GB2280057A - Banknote validator entrance channel - Google Patents

Abstract

A banknote validator is provided having an entrance channel 1 which is so formed that a banknote 3 or similar sheet-like article of value is able to pass into the validator but which prevents the passage of a rigid article, such as a credit card or a coin. The entrance channel 1 is provided with a bend at a position 7 which prevents the passage of a rigid article. Furthermore, a projection 4 and a corresponding recess 5 are provided in the respective faces of the entrance channel 1 which further inhibit passage of a rigid article. The upstream portion 6 of the entrance channel slopes downwardly so as to prevent ingress of liquids and dust and also to cause any inserted coin to fall towards the user. <IMAGE>

Description

BANR NOTE VALIDATOR ENTRANCE CHANNEL The present invention relates to validator entrance channels for banknotes or the like. Such validators may be used to validate banknotes or other sheet-like articles of value for the purpose of vending articles or providing change to a user.

A problem with banknote validators is that it may be possible for user mistakenly to believe that the validator is arranged to operate with a credit card or other rigid article, such as a coin or token, and to attempt to insert such an article, which could damage the validator. Alternatively, it would be possible for a person to attempt to vandalise such a validator by inserting inappropriate articles.

In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention there is provided an entrance channel for a banknote validator defining a passageway for a banknote presented by a user, the passageway including a bend across substantially its entire width so as to enable passage of a flexible banknote but to prevent passage of a rigid article.

In accordance with a second aspect of the present invention there is provided an entrance channel for a banknote validator defining a passageway for a banknote presented by a user, the passageway being shaped so as to permit passage of a flexible banknote by causing the banknote to bend across substantially its entire width but to prevent passage of a rigid article.

In accordance with a third aspect of the present invention there is provided a face plate for use with a banknote validator which has a first entrance channel defining a first plane, the face plate comprising a second entrance channel defining a region which does not include said first plane.

In accordance with a fourth aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of accepting a banknote comprising causing the banknote to travel past an obstruction thereby to flex the banknote across substantially its entire width.

It is thus possible to provide an arrangement whereby sheet-like articles of value would be accepted, whereas rigid articles, such as credit cards, would not be accepted.

Other features and advantages of the present invention will be understood from the following description of preferred embodiments thereof, which are described with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figure 1 shows a front view of the entrance channel of a preferred embodiment of the present invention; and Figure 2 shows a cross-section taken along the line A-A' in Figure 1.

With reference to Figure 1, a banknote 3 is shown being introduced to an entrance channel 1 at a position 2. The banknote is introduced such that its left-hand edge abuts the position 8 at the left-hand side of the entrance channel 1. With this arrangement the entrance channel can accommodate banknotes having widths within a range of, for example, 58 mm to 88 mm.

When used with banknotes having the maximum width of the range the right-hand edge 9 also acts as a guide for the banknotes.

Towards the back of that part of the channel shown in Figure 1 there is a point 7 where, as can be seen from Figure 2, a bend is provided, such that a banknote introduced into the channel would be caused to move from an upwardly directed plane 6 into a horizontal plane. Thus, if a user inadvertently or deliberately attempted to insert a rigid article, such as a credit card, into the entrance channel, it would be caused to abut the upper surface of the channel at the point 7 and could not be moved beyond this point.

A part of the upstream portion of the entrance channel (shown on the left-hand side in Figure 1) is therefore provided with an access opening, thereby permitting a user having inserted such a credit card subsequently to withdraw the credit card from the position where the forward edge of the card abuts position 7.

The entrance channel is conveniently formed from two separate parts for ease of manufacture, the upper surface of the channel being defined by a first part and the lower surface being defined by a second part.

By arranging the portion of the entrance channel shown in Figure 1 to be sloping downwardly towards the user, as can more clearly be seen in Figure 2, it is clear that, should any attempt be made by a user to insert a liquid into the entrance channel, this would flow away from the downstream part of the entrance channel and not cause damage to the banknote validator which is located downstream of the entrance channel.

Similarly, coins or tokens or even debris arriving on this upstream portion of the entrance channel will tend to fall away from the validator.

As a further measure against the insertion of a rigid article, there is provided a projection 4 in the upper face of the channel and a corresponding recess 5 in the lower face of the channel, which, together, provide a measure of resistance against insertion of a rigid article. The projection 4 ends at a position within the plane defined by the lower surface of the upstream portion of the entrance channel. The projection 4 and recess 5 are provided in the centre portion of the entrance channel, as shown in Figure 1.

Alternatively, however, the projection and recess could extend across substantially the entire width of the passageway. In this latter arrangement it would not be possible to pass a small coin or token to one side as it would be with a small projection.

The projection 4 is rounded so as to permit the passage of a banknote without damaging it. The recess 5 is also generally rounded, and, where the projection 4 extends across only a small portion of the width of the passageway, as shown in Figure 1, the recess 5 is spherical or ellipsoidal in shape.

It can be seen that, by providing the projection in the upper surface of the passageway in the arrangement shown in Figure 2, any semi-rigid article which passes the projection will be directed above the plane 6 of the lower surface of the passageway and will therefore more readily be prevented from passing the portion 7, since it will approach portion 7 at a steeper angle than that of the plane 6.

As can be seen from Figure 2, the lower face of the upstream portion of the entrance channel defines a plane 6 which is at an angle to the horizontal plane shown on the right hand side of Figure 2, and the projection 4 further serves to cause an inserted banknote or credit card to be located within this plane 6. Consequently, whereas a relatively flexible banknote would be able to move freely from this plane into the subsequent horizontal plane, a relatively rigid article such as a credit card would be prevented from moving beyond the position shown as 7 in Figures 1 and 2. In order that this may be achieved, the angle between the plane 6 defined by the first, upstream portion of the entrance channel and that defined by the second, downstream portion is preferably about 200. This relatively shallow angle allows the banknote to pass without creasing, whilst impeding the credit card or other rigid article.

The first, upstream portion of the entrance channel is located within a front plate which is arranged to fit on the front face of a banknote validator which includes the second, downstream portion. A suitable banknote validator is Model No.

BSN 385 marketed by Landis & Gyr Communications (Suisse) S.A. of Grand-Pre 70, CH-1211 Geneva 16, Switzerland (also known as Sodeco Cash Management Systems).

Reference in this document to banknotes is intended to include other sheet-like articles of value, such as pre-printed cheques, or tokens.

Reference in this document to credit cards is intended to include any type of credit, debit, payment or similar card, generally of standard dimensions such as 85mm x 54mm.

Reference in this document to rigid articles is intended to include articles which are resiliently flexible, and are relatively stiff compared to paper banknotes.

Although the invention has been described above with reference to preferred embodiments thereof, it will be clear to those skilled in the art that modifications may be made to these embodiments without departing from the scope of the invention which is defined solely by the claims appended hereto.

Claims (22)

CLAIMS:

1. An entrance channel for a banknote validator defining a passageway for a banknote presented by a user, the passageway including a bend across substantially its entire width so as to enable passage of a flexible banknote but to prevent passage of a rigid article.

2. An entrance channel for a banknote validator defining a passageway for a banknote presented by a user, the passageway being shaped so as to permit passage of a flexible banknote by causing the banknote to bend across substantially its entire width but to prevent passage of a rigid article.

3. An entrance channel as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the passageway comprises a first, upstream portion defining a first plane and a second, downstream portion defining a second plane.

4. An entrance channel as claimed in claim 3, wherein the first and second planes intersect at an angle of substantially 200.

5. An entrance channel as claimed in claim 3 or claim 4, and arranged such that, in use, the first, upstream portion is oriented such that a banknote presented thereto moves upwardly towards the second, downstream portion.

6. An entrance channel as claimed in any one of claims 3 to 5, wherein, in use, the second plane is substantially horizontal.

7. An entrance channel as claimed in any preceding claim, the passage further including a projection from one face thereof and a corresponding recess in the other face thereof, the arrangement being such that at least a part of a banknote presented by a user is caused by the projection to pass into the recess but that the projection provides resistance to the passage of a rigid article passing between the projection and the recess.

8. An entrance channel as claimed in claim 7, wherein the projection is rounded.

9. An entrance channel as claimed in claim 7 or claim 8, wherein the projection and recess are generally elongate.

10. An entrance channel as claimed in claim 9, wherein the projection and recess extend in the direction of the width of the passageway.

11. An entrance channel as claimed in claim 10, wherein the projection and recess extend across substantially the entire width of the passageway.

12. An entrance channel as claimed in any one of claims 7 to 11, when dependent on claim 3, the arrangement being such that a rigid article which has passed the projection and recess is caused, by its passage between the projection and the recess, to bend in a direction away from said second plane.

13. An entrance channel as claimed in claim 1, the passage including a projection from one face thereof and a corresponding recess in the other face thereof, the recess providing said bend.

14. An entrance channel as claimed in claim 2, the passage including a projection from one face thereof and a corresponding recess in the other face thereof, the recess and projection causing the banknote so to bend.

15. An entrance channel as claimed in any preceding claim, the arrangement being such that, if a user inserts a credit card (for example having a length of substantially 85 mm), it is possible for the user subsequently to grip the card for removal from the entrance channel.

16. A banknote validator comprising an entrance channel as claimed in any preceding claim.

17. A face plate for use with a banknote validator which has an entrance channel defining a first plane, the face plate comprising a an entrance channel defining a region which does not include said first plane.

18. A method of accepting a banknote comprising causing the banknote to travel past an obstruction thereby to flex the banknote across substantially its entire width.

19. An entrance channel substantially as hereinbefore described and/or with reference to the accompanying drawings.

20. A banknote validator substantially as hereinbefore described and/or with reference to the accompanying drawings.

21. A face plate for use with a banknote validator substantially as hereinbefore described and/or with reference to the accompanying drawings.

22. A method of accepting a banknote substantially as hereinbefore described and/or with reference to the accompanying drawings.