JPH11203536A - Coin processor - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a coin processor capable of detecting deterioration of the ability of a transportation belt and of giving information on an optimum replacement time of the transportation belt. SOLUTION: This processor is provided with a driving speed detection means 53 for detecting the driving speed of driving motors 50 and 51, a coin speed detection means 54 for detecting the actual speed of coins transported by a transportation belt, a speed difference detection means 55 for detecting a speed difference between the actual speed of the coins detected by the coin speed detection means 54, and the transportation speed of the coins estimated from the driving speed of the driving motors 50 and 51, which is detected by the driving speed detection means 53, and an alarm means 56 for emitting an alarm when the speed difference detected in the speed difference detection means 55 is not less than a prescribed value. Namely, the speed difference shows a slippage of the transportation belt. When the speed difference becomes not less than the prescribed value, the slippage of the transportation belt reaches a level that cannot be permitted, and its ability is judged to have deteriorated, thus an alarm is emitted.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a coin processor that transports coins on a transport belt that is driven to rotate by a drive motor.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 9-54852 discloses a coin processing machine that transports coins by a transport belt that is driven to rotate by a drive motor. In this coin processing machine, loose coins unwound from a rotating disk are conveyed by rotation of the conveyor belt while being pressed by the conveyor belt.

[0003]

However, when coins are transported by the transport belt as described above, if the performance of the transport belt deteriorates, problems such as jams caused by transport errors or the like will occur. For this reason, it is necessary to replace the conveyor belt at the time when it is estimated that the performance has deteriorated.However, the performance deterioration of the conveyor belt varies depending on the use condition, so the replacement period is generally specified. Can not. Further, if the worst case is set and the replacement period is set in response to this, the belt is frequently replaced and the cost is increased. Therefore,
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a coin processing machine capable of detecting a deterioration in the performance of a conveyor belt and notifying an optimum time for replacing the conveyor belt.

[0004]

In order to achieve the above object, a coin processor of the present invention transports coins on a transport belt which is driven to rotate by a drive motor, wherein the drive speed of the drive motor is reduced. Drive speed detecting means for detecting, a coin speed detecting means for detecting an actual speed of the coin conveyed by the conveyor belt, and coin transport estimated from a drive speed of a drive motor detected by the drive speed detecting means Speed difference detecting means for detecting a speed difference between a speed and an actual speed of the coin detected by the coin speed detecting means; and warning when the speed difference detected by the speed difference detecting means is equal to or more than a predetermined value. Alarm means for issuing an alarm. Thereby, the speed difference detecting means detects a speed difference between the coin transport speed estimated from the driving speed of the drive motor detected by the driving speed detecting means and the actual speed of the coin detected by the coin speed detecting means. If the speed difference is equal to or greater than the predetermined value, the alarm means issues a warning. That is,
Since the speed difference indicates the slip state of the conveyor belt, when the speed difference becomes a predetermined value or more, it is determined that the slip state of the conveyor belt is at an unacceptable level and the performance is reduced, and a warning is issued. Is generated.

[0005]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of a coin processor according to the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. This coin processing machine has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape, and an insertion port 12 into which loose coins are inserted by an operator is provided on the upper surface of the body 11.
A supply disk 13 through which loose coins are guided from the insertion port 12 is provided below the insertion port 12 so as to be rotatable around a vertical axis. A rotating disk 14 is provided adjacent to the side of the supply disk 13 so as to be rotatable around a vertical axis. The rotating disk 14 receives loose coins fed out from the supply disk 13 by centrifugal force, and feeds the received coins one by one to a coin passage 15 described later by passing the received coins through a separating section (not shown) by centrifugal force.

Here, a line connecting the rotation center of the supply disk 13 and the rotation center of the rotation disk 14 has a predetermined angle with respect to one side surface 11A of the body 11, and the rotation disk 14 on the front side has the body 11
The supply disk 13 is disposed without leaving an unnecessary space between the supply disk 13 and the side surface portion 11A, and the rotating disk 14 is disposed at an interval between the supply disk 13 and the side surface portion 11A. It is arranged so as to leave an interval larger than the predetermined amount, that is, a space between the side surface portion 11A.

[0007] The coins unwound from the rotating disk 14 are passed through a passage surface 18 between the higher guides 16 and 17 on both sides.
The coin passage 15 guided by the side part 11A, the front part 11
It is horizontally arranged so as to surround the rotating disk 14 along B and the side surface portion 11C. The coin passage 15 is a rotating disc 1
4 and the side surface 11A of the rotating disk 14
And a first linear portion 20 arranged along the side surface portion 11A in a space between the first linear portion 20 and the rotating disk 14 connected to the first linear portion 20 on the opposite side. A first bent portion 21 bent at a right angle to the direction, and a second straight line perpendicular to the first straight portion 20 by being connected to the first bent portion 21 on the opposite side to the first straight portion 20. Portion 22 and the second linear portion 22 are connected to the opposite side of the first bent portion 21, and the second linear portion 22 is connected to the rotating disk 1.
The second bent portion 23 bent at a right angle to the direction 4 and the third bent portion 23 connected to the second straight portion 22 on the opposite side to the second straight portion 22 so as to form a right angle with the second straight portion 22. And a straight portion 24.

A transport section (transporting means) 26 for transporting coins on the coin path 15 along the coin path 15 is provided above the coin path 15. The transport unit 26 transports the coins fed from the rotating disk 14 to the first linear portion 20,
A transport belt 27 that transports along the bent portion 21 and a part of the second linear portion 22, a transport belt 28 that transports the coins transported by the transport belt 27 further to the rear end position of the second linear portion 22. The coins transported by the transport belt 28 are further divided into a second bent portion 23 and a third linear portion 24.
And a transport belt 29 for transporting the sheet.

Each of these transport belts 27 to 29 is an endless belt made of a high friction member having elasticity such as rubber and the like, and each of them is hung on a pair of pulleys (not shown) in which the rotation axes are arranged horizontally and parallel to each other. ing. Conveyor belt 27,
The pulley 28 is driven to rotate by the common DC brushless motor (drive motor) 50 driving one of the pulleys arranged coaxially. In addition, the transport belt 29
One of the pulleys is driven by a separate DC brushless motor (drive motor) 51 to be rotationally driven. Each of the conveyor belts 27 to 29 generates a frictional force with the coin by pressing a coin on the passageway surface 18 toward the passageway surface 18 at a lower side portion facing the passageway surface 18. The coin is moved on the passage surface 18.

Between the rotating disk 14 and the first straight portion 20 of the coin passage 15 and at the position of the leading end of one of the guides 16, coins that collide with and stay at the leading end of the guide 16 are rotated. A rotatable guide roller 30 is provided to return the disk 14 to the inside of the disk 14 or guide the coin to the coin passage 15. A material detecting sensor 31 for detecting the material of the coin conveyed on the first linear portion 20 from the magnetic property is provided on the first straight portion 20 on the upstream side of the coin passage 15 in the coin conveying direction. Are arranged so as to form a part. Note that coin detection sensors 31a and 31b are provided on both sides of the material detection sensor 31 to measure the timing of taking in the detection data by the material detection sensor 31. That is, these coin detection sensors 31a, 31
When both coins are detected in 1b, the material detection sensor 31
Captures the detection data.

In front of the second straight section 22 downstream of the coin passage 15, an image detecting section 32 for detecting an image of a coin conveyed by the second straight section 22 is provided on one side of the passage surface 18. It is arranged so as to constitute a part. Note that the image detection unit 32
Are provided on both sides of the coin detecting sensor 32a for measuring the timing of taking in the detection data by the image detecting unit 32.
32b are provided. That is, when coins are detected by both the coin detection sensors 32a and 32b, the image detection unit 32 takes in the detection data.

Here, the outputs of the material detecting sensor 31 and the image detecting section 32 are inputted to a discriminating circuit (not shown). The coins are sequentially compared with the reference data of the material of the denomination coin, and when it is determined that the detection data of the material does not match the reference data of the material of any coin of the denomination, the coin is determined to be a fake coin at that time. On the other hand, if it is determined that the coin matches the reference data of the material of the coin of any denomination, the reference data of the image of the coin of the coincident material is read out, and the same detection data as the reference data of this image is read out. By comparing the detection data of the coins with the detection data of the image detection unit 32, it is detected whether or not they match. When it is determined that the reference data and the detection data of these images match, the coin is determined to be a true coin of the detected denomination, while the reference data and the detection data of these images are If it is determined that they do not match, it is determined that the coin is a fake coin.

A reject hole 35 is formed in the passage surface 18 at the rear of the second straight portion 22 for removing coins determined as false coins based on the detection results of the material detecting sensor 31 and the image detecting portion 32. On the upstream side of the reject hole 35 in the coin conveying direction, the coin is rejected by the second linear portion 22 by independently projecting into the second linear portion 22.
A first stopper member 36 is provided for preventing coins from dropping into the reject hole 35 while preventing the coins from projecting into the second straight portion 22 by being released. Further, at a position facing the first stopper member 36, the second linear portion 2 is protruded independently into the second linear portion 22.
2, the small-diameter coin-like foreign matter conveyed on the side opposite to the first stopper member 36 is dropped into the reject hole 35 while the coin is dropped into the reject hole 35 by the second linear portion 2.
A second stopper member 37 is provided which is prevented from being released by protruding into the inside 2.

Since the first stopper member 36 and the second stopper member 37 simultaneously protrude into the second straight portion 22, the coins conveyed through the second straight portion 22 are prevented from passing therethrough. Thus, if the coin conveyed by the discrimination circuit (not shown) cannot be discriminated as a true coin of any denomination or a fake coin, the coin is passed or rejected. Can be prevented, and the transport belts 27 and 28 can be reversed to return the indistinguishable coin to the rotating disk 14 for re-determination. Further, the first stopper member 3 is located upstream of the reject hole 35 in the coin transport direction.
A coin detection sensor 38 for obtaining timing for driving the sixth and / or second stopper member 37 is provided. In addition, the coin dropped from the reject hole 35 is
Although illustration is omitted, after being collected in a reject box arranged below the reject hole 35, it is taken out of the reject box and removed.

The third linear portion 24 includes a material detection sensor 31
And a denomination sorter 4 that sorts coins determined to be true by the determination circuit based on the detection result of the image detector 32 by denomination.
0 is provided. The denomination sorter 40 sorts coins to be conveyed into denominations and drops them.
41f, and these sorting holes 41a to 41f are
The coins are arranged so as to drop in order from the one with the smallest coin diameter. The coins dropped in the sorting holes 41a to 41f are stored in a storage unit (not shown) via a temporary storage unit (not shown) for each denomination. It should be noted that coin detection sensors 42a to 42f are arranged immediately before each of the sorting holes 41a to 41f, respectively. 41a
４１41f are counted as the number of sheets selected among those located therebetween.

In this embodiment, FIG.
As shown in FIG. 5, a driving speed detecting section (driving speed detecting means) 5 for detecting the driving speed of the DC brushless motors 50 and 51.
3, a coin speed detecting unit (coin speed detecting means) 54 for detecting the actual speed of the coin (hereinafter referred to as the actual coin speed), and a DC brushless motor 5 detected by the driving speed detecting unit 53.
The coin transport speed (hereinafter referred to as the "estimated transport speed") when it is assumed that the transport belts 27 to 29 do not slip from the drive speeds of 0 and 51 is detected, and the estimated transport speed and the coin speed detector 54 detect the transport speed. A speed difference detecting unit (speed difference detecting means) 55 for detecting a speed difference from the actual coin speed to be executed, and an alarm generating unit (alarm means) 56 for issuing a warning to an operator on a screen display.

The drive speed detector 53 detects the pulses of the DC brushless motors 50 and 51, detects the drive speed, and stores it in a RAM (not shown). That is, as described above, the transport belt 27 and the transport belt 28 are driven by the DC brushless motor 50, and the transport belt 29 is
It is designed to be driven by a brushless motor 51,
These DC brushless motors 50 and 51 output pulses during driving, and output a predetermined number of pulses per rotation. Therefore, the drive speed detection unit 53 detects the number of pulses per unit time (or the time per unit pulse) of the DC brushless motor 50, thereby detecting the drive speed and storing it in the RAM. By detecting the number of pulses per unit time of the DC brushless motor 51 (or the time per unit pulse), the drive speed is detected and stored in the RAM.

The coin speed detecting section 54 includes coin detecting sensors (coin speed detecting means) 31a and 31b, coin detecting sensors (coin speed detecting means) 32a and 32b, a coin detecting sensor (coin speed detecting means) 38, and a coin detecting sensor. (Coin speed detection means) The actual speed of the coin is detected from the difference in the detection timing of the same coin by the appropriate one of the coins 42a and 42b. That is, the coin speed detection unit 54 determines the timing at which coins are detected by the coin detection sensors 31a, 31b, the timing at which the same coin is detected by the coin detection sensors 32a, 32b, and the first elapsed time between these timings. Is stored in the RAM. At the same time, a predetermined transport length between the coin detection sensors 31a and 31b and the coin detection sensors 32a and 32b stored in a ROM (not shown) is read out.
This transport length is divided by the first elapsed time read from the RAM. Thus, the coin detection sensor 31
a, 31b and the actual coin speed by the conveyor belt 27 for conveying between the coin detection sensors 32a, 32b are detected and stored in the RAM.

The coin speed detecting section 54 is provided with the coin detecting sensor 3
The RAM (not shown) indicates the timing at which coins are detected at 2a and 32b, the timing at which the same coin is detected by the coin detection sensor 38, and the second elapsed time between these timings.
To memorize. At the same time, a predetermined transport length between the coin detection sensors 32a and 32b and the coin detection sensor 38 stored in the ROM is read, and the transport length is divided by the second elapsed time read from the RAM. In this way, the actual coin speed by the conveyor belt 28 that mainly performs the conveyance between the coin detection sensors 32a and 32b and the coin detection sensor 38 is detected and stored in the RAM.

Alternatively, when the coin is detected by the coin detecting sensor 38, the coin is detected by the material detecting sensor 31 and the image detecting unit 3.
Since the denomination has been determined based on the result of the detection by No. 2, the passage time of the coin through the coin detection sensor 38 is stored in the RAM. At the same time, the width of the predetermined passing portion of the denomination passing through the coin detection sensor 38 stored in the ROM is read, and the width is divided by the passing time read from the RAM to obtain the actual coin speed by the conveyor belt 28. Detect and store this in RAM. In this case, the coin whose denomination has not been determined by the material detection sensor 31 and the image detection unit 32 cannot be used to detect the actual speed of the coin by the transport belt 28, so that the coin whose denomination has been determined passes through. Only when this is done, the actual speed of coins is detected by the conveyor belt 28.

The coin speed detecting section 54 is provided with a coin detecting sensor 4
The timing at which a coin is detected at 2a, the timing at which the same coin is detected by the coin detection sensor 42b, and the third elapsed time between these timings are stored in a RAM (not shown). At the same time, a predetermined transport length between the coin detection sensor 42a and the coin detection sensor 42b stored in a ROM (not shown) is read, and the transport length is divided by the third elapsed time read from the RAM. Thus, the coin detection sensor 42a and the coin detection sensor 4
The actual speed of the coins by the conveyor belt 29 for conveying between 2b is detected and stored in the RAM.

Here, the 1-yen coin having the minimum diameter is placed in the sorting hole 41a.
, The coin detection sensor 42b cannot detect the coin, and thus the actual speed of the coin cannot be detected by the conveyor belt 29 described above. Therefore, when a coin other than a one-yen coin passes, the actual speed of the coin is detected by the transport belt 29. Of course, as long as the same coin can be detected, any two of the coin detection sensors 42a to 42f may be used to detect the actual coin speed by the transport belt 29. Also in this case, the actual speed of the coin by the transport belt 29 is detected from the respective detection timings and the distance between the same coins that can pass.

The speed difference detecting section 55 includes a driving speed detecting section 53
DC brushless motor 5 detected and stored in RAM
With the driving speed of 0 and the predetermined shapes of the pulleys and the conveyor belts 27 and 28 driven by the DC brushless motor 50, the DC brushless motor 50 assumes that no slip occurs on the conveyor belts 27 and 28. The estimated coin transport speed is estimated and stored in the RAM. Similarly, the speed difference detecting section 55 detects the RA detected by the driving speed detecting section 53.
Based on the drive speed of the DC brushless motor 51 stored in M and the predetermined shapes of the pulleys and the conveyor belt 29 driven by the DC brushless motor 51, the estimated transfer speed of coins by the DC brushless motor 51 is estimated. R
Store in AM.

The speed difference detector 55 calculates the estimated transport speed of the DC brushless motor 50 and the actual coin speed of the transport belt 27 detected by the coin speed detector 54 as described above. Is read from the RAM, and these speed differences are detected. The speed difference is compared with a predetermined value stored in the ROM.
Is judged to be an unacceptable level and the performance is degraded, and a warning is displayed on the screen by the alarm generating unit 56 that the conveyor belt 27 is about to be replaced. If the value is smaller than the value, it is determined that the transport belt 27 has not deteriorated,
No display is made.

The speed difference detector 55 calculates the estimated transport speed of the DC brushless motor 50 as described above and the actual coin speed of the transport belt 28 detected by the coin speed detector 54 as described above. Are read from the RAM, and the speed difference between them is detected. The speed difference is compared with a predetermined value stored in the ROM.
Is judged to be an unacceptable level and the performance is degraded, and a warning that the conveyor belt 28 is about to be replaced is displayed by the alarm generation unit 56, and the speed difference is set to a predetermined value. If smaller, it is determined that the conveyor belt 28 has not deteriorated, and no display is performed.

Further, the speed difference detecting section 55 calculates the estimated transport speed of the DC brushless motor 51 as described above and the actual coin speed of the transport belt 29 detected by the coin speed detecting section 54 as described above. Are read from the RAM, and the speed difference between them is detected. The speed difference is compared with a predetermined value stored in the ROM.
9 is determined to be an unacceptable level and the performance has deteriorated, and a warning that the conveyor belt 29 is about to be replaced is displayed by the alarm generator 56, and the speed difference is determined at a predetermined value. If the value is smaller than the value, it is determined that the transport belt 29 has not deteriorated, and no display is performed.

Each of the conveyor belts 27-
The determination of the replacement timing at 29 is performed at each predetermined timing. Here, immediately after the replacement, all the speed differences determined for each replacement time determination are stored, and for each of the transport belts 27 to 29, the average value of the stored speed differences is compared with a predetermined value. It is also possible to judge the replacement time by using this method and delete the speed difference stored at the time of replacement.

According to the coin processing machine described above, the speed difference detecting section 55 uses the transport belts 27 to 29 estimated from the driving speeds of the DC brushless motors 50 and 51 detected by the driving speed detecting section 53. Each speed difference between the estimated transport speed of the coin in a state where there is no slip and the actual coin speed of each of the transport belts 27 to 29 detected by the coin speed detector 54 is detected, and these speed differences are equal to or more than a predetermined value. In this case, the alarm generator 56 issues a warning. That is, since these speed differences represent the slip state of each of the transport belts 27 to 29, if any of the speed differences becomes equal to or more than a predetermined value, the slip state of the corresponding one of the transport belts 27 to 29 is allowed. It is determined that the level has become unacceptable and the performance has decreased, and a warning is issued. Therefore, it is possible to detect the performance deterioration of each of the transport belts 27 to 29, and to notify the optimum replacement time of each of the transport belts 27 to 29.

[0029]

As described in detail above, according to the coin processing machine of the present invention, the speed difference detecting means is capable of detecting the coin transport speed estimated from the driving speed of the drive motor detected by the driving speed detecting means. The speed difference from the actual speed of the coin detected by the coin speed detecting means is detected, and if the speed difference is equal to or more than a predetermined value, the alarm means issues a warning. That is, since the speed difference represents the slip state of the conveyor belt, when the speed difference is equal to or more than a predetermined value, it is determined that the slip state of the conveyor belt is at an unacceptable level and the performance is reduced. A warning is issued. Therefore, it is possible to detect a deterioration in the performance of the transport belt and to notify the optimum timing for replacing the transport belt.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a partial configuration of one embodiment of a coin processor of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a partial configuration of one embodiment of the coin processing machine of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 31a, 31b Coin detecting sensor (coin speed detecting means) 32a, 32b Coin detecting sensor (coin speed detecting means) 38 Coin detecting sensor (coin speed detecting means) 42a, 42b Coin detecting sensor (coin speed detecting means) 50, 51 DC Brushless motor (drive motor) 53 Drive speed detector (drive speed detector) 54 Coin speed detector (coin speed detector) 55 Speed difference detector (speed difference detector) 56 Alarm generator (alarm means)

 ────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued from the front page (72) Inventor Etsushi Sonoda 2-5-131 Tagawa, Yodogawa-ku, Osaka-shi, Osaka Inside Laurel Machinery Co., Ltd. Osaka No. 2 Research Laboratory

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A coin processing machine for transporting coins by a transport belt rotated and driven by a drive motor, comprising: a drive speed detecting means for detecting a drive speed of the drive motor; A coin speed detecting means for detecting a speed, a speed of a coin transport speed estimated from a driving speed of a drive motor detected by the driving speed detecting means and an actual speed of the coin detected by the coin speed detecting means. A coin processing machine comprising: a speed difference detecting unit that detects a difference; and an alarm unit that issues a warning when the speed difference detected by the speed difference detecting unit is equal to or greater than a predetermined value.