EP0957456B1

EP0957456B1 - Monney refund device for payment mechanisms

Info

Publication number: EP0957456B1
Application number: EP97912225A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Francisco Ibanez Palomeque
Original assignee: Azkoyen Industrial SA
Current assignee: Azkoyen Industrial SA
Priority date: 1996-11-26
Filing date: 1997-11-17
Publication date: 2001-12-05
Anticipated expiration: 2017-11-17
Also published as: NO992496L; CO4770910A1; ES2168620T3; BR9713420A; DE69708921D1; AR010642A1; ATE210326T1; DE69708921T2; JP2001504623A; PE9199A1; AU4949697A; ES2119709B1; EP0957456A1; HUP9903891A3; ES2119709A1; ZA9710549B; HUP9903891A2; WO1998024068A1; PT957456E; NO992496D0

Description

The present invention refers to a coin refunder for paying mechanisms, installed in machines or apparatus activated by means of coins, such as vending machines, games machines, etc.

Throughout the present Specification, under the name of "coins" must be understood to mean coins both of legal tender and tokens chips.

Coin refunders for the purpose indicated comprise a container chamber or deposit for coins equipped with a coin extractor mechanism and a counting system for the supplied coins.

Refunding machines are known in which said mechanism is constituted based on an ascending chain, the links of which are configurated for dragging each one, and supplying a coin coming from the container chamber. Also known, are refunders which include disks with through holes, which operate in the manner of tube payers. One and all of the refunders are excessively voluminous, due to which, their installation presents problems of space.

The oldest and most traditional refunders, use, as the coin extractor mechanism, a rotary disk which constitutes the bottom of a side of the chamber of container deposit for the coins, the disk of which is provided on its internal surface with circumferential distribuiting pivots in concentric position with the disk. The pivots constitute the elements which are in charge of dragging the coins towards the out-put mouth, during the rotation of the disk. This mechanism presents jamming problems and is in addition not very multi-coin, that is to say, that it can admit a very limited variety of coins of different sizes. Instead of pivots, the rotary disk can be provied with recesses or formations which are capable of acting as bearing for the dragging of the coins.

U.S.A. publication of US 5,295,900 makes reference to a coin dispensing device comprising a hopper where a supply of coins is held in bulk. The coins are transported one by one on a coin dispensing disc rotatably supported by a rotary shaft for use in dispensing a coin. A base plate is opposed to the coin dispensing disc at a predetermined distance. The coin dispensing device also comprises guide holes penetrating through the coin dispensing disc. Each of the guide holes receives one of agitating members which travels along a predetermined orbit on the base plate accompanying with rotation of the coin dispensing disc. An extrusion member is disposed on the base plate along the orbit. The extrusion member has a predetermined relative height to the base plate to make a portion of the agitating member be protruded as the agitating protruding end, through the guide holes from the coin dispensing disc when the agitating member passes on the extrusion member along the orbit.

Publication of EP 0 345 868 refers to a coin dispensing apparatus comprising a hopper for holding a supply of coins in bulk and a coin transporting rotary disc rotatably disposed within the hopper for delivering coins from the hopper, a carrier having a plurality of coin transporting pins and/or agitating members spaced apart in the circumferential direction is rotatably supported at the rear side of the rotary disc to rotate at an angle to the rotary disc such as to extend the coin transporting pins and/or agitating members into the hopper from the surface of the rotary disc in a minimum amount at a position of a delivery portion and in a maximum amount at a coin picking up position, whereby a coin dispensing efficiency is remarkably improved without miscounting and jamming of coin at the delivery portion.

The object of the invention is to solve the indicated problems, by means of a refunder according to claim 1.

The refunder of the invention is of the traditional type, that is to say, it is comprised of a chamber or deposit with a zone including a rotary disk equipped with dragging means for the coins and is characterized in that said dragging means are constituted by retractile blades, preferably radial, which project through the internal surface of the disk in contact with the coins to be dragged, and are displaceable between an extracted position, in which they partially project from the surface of the disk and are capable of dragging the coins, and a retracted position, in which they do not project as regards the surface of the disk. The blades are elastically impulsed towards the extracted position and are displaceable towards the retracted position when they reach the arm which intercepts the circular path of the disk or the adjacent areas of said arms.

The blades can be impulsed towards the retracted position by means of different systems, for example, by the actual arm which intercepts the circular path of the coins or by means of an activation device which acts on the blades when it reaches the adjacent areas of the arm which intercepts the circular path of the coins.

Essentially, the invention is based on the existence of retractile blades, which in their extracted position drag the coins towards the arm which intercepts the circular path of the same, at which moment they occupy the retracted position in order to be displaced under said arm, thus not constituting any obstacle for the continuation of the rotation of the disk.

The blades are circumferentially separated from each other by a slightly larger magnitude than the diameter of the maximum sized coin. With this constitution, the blades can drag any size of coin without producing additional jamming of coins, since each blade can act only on the edge of a coin, abutting against the surface of the disk.

The characteristics and advantages of the refunder of the invention can be better understood with the following description, made with reference to the enclosed drawings, in which a non limitative, exemplary embodiment is represented.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the rotary disk which defines a zone of the chamber or receiver deposit for the coins, including the dragging means of the coins of the invention.

Figure 2 is a cross section of the disk, taken on line II-II of figure 1, at larger scale.

Figure 3 is a bottom view of one of the blades of figure 1, taken according to direction A of figure 2.

Figure 4 is a side view of the same blade, according to direction B of figure 3.

Figure 5 is a similar view to figure 1, showing a variant in the performance of the mechanism for the retraction of the blades.

Figure 6 is a cross section of the disk according to line VI-VI of figure 5, at larger scale.

Figure 7 is a partial perspective view of the disk of figure 5.

Figures 1 through 4 represent a rotary disk 1 which defines a zone of the surface of a receiver chamber or deposit for coins, of constitution known per se. In the example represented in the drawings, disk 1 is toothed around its periphery 2 in order to mesh with an activating pinion, though other systems or activating means could be used. On the internal surface of disk 1 coins 3 bear, housed in the receiver chamber or deposit. Disk 1 is mounted on a support 4 in which a flat arm or small blade 5 are attached, which bear on the internal surface of the disk. Also on support 4, a tilting lever 6 is mounted, the out-put mouth for the coins being defined between the same and the adjacent edge of the arm or small blade 5.

Disk 1 is provided with dragging means for the coins 3 when it rotates in direction to arrow F. The arm or small blade 5 intercepts the circular path of the coins 3, displacing them towards the out-put mouth limited between said small blade and the tilting lever 6, which is pushed towards a retracted position by the actual coins, recovering its original position after the exit of said coin.

The refunder of the invention is characterized by the special constitution of the dragging means of the coins in disk 1.

According to the invention, these dragging means are constituted by retractile radial blades 7 which partially project through the surface in contact with the coins, and preferably run in radial direction, such as is shown in figure 2. The blades 7 are displaced between an extracted position, shown in figure 2 and 4, in which they partially project from the surface of disk 1 and a retracted position, in which they do not project as regards the internal surface of the disk. The blades are elastically impulsed towards the extracted position and are displaced towards the retracted position when they reach the arm or small blade 5 or the proximity of the same.

In the embodiment shown in figures 1 through 4, blades 7 form part of a plate 8 with elbowed profile which is provided on the section which runs below disk 1, of a transversal core 9 which is placed between parallel lugs 10 of an adjacent bridge 11 and attached to the rotary disk 1. Core 9 articulates between lugs 10 by means of shaft 12. As from the articulation zone, the plate 8 and the bridge 11 extend in

portions

13 and 14 between which a helical spring 15 is mounted, which impulses the blades 7 towards the extracted position shown in figure 2 and 4.

Support 4 on which disk 1 is mounted forms, in the proximity of the arm or small blade 5, a ramp 16, figure 2 on which the prolongation 13 of plate 8 of the blades bear, when they reach said proximity of the small blade 5, causing the tilting of the plate 8 in the direction of arrow G of figure 2, producing the retraction of blade 7, thus preventing its impact with theedge of the arm or small blade 5, in such a manner, that it does not constitue an obstacle for the continuation of the rotation of disk 1. The ramp 16, which acts as a cam for the activation of blades 7, is placed in such a manner that the retraction or concealment of the blades 7 takes place once the coin 3, dragged by said blade, has caused the displacment of the tilting arm 6, figure 1, so as to conduct its exit in traditional manner.

With the constitution indicated, blades 7 shall drag coins 3 until they exit through the mouth limited between the small blade 5 and the arm 6, thus occupying the retraction position before reaching the edge of the small blade 5. Once they surpass the arm or the small blade 5, blades 7 are impulsed towards the extracted position by means of spring 15.

The retraction of blades 7 can be achieved by any other system or mechanism. For example, the blades 7 could be articulated under disk 1 according to a perpendicular shaft to said blade, being impulsed towards the outside by means of a spring and hence occupying the retracted position when bearing on a profile or cam similar to the one referenced with number 16 in figure 2.

Figures 5 through 7 show another possible manner of actuation on the blades 7 in order to cause its retraction. As can be observed from figure 6, blades 7 also form part of a right angled elbowed plate and are impulsed towards the extracted position by means of a spring 15a which is mounted between the section of the blade which runs below the rotary disk 1 and a disk or locking plate 17, both attached by means of screws 18. The blades 7 extend as from their internal end into a section 7a which is adjacent to the central cone 18 of the refunder. Said section 7a is of decreasing height, until it reaches the surface of the rotary disk 1.

With this constitution, during the rotation of disk 1 in the direction of arrow F, when the prolongation 7a of each blade 7 meets the internal end of the arm or small blade 5, the ramp shape of this prolongation 7a progressively inserts under the small blade which causes the retraction of blade 7.

The refunder of the invention is provided with counting means of the coins supplied or paid. Said means may consist of a detector mounted at the out-put mouth, limited between the small blade 5 and the tilting lever 6, or constituted by the actual lever 6.

Claims

Coin refunder for paying mechanisms, which comprises a receiver chamber or deposit of coins, the bottom or part of its wall being constituted by a rotary disk (1) provided with dragging means (7) of the coins (3) according to a circular path which is intercepted by an arm or small blade (5) on which the edge of the coins (3) bear and which leads them towards an appreciably radial out-put mouth, in which means (6) are arranged for counting the coins supplied or paid, the dragging means (7) of the coins (3) are constituted by retractile blades (7) which project through the surface of the disk (1) in contact with the coins (3), in preferably radial direction and are displaced between an extracted position, in which they partially project from said surface of the disk (1) and a retracted position, in which they do not project as regards said surface, characterized in that the blades (7) rest on a central spring (15a) which is mounted between each blade (7) and a rear wall (17) attached to the rotary disk (1), said spring constantly impulsing said blades (7) towards their extracted position, while the impulse towards its retracted position is provided when said blades (7) reach the arm or small blade (5) which intercepts the circular path of the coins (3).
Refunder according to claim 1, characterized in that the blades (7) are composed of a right angled elbowed plate, one of its legs extending below the rotary disk (1) and resting on the central spring (15a), and being able to partially rotate on its axis, while the other leg extends through a radial groove of the disk (1) and, starting from its inner end, has an extention (7a) directed tangencially towards the direction of movement and has, in the extracted position of the blade (7), a decreasing height starting from the surface of the disk (1).