Lockable removable cassette

• US 6,712,352 B2
• Filed: 10/16/2001
• Issued: 03/30/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Crane Payment Innovations, Inc. (Crane Company)
• Original Assignee: Mars Incorporated
• Inventors: Wood, Kenneth B., Nunn, Michael D., Deaville, David C., Thawley, Jeffrey T., Bergeron, Alfred F., Watrous, Stephen R., Crawford, Christopher L., Clauser, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Walsh, Donald P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Beauchaine, Mark J
• Application Number:
  US09/982,578
• Publication Number:
  US 20020056960A1
• Time in Patent Office: 896 Days
• Field of Search: 271/3.17, 271/306, 271/184, 271/264, 271/265.01, 271/177, 271/180, 271/181, 232/1.D, 232/15, 194/206, 194/207, 194/200, 109/45, 109/46, 209/534, 220/273, 220/264
• US Class Current: 271/180
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2035/003 Gearings comprising pulleys or toothed members of non-circular shape, e.g. elliptical gears harmonic drives with elliptical wave generators F16H49/001
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 11/125 Secure containers
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 11/13 with internal means for handling valuable papers
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 11/235 for monitoring or indicating operating conditions; for detecting malfunctions
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 11/40 Device architecture, e.g. modular construction

Abstract

A lockable, removable cassette is described. In an implementation, the cassette includes a plastic shell and a currency access door. The cassette may also include a flexible handle and/or an integrated grip. In addition, the cassette may include at least one of an aperture and a transparent window positioned to reveal the contents of the cassette. In an implementation, the cassette includes a stacking mechanism which may include a drive means having non-circular drive gears.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising a lockable, removable cassette for a banknote processor, the cassette having a single wall construction comprising a plastic shell, and a currency access door connected to the shell.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the cassette is at least one of a Nylon material, a PPO material, a Polypropylene material, a Polycarbonate material, an ABS material, and a Polyester material.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the cassette is made from a Polycarbonate and ABS blended material.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the walls are formed by at least one of Gas Assist Injection Molding, blow molding, rotational molding, Reaction Injection Molding and co-injection of two polymers.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein at least a portion of the shell is combined with a reinforcing material.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the reinforcing material is at least one of a rigid material to impart strength and a soft material to improve shock absorption.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein at least a portion of the shell is combined with a resilient material.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the plastic shell comprises a first cassette portion and a second cassette portion joined together by a welding process.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising at least one of a flexible handle and an integrated grip.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein transport of documents in the apparatus is achieved primarily by rotating rollers formed by a two-shot injection molding process, wherein the rotating rollers comprise an inner core made from a rigid plastic and an outer tire made from a flexible material.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 comprising a hinge pin to secure the access door to the plastic shell, wherein the currency access door remains secure even if the hinge pin is removed.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 comprising a plurality of hinge pins to secure the access door to the plastic shell, wherein the currency access door remains secure even if the plurality of hinge pins are removed.

14. The apparatus of claim 10 further comprising an internal mechanism that is at least partially transparent.

13. An apparatus comprising a lockable, removable cassette for a banknote processor, the cassette having a single wall construction and comprising a plastic shell, a currency access door connected to the shell, and at least one of an aperture and a transparent window located to allow visual inspection of a document stored in the cassette.

15. The cassette of claim 13 including at least one of an aperture and transparent window located to allow visual inspection of a most recent document stored in the cassette.

16. An apparatus comprising a lockable removable cassette comprising:

a guide means to guide the cassette during installation; and

a latch means for engagement during installation;

wherein if the cassette is not securely latched during installation, then a biasing means moves the cassette.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 further comprising at least one of a flexible handle and an integrated grip.

18. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein an unsecured cassette interferes with an access door of a host machine.

19. The apparatus of claim 16 further comprising at least one of an aperture and a transparent window located to allow visual inspection of a document stored in the cassette.

20. The apparatus of claim 16 further comprising a stacker mechanism.

21. The apparatus of claim 20 wherein the stacker mechanism comprises:

a stacker plate; and

a drive means coupled to the stacker plate, wherein the drive means includes non-circular drive gears.

22. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein if the cassette is not securely latched during installation, then a biasing means moves the cassette in a direction away from an installation direction.

23. A lockable removable cassette comprising:

at least one guide;

at least one lug; and

at least one ramp;

wherein when the cassette is loaded into a chassis the guide mates with a chassis guide, the lug mates with a bias means and the ramp mates with a latch means such that if the cassette is improperly loaded then the bias means moves the cassette away from the chassis.

24. The apparatus of claim 23 further comprising at least one of a flexible handle and an integrated grip.

25. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein a failure to securely latch the cassette to the chassis generates a mechanical interference with a door of a host machine.

26. The apparatus of claim 23 further comprising at least one of an aperture and a transparent window located to allow visual inspection of a document stored in the cassette.

27. The apparatus of claim 23 further comprising a stacker mechanism.

28. The apparatus of claim 27 wherein the stacker mechanism comprises:

a stacker plate; and

a drive means coupled to the stacker plate, wherein the drive means includes non-circular drive gears.

29. A method comprising:

aligning guide means of a lockable removable cassette with a chassis guide means; and

pushing the lockable removable cassette with force sufficient to overcome the resistance of a biasing means to secure the cassette.

30. The method wherein of claim 29 wherein if insufficient force is applied then the biasing means moves the lockable removable cassette away from the chassis.

31. The method of claim 30 wherein an unsecured cassette interferes with the closing of an access door of a host machine.

32. The method of claim 29 further comprising observing a document stored in the cassette through at least one of an aperture and a transparent window.

33. The method of claim 29 further comprising removing the lockable removable cassette by exerting a pull force sufficient to overcome a retention force.

34. A document processing system comprising:

a chassis;

a lockable removable cassette;

a latching means to secure the cassette; and

a biasing means;

wherein if the cassette is not securely latched to the chassis then the biasing means moves the cassette.

35. The system of claim 34 further comprising a banknote validator.

36. The system of claim 34 further comprising a stacker mechanism.

37. The system of claim 36 wherein the stacker mechanism comprises:

a stacker plate; and

a drive means coupled to the stacker plate, wherein the drive means includes non-circular drive gears.

38. The system of claim 36 further comprising a single sensor that detects the installation of the lockable removable cassette and at least a home position of the stacker mechanism.

39. The system of claim 38 wherein the sensor includes a light source, a light path means and a receiver.

40. The system of claim 39 wherein the light path means comprises a light pipe having at least an input port, an interrupt portion and an output port.

41. The system of claim 40 wherein at least one interrupt portion is connected to a pusher plate of the stacker.

42. The system of claim 40 further comprising a prism.

43. An apparatus for processing documents comprising a front-removable storage cassette wherein the documents are stacked in the cassette from front to rear, with a most recent document stored at the front of the stack.

44. The apparatus of claim 43 comprising a stacker located at a front end of the cassette.

45. The apparatus of claim 44 comprising at least one of an aperture and transparent window located to allow visual inspection of a most recent document stored in the cassette.