Patent ID: 12258236

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG.1Ais a diagram of a system100comprising a pusher plate stacking bin, according to an example embodiment. It is to be noted that the components are shown schematically in greatly simplified form, with only those components relevant to understanding of the embodiments being illustrated.

Furthermore, the various components (that are identified in theFIG.1) are illustrated and the arrangement of the components is presented for purposes of illustration only. It is to be noted that other arrangements with more or less components are possible without departing from the teachings of a short travel pusher plate stacking bin presented herein and below.

As used herein the term “valuable media” refers to currency, bank notes, checks, or any media of value. The terms “valuable media,” “media,” “banknote,” “note,” “check,” and “currency” may be used interchangeably and synonymously.

A “valuable media depository” refers to a component module of a transaction terminal responsible for storing valuable media for deposit transactions within one or more cassettes of the terminal and responsible for dispensing valuable media from the one or more cassettes during transactions at the transaction terminal.

A valuable media depository can include a media dispenser where deposited media is stored separately from media that is dispensed or the valuable media depository can include a recycler that dispenses media from a same storage where the media is deposited, such that the deposited media is recycled and utilized to fulfill dispense transactions.

Furthermore, the valuable media depository includes at least one bin associated with storing checks.

A “transaction terminal” refers to a multi-component/module composite device that permits valuable media to be deposited during deposit transactions and withdrawn during dispense transactions. A transaction terminal can include an Automated Teller Machine (ATM), a teller machine (operated by a teller on behalf of customers), a Self-Service Terminal (SST) operated by a customer during a checkout operation at a retail store, or a Point-Of-Sale (POS) terminal operated by a cashier on behalf of a customer during a checkout operation (the POS terminal including a dispenser/recycler and/or safe).

The transaction terminal comprises a variety of components, which are not relevant to the discussions herein other than the depository component that comprises a dispenser/recycler and check storage bin. The media when deposited is stored in cassettes and/or bins within a safe when the same cassettes used for deposited media is used to dispense media for dispense transactions, the component includes a recycler, and when the cassettes used for dispensing transactions is different from other cassettes that house deposit transactions, the component is a dispenser. Checks are stored in a bin of the depository.

A “component” or a “module” may be used synonymously and interchangeably herein and refers to an electromechanical device comprising mechanical parts and electromechanical parts. Electronic circuitry of the module may connect to a processor that is specific to and housed within the module or the electronic circuitry may connect to a processor that is external to and separate from the module.

As used herein a “transport path” refers to tracks and/or rollers within a dispenser or recycler and/or a module for transporting or urging the media item through the dispenser or the recycler and/or for transporting or urging the media item through other components of the transaction terminal during deposit of check storage operations and dispense operations being performed on the transaction terminal.

System100comprises a depository100. The depository comprises a shutter module110, an infeed module120, a media separator module130, a media deskew module140, cameras150, a Magnetic Ink Character Recognition (MICR) module160, and a check stacking/storage bin module180.

Deposited media is received at shutter module110and urged along a transport path to the infeed module120. If a stack of media items were deposited, the stack is urged along the transport path to the separator module130where each media item is separated from the stack and provided along the transport path to the deskew module140. Deskew module140orients the media properly along the transport path before ejecting the media along the transport path for imaging by a plurality of cameras/image sensors150. Executable instructions receive the image data from cameras150and identify the type of media (currency or check); currency is validated to ensure the currency is not a counterfeit; and any check is validated for required fields, such as payor, payee, date, amount, signatures, etc. Any check is also read by MICR module160for identifying bank routing information, account information, check number information, etc. When the media is a check and passed through MICR module160it is urged along the transport path to an escrow module170for temporary storage pending verification by the executable instructions. Once verified, the check is ejected from escrow module170onto the transport path and fed to a novel check stacking module180for stacking and storing in a check bin.

It is to be noted thatFIG.1Amay include a plurality of other modules and may be arranged differently; as such,FIG.1Ais presented for purposes of comprehending the overall path by which a check is received at a novel check stacking module180within a depository100.

In an embodiment, depository100lacks or does not include escrow module170.

In an embodiment, depository100includes an escrow module170(as illustrated inFIGS.1B and1Cbelow).

FIG.1Bis a diagram of an overall rear view of a pusher plate stacking bin module/apparatus182, according to an example embodiment.

FIG.1Billustrates a check stacking module180comprising an escrow module170and a pusher stacking plate bin apparatus182.

FIG.1Cis a diagram of an overall front view of the pusher plate stacking bin apparatus182, according to an example embodiment.

FIG.1Cillustrates the transport apparatus/path181that urges the check into the check stacking module180and into the pusher stacking plate bin apparatus182.

FIG.1Dis a diagram of a cross-sectional view of the stacking bin apparatus for the pusher plate stacking bin apparatus182, according to an example embodiment.

FIG.1Dillustrates components of the pusher stacking plate bin apparatus182. More specifically, a pusher stacking plate182A is illustrated in an upper position with upper and lower rollers1828to urge a check into a bin entry area by full width transport rollers182C over a fixed media guide182D and a hinged media guide182E above a media platform182F. Media platform182F is shown inFIG.1Din a sprung orientation indicating that the media platform182F is empty (highest point—lacks any check stacked on platform182F). Platform182F is suspended on tension springs (182F-2shown inFIG.1Ibelow).

Pusher stacking plate182A is driven by a Direct Current (DC) motor182A-4using a rack and pinion apparatus182A-3as shown inFIG.1Ibelow.

FIG.1Eis a diagram of a cross-sectional view having detail of a check190in final position before the stacking plate182A is actuated, according to an example embodiment. Upon entry of a check190above platform182F, a trailing edge190A of the check190is stopped directly above fixed media guide182D.

Fixed upper rollers182B-1remain in contact with check190to drive or urge check190into a final position before check190is stacked onto platform182F. This final position illustrates a trailing edge190A of check190which remains on or above fixed media guide182D; adjacent to trailing edge190A is a cliff edge182A where a corresponding portion of check190is elevated above platform182F (creating a small gap between the trailing edge190A of check190and platform182F—the trailing edge190A of check190is approximately 10 mm).

FIG.1Fis a diagram of a top-down view of the pusher plate stacking bin with a check190in position before the stacking plate182A is actuated, according to an example embodiment.

FIG.1Fprovides a view from above pusher stacking plate apparatus182illustration a check190of 225 mm in length and 110 mm in width while check190has a trailing edge190A that remains above the fixed media guide182D by a 10 mm overlap and an opposing edge remains above hinged media guide182E by a 13 mm overlap. This is the final position of check190before stacking plate182A is actuated to stack and to push check190onto platform182F.

FIG.1Gis a diagram of an end-sectional view of the check in position before the stacking plate182A is actuated, according to an example embodiment.

FIG.1Gillustrates the final position of check190above platform182F for a check190having a length of 225 mm and a width of 110 mm. Trailing edge190A remain above platform182F on top of fixed media guide182D while the opposite edge of check190rests above hinged media guide182E by approximately 13 mm. Hinged media guide182E is trapped by platform182F creating a pinch on check190. Platform182F is in an upper position and stacking plate182A is in an upper position. The opposite end of check190(opposite trailing edge190A) extends on top of hinged media guide182E by approximately 13 mm.FIG.1Galso illustrates the hinged point182E-1of hinged media guide182E. Moreover,FIG.1Gillustrates the position of check190before stacking plate182A is actuated to stack the check onto platform182F. Stacking plate182A is still in an upper position182A-1inFIG.1G.

FIG.1His a diagram of an end-sectional view of the check in position after the stacking plate182A is actuated, according to an example embodiment.

Stacking plate182A is shown in a lower position182A-2once actuated by DC motor182A-4causing rack and pinion apparatus182A-3to drive stacking plate182A from an upper position182A-1into the lower position182A-2forcing the check onto platform182F. Check190is folded190B during entry into apparatus182and hinged media guide182E is shown in a dropped or lower position182E-2, dropped along hinged point182E-1when stacking plate182A forces platform182F downward into a lower position182F-1.

FIG.1Iis a diagram of a rear view of a pusher plate rack and pinion apparatus182A-3and media platform apparatus182F of the pusher plate stacking bin apparatus182, according to an example embodiment.

DC motor182A-4drives rack and pinion apparatus182A-3once check190is in a final position on platform182F causing stacking plate182A to drive down against platform182F, which compresses springs182F-2and stacks check190onto platform182F.FIG.1Ialso shows roller drive belts and gears182B-3for check bin transport apparatus182B.

A length of pusher stacking plate182A is shorter that a length of the platform182F. Moreover, the length of pusher stacking plate182A is configured and oriented within pusher plate stacking bin apparatus182such that as the pusher stacking plate182A is moved towards platform182F, the plate182A moves past guides182D and182E without engaging or contacting guides182D and182E.

In an embodiment, fixed upper rollers182B-1and hinged lower rollers182B-2engage a top surface and a bottom surface of the media item upon entry into the pusher plate stacking bin apparatus182and to urge the media item above the media stacking platform182F into the final position before the pusher stacking plate182A is activated to stack the media item onto platform182F.

In an embodiment, bin transport rollers182B comprise two pair of rollers, each pair comprising one fixed upper roller182B-1and one opposing hinged lower roller182B-2. When the media item is in the final position within apparatus182, the first pair of rollers pinch the media item at a first location that is adjacent to a trailing edge of the media item and the second pair of rollers pinch the media item at a second location that is adjacent to a leading edge of the media item. This is different from conventional approaches that comprise rollers along the entire length of the media item within conventional stacking bins; as such, apparatus182requires less rollers than conventional stacking bins, which further reduces manufacturing costs and mechanical components associated with apparatus182when compared with conventional stacking bins.

Pusher stacking plate182A has a smaller (reduced) stroke than what has been traditionally required. The stroke distance is approximately 18 mm compared to existing stroke distances of 74 mm required by existing pusher stake plates. By reducing the overlap between the trailing edge190A of check190on fixed media guide182D and the overlap between the opposite end of check190(opposite trailing edge190A) on hinged media guide182E from what has been conventionally thought necessary, the plate stroke can be reduced from 74 mm to approximately 18 mm, saving 56 mm in vertical distance. Additionally, since the stroke is substantially longer in existing pusher stacking plates, these existing plates require a more powerful motor using a combination of scissor linkage driven by ball and screw mechanism to drive the check through a narrow opening and against a spring loaded force with the check being folded on entry on both sides (only one fold is necessary with pusher plate stacking bin apparatus182). Conversely, DC motor182A-5does not need to be as powerful as what is conventionally required, the DC motor182A-5has an internal gearbox of approximately 90 to 1 gearing, which allows it to be compact with a high torque output in a small space volume utilizing rack and pinion apparatus182A-3.

As a result, pusher plate stacking bin apparatus182provides improved power and space efficiency over conventional check stacking bins and conventional pusher stacking plates. This allows for an overall space footprint of depository100to be decreased from what has conventionally been required or allows for increased feature function of other modules within depository100by permitting a size of depository100to remain fixed with other modules allowed to grow in size (for increased feature/function) by an amount of space saved by check stacking bin module180and pusher plate staking bin apparatus182.

These and other embodiments are now discussed with reference toFIGS.2-4.

FIG.2is a diagram of a method200of operating a check stacking bin module180and/or pusher plate stacking bin apparatus182, according to an example embodiment. The software module(s) that implements the method200is referred to as a “check stacking bin controller.” The check stacking bin controller is implemented as executable instructions/firmware programmed and residing within memory and/or a non-transitory computer-readable (processor-readable) storage medium and executed by one or more processors of a device.

In an embodiment, the device is a motherboard associated with depository100.

In an embodiment, the device is a controller motherboard associated with a transaction terminal. The controller motherboard is connected through electronic circuitry to the electromechanical components of the novel stacking bin module180and/or182to urge a check into a final position within stacking bin module180and/or182, activate motor182A-4causing pusher stacking plate182A to drive a check onto platform182F and causing platform182F to drive downward by rack and pinion mechanism182A-3.

At210, the check stacking bin controller urges a leading edge of a media item at an entry position through pusher plate stacking bin apparatus182into a final position. A first portion of the media item associated with a leading-edge rests on top of hinged media guide182E and a second portion of the media item associated with a trailing edge rests on top of fixed media guide182D.

In an embodiment, at211, the check stacking bin controller pinches the media item between two pairs of opposing rollers and moves the media item from the entry position towards a final position as a bottom surface of the media item remain elevated above media stacking platform182F.

In an embodiment of211and at212, the check stacking bin controller rests the bottom surface corresponding with the trailing edge on top of fixed media guide182D with a first overhang of approximately 10 mm.

In an embodiment of212and at213, the check stacking bin controller rests the bottom surface corresponding with the leading edge on top of hinged media guide182E with a second overhang of approximately 13 mm.

At220, the check stacking bin controller drives pusher plate182A from an initial position to an end position by moving pusher plate182A, using rack and pinion apparatus182A-3, downward from the initial position onto a top surface of the media item and past fixed media guide182D and hinged media guide182E onto media stacking platform182F and into the end position.

In an embodiment, at221, the check stacking bin controller causes hinged media guide182E to drop downward at hinged point182E-1towards media stacking platform182F folding the media item along the leading edge as the pusher plate182A moves past hinged media guide182E towards the end position.

At230, the check stacking bin controller retracts pusher plate182A from the end position to the initial position, using rack and pinion apparatus182A-3, upward from the end position off the top surface of the media item and back past fixed media guide182D and hinged media guide182E into the initial position.

The above description is illustrative, and not restrictive. Many other embodiments will be apparent to those of skill in the art upon reviewing the above description. The scope of embodiments should therefore be determined with reference to the appended claims, along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled.

In the foregoing description of the embodiments, various features are grouped together in a single embodiment for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure. This method of disclosure is not to be interpreted as reflecting that the claimed embodiments have more features than are expressly recited in each claim. Rather, as the following claims reflect, inventive subject matter lies in less than all features of a single disclosed embodiment. Thus, the following claims are hereby incorporated into the Description of the Embodiments, with each claim standing on its own as a separate exemplary embodiment.