WO2012061851A1

WO2012061851A1 - Cash in transit system tamper evident bag

Info

Publication number: WO2012061851A1
Application number: PCT/ZA2011/000081
Authority: WO
Inventors: Roderick Mark Dyson
Original assignee: Roderick Mark Dyson
Priority date: 2010-11-05
Filing date: 2011-11-03
Publication date: 2012-05-10
Also published as: ZA201303973B

Abstract

A cash in transit system including a secure container (10) with a cash hold (12) adapted to receive a stack of banknotes within a tamper evident bag (100). Electronically lockable doors (16) on the secure container (10) only open when the container is docked within a cash acceptance terminal. The tamper evident bag (100) includes tamper evident means (108, 110) moulded into a sealing collar (102) that extends about the upper periphery or mouth (104) of the bag (100), from which the body (106) of the bag (100) depends. When the bag (100) is fully closed, opening of the bag (100) is only possible through destruction of the tamper evident means (108, 110). The process of closing the bag (100) is automated and performed by the automatic door closing mechanism of the secure container (10).

Description

CASH IN TRANSIT SYSTEM TAMPER EVIDENT BAG

Field of the invention

[001] This invention relates to relates to cash in transit systems.

[002] The invention relates, in particular, to a tamper evident bag and secure container combination for use in cash in transit systems.

Background to the invention

[003] The typical cash in transit system makes use of cash containers, armoured vehicles and cash container handling facilities, normally located at the cash collection and cash aggregation ends of the cash logistics chain, the cash collection end typically being a retail or banking facility and the cash aggregation end typically being a bulk cash processing centre.

[004] Cash containers vary from simple reusable canvas bags, to tamper evident bags, to secure cash containers, which can double up as cross pavement carriers.

[005] Cross pavement carriers have proved to be a successful deterrent to armed robberies.

[006] A cross pavement carrier is a secure container, meaning a container that is secured by means of at least one security mechanism that will activate automatically in an alarm situation, including a situation in which the integrity of the container may be compromised. The container is typically intended to contain cash, normally in the form of banknotes. The security mechanism normally includes a dye mechanism that is adapted to release a staining dye into the interior of the carrier or a cash container located within the carrier, thereby marking the container contents (normally banknotes) as emanating from a compromised container.

[007] Whilst cross pavement containers are designed to deter cross pavement robbery, they offer little deterrent to internal theft (skimming), which is often more pernicious than blatant robbery because of the surreptitious nature of the theft and the difficulty of assigning culpability with the degree of certainty required for criminal evidential purposes.

[008] This has led to the use of tamper evident bags, since any attempt to skim from the bag contents is readily apparent and because it is possible to use bag handover and receipting procedures that enable the assignment of responsibility for tampering to a known bag custodian.

[009] The applicant supplies a secure container with a cash hold that is accessible via a set of electronically controlled doors or hatches. The secure container is adapted to dock with a holding facility that is constituted, at one end of the transaction chain (the cash receiving end) by the secure cash acceptance terminal and, at the other end of the transaction chain (the cash processing end) by an opening jig at a cash processing centre. Banknotes are deposited into the cash hold by means of a dedicated cash acceptance terminal and removed by means of dedicated opening jigs located at the cash processing centre.

[0010] The secure container is also capable of working in conjunction with cash container bags, in which case the banknotes are deposited into a cash container bag previously inserted so as to line the cash hold.

[0011] The cash acceptance terminal is essentially a cash safe located at a cash acceptance point, normally the premises of a retailer or other organisation that receives cash. The secure container is docked with and securely retained within the cash acceptance terminal, which is provided with a feed chute through which the cash is fed into the cash acceptance terminal and from there into the secure container cash hold.

[0012] When the secure container is filled to its operational capacity and the cash has to be moved from the cash acceptance point, the container is un- docked from the cash acceptance terminal and the contents thereof is transported, with the assistance of a cash in transit service provider, to a cash processing centre. Where the secure container is used in conjunction with a cash container bag, the secure container is simply transported across pavement to the cash in transit vehicle where the carrier is opened and the bag is deposited in the vehicle safe. In the process, appropriate bag handover and receipting procedures are used to assign responsibility for the bag from the cash collection point to the cash in transit personnel.

Summary of the invention

[0013] This invention provides a cash in transit system including a secure container and a bag with interengageable tamper evident means, the container including a lockable cash hold, the bag being adapted to line the hold and to receive cash loaded into the hold in use, and the container being adapted to close the bag and to urge the bag tamper evident means into interengagement when, in use, the cash hold is unlocked for removal of the bag from the hold. [0014] The bag tamper evident means is preferable a tamper evident closure mechanism comprising opposed barb and socket formations that are adapted to break if the barbs are separated from the sockets after engagement of the barbs and sockets in use.

[0015] In the preferred embodiment of the invention the cash in transit system may conveniently include: a tamper evident bag; and a secure container adapted for use with the bag, the secure container including a cash hold that is accessible by way of a lockable door and the secure container being adapted to dock with a container holding facility that is adapted to unlock and open the door in a secure environment; the tamper evident bag comprising an open mouth from which a bag body depends to line the cash hold of the container in use, and the mouth including tamper evident means comprising a tamper evident closure mechanism comprising a pair of opposed barb and socket formations that are adapted to break if the barbs are separated from the sockets after engagement of the barbs and sockets in use; and the container door being adapted to engage the tamper evident closure mechanism, to close the bag and interengage the bag tamper evident means when, in use, the cash hold is unlocked for removal of the bag from the hold.

[0016] The container holding facility may be a cash acceptance terminal within which the secure container is adapted to dock. [0017] The term "dock" is used above in its widest sense, to refer to the actions of inserting and locating the secure container physically or mechanically within the container holding facility.

[0018] The tamper evident bag is preferably initially compressed and adapted to expand to accommodate increasing quantities of banknotes in use.

[0019] To this end, the bag may include means to retain the bag body in an initially compressed state.

[0020] The retaining means may be constituted by a retaining tape extending about the bag body, the tape being adapted to stretch to accommodate expansion of the bag as the bag is filled with banknotes in use. The tape may be plastically or elastically deformable.

[0021] The secure container may be a secure case or box that is adapted to serve as a secure container by means of alarm and note-staining facilities for instance.

[0022] The secure container is preferably provided with programmable logic means and the tamper evident bag may be provided with programmable logic means that may be programmed to communicate or interface with the secure container programmable logic means and to store, in on-board memory, a record of all or some of the container docking and un-docking processes and the contents of the bag.

[0023] The invention includes a tamper evident bag substantially as described above and a secure container containing such a tamper evident bag.

[0024] The invention also includes a method of handling cash in transit, the method including the steps of locating a bag with interengageable tamper evident bag within a secure container with a lockable cash hold, using the bag to line the hold, loading cash into the hold by means of a container holding facility, and using means provided on the container to close the bag and to urge the bag tamper evident means into interengagement when, in use, the cash hold is unlocked for removal of the bag from

Brief Description of the drawings

[0025] The invention will be further described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic perspective view of a tamper evident cash container bag, in the open position of the bag;

Figure 2 is a similar perspective view of the bag of Figure 1 shoeing the bag closed;

Figure 3 is an enlarged view of the mouth of the bag illustrated in Figure 1 ;

Figure 4 is a sequence of similar sectional views through a secure container, illustrating loading of the container with the bag of Figures 1 , 2 and 3, the loading of cash into the bag and the removal of the bag from the secure container; and

Figure 5, 6, 7 and 8 are diagrammatic perspective views illustrating the bag of Figures 1 , 2 and 3 in various stages of loading with cash. Description of embodiments of the invention

[0026] In typical cash management systems, a retailer or other cash receiver deposits cash through a cash acceptance device or terminal (not shown) into a cross pavement carrier, preferably a dye protected container. At predetermined times, the cross pavement carrier, normally together with a number of similar cross pavement carriers, is removed by a cash in transit service provider. In conventional systems, the cash in transit service provider personnel carry or transport the cross pavement carriers "across pavement", load them into a cash in transit vehicle and then transport the cross pavement carriers to a cash processing centre.

[0027] In systems using tamper evident bags, the bags are removed from the cross pavement carrier and dropped into a drop safe on-board the vehicle.

[0028] The cash in transit system of the invention can be used in various configurations, but for illustrative purposes the system is described with reference to a secure container 10 that is adapted for docking with a secure container holding facility, such as a cash acceptance terminal (not shown).

[0029] The secure container 10 includes a cash hold 12 within which a note tube 14 is located, the note tube 14 being adapted to receive a stack of banknotes by way of a money counter and feed chute forming part of the cash acceptance terminal. The secure container 10 is provided with a pair of electronically lockable doors 16 that are opened upwardly and outwardly by means of co-operating opening mechanisms in the cash acceptance terminal and the secure container 10. In the applicant's cash acceptance terminals, the doors 16 will only be opened when the secure container has been docked mechanically within the cash acceptance terminal container hold, which is a vault- or safe-like part of the cash acceptance terminal, and the container hold has been locked. Only then will the doors 16 open to accept banknotes from the cash acceptance terminal.

[0030] The cash in transit system of this invention proposes the use of a tamper evident bag 100 that is designed to co-operate with the secure container 10.

[0031] The tamper evident bag 100 is provided with a tamper evident means in the form of a sealing collar 102 that extends about the upper periphery or mouth 104 of the bag 100, from which the body 106 of the bag 100 depends. The body 106 is constituted by a tubular blown plastic film bag.

[0032] The sealing collar 102 consists of an injection moulded plastics ring secured to the upper periphery or mouth 104 of the bag 100. The collar 102 is moulded with barb and socket formations 108, 110 on opposed faces 112 of the sealing collar 102. The sockets 1 10 are provided with counterbarb formations that are adapted to engage the barb formations 108 when the barbs 108 are fully inserted into the sockets 1 10.

[0033] The sides 114 of the sealing collar 02 are formed with barb windows 1 16 through which the barbs 108 may project in use. In addition, the collar sides 1 14 are creased at 1 18 to bias the sides 114 in favor of folding inwards in use.

[0034] To close the bag 100, the bag sides 1 14 are simply folded inwards and the opposing collar faces 112 are advanced towards one another to the point where the barbs 108 project into and through the sockets 1 10. The barbs 108 and sockets 10 are formed with complemental engagement formations that engage and interlock with one another when the barbs 108 are fully inserted into the sockets 1 10. The bag sides 1 14 are folded inwards and are locked in position by the barbs 108 protruding through the barb windows 1 16 into the sockets 1 10 on the opposing collar faces 1 12. When this is done, the bag 100 is fully closed (as illustrated in Figure 2) and opening of the bag 100 is only possible through destruction of the bag body 106, the sealing collar 1 12 or both, thereby to provide a clear, visible indication that the bag 100 has been tampered with.

[0035] The process of closing the bag 100 can be automated and performed by the automatic door closing mechanism of the secure container 10.

[0036] To this end, the sealing collar 102 of the bag 100 is provided with engagement apertures 120 that are adapted for engagement by corresponding lugs (not shown) on the secure container door mechanism (not shown).

[0037] Referring now to Figure 4, the secure container 10 is shown in Figure 4A in the closed position. This is the state in which the container 10 is normally presented to a cash acceptance terminal for docking.

[0038] IN this case however, the container doors 16 are first opened electronically by means of a maintenance key that enables a technician to open the doors 16, as illustrated in Figure 4B, thereby allowing the technician to load a bag 100 into the note tube 14.

[0039] The tamper evident bag is supplied in the form of an initially compressed cartridge, as is illustrated in Figure 5, which shows the bag body 106 folded concertina-fashion into a compact cartridge 100.1. The cartridge 100.1 is mounted in the container by inserting the compressed bag body into the mouth of the note tube, as illustrated in Figure 4C. The horizontally extending flanges of the bag sealing collar 102 rest on the top of the note tube 14. The bag cartridge 100.1 is secured in the container 10 such that the bag closing lugs of the container door closing mechanism engage with the lug apertures 120 of the bag sealing collar 102. Pressure applied to the interior of the bag body 106 will tend to draw the bag body 106 into the note tube 14 to line the tube 14 internally.

[0040] The empty container 10 can now be re-closed, ready for docking with a cash acceptance terminal.

[0041] Once the container 10 has been docked with the cash acceptance terminal and the terminal container hold has been securely locked, the container doors 16 are electronically opened within the cash acceptance terminal.

[0042] The cash acceptance terminal can now be used to load banknotes into the note tube 14, as illustrated in Figure 4D.

[0043] In this drawing, the note feed-in chute 200 of a cash acceptance terminal (not shown) is illustrated diagrammatically. The applicant's cash acceptance terminal makes use of a pressure foot to press banknotes down the feed-in chute 200 and into the container note tube 14. In this case, the banknotes 202 are press fed from the feed-in chute 200 into the tamper evident bag cartridge 100.1 in the tube 14, thereby forcing the body 106 of the bag 00 to expand down into the note tube 14, like a tube liner.

[0044] Figure 5 illustrates the manner in which the tamper evident bag is supplied in an initially compressed cartridge. The bag body 106 is folded, in concertina-like folds into a compact cartridge that can be loaded into the mouth of the note tube, as illustrated in Figure 4C.

[0045] The bag loading process is illustrated in Figure 4 (Figures 4D to 4F in particular). In the process, the bag 100 is expanded as illustrated in Figures 6 to 8.

[0046] Figure 6 illustrates the initial loading of the bag 100 with banknotes 202. As the banknotes 202 are pressed into the bag 100 and note tube 14, the bag body 106 expands the concertina folds 122.

[0047] The bag body 106 is kept in its compressed, folded state by means of a plastically deformable tape 124 that extends about the bag body. The tape is designed to stretch and to elongate from the bottom up as the bag body 106 expands during loading of the bag, all the while retaining the un-expanded portion of the bag body 106 in compacted form. It might also be feasible to use an elastically deformable tape or band instead of the stretchable tape 124, which is designed to stretch as the bag body 106 is expanded, but to remain taut in both the non-stretched and the stretched portions thereof.

[0048] Figure 7 illustrates the bag 100 with the body 106 fully expanded and Figure 8 illustrates the fully expanded bag with the sealing collar 102 closed.

[0049] When the bag 100 has been filled to its operational capacity, as illustrated in Figures 7 and 8 (also Figure 4E), the cash acceptance terminal feed chute 200 withdraws from the note tube 14, thereby allowing the doors 16 to be closed to the configuration illustrated in Figure 4F.

[0050] During closing of the doors, a mechanical collar closing mechanism (not illustrated) urges the sealing faces 1 12 of the sealing collar 102 towards one another. The collar closing mechanism is adapted to press the opposing faces of the collar 102 together. In the process, the sides 1 14 of the bag 100 are folded in on the creases 1 18 and the barbs 108 are pushed through the barb windows 1 16. As the faces 112 converge, each of the barbs 108 on one face 112 enters its corresponding socket 1 10 on the opposing face 1 12 and as the faces 112 are pressed more tightly together, the counterbarbs in the sockets 1 10 engage and retain the barbs 108, thereby locking the faces 1 12 tightly together, thereby sealing the bag, ready for removal as illustrated in Figure 4G.

[0051] The bag 100 is now in the closed configuration illustrated in Figure 8.

[0052] The container 10 may be configured to double up as a cross pavement carrier, in which event the container 10 will remain in the closed configuration illustrated in Figure 4F prior to and after undocking of the container 10 from the cash acceptance terminal. The container 10 will then only be openable by means of a dedicated opening jig (not shown) that is adapted and programmed to open the doors 106 electronically and to extract the bag 100 as illustrated in Figure 4G. The opening jig will typically be constituted by an opening jig at a cash processing centre.

[0053] The bag and container combination described above may be enhanced by means of an information management system. For instance the bag 100 may be tagged, bar-coded or provided with on-board intelligence, including for instance programmable logic means simply inserted into the bag automatically upon closing of the bag 100 within the cash acceptance terminal. In this manner, the bag 100 may be provided with an on-board record of the cash contained within the bag as well as docking and undocking information. If the bag programmable logic means is provided with communication capabilities, the bag 100 can be configured to engage in bidirectional communication with cash in transit information systems.

Claims

1. A cash in transit system including a secure container and a bag with interengageable tamper evident means, the container including a lockable cash hold, the bag being adapted to line the hold and to receive cash loaded into the hold in use, and the container being adapted to close the bag and to urge the bag tamper evident means into interengagement when, in use, the cash hold is unlocked for removal of the bag from the hold.

2. A cash in transit system according to claim 1 in which the bag tamper evident means is a tamper evident closure mechanism comprising opposed barb and socket formations that are adapted to break if the barbs are separated from the sockets after engagement of the barbs and sockets in use.

3. A cash in transit system according to any one of the preceding claims including: a tamper evident bag; and a secure container adapted for use with the bag, the secure container including a cash hold that is accessible by way of a lockable door and the secure container being adapted to dock with a container holding facility that is adapted to unlock and open the door in a secure environment; the tamper evident bag comprising an open mouth from which a bag body depends to line the cash hold of the container in use, and the mouth including tamper evident means comprising a tamper evident closure mechanism comprising a pair of opposed barb and socket formations that are adapted to break if the barbs are separated from the sockets after engagement of the barbs and sockets in use; and the container door being adapted to engage the tamper evident closure mechanism, to close the bag and interengage the bag tamper evident means when, in use, the cash hold is unlocked for removal of the bag from the hold.

A cash in transit system according to any one of the preceding claims in which the container holding facility is a cash acceptance terminal within which the secure container is adapted to dock.

The term "dock" is used above in its widest sense, to refer to the actions of inserting and locating the secure container physically or mechanically within the container holding facility.

A cash in transit system according to any one of the preceding claims in which the tamper evident bag is initially compressed and adapted to expand to accommodate increasing quantities of banknotes in use.

6. A cash in transit system according to claim 5 in which the bag means to retain the bag body in an initially compressed

7. A cash in transit system according to claim 6 in which the retaining means is constituted by a retaining tape extending about the bag body, the tape being adapted to stretch to accommodate expansion of the bag as the bag is filled with banknotes in use.

The tape may be plastically or elastically deformable.

8. A cash in transit system according to any one of the preceding claims in which the secure container is a secure case or box that is adapted to serve as a secure container by means of alarm and note-staining facilities for instance.

9. A cash in transit system according to any one of the preceding claims in which the secure container is provided with programmable logic means.

10. A cash in transit system according to claim 9 in which the tamper evident bag is provided with programmable logic means that may be programmed to communicate or interface with the secure container programmable logic means and to store, in on-board memory, a record of all or some of the container docking and un-docking processes and the contents of the bag.

1 1. A tamper evident bag according to any one of the preceding claims.

12. A secure container according to any one of the preceding claims including a tamper evident bag according to any one of the preceding claims.

A method of handling cash in transit, the method including the steps of locating a bag with interengageable tamper evident bag within a secure container with a lockable cash hold, using the bag to line the hold, loading cash into the hold by means of a container holding facility, and using means provided on the container to close the bag and to urge the bag tamper evident means into interengagement when, in use, the cash hold is unlocked for removal of the bag from the hold.