ANTI-SKEW STRAIGHTENING MECHANISM

• US 20180327206A1
• Filed: 11/11/2016
• Published: 11/15/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/11/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Crane Payment Innovations, Inc. (Crane Company)
• Original Assignee: Crane Payment Innovations, Inc. (Crane Company)
• Inventors: Cost, Evan J.
• Granted Patent: US 10,640,317 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2404/12 with at least an active member on periphery
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2404/13 Details of longitudinal profile
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2701/1912 Banknotes, bills and cheques or the like
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 5/06 by rollers or balls, e.g. between rollers transport by suction rollers B65H5/226
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 9/006 the stop being formed by forwarding means in stand-by
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00681 Detecting the presence, position or size of a sheet or correcting its position before scanning H04N1/047 takes precedence; mode signalling H04N1/333; skew detection or correction in image signals H04N1/3878
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00718 Skew
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00721 Orientation
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00734 Optical detectors

Abstract

One example embodiment in this disclosure provides an apparatus comprising an opening configured to receive a banknote into a banknote path. The apparatus also includes a plurality of inboard transport wheels positioned in the banknote path and configured to transport the banknote in a direction longitudinal to the banknote path. The apparatus also includes at least one initial transport wheel positioned in the banknote path and nearer to the opening than the plurality of inboard transport wheels, the at least one initial transport wheel configured to transport the banknote from the opening to a first of the plurality of inboard transport wheels. The at least one initial transport wheel causes the banknote to pivot around the first inboard transport wheel when a leading edge of the banknote contacts the first inboard transport wheel. Pivoting causes banknote to contact a second of the plurality of inboard transport wheels.

Claims

1. A apparatus comprising:

an opening configured to receive a banknote into a banknote path;

a plurality of inboard transport wheels positioned in the banknote path and configured to transport the banknote in a direction longitudinal to the banknote path; and

at least one initial transport wheel positioned in the banknote path and nearer to the opening than the plurality of inboard transport wheels, the at least one initial transport wheel configured to transport the banknote from the opening to a first of the plurality of inboard transport wheels,

wherein the at least one initial transport wheel causes the banknote to pivot around the first inboard transport wheel when a leading edge of the banknote contacts the first inboard transport wheel, and

wherein pivoting causes the banknote to contact a second of the plurality of inboard transport wheels.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a drive apparatus configured to drive the plurality of inboard transport wheels and the at least one initial transport wheel, wherein the plurality of inboard transport wheels are driven independently from the at least one initial transport wheel.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the banknote is received into the opening at an angle, and wherein the banknote path is wider than the banknote.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a plurality of alignment sensors configured to detect an orientation of the banknote; and

a controller configured to determine when the banknote is straight, and, responsive to a determination that the banknote is straight, cause a drive apparatus to drive the plurality of inboard transport wheels to transport the banknote along the banknote path.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a controller configured to determine when a period of time is elapsed, and, responsive to a determination that the period of time is elapsed, cause a drive apparatus to rotate the plurality of inboard transport wheels to transport the banknote along the banknote path.

6. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the drive apparatus is further configured to drive the at least one initial transport wheel continuously.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein one of the at least one initial transport wheel is disposed horizontally between the first and second inboard transport wheels.

8. A system comprising:

a banknote validator configured to determine a validity of a banknote;

a banknote recycler coupled to the banknote validator and configured to temporarily store the banknote; and

a banknote acceptor configured to receive the banknote and transport the banknote to the banknote validator, wherein the banknote acceptor includes;

an opening configured to receive the banknote into a banknote path;

a plurality of inboard transport wheels positioned in the banknote path and configured to transport the banknote in a direction longitudinal to the banknote path; and

at least one initial transport wheel positioned in the banknote path and nearer to the opening than the plurality of inboard transport wheels, the at least one initial transport wheel configured to transport the banknote from the opening to a first of the plurality of inboard transport wheels,

wherein the at least one initial transport wheel causes the banknote to pivot around the first inboard transport wheel when a leading edge of the banknote contacts the first inboard transport wheel, and

wherein pivoting causes the banknote to contact a second of the plurality of inboard transport wheels.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the banknote acceptor further comprises a drive apparatus configured to drive the plurality of inboard transport wheels and the at least one initial transport wheel, wherein the plurality of inboard transport wheels are driven independently from the at least one initial transport wheel.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the banknote is received into the opening at an angle, and wherein the banknote path is wider than the banknote.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the banknote acceptor further comprises:

a plurality of alignment sensors configured to detect an orientation of the banknote; and

a controller configured to determine when the banknote is straight, and, responsive to a determination that the banknote is straight, cause a drive apparatus to drive the plurality of inboard transport wheels to transport the banknote along the banknote path.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the banknote acceptor further comprises:

a controller configured to determine when a period of time is elapsed, and, responsive to a determination that the period of time is elapsed, cause a drive apparatus to rotate the plurality of inboard transport wheels to transport the banknote along the banknote path.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the drive apparatus is further configured to drive the at least one initial transport wheel continuously.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein one of the at least one initial transport wheel is disposed horizontally between the first and second inboard transport wheels.

15. A method to straighten a banknote comprising:

receiving, through an opening, the banknote into a banknote path; and

transporting, by at least one initial transport wheel, the banknote from the opening to a first of a plurality of inboard transport wheels,

wherein at least one initial transport wheel is positioned in the banknote path and nearer to the opening than the plurality of inboard transport wheels,

wherein the one initial transport wheel causes the banknote to pivot around the first inboard transport wheel when a leading edge of the banknote contacts the first inboard transport wheel, and

wherein pivoting causes the banknote to contact a second of the plurality of inboard transport wheels.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

driving, by a drive apparatus, the plurality of inboard transport wheels and the at least one initial transport wheel, wherein the plurality of inboard transport wheels are driven independently from the at least one initial transport wheel.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the banknote is received into the opening at an angle, and wherein the banknote path is wider than the banknote.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

detecting, by a plurality of alignment sensors, an orientation of the banknote;

determining, by a controller, when the banknote is straight; and

responsive to a determination that the banknote is straight, causing, by a drive apparatus, the plurality of inboard transport wheels to transport the banknote along the banknote path.

19. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

determining, by a controller, when a period of time is elapsed; and

responsive to a determination that the period of time has elapsed, causing, by a drive apparatus, the plurality of inboard transport wheels to transport the banknote along the banknote path.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the drive apparatus drives the at least one initial transport wheel continuously.