JPH09282511A - Diameter measuring instrument for disk object - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To easily measure the diameter of a disk object being pushed out by counting the number of pulses provided by a detecting means added to the structure such as the actuator of coins. SOLUTION: At the tip of an arcuate slit board 25, plural slits 26 are opened. A photosensor 27 senses the presence of light through the moving slits 26. Concerning this instrument, when a disk object 30 passes between a pair of rollers 20 and 23, signals are provided by the plural moving slits 26 and the fixed photosensor 27. Namely, when the slit board 25 is moved to a prescribed position by pushing out the disk object 30, one and a half wide pulses can be provided, for example, and when the slit board 25 is next moved to a prescribed position by operating a spring 28, one and a half narrow pulses can be provided, for example. Thus, by counting the number of wide pulses in the provided signals, the diameter of the disk object 30 can be measured.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an apparatus for measuring the diameter of a disc body such as a disc-shaped coin which is currency, or a disc-shaped medal used for games and the like.
More specifically, the present invention relates to a disc diameter measuring device, which is arranged in an automatic vending machine, a change dispenser, or the like, and which is suitable for use in a coin sorter or the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as a method for measuring the diameter of a disc body such as a coin, 1), a pot core, which utilizes the influence of the coin on an oscillating magnetic field, is used and the arrangement of these is devised. , A method of judging the diameter of the coin from the obtained data, 2), a method of utilizing light to detect the amount of light blocked by the disc, and measuring the diameter of the disc, 3), There was a method of moving the arm in the diameter direction and measuring the diameter by the amount of movement. For example, as a device for moving the arm in the diameter direction of the disc body and measuring the diameter by the movement amount thereof, there is specifically one disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 5-45104.
The disclosed device is such that a measuring piece is brought into contact with the circumferential edge of a coin moving along a reference plane, and the rotation angle of the measuring piece is
By appropriately interposing a gear device, it is converted into a change in resistance value, and the diameter of the coin that has moved is discriminated and measured based on this change pattern of resistance value.

[0003]

However, the above-mentioned method for measuring the diameter of the disc body requires the installation space of the measuring device, or the distance for the disc body such as a coin to drop by its own weight. There were problems such as. INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY The present invention is, for example, when the installation space is not enough in a coin sorter or the like disposed in a vending machine, a change dispenser, or the like, or when a drop distance for dropping a coin by its own weight cannot be obtained. It was developed for the purpose of providing a small-sized and simple diameter measuring device that can be used even in the. The present invention is particularly for the purpose of counting the number of coins pushed out and measuring the diameter of the disc body by using a coin ejection device that ejects the coins, that is, an actuator. , Was developed.

[0004]

Means for Solving the Problems A disk body diameter measuring device according to the present invention includes at least a fixing member for guiding an extruded disk member and a movable member relative to the fixing member. A movable member that can come into contact with the extruded disc body, an elastic member for attracting the movable member toward the fixed member, and a detection means for detecting the movement of the movable member. , Are provided. Further, the diameter measuring device of the present invention is characterized by signal processing means for processing a signal from the detecting means to measure the diameter of the disc body. Further, the diameter measuring device of the present invention is characterized in that the fixing member has a small roller. Further, the diameter measuring device of the present invention is characterized in that the movable member also has a small roller. In addition, the diameter measuring device of the present invention is characterized in that the detecting means includes a light sensor.

[0005]

Therefore, according to the diameter measuring device of the present invention, in particular, the diameter of the disc body to be extruded can be determined by simply adding a simple detecting means such as a slit or a light sensor to the structure such as the actuator of the coin. By counting the number of pulses obtained by this detecting means, it is possible to easily measure. Further, if the number of pulses obtained by this detecting means is increased by thinning the slit, the diameter of the disc body can be measured more precisely, which is a great effect. In addition, according to the present invention, since the additional configuration is extremely simple, a large advantage that the entire device becomes small and simple can be obtained.

[0006]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view showing a main part of an embodiment according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view showing the main part of the same. FIG. 3 is a schematic principle diagram for explaining FIG. 2 in FIG.
A part of a large box-shaped substrate, which is not shown in its entirety, but constitutes a device for selecting discs having various diameters such as coins. The large thick disk-shaped disc 11 in the center of FIGS. 1 and 2 is
It is externally fixed to the upper end of a rotary shaft 12 such as a motor (not shown) in the base body 10.

The three through holes 13 opened at equal intervals near the outer periphery of the disk 11 are dropped from above in FIGS. 1 and 2 through a rectangular tubular hopper (not shown). This is for accumulating and accommodating a plurality of disk bodies 30 having various diameters. On the lower surface of the outer circumference of the disk 11, three triangular plate-shaped depressions 14 are formed at equal intervals in the circumferential direction. The elongated notch 15, which is the triangular plate-shaped long side of the recess 14, is formed by the thick disc 11
The top of the recess 14 is formed so as to communicate with the through hole 13 while being formed on the circumference of the circle. Therefore, the recess 14 is made up of two elongated walls 1.
Will have six and seventeen. The shallow depression 14 is
The size is such that only one disc body 30 can be loosely fitted and slidably accommodated.

Here, the operation of the above-described device will be briefly described. When a disk body 30 having various diameters is loaded from above in FIGS. 1 and 2 through a hopper (not shown), any one of the disks 11 rotated counterclockwise by a motor (not shown). The disc body 30 is fitted in the through hole 13. The disk body 30 fitted in the through hole 13 slides on the upper surface of the base body 10 as the disk 11 rotates in the counterclockwise direction, and only one guide pin 18 is provided from the through hole 13 by the guide pin 18 provided in the base body 10. It is pushed out into the depression 14. Further, when the disk 11 is rotated, as shown by the solid line in FIG.
Only one is pushed out in the outer direction of the disk 11 by the restriction pin 19 arranged on the base body 10 and the wall 17 of the recess 14.

Further, when the disk 11 is rotated,
This time, as shown by the chain line in FIG.
Only the wall 17 of the recess 14 will push it out of the disc 11. The upper portion 20 of FIGS. 1 and 2 is a small roller, and the roller 20 is planted on the substrate 10 outside the disk 11 near the regulating pin 19. The fixed roller 20 serves to guide the disc body 30 that is being pushed out, and the disc body 3
A device for measuring the diameter of 0 is constructed. Reference numeral 21 is a short arm. The arm 21 is arranged inside the base body 10 and has one end pivoted.

Reference numeral 23 is a small-sized roller.
Is planted at the other end of the arm 21 and penetrates in a long hole (not shown) formed in the base body 10 in a loose fitting manner and is movable. The movable roller 23 is disposed near the fixed roller 20 so as to face it. 24 is a slightly long arm.
The proximal end of is fixed to the short arm 21. Therefore, the long arm 24 is arranged inside the base body 10. Reference numeral 25 is an arc-shaped slit plate, which is fixed to the tip of the long arm 24 so as to project at a substantially right angle, and a plurality of slits 26 are opened at the tip portion. Reference numeral 27 denotes a light sensor that senses the presence or absence of light through the moving slit 26. The light sensor 27 and the slit plate 25 are
As a matter of course, it is arranged inside the substrate 10 shown by the chain line.

Reference numeral 28 denotes a spring, which is a movable roller 23.
To attract in the direction of the fixed roller 20. Of course, the movement of the movable roller 23 by the spring 28 is restricted by a long hole (not shown) or the like. In the present embodiment having the above-described configuration, when a motor (not shown) or the like is operated, the rotary shaft 12 rotates,
When the disc 11 is rotated, the disc body 30 is moved to the disc 1
Extruded from 1. The disk body 30 pushed out from the disk 11 comes into contact with the movable roller 23 while being guided by the fixed roller 20. This state is shown by the solid line in FIG. FIG. 3 shows the state of FIG. 2 in principle by taking out only a necessary portion for explanation of the operation. In other words, in the case of FIG. 2, the slit plate 25 makes a rotary motion with the arms 21 and 24 and the pivot 22 interposed therebetween.
In order to simplify the explanation, the slit plate 25 is shown as having a linear movement.

The disk body 30 is
When pushed further outward, the disc body 30 rotates while being guided by the fixed roller 20 to move the movable roller 23.
Will be pushed out against the spring 28 to the right side in FIG. This state is shown by a one-dot chain line in FIGS. 2 and 3. When the state indicated by the alternate long and short dash line in FIG. 1 is passed, that is, the state in which the pair of rollers 20, 23 are on the diameter line of the disc body 30 is passed, the spring 2
Due to the elastic force of 8, the disc body 30 is further pushed outward. The state immediately before the disc body 30 is ejected by the action of the spring 28 is shown by the chain double-dashed line in FIG.

Therefore, as described above, when the disc body 30 passes between the pair of rollers 20 and 23, the plurality of slits 26 that move and the fixed light sensor 27.
With, the signal 31 shown in the lower right of FIG. 3 is obtained. That is, in FIG. 3, the slit plate 25
However, when the disc body 30 is pushed out to move to the position indicated by the alternate long and short dash line in the right direction, for example, one and a half of the wide pulse 32 is obtained, and then the spring 28 acts to cause the slit plate 25 to move. However, if it moves to the left and moves to the position of the solid line, for example, one and a half narrow pulses 33 will be obtained. Similarly, a pair of rollers 2
When a large disc 34 passes between 0 and 23, a plurality of slits 26 that move and a fixed light sensor 27
With, the signal 35 shown in FIG. 3 is obtained.

In the case of a large disc body 34, the slit plate 2
When 5 is moved to the position indicated by the chain double-dashed line to the right by pushing the disc body 35, for example, five wide pulses 32 are obtained, and then the spring 28 acts to cause slits. When the plate 25 moves to the left and moves to the position of the solid line, for example, five narrow pulses 33,
Will be obtained. As a result, the diameter of the disk body 30 can be measured by counting the number of wide pulses 32 of the obtained signal 31, and by counting the number of wide pulses 32 of the signal 35, it becomes large. The diameter of the disc body 34 can be measured.

The distinction between the wide pulse 32 and the narrow pulse 33 and the counting of the wide pulse 32 are performed by a signal processing means such as a CPU as a central processing unit and an MPU as a micro processing unit. It goes without saying that it is (not shown). Also, the width 36 of the signal 31 obtained by passing the disc body 30 by the plurality of pulses 32, 33 and the plurality of pulses 32, 33 of the signal 35 obtained by passing the disc body 34. By utilizing the difference in the width 37, etc. due to
Needless to say, the diameter of may be measured. In addition, it goes without saying that the fixed roller 20 may be a fixed member having a pin or the like, and the movable roller 23 may be a movable member such as a plate having a pin.
It goes without saying that the spring 28 may be an elastic member such as a rubber ring or a leaf spring.

Furthermore, if the diameters of the rollers 20 and 23 are increased, they will come into contact with each other, and it is of course unnecessary to regulate the stationary position of the movable roller 23 with a stopper or the like. As a means for detecting the movement of the movable roller 23, it goes without saying that a plurality of black lines may be formed on the transparent plate instead of the plurality of slits 26. In this case, the signals 31, 35
It goes without saying that the number of pulses of the disk is increased, and as a result, the accuracy of the diameter measurement of the disk body 30 is improved. In addition to the combination of the slit 26 and the light sensor 27, it goes without saying that detection means such as a plurality of magnetic bodies and magnetic sensors, a plurality of metal bodies and proximity switches can be used.

[0017]

The present invention as described above is particularly
By adding a simple detection means to the structure of the coin actuator and the like, the diameter of the disc that is pushed out is obtained by this detection means, and the number of these pulses can be easily counted. In addition to the effect of being able to measure, by increasing the number of pulses obtained by this detecting means, the diameter of the disc body can be measured more precisely, which is a great effect. As a result, the configuration to be added is simple, so that a large advantage that the entire device becomes small and simple can be obtained.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view showing a main part of an embodiment according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view showing a main part of the above.

3 is a schematic principle diagram for explaining FIG. 2. FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 20: Fixed roller, 23: Movable roller, 26: Slit, 27: Light sensor, 30, 34: Disc body.

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A fixing member for guiding at least an extruded disc body, and a movable member that is movable relative to the fixing member and is in contact with the extruded disc body. A disk body diameter measuring device comprising: a member; an elastic member for attracting the movable member toward the fixed member; and a detection means for detecting movement of the movable member. 2. The disk according to claim 1, further comprising signal processing means for processing a signal from the detecting means and measuring a diameter of the disk body. Body diameter measuring device. 3. The diameter measuring device according to claim 1, wherein the fixing member has a small roller. 4. The diameter measuring device according to any one of claims 1, 2, and 3, wherein the movable member has a small roller. 5. The diameter measuring device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the detecting means includes a light sensor.