Check shredder for an automated teller machine
View Patent ↗Described in an example embodiment herein is an apparatus that comprises a safe having first and second openings, a document accepting device located within the safe, a document destruction device located within the safe that is coupled with the document accepting device, and a destroyed document storage device located outside of the safe. The document accepting device is operable to receive a document via the first opening and to forward the document to the document destruction device. The document destruction device is operable to destroy the document; and convey the destroyed document via the second opening the destroyed document storage device.
1. An apparatus, comprising:
a safe having first and second openings;
a document accepting device located within the safe;
a document destruction device located within the safe that is coupled with the document accepting device; and
a destroyed document storage device located outside of the safe;
the document accepting device is operable to receive a document via the first opening, the document accepting device comprises check acceptor logic and a document storage device;
the document accepting device is operable to forward the document to the document destruction device;
the document destruction device is operable to destroy the document; and
the destroyed document is conveyed via the second opening from the document destruction device to the destroyed document storage device;
the check acceptor logic is operable to store the document in the document storage device for a predetermined amount of time before forwarding the document to the document destruction device.
2. The apparatus set forth in claim 1 , the document accepting device further comprises an imaging device;
the imaging device is operable to obtain an image of the document; and
the document accepting device forwards the document to the document destruction device after the imaging device obtains the image of the document.
3. The apparatus set forth in claim 1 , the document accepting device further comprises a divert storage device;
wherein a plurality of documents are stored in the document storage device; and
the check acceptor logic is operable to divert a selected from the plurality of documents to the divert storage device.
4. The apparatus set forth in claim 1 , wherein the check acceptor logic is operable send the image to a remote host; and
the check acceptor logic is operable to verify that the image was received by the host prior to sending the document to the document destruction device.
5. The apparatus set forth in claim 1 , wherein the document destruction device is located remotely from the document accepting device, the apparatus further comprising a transport path coupling the document accepting device with the document destruction device.
6. The apparatus set forth in claim 1 , the destroyed document storage device comprises a sensor for sensing an amount of contents within the destroyed document storage device, the sensor is coupled with a remote computer; and
the sensor is operable to cause an alert to be sent to the remote computer responsive to determining the amount of contents in the destroyed contents storage device exceeds a predetermined threshold.
7. The apparatus set forth in claim 1 , further comprising a gate located at the first opening;
wherein in a first position the gate blocks the opening; and
wherein the gate being in a second position allows destroyed documents to be conveyed from the document destruction device to the destroyed document storage device.
8. The apparatus set forth in claim 7 , further comprising:
check acceptor logic; and
a motor coupled with the gate and the check acceptor logic;
wherein the check acceptor logic is operable to operate the motor to cause the gate to move between the first and second positions.
9. The apparatus set forth in claim 1 , wherein the document is a negotiable instrument.
10. The apparatus set forth in claim 9 , wherein the document is a check.
11. The apparatus set forth in claim 9 , wherein the document is a money order.
12. An apparatus, comprising:
a safe an opening;
a check acceptor located within the safe, the check acceptor further comprises check acceptor logic and a check storage device;
a check shredder located within the safe that is coupled with the check acceptor; and
a shredded check storage device located outside of the safe;
the check acceptor is operable to receive a check;
the check acceptor is operable to forward the check to the check shredder;
the check shredder is operable to shred the check; and
the shredded check is conveyed via the opening from the check shredder to the shredded check storage device;
the check acceptor logic is operable to store the document in the check storage device for a predetermined amount of time before forwarding the document to the check shredder.
13. The apparatus set forth in claim 12 , the check acceptor further comprises an imaging device;
the imaging device is operable to obtain an image of the check; and
the check acceptor forwards the document to the check shredder after the imaging device obtains the image of the check.
14. The apparatus set forth in claim 13 , the shredded check storage device comprises a sensor for sensing an amount of contents within the shredded check storage device, the sensor is coupled with a remote computer; and
the sensor is operable to cause an alert to be sent to the remote computer responsive to determining the amount of contents in the destroyed contents storage device exceeds a predetermined threshold.
15. The apparatus set forth in claim 13 , further comprising a gate located at the opening;
wherein in a first position the gate blocks the opening; and
wherein the gate being at a second position allows shredded checks to be conveyed from the check shredder to the shredded check storage device.
16. The apparatus set forth in claim 15 , further comprising:
check acceptor logic; and
a motor coupled with the gate and the check acceptor logic;
wherein the check acceptor logic is operable to operate the motor to cause the gate to move between the first and second positions.
17. The apparatus set forth in claim 12 , the check acceptor further comprises a divert storage device;
wherein a plurality of checks are stored in the check storage device; and
the check acceptor logic is operable to divert a predefined check selected from the plurality of checks to the divert storage device.
18. The apparatus set forth in claim 12 , wherein the check acceptor logic is operable send the image to a remote host; and
the check acceptor logic is operable to verify that the image was received by the host prior to sending checks to the check shredder device.
19. A method comprising:
receiving a plurality of documents by a document accepting device located within a secure area;
storing the plurality of documents within the secure area;
forwarding a document selected from the plurality of documents to a document destruction device located within the secure area after the document has been stored for a predetermined amount of time; and
conveying the document from the document destruction device to a destroyed document storage device that is located outside of the secure area.
20. The method set forth in claim 19 , further comprising diverting a selected second document from the plurality of documents to a divert storage device located within the secure storage area.