WO2012143903A1

WO2012143903A1 - Coin box assembly for coin operated apparatuses and devices

Info

Publication number: WO2012143903A1
Application number: PCT/IB2012/052000
Authority: WO
Inventors: Luigi Barbieri
Original assignee: Luigi Barbieri
Priority date: 2011-04-22
Filing date: 2012-04-20
Publication date: 2012-10-26
Also published as: ITBS20110057A1

Abstract

It is described a coin box assembly comprising a supporting element provided with an outwardly open compartment, adapted to be attached to a coin - operated apparatus or device, and a coin container removably housed in the compartment and adapted to rotate within the latter, wherein the supporting element has a coin slit opened on the compartment, wherein the container comprises a cylindrical body provided with opposite head walls and a first side wall extended between the head walls and provided with a first opening, and with a second lateral wall provided with a second opening, wherein the second side wall is inner and adjoining the first side wall, wherein the first and second side walls are axially constrained and adapted to rotate one relative to the other between a first position wherein the respective first and second openings are substantially overlapped and a second position wherein they are not overlapped, the container comprising means for preventing said relative rotation, and wherein the coin box assembly further comprises an element for deactivating the preventing means combined with the supporting element and means for combining the container to the supporting element for retaining the container in the compartment by axially constraining it to the supporting element when the first and second openings of the container, overlapped one to each other, are also overlapped to the slit and for disengaging the container from the supporting element allowing its release from the compartment when the first and second openings of the container are not overlapped.

Description

COIN BOX ASSEMBLY FOR COIN OPERATED APPARATUSES AND DEVICES

* * * *

DESCRIPTION

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally refers to the field of the coin - operated apparatuses and devices intended for public places, such as bars, offices, stations, video arcades and the like, and specifically it refers to a coin box assembly for automatic dispensers of products or services, such as for example beverage or snack dispensers, time showers and dryers, telephones, video games, slot machines, billiards, pinballs and the like.

More specifically the invention refers to a coin box assembly for collecting and keeping the coins for apparatuses and devices of the above said type.

STATE OF THE ART

As it is known, there are many coin - operated apparatuses and devices.

To the traditional public telephones, very popular in the past, nowadays a great variety of automated dispensers of unpacked products of different kind, from beverages to snacks to cigarettes, and gaming machines such as slot machines or video poker as well as time devices, for example for washing or drying in gyms, laundries and service stations, have joined.

In some instances, coin - operated apparatuses and devices of the above considered kind are not owned by who makes them available in the public premises or places.

The slot machines and the video pokers in the bars for example do not belong to the bar holder, but to the game producer or dealer which therefore is also the owner of the receipts, that is of the coins inserted and retained within the slot machine or video poker, while a percentage is due to the shopkeeper.

Therefore the coins recovery, that is the emptying of the slot machine or video poker, that also has to be on time for its good working, is carried out by personnel in charge off the bar, with the need of accurate and repeated checks in order to avoid differences in what recovered from the slot machine or video poker, and what effectively declared as receipts.

This need has been answered by the known art by providing coin counter machines, able to quantify the number of recovered coins, and possibly the type too, and coin-counting devices, of mechanical or electronic type, combined with the apparatus or device, for counting the number and the type of inserted coins. Although advantageous and compliant with the object, such a solution is not free from drawbacks, among which the relative easiness of altering or tampering the coin-counting devices.

A further drawback lies in the time needed to count the coins, operation that generally has to be done at the same time of the coins recovery, specifically to warrant the check from the shopkeeper also which makes the apparatus or device available.

A further drawback lies in the risk of unwanted and accidental coin losses at the time of their recovery or subsequently.

Substantially, the coin - operated apparatuses and devices according to the known art, specifically during the emptying and coin recovery operations, allow a free access to the coins themselves and, thus, disadvantageously accidental robberies and/or deficits can occur.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The technical problem underlying the present invention is to provide a coin box assembly for apparatuses and devices, having structural and functional characteristics to overcome the above considered drawbacks, i.e. a coin box assembly for collecting the coins which is able to keep the coins by preventing a free access or otherwise an unauthorized access .

This problem is solved according to the invention by means of a coin box assembly of the above said type comprising a supporting element provided with an outwardly open compartment, adapted to be attached to a coin - operated apparatus or device, and a coin container removably combined with the afore said supporting element, in particular at least partially housed in the afore said compartment and adapted to rotate within the supporting element, wherein the supporting element is provided with a coin slit opened on the afore said compartment, wherein the afore said container comprises a cylindrical body provided with opposite head walls and a first side wall extended between the afore said head walls and provided with a first opening, and with a second lateral wall provided with a second opening, wherein the second side wall is inner and adjoining the first side wall and it is extended at least for a length thereof, wherein the first and second side walls are axially constrained and adapted to rotate one relative to the other between a first position wherein the respective first and second openings are substantially overlapped and a second position wherein they are not overlapped, the afore said container comprising means for preventing the afore said relative rotation, and wherein the afore said coin box assembly further comprises an element for deactivating the afore said preventing means combined with the afore said supporting element and means for combining the afore said container to the afore said supporting element for retaining the container in the afore said compartment by axially constraining it to the supporting element when the afore said first and second openings of the container, substantially overlapped one to each other, are also overlapped to the afore said slit of the supporting element and for disengaging the container from the supporting element allowing its release from the afore said compartment when the afore said first and second openings of the container are not overlapped.

Preferably, said combining means comprise at least one jutting element combined with said container, outwardly protruding from said first side wall, more preferably at an end portion thereof, and at least one respective rail for said jutting element combined with said supporting element inside said compartment.

Said rail preferably comprises a straight length and a preferably semicircular arched length, both consecutive and arranged on planes one perpendicular to each other.

The present coin box assembly preferably comprises a centering element in which said rail is arranged, preferably obtained.

Said centering element is preferably a cylindrical sleeve, integral with the supporting element and arranged within the afore said compartment.

Preferably, the afore said preventing means comprise a pair of concentric elements, axially constrained, whose a first outer element is integral with said first side wall of the container, and a second inner element is integral with said second side wall of the container.

Said container preferably contains a double bottom, that is a bottom wall comprised between the afore said opposite head walls, integral with the afore said second side wall and combined with the afore said preventing means, specifically the afore said second inner element of the preventing means.

Preferably the afore said deactivating element combined with the supporting element is arranged in opposite, centered position with respect to the opening of the afore said compartment, and preferably it is still integral with the afore said centering element.

Preferably the afore said deactivating element is a mechanical or electronic key, and the afore said preventing means comprise a lock, adapted to be unlocked by said key, advantageously arranged centrally in a head wall of the container.

Advantageously a known type of coin counter device can be combined with the coin box assembly according to the invention, able to count the coins and recognize the type of inserted coin, for example of optical read or weigh detection , type.

Substantially, the present invention provides a coin box assembly comprising a coin container which, housed in the supporting element, collects the coins inserted into the apparatus or device in which the coin box assembly is used, due to the overlapping of the two openings of the container onto the slit of the supporting element, and which remains closed, once removed from the supporting element, in practice like a shaker, by having the respective openings of the first and second side walls not overlapped, thereby keeping the contained coins, avoiding an accidental coins loss as well as preventing a free access, that is an unauthorized access, to it.

Switching from the opened container configuration, housed in the compartment of the supporting element, to the closed container configuration removed from said compartment, and vice versa, is obtained by means of two consecutive movements of rotation and extraction, and respectively of insertion and rotation, of the container from or into the compartment of the supporting element, a kind of bayonet base, the combined movements nullifying or determining the axial constrain between container and supporting element, and activating or deactivating said preventing means.

Of course the coins inside the closed container and removed from the supporting element can be recovered, if needed, by authorized personnel, by using a deactivating element of the above considered type, for example a second key.

Further characteristics and advantages of the present invention will be more evident from a review of the following specification of a preferred, but not exclusive, embodiment, shown for illustration purposes only and without limitation, with the aid of the attached drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

Figure 1 shows a perspective and partially cut-away view of a coin box assembly comprising a supporting element intended to be combined with a coin - operated apparatus or device and a coin container housed in the supporting element according to with the present invention;

Figure 2 shows a perspective and partially cut-away view of the coin box assembly of figure 1 with the container removed from the supporting element;

Figure 3 shows an exploded view of the coin box assembly of figure 1 ;

Figures 4a, 4b and 4c show the supporting element of the coin box assembly of figure 1 respectively according to a top, anterior front and sectional view along the plane A-A of figure 4b; Figures 5a-5d show the container of the coin box assembly of figure 1 respectively according to a top, anterior front, posterior front and sectional view along the plane A-A of figure 5a.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to the afore said figures a coin box assembly for coin - operated apparatuses and devices of the type intended, for example, for public places such as bars, offices, stations, laundries, video arcades and the like according to the present invention is indicated as a whole with numeral 1.

The coin box assembly 1 essentially comprises a supporting element 2 adapted to be attached to the coin - operated apparatus or device, such as a beverage or snack dispenser, a video game, a slot machine, a billiard or also a time washing or drying device and the like, and a coin container 3.

The container 3 and the supporting element 2 can be removably combined, as illustrated in the examples of figures 1 and 2, wherein the container 3 is shown inserted into the supporting element 2 and taken out respectively from the supporting element 2.

In detail, the supporting element 2, practically a box-like body advantageously made of heavy metal sheet, comprises a compartment 4 for accommodating the container 3, opened outwardly, and a coin slit 5 opened on the compartment 4.

The container 3 inserted within the supporting element 2 is at least partly housed within the compartment 4 and it is adapted to rotate within the supporting element 2 as it will be become more evident in the following.

In particular, the container 3 comprises a cylindrical body having opposite head walls 6, 7, a first side wall 8 extended between the head walls 6, 7 provided with a first opening 9, and a second side wall 10 provided with a second opening 1 1.

The second side wall 10, with limited length with respect to the first side wall 8, is extended inwardly the container 3 in a position adjoining with the first side wall 8 to which it is axially constrained.

The first and second side walls 8, 10 of the container 3 are adapted for a mutually relative rotation between a first position wherein the respective first and second openings 9, 1 1 are substantially overlapped and a second position wherein they are not overlapped and they are preferably facing one to another, that is 180° apart.

In accordance to the invention, the relative rotation between the first side wall 8 and the second side wall 10 of the container 3 can be allowed or not, and in this regard the container 3 comprises means for preventing such relative rotation, indicated as a whole with numeral 12, which can be active or inactive and in particular deactivated by a deactivating element 13 provided in the present coin box assembly and combined with the supporting element 2, in particular provided integral with the supporting element 2.

In accordance to the examples of the figures, the preventing means 12 consist in a lock and the deactivating element in a respective key for the lock, both being able to be of electronic type or mechanical type as shown in the drawings.

In detail, the preventing means 12, that is the lock, comprise a pair of axially constrained and concentric elements, whose a first outer element 14 is integral with the first side wall 8 of the container 3, and a second inner element 15 is integral with the second side wall 10 of the same container 3, which can rotate one relative to each other when unlocked by the deactivating means, i.e. by the key for which a respective seat 16 is provided, and to which on the contrary they are integral in rotation when the key is not inserted into such a seat 16.

In particular, the second side wall 10 of the container 3 e made integral with the preventing means 12 by a double bottom, i.e. by a bottom wall 17 from where the second side wall 10 rises, which is constrained to the second inner element 15 of the lock via an attaching element 15a.

As regard to the removable combining between the supporting element 2 and the container 3, it has to be said that the present coin box assembly comprises respective combining means, indicated as a whole with numeral 18, which in accordance with the invention allow to retain the container 3 in the compartment 4, axially constraining it to the supporting element 2 when the first and second openings 9, 1 1 of the container overlapped one to each other are aligned or better overlapped also to the slit 5 of the supporting element 2, and allow to disengage the container 3 from the supporting element 2, allowing its release from the compartment 4 when the first and second openings 9, 1 1 of the container 3 are not overlapped.

According to the examples shown in figures, the combining means 18 comprise a jutting element 19 combined with the container 3, in particular integral with, and outwardly protruding from, the first side wall 8 of the container 3, advantageously at an end portion thereof, and a rail or guide 20 for the jutting element 19, combined with the supporting element 2 inside the compartment 4.

Still according to the invention, the rail 20 comprises a straight length 21 and an arched length 22 consecutive and arranged on planes substantially one perpendicular to each other. The arched length 22 has an extension depending from the position of the first and second openings of the container 3 when the preventing means 12 of the relative rotation between the two side walls are active and therefore, in accordance with a preferred embodiment such as the shown embodiment, corresponds to a length of 180°.

In accordance with the examples of the figures, the present coin box assembly also comprises a centering element 23, in which the rail 20 is arranged, and specifically obtained, which advantageously consists in an essentially cylindrical sleeve, integral with the supporting element 2 and arranged in the compartment 4.

As shown in the examples of the figures, obtaining an annular throat 24 circumferentially extended inwardly to the centering element 23, and comprising a pair of limit elements 25, arranged in accordance with what above considered, i.e. depending on the relative position of the container openings with active preventing means, can be preferable to save on manufacturing costs.

In the case shown in the drawings a first limit element 25 is arranged in the annular throat 24 in proximity of the straight length 21 of the rail 20, and a second limit element 25 is arranged in the annular throat in a position substantially facing to the first element 25, such that the annular throat 24 can be slidingly engaged by the jutting element 19, within the limits of a length essentially corresponding to the semi- circumference of the annular throat itself, that is to say in this case the arched length 22.

It also has to be said that the deactivating element 13, thus the key associated to the supporting element 2, is arranged in a position opposite to the opening of the compartment 4, in a centered position, and advantageously it is integral with the centering element 23, while the preventing means 12 of the relative rotation of the side walls of the container 3, hence the lock, are advantageously arranged centrally in the head 6 and bottom wall 17 of the container 3.

Therefore the container 3 closed can be housed in the compartment 4, that is to say with the first 9 and second 1 1 openings not overlapped, by following, due to the jutting element 19 laterally protruding from the container, the straight length 21 of the rail 20 and thus inserting the deactivating element 13 into the container, with subsequent deactivation of the preventing means 12, and then it is possible to rotate the container in the same compartment, by following the guide of the arched length 22 of the rail 20, thus realizing the axial combining between the supporting element 2 and the container 3, the first and second openings overlapping at the limit, thus opening the container, and with further overlapping of the two overlapped openings of the container to the slit of the supporting element.

Reverse movements with respect to those above considered on the contrary will allow removing the container from the supporting element, by disengaging it from the axial constraint and bringing the first and second openings in not-overlapped positions.

Therefore the closed container could be taken out from the supporting element, without any accidental loss of coins and without the possibility of unwanted subtraction of coins from the container.

The coins can however still be recovered from the container by having further means available for deactivating the means for preventing the relative rotation of the side walls of the container, for example a second key at authorized personnel disposal.

Alternatively, the container of the present coin box assembly can be provided with a door that can be opened, the latter being provided with respective closing means, such as for example a second lock, this embodiment not being shown in figures.

Again, as regard to the container 3, the examples in the drawings show a preferred embodiment wherein a handle 26 is shown advantageously arranged opposite to the preventing means 12, for grasping and carrying the container.

Then it also has to be added that the container and particularly the first side wall is formed by two portions made integral.

Substantially the container 3 comprises a first portion 27, provided with the afore said first opening 9, and a second portion 28, each one cylindrical and having an end closed by a respective head wall and an open end.

Inside the first portion 27 a third portion 29 extends, substantially from the open end, which substantially comprises the second side wall 10 of the container and the double bottom wall or bottom wall 17.

The advantages of the present invention, already evident throughout the above reported description, can be underlined by remembering that the present coin box assembly, due to the closed container that can be removed from the supporting element, allows the access to the coins contained therein only to authorized personnel, avoiding both a possible accidental coins loss, and a possible robbery thereof.

Moreover, due to the container removable from the supporting element, the operations of emptying from the coins and maintenance of the coin box assembly and of the apparatus or device wherein it is used are advantageously sped up.

Also the passage from closed container to opened container is made particularly fast, easy and safe.

A person skilled of the art may make various changes to the present invention, in the illustrated and described embodiments, to satisfy contingent and specific requirements, on the other hand all contained in the protection scope of the invention as defined in the following claims.

Claims

1. Coin box assembly (1 ) comprising a supporting element (2) adapted to be attached to a coin-operated apparatus or device and a coin container (3) removably combined to said supporting element (2), wherein the supporting element (2) is provided with a compartment (4) opened outwardly and a slit (5) for coins opened on said compartment (4), wherein said container (3) is at least partly housed in said compartment (4) and it is adapted to rotate within the supporting element, said container (3) comprising a cylindrical body provided with opposite head walls (6, 7), a first side wall (8) extended between said head walls (6, 7) provided with a first opening (9) and a second side wall (10) provided with a second opening (1 1 ), wherein said second side wall (10) is internal and adjoining with said first side wall (8), wherein the first and second side walls (8, 10) are axially constrained and adapted to a rotation one relative to each other between a first position, wherein said first and second openings (9, 1 ) are substantially overlapped, and a second position wherein they are not overlapped, said container (3) further comprising means (12) for preventing said relative rotation, and wherein said coin box assembly comprises a deactivating element (13) of said preventing means (12) combined with said supporting element (2) and means (18) for combining said container (3) with said supporting element (2) for retaining the container in said compartment (4) by axially constraining it to the supporting element (2) when said first and second openings of the container (3) substantially overlapped one to each other are further overlapped to said slit (5) and for disengaging the container (3) from the supporting element (2) allowing its release from said compartment (4) when said first and second openings (9, 1 1 ) of the container (3) are not overlapped.

2. Coin box assembly according to claim 1 , wherein said combining means (18) comprise at least one jutting element (19) combined to said container (3), outwardly protruding from said first side wall (8) and at least one guide rail (20) of said jutting element (19) combined with said supporting element (2) inside said compartment (4).

3. Coin box assembly according to claim 2, wherein said rail (20) comprises a straight length (21 ) and an arched length (22) consecutive and arranged on planes substantially one perpendicular to each other.

4. Coin box assembly according to claim 2 or 3, further comprising a centering element (23) integral with said supporting element (2) and arranged in said compartment (4) in which said rail is arranged, preferably obtained.

5. Coin box assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said container (3) comprises a bottom wall (17) comprised between said head walls (6, 7), integral with said second side wall (10) and combined with said preventing means (12).

6. Coin box assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said deactivating element (13) is arranged in a position opposite to the opening of said compartment and it is integral with said supporting element (2).

7. Coin box assembly according to any one of the claims 4-6, wherein said deactivating element (13) is integral with said centering element (23).

8. Coin box assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said deactivating element (13) is a mechanical or electronic key, and said preventing means (12) comprise a lock adapted to be unlocked by said key.

9. Coin box assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said preventing means (12) comprise a pair of concentric elements, axially constrained, whose a first outer element (14) is integral with said first side wall (8) of the container (3), and a second inner element (15) is integral with said second side wall (10) of the container (3).

10. Coin box assembly according to claim 9, wherein said second element (15) is integral with said bottom wall (17).