Abstract:
A coin container ( 12 ) for a coin-dispensing apparatus ( 10 ) comprises a portable enclosure ( 22 ) for enclosing a plurality of randomly-arranged loose coins. The enclosure includes a closeable coin input opening and a closeable coin output opening. The enclosure ( 22 ) is adapted to be releasably engaged with a coin-dispensing apparatus ( 10 ) with the coin output opening in communication with a coin input of the coin-dispensing apparatus.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to coin dispensers, and to coin containers for use in such dispensers. In particular, the invention relates to coin containers for storing loose, randomly-arranged coins. 
     In various forms of self-service machines or terminals (SSTs), such as ticket vending machines and in certain forms of automated teller machines (ATMs), there is a requirement to store coins to be dispensed to allow, for example, a user to purchase a travel ticket from a vending machine using a bank note of higher value than the ticket, or to use an ATM to withdraw cash from a bank account, and the cash to be dispensed as coins. Also, there is increasing usage of self-service financial services centers (FSCs), which offer basic “banking” and other financial services, such as printing of money orders, on a self-service basis. FSCs are primarily intended for those members of the public who do not have ready access to conventional banking services and who may not have a bank account. Typically, FSCs are provided in readily accessible locations such as “24 hour” convenience stores. In a typical FSC transaction, a certified pay cheque will be deposited and cash or a money order dispensed. The FSC operator may charge a commission for processing the cheque, such that the FSC will often be required to dispense a sum of money including relatively small currency units; accordingly, the FSC must have the capability to dispense a range of coins. 
     At present, loose coins (that is, coins not packaged in rolls) are stored within FSCs in large capacity open-topped hoppers of transparent plastics material. The width of the hoppers is very much greater than the diameter of the coins. Typically, loose coins are poured into the hoppers, which results in the coins being randomly-arranged (that is, not in a single neat stack) in the hoppers. 
     The hoppers supply coin dispensers under the control of a central processor. The hoppers are replenished on site, typically by operators who are employees of security companies contracted to replenish the FSCs with bank notes, coins, and other valuable media, for example blank money orders, and also to remove deposited items from the FSCs. The operators are required to open the FSC to gain access to the hoppers, and then pour coins into the hoppers from open coin bags. This operation is time consuming, such that the FSC is not available to customers for an extended period, and limits the number of FSCs that a team of operators may replenish in a given period, resulting in relatively high running costs. Further, in the majority of locations the FSC will be positioned in a store aisle or the like, and while the FSC is being replenished there may be considerable inconvenience to customers and staff, and loss of display area to the store operator. It will also be evident to anyone within the store that a large number of coins are being handled; coin bags may have to be left lying on the store floor as the operator opens the FSC and gains access to the coin hoppers, and it is not uncommon for coins to spill into the machine interior and onto the floor of a store during a replenishment operation. Even though the sums of money involved are likely to be relatively modest when compared to the value of banknotes held in the machine, the visibility of the coins, either within the coin bags, hoppers, or spilled around the FSC, may present a temptation to an opportunist thief. Also, this method of replenishing machines does not permit for proper auditing of the coins remaining in a hopper prior to refilling, such that machine faults, thefts or other sources of discrepancies may go undetected for a considerable time. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is among the objectives of embodiments of the present invention to obviate or mitigate these disadvantages or other disadvantages of the prior art. 
     According to the present invention there is provided a coin container for engaging with a coin-dispensing apparatus, the container comprising a portable enclosure for enclosing a plurality of randomly-arranged loose coins, the enclosure including a closeable coin input opening for receiving coins and a closeable coin output opening for presenting individual coins, the enclosure being releasably engageable with a coin-dispensing apparatus with the coin output opening in communication with a coin input of the coin-dispensing apparatus. 
     The invention also relates to a coin-dispensing apparatus adapted to engage the coin container, and to a combination of the apparatus and container. The coin-dispensing apparatus will typically form a part of a self-service terminal (SST), such as an automated teller machine (ATM) or a financial services center (FSC). 
     The container is thus in the form of a cassette, which may be filled with a known number of coins at a secure central location, following which the coin input opening is closed, typically by a removable lid, and the closed container then delivered to a coin-dispensing apparatus at a remote location. On site, an operator simply opens the coin-dispensing apparatus, removes the existing container, and the coins contained therein, and replaces this with the new container. Thus, the operator does not have to handle loose coins, the operation may be carried out quickly and efficiently, and the nature of the operation will not be evident to casual bystanders. As the container removed from the apparatus remains closed throughout the replenishment operation, it may be returned to the central location for inspection and then opened in a secure environment and the remaining coins counted, allowing proper auditing of the coin supply to the dispenser. 
     Preferably, the coin input opening is closeable by a tamper evident lid, that is if the lid is removed and then replaced, this will be evident on subsequent inspection of the enclosure. The lid may be secured by a padlock, a loop of material held together by a seal or other fastener, an applied seal of a tamper evident paper or plastics material, a frangible fastener, a tamper evident fastener requiring use of a specialized tool for removal, or indeed any means which provides evidence of tampering, whether visual or otherwise. To minimize expense it is preferable that the lid is secured or sealed by a simple mechanical arrangement, although more sophisticated arrangements may be provided if desired. In other embodiments the lid may be alarmed. 
     Preferably also, the coin output opening is normally closed, and most preferably is opened by engagement of the enclosure with the coin-dispensing apparatus. The coin output opening may be opened on or following registration of the enclosure coin output opening with a coin input opening of the apparatus. Thus, the coin output opening is normally arranged to prevent or hinder unauthorized removal of coins via the opening, and is only opened on engagement with the coin-dispensing apparatus. Typically, the output opening will include a mechanical closure which is moved from the opening on engagement with an appropriate mechanical fixture on the coin-dispensing apparatus when the container is located in the apparatus. Alternatively, the closure may be opened by electrical, magnetic or other means. Most preferably, the output opening closure is tamper evident, that is inspection will reveal if an attempt has been made to open the closure by unconventional means, that is other than by engagement with the apparatus, and preferably also if the container has been engaged with a coin-dispensing apparatus on more than one occasion; this latter arrangement may be a simple “tell-tale”, which is marked, moved or broken each time the container is engaged with or removed from an apparatus. Typically, the coin output opening will communicate directly with a coin pick arrangement for feeding coins, one at a time, from the container into the apparatus. 
     The coin input and output openings are preferably provided separately in the enclosure, but if desired may be combined in a single opening. 
     Conveniently, the container will include a portion profiled to engage a corresponding profiled portion of the coin-dispensing apparatus, the profiled portions serving to locate the container correctly and securely in the apparatus. The profiles may include means to open the coin output opening. 
     The enclosure may be of any suitable material, including plastics and metal, and is preferably formed of molded high impact polycarbonate or other moldable material. The material may be opaque, or may be transparent, allowing visual inspection of the coin level within the container. 
     The enclosure may be provided with a coin low level sensor, to provide an indication when the level of coins in the container falls below a predetermined level. 
     According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of replenishing a coin-dispensing apparatus, the method comprising: 
     providing a coin container comprising an enclosure including a closeable coin input lid and a closeable coin output opening; 
     filling the container with loose, randomly-arranged coins at a location remote from the coin-dispensing apparatus; 
     closing the lid; 
     transporting the closed container to the coin-dispensing apparatus location; 
     releasably engaging the coin container with the coin-dispensing apparatus; and 
     opening the coin output opening of the enclosure to permit passage of coins into a coin input of the coin-dispensing apparatus. 
     In one embodiment, the steps of releasably engaging the coin container with the coin-dispensing apparatus and opening the coin output opening of the enclosure to permit passage of coins into a coin input of the coin-dispensing apparatus may be performed in a single step so that the coin output opening is automatically opened on engagement with the coin dispensing apparatus. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     These and other aspects of the present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to) the accompanying drawings, in which: 
     FIG. 1 illustrates four coin containers in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention engaged with a coin dispensing apparatus; 
     FIGS. 2A and 2B illustrate front and side views of a coin container according to an alternative embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIGS. 3A to  3 C illustrate side, plan and front views of the container-engaging portion of a coin dispensing apparatus for engaging with the coin container of FIG. 2; and 
     FIG. 4 illustrates the engagement of the coin container of FIG. 2 with the container-engaging portion of the coin dispensing apparatus of FIG.  3 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     FIG. 1 illustrates a coin dispensing apparatus  10  as may be found in a self-service terminal (SST), such as an automated teller machine (ATM), financial services center (FFC), or vending machine. In this example the apparatus  10  is adapted to be fed by four coin containers  12 ,  13 ,  14  and  15  in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. Under control of the central processing unit of the SST, coins are selectively taken from the containers,  12 ,  13 ,  14  and  15  by coin pick arrangements each comprising a rotatable disc provided with a number of openings of corresponding dimensions to the coins to be removed from the individual coin containers, fed past a multi-coin sensor (not shown) within the apparatus  10  (when multiple coins are detected the coins are “dumped”) into an exit chute  16  provided with further multi-coin sensor  18 , and gravity fed to a coin dispense opening  20  in the facia of the SST. 
     The coin containers  12 ,  13 ,  14  and  15  are substantially similar, such that only one of the containers  12  will be described in detail. The container  12  comprises a molded high impact polycarbonate enclosure  22  having a tapering generally rectangular side wall  24 . Flanges  26 ,  27  extend from the upper front and rear of the enclosure  22  to accommodate four fasteners  28  for securing an enclosure lid  30 . The fasteners  28  are tamper evident, in that their fitting and removal requires use of a specialized tool, and other attempts to remove the fasteners  28  will result in visible damage to the fasteners. 
     The base and the lower side wall of the enclosure  22  are profiled to allow the enclosure  22  to he slid rearwardly on respective rails  34 ,  35  provided on the upper face of the dispenser  10 , and to positively engage with a fitting  36  extending around three sides of the upper face of the dispenser. When properly positioned in the fitting  36 , a coin outlet opening defined in the enclosure base  32  is positioned in registration with a respective coin pick arrangement  38  comprising a plastics disc  40  defining a number of openings  42  of corresponding dimensions to the coins held in the container  12 ; by rotating the disc  40  such that the disc openings  42  pass below the enclosure coin outlet opening, coins are removed from the container  12  one at a time. 
     The enclosure coin output opening is normally closed by a spring biased closure member, however on the enclosure base  32  engaging the coin dispenser fitting  36 , a fixture on the coin dispenser moves the closure member away from the opening, allowing coins to pass into the coin pick apparatus  38 . 
     Referring now to FIGS. 2 to  4 , these show schematic views of a coin container according to a further embodiment of the present invention, together with a container-engaging portion of a coin dispensing apparatus and their interaction. 
     FIGS. 2A and 2B show side and front views of a coin container  112 , including a profiled base  132  for engaging with a corresponding portion of the dispenser Located above the base  132  is a receiving member  150 , profiled to engage with a corresponding elongate portion  152  on the dispenser  154  (shown in FIGS. 3A to  3 C), the portion  152  incorporating a central member  155  which cooperates with an outlet opening mechanism  156  with the member  150 . In the base of the container  122  is disposed a closeable coin outlet opening  170  covered by a mechanical closure member  172 , actuated by opening mechanism  156 . 
     FIG. 4 shows the container  112  engaging with the dispenser  154 . The elongate portion  152  of the dispenser  154  is received within the container member  150 , such that the central member  155  operates the outlet opening mechanism  156 . When the container  112  is fully engaged with the dispenser  154 , the coin outlet opening  170  in the container  112  is opened, and aligned with the coin pick arrangement  138  of the dispenser  154 . 
     When the container  112  is removed from the dispenser  154 , the opening mechanism  156  is disengaged from the member  155 , and allows the coin outlet opening  170  to close, so preventing loss of coins from the container  112 . 
     It will be apparent to those of skill in the art that the containers  12 ,  112  described above provide a cassette which may be filled with a predetermined number of coins at a secure central location. Following filling, the lid is secured, and the sealed container is dispatched for delivery to a respective coin dispensing apparatus, such as an ATM, at a remote location. On site, an operator merely has to open the ATM to gain access to the dispenser, remove the existing container, and replace this with the new container. This operation may be carried out quickly and efficiently, and the container removed from the ATM may be returned to the secure central location, still in a sealed condition, for inspection, auditing of the “leftover” coins, and refilling. 
     It will further be evident to those of skill in the art that the above-described embodiments are merely exemplary of the present invention, and that various modifications and improvements may be made thereto without department from the scope of the invention.