ATM currency cassette with currency level indicator arrangement

• US 6,918,483 B2
• Filed: 02/27/2004
• Issued: 07/19/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Diebold Nixdorf, Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Diebold Self-Service Systems (Diebold Nixdorf, Incorporated)
• Inventors: Washington, Jon, VanKeulen, Eric
• Primary Examiner(s): Walsh, Donald P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Beauchaine, Mark J.
• Application Number:
  US10/788,634
• Publication Number:
  US 20040188920A1
• Time in Patent Office: 508 Days
• Field of Search: 194/350, 194/342, 206/425, 206/459.1, 206/459.5, 206/557, 206/804, 271/145, 271/147, 271/171, 235/379
• US Class Current: 194/350
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/1085 involving automatic teller machines [ATMs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40 Authorisation, e.g. identification of payer or payee, verification of customer or shop credentials; Review and approval of payers, e.g. check credit lines or negative lists
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 11/12 Containers for valuable papers
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 11/13 with internal means for handling valuable papers
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 19/20 Automatic teller machines [ATMs]
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 19/201 Accessories of ATMs
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 19/205 Housing aspects of ATMs

Abstract

An ATM currency cassette includes a low currency indicator arrangement (238). A push plate (242) is biased to push currency toward an exit end of the cassette. An adjustable trip pin (240) can be removably positioned at different trip settings on the push plate (242). As currency is depleted, the push plate moves the trip pin therewith. The trip pin (240) can eventually trip a trip lever (244) to cause the indication of a low currency condition in the cassette. The ability of the trip pin to be adjustably positioned enables the low currency setting to be finely adjusted.

Claims

1. An apparatus including:

a cassette,

wherein the cassette is adapted for use in an automated banking machine,

wherein the cassette is operative to hold media therein,

wherein the cassette includes a media push device,

wherein the media push device is operative to move media in the cassette,

wherein the cassette includes a media-condition indicator device,

wherein the indicator device is operative to indicate a condition of media in the cassette,

wherein the cassette includes a trip member,

wherein the trip member is operative to cause actuation of the indicator device responsive to media attaining a predetermined media state in the cassette,

wherein the trip member is operatively secured to the media rush device,

wherein the trip member is operative to be repositioned relative to the media push device to adjust the predetermined media state.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the trip member is securable to the push device at different positions relative to the push device.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the trip member is removably attachable to the push device at different positions on the push device.

4. The apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the trip member is securable to the push device at a first position representative of a first predetermined media state, and wherein the trip member is attachable to the push device at a second position representative of a second predetermined media state.

5. The apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the trip member is securable to the push device at a first position, wherein the trip member is attachable to the push device at a second position, and wherein the trip member at the first position is operative to cause actuation of the indicator device prior to the trip member at the second position.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the push device is operative to move media in the cassette in a first direction.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6 wherein the trip member is removably securable to the push device at various positions spaced along the push device in the first direction.

8. The apparatus according to claim 6 wherein the push device is operative to move in the first direction, and wherein the trip member is correspondingly movable with the push device in the first direction.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the media push device comprises a spring loaded media push plate.

10. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the apparatus includes an automated banking machine.

11. The apparatus according to claim 10 wherein the automated banking machine comprises an ATM.

12. The apparatus according to claim 11 wherein the ATM includes the cassette therein.

13. The apparatus according to claim 11 wherein the media comprises currency, and wherein the cassette includes the currency.

14. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the media-condition indicator device comprises a media-low indicator device mechanism, wherein the trip member comprises a trip pin, and wherein the trip pin is operative to engage the indicator device mechanism.

15. An automated banking machine currency cassette including:

a cassette media push plate body, wherein the body is biased in a first direction, wherein the body is operative to push media in the first direction,

a cassette media-low indicator trip pin secured to the push plate body, wherein the trip pin is operative to trip a cassette media-low indicator,

wherein the trip pin is operative to be positioned relative to the body at plural trip settings, wherein each setting is operative to cause tripping of a cassette media-low indicator.

16. The cassette according to claim 15 wherein a trip pin position on the push plate body is operative to correspond to a predetermined cassette media-low condition.

17. The cassette according to claim 15 wherein actuation of a cassette media-low indicator is responsive to a trip pin setting.

18. The cassette according to claim 15 wherein the trip pin is removably secured to the push plate body.

19. The cassette according to claim 18 wherein the trip pin includes a male engagement portion, wherein the push plate body includes a female engagement portion, and wherein the male engagement portion is operative to be received in the female engagement portion.

20. The cassette according to claim 15 wherein the trip pin is operative to be positionally adjusted relative to the push plate body in increments.

21. A method including:

(a)providing an automated banking machine media cassette, wherein the cassette includes a media-low indicator device and a media push plate body, wherein the indicator device is operative to indicate a media-low condition, wherein the push plate body is operative to move cassette media, wherein the indicator device is operative to be actuated responsive to a movement of a trip pin positioned on the push plate body,

(b) moving an engagement portion of a trip pin from a first position on the push plate body to a second position on the push plate body.

22. The method according to claim 21 wherein (b) includes removing the trip pin from the push plate body.

23. The method according to claim 22 and further comprising removably securing the trip pin to the push plate body.

24. The method according to claim 21 wherein the push plate body is operative to move in a first direction, wherein the first position is disposed from the second position in the first direction, wherein (b) includes moving the engagement portion in the first direction.

25. The method according to claim 21 and further comprising

(c) moving the trip pin via the push plate body to actuate the media-low indicator device.

26. The method according to claim 21 wherein the engagement portion comprises a head of the trip pin, wherein (b) includes repositioning the trip pin head relative to the push plate body to reflect a predetermined media-low condition.

27. The method according to claim 21 wherein (b) includes adjusting the trip setting of the media-low indicator device.

28. The method according to claim 27 and further comprising

(c) providing the media cassette in an automated banking machine, wherein the automated banking machine comprises an ATM, wherein the media cassette comprises an ATM currency cassette, wherein the media-low indicator device comprises a currency-low indicator device, and wherein (b) includes adjusting the trip setting of the currency-low indicator device of the ATM currency cassette.

29. A method of adjusting the trip setting of a currency-low indicator device of an ATM currency cassette, including:

(a) obtaining access to a trip member in the currency cassette, wherein the trip member is operatively secured to a biased currency push plate device, wherein the trip member is operatively positioned on the push plate device to cause tripping of the currency-low indicator device responsive to currency attaining a predetermined low level condition in the cassette,

(b) repositioning the trip member on the push plate device.

30. The method according to claim 29 wherein (b) includes modifying the setting of the predetermined low level condition.

31. The method according to claim 29 wherein (b) includes removing the trip member from the push plate device.

32. The method according to claim 31 and further comprising moving the trip member from a first position on the push plate device to a second position of the push plate device, wherein the movement is generally parallel to the biased direction of the push plate device.

33. The method according to claim 32 and further comprising removably securing the trip member to the push plate device at the second position.