JPH0431644Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] [Purpose of the invention] (Industrial application field) The invention is designed to stop coins using a stopper in a coin passageway where coins are conveyed for processing such as counting and identification. This invention relates to a coin stopping device for a coin handling machine.

(Prior Art) The coin stopping device of this type of coin processing machine is provided with a stopper on one side of the coin passage that moves linearly forward and backward in a direction orthogonal to the coin passage. It advances and comes into contact with one side peripheral edge on the front end side of the coin being conveyed through the coin passage, thereby stopping the coin.

However, since the stopper reciprocates linearly and is composed of a link mechanism, if the stopper comes into contact with a coin before it fully enters the coin passage, it will stop the coin due to the carrying force of the coin. In addition, there is a problem that a coin may become stuck between the stopper on one side of the coin passage and the other side of the coin passage, and the stopper may not return to the outside of the coin passage when the stop is released.

In addition, as shown in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 56-145488, for example, a stopper shaft having a semi-circular stopper and driven to reciprocate in a range of 90° is provided on one side of the coin passage, and a stopper shaft is provided on one side of the coin passage. When allowing, the linear surface of the stopper faces the coin passage, and the semicircular circumferential surface faces outside the coin passage, and when coins are stopped, the stopper shaft is rotated 90° in the coin conveying direction, so that approximately half of the stopper faces the coin passage. By rotating the coin inward, the coin comes into contact with the semi-circular circumferential surface of the stopper and is stopped. Also,
When the coin stop is released, the stopper shaft is rotated 90 degrees in the opposite direction to the coin conveyance direction, and the semicircular arc circumferential surface of the stopper is rotated away from the coin passage, allowing the coin to be conveyed.

However, with a stopper that allows the stopping and transport of coins that are reciprocally rotated within a 90° range, advanced and retreated into the coin passage, and are conveyed through the coin passage, the stopper enters the coin passage and stops the coin. When the stop is released, the stopper is rotated in the anti-coin transport direction while contacting the circumferential surface of the coin, especially when a coin is caught between the stopper on one side of the coin passage and the other side of the coin passage. In this state, there is a problem in that the stopper cannot be rotated in the direction opposite to the coin conveyance direction, and the coin cannot be stopped.

Further, a conveying means such as a conveying belt or a conveying roller is generally faced at the upper part of the coin passage, and the coin that comes into contact with the stopper is stopped with its upper surface pressed against the conveying means. By the way, in the stopper of this example, the conveyance means is rotated at approximately the same time as the rotation of the stopper in the anti-coin conveyance direction, so if the rotation timing of the stopper is slightly delayed, the coin conveyance force by the conveyance means will be resisted. Furthermore, even if the stopper is rotated before the conveyance means rotates, the stopper must rotate while making frictional contact with the periphery of the coin whose top surface is pressed by the conveyance means and is stopped. There is a problem in that it is difficult to rotate the stopper even when a coin is not caught between the stopper and the other side of the coin passage.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) In the conventional coin stopping device of a coin processing machine, when the stopper enters the coin passage and stops the coin and then releases the coin stop, the stopper enters into the coin passage and stops the coin. If a coin is caught between the coins, it is difficult to remove the stopper from the coin passage, and there is a problem that it is impossible to release the coin from stopping.

The present invention was conceived in view of the above-mentioned points, and an object of the present invention is to provide a coin stopping device for a coin processing machine that can smoothly and reliably stop and release coins.

[Structure of the idea]

(Means for Solving the Problems) The present invention includes a coin passage 5 for conveying coins for processing such as counting and identification of coins, and a stopper 21 for stopping coins within this coin passage 5. In the coin handling machine, the stopper 21 is rotatably supported on one side in the width direction of the coin passage 5 and has a plurality of coin locking edges 25 at substantially symmetrical positions with respect to the center of rotation.
a, 25a, and includes a drive section 26 that rotates the rotation stop shaft 23 by a predetermined angle in the coin conveyance permissible direction B when a coin is stopped or when a coin stop is released. By rotating the rotation stop shaft 23 by a predetermined angle in the coin conveyance permission direction B, one of the coin locking edges 25a, 25a is advanced to a coin stop position in the coin passage 5 to lock the coin, When the stop is released, the drive unit 26 rotates the rotation stop shaft 23 by a predetermined angle in the coin transport permissible direction B, thereby rotating the coin locking edge 25a that has locked the coin in the coin transport permissible direction B and stopping. This allows the coin to be moved to the release position and transported.

(Function) The coin stopping device of the coin processing machine of the present invention, when a coin is stopped, rotates the rotation stop shaft by a predetermined angle in the coin conveyance permissible direction by the drive unit, thereby moving one of the coin locking edges into the coin path. A coin locking edge that locks a coin by advancing to a coin stop position inside the center and locking the coin, and when the stop is released, the drive unit rotates the rotation stop shaft by a predetermined angle in the coin conveyance permissible direction. The part is rotated in the coin conveyance permitting direction and moved to the stop release position to enable coin conveyance.

(Embodiment) Hereinafter, the configuration of an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

In FIGS. 1 to 4, reference numeral 1 denotes a rotating disk of a coin processing machine. The coins supplied to the rotating disk 1 are attracted to a peripheral wall 2 provided around the rotating disk 1 by the centrifugal force of the rotating disk 1, and move along the peripheral wall 2.

A part of the peripheral wall 2 is cut out to provide a coin dispensing section 3, and a rotary disk 1 is provided on the top of the coin dispensing section 3.
A coin thickness regulating portion 4 is provided between the upper surface and the upper surface at an interval that allows only one coin to pass through, and this coin thickness regulating member 4 allows coins stacked in several layers to move along the peripheral wall 2. Among them, only the coins in contact with the upper surface of the rotating disk 1 are sent out to the coin passage 5, and the coins in the second and higher layers are returned onto the rotating disk 1.

In this example, the coin passage 5 that conveys coins for processing such as coin identification and counting is used to eliminate coins with a diameter smaller than a predetermined denomination coin along the way and to count the predetermined denomination coins. It is provided along the tangential direction of the rotating disk 1 from the delivery section 3 . The coin passage 5 has a bottom plate 6 on the starting end side and a bottom plate 7 on the terminal side facing the same surface as the top surface of the rotating disk 1. The coin passage 5 is spaced apart from the starting end side and the terminal end side of the coin passage 5 with an interval in the width direction, and on both sides of the coin passage 5 in the width direction on the upper surface of both bottom plates 6 and 7, along the starting end side of the coin passage 5 and the rear end side. Guide plates 8 and 9 are provided along the
And between both bottom plates 6 and 7 and between both guide plates 8 and 9
A sorting hole 10 is opened in between. Further, at the bottom of the guide plates 8, 9, sorting shelf members 8a, 9a are arranged so as to face the same surface as the upper surfaces of the bottom plates 6, 7.
Both bottom plates 6, 7,
A sorting hole 10 is formed in the sorting shelf members 8a and 9a. The upper surfaces of the parts of the sorting shelf members 8a, 9a that protrude inward in the passage width direction from the guide plates 8, 9 are connected to the coin passage 5.
The coins set to be sent from are transported,
Further, small diameter coins other than the set coins whose diameter is smaller than the width between the sorting shelf members 8a and 9a fall into the sorting hole 10. Regarding the setting of coins, the other guide plate 9 and the sorting shelf member 9a are integrally provided so as to be movable towards and away from the one guide plate 8, and the coin type is set on the outside of the guide plate 9. A setting cam 11 is brought into contact with a spring (not shown), and the rotation of the cam 11 sets the width of the coin passage 5 to a width corresponding to the diameter of the coin of the denomination to be processed.

Above the coin passage 5, a conveyor belt 12 is spanned between pulleys 13 and 14 on the starting end side and the rear end side, and the coins sent from the rotating disk 1 to the coin passage 5 are carried by the conveyor belt 12. While pressing the coins against the bottom plate 6, sorting shelf members 8a, 9a, and bottom plate 7, move the coins in the coin conveying direction A from the start end to the end of the coin passage 5.
Transport to.

A stopper 21 is attached to the bottom plate 7 on one guide plate 8 side at the terminal end of the coin passage 5 from the upstream side of the coin passage 5.
and sensor S ₁ are placed.

The sensor S ₁ is made of, for example, a magnetic sensor, and has a substantially U-shaped sensor portion facing the upper and lower surfaces of the coin passage 5, and outputs a counting signal when a coin conveyed through the coin passage 5 reaches the sensor S ₁ . Output.

The stopper 21 has a rotation stop shaft 23 rotatably supported by a bearing 22 provided on the back surface of the bottom plate 7, and this rotation stop shaft 23 has an upper base portion 24 opened in the bottom plate 7. When inserted into the stopper hole 7a, the upper surface of the base part 24 is made to face the upper surface of the bottom plate 7 at the same level or slightly lower position, and the upper surface of the base part 24 has a protrusion 25 having coin locking edges 25a, 25a. It is installed protrudingly. This protrusion 2
5 has a linear convex shape that passes through the center of the top surface of the platform 24 and extends to both outer peripheral edges of the platform 24, and the coin locking edges 25a, 25a are parallel parallel edges extending upward from the top surface of the platform 24. Each vertical plane is formed in a symmetrical relationship with respect to the center of the base portion 24 (which also coincides with the axial center of the rotation stop shaft 23). This coin locking edge 25
The positional relationship of a and 25a with respect to the coin passage 5 is such that they are parallel to the guide surface of the guide plate 8 facing the coin passage 5 and are on the same straight line as the guide surface, or are located outside of the guide surface in the passage width direction of the coin passage 5. When in the stop release position, it allows the passage of coins, and
In a state perpendicular to the coin passage 5, it projects into the coin passage 5 beyond the guide surface of the guide plate 8 facing the coin passage 5, and stops the coin when it is at a coin stopping position. The rotation stop shaft 23 is driven to rotate only in one direction, that is, the coin conveyance permissible direction B (clockwise direction in FIG. 1) by a drive section 26, which will be described later.

The lower part of the rotation stop shaft 23 is connected via a coupling 28 to a drive shaft 27 of a drive section 26 composed of a pulse motor. This coupling ring 28 has a connection hole 29 for the rotation stop shaft 23 and a connection hole 30 for the drive shaft 27 at the upper and lower parts of the center, and the rotation stop shaft 23 and the drive shaft 27 are inserted into these connection holes 29 and 30, respectively. Then, the rotation is stopped by engaging a connecting screw (not shown) screwed into the periphery of the coupling ring 28 with the positioning holes 23a and 27a provided in the periphery of the rotation stop shaft 23 and the drive shaft 27. The shaft 23 and the drive shaft 27 are connected, and the coin locking edge 25 of the rotation stop shaft 23
The rotational direction of the coupling ring 28 is determined with respect to a and 25a.

Further, flanges 31 and 32 are provided on the upper and lower outer peripheries of the coupling ring 28, and detection pieces 33 and 33 are provided at both outer periphery positions perpendicular to the coin locking edges 25a and 25a of the upper flange 31.
is provided protrudingly, and detection pieces 34, 34 are provided protrudingly provided at both outer circumference positions parallel to the coin locking edges 25a, 25a of the lower flange portion 32. Approximately U-shaped sensors S ₂ and S ₃ are arranged at the top and bottom of one side of the coupling ring 28 facing the upstream side of the coin passage 5, and each detection piece 33 and 34 reaches each sensor S ₂ and S ₃ . When this occurs, a detection signal for detecting the rotational position of the rotation stop shaft 23, that is, a detection signal indicating that the corresponding coin locking edge 25a has been located at the coin stop position or the stop release position, is output.

The operation of the stopper 21 is controlled by a control section 41. This control section 41, as shown in FIG.
A counting signal is input from the counting section 42 that counts the coins detected by the sensor S ₁ , and the sensors S ₂ and S ₃
A detection signal for detecting the rotational position of the rotation stop shaft 23 is input from , and a separate counting restart signal R when the stop is released is input, and the power supply to the drive unit 26 is controlled to control the operation of the stopper 21. I'm starting to do that.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be explained.

During operation of the coin processing machine, coins supplied to the rotating disk 1 move along the peripheral wall 2 due to centrifugal force.
The coins are sent out one by one into the coin passage 5 by the coin thickness regulating member 4, conveyed within the coin passage 5 by the conveyor belt 12, and sent out from the terminal end of the coin passage 5.

While being conveyed through the coin passage 5, coins other than the coins set for counting fall into the sorting hole 10 and pass through the coin passage 5.
When a coin that has been rejected from above and passed above the sorting hole 10 reaches the sensor S ₁ , a detection signal is output from the sensor S ₁ to the counting section 42 .
2 outputs a counting signal to the control section 41.

During this counting operation, the stopper 21 is
As shown in FIG. 1A, the coin locking edge 25a is in a release position parallel to the coin passage 5, allowing the coin to pass through.

Then, when the count signal from the counting section 42 reaches a predetermined count value, that is, when the last coin reaching the predetermined count value reaches the sensor _S1 , the control section 41 receives the signal from the counting section 42 and controls the driving section 26. As shown in FIG. 6b, the drive unit 26 rotates the rotation stop shaft 23 in the coin conveyance permissible direction B, so that the next coin locking edge 25a is connected to the coin passage 5.
When the coin locking edge 25a reaches a position perpendicular to the coin passage 5 (coin stop position), the detection piece 33 on the upper part of the coupling 28
reaches the sensor S ₂ , and from the sensor S ₂ the controller 41
A detection signal is output to the controller 41 and the drive unit 26
The power supply is stopped, and the coin locking edge 25a is stopped in a state perpendicular to the coin passage 5. Therefore, the next coin after the coin that has reached the predetermined count comes into contact with the coin locking edge 25a of the stopper 21 and is stopped.

When the counting restart signal R is input to the control unit 41,
The control section 41 supplies power to the drive section 26, and this drive section 2
6, as shown in FIG. When the parallel position (stop release position) is reached, the detection piece 34 at the bottom of the coupling 28
reaches the sensor S ₃ and from the sensor S ₃ to the control unit 41
A detection signal is output to the controller 41 and the drive unit 26
The coin locking edge 25a is stopped at a position parallel to the coin passage 5. Therefore, the stop of the coin by the coin locking edge 25a of the stopper 21 is released, and immediately after that, the rotating disk 1 and the pulleys 13, 14 are rotated by the control section 41, and the rotating disk 1 is rotated.
The coins are sent out and the coins are conveyed by the conveyor belt 12, and the coin counting operation is restarted.

In this way, the rotation stop shaft 23 of the stopper 21 is rotated approximately 90 degrees in the coin conveyance permissible direction B when the coin is stopped and when the coin stop is released, and when the coin is stopped,
Either one of the two coin locking edges 25a, 25a advances into the coin passage 5 to stop the coin being conveyed, and when the coin stop is released, the coin locking edge 25a stops the coin. is in a position parallel to the coin passage 5, and the coin conveyance is resumed. Further, the rotation stop shaft 23 is rotated in the coin conveyance permissible direction B,
When the coin locking edge 25a rotates from the coin stop position, it rotates in the same direction as the coin conveyance direction A in which the coin is conveyed, so when the coin stop is released, for example, the coin locking edge 25a and the other guide plate 9 rotate. Even if a coin is caught between the two, the coin locking edge 25a rotates lightly in the coin conveyance permitting direction B and moves to the stop release position without making strong frictional contact with the coin periphery, ensuring that the coin is conveyed. permissible.

Further, even when a coin is not caught, the coin that is held by the coin locking edge 25a is stopped being pressed by the conveyor belt 12, and the coin locking edge 25a is not able to hold the coin against that coin. It rotates lightly in the coin conveyance permissible direction B without causing any frictional contact and is moved to the stop release position, thereby reliably permitting coin conveyance when coin counting is resumed.

Furthermore, even if the movement of the coin locking edge 25a from the coin stop position to the stop release position is slightly delayed and the conveyor belt 12 resumes rotation during that movement, the coin locking edge 25a will move in the coin conveyance permissible direction B. The coin is in the middle of rotation and can be returned to the stop release position without difficulty, allowing coins to be transported reliably.

Further, as shown in FIG. 7, a rotary solenoid 52 in which a drive shaft 51 is driven to reciprocate in a range of 90° is used as the drive unit 26, and a bevel gear 53 of the drive shaft 51 of the rotary solenoid 52 is rotated as a rotation stop shaft. 23 is engaged with a gear 54 equipped with a one-way clutch mechanism provided at the lower part of the drive shaft 23, and the rotation stop shaft 23 is rotated in the coin conveyance permissible direction B when the drive shaft 51 rotates on the forward path, and rotation is stopped when the drive shaft 51 rotates on the return path. The shaft 23 may be prevented from rotating.

In this case, pins 55 are protruded from the circumferential surface of the rotation stop shaft 23 at positions perpendicular to and parallel to the coin locking edges 25a, 25a, and one end is rotatably mounted on a support shaft 56a. The tip of the supported locking plate 56 is biased by a tension spring 57 so as to face the pin 55, and is moved upward from the pin 55 by turning on the solenoid 58, and When the rotation stop shaft 23 rotates, the solenoid 58 is turned on, and the solenoid 58 is turned off as the pin 55 that was in contact with the front end side of the locking plate 56 passes, and the solenoid 58 is turned off at 90° to the front end side of the locking plate 56. The next rotated pin 55 may come into contact with the pin 55 to restrict the rotation, and the rotation of the rotation stop shaft 23 may be stopped at a position rotated by 90 degrees.

Further, as shown in FIG. 8, the protrusion 25 of the stopper 21 has an equilateral triangular shape with each apex positioned symmetrically with respect to the rotation center of the rotation stop shaft 23, and each side of the equilateral triangle is connected to a coin. Stop edge portions 25a, 25a,
25a, and in this example, the rotation stop shaft 23 is driven to rotate in 60° increments so that the triangular top protrudes into the coin passage 5, and the coin locking edge 25a located on the upstream side of the coin passage 5 is used. Alternatively, the coin may be allowed to pass when the coin is stopped and the coin locking edge 25a is deflected by the guide plate 8.

In addition, as shown in FIG.
The protrusions 25, 25 are formed at symmetrical positions with respect to the rotation center of the rotation stop shaft 23, and each protrusion 2
Each side surface in the counterclockwise direction in FIG. 9, which is located symmetrically with respect to the center of rotation of the rotation stop shaft 23 of 5 and 25, may be formed into a coin locking edge 25a, 25a at 90° in this case.
Thus, the rotation stop shaft 23 is rotated.

The coin passage 5 of this embodiment is an example of a passage for counting coins of a predetermined denomination, and the width of the coin passage 5 and the width of the sorting hole 10 are set to dimensions corresponding to the diameter of coins of a set denomination. be. However, the present invention is not limited to this example, and the sorting hole 10 may be eliminated and the bottom plate 6 may be provided over the entire bottom of the coin passage 5. Further, when the coins sent into the coin passage 5 are coins of a specific denomination, the width changing mechanism of the passage 5 may be omitted and a fixed passage width structure may be used.

Further, in this example, the sensor S ₁ is provided at a position downstream of the rotation stop shaft 23 in the coin passage ₅ , but it may be provided at an upstream position. It is preferable that the rotation stop shaft 23 is later rotated at the same timing to stop the next predetermined number of coins on the rotation stop shaft 23.

Further, in this example, the rotation stop shaft 23 is provided on one side of the coin passage 5, but two rotation stop shafts 23, 23 are provided facing each other on both sides of the coin passage 5 in the passage width direction, and It is also possible to rotate the shaft 23 in the opposite direction.

Furthermore, although the rotation stop shaft 23 in this example functions only as a counting stopper that stops the next coin when counting a predetermined number of coins, the invention is not limited to this. A coin identification sensor (light emitting/receiving type sensor, magnetic sensor type sensor, etc.) is provided upstream of the rotation stop shaft 23, and this coin identification sensor is used to identify different denominations of coins, counterfeit coins, and defaced coins (regular coins, counterfeit coins, and defaced coins). (Identification of coins that are seed coins but are heavily soiled)
When different denomination coins, counterfeit coins, and soiled coins are identified by this coin identification sensor, the rotation stop shaft 23 is rotated in the coin conveyance permission direction B, and the rotation stop shaft 23 is used to detect different denomination coins, counterfeit coins, and soiled coins. It may also be stopped. Further, a locking member is provided at the exit portion of the coin passage 5 to lock coins of different denominations by moving back and forth using a coin identification sensor. coins, counterfeit coins,
It may also be used to lock the next coin, such as a soiled coin. Note that in order to automatically remove coins of different denominations from the coin passage 5, when the conveyor belt 12 moves the coins of different denominations and the direction of movement is toward the upstream side of the coin passage 5 (for example, when the sorting hole 10 is opened and Sorting hole 10
When discharging coins of different denominations, etc.), it is preferable that the rotation stop shaft 23 is also rotated in a direction that allows the conveyance (direction opposite to direction B).

In addition, as a coin processing machine, this example was applied to a coin counting machine or a coin packaging machine, but it may also be applied to a coin sorting machine that sorts coins by denomination. A coin sorting passage in which sorting holes are arranged in order from small diameter to large diameter is connected to the downstream side of the identification passage (without the hole 10 and equipped with a coin identification sensor, a rotation stop shaft 23, etc. operated by the sensor). Then, when the passage of a predetermined number of coins of a predetermined denomination is detected by the coin identification sensor, the rotation stop shaft 23 locks the next coin. Further, when the coin identification sensor detects a counterfeit coin, the rotation stop shaft 23 locks the counterfeit coin. When counting and sorting is restarted, counting and sorting is restarted by rotating the rotation stop shaft 23 in the coin conveyance permitting direction.

Further, the coin locking edges 25a, 25a do not need to be in exact symmetrical positions with respect to the center of rotation, but need to be approximately symmetrical within a range that does not hinder the locking and release of coins.

As mentioned above, there are various examples, and the present invention is not limited to these examples.

[Effect of idea]

According to the present invention, when a coin is stopped, one of the coin locking edges is advanced into the coin passage by rotating the rotation stop shaft by a predetermined angle in the coin conveyance permissible direction by the drive unit to lock the coin. and when canceling the stop,
By rotating the rotation stop shaft by a predetermined angle in the coin transport permissible direction by the drive unit, the coin locking edge that was locking the coin is rotated in the coin transport permissible direction and retracted out of the coin passage, thereby transporting the coin. Therefore, the stopper does not become immovable due to the coin both when the coin is stopped and when the coin is released from stopping, and the coin can be stopped and stopped smoothly and reliably.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 is a plan view showing an embodiment of the coin stopping device of the coin processing machine of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a plan view of the main part thereof, Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view of the main part, and Fig. 4 is FIG. 5 is a plan view of the stopper, FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing the control section thereof, FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing the operation of the stopper, FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the stopper showing another embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 8 and 9 are plan views of a stopper showing still another embodiment of the present invention. 5... Coin aisle, 21... Stoppa, 23...
Rotation stop shaft, 25a... Coin locking edge, 26...
Drive part.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claim for Utility Model Registration] A coin processing machine having a coin passage for conveying coins for processing such as counting and identification of coins, and a stopper for stopping coins within this coin passage, wherein the stopper is , consists of a rotation stop shaft that is rotatably supported on one side in the width direction of the coin passage and has a plurality of coin locking edges at approximately symmetrical positions with respect to the center of rotation, and rotates when a coin stops or when the coin stop is released. It is equipped with a drive unit that rotates the stop shaft by a predetermined angle in the coin transport permissible direction, and when a coin is stopped, the drive unit rotates the rotation stop shaft by a predetermined angle in the coin transport permissible direction, thereby locking one of the coin retaining edges into the coin. A coin locking edge that locks a coin by advancing to a coin stop position in the passageway and locking the coin by rotating the rotation stop shaft by a predetermined angle in the coin conveyance permissible direction by the drive unit when the stop is released. A coin stopping device for a coin processing machine, characterized in that the coin stopping device rotates in a coin transporting permitting direction and moves to a stop release position to enable coins to be transported.