JP2011048478A - Coin separation and conveyance device, and money processor - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a coin separation and conveyance device, and a money processor for rejecting coins thicker than regular coins, the coins being separated and conveyed to an identification part, just before the identification part by a simple mechanism. <P>SOLUTION: The coin separation and conveyance device is provided with a horizontal conveyance path 90 for horizontally conveying coins received from a coin conveyance disk 72. The coin conveyance disk is provided with a small diameter disk 75 for supporting the outer periphery of coins by a peripheral stepped section 75a and an annular coin conveyance face 77. The outer diameter side of the annular coin delivery face has a stepped low face 90a. An elastic member 95 is arranged in a region where a portion of coins whose outer periphery is supported by the peripheral stepped section are overhung on a stepped lower face such that when coins thicker than the specific thickness enter, the overhung section of the coins is held down toward the stepped lower face, and the other ends of the coins are raised to drop the coins across the small diameter disk, in a direction of avoiding the horizontal conveyance path. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention is equipped with a money processing device such as a vending machine, a money changer, a money dispenser, etc., and separates and transfers a plurality of coins that have been batch-loaded one by one into a discriminator. About.

Money processing devices such as vending machines, money changers, money dispensers, automatic payment machines, etc., can provide users with various goods and services by performing predetermined operations after the user inserts money. It is configured.
These money processing devices, when multiple coins and medals with different denominations, thicknesses and diameters (hereinafter simply referred to as coins) are randomly inserted from the slot, after separating them one by one, After identifying the denominations one by one at the identification unit located on the downstream side, sort and sort them into denominations and store them in the denomination storehouse located further downstream, or store them in the reject store Alternatively, it is provided with a mechanism for performing various processes such as paying out or returning to the user as change or reject coins.

By the way, for money processing devices installed in an unattended environment where there are no managers, or for money processing devices with a large-diameter slot that can be used for batch loading of coins, the shape and thickness cannot be handled due to mischief. There are cases where coins or other foreign matters are thrown in, and conventionally, various mechanisms have been proposed for rejecting coins that exceed the thickness of regular coins before they are conveyed to the identification unit.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 5-166032 discloses a configuration in which a plurality of coins are separated one by one by two rollers arranged at intervals through which the thickness of one coin can pass. The means for conveying coins and the means for separating coins are separate members, leading to an increase in the number of parts and an increase in size.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 10-97662 discloses a thickness regulating gate having an entrance slightly smaller than twice the thickness of the thinnest coin in a regular coin, and the thickness of a coin conveyed on the conveyance path by a displacement sensor. A coin counter having a thickness sensor for measurement is disclosed. However, a regulation gate that eliminates coins that physically exceed the normal thickness, a thickness sensor that electrically detects the thickness, and a determination circuit that determines whether the coin is a fake coin based on a detection value by the thickness detection sensor Therefore, there is a problem that the cost is increased.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 5-166032 Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-97662

As described above, according to the conventional technology that eliminates coins exceeding the thickness of regular coins before separating them one by one and then transporting them to the identification unit, the number of parts is increased and the configuration is complicated. There was a problem of high cost.
The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and removes coins that exceed the thickness of regular coins among the coins that are separated one by one and then transported to the identification unit by a simple mechanism immediately before the identification unit. An object of the present invention is to provide a coin separating and carrying out apparatus and a money processing apparatus.

In order to achieve the above object, a coin separating and carrying out apparatus according to the invention of claim 1 includes a coin storage part that temporarily stores a plurality of coins inserted therein, and a coin support surface that is inclined upward in the coin storage part. A coin transporting device, comprising: a coin transporting disk rotatably supported by a base member; and a horizontal unloading path for receiving coins from an upper part of the coin support surface and transporting them laterally. The conveying disk is formed by concentrically projecting at the center of the coin support surface and supporting the outer periphery of the coin at the outer circumferential step portion, and an annular coin support surface positioned on the outer diameter side of the small diameter disk. An annular coin conveyance surface configured to support one surface of the coin, and a coin lock that protrudes on the annular coin conveyance surface at a predetermined circumferential pitch and regulates the circumferential movement of the coin on the annular coin conveyance surface A member, and the ring The radial width of the coin transport surface is set to be smaller than the diameter of the coin whose outer periphery is supported by the outer peripheral step portion of the small-diameter disk, and the outer diameter side of the annular coin transport surface is more than the annular coin transport surface. In a region where a low stepped low surface is provided and a part of coins on the annular coin transport surface supported by the outer peripheral stepped portion of the small-diameter disk overhangs on the stepped low surface, a specified thickness is provided. When a coin that exceeds the upper limit is entered, the overhang portion of the coin is pressed toward the low stepped surface to float the other end of the coin and move over the small-diameter disk to avoid the lateral carry-out path. An elastic member to be dropped is arranged.
In the present invention, as means for rejecting a coin having a thickness exceeding the thickness of the regular coin, a rotating coin transport disk and an elastic member for pressing down the overhang portion of the coin supported on the upper surface of the coin transport disk are provided. Therefore, coins exceeding the specified thickness can be easily removed from the coin transport disk and rejected without increasing the number of parts, complicating the structure, and increasing the size.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, a conveyance rail is provided along a lower end edge of the horizontal carry-out path, and the coin that has fallen from the annular coin conveyance surface gets over the conveyance rail and moves to the side. It falls in the direction avoiding the carry-out path.
Since regular coins are not rejected by the elastic members, they pass through the elastic members and then are normally guided to the horizontal carry-out path by the transport rail. However, the thick-walled coins are lifted from the surface of the coin transport disk by the elastic members. Therefore, it falls in the direction which avoided the horizontal carrying-out path with rotation of the coin conveyance disk surface. Even when a transport rail is provided, it will drop in the reject direction beyond the transport rail.
The invention of claim 3 is characterized in that, in claim 1 or 2, the amount of pressing of the overhang portion of the coin by the elastic member is adjustable.
The position of the elastic member can be finely adjusted according to the thickness of the regular coin or the thickness of the coin to be rejected.
A money processing apparatus according to a fourth aspect of the invention is characterized by including the coin separating and carrying out apparatus according to any one of the first to third aspects.

  According to the present invention, as means for rejecting a coin having a thickness exceeding the thickness of a regular coin, a rotating coin transport disk and an elastic member for pressing down the overhang portion of the coin supported on the upper surface of the coin transport disk are provided. Since it is provided, coins exceeding the thickness of regular coins among the coins that are separated one by one and then transported to the identification unit can be eliminated immediately before the identification unit by a simple mechanism.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS (a) is explanatory drawing of the whole structure of the money processing apparatus provided with the coin separation and carrying-out apparatus which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention, (b) is a schematic block diagram which shows the structure of a money processing apparatus. It is a perspective view which shows the principal part structure of the separation conveyance part (coin separation carry-out apparatus) which concerns on this invention. (A) And (b) is AA sectional drawing of FIG. 2, and a principal part enlarged view. (A) And (b) is BB sectional drawing. It is a figure which shows the structural example which adjusts the height position of an elastic member.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to embodiments shown in the drawings.
FIG. 1A is an explanatory diagram of the overall configuration of a money processing apparatus provided with a coin separating and carrying out apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 1B is a schematic block diagram showing the configuration of the money processing apparatus.
The money processing apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment is used as means for identifying and processing coins, for example, by being installed in an automatic ticket vending machine.
As shown in FIG. 1, the money processing apparatus 1 has a display 2, an operation switch 3, a coin insertion slot 4, a bill insertion slot 5, a change dispensing slot / return slot 6, a reject switch 7, a ticketing slot 8, etc. It has.
As shown in FIG. 1, the money processing apparatus 1 includes a coin insertion unit 10 provided with a tray 10 a capable of collectively inputting a plurality of coins of different denominations, and a plurality of coins in the coin insertion unit one by one. A separating and conveying unit (coin separating / unloading device) 15 that is separated and carried out, a first identification unit 20 that determines the authenticity and denomination of each coin conveyed from the separating and conveying unit, and a first A regular coin conveyance path 25 for carrying out coins determined to be regular coins by the identification section toward the temporary holding section, and a coin holding apparatus for accepting regular coins carried out from the regular coin conveyance path and temporarily holding them. (Temporary holding unit) 30, a reject path 50 that conveys and discharges coins that are determined not to be legitimate by the first identification unit 20, and a plurality of coins that are released from the coin holding device 30 are received and sorted one by one. Coin sorting for storage The device 55, the second identification unit 56 for determining the denomination of the coins sent out from the storage coin sorting device 55, and the coins carried out after the denomination is determined by the second identification unit A coin storage unit 57 that accommodates the type, a return coin storage unit (return unit) 60 that dispenses the return coins released from the coin holding device 30 to the change dispensing port / return port 6, and a return coin storage unit 60 And a coin lifter 61 that conveys coins to a return port 6 located above.
The coin insertion unit 10 includes a tray 10a that can receive a plurality of coins 100 that are batch-inserted from the coin slot 4, and the separation transport unit 15 separates the coins in the tray one by one to form a first identification unit. It is conveyed to 20. The first identification unit 20 discriminates the authenticity and denomination of the coins 100 that have been conveyed one by one. If they are not regular coins, they are discharged to the change dispensing port / return port 6 via the reject path 50. On the other hand, if it is a regular coin, it is sequentially discharged from the regular coin transport path 25 to the coin holding device 30.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a configuration of a main part of a separation transport unit (coin separating / carrying apparatus) according to the present invention, and FIGS. 3 (a) and 3 (b) are cross-sectional views taken along the line AA in FIG. FIGS. 4A and 4B are cross-sectional views taken along the line BB.
The separation transport unit 15 includes a coin storage unit 70 that temporarily stores a plurality of coins inserted into the coin input unit 10, and a base member in a state in which the coin support surface 72 a is inclined upward in the coin storage unit 70. A coin transport disk 72 rotatably supported by 71, and a horizontal carry-out path 90 that receives coins of a normal thickness from the upper part of the coin transport disk 72 (coin support surface 72a) and carries them out in the horizontal direction.
The disk-shaped coin transport disk 72 rotates around the rotation axis 72b about the inclined rotation axis 72b. The horizontal carry-out path 90 is a path for transporting coins to the first identification unit 20.
The coin transport disk 72 is concentrically projected (fixed) at the center of the coin support surface 72a, and a small diameter disk 75 that supports the outer periphery of the coin 100 on the coin support surface 72a at the outer peripheral stepped portion 75a. An annular coin transport surface 77 configured to support one surface of the coin, which is composed of an annular coin support surface 72a positioned on the outer diameter side of 75, and an annular coin which protrudes on the annular coin transport surface 77 at a predetermined circumferential pitch. A coin locking member 79 that restricts the circumferential movement of the coin on the transport surface.
The height at which the outer circumferential stepped portion 75a protrudes from the coin support surface 72a is sufficient as long as the outer periphery of the coin 100 can be locked.

The circumferential interval between the coin locking members 79 is set to be larger than the diameter of the regular coins and smaller than twice the diameter of the regular coins. The coin is directed toward the horizontal carry-out path 90 as the coin carrying disc 72 rotates in the clockwise direction in FIG. 2 with the lower surface in contact with the annular coin carrying surface 77 and the outer circumference in contact with the outer circumferential stepped portion 75a. Transported. A conveyance rail 91 having a projection length substantially equal to the thickness of the regular coin is projected along the lower edge of the horizontal carry-out path 90, and the coin on the annular coin conveyance surface 77 is pressed by the coin locking member 79. After the outer peripheral edge is brought into contact with the conveyance rail 91 and further movement in the rotational direction is prevented, the movement starts toward the horizontal carry-out path 90 along the conveyance rail 91, and the annular coin conveyance surface Leave the 77. Coins that have left the annular coin transport surface 77 move to the horizontal carry-out path 90 and are transferred to the first identification unit 20. The transport rail 91 is a means for contacting and guiding the outer periphery of the coin in a state where the lower surface is in contact with the annular coin transport surface 77, and is fixed by the base member 71 or the like and protrudes from the annular coin transport surface 77. The protruding amount is at least equal to or greater than the thickness of the outer peripheral step 75a at the outer peripheral edge of the small-diameter disk, and is so close that the coin cannot enter and pass between the transport rail 91 and the annular coin transport surface 77. . In addition, a notch 91 a is provided in the portion of the transport rail 91 corresponding to the movement path of the coin locking member 79 projecting from the annular coin transport surface 77 to allow passage of the coin locking member 79. .
Since the radial width L of the annular coin transport surface 77 is set smaller than the diameter of the coin whose outer periphery is supported by the outer peripheral step portion 75a of the small-diameter disk, the coin whose outer peripheral portion 100a is supported by the outer peripheral step portion 75a. Is in a state in which the other end portion 100b protrudes further from the annular coin transport surface 77 to the outer diameter side.

Further, a part of the outer diameter side portion of the annular coin transport surface 77, in this example, a part of the transfer area 92 that transfers coins from the annular coin transport surface 77 to the lateral carry-out path 90 is lower than the annular coin transport surface 77. It is a low surface 90a. For this reason, a gap G is formed between the other end portion 100b of the coin protruding from the annular coin transport surface 77 and the step difference surface 90a, and the other end portion 100b protrudes in an overhang shape on the step difference surface. In this embodiment, the low step surface is described as a part of the horizontal carry-out path. However, the low step surface may be a low place where the other end portion 100b of the coin is overhanged and is not related to the horizontal carry-out path. Can be installed.
When a coin exceeding the specified thickness enters the region where the other end portion 100b of the coin on the annular coin transport surface whose outer periphery is supported by the outer peripheral stepped portion 75a of the small-diameter disk overhangs on the stepped low surface 90a. By pressing the overhang portion 100b of the coin toward the lower surface of the step, the inner end portion 100a of the coin is lifted and separated from the outer peripheral step portion 75a, over the small-diameter disk 75 and from the annular coin transport surface to the horizontal carry-out path. The elastic member 95 which consists of a leaf | plate spring etc. which are dropped to the downward direction which avoided this is arrange | positioned.
The elastic member 95 according to this example is a leaf spring whose one end is fixed to the inner wall of the outer peripheral wall 96 by a screw 98, and its free end-shaped tip portion 95a faces the stepped low surface 90a. The tip end portion 95a of the elastic member is inclined downward from the upstream side in the movement direction of the coin on the coin transport surface 77 toward the downstream side in the movement direction, as shown in FIG.
As indicated by the solid line in FIG. 3, when the coin 100 having a normal thickness supported on the upper surface of the annular coin transport surface 77 enters between the front end portion 95a of the elastic member and the stepped low surface 90a, the front end portion 95a Passes smoothly with no contact or light contact, and after reaching the transport rail 91, the direction is changed and falls to the lateral carry-out path 90.

On the other hand, when a coin exceeding the normal thickness indicated by the dotted line tries to enter between the tip end portion 95a of the elastic member and the stepped low surface 90a, the tip end portion 95a of the elastic member contacts the other end portion 100b of the coin. Since this is pressed toward the low step surface 90a, the coin is prevented from moving in the rotational direction of the annular coin transport surface 77. Further, since the other end portion 100b overhanging on the stepped low surface is pushed toward the stepped low surface by moving the coin in the circumferential direction, the inner end portion 100a is inclined so as to be separated from the annular coin conveying surface 77. It becomes a posture (broken line state in FIG. 3). Even if the annular coin conveyance surface 77 continues to rotate in this inclined posture, the thick coin 100 cannot be moved further in the rotation direction by the elastic member 95 and is pressed by the coin locking member 79 located upstream in the rotation direction. As a result, it is detached from the annular coin conveyance surface and falls in the dropping direction C shown in FIGS. 2 and 3A. The falling direction C is a direction avoiding the horizontal carry-out path 90, and is discharged to the change dispensing port / return port 6 through the discharge path 16 and the coin lifter 61 shown in FIG.
Even if the falling direction of the thick coin is a direction passing on the transport rail 91, the inner end portion 100a of the raised coin passes on the transport rail 91 in this case. It can fall in a direction avoiding 90 and move to the discharge path 16.
As shown in FIG. 5, an elastic member is provided by providing a long hole 97 at one end of the elastic member and screwing the tip of a screw 98 inserted into the long hole 97 into a screw hole provided in the outer peripheral wall 96. The vertical position of 95 may be finely adjusted so that the interval between the tip 95a of the elastic member and the coin can be finely adjusted. If comprised in this way, the amount of pressing of the overhang part of the coin by an elastic member can be adjusted, and it can respond also to the change of the thickness accompanying the design change of a regular coin.

As described above, in the present invention, as means for rejecting a coin having a thickness exceeding the thickness of a regular coin, the rotating coin transport disk and the overhang portion of the coin supported on the upper surface of the coin transport disk are pressed down. Equipped with an elastic member and a low step surface, so that coins exceeding the specified thickness can be easily removed from the coin transport disk and rejected without increasing the number of parts, complicating the structure, or increasing the size. be able to.
In addition, since regular coins are not rejected by the elastic member, after passing through the elastic member, they are normally guided to the horizontal carry-out path by the transport rail. Since it is pressed so that it floats, it falls in the direction which avoided the horizontal carrying-out path with rotation of the coin conveyance disk surface. Even when a transport rail is provided, it will drop in the reject direction beyond the transport rail.
Further, since the pressing amount of the overhang portion of the coin by the elastic member can be adjusted, the position of the elastic member can be finely adjusted according to the thickness of the regular coin or the thickness of the coin to be rejected.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Money processing apparatus, 3 ... Operation switch, 4 ... Coin insertion slot, 5 ... Banknote insertion slot, 6 ... Return slot, 7 ... Reject switch, 8 ... Ticketing slot, 10 ... Coin insertion part, 10a ... Receptacle, 15 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS Separation conveyance part, 16 ... Discharge path, 20 ... Identification part, 25 ... Regular coin conveyance path, 30 ... Coin holding device, 50 ... Reject path, 56 ... Identification part, 57 ... Coin storage part, 60 ... Return coin storage part , 61 ... Coin lifter, 70 ... Coin storage part, 71 ... Base member, 72 ... Coin transport disk, 72a ... Coin support surface, 72b ... Rotating shaft, 75 ... Small diameter disk, 75a ... Outer peripheral step part, 77 ... Ring coin transport Surface, 79 ... Coin locking member, 90 ... Horizontal carry-out path, 90a ... Low step surface, 91 ... Conveying rail, 92 ... Transfer area, 95 ... Elastic member, 95a ... Tip, 96 ... Outer wall, 97 ... Slot 98 ... Screws, 100 ... Coins, 1 0a ... the outer periphery, 100b ... the other end (overhang)

Claims (4)

A coin storage part for temporarily storing a plurality of inserted coins, a coin transport disk rotatably supported by a base member with the coin support surface inclined upward in the coin storage part, and the coin support A coin separating / unloading device comprising a horizontal unloading path for receiving coins from the upper part of the surface and unloading them laterally;
The coin conveying disk includes a small-diameter disk that is concentrically protruded from the center of the coin support surface and supports the outer periphery of the coin at an outer circumferential step portion, and an annular coin support that is positioned on the outer diameter side of the small-diameter disk. An annular coin transport surface configured from a surface and supporting one surface of the coin, and a coin that protrudes on the annular coin transport surface at a predetermined circumferential pitch and restricts the circumferential movement of the coin on the annular coin transport surface A locking member,
The radial width of the annular coin transport surface is set smaller than the diameter of the coin whose outer periphery is supported by the outer peripheral step portion of the small-diameter disk,
On the outer diameter side of the annular coin conveyance surface, a step low surface lower than the annular coin conveyance surface is provided,
In a region where a part of the coin on the annular coin transport surface supported on the outer periphery by the outer peripheral step portion of the small-diameter disk overhangs on the step low surface, when a coin exceeding a specified thickness enters, An elastic member is disposed that presses the overhang portion of the coin toward the low step surface to float the other end portion of the coin, get over the small-diameter disk, and fall in a direction avoiding the lateral carry-out path. A coin separating and unloading device.   A conveyance rail is projected along a lower edge of the horizontal carry-out path, and the coins dropped from the annular coin conveyance surface fall over the conveyance rail and fall in a direction avoiding the horizontal carry-out path. The coin separating and carrying out apparatus according to claim 1.   The coin separating and carrying out device according to claim 1, wherein the amount of pressing of the overhang portion of the coin by the elastic member is adjustable.   A money processing apparatus comprising the coin separating / carrying apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

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