GB2230635A

GB2230635A - Automatic fare dispensing machine

Info

Publication number: GB2230635A
Application number: GB8908552A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Kazuo Fuse; Yoshiaki Uematsu
Original assignee: Sanyo Electric Co Ltd; Sanyo Denki Seisakusho KK
Current assignee: Sanyo Electric Co Ltd; Lecip Corp
Priority date: 1989-04-14
Filing date: 1989-04-14
Publication date: 1990-10-24
Anticipated expiration: 2009-04-14
Also published as: JP2680457B2; AU4595189A; JPH02273887A; GB2230635B; AU628436B2; GB8908552D0

Abstract

An automatic fare dispensing machine, suitable for use in a fare payment systems for a public transport bus, comprises a card processor (30) for processing a prepaid card (11) introduced from an inlet slit (23) the processor including a card drive mechanism (36) for driving the card from the inlet slit (23) towards a first outlet slit (24) of the machine, and a voucher dispensing mechanism (40) associated with the card processor (30) for making out a voucher (12) if the card is valid. The voucher dispensing mechanism includes a first voucher drive mechanism (410) for driving the voucher towards a delivery station (D) where a second voucher drive mechanism (43) is arranged above and in parallel with the path of the card to receive the voucher thereon and transfer it towards a second outlet slit (25). <IMAGE>

Description

TITLE: AUTOMATIC FARE ADJUSTMENT MACHINE DESCRIPTION: The present invention relates to a fare adjustment machine for se in payment systems of public transports such as buses, motorways or pay-parking, and more particularly, but not exclusively, to an automatic fare adjustment machine of the type which includes a card processor arranged to check the validity of an instrument of payment such as a prepaid card introduced thereinto and return it to the user through an outlet slit and a voucher dispensing mechanism associated with the card processor to make out a fare adjustment voucher if the instrument of payment is valid and deliver it to the user through another outlet slit at the same time when the instrument of payment is returned through the outlet slit.

In payment systms of public transports such as buses travelling on a regular route, there has been adapted a fare adjustmen machine in which a prepaid card is used as a ticket for are adjustment with a view to promoting the flow of pa3sengers when they get on or off.

A prepaid card of a fixed price can be used any number of times within the limit 0: its purchase price. The prepaid card for fare adjustment has, for example, a magnetic stripe in which the amount of prepaid money is magnetically recorded to be subtracted the fare therefrom. The fare adjustment machine is provided thereon with a display device for informing the fare adjustment contents of the user and the operator. A voucher dispensing machine has been also adapted to deliver a voucher, in place of a ticket, to a passenger who pays the fare in cash. In the case that there are passengers who use the p:epaid card for fare adjustment and passengers who pay the fare in cash, both the card processor and the voucher dispensing machine must be installed, but much difficulty is experienced in finding their location due to a limited space in a bus or similar vehicle.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an automat:c fare adjustment machine in which a card processor is arranged to check the validity of an instrument of payment such as a prepaid card introduced thereinto and return it to the user through an outlet slit, and in which a voucher dispensing mechanism is associated with the card processor to make out a fare adjustment voucher if the instrument of payment is valid and deliver it to the user through another outlet slit at the same time when the instrument of payment is returned to the user through the cutlet slit.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an automatic far adjustment machine in which the voucher dispensing mechanism is available to make out only a fare adjustment voucher and deliver it to a passenger who pays the flre in cash.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an automatic far2 adjustment machine in which the card processor and the voucher dispensing mechanism are assembled in a compact cDnstruction, According to th present invention there is provided an automatic fare adjustment machine having an inlet slit provided at oze side thereof and first and second outlet slits provided adjacent with each other at the other side thereof, shich fare adjustment machine comprises a card processor for processing an instrument of payment introduced thereinto from the inlet slit, the card processor including a card drive mechanism for driving the instrument 6 payment from the inlet slit towards the first outlet slit, and a voucher dispensing mechanism associated wit the card processor for making out a voucher if the instrument of payment is valid, the voucher dispensing mechanism including a first voucher drive mechanism for driving the voucher towards a delivery station where a second voucher drive mechanism is arranged above and in parallel with the path of the instrument of payment to receive the voucher thereon from the first voucher drive mechanism and transfer it towards the second outlet slit.

It is preferable that that the card processor further includes means for temporgrlly deactivating the card drive mechanism to retain the instrument of payment at the first outlet slit and for activating the card drive mechanism when the voucher is delivered through the second outlet slit, whereby the instrument of payment and the voucher are simultanously delivered from the fare adjustment machine.In 1 practical embodiment of the present invention, the first voucher drive mechanism is in the form of a verticaL drive belt conveyor arranged to transfer the voucher in An upright condition towards the delivery station, the seond voucher drive mechanism is in the form of a horizontal drive belt conveyor arranged to transfer the voucher in a flat condition towards the second outlet slit, and a turnover mechanism is arranged at the delivery station :o receive the voucher transferred thereto by means of the vertical drive belt conveyor and turn it in 1 flat condition.

It is also preferable that the second outlet slit is arranged above the first outlet slit so that the voucher is received on the instrument of payment when they are delivered from the fare adjustment machine.

DRAWINGS: For a better urderstanding of the present invent ion, and to show how the same may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a flock diagram of an automatic fare adjustment machine in accordance with the present invention; Figure 2 is a schematic illustration of an embodiment of the automatic fare adjustment machine; Figure 3A depicts an example of a prepaid card for fare adjustment; Figure 3B depicts an example of a voucher on which particulars of farl adjustment are printed; Figure 4 is a flow chart of a control program executed by a card processor shown in Figure 2; Figure 5 is a s::hematic illustration of another embodiment of the automatic fare adjustment machine; Figure 6A is a plan view schematically illustrating first and second voucher drive mechanisms; Figure 6B is a side view schematically illustrating the second voucher drive mechanism and a card drive mechanism associated therewith; Figure 7 is a psrspective view of a turnover mechanism arranged at a delivery station shown in Figure 6A; Figure 8 depict; a voucher turned in a flat condition at the delivery station; Figure 9A is a plan view of a practical embodiment of the automatic fare adjustment machine; Figure 9B is a left-hand side view of the fare adjustment machine shown in Figure 9A and Figure 9C is a right-hand side view of the fare adjustment machine shown in Figure 9A.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS: Referring now to the drawings, Figure 1 schematically illustrates an automatic fare adjustment machine 20 of the present invention adapted for use on a bus or similar vehicle. The fare adjustment machine 20 is equipped thereon with a fare information input device 21 and a display device 22. The input device 21 is in the form of a key board arranged to be manipulated by the operator or the passenger. As shown in Fig. 2, the fare adjustment machine 20 includes a card processor 30 for checking the validity of an instrument of payment in the form of a prepaid card 11 and a voucher dispensing mechanism 40 for making out a voucher 12 and for delivering it to the user at the same time when the prepaid card 11 is returned to the user.In operation, the fare information input device 21 is maniplulated by the operator to previousLy input a bus fare there into.

When introduced the prepaid card 11 thereinto, the card processor 30 acts to subtract the fare from the amount of money recorded in the prepaid card 11, and the display device 22 displays thereon the contents of the fare adjustment such as the fare, the remaining amount of money, the date, and the route number. Simultaneously, the voucher dispensing mechanism 40 operates to print the contents of the fare adjustment on a paper strip drawn out of a supply reel 41 and make Odt a voucher 12 from the paper strip. Thus, the prepaid card 11 and the voucher 12 are simultaneously delivered from the machine 20 respectively through two outlet slits 24 and 25.

As shown in Ficure 2, the card processor 30 comprises a first optoeZectronic card detector 31A arranged to detect the prepaid card 11 introduced into the machine 20 through an inlet slit 23, a second optoelectronic card detector 31B arranged to detect the prepaid card 11 when it has been transferred to the outlet slit 24, a magnetic reading head 32 arranged to read out a recorded information of the prepaid card 11, and a controller 33 in tte form of a microcomputer which is connected to the card detector 31 and to the reading head 32 through a read-out circuit 34 to temporarily memorize therein the read-ut information applied thereto from the reading head 32 through the read-out circuit 34 and compare the same with the fare information applied there to from the input device 21 for processing fare adjustment of the prepaid card 11. The controller 33 is further connected to the reading head 32 through a write-in circuit 35 to rewrite the recorded information of the prepaid card 11.

The card processor 30 further includes a card drive mechanism in the fDrm of a horizontal belt conveyor 36 which is driven by an electric motor (not shown) in response to an electric signal applied thereto from the first card detector 31A under control of the controller 33 to transfer the prepaid card 11 toward the outlet slit 24. In this embodiment, the card drive motor is temporarily deenergized in response to an electric signal applied thereto from the second card detector 31B under control of the controller 33 to retain the prepaid card 11 at the outlet slit 24.

The voucher dispensing mechanism 40 comprises a printing module 42 which is activated under control of the controller 33 to prirt the contents of the fare adjustment on the paper Strip drawn out of supply reel 41, and an electrically operated cutter 43 arranged to shear the printed paper into a predetermined length for making out a voucher 12.The voucher dispensing mechanism 40 further comprises a first voucher drive mechanism 410 in the forn of a vertical belt conveyor which is arranged to receive the voucher 12 from the cutter 43 and transfer i; to a delivery station D where a turnover mechanism 420 is provided to turn the voucher 12 in a flat condition, a second voucher drive mechanism 430 in the form of a horizontal belt conveyor which is arranged to receive the voucher 12 thereon at the delivery station D and transfer it toward the second outlet slit 25, and an o?toelectronic voucher detector 44 arranged to detect the voucher 12 when it is delivered into the second outlet slit 25. The first and second belt conveyors 410 and 430 are respectively driven by an electric motor (not shown).

In this embodirrent, the card drive motor is energized in response tc an electric signal applied thereto from the voucher detector 44 under control of the controller 33 to deliver the prepaid card 11 from the machine 20 through the first outlet slit 24 at the same time when the voucher 15 is delivered through the second outlet slit 25. As showy in Figure 3A, the amount of prepaid money is printed on the front surface of the card 11, and a magnetic stripe Ila is formed on the back surface of the card 11 to magnetically record the remaining amount of money therein. As shown in Figure 3B, the contents of the are adjustment are printed on the voucher 12.

Hereinafter, tha function of the card processor 30 will be described morz specifically with reference to the flow chart shown in Figure 4. In operation, the controller 33 determines at step S1 as to whether or not a fare information has bten input, and if not, it determines at step S2 as to whether or not the prepaid card 11 has been intruduced into the inlet slit 23 of machine 20. If the answer is "Yes" at step S2, the card drive motor is energized in response to an electric signal from the first card detector 31 under control of the controller 33 to drive the belt conveyor 36 towards the magnetic reading head 32.At step S3, the controller 33 reads out the recorded information of card 11 and causes the program to proceed to step S4 where the controller 33 is applies with an input signal indicative of the fare adjustment information. At the following step S5, the controller 33 executes processing of the fare adjustment and causes the program to proceed to step S6 where the controller 33 rewrites the recorded information of card 11 to verify the rewritten information at step S7. Thereafter, the prepaid card 11 is transferred by movement of the belt conveyor 36 toward the outlet slit 24, and he card drive motor is temporarily deenergized under control of the controller 33 to retain the prepaid card 11 at the outlet slit 24.

When the progran proceeds to step SB, the printing module 42 is activated under control of the controller 33 to print tne contents of fare adjustment on the paper strip, and subsequently the cutter 43 is activated under control of the controller 33 to shear the printed paper into the Fredetermined length for making out a fare adjustment voucher 12. In this instance, the voucher drive motors are energized under control of the controller 33 to transfer the fare adjustment voucher 12 toward the outlet slit 25 by means of the belt conveyors 410, 430 and the turnover mechanism 420 and to deliver it from the outlet slit 25. When the program proceeds to step S9, the card drive motor is energized in response to an electric signal from the voucher detector 44 under control of the controller 33 to deliver the prepaid card from the outlet slit 24 at the same time when the voucher 12 is delivered from thm outlet slit 25.

When the fare has been paid in cash, the controller 33 determines a "Yes" answer at step S1 and causes the program to proceed to step S10 where the printing module 42 is activated under control of the controller 33 to print tbe contents of fare adjustment on the paper strip drawn ou; of supply reel 41, and subsequently the cutter X3 is activated under control of the controller 33 to shear the printed paper in the predetermined length for making out a fare adjustment voucher 12.As the following step Sil, the voucher drive motors are energized under control of the controller 33 to transfer the fare adjustment voucher 12 toward the outlet slit 25 by means of the belt conveyors 410, 430 and the turnover mechanism 420 and to deliver it from the outlet slit 25.

Although in the embodiment of Figure 2, the paper strip drawn out of supply reel 41 is printed by the printing module 42 and is subsequently sheared by the cutter 43, the supply reel 41 may be replaced with a conventional paper supplier 41A as shown in Figure 5. In such a modification, thE cutter 43 is removed, and the paper supplier 41A is arranged to feed therefrom a blank paper one by one to the printing module 42 by way of an appropriate vertical be)t conveyor.

In Figures 6A ard 6Bt an arrangement of the first and second belt conveyors 410 and 430 is schematically illustrated in relation to an arrangement of the card drive mechanism 36. As shown in Figure 6A, the first belt conveyor (10 includes a vertical drive belt 411 supported by up:ight drive rollers 411a, 411b, 411c and a vertical counter belt 412 supported by upright rotatable rollers 412a, 212b, 412c. One of the drive rollers 411a, 411b, 411c is driven by an electric motor (not shown) to drive the belt 411 through the other drive rollers.Thus, the drives belt 411 cooperates with the counter belt 412 to clans the voucher 12 inserted therebetween from the cutter 42 and to transfer the same towards the delivery station D. The turnover mechanism 420 includes a tiltable guide plate 421 arranged in the path of the voucher 12, an electric motor 422 operatively connected to the guide Flate 421 by means of a crank member 423, and a flat support plate 424 arranged adjacent the guide plate 421.As clearly shown in Figure 7, the guide plate 421 tas a counter roller 425 rotatably mounted thereon and a vcucher detector 426 attached thereto for engagement vith the voucher 12 transferred from the drive belt 411, When the motor 422 is in a deactivated condition, the guide plate 421 is held in an upright position to receive the voucher 12 transferred from the drive belt 411. When the voucher 12 has been received by the guide plate 421, the motor 422 is energized in response to an electric signal from detector 426 under control of the controller 33 to turn the guide plate 421 on the flat support plate 424 as shown by imaginary lines in Figures 6B and 7.

The second belt conveyor 430 includes a horizontal drive belt 43L supported by lateral drive rollers 431a, 431b and a horizontal counter belt 432 supported by lateral rotatable rollers 432a, 432b. One of the drive rollers 431a, 431b is driven by an electric motor (not shown) to drive the belt 431 through the other drive roller. The drive belts 431, 432 are arranged above and in parallel with the card drive mechanism 36.

The support plate 424 has a drive roller 427 rotatably mounted thereon and driving connected to the drive roller 431a by means of a connecting belt 428. Thus, the drive belt 431 cooperates with the counter belt 432 to clamp the voucher 12 inerted therebetween from the flat support plate 424 and to deliver the same toward the outlet slit 25 of machire 20. In Figure 8 there is schematically illustratd the travelling path of the voucher 12 at the delivery station D.

The card drive mechanism 36 includes a horizontal drive belt 361 supported by a plurality of lateral drive rollers 35S, a horizontal counter belt 363 supported by a plurality of lateral rotatable rollers 364, an inclined drive belt 365 supported by a pair of spaced lateral drive rollers 366, and a pair of rotatable counter rollers 367 arranged to oppose the inclined drive belt 365. One of the lateral drive rollers 362 is driven by the card drive motor to drive the belt 361 through the other drive rollers, and the lower drive roller 366 is drivingly connected to the righthand drive roller 362 by means of a connecting beLt 368. Thus, the horizontal drive belt 361 cooperates with the counter belt 363 to transfer the prepaid carl 11 inserted therebetween at the inlet slit 23, and the inclined drive belt 365 cooperates with the counter rollers 367 to deliver the card 11 from the machine 20 through te outlet slit 24. As clearly shown in Figure 6B, the outlet slit 24 for the voucher 12 is arranged above the outlet slit 24 for the card 11.

In Figures 9A, 9B and 9C, there is illustrated a practical embodiment of the automatic fare adjustment machine 20, wherein the same component parts and portions as those in the above enbodiments are represented by the same reference numerals and characters.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. An automatic fare adjustment machine for use in payment systems of public transports, motorways, pay-parking or the like, the fare adjustment machine having an inlet slit provided at one side thereof and first and second outlet slits provided adjacent with each other at the other side thereof, comprising:: a card processor for processing an instrument of payment introduced thereinto from the inlet slit of the fare adjustment machine, said card processor including a card drive mechanism for driving the instrument of payment from the inlet slit towards the first outlet slit of the fare adjustment machine; and a voucher dispensing mechanism associated with said card processor for making out a voucher if the instrument of payment is valid, said voucher dispensing mechanism including a first voucher drive mechanism for driving the voucher towards a delivery station where a second voucher drive mechanism is arranged above and in parallel with the path cf the instrument of payment to receive the voucher thereon and transfer it towards the second outlet slit of tte fare adjustment machine.

2. An automatic fare adjustment machine as recited in Claim 1, wherein said card processor further includes means for temporarily deactivating said card drive mechanism to retain the instrument of payment at the first outlet slit and for activating said card drive mechanism when the voucher is delivered through the second outlet slit, whereby the instrument of payment and the voucher are Bimultaneously delivered from the fare adjustment machine.

3. An automats fare adjustment machine as recited in Claim 1, wherein said first voucher drive mechanism includes a vertical drive belt conveyor arranged to transfer the voucher in an upright condition towards the delivery station, and said second voucher drive mechanism includes a horizontal drive belt conveyor arranged to transfer the voucher in a flat condition towards the second outlet slit, and wherein a turnover mechanism is arranged at the delivery station to receive the voucher transferred thereto by means of said vertical drive belt conveyor and turn it in a flat condition.

4. An automatic fare adjustment machine as recited in Claim 1, wherein the second outlet slit is arranged above the first outlet slit so that the voucher is received on the instrument of payment when they are delivered from the fare adjustment machine.

5. An automatic fare adjustment machine substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as shown in, Figures 2 through 4 of the accompanying drawings.

6. An automati fare adjustment machine substantially as hereinbsfore described with reference to, and as shown in, Figure 5 of the accompanying drawings.

7. An automatic fare adjustment machine substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as shown in, Figures 9A through 9C of the accompanying drawings.