JP2701504B2 - Coin sorting device with coin lift mechanism - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to a coin sorter used for a vending machine or the like, and more specifically, a coin dispensed from a coin dispenser of a coin sorter is moved upward. The present invention relates to an improvement in a coin sorting device provided with a coin lift mechanism that lifts up a coin return port that is arranged.

[Conventional technology]

2. Description of the Related Art In a vending machine or the like, a coin sorting device capable of sorting input coins and storing the coins for each denomination is incorporated in order to judge whether coins are inserted or not and pay out change. In this coin sorting apparatus, the movement of the inserted coin inside uses its own weight, and therefore, the coin is configured to move from the upper end to the lower end. To this end, the coin slot is necessarily set at the highest position of the device, whereas the coin return port is set at the lowest position of the device.

[Problems to be solved by the invention]

In a vending machine or the like incorporating a coin sorting device of this configuration, there is a height difference between a coin insertion slot and a coin return slot, and both of them are set to the same height which is convenient for a product purchaser. Can not do. Therefore, the applicant uses a coin lift mechanism that forcibly lifts the coin dispensed from the coin dispensing section of the coin sorting device to the upper position, and sets the coin return port to the same height as the coin insertion port. A device having a structure capable of being set at a position is proposed.

Here, from the coin slot, by mischief etc.
There is a possibility that foreign objects such as clips and insect pins other than coins may be inserted. Since such foreign matter is small, it is not detected by the sensor for discriminating the authenticity of the coin, and enters the coin lift mechanism side via the slag chute. The coin lift mechanism is provided with a driving member such as a coin hopper that discharges the dispensed coins one by one and a coin transport belt that extends vertically, and small foreign matter such as a clip is provided in a gap between these driving portions. There is a high risk of infiltration and clogging. When such a small foreign matter is clogged, the proper operation of the driving part thereof is hindered, and the return coin may not be conveyed.

In view of this point, an object of the present invention is to prevent foreign matter inserted from a coin insertion slot from entering the coin lift mechanism.

[Means for solving the problem]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, in the coin sorting device with a coin lift mechanism of the present invention, a foreign matter collecting means for collecting foreign matter other than coins paid out from a coin payout port is arranged.

Here, in a type in which the coin lift mechanism is provided with a coin hopper disposed below the coin outlet and configured to receive the dropped coins discharged from the coin outlet by the coin hopper, The above foreign matter collecting means can be constituted by vibrating means for applying vibration to the coin hopper, and a dust box disposed below the coin hopper and communicating with the inside of the coin hopper.

Further, the foreign matter collecting means is provided with a dust box disposed below the coin payout slot, and when foreign matter falls from the slag chute in the standby state, guides the foreign matter to the dust box side, and the coin sensor detects that the inserted coin is a fake coin. If it is determined that the coin is a coin, the coin switching mechanism may be configured to guide the coin toward the coin lift mechanism.

[Action]

In the coin sorting device with a coin lift mechanism of the present invention, foreign matters other than coins in the expenditures paid out from the coin payout port are collected by the foreign matter collection means. Therefore, it is possible to prevent foreign matter from entering the coin lift mechanism.

Further, in the apparatus provided with the foreign matter collecting means constituted by the vibrating means of the coin hopper and the dust box, the foreign matter discharged from the coin payout port and dropped into the coin hopper is vibrated by the vibrating means. By
The coin is separated from the coin in the coin hopper, and is shaken down into the dust box through a communication port with a dust box formed at the lower end thereof, and is collected therein. Therefore, the coin is not discharged from the coin hopper to the coin lifting means together with the coin.

Further, in the apparatus provided with the foreign matter collecting means constituted by the passage switching means and the dust box, the passage switching means is switched to the dust box side in the standby state, the foreign matter is collected in the dust box, and the coin sensor Only coins determined to be counterfeit coins are sent to the coin lift mechanism. Therefore, it is possible to prevent foreign matter that cannot be detected by the coin sensor from entering the coin lift mechanism.

〔Example〕

 An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

First Embodiment FIGS. 1 to 3 show a coin sorting apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

First, the overall configuration of the coin sorting apparatus of the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. As shown in FIG. 1, the coin sorting apparatus 1 of this embodiment includes a vertically long rectangular parallelepiped apparatus main body 2 and a coin lift mechanism 3 attached to one side of the main body 2. A coin receiving slot 2a is formed on the upper end surface of the apparatus main body 2, and a coin dropping port 4a of a chute 4 for a coin to be inserted extending vertically is opened directly above the coin receiving slot 2a.
The coin receiving slot 4b at the upper end of the inserted coin chute 4 is oriented substantially in the horizontal direction, and the receiving slot 4b is connected to a coin insertion slot 5 which allows coins to be inserted in a state where coins are tilted in the horizontal direction. On the other hand, at the upper end of the coin lift mechanism 3, a coin return port 6 is provided.
The return port 6 is provided with the coin input port 5 described above.
It is set to almost the same height as.

Inside the apparatus main body 2, a coin passage is formed for rolling coins introduced through a coin receiving port 2a formed on the upper end face downward by its own weight, and in the middle of this coin passage, Checking mechanism 21 that discriminates between true and false coins and denominations
Further, a sorting mechanism 22 for sorting coins based on the check result by the check mechanism is arranged. The coins sorted by the sorting mechanism 22 are stored in a coin storage section 23 arranged below the coins. Coin compartment 23
Is provided with a coin storage cylinder for each denomination, and inserted coins are stored in a coin storage cylinder of a corresponding denomination and held therein. Further, a slag chute 24 is arranged on the coin storage unit 23 side of the coin lift mechanism 3, and the coins and the coins which have been determined to be improper coins (sham coins, deformed coins) by the coin check mechanism 21. Foreign substances such as clips and insect pins that are not detected by the mechanism 21 are dropped into the slag chute 24 by the distribution mechanism 22. A coin payout mechanism 25 is attached to a lower end of the coin storage unit 23, and coins stored in the coin storage unit are selectively discharged downward by the coin payout mechanism. The lower end opening of the slag chute 24 communicates with a coin payout port 25a of the coin payout mechanism 25, and the payout port 25a is
Is formed on the lower end surface of.

FIG. 2 schematically shows the internal structure of the coin lift mechanism 3 described above. As shown in the figure, the coin lift mechanism 3
Is a coin hopper 7 disposed immediately below the coin payout port 25a.
And a coin transport belt portion 8 arranged substantially vertically.

Next, the structure of the coin hopper 7 will be described with reference to FIG. The coin hopper portion 7 has an inverted triangular housing 71 whose cross section is sandwiched toward the lower end, and an upper end opening 711 of the housing 71 is located immediately below the coin outlet 25a. On the back side inclined wall 712 at the upper end opening 711, a rotating disk 72 inclined to be located in the same plane as the inclined wall is installed rotatably, and the outer periphery of the rotating disk 72 Except for this, it is surrounded by an annular inner peripheral wall 716 having a diameter slightly larger than this disk. On the back side of the rotating disk, a motor (not shown) for rotating the rotating disk is arranged. On the surface of the rotating disk, arc-shaped projections 72a are formed at three locations at equal angular intervals in the circumferential direction.

The annular inner peripheral wall 716 surrounding the rotating disk 72 has a coin discharging port (not shown) directed in a tangential direction of the rotating disk formed at a portion on the coin transport belt portion 8 side. The discharged coin is communicated with a coin passage 75 for guiding the discharged coin to the lower end side of the coin transport belt portion 8. Rotating disk
Above the surface of 72, guide members 76 arranged in a radial direction for guiding coins toward the coin outlet are arranged.

Here, on the lower end side of the rotating disk 72, a diaphragm 721 having a substantially L-shaped cross section facing the outer peripheral surface and the surface side of the disk is disposed, and the diaphragm 721 is integrally formed with the housing 711. It is on the support part 711a, and one side is
It is supported on the side of the housing 711 via a coil spring 722, whereby it can vibrate in the direction indicated by the arrow in FIG. On the surface of the diaphragm 721 on which the outer peripheral surface of the rotating disk is desired, a projection 723 protruding toward the outer peripheral surface is formed. Also, projections 72b are formed on the outer peripheral surface of the rotating disk 72, and these projections are formed so that the rotating disk rotates while causing the projections 72b on the outer peripheral surface to collide with the projections 723 on the diaphragm side. The protrusion amounts of 72b and 723 are set. Next, a dust box 725 is provided below the coin hopper 7.
Is installed. Top opening 72 of this dust box
Reference numeral 6 is located immediately below a gap 731 between the rotating disk 72 and the diaphragm 721.

On the other hand, on the side of the coin transport belt portion 8, a drive pulley 82 and a driven pulley 83 are disposed at the lower end and the upper end in a vertically elongated housing 81, and a coin transport belt 84 is interposed therebetween. It is spanned. At the lower end of the coin conveying surface 84a of the belt 84, a coin receiving port 81a communicating with the coin passage 75 on the side of the coin hopper portion 7 is opened, and coins entering from the coin receiving surface 81a are spaced at a predetermined interval on the surface of the belt. The coins are engaged with the coin engaging projections 84b formed in the above, and are conveyed upward.

In the apparatus 1 of the present embodiment configured as described above, the coin CN dropped from the coin outlet 25a at the lower end of the apparatus main body 2 falls on the rotating disk 72 of the coin hopper 7, and is rotated by the rotating disk. A centrifugal force is applied, and thereafter, the coins are discharged one by one into coin passages 75 from coin discharge ports (not shown) opened in an annular outer peripheral wall 716 surrounding the outer periphery. The coin is sent to the coin transport belt section 8 side through the coin passage 75 and the coin receiving port 81a, lifted up to the upper end by the transport belt 84, and returned to the outside from the coin return port 6.

Here, when small foreign matters, such as clips and insect pins, which are not in the shape of a coin, such as clips and insect pins, are inserted from the coin insertion slot 5, these foreign substances pass through the slag chute 24 and pass through the coin outlet 25a to the coin hopper portion. 7 falls on the rotating disk 72. The rotating disk 72 has a protrusion 72b on the outer periphery of the rotating disk 72,
The vibrating plate 721 rotates while repeatedly colliding with the projections 723. As a result, due to the vibration applied to the rotating disk, the small foreign matter that has fallen on the rotating disk 72 is shaken downward and falls onto the vibration plate 721. This diaphragm 721
Are supported by a coil spring 722, and are vibrated left and right each time a projection on the side of the rotating disk collides. Therefore, the foreign matter that has fallen on this falls from the diaphragm through the gap 731 between the plate and the outer peripheral surface of the rotating disk. That is, the upper end opening 726 of the dust box 725
From this box.

As described above, in the apparatus of this example, even if a foreign object such as a clip or an insect pin is thrown into the apparatus,
These foreign matters fall from the coin payout port into the coin hopper, are shaken off from the coin hopper portion to the dust box side by the vibration of the rotating disk and the diaphragm, and are collected in the box. Therefore, it is possible to avoid adverse effects due to foreign matter intrusion, such as a situation in which foreign matter that has been thrown in becomes clogged between the rotating disk and its outer peripheral wall, making it impossible to rotate the rotating disk. Further, it is possible to prevent foreign matter from entering the coin transport belt 84 side.

Second Embodiment With reference to FIGS. 4 and 5, a coin sorting apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention will be described.

The basic configuration of the coin sorting apparatus 91 of the present embodiment is the same as that of the above-described first embodiment, and the corresponding parts are denoted by the same reference numerals and description thereof will be omitted. In the coin lift mechanism 3 of the apparatus 91 of the present embodiment, a return coin chute 92 for guiding the coin dropped from the coin payout port 25a to the coin transport belt portion 8 by using its own weight is used instead of the coin hopper portion. It is installed in.

As can be seen from FIG. 5, the returned coin chute 92
The upper end opening 921 is located immediately below the coin outlet 25a, and is set to have a size corresponding to the coin outlet 25a. Side walls 922 and 923 defining the upper end opening of the chute are sandwiched downward, and a coin passage bottom wall 924 connecting them is formed at their lower ends. The wall 924 is inclined toward the lower end side of the coin transport belt portion 8. The lower end of the return coin chute 92 partitioned in this way communicates with a coin receiving port 81a opened in the housing 81 of the coin transport belt.

Here, a switching plate 93 is disposed at the upper end opening 921 of the chute located immediately below the coin payout port 25a. The switching plate 93 is disposed at a position directly below the lower end opening of the slag chute 24, and, with its lower end rotation shaft 931 as a center, the first position shown by a solid line in FIG. Supported to be switchable to a second position aligned with the front side wall 922. The lower end rotation shaft 931 is connected at its end to an operating rod 95a of a solenoid 95 via a link mechanism 94. When the solenoid is off, the switching plate is set at the first position, and In the state, it can be switched to the second position.

On the other hand, a dust box 96 is attached to the front side wall 922 of the returned coin chute 92. Switching plate 93 above
An opening 961 of a size corresponding to the switching plate 93 is cut out from a side wall portion of the dust box 96 facing the dust box 96. From the lower end of the opening 961, an inclined wall 962 inclined downward in the dust box 96 is formed. Is continuous.

Here, in the check mechanism 21 of the apparatus main body 2, a coin sensor for discriminating the authenticity and the denomination of a coin is arranged, but small foreign matters such as a clip different from the coin shape, an insect pin and the like. Cannot be detected by this coin sensor. Therefore, in the standby state, the solenoid 95 is turned off, the switching plate 93 is switched to the first position, and the above-described foreign matter is guided to the dust box 96. Also, coin storage
When the coin stored in 23 is paid out, this coin is guided to the coin receiving port 81a without passing through the switching plate 93.

In the apparatus of the present embodiment configured as described above, when it is determined by the coin sensor that a counterfeit coin has been inserted, the solenoid 95 is turned on, and the switching plate 93 is turned on by the second dashed line in FIG. Switch to position. In this state, the opening 961 of the dust box 96 is closed by the switching plate 93 at the second position. Therefore, the coin (fake coin) dropped via the slag chute 24 is guided to the return coin chute 92 side and sent to the coin transport belt section 8 side. On the other hand, in a standby state before coin insertion, the solenoid 95 is turned off, so that the switching plate 93 is held at the first position, the opening 961 of the dust box 96 is opened, and the slag chute 24 is opened. A passage to the slag box 96 is formed in a portion directly below the slag box 96. Therefore, a foreign object, such as an insect pin or a clip, that has fallen through the slag chute 24 and is not detected by the coin sensor is guided by the switching plate 93 and is collected therein through the opening 961 of the dust box. As described above, in this example, the foreign matter is collected in the dust box by the switching operation of the switching plate, so that the foreign matter does not enter the coin transport belt portion 8 side.

〔The invention's effect〕

As described above, in the coin sorting device with the coin lift mechanism of the present invention, foreign matter other than coins in the expenditures paid out from the coin payout port is collected by the foreign matter collection means. Therefore, it is possible to prevent foreign matter from entering the coin lift mechanism.

In the invention of claim 1, the foreign matter is guided to the coin hopper through the slag chute. However, since the coin hopper is vibrated by the vibrating means, small foreign matter such as a clip which is easily caught at the branch portion on the lower end side of the coin hopper is removed. This can be quickly and reliably stored in the dust box by shaking off. For this reason, it is possible to eliminate the danger of small foreign matter being drawn into the coin lifting means when paying change coins, and to reliably prevent foreign matter from entering the coin lifting means.

Furthermore, in the invention according to claim 2, small foreign matter such as a clip which is not involved in the detection by the coin sensor is guided to the dust box from the coin payout port via the slag chute. It is possible to eliminate the danger of getting caught in the side, and it is possible to reliably prevent foreign matter from entering the coin lift means side. If the coin sensor determines that the coin is a fake coin, the fake coin that has appeared at the coin payout port through the slag chute by the passage switching means is guided to the coin lift mechanism, and can be returned to the coin return port.

[Brief description of the drawings]

1 is a perspective view showing the appearance of a device according to a first embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the internal structure of a coin lift mechanism of the device shown in FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is the device shown in FIG. FIG. 4 is an enlarged partial perspective view showing a part of the foreign matter collecting mechanism, FIG. 4 is an external perspective view showing an apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 5 is a foreign matter collecting mechanism of the apparatus shown in FIG. FIG. 4 is a partial perspective view showing an enlarged portion of FIG. [Description of Signs] 1... Coin sorting apparatus, 2... Apparatus main body, 3... Coin lift mechanism, 4... Chute for inserted coins, 5... Coin inlet, 6. ... Coin hopper, 8 ... Coin transport belt part, 25a ... Coin payout port, 721 ... Vibration plate, 722 ... Coil spring, 72b, 723 ... Protrusion, 725 ... Dust box, 91 ... Coin sorting device , 92 ... Returned coin chute, 93 ... Switching plate, 95 ... Solenoid, 96 ... Dust box, 961 ... Opening.

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A coin slot, a check means for discriminating the authenticity and denomination of a coin inserted from the coin slot, and a coin inserted for each denomination based on a check result by the check means. Coin storage means for sorting and storing, a slag chute into which coins determined to be counterfeit by the check means are inserted, and a coin payout from the coin storage means and a payout port of coins paid out through the slag chute. When,
A coin return port located above the coin payout port,
A coin lift mechanism for transporting the coins paid out from the coin payout port to the coin return port, and a foreign matter collecting means for collecting foreign matter other than the coins paid out and falling from the coin payout port; In the coin sorter with a mechanism, the coin lift mechanism is arranged vertically with a coin hopper disposed below the coin payout port, receives coins discharged from the coin hopper at a lower end position, and returns the coin. A coin lifter that conveys the coin to the mouth, the foreign matter collecting unit includes a dust box, and a vibrating unit that applies vibration to the coin hopper, and an upper end side of the dust box is a lower end side inside the coin hopper. A coin sorting device with a coin lift mechanism, which is in communication with a coin. 2. A coin slot, a check means for discriminating the authenticity and denomination of a coin inserted from the coin slot, and a coin inserted for each denomination based on a check result by the check means. Coin storage means for sorting and storing, a slag chute into which coins determined to be counterfeit by the check means are inserted, and a coin payout from the coin storage means and a payout port of coins paid out through the slag chute. When,
A coin return port located above the coin payout port,
A coin lift mechanism for transporting the coins paid out from the coin payout port to the coin return port, and a foreign matter collecting means for collecting foreign matter other than the coins paid out and falling from the coin payout port; In the coin sorting apparatus with a mechanism, the check means includes a coin sensor for determining whether the inserted coin is true or false, and the foreign matter collecting means includes a dust box disposed below the coin payout port, and a standby state. When a foreign object falls from the slag chute, the foreign object is guided to the dust box side, and when the coin sensor determines that the inserted coin is a fake coin, the foreign object is moved to the side of the coin lift mechanism. And a passage switching means for guiding the coin to a coin.