JP2819227B2 - Coin processing equipment - 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 processing apparatus incorporated in a public telephone, a vending machine and the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 5 is a front view of a conventional coin processing apparatus, and FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along line VI-VI of FIG. A conventional coin processing device will be described with reference to these drawings. A reference numeral 1 generally designates a substrate provided substantially upright on a base (not shown), and a coin insertion slot 2 for inserting a coin C is provided at a left upper end portion. Reference numeral 3 denotes a gently inclined coin sorting track connected to the coin slot 2 and provided with a coin sorting section 4 and a sorting lever 10 for sorting illegal coins. Coin sorting part 4
Is composed of an insertion detection sensor 6 for detecting the insertion of a coin, an outer diameter detection sensor 7 for detecting the outer diameter of the coin, and a material thickness detection sensor 8 for detecting the material and thickness of the coin.
The sorting lever 10 normally projects from the window 11 formed in the substrate 1 into the coin sorting track 3 and
The coin is separated from the coin sorting trajectory 3 through the window 11 by the sorting magnet 9 operated by the control signal at the time of sorting the coins.

[0003] 12 is a passage sensor for detecting the passage of genuine coins,
Reference numeral 13 denotes a coin storage orbit connected to the coin sorting orbit 3, which is gently inclined in a direction opposite to the coin sorting orbit 3. 14
In coin return track disposed substantially in parallel to the thickness direction of the coin rolling the coin storage track 13, the sorting lever 10
An inlet portion is provided slightly upstream, and a coin return opening 15 is provided at the lower left portion of the substrate 1. The terminal end of the coin storage track 13 joins the coin return track and is continuously provided. Reference numerals 16a to 16d denote first to fourth coin storage units arranged side by side below the coin storage track 13, and an opening 18 facing the coin storage track 13 at an upper end and a storage release lever 19 at a lower end. The coin storage pocket 17 is provided.

[0004] Reference numeral 20 denotes a substantially L-shaped storage lever, and an arm 20a for opening and closing the opening 18 and the coin storage pocket 1 are provided.
7, and has a swinging behavior such that the arm 20a opens the opening 18 and protrudes into the coin accumulation track 13 by a weight (not shown). Reference numeral 21 denotes a storage magnet, which operates when a storage signal or an on-hook signal arrives, withdraws the storage release lever 19 from the lower part of the coin storage pocket 17, and stores coins in the coin storage pocket 17 in a coin storage track 2 to be described later.
Lead to 3. Reference numeral 22 denotes a storage sensor provided in the coin storage pocket 17. Reference numeral 23 denotes a coin storage orbit located below the four coin storage units 16 and inclined at the same inclination as the coin storage orbit 13. A coin storage port 24 is provided at the lower end of the terminal end, and coins are provided at side ends of the terminal end. A communication port 25 connected to the return port 15
Are provided respectively.

Reference numeral 26 denotes a storage return switching lever having a storage lever 26a for opening and closing the coin storage opening 24 and a return lever 26b for opening and closing the communication opening 25. The storage lever 26a and the return lever 26b are provided. The coin storage port 24 and the communication port 25 are alternately opened and closed, and the coin return port 24 is opened and the communication port 25 is closed by operating the storage return switching magnet 27.
Reference numeral 28 denotes a storage sensor disposed below the coin storage slot 24. A flapper (not shown) supported on the substrate 1 so as to be openable and closable is disposed at a position 29 immediately below the coin insertion slot 2 of the coin sorting track 3 and is inserted from the insertion slot 2. When the coins jammed due to scale clogging or the like, the coins are opened in conjunction with a well-known on-hook operation by a handset (not shown), guide the jammed coins to the lower return track 14, and return them from the coin return slot 15.

Next, a coin processing operation of the coin processing apparatus having such a configuration will be described. Coin C inserted from slot 2
Rolls on the coin sorting orbit 3 and when it passes through the insertion sensor 6, the insertion of coins is detected, the coin sorting unit 4 starts sorting, and the coins C passing through the sorting unit 4 are sorted. Coin sorting part 4
When the sorting is performed, the sorting lever 10 keeps the state of protruding into the coin sorting orbit 3, removes the illegal coin in the thickness direction of the rolling coins, guides it to the coin returning orbit 14, and provides a coin return port. Return from 15.

On the other hand, when the coins are sorted by the coin sorting section 4 as genuine coins, the sorting magnet 9 is operated by the control signal from the coin sorting section 4 and the sorting lever 10 retreats from the coin sorting orbit 3 so that the genuine coins are removed. Is passed through the passage sensor 12 and guided to the coin storage orbit 13. 1 led to coin storage orbit 13
The second genuine coin abuts against the arm portion 20a of the accumulation lever 20 of the first coin accumulation portion 16a located at the most upstream position of the coin accumulation trajectory 13, is prevented from rolling, and falls into the accumulation pocket 17 from the opening portion 18. Stored. The coins that have fallen and accumulated are
The arm 20a retreats from the coin storage track 13 to close the opening 18 because the storage lever 20 is rotated in contact with the b, and the arm 20a forms the coin storage track 13. Accordingly, the second genuine coin is accumulated in the second coin accumulation unit 16b, and subsequent genuine coins are sequentially accumulated in the downstream coin accumulation units 16c, 16c.
16d. Four coin storage units 16a to 16d
When all the genuine coins are accumulated, a sorting operation in the coin sorting unit 4 is performed, and the sorting lever 10 protrudes into the coin sorting trajectory 3, and the fifth and subsequent inserted coins come into contact with the sorting lever 10 and return the coins. It is guided to the orbit 14 and returned from the coin return port 15.

When the four genuine coins stored in the coin storage section 16 are sorted by the coin sorting section 4, the denomination of the coin is stored as coin information in a memory section of the apparatus. Based on the coin information and tariff data obtained by calculating the call charge based on the charge table, a genuine coin to be stored among the four genuine coins is determined, and the corresponding storage magnet 21 operates to operate the storage release lever 19. Will leave, so the specie that will be stored will be
It falls from the storage pocket 17 to the coin storage track 23 and rolls to the end of the storage track 23. Here, the storage return switching magnet 27 is operated, and the storage switching lever 26 swings so that the storage lever 26a opens the coin storage port 24, so that coins are stored from the coin storage port 24. When the stored coins pass through the storage sensor 28, it is detected that the number of stored coins detected by the passage sensor 12 has decreased by one, and it is detected that a coin storage unit 16 capable of storing has been generated. 10 exits the coin sorting orbit 3 to be in a state where it can be accumulated.

When the call ends and the handset is hooked on, the storage lever 26a of the storage return switching lever closes the coin storage port 24, and the return lever 26b opens the communication port 25. At the same time, since the storage magnet 21 of the coin storage section 16 on the downstream side operates and the storage release lever 19 retreats from the coin storage pocket 17, the storage pocket 17
The coins inside fall and roll on the coin storage track 23, and the communication port 2
5 and is returned from the coin return slot 15.

[0010]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional coin processing apparatus, illegal coins are eliminated in the thickness direction of coins rolled by the sorting lever and guided to the coin return trajectory. A coin return trajectory must be provided in the thickness direction of coins rolling with this coin storage trajectory in addition to the coin storage trajectory that guides coins, which not only complicates the structure, but also increases the thickness and the size of the device. There was a drawback that it became. In addition, the sorting lever changes the rolling direction of the fraudulent coins and guides the fraudulent coins in the thickness direction of the rolling coins.
In particular, when illegal coins are successively inserted, coins overlap and become jammed, so-called scale clogging occurs, causing a problem of permanent damage.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, the present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned conventional drawbacks or problems, and has as its object to simplify and reduce the size of the apparatus and eliminate obstacles such as jamming of coins. An object of the present invention is to provide a coin processing device.

[0012]

In order to achieve this object, a coin processing apparatus according to the present invention comprises a coin sorting unit and a plurality of coin sorting units disposed downstream of the coin sorting unit for storing coins one by one. A coin storage unit for storing coin information in the coin sorting unit; and a coin storage orbit from coins stored in the coin storage unit based on the stored coin information and tariff data.
Select coins to be stored in.

[0013]

According to the present invention, genuine coins which are temporarily stored individually in a plurality of coin storage units regardless of whether they are genuine coins or fraudulent coins, and then stored based on the coin information and tariff data in the coin sorting unit Is selected.

[0014]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a front view of a coin processing apparatus according to the present invention, and FIG.
FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the operation of the accumulation process, and FIG.
FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the operation of the storing process, and FIG.
FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the operation of the on-hook process. In these figures, the same components as those of the prior art are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed description is omitted. A feature of the present invention is that a sorting lever for removing illegal coins is not provided, and a coin return trajectory is not provided. That is, only the coin accumulation track 13 is disposed downstream of the coin sorting unit 4, and the thickness direction of the coin rolling the illegal coin removed by the sorting lever 10 in the conventional coin processing device described above. Return trajectory 14 leading to
Is not provided, and illegal coins are guided to the coin storage orbit 13.

Next, the operation of the storage processing in the coin processing apparatus having such a configuration will be described. Waiting for a coin to be inserted in step 41, when coin C is inserted from the coin insertion slot 2 and passes through the insertion sensor 6, coin insertion is detected in step 42, and sorting is started by the coin sorting unit 4, At step 43, the sorting ends. Sorting result, step 4
If the coin is selected as a genuine coin in step 4, genuine coin information such as the denomination of the genuine coin is temporarily stored in the storage information area in step 45. On the other hand, if it is discriminated as fraudulent in step 44, fraudulent information is temporarily stored in step 46.

In step 47, the four coin storage units 16a to 16a
16d is waiting for coins to be accumulated, and when the first coin passing through the passage sensor 12 is accumulated in the first coin accumulation unit 16a, the coin is accumulated by the accumulation sensor 22 in step 48. Is detected, and step 49 is performed.
Then, the coin information temporarily stored in the accumulation information area in steps 45 and 46 is saved, and the first coin accumulation unit 16a is saved.
The coin denomination information or the illegal coin information stored in the coin is stored. In step 50, it is counted that the coins have been stored in one of the coin storage units 16a to 16d, and in step 51, it is determined whether or not the coins have been stored in all of the coin storage units 16a to 16d, that is, whether or not four coins have been stored. The process returns to step 41 until the four sheets are accumulated, and the same operation is performed. 4
When the coins are accumulated, the sorting operation in the coin sorting unit 4 is stopped in step 52, and the inserted coins thereafter roll on the coin accumulation track 13 regardless of whether they are genuine coins or fraudulent coins. It is returned from the return port 15.

Next, the storing operation will be described. In step 61, a stored coin is determined from tariff data based on the coin information temporarily stored in the storage information area described above, and the storage magnet 21 of the coin storage unit storing the corresponding stored coin is operated to release the storage. Let the lever 19 out,
The stored coins are dropped and rolled on the coin storage track 23. At the same time, the storage / return switching magnet 27 is operated to swing the storage / return switching lever 26 so that the storage lever 26a is retracted, and the coin is stored from the coin storage port 24. In step 63, when storage is detected by the storage sensor 28,
In step 64, the storage information area in which the stored coins are temporarily stored is cleared, and in step 65, the storage count is decremented by one. If the accumulation count is decremented, step 42
Then, the insertion detection is started again, and the above-described accumulation processing becomes possible.

Here, the illegal coins are stored in the coin storage units 16a to 16
If it is stored in any one of d, the return operation is performed during the operation of storing the genuine coin. That is, the storage magnet 21 of the corresponding coin storage section operates to operate the storage release lever 19.
And the illegal coin is dropped and rolled on the coin storage track 23 and returned from the coin return port 15 through the communication port 25. By doing so, it is possible to accumulate new genuine coins.

In this manner, all coins are temporarily stored in the coin storage section 16a regardless of whether the inserted coins are genuine or fraudulent.
16d, the coin information in the coin sorting unit 4 is temporarily stored, and the stored coins are determined from the accumulated coins stored in the coin storage units 16a to 16d from the tariff data based on the coin information. Since the coin return track and the sorting lever, which have been required, are not required, the structure is simplified, and the apparatus can be made thinner in the thickness direction. In addition, since there is no scale clogging during the sorting operation of the sorting lever, the function and quality are improved.

Next, the on-hook processing operation will be described. When the call is finished and the handset is placed on the hook, that is, on-hook processing is performed, if there is a stored coin in the coin storage units 16a to 16d in step 71, the coin storage in which the stored coin is stored is performed in step 72. Operated from the storage magnet 21 of the coin storage unit located downstream of the storage unit, the storage release lever 19 is retreated, and the coin is stored in the coin storage track 2.
Drop and roll to 3. At the same time storage return switching magnet 2
7 to move the storage / return switching lever to the return lever portion 2
6b is swung so as to exit from the communication port 25, and coins are returned from the coin return port 15 in step 72. In step 73, the accumulation count is decremented by one. If there is still an accumulation coin in step 71, the same coin returning operation as described above is performed, and coins are returned one by one. When all the coins have been returned, the on-hook processing ends at step 74.

[0021] In this way, one by one the return of the coins, since so as to sequentially return, coins jam in the coin storage orbit 23 or the coin return slot 15 is locked-proof. In this embodiment, the coins are sequentially returned from the coin storage unit on the downstream side. However, the present invention is not limited to this. Of course, the coins may be returned from any coin storage unit.

[0022]

As described above, according to the present invention, a coin sorting unit and one coin disposed downstream of the coin sorting unit are used.
It has a plurality of coin storage units for storing the coins one by one, stores coin information in the coin sorting unit, and cures the coins stored in the coin storage unit based on the stored coin information and tariff data.
By selecting coins to be stored in the storage track ,
All coins are temporarily stored in the coin storage unit regardless of fraudulent coins.Therefore, there is no need to set up a coin return track, which simplifies the structure and makes it possible to reduce the thickness. Become. In addition, there is no need to provide a sorting lever, so that coins are not jammed due to the sorting operation, and functions and quality can be improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view of a coin processing device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating an operation of a storage process of the coin processing apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating an operation of a storing process of the coin processing apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of an on-hook process of the coin processing apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a front view of a conventional coin processing device.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along line VI-VI of FIG. 5;

[Explanation of symbols]

 3 Coin sorting orbit 4 Coin sorting unit 13 Coin storage orbit 15 Coin return port 16a to 16d First to fourth coin storage unit 17 Coin storage pocket 20 Storage lever 23 Coin storage track 24 Coin storage opening 26 Storage return switching lever

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (58) Field surveyed (Int. Cl. ⁶ , DB name) G07F 3/04 G07D 1/00 GBA G07F 9/00 107

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A coin sorting unit comprising: a coin sorting unit; and a plurality of coin storage units disposed downstream of the coin sorting unit for storing coins one by one, and storing coin information in the coin sorting unit. A coin storage device for selecting a coin to be stored in a coin storage track from the coins stored in the coin storage unit based on the obtained coin information and tariff data.