HK1237108B - Coin payout device - Google Patents

Description

Coin dispensing device

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a coin dispensing device, which is installed in a coin processing device in a vending machine, an exchange machine, an automatic ticket refunding machine, an automatic ticket vending machine, a service instrument, etc. (hereinafter referred to as "vending machine, etc."), and dispensing coins collected according to the currency type according to the amount of change, etc.

Background Art

Currently, vending machines and other devices are equipped with a coin handling device that determines the authenticity of inserted coins, sorts and stores genuine coins by denomination, and then pays out coins based on the amount of change, etc. The coin handling device consists of a coin sorting device that determines the authenticity of inserted coins and sorts them by denomination, and a coin dispensing device that stores the coins sorted by the coin sorting device by denomination and selects coins from the device that are appropriate for the amount of change, etc. (e.g., Patent Document 1).

The structure of a conventional coin dispensing device is described using Figures 13 and 14. Figure 13 is an oblique view showing the structure of a conventional coin dispensing device. Figure 13 shows a waiting state where coins have not yet been dispensed, and the coin container (coin tube) 106 in Figure 14 is omitted. Figure 14 is a cross-sectional view of the main parts illustrating the sequence of the conventional coin dispensing device. Figure 14(a) shows the waiting state, Figure 14(b) shows the state where coins are being dispensing in the dispensing state, and Figure 14(c) shows the state where coins are being dispensing in the dispensing state. Furthermore, the dispensing state here refers to a state where, as shown in Figures 14(b) and 14(c), the coin holding hole M of the dispensing slider 108, described later, moves to a position separated from the upper portion of the coin base 107 during the reciprocating motion.

As shown in Figure 13 , a conventional coin dispensing device 103 comprises: a drive unit (not shown), such as a motor; a dispensing cam 110, which rotates one rotation in one direction (arrow A) per dispensing operation using the driving force of the drive unit; a dispensing link 109 having a groove 109a that engages with a pin 110a protruding from the bottom surface of the dispensing cam 110. Each rotation of the dispensing cam 110 causes the dispensing link 109 to reciprocate from its initial position in the direction of arrow B in the figure; and a dispensing slider 108, which reciprocates in the direction of arrow B in conjunction with the reciprocating motion of the dispensing link 109. Furthermore, the dispensing slider 108 has coin holding holes M formed corresponding to the plurality of coin containers 106 (coin storage sections). These coin holding holes M hold the coin stored at the bottom of each coin container 106. Furthermore, a coin holder 107 is disposed below the dispensing slider 108 to hold the bottom surface of a coin in a waiting state (see Figure 14(a)).

Meanwhile, multiple change slides 111 are freely insertable and removable into the dispensing link 109, corresponding to the types of coin containers 106. The front ends of the change slides 111 are located below the coin holding holes M of the dispensing slide 108, switching between dispensing and non-dispensing coins received one by one in the coin holding holes M. The change slides 111 move in conjunction with the dispensing link 109. However, if the movement of the change slides 111 is restricted, the change slides 111 will not move in conjunction with the dispensing link 109.

At the rear end of each change slider 111, a change rod 112 is arranged in a manner that allows it to abut against the rear end of the change slider 111. The change rod 112 is mounted on the front end of the plunger of the solenoid 113 used for the change rod. The plunger of the solenoid 113 is pre-tightened in the protruding direction by a return spring. When the solenoid 113 is energized, the plunger is attracted in the opposite direction of the protruding direction. If the solenoid 113 is de-energized, the plunger returns to its original position due to the pre-tightening achieved by the return spring. When the solenoid 113 is de-energized, the pre-tightening force of the return spring causes the change rod 112 to be in a downward position to prevent disbursement. The change rod 112 engages with the rear end of the change slider 111 to limit the movement of the change slider 111. When the solenoid 113 is energized, the change rod 112 moves upward to a position that allows disbursement. As a result, the engagement with the rear end of the change slider 111 is released, and the movement of the change slider 111 is not restricted. The mechanism composed of the change slider 111, the change lever 112 and the solenoid 113 is set to correspond to each coin holding hole M one by one and operates independently.

When the rear end of the change slider 111 is not in contact with the change rod 112 corresponding to the change slider 111, as shown in FIG14(b), the change slider 111 moves back and forth in conjunction with the reciprocating movement of the disbursement link 109 and the disbursement slider 108, so that the lower portion of the corresponding coin holding hole M is opened. On the other hand, when the rear end of the change slider 111 is in contact with the change rod 112 corresponding to the change slider 111, as shown in FIG14(c), the change slider 111 does not move in conjunction with the reciprocating movement of the disbursement link 109 and the disbursement slider 108, but maintains the position in the waiting state (see FIG14(a)).

According to this structure, the existing coin dispensing device 103 operates as follows. First, the operation of the change slider 111 and the change rod 112 will be described. Only the solenoid 113 corresponding to the coin holding hole M of the dispensing coin is energized to move the change rod 112 upward (switching action). As a result, the contact between the change rod 112 and the change slider 111 is released, and the change slider 111 corresponding to the coin holding hole M of the dispensing coin, which is linked to the reciprocating movement of the dispensing slider 108, can move back and forth. On the other hand, the solenoid 113 corresponding to the coin receiving hole of the undispensed coin is not energized. Therefore, the engagement between the change slider 112 and the change slider 111 is not released, and the movement of the change slider 111 corresponding to the coin holding hole M of the undispensed coin is restricted.

Next, the operation of the dispensing link 109 and the dispensing slider 108 will be described. When the dispensing cam 110 rotates one revolution in the direction of arrow A, driven by a drive unit such as a motor (not shown), the dispensing link 109 and the dispensing slider 108 reciprocate in the direction of arrow B. Here, the coins received in the coin holding holes M of the dispensing slider 108 also slide along with the dispensing slider 108.

At this time, as shown in Figure 14(b), when a coin is being disbursed, the change lever 112 corresponding to the disbursed coin moves to a position where it is not in contact with the change slider 111. Consequently, the change slider 111 slides rearward in conjunction with the movement of the disbursement link 109 and the disbursement slider 108, thereby opening the lower portion of the coin holding hole M. In this case, the coin held in the coin holding hole M loses support from below and falls, being disbursed. On the other hand, as shown in Figure 14(c), when no coin is being disbursed, the change lever 112 corresponding to the undisbursed coin moves to a position where it is in contact with the change slider 111. Consequently, the change slider 111 moves independently of the movement of the disbursement link 109 and the disbursement slider 108, supporting the lower portion of the coin holding hole M. In this case, the coin held in the coin holding hole M is supported from below by the change slider 111, preventing it from falling and being disbursed.

If a coin dispensing device is configured as described above, with multiple coin containers 106 and a dispensing slider 108 below each coin container 106, the dispensing slider 108 having coin holding holes M for multiple denominations, then in principle, a single reciprocating motion of the dispensing slider 108 can simultaneously dispense coins of multiple denominations. Specifically, in the example of FIG13 , the dispensing slider 108 has five coin holding holes M, and a total of five coin containers 106 are provided corresponding to the coin holding holes M. Therefore, to selectively dispense coins from multiple coin containers 106, the dispensing slider 108 is commonly driven by a single drive unit (a drive unit associated with the dispensing cam 110), while a change slider 111 is provided separately for each coin container 106 and is individually controlled by a change lever 112, thereby selecting the coin container 106 (denomination) to be used for dispensing coins. Furthermore, there is also known a coin dispensing device configured such that, when dispensing coins of five denominations simultaneously using five coin containers 106, the dispensing state is mechanically maintained to compensate for power shortage, thereby enabling the dispensing of coins of a greater denomination.

Furthermore, the thickness of the coin holding hole M formed in the dispensing slider 108 is generally set to the thickness of a single coin of a particular denomination. However, this means that coins of each denomination can only be dispensed one at a time. In view of this, a coin dispensing device is also known in which the thickness of the coin holding hole M of the dispensing slider 108 corresponding to a desired denomination (coin container 106) is set to the thickness of two coins of that denomination, thereby enabling simultaneous dispensing of two coins of only that desired denomination.

However, in a configuration where the thickness of the coin holding hole 24 corresponding to the desired coin type (coin container 106) is set to the thickness of two coins of that coin type, the configuration becomes dedicated to dispensing two coins, and only two coins can be selected. Therefore, in order to selectively dispense one coin or two coins at a time for a desired coin type, a coin container 106 dedicated to dispensing one coin and a coin container 106 dedicated to dispensing two coins are required for that coin type.

Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2011-237990

Summary of the Invention

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a coin dispensing device capable of selecting the number of coins to be dispensed at one time from one coin storage portion (coin container).

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the coin dispensing device of the present invention comprises: a coin storage portion (6) configured to accumulate coins and having a slit (S) for dispensing coins at its lower end; a first dispensing sliding member (8A) for dispensing the lowest coin in the coin storage portion; a second dispensing sliding member (8B) for dispensing at least one coin above the lowest coin in the coin storage portion; and a selection mechanism (12, 13) for selecting whether to operate the first dispensing sliding member (8A) alone or to operate the first and second dispensing sliding members (8A, 8B) together, wherein one coin is dispensed by operating the first dispensing sliding member (8A) alone and at least two coins are dispensed by operating the first and second dispensing sliding members (8A, 8B) together. In addition, as an example of the present invention, the reference numerals in parentheses represent the reference numerals of corresponding structural elements in the embodiment described below.

In this way, the first and second disbursement sliding parts (8A, 8B) are arranged in an overlapping manner, and by selecting to make the first disbursement sliding part (8A) move alone or to make the first and second disbursement sliding parts (8A, 8B) move together, one coin or at least two coins can be disbursed at a time from one coin storage portion through one disbursement action.

In one embodiment, the selection mechanism includes a selectively displaceable limiting operating member (12, 13), which can be configured such that when dispensing the one coin, the limiting operating member is located at a first position that limits the movement of the second dispensing slide member (8B), and when dispensing the at least two coins, the limiting operating member is located at a second position that does not limit the movement of the second dispensing slide member (8B). In addition, the selection mechanism can also include: a driving device (9, 10) that drives the first dispensing slide member (8A) to dispensing coins; and a first locking portion (8A1, 8B1) that locks the second dispensing slide member (8B) to the first dispensing slide member (8A). Thus, by simply driving the first dispensing slide member (8A) using the driving device (9, 10), the second dispensing slide member (8B) can be selectively driven to follow the position of the limiting operating member (12, 13), thereby effectively driving the first and second dispensing slide members (8A, 8B).

In one embodiment, it can also have: a first expenditure limiting component (11A), which is adjacent to the coin expenditure direction of the first expenditure sliding component (8A) and limits the coin expenditure by the first expenditure sliding component (8A); and a second expenditure limiting component (11B), which is adjacent to the coin expenditure direction of the second expenditure sliding component (8B) and limits the coin expenditure by the second expenditure sliding component (8B). When the limiting operation components (12, 13) are in the first position, they do not limit the movement of the first expenditure limiting component, but limit the movement of the second expenditure limiting component, thereby making the second expenditure sliding component not move, and when they are in the second position, they do not limit the movement of the first and second expenditure limiting components, thereby enabling both the first and second expenditure sliding components to move, and the limiting operation components are also configured to be in the third position that limits the movement of both the first and second expenditure limiting components when no coins are being disbursed. In addition, the invention can also include a second locking portion (9c1, 11A1, 9d1, 11B1) that locks the first and second expenditure limiting components (11A, 11B) to the driving devices (9, 10), respectively. When the movement of the first and/or second expenditure limiting components (11A, 11B) is restricted according to the position of the limiting operation components (12, 13), the first and/or second expenditure limiting components are released from the locking of the second locking portion (9c1, 11A1, 9d1, 11B1) as the driving devices (9, 10) are driven, so that the first and/or second expenditure limiting sliding components do not move. Thus, the first and second expenditure limiting components (11A, 11B) can also be driven by the driving devices (9, 10), and the first and second expenditure limiting components (11A, 11B) can be effectively driven.

Furthermore, a movement-blocking member (15) may be provided to control the position of the limiting operating member (12). The movement-blocking member (15) may be operated earlier than the limiting operating member (12) to block the upward movement of the limiting operating member (12) when one coin (C) is dispensed, and may be operated later than the limiting operating member (12) to block the downward movement of the limiting operating member (12) when at least two coins (C) are dispensed. In this way, the position of the limiting operating member (12) can be determined in stages simply by determining whether to operate the limiting operating member (12) or the movement-blocking member (15) first.

In addition, in the above-mentioned coin dispensing device (3), it can be formed in the following manner, that is, the first dispensing restriction component (11A) supports the lower part of the coin during the coin dispensing action, thereby restricting the dispensing of the coin (C1) from the first dispensing sliding component (8A), and the second dispensing restriction component (11B) restricts the movement of the second dispensing sliding component (8B) during the coin dispensing action, thereby restricting the dispensing of the coin (C2) from the second dispensing sliding component (8B). In this way, the restriction method for the first change sliding member (11A) and the second change sliding member (11B) is changed, wherein the first change sliding member (11A) ) limits the disbursement of the bottom coin (C1), and the second change slider (11B) limits the disbursement of at least one coin (C2) just above the bottom. A simple restriction method is used in which only the first change slider (11A) is used to support the bottom of the coin, and the second change slider (11B) is used to limit the movement of the second disbursement slider (8B). Thus, no space is required between the first change slider (11A) and the second change slider (11B), and between the first disbursement slider (8A) and the second disbursement slider (8B). Thus, a compact structure can be achieved.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG1 is a schematic diagram of a coin processing apparatus including a coin dispensing apparatus.

FIG2 is a perspective view of the coin dispensing device.

FIG3 is a top view (plan view) of the coin dispensing device.

FIG4 is a rear view of the coin dispensing device.

FIG5 is a diagram showing a cross section taken along the line A-A in FIG4.

FIG6 is a diagram showing a waiting state of the coin dispensing device, FIG6(a) is a perspective view of the selective dispensing portion, and FIG6(b) is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A of FIG4.

7 is an enlarged perspective view showing a locking structure of a change slider and a disbursement link of a selective disbursement portion.

FIG8 is a diagram showing the positioning of the change lever by the holding lever, FIG8(a) is a diagram showing a waiting state, and FIG8(b) is a diagram showing a non-disbursement state.

FIG9 is a diagram showing the positioning of the change lever by the holding lever, FIG9(a) is a diagram showing a state where one coin is paid out, and FIG9(b) is a diagram showing a state where two coins are paid out.

Fig. 10 is a diagram showing a non-dispensing state of the coin dispensing device, Fig. 10(a) is a perspective view of the selective dispensing portion, and Fig. 10(b) is a B-B sectional view of Fig. 8(b).

Figure 11 is a diagram showing the state of the coin dispensing device dispensing one coin, Figure 11(a) is an oblique view of the selective dispensing portion, and Figure 11(b) is a C-C sectional view of Figure 9(a).

Figure 12 is a diagram showing the state of the coin dispensing device dispensing two coins, Figure 12(a) is an oblique view of the selective dispensing portion, and Figure 12(b) is a D-D sectional view of Figure 9(b).

FIG13 is a perspective view showing the structure of a conventional coin dispensing device.

Figure 14 is a cross-sectional view of the main parts illustrating the order of the existing coin dispensing device, Figure 14(a) is a diagram showing the waiting state, Figure 14(b) is a diagram showing the state of dispensing coins in the dispensing state, and Figure 14(c) is a diagram showing the state of preventing the dispensing of coins in the dispensing state.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG1 is a schematic diagram of a coin processing device having a coin dispensing device. As shown in FIG1 , a coin processing device 1 for storing and dispensing coins is installed inside an automatic vending machine or the like. The coin processing device 1 is composed of a coin screening device 2 and a coin dispensing device 3. The coin screening device 2 is composed of the following components: a coin identification unit 2A, which determines the authenticity of inserted coins; and a coin sorting unit 2B, which screens and stores inserted coins that are considered to be authentic according to the denomination. In addition, the coin dispensing device 3 selects and pays out coins C corresponding to the amount of change, etc. from the coins stored according to the denomination. The coin dispensing device 3 is provided with coin containers 6 (coin storage units) that are different according to the denomination.

The coin dispensing device 3 of this embodiment has five coin receptacles 6, thus being able to handle coins of five denominations. In the illustrated configuration of this embodiment, of the coin dispensing sections corresponding to the five coin receptacles 6, the selective dispensing section X, which can selectively dispense one or at least two coins at a time according to the present invention, is configured to correspond to only one coin receptacle 6 (the one closest to the front in FIG2 ). The dispensing sections corresponding to the remaining four coin receptacles 6 (the four dispensing sections on the rear side in FIG2 ) are configured as standard dispensing sections capable of dispensing only one coin at a time.

Next, the overall coin dispensing device 3 of the present embodiment will be briefly described using Figures 2 to 5. Figure 2 is an oblique view of the coin dispensing device 3. Figure 3 is a top view (plan view) of the coin dispensing device 3. Figure 4 is a rear view of the coin dispensing device 3, and Figure 5 is a diagram showing a cross-section taken along the A-A line of Figure 4. In Figures 2 to 4, the coin container 6 for storing the coins C and the dispensing cam 10 for actuating the dispensing link 9 are omitted for the purpose of illustrating the main structure. As shown in Figure 5, a slit S is provided in the coin container 6, which is used to load and store coins and at the lower end of which a dispensing slider 8 for dispensing coins can be inserted and removed. In addition, the operation of the dispensing cam 10 is the same as that of the dispensing cam 110 (refer to Figure 13) of the above-mentioned prior art.

In addition to the coin container 6 and the disbursement cam 10, as shown in Figures 2 to 5, the coin disbursement device 3 also has: a coin support 7 (coin support part), which is arranged below the coin container 6 to support the coins stored in the coin container 6; a disbursement slide 8 (including a first disbursement slide 8A and a second disbursement slide 8B), which is a disbursement sliding component having a coin holding hole M corresponding to the shape of the surroundings of the coins stored in the coin container 6 and the thickness of the coins, and is used to disburse the coins from the coin container 6 from the slit S; a disbursement link 9, which is engaged with the disbursement slide 8 and is used to pull the disbursement slide 8 in the direction of disbursing coins when the coins are disbursed; a change slide 11 (including a first change slide 11A and a second change slide 11B), which is a disbursement restriction component arranged adjacent to the coin disbursement direction of the disbursement slide 8 and restricts the disbursement of coins from the disbursement slide 8; and a change rod 12 (restriction operation component), which abuts against the change slide 11 and can operate its movement. Here, the disbursement link 9 engages with the disbursement cam 10 using the engagement groove 9a, and engages with the disbursement slide 8 (particularly the sliding plate provided with the first disbursement slide 8A on the lower side) using the engagement protrusion 9b (see Figures 2 and 3). Furthermore, the change slide 11 is slidably inserted into the sliding hole 9c formed in the disbursement link 9 (see Figure 4). The disbursement link 9, the disbursement cam 10, and the disbursement cam operating motor (not shown) function as a drive device that drives the first disbursement slide 8A (the first disbursement slide component) to disburse coins.

Each change lever 12 is moved by energizing the solenoid 13. The change lever 12 is mounted on the front end of the plunger of the solenoid 13 used for the change lever. A return spring preloads the plunger of the solenoid 13 in a protruding direction. Energizing the solenoid 13 draws the plunger in the opposite direction of the protruding direction. When the solenoid 13 is de-energized, the return spring preloads the plunger back to its original position. When the solenoid 13 is de-energized, the return spring preloads the plunger to its original position. When the solenoid 13 is de-energized, the return spring preloads the change lever 12 to a downward position preventing disbursement. The change lever 12 engages with the rear end of the change slider 11, restricting its movement. When the solenoid 13 is energized again, the change lever 12 moves upward to a position allowing disbursement. As a result, the engagement with the rear end of the change slider 11 is released, unrestricting its movement. The mechanism consisting of the change slider 11, the change lever 12, and the solenoid 13 is configured to correspond to each coin holding hole M and to operate independently. The solenoid 13 for the change lever is integrally held in the solenoid housing together with the solenoid 14 for the holding lever 15 described later.

A retaining rod 15 (a movement-preventing component) is provided on the back of the coin dispensing device 3. This retaining rod 15 maintains the state of the change rod 12 by mechanically preventing the movement of each change rod 12. Specifically, as shown in FIG4 , the retaining rod 15 comprises: a retaining rod 15; a connecting rod component 16 that engages with the retaining rod 15 to be operated; and a solenoid 14 for the retaining rod, which is used to drive the connecting rod component 16 to operate the retaining rod 15. The retaining rod 15 has a plurality of comb-tooth-shaped preventing bodies 15a (including a preventing body 15aX, which is a characteristic feature of this embodiment). These preventing bodies 15a can engage with the retaining protrusions 12a formed on each change rod 12 to prevent the movement of the retaining protrusions 12a. In addition, the upper end of the preventing body 15aX of the retaining rod 15 of the selective dispensing unit X is configured to be located at a higher position than the other preventing bodies 15a, and is configured so that not only the upper portion of the preventing body 15aX is flat, but also the lower portion thereof is flat.

According to this structure, when the solenoid 14 for the retaining lever is energized, the connecting rod member 16 rotates in the direction of the arrow, and the retaining lever 15 engaged with the connecting rod member 16 moves to the left in the figure. When the retaining lever 15 moves to the left in the figure, the blocking member 15a of the retaining lever 15 reaches a position above or below each retaining protrusion 12a, restricting the vertical movement of the retaining protrusion 12a. As a result, the retaining lever 15 mechanically blocks or retains the vertical movement of the change lever 12.

According to the above structure, when the coin dispensing device 3 is activated, the solenoid 13 for the change lever and the solenoid 14 for the retaining lever are first activated in the order described below, thereby adjusting the height of the change lever 12. Then, when the dispensing cam 10 is rotated, the dispensing link 9, which engages with the dispensing cam 10 via the engagement groove 9a, pulls out the dispensing slide 8 (particularly the slide plate provided with the first dispensing slide 8A) and moves it rearward (toward the change lever 12). At this time, if the change lever 12 is used to restrict the rearward movement of the change slide 11, the change slide 11 stays in the initial position, thereby preventing the coins held in the coin retaining hole M of the dispensing slide 8 from falling. On the other hand, if the change rod 12 is not used to restrict the movement of the change slide 11 backward, the change slide 11 moves backward from the initial position, so the change slide 11 is not prevented from stopping the coin held in the coin holding hole M of the disbursement slide 8 from falling, and the coin falls and is disbursed.

Next, the selective disbursement unit X, which is a characteristic part of the present embodiment and can select the number of coins for disbursement, is described in detail. The selective disbursement unit X can selectively switch between multiple states, such as a no-disbursement state in which no coins are disbursed, a state in which only one coin is disbursed, and a state in which two coins are disbursed at the same time. First, the detailed structure of the selective disbursement unit X is described using Figure 6. Figure 6 is a diagram showing the waiting state of the coin disbursement device, Figure 6(a) is an oblique view of the selective disbursement unit, and Figure 6(b) is an A-A sectional view of Figure 4. In addition, Figure 6(b) shows the schematic structure of the coin container 6 and the disbursement cam 10 that are omitted in Figures 2 to 4. The disbursement cam 10 engages with the engaging groove 9a of the disbursement link 9 at the pin 10a protruding from the lower surface.

The dispensing slider 8 of the selective dispensing unit X includes a first dispensing slider 8A for dispensing the bottommost coin C1 from the coin container 6, and a second dispensing slider 8B for dispensing a single coin C2 located directly above the bottommost coin C1. Furthermore, the first dispensing slider 8A is provided on a common sliding plate for all coin containers 6. Specifically, a coin retaining hole M corresponding to the denomination of each coin container 6 is provided on the common sliding plate for all coin containers 6. The portion of the selective dispensing unit X that forms the coin retaining hole M for each denomination functions as the first dispensing slider 8A. The second dispensing slider 8B is provided only in the selective dispensing unit X. In this second dispensing slider 8B, the coin retaining hole M for each denomination of the coin container 6 in the selective dispensing unit X is configured to have a thickness sufficient to dispense a single coin of that denomination. Furthermore, as described later, as a modified example, the second dispensing slider 8B is not limited to dispensing a single coin C2, and can also be configured to simultaneously dispense a plurality of coins C2. The first dispensing slider 8A functions as a first dispensing slider for dispensing the bottommost coin C1 in the coin container 6 (coin storage section), and the second dispensing slider 8B functions as a second dispensing slider for dispensing at least one coin C2 above the bottommost coin C1 in the coin container 6 (coin storage section).

The front end of the first disbursement slider 8A is formed with an upwardly projecting locking protrusion 8A1, and the front end of the second disbursement slider 8B is formed with a downwardly projecting locking protrusion 8B1. This allows the first disbursement slider 8A and the second disbursement slider 8B to be interlocked (loosely engaged) with each other at the front. These locking protrusions 8A1 and 8B1 function as the first locking portion, securing the second disbursement slider 8B (the second disbursement slider) to the first disbursement slider 8A (the first disbursement slider). When the movement of the second disbursement slide 8B (second disbursement slide component) is not restricted, the disbursement link 9 and the disbursement cam 10 (driving device) drive the first disbursement slide 8A (first disbursement slide component) and the second disbursement slide 8B (second disbursement slide component) moves together via the locking protrusions 8A1 and 8B1 (first locking portion). On the other hand, when the movement of the second disbursement slide 8B (second disbursement slide component) is restricted, the disbursement link 9 and the disbursement cam 10 (driving device) drive the first disbursement slide 8A (first disbursement slide component), and the locking of the second disbursement slide 8B (second disbursement slide component) relative to the first disbursement slide 8A (first disbursement slide component) by the locking protrusions 8A1 and 8B1 (first locking portion) is released, so that the second disbursement slide 8B (second disbursement slide component) does not move.

The change slider 11 of the selective dispensing unit X includes a first change slider 11A, which is positioned adjacent to the first dispensing slider 8A in the coin dispensing direction and restricts the dispensing of coins C1 from the first dispensing slider 8A; and a second change slider 11B, which is positioned adjacent to the second dispensing slider 8B in the coin dispensing direction and restricts the dispensing of coins C2 from the second dispensing slider 8B. The first change slider 11A is slidably positioned within the sliding hole 9c of the dispensing link 9, while the second change slider 11B is slidably positioned within the sliding hole 9d, which is spaced above the sliding hole 9c.

Here, the locking structure of the disbursement link 9 and the change slider 11 is explained using Figure 7. Figure 7 is an enlarged oblique view showing the locking structure of the change slider 11 and the disbursement link 9 of the selective disbursement portion X. In Figure 7, the disbursement link 9 is observed from the front lower side. Locking protrusions 9c1 and 9d1 are provided at the front ends of the sliding holes 9c and 9d, respectively, and elastic convex locking protrusions 11A1 and 11B1 are provided on the first change slider 11A and the second change slider 11B, respectively. As a result, the disbursement link 9 and the first change slider 11A and the second change slider 11B are locked to each other (loosely engaged) in front of the disbursement link 9 (on the left side in the figure).

Here, both the first change slider 11A and the second change slider 11B restrict coin dispensing, but in different ways. Specifically, the first change slider 11A supports the lower portion of the coin during coin dispensing, thereby restricting the dispensing of coin C1 from the first dispensing slider 8A. Meanwhile, the second change slider 11B restricts the movement of the second dispensing slider 8B during coin dispensing, thereby restricting the dispensing of coin C2 from the second dispensing slider 8B.

The change lever 12 of the selective dispensing portion X can be adjusted to three levels of height by controlling the power supply to the solenoid 13 for the change lever. Specifically, in the waiting state and the non-dispensing state, the height can be formed to abut the rear ends of both the first change slider 11A and the second change slider 11B (the lowest position); in the state of dispensing one coin, the height can be formed to abut only the rear end of the second change slider 11B (the middle position); and in the state of dispensing two coins, the height can be formed to not abut the rear ends of either the first change slider 11A or the second change slider 11B (the highest position).

As the movement of the second change slider 11B is restricted by the contact of the change lever 12, the movement of the second dispensing slider 8B is restricted. Therefore, the change lever 12 (restriction operation member) is configured so that when dispensing a single coin, it is located at the first position (the intermediate position) that restricts the movement of the second dispensing slider 8B (the second dispensing slider), and when dispensing two coins at a time, it is located at the second position (the uppermost position) that does not restrict the movement of the second dispensing slider 8B (the second dispensing slider). Specifically, the change lever 12 (restriction operating member) functions as follows: when in the first position (the intermediate position), the movement of the first change slider 11A (the first disbursement restriction member) is not restricted, but the movement of the second change slider 11B (the second disbursement restriction member) is restricted, thereby preventing the second disbursement slider 8B (the second disbursement slider) from moving; and when in the second position (the uppermost position), the movement of the first and second change sliders 11A and 11B (the first and second disbursement restriction members) is not restricted, thereby enabling both the first and second disbursement sliders 8A and 8B (the first and second disbursement sliders) to move. Furthermore, the change lever 12 (restriction operating member) is configured as follows: when not disbursing coins, it is in the third position (the lowermost position) in which the movement of the first and second change sliders 11A and 11B (the first and second disbursement restriction members) is restricted.

In addition, the locking structure of the locking protrusion 9c1 of the disbursement link 9 and the locking protrusion 11A1 of the first change slide 11A, and the locking structure of the locking protrusion 9d1 of the disbursement link 9 and the locking protrusion 11B1 of the second change slide 11B, act as the second locking part for respectively locking the first and second change slides 11A and 11B (the first and second disbursement limiting components) to the disbursement link 9 (driving device). That is, when the movement of the first and/or second change slides 11A, 11B (the first and/or second disbursement limiting parts) is restricted according to the position of the change rod 12 (limiting operating part), the first and/or second change slides 11A, 11B (the first and/or second disbursement limiting parts) at the second locking portion are released as the disbursement link 9 (driving device) is driven, thereby preventing the first and/or second disbursement slides 8A, 8B (the first and/or second disbursement slides) from moving.

Figures 8 and 9 are used to illustrate a specific method for adjusting the height of the change rod 12. Figure 8 is a diagram showing the positioning of the change rod by the retaining rod, Figure 8(a) is a diagram showing the waiting state, and Figure 8(b) is a diagram showing the no-payout state. Figure 9 is a diagram showing the positioning of the change rod by the retaining rod, Figure 9(a) is a diagram showing the state of paying out one coin, and Figure 9(b) is a diagram showing the state of paying out two coins. First, in the waiting state, the solenoid 13 for the change rod that causes the change rod 12 to operate, and the solenoid 14 for the retaining rod that causes the retaining rod 15 to operate are both not energized, the change rod 12 is located at the initial position at the bottom end, and the retaining rod 15 is located at the initial position on the right side of the figure (refer to Figure 8(a)).

When the change lever is in the no-disbursement state, the solenoid 13 for the change lever is not energized. Therefore, the change lever 12 is not actuated, remaining at its original lowest position. In this state, the solenoid 14 for the retaining lever is energized. In this state, the change lever 12 remains at its lowest position (lowest position). (See FIG8(b)).

In the case of forming a state of paying out one coin, first, the solenoid 14 for the retaining rod is energized. Then, the retaining rod 15 moves to the left in the figure. Then, if the solenoid 13 for the change rod is energized, the change rod 12 will move upward. Here, the retaining rod 15 has already moved to the left, and its blocking body 15aX is located above the retaining protrusion 12a, so the blocking body 15aX blocks the upward movement of the retaining protrusion 12a. Thus, the change rod 12 moves to a position higher than the lowest position as the initial position, but is retained by the retaining rod 15 in a position (middle position) where movement is restricted (refer to Figure 9 (a)).

In the case of forming a state of paying out two coins, first, the solenoid 13 for the change lever is energized. Then, the change lever 12 moves to the uppermost end. Then, the solenoid 14 for the retaining lever is energized. Then, the retaining lever 15 moves to the left side in the figure. Here, the retaining protrusion 12a of the change lever 12 moves to a position higher than the blocking body 15aX of the retaining lever 15, so even if the solenoid 13 for the change lever is not energized, the blocking body 15aX prevents the retaining protrusion 12a from moving downward. Thus, the change lever 12 remains in the state of being located at the uppermost end (uppermost position) and is retained by the retaining lever 15 unchanged. (Refer to Figure 9(b)).

According to this structure, the operation of dispensing coins in the selective dispensing portion X when the coin dispensing device 3 is in the dispensing state will be described using Figures 10 to 12. Here, the "dispensing state" is a term relative to the "waiting state" and refers to a state in which the dispensing slide 8 is pulled out by the rearward movement of the dispensing link 9, thereby enabling the dispensing of coins from the dispensing slide 8. In addition, in the dispensing state, the dispensing link 9 only pulls out the first dispensing slide 8A that is directly engaged by the engaging protrusion 9b. However, the first dispensing slide 8A and the second dispensing slide 8B are slightly locked at the front by the locking protrusion 8A1 and the elastic convex locking protrusion 8B1, so they move as a whole unless they are restricted.

Figure 10 shows the coin dispensing device 3 in a non-dispensing state. Figure 10(a) is a perspective view of the selective dispensing portion X, and Figure 10(b) is a cross-sectional view taken along line B-B of Figure 8(b). Figure 11 shows the coin dispensing device in a state in which a single coin is being dispensed. Figure 10(a) is a perspective view of the selective dispensing portion X, and Figure 11(b) is a cross-sectional view taken along line C-C of Figure 9(a). Figure 12 shows the coin dispensing device in a state in which two coins are being dispensed. Figure 12(a) is a perspective view of the selective dispensing portion X, and Figure 12(b) is a cross-sectional view taken along line D-D of Figure 9(b). In Figures 10 to 12(a), the coin container 6, dispensing cam 10, and coin C are omitted for clarity of illustration.

In the non-disbursement state, as shown in Figures 10(a) and 10(b), the change lever 12 is at a height position (lowest position) at which it can abut against the rear ends of the first change slider 11A and the second change slider 11B. If the change lever 12 abuts against the first change slider 11A and the second change slider 11B, then in the disbursement state, the first change slider 11A abutting against the first disbursement slider 8A and the second change slider 11B abutting against the second disbursement slider 8B are not allowed to move backward.

In this case, the locking protrusion 11A1 of the first change slider 11A passes over the locking protrusion 9c1 of the sliding hole 9c of the disbursement link 9, releasing the locking state. Therefore, even if the disbursement link 9 moves rearward, the first change slider 11A does not move rearward. Similarly, the locking protrusion 11B1 of the second change slider 11B passes over the locking protrusion 9d1 of the sliding hole 9d of the disbursement link 9, releasing the locking state. Therefore, even if the disbursement link 9 moves rearward, the second change slider 11B does not move rearward.

In this case, as shown in FIG10( b ), the first change slider 11A is located below the coin C1 held by the first dispensing slider 8A, so coin C1 does not fall out. The first dispensing slider 8A is located below the coin C2 held by the second dispensing slider 8B, so coin C2 does not fall out. As a result, neither coin C1 nor coin C2 is dispensing.

When a coin is being paid out, as shown in Figures 11(a) and 11(b), the change lever 12 is at a height position (intermediate position) where it can only abut the rear end of the second change slider 11B. If the change lever 12 abuts only the second change slider 11B, then in the payout state, the first change slider 11A is allowed to move backward, while the second change slider 11B is not allowed to move backward.

In this case, the locking protrusion of the second change slider 11B passes over the locking protrusion 9d1 in the sliding hole 9d of the disbursement link 9, releasing the locking state. Consequently, the second change slider 11B does not follow the movement of the disbursement link 9 and does not move rearward. Furthermore, the locking protrusion 8B1 of the second disbursement slider 8B passes over the locking protrusion 8A1 provided on the first disbursement slider 8A, releasing the locking state. Consequently, the second disbursement slider 8B does not follow the movement of the first disbursement slider 8A and does not move rearward.

In this case, as shown in FIG11( b ), the first change slider 11A is not located below the coin C1 held by the first dispensing slider 8A, so the coin C1 falls. The first dispensing slider 8A is located below the coin C2 held by the second dispensing slider 8B, so the coin C2 does not fall. Thus, only one coin C1 is dispensing.

In the state of disbursing two coins, as shown in Figures 12(a) and 12(b), the change rod 12 is at a height position (uppermost position) at which the rear ends of the first change slider 11A and the second change slider 11B cannot abut. Thus, in the disbursement state, the first change slider 11A and the second change slider 11B are both allowed to move backward. In this case, as shown in Figure 12(b), the first change slider 11A does not exist below the coin C1 held by the first disbursement slider 8A, so that coin C1 falls, and the first disbursement slider 8A does not exist below the coin C2 held by the second disbursement slider 8B, so that coin C2 also falls. Thus, the two coins, coin C1 and coin C2, are disbursed.

As described above, the mechanism including the change lever 12, the solenoid 13, etc. functions as a selection mechanism for selecting whether to operate the first dispensing slide 8A (first dispensing slide member) alone or to operate the first and second dispensing slides 8A, 8B (first and second dispensing slide members) together. That is, by operating the first dispensing slide 8A (first dispensing slide member) alone, one coin is dispensed, while by operating the first and second dispensing slides 8A, 8B (first and second dispensing slide members) together, two coins are dispensed at a time (as described later, three or more coins can also be dispensed at a time).

As described above, in the coin dispensing device 3 of this embodiment, the first dispensing slide 8A and the second dispensing slide 8B are arranged vertically as the dispensing slide 8. The corresponding change slides 11 are arranged adjacent to the dispensing slide 8, and the change lever 12 is configured to contact either the first change slide 11A or the second change slide 11B. Thus, the first change slide 11A or the second change slide 11B restricts the sliding movement of the first dispensing slide 8A or the second dispensing slide 8B, respectively, to determine the number of coins to be dispensed. This allows the number of coins to be dispensed from a single coin container 6 to be selectively determined.

Furthermore, the coin dispensing device 3 may be configured such that the first dispensing slider 8A and the second dispensing slider 8B are mutually locked. Thus, if there is no restriction by other components, namely, the first change slider 11A and the second change slider 11B, the second dispensing slider 8B can be pulled out simply by pulling out the first dispensing slider 8A using the dispensing link 9, thereby effectively pulling out the dispensing slider 8.

Furthermore, in the coin dispensing device 3, the first change slider 11A and the second change slider 11B may be configured so as to be respectively locked to the dispensing link 9. Thus, if not restricted by another component, namely the change rod 12, the first change slider 11A and the second change slider 11B can be pulled out simply by pulling out the dispensing link 9, thereby effectively pulling out the first change slider 11A and the second change slider 11B.

Furthermore, the coin dispensing device 3 includes a retaining rod 15 for preventing the movement of the change rod 12. When dispensing a single coin C, the retaining rod 15 operates earlier than the change rod 12 to prevent the change rod 12 from moving upward. On the other hand, when dispensing two coins C, the retaining rod 15 operates later than the change rod 12 to prevent the change rod 12 from moving downward. In this manner, the position of the change rod 12 can be determined in stages simply by determining which of the change rod 12 and the retaining rod 15 is to be operated first.

In addition, in the above-mentioned coin dispensing device 3, the restriction method for the first change slider 11A and the second change slider 11B has been changed, wherein the first change slider 11A restricts the dispensing of the bottom coin C1, and the second change slider 11B restricts the dispensing of the second coin C2 from the bottom. Specifically, the restriction method is set as only the first change slider 11A to support the bottom of the coin, and the second change slider 11B is set as a simple restriction method that only restricts the movement of the second dispensing slider 8B. As a result, there is no need for space between the first change slider 11A and the second change slider 11B, and between the first dispensing slider 8A and the second dispensing slider 8B. Therefore, the selective dispensing portion X and the coin dispensing device 3 can be compactly constructed.

As a modified example, the second payout slide 11B (second payout limiting component) may not be provided, but the second payout slide 8B (second payout slide component) may be directly limited by the payout rod 12. For example, the second payout slide 8B and the second payout slide 11B shown in the figure may be integrally formed, and the second payout slide 8B (second payout slide component) may be provided with a length that allows it to abut against the payout rod 12. Alternatively, the second payout slide 8B (second payout slide component) may be provided with a length as shown in the figure, and the shape of the payout rod 12 may be deformed so that a portion of the payout slide 12 can abut against the second payout slide 8B (second payout slide component).

The above describes the embodiments of the present invention, but the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and various modifications can be made within the scope of the technical ideas described in the claims, the specification, and the drawings. For example, in this embodiment, the second change slide 11B is set to limit the movement of the second disbursement slide 8B, and the disbursement slide 8 located below the coin is used to support the coin. Alternatively, multiple combinations of such second disbursement slides 8B and second change slides 11B can be arranged in an overlapping manner. For example, if a third (or more) disbursement slide 8 and a change slide 11 composed of the same combination as the second disbursement slide 8B and the second change slide 11B are arranged above the second change slide 11B, it is also possible to selectively disburse any number of coins greater than or equal to 1 to 3 coins.

As another embodiment, the following configuration can be adopted, that is, rather than being limited to one coin, a combination of the second dispensing slider 8B and the second change slider 11B can be used to dispense two or more coins at a time (the thickness of the second dispensing slider 8B is set to be thick enough to dispense a predetermined number of two or more coins at a time). For example, in a configuration where the combination of the second dispensing slider 8B and the second change slider 11B is used to dispense two coins at a time, three coins can be dispensed at a time by operating the first and second dispensing sliders 8A and 8B simultaneously.

Furthermore, the selection mechanism for selectively actuating the first and second dispensing slides 8A and 8B is not limited to the configuration shown in the above-described embodiment, and may be configured to select either a single coin dispensing operation by actuating only the first dispensing slide 8A (first dispensing slide member) or a single coin dispensing operation by actuating both the first and second dispensing slides 8A and 8B (first and second dispensing slide members). For example, the first and second change slides 11A and 11B function to select (permit) the dispensing of coins from any one or more of the coin containers 6 in a basic configuration in which the dispensing slides 8 of multiple coin containers 6 are commonly driven by a common drive mechanism (dispensing link 9 and dispensing cam 10, etc.). Therefore, if this basic configuration is not employed, the first and second change slides 11A and 11B may be omitted as appropriate. For example, when a separate coin dispensing drive device is used for each coin container 6, or when the coin dispensing device is composed of only one coin container 6, the above-mentioned first and second change slides 11A, 11B (first and second dispensing limiting components) can be omitted.

Claims (9)

1. A coin dispensing device, comprising: The coin storage section is configured to accumulate coins and has a slit at the lower end for coin dispensing. The first sliding component is used to dispense the bottommost coin from the coin storage section; The second sliding component is used to dispense at least one coin above the bottommost coin in the coin receiving section; The selection mechanism allows for choosing whether the first dispensing sliding member operates independently or whether both the first and second dispensing sliding members operate together. This allows dispensing one coin by operating the first dispensing sliding member independently, and dispensing at least two coins by operating both the first and second dispensing sliding members together. A spending restriction component that selectively restricts the dispensing of coins from the coin storage section. When the withdrawal of a coin from the coin storage unit is restricted by the withdrawal limiting member, no withdrawal of a coin from the coin storage unit will occur regardless of the movement of the first withdrawal sliding member. 2. The coin dispensing device according to claim 1, wherein, The selection mechanism includes a selectively displaceable limiting operation component configured such that, when dispensing one coin, it is in a first position that restricts the movement of the second dispensing sliding component, and when dispensing at least two coins, it is in a second position that does not restrict the movement of the second dispensing sliding component. 3. The coin dispensing device according to claim 2, further comprising: A driving device that drives the first dispensing sliding member for dispensing coins; and The first locking part locks the second extending sliding member into the first extending sliding member. When the movement of the second sliding member is not restricted, the second sliding member moves together with the first sliding member via the first locking part as the driving device drives the first sliding member. On the other hand, when the movement of the second sliding member is restricted, the first locking part releases the locking of the second sliding member as the driving device drives the first sliding member, so that the second sliding member does not move. 4. The coin dispensing device according to claim 3, wherein, The limiting dispensing component is a first limiting dispensing component, which is disposed adjacent to the first dispensing sliding component in the coin dispensing direction, and limits the dispensing of coins by the first dispensing sliding component. The coin dispensing device further includes a second dispensing limiting component, which is disposed adjacent to the second dispensing sliding component in the coin dispensing direction, limiting the dispensing of coins by the second dispensing sliding component. When the limiting operation component is in the first position, it does not restrict the movement of the first limiting dispensing component, but rather restricts the movement of the second limiting dispensing component, thereby preventing the second dispensing sliding component from operating. When it is in the second position, it does not restrict the movement of either the first or second limiting dispensing component, thereby allowing both the first and second dispensing sliding components to operate. Furthermore, the limiting operation component is configured to be located in a third position, which restricts the movement of both the first and second limiting expenditure components, when no coin is being dispensed. 5. The coin dispensing device according to claim 4, wherein, It also has a second locking portion, which causes the first and second limiting extension members to respectively lock into the drive device. When the movement of the first and/or second limiting extension member is restricted according to the position of the limiting operation member, the first and/or second limiting extension member is released from the locking position at the second locking portion as the driving device is driven, so that the first and/or second extension sliding member does not move. 6. A coin dispensing device, comprising: The coin storage section is configured to accumulate coins and has a slit at the lower end for coin dispensing. The first sliding component is used to dispense the bottommost coin from the coin storage section; The second sliding component is used to dispense at least one coin above the bottommost coin in the coin receiving section; The selection mechanism, which selects whether the first dispensing sliding member operates independently or whether the first and second dispensing sliding members operate together, includes a selective displacement limiting operation member configured such that, when dispensing one coin, it is located in a first position that restricts the movement of the second dispensing sliding member, and when dispensing at least two coins, it is located in a second position that does not restrict the movement of the second dispensing sliding member; the one coin is dispensed by operating the first dispensing sliding member independently, and the at least two coins are dispensed by operating the first and second dispensing sliding members together. A first dispensing limiting component, disposed adjacent to the first dispensing sliding component in the coin dispensing direction, restricts the dispensing of coins by the first dispensing sliding component; and A second dispensing limiting component, disposed adjacent to the second dispensing sliding component in the coin dispensing direction, restricts the dispensing of coins by the second dispensing sliding component. When the limiting operation component is in the first position, it does not restrict the movement of the first limiting dispensing component, but rather restricts the movement of the second limiting dispensing component, thereby preventing the second dispensing sliding component from operating. When it is in the second position, it does not restrict the movement of either the first or second limiting dispensing component, thereby allowing both the first and second dispensing sliding components to operate. Furthermore, the limiting operation component is configured to be located in a third position, which restricts the movement of both the first and second limiting expenditure components, when no coin is being dispensed. 7. The coin dispensing device according to any one of claims 4 to 6, wherein, The first limiting component supports the lower part of the coin during the coin dispensing action, thereby limiting the coin from being dispensed by the first dispensing sliding component. The second limiting component restricts the movement of the second dispensing sliding component during the coin dispensing action, thereby restricting the coin from being dispensed by the second dispensing sliding component. 8. The coin dispensing device according to any one of claims 2 to 6, wherein, It has a movement-preventing component that prevents the movement of the restricting operating component. When one coin is dispensed, the movement-preventing component acts before the restriction operation component to prevent the restriction operation component from moving upward; when at least two coins are dispensed, the movement-preventing component from moving downward. 9. The coin dispensing device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein, Multiple second-outlet sliding components are overlapped. The selection mechanism is further configured to selectively cause the plurality of the second sliding components to operate respectively.