Apparatus for aligning notes of value

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11084677-B2
Application number	US-201815923081-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 16, 2018
Priority date	Mar 17, 2017
Publication date	Aug 10, 2021
Grant date	Aug 10, 2021

Abstract

An apparatus for aligning at least one note of value along a transport path has at least one transport element and at least one first drive unit for driving the transport element. The driven transport element moves the note of value along the transport path in a transport direction. The transport element includes an endless drive belt, which is deflected over at least two rotatably mounted deflecting elements and a second drive unit for displacing one of the deflecting elements along its axis of rotation. By displacing the deflecting element, the note of value contacting the belt is moved obliquely to the transport direction. A further apparatus includes at least one vane wheel by which the note of value is movable transversely to the transport direction.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for aligning at least one note of value along a transport path comprising:
an inlet shaft for transporting the at least one note of value along the transport path in a transport direction;
an outlet shaft for transporting the at least one note of value along the transport path in the transport direction, said inlet shaft spaced from said outlet shaft along the transport path in the transport direction;
at least one transverse transport element arranged between said inlet shaft and said outlet shaft along the transport path in the transport direction;
at least one counter-pressure element arranged opposite to said at least one transverse transport element;
wherein the transport path extends between said at least one transverse transport element and said at least one counter-pressure element;
wherein said at least one transverse transport element includes at least one vane wheel having a hub and at least one rigid vane projecting radially away from said hub;
wherein an axis of rotation of said at least one vane wheel runs parallel to the transport direction and has a distance to a transport plane in which the at least one note of value travels in the transport direction
wherein said at least one rigid vane extends from a base end at said hub to a distal end remote from said hub, a width of said at least one rigid vane defined about said axis of rotation, and said width increasing continuously between said base end and said distal end; and
wherein said at least one vane wheel, upon rotation, contacts, with said at least one rigid vane, the at least one note of value against said at least one counter-pressure element and moves the at least one note of value transversely to the transport direction and also moves the at least one note of value out of the transport plane.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said apparatus has at least one elastically deformable element that generates a press-on force of said at least one counter-pressure element on the at least one note of value arranged between said at least one rigid vane wheel and said at least one counter-pressure element.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said at least one rigid vane is further defined as a plurality of rigid vanes extending radially away from said hub.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said plurality of rigid vanes are evenly spaced from one another about said axis of rotation of said at least one vane wheel.

5. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein:
an enveloping circle of the said at least one vane wheel is defined by a radius of outer points of the said at least one vane wheel;
said enveloping circle has a circumference about said axis of rotation of said at least one vane wheel defined by a plurality of arcuate circumferential portions including a first set of arcuate circumferential portions defined by respective said distal ends of said plurality of rigid vanes and a second set of arcuate circumferential portions defined by gaps between said distal ends of said plurality of rigid vanes; and
said second set of arcuate portions collectively define a greater portion of said circumference of said enveloping circle than defined collectively by said first set of arcuate circumferential portions.

6. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein:
a gap is defined between a first rigid vane of said plurality of rigid vanes and a second rigid vane of said plurality of rigid vanes, said gap extends a first angle about said axis of rotation of said at least one vane wheel;
said first rigid vane extends a second angle about said axis of rotation of said at least one vane wheel;
said second rigid vane extends a third angle about said axis of rotation of said at least one vane wheel; and
said first angle is greater than at least one of said second angle and said third angle.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said first angle is greater than both of said second angle and said third angle.

8. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein:
said at least one transverse transport element is further defined as including a plurality of vane wheels, each of said plurality of vane wheels having a hub and at least one rigid vane projecting radially away from said hub, wherein said plurality of vane wheels includes a first vane wheel and a second vane wheel positioned at a same position along the transport path; and
said at least one counter-pressure element is further defined as a plurality of counter-pressure elements includes a first counter-pressure element arranged opposite to said first vane wheel and a second counter-pressure element arranged opposite to said second vane wheel.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said first vane wheel and said second vane wheel are positioned between said input shaft and said output shaft along the transport path.

10. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein:
said first vane wheel includes a first plurality of rigid vanes and said second vane wheel includes a second plurality of rigid vanes; and
said first plurality of rigid vanes and said second plurality of rigid vanes are synchronized relative to one another whereby a first rigid vane of said first plurality of rigid vanes is engaged with said first counter-pressure element at the same time that a second rigid vane of said second plurality of rigid vanes is engaged with said second counter-pressure element.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said first plurality of rigid vanes and said second plurality of rigid vanes are synchronized relative to one another whereby said first counter-pressure element is not engaged with any of said first plurality of rigid vanes at the same time said second counter-pressure element is not engaged with any of said second plurality of rigid vanes.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein:
said at least one vane wheel is further defined as including a plurality of vane wheels, each of said plurality of vane wheels having a hub and at least one rigid vane projecting radially away from said hub, wherein said plurality of vane wheels includes a first vane wheel and a second vane wheel positioned at a same position along the transport path and adjacent to one another laterally relative to the transport path; and
said at least one counter-pressure element is further defined as a plurality of counter-pressure elements including a first counter-pressure element arranged opposite to said first vane wheel and a second counter-pressure element arranged opposite to said second vane wheel.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein said first vane wheel and said second vane wheel are positioned between said input shaft and said output shaft along the transport path.

14. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein said at least one rigid vane of said first vane wheel is further defined as a first plurality of rigid vanes extending radially away from a first hub of said first vane wheel and said at least one rigid vane of said second vane wheel is further defined as a second plurality of rigid vanes extending radially away from a second hub of said second vane wheel.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein:
said first vane wheel is rotatable about a first axis of rotation;
said second vane wheel is rotatable about a second axis of rotation, said first axis of rotation and said second axis of rotation parallel to one another;
said first plurality of rigid vanes are spaced from one another about said first axis of rotation; and
said second plurality of rigid vanes are spaced from one another about said second axis of rotation.

16. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein:
a first enveloping circle of the said

Assignees

• Wincor Nixdorf Int Gmbh

Inventors

• Langhuber Dirk
• Kemmerling Thomas
• Schild Michael
• Hoischen Ludger
• Freitag Paul

Classifications

• G07D11/17 Primary

  Aligning · CPC title

• B65H5/06

  by rollers {or balls, e.g. between rollers (transport by suction rollers B65H5/226)} · CPC title

• B65H29/12

  by means of the nip between two, or between two sets of, moving tapes or bands {or rollers} · CPC title

• B65H29/20

  by contact with rotating friction members, e.g. rollers, brushes, or cylinders {(with suction rollers B65H29/243)} · CPC title

• B65H5/023

  between a pair of belts forming a transport nip · CPC title