EP2960873A1 - In-Coin-Münzdurchgangssensorsystem - Google Patents

In-Coin-Münzdurchgangssensorsystem Download PDF

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Publication number
EP2960873A1
EP2960873A1 EP14173693.4A EP14173693A EP2960873A1 EP 2960873 A1 EP2960873 A1 EP 2960873A1 EP 14173693 A EP14173693 A EP 14173693A EP 2960873 A1 EP2960873 A1 EP 2960873A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
coin
sensing
tube
periphery
metal coins
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP14173693.4A
Other languages
English (en)
French (fr)
Inventor
Tien-Yuan Chien
Dong-Ying Yang
Ruei-Jia Huang
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
International Currency Technologies Corp
Original Assignee
International Currency Technologies Corp
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by International Currency Technologies Corp filed Critical International Currency Technologies Corp
Priority to EP14173693.4A priority Critical patent/EP2960873A1/de
Publication of EP2960873A1 publication Critical patent/EP2960873A1/de
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

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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
    • G07D1/00—Coin dispensers

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to coin detecting technology and more particularly, to an in-coin passage coin sensing system for coin acceptor for use in an automatic vending machine or consumer service system, which uses sensing coils to work with a resonant circuit for enabling the circuit module to calculate the quantity of the metal coins in the respective coin tube by measuring the energy loss and change in resonance frequency in the resonant circuit subject to an equivalent parallel resonance impedance between the metal coins in the respective coin tube and the respective sensing coil.
  • the coin acceptor of a coin-operated machine generally comprises a recognition module for recognizing the authenticity and value of every inserted coin. Because different coins or tokens are used in different countries or different amusement parks, and because different coins/tokens have different sizes and values, a recognition module must be able to recognize the authenticity and values of different coins/tokens.
  • a coin acceptor further comprises a coin dispenser adapted for sorting coins of different values into different coin tubes, a sensing device adapted for sensing the quantity of coins in each coin tube, and a coin hopper located at the bottom side of the coin tubes for outputting coins.
  • the sensing device When the quantity of coins in one coin tube reaches a predetermined high level, the sensing device gives a corresponding signal to the control circuit, prohibiting the coin dispenser from sorting any coin into this coin tube. On the contrary, when the quantity of coins in one coin tube reaches a predetermined low level, the sensing device gives a corresponding signal to the control circuit, prohibiting the hopper from outputting coins, ensuring the normal operation of the machine.
  • Non-contact displacement sensors Conventional coin acceptors commonly use a non-contact displacement sensor to sense metal coins/tokens.
  • Many different types of non-contact displacement sensors such as ultrasonic sensors, optical sensors and electromagnetic sensors are commercially available.
  • An ultrasonic sensor uses an ultrasonic transmitter to transmit an ultrasonic wave. When a metal coin passes across the ultrasonic wave, the metal coin absorbs the energy, causing an attenuation of the energy. Thus, the control circuit can calculate the location of the coin subject to the change in the energy.
  • an ultrasonic sensor of this design has a large size and high cost. Further, the reflection signal intensity of the ultrasonic sensor is inversely proportional to the distance of the coin. For sensing coins in a relatively longer coin tube, the problems of scattering attenuation, excitation energy insufficiency and signal recognition difficulty can occur.
  • An optical sensor uses an optical transmitter to transmit light across the coin tube and an optical receiver to receive light that passes across the coin tubes. When coins are accumulated in the coin tube, they block a part of the light that falls upon the coin tubes. Subject to this shading effect, the control circuit can calculate the location of the coins in the coin tubes.
  • An optical sensor has the advantage of low signal attenuation and is free from the interference of electronic noises or variation of coin tube sizes. However, an optical sensor can easily be contaminated by dust, affecting sensing accuracy. Further, the optical components wear quickly with use, lowering its performance and leading to recognition error.
  • an electromagnetic sensor is most popularly used for measuring coins in coin tubes in a close distance for the advantages of small size and operability under a high temperature environment or an environment having a high concentration of dust or pollutants.
  • the alternating magnetic field generated by the sensing coil induces an eddy current in the metal coil.
  • the control circuit can calculate the location of the metal coin.
  • the distance between the sensing coil and the metal coin, the geometric shape and magnetic permeability of the metal coin will cause a change in the eddy current and a change in the oscillation frequency of the resonant circuit.
  • the sensing coil must be kept in close proximity to the periphery of the coin tube.
  • the sensing coil is normally installed in a circuit board.
  • the installation of the sensing coil is restricted to the thickness and configuration of the circuit board, and unable to be smoothly attached to the smoothly curved periphery of the coin tube to shorten its distance relative to the metal coin in the coin tube, and thereby affecting the sensing accuracy. If the excitation frequency of the sensing coil is increased for effectively sensing metal coins in the coin tube, the follow-up signal processing will be complicated, increasing the cost.
  • the present invention has been accomplished under the circumstances in view. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an in-coin passage coin sensing system, which has the advantages of ease of installation, low cost and high detection accuracy.
  • an in-coin passage coin sensing system of the present invention comprises a main body, one or multiple coin tubes, and a sensing device.
  • the main body comprises a body shell, and a coin dispenser mounted in the body shell.
  • the coin tubes are mounted in the main body and disposed at the bottom side of the coin dispenser.
  • the sensing device comprises a circuit module having a resonant circuit, sensing coils electrically connected to the resonant circuit, and an insulation film sealing the sensing coils and bonded to the periphery of the coin tubes to hold each sensing coil in the periphery of one respective coin tube in such a manner that when one or multiple metal coins are dispensed by the coin dispenser into one coin tube, an alternating magnetic field generated by one respective sensing coil induces eddy currents in the metal coins in the respective coin tube, enabling the circuit module to calculate the quantity of the metal coins in the respective coin tube by measuring the energy loss and change in resonance frequency in the resonant circuit subject to an equivalent parallel resonance impedance between the metal coins in the respective coin tube and the respective sensing coil.
  • the insulation film has the characteristic of thin thickness, high toughness, low cost, excellent insulation effect and interference prevention, and facilitates smooth bonding of the sensing coils to the periphery of the coin tubes to keep the respective sensing coils in proximity to the metal coins in the respective coin tubes, enhancing metal coin sensing accuracy.
  • the in-coin passage coin sensing system of the invention has the advantages of low cost and high detection accuracy.
  • the sensing coils can be sealed with one common insulation film.
  • each sensing coil can be sealed with one respective insulation film.
  • the insulation film is bonded to the smoothly curved periphery of each coin tube to hold the sensing coils in such a manner that each sensing coil extends along the length direction of the respective coin tube over a distance corresponding to the stacked thickness of the maximum quantity of metal coins storable in the respective coin tube.
  • the coin acceptor comprises a main body 1, a plurality of coin tubes 2 and a sensing device 3.
  • the main body 1 comprises a body shell 11, a coin dispenser 12 located in a top side of the body shell 11, an accommodation chamber 10 defined in the body shell 11 at a bottom side relative to the coin dispenser 12 and adapted for accommodating the coin tubes 2, and a coin hopper 13 located in the body shell 11 in a bottom side of the accommodation chamber 10.
  • the coin dispenser 12 comprises a recognition module 121 adapted for recognizing the authenticity and values of different metal coins 4, a coin inlet 120 located in a top side of the recognition module 121 for guiding each inserted metal coin 4 into the recognition module 121, and a coin sorter module 122 adapted for sorting each recognized metal coin 4 and guiding it into one corresponding coin tube 2.
  • the coin tubes 2 are mounted in the accommodation chamber 10 inside the body shell 11 and located at a top side of the coin hopper 13 so that the coin hopper 13 can push metal coins 4 out of the coin tubes 2 to perform an exchange or change function.
  • the coin tubes 2 are round tubes of different diameters, each defining therein a cylindrical coin passage 20 for receiving metal coins 4 of a mating diameter.
  • the sensing device 3 is mounted in the body shell 11 of the main body 1, comprising a circuit module 31, and a plurality of sensing coils 32 electrically connected to the circuit module 31 by electrical wires or conductors (not shown). Further, the sensing coils 32 are sealed or encapsulated with an insulation film 321, for example, Mylar polyester film or flexible polymer film. By means of the insulation film 321, the sensing coils 32 are respectively adhered to the cylindrical outer surfaces of the coin tubes 2 along the length direction. The size of the sensing coils 32 in the length direction of the coin tubes 2 is adjustably determined subject to the total height of maximum numbers of metal coins 4 stackable in the respective coin tubes 2.
  • the circuit module 31 is mounted at the bottom side of the coin dispenser 12. However, in actual application, the circuit module 31 can be selectively mounted in the coin dispenser 12 or any other suitable location in the body shell 11.
  • the circuit module 31 comprises at least one circuit board 310, and a resonant circuit (LC-tank) 311 and multiple electronic components 312 mounted in the at least one circuit board 310.
  • the resonant circuit 311 comprises an oscillator, a resistor [Rp(d)], a capacitor (C) and an inductor [L(d)].
  • the electronic components 312 of the circuit module 31 include passive components, such as resistor, capacitor, inductor, diode and etc., or active components, such as microprocessor, transistor, IC chip, and etc.
  • the circuit module 31 works with the sensing coils 32 to detect metal coins 4 and to process detected signals.
  • the application and signal processing circuit design of the circuit module 31 can be variously embodied using the known techniques, no further detailed description in this regard will be necessary.
  • the in-coin passage coin sensing system of the present invention can be used in an automatic vending machine, game machine or any of a variety of other consumer service systems capable of selling commodities or providing services to consumers.
  • the recognition module 121 is activated to recognize the authenticity and value of the inserted metal coin 4. If the metal coin 4 is a true coin, it will be sorted by the coin sorter module 122 subject to its value and then guided into the corresponding coin tube 2 for storage.
  • the metal coin 4 is a counterfeit, it will be sorted by the coin sorter module 122 into a coin-return passage (not shown) in the main body 1 toward a coin-return outlet (not shown) in the face panel of the main body 1.
  • the oscillator of the resonant circuit 311 of the circuit module 31 of the sensing device 3 When the coin dispenser 12 dispenses a metal coin 4 into one coin tube 2, the oscillator of the resonant circuit 311 of the circuit module 31 of the sensing device 3 generates an excitation signal at a predetermined oscillation frequency to induce the respective sensing coil 32, causing the respective sensing coil 32 to generate an alternating magnetic field for sensing metal coins (conductance of metal) 4.
  • one metal coin 4 is located in close proximity to the sensing coil 32 , eddy currents will be induced in the metal coin 4, and thus an energy loss in the resonant circuit 311 can be measured.
  • circuit module 31 can calculate the quantity of metal coins 4 in each coin tube 2 by measuring the energy loss and change in oscillation frequency in the resonant circuit 311.
  • the sensing coils 32 are smoothly clamped, bonded or adhered to the periphery of the respective coin tubes 2 for sensing metal coins 4 in the respective coin tubes 2 within a very short distance.
  • the energy loss and change in the oscillation frequency in the resonant circuit 311 can be accurately measured by the circuit module 31, assuring a high level of reliability.
  • the insulation film 321 has the characteristic of thin thickness, high toughness, low cost, excellent insulation effect and interference prevention, and facilitates smooth bonding of the sensing coils 32 to the periphery of the coin tubes 2.
  • the in-coin passage coin sensing system of the invention has the advantages of low cost and high detection accuracy.
  • FIGS. 7 and 8 waveform graphs respectively illustrating the relationship between the resonant impedance response and the quantity of metal coins and the relationship between the inductance response and the quantity of metal coins are shown.
  • the circuit module 31 measures the energy loss and change in the oscillation frequency in the resonant circuit 311 subject to equivalent parallel resonance impedance between the quantity (for example, 1, 5, 9, 13, ... 65 and etc.) of metal coins 4 and the sensing coil 32 to make a reference data in resonant impedance response (ohm) and inductance frequency response (kHz).
  • the circuit module 31 can measure the energy loss and change in the oscillation frequency in the resonant circuit 311 and compare the measured data with predetermined reference data, thereby calculating the relative quantity of the metal coins 4 in the respective coin tube 2.
  • the sensing coils 32 of the sensing device 3 are sealed with one single piece of insulation film 321.
  • each sensing coil 32 can be individually sealed with one respective insulation film 321 and then bonded with the respective insulation film 321 to the smoothly curved periphery of the respective coin tube 2. Because the insulation film 321 is thin, flexible and tough, it can be smoothly bonded to the periphery of the respective coin tube 2, keeping the respective sensing coil 32 in proximity to the metal coins 4 in the respective coin tube 2, enhancing metal coin sensing accuracy.

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  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Control Of Vending Devices And Auxiliary Devices For Vending Devices (AREA)
EP14173693.4A 2014-06-24 2014-06-24 In-Coin-Münzdurchgangssensorsystem Withdrawn EP2960873A1 (de)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP14173693.4A EP2960873A1 (de) 2014-06-24 2014-06-24 In-Coin-Münzdurchgangssensorsystem

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP14173693.4A EP2960873A1 (de) 2014-06-24 2014-06-24 In-Coin-Münzdurchgangssensorsystem

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP2960873A1 true EP2960873A1 (de) 2015-12-30

Family

ID=50980196

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP14173693.4A Withdrawn EP2960873A1 (de) 2014-06-24 2014-06-24 In-Coin-Münzdurchgangssensorsystem

Country Status (1)

Country Link
EP (1) EP2960873A1 (de)

Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE3802121A1 (de) * 1988-01-26 1989-08-03 Nsm Apparatebau Gmbh Kg Verfahren und vorrichtung zur bestimmung der muenzstapelhoehe in spielgeraeten
EP0680021A1 (de) * 1994-04-30 1995-11-02 National Rejectors Inc. GmbH Vorrichtung zur Erkennung des Füllstands in Tuben eines Münzgerätes
EP2230645A1 (de) * 2009-03-16 2010-09-22 Coges S.p.A. Vorrichtung und Verfahren zum Erfassen der Menge von Münzen in einem Behälter

Patent Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE3802121A1 (de) * 1988-01-26 1989-08-03 Nsm Apparatebau Gmbh Kg Verfahren und vorrichtung zur bestimmung der muenzstapelhoehe in spielgeraeten
EP0680021A1 (de) * 1994-04-30 1995-11-02 National Rejectors Inc. GmbH Vorrichtung zur Erkennung des Füllstands in Tuben eines Münzgerätes
EP2230645A1 (de) * 2009-03-16 2010-09-22 Coges S.p.A. Vorrichtung und Verfahren zum Erfassen der Menge von Münzen in einem Behälter

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