GB2520274A

GB2520274A - A method of packaging banknotes

Info

Publication number: GB2520274A
Application number: GB1320024.1A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Andrew Bullock
Original assignee: Innovative Technology Ltd
Current assignee: Innovative Technology Ltd
Priority date: 2013-11-13
Filing date: 2013-11-13
Publication date: 2015-05-20
Also published as: GB201320024D0

Abstract

A method of securely packaging banknotes comprises inserting a banknote into a banknote acceptor, the banknote acceptor including a banknote validator 2 and a securable tamper-evident banknote carrier 8; storing the banknote in the securable tamper-evident banknote carrier 8 if the banknote is determined to be valid by the banknote validator 2; printing on a first print medium 21 information relating to the contents of the securable tamper-evident banknote carrier 8; storing the first print medium in the securable tamper-evident banknote carrier 8; and sealing the securable tamper-evident banknote carrier 8. The first print medium 21 may be sourced from an internal printer with its own print media supply, or may be a pre-printed medium input to the banknote acceptor through a banknote input slot. The banknote carrier 8 may be housed within a lockable banknote container 3. The unlocking of the container 3 may be delayed until the carrier 8 has received the first print medium. A second print medium having the same information as the first print medium 21 can be printed and conveyed to an authorised user collecting the carrier 8. The invention provides information regarding the contents of the carrier 8 sealed within the carrier 8.

Description

A method of packaging banknotes The present invention relates to the handling and secure packaging of banknotes and the like. More specifically, the present invention relates to a method of securing banknotes in a tamper-evident carrier housed within a banknote acceptor.

It is known to count and stack banknotes into bundles containing a predetermined number of individual items of currency. These bundles are then either partially or fully wrapped, or they are sealed within a bag or the like. Typically, this operation is performed by a banikriote stacking apparatus. An example of such a stacking apparatus can be found in US-A-20l 1/0052363.

Recently, particularly hi relation to retail points-of-sale, it has become common for consumers to conduct financial h-arisactions using automated terminals that do not require person-to-person interaction. Such self-service checkouts employ currency validation arid storage devices.

A conventional approach to such a retail device is described in EP-B-1,755,089. Here, individual banknotes are inserted into a packaging device that includes a hingedly attached thermoplastics banknote container. The container includes corrugated sidewalls which enable the container to be extended and compressed. In operation, successive banknotes which are determined to be valid by a validation sensor arrangement are stacked within the container until it is full. Once full, the container is sealed by an operator inserting a closure member into the device where it is heat sealed over a banknote inlet opening. Subsequent to this operation the sealed container can be removed from the packaging device to be conveyed to a remote location.

The system disclosed in EP-B-1,755,089 includes a print head such that data can be printed on the underside of the closure member prior to it being heat-sealed to the banknote container.

A problem arises with conventional systems hi that an operator is required to be present to initiate a container closure and sealing operation. Furthermore, there is no means by which data pertaining to the contents of the container can be included without such data being visible, or for such data to also be provided to the retail operator in the form of a separate financial record of the contents of the container.

According to an aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of securely packaging banknotes as defined in claim 1.

Preferably, the securable tamper-evident banknote carrier is housed within a lockable bariknote container of the bariknote acceptor, arid once initiated, completion of an unlocking procedure of the lockable bariknote container is delayed imtil the first print medium including the information relating to the contents of the securable tamper-evident banknote carrier is stored within the securable tamper-evident banknote carrier.

Preferably, the lockable banknote container includes a locking mechanism and the unlocking procedure is initiated by a user inserting an associated locking mechanism key into said locking mechanism, and wherein said lockable banknote container includes indicator means for indicating the status of the locking mechanism.

Advantageously, the indicator means, which maybe one or more LEDs for example, provide the user with a clear indication of when a print routine has been finalised and that opening of the banknote container is therefore possible.

Information relating to the contents of the securable tamper-evident banlcnote carrier may be printed on a second print medium arid said second print medium is conveyed to an authorised user.

Preferably, the banknote acceptor includes a printer and a supply of print media, arid the first print medium including the information relating to the contents of the securable tamper-evident banknote carrier is produced by the printer and conveyed via an internal transport mechanism to said securable tamper-evident banknote carrier.

In one embodiment the first print medium including the information relating to the contents of the securable tamper-evident banknote carrier is input into the banknote acceptor by an authorised user through a barikno{e input/output aperture from where it is conveyed to the securable tamper-evident bariknote carrier.

In another embodiment the second print medium including the information relating to the contents of the securable tamper-evident banknote carrier is produced by the printer and conveyed via the interna' transport mechanism to be output via a banknote input/output aperture.

Preferably, the information relating to the securable tamper-evident banknote carrier includes at least one of the following types of information: the total cash value of the contents of the securable tamper-evident banknote carrier; the number of each denomination of bariknote; the location and/or user of the bariknote acceptor; the date and time the securable tamper-evident banknote carrier was sealed, and the at least one type of information is printed on paper or card in the form of a barcode.

In some embodiments a further banknote may be inserted into the banknote acceptor and stored, if determined to be valid, in a storage drum housed within the banknote acceptor, and this further banknote is held until required to be dispensed from the bankriote acceptor.

In one embodiment the banknote acceptor is housed within a host system including a host supply of print media and a host printer, arid the host system is a point-of-sale terminal.

The information relating to the contents of the securable tamper-evident banknote carrier may be additionally stored iii electronic memory means within the host system or a remote computer.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a perspecflve view of a banlcnote acceptor; Figure 2 is sectional elevation view of the banknote acceptor shown in Figure 1; Figure 3 is a schematic illustrating the operation of the banknote acceptor shown in Figure 1; Figure 4 is a schematic illustrating a further operation of the banknote acceptor of Figure 1; Figure 5 shows a sectiona' view of an aliernative embodiment of a banknote acceptor; Figure 6 shows a sectional view of another embodiment of a banknote acceptor in situ within a host unit; Figure 7 shows a sectional view of an alternative host unit; and Figure 8 shows a sectional view of a further host unit arrangement.

As shown in Figure 1, a banknote acceptor 1 comprises a bankriote validator unit 2, a banknote container 3, and an acceptor module 4 interconnected with the banknote validator unit 2. Alternativ&y, and as shown in Figures 6 and 7, the banknote acceptor 1 may only comprise a banknote validator unit 2 and abanknote container 3.

The banknote validator unit 2 is a conventional such unit, further details of which can be found in EP-A-2,012,279. Such a banknote validator unit 2 includes an input/output aperture 5 for receiving banknotes, tickets, vouchers and the like, and it also includes a validator mechanism 10 [see Figures 2 to 4].

The banknote container 3 comprises a container drawer 6 removably located within an outer housing 3'. The container drawer 6 includes a drawer handle 6' for facilitating reciprocal movement of the drawer 6 into and out of the housing 3'. Both the banknote container 3 and the container drawer 6 can be fabricated from either a metal or a plastics material depending upon the particular application arid/or retail environment.

The validator unit 2 includes a lock 7 operationally connected to a locking mechanism 19 [see Figure 2]. The lock 7 and locking mechanism 9 provide a means by which the container drawer 6 can be unlockably secured to the outer housing 3'.

The locking mechanism 19 is in communication with, and controfled by, a central processor [not shown]. The locking mechanism 19 is preferably a solenoid actuated latch device, but it is envisaged that the locking mechanism can take the form of any suitable locking device known in the art.

On the front surface of the validator unit 2, and proximal to the lock 7, is at least one indicator LED [not shown] that indicates the status of the locking mechanism arid/or printer operation. The status, i.e. locked, unlocked, busy, printing etc., may be indicated by a colour change or by a change in the blink frequency of the LED.

Alternatively, the status may be indicated by a series of LEDs that are illuminated or extinguished in sequence.

As shown in Figure 2, the banknote acceptor 1 may include a removable acceptor module 4 connected to the banknote validator unit 2. The acceptor module 4 includes a supply of print media 12 and a media printer 11. The print media supply 12, the media printer 11, and a validator mechanism 10 are respectively intercormected via transport path 13 arid transport path 14. Tn turn, the validator mechanism 10 is in communication with a securable tamper-evident banknote carrier 8 via a further transport path 15, arid the validator mechanism 10 is also in communication with the input/output aperture 5 via transport path 16.

In a preferred embodiment the print media supply 12 will be a supply of paper, either in the form of separate, individual sheets, a roll of paper from which individual sheets can be separated, or a supply in the form of a fan-folded stack of sheets.

Each of the transport paths 13, 14, 15 and 16 comprise wheeled conveyance mechanisms that are either passive or motor driven for tnmsporting sheet items such as banknotes, vouchers, tickets etc. Such mechanisms are well known in the art and

require no further explanation or description.

The securable tamper-evident banknote carrier 8 is preferably as described in GB 13 13.9. However, it is envisaged that any conventional tamper-evident cash bag could be utilised in the method of the present invention, for example any of the bags disclosed hi US-A-2012/0186199, US-A-2011/0052363 or WO-A-2012/061851 might be employed.

A mode of operation of the bariknote acceptor 4 will now be described with reference to Figures 3 and 4.

Banknotes 20 are fed into the banknote acceptor via the input/output aperture 5 from where they are conveyed along transport path 16 to the validator mechanism 10.

The validator mechanism 10 includes a diverter mechanism 17 which diverts the banknote to a sensor arrangement 18 where the authenticity of the banknote is checked by any one of a known number of validation methods.

Banknotes deemed to be authentic are passed from the validator mechanism 10 into the securable tamper-evident banknote carrier 8 to form a bariknote stack 9.

When a print instruction is received from the central processor, a print medium is passed from the print media supply 12 to the media printer 11 where requisite data is printed onto the print media to form a printed sheet 21. The printed sheet 21 is then conveyed via transport path 14 to the diverter mechanism 17 which diverts the printed sheet 21 to either the input/output aperture 5, or to the securable tamper-evident banknote carrier 8, dependent upon the instruction received from the central processor.

The data printed on the print media can be in the form of a barcode, alpha-numeric characters, or a combination of the two. Typically, the data will comprise at least information relating to one of: the total value of the currency within the securable tamper-evident bariknote carrier 8; the total number of each banknote denomination within the banknote stack 9; the date and time the print media was printed; and an identifier of the banknote acceptor 1 that has been used to fill and seal the securable tamper-evident banknote carrier 8 in question. However, it should be understood that all maimer of information may be printed upon the printed sheet 21 dependent upon the requirements of the particular application.

As shown in Figure 4, there are instances where it may be necessary to print the required information onto two separate print media. Here, a first printed sheet 22 is deposited into the securable tamper-evident banknote carrier 8 as described above, and a second printed sheet 23, containing the same information as the first print sheet 22, is printed as described above but diverted via the diverter mechanism 17 to the input/output aperture 5 for collection by an authorised user.

In any event, the printed sheet deposited into the securable tamper-evident banknote carrier 8 is placed over the last banknote of the banknote stack 9, arid no further banknotes 20 or print media are subsequently deposited fri the securable tamper-evident banknote carrier 8.

As mentioned above, the printing procedure is instigated via art instruction from the central processor. A print instruction is initiated by either a sensor ocated within the banknote container 3 [not shown] determining and communicating to the central processor that the securable tamper-evident banknote carrier 8 has reached its bankniote capacity, or by an authorised user initiating a securable tamper-evident banknote carrier sealing and removal process by activating the lock 7. In the kitter case there is a delay between lock activation and the actual release of the container drawer 6 by the locking mechanism 19. This delay, which is determined and controlled by the central processor, ensures that before the locking mechanism releases the container drawer 6, the aforementioned printing process has been completed, and a printed sheet 22 has been placed over the last banknote of the banknote stack 9 in the securable tamper-evident banknote carrier 8.

As indicated above, the front surface of the vafidator unit 2 includes at least one LED indicator. During normal operation this LED, which may be an RGB LED, will be illuminated in a predetermined colour, and/or in a predetermined blinking state, that indicates that the banknote acceptor 4 can receive banknotes. Once a printing procedure has been initiated the LED state will change. This change will indicate that printing is taking place and that access to the interior of the container drawer 6 is not yet possible, and that further banknotes cannot be accepted. When the printing procedure is complete, arid it has been determined by the local sensor that the printed sheet 22 is in situ on the banknote stack 9, the LED state will again change to indicate that the container drawer 6 can now be opened. Preferably, and as described in GB 13 170 13.9, the action of withdrawing the container drawer 6 from the banknote container 3 automatically closes and seals the securable tamper- evident banknote carrier 8. In any event, it is envisaged that the securable tamper-evident banknote carrier 8 cannot be removed from the banknote container 3 until it has been sealed.

An alternative embodiment of a banknote acceptor is shom in Figure 5. Here, the acceptor module 4 also includes a bariknote storage drum 25 and a second diverter mechanism 26. Banknotes are inserted into the acceptor in the manner described above, but in this instance s&ective ones of the input banknotes can be diverted, under control of the central processor, into the storage drum instead of being stored within the securable tamper-evident banknote carrier 8. Banknotes thus stored in the banknote storage drum 25 can be held until the central processor initiates a payout operation, where one or more banknotes from the banknote storage drum 25 are conveyed via reversible transport paths 27, 28 to the input/output aperture 5 for dispensing to a payee. It should be noted that the securable tamper-evident banknote carrier 8 of this embodiment receives and stores banknotes in the same fashion as described above.

In a further embodiment a banknote acceptor 1 can be resident within a host unit 30.

Such an arrangement is shown in Figures 6 to 8. Here, the banknote acceptor 1 is shown without the acceptor module 4. In this instance an acceptor module is not required, since both a print media supply 32 and a media printer 31 are integral components of the host unit 30.

The host unit 30 cm be a retail point-of-sale terminal, a vending machine, or any other such type of self-service machine that accepts the input of banknotes or the like.

Figure 6 shows a host unit 30, for example a retail self-service point-of-sale terminal, including a banknote acceptor [without an acceptor module], a host media printer 31 arid a host media supply 32.

Within the host unit 30 the banknote acceptor functions in a similar manner as the banknote acceptor shown in Figures 1 and 2. Here however, print instructions emanate from a host unit processor [not shown], and a printed sheet 21 is conveyed from within the host machine to be input into the banknote acceptor via a rear aperture, from where it is transported to either the securable tamper-evident bankuote carrier 8 or the input/output aperture 5.

Alternatively, and as shown in Figure 7, print media is supplied from the host print media supply 32 to the host printer 31 where data is printed on media to form a first printed sheet 22 and a second printed sheet 23. The first printed sheet 22 is intended for deposit within the securable tamper-evident banknote carrier 8 and is input into the rear aperture of the banknote acceptor. The second printed sheet 23 is intended as a financial record and is output to an authorised user via a host unit output aperture 33.

In a further alternative arrangement, as shown in Figure 8, the first and second printed sheets 22, 23 are output to an authorised user via the host unit output aperture 33. Here, the first printed sheet 22 is then fed into the banknote acceptor input/output aperture 5 to be conveyed to, and deposited within, the securable tamper-evident banknote carrier 8. The second printed sheet 23 is retained by the authorised user as a fifiaricial record of the contents of the securable tamper-evident banknote carrier 8.

The banknote acceptor shown in Figure 8 includes an acceptor module including a banknote storage drum 25. This configuration enables the host imit 30 to payout banknotes from the banknote storage drum 25 when instructed to do so by the host processor. In this instance banknotes are dispensed to a recipient payee via the acceptor input/output aperture 5.

Claims

CLAIMS1. A method of securely packaging banknotes comprising: inserting a banknote h-ito a banknote acceptor, said banknote acceptor including a bariknote validator and a securable tamper-evident banknote carrier; storing said banknote in the securable tamper-evident bardcnote carrier if said banknote is determined to be valid by the banknote validator; printing on a first print medium information relating to the contents of the securable tamper-evident banknote carrier; storing the first print medium in the securable tamper-evident banknote carrier; and sealing the securable tamper-evident bankriote carrier.
2. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said securable tamper-evident banknote carrier is housed within a lockable banknote container of the banknote acceptor, and wherein once initiated, completion of an unlocking procedure of the lockable banknote container is d&ayed until the first print medium including the information relating to the contents of the securable tamper-evident banknote carrier is stored within the securable tamper-evident banknote carrier.
3. A method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the lockable banknote container includes a locking mechanism and the unlocking procedure is initiated by a user inserting an associated locking mechanism key into said locking mechanism, and wherein said lockable banknote container includes indicator means for indicahng the status of the locking mechanism.
4. A method as claimed in any of claims 1, 2 or 3, wherein the information rdating to the contents of the securable tamper-evident banknote carrier is printed on a second print medium and said second print medium is conveyed to an authorised user.
5. A method as claimed hi claim 4, wherein a printer and a supply of print media are housed within the banknote acceptor, and wherein the first print medium including the information relating to the contents of the securable tamper-evident bankriote carrier is produced by the printer and conveyed via an internal transport mechanism to said securable tamper-evident bariknote carrier.
6. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first print medium induding the information relating to the contents of the securable tamper-evident banknote carrier is input into the banknote acceptor by an authorised user through a banknote input/output aperture from where it is conveyed to said securable tamper-evident banknote carrier.
7. A method as claimed in claim 5, wherein the second print medium including the information relating to the contents of the securable tamper-evident banknote carrier is produced by the printer and conveyed via the internal transport mechanism tobe output via abanknote input/output aperture.
8. A method as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the information relating to the securable tamper-evident banknote carrier includes at least one of the following types of information: the total cash value of the contents of the securable tamper-evident banknote carrier; the number of each denomination of banknote; the location and/or user of the banknote acceptor; the date and time the securable tamper-evident banknote carrier was sealed.
9. A method as claimed in daim 8, wherein the at least one type of information is printed in the form of a barcode.
10. A method as claimed in any preceding daim, wherein the first print medium and the second print medium is paper or card.
11. A method as claimed hi any preceding claim, wherein a further banknote inserted into the bankriote acceptor is stored, if determined to be valid, in a storage drum housed within the bariknote acceptor.
12. A method as claimed in claim 11, wherein the further banknote stored hi the storage drum is held until required to be dispensed from said banknote acceptor.
13. A method as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the banknote acceptor is housed within a host system, said host system including a host supply of print media and a host printer.
14. A method as claimed in claim 13, wherein the host system is a point-of-sale terminal.
15. A method as claimed in my preceding claim, wherein a plurality of banknotes are stored in the securable tamper-evident banknote carrier.
16. A method as claimed in any of claims 1, 2 or 3, wherein the information relating to the contents of the securable tamper-evident banknote carrier is stored in ekctronic memory means within a host system or a remote computer.