RU207607U1 - Self-service recycling cassette tester - Google Patents

Abstract

Self-service recycling cassette tester refers to devices for checking and detecting malfunctions in self-service devices for accepting, dispensing, sorting, counting coins or bills, namely, devices for testing and checking the functionality of recycling cassettes for ATMs. The technical result is to reduce the time for servicing the ATM in case of need to replace the recycling cassette. The technical result is achieved through the use of a tester of recycling cassettes of self-service devices, containing: 1) control and indication elements, 2) an electronic control board, 3) a housing inside which there are: guiding elements, positioning and catching elements, an electrical connector, an element that determines the position cassettes, mechanical drive elements, power supply.

Description

Self-service recycling cassette tester refers to devices for checking and detecting malfunctions in self-service devices for accepting, dispensing, sorting, counting coins or bills, namely, devices for testing and checking the functionality of recycling cassettes for ATMs.

ATM cassettes with the ability to work in and out (recycling cassettes) break very often. To check the health of the cassettes, you need to install them in a working ATM. Due to the high cost and significant dimensions of the ATM, it is difficult to have an ATM in every cash center (cash processing offices) designed only to check the functionality of cassettes. As a result, recycled cassettes are transferred to collectors for further installation in ATMs without checking and are often returned back due to inoperability.

An example of a device that allows testing directly on the ATM itself is the Wireless Interface for ATM and Money Transfer (US 9613502 B2, DIEBOLD NIXDORF INC, 04.04.2017). It is a device containing a cassette for storing documents, a cassette having an outer surface, an electrophoretic display connected to the outer surface, and a wireless interface connected to the cassette and functionally connected to an electrophoretic display. In specific embodiments, the electrophoretic display operates to receive data representative of a configuration from a wireless device while communicating with a wireless interface (analog).

The closest analogue is a Portable device for servicing cash cassettes of a self-service device (RU 192804 U1, PJSC Sberbank, 06/14/2019), containing: a housing inside which are interconnected: a power module, a DC-DC boost converter, a microcontroller made with the ability to read parameters of the cassette, rewriting the parameters of the cassette and testing the cassette for errors, while on the case there are: a graphical interface, an interface for connecting a cassette, buttons for controlling the device (prototype). This invention relates to means for checking and adjusting cash cassettes in ATMs, in particular to a portable device for servicing cash cassettes. The technical result consists in increasing the speed of servicing cash cassettes in an ATM. The disadvantages of this device are the impossibility of using it without an ATM, since the device does not contain a housing in which the cassette could be installed. In addition, the described device cannot perform the functions of controlling or checking the mechanisms and electronics of the cassette, it cannot provide reception or retrieval of banknotes from the cassette by controlling the mechanical and electronic parts of the cassette. In addition, the device does not have an interface for connecting to a computer in order to collect data on tested cassettes, their errors and control testing.

The technical result is to reduce the time for servicing the ATM in case of need to replace the recycling cassette. Time reduction is achieved due to the fact that the functional check of the recycling cassette takes place outside the ATM and can be performed before the cassette is handed over to the collector. That is, the collector who came to replace the recycling cassette will have with him a working cassette previously checked using the declared device. He does not need to re-drive for a new cassette, as he would have to do if the new recycling cassette he brought in turned out to be inoperative.

Time reduction is also achieved due to the fact that the claimed device allows you to determine a specific malfunction of the recycling cassette. In particular, the claimed device makes it possible to check the functioning of the electrical contacts (connector) of the cassette, check the functioning of the cassette sensors, check the functioning of the movement motor (s) and mechanisms inside the cassette, check the functioning of the solenoid (s) of the cassette, check the functioning of the cassette with accepting and dispensing banknotes, checking the functioning of the internal memory (EEPROM) of the cassette.

The technical result is achieved through the use of a self-service device recycling cassette tester, which contains:

1) control and display elements,

2) electronic control board,

3) the body, inside which are located:

- guiding elements,

- positioning and catching elements,

- electrical connector,

- element defining the position of the cassette,

- mechanical drive elements,

- power supply.

FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of the layout of the recycling cassette tester.

In the housing 1, the guide elements 2 are fixedly fixed, which can be made as a single part with the housing 1. The positioning and catching elements 3 are fixedly fixed on the guide elements 2. The electrical connector 4 is fixed on the guide elements 2, the fastening can be performed both fixed and having a certain degree of freedom for self-centering with the electrical connector of the cassette 4. The element that determines the position of the cassette 5 is fixedly fixed on the guiding elements 2. The power supply 6 is fixedly fixed in the housing 1. Control and display elements 7 are fixed on the outside of the housing 1. Elements of the mechanical drive 8 are fixed on the guide elements 2. The electronic control board 9 is fixed inside or outside the housing 1.

The recycling cassette is inserted into the housing of the recycling cassette tester along the guiding elements. The guiding elements have parts that prevent the cassette from being inserted incorrectly, and also provide rough positioning of the cassette and fixing the cassette body during the operation of the recycling cassette tester. Positioning and catching elements can be made in the form of pins with a cone at the top. When installing the cassette into the tester of recycling cassettes, the guiding elements enter the counter elements of the cassette, as a rule, but not excluding the holes made in the cassette body, and provide accurate positioning of the cassette relative to the electrical connector and mechanical drive elements.

If the fastening of the electrical connector on the housing elements or guide elements is made stationary, then the connection of the electrical connector of the cassette and the electrical connector of the tester of recycling cassettes occurs when the cassette is installed in the working position.

If the fastening of the electrical connector on the housing elements or guide elements is made movable, then the connection of the electrical connector of the cassette and the electrical connector of the tester of recycling cassettes occurs a little earlier than the moment of installation of the cassette in the working position and the electrical connector of the tester, due to its mobility, moves for some time together with the cassette, before engaging cassette working position.

The electrical connector of the recycling cassette tester may have some limited ability to move both in the plane perpendicular to the direction of movement of the joint (in two directions), and in the direction coaxial with the direction of movement of the joint. The mobility of the electrical connector in a plane perpendicular to the direction of movement of the joint is provided by a gap in the guide sleeve. This mobility allows the connector to self-center with respect to the cassette connector. The mobility of the electrical connector in the direction coaxial with the direction of movement of the joint is provided by a movable base having a limitation in the amount of movement and elastic elements. The electrical connector of the cassette, having entered the connection with the electrical connector of the tester, together continue to move in the connected state along the guiding elements until it stops in the limiter, until the cassette takes the working position.

The element that determines the position of the cassette determines this moment and allows the electronic control board to establish the fact that the cassette is inserted into the tester of recycling cassettes and the cassette is in the working position.

Having determined that the cassette is installed in the tester of recycling cassettes and the cassette is in the working position, the electronic board connects the power supply to the cassette with an electronic key and starts checking the cassette. After completing the cassette checks, the electronic card switches off the power supply from the cassette connector with an electronic key and the cassette can be safely removed. If an attempt is made to disconnect (remove from the working position) the cassette while the power is on, then due to the movement of the electrical connector of the recycling cassette tester in the direction coaxial with the direction of movement of the connection, for some time the cassette will move together (without disengagement) with the electrical connector of the recycling cassette tester. This will enable the electronic control board, having determined the moment of the beginning of the removal of the movement of the cassette with the help of the sensor, urgently turn off the power supply from the cassette connector with the electronic key before disconnecting them and protect the cassette from damage.

Checking the electrical contacts and sensors of the cassette is carried out by sending special control commands to the cassette by the electronic control board and receiving either response data from the cassette, or by direct measurement of the electrical parameters of the sensors (depending on the design of the cassette interface). In some cases, to check sensors that determine the position or movement of the internal mechanisms of the cassette, the electronic board can send control commands to the actuators of the cassette or set them in motion using mechanical drive elements. The test results are displayed on display elements, which can be performed in the form of various screens, indicators, etc. The results of the check and the progress of the check are transmitted by the electronic control board to the computer. During the cassette tests, the user can control the testing using control elements (buttons, toggle switches, etc.) located on the tester panel.

Checking the functioning of the motor (s) for moving the mechanisms inside the cassette is carried out by supplying special control commands to the cassette by the electronic control board, to the actuators of the cassette. In the absence of its own motors in the cassette, the cassette mechanisms can be driven by means of mechanical drive elements. The operation of motors and mechanisms is controlled both visually and using an electronic board that receives information from the cassette sensors. The test results are displayed on display elements, which can be performed in the form of various screens, indicators, etc. The results of the check and the progress of the check are transmitted by the electronic control board to the computer.

Checking the functioning of the solenoid (s) of the cassette is carried out by supplying special control commands to the cassette by the electronic control board to the actuators of the cassette. The operation of the solenoids is controlled both visually and using an electronic board that receives information from the cassette sensors. The test results are displayed on display elements, which can be performed in the form of various screens, indicators, etc. The results of the check and the progress of the check are transmitted by the electronic control board to the computer. During the cassette tests, the user can control the testing using control elements (buttons, toggle switches, etc.) located on the tester panel.

Checking the functioning of the cassette with receiving and dispensing banknotes is carried out by sending special control commands to the cassette by the electronic control board, to the cassette actuators. In the absence of its own motors in the cassette, the cassette mechanisms can be driven by means of mechanical drive elements. The insertion of the bill into the receiving slot of the cassette is done manually by the user. The operation of motors and mechanisms in the process of receiving and dispensing is controlled both visually and using an electronic board that receives information from the cassette sensors. The test results are displayed on display elements, which can be performed in the form of various screens, indicators, etc. Also, the results of the check and the progress of the check are transmitted by the electronic control board to the computer. During the cassette tests, the user can control the testing using control elements (buttons, toggle switches, etc.) located on the tester panel.

Visualization of the set nominal value of the cassette, the position of the DIP-switches is performed by sending special control commands to the cassette by the electronic control board, reading the set parameters from the cassette memory and reading the state of the DIP-switches. Visualization is carried out in the form of a display on the tester screen or in the form of transmission from an electronic control board to a computer. The test results are displayed on display elements, which can be performed in the form of various screens, indicators, etc. The results of the check and the progress of the check are transmitted by the electronic control board to the computer. During the cassette tests, the user can control the test using the controls (buttons, toggle switches, etc.) located on the tester panel.

The internal memory (EEPROM) of the cassette is checked by sending special control commands to the cassette by the electronic control board, reading and writing data from the cassette memory. The test results are displayed on display elements, which can be performed in the form of various screens, indicators, etc. The results of the check and the progress of the check are transmitted by the electronic control board to the computer. During the cassette tests, the user can control the testing using control elements (buttons, toggle switches, etc.) located on the tester panel.

Claims (1)

A tester for recycling cassettes of self-service devices, containing a housing inside which guiding elements, positioning and catching elements are fixed, an electrical connector, an element that determines the position of the cassette, mechanical drive elements, a power source connected to the housing, control elements made in the form of buttons connected to housing, indication elements made in the form of indicators connected to the housing, an electronic control board connected to the housing and made with the possibility of checking the functionality of the cassette.

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