Device and method for filling containers with value documents, in particular banknotes, and system for processing value documents

An apparatus and method for filling containers with value documents and to a system for processing value documents, wherein the apparatus has: a container receiving device which is adapted to receive a container stack having two or several containers for receiving value documents, a lid receiving device which is adapted to receive a lid stack having two or several lids for closing the containers, a container removal device which is adapted to remove, preferably, the respectively lowermost container from the container stack, a closing device and a transport device which is adapted to convey the container removed from the container stack to a filling station, in which the container can be filled with value documents, and to convey the container filled with value documents to the closing device which is adapted to remove a lid from the lid stack and close the filled container with the removed lid.

BACKGROUND

The invention relates to an apparatus and a method for filling containers with value documents, in particular banknotes, and to a system for processing value documents having such an apparatus.

In so-called cash centers, such as at cash-in-transit companies or central banks, in which a multiplicity of banknotes are checked, sorted, counted, commissioned and/or banded, the processed banknotes are often filled in containers provided for storage and/or transport purposes.

SUMMARY

It is an object of the present invention to make the filling of containers with value documents, in particular banknotes, more efficient, in particular free of interruptions.

The apparatus according to the invention for filling containers with value documents, in particular banknotes, has: a container receiving device which is adapted to receive a container stack which has two or several containers for receiving value documents, a lid receiving device which is adapted to receive a lid stack which has two or several lids for closing the containers, a container removal device which is adapted to remove a container, in particular the respectively lowermost container, from the container stack, a closing device and a transport device which is adapted to convey the container removed from the container stack to a filling station in which the container can be filled with value documents, and to convey the container filled with value documents to the closing device which is adapted to remove a lid, in particular the respectively lowermost lid, from the lid stack and to close the filled container with the removed lid. Alternatively, the containers and/or lids can also be removed in automated manner from the upper side of the respective stack, however which increases the mechanical complexity and is disadvantageous for the manual refilling of lids and/or containers.

The system for processing value documents according to the invention for processing, in particular sorting, counting and checking, value documents, in particular banknotes, has a value-document processing apparatus which is adapted to output processed value documents in at least one output pocket, an apparatus according to the invention for filling containers with value documents, and a filling device which is adapted to fill a container conveyed to the filling station of the apparatus with the value documents output in the at least one output pocket of the value-document processing apparatus. The value documents output in the output pocket of the value-document processing apparatus can be present there as loose value-document stacks or in the form of banded value document stacks and/or value document stacks wrapped with foil. Also for filling the containers in the apparatus, it is optionally possible to employ stacks of loose or banded value documents and/or value documents wrapped with foil. Preferably, when filling the containers, the value documents are arranged in the respective container in such a manner that one edge of the respective value document stands on the bottom of the container, i.e. the value documents are arranged upright in the container.

In the method according to the invention for filling containers with value documents, in particular banknotes, preferably the respectively lowermost container is removed from a container stack which has two or several containers for receiving value documents, and is conveyed to a filling station in which the container is filled with value documents. The container filled with value documents is conveyed further to a closing device, in which, from a lid stack having two or several lids for closing the containers, there is removed a lid, in particular the respectively lowermost lid of the lid stack, and the container filled with value documents is closed with the removed lid.

In the preferred embodiment, containers which can be filled with value documents and lids for closing these containers are provided respectively in a stack, and the lowermost container and/or the lowermost lid are removed from the stack in each case by a container removal device or closing device. The individual removed containers are initially conveyed by a transport device to a filling station for filling with value documents and from there to the closing device, where the filled containers are closed with the individually removed lids.

The container stack is received by a container receiving device and the lid stack is received by a lid receiving device. Preferably, both the container receiving device and the lid receiving device are adapted to be filled with further containers and/or lids manually or automatically, wherein containers and/or lids newly fed to the container receiving device and/or the lid receiving device are placed on the respective stack from above. This achieves that the container or lid removal can be effected according to the so-called first-in-first-out principle, and thus the removal of the containers and/or lids from below is not disturbed by adding new containers and/or lids to the respective stack from above. As a result, a refilling of containers and lids during the operation of the apparatus is made possible without having to interrupt the removal, the filling and closing of the containers.

Overall, the invention thus allows an efficient filling of containers with value documents, in particular banknotes.

In a preferred embodiment, the containers contained in the container stack received by the container receiving device and/or the lids contained in the lid stack received by the lid receiving device are stacked along a stacking direction which, particularly in the region of the container removal device and/or the closing device, is substantially perpendicular to a direction of movement of the container conveyed by the transport device, along which the container is transported through the apparatus. The direction of movement is preferably substantially horizontal and the stacking direction of the containers and/or lids is substantially vertical. As a result, additional containers or lids can be simply fed to the corresponding stack from above, while the stack, after removal of the respectively lowermost container or lid, can slide downward, for example by gravity.

For example, the container removal device is adapted such that the container removed from the container stack is fed to the transport device by gravity. Alternatively or additionally, the closing device is adapted such that the lid removed from the lid stack is deposited on the filled container by gravity. As a result, the container can be fed reliably to the transport device in a simple manner and/or the lid can be deposited reliably on the filled container in a simple manner, in particular without the need for additional and possibly wear-prone or error-prone mechanical apparatus. In addition, thus the feeding of the container and/or the depositing of the lid can be carried out automatically and free of interruptions. Alternatively, the container removal device can also be adapted such that the container removed from the container stack is deposited on the transport device with the aid of a lifting element.

In order to make the feeding of the container and/or the depositing of the lid even more reliable, the container removal device and/or the closing device can have one or several guide elements which extend in particular substantially along the stacking direction and which are adapted to guide the removed container and/or lid, which is falling or sliding downward due to gravity, towards the transport device or towards the filled container.

In a further preferred embodiment, the closing device has a first pusher element which is adapted to displace a lid deposited on the filled container relative to the container, in particular parallel to the upper side of the container, from a position in which the lid is placed on the container but still is not lockable into a closing position in which the container is lockable with the lid. In this case, the container and/or the lid are adapted to make possible the displacement of the lid relative to the container only in a predetermined direction, in particular in the direction parallel to the upper side of the container, so that the lid can be reliably transferred into the closing position. For this purpose, the lids and/or containers can have one or several guides, for example, which in particular extend parallel to the upper side of the container, such as grooves or slots in which a part of the container and/or lid can engage. The first pusher element is preferably configured as an eccentrically rotating pusher element, in particular as an eccentrically mounted roller, and is adapted, while rotating about an axis substantially perpendicular to a direction defined by the displacement of the lid relative to the container, to enter into contact with the lid at a circumferential side surface of the pusher element and to displace the lid into the closing position by the rotation. In these embodiments, a particularly reliable and time-saving closing of the filled container with the lid is made possible.

In a further preferred embodiment, the closing device has a second pusher element which is adapted to lock the lid arranged on the filled container in the closing position by actuation of a closing element located on the lid. The closing element of the lid, which is preferably fixated to the lid or integrated in the same, can be a closing latch, in particular a rotary latch. The second pusher element of the closing device can be adapted to lock the container by turning the rotary latch located on the lid. The second pusher element can be configured as a rotatable pusher element which has an actuation projection extending perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the pusher element, which actuation projection is adapted to interact with the closing latch on the lid, for example the rotary latch, upon rotation of the pusher element. This also makes it possible to close the filled container with the lid in particularly reliable and time-saving manner.

In a further preferred embodiment, the closing device has a first support element and a second support element which are arranged on mutually opposite sides of the lid located in the lid stack and are adapted to be brought from a starting position of the support elements, in which the support elements are retracted from the lid stack, into a support position, in which the first and the second support element support the lid stack received by the lid receiving device against gravity. Further, the closing device preferably has a first singling element and a second singling element which are arranged on mutually opposite sides of the lid located in the lid stack and are adapted to be brought from a starting position of the singling elements, in which the singling elements are retracted from the lid stack, into a singling position, in which the first and the second singling element support the lids stacked above the lowermost lid against gravity. The closing device is in particular adapted to move the first and the second support element from the respective support position into the respective starting position upon removal of the lowermost lid from the lid stack and, preferably simultaneously, to move the first and the second singling element from the respective starting position into the respective singling position. In this case, the first and the second singling element preferably push between the lowermost lid of the lid stack and the next lids disposed thereabove. As a result, the lowermost lid of the lid stack can be removed easily and quickly with very little mechanical effort.

In a further preferred embodiment, the first support element is mechanically coupled to the first singling element and the second support element is mechanically coupled to the second singling element in such a manner that, when the first and the second support element are withdrawn from the support position for removing the respectively lowermost lid from the lid stack, the first and the second singling element are simultaneously brought into the singling position due to the mechanical coupling. Preferably, the mechanical coupling acts as a lever and reliably prevents the simultaneous removal of more than one lid from the lid stack. In particular, the risk of a malfunction of the closing device can be minimized by the mechanical coupling, in which the lid stack would no longer be held in the lid receiving device and the filling of the containers would be interrupted.

In a further preferred embodiment, the transport device has a transport element for conveying the container and at least one lifting element for vertically moving the respective container, wherein the lifting element is arranged, for example, in the region of the container removal device and/or in the region of the filling station and/or in the region of the closing device and is adapted to feed the container removed from the container stack to the transport element and lift said container upwards from the transport element and/or deposit the respective container on the transport element from above. For example, a lifting element is arranged in the region of the filling station and is adapted to lift the respective container in the region of the filling station upwards from the transport element and to position it by the lifting such that value documents can be inserted in the respective container from above with the aid of a filling device. Alternatively or additionally, a lifting element is arranged in the region of the closing device and is adapted to lift the respective container in the region of the closing device upwards from the transport element and to position it by the lifting such that the closing device can close it with a lid. Alternatively or additionally, a lifting element is arranged in the region of the container removal device and is adapted to support the respectively lowermost container in the stack at the time when it is removed from the container stack, to lower the removed container and to deposit it on the transport element by the lowering. The transport element is preferably configured as a transport belt and/or has a multiplicity of transport rollers. The lifting element can be configured, for example, as a hydraulically, pneumatically or electromechanically actuated lifting table.

Preferably, the at least one lifting element is adapted to lift the container in the region of the filling station in such a manner that the container is guided by one or several positioning elements of the filling station and is positioned, in particular aligned, in a filling position. As a result, the container located in a defined position in the filling station can be filled particularly reliably with value documents, wherein the risk of a malfunction, which would interrupt the filling of the container, can be reduced.

Preferably, the closing device also has one or several positioning elements, which are adapted to position, in particular to align, the filled container in a lid receiving position upon lifting by the at least one lifting element. As a result, the lid can be reliably and precisely deposited on the filled container, displaced into the closing position and/or the closing element located on the lid can be actuated, wherein the risk of a malfunction, which would interrupt the filling of containers, can be reduced.

In a further preferred embodiment, the apparatus has an output device which is adapted to arrange the container filled with value documents and closed with the lid to be lowermost in a container output stack (at the lowermost position of the container output stack), wherein the transport device is adapted to convey the filled and closed container from the closing device to the output device. As a result, the filled and closed containers are reliably stacked according to the first-in-first-out principle and supplied for further processing, for example for transport. For example, the containers filled with value documents can be removed manually from the container output stack. However, the output device can also be adapted to remove the filled containers from the container output stack in automated manner and, for example, supply them for manual or automatic transporting away.

In a further preferred embodiment, the apparatus has a container transport device that can be approached, in particular docked, to the apparatus, in particular a transport carriage which is adapted to receive the container output stack. The output device is adapted to output or forward the containers filled with value documents and closed with the lid individually one after the other to the approached or docked container transport device. Preferably, the container transport device, in particular the transport carriage, is adapted to receive several container output stacks next to each other. As a result, the value documents arranged in the containers can be easily transported and/or stored.

The container transport device preferably has at least one stack guide for receiving containers stacked in container output stacks, which are filled with value documents and closed with a lid. Preferably, the container transport device in the region below the at least one stack guide is configured to be open in such a manner that it makes possible approaching the container transport device to the apparatus in such a manner that the containers can be transported with the aid of transport elements of the apparatus into the region below the at least one stack guide and can be pushed from below into the at least one stack guide with the aid of lifting elements of the apparatus.

In a further preferred embodiment, the apparatus has a control device which is adapted to link identification data of the value documents, with which the container has been filled by the filling station, with identification data of the container in a database. The identification data of the value documents are transmitted to the control device by the value-document processing apparatus, for example, from whose deposit pocket the value documents are removed and which has processed, in particular checked, the value documents prior to their being deposited in the container. The identification data of the container can be printed on the container in machine-readable manner, for example, such as in the form of a number sequence or bar code, or can be stored on a wirelessly readable transponder, for example an RFID tag. For this purpose, the apparatus preferably has a reading device which is adapted to detect the identification data of the container and which is arranged in the region of the container removal device, the filling station or the closing device. As a result, the value documents with which the containers are filled can be identified and/or tracked easily and reliably, in particular at a later time, for example in a storage.

In a further preferred embodiment, the apparatus has a filling device which has a gripping device and is adapted to grip a stack of value documents with the gripping device and deposit it in the container conveyed to the filling station.

In a preferred embodiment of the system for processing value documents, the filling device has a gripping device and is adapted to grip a stack of value documents output in the at least one output pocket with the gripping device and deposit it in the container conveyed to the filling station, wherein the value documents in the value document stack can be loose or banded and/or wrapped with foil.

In both embodiments of the apparatus or the system for processing value documents described above, the filling device is preferably configured as a robot or as a robot arm. In both embodiments, the container can be filled quickly and precisely with value documents which are output by the value-document processing apparatus, for example, in a loose stack, banded or packaged.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF VARIOUS EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1shows an example of a system100for processing, in particular for sorting, counting and/or checking, value documents2, in particular banknotes. The system has a value-document processing apparatus30, an apparatus1for filling containers3with value documents2and a filling device41.

In the apparatus1, individual containers3are supplied at a filling station40, where they can be filled with the aid of the filling device41with value documents2processed by the value-document processing apparatus30. The filled containers are then closed with a lid and finally output. This will be explained in more detail below.

In particular, the apparatus1has a container receiving device4which is adapted to receive a container stack5. The containers3are preferably configured, in particular shaped, such that they can be stacked one above the other. For example, the containers can have shapes, such as ribs, on their lower side, which engage in corresponding recesses on the upper side or opening of the containers3during the stacking, so that the container stack5stands steadily and the containers3are aligned relative to one another in the container stack5.

In the example shown, the container receiving device4is formed by container guides4awhich guide and support or hold the respectively lowermost container3of the container stack5. Thus, further containers3can be added to the container stack5by a user, in particular also during the operation of the apparatus1, by simply placing these on the upper end of the container stack5.

In the region of the container guides4a, a container removal device6is arranged which is adapted to remove the respectively lowermost container3of the container stack5from the stack. The container removal device6can have, for example, holding elements which support the lowermost container3of the stack against gravity. When the lowermost container3is removed from the container stack5, the holding elements are pivoted such that the lowermost container3is released and can slide out of the container receiving device4and/or can be lowered downward with the aid of a lifting element9.

The apparatus1further has a transport device7, which comprises a transport element8and several lifting elements9and is adapted to convey the container3removed from the container stack5to the filling station40. In the example shown, the transport element8is formed by several transport belts, on which the containers3are deposited and can be moved from the container removal device6to the right and the left in a substantially horizontal direction. The lifting elements9are preferably configured as hydraulically, pneumatically or electromechanically actuatable lifting tables, which can raise the containers3from the transport element8and/or deposit them thereon.

For example, the container3conveyed from the container removal device6to the filling station40is lifted off the transport element8by a lifting element9and thereby positioned in a filling position by positioning elements of the filling device41, such as guide rails.

The filling device41can be configured, for example, as a robot or robot arm and preferably has a gripping device42which is adapted to grip several value documents2, in particular a stack of loose or banded and/or foil-wrapped value documents2. With the aid of the gripping device42, the processed value documents2output in an output pocket31of the value-document processing apparatus30are removed from the output pocket31and inserted or put in the container3positioned in the filling position. As soon as the container is completely or partially filled with value documents, the filled container3is set down again on the transport element8by the lifting element9and is conveyed by the latter to a closing device10.

The closing device10is arranged in the region of a lid receiving device11of the apparatus1and is adapted to remove the respectively lowermost lid12from a lid stack13, which has been received by the lid receiving device11, and to close the filled container3therewith. This will be explained in more detail below in connection withFIGS. 2(a) to 2(c).

In the present example, the lid receiving device11has lid aligning elements11awhich are adapted to align the lids12in the lid stack13relative to one another and to guide these downwardly to the closing device10when they slide down by means of gravity. A user can add further lids12to the lid stack13at any time, in particular also during the operation of apparatus1, simply by introducing them at the upper end of the lid receiving device11and/or placing them on the upper end of lid stack13.

The covers12are preferably configured, in particular shaped, in such a manner that they can be stably and precisely stacked one above the other. For example, the lids12have mutually matched projections or recesses on their upper side and lower side, such as in the form of ribs, which are engaged with each other during the stacking and make possible space-saving stacking, in which only about 10 mm stack height are occupied by a lid12, and make possible a predetermined mutual alignment of the lids12. When a lid is contained in the lid stack in the wrong orientation, this is immediately noticeable to an operator, since the lid stack is then displaced in this place and the stack is less stable.

The filled and closed containers3are conveyed by the transport element8further to an output device14which is adapted to output the containers3in a container output stack15. The output device14preferably has detent elements14a, which support the container3lifted upwards from the transport element8by a lifting element9against gravity, so that the container3remains in the output device14when the lifting element9is returned downward, back to the transport element8. The detent elements14aare adapted such that a container3which comes to the container output stack15can be pushed bottom-up through the detent elements14a, but the container output stack15arranged thereabove it is supported against gravity by the detent elements14a. For each container output stack15at least two detent elements14a, for example four detent elements14a, are present on mutually opposite sides of the container output stack15. An example of such detent elements14ais shown inFIG. 4.

In this manner, the output device14can add more filled and closed containers3to the container output stack15from below, so that the containers3and/or the value documents2contained in them can be removed from the upper end of the container output stack15in the order of processing by the value-document processing apparatus30.

The apparatus1preferably has a control device27which is adapted to link identification data of the value documents2, which were processed by the value-document processing apparatus30and filled into the containers3at the filling station40, with identification data of the respective containers3in a database (not shown). For this purpose, the control device27is connected to the value-document processing apparatus30via a suitable data connection (wireless or wired), via which the identification data, for example serial numbers or an identification of the depositor of the respective value document stack or the of deposit of the respective value document stack, of the value documents2output in the output pocket31are transmitted to the control device27. The identification data of the containers3, for example identification numbers, can be detected by sensor, for example when removing the respectively lowermost container3from the container stack5at the container removal device4or when positioning the containers3in the filling position at the filling station40, for example by reading a bar code or RFID tag attached to the containers3by means of a reading device which is connected to the control device27.

The database can preferably be part of a cash center, so that certain value documents2, for example the value documents belonging to a particular deposit, can be easily determined and/or found via the allocation to the respective container3. Alternatively or additionally, the identification data of the value documents2can also be stored by a readable and writable chip which is attached to the respective container3.

FIGS. 2(a) to 2(c)show an example for illustrating the removal of the respectively lowermost lid12from a lid stack13in the closing device10, which has a first support element16aand a second support element16bas well as a first singling element17aand a second singling element17b. When the lowermost lid12is removed from the lid stack13the container3filled with value documents is brought into a lid receiving position by a lifting element9. Positioning elements18of the closing device10make possible an accurate positioning or alignment of the filled container3under the lid stack13and/or the closing device10.

It is represented inFIG. 2(a)how the lowermost lid12of the lid stack13and thus also the entire lid stack13are supported against gravity by the first and second support elements16a,16bin a support position.

For removing the lowermost lid12, the first and second support elements16a,16bare brought out of the support position and at the same time the first and second singling elements17a,17bare brought into a singling position, i.e. are pushed between the lowermost lid12of the lid stack13and the lid12disposed thereabove. This is represented inFIG. 2(b). The movements of the support elements16a,16bout of the support position and the movements of the singling elements17a,17binto the singling position are preferably carried out synchronously. For this purpose, in the example shown, the first support element16ais mechanically coupled to the first singling element17avia a first coupling element19a. Analogously, the second support element16bis mechanically coupled to the second singling element17bvia a second coupling element19b. By pivoting the coupling elements19a,19b, the support elements16a,16band the singling elements17a,17bcan thus be moved in opposite directions.

InFIG. 2(c), the support elements16a,16bhave released the lowermost lid12of the lid stack13so that the lowermost lid12can fall by gravity, typically about 20 mm to 30 mm deep, onto the filled container3positioned in the lid receiving position. The falling lid12can be guided by corresponding lid guides (not shown).

FIGS. 3(a) and 3(b)show an example for illustrating the closing of a container3filled with value documents with a lid12by the closing device10.

As represented inFIG. 3(a), the filled container3was transferred from the lid receiving position back to the transport element8by a lifting element (cf.FIG. 1) after the lid12was deposited on the filled container3.

The closing device10has, in the example shown, a first pusher element20which is adapted to displace the lid12, for example horizontally, into a closing position. In the closing position, the lid12is preferably laterally flush with the container3.

The first pusher element20for this purpose has an eccentrically mounted contact roller20a, which is fastened eccentrically offset on a first disk-shaped base plate20b. Upon a rotation of the first base plate20bdriven by a first pneumatic rotary cylinder20c, the circumferential surface of the contact roller20ainteracts with the lid12and displaces the same relative to the container3into the closing position (to the right inFIG. 3(a)).

InFIG. 3b, a second pusher element21of the closing device10is shown which is adapted to lock the container3with the lid12by means of a closing element arranged on the lid12, for example a closing latch or a rotary latch12a. Here, a second pneumatic rotary cylinder21crotates a second disk-shaped base plate21bon which an actuating projection21ais fastened. Preferably, by a rotation of the base plate21b, the actuating projection21ais brought into interaction with the closing element and actuates the same to lock the lid12firmly with the container3.

FIG. 4shows an example of a container transport device22, which can preferably be used together with the apparatus1described above in connection withFIG. 1. The container transport device22in the example shown is configured as a transport carriage and has a frame23in which several stack guides24are arranged for receiving containers3stacked in container output stacks15, said containers3being filled with value documents and closed with a lid.

In order to support the respectively lowermost container3of an output stack15and thus the entire output stack15against gravity, the stack guides24preferably have detent elements14awhich allow a feeding of a further container3to the respective output stack15from below, but prevent a sliding driven by gravity of the respectively lowermost container3of the output stack15out of the output stack15.

The container transport device22can be approached to the apparatus1and possibly docked, wherein it is positioned in the region of the output device14of the apparatus1, for example with the aid of corresponding guides or docking elements. A specific relative position is thus ensured between the container transport device and the apparatus, in which containers3(filled and closed with a lid) can be forwarded individually one after the other from the transport device7of the apparatus1to the container transport device22. To be able to feed further filled containers from below to the container output stacks15located in the container transport device22, the container transport device22is preferably adapted to be positioned in such a manner in the region of a part of the transport device7of the apparatus1, in particular on a transport belt8and several lifting elements9of the apparatus1(cf.FIG. 1), that the output stacks15of the container transport device22are each arranged above a lifting element9of the transport device7belonging to the apparatus1. It is advantageous that the actuators (for example cylinders, lifters, etc.) required for the forwarding of the containers3form part of the apparatus1, and the container transport device22itself needs no actuators or transport means for transporting the containers3. Therefore, a simple and cost-effective container transport device22can be employed.

Alternatively, the transport element and the lifting elements located below the container output stacks15inFIG. 4can also be parts of the container transport device22, and the container transport device22can be positioned on the transport element8of the apparatus1such that the filled containers can be forwarded from the transport element8of the apparatus1to the transport element of the container transport device22. In this case, an output device14can be dispensed with in the apparatus1.

For the purpose of positioning, the container transport device22has several wheels25, for example so-called Castor wheels, by which the container transport device22can be easily maneuvered and positioned on the apparatus1. In the example shown support legs26are further provided by which the transport device7of the apparatus is fixed spatially.

The container transport device22can be manually movable. However, it can also be configured as a transport vehicle, in particular a driverless transport vehicle (AGV), or can be adapted to be moved by a transport vehicle, in particular by a driverless transport vehicle (AGV).