GB2180978A

GB2180978A - Coin operated device

Info

Publication number: GB2180978A
Application number: GB08622309A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Peter Williams
Original assignee: ELECTRONIC RENTALS GROUP PLC
Current assignee: ELECTRONIC RENTALS GROUP PLC
Priority date: 1985-09-16
Filing date: 1986-09-16
Publication date: 1987-04-08
Also published as: GB2181877B; GB2181877A; GB8622310D0; GB8622309D0

Abstract

A coin operated device, intended primarily for use in controlling the application of electrical power to a rented television set, comprises a casing so shaped that the device has the appearance of a digital clock, with a coin aperture 18 formed in an upper rear wall of the casing. Coins inserted in the aperture roll down a laterally extending inclined coin chute 56 past a set of coin sensing electrical contacts 62 into a removable cylindrical coin container 29 housed transversely inside the lower part of the device. The coin container can be withdrawn from an opening in a side wall of the casing upon operation of a lock, and has a cover portion 48 which slides across the face of an electrical socket 50 to expose the socket when the container is removed. The socket can then be used to couple a portable data processing unit to electronic circuitry inside the device to facilitate the transfer of stored data relating to the number of coins fed into the device over a period of time. A set of contacts 44 inside the device senses the removal of the coin container. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Coin operated device This invention relates to a coin operated device, and more particularlyto a device for controlling-and chargingforthetimethatan electric current is supp- lied to a load. The device is especially useful as a coin operated timerfor use in conjunction with a rented television set.

The domestic use of a coin operated timer in conjunction with a rented television set is well known, but has the disadvantage that many television rental customers find the presence of a conventional coin operated timer unacceptable since the purpose of the timer is obvious for all to see. Another problem is security. A dishonest customer or employee ofthe rental company who can gain access to a conventional coin operated device may be able to defraudthe rental company bytampering with the device orfalsifying the record of the amount of money collected from the device.

According to this invention, there is provided a coin operated device for controlling the application of an electrical current to a load, comprising a casing, electronic circuitryfor controlling a switching device arranged to be coupled to an electrical power source and to the load, a coin aperture in an upper part ofthe casing, a coin receptacle in a lower partofthe casing for collecting coins inserted through the coin aperture, and means coupled to the electronic circuitryfor sensing the passage of a coin from the coin aperturetothecoin receptacle.The electronic circuitry preferably includes an electronicclockcircuitfor generating a signal representative of the time of day, the device taking the form of a clock having a display coupled to the electronic circuitry for displaying the time of day digitally,with the coin apertureconcealed at the rear ofthe device, so that the device has the appearance a clock. To minimisetheheightof the device, the coin aperture is located at the upper end of an inclined coin chute and the passage of a coin along the chute to the coin receptacle is sensed by electrical contacts which touch the coin as it passes, the coin itself being used as an electrical conductorto complete an electrical circuit.The chute extends transversely across the rearwall ofthe casing and delivers the coin into a slot in the coin receptacle.

The coin receptacle may also extend transversely across the rear of the device to reduce height, and preferably is cylindrical in form for strength and is removable axially from the device through an opening in a sidewall ofthe casing.

Unauthorised removal of the container is sensed by means of a set of electrical contacts inside the device. The device may have an electrical socket for connecting a portable data processing unit to the internal electronic circuitryforthe purpose of reading out data relating to the number of coins fed into the device, the socket being exposed only when the coin receptacle is removed.

The invention will now be described by way of examplewith reference to the drawings in which: Figure lisa front view of a device in accordance with the invention; Figure2 is a side view of the device viewed from the right hand side as seen in Figure 1; Figure 3 is a plan view ofthe device; Figure 4 is a side view ofthe device viewed from the left hand side as seen in Figure 1; Figure 5 is a rear view of the device; Figure 6 is a front view ofthe device with the front panel removed; Figure 7is a sectioned right side view along the lineVII-Vli in Figure 6; Figure8 is a sectioned left side view along the line VIII-VIII in Figure 6; and Figure 9 is a simplified sectioned underside view of the device.

Referring to Figures 1 to 5 ofthe drawings, a coin operated device in accordance with the invention also comprises a digital clock. It has a casing 10 with agenerallyuprightfrontdisplayface 12 with an aperture 14fora digital time-of-day display. The display face 12 is secured to a main casing body having an upper rearwall portion 16 containing a circular coin aperture 18 (in Figure 5) and a lower, generally cylindrical rearwall portion 20 having an opening 22 and a projection 24 in which are mounted a pair of cablesupports26.Thecoinaperture18isformedina plate28forming partofthe upperrearwall portion 16, this plate 28 being replaceableto alterthe size of the aperture 18to suit different coins.

The cylindrical rearwall portion 20 matches the shape of an internally mounted cylindrical coin receptacle 29 extending transversely of the device and removable by operation of a lock30 (see Figure2), the receptacle 29 then being removed through an opening 32 in the right hand sidewall 34ofthe casing.

In Figure 2, the end ofthe receptacle 29 and the lock 30 are visible because an end cap 36 shown in Figures 1,3 and 5 and normally clipped into the opening 32 has been removed.

The display face 12 hasfourswitches 38 allowing the userto setthe clock displaytothecorrecttime and to obtain a display of the remaining time period for which the associated appliance (in this case, a television set) can be operated before further payment is required.

With regard to the general shape ofthe casing, it will be seen from Figures 1 to 5 that it is generally in theform of a triangular prism laid on one side face of the prism with a part cylindrical rearward extension running the full length ofthe prism on another of the sidefaces. The plane ofthe upper rearwall portion 16 of the casing,when projected downwards into the lower rearward extension (bounded by the lower rearwall portion 24) passes through the central re gion of the internal coin receptacle 29. The purpose ofthis arrangement isto allow use of an inclined coin chute extending parallel to and adjacentthe upper rearwall portion 16 to direct coins from the coin aperture 18 into the receptacle 29, as will be described belowwith referenceto Figures6to9.

Referring to Figures6to 9,the coin receptacle is a generally cylindrical container 29 extending from the right hand sidewall 34ofthe casing oversubstantially the whole width of the casing. As is best seen in the sectioned side view of Figure 7 and the sectioned undersideview of Figure 9, the end ofthe container 29 opposite to the side wall 34 of the casing is formed as a hollowtongue 40with planarfaces 40A and 40B facing rearwardly and forwardly respectively. An internal wall 43 ofthe device covers the forwardlyfac- ing surface of the container 29 and closely follows the shape ofthe surfaces so as to guide the container 29 during insertion and removal.A planar portion 42A of the internal wall 42 supports three resilient electrical contacts 44 which project th rough apertures in the wa 11 portion 42 to make contact with a conductive plate 46 on one ofthe planartonguefaces 408 ofthe container 29 to permit sensing of con- tainer removal and insertion by the electronic circuitry of the device. The lock 30 for locking the container29 in the casing is seen more clearly in Figures 8 and 9. This lock has a rotatable tab 30A arranged to be received in a slot 46 in the internal wall 42 (see Figure 6) when in the locked position to prevent withdrawal of the container 29.

Furtherfeatures ofthe coin container 29 include a cover portion 48 (visible in Figure 9) which prevents access through opening 22to an electrical socket 50 when the container 29 is loaded into the casing. The upperwall ofthe container 29 also has coin entry slots 52 and 54, one ofwhich is visible in Figure 7, and both of which are visible in Figure 9.

Referring to Figures 6 and 7, the coin aperture 18 is located at one end of an inclined coin chute 56 shown in dotted lines in Figure 6. The chute is formed be tween the upper rearwall portion 16 ofthe casing and a parallel plate 58 which has projecting ribs 58A and58Bformingtheupperand lowerwalls respectively ofthe chute. Two resilient phosphor bronze contact brushes 60 are rigidly supported in the upper part ofthe chute to contact the edge ofthe coin as it rolls down thechutefrom the aperture tow- ards the coin container 29.As the coin passes ben- eath the brushes 60, it also makes contact with a metallic contact 62 mounted flush in the lowerwall 58B ofthe chute 56 so that the coin completes circuits sequentially between the brushes 60 and the contact 62. A hinged flap 64 moves to the leftwhen the device is upturned to prevent coins in the container 29 returning to the chute 56. The spacing ofthe brushes 60 from the contact 62 is arranged such that coins of a diameter considerably less than the diameter ofthe coin for which the device is intended do not touch the brushes 60.The chute 56 has a second exit 64 adja centtheaperture 18 comprising aslotdefined byan insert 66, the width ofthe slot being less than the thickness ofthe coin to be used, so that substantially thinner coins drop into the container 29 through slot 54 without touching the brushes 60.

The electronic circuitry of the device is contained in a printed circuit board 68 (Figure 7 and Figure 8) secured to the display face 12 and parallel thereto.

Larger components on the board are mounted towards the lower edge of the board where greaterspace is available, and a digital display unit 70 is mounted in registry with the aperture 14 in the display face 12.

Switches 72 (Figure 8) are mounted on the printed circuit board 68 to allow alteration of the timed period overwhich the appliance is connected to the power source for each coin inserted. These switches 72 are arranged to be accessible through a slot 74 (Figure 8 and Figure 6) in the internal wall 42 ofthe device when the coin container 29 is removed. Con nections between the power source (normallythe a.c. mains), the appliance and the electronic circuitry are made by means of cables passing through the cable supports or grommets 26 (Figures 5,8 and 9), while connections to a portable data processing unit are made via the socket 50 (Figure 9).

The main component on the printed circuit board 68 is a large scale integrated (LSI) circuit (not shown) which embodies digital circuits for counting inserted coins, storing andallowedtimecorrespondingtothe number of coins inserted, and for sensing the current drawn by the appliance.

By combining these functions in a single integrated circuit, the device can be sophisticated in its function yet relatively small in size.

Claims

1. A coin operated device for controlling the app- lication of an electrical currentto a load, comprising a casing, electronic circuitryfor controlling the switching device arranged to be coupled to an electrical power source and to the load, a coin aperture in an upper part ofthe casing, a coin receptacle in a lower part ofthe casing for collecting coins inserted through the coin aperture, and means coupled to the electronic circuitry for sensing the passage of a coin from the coin aperture to the coin receptacle.

2. A device according to claim 1,including an inclined coin chutefordirecting a coin inserted through the coin aperture to the coin receptacle.

3. A device according to claim 1 or claim 2, inthe form of a clock having a display face, the coin aperture being positioned so asto be normally hidden from view when the device is viewed in the direction of the display face.

4. A device according to claim 2 or claim 3 wherein the coin aperture is formed in the rearwall ofthecasing.

5. Adevice accordingto anyof claims2to4, wherein the coin receptacle is a removable container retained in the lower part of the casing by a clock.

6. A device according to claim 5, wherein the con taineris generally cylindrical.

7. A device according to any of claims 2 to 6, wherein the coin aperture and chute are arranged such thatthe coin rollsfrom the aperture and along the chute in an upright plane extending generally laterally ofthe device and located in a rear portion of the device.

8. A device according to claim 7, wherein the de- vice is in the form of a clock having a forwardly directed display face, an upright printed circuit board mounted behind the display face, an upper rearwall portion containing the coin apertgure and coin chute, a lower rear wall portion covering an internally and transversely located coin container which is removable transversely from a side wall ofthecas- ing.

9. A device according to any of claims 2 to 8, having meansforcoupling a portableelectronicdata processing unit to the electronic circuitry.

10. A device according to claim 9,whereinthe coin receptacle is removable from the casing and has a cover portion arranged such that it covers the coupling means when the coin receptacle is in its normal position inside the casing.

11. A device according to any preceding claim, wherein the coin receptacle is removable and the device includes an electrical contact or contacts for sensing the removal of the coin receptacle from the device.

12. Acoin operated device constructed and arranged substantially as herein described and shown in the drawings.