Short Travel Pusher Plate Stacking Bin

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2023211971-A1
Application number	US-202318121870-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 15, 2023
Priority date	Nov 25, 2020
Publication date	Jul 6, 2023
Grant date	—

Abstract

A pusher plate stacking bin apparatus is provided for a valuable media depository. The apparatus comprising a pusher plate driven by a rack and pinion apparatus to stack a media item that is in a final position within the apparatus onto a media stacking platform. The media item is urged into the final position such that a trailing edge of the media item overhangs and rests on a fixed media guide and such that a leading edge of the media item overhangs and rests on a hinged media guide with a bottom surface of the media item elevated above the media stacking platform. The rack and pinion apparatus drives the plate past the media guides causing the hinged media guide to drop and the media item to fold along the leading edge as the media item is stacked onto the platform.

First claim

1 . (canceled)

2 . A method, comprising:
urging a leading edge associated with a first portion of a media item on top of a hinged media guide with a trailing edge associated with second portion of the media item on top of a fixed media guide; driving a pusher plate along a top surface of the media item from an initial position to an end position past the fixed media guide and past the hinged media guide causing the media item to move onto a media stacking platform; and retracting the pusher plate up and off the top surface of the media item and from the end position back to the initial position past the fixed media guide and the hinged media guide into the initial position.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein driving further includes folding the media item along the leading edge on the media stacking platform as the pusher plate moves past the hinged media guide towards the end position.

4 . The method of claim 2 , wherein driving further includes driving, by a rack and pinion apparatus, the pusher plate from the initial position to the end position.

5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein retracting further includes retracting, by the rack and pinion apparatus, the pusher plate from the end position back to the initial position.

6 . The method of claim 2 , wherein driving further includes driving the pusher plate without the pusher plate contacting the fixed media guide and without the pusher plate contacting the hinged media guide.

7 . The method of claim 2 , wherein urging further includes pinching the media item between pairs of opposing rollers moving the media item from an entry position to a final position above a surface of the media stacking platform.

8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein pinching further includes resting the first portion of the media item onto the hinged media guide and the second portion of the media item onto the fixed media guide at the final position.

9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein resting further includes resting the first portion with a first overhang of approximately 13 mm on top of the hinged media guide.

10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein resting further includes resting the second portion with a second overhang of approximately 10 mm on top of the fixed media guide.

11 . The method of claim 2 , wherein a length of the pusher plate is less than a length of the media stacking platform.

12 . The method of claim 2 further comprising, processing the method, by a controller of depository for a transaction terminal during a deposit transaction of the media item at the transaction terminal, wherein the media item is a check being deposited.

13 . A depository, comprising:
a pushing plate stacking bin apparatus to stack checks deposited at the depository; wherein the pushing plate stacking bin apparatus comprises:
a pusher plate;
a media stacking platform;
a fixed media guide; and
a hinged media guide;
wherein the pushing plate stacking bin apparatus adapted to urge a check from an entry position to a final position with a first portion of the check resting on top of the hinged media guide and a second portion of the check resting on top of the fixed media guide;
wherein the pusher plate adapted to engage a top surface of the check above the hinged media guide and the fixed media guide and move from an initial location to a final location past the hinged media guide and the fixed media guide with the check folded onto the media stacking platform;
wherein the pusher plate further adapted to lift off the top surface of the check at the final location and return back to the initial location once the check is folded onto the media stacking platform.

14 . The depository of claim 13 , wherein the pushing plate stacking bin apparatus further includes a rack and pinion apparatus to drive the pusher plate onto the top surface of the check from the initial location to the final location and to lift the pusher plate off the check at the final location back to the initial location.

15 . The depository of claim 13 , wherein the pushing plate stacking bin apparatus further includes springs attached to a bottom surface of the media stacking platform to compress and maintain tension on the check when the pusher plate retracts off the check and returns to the final location after the pusher plate folds and stacks the check onto the media stacking platform.

16 . The depository of claim 13 , wherein a length of the pushing plate is less than a length of the media stacking platform.

17 . The depository of claim 13 further comprising, an escrow module that releases the check to the entry position of the pushing plate stacking bin apparatus.

18 . The depository of claim 13 , wherein the depository is an integrated peripheral device of an automated teller machine, a self-service terminal, a point-of-sale terminal, or a kiosk that handles valuable media including the check.

19 . The depository of claim 13 , wherein the pushing plate stacking bin apparatus further includes two pairs of opposing rollers that pinch the check between each pair of opposing rollers and urge the check from the entry position to the final position.

20 . A pushing plate stacking bin apparatus of a depository, comprising:
a pusher plate; a media stacking platform; a fixed media guide; and a hinged media guide; wherein the pushing plate stacking bin apparatus adapted to urge a media item from an entry position to a final position with a first portion of the media item resting on top of the hinged media guide and a second portion of the media item resting on top of the fixed media guide;
wherein the pusher plate adapted to engage a top surface of the media item above the hinged media guide and the fixed media guide and move from an initial location to a final location past the hinged media guide and the fixed media guide with the check folded onto the media stacking platform;
wherein the pusher plate further adapted to lift off the top surface of the media item at the final location and return back to the initial location once the media item is folded onto the media stacking platform.

21 . The pushing plate stacking bin apparatus of claim 20 further comprising, two pairs of opposing rollers that pinch the media item between each pair of opposing rollers and urge the media item from the entry position to the final position.

Assignees

• Ncr Corp

Inventors

• Rutherford Craig

Classifications

• G07D11/16 Primary

  Handling of valuable papers (within containers G07D11/13) · CPC title

• B65H2701/1912

  Banknotes, bills and cheques or the like · CPC title

• B65H2403/41

  Rack-and-pinion, cogwheel in cog railway · CPC title

• B65H31/10

  and applied at the top of the pile · CPC title

• G07D11/125

  Secure containers · CPC title