JP6681850B2 - Base for coins and coins - Google Patents

Description

  The present application relates to a coin base including an inner portion and one or more outer portions surrounding the inner portion. The inner part and the outer part are connected to each other in a pressure-locking manner. The present application further relates to bimetal coins.

Bimetal coins are becoming more and more popular as circulation coins. The introduction of bimetal coins facilitates the identification and distinction between coins of similar size, shape, and weight, but with different face value. Bimetal coins can prevent fraudulent coins from being accidentally or intentionally misused.
While the coin is passing through the coin throwing machine, the actual induction and electromagnetic parameter values of the coin are compared with the usual parameter values of the materials and material combinations used for coins having a specific face value. In a bimetal coin formed from a disc and a ring surrounding the disc, inspection of both materials is performed. That is, the actual characteristic parameter values of both the ring and the disk are tapped and compared to the normal characteristic parameter values stored in the coin-operated machine. This allows coins to be positively identified and distinguished from foreign coins and counterfeit goods according to a given face value.

German Patent Application Publication No. 102010013148

  It is an object of the present invention to provide a base for coins that increases the reliability of identifying coins having different currency circulation amounts and face values. This object is achieved with the subject matter of the independent claims. The dependent claims relate to more detailed embodiments.

  The present invention relates to a coin base body used for a coin, comprising: an inner portion, an outer portion surrounding the inner portion, and an insulating layer arranged between the inner portion and the outer portion. The layer connects the inner part and the outer part by a pressure fixing method, has transparency in the first wavelength region, and absorbs and / or reflects light in the second wavelength region. Is characterized by.

  The embodiments described, together with further advantages, are best understood by reference to the following detailed description considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. The elements in the figures are not necessarily proportional to each other.

  The present disclosure and many of its attendant advantages will be better understood and will be more fully appreciated by reference to the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. be able to. Throughout the drawings, like reference numerals represent identical or corresponding parts.

FIG. 3 is a schematic plan view of a coin base according to an embodiment relating to a bimetal coin. 1B is a schematic cross-sectional view of the bimetal coin of FIG. 1A taken along line BB.

FIG. 1A shows a coin substrate 10 that includes an inner portion 1 and an outer portion 2 that surrounds the inner portion 1. The inner part 1 may have the shape of a regular circle, a circle with a corrugated or notched or flat portion, an oval, an ellipse, or a regular polygon or an irregular polygon with or without rounded corners. It can be a disc that can be. According to some embodiments, the inner portion can be a ring with concentric openings. The inner surface of the outer portion 2 may be equidistant from the outer surface of the inner portion 1. Correspondingly, the contour of the inner surface of the outer part 2 oriented with respect to the inner part 1 is a perfect circle, a circle with corrugations or notches or flats, an oval, an ellipse, or a rounded shape. It can be a regular or irregular polygon with or without corners. The outer surface of the outer portion 2 can be equidistant from the inner surface, and the outer and inner surfaces can have the same shape. According to other embodiments, the outer surface of the outer portion 2 has a different shape than the inner surface, and the outer portion 2 can have a non-uniform width. For example, the inner surface can have a circular contour and the outer surface can be polygonal. The coin base 10 can include one, two or more outer parts 2, the innermost outer part 2 enclosing the inner part 1 and the further outer parts 2 each preceding. It encloses the outer part 2.

  According to the illustrated embodiment, the inner part 1 is a disc whose shape is a perfect circle and the outer part 2 is a concentric regular ring. Other embodiments may provide two, three, or more concentric outer portions. The inner part 1 and the outer part 2 can be arranged in the same plane. The thickness dd of the inner part 1 can be smaller than, equal to or greater than the thickness dr of the outer part 2. According to an embodiment, the distance between the disc-like inner part 1 and the outer part 2 can be uniform over the complete disc circumference. The distance can be within the range of 0.1 to 5.0 mm. According to some embodiments, the distance is in the range 0.5-3.0 mm. According to the illustrated embodiment, the inner part 1 and the outer part 2 have a uniform circular inner diameter and are concentric, and the distance between the inner part 1 and the outer part 2 is the circumference of the inner part 1. It is uniform throughout.

  The inner part 1 and the outer part 2 can be pure metals, for example Cu, metal alloys and / or coated metals. The bodies of the inner part 1 and the outer part 2 can be homogeneous (homogeneous) or can be a multi-layer stack with a metallization layer, a coating layer or an electroplating layer. According to an embodiment, at least one of the materials of the inner part 1 and the outer part 2 is made of stainless steel, for example ferritic steel, or a copper alloy, for example CuNi, CuAlNi, CuZnNi, CuSn, CuZn, CuAlZnSn. Is a copper alloy selected from the group including.

  An insulating layer 3 is arranged in the gap between the inner part 1 and the outer part 2 and permanently presses the inner part 1 and the outer part 2 to secure them. The insulating layer 3 is composed of a dielectric blocking material.

  Between the disk and the ring of the conventional bimetal coin, the variation of the contact resistance may be large due to the electrochemically induced corrosion along the interface between the ring and the disk. There, the higher the potential difference between the materials used for the ring and the disk, the stronger the effect of corrosion. When the fluctuation of the contact resistance becomes wide, the specific circulating coin that is automatically discriminated by the coin insertion type machine and the coin discriminating machine has to accept a wide parameter range. If the measurement results are spread out widely, the bimetal coins will not be able to be accurately identified and the counterfeit may be erroneously priced as a valid coin, and the valid coins may be erroneously removed as invalid coins. There is. Instead, the insulating layer 3 of the coin substrate 10 reliably blocks the inner portion 1 and the outer portion 2 and inhibits electrochemically induced corrosion. Since the inductive and electromagnetic parameter values of coins based on the coin substrate 10 are stable for a long time, it is possible to give a specific face value a narrow normal parameter range for automatic coin identification.

  The insulating layer 3 is formed of a transparent material. Conventional bimetal coins may be optically confused with bimetal coins that have different face value or foreign currency circulation values. This is because the differences in seeds, stamping, and color nuance are too small. The transparent insulating layer 3 provides the further important optical property of increasing the difference between denomination coins with different currency circulation values and par values. The transparency of the insulating layer 3 supports better visual discrimination, for example in cash payment transactions.

  The insulating layer 3 can be based on a fragile silicate or ceramic substrate. According to an embodiment, the insulating layer 3 contains or consists of a polymer or composite material which is thermally stable at least in the conventional temperature range of coins. The material of the insulating layer 3 can be thermally stabilized as long as it exceeds 150 degrees Celsius and is at least 200 degrees Celsius. With respect to the concentric disc-shaped inner part 1 and the ring-shaped outer part 2 which are uniformly circular, during the cash payment the coins have a good optical perception of the insulating layer 3 without losing their normal grip. To be possible, the width of the insulating layer 3 can be in the range 0.5-3.0 mm.

  According to an embodiment, the insulating layer 3 is based on a polymer containing sulfur, for example polysulfone, or an etherketone such as polyetheretherketone (PEEK). Other embodiments may provide the insulating layer 3 from a composite material containing an organic substrate doped with one or more inorganic materials. According to an embodiment, the insulating layer 3 comprises an organic substrate and at least one of a pigment (dye), an ultraviolet (UV) stabilizer, a fluorescent component, and / or particles that produce a holographic effect. Contains.

  According to another embodiment, the coin substrate 10 may include an inner portion 1 and an outer portion 2 surrounding the inner portion 1. An insulating layer 3 is arranged between the inner part 1 and the outer part 2, which insulating layer can connect the inner part 1 and the outer part 2 in a force-locking manner. The insulating layer 3 is highly transparent in the first wavelength range, for example the visible wavelength range, and highly opaque, i.e. absorbing and / or reflective, in the second wavelength range, for example the near infrared range.

  The first wavelength range can be a wavelength range outside the visible wavelength range, eg, a portion of the UV and / or IR range next to the visible wavelength range, or can include these wavelength ranges. According to some embodiments, the first wavelength range is the visible wavelength range, for example a part of the visible wavelength range or the entire visible wavelength range. The second wavelength range can be the visible wavelength range, for example a portion of the visible wavelength range or the entire visible wavelength range, or can include this wavelength range. According to some embodiments, the second wavelength range may be a wavelength range outside the visible wavelength range, eg a part of the UV and / or IR range next to the visible wavelength range, eg NIR, or The wavelength range can be included.

  Usually, a coin identification table distinguishes a coin inserted into a coin slot of a device such as a coin inserting machine or a coin discriminating machine from other objects. The coin identification table can include an optical sensor that samples the size of an object passing through the coin slot. Beyond this, many devices, such as coin-operated machines and coin discriminators, use optical sensors to detect coin position during coin processing within the device, or when the coin leaves the device exit. To confirm. When the coin containing the transparent insulating layer 3 passes through a photosensor that evaluates the visible range and other spectral ranges, for example, the infrared range including the near infrared range, the coin identification board will allow the insulating layer 3 to be separated into two. It may be mistaken for a gap between objects, and thus may detect three objects instead of one bimetal coin. When the optical sensor evaluates the near infrared range, the malfunction of the coin identification table can be avoided if the insulating layer 3 is impermeable in the near infrared range. Due to the wavelength-selective transparency of the insulating layer 3, automatic light detection of such coins in coin discriminators and coin-operated machines that use a specific wavelength range for coin identification, such as the near infrared range, is not a separate wavelength range. , Without losing transmission in the visible wavelength range, for example.

  The shape of the inner part 1 can be disc-shaped and the outer part 2 can be ring-shaped with a concentric circle with the inner part 1. The second wavelength range may be a near infrared range including at least a wavelength range of 700 nm to 1100 nm. The first wavelength range may be a visible wavelength range including at least a part of the wavelength range of 400 to 700 nm. The transmittance in the visible wavelength range can vary from 50% to at least 90%. For example, the transmittance in the first wavelength range, for example the visible wavelength range, can be greater than 90% or 95%. The absorptance (attenuation coefficient) in the second wavelength range, for example the near infrared range, can be at least 70% (0.7), for example at least 80% (0.8). The insulating layer 3 can be based on a transparent polymer and can contain additives that absorb or reflect at least 80% of light in the near infrared range. According to some embodiments, the additive can include particles of one or more metal oxides. The metal oxide can be selected from the group including zinc oxide and aluminum-doped zinc oxide. According to another embodiment, the additive can be a conductive polymer. The conductive polymer can be selected from the group including polythiopenes and lanthanoid bisphthalocyanines. According to a further embodiment, the additive can be an organic compound containing a metal complex that absorbs in the near infrared range. The metal complex can be a mixed atom binuclear metal complex. In order to maintain the transmission properties in the visible wavelength range, the additive weight component is at most 5%.

  The width w of the insulating layer 3 between the inner part 1 and the outer part 2 can be between 0.3 mm and 5 mm. In order to facilitate reliable detection of the insulating layer 3 in coin discriminators and coin-operated machines that provide optical sensors for coin detection, according to an embodiment the width w is at least 0.50 mm. The width w can be at most 3.0 mm in order to ensure a reliable mechanical connection between the inner part 1 and the outer part 2. According to another embodiment, the width w of the insulating layer 3 is selected within the range of 0.5 mm to 3.0 mm by considering the characteristics of the inner portion 1 and the outer portion 2.

  For example, the width of the insulating layer 3 is selected based on the material properties of the inner part 1 and the outer part 2. According to an embodiment, the electrical conductivity CI of the inner part 1 is at most half of the electrical conductivity CO of the outer part 2 and a reliable detection is possible even with a reduced width, so that the insulating layer 3 Has a width w of at least 0.5 mm. According to another embodiment, the electrical conductivity CI of the inner part 1 is at least twice the electrical conductivity CO of the outer part 2 and the width of the insulating layer 3 is increased to facilitate reliable detection of the insulating layer 3. Is at least 1.0 mm. If the electrical conductivity CI, CO of the inner part 1 and the outer part 2 deviates from each other by only 50% and the IACS (International Annealed Copper Standard) value is below 10%, the width w of the insulating layer 3 is at least 1.0 mm. is there. If the electrical conductivity CI, CO of the inner part 1 and the outer part 2 deviates from each other by only 50% and the IACS (International Annealed Copper Standard) value is 10% or more, the width w of the insulating layer 3 is at least 0.5 mm. Is.

According to another embodiment, the width w of the insulating layer 3 is selected based on the geometry of the coin, in order to support a reliable identification of the coin type and the face value. Generally, coin-operated machines and coin discriminators use inductive sensors to identify the material of the coin. The inner part 1 and the outer part 2 respectively deliver inductive signs and the insulating layer 3 gives these signs a specific spacing. Sufficient spacing facilitates signature evaluation and identification. In order to achieve a sufficient spacing, the width w of the insulating layer 3 is selected taking into account the diameter DC of the coin substrate and the diameter of the inner part 1. According to an embodiment, the coin diameter DC is between 19 mm and 33 mm and the diameter ratio of the inner part 1 to the coin diameter DC is between 50% and 70%, for example about 60%. It can be selected from w.

  For example, with a coin diameter DC of 20 mm, the width w of the insulating layer 3 can be in the range of 0.6 mm to 0.7 mm. With a coin diameter DC of 30 mm, the width w of the insulating layer 3 can be in the range of 1.6 mm to 2.7 mm. According to the same embodiment, when the coin diameter DC is below 19 mm, the width w of the insulating layer 3 is at least 0.5 mm.

  According to a further embodiment, the further insulating layer 3 has the properties of the insulating layer 3 between the inner part 1 and the outer part 2, so that the coin substrate is at least separated by the preceding outer part 2. It comprises one further outer part 2.

  A further embodiment relates to coins which can be circulating coins or medals. The coin comprises a coin substrate as discussed above and stamps stamped on at least one side of at least one of the inner portion 1 and the outer portion 2.

  The following embodiment comprises an inner part 1, an outer part 2 surrounding the inner part 1 and an insulating layer 3 arranged between the inner part 1 and the outer part 2, wherein the insulating layer 3 is Reference is made to a coin or a base for coins in which 1 and the outer portion 2 are connected by a pressure fixing method. The width w of the insulating layer 3 is selected on the basis of the properties of the inner part 1 and the outer part 2, for example material properties and geometry. The insulating layer 3 is in at least a part of the visible wavelength range, in the entire visible wavelength range, and / or in a wavelength range adjacent to the visible wavelength range, for example, in the UV range, and / or in at least a part of the IR range. Can be transparent, for example in the NIR.

  According to one such embodiment, the electrical conductivity CI of the inner part 1 is at least twice the electrical conductivity CO of the outer part 2 in order to facilitate reliable detection of the insulating layer 3, The width w of 3 is at least 1.0 mm. According to another embodiment, the electrical conductivity CI of the inner part 1 is at most half that of the electrical conductivity CO of the outer part 2 and reliable detection is possible even if the width is reduced, so that the insulating layer 3 Has a width w of at least 0.5 mm. According to another embodiment, if the electrical conductivity CI, CO of the inner part 1 and the outer part 2 deviates from each other by only 50% and the IACS (International Annealed Copper Standard) value is below 10%, the width of the insulating layer 3 is reduced. w is at least 1.0 mm. If the electrical conductivity of the inner part 1 and the outer part 2 deviates from each other by only 50% and the IACS (International Annealed Copper Standard) value is 10% or more, the width w of the insulating layer 3 is at least 0.5 mm.

  According to another embodiment, the width w of the insulating layer 3 is selected based on the geometry of the coin, in order to support a reliable identification of the coin type and the face value. Generally, coin-operated machines and coin discriminators use inductive sensors to identify the material of the coin. The inner part 1 and the outer part 2 each deliver an inductive sign and the insulating layer 3 gives the sign a specific spacing. Sufficient spacing facilitates signature evaluation and identification. In order to achieve a sufficient spacing, the width w of the insulating layer 3 is selected taking into account the diameter DC of the coin and the diameter of the inner part 1. According to an embodiment, the coin diameter DC is between 19 mm and 33 mm and the ratio of the diameter of the inner part 1 to the coin diameter DC is between 50% and 70%, for example about 60%. w can be selected according to Equation 1 above.

  For example, with a coin diameter DC of 20 mm, the width w of the insulating layer 3 can be in the range of 0.6 mm to 0.7 mm. With a coin diameter DC of 30 mm, the width w of the insulating layer 3 can be in the range of 1.6 mm to 2.7 mm. According to the same embodiment, when the coin diameter DC is below 19 mm, the width w of the insulating layer 3 is at least 0.5 mm.

  A further example is a bimetal coin containing an inner part 1 of a metallized three-layer nickel brass alloy / nickel / nickel brass alloy body and a ring-shaped outer part 2 of CuNi25. The diameter of the inner part 1 is 1.5 mm smaller than the inner diameter of the outer part 2. An insulating layer 3 provided from an amorphous permeable polymer such as polysulfone fills the resulting gap in a force-locking manner.

  Another example is a bimetallic coin containing a ring-shaped outer part 2 made of stainless steel, a disc made of a CuAlZn alloy and an insulating layer 3 having a width of 0.5 mm. The insulating layer 3 is made of a semi-crystalline polymer. According to one embodiment, the insulating layer 3 comprises polyetheretherketone (PEEK). The color of the polyether ether ketone is light brown, and the polyether ether ketone is impermeable, i.e. impermeable.

  According to another example, the insulating layer 3 is a composite material consisting of a polysulfone doped with 3% by weight of fluorescent fibers, which is a transparent polymer. Fluorescent fibers provide a significant lighting effect under UV light, which effect can be used as an additional distinguishing characteristic.

  According to a more general example, a bimetallic coin consists of a disc-shaped inner part and a concentric and ring-shaped outer part, which parts form a permanently connected composite. The par value offered to the coin is stamped on this composite. An insulating layer is concentrically arranged between the inner part and the outer part in a pressure-locking manner.

  According to certain embodiments of the more general example, the insulating layer comprises a polymer or composite material. The polymer can be a sulfur-containing polymer or an etherketone-containing polymer. For example, polysulfone (PSU) or polyetheretherketone (PEEK) is used. The composite material can consist of an organic substrate doped with an inorganic material. As inorganic materials, dyes, UV stabilizers, fluorescent components and / or particles from holographic imaging can be used. The composite material can consist of an amorphous silicate or ceramic based material.

  According to another embodiment of the more general example, the insulating layer withstands temperatures in excess of 150 degrees Celsius.

  According to another embodiment of the more general example, the insulating layer has transmissive properties, transflective (translucent) properties, opalescent properties, and / or includes color effects.

  According to another embodiment of the more general example, the width of the insulating layer between the disc and the ring ranges from 0.5 mm to 3.0 mm.

  According to another embodiment of the more general example, the insulating layer is deformable by a stamping process applied to provide circulating coins from the coin substrate.

  Many modifications and variations of the present disclosure are, of course, possible in light of the above teaching. Therefore, it should be understood that the invention can be practiced differently than as specifically described herein within the scope of the appended claims.

1 ... inner part 2 ... outer part 3 ... insulating layer

Claims (17)

A coin base used with an optical sensor,
The inner part,
An outer portion surrounding the inner portion,
An insulating layer disposed between the inner portion and the outer portion,
The insulating layer connects the inner portion and the outer portion by a pressure fixing method, has transparency in the first wavelength region, and absorbs and / or reflects light in the second wavelength region to attenuate the light. Is something that
The second wavelength region is different from the ultraviolet wavelength region and is a wavelength region in the near infrared range in which the optical sensor is operated,
The insulating layer is opaque to absorb or reflect at least 70% of light in the near infrared range,
A coin substrate that is detected as one object by the optical sensor.   The coin base according to claim 1, wherein the insulating layer is transparent in the first visible light region and absorbs and / or reflects light in the second visible light region.   Coin substrate according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the width w of the insulating layer is selected based on the coin diameter DC and the diameter of the inner part in order to distinguish the inductive properties of the inner part and the outer part. . The coin diameter DC is 19 mm or more and 33 mm or less,
The ratio of the diameter of the inner portion to the coin diameter is 50% or more and 70% or less,
The coin base according to claim 3, wherein the width w of the insulating layer satisfies the following formula.
The coin base according to claim 1, wherein the second wavelength region has a wavelength region other than the visible wavelength range. The coin base according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the second wavelength region includes a wavelength range of 700 nm to 1100 nm.   The coin base according to claim 1, wherein the first wavelength region includes a wavelength range of 400 nm to 700 nm. The coin substrate according to claim 1, wherein the transmittance in the first wavelength region is at least 50%. The coin base according to claim 1, wherein the absorptance in the second wavelength region is at least 70%.   The coin base according to claim 1, wherein the insulating layer contains an additive that absorbs light in a near infrared range, based on a transparent polymer.   The coin base according to claim 10, wherein the additive includes metal oxide particles.   The coin substrate of claim 10, wherein the additive is a conductive polymer selected from the group including polythiopenes and lanthanoid bisphthalocyanines.   The base for coins according to claim 10, wherein the additive is an organic compound containing a metal complex that absorbs in the near infrared range.   The coin substrate according to claim 10, wherein the permeable polymer is polysulfone. And coins for substrates according to any one of claims 1 to 14, at least one of the coins and a marking on at least one side of said inner portion and said outer portion. A method of using the coin according to claim 15 together with an optical sensor for detecting a coin size or a coin position.
A method of using coins, wherein the optical sensor is operated in the second wavelength range. 17. The coin usage method according to claim 16 , wherein the optical sensor is further operated in the first wavelength region.