AU2004237891B2 - Lockable Removable Cassette - Google Patents

Description

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P001 Section 29 Regulation 3.2(2)

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT Application Number: Lodged: Invention Title: Lockable Removable Cassette The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to us: LOCKABLE REMOVABLE CASSETTE cTECHNICAL FIELD UThe invention pertains to an improved stacker mechanism, for example, for lockable removable cassettes or cash boxes used for the protection of banknotes in automated handling equipment such as gaming machines, vending machines, automated teller machines and the like.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 0 Current cash box products suffer from several deficiencies, including not being sufficiently rugged for general handling, and being of high cost. Further, it is not possible to distinguish a full cash box from an empty one without opening a c-i currency access door with a key, conventional cash boxes require operation of a latch before removal is possible and such cash boxes do not give a positive or easily recognizable indication that the cash box has not been properly seated in the host machine.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION With the aforementioned in mind, the present invention provides in one aspect, an apparatus including a lockable, removable cassette for a banknote processor, the cassette having a single wall construction including: a plastic shell and a currency access door connected to the shell.

A further aspect of the present invention provides an apparatus including a lockable, removable cassette for a banknote processor, wherein transport of documents in the apparatus is achieved primarily by rotating rollers formed by a two-shot injection molding process.

Preferably the rollers may include an inner core of rigid plastic and an outer tire made of flexible material.

A still further aspect of the present invention provides a stacker mechanism including: a stacker plate; a first scissor arm connected at a first end to the stacker plate; a second scissor arm connected at a first end to the stacker plate, and pivotally connected to the first scissor arm about a scissor pivot point located approximately at the center of the length of the first scissor arm; and O a link arm for driving the stacker plate, the link arm connected to the first scissor arm at a pivot point located between the scissor pivot point and a second o end of the first scissor arm.

Preferably the mechanism may include a drive means coupled to the link arm and having non-circular drive gears.

A yet further aspect of the present invention provides an apparatus 00 0 including a lockable, removable cassette for banknote processor, the cassette C including a currency access door and at least one of a flexible handle and an Cintegrated grip.

c 10 Preferably the cassette may include a flexible handle.

Preferably the cassette may include integrated grips, which may be moulded integrated grips on the sides of the cassette.

Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description as illustrated by the accompanying drawings. The drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon illustrating the principles of the invention.

A still further aspect of the present invention provides a cassette for storing banknotes and the like including: a banknote stacker plate; a first scissor arm pivotally connected at a first end about a fixed point on the stacker plate; a second scissor arm slidably connected at a first end to the stacker plate and pivotally connected to the first scissor arm about a scissor pivot point located approximately at the center of the length of the first scissor arm, wherein the second scissor arm is pivotally connected at a second end about a fixed point on a frame; and a link arm for driving the stacker plate, the link arm connected to the first scissor arm at a pivot point located between the scissor pivot point and a second end of the first scissor arm that is slidably connected to the frame.

U Brief Description of the Drawings Figure I is an isometric view ola hank note processor with an installed cassette according to the invention.

Figure 2 is an isometric view of the lockable cassette removed from the acceptor showing the cash access door in the open position.

00 r- Figure 3 is an exploded view oFthe cassette assembly showing how an C enclosure according to the invention is formed of two hall shells and a secure lockable Sdoor.

C Figure 4 is a detailed cross section of a welded joint beFore welding occurs.

Figure 5 is a detailed cross section of the welded joint of Fig. 4 just prior to bonding.

Figure 6 is a detailed cross section of welded joint after bonding.

Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view of the banknote acceptor showing the general arrangement of the bill path.

Figure 8 is a detailed view of cassette showing an installation guide groove and latching ramp.

Figure 9 is a detailed view of chassis showing the cassette installation guide rails and springs.

Figure 10 is a simplified view showing springs for the cassette in the latched position.

Figure 11 is a simplified view of the cassette and retention springs in the unlatched position.

Figure 12 is a side elevation review of the banknoel acceptor showing the cassette in its latched and unlatched locations.

Figure 13 is a cross section of the banknote path in the stacker mechanism.

Figure 14 is a kinematic diagram of the stacker mcchanism in the retracted position.

gFigure 15 is a kinematic diagram of the same stacker mechanism of Figure 14 in the extended position.

Figures 16A and 1613 are an isometric view and a detail view. respeccively, ofI the stacker mechanism in the Fully retracted position.

FN Figure 17 is an alternative view of the stacker illustrating how the non-circuilr- 00 gears are connected to the scissor mechanism via a crank pin.

Figures 18A and I8B are isometric and detail views of the stacker mechanism in the fully extended position.

Figure 19 is a partial cross section of the stacking unit in isometric view.

wherein transport rollers and associated drive gears are visible.

Figure 20 is a form of a drive wheel that combines gear teeth with an integral molded tire.

Figure 21 illustrates the form olfthe constituent components of1 the drive wheel assembly of Figure 20, wherein the tire is formed over the gear hub and is not assembled to it.

Figure 22 is a detail view of a hinge design for the cassette.

Figure 23 shows a cut-away section of the cassette hinge illustrating how the door interlocks with the cassette shell.

Figure 24 illustrates an alternative method of securing the hinge using orbital riveting.

Figure 25 illustrates an implementation of a combined cassette and stacker home sensor configuration.

Like reference numbers in the various drawings indicate like elements throughout the di:fferent views.

D)tailed Description Figure I shows a banknote processor that includes a chassis a removable secure banknote cassette and a removable hunknote validatir It). The chassis is typically securely affixed to a host machine hy mounting screws and Ihcere:ore is usually not removed during normal operation or 'lypical repair. The cassette and validator may he removed from the chassis independently of each other.

During normal operation the removable secure banknote cassette is 00 removed when it is desired by the operator to extract the stored payment media such r- CM as banknotes. It should be noted that the terms banknote. hill. paper currency.

,H security document. coupons and the like denote items which may be inserted into the validator. transported and then stored in the cassette.

Figure I shows the Front oF the removable secure hanknote cassette (3) approximately as it is presented to an operator or service personnel. As shown. a flexible cassette handle is presented in a convenient ergonomic location that allows the operators wrist to remain in a vertical plane while removing the cassette.

The main part of this handle may be molded from an elastomeric material. This has two important benefits. It provides operator comfort. which is important in an environment where cassettes are handled frequently. It also provides an ability for the handle to deflect, or lie flat against the cassette to avoid collision with cashbox door and any lock assemblies that may be part of the host machine. Previous cash box products have used folding mechanisms to achieve a compact cassette handle. hut such mechanisms have been fairly complex and difficult to manufacture resulting in higher costs and reduced ergonomic benefit. Notwithstanding the above accommodations, there may still exist host automatic transaction machines which cannot even accept a cassette with a flexible handle. For such automatic transaction machines having no clearance or little clearance the cassette handle may he removed. The cassette can still be gripped using an integral molded cussette grip Fabricated on either side of the body of the cassette. The integral cassette grip includes depressions that are conveniently implemented in the injeclion-molded parts at no cost, and can be conveniently gripped by an operator's fingers and hund.

Further. the integral grip is extremely durable and remains operational even i f the primary cassette handle is damaged or removed.

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Removal of the secure banknote cassette is achievled 1 exertinI a pull Iorce on the cassette handle or the cassette grip sulicient to ivercome a retention lorce. ReFerrin. to Figures 8 and 9. the retention force is provided 11 a cassette latching spring (23) on a latching ramp (19) (see the latch ramp detail in Figure 8. and the location of cassette ejector springs shown in Figure Refltrriing to 00 Figures 8. 10 and 12. once suflficient force to overcome the retention force has been applied by an operator. the action of an ejector spring (20) on an ejection lu (21) causes the removable secure banknote cassette to move approximately two inches.

in this implementation. toward the operator. Thus. Figure 12 shows the positions of an installed cassette (27) and an ejected cassette Once ejected. the removable secure banknote cassette canll then be slid out of the chassis without furtlher r-esistance. Figure 10 is a partial cutaway view of an installed cassette with the cassette springs in their latched position. while Figure I 1I illustrates the cassette springs in their unlatched position.

During typical operations, an empty cassette replaces a removed one. Inserting another cassette is also achieved in a simple manner. Referring to FiiIres 9. I U and I I. the removable secure banknote cassette is first approximately aligned with chassis guide rails (26) and then pushed home with sufficient Iorce and stroke to overcome the resistance of the ejector spring (20) and the spring member 16) on the latching ramp (19).

In the present implementation, if the insertion effort is unsuccessful the ejector will push the removable secure banknote cassette back towards the operator by approximately two inches as shown by the ejected cassette (28) in Figure 12. This gives a clear visual indication and tactile feedback to the operator that the operation did or did not succeed. Furthermore. in many applications involving various automatic transaction machines it will not be physically possible to close the outside panel access doors of the automatic trallnsaction machine with the removable secure banknote cassette in the ejected position. Figure 12 illustrates the difference in positions between a latched or installed cassette (27) und an unlatched or ejected cassette (28) in relation to the chassis and bill validator a, The construction of the removable secure banknote cassette is now described in more detail. 'hc cassette may he made from molded plastic and lhae a single wall construction. Iigure 3 is an exploded view of an implementation of a cassette shell assembly. Referring to Figure 3. the outer shell includes a cassette lelf half a cassette right half( 1 I) and a currency access door 'The t wo halves of 00 the cassette may be provided with a tongue and groove feature to facilitate assembly 2C alignment and welding. A suitable joining process mav utilize a plastic welding j process commercially available from EmaBond. a division of the Ashland Chemical Company. A novel aspect lies in the application of this known process to the field of payment systems. A brief summary of the welding process is shown in Fiuiures 4 to 6 and is provided here for informational purposes.

In an implementation, the plastic shell halves of the lockable removable cassette may be molded with inserts of reinforcing material. It is also contemplated that the outer shell may be overmolded with a resilient material or a soft material. For example, cassette left half (10) and cassette right hall( I 1) may be fabricated by first inserting steel parts (for strength) into an injection mold tool and then molding plastic against the parts to form the cassette outer shell pieces. In addition. or alternately, a soft resilient material, such as a pliable rubber or the like.

could be overmolded around a portion or all of the outer shell to enable the cassette to better absorb impacts. One skilled in the art would recognize that various materials could be used to either impart strength or improve shock absorption. and that such materials may be applied to a portion or to the entire structure of: the cassette.

Figure 4 is an exploded view of a portion of the two halves ol' the cssette to be joined shown positioned prior to assembly. Prior to welding. a weld head or weld material (12) is inserted and is sandwiched in the joint as shown in Fi:ure 5. The weld material (12) contains a fusible carrier typically made ol'the same thermoplastic material as the left half of cassette (10) and the right hal 'of cassette (I I In addition it contains a flerritic heating material in a distributed form. The pre- assembled ijint as o0 shown in Figure 5 is next subjected to an intense radio frequency Ilield. The absorption ol this field by the healing agent causes the \wld mlaterial to Ills and IFrm

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aI thermal weld between the halves. Slight pressure is then applied to lully close the joint Uilil it has cooled into a iid state as shown in 1icure 6. In this macnner a durable single-wall construction ol'the cassette as show\n in FilgurC 3 is311 aChieLV d Figure 2 illustrates the various components ol3n assembled cassete With a access door in an open position. In particular. a jortion of a stackini- 00 mechanism(29) can be seen seated in the cassette adjacent to the bankoote compartment The access door includes locking nic.is which conventionally require the use of keys (not shown) to unlock. A pair of viewine windows (38) has been provided in the outer shell of (lhe removable secure banknote cassette in the bottom portion that face an operator wvhen installed. These apertures (38) together wvith the use of transparent materials For the aperIure plate (3 1 and the banknote channel housing (49) of tihe stacker mechanism (29)(See iIMure 13.

which is a cross-section illustration of the stacker) make it possible to see a portion ol: the last bill or banknote (46) inserted when the cassette is installed. *ris provides the operator with two useful advantages: Firstly. tihe operator can easily cletermine whether the removable secure banknote cassette contains any ldocuments Or if it' is empty. Secondly. it is possible to resolve disputes with a customer Over til: denomination of the last bill (46) inserted without having to remove the cassette (3) from the chassis Both the above functions are useful in situations where access to the keys for opening the locks of the currency access dIoor oF the removable secure banknote cassette is tightly controlled.

In general. stacking mechanisms that include a banknote pusher plate and scissors arrangement for storing bills in a cash box are well known. Iowvever as shoNvn in i lures 16. 17 and I8. the present stacking mcczhanis m (29) activ'ates scissor arms (35) by mneans ol: a central link arm (36) attached to ;I crank pin 145). The essential kinematic elements of this linkage are shown in I:igure 14 and Figure I Reegarding Figures 14 and I 5. the crankshaft rotates aou a fixed centi One end of the scissor mechan im Is pivotallv mounted about the fiedC point 13. l'he other end of the scissors mechanism is connected to the rame at hy a pivt point that has freedom to slide ill one direction oni. A link arm connects the cranksha ft to the scissors at a pivot point In prior art systems it is colnve\ntional Ito 7 i

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0 make points and coincident. TIhe present implementation. however. obtains a max imum scissor stroke within a small height. wherein thile height is primarily constrained by the radius ol'the crank mechanism. In particular. use ol an olsetCi between points and (IF) permits some amplification or (he scissor strokc. such that a reduced thickness or compact stacking mechanism (29) is obtained. Rcferrin to 00 1Figure 15. when the crankshaft rotates to pull link arm to the left in the 1drawing.

the scissor arms are extended such that the angle between scissors is reduced and the crossover point moves toward a banknote compartment to move a pusher plate to store a banknote. The technique of stacking bills using a pusher plate and ilan aperture plate is well known and will not be discussed in detail herein.

The simplicity of the compact stacker (29) arrangement (see Figure 16A), results in a compromise in the mechanical effectiveness of the system. When the mechanism is close to the retracted position as shown in Figures 16A and 1613. a very large force must be applied to the central link arm (36) to initiate mlovement. This force is required. as shown in the cross-sectional view of Fiig.ure 13. to exert pressure via the scissor arms (35) on the banknote pusher plate (32) to strip a banknote (46) from the banknote channel (30) and past the aperture plate (31 into the banknote compartment as shown in Figure 7. Conversely it may be seen that a much more advantageous force ratio exists when the stacking mechanism (29) is close to the fully' extended position shown in Figures 18A and 18B.

If a prime mover is speci fied of: suflicient torque to be adequate at the beginning of the stroke. excessively large forces may be generated at the lilly extended position. especially when the removable secure hanknote cassette is lilledl with currency. In order to improve this situation the final eolar pair (shown in detail I-I o1: Figure 18) is made from custom parts and includes non-circular drive ear (33) and non-circular driven gear These gears have a prolile such that the operating radius varies with angle as the geanrs rotate. The ,ears are designed as a complementary pair so the combined operating radii add up to a constant value li'r ny iven input angle. The gear prohles are chosen so that the maximum reduction ratio is achieved at the point of highest torque demand. Correspondingly. the maximum increase o' ratio occurs close to the lilll extended position as shown in

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F i.-uI-es I 8A and I 8B where excessive thrust could be a problem. In this instance the proh les are chosen so the ,cars are capable o contillOnous rotatlion. ()ther ecarprolles may be employed ift!he input drive to Ile mechanism is rcvcrscd as part th11e complete cycle.

Current banknote acceptors use belts to transport the banknotes within a 00 stacking mechanism. An alternative arrangelnent uses a systCem ol: ll-iv \\hccls that imay be conveniently connected by simple spur gears.

Figure 19 illustrates a partial section ofa stacker mechanism. Drive w.heel assemblies (39) alternate with intermediate drive gears (40) to F orm a beltless divNe system. Referring to Figures 7 and 19. banknotes are transported From tihe banknote v'aliclator in a generally downwards direction to the stacker (29) wherein the hanknote is gripped by the drive wheel assemblies 3ecause less material deflection is required in this beltless drive system compared with a belt transport, the mechanical efficiency and durability are also improved. The problem of hell tracking where small shaft miss-alignments cause a belt to waner o11, its guide pulleyIs is eliminated as well.

Figures 20 and 21 illustrate a gear and tire assembly and an exploded view oI' tihe gear and tire assembly. respectively. In order to minimize manu'fcturintg cost. the f-lexible tire material is molded around the gear and hub which is in turn all inliection molding using a relatively rigid plastic resin such as Acetal or Nylon. The advantages of this arrangement are that the assembly of the tire to tihe wheel is eliminated and tihe eometry 01: othe components may easily include features to prevent slipine or detachment of the tire.

Figure 19 is apartial section oF the stacker and is a cut-away view\\- show0\ine how a spur gear train links a ser ies of drive rollers. FillUCre 20 shows the Finished formll ofthe driving wheels. F'igure 21 shows the form ofthe base injection molded Icar and hub and the shape of the 'secondl shot' tire component Formed around it. The transport tire and gear are themilbre combined in a 11do-sholt i proeesS, Ihe -twVo-shot- molding process is known. and is described. 1ii eample. in Vclume 03.

Number I OA ol:I'lolern Plastics I-ncy\cIopedjia pages. 1 2x 5 and l-146 (October 1 986).

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The currency access door shown in Figure 3 is assembled to the cassette by a~ligning it with the Welder d asselmbly and inserting a press lll hinge pin (not shown). A1\ level of security is provided hy ensuring that the press lit hinge pin is pressed into a closed ended pocket and the outer surface is sub-lush making covert tampi ering diffcult.

~00 Referring to Figure 22. the design of the currency access door also incorporates a novel feature that prevents opening of the door even when the hinge pin is completely removed. It can be seen in Figure 22 that the form of the door contains a locking rib This feature is duplicated on the opposite (hidden in Figure 22) side of the door as well. The shape of this locking rib (43) engaes \\with a hinge boss (44) in such a manner that the door cannot be removed from thile body of the cassette unless it is first rotated through approximately 90 degrees. Figure 23 is a cut-away section showing how items (43) and (44) interlock. In normal operation of the cassette the access locks shown in Figure 2 prevent door rotation wlhen they are in the locked position.

In an alternative embodiment a pair of hinge pins are used. One pin is inserted from each side of the cassette. In another alternative implementation shown in Figure 24. the hinge pin may have one or both ends formed by orbital riveting. For example.

a pin (48) with one end preformed is inserted into the hinge assembly and then a head is formed by permanent deformation of the material by. for example. orbital riveting.

The result in each case is that the door remains secure even when the hinge pints) is (are) removed.

Fig. 25 illustrates an implementation of a combined cassette and slacker home sensor configuration This implementation combines the linctions of a sltacker home sensor and a cassette present sensor in one system. and such a con liuration saves costs. An optical sensing arrangement is shown which improves reliability l\ eliminating electrical connections.

Referring to Fig. 25. a light source (48) is mounted onil a printed circuit board (PCB) (52) which is part of a removable banknote validator (see Figure The 3( olght beam is directed along a series of li0ht pipe moldings (49 and 4h). Th' upper pair (4 9 a) of these moldinus are mounted in the removable banknote \validltor a, The lower pair (49b) are mounted in the removable secure banknote cassette (see I~Figure T'he light path from light source (48) to light receiver (5 I) is completed hw i prism (50) which may be mounted on the movable banknote pusher plate 132). In such a configuration. the light receiver (51) only receives a signal when the removable secure banknote cassette is present and the banknote pusher plate (32) is at the rest 00 or "home" position which is shown in Figure 25 and in Figures 16a and I6b.

SDuring normal operation a control system sends a signal to drive the stacking mechanism as discussed above with regard to Figures 16. 17 and 18. As the scissor arms (35) of the stacking mechanism extend from the home position. the signal output from the light receiver (51 rapidly falls to zero. When the stacker mechanism has completed one full cycle the movable banknote pusher plate (32) returns to its original or home position (shown in Figures 16a and 16b) and a positive signal is again seen at the light receiver Upon sensing this signal the control system slops the stacker motor and the unit awaits the next document. Should the light receiver (51) not see a signal within a specified time window after starting the stacking operation, the control system will stop the stacker motor and send a "Cassette Full" message to t'he host machine.

If the signal level from light receiver (51) falls to a low level without a command to drive the stacking mechanism the control system will assume that the removable secure banknote cassette has been removed and a message to this effect is sent to the host machine. When the same (or another) removable secure banknote cassette is re-installed in the chassis the signal is restored to the light receiver (51) and the banknote processor (1I) returns to normal service.

The control system may perform an additional check to verify ihat a legitimate removable secure banknote cassette has been installed by performing a test run of' the stacker mechanism. IF the signal from the light receiver (51) shows the characteristic sequential signal transitions representative ol' a ull stacking scquence or cycle, then a genuine removable secure banknote cassette is deemed to be present.

A number of embodiments of the present invention have been described.

Nevertheless. it should be understood that various modilfications might be made Attorney Docket No. 07703-356W01 C- \ithOtlt depart in From the spirit a.nd scope o F the invention. A\ccordingelIN othle r embodiments are within the Scopc oF, the Ibowxin" claimis.

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Claims (5)

1. 2. An apparatus including a lockable, removable cassette for a banknote processor, wherein transport of documents in the apparatus is achieved primarily by rotating rollers formed by a two-shot injection molding process.
2. 3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the rollers include an inner core made from a rigid plastic and an outer tire made from a flexible material.
3. 4. A stacker mechanism for a cassette to store banknotes and the like, the stacker mechanism including: a stacker plate; a first scissor arm connected at a first end to the stacker plate; a second scissor arm connected at a first end to the stacker plate, and pivotally connected to the first scissor arm about a scissor pivot point located approximately at the center of the length of the first scissor arm, wherein the second scissor arm is pivotally connected at a second end about a fixed point on a frame; and a link arm for driving the stacker plate, the link arm connected to the first scissor arm at a pivot point located between the scissor pivot point and a second end of the first scissor arm that is slidably connected to the frame. The mechanism of claim 4, further including a drive means coupled to the link arm and having non-circular drive gears. O 6. An apparatus including a lockable, removable cassette for banknote processor, the cassette including a currency access door and a pair of integrated o grips.
4. 7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the cassette includes a flexible handle. 5 8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the cassette includes molded integrated 00 oO grips on its sides.
5. 9. A cassette for storing banknotes and the like including: c a banknote stacker plate; a first scissor arm pivotally connected at a first end about a fixed point on the stacker plate; a second scissor arm slidably connected at a first end to the stacker plate and pivotally connected to the first scissor arm about a scissor pivot point located approximately at the center of the length of the first scissor arm, wherein the second scissor arm is pivotally connected at a second end about a fixed point on a frame; and a link arm for driving the stacker plate, the link arm connected to the first scissor arm at a pivot point located between the scissor pivot point and a second end of the first scissor arm that is slidably connected to the frame. The stacker mechanism of claim 4, wherein the link arm is substantially in a same plane as the first scissor arm and is connected directly to the first scissor arm. MEI, INCORPORATED WATERMARK PATENT TRADE MARK ATTORNEYS P21450AU03