JPH1079067A - Coin selector - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a compact coin selector by reducing the dimension of the body of a device corresponding to the arraying direction of the cassette of each money kind. SOLUTION: A coin passage 26 is bent and formed to make its plane sight a nearly U-shaped. A first normal coin sorting means 48 for sorting the coins of a first money kind among normal coins is provided at the straight line part just before reaching the linear part of the most downstream side of the coin passage 26. Plural second normal coin sorting means 58 sorting the normal coins of money kinds excepting for the money kind sorted by the means 48 are provided along the linear part of the most down stream side of the passage 26. The cassettes of each money kind housing the coins sorted by the respective sorting means 48 and 58 are lined-up and arranged under the respective means 48 and 58. The length of the linear part of the most down stream side of the passage 26 is reduced to reduce the dimension of the body of the device corresponding to the arraying direction of the cassettes to be lined-up and arranged under the respective means 48 and 58.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to a coin sorter for classifying coins into denominations.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a coin sorter, for example, as shown in FIGS.
When the discrimination unit 3 discriminates the abnormal coin while conveying it on the top, and when the discrimination result is abnormal, the abnormal coin removing unit 4
Thus, the coins are removed from the coin passage 2 and stored in the reject box 5, and coins whose identification results are normal are classified into denominations by the normal coin classification means 6 and stored in the cassettes 7 of denominations.

[0005] The coin passage 2 is generally bent in a substantially L-shape or a substantially U-shape in plan view, so that the long coin passage 2 is accommodated in a plane compact body 8. It is devised.

The normal coin sorting means 6 has a sorting hole 6a of a denomination according to the diameter of the coin, and sorts coins from small coins to large coins along the most downstream straight portion of the coin passage 2. The holes 6a are arranged, and the coins are dropped and sorted in order from small coins to large coins. The coin passage 2 in which the sorting holes 6a are arranged to surely drop the coins into the sorting holes 6a of the denominations.
At the beginning of the straight line part, the coin is placed on the reference surface 9
A biased portion 9a is formed to be biased.

[0005] In addition, below the sorting hole 6a for each denomination, cassettes 7 for each denomination are arranged in the arrangement direction of the sorting holes 6a.

[0006]

However, in the coin sorter described above, all the sorting holes 6a of the denominations, which are the normal coin sorting means 6, are arranged in the most downstream straight portion of the coin passage 2, and One-sided portion where coins are biased to the reference surface 9 on one side in the width direction of the passage in the straight portion before the first sorting hole 6a.
Since 9a is formed, the position where the first selection hole 6a is provided is a position inside the end of the body 8 by a predetermined dimension A, and the selection holes 6a for six denominations are arranged from that position. Therefore, the width B of the entire body 8 requires the length of the sorting hole 6a for six denominations in the dimension A of the one-sided portion 9a, and there is a problem that it is difficult to reduce the size.

If the width of the entire body 8 is reduced by narrowing the interval between the sorting holes 6a, the width of the cassette 7 provided below the narrowing is reduced by reducing the interval between the sorting holes 6a. Since the ratio of the cassettes 6 corresponding to the six denominations to the entire width B of the cassette 8 decreases, the width B of the entire body 8 cannot be reduced in spite of the decrease in the storage amount of coins per cassette, which is efficient. There is a problem that it cannot be made compact.

In other words, a useless space must be taken below the one-sided portion 9a.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and has as its object to provide a compact coin sorter in which the size of the body corresponding to the direction of arrangement of cassettes by denomination is reduced.

[0010]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a coin sorter for paying out coins one by one, and being connected to the paying means and having at least a substantially L-shape or a substantially U-shape in plan view. A coin passage formed to bend and bend, a conveying means for conveying coins on the coin passage and biasing the coin to a reference surface on one side in the passage width direction, and a coin passage just before reaching the most downstream linear portion of the coin passage. First normal coin classification means formed in a straight line portion and classifying coins of one denomination among normal coins;
A plurality of second normal coins that are aligned along the most downstream straight line portion of the coin passage and classify normal coins of a denomination other than the denomination classified by the first normal coin classification unit into denominations. It comprises a coin sorting means and a cassette of a denomination which is arranged below each of the normal coin sorting means and stores coins classified by each normal coin sorting means.

The coins fed one by one into the coin passage by the feeding means are conveyed while being shifted to the reference surface on one side in the width direction of the passage by the conveying means, and are classified into denominations by the normal coin classifying means. And stored in a cassette of the denomination. In addition, the first normal coin sorting unit is connected to the straight line portion immediately before reaching the most downstream straight line portion of the coin passage with respect to the most downstream straight line portion of the coin passage provided with the plurality of second normal coin sorting devices. , The cassettes of the denominations below the first normal coin sorting means and the second normal coin sorting means are aligned. Further, by providing the first normal coin sorting means in the straight line portion immediately before reaching the most downstream straight line portion of the coin passage, the second normal coin sorting means is provided with the most downstream straight line portion of the coin passage. It is possible to provide a compact coin sorter with a shorter length and a smaller body size corresponding to the arrangement direction of the cassettes.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the coin sorter according to the first aspect, the identification unit is provided upstream of the first normal coin sorting means in the coin path and identifies coins conveyed in the coin path. Wherein the first normal coin classification means has an electric drive unit for forcibly classifying coins of a target denomination in accordance with the identification result of the identification unit. Then, it is possible to compulsorily classify any denomination coin by the first normal coin classification means, for example, forcibly classifying one of 5 yen and 100 yen whose coin diameters are similar. With this configuration, erroneous sorting by the second normal coin sorting means is prevented.

A coin sorter according to a third aspect of the present invention is the coin sorter according to the second aspect, wherein the coin sorter is provided between the most downstream bent portion of the coin passage and the first normal coin sorting means. Abnormal coin elimination means having an electrical drive unit for exclusion for forcibly excluding abnormal coins in accordance with the identification result; and abnormal coins provided below the abnormal coin elimination means and above the denomination cassette, And a reject box for storing the abnormal coins removed by the removing means. Generally, since the reject box has a short depth and the cassette has a long depth, even if the reject box is located above the cassette, the first normal coin sorting means on the upstream side of the coin passage, that is, the depth side of the cassette. The classified coins are stored in a cassette, and the abnormal coins classified by the abnormal coin elimination means downstream of the first normal coin classification means are stored in a reject box.

[0014]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of a coin sorter according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

1 to 4 show a first embodiment, FIG. 1 is a plan view of an internal mechanism of a coin sorter, FIG. 2 is a front view of the coin sorter, and FIG. 3 is a side view of the coin sorter. FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the coin sorter.

In FIG. 2 and FIG. 4, the coin sorter comprises:
The main body 10 includes a sorting machine main body 11 and an upper surface cover 12 provided on the upper surface of the sorting machine main body 11 so as to be openable and closable.
It consists of.

At the lower part of the front surface of the sorting machine main body 11, a horizontally long cassette loading portion 13 is formed opening toward the front, and cassettes 14 of different kinds are aligned in the cassette loading portion 13 in the left and right direction (aligning direction). The cassettes 14 are loaded in a state, and the respective cassettes 14 can be inserted and removed in the front-rear direction. A reject box loading section 15 is formed in the upper left of the front surface of the sorting machine main body 11 so as to open toward the front. A reject box 16 is loaded into the reject box loading section 15 so as to be able to be inserted and removed in the front-rear direction. A power switch 17 is provided at the upper right of the front of the sorting machine main body 11. In addition, the cassette 14 of the money type is 5 yen from the left, 1
It stores yen, 50 yen, 100 yen, 10 yen, and 500 yen.

The cassette 14 and the reject box 16 are formed in a box shape having an open upper surface, and a handle 14
a and 16a are formed.

A hopper 19 forming a coin slot 18 is provided on the top cover 12, and a display operation panel 20 having a display and operation buttons is provided on the front side.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, a substrate 21 is provided on the upper part of the sorter main body 11, and a coin inserted into the hopper 19 is received at the rear right position of the substrate 21 while receiving the coins. Dispensing means 22 for dispensing the received coins one by one is provided. The feeding means 22 includes a rotating disk 23
And a peripheral wall 24 disposed around the rotating disk 23. When the rotating disk 23 is rotated in the direction of the arrow in FIG. 1 by the drive of the motor 25, the coins on the rotating disk 23 are moved along the peripheral wall 24 by the centrifugal force generated by the rotation of the rotating disk 23, and a part of the peripheral wall 24 is moved. The coins are fed one by one to the coin passage 26 from the formed outlet (not shown).

The coin passage 26 includes an identification passage 27 disposed along the rear left side of the board 21, a branch passage section 28 disposed along the left side of the board 21, and a coin passage section disposed along the front of the board 21. It has a classification passage portion 29 provided, and is formed in a passage shape bent substantially U-shaped in plan view from these. The coin passage 26
The upper surface of the substrate 21 is defined as a passage bottom surface, and guide plates 30 and 31 disposed on both sides of the identification passage portion 27, guide plates 32 and 33 disposed on both sides of the branch passage portion 28, and both sides of the classification passage portion 29. The edge surfaces of the disposed guide plates 34 and 35 are respectively defined as passage side surfaces. The edges of the guide plates 30, 32, 34 on one side in the width direction of the passage are the reference surfaces 30a,
32a, 34a, each of the reference planes 30a, 32a, 34a
On the upstream side are formed biasing portions 30b, 32b, 34b for biasing coins to the respective reference surfaces 30a, 32a, 34a. In addition,
The branch passage portion 28 is configured as a straight line portion immediately before reaching the most downstream linear portion of the coin passage 26, and the classification passage portion 29 is configured as a most downstream linear portion of the coin passage 26, and is classified as the branch passage portion 28. The bent portion between the passage portions 29 is configured as the most downstream bent portion of the coin passage 26.

Above the coin passage 26, while transporting coins on the coin passage 26, the reference surfaces 30a, 32a, 34 on one side in the passage width direction.
A transport means 36 for biasing a is provided. That is, a take-up belt 37 for taking in coins sent from the rotating disk 23 into the coin passage 26 is rotatably stretched by a plurality of pulleys 38 above the entrance of the coin passage 26, and the coin passage 26
A transport belt 39, 40, 41 for transporting coins in the coin passage 26 is rotatably stretched by a plurality of pulleys 42 above the respective passage portions 27, 28, 29. And take-up belt 3
7. The transport belts 39 to 41 are rotated by the drive of the motor 25 to transport the coins in the coin passage 26 while pressing them against the bottom of the passage. In addition, the transfer belt
The transport speed of the coins 39, 40, 41 is high, and the interval of coins transported in the coin passage 26 is increased. In addition, transport belts 39, 40,
The reference surface 30a, 32a, and 34a are disposed so that the downstream side in the transport direction is relatively close to the reference surfaces 30a, 32a, and 34a.
It has the effect of pressing against a and 34a.

In the discrimination passage section 27, a discrimination section 44 for discriminating the authenticity and denomination of coins conveyed along the reference surface 30a is provided, and coin stopping means is provided at a position downstream of the discrimination section 44 in the conveyance direction. 45
Are arranged. The coin stopping means 45 has a stopper 46 disposed so as to be able to protrude and retract from the bottom of the passage.
Is stopped from being protruded from the bottom of the passage by the solenoid 47 for stopper, thereby stopping the conveyed coins and burying in the bottom of the passage to allow the coins to pass.

In the branch passage section 28, a 5-yen coin branching section 48 as first normal coin sorting means and an abnormal coin branching section 49 as abnormal coin removing means are arranged from the upstream side in the transport direction. Since the diameter of the 5-yen coin and the diameter of the 100-yen coin are similar in the 5-yen coin branching section 48, only the 5-yen coin is forcibly classified to accurately classify the 5-yen coin and the 100-yen coin. Branch to The 5-yen coin branch 48 has a branch hole
A passage plate 51 forming an edge on the side of the reference surface 32a is disposed in the branch hole 50 so as to be movable in and out of the passage, and the passage plate 51 is used as a five-yen coin as an electric drive unit. The branching solenoid 52 is driven forward and backward in and out of the passage. A branch hole 53 is formed in the abnormal coin branch portion 49, and a passage plate 54 forming an edge on the reference surface 32a side is formed in the branch hole 53.
Is disposed so as to be movable in and out of the passage, and the passage plate 54 is a solenoid for diverging abnormal coins as an electric drive unit for rejection.
It is driven forward and backward by 55 in and out of the passage. Each branch hole 5
Timing sensors 56 and 57 are provided immediately before 0 and 53, respectively. If the identification unit 44 identifies a 5-yen coin or an abnormal coin, the coin is identified by a timing sensor.
When detected by 56 and 57, the corresponding solenoids 52 and 55 are driven to retract the passage plates 51 and 54 out of the passage, and the corresponding coin is dropped and branched.

A second normal coin classifying means 58 for classifying normal coins of a denomination other than a five-yen coin into denominations is provided in the classification passage section 29.
Are arranged. This second normal coin classification means 58
It has a classification hole 59 of a denomination according to the diameter of a coin, and in the order of small coins to large coins, that is, 1 yen, 50 yen, 100 yen,
Classification holes 59 are arranged in order of 0 yen and 500 yen. These classification holes 59 are formed on the basis of the reference plane 34a, and for coins of the corresponding denomination, the edge opposite to the reference plane 34a falls into the classification hole 59 and is branched. The perimeter is passed while resting on both side edges of the classification hole 59. Immediately before each classification hole 59, timing sensors 60a to 60e for confirming the classification of the corresponding denomination coin are provided, respectively.

As shown in FIG. 3, below the substrate 21, 5
Departure chutes 61 and 62 for guiding denomination coins falling from the branch hole 50 of the yen coin branch part 48 and each classification hole 59 to the denomination cassette 14 are provided, respectively. A reject box 16 normally loaded in the reject box loading section 15 faces below the branch hole 53 of the abnormal coin branch section 49, and coins falling from the branch hole 53 are directly stored in the reject box 16. In addition, the reject box 16 has a short depth dimension, the cassette 14 has a long depth dimension, and the rear upper surface of the cassette 14 faces the space behind the reject box 16 in the depth direction.
Is arranged, even if the reject box 16 is positioned above the cassette 14, the 5-yen coin branched at the 5-yen coin branching section 48 is stored in the 5-yen cassette 14 via the chute 61. be able to.

Further, a microswitch 63 for detecting normal loading of the reject box 16 is provided behind the reject box loading section 15 in the loading direction.

A cassette loading detector 64 for detecting the normal loading of all the cassettes 14 is provided behind the cassette loading section 13 in the loading direction. Cassette loading detector
Reference numeral 64 denotes each cassette 14 on the rear side of the rear wall 65 of the cassette loading section 13.
A light emitting / receiving sensor having a detecting member 66 for each denomination supported swingably corresponding to the loading position of the cassette 14 and passing the optical axis along the alignment direction of the cassette 14 at a position corresponding to the detecting member 66 Has 67. When the cassette 14 is not normally loaded, the detection member 66 rotates counterclockwise in FIG. 3 due to its own weight and enters the cassette loading section 13,
The optical axis of the light emitting / receiving sensor 67 is shielded, and it is detected that any one of the cassettes 14 is not properly loaded. When the cassette 14 is loaded normally, the cassette 14
3 and rotates to a position allowing the optical axis of the light emitting and receiving sensor 67 shown in FIG. 3 to pass. If all the cassettes 14 are normally loaded, the optical axis of the light emitting and receiving sensor 67 passes, and all the cassettes 14 pass. cassette
14 detects that it has been loaded normally.

Next, the operation of the present embodiment will be described.

When a coin sorting machine is used to sort coins, coins to be sorted are put into a hopper 19 at a time through a coin slot 18 and a start button on a display operation panel 20 is turned on.

The sorting process is started by turning on the start button, and the rotating disk 23, the take-up belt 37, and the transport belts 39 to 41 are driven by the motor 25, respectively. Due to the centrifugal force caused by the rotation of the rotating disk 23, coins guided from the hopper 19 onto the rotating disk 23 are sent out one by one to the coin passage 26. Intake belt
By the rotation of the 37 and the conveyor belts 39 to 41, the coins sent one by one from the rotating disk 23 to the coin passage 26 are conveyed at intervals.

In the discrimination passage 27 of the coin passage 26, the discrimination unit 44 discriminates the authenticity and denomination of the conveyed coin.
The counted number or counted amount identified by the identifying unit 44 is displayed on the display of the display operation panel 20.

In the branch passage section 28 of the coin passage 26, when a 5-yen coin is identified by the identification section 44, the corresponding 5-yen coin is branched by the 5-yen coin branch section 48, and the 5-yen coin is diverted through the chute 61 (mostly). (Left side) in the cassette 14. When an abnormal coin such as an unidentifiable coin or a fake coin is identified by the identification unit 44, the abnormal coin is branched by the abnormal coin branch unit 49 and stored in the reject box 16.

Normal coins other than the five-yen coin are conveyed to the classification passage 29, and the coins are branched at the classification hole 59 of the corresponding denomination and stored in the denomination cassette 14 through the denomination chute 62.

Then, the cassette 14 and the reject box 16
Is pulled out from each of the loading sections 13 and 15, so that the cassette 14
Denominated coins sorted by denomination and stored in reject box 16
You can take out the abnormal coins stored in each. After removing these coins, the cassette 14 and the reject box 16 are loaded into the loading sections 13 and 15.

The loaded state of the cassette 14 and the reject box 16 is detected, and only when the cassette 14 and the reject box 16 are normally loaded,
The coin sorter operates. The loaded state of the cassette 14 is detected by the cassette loading detecting device 64, and the loaded state of the reject box 16 is detected by the microswitch 63.

As described above, with respect to the coin passage 26 which is formed so as to be bent substantially in a U-shape in plan view, the branch passage portion 28 of the coin passage 26 is provided with the 5-yen coin branch portion 48 for classifying 5-yen coins. ,
A plurality of classification holes 59 for classifying normal coins of a denomination other than a five-yen coin into denominations along the classification passage portion 29 of the coin passage 26 are provided, so that the length of the classification passage portion 29 can be shortened. ,
The width of the body 10 corresponding to the direction in which the cassettes 14 are arranged can be reduced, and a compact coin sorter can be provided.

In addition, the reject box 16 is positioned above the cassette 14, and even in a coin sorter having a function of removing abnormal coins, the machine 10 corresponding to the direction in which the cassettes 14 are arranged can be used.
Can be reduced in width, and a compact coin sorter can be provided.

Also, in order to forcibly classify one of 5 yen and 100 yen of the coin diameter approximating at the 5-yen coin branching section 48, the 5-yen coin at the classification hole 59 of the classification passage section 29 is required. Misclassification of 100 yen can be prevented.

Next, FIG. 5 shows a second embodiment, and FIG. 5 is a plan view of an internal mechanism of a coin sorter.

In the second embodiment, the coins are sorted for all the denominations, the coin passage 26 is substantially L-shaped in plan view, and there is no function for removing abnormal coins. Show the case.

The rotating disk 23 is disposed at the rear left position of the substrate 21. The coin passage 26 has an identification passage portion 27 disposed along the left side of the substrate 21 and a classification passage portion 29 disposed along the front side of the substrate 21. It is formed in a passage shape bent. Note that the identification passage portion 27 is configured as a straight line portion immediately before reaching the most downstream linear portion of the coin passage 26, and the classification passage portion 29 is configured as a most downstream linear portion of the coin passage 26, The bent portion between the and the sorting passage portion 29 is configured as the most downstream bent portion of the coin passage 26.

In the discrimination passage 27, a classification hole 59a for a 1-yen coin having the smallest diameter is provided immediately after the discrimination portion 44 of the discrimination passage 27 as first normal coin classification means. In the sorting passage section 29, as a second normal coin sorting means 58, sorting holes 59 for denominations other than 1-yen coins are arranged in the order of small coins to large coins, that is, 50 yen, 5 yen, 100 yen, and 10 yen. , 500 yen. Timing sensors 60a to 60f are provided immediately before the classification holes 59a and 59, respectively.

Then, the coin passage 26, which is formed in a substantially L-shape in plan view, corresponds to the identification passage portion 27 of the coin passage 26.
Is provided with a classification hole 59a for classifying 1-yen coins, and a plurality of classification holes 59 for classifying normal coins of denominations other than 1-yen coins by denomination along the classification passage portion 29 of the coin passage 26. The length of the passage 29 can be shortened, and accordingly, the width of the machine body 10 corresponding to the arrangement direction of the cassettes 14 can be reduced, and a compact coin sorter can be provided.

[0045]

According to the coin sorter according to the first aspect, the coin passage formed at least in a substantially L-shape or a substantially U-shape in plan view is the most downstream of the coin passage. A first normal coin classification means for classifying coins of one denomination among normal coins is provided on a straight line portion immediately before the straight line portion, and the first normal coin classification is performed along the most downstream straight line portion of the coin passage. A plurality of second normal coin classification means for classifying normal coins of a denomination other than the denomination classified by the means into denominations can be provided, so that the length of the most downstream straight portion of the coin passage can be shortened, The size of the machine corresponding to the arrangement direction of the cassettes arranged below each normal coin sorting means can be reduced, and a compact coin sorter can be provided.

According to the coin sorter of the second aspect, in addition to the effect of the coin sorter of the first aspect, the first normal coin sorter can forcibly sort an arbitrary denomination coin. For example, if a configuration is adopted in which one of the five yen and the five yen of which the coin diameters are similar is forcibly classified, for example, misclassification by the second normal coin classification means can be prevented.

According to the coin sorter of the third aspect, in addition to the effect of the coin sorter of the second aspect, a coin sorter having a function of removing abnormal coins by positioning a reject box above the cassette. Also, the size of the machine corresponding to the cassette arrangement direction can be reduced, and a compact coin sorter can be provided.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view of an internal mechanism of a coin sorter showing a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the coin sorter.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the same coin sorter as viewed from a side.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the coin sorter.

FIG. 5 shows a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a plan view of an internal mechanism of a coin sorter showing a conventional technique.

FIG. 7 is a front view of the coin sorter.

[Explanation of symbols]

14 cassette 16 reject box 22 feeding means 26 coin passage 36 transport means 44 identification unit 48 5-yen coin branching unit as first normal coin sorting unit 49 abnormal coin branching unit as abnormal coin removing unit 52 as electric drive unit Solenoid for 5 yen coin branch 55 Solenoid for abnormal coin branch as electric drive for elimination 58 Second normal coin classification means 59a Classification hole as first normal coin classification means

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A feeding means for feeding coins one by one, a coin passage connected to the feeding means, and formed to be bent in at least one of a substantially L-shape and a substantially U-shape in plan view; Transport means for shifting the coin to a reference surface on one side in the passage width direction while transporting the coin, and a denomination of one of normal coins formed on a straight line portion immediately before a straight line portion on the most downstream side of the coin passage. A first normal coin classifying means for classifying the coins, and a coin type other than a denomination other than the denomination classified by the first normal coin classifying means, which are aligned and formed along the most downstream straight portion of the coin path. A plurality of second normal coin classification means for classifying normal coins into denominations; and a denomination-type cassette arranged and arranged below each of the normal coin classification means and storing coins classified by each normal coin classification means. Characterized by having Sorter. 2. An identification unit provided upstream of a first normal coin sorting unit in a coin passage for identifying a coin conveyed in the coin passage, wherein the first normal coin sorting unit identifies the identification unit. The coin sorter according to claim 1, further comprising an electric drive unit for forcibly classifying coins of a target denomination according to a result. 3. The coin passage and the first bent portion at the most downstream side of the coin passage and the first bent portion.
Abnormal coin elimination means provided between the normal coin classification means and an elimination electric drive unit for forcibly excluding abnormal coins according to the identification result of the identification unit; and a lower position of the abnormal coin elimination means. 3. A coin sorter according to claim 2, further comprising a reject box provided at a position above the cassette for each denomination and for storing abnormal coins removed by the abnormal coin removing means.