JPH0357513B2 - - 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 them with predetermined change. The present invention relates to a coin processing device that discharges coins, and particularly relates to an improvement in the coin supply section of such a device.

(b) Prior Art A general coin processing device of this type is known to detect the authenticity and/or gold of input coins, as disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 56-59382 and Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 56-21291. A coin validation machine that determines the coin type, a sorting device that receives the output from the coin validation machine and sorts the input coins by denomination, and a pool that once pools the coins sorted by this sorting device for each denomination. a change machine that dispenses change of a necessary denomination according to the denomination of the input coin;
The change machine has a replenishment hopper for replenishing necessary change coins, and a replenishment cassette for externally replenishing the replenishment hopper with change coins. In order to transport and move coins by utilizing natural falling due to the weight of the coins as much as possible, and to further improve the efficiency of coin processing, a pool device is usually installed below the coin validation machine or sorting device. Additionally, a change machine is placed below the pool device.

(c) Problems to be Solved by the Invention However, conventional coin processing devices generally had the following drawbacks because the supply cassette was placed at the top of the device.

The first drawback is that the replenishment cassette is located at the top of the coin processing device, making it very difficult to replenish change coins. Due to the large head difference, the sound of falling coins (the impact sound that occurs between coins and the aisle or between coins) becomes a loud noise when replenishing change to the change machine.
The disadvantage of this is that since the change machine itself does not have a large change coin storage capacity, coins that exceed the capacity are collected, and the efficiency of using the inserted coins as change machine coins is poor.

In other words, conventional coin processing devices have poor workability when replenishing change, cause discomfort due to noise generated during operation, and are inefficient in utilizing input coins, requiring operations for collecting change and replenishing change. It has the disadvantage that the number increases even more than that.

The first purpose of this invention is to improve the operability when replenishing change, the second purpose is to reduce the noise generated when replenishing change, and the third purpose is to improve the operability when replenishing change. The purpose is to increase the utilization efficiency, and a fourth purpose is to downsize the entire device.

(d) Means for Solving the Problems This invention provides a coin verification machine that determines the authenticity and/or denomination of an inserted coin, and a sorter that sorts the inserted coins by denomination based on the output of the coin verification machine. a device, a pool device that once pools the coins sorted by the sorting device for each denomination, and a change machine that releases necessary change according to the amount of input coins and releases collected coins to a coin outlet for collection. a cash box that is detachably attached below the change machine and stores collected coins discharged from the collected coin outlet; and a supply cassette that supplies change coins to each cash box. The present invention is characterized in that a lifter is detachably provided on the upper part and the side of the change machine to carry change coins from each of the cash boxes to each of the change machines.

(e) Function In the coin processing device of the present invention, the following devices are installed in order from the top: a coin validation machine, a sorting device, a pool device, a change machine, and a cash box. A cassette is provided. Further, coins are conveyed from the cash box to the change machine by a lifter.

With this configuration, a large amount of coins collected in the cash box can be used as change coins by the lifter, so even if the change machine is small, all the coins inserted can be used as change coins. It can be used as coins.

Furthermore, since the supply cassette is provided directly above the cash box for storing coins, the distance that the supplied coins fall is short and the falling noise is small.

With this configuration, the replenishment cassette is disposed at the bottom of the apparatus, making it easy to attach and remove the replenishment cassette.

Furthermore, since all the coins stored in the cash box are used as coins for change, the capacity of the change machine and replenishment cassette can be small, and by arranging the replenishment cassette on the side of the change machine, The whole thing is downsized.

(f) Embodiments Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described 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, the customer service surface 1 of the 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., which digitally displays the amount of coins inserted, and a ticket type display section 3. multiple push buttons 4a,
4b...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, when one of the push buttons 4a,...4l corresponding to the type of note required is pressed within the total amount of coins inserted, that note is issued to the tray 5, and then the inserted amount and the consideration of the issued note are displayed. The difference is returned to the tray 5 as change.

In FIG. 2, a coin introduction passage 6 is arranged behind the coin input slot 2, and a side wall of this passage 6 is equipped with a photo sensor etc. that detects when a coin enters the passage 6. A recovered coin detector 7 is provided. Following the coin introduction passage 6 and further back, there is provided an electronic coin validator 8 that 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 electrical signal is used as a driving 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 used.

At the next stage of the electronic coin validator 8, a sorting device 9 is provided which receives the output of the electronic coin validator and distributes the inserted coins. This sorting device 9 includes a shutter 90 that changes the direction of coin movement depending on the authenticity of the coin, a passage 91 arranged horizontally behind the shutter 90, and a belt for conveying coins arranged in parallel with this passage. 92, motor 9 that drives this belt 92
3. As will be described in detail later, there are shutters 94, 95 that change the direction of movement according to the denomination of the coin, solenoids 96, 97, 98 that drive the shutters 90, 94, 95, and a solenoid 99 for releasing jammed coins. have

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, and therefore the passage in that portion is opened, and when the solenoid 97 is on, the shutter 94 protrudes toward the belt 92 and closes the passage in that portion. Similarly, when the solenoid 98 is off, the shutter 95 does not protrude in the direction of the belt 92, so the passage in that part is opened, and when the solenoid 98 is on, the shutter 95 protrudes in the direction of the belt 92 and closes the passage in that part.

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. Further, when the solenoid 97 is on, the coin that has advanced to the passage 91 is prevented from moving backward by the shutter 94, and is guided to the passage 110. When the solenoid 97 is off and the solenoid 98 is on, the coin is guided backward by the shutter 95. When the solenoids 97 and 98 are both off,
It hits the rear wall of the passage 91 and is guided to the passage 112.

Once the pool device 11 is connected to the passages 110, 111,
The coins sorted and conveyed to 112 are once pooled, and when the next customer's inserted coin is detected by the inserted coin detector 7, the coins are transferred to payment coin exits 110a, 111a, 1.
The pooled coins are sent from 12a to the first type, second type, or third type coin settlement chute (described later), and when a cancel button (not shown) is operated by the current customer, a return chute (not shown) is sent. It consists of a well-known structure for sending pooled coins to

Once the settlement coin exit 110a of the pool device 11,
Each of 111a and 112a has a coin receptacle 12a of the first type coin adjustment chute 12, a coin receptacle 13a of the second type coin adjustment chute 13, and a coin receptacle 14a of the third type coin adjustment chute 14. When the next customer's inserted coin is detected by the inserted coin detector 7, the coins from the pool are sent to the coin settlement chute 12, 1 from the coin receptacle.
3,14.

In addition, below the coin adjustment chute 12, 13, 14, a first type coin change machine 15, a second type coin change machine 16, and a third type coin change machine 17 are arranged, respectively. Coin outlets of chute 12, 13, and 14 face the coin receptacle of the machine.

Each change machine 15, 16, 17 is equipped with a change motor 150, 160, 170 and a change storage container (not shown) having a certain capacity, and discharges a predetermined number of coins downward using the rotation of the motor. It is a regular change machine.

A coin outlet (not shown) of the coin ejecting chute 18 faces a coin outlet (not shown) of the change machine 15, and the coin outlet of the coin ejecting chute 18 is
It is branched into a coin outlet 18a for discharging change coins and a coin outlet 18b for collecting coins. In addition, a solenoid 2 is located near the coin outlet in the coin ejecting chute 18.
A shutter 21 is connected to the coin outlet 2, and the action of a solenoid 22 closes the coin outlet 18b during normal times (solid line position) and closes the coin outlet 18a during collection (dotted line position). That is, coins discharged from the change machine 15 are normally guided to the coin outlet 18a, and when collected, they are guided to the coin outlet 18b.

Similarly to the above, coin ejection chutes 19 and 20 are also provided at the coin outlet of the change machine 16 and the coin outlet of the change machine 17, and the coin outlets 19a and 20a are for discharging change coins, and the coin outlet for collecting coins, respectively. 19b and 20b, and the shutter 21 and solenoid 2 are located near the coin outlet.
Shutters 23, 25 and solenoids 24, 26 having the same functions as those of 2 are provided.

Each of the coin outlets 18a, 19a, and 20a is located directly above a conveyor 27 that conveys coins for change to the receiving tray 5, and the conveyor 27 driven by a motor 28 is connected to the coin outlet 18.
The coins for change discharged from any one of a, 19a, and 20a are conveyed to the receiving tray 5.

On the other hand, below the coin outlets 18b, 19b, 20b, removable cash boxes 29, 30, 31 are arranged so as to overlap each other in a direction perpendicular to the page,
Coin receptacles 29a, 3 of each cash box 29, 30, 31
0a and 31a are the coin outlet 18 when the cash box is installed.
b, 19b, and 20b.
Therefore, when the shutters 21, 23, and 25 operate to the positions indicated by the dotted lines, that is, when collecting coins, the coins ejected from each change machine are placed in the cash boxes 29, 25, and 25, respectively.
It will be collected on 30th and 31st.

Of each cash box 29, 30, 31, cash box 3
0, 31 has conveyors 300, 310 at the bottom.
is built in, and when gears 301 and 311 are engaged with a drive gear to be described later, coins can be transported inside in the direction of arrow A. Further, coin outlets 30b and 31b are formed in the portions of the cash box facing the tips of the conveyors 300 and 310, and the conveyor 30
The coins carried by the 0,310 are guided from the coin outlets 30b, 31b to a coin receptacle of a bucket conveyor, which will be described later.

In addition, due to a shutter (not shown), the cash box 3
When withdrawing 0,31, the above coin outlet 30b,
31b is closed. Further, a removable supply cassette 34 is attached above each cash box, so that coins can be externally supplied to each cash box.

The coins conveyed by the conveyors 300, 310 and discharged from the coin outlets 30b, 31b are sent to the change machines 16, 17 and the cash boxes 30, 31.
Change machine 16,
17 coin receptacles 16a and 17a.

FIG. 3 shows a structural diagram of the main parts of this bucket conveyor.

This bucket conveyor 32 has a housing 32
0, an endless belt 321 housed in this housing 320, a rotating shaft 322 that provides rotational force to this endless belt, a driven gear 323 fixed to this rotating shaft 322, a driving gear 324 that engages with this driven gear 323, and A motor 325 that rotates this motor gear 324 is included.

The housing 320 has a coin receptacle 32a at its lower part and a coin outlet 32b at its upper part, and a ladder-like piece plate 32 is provided on the outer periphery of the endless belt 321.
6 are provided at regular intervals.

When the cash box 30 is attached, a gear 301 for driving the conveyor 300 is engaged with a drive gear 324 of the bucket conveyor.
Therefore, when the motor 325 is driven, the endless belt 321 operates in the direction of arrow B, and the conveyor 300 inside the cash box 30 also operates in the direction of arrow A. As mentioned above, since the coin outlet 30b of the cash box is formed at the tip of the conveyor 300,
When the conveyor 300 and the bucket conveyor 32 operate, the coins in the cash box 30 are sequentially transferred to the conveyor 3
00, the coins are conveyed to the coin receptacle 32a of the bucket conveyor 32, and further transferred to the bucket conveyor 32.
The coins are carried to the coin outlet 32b and guided to the change machine 16. In this manner, when the motor 325 is driven, the coins in the cash box 30 are automatically conveyed to the change machine 16 as coins for change. The motor 325 is configured to operate automatically in response to the output of a sensor (not shown) that detects when the number of change coins in the change machine 16 is low, so there is always a constant amount of coins in the change machine 16. A large amount of change coins will be accommodated.

The above explanation is about the bucket conveyor that handles the second type of coins, but as mentioned above, another bucket conveyor 33 that handles the third type of coins and has the same structure as this conveyor is connected to the change machine 17 and cash. It is provided in front of the box 31. Therefore, when replenishing change coins to the change machine 17, the coins in the cash box 31 are conveyed to the coin outlet 31b of the cash box 31 by the conveyor 310, and then transferred from the coin outlet 31b to the bucket conveyor 33. It is guided to the coin receptacle 17a of the coin change machine 17.

A bucket conveyor is used to process the second and third types of coins, and the coins for change are automatically supplied to the change machine. However, in this embodiment, the first type of coins are not processed using a bucket conveyor. That is, the change machine 15 is supplied with coins for change from the coin adjustment chute 12. This is because the field of application of this coin processing device is a field where first type coins are used less frequently as change. An example of such a coin that is used infrequently as change is the 50 yen coin in Japanese yen.

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 validation machine 8 are checked for authenticity and authenticity.
and the denomination, and if the result of the determination is a fake coin, the shutter 90 opens the coin return chute 10, and the coin is returned to the receiving tray 5 through the chute 10. On the other hand, if the coin is a genuine coin, the shutter 90 opens the passage 91 of the sorting device, so that the coin is conveyed backward 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, if the denomination is the second type, the shutter 95 protrudes toward the belt 92, and if the denomination is the third type, both shutters protrude. Since neither of the coins protrudes, if the 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.

Once the pool device 11 is activated when the next customer inserts a coin or when the cancel button is operated,
In the latter case, the coins are guided to a return chute (not shown) and all the inserted coins are returned to the tray 5. When the next customer inserts coins, the first type of coins are guided to the coin adjustment chute 12, and the second and third types of coins are guided to the coin adjustment chute 13 and 14, respectively, to complete the transaction. do. Since the coins that have been settled are directly guided to the change machines 15, 16, and 17, they can be used as change coins as they are.

Normally, each change machine releases the necessary change coins based on the total amount of coins inserted by the control device including the electronic coin validator 8. Since the position of is controlled to be as shown by the solid line in FIG. 2, the released coins are dropped onto the conveyor 27 from the coin outlets 18a, 19a, 20a of the coin discharge chutes 18, 19, 20. Therefore, all the coins released from each change machine are conveyed to the receiving tray 5.

Shoot 1 to each change machine 15, 16, 17
2, 13, and 14, settlement coins are replenished as change coins, but when the second type of change coins are insufficient in the change machine 16, a sensor (not shown) provided in the change machine 16 Issues a coin supply signal. By this replenishment signal, the bucket conveyor 3
2 and the conveyor 300 in the cash box 30 are operated, and the coins in the cash box 30 are conveyed to the change machine 16 as coins for change. When sufficient replenishment is performed and the coin replenishment signal is reset, the operations of the bucket conveyor 32 and the conveyor 300 in the cash box are stopped, and the replenishment of coins to the change machine 16 is automatically completed.

The same operation as for supplying the second type of coins is also performed for the third type of coins. That is, change machine 1
When there is a shortage of change coins in the cash box 7, the bucket conveyor 33 and the conveyor 310 in the cash box 31 operate to automatically change the coins in the cash box 31 until the missing amount is replenished. It will be transported into the machine 17.

Under normal circumstances, through the above operations, change is automatically dispensed and changed is replenished so that there is no shortage of change.

When collecting coins, the solenoids 22, 24,
26 is turned on, the shutters 21, 23, and 25 are controlled in position as shown by the dotted lines, and the change motors 150, 160, and 170 continuously collect change.
Therefore, all of the change coins stored in each change machine 15, 16, 17 are removed from the ejection chute 1.
8, 19, 20 coin outlets 18b, 19b, 20
Each cash box 29, 30, 31 is collected from b.
Collection is thus completed by simply collecting coins from the change machine. This is because a replenishment hopper is not used, and the cash box also functions as a replenishment hopper.

In addition, the gears 301, 311 and the drive gear 324,
334 is in a positional relationship that engages when the cash boxes 30 and 31 are attached, so that the engagement is easily released when the cash box is pulled out after collection.

(g) Effects of the Invention As explained in detail in the embodiments above, according to the present invention, the coins in the cash box attached below are directly used as coins for replenishing change, so external replenishment is performed. The lower position of the supply cassette improves operability, and coins only need to be collected from the change machine, and coins are normally supplied using a lifter, which significantly reduces noise and makes collection easier. It has the advantage of being short in time. Furthermore, since the cash box itself constitutes a coin processing section and substantially expands the change coin storage capacity of the change machine, unlike conventional devices, there is no possibility that coins inserted in excess of the coin storage capacity of the change machine will overflow. There is no need to collect the coins, so the inserted coins have the advantage of being effectively used as change coins. Furthermore, since there is no need to use a replenishment hopper, both the change machine and the replenishment cassette can be downsized, and by placing the replenishment cassette on the side of the change machine, the entire device can be made smaller. There are advantages.

[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 present invention is applied, Fig. 2 is a structural diagram of the same coin processing device, and Fig. 3 shows a bucket tank used in the coin processing device. A structural diagram of the main parts of the conveyor is shown. 2...Coin slot, 8...Electronic coin validation machine (coin validation machine),
9... Sorting device, 11... Once pool device, 15,
16, 17... Change machine, 29, 30, 31... Cash box, 34... Supply cassette, 19, 20... Bucket conveyor (lifter).

Claims (1)

[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 a coin sorted by this sorting device. A pool device that pools once each denomination, a plurality of change machines that discharge necessary change according to the amount of input coins, and discharge collected coins to a coin outlet for collection, and a removable device below each of the change machines. A cash box that is freely attached and stores collected coins discharged from the collected coin outlet, and a supply cassette that supplies change coins to each of the cash boxes can be attached to and removed from the upper part of each cash box and the side of the change machine. 1. A coin processing device comprising a lifter which is freely provided and which transports coins for change from each of the cash boxes to each of the change machines.