Multi-function card handling apparatus and methods of operation

• US 9,227,800 B2
• Filed: 03/14/2013
• Issued: 01/05/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2013
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Coinstar Asset Holdings, LLC
• Original Assignee: Outerwall Inc.
• Inventors: Martin, Douglas A.
• Primary Examiner(s): MACKEY, PATRICK HEWEY
• Application Number:
  US13/803,559
• Publication Number:
  US 20140263385A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,027 Days
• Field of Search: 221/66, 221/102, 221/266, 700/231, 700/232
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2701/1914 Cards, e.g. telephone, credit and identity cards
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 3/24 by pushers engaging the edges of the articles
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 5/068 between one or more rollers or balls and stationary pressing, supporting or guiding elements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/18 involving self-service terminals [SST], vending machines, kiosks or multimedia terminals
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/28 Pre-payment schemes, e.g. "pay before"
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/347 Passive cards
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3558 Preliminary personalisation for transfer to user
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/24 Rotary or oscillatory members
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/44 in which magazines the articles are stored in bulk
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/002 Vending machines being part of a centrally controlled network of vending machines

Abstract

A multi-function card dispenser and related apparatuses, systems, and methods for processing credit cards, phone cards, in-store gift cards, and the like at customer-operated kiosks and other machines. In one embodiment, a card apparatus can include a card hopper having a card eject surface and a card track having a card transport surface positioned below the card eject surface. A first roller is configured to rotate to draw a first card from a card port and onto the card track. A second roller is configured to rotate to dispense a second (ejected) card from the card hopper and onto the card track and further toward the card port. In one embodiment, the second roller is further configured to rotate to deposit cards below the card hopper.

Claims

1. A card handling apparatus configured to receive and dispense cards from a card port, the card handling apparatus comprising:

a card hopper including a side wall and a bottom wall configured to at least partially define a card exit slot, wherein the bottom wall includes a card eject surface, and wherein the card hopper is configured to hold a first card adjacent the card exit slot and at least a second card on top of the first card;

a card track positioned adjacent to the card hopper, wherein the card track includes a card transport surface positioned below the card eject surface;

a card ejector configured to drive the first card through the card exit slot and onto the card transport surface; and

at least a first roller positioned adjacent to the card transport surface, wherein the roller is configured to rotate in a first direction to move the first card away from the card hopper and toward the card port, and wherein the roller is further configured to rotate in a second direction to receive a third card from the card port and move the third card toward the card hopper,

wherein the card eject surface is canted towards the card transport surface of the card track.

2. The card handling apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a card collection bin positioned below the card hopper, wherein the card transport surface is spaced apart from the card hopper to define a gap therebetween, and wherein the roller is further configured to rotate in the second direction and move the third card through the gap and into the card collection bin.

3. The card handling apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a card collection bin positioned below the card hopper, wherein the card transport surface is offset from the card eject surface in a first direction and from the card hopper in a second direction, perpendicular to the first direction, to define a gap therebetween, and wherein the roller is further configured to rotate in the second direction and move the third card through the gap and into the card collection bin.

4. The card handling apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a card collection bin positioned below the card hopper, wherein the roller is further configured to rotate in the second direction and move the third card into the card collection bin.

5. The card handling apparatus of claim 1 wherein the apparatus further comprises a second roller configured to rotate in the first direction to move the first card away from the card hopper and in the second direction to move the third card away from the card port.

6. The card handling apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first card has a thickness, and wherein the roller and the card transport surface are spaced apart by a distance that is less than the thickness of the first card.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a coin spacer element configured to space the card port apart from the card track.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising

a card reader assembly disposed between the first roller and the second roller, wherein the card reader assembly includes a card read head.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the card reader assembly further includes an optical scanner.

10. A card handling apparatus configured to receive and dispense cards from a card port, the card handling apparatus comprising:

a card hopper including a side wall and a bottom wall configured to at least partially define a card exit slot, wherein the bottom wall includes a card eject surface, and wherein the card hopper is configured to hold a first card adjacent the card exit slot and at least a second card on to of the first card;

a card track positioned adjacent to the card hopper, wherein the card track includes a card transport surface positioned below the card eject surface;

a card ejector configured to drive the first card through the card exit slot and onto the card transport surface;

at least a first roller positioned adjacent to the card transport surface, wherein the roller is configured to rotate in a first direction to move the first card away from the card hopper and toward the card port, and wherein the roller is further configured to rotate in a second direction to receive a third card from the card port and move the third card toward the card hopper;

a second roller; and

a drive assembly operably coupled to the first and second rollers, wherein the drive assembly is configured to rotate the first and second rollers simultaneously to deposit the first card into a card collection region positioned below the card hopper, and wherein the drive assembly is further configured to rotate the first and second rollers to dispense the second card from the card hopper and onto the card track and further toward the card port.

11. A card handling configured to receive and dispense cards from a card port, the card handling apparatus comprising:

a card hopper including a side wall and a bottom wall configured to at least partially define a card exit slot, wherein the bottom wall includes a card eject surface, and wherein the card hopper is configured to hold a first card adjacent the card exit slot and at least a second card on top of the first card;

a card track positioned adjacent to the card hopper, wherein the card track includes a card transport surface positioned below the card eject surface;

a card ejector configured to drive the first card through the card exit slot and onto the card transport surface;

at least a first roller positioned adjacent to the card transport surface, wherein the roller is configured to rotate in a first direction to move the first card away from the card hopper and toward the card port, and wherein the roller is further configured to rotate in a second direction to receive a third card, from the card port and move the third card toward the card hopper,

a shaft operably coupled to the roller; and

a chassis having a sidewall configured to carry at least a portion of the card track assembly, wherein the sidewall includes a biasing member urging the shaft towards the card track.

12. A card handling apparatus configured to receive a first card from a card port, comprising:

a card track having a first surface;

a card hopper having a second surface configured to hold a second card, at least one sidewall, and a gap defined by the sidewall and the second surface, wherein the second surface is spaced apart from and canted towards the first surface of the card track;

a card ejector configured to drive the second card through the gap of the card hopper;

a first roller configured to rotate to draw the first card from the card port and onto the card track, wherein the first roller is further configured to rotate to dispense the second card from the card port;

a second roller configured to rotate to deposit the first card into a card collection region below the card hopper, wherein the second roller is further configured to rotate to dispense the second card from the card hopper and onto the card track and further toward the card port; and

a card reader assembly disposed between the first roller and the second roller, wherein the card reader assembly includes a card read head and an optical scanner.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the first roller is configured to rotate in a first direction to draw the first card from the card port and onto the card track, and wherein the first roller is further configured to rotate in a second direction to dispense the second card from the card port.

14. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the second roller is configured to rotate in a first direction to deposit the first card into the card collection region, and wherein the second roller is further configured to rotate in a second direction to dispense the second card from the card hopper and onto the card track.

15. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the first roller is configured to rotate in a first direction to draw the first card from the card port and onto the card track, wherein the second roller is configured to rotate in the first direction to deposit the first card into the card collection region, wherein the second roller is further configured to rotate in a second direction to dispense the second card from the card hopper and onto the card track, and wherein the first roller is further configured to rotate in the second direction to dispense the second card from the card port.

16. A card handling apparatus configured to receive a first card from a card port, comprising:

a card track having a first surface;

a card hopper having a second surface configured to hold a second card, at least one sidewall, and a gap defined by the sidewall and the second surface, wherein the second surface is spaced apart from and canted towards the first surface of the card track, wherein the card hopper includes a retaining plate, and wherein the retaining plate is configured to cover a portion of the gap between the sidewall and the second surface of the card hopper;

a card ejector configured to drive the second card through the gap of the card hopper;

a first roller configured to rotate to draw the first card from the card port and onto the card track, wherein the first roller is further configured to rotate to dispense the second card from the card port; and

a second roller configured to rotate to deposit the first card into a card collection region below the card hopper, wherein the second roller is further configured to rotate to dispense the second card from the card hopper and onto the card track and further toward the card port.

17. A card handling apparatus configured to receive a first card from a card port, comprising:

a card track having a first surface;

a card hopper having a second surface configured to hold a second card placed thereon, wherein the second surface is spaced apart from and canted towards the first surface of the card track;

a card ejector configured to drive the second card from the card hopper;

a first roller configured to rotate to draw the first card from the card port and onto the card track, wherein the first roller is further configured to rotate to dispense the second card from the card port;

a second roller configured to rotate to deposit the first card into a card collection region below the card hopper, wherein the second roller is further configured to rotate to dispense the second card from the card hopper and onto the card track and further toward the card port; and

a card reader assembly disposed between the first roller and the second roller.

18. A card handling apparatus configured to receive a first card from a card port, comprising:

a card track having a first surface;

a card hopper having a second surface configured to hold a second card placed thereon, wherein the second surface is spaced apart from and canted towards the first surface of the card track, and wherein the card track is spaced apart from the card hopper to define a gap therebetween;

a card ejector configured to drive the second card from the card hopper;

a first roller configured to rotate to draw the first card from the card port and onto the card track, wherein the first roller is further configured to rotate to dispense the second card from the card port; and

a second roller configured to rotate and move the first card through the gap and into a card collection region below the card hopper, wherein the second roller is further configured to rotate to dispense the second card from the card hopper and onto the card track and further toward the card port.

19. The card handling apparatus of claim 18 wherein the card track is offset from the card hopper in a first direction and a second direction, perpendicular to the first direction, to define the gap therebetween.

20. A card handling apparatus configured to receive a first card from a card port, comprising:

a card track having a first surface;

a card hopper having a bottom wall and one or more side walls extending generally upward therefrom, the bottom wall having a generally upward-facing second surface configured to hold a second card placed flatwise thereon, wherein the second surface is spaced apart from and canted towards the first surface of the card track;

a card elector configured to drive the second card from the card hopper;

a first roller configured to rotate to draw the first card from the card port and onto the card track, wherein the first roller is further configured to rotate to dispense the second card from the card port; and

a second roller configured to rotate to deposit the first card into a card collection region below the card hopper, wherein the second roller is further configured to rotate to dispense the second card from the card hopper and onto the card track and further toward the card port,

wherein the first roller is configured to rotate in a first direction to draw the first card from the card port and onto the card track, and wherein the first roller is further configured to rotate in a second direction to dispense the second card from the card port.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, further comprising a card weight disposed within the card hopper and configured to press the second card toward the second surface of the card hopper.

22. A card handling apparatus configured to receive a first card from a card port, comprising:

a card track having a first surface;

a card hopper having a bottom wall and one or more side walls extending generally upward therefrom, the bottom wall having a generally upward-facing second surface configured to hold a second card placed flatwise thereon, wherein the second surface is spaced apart from and canted towards the first surface of the card track;

a card ejector configured to drive the second card from the card hopper;

a first roller configured to rotate to draw the first card from the card port and onto the card track, wherein the first roller is further configured to rotate to dispense the second card from the card port; and

a second roller configured to rotate to deposit the first card into a card collection region below the card hopper, wherein the second roller is further configured to rotate to dispense the second card from the card hopper and onto the card track and further toward the card port,

wherein the second roller is configured to rotate in a first direction to deposit the first card into the card collection region, and wherein the second roller is further configured to rotate in a second direction to dispense the second card from the card hopper and onto the card track and further toward the card port.

23. A card handling apparatus configured to receive a first card from a card port, comprising:

a card track having a first surface

a card hopper having a bottom wall and one or more side walls extending generally upward therefrom, the bottom wall having a generally upward-facing second surface configured to hold a second card placed flatwise thereon, wherein the second surface is spaced apart from and canted towards the first surface of the card track;

a card elector configured to drive the second card from the card hopper;

a first roller configured to rotate to draw the first card from the card port and onto the card track, wherein the first roller is further configured to rotate to dispense the second card from the card port; and

a second roller configured to rotate to deposit the first card into a card collection region below the card hopper, wherein the second roller is further configured to rotate to dispense the second card from the card hopper and onto the card track and further toward the card port,

wherein the first roller is configured to rotate in a first direction to draw the first card from the card port and onto the card track, wherein the second roller is configured to rotate in the first direction to deposit the first card into the card collection region, wherein the second roller is further configured to rotate in a second direction to dispense the second card from the card hopper and onto the card track, and wherein the first roller is further configured to rotate in the second direction to dispense the second card from the card port.