JPH05159128A - Coin feeder in coin processor - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To immediately execute the processing of sorting, etc., of coin in a state without a time lag by supplying automatically the coin thrown in a lower hopper to an upper hopper. CONSTITUTION:When the coin C to be processed is thrown in the lower hopper 11 in the state that the presence of the coin C is not detected by each detecting part 11a, 12a, it is detected by the first detecting part 11a that the coin C has been thrown in the lower hopper 11. Then, this signal is reported to a control means 4, and when a driving command is issued to a driving means 3, a first an a second conveyors 13, 14 are started, and the coin C from the lower hopper is conveyed continuously to the upper hopper 12. This state is continued until it is detected by the second detecting part 12a that the hard money C in the upper hopper 12 is replenished enough. Then, when the coin C is detected by the second detecting part 12a, information about this signal is given to the control means 4, and the command of a driving inhibition signal is given to the driving means 3, and both the first and the second conveyors 13, 14 are stopped.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a coin feeding apparatus suitable for use in a coin processing machine having a plurality of coin feeding means.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, various coin wrapping machines have been proposed which can sort, count, and package only designated coins when they are supplied in a mixed state. For example, Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 61-11824 (first
In the case of the example), the coins 6 supplied to the lower hopper 7 are supplied to the upper hopper 4 by the belt-shaped conveying unit 40, counted by the counting unit 3, and the coins are fed into the packaging unit 2 for every predetermined number of coins. When the coins 6 are stored in the upper hopper 4 in a predetermined amount or more, they are detected by a proximity switch or the like, the drive motor 20 is stopped, and an excessive supply of the coins 6 can be suppressed. In the same manner as in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2-73490 (second example), coins from the lower hopper 3 are conveyed by the conveyor device M and supplied into the upper hopper 2 for selection. Only coins of the designated denomination are selected and counted in 5, and 50 are counted on the collecting drum 13A.
A stacking coin is formed by stacking sheets to form a columnar packing coin (coin roll) in the packaging unit 17. In particular, a coin detection sensor 34 is provided in the lower hopper 3, and the coin is detected by the sensor 3. When detecting the horizontal belt 30
Only the stop is performed so that excessive supply of coins onto the inclined belt 31 does not occur.

[0003]

The above-mentioned first and second examples all prevent excessive supply of coins,
With a stable supply of coins, they can be properly packaged. However, in each of these examples, in each case, a start command is given by operating the start button, the transfer means is activated, coins are fed from the lower hopper to the upper hopper, and then the upper hopper is fed. Since the coins are sequentially transferred to the coin processing unit, a considerable waiting time is wasted from the time when the start command is issued until the coin reaches the coin processing unit, which leads to an increase in the processing efficiency of coins. The decline is unavoidable, and this point was regarded as an unsolved issue.

[0004]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide an excellent device capable of avoiding the occurrence of the waiting time as described above, which is characterized by the structure. , A lower coin supply part that can insert coins, an upper coin supply part that is installed in the upper part of the machine and can insert coins, and a coin that is inserted in the lower coin supply part can be transferred to the upper coin supply part In a coin processing machine having coin transfer means and coin processing means for performing processing such as sorting and counting of coins transferred to the upper coin supply part, a lower part provided in the lower coin supply part and detecting inserted coins The input coin detecting means and the upper input coin detecting means, which is provided in the upper coin supplying part and detects the coins transferred from the lower coin supplying part to the upper coin supplying part by the coin transferring means, and the lower coin by the lower inserting coin detecting part. When it is detected that a coin has been inserted into the coin supply unit, the upper input coin detection unit is provided with a control unit that drives the coin transfer unit until it is detected that the coin has been transferred to the upper coin supply unit. This control unit has already inserted a coin into the upper coin supply unit by the upper inserted coin detection unit when the lower inserted coin detection unit detects that a coin has been inserted into the lower coin supply unit. If it is detected that the coin transfer means is not driven, the lower input coin detection means is set to electrically connect and insulate the plurality of points in the lower coin supply section. It is possible to detect the presence or absence of coins based on the above.

[0005]

[Operation] Therefore, according to the present invention, when a coin processing start command is given, the coins are immediately supplied from the upper supply section to the coin processing means, so that there is no loss of working time. As for the case, the coin can be efficiently processed as in the case where the coin is directly carried into the upper supply means and processed.

[0006]

EXAMPLES An example of the present invention shown in the drawings will be described below. In this embodiment, only specified coins are selected from various coins carried in from a coin bag (not shown) or the like.
Adopted in a coin processing machine (D) that counts and wraps every predetermined number (for example, 50) to form a cylindrical packaging coin (coin roll R) in the appearance, and can take out the coin. The coin feeding device 1 includes a lower hopper 11 into which various coins C are loaded from a coin bag and the like, and an upper hopper 12 that supplies the coins C to the coin processing means 2. At the bottom of the lower hopper 11, there is provided a first conveyor 13 which constitutes a transfer means.
The coin C transferred by the conveyor 13 is used as the locking portion 1 in the second conveyor 14 which also constitutes a transfer means.
4a, the coin C is lifted as the conveyor 14 is propelled, and the coin C can be carried into the upper hopper 12 from above the upper hopper 12 near the top of the conveyor 14. Each conveyor 13, 14
The control means 4 for controlling the driving means 3 that can be driven to the first detection section 11a and the second detection section 12a, such as an optical sensor, for detecting the storage state of the coins C in the hoppers 11 and 12, respectively. Is provided. In addition, the 1st detection part 11a which detects the storage condition of the coin C in the lower hopper 11.
Is provided at a position where it is easy to detect the coins C to be inserted, for example, a plurality of coins are provided at the front side of the machine (right side in FIG. 1),
The second detection unit 12a that detects the storage state of the coins C in the upper hopper 12 is easy to detect the coins C directly inserted into the upper hopper 12 from outside the machine or the coins C transferred by the second conveyor 14. It is provided at a position, for example, directly below the top of the second conveyor 14.

Further, the correlations in which the driving means 3 is started or stopped based on the detection signals from the respective detecting portions 11a and 12a are as follows.

That is, the lower hopper 1 is operated by the first detector 11a.
When it is detected that the coin C has been inserted into the first hopper 1, the first and second conveyors 13, until the second detector 12a detects that the coin C has been carried into the upper hopper 12.
14 is driven, and the first detection unit 11a
When it is detected by the second detection unit 12a that the coin C has been inserted into the lower hopper 11, immediately when the second detector 12a detects that the coin C has been inserted into the upper hopper 12. The driving of the first and second conveyors 13 and 14 is prohibited.

Further, the coins C carried into the upper hopper 12 are successively dropped by the supply belt 15 onto the distribution disk 21 of the coin processing means 2, and subsequently in the first and second sorting passages 22 and 23. Only the designated coins C are selected while being transferred, counted by a counting means (not shown), and then a predetermined number of sheets are stacked between the pair of stacking rolls 24, 24, and further inside the packaging rolls 25, 25 located below them. The coin roll R is formed by winding it with a wrapping paper and is carried into the roll box 26. Further, the coin rolls R other than the designated ones excluded in the first and second sorting passages 22 and 23 are provided. About the coin C, carry it in the exclusion box 27,
Further, at the stacking roll 24 position, so-called fractional coins that do not reach a predetermined number are carried into the fractional coin box 28.

Although not shown and described in detail, it is needless to say that the operation signal is applied to the control means 4 by an operation panel such as a manual operation key. Is.

Next, FIG. 3 shows the usage state of this embodiment.
The following is a description with reference to FIG.

First, for example, the upper and lower hoppers 11,
In the case where the coin C does not exist in 12 or the existence thereof cannot be detected, the coin C of the denomination desired to be sorted / counted and packaged is designated in advance, and when the information is input, the first and Each second selection passage 22, 23
The passage width of is changed so that only the designated coin C can be selectively passed.

In this state, that is, in the state in which the presence of the coin C is not detected by the detection units 11a and 12a, the coin C to be processed is inserted into the lower hopper 11, and the first detection unit 11a inserts the coin C into the lower hopper 11. When it is detected that the coin C has been carried in, the signal is sent to the control means 4, a drive command is issued to the drive means 3, and the first and second
The conveyors 13 and 14 are started, and the coin C from the lower hopper 11 is continuously conveyed into the upper hopper 12. In this state, the coins in the upper hopper 12 are detected by the second detector 12a. It continues until it detects that C is sufficiently replenished. (Hereinafter, see the solid line arrow in FIG. 3)

Then, the coin C by the second detector 12a.
When the signal is detected, the control means 4 also detects the signal.
The driving prohibition signal is instructed to the driving means 3, and both the first and second conveyors 13 and 14 are stopped.

Here, when a start switch (not shown) is operated, the coin C in the upper hopper 12 is fed to the supply belt 1
The discs 2 of the coin processing means 2 are driven by driving the coins 5.
1 on top. (Refer to FIG. 3, dotted arrow below)

On the distribution disk 21, the coins C are distributed in appropriate amounts, sorted in the sorting passages 22 and 23, and different coins other than the designated coins are carried into the exclusion box 27.

The designated coins C are stacked between the stacking rolls 24, 24. At this time, the fractional coins are carried into the fractional coin box 28, and only the predetermined number of designated coins C are packed. , 25 in the form of a coin roll R and can be carried into the roll box 26.

On the other hand, when the coin C to be processed is inserted into the lower hopper 11 while the presence of the coin C is detected by the second detector 12a, the first detector 11a causes the lower hopper 11 to be processed. Even if it is detected that the coin C has been carried in, the first and second conveyors 13 and 14 are kept stopped.

A third detector 11b is provided in the lower hopper 11 at a position apart from the first conveyor 13 and close to the second conveyor 14, and the third detector 11b is From the first conveyor 13 to the second conveyor 14
When the amount of coins to be delivered to the first conveyor 13 is large, the first conveyor 13 is stopped and the second conveyor 14 is driven only. The detection signal of the third detector 11b is used when the drive control of the second conveyor 14 is performed.

Further, in this embodiment, the first detector 1
Although it has been described that 1a is composed of, for example, an optical sensor, when hands are placed, maintenance parts, tools, etc. are placed in the detection area of the first detection unit 11a during maintenance of the machine, Although there is a risk of malfunction, it is also included in this embodiment that the first detection unit 11a has a structure such as a so-called touch sensor in which the inserted coin itself is a conductive medium.

Furthermore, the supply belt 15 distributes the coins C introduced into the upper hopper 12 to the distribution disk 2 of the coin processing means 2.
The supply belt 1 has been described as a means for supplying the supply belt 1.
It is also included in the present embodiment that a supply disk similar to the distribution disk 21 is used instead of 5.

[0022]

As described above, according to the present invention, even if coins are inserted into the lower hopper, the coins inserted into the lower hopper are automatically supplied to the upper hopper, so that the coins are inserted into the upper hopper. Similarly to the case, the coins are supplied to the coin processing means immediately after the start switch is operated, so that the processing such as the selection of the coins C can be immediately executed without any particular time lag. The efficiency of the processing can be improved.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side view of an embodiment according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the same embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the embodiment.

[Explanation of sign]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Coin transfer device 1A Transfer means 2 Coin processing means 3 Driving means 4 Control means D Coin processing machine

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A lower coin supply unit provided on the lower part of the machine body and capable of inserting coins, an upper coin supply unit provided on the upper part of the machine body and capable of inserting coins, and a coin supplied to the lower coin supply unit on the upper side. In a coin processing machine having a coin transfer means capable of being transferred to a coin supply section and a coin processing means for performing processing such as sorting and counting of coins transferred to an upper coin supply section, the coin processing machine is provided in the lower coin supply section and is inserted. Lower coin insertion detecting means for detecting the coins, upper coin insertion detecting means provided in the upper coin supply part for detecting coins transferred from the lower coin supply part to the upper coin supply part by the coin transfer means, and the lower part When the inserted coin detection means detects that a coin has been inserted into the lower coin supply part, the coin transfer means until the upper inserted coin detection means detects that a coin has been transferred to the upper coin supply part. And a control unit for driving the coin. 2. The upper input coin detecting unit has already inserted a coin into the upper coin supply unit when the lower input coin detecting unit detects that a coin has been inserted into the lower coin supplying unit. The coin feeding device according to claim 1, further comprising a control unit that prohibits driving of the coin transfer means when the coin feeding device is detected. 3. The lower inserted coin detecting means is capable of detecting whether or not a coin has been inserted, based on an electrical conduction / insulation state between a plurality of locations in the lower coin supply unit. Coin feeder.