Back to results
US 8,757,356 B2Granted
Media depository
AssigneeNCR Corporation
InventorsThomas Peterek, Fred Kallin
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method and apparatus are disclosed for providing an aligned bunch of items of media. The apparatus includes a driven drum element arranged to rotate about a drum axis of rotation and at least one driven endless belt member, each arranged along a respective belt pathway. The belt pathway comprises a pathway portion in which the belt member extends in a co-operating relationship with more than sixty percent of the circumference of an outer surface of the drum element. The drum element and at least one belt member co-operate to receive and align items of media therebetween.
Claims16
Apparatus for providing an aligned bunch of items of media, comprising:
- a driven drum element arranged to rotate about a drum axis of rotation;
- and
- at least one driven endless belt member each arranged along a respective belt pathway, the belt pathway comprising a pathway portion in which the belt member extends in a cooperating relationship with more than sixty percent of the circumference of an outer surface of the drum element;
- wherein
- the drum element and said at least one belt member co-operate to receive and align items of media therebetween;
- the driven drum element and said driven endless belt member are rotatable at different speeds and/or the speed of rotation of the drum element and/or the speed of rotation of said endless belt member is responsive to a determined number of items of media.
3 more elements
Apparatus for providing an aligned bunch of items of media, comprising:
- a driven drum element arranged to rotate about a drum axis of rotation;
- and
- at least one driven endless belt member each arranged along a respective belt pathway, the belt pathway comprising a pathway portion in which the belt member extends in a cooperating relationship with more than sixty percent of the circumference of an outer surface of the drum element;
- wherein
- the drum element and said at least one belt member co-operate to receive and align items of media therebetween;
- at least one guide element selectively locatable in a stack position in which items of media are rotated about the drum, and an exit position in which an item of media or bunch of items are discharged to a disposal slot;
- an angle of attack of the guide element relative to the drum element is selected, responsive to a determined number of items of media.
4 more elements
Apparatus for providing an aligned bunch of items of media, comprising:
- a driven drum element arranged to rotate about a drum axis of rotation;
- and
- at least one driven endless belt member each arranged along a respective belt pathway, the belt pathway comprising a pathway portion in which the belt member extends in a cooperating relationship with more than sixty percent of the circumference of an outer surface of the drum element;
- wherein
- the drum element and said at least one belt member co-operate to receive and align items of media therebetween;
- each endless belt member is guided around a plurality of respective pulley elements, at least one pulley element being located or resiliently biaised relative to the drum element so as to constantly urge a belt pathway portion of the endless belt towards the outer surface of the drum element.
3 more elements
Apparatus for providing an aligned bunch of items of media, comprising:
- a driven drum element arranged to rotate about a drum axis of rotation;
- and
- at least one driven endless belt member each arranged along a respective belt pathway, the belt pathway comprising a pathway portion in which the belt member extends in a cooperating relationship with more than sixty percent of the circumference of an outer surface of the drum element;
- wherein
- the drum element and said at least one belt member co-operate to receive and align items of media therebetween;
- at least one guide element selectively locatable in a stack position in which items of media are rotated about the drum, and an exit position in which an item of media or bunch of items are discharged to a disposal slot;
- said at least one guide element comprises a guide finger member comprising, at a first end region thereof, an abutment surface and a pulley element arranged to locate a belt pathway;
- wherein
- the guide finger member is rotatable about a pivot point at a further end region thereof, the stack position of the guide element corresponding to the finger member being rotated towards the drum member to locate the abutment surface and belt member proximate to the drum member, the exit position of the guide element corresponding to the finger member being rotated away from the drum member to locate the abutment surface and belt member distal to the drum member.
6 more elements
A method of providing an aligned bunch of items of media, the method comprising the steps of:
- rotating a drum element comprising a cylindrical outer surface about a drum axis of rotation;
- rotating at least one endless belt member along a respective belt pathway, said pathway comprising a pathway portion which extends in a co-operating relationship with more than sixty percent of the circumference of the outer surface;
- receiving items of media one-by-one between the belt member and drum element;
- stacking said received items in an aligned bunch prior to discharge;
- receiving each item of media at a pre-determined point in time whereby a newly introduced item is located on top of a previously located item to thereby form a bunch;
- and
- rotating a radially inner portion of a bunch slower than a radially outer portion of the bunch to thereby maintain the bunch in an aligned bunch configuration.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.