EP2675739B1 - Device for handling value notes, comprising a feed module having movable retaining elements - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a device for handling notes of value, which comprises at least one cassette receiving area, in which a note cassette for storing notes of value is received. With the help of a feed module, banknotes can be fed to a banknote receiving area of the banknote cassette. The vouchers are included in the value entry area in the form of a value stack. The feed module comprises a feed area for feeding notes to the note receiving area and at least one retaining element which, in a retaining position, contacts the note arranged on the front side of the note stack facing the feed area and holds the note stack in the note receiving area. In a feed position, the retaining element is arranged such that at least one bill of value arranged in the feed area can be fed to the bill receiving area.

The device for handling notes of value is, in particular, an automatic safe cash register, an automatic cash register system and / or an automated teller machine, such as a deposit machine of banknotes and checks. After their authenticity has been checked, the entered notes of value are transported to a safe and stored in note cassettes arranged in cassette receiving areas of the safe. The notes to be deposited are fed to the note cassettes via feed modules.

In known feed modules, the retaining elements are mounted so as to be pivotable about an axis of rotation. Via a feed element, the notes of value arranged in the feed area are fed to the value receiving area in the stacking direction. During the movement of these notes of value to be fed in the stacking direction, the contact areas of the retaining elements are pivoted by rotating the retaining elements about the axis of rotation in the direction of the pile of notes of value contained in the note cassette. In this case, the retaining elements in turn move the stack of notes against the spring force of a spring arranged on the end face of the stack of notes facing away from the feed area and thus push the stack of notes deeper into the area of the receipt for the cassette. The contact areas of the retaining elements are pivoted until the notes to be fed are arranged on the end face of the stack facing the feeding area and the retaining elements are arranged to the side of the stack of notes.

The problem with such a supply module is that the entire stack of notes of value has to be shifted in the stacking direction by the length of the contact areas of the retaining elements in order to feed the notes of value, so that the maximum available volume of the area of the note receiving area is reduced by this corresponding length and thus that in the note cassette existing space cannot be used optimally.

From the document GB 2 220 782 A an ATM is known in which banknotes are stacked in vertically arranged cash cassettes. Retaining elements are described which hold the notes of value against the pressing force of a pressing element in the cash cassettes.

Other devices for handling notes of value, in which notes of value are stacked in cash boxes, are from the documents GB 2 135 493 A , EP 1 503 350 A1 and WO 03/077209 A2 known.

document US 6 131 809 A discloses a device for handling notes of value, in which notes of value in the receiving area of a note cassette as lying Stacked and held in the receiving area with the aid of retaining elements of the cassette.

It is an object of the invention to provide a device for handling notes of value, with the aid of which the greatest possible number of notes of value can be accommodated in a note cassette without changing the dimensions of the note cassette.

This object is achieved by a device with the features of claim 1. Advantageous developments of the invention are specified in the dependent claims.

By moving the retaining element along a travel path at an angle to the stacking direction, in which a bill of value to be fed to the bill of value from the feed area into the bill receiving area is transported, the result is that the stack of notes in the note cassette does not have to be pushed deeper into the note receiving area when adding another note, so that the entire note receiving area is actually available for receiving notes and not, as in the prior art, the end area facing the feed area, at least in the length of the contact area of the retaining element, is not available for receiving notes. Thus, with the given dimensions of the value note cassette and the value entry area, the largest possible acceptance volume is achieved.

In the feed position, the retaining element is in particular moved so far that it no longer contacts the stack of notes of value, so that the notes of value to be supplied arranged in the feed area can be fed unhindered to the area for receiving the notes of value. The notes of value to be fed are stacked in the feed area, in particular into a further stack of notes of value, and are fed together as a pile of notes of value to the area for receiving the notes. This means that as many banknotes as possible can be fed into the banknotes receiving area at once, so that a large number of banknotes can be supplied quickly. Alternatively, the notes of value can also be fed individually.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the feed module is part of the note cassette. In this case, the feed module is arranged in particular within a housing of the note cassette.

In an alternative embodiment, the note cassette and the feed module can also be a separate unit. In particular, the feed module is not part of the bill of exchange and is arranged outside the housing of the bill of exchange. This ensures that the feed module does not have to be removed together with the note cassette, so that the note cassette is constructed simply and inexpensively.

The retention element in particular separates the value receiving area from the feed area when the retention element is arranged in the retention position. If the retaining element is arranged in the feed position, the notes of value can be transported from the feed area to the value receiving area.

The stacking direction is approximately parallel to the normal vector of the plane defined by the value arranged on the face of the value note stack. In particular, a stack of notes of value to be supplied, which is arranged in the feed area, is fed to the pile of notes of value received in the area of receipt of notes in such a way that the two stacks of notes contact the mutually facing end faces after feeding and form an assembled single stack of notes.

The retaining element is in particular mounted in such a way that it can be moved translationally, so that the retaining element can be moved between the retaining position and the feed position by a movement that is simple to carry out such that the stack of notes of value present in the note cassette does not have to be changed in its position.

At least a portion of the travel path is preferably directed approximately transversely to the stacking direction. This partial area is in particular the end area of the travel path which faces the restraint position. The retaining element is thus moved transversely to the stacking direction in this partial area by the travel path, whereas the remaining travel path is designed to be angled in particular with respect to this partial area is. This results in a very compact construction of the feed module, since the feed elements do not have to be moved across their entire length transversely to the stacking direction, but can be moved in a space-saving manner due to the curved design of the travel path.

The retaining element is in particular mounted in a backdrop which specifies the travel path and guides the retaining element during the method. In this way, reliable, targeted guidance of the retaining element and the most compact possible space-saving construction of the feed module are achieved.

The device preferably comprises a drive unit for moving the restraint element along the travel path from the restraint position to the feed position and / or from the feed position to the restraint position. The drive unit has in particular an electric motor and / or a lifting magnet.

Furthermore, the feed module preferably has a feed element for feeding at least one value note arranged in the feed area to the value note stack arranged in the value receipt area and a further drive unit which supplies the feed element for feeding the at least one value in the feed area arranged bill of translation is moved in the stacking direction and thus presses against the bill of value to be fed. In this way, the supply of the value note arranged in the supply area to the value note stack is achieved in a simple manner. This also enables a space-saving construction of the feed module.

The feed element is in particular only moved so far in the direction of the stacking direction until the contact surface of the feed element, which contacts the surface of the bill of value facing away in the bill receiving area, is arranged in the contact plane in which the retaining element and the face bill facing the feed area are arranged contact the stack of notes of value received in the note receiving area when the retaining element is arranged in the retaining position. It is not necessary for the retaining element to be moved deeper into the area for taking up the notes.

In an alternative embodiment of the invention, the one drive unit and the further drive unit can also be the same drive unit, so that only one drive unit is necessary for moving the retaining element and the feed element.

It is also advantageous if the note cassette comprises a pressure element which is arranged at an end area of the note receiving area opposite the feed area. The pressure element contacts the value note arranged on the front side of the stack of notes facing away from the feed area and presses the stack of notes against the retaining element arranged in the retaining position. This ensures that the notes of the stack of notes are held together and that the stack of notes as a whole is held in a preset position. The pressure element comprises, in particular, a spring, which is biased the more notes the stack of notes has.

In this case, the pressure element is in particular directed such that it presses the stack of notes of value against the retaining element against the stacking direction. Thus, the force exerted by the pressure element is directed counter to the force exerted by the feed element.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, a control unit first controls the further drive unit in such a way that it moves the feed element so far in the stacking direction that it is the one to be fed Notes or the notes to be fed press against the retaining element. The control unit then controls the one drive unit in such a way that it moves the retaining element from the retaining position into the feed position. The control unit then controls the further drive unit in such a way that it transports the value note or the value notes to be fed further in the stacking direction from the feed area into the value receipt area and presses against the end face of the value note stack arranged in the value receipt area. Here, the feed element presses the stack of notes of value in particular against the force of the pressure element in the stack direction. The stack of notes of value can be retained in the meantime by the feed element in the area of the note receptacle during the feeding of the notes of value when the retaining element is arranged in the retaining position.

The notes of value initially pressed by the feed element against the retaining element still arranged in the retaining position contact the retaining element, in particular from the side opposite the side against which the pressure element presses the stack of notes of value against the retaining element. If the retaining element is moved from the retaining position into the feed position, the pressure element moves the stack of notes of value and the feed element further moves the notes of value to be fed toward one another, the Stack of notes of value and / or the value note (s) to be fed can be moved into the space previously occupied by the retaining element.

After the supply of the value note or the value notes to be supplied, the control unit controls the further drive unit in particular in such a way that it moves the feed element back into an initial position counter to the stacking direction, so that the feed area is free again and further value notes to be supplied can be arranged in it . Furthermore, the control unit can, after the supply of the value note or the value notes to be supplied, control the one drive unit in such a way that it moves the retaining element from the feed position into the retention position, so that the retention element supplements the value note or the value notes to be supplied, holds the stack of notes recorded in the value receiving area again in the value receiving area.

In a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, the retaining element is first moved into the retaining position and then the feed element is moved away from the stack in the opposite direction of the stack Starting position moved. It is thus achieved that the stack of notes of value arranged in the area of receiving notes is held in position at any time via one of the two elements.

In an alternative embodiment of the invention, it is possible that the retaining element is not biased in one of the two positions by the one drive unit from the retaining position to the feed position and from the feed position to the retaining position, but by an elastic element, for example a spring and is only moved to the other position by a drive unit. The elastic element then moves from the other position into the prestressed position.

It is also possible that the feed element is prestressed in one of the two positions and is only moved into the other position by the further drive unit. Here too, an elastic element, for example a spring, can be used for pretensioning.

The further drive unit moves when the value note or the value notes to be fed are fed the feed element in particular in such a way that it presses the value note (s) to be fed with a feed force against the retaining element. This feed force is preset such that the retention element is moved from the retention position into the feed position by the feed force. Thus, no drive unit is required to move the restraint element, since it is moved passively from the restraint position to the feed position via the feed element. In this embodiment, the retaining element is prestressed in the retaining position by means of an elastic element, for example a spring, so that when the retaining element is no longer exerted by a supply force, the retaining element moves it back into the retaining position and the note to be supplied or to hold back the stack of notes added to the notes of value added in the area of receiving bills in the area of receiving bills.

The feed force is in particular preset such that it is greater than the pressure force with which the pressure element presses the stack of notes of value against the retaining element.

During the feeding of the value note or the value notes to be fed from the feed area the retaining element is held in the feed position in the value receiving area, in particular via contact with a lateral surface of the value stack. After the feed element has pressed the stack of notes of value so far in the direction of the pressing element against its pressing force that the face value of the stack of notes facing the feed area is arranged behind the contact area in which the retaining element arranged in the retaining position would contact the stack of notes, the retaining element becomes automatically moves from the feed position to the retention position, so that it keeps the stack of notes in the area of receiving notes.

In a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, the feed module comprises at least one further retention element which, in a retention position, contacts the bill of value arranged on the end face of the bill of value stack facing the feed area and holds the bill of stack in the bill receipt area. In the feed position, the further retaining element is arranged in such a way that at least one note arranged in the feed area can be fed to the pile of notes. The further retention element can be moved along a further travel path from the retention position into the feed position and from the feed position into the retention position. This further travel path is at an angle to the stacking direction, especially directed transversely to the stack direction. The provision of two retention elements ensures a more secure retention of the stack of notes in the area of receiving notes. In particular, the retaining elements are arranged on the opposite sides of the stack of notes so that it is retained over almost its entire width.

The further retaining element and the one retaining element are in particular identical in construction. In an alternative embodiment of the invention, the retaining elements can also be designed differently. In particular, the lengths of the two retaining elements can be different. Furthermore, the travel paths along which the two retaining elements are moved can also be shaped the same or differently. The two retaining elements can be moved using the same or different drive units.

In a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, the lengths of the retaining elements and the arrangement of the two retaining elements are selected such that when both retaining elements are arranged in the retaining position, there is a distance between the mutually facing ends of the two retaining elements is formed, which is larger than the width of the feed element, so that the feed element can protrude through the two retention element arranged in the retention position. This ensures that after the supply of notes to the stack of notes included in the area for receiving the notes, this stack of notes can initially still be held by the feed element until both retention elements are arranged in the retention position and only then must the feed element be moved into the starting position. The stack of notes of value is thus kept in the area of receiving notes of value without interruption.

The note cassette is, in particular, commercially available cash cassettes. Due to a feed module of the device, in which the cash cassette is inserted, which is designed in accordance with the corresponding previously described embodiments, a larger number of notes can be accommodated in it without a structural change in the cash cassette. The note is in particular banknotes and / or checks.

Further features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description of the invention explained in more detail using exemplary embodiments in conjunction with the accompanying figures.

Figur 1

eine schematische Darstellung einer Vorrichtung zur Handhabung von Wertscheinen;

Figur 2

eine schematische Darstellung eines Kopfmoduls der Vorrichtung nach Figur 1 gemäß einer ersten Ausführungsform;

Figur 3

eine schematische Darstellung eines Kopfmoduls der Vorrichtung nach Figur 1 gemäß einer zweiten Ausführungsform;

Figur 4

eine schematische Darstellung eines Zuführmoduls der Vorrichtung nach den Figuren 1 und 2 in dem ersten Betriebszustand; und

Figur 5

eine schematische Darstellung des Zuführmoduls nach Figur 3 in einem zweiten Betriebszustand.

Show it:

Figure 1

a schematic representation of a device for handling notes of value;

Figure 2

a schematic representation of a head module of the device of Figure 1 according to a first embodiment;

Figure 3

a schematic representation of a head module of the device of Figure 1 according to a second embodiment;

Figure 4

is a schematic representation of a feed module of the device according to the Figures 1 and 2nd in the first operating state; and

Figure 5

is a schematic representation of the feed module Figure 3 in a second operating state.

In Figure 1 is a schematic representation of a device 10 for handling notes of value. The device 10 is, in particular, an automatic safe cash register, an automatic cash register system and / or an automated teller machine, such as a deposit machine for depositing banknotes and checks.

The device 10 comprises a head module 12 and a safe 14. The structure of the head module 12 is in connection with FIG Figure 2 described in more detail. In the safe 14, four note cassettes 16a to 16d are arranged, in which the notes can be received. In particular, one of the note cassettes 16a to 16d is provided for receiving checks and the other three note cassettes 16a to 16d for receiving banknotes. The banknotes are in particular sorted, that is, in a note cassette 16a to 16d only ever Banknotes of a denomination are included. As an alternative, mixed storage can also take place, that is to say that notes of value of different denominations are received in mixed form in a value note cassette 16a to 16d. In an alternative embodiment, more than four or less than four, in particular two, value note cassettes 16a to 16d can also be provided in the safe 14. In particular, a so-called reject cassette can be provided, in which vouchers are received which are suspected of being forgery and / or have been damaged. In a preferred embodiment, two note cassettes 16a to 16d, namely one for holding checks and one for holding banknotes, are provided.

The notes of value can in this case be accommodated in the note cassettes 16a to 16d both in a stacked form in a note receptacle area, and can also be stored on a roll storage device and wound up between two foil strips. Different types of note cassettes can also be used within the safe 14.

In the present exemplary embodiment, the device 10 can be designed as a pure deposit device, in which only notes of value are received can be. Alternatively, it can also be designed as a recycling device, into which notes of value can be entered and notes of value can be issued again.

The safe 14 has a transfer slot 18 through which the notes of value are fed from the head module 12 to the safe 14. The value notes are transported from the transfer slot 18 to the value note cassettes 16a to 16d via a transport unit designated by the reference number 21.

In Figure 2 is a schematic representation of the head module 12 of FIG Figure 1 shown according to a first embodiment. The head module 12 has an input and output unit 20, via which the notes of value can be entered in the form of a stack of notes of value. Furthermore, individual notes of value and / or stacks of notes of value can also be issued to the operator of the device 10 via this input and output unit 20. The input and output unit 20 has, in particular, a so-called shutter 22, via which an opening for feeding and dispensing the banknotes can be opened and closed.

A stack of notes of value entered via the input and output unit 20 is transported to a first alignment unit 100 with the aid of a transport unit 24. With the aid of the first alignment unit 100, the notes of value in the stack of notes are aligned in a preset orientation, or at least the orientation of a portion of the notes in the stack of notes is changed in such a way that it approximates the preset orientation. The aligned stack of notes of value is fed to a separating unit 200 with the aid of a transport unit 26, which separates the notes of value of the stack of notes and feeds the separated notes of value to a first sensor unit 300.

The first sensor unit 300 comprises an image acquisition unit, with the aid of which at least one image with an image of this note is taken of each supplied note. A control unit 28 of the device 10 determines, depending on the depiction of the bill in the image, at least one feature of the bill and classifies the bill depending on this feature into checks, banknotes of a preset currency and other sheet-like media. The other sheet-like media can be, for example, notes of value in a currency other than the preset currency and / or other sheet-like media which the operator of the device incorrectly entered were. For example, these can be business cards or bank statements. The preset currency is in particular that currency which is to be handled with the aid of the device 10, in particular is to be recorded in the note cassettes 16a to 16d.

Those notes of value that have not been classified as checks or banknotes of the preset currency are transported via a switch 400 into a second intermediate storage 500 for the intermediate storage of sheet-like media and are preferably stored in this as a second stack of notes of value. The checks and the banknotes of the preset currency, on the other hand, are fed to a second alignment unit 600 via the switch 400. With the aid of this second alignment unit 600, the checks are aligned in a first preset target orientation and the banknotes are aligned in a second target orientation that deviates from the first target orientation. In particular, several different target alignments for banknotes of different denominations are preset and the second alignment unit 600 not only aligns the notes of value depending on whether it is checks or banknotes in different preset target alignments, but also additionally depending on the denomination of banknotes.

The aligned notes of value are then fed to a second sensor unit 29, with the aid of which the authenticity of the banknotes is determined and with the aid of which magnetic information from the checks is read out. The sensor unit 29 comprises a banknote sensor unit 29a, with the aid of which the authenticity of the banknotes is checked, and a check sensor unit 29b, with the aid of which the authenticity of the checks is checked and information printed on the checks is read out. The first sensor unit 300 and the second sensor unit 29 together with the control unit 28 form in particular a real money and check detection module. When determining the authenticity of the banknotes and / or checks, information determined with the aid of sensor unit 300 is also preferably taken into account.

The notes of value are then transported in the direction of a second switch 700 with the aid of further transport elements, one of which is designated by way of example with the reference number 30. Via the second switch 700, all notes of value of the previously entered stack of notes of value, which were classified as checks or banknotes of the preset currency, are first fed to a first buffer store 32 and temporarily stored therein. The intermediate store 32 is in particular in the form of a roll store, in which the notes of value to be recorded are taken up coiled between two film strips. After all the notes of value of the stack of notes entered have been received in the first buffer 32 or the second buffer 500, at least one item of information about the notes of value stored in the first buffer 32 and / or the notes in the second buffer 500 is output to the operator via a display unit 34. This information includes, in particular, information about the number of the entered vouchers and / or the value of the sum of the denominations of the entered vouchers, which are stored in the first buffer 32. Furthermore, the operator is asked in particular to enter confirmation information via an input unit 36.

If, within a preset time interval after the operator's request, the confirmation information is not input via the input unit 36 and / or if the operator makes a negative entry, the notes of value recorded in the first buffer memory 32 are transported from the latter and fed to a stacking unit 40, with the help of which a first stack of notes of value is formed from all the notes of value received in the first intermediate storage 32. Furthermore, the second stack of notes of value received in the second buffer store 500 is taken from the second buffer store 500. Either the first stack of notes and the second stack of notes are fed to a stack merging unit 802, with the aid of which a single assembled stack of notes is formed from the first and second stack of notes. This combined stack of notes of value is then returned to the operator via the input and output unit 20.

If, on the other hand, the operator enters the confirmation information in the preset time interval after the corresponding request, the second stack of notes of value is removed from the second buffer memory 500 and output to an operator via the input and output unit 20.

The notes of value temporarily stored in the first intermediate storage 32, on the other hand, are fed to the safe 14 along a transport path 38 and received in the value note cassettes 16a to 16d. The checks temporarily stored in the first intermediate storage 32 are canceled before they are transported into the safe 40 by the printing of a cancellation print image in a predetermined printing area of the check. For this purpose, a printing unit 900 for printing the checks is provided between the second switch 700 and the transport path 38. About the The switch 700 is then fed to the printing unit 900 in such a way that the printing area on which the cancellation information is to be printed faces the printing head of the printing unit 900, so that the printing head can print this cancellation area on the printing area.

The above-described head module 12 ensures that checks and banknotes can be handled together in one device 10 and that these can be fed to the device 10 in any desired mixture in a stack. As a result, a particularly high level of operating comfort is achieved for an operator of the device 10, since the latter does not have to carry out a manual presorting of the notes of value in checks and banknotes and also does not have to preset, as in the case of known devices, what type of notes are to be supplied.

The notes of value removed from the first intermediate storage 32 are transported along the transport path 38 to the transfer slot 18 and are fed through this to the safe 14. Here, the notes of value are recorded in the note cassettes 16a to 16d, wherein in Figure 2 only one of these note cassettes 16a to 16d, namely the note cassette 16a, is shown. The following is the feeding of the in of the value note cassette 16a to 16d to be recorded as examples of the value note cassette 16a. The supply of notes to the other note cassettes 16b to 16d can be carried out in the same way or in different ways.

The notes of value to be fed to the note cassette 16a are transported by the transport unit 21 to a feed module 1000, which feeds the notes of value in the form of a feed stack 1014 via a slot 1002 of the note cassette 16a. The notes of value received in the note cassette 16a are stored in a stacked form in a note receiving area 1004 of the note cassette 16a.

In Figure 3 is a schematic representation of the head module 12 of FIG Figure 1 shown according to a second embodiment. This second embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that, in the second embodiment, the feed module 1000 is part of the note cassette 16a and can therefore be removed and fed together with the note cassette 16a of the device 10.

The following in connection with the Figures 4 and 5 the explanations given apply to both embodiments, So both for the feed module 1000 integrated in the bill cassette 16a and for the separate construction of the bill cassette 16a and the feed module 1000:
In Figure 4 a schematic illustration of the feed module 1000 is shown in a first operating state. Furthermore, a part of the value stack 1006 included in the value entry area 1004 is shown.

The feed module 1000 comprises two retaining elements 1008, 1010, which in the in Figure 4 The first operating state shown are both arranged in a retention position in which they hold the stack of notes 1006 in the area for receiving notes 1004. For this purpose, a first side 1012, 1013 of the retaining elements 1008, 1010 contacts the notes of value stack 1006 arranged on the front side 1018 facing the feed module 1000.

The notes of value to be fed to the bill of value 1006 are stacked in a feed area 1016 of the feed module 1000 to a feed stack 1014 and fed together as a feed stack 1014 to the bill receiving area 1004, so that they are then in the bill receiving area 1004 together with the stack of notes 1006 form an assembled stack of notes.

In the first operating state, the feed stack 1014 contacts the retaining elements 1008, 1010 arranged in the retaining position, in each case on the side 1020, 1022 opposite the first side 1012, 1013. The retaining elements 1008, 1010 are each mounted in a link 1024, 1026 and can be in this backdrop 1024, 1026 guided along a travel path predetermined by the backdrop 1024, 1026 from the restraint position to an in Figure 5 shown feed position can be moved. Here, the retaining elements 1008, 1010 are first moved in the direction of the arrows P1 or P2, so that the retaining elements 1008, 1010 are moved obliquely to the stacking direction P3, in which the feed stack 1014 is fed to the bill receiving area 1004. Thus, when the retaining elements 1008, 1010 are moved, the stack of notes of value 1006 does not have to be moved from the retaining position to the feed position in the stacking direction P3, so that the entire area for receiving notes 1004 is available for holding notes and, if possible, given the size of the note cassette 16a large number of notes can be included.

The scenes 1024, 1026 are curved so that the retaining elements 1008, 1010, when they are moved from the retaining position into the feed position, also run through a correspondingly curved travel path, so that the feed module 1000 is as compact as possible.

Furthermore, the feed module 1000 has a feed element 1028 that moves the feed stack 1014 for feeding to the bill receiving area 1004 in the stacking direction P3. At the in Figure 4 First operating state shown, the feed element 1028 is arranged in a starting position in which it does not contact the feed stack 1014 and in particular does not press against it. To move the feed stack 1014 in the stacking direction P3, the feed element 1028 is moved in a translational manner in the stacking direction P3, so that it feeds the feed stack 1014 in the stacking direction P3 to the bill receiving area 1004 of the bill cassette 16a and thus to the bill stack 1006. The feed element 1028 comprises, in particular, a stamp 1030, which has a contact area 1032, via which it contacts the value of the feed stack 1014 facing away from the value stack 1006.

To feed the feed stack 1014, the punch 1030 is first moved in the stack direction P3 until that it presses the feed stack 1014 against the retention members 1008, 1010. On the other hand, the stack of vouchers 1006 received in the bill receiving area 1004 is pressed by a pressure element 1034 ( Figures 2 and 3rd ) also pressed against the retaining elements 1008, 1010.

Next, the retaining elements 1008, 1010 are moved into the feed position so that they no longer hold back the stack of notes 1006 and contact neither the stack of notes 1006 nor the feed stack 1014. The stamp 1030 is then moved further in the stacking direction P3, so that it pushes the stack of supply notes 1014 and the stack of notes 1006 now in contact with the stack of supply notes 1014 further against a force of the pressing element 1034 further in the stacking direction P3 into the receiving area 1004. This operating state is in Figure 5 shown as the second operating state.

The feed element 1028 presses the merged value stack 1006, 1014 into the value receiving area 1004 at least so far in the stack direction P3 that a value note contacting the contact surface 1032 of the stamp 1030 in the stack direction P3 is seen behind the retaining elements 1008, 1010 would be arranged if these retaining elements 1008, 1010 were arranged in the retaining position.

The retention elements 1008, 1010 are then moved from the feed position again along the travel paths to the retention position. After this has been done, the stamp 1030 is moved back to its starting position, so that the stack of notes 1006, 1014 now assembled rests on the first sides 1012, 1013 of the retaining elements 1008, 1010 and is now held in the area for receiving the notes 1004. Subsequently, further notes of value can be picked up in the feed area 1016 and stacked to form a new feed stack, which in turn is then fed to the bill receiving area 1004 according to the previously described method.

The retention elements 1008, 1010 are moved together from the retention position into the feed position and from the feed position into the retention position, in particular via a common drive unit. The stamp 1030 can be moved via the same drive unit or a separate drive unit.

In an alternative embodiment of the invention, the retaining elements 1008, 1010 can also be prestressed in one of the two positions by means of an elastic element, for example a spring, and can only be moved into the other position by means of a drive unit. In this case, the return to the prestressed position takes place via the elastic element. The retention elements are preferably biased in the retention position.

In a further alternative embodiment of the invention, the retaining elements 1008, 1010 can each be prestressed in the retaining position and can be moved from the retaining position into the feeding position by the feeding force exerted by the feeding element 1028 when feeding the feeding stack 1014. After the merged value stack 1006, 1014 in the in Figure 5 is shown position, the retaining elements 1008, 1010 are then automatically moved again from the feed position into the retaining position via the restoring force of the elastic elements with which they are prestressed.

In an alternative embodiment of the invention, the travel paths predetermined by the link 1024, 1026 can also be shaped differently. Especially The travel paths can be straight and directed obliquely or transversely to the stacking direction P3.

Furthermore, alternatively, only one retaining element 1008, 1010 or more than two retaining elements 1008, 1010 can be provided for retaining the stack of notes 1006.

Reference list

10th

contraption

12th

Head module

14

safe

16a to 16d

Note cassette

18th

Transfer slot

20th

Input and output unit

21

Transport unit

22

Shutter

24, 26

Transport unit

28

Control unit

29, 29a, 29b

Sensor unit

30th

Transport element

32

Cache

34

Display unit

36

Input unit

38

Transport path

40

Stacking unit

100

Alignment unit

200

Separation unit

300

Sensor unit

400

Switch

500

Cache

600

Alignment unit

700

Switch

802

Stack merge unit

900

Printing unit

1000

Feed module

1002

slot

1004

Value admission area

1006

Stack of notes

1008, 1010

Retention element

1012, 1013, 1020, 1022

page

1014

Feeder stack

1016

Feed area

1018

Face

1024, 1026

Backdrop

1028

Feeding element

1030

stamp

1032

Contact area

1034

Pressure element

P1, P2

Direction of travel

P3

Stacking direction

Claims (12)

1. Device for handling notes of value,
   having at least one cassette receiving region, in which a notes-of-value cassette (16a to 16d) for storing notes of value is received, and
   having a feeding module (1000) for feeding notes of value (1014) to a notes-of-value receiving region (1004) of the notes-of-value cassette (16a to 16d) for receiving notes of value, wherein the notes of value can be received in the notes-of-value receiving region (1004) in the form of a notes-of-value stack (1006),
   wherein the feeding module (1000) comprises a feeding region (1016) for feeding notes of value (1014) to the notes-of-value receiving region (1004), and wherein the feeding module (1000) comprises at least one retaining element (1008), which, in a retaining position, contacts the note of value arranged at the front side (1018), facing the feeding region (1016), of the notes-of-value stack (1006) and keeps the notes-of-value stack (1006) in the notes-of-value receiving region (1004) and which, in a feeding position, is arranged in such a way that at least one note of value (1014) arranged in the feeding region (1016) can be fed to the notes-of-value stack (1016), wherein the feeding module (1000) comprises at least one further retaining element (1010), which, in a retaining position, contacts the note of value arranged at the front side (1018), facing the feeding region (1016), of the notes-of-value stack (1006) and keeps the notes-of-value stack (1006) in the notes-of-value receiving region (1004) and which, in a feeding position, is arranged in such a way that at least one note of value (1014) arranged in the feeding region (1016) can be fed to the notes-of-value stack (1006),
   wherein, with the aid of a movement unit, the retaining element (1008) can be moved along a movement path obliquely in relation to the stacking direction (P3), in which a note of value (1014) to be fed to the notes-of-value stack (1006) is fed to the notes-of-value stack, from the retaining position into the feeding position and from the feeding position into the retaining position in such a way that the notes-of-value stack (1006) present in the notes-of-value cassette (16a to 16d) is not moved any further in the stacking direction (P3) by the movement of the retaining element (1008),
   wherein the further retaining element (1010) is moved along a further movement path obliquely in relation to the stacking direction (P3) from the retaining position into the feeding position and from the feeding position into the retaining position in such a way that the notes-of-value stack (1006) present in the notes-of-value cassette (16a to 16d) is not moved any further in the stacking direction (P3) by the movement of the retaining element (1008),
   wherein the feeding module (1000) has a feeding element (1028) for feeding at least one note of value (1014) arranged in the feeding region (1016) to the notes-of-value stack (1006), and in that a feeding-element drive unit is provided, which moves the feeding element (1028) for feeding the at least one note of value (1014) arranged in the feeding region (1016) translationally in the stacking direction (P3) and presses against a note of value (1014) to be fed, wherein the feeding-element drive unit the feeding element (1028) is thereby moved in the direction of the stacking direction (93) only until the contact surface of the feeding element (1028) that contacts the surface of the note of value facing away from the notes-of-value receiving region (1004) during the feeding is arranged in the contact plane in which the retaining element (1008) and the front note of value, facing the feeding region (1016), of the notes-of-value stack (1006) received in the notes-of-value receiving region (1004) are in contact when the retaining element (1008) is arranged in the retaining position, characterized
   in that the retaining elements (1008, 1010) are respectively mounted in a guiding slot (1024, 1026), which predefines the respective movement path and guides the respective retaining element (1008, 1010) while it is being moved.
2. Device (10) according to Claim 1, characterized in that the retaining element (1008) separates the notes-of-value receiving region (1004) from the feeding region (1016).
3. Device (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the stacking direction (P3) is approximately parallel to the normal vector of the plane defined by the note of value arranged at the front side (1018) of the notes-of-value stack (1006).
4. Device (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the retaining element (1008) is arranged in a translationally movable manner.
5. Device (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least a partial region of the movement path is directed approximately transversely in relation to the stacking direction (P3) .
6. Device (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the movement unit comprises a retaining-element drive unit for moving the retaining element (1008) along the movement path from the retaining position into the feeding position and/or from the feeding position into the retaining position.
7. Device (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that arranged at an end region of the notes-of-value receiving region located opposite the feeding region (1016) is a pressure element (1034), which contacts the note of value arranged at the front side, facing away from the feeding region (1016), of the notes-of-value stack (1006) and presses the notes-of-value stack (1006) against the retaining element (1008) arranged in the retaining position.
8. Device (10) according to Claim 7, characterized in that the pressing element (1034) presses the notes-of-value stack (1006) against the retaining element (1008) counter to the stacking direction (P3).
9. Device (10) according to Claim 7 or 8, characterized in that a control device (28) first activates the feeding-element drive device in such a way that it moves the feeding element (1028) to such an extent in the stacking direction (P3) that it presses the note of value (1014) to be fed or the notes of value (1014) to be fed against the retaining element (1008), in that the control unit (28) then activates the retaining-element drive unit in such a way that it moves the retaining element (1008) from the retaining position into the feeding position, and in that then the control unit (28) activates the feeding-element drive unit in such a way that it transports the note of value (1014) to be fed or the notes of value (1014) to be fed further in the stacking direction (P3) from the feeding region (1016) into the notes-of-value receiving region (1004) and presses it or them against the front side (1018) of the notes-of-value stack (1006).
10. Device (10) according to Claim 9, characterized in that, after the feeding of the note of value (1014) to be fed or the notes a value (1014) to be fed, the control unit (28) activates the feeding-element drive unit in such a way that it moves the feeding element (1028) counter to the stacking direction (P3) back into a starting position and/or the retaining-element drive unit is activated in such a way that it moves the retaining element (1008) from the feeding position into the retaining position.
11. Device (10) according to Claim 8, characterized in that the feeding-element drive unit moves the feeding element (1028) in such a way that it presses the note of value (1014) to be fed or the notes of value (1014) to be fed against the retaining element (1008) with a feeding force, and in that the feeding force causes the movement of the retaining element (1008) from the retaining position into the feeding position.
12. Device (10) according to Claim 11, characterized in that the movement unit comprises an elastic element, in particular at least one spring, which keeps the retaining element (1008) in the retaining position, in that the feeding element (1028) moves the retaining element (1008) from the retaining position into the feeding position against a restoring force, and in that, after the feeding of the note of value (1014) to be fed or the notes of value (1014) to be fed, the elastic element moves the retaining element (1008) back into the retaining position.

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