not return to the input block.
• the only way out is the storage block.
• the main functions of the sorting block are for example:
• the orientation towards one of the three output options of the block that is to say towards the first container of the storage block, towards the second or to the third, in the case where the storage block comprises three containers, there is in fact as much option of exit as of containers, once a container is filled, the cards are directed towards the following one.
• the control of the maintenance of the elevators in the desired positions, verifications of user requests and the inventory status as well as the delivery of the information can be decentralized in the electronic circuits 10 of the containers. It is possible instead to provide a centralized electronic control for all containers. In this case, this central control circuit is placed in the storage block outside the containers.
• the storage module also includes some functions adapted to the containers. In particular, a power supply inlet must be provided to connect to each container in order to supply the energy necessary for the motors 7 and the electronic control circuits 10. Likewise, a device for opening and maintaining the opening of pivoting covers is provided. The opening of the containers 34 is oriented towards an arrival duct of the cards coming from the sorting block.
• a container according to the invention and therefore a recycler module according to the invention can store a very large amount of cards.
• the limitation essentially comes from the dimensions of the gate in which the rebreather module is integrated. It is possible to produce a rebreather module comprising containers whose length exceeds one meter, thus making it possible to obtain large card stack heights, these batteries remaining well structured, safely and reliably, particularly during the transportation of recycler modules or containers.
• the invention has been described for a card stacking container, especially contactless cards which are for example tickets. It can apply to other types of cards.
• the card recycler module could be installed in a system other than an access gate.

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• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Details Of Rigid Or Semi-Rigid Containers (AREA)
• Processing Of Solid Wastes (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

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Family Applications (1)

Country Status (4)

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• 2004
  • 2004-07-02 FR FR0407382A patent/FR2872611B1/fr not_active Expired - Lifetime
• 2005
  • 2005-06-29 EP EP05756857A patent/EP1784789A1/fr not_active Ceased
  • 2005-06-29 CN CNA2005800296531A patent/CN101014984A/zh active Pending
  • 2005-06-29 WO PCT/EP2005/053059 patent/WO2006003161A1/fr active Application Filing

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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