Patents by Inventor Ken W. Maier
Ken W. Maier has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 9044785Abstract: A currency bill processing system includes a transport mechanism that is configured to transport bills from an input receptacle along a transport path that extends generally horizontally past at least one detector. The transport path transitions generally-vertically upward between a first and a second output receptacle. The transport mechanism is configured to deliver some of the bills toward a first end of the system into the first output receptacle and some of the bills toward a second end of the system into the second output receptacle. The system provides access openings in a front side of the system that are proximate the first and the second output receptacles thereby permitting operator access into the first and the second output receptacles from the front side.Type: GrantFiled: March 14, 2013Date of Patent: June 2, 2015Assignee: Cummins-Allison Corp.Inventors: Douglas U. Mennie, John M. Mikkelsen, Marek Baranowski, Charles H. Cummings, Ken W. Maier
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Patent number: 9004255Abstract: A currency bill processing system includes a transport mechanism that is configured to transport bills from an input receptacle along a transport path that extends generally horizontally past at least one detector. The transport path transitions generally-vertically upward between a first and a second output receptacle. The transport mechanism is configured to deliver some of the bills toward a first end of the system into the first output receptacle and some of the bills toward a second end of the system into the second output receptacle. The system provides access openings in a front side of the system that are proximate the first and the second output receptacles thereby permitting operator access into the first and the second output receptacles from the front side.Type: GrantFiled: August 14, 2013Date of Patent: April 14, 2015Assignee: Cummins-Allison Corp.Inventors: Douglas U. Mennie, John M. Mikkelsen, Marek Baranowski, Charles H. Cummings, Ken W. Maier
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Patent number: 8978864Abstract: According to one embodiment of the present invention, a currency processing device for receiving and processing a stack of currency bills is described. The currency processing device comprises an input receptacle for receiving a stack of bills to be processed, a plurality of output receptacles for receiving bills after the bills have been processed, a transport mechanism for transporting the bills from the input receptacle to the output receptacles, and a discriminating unit for examining the bills. The output receptacles are arranged such that a center of at least one output receptacle is laterally offset from a center of the input receptacle. The discriminating unit includes a detector positioned between the input receptacle and the output receptacles and is adapted to determine the denomination of bills.Type: GrantFiled: June 4, 2010Date of Patent: March 17, 2015Assignee: Cummins-Allison Corp.Inventors: William J. Jones, Douglas U. Mennie, Ken W. Maier, Marek Baranowski, Yanmei Chen
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Publication number: 20130327686Abstract: A currency bill processing system includes a transport mechanism that is configured to transport bills from an input receptacle along a transport path that extends generally horizontally past at least one detector. The transport path transitions generally-vertically upward between a first and a second output receptacle. The transport mechanism is configured to deliver some of the bills toward a first end of the system into the first output receptacle and some of the bills toward a second end of the system into the second output receptacle. The system provides access openings in a front side of the system that are proximate the first and the second output receptacles thereby permitting operator access into the first and the second output receptacles from the front side.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 14, 2013Publication date: December 12, 2013Applicant: Cummins-Allison Corp.Inventors: Douglas U. Mennie, John M. Mikkelsen, Marek Baranowski, Charles H. Cummings, Ken W. Maier
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Patent number: 8544656Abstract: A currency bill processing system includes a transport mechanism that is configured to transport bills from an input receptacle along a transport path that extends generally horizontally past at least one detector. The transport path transitions generally-vertically upward between a first and a second output receptacle. The transport mechanism is configured to deliver some of the bills toward a first end of the system into the first output receptacle and some of the bills toward a second end of the system into the second output receptacle. The system provides access openings in a front side of the system that are proximate the first and the second output receptacles thereby permitting operator access into the first and the second output receptacles from the front side.Type: GrantFiled: March 2, 2011Date of Patent: October 1, 2013Assignee: Cummins-Allison Corp.Inventors: Douglas U. Mennie, John M. Mikkelsen, Marek Baranowski, Charles H. Cummings, Ken W. Maier
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Publication number: 20110215034Abstract: A currency bill processing system includes a transport mechanism that is configured to transport bills from an input receptacle along a transport path that extends generally horizontally past at least one detector. The transport path transitions generally-vertically upward between a first and a second output receptacle. The transport mechanism is configured to deliver some of the bills toward a first end of the system into the first output receptacle and some of the bills toward a second end of the system into the second output receptacle. The system provides access openings in a front side of the system that are proximate the first and the second output receptacles thereby permitting operator access into the first and the second output receptacles from the front side.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 2, 2011Publication date: September 8, 2011Inventors: Douglas U. Mennie, John M. Mikkelsen, Marek Baranowski, Charles H. Cummings, Ken W. Maier
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Publication number: 20100236892Abstract: According to one embodiment of the present invention, a currency processing device for receiving and processing a stack of currency bills is described. The currency processing device comprises an input receptacle for receiving a stack of bills to be processed, a plurality of output receptacles for receiving bills after the bills have been processed, a transport mechanism for transporting the bills from the input receptacle to the output receptacles, and a discriminating unit for examining the bills. The output receptacles are arranged such that a center of at least one output receptacle is laterally offset from a center of the input receptacle. The discriminating unit includes a detector positioned between the input receptacle and the output receptacles and is adapted to determine the denomination of bills.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 4, 2010Publication date: September 23, 2010Applicant: Cummins-Allison Corp.Inventors: William J. Jones, Douglas U. Mennie, Ken W. Maier, Marek Baranowski, Yanmei Chen
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Patent number: 7753189Abstract: According to one embodiment of the present invention, a currency processing device for receiving and processing a stack of currency bills is described. The currency processing device comprises an input receptacle for receiving a stack of bills to be processed, a plurality of output receptacles for receiving bills after the bills have been processed, a transport mechanism for transporting the bills from the input receptacle to the output receptacles, and a discriminating unit for examining the bills. The output receptacles are arranged such that a center of at least one output receptacle is laterally offset from a center of the input receptacle. The discriminating unit includes a detector positioned between the input receptacle and the output receptacles and is adapted to determine the denomination of bills.Type: GrantFiled: January 14, 2005Date of Patent: July 13, 2010Assignee: Cummins-Allison Corp.Inventors: Ken W. Maier, William J. Jones, Douglas U. Mennie, Marek Baranowski, Yanmei Chen
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Patent number: 7726457Abstract: According to one embodiment of the present invention, a currency processing device for receiving and processing a stack of currency bills is disclosed. The currency processing device comprises an input receptacle for receiving a stack of bills to be processed, a plurality of output receptacles for receiving bills after the bills have been processed, a transport mechanism for transporting the bills from the input receptacle to the output receptacles, and a discriminating unit for examining the bills. The output receptacles are arranged such that a center of at least one output receptacle is laterally offset from a center of the input receptacle. The discriminating unit includes a detector positioned between the input receptacle and the output receptacles and is adapted to determine the denomination of bills.Type: GrantFiled: July 30, 2004Date of Patent: June 1, 2010Assignee: Cummins-Allison Corp.Inventors: Ken W. Maier, William J. Jones, Douglas U. Mennie, Marek Baranowski, Yanmei Chen