JPH06215249A - Coin collecting device for automatic vending machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a coin collecting device for an automatic vending machine which can improve its operability at the time of collecting coins and prevent coins in a cash box from being stolen. CONSTITUTION:The coin collecting device is provided with a return port chute 32 for guiding a coin paid out from a change pay-out port 17 in a coin identifying device 16 to a return port 11, a passage 25 opened to the bottom of the chute 32 on the inside of the port 11 to guide the coin paid out from the port 17 to the cash box 19 and a switching board 34 interlocking with the opening/ closing of a door 4 so as to close the passage 25 when the door 4 is closed to guide the coin paid out from the port 17 to the port 11, or when the door 4 is opened, open the passage 25 and close the chute 32 on the return port 11 side of the passage 25.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an automatic vending machine having a door for opening and closing a front surface of a main body and for returning coins paid out from a coin identifying device to a return opening formed on the door. Is.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, this kind of vending machine identifies the authenticity of coins inserted by a commodity purchaser by a coin discriminating device and directly returns the counterfeit coins to a return slot. On the other hand, regarding genuine coins, those used as change (10 yen, 50 yen, 100 yen) are held in an internal change pipe, and when change occurs, the change coin is paid out to the return port and After reaching the predetermined amount, the money is collected in the safe provided in the vending machine. Also, coins not used as change (500
About yen), it has a structure that collects money directly in the safe.

In order to perform such an operation, the vending machine is provided with the above-mentioned detachable safe, and the coin identification device is provided with a collection port and a change payment port at the lower end.
There was a chute from the collection port to the safe, and a chute from the change payment outlet to the return port. Then, the operator takes out the safe from the vending machine when replenishing the goods, and collects the coins collected inside.

By the way, the coins to be held in the coin changer of the coin discriminating apparatus may be left as the minimum coins to be used as change coins. Will be collected by. However, in the past, when collecting coins in the coin discriminating device, the coins from the change payment outlet were paid out to the return port, so that a large number of returned coins prevented the return port door from opening and the coins could not be taken out. was there. Therefore, it is necessary to repeatedly perform the operation of taking out the coin from the return port while paying out the coin from the coin identifying device, resulting in a great labor of the operator.

Therefore, in the prior art, for example, actual Kaihei 3-977 is used.
70 bulletin (G07F9 / 04) and Jikkaihei 3-1164
As described in Japanese Patent No. 75 (G07F9 / 04), an opening is formed at the lower end of the chute from the change-out port to the return port, and this opening is closed by a coin stocker when the product is sold, and the paid-out coin is used as the return port. In addition to guiding the coin, the coin stocker opens the opening at the time of collecting the coin to guide the coin into the safe.

[0006] According to such a money collecting device, coins held in the coin identifying device for paying out change can be directly collected in the safe. In particular, in the latter publication, the coin stocker returns to the selling state in conjunction with closing the door of the vending machine, so that an accident due to the operator forgetting to return can be prevented.

[0007]

However, in any of the above-mentioned coin collecting devices, when collecting coins from the coin discriminating device, it is necessary to open the door and then separately invert the coin stocker to the collecting state. . Therefore, there is a limit in improving operability when collecting coins.

Further, in the above-mentioned conventional structure, by inserting a finger through the return port and pushing the coin stocker backward, the coin stocker is easily turned over to the collecting state. As a result, the safe easily communicates with the return port, so there was a great risk that the coins collected in the safe would be stolen. The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned conventional technical problems, and improves the operability when collecting coins and prevents the theft of coins in the safe. The purpose is to provide.

[0009]

A coin collecting device for a vending machine according to the present invention includes a door 4 for closing a front surface of a main body 3 so as to be openable and closable.
It is applied to a vending machine 2 provided with a coin discriminating device 16 provided with a change payment outlet 17, a safe 19 for collecting money, and a return port 1 for taking out change provided in the door 4.
1 and a chute (return port chute) 32 that guides the coins paid out from the change payment port 17 to the return port 11, and a chute (return port chute) 32 inside the return port 11 to open the change payment. In conjunction with the passage for guiding the coins paid out from the exit 17 to the safe 19, and opening and closing the door 4,
When the door 4 is closed, the passage is closed to guide the coins dispensed from the change payment outlet 17 to the return port 11, and when the door 4 is opened, the passage is opened and the return port of the passage. Shoot on the 11th side (return exit chute) 3
And an opening / closing member (opening / closing plate) 34 for closing the inside of 2.

[0010]

According to the coin collecting device of the vending machine of the present invention,
When the product is sold with the door 4 of the vending machine 2 being closed, the opening / closing member (opening / closing plate) 34 closes the passage, so that the coins paid out from the change paying exit 17 of the coin identifying device 16 are chute (return opening chute). ) 32 and is returned to the return port 11.

On the other hand, when the coins in the coin discriminating device 16 are collected, when the door 4 of the vending machine 2 is opened, the opening / closing member (opening / closing plate) 34 opens the passage in association with it, so that the coin discriminating device 16 The coins dispensed from the change payment outlet 17 are guided to the passage through the passage opening 33 and collected in the safe 19. Particularly in this state, since the opening / closing member (opening / closing plate) 34 closes the inside of the chute (return opening chute) 32 on the side of the return opening 11 of the passage, it is impossible to insert a finger from the return opening 11 with the door 4 closed. Even if the opening / closing member (opening / closing plate) 34 is opened, the chute (returning port chute) 32 on the return port 11 side is closed as the passage is opened. Therefore, it becomes impossible to open the opening / closing member (opening / closing plate) 34 from the return port 11, and theft is prevented.

When the door 4 is closed after the collection of money, the opening / closing member (opening / closing plate) 34 closes the passage in conjunction therewith,
The coins are again guided to the return port 11.

[0013]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows a return port 11 of a vending machine 2 to which the present invention is applied.
3 is a vertical side view of the portion, FIG. 2 is a front view of the vending machine 2, and FIG.
Shows side views of the vending machine 2, respectively. 2 and 3, a plurality of columns are stored in the main body 3 of the vending machine 2, and products such as canned beverages are stored in each column. A front surface of the main body 3 is closed by a door 4 so as to be openable and closable, and a product sample display portion 6 for displaying a sample of the product is formed in an upper portion of the door 4 and the front surface of the door 4 corresponds to each sample. Has a product selection button 7 attached thereto. Further, a coin insertion port 8 and a coin return lever 9 are provided on the front plate 4A of the door 4 located below the product sample display section 6, and a sales port 12 is further provided in the lower center of the front plate 4A. Further, return ports 11 for returning change and counterfeit coins are provided on the left side of the sales port 12.

A product chute 13 which is inclined downward from the left and right toward the selling port 12 is attached to the lower inside of the front plate 4A of the door 4, and the product discharged from the column in the main body 3 is The product chute 13 is configured to be guided to the sales outlet 12. Also, the door 4
A heat-insulating inner door 5 that covers the front of the column so as to be openable and closable is provided inside the door with a gap from the door 4.

The front plate 4 on the upper left side of the product chute 13
Inside the A, a coin identifying device 16 is attached between the coin and the heat insulating inner door 5. The coin identifying device 16 determines whether the coin purchased by the commodity purchaser is true or false, and if the coin is a false coin, the coin is returned to the return port 11 as it is, and if the coin is a genuine coin, the change ( (10 yen, 50 yen, 100 yen)
Those used as are held in a change pipe (not shown) inside. If change is generated,
A coin (500 yen) that is not used as change while paying out from the change payout outlet 17 formed at the lower end like
And for coins inserted after the change cylinder is full, the money collection port 18 formed at the lower end of the coin identification device 16
It is discharged from.

On the other hand, at the lower left of the product chute 13, the safe 1
9 is arranged and is detachably held inside the front plate 4A of the door 4. The safe 19 has a trapezoidal shape as a whole, and an upper surface 21 of the safe 19 is inclined downward to the right along the inclination of the commodity chute 13. Then, at the upper end of the upper surface 21 which is the upper side of the trapezoid, the first opening 22 opened upward
Are formed. Further, a second opening 23 as shown in FIG. 1 is formed in the middle of the front side of the upper surface 21. Furthermore,
A return port door 24 is attached to the return port 11 so as to be pivotally supported at its upper edge so as to be rotatable and open inside.

Below the coin collecting port 18 of the coin discriminating device 16, the coin collecting device 18 extends to the lower left from the collecting port 18, and the safe 19 is provided.
The first chute 31 for collecting money is provided to reach the first opening 22 of the. The upper and lower ends of the first collecting chute 31 are opened so as to face the first collecting opening 18 and the first opening 22 of the safe 19, respectively, and are attached to the front side of the commodity chute 13 and discharged from the collecting opening 18. The guided coins are guided to the first opening 22 of the safe 19.

On the other hand, the change payout exit 1 of the coin identifying device 16
A return port chute 32 as a chute extending from the change payment outlet 17 to the lower front side to reach the return port 11 is provided on the lower side of 7. The upper end of the rear part of the return chute 32 is opened to face the change payout outlet 17, extends from there downward to the front and rises again, and the front end communicates with the return port 11 and is connected to the front plate 4A. It is attached to the inner surface (in FIG. 1, the vertical side surface of the return chute 32 is shown). Thereby, the return slot chute 32 can guide the coins dispensed from the change dispense exit 17 to the return slot 11.

Further, an opening 33 is formed in the bottom surface of the return opening chute 32 at the innermost portion of the return opening 11, which is the lowermost end, and a passage 25 projecting downward from the opening 33 is provided. Has been. The opening 33 is large enough to allow coins to pass therethrough, and is closed by an opening / closing plate 34 as an opening / closing member. The opening / closing plate 34 is located on the bottom surface of the return port chute 32, and a hinge shaft 36 at the front edge is pivotally supported by the return port chute 32 so that the hinge shaft 36 extends laterally. It is exposed to the outside of the return chute 32 and is further bent rearward to form a bent portion 36A.

A holding plate 26 is attached to a side surface of the return port chute 32 with a space therebetween, and a lever 27 is attached between the holding plate 26 and the return port chute 32. The lever 27 extends obliquely upward and rearward from a position on the side of the opening / closing plate 34 and projects rearward from the return port chute 32, and a fulcrum shaft 28 provided at a substantially central portion thereof is formed on the holding plate 26 at an angle. It is held between the holding plate 26 and the return port chute 32 by being engaged with a long hole 29 extending downward and rearward so as to be movable and rotatable.

An engaging hole 27A which is long in the vertical direction is formed in the front end of the lever 27, and the bent portion 36A of the hinge shaft 36 is inserted into and engaged with the engaging hole 27A. . Further, on the rear side of the fulcrum shaft 28, the lever 27 upper edge 27
B and the lower edge 26A of the holding plate 26 across the coil spring 30.
Is attached, and exerts a restoring force in the direction of constant compression. A contact plate 5A is attached to the front surface of the heat insulating inner door 5 at a position corresponding to the rear of the rear end of the lever 27,
The positional relationship is such that it abuts on the rear end of the lever 27.

The above return port chute 32 and holding plate 2 are provided.
6, and the lever 27 are assembled in advance and integrated, and then attached to the inner surface of the front plate 4A of the door 4. On the other hand, below the passage 25 of the return chute 32, the passage 2
5 extends downward to the left from the second opening 23 of the safe 19.
The second collecting chute 37 is provided. The upper and lower ends of the second collecting chute 37 are provided with the passage 25 and the safe 1.
The coins, which are opened facing the second openings 23 of the coins 9 and are attached to the front side of the commodity chute 13, are paid out from the change paying outlet 17 and fall into the openings 33, are opened in the second opening of the safe 19. It is possible to guide to 23.

The operation of the above arrangement will be described below. Door 4
When the product is closed, the rear end of the lever 27 is in contact with the contact plate 5A as shown in FIG. 1, and the lower edge 26A front end P1 of the holding plate 26 is used as a fulcrum to resist the restoring force of the coil spring 30. 1 is rotated counterclockwise in FIG. 1, so that the fulcrum shaft 28 is located at a position above the middle portion of the elongated hole 29. Further, the bent portion 36A of the hinge shaft 36 is pressed downward by the upper edge P2 of the engagement hole 27A at the front end of the lever 27, which causes the opening / closing plate 34 to rotate clockwise in FIG. It receives a force and is pressed against the bottom surface of the return chute 32 around the opening 33. As a result, the opening / closing plate 34 becomes the bottom plate of the return chute 32,
The opening 33 is firmly closed.

When the commodity purchaser inserts a coin into the coin insertion slot 18, the coin identification device 16 determines the authenticity of the inserted coin as described above.
Pay as it is from 7. The paid-out counterfeit coins are received by the return port chute 32, but since the opening 33 is now closed by the opening / closing plate 34, they are guided to the return port 11 through the return port chute 32 as they are.

The vending machine 2 is in the state of selling the product only when the inserted coin is a genuine coin and the inserted amount is sufficient for the price of the product. Then, when the product selection button 7 is pressed, the selected product is discharged to the product chute 13,
The sale ends. On the other hand, the coin identification device 16 holds coins used as change (10 yen, 50 yen, 100 yen) in the change coin cylinder inside, and when a large amount of money has been invested in the price of the product. Pays out as change from the change payment exit 17. The dispensed change coins are received by the return slot chute 32 and guided to the return slot 11 through the return slot chute 32 in the same manner as described above.

On the other hand, coins not used as change (50
(0 yen) and coins inserted after the change cylinder is full, the coin discriminating device 16 uses the coin collecting port 1 as described above.
The coin is discharged from 8. The discharged coins are received by the first collecting chute 31 and pass there through to the safe 19.
And is accommodated inside through the first opening 22 of the safe 19.

Next, at the time of replenishment of products, the coin identifying device 16
An operation for collecting coins in the change coin cylinder will be described. In this case, when the operator opens the door 4 and the door 4 separates from the heat-insulating inner door 5, the lever 27 is rotated clockwise in FIG. 1 with the restoring force of the coil spring 30 as the fulcrum, and eventually the lever 27 in FIG. Thus, the fulcrum shaft 28 moves to the lower end of the long hole 29, and thereafter the fulcrum shaft 28 is pressed against the lower end of the long hole 29. However, since the front end of the lever 27 hardly moves in this movement, the opening / closing plate 34 still closes the opening 33.

In this way, the opening / closing plate 34 closes the opening 33 in the range in which the fulcrum shaft 28 moves in the elongated hole 29,
Further, when the distance between the door 4 and the adiabatic inner door 5 when the door 4 is closed is small, the fulcrum shaft 28 moves above the elongated hole 29. Therefore, even if there is an assembly error in the distance between the door 4 and the heat insulating inner door 5, the error is absorbed within the above range, and the opening / closing plate 34 can reliably close the opening 33. Has been done.

Then, when the door 4 is still opened, the lever 27 is moved by the restoring force of the coil spring 30 to the fulcrum shaft 2 this time.
It is rotated in the clockwise direction in FIG. As a result, the engaging hole 27A of the lever 27 also moves upward, so that the bent portion 36A of the hinge shaft 36 is pushed up by the lower edge P3 of the engaging hole 27A, whereby the opening / closing plate 34 moves counterclockwise in FIG. It will be rotated. Eventually, lever 2
When the rotation of 7 reaches the position regulated by the rear end of the lower edge 26A of the holding plate 26, the opening / closing plate 34 stands up on the return port 11 side of the opening 33 as shown in FIG.

When the opening / closing plate 34 stands up as shown in FIG. 5, the opening 33 above the passage 25 is opened and the inside of the return chute 32 is closed on the return port 11 side. When the operator operates a return switch (not shown) provided in the coin discriminating device 16, the coin discriminating device 16 pays out the coins in the change cylinder from the change payout outlet 17. The coins paid out are once returned to the chute 3
2 is received, but when it reaches the opening 33, it drops from the opening 33 through the passage 25 into the second collecting chute 37, is guided therethrough to the safe 19, and from the second opening 23 of the safe 19. It is housed inside. At this time, even if the coins drop vigorously, they hit the opening / closing plate 34 and bounce back toward the opening 33, so that the coins paid out from the change payout outlet 17 are smoothly guided to the second collecting chute 32.

Further, since the opening / closing plate 34 closes the inside of the return chute 32 on the side of the return port 11 of the opening 33 when the opening 33 is opened as shown in FIG. 5, the door 4 is closed from the return port 11 with the door 4 closed. Even if a finger is inserted and the opening / closing plate 34 is forcibly opened, the return port 11 side is closed while the opening / closing plate 34 is opened, and the safe 19 is formed by inserting fingers from the return port 11.
Theft of inner coins is reliably prevented.

When the coin collecting device 16 completes the collection of money, the safe 19 is removed from the door 4 and the first opening 2 is opened.
Collect coins inside with 2 facing down. When the collection from the safe 19 is completed, the safe 19 is again returned to the front plate 4 of the door 4.
It is installed at a predetermined position inside A and the door 4 is closed. When the door 4 is closed, the lever 27 comes into contact with the contact plate 5A and the lever 27 is rotated counterclockwise in FIG. 36A is pushed down, the opening / closing plate 34 is rotated clockwise in FIG. 5 to close the opening 33 as shown in FIG. 4, and finally is pressed around the opening 33 as shown in FIG. It is sealed. Thereby, the change payout exit 1 of the coin identifying device 16
The coins paid out from 7 are again guided to the return port 11.

That is, according to the present invention, when collecting coins in the coin changer of the coin discriminating device 16, the opening / closing plate 34 opens the opening 33 in association with the opening of the door 4, and automatically switches to the collecting state. Therefore, the change payment outlet 17 of the coin identification device 16 is replaced.
The coins dispensed from will be collected in the safe 19 through the second collection chute 37, and the opening 33 will be closed in conjunction with the closing of the door 4, and the coin will automatically return to the selling state. Therefore, the labor of the operator at the time of collecting coins is saved, and the operability can be remarkably improved as compared with the conventional case.

Although the present invention is applied to the automatic vending machine 2 for selling canned beverages in the embodiments, the present invention is not limited to this, and the present invention is effective for various automatic vending machines for selling cup beverages and other products.

[0035]

As described in detail above, according to the present invention, the opening / closing member opens / closes the passage in association with opening / closing of the door of the vending machine,
Since the coins dispensed from the change payout port of the coin identification device are automatically switched from the passage to the safe or to the return port, it is possible to save the labor of separately operating the opening / closing member. It is possible to significantly reduce labor for collecting money and improve operability.

In particular, when the opening / closing member opens the passage, the opening / closing member closes the inside of the chute on the return opening side of the passage, so that the coin in the safe can be reliably prevented from being stolen from the return opening. is there.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a vertical cross-sectional side view of a vending machine at a return opening portion with an opening closed by an opening / closing plate.

FIG. 2 is a front view of a vending machine.

FIG. 3 is a side view of the vending machine.

FIG. 4 is a vertical cross-sectional side view of another vending machine in which another opening is closed by an opening / closing plate.

FIG. 5 is a vertical cross-sectional side view of the vending machine at the return opening with the opening opened by the opening / closing plate.

[Explanation of symbols]

 2 Vending machine 4 Door 5 Insulated inner door 5A Contact plate 11 Return port 16 Coin identification device 17 Money change exit 19 Safe 25 Passage 27 Lever 30 Coil spring 32 Return port chute 33 Opening 34 Opening plate

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A vending machine equipped with a door for opening and closing the front surface of a main body, wherein a coin identifying device having a change payment outlet, a safe for collecting money, and a change removal machine provided on the door. A return opening, a chute that guides the coins paid out from the change payment outlet to the return opening, an opening on the bottom surface of the chute inward of the return opening, and the coin paid out from the change payment opening A passage for guiding to a safe, interlocking with the opening and closing of the door, by closing the passage when the door is closed, guiding coins paid out from the change payment outlet to the return opening, and A coin collecting device for a vending machine, comprising: an opening / closing member that opens the passage when the door opens and closes the inside of the chute on the return port side of the passage.