IP Library Granted Patent US 11,945,672
Granted Patent B2
US 11,945,672 · App. 17/530,851 · Granted Apr 2, 2024

Single item removal

Inventor: Kevin Leeper (Angus, GB)
Assignee: NCR Corporation
B65H3/62B65H3/0808B65H2301/321B65H2301/42342B65H2403/514B65H2701/1912
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,945,672
App. No.
17/530,851
Granted
Apr 2, 2024
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method and apparatus are disclosed for removing one item of media at a time from an item of media container. The apparatus includes a movable element locatable in an abutting relationship with an elected item of media in a media container and disposed to vibrating against the elected item of media to permit the elected item of media to be subsequently be removed alone from the container.

Claims (14)

1. A method, comprising:

repeatedly rotating an abutment surface of a pick arm lever forward and backward against an elected item of media in a clockwise and anticlockwise motion about an axis of rotation, wherein the pick arm lever is affixed to a carrier and the carrier rotates and performs rotational motion about the axis of rotation;

inducing motion of a first end of the pick arm lever based on the repeatedly rotating against the elected item of media;

separating the elected item of media by activating a vacuum source situated on the first end of the pick arm lever;

terminating the vacuum source releasing the elected item of media to rollers;

rotating the rollers in opposite directions and a different speeds, wherein the rollers comprise an upper nip roller and a lower nip roller, and wherein the lower nip roller is a partial truncated roller that is not a whole roller, wherein rotating the rollers further includes rotating the upper nip roller having a first diameter in clockwise direction at a first speed of rotation while rotating the lower nip roller with a second diameter in an anticlockwise direction at a second speed of rotation, wherein the first speed of rotation is different from the second speed of rotation, and wherein the first diameter is different from the second diameter, and wherein the rollers rotate at different speeds and have different diameters but the rollers have a same surface speed ensuring the rollers close at different places on each rotation to avoid undue wear in any given location.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

operating the method in a pick mode of operation to pick and separate the elected item of media; and

operating the method in a release mode of operation to release the elected item of media to the rollers.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the vacuum source is a suction element.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein repeatedly rotating further includes continuously rotating at a predefined frequency.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising, operating the method as a component of an Automated Teller Machine (ATM).

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising, operating a gear, the carrier, and the pick arm level as separate parts connected together and combined with the upper nip roller and the lower nip roller to form a pick unit of the ATM, wherein the elected item of media is a currency note.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein repeatedly rotating further includes continuously using a signal to activate a gear that drives the carrier in a first rotational direction and a second rotational direction, wherein the abutment surface of the pick arm lever is affixed at a second end of the pick arm lever off center to the carrier.

Assignments (3)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Oct 17, 2024
From: NCR ATLEOS CORPORATION (F/K/A NCR CORPORATION)
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 069182/0787 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 3, 2022
From: LEEPER, KEVIN
To: NCR CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 060711/0267 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 23, 2021
From: LEEPER, KEVIN
To: NCR CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 058192/0917 →