JPH10241005A - Automatic change payment device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To evade becoming a state as if a coin storage part were filled with coins although the coin storage part is not actually filled with coins. SOLUTION: A device is constituted as the premise that coins C are selected every denomination to drop to a coin storage part 16, the coins C stored in the coin storage part 16 are selectively carried through a coin payment part 28 with a conveyer belt structure in every denomination, waited at a coin standby part 21 and then dropped down to a coin payment port as necessary. The part 28 is formed by arranging in parallel a long conveyer belt 17a that is positioned at the part 21 and reaches a coin payment position and a short conveyer belt 17b that does not reach the part 21. Then the belt 17b reversely driven in prescribed timing to reversely carry the coins C so that the coins C are leveled down flat wise in the part 16.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an automatic change dispensing apparatus, and more particularly to a POS terminal (Point of Sales) / ECR.
The present invention relates to an automatic change dispensing apparatus suitable for use by connecting to an (Electronic Cash Register).

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an automatic change dispensing apparatus has been used to collectively insert coins in a state where various denominations are mixed from an insertion port,
After checking whether or not the coins are genuine, the coins are classified for each coin, stored in the storage unit, and the designated coin and the number of coins are paid out. One example is shown in FIGS.

The automatic change dispensing apparatus shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 will be described along the flow of coins C. First, the body case 10
The coins C which are collectively inserted from the coin insertion slot 102 provided on the right side of the coin 1 are conveyed by an insertion port belt 103, and are fed one by one by an insertion roller 104 during the conveyance, and are conveyed in a line. Coins C transported in a row
Is delivered from the input belt 103 to the transport belt 105, and is subjected to an outer diameter check by the outer shape check unit 106 during the transport process by the transport belt 105. As a result, if the coin C being transported is not a genuine coin, the coin C is rejected by the reject overflow unit 107. The coin C that has passed through the reject overflow unit 107 is delivered to the conveyor belt 108, and in the process of being delivered to the subsequent conveyor belt 109, the traveling direction is changed to a right angle by the direction converter 110. As described above, the coin C is supplied to the input port roller 104 and the input port belt 10.
The coin is transported in a predetermined direction by a coin transport section constituted by the transport belt 3 and the transport belts 105, 108, 109.

[0004] The coins C whose traveling direction has been changed are fed to the conveyor belt 1.
The coins are guided to a coin sorting unit 112 having a sorting hole 111 for each denomination whose hole width dimension sequentially increases along 09. Sorting hole 111 is 1 yen, 5 yen, 10 yen, 50 yen, 100 yen, 5
Six are provided so as to correspond to each denomination of 00 yen. Therefore, the coins C fall sequentially from the sorting holes 111 defined for each denomination. The denomination of the coin C dropped from each sorting hole 111 is detected by a counting sensor S1 disposed in the vicinity of each sorting hole 111, and it is recognized based on this detection information how many coins of the coin type have dropped. Is done.

Next, at the position where the coin C falls from the sorting hole 111, a coin storage section 114 partitioned by a partition plate 113 is provided for each denomination, and a bottom surface of the coin C storage section 114 for each denomination is provided. A payout belt 115 having a transport belt structure is rotatably provided at the portion. For this reason, when the payout belt 115 is driven, the coins C stored in the coin storage unit 114 are conveyed toward the exit, and are separated and conveyed one by one by the separation roller 116. Then, the separated coins C continue to be conveyed by the payout belt 115 as they are, and reach a coin standby unit 117 that arranges a predetermined number of coins C in a line for each denomination and waits. At this time, the coin C that has passed through the separation roller 116 is detected by the passage sensor S2, and the coin stopper 118 is selectively operated in response thereto. The coin stopper 118 is driven by the solenoid 119 to move back and forth with respect to the transport path of the coin C, and stops the advance of the coin C by entering the transport path. Thus, the coin C is temporarily stopped in the coin standby unit 117. Then, in accordance with a command from the POS terminal, the ECR, or the like, the drive of the solenoid 119 is controlled so that only the required number of coins C are sent to the coin payout position. That is, the coin storage unit 1
The coin C stored in 14 is paid out to a coin payout position by a coin payout section 120 having the payout belt 115 as a main component. At this time, the denomination and the number of coins C paid out to the coin payout position are detected by a payout sensor S3 provided for each denomination.

[0006] The coins C paid out to the coin payout port 120 are collectively received by a coin payout port 121 having an upper opening. Therefore, the cashier, etc.
Can collect the coins C paid out in a lump and hand it over to the customer as change. This facilitates the change processing.

[0007]

According to the automatic change dispensing apparatus having the structure as shown in FIGS.
The coins C dropped from the sorting hole 111 of the coin sorting unit 112 are stacked on 14. Such coins C are conveyed in the direction of the coin payout position along with the conveyance operation by the payout belt 115, but tend to stay at the drop position from the sorting hole 111. This is because even if the payout belt 115 operates, only the coins C that are in contact with or near the payout belt 115 are conveyed, and the coins C stacked thereon remain in a lump at the original position. It is. For this reason, there is a problem that the coin storage unit 114 may be in a state where it is full when it is not actually full. More specifically, a situation may occur in which the coin storage unit 114 is not actually full, but the coin C does not drop from the sorting hole 111, or it may be recognized that the coin storage unit 114 is full. If a sensor is provided,
A situation may occur in which the coin storage unit 114 is determined to be full although it is not actually full.

An object of the present invention is to provide an automatic change dispensing apparatus which can prevent the coin storage unit 114 from becoming full when it is not actually full.

[0009]

According to the first aspect of the present invention,
The coins inserted into the coin slot are conveyed to the coin sorting unit, sorted by denomination, dropped into the coin storage unit, and the coins stored in this coin storage unit are selectively delivered by the coin payout unit of the conveyor belt structure. Convey and sort by denomination, make it stand by at the coin waiting unit,
In a change automatic dispensing device configured to drop coins located in a coin waiting section from a coin dispensing position to a coin dispensing port as needed, a long transport belt and coins extending to the coin waiting section and reaching the coin dispensing position. A coin payout section is formed by arranging a short transport belt that does not reach the standby section, and the short transport belt is driven to reversely rotate at a predetermined timing, whereby coins are placed on the long transport belt before the coin payout position. The coins in the coin storage unit are broken by reversely transporting the coins by the short transport belt while waiting.

In other words, coins that are in contact with or near the short conveyor belt are conveyed in the direction of returning to the coin storage unit by the reverse rotation operation of the short conveyor belt, and stay there as a lump in the coin storage unit. Such coins are destroyed. Therefore, the coins in the coin storage unit are leveled,
It is possible to avoid a situation where the coin storage unit is actually full when it is not.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the automatic change dispensing apparatus according to the first or second aspect, a coin insertion slot into which coins are inserted and a coin inserted into the coin insertion slot are transported to a coin sorting position. A coin transport section, a coin sorting section that sorts coins transported to the coin sorting position for each denomination and drop them into the coin storage section, a long transport belt reaching the coin payout position and reaching the coin payout position A coin having a transport belt structure formed by juxtaposing short transport belts and selectively transporting coins stored in a coin storage unit by two transport belts by denomination and dropping to a coin outlet only by a long transport belt. A payout unit, a coin standby unit provided in a space from the end of the short transport belt to the coin payout position on the long transport belt to align coins, and interference with coins conveyed by the long transport belt before the coin payout position. A coin standby means for selectively controlling the movement of a coin stopper which is selectively displaceable to a position which does not interfere with a position which does not interfere with the transfer of coins, and a coin breaking means for driving the short conveyance belt in reverse at a predetermined timing. Is provided.

Therefore, the coins inserted into the coin slot and conveyed to the coin sorting unit, and sorted by the denomination into the coin storage unit and dropped, are conveyed by the two conveyor belts to the coin payout position. The coins conveyed to the long conveyor belt are selectively blocked from going to the coin stopper, and enter a standby state at the coin standby position. At this time, at a predetermined timing, coins which are in contact with or near the short transport belt by the reverse rotation operation of the short transport belt are transported in a direction to return to the coin storage section, thereby forming a lump in the coin storage section. Coins that remain are destroyed. Therefore, the coins in the coin storage unit are leveled out, and it is possible to avoid a situation where the coin storage unit is not full but is actually full.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the automatic change dispensing apparatus according to the first or second aspect, there is provided coin full detecting means for detecting that the coin storage section is full of coins based on an output of a sensor. The coin breaking means starts operating at the timing when the coin full detecting means detects that the coin is full. Therefore, when it becomes necessary to actually break the coins remaining in the coin storage unit as a lump, an operation of breaking the coins is performed.

[0014]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

FIG. 1 is an overall plan view. A coin insertion slot 2 is provided at the front right side of the main body case 1 as a housing, and the coin insertion slot 2 is opened upward to collectly insert coins C. The coin insertion slot 2 is provided with a plurality of sets of insertion sensors 3 that photoelectrically detect the presence or absence of the coin C. The coin slot 2 is provided with an insertion belt 4 for transporting the inserted coin C toward the back. On the insertion belt 4, the coin is positioned at one end of the coin insertion slot 2 and irregularly arranged. Coin C inserted in
And an input port roller 5 for feeding out the sheet one by one.
A coin insertion section 6 is formed by the coin insertion slot 2, the insertion port belt 4, and the insertion port roller 5.

The loading roller 5 is provided with a loading belt 4 for transferring coins C in a line, and the feeding belt 4 is provided with a predetermined gap by increasing the feeding speed of the coins C. A transport belt 7 having a higher transport speed so that the coins C can be transported, and another transport belt 8 is further provided continuously. In the conveyor belt 7 part,
An outer diameter check unit 9 for checking the outer diameter of the coin C is provided. A reject overflow unit 10 for interrupting and storing coins when the coin C to be conveyed is not a genuine coin or when a coin storage unit to be described later is full is provided ahead of the outer diameter check unit 9. Is provided. Further, a transport belt 1 for transporting coins C to a coin sorting position by changing the transport direction to a right angle is provided at an end portion of the transport belt 8.
1 is provided. Therefore, the input port belt 4, the input port roller 5, and the transport belts 7, 8, 11
A coin transport unit configured to transport the coin C inserted into the coin insertion slot 2 to a coin sorting position is configured.

Next, a sorting hole 12 for each denomination whose hole width is sequentially enlarged along the conveyor belt 11 is provided in the rear of the main body case 1, and a coin sorting portion 13 located at a coin sorting position is formed therein. Have been. Six sorting holes 12 are provided so as to correspond to respective denominations of 1 yen, 5 yen, 10 yen, 50 yen, 100 yen, and 500 yen. A counting sensor 14 as a coin sensor is provided for each sorting hole 12.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a coin storage section, a coin payout section, and a coin standby section, FIG. 3 is a longitudinal side view thereof, and FIG. 4 is a plan view thereof. The coin storage unit 1 having an upper opening divided by the partition plate 15 for each coin C so as to communicate with each of the sorting holes 12.
6 are provided. At the entrance for each denomination of the coin storage unit 16, that is, near the sorting hole 12, a full sensor (not shown) for detecting whether the coin storage unit 16 is full is provided for each denomination. ing. A payout belt 17 having a transport belt structure is provided on the bottom surface of each coin type of the coin storage unit 16 with a storage motor M.
1, a drive roller 18 connected to and driven by M2 and a driven roller 19. The payout belt 17 includes a long transport belt 17a and a short transport belt 17b, which are a set of two long and short endless belts.
The drive roller 18a for the short conveyance belt 17b is driven by the drive roller 18a for the drive roller 18a.
The short conveyor belt 1 is located at the exit of the coin storage unit 16.
A separation roller 20 which is located at substantially the same position as the end of the separation roller 7b and separates the coins C one by one is disposed so as to cross all the outlets. A coin standby unit 21 is provided for each denomination, in which the coins C are arranged in a line and made to stand by. Long conveyor belt 17
“a” also extends to the coin standby unit 21, passes through the coin standby unit 21, and reaches a coin dispensing position in front of the main body case 1. The coin standby unit 21 is provided with a presser plate 22 sized so that two or more coins C do not overlap the payout belt 17, and temporarily stops the coins C and sets the required number of coins. Is provided with a coin stopper 23 whose operation is controlled so as to send out the coin C. The coin stopper 23 is driven and controlled by a solenoid 25 via a swing arm 24, and pays out a designated coin C and the number of coins C by controlling the operation. Further, immediately after the coin stopper 23, a payout sensor 2 for checking the denomination and the number of coins C to be paid out to the coin payout position.
6 and a material sensor 2 for checking the material of the coin C
7 are provided. Here, a coin payout unit 28 having a transport belt structure is configured to selectively transport coins C stored in the coin storage unit 16 by denomination and drop them to the coin payout position.

Here, the two motors M1 and M2 and the solenoid 25, which are the driving sources of the long conveyor belt 17a and the short conveyor belt 17b, are connected to a control circuit 29 of a microcomputer and stored in the control circuit 29. Drive control is performed based on a program. The control circuit 29
Is also connected to the loading sensor 3, the counting sensor 17, a full sensor (not shown), the dispensing sensor 26, and the material sensor 27,
The output signals of these sensors 3, 17, 26, 27 are used for various controls in the control circuit 29.

Further, the main body case 1 is provided with a coin payout opening 30 located at a coin payout position, and a display 31 and various operation keys 32 are provided on the front left side.

Next, the operation will be described. When the coin C is inserted into the coin insertion slot 2, the insertion sensor 3 detects the coin C
Is detected, the input belt 4, the transport belts 7, 8 and the transport belt 11 are driven. And the inserted coin C is
The coins C are fed out and conveyed one by one by the input port roller 5 and the input port belt 4 of the input section 6, and are conveyed by the conveyance belt 7 with the interval between the coins C being widened. During this process, the outer diameter check unit 9 determines whether the coin is a genuine coin or a fake coin. If the coin is not a genuine coin, it is stored in the reject overflow unit 10. At this time, even if the coin storage unit 16 is full and cannot store new coins C, the conveyed coins C are rejected by the reject overflow unit 10.
Is stored in. In the case of a genuine coin, the direction is changed from the conveyor belt 8 to the conveyor belt 11 and conveyed.
The sorting is done for each denomination. That is, the coin is dropped into the sorting hole 12 according to the denomination, and is stored in the coin storage unit 16. The number of coins C dropped from the sorting hole 12 is counted by the counting sensor 14.

At this time, when there is no coin C in the coin standby section 21, the operation is controlled so that the payout belt 17 is driven and a predetermined number of coins C are always present in the coin standby section 21. That is, the control circuit 29 controls the driving of the motors M1 and M2 so that the payout belt 17 rotates forward, and the motors M1 and M2 are driven at the timing when the coin C passes the payout sensor 26.
To stop. Thus, the coin C is always present in the coin standby unit 21. Here, the function of the coin waiting means is executed. Then, in the coin standby unit 21, the coin C positioned at the head is positioned above the material sensor 27,
As a result, the material of the coin C is checked, and it is determined again whether the coin is a genuine coin or a fake coin.

The coins C that have fallen from the sorting hole 12 into the coin storage section 16 are stacked near the drop position, and are in contact with or near the payout belt 17 even when the payout belt 17 rotates. Is transported, and the coins C stacked thereon tend to remain in the original position as a lump. Therefore, a full sensor (not shown) reacts,
In some cases, it is determined that the coin storage unit 16 is full even though it is not actually full. In such a case, in the automatic change dispensing device of the present embodiment, the control circuit 29 triggers the full conveyance belt 1 using the detection of the fullness of the fullness sensor as a trigger.
7a is driven forward and the short conveyance belt 17b is driven.
Motor M2 is driven to rotate in the reverse direction. As a result, only the coins C that are in contact with or near the long transport belt 17a in accordance with the forward rotation of the long transport belt 17a are to be transported in the coin payout position direction, whereas the short transport belt 17b is The coin C that is in contact with or near the short transport belt 17b is transported in the direction of returning to the coin storage unit 16 by the reverse rotation operation. Therefore, the coins C stored in the coin storage unit 16 are stirred, and the coins C remaining as a lump there are broken. Therefore, the coins C stored in the coin storage section 16 are leveled,
It is possible to prevent the coin storage unit 16 from becoming full when it is not. Here, the function of the coin breaking means is executed.

In the present embodiment, an example has been described in which the coin breaking means starts the operation with the detection of the fullness of the full sensor as a trigger. However, the operation start timing of the coin breaking means is not limited to this. For example, the operation may be started at fixed time intervals, or may be always operating. Further, in the present embodiment, an example is described in which the long transport belt 17a is rotated forward when the short transport belt 17b is rotated reversely.
In implementation, the configuration may be such that the long transport belt 17a is stopped during the reverse rotation operation of the short transport belt 17b.

[0025]

According to the present invention, a coin dispensing section is formed by arranging a long conveyor belt reaching a coin outlet and a short conveyor belt not reaching a coin outlet in a coin standby section. At a predetermined timing, the short transport belt is driven to rotate in the reverse direction while the long transport belt is driven to rotate in the forward direction, thereby controlling the coins transported to the long transport belt in front of the coin payout slot and holding the coins by the short transport belt. Reversely conveyed, the coins in the coin storage unit were broken, so that the coins remaining as a lump in the coin storage unit could be broken and the coins in the coin storage unit could be evenly leveled out. In addition, it is possible to avoid a situation where the coin storage unit is actually full when it is not full, and to efficiently store coins up to the storage limit in the coin storage unit.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the automatic change dispensing apparatus of the first or second aspect, coin full detecting means for detecting that the coin is full in the coin storage section based on an output of a sensor is provided, The coin breaking means starts operation at the timing when the coin full detecting means detects that the coin is full, so only when it is necessary to actually break the coins remaining in a lump in the coin storage section. An operation of breaking a coin can be performed, and therefore, useless operation can be omitted.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall plan view showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a coin storage unit, a coin payout unit, and a coin standby unit.

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional side view thereof.

FIG. 4 is a plan view thereof.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of a conventional automatic change dispensing apparatus.

FIG. 6 is a vertical sectional side view thereof.

[Explanation of symbols]

 2 coin slot 4, 5, 7, 8, 11 coin transport section 13 coin sorting section 16 coin storage section 21 coin standby section 23 coin stopper 27a long transport belt 27b short transport belt 28 coin payout section 30 coin payout port C coin

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A coin inserted into a coin insertion slot is conveyed to a coin sorting section, sorted for each denomination, dropped into a coin storage section, and coins stored in the coin storage section are paid out in a conveyor belt structure. In the automatic change dispensing device, the coins are selectively conveyed and aligned by the unit and made to stand by in a coin standby unit, and coins located in the coin standby unit are dropped from a coin payout position to a coin payout exit as necessary. The coin dispensing section is formed by juxtaposing a long transport belt extending to the coin standby section and reaching the coin dispensing position and a short transport belt not reaching the coin standby section, and forming the coin dispensing section at a predetermined timing. The short transport belt is driven to rotate in reverse, whereby the coins in the coin storage unit are broken by reversely transporting the coins by the short transport belt while waiting the coins on the long transport belt before the coin payout position. Change automatic dispensing apparatus according to claim. 2. A coin slot into which coins are inserted, a coin transport section for transporting coins inserted into the coin slot to a coin sorting position, and a coin transported to the coin sorting position for each denomination. A coin sorting unit for sorting and dropping the coin into a coin storage unit, a long transport belt reaching the coin payout position, and a short transport belt reaching the coin payout position are formed side by side, and the coin storage unit is formed. A coin delivery unit having a transport belt structure for selectively transporting the coins stored in the transport belts by the two transport belts by denomination and dropping the coins to a coin outlet only by the long transport belt, and the long transport belt from the end of the short transport belt A coin standby unit provided in a space reaching the coin dispensing position to align coins, and a position not interfering with a position interfering with coins conveyed by the long conveyance belt before the coin dispensing position. A coin waiting means for selectively controlling the drive of a selectively displaceable coin stopper to selectively prevent the conveyance of coins; and a coin breaking means for driving the short conveyor belt to rotate in reverse at a predetermined timing. Automatic change dispensing device. 3. A coin full detecting means for detecting that a coin is full in a coin storage section based on an output of a sensor, and the coin breaking means operates at a timing when the coin full detecting means detects that the coin is full. 3. The automatic change dispensing device according to claim 1, wherein the change is started.