JPH0325836B2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Objective of the Invention] (Field of Industrial Application) The present invention relates to a coin sorting device, in which coins of various mixed denominations are conveyed one by one to a coin sorting section, and the coins of different denominations are conveyed one by one to a discrimination section. The present invention relates to a device for classifying each determined denomination.

(Prior Art) Conventionally, as this type of coin sorting device, there are known configurations in which coins are sorted while forcibly conveying them, and configurations in which coins are sorted while they are rolling using their own weight. As a configuration for sorting coins while forcibly transporting them, for example, as described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 163089/1989, various coins are continuously sent to a coin sorting passage using a horizontal rotating disk or the like. The coins sent to this coin sorting passage are forcibly transferred by a conveyor belt installed above this coin sorting passage, and the coins transferred by this conveyor belt are sorted into the coin sorting passage in descending order of diameter. A structure was adopted in which the coins were sorted by dropping them through sorting holes of a size corresponding to the diameter of each type of coin, which were formed at intervals in the passageway.

On the other hand, as a configuration for sorting coins while they are rolling under their own weight, for example, as described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 53-28500, coins of various denominations are sent out onto an inclined track using an inclined disk, etc. The coins are rolled down on an inclined track by their own weight, and the material, shape, etc. of the coins are determined, and multiple sorting mechanisms installed at the rear of the inclined track sort the coins at the appropriate positions. I was getting used to it. This sorting mechanism uses a cylindrical stopper that protrudes on an inclined track to stop the coins that are rolling and falling, and also evacuates the coin receiving section that receives the coins that are rolling and falling, so that the coins are collected by their own weight. A configuration was adopted for classifying falls.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) In the conventional device configured to sort coins while forcibly conveying them, the sorting holes for sorting coins must be formed in order from coins with a small diameter to a coin with a large diameter. Therefore, it is not possible to change the sorting order, and unsuitable coins whose diameter is smaller than that of the correct coin with the smallest diameter are removed from the exclusion hole formed at the most upstream side of the coin sorting passage. Illegal coins with large diameters must be removed from the elimination sorting hole at the most downstream of the coin sorting passage, and when rejecting unsuitable coins by diameter, those smaller or larger than the diameter range of various suitable coins are excluded. However, there was a problem in which incorrect coins with intermediate diameters could not be eliminated.

Furthermore, in this conventional device, the coins are sorted by diameter using the sorting hole, so for example, coins that have been crushed and have a larger diameter are separated from the sorting hole where they should be sorted. There is a problem in that the corresponding appropriate coins are sorted by the sorting hole of the corresponding diameter, and the coins are sorted by the sorting hole.

On the other hand, in conventional devices that classify coins while they are rolling due to their own weight, coins are sorted by operating a sorting mechanism at the appropriate position based on the results of coin discrimination. can be classified, and the problems mentioned above are solved. However, this sorting mechanism stops rolling coins with a stopper, retracts the coin receiving section, and allows the coins to fall by their own weight, so the processing speed is very slow, and when processing a large number of coins, it is extremely difficult to handle. A big problem was that it took a long time.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and provides a coin sorting device that can reliably classify coins by type while forcibly transporting coins at high speed, and can arbitrarily set the sorting order.

[Structure of the invention]

(Means for Solving the Problems) The coin sorting device of the present invention includes a coin supply section that supplies coins one by one, and a discrimination section that discriminates the denomination of each coin supplied from the coin supply section one by one. , a linear coin sorting passage provided continuously with the discrimination section and having a sliding surface for slidingly guiding the lower surface of the coin; and a linear coin sorting passage provided above the coin sorting passage along this coin sorting passage; a conveying means that is in contact with the upper surface and conveys coins at high speed by sliding the sliding surface; and a conveying means that is provided at an appropriate interval on the sliding surface of the coin sorting passage in a diagonal direction with respect to the coin conveying direction. A plurality of elongated holes are formed, and a plurality of elongated holes are arranged obliquely with respect to the conveying direction of the coin, and are provided so as to be able to advance upwardly from the sliding surface from within each of the elongated holes, and are responsive to the discrimination signal of the discrimination section. The present invention is characterized by comprising a plurality of branching plates that are selectively advanced based on the coin sorting path and guide the coins being conveyed in a diagonal direction with respect to the conveyance direction at the time of advancement so as to sort and discharge the coins from the coin sorting passage. .

(Function) In the coin sorting device of the present invention, the coins supplied one by one from the coin supply section are discriminated by denomination in the discriminating section, and then are slid on the sliding surface of the coin sorting passage by the conveying means. transported. Then, based on the discrimination signal from the discrimination section, the coins are guided by a branching plate advanced above the sliding surface, changed course diagonally with respect to the conveying direction, and are sorted and discharged from the coin sorting path. In this way, coins can be sorted in any order based on the discrimination signal from the discrimination section. In addition, at this time, the branch plate advances through a long hole formed in the sliding surface on which the coin is sliding, so it reliably guides the coin, and is arranged diagonally with respect to the direction of conveyance of the coin. Therefore, even coins being transported at high speed can be sorted and discharged from the coin sorting passage without being stagnant.

(Example) The configuration of an example of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 11 denotes a coin supply unit that supplies coins one by one, and this coin supply unit 11 has a rotating disk 12 and a circular opening 14 formed in a base plate 13.
The upper surface of the rotating disk 12 and the upper surface of the base plate 13 are on the same plane, and there is a gap between the outer periphery of the rotating disk 12 and the inner periphery of the circular opening 14. It's getting old. Reference numeral 15 denotes a ring-shaped guide member, which is attached to the base plate 13 with screws 16 so as to cover the outer peripheral edge of the rotary disk 12. This guide member 15 has an inner circumferential wall 17 having a larger diameter than the rotating disk 12 on its lower surface, and an inner circumferential wall 17 having a larger diameter than the rotating disk 12.
An annular regulating part 1 facing the upper surface with a distance slightly wider than the maximum thickness of the coin processed on the upper surface.
8. Furthermore, this guide member 15
An annular rising portion 19 is formed on the inner circumferential edge of the rotary disk 12, and serves as a coin hopper for the rotating disk 12.

Further, the coin conveying section 21 that conveys the coins sent out from the rotating disk 12 has a cutout open portion 15a (upper right corner in the figure) of the annular guide member 15.
A coin passage 22 arranged in the tangential direction of the rotary disk 12 is formed in communication with the coin passage 22, and the normal coins among the coins supplied to the upper surface of the disk 12 by the rotation of the rotary disk 12 (clockwise direction in the figure) are formed. Coins of a certain thickness are aligned in the regulating part 18 by centrifugal force and sent out to the coin passage 22. In addition, unsuitable coins having a thickness greater than the normal thickness cannot enter the regulating portion 18 and move as the rotary disk 12 rotates in a portion near the center, and are not sent out to the coin passage 22. Further, in a portion of the guide member 15 adjacent to the downstream side in the rotational direction of the rotary disk 12 from the communicating portion with the coin passage 22, a discharge port 23 for thick, invalid coins is provided. As shown in FIG. 5, the discharge port 23 is formed by largely removing the lower surface of the guide member 15 so that invalid coins can pass from the inner circumference to the outer circumference of the guide member 15.
Between the lower surface of the rotary disk 12 and the regulating portion 18 of the rotating disk 12
A distance D ₂ which is larger than D ₁ is formed between the rotary disk 12 and the rotary disk 12 . The discharge port 23 has a shaft which is interposed between the rotary disk 12 and the removed guide member 15 with a width slightly narrower than the distance _D2 , and is rotatable from the guide member 15 side by a shaft 24. It is normally closed by a supported opening/closing member 25.
This opening/closing member 25 can open the discharge port 23 by rotating the shaft 24 approximately 50 degrees counterclockwise in the drawing by a rotary solenoid 26.
The coin is displaced toward the center of the rotating disk 12 and is designed to guide thicker, invalid coins moving through the discharge port 23 toward the outside from the discharge port 23. Further, this discharge port 23 is provided with a guide plate 27 that guides invalid coins to a reject passage 28.

Further, the coin conveying section 21 includes a first roller 30.
and a second roller 31, the first roller 30 is rotatably supported by a first support plate 32 which is rotatably provided at the side of the first roller 30, and the second roller 31 is The base plate 1 is located on the side thereof.
It is rotatably supported by a second support plate 33 which is rotatably supported by a shaft 36 on the support portion 13a of No. 3. The second support plate 33 that rotatably supports the second roller 31 has an upper edge bent horizontally, and a screw 35 for adjusting the position in the vertical direction is screwed into this horizontal portion 33a. The tip of this screw 35 is brought into contact with the upper surface of the base plate 13, and the tip of the screw 35 is brought into contact with the upper surface of the base plate 13,
The support plate 32 is rotatably supported by the second support plate 33 via a shaft 38, and furthermore, the first support plate 32
The upper edge of the horizontal part 32 is bent horizontally.
A height adjustment screw 37 whose tip abuts on the horizontal portion 33a of the second support plate 33 is screwed into the height adjustment screw 37, and by adjusting these adjustment screws 35 and 37, the first roller 30 and the second
The height position of the roller 31 can be adjusted.

Next, the drive mechanism 40 of the coin supply section 11 will be explained.

A pulley 43 provided on the rotating shaft 42 of the motor 41 and a pulley 4 provided on the drive shaft 44 of the rotating disk 12.
5 is connected by a belt 46, and this drive shaft 4
One end of the drive shaft 44 is connected to the center shaft 50 of the rotary disk 12 through meshing of bevel gears 48 and 49, and a pulley (not shown) provided at the other end of the drive shaft 44 It is connected via a belt 54 to a pulley 53 that is integral with a shaft 52 that is rotatably supported by the support portion 13a. Furthermore, another pulley 55 is provided on the shaft 52 provided with this pulley 53, and this pulley 55 is connected via a belt 57 to a pulley 56 provided at one end of the rotating shaft 51 of the second roller 31. . Furthermore, a pulley 58 is provided at the other end of this rotating shaft 51, and this pulley 58 is connected via a belt 60 to a pulley 59 provided on the rotating shaft 61 of the first roller 30. and rotating disk 1
In order to make the rotational speed of the second roller 31 faster than the rotational speed of the first roller 30, the pulley 58 is used to make the rotational speed of the second roller 31 faster than the rotational speed of the first roller 30 so that the coins that are successively fed out one by one can be sent out to the coin passage 22 while maintaining the interval. is made smaller in diameter than pulley 59.

Next, the configuration of the discriminating section 62 that discriminates the type of coin supplied from the coin supply section 11 will be explained with reference to FIG. 1 of the drawings.

This discrimination section 62 has a magnetic sensor 63 that is embedded in the coin passage 22 and detects the material of the coin, and an image sensor 64 that is located above the magnetic sensor 63 that detects the shape, size, pattern, etc. of the coin. Based on the signals from 63 and 64, the coin type or denomination is determined, as well as counterfeit coins, deformed coins, etc.

A coin sorting passage 66 is continuous to the end of the coin passage 22.

Next, the coin sorting passage 66 is
The diagram will be explained.

The coin sorting passage 66 includes an upright coin peripheral edge regulating surface 68 formed on one side of a coin sliding surface 67. Rectangular long holes 69 are formed at appropriate intervals and are inclined at 45 degrees.

Further, above the coin sorting passage 66, a conveying means, for example, two conveying belts 70 are connected to the coin sorting passage 66.
The distance from the lower edge to the coin sliding surface 67 is held slightly smaller than the minimum thickness of coins to be processed. This belt 7
0 is suspended around a pair of pulleys 71 and 72 provided at both ends of the coin sorting passage 66, and the support shafts 73 and 74 of each pulley 71 and 72 are rotatable on pulley supports 75 and 76, respectively. is supported by A pulley 78 for hanging a belt 77 is provided on one of the pulley shafts 74, and this pulley 78
are interlocked by a belt 77 that is suspended around a pulley 81 provided on a drive shaft 80 of a motor 79.

Further, on the other side of the coin sliding surface 67 of the coin sorting passage 66, a roller shaft 82 is disposed parallel to and above the coin sorting passage 66.
Both ends of the roller shaft 82 are rotatably supported by roller shaft supports 83 and 84, respectively, and a bevel gear 85 provided at one end of the roller shaft 82 is provided on an interlocking shaft 86 rotatably supported by an interlocking shaft support 76a. A pulley 88 meshed with the bevel gear 87 and provided on the interlocking shaft 86 is
It is interlocked with a pulley (not shown) provided on a drive shaft 80 via a belt 89.

Next, a plurality of elongated holes 69 which are provided at appropriate intervals in the coin sorting passage 66 and formed in a diagonal direction with respect to the coin conveying direction are capable of advancing upwardly from the coin sliding surface 67, respectively. branch plate 90
I will explain about it.

Each branch plate 90 is connected to a push solenoid 91 as shown in FIG. When the branch plate 90 is not energized, the tension spring 92 causes the upper part of the branch plate 90 to retreat from the coin sliding surface 67.

Further, each branch plate 90 is attached to the roller shaft 82.
Scraping rollers 93 are installed at respective positions to scrape in the coins transferred in a direction substantially perpendicular to the direction of movement of the coins, and each scraping roller 93 feeds the coins into the coin storage tubes 94, sorting the coins into coins by type. They are arranged and stored in a storage tube 94.

The coin sorting passage 66 also has a coin sliding surface 6.
For example, two conveyor belts 70 are installed in the vicinity of the downstream side of the branch plate 90 in a straight line along the branch plate 90 at an appropriate interval.
A first sensor 95 is provided between the two. This first sensor 95 is, for example, a coin sliding surface 6
It is configured to irradiate light to 7 and detect the reflected light.
This first sensor 95 detects that a coin has arrived on the coin sliding surface 67, and the first sensor 95
An image sensor 64 and a magnetic sensor 63 on the upstream side of
When a coin comes to a position corresponding to a predetermined coin storage tube 94, each branch plate 90 on the downstream side is advanced to receive the coin and guide the coin to a predetermined coin storage tube 94.

Further, reference numeral 96 denotes a second sensor, and a branch passage 97 for coins whose transport direction can be changed by each branch plate 90.
The second sensor 96 is configured to detect coins using reflected light from the surface of the branch passage 97. The second sensor 96 detects the arrival of the coin guided to the coin storage tube 94 by the branching plate 90, and based on the detection signal from the second sensor 96, the branching plate 90 is retreated from the coin sliding surface 67.

Each of the branch passages 97 is inclined downward toward the coin storage cylinder 94, and each coin storage cylinder 94 has an inner diameter corresponding to each denomination of coin.For example, from the upstream side of the coin sorting passage 66 1 yen, 50 yen, 5
They are arranged in the order of yen, 100 yen, 10 yen, and 500 yen.

Further, the reject passage 28 is provided at the most upstream side of the coin sorting passage 66, and is designed to exclude counterfeit coins, unidentifiable damaged coins, deformed coins, and the like.

Next, the control section 98 that controls each of the above sections will be explained with reference to FIG.

This control section 98 has a storage section 99, which converts signals from the magnetic sensor 63 and image sensor 64 into signals corresponding to the various coins discriminated by the discriminating section 62 and a first sensor provided in the coin sorting path 66. 9
5 and the signals from the second sensor 96,
It controls the motor 41 that drives the rotary disk 12, the motor 79 that drives the scraping roller 93, and the group of solenoids 91 that advances each of the branch plates 90.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be explained.

The coins supplied to the coin supply section 11 are transferred to the rotating disk 1
2 rotation, the coin is aligned with the regulating part 18 and the coin passage 22
sent to. The coins sent to the coin passage 22 are conveyed toward the coin sorting passage 66 by the first roller 30 and the second roller 31. At this time, since the rotational speed of the second roller 31 is faster than that of the first roller 30, the coins that are sent out one after another pass through the coin passage 22 while maintaining intervals one by one, and are detected by the magnetic sensor 63 of the discrimination section 62. The material of the coin is detected by the image sensor 64, and the shape, size, pattern, etc. of the coin are detected by the image sensor 64. The coins discriminated and detected by both sensors 63 and 64 are fed into a coin sorting passage 66 and passed through two conveyor belts 70.
transported by.

If the coin is a coin to be rejected, the solenoid 91 that advances the most upstream branching plate 90 is energized by the discrimination signal from the discrimination unit 62, and the branching plate 90 is moved to the coin sliding surface 67 of the coin sorting passage 66. It is advanced through the elongated hole 69. Then, the coins to be rejected are guided to the reject passage 28 with the direction of conveyance changed by the advanced branching plate 90. When this coin is guided into the reject passage 28, the passage of this coin is detected by the second sensor 96, and the passage of the coin is detected by the second sensor 96.
The solenoid 91 is de-energized by the signal from the sensor 96, and the tensile force of the tension spring 92 causes the branch plate 9 to
0 is retracted from the coin sliding surface 67.

Further, when the subsequent coin is discriminated by the discrimination unit 62 and the first sensor 95 corresponding to the coin storage cylinder 94 to be stored based on the discrimination result detects the coin, a signal from the first sensor 95 is immediately transmitted. The solenoid 91 is energized, the branching plate 90 is advanced from the elongated hole 69 onto the coin sliding surface 67, the coin hits the branching plate 90, the coin is guided toward a predetermined coin storage tube 94, and the coin is guided to the coin storage tube 94. It is stored in 94. When the coins are guided toward the coin storage tube 94, the coins that have passed through the branch passage 97 are detected by a second sensor 96.
When detected, the solenoid 91 is de-energized by a signal from the second sensor 96, and the branch plate 90 is retracted.

In this way, the coin sliding surface 67 of the coin sorting passage 66
There are multiple coins passing through, and the sorting operation is performed in sequence. This operation is performed by a plurality of first sensors 9, which continuously discriminate and transfer all the coins to be conveyed.
5 tracks the coins on the coin sliding surface 67 and stores them in the first sensor 95 and storage unit 99 corresponding to a predetermined coin storage cylinder 94, and controls the coins by the control unit 98.

Next, an example in which the above coin sorting device is implemented in a coin depositing and dispensing machine will be explained with reference to FIG. 4 of the drawings.

A customer service surface 101 provided with a data input section, a display section, etc. (not shown) is formed on the front inclined part of the coin depositing and dispensing machine main body 100. Further, an opening 104 that constitutes a part of the deposit receiving section 103 is provided on the front surface of the main body 100, a hopper 105 is provided inside this opening 104, and an opening/closing shutter (not shown) is provided in this opening 104. Furthermore, a shutter (not shown) is also provided at the bottom of the hopper 105.

Reference numeral 106 denotes a transport section for depositing money, which is constituted by the coin supply section 11. An auxiliary conveyance section 107 is provided at the end of the coin sorting passage 66 connected to the coin supply section 11 and is inclined diagonally upward. It is composed of a conveyor belt 107 extending along the upper part of the rising coin sorting passage 66 to near the starting end of the coin sorting passage 66, and a conveying belt 108 rising diagonally along the conveying belt 107 from the lower end of the coin sorting passage 66. has been done. Both conveyor belts 107 and 108 are driven by a motor 109, and the coins that have passed through the coin sorting passage 66 are transferred to both conveyor belts 107 and 108.
It is held and conveyed upward by the conveyor belt 108 and further conveyed toward the front of the main body 100 by the conveyor belt 107 .
At the front of this conveyor belt 107, there is a temporary storage section 1.
10 are formed. This temporary holding section 110
is composed of a bucket-shaped conveyor belt 111 that extends from near the lower part of the front end of the conveyor belt 107 above the hopper 105, and this temporary holding section stores the coins conveyed by the conveyor belt 107 in the bucket. The coins are received by the shaped conveyor belt 111 and temporarily held there. The temporarily reserved coins are supplied to the hopper 105 by the drive of the motor 112.

Further, an empty detection sensor 113 for detecting the presence or absence of coins is provided near the bottom of the coin storage tube 94 of the coin sorting device, and a near-end detection sensor 114 is provided near the top of this sensor 113.
Furthermore, a full detection sensor 115 is provided at the top.

Reference numeral 116 denotes a coin dispensing mechanism, which is provided for each of the coin storage tubes 94 and causes the coins in each coin storage tube 94 to be ejected one by one. This dispensing mechanism 116 employs a mechanism, for example, as shown in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 57-6985, in which a cam, a lever, etc. are actuated by the rotation of a motor, and the coins at the lower end of the coin storage tube 94 are pushed out. ing.

Reference numeral 117 denotes an overflow coin storage box, which is provided so as to communicate with the sorting passage 97 at the final end of the coin sorting passage 66, and when a predetermined coin storage cylinder 94 for storing coins is full, the coins are transferred without being sorted. Store coins.

Furthermore, 118 is a dispensing conveyance section, and conveyance belt 1 receives coins thrown out from each of the coin storage cylinders 94.
It consists of 19 parts. This conveyor belt 119
are provided along the sides of each of the coin storage tubes 94 arranged in parallel, and the front side stands up in an inclined manner, and the front end faces above the hopper 105. Further, a conveyor belt 120 is provided along the rising portion of the conveyor belt 119 to sandwich and convey coins. In addition, both conveyor belts 119,
120 is operated by a motor 121 that can be driven reversibly. The coins ejected from each of the coin storage tubes 94 are supplied to the hopper 105 as coins to be dispensed by conveyor belts 119 and 120. Also, the conveyor belt 11 of this withdrawal conveyor section 118
9 is reversed, the coins thrown out from each coin storage tube 94 are collected into a collection box 122 provided below the rear end of this conveyor belt 119.

Further, the lower end of the reject passage 28 faces the conveyor belt 119 so that invalid coins can be returned to the hopper 105 by the conveyor belt 119.

Note that sensors (not shown) are provided for detecting coins present in the rotating disk 12 and the hopper 105, respectively.

〔Effect of the invention〕

According to the present invention, while forcibly transporting coins at high speed, coins can be reliably classified by type without being stagnant even when sorted, counterfeit coins, deformed coins, etc. can be accurately classified and eliminated, and furthermore, various coins can be The sorting order is not limited to the order of the diameter of the coins, and various coins can be sorted in any order.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a coin sorting device showing an embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the portion shown at - in Fig. 1, Fig. 3 is a block diagram of the same control device, and Fig. 4 is the same as above. FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a coin depositing and dispensing machine using a coin sorting device. The left side from the center of the rotating disk in FIG. It is a sectional view taken along a straight line. 11... Coin supply section, 62... Discrimination section, 66...
... Coin sorting passage, 67 ... Sliding surface, 69 ... Long hole, 70 ... Conveyance belt of conveyance means, 90 ... Branch plate.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A coin supply section that supplies coins one by one; a discrimination section that discriminates the denomination of each coin supplied from the coin supply section one by one; a linear coin sorting passageway having a sliding surface that slides and guides the lower surface of the coin; a conveying means for sliding and conveying coins at high speed; a plurality of elongated holes provided at appropriate intervals on the sliding surface of the coin sorting path and formed diagonally with respect to the coin conveying direction; are arranged obliquely with respect to the conveyance direction of the respective elongated holes, and are provided so as to be able to advance upwardly from the sliding surface from within the respective elongated holes, and are selectively advanced based on a discrimination signal from the discrimination section, and are being conveyed when advanced. A coin sorting device comprising: a plurality of branching plates that guide coins in a diagonal direction with respect to a conveying direction and sort and discharge the coins from the coin sorting path.