Classifications

• • G—PHYSICS
  • G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
  • G07D—HANDLING OF COINS OR VALUABLE PAPERS, e.g. TESTING, SORTING BY DENOMINATIONS, COUNTING, DISPENSING, CHANGING OR DEPOSITING
  • G07D1/00—Coin dispensers
  • G07D1/02—Coin dispensers giving change
  • G07D1/04—Coin dispensers giving change dispensing change equal to a sum deposited
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
  • G07D—HANDLING OF COINS OR VALUABLE PAPERS, e.g. TESTING, SORTING BY DENOMINATIONS, COUNTING, DISPENSING, CHANGING OR DEPOSITING
  • G07D1/00—Coin dispensers
  • G07D1/02—Coin dispensers giving change
  • G07D1/06—Coin dispensers giving change dispensing the difference between a sum paid and a sum charged

Definitions

• the present invention relates to the technical sector of the production of cash dispensers, apparatus of any kind, such as videogames machines, food and drink automatic dispensers, parking-meters, or even mechanical/electronic apparatus for fun and game, largely used by snack-bars and game houses, or shop and supermarket cash desks, through which banknotes are changed into coins, or coins are changed into other coins of different denomination, or when coins must be given back for change.
• this invention concerns the technical sector relative to the production of coin dispensers, either for banknote change or change of a purchase or other operation.
• Technicians of this field use apparatus able to give a coin change, mainly distributing coins of same denomination.
• apparatus that permits the change from banknotes to coins or from coins to other coins of different denomination exists.
• the producer of such a kind of apparatus inserts a certain amount of coins in a specific container inside the machine and, when change is required, it gives the only available coin denomination until it reaches the required sum. Even if the dispenser can give different kinds of coins in order to correctly settle the change, the various coins are given only to reach the sum, without considering in any way the amount of coins contained by the machine.
• game machines or product and service dispensers also exist, with the insertion of coins of different denomination on the one hand, and the change of banknotes into coins on the other.
• said apparatus has two internal containers: one for the stock of the coins inserted by the user and one for the stock of the coins to be given as change. Since the inserted coins are usually not divided according to their denomination, their mixture in a single container prevents their use for change. This case involves the serious drawback that a considerable amount of money is stocked inside the machine according to the purchases made, while at the same time it's necessary to constantly refill the other container for the changes, which becomes more and more empty as it is used.
• the present invention principally aims at eliminating the above mentioned and other drawbacks, supplying a proportional coin distribution system for change that considers the amount of coins available in the machine.
• This is made possible in game machines or product and service dispensers accepting coins, thanks to an internal coin selection system capable of previously dividing coins into various containers from which they are later taken for change.
• the separation of the various coins is made in the moment the machine is installed.
• the advantages resulting from the present invention essentially consist of the fact that the producer of a game machine or product and service dispenser considerably reduces his job, as he doesn't need to constantly remove the money inserted for the game and refill coins for the change, as the system automatically refills and balances.
• the balance of the change has also the relevant advantage to prevent great sums of money from stocking inside the machine and prevent one coin container from becoming completely empty and another one full- up.
• This system has the great advantage of being capable of automatically refilling, involving a proportional reduction of the various containers according to the amount of coins they hold.
• a system for the proportional distribution of coins for change comprises the following stages: identification of the inserted coins by an entering device that gives an electronic value to any coin and sends a message to the control logic card recognizing the inserted coin; - increase in the amount of the inserted coins and storage of the new assigned value; after the request of coin, computation of the value to be given and its comparison with the value of the current coin, given as prefixed distributing coin: ⁇ if the value to be given out is lower than the value of the current coin, the system sets the lower denomination coin as current coin; ⁇ if the value to be given out is greater than or equal to the value of the current coin, this remains the prefixed coin; comparison of the amount of current coin with the amount of lower denomination coin: if the current coin is greater or equal, the system gives out that coin, otherwise it sets the lower denomination coin as current coin; - decrease in the amount of the value to be given out, parallel to the value of the distributed coin, repetition of the stages following the
• the system firstly sets the value of the current coin, which is the first coin to be given out and corresponds to the larger denomination coin. Conveniently, every time a certain denomination coin is inserted, the system identifies it and increases the amount of such a denomination coin in its storage.
• the system checks if the requested amount of money can be satisfied by the denomination of the current coin, i.e. if the value to be given out is greater than or equal to the current coin denomination. If so, it means the distribution can be completed giving out one or more current coins, otherwise the lower denomination coin will be set as current coin.
• the system checks if the amount of that coin denomination is greater than the amount of the other coin denominations, if so, it gives it out.
• the quantity to be given out is reduced by the distributed sum, so that the remaining amount to be given out is zero, in the case the distribution has been completed with the available denominations, or greater than zero if further change must be given.
• This logic allows the system to gives out the exact amount requested, preferring, if possible, the coin denominations mostly available inside the containers.
• the apparatus where the system works has an external electronic identification system for coins, able to accept certain kinds of coins and rejects the others, as the inserted coins are classified by an electric signal, later sent to the control card.
• said apparatus includes a selection system for the inserted coins, which are later distributed into various containers according to their value.
• the coins can be divided into the various containers by any system, but preferably adopting the solution claimed in the Italian patent application No. PI2002A000013 of 07/03/2002 "System and device for the selection of coins in slot machines or similar" filed by the same applicant.
• the apparatus includes a control logic card programmed to fulfil the above described stages of the system.
• the apparatus includes a kind of coin distribution devices called "hoppers".
• hoppers a kind of coin distribution devices
• the manufacturing details may, however, equally vary, but still remain within the range of the idea proposed as a solution and, consequently, within the limits of the protection granted by this patent for invention.
• drawings Figs. 1 and 2 show the flowchart representing, in summary, the system object of the present invention.

Landscapes

• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Control Of Vending Devices And Auxiliary Devices For Vending Devices (AREA)

Priority Applications (1)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=30012912

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (3)

Citations (5)

• 2002
  • 2002-07-05 IT ITPI20020035 patent/ITPI20020035A1/it unknown
• 2003
  • 2003-03-21 AU AU2003226466A patent/AU2003226466A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2003-03-21 WO PCT/IT2003/000169 patent/WO2004006193A1/en not_active Application Discontinuation

Patent Citations (5)

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