JPH0157839B2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] (a) Industrial Application Field This invention is used in an automatic ticket vending machine, etc., to determine the denomination and authenticity of coins inserted, sort the determined coins, and then dispense predetermined change. The present invention relates to dispensing coin processing devices, and in particular to improvements in the cash collection section of such devices.

(b) Prior Art This type of coin processing device generally includes a coin verification machine that determines the authenticity and/or denomination of an inserted coin, and a coin verification machine that determines the authenticity and/or denomination of an inserted coin, and a coin processing device that separates the inserted coins by denomination based on the output of the coin verification machine. A sorting device that sorts the coins, a pool device that once pools the coins sorted by the sorting device for each denomination, a change machine that releases change of the necessary denomination according to the denomination of the input coins, and the change. The machine has a supply hopper for supplying change coins necessary for the machine, a supply cassette for externally supplying change coins to the supply hopper, and a cash box for storing collected coins. The cash box is usually located at the bottom of the device, and when the device is in the collection mode, all coins in the replenishment hopper and change machine are collected through the collection chute.

(c) Problems to be Solved by the Invention Incidentally, such a coin processing device generally diverts a predetermined number of coins from among the coins collected in the cash box as reserves for the supply cassette. For this reason, it is necessary to count the number of coins collected in the cash box as required for the above-mentioned reserve fund.

However, since conventional coin processing devices did not have internal counting and sorting functions, in order to count the reserves for the supply cassette, a separate coin counting machine was installed, and the collected coins were counted by this coin counting machine. They had to run it on a machine and count a certain number of sheets. For this reason, it has the drawbacks of increasing back-office work for staff and increasing equipment costs.

The purpose of this invention is to provide a coin processing reserve in which a certain amount of reserve is automatically sorted into a cash box at the time of collection, by omitting the back-office tasks of the clerk such as counting and sorting after collection. Another objective is to reduce the cost of the entire equipment, including the coin handling equipment.

(d) Means for Solving the Problem The present invention includes a coin verification machine that determines the authenticity and/or denomination of an inserted coin, and a coin verification machine that sorts the inserted coins by denomination based on the output of the coin verification machine. A sorting reserve fund, a pooling device that once pools the coins sorted by this sorting device for each denomination, a change machine that releases change of a necessary denomination according to the denomination of input coins, and this change machine. A coin processing device having a supply hopper for supplying coins for change necessary for the change machine, and a cash box for storing all the coins in the change machine as collected money. a counting means for dividing the coins into storage units and counting the number of coins collected in the cash box; and a collected money distribution device for selectively distributing the collected coins to the reserve money storage unit for the supply cassette and the collected money storage unit. , Drive the collected money distribution reserve to store coins in the supply cassette reserve storage section until the counting means counts a predetermined number of coins, and store the remaining coins in the collected money storage section. The present invention is characterized by comprising a means for controlling the number of sheets to be prepared.

(e) Function The coin processing device of the present invention is an operation that is performed when collecting coins (when replenishing products in a vending machine or when tabulating sales). (This refers to the operation of setting coins for cash into a coin processing device.) Then, the coins are collected into a cash box. The cash box is divided into a supply cassette reserve money storage section and a collection money storage section, and a predetermined number of change coins is stored in the supply cassette reserve money storage section. This storage is carried out by the collected money distribution device distributing the coins to the supply cassette reserve money storage section until the counting means counts a predetermined number of coins. This eliminates the need to count and cash change coins again after collecting coins, which reduces staff work and also eliminates the need for a coin counting device, contributing to cost reduction.

(f) Embodiments Examples of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows the customer service side of an automatic ticket vending machine to which a coin processing device according to an embodiment of the invention is applied, and FIG. 2 shows a structural diagram of the same coin processing device.

In FIG. 1, a customer service surface 1 of an automatic ticket vending machine includes a coin slot 2 for inserting coins, an amount display section 3 consisting of an LED light emitting device, etc. that digitally displays the amount of coins inserted, and a plurality of ticket types. Push button 4a, 4
b... It has a ticket type selection section 4 consisting of 4l, and a receiving tray 5 for issuing tickets and returning change etc. to customers.

When a coin is inserted into the coin slot 2, the amount of money inserted is displayed on the amount display section 3. Furthermore, if one of the push buttons 4a to 4l corresponding to the required ticket type is pressed within the total amount of coins inserted, that ticket is issued to the tray 5, and then the difference between the inserted amount and the consideration of the issued ticket is issued. is returned to the saucer 5 as change.

In FIG. 2, a coin introduction passage 6 is arranged behind the coin insertion slot 2, and a coin introduction passage 6 is equipped with a photo sensor or the like on the side wall of the passage 6, which detects when a coin enters the passage 6. A detector 7 is provided. Following the coin introduction passage 6 and further back, an electronic coin validator 8 is provided which electrically, optically or magnetically determines the authenticity and denomination of the inserted coin, and is capable of detecting counterfeit coins and each denomination. Form an electrical signal. This electric signal is used as a drive signal for several solenoids and motors, which will be described later, and is also sent to an arithmetic circuit (not shown) and used for calculating the amount of money.

In addition, in this embodiment, the functions of the electronic coin validation machine 8 are as follows.
Although the authenticity and denomination of coins are determined, if authenticity determination is not necessary, only the denomination determination function may be sufficient.

A distributing device 9 is provided next to the electronic coin validating machine 8, which receives the output of the electronic coin validating machine and distributes the inserted coins. This sorting device 9 is a shutter 9 that changes the direction of coin movement depending on the authenticity of the coin.
0, a passage 91 arranged horizontally behind this shutter 90, a belt 92 for conveying coins attached to this passage, and a motor 9 that drives this belt 92.
3. Shutters 94, 95 that change the direction of movement according to the denomination of the coin, as will be described in detail later;
It also has solenoids 96, 97, 98 for driving the shutters 90, 94, 95, and a solenoid 99 for releasing jammed coins.

When the solenoid 96 is off, the shutter 90 is controlled to the position shown by the dotted line in the figure, and when the solenoid 96 is on, the shutter 90 is controlled to the position shown by the solid line in the figure. Further, when the solenoid 97 is off, the shutter 94 does not protrude toward the belt 92, so the passage in that portion is opened, and when the solenoid 97 is on, the shutter 94 does not protrude toward the belt 92, so the passage in that portion is opened. When the shutter 95 is opened and turned on, the shutter 95 protrudes toward the belt 92 and blocks the passage in that portion.

A coin return chute 10 is provided below the electronic coin validator 8, and a well-known pool device 11 is provided below the sorting device 9.
Once the pool device 11 has a passage 110 for first type coins located below the shutter 94, a passage 111 for coins of the second type located below the shutter 95, and a passage 111 for coins located below the shutter 95, and a third type coin passage 112.

Therefore, when the solenoid 96 is off, the coins will proceed to the path 91 of the sorting device 9, and when the solenoid 96 is on, the coins will proceed to the return chute 10. Also, the coin that has proceeded to the passage 91 is shut off by the shutter 94 when the solenoid 97 is on.
passage 11 because backward movement is obstructed by
0, and when solenoid 97 is off and solenoid 98 is on, the shutter 95 prevents the rearward movement, so it is guided to passage 111, and when both solenoids 97 and 98 are off, passage 9
1 and is guided to the passage 112. Once the pool device 11 is connected to the passages 110, 11
The coins distributed and conveyed to 1 and 112 are once pooled, and when the next customer's inserted coin is detected by the inserted coin detector 7, the coins are sent to the payment coin exits 110a and 111.
The pooled coins are sent from a, 112a to the later-described supply hopper or the first type coin settlement chute, and on the other hand, when a cancel button (not shown) is operated by the current customer, the coins are pooled to a return chute (not shown). It consists of a well-known structure for transmitting coins.

Once the settlement coin exit 110a of the pool device 11,
111a and 112a each include a coin receptacle 12a of the first type coin settlement chute 12, a coin receptacle 13a of the second type coin supply hopper 13, and a coin receptacle of the third type coin supply hopper 14. 14a are facing each other, and as described above, when the next customer's inserted coin is detected by the inserted coin detector 7, the pooled coins are guided from the coin receptacle into the chute 12 or the supply hoppers 13 and 14. .

In addition, coin settlement chute 12, supply hopper 1
3. Below the supply hopper 14, there is a change machine 15 for first type coins and a change machine 1 for second type coins, respectively.
6. A third type coin change machine 17 is arranged, and the chute 12 and the coin outlet of the supply hopper 13, 14 face the coin receptacle of each change machine.

Each change machine 15, 16, 17 has a change motor 1
50, 160, 170, and a change storage container (not shown) having a certain capacity, this is an ordinary change machine that discharges a predetermined number of coins downward using the rotation of the motor.

In this embodiment, a replenishment hopper is not used for processing the first type of coins, because it is assumed that the frequency of change for the first type of coins is low. An example of such a coin that is rarely used as change is the 50 yen coin in Japanese yen.

The replenishment hopper 13 includes a conveyor 130 and a motor 131 that drives the conveyor 30,
The conveyor 130 conveys coins in the direction of arrow A,
The tip part discharges the coin to the coin outlet 13b. The replenishment hopper 14 has the same structure as the hopper 13, includes a conveyor 140 and a motor 141, and conveys coins in the direction of arrow A' and discharges the coins to the coin outlet 14b at its tip. Change machine 15-1
7 are arranged in the direction of the paper surface of FIG. 2 as in the conventional case.

Further, a supply cassette 18 for externally supplying change is attached to the upper part of these supply hoppers 13 and 14, so that change can be supplied from the outside into the supply hopper as required.

The change machines 15, 16, and 17 are each equipped with a sorting means using a solenoid and a shutter for guiding change coins to a change passage (not shown) or a collection chute 151, 161, 171, and in normal times, the solenoid is is turned off to guide the change coins to the change passage, and at the time of collection, the solenoid is turned off to guide the change coins to the collection chute 151, 161, 171. Note that the distribution means provided in this change machine is well known, so a description thereof will be omitted.

The change machines 15, 16, 17 further include a change coin detector 152 that counts the ejected change coins,
It has 162,172. This detector is composed of a photo sensor or the like, and is arranged at a change coin outlet (not shown). This detector operates at least when collecting change coins, functions as a sensor that counts the collected coins discharged from each change machine, and controls the solenoid operation of the collected money distribution device, which will be described later.

A conveyor 25 is arranged below the change machines 15, 16, 17, and a motor 26 for driving this conveyor 25 is arranged at the rearmost part of the device.

The change passage exit of each change machine is on this conveyor 2.
5, and since the receiving tray 5 (see Fig. 1) continues at the tip of this conveyor 25, all change coins discharged from each change machine are collected by this conveyor 25. It is then carried to the saucer 5.

Collection chute 15 derived from each change machine
1, 161, and 171, a collected money distribution device 30 is arranged, and below this distribution device 30, there is a reserve fund storage section 2 for supply cassettes.
A cash box 27 having a collected money storage section 70 and a collected money storage section 271 is arranged. That is, as in the past, three cash boxes 27 are installed for each change machine 15 to 17 installed.
are arranged in the direction of the paper in FIG. 2, and each cash box 27 stores coins of a single denomination. The collected money distribution device 30 includes a distribution chamber 300 to which the coin outlets of each collection chute are connected, and a first coin outlet opposite to the reserve money storage section 270 of the cash box 27. 300a, and a second coin outlet 300b facing the collected money storage section 271. Further, in the sorting chamber 300, there is a shutter 30 for selectively guiding collected coins from each collection chute to a first coin outlet 300a or a second coin outlet 300b.
1 is provided and receives position control by a solenoid 302.

The shutter position indicated by the dotted line in the figure indicates that each recovery chute communicates with the reserve fund storage section 270 (solenoid on), and the position indicated with a solid line indicates that each recovery chute communicates with the recovery fund storage section 271 (solenoid off). ing. As previously discussed, the operation of this solenoid is controlled by detectors 152, 162, and 172. That is, in the collection mode, when collecting the first type of coins, the solenoid 302 is turned on until the detector 152 counts the number of coins required as a reserve for the supply cassette, and the collected coins are stored in the reserve. 270. Similarly, when collecting second or third type coins, the detector 162
or solenoid 30 until the number of coins required as a reserve for the supply cassette is counted by 172.
2 is turned on, and the collected coins are stored in the reserve storage section 2.
Leads to 70. In this way, the required number of coins for each denomination can be stored in the reserve money storage section 270, and other collected money can be stored in the collected money storage section 271.

In addition, in this embodiment, since the change machine 15 for less frequently used 50 yen coins is not supplied with coins by the supply cassette 18, the cash box 27 corresponding to this change machine 15 has a reserve storage section 270. There is no need to provide Further, for the same reason, there is no need to provide the dispensing device 30 corresponding to the change machine 15.

Next, the operation of the coin processing device having the above configuration will be explained.

When a coin is inserted into the coin slot 2, the inserted coin detector 7 first detects that a coin has been inserted,
As mentioned above, once the pool device 11 is activated,
Calculate the coins inserted by the previous customer. The inserted coins that have passed through the passageway 6 and reached the electronic coin validator 8 are judged here for authenticity and denomination, and if the judgment result is a counterfeit coin, the shutter 90 opens the coin return chute 10. The coin passes through the chute 10 into the saucer 5
will be returned to. On the other hand, if it is a specie, it will be 9
Since the zero opens the passage 91 of the sorting device, the coins are conveyed backwards by the belt 92. If the denomination determined by the electronic coin validator 8 is the first type, the shutter 94 protrudes toward the belt 92, and if the denomination is the second type, the shutter 95 protrudes toward the belt 92, and if the denomination is the third type, both the shutters 94 and 95 protrude toward the belt 92. Since the shutters do not protrude at the same time, if the inserted coin is of the first type, it is guided by the shutter 94 and guided to the passage 110 of the pool device 11, and if it is of the second type, it is guided by the shutter 95 and guided to the passage 111. , if it is type 3, aisle 9
1 into the passageway 112.

On the other hand, based on the determination result of the electronic coin validation machine 8 and the customer's operation of the ticket type selection unit 4, the change machines 15, 16,
17 is activated and guides the necessary change coins onto the conveyor 25. Then, the change coins are sent to the tray 5 by the conveyor 25, and a predetermined ticket is sent to the tray 5 by another mechanism, thereby completing the sale to the customer.

Next, the processing operation of coins once pooled in the pool device 11 will be explained.

As mentioned above, the pool device 11 is activated when the next customer inserts a coin or when the cancel button is operated. Return to When the next customer inserts coins, the first type of coins are guided to the coin adjustment chute 12, and the second type of coins and the third type of coins are guided to the supply hoppers 13 and 14, respectively.
You will be guided to and the payment will be completed. At this time, when a change replenishment signal is issued from the change machine 16 or 17, the motor 131 or 141 is driven by a separately provided control circuit, and the coins in the replenishment hopper are conveyed by the conveyor to the change machine 16 or 17. Nitsusen coins will be replenished.

Next, a description will be given of the operation when the apparatus is placed in the recovery mode using an operation switch (not shown).

Next, a description will be given of the operation when the apparatus is placed in the recovery mode using an operation switch (not shown).

Next, a description will be given of the operation when the device is set to a mode using an operation switch (not shown).

In the second type coin collection mode, as shown in FIG. 3, the flip-flop 40 in the control circuit is set by the collection signal _S1 , and the motor drive circuit 4
A motor 131 and a change motor 160 are driven via the motors 1 and 42. The second type coins in the supply hopper 13 are sequentially guided into the change machine 16, and at the same time, the coins in the change machine 16 are sequentially counted and discharged to the collection chute 161. On the other hand, when the recovery signal _S1 is generated, the flip-flop 43 is also set and the solenoid 302 is turned on via the solenoid drive circuit 44, so that the recovery chute 16 is turned on.
The coins are led to the reserve storage section from the No. 1 coin outlet 300a. When a predetermined number of collected coins are detected using the change coin detector 162 as a sensor, a reserve ready signal _S2 is generated and the flip-flop 4
3 and turn off the solenoid 302. Therefore, all the coins that have passed through the collection chute 161 then pass through the second coin outlet 300b and are stored in the collected money storage section 271. Supply hopper 1
3 and the coins in the change container 16 are all collected,
When the recovery completion signal _S3 is generated, the flip-flop 40 is also reset and the motors 131 and 160 are stopped, and the recovery operation is completed.

As described above, in the second type of coin collection mode, a fixed number of coins necessary for the supply hopper reserve money are prepared in the cash box 27 separately from other collected money. Note that the setting of a certain number required as a reserve is performed by an operation switch (not shown), but this setting is nothing but setting the on/off timing of the solenoid 302 based on the count of the change coin detector 162. Therefore, by providing a comparison circuit that compares the counted value and the number of sheets set value from the operation switch, and configuring the circuit to turn on the solenoid 302 when the comparison circuit matches the output, the number set above can be set to any value. .

The flip-flop 43 and the solenoid 302 correspond to the preparation number control means of the present invention.

The above explanation is about the collection mode for the second type of coin, but the exact same operation is performed for the first type and third type coins, and the settings are set in advance in the reserve output section 270 of the cash box 27. It can store several coins.

(g) Effects of the Invention As described above, according to the present invention, a certain amount of reserve money for supply cassettes is automatically stored in a part of the cash box (reserve money storage part for supply cassettes) when coins are collected. There is no need to use a separate coin counting machine to sort the reserves after collection, and the back-office work for the worker can be omitted, and there is no need to provide a coin counting machine, so equipment costs can be reduced.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 shows the customer service side of an automatic ticket vending machine to which a coin processing device according to an embodiment of the invention is applied, and FIG. 2 shows a structural diagram of the same coin processing device. Further, FIG. 3 shows a partial block diagram of the recovery control circuit. 2-coin slot, 8-electronic coin validation machine (coin validation machine),
9-Distribution device, 11-Once pool device, 13,
14-Supply hopper, 15, 16, 17-Change machine, 18-Supply cassette, 27-Cash box, 270
- Reserve money storage section for supply cassette, 271 - Recovered money storage section, 30 - Recovered money distribution device.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A coin verification machine that determines the authenticity and/or denomination of inserted coins, a sorting device that receives the output of this coin verification machine and sorts the inserted coins by denomination, and this sorting device. A pool device that pools the sorted coins by denomination once, a change machine that releases change of the necessary denomination according to the denomination of the input coins, and a supply of necessary change coins to this change machine. A coin processing device having a supply hopper for storing change, and a cash box for storing all the coins in the change machine as collected money, wherein the cash box is divided into a reserve storage part for the supply cassette and a collected money storage part, and a cash box. a counting means for counting the number of coins collected; a collected money distribution device that selectively distributes the collected money to the reserve money storage section for the supply cassette and the collected money storage section; and a device for driving the collected money distribution device. and a reserve number control means for storing coins in the supply cassette reserve money storage section until the counting means counts a predetermined number of coins, and storing the remaining coins in the recovered money storage section. A coin processing device characterized by: