JP2634123B2 - Coin sorting and sorting machine - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a coin sorting and sorting machine for separating coins of various denominations for each denomination.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a coin sorting / sorting machine for separating coins of various denominations for each denomination has been disclosed in JP-A-59-20.
No. 8684 is disclosed.
This coin sorting and sorting machine transports coins of multiple denominations in a state of being pressed one by one against a guide roller serving as a guide member, and sorts coins by denomination by a plurality of holes arranged along the transport direction. Then, the sorted coins are dropped into the storage corresponding to each of the holes to classify the coins. The plurality of holes are such that the positions of the respective guide rollers are separated by a predetermined amount from the guide rollers and each of the plurality of holes is separated from the guide rollers by a predetermined amount. The distance between the guide roller and the position on the side opposite to the guide roller is configured to be larger on the downstream side in the transport direction in accordance with the diameter of coins to be sorted.

When the coin pressed against the guide roller is, for example, a one-coin coin having a minimum diameter, the one-coin is placed on the side opposite to the guide roller in the most upstream hole in the transport direction. Because it passes through the inside (guide roller side) from the position, it falls into this hole and enters the storage,
When a coin having a larger diameter passes through the hole for a one-yen coin, the coin passes outside the position of the one-coin hole opposite to the guide roller. Does not fall, passes through the hole, reaches a predetermined droppable hole, and falls. In this way, coins having different diameters are dropped and separated from the corresponding holes.

[0004]

In the coin sorting / sorting machine having the above-described structure, if a coin is damaged or adheres to dust and the outer peripheral surface of the coin cannot be brought into contact with the guide roller, the damage or the damage is caused. Depending on the size of dust or the like, coins that do not correspond to the hole can enter from the guide roller side of the hole located at a position separated from the guide roller by a predetermined amount (that is, mis-sorted). The mis-sorted coins fall from the uncorresponding holes and are stored in the storage, so it is very difficult to find the mis-selected coins in the storage. Was. For this reason,
The present applicant provides a bracket for restricting the coin from falling from the guide member side of each hole in each hole, and detects a coin whose fall is restricted by this bracket and a coin falling in each hole by a sensor. I thought. However, if a sensor used in a conventional coin sorting and sorting machine is used as a sensor for detecting a coin whose falling is regulated by the bracket and a coin falling into each hole, a perforated coin (5 yen coin, 50 yen coin) ) Is susceptible to the hole of the coin when it is detected, and there is a possibility of erroneous detection. Therefore, there is room for further improvement in this respect.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to prevent a coin which does not correspond to a hole from entering the hole at a position spaced apart from the guide member by a predetermined amount from the guide member side, thereby causing the mis-sorted coin to fall out of the hole. Can eliminate the need to perform very complicated work of finding mis-sorted coins from the storage, and can accurately detect coins whose fall is restricted and coins that fall into each hole. Another object of the present invention is to provide a coin sorting / sorting machine capable of reliably counting sorted coins.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, a coin sorting and sorting machine according to the present invention conveys multi-kind coins while pressing them one by one against a guide member.
The position on the guide member side is separated by a predetermined amount from the guide member, and the distance between the guide member and the position on the side opposite to the guide member is the downstream side in the transport direction according to the diameter of the coin to be sorted. The coins are sorted by a plurality of holes that become larger as the size of the coins drop, and the sorted coins are dropped into the storage corresponding to each of the holes to classify the coins. A bracket that regulates the fall of the coin from the bracket is provided, and the bracket has reduced the resolution of portions of the coin whose fall is regulated by the bracket and the coin that falls into each of the holes, corresponding to the respective hole positions. It is characterized in that a sensor is provided.

[0007]

According to the coin sorting / sorting machine of the present invention, the bracket provided in each hole can prevent coins that do not correspond to the hole from entering the hole from the guide member side of the hole due to scratches or adhesion of dust on the coin. Even if there is, it will restrict the fall of coins from the guide member side of each hole, and moreover, the sensor provided on the bracket will be used for the coins whose fall is restricted by the bracket and the coins falling into each hole. Since the resolution of the portion corresponding to each hole position is reduced, coins whose fall is restricted and holes of coins falling into each hole are not erroneously detected.

[0008]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A coin sorting and sorting machine according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS.

The overall structure of the coin sorting and sorting machine of the present embodiment is as follows.
This is almost the same as the coin sorter / sorter described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 63-250792, which was filed by the present applicant and has already been published. That is, as shown in FIG.
A rotating disk 1 provided rotatably clockwise and counterclockwise by driving a motor (not shown), and a coin C (not shown in FIG. 1) fed out of the rotating disk 1 one by one. It has a discriminating path 3 having an entrance 2 and a portion on the downstream side in the coin transport direction curved in a substantially right angle direction, and a classification path 4 provided downstream of the discriminating path 3 in the coin transport direction.

The discrimination path 3 is provided between a pair of guide plates 5 and 6 extending in parallel with each other. The discrimination path 3 includes a material sensor 7 such as a magnetic sensor or a conductive sensor for detecting the material of the coin passing between the guide plates 5 and 6, a photoarray for detecting the diameter of the coin C passing, and a CCD. A diameter sensor 8 such as a sensor or an image line sensor is sequentially provided along the conveyance direction, and is driven by a solenoid (not shown) to protrude into the discriminating path 3 and pass downstream of the diameter sensor 8 in the conveyance direction. A stopper 9 for restricting the movement of the coin C to be provided is provided. An opening / closing plate 10 driven by a motor (not shown) to open and close is provided in the determination path 3 at the position where the stopper 9 is provided, and the opening / closing plate 10 is opened by the driving of the motor (not shown). Thus, the coin C, whose movement is restricted by the stopper 9 on the opening / closing plate 10, slides into a reject storage (not shown). On the downstream side of the left guide plate 5 in the transport direction in FIG. 1, a substantially arc-shaped guide plate 11 for changing the moving direction of the coin C by approximately 90 ° is provided.
The discrimination path 3 is curved by 1 and is connected to the classification path 4.

The classification path 4 is connected to a guide plate 11.
It is provided between a reference guide plate 12 as a guide member and a guide plate 13 provided substantially parallel to the reference guide plate 12 at a distance from the reference guide plate 12. Along the inner straight side portion 14, for example, six holes (in the following description, corresponding to one-yen coin, fifty-yen coin, five-yen coin, hundred-yen coin, ten-yen coin, and five hundred-yen coin) For convenience, only the upstream two 15 and 16 are shown and described, but other holes (not shown) are almost the same unless otherwise specified.). Each hole 15, 16
Is constituted by a rectangular hole 17 having a substantially rectangular shape extending in the transport direction and a semicircular semicircular hole 18 provided on the upstream side in the transport direction. And each hole 15, 1
6 shows a state in which the side portions 19 on the respective side of the reference guide plate 12 are parallel to the reference guide plate 12.
2 and a predetermined amount apart from and parallel to the side portion 19;
The distance between the side portion 20 on the side opposite to each reference guide plate 12 and the reference guide plate 12 is larger on the downstream side in the transport direction in accordance with the diameter of the coin C to be sorted. That is, for example, in the hole 15 on the most upstream side in the transport direction, the distance between the side portion 20 and the reference guide plate 12 is formed to be slightly larger than the diameter of the one-yen coin having the smallest diameter and smaller than the other coins. Of the coins conveyed in contact with the reference guide plate 12, only one-yen coins enter the side portion 20 side, fall, and pass other coins. In this way, in order along the transport direction, the hole 16 represents a fifty-yen coin, the hole (not shown) downstream of the hole 16 represents a five-yen coin, and the hole (not shown) further downstream thereof represents a hundred-yen coin. Further, a hole (not shown) on the further downstream side can drop a ten-yen coin, and a hole (not shown) further on the downstream side can drop a 500-yen coin. Each of the holes 15 and 16 is provided with a storage (not shown) for separately storing coins C falling from the corresponding hole.

A feed belt 21 which is driven by a motor (not shown) and conveys coins C from the discrimination path 3 to the classification path 4 is provided above the discrimination path 3 and the classification path 4 (see FIG. 9). . The portion of the feed belt 21 on the sorting path 4 is moved along the transport direction so that the coins C are transported while being pressed one by one against the reference guide plate 12.
It is inclined to approach.

Each of the holes 15 and 16 is provided with a bracket 22 for restricting the coin C from falling from the side 19 on the side of the reference guide plate 12. This bracket 22
As shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, when the semi-circular hole portion 18 of each of the holes 15 and 16 is attached to the rear surface side of the classification path 4 by the attaching plate 23 so as to correspond to each of the holes 15 and 16. The main semi-circular hole closing portion 24 that closes almost the upper half of FIG. 2 and the lower half of the semi-circular hole 18 in FIG. Part 19,
And a main square hole closing portion 25 that closes such that its closing area becomes smaller (but does not become 0) as it moves toward the downstream side in the transport direction from a substantially intermediate position between the two.
The surface portion 26 of the main square hole closing portion 25 is inclined so that the position becomes lower toward the reference guide plate 12 side in order to reliably restrict the coin C from falling (see FIG. 4).

In addition, each hole 15, 1 of the main square hole closing portion 25 is provided.
A magnetic sensor (a sensor described in the claims) 28 that detects the presence or absence of the coin C whose fall is regulated by the bracket 22 and detects the coin C that falls is provided on the edge 27 facing the 6. The detection unit 29 is provided to be inclined at a predetermined angle with respect to the coin C falling direction.

Here, in the present embodiment, the magnetic sensor 28 is provided so as not to detect the holes of the coins C (five-yen coins and fifty-yen coins) so as to detect the side portions of the holes 15, 16 on the downstream side in the transport direction. When the coin C whose fall is restricted to the position 30 is almost in contact with the coin C, or when the coin C dropped in each of the holes 15 and 16 passes in front of the magnetic sensor 28, it corresponds to the hole position of the coin C. When the coin C whose fall is restricted is almost in contact with the side portion 30 or the coin C dropped into each of the holes 15 and 16 passes in front of the magnetic sensor 28, the resolution of the portion is reduced. In this case, the resolution between the coin C and the next coin C is increased. More specifically, a flat ferrite core as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, or a pot-shaped small enough to dispose the hole position of the coin as negligible as shown in FIGS. A ferrite core 31 formed by molding a plurality of (two in the illustrated example) molds can be employed. Since the circuit part (not shown) of the magnetic sensor 28 is a high-frequency circuit, it is built in the bracket 22 as an integral part of the magnetic sensor 28, and is shielded from being affected by other metals. The bracket 22
Is a magnetic sensor that does not react at all to the coins C passing over the holes 15 and 16 and detects only the coins C that fall into the holes 15 and 16 in a fixed posture or that are restricted from falling. 28 is attached to the classification road 4 by adjusting the angle and the like.

The magnetic sensor 28 is connected to the turntable 1
Is connected to a drive motor (not shown) and a drive motor (not shown) of the feed belt 21 for controlling the entire coin sorting / sorting machine (not shown). A detection signal is output.
The control device is connected to the material sensor 7, the diameter sensor 8, the drive solenoid (not shown) of the stopper 9, the drive motor (not shown) of the opening and closing plate 10, and the like. Also connected.

Next, the operation of the coin sorting / sorting machine having the above configuration will be described below. First, the coin C mixed with many denominations is supplied to the turntable 1, and when the coin sorting / sorting machine is started, the turntable 1 rotates counterclockwise in FIG. A force is applied to the peripheral surface of the turntable 1, and the sheet is made continuous one by one from the inlet 2 to determine the path 3.
Send to Then, the feed belt 21 in the driven state is moved to the coin C.
While passing through the material sensor 7 and the diameter sensor 8. At this time, the control device compares the data output from the material sensor 7 and the diameter sensor 8 with the reference data of the coin C, which has been divided and stored for each denomination, and passes through the discrimination path 3. The denomination of the coin C is determined, and if the passing coin C corresponds to any one of the denominations, the counter provided for each denomination is counted up, and the coin C is used as it is on the classification path 4. Send to the side. On the other hand, when the passing coin C does not correspond to any denomination, a solenoid (not shown) is driven so as to prevent the coin C from being conveyed to the sorting path 4 so that the stopper 9 is projected and a motor (not shown) is driven. The coin C which is driven to open the open / close plate 10 and stopped by the stopper 9 is stored in the reject storage.

The coin C that has passed through the opening / closing plate 10 has its transport direction changed by the feed belt 21 and the guide plate 11, and
Further, the sorting path 4 is conveyed while being pressed against the reference guide plate 12 by the feed belt 21. The coin C pressed and conveyed to the straight side portion 14 of the reference guide plate 12 is moved to the side portion 20 opposite to the reference guide plate 12.
When there is a hole whose distance does not correspond to the reference guide plate 12, the hole passes through this hole and, as shown in FIGS. It falls into the storage (not shown) through the opening 32 of 22. At this time, if the coin C has a hole, the magnetic sensor 28 detects the falling coin C while passing the hole through a portion having a low resolution, and outputs a detection signal to the control device. Then, the control device counts down the counter of the denomination corresponding to the magnetic sensor 28 having output, and counts up the counter for counting to count the number of coins passing therethrough. And
When the value of the former counter becomes a negative value or a positive value which is equal to or more than a predetermined value, it is regarded that a coin C sorting error has occurred and, for example, the sorting and separating operation is stopped and the feed belt 21 is stopped. Is rotated in the reverse direction to return the coin C in the discrimination path 3 and the like to the turntable 1, and output to an alarm device (not shown) to display an alarm.

Here, for example, in a case where the coin C has scratches or dust attached thereto and a state in which the outer peripheral surface of the coin C cannot contact the reference guide plate 12 occurs, the coin C is moved to the position shown in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 12 and FIG. 12, even if the hole 15 enters the hole 15 from the side 19 of the reference guide plate 12 side of the uncorresponding hole (the hole 15 in the illustrated example), Since the side is closed by the bracket 22, the hole 15 cannot drop from the side 19 of the reference guide plate 12 side. The coin C that cannot be dropped is in an inclined state with the reference guide plate 12 side entering the hole 15 and the side opposite to the reference guide plate 12 being on the sorting path 4, and is sent next in this state. The coin C is pushed by the coin C and almost comes into contact with the side portion 30 of the hole 15. At this time, the magnetic sensor 28
Detects the coin C in a state where the coin C has a hole, particularly when the hole is located in a portion having a low resolution. Then, when the coin C is in the state where the coin C is controlled to fall, the detection signal of the coin C output from the magnetic sensor 28 to the control device indicates that the waveform of the coin detection state is longer than usual as shown by g in FIG. It is not changed (a to f in FIG. 13).
Indicates a waveform when the coin C has fallen normally, g indicates a waveform when the fall of the coin C is regulated, and the vertical axis indicates the magnitude of the output voltage.) After a predetermined period of time in which the waveform does not change, for example, the sorting / separating operation is stopped and the feed belt 21 is rotated in the reverse direction to return the coin C in the discrimination path 3 to the turntable 1 and output to the alarm device (not shown). Alarm display.

As described above, according to the coin sorting and sorting machine of the present embodiment, each hole 1 provided for all denominations is provided.
Even if the coins C are damaged or adhere to the coins C and the coins C which do not correspond to the holes 15 and 16 may enter from the reference guide plate 12 side of the holes 15 and 16, Coin C from the reference guide plate 12 side of the holes 15 and 16
Will be regulated. Therefore, since the coins C do not fall out of the corresponding holes, the coins C can be easily removed from the holes, and it is necessary to perform a very complicated operation of finding misselected coins from the storage. Can be eliminated. In addition, the magnetic sensor 28 can detect the presence or absence of coins C whose fall is regulated by the bracket 22 and the number of coins C passing through the holes 15 and 16 from the front of the magnetic sensor 28 and falling. In addition, since the magnetic sensor 28 reduces the resolution of the coin C whose fall is restricted by the bracket 22 and the portion corresponding to the hole position of the coin C that falls into each of the holes 15 and 16 and passes ahead, C whose coins are restricted and the holes 15, 16
Erroneous detection of the hole of the coin C falling on the coin. Therefore, when the coins C fall well, counting of the sorted coins C can be reliably performed, and when the coins C are regulated to be dropped by the bracket 22, the drive of the coin sorting and sorting machine is performed. It is possible to reliably stop the vehicle, generate an alarm, and the like.

In the above embodiment, the guide member using the reference guide plate 12 having the straight side portion 14 has been described as an example. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, a plurality of guide rollers may be used. A good effect can be obtained even if an array or the like is used. Also, a description has been given of an example in which the magnetic sensor 28 is employed as the detecting means. However, as the detecting means, various sensors can be applied as long as the sensor can detect the presence or absence of a coin.

[0022]

As described above in detail, according to the coin sorting and sorting machine of the present invention, the bracket provided in each hole has a structure such that the coin has a flaw or dust attached to the coin from the guide member side of the hole. Even if coins that do not correspond to the holes may enter, the coins are prevented from falling from the guide member side of each hole, and the sensor provided on the bracket is restricted from falling by the bracket. Since the resolution of the portion corresponding to the position of each hole of the coin and the coin falling into each hole is reduced, the coin whose drop is restricted and the hole of the coin falling into each hole are not erroneously detected. Therefore,
Even if coins that do not correspond to the hole may enter from the guide member side of the hole at a position separated from the guide member by a predetermined amount, the mis-sorted coins are prevented from falling from the hole, and the mis-sorted coins are stored in the storage. Eliminates the need to perform the very complicated task of finding In addition, since coins whose falling is regulated and coins falling in each hole can be accurately detected, if coins fall well, counting of sorted coins can be performed reliably, and When coins are restricted from falling by the bracket, it is possible to reliably stop driving the coin sorting / sorting machine, generate an alarm, and the like.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a main part of a coin sorting and sorting machine according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view showing a bracket, a magnetic sensor, and the like of the coin sorting and sorting machine according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a side view of the bracket, the magnetic sensor, and the like of the coin sorting and sorting machine according to one embodiment of the present invention, as viewed from the X direction in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line YY in FIG. 2 showing a bracket, a magnetic sensor, and the like of the coin sorting and sorting machine according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a front view showing an example of a magnetic sensor of the coin sorting and sorting machine according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a plan view showing an example of a magnetic sensor of the coin sorting and sorting machine according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a front view showing another example of the magnetic sensor of the coin sorting and sorting machine according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a plan view showing another example of the magnetic sensor of the coin sorting and sorting machine according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a plan view showing a main part of the coin sorting and sorting machine according to one embodiment of the present invention, showing a state where coins are normally dropped into holes.

FIG. 10 is a side view schematically showing a main part of a coin sorting and sorting machine according to an embodiment of the present invention, showing a state where coins are normally dropped into a hole.

FIG. 11 is a plan view showing a main part of the coin sorting and sorting machine according to one embodiment of the present invention, showing a state in which coins are prevented from falling.

FIG. 12 is a side view schematically showing a main part of a coin sorting and sorting machine according to an embodiment of the present invention, showing a state in which coins are prevented from falling.

FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of a detection signal of a magnetic sensor of the coin sorting and sorting machine according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 12 Reference guide plate (guide member) 15, 16 hole 22 Bracket 28 Magnetic sensor (sensor) C coin

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A multi-kind coin is conveyed one by one against a guide member, and a position on the guide member side is separated from the guide member by a predetermined amount and is opposed to each of the guide members. The coins are sorted by a plurality of holes in which the distance between the guide member and the position of the coin is larger on the downstream side in the transport direction in accordance with the diameter of the coin to be sorted, and the sorting is performed in a storage corresponding to each of the holes. In the coin sorting and sorting machine for dropping and classifying the dropped coins, a bracket is provided in each of the holes for restricting the coin from falling from the guide member side of each of the holes. A coin sorter / sorter comprising a regulated coin and a coin falling into each of the holes, a sensor having a reduced resolution of a portion corresponding to the position of each hole.