Patent Publication Number: US-2011074089-A1

Title: Media transport

Description:
FIELD OF INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to media transport. 
     BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 
     Media transport is performed by media handling devices. Media handling devices are typically used to transport sheets of media (such as paper or polymer) between a media store and a media port. Media (such as checks and banknotes) may be deposited into the media port for transfer to the store. Alternatively, or additionally, media (such as banknotes and receipts) may be removed from the media store and dispensed through the media port. 
     One common type of machine that includes a media handling device is an automated teller machine (ATM). ATMs are required to transport banknotes reliably from a banknote cassette to a dispensing slot. Media handling devices in an ATM typically include a pick unit (for picking banknotes from a cassette), a transport (for transporting picked banknotes), a stacking unit (for stacking picked banknotes), and a presenter (for presenting a bunch of banknotes to a customer as a single bunch). 
     Various different mechanisms are used for transporting an individual banknote or a bunch of banknotes. These mechanisms include: (i) a pair of co-operating belts; (ii) a belt and corresponding skid plate; (iii) a fixed roller pair having compliant circumferential discs in contact with each other; and (iv) mechanically-sprung idling rollers. Each of these mechanisms has at least one disadvantage. 
     Where elastomeric elements are used (as found in mechanisms (i) to (iii) above) positive drive can be achieved using a fixed centre distance between the elastomeric elements (for belts or roller pairs) or between the elastomeric element and the skid plate. However the resulting pinch force applied to the banknote(s) varies with temperature and other environmental conditions. 
     Mechanically-sprung rollers (as found in mechanisms (iv) above) overcome this problem of temperature-dependent pinch force; but since only one roller is driven, splaying of the banknotes can occur. This can also happen with a belt and skid plate mechanism (as found in (ii) above). 
     It is desirable to provide a media handling mechanism that imparts a uniform pinch force, which is unaffected by environmental conditions. 
     SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
     Accordingly, the invention generally provides methods, systems, and apparatus for an improved media transport. 
     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 transport element comprising: 
     a fixed roller comprising: (i) a shaft, (ii) a plurality of discs axially spaced along the shaft, (iii) a drive engaging end for receiving rotational motion, and (iv) a driving end for imparting rotational motion; 
     a first coupling connected to the driving end of the fixed roller for receiving rotational motion therefrom, 
     a second coupling connected to the first coupling for receiving rotational motion therefrom, and being rotatable about a pivot axis; 
     a pivoting roller mounted in registration with the fixed roller and comprising: (i) a shaft, (ii) a plurality of discs axially spaced along the shaft to co-operate with the axially spaced discs on the fixed roller to define a media passage therebetween, and (iii) a drive engaging end for continuously engaging with the second coupling as the pivoting roller pivots, so that the pivoting roller receives rotational motion from the second coupling; 
     a link coupled to the pivoting roller and mounted on a link shaft co-axial with the pivot axis; 
     wherein the fixed roller and the pivoting roller are both continuously driven even when media items pass through the media passage and move the pivoting roller away from the fixed roller. 
     The fixed roller drive engaging end may comprise a gear mounted on the fixed roller shaft and driven by an elastomeric belt, a gear train, or the like. 
     As used herein, a gear refers to a toothed wheel for intermeshing with another toothed wheel. 
     The fixed roller may comprise a drive engaging end at (which includes near) each end of the shaft to provide more balanced drive to the shaft. 
     The fixed roller driving end may comprise a gear mounted on the fixed roller shaft. 
     The fixed roller may comprise a driving end at (which includes near) each of the two opposing ends of the shaft. 
     The fixed roller discs may contact media items in the media passage directly. Alternatively, the fixed roller discs may be located within elastomeric belts that contact media items in the media passage. 
     The first coupling may comprise a gear intermeshing with the fixed roller driving end gear. Alternatively, the first coupling may comprise a roller connected to the fixed roller driving end gear by an elastomeric belt. 
     Where the fixed roller comprises two driving ends, the first coupling may comprise a gear at each end of the shaft for intermeshing with its respective fixed roller driving end gear. 
     The second coupling may comprise a gear intermeshing with the first coupling gear. Alternatively, the second coupling may comprise a roller connected to the fixed roller driving end roller by an elastomeric belt. 
     Where the first coupling comprises a gear at each end of the shaft, the second coupling may comprise a gear at each end of the shaft for intermeshing with its respective first coupling gear. 
     The second coupling may be mounted on the link shaft. Alternatively, the second coupling may be mounted on a shaft independent of the link shaft. One advantage of mounting the second coupling on a shaft independent of the link shaft is that it allows the link shaft to be pivoted independently of the second coupling. 
     The media transport element may further comprise a resilient member coupled between the link and a fixed member, so that the resilient member urges the link to a closed position in which the pivoting roller discs are in contact with the fixed roller discs when no media items are present in the media passage. 
     The resilient member may comprise a coil spring. 
     The fixed member may be provided by a transport housing. In particular, the transport housing may comprise a lid coupled to a base, and the fixed member may be provided on the lid. The lid may be pivotably connected to the base, and/or be completely removable therefrom. 
     The media transport element may comprise a pair of links, one at each end of the pivoting roller. 
     The links may be connected to the transport housing lid, so that the lid can be lifted to disengage the pivoting roller while leaving the fixed roller and the first and second couplings in place. This enables an operator to gain access to any media items trapped in the media passage. 
     By virtue of this aspect two positively driven rollers engage with one or more media items and provide a controlled, uniform pinch force to the media items. This pinch force is unaffected by environmental conditions, thereby providing reliability and consistency to media transport. 
     According to a second aspect there is provided a media transport device comprising a plurality of media transport elements of the first aspect of the invention. 
     The media transport device may include a transport housing comprising: a base and a removable lid coupled thereto. 
     The pivoting roller of each media transport element may be mounted in the transport housing lid. 
     The fixed roller, first coupling, and second coupling may be mounted in the transport housing base. 
     The pivoting roller discs may protrude through a lower surface of the transport housing lid. 
     The fixed roller discs may protrude through an upper surface of the transport housing based. 
     The lower surface of the transport housing lid and the upper surface of the transport housing base may provide a pair of skid plates for guiding media through the media passage. 
     According to a third aspect there is provided a media handling device comprising a media transport device of the second aspect of the invention. 
     The media handling device may further comprise: a pick unit and a presenter. 
     According to a fourth aspect there is provided a self-service terminal incorporating the media handling device of the third aspect. 
     The self-service terminal may comprise an automated teller machine, a photocopier, 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, or the like. 
     According to a fifth aspect there is provided a method of transporting media, the method comprising: 
     rotating a fixed roller in contact with a media item; 
     rotating a pivoting roller mounted in registration with the fixed roller and defining a media passage therebetween, using a pair of gears coupling the fixed and pivoting rollers; and 
     maintaining the pivoting roller in continuous engagement with the fixed roller via the pair of gears by allowing the pivoting roller to pivot about an axis co-axial with an axis of one of the pair of gears coupling the fixed and pivoting rollers, thereby enabling the media item to be driven by both the fixed roller and the pivoting roller. 
     The method may comprise the further step of urging the pivoting roller towards the fixed roller. 
     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 perspective schematic view of a media transport element according to one embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic diagram illustrating interaction between parts (gears) of the media transport element of  FIG. 1  with no media items present in a media passage; 
         FIG. 3  is a schematic diagram illustrating interaction between parts (gears) of the media transport element of  FIG. 1  with a bunch of media items present in a media passage; 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective schematic view of a media transport device incorporating the media transport element of  FIG. 1 ; and 
         FIG. 5  is a self-service terminal incorporating the media handling device of  FIG. 4 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Reference is first made to  FIG. 1 , which is a perspective schematic view of a media transport element  10 , in the form of a banknote transport element, according to one embodiment of the present invention. 
     The banknote transport element  10  comprises: a fixed roller  12 ; first couplings  14   a,b  (only one  14   a  is shown in  FIG. 1 ), in the form of a gear at each of the opposing ends of the banknote transport element  10 ; second couplings  16   a,b  (only one  16   a  is shown in  FIG. 1 ), also in the form of a gear at each of the opposing ends of the banknote transport element  10 ; a pivoting roller  18  connected to the fixed roller  12  by the first and second gears  14 ,  16 ; and a pair of links  20   a,b  coupled to the pivoting roller  18 . 
     The fixed roller  12  comprises: a shaft  30  on which are mounted a plurality of discs  32  (five are shown in  FIG. 1 ) axially spaced along the shaft  30 . The discs  32  are fixed to the shaft  30  so that they rotate as the shaft  30  rotates. Each end of the shaft  30  includes a driving gear  34   a,b  for intermeshing with its corresponding first gear  14   a,b . The fixed roller  12  also includes a drive engaging end  36  in the form of a wheel  38  driven by an elastomeric belt (not shown) for imparting rotational motion to the shaft  30 . The elastomeric belt (not shown) is driven by a motor (not shown). 
     The second coupling  16   a,b  is rotatable about a pivot axis (shown by broken line  40 ). 
     The pivoting roller  18  is mounted in registration with the fixed roller  12  to define a media passage  44 , in the form of a banknote passage, therebetween. The pivoting roller  18  has a shaft  50  on which are mounted a plurality of discs  52  axially spaced along the shaft  50  and arranged to co-operate with the axially spaced discs  32  on the fixed roller  12 . The discs  52  are fixed to the shaft  50  so that they rotate as the shaft  50  rotates. Each end of the shaft  50  includes a driving gear  54   a,b  (only one driving gear  54   a  is shown in  FIG. 1 ) for intermeshing with its corresponding second gear  16   a,b.    
     The pair of links  20   a,b  are coupled to shaft  50  by bearings (not shown) to allow the shaft  50  to rotate freely. The pair of links  20  are also mounted on a link shaft  53  (not shown clearly in  FIG. 1 ) co-axial with the pivot axis  40 . This is to ensure that as the pivoting roller  18  pivots about the link shaft  53 , the driving gears  54   a,b  remain in intermeshing engagement with their corresponding second gears  16   a,b , thereby allowing the pivoting roller  18  to be continuously driven by the fixed roller  12  even when the pivoting roller  18  is pivoting. 
     The pair of links  20   a,b  are coupled to a fixed support (not shown) by a pair of resilient members  60   a,b  in the form of a pair of coil springs. Each coil spring  60  urges its associated link  20  upwards, thereby pushing the pivoting roller  18  downwards into contact with the fixed roller  12 , and closing the banknote passage  44 . 
     Reference will now also be made to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , which are schematic diagrams illustrating interaction between the fixed roller driving gear  34   a , the first gear  14   a , the second gear  16   a , and the pivoting roller driving gear  54   a  without and with, respectively, a bunch  62  of media items (in the form of banknotes) present in the banknote passage  44 . 
     With no bunch  62  present, the pivoting roller  18  is urged into contact with the fixed roller  12  by the coil springs  60  acting on the links  20 , so that opposing discs  52 , 32  close the banknote passage  44 . When the motor (not shown) is driven, the fixed roller  12  is rotated anti-clockwise, causing the first gear  14   a  to rotate clockwise, the second gear  16   a  to rotate anti-clockwise, and the pivoting roller  18  to rotate clockwise. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the centre of the fixed roller driving gear  34   a , the centre of the first gear  14   a  and the centre of the second gear  16   a  all remain in fixed spatial relation to each other (illustrated by lines  70  and  72 ), even when the pivoting roller  18  is pivoting. In contrast, the centre of the pivoting roller driving gear  54   a  moves relative to the centre of the fixed roller driving gear  34   a , the centre of the first gear  14   a , and the centre of the second gear  16   a  (illustrated by line  74 ). However, the distance between the centre of the pivoting roller driving gear  54   a  and the centre of the second gear  16   a  remains constant throughout the pivoting movement. This allows driving gear  54   a  to remain intermeshed with (and driven by) the second gear  16   a  at all times. 
     When the bunch  62  of banknotes is transported towards the banknote passage  44 , the opposing discs  52 , 32  engage with the upper and lower surfaces of the bunch  62 , pulling the bunch  62  between the rollers  12 , 18 . The entrance of the bunch  62  into the banknote passage  44  urges the pivoting roller  18  upwards, causing the pivoting roller  18  to pivot about the link shaft  53 . However, the coil springs  60  counter this by urging the pivoting roller  18  downwards onto the bunch  62  of banknotes. This ensures that the discs  52  are maintained in close contact with the upper surface of the bunch  62  of banknotes, thereby providing a uniform pinch force on the bunch  62  independent of the temperature of the discs  52 . 
     Reference will now also be made to  FIG. 4 , which is a perspective schematic view of a media transport device  100  (in the form of a banknote transport) incorporating banknote transport elements  10 . 
     The banknote transport device  100  includes a transport housing  102 . The transport housing  102  comprises a removable lid  104  pivotably coupled to a base  106 . The transport housing  102  incorporates five banknote transport elements  10 . 
     The pivoting rollers  18 , the pair of links  20 , and the coil springs  60  from these five banknote transport elements  10  are mounted on an upper surface  108  of the lid  104 . The lower surface  110  of the lid  104  serves as a skid plate, and the five discs  52  protrude therethrough. The lid  104  also provides the link shafts  53  on which the links  20  pivot. 
     In contrast, the fixed rollers  12 , the first gears  14 , and the second gears  16  are mounted on the base  106 , between opposing sidewalls  120  thereof (only one sidewall is shown in  FIG. 4 ). The fixed roller  12  is mounted beneath an upper surface  122  of the base  106 . The upper surface  122  serves as a skid plate, and the five discs  32  protrude therethrough. 
     Skid plate surfaces  110 , 122  and the co-operating discs  52 , 32  provide the banknote passage  44  through which banknotes are transported. A customer engineer is able to access the banknote passage  44  (for example, to remove a jammed banknote) by pivoting the lid  104  upwards from the base  106 , as illustrated in  FIG. 4 . 
     The transport housing  102  defines a vertical banknote transport  130  at one end and a banknote stacking wheel  132  at the opposite end. In use, banknotes are fed, either individually or as bunches, up the vertical banknote transport  130  and into the banknote stacking wheel  132 . When the correct number of banknotes have been loaded into the banknote stacking wheel  132 , the loaded banknotes are stripped out of the wheel and presented to a customer as a bunch of banknotes in response to a cash dispense request. 
     Reference will now also be made to  FIG. 5 , which is a block diagram of a self-service terminal  200  in the form of an automated teller machine (ATM) including the banknote transport device  100 , which is incorporated into a cash dispenser. 
     The ATM  200  comprises a plurality of modules for enabling transactions to be executed and recorded by the ATM  200 . These ATM modules include customer transaction modules and service personnel modules. The ATM modules comprise: an ATM controller  212 , a customer display  214 , a card reader/writer module  216 , an encrypting keypad module  218 , a receipt printer module  220 , a cash dispenser module  222 , a journal printer module  224  for creating a record of every transaction executed by the ATM  200 , a network connection module  226  for accessing a remote authorization system (not shown) via a network  228 , and an operator panel module  230  for use by a service operator (such as a customer engineer, a replenisher (of currency, of printer paper, or the like), or the like). 
     Although not shown in detail, the cash dispenser module  222  includes a plurality of currency cassettes  240  (only one is shown) coupled to pick units  242  (only one is shown) that feed picked banknotes up the vertical banknote transport  130  of the banknote transport device  100 . The picked banknotes are then transported through the banknote passage  44  and into the banknote stacking wheel  132 , where they are collated and stripped off to form a bunch. A presenter mechanism  244  then presents the collated bunch to a customer to fulfill a cash dispense transaction requested by that customer. 
     It will now be appreciated that this embodiment has the advantage that a media transport is provided that enables a uniform pinch force to be applied to an individual media item or a bunch of media items, independent of environmental conditions, by providing continuous drive to upper and lower rollers in contact with the media. This is achieved in one embodiment by providing an epicyclic gear that is continuously intermeshed with the gear it pivots about. 
     Various modifications may be made to the above described embodiment within the scope of the invention, for example, in other embodiments different media items may be used, such as checks, tickets, coupons, or the like. Media may be deposited in addition to, or instead of, being dispensed. 
     In other embodiments, instead of first and second gears  14 , 16 , driving gears  34 , 54 , links  20 , and resilient members  60  being provided as pairs on each end of shaft, only a single instance of the first and second gear  14   a , 16   a , driving gears  34   a , 54   a , link  20   a , and resilient member  60   a  may be used for each transport element. 
     In other embodiments, both ends of the fixed roller  12  may be driven; that is, the fixed roller  12  may include two drive engaging ends. The drive engaging end(s)  36  may be driven by a different mechanism than that described in the above embodiment, for example, by gears instead of an elastomeric belt. 
     The steps of the methods described herein may be carried out in any suitable order, or simultaneously where appropriate. The methods described herein may be performed by software in machine readable form on a tangible storage medium or as a propagating signal. 
     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. 
     Unless otherwise indicated by the context, the terms “a” and “an” are used herein to denote at least one of the elements, integers, steps, features, operations, or components mentioned thereafter, but do not exclude additional elements, integers, steps, features, operations, or components.