Banknote storage container

Abstract

A banknote storage container includes a housing surrounding an internal banknote receiving compartment. The housing includes a banknote input port communicating with an entry opening of the banknote receiving compartment. The banknote receiving compartment includes a pair of pivotable opening and closing members disposed in opposite lateral positions within the banknote receiving compartment. Each opening and closing member includes a gate element disposed at an end of the opening and closing member near the entry opening, and a banknote contact portion disposed at an end of the opening and closing member away from the entry opening. The banknote contact portion protrudes into the banknote receiving compartment such that when the leading edge of a banknote received in the banknote receiving compartment simultaneously contacts the banknote contact portion, the opening and closing members pivot from an open position to a closed position. In the closed position, the gate element of each of the opening and closing members blocks the entry opening to prevent subsequent banknotes from entering from outside the banknote storage container or from being retrieved from outside the banknote storage container.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention generally relates to paper money acceptor devices, and more specifically, to a banknote storage container having anti-fraud devices to prevent unauthorized removal of currency from it during use. Background Technology

[0002] One well-known method of defrauding paper money acceptors is known as "strimming" or "stringing." This involves attaching a cord, strap, wire, or similar material to a legitimate banknote being fed into the acceptor. Fraudsters typically attempt to retrieve the deposited banknote from the acceptor by pulling back the attached cord after it has been verified as genuine and credited.

[0003] A traditional attempt to solve this problem is to provide slotted rollers in the banknote transport path, with slots in the rollers defining a portion of the passage. After the banknotes pass through the slotted rollers, the rollers are rotated to a position where the slots are not aligned with the passage, thus blocking the passage and preventing the banknotes from passing through in reverse.

[0004] Other existing technological solutions to this problem employ pairs of meshing conveyor rollers made of elastic material, which are strongly biased against each other to achieve a tight clamping engagement with the deposited banknotes passing through them, thereby preventing any backward pulling motion. Alternatively, some form of cutting device is used to sever the attached cord.

[0005] Recently, a more sophisticated form of fraud has emerged, particularly related to banknote storage containers or cash boxes. Here, real banknotes are also used, but instead of using intact banknotes, fraudsters use fragile (fragile) banknotes.

[0006] Reference Figure 9 The described new fraud exploits the fact that banknotes, which have been identified as genuine, are typically stored in storage containers where they are stacked to form bundles.

[0007] like Figure 8 As shown, the modified banknote 100 is prepared by providing a fragile center line 110 to the banknote. The fragile center line 110 can be achieved by various methods, but a common method is to cut the modified banknote 100 into two separate halves and then reassemble the two halves by means of an easily separable tenon and mortise arrangement constructed with tape.

[0008] The banknote 100 is further modified by reinforcing the lateral edge portions 120 and 130 and providing attachment portions 140 and 150. The lateral edge portions 120 and 130 may be reinforced by adhering thin strips of transparent laminate or plastic sheet. The attachment portions are composed of transparent laminate or plastic sheet forming hooks or loops.

[0009] like Figure 9 As shown, a conventional banknote acceptor 20 includes a banknote validator 21 and a removably attached banknote container 22. The banknote validator 21 includes a frame 23 with an input hole 24. Typically, the frame 23 will protrude through the outer surface of a host device such as a game console.

[0010] During the fraudulent operation, the modified banknote 100 is inserted into the input slot 24 and conveyed within the banknote verifier 21 for electronic verification. Once the modified banknote 100 is determined to be a genuine banknote, it is conveyed into the banknote container 22. Before initiating the stacking operation, i.e., before causing the banknote to contact the top of an existing bundle of banknotes, the fraudster inserts a retrieval device adapted to attach to the attachment portions 140, 150 of the modified banknote 100.

[0011] During the stacking operation, the modified banknote 100 will split into two separate halves due to the breakage of the fragile centerline 110 under the pushing force of the stacking mechanism. Therefore, the modified banknote 100 is not stacked but remains in the pre-stack holding area. At this point, each of the two halves of the banknote can be retrieved by a fraudster via a retrieval device now attached to the two banknote halves via corresponding attachment portions 140, 150. In this way, for example, gaming credits can be obtained by a fraudster while retaining the modified banknote. Summary of the Invention

[0012] This invention stems from attempts to combat the aforementioned novel fraudulent activities.

[0013] According to one aspect of the invention, a banknote storage container is provided, comprising a housing surrounding an internal banknote receiving compartment, the housing including a banknote input port communicating with an entry opening of the banknote receiving compartment; wherein the banknote receiving compartment includes a pair of pivotable opening and closing members disposed in opposite lateral positions within the banknote receiving compartment, and each of the pair of opening and closing members includes a gate element disposed at an end of the opening and closing member near the entry opening and a banknote contact portion disposed at an end of the opening and closing member away from the entry opening; and wherein the banknote contact portion of each of the opening and closing members protrudes into the banknote receiving compartment such that when the leading edge of a banknote received in the banknote receiving compartment simultaneously contacts the banknote contact portion of each of the opening and closing members, the opening and closing members pivot from an open position to an closed position, in which the gate element of each of the opening and closing members blocks the entry opening to prevent subsequent banknotes from entering from outside the banknote storage container or from being retrieved from outside the banknote storage container. Attached Figure Description

[0014] Embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying schematic diagrams, wherein: Figure 1 This is a perspective view of the banknote container of the present invention; Figure 2 It is a perspective plan view of a banknote container with the outer front wall removed; Figure 3 yes Figure 1 A cross-sectional view of a banknote container; Figure 4 yes Figure 1 Another cross-sectional view of the banknote container; Figure 5 This is a cross-sectional elevation view of the receiving compartment component; Figure 6 This is a perspective view of the bascule member of the banknote container. Figure 7 It is a plan view of the opening and closing mechanism of the banknote container; Figure 8 The modified banknotes were shown; and Figure 9 This shows a perspective view of a traditional banknote acceptor. Detailed Implementation

[0015] Reference Figure 1 The banknote container 1 includes a generally rectangular housing 2, which is adapted to be releasably connected to, for example... Figure 9 The banknote verifier 21 is shown. The combination of the banknote container 1 and the banknote verifier 21 forms a banknote receiver 20, which typically resides in the host computer.

[0016] The banknote container 1 includes a banknote input hole 3 located at the upper part of the housing 2. The banknote input hole 3 is positioned to align with the corresponding input hole in the banknote validator 21 when the two (banknote container 1 and banknote validator 21) are interlocked.

[0017] like Figure 2 As shown, a banknote container 1 surrounds a banknote receiving compartment 8 for receiving banknotes inserted through a banknote input hole 3. The banknote receiving compartment 8 includes a first compartment member 11 positioned on the left side (as observed in the figure) and a second compartment member 12 positioned on the right side. The banknote receiving compartment 8 includes a first conveyor wheel 6 and a second conveyor wheel 7. The conveyor wheels 6 and 7 facilitate the transfer of banknotes into the receiving compartment 8.

[0018] The banknote receiving compartment 8 also includes a first opening and closing member 4 and a second opening and closing member 5. Both the first opening and closing member 4 and the second opening and closing member 5 can pivot about their respective axes 4' and 5'.

[0019] Reference Figure 3 and Figure 4 The banknote container 1 surrounds the X-shaped frame banknote pushing mechanism 9. This mechanism is well known in the art and is used to push banknotes residing in the banknote receiving compartment 8 into the banknote stacking cover 10.

[0020] The banknote input hole 3 is connected to the entry opening 3' in the banknote receiving compartment 8. Banknotes input through the input hole 3 pass through a short channel connecting the input hole 3 and the entry opening 3' and enter the banknote receiving compartment 8.

[0021] like Figure 3 As shown, the first opening / closing member 4 [and the second opening / closing member 5 (not shown)] are positioned such that the entry opening 3' is not blocked. Figure 4 In this configuration, the first opening / closing member 4 is positioned such that the gate element 16, located at the end of the first opening / closing member 4 near the entry opening 3', blocks the opening 3'. The reader should recognize that the corresponding gate element of the second opening / closing member 5 blocks the entry opening 3' at a position opposite to the first opening / closing member 4.

[0022] Reference Figure 6 The second opening and closing member 5 includes a substantially elongated rod comprising a gate element 16 at one end and a contact portion 16 at the opposite end. The rod includes a sleeve 18 for receiving a corresponding shaft 5'.

[0023] Similarly, and referring to Figure 7 The first opening and closing member 4 includes a substantially elongated rod comprising a gate element 16 at one end and a contact portion 16 at the opposite end. The rod includes a sleeve 17 for receiving a corresponding shaft 4'.

[0024] Each gate element 16 includes multiple forked teeth 13. The size and angle of the forks of the teeth 13 are selected to ensure that the width of the entry opening 3' is spanned by the gate element 16.

[0025] The first and second opening and closing components 4 and 5 are configured to pivot about their respective axes 4' and 5'. Figure 5 The natural positions of the opening and closing components 4 and 5 are shown.

[0026] Figure 5 The first compartment member 11 of a pair of compartment members 11, 12 is shown. For simplicity, the compartment members will be discussed with reference to the first member 11, but the reader should realize that the first and second compartment members form a left-right pair. Therefore, what applies to the first compartment member 11 also applies to the second compartment member 12.

[0027] exist Figure 5 In the middle, the first opening and closing component 4 is in the normal or default position, in which the opening 3' is not blocked [see reference]. Figure 3 As the banknote enters the banknote receiving compartment 8 in the direction indicated by arrow A, the leading edge of the banknote travels downwards until it encounters the contact portion 15 of the first opening / closing member 4. As the banknote is pushed further downwards, it forces the first opening / closing member 4 to pivot about axis 4', thereby removing the gate element 16 from the groove 17 and placing it in the position where the entry opening 3' is blocked by the gate element 16 [see...]. Figure 4 ].

[0028] With the banknotes now fully stored in banknote receiving compartment 8, the stacking operation begins. If the banknotes are as follows... Figure 8 The modified banknote 100 shown is stacked such that the banknote 100 is broken along the fragile center line 110 to form two separate halves, neither of which can be moved into the banknote stacking housing 10. However, if a fraudster now attempts to retrieve these two halves, this will be prevented because the access opening 3' is closed. Therefore, backward movement of the half-banknote is prevented, and also the entry of a second banknote or retrieval device from the outside is prevented. In practice, when this occurs, the banknote container will become inoperable until an authorized operator investigates the situation and removes the modified banknote 100.

[0029] Advantageously, the banknote container of the present invention provides a solution to the aforementioned problem of fraudulent activities.

Claims

1. A banknote storage container comprising a housing surrounding an internal banknote receiving compartment, the housing including a banknote input port communicating with an inlet opening of the banknote receiving compartment; in, The banknote receiving compartment includes a pair of pivotable opening and closing members disposed in opposite lateral positions within the banknote receiving compartment, and each of the opening and closing members includes a gate element disposed at an end of the opening and closing member near the entry opening and a banknote contact portion disposed at an end of the opening and closing member away from the entry opening. and In this design, the banknote contact portion of each of the opening and closing members protrudes into the banknote receiving compartment, such that when a banknote is received into the banknote receiving compartment, the leading edge of the banknote encounters the banknote contact portion of each of the opening and closing members, and as the banknote is further pushed into the compartment, the leading edge of the banknote forces each of the opening and closing members to pivot from the open position to the closed position. In the closed position, the gate element of each of the opening and closing members extends into the entrance opening to block the entrance opening, thereby preventing subsequent banknotes from entering from outside the banknote storage container or from being retrieved from outside the banknote storage container.

2. The banknote storage container as described in claim 1, wherein, Each of the opening and closing components is an elongated rod that extends laterally along the length of the banknote receiving compartment.

3. The banknote storage container as described in claim 2, wherein, Each gate element includes multiple forked teeth.

4. The banknote storage container as described in claim 3, wherein, Each of the plurality of bifurcated teeth extends orthogonally from the end of each opening and closing member to form an asymmetrical T-shape.

5. The banknote storage container as described in claim 4, wherein, Each of the plurality of bifurcated teeth is arranged to be movable between an open access position and an closed access position.

6. The banknote storage container as described in any one of claims 1-5, wherein, When the opening is in the open position, each gate element is contained within a recess, thereby preventing each gate element from protruding into the banknote receiving compartment.

7. The banknote storage container as described in any one of claims 1-5, wherein, The banknote storage container is configured to be releasably interlocked with the banknote validator to form a banknote acceptor.

8. The banknote storage container as described in any one of claims 1-5, wherein, The opening and closing components form a left- and right-hand mirror image pair.

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