U.S. patent application number 11/662131 was filed with the patent office on 2008-02-07 for cash-handling system.
This patent application is currently assigned to Gunnebo Cash Automation AB. Invention is credited to Lars Ake Hansson.
Application Number | 20080029949 11/662131 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 33308724 |
Filed Date | 2008-02-07 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080029949 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Hansson; Lars Ake |
February 7, 2008 |
Cash-Handling System
Abstract
The present invention relates to a banknote-handling system (1)
for the retail trade and comprises a banknote receiving unit (2)
with an associated cassette (3) in which to receive banknotes (4).
The cassette (3) comprises a rotatably driven storage drum (6) for
banknotes (4) contained within a surrounding casing (7), and
banknotes are so arranged as to be received rolled onto the
aforementioned drum (6) at a mutual distance (L) from one another
viewed in the direction of rotation (10, 11) of the drum (6). The
aforementioned cassette (3) is so arranged as to be capable of
being connected in a lockable fashion to the aforementioned
banknote receiving unit (2), and is capable of detachable
attachment to an emptying device (14). Finally, the cassette (3)
comprises a timer for the activation of marking and/or destruction,
for example by dyeing the contents in the event of attack and theft
of the cassette (3).
Inventors: |
Hansson; Lars Ake; (Mellosa,
SE) |
Correspondence
Address: |
ALFRED J MANGELS
4729 CORNELL ROAD
CINCINNATI
OH
452412433
US
|
Assignee: |
Gunnebo Cash Automation AB
Goteborg
SE
|
Family ID: |
33308724 |
Appl. No.: |
11/662131 |
Filed: |
September 7, 2005 |
PCT Filed: |
September 7, 2005 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/SE05/01287 |
371 Date: |
March 7, 2007 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
271/3.01 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E05G 1/005 20130101;
E05G 7/00 20130101; G07D 11/009 20130101; G07D 11/135 20190101;
G07D 11/12 20190101 |
Class at
Publication: |
271/003.01 |
International
Class: |
B65H 83/00 20060101
B65H083/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Sep 8, 2004 |
SE |
0402143-2 |
Claims
1. A banknote-handling system (1) for the retail trade and
comprising a banknote receiving unit (2) with an associated
cassette (3) in which to receive banknotes (4), characterized in
that the cassette (3) comprises a rotatably driven storage drum (6)
for banknotes (4) contained within a surrounding casing (7), in
that the drive source for driving the aforementioned rotatable
banknote storage drum (9) is arranged inside the aforementioned
cassette (3), in that banknotes are so arranged as to be received
rolled onto the aforementioned drum (6) and pressed down by moving
belts (30-32) at a mutual distance (L) from one another viewed in
the direction of rotation (10, 11) of the drum (6), in that the
cassette (3) is so arranged as to be capable of being connected in
a lockable fashion to the aforementioned banknote receiving unit
(2), and is capable of being attached respectively in a lockable
and unlockable fashion to an emptying device (14) for banknotes
(4), which are received wound onto the aforementioned storage drum
(9), and in that the cassette (3) comprises a timer for the
activation of marking and/or destruction, for example by dyeing the
contents in the event of attack and theft of the cassette (3).
2. A banknote-handling system as claimed in Patent claim 1,
characterized in that the emptying device (14), which includes a
packing unit for banknotes (4), is in direct or indirect
communication (20) with a security transport company (19).
3. A banknote-handling system as claimed in Patent claim 2,
characterized in that transport containers (21) for banknotes (4)
that are emptied are included in the system for the transfer of
banknotes (4) between a shop (22) and a transport vehicle (23), and
in that the aforementioned transport container (21) includes means
for the marking and/or destruction of the contents, for example by
dyeing the banknotes and activation, for example in the event of
attack and theft of the transport container (21).
4. A banknote-handling system as claimed in one or other of the
foregoing Patent claims, characterized in that the cassette (3) is
so arranged as to be capable of being received by and connected in
a lockable fashion to more than one receiving points (A, B) on the
respective till (5-5.sup.2), and preferably pairs of receiving
points, which permits the alternate exchange of the cassettes
(3).
5. A banknote-handling system as claimed in one or other of the
foregoing Patent claims, characterized in that the cassette (3) in
question is capable of being connected to a banknote emptying
device (14) accommodated in a separate area (15) for the emptying
of banknotes (4) from the cassette (3) into the aforementioned
device (14).
6. A banknote-handling system as claimed in Patent claim 5,
characterized in that the banknote emptying device (14) is formed
by a cavity (25) enclosed entirely within a casing (24) and with an
emptying and packing device operating therein.
7. A banknote-handling system as claimed in one or other of Patent
claims 5-6, characterized in that the cassettes (3) in question are
capable of being accommodated in a charging area (C) in the
aforementioned banknote emptying unit (14), which charging area (C)
is accessible from one (26) or the other (27) side of a partition
wall (28) on the outside or the inside of the aforementioned
wall.
8. A banknote-handling system as claimed in one or other of the
foregoing Patent claims, characterized in that the emptying device
(14), the banknote receiving unit (2) and the cassettes (3) in
question is each provided with its own keypad or the like arranged
for decoding in conjunction with connecting and disconnecting the
cassettes (3) to and from the banknote receiving unit (2) and the
emptying device (14).
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates to a banknote-handling system
for the retail trade including a banknote receiving unit with an
associated cassette in which to receive banknotes.
[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0004] Previously disclosed systems of the above-mentioned kind are
emptied in a variety of ways. The security of the staff who operate
the system is very important in order to prevent access to and
theft of stored banknotes and other means of payment of equivalent
value, which are thus attractive for dishonest individuals to
attempt to appropriate.
[0005] EP 0692599 A1 describes a system for the secure transport
and handling of valuable papers and includes cassettes in which the
banknotes, etc., are placed for handling in a secure fashion. The
banknotes are stored in stacks in this previously disclosed system,
however, and not on atoll.
[0006] The problem that it is proposed to solve in accordance with
the present invention is, in addition to enabling the banknotes to
be handled in a secure and efficient manner, both for their rapid
delivery from a shop till or a shop office, far example, and in the
reverse order to a till or shop office of the kind in question, to
ensure that the tills in a shop do not contain too much cash.
Instead, the cash is stored securely in the office premises of the
shop, and in the reverse order when it is wished to ensure that the
till has sufficient banknotes of smaller denominations to enable it
to function effectively and in accordance with new systems,
according to which the staff at the till are not required to handle
the banknotes themselves, but bill handling is taken care of by the
system and the customers.
[0007] It is considerably easier to handle the banknotes if they
are lying distributed in a long row compared with picking out the
right banknotes from a bundle of banknotes in which the banknotes
lie stacked together at random one on top of the other. It is
sufficient to see how you need to leaf through a wallet for the
right banknote, assuming that you do not already make all your
transactions by credit card.
[0008] The principal underlying idea of the present invention is
thus to be able to operate the aforementioned banknote receiving
drum and, at the same time, to hold the banknotes in place on the
storage drum in the cassette.
[0009] In accordance with EP 1291831 A2, a dedicated unit for
receiving and recording banknotes as they are fed in is arranged in
a processing center for banknotes. The banknotes in this case are
received between dual belts, which are in turn rolled onto a
rotating storage drum.
[0010] Such storage of the banknotes securely attached one after
the other in a particular sequence does not permit desired
banknotes of the right denomination to be fed out, unlike the case
in which the banknotes are forced against a drum by belts, but it
is then necessary to take the banknote that arrives in sequence
followed by the next one. This system is intended for banknotes of
the same denomination, or if it is simply intended to receive
banknotes securely as they are fed in at random and held in the
form of a line inside a cassette in the `machine.
[0011] The principal object of the present invention is thus, in
the first instance, to make available a system which solves the
aforementioned problem in a simple and efficient manner.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0012] In accordance with the present invention, in order to be
able to handle banknotes of different denominations rapidly and
efficiently, the banknotes are stored and securely held on a
rotatable drum.
[0013] The above-mentioned object of the invention is achieved by a
banknote handling system in accordance with the present invention,
which is characterized essentially in that a cassette includes a
rotatably driven storage drum for banknotes contained within a
surrounding casing. The drive source for driving the rotatable
banknote storage drum is arranged inside the cassette. Banknotes
are so arranged as to be received rolled onto the drum and pressed
down by moving belts spaced at a mutual distance from one another,
viewed in the direction of rotation of the drum. The cassette is so
arranged as to be capable of being connected in a lockable fashion
to the banknote receiving unit, and it is capable of being attached
respectively in a lockable and unlockable fashion to an emptying
device for banknotes, which are received wound onto the storage
drum. The cassette includes a timer for the activation of marking
and/or destruction, for example by dyeing the contents in the event
of attack and theft of the cassette.
[0014] The invention is not simply a matter of taking any drum at
all and storing the cash on it; it must be done in a particular way
in order for it to function. It is sufficient for the staff to
arrive at the emptying point with the cassette, and in this case
for the drive for the drum to be present inside the cassette in
order to take care of the transfer of the banknotes.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0015] The invention is described below as a number of preferred
illustrative embodiments, in conjunction with which reference is
made to the accompanying drawings, in which:
[0016] FIG. 1 shows the system schematically in the form of a block
diagram showing constituent component parts of an embodiment of a
secure banknote-handling system;
[0017] FIGS. 2-6 show different constituent parts of the system
separately and performing their function;
[0018] FIGS. 7-9 show the application of the system in conjunction
with handling of the constituent cassette before emptying; and
[0019] FIGS. 10-13 show the cassette from the fully closed position
to the opened position to illustrate the function involved in
receiving banknotes therein on a storage drum for banknotes.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0020] The invention relates to a closed and thus secure
banknote-handling system 1 intended for the retail trade and shown
in FIG. 1. The system includes a banknote receiving unit 2, which
is not illustrated in more detail and described more thoroughly
here, the banknote receiving unit having an associated cassette 3
for the receiving and storage of surplus banknotes that are
received and transferred from the banknote receiving unit 2 as it
operates and as customers pay for the goods that they purchase. The
till assistant feeds the banknotes in a previously disclosed
fashion into the banknote receiving unit 2, which incorporates a
checking device that is so arranged as to receive the banknotes and
verify their genuineness, or as to issue one or more banknotes per
second. Banknote receiving unit 2 is preferably so arranged in
addition as to be capable of handling several denominations at the
same time.
[0021] The banknote receiving unit 2 is so arranged as to be
capable of storing as many as ninety banknotes simultaneously, for
example, on a rotating storage wheel, and, in addition, of causing
the surplus to be delivered into a closed cassette 3. The cash desk
5 in question also includes a storage and issuing unit intended for
coins, although this is not described and illustrated here in
greater detail because it does not constitute a part of the present
invention at this time.
[0022] The banknote-handling system 1 is so arranged as to be
capable of being integrated readily with the majority of existing
electronic till systems, and as to be very simple and capable of
rapid installation.
[0023] The invention relates to the design and function of the
banknote-receiving unit itself with its associated cassette system
and associated emptying unit.
[0024] As shown in FIGS. 10-13, cassette 3 includes a rotatably
driven storage drum 6 intended to accommodate banknotes 4 wound
onto the drum 6, which is enclosed within a surrounding and
enclosing casing 7. The casing includes an unscrewable front panel
8, which has been unscrewed in the drawings in FIGS. 11-13 in order
clearly to illustrate the interior 9 of the cassette 3 and the
associated drum 6. The banknotes 4 in this case are arranged in
such a way as to be capable of being accommodated rolled on the
drum 6 and pressed down by moving belts 30, 31, 32 at a mutual
banknote spacing distance L from one another as viewed in the
direction of rotation 10, 11 of the drum 6.
[0025] As shown in FIGS. 2, 3, and 5, cassette 3 is so arranged as
to be capable of being connected in a lockable fashion to the
banknote receiving unit 2 in a cash desk 5, 51, 52, where a till
assistant 12 feeds in and pays out money, respectively, into and
from the banknote receiving unit 2, which the till assistant 12 has
received from or must repay to the customers 13 who are making
their purchases.
[0026] As shown in FIG. 1, cassette 3 is also so arranged as to be
capable of detachable attachment to an emptying device 14 for the
cassettes 3 situated at a distance from the cash desks 5, 5.sup.1,
5.sup.2, for example inside an office 15 or some other secure area
that is separate from the cash desks 5-5.sup.2, and to which the
customers do not have access.
[0027] In order to make it difficult for any robbers who might
consider grabbing the cassette 3 for themselves when it is being
transported from the till area 16 to the area 17 where the cassette
3 will be emptied of the banknotes 4 that it contains, the cassette
3 incorporates a timer 35 that can be set to a desired time
interval for the activation of means which permit marking and/or
destruction, for example by dyeing the contents of the cassette 3
in the event of, for example, attack and theft of the same, so that
the banknotes 4 cannot be used by the robbers.
[0028] The source of power for driving the rotatable banknote
storage drum 6 is arranged inside the cassette 3 in the form of an
electric motor which draws current from the till 5, 51, 52 or from
the emptying device 14 in which the cassette 3 is accommodated in
the different positions I and II, shown in FIGS. 3 and 6,
respectively.
[0029] The cassette 3 is capable of attachment in a lockable
fashion to an emptying device 14 for banknotes 4 that are
accommodated wound onto the storage drum 6 as described above.
[0030] The emptying device 14, which also includes a packing unit
for banknotes 4, preferably for the secure packing of the banknotes
in the form of bundles in a so-called security bag of a known kind,
but which is not described here in greater detail, is arranged to
communicate with a security transport company 19 either directly or
indirectly, for example via the Internet 18 to a transport company
computer 33, or some other appropriate means of communication 20.
That makes it possible rapidly and securely to advise when the shop
wishes to arrange for the collection of packed banknote bags.
[0031] Provided for that purpose are transport containers 21
included in the system and intended to receive banknotes 4 that are
emptied from the cassette 3 into the emptying device 14 for packing
in plastic bags therein, and to transfer the packed banknotes 4 to
permit the banknotes 4 to be transferred securely from the shop 22
to the transport vehicle 23.
[0032] The transport container 21 includes means for the marking
and/or destruction of the contents, for example by dyeing the
banknotes 4 upon activation, for example in the event of attack and
theft of the transport container 21, to render the banknotes
non-negotiable.
[0033] Referring to FIG. 7, cassette 3 is preferably so arranged as
to be capable of being connected to a banknote emptying device 14
that is accommodated in a separate area 17 for the purpose of
emptying banknotes 4 from the cassette 3 into the emptying device
14. The cassette 3 can be so arranged for that purpose as to be
capable of being received by and connected in a lockable fashion to
more than one receiving point A, B on a banknote receiving unit 2
at the respective till 5, 5.sup.1, 5.sup.2, and preferably pairs of
receiving points, which permits the alternate exchange of the
cassettes 3.
[0034] The banknote emptying device 14 includes an outer casing 24,
and enclosed therein is a cavity 25 with an emptying and packing
device arranged to operate therein, although this is not shown
here.
[0035] As shown in FIGS. 7 and 9, cassettes 3 are capable of being
received in a charging area C in the banknote emptying device 14,
which charging area C is accessible from one side 26 or the other
side 21 of a partition wall 28 between office area 15 and shop area
22, on either the outside or the inside of the office area 15.
[0036] The banknote receiving unit 2 and the cassettes 3 are each
provided with its own keypad, so arranged for decoding in
conjunction with connecting and disconnecting the cassettes 3 to
and from the banknote receiving unit 2 and the emptying device 14.
Service 33 can be connected to the system 1 via a communication
link 18. The function of the system 1 should have been appreciated
clearly from the above description and the illustrations in the
drawings.
[0037] The invention is naturally not restricted to the embodiments
described above and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Modifications are possible, in particular with regard to the nature
of the various parts, or by the use of equivalent technology, but
without for that reason departing from the area of protection
afforded to the invention, as defined in the appended claims.
* * * * *