Lockable removable cassette

• US 20040213620A1
• Filed: 05/25/2004
• Published: 10/28/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• 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., Clauser, Robert, Watrous, Stephen R., Crawford, Christopher L.
• Granted Patent: US 7,481,308 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 400/668
• 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

1-50. -50. (Cancelled).

51. An apparatus comprising a lockable, removable cassette for a banknote processor, the cassette comprising an aperture or a transparent window to allow visual observation of a document stored in the cassette.

52. The apparatus of claim 51 comprising an internal mechanism that is at least partially transparent.

53. The apparatus of claim 51 wherein the aperture or transparent window allows visual observation of a most recent document stored in the cassette.

54. The apparatus of claim 53 comprising an internal mechanism that is at least partially transparent.

55. A document processing system comprising:

a lockable, removable cassette for storing documents;

a document stacker; and

a sensor to detect installation of the lockable, removable cassette and a home position of the document stacker, wherein the sensor includes a light source, a light path and a light receiver.

56. The system of claim 55 wherein the light path comprises a series of light pipes.

57. The system of claim 56 wherein the light path comprises a prism.

58. The system of claim 57 comprising a banknote validator and a document stacker, wherein a first pair of the light pipes is mounted in the banknote validator and a second pair of the light pipes is mounted in the removable cassette.

59. The system of claim 58 wherein the sensor is arranged such that the light receiver receives a signal from the light source only if the removable cassette is installed and document stacker is in its home position.

60. The system of claim 55 wherein the light path comprises a light pipe having at least an input port, an interrupt portion and an output port.

61. The system of claim 60 wherein the document stacker comprises a pusher plate, and wherein the interrupt portion is connected to the pusher plate.

62. The system of claim 61 wherein the light path comprises a prism mounted on the pusher plate.

63. A lockable cassette for storing documents comprising a document stacker and an internal mechanism that is at least partially transparent.

64. The cassette of claim 63 wherein the internal mechanism comprises a sensor that includes a light piping path.

65. The cassette of claim 64 wherein a transparent part of the internal mechanism comprises a prism in the light piping path.

66. The cassette of claim 64 wherein the document stacker comprises a pusher plate and a transparent part of the internal mechanism is mounted on the pusher plate.

67. An apparatus comprising a lockable, removable cassette for a banknote processor, the cassette comprising a currency access door and at least one of a flexible handle and an integrated grip.

68. The apparatus of claim 67 wherein the cassette comprises a flexible handle.

69. The apparatus of claim 67 wherein the cassette comprises integrated grips.

70. The apparatus of claim 67 wherein the cassette comprises molded integrated grips on its sides.

71. An apparatus comprising 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.

72. The apparatus of claim 71 wherein the rollers comprise an inner core made from a rigid plastic and an outer tire made from a flexible material.