WO2024159023A1

WO2024159023A1 - Banknote strapping device

Info

Publication number: WO2024159023A1
Application number: PCT/US2024/012965
Authority: WO
Inventors: Matthew BOCHNAK; Roy Charles Schoon; Carl James Sarro; Neel S. PATEL
Original assignee: Cummins-Allison Corp.
Priority date: 2023-01-25
Filing date: 2024-01-25
Publication date: 2024-08-02

Abstract

A banknote strapping device (100) includes a banknote floor (910) moveable from a floor home position to a floor strapping position. The banknote strapping device also includes a plunger assembly (1100) having an anvil (1120). The plunger assembly is configured to move the anvil from an anvil home position to an anvil strapping position, wherein the anvil contacts a stack of banknotes on the banknote floor and moves the stack of banknotes and the banknote floor to a strapping position (511) with the anvil at the anvil strapping position and the banknote floor at the floor strapping position at which the stack of banknotes is strapped. The banknote strapping device also includes an ejector (506) moveable with the banknote floor. The ejector includes a double lobed camshaft (516) operable to move at least one pusher arm (514) to both release the strapped stack of banknotes from under the anvil and eject the banknotes from the banknote strapping device.

Description

BANKNOTE STRAPPING DEVICE

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] This disclosure relates generally to banknote processing devices. More specifically, this disclosure relates to a banknote strapping device.

BACKGROUND

[0002] Previous banknote or currency bill strapping devices have various shortcomings.

SUMMARY

[0003] This disclosure provides a banknote strapping device.

[0004] According to various embodiments, a banknote strapping device includes a banknote floor moveable generally parallel to a first linear direction from a floor home position to a floor strapping position, wherein the banknote floor is spring biased towards the floor home position. The banknote strapping device also includes a plunger assembly having an anvil. The plunger assembly is configured to move the anvil from an anvil home position to an anvil strapping position. The anvil travels generally parallel to the first linear direction and contacts a stack of banknotes on the banknote floor and moves the stack of banknotes and the banknote floor to a strapping position with the anvil at the anvil strapping position and the banknote floor at the floor strapping position at which the stack of banknotes is strapped. The banknote strapping device also includes an ejector moveable with the banknote floor. The ejector includes a double lobed camshaft operable to move at least one pusher arm to both release the strapped stack of banknotes from under the anvil and eject the banknotes from the banknote strapping device.

[0005] According to various embodiments, a method of strapping banknotes uses a banknote strapping device including a banknote floor moveable generally parallel to a first linear direction from a floor home position to a floor strapping position, a plunger assembly having an anvil, and an ejector moveable with the banknote floor. The method includes moving the anvil generally parallel to the first linear direction from an anvil home position toward a second anvil strapping position. The method also includes contacting, by the anvil during movement of the anvil, a stack of banknotes on the banknote floor and moving the stack of banknotes and the banknote floor to a strapping position at which the stack of banknotes is strapped with the anvil being positioned at the anvil strapping position and the banknote floor being positioned at the floor strapping position. The method also includes strapping the stack of banknotes at the strapping position. The method also includes ejecting the strapped stack of banknotes using a double lobed camshaft of the ejector by moving at least one pusher arm to both release the strapped stack of banknotes from under the anvil and eject the banknotes from the banknote strapping device.

[0006] According to various embodiments, a banknote strapping device comprises a banknote floor, moveable generally parallel to a first linear direction from a floor home position to a floor strapping position; and a banknote cradle having a cradle stacking position, wherein when in the cradle stacking position, the banknote cradle is positioned near the floor home position so that banknotes from a transport path may be stacked on the cradle. The banknote strapping device further comprising a plunger assembly having an anvil, wherein the plunger assembly is configured to move the anvil generally parallel to the first linear direction from a first anvil home position on a first side of the cradle stacking position of the cradle to a second anvil strapping position located on a second side of the cradle stacking position. When a first predetermined number of banknotes have been stacked on the cradle, the cradle retracts from the cradle stacking position and as the cradle moves from the cradle stacking position, a stack of banknotes that had been stacked thereupon is transferred to the banknote floor positioned at the floor home position. The anvil then travels generally parallel to the first linear direction and contacts the stack of banknotes on the floor and moves the stack of banknotes and the floor to a strapping position with the anvil at the anvil strapping position and the floor at the floor strapping position at which the stack of banknotes is strapped. The floor home position, the floor strapping position, the cradle home position, the anvil home position, and the anvil strapping position are arranged linearly generally parallel to the first linear direction.

[0007] According to various embodiments, a banknote strapping device comprises a generally vertical stacking and strapping column; and a banknote floor residing within the generally vertical stacking and strapping column and moveable generally vertically within the column, the banknote floor being biased upward to a floor home position. The banknote strapping device further comprises a banknote cradle having a cradle stacking position and a cradle retracted position, wherein when in the cradle stacking position, the banknote cradle is positioned within the stacking and strapping column above the banknote floor so that banknotes from a transport path may be stacked on the cradle, wherein when in the cradle retracted position, the banknote cradle is not positioned in the stacking and strapping column. The banknote strapping device further comprises a plunger assembly having an anvil, wherein the plunger assembly is configured to move the anvil generally vertically downward within the stacking and strapping column from an upper anvil home position above the cradle stacking position of the cradle to a lower strapping position; wherein when a first predetermined number of banknotes have been stacked on the cradle, the cradle retracts from the cradle stacking position and the cradle retracted position and wherein as the cradle moves from the cradle stacking position to the cradle retracted position, a stack of banknotes that had been stacked thereupon is transferred to the banknote floor positioned at the floor home position; wherein the anvil then travels generally vertically downward and contacts atop banknote in the stack of banknotes on the floor and pushes the stack of banknotes and the floor to a strapping position at which the stack of banknotes is strapped; wherein the cradle returns to the cradle stacking position while the anvil is positioned below the cradle stacking position; and wherein, after the stack of banknotes has been strapped, the plunger assembly pivots the anvil out of the stacking and strapping column, then raises the anvil above the cradle stacking position, and then pivots the anvil back into the stacking and strapping column.

[0008] According to various embodiments, a method of strapping banknotes using a banknote strapping device comprising a banknote floor moveable generally parallel to a first linear direction from a floor home position to a floor strapping position; a banknote cradle having a cradle stacking position; and a plunger assembly having an anvil is provided. The method comprises stacking banknotes on the banknote cradle when the cradle is in the cradle stacking position positioned near the floor home position; when a first predetermined number of banknotes have been stacked on the cradle, retracting the cradle from the cradle stacking position and transferring a stack of banknotes that had been stacked on the cradle to the banknote floor positioned at the floor home position; moving the anvil generally parallel to the first linear direction from an anvil home position on a first side of the cradle stacking position of the cradle toward a second anvil strapping position located on a second side of the cradle stacking position; while moving the anvil, the anvil contacting a stack of banknotes on the floor and moving the stack of banknotes and the floor to a strapping position at which the stack of banknotes is strapped with the anvil being positioned at the anvil strapping position and the floor being positioned at the floor strapping position; and strapping the stack of banknotes at the strapping position; wherein the floor home position, the floor strapping position, the cradle home position, the anvil home position, and the anvil strapping position are arranged linearly generally parallel to the first linear direction.

[0009] Other technical features may be readily apparent to one skilled in the art from the following figures, descriptions, and claims.

[0010] Before undertaking the DETAILED DESCRIPTION below, it may be advantageous to set forth definitions of certain words and phrases used throughout this patent document. The term “couple” and its derivatives refer to any direct or indirect communication or interaction between two or more elements, whether or not those elements are in physical contact with one another. The terms “transmit,” “receive,” and “communicate,” as well as derivatives thereof, encompass both direct and indirect communication. The terms “include” and “comprise,” as well as derivatives thereof, mean inclusion without limitation. The term “or” is inclusive, meaning and/or. The phrase “associated with,” as well as derivatives thereof, means to include, be included within, interconnect with, contain, be contained within, connect to or with, couple to or with, be communicable with, cooperate with, interleave, juxtapose, be proximate to, be bound to or with, have, have a property of, have a relationship to or with, or the like. The term “controller” means any device, system or part thereof that controls at least one operation. Such a controller may be implemented in hardware or a combination of hardware and software and/or firmware. The functionality associated with any particular controller may be centralized or distributed, whether locally or remotely. The phrase “at least one of,” when used with a list of items, means that different combinations of one or more of the listed items may be used, and only one item in the list may be needed. For example, “at least one of: A, B, and C” includes any of the following combinations: A, B, C, A and B, A and C, B and C, and A and B and C.

[0011] Moreover, various functions described below can be implemented or supported by one or more computer programs, each of which is formed from computer readable program code and embodied in a computer readable medium. The terms “application” and “program” refer to one or more computer programs, software components, sets of instructions, procedures, functions, objects, classes, instances, related data, or a portion thereof adapted for implementation in a suitable computer readable program code. The phrase “computer readable program code” includes any type of computer code, including source code, object code, and executable code. The phrase “computer readable medium” includes any type of medium capable of being accessed by a computer, such as read only memory (ROM), electrically erasable programmable read only memory (EEPROM/E²PROM), random access memory (RAM), ferroelectric RAM (FRAM), a hard disk drive, a compact disc (CD), a digital video disc (DVD), or any other type of volatile/non-volatile/memory. A “non-transitory” computer readable medium excludes wired, wireless, optical, or other communication links that transport transitory electrical or other signals. A non-transitory computer readable medium includes media where data can be permanently stored and media where data can be stored and later overwritten, such as a rewritable optical disc or an erasable memory device.

[0012] Definitions for other certain words and phrases are provided throughout this patent document. Those of ordinary skill in the art should understand that in many if not most instances, such definitions apply to prior as well as future uses of such defined words and phrases.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0013] For a more complete understanding of this disclosure and its advantages, reference is now made to the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0014] FIGURE 1 illustrates a perspective view of a banknote strapping device in accordance with various embodiments of this disclosure;

[0015] FIGURE 2 illustrates a front view of the banknote strapping device of FIGURE 1 in accordance with various embodiments of this disclosure;

[0016] FIGURE 3 illustrates a sectional perspective view of the banknote strapping device of FIGURE 1 showing a strapped stack of banknotes in accordance with various embodiments of this disclosure;

[0017] FIGURES 4A-4K illustrate front sectional views of the banknote strapping device of FIGURE 1 illustrating various positions of components during the process of receiving and strapping a stack of banknotes in accordance with various embodiments of this disclosure;

[0018] FIGURES 5A-5 J illustrate various views of select components of an example column strapping system within the banknote strapping device of FIGURE 1 in accordance with embodiments of this disclosure;

[0019] FIGURE 5K illustrates another embodiment of an ejector assembly in accordance with various embodiments of this disclosure;

[0020] FIGURE 6 illustrates a schematic representation of a banknote processing system comprising a banknote processing device and a plurality of banknote strapping devices in accordance with various embodiments of this disclosure;

[0021] FIGURE 7 illustrates a block diagram of various components of a banknote processing system or device in accordance with various embodiments of this disclosure;

[0022] FIGURE 8A illustrates a perspective view of a strap feed and strap cut mechanism of a banknote strapping device in accordance with various embodiments of this disclosure;

[0023] FIGURE 8B illustrates a front view of a strap feed and strap cut mechanism of a banknote strapping device in accordance with various embodiments of this disclosure;

[0024] FIGURE 8C illustrates a partial sectional view of a portion of a banknote strapping device in accordance with various embodiments of this disclosure; [0025] FIGURE 9A illustrates a front view of a banknote strapping device and a document processing system in accordance with various embodiments of this disclosure;

[0026] FIGURE 9B illustrates a perspective view of a banknote strapping device and a document processing system in accordance with various embodiments of this disclosure;

[0027] FIGURE 10A illustrates a front view of a banknote strapping device and a document processing system in accordance with various embodiments of this disclosure; and

[0028] FIGURE 10B illustrates a perspective view of a banknote strapping device and a document processing system in accordance with various embodiments of this disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0029] FIGURES 1-10B, discussed below, and the various embodiments used to describe the principles of the present disclosure in this patent document are by way of illustration only and should not be construed in any way to limit the scope of the disclosure. Those skilled in the art will understand that the principles of this disclosure may be implemented in any suitably arranged device or system.

[0030] As used throughout this specification, the terms currency denomination, denomination of currency, valuable document, currency bill, bill, banknote, note, bank check, paper money, paper currency, coin, coinage, and cash may be used interchangeably herein to refer to a type of a negotiable instrument or any other writing that evidences a right to the payment of a monetary obligation, typically issued by a central banking authority.

[0031] As noted above, previous banknote or currency bill strapping devices have various shortcomings. For example, previous banknote or currency bill strapping devices included a plunger, a spring -loaded banknote floor to carry banknotes to a strapping position when moved by the plunger, and an ejector to eject a stack of strapped banknotes after being strapped. However, the plunger, banknote floor, and ejector, and their accompanying movement systems, are often placed in different planes, requiring separate assemblies to move each component (e.g., three different planes and three different assemblies). Thus, these separate assemblies each require separate mechanisms, resulting in more complexity, higher material and labor costs, and higher numbers of fine-tuning adjustments by machine production and service, as well as taking up more space within the machine to accommodate each assembly.

[0032] Embodiments of the banknote strapping device of the present disclosure combines these three systems into a linear rail system or assembly that allows the plunger, the banknote floor, and the ejector to move independently of each other, while reducing the footprint (the space occupied within the machine) of the system, reducing the number of parts, material and labor costs, and complexity of the system, and overall increasing the efficiency of the banknote strapping device. Additionally, embodiments of the banknote strapping device of the present disclosure include a new ejector mechanism that includes a drive system coupled to the spring-loaded banknote floor. The drive system consolidates the ejector system with the other assemblies on the linear rail system. Particularly, once banknotes are stacked on the spring-loaded banknote floor, the plunger, which includes an anvil, pushes the spring-loaded banknote floor down to a strapping position. Once the notes have been strapped, a motor located on the banknote floor drives a two-lobed camshaft. A first cam lobe of the two-lobed camshaft releases pressure on the banknotes from the anvil, while a second lobe of the two-lobed camshaft pushes on the banknote ejector, causing the strapped banknote to be ejected from the banknote strapping device.

[0033] Embodiments of the banknote strapping device of the present disclosure further include an updated plunger system that includes floor and eject motion guides, which includes a rail system that is long enough to accommodate adding the banknote floor to the system, and which reduces the number of parts and assembly times and provides a smaller footprint within the machine. Embodiments of the banknote strapping device of the present disclosure further include that the banknote floor is integrated into a linear guide of the plunger and that has a built-in motor and camshaft for the ejector system, which includes a spring size optimized for the weight of the banknote floor and cable routing guidance, and which also reduces the number of parts and assembly times, and provides a smaller footprint within the machine. [0034] Embodiments of the banknote strapping device of the present disclosure further include an ejector that is integrated into the floor guidance system such that the ejector fits within an available space envelope that reduces the footprint of the ejector within the machine. Embodiments of the banknote strapping device of the present disclosure further include a double-lobed camshaft rotationally driven by a motor and that uses cams instead of a linear belt drive, which includes a properly sized motor and camshafts to provide a smaller footprint within the machine.

[0035] FIGURE 1 illustrates a perspective view of a banknote strapping device 100 in accordance with various embodiments of this disclosure. FIGURE 1 illustrates that the banknote strapping device 100 includes a housing 110. The housing 110 includes strapping material 120 for use in strapping banknotes and an output dispensing ramp 185 upon which a strapped stack of banknotes can be ejected from the strapping device 100. According to various embodiments, the strapping device 100 has a width Wj of about 20 inches (51 cm), a depth Di of about 20 inches (51 cm) and a height Hi of about 22 inches (56 cm), although it will be understood that the banknote strapping device 100 can have various dimensions.

[0036] FIGURE 2 illustrates a front view of the banknote strapping device 100 in accordance with various embodiments of this disclosure. FIGURE 3 illustrates a sectional perspective view of the banknote strapping device of FIGURE 1 showing a strapped stack of banknotes BN in accordance with various embodiments of this disclosure. FIGURES 4A-4K illustrate front sectional views of the banknote strapping device of FIGURE 1, illustrating various positions of components during the process of receiving and strapping a stack of banknotes in accordance with various embodiments of this disclosure. According to various embodiments, FIGURES 4A-4K illustrate sequential steps in a process of strapping a stack of banknotes using the banknote strapping device 100.

[0037] According to various embodiments, the banknote strapping device 100 comprises a strapping transport mechanism 170 configured to transport banknotes sequentially in a non-overlapping manner along a strapping transport path to one or more stacker wheels 610 (see, e.g., FIGURES 2-4A). According to various embodiments, the strapping transport mechanism comprises an upper transport plate 170U and a lower transport plate 170L defining the strapping transport path therebetween (see, e.g., FIGURES 2-4A). According to various embodiments, the stacker wheels 610 are rotationally driven and controlled by a stacker wheel motor 610_M (see FIGURE 3) communicatively coupled to a processor, e.g., processor 1375 (FIGURE 7).

[0038] According to various embodiments, strapping transport mechanism 170 comprises one or more driven transport rolls to transport banknotes along the strapping transport path to the stacker wheels 610 and the driven transport rolls are rotationally driven and controlled by one or more transport motors communicatively coupled to a processor, e.g., processor 1375 (FIGURE 7).

[0039] Banknotes received by the stacker wheels 610 are then stacked on a cradle 620 positioned in a cradle home or stacking position 620H (see, e.g., FIGURE 4A) located within a generally vertical stacking and strapping column 105 (see, e.g., FIGURES 2 and 4A). According to various embodiments, the cradle 620 comprises one or more cradle arms. The cradle 620 positioned in a cradle home or stacking position 620H (see, e.g., FIGURE 4A) is sometimes referred to as a banknote escrow location. According to various embodiments, the cradle 620 is configured to accommodate the stacking of as many as 100 to 125 banknotes thereon.

[0040] According to various embodiments, one or more tamping arms such as front tamping arm 330F and rear tamping arm 330R may be employed to tap the front and rear edges of banknotes BN as they are being stacked on the cradle 620 and/or are in a stack of banknotes resting on the cradle 620 (see, e.g., FIGURE 3). According to various embodiments, the one or more tamping arms 330_F, 330R, move forward and backward in a reciprocating manner and their motion may be coordinated so the tamping arms 330_F, 33 OR move to their innermost positions at the same time.

[0041] According to various embodiments, the banknote strapping device 100 comprises a reel or roll 120_R of strapping material 120 within the housing 110 (see, e.g., FIGURE 3).

[0042] FIGURE 4A illustrates a front view of the banknote strapping device 100 of FIGURE 1 illustrating various components positioned in their initial positions prior to any banknotes having been received in the stacker wheels 610 or on the cradle 620. In FIGURE 4A, a plunger module or assembly 1100 (see FIGURES 5A-5J) comprising a plunger arm 1110 and an anvil 1120 are shown in their respective plunger arm home position 1110H and upper anvil home position 1 I20H. The cradle 620 is positioned in a cradle home or stacking position 620H and a floor 910 is positioned in a floor home position 91 OH. AS can be seen in FIGURE 4A, the anvil 1120 in the anvil home position 1 I20H, the cradle 620 in a cradle home or stacking position 620H, and the floor 910 are positioned vertically with respect to each other and are all located within the generally vertical stacking and strapping column 105. In this regard, according to various embodiments, banknotes to be strapped by a strapping device 100 are all stacked in a single escrow region located in a single stacking and strapping column 105 and then strapped at a strapping position within the same stacking and strapping column 105.

[0043] According to various embodiments, the generally vertical stacking and strapping column 105 is defined in part by right surface or wall 580 on the right side and an upper left surface or wall 592 and a lower left surface or wall 590 on the left side. Tamping arms 330_F, 330R may also define a front and rear side of the generally vertical stacking and strapping column 105 according to various embodiments.

[0044] FIGURE 4B illustrates various components in positions after a number of banknotes BN have been stacked on the cradle 620 while the cradle is in the cradle home or stacking position 620_H. According to various embodiments, before or after banknotes begin to be routed along the strapping transport path, a strapper printer 120_PR may print desired information on a lead portion of the strapping material 120. For example, the information printed on the strapping material may include the denomination of banknotes to be stacked on the cradle, strapping device 100 identification information, banknote batch information, time and/or date information relating to the time and/or date a stack of banknotes was processed by the strapping device 100, operator information such as an operator identifier (e.g., operator name and/or number), identifying information of one or more other banknote processing devices from which the banknote strapping device 100 received the banknotes to be strapped, banknote source and/or destination information such as identification information of a customer and/or financial institution from which the banknotes originated and/or which operated the strapping device 100 and/or to which a strap of a banknotes is to be delivered, etc. After optionally having information printed thereon, the lead portion of the strapping material is cut by a strap cutter 120CUT and a lead end of a cut piece (or strap) 120c of strapping material 120 is transported or fed onto an upper surface of the floor 910. According to various embodiments, the lead portion of the strapping material is transported or fed onto an upper surface of the floor 910 prior to the lead portion of the strapping material being cut into a strap 120_c by the strap cutter 120CUT.

[0045] According to various embodiments, the strap or piece 120_c of strapping material 120 is cut to a standard length based on the type and/or denomination and/or width of banknotes to be strapped and not based on the quality of the banknotes to be strapped (e.g., new, brick quality; highly worn, used currency, etc.). For example, because all denominations of U.S. currency have the same dimensions including width, the length of the strap 120_c is cut to a single standard length regardless of which denomination of U.S. banknotes is to be strapped and regardless of the quality or qualities of the banknotes to be strapped.

[0046] According to various embodiments, the length of a strap 120c is set using the following formula:

Strap length = overlap_mm + 2*banknote width + 2*height of stack_max

[0047] For U.S. banknotes having a banknote width of 2.61 inches, a desired minimum overlap in the ends of the strap 120c (overlap_mm) being set to 0.40 inches, and a maximum compressed height of a stack of unfit U.S. currency (height of stack_max) being set to 0.80 inches, a standard strap length for U.S. banknotes may be set to 7.72 inches. By contrast, according to various embodiments, the compressed height of a stack of fit U.S. banknotes may be 0.50 inches. According to various embodiments, the corresponding width of the stacking and strapping column 105 may be set to 2.64 inches providing a clearance of 0.03 inches.

[0048] According to various embodiments, strapping material is cut when a cam 459 is rotated and lifts a follower lever 120_FL which drives the strapping material 120 into a serrated edge of a strap cutter 120_CUT. AS also described herein with respect to FIGURES 8A-8C, strapping material 120 can be positioned in a strapping material transport path located partially below a guide plate 1410. According to various embodiments, the cam follower lever 120_FL forces a gripper block 1402 and the strapping material 120 against spring-loaded grippers 1404. Together the gripper block 1402 and the spring-loaded grippers 1404 grasp the strapping material 120 and force the strapping material 120 through the serrated edge of the strap cutter 120_CUT.

[0049] According to various embodiments, strapping material 120 and/or cut straps 120_c may be fed along a strapping material transport path by one or more strapping material feed rollers 120FEED (see, e.g., FIGURE 4B and 8C).

[0050] In FIGURE 4B, banknotes BN begin to be sequentially transported from the strapping transport path to the stacker wheels 610 and are then stacked on the cradle 620 positioned in the cradle home or stacking position 620H.

[0051] In FIGURE 4C, the cradle 620 is shown in a cradle retracted position 620R. In the cradle retracted position 620R, ends or tips 620T of the cradle arms do not extend into the stacking and strapping column 105. Banknotes are often strapped with a first predetermined number of banknotes in a strap of banknotes. Often the first predetermined number of banknotes is one hundred (100) banknotes. According to various embodiments, after a certain number of banknotes have been stacked on the cradle 620, the cradle 620 is retracted to the cradle retracted position 620R and the stack of banknotes that had been stacked thereon are transferred to and supported by the floor 910 with the strap or cut piece 120_c of strapping material 120 being pinched or sandwiched between the bottom banknote in the stack of banknotes and the floor 910 and is held in place by the weight of the stack of banknotes. According to various embodiments, the certain number of banknotes is less than the first predetermined number of banknotes, e.g., the certain number may be 95, 96, 97, or 98 banknotes when the first predetermined number of banknotes is 100 banknotes. According to various embodiments, the certain number of banknotes is the first predetermined number of banknotes, that is, the cradle 620 is moved to the cradle retracted position 620_R when a complete stack of banknotes to be strapped has been stacked upon the cradle 620.

[0052] The plunger assembly 1100 is configured to move the anvil 1120 generally vertically downward within the stacking and strapping column 105 from the upper anvil home position 1120H above the cradle home or stacking position 620H to a lower anvil strapping position 1120STR (see FIGURE 4F).

[0053] In FIGURE 4D, the anvil 1120 has moved downward and has made contact with the top of the stack of banknotes BN supported by the floor 910. The cradle 620 is being maintained in the cradle retracted position 620R. The anvil 1120 is moved into contact with the stack of banknotes being supported on floor 910 after the first predetermined number (e.g., 100) of banknotes have been stacked on the floor 910.

[0054] In FIGURE 4E, the anvil 1120, the stack of banknotes BN and the floor 910 have moved further downward and the anvil 1120 has moved far enough downward that the cradle 620 may be returned to the cradle home or stacking position 620H. The strap 120c has two ends. As the anvil 1120, the stack of banknotes BN and the floor 910 move downward along with a middle portion of the strap 120_c which is sandwiched between the bottom banknote in the stack of banknotes and the floor 910, the side portions of the strap 120_c are bent upward by the sides surfaces or walls 592, 580 of the stacking and strapping column 105 so that the strap 120_c takes on a U-shape as seen in FIGURE 4E.

[0055] According to various embodiments, the floor 910 is biased upward toward the floor home position 910_H such as by a floor spring 920 (see FIGURE 5A). As the anvil 1120 moves downward and presses banknotes stacked on the floor 910 downward, the banknotes transfer a downward force from the anvil to the floor 910 while the upward bias of the floor 910 presses banknotes in the stack upward. As a result, the stack of banknotes becomes compressed between the anvil 1120 and the floor 910. As the anvil 1120 continues to move downward, the upward bias of the floor spring 920 is overcome and the anvil 1120 moves the compressed stack of banknotes BN and the floor 910 downward. Accordingly, the downward movement of the anvil 1120 forces the stack of banknotes and the floor 910 downward.

[0056] In FIGURE 4F, the anvil 1120, the stack of banknotes BN and the floor 910 have moved further downward to a strapping position so that the anvil 1120 is at an anvil strapping position 1120STR, the stack of banknotes is at a banknote strapping position BN STR and the floor 910 is at a floor strapping position 910STR. The side portions of the strap 120c are still bent upward by the sides surfaces or walls 590, 580 of the stacking and strapping column 105 so that the strap 120c remains in a U-shape as seen in FIGURE 4F. By the time the anvil 1120 has traveled to the anvil strapping position 1120STR, the cradle 620 has returned to the cradle home or stacking position 620_H and it is ready to receive additional banknotes. According to various embodiments, the anvil strapping position 1120_STR is the lowest position of the anvil 1120.

[0057] According to various embodiments, the upward biased floor 910 compresses the stack of banknotes BN against the anvil 1120 with a predetermined or set force which aids in achieving a snuggly strapped set of banknotes. According to various embodiments, the predetermined or set force is determined by a spring such as floor spring 920.

[0058] The anvil strapping position 1120_STR is aligned with two strap fold units 700. According to various embodiments, strap fold unit 700 is a cold fold unit or module and strap fold unit 800 is a hot fold unit or module. According to various embodiments, the banknote strapping device 100 can receive and stack banknotes to be strapped in a near continuous manner.

[0059] According to various embodiments, after the 100^th note of a stack of notes to be delivered to the cradle 620 or the floor 910 is identified by an appropriate sensor of a banknote scanner of a banknote processing system or device 702 such as a denomination sensor and/or after the 100^th note of a stack of notes has been delivered to the cradle 620 or the floor 910, a transport mechanism of the banknote processing system or device 702 and/or the strapping transport mechanism 170 will pause for a fraction of a second. According to various embodiments, the pause duration of the banknote strapping transport mechanism 170 is only limited primarily to the speed capability of the plunger motor 520M, and then secondarily by the speed capability of a cradle solenoid. According to various embodiments, the strapping transport mechanism 170 is paused by or less than by approximately 0.3 seconds. According to various embodiments, this is the amount of time it takes for the plunger motor 520_M to drive the plunger 1100 from its home position 1110_H past the cradle home position 620H, plus the time it takes for a cradle solenoid to drive the cradle 620 back to the cradle home position 620_H to be ready to catch the 1^st banknote of the next strap.

[0060] According to various embodiments, banknotes such as U.S. banknotes are transported along the strapping transport path in a wide-edge leading manner at a rate of at least about 1000 banknotes per minute and are received by the stacking wheels 610 and stacked on the cradle 620 or floor 910 at the same rate. At a rate of 1000 banknotes per minutes, a stack of 100 banknotes is received on the cradle 620 / floor 910 in six (6) seconds. According to various embodiments, after 60 banknotes have been stacked on the cradle 620 (3.6 seconds after stacking on the cradle 620 begins), the strapper printer 120PR prints desired information on to a lead portion of the strapping material 120, feeds the lead portion of the strapping material onto an upper surface of the floor 910 and cuts the lead portion of the strapping material into a strap 120c by the strap cutter 120CUT. Then according to various embodiments, the cradle 620 is moved to its cradle retracted position 620R and the stack of banknotes thereon is lowered onto the floor 910. When a complete stack of 100 banknotes have been stacked on the floor 910, the plunger assembly 1100 moves the anvil 1120 from its home position 1120H to its lower anvil strapping position 1120STR.

[0061] According to various embodiments, after a first stack of 100 banknotes have been stacked on the floor 910 (about 6 seconds after stacking began), the plunger assembly 1100 moves the anvil 1120 from its home position 1120_H to a position below the cradle home position 620H, and the cradle returns to its cradle home position 620_H. Over about the next 6.0 seconds, the next (e.g., second) stack of banknotes are stacked on the cradle 620 or floor 910, while the first stack of 100 banknotes is strapped and ejected from the strapping device 100. According to various embodiments, it takes less than or about 3.6 seconds to fold & weld (heat seal one end of the strap 120_c to the other end of the strap 120c) the strap 120c about the first stack of banknotes, and to eject the first strapped stack of banknotes from the strapping device 100, and return the plunger assembly 1100 and the anvil 1120 to its untucked, upper anvil home position 1120_H.

[0062] Thus, according to various embodiments, the banknote strapping device 100 is configured to deliver a strapped stack of 100 banknotes at a rate of or less than every 6.3 seconds with less than or about 0.3 second of pause time while the cradle 620 is not in its home position 620H ready to receive banknotes thereon.

[0063] Turning to back to FIGURE 4F, as disclosed herein, the anvil 1120, the stack of banknotes BN and the floor 910 are located at a strapping position with the anvil 1120 is at the anvil strapping position 1120STR, the stack of banknotes is at the banknote strapping position BNSTR and the floor 910 is at a floor strapping position 9 IOSTR. The side portions of the strap 120c are bent upward by the sides surfaces or walls 590, 580 of the stacking and strapping column 105 so that the strap 120c remains in a U-shape as seen in FIGURE 4F.

[0064] With reference to FIGURE 4G, the cold fold module 700 then moves laterally to the right and presses a portion of the strap 120_c against the left side of the stack of banknotes BN to be strapped and continues moving to the right to cause a left end of strap 120_c to fold over the top of the stack of banknotes to be strapped and on top of the anvil 1120. After the left end of the strap 120_c has been folded over the top of the stack of banknotes and the top of the anvil 1120, the hot fold module 800 moves laterally to a hot fold strapping position as shown in FIGURE 4G, thereby causing the right end of the strap 120_c to fold over the top of the stack of banknotes to be strapped and over the left end of the strap 120_c above the anvil 1120. The cam 459 is then rotated against a contact surface or roll of the hot fold module 800 the hot fold module 800 presses the right end of the strap 120_c into contact with the left end of the strap 120c which in turn presses the left end of the strap 120_c against an upper surface of the anvil 1120 while a heating element of the hot fold module 800 is energized. According to various embodiments, one side of the strap 120_c has a heat-activated adhesive thereon. For example, the inner side of strap 120c (lower surface of right end of strap 120c in FIGURE 4G) may have a heat-activated adhesive thereon. When the heating element is energized, the heat-activated adhesive melts causing an overlapping portion of strap 120c near the right end of the strap 120c to adhere to an overlapping portion of the strap 120c near the left end of the strap 120c. The stack of banknotes BN is now strapped.

[0065] As disclosed herein, according to various embodiments, the upward biased floor 910 compresses the stack of banknotes BN against the anvil 1120 with a predetermined or set force during the strapping process which aids in achieving a snuggly strapped set of banknotes. According to various embodiments, the upward biased floor 910 compresses the stack of banknotes BN against the anvil 1120 with a predetermined or set force which aids in achieving a snuggly strapped set of banknotes even for stacks of banknotes having varying heights such as a stack of new notes of “brick” quality versus a stack of well-circulated “street” banknotes having a “fluffy” quality such as due to varying bends, folds, wrinkles, and/or creases in the individual banknotes in the stack. While the height of stack of “fluffy” banknotes even while compressed between the anvil 1120 and the floor 910 can be relatively much thicker than a stack of “brick” banknotes, when compressed by the anvil 1120 and floor 910 and strapped by the strapping device 100, both stacks of banknotes can be snuggly strapped by the strapping device 100.

[0066] According to various embodiments, these snuggly strapped stacks of banknotes may be achieved without the strapping device 100 having to pull on one or more ends of the strap 120_c to tighten the strap 120c around a stack of banknotes during the strapping process. Additionally, strapping devices which pull on one or more ends of the strap 120c to tighten the strap 120c around a stack of banknotes during the strapping process often require an operator to observe the quality of notes to be strapped and/or to obverse whether straps 120c are being applied too loosely or too tightly to strapped stacks of banknotes and to adjust a strap tensioning mechanism as the quality of notes changes. According to various embodiments, use of the strapping device 100 avoids the need to adjust such tensioning due to variance of the quality of notes to be strapped and/or reduces or eliminates the need for operator monitoring and tension adjustment as the spring -biased floor 910 automatically, self-adjusts the distance between the floor 910 and the anvil 1120 and thus the length of the non-overlapping portion of the straps 120c based on the varying quality/height of the compressed stack of banknotes to be strapped.

[0067] As explained another way, according to various embodiments, while the anvil 1120 moves to a set strapping position 1120_STR, the spring-biased floor 910 will be pushed to a variable floor strapping position 910_STR relative to the anvil 1120 based on the condition/quality of the banknotes to be strapped. A stack of “fluffy” notes will cause the spring -biased floor 910 to travel slightly further downward than a stack of “brick” notes. According to various embodiments, the result is a consistent strap tension regardless of the fitness/condition/quality of the banknotes being strapped.

[0068] As disclosed herein, according to various embodiments, the banknote strapping device 100 straps a stack of banknotes without wrapping one end of strapping material 120 around the stack of banknotes to be strapped such as by using a wrap arm which rotates about the stack of banknotes. Rather, according to various embodiments, a stack of banknotes to be strapped is placed on top of a cut strap 120c and the ends of the cut strap 120c are folded about the remaining sides of the stack of banknotes. According to various embodiments, one side of a stack of banknotes to be strapped is placed next to a middle portion of a cut strap 120c and the ends of the cut strap 120c are folded about the remaining sides of the stack of banknotes.

[0069] According to various embodiments, a stack of banknotes is strapped by a strap 120c by using only linear motions of various components such as the vertical movement of a floor 910 on which the stack of banknotes to be strapped rests and the horizontal movement of the cold fold module 700 and hot fold module 800.

[0070] While a first stack of banknotes BN is being strapped at the strapping position, banknotes for a subsequent stack of banknotes BN to be strapped may be being received on the cradle 620 as shown in FIGURE 4G. For example, where a strap size is 100 banknotes (first predetermined number), the first 100 banknotes (BNi - BNioo) would constitute the first stack of banknotes BN being strapped at the strapping position, while the next received banknote BNwi would be received on the cradle 620 as shown in FIGURE 4G. Subsequent banknotes, e.g., BN102 - BN200, would be received on the cradle 620 and/or on the floor 910 once the floor 910 has returned to its floor home position 910_H as disclosed herein.

[0071] Next, the cold fold module 700 and the hot fold module 800 are returned to their respective home positions. The strapped stack of banknotes is now ready to be ejected from the strapping device 100 via output dispensing ramp 185 (see FIGURES 1-3). According to various embodiments, the strapping device 100 is configured to eject a strapped stack of banknotes from the strapping device 100 directly from the location at which the stack of banknotes was strapped, that is, the banknote strapping position BNSTR just below the anvil strapping position 1120STR. According to various embodiments, the strapping device 100 is configured to eject a strapped stack of banknotes from the strapping device 100 directly from the location at which the stack of banknotes was strapped within the stacking and strapping column 105.

[0072] FIGURES 5A-5 J illustrate various views of select components of an example column strapping system 500 within an embodiment of the banknote strapping device 100 in accordance with embodiments of this disclosure. FIGURE 5A illustrates a front view of the example column strapping system 500 with a plunger carriage assembly 1100 at a home position, FIGURE 5B illustrates an enlarged view of the plunger carrier assembly 1100 of the example column strapping system 500, FIGURE 5C illustrates a front view of the example column strapping system 500 with the plunger carriage assembly 1100 at a strapping position, FIGURE 5D illustrates a perspective view of the example column strapping system 500 with plunger carriage assembly 1100 at a strapping position, FIGURE 5E illustrates a perspective view of the example column strapping system 500 during movement of the plunger carriage assembly 1100 from the strapping position to the home position, FIGURE 5F illustrates a perspective view of the example column strapping system 500 during movement of the plunger carriage assembly 1100 from the strapping position to the home position and with an anvil 1120 of the plunger carriage assembly 1100 rotated, FIGURE 5G illustrates a perspective view of the example column strapping system 500 with the plunger carriage assembly 1100 returned to the home position and with the anvil 1120 rotated, FIGURE 5H illustrates a perspective view of the example column strapping system 500 with the plunger carriage assembly 1100 returned to the home position, FIGURE 51 illustrates an enlarged rear view of a banknote floor assembly 504 and an ejector assembly 506 of the example column strapping system 500, and FIGURE 5J illustrates an enlarged front view of the banknote floor assembly 504 and the ejector assembly 506 of the example column strapping system 500. Although FIGURES 5A-5J illustrate a simplified view of select components of the example column strapping system 500, it will be understood that these components can be included in the banknote strapping device 100 such that the other components of the banknote strapping device 100 is also included in the apparatus. The components of the banknote strapping device 100 shown in FIGURES 5A-5J can be included with, as part of, or coupled to document processing system 900 or 1000.

[0073] The banknote strapping device 100 includes a plunger carriage assembly 1100, a banknote floor assembly 504, and an ejector assembly 506. In various embodiments of the banknote strapping device 100, the assemblies 1100, 504, 506 are incorporated into a single motion guide, e.g. , a linear rail system 505 that provides a single system for the assemblies 1100, 504, 506, which reduces material and assembly costs and decreases the amount of space taken up within the banknote strapping device 100. That is, instead of the assemblies 1100, 504, 506 being moved on separate systems, the assemblies 1100, 504, 506 can be a part of the same linear system 505 that allows the assemblies 1100, 504, 506 to move independently of each other, but reduces the footprint (the space occupied within the machine) of the system, reducing the number of parts, material and labor costs, and complexity of the system, and overall increasing the efficiency of the banknote strapping device 100. As shown for example in FIGURE 5 A, the plunger carriage assembly 1100 is driven with a gear motor and belt drive 507, moving vertically on linear rods 530, 550 of the linear system 505, with the assistance of linear bearings. As shown for example in FIGURES 5A and 5B, the plunger carriage assembly 1100 includes the anvil 1120 that is normally positioned at an anvil home position (anvil home position 1120_H) over the banknote floor 910 of the banknote floor assembly 504. As shown for example in FIGURES 5C and 5D, the anvil 1120 is operable to push down a completed banknote stack into a strapping position 511, where the anvil 1120 can also be at an anvil strapping position and the banknote floor 910 can be at a floor strapping position (e.g., so that the anvil 1120 is at an anvil strapping position 1120_STR, the stack of banknotes is at a banknote strapping position BNSTR and the floor 910 is at a floor strapping position 910_STR, such as shown in FIGURE 4F). [0074] The anvil 1120 also serves as a backing for strap heat staking. As shown for example in FIGURE 5E, after strapping is completed and a strapped banknote stack is ejected, the plunger assembly 1100 vertically clears a strap creation section of the banknote strapping device 100. During this time, notes may still be stacked in a pocket area (e.g., on the cradle 620), and so, as shown in FIGURE 5F, the anvil 1120 rotates (e.g., 90 degrees) to clear the pocket. As shown for example in FIGURES 5G and 5H, the plunger assembly 1100 then returns to a starting position 513 (e.g., anvil home position 1120_H). As shown for example in FIGURE 5H, the anvil 1120 then rotates back to its normal/home orientation positioned over the banknote floor 910.

[0075] That is, as shown in FIGURES 5A and 5B, the anvil 1120 can be positioned in a first operational position 1120OP. As shown in FIGURES 5F and 5G, the anvil 1120 is moved to a second return or tucked position 1120RET to avoid the cradle while moving back to the anvil home position. As shown in FIGURE 5B, the plunger assembly 1100 is configured to rotate the plunger arm 1110 and the anvil 1120 about a plunger arm shaft H IOSH to move the plunger arm 1110 and the anvil 1120 from respective operational plunger arm 1110 and anvil 1120 operational positions 11 IOOP, 1120OP (shown in, e.g. , FIGURES 5A, 5B, 4A, and 41) wherein the anvil 1120 extends into the stacking and strapping column 105 to respective return positions I I IORET, 1120RET (shown in, e.g., FIGURES 5F, 5G, 4J and 4K) wherein the anvil does not extend into the stacking and strapping column 105. According to various embodiments, the movement of the anvil 1120 from extending into the stacking and strapping column 105 (FIGURES 5A-5E, and 41) to a position where the anvil does not extend into the stacking and strapping column 105 (see FIGURE 5F, 5G, and 4 J) is accomplished using a pivoting plunger arm actuator 1110_ACT, as shown in FIGURE 5B. According to various embodiments, the plunger arm 1110 and the anvil 1120 are rotated about plunger arm shaft 1110_SH by about 90°.

[0076] As shown, for example, in FIGURES 5B and 5D, according to various embodiments, the plunger assembly 1100 has a non-rotating base 1130 to which the plunger arm 1110 is pivotally coupled. To assist in constraining the base 1130 from rotating about a generally vertical axis such as shaft 1110_SH, the base may have two or more apertures through which the generally vertical shafts 530 and 550, respectively, extend. According to various embodiments, a belt 521 may be coupled to the plunger base 1130 and the belt may be driven by a plunger assembly motor 520M communicatively coupled to a processor, e.g., processor 1375 (FIGURE 7). The plunger assembly motor 520 may be operated to raise and lower the plunger assembly 1100 and the anvil 1120 with the base 1130 sliding along generally vertical shafts 530, 550. Accordingly, according to various embodiments, the plunger assembly 1100 has a generally vertical linear motion.

[0077] As shown in FIGURE 5B, according to various embodiments, an over-center spring 1140 is coupled between pivoting plunger arm 1110 and plunger base 1130. According to various embodiments, the over-center spring 1140 pulls the pivoting plunger arm 1110 into one of either of the two positions - the first operational position 1120_Op or the second return or tucked position 1120RET. According to various embodiments, when the pivoting plunger arm actuator 1110_ACT rotates the pivoting plunger arm 1110, the plunger arm 1110 will be unstable in the middle of the stroke and stable at either end position. According to various embodiments, the over-center spring 1140 helps to ensure that only two possible positions are achieved for the pivoting plunger arm 1110.

[0078] As shown for example in FIGURES 5 A and 5C-5H, the banknote floor assembly 504 is translated on the same linear rod system 505 as the plunger assembly 1100. The banknote floor assembly 504 moves vertically with the assistance of bearings and a force or floor spring 920. According to various embodiments, the floor 910 is coupled to or formed integral with a floor support 912. The floor spring 920 biases the floor support 912 and the floor 910 upward, and thus the floor spring 920 provides a return motion for the banknote floor assembly 504. The floor spring 920 also accommodates banknote stack thickness variances that can occur for reasons such as banknote quality. As shown for example in FIGURE 5A, the banknote floor assembly 504 is biased towards the floor home position 910H by the floor spring 920. As shown for example in FIGURES 5C and 5D, when the plunger assembly 1100 moves the banknote floor assembly 504 down against the force of the floor spring 920, the banknote floor assembly 504 is moved to the strapping position 511. After the plunger assembly 1100 moves back to the starting position 513, the banknote floor assembly 504, due to the force of the floor spring 920, moves back to the floor home position 91 OH, as again shown for example in FIGURE 5 A.

[0079] According to various embodiments, the ejection of a strapped stack of banknotes is accomplished using an ejection mechanism. As shown in for example in FIGURES 5A, 5H, and 51, the ejector assembly 506 is integrated into the banknote floor guidance assembly 1100, which moves on the same linear rod system 505 and is spring loaded. When banknote stacks are strapped at the strapping position 511, first and second cam lobes 522 and 518 located on a camshaft 516 are driven together simultaneously by motor 519. As lobe 518 rotates and makes contact with a surface 525 of the plunger assembly 1100, a cam lift action separates the plunger assembly 1100 and the banknote floor assembly 504 to release pinch tension from the strapped stack of banknotes between the anvil 1120 and the banknote floor 910, allowing the strapped stack of banknotes to be ejected. Then, as the camshaft 516 rotates further, the first cam lobe 522 makes contact with a pusher cam ramp 523. Next, a pusher arm 514 contacts the strapped stack of banknotes and releases it from anvil 1120, and the strapped stack of banknotes is pushed out of banknote strapping device 100, such as pushing the banknote stack down a ramp exiting the banknote strapping device (e.g., ramp 185). In some embodiments, the pusher arm 514 has a vertical -oriented portion that moves along a slot in the anvil 1120.

[0080] It will be understood that the pusher arm 514, the cam ramp 523, the first and second lobes 522, 518, the motor 519, and/or other components of the assemblies 1100, 504, 506 can have a variety of different shapes, dimensions, or placements without departing from the scope of this disclosure. For example, FIGURE 5K illustrates another embodiment of the ejector assembly 506 in accordance with various embodiments of this disclosure. As shown in FIGURE 5K, in some embodiments, the first lobe 522 may have a notched portion 527 such that the pusher cam ramp 523 resides within the notched portion 527 when the cam shaft 516 is not rotating (as well as at certain points during the rotation), and such that, when the first lobe 522 is rotated, other portions of the first lobe 522 contacts the pusher cam ramp 523. The first lobe 522 may also have a protrusion 529 that can further contact and interact with the pusher cam ramp 523. As also shown in FIGURE 5K, in various embodiments, the pusher arm 514 can be of different shapes or dimensions. As also shown in FIGURE 5K, in some embodiments, the motor 519 can be connected to an end of the double lobe camshaft 516. In some embodiments, the motor 519 can be disposed elsewhere, such as being disposed behind the banknote floor and the ejector assembly 506 and driving the double lobe camshaft 516 such as via a belt 531 connected between the double lobe camshaft 516 and a shaft of the motor 519.

[0081] Since the ejector assembly 506 including the double lobe camshaft 516 is integrated into the spring-loaded banknote floor assembly 504, use of an independent assembly that performs the same functions as the ejector assembly 504 can be avoided. As such, the banknote strapping device 100 combines three assemblies 1100, 504, 506 into a linear rail system or assembly that allows the plunger, the banknote floor, and the ejector to move independently of each other, while reducing the footprint of the system, reducing the number of parts, material and labor costs, and complexity of the system, and overall increasing the efficiency of the banknote strapping device.

[0082] Although FIGURES 5A-5J illustrate one example of a column strapping system 500 within the banknote strapping device 100, various changes may be made to FIGURES 5A-5J. For example, various components in FIGURES 5A-5J may be combined, further subdivided, replicated, or rearranged according to particular needs. Also, one or more additional components and functions may be included if needed or desired. For example, in some embodiments, a rail and carriage system could be used instead of linear rods while still achieving the desired size accommodations. In some embodiments, instead of a double lobe camshaft, a rack and pinion design could be integrated for the strapped note stack eject method. In some embodiments, lead screws instead of a belt drive could be used for linear motion.

[0083] In FIGURE 4H, the strapped stack of banknotes has been ejected from the strapping device 100. The floor 910 has been lowered from its floor strapping position 910_STR down against the upward bias of the floor spring 920.

[0084] As shown in FIGURE 41, the plunger assembly 1100 moves the anvil 1120 upward to an anvil lower rotation position 1120LO ROT above a top of the lower left surface or wall 590 and below a bottom of the upper left surface or wall 592. The anvil rotation position 1120ROT is below the cradle home position 620H SO as not to contact the cradle 620 or interfere with the stacking of banknotes thereon. While at the anvil lower rotation position 1120LO-ROT, the plunger assembly 1100 is configured to rotate the anvil 1120 out of the generally vertical stacking and strapping column 105 so that it may be raised above the cradle 620 which is in the generally vertical stacking and strapping column 105 without interfering with the stacking of banknotes on the cradle 620.

[0085] As disclosed herein, in FIGURE 41, the anvil 1120 has been moved to an anvil lower rotation position 1120_LO ROT above a top of the lower left surface or wall 590 and below a bottom of the upper left surface or wall 592 with the anvil 1120 still being in an anvil operational position. [0086] In FIGURE 4J, the plunger arm 1110 and the anvil 1120 have been moved to their respective return or tucked positions I I IORET, 1 120RET. The anvil 1120 is now clear of the stacking and strapping column 105 and the floor 910 can be returned to the floor home position 910_H.

[0087] Next in FIGURE 4K, the floor 910 has returned to the floor home position 910_H and the plunger assembly 1100 has raised the anvil to the height of its anvil home position 1120_H but with the anvil (and the plunger arm 1110) still in its return or tucked position 1 120RET. AS shown in FIGURE 4K, the anvil 1120 has been moved to an anvil upper rotation position 1120_HI.ROT above a top of the upper left surface or wall 592 with the anvil 1120 still being in an anvil return or tucked position 1120RET. At the anvil upper rotation position 1120HI-ROT, the pivoting plunger arm 1110 has clearance to rotate back to its untucked or operational, home position 1120H shown in FIGURES 4A and 4B, thereby moving the anvil 1120 back to its operational, home position 1110H shown in FIGURE 4A and 4B.

[0088] According to various embodiments, the plunger arm 1110 and the anvil 1120 are rotated about shaft I I IOSH by about 90° in a first direction when the anvil is at the height of the anvil lower rotation position 1120LO ROT and rotated by about 90° in a second, opposite direction when the anvil 1120 is at the height of the anvil upper rotation position 1120HI-ROT.

[0089] According to various embodiments, to return the floor 910 to the floor home position 91 OH, the floor begins to rise as the spring 920 raises the floor 910 to the floor home position 910_H shown in FIGURES 4A and 4B just below the cradle 620 which is in the cradle home position 620_H.

[0090] According to various embodiments, once the floor 910 has been returned to its floor home position 910_H, the cradle 620 may be moved from its cradle home position 620H (see FIGURE 4A) to its retracted position 620_R (see FIGURE 4C) and thereby transfer any banknotes stacked thereon to become stacked on the floor 910.

[0091] When subsequent banknotes are being stacked on cradle 620 when the anvil 1120 returns to its anvil home position 1120_H after a stack of banknotes has been strapped and ejected from the strapping device 100, the strapping device 100 returns to the condition illustrated in FIGURE 4B, and the process of strapping banknotes continues as disclosed herein.

[0092] When there are no subsequent banknotes being stacked on cradle 620 when the anvil 1120 returns to its anvil home position 1120H after a stack of banknotes has been strapped and ejected from the strapping device 100, the strapping device 100 returns to the condition illustrated in FIGURE 4A. Once subsequent banknotes begin to be stacked on cradle 620, the strapping device 100 returns to the condition illustrated in FIGURE 4B, and the process of strapping banknotes continues as disclosed herein.

[0093] According to various embodiments, the banknote strapping device 100 has a cradle 620 that rapidly returns to its cradle home position 620H (see FIGURE 4A) from its retracted position 620R (see FIGURE 4C) after that anvil 1120 has moved below the cradle home position 620H SO that banknotes can be quickly resumed to be stacked on the cradle 620. The ability of the cradle 620 to rapidly restore to the cradle home position 620_H reduces pausing between strap cycles. According to various embodiments, after the first predetermined number (e.g., 100) of banknotes have been stacked on the floor 910 or cradle 620, a processor, e.g., processor 1375 (FIGURE 7), communicatively coupled to the transport motor(s) of the strapping transport mechanism 170 instructs the transport motor to momentarily stop feeding banknotes along the strapping transport path to the stacker wheels 610 and/or instructs the stacker wheel motor 610_M to momentarily stop feeding banknotes from the stacker wheels to the cradle 620 or floor 910. Once the anvil 1120 has moved below the cradle home position 620_H and the cradle 620 has been returned to its cradle home position 620_H, the processor instructs the transport motor to resume feeding banknotes along the strapping transport path to the stacker wheels 610 and/or instructs the stacker wheel motor 610_M to resume feeding banknotes from the stacker wheels 610 to the cradle 620.

[0094] Turning back to FIGURES 51 and 5 J, according to various embodiments, in order to facilitate the smooth transfer of a stack of banknotes from the cradle 620 to the floor 910, the floor 910 may have one or more cradle channels 910G-C therein to accommodate the arcuate movement of the cradle arms and the ends or tips 620T of the cradle arms. As the cradle 620 having a stack of banknotes stacked thereon moves from its cradle home position 620H to its retracted position 620R, the cradle arms move through the cradle channels 910G-C of the floor 910 allowing the lowermost banknote in the stack to come to be supported on the upper surface of the floor 910. According to various embodiments, to enhance the stability of a stack of banknotes stack on the floor 910 and/or to accommodate wider banknotes, the floor 910 may be provided with one or more extensions 910_EXT coupled to the floor.

[0095] According to various embodiments, in order to facilitate the forward movement of the at least one pusher arm 514 of the ejector assembly 506 and facilitate the ability of the at least one pusher arm 514 to push a strapped stacked of banknotes off a forward end 910_FR of the floor 910 during the process of ejecting a strapped stack of banknotes from the banknote strapping device 100, the floor 910 may have one or more eject channels 910G-F through which the at least one pusher arm 514 may travel.

[0096] According to various embodiments, the floor support 912 is coupled to or formed integral with a non-rotating floor support base 940. According to various embodiments, the floor support base 940 may have two or more apertures through which the generally vertical shafts 530 and 550, respectively, extend. According to various embodiments, the spring 920 may be coupled to the floor support 912. As disclosed herein, according to various embodiments, the downward movement of the anvil 1120 may push the floor 910 downward and the spring 920 may pull the floor 910 upward with the floor support base 940 sliding along generally vertical shafts 530, 550. Accordingly, according to various embodiments, the floor 910 and the floor support base 940 have a generally vertical linear motion. According to various embodiments, linear bearings may facilitate the smooth movement of the floor support base 940 up and down the shafts 530, 550. According to various embodiments, the use of spring 920 which pulls the floor 910 upward assists with compressing a stack of notes during strapping and enables the floor to be returned to the floor home position 91 OH after a stack of notes has been strapped without the use of an actuator.

[0097] According to various embodiments, the strapping device 100 has a width W i of about 20 inches (51 cm), a depth Di of about 20 inches (51 cm) and a height Hi of about 22 inches (56 cm), see., e.g., FIGURES 1 and 2. [0098] According to various embodiments, the banknote strapping device 100 is a compact, table-top device . With reference to FIGURES 1 and 2, according to various embodiments, a width W i of the banknote strapping device 100 is less than between about 20 inches (51 cm) and about 22 inches (56 cm). According to various embodiments, the width Wi of the banknote strapping device 100 is less than or about 20 inches (51 cm). According to various embodiments, a depth Di of the banknote strapping device 100 is less than between about 20 inches (51 cm) and about 22 inches (56 cm). According to various embodiments, the depth Di of the banknote strapping device 100 is less than or about 20 inches (51 cm). According to various embodiments, a height Hi of the banknote strapping device 100 is less than between about 22 inches (56 cm) and about 24 inches (61 cm). According to various embodiments, the height Hi of the banknote strapping device 100 is less than or about 22 inches (56 cm).

[0099] According to various embodiments, the banknote strapping device 100 has a footprint of less than about 3 square feet. According to various embodiments, the banknote strapping device 100 has a footprint of less than about 2.9 square feet. According to various embodiments, the banknote strapping device 100 has a footprint of less than 2.8 square feet.

[0100] According to various embodiments, the banknote strapping device 100 occupies less than about 5.2 cubic feet. According to various embodiments, the banknote strapping device 100 occupies less than about 5.1 cubic feet. According to various embodiments, the banknote strapping device 100 occupies less than about 5.0 cubic feet. According to various embodiments, the banknote strapping device 100 occupies less than about 4.9 cubic feet (0.138 m³).

[0101] According to various embodiments, the banknote strapping device 100 weighs between about 130 pounds (59 kg) and 145 pounds (66 kg). According to various embodiments, the banknote strapping device 100 weighs between about 135 pounds (61 kg) and 140 pounds (64 kg). According to various embodiments, the banknote strapping device 100 weighs about or less than about 145 pounds (66 kg). According to various embodiments, the banknote strapping device 100 weighs about or less than about 140 pounds (64 kg). According to various embodiments, the banknote strapping device 100 weighs about or less than about 135 pounds (61.2 kg).

[0102] According to various embodiments, the distance from the anvil home position 1120H to the lowest point on the floor support 912 when the floor is in the eject position is about or less than 13 inches. According to various embodiments, the distance from the anvil home position 1120H to the anvil strapping position 1120STR (also referred to as the plunger stroke) is about or less than about 9 inches. According to various embodiments, the distance from the anvil home position 1120H to the base of the inside of the housing 110 is about or less than about 14.4 inches.

[0103] According to various embodiments, the conveyance of a stack of notes to be strapped and a strapped stack of notes is reduced. Total conveyance is any movement of a stack of 100 notes from a point of accumulation to a final position after ejecting the strapped stack of notes onto a table or into a bin. According to various embodiments, the strapping device 100 has an internal vertical conveyance of about or less than about 3.8 inches when moving a stack of notes from a floor home position 910_H to the floor strapping position 910_STR. According to various embodiments, the strapping device 100 has an internal horizontal conveyance of about or less than about 3 inches when the eject traveler pushes the strapped stack of banknotes off the floor 910 onto the ramp 185 at the front of the machine. Conversely, in other banknote strapping devices there is often an internal vertical conveyance from an escrow area (where banknotes to be strapped are stacked), then an internal horizontal conveyance to move the stack of banknotes to be strapped to a strapping mechanism, and then another internal horizontal conveyance to move the strapped stack of banknotes to a position over a collection bin.

[0104] According to various embodiments, the banknote strapping device 100 is referred to as a “single escrow” strapping device. According to various such embodiments, banknotes to be strapped by a strapping device 100 are all received from the strapping transport path and then are all stacked in a single escrow region, that is, the area of the cradle home position 620H whether they are received initially on the cradle 620 and then transferred to the floor 910 at the floor home position 91 OH or, especially for later bills in a stack, directly onto floor at the floor home position 91 OH. According to various such embodiments, banknotes to be strapped by a strapping device 100 are all received from the strapping transport path and then are all stacked in a single escrow region located in a single stacking and strapping column 105. In this regard, note that the cradle home position 620H and the floor home position 91 OH are both located within the same stacking and strapping column 105.

[0105] Conversely, some prior banknote strapping devices employ two or more escrow stacking locations associated with a single strapping position and stack notes in, e.g., a second stacking or escrow location while banknotes previously received in, e.g., a first stacking or escrow location are being strapped at the single strapping position and then alternate stacking stacks of banknotes in the two or more escrow locations to permit a stack transport device to move from, e.g. , a first escrow location to the single strapping position and then back to the first escrow location while pausing transporting banknotes to the first escrow location while the transport device is not present in the first escrow location and ready to receive a next stack of banknotes to be strapped and meanwhile stacking banknotes in a different (e.g., second) escrow stacking location.

[0106] FIGURE 6 illustrates a schematic representation of a banknote processing system 600 comprising a banknote processing device 10 and a plurality of banknote strapping devices 100a... lOOn. According to various embodiments, the banknote processing device 10 and its components and its operation may be the same or similar to the document processing devices and/or document processing systems described in U.S. Patent No. 8,544,656, incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, such as document processing devices 101, 301, 401 and/or document processing system 100 therein. According to various embodiments, the banknote processing device 10 and its components and its operation may be the same or similar to the document processing devices and/or document processing systems described in U.S. Patent No. 7,686,151, incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, such as document judgment or handling devices 100, 100a, lOOd and/or document processing systems 110a, 200 therein. [0107] The banknote processing device 10 may comprise an input hopper or receptacle and one or more output receptacles, a transport mechanism configured to transport banknotes from the input hopper to the one or more output receptacles and/or out of the banknote processing device 10 to a first banknote strapping device 100a. According to various embodiments, banknote processing device 10 and/or banknote processing system 600 may comprise a display assembly which may comprise a user interface. Banknotes or documents to be processed by the banknote processing device 10 are stacked within the input hopper. The transport mechanism then transports the banknotes or documents along a transport path, past one or more sensors or detectors, and to the one or more output receptacles and/or out of the banknote processing device to a first banknote strapping device 100a. Banknotes transported out of the banknote processing device 10 are received on a transport path 171a and then may either be transported along a first strapping transport path 172a or out of the first banknote strapping device 100a such as to a second banknote strapping device 100b. Banknotes transported to the second banknote strapping device 100b are received on a transport path 171b and then may either be transported along a second strapping transport path 172b or out of the second banknote strapping device 100a such as to a n^th banknote strapping device lOOn which is similar to the first and second banknote strapping devices 100a, 100b. The banknote strapping devices 100a, 100b, lOOn may be similar or identical to the banknote strapping devices 100 disclosed herein. Banknotes transported along one of the strapping transport path 172a, 172b, 172n are transported to a cradle 620 or floor 910 of the associated banknote strapping device lOOa-lOOn.

[0108] According to various embodiments, one or more processors (e.g., processors 1375) of the banknote processing device 10 control the operation of the banknote strapping device(s) 100, lOOa-lOOn communicatively coupled thereto.

[0109] According to various embodiments, the banknote strapping devices lOOa-lOOn may be configured to strap banknotes having the same or different types and/or denominations. For example, a first banknote strapping device 100a may be configured to strap US $20 banknotes, a second banknote strapping device 100b may be configured to strap US $1 banknotes, a third banknote strapping device 100c may be configured to strap US $5 banknotes, etc. As another example, a first banknote strapping device 100a may be configured to strap US $20 banknotes, a second banknote strapping device 100b may also be configured to strap US $20 banknotes, a third banknote strapping device 100c may be configured to strap US $5 banknotes. As another example, a first banknote strapping device 100a may be configured to strap US $20 banknotes, a second banknote strapping device 100b may also be configured to strap €20 banknotes, a third banknote strapping device 100c may be configured to strap €50 banknotes, and a fourth banknote strapping device lOOd may be configured to strap ¥1000 banknotes.

[0110] According to various embodiments, banknotes to be transported by the transport mechanisms of devices 10, 100, and lOOa-n are generally rectangularly shaped having two generally parallel wide or long edges and two generally orthogonal narrow or short edges and two banknote surfaces or faces. According to various embodiments, the banknote transport mechanisms transport banknotes in a wide-edge leading manner. According to various embodiments, the banknote transport mechanisms are configured to transport U.S. banknotes.

[0111] According to various embodiments, the transport mechanisms of devices 10, 100, and lOOa-n are operated at high speeds and can transport banknotes at a rate of at least 1000 banknotes per minute along associated transport paths such as, for example, at a rate of at least 1000 U.S. banknotes per minute in a wide-edge leading manner.

[0112] According to various embodiments, the transport mechanisms of devices 10, 100, and lOOa-n transport banknotes at a rate of at least 600 banknotes per minute along the transport path such as, for example, at a rate of at least 600 U.S. banknotes per minute in a wide-edge leading manner.

[0113] According to various embodiments, the transport mechanisms of devices 10, 100, and lOOa-n transport banknotes at a rate of at least 800 banknotes per minute along the transport path such as, for example, at a rate of at least 800 U.S. banknotes per minute in a wide-edge leading manner.

[0114] According to various embodiments, the banknote processing device 10 comprises one or more sensors configured to retrieve information from processed banknotes to denominate the banknotes such as, for example, determining the denomination of U.S. banknotes of a plurality of denominations and generating a total of the value of a stack or batch of banknotes processed by the banknote strapping device 100.

[0115] FIGURE 7 illustrates a block diagram of various components of a banknote processing system or device 702 according to various embodiments. According to various embodiments, the banknote processing system 600, banknote processing device 10, and/or strapping devices 100, lOOa-lOOn comprise: one or more processors and/or controllers 1375 such as a CPU communicatively coupled to a memory 1374; components controlling the transport mechanism(s) such as one or motors controlling movement of various driven rollers and stacking wheels 610; one or more strapping device associated motors or actuators such as motors or actuators 520_M, 610M, 620 , 11 IOACT; one or more banknote or document sensors or detectors 1372; one or more encoders 1397; and/or a user or operator interface 1352. According to various embodiments, sensors or detectors 1372 include one or more denomination sensors, one or more image scanner(s), one or more authentication sensors, one or more density sensors, one or more fitness sensors, or a combination thereof.

[0116] According to various embodiments, the banknote strapping devices 100, lOOa-lOOn provide the ability to strap banknotes to banknote processing devices and/or systems which previously only provided the ability to stack un-strapped banknotes in output receptacles. According to various embodiments, the addition of the banknote strapping devices 100, lOOa-lOOn to banknote processing devices and/or systems increases operational through-put and improves security.

[0117] FIGURE 8A illustrates a perspective view and FIGURE 8B illustrates a front view of a strap feed and strap cut mechanism 802 of a banknote strapping device 100 in accordance with various embodiments of this disclosure, and FIGURE 8C illustrates a partial sectional view of a portion of a banknote strapping device 100 in accordance with various embodiments of this disclosure. According to various embodiments, strapping material is cut when a cam 459 is rotated and lifts a follower lever 120_FL which drives the strapping material 120 into a serrated edge of a strap cutter 120_CUT. In FIGURE 8C, strapping material 120 is illustrated positioned in a strapping material transport path located partially below guide plate 1410. According to various embodiments, the cam follower lever 120_FL forces a gripper block 1402 and the strapping material 120 against spring-loaded grippers 1404. Together the gripper block 1402 and the spring-loaded grippers 1404 grasp the strapping material 120 and force the strapping material 120 through the serrated edge of the strap cutter 120_CUT.

[0118] According to various embodiments, strapping material 120 and/or cut straps 120c may be fed along a strapping material transport path by one or more strapping material feed rollers 120^^ (see, e.g., FIGURES 4B and 8C).

[0119] As disclosed herein, according to various embodiments, strapping material 120 and/or cut straps 120c may be fed along a strapping material path by one or more strapping material feed rollers 120_FFED (see, e.g., FIGURE 4B). According to various embodiments, the roll 120R (see, e.g., FIGURE 3) is installed perpendicular to the orientation of the strapping material path as the strapping material path approaches the vertical stacking and strapping column 105 and the floor 910 in the floor home position 91 OH rather than parallel with the strapping material path in that area. According to various embodiments, the perpendicular orientation of the roll 120_R enables the size of the banknote strapping device 100 and the housing 110 to be reduced. According to various alternative embodiments, the roll 120_R is installed parallel to the orientation of the strapping material path as the strapping material path approaches the vertical stacking and strapping column 105 and the roll 120_R is positioned below the hot fold module 800 and the height of the banknote strapping device 100 is nearly doubled. According to various embodiments, further space is saved by ejecting the completed strapped banknotes out the front of the banknote strapping device 100 onto a table rather than ejecting strapped banknotes laterally out of the side of the banknote strapping device 100 into a bin positioned below the banknote strapping device 100.

[0120] FIGURE 9A illustrates a front view and FIGURE 9B illustrates a perspective view of a banknote strapping device 100 and a document processing system 900 according to various embodiments. FIGURE 10A illustrates a front view and FIGURE 10B illustrates a perspective view of a banknote strapping device 100 and a document processing system 1000 according to various embodiments. According to various embodiments, the document processing systems 900, 1000 and their components and their operation may be the same or similar to the document processing devices and/or document processing systems described in U.S. Patent No. 8,544,656, incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. According to various embodiments, the document processing system 900 comprises a document processing device 1501, a first base module 1502, and a plurality of pocket modules 1505 which components and operation may be the same or similar to the document processing device 101, 401, base module 102, 402, and pocket modules 104, 404 described in U.S. Patent No. 8,544,656. According to various embodiments, the document processing system 1000 comprises a document processing device 1501, a first base module 1502, a second base module 1502, and a plurality of pocket modules 1504, 1505 which components and operation may be the same or similar to the document processing device 101, 401, base module 102, 402, and pocket modules 104, 404 described in U.S. Patent No. 8,544,656. The base module 1502 and pocket modules 1504, 1505 comprises a plurality of output receptacles 190a-190h and 191. As illustrated in FIGURES 9A-10B, one of the output receptacles 190 in a pocket module 104, 404 described in U.S. Patent No. 8,544,656 has been removed and replaced by a transport mechanism 1521 configured to transport banknotes to the strapping device 100 such as to transport path 171a shown in FIGURE 6. Additionally, according to various embodiments, various of the output receptacles, namely, output receptacles 190b, 190d, and 190h have an increased capacity of about 500 banknotes compared with output receptacles 190a, 190c, 190e, and 190g which have a capacity of about 100 banknotes. As illustrated, the document processing system 900 comprises eight (8) output receptacles 190 and 191 and the document processing system 1000 comprises sixteen (16) output receptacles 190 and 191.

[0121] According to various embodiments, the document processing system 900 has a width W1500 of about or less than about or about 31 inches (79 cm), a depth D1500 of about or less than about 17.5 inches (45 cm) and a height H1500 of about or less than about 30 'A inches (78 cm) or 31 inches (79 cm). According to various embodiments, the width W1500 of document processing system 900 comprises a width W1501 of document processing device 1501 of about or less than about 13 inches and a width W1505 of the pocket modules 1505 of about or less than about 18 inches (46 cm). According to various embodiments, the combination of the banknote strapping device 100 and a document processing system 900 has a width W15 of about or less than about 51 A inches (131 cm) or 51 inches (130 cm), a depth D15 of less than about or about 20 inches (51 cm) and a height H15 of less than about or about 30 A inches (78 cm) or 31 inches (79 cm).

[0122] According to various embodiments, the document processing system 1000 has a width Wieoo of about or less than about or about 47 inches (120 cm), a depth D1500 of about or less than about 17.5 inches (45 cm) and a height H1500 of about or less than about 30 A inches (78 cm) or 31 inches (79 cm). According to various embodiments, the width Wieoo of document processing system 900 comprises a width W1501 of document processing device 1501 ofabout or less than about 13 inches, a width W1504 of the pocket modules 1504 of about or less than about 16 inches (41 cm), and a width W1505 of the pocket modules 1505 of about or less than about 18 inches (46 cm). According to various embodiments, the combination of the banknote strapping device 100 and a document processing system 1000 has a width Wie of about or less than about 67 inches (170 cm) or 51 inches (130 cm), a depth D15 of less than about or about 20 inches (51 cm) and a height H15 of less than about or about 30 A inches (78 cm) or 31 inches (79 cm).

[0123] As described above, the banknote strapping device of this disclosure is comprised of many components, systems, and assemblies. Banknote strapping devices are also described in U.S. Application Publication No. 2021/0016909, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

[0124] In some embodiments, the rail system used for the column strapping system 500 can include a single rectangular rail, instead of the two shafts 530, 550, on which the plunger assembly 1100 and the banknote floor assembly 504 are both movably mounted. In such embodiments, both the plunger assembly 1100 and the banknote floor assembly 504 can be movable with rollers. In some embodiments, a motor and drive belt, in conjunction with top rollers, can be used to move the plunger assembly up and down the single rectangular rail. When the anvil 1120 of the plunger assembly 1100 contacts a stack of banknotes on a banknote floor of the banknote floor assembly 504, the banknote floor assembly 504 is moved down, using lower rollers, against a force of a floor spring. This rail system, in some embodiments, can also incorporate an ejector such as the ejector assembly 506. Once banknotes are strapped and ejected, the motor and drive belt can move the plunger assembly 1100 back up to a starting position, and the floor spring also causes the banknote floor assembly 504 to move back up to a home position. This rail system can thus combines the plunger assembly 1100 and the banknote floor assembly 504 to move on the same rail, maximizing space efficiency and reducing the number of parts and complexity of the rail system.

[0125] In some embodiments, the rail system used for the column strapping system 500 can include a single rail with track portions on which the plunger assembly 1100 and a banknote floor assembly 504 are both movably mounted. In such embodiments, a motor can move the plunger assembly 1100 down the rail to cause the anvil 1120 of the plunger assembly 1100 to contact a stack of banknotes on the banknote floor 1210 of the banknote floor assembly 504. When the anvil 1120 of the plunger assembly 1100 contacts the stack of banknotes on the banknote floor, the banknote floor assembly 504 is moved down, such as against a force of a floor spring. This rail system can incorporate an ejector such as the ejector assembly 506. Once banknotes are strapped and ejected, the motor moves the plunger assembly 1100 back up to a starting position, and the floor spring also causes the banknote floor assembly 504 to move back up to a home position. This rail system thus combines the plunger assembly 1100 and the banknote floor assembly 504 to move on the same rail, maximizing space efficiency and reducing the number of parts and complexity of the rail system.

[0126] In one example embodiment, a banknote strapping device comprises a generally vertical stacking and strapping column, a banknote floor residing within the generally vertical stacking and strapping column and moveable generally vertically within the column, the banknote floor being biased upward to a floor home position, a banknote cradle having a cradle stacking position and a cradle retracted position, wherein when in the cradle stacking position, the banknote cradle is positioned within the stacking and strapping column above the banknote floor so that banknotes from a transport path may be stacked on the cradle, wherein when in the cradle retracted position, the banknote cradle is not positioned in the stacking and strapping column, a plunger assembly having an anvil, wherein the plunger assembly is configured to move the anvil generally vertically downward within the stacking and strapping column from an upper anvil home position above the cradle stacking position of the cradle to a lower strapping position, wherein when a first predetermined number of banknotes have been stacked on the cradle, the cradle retracts from the cradle stacking position and the cradle retracted position and wherein as the cradle moves from the cradle stacking position to the cradle retracted position, a stack of banknotes that had been stacked thereupon is transferred to the banknote floor positioned at the floor home position, wherein the anvil then travels generally vertically downward and contacts a top banknote in the stack of banknotes on the floor and pushes the stack of banknotes and the floor to a strapping position at which the stack of banknotes is strapped, wherein the cradle returns to the cradle stacking position while the anvil is positioned below the cradle stacking position, and wherein, after the stack of banknotes has been strapped, the plunger assembly pivots the anvil out of the stacking and strapping column, then raises the anvil above the cradle stacking position, and then pivots the anvil back into the stacking and strapping column.

[0127] In one or more of the above examples, after the anvil pivots out of the stacking and strapping column, the floor returns to the floor home position.

[0128] In one or more of the above examples, the cradle moves (1) from the cradle stacking position to the cradle retracted position when the anvil is positioned above the cradle stacking position and (2) back from the cradle retracted position to the cradle stacking position when the anvil is positioned below the cradle stacking position in less than about half of a second.

[0129] In one or more of the above examples, the cradle moves (1) from the cradle stacking position to the cradle retracted position when the anvil is positioned above the cradle stacking position and (2) back from the cradle retracted position to the cradle stacking position when the anvil is positioned below the cradle stacking position in less than about 0.3 seconds.

[0130] In another example embodiment, a banknote strapping device comprises a banknote floor moveable generally parallel to a first linear direction from a floor home position to a floor strapping position, a banknote cradle having a cradle stacking position, wherein when in the cradle stacking position, the banknote cradle is positioned near the floor home position so that banknotes from a transport path may be stacked on the cradle, a plunger assembly having an anvil, wherein the plunger assembly is configured to move the anvil generally parallel to the first linear direction from a first anvil home position on a first side of the cradle stacking position of the cradle to a second anvil strapping position located on a second side of the cradle stacking position, wherein when a first predetermined number of banknotes have been stacked on the cradle, the cradle retracts from the cradle stacking position and wherein as the cradle moves from the cradle stacking position, a stack of banknotes that had been stacked thereupon is transferred to the banknote floor positioned at the floor home position, wherein the anvil then travels generally parallel to the first linear direction and contacts the stack of banknotes on the floor and moves the stack of banknotes and the floor to a strapping position with the anvil at the anvil strapping position and the floor at the floor strapping position at which the stack of banknotes is strapped, wherein the floor home position, the floor strapping position, the cradle home position, the anvil home position, and the anvil strapping position are arranged linearly generally parallel to the first linear direction.

[0131] In one or more of the above examples, a stack of banknotes strapped at the strapping position are ejected from the device directly from the strapping position.

[0132] In another example embodiment, a banknote strapping device comprises a banknote floor moveable generally parallel to a first linear direction from a floor home position to a floor strapping position, a banknote escrow having an escrow stacking position, wherein when in the escrow stacking position, the banknote escrow is positioned near the banknote floor home position so that banknotes from a transport path may be stacked on the banknote escrow, an anvil configured to move generally parallel to the first linear direction from a first anvil home position on a first side of the escrow stacking position to a second anvil strapping position located on a second side of the escrow stacking position, wherein when a first predetermined number of banknotes have been stacked on the banknote escrow, a stack of banknotes that had been stacked thereupon is transferred to the banknote floor positioned at the floor home position, wherein the anvil then travels generally parallel to the first linear direction and contacts the stack of banknotes on the floor and moves the stack of banknotes and the floor to a strapping position at which the stack of banknotes is strapped, wherein the floor home position, the floor strapping position, the escrow stacking position, the anvil home position, and the anvil strapping position are arranged linearly generally parallel to the first linear direction.

[0133] In one or more of the above examples, a stack of banknotes strapped at the strapping position is ejected from the device directly from the strapping position.

[0134] In another example embodiment, a method of strapping banknotes using a banknote strapping device comprising a banknote floor moveable generally parallel to a first linear direction from a floor home position to a floor strapping position; a banknote cradle having a cradle stacking position; and a plunger assembly having an anvil comprises stacking banknotes on the banknote cradle when the cradle is in the cradle stacking position positioned near the floor home position, when a first predetermined number of banknotes have been stacked on the cradle, retracting the cradle from the cradle stacking position and transferring a stack of banknotes that had been stacked on the cradle to the banknote floor positioned at the floor home position, moving the anvil generally parallel to the first linear direction from an anvil home position on a first side of the cradle stacking position of the cradle toward a second anvil strapping position located on a second side of the cradle stacking position, while moving the anvil, the anvil contacting a stack of banknotes on the floor and moving the stack of banknotes and the floor to a strapping position at which the stack of banknotes is strapped with the anvil being positioned at the anvil strapping position and the floor being positioned at the floor strapping position, and strapping the stack of banknotes at the strapping position, wherein the floor home position, the floor strapping position, the cradle home position, the anvil home position, and the anvil strapping position are arranged linearly generally parallel to the first linear direction.

[0135] In one or more of the above examples, the method further comprises ejecting a stack of banknotes strapped at the strapping position from the banknote strapping device directly from the strapping position.

[0136] In one or more of the above examples, the ejecting comprises moving the stack of banknotes strapped at the strapping position linearly out of the banknote strapping device.

[0137] In one or more of the above examples, the method further comprises moving the cradle from a retracted position back to the cradle stacking position after the anvil has moved past the cradle stacking position. [0138] In one or more of the above examples, the cradle is retracted the cradle from the cradle stacking position and moved back to the cradle stacking position in less than 1 second.

[0139] In one or more of the above examples, the cradle is retracted the cradle from the cradle stacking position and moved back to the cradle stacking position in less than 0.3 seconds.

[0140] In one or more of the above examples, the method further comprises stacking banknotes on the stack of banknotes transferred from the cradle to the floor, pausing the stacking of banknotes after a second predetermined number of banknotes have been accumulated on the floor, wherein the act of the anvil contacting a stack of banknotes on the floor occurs after the act of pausing.

[0141] In one or more of the above examples, the method further comprises moving the cradle from a retracted position back to the cradle stacking position after the anvil has moved past the cradle stacking position and resuming stacking banknotes on the banknote cradle after the cradle has been moved back to the cradle stacking position.

[0142] In one or more of the above examples, the time between the acts of pausing the stacking and resuming stacking banknotes is less than 1 second.

[0143] In one or more of the above examples, the time between the acts of pausing the stacking and resuming stacking banknotes in less than 0.3 seconds.

[0144] In another example embodiment, a banknote strapping device comprises a banknote floor moveable generally parallel to a first linear direction from a floor home position to a floor strapping position, a banknote cradle having a cradle stacking position, wherein when in the cradle stacking position, the banknote cradle is positioned near the floor home position so that banknotes from a transport path may be stacked on the banknote cradle, and a plunger assembly having an anvil, wherein the plunger assembly is configured to move the anvil generally parallel to the first linear direction from an anvil home position on a first side of the cradle stacking position of the banknote cradle to an anvil strapping position located on a second side of the cradle stacking position, wherein when a first predetermined number of banknotes have been stacked on the banknote cradle, a stack of banknotes that had been stacked thereupon is transferred to the banknote floor positioned at the floor home position, wherein the anvil travels generally parallel to the first linear direction and contacts the stack of banknotes on the banknote floor and moves the stack of banknotes and the banknote floor to a strapping position with the anvil at the anvil strapping position and the banknote floor at the floor strapping position at which the stack of banknotes is strapped, and wherein the floor home position, the floor strapping position, the cradle stacking position, the anvil home position, and the anvil strapping position are arranged linearly generally parallel to the first linear direction.

[0145] In one or more of the above examples, to transfer the stack of banknotes from the banknote cradle to the banknote floor positioned at the floor home position, the banknote cradle retracts from the cradle stacking position to a cradle retracted position, and wherein the stack of banknotes is transferred to the banknote floor as the banknote cradle moves from the cradle stacking position to the cradle retracted position. [0146] In one or more of the above examples, the banknote strapping device further comprises a generally vertical stacking and strapping column, wherein the banknote floor is disposed within the generally vertical stacking and strapping column.

[0147] In one or more of the above examples, when the banknote cradle is in the cradle stacking position, the banknote cradle is positioned within the generally vertical stacking and strapping column above the banknote floor, and wherein, when the banknote cradle is in the cradle retracted position, the banknote cradle is positioned outside the generally vertical stacking and strapping column.

[0148] In one or more of the above examples, after the stack of banknotes has been strapped, the plunger assembly pivots the anvil out of the stacking and strapping column, raises the anvil above the cradle stacking position, and pivots the anvil back into the stacking and strapping column.

[0149] In one or more of the above examples, after the anvil pivots out of the stacking and strapping column, the banknote floor returns to the floor home position.

[0150] In one or more of the above examples, the banknote strapping device further comprises one or more fold units, wherein, at the anvil strapping position, the anvil is aligned with the one or more fold units and the one or more fold units fold a strap on the stack of banknotes.

[0151] In one or more of the above examples, the one or more fold units includes a cold fold unit and a hot fold unit, wherein the hot fold unit includes a heating element, wherein the cold fold unit moves to press a first side of the strap on the stack of banknotes, and wherein the hot fold unit moves to press a second side of the strap on the stack of banknotes and heat seal at least a portion of the strap.

[0152] In one or more of the above examples, the stack of banknotes strapped at the strapping position are ejected from the banknote strapping device directly from the strapping position.

[0153] In one or more of the above examples, ejecting the stack of banknotes includes moving the stack of banknotes strapped at the strapping position linearly out of the banknote strapping device.

[0154] In one or more of the above examples, ejecting the stack of banknotes includes ejecting the stack of banknotes on a dispensing ramp.

[0155] In another example embodiment, a method of strapping banknotes using a banknote strapping device including a banknote floor moveable generally parallel to a first linear direction from a floor home position to a floor strapping position, a banknote cradle having a cradle stacking position, and a plunger assembly having an anvil, comprises stacking banknotes on the banknote cradle when the banknote cradle is in the cradle stacking position positioned near the floor home position, when a first predetermined number of banknotes have been stacked on the banknote cradle, retracting the banknote cradle from the cradle stacking position and transferring a stack of banknotes that had been stacked on the banknote cradle to the banknote floor positioned at the floor home position, moving the anvil generally parallel to the first linear direction from an anvil home position on a first side of the cradle stacking position of the banknote cradle toward a second anvil strapping position located on a second side of the cradle stacking position, contacting, by the anvil during movement of the anvil, the stack of banknotes on the banknote floor and moving the stack of banknotes and the banknote floor to a strapping position at which the stack of banknotes is strapped with the anvil being positioned at the anvil strapping position and the banknote floor being positioned at the floor strapping position, and strapping the stack of banknotes at the strapping position, wherein the floor home position, the floor strapping position, the cradle stacking position, the anvil home position, and the anvil strapping position are arranged linearly generally parallel to the first linear direction.

[0156] In one or more of the above examples, the method further comprises ejecting the stack of banknotes strapped at the strapping position from the banknote strapping device directly from the strapping position.

[0157] In one or more of the above examples, ejecting the stack of banknotes includes moving the stack of banknotes strapped at the strapping position linearly out of the banknote strapping device.

[0158] In one or more of the above examples, ejecting the stack of banknotes includes ejecting the stack of banknotes on a dispensing ramp.

[0159] In one or more of the above examples, the method further comprises moving the banknote cradle from a retracted position back to the cradle stacking position after the anvil has moved past the cradle stacking position.

[0160] In one or more of the above examples, the method further comprises stacking banknotes on the stack of banknotes transferred from the banknote cradle to the banknote floor, and pausing the stacking of banknotes after a second predetermined number of banknotes have been accumulated on the banknote floor, wherein the anvil contacts the stack of banknotes on the banknote floor after pausing the stacking of banknotes.

[0161] In one or more of the above examples, the method further comprises moving the banknote cradle from a retracted position back to the cradle stacking position after the anvil has moved past the cradle stacking position and resuming stacking banknotes on the banknote cradle after the banknote cradle has been moved back to the cradle stacking position.

[0162] In one or more of the above examples, strapping the stack of banknotes at the strapping position includes aligning the anvil with one or more fold units at the anvil strapping position, and folding, by the one or more fold units, a strap on the stack of banknotes.

[0163] In one or more of the above examples, the one or more fold units includes a cold fold unit and a hot fold unit, and wherein the hot fold unit includes a heating element, and the method further comprises moving the cold fold unit to press a first side of the strap on the stack of banknotes, and moving the hot fold unit to press a second side of the strap on the stack of banknotes and heat seal at least a portion of the strap. [0164] In another example embodiment, a banknote strapping device comprises a banknote floor moveable generally parallel to a first linear direction from a floor home position to a floor strapping position, wherein the banknote floor is spring biased towards the floor home position, a plunger assembly having an anvil, wherein the plunger assembly is configured to move the anvil from an anvil home position to an anvil strapping position, wherein the anvil travels generally parallel to the first linear direction and contacts a stack of banknotes on the banknote floor and moves the stack of banknotes and the banknote floor to a strapping position with the anvil at the anvil strapping position and the banknote floor at the floor strapping position at which the stack of banknotes is strapped, and an ejector moveable with the banknote floor, wherein the ejector includes a double lobed camshaft operable to move at least one pusher arm to both release the strapped stack of banknotes from under the anvil and eject the banknotes from the banknote strapping device.

[0165] In one or more of the above examples, the banknote floor, the plunger assembly, and the ejector are all coupled to a linear rail system.

[0166] In one or more of the above examples, the banknote strapping device further comprises a banknote cradle having a cradle stacking position, wherein when in the cradle stacking position, the banknote cradle is positioned near the floor home position so that banknotes from a transport path may be stacked on the banknote cradle, wherein when a first predetermined number of banknotes have been stacked on the banknote cradle, the stack of banknotes that had been stacked thereupon is transferred to the banknote floor positioned at the floor home position, and wherein the floor home position, the floor strapping position, the cradle stacking position, the anvil home position, and the anvil strapping position are arranged linearly generally parallel to the first linear direction.

[0167] In one or more of the above examples, to transfer the stack of banknotes from the banknote cradle to the banknote floor positioned at the floor home position, the banknote cradle retracts from the cradle stacking position to a cradle retracted position, and wherein the stack of banknotes is transferred to the banknote floor as the banknote cradle moves from the cradle stacking position to the cradle retracted position.

[0168] In one or more of the above examples, the banknote strapping device further includes further comprising a generally vertical stacking and strapping column, wherein the banknote floor is disposed within the generally vertical stacking and strapping column.

[0169] In one or more of the above examples, after the stack of banknotes has been strapped, the plunger assembly pivots the anvil out of the stacking and strapping column, raises the anvil above the cradle stacking position, and pivots the anvil back into the stacking and strapping column.

[0170] In one or more of the above examples, after the anvil pivots out of the stacking and strapping column, the banknote floor returns to the floor home position.

[0171] In one or more of the above examples, the one or more fold units includes a cold fold unit and a hot fold unit, wherein the hot fold unit includes a heating element, wherein the cold fold unit moves to press a first side of the strap on the stack of banknotes, and wherein the hot fold unit moves to press a second side of the strap on the stack of banknotes and heat seal at least a portion of the strap.

[0172] In one or more of the above examples, the stack of banknotes strapped at the strapping position are ejected from the banknote strapping device directly from the strapping position.

[0173] In one or more of the above examples, ejecting the stack of banknotes includes moving the stack of banknotes strapped at the strapping position linearly out of the banknote strapping device.

[0174] In one or more of the above examples, ejecting the stack of banknotes includes ejecting the stack of banknotes on a dispensing ramp. [0175] In another example embodiment, a method of strapping banknotes using a banknote strapping device including a banknote floor moveable generally parallel to a first linear direction from a floor home position to a floor strapping position, a plunger assembly having an anvil, and an ejector moveable with the banknote floor, the method comprises moving the anvil generally parallel to the first linear direction from an anvil home position toward a second anvil strapping position, contacting, by the anvil during movement of the anvil, a stack of banknotes on the banknote floor and moving the stack of banknotes and the banknote floor to a strapping position at which the stack of banknotes is strapped with the anvil being positioned at the anvil strapping position and the banknote floor being positioned at the floor strapping position, strapping the stack of banknotes at the strapping position, ejecting the strapped stack of banknotes using a double lobed camshaft of the ejector by moving at least one pusher arm to both release the strapped stack of banknotes from under the anvil and eject the banknotes from the banknote strapping device.

[0176] In one or more of the above examples, the banknote floor, the plunger assembly, and the ejector are all coupled to a linear rail system.

[0177] In one or more of the above examples, the method further comprises stacking banknotes on a banknote cradle when the banknote cradle is in a cradle stacking position positioned near the floor home position, and when a first predetermined number of banknotes have been stacked on the banknote cradle, retracting the banknote cradle from the cradle stacking position and transferring the stack of banknotes that had been stacked on the banknote cradle to the banknote floor positioned at the floor home position, wherein the floor home position, the floor strapping position, the cradle stacking position, the anvil home position, and the anvil strapping position are arranged linearly generally parallel to the first linear direction.

[0178] In one or more of the above examples, the method further comprising stacking banknotes on the stack of banknotes transferred from the banknote cradle to the banknote floor, pausing the stacking of banknotes after a second predetermined number of banknotes have been accumulated on the banknote floor, wherein the anvil contacts the stack of banknotes on the banknote floor after pausing the stacking of banknotes, moving the banknote cradle from a retracted position back to the cradle stacking position after the anvil has moved past the cradle stacking position, and resuming stacking banknotes on the banknote cradle after the banknote cradle has been moved back to the cradle stacking position.

[0179] In one or more of the above examples, the method further comprises ejecting the stack of banknotes strapped at the strapping position from the banknote strapping device directly from the strapping position.

[0180] In one or more of the above examples, wherein ejecting the stack of banknotes includes moving the stack of banknotes strapped at the strapping position linearly out of the banknote strapping device.

[0181] In one or more of the above examples, wherein ejecting the stack of banknotes includes ejecting the stack of banknotes on a dispensing ramp.

[0182] In one or more of the above examples, strapping the stack of banknotes at the strapping position includes aligning the anvil with one or more fold units at the anvil strapping position and folding, by the one or more fold units, a strap on the stack of banknotes. [0183] In one or more of the above examples, the one or more fold units includes a cold fold unit and a hot fold unit, and wherein the hot fold unit includes a heating element, the method further comprising moving the cold fold unit to press a first side of the strap on the stack of banknotes; and moving the hot fold unit to press a second side of the strap on the stack of banknotes and heat seal at least a portion of the strap. [0184] While this disclosure has described certain embodiments and generally associated methods, alterations and permutations of these embodiments and methods will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the above description of example embodiments does not define or constrain this disclosure. Other changes, substitutions, and alterations are also possible without departing from the spirit and scope of this disclosure, as defined by the following claims.

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. A banknote strapping device comprising: a banknote floor moveable generally parallel to a first linear direction from a floor home position to a floor strapping position, wherein the banknote floor is spring biased towards the floor home position; a plunger assembly having an anvil, wherein the plunger assembly is configured to move the anvil from an anvil home position to an anvil strapping position, wherein the anvil travels generally parallel to the first linear direction and contacts a stack of banknotes on the banknote floor and moves the stack of banknotes and the banknote floor to a strapping position with the anvil at the anvil strapping position and the banknote floor at the floor strapping position at which the stack of banknotes is strapped; and an ejector moveable with the banknote floor, wherein the ejector includes a double lobed camshaft operable to move at least one pusher arm to both release the strapped stack of banknotes from under the anvil and eject the banknotes from the banknote strapping device.

2. The banknote strapping device of Claim 1, wherein the banknote floor, the plunger assembly, and the ejector are all coupled to a linear rail system.

3. The banknote strapping device of Claim 1, further comprising a banknote cradle having a cradle stacking position, wherein when in the cradle stacking position, the banknote cradle is positioned near the floor home position so that banknotes from a transport path may be stacked on the banknote cradle, wherein when a first predetermined number of banknotes have been stacked on the banknote cradle, the stack of banknotes that had been stacked thereupon is transferred to the banknote floor positioned at the floor home position, and wherein the floor home position, the floor strapping position, the cradle stacking position, the anvil home position, and the anvil strapping position are arranged linearly generally parallel to the first linear direction.

4. The banknote strapping device of claim 3, wherein, to transfer the stack of banknotes from the banknote cradle to the banknote floor positioned at the floor home position, the banknote cradle retracts from the cradle stacking position to a cradle retracted position, and wherein the stack of banknotes is transferred to the banknote floor as the banknote cradle moves from the cradle stacking position to the cradle retracted position.

5. The banknote strapping device of claim 4, further comprising a generally vertical stacking and strapping column, wherein the banknote floor is disposed within the generally vertical stacking and strapping column.

6. The banknote strapping device of claim 5, wherein, after the stack of banknotes has been strapped, the plunger assembly pivots the anvil out of the stacking and strapping column, raises the anvil above the cradle stacking position, and pivots the anvil back into the stacking and strapping column.

7. The banknote strapping device of claim 6, wherein after the anvil pivots out of the stacking and strapping column, the banknote floor returns to the floor home position.

8. The banknote strapping device of claim 7, wherein the one or more fold units includes a cold fold unit and a hot fold unit, wherein the hot fold unit includes a heating element, wherein the cold fold unit moves to press a first side of the strap on the stack of banknotes, and wherein the hot fold unit moves to press a second side of the strap on the stack of banknotes and heat seal at least a portion of the strap.

9. The banknote strapping device of claim 1, wherein the stack of banknotes strapped at the strapping position are ejected from the banknote strapping device directly from the strapping position.

10. The banknote strapping device of claim 9, wherein ejecting the stack of banknotes includes moving the stack of banknotes strapped at the strapping position linearly out of the banknote strapping device.

11. The banknote strapping device of claim 9, wherein ejecting the stack of banknotes includes ejecting the stack of banknotes on a dispensing ramp.

12. A method of strapping banknotes using a banknote strapping device including a banknote floor moveable generally parallel to a first linear direction from a floor home position to a floor strapping position, a plunger assembly having an anvil, and an ejector moveable with the banknote floor, the method comprising: moving the anvil generally parallel to the first linear direction from an anvil home position toward a second anvil strapping position; contacting, by the anvil during movement of the anvil, a stack of banknotes on the banknote floor and moving the stack of banknotes and the banknote floor to a strapping position at which the stack of banknotes is strapped with the anvil being positioned at the anvil strapping position and the banknote floor being positioned at the floor strapping position; strapping the stack of banknotes at the strapping position; and ejecting the strapped stack of banknotes using a double lobed camshaft of the ejector by moving at least one pusher arm to both release the strapped stack of banknotes from under the anvil and eject the banknotes from the banknote strapping device.

13. The method of Claim 12, wherein the banknote floor, the plunger assembly, and the ejector are all coupled to a linear rail system.

14. The method of Claim 12, further comprising: stacking banknotes on a banknote cradle when the banknote cradle is in a cradle stacking position positioned near the floor home position; and when a first predetermined number of banknotes have been stacked on the banknote cradle, retracting the banknote cradle from the cradle stacking position and transferring the stack of banknotes that had been stacked on the banknote cradle to the banknote floor positioned at the floor home position, wherein the floor home position, the floor strapping position, the cradle stacking position, the anvil home position, and the anvil strapping position are arranged linearly generally parallel to the first linear direction.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising: stacking banknotes on the stack of banknotes transferred from the banknote cradle to the banknote floor; pausing the stacking of banknotes after a second predetermined number of banknotes have been accumulated on the banknote floor, wherein the anvil contacts the stack of banknotes on the banknote floor after pausing the stacking of banknotes; moving the banknote cradle from a retracted position back to the cradle stacking position after the anvil has moved past the cradle stacking position; and resuming stacking banknotes on the banknote cradle after the banknote cradle has been moved back to the cradle stacking position.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising ejecting the stack of banknotes strapped at the strapping position from the banknote strapping device directly from the strapping position.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein ejecting the stack of banknotes includes moving the stack of banknotes strapped at the strapping position linearly out of the banknote strapping device.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein ejecting the stack of banknotes includes ejecting the stack of banknotes on a dispensing ramp.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein strapping the stack of banknotes at the strapping position includes: aligning the anvil with one or more fold units at the anvil strapping position; and folding, by the one or more fold units, a strap on the stack of banknotes.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the one or more fold units includes a cold fold unit and a hot fold unit, and wherein the hot fold unit includes a heating element, the method further comprising: moving the cold fold unit to press a first side of the strap on the stack of banknotes; and moving the hot fold unit to press a second side of the strap on the stack of banknotes and heat seal at least a portion of the strap .