ATM that can center different sized cash stacks in a cash outlet opening
View Patent ↗An ATM extends a stack of currency notes through a cash outlet opening for presentation to a customer. Each dispensed stack, including those of different sizes, is centered in the opening. The centering of a stack is based on its thickness. The thickness can be based on the quantity of notes in the stack. Different sized stacks require different amounts of movement to be centered. A stack is centered in the opening to facilitate grasping thereof by the customer.
1. Apparatus comprising:
an automated banking machine operative to dispense currency notes,
wherein the machine includes a currency outlet opening,
wherein the machine includes a currency note stack presenter device,
wherein the machine includes a controller including at least one computer,
wherein the controller is in operative connection with the presenter device,
wherein the controller is operative to cause the presenter device to present differently sized note stacks through the opening at respectively different presentation angles relative to the opening,
wherein each presentation angle corresponds to a different note stack size.
2. The apparatus according to claim 1
wherein the controller is operative to cause a first note stack having a first size to be presented at a first presentation angle,
wherein the controller is operative to cause a second note stack having a second size to be presented at a second presentation angle,
wherein the first size differs from the second size,
wherein the second presentation angle differs from the first presentation angle.
3. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein each presentation angle substantially vertically centers a correspondingly sized note stack in the opening relative to the presentation angle.
4. The apparatus according to claim 3
wherein the controller is operative to cause a first note stack having a first size to be substantially vertically centered in the opening relative to a first presentation angle,
wherein the controller is operative to cause a second note stack having a second size to be substantially vertically centered in the opening relative to a second presentation angle,
wherein the first size differs from the second size,
wherein the second presentation angle differs from the first presentation angle.
5. The apparatus according to claim 3 wherein the controller causes each note stack to be substantially horizontally centered in the opening.
6. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein size of a note stack corresponds to quantity of notes in the note stack.
7. The apparatus according to claim 6 wherein the controller is operative to determine a presentation angle of a particular note stack based on quantity of notes in the particular note stack.
8. The apparatus according to claim 1 and further comprising a data store, wherein presentation angles corresponding to respective note stack sizes are stored in the data store, wherein the controller is in operative connection with the data store, wherein the controller is operative to access a presentation angle that corresponds to a particular note stack size from the data store.
9. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the presenter device is operative to rotate to different presentation angles, wherein the controller is operative to cause the presenter device to rotate a relatively smaller sized note stack further than a relatively larger sized note stack.
10. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the controller is operative to cause the presenter device to present different sized note stacks at respective different presentation angles, wherein the controller causes a relatively smaller sized note stack to be presented at a greater presentation angle than a relatively larger sized note stack.
11. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the presenter device is operative to push a note stack through the opening, wherein the presenter device is operative to rotate a note stack, wherein the controller is operative to cause the presenter device to first push a note stack through the opening and then rotate the note stack to a corresponding presentation angle.
12. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the machine comprises an automated teller machine (ATM), wherein the ATM includes a cash dispenser, display screen and a user fascia, wherein the user fascia includes the opening,
wherein the presenter device includes a rotatable stack holder housing,
wherein the stack holder housing is adapted to rotate a held stack of notes,
wherein the stack holder housing includes an axially movable stack pusher,
wherein the stack pusher is adapted to push a stack of notes outward from the housing,
wherein the stack pusher includes a stack gripper,
wherein the stack gripper is adapted to apply a compressive force to a held stack of notes.
13. Apparatus comprising:
an automated teller machine (ATM) bulk note currency presenter,
wherein the presenter is adapted to present different sized stacks of currency notes through an ATM currency outlet opening at respective different presentation angles,
wherein the presenter includes a stack pusher device,
wherein the stack pusher device is adapted to pushingly extend a stack through the opening,
wherein the presenter includes a stack rotation device,
wherein the stack rotation device is adapted to rotate an extended stack to substantially vertically center the stack in the opening,
wherein each different sized stack is substantially vertically centered at a respective different presentation angle relative to the opening,
wherein each different presentation angle respectively corresponds to a different stack size,
wherein size of a respective stack respectively corresponds to quantity of notes in the respective stack.
14. A method comprising:
(a) operating an automated banking machine to prepare a currency note stack, wherein the currency note stack has a first size; and
(b) operating the machine to present the currency note stack through an outlet opening at a first presentation angle relative to the opening, wherein the first presentation angle corresponds to the first size,
wherein the machine is operative to present differently sized note stacks through the opening at respectively different presentation angles relative to the opening, wherein each presentation angle corresponds to a different note stack size.
15. The method according to claim 14 wherein (b) includes substantially centering the currency note stack in the opening relative to the first presentation angle.
16. The method according to claim 14 wherein (b) includes pushing the currency note stack through the opening.
17. The method according to claim 16 wherein subsequent to pushing the currency note stack, (b) further includes rotating the currency note stack relative to the opening to obtain the first presentation angle.
18. The method according to claim 14 and further comprising
(c) subsequent to step (b), operating the machine to prepare a second currency note stack, wherein the second currency note stack has a second size; and
(d) operating the machine to present the second currency note stack through the opening at a second presentation angle relative to the opening, wherein the second presentation angle corresponds to the second size.
19. The method according to claim 14 and further comprising
(c) prior to step (b), operating the machine to determine a number of notes corresponding to the currency note stack; and
(d) prior to step (b), operating the machine to determine the first presentation angle based on the number of notes determined in step (c).
20. At least one article including computer executable instructions operative to cause at least one computer to carry out a method comprising:
(a) operating an automated banking machine to prepare a currency note stack, wherein the currency note stack has a first size; and
(b) operating the machine to present the currency note stack through an note stack, at a first presentation angle relative to the opening, wherein the first presentation angle corresponds to the first size,
wherein the machine is operative to present differently sized note stacks through the opening at respectively different presentation angles relative to the opening, wherein each presentation angle corresponds to a different note stack size.