JP2839443B2 - Coin storage and release mechanism - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention is used in a vending machine such as an automatic payment machine for a railway or a ticket vending machine, and accepts coins, stores them for change, and uses the coins as change when necessary. The present invention relates to an improvement in a coin storing and discharging mechanism necessary for configuring a coin processing device for paying a coin.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In vending machines, etc., in order to collect fees,
It requires a coin handling device to accept coins and pay them out as change. This coin processor is for maintenance.
Also, they are usually unitized to provide versatility.
Such a coin processing device is also disclosed as a coin processing unit constituting the proposed device in, for example, a “ticket vending machine with a statement slip issuing function” proposed by the present applicant as Japanese Patent Application No. 6-58144. ing. The present invention relates to an improvement of a coin storing and discharging mechanism that is a part of such a coin processing apparatus, stores coins in a hopper, and discharges coins one by one as needed. Hereinafter, a conventional coin storage and release mechanism will be described together with an outline of a coin processing apparatus using the same.

First, an outline of a coin processing apparatus will be described. This type of coin processing apparatus (unit) is generally provided in a main body of a vending machine or the like together with a pair of money processing units, and other parts such as a vending machine are used. For example, it is housed together with a ticketing unit, a card processing unit, and the like. Figure 3 shows a ticket vending machine
FIG. 1 is a schematic sectional view showing an example (100) of a coin processing device in a state accommodated in (1). This figure mainly shows a portion showing the entrance and exit of coins and an internal path, and omits a well-known drive motor and an internal support structure.

[0004] The coin processing device is provided on a front operation surface (1) of a vending machine or the like.
A coin slot (1) opened to accept coins, etc.
b) and the coin return slot (1c), and the coin slot (1b)
A charging section (2) is provided at a position immediately following the opening. An insertion section (2) is provided behind the coin insertion slot (1b). A coin interval regulating mechanism (200) is arranged below the insertion section (2), and sends out coins inserted at a time at a fixed interval to a subsequent coin discriminator (3).

[0005] The coin discriminator (3) receives the incoming coins one by one, determines which type of coin is handled by the coin processing device (100), and then inserts the coin into the transport groove (4). And send it to the back. Distributing members (5A, 5B, 5C) corresponding to the types of coins are sequentially arranged on the path of the transport groove (4), and the receiving cylinder (6A, 6B , 6C). The sorting member (5A, 5B, 5C) is the coin discriminator (3)
The coin is determined according to the type of coin to be determined, and normally forms a part of the transport groove (4) and passes the coin as it is if there is no sorting command, but the coin of the corresponding type The pendulum operation (fine rotation) is performed by the distribution command sent in synchronization with the arrival of the coin, and the transport groove (4) is discontinued at this position, and coins are moved downward to the corresponding receiving cylinders (6A, 6B, 6C). )
Let fall inside. The coins fall as they are or are guided by guide members as appropriate, and accumulate in the respective coin storage / discharge mechanisms (300A, 300B, 300C) provided for each receiving cylinder. In addition, the transport groove (4) is further opened downward at the back and does not correspond to the sorting members (5A, 5B, 5C), and coins of a predetermined denomination that have passed as it is fall from the opening and fall into the receiving cylinder. After (6D), the coin is stored in the coin storing and discharging mechanism (300D).

[0006] The present invention relates to an improvement of the above coin storage / discharge mechanism (change storage unit). This coin storage and release mechanism (300A, 300
The coins stored in (B, 300C, 300D) are used as change if necessary. That is, according to the refund amount (change) calculated and determined by the control unit, a required denomination and the number of coins are determined, and a coin storing and discharging mechanism (300A, 300B, 300C, 300D), the required number of coin ejection commands is sent. Correspondingly, the coins of the command number are discharged one by one from the respective coin storing and discharging mechanisms onto the main transport belt (9) (details will be described later). The released coin is
It is transported to the coin return tray (11) by the main transport belt (9),
The customer receives the coin from the return slot (1c). The surplus coins are appropriately collected in storage units (8A, 8B, 8C, 8D) provided for each denomination. Above, the outline of the coin processing device related to the present invention has been described.

As described above, in the coin processing apparatus, the inserted coins are sorted and stored in a coin storing and discharging mechanism, and the coins can be discharged one by one for use as change. I have. The surplus coins are individually collected in storage units (8A to 8D) provided below. This part is described in, for example, Japanese Patent Application No. 4-360 filed by the present applicant.
Proposal No. 606, "Coin collection method of coin collection processing device"
Among them, the same type of device is disclosed. The present invention relates to an improvement in such a coin storage / discharge mechanism (hopper). Hereinafter, the configuration and operation of the above-described conventional coin storing and discharging mechanism will be described in detail.

FIG. 4 is a partial cross-sectional side view showing an example of a conventional coin storing and discharging mechanism (300 ') for one denomination in more detail, and FIG. 5 is a top view thereof. Coin storage and release mechanism (300 ')
5 is a partial cross-sectional side view showing one example of the denomination in more detail, and FIG. 5 is a top view thereof. Coin storage and release mechanism (30
0 ') is a support plate (308) appropriately fixed to the housing of the coin processing device (100), and a hopper-shaped hopper (301) that is fixed to the upper part of the support plate (308) and that opens vertically. , Hopper (30
1) Discharge disk (303) located at the bottom of the rotating shaft (305A) and mounted on the middle part of the rotating shaft (305A), stirring bar (309) mounted on the upper end of the rotating shaft (305A), and below the discharging disk (303) Scraper (307) mounted on the rotating shaft (305B)
, Mounted below the support plate (308).
5A and 305B) and a reversible motor (302) for driving the coupling (304).

[0009] A coin-discharging disc (303) connected to a rotating shaft (305A) disposed at the bottom of the hopper (301) and extending from below has a through hole having a diameter slightly larger than the coin to be handled. Five (303a) are provided at equal angles. A guide plate (310) is fixed to the upper surface of the support plate (308) just below the ejection disk (303). This receiving plate (31
0) is located at one place on the circular movement path of each through hole (303a),
A part is cut out wider than the through-hole (303a) to form a notch, and a coin mounting part (312) is provided.The coin entering the through-hole (303a) falls when it reaches the notch. Support plate (30
8) It is to be placed on top.

Also, the release disk (303) and the support plate (30)
8), a scraper (307) connected to a rotating shaft (305B) extending from below is disposed. The scraper (307) has a diameter of 5 along the circumference in accordance with the number of the through holes.
The extrusion nail (307a) is formed, and the scraper (307)
When is rotated, each pushing claw (307a) draws and moves in an arc through the coin placing portion (312). As a result, the coins in the coin placing portion (312) are guided to the side surfaces of the cutout portions of the guide plate (310) and discharged to the outside.

The rotating shaft (305A) extends into the hopper, and a stirring bar (309) is attached to the upper end of the rotating shaft (305A) so as to rotate integrally with the discharge disk (303). ing. The stirrer (309) stirs the stored coins so that the coins are unevenly distributed in the hopper or a large number of coins are densely packed, forming a kind of arch from the periphery of the hopper, maintaining a certain shape, and It is provided in order to prevent a coin itself from being ejected by forming a so-called “bridge” that prevents the coin from being dropped.

A scraper is provided on the surface of the support plate (308).
(307) is provided with a coin detecting means (not shown) for outputting a pulse-like coin detecting signal when the coin is discharged.
As the coin detecting means, a means for detecting a coin crossing an optical path using a photo sensor, a means for mechanically turning on a micro switch only while the coin passes through a certain portion, or the like can be used. The output of the coin detection means is output to the coin processing device (1
00) is input to a control unit (not shown). This control unit controls ON / OFF of the motor (302) including the rotation direction.

In addition, there is provided a stopper member (311) located above the ejection disk (303) and fixed to the hopper (301). The distal end of the stopper member (311) is formed in a substantially b-shape that descends vertically toward the ejection disk (303), and the distal end of the stopper member (311) prevents movement of the coin (C) orbiting at the lower part of the hopper. Maintain a constant position in the radial and circumferential directions. Therefore, the blocked and stopped coins are pushed through the through-hole (303a) of the ejection disc (303)
When it reaches the notch, it falls downward and passes through the through hole (303a).

The operation of the above apparatus will be described.
When a command to pay out or collect coins supplied and stored in 1) is received from the control unit, the motor (302) is started, and the ejection disk (303) is turned counterclockwise in FIG. 5 (arrow F). , And in synchronization with this, the scraper (307) rotates in the clockwise direction (reference F '). During this rotation, the protruding stirring rod (309) fixed to the same rotation shaft (305A) as the ejection disk (303) rotates, and the coin (C) in the hopper is rotated.
The inside of the hopper is stirred to prevent a bridge from being formed in the hopper.

By the above rotation, the ejection disk (303)
Each time the coin rotates 1/5, one coin falls below the through hole (303a) and rests on the coin mounting portion (312) on the support plate, and the scraper (307) pushes the coin onto the pushing claw (307). It is extruded by 307a) and is dropped on the main conveyor belt (9) (release). At the time of pushing out, the coin operates the coin detecting means and the number of ejected coins is counted. In the case of payout, the above-described rotation operation is continuously stopped until coins corresponding to the payout number are discharged.
In the case of collection, rotation continues until a predetermined number of coins are released and collected. The main transport belt (9) is sent toward the coin return tray (11) in the return section, and the released coins are sent into the coin return tray (11) as change for the customer.

[0016]

By the way, in the above-mentioned coin storing and discharging mechanism, a large amount of coins are usually stored in the hopper, and each coin tends to move downward by gravity. And the shape of the hopper is "funnel type", so the cross-sectional area becomes smaller as it goes down,
Downward beauty of each coin Along with the above-mentioned minute movement, an arch is hung on the side wall by the coin group, and a so-called bridge phenomenon in which the upper coin is supported and the lower part becomes hollow occurs, and the coin ejection function is hindered. There is.

In order to prevent the formation of the bridge, the coin storage / discharge mechanism in the conventional coin processing unit is also provided with the stirring rod as described above, and stirs the stored coin group with the release operation. It has become. It is also known to add a function of rotating the stirring rod in a forward direction periodically or whenever a bridge occurs. This rotating stirring rod is a proven mechanism that has been employed in most hoppers and has a certain effect in reducing the frequency of occurrence of bridges.

However, the conventional stirring rod is fixed to the ejection disc, and the ejection disc does not rotate in the reverse direction and has a constant rotation speed, so that the stirring rod always rotates in the same direction at a constant speed. The effect on the temperature is also substantially constant. For this reason, the above-mentioned bridge may occur, and it has not yet been possible to completely suppress the occurrence of the bridge.

The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and the effect of suppressing the generation of bridges of stored coins in a hopper by a stirring rod is further enhanced as compared with the conventional one, so that almost all coin bridges can be used. It is an object of the present invention to propose a coin processing unit having a hopper that does not generate any coin.

[0020]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, according to the present invention, a coin storing / discharging mechanism is provided with coins of the same kind.
(C) and a plurality of through-holes (303a) formed at the bottom of the hopper (301) and into which coins (C) are fitted one by one. A circular ejection disc coaxially connected via a one-way clutch (306) to a rotating shaft (305A) projecting into the hopper (301) from below.
(303), a stirring rod (309) inclined and fixed to the tip of the rotation shaft (305A), and a tip fixed to the hopper (301) and positioned at the upper part of the rotation track of the through hole (303a). A stopper member (311), a coin holder (312) disposed below the ejection disk (303) for storing and storing coins, and an outer periphery arranged below the ejection disk (303). The pushing claw (307) which pushes the coin (C) through the coin placing portion (312) to the outside
a) A plurality of rotatable scrapers (307) formed with a), and a motor (302) for rotating the rotating shaft (305A) and the scrapers (307) in forward and reverse directions.

[0021]

According to the present invention, when the motor (302) drives the rotating shaft (305A) in the forward direction, the rotation of the rotating shaft causes the one-way clutch (306) to rotate.
To the discharge disk (303) via the shaft, the discharge disk (303) and the stirring rod (3
09) rotates together. At this time, scraper (30
7) also rotates synchronously. Thus, as is well known, the coin stirring operation is performed simultaneously with the coin discharging operation to prevent the bridge. However, if a bridge still occurs, the bridge is detected by appropriate means and the motor (302) is controlled to rotate in the reverse direction. As a result, the coin in the hopper acts in a direction opposite to the steady state, and the bridge state is effectively and strongly eliminated. Since the one-way clutch (303) does not transmit the rotation in the reverse direction to the release disk (303), there is no adverse effect on each part. In addition, control may be performed such that the reverse rotation is performed preventively at an appropriate cycle.

[0022]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings based on embodiments. 1 and 2 are a partially sectional side view and a partially cutaway top view, respectively, showing a coin storing and discharging mechanism (300) according to an embodiment of the present invention. The coin storage / discharge mechanism (300) of the illustrated embodiment is substantially the same as the conventional coin storage / discharge mechanism described above with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5 in general, but is particularly connected to the stirring rod (309). And a one-way clutch (306) from a rotating shaft (305A) rotated by a motor (302).
The point that the ejection disk (303) is driven to rotate via the is greatly different.

That is, as shown in FIG. 1, the tip of a rotating shaft (305A) that is rotated by a motor (302) via a coupling (304) (reducer) is connected to a one-way clutch (3).
Projecting through the center of 06), and hence through the center of the ejection disk (303), into the hopper (301), a stir bar (309) is fixed to the tip. And this rotation axis (305
The inner peripheral member of the coaxial one-way clutch (306) is mounted in the middle of (A), and the discharge disk (303) is positioned on the outer peripheral member of the one-way clutch (306) at the bottom of the hopper. Fixed. Due to the presence of the one-way clutch (306), the rotating shaft (305A) and thus the stirring rod (309) rotate in both forward and reverse directions, but rotate the discharge disk (303) only in the normal direction for performing the normal discharge operation. The discharge disc (303) does not move even when rotated in the opposite direction, and the stirrer (30
Only 9) rotates in the reverse direction and performs stirring in the opposite direction.

The construction of the embodiment other than that described above is exactly the same as that of the prior art shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 and will not be described. As a result, the coin storing and discharging mechanism (300) of the embodiment has a substantially funnel-shaped hopper (301) for storing coins (C) of the same kind, and one coin (C) disposed at the bottom of the hopper (301). A plurality of circular through-holes (303a) that fit one by one are formed, and the hopper (3
01) and a circular ejection disc (30) coaxially connected to a rotating shaft (305A) projecting inward via a one-way clutch (306).
3), a stirring rod (309) inclined and fixed to the tip of the rotating shaft (305A), and a stopper fixed to the hopper (301) and the tip of which is located above the rotation track of the through hole (303a). Element
(311), a coin placing portion (312) disposed below the ejection disk (303) and receiving and storing coins, and a coin placement portion (312) disposed below the ejection disk (303) and provided on the outer periphery thereof. Push-out claw (307a) that pushes out coin (C) through coin placement part (312)
And a motor (302) for rotating the rotating shaft (305A) and the scraper (307) in forward and reverse directions.

Next, the operation of the coin storing and discharging mechanism of the embodiment will be described. When the motor (302) rotates the rotating shaft (305A) in the forward direction, this rotation is transmitted to the ejection disk (303) by the one-way clutch (306), and rotates with the ejection disk (303) in the same manner as before. The stirring rod (309) at the tip of the shaft (305A) rotates integrally (in the direction of arrow F). Further, the scraper (307) also rotates in the forward direction (the direction of arrow F ') to perform a coin discharging operation as is well known.

That is, the coins stored in the hopper are stopped one by one along the trajectory of the through hole (303a) by the stopper (311), and the coins are to pass through the lower portion. ). The inserted coin is inserted into the through hole (3
When it moves with 03a) and reaches the notch of the guide plate (310), it falls and falls on the coin receiver (312) (on the support plate).
Then, one of the ejecting claws (307a) of the scraper (307) ejects the coin outward. At this time, the number of ejected coins is counted by a coin detecting means (not shown). At the same time, the stirring rod (309) also rotates and performs coin stirring operation to prevent the occurrence of bridges.

In the embodiment, similarly to the conventional mechanism, the generation of the bridge is suppressed to some extent by the effect of the stirring rod (309). However, still in a certain direction
If the operation at a constant rotation speed continues, a bridge occurs. At this time, the mechanism of the embodiment performs an operation unique to the present invention. That is, even in the embodiment, when a bridge occurs, a coin detection output is not obtained from the coin detection means so that it is detected, and the control unit correspondingly rotates the motor (302) in the reverse direction. Let it.

Thus, the rotating shaft (305A) and the stirring rod (309)
Only the reverse rotation (in the direction of arrow R) acts on the bridged coin in the hopper (301) in a direction opposite to the steady state, effectively breaking the bridge state and eliminating it. During this reverse rotation, the one-way clutch (303) does not transmit the rotation of the rotating shaft (305A) to the ejection disc (303), so that the ejection disc (30
3) is stopped and does not adversely affect each part of the mechanism or its function. Appropriate frequency (period) besides performing the reverse rotation operation in response to the bridge occurrence as described above
The respective units may be controlled so as to perform proactively using standby time or the like.

[0029]

As described above, the coin storing and discharging mechanism according to the present invention has a substantially funnel-shaped hopper, a stopper member and a stirring rod in the hopper, and a plurality of through holes, and is disposed at the bottom of the hopper. A plurality of ejection discs are coaxially coupled to the rotation shaft of the stirring rod via a one-way clutch, and a plurality of extrusion claws are arranged below the ejection discs and push out coins on the outer periphery of the coin mounting portion. Since it is configured to include the formed rotatable scraper, and the reversible motor that rotationally drives the rotating shaft and the scraper, a bridge generated by appropriately rotating only the stirring rod in the reverse direction is generated. Can be eliminated strongly and can be surely eliminated. Preliminary reverse rotation increases the stirring capacity, resulting in a remarkable effect that the ability to prevent bridges generated in the hopper for storing coins is much higher than the conventional one and there is almost no occurrence of bridges. Obtainable.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a partially sectional side view showing a coin storing and discharging mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a partially cutaway top view corresponding to FIG.

FIG. 3 is a side view showing a schematic configuration of a coin processing apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a partially sectional side view showing a conventional coin storage and discharge mechanism.

FIG. 5 is a partially cutaway top view corresponding to FIG. 4;

[Explanation of symbols]

 (301) Hopper (302) Motor (303) Discharge disk (303a) Through hole (305A) Rotating shaft (306) One-way clutch (307) Scraper (307a) Extrusion claw (309) Stir bar (311) Stopper member ( 312) Coin holder (C) Coin

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuation of front page (58) Field surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁶ , DB name) G07D 1/00-1/08

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A substantially funnel-shaped hopper (301) for storing coins of the same kind (C), and a plurality of through holes arranged at the bottom of the hopper (301) and into which coins (C) are fitted one by one. (303a) is formed, and a circular discharge disk (303) coaxially connected to a rotating shaft (305A) projecting from below into the hopper (301) via a one-way clutch (306); A stirring rod (3) that is fixed to the tip of the rotating shaft (305A) at an angle.
09), a stopper member (311) fixed to the hopper (301) and having a tip located above the rotation track of the through hole (303a), and a coin which is disposed below the ejection disc (303) and falls. And a coin rest (312) to be pushed out and pushed out of the coin (C) through the coin rest (312) arranged on the lower side of the ejection disk (303) and pushing the coin (C) to the outside. (307)
And a motor (302) for rotating the rotating shaft (305A) and the scraper (307) in forward and reverse directions.