Abstract:
A media cassette includes a body having a removable lid. The media cassette comprises a housing defining a closeable pick window; an urging plate biased towards the pick window for urging a stack of media items towards the pick window; a detent located distal from the pick window for limiting movement of the urging plate; and a detent moving mechanism operable to move the detent. The detent moving mechanism may be operated by engaging the removable lid or by insertion of the cassette into a media handler. The media cassette allows the urging plate to exert less force on the stack of media items by expanding the space available for media items located within the cassette by activating the detent moving mechanism.

Description:
This application is a continuation-in-part application of co-pending application Ser. No. 12/338,262 filed Dec. 18, 2008. 
    
    
     FIELD OF INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a media cassette. 
     BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 
     Media cassettes are used to store media in sheet form for automated picking and dispensing in a self-service terminal (SST). One particular type of media cassette is a currency cassette, which is used in an automated teller machine (ATM). Currency cassettes are sometimes overfilled by bullion centre or cash-in-transit personnel or machines. When a currency cassette is overfilled then an ATM in which the cassette is installed may not be able to pick banknotes reliably from that cassette because of excessive pressure on the banknote nearest a pick window. This can cause the ATM to go out of service, which results in increased cost and poorer performance for the ATM. 
     SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
     Accordingly, the invention generally provides methods, systems, and apparatus for an improved media cassette. 
     In addition to the Summary of Invention provided above and the subject matter disclosed below in the Detailed Description, the following paragraphs of this section are intended to provide further basis for alternative claim language for possible use during prosecution of this application, if required. If this application is granted, some aspects of the invention may relate to claims added during prosecution of this application, other aspects may relate to claims deleted during prosecution, other aspects may relate to subject matter never claimed. Furthermore, the various aspects detailed hereinafter are independent of each other, except where stated otherwise. Any claim corresponding to one aspect should not be construed as incorporating any element or feature of the other aspects unless explicitly stated in that claim. 
     According to a first aspect there is provided a media cassette including a body coupled to a removable lid, the media cassette comprising a housing defining a closeable pick window; an urging plate biased towards the pick window for urging a stack of media items towards the pick window; a detent located distal from the pick window for limiting movement of the urging plate; and a detent moving mechanism operable to move the detent when the lid is closed, thereby allowing the urging plate to exert less force on the stack of media items. 
     The detent may be moved by closing the removable lid. For example, the detent moving mechanism may be mounted on the removable lid, so that closing the removable lid causes the detent moving mechanism to engage with and move the detent. 
     Alternatively, the detent may be moved by inserting the media cassette into a media dispenser, so that the action of closing the removable lid does not move the detent, but the detent is only moved after (in some circumstances a substantial time after) the removable lid has been closed. However, a media cassette is only inserted into a media handler with the removable lid closed, so the detent moving mechanism moves the detent only when the lid is closed. 
     The urging plate may be slideably mounted on a floor spaced from a lower side of the housing, and coupled to a central rail located beneath the floor. The urging plate may be coupled to a spring that biases the urging plate towards the pick window. The floor, a pick window end of the cassette, and the urging plate may cooperate to define a media zone in which a stack of media items are placed. The media zone may be a currency zone, and the media items may be banknotes resting on their respective long edges, that is, the stack may be a horizontal stack rather than a vertical stack. 
     Optionally, the detent may be implemented by a member protruding above the floor and moveable from a first position to a second position. Optionally, the detent may be implemented by a member located beneath the floor for engaging a lower part of the urging plate, and moveable from a first position to a second position. Optionally, the detent may be implemented by an upwardly-biased member coupled to a housing wall opposite the pick window. 
     The member protruding above the floor may be implemented by a resiliently-biased stub protruding through a detent aperture in the floor, with the bias acting to push the stub towards the lower side of the housing. In this arrangement, the first and second positions are located in vertical alignment (that is, vertical movement of the member shifts the member between the first and the second positions). 
     The detent moving mechanism may be implemented by a cam member resiliently coupled to an end of the housing, and including a cam surface. The cam member may be moveable from an inactive position to an active position. When in the inactive position, the cam surface causes the resiliently-biased stub to protrude through the detent aperture and above the floor (the first position), thereby stopping the urging plate from moving beyond the detent to an end opposite the pick window (the “non-picking end”). In contrast, when in the active position, the cam surface allows the resiliently-biased stub to extend beneath the floor (the second position), thereby allowing the urging plate to move beyond the location of the detent towards the non-picking end. 
     Alternatively, the detent moving mechanism may be implemented by a stub located on the removable lid, so that when the removable lid is closed, the stub presses downwards on the upwardly-biased member, thereby allowing the urging plate to move towards the housing wall opposite the pick window. 
     The cam member may be moved from the inactive position to the active position by tines located within the ATM and provided to open the pick window as the cassette is mounted in the ATM. 
     Alternatively, the member protruding above the floor may be implemented by a block slideably moveable parallel to the central rail, so that both the first and second positions are located in a plane parallel to the central rail, but the second position is closer to the non-picking end than the first position. In this arrangement the first and second positions are located in horizontal alignment (that is, horizontal movement of the block shifts the block between the first and the second positions). 
     The detent moving mechanism may be implemented in a plurality of different ways. For example, tines located within the ATM and provided to open the pick window as the cassette is mounted in the ATM may be used to move the block from the first position to the second position. As another example, a solenoid may be provided to drive the block from the first position to the second position when the cassette is inserted into the ATM, and to drive the block back to the first position when the block is removed from the ATM. The power supply for the solenoid may be internal to the cassette (for example, a battery) or received externally, for example, from the ATM. 
     Other detent moving mechanisms for moving the detent from the first position to the second position are possible, for example, using rotary, arcuate, or elliptical movement to move the detent. 
     By virtue of this aspect, when a media cassette is loaded into a self-service terminal, the pick window is opened, and the urging plate is allowed to move backwards relative to the pick window, thereby enlarging the media zone and ensuring that excessive force is not applied to the media items, even if the cassette has been overfilled. 
     According to a second aspect there is provided a method of presenting media within a media cassette comprising a body closed by a removable lid, the body having a pick window defined by one end of the cassette and a non-picking end opposite the pick window, the method comprising: urging a stack of media items towards the pick window; moving a detent from (i) a first position limiting movement of an urging plate when the removable lid is open, to (ii) a second position when the removable lid is closed, the second position allowing the urging plate to move further from the pick window than when the detent is in the first position; thereby allowing more space for the media between the pick window and the urging plate. 
     The step of moving a detent from a first position to a second position may comprise moving the detent vertically. 
     Alternatively, or additionally, the step of moving a detent from a first position to a second position may comprise moving the detent horizontally. 
     The step of moving a detent from a first position to a second position may be implemented by closing the removable lid. Alternatively, the step of moving the detent from the first position to the second position may be implemented subsequent to closing the removable lid, for example, by inserting the media cassette into a media dispenser. 
     According to a third aspect there is provided a media cassette comprising a housing defining a closeable pick window; an urging plate biased towards the pick window for urging a stack of media items towards the pick window; a detent located distal from the pick window for limiting movement of the urging plate when the pick window is closed; and a detent moving mechanism operable to move the detent when the pick window is opened, thereby allowing the urging plate to exert less force on the stack of media items. 
     According to a fourth aspect there is provided a self-service terminal comprising a dispenser including a pick unit engaged with a media cassette of the first or third aspect. 
     The pick unit may include a plurality of tines for engaging with the media cassette to open the pick window and to move the detent from the first position to the second position. 
     The self-service terminal may be an automated teller machine (ATM), an information kiosk, a financial services centre, a bill payment kiosk, a lottery kiosk, a postal services machine, a check-in and/or check-out terminal such as those used in the retail, hotel, car rental, gaming, healthcare, and airline industries, and the like. 
     These and other aspects will be apparent from the following specific description, given by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic perspective diagram of a media cassette in the form of a currency cassette according to one embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic diagram of a body portion of the currency cassette of  FIG. 1  shown with a lid removed; 
         FIG. 3  is a simplified sectional side view of the body portion of the cassette of  FIG. 1  illustrating a detent mechanism; 
         FIGS. 4   a  to  4   c  are simplified side views showing the detent mechanism of  FIG. 3  in more detail; 
         FIG. 5  is a plan view of the body portion of the currency cassette of  FIG. 2  being inserted into a media dispenser, illustrating the detent mechanism in two positions; 
         FIG. 6  is a schematic perspective diagram of a media cassette in the form of a currency cassette according to another embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 7  is a schematic diagram of a body portion of the currency cassette of  FIG. 6  shown with a lid removed; 
         FIG. 8  is a simplified sectional side view of the cassette of  FIG. 6  with the lid removed from the body portion of the cassette and illustrating a detent mechanism in an engaged position; 
         FIG. 9  is a simplified sectional side view of the cassette of  FIG. 6  with the lid coupled to the body portion of the cassette and illustrating the detent mechanism in a disengaged position; and 
         FIG. 10  is a simplified sectional side view of a part of the media cassette of  FIG. 6  illustrating the detent mechanism and an urging plate in more detail. 
         FIG. 11  is a block diagram including a self-service terminal with a currency dispenser. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Reference is first made to  FIGS. 1 to 3 , which illustrate a media cassette  10  in the form of a polycarbonate currency cassette for storing banknotes. The cassette  10  has a lid  12  secured to a body  14  by a latch  16 . The body  14  has a handle  18  at a handle end  20  (a “non-picking end”), and a closed pick window  22  at the opposite end  24  (a “picking end”). 
     The picking end  24  includes a roller shutter  26  covering the pick window  22  when the currency cassette  10  is being transported. As is known in the art, when a currency cassette  10  or  100  ( FIG. 11 ) is inserted into a currency dispenser  202  in an ATM  200 , tines  28  in the currency dispenser engage with blocks (not shown) mounted in channels  30  defined by the body  14  to raise the roller shutter  26  and open the pick window  22 . 
     The cassette  10  includes a floor  40 , beneath which a central rail  42  is provided that extends longitudinally along the cassette  10  from the non-picking end  20  to the picking end  24 . A biased urging plate  44  is mounted on the central rail  42  and coupled thereto by a ratchet mechanism (not shown). The urging plate  44  urges a stack of banknotes towards the pick window  22 , so that when the pick window  22  is open, banknotes can be picked through the pick window  22  by the currency dispenser. 
     The features described up to this point are known from conventional currency cassettes. In addition to these known features, a detent  46  is located distal from the pick window  22  for limiting movement of the urging plate  44  when the pick window  22  is closed. A detent moving mechanism  48  is located within one of the channels  30  and is operative to move the detent  46  on insertion and removal of the currency cassette  10  from a currency dispenser. 
     The detent  46  and detent moving mechanism  48  are best illustrated in  FIGS. 4   a  to  4   c , which illustrate the detent  46  and the detent moving mechanism  48  in three different positions. The detent  46  comprises a metal stub extending through a detent aperture (not shown) in the floor  40  and urged downwards by a coil spring  50  surrounding the metal stub. The detent moving mechanism  48  defines an arcuate cam surface  52  that engages with a lower surface of the detent  46 , and a tine-engaging surface  54  for receiving a front end of a tine  28  as it enters one of the channels  30 . A resilient member  56 , in the form of a coil spring, is coupled between the non-picking end  20  and the detent moving mechanism  48  to urge the detent moving mechanism  48  towards the picking end  24 . 
     When the currency cassette  10  is not mounted in a currency dispenser, then the detent moving mechanism  48  is urged by spring  56  to the position shown in  FIG. 4   a , which moves the detent  46  to a closed position. In this closed position, the detent  46  is urged upwards through the floor  40  by the arcuate cam surface  52 , thereby preventing the urging plate  44  from moving closer to the non-picking end  20  than the detent location. This is illustrated in  FIG. 5 , which is a plan view of a full currency cassette being mounted in a currency dispenser  58 . The closed position of  FIG. 4   a  corresponds to position “A” in  FIG. 5 . 
     When the cassette  10  is to be filled with currency, then an operator (whether machine or human) removes the lid  12  and retracts the urging plate  44  until the urging plate  44  abuts the detent  46 . The urging plate  44  cannot be retracted any further because the detent  46  prevents the urging plate  44  from moving any closer to the non-picking end  20 . The urging plate  44 , the floor  40 , and the picking end  24  define a media zone  60  which can be filled with a stack  62  of media items, in this embodiment, the media items are banknotes. The stack  62  is oriented horizontally, with the long edges of the banknotes resting on the floor  40 . The operator then replaces the lid  12 . 
     When the currency cassette  10  is mounted in a currency dispenser  58 , then the detent moving mechanism  48  is urged by the tine  28  through a partially open position shown in  FIG. 4   b  to an open position shown in  FIG. 4   c . The open position of  FIG. 4   c  corresponds to position “B” in  FIG. 5 . 
     When the detent  46  is in the open position, the urging plate  44  may be located closer to the non-picking end  20  than when the detent  46  is in the closed position because the detent  46  has been moved beneath the floor  40 , thereby allowing the urging plate  44  to move towards the non-picking end  20  if forced backwards by the stack  62  of banknotes. This can occur if the currency zone  60  was overfilled with banknotes when the cassette  10  was filled by the operator. By allowing the urging plate  44  to move backwards, the size of the currency zone  60  is increased (as shown by arrow  64  in  FIG. 5 ), which means that less force is applied to a banknote located at the pick window  22 . This allows the currency dispenser  58  to execute a more reliable pick operation, thereby reducing the number of failed pick operations. 
     When the currency cassette  10  is removed from the currency dispenser  58 , then the detent moving mechanism  48  is urged by spring  56  back to the position shown in  FIG. 4   a  so that the detent  46  is in the closed position. 
     Second Embodiment 
     Another embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to  FIGS. 6 to 9 , which illustrate a currency cassette  100  with a detent moving mechanism mounted in a lid of the currency cassette  100 . 
     The cassette  100  has a lid  112  secured to a body  114  by a latch  116 . The body  114  has a handle  118  at a handle end  120  (a “non-picking end”), and a closed pick window  122  at the opposite end  124  (a “picking end”). 
     The picking end  124  includes a roller shutter  126  covering the pick window  122  when the currency cassette  100  is being transported. 
     The cassette  100  includes a floor  140 , beneath which a central rail  142  is provided that extends longitudinally along the cassette  100  from the non-picking end  120  to the picking end  124 . A biased urging plate  144  is mounted on the central rail  142  and coupled thereto by a ratchet mechanism (not shown). The urging plate  144  urges a stack of banknotes towards the pick window  122 , so that when the pick window  122  is open, banknotes can be picked through the pick window  122  by the currency dispenser. 
     A detent  170  is coupled to the handle end (the non-picking end)  120  and is biased upwards (towards the lid  112 ) by a spring  172 . The detent  170  prevents the urging plate  144  from moving too close to the handle end  120 . 
     A detent moving mechanism  174  is defined by an underside of the lid  112  and arranged to engage with the detent  170 , and urge the detent  170  downwards as the lid  112  is placed on the body  114  to close the cassette  100 . 
     When the lid  112  is removed from the body  114 , then the detent  170  is urged upwards by spring  172  into contact with the urging plate  144  to maintain the urging plate in a first position (shown as position “A” in broken lines in  FIG. 9 ) in close engagement with a horizontal stack of banknotes. In the event that the cassette is empty or nearly empty, then the detent  170  will ensure that the urging plate  144  is not moved beyond the first position towards the non-picking end  120 . 
     When the lid  112  is coupled to the body  114 , then the detent  170  is urged downwards by detent moving mechanism  174 . This allows the urging plate  144  to be moved to a second position (shown as position “B” in  FIG. 9 ) towards the non-picking end  120 . If too many banknotes have been loaded into the cassette  100 , then the pressure of the banknotes on the urging plate  144  will cause the urging plate  144  to move to, or towards, the second position (“B”). 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 10 , the detent  170  includes a hook end  180  that is guided by a guide surface  182  on the urging plate  144  into an engaged position. In the engaged position, the hook end  180  engages with both a forward stopping surface  184  to prevent the urging plate  144  from moving beyond the first position towards the non-picking end  120 , and also with a rear stopping surface  186  to prevent the urging plate  144  from moving towards the picking end  124 . This arrangement obviates the need for a conventional latch (typically located in the floor of the currency cassette). 
     Various modifications may be made to the above described embodiment within the scope of the invention, for example, in other embodiments the detent  46  may be located entirely beneath the floor  40  and may abut a surface of the urging plate  44  beneath the floor  40 . 
     In other embodiments, media items other than banknotes may be used, for example, tickets, passes, stamps, or the like. 
     In other embodiments, the detent moving mechanism may be implemented by a solenoid. The solenoid may be triggered by a signal received from a media handler, such as a currency cassette. The signal may be transmitted wirelessly or by physical contact, or in any other convenient manner. The signal may be transmitted by radio-frequency, a magnetic field, or in any convenient manner. 
     In other embodiments, the detent moving mechanism may move the detent horizontally rather than vertically. For example, the detent may be moveable parallel to the central rail. 
     In other embodiments, a plurality of detents may be provided transverse to the central rail, and the detent moving mechanism may be activated by two tines, one at each side of the cassette. This allows both conventional tines on an automated teller machine currency dispenser to be used to move the (or multiple) detent moving mechanism(s). 
     The steps of the methods described herein may be carried out in any suitable order, or simultaneously where appropriate. 
     The terms “comprising”, “including”, “incorporating”, and “having” are used herein to recite an open-ended list of one or more elements or steps, not a closed list. When such terms are used, those elements or steps recited in the list are not exclusive of other elements or steps that may be added to the list.