JP3359254B2 - Coin transporter - 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 transport device for transporting coins along a predetermined coin guide path.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A coin transport device for transporting coins along a predetermined coin guide path is provided as an essential component of, for example, an automatic change dispensing device. Here, the automatic change dispensing device means that coins in which various denominations are mixed are collectively inserted from an insertion slot, coins are classified according to denominations, stored in a storage unit, and designated coins. And the number of the payout. Such an automatic change dispensing apparatus generally has a structure in which coins inserted from a coin insertion slot arranged on the front side of the apparatus are transported to a coin sorting unit located at the rear of the apparatus, and therefore, the automatic change dispensing apparatus is arranged behind the apparatus. It is common to change the coin transport direction to a substantially right angle.

FIGS. 6 and 7 show Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 7-334728.
FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining a coin transport device disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. H10-206, FIG. 6 is a plan view, and FIG. 7 is a side view. As shown in FIG. 6, a coin guide path 101 bent at a substantially right angle is provided with a flat belt 102 having a belt conveyor structure and a round belt 104 wound around a pulley 103. The coin C is delivered from the flat belt 102 to the round belt 104. At this time, the course of the coin C conveyed by the flat belt 102 is regulated by the guiding tool 105 immediately before the bent portion,
Reference surface 106 provided on one side of coin guide path 101
You will be guided in the direction of.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view for explaining a coin transporter disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2-55830.
This coin transport device also has a coin guide path 112 which is provided with a reference surface 111 on one side and which is bent at a substantially right angle. The guide of coins (not shown) at the bent portion of the coin guide path 112 depends on the round belt 113. That is, the guide pulley 114 is provided at the bent portion of the coin guide path 112, and the driven pulley 115 and the drive pulley 116 are provided on the downstream side in the coin transport direction. Guide pulley 11
The rotation axis of No. 4 is vertical, and the rotation axes of the driven pulley 115 and the driving pulley 116 are horizontal. A round belt 113 is stretched between the driven pulley 115 and the driving pulley 116 with the guide pulley 114 as a part of the rotation path. In other words, the round belt 113 is
12 are arranged. Therefore, when the driving pulley 116 is driven and rotated, the round belt 11 is rotated.
3 rotates, and coins in contact with the round belt 113 are conveyed through the coin guide path 112.

[0005]

Problems to be Solved by the Invention
In the coin transport device disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 8 (see FIGS. 6 and 7), the transport direction of the coin C by the flat belt 102 and the transport direction of the coin C by the round belt 104 are orthogonal to each other. When trying to transport coin C by
A conveying force in a direction orthogonal to the desired conveying direction is given to the coin C by the flat belt 102. For this reason, the load on the round belt 104 is large at the transfer direction changing position, and the transfer force on the coin C tends to be insufficient at this portion. For this reason, there is a problem that it is difficult to smoothly change the direction of the coin C.

In consideration of application to an automatic change dispensing apparatus, a coin sorting section is generally disposed downstream of a bent portion in a coin guide path. in this case,
The coin sorting section generally has a sorting hole structure in which the size is determined for each coin denomination, and coins of each denomination are dropped into the corresponding sorting hole. Therefore, in order to correctly drop coins from the corresponding sorting holes, the coins need to be conveyed while being pressed against the reference surface (111 in FIG. 8). However, in the coin transport device disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2-55830 (see FIG. 8), the coin
Rather than being guided by the round belt 113 itself, if the coin is guided to the bent portion of the coin guide path 112 in a state of being separated from the reference surface 111, the coin after being conveyed is also transferred to the reference surface 111. 111 will not be touched. For this reason, in such a case, coins cannot be correctly dropped from the corresponding sorting hole, and there is a problem that coin sorting failure occurs.

[0007] It is an object of the present invention to provide a coin transport device capable of turning a coin smoothly and accurately.

[0008]

[0009]

According to the first aspect of the present invention,
A first coin guide path having a first reference plane for guiding coins, and a second reference plane bent substantially at right angles to the first coin guide path and smoothly communicating with the first reference plane. A second coin guide path comprising: a first coin conveying means for applying a conveying force to the coin in the same direction as the first coin guide path on the first coin guide path; and a second coin guide path. A second coin conveying means for applying a conveying force to the coin in the same direction as the second coin guide path, and a support provided upright at a connecting portion between the first coin guide path and the second coin guide path. It is wound in a pulley rotatably attached to a shaft and is provided in a rotation area having an inverted U-shape from the second guide path toward the first guide path. Coin transport direction including an endless belt that guides coins to the surface and transfers coins from the first coin transport means to the second coin transport means And a conversion mechanism.

According to the invention of claim 1 Symbol placement, coins conveyed to the endless belt is subjected to the conveying force in the direction of the reference plane by contacting the endless belt. This is because the endless belt is disposed in a rotation area including a rotation area that forms an inverted U shape from the second guide path toward the first guide path. And since the endless belt is arranged in a shape bent from the first coin guide path to the second coin guide path,
The coin is conveyed in a state in which the coin is in contact with the reference surface by the endless belt itself. Thus, the coin turns smoothly and accurately.

[0011]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

<Automatic Change Dispensing Apparatus> First, an automatic change dispensing apparatus to which the present invention is applied will be described. FIG. 1 is an overall plan view. A coin slot 2 is provided at the front right side of the main body case 1 serving as a housing, and has a coin insertion slot 2 which is opened upward to collect coins C (see FIGS. 2, 3 and 5). 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.
The coin slot 2 is provided with an insertion belt 4 for transporting the inserted coin C toward the back. On the insertion belt 4, the coin is positioned at one end of the coin insertion slot 2 and irregularly arranged. An insertion roller 5 for feeding out the coins C inserted into the coins one by one is provided, and an insertion portion 6 is formed by the coin insertion slot 2, the insertion port belt 4, and the insertion roller 5.

The loading roller 5 is provided with a loading belt 4 for transporting coins C in a line. The feeding belt 4 is provided with a predetermined gap by increasing the feeding speed of the coins C. A transport belt 7 having an increased transport speed so that the coins C can be transported is provided continuously, and another transport belt 8 as a first coin transport means is continuously 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. If the coin C to be conveyed is not genuine before the outer diameter check section 9,
Alternatively, there is provided a reject overflow section 10 for interrupting and storing coins when a coin storage section described later is full. Further, a coin transport direction converting mechanism A (described later) for converting the transport direction of the coin C into a right angle, and a coin sorting position at which the coin C is continuously connected to the coin transport direction converting mechanism A are provided at the end portion of the transport belt 8. And a transport belt 11 as second coin transport means for transporting the coins to the second coin. Accordingly, a coin transporting device configured to transport the coin C inserted into the coin insertion slot 2 to the coin sorting position by the input port belt 4, the input port roller 5, the transport belts 7, 8, 11, and the coin transport direction changing mechanism A is configured. Have been.

Next, a sorting hole 12 for each denomination whose hole width dimension sequentially increases along the conveyor belt 11 is provided in the rear of the main body case 1, and a coin sorting portion 13 located at a coin sorting position is formed therein. Have been. Six sorting holes 12 are provided so as to correspond to respective denominations of 1 yen, 5 yen, 10 yen, 50 yen, 100 yen, and 500 yen. A counting sensor 14 as a coin sensor is provided for each sorting hole 12.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a coin storage section, a coin payout section, and a coin standby section, and FIG. 3 is a longitudinal side view thereof. A coin storage unit 16 having an upper opening and divided by a partition plate 15 for each coin C is provided in communication with each of the sorting holes 12 in the coin sorting unit 13. A payout belt 1 having a conveyor belt structure is provided on the bottom surface of each coin type of the coin storage unit 16.
7 is provided to be multiplied only passed to the drive roller 18 and driven roller 19 which is driven by being connected to the housing part motor (not shown). The payout belt 17 is constituted by a pair of long and short endless belts. 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 a number of coins C are arranged in a line and made to stand by. One payout belt 17 also extends to the coin standby unit 21, passes through the coin standby unit 21, and reaches a coin payout position in front of the main body case 1. Further, the coin holding unit 21 has a presser plate 2 having a size determined so that two or more coins C do not overlap the payout belt 17.
2 and a coin stopper 23 for temporarily stopping the coins C and controlling the operation so as to send out the required number of coins C. The coin stopper 23 is driven and controlled by a solenoid 25 via a swing arm 24, and pays out a designated coin C and the number of coins C by controlling the operation. Furthermore, coin stopper 2
Immediately after 3, a payout sensor 26 for checking the denomination and the number of coins C to be paid out to the coin payout position, and a material sensor 27 for checking the material of the coin C are provided. Here, a coin payout unit 28 having a transport belt structure is configured to selectively transport coins C stored in the coin storage unit 16 by denomination and drop them to the coin payout position.

Further, the main body case 1 is provided with a coin payout opening 30 located at a coin payout position, and a display 31 and various operation keys 32 are provided on the front left side.

In such a configuration, when a coin C is inserted into the coin insertion slot 2, the insertion sensor 3 detects the coin C, and the insertion belt 4, the conveyor belts 7, 8, and the conveyor belt 11 are driven. You. Then, the inserted coins C are fed out and conveyed one by one by the input port roller 5 and the input port belt 4 of the input section 6, and are conveyed by the conveying belt 7.
Are conveyed with the interval of the sheets widened. During this process, the outer diameter checker 9 determines whether the coin is a genuine or fake coin,
If not, reject overflow 1
0 is stored. 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 genuine coins, coins are transferred from the conveyor belt 8 to the conveyor belt 11 via the coin conveying direction changing mechanism A, and the coin sorter 13 sorts coins by 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 coins C dropped from the sorting hole 12 is counted by the counting sensor 14.

At this time, when there is no coin C in the coin standby unit 21, the operation control is performed so that the payout belt 17 and the coin stopper 23 are driven so that a predetermined number of coins C are always present in the coin standby unit 21. Done. Then, when there is a change payout request, the payout belt 17 and the coin stopper 23 are driven again so that coins C of a denomination and the number corresponding to the requested amount are paid out to the coin payout position. Thereby, the change is paid out to the coin payout exit 30.

<Coin Transporting Apparatus> Next, the coin transporting apparatus will be described. FIG. 4 is a plan view of the coin transport device, and FIG. 5 is a side view thereof. Since the outline of the coin transport device has already been described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3,
Here, the coin transport direction conversion mechanism A will be mainly described.

First, the position where the conveyor belts 7 and 8 are provided is formed as a first coin guide path 41, and the position where the conveyor belt 11 is provided is formed as a second coin guide path 42. A reference surface 43 is formed on these coin guide paths 41 and 42. The reference surface 43 is a coin guide surface for obtaining a transport reference of the coin C required for correctly dropping the corresponding coin C from the sorting hole 12 of the coin sorting unit 13 provided for each denomination. Here, a reference surface 43 formed on the first coin guide path 41 is a first reference surface 43a, and a reference surface 43 formed on the second coin guide path 42.
Is a second reference surface 43b, and the first and second reference surfaces 43a and 43b are smoothly connected with a predetermined curvature.

Next, at a connecting portion between the first coin guide path 41 and the second coin guide path 42, a support rotatably supporting a two-stage pulley 44 composed of an upper pulley 44a and a lower pulley 44b. The shaft 45 stands upright. The support shaft 45 is driven to rotate by a motor (not shown). In addition, the coin discriminating unit 13 is located downstream of the support shaft 45 in the coin transport direction.
, Two driven pulleys 46 and 47 are supported. These driven pulleys 46 and 47 are rotatable around a horizontal axis. A round belt 48 as an endless endless belt is stretched over each of the pulleys 44, 46, 47. In other words, the round belt 48 wraps around from the upper pulley 44a to one driven pulley 46 and reaches the lower pulley 44b, and then wraps around the other driven pulley 47 and reaches the upper pulley 44a again.

Here, as shown in FIG.
Is provided in a rotation area having an inverted U shape from the second coin guide path 42 to the first coin guide path 41. In other words, the pulley 4 rotatably attached to the support shaft 45
4 and extends in the direction of the second coin guide path 42. Further, as shown in FIG. 5, the round belt 48 faces the transport belt 8 at an interval smaller than the height of one coin C.

In such a configuration, the coin C is delivered from the transport belt 7 to the transport belt 8 and reaches the round belt 48 in the coin transport direction changing mechanism A. Round belt 4
The coin C conveyed to 8 receives a conveying force in the direction of the first reference surface 43a by contacting the round belt 48. This is because the second coin guide path 42 is connected to the first coin guide path 41
The round belt 48 provided in the rotation area having an inverted U-shape toward the first coin 43 moves from the position in contact with the coin C to the first reference surface 43.
This is because it is guided by the lower pulley 44b so as to proceed in the direction of a. Therefore, the coin C that has been transported to the transport belt 8 and has reached the round belt 48 is guided by the round belt 48 on the transport belt 8 even if it is not in contact with the first reference surface 43a, and is moved to the first reference surface 43a. Abut Then, from the position at which the conveying force of the conveying belt 8 does not reach the coin C, the coin C is moved by the round belt 48 itself to the reference surface 43.
And is delivered to the transport belt 11 (see FIG. 1). At this time, since the round belt 48 is arranged in parallel with the second coin guide path 42, the coin C is kept in contact with the second reference surface 43b while the transport belt 11 is in contact with the second reference surface 43b.
, And is conveyed as it is through the coin sorting section 13. Therefore, the corresponding coin C can be correctly dropped from the sorting hole 12 provided for each denomination in the coin sorting unit 13. Also, since the coin C is turned by the round belt 48 itself, the coin C being turned is changed.
No large load is applied to the coin C, and the coin C turns smoothly.

Note that, in practice, the round belt 48
Any type may be used as long as it is an endless belt. For example, a belt having a square or rectangular cross section, a flat belt, or a V belt may be used.

[0025]

According to the present invention , the second guide is wound around a pulley rotatably mounted on a support shaft erected at a connecting portion between the first coin guide path and the second coin guide path. from the first reference surface in the endless belt provided on the rotating region to be a reversed U-shape toward the path in the first guide path to that to guide the second coin to the reference plane, to the endless belt The transported coin is given a transport force in the direction of the reference plane to press the coin against the reference plane, and the endless belt itself can transport the coin in contact with the reference plane,
Therefore, the direction of the coin can be smoothly and accurately changed.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view of an automatic change dispensing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a coin storage unit, a coin payout unit, and a coin standby unit.

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional side view thereof.

FIG. 4 is a plan view showing the coin transport device.

FIG. 5 is a side view thereof.

FIG. 6 is a plan view showing an example of a conventional coin transport device used in an automatic change dispensing device.

FIG. 7 is a vertical sectional side view thereof.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing another conventional example of a coin transporting device used in an automatic change dispensing device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 8 First coin transport means 11 Second coin transport means 41 First coin guide path 42 Second coin guide path 43 Reference plane 43a First reference plane 43b Second reference plane 44 Pulley 45 Support shaft 48 Endless Belt A Coin transport direction conversion mechanism C Coin

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A first coin guide path having a first reference plane for guiding coins, and a first coin guide path is bent substantially at a right angle to the first coin guide path, and smoothly bent on the first reference plane. A second coin guide path provided with a second reference plane to be contacted, and a first coin conveying means for applying a conveying force to the coin on the first coin guide path in the same direction as the first coin guide path. A second coin conveying means for applying a conveying force to the coin in the same direction as the second coin guide path on the second coin guide path; and the first coin guide path and the second coin guide In a rotation area which is wound around a pulley rotatably mounted on a support shaft erected at a connection portion with a road and has an inverted U shape from the second guide path toward the first guide path. The coin is guided from the first reference plane to the second reference plane, and is guided forward from the first coin transport means. Coin conveying apparatus characterized by comprising: a coin conveying direction changing mechanism including the endless belt to pass coins second coin conveying means.