AU2005298491A2

AU2005298491A2 - Note conveyor

Info

Publication number: AU2005298491A2
Application number: AU2005298491A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Andrew J Hawkes; Jonathan Sean Kelly
Original assignee: Air Tube Conveyors Ltd
Current assignee: Air Tube Conveyors Ltd
Priority date: 2004-10-25
Filing date: 2005-10-24
Publication date: 2006-05-04
Also published as: GB0708965D0; GB2434146B; GB2434146A; AU2005298491A1; WO2006046020A1; GB0423643D0

Description

WO 2006/046020 PCT/GB2005/004110 Note Conveyor The present invention relates to a note conveyor. More particularly, the present invention relates to a pneumatic conveyor for transporting individual notes.

A note, as referred to herein, is intended to include any individual sheet of paper or like material, for example a bank note.

Point of sale machines, such as product vending machines, game machines, ticket machines, betting machines etc., are used as an unmanned alternative to over-the counter sales for certain products. These types of machines predominantly use coins, but with an increase in the provision of a wider range of products, including machines that sell "intangibles" such as betting machines, the value of the product on sale may be high enough for payment using coins to be inadequate or impractical.

Increasingly, machines are now provided with note readers that handle bank notes.

However, the handling of bank notes presents particular problems. Storing the notes in the machine is a security risk due to the possibility of theft, either from the machine itself or when the notes are emptied.

There are many other circumstances in which it may be desirable not to store notes close to a point of use. For example, it may be desirable for bank notes handed over to sales staff in a retail outlet to be removed to a safe location as soon as possible. A similar situation may arise with cheques, or with confidential documents (e.g.

handling prescription notes in a hospital or pharmacy).

It is known to provide pneumatic conveyors that utilise a capsule into which an operator'can insert cash, notes or other documents. The capsule is conveyed along a suitably dimensioned tube by the flow of air through the tube. However, these systems cannot be used with unmanned point of sale machines because someone has to place the cash into the capsule before it is conveyed.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a note conveyor that alleviates the aforementioned problems.

SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) WO 2006/046020 PCTIGB2005/004110 2 According to the present invention there is provided a note conveyor apparatus comprising hopper means for receiving a note, a duct opening into the hopper, and blower means for supplying air at a positive pressure into the hopper and thereby providing an airflow through the duct, so as to convey the note along the duct.

Preferably, the hopper includes an inlet through which the note is received, and means for closing the inlet after the note is received. The means for closing the inlet may comprise a hinged flap, which is moveable under the influence of air pressure to close the inlet.

It is an advantage that closing the inlet creates a rapid rise of air pressure in the hopper, which assists in "picking up" the note and conveying it through the duct.

The apparatus may further complise a sensor for detecting when a note is received in the hopper. Preferably, the sensor is operable for activating the blower to supply air into the hopper on detecting receipt of a note. The sensor may be an optical sensor.

Preferably the duct is of a rectangular cross section. More preferably, where the note has a certain width, the rectangular cross section has a major dimension that is slightly larger than the width of the note, or, where a plurality of different note sizes are used, the widest note.

The hopper may be provided with an inclined surface or chute for the note to slide down when received in the hopper. Preferably the duct is arranged to have an opening at the foot of the inclined surface to ensure that it is picked up and carried by the airflow into the duct.

In a preferred embodiment, the hopper is arranged such that the note is received with its width substantially parallel to the major cross section of the duct. It is an advantage that, in this arrangement, the note is moved by air flowing from the hopper into the duct such that the note becomes folded or collapsed, rather than adopting a flat profile. It has been found that where a note adopts a flat profile it tends to stick to a wall of the duct.

SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) WO 2006/046020 PCT/GB2005/004110 3 The apparatus may further comprise a receiving station at a far end of the duct to which the note is conveyed. The receiving station may be a chamber or plenum into which the note falls due to a drop in velocity of the airflow. The receiving station may be provided with a further sensor for detecting arrival of the note. The further sensor may be operable for switching off the blower means on detection of a note.

The duct may be manufactured from a plastics material, for example extruded plastics tubing. An anti-static material may be provided to reduce the possibility of a note sticking to a wall of the duct.

In a preferred embodiment the blower means is situated at a position remote from the hopper. A further duct may be provided between the blower means and the hopper.

The further duct may be arranged so as to be adjacent to or formed as an integral unit with the duct along which the note is conveyed. This arrangement provides the advantage of requiring only a single duct installation.

It will be appreciated that blower means, as referred to herein, should not be taken to refer to any particular type or design of blower. Rather, the blower means may be any suitably configured means for providing a supply of air at a positive pressure.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a note conveyor apparatus according to the invention; Figure 2 is a side elevation of a hopper for use with the note conveyor apparatus of Figure 1; Figure 3a.illustrates a note with airflow in a duct in a known conveyor apparatus; and Figures 3b and 3c illustrate a note with airflow in a duct according to the present invention.

SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) WO 2006/046020 PCT/GB2005/004110 4 Referring to Figure 1, a note conveyor apparatus includes a hopper 10 for receiving a note 12. The hopper 10 has a chute into which the note 12 is dropped so as to fall into a plenum 16. An upper portion 16a of the plenum 16 has an inlet opening 20 for receiving air at a positive pressure, supplied by a blower 22. A duct 18 extends from an opening in the lower portion 16b of the plenum 16.

As shown in Figure 1, the duct 18 has a rectangular cross-section and leads from the hopper to a receiving station 24.

In use, the note 12, which, for example, may be a bank note, is introduced into the hopper 10 by way of the chute 14. After the note has been introduced, air at a positive pressure from the blower 22 is directed into the upper portion 16a of the plenum 16.

The air flows through to the lower portion 16b of the plenum and into the duct 18.

The note 12 is carried by the airflow through the duct 18 to the receiving station 24.

Referring to Figure 2, there is shown a hopper 30, similar to the hopper 10 of figure 1.

The hopper 30 has an input 32 for receiving a bank note. For example, the input 32 might lead from a note feeding mechanism in a point of sale machine. Such machines include a feeder mechanism that moves the bank note through a note reader, and a verification device that can recognise the note as a genuine bank note, and can determine the denomination worth) of the bank note.

The hopper 30 has a chute 34 that provides a drop from the input 32 into a plenum 36 at an inlet opening 35. The plenum 36 has two further openings an upper opening 38 for receiving air from a blower (not shown) and a lower opening 40 that leads into a duct (not shown), such as the duct 18 of Figure 1.

The hopper 30 is further provided with a moveable flap 42, pivotally attached at a hinge 44. The flap 42 is moveable from a first position (not shown) in which it hangs vertically in front of the upper opening 38 to a second position (as shown) where it substantially blocks the inlet opening 35 to the plenum 36 from the chute 34. The plenum 36 is also provided with an inclined surface 46, having a bottom end 48 that that has a curved profile, providing a lead into the lower outlet 40. A bank note 47 is shown resting at the bottom end 48 in Figure 2.

SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) WO 2006/046020 PCTIGB2005/004110 An optical sensor device 52 is provided to detect the presence of the bank note 47. In one embodiment the optical sensor device is sensitive to reflections so as to be able to detect when a bank note is present. Alternatively, as shown in Figure 2, the optical sensor device includes a light source 50 and a light detector 52.

In use, the bank note 47 is introduced into the inlet 32 so that it falls down the chute 34. At this stage there is no air being blown into the hopper 30, and so the flap 42 remains hanging in its vertical position. The bank note falls into the plenum 36 and slides down the inclined surface 46 to land at the bottom end 48 just in front of the opening 40 into the duct. In this position the bank note either alters the light reflections to the light detector 52, or interrupts a beam of light from the light source which is detected by the light detector 52. Upon detection of the bank note, air from the blower is directed into the plenum 36 through the upper inlet 38, as shown by the upper arrow in Figure 2. The air is at a positive pressure that serves to lift the flap 42 so that it pivots into its second position and closes off the inlet 35. This ensures that air is not blown back up the chute 34 to the note reader 32.

Furthermore, the closing of the inlet 35 by the flap 42 ensures that the air pressure inside the plenum 36 rises, and that the air flows through the plenum 36 to the lower opening 40 and into the duct, as shown by the lower arrow in Figure 2. The closing of the flap 42 causes a rapid rise in air pressure that serves to dislodge or "pick up" the bank note, which is then conveyed through the duct. Also, as the note is picked up it becomes folded, or collapsed, as will be explained in more detail hereafter.

Referring again to Figure i, the receiving station 24, located at a far end of the duct 18 has a chamber or plenum 26 into which the note falls due to a drop in velocity of the airflow entering the chamber 26. The chamber 26 has a door 28 that allows access to remove the note. Although not shown in Figure 1, the receiving station may be provided with a further sensor arrangement, for example similar to the optical sensor arrangement (50, 52) in the hopper of Figure 2, for detecting arrival of the note. The further sensor switches off the blower 22 on detection of a note. Alternatively the blower 22 may be set to blow air for a fixed time period, which is determined from SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) WO 2006/046020 PCTIGB2005/004110 6 tests, or by trial and error to be sufficient to ensure that the note has arrived at the receiving station 24.

Early attempts to convey individual notes through ducts using air were not successful.

One problem was that these attempts all used suction from the far end of the duct to pull the note through, rather than blowing. It might be considered that there should be little difference between a system that blows and one that sucks. Rather surprisingly, this is not the case. The main problem with these early systems was a tendency for the bank note to stick in the tube. There would seem to be two main reasons why this occurs. Firstly, there is a build up of static charges on the note and the tube walls.

Secondly, as shown in Figure 3a, a note 60 adopts a flat profile and behaves like an aerofoil when sucked along a tube 62. The aerofoil effect causes the note 60 to move towards one wall 64 of the tube 62 and then the presence of static charges causes the note 60 to stick to the tube wall 64.

In the system described and shown in Figures 1 and 2, the duct 18 has a rectangular cross section. This cross-section is sized to have a major dimension that is slightly larger than the width of the note 12 (where more than one note size is used, the major dimension is slightly larger than the width of the widest note). When the note 12 falls down the inclined surface 46, it lands at the bottom end 48 with its width substantially parallel to the major cross sectional dimension of the duct 18. When the air is blown into the hopper (16, 30) the note 12 is picked up by air flowing into the duct 18. As this occurs the note 12 either becomes folded in two, as is shown in Figure 3b, or becomes collapsed as shown by notes 12a and 12b in Figure 3c. The note 12, 12a, 12b presents a large surface area that fills a substantial portion of the cross-section of the duct i.e. it forms a partial obstruction against which the air pushes. This ensures that the note 12, 12a, 12b does not behave as an aerofoil, as in Figure 3a, but continues to be blown centrally along the duct without being moved towards and sticking to a wall.

Furthermore, as the air is blown from the blower 22 into the hopper 16, 34, a high degree of turbulence is created, which helps to prevent the note from adopting a flat aerofoil-like profile.

SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) WO 2006/046020 PCT/GB2005/004110 7 Ideally, the duct 18 is manufactured from a plastics material, for example extruded plastics tubing having a rectangular cross-section. To further ensure that the note does not stick to the wall of the duct, an anti-static material, such as acetyl butyl styrate is used. This material is mixed with the plastics when the tube is formed.

In the system shown in Figure 1, the blower 22 is situated close to the hopper This may not be suitable for many installations, especially where it is required that noise from a blower is kept away from users, for example in a point of sale machine.

In that case it is possible to provide a further length of blower duct from a remote blower to the hopper. For ease of installation, the further duct and the duct 18 can be provided as a single, integral tube enclosing an adjacent pair of ducts.

SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26)

Claims

2. A note conveyor according to claim I, wherein the hopper includes an inlet through which the note is received, and means for closing the inlet after the note is received.
3. A note conveyor according to claim 2, wherein the means for closing the inlet comprises a hinged flap, which is moveable under the influence of air pressure to close the inlet.
4. A note conveyor according to any preceding claim, further comprising a sensor for detecting when a note is received in the plenum. A note conveyor according to claim 4, wherein the sensor is operable for activating the blower to supply air into the plenum on detecting receipt of a note.
6. A note conveyor according to claim 5, wherein the sensor is an optical sensor.
7. A note conveyor according to any preceding claim, wherein the duct is of a rectangular cross section.
8. A note conveyor according to claim 7 wherein, where the note has a certain width, the rectangular cross section has a major dimension that is slightly larger than the width of the note, or, where a plurality of different note sizes are used, the widest note. S9. A note conveyor according to any preceding claim, wherein the plenum is provided with an inclined surface or chute for the note to slide down when received in the hopper. A note conveyor according to claim 9, wherein the duct is arranged to have an opening at the foot of the inclined surface to ensure that the note is picked up and _carried by the airflow into the duct. 00 1 I. A note conveyor according to any preceding claim, wherein the hopper is I arranged such that the note is received with its width substantially parallel to the Smajor cross section of the duct.
12. A note conveyor according to any preceding claim, further comprising a receiving station at a far end of the duct to which the note is conveyed.
13. A note conveyor according to claim 12, wherein the receiving station is a chamber or plenum into which the note falls due to a drop in velocity of the airflow.
14. A note conveyor according to claim 12 or claim 13, wherein the receiving station is provided with a further sensor for detecting arrival of the note. A note conveyor according to claim 14, wherein the further sensor is operable for switching off the blower means on detection of a note.
16. A note conveyor according to any preceding claim, wherein the duct is manufactured from a plastics material.
17. A note conveyor according to claim 16, wherein the duct is manufactured from extruded plastics tubing.
18. A note conveyor according to claim 16 or claim 17, wherein an anti-static material is provided to reduce the possibility of a note sticking to a wall of the duct. 10 18. A note conveyor according to claim 16 or claim 17, wherein an anti-static material is provided to reduce the possibility of a note sticking to a wall of the duct.
19. A note conveyor according to claim 18, wherein the anti-static material is mixed with the plastics when the tube is formed. 00 0 20. A note conveyor according to claim 18 or claim C 10 19, wherein the anti-static material is acetyl butyl 0 styrate.
21. A note conveyor according to any preceding claim, wherein the blower means is situated at a position remote from the hopper, a further duct being provided between the blower means and the hopper.
22. A note conveyor according to claim 21, wherein the further duct is arranged so as to be adjacent to or formed as an integral unit with the duct along which the note is conveyed.
23. A note conveyor apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings. H:\SherylM\Kecp\Speci\P63813.doc 15/05/07