Media transport module
View Patent ↗A media transport module comprising: a transport extending from a pick coupling area to a stacking port; and a retractable guide. The retractable guide is moveable to extend beyond the stacking port when media items are being stacked and thereby guide media items ejected from the stacking port onto a carriage plate. The retractable guide is also moveable to retract to the stacking port when media items have been stacked so that the carriage plate can close without touching the retractable guide.
1. A media transport module comprising:
a transport extending from a pick coupling area to a stacking port wherein the transport is adapted to eject media items from the stacking port; and
a retractable guide linearly moveable (a) to extend beyond the stacking port and over a carriage plate when media items are being stacked and thereby guide media items ejected from the stacking port onto the carriage plate and prevent the closing of the carriage plate, and (b) to retract into the body of the media transport module to a position where the end of the retractable guide is flush with the stacking port when media items have been stacked so that the carriage plate can close without touching the retractable guide, wherein the carriage plate is closed by rotating a cam block until the carriage plate reaches a closed position.
2. A media transport module according to claim 1 , wherein the retractable guide comprises: a support portion defining a support axis, and a plurality of fingers extending from the support portion transverse to the support axis.
3. A media transport module according to claim 2 , wherein the plurality of fingers are disposed in a mutually parallel arrangement.
4. A media transport module according to claim 2 , wherein the support portion defines a belt mount at each of two opposing ends thereof.
5. A media transport module according to claim 1 , wherein the media transport module further comprises a pair of endless belts mounted on pulleys, and extending between a shaft and a spindle.
6. A media transport module according to claim 5 , wherein the belts have a toothed inner surface, and the pulleys also include a toothed surface complementary to the inner surface, and wherein each belt mount includes a toothed surface for engaging with the toothed inner surface on each belt, so that when the belts move, the belt mounts also move in the same direction as the belts.
7. A media transport module according to claim 6 , wherein each belt mount also defines a slot in which a support bar is located to support the retractable guide as the retractable guide is moved by the belts.
8. A media transport module according to claim 1 , wherein the transport comprises: an upward transport extending from the pick coupling area to a diversion area and operable to route individual media items from the pick coupling area to the diversion area; a divert transport extending from the diversion area to a diverter port; and a stacking transport extending from the diversion area to the stacking port.
9. A media transport module according to claim 8 , wherein the media transport module further comprises a diverter located at the diversion area and operable, in response to a signal received from a media thickness sensor, to route media items to either (i) the divert transport, or (ii) the stacking transport.
10. A media transport module according to claim 9 , wherein the media transport module comprises a banknote transport module.
11. A media transport module according to claim 1 , wherein the media transport module further comprises a dedicated drive mechanism coupled to the retractable guide, and a control board coupled to the dedicated drive mechanism and operable (i) to extend the retractable guide by activating the drive mechanism in one direction, and (ii) to retract the retractable guide by activating the drive mechanism in the opposite direction, wherein the control board is also operable to extend the retractable guide to a plurality of different positions, the position selected being dependent on the size of the media items being stacked.
12. A media presenter comprising a media transport module according to claim 1 .
13. A media dispenser comprising one or more pick units coupled to the media presenter according to claim 12 .
14. A self-service terminal incorporating a media dispenser according to claim 13 .
15. A method of stacking media items implemented by a media transport module, the method comprising:
linearly advancing a retractable guide from within the body of the media transport module so that part of the retractable guide extends beyond a stacking port to direct stacking of media items;
receiving individual media items from a pick unit;
ejecting the received individual media items through the stacking port to create a stack of media items where the ejected media items contact the extended retractable guide and where the extended retractable guide limits the height the ejected media items reach after they exit the stacking port and guides them to a location where the stack of media items is created; and
linearly retracting the retractable guide so that substantially all of the retractable guide is moved behind the stacking port within the body of the media transport module when the stack of media items has been created and closing a carriage plate by rotating a cam block until the carriage plate reaches a closed position.