Holder for holding and storing stack of sheet material and method for holding and storing stack of sheet material by means of holder

Abstract

The invention relates to a holder (10) for holding and storing a stack (St) of sheet material, in particular value documents (W), in a storage position, in particular on a base or on an existing stack, comprising: at least one first clamping element (20) having or forming a first contact surface (F1) for contacting the stack (St), and at least one second clamping element (30) having or forming a second contact surface (F2) for contacting the stack (St). The first contact surface (F1) and the second contact surface (F2) are designed to be in contact with the stack (St) on both sides. The clamping elements (20, 30) are adjustably guided relative to each other in such a way that the contact surfaces (F1, F2) can be moved relative to each other in the direction of a surface normal associated with the respective contact surfaces (F1, F2) in order to hold the stack (St) between the contact surfaces (F1, F2). The first clamping element (20) is mounted so as to be pivotable about a pivot axis (S) in such a way that the first clamping element is pivotable between a clamping position, in which the first contact surface (F1) is oriented substantially parallel to the second contact surface (F2), and a release position, in which the first contact surface (F1) is oriented at an angle relative to the second contact surface (F2).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to a gripper for holding and depositing a stack of sheet material, in particular value documents, at a deposit location, in particular on a base or on an already existing stack of sheet material.

[0002] Furthermore, the invention relates to a device for moving and storing stacks of sheet material and a method for storing a stack of sheet material, in particular a value document, at a storage location, in particular on a base or on an already existing stack of sheet material. Background Art

[0003] When handling stacked sheet materials, it is known to deposit one or more stacks of sheet materials on a base or on an already existing stack of sheet materials, which is already stacked on a base, if necessary in a container, by means of a gripper. The gripper usually has two gripping elements that can be moved relative to each other, which have gripping fingers, between which the stack to be deposited is gripped. The sheets forming the sheet material are designed as flat, usually soft sheets. These sheets can be formed from one layer or from a plurality of layers or individual sheets connected to each other.

[0004] For example, when providing valuable documents, such as banknotes, tickets, admission tickets, vouchers, checks, etc., for meeting daily needs, they are usually stored as a stack in a self-service device, such as an automatic teller machine (Automatic Teller Machine, ATM), a ticket machine, a travel ticket machine, etc. It has been proven to be suitable to store the valuable documents as a stack, especially in a shaft-shaped receptacle, in a manner in which the stacking direction extends at least in the vertical direction. Self-service devices for banknotes have, for example, valuable document boxes, which have such shaft-shaped receptacles, which can be loaded laterally and oriented vertically or obliquely relative to the gravitational field. For example, as known from WO 2018 / 210447A1, the valuable document container (also referred to as: valuable document box) to be loaded with a stack of valuable documents can be tilted backward vertically or obliquely. The clamp is also used to automatically load such a shaft-shaped receptacle.

[0005] The stack of sheet material to be deposited is deposited with the aid of a gripper in such a way that the sheet at the bottom of the stack of the stack rests with its surface on a base or on an already existing stack of sheet material. The gripper is then easily opened and pulled out of the deposited stack in a transverse direction, i.e. essentially parallel to the surface of the sheet at the bottom of the stack. The gripper means of pulling back or pulling out the contact stack has the problem that the lower gripper element on which the stack to be deposited is placed can cause the sheets to move together in the transverse direction due to frictional forces and can therefore pull out of the stack, in particular the sheet at the bottom of the stack of the stack to be deposited and / or the sheet at the top of the stack of the already existing stack, depositing the stack to be deposited on this already existing stack. The stack is then not deposited flush or precisely positioned.

[0006] These frictional forces can be particularly great, in particular in the case of used banknotes, since these tend to swell and thus exert increased frictional forces on the gripping fingers to be pulled out of the stack. Even in the case of value-document cassettes for self-service devices with a base that springs up in the stacking direction, the frictional forces between the value documents and the gripping fingers can increase. As a result, it can happen, in particular, that the value documents deposited as a stack by the machine are not placed in exact alignment with one another, which can lead, in particular, in the case of self-service devices, to output errors or the like. Therefore, in practice, it is often necessary, in particular, to continue to load the self-service devices for outputting banknotes manually, which is time-intensive and work-intensive. Summary of the invention

[0007] The object of the invention is to specify a method by means of which sheet materials, in particular value documents, can be deposited with precise position.

[0008] The present invention solves the above technical problems through the attached independent claims. Preferred embodiments of the present invention are given in its dependent claims.

[0009] According to a first aspect of the invention, a clamp is provided for holding and storing a stack of sheet material, in particular a stack of valuable documents, at a storage location, in particular on a base or on an already existing stack of sheet material, in particular a stack of valuable documents. The clamp comprises: at least one first clamping element, which has or forms a first contact surface for contacting the stack, and at least one second clamping element, which has or forms a second contact surface for contacting the stack. The first contact surface and the second contact surface are configured to contact the stack on both sides in a manner that the stack can be clamped between the first and second contact surfaces. The first and second clamping elements are guided adjustably relative to each other, wherein the first and second contact surfaces can in particular be moved toward each other in the direction of the surface normals respectively associated with the first and second contact surfaces, so as to hold the stack between the first and second contact surfaces in a force-fitting manner. According to the invention, the first clamping element is supported in a manner that can be pivoted around a pivot axis. The first clamping element is pivotable between a clamping position in which the first contact surface is oriented substantially parallel to the second contact surface and a release position in which the first contact surface is oriented at an angle relative to the second contact surface, in particular downward or away from the first clamping element.

[0010] The gripper is advantageously designed for stacking sheet materials in general, and value documents in particular, such as banknotes, tickets, admission tickets, vouchers, checks, etc., precisely and in particular flush with one another, by means of simple mechanical means. Precise stacking by means of automated means is a challenge that the invention proposes to solve by figuratively simulating the function of a human thumb.

[0011] For this purpose, the first clamping element is embodied so as to be pivotable, so that it can be pivoted from a clamping position away from the second clamping element in order to release the stack held between the first and second contact surfaces or to deposit it in a desired storage position.

[0012] In particular, the first clamping element can be pivoted from a clamping position to a release position, so that the stack clamped by the clamp can slide along the first contact surface of the first clamping element to the release position by gravity and thus be deposited in the storage position. In this way, with appropriate positioning of the clamp, the stack can be deposited precisely in the storage position at a storage location above the desired storage position.

[0013] In order to move the first and second clamping elements toward each other and to pivotally move the first clamping element from the clamping position into the release position, the clamp can have one or more adjustment elements, for example an electric motor. In particular, the first and second clamping elements can be moved toward each other by means of at least one adjustment element of the clamp (for example an electric motor) in order to clamp the stack and, if necessary, compress around the stack so that the clamping force is increased (thereby increasing the reliability of the clamping). Preferably, the first and second clamping elements can also be moved away from each other at least by means of the adjustment element of the clamp so that their distance can be increased before the stack is clamped. The clamp is thus configured for clamping different large stacks.

[0014] The clamp is configured to accommodate and hold a stack so that two sheets, in particular value documents, which define the stack at the end side in the stacking direction, are in frictional contact with a first contact surface and a second contact surface with their surfaces, respectively. The first or second contact surface is usually provided by a plane contact or a plurality of smaller, in particular linear or point-shaped contacts on the first or second clamping element for the stack to be held. It should be understood that the first and second contact surfaces refer to the structural integrity of the contact points or support points on the stack to be held. In some embodiments, for example, at least one of the clamping elements may include, for example, a plurality of elongated clamping fingers, which define the first or second contact surface with their structural integrity in the sense of this specification. The first and second contact surfaces are oriented substantially parallel to each other in the clamping position, that is, the contact surfaces, which are only point-shaped or predetermined by a linear structure, are constructed and oriented in the clamping position so that the stack is held between two virtual planes that are at least partially parallel to the plane. In this regard, deviations from this caused by the downward bending of the stack due to its own weight are negligible and are included in this definition.

[0015] The expression “the first and second contact surfaces are movable relative to each other in the direction of the surface normals associated with the first and second contact surfaces” should in particular be understood to mean that the first contact surface and the second contact surface are movable towards and / or away from each other while maintaining a substantially parallel orientation in the clamping position.

[0016] Preferably, the first clamping element and the second clamping element are guided linearly adjustably relative to one another. Shearing movements can thus be avoided when clamping the stack. In this way, it can be ensured that the first contact surface and the second contact surface can be moved toward one another in the clamping position while reliably maintaining their parallel orientation, in particular in order to be able to clamp the stack in a non-destructive manner.

[0017] Preferably, in the release position, the first contact surface is oriented at an angle of at least 45°, in particular substantially perpendicularly, to the second contact surface. In other words, the first clamping element can be pivoted about the pivot axis at an angle of at least 45°, for example 90°. The first contact surface can be rotated from a clamping position, in which the first contact surface is oriented substantially parallel to the second contact surface, into a release position, in which the first contact surface is oriented at an angle of at least 45°, in particular substantially perpendicularly, relative to the second contact surface. In the vertical case, in conventional use of the clamp, the first contact surface extends in the release position parallel to the stacking direction of the deposited stack, so that in an extended version it can be used to apply pressure to the deposited stack on the edge side, in particular in order to ensure that the stacked sheets, for example value documents, are placed flush on top of each other.

[0018] In an advantageous embodiment, the second clamping element is mounted in a rotationally fixed manner on the holder. For example, the first clamping element and the second clamping element are guided linearly adjustably relative to each other with respect to the carrier, wherein the first clamping element can be pivoted about a pivot axis with respect to the carrier, and the second clamping element is arranged in a rotationally fixed manner with respect to the carrier.

[0019] The first and second clamping elements are preferably designed to support the center of gravity of the stack held by the holder, at least when the stacking direction of the stack in the holder is oriented at least approximately along a vertical direction in space with respect to the gravitational field.

[0020] Within the scope of this description, the vertical direction is defined in a conventional manner relative to the gravitational field.

[0021] In an advantageous embodiment, the first contact surface is formed by at least one first elongated clamping finger of the first clamping element, and the second contact surface is formed by at least one second elongated clamping finger of the second clamping element, wherein the longitudinal dimension of the at least one first clamping finger is shorter than the longitudinal dimension of the at least one second clamping finger. The longitudinal dimension of the first clamping finger is preferably at most 80% of the longitudinal dimension of the second clamping finger. The first clamping element which is pivotably mounted is preferably designed to be shorter in order to reduce the area required for the pivoting movement and to enable the stack to be deposited precisely in the storage position from a relatively small height position.

[0022] In some embodiments, the gripper can include a plurality of first elongated gripping fingers which define a first contact surface and are thus supported in a manner such that they can pivot about a pivot axis. In some embodiments, the second contact surface can also be defined by a plurality of second gripping fingers which extend, for example, parallel to the first gripping fingers.

[0023] Preferably, the first clamping element can be moved away from the second clamping element in the direction of the release position / moved away from the second clamping element in the direction of the release position by pivoting about the pivot axis, so that when pivoting from the clamping position to the release position, the distance between the first contact surface and the second contact surface always increases. In this way, undesirable shear forces acting on the stack can be avoided, which shear forces can be caused in particular by pivoting of the first clamping element when the stack is stored.

[0024] In order to prevent an already existing stack of value documents from being displaced by the pivoting movement of the first clamping element, the storage location of the clamp is selected such that at the storage location the vertical distance of the pivot axis from the storage position is greater than the longitudinal dimension of the first contact surface of the first clamping element.

[0025] According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a device for moving and storing a stack of sheet material, the device comprising a clamp as described above and a control device for controlling the movement of the first and second contact surfaces or the first and second clamping elements relative to each other, in particular in terms of distance and / or orientation. The control device is configured to control the pivoting movement of the first clamping element from a clamping position to a release position by controlling a corresponding adjustment element, such as an electric motor or the like.

[0026] Preferably, the device has a conveying device which is designed to move the gripper to different positions in space and to orient it in different directions in space, in particular with respect to the gravitational field. In this case, the control device is designed to control the movement and orientation of the gripper in space by controlling corresponding adjustment elements, such as electric motors, etc. For this purpose, in the simplest case, it is necessary to control at least one additional degree of freedom of movement of the conveying device.

[0027] In particular, the control device is designed to control at least one adjusting element of the clamp so that, before clamping the stack, the first and second clamping elements are moved away from each other in order to increase their distance relative to each other, and / or to control at least one adjusting element of the clamp so that the first and second clamping elements are moved towards each other in order to clamp the stack and thus, if necessary, also control the stack so that the stack is compressed between the first and second clamping elements during clamping, for example in order to achieve a specific distance of the stack or until a specific reaction force of the stack.

[0028] In an advantageous embodiment, the conveying device has a plurality of axes which can be adjusted linearly and / or rotatably relative to one another in order to move and orient the gripper in space. In this way, for example, complex movements of the gripper with a plurality of degrees of freedom of movement can be achieved. For example, the gripper is arranged at the end of an articulated multi-arm robot for this purpose or is supported in a rotatable and / or movable manner in another suitable manner.

[0029] In one embodiment, the device is designed to remove a stack configured as a value-document stack from a value-document container, for example, from an upwardly open transport container for banknotes, by means of a gripper, transport it to, for example, a value-document box of an automated teller machine, and place it in the value-document box at a storage location. The device is preferably designed to load a value-document box or a value-document container that can be equipped from the side, wherein the equipment is carried out in the lateral direction, i.e., with a moving part perpendicular to the gravitational field, more precisely preferably in such a way that the stacking direction of the stack is oriented at least approximately in the vertical direction. In particular, in the case of self-service devices for cash dispensing, the value-document box, which is usually present vertically or slightly tilted backwards, has a correspondingly oriented shaft to be equipped with a value-document stack, in particular a stack of banknotes.

[0030] In the context of the present description, a container for value documents is considered in particular to be a value-document box in the narrow sense, which is designed for storing value documents in a stack in a shaft-shaped receptacle which is oriented at least approximately in a vertical direction. The expression "the stacking direction of the shaft-shaped receptacle or the stack is oriented at least approximately in a vertical direction" is to be understood in particular as meaning that the stacking direction deviates from the vertical by less than 30°. It is advantageous if the stacking direction is arranged slightly inclined with respect to the gravitational field, since this facilitates the stack to slide onto the first contact surface under the influence of gravity when the stack is stored.

[0031] It can be provided that the base in the value-document box springs up in the stacking direction of the value documents to be placed in. The pivoting movement of the first clamping element then makes it possible to avoid that the first clamping element comes into physical contact with elements at the storage location, for example with value documents already stacked there, during storage, so that in this respect the increased friction caused by the elasticity in the stacking direction is negligible.

[0032] Preferably, the movement and orientation of the gripper in space can be controlled independently of the movement and orientation of the first and second contact surfaces relative to each other by means of the control device. In other words, the movement process for opening and closing the gripper on the one hand and the movement process for moving and orienting the gripper in space on the other hand are controllable independently of each other in the sense that the gripper can be opened and closed independently of its position and orientation in space.

[0033] The control device is particularly constructed for positioning a clamp holding a stack at a storage location and for storing the stack held by the clamp by the clamp located at the storage location, wherein the first contact surface is arranged below the second contact surface, wherein, for storing the stack, the first contact surface is pivoted from a clamping position to a release position, wherein the first contact surface is oriented at a certain angle relative to the second contact surface, preferably at an angle of at least 45°.

[0034] Furthermore, the control device can be designed to select a storage location for the gripper.

[0035] - such that, at the storage location, the center of gravity of the stack held by the gripper is arranged vertically above the storage position of the stack, and / or

[0036] - such that in the storage location the vertical distance of the pivot axis from the storage position is greater than the longitudinal dimension of the first contact surface of the first clamping element.

[0037] The control device can also be designed to control the gripper so that after depositing the stack held by the gripper, the first contact surface is moved perpendicularly to the stacking direction of the stack in order to exert pressure on the stack at the edge and thus align the stack flush.

[0038] According to a third aspect of the invention, a method for depositing a stack of sheet material, in particular value documents, in a deposit position, in particular on a base or on an already existing stack of sheet material, in particular value documents, is proposed. The method comprises the following steps:

[0039] - holding a stack of sheet materials, in particular value documents, in a clamped position between a first and a second contact surface of a gripper, in particular a gripper already described above, wherein the first and the second contact surface are arranged parallel to each other in the clamped position;

[0040] - positioning the gripper at a storage location, in which the center of gravity of the stack held by the gripper is arranged vertically above a storage position in which the stack held by the gripper is to be stored, wherein the gripper is oriented at the storage location such that the first contact surface is arranged vertically below the second contact surface;

[0041] - storing the stack held by the holder, wherein, for storing the stack, the first contact surface is pivoted from a clamping position to a release position in which the first contact surface is oriented at an angle relative to the second contact surface and is thus inclined.

[0042] Due to the arrangement and orientation of the gripper at the storage location above the storage position and the opening of the gripper by tilting the first contact surface into the release position, the stack can slide along the first contact surface by gravity into the storage position, which is predetermined, for example, by the base or by an already existing stack. Thus, the lower first gripper element supporting the stack is pivoted out of the stack before it strikes the base or the already existing stack located below. In this way, a positionally accurate storage of a stack of sheet material, in particular of value documents, is provided by mechanical means.

[0043] In particular, the storage position of the stack can be located in a valuable document box or in an input tray of a valuable document processing device (to be processed), and the base or the existing stack can be located in the valuable document box or in the input tray of the valuable document processing device. In both cases, when storing, the stack is placed on the rear wall (relative to the fixed position of the clamper) of the valuable document box or the input tray with its back side away from the clamper (with the valuable document edge away from the clamper). The rear wall that can contact with the back side or the back side edge of the stack when storing or is very close to it when storing ensures the correct orientation of the edge in the stored stack. In order to be able to store the stack as close as possible to the rear wall of the valuable document box or the input tray, the clamper only clamps / holds the stack by the front side of the stack relative to the back side of the stack. When the clamper clamps / holds the stack, the stack back side of the stack clamped / held on the front side of the stack is not clamped or held by the clamper or other devices. The stack back side remains free so that the stack back side can introduce the clamper into the valuable document box or the input tray.

[0044] In a preferred embodiment of the method, the first contact surface is oriented at an angle of at least 45°, in particular perpendicularly, to the second contact surface in the release position. Thus, in the vertical case, after the stack is deposited as specified, the first contact surface extends substantially along the stacking direction of the stack.

[0045] In particular, the storage location is selected such that at the storage location the center of gravity of the stack held by the gripper is arranged vertically (directly) above the storage location of the stack, i.e. above the base or above the already existing stack. Thus, simple and safe storage of the stack in the storage location is achieved by gravity.

[0046] After depositing, it is preferably provided that pressure is exerted on the deposited stack at the edge with the first contact surface oriented in the release position in order to correct possible stacking errors, which may include, for example, sheets, such as value documents, which are not placed exactly flush on top of one another in the stack. In order to exert pressure on the deposited stack at the edge, it is provided that the first contact surface is moved transversely in a direction perpendicular to the stacking direction.

[0047] Furthermore, in an advantageous embodiment of the method, the step of positioning the gripper at the storage location is preceded by the step of moving the gripper in space from the receiving location to the storage location, in particular by means of the transport device already described above, where the stack is gripped by the gripper.

[0048] For example, a value-document stack can be removed from a value-document container at a receiving location by means of a gripper and conveyed by means of the gripper to a storage location above the storage location in order, for example, to place the stack precisely in a vertically oriented loading shaft of a value-document cassette.

[0049] Further features and advantages of the method are apparent from the preceding and following description of the holder and the device, which is designed in particular to control the movement and storage of the holder according to the proposed method. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0050] Other aspects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments and implementation variants of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0051] Figure 1 shows a schematic side view of a clamp according to an embodiment of the present invention in a clamped position;

[0052] Figure 2 Shown in released position Figure 1 The clamp;

[0053] Figure 3 A perspective illustration shows a gripper in a gripping position, the gripper being positioned at a storage location for storing a stack of value documents;

[0054] Figure 4 a perspective view showing the holder in a released position after storing the stack; and

[0055] Figure 5 A block diagram schematically illustrates the sequence of a method for depositing a stack of value documents. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0056] The embodiments described below are not mutually exclusive, but complementary. In this regard, the specific features, specific structures or specific characteristics described in conjunction with one embodiment may also be implemented in conjunction with other embodiments without departing from the subject matter of the present invention. In addition, the position or arrangement of each element or step in the described embodiment may certainly be modified without departing from the subject matter of the present invention. Therefore, the following description of the accompanying drawings should not be understood to be restrictive, because the scope of the present invention is limited by the appended claims, and also includes variations and equivalents not explicitly described below.

[0057] exist Figure 1 1 shows a preferred embodiment of a clamp 10 according to the present disclosure in a schematic side view. The clamp 10 is designed to store a stack St of sheet material W, which is arranged in a stack St of sheet material W. Figure 1 In order to clamp and hold the stack St, the clamp 10 comprises a first clamping element 20 and a second clamping element 30, which are adjustably guided relative to each other so that the stack St is clamped or fixed in a force-fitting manner in an intermediate area between the first and second clamping elements 20, 30.

[0058] The first clamping element 20 and the second clamping element 30 form first and second contact surfaces F1, F2 for contacting the sheets defining the stack St at the end side. The first clamping element 20 is supported in a pivotable manner about a pivot axis S so that the first clamping element 20 can be arranged in at least two different angular orientations relative to the second clamping element 30.

[0059] Figure 1 The clamp 10 is shown with the clamping element 20 arranged in a clamping position. In this clamping position, the first contact surface F1 and the second contact surface F2 are oriented substantially parallel to each other. Furthermore, the clamping elements 20, 30 are linearly adjustably guided relative to each other so that they can be adjusted in a manner such as, at least in the clamping position. Figure 1 , which moves towards and away from each other in the direction R1 indicated by the double arrow in , which is along the surface normal associated with the contact surfaces F1, F2. This makes it possible in particular to clamp the stack St in a non-destructive manner in the clamping position by means of the first and second contact surfaces F1, F2 oriented substantially parallel to each other.

[0060] The clamping elements 20, 30 are adjustably guided in the carrier 40 so that they can be moved linearly toward and away from each other, in particular to open and close the clamp. The first clamping element 20 is additionally mounted rotatably about a pivot axis S, while the second clamping element 30 is fixed to the carrier 40 in a rotationally fixed manner.

[0061] The first clamping element 20 is rotatable about the pivot axis S so that the first contact surface F1 can be moved downward from the second contact surface F2 and away from the second clamping element 30 by pivoting about the pivot axis S in order to open the clamp 10. Figure 2 or Figure 4 As shown in FIG. 1 , the first clamping element 20 is in the release position relative to Figure 1 or Figure 3 In order to store the stack St precisely in the storage position O, the first clamping element 20 is tilted from the clamping position to the release position, and then the stack St can slide along the first contact surface F1 to the desired storage position O under the influence of gravity.

[0062] Especially in Figure 2 In a schematic side view of Figure 4 In the release position, the first contact surface F1 extends substantially perpendicularly to the second contact surface F2 and in particular as shown from Figure 4 As seen in FIG. , this immediately follows the conventional storage of the stack St parallel to the stacking direction of the stored stack.

[0063] In the embodiment shown, the first clamping element 20 is formed by a pivotable clamping finger 21, which in turn forms a first contact surface F1 for contacting the stack St. The second clamping element 30 has two or more elongated second clamping fingers 31 oriented parallel to each other, which define a second contact surface F2 for mutual contact with the stack St. In the clamping position, the first clamping finger 21 and the second clamping finger 31 extend parallel to each other, so that in the clamping position they predetermine two contact surfaces F1, F2 oriented parallel to each other.

[0064] In other exemplary embodiments, which are not explicitly shown, it is provided, for example, that the first contact surface F1 is formed or predetermined by a plurality of first clamping fingers 21 which are each mounted so as to be pivotable about a pivot axis S.

[0065] In the exemplary embodiment shown, the first clamping finger 21 of the first clamping element 20 has a shorter longitudinal dimension than the second clamping finger 31, wherein the longitudinal dimension refers to the length of the clamping finger 21, 31 from its proximal free end to its carrier-side fastening, wherein in the case of the first clamping element the carrier-side fastening is predetermined by a pivot joint about a pivot axis S. The first clamping element, which is mounted in a pivotable manner, is designed to be shorter in order to reduce the area required for the pivoting movement, thereby enabling a stack to be deposited precisely from a relatively small height position onto an already existing stack, such as, for example, in Figure 3 and Figure 4as shown in .

[0066] In order to control the movement of the first and second clamping elements 20, 30 relative to each other, a control device 50 is provided, which controls an adjustment element (not shown in detail), such as, in particular, an electric motor or the like, to adjust the orientation of the first contact surface F1 about the pivot axis S and to adjust the distance of the first and second contact surfaces relative to each other. The control device is in particular designed to move the first contact surface F1 and the second contact surface F2 towards each other in the clamped position, wherein, in particular when clamping a stack St, the movement preferably takes place in the direction R1 of a surface normal associated with the contact surfaces.

[0067] also, Figure 1 Schematically shown is a conveying device 100 for moving a gripper 10 in space. The conveying device 100 is designed to move the gripper 10 to different positions in space and to orient it in different orientations in space and, for this purpose, has at least one adjustable degree of freedom of movement that can be controlled by means of a control device 50.

[0068] In some designs, the conveying device 100 has a plurality of adjustable axes, which are respectively provided with controllable adjustment elements, such as the aforementioned electric motors, for appropriately positioning the gripper 10 in space. The conveying device 100 is implemented, for example, as a controllable multi-arm robot, which has at least one pivotable and / or movable robot arm 101, at the end of which the gripper 10 is fixed.

[0069] The gripper 10 can be arranged in almost any position and orientation in space or with respect to the gravitational field by means of the conveying device 100. The conveying device 100 is designed, for example, to receive a stack St in a receiving location and to convey it to a storage location A, where the stack St is stored in a desired storage position O, for example on an already existing stack.

[0070] exist Figure 3 and Figure 4 2 shows a particular embodiment in which the holder 10 stores the value-documents in a stack in a value-document box 200 .

[0071] Figure 3The clamp 10 that has moved to the storage location A is shown in a three-dimensional diagram. The clamp 10 is introduced into the valuable document box 200 at the storage location A, and the valuable document box 200 has a shaft-shaped receiving portion for valuable documents, which has a rear wall, and the rear edge of the valuable document is stored on the rear wall. In order to be able to store the valuable documents as close to the rear wall as possible, the clamp 10 only clamps the stack St by the front side of the stack opposite to the rear side of the stack. The valuable document box 200 or its shaft-shaped receiving portion is arranged slightly tilted with respect to the gravitational field, so that it extends at an angle of about 5° to 30° with respect to the vertical direction. In another embodiment, the valuable document box 200 is oriented so that its shaft-shaped receiving portion 201 extends in the direction of the vertical direction V.

[0072] According to regulations, the valuable documents W are stacked in the shaft-shaped receiving portion 201 of the valuable document box 200 so that the stacking direction thereof is consistent with the orientation of the shaft-shaped receiving portion 201. In some designs, the valuable document box 200 has a pop-up base on which the valuable documents W are stored or can be stored. Therefore, the valuable documents stored in the valuable document box 200 can be elastically supported in the stacking direction.

[0073] Especially if Figure 3 As shown, the stack St to be stored in the storage location A is held in a clamped position by the clamp 10. In particular, the stack St is held with its center of gravity in the vertical direction above the storage location O. In the storage location A, the clamp 10 is oriented so that the first contact surface F1 is located below the second contact surface F2 in the vertical direction V, and the stack St to be stored is therefore supported by the first clamping element 20.

[0074] The stack St is deposited by means of the first clamping element 20 or the first contact surface F1 about the pivot axis S from Figure 3 The clamping position is pivoted downwards to Figure 4 When the gripper 10 is opened by pivoting the first gripping element 20, the stack St slides on the first gripping element 20 under the influence of gravity and thus reaches the storage position O precisely, which in the example shown is predetermined by the value documents already stacked in the value-document box 200. In order to avoid displacement of the stored stack of value documents due to the pivoting movement of the first gripping element 20, the vertical distance of the pivot axis S from the storage position O to the storage location A is selected to be greater than the longitudinal dimension of the first contact surface F1 of the first gripping element 20 or of the gripping finger 21.

[0075] Figure 5 A method for storing a stack St of sheet material, for example value documents W, in a storage location O is shown in the form of a schematic block diagram. The method comprises the following steps:

[0076] - holding S1 the stack St in a clamped position between the first contact surface F1 and the second contact surface F2 of the clamp 10, e.g. Figure 3 , shown for a value-document stack W, wherein the first and second contact surfaces F1, F2 are arranged parallel to each other in the clamping position;

[0077] - Positioning S2 the holder 10 at the storage location A, such as in particular Figure 3 , wherein the center of gravity of the stack St held by the clamp 10 is arranged above the storage position O in the vertical direction V, and the clamp 10 is oriented at the storage location A so that the first contact surface F1 is arranged below the second contact surface F2 in the vertical direction V; and

[0078] - depositing S3 the stack St held by the gripper, wherein, when depositing the stack St, the first contact surface F1 is moved from the gripping position to (for example, Figure 4 In the release position, the first contact surface F1 is oriented at an angle relative to the second contact surface F2 so that the stack St can slide to the storage position O on the first contact surface F2 inclined with respect to the gravitational field under the influence of gravity.

[0079] Especially from Figure 4 As can be seen in FIG. 1 , the first contact surface F1 is oriented perpendicularly to the second contact surface F2 in the release position. After depositing the stack held by the gripper 10, it is provided that in a pressure application step S4 pressure is applied to the deposited stack at the edge side, in particular in order to ensure a flush orientation of the deposited stack. To this end, the gripper 10 is moved in a transverse direction perpendicular to the stacking direction of the deposited stack in order to apply pressure to the edge of the stack at the edge side with the first contact surface F1 oriented substantially parallel to the stacking direction.

[0080] Optionally, before the step of positioning S2 the gripper 10 at the storage location A, the gripper 10 is moved in space from the receiving location to the storage location A, in particular Figure 3 , in which the stack is received or gripped by the gripper 10. This is done by controlling the degrees of freedom of movement of the already described transport device 100, which is designed to move and orient the gripper 10 in space.

[0081] The foregoing description discloses the present invention with reference to specific embodiments. However, it is also possible to deviate from the components, elements and process flows described herein within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the subject matter of the present invention. The description and drawings should be understood to be illustrative rather than restrictive, accordingly.

Claims

1. A gripper (10) for holding and storing a stack (St) of sheet materials, in particular value documents (W), at a storage location, in particular on a base or on an already existing stack, the gripper comprising: at least one first clamping element (20) having or forming a first contact surface (F1) for contacting the stack (St), At least one second clamping element (30) having or forming a second contact surface (F2) for contacting the stack (St), wherein the first contact surface (F1) and the second contact surface (F2) are configured for contacting the stack (St) on both sides, and the first and second clamping elements (20, 30) are guideable relative to each other so that the first and second contact surfaces (F1, F2) can be moved towards each other in order to hold the stack (St) between the first and second contact surfaces (F1, F2), characterized in that The first clamping element (20) is supported in a manner that allows it to pivot about a pivot axis (S) and is able to pivot between a clamping position and a release position, in which the first contact surface (F1) is oriented substantially parallel to the second contact surface (F2), and in which the first contact surface (F1) is oriented at a certain angle relative to the second contact surface (F2) in order to store the stack in the storage position, in particular on a base or on an already existing stack.

2. The holder (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that In the release position, the first contact surface ( F1 ) is oriented at an angle of at least 45°, preferably substantially perpendicularly, to the second contact surface ( F2 ).

3. The holder (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that The second clamping element (30) is mounted on the clamp (10) in a rotationally fixed manner.

4. The holder (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that The first contact surface (F1) is formed by at least one elongated first clamping finger (21) of the first clamping element (20), and the second contact surface (F2) is formed by at least one elongated second clamping finger (31) of the second clamping element (30), wherein at least the longitudinal dimension of the first clamping finger (21) is shorter than the longitudinal dimension of the second clamping finger (31).

5. The holder (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that The first clamping element (20) is movable away from the second clamping element (30) in the direction of the release position by pivoting about the pivot axis (S), so that when pivoting from the clamping position to the release position, the distance between the first contact surface (F1) and the second contact surface (F2) increases.

6. A device for depositing a stack of sheet materials, in particular value documents, in a deposit position (O), in particular on a base or on an already existing stack, the device comprising: - A holder (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, and A control device (50) for controlling the movement of the first clamping element (20) and the second clamping element (30), in particular with respect to their distance from one another and / or with respect to their orientation relative to one another.

7. The device according to claim 6, characterized in that A conveying device (100) is provided for moving the clamp (10), the conveying device being configured to move the clamp (10) to different positions in space and, if necessary, to different orientations in space, wherein the control device (50) is configured to control the movement and orientation of the clamp (10) in space, in particular independently of the movement of the first and second contact surfaces (F1, F2).

8. The device according to any one of claims 6 to 7, characterized in that The control device is constructed to position a clamp (10) holding a stack at a storage location (A) and to store the stack (St) held by the clamp (10) by the clamp located at the storage location (A), wherein the first contact surface (F1) is arranged below the second contact surface (F2), wherein, in order to store the stack (St), the first contact surface (F1) is pivoted from a clamping position to a release position, wherein the first contact surface (F1) is oriented at a certain angle relative to the second contact surface (F2).

9. The device according to any one of claims 6 to 8, characterized in that The control device is designed to select a storage location (A) for the gripper (10), - such that, at the storage location (A), the center of gravity of the stack (St) held by the gripper (10) is arranged in the vertical direction (V) above the storage position (O) of the stack, and / or - such that, at the storage location (A), the vertical distance between the pivot axis (S) and the storage position (O) is greater than the longitudinal dimension of the first contact surface (F1) of the first clamping element (20).

10. The device according to any one of claims 6 to 9, characterized in that The control device is designed to move the first contact surface (F1) in a direction perpendicular to the stacking direction of the stack (St) after depositing the stack (St) held by the gripper in order to exert pressure on the deposited stack (St) at the edge.

11. A method for depositing a stack (St) of sheet material, in particular value documents (W), in a deposit position (O), in particular on a support or on an already existing stack, characterized in that The method comprises the following steps: - holding (S1) the stack (St) in a clamped position between first and second contact surfaces (F1, F2) of a clamp (10), wherein said first and second contact surfaces (F1, F2) are arranged substantially parallel to each other in said clamped position; - positioning (S2) the holder (10) holding the stack in a storage location (A) in which the holder (10) is oriented such that the first contact surface (F1) is arranged below the second contact surface (F2), in particular in a vertical direction (V); - storing (S3) a stack (St) held by the clamp (10) by means of the clamp located at the storage location, wherein, in order to store the stack (St), the first contact surface (F1) is pivoted from the clamping position to a release position, in which the first contact surface (F1) is oriented at a certain angle relative to the second contact surface (F2).

12. The method according to claim 11, characterized in that In the release position, the first contact surface ( F1 ) is oriented at an angle of at least 45°, preferably substantially perpendicularly, to the second contact surface ( F2 ).

13. The method according to claim 11 or 12, characterized in that: When positioning the holder (10), a storage location (A) for the holder is selected, - such that, at the storage location (A), the center of gravity of the stack (St) held by the gripper (10) is arranged in the vertical direction (V) above the storage position (O) of the stack, and / or - such that, at the storage location (A), the vertical distance between the pivot axis (S) and the storage position (O) is greater than the longitudinal dimension of the first contact surface (F1) of the first clamping element (20).

14. The method according to any one of claims 11 to 13, characterized in that After depositing the stack (St) held by the gripper, the first contact surface (F1) is moved in a direction perpendicular to the stacking direction of the stack (St) in order to exert pressure on the deposited stack (St) at the edge side.

15. The method according to any one of claims 11 to 14, characterized in that The following steps are performed before the step of positioning (S2) the holder (10) at the storage location: - moving the gripper (10) in space from a receiving location to the storage location (A), in which the stack (St) is gripped by the gripper (10).

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