JP3923702B2 - Coin processing method and apparatus - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a coin processing method and apparatus, and more particularly, to a coin processing method and apparatus that can temporarily hold a plurality of coins and return coins that are input when a return operation is performed.
[0002]
[Prior art]
A vending machine is usually provided with a coin processing device that accepts coins and pays out change.
[0003]
When a conventional coin processing device determines whether a coin is inserted, whether it is genuine or not, and stores it in a coin tube corresponding to the denomination and pays change , Coins equivalent to the change amount were paid out from the coin tube. In the case of such a configuration, when the coin once inserted is returned for some reason, the coin of the inserted amount is paid out from the coin tube in the same manner as the change payment. Therefore, the coins to be returned were not the same, even if they were the same type as the coins that were thrown in.
[0004]
For this reason, crimes such as putting a false coin into a vending machine and obtaining a correct coin by performing a return operation frequently occur. This kind of crime can be dealt with by strictly judging whether the coins are correct or not, but by making the judgment strict, the true coins with scratches and dirt will be judged as fake coins, The use of vending machines was inconvenient.
[0005]
In order to prevent the use of fake coins and achieve convenience in the context of this background, it has a temporary holding mechanism (escrow mechanism) that temporarily holds the inserted coins (escrow). If there is, a coin processing device that returns the actual coins that have been inserted is also used.
[0006]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
As described above, a coin processing device having an escrow mechanism has recently been used. In a coin processing device equipped with an escrow mechanism, if the power is cut off due to a power failure or the like, the temporarily held coins will not be left as they are, and it may be an obstacle to the operation when the power is turned on again. .
[0007]
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a coin processing method and apparatus that can temporarily hold the inserted coins and can operate normally even if the coins are temporarily held when the power is turned on.
[0008]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the invention of claim 1 has a temporary holding mechanism for discriminating the authenticity and denomination of the inserted coin and temporarily holding the coin of the identified at least one denomination. In the coin processing method of storing the required number of coins temporarily held in the temporary holding mechanism by the storing instruction and returning the coin temporarily held in the temporary holding mechanism by the return instruction, In the initialization process including, at least the number corresponding to the maximum number of coins that can be temporarily held in the temporary holding mechanism is temporarily held in the temporary holding mechanism regardless of the presence or absence of coins temporarily held in the temporary holding mechanism. A release operation for releasing coins is executed, and the coins that have been temporarily held are guided one by one to a coin collecting safe.
[0009]
The invention according to claim 2 is the invention according to claim 1, wherein a release operation for releasing coins temporarily held in the temporary holding mechanism is executed according to an inventory operation, and the coins are temporarily held in the temporary holding mechanism. If it is, the coin is guided to a coin tube that accommodates the coin for dispensing.
[0010]
Further, the invention of claim 3 has a temporary holding mechanism for discriminating the authenticity and denomination of the inserted coin, and temporarily holding the coin of the identified at least one denomination. In a coin processing apparatus that accommodates a necessary number of coins temporarily stored in the holding mechanism and returns the coins temporarily held in the temporary holding mechanism according to a return instruction, the coin is temporarily held in the temporary holding mechanism. During an initialization process including a coin releasing means for releasing coins one by one, a first coin guiding means for guiding the coins released by the coin releasing means to a coin collecting safe, and power-on Regardless of the presence or absence of coins temporarily held by the temporary holding mechanism, the coin releasing means executes at least the number of coins corresponding to the maximum number of coins that can be temporarily held by the temporary holding mechanism. Coins if it has been escrowed by the first coin guide means is characterized by comprising a control means for directing to the safe.
[0011]
The invention of claim 4 further comprises second coin guiding means for guiding the coin released by the coin releasing means to a coin tube that houses a payout coin in the invention of claim 3, wherein the control means Causes the coin release means to execute the release operation in response to an inventory operation, and when the coin is released by the release operation, guides the coin to the coin tube by the second coin guide means. It is characterized by.
[0019]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, an embodiment of a coin processing method and apparatus according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.
[0020]
FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 are diagrams for explaining a schematic configuration of a coin processing device according to the present invention, FIG. 1 shows a front view thereof, and FIG. 2 shows a lateral surface thereof.
[0021]
The coin processing device 100 includes an insertion unit 1 that serves as a receiving port for inserted coins, an identification unit 2 that identifies the authenticity and denomination of the inserted coins, a coin passage 3 that rolls or drops coins, and predetermined gold An escrow passage 4 for temporarily holding (escrowing) seed coins, a coin tube 5 (5a to 5e) for storing coins by denomination, a payout unit 6 for paying out coins in the coin tube 5, and the inserted coins not shown A return passage 7 that leads to the return port and a safe passage 8 that guides the inserted coins to a safe (not shown) are provided.
[0022]
The coin processing apparatus 100 is provided with various sensors for detecting the state of the coin and the like. These sensors include, for example, a path sensor 11 that detects the passage of coins, an overflow sensor 12 (12a to 12e) that detects that the coins in the coin tube 5 are full, and the coins in the coin tube 5 are empty. This is an empty sensor 13 (13a to 13e).
[0023]
Further, the coin processing apparatus 100 includes a correct / false distribution lever 21, a denomination distribution lever 22, a safe passage lever 23, denomination distribution levers 24, 25, and 26, and a return passage for guiding the coin to a predetermined position. Along with the lever 27 and the safe passage lever 28, escrow pins 31a and 31b for escrowing coins are provided. Each of these units is driven by an actuator such as a solenoid. The actuators may correspond to each unit on a one-to-one basis, and a plurality of levers may be operated by one actuator.
[0024]
Here, the flow of coins in the coin processing apparatus 100 will be described.
As for the coin 50 thrown into the insertion part 1 of the coin processing apparatus 100, the authenticity and denomination are first identified by the identification part 2. FIG. The coin determined to be a fake coin by the identification unit 2 is guided to the return passage 7 (see FIG. 2) on the front surface of the coin processing apparatus 100 by the operation of the correct / false sorting lever and returned from a return port (not shown).
[0025]
On the other hand, the coin determined to be a genuine coin by the identification unit 2 is guided to one of the coin tubes 5a to 5e for each denomination, but the corresponding coin tube 5 (any one of 5b to 5e excluding 5a). When the coin is full, the coin is guided to the safe passage 8 (see FIG. 2) on the back of the coin processing apparatus 100 by the operation of the denomination sort lever 22 and the safe passage lever 23, and a safe not shown. Stored in
[0026]
If the coin tube is not full, if the inserted coin is a denomination to be guided to the coin tube 5a, the denomination sort lever 22 and the denomination sort lever 24 operate, It is guided to the escrow passage 4 on the front surface of the coin processing apparatus 100 and temporarily held in the escrow passage 4 by the escrow pin 31a.
[0027]
If the inserted coin is a denomination guided to the coin tube 5b, it is guided to the coin tube 5b by the denomination distribution lever 22, the denomination distribution lever 24, and the denomination distribution lever 25, If the denomination is led to the coin tube 5c, it is led to the coin tube 5c by the denomination sort lever 22, the denomination sort lever 24, and the denomination sort lever 25. If the inserted coin is a denomination to be guided to the coin tube 5d, it is guided to the coin tube 5d by the denomination sort lever 22, safe passage lever 23, and denomination sort lever 26, and to the coin tube 5e. If the denomination is led, it is led to the coin tube 5e by the denomination sort lever 22, the safe passage lever 23, and the denomination sort lever 26.
[0028]
When the coin 50 temporarily held in the escrow passage 4 by the escrow pin 31a, for example, the coins 50a, 50b, and 50c is received from a vending machine (not shown) due to product purchase, The escrow pins 31a and 31b operate alternately to be released one by one and fall. At this time, the return passage lever 27 and the safe passage lever 28 are guided to the coin tube 5a. However, when the coin tube 5a is full, the safe passage lever 28 operates in reverse, leading the coin 50 to the safe passage 8 on the back of the coin processing device 100 and storing it in a safe not shown.
[0029]
Further, in the state where the coin 50 is temporarily held in the escrow passage 4, when there is a refund instruction from a vending machine (not shown) by a refund operation or the like, the escrow pins 31a and 31b operate alternately. The coins 50 are released one by one, and the coins are led to the return passage 7 on the front surface of the coin processing device 100 by the operation of the return passage lever 27 and returned from a return port (not shown).
[0030]
As shown in the block diagram of FIG. 3, these processes are performed by the control unit 10 based on the detection results of the identification unit 2, the path sensor 11, the overflow sensors 12a to 12e, and the empty sensors 13a to 13e. The escrow pins 31a and 31b for escrowing coins are operated together with the minute lever 21, the denomination sorting lever 22, the safe passage lever 23, the denomination sorting levers 24, 25 and 26, the return passage lever 27 and the safe passage lever 28. This is realized.
[0031]
Next, the case where the power supply of the coin processing apparatus 100 is interrupted by a power failure or the like will be described.
[0032]
When the power supply of the coin processing apparatus 100 is shut off, the correct / false sorting lever 21 is fixed in a direction for guiding the inserted coins to the return passage 7 side. Therefore, even when a coin is inserted while the power is shut off, the coin is returned from a return port (not shown) via the return passage 7, and there is no problem.
[0033]
However, since the escrow pins 31a and 31b operate alternately, when the power is shut off while the coins are temporarily held in the escrow passage 4, at least one of the escrow pins 31a and 31b temporarily holds the coins. Since it is fixed, the coin remains in the escrow passage 4.
[0034]
Therefore, if the coin processing apparatus 100 does not move any coins that may remain in the escrow passage 4 when the power is turned on, normal operation thereafter cannot be expected.
[0035]
Therefore, a process of moving coins that may remain in the escrow passage 4 is performed. The destination from the escrow passage 4 is moved by the operation of the return passage lever 27 and the safe passage lever 28 to move the coin tube 5a. A return port (not shown) via the return passage 7 and a safe (not shown) via the safe passage 8 are candidates.
[0036]
However, guiding the residual coins to the return port cannot be realized because the coins may be illegally exploited, and guiding the coins to the coin tube 5a is not necessarily a genuine coin. This is also difficult to realize given the lack.
[0037]
Therefore, coins that may remain in the escrow passage 4 are to be guided to a safe (not shown) when the power is turned on.
[0038]
Here, the operation of the coin processing apparatus 100 when the power is turned on will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a flow of operations when the coin processing apparatus 100 is turned on.
[0039]
When the power is turned on, the coin processing apparatus 100 first switches the correct / false sorting lever 21 to the return passage 7 side so as to guide the newly inserted coin to the return port (step 101). However, since the correct / false sorting lever 21 is stopped at the position where the inserted coin is guided to the return passage 7 when the power is cut off, this operation is a confirmation operation.
[0040]
Next, the safe passage lever 28 is switched to the safe passage 8 side (step 102), and the escrow pins 31a and 31b are operated to release only one coin (although not necessarily) in the escrow passage 4. (Step 103), the number of operations is counted (Step 104).
[0041]
The operation of releasing the coins in the escrow passage 4 is repeated for the maximum number of coins (including the set maximum number of coins) that can be temporarily held in the escrow passage 4 (NO in step 105), and this repetition processing is completed. Then (YES in step 105), the coin processing device 100 returns to normal operation.
[0042]
By the way, as described above, when the power of the coin processing apparatus 100 is turned on, the coins that may remain in the escrow passage 4 are guided to a safe (not shown). For this reason, coins may remain in the escrow passage 4. In this case, since the operator can visually recognize the remaining coins even if they are fake coins, it is desirable to guide the residual coins not to the safe but to the coin tube 5a and perform the payout operation thereafter. become.
[0043]
Therefore, in the coin processing apparatus 100, the remaining coins are guided to the coin tube 5a during the inventory operation.
[0044]
Here, with reference to FIG. 5, operation | movement of the coin processing apparatus 100 at the time of inventory operation is demonstrated.
FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a flow of operations of the coin processing apparatus 100 during the inventory operation.
[0045]
When there is an inventory instruction, the coin processing apparatus 100 first switches the correct / false sorting lever 21 to the return passage 7 side to guide newly inserted coins to the return slot (step 201).
[0046]
Next, the safe passage lever 28 is switched to the safe passage 8 side (step 202), and the escrow pins 31a and 31b are operated to release only one coin (not necessarily present) in the escrow passage 4. (Step 203), the number of operations is counted (Step 204).
[0047]
The operation of releasing coins in the escrow passage 4 is repeated for the maximum number of coins that can be temporarily held in the escrow passage 4 (NO in step 205). When this repeated processing is completed (YES in step 205), coin processing is performed. The apparatus 100 discharges coins in the coin tube 5 (5a to 5e) (step 206), and repeats this while the inventory instruction continues (YES in step 207), and when the inventory instruction is stopped (step 207). 207, NO), the inventory operation is terminated.
[0048]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, since the operation of guiding the coins in the escrow passage to the safe is performed when the power is turned on, the coins that may remain in the escrow passage are illegally exploited. In addition, it can be excluded from the payout object as change, and the disadvantage of the user can be prevented.
[0049]
Moreover, the efficiency of inventory work can be improved by guiding the coins in the escrow passage to the coin tube during the inventory operation.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a diagram (1) for explaining a schematic configuration of a coin processing device according to the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a diagram (2) for explaining a schematic configuration of a coin processing device according to the present invention;
FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a control configuration of the coin processing device.
FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a flow of operations of the coin processing apparatus 100 when power is turned on.
FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a flow of operations of the coin processing apparatus 100 during an inventory operation.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Input part 2 Identification part 3 Coin passage 4 Escrow passage 5, 5a-5e Coin tube 6 Dispensing part 7 Return passage 8 Safe passage 10 Control part 11 Pass sensor 12a-12e Overflow sensor 13a-13e Empty sensor 21 True / false distribution lever 22 24, 25, 26 Denomination sort levers 23, 28 Safe passage lever 27 Return passage levers 31a, 31b Escrow pins 50, 50a-50c Coin 100 Coin processing device

Claims (4)

It has a temporary storage mechanism that identifies the authenticity and denomination of the inserted coins and temporarily holds the coins of the identified at least one denomination, and the coins temporarily held in the temporary storage mechanism according to the accommodation instruction In the coin processing method of storing the required number of coins within, and returning the coins temporarily held by the temporary holding mechanism according to a return instruction,
During the initialization process including when the power is turned on, regardless of the presence or absence of coins temporarily held in the temporary holding mechanism, at least the number corresponding to the maximum number of coins that can be temporarily held in the temporary holding mechanism is temporarily stored in the temporary holding mechanism. A coin processing method, wherein a release operation for releasing a held coin is executed, and coins that have been temporarily held are guided to a coin collecting safe one by one.   A coin tube that performs a releasing operation to release the coins temporarily held in the temporary holding mechanism in response to an inventory operation, and stores the coins for paying out the coins when the coins are temporarily held in the temporary holding mechanism The coin processing method according to claim 1, wherein: It has a temporary storage mechanism that identifies the authenticity and denomination of the inserted coins and temporarily holds the coins of the identified at least one denomination, and the coins temporarily held in the temporary storage mechanism according to the accommodation instruction In the coin processing apparatus that accommodates the required number of coins in the coin and returns the coins temporarily held in the temporary holding mechanism by a return instruction as it is,
Coin releasing means for performing a releasing operation of releasing coins temporarily held in the temporary holding mechanism one by one;
First coin guiding means for guiding the coin released by the coin releasing means to a coin collecting safe;
The release operation is performed by the number corresponding to the maximum number of coins that can be temporarily held in the temporary holding mechanism in the coin releasing means regardless of the presence or absence of coins temporarily held in the temporary holding mechanism during initialization processing including power-on. And a control means for guiding the coin when temporarily held to the safe by the first coin guiding means. Further comprising second coin guiding means for guiding the coin released by the coin releasing means to a coin tube that accommodates a coin for dispensing;
The control means causes the coin releasing means to execute the releasing operation in response to an inventory operation, and when the coin is released by the releasing operation, the coin is transferred to the coin tube by the second coin guiding means. The coin processing device according to claim 3, wherein the coin processing device is guided.

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