JP3338760B2 - Automatic change dispensing device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] The present invention relates to an automatic change dispensing apparatus.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Heretofore, coins inserted in a lump from a coin insertion slot are sent out one by one and conveyed. In this conveying process, an outer diameter check section checks the outer diameter of the coin, and the coin being conveyed is not a genuine coin. In this case, the coin is discharged to the reject overflow section, and the genuine coin passing through the reject overflow section is sent to the next coin sorting section for 1 yen, 5 yen, 1 yen.
The coins are sorted into denominations of 0 yen, 50 yen, 100 yen, and 500 yen, and stored in the coin storage unit for each denomination.
There is an automatic change dispensing device in which a coin is dispensed to a coin dispensing outlet by a coin dispensing unit having a belt configuration when there is a change according to a command from an nt of sales (Ent. Of Sales) or an ECR (Electronic Cash Register).

[0003]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In an automatic change dispensing apparatus used by being connected to a POS terminal or an ECR,
When coins are collected when the store is closed, all coins in the device are paid out to a coin payout port and collected. However, since the coin payout slot for change payout has an extremely small coin storage capacity, the operator pays out coins to the coin payout port many times, and each time the coin in the coin payout port is used for bags or other collection. It is inconvenient to perform the operation of transferring to a container.

The present invention has been made in view of such a point, and when paying out change, it pays out to a coin payout exit.
An object of the present invention is to provide an automatic change dispensing apparatus that can collect all coins in a coin storage unit at a time when coins are collected.

[0005]

According to the first aspect of the present invention,
A coin collection case selectively mounted near the lower part of a coin payout port for receiving coins to be paid out by a coin payout unit from a coin storage unit is provided, between a downstream end of the coin payout unit and the coin payout unit. And a switching gate for selectively guiding coins to be dispensed from the coin dispensing section by being displaced to the coin dispensing port and the coin collection case. Therefore, by selecting the position of the switching gate, it is possible to pay out coins to the coin payout exit in the case of paying out change, and to collect all the coins in the coin storage unit into the coin collecting case at one time when collecting coins.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, a drawer for arranging and storing a coin collection case at a position for receiving a coin guided by the switching gate is provided below the coin payout section and the coin payout port. It was provided to be able to be pulled out freely. Therefore, at the time of coin collection, coins can be collected in the coin collection case stored in the drawer.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the second aspect of the invention, a coin collection case and a bill storage case are located at a position for receiving coins guided by the switching gate and at a position behind the coins. It is stored freely. Therefore, at the time of coin collection, the coin collection case is arranged at a position on the near side for receiving coins guided from the switching gate and stored in the drawer, and when the function of the automatic change dispensing device cannot be used due to a failure or the like, a bill storage case. Is hidden behind the drawer, the coin collection case is simply placed as a case for coin deposit and withdrawal in front of the bill storage case and stored in the drawer,
Further, when paying change to the coin payout exit, a usage form in which a coin collecting case is stored in the back of the drawer as a container for replenishing change can be obtained.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the invention of the second or third aspect, the coin collecting case accommodated in the drawer is provided with a switching gate in a direction for guiding coins to the coin collecting case when the drawer is closed. An actuating part for displacing is provided. Therefore, at the time of coin collection, by storing the coin collection case in the drawer and closing the drawer, the switching gate can be automatically displaced in a direction to guide the coin to the coin collection case.

[0009]

FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment of the present invention.
This will be described with reference to FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional side view showing a change dispensing state, FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional side view showing a coin collection state, FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the entire appearance, FIG. 4 is a general plan view, and FIG. FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a coin payout section, FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing the relationship between a gate and a coin payout port, FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a drawer, and FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a coin collection case.

As shown in FIG. 3 and FIG.
A coin insertion slot 2 is provided at the front right side of the coin insertion slot 2 and is open upward to receive coins C collectively. The coin insertion slot 2 is provided with a plurality of sets of insertion sensors 3 that photoelectrically detect the presence or absence of the coin C. At one end of the coin insertion slot 2, there is provided an insertion roller 4 for feeding out the coins C inserted randomly, one by one.
Thus, a charging section 5 is formed.

The input roller 4 is disposed directly above the input belt 6 that conveys the coins C in a row with a gap through which one coin C passes. A transport belt 7 whose transport speed has been increased so that the coins C can be transported at a predetermined gap by increasing the transport speed, and another transport belt 8 is further serially provided. An outer diameter check unit 9 for checking the outer diameter of the coin C is provided in the portion of the conveyor belt 7. A reject overflow unit 10 for interrupting and storing coins when the coin C to be conveyed is not a genuine coin or when a coin storage unit to be described later is full is provided ahead of the outer diameter check unit 9. Is provided. Further, the transport belt 8
Is provided with a transport belt 11 for converting the transport direction to a right angle and transporting the coin C to the coin sorting position. Therefore, a coin transport unit that transports the coin C inserted into the coin insertion slot 2 to the coin sorting position is configured by the input roller 4, the input belt 6, and the transport belts 7, 8, and 11.

Next, a sorting hole 12 for each denomination whose hole width dimension is sequentially increased along the conveyor belt 11 is provided, and a coin sorting portion 13 located at a coin sorting position is formed therein. Sorting hole 12 is 1 yen, 5 yen, 10 yen, 50 yen, 1
6 for each denomination of 00 yen and 500 yen
Are provided. A coin sensor (counting sensor) 14 is provided for each sorting hole 12. Further, a coin storage section 16 having an upper opening which is separated by a partition plate 15 for each coin C in communication with each of the sorting holes 12 is provided.

A payout belt 17 connected to and driven by a storage unit motor (not shown) is provided on a bottom portion of each coin type of the coin storage unit 16 so as to be suspended between a driving roller 18 and a driven roller 19. (See FIGS. 1 and 2). The payout belt 17 is composed of a pair of two long and short endless belts, and is inclined so as to increase in height toward the downstream side in the coin transport direction. A separation roller 20 for separating the coins C one by one is provided at the exit of the coin storage unit 16 so as to cross all the exits.
A coin standby unit 21 is provided for each denomination in which the coins are arranged in a line and made to stand by. The longer of the payout belts 17
The coin also extends to the coin waiting section 21 and reaches the coin payout position after passing through the coin waiting section 21. The coin standby unit 21
Is provided with a presser plate 22 sized so that two or more coins C do not overlap the payout belt 17, and temporarily stops the coins C and sends out the required number of coins C. Is provided with a coin stopper 23 whose operation is controlled (see FIGS. 1 and 2). The coin stopper 23 is driven and controlled by an electromagnet (not shown), and pays out the designated coin C and the number of coins by operation control. Further, a payout sensor 24 is provided immediately after the coin stopper 23 (see FIGS. 1 and 2). here,
A coin dispensing section 25 having a transport belt structure for transporting coins C stored in the coin storing section 16 by denomination and dropping the coins to a coin dispensing position is configured.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, at a coin payout position where the coin C is dropped by the coin payout section 25 by denomination, a housing-like coin payout opening 26 having an open upper surface is arranged. In a space created below the payout belt 17 and the coin payout port 26 which are components of the coin payout section 25 inside the main body case 1, a drawer 27 forming a drawer structure is provided from a POS terminal / ECR (not shown). Is provided so as to be freely pulled out by the control of. This drawer 2
7, a bill storage case 28 and a coin case 29 are stored so as to be interchangeable (see FIG. 7). Thereby, inside the drawer 27, the bill storage case 28
And the coin case 29 can be selectively arranged on the front side and the rear side. Furthermore, on the left side of the main body case 1,
A display 30 and various operation keys 31 are provided (see FIG. 3).

As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG.
Is provided with a partition plate 32 extending from the vicinity of the rear portion of the payout belt 17 to the front end portion on the front side to partition a lower space 32a of the coin payout portion 25.
2a. In the state shown in FIGS. 1 and 2,
In the drawer 27, a coin collection case 33 used for coin collection is selectively stored. And coin payout unit 2
Between the downstream end (the tip of the payout belt 17) of the coin 5 and the coin payout port 26, the coin C paid out from the coin payout section 25 by being displaced in the vertical direction is transferred to the coin payout port 26.
Switch gate 34 for selectively guiding the coin to coin collection case 33
Is provided.

The switching gate 34 has a guide surface 35 which is inclined downward from the tip of the payout belt 17 toward the coin payout port 26, and has a vertically long guide (provided on both sides of the main body case 1) on both sides. (Not shown), an oval-shaped guide 36 held movably up and down, and a pin 37 projecting laterally from the guide 36 are formed (see FIG. 6).

As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG.
A lever 39 having a horizontally elongated hole 38 fitted to the pin 37 of the switching gate 34 is provided rotatably about a shaft 40, and this lever 39 is forcibly rotated clockwise. It is urged by a spring 41 to return to its original position when moved. A lever 39 is provided on the side of the coin collection case 33 when the drawer 27 is closed.
Is formed in a protruding operation portion 44 which presses the switch clockwise to displace the switching gate 34 upward. As shown in FIG. 8, the coin collection case 33 is partitioned by a partition plate 45 so that coins C can be stored by denomination in this example. The interval between the partition plates 45 coincides with the boundary between the plurality of payout belts 17 for paying out coins C by denomination.

In such a configuration, usually, the drawer 2
7, a bill storage case 28 and a coin case 29 are stored as shown in FIG. In this case, the coin case 29 stores coins C that compensate for the shortage of change. When the coin C is inserted into the coin insertion slot 2, the insertion sensor 3 detects the coin C, and the input belt 6, the transport belts 7, 8, and the transport belt 11 are driven. And the inserted coin C is
The coins C are conveyed by being separated one by one between the input roller 4 and the input belt 6 of the input unit 5, and the interval between the coins C is widened by the conveying belt 7. In the process, the outer diameter check unit 9 or a material check unit (not shown) determines whether the coin is a genuine or fake coin.
It is stored in the reject overflow unit 10. At this time, even if the coin storage unit 16 is full and cannot store a new coin C, the conveyed coin C is stored in the reject overflow unit 10. In the case of a genuine coin, the direction is changed from the conveyor belt 8 to the conveyor belt 11 and the conveyor is conveyed, and the coin sorter 13 sorts out each denomination. That is, the coin is dropped into the sorting hole 12 according to the denomination, and is stored in the coin storage unit 16. The number of the coins C dropped from the sorting hole 12 is counted by the coin sensor 14.
When there is no coin C in the coin standby unit 21, the operation control is performed so that the payout belt 17 is driven and a predetermined number of coins C are always present in the coin standby unit 21.

Then, the closing process is performed in the POS terminal / ECR, and when a payout command of the coin C is issued from the POS terminal / ECR, the payout belt 17 is driven and the coin stopper 23 operates for each denomination. Then, the required number of coins C are sent out. Coin C sent out in this way
Are collectively paid out to the coin payout exit 26. In this case, the switching gate 34 is located at the lower position,
The coin C conveyed by the switch 7 is provided on the guide surface 3 of the switching gate 34.
5 and fall to the coin payout exit 26. Therefore,
The cashier can grab the coin C paid out to the coin payout port 26 and deliver it to the customer. On the other hand, it may be necessary to take out the banknote from the drawer 27 depending on the amount of change. Therefore, the POS terminal / ECR determines the necessity of opening the drawer 27 on the basis of the change amount, and automatically determines if the drawer 27 is necessary.

At the time of coin collection performed when the store is closed or the like, a coin collection case 33 is stored in the drawer 27. In this example, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the coin storage case 33 has a size including the banknote storage case 28 and the coin case 29, so that the banknote storage case 28 and the coin case 29 are taken out before that. After collecting the internal bills and coins in another container, the coin collecting case 33 is stored. When the drawer 27 is closed from the state shown in FIG. 1 as shown in FIG. 2, the lever 39 is pressed by the operating portion 44 of the coin collecting case 33 and rotates clockwise to push up the pin 37. As a result, the switching gate 34 is raised, so that when a coin collection operation is performed, all coins C in the coin storage unit 16 are paid out by the payout belt 17, pass under the guide surface 35 of the switching gate 34, and the coin collection case in the drawer 27. 33 falls by denomination.

As described above, the coin collecting case 33 accommodated in the drawer 27 is provided with the operating portion 44 for displacing the switching gate 34 in a direction to guide the coin C to the coin collecting case 33 when the drawer 27 is closed. Therefore, when coins are collected, the coin collecting case 33 is stored in the drawer 27, and by closing the drawer 27, the switching gate 34 can be automatically displaced to the coin collecting position, thereby improving operability.

The coin collecting case 33 storing the coins C collected from the coin storing section 16 is moved to a storage place provided separately. In this case, as shown in FIG. 9, a shutter 46 that can be opened and closed is provided in each chamber of the coin storage case 33, and if these shutters 46 are opened, the coin collection case 33 can be tilted only by a slight tilt. C can be easily transferred and denominated. Further, the coin collection case 33 may be replaced with a coin collection case 47 separated by denomination as shown in FIG. Note that the coin collection case may be configured to collect coins without dividing them into denominations.

Further, the above-mentioned large coin collection case 3
When a slightly smaller coin collecting case 48 is used instead of the coin collecting case 48 as shown in FIG.
Can be always stored in the drawer 27 together with the bill storage case 28. In this case, the coin collection case 48 can be used for various purposes.

For example, as described above, when collecting coins,
The coin collecting case 48 is disposed at a position on the near side for receiving the coin C guided from the switching gate 34 and stored in the drawer 27, and when the drawer 27 is closed, the lever 39 is rotated by the operating section 44 to switch the switching gate 34. When the function of the automatic change dispensing device cannot be used due to a use form in which the dispenser is displaced upward, a failure, or the like, the bill storage case 28 is hidden in the back side, and the coin collection case 48 is simply arranged as a case for coin deposit and withdrawal, and is disposed on the front side. Use form to be stored and used in the drawer 27,
When paying out the change to the coin payout port 26, it is possible to obtain a use form in which the coin collection case 48 is used as a container for replenishing the change by being stored in the back side of the drawer 27.

Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.
This will be described with reference to FIG. In this embodiment and the subsequent embodiments, the same components as those described in the first embodiment have the same reference numerals and description thereof will be omitted. FIG. 12 is a longitudinal side view showing a change dispensing state, and FIG.
3 is a longitudinal sectional side view showing a coin collection state, FIG. 14 is an exploded perspective view showing a relationship between a coin payout port and a switching gate and a coin collection case, and FIG. 15 is a side view showing a state where the coin collection case is mounted.

In the present embodiment, a coin payout port 26 is provided in front of the tip of the payout belt 17 and a switching gate 49 provided below the coin payout port 26 with a space (passage 50) corresponding to one coin.
Are integrally formed and supported rotatably about a shaft 51. The coin payout exit 26 and the switching gate 49 are
The stationary position is determined by a stopper (not shown) urged in a counterclockwise direction by a spring 52. The rest position is a position where the payout belt 17 and the coin payout port 26 are connected.

As shown in FIGS. 13 and 14, the coin collecting case 53 in the present embodiment is not of the type stored in the drawer 27 as described in the previous embodiment.
External type, coin payout port 26 and switching gate 49
And a hook 55 to be hung on a pin 54 projecting from both sides of the combined body.

Therefore, in a normal case where the change needs to be paid out, the coin collecting case 53 is not used as shown in FIG. In this state, the coin payout port 26 is stopped at the rest position for receiving the coin C to be paid out from the payout belt 17, so that the paid out coin C is paid out to the coin payout port 26.

At the time of coin collection, the hook 55 of the coin collection case 53 is hooked on the pins 54 projecting from both sides of the combination of the coin payout port 26 and the switching gate 49. Thus, the coin payout port 26 and the switching gate 49 receive the load of the coin collection case 53, rotate clockwise against the urging force of the spring 52, come into contact with a stopper (not shown), and stand still. . As a result, as shown in FIG. 13, the height of the tip of the payout belt 17 matches the height of the passage 50.
The paid-out coin C passes through the passage 50 and the coin collection case 5
Fall to 3.

FIG. 15 is a side view showing a state where the coin collecting case 53 is mounted. When the coin collecting case 53 having a small height is used, the main body case 1 can be placed at any position including the center of the desk D as shown in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 3B, when using the coin collecting case 53 having a large height, the main body case 1 is placed at the end of the desk D, and the coin collecting case 53 is positioned outside the desk D. In this case, a large amount of coins C can be collected at a time by using the large coin collection case 53 although there are some restrictions on the installation location.

FIG. 1 shows a third embodiment of the present invention.
6 and FIG. FIG. 16 is a vertical sectional side view showing a change dispensing state, and FIG. 17 is a vertical sectional side view showing a coin collection state.

In the present embodiment, a switching gate 56 is provided at the front side of the tip of the payout belt 17 so as to be rotatable about a shaft 57. The upper end of the switching gate 56 is urged toward the payout belt 17 by its own weight or a spring (not shown), and comes into contact with a stopper (not shown) at a position close to the payout belt 17 to stop. Also, the partition plate 32
, A shutter 58 is supported movably along the direction in which the drawer 27 is pulled out. This shutter 58 is used for the partition plate 3.
2 is urged in a direction to shield the space under the switching gate 56 by a spring 59 stretched between the switching gate 56 and the switching gate 56. The shutter 58 and the switching gate 56 are connected by a spring 60 functioning as a connecting member. That is,
When the shutter 58 is moved from the state shown in FIG. 16 to the rear side against the urging force of the spring 59 as shown in FIG. 17, the switching gate 56 is pulled by the spring 60 and To the shutter 5
The switch gate 56 is configured to return to the payout belt 17 side by the urging force when the position 8 returns to the near side.

Such an operation can be obtained by connecting the shutter 58 and the switching gate 56 with a link or a wire instead of the spring 60, but the switching gate 56 is moved to a desired position in conjunction with the movement of the shutter 58. In order to rotate, the spring 60 is more preferable in consideration of dimensional variations and the like. In the back of the coin collection case 61 accommodated in the drawer 27, an operating portion 63 for rotating the switching gate 56 by pressing a bent piece 62 against the rear edge of the shutter 58 is provided. ing.

Therefore, as shown in FIG. 16, when the switching gate 56 is close to the payout belt 17, the coin C as change falls into the coin payout port 26. At the time of coin collection, the case in the drawer 27 is replaced with a coin collection case 61 having an operation part 63, and when the drawer 27 is closed as shown in FIG. 17, the shutter 58 is pressed by the operation part 63 of the coin collection case 61. Sliding to the back side, switching gate 5
6. Open the space below 6. At this time, the switching gate 56 rotates clockwise in conjunction with the operation of the shutter 58 and moves away from the payout belt 17, so that the coin C transported from the coin storage unit 16 falls into the coin collection case 61.

[0035]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a coin collection case selectively mounted near a lower portion of a coin payout port for receiving coins to be paid out from a coin storage portion by a coin payout portion, Since a switching gate is provided between the downstream end and the coin payout port for selectively guiding coins to be paid out from the coin payout section to the coin payout port and the coin collection case by being displaced, Due to the displacement operation of the switching gate, coins can be paid out to the coin payout port in the case of change payout, and all coins in the coin storage section can be collected at once in the coin collection case at the time of coin collection.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, a drawer for arranging and storing a coin collection case at a position for receiving a coin guided by the switching gate is provided below the coin payout section and the coin payout port. The coins can be collected in the coin collection case stored in the drawer when coins are collected.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the invention of the second aspect, the coin collection case and the bill storage case are positioned at a position for receiving the coin guided by the switching gate and a position on the back side thereof. Because it is stored freely, when collecting coins, the coin collection case is placed at the front side to receive coins guided from the switching gate and stored in the drawer, and the function of automatic change dispensing device due to failure etc. is used If it is not possible, hide the bill storage case behind the drawer and place the coin collection case simply as a case for depositing and withdrawing coins in front of the bill storage case, store it in the drawer, and pay change in coins. When dispensing to the exit, a plurality of usage forms can be obtained, such as storing the coin collection case at the back of the drawer as a container for replenishing change.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the invention of the second or third aspect, the coin collecting case accommodated in the drawer displaces the switching gate in a direction to guide coins to the coin collecting case when the drawer is closed. When collecting coins, the coin collecting case is stored in the drawer, and by simply closing the drawer, the switching gate can be automatically displaced in the direction to guide the coins to the coin collecting case. it can.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional side view showing a change dispensing state according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional side view showing a coin collection state.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the overall appearance.

FIG. 4 is an overall plan view.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a coin storage unit and a coin payout unit.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a relationship between a gate and a coin payout exit.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a drawer.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a coin collection case.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing a modification of the coin collection case.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a modification of the coin collection case.

FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram showing a coin collecting case and a modified example of a mounted state thereof from a side.

FIG. 12 is a longitudinal side view showing a change dispensing state according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 13 is a vertical sectional side view showing a coin collection state.

FIG. 14 is an exploded perspective view showing a relationship between a coin payout port, a switching gate, and a coin collection case.

FIG. 15 is a side view showing a state where the coin collection case is mounted.

FIG. 16 is a vertical sectional side view showing a change dispensing state according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 17 is a vertical sectional side view showing a coin collection state.

[Explanation of symbols]

 2 Coin slot 4, 6, 7, 8, 11 Coin transport section C Coin 13 Coin sorting section 16 Coin storage section 25 Coin payout section 26 Coin payout port 27 Drawer 28 Banknote storage case 33 Coin collection case 34 Switching gate 44 Operating section 47, 48 coin collecting case 49 switching gate 53 coin collecting case 56 switching gate 61 coin collecting case 63 operating part

Continuation of front page (58) Field surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) G07D 3/00 G07D 1/00 G07G 1/00

Claims (4)

(57) [Claims] 1. A coin inserted into a coin insertion slot is conveyed to a coin sorting section, sorted for each denomination, dropped into a coin storage section, and coins stored by denomination in the coin storage section are sent to a coin payout section. In the automatic change dispensing device which is conveyed and dropped to a coin payout port, a coin collection case selectively mounted near a lower portion of the coin payout port is provided, and a downstream end of the coin payout section is provided. A change gate for automatically dispensing change coins, wherein a switching gate is provided between the coin dispenser and the coin dispenser to selectively guide coins dispensed from the coin dispenser to the coin dispenser and the coin collection case. apparatus. 2. A coin drawer is provided at a position where a coin collection case is arranged and received at a position for receiving a coin guided by a switching gate, the drawer being provided below the coin payout section and the coin payout port. Automatic change dispensing device as described. 3. A coin collecting case and a bill storing case are housed in the drawer at a position for receiving a coin guided by a switching gate and a position on the back side thereof so as to be freely changeable in position. 2. The automatic change dispensing device according to 2. 4. A coin collection case stored in a drawer,
4. The automatic change dispensing device according to claim 2, further comprising an operation unit that displaces a switching gate in a direction to guide coins to the coin collection case when the drawer is closed. 5.