JPS59183482A - Coin storage equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

A coin storage assembly has several containers (6) each for storing a stack (10) of coins. A sensor (52) is located at the top of a container (6) near an entry (42) which is so designed that coins can only pass through the entry (42) if they are travelling edge-first. When the container (6) is nearly full, the next coin to arrive is supported on the top of the stack (10) in a predetermined position in the entry, so that it is reliably detected by the sensor (52).

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a coin storage device that includes one or more coin storage containers. The invention is particularly applicable to a container which has a mechanism for dispensing coins from it, but is not limited thereto.

Such receptacles are common, and coins inserted into machines used in coin handling devices such as those found in vending machines, money changers, etc., are directed into one or more receptacles. There is a separate container for each type of coin to be stored, and each coin is stacked and stored in each container. Using such a container, the machine can dispense coins for patronage. Also, by storing different types of coins in separate containers, it is easier to count the coins when the containers are empty, and there is no need to manually sort the coins into different types when sorting is necessary.

When the container is full, the coins that were previously destined for the container are directed to the cash box. Determining whether a container is full is typically equipped with a sensor that emits a signal when the stack of coins in the container exceeds a predetermined level. The sensor is positioned such that it will emit a known signal when a pile of coins reaches that location.

Cheap electrical inductive sensors have been used for this purpose. One disadvantage of this device, however, is that coins entering the container or storage tube sometimes get stuck in a vertical position on top of a pile and do not level out. Container failure can occur when coins do not fall with sufficient velocity in 5 matches. As a result, the upright coin will be rejected away from the sensor and will exceed the detection range of the sensor.

In itself the fact that the coin is in an upright orientation.

This does not cause any problems as the pile of coins decreases and the coins eventually settle in the correct orientation due to vibrations caused by the distribution of coins, for example.

The fact that no hardening was detected forces subsequent coins of the same type into the container.

This deprives the coins the opportunity to settle into the correct position within the container.

Instead of an electrically inductive sensor, there is an optical sensor that detects coins in an upright position.

However, these are not easy to install, especially since they require one or more light passages within the container.

In one aspect of the invention, a coin storage device includes a container for storing stacked coins and has a sensor for detecting when the stack exceeds a predetermined level, the container having an edge of the coins. The sensor has an area that restricts the movement of the coins to reach the pile first, so that the coins within that area are aligned in a predetermined direction;

A device is provided which is equipped to detect a coin within the area and supported by a counter.

The present invention makes it possible to detect with high reliability a pile of coins that has reached a certain level. This is because the 9th order coin occupies a predetermined position, and the sensor is installed to detect the coin at this predetermined position.

In special constructions, described in detail below, the inlet of the container may be
It is designed to pass only coins that advance through the stack, while the sensor is positioned to detect coins that stop at the top of the pile and are located at the entrance.

The sensor is preferably located close to the surface of the coin in the container.

The above device reliably detects coins at the entrance.

As a result, if there is a stack of coins at such a level that they stay at the entrance, the controller/machine uses a sensor to detect this and direct subsequent coins to other locations.

The sensor is preferably of the drowsiness barrel type.

The advantage of high reliability of detection is also contradicted to some extent using other types of sensors, such as optical ones.

Coin storage device 2 with 9 coins in Figures 1 and 2
(not shown) is located below the hard grain separator. The separator receives the coins that have been collected from the discriminator and are confirmed to be genuine, separates them into individual coins, and sends them through respective supply passages 4 to the coin storage device.

The device in this example has multiple, and in this particular case, four
It includes two storage units 6. Each unit 6 has a storage space 8 for storing a pile 10 of coins received from the supply passage 4 and a second passage 12 and an additional passage 14 for receiving coins received from the supply passage 4.

The coins stacked in storage space 8 are dispensed one at a time by a dispensing mechanism generally designated 16.

Coins entering from supply passage 4 are normally conveyed to storage space 8, but if this space is full, they are transferred to second passage 12.
It is sent to the cashier through In this embodiment, the second passage 12 leads to a separate cash box. A gate 18 determines whether the coins from the supply path 4 are sent to the storage space 8 or to the second path 12.

Each additional passageway 14 receives coins from a respective separator passageway 20. These coins are of the same type and do not need to be dispensed by the device and are sent through an additional channel 14 to a separate cash bin or to a common cash bin. In the preferred embodiment, one additional channel 140 is used to route coins rejected by the identifier to an exit slot for correction by the European user of the device.

Each unit 6 is made up of two longitudinal halves. Figure 2 &'11 units σ) shows the left half. Each half is made by injection molding. If desired, the two halves can be easily closed together to form the storage unit 6 after injection molding with a flexible hinge along the i-line 22.

The two halves may be configured as a connected integral piece. The two halves are joined together with screws through holes 24.

The storage space 8 is formed between the outer wall 26 and the inner wall 28 , and the additional passage h@14 is formed between the wall 30 and the rear wall 2 .

The storage space 8 is cylindrical and has a diameter slightly larger than the coins stored therein.

Unit 6 is intended to be able to use coins of various diameters. However, for coins with a diameter that actually passes through,
Another unit 6 with a storage space 8 of a different diameter is used.

FIG. 3 shows part of another unit B with a small diameter for small diameter coins. This is accomplished by simply changing the inserts in the mold used to form the container unit.

As a result, wall section 26 remains the same thickness, but wall section 28 becomes )4-'. This device (as seen in Figure 2) always holds the leftmost receptacle of the stacked coins in place, virtually regardless of the diameter of the coins, and thus the design of the dispensing mechanism is Keeping it simple.

The container unit 6 is fixed to the mounting structure 4o in position at its upper end by a screw passing through a hole 68. The mounting structure 4o has an inclined surface of class 1 or higher that engages the inclined surface of the wall 41 of the separator. At the bottom, the container unit is (
(not shown) is fixed by a boss 64 and a hook 65 that engage with a corresponding part of the outer box.

Coins from supply channel 4 reach storage space 8 through inlet 42 . Population 42 includes a narrow space 44 between separator wall 46 and a ledge 48 at the top of inner wall 28 .

The shape and size of the space 44 is such that a coin can only pass through the space with its edge first.

As shown in FIG. 2, when the pile 10 reaches a certain level (which differs for each of the seven coins with different diameters), the next coin 50 supplied through the inlet 42 will be placed at the top of the pile. Stop with your upper edge supported by the ledge 48.

The coin 50 is generally supported in an upright position, but is tilted so that its center of gravity is at the top of the pile. A flat upper edge 54 of the outer wall 26 that slopes into white helps to wrap the hard tip 50 around this turn. Electricity: Jlt Binsar 52.

The coin is picked up into the separator at a position that requires close to 500 coins. - The coin sensor 52 can check the presence of a coin indicating that the storage space 8 is full, and this savings means that the position of the last coin entering the storage space is the peak 10.
Because it is awakened by the shape of the population 42 that has been reached, the ode to one word is delicious.

If coins are distributed from pile 10.

The top of the stack is lowered by the thickness of the dispensed coins, and the upper edge of the coin 50 is removed from the protrusion 48, causing the coins to roll flat onto the stack.

FIG. 4 schematically shows the internal shape of the upper end of the storage space 8 in more detail. The inclined portion 54 is connected to the inner wall of the storage space 8 by a curved portion 56. and forms part of the surface of a conceptual cone with an axis concentric with the storage space 8.

If the stack 10 is at a fairly low level, the coins entering the storage space 8 will engage their edges with the curved surface 56 and rotate sharply about the horizontal axis as shown by arrow A, so that the coins entering the storage space 8 will have a sharp rotation about the horizontal axis as indicated by arrow A, so that the coins entering the storage space 8 will engage the curved surface 56 with their edges and rotate sharply about the horizontal axis as shown by arrow A, resulting in When it reaches the soil, it becomes flat instead of having an edge.

Referring again to FIG. 2, the interengaging surfaces of the mounting structure 40 and the support wall 41 are sloped so as to be substantially parallel to the coin 5o. The purpose of this device is to compensate for changes in the length of the container unit due to, for example, differences in shrinkage rate during injection molding of the container.

Since the unit 6 is fixed at its bottom, any change in length will result in a slight change in the height of the top of the unit. However, due to the slope of the engagement surface between the mounting structure 40 and the support wall 41, a change in the height of the upper end of unit B causes a slight change in the horizontal position of the upper end.

The overall effect of this is to ensure that the distance between the binder 52 and the surface of the coin 5D remains constant despite slight changes in the length of the unit.

The same effect can be obtained as long as either one of the engagement surfaces of the mounting structure 40 and the support wall 41 is inclined parallel to the coin 50, but not both.

Gate 1 of four storage jK units 6 as shown in FIG.
8 are mechanically connected to each other and are actually made in one piece. All gates are common solenoid 60
It has an actuator consisting of.

The gates all rotate about a common axis 620 near the top of the gates. When the electricity to solenoid 60 is cut off, Kate 18
takes the position shown by the dotted line in FIG. In this position, the gate does not obstruct the passage of coins entering from the supply passageway 4.

All the coins therefore fall into the second passages 12 respectively.

When the solenoids are energized, all gates move to the positions shown in Figure 2. Therefore, coins entering from the bag passageway 4 are bent by the cage 18 in the direction of the storage space 80 entrance 42.

The solenoid 60 is activated by the 1d number from the discriminator and the 1 word from the sensor 52 indicating the four types of coins to be accepted from the discriminator. If the coin is of the same weight as that stored in one of the storage units 6, the solenoid 6D is energized so that the coin is bent by the corresponding gate 18 and the sensor 52 indicates that the unit is full. Unless indicated otherwise, it will fall into the associated storage space 8. When the sensor 52 indicates that the unit is full, the gate 18 will be in the position shown by the dots in FIG. 2 and the coin will drop into the second passageway 12.

The many coins sent to the separator are far enough apart that
By the time each rigidity arrives, the gates are properly positioned to suit each case.

However, if precautions are not taken or coins are fed into the separator too quickly, a problem arises in that the gate 18 does not have enough time to change position before the next coin arrives. The following measures have been taken to avoid such problems without reducing the coin handling rate.

(3) The "iσ1" control is set so that the gate 18 preferentially takes one specific position. In this example, the priority position is the dotted line position in FIG.
Falling down to passage 12. Even with such a trap, if the second coin reaches one gate 18 immediately after the first coin falls into the second passage, the gate 18 will normally pass through the gate 18 regardless of whether or not the coin goes to the storage space 8. It remains in position to feed the second coin into the second passage. On the contrary, the master decides to send the first coin to storage space 8, and sends the second coin to storage space 8.
When a coin immediately follows and is desired to be sent to the second passage, the gate 18 is controlled to accommodate the second coin even if it prevents passage of the first coin. With this device, coins may be mistakenly sent to the second channel 12 instead of the storage space 80. However, this is actually not a disadvantage, and this type of device prevents overfilling the storage space 8.

iB) Using this vs. US-, it is possible for a coin to reach gate 18 when the gate is in the intermediate position and moving to the preferred position. Gate 1B is designed so that it will not become clogged under such conditions. This is accomplished by locating the gate 18 so that it is out of the coin path when in the preferred position, and by having the axis of rotation of the gate upstream of the coin deflection surface.

Therefore, the device described above is simple and effective, being actuated by one common actuator, without overfilling the coin storage space if two or more gates become jammed, and yet allowing continuous rapid arrival of coins. provides a method.

The distribution mechanism 16 is shown in detail in FIG.

The unit 6 is located below the pile of coins and awaits a base plate 70 with an open lower part 2 offset from the lower end of the storage space 8. A sliding seat 74 slides horizontally between the bottom of the ram 10 and the top of the base plate 70.

The sliding seat 74 has an opening arrow, and is pressed against the left end by a spring 7B, as shown in FIG. When distributing coins, the solenoid 79 is energized and the sliding seat 74
Move it to the right and place the opening arrow under the pile of coins.

The coin at the bottom of the pile enters the opening arrow, leaving it slightly above the top of the opening. When the current of the solenoid is cut off, the sliding seat is returned to the left, and the coins on the opening door are moved onto the opening door 2, where they fall and are distributed through the two openings. The second coin from the bottom of the stack is engaged with the lower end of an indicator member 80 held at the lower end of the wall 26 by a spring 78.

It is prevented from being moved by a sliding seat. The indicator member 80 is selected within the range of the thickness of the coin to be dispensed.

The devices cited above have been described on the assumption that coins are used, but of course other shapes and sizes can also be used instead of coins, such as those used in entertainment machines. It also includes coins, etc., and the term ``coin°'' shall include all of them.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a coin storage device according to the present invention. FIG. 2 shows a part of the container of the storage device shown in FIG.
11 views. FIG. 6 is a partial view of another container of one device. FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing the inside of the upper end of the container. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the distribution and clearing structure of the container. [Explanation of symbols of main parts] 2 Coin storage device 4 Supply passage 6 Storage unit 8 Storage space 10 Coin pile 12 Second passage 16 Distribution mechanism 18 Gate 28.30 Inner wall 62 Ridge wall 41 Wall slope 42 Population 46 Separation, rock wall 4 days Protrusion 50 Coin 52 Inductive sensor 70 Base plate 72.76 Opening A 4 Sliding seat 78 Spring 80 Directive member procedure amendment: 1981 + April 1011 Commissioner of the Japan Patent Office Kazuo Wakasugi 1 Matter f' Showa patent application No. 2
01169 2 Inventor, coin storage device 3 Correct h 1+1'l-,! : +y, ■ Patent applicant 1 representative (4) “Drawings” 6 Contents of amendment As attached (no changes to the engravings of the specification and drawings) (1)
I would like to submit one amended application form that includes the representative's name P, D, C, and RIGHT in paragraph 3 of the application submitted on February 8, 1980. (2) As attached, one power of attorney and one translation thereof
We will submit a notification. (3) As shown in the attached sheet, we will submit one printable copy of the full statement. (4) As shown in the attached sheet, we will submit one official drawing. - L Medium: I submitted a handwritten statement at the time of dispatch, so I would like to replace it with a typed statement.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A coin storage device that includes a top container for storing many coins and has a sensor for detecting when the number of coins therein exceeds a predetermined level. In,
The container has an area in which the coins are forced to pass so that the sludge reaches the pile of coins first, the coins are oriented in a predetermined direction, and the sensor is located in the area to force the passage of the coins. A coin storage device characterized in that it is arranged to detect a single coin supported by a pile of coins. 2. 5. A coin storage device in which the sensor detects the presence of a coin by cutting it out without physically touching the coin. 6. The device according to claim 2. , wherein the sensor is of an electrical induction type. 4. In the device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, the sensor is of an electric induction type. A coin storage device, characterized in that it is located close to the surface of a coin. 5. In the device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, the area is 6. A coin storage device characterized in that the coins are disposed in the area 5 in which the coins are supported in a direction displaced from the horizontal. A coin storage device characterized in that the center of gravity of the coin storage device is arranged so that it is supported above a pile of coins. , the container is separated by 1 coin with the coins contained in the container.
A coin storage device characterized in that the system has at least one curved surface to rotate the coin about a generally horizontal axis. 8. A device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the container has one surface that engages the surface of its support, and at least one of the engagement surfaces 1
A coin storage device, wherein one of the coins extends substantially parallel to the coins within the rigid area. 9. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, comprising a plurality of the containers. Each container receives coins from the channel, and each container receives coins from the channel. A coin storage device, each second receptacle including a plurality of gates arranged to direct coins into the passageway. 10. A coin storage device according to claim 9, wherein the gates have a common actuator. 11. In the device according to claim 9 or 10, unless a sensor of the container indicates that the pile of coins in the container exceeds the predetermined level, the receiver does not accept coins that have entered from the passage. A coin storage device including a control I11 for controlling said gate control piece in such a way as to direct coins into said container. 12. The device according to claim 11, in conjunction with claim 10, wherein the second receiver is arranged so that the common actuator is configured to give preferential impact to coins going into the passageway. A coin storage device that is actuated to control the C'TI stop. 1. A device according to any one of claims 9 to 12, wherein the cage rotates entirely about an axis upstream of a coin deflecting surface of the gate. .