JPH0751650Y2 - Coin discharge confirmation device in coin dispenser - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial field of application] The present invention relates to a coin dispenser installed at a store of a financial institution, and particularly, a coin in a bidirectional coin dispenser having two coin outlets. The present invention relates to a release confirmation device.

[Prior Art] Conventionally, a bidirectional coin dispenser is known which is installed and used between two tellers at a store of a financial institution such as a bank.
The coin dispenser dispenses coins inside a plurality of coin storage cylinders of different denominations stored in the machine body one by one onto a conveyor belt below the coin storage cylinder by a delivery mechanism, and temporarily delivers the dispensed coins onto the conveyor belt. It is configured to start transportation after being placed, and to dispense to either of the cartons (sauce trays) set at the outlets on both sides of the machine body. In this case, the denomination, the number of coins, and the payout direction of the delivered coins are designated by the teller by operating the operation unit of the machine body. As a coin dispensing machine of this type, a "coin depositing and dispensing machine" (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 61-60195) has been previously proposed.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, the conventional coin dispenser as described above has the following problems.

When a coin is unwound from the coin storage cylinder onto the conveyor belt, the coins that have been unwound are not placed on the conveyor belt due to the reaction when the coins fall, and roll on the belt before the start of the conveyor operation and the carton on the non-designated side May spill. In rare cases, even after the start of the transfer operation, the transfer belt is circularly driven in the non-specified direction opposite to the specified direction of the teller due to malfunction of the drive control system, etc., and the payout coins are transferred to the non-specified side carton. It may be paid out. However, the conventional machine does not have a mechanism to detect whether all the coins fed on the conveyor belt have been reliably discharged to the carton specified by the teller. It requires complicated work such as checking whether or not coins are released or scattered on the designated carton or counter, which hinders smooth withdrawal work.

After the withdrawal process is completed, there is a risk that the next withdrawal process will be performed while leaving the state in which the coin remains on the conveyor belt.
That is, when the number of fed-out coins is small, the coins are not placed horizontally on the conveyor belt surface but are placed in an inclined state between the conveyor belt surface and the wall surfaces on both sides of the conveyor belt. Sometimes. When such a state occurs, the coins may not be idled and conveyed even when the conveyor belt is circularly driven, and there is a risk that the coins may remain on the conveyor belt. Further, when the number of fed-out coins is large, jamming is likely to occur at the time of conveyance, so that the entire number of fed-out coins cannot be normally conveyed, and the coins may remain on the conveyor belt. As a result, when the next withdrawal process is performed in the state where the coins remain on the conveyor belt, the residual coins are mixed into a new payout coin, which is an obstacle to accurately performing the withdrawal work.

The present invention effectively solves the above-mentioned problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a coin discharge confirmation device in a coin dispenser that can confirm whether or not a coin has been discharged in a designated payout direction each time a dispensing process is performed. It is what

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to achieve the above object, in the present invention, one coin is inserted from the lower side by a payout mechanism inside a plurality of coin storage cylinders arranged in parallel along the width direction of the machine body. In a coin dispensing machine configured to feed each coin forward, as shown in FIG. 1, the coin dispenser is provided below the coin dispensing side of each coin storage cylinder along the width direction of the machine body to store each coin. Conveying means (a) for conveying and discharging the coin fed out from the cylinder in the designated direction on both sides of the machine body, and the conveying means (a) provided in the vicinity of both ends of the conveying means (a) in the conveying direction. Detecting means (b) for detecting the coins conveyed and discharged in the designated direction, and the detection means (b) detecting that the coins are conveyed and discharged in the designated direction and the coins are not discharged in the non-designated direction. In the case of Is determined to be normal, and when it is detected that the coin is not discharged in the designated direction or the coin is discharged in the non-designated direction, the coin is dispensed by the conveying means (a). The control means (c) for judging the process as abnormal is provided.

[Operation] According to the present invention, the transport means (a) transports a predetermined number of coins fed from each coin storage cylinder toward the designated direction on both sides of the machine body. Detection means (b) provided in the vicinity of both ends in the carrying direction of (a) detect whether or not the coin is carried and discharged in the designated direction. On the other hand, in the control means (c), when it is detected that the coin is conveyed and discharged in the designated direction and the coin is not discharged in the non-designated direction based on the output of the detection means (b), the conveying means (a) The coin withdrawal process by the transfer means (a) is determined when it is determined that the coin withdrawal process is normal and the coin is not ejected in the designated direction or the coin is ejected in the non-designated direction. Is determined to be abnormal.

Therefore, in the coin discharge confirmation device in the coin dispenser of the present invention, all the coins delivered from the coin storage cylinder onto the conveying means (a) are conveyed in the designated direction by the control contents of the control means (c). It is possible to reliably determine whether or not the coin has been discharged, and it is also possible to determine an abnormality when the coin fed out from the coin storage cylinder onto the conveying means (a) rolls and is discharged to the side other than the designated direction. Therefore, the coin payout process can be performed accurately and reliably.

[Embodiment] An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

2, 3, and 4 are a side view, a plan view, and a front view, respectively, showing the configuration of the coin dispenser according to the present embodiment. In these figures, the front step 2 of the machine body 1
A holder 3 having six round-hole-shaped tube storage portions and capable of being drawn upward is disposed, and each of the holders 3 is a detachable coin for storing a coin of each denomination. The storage cylinders 4 are arranged side by side along the width direction of the machine body 1. In the lower part of each coin storage cylinder 4, a payout hole 5 for paying out the stored coins one by one is provided, and at a position facing the payout hole 5 to be connected to a payout mechanism described later. The feeding piece through hole 6 is provided.

Further, inside the main body 1a of the machine body 1, there is provided a feeding mechanism 7 for feeding a set number of coins from the coin storage cylinders 4 one by one. The feeding mechanism 7 inserts each feeding piece 8 into the feeding piece through hole 6 of each coin storage cylinder 4 to feed the stored coins forward from the feeding hole 5 one by one, and the respective feeding pieces 8. A feeding motor 9 for selectively reciprocating in the arrow X direction, a photo sensor unit 10 for detecting the movement of each feeding piece 8, and the like are provided. A detection signal of the photosensor unit 10 (corresponding to the number of reciprocating movements of the feeding piece 8, that is, the number of feeding coins) is output to a control device (not shown) inside the machine body 1, and the control device determines each based on the detection signal. The number of coins fed from the coin storage cylinder 4 onto the coin transport belt 14 is counted. Further, below the feeding mechanism 7, a belt driving motor 11 for circulatingly driving a coin transport belt, which will be described later, is arranged.

On the other hand, inside the stepped portion 2, a coin conveying belt 14 wound around a driving roller 12 and a driven roller 13 is arranged along the width direction of the machine body 1, and the coin storage cylinder 4 is drawn out. The coins fed from the use hole 5 are conveyed to the right side payout outlet or the left side payout outlet, which will be described later, by the circulation of the coin carrying belt 14. A transmission pulley (not shown) attached to the drive shaft of the drive roller 12 and a transmission pulley 1 attached to the drive shaft 11a of the belt driving motor 11
A transmission belt 16 is wound around the transmission belt 5, and the driving force of the belt driving motor 11 is transmitted to the driving shaft of the driving roller 12 via the transmission belt 16.

Further, a plate-shaped right side passage restricting plate 17 and left side passage restricting plate 18 having the same configuration are disposed above both ends of the coin conveying belt 14 in the conveying direction. Between the lower end and the transfer surface of the coin transfer belt 14, 50
Voids 17a and 18a are formed that are slightly larger than the thickness of the 0-yen coin. The right side passage restricting plate 17 and the left side passage restricting plate 18, respectively, when coins are conveyed by the coin conveying belt 14 in a state where a plurality of coins are overlapped, the plurality of coins are dropped at one time to a carton described later. The coins are regulated and the coins are dropped by passing through the gaps 17a and 18a one by one.

Also, in the vicinity of both ends in the carrying direction of the coin carrying belt 14,
Right side photo-sensor unit 19, which detects coins passing through the passage restricting plates 17 and 18, respectively, at positions where the lower ends of the right side restricting plates 17 and 18 are sandwiched in the width direction.
A left-side photosensor unit 20 is provided, and detection signals of these photosensor units 19 and 20 are output to the control device. Based on the detection signal, the control device detects the presence / absence of coins that have passed through the right side passage restricting plate 17 and the left side passage restricting plate 18.

Further, a right side payout opening 21 and a left side payout opening 22 are provided below both ends of the coin carrying belt 14 in the carrying direction, respectively, and the coin payout belts 21 are respectively discharged from the coin carrying belt 14. The right carton 23 and the left carton 24 for receiving coins are inserted.

Also, the control device RAM (random access memory)
Includes a right side flag (not shown) indicating the coin passing detection state of the right side photo sensor unit 19 and the left side photo sensor.
A left side flag (not shown) indicating the coin passage detection state of the unit 20 is provided. The right side flag is set when the passage of coins in the gap 17a of the right side passage restriction plate 17 by the right side photo sensor unit 19 is detected, and the left side flag is
Left-side passage restriction plate 18 by left-side photo sensor unit 20
It is set when the passage of coins in the void 18a is detected.

Then, the control device, the right side photo sensor unit 1
9. The left-side photo sensor unit 20, etc., constitutes a coin discharge confirmation device.

Next, the operation of this embodiment having the above configuration will be described based on the flowchart of FIG.

Withdrawal Process (Main Routine) This process is a process for discharging the set number of coins fed from each coin storage cylinder 4 to the carton designated by the right / left teller.

For example, when the right-side teller performs a withdrawal process, when the denomination, the number, and the payout direction of coins to be withdrawn by the teller are designated and input from a keyboard (not shown) of the Terras machine, the payout motor 9 is rotationally driven The feeding piece 8 corresponding to the coin storing cylinder 4 storing the designated denomination is reciprocated in the arrow X1 direction. As a result, the pay-out piece 8 moves into the coin storage cylinder 4 through the pay-out piece through hole 6, and the stored coins are fed through the pay-out hole 5.
The coins are fed one by one onto the coin transport belt 14. At this time, the photosensor unit 10 outputs a detection signal of the number of reciprocating movements of the feeding piece 8 to the control device, and the control device starts counting the number of fed coins based on the detection signal (step SA1).

Next, the control device determines whether or not the feeding of coins by the feeding piece 8 and the counting of the number of fed coins have been completed (step SA2). If the feeding / counting has not been completed, the process returns to step SA2, while if the feeding / counting has been completed, the coin storage cylinder 4 based on the detection signals of the right photosensor unit 19 and the left photosensor unit 20.
From the gap 17a of the right side passage regulating plate 17 or the gap 18a of the left side passage regulating plate 18 out of the coins before being started to be conveyed on the coin conveying belt 14 from the right side outlet 21 or the left side outlet 22
Judge whether there is any coin spilled in the direction (step SA
3) If there is a spilled coin, that is, if the right side flag or the left side flag is set, the withdrawal process is interrupted,
Alert the teller with an alarm.

On the other hand, when there is no coin spilled toward the right side outlet 21 or the left side outlet 22, that is, when the right side flag or the left side flag is in the reset state, the belt driving motor 11 moves the coin conveying belt 14 toward the right side passage restriction plate 17 direction. Then, the coins fed to the conveyor belt 14 are started to be conveyed. As the coin is conveyed, the right side photo sensor unit 19 detects a coin passing through the gap 17a of the right side passage regulating plate 17 and outputs the detection signal to the control device (step SA
Four).

Next, the control device starts a conveying operation of the coin conveying belt 14 for a certain period of time (which is necessary for dropping the coins on the coin conveying belt 14 to the right carton 23, the conveying belt 14 rotates, for example, at least half a turn). (Time required for this) (step SA5), the driving of the belt driving motor 11 is stopped and the conveying operation is stopped (step SA6).

Next, the control device determines whether or not the coins on the coin transport belt 14 have been discharged to the right side carton 23 based on the detection signal from the right side photo sensor unit 19 (step SA
7). When coins are not discharged, that is, when the right flag is in the reset state, the withdrawal process is interrupted and the teller is warned by an alarm or the like.

On the other hand, when the coins on the coin conveyance belt 14 are discharged to the right side carton 23, that is, when the right side flag is set, then the coins on the coin conveyance belt 14 are detected based on the detection signal from the left side photo sensor unit 20. Coins on left side of carton 24
It is not released to (step SA
8). When a coin is ejected to the left carton 24, that is,
When the left side flag is in the set state, the dispensing process is interrupted and the teller is warned by an alarm or the like. On the other hand, when the left side flag is not reset, that is, when the left side flag is in the reset state, the above dispensing process is ended.

When the left teller performs the withdrawal process, the same process as described above is performed.

Coin passage check process (subroutine) This process determines whether or not the coin fed out from each coin storage cylinder 4 during the withdrawal process has passed through the gap 17a of the right passage regulation plate 17 or the gap 18a of the left passage regulation plate 18. Is a process for checking.

When the teller operates a predetermined key on the keyboard of the tellers machine in performing the withdrawal process, the right side flag and the left side flag of the RAM are reset by the control device before the withdrawal process is started (step SB1). Next, when the withdrawal process is started, the control device always determines whether or not the detection signal is output from the left photosensor unit 20 in the withdrawal process (step SB2), and the detection signal is output. If this is the case, set the left flag (step SB
3).

On the other hand, when the detection signal is not output from the left photosensor unit 20, it is determined whether the detection signal is output from the right photosensor unit 19 (step SB
4) If the detection signal is output, the right flag is set (step SB5).

During the withdrawal process, steps SB1 to SB5 are repeated to check the passage of coins in the right side passage restricting plate 17 or the left side passage restricting plate 18.

The following modifications are possible in the above embodiment.

Right side passage restricting plates 17,
The left side passage restriction plate 18 is provided, but instead of this,
For example, with the passage of the transport coins on the coin transport belt 14,
The right-side outlet 21 and the left-side outlet 22 may be provided with rotatable right and left gates, respectively.

[Effects of the Invention] As described in detail above, according to the present invention, a predetermined number of coins fed from each coin storage cylinder are conveyed by the conveying means in the designated direction on both sides of the machine body. At the time of carrying, the detecting means provided in the vicinity of both ends of the carrying means in the carrying direction detect whether or not the coin has been carried and discharged in the designated direction. On the other hand, in the control means, based on the output of the detection means, when it is detected that the coins are conveyed and discharged in the designated direction and the coins are not discharged in the non-designated direction,
It is determined that the coin withdrawal process by the transfer means is normal, and
When it is detected that the coin is not ejected in the designated direction or the coin is ejected in the non-designated direction, it is determined that the coin withdrawal process by the conveying means is abnormal.

Therefore, in the coin discharge confirmation device in the coin dispenser of the present invention, by the control contents of such control means,
It is possible to reliably determine whether or not all the coins fed out from the coin storage cylinder onto the transport means have been transported and discharged in the specified direction, and the coins fed out from the coin storage barrel onto the transport means roll down. It is also possible to determine an abnormality or the like when the coin is discharged to the side other than the designated direction, and thus it is possible to accurately and surely perform the coin payout process.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram showing the configuration of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a side view showing the configuration of a coin dispensing machine according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a configuration of the coin dispensing machine according to this embodiment. A plan view, FIG. 4 is a front view showing the structure of the coin dispensing machine according to this embodiment, and FIG. 5 is a flow chart for explaining the operation of this embodiment. a ... conveying means, b ... detecting means, c ... controlling means.

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-62-290994 (JP, A) JP-A-56-94464 (JP, A) Practical application Sho-57-84080 (JP, U)

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] 1. A coin inside a plurality of coin storage cylinders arranged side by side in the width direction of a machine body is fed from below by a payout mechanism.
In a coin dispensing machine configured to be fed forward one by one, in the coin delivery side lower portion of each of the coin storage cylinders is provided along the width direction of the machine body, the coins dispensed from each of the coin storage cylinders are Conveying means for conveying and discharging in a designated direction on both sides of the machine body, and respectively provided near both ends of the conveying means in the conveying direction,
A detecting means for detecting coins conveyed and discharged by the conveying means in the designated direction; and a case where the detecting means detects that the coins are conveyed and discharged in the designated direction and the coins are not discharged in the non-designated direction. , The coin is dispensed by the transport means when it is determined that the coin dispensing process by the transport means is normal, and when it is detected that the coin is not discharged in the designated direction or the coin is discharged in the non-designated direction. A coin discharge confirmation device in a coin dispenser, comprising: a control unit that determines that the gold processing is abnormal.