CN108428285B

CN108428285B - Coin return device

Info

Publication number: CN108428285B
Application number: CN201710077528.2A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 阮志成
Original assignee: Yangmeng Industry Co ltd
Current assignee: Yangmeng Industry Co ltd
Priority date: 2017-02-14
Filing date: 2017-02-14
Publication date: 2020-10-20
Anticipated expiration: 2037-02-14
Also published as: CN108428285A

Abstract

A coin refund device comprises: a base, a plurality of coin tubes, a motor, a coin separator, and a plurality of gate devices. Each coin tube has a tube body, a rotary disk and a rotary shaft connected in series by the rotary shaft. The output shaft of the motor is combined with the rotating shaft of one of the coin cylinders so as to drive the rotating discs of all the coin cylinders to synchronously rotate. The coin sorting device guides coins of different sizes into different coin cylinders. Each gate controls a predetermined number of coins to be dropped from the corresponding coin barrel.

Description

Coin return device

Technical Field

The invention relates to a coin returning device, in particular to a coin returning device with simple structure and high stability.

Background

As the automation industry has grown mature and the labor cost has increased, more and more business models are operating in unmanned environments, such as vending machines, public telephones, parking lots, and the like. Taking the vending machine as an example, the consumer can operate the vending machine to select a desired product, and then insert sufficient money, the vending machine will provide the selected product. The operation mode can save personnel cost and can operate for hours without interruption.

The machines described above continue to operate after the customer has deposited money in excess of what the customer has due. However, the consumer is not always able to provide the same amount of money as the amount due, and therefore, a refund device is provided in the above-mentioned machines. When the money which is more than the sum which is payable is consumed, the money refund device refunds the excessive fee to the consumer.

The existing coin-returning device mainly classifies copper plates with various currency values, puts the copper plates into a special coin cylinder, calculates transaction difference, drives a transmission gear by a motor to drive a shifting lever, and then shifts the copper plates in the coin cylinder, so that the copper plates can fall from the coin cylinder, and a user can take back to make change. Such devices require a motor to drive each of the levers, and therefore, the devices are very bulky and heavy, and also are relatively expensive.

Disclosure of Invention

The invention aims to provide a coin returning device which is simple in structure and low in cost.

In order to achieve the purpose, the invention adopts the following technical scheme:

the invention discloses a coin returning device, which is arranged on an automatic machine and is controlled by a processor of the automatic machine to operate, and comprises: a base; a plurality of coin cylinders arranged on the base; each coin tube is provided with a tube body, a rotating disc and a rotating shaft; the barrel body is provided with a coin storage space, an inlet and an outlet, and the inlet and the outlet are respectively communicated with the coin storage space; the rotary disc is positioned in the coin storage space and is fixedly connected to the rotating shaft; the rotary plate is provided with a plurality of coin slots for accommodating coins; the two ends of the rotating shaft extend out of the cylinder body and are respectively provided with a combining part and a connecting part; the connecting part of the rotating shaft is combined with the combining part of the rotating shaft of the other coin cylinder, so that the coin cylinders are connected in series; a motor disposed on the base; the output shaft of the motor is combined with the combination part of one coin tube so as to drive the turnplates of all the coin tubes to synchronously rotate; wherein, the coin cylinders and the motor are in an inclined serial state, and the rotating discs of the coin cylinders are positioned at the lower side of the coin storage space; a coin separator arranged on the base; the coin sorter has an input port and a plurality of coin output ports; the coin outlets are respectively corresponding to the inlets of the coin cylinders; after the coins enter the coin sorting device from the coin inlet, the coins with different sizes are guided to different coin outlets so as to enter the coin storage spaces of different coin cylinders from the coin inlets; and a plurality of gate devices respectively arranged at the outlet of the coin cylinders; each gate device is respectively provided with a braking piece, a gate and a sensing piece; the gate is provided with a closing part; the brake piece drives the gate to move between a first position and a second position; when the gate moves to the first position, the closing part closes the outlet of the coin cylinder, and when the gate moves to the second position, the closing part leaves the outlet of the coin cylinder; the sensing piece is arranged at a preset position adjacent to the outlet of the coin tube, and detects the number of the coins falling from the outlet so as to control the braking piece to move the gate.

In one embodiment, the coin dispenser has an inclined channel, the channel has a first end and a second end, and the first end is higher than the second end; the coin inlet is communicated with the channel and is closer to the first end than the coin outlet; the plurality of coin outlet ports are respectively communicated with the channel; the size of the coin outlet is gradually increased from the first end to the second end.

In one embodiment, the channels of the coin dispenser and the coin cylinders have the same inclination direction.

In one embodiment, the barrel body of each coin barrel is provided with a base and a shell; the shell is fixed on the base to form the coin storage space; the inlet and the outlet are arranged on the shell; the base is provided with a groove for accommodating the turntable therein.

In one embodiment, the base has an extension portion, and the gate device is fixed on the extension portion.

In one embodiment, the body further has a top cover, the base and the top cover are connected to opposite sides of the casing, and the top cover is connected to the base of the adjacent coin tubes when the coin tubes are connected in series.

In one embodiment, the barrel further has a collecting opening communicated with the coin storage space; the collecting port and the outlet are positioned on two opposite sides of the cylinder body.

In one embodiment, each of the coin slots is open at the periphery of the turntable and has an arc-shaped portion at a position connected to the periphery of the turntable.

In one embodiment, the coin dispenser has a plurality of guides respectively located between the coin outlets and the inlets of the coin tubes.

In one embodiment, each of the guiding members has a first wall and a second wall, the first wall is located below the coin outlet, and the second wall is located at a side of the coin outlet close to the second end.

In one embodiment, the gate further has a pivot portion and a force application portion, the closing portion and the force application portion are located at two sides of the pivot portion; the pivoting part is pivoted with the base; the gate device further has an elastic member connected to the force applying portion of the gate and the base, so that the gate is normally located at the first position.

In one embodiment, the braking member is an electromagnetic valve, and the gate can be moved from the first position to the second position after being electrified; after the power is cut off, the gate is restored to the first position by the elastic force of the elastic piece.

The invention has the beneficial effects that: the invention uses a single driving element (the motor) to drive a plurality of coin cylinders to operate, thus greatly reducing the size and the weight of the coin returning device.

Drawings

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is an exploded view of a coin cartridge in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a coin tube according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 4-4 of fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 5-5 of fig. 3.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a coin dispenser in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 7 is an exploded view of a shutter according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 8 is a partial perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the invention showing the gate closing the outlet of the coin barrel.

Fig. 9 is a partial perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the invention showing the gate opening the outlet of the coin barrel.

Reference numerals: 10: a base; 12: a motor; 14: a coin tube; 16: a coin sorter; 18: a gate device; 20: a barrel body; 22: a turntable; 24: a rotating shaft; 26: a base; 28: a housing member; 30: a top cover; 32: an extension portion; 38: a wall section; 34: a coin slot; 36: an arc-shaped portion; 40: an inlet; 42: an outlet; 44: a collection port; 46: a bonding section; 48: a connecting portion; 50: a channel; 52: a first end; 54: a second end; 56: a throwing port; 58. 60, 62, 64: a coin outlet; 66: a guide member; 68: a first wall; 70: a second wall; 72: a substrate; 74: a stopper; 76: a gate; 78: an elastic member; 80: a closing part; 82: a pivot part; 84: a force application part; 86: a sensing member.

Detailed Description

The refund device provided by a preferred embodiment of the present invention is installed in an automatic machine (not shown), for example: vending machines, public telephones, cash machines, or other machines having the same or similar functions. The automatic machine has a processor (not shown) for obtaining the amount of money to be returned, and controlling the money returning device to withdraw a predetermined money.

Referring to fig. 1, a coin refunding device according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention includes: a base 10, on which a motor 12, a plurality of coin cylinders 14, a sorter 16 and a plurality of gates 18 are disposed. The base 10 is in a state of one end being higher and one end being lower, so that the motor 12, the coin tubes 14 and the coin sorting device 16 are all in a tilted state, and the motor 12 is disposed at the lower end of the base 10.

Referring to fig. 2 and 3, each of the coin tubes 14 includes a tube body 20, a rotary plate 22 and a rotary shaft 24. The barrel 20 has a base 26, a housing 28, and a top 30. The base 26 has an extension 32 for mounting the shutter 18. The rotary plate 22 is a circular disk, and has a plurality of coin slots 34 on one side, each coin slot 34 is open at the periphery of the rotary plate 22, and has an arc-shaped portion 36 at the position connected with the periphery of the rotary plate 22 to facilitate the money to enter or leave the coin slot 34. The size of the slots 34 is slightly larger than the size of the money that the coin cylinder 14 is configured to store, so that the size of the slots 34 will be different and the number may be different if the coin cylinder 14 is configured to store different money. The housing 28 is a conical hollow member, and the larger end has a ring-shaped flange 38 connected to the base 26, so that a coin storage space is formed between the barrel 20 and the base 26, and the rotary disc 22 is located in the coin storage space. The top cover 30 is connected to the smaller diameter end of the housing 28 to close the coin storage space. The housing 28 has an inlet 40, an outlet 42 and a collecting opening 44, which are respectively connected to the coin storage space and the outside. In the illustrated embodiment, the inlet 40 and the collection port 44 are the same opening, the upper half of the opening is the inlet 40, and the lower half of the opening is the collection port 44. In other embodiments, the inlet 40 and the collection port 44 are two separate openings. The shaft 24 sequentially passes through the base 26, the rotary plate 22, the coin storage space and the top cover 30, wherein the shaft 24 is fixedly connected with the rotary plate 22 and rotatably connected with the other components. The rotating shaft 24 has a connecting portion 46 at one end and a connecting portion 48 at the other end, and the connecting portion 48 is shaped corresponding to the connecting portion 46. The bonding portion 46 is a non-circular hole, such as: polygonal, oval, or circular but with a flat surface, and the use of a latch for attachment is another means available. The output shaft of the motor 12 has the same shape as the connecting portion 48. Thus, referring to fig. 4, the magazines 14 can be connected in series by inserting the connecting portion 48 of the shaft 24 into the connecting portion 46 of the shaft 24 of another magazine 14, and the top cover 30 of one magazine 14 is connected to the base 26 of the adjacent magazine 14. The output shaft of the motor 12 is then inserted into the coupling 46 of the spindle 24 of the first magazine 14, so that the motor 12 can drive the rotary discs 22 of all the magazines 14 in a synchronous rotation. In addition, the rotation shaft 24 is disposed in an inclined manner, the coupling portion 46 is located at a lower end of the rotation shaft 24, the connecting portion 48 is located at a higher end, and the rotation plate 22 is located at a lower side of the accommodating space, so that the coin slot 34 of the rotation plate 22 faces slightly upward.

In this embodiment, the disk 22 is located in a hole in the center of the wall 38, and the channels 34 are located slightly above the wall 38 and at the same height as the inlet 40, the outlet 42 and the collection port 44.

Referring to FIG. 6, the coin dispenser 16 is formed by assembling two rectangular housings so that a channel 50 is formed therein. The channel 50 is inclined in the same direction as the coin tubes 14, and has a first end 52 and a second end 54, and the first end 52 is higher than the second end 54. The width and height of the channel 50 only allow the sequential passage of money items. The coin dispenser 16 has a slot opening 56 at the upper end of the coin dispenser 16 adjacent the first end 52 of the channel 50, and four

coin outlet openings

58, 60, 62, 64 on one side of the coin dispenser 16. The inlet port 56 and the

coin outlets

58, 60, 62, 64 are all in communication with the passageway 50. The

coin outlets

58, 60, 62, 64 are of different sizes and increase in size from the first end 52 to the second end 54. In the present embodiment, the coin outlet 58 closest to the first end 52 is slightly larger than one new taiyuan, and then is sequentially slightly larger than five yuan, ten yuan, and fifty yuan. The coin dispenser 16 further has a plurality of guides 66 disposed adjacent to the

coin outlets

58, 60, 62, 64, respectively. In the present embodiment, each of the guiding members 66 has a first wall 68 and a second wall 70, the first wall 68 is located below the

coin outlets

58, 60, 62, 64, and the second wall 70 is located at a side of the

coin outlets

58, 60, 62, 64 close to the second end 54. The coin distributor 16 is disposed above the coin tubes 14, the

coin outlets

58, 60, 62, 64 respectively correspond to the inlets 40 of the coin tubes 14, and the guides 66 are respectively located between the

coin outlets

58, 60, 62, 64 and the inlets 40.

Referring to fig. 7, the shutters 18 are respectively located below the outlets 42 of the magazines 14, and each shutter 18 has a base 72, a stopper 74, a shutter 76, and a resilient member 78. The base 72 is a housing that is secured to the extension 32 of the base 26. The stopper 74 is fixed in the base 72 and is electrically connected to the processor. One end of the gate 76 has an arc-shaped closing portion 80, a pivot portion 82 and a force-applying portion 84. The closing portion 80 has a shape and a size corresponding to the outlet 42. The pivot portion 82 is disposed between the closing portion 80 and the force applying portion 84 for pivotally mounting the shutter 18 to the base 72 such that the shutter 76 can move between a first position (fig. 8) and a second position (fig. 9). Wherein, when the gate 76 is moved to the first position, the closing portion 80 is located at the outlet 42 to close the outlet 42; when the shutter 76 is moved to the first position, the closing portion 80 is located at the outlet 42 to open the outlet 42. The force application portion 84 is located at the other end opposite to the closing portion 80, and is a cylinder having two notches. The elastic member 78 is a spring, and two ends of the spring are connected to the base 72 and the notch of the force application portion 84 of the gate 76, respectively. The elastic force of the elastic member 78 acts on the shutter 76 to normally position the shutter 76 in the first position. The stopper 74 is controlled by the processor to move the gate 76. In this embodiment, the stopper 74 is a solenoid valve, and when the solenoid valve is energized, the gate 76 can be moved from the first position to the second position; after the power is cut off, the elastic force of the elastic member 78 will make the gate 76 return to the first position. The shutter 18 further has a sensing member 86 disposed on the pedestal 26 at a suitable location adjacent the outlet 42. The sensing element 86 is electrically connected to the processor. The sensor 86 detects the amount of money dropped from the outlet 42 and sends it to the processor, which controls the stopper 74 to move the gate 76.

When a user operates a machine equipped with a refund device of the present invention, money deposited by the user into the machine is directed to the refund device and enters the passageway 50 through the input port 56 of the coin dispenser 16. The inclined channel 50 causes the money item to move from the first end 52 to the second end 54. When money passes through the

coin outlet

58, 60, 62, 64, it will drop out of the

specific coin outlet

58, 60, 62, 64 according to the size of the money. For example: money of one denomination will fall through the first slot 58, money of five denominations will fall through the first slot 58 and money of the second denomination 60, money of ten denominations will fall through the first and

second slots

58, 60 and money of the third denomination 62, money of fifty denominations will fall through the first, second and

third slots

58, 60, 62 and money of the fourth denomination 64. Money items falling out of a

particular slot

58, 60, 62, 64 are guided by the guide 66 to enter the storage space of a particular coin barrel 14 through the entrance 40. In this embodiment, the coin tube 14 closest to the motor 12 will collect fifty dollar coins, with the remaining coin tubes 14 collecting ten dollar, five dollar, and one dollar coins in sequence. The money in the storage space of the coin tubes 14 partially drops into the coin slots 34 of the rotary disk 22.

In the event that change is required, the machine processor activates the motor 12 to cause the synchronized rotation of the disks 22 of the magazines 14. At this time, as shown in fig. 6, the money in the coin slots 34 moves along with the rotating disk 22. When moved adjacent the exit 42, the action of gravity causes the money item to move along the walls of the coin slot 34 towards the exit 42. The motor 12 is activated and the processor activates the stop 74 of the particular gate mechanism 18 to move the gate 76 from the first position to the second position to open the outlet 42 of the coin tube 14 to allow money to drop. The dropped coin is detected by the sensor 86 and the amount is passed back to the processor. When the predetermined amount is reached, the disposer closes the stop 74, returning the gate 76 to the first position to close the outlet 42. When all of the coin tubes 14 have dropped a predetermined amount of money, the motor 12 is stopped.

For example, assuming that the machine needs to be backed by forty-seven dollars, the motor 12 is activated to rotate the reels 22 of all the coin cylinders 14 simultaneously, but only the ten-dollar coin cylinders 14, the five-dollar coin cylinder 14, and the shutter 18 of one-dollar coin cylinder 14 are activated to open the outlets 42 of the three coin cylinders 14. As the turntable 22 rotates, ten-, five-and one-dollar coins fall out of the outlets 42 of the three-dollar cylinders 14, respectively, and are guided to a predetermined position (not shown). When the sensor 86 detects that the number of the one-dimensional falling is two, the processor controls the stopper 74 to close the outlet 42 of the one-dimensional coin cylinder 14; similarly, when the sensor 86 detects that the number of quinary drops is one, the processor controls the stopper 74 to close the outlet 42 of the quinary coin tube 14; when the sensor 86 detects that the number of ten drops is four, the processor controls the stopper 74 to close the outlet 42 of the ten-dollar coin cylinder 14. When all the magazines 14 have reached a predetermined number of drops, the motor 12 is switched off.

The collection ports 44 of the magazines 14 are located on opposite sides of the outlet 42, and when there is an excess of money stored in the magazines 14, money not located in the coin slot 34 falls out of the collection ports 44 by rotation or by direct movement of the turntable 22 and is directed to a predetermined receptacle (not shown) for collection. This prevents the coin from being too much in the coin tube 14, which could affect the normal operation.

In summary, the present invention utilizes a single driving element (the motor 12) to drive a plurality of coin tubes 14, so as to greatly reduce the size and weight of the coin ejecting device. In addition, the user can add or subtract coin tubes 14 in series to suit various applications.

The above embodiments and design drawings are only for illustrative purposes and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention, and all equivalent technical means or claims included in the following claims are not intended to be the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A coin refund device is used for being arranged on an automatic machine and controlled by a processor of the automatic machine to operate, and is characterized by comprising:

a base;

a plurality of coin cylinders arranged on the base; each coin cylinder is provided with a cylinder body, a rotating disc and a rotating shaft; the barrel body is provided with a coin storage space, an inlet and an outlet, and the inlet and the outlet are respectively communicated with the coin storage space; the rotary disc is positioned in the coin storage space and is fixedly connected to the rotating shaft; the rotary plate is provided with a plurality of coin slots for accommodating coins; the two ends of the rotating shaft extend out of the cylinder body and are respectively provided with a combining part and a connecting part; the connecting part of the rotating shaft is combined with the combining part of the rotating shaft of another coin tube, so that the coin tubes are connected in series;

a motor disposed on the base; the output shaft of the motor is combined with the combination part of one of the coin cylinders so as to drive the turntables of all the coin cylinders to synchronously rotate; the coin cylinders and the motor are in an inclined serial state, and the rotating discs of the coin cylinders are positioned on one side of the lower coin storage space;

a coin separator arranged on the base; the coin sorter has an input port and a plurality of coin output ports; the coin outlets respectively correspond to the inlets of the coin tubes; after the coins enter the coin sorting device from the coin inlet, the coins with different sizes are guided to different coin outlets so as to enter the coin storage spaces of different coin cylinders from the coin inlet; and

the plurality of gate devices are respectively arranged at the outlet of the coin cylinder; each gate device is respectively provided with a braking piece, a gate and a sensing piece; the gate is provided with a closing part; the brake piece drives the gate to move between a first position and a second position; when the gate moves to the first position, the closing part closes the outlet of the coin cylinder, and when the gate moves to the second position, the closing part leaves the outlet of the coin cylinder; the sensing piece is arranged at a preset position adjacent to the outlet of the coin tube, and detects the number of the coins falling from the outlet so as to control the braking piece to move the gate.

2. A coin hopper as claimed in claim 1 wherein the coin dispenser has an inclined channel having a first end and a second end, the first end being higher in elevation than the second end; the coin inlet is communicated with the channel and is closer to the first end than the coin outlet; the plurality of coin outlet openings are respectively communicated with the channel; the size of the coin outlet is gradually increased from the first end to the second end.

3. A coin hopper as claimed in claim 1 wherein the channels of the coin sorter have the same angular orientation as the coin barrel.

4. A coin hopper as claimed in claim 1 wherein the body of each of said coin tubes has a base and a casing; the shell is fixed on the base to form the coin storage space; the inlet and the outlet are arranged on the shell; the shell is also provided with a collecting port.

5. A coin hopper according to claim 4 wherein the base has an extension to which the gate is secured.

6. A coin hopper as claimed in claim 4 wherein the casing has a ring-shaped skirt fixed to the base.

7. A coin hopper as claimed in claim 4 wherein the body further has a cover, the base and cover being connected to opposite sides of the casing and the cover being connected to the base of adjacent coin tubes when the coin tubes are connected in series.

8. A coin return apparatus as claimed in claim 4 wherein said collection port communicates with said coin storage space; the collecting port and the outlet are positioned on two opposite sides of the cylinder body.

9. A coin return apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein each of said coin slots is open at the periphery of said rotatable disk and has an arcuate portion at a location adjacent to the periphery of said rotatable disk.

10. A coin return apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein the coin sorter has a plurality of guides respectively located between the coin outlet and the inlet of the coin barrel.

11. A coin return apparatus as claimed in claim 10 wherein each guide has a first wall and a second wall, the first wall being located below the coin outlet and the second wall being located on the side of the coin outlet adjacent to the second end.

12. A coin return apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein each shutter further has a base and a resilient member; the gate is further provided with a pivoting part and a force application part, and the closing part and the force application part are positioned on two sides of the pivoting part; the pivoting part is pivoted on the base; the gate device further comprises an elastic member connected to the force application portion of the gate and the base, so that the gate is normally located at the first position.

13. A coin return apparatus as claimed in claim 12 wherein said stop member is a solenoid valve which is energised to move said gate from said first position to said second position; after the power is cut off, the gate is restored to the first position by the elasticity of the elastic piece.