JPH0363780B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a coin identification device that detects the thickness of protrusions on the edges of the coin that are present around the coin to reliably identify the coin.

In Japan, until high-value coins such as 500 yen coins were issued, coins were low-denomination coins, so even if they were counterfeited, the cost of counterfeiting was higher.
Counterfeit coins for this purpose were rarely in circulation.
However, once high-value coins such as 500 yen coins were issued, counterfeit coins became more common.

In particular, a coin that is very similar to the 500 yen coin is the South Korean 500 won coin. 500 yen coin and
The 500 won coin is made of the same material and has the same diameter.
Moreover, the thickness is almost the same. For this reason, it has been extremely difficult to identify coins using conventional coin identification devices that identify coins based on their material, diameter, and thickness. Therefore, there has been a strong desire for a coin identification device that can reliably identify Korean 500 won coins as described above.

By the way, counterfeit coins like the one above, Korean 500
If you compare the won coin and the 500 yen coin in detail, you will find a difference in the edges of the coin. In the case of a Korean 500 won coin, the thickness of the edge around this coin is different from the thickness of the edge of a 500 yen coin, so if the thickness of the edge is detected and identified, the two can be reliably identified. Is possible.

The present invention has been made with attention to the above-mentioned points, and an object of the present invention is to provide a coin identification device that reliably identifies coins by detecting the thickness of the protrusion portion at the edge portion of the coin. With the goal.

This invention will be explained below.

The coin identification device according to the present invention is disposed on a passage surface along which coins are conveyed, and is configured such that when the coin is conveyed through the passage, it is pushed upward and moved according to the thickness of the conveyed coin. an actuation detection piece made of a magnetic material, one side of which is connected to the central axis of the roller, and the other side of which is connected to a fixed fulcrum, and which moves in accordance with the vertical movement of the roller; A magnetic sensor is provided facing each other and is wound with a primary coil for generating an excitation magnetic field and a secondary coil for detecting the amount of change in the excitation magnetic field due to movement of the operation detection piece. , compare the output of the magnetic sensor with an upper limit level and a lower limit level of a predetermined tolerance range corresponding to the thickness of the edge portion of the coin of the denomination to be identified, and determine whether the output of the magnetic sensor is within the tolerance range. a timing sensor that is provided on the path and detects when the conveyed coin reaches the position of the magnetic sensor; and a discriminating means that determines that the coin is genuine when a signal is output from the means.

FIGS. 1A, B to 3 show an embodiment of the present invention, in which a coin 1 is conveyed in the direction shown on the upper surface of a passage 2 by a conveyor belt or the like. A rotatable roller 3 is disposed above 2 at a fixed distance 1, and this roller 3
is connected via a rotating shaft 5 to an engaging piece 4 extending along the conveying direction. One end of the engaging piece 4 is pivotally supported via a rotating shaft 7 on a base 6 mechanically fixed to the passage 2, and the engaging piece 4 is moved in the m and n directions shown in FIG. 1A. It is designed to be rotated around a rotating shaft 7 as a fulcrum. Further, a spring 8 is inserted between the other end of the engagement piece 4 and the passage 2, so as to constantly pull the engagement piece 4 toward the passage 2, and extends from the bottom of the base 6. By stopping the bottom surface height of the engaging piece 4 at a certain position, the stopper 9 that is attached to the engaging piece 4 holds the lowest surface of the roller 3 connected to the engaging piece 4 at a certain distance 1 from the surface of the passage 2. ing. Note that the distance 1 needs to be slightly smaller than the thickness of the coin to be detected.

On the other hand, an actuation detection piece 10 made of a rectangular magnetic material (for example, ferrite stainless steel) is provided horizontally on the upper part of the engagement piece 4, and is spaced a certain distance 2 from the top surface of this actuation detection piece 10. A magnetic sensor 20 having a structure as shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B is disposed at the position, and a material sensor 20 for detecting the material of the coin 1 being conveyed is disposed in the passage 2 below the roller 3. 11, and a photo sensor 12 for timingly detecting passage of the conveyed coin 1. Note that a light emitting source paired with the photo sensor 12 is provided above the passage 2 (not shown), and the distance 2 is slightly larger than the distance 1.

The magnetic sensor 20 is covered with a cylindrical ferrite core 21, as shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B.
Inside the ferrite core 21, a shaft core 2 is concentrically arranged.
2 is disposed, and the shaft core 22 is divided into three sections 22A to 22C in a pincushion shape. A cylindrical spacer 23 is concentrically arranged between the ferrite core 21 and the internal shaft core 22, and a spacer 23 is provided in a section 22B of the shaft core 22, which is excited by an AC power source 24 of a predetermined frequency. A secondary coil W1 is wound thereon, and secondary coils W21 and W22 are wound in series in sections 22A and 22C at both ends, respectively, and both ends of the coils W21 and W22 are connected to an amplifier described later. In addition, the winding directions of the secondary coils W21 and W22 are opposite to each other, and when the winding direction is completely balanced magnetically, the output at both ends is zero. It has become a sensor.

Further, FIG. 3 shows a circuit system of the present invention, in which the secondary coils W21 and W of the magnetic sensor 20 are shown.
The outputs from both ends of 22, that is, the differential output, are input to an amplifier 30, this amplified signal MA is input to a low-pass filter 31, and the signal MB from which high frequency components have been removed by this low-pass filter 31 is input to a zero level correction circuit. The signal MC subjected to zero level correction by the zero level correction circuit 32 is sent to the comparators 33 and 34.
It is now entered into . A reference level R1 for comparison is input to the comparator 33, a reference level R2 smaller than the reference level R1 is input to the comparator 34, and the binary output CM1 of the comparator 33 is output from an AND circuit. The binary output CM2 of the comparator 34 is input to the AND circuits 40 and 43 as well as to the AND circuit 43 via the inverter 44. Comparators 33, 34, AND circuit 40 and inverter 4
4 forms a comparison/discrimination means 46. moreover,
Timing signal output from photo sensor 12
TS is input to the AND circuit 45 together with the denomination discrimination signal SM, and the output of the AND circuit 45 is input to the AND circuit 4.
1 to 43 are respectively input. The AND circuits 41 to 43 form a determining means 47.

Note that the denomination discrimination signal SM is output from the denomination discrimination section when detecting a 500 yen coin, for example, and is used together with the timing signal TS output from the photo sensor 12 to determine the timing when detecting the thickness of the coin. I'm starting to take it.

The operation of such a configuration will be described with reference to timing charts shown in FIGS. 4A to 4I. Figure 4 shows a Japanese 500 yen coin (approximately 1.8 mm thick), shows a Korean 500 won coin (approximately 1.9 mm thick), and shows a rolled Japanese 100 yen coin. This is a counterfeit coin (approximately 1.2 mm thick) that is forged as a 500 yen coin.

When the coin 1 is not being conveyed on the passage 2, the distance between the roller 3 and the passage 2 is maintained at a constant distance 1, and therefore the distance 2 between the operation detection piece 10 and the magnetic sensor 20 is also constant. It has become,
The differential signals output from the secondary coils W21 and W22 of the magnetic sensor 20 are at a constant level. From this state, when the coin 1 is conveyed on the passage 2 and reaches the position of the roller 3, the thickness of the coin 1 causes the roller 3 to rotate in the direction shown in the figure and is pushed upward. , the engagement piece 4 connected to the roller 3 via the rotation shaft 5 is rotated in the n direction shown in the figure with the rotation axis 7 as a fulcrum, and the operation detection piece 10 and the magnetic sensor 20 provided on the engagement piece 4 are The interval 2 between the two changes.

That is, the primary coil W1 of the magnetic sensor 20 is excited by the AC power supply 24, and a magnetic flux loop due to the exciting magnetic field is transmitted to the secondary coils W21 and W22 via the operation detection piece 10, and electricity is generated according to the amount of magnetic flux. Signals will be induced and output from the secondary coils W21 and W22. Here, the secondary coils W21 and W22 are wound in opposite directions, and considering the case where the operation detection piece 10 made of magnetic material is not nearby, the secondary coils W21 and W22 are almost balanced. The difference output between W21 and W22 will be taken out as a leakage output. Then, when the operation detection piece 10 made of a magnetic material approaches one of the secondary coils W21 and W22, the balance is lost, and the secondary coils W21 and W22 become unbalanced.
Only the magnetic flux due to the magnetic material is detected from the outputs at both ends of 22 as a differential output. Therefore, when the distance 2 between the magnetic sensor 20 and the operation detection piece 10 changes, the differential output from the magnetic sensor 20 also changes. When the coin 1 passes the position of the roller 3, the engaging piece 4 is rotated in the direction m in the drawing by the action of the spring 8, and returns to the initial position defined by the stopper 9.

In this way, the electrical signal output from the magnetic sensor 20 is input to the amplifier 30, and the amplified signal MA is input to the low-pass filter 31.
When the amplified signal MA is shown for a 500 yen coin, a 500 won coin, and a counterfeit coin, it has an AC waveform as shown in FIG. 4A and FIG. 4B, respectively. Then, the low-pass filter 31 removes the high frequency components of the amplified signal MA and generates an envelope MB indicating a change in the signal level.
(See Figure 4B). Note that the level at this time is adjusted to V. In this way, the envelope MB obtained by the low-pass filter 31 is input to the zero level correction circuit 32, and is inverted as shown in FIG. Form. The correction signal MC obtained in this way is input to the comparators 33 and 34 in the comparison/determination means 46, respectively, and the reference level R
1 and R2, respectively. That is,
The highest level (edge part) of the 500 yen coin is between reference levels R1 and R2, and the highest level (edge part) of the 500 won coin is higher than the reference levels R1 and R2.Since the counterfeit coin is thin, it is between the reference levels R1 and R2.
It is smaller than R2. Therefore, when the reference levels R1 and R2 are set to the levels shown in FIG. 4C, the comparator 3
The comparator 34 outputs a binary output CM1 as shown in E of the same figure, and the comparator 34 outputs a binary output CM1 as shown in D of the same figure.
Value output CM2 is output. And binary output
CM1 is input to the AND circuit 40 and the AND circuit 41 in the determining means 47, and is also input to the AND circuit 43 in the determining means 47 via the inverter 44. Since the binary output CM2 is input to the AND circuits 40 and 43, when the timing signal TS is output from the photo sensor 12 at the timing shown in FIG. A detection signal D1 of a 500 yen coin as shown in G is output (time t1). In addition,
In this case, the denomination discrimination signal SM is "H".

Further, from the AND circuit 43 of the discrimination means 47, a detection signal D of a 500 won coin as shown in FIG.
3 is output (times t2, t3), and the AND circuit 4
2 outputs a counterfeit coin detection signal D2 as shown in FIG. 1 (time t4). Thus, each time the coin 1 passes the roller 3 position, the photo sensor 1 is activated.
2 outputs the timing signal TS, and by detecting the detection signals D1 to D3 from the AND circuits 41 to 43 at the time when the timing signal TS is output, a 500 yen coin,
It is possible to distinguish between 500 won coins and counterfeit coins. Note that even when two coins are conveyed in contact with each other as shown in FIG. 4A, the level of the coins decreases at the contact portion, so that detection can be ensured.

As described above, since the coin edge is detected at the rising edge of the timing signal TS, and the reference levels R1 and R2 are set corresponding to the thickness of the protrusion on the edge of the 500 yen coin, the rising edge of the timing signal TS By comparing the detection signal MS at the timing of , and the reference levels R1 and R2, it is possible to know the thickness of the protruding portion of the edge of the coin. Further, in this invention, the AND circuit 41 for detecting a 500 yen coin outputs the detection signal D1 when the thickness between the reference levels R1 and R2 is detected, and the AND circuit 42 for detecting a counterfeit coin outputs the detection signal D1.
outputs a detection signal D2 when it detects a coin that is thinner than the reference level R2, and the AND circuit 43 for 500 won coin detection outputs a detection signal D3 when it detects a coin that is thicker than the reference level R1. Therefore, it can be determined whether the thickness of the edge portion of the coin is appropriate by checking whether the signal D1, D2, or D3 is output at the rising edge of the timing signal TS. In other words, in the case of a 500 yen coin, at this point, time t
1, the detection signal D1 is output from the AND circuit 41.
is output. At this point, AND circuits 42 and 4
If detection signals D2 and D3 are output from 3,
It can be determined that it is not a 500 yen coin. For example, in the case of 500 won, the detection signal D3 is output from the AND circuit 43 as shown at times t2 and t3, so it can be immediately determined. Therefore, the thickness of the edge portion can be determined based on whether the detection signal D1 is output at the rising edge of the timing signal TS.

As described above, according to the present invention, the thickness of the protrusion at the edge portion of a coin can be detected, so that coins can be identified more reliably.

In the above-described embodiment, a case has been described in which counterfeit coins made by rolling 500 coins, 5000 won coins, and 100 yen coins are detected based on their thickness, but similar thickness detection is possible for other coins. Further, the zero level correction of the zero level correction circuit and the setting of the reference level in the comparator are arbitrary, and the number of comparators and the logic circuit for discrimination can be changed in various ways.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1A is a side view showing a schematic mechanism of the detection unit used in the present invention, FIG. 1B is a plan view thereof, and FIG.
Figure A is a plan view of the magnetic sensor used in this invention, Figure 2B is a sectional view taken along line X-X, Figure 3 is a circuit diagram showing one embodiment of the invention, and Figures 4A to I are the invention. 2 is a timing chart showing an example of the operation. 1...coin, 2...aisle, 3...roller, 4...
...Engagement piece, 5, 7... Rotating shaft, 6... Base, 8...
... Spring, 9 ... Stopper, 10 ... Operation detection piece, 11 ... Material sensor, 12 ... Photo sensor, 20 ... Magnetic sensor, 21 ... Ferrite core, 22 ... Shaft core, 23 ... Spacer, 24 …
...AC power supply, 30...Amplifier, 31...Low pass filter, 32...Zero level correction circuit, 33,
34... Comparator 33.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A roller that is disposed on a passage surface through which coins are conveyed and that is pushed upward and moved according to the thickness of the conveyed coin when the coin is conveyed through the passage; and the roller. an actuation detection piece made of a magnetic material, one side of which is connected to the central axis of the roller, and the other side of which is connected to a fixed fulcrum, and which moves in response to the vertical movement of the roller; 2 for detecting the amount of change in the excitation magnetic field based on the movement of the primary coil for generating the excitation magnetic field and the movement detection piece;
Next, the output of the magnetic sensor is compared with an upper limit level and a lower limit level of a predetermined tolerance range corresponding to the thickness of the edge portion of the denomination coin to be identified, respectively, and the magnetic sensor is wound with a coil. a comparison determination means for outputting a signal if the output of the magnetic sensor is within the permissible range; and a comparison determination means provided on the passage;
a timing sensor for detecting that the conveyed coin has come to the position of the magnetic sensor; and a discriminating means for determining that the coin is genuine when a signal is output from the comparison discriminating means at the time when the output of the timing sensor is received. A coin identification device comprising: