GB2342751A - Coin dispenser - Google Patents

Abstract

A base 24 for a coin dispenser (20 fig.2) has a aperture 60 through which coins from at least one coin store (12,14,16,18 fig.1) can be dispensed and a ramp 64 for transporting a coin between a coin store and the aperture, the ramp may be convexly curved in either one horizontal axis or two mutually perpendicular horizontal axes, or may be concavely curved or otherwise shaped. The base may form part of a coin mechanism comprising a plurality of coin stores (12,14,16,18 fig.1) and a coin dispenser assembly (20 fig.2), wherein said coin dispenser comprises means for removing a coin from a coin store and transferring it either to the aperture or the ramp, said removal and transferring means comprising at least one rotatably actuated dispenser arm (26,28,30,32 fig.3) which may be pivotally mounted on a rotatable mount (34,36,38,40 fig.3), each arm having a head part (42,44,46,48 fig.3) running in a channel (50,52,54,56 fig.3) formed by parallel facing walls, said head part disposed for removing the first coin from the bottom of a store. Each dispenser arm may be rotated in either a clockwise or anticlockwise direction.

Description

Coin dispenser The present invention relates to a coin dispenser, and especially to a base for a coin dispenser.

Coin dispensers are commonly used in the coin mechanisms of coinoperated devices such as vending machines or gaming machines, for removing appropriate coins stored within the coin mechanism to be dispensed as change or winnings. An example of a coin dispenser is described in EP-A-0 118 233.

In a known example of a coin mechanism, four tubular coin stores, each for storing coins of a respective denomination, are arranged above a coin dispenser. The coin dispenser includes four dispenser arms, each for dragging a coin from the bottom of the coin stack in a respective coin store when it is needed for dispensing. Underneath the coin dispenser are a coin return tray, and a cashbox, side-by-side. The base of the dispenser has an aperture above the coin return tray through which coins removed from the stores by the dispenser arms fall towards the coin return tray. For three of the dispenser arms, the movement of the arms moves the coins removed from the stacks directly to the aperture. The part of the base above the cashbox, which is underneath the fourth coin store, is in the form of a flat floor area and a ramp.

The fourth dispenser arm moves the removed coin to the floor area where an arm associated with the dispenser arm, known as a"scavenge"arm, pushes the coin down the ramp towards the aperture. The floor area has a grid or "waffle"form, for absorbing momentum of the coin, so that it settles before being contacted by the scavenge arm, and the surface of the ramp is formed of several parallel ridges extending along the ramp in the direction of travel of the coin, where the tops of the ridges lie in a plane.

A disadvantage of the base described above is that it requires two mechanical parts, the dispenser arm and the scavenge arm, to transfer a coin from the fourth coin store, which is relatively complicated and expensive.

Also, coins do not always settle sufficiently on the floor area before being contacted by the scavenge arm, which can lead to jams.

The present invention provides a base for a coin dispenser, the base having an aperture through which coins from at least one coin store can be dispensed, and comprising a ramp for transporting a coin between a coin store and the aperture, wherein the ramp is curved with respect to the plane of the coin.

The invention also provides a coin dispenser comprising a base as described above.

The invention also provides a coin mechanism comprising a coin dispenser as described above and a plurality of coin stores, wherein for each coin store, the coin dispenser comprises means for removing a coin from the coin store and transferring it either to the aperture or the ramp.

An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which: Fig. 1 is a simplified perspective view of a coin mechanism; Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the coin dispenser assembly of the coin mechanism of Fig. 1 ; Fig. 3 is a plan diagram illustrating the mounting of the dispenser arms within the coin dispenser assembly; Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the baseplate of the coin dispenser assembly of Fig. 2; Fig. 5 is a vertical cross-section taken along the width of the baseplate shown in Fig. 4.

Fig. 1 shows a coin mechanism, indicated generally by the reference number 1, in simplified form. The coin mechanism includes a coin inlet 2, a coin validator 4 for testing the validity and denomination of inserted coins, and a coin separating section 6 for routing valid coins. Coin validators and coin separators are well known in the art and so will not be described here in more detail. Examples of coin validators and coin separators are described, for example, in GB-A-2 093 620, GB-A-2 253 933, GB-A-2 238 152, and GB-A-2 137 793, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

A coin storage section 8 is arranged below the coin separating section.

The coin storage section 8 is as described in GB-A-2 246 897, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Briefly, the coin storage section 8 includes four coin storage tubes 12,14,16,18, each for storing coins of a respective denomination in a vertical stack. The coin dispensing assembly 20, for dispensing coins from the coin tubes 12,14,16,18 when required for change, is arranged below the coin storage section 8. The coin dispensing assembly 20 is described in more detail below.

A cashbox 19 for storing coins and a coin return tray 21 much further down for supplying coins dispensed as change from the coin storage section 8 to a customer are arranged below the coin mechanism 1.

In use, a coin is inserted into the coin inlet 2, and it travels to the coin validator 4, where tests are carried out to determine the validity and the denomination of the coin. If the coin is invalid, it is directed to a reject path (not shown). If the coin is valid, then it passes from the coin validator 4 to a coin separator 6, which directs the coin according to its denomination to the appropriate one of the four coin tubes 12,14,16,18, or to the cashbox 19, where it is stored. The operation of the coin mechanism 1 is controlled by a microprocessor (not shown).

The coin dispensing assembly 20 and its constituent parts are shown in more detail in Figs. 2 to 5. The coin dispensing assembly 20 includes a frame 22, a base in the form of a baseplate 24, and four dispenser arms 26,28,30, 32. Each dispenser arm 26,28,30,32 is associated with a respective coin store 12,14,16,18 and serves to remove a coin from the bottom of the coin stack in the store and to transfer it, when required, to a payout aperture 60 in the baseplate 24, described in more detail below. Each dispenser arm 26,28, 30,32 is pivotably mounted at one end on a rotatable mount 34,36,38,40, as shown in Fig. 3, and has a head 42,44,46,48 at the other end. Each pivotable mount 34,36,38,40 is attached to the frame 22 at points 35,37,39, 41 in such a manner that it depends from the frame 22. With reference to Fig.

3, as the mounts 34,36,38,40 are rotated around the points 35,37,39,41, the dispenser arms 26,28,30,32 pass underneath the points 35,37,39,41. As shown in Fig. 3, the head 42,44,46,48 of each arm is constrained to move in a linear path, by pairs of parallel facing walls 50,52,54,56 in the frame 22 of the coin dispenser assembly 20. The rotation of the rotatable mounts 34,36, 38,40, and hence the movement of the dispenser arms 26,28,30,32, is controlled by means of a gear assembly. Further details of the coin dispensing assembly and a suitable gear assembly can be found in EP 0 678 207 A, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

Figs. 4 and 5 show the baseplate 24 removed from the coin dispensing assembly 20. The baseplate 24 is made of moulded plastics material. The baseplate 24 has a surround 58, including four projections 66 for attaching the baseplate 24 to the frame 22 of the dispensing assembly 20. In the middle of the baseplate 24, there is an aperture 60, through which coins removed from the coin stores pass to the coin return tray 21. At one end of the baseplate 24, there is a flat, raised floor area 62 which leads to a ramp 64 leading to the aperture 60. The ramp 64 is convexly curved with respect to a horizontal axis extending along the width of the baseplate, as shown in Fig. 5.

In the rest position, the head 42,44,46,48 of each dispenser arm 26, 28,30,32 is at the outer point of the linear path, and is in contact with the outer rim of the bottom coin in the stack in the respective coin store. When a coin is required for change, the microprocessor causes the appropriate rotatable mount 34,36,38,40 to rotate which in turn causes the corresponding dispenser arm 26,28,30,32 to move in a linear direction towards the centre of the baseplate, as can be understood from Fig. 3. The mounts 34,40 for the dispenser arms 26,32 to the far left and the far right, as shown in the drawings, rotate in a counterclockwise direction when viewed from above, whereas the mounts 36,38 for the centre two dispenser arms 28, 30, rotate in a clockwise direction, as viewed from above. The head 42,44, 46,48 of the dispenser arm 26,28,30,32 remains in contact with the coin and, as a result of the movement, drags the coin from the bottom of the stack.

For three of the dispenser arms 26,28,30, shown on the left in the drawings, the coin is dragged until it is over the aperture 60 in the baseplate 24, through which it falls into the coin return tray 21. Then, following the movement of the rotatable mount 34,36,38, the dispenser arm 26,28,30 returns along the linear path to the rest position. The fourth dispenser arm 32, shown on the right hand side in the drawings, drags coins from the fourth coin tube 18 to the regions of the raised floor 62 and the curved ramp 64 of the baseplate, to a point where the centre of gravity of the coin is above the ramp 64. Because of the position and momentum of the coin, it slides down the ramp 64 to and through the aperture 60 and then to the coin return tray 21. The curve of the ramp 64 means that the coin is usually in contact with the ramp essentially along a line, which reduces the friction between the coin and the ramp 64.

Rotating the centre mounts 36,38 in a clockwise direction causes the corresponding dispenser arms 28,30 to move behind the coins removed from the coin stores, so that they do not interfere with the travel of the coin to the aperture and provide extra space. Similarly, the leftmost mount 34 is rotated in a counterclockwise direction to move the coin to the aperture from behind.

Although by the same principle, the mount 40 for the fourth dispenser arm 32 should be moved in a clockwise direction, it is preferred to move it in a counterclockwise direction, because the movement of the arm in its return to the rest position can contact the removed coin and supply extra force to push the coin down the ramp 64. In alternative embodiments, each dispenser arm can be rotated in either a clockwise or a counterclockwise direction.

Variations on the apparatus described also are possible. For example, other shapes for the ramp may be used. The ramp may also be convexly curved with respect to a second horizontal axis perpendicular to the first horizontal axis. The ramp may instead be concavely curved. In the gear assembly, a sprag clutch may be used to eliminate lost motion.

Claims (15)

Claims

1. A base for a coin dispenser, the base having an aperture through which coins from at least one coin store can be dispensed and comprising a ramp for transporting a coin between a coin store and the aperture, wherein the ramp is curved with respect to the plane of the coin.

2. A base as claimed in claim 1 wherein the ramp is curved with respect to first and second perpendicular axes within the plane.

3. A base as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the surface of the ramp is smooth.

4. A coin dispenser comprising a base as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3.

5. A coin mechanism comprising a coin dispenser as claimed in claim 4 and a plurality of coin stores, wherein for each coin store, the coin dispenser comprises means for removing a coin from the coin store and transferring it either to the aperture or the ramp.

6. A coin dispenser comprising at least two dispenser arms and means for rotating at least one dispenser arm in a first direction and at least one dispenser arm in a second, opposite, direction.

7. A coin dispenser as claimed in claim 6 comprising at least three dispenser arms arranged in a row, in which the outer dispenser arms are rotatable in the first direction and the inner dispenser arm (s) are rotatable in the second direction.

8. A coin dispenser as claimed in claim 6 or claim 7 wherein the first direction is counterclockwise, viewed from above.

9. A coin dispenser as claimed in any one of claims 6 to 8 wherein each dispenser arm is pivotably mounted on a rotatable mount.

10. A coin mechanism having a coin dispenser comprising at least two dispensing arms and means for rotating at least one dispensing arm in a first direction to dispense a coin and for rotating at least one dispensing arm in a second, opposite, direction to dispense a coin.

11. A coin mechanism as claimed in claim 10 wherein the coin dispenser comprises at least three dispenser arms arranged in a row, and the outer dispenser arms are rotated in the first direction and the inner dispenser arm (s) are rotated in the second direction, in use.

12. A coin mechanism as claimed in claim 10 or claim 11 wherein the first direction is counterclockwise, viewed from above.

13. A coin dispenser as claimed in any one of claims 6 to 8 wherein each dispenser arm is pivotably mounted on a rotatable mount.

14. A coin dispenser comprising at least one dispensing arm and means for rotating said arm in a clockwise direction, viewed from above.

15. A base for a coin dispenser substantially as hereinbefore described and as shown in the accompanying drawings.