Technical Field

The technical field of the invention is cash handling. More specifically, the invention relates to a method and device for secure transportation of notes in a cash handling system.

Background of the invention

In cash handling systems, notes may be transported between different note handling entities such as Point-Of-Sales units [abbreviated POS) of shops, vehicles of Cash In Transit (abbreviated CIT) companies, and cash centers by means of note transport units, thereby increasing efficiency of note transportation, reducing direct human interaction with the notes, and hence enhancing security during pick-up and transportation, as well as reducing the risk of human error when handling the notes. However, even when handling notes with less human interaction, unauthorized access to notes in e.g. note transport units may still be possible.

Laid open application WO2006/041358 discloses a cash handling system comprising a cassette which accommodates banknotes wound around a storage drum for transportation of notes in the cash handling system. The cassette comprises a timer that can be set to a desired time interval, and which can activate means to dye the contents of the cassette.

Summary

It is with respect to the above considerations and others that the present invention has been made.

In view of the above, it would therefore be desirable to achieve an improved note transport unit for transportation of notes in a note handling system. In particular, it would be advantageous to achieve a more secure note transport unit.

To better address one or more of these concerns, in a first aspect of the present invention it is provided a note transport unit for secure transportation of notes in a note handling system, wherein the note transport unit comprises: at least one note storage drum having at least a first side wall, the drum being arranged to store notes spooled on the drum between at least one film, wherein the at least first side wall of the note storage drum is provided with a plurality of ink outlet openings arranged to inject ink between layers of the at least one film. A note handling system is herein defined as a system comprising a plurality of note handling entities such as POS units, CIT vehicles, docking stations and similar. The note transport unit may transport notes stored therein, between entities in the system, and further receive notes from and dispense notes to the note handling entities. Ink is herein defined as any coloring substance suitable for dyeing notes.

Beneficially, the present note transport unit may provide ink between layers of films spooled onto the note storage drum by injecting the ink via ink outlet openings of at least a first side wall of the note storage drum, which ink thereby may penetrate between the films and color the notes stored therebetween. By injecting the ink close to the films, the speed of the ink when contacting the film(s) may be high enough to penetrate sufficiently deep between the film(s) for dyeing any notes therebetween to such extent that they become useless for e.g. a person trying to get access to the notes. Moreover, due to the relatively short distance for the ink to travel from the ink outlet openings to the film(s), diffusion of the ink may be kept low, whereby higher concentration of ink may be provided between the film(s), hence facilitating deeper penetration between the layers of film(s).

The ink may be provided into the at least first side wall via a central axis of the note storage drum. The central axis of the note storage drum may also be a central axis of the first side wall. Thereby, ink may be provided into a rotateable first side wall forming part of a rotateable note storage drum, which note storage drum may be rotateable around the central axis thereof. The at least first side wall may comprise ink distribution grooves connected to the ink outlet openings. Thereby, the ink may be distributed in the at least first side wall prior to injecting ink between the layer(s) of films, from which the effect of ink injection between any layer(s) of film(s) spooled on the note storage drum may be obtainable.

Film(s) being spooled onto the note storage drum and film(s) being spooled on a central hub of the note storage drum will be used interchangeably hereinafter.

Each of the ink outlet openings may be connected to at least a partly radially extending ink distribution groove. By providing at least partly radially extending grooves, ink may be distributed in the first side wall in a way corresponding to the spooling technique of the film(s) on the note storage drum, whereby ink may efficiently be provided between the layers of film(s) for dyeing any notes stored therebetween. The at least partly radially extending ink distribution groove may be connected to at least one peripherally extending distribution groove. Thereby, ink may be peripherally distributed in the first side wall, for further distribution of the ink to e.g. a plurality of at least partly radially extending grooves.

The at least partly radially extending groove may end at a distance d from a central axis of said note storage drum, the distance being at least as large as a radius of a central hub.

For keeping up the ink pressure in the first side wall, the at least partly radially extending groove (s) may terminate at the distance d from the central axis, substantially corresponding to the radius of the central hub of the note storage drum. By providing a shorter total length of the grooves in the first side wall, the ink injected into the side wall has less space to flow therein, and a higher ink pressure may be achieved when the ink reaches the ink outlet openings. Thereby, the ink may penetrate deeper between any films spooled on the note storage drum, and consequently dyeing a larger portion of each note stored therebetween.

Alternatively, the ink outlet openings may end at the distance d. The at least one peripherally extending distribution groove may be at least at a distance D from said central axis, corresponding to a distance from the central axis to an outermost film layer when the at least one film is fully spooled onto the central hub. Thereby, a higher ink pressure may be achieved within the first side wall than if the peripheral groove would be at a greater distance from the central axis than described above. In particular, ink may also be injected between the outermost layers of film when the film(s) are fully spooled onto the note storage drum.

The first side wall may have a double-wall structure, whereby the at least one peripherally extending groove and the at least partly radially extending groove may be located on an intermediate side of the side wall, facing away from the central hub.

The intermediate side of the first side wall is to be construed as a side which may be covered by a cover plate, the cover plate and the first side wall part with grooves together forming the double-walled first side wall, the side being intermediate in the sense that it is neither directly facing the films nor is it an outer side of the note storage drum.

At least the first side wall may comprise a cover plate facing the intermediate side. Thereby, ink may flow in the distribution grooves inside the first side wall without leakage.

The at least first side wall may be rotateable in a first direction and a second direction opposite the first direction around a central axis of the note storage drum.

One embodiment may further comprise: a sensor arranged to sense changes in at least one ink triggering parameter, a processor arranged to provide an ink triggering signal when at least one of the ink triggering parameters is outside a predetermined interval, and a coloring system arranged to provide the ink into the side wall when receiving the ink triggering signal.

Ink triggering parameters which may be detected by the sensor may for instance be temperature, pressure, linear momentum, fluid etc. According to a second aspect of the present invention it is provided a method for ink dyeing notes in a note transport unit, said note transport unit having a note storage drum with at least a first side wall, the drum being arranged to store notes spooled on the drum between at least one film, wherein the method comprises: feeding said ink through ink outlet openings of the at least first wall, between layers of the at least one film.

Generally, this second aspect may exhibit the same advantages and features as the first aspect.

One embodiment may further comprise distributing the ink in the at least first side wall.

In one embodiment, the distributing may further comprise: distributing the ink in at least one peripherally extending distribution groove to a plurality of at least partly radially extending ink distribution grooves being connected to the ink outlet openings. In one embodiment, the distributing may further comprise: distributing the ink in peripherally directions along the at least one peripherally extending groove, and distributing the ink at least partly radially inwards along the plurality of at least partly radially extending ink distribution grooves. In one embodiment, the distributing may further comprise: distributing the ink in a radially outwardly direction to the at least one peripherally extending groove.

These and other aspects of the invention will be apparent from and elucidated with reference to the embodiments described hereinafter.

Brief description of the drawings

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described in more detail, reference being made to the enclosed drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 shows a perspective view with parts broken away of an embodiment of a note transport unit according to the invention.

Fig. 2 shows another perspective view with parts broken away of the note transport unit in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 shows a side view of a side wall of a note storage drum according to the invention.

Fig. 4 shows a side view from another direction of the side wall in Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 shows a note storage drum of the note transport unit in Fig. 1. Fig. 6 shows a flowchart illustrating a method of ink dyeing notes in the note transport unit in Fig. 1.

Detailed description

Fig. 1 shows a perspective view with parts broken away of an embodiment of a note transport unit 1 according to the invention. The note transport unit 1 has a housing 2 having an opening 4 for receiving input notes and subsequently dispensing previous input notes as output notes. Such receiving and dispensing operations can occur when the note transport unit 1 is connected to e.g. a note handling unit such as a POS unit, or a docking station (not shown). The note transport unit 1 can be carried with a handle 3 while e.g. transported within a note handling system (not shown). Inside the housing 2 there is inter alia a note storage drum 5, on which input notes can be stored by being spooled around a central hub, between first and second film layers 8a and 8b provided by film drums 9a and 9b. The note storage drum 5 has a first and a second side wall 6a and 6b, respectively, rotateable around a central axis of the note storage drum 5, for spooling the first and second films 8a and 8b around the central hub when rotating in a first direction, and for spooling off the first and second films 8a and 8b when rotating in a second opposite direction. Note drum motor 7 is arranged to drive the note storage drum 5, and film drum motors 10a and 10b are arranged to drive the film drums 9a and 9b, respectively, when the note transport unit 1 is connected to e.g. a note handling unit for receiving or dispensing operations. The note transport unit 1 further has a note coloring system 11 comprising inter alia ink containers 12 and a cartridge 13. At unauthorized access to the note transport unit 1, which is to be construed as any type of manipulation with the note transport unit 1 in which a sensor, or alternatively a plurality of sensors, detect at least one ink triggering parameter being outside a predetermined interval, the ink containers 12 can provide their ink content into the first side wall 6a. Ink triggering parameters which may be detected by the sensor can for instance be temperature, pressure, linear momentum, fluid etc.

The note coloring system 11 may at unauthorized access receive an ink triggering signal from a processor coupled to the sensor and in response thereto provide a high pressure gas injection via the cartridge 13, triggering the injection of ink from the ink containers 12 into the first side wall 6a via a nozzle 14. The nozzle 14 provides ink into the first side wall 6a, in which ink distribution grooves are arranged, via an opening 19 (see Fig. 3) in the first side wall 6a, the opening being 19 located around the central axis of the note storage drum 5. The ink is subsequently distributed inside the first side wall 6a, whereby ink is injected from ink outlet openings 16 of the first side wall 6a, in between the first and second side walls 6a and 6b, dyeing notes stored between first and second layers of film 8a and 8b spooled onto the drum. The ink outlet openings 16 are so distributed along the surface of an inner side 21 (see Fig. 4) of the first side wall 6a facing the second side wall 6b as to provide ink circumferentially between any layer of first and second films 8a and 8b spooled on the note storage drum 5.

Due to the ink outlet openings being provided in at least the first side wall 6a of the note storage drum 5, i.e. in a direct vicinity of the layers of film and thus the notes stored therebetween, the ink reaching the first and second films 8a and 8b may have a high speed and being relatively cohesive due to the short distance for the ink to travel from the ink outlet openings 16 to the first and second films 8a and 8b spooled onto the note storage drum 5. Thereby, the effect of more ink penetrating deeper between the layers of film may be achievable compared to if ink outlet openings 16 would have been positioned farther away from the films. Thus, ink dyeing of the notes may be enhanced, i.e. the probability of notes being dyed with ink is increased, producing more useless notes for a person trying to get unauthorized access to notes stored inside the note transport unit 1. Fig. 2 shows another perspective view with parts broken away of the note transport unit 1 in Fig. 1. More specifically, in this illustrative example, the inner side 21 of the first side wall 6a is shown, on which a plurality of the ink outlet openings 16 can be seen. The ink outlet openings 16 are facing towards the second side wall 6b. Thereby notes stored between the first and second films 8a and 8b spooled on the central hub 15 may efficiently be ink dyed upon unauthorized access to the notes. The first side wall 6a having the ink outlet openings 16 can be rotateable around the central axis of the note storage drum 5. Each ink outlet opening 16 may thus be seen as orbiting around the central axis of the note storage drum 5 when the first side wall is rotating, i.e. when the note storage drum 5 is rotating.

Fig. 3 shows a side view of the side wall 6a of the note storage drum 5 according to the invention. The first side wall is shown without its cover plate, whereby an intermediate side 21 can be seen, with an opening 19 extending through the side wall 6a, around its central axis, which is also the central axis of the note storage drum 5. The nozzle 14 is introduced into opening 19, as shown in Fig. 1. The first side wall 6a further comprises first radially extending ink grooves 20, for distributing ink provided centrally into the opening 19 by the nozzle 14, to a peripherally extending groove 17. The peripherally extending groove 17 distributes the ink around the periphery of the of the first side wall 6a. This distribution of the ink can allow further distribution of the ink to a plurality of at least partly radially extending ink distribution grooves 18, each of which is connected with a plurality of ink outlet openings 16. The ink outlet openings 16 can be evenly distributed along each of the at least partly radially extending ink distribution grooves 18. Furthermore, the peripherally extending groove can also comprise ink outlet openings 16.

The flow direction of ink may in one embodiment be radially outwards when having been provided centrally by the nozzle 14 into the first side wall 6a, followed by peripheral flow directions for further distribution of the ink to thereafter flow radially inwards for feeding the ink at high pressure through the ink outlet openings 16 of the at least partly radially extending grooves 18 for ink dyeing of notes between the first and second films 8a and 8b. The at least partly radially inwards extending grooves 18 can end at a distance d from the central axis of the note storage drum 5, thereby enabling higher pressure for the ink leaving the ink outlet openings 16. The distance d may in one embodiment be substantially equal to the radius of the central hub 15. Of course, it is fully possible, within the scope of the invention, to have the radial grooves 18 extend even closer to the central axis.

The peripherally extending distribution groove 17 can be positioned at a distance D from the central axis of the note storage drum 5. In one embodiment, the distance D is at least as great as a distance from the central axis corresponding to when the first and second films 8a and 8b are fully spooled on the note storage drum 5. Thereby, the ink outlet openings 16 may be able to inject ink between all layers of film, and consequently, ink dyeing of any notes stored therebetween may be achievable.

The first side wall 6a can comprise gears along its circumference, which, when the first side wall 6a is arranged in the note transport unit 1, can be coupled to gears of the note drum motor 7 (see Fig. 1), thus forming part of the rotateable note storage drum 5. The inventive note transport unit 1 may thus provide efficient ink dyeing of notes stored between films 8a and 8b on the rotateable drum therein.

In the embodiment illustrated in Fig. 3, the at least partly radially extending distribution grooves 18 are in fact radially extending, however, the at least partly radially extending distribution grooves 18 may, within the scope of the invention, also be at least partly radially extending. For instance, the grooves 18 may in one embodiment be extending inwards the central axis of the first side wall 6a according to a wavelike pattern, in which the tangent of the grooves in some points are parallel with the a radial line of the first side wall 6a.

In one embodiment, a first set of the plurality of grooves 18 may be extending radially, while a second set of the grooves 18 may extend inwards the central axis in a non-radial manner.

A cover plate (not shown) can be mounted on the intermediate side 21 of the first side wall 6a, forming an outer wall of the first side wall 6a, for keeping ink inside the first side wall 6a during ink distribution by the ink distribution grooves 17, 18 and 20.

In one embodiment, also the second side wall 6b can be constructed similarly as the first side wall 6a, having its own supply of ink to be injected into the second side wall 6b via a central nozzle corresponding to the nozzle 14 of the first side wall 6a.

Alternatively, both the first and the second side walls 6a and 6b may have a common supply of ink, the ink being injected both into the first and the second side walls 6a and 6b upon unauthorized access to the note transport unit 1.

Fig. 4 shows a side view from another direction of the side wall in Fig. 3. In particular, the inner side 21 is illustrated, from which side the ink leaves the first side wall 6a through the ink outlet openings 16. The inner side 21 of the first side wall can be in connection with the central hub 15, as shown in Fig. 2. Notes stored between layers of the first and second films 8a and 8b can be dyed by ink injected therebetween, from the ink outlet openings 16.

In one embodiment, each ink outlet opening 16 provides ink between more than one layer of the first and second films 8a and 8b. Moreover, each ink outlet opening 16 is arranged to provide ink along an arc between each layer of first and second films 8a and 8b spooled on the note storage drum 5. Each ink outlet opening 16 may thus provide ink in a specific area between films 8a and 8b, whereby the plurality of ink outlet openings 16 together may be able to provide ink substantially continuously between any layers of films 8a and 8b.

Preferably, the ink outlet openings 16 are so located around the surface of the inner side 21 to provide sufficient ink on each note stored between the first and the second film 8a and 8b on the note storage drum 5. Sufficient ink in this context is to be construed as enough ink to make each note useless, thereby losing its value to a person attempting to get unauthorized access to the notes in the note transport unit 1. Fig. 5 shows the note storage drum 5 of the note transport unit 1 in Fig. 1.

In this example, notes Nl and N2 are stored between an outermost layer of the first and second films 8a and 8b. Also a note N3 can be seen visible (with dashed lines to illustrate the note N 3 stored between layer of film below that of Nl and N2), which note N3 is stored between the first and second films 8a and 8b in a layer below the outermost layer. As can be seen, each note N1-N3 have been ink dyed by the ink I having been injected from the ink outlet openings 16 of the first side wall 6a, between the first and second films 8a and 8b spooled on the note storage drum 5.

The short distance between the first side wall 6a and the notes N1-N3 stored on the note storage drum 5, may enable the ink I to penetrate sufficiently deep between each layer of the first and second films 8a and 8b spooled onto the note storage drum 5 and thereby ruining the notes stored thereon.

Fig. 6 shows a flowchart illustrating a method of ink dyeing notes in the note transport unit in Fig. 1. Upon unauthorized access, the following steps may be carried out in the note transport unit 1: In an optional step SO, ink provided by the ink containers 12 into the first side wall 6a via the axially introduced nozzle 14 is distributed in the first side wall 6a. Ink distribution grooves can be arranged within the first side wall 6a, for radial distribution of ink to a plurality of ink outlet openings 16.

Additionally, step SO can comprise distribution of the ink having been provided into the first side wall via the radially extending distribution grooves 20 to a peripherally extending distribution groove for further distribution to the at least partly radially extending distribution grooves 18.

In a step Sl, ink is under high pressure fed through the ink outlet openings 16, in between layers of the first and second films 8a and 8b. Thus, the ink may dye any notes stored therebetween.

In particular, the inventive note transport unit 1 may efficiently ink dye notes stored on the rotateable drum 5 on the one hand when the note transport unit 1 is fully loaded with notes, and on the other hand if the films 8a and 8b only contain a few individual notes therebetween. In one embodiment, the note transport unit 1 is for secure transportation of notes in a note handling system and comprises: at least one note storage drum 5 having at least a first side wall 6a towards which notes are stored by being spooled on the drum 5, between at least one continuous film strip 8a, 8b, wherein the at least first side wall 6a of the note storage drum 5 is provided with a plurality of ink outlet openings 16 for injection of ink between layers of the at least one continuous film strip 8a, 8b at unauthorized access to said note transport unit 1. Storing notes towards the first side wall is to be construed as the notes being stored adjacent the first side wall; it does not necessarily mean that the notes and/or film(s) are in actual physical contact with the first side wall.

Unauthorized access to the note transport unit is to be understood as any type of manipulating with the note transport unit for accessing any notes stored therein. In general, unauthorized access may mean any type of operation for accessing notes not involving a receiving or dispensing operation with an authorized note handling entity, such as a POS unit, or a docking station at e.g. a cash center. An authorized note handling entity may be a note handling entity which is programmed to be operational with a specific note transport unit.

In one embodiment of the method for ink dyeing notes in a note transport unit 1, the note transport unit has a note storage drum 5 with at least a first side wall 6a, towards which input notes are being stored by being spooled on the drum 5 between at least one continuous film strip 8a, 8b, wherein the method comprises: feeding Sl said ink under high pressure through ink outlet openings of said at least first wall, between layers of said at least one continuous film strip.

Applications of the present note transport unit and method include, but are not limited to, transportation of notes in a note handling system. Less efficient inking methods of notes may thereby be replaced by the inventive note transport unit and associated method presented herein.

While the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description, such illustration and description are to be considered illustrative or exemplary and not restrictive; the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments. Other variations to the disclosed embodiments can be understood and effected by those skilled in the art in practicing the claimed invention, from a study of the drawings, the disclosure, and the appended claims. The mere fact that certain measures are recited in mutually different dependent claims does not indicate that a combination of these measures cannot be used to advantage. Furthermore, any reference signs in the claims should not be construed as limiting the scope.