JP3694919B2 - Coin sorting machine - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
[Industrial application fields]
The present invention relates to a coin sorting device that is incorporated in a vending machine, a money changer, a pachinko parlor, etc., and sorts and accepts incoming coins.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Conventionally, there are two types of coin sorting devices: a mechanical type that detects properties such as material, shape, and weight of coins using a mechanical method, and an electronic type that detects properties using an electronic method. The range of advantageous electronic applications is expanding. An electronic coin sorting device is provided with an oscillation coil excited at a predetermined frequency on the side of a path of inserted coins, and electromagnetically coupled to the oscillation coil at a position opposite to the coin path. In general, the receiving coil is arranged and the property of the coin is discriminated based on the output voltage waveform from the receiving coil that attenuates when the coin passes. The determination is made by comparing the output voltage of the receiving coil when passing the coin with a reference value having an allowable width corresponding to a predetermined sorting accuracy. Therefore, by changing the sorting accuracy, the coin discrimination criterion can be made stricter or gentler.
[0003]
As conventional methods for switching the sorting accuracy, there are the following methods. In other words, (1) a selection accuracy setting switch is provided corresponding to the type of coin, and the selection accuracy is switched by turning them on and off, and (2) a selection accuracy switching mode is entered by the mode switching switch. Depending on the coin type and the number of coins input thereafter, there are some which switch the denomination of accuracy switching target and the sorting accuracy. In the method {circle around (1)}, for example, if the switch corresponding to the 10 yen coin is turned on, the sorting accuracy of the 10 yen coin is performed with high accuracy, and if it is turned off, it is set to be performed with low accuracy. In the method (2), for example, if one 10-yen coin is inserted after the mode switching switch is turned on, the allowable range of the reference value for determining the 10-yen coin is the lowest. Is set in the first area corresponding to the sorting accuracy, and if two are input, it is set in the second area corresponding to the second lowest sorting accuracy, and if three are input, it is set in the third area. .
[0004]
In addition, as a conventional document related to such a coin sorting device, for example, Japanese Patent Publication No. 6-54509 (G07D 5/00) is available.
[0005]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in the prior art (1), the number of sorting accuracy setting switches corresponding to the number of coins is required, resulting in high costs, and only two types of accuracy settings can be selected. There was a problem. In addition, in the prior art (2), when the selection accuracy is set high, the number of coins to be inserted increases, and the same number of coins must be prepared. Therefore, there is a problem that the time required for setting becomes longer.
[0006]
It is an object of the present invention to solve such a problem and to set the selection accuracy in a short time without any cost and effort in order to set the selection accuracy in multiple stages.
[0007]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to solve the above problems, in the coin sorting device of the present invention, mode switching means for switching the mode between the coin sorting mode and the sorting accuracy setting mode, and storage means for storing a reference value having an allowable range in denomination And a coin discriminating means for discriminating the denomination and correctness of the inserted coin by outputting a signal according to the property of the inserted coin by a sensor disposed in the coin passage and comparing the output with the reference value. , A switching means for setting the sorting accuracy, a denomination designating means for designating a denomination based on a discrimination result of the inserted coin by the coin discriminating means in the sorting accuracy setting mode, and the number of times the switch means has been operated. And selecting accuracy setting means for setting the allowable range based on the above.
[0008]
Further, mode switching means for switching the mode between the coin sorting mode and the sorting accuracy setting mode, storage means for storing a reference value having an allowable range in denomination, and a sensor disposed in the coin passage, By outputting a signal corresponding to the property and comparing the output with the reference value, a coin discriminating means for discriminating the denomination and correctness of the inserted coin, a switching means for setting the sorting accuracy, and a sorting accuracy setting In the mode, a denomination designation unit that designates a denomination based on a determination result of the inserted coin by the coin determination unit, and a selection accuracy setting unit that sets the allowable range based on a pressing time of the switch unit. It was decided to prepare.
[0009]
The switch means is also used as the mode switching means.
In addition, after setting the sorting accuracy, the set sorting accuracy is notified by the number of times the lamp blinks or the number of times the buzzer rings.
In addition, after switching to the sorting accuracy setting mode, if the denomination designation and the allowable range are not set within a predetermined time, the coin sorting mode is restored.
[0010]
[Operation]
A reference value having an allowable range is stored in the storage means for each denomination, and the coin determination means outputs a signal corresponding to the property of the inserted coin by a sensor disposed in the coin passage, and compares the output with the reference value. By doing so, the denomination and true / false of the inserted coin are determined. When such a coin sorting device is switched to the sorting accuracy setting mode, the denomination designating unit receives the denomination of the inserted coin from the coin discriminating unit, and designates the denomination for which the sorting accuracy is to be set. . The selection accuracy setting means determines the allowable range of the reference value based on the number of times the switch means is operated or the pressing time of the switch means.
[0011]
As a result, in order to set the sorting accuracy, it is possible to set the sorting accuracy by simply specifying a denomination by inserting a single coin and turning the switch means on and off a predetermined number of times without any cost and effort. In a short time, the sorting accuracy can be set in multiple stages.
[0012]
In addition, if the switching means is switched to the selection accuracy setting mode based on turning on / off, the selection accuracy setting switch can also be used as a mode switching switch.
In addition, in the sorting accuracy setting mode, if the set sorting accuracy is notified by the number of times the lamp blinks or the buzzer rings after the coin is inserted, the sorting accuracy setting result can be confirmed.
[0013]
Furthermore, after switching to the sorting accuracy setting mode, if the denomination is not specified and the allowable range is not set within the specified time, the sorting accuracy setting can be mistakenly made by automatically returning to the coin sorting mode. When switching to the mode or when the number of times the switch is pressed during the setting operation is wrong, it is possible to return to the coin sorting mode by interrupting the processing.
[0014]
【Example】
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, 1 is a microcomputer, 2 is a check sensor, 3 is a check circuit, 4 is a solenoid driver, 5 is a true / false coin sorting solenoid, 6 is a pass sensor, 7 is a pass identification circuit, and 8 is a push button. A setting switch including a switch, a touch switch, and the like, 9 is a lamp driver, and 10 is a confirmation lamp.
[0015]
The check sensor 2 is provided in the middle of the coin passage and has an oscillation coil and a reception coil. The check circuit 3 determines the denomination and correctness of the input coin based on the voltage output from the check sensor 2 and corresponding to the property of the input coin. When the check circuit 3 determines whether the inserted coin is true or false, the solenoid driver 4 operates the true / false coin distribution solenoid 5 to distribute the coin to the true coin passage or the false coin passage. The passage sensor 6 and the passage identification circuit 7 detect the passage of coins in the true coin passage. The lamp driver 9 and the confirmation lamp 10 are for confirming the accuracy set when the sorting accuracy is set. The microcomputer 1 controls the check circuit 3, the solenoid driver 4, the passage identification circuit 7, the lamp driver 9, and the like, and also has a built-in memory and a reference value having an allowable range according to the sorting accuracy according to the money type. I remember it.
[0016]
Next, the relationship between the selection accuracy and the allowable range will be described.
FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the relationship between the output data distribution of the change sensor and the selection accuracy range. The horizontal axis indicates the output voltage of the check sensor 2, and the vertical axis indicates the frequency of occurrence of the output voltage for each predetermined width.
For example, when the sorting accuracy is set to be divided into five areas I to V, in area I, the allowable range is wide with the voltage V ₀ as the center, and the allowable range is narrowed as the area II, III,. Become. Accordingly, when the selection accuracy is set to area I, the determination becomes gentle, and when the selection accuracy is set to area V, it becomes very strict.
[0017]
Next, the sorting accuracy setting process in the present invention will be described.
FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the selection accuracy setting process in the present invention. This process is executed by the microcomputer 1 (FIG. 1), and is started when the setting switch 8 (same) is first turned on.
[0018]
Step 1: It is determined whether or not the setting switch 8 has been turned on only once within a predetermined time.
Step 2: If it is only once, start a timer that measures a certain time (about several seconds). This timer is incorporated in the program.
Step 3 ... The output of the passage identifying circuit 7 is checked to determine whether or not a coin has been inserted.
[0019]
Step 4 If there is no input, it is determined whether or not the timer has expired.
[0020]
Step 5... When a coin is inserted in Step 3, the denomination of the inserted coin is checked based on the output of the check circuit 3, and the selection accuracy of the denomination is set in the area I.
Step 6: In order to notify that the selection accuracy has been switched to the area I, the lamp driver 9 is instructed to blink the confirmation lamp 10 only once.
[0021]
Step 7: If the switch is not turned on only once in Step 1, it is determined whether or not the switch is turned on twice.
Steps 8 to 10 are the same as steps 2 to 4 described above.
Step 11... When a coin is inserted in Step 9, the denomination of the inserted coin is checked based on the output of the check circuit 3, and the selection accuracy of the denomination is set in area II.
[0022]
Step 12: In order to notify that the sorting accuracy has been switched to the area II, the lamp driver 9 is instructed to blink the confirmation lamp 10 twice.
[0023]
Step 13: If the switch is not turned on twice in Step 7, it is determined whether or not the switch is turned on three times.
Steps 14 to 16 are the same as steps 2 to 4 described above.
Step 17: When a coin is inserted in Step 15, the denomination of the inserted coin is checked based on the output of the check circuit 3, and the selection accuracy of the denomination is set in area III.
[0024]
Step 18 ... In order to notify that the sorting accuracy has been switched to the area III, the lamp driver 9 is instructed to blink the confirmation lamp 10 three times.
[0025]
Similarly, if the number of times the setting switch 8 is turned on is four times or more, the areas IV and V are set.
[0026]
In the above embodiment, the setting accuracy is set by the number of times the setting switch 8 is turned on. However, the setting accuracy may be set according to the length of time that the setting switch 8 is turned on. Good. In such a case, if the confirmation lamp 10 is turned on at a predetermined interval while the setting switch 8 is turned on, the number of times the lighting is turned on, that is, the selection accuracy is increased. This is a measure for determining how long the setting switch 8 is to be turned on.
[0027]
Moreover, in the said Example, although the case where the output voltage of the change sensor 2 was compared with a reference value and the coin was selected was described, the present invention compares the output frequency of the change sensor 2 with the reference value. It can also be applied to the case of coin sorting. In the above embodiment, the switched sorting accuracy is notified by the number of blinks of the confirmation lamp 10, but a buzzer may be used instead of the confirmation lamp 10 to notify the number of ringing.
[0028]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the coin sorting device of the present invention, in order to set the sorting accuracy, the denomination is specified by inserting one coin, the switch means is turned on a predetermined number of times, or only for a predetermined time. Selection accuracy can be set just by turning it on, and selection accuracy can be set in multiple stages in a short time without cost and effort.
[0029]
In addition, if the switching means is switched to the selection accuracy setting mode based on the turning on of the switch means, the selection accuracy setting switch can also be used as a mode switching switch.
Further, in the sorting accuracy setting mode, if the set sorting accuracy is notified by the number of blinking lamps or the number of buzzers after coins are inserted, the sorting accuracy setting result can be confirmed.
[0030]
In addition, after switching to the sorting accuracy setting mode, if the denomination and the sorting accuracy are not set within the specified time, if the setting is automatically returned to the coin sorting mode, the sorting accuracy setting is erroneously made. When switching to the mode or when the number of times the switch is pressed during the setting operation is wrong, it is possible to return to the coin sorting mode simply by interrupting the processing.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the relationship between the output data distribution of a change sensor and a selection accuracy range. FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a selection accuracy setting process in the invention. Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Microcomputer 2 Check sensor 3 Check circuit 4 Solenoid driver 5 True / false coin distribution solenoid 6 Pass sensor 7 Pass identification circuit 8 Setting switch 9 Lamp driver 10 Confirmation lamp

Claims (5)

Mode switching means for switching the mode between the coin sorting mode and the sorting accuracy setting mode;
Storage means for storing a reference value having an allowable range in a denomination;
A coin determination means for determining a denomination and correctness of the inserted coin by outputting a signal corresponding to the property of the inserted coin by a sensor disposed in the coin passage, and comparing the output with the reference value;
Switch means for setting sorting accuracy;
In the sorting accuracy setting mode, a denomination specifying unit that specifies a denomination based on a determination result by the coin determining unit of the inserted coin,
A coin sorting apparatus comprising: sorting accuracy setting means for setting the allowable range based on the number of times the switch means has been operated. Mode switching means for switching the mode between the coin sorting mode and the sorting accuracy setting mode;
Storage means for storing a reference value having an allowable range in a denomination;
A coin determination means for determining a denomination and correctness of the inserted coin by outputting a signal corresponding to the property of the inserted coin by a sensor disposed in the coin passage, and comparing the output with the reference value;
Switch means for setting sorting accuracy;
In the sorting accuracy setting mode, a denomination specifying unit that specifies a denomination based on a determination result by the coin determining unit of the inserted coin,
A coin sorting device comprising sorting accuracy setting means for setting the permissible range based on a pressing time of the switch means. 3. A coin sorting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the switch means is also used as the mode switching means. 4. The coin sorting device according to claim 1, wherein the set sorting accuracy is notified by the number of times the lamp blinks or the number of times the buzzer rings after the sorting accuracy is set. 5. The coin sorting mode is returned to the coin sorting mode when the designation of the denomination and the setting of the allowable range are not performed within a predetermined time after switching to the sorting accuracy setting mode. Coin sorting device.

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