Thermal Sanitization of Banknotes in Self-Service Terminals
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sanitizing methods for self-service terminals, such as ATMs, face challenges in effectively reducing pathogens on banknotes, including balancing heat and ultraviolet light exposure, and implementing disinfectants, which can compromise the sanitization process.
Innovation Solution
A sanitizing self-service terminal equipped with a heater device based on laser printer fuser technology, utilizing a heated roller set to 116°C and moving at 181 mm/sec, ensures rapid and effective thermal sanitization of banknotes as they are dispensed, significantly reducing microbial loads without damaging the banknotes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If high levels of heat are applied to kill pathogens on banknotes, then the level of pathogens is significantly reduced, but the risk of damaging the banknotes increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies a specific temperature parameter (116°C) that is optimized to kill pathogens while remaining below the threshold that would damage banknotes. This precise parameter control resolves the contradiction by finding the optimal point between effective sanitization and material preservation.
Solution Approach 2:
The heating process is applied periodically as banknotes pass through the heater device during normal dispensing operations, rather than continuous heating. This periodic application ensures sufficient pathogen reduction while limiting total heat exposure to prevent banknote damage.
2Reliability
If ultraviolet light is applied to kill pathogens on banknotes, then the level of pathogens is significantly reduced, but the intensity and timing must be precisely balanced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the complex optical system (ultraviolet light) with a simpler thermal system (heated roller). This substitution eliminates the need for complex intensity and timing controls associated with UV light while achieving effective pathogen reduction through straightforward temperature and speed control.
3Reliability
If disinfectants are used to sanitize banknotes in a self-service terminal, then pathogens are reduced, but the implementation becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces chemical disinfectants with a physical thermal treatment system. The heated roller sanitizes banknotes through controlled heating during the dispensing process, eliminating the need for separate disinfectant application systems and making the terminal easier to operate and maintain.
Solution Approach 2:
The heating element is integrated into the normal dispensing mechanism, so banknotes are sanitized automatically as they pass through during regular operation. This self-service approach eliminates the need for separate manual disinfection procedures.
4Productivity
If the heated roller moves at higher speed to maintain high throughput, then productivity increases, but the sanitization time decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the combination of temperature (116°C) and linear speed (181 mm/sec) to achieve effective sanitization within the brief contact time. The high temperature compensates for the short exposure duration, allowing both high throughput and effective sanitization.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts the operating parameters (temperature and speed) to maintain optimal sanitization effectiveness across varying throughput conditions. The heated roller rotates at controlled speeds to ensure consistent thermal exposure regardless of dispensing rate.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution provides near instantaneous inactivation of pathogens like SARS-CoV-2 on banknotes, achieving a 99.9999% viral load reduction within 36 milliseconds, ensuring user safety while maintaining high throughput and a long service life for the terminal.
Implementation Method 1
a heater device (140) positioned along the transport mechanism (115) in order to sanitize the media item
Data Source
AI summary
A self-service terminal has a bin for storing media items. A mechanism is coupled to the bin that has a pathway for selectively conveying a media item from the bin to a dispenser. A heater device is mounted in the pathway for sanitizing the media item as it is conveyed to the dispenser. The heater device has a heating element set to a predetermined temperature and a roller driven by a motor set to move the media item past the heating element at a predetermined rate of speed. By selecting the predetermined temperature to 116° C. and the predetermined rate of speed to 181 mm/sec, 99.9999% of the viral load of a known type pathogen, i.e., SARS-CoV-2, is eliminated from the media item by the sanitization process.