JPS61279998A - Money imposing system for coinless timer - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Field of Industrial Application) The present invention relates to a billing system for a coinless timer.

(Prior art) When using equipment such as televisions and game consoles for a fee at a hotel, inn, or amusement park, coin timers are attached to these equipments, and coins are inserted into the timers to activate the equipment. It is designed to turn on the power. The device operates for a period of time depending on the number and amount of coins inserted.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) Conventional billing systems using coin timers literally do not operate unless coins are inserted. For this reason, customers who have used up their coins have to prepare new coins by exchanging 100 yen or the like, which is troublesome. Furthermore, if users give up on using the equipment due to the hassle of exchanging money, there is a problem in that the operating rate of the equipment will decrease.

-4. Conventional coin timers can use incorrect coins that are similar in shape and size to proper coins, and are often used illegally by fishing coins or bent wire, and in the worst case. There was also the problem that the coin timer became unusable.Furthermore, in the case of billing systems that use coins, in addition to the problem that the coins inserted into the coin timer must be periodically collected, the collection work is also difficult. There is also the problem that the number of coins collected may be falsified by the person conducting the method.

(Means for Solving the Problems) The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and uses processable cards instead of coins.

The operating time of the device is recorded on this card, and this record is read to settle the fee according to the usage time of the device. a card pass/fail detection means for determining the quality of the card; a card feeding means for swallowing the card inserted into the card insertion slot to the recording position and ejecting the card after a predetermined operation; a timer for measuring the time until the end; a perforation mechanism for recording at least the operating time of the device measured by the timer by perforating the card and/or notching a part of the card; The billing system for the coinless timer includes an accounting machine that calculates a fee according to the operating time of the device.

(Function) When a card is inserted into the card insertion slot, the card acceptability detection means determines whether the card is good or bad, and if the card is invalid, the card is ejected by the card feeding means.

If it is a valid card, swallow it to the recording position.

The timer starts counting from the moment the device is started, and measures the operating time of the device. When the device stops operating, the previous time data is recorded on the card by a punching mechanism. The above record is made every time the card is used.

When paying the bill, the machine reads the recorded card and the charge is calculated according to the operating time of the machine.

(Example) Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail based on an example shown in the drawings.

1 and 2, to explain the coinless timer section, a box 1 is provided with a card insertion slot 4 having a guide member 3 through which a card 2 is inserted and a recorded card is ejected. .

As shown in FIG. 3, the card 2 is made of paper and has a certain shape and size, and a magnetic recording display 2a is provided near the tip of the card to indicate that the card is a regular card. Reference numeral 2b in FIG. 3 indicates a small hole in which the usage time of the device was recorded by a punching mechanism, which will be described later, when the card was used for the -th time and 2c was used for the second time. In FIG. 1, a card passage 5 connected to a card insertion slot 4 is provided inside the box. In the card passage 5, a card insertion detection sensor 6, a card insertion detection sensor 6,
A pair of first conveying rollers 7 forming part of the card feeding means 13
．． Already drilled hole detection sensor 8. Drilling machine structure 9. Card quality detection sensor 10. A pair of second conveyance rollers 11 are respectively provided. Please note that the card insertion slot is the fifth one.
As shown by reference numeral 4A in the figure, the card 2 may be inserted vertically. Already drilled hole detection sensor 8. Although the punching mechanism 9 and the card quality detection sensor 10 are arranged apart from each other along the card path in FIG. 1, they may be arranged close to each other. The card feeding means 13 includes a pair of first conveyance rollers 7, a pair of second conveyance rollers 11, and a drive source 12 consisting of a step motor that rotates these rollers in forward and reverse directions and intermittently. Card feeding means 1
3 is the card swallowing and frame feeding mechanism 1 in FIG.
3A and a card ejecting mechanism 13B.

The card swallowing and frame feeding mechanism 13A rotates a pair of first and second transport rollers 7.11 in the direction of the arrow (see FIG. 1) to transport the card to the position of the card quality detection sensor 10 and The ejection mechanism 13 functions to advance the card by a predetermined distance when the card has already been punched.
B shows the pair of card transport rollers 7, 11 in the direction of the arrow (first
(see figure), it performs the function of ejecting unauthorized cards and ejecting recorded cards.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 14 indicates a control means consisting of a printed circuit board including a timer and electronic circuits to be described later.

The card insertion detection sensor 6 detects when a card (regardless of quality) is inserted into the card insertion slot 4, and forms part of the card insertion detection circuit 6A. The card insertion detection circuit 6A outputs a signal for starting the drive source 12 based on a card detection signal from the card insertion detection sensor 6.

The perforation detection sensor 8 is a perforation detection circuit 8A.
It detects whether small holes 2a, 2b (see FIG. 3) are formed in the card 2. If there is a small hole in the case of a regular card, the perforation detecting circuit 8A sends a signal to control the card feeding means 13 in order to feed the card so that the next perforation area is located below the punching mechanism 9. It is something to put out.

The card quality detection sensor 10 includes a card quality detection circuit 1
0A and detects the presence or absence of a magnetic recording display 2a formed at the tip of the card 2.

When the card quality detection circuit 10A detects a non-regular card without a magnetic recording indication, it operates the card ejecting mechanism 13B via the control means 14 to eject this card.

The punching mechanism 9 is a well-known punching device that punches a small hole in a predetermined position of a card or cuts out a side edge of the card, and is driven by a punching mechanism drive circuit 9A. The punching mechanism drive circuit 9A is included in the control means 14.

As shown in FIG. 4, the control means 14 includes a timer circuit 14T2 and an automatic device start switch 14Sa.

Equipment stop automatic switch 14Sb, drilling completion detection circuit 9B
, a timer reset circuit 14Ta. The device, for example a television receiver TV, is connected to the power supply via a control means 14, and is turned on while the timer circuit 14T is counting time.The control means 14 includes a start button 15 for starting the device and the timer. A use stop button 16 for stopping use of one device is provided. Each button 15.1
6 is arranged on the front panel of the box body 1, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The functions of each circuit and switch will be described later.

FIG. 7 shows an overview of the accounting machine, and shows the card insertion mechanism 17.
, drilling data reading circuit 18. It consists of a data/amount conversion calculation circuit 19, a display section 20, and a receipt issuing printer 21. The operation of the accounting machine will also be described later.

Hereinafter, the operation of the coinless timer billing system of the present invention will be explained assuming that it is installed in a hotel and a television receiver is used as the device. The guest takes the unused card 2 together with the room key when checking in.

In FIG. 6 (see FIGS. 1 and 4), when the card 2 is inserted into the card insertion slot 4, the card insertion detection sensor 6
detects this and drives the card swallowing and frame feeding mechanism 13A of the card feeding means 13 via the card insertion detection circuit 6A and the control means 14 to swallow the card. Card 2 is
The leading end of the card is conveyed to a position below the card quality detection sensor 10. If the card is not a regular card, the card quality detection circuit 10A issues a signal indicating that the card is a non-regular card, activates the card discharge mechanism 13B, and rotates the pair of first conveying rollers 7 in the opposite direction to the direction of the arrow. Then, the card is ejected from the card insertion slot 4 to the outside of the box.

If the card is a regular card, a previously punched hole detection sensor 8 detects whether or not there is a previously punched hole.

If there are no holes already drilled, the user selects whether or not to stop watching television, and if not, presses the start button 15.

By pressing the start button 15, the power of the television receiver TV is turned on via the automatic device start switch 14Sa, and the timer circuit 14T starts counting. From now on, customers can watch TV. and,
For example, if you want to stop using the device, that is, watching TV, after one hour has passed.

When the stop button 16 is pressed, the timer circuit 14T stops counting. Since the timer circuit 14T counts data for one hour, the control means 14 controls the punching mechanism 9 via the punching mechanism drive circuit 9A based on this data.
is driven to form a small hole 2b in the card 2. This small hole 2
b records that the television receiver was used for one hour.

When the punching of the card 2 is completed, the one device stop automatic switch 14Sb is activated to cut off the power supply to the television receiver TV, and the timer reset circuit 14Ta is activated to reset the count value of the timer circuit 14T. When the punching completion detection circuit 9B detects that the punching of the card has been completed, this signal activates the card discharge mechanism 13B to rotate each pair of transport rollers 7 and 11 in the opposite direction to the direction of the arrow. The card 2 is ejected from the insertion slot 4.

In FIG. 6, although the card has been inserted, if you change your mind and want to stop watching TV, you can press the stop button 16. In this case, since there is no data for 5 hours, the card ejecting mechanism 13B operates and immediately ejects the card. Of course, at this time, the card is not punched.

Now, when the user wants to watch TV again, the card 2 with the small hole 2b formed therein is inserted into the card insertion slot 4. In this case, since the already formed small hole 2b is detected by the perforation detection sensor 8, the perforation detection circuit 8A is activated to drive the card feeding means 13, and the card 2 is moved to the next perforation area (small hole 2b). The frame is moved to a position where the hole 2c (the part where the hole 2c is to be drilled) is positioned below the punching mechanism 9. Thereafter, the same operation as the beginning is repeated, and if viewing is stopped after 30 minutes, a small hole 2c is punched in the card as a record of 30 minutes of television viewing.

Next, payment will be explained with reference to FIG. 7. When checking out, one guest returns the card 2 together with the room key. The hotel side inserts the card 2 into the card insertion mechanism 17 and reads the punched data with the punched data reading circuit 18. In this case, the card 2 has a small hole 2b as data for 1 hour and a small hole 2c as data for 30 minutes recorded, so based on this, the data/
The amount conversion calculation circuit 19 calculates the amount, displays the amount on the display section 20, and issues a receipt using the receipt issuing printer 21. The customer pays the corresponding amount in exchange for the receipt and settles the bill.

The above description assumes the case of simply watching television (commercial television programs), but it goes without saying that when video broadcasts can be viewed, recording is made by punching according to the channel selection. Further, the device is not limited to a television receiver, but can be various devices that have conventionally been used by inserting coins, such as room coolers, game machines, etc.

(Effects of the Invention) As described above, according to the present invention, which charges for the use of one device by punching and recording the usage time using a card without using coins, for the customer, The equipment can be used even without coins, and the system installer is freed from the hassle and trouble associated with collecting coins.

Also, since the timer cannot be activated with anything other than a legitimate card, there is no chance of tampering with the timer. Since we adopted a perforation method as the recording method on the card, it cannot be easily tampered with, unlike printing or magnetic recording, and there is no need to confuse usage fees.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a side sectional view showing an example of the coinless timer section of the coinless timer billing system of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the same as above, Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing an example of a card, and Fig. 4 is a coinless timer section. A block diagram showing the configuration of the timer section,
FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing another example of the card insertion slot, FIG. 6 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the coinless timer section, and FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing an example of the accounting machine. 2...Card, 4...Card insertion slot, 6...Card insertion detection sensor, 8...Drilling presence/absence detection sensor, 9...Punching mechanism, 10...Card quality detection sensor, 13 ...Card feeding means, 14T...Timer circuit, Frequently Figure 4 Figure G

Claims (1)

[Claims] A billing system for a coinless timer that charges a fee according to the operating time of the device, comprising: a card having a certain shape and size; a card quality detection means for determining the quality of the card; and a card insertion slot. A card feeding means that swallows a card inserted into the device to a recording position and ejects the card after a predetermined operation is completed, a timer that measures the time from when the device starts operating until it stops; / or a coinless timer section equipped with a punching mechanism that records at least the operating time of the device measured by the timer by cutting out a part of the card; A coinless timer billing system consisting of an accounting machine that calculates charges.