EP2775460A1 - Coin dispenser - Google Patents
Coin dispenser Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- EP2775460A1 EP2775460A1 EP14157059.8A EP14157059A EP2775460A1 EP 2775460 A1 EP2775460 A1 EP 2775460A1 EP 14157059 A EP14157059 A EP 14157059A EP 2775460 A1 EP2775460 A1 EP 2775460A1
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- European Patent Office
- Prior art keywords
- coin
- roller
- fixed
- ejecting
- base
- 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.)
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- 230000008859 change Effects 0.000 abstract description 3
- 230000001105 regulatory effect Effects 0.000 description 33
- 230000002093 peripheral effect Effects 0.000 description 9
- 230000008901 benefit Effects 0.000 description 7
- 230000001154 acute effect Effects 0.000 description 3
- 230000000694 effects Effects 0.000 description 2
- 239000002184 metal Substances 0.000 description 2
- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 description 2
- 230000008569 process Effects 0.000 description 2
- 239000011347 resin Substances 0.000 description 2
- 229920005989 resin Polymers 0.000 description 2
- 238000003756 stirring Methods 0.000 description 2
- 238000005299 abrasion Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000008030 elimination Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000003379 elimination reaction Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000006872 improvement Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000004519 manufacturing process Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000007246 mechanism Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000004048 modification Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000012986 modification Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000000149 penetrating effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000009467 reduction Effects 0.000 description 1
- 229910001220 stainless steel Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 239000010935 stainless steel Substances 0.000 description 1
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Classifications
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
- G07D—HANDLING OF COINS OR VALUABLE PAPERS, e.g. TESTING, SORTING BY DENOMINATIONS, COUNTING, DISPENSING, CHANGING OR DEPOSITING
- G07D9/00—Counting coins; Handling of coins not provided for in the other groups of this subclass
- G07D9/008—Feeding coins from bulk
Definitions
- the present invention relates to a coin dispenser and particularly relates to a coin dispenser that can stabilize the dispensing direction of coins to a level that does not practically cause problems even when the diameters of the coins to be dispensed are different.
- the "coins” used in the present specification include coins serving as money and tokens serving as money substitute such as medals.
- a coin dispenser that dispenses many coins, which are stored in bulk in a storing bowl, one by one by using a rotating disk disposed in a bottom hole of the storing bowl
- a hopper device for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2002-150347
- a coin hopper for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2010-262520
- a disk releasing device for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2010-131122 ) that feeds disks one by one by a rotating disk, aligns the disks in a row in a guide passage, sandwiches the coin in the front by a fixed member and a movable member, which is provided to be swingable about a shaft serving as a pivot point and is attached to a lever biased in a predetermined direction by an elastic part, while sequentially pushing the disk in a front position by the disk in a rear position, and ejects it.
- a disk releasing device for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2010-131122
- coins having diameters in a predetermined range such as 1-yen coins, 5-yen coins, 10-yen coins, 50-yen coins, 100-yen coins, and 500-yen coins of Japanese coins are required to be dispensed by a coin dispenser having a single structure.
- the coins having diameters of 20 millimeters to 26.5 millimeters are required to be dispensed by a coin dispenser having a single structure.
- a coin dispenser 10 has a rotating disk 12 and a base 16 disposed in the back side of the rotating disk 12.
- the coin C (a small-diameter coin SC in FIG. 1 ) is dropped onto the base 16 through the through hole 14 by the rotation of the rotating disk 12.
- the coin C which has reached the outlet opening 26, is guided by a guide plate 30 and brought into contact with an ejecting roller 32 or is guided by regulating pins 34 (a first regulating pin 34A and a second regulating pin 34B) and pushed into the part between a fixed roller 36 and the ejecting roller 32, and is sandwiched by the fixed roller 36 and the ejecting roller 32.
- regulating pins 34 a first regulating pin 34A and a second regulating pin 34B
- the coin C When the coin C is pushed into the part between the fixed roller 36 and the ejecting roller 32, the coin C is a sliding pair with the fixed roller 36 and the ejecting roller 32, but the fixed roller 36 and the ejecting roller 32 are a turning pair; therefore, as the coin C is moved, the fixed roller 36 and the ejecting roller 32 are rotated, and the coin C is smoothly pushed thereinto against the biasing force caused by an elastic part (not shown) applied to the ejecting roller 32.
- an ejection border line DDL connecting a first contact point PA of the fixed roller 36 and the coin C and a second contact point PB of the ejecting roller 32 and the coin C
- the coin is ejected by spring force caused by a spring (not shown) applied to the ejecting roller 32.
- the ejecting direction by the fixed roller 36 and the ejecting roller 32 is approximately in the vector direction of the resultant force F3 of the pushing force F1 from the first contact point PA toward the coin center SCC upon ejection and the reactive force F2 from the second contact point PB toward the coin center CC, but is the direction it has received working of inertial force F4 in the direction of rotation together by the rotating disk 12. More specifically, in the case of the small-diameter coin SC, the small-diameter ejecting direction SD is in the direction of the vector of the second resultant force F5 of the resultant force F3 and the inertial force F4.
- the diameter of the coin C is different, for example in a case of a large-diameter coin LC in which the diameter of the coin C is large as shown in FIG. 2 , since the weight of the coin is increased, the inertial force F4 is increased, and a large-diameter ejecting direction LD of the large-diameter coin LC is toward the fixed roller 36 side compared with the small-diameter ejecting direction SD of the small-diameter coin SC. Therefore, there is a concern that the ejecting direction is widened.
- the spring force by the spring is increased as the diameter of the coin C is increased, the rubbing force of the ejecting roller 32 with respect to the coin C is increased. Therefore, the coin is easily spun, rebound thereof upon collision with a guide in a next step is large even if the difference in the ejecting direction is a small angle, and the size of the device may be increased in order to provide a function for converging the rebound.
- the fixed roller 36 of the first prior art is comprised of a plate-shaped fixed plate 40
- the other structures are the same.
- the rotation of the rotating disk 12 causes the coin C to be pushed by the pusher 20 and pushes the coin into the part between the fixed plate 40 and the ejecting roller 32, and the coin is finally ejected by the spring force applied to the ejecting roller 32.
- the small-diameter coin SC is sandwiched by the fixed plate 40 and the ejecting roller 32, the small-diameter coin SC and the fixed plate 40 are a sliding pair, and the friction resistance thereof is large. Therefore, it is expected that the small-diameter coin SC is moved while sliding on the circumferential surface of the fixed plate 40, and the coin center SCC passes the ejection border line SDLL as a result.
- the ejecting direction becomes the small-diameter ejecting direction SD, which is the direction of the vector of the small-diameter resultant force SF3 of the small-diameter pushing force SF1 from the ejecting roller 32 and the small-diameter reactive force SF2 from the fixed plate 40.
- the coin is ejected in the large-diameter ejecting direction LD in the direction of the vector of the large-diameter resultant force LF3 of the large-diameter pushing force LF1 and the large-diameter reactive force LF2.
- the ejecting-direction difference between the small-diameter ejecting direction SD of the small-diameter coin SC and the large-diameter ejecting direction LD of the large-diameter coin LC is small, and there is a tendency that there are no practical problems.
- the rotation of the rotating disk 12 may not be able to exceed the friction resistance of the coin C and the fixed plate 40, and the rotation may be stopped. Increasing the size of the motor in order to solve this is against the social needs for energy saving, and it cannot be readily employed.
- the present invention has an object to solve above described various concerns and below first to third main objects, and other objects will be elucidated in the explanation of embodiments.
- the first object of the present invention is to provide a coin dispenser in which the ejecting direction of coins is a constant direction within a range that does not practically cause problems regardless of the diameters of the coins.
- the second object of the present invention is to provide a power-saving coin dispenser in which the ejecting direction of the coins is a constant direction regardless of the diameters of the coins.
- the third object of the present invention is to provide a power-saving low-price coin dispenser in which the ejecting direction of the coins is a constant direction regardless of the diameters of the coins.
- the present invention is configured in the below described manner.
- a coin dispenser comprising: a base that supports the surface of a coin; a coin guiding wall that is disposed on the base and forms a circular storage hole partially having an opening; a rotating disk that can be rotated about a rotating axis in the storage hole, forms a plurality of through holes disposed along a circumferential direction at eccentric positions with respect to the rotating axis, and has a pusher disposed between the mutually adjacent through holes in a back side and projecting to the base side; and a fixed roller that is disposed outside of the storage hole on the base and in a first end side of the opening and is practically fixed to the base; and an ejecting roller that is disposed outside of the storage hole on the base with a predetermined interval from the fixed roller and is elastically biased so as to get closer to the fixed roller; the coin dispenser that ejects the coin by an elastic action of the ejecting roller after the coin is moved from the storage hole to a part between the fixed roller and the ejecting roller through the opening by pushing the coin by
- the coin dispenser of the present invention normally, after the coin is guided by the coin guiding wall while the coin is pushed by the pusher and slid on the base by the rotation of the rotating disk, the coin is guided by the fixed roller and subjected to change of direction toward the outer circumferential direction of the rotating disk, and the coin is pushed into the part between the fixed roller and the ejecting roller.
- the ejecting direction of the coin is the direction of the vector of the resultant force of the pushing force of the ejecting roller and the reactive force of the fixed guide. Therefore, there are advantages that, even if the diameters of the coins are different, the ejecting direction is not practically changed, and practical processing in a next step is not affected.
- the fixed guide is comprised of a first straight part that forms a tangent line with respect to the fixed roller, a second straight part that is formed on a second extension line forming an obtuse angle with respect to an extension line of the first straight part, and a curved part that connects the first straight part and the second straight part to each other.
- the shape of the fixed guide is set so that the coin is in contact with both of the fixed roller and the fixed guide in the state that the coin is sandwiched between the fixed guide and the ejecting roller.
- the coin dispenser can be manufactured at a low price, and the coin is ejected by the ejecting roller in a state in which the coin is in contact with both of the fixed roller and the fixed guide. Therefore, the size of the fixed guide can be reduced, and as a result, there is an advantage that the coin dispenser can be downsized.
- a present first embodiment is an example of a coin dispenser that can dispense 1-yen coins 1C, 5-yen coins 5C, 10-yen coins 10C, 50-yen coins 50C, 100-yen coins 100C, and 500-yen coins 500C of Japanese coins.
- this is an example of the coin dispenser that can dispense the coins in a range from a small diameter coin SC having a diameter of 20 millimeters of the 1-yen coin 1C to a maximum diameter coin LC having a diameter of 26.5 millimeters of the 500-yen coin one by one.
- the present invention is not limited to the above described denominations, but can be also applied to foreign coins, play medals, etc.
- a coin dispenser 100 has a function to sort the 1-yen coin 1C to the 500-yen coin 500C, which are in bulk, and then eject the coins one by one.
- the coin dispenser 100 roughly has: a frame 102, a base 104, a storing bowl 106, a rotating disk 108, a coin guiding wall 110, regulating pins 112, an outlet guide 114, a fixed-side device 118 and an ejecting roller 120 constituting a hopper 116, a coin detector 122, and a coin outlet 124.
- the frame 102, the base 104, the storing bowl 106, the rotating disk 108, the coin guiding wall 110, the regulating pins 112, the ejecting roller 120 constituting part of the hopper 116, the coin detector 122, and the coin outlet 124 are conventionally publicly known structures.
- the invention of the present application relates to the structure of the fixed-side device 118.
- the frame 102 will be explained mainly with reference to FIG. 4 .
- the frame 102 has a function that functional parts such as the base 104, the storing bowl 106, etc. are attached thereto, and the frame 102 in the present first embodiment has a hollow rectangular box shape made of a metal plate.
- An upper-surface opening of the frame 102 is covered with the base 104 having the shape of a rectangular plate.
- An electric motor 123 which is equipped with a decelerator and can be rotated forward and backward is fixed to a back side of the base 104, and an output shaft 125 thereof passes through a circular through hole 128 formed in the base 104 and projects to the upper side of the base 104. If coin jamming occurs, the electric motor 123 is rotated backward for a predetermined period of time and by a predetermined number of rotations, thereby contributing to automatic elimination of the coin jamming.
- the base 104 is horizontally disposed in the present first embodiment, but may be disposed to be tilted.
- the base 104 has a function that the coins C are pushed and moved on an upper surface thereof by the rotating disk 108.
- the base 104 is a flat plate made of stainless steel or a resin having abrasion resistance properties, and an upper surface thereof is formed to have predetermined flatness.
- a coin peripheral guiding plate 126 which forms the coin guiding wall 110 and has a predetermined thickness is closely fixed to the upper surface of the base 104.
- the base 104 can be replaced by another mechanism that has a similar function.
- the storing bowl 106 has a function to store many coins C in bulk.
- the storing bowl 106 has an approximately vertical tubular shape made of resin, and the inside of the tube is formed into a coin storing unit 121 extending in the vertical direction.
- the coin storing unit 121 is formed so that a horizontal cross section of an upper portion 106A is rectangular and that a horizontal cross section of a lower portion 106U is formed into a circular bottom hole 130.
- An intermediate portion 106M between the upper portion 106A and the lower portion 106U is formed into a slope on which the coins C can slide.
- an attachment part 132 projecting in a lateral direction like a flange is formed, and the storing bowl 106 is fixed to the base 104, specifically, to the coin peripheral guiding plate 126 by using this attachment part 132.
- the storing bowl 106 can be changed to another device that has a similar function.
- the rotating disk 108 has a function to be rotated at a predetermined speed, stir the coins C in the storing bowl 106, push and rotate together the coins C fallen into through holes 136 formed at eccentric positions, and eliminate coin jamming by backward rotation if coin jamming occurs.
- the rotating disk 108 is disposed in the bottom hole 130 of the storing bowl 106, is rotated forward counterclockwise in FIG. 5 at a predetermined speed upon dispensing of the coins C by a direct-current electric motor 123 fixed to the back side of the base 104, and is rotated backward at a predetermined speed clockwise, which is in the opposite direction, if coin jamming occurs.
- the rotating disk 108 has a stirrer 134 having a polygonal pyramid shape at the center thereof, stirs the coins C by rotating in the bottom hole 130, and facilitates fall of the coins C into the through holes 136.
- the rotating disk 108 has pushers 140 on back sides of respective ribs 138 between the through holes 136.
- the pusher 140 undergoes rotary movement in a circular storage hole 142 of the coin peripheral guiding plate 126, which is closely fixed to the upper surface of the base 104 and has a predetermined thickness.
- a pushing front surface 144 thereof has a curved shape so as to be retreated from a rotating axis RA side of the rotating disk 108 to a rotating-direction rear position side toward a circumferential edge side.
- the pusher 140 is comprised of a first pusher 140A close to the rotating axis RA side and a second pusher 140B close to the circumferential edge side.
- An arc-shaped first relief groove 146A is formed in the rotating axis RA side of the first pusher 140A, and a second relief groove 146B is formed between the first pusher 140A and the second pusher 140B so that a first regulating pin 112A and a second regulating pin 112B, which will be described later, can pass therethrough.
- the front surface of the first pusher 140A is a first pushing front surface 144A
- the front surface of the second pusher 140B is a second pushing front surface 144B.
- the coin C which has fallen into the through hole 136 is brought into contact with and supported by the base 104 by the surface thereof and is guided by the coin guiding wall 110 of the storage hole 142, the coin C is pushed by the first pusher 140A by the rotation of the rotating disk 108 and is rotated together with the rotating disk 108 in a moving passage MP.
- Part of the coin guiding wall 110 is cut out approximately by a length two times the diameter of the small-diameter coin SC to form an outlet opening 148.
- pushing of the coin C is switched to that by the second pusher 140B, and the coin C is moved to the hopper 116 while guiding and pushing the coin by the outlet guide 114 and the ejecting roller 120.
- the coin C that is rotated together with and moved by the rotating disk 108 without being guided by the coin guiding wall 110 is ejected from the base 104 and is forcibly guided in the circumferential direction of the rotating disk 108, in other words, to the upper side of FIG. 5 by the later-described first regulating pins 112 (the first regulating pin 112A and the second regulating pin 112B) positioned in the moving passage MP of the coins C.
- the coin guiding wall 110 has a function to guide the circumferential surface of the coin C, which is rotated together by the rotating disk 108.
- the coin guiding wall 110 is an inner wall surface of the approximately circular storage hole 142 formed in the coin peripheral guiding plate 126, which is formed into a rectangle approximately same as the base 104 and has a predetermined thickness, specifically, a thickness slightly larger than the thickness of the thickest coin C among the coins C serving as handling targets; and part thereof is cut to form the outlet opening 148.
- the coin guiding wall 110 has a C-shape, and the outlet opening 148 is formed to be about 1.5 times the diameter of the 500-yen coin 500C, which is the maximum diameter coin in the present first embodiment.
- the outlet opening 148 is a slit-like opening formed by an upstream-side end 110E and a downstream-side end 110L of the coin guiding wall 110.
- the coin peripheral guiding plate 126 is closely fixed to the upper surface of the base 104, and the lower surface of the attachment part 132 of the storing bowl 106 is detachably closely fixed to the upper surface of the coin peripheral guiding plate 126.
- the rotating axis RA and the axial cores of the bottom hole 130 and the storage hole 142 are disposed to mutually match.
- the vertical axes of the rotating disk 108, the bottom hole 130, and the storage hole 142 are mutually the same.
- the diameter of the rotating disk 108 is formed to be slightly smaller than the diameter of the storage hole 142.
- the moving passage MP has an approximately circular ring shape.
- the coin peripheral guiding plate 126 is only required to have a function to guide the coins C so that the coins C are guided by the coin guiding wall 110 and moved in the moving passage MP.
- the base 104 and the coin peripheral guiding plate 126 may be integrally formed.
- the regulating pins 112 have a function to guide the coin C, which is rotated together by the rotating disk 108, in the circumferential direction of the rotating disk 108, in other words, to the outlet opening 148 side and have a function to be pushed downward by the coin C, which is pushed by the back side 150 of the pusher 140, and allow the coin C to move in the opposite direction in the moving passage MP when the rotating disk 108 is rotated backward.
- the regulating pins are comprised of the first regulating pin 112A and the second regulating pins 112B elastically projecting from the upper surface of the base 104.
- the regulating pins 112 are not necessarily required, and the regulating pins 112 can be arbitrarily installed.
- Each of the first regulating pin 112A and the second regulating pin 112B is a cylinder fixed to rise from a second end of a plate spring (not shown) having a first end fixed to the back side of the base 104.
- the head of the cylinder projects to above the base 104 from a through hole formed in the base 104, but projects by a degree that the head does not abut the back side of the rotating disk 108.
- a slope 152 (first slope 152A, second slope 152B) tilted so that the component force that pushes the pin into the base 104 is caused to work by the coin C pushed in the opposite direction in the moving passage MP is formed on the head thereof.
- the shape of the head employs, for example, the invention disclosed in Japanese Utility Model No. 2594435 .
- a first extension line EA of the first slope 152A toward the circumferential direction of the rotating disk 108 and a second extension line EB of the second slope 152B toward the center side of the rotating disk 108 are formed to intersect with each other by an obtuse angle Z.
- the coin C in the present first embodiment, 1-yen coin 1C
- the force toward the axis RA side works with respect to the 1-yen coin 1C.
- the 1-yen coin 1C is brought into contact with the first slope 152A and the second slope 152B and then is moved over the first regulating pin 112A and the second regulating pin 112B on which they are formed, thereby carrying out continuous backward rotation of the rotating disk 108.
- the center 1CC of the 1-yen coin 1C is set to be positioned on the bisector BIS in the vicinity of the intersecting part (this is the same also in cases of other denominations).
- the outlet passage 153 is a passage through which the coin C moved from the outlet opening 148 can be moved to the later-described coin outlet 124 and is formed to be continued to the downstream of the outlet opening 148. Therefore, the outlet passage 153 is not required to be formed into a channel shape of which three sides are surrounded or into a rectangular shape of which four sides are surrounded, and the outlet passage 153 is only required to guide at least the lower surface of the coin C.
- the outlet passage 153 is defined by the upper surface of the base 104, and part of a side wall thereof is defined by a fixed guide 164 of the fixed-side device 118.
- the coin C moved from the outlet opening 148 passes through the outlet passage 153 and is released from the later-described coin outlet 124.
- the outlet guide 114 has a function to guide the coin C toward the hopper 116 upon forward rotation of the rotating disk 108 and, upon backward rotation of the rotating disk 108, to guide the coin C and returns the coin into the storage hole 142.
- the outlet guide 114 is comprised of a fan-shaped outlet guide plate 154 positioned in the lateral side in the upstream-side end 110E side of the outlet opening 148.
- the outlet guide plate 154 is a fan-shaped plate in the present first embodiment and is fixed by rotatably attaching a first end thereof to a fixed shaft 156, which rises from the base 104, and causing a screw 160 to penetrate through a long hole 158 formed in an arc shape about the fixed shaft 156 and to be screwed in the base 104.
- the 1-yen coin 1C is pushed against the outlet guide plate 154 and the ejecting roller 120 by the second pusher 140B, the coin C is pushed toward the later-described fixed-side device 118 by resultant force F3 of pushing force F1 from the second pusher 140B toward the coin center 1CC and reactive force F2 from the ejecting roller 120 toward the coin center 1CC while the coin is guided by the ejecting roller 120, the coin C is pushed into the part between the fixed-side device 118 and the ejecting roller 120 ( FIG. 10 ), and the coin C is finally sandwiched and ejected by the fixed guide 164 and the ejecting roller 120.
- the rotating disk 108 When the rotating disk 108 is rotated backward, the 1-yen coin 1C is guided by the outlet guide plate 154 and is returned into the storage hole 142 so that the rotating disk 108 can be continuously rotated backward, and coin jamming can be effectively eliminated.
- the hopper 116 has a function to eject the coin C, which is pushed in the circumferential direction of the rotating disk 108 by the second pushing front surface 144B of the pusher 140, by spring force of an elastic part.
- the hopper 116 is comprised of the fixed-side device 118 and the ejecting roller 120.
- the fixed-side device 118 has a function to receive the coin C, which has been pushed by the pusher 140 and pushed out to the outlet opening 148, and guide the coin in the circumferential direction of the rotating disk 108, in other words, has a function to define one side of the outlet passage 153 and a function to sandwich and eject the coin C together by the ejecting roller 120.
- the fixed-side device 118 is comprised of a first fixed roller 162 serving as a fixed roller 161 and the first fixed guide 164 serving as a fixed guide 163.
- the first fixed roller 162 is not completely fixed and is preferred to be set so as to be slightly moved and buffer excessive force when the excessive force is applied in the later described manner. This is for improving the durability of the dispenser.
- the first fixed roller 162 is projecting upward from a first lever 168 rotatably supported by a second supporting shaft 166 projecting downward to the back side of the base 104, and is a ball bearing roller 172, which is penetrating through a through hole (not shown) formed in the base 104 and is rotatably supported by a tip of a third supporting shaft 170 positioned in the upper side of the base 104.
- an inner race of the ball bearing roller 172 is fixed to the third supporting shaft 170, and an outer race thereof is utilized as a roller.
- the first lever 168 is biased clockwise in FIG. 5 and FIG. 7 by the spring force of an elastic part, which is a first spring 174 in the present first embodiment.
- a first spring 174 At the position of FIG. 5 , in other words, at the position adjacent to the downstream-side end 110L of the storage hole 142, turning of the first lever 168 is stopped and maintained in a still state by a first stopper 176.
- the inner circumferential surface of the circumferential surface of the ball bearing roller 172 is disposed on a virtual circle of the storage hole 142 so as to form part of the inner surface of the storage hole 142.
- the spring force of the first spring 174 is set so that, when the coin C is collided in a normal case, the first spring 174 is not moved, but is slightly moved for relief when the force larger than the normal case works. This is for a reason that even slight movement for relief can buffer the overload caused by the coin C and contributes to improvement of the durability of the dispenser.
- the first fixed guide 164 has a function to guide the coin C, which has been guided by the first fixed roller 162, in a predetermined direction and a function to sandwich the coin C between the guide and the ejecting roller 120 and finally eject the coin.
- a first straight part 178 is formed in order to define part of the outlet passage 153.
- the first straight part 178 is formed so that an extension line EL thereof forms an acute angle A of about 30 degrees with respect to a perpendicular line VL passing through the rotating axis RA shown in FIG. 5 , and the extension line EL is close to the circumferential surface of the first fixed roller 162. Furthermore, the circumferential surface of the first fixed roller 162 is disposed so as to be close to a tangent line CL with respect to the coin guiding wall 110 in the downstream-side end 110L of the coin guiding wall 110 and form an acute angle B close to 90 degrees with respect to the extension line EL.
- a tip 164T of the first straight part 179 in the rotating disk 108 side is disposed so as to be positioned on or close to a first straight line AL connecting a second rotating axis RB of the first fixed roller 162 and a third rotating axis RC of the ejecting roller 120 positioned at a still position SP.
- the tip 164T of the first fixed guide 164 in the rotating disk 108 side is formed into the shape of a blade tip of a knife by the first straight part 178 and an arc-shaped portion 165 for avoiding the first fixed roller 162.
- the first fixed guide 164 is formed to be separated from the base 104 and the coin peripheral guiding plate 126, but may be integrally formed with one of or both of them.
- the ejecting roller 120 has a function to eject the coin C, which has been pushed into the outlet passage 153 and is in contact with the first fixed guide 164.
- the ejecting roller 120 is a roller which is fixed upward from an end of a second lever 182 of which part is rotatably supported by a fourth supporting shaft 179 projecting downward from the back side of the base 104, and the roller is rotatably attached to an upper end of a fifth supporting shaft 181, which penetrates through an arc-shaped long hole 180 formed in the base 104 like an arc about the fourth supporting shaft 179 and is projecting to the upper side of the base 104.
- the ejecting roller 120 is a ball bearing roller 183. As well as the ball bearing roller 172, the outer race of the ball bearing roller 183 is also utilized as a roller.
- the ejecting roller 120 can be changed to another device having a similar function.
- the second lever 182 is elastically biased so as to get close to the fixed-side device 118 side by a second spring 190 of which ends are stopped by a first stopper part 186 formed at part thereof and by a second stopper part 188 projecting downward from the base 104.
- the second lever 182 is stopped by a second stopper 192, which is projecting downward from the back side of the base 104, so as to be still at a position at which a straight-line distance L between the tip 164T of the first fixed guide 164 and the ejecting roller 120 is slightly smaller than an expected minimum diameter of dispensed coins.
- the shortest distance L between the tip 164T of the first fixed guide 164 and the ejecting roller 120 forms an entrance gap 194, which is set to be slightly smaller than the diameter of the 1-yen coin 1C, between the tip 164T and the ejecting roller 120.
- the ejecting roller 120 ejects the coin by the spring force of the second spring 190.
- This ejecting direction is the direction of the vector of resultant force F13 of pushing force F11 by the ejecting roller 120 and reactive force F12 from the first fixed guide 164.
- the forward rotation of the rotating disk 108 causes the 1-yen coin 1C to be pushed by the second pusher 140B and be guided by the outlet guide plate 154, and the 1-yen coin 1C is guided by the ejecting roller 120 and moved toward the entrance gap 194 ( FIG. 9 ).
- the rotating disk 108 is further rotated, the coin C is pushed into the entrance gap 194 by the pushing force of the second pusher 140B ( FIG. 7 ), and the ejecting roller 120 is moved in the direction to get away from the first fixed roller 162 against the spring force of the second spring 190.
- the contact of the 1-yen coin 1C is switched from that by the first fixed roller 162 to that by the tip 164T of the first fixed guide 164.
- the entrance gap 194 is widened, the first contact point PA is formed at the contact point with the tip 164T of the first fixed guide 164, and the coin center 1CC of the 1-yen coin 1C passes through the ejection border line DDL connecting the first contact point PA and the second contact point PB; immediately after this, the 1-yen coin 1C is ejected by the spring force of the second spring 190 ( FIG. 11 ). The ejected 1-yen coin 1C is dispensed from coin outlet 124 through the outlet passage 153. In the process of this dispensing, the coin C is detected by the coin detector 122.
- the coin detector 122 has a function to detect the coin C, which is ejected by the hopper 116, and an electromagnetic metal sensor 196 is used in the present first embodiment. Therefore, the coin detector 122 can be changed to another system that has a similar function such as a photoelectric sensor, a mechanical sensor, or the like.
- the coin detector 122 is disposed in the middle of the outlet passage 153, but may be disposed in the downstream of the coin outlet 124.
- the coin outlet 124 has a function to feed coin C from the base 104, is not particularly required to be formed into a slit-shaped passage or the like, and the coin outlet 124 is formed at a downstream end of the outlet passage 153 in the present first embodiment. In other words, an end of the base 104 opposed to the outlet passage 153 is the coin outlet 124.
- the 1-yen coin 1C will be taken as an example for explanation.
- the coin C in the storing bowl 106 is dropped into the through hole 136 by the rotation of the rotating disk 108; the surface of the front side or back side thereof is brought into contact with and supported by the base 104; and, while the coin is pushed by the first pusher 140A and guided by the coin guiding wall 110 which is the circumferential wall of the storage hole 142, the coin is moved to the outlet opening 148 side ( FIG. 10 ).
- the coin C which has reached the outlet opening 148, is guided by the outlet guide plate 154 subsequent to by the upstream-side end 110E ( FIG. 6 ), is then brought into contact with the ejecting roller 120 positioned at a standby position SP and guided to the first fixed roller 162 side ( FIG. 9 ), and is pushed to the entrance gap 194 ( FIG. 10 ).
- the 1-yen coin 1C is further moved in the circumferential direction of the rotating disk 108, the contact between the circumferential surface thereof and the fixed-side device 118 is switched to that from the first fixed roller 162 to the tip 164T of the first fixed guide 164, and, immediately after the center 1CC of the 1-yen coin 1C passes the ejection border line DDL connecting the first contact point PA of the tip 164T of the first fixed guide 164 and the 1-yen coin 1C and the second contact point PB of the ejecting roller 120 and the circumferential surface of the 1-yen coin 1C, the coin receives the ejecting force from the ejecting roller 120.
- the ejecting roller 120 pushes the circumferential surface of the 1-yen coin 1C by the spring force of the second spring 190, and, as described above, the 1-yen coin 1C is ejected in the direction of the vector of the resultant force F13 of the pushing force F11 and the reactive force F12 ( FIG. 11 ).
- the ejected 1-yen coin 1C is dispensed from the coin outlet 124 through the outlet passage 153.
- the 1-yen coin 1C is moved to the entrance gap 194 without contacting the outlet guide plate 154, is then guided by the first fixed roller 162 as described above, and is then ejected by the ejecting roller 120 in a state in which the coin is in contact with the tip 164T of the first fixed guide 164.
- the second embodiment is an example in which the fixed-side device 118 is comprised of a second fixed roller 200 serving as the fixed roller 161 and a second fixed guide 202 serving as the fixed guide 163 and is the same as the first embodiment except for the second fixed roller 200 and the second fixed guide 202. Therefore, only different configurations and working will be explained.
- the second fixed roller 200 employs a roller having a diameter slightly larger than that of the first fixed roller 162. Specifically, the second fixed roller 200 utilizes the outer race of a standardized ball earing roller as a roller, thereby enabling manufacturing at low cost.
- a second extension line EL2 which is the extension line of a first straight part 204 corresponding to the first straight part 178 of the second fixed guide 202 forms an angle A, which is the same acute angle as that of the first embodiment, with respect to the perpendicular line VL.
- a tip 204T thereof is positioned to be more distant from the first straight line AL compared with the first embodiment.
- the second embodiment is configured so that the 1-yen coin 1C is ejected by the ejecting roller 120 in a state in which the 1-yen coin 1C is in contact with both of the second fixed roller 200 and the tip 204T of the second fixed guide 204 ( FIG. 11 ).
- the 1-yen coin 1C is pushed into the entrance gap 194 by the second pushing front surface 144B, the 1-yen coin 1C is moved in the circumferential direction of the rotating disk 108 along the arc-shaped circumferential surface of the second fixed roller 200. Therefore, the ejecting roller 120 is turned clockwise in FIG. 12 , and the entrance gap 194 is further expanded.
- the 1-yen coin 1C is further moved in the circumferential direction of the rotating disk 108, and, immediately after the center 1CC of the 1-yen coin 1C passes the ejection border line DDL connecting the first contact point PA of the circumferential surface thereof and the second fixed roller 200 and the second contact point PB of the ejecting roller 120 and the circumferential surface of the 1-yen coin 1C, the 1-yen coin 1C receives ejecting force from the ejecting roller 120 ( FIG. 14 ).
- the ejecting roller 120 pushes the circumferential surface of the 1-yen coin 1C by the spring force of the second spring 190 to eject it ( FIG. 14 ).
- the 1-yen coin 1C receives ejecting force from the ejecting roller 120. Then, the ejecting roller 120 pushes the circumferential surface of the 1-yen coin 1C by the spring force of the second spring 190 to eject the coin.
- the ejecting direction thereof is the direction of the vector of the resultant force F23 of the pushing force F21 from the ejecting roller 120 and the reactive force F22 from the second fixed roller 200 and the tip 204T.
- the 1-yen coin 1C is moved to the entrance gap 194 and is then ejected by the ejecting roller 120 in a state in which the coin is in contact with the tip 204T of the first straight part 204 and the second fixed roller 200 as described above.
- the third embodiment is a modification of the second embodiment, wherein a third fixed guide 206 serving as the fixed guide 163 adds a second straight part 208 and a curved part 210 to the second fixed guide 202.
- the third fixed guide 206 has a function to guide the coin C, which has been guided by the second fixed roller 200, to a predetermined direction and a function to sandwich the coin C between the third fixed guide and the ejecting roller 120 and finally eject the coin.
- the first straight part 204 has the same configuration as that of the second embodiment.
- the second straight part 208 is formed in parallel to the perpendicular line VL, which passes through the rotating axis RA in FIG. 15 . Therefore, an extension line EL2 of the second straight part 208 is configured to form an obtuse angle C equal to or more than 90 degrees and less than 180 degrees with the extension line EL of the first straight part 204.
- the coin C which is moved along the first straight part 204, is guided to the curved part 210 and is then dispensed from the coin outlet 124 while being guided by the second straight part 208.
- the curved part 210 is formed into an arc shape, which smoothly connects the first straight part 204 and the second straight part 208 to each other.
- the second straight part 208 which determines the final dispensing direction of the coin C, is arbitrarily determined by the dispensing direction of the coin C and is not required to be parallel to the perpendicular line VL, but may be a curved line.
- an outlet roller 212 is used in the outlet guide 114 instead of the outlet guide plate 154 of the first and second embodiments.
- the outlet roller 212 is rotatably supported by a sixth supporting shaft 216 provided to rise upward from the base 104, is disposed in the middle between the upstream-side end 110E of the coin guiding wall 110 and the ejecting roller 120 and in the lateral side of the outlet passage 153, and is disposed to be away by a predetermined distance from a second straight line L2, which forms a tangent line with the ejecting roller 120 positioned at the standby position SP and connects the upstream-side end 110E.
- the second straight line L2 and a cylindrical surface 214 of the outlet roller 212 are disposed to be away from each other by the minimum distance that is half the diameter of the outlet roller 212.
- the position of the outlet roller 212 is disposed at the position by which the minimum diameter coin serving as a target, which is the 1-yen coin 1C in the present third embodiment, can be pushed by the rotating disk 108 rotating backward, in other words, the back-side tip 150E of the pusher 140 and returned into the storage hole 142.
- the rotating disk 108 can be continuously rotated backward, and coin jamming can be effectively eliminated.
- the ejecting roller 120 pushes the circumferential surface of the 1-yen coin 1C by the spring force of the second spring 190 and ejects the coin toward the direction of the vector of the resultant force F23, in other words, toward the curved part 210 ( FIG. 17 ).
- the ejected 1-yen coin 1C is guided to the curved part 210, is then guided by the second straight part 208, and is dispensed from the coin outlet 124 in the direction parallel to the perpendicular line VL ( FIG. 18 ). More specifically, the 1-yen coin 1C is finally guided by the second straight part 208 and is dispensed in the direction along the perpendicular line VL.
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- General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- Slot Machines And Peripheral Devices (AREA)
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- Filling Or Emptying Of Bunkers, Hoppers, And Tanks (AREA)
- De-Stacking Of Articles (AREA)
Abstract
Description
- The present invention relates to a coin dispenser and particularly relates to a coin dispenser that can stabilize the dispensing direction of coins to a level that does not practically cause problems even when the diameters of the coins to be dispensed are different.
- The "coins" used in the present specification include coins serving as money and tokens serving as money substitute such as medals.
- As a coin dispenser that dispenses many coins, which are stored in bulk in a storing bowl, one by one by using a rotating disk disposed in a bottom hole of the storing bowl, there is a hopper device (for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No.
2002-150347 2010-262520 - Furthermore, as a third prior art, there is a disk releasing device (for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No.
2010-131122 - Recently, from the viewpoint of convenience, cost reduction, etc., coins having diameters in a predetermined range such as 1-yen coins, 5-yen coins, 10-yen coins, 50-yen coins, 100-yen coins, and 500-yen coins of Japanese coins are required to be dispensed by a coin dispenser having a single structure. In other words, the coins having diameters of 20 millimeters to 26.5 millimeters are required to be dispensed by a coin dispenser having a single structure.
- However, if the above described first, second, and third prior arts are simply employed, there are various concerns, and they cannot be readily employed.
- First, matters of concern in a case in which the first prior art is employed will be explained with reference to
FIG. 1 andFIG. 2 . - As shown in
FIG. 1 , acoin dispenser 10 has a rotatingdisk 12 and abase 16 disposed in the back side of the rotatingdisk 12. In the rotatingdisk 12, a plurality of throughholes 14, which are disposed at eccentric positions and penetrate therethrough from the front side toward the back side, are formed. The coin C (a small-diameter coin SC inFIG. 1 ) is dropped onto thebase 16 through thethrough hole 14 by the rotation of the rotatingdisk 12. While the coin C, which has been dropped onto thebase 16, is guided by a circular guidingwall 24 of astorage hole 22 in a state in which a surface thereof is in contact with thebase 16, the coin is pushed by pushers 20 (afirst pusher 20A and a second pusher) formed on the lower surface of arib 18 between the throughholes 14. As a result, the coin C on thebase 16 is rotated together by the rotatingdisk 12 and reaches an outlet opening 26 of thestorage hole 22. The coin C, which has reached the outlet opening 26, is guided by aguide plate 30 and brought into contact with an ejectingroller 32 or is guided by regulating pins 34 (a first regulatingpin 34A and a second regulatingpin 34B) and pushed into the part between a fixedroller 36 and the ejectingroller 32, and is sandwiched by the fixedroller 36 and the ejectingroller 32. When the coin C is pushed into the part between thefixed roller 36 and the ejectingroller 32, the coin C is a sliding pair with thefixed roller 36 and the ejectingroller 32, but thefixed roller 36 and the ejectingroller 32 are a turning pair; therefore, as the coin C is moved, thefixed roller 36 and the ejectingroller 32 are rotated, and the coin C is smoothly pushed thereinto against the biasing force caused by an elastic part (not shown) applied to theejecting roller 32. - Then, immediately after the coin center CC of the coin C passes the straight line (for the sake of convenience, will be referred to as an ejection border line DDL) connecting a first contact point PA of the
fixed roller 36 and the coin C and a second contact point PB of theejecting roller 32 and the coin C, the coin is ejected by spring force caused by a spring (not shown) applied to theejecting roller 32. The ejecting direction by thefixed roller 36 and the ejectingroller 32 is approximately in the vector direction of the resultant force F3 of the pushing force F1 from the first contact point PA toward the coin center SCC upon ejection and the reactive force F2 from the second contact point PB toward the coin center CC, but is the direction it has received working of inertial force F4 in the direction of rotation together by the rotatingdisk 12. More specifically, in the case of the small-diameter coin SC, the small-diameter ejecting direction SD is in the direction of the vector of the second resultant force F5 of the resultant force F3 and the inertial force F4. - Then, if the diameter of the coin C is different, for example in a case of a large-diameter coin LC in which the diameter of the coin C is large as shown in
FIG. 2 , since the weight of the coin is increased, the inertial force F4 is increased, and a large-diameter ejecting direction LD of the large-diameter coin LC is toward thefixed roller 36 side compared with the small-diameter ejecting direction SD of the small-diameter coin SC. Therefore, there is a concern that the ejecting direction is widened. - Furthermore, since the spring force by the spring is increased as the diameter of the coin C is increased, the rubbing force of the ejecting
roller 32 with respect to the coin C is increased. Therefore, the coin is easily spun, rebound thereof upon collision with a guide in a next step is large even if the difference in the ejecting direction is a small angle, and the size of the device may be increased in order to provide a function for converging the rebound. - Next, matters of concern in the case in which the second prior art is employed will be explained with reference to
FIG. 3 . - In this case, except that the
fixed roller 36 of the first prior art is comprised of a plate-shapedfixed plate 40, the other structures are the same. The rotation of the rotatingdisk 12 causes the coin C to be pushed by thepusher 20 and pushes the coin into the part between thefixed plate 40 and theejecting roller 32, and the coin is finally ejected by the spring force applied to theejecting roller 32. - In this case, if the small-diameter coin SC is sandwiched by the
fixed plate 40 and the ejectingroller 32, the small-diameter coin SC and thefixed plate 40 are a sliding pair, and the friction resistance thereof is large. Therefore, it is expected that the small-diameter coin SC is moved while sliding on the circumferential surface of thefixed plate 40, and the coin center SCC passes the ejection border line SDLL as a result. Therefore, the influence of the inertial force of the small-diameter coin SC on the ejecting direction is eliminated, and the ejecting direction becomes the small-diameter ejecting direction SD, which is the direction of the vector of the small-diameter resultant force SF3 of the small-diameter pushing force SF1 from the ejectingroller 32 and the small-diameter reactive force SF2 from thefixed plate 40. Also in the case of the large-diameter coin LC, similarly, after the coin center LCC passes the ejection border line LDDL, the coin is ejected in the large-diameter ejecting direction LD in the direction of the vector of the large-diameter resultant force LF3 of the large-diameter pushing force LF1 and the large-diameter reactive force LF2. The ejecting-direction difference between the small-diameter ejecting direction SD of the small-diameter coin SC and the large-diameter ejecting direction LD of the large-diameter coin LC is small, and there is a tendency that there are no practical problems. - On the other hand, in a case in which the output power of a driving motor of the rotating
disk 12 is reduced in order to respond to recent demands for energy saving, the rotation of the rotatingdisk 12 may not be able to exceed the friction resistance of the coin C and thefixed plate 40, and the rotation may be stopped. Increasing the size of the motor in order to solve this is against the social needs for energy saving, and it cannot be readily employed. - There is a concern that the third prior art cannot be applied to a small dispenser since the lever supporting the ejecting roller, which is a movable member, is long.
- The present invention has an object to solve above described various concerns and below first to third main objects, and other objects will be elucidated in the explanation of embodiments.
- The first object of the present invention is to provide a coin dispenser in which the ejecting direction of coins is a constant direction within a range that does not practically cause problems regardless of the diameters of the coins.
- The second object of the present invention is to provide a power-saving coin dispenser in which the ejecting direction of the coins is a constant direction regardless of the diameters of the coins.
- The third object of the present invention is to provide a power-saving low-price coin dispenser in which the ejecting direction of the coins is a constant direction regardless of the diameters of the coins.
- In order to achieve these objects, the present invention is configured in the below described manner.
- A coin dispenser comprising: a base that supports the surface of a coin; a coin guiding wall that is disposed on the base and forms a circular storage hole partially having an opening; a rotating disk that can be rotated about a rotating axis in the storage hole, forms a plurality of through holes disposed along a circumferential direction at eccentric positions with respect to the rotating axis, and has a pusher disposed between the mutually adjacent through holes in a back side and projecting to the base side; and a fixed roller that is disposed outside of the storage hole on the base and in a first end side of the opening and is practically fixed to the base; and an ejecting roller that is disposed outside of the storage hole on the base with a predetermined interval from the fixed roller and is elastically biased so as to get closer to the fixed roller; the coin dispenser that ejects the coin by an elastic action of the ejecting roller after the coin is moved from the storage hole to a part between the fixed roller and the ejecting roller through the opening by pushing the coin by a pushing front surface of the pusher positioned in a rotating direction side of the rotating disk while guiding the coin on the base by the coin guiding wall by rotation of the rotating disk; wherein a fixed guide is disposed on the base to be adjacent to the fixed roller in downstream of the direction of ejection of the coin, and a state that the coin is sandwiched between the fixed guide and the ejecting roller is generated.
- In the coin dispenser of the present invention, normally, after the coin is guided by the coin guiding wall while the coin is pushed by the pusher and slid on the base by the rotation of the rotating disk, the coin is guided by the fixed roller and subjected to change of direction toward the outer circumferential direction of the rotating disk, and the coin is pushed into the part between the fixed roller and the ejecting roller.
- The condition of fixed roller being a turning pair, coin which is subject to change in direction is guided by the fixed roller turning pair and is sandwiched by the fixed guide and the ejecting roller. Then, the coin center crosses the ejection border line, which is a straight line connecting a first contact point of the fixed roller and the coin and a second contact point of the ejecting roller and the coin; therefore, ejection of the coin is started by the spring force applied to the ejecting roller. Therefore, since the coin is guided by the turning pair, there are advantages that resistance of movement is small, the coin can pass through the part between the fixed roller and the ejecting roller even when the output power of a driving motor of the rotating disk is reduced, and energy can be saved.
- On the other hand, after the coin center passes the ejection border line and before the coin is ejected, the circumferential surface of the coin is brought into contact with the fixed guide, the coin and the fixed guide become a sliding pair, and the sliding resistance between the coin and the fixed guide becomes large. Therefore, the coin is not ejected until the resultant force of the pushing force of the ejecting roller and the reactive force from the fixed guide exceeds the friction resistance between the fixed guide and the coin, and the influence of the inertial force caused by rotation together by the rotating disk is practically eliminated. As a result, the ejecting direction of the coin is the direction of the vector of the resultant force of the pushing force of the ejecting roller and the reactive force of the fixed guide. Therefore, there are advantages that, even if the diameters of the coins are different, the ejecting direction is not practically changed, and practical processing in a next step is not affected.
- Moreover, since a lever similar to that of prior arts can be used as the lever that supports the ejecting roller, there is an advantage that this can be employed also in a small dispenser.
- In a preferred example of the present invention, the fixed guide is comprised of a first straight part that forms a tangent line with respect to the fixed roller, a second straight part that is formed on a second extension line forming an obtuse angle with respect to an extension line of the first straight part, and a curved part that connects the first straight part and the second straight part to each other.
- In this case, furthermore, even if the ejecting direction is shifted, the coin sandwiched and ejected by the fixed guide and the ejecting roller is guided by the curved part, is then finally guided by the second straight part, and dispensed in the direction along the extension line of the second straight part. Therefore, even when the coins having different diameters are finally ejected in the same direction, there is an advantage that the processing of a next step is not affected.
- In another preferred example of the present invention, the shape of the fixed guide is set so that the coin is in contact with both of the fixed roller and the fixed guide in the state that the coin is sandwiched between the fixed guide and the ejecting roller.
- In this case, moreover, the coin dispenser can be manufactured at a low price, and the coin is ejected by the ejecting roller in a state in which the coin is in contact with both of the fixed roller and the fixed guide. Therefore, the size of the fixed guide can be reduced, and as a result, there is an advantage that the coin dispenser can be downsized.
-
-
FIG. 1 is an explanatory drawing of dispensing of a small-diameter coin by a first prior art. -
FIG. 2 is an explanatory drawing of dispensing of a large-diameter coin by the first prior art. -
FIG. 3 is an explanatory drawing of a second prior art. -
FIG. 4 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a coin dispenser of a first embodiment of the present invention. -
FIG. 5 is a plan view of a state in which a storing bowl of the coin dispenser of the first embodiment of the present invention is removed. -
FIG. 6 is a plan view of the coin dispenser of the first embodiment of the present invention (only the storing bowl and pushers of a rotating disk are shown, and others are not shown). -
FIG. 7 is an explanatory drawing of a hopper of the coin dispenser of the first embodiment of the present invention. -
FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a fixed guide of the coin dispenser of the first embodiment of the present invention. -
FIG. 9 is an explanatory drawing of working (guiding by outlet guide upon forward rotation) of the coin dispenser of the first embodiment of the present invention. -
FIG. 10 is an explanatory drawing of working (during entrance upon forward rotation) of the coin dispenser of the first embodiment of the present invention. -
FIG. 11 is an explanatory drawing of working (upon ejection upon forward rotation) of the coin dispenser of the first embodiment of the present invention. -
FIG. 12 is a plan view (during entrance upon forward rotation) of a coin dispenser of a second embodiment of the present invention. -
FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a fixed guide of the coin dispenser of the second embodiment of the present invention. -
FIG. 14 is an explanatory drawing of working (upon ejection) of the coin dispenser of the second embodiment of the present invention. -
FIG. 15 is a plan view (upon start of backward rotation) of a coin dispenser of a third embodiment of the present invention. -
FIG. 16 is a perspective view of a fixed guide of the coin dispenser of the third embodiment of the present invention. -
FIG. 17 is an explanatory drawing of working (upon ejection) of the coin dispenser of the third embodiment of the present invention. -
FIG. 18 is an explanatory drawing of working (upon dispensing) of the coin dispenser of the third embodiment of the present invention. - The features and advantages of the invention will be more clearly understood from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
- A present first embodiment is an example of a coin dispenser that can dispense 1-
yen coins 1C, 5-yen coins 5C, 10-yen coins 10C, 50-yen coins 50C, 100-yen coins 100C, and 500-yen coins 500C of Japanese coins. In other words, this is an example of the coin dispenser that can dispense the coins in a range from a small diameter coin SC having a diameter of 20 millimeters of the 1-yen coin 1C to a maximum diameter coin LC having a diameter of 26.5 millimeters of the 500-yen coin one by one. - However, the present invention is not limited to the above described denominations, but can be also applied to foreign coins, play medals, etc.
- For the convenience of explanation, except for the cases in which coins of particular denominations are explained, explanations will be given while using coins C as a collective term.
- As shown in
FIG. 4 , acoin dispenser 100 has a function to sort the 1-yen coin 1C to the 500-yen coin 500C, which are in bulk, and then eject the coins one by one. In the present first embodiment, thecoin dispenser 100 roughly has: aframe 102, abase 104, a storingbowl 106, arotating disk 108, acoin guiding wall 110, regulating pins 112, anoutlet guide 114, a fixed-side device 118 and an ejectingroller 120 constituting ahopper 116, acoin detector 122, and acoin outlet 124. Theframe 102, thebase 104, the storingbowl 106, therotating disk 108, thecoin guiding wall 110, the regulating pins 112, the ejectingroller 120 constituting part of thehopper 116, thecoin detector 122, and thecoin outlet 124 are conventionally publicly known structures. The invention of the present application relates to the structure of the fixed-side device 118. - First, the
frame 102 will be explained mainly with reference toFIG. 4 . - The
frame 102 has a function that functional parts such as thebase 104, the storingbowl 106, etc. are attached thereto, and theframe 102 in the present first embodiment has a hollow rectangular box shape made of a metal plate. - An upper-surface opening of the
frame 102 is covered with the base 104 having the shape of a rectangular plate. - An
electric motor 123 which is equipped with a decelerator and can be rotated forward and backward is fixed to a back side of thebase 104, and anoutput shaft 125 thereof passes through a circular throughhole 128 formed in thebase 104 and projects to the upper side of thebase 104. If coin jamming occurs, theelectric motor 123 is rotated backward for a predetermined period of time and by a predetermined number of rotations, thereby contributing to automatic elimination of the coin jamming. - The
base 104 is horizontally disposed in the present first embodiment, but may be disposed to be tilted. - Next, the
base 104 will be explained mainly with reference toFIG. 4 . - The
base 104 has a function that the coins C are pushed and moved on an upper surface thereof by therotating disk 108. Thebase 104 is a flat plate made of stainless steel or a resin having abrasion resistance properties, and an upper surface thereof is formed to have predetermined flatness. - A coin
peripheral guiding plate 126 which forms thecoin guiding wall 110 and has a predetermined thickness is closely fixed to the upper surface of thebase 104. - Therefore, the base 104 can be replaced by another mechanism that has a similar function.
- Next, the storing
bowl 106 will be explained mainly with reference toFIG. 4 . - The storing
bowl 106 has a function to store many coins C in bulk. In the present first embodiment, the storingbowl 106 has an approximately vertical tubular shape made of resin, and the inside of the tube is formed into a coin storing unit 121 extending in the vertical direction. The coin storing unit 121 is formed so that a horizontal cross section of anupper portion 106A is rectangular and that a horizontal cross section of alower portion 106U is formed into a circularbottom hole 130. Anintermediate portion 106M between theupper portion 106A and thelower portion 106U is formed into a slope on which the coins C can slide. - In a lower end part of the storing
bowl 106, anattachment part 132 projecting in a lateral direction like a flange is formed, and thestoring bowl 106 is fixed to thebase 104, specifically, to the coin peripheral guidingplate 126 by using thisattachment part 132. - Therefore, the storing
bowl 106 can be changed to another device that has a similar function. - Next, the
rotating disk 108 will be explained mainly with reference toFIGs. 4 and5 . - The
rotating disk 108 has a function to be rotated at a predetermined speed, stir the coins C in thestoring bowl 106, push and rotate together the coins C fallen into throughholes 136 formed at eccentric positions, and eliminate coin jamming by backward rotation if coin jamming occurs. - In the present first embodiment, the
rotating disk 108 is disposed in thebottom hole 130 of the storingbowl 106, is rotated forward counterclockwise inFIG. 5 at a predetermined speed upon dispensing of the coins C by a direct-currentelectric motor 123 fixed to the back side of thebase 104, and is rotated backward at a predetermined speed clockwise, which is in the opposite direction, if coin jamming occurs. - The
rotating disk 108 has astirrer 134 having a polygonal pyramid shape at the center thereof, stirs the coins C by rotating in thebottom hole 130, and facilitates fall of the coins C into the throughholes 136. - The
rotating disk 108 haspushers 140 on back sides ofrespective ribs 138 between the throughholes 136. - The
pusher 140 undergoes rotary movement in acircular storage hole 142 of the coin peripheral guidingplate 126, which is closely fixed to the upper surface of thebase 104 and has a predetermined thickness. As shown inFIG. 5 , a pushingfront surface 144 thereof has a curved shape so as to be retreated from a rotating axis RA side of therotating disk 108 to a rotating-direction rear position side toward a circumferential edge side. Specifically, thepusher 140 is comprised of afirst pusher 140A close to the rotating axis RA side and asecond pusher 140B close to the circumferential edge side. An arc-shapedfirst relief groove 146A is formed in the rotating axis RA side of thefirst pusher 140A, and asecond relief groove 146B is formed between thefirst pusher 140A and thesecond pusher 140B so that a first regulating pin 112A and asecond regulating pin 112B, which will be described later, can pass therethrough. The front surface of thefirst pusher 140A is a first pushingfront surface 144A, and the front surface of thesecond pusher 140B is a second pushingfront surface 144B. - Therefore, while the coin C which has fallen into the through
hole 136 is brought into contact with and supported by thebase 104 by the surface thereof and is guided by thecoin guiding wall 110 of thestorage hole 142, the coin C is pushed by thefirst pusher 140A by the rotation of therotating disk 108 and is rotated together with therotating disk 108 in a moving passage MP. Part of thecoin guiding wall 110 is cut out approximately by a length two times the diameter of the small-diameter coin SC to form anoutlet opening 148. When the coin C reaches theoutlet opening 148, pushing of the coin C is switched to that by thesecond pusher 140B, and the coin C is moved to thehopper 116 while guiding and pushing the coin by theoutlet guide 114 and the ejectingroller 120. - On the other hand, the coin C that is rotated together with and moved by the
rotating disk 108 without being guided by thecoin guiding wall 110 is ejected from thebase 104 and is forcibly guided in the circumferential direction of therotating disk 108, in other words, to the upper side ofFIG. 5 by the later-described first regulating pins 112 (the first regulating pin 112A and thesecond regulating pin 112B) positioned in the moving passage MP of the coins C. - If coin jamming occurs, the
rotating disk 108 is rotated backward. As a result of this backward rotation, arear surface tip 150E of aback side 150 of thesecond pusher 140B pushes the circumferential surface of the coin C and moves the coin in the opposite direction of that of forward rotation. - Next, the
coin guiding wall 110 will be explained mainly with reference toFIG. 4 to FIG. 6 . - The
coin guiding wall 110 has a function to guide the circumferential surface of the coin C, which is rotated together by therotating disk 108. In the present first embodiment, thecoin guiding wall 110 is an inner wall surface of the approximatelycircular storage hole 142 formed in the coin peripheral guidingplate 126, which is formed into a rectangle approximately same as thebase 104 and has a predetermined thickness, specifically, a thickness slightly larger than the thickness of the thickest coin C among the coins C serving as handling targets; and part thereof is cut to form theoutlet opening 148. In other words, thecoin guiding wall 110 has a C-shape, and theoutlet opening 148 is formed to be about 1.5 times the diameter of the 500-yen coin 500C, which is the maximum diameter coin in the present first embodiment. Specifically, theoutlet opening 148 is a slit-like opening formed by an upstream-side end 110E and a downstream-side end 110L of thecoin guiding wall 110. - The coin peripheral guiding
plate 126 is closely fixed to the upper surface of thebase 104, and the lower surface of theattachment part 132 of the storingbowl 106 is detachably closely fixed to the upper surface of the coin peripheral guidingplate 126. In this state, the rotating axis RA and the axial cores of thebottom hole 130 and thestorage hole 142 are disposed to mutually match. In other words, the vertical axes of therotating disk 108, thebottom hole 130, and thestorage hole 142 are mutually the same. The diameter of therotating disk 108 is formed to be slightly smaller than the diameter of thestorage hole 142. - While the coin C which has fallen into the through
hole 136 is pushed by thepusher 140 in the state in which the lower surface thereof is supported by the base 104 in the above described manner, the circumferential surface thereof is guided by thecoin guiding wall 110, and the coin is moved in the moving passage MP. In other words, the moving passage MP has an approximately circular ring shape. - Therefore, the coin peripheral guiding
plate 126 is only required to have a function to guide the coins C so that the coins C are guided by thecoin guiding wall 110 and moved in the moving passage MP. - The
base 104 and the coin peripheral guidingplate 126 may be integrally formed. - Next, the regulating pins 112 will be explained mainly with reference to
FIG. 6 . - The regulating pins 112 have a function to guide the coin C, which is rotated together by the
rotating disk 108, in the circumferential direction of therotating disk 108, in other words, to theoutlet opening 148 side and have a function to be pushed downward by the coin C, which is pushed by theback side 150 of thepusher 140, and allow the coin C to move in the opposite direction in the moving passage MP when therotating disk 108 is rotated backward. In the present first embodiment, the regulating pins are comprised of the first regulating pin 112A and the second regulating pins 112B elastically projecting from the upper surface of thebase 104. However, if the coin C moves by itself toward theoutlet opening 148 side by centrifugal force, the regulating pins 112 are not necessarily required, and the regulating pins 112 can be arbitrarily installed. - Each of the first regulating pin 112A and the
second regulating pin 112B is a cylinder fixed to rise from a second end of a plate spring (not shown) having a first end fixed to the back side of thebase 104. The head of the cylinder projects to above the base 104 from a through hole formed in thebase 104, but projects by a degree that the head does not abut the back side of therotating disk 108. A slope 152 (first slope 152A,second slope 152B) tilted so that the component force that pushes the pin into thebase 104 is caused to work by the coin C pushed in the opposite direction in the moving passage MP is formed on the head thereof. The shape of the head employs, for example, the invention disclosed in Japanese Utility Model No.2594435 - In the present first embodiment, a first extension line EA of the
first slope 152A toward the circumferential direction of therotating disk 108 and a second extension line EB of thesecond slope 152B toward the center side of therotating disk 108 are formed to intersect with each other by an obtuse angle Z. When the coin C (in the present first embodiment, 1-yen coin 1C) is rotated together in the opposite direction by theback side 150 of thepusher 140 upon backward rotation of therotating disk 108 and abuts thesecond slope 152B, the force toward the axis RA side works with respect to the 1-yen coin 1C. As a result, the 1-yen coin 1C is brought into contact with thefirst slope 152A and thesecond slope 152B and then is moved over the first regulating pin 112A and thesecond regulating pin 112B on which they are formed, thereby carrying out continuous backward rotation of therotating disk 108. In a case in which a bisector BIS of the obtuse angle Z and a straight line FL which passes through the axis RA orthogonally intersect with each other, the center 1CC of the 1-yen coin 1C is set to be positioned on the bisector BIS in the vicinity of the intersecting part (this is the same also in cases of other denominations). When formed in this manner, even in a case in which the coin C abuts thefirst slope 152A or thesecond slope 152B, the component force that works from the abuttingfirst slope 152A or thesecond slope 152B causes the coin C to be brought into contact with both of thefirst slope 152A and thesecond slope 152B approximately uniformly, and large force is prevented from working on part of the circumferential surface of the coin C. Therefore, there is an advantage that dents are not formed on the coin C. - Therefore, when the coin C is pushed by the
pusher 140 upon forward rotation of therotating disk 108 and collides with the first regulating pin 112A and thesecond regulating pin 112B, while the coin C is pushed by thepusher 140, the coin C is guided by the first regulating pin 112A and thesecond regulating pin 112B and guided toward theoutlet opening 148. When therotating disk 108 is rotated backward, the coin C pushed by theback side 150 of thepusher 140 is placed over thefirst slope 152A and thesecond slope 152B at the heads of the first regulating pin 112A and the second regulating pin 112 and is moved over the first regulating pin 112A and thesecond regulating pin 112B. Therefore, the coin C is kept being pushed by theback side 150 of thepusher 140 and is rotated together in the moving passage MP in the opposite direction of the forward-rotation direction. - Next, the
outlet passage 153 will be explained mainly with reference toFIG. 6 . - The
outlet passage 153 is a passage through which the coin C moved from theoutlet opening 148 can be moved to the later-describedcoin outlet 124 and is formed to be continued to the downstream of theoutlet opening 148. Therefore, theoutlet passage 153 is not required to be formed into a channel shape of which three sides are surrounded or into a rectangular shape of which four sides are surrounded, and theoutlet passage 153 is only required to guide at least the lower surface of the coin C. In the present first embodiment, theoutlet passage 153 is defined by the upper surface of thebase 104, and part of a side wall thereof is defined by a fixedguide 164 of the fixed-side device 118. - Therefore, the coin C moved from the outlet opening 148 passes through the
outlet passage 153 and is released from the later-describedcoin outlet 124. - Next, the
outlet guide 114 will be explained mainly with reference toFIG. 5 . - The
outlet guide 114 has a function to guide the coin C toward thehopper 116 upon forward rotation of therotating disk 108 and, upon backward rotation of therotating disk 108, to guide the coin C and returns the coin into thestorage hole 142. Theoutlet guide 114 is comprised of a fan-shapedoutlet guide plate 154 positioned in the lateral side in the upstream-side end 110E side of theoutlet opening 148. Theoutlet guide plate 154 is a fan-shaped plate in the present first embodiment and is fixed by rotatably attaching a first end thereof to a fixedshaft 156, which rises from thebase 104, and causing ascrew 160 to penetrate through along hole 158 formed in an arc shape about the fixedshaft 156 and to be screwed in thebase 104. - In a case in which the
rotating disk 108 is rotated forward in the manner shown inFIG. 9 , the 1-yen coin 1C is pushed against theoutlet guide plate 154 and the ejectingroller 120 by thesecond pusher 140B, the coin C is pushed toward the later-described fixed-side device 118 by resultant force F3 of pushing force F1 from thesecond pusher 140B toward the coin center 1CC and reactive force F2 from the ejectingroller 120 toward the coin center 1CC while the coin is guided by the ejectingroller 120, the coin C is pushed into the part between the fixed-side device 118 and the ejecting roller 120 (FIG. 10 ), and the coin C is finally sandwiched and ejected by the fixedguide 164 and the ejectingroller 120. - When the
rotating disk 108 is rotated backward, the 1-yen coin 1C is guided by theoutlet guide plate 154 and is returned into thestorage hole 142 so that therotating disk 108 can be continuously rotated backward, and coin jamming can be effectively eliminated. - Next, the
hopper 116 will be explained mainly with reference toFIG. 5 andFIG. 7 . - The
hopper 116 has a function to eject the coin C, which is pushed in the circumferential direction of therotating disk 108 by the second pushingfront surface 144B of thepusher 140, by spring force of an elastic part. In the present first embodiment, thehopper 116 is comprised of the fixed-side device 118 and the ejectingroller 120. - First, the fixed-
side device 118 will be explained. - The fixed-
side device 118 has a function to receive the coin C, which has been pushed by thepusher 140 and pushed out to theoutlet opening 148, and guide the coin in the circumferential direction of therotating disk 108, in other words, has a function to define one side of theoutlet passage 153 and a function to sandwich and eject the coin C together by the ejectingroller 120. In the present first embodiment, the fixed-side device 118 is comprised of a first fixedroller 162 serving as afixed roller 161 and the firstfixed guide 164 serving as afixed guide 163. - The first fixed
roller 162 is not completely fixed and is preferred to be set so as to be slightly moved and buffer excessive force when the excessive force is applied in the later described manner. This is for improving the durability of the dispenser. - In the present first embodiment, the first fixed
roller 162 is projecting upward from afirst lever 168 rotatably supported by a second supportingshaft 166 projecting downward to the back side of thebase 104, and is aball bearing roller 172, which is penetrating through a through hole (not shown) formed in thebase 104 and is rotatably supported by a tip of a third supportingshaft 170 positioned in the upper side of thebase 104. Specifically, an inner race of theball bearing roller 172 is fixed to the third supportingshaft 170, and an outer race thereof is utilized as a roller. Thefirst lever 168 is biased clockwise inFIG. 5 andFIG. 7 by the spring force of an elastic part, which is afirst spring 174 in the present first embodiment. At the position ofFIG. 5 , in other words, at the position adjacent to the downstream-side end 110L of thestorage hole 142, turning of thefirst lever 168 is stopped and maintained in a still state by afirst stopper 176. - At this still position, the inner circumferential surface of the circumferential surface of the
ball bearing roller 172 is disposed on a virtual circle of thestorage hole 142 so as to form part of the inner surface of thestorage hole 142. - The spring force of the
first spring 174 is set so that, when the coin C is collided in a normal case, thefirst spring 174 is not moved, but is slightly moved for relief when the force larger than the normal case works. This is for a reason that even slight movement for relief can buffer the overload caused by the coin C and contributes to improvement of the durability of the dispenser. - Next, the first
fixed guide 164 will be explained mainly with reference toFIG. 8 . - The first
fixed guide 164 has a function to guide the coin C, which has been guided by the first fixedroller 162, in a predetermined direction and a function to sandwich the coin C between the guide and the ejectingroller 120 and finally eject the coin. In the present first embodiment, a firststraight part 178 is formed in order to define part of theoutlet passage 153. - The first
straight part 178 is formed so that an extension line EL thereof forms an acute angle A of about 30 degrees with respect to a perpendicular line VL passing through the rotating axis RA shown inFIG. 5 , and the extension line EL is close to the circumferential surface of the first fixedroller 162. Furthermore, the circumferential surface of the first fixedroller 162 is disposed so as to be close to a tangent line CL with respect to thecoin guiding wall 110 in the downstream-side end 110L of thecoin guiding wall 110 and form an acute angle B close to 90 degrees with respect to the extension line EL. - A
tip 164T of the firststraight part 179 in therotating disk 108 side is disposed so as to be positioned on or close to a first straight line AL connecting a second rotating axis RB of the first fixedroller 162 and a third rotating axis RC of the ejectingroller 120 positioned at a still position SP. - Therefore, the
tip 164T of the firstfixed guide 164 in therotating disk 108 side is formed into the shape of a blade tip of a knife by the firststraight part 178 and an arc-shapedportion 165 for avoiding the first fixedroller 162. - In the present first embodiment, the first
fixed guide 164 is formed to be separated from thebase 104 and the coin peripheral guidingplate 126, but may be integrally formed with one of or both of them. - Next, the ejecting
roller 120 will be explained mainly with reference toFIG. 7 . - The ejecting
roller 120 has a function to eject the coin C, which has been pushed into theoutlet passage 153 and is in contact with the firstfixed guide 164. In the present first embodiment, the ejectingroller 120 is a roller which is fixed upward from an end of asecond lever 182 of which part is rotatably supported by a fourth supportingshaft 179 projecting downward from the back side of thebase 104, and the roller is rotatably attached to an upper end of a fifth supportingshaft 181, which penetrates through an arc-shapedlong hole 180 formed in the base 104 like an arc about the fourth supportingshaft 179 and is projecting to the upper side of thebase 104. In the present first embodiment, the ejectingroller 120 is aball bearing roller 183. As well as theball bearing roller 172, the outer race of theball bearing roller 183 is also utilized as a roller. - Therefore, the ejecting
roller 120 can be changed to another device having a similar function. - The
second lever 182 is elastically biased so as to get close to the fixed-side device 118 side by asecond spring 190 of which ends are stopped by afirst stopper part 186 formed at part thereof and by asecond stopper part 188 projecting downward from thebase 104. Thesecond lever 182 is stopped by asecond stopper 192, which is projecting downward from the back side of thebase 104, so as to be still at a position at which a straight-line distance L between thetip 164T of the firstfixed guide 164 and the ejectingroller 120 is slightly smaller than an expected minimum diameter of dispensed coins. Specifically, the shortest distance L between thetip 164T of the firstfixed guide 164 and the ejectingroller 120 forms anentrance gap 194, which is set to be slightly smaller than the diameter of the 1-yen coin 1C, between thetip 164T and the ejectingroller 120. - Therefore, as shown in
FIG. 11 , from a point immediately after the center 1CC of the 1-yen coin 1C pushed by thepusher 140 crosses an ejecting border line DDL connecting a first contact point PA of thetip 164T of the firstfixed guide 164 and the 1-yen coin 1C and a second contact point PB of the ejectingroller 120 and the circumferential surface of the 1-yen coin 1C, the ejectingroller 120 ejects the coin by the spring force of thesecond spring 190. This ejecting direction is the direction of the vector of resultant force F13 of pushing force F11 by the ejectingroller 120 and reactive force F12 from the firstfixed guide 164. - Specifically, the forward rotation of the
rotating disk 108 causes the 1-yen coin 1C to be pushed by thesecond pusher 140B and be guided by theoutlet guide plate 154, and the 1-yen coin 1C is guided by the ejectingroller 120 and moved toward the entrance gap 194 (FIG. 9 ). When therotating disk 108 is further rotated, the coin C is pushed into theentrance gap 194 by the pushing force of thesecond pusher 140B (FIG. 7 ), and the ejectingroller 120 is moved in the direction to get away from the first fixedroller 162 against the spring force of thesecond spring 190. In this process, the contact of the 1-yen coin 1C is switched from that by the first fixedroller 162 to that by thetip 164T of the firstfixed guide 164. Specifically, theentrance gap 194 is widened, the first contact point PA is formed at the contact point with thetip 164T of the firstfixed guide 164, and the coin center 1CC of the 1-yen coin 1C passes through the ejection border line DDL connecting the first contact point PA and the second contact point PB; immediately after this, the 1-yen coin 1C is ejected by the spring force of the second spring 190 (FIG. 11 ). The ejected 1-yen coin 1C is dispensed fromcoin outlet 124 through theoutlet passage 153. In the process of this dispensing, the coin C is detected by thecoin detector 122. - Next, the
coin detector 122 will be explained. - The
coin detector 122 has a function to detect the coin C, which is ejected by thehopper 116, and anelectromagnetic metal sensor 196 is used in the present first embodiment. Therefore, thecoin detector 122 can be changed to another system that has a similar function such as a photoelectric sensor, a mechanical sensor, or the like. - In the present first embodiment, the
coin detector 122 is disposed in the middle of theoutlet passage 153, but may be disposed in the downstream of thecoin outlet 124. - In the end, the
coin outlet 124 will be explained with reference toFIG. 5 . - The
coin outlet 124 has a function to feed coin C from thebase 104, is not particularly required to be formed into a slit-shaped passage or the like, and thecoin outlet 124 is formed at a downstream end of theoutlet passage 153 in the present first embodiment. In other words, an end of the base 104 opposed to theoutlet passage 153 is thecoin outlet 124. - Next, working of the
coin dispenser 100 will be explained also with reference toFIG. 9 to FIG. 11 . - When the coins of diameters within a predetermined range are to be dispensed by one dispenser without part replacement and position adjustment, the minimum diameter coin SC is the most problematic. Therefore, the 1-
yen coin 1C will be taken as an example for explanation. - Working is different in a case in which the 1-
yen coin 1C is moved along thecoin guiding wall 110 of thestorage hole 142 and a case in which the coin C is guided and dispensed by the regulating pins 112. Therefore, the explanation will be given separately in the cases. - First, the case in which the 1-
yen coin 1C is moved along thecoin guiding wall 110 will be explained. - The coin C in the
storing bowl 106 is dropped into the throughhole 136 by the rotation of therotating disk 108; the surface of the front side or back side thereof is brought into contact with and supported by thebase 104; and, while the coin is pushed by thefirst pusher 140A and guided by thecoin guiding wall 110 which is the circumferential wall of thestorage hole 142, the coin is moved to theoutlet opening 148 side (FIG. 10 ). - The coin C, which has reached the
outlet opening 148, is guided by theoutlet guide plate 154 subsequent to by the upstream-side end 110E (FIG. 6 ), is then brought into contact with the ejectingroller 120 positioned at a standby position SP and guided to the first fixedroller 162 side (FIG. 9 ), and is pushed to the entrance gap 194 (FIG. 10 ). - Further rotation of the
rotating disk 108 causes the 1-yen coin 1C to be further pushed into theentrance gap 194 by the second pushingfront surface 144B. As a result, the coin is moved in the circumferential direction of therotating disk 108 along the arc-shaped circumferential surface of the first fixedroller 162. Therefore, the ejectingroller 120 is turned clockwise inFIG. 5 , and theentrance gap 194 is further expanded. - Then, the 1-
yen coin 1C is further moved in the circumferential direction of therotating disk 108, the contact between the circumferential surface thereof and the fixed-side device 118 is switched to that from the first fixedroller 162 to thetip 164T of the firstfixed guide 164, and, immediately after the center 1CC of the 1-yen coin 1C passes the ejection border line DDL connecting the first contact point PA of thetip 164T of the firstfixed guide 164 and the 1-yen coin 1C and the second contact point PB of the ejectingroller 120 and the circumferential surface of the 1-yen coin 1C, the coin receives the ejecting force from the ejectingroller 120. Then, the ejectingroller 120 pushes the circumferential surface of the 1-yen coin 1C by the spring force of thesecond spring 190, and, as described above, the 1-yen coin 1C is ejected in the direction of the vector of the resultant force F13 of the pushing force F11 and the reactive force F12 (FIG. 11 ). - The ejected 1-
yen coin 1C is dispensed from thecoin outlet 124 through theoutlet passage 153. - Next, the case in which the 1-
yen coin 1C is guided by the first regulating pin 112A and thesecond regulating pin 112B and pushed into theentrance gap 194 without being guided by thecoin guiding wall 110 will be explained. - In this case, the 1-
yen coin 1C is moved to theentrance gap 194 without contacting theoutlet guide plate 154, is then guided by the first fixedroller 162 as described above, and is then ejected by the ejectingroller 120 in a state in which the coin is in contact with thetip 164T of the firstfixed guide 164. - Next, a second embodiment will be explained with reference to
FIG. 12 to FIG. 14 . - The second embodiment is an example in which the fixed-
side device 118 is comprised of a second fixedroller 200 serving as the fixedroller 161 and a secondfixed guide 202 serving as the fixedguide 163 and is the same as the first embodiment except for the second fixedroller 200 and the secondfixed guide 202. Therefore, only different configurations and working will be explained. - The second fixed
roller 200 employs a roller having a diameter slightly larger than that of the first fixedroller 162. Specifically, the second fixedroller 200 utilizes the outer race of a standardized ball earing roller as a roller, thereby enabling manufacturing at low cost. - Since the diameter of the second fixed
roller 200 is larger, a second extension line EL2 which is the extension line of a firststraight part 204 corresponding to the firststraight part 178 of the secondfixed guide 202 forms an angle A, which is the same acute angle as that of the first embodiment, with respect to the perpendicular line VL. However, atip 204T thereof is positioned to be more distant from the first straight line AL compared with the first embodiment. - Because of the difference of the layout of the
tip 204T, the second embodiment is configured so that the 1-yen coin 1C is ejected by the ejectingroller 120 in a state in which the 1-yen coin 1C is in contact with both of the second fixedroller 200 and thetip 204T of the second fixed guide 204 (FIG. 11 ). - Next, working of the second embodiment will be explained.
- As well as the first embodiment, since the 1-
yen coin 1C is pushed into theentrance gap 194 by the second pushingfront surface 144B, the 1-yen coin 1C is moved in the circumferential direction of therotating disk 108 along the arc-shaped circumferential surface of the second fixedroller 200. Therefore, the ejectingroller 120 is turned clockwise inFIG. 12 , and theentrance gap 194 is further expanded. Then, the 1-yen coin 1C is further moved in the circumferential direction of therotating disk 108, and, immediately after the center 1CC of the 1-yen coin 1C passes the ejection border line DDL connecting the first contact point PA of the circumferential surface thereof and the second fixedroller 200 and the second contact point PB of the ejectingroller 120 and the circumferential surface of the 1-yen coin 1C, the 1-yen coin 1C receives ejecting force from the ejecting roller 120 (FIG. 14 ). - Then, in a state in which the circumferential surface of the 1-
yen coin 1C is in contact with thetip 204T of the firststraight part 204 and the second fixedroller 200, the ejectingroller 120 pushes the circumferential surface of the 1-yen coin 1C by the spring force of thesecond spring 190 to eject it (FIG. 14 ). - More specifically, immediately after the center 1CC of the 1-
yen coin 1C passes the ejection border line DDL connecting a middle point PM of the contact point of the second fixedroller 200 and the circumferential surface of the 1-yen coin 1C and the contact point of thetip 204T and the circumferential surface of the 1-yen coin 1C and the second contact point PB of the ejectingroller 120 and the circumferential surface of the 1-yen coin 1C, the 1-yen coin 1C receives ejecting force from the ejectingroller 120. Then, the ejectingroller 120 pushes the circumferential surface of the 1-yen coin 1C by the spring force of thesecond spring 190 to eject the coin. The ejecting direction thereof is the direction of the vector of the resultant force F23 of the pushing force F21 from the ejectingroller 120 and the reactive force F22 from the second fixedroller 200 and thetip 204T. - Then, the case in which the 1-
yen coin 1C is guided by the regulating pins 112A and 112B and pushed into theentrance gap 194 without being guided by thecoin guiding wall 110. - In this case, without being brought into contact with the
outlet guide plate 154, the 1-yen coin 1C is moved to theentrance gap 194 and is then ejected by the ejectingroller 120 in a state in which the coin is in contact with thetip 204T of the firststraight part 204 and the second fixedroller 200 as described above. - Next, a third embodiment of the present invention will be explained with reference to
FIG. 15 to FIG. 18 . - The third embodiment is a modification of the second embodiment, wherein a third
fixed guide 206 serving as the fixedguide 163 adds a secondstraight part 208 and acurved part 210 to the secondfixed guide 202. - In other words, the third
fixed guide 206 has a function to guide the coin C, which has been guided by the second fixedroller 200, to a predetermined direction and a function to sandwich the coin C between the third fixed guide and the ejectingroller 120 and finally eject the coin. In the present third embodiment, sequentially from the second fixedroller 200 side, the firststraight part 204, thecurved part 210, and the secondstraight part 208 are formed. - The first
straight part 204 has the same configuration as that of the second embodiment. - The second
straight part 208 is formed in parallel to the perpendicular line VL, which passes through the rotating axis RA inFIG. 15 . Therefore, an extension line EL2 of the secondstraight part 208 is configured to form an obtuse angle C equal to or more than 90 degrees and less than 180 degrees with the extension line EL of the firststraight part 204. In other words, the coin C, which is moved along the firststraight part 204, is guided to thecurved part 210 and is then dispensed from thecoin outlet 124 while being guided by the secondstraight part 208. - The
curved part 210 is formed into an arc shape, which smoothly connects the firststraight part 204 and the secondstraight part 208 to each other. - The second
straight part 208, which determines the final dispensing direction of the coin C, is arbitrarily determined by the dispensing direction of the coin C and is not required to be parallel to the perpendicular line VL, but may be a curved line. - In the third embodiment, an
outlet roller 212 is used in theoutlet guide 114 instead of theoutlet guide plate 154 of the first and second embodiments. - The
outlet roller 212 is rotatably supported by a sixth supportingshaft 216 provided to rise upward from thebase 104, is disposed in the middle between the upstream-side end 110E of thecoin guiding wall 110 and the ejectingroller 120 and in the lateral side of theoutlet passage 153, and is disposed to be away by a predetermined distance from a second straight line L2, which forms a tangent line with the ejectingroller 120 positioned at the standby position SP and connects the upstream-side end 110E. Specifically, the second straight line L2 and acylindrical surface 214 of theoutlet roller 212 are disposed to be away from each other by the minimum distance that is half the diameter of theoutlet roller 212. The position of theoutlet roller 212 is disposed at the position by which the minimum diameter coin serving as a target, which is the 1-yen coin 1C in the present third embodiment, can be pushed by therotating disk 108 rotating backward, in other words, the back-side tip 150E of thepusher 140 and returned into thestorage hole 142. Thus, therotating disk 108 can be continuously rotated backward, and coin jamming can be effectively eliminated. - Next, working of the third embodiment will be explained also with reference to
FIG. 17 andFIG. 18 . - The working/effects that part of the coin C is brought into contact with the second fixed
roller 200 and the secondfixed guide 202 and ejected by the ejectingroller 120 are the same as those of the second embodiment. Therefore, the working/effects of thecurved part 210 and the secondstraight part 208 after ejection by the ejectingroller 120 will be explained. - In the state in which the circumferential surface of the 1-
yen coin 1C is in contact with thetip 204T of the firststraight part 204 and the fixedroller 200, the ejectingroller 120 pushes the circumferential surface of the 1-yen coin 1C by the spring force of thesecond spring 190 and ejects the coin toward the direction of the vector of the resultant force F23, in other words, toward the curved part 210 (FIG. 17 ). - The ejected 1-
yen coin 1C is guided to thecurved part 210, is then guided by the secondstraight part 208, and is dispensed from thecoin outlet 124 in the direction parallel to the perpendicular line VL (FIG. 18 ). More specifically, the 1-yen coin 1C is finally guided by the secondstraight part 208 and is dispensed in the direction along the perpendicular line VL. - Since all the coins C are guided to the
curved part 210 and then guided by the secondstraight part 208, the coins are dispensed in the same direction along the perpendicular line VL.
Claims (3)
- A coin dispenser comprising:a base that supports the surface of a coin;a coin guiding wall that is disposed on the base and forms a circular storage hole partially having an opening;a rotating disk that can be rotated about a rotating axis in the storage hole, forms a plurality of through holes disposed along a circumferential direction at eccentric positions with respect to the rotating axis, and has a pusher disposed between the mutually adjacent through holes in a back side and projecting to the base side; anda fixed roller that is disposed outside of the storage hole on the base and in a first end side of the opening and is practically fixed to the base; andan ejecting roller that is disposed outside of the storage hole on the base with a predetermined interval from the fixed roller and is elastically biased so as to get closer to the fixed roller;the coin dispenser that ejects the coin by an elastic action of the ejecting roller after the coin is moved from the storage hole to a part between the fixed roller and the ejecting roller through the opening by pushing the coin by a pushing front surface of the pusher positioned in a rotating direction side of the rotating disk while guiding the coin on the base by the coin guiding wall by rotation of the rotating disk; whereina fixed guide is disposed on the base to be adjacent to the fixed roller in downstream of the direction of ejection of the coin, anda state that the coin is sandwiched between the fixed guide and the ejecting roller is generated.
- The coin dispenser according to claim 1, wherein
the fixed guide is comprised of
a first straight part that forms a tangent line with respect to the fixed roller,
a second straight part that is formed on a second extension line forming an obtuse angle with respect to an extension line of the first straight part, and
a curved part that connects the first straight part and the second straight part to each other. - The coin dispenser according to claim 1, wherein
the shape of the fixed guide is set so that the coin is in contact with both of the fixed roller and the fixed guide in the state that the coin is sandwiched between the fixed guide and the ejecting roller.
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
JP2013046534A JP5945752B2 (en) | 2013-03-08 | 2013-03-08 | Coin dispenser |
Publications (2)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
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EP2775460A1 true EP2775460A1 (en) | 2014-09-10 |
EP2775460B1 EP2775460B1 (en) | 2016-04-20 |
Family
ID=50189554
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
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EP14157059.8A Active EP2775460B1 (en) | 2013-03-08 | 2014-02-27 | Coin dispenser |
Country Status (4)
Country | Link |
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EP (1) | EP2775460B1 (en) |
JP (1) | JP5945752B2 (en) |
CN (1) | CN104036579B (en) |
TW (1) | TWI509574B (en) |
Cited By (1)
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---|---|---|---|---|
EP2759986B1 (en) * | 2013-01-28 | 2016-11-30 | Asahi Seiko Co. Ltd. | Coin dispenser |
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JP5481627B2 (en) * | 2008-12-03 | 2014-04-23 | 旭精工株式会社 | Disc ejector |
JP5382510B2 (en) * | 2009-05-08 | 2014-01-08 | 旭精工株式会社 | Coin hopper |
JP5460299B2 (en) * | 2009-12-22 | 2014-04-02 | ローレル精機株式会社 | Coin handling machine |
TWM423886U (en) * | 2011-11-08 | 2012-03-01 | Yu Shin Entpr Co Ltd | Coin dispensing apparatus and outlet assembly used with the coin dispensing apparatus |
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2014
- 2014-02-27 EP EP14157059.8A patent/EP2775460B1/en active Active
- 2014-03-03 TW TW103107069A patent/TWI509574B/en active
- 2014-03-07 CN CN201410083766.0A patent/CN104036579B/en active Active
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---|---|---|---|---|
US5924919A (en) * | 1996-01-30 | 1999-07-20 | Aruze Corporation | Coin dispenser |
JP2002150347A (en) * | 2000-11-08 | 2002-05-24 | Asahi Seiko Kk | Coin hopper disc |
US20050009464A1 (en) * | 2003-05-15 | 2005-01-13 | Aruze Corp. | Payment object dispensing machine |
US7798304B2 (en) * | 2006-01-23 | 2010-09-21 | Asahi Seiko Co., Ltd. | Coin dispensing apparatus |
Cited By (1)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
EP2759986B1 (en) * | 2013-01-28 | 2016-11-30 | Asahi Seiko Co. Ltd. | Coin dispenser |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
JP5945752B2 (en) | 2016-07-05 |
EP2775460B1 (en) | 2016-04-20 |
CN104036579A (en) | 2014-09-10 |
CN104036579B (en) | 2016-05-04 |
TWI509574B (en) | 2015-11-21 |
JP2014174720A (en) | 2014-09-22 |
TW201443828A (en) | 2014-11-16 |
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