JP7188008B2 - coin separator - Google Patents

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a coin separator, and more particularly to a coin separator that separates a plurality of deposited coins and supplies them one by one.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a coin processing machine applied as a change machine, for example, identifies the authenticity and denomination of coins inserted into a deposit slot, and then automatically takes in the coins identified as genuine coins and sets them for each denomination. stored in the designated coin storage. In addition, the coin processing machine dispenses the coins stored in the coin storage to the dispensing port as change in a requested amount in response to a change dispensing request from an external device or the like.

The coin processor has a coin separating device that separates deposited coins one by one and supplies them. In the coin separating device, a rotating body having a plurality of coin passage holes is housed in a bottomed cylindrical rotating body housing so as to be rotatable about a central axis. This coin separating device guides coins to a rotating storage unit, and supplies the coins that have passed through a coin passage hole one by one from a supply port formed in a rotating body storage unit (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

JP 2018-92609 A

However, since the coin separator guides the coins to the rotary storage portion and supplies the coins passing through the coin passage holes of the rotating rotating body one by one from the supply port, the coins guided to the rotary storage portion are If the coins could not pass through the coin passage holes smoothly, the time required for the separation of the coins would be lengthened.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a coin separator capable of shortening the time required for coin separation.

In order to achieve the above object, the coin separating device according to the present invention has a first endless belt stretched between a pair of front and rear first pulleys in a manner gradually inclined upward toward the rear. By rotating the first pulley, the upper stretched portion of the first belt is displaced rearward, so that a plurality of deposited coins are placed on the upper stretched portion so as not to overlap each other. a coin separating unit that separates and feeds the coins conveyed by the coin depositing unit one by one, wherein the separating unit is the coin depositing unit; When the leading coin among the coins conveyed to the first belt abuts against itself in a state of protruding rearward from the rear end of the upper stretched portion of the first belt, regardless of the displacement of the first belt a pair of left and right second belts stretched endlessly between a pair of front and rear second pulleys in a manner gradually inclined downward toward the rear; and a pin member installed between the second belts, the pin member abutting against the stopper when the second belt is displaced along the extending direction by the rotation of the second pulley. The first coin is pressed to be separated from the other coins, and the separated coins are fed rearward by being sandwiched and conveyed by a third belt which is gradually inclined downward.

Further, according to the present invention, in the above coin separating device, the displacement of the second belt is synchronized with the displacement of the conveying member to which the separated coins are supplied.

According to the present invention, when the leading coin among the coins conveyed to the depositing unit abuts against itself in a state of protruding rearward from the rear end of the upper stretched portion of the first belt, A pair of left and right second belts endlessly stretched between a pair of front and rear second pulleys in a manner gradually inclined downward toward the rear. and a pin member that extends in the left-right direction and is installed between the second belts, and the pin member is displaced along the extending direction of the second belt by the rotation of the second pulley. Since the leading coin that abuts the stopper is pressed to be separated from the other coins, and the separated coins are conveyed rearward by being pinched by the third belt that gradually inclines downward, the conventional coin is supplied. As compared with the case where the coin passes through the coin passage hole of the rotating body rotating in the above manner, it is possible to shorten the time required for the separation of the coins.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the internal structure of a coin processor to which a coin separating device according to an embodiment of the invention is applied. 2 is a perspective view showing a main part of the coin handling machine shown in FIG. 1. FIG. FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a main part of the coin processor with some components shown in FIG. 2 omitted. 4 is a perspective view showing a main part of the coin separating device shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. FIG. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing the main part of the coin separating device shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 together with the main part of the coin validating device. FIG. 6 is an explanatory view showing how coins are conveyed by the coin separator shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. FIG. FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing how coins are conveyed by the coin separator shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. FIG. FIG. 8 is an explanatory view showing how coins are conveyed by the coin separator shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. FIG. FIG. 9 is an explanatory view showing how coins are conveyed by the coin separator shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. FIG. FIG. 10 is an explanatory view showing how coins are conveyed by the coin separator shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. FIG. FIG. 11 is an explanatory view showing how coins are conveyed by the coin separator shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. FIG.

Preferred embodiments of a coin separator according to the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the internal structure of a coin handling machine to which a coin separating device according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied, and FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a main part of the coin handling machine shown in FIG. FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a principal part of the coin handling machine with some components shown in FIG. 2 omitted;

The coin processor 1 exemplified here is applied as, for example, a change machine, and includes a coin separating device 10 , a coin validating device 20 , a coin conveying device 30 and a coin storage device 40 .

The coin separating device 10 separates the coins deposited through the deposit port 2 one by one and supplies them. The configuration of the coin separator 10 will be described later.

The coin validation device 20 discriminates the authenticity and denomination of the coins supplied from the coin separating device 10, and delivers genuine coins to the coin conveying device 30, while delivering counterfeit coins to a payout unit (not shown). is. This payout unit delivers coins paid out to itself to the payout section 3 and pays them out from a coin payout port 4 provided in the payout section 3 .

The configuration of the coin validation device 20 will be described. The coin validation device 20 includes a transport pulley 21 , a transport belt 22 and a transport member 23 .

The conveying pulleys 21 are arranged in a front-rear pair. The transport pulley 21a on the front side is linked to the output shaft of a transport motor (not shown). The transport pulley 21a on the front side is a driving pulley that rotates about its own central axis as the center axis by being driven by the transport motor. The transport pulley 21a on the front side rotates counterclockwise when viewed from the left side by applying the driving force of the transport motor.

The conveying belt 22 includes a pair of left and right conveying belts 22L and 22R, which are stretched endlessly between the conveying pulleys 21, respectively. Such a conveying belt 22 is displaced along its extending direction by the rotation of the conveying pulley 21a on the front side. More specifically, the conveying belt 22 is displaced in such a manner that the upper stretched portion faces rearward while the lower stretched portion faces forward due to the rotation of the front conveying pulley 21a.

The transport pulley 21b on the rear side linked to the transport pulley 21a on the front side via the transport belt 22 rotates about its central axis as the center axis as viewed from the left. Rotate clockwise. That is, the transport pulley 21b on the rear side is a driven pulley that rotates according to the rotation of the transport pulley 21a on the front side.

A plurality of conveying members 23 are provided, and each of them straddles the pair of left and right conveying belts 22 and is provided at regular intervals along the extending direction of the conveying belts 22 .

In such a coin validation device 20, the transportation pulley 21a on the front side is rotated by driving the transportation motor, and the transportation belt 22 is displaced along the extending direction. When a coin is supplied from the coin separator 10, the conveying member 23, which moves rearward due to the displacement of the conveying belt 22, abuts on the coin and moves the coin rearward. During such movement, the discriminating unit 24 discriminates the authenticity and denomination of the coin. Then, the coins discriminated as genuine are delivered to the delivery port 25 while being moved backward, and delivered to the coin conveying device 30 through the delivery port 25 . On the other hand, a coin discriminated as a counterfeit coin is dropped downward through the counterfeit coin opening 26, and the forward-moving conveying member 23 comes into contact with the coin, moves the coin forward, and the dispensing unit moves the coin forward. send to

The coin conveying device 30 conveys the coins (genuine coins) delivered from the coin validation device 20 along a conveying path, sorts them by denomination, and supplies them to the coin storage device 40 . The coin storage device 40 stores coins by denomination and pays out the coins to the payout unit 3 according to a payout command.

4 is a perspective view showing the main part of the coin separating device 10 shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, and FIG. 5 is a coin validation device showing the main part of the coin separating device 10 shown in FIGS. FIG. 20 is a cross-sectional view showing the main part of 20;

As also shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the coin separator 10 includes a deposit unit 10a and a separator unit 10b. The deposit unit 10a supplies coins deposited through the deposit port 2 to the separation unit 10b.

The deposit unit 10 a is configured by including a deposit pulley (first pulley) 11 , a deposit belt (first belt) 12 and a deposit reverse roller 13 .

The deposit pulleys 11 are arranged in a front and rear pair, with the deposit pulley 11a on the rear side being arranged above the deposit pulley 11b on the front side. The depositing pulley 11 a on the rear side is linked to the output shaft of the depositing unit motor 14 via the linking member 15 . The depositing pulley 11a on the rear side is a driving pulley that rotates around its own central axis by driving the depositing unit motor 14 . When the driving force of the deposit unit motor 14 is applied, the deposit pulley 11a on the rear side rotates counterclockwise when viewed from the left.

The deposit belt 12 is stretched endlessly between the deposit pulleys 11 . More specifically, it is stretched endlessly in a manner that gradually slopes upward toward the rear. Such a deposit belt 12 is displaced in its extending direction when the deposit pulley 11a on the rear side is driven by the deposit unit motor 14 to rotate. That is, the deposit belt 12 is displaced in such a manner that the upper stretched portion 12a is directed rearward by the rotation of the deposit pulley 11a on the rear side. The forward deposit pulley 11b linked to the rear deposit pulley 11a via the deposit belt 12 rotates about its central axis as viewed from the left as the rear deposit pulley 11a rotates. Rotate clockwise. That is, the deposit pulley 11b on the front side is a driven pulley that rotates according to the rotation of the deposit pulley 11a on the rear side.

The deposit reverse roller 13 is arranged above the upper stretched portion 12 a of the deposit belt 12 . The deposit reverse roller 13 is linked to the deposit pulley 11a on the rear side via the linking member 15, and rotates about its own axis as the deposit pulley 11a on the rear side rotates. Due to the displacement of the deposit belt 12, the deposit reverse roller 13 comes into contact with a plurality of coins piled up on the upper stretched portion 12a, and moves the coins one by one on the upper stretched portion 12a so as not to overlap each other. It is intended to be placed.

The separation unit 10b is configured with a guide mechanism section 16, a separation mechanism section 17, and an auxiliary transport section 18. As shown in FIG. The guide mechanism section 16 includes a guide body 161 , a coin holding guide 162 and a coin holding guide 163 .

The guide main body 161 is arranged on the rear side of the deposit unit 10a, and is provided in a manner in which it is gradually inclined upward toward the rear. The guide body 161 has a box-like shape with openings on the front surface, the bottom surface, and the rear surface, as well as an opening on a part of the top surface. The guide main body 161 guides the coins supplied from the deposit unit 10a backward while restricting the lateral movement of the coins.

The coin holding guides 162 are provided in the vicinity of the opening on the lower surface of the guide body 161 so as to form a left and right pair. These coin holding guides 162 are plate-like members extending in the front-rear direction, and have holding guide shaft portions 162a and holding guide acting portions 162b.

The holding guide shaft portion 162 a constitutes the front end portion of the coin holding guide 162 and is pivotally supported by the guide main body 161 . The holding guide acting portion 162b is a portion extending rearward from the holding guide shaft portion 162a.

In a normal state, the coin holding guide 162 is urged by an urging means (not shown) so that the coin holding guide 162 gradually extends rearward along the rear extension line of the upper stretched portion 12a of the deposit belt 12. It is inclined upward. The coin holding guide 162 can swing downward around the holding guide shaft portion 162a.

The coin holding guide 163 is provided near the opening on the upper surface of the guide body 161 . The coin pressing guide 163 is a plate-like member extending in the front-rear direction, and has a pressing guide shaft portion 163a and a pressing guide acting portion 163b.

The pressing guide shaft portion 163a constitutes the rear end portion of the coin pressing guide 163, and is supported by a supporting member (not shown). The pressing guide acting portion 163b is a portion that extends forward from the pressing guide shaft portion 163a. The pressing guide acting portion 163b is bent upward in the middle of its extension.

The separation mechanism portion 17 is arranged on the rear side of the guide mechanism portion 16 and is separated from the guide mechanism portion 16. The separation pulley (second pulley) 171, the separation belt (second belt) 172, It is composed of an application pin (pin member) 173 and a stopper 174 .

The separation pulleys 171 are arranged in a front and rear pair, with the front separation pulley 171a arranged above the rear separation pulley 171b. The separation pulley 171b on the rear side is linked to the transport motor through a linking means (not shown). The separation pulley 171b on the rear side is a drive pulley that rotates around its own central axis by being driven by the conveying motor. The separation pulley 171b on the rear side rotates clockwise when viewed from the left when the driving force of the conveying motor is applied.

The separation belt 172 includes a pair of left and right separation belts 172L and 172R, which are stretched endlessly between the separation pulleys 171, respectively. More specifically, it is stretched endlessly in a manner gradually sloping downward toward the rear. Such a separation belt 172 is displaced along its extending direction by the rotation of the separation pulley 171b on the rear side. More specifically, the separation belt 172 is displaced in such a manner that the upper stretched portion 172a faces forward while the lower stretched portion 172b faces rearward by the rotation of the rear separation pulley 171b.

As described above, since the separation pulley 171b on the rear side is driven by the conveying motor to rotate, the displacement of the separation belt 172 is synchronized with the displacement of the conveying belt 22, that is, the displacement of the conveying member .

The front separation pulley 171a, which is linked to the rear separation pulley 171b via the separation belt 172, rotates around its central axis as viewed from the left. rotate around. That is, the separation pulley 171a on the front side is a driven pulley that rotates according to the rotation of the separation pulley 171b on the rear side.

A plurality of separation pins 173 (two in the illustrated example) are provided and extend along the left-right direction. These separation pins 173 are placed between the separation belts 172 while being separated from each other, and are displaced as the separation belts 172 are displaced.

The stopper 174 is constructed by bending a sheet metal or the like, and is installed between the separation pulleys 171a on the front side. The stopper 174 is provided with a contact portion 174 a that faces the opening of the rear surface of the guide body 161 on the extension line of the rear side of the upper stretched portion 172 a of the deposit belt 12 .

The auxiliary conveying section 18 is arranged below the guide mechanism section 16 and includes an auxiliary conveying pulley 181 and an auxiliary conveying belt (third belt) 182 .

The auxiliary conveying pulleys 181 are arranged in a front and rear pair, with the front auxiliary conveying pulley 181a being positioned higher than the rear auxiliary conveying pulley 181b. The front side auxiliary transport pulley 181a is obliquely rearwardly above the rear side receiving pulley 11a and partly arranged between the coin holding guides 162. As shown in FIG.

The auxiliary transport pulley 181b on the rear side is linked to the transport motor through a linking means (not shown). The rear auxiliary conveying pulley 181b is a drive pulley that rotates around its own central axis by being driven by a conveying motor. The auxiliary transport pulley 181b on the rear side rotates counterclockwise when viewed from the left when the driving force of the transport motor is applied.

The auxiliary conveying belt 182 is stretched endlessly between the auxiliary conveying pulleys 181 . More specifically, the separation belt 172 is endlessly stretched in a manner gradually inclined downward toward the rear, and the upper stretched portion 182 a is substantially parallel to the lower stretched portion 172 b of the separation belt 172 . are placed in Such an auxiliary conveying belt 182 is displaced along its extending direction by the rotation of the auxiliary conveying pulley 181b on the rear side. More specifically, the auxiliary conveying belt 182 is displaced so that the upper stretched portion 182a is directed rearward by the rotation of the rear auxiliary conveying pulley 181b.

Since the auxiliary transport pulley 181 b on the rear side is driven by the transport motor to rotate as described above, the displacement of the auxiliary transport belt 182 is synchronized with the displacement of the separation belt 172 and the transport member 23 .

The front side auxiliary conveying pulley 181a linked to the rear side auxiliary conveying pulley 181b via the auxiliary conveying belt 182 rotates leftward about its central axis as the rear side auxiliary conveying pulley 181b rotates. rotates counterclockwise when viewed from the That is, the front side auxiliary transport pulley 181a is a driven pulley that rotates according to the rotation of the rear side auxiliary transport pulley 181b.

The coin separating device 10 configured as described above can supply the coin validation device 20 in a state in which deposited coins are separated one by one as follows.

By driving the depositing unit motor 14, the depositing belt 12 is displaced and the depositing reverse roller 13 is rotated. As shown in FIG. , and transport it rearward. In the normal state, the coin holding guide 162 in the guide mechanism section 16 is in a posture that gradually inclines upward toward the rear on the extension line of the rear side of the upper stretched portion 12a of the deposit belt 12. The coin K conveyed to the upper stretched portion 12a of the belt 12 is allowed to move rearward as it is.

When the frontmost coin K among the coins K transported backward by the depositing unit 10a contacts the contact portion 174a of the stopper 174 as shown in FIG. 7, the transport of the coins K is stopped. do. In other words, the stopper 174 conveys the coin K regardless of the displacement of the deposit belt 12 when the leading coin K protrudes rearward from the rear end of the upper stretched portion 12a of the deposit belt 12 and comes into contact with itself. to regulate. Even when the leading coin K abuts against the abutting portion 174a in this manner, the posture of the coin K can be maintained by the coin pressing guide 163. FIG.

When the leading coin K contacts the contact portion 174a of the stopper 174, the separation belt 172 and the auxiliary conveying belt 182 are displaced in synchronism with the displacement of the conveying member 23 by driving the conveying motor. As a result, as shown in FIG. 8, the separation pin 173 displaced together with the separation belt 172 comes into contact with the upper surface of the leading coin K and presses the coin K downward.

When the separation pin 173 presses the leading coin K in this manner, the coin holding guide 162 swings downward against the biasing force of the biasing means and the coin retainer as shown in FIG. Guide 163 swings upward. As a result, the leading coin K can be separated from the other coins K.

As shown in FIG. 10, the leading coin K thus separated is held between a separation pin 173 displaced together with the separation belt 172 and an auxiliary conveyor belt 182 displaced synchronously with the separation pin 173. and conveyed, and supplied to the coin validation device 20 as shown in FIG. The coin K supplied to the coin validation device 20 is transported rearward by the transport member 23 .

As described above, according to the coin separating device 10 according to the embodiment of the present invention, the stopper 174 prevents the first coin K among the coins K conveyed by the depositing unit 10a from being overlapped with each other. When the upper tensioning portion 12 a protrudes rearward from the rear end portion of the upper side stretched portion 12 a and abuts itself, the coin K is restricted from being conveyed regardless of the displacement of the deposit belt 12 , and the separation belt 172 is displaced by the rotation of the separation pulley 171 . By displacing along the extending direction, the separation pin 173 presses the leading coin K that abuts against the stopper 174 to separate it from the other coins K, and the separated coin K is gradually directed backward and downward. Since the coins are fed by being sandwiched by the auxiliary conveying belt 182 inclined at an angle, the time required for separating the coins K can be shortened compared to the conventional case where the coins K are passed through the coin passage hole of the rotating rotating body. can be achieved.

Moreover, conventionally, the coins conveyed by the depositing unit so as not to overlap each other are collected in the coin storage section and stacked on each other, so that the coins that were once prevented from overlapping each other are overlapped in the coin storage section. In the above-mentioned coin separating device 10, the first coin K among the coins K conveyed by the receiving unit 10a so as not to overlap each other is separated from the other coins K and supplied. Since it is only necessary to carry the coin K, there is no waste in the form of transportation of the coin K, and the reduction in transportation time is more remarkable.

According to the coin separating device 10, the displacement of the separating belt 172 and the displacement of the auxiliary conveying belt 182 are synchronized with the displacement of the conveying member 23 of the coin validating device 20. Delivery of K can be performed smoothly, which can also shorten the transportation time.

Although the preferred embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to this, and various modifications can be made.

In the embodiment described above, the guide mechanism part 16 is provided, but in the present invention, the guide mechanism may not be provided as long as the posture of the coin transported by the deposit unit can be maintained.

In the present invention, as shown in FIG. 11, an attitude control flapper 19 for controlling the attitude of the coin K may be provided in the area where the coin K is supplied to the coin validation device 20. FIG. By controlling the attitude of the coin K by the attitude control flapper 19, the coin K can be stably delivered, and the occurrence of defective transportation of the coin K in the coin validation device 20 can be suppressed. .

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 10 coin separator 10a deposit unit 10b separation unit 11 deposit pulley (first pulley)
12 deposit belt (first belt)
12a Upper tension portion 13 Deposit reverse roller 16 Guide mechanism 161 Guide body 162 Coin holding guide 163 Coin holding guide 17 Separation mechanism 171 Separation pulley (second pulley)
172 separation belt (second belt)
173 separation pin (pin member)
174 stopper 18 auxiliary conveying part 181 auxiliary conveying pulley 182 auxiliary conveying belt (third belt)
20 coin validation device 23 conveying member K coin

Claims (2)

A first belt is stretched between a pair of front and rear first pulleys in an endless manner so as to gradually incline upward toward the rear. a depositing unit that places a plurality of deposited coins on the upper extending portion so as not to overlap each other and conveys the deposited coins rearward by displacing the extending portion toward the rear;
A coin separating device, comprising:
The separation unit is
When the leading coin among the coins conveyed to the depositing unit abuts against itself in a state of protruding rearward from the rear end of the upper stretched portion of the first belt, regardless of the displacement of the first belt. a stopper for regulating the transportation of the coin;
a pair of left and right second belts stretched endlessly between the pair of front and rear second pulleys so as to gradually tilt downward toward the rear;
a pin member extending in the left-right direction and installed between the second belts,
When the second belt is displaced along the extending direction by the rotation of the second pulley, the pin member presses the leading coin in contact with the stopper and separates it from the other coins. A coin separating device, wherein coins are fed rearward by being sandwiched between and conveyed by a third belt which is gradually inclined downward. 2. The coin separating device according to claim 1, wherein the displacement of said second belt is synchronized with the displacement of a conveying member to which the separated coins are supplied.

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