EP2752822A1 - Système distributeur de pièces de monnaie avec tubes à pièces de monnaie avec capteurs capacitatifs de niveau de remplissage - Google Patents

Système distributeur de pièces de monnaie avec tubes à pièces de monnaie avec capteurs capacitatifs de niveau de remplissage Download PDF

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Publication number
EP2752822A1
EP2752822A1 EP13150051.4A EP13150051A EP2752822A1 EP 2752822 A1 EP2752822 A1 EP 2752822A1 EP 13150051 A EP13150051 A EP 13150051A EP 2752822 A1 EP2752822 A1 EP 2752822A1
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EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
coin
tube
electrodes
metal coins
metal
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP13150051.4A
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German (de)
English (en)
Inventor
Pin-Chia Lee
Shou-Yu Nien
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
International Currency Technologies Corp
Original Assignee
International Currency Technologies Corp
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by International Currency Technologies Corp filed Critical International Currency Technologies Corp
Priority to EP13150051.4A priority Critical patent/EP2752822A1/fr
Publication of EP2752822A1 publication Critical patent/EP2752822A1/fr
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

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    • G—PHYSICS
    • G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
    • G07D—HANDLING OF COINS OR VALUABLE PAPERS, e.g. TESTING, SORTING BY DENOMINATIONS, COUNTING, DISPENSING, CHANGING OR DEPOSITING
    • G07D1/00—Coin dispensers

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to bill acceptor technology and more particularly, to an in-passage sensing type coin dispenser system, which uses electrodes at each coin tube to induce coupling capacitance and a detection circuit to measure the value of each induced coupling capacitance indicative of the coin storage status in each coin tube.
  • a coin-operated automatic vending machine or amusement machine generally uses a coin validator module to validate the authenticity and value of each inserted coin or token. Different coins or tokens have different sizes. After validation of an inserted coin, the coin will be dispensed into one of a number of coin tubes inside the machine. If the number of coins stored in one coin tube reaches a predetermined high level, the coin dispenser cannot dispense any further coin into the respective coin tube. If the coin storage status of one coin tube reaches a predetermined low level, the coin hopper of the machine cannot discharge coins from the respective coin tube, ensuring normal operation of the machine.
  • non-contact type displacement sensors are commonly used in coin-operated vending machines and amusement machines to detect the storage status of coins in each coin tube.
  • These non-contact type displacement sensors include ultrasonic displacement sensors, magnetic displacement sensors and optical displacement sensors.
  • An ultrasonic displacement sensor transmits an ultrasonic wave onto a coin and to receive reflection of ultrasonic wave from the coin. The energy difference between the transmitted ultrasonic wave and reflected ultrasonic wave, i.e., the attenuation of the ultrasonic energy indicative of the position of the coin is measured by a controller.
  • An ultrasonic displacement sensor has the disadvantages of large size and high cost. Further, the signal strength of an ultrasonic displacement sensor is indirectly proportional to the distance of the coin.
  • a magnetic displacement sensor is adapted to induce an eddy current upon presence of a coin within the effective sensing range. The value of the induced eddy current is measured by a controller to figure out the current position of the coin.
  • a magnetic displacement sensor is simply suitable for a short distance sensing application. When used in a coin tube, the exciting frequency of the sensing coil will be increased, complicating posterior signal processing and relatively increasing the cost.
  • an optical displacement sensor is adapted to detect the position of coins in a coin tube by means of light chopping.
  • a light reflector is provided to reflect emitted light onto the coin tube. When a coin passes to chop the light beam, a shadow is produced. A controller calculates the position of the coin subject to change of the shadow.
  • An optical displacement sensor is free from the interference of electronic noises, and has the advantage of low signal attenuation.
  • the size of the coin tube does not significantly affect the sensing accuracy of the optical displacement sensor. When increasing the size of the coin tube, the size of the light reflector must be relatively increased. However, because the light reflector is inexpensive, increasing the size of the light reflector does not increase much the cost of the optical displacement sensor. However, recognition error may occur if the optical displacement sensor is used under a dust or polluted environment.
  • the present invention has been accomplished under the circumstances in view. It is therefore one object of the present invention to provide an in-passage sensing type coin dispenser system, which detects the coin storage status in each coin tube of the coin dispenser system by means of capacitive coupling technology, having the advantages of simple structure, rapid response, workability under high temperature, dust and/or polluted environment, ease of installation and low cost.
  • an in-passage sensing type coin dispenser system comprises a housing, a coin tubes mounted in the housing for storing predetermined metal coins having a predetermined value and size, a coin dispensing unit mounted in the housing at a top side for validating the authenticity and value of metal coins and dispensing validated metal coins into the coin tubes, a coin hopper mounted in the housing at a bottom side for discharging metal coins out of the coin tubes, and a sensor module, which comprises an upper set of electrodes mounted at the outer perimeter of each coin tube near the top end thereof for sensing the presence of metal coins in the respective coin tube and generating a corresponding first induced current of analog signal, a lower set of electrodes mounted at the outer perimeter of each coin tube near the bottom end thereof for sensing the presence of said metal coins in the respective coin tube and generating a corresponding second induced current of analog signal, and a detection circuit electrically coupled with the upper and lower sets of electrodes and adapted to receive the first induced current of analog signal and second
  • the detection circuit If the detection circuit receives a first induced current of analog signal from the upper set of electrodes at one coin tube, the detection circuit immediately stops the coin dispenser unit from dispensing metal coins into the respective coin tube. If the detection circuit receives a second induced current of analog signal from the lower set of electrodes at one coin tube, the detection circuit immediately stops the coin hopper from discharging metal coins out of the respective coin tube.
  • the in-passage sensing type coin dispenser system comprises a housing, a coin tubes mounted in the housing for storing predetermined metal coins having a predetermined value and size, a coin dispensing unit mounted in the housing at a top side for validating the authenticity and value of metal coins and dispensing validated metal coins into the coin tubes, a coin hopper mounted in the housing at a bottom side for discharging metal coins out of the coin tubes, and a sensor module, which comprises multiple sets of electrodes bilaterally and longitudinally mounted at the outer perimeter of each coin tube along the length thereof for generating a coupling capacitance, and a detection circuit electrically coupled with the multiple sets of electrodes and adapted to receive the coupling capacitance and to convert the coupling capacitance received from the set of electrodes at each coin tube into a corresponding digital signal indicative of the number of metal coins being stored in the respective coin tube.
  • the coin dispenser system comprises a machine main unit 1, and a set of coin tubes 2.
  • the machine main unit 1 comprises a housing 11 defining therein an accommodation space 10, a coin dispensing unit 12 mounted in a top side in the accommodation space 10 inside the housing 11, a sensor module 13 mounted in a bottom side of the coin dispensing unit 12, and a coin hopper 14 mounted in a bottom side in the accommodation space 10 inside the housing 11.
  • the set of coin tubes 2 is mounted in the coin hopper 14 at the bottom side of the coin dispensing unit 12.
  • the coin dispensing unit 12 comprises a coin inlet 120 disposed at a top side thereof for receiving metal coins 3, a coin validator module 121 for validating the authenticity and values of metal coins 3 being put into the coin inlet 120, and a coin dispensing module 122 for dispensing validated metal coins 3 into the coin tubes 2 in a proper order.
  • the sensor module 13 comprises multiple sets of electrodes 131 respectively mounted on the outer perimeters of the coin tubes 2 at different elevations, a detection circuit 132 electrically coupled with the multiple sets of electrodes 131 by electric wires and arranged at the bottom side of the coin dispenser unit 12.
  • the detection circuit 132 can be mounted inside the coin dispenser unit 12, or at any suitable location inside the housing 11 to detect change of capacitance of storage metal coins 3 in each of the coin tubes 2.
  • the coin hopper 14 is mounted at the bottom side in the accommodation space 10 inside the housing 11 to accommodate the coin tubes 2 and to propel storage metal coins 3 out of the coin tubes 2 for coin exchange or giving change.
  • the coin tubes 2 are cylindrical coin storage devices for receiving sorted metal coins 3, each defining a cylindrical passage 20 that has a specific inner diameter for accommodating a predetermined number of metal coins 3 having a specific value.
  • the coin dispenser unit 12 is mounted in the housing 11 of the machine main unit 1 at the top side; the hopper 14 is mounted in the housing 11 at the bottom side of the coin tubes 2; the multiple sets of electrodes 131 of the sensor module 13 are respectively mounted around the outer perimeters of the coin tubes 2 near the opposing top and bottom ends thereof and respectively electrically connected to the positive and negative terminals of the detection circuit 132; each coin tube 2 defines therein a cylindrical passage 20 having a specific inner diameter for accommodating a predetermined number of metal coins 3.
  • the electrodes 131 of the sensor module 13 can be configured having a thickness equal to, or, greater or smaller than the thickness of the metal coins 3 to be dispensed into the coin tubes 2.
  • the detection circuit 132 detects a change in the capacitance value between the lower set of electrode 131 at one coin tube 2, it means that the respective coin tube 2 has metal coin(s) 3 stored therein. At this time, this coin tube 2 is at a low-level status, and the coin hopper 14 is prohibited from discharging metal coins. If the detection circuit 132 detects a change in the capacitance value between the upper set of electrode 131 at one coin tube 2, it means that the respective coin tube 2 has metal coin(s) 3 stored therein. At this time, this coin tube 2 is at a full-level status, and the coin dispenser unit 12 is stopped from dispensing metal coins into the coin tubes 2.
  • the invention effectively detects the coin storage status of each coin tube 2 to be at a low level or full level status.
  • the electrodes 131 have the advantages of simple structure, rapid response, workability under high temperature, dust and/or polluted environment, ease of installation and low cost.
  • two electrodes 131 are bilaterally and longitudinally mounted at the outer perimeter of each coin tube 2 along the length of the respective coin tube 2, and electrically connected to the detection circuit 132. During operation, a capacitance is induced between the two electrodes 131 indicative of the amount of metal coins 3 stored in the cylindrical passage 20. Further, the surface area of the electrodes 131 can be increased to relatively increase the sensitivity, assuring a high level of sensing reliability.
  • the invention is characterized by arranging the electrodes 131 of the sensor module 13 at the outer perimeter of each coin tube 2 in the coin hopper 14 at the bottom side of the coin dispenser unit 12 inside the housing 11 of the machine main unit 1 and electrically connecting the electrodes 131 to the detection circuit 132 such that when metal coins 3 are dispensed into the cylindrical passage 20 in each coin tube 2, a change of capacitance between the electrodes 131 at the respective coin tube 2 occurs, and the detection circuit 132 measures the capacitance value and converts it into a digital signal indicative of the low-level or high-level coin storage status of the respective coin tube 2 or the amount of metal coins 3 being stored in the respective coin tube 2.
  • This coin sensing method is simple, highly reliable, and cost effective.

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  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Control Of Vending Devices And Auxiliary Devices For Vending Devices (AREA)
EP13150051.4A 2013-01-02 2013-01-02 Système distributeur de pièces de monnaie avec tubes à pièces de monnaie avec capteurs capacitatifs de niveau de remplissage Withdrawn EP2752822A1 (fr)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP13150051.4A EP2752822A1 (fr) 2013-01-02 2013-01-02 Système distributeur de pièces de monnaie avec tubes à pièces de monnaie avec capteurs capacitatifs de niveau de remplissage

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP13150051.4A EP2752822A1 (fr) 2013-01-02 2013-01-02 Système distributeur de pièces de monnaie avec tubes à pièces de monnaie avec capteurs capacitatifs de niveau de remplissage

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP2752822A1 true EP2752822A1 (fr) 2014-07-09

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EP13150051.4A Withdrawn EP2752822A1 (fr) 2013-01-02 2013-01-02 Système distributeur de pièces de monnaie avec tubes à pièces de monnaie avec capteurs capacitatifs de niveau de remplissage

Country Status (1)

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EP (1) EP2752822A1 (fr)

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN109186806A (zh) * 2018-10-12 2019-01-11 徐州天泽乘龙机械制造有限公司 一种存放金属件的温度感应系统

Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0680021A1 (fr) * 1994-04-30 1995-11-02 National Rejectors Inc. GmbH Dispositif pour détecter le niveau dans les tubes d'un distributeur de pièces de monnaie
US6267662B1 (en) * 1999-04-13 2001-07-31 Mars Incorporated Measuring a stack of coins in a coin handling device
DE10105332A1 (de) * 2001-02-05 2002-08-29 Hess Sb Automatenbau Gmbh & Co Münzrollengeber

Patent Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0680021A1 (fr) * 1994-04-30 1995-11-02 National Rejectors Inc. GmbH Dispositif pour détecter le niveau dans les tubes d'un distributeur de pièces de monnaie
US6267662B1 (en) * 1999-04-13 2001-07-31 Mars Incorporated Measuring a stack of coins in a coin handling device
DE10105332A1 (de) * 2001-02-05 2002-08-29 Hess Sb Automatenbau Gmbh & Co Münzrollengeber

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN109186806A (zh) * 2018-10-12 2019-01-11 徐州天泽乘龙机械制造有限公司 一种存放金属件的温度感应系统

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