JP4332823B2 - Large capacity coin hopper - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a hopper device for forcibly sending out coins in a stacked state one by one.
In particular, the present invention relates to a small disk-shaped hopper device that can send out medals and tokens used in game machines one by one.
More specifically, the present invention relates to a large-capacity coin hopper suitable for a game machine using a large number of medals and tokens.
Of course, the term “disk body” used in this specification includes a disk-shaped coin as a currency.
[0002]
Further, the term “coin” used in the present specification includes not only currency but also medals and tokens used in games and the like.
[Prior art]
Various disc hopper devices have been developed so far.
For example, Japanese Patent Application No. 59-022825 filed by the present applicant discloses a coin feeding device which is a disc.
The Japanese Patent Application No. 59-022825 is published in Japanese Patent Publication No. 62-45588.
The Japanese Patent Application No. 59-022825 is patented by US Pat. No. 4,589,433.
[0003]
In order to schematically explain the coin payout device, an overall oblique view is shown in FIG.
This apparatus is first provided with a circular base plate 2 which is provided upright and inclined with respect to the horizontal.
The base plate 2 is provided with a pan-shaped tank 5 for storing coins for feeding.
Further, a rotating disk 6 is provided in the tank 5.
The rotating disk 6 is rotated around the rotation axis in a state where the rotating disk 6 stands and is inclined with respect to the horizontal.
The rotating disk 6 has a disk-shaped base portion 9 on the upper surface of the central portion.
[0004]
The rotating disk 6 has a plurality of coin feeding pins 8 disposed at equal intervals in the circumferential direction on the outer peripheral portion 6a.
The apparatus has a plurality of bearing balls (not shown) inserted between the outer peripheral portion 6 a of the rotating disk 6 and the base plate 2.
These balls constitute a bearing device that rotatably supports the outer peripheral portion 6 a of the rotating disk 6 on the base plate 2.
Further, the apparatus has an outlet knife 10 provided so as to contact the tip portion 10 a above the outer peripheral edge 9 a of the base portion 9.
The exit knife 10 receives the coin C picked up by the upper edge 10 b and discharges it to the exit chute 11.
[0005]
A device 15 for agitating the coins in the hopper 5 is disposed at the center of the platform 9.
A roller 13 is disposed above the exit knife 10 so as to face each other.
That is, the roller 13 is rotatably attached to a pivoted inverted U-shaped operating arm 12.
The operating arm 12 is biased by a spring of a switch (not shown) for counting coins, for example.
Therefore, when the coin C passes through the upper exit portion 7, the coin C is counted.
[0006]
In other words, the coin counting switch is activated when the passing coin C pushes up the roller 13 against a spring (not shown).
An elliptical shape 14 shown in the upper part of FIG. 9 is a wiper.
The wiper 14 prevents the coin C from being fed into the upper outlet portion 7 in an overlapping state. Reference numeral 17 denotes a spring plate.
The spring plate 17 is for pressing the wiper 14 against the surrounding wall surrounding the rotating disk 6, that is, the hood 19.
Reference numeral 1 shown in the lower part of FIG. 9 is an attachment frame.
The frame 1 is for attaching the device to a predetermined position such as a money changer or a medal changer via a base B.
[0007]
In the above-described coin processing apparatus, the base 9 corresponding to the size of the coin C to be handled is provided at the center of the rotating disk 6.
Further, a plurality of coin feed pins 8 are provided on the outer periphery of the rotary disk 6 respectively.
As a result, a pocket of the coin C is made by the base portion 9 and the pin 8.
Thus, when the rotating disk 6 is rotated in the hopper 5, the coins C in the hopper 5 are picked up one by one in each pocket.
The coins C picked up one by one are sent to the upper outlet portion 7 and sent out to the outlet chute 11 via the outlet knife 10.
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
[0008]
However, the above-described hopper device has a problem because coins that are small disk bodies can be continuously paid out at high speed.
That is, the coin discharge device has a problem that the coin payout ends immediately because the tank capacity is small for high speed.
In particular, a game machine using a large number of medals has a problem in that the medals run out during play and the game is not interesting.
The present invention was developed for the purpose of greatly improving the capacity of a disk body in a disk body discharging apparatus such as coins and medals.
In other words, the present invention has been developed for the purpose of significantly reducing the number of times the disk body is replenished in a disk hopper apparatus such as a coin or token.
[0009]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The present invention comprises a first tank means for storing coins that are formed in a cylindrical shape and whose axes are arranged obliquely and in which coin exits are formed;
A coin discharging means disposed in a tiltable and rotatable manner in the first tank means;
Case means arranged to communicate with the first tank means through an opening for supplying coins, and arranged so that the bottom is positioned below the bottom of the first tank means;
A coin hopper comprising: a second tank means disposed in communication with the front of the case means and storing a coin having a larger capacity than the first tank means;
Conveying means for conveying coins from the second tank means to the first tank means is disposed in the case means substantially along the inner circumference of the case means and surrounding the opening and in a generally ring shape. Provided,
The coins are lifted from the bottom of the case means and transferred to the opening by a plurality of lateral protrusions protruding from the inner peripheral surface of the conveyor means, and the coins are supplied to the first tank means through the opening. This is a large-capacity coin hopper characterized by the above.
[0010]
The present invention is also a large-capacity coin hopper characterized in that the conveyor means is a belt conveyor.
The present invention is also a large capacity coin hopper characterized in that the conveyor means is a chain conveyor.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view schematically showing an embodiment according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a side view of FIG. 1 viewed from the side.
FIG. 3 is a plan view of FIG. 2 viewed from above.
FIG. 4 is a perspective view with a part of FIG. 1 removed.
[0011]
FIG. 5 is a front view of FIG.
FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a part of FIG.
FIG. 7 is a front view of FIG.
FIG. 8 is an enlarged perspective view showing a main part of FIG.
Reference numeral 31 shown in the lower right part of FIG. 1 is a rectangular base plate.
The base plate 31 is horizontally installed in a game machine using coins, for example.
Then, two large and small frames 32 each having a substantially triangular shape are erected and fixed to the left and right ends of the base plate 31, respectively.
A substantially circular base plate 33 is fixed to the large and small frames 32 in a slightly inclined standing state.
[0012]
A generally ring-shaped hood 34 is fixed to the outer periphery of the base plate 33 (see FIG. 2).
In the hood 34, a rotary disk 35 for feeding coins is rotatably stored.
Further, a substantially cylindrical tank 36 is attached to the ring-shaped hood 34 (see FIG. 2).
Since the configuration described above is substantially the same as the conventional example of FIG. 9, a detailed description thereof is omitted here.
The base plate 2 in FIG. 9 corresponds to the base plate 33.
Further, the hood 19 in FIG. 9 corresponds to the hood 34.
[0013]
Further, the rotating disk 6 in FIG. 9 corresponds to the rotating disk 35.
Further, the tank 5 in FIG.
9 corresponds to the base 37 (see FIG. 6).
Further, the pin 8 in FIG. 9 corresponds to the pin 27 (see FIG. 6).
Further, the stirring device 15 in FIG. 9 corresponds to the stirring device 39 (see FIG. 3).
Further, the outlet chute 11 in FIG. 9 corresponds to the outlet chute 41.
Further, the arm 12 of the roller 13 in FIG. 9 corresponds to the arm 29.
A large shallow box shape shown in FIG. 6 is a case 51 for housing the apparatus.
The case 51 is made of a resin molded product or a metal molded product.
A semicircular opening 52 is formed on the bottom upper portion of the case 51.
[0014]
A cylindrical portion 53 for attachment that slightly surrounds the opening 52 is protruded from the bottom rear surface of the case 51 (see FIG. 2).
As shown in FIG. 2, the cylindrical portion 53 is inserted into the cylindrical tank 36 and screwed 54, that is, the case 51 is fixed to the tank 36 with the cylindrical portion 53 interposed.
A rail 55 that largely surrounds the opening 52 is formed in a substantially circular ring shape on the bottom surface of the case 51 (see FIG. 6).
The rail 55 is for guiding a belt-type conveyor device 61 described later (see FIG. 4).
A small circular box portion 56 is formed on the bottom right of the bottom of the large box case 51.
[0015]
An electric motor 62 is housed from the outside in the box portion 56 and is screwed (not shown).
The drive shaft of the electric motor 62 protrudes into the case 51 so as to be freely rotatable.
A gear 63 is fixed to the projecting drive shaft.
Further, a gear 64 that meshes with the gear 63 is pivoted on the box portion 56 (see FIG. 4).
In addition, a nut portion 57 for attachment is formed at each corner portion of the case 51.
Note that a pair of leg portions 59 are formed to project from the lower portion of the case 51.
The large deep pot shape shown in FIG. 1 is a tank 71 for storing a large amount of coins.
[0016]
The second large tank 71 is also made of a resin molded product or a metal molded product.
A substantially rectangular opening 72 is formed in the lower part of the circumferential wall of the tank 71.
A mounting plate portion 73 projects from the peripheral wall forming the opening 72.
The circumferential wall in which the opening 72 is formed and the plate portion 73 serve as a cover plate for the case 51. The circumferential wall and the plate portion 73 are screwed 74 to the case 51 with a nut portion 57 interposed (see FIG. 1).
That is, the tank 71 is fixed to the case 51 with the circumferential wall and the plate portion 73 interposed therebetween.
A rail 75 that largely surrounds the opening 72 of the tank 71 is formed in a substantially circular ring shape on the back surface of the circumferential wall (see the chain line in FIG. 1).
[0017]
This rail 75 is paired with the rail 55 of the case 51 described above.
The pair of rails 55 and 75 are for guiding the belt type conveyor device 61.
The caterpillar belt-type conveyor device 61 is formed of a resin molded product or a metal molded product.
FIG. 8 shows an enlarged part of the conveyor device 61.
The belt-type conveyor device 61 is formed as an endless belt by pivoting a large number of small rectangular plates 69.
A rack 67 that meshes with the gear 64 is formed on the back surface of the rectangular plate 69.
A protruding plate 66 is formed on the surface of the plurality of rectangular plates 69 among the plurality of rectangular plates 69.
[0018]
As shown in FIG. 4, the belt-type conveyor device 61 has one end of each pivot shaft 60 slidably inserted into the rail 55 of the case 51. A large hopper 71 is attached as a lid of the case 51. At this time, the other end of each pivot 60 of the belt-type conveyor device 61 is slidably inserted into the rail 75 (see FIG. 1). Therefore, the belt type conveyor device 61 is slidably disposed between the pair of rails 55 and 75 . This embodiment having the structure above mentioned are a large number of coins in a large second tank 71 (not shown) is accommodated is placed in a bulk state.
[0019]
Therefore, a part of the large number of coins flows into the first tank 36 from the openings 72 and 52.
A part of the large amount of coins thrown into the second tank 71 is stored up to the height of the opening 52.
Thus, when the electric motor (not shown) of the rotating disk 35 is driven, the rotating disk 35 is rotated counterclockwise.
As a result, coins in the first tank 36 are picked up one by one by each pocket of the rotating disk 35.
As described above, the coin holding pocket is formed by the base portion 37 and the pin 27 protruding from the surface portion of the rotating disk 35.
[0020]
The coins picked up one by one are sent to the upper part and sent to the outlet chute 41 via an outlet knife (not shown).
As described above, coins in the first tank 34 are discharged from the outlet chute 41.
On the other hand, a large number of coins remain in the second large tank 71 up to the height of the opening 52.
The amount of coins in the first tank 36 is reduced, and the load on the rotary disk 35 is reduced.
At this time, for example, a reduction in load is detected by a sensor (not shown) such as a current, and the electric motor 62 is driven.
Accordingly, the belt-type conveyor device 61 is rotated counterclockwise, for example.
[0021]
Coins remaining in the second tank 71 are picked up by the plurality of protruding plates 66 and conveyed into the opening 52.
The coins conveyed into the opening 52 will fall into the first tank 36.
In this way, since coins are added to the first tank 36, coin release by the rotating disk 35 is continued without interruption.
Of course, the electric motor 62 may be stopped for a certain time after being driven, for example.
In the embodiment, the conveyor device 61 is a caterpillar belt conveyor, but other belt conveyors may be used.
[0022]
For example, an endless rubber belt, leather belt or cloth belt may be improved and the belt guide rail may be widened.
Of course, an endless metal belt, a plastic belt, or a chain-type belt may be modified and used.
Further, although not shown, the conveyor device 61 may of course be a chain conveyor.
In this case, of course, a sprocket is used instead of the gears 63 and 64.
Of course, although the illustration is omitted, the conveyor device 61 may be a bucket conveyor.
[0023]
In this case, it goes without saying that each bucket is inverted at the upper position and the coin is dropped.
Further, although the coin scraping means of the belt type conveyor device 61 is the protruding plate 66, it is needless to say that other shapes may be used.
For example, instead of the protruding plate 66, a spoon or a small pot may be used.
In addition, the sizes and positions of the openings 72 and 52 are naturally determined in consideration of the conveyor device 61.
In other words, the sizes and positions of the openings 72 and 52 are of course determined in consideration of the falling direction of coins by the conveyor device 61.
[0024]
Further, although the rotating disk 35 having the base portion 37 and the pin 27 has been described, it is needless to say that it may be a rotating disk (not shown) having a hole for taking in coins.
【The invention's effect】
In the present invention as described above, a second tank is further added to the first tank, and conveyor means from the second tank to the first tank is provided.
As a result, the first and second tanks communicating with each other can accommodate a large amount of coins.
In addition, since the coins remaining in the second tank can also be transferred to the first tank by the conveyor means, a great effect that a large amount of coins can be used is obtained.
Therefore, even in a game machine that uses a large amount of coins, there is a great advantage that the interest of the game itself can be maintained without running out of coins.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a perspective view schematically showing an embodiment according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a side view of FIG. 1 viewed from the side.
FIG. 3 is a plan view of FIG. 2 as viewed from above.
4 is a perspective view with a part of FIG. 1 removed. FIG.
FIG. 5 is a front view of FIG. 4;
6 is a perspective view with a part of FIG. 4 removed. FIG.
FIG. 7 is a front view of FIG. 6;
FIG. 8 is an enlarged perspective view showing a main part of FIG. 4 taken out.
FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing a conventional example.
[Explanation of symbols]
First tank means ...
34: Food
36: Hopper,
41: coin exit chute,
Coin release means ...
27: Pin,
35: rotating disk,
37: Stand,
Case means ...
51: Case,
52: Opening,
53: Tube part,
Second tank means ...
71: Hopper,
72: Opening,
Conveyor means ...
55: Rail,
61: belt-type conveyor device,
62: Electric motor,
63: Gear,
64: Gear,
66: Veneer,
67: Rack,
69: Rectangular plate,
75: Rail.

Claims (1)

First tank means (36) for storing coins which are formed in a cylindrical shape and whose axes are arranged obliquely and in which coin outlets are formed;
A coin release means (35) disposed in a tiltable and rotatable manner in the first tank means;
Case means (not shown), which communicates with the first tank means (36) via the coin supply opening (52) and is arranged so that the bottom portion is located below the bottom portion of the first tank means. 51,53)
A coin hopper provided with second tank means (71) arranged in communication with the front of the case means (35) and storing coins of a larger capacity than the first tank means;
In the case means (35), it is arranged substantially in a ring shape so as to substantially surround the inner circumference of the case means (35) and surround the opening (52), and the coin is transferred from the second tank means (71) to the first tank. Conveyor means (61) for conveying to tank means (36) is provided,
The coins are lifted from the bottom of the case means and transferred to the opening (52) by a plurality of laterally projecting plates (66) provided on the inner peripheral surface of the conveyor means, and the first tank is passed through the opening. A large-capacity coin hopper characterized by supplying coins to the means (36).

Images