JPH05128340A - Coin carrying mechanism and coin receiving and dispensing machine - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [Purpose] To realize a coin transfer mechanism and a coin depositing / dispensing machine capable of preventing the accumulation of coins without reducing the transfer efficiency of coins. [Structure] A loaded coin transport belt mechanism 4 and a distributed coin transport belt mechanism 5 are connected in series from the mixed coin receiving / feeding unit 2 toward the downstream side of the coin transport path, and any of the coin delivering units 4a, 5a is at the downstream side. Has a lower coin carrying capacity.
Optical level sensors 9a and 9b for monitoring the accumulation of coins are arranged in the coin transfer units 4a and 5a.
When it is determined that the coins are accumulated based on the monitoring results, the supply of the coins to the mixed coin receiving and feeding unit 2 is temporarily stopped until it is resolved.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a coin transport mechanism and a coin depositing / dispensing machine, and more particularly to a technique for preventing coin retention.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a coin depositing / dispensing machine or the like, it is necessary to provide a coin transport path that branches into a plurality of paths or a coin transport path that converges a plurality of paths in a predetermined space. Often, the means are connected in series to form a coin transport path. For example, in the coin depositing / dispensing machine 1 shown in FIG. 5, when the operation is started, the mixed coin receiving / delivering unit 2 (coin supply source) is filled with a plurality of types of coins, and then the coin-type coin storing / dispensing unit is used. A group of coins loaded in (not shown) is fed out. Here, the fed-out coin group is supplied to the loaded coin carrying belt mechanism 4 connected in series to the mixed coin receiving and feeding unit 2 via the feeding coin chute 3 (direction of arrow A), and then the loaded coin carrying belt. Mechanism 4
By the sorting coin transport belt mechanism 5 connected in series to the loaded coin transport belt mechanism 4 and directed to the sorting coin chute 6 that guides the coins toward the coin-type coin storage section. And is conveyed (direction of arrow C and arrow D).

[0003]

In such a coin depositing / dispensing machine 1, it is necessary to dispose the loaded coin transport belt mechanism 4 and the sorting coin transport belt mechanism 5 in a narrow space. Transport There are many restrictions on the coin transport mechanism, such as the conveyor belt mechanism 5 having to be arranged with a steep slope upward. Therefore, in the mixed coin receiving and feeding unit 2, the loaded coin transport belt mechanism 4 and the distributed coin transport belt mechanism 5 which are connected in series,
In many cases, the downstream coin transport capacity is lower than the upstream coin supply capacity. Therefore, the group of coins delivered from the mixed coin receiving / delivering unit 2 is the coin delivering unit 4a between the mixed coin receiving / delivering unit 2 and the loaded coin transport belt mechanism 4, or the loaded coin transport belt mechanism 4 and the distributed coin transport belt mechanism. As a result, the coins are excessively accumulated in the coin delivery unit 5a, and as a result, the coins are entangled with each other in the coin delivery units 4a and 5a to cause a jam state, and there is a problem that the transport of the coins is completely stopped. Further, since the state of the coins in the coin delivery parts 4a and 5a constantly fluctuates, the above-mentioned problem occurs even when the downstream coin transporting capacity and the upstream coin supplying capacity are equal.

In order to solve such a problem, the feeding operation of the coins from the mixed coin receiving and feeding section 2 is periodically stopped to adjust the coin supply amount, and the coin delivery sections 4a and 5a are provided with coins. It is possible to consider a measure to prevent the accumulation of slag. However, according to this measure, even when the coins are being smoothly conveyed, the feeding operation of the coins from the mixed coin receiving and feeding unit 2 is stopped, so that a new problem that the coin feeding efficiency is lowered. Occurs.

In view of the above problems, the object of the present invention is to
It is to realize a coin transport mechanism and a coin depositing / dispensing machine capable of preventing the deposit of coins without lowering the transport efficiency of coins by controlling the supply operation of coins corresponding to the deposit state of coins.

[0006]

Means for Solving the Problems In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, means taken in a coin transport mechanism according to the present invention are as follows:
Of one or more coin conveying means connected in series from the coin supply source side toward the downstream side of the coin conveying path, and the coin passing portion between the coin supplying source and the coin conveying means and the coin passing portion between the coin conveying means. Among these, at least the downstream side coin carrying capacity is equal to or less than the upstream side coin supplying capacity and the staying state monitoring means for monitoring the staying state of coins in the coin delivery section, and the monitoring result of this staying state monitoring means Then, when it is determined that coins are accumulated in any of the coin delivery parts, the coin supply source is instructed to temporarily slow down or stop the supply of coins until the accumulated state is resolved. And a supply operation control means.

Here, as the staying state monitoring means, the staying state of the coins can be monitored in a non-contact state, and the level for judging that the coins are staying can be arbitrarily set.
It is preferable to employ a translucent optical sensor mechanism capable of monitoring the accumulated state of coins, which is switched to either a light-shielded state or a translucent state by a coin passing through the optical path in the coin delivery section that it monitors. ..

Further, the coin transfer mechanism having such a structure is
The coin supply source is a mixed coin receiving / feeding unit that feeds out coins to be loaded into the coin-type coin storing / delivering unit, in which coins in the device are collected and tightened at the time of tightening It can be used for certain coin depositing and dispensing machines.

[0009]

In the coin transporting mechanism and the coin depositing / dispensing machine according to the present invention, the coin delivery unit between the coin supply source and the coin transporting unit connected in series and the coin delivering unit between the coin transporting units are located downstream. The coin transfer capacity of the side is equal to or less than the upstream coin supply capacity, that is, the coin transfer part, that is, the coin transfer part in which the coins easily accumulate, the staying state monitoring means is arranged, and based on the monitoring result. The supply operation control means instructs the coin supply source to temporarily decelerate or stop the supply of coins only when it is determined that the coins are accumulated, until the accumulated state is resolved. For this reason,
When coins are transported smoothly, the coin supply source
Since coins are supplied in a steady state and the supply and conveyance of coins are not unnecessarily slowed down or stopped, it is possible to prevent the accumulation of coins in the coin delivery section without reducing the efficiency of coin conveyance. it can.

[0010]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Next, a coin transporting mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention and a coin depositing / dispensing machine equipped with this coin transporting mechanism will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of the coin depositing / dispensing machine of the present embodiment, and the parts corresponding to those of the conventional coin depositing / dispensing machine shown in FIG. Here, the coin depositing / dispensing machine of this example stores the inserted coins in the coin storing / dispensing section for each coin according to the coin type, and when there is a withdrawal command, the coin storing / dispensing based on the command. The coin processing device is capable of paying out coins of a required denomination from the section, and at the time of tightening, the coins stored in the coin storing / dispensing section of each denomination can be collected in the mixed coin receiving and delivering section. Further, when starting the operation of the coin depositing / dispensing machine, the coins can be collectively stored in the mixed coin receiving / delivering unit, and the coins can be dispensed from the coin storing / dispensing unit to load the coins into the coin storing / dispensing unit. It is a coin processing device.

As shown in FIG. 1, the coin depositing / dispensing machine 1 dispenses a coin group to dispense a coin group to be loaded into a coin storing / dispensing section (not shown) of a denomination when starting its operation. A coin supply source), the mixed coin receiving and feeding section 2 is connected in series to the downstream side via a feeding coin chute 3, and the loaded coin transport belt mechanism 4 for transporting the fed-out coin group to the downstream side. It has a sorting coin transport belt mechanism 5 that is connected in series to the downstream side of the loaded coin transport belt mechanism 4, receives the coins unloaded from the loaded coin transport belt mechanism 41, and transports the coins to the upper position. Here, since the coin carrying capacity of the loaded coin carrying belt mechanism 4 is lower than that of the mixed coin receiving and feeding section 2, and the sorting coin carrying belt mechanism 5 is arranged with a steep slope. , Its coin carrying capacity is lower than the coin carrying capacity (coin supplying capacity) of the loaded coin carrying belt mechanism 4. Further, with respect to the sorting coin transport belt mechanism 5, when the coin depositing / dispensing machine 1 is tightened, the coins discharged from the coin-type coin storing / dispensing unit are transported to the sorting coin transport belt mechanism 5 The mechanism 7 is also connected. Further, on the upper end side of the sorting coin transport belt mechanism 5, a loading / closing flapper 6 is arranged on the lower surface side of the coin cover 50. The loading / closing flapper 6 is a coin sorting unit (not shown). No)
And the attitude is switched to a state in which the upper open end side of the loaded coin chute 6 communicating with the denomination-type coin storing and dispensing part side is opened (shown by a solid line 11a in FIG. 1), and the coin is guided to the loaded coin chute 6. On the other hand, the attitude is switched to the state in which the upper open end side of the loaded coin chute 6 is shut off (shown by the one-dot chain line 11b in FIG. 1), and the coins passing through the upper surface thereof are guided to the mixed coin receiving and feeding section 2. It has become. It should be noted that each of the coin transport mechanisms 4, 5, and 7 uses transport belts 41, 51, and 71 having coin engaging protrusions 41a, 51a, and 71a on their belt surfaces.

Here, on the lower end side of the feeding coin chute 3, the upper surface of the lower end side of the feeding belt 41 of the loading coin feeding belt mechanism 4 is a coin passing portion between the mixed coin receiving feeding portion 2 and the loaded coin feeding belt mechanism 4. 4a. On the other hand, between the upper end side of the loaded coin transport belt mechanism 4 and the lower end side of the sorting coin transport belt mechanism 5, as shown in FIG. , A back cover 52 is arranged, and on the lower side of the back cover 52, coins discharged from the loaded coin transport belt mechanism 4 through a position below the coin cover 42,
A chute guide 53 for guiding to the lower end side of the sorting coin transport belt mechanism 5 is arranged. This back cover 5
2 also faces the folded-back ends of the respective conveyor belts 51, 71 between the lower end side of the sorting coin conveyor belt mechanism 5 and the upper end side of the collected coin conveyor belt mechanism 7, and A chute guide 54 for guiding the coins discharged from the collected coin transport belt mechanism 7 through the position below the coin cover 72 to the lower end side of the distributed coin transport belt mechanism 5 is arranged on the lower side. .. A portion partitioned and formed by the chute guides 53 and 54 and the back cover 52 is a coin delivery section 5a of the loaded coin transport belt mechanism 4 and the distributed coin transport belt mechanism 5, and the coin delivery section 5a is distributed. Coin transport belt mechanism 5
It also serves as a coin delivery section between the recovery coin transport belt mechanism 7 and the recovery coin transport belt mechanism 7.

In the coin depositing / dispensing machine 1 having such a structure, the mixed coin receiving / feeding section 2 has a box-shaped coin cassette 21 detachable from the coin depositing / dispensing machine 1, and by opening the upper cover thereof, The coins transported by the sorting coin transport belt mechanism 5 at the time of tightening can be stored in the centrifugal disc hopper 2a provided inside. The bottom surface of the centrifugal disc hopper 2a is formed by a rotating plate 22 that is rotated by a driving force from a disc hopper driving motor (not shown) in the coin depositing / dispensing machine 1. The internal coin group is supplied from the opening on the side surface toward the coin delivery section 4a with the loaded coin transport belt mechanism 4 via the pay-out coin chute 3. However, since the coin supply capacity of the centrifugal disk hopper 2a is larger than the coin transfer capacity of either the loaded coin transfer belt mechanism 4 or the sorting coin transfer belt mechanism 5, the centrifugal disk hopper 2a supplies coins. If they continue to do so, coins will remain in the coin delivery parts 4a and 5b, so the coin depositing / dispensing machine 1 of the present example is provided with the following coin retention preventing measures.

That is, in the coin depositing / dispensing machine 1 of this example, as shown in FIGS.
In any of 5a, in order to monitor the staying state of coins there, non-contact staying state monitoring means that does not hinder the transfer of coins is provided with a primary side optical level sensor 9a and a secondary side optical level sensor 9b. , A translucent level sensor) is provided for each coin transfer unit 4a,
In 5a, the light level sensors 9a and 9b are switched to a light blocking state or a light transmitting state by a coin passing through the optical path. And the light level sensor 9a,
As shown in FIG. 3, 9b is connected to the CPU 10 (supply operation control means) of the control printed circuit board 10a and can transmit a signal corresponding to the state. This CPU10
In advance, a program is stored in the CPU, and based on this program, the CPU 10 determines whether the coins of one of the optical level sensors 9a and 9b are in a state where the optical path is blocked for a certain period of time. When it is determined that coins are accumulated in the delivery unit, the driving force for the centrifugal disc hopper 2a is applied to the disc hopper drive motor 13 that is the drive source of the centrifugal disc hopper 2a of the mixed coin receiving and feeding unit 2. It can be commanded to temporarily suspend the transmission and adjust the payout amount of coins. However, even if such coin accumulation occurs, C
The PU 10 commands the belt driving motor 12 that is a drive source of the coin transport belt mechanisms 4 and 5 to keep the driving force transmitted to the coin transport belt mechanisms 4 and 5.

Next, the coin transporting operation of the coin depositing / dispensing machine 1 of this embodiment will be described.

First, when coins are not stored in the coin type coin storing / dispensing unit such as at the start of operation, after storing coins in the coin cassette 21 removed from the coin depositing / dispensing machine 1, the coin cassette 21 is inserted. It is installed in the coin depositing / dispensing machine 1. Next, when the centrifugal disc hopper 2a inside the coin cassette 21 is operated, the coins are discharged from the mixed coin receiving and feeding unit 2 and, via the feeding coin chute 3, the surface of the transport belt 41 of the loaded coin transport belt mechanism 4. The coin is discharged to the top, that is, to the coin delivery portion 4a (direction of arrow A).

Further, by the movement of the conveyor belt 41,
The coin is conveyed to the upper end side (direction of arrow B) and is discharged to the coin delivery section 5a (direction of arrow C). Subsequently, in the coin delivery section 5a, the coin is guided onto the conveyor belt 51 at the lower end side of the sorting coin conveyor belt mechanism 5, and then the coin is conveyed to the upper end side by the movement of the conveyor belt 51 (arrow C). Direction), the coin sorting unit and the coin-type coin storage / delivery unit, which are in communication with the loaded coin chute 6.

The operation of monitoring the staying state of coins during the loading operation and the control operation for each drive source are
This will be described based on the flowchart shown in FIG. Here, the coin cassette 21 storing coins is used as the coin depositing / dispensing machine 1
The operation after the state of being installed in will be described.

First, in step ST1, the CPU1
0 instructs the belt driving motor 12 to operate, and moves the transfer belts 41 and 51 of the loaded coin transfer belt mechanism 4 and the distributed coin transfer belt mechanism 5. Subsequently, in step ST2, the CPU 10 commands the disc hopper drive motor 13 to operate, and transfers the coins from the centrifugal disc hopper 2a to the coin transfer unit 4a.
To let out. The coins supplied here are conveyed toward the downstream side by the loaded coin transfer belt mechanism 4, supplied to the coin transfer section 5a, and further transferred to the sorted coin transfer belt mechanism 5.

During this operation, in step ST3, the coin blocks the optical path of the optical level sensor 9a on the primary side every time the coin passes through the coin delivery section 4a, but unless the light shielding state continues for 0.6 seconds, The CPU 10 determines that the coin delivery unit 4a does not hold coins. Also in step ST4, the coin blocks the optical path of the optical level sensor 9b on the secondary side every time the coin passes through the coin delivery section 5a.
Unless the shaded state continues for 1.0 second, C
The PU 10 determines that the coin delivery unit 5a does not hold coins. In such a case, in step ST5, the CPU 10 determines whether or not there is a coin inside the coin cassette 21, and if it determines that there is a coin, the process returns to step ST1 and the above-described transport operation is repeated. Let If the CPU 10 determines that there is no coin in the coin cassette 21, the CPU 10 commands the disc hopper drive motor 13 to stop (step ST6), and further stops the belt drive motor 12. Command (step ST7), and the transport operation of the loaded coins ends.

On the other hand, in step ST3, when the state in which the coin passes through the optical path of the primary light level sensor 9a by the coin delivery unit 4a for 0.6 seconds or more based on the signal from the primary light level sensor 9a. Is the CPU 10
Judges that coins are staying there, and commands the belt driving motor 12 to operate (step S
T8), and commands the disc hopper drive motor 13 to stop (step ST9). As a result, the supply of coins from the mixed coin receiving and feeding unit 2 is temporarily stopped, so that the coins are conveyed to the downstream side without continuously staying in the coin delivery unit 4a.

Then, in step ST10, based on the signal from the optical level sensor 9a on the primary side, CP
U10 determines whether or not coins are in the accumulated state at the coin delivery unit 4a. Here, when the translucent state of the primary light level sensor 9a continues for 1 second or more, the CPU 10 determines that the staying state of coins has been eliminated, and step ST1
Go to 1. On the other hand, when the translucent state does not continue for 1 second or longer, the CPU 10 determines that the accumulation of coins has not been resolved, returns to step ST8, and temporarily supplies the coins from the coin cassette 21. The command is given to continue the transportation of coins in the stopped state.

Next, in step ST11, based on the signal from the optical level sensor 9b on the secondary side, CP
U10 determines whether or not coins are in the accumulated state at the coin transfer unit 5a. Here, when the light-transmitting state of the light level sensor 9b continues for 1 second or more, the CPU 10 determines that the staying state of coins is eliminated, and proceeds to step ST5. On the other hand, when the translucent state does not continue for 1 second or longer, the CPU 10 determines that the accumulation of coins has not been eliminated, returns to step ST8, and the coin supply from the coin cassette 21 is temporarily stopped. The command is given to continue the transportation of coins in the stopped state.

In this way, when the CPU 10 determines that the coin is staying in any one of the coin delivering parts 4a and 5a, it serves as a coin supply source until the remaining coin is eliminated. Mixed coin storing and dispensing section 2
Temporarily suspends the supply of new coins from. Therefore, the coin is prevented from jamming and the coin transport is completely stopped. Moreover, since the coin supply from the mixed coin storage / delivery section 2 is not simply stopped periodically but according to the accumulated state of the coins, when the coins are smoothly delivered and conveyed, the mixed coin storage is carried out. The payout unit 2 is still supplying coins. Therefore, since the period during which the supply of coins is stopped is minimized, the efficiency of coin transport does not decrease.

Further, in order to temporarily suspend the supply of coins from the most upstream mixed coin receiving / feeding unit 2, at a position midway between the mixed coin receiving / feeding unit 2 and the coin delivering unit in which the coins are retained,
Even if there is another coin transport belt mechanism, it is possible to prevent coins from staying there.

In this example, the coin delivery section 4
Although only the coins a and 5a were monitored, the collected coins discharged from the coin type coin storage / dispensing unit are distributed to the sorting coin transport belt mechanism 5 via the collected coin transport belt mechanism 7 at the time of tightening. Since the coins are conveyed, the coin transfer section of this coin transfer path, that is, the coin transfer section between the denomination-type coin storing / dispensing section and the recovered coin transfer belt mechanism 7, the recovered coin transfer belt mechanism 7, and the distributed coin transfer belt mechanism 5 It is also possible to monitor the staying state of coins with respect to the coin delivery unit. In this case, the coin-type coin storing / dispensing unit serves as a coin supply source, and the coin supply operation is controlled by the supply operation control means such as a CPU.

In addition to the case where the staying state monitoring means is provided for the coin delivery section where the coin transporting capacity on the downstream side is lower than the coin feeding capacity on the upstream side, the state of the coins may fluctuate. You may provide in the coin delivery part with those capabilities.

[0029]

As described above, in the coin transporting mechanism and the coin depositing / dispensing machine according to the present invention, the coins are accumulated in the coin delivering parts having the same or less downstream coin delivering ability among the coin delivering parts. A staying state monitoring unit for monitoring the state is arranged, and based on the monitoring result, when the supply operation control unit determines that the coin is staying, the staying state of the coin supply source is It commands to temporarily slow down or stop the supply of coins until it is resolved. Therefore, according to the present invention, the supply of new coins is temporarily decelerated or stopped only when the coins are accumulated in the coin delivery unit, and when the coins are smoothly transferred, the coins are conveyed in a steady state.
For this reason, it is possible to prevent the coin from being jammed and being completely stopped from being brought into a stopped state without lowering the efficiency of coin transportation. Moreover, in order to suspend the supply of coins from the most upstream coin supply source side, the coins may accumulate in the coin transporting means or the coin delivery part in the middle position between the coin supply source and the coin delivery part in which the coins have accumulated. Nor.

Here, as the staying state monitoring means, a translucent level sensor mechanism for detecting that the coins are in the staying state by holding the state in which the coins block the optical path for a predetermined time in the coin delivery part monitored by the staying state monitoring means. If you use the one with, you can monitor the accumulated state of coins without contact,
In addition, the level for discriminating that coins are accumulated can be easily set.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a coin depositing / dispensing machine according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a connection structure of each coin transport belt mechanism in the coin depositing / dispensing machine shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a control system in the coin depositing / dispensing machine shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a coin loading operation of the coin depositing / dispensing machine shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a schematic configuration diagram of a conventional coin depositing / dispensing machine.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Coin depositing / dispensing machine 2 ... Mixed coin receiving and delivering section (coin supply source) 3 ... Delivery coin chute 4 ... Loading coin transport belt mechanism (coin transport means) 4a, 5a ... Coins Delivery unit 5 ... Sorting coin transport belt mechanism (coin transport means) 7 ... Collected coin transport belt mechanism 9a, 9b ... Optical level sensor (transparent level sensor mechanism) 10 ... CPU (supply) Operation control means)

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. One or more coin conveying means connected in series from a coin supply source side toward a downstream side of a coin conveying path, a coin transfer portion between the coin supply source and the coin conveying means, and the coin. Among the coin transfer parts between the transfer means, at least a downstream state coin transfer capacity is equal to or less than the upstream side coin supply capacity, and a retention state monitoring means for monitoring the retention state of coins in the coin transfer part, and this retention Based on the monitoring result of the state monitoring means, when it is determined that the coins are accumulated in any of the coin delivery parts, the coins are temporarily supplied to the coin supply source until the accumulated state is resolved. And a supply operation control means for instructing to decelerate or stop. 2. The staying state monitoring means according to claim 1, wherein the staying state monitoring means is switched between a light blocking state and a light transmitting state by a coin passing through an optical path at a coin passing portion monitored by the staying state monitoring means. A coin transport mechanism comprising a translucent sensor mechanism capable of monitoring a state. 3. A coin carrying mechanism as defined in claim 1 or 2, wherein the coin supply source collects a group of coins in the device when tightening, and stores coins by denomination,
A coin depositing / dispensing machine, which is a mixed coin receiving / delivering unit that dispenses coins to be loaded into a coin-type coin storage / dispensing unit to be dispensed.