JP7244881B2 - coin processing equipment - Google Patents

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a coin processing device that feeds out coins accumulated in a container one by one.

Commonly, circulating currency issued by a nation includes coins of multiple denominations. Coins have different diameters, thicknesses, materials, and designs for each denomination, so anyone can easily identify the denomination. Since each denomination has different characteristics, it is also possible to identify the denomination by machine. Therefore, a coin processing device has been proposed that mechanically identifies the denomination of coins, stores the coins in a storage unit corresponding to the denomination, and discharges a desired number of coins from the storage unit as needed.

For example, a coin processing device disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2011-165003 is known as a device that feeds out coins stored for each denomination one by one.

This coin processing apparatus has a process of separating and sending out a plurality of coins inserted from an insertion slot one by one, identifying the denomination of the coins conveyed one by one, next identifying a step of storing the received coins by denomination;

In the process of separating and sending out a plurality of coins inserted from the slot, a base arranged at an angle and a disc rotating thereon are provided. A storage container for storing coins is arranged below the disk. For example, the storage container is arranged so as to cover approximately half of the disc. The disk is provided with a recess for receiving one coin. Then, the disk is rotated to pick up a plurality of coins in the storage container one by one. By passing the disc through the storage container, only one coin accumulated in the storage container enters the recess and is conveyed. A mechanism for transferring coins to the next process is provided above the disk. The disk is rotated, the coin is transported, and the coin is transferred to the next process. The next step is to identify the denomination of the coin. The denomination of the coin is identified using multiple sensors that detect characteristics such as size and material of the coin. In this way, the coin sending device can pick up coins one by one from a plurality of coins, send the coins to the next process one by one, and identify the denomination of each coin.

In the step of storing the identified coins by denomination, the coins are conveyed by a belt. A slider is arranged for each denomination in the middle of the transport path. Each slider is connected to a coin hopper arranged for each denomination. Coins whose denominations have been identified are dropped onto the corresponding denomination slider during transport. Coins dropped on the slider are slid down to the storage container of the coin hopper by denomination and are stored there.

The coin hopper can discharge a desired number of coins. An example of a coin processing device is an automatic change machine. The automatic change machine calculates the denomination and number of coins to be discharged according to the amount of change. After determining the denomination and number of coins to be discharged, the coin hopper corresponding to each denomination is controlled to discharge the change. It is also possible to collect all the coins in the coin processing device.

JP 2011-165003 A

Considering the convenience of the user, the coin processing device is desired to shorten the processing time and not cause malfunction such as defective transportation of the transportation unit due to coins.

In the coin processing device, coins are inserted from the coin slot. Inserted coins are deposited on the rotating disk. The rotating disk is provided with a recess for storing coins, and by rotating, the coins are stored one by one in the recess and transported.

While a coin is being transported by the rotating disk, another inserted coin may fall onto the rotating disk. When the coin being conveyed is in the delivery area for the next process, another coin that has been inserted may fall onto the rotating disk. When another coin hits the rotating disk or the coin being conveyed, the impact causes the rotating disk or the coin to vibrate. This vibration may cause the coin to move in an unexpected direction, and the coin may get caught between a rotating member such as a rotating disk and a fixed member such as a frame, thereby hindering rotation.

When rotation obstruction occurs, maintenance work is required to eliminate it. The problem arises that the device cannot be used during work.

The present invention provides a coin processing device capable of reducing or preventing transport abnormalities such as obstruction of rotation even if coins fall onto a rotating disk, and capable of properly sorting and transporting a plurality of inserted coins one by one. do.

A coin processing apparatus according to the present invention is a coin processing apparatus having a storage section for storing coins that are conveyed, and a first rotating body for separating the coins stored in the storage section one by one. a slot for receiving the coin to be stored in the storage part; a conveyor arranged in the middle of a path of the coin from the slot to the storage part for conveying the coin; A first sensor that detects coins, a second sensor that detects the coins stored in the storage unit, a timer that measures time, and detection results of the first sensor and the second sensor. and a control circuit for controlling the driving of the conveyor based on the measurement result of the timer, and by driving the conveyor, the new coin is stored in the storage unit and the conveyor is stopped. The control circuit determines that there is a coin inserted in the slot based on the detection result of the first sensor, and the first When it is determined that the coin is in the storage unit based on the detection result of the sensor of 2, the timer is driven and the coin is transferred from the first rotating body to the next process according to the time to be measured. estimating the presence or absence of the coin in the storage unit, and if the measured time exceeds a predetermined time, it is determined that the coin is in the delivery area, the conveyor stops driving, and the coin to be stored in the storage unit is conveyed. and stop storing new coins in the storage unit. Further, the coin processing apparatus of the present invention has a storage unit for storing the coins that are conveyed, and a first rotating body that separates the coins stored in the storage unit one by one. In the device, a first sensor for detecting the presence or absence of the coin stored in the storage section upstream of the coin transport from the storage section, and a second sensor for detecting the coin stored in the storage section. 2 sensors, a timer for measuring time, the detection results of the first sensor and the second sensor, and the measurement results of the timer , the coins to be stored in the storage unit are conveyed. a control circuit for controlling whether to perform or stop, the control circuit determining that there is a newly inserted coin based on the detection result of the first sensor, and the second sensor If it is determined that the coin is present in the storage unit based on the detection result of , the timer is driven, and the coin is transferred from the first rotating body to the next process according to the measured time. When the measurement time exceeds a predetermined time, it is determined that there is the coin in the delivery area, and control is performed to stop the transportation of the coin to be stored in the storage section, and a new coin is stored in the storage section. It is characterized by stopping the storage of the said coins.

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a coin processing device capable of properly sorting and transporting coins one by one even if a coin inserted from an insertion slot is dropped onto a disk that transports coins of a coin feeding device. .

FIG. 1 is an external view for explaining the outline of the coin processing device. FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining the outline of the coin processing device. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the coin slot. FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining the movement of coins in the coin processing device. FIG. 5 is a perspective view including a separation section for separating inserted coins. 6A and 6B are diagrams for explaining the operation of the coin in the separating section and the identifying section. FIG. 7 is a block diagram of the coin processing device. FIG. 8 is a timing chart explaining the operation of the coin inserting section and the separating section. FIG. 9 is a flow chart for explaining the operation of the coin insertion section and separation section.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Each figure is merely a schematic representation to the extent that the present invention can be fully understood. Accordingly, the present invention is not limited to the illustrated examples only. Moreover, in each figure, the same code|symbol is attached|subjected about a common component and a similar component, and those overlapping description is abbreviate|omitted.

First, the coin processing device will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining the outline of the coin processing device. Commonly used coins consist of a plurality of denominations. Coins have different elements such as size, material, and design for each denomination. The coin processing device can identify coins and sort them by denomination for storage. In addition, the stored coins are reused for payouts and the like.

The coin processing device 1 is, for example, an automatic change machine, an automatic change machine, or the like. The coin processing device 1 has a mechanism for separating and transporting a plurality of coins stored in a container one by one. A plurality of coins 10 are thrown into the slot 2 at the same time. Also, the coins 10 inserted into the slot 2 are inserted in a mixture of a plurality of denominations. That is, the slot 2 can simultaneously accept a plurality of coins 10 of a plurality of denominations. Separation unit 6 includes a storage unit that stores a plurality of coins 10 . A plurality of coins 10 stored in a storage part are divided into pieces by a separation part 6 and delivered to an identification part 7 via a delivery part 8.例文帳に追加The identifying unit 7 identifies the denomination of the coin 10 and transfers it to the sorting unit 5 . The sorting unit 5 stores the identified coins 10 by denomination. Furthermore, a desired number of coins 10 can be paid out from the coins 10 stored for each denomination.

The coin processing device 1 is roughly divided into three parts. A separation unit 6 that temporarily stores the coins 10 inserted from the insertion port 2 and further sorts them one by one and sends them out; an identification unit 7 that identifies the denomination of the coins 10; It is the section 5. The coin sending device is a device for sorting and sending out inserted coins 10 one by one, and includes a separating section 6 . Also, the coin sending device may be configured to include other functions such as the identification section 7 in addition to the separating section 6 . Here, the coin sending device will be described as a device including a separation unit 6 and an identification unit 7 .

When the coin 10 is inserted into the slot 2, the coin 10 is detected by the first sensor 47. - 特許庁When the coin 10 is detected, the conveyor 11 is driven and the coin 10 is conveyed. The conveyed coin 10 is dropped into the coin passage 12. - 特許庁A coin 10 passes through a coin passage 12 and is stored in a storage container 13 . A reservoir for temporarily storing coins 10 includes a reservoir 13 . A plurality of coins 10 can be put into the storage container 13 regardless of denominations. The conveyor 11 is a device for conveying the coins 10, and various types such as a belt type, roller type, chain type, and screw type can be used. Further, a conveyor 11 is arranged in the middle of the transport path of the coins 10 from the slot 2 to the storage container 13 . The first sensor 47 is arranged in the middle of the transport path of the coins 10 from the slot 2 to the storage container 13 . For example, the first sensor 47 is arranged near the conveyor 11 and detects the coins 10 placed on the conveyor 11 . Also, the first sensor 47 is arranged upstream of the storage container 13 in the transport path of the coins 10 . This is because it is necessary to detect whether or not the coin 10 has been inserted from the slot 2 before the coin 10 enters the storage container 13 .

When the conveyor 11 is driven, the coins 10 can be stored in the storage container 13, and when the conveyor 11 is stopped, storage of the coins 10 in the storage container 13 can be stopped. Also, the movement of the coins 10 can be controlled by providing an opening/closing member, such as a flap or a shutter, that opens and closes the transport path in the middle of the transport path of the coins 10 from the slot 2 to the storage container 13. . The movement of the coin 10 is enabled by opening the opening/closing member, and the movement of the coin 10 is stopped by closing the opening/closing member. The opening/closing member may be a shutter or the like for opening/closing the conveying path of the coin 10 .

A disk 15 rotates on a base 14 on which a coin 10 slides, in a disk rotation direction 18 indicated by an arrow about a disk rotation axis 16 . The base 14 is arranged with its surface inclined in a direction intersecting the vertical direction, for example, at an angle of 45 degrees. The angle of inclination may be about 30 degrees to 80 degrees, preferably between 40 degrees and 50 degrees. If the inclination is small, unnecessary coins cannot slide out of the recess, and if the inclination is large, it becomes difficult for coins to enter the recess.

The disc 15 is provided with three concave portions 17, into which coins 10 are inserted. A storage container 13 is arranged on the vertical side of the disk 15, ie, on the lower side. The storage container 13 is indicated by dashed lines in the figure. A bottom portion of the storage container 13 is formed along the outer circumference of the disk 15 . The reservoir 13 covers about half to one-third of the lower side of the disk 15 . A plurality of coins 10 can be deposited in the storage container 13 . In addition, since the base 14 is inclined so that the coins 10 are deposited, the coins 10 lean against the disk 15 side and are deposited in the lower part of the storage container 13 . When the disc 15 is rotated while the coins 10 are leaning against the disc 15 side, the coins 10 enter the concave portion 17 one by one and are conveyed. That is, the disk 15 and the base 14 are arranged at positions facing the storage container 13 . In such a case, the portion surrounded by the storage container 13, the base 14 and the disk 15 and storing the coins 10 is the storage portion for the coins 10. FIG. The coin 10 will be stored in this reservoir. The storage unit is arranged on the lower side of the separation unit 6 and temporarily stores a plurality of coins 10 before their denominations are identified by the identification unit 7 .

An outer wall is provided outside the outer periphery of the disk 15 of the base 14 so as to surround the disk 15 to limit the movement of the coin 10.例文帳に追加The coin 10 can be held one by one by the outer wall and the concave portion 17 provided in the disc 15 . The coin 10 is held so that the front side or the back side faces the flat bottom surface of the base 14 . Then, the coin 10 comes into contact with the inner side surface of the recess 17 , and the peripheral surface of the coin 10 is pushed to slide on the base 14 . By rotating the disk 15, the coin 10 is moved to the delivery section 8. - 特許庁The delivery section 8 is a delivery area for delivering the coin 10 from the separation section 6 to the identification section 7, and does not have an outer wall. The delivery portion 8, that is, the delivery area of the coin 10, is where the coin 10 is delivered from the disk 15 to the wheel 19 from the position where the coin 10 is involved in the trajectory of the tip when the wheel 19 rotates. Including up to the position where is separated. Alternatively, it includes from the trajectory of the tip when the disc 15 rotates to the position regardless of the coin 10 .

Both the disk 15 and the wheel 19 are rotating bodies. Assuming that the disk 15 is the first rotating body and the wheel 19 is the second rotating body, the coin 10 is transferred from the first rotating body to the second rotating body. A coin 10 is delivered at a position above the separation section 6 and below the identification section 7 . The coin 10 conveyed upward by the disk 15 is delivered from the disk 15 to the identifying section 7 . A second sensor 48 is arranged in the lower part of the storage container 13 . Coins 10 stored in storage container 13 can be detected by second sensor 48 . It is possible to determine whether or not the coin 10 is stored in the storage container 13 by a control circuit which will be described later.

In the identification part 7 a wheel 19 rotates on a flat base 14 about a wheel rotation axis 20 in a wheel rotation direction 21 indicated by an arrow. The wheel 19 rotates in conjunction with the rotation of the disk 15 . The coin 10 delivered from the separation unit 6 is moved on the base 14 by being pushed by the peripheral surface of the coin 10 coming into contact with the wheel 19 . While the coin 10 is moving in the detection area of the identification unit 7, the identification sensor 9 detects characteristics such as size and material, and the denomination of the coin 10 is identified by a control circuit described later. A wheel 19 conveys the coin 10 to the detection area of the identification sensor 9 . Since the coins 10 can be conveyed separately one by one, the denomination can be preferably identified. The coin 10 moves along the guide section 22 and is handed over to the distribution section 5 in the next process.

In the distribution section 5, a rail 46 continuing to the guide section 22 is arranged. A coin 10 is conveyed along this rail 46 . A conveyor belt 24 is arranged along the rail 46 . Conveying pins 23 are arranged at regular intervals on the conveying belt 24 . One coin 10 enters between the adjacent conveying pins 23. - 特許庁The coin 10 is conveyed along the rail 46 by being pushed by the conveying pin 23 . The transport belt 24 is an endless belt and rotates in conjunction with the disc 15 and the wheel 19 in the transport belt rotation direction 25 indicated by the arrow. Separated by the transport pins 23, the coins 10 can be transported one by one.

Along the rail 46, the first slider 26, the second slider 27, the third slider 28, the fourth slider 29, the fifth slider 30, the sixth slider 31, the seventh slider 32, the eighth slider 33, and the ninth slider 34 are placed. These sliders are connected to coin hoppers of predetermined denominations. The coin 10 identified by the identification unit 7 is dropped onto the slider of the corresponding denomination and then stored in the coin hopper of the corresponding denomination.

The coin 10 identified by the identification unit 7 is dropped on the slider of the matching denomination. The first slider 26 connects to the first coin hopper 35, the second slider 27 connects to the second coin hopper 36, the third slider 28 connects to the third coin hopper 37, the fourth slider 29 connects to the fourth coin hopper 38, and the fifth coin hopper. The slider 30 is connected to the fifth coin hopper 39, the sixth slider 31 to the sixth coin hopper 40, the seventh slider 32 to the seventh coin hopper 41, the eighth slider 33 to the eighth coin hopper 42, and the ninth slider 34. is connected to the ninth coin hopper 43 . The denominations to be stored in each set of slider and coin hopper are determined.

It is also possible to deal with coins 10 of up to nine denominations. For example, the ninth hopper can be used as a collection container to collect old coins or the like whose distribution should be suppressed so as not to be reused. In such a case, eight kinds of denominations can be handled. Also, if there is a denomination that is used in large amounts, two coin hoppers can be used for the same denomination. In this case, two coin hoppers can be assigned to the same denomination by controlling to alternately use the coin hoppers or to switch when one becomes full or empty. In such a case, less than nine denominations are supported.

Each coin hopper is arranged along the discharge belt 44 . The coins 10 discharged from each coin hopper can be conveyed to the tray 3 by driving the discharge belt 44 .

Coins 10 entered from the slot 2 are separated one by one and conveyed. The coin 10 is identified for its denomination and stored in a coin hopper corresponding to the identification result. A required number of coins 10 are discharged from each coin hopper and sent to the tray 3 . A coin 10 inserted from the slot 2 can be reused for payout.

FIG. 1 is an external view for explaining the outline of the coin processing device. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the appearance of the distributing unit 5 with the cover removed. The coin processing device 1 is covered with an exterior 4 . If there is a cover for the distribution part 5, it has a substantially cubic outer shape.

An opening of an insertion port 2 for inserting coins is arranged on the upper surface. A tray 3 for receiving coins to be paid out is arranged on one side of the coin processing device 1 . Assuming that the tray 3 side is the front side, the inlet 2 and the sorting section 5 are arranged in the direction of the back side.

For example, if the coin processing device 1 is a change dispenser, coins are inserted into the insertion port 2 as payment for goods. A control circuit, which will be described later, acquires the denomination and the number of inserted coins, so that the inserted amount can be grasped. The presence or absence of change is calculated, and if there is change, the denomination and number of coins are calculated, and the coin hopper is controlled to discharge the change coins. The change is sent to the tray 3.

Next, the coin slot will be described. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the coin slot.

A plurality of usable coins 10, for example several tens of coins, can be inserted into the slot 2 at the same time. A conveyor 11 is arranged on the bottom surface. Conveyor 11 is an endless belt. The conveyor 11 rotates so that the upper surface of the conveyor 11 advances in the direction of the coin passage 12 . The coin passage 12 is connected to the storage container 13 . A coin 10 dropped from a conveyor 11 to a coin passage 12 is stored in a storage container 13. - 特許庁

An alignment roller 49 is arranged above the leading end of the conveyor 11 . The space between the alignment roller 49 and the conveyor 11 is such that only one coin 10 can pass through. Sending a large amount of coins 10 to the coin passage 12 at once may cause clogging. Therefore, the amount of coins 10 entering the coin passage 12 is limited. The coins 10 can be sent on the conveyor 11 so as not to overlap each other. The amount of coins 10 corresponding to the width of the conveyor 11 can be sent to the coin passage 12. - 特許庁For example, one sheet or two sheets can be sent. By not sending many coins 10 at once, the coin passage 12 can be prevented from clogging with the coins 10.例文帳に追加

A first sensor 47 for detecting whether or not coins 10 are placed on the conveyor 11 is arranged near the conveyor 11 . Coins 10 inserted from the slot 2 are deposited on the conveyor 11. - 特許庁Since there are various deposition positions, it is preferable to detect the entire area on the conveyor 11 without omission. A proximity sensor capable of detecting metal or the like is arranged on the back side of the belt of the conveyor 11 to detect the presence or absence of an object on the belt. Furthermore, an optical sensor for detecting an object on the belt is arranged on the upper surface side of the belt, and the presence or absence of the object is detected by light. Thus, the first sensor 47 includes different types of sensors. Also, the first sensors 47 are arranged at a plurality of locations in order to eliminate non-detection areas on the belt. By using different types of sensors and by partially or entirely overlapping the detection ranges, errors in detection of the presence or absence of coins 10 deposited on the conveyor 11 are reduced. The first sensor 47 may be composed of a single sensor, but is composed of a plurality of sensor groups in order to improve the certainty of detection. Different types of sensors may be used to detect the presence or absence of the coin 10 at the same time. Also, it is possible to use one of the sensors mainly, and control so that if the mainly used sensor fails to detect, the other sensor is used for detection. Normally, only one type can be used for determination, so processing can be speeded up. In addition, in order to detect more reliably, when none of the sensors can detect, the conveyor 11 is reversely or forwardly rotated to apply vibration. The vibrations may change the state of the coin 10 and allow it to be detected.

When it is detected that the coin 10 is on the conveyor 11 under the control of a control circuit which will be described later, the conveyor 11 is driven to store the coin 10 in the storage container 13 .

Next, movement of the coins 10 from the separating section 6 to the sorting section 5 of the coin processing device 1 will be described. FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining the movement of coins in the coin processing device.

Coins 10 are stored in the storage container 13 of the separation section 6 . The coin 10 is conveyed to the identification section 7 by rotating the disc 15 . A second sensor 48 is arranged in the lower part of the storage container 13 . The presence or absence of coins 10 in the storage container 13 is detected. The coin 10 handed over to the identification section 7 is moved along the guide section 22 by the rotating wheel 19 . The features of the coin 10 are detected by the identification sensor 9 while the coin 10 is moving within the detection range of the identification sensor 9 . A case 50 is arranged to face the base 14 with the wheel 19 interposed therebetween. The identification sensor 9 can be arranged not only on the back side of the base 14 but also on the case 50 .

The coins 10 conveyed along the guide section 22 are handed over to the sorting section 5 . The coins 10 are transported along the rails 46 of the sorting section 5 . The coin 10 whose denomination has been identified by the identification unit 7 is dropped on the corresponding denomination slider among the sliders arranged along the rail 46 . FIG. 4 shows an example in which a coin 10 is dropped on the sixth slider 31 . The coins 10 can be stored in the coin hopper by denomination. Further, the control circuit described later can obtain the number of coins 10 in the coin hopper by counting the number of coins 10 to be stored and the number of coins discharged from the coin hopper.

Next, the separation section 6 will be described. FIG. 5 is a perspective view including a separation section for separating inserted coins.

The separating portion 6 is arranged so that the surface of the base 14 is inclined in a direction intersecting the horizontal direction. A reservoir 13 is arranged below the disk 15 . Coins 10 are deposited in a reservoir of coins 10 surrounded by disk 15 , base 14 and reservoir 13 . A case 50 covers the identification unit 7 so as to cover the base 14 .

A pushing body 54 is provided on the disk 15 . The pushing body 54 rotates around the swing shaft 51 . A moving pin 52 protruding toward the rear surface is provided substantially in the center of the pushing member 54 . This moving pin 52 moves along the guide groove 53 . The moving pin 52 moves along the guide groove 53 around the swing shaft 51 , and the pushing body 54 rotates around the swing shaft 51 as the moving pin 52 moves. The moving pin 52 is fitted in a cam groove (not shown) arranged on the back side of the base 14 . The moving pin 52 moves the pusher 54 according to the shape of the cam groove by changing the contact position with the cam groove as the disk 15 rotates. As the disk 15 rotates, the pushing body 54 rotates about the pivot shaft 51 when it moves above the separation section 6, that is, to the delivery section 8 where the coin 10 is delivered to the next process. By rotating the pushing body 54, the coin 10 is lifted and transferred to the next process. The lifted coin 10 is carried by the wheel 19 of the identification section 7 in the delivery section 8 .

A delivery part 8 is provided with a sheet 55 for dropping the coins 10 again toward the storage container 13 and eliminating them when the coins 10 are overlapped or do not enter the concave portion 17 of the disk 15 correctly. In order to accurately feed the coins 10 one by one from the separation unit 6 to the identification unit 7, it is necessary that one coin 10 is accurately inserted in one recess 17. FIG. For example, if the edge of the coin 10 hangs obliquely on the edge of the disk 15 and there is a gap between the base 14 and the surface of the coin 10, there is a risk that the coin 10 cannot be transferred to the next process. Moreover, when a plurality of coins 10 are contained in one concave portion 17, there is a possibility that they cannot be transferred to the next process. In such a case, it is necessary to store the coins 10 in the storage container 13 again. The sheet 55 is in contact with the surface of the disc 15 and can drop the floating coin 10 into the storage container 13 .

If the disk 15 vibrates while the coin 10 is in the delivery section 8, the held coin 10 may move and the timing of delivery may fall outside the allowable range. As a result, the coin 10 is caught between the fixed member and the moving member, which hinders the rotation of the disk 15 and the wheel 19.例文帳に追加Since the coin 10 is moved by the pushing body 54 and has a delivery mechanism, even if the pushing body 54 vibrates during delivery, it causes a problem. The pushing body 54 is a member that operates in conjunction with the disk 15, and has a mechanism that operates periodically. Vibration of the pushing body 54 must be prevented because it adversely affects the coins 10 in the delivery area. When another coin 10 comes into contact with the coin 10 in the delivery section 8, the coin 10 also vibrates, which hinders the rotation of the disk 15 and the wheel 19. Therefore, when the coin 10 being transported by the disk 15 is near the delivery section 8, it is necessary to control so as not to insert a new coin 10 into the storage section.

Next, FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining the operation of coins in the separating section and the identifying section. This is a state in which the case 50, the seat 55 and the like are removed. The disk 15 is rotated while the coins 10 are accumulated in the storage container 13. - 特許庁As a result, the coins 10 accumulated in the lower part of the separating section 6 enter the concave portion 17 of the disk 15 one by one. The coin 10 that has entered the recess 17 is transported to the delivery section 8 . Above the separation section 6, the pushing body 54 rotates from the standby position. The rotated pushing body 54 pushes the coin 10 up to the position where the coin 10 contacts the wheel 19 and is accompanied by the wheel 19 . Further, when the wheel 19 rotates, the coin 10 is conveyed along the guide portion 22, passes through the detection area of the identification sensor 9, and is handed over to the next process. A second sensor 48 is arranged below the separation section 6 and detects the presence or absence of the coin 10 . For example, an optical sensor that outputs different signals depending on the presence or absence of coin 10 can be used. Other configurations may be used as long as the presence or absence of the coin 10 can be detected. After delivering the coin 10, the pushing body 54 moves again to the waiting position where it contacts the disk 15. As shown in FIG. As the moving pin 52 reciprocates along the guide groove 53, the pushing body 54 moves.

Next, the coin processing device will be explained using a block diagram. FIG. 7 is a block diagram of the coin processing device.

The coin processing device 1 includes a control circuit 60, a memory 61, a timer 62, an interrupt circuit 63, an identification sensor 9, an external IF (interface) 64, a first sensor 47, a second sensor 48, a conveyor drive circuit 65, It has a coin transport section drive circuit 66 , a flap drive circuit 67 , a hopper drive circuit 68 and a discharge belt drive circuit 69 .

The control circuit 60 includes a CPU and performs various controls of the entire apparatus according to programs and set values stored in the memory 61 .

The memory 61 includes a ROM for storing programs, initial setting values, etc., temporary data storage, a working memory, and a RAM for storing setting values.

The timer 62 operates under the control of the control circuit 60 . A timer 62 keeps time and can measure time. Further, it is possible to divide the frequency of the signal of the oscillation circuit and output the signal at a predetermined timing and a predetermined period.

Interrupt circuit 63 operates under the control of control circuit 60 . The interrupt circuit 63 can generate an interrupt signal in conjunction with inputs from various input means and output it to the control circuit 60 . The interrupt circuit 63 can also generate an interrupt signal based on the signal from the timer 62 and output it to the control circuit 60 . This allows periodic interrupts to be generated based on the timer 62 .

The identification sensor 9 operates under the control of the control circuit 60 . It is arranged in the identification section 7 and detects the characteristics of the coin 10 . The control circuit 60 can acquire the detection signal detected by the identification sensor 9 . The control circuit 60 can determine the denomination of the coin 10 based on the acquired detection signal. Data on which the judgment is based is stored in the memory 61 . By comparing the data stored in the memory 61 with the acquired detection signal, the denomination of the coin 10 can be identified. The control circuit 60 performs various controls based on the identified denomination.

The external IF 64 transmits and receives signals to and from an external device. The external device is, for example, a control device of a POS system. Information acquired by the control circuit 60 can be transmitted to an external device. Information can also be acquired from an external device. For example, if the POS system issues a payout instruction with a specified denomination and number of coins, the control circuit 60 performs control to discharge the specified number of coins 10 from the coin hopper of the specified denomination. be able to.

The first sensor 47 operates under the control of the control circuit 60 . The first sensor 47 detects whether or not the coin 10 has been inserted into the slot 2 . The control circuit 60 can determine whether or not there are coins 10 on the conveyor 11 based on the detection results. The first sensor 47 preferably has, for example, two or more types of sensors to prevent omission of detection.

The second sensor 48 operates under control of the control circuit 60 . A second sensor 48 detects whether or not the coin 10 is in the storage container 13 . The control circuit 60 can determine whether or not there are coins 10 deposited in the lower portion of the storage container 13 based on the detection results. That is, the control circuit 60 can determine whether there are any coins 10 remaining in the storage section.

The conveyor drive circuit 65 operates under the control of the control circuit 60 . A conveyor drive circuit 65 drives the conveyor 11 under the control of the control circuit 60 . The conveyor 11 is equipped with an endless belt and is looped around a pair of pulleys. The conveyor 11 is driven by rotating the pulley by a motor (not shown).

The coin transport section drive circuit 66 operates under the control of the control circuit 60 . A conveying unit for the coins 10 includes a disk 15 of the separating unit 6 , a wheel 19 of the identifying unit 7 and a conveying belt 24 of the sorting unit 5 . These conveying units are driven under the control of the control circuit 60 . A motor (not shown) drives the disk 15, the wheel 19, and the conveyor belt 24. FIG. The disk 15 and the wheel 19 are connected by a train wheel (not shown) so as to rotate in opposite directions in synchronization. That is, the disk 15 rotates to the left, and the wheel 19 rotates to the right in synchronization with this rotation. Also, the wheel 19 and the conveyor belt 24 rotate synchronously. By synchronizing and driving in this manner, the coins 10 fed out one by one by the separation section 6 can be conveyed while being managed one by one.

The flap drive circuit 67 operates under the control of the control circuit 60 . The coins 10 conveyed by the conveying belt 24 move through the first slider 26, the second slider 27, the third slider 28, the fourth slider 29, the fifth slider 30, the sixth slider 31, It is dropped on any of the seventh slider 32 , eighth slider 33 and ninth slider 34 . Each slider is provided with a flap. A flap drive circuit 67 drives each of these flaps individually under the control of the control circuit 60 . By actuating the flap, the coin 10 can be passed through or dropped onto the slider.

The hopper drive circuit 68 operates under the control of the control circuit 60 . The hopper driving circuit 68 controls the first coin hopper 35, the second coin hopper 36, the third coin hopper 37, the fourth coin hopper 38, the fifth coin hopper 39, the sixth coin hopper 40, the The coin hoppers of the seventh coin hopper 41, the eighth coin hopper 42 and the ninth coin hopper 43 are individually driven to discharge the coins 10 one by one. Also, each coin hopper detects the discharge of the coin and outputs a discharge detection signal to the hopper drive circuit 68 . The hopper drive circuit 68 acquires the discharge detection signal and outputs it to the control circuit 60 . The control circuit 60 acquires a discharge detection signal from the hopper drive circuit 68 . A discharge detection signal is output each time a coin is discharged from the coin hopper. By acquiring and counting this signal, the number of ejected coins can be known. That is, the control circuit 60 can acquire the number of coins 10 ejected from each coin hopper.

The discharge belt drive circuit 69 operates under the control of the control circuit 60 . The discharge belt drive circuit 69 drives the discharge belt 44 under the control of the control circuit 60 . By driving the ejection belt 44 , the coins 10 on the ejection belt 44 can be moved to the tray 3 .

Next, the operation of the coin processing device will be described. FIG. 8 is a timing chart explaining the operation of the coin inserting section and the separating section.

The chart indicating "coin state" indicates whether a problem occurs or does not occur when the coin 10 is supplied to the storage container 13 . When the coin 10 conveyed by the disc 15 is near the delivery section 8, if another coin 10 falls on the disc 15, a problem may occur. The lower level of the chart indicated by "OK" indicates that the coin 10 carried by the disc 15 is not near the delivery section 8 and that another coin 10 can fall onto the disc 15 without causing any problems. On the other hand, at the top level of the chart indicated by "NG", the coin 10 carried by the disc 15 is near the delivery section 8, and another coin 10 may fall onto the disc 15, which may cause problems. It is shown that.

The chart showing the state of the "first sensor" shows a level "H" when the first sensor 47 detects the coin 10, and a level "L" when it does not. be

The chart showing the state of the "second sensor" shows a level indicated by "H" when the second sensor 48 detects the coin 10, and a level indicated by "L" when the second sensor 48 does not detect it. be

The chart showing the state of "conveyor operation" shows the operating state of the conveyor 11. FIG. When the conveyor 11 is driven, the level is indicated as "On", and when it is stopped, the level is indicated as "Off".

A chart showing the operation of the “measurement timer” shows the state of the time measurement operation of the timer 62 . When the timer 62 is measuring time, the level is indicated as "On", and when it is stopped, the level is indicated as "Off".

A chart showing the timing of the "timer interrupt" shows signals generated periodically by the interrupt circuit 63. FIG. Various states are grasped at the timing of this periodic interruption, and control processing is performed according to the state. An example in which the coin processing device is operated by periodic interruption will be described. In addition to using interrupts based on timing, an interrupt signal is generated at the change of operation such as the rise or fall of the sensor signal, when a predetermined time has passed, or when there is an input, and the timing of that interrupt is generated. can also be used for control processing.

First, it starts from a state where there is no coin 10 in the separation section 6 and the coin insertion section. Next, the coin 10 is inserted into the slot 2 and the first sensor 47 detects the coin 10 . Next, the conveyor 11 is operated to supply the coins 10 to the storage container 13 . Next, after the conveyor 11 starts moving, the coins 10 are dropped into the coin passage 12 and supplied to the storage container 13 . A second sensor 48 detects the coin 10 in the storage container 13 .

Next, after the coin 10 is detected by the second sensor 48, measurement of a predetermined time is started. After the predetermined time has elapsed, the conveyor 11 is stopped. This predetermined time includes the time it takes for the disc 15 to bring the coin 10 to a problematic location. It takes time for the coins 10 to move through the coin passage 12 and reach the storage container 13 after the conveyor 11 is stopped. This time is also considered to determine the predetermined time. For example, the time is as short as 0.2 seconds. This predetermined time is determined by experiments, theoretical calculations, etc., is stored in the memory 61 as a set value, and is used for control.

Next, after the conveyor 11 stops, the coins 10 stored in the storage container 13 are delivered to the identifying section 7 . If the second sensor 48 does not detect the coins 10 in the reservoir 13 and there are coins 10 on the conveyor 11, the conveyor 11 is activated again. It takes time until the coins 10 fall into the storage container 13 after the operation of the conveyor 11 is restarted. The coin 10 held on the disk 15 within this time is delivered to the identifying section 7 . Therefore, even if the conveyor 11 is operated after the second sensor 48 stops detecting the coins 10, no problem occurs.

Next, when the second sensor 48 detects the coin 10 again, the measurement of the predetermined time is started, and the conveyor 11 is stopped after the predetermined time has passed.

Even after the conveyor 11 stops, there are coins 10 moving in the coin passage 12, and it takes time to drop all of them. During that time, the time is set so that no problem will occur even if the coin 10 falls on the disk 15.例文帳に追加

Next, if there is no coin 10 on the conveyor 11 after the coins 10 in the storage container 13 are not detected, the conveyor 11 is not driven. If there are coins 10 on the conveyor 11, the operations described above will be repeated. Also, if the state where there are no coins 10 on the conveyor 11 continues, all the coins 10 will be delivered to the discriminating section 7, and even if the coins 10 fall on the disk 15, no problem will occur. It continues to wait for the first sensor 47 to detect the coin 10, that is, wait until a state change occurs.

A first state 70 is a state in which there is no coin 10 in the separating section 6 and no problem occurs even if the coin 10 is dropped onto the disk 15 .

The second state 71 includes the time from when the conveyor 11 is stopped until all the coins 10 moving in the coin passage 12 are stored in the storage container 13, and there is no problem even if the coins 10 are dropped onto the disk 15. is not generated.

The third state 72 is a state until the coin 10 stored in the storage container 13 is carried to the identification unit 7 by the disk 15, and if the coin 10 is dropped on the disk 15, a problem may occur. .

A fourth state 73 is similar to the second state 71 .

A fifth state 74 is a state until the coin 10 stored in the storage container 13 is completely transported to the identification unit 7 by the disk 15 . After the fifth state 74, since the first sensor 47 and the second sensor 48 are in the non-detection state, even if the coin 10 is dropped onto the disc 15, no problem will occur.

Next, processing when a timer interrupt occurs in a major state will be described. The operation starts from a state in which no coin 10 is inserted from the insertion slot 2 and no coin 10 is stored in the storage container 13. - 特許庁Also, the disk 15 and the wheel 19 are in a driven state. Changes in the operations of the first sensor 47, the second sensor 48, the conveyor 11, and the timer 62 when the coin 10 is inserted will be described in order.

The first sensor 47 does not detect the coin 10 during the timer interrupts A and B. Therefore, the conveyor 11 and the timer 62 are not driven.

At the time of timer interrupt C, the first sensor 47 becomes H level, and it is detected that the coin 10 has been inserted from the insertion port 2 and is on the conveyor 11 . The conveyor 11 is driven to supply the coins 10 to the storage container 13 .

At the time of timer interrupt D, since the state has not changed, it waits for a state change.

At timer interrupt E, since the second sensor 48 has detected the coin 10, the measurement of the predetermined time is started.

At the time of timer interrupt F, since the predetermined time has elapsed, the measurement of the predetermined time is finished and the driving of the conveyor 11 is stopped.

At timer interrupts G and H, since the state has not changed, wait for a state change.

At timer interrupt I, the second sensor 48 no longer detects the coin 10, so the conveyor 11 is started to be driven.

At the time of timer interrupt J, since the state has not changed, it waits for a state change.

At the timer interrupt K, since the second sensor 48 has detected the coin 10, the measurement of the predetermined time is started.

At the timer interrupt L, the first sensor 47 has stopped detecting the coin 10, but since it is within the predetermined time, the conveyor 11 is not stopped and the next state change is awaited.

At the time of timer interrupt M, since the predetermined time has elapsed, the measurement of the predetermined time is finished and the driving of the conveyor 11 is stopped.

At the time of timer interrupt N, the second sensor 48 no longer detects the coin 10, but the first sensor 47 also does not detect it, so a state change is awaited.

The above has described typical timings for performing processing. In this way, when a timing interrupt occurs, by performing processing according to the state, the coin 10 in the coin insertion portion can be inserted into the storage container 13 when there is no problem even if the coin 10 falls on the disk 15. supply. In addition to the timing interrupt, for example, when the levels of the first sensor 47 and the second sensor 48 are switched, or when measurement of a predetermined time is completed, the interrupt circuit 63 generates an interrupt. By performing similar processing depending on the state, the time lag of processing can be reduced.

FIG. 9 is a flow chart for explaining the operation of the coin insertion section and separation section. The operation of the coin processing device 1 will be explained using a flow chart. According to the program stored in the memory 61 by the control circuit 60, the sensor, drive circuit, etc. are controlled and operated. Also, an example in which processing is periodically performed by timer interrupt will be described. For example, the processing is performed at a timing such as 5 milliseconds or 10 milliseconds. The shorter the interval, the smaller the time lag.

First, in step S1, it is determined whether or not there are coins 10 in the deposit port. That is, the first sensor 47 detects whether or not there are coins 10 on the conveyor 11 . As a result of the detection, if the coin 10 is detected, the process proceeds to step S2, and if not detected, the process proceeds to step S11.

Next, in step S2, it is determined whether or not there are coins 10 in the storage container 13. FIG. That is, the second sensor 48 detects whether or not there are coins 10 in the storage container 13 . As a result of the detection, if the coin 10 is detected, the process proceeds to step S3, otherwise the process proceeds to step S9.

Next, in step S3, it is determined whether or not the belt of the conveyor 11 is being driven. If the belt is being driven, the process proceeds to step S4. If not driven, terminate the process. That is, this state is maintained until there is a change in state.

Next, in step S4, it is determined whether or not the timer 62 is measuring a predetermined time. If the measurement is in progress, the process proceeds to step S5. If not measured, the process proceeds to step S8. The predetermined time is the time from when the second sensor 48 detects the coin 10 to when the coin is dropped onto the disc 15 without causing any problem. For example, it is the time until the coin 10 is carried by the disc 1/4 of the disc 15 . If the conveyor 11 is stopped after a predetermined period of time has passed, even if the coin 10 does not exist near the delivery section 8 and another coin 10 falls on the disc 15, no problem will occur.

Next, in step S5, it is determined whether or not the timer 62 has exceeded a predetermined time. If it exceeds, the process proceeds to step S6. If not driven, terminate the process. That is, this state is maintained until there is a change in state.

Next, in step S6, the belt of the conveyor 11 is stopped. The supply of coins 10 from the coin slot to the storage container 13 is stopped. Actually, even after the conveyor 11 stops, some coins 10 still slide down the coin passage 12, but the predetermined time is determined in consideration of that time. If the conveyor 11 is operated longer than this predetermined time, another coin 10 will be dropped onto the disk 15 when there is a coin 10 in the delivery section 8, which may cause a problem. When the coins 10 are supplied from the conveyor 11 to the coin passage 12, it is preferable that the time from when the conveyor 11 starts operating to when the coins 10 enter the coin passage 12 is constant. Therefore, after the conveyor 11 is stopped, the first predetermined amount conveyor 11 is reversed to temporarily retract the placed coins 10 . After that, the conveyor 11 is rotated forward by a second predetermined amount less than the first predetermined amount. For example, the first predetermined amount is the full length of the conveyor 11, and the second predetermined amount is half the first predetermined amount. In this way, the leading edge of the coins 10 placed on the conveyor 11 can be arranged near the center of the conveyor 11 . Each time the operation of the conveyor 11 is restarted, the heads of the placed coins 10 can start from substantially the same position. Variations in the time from the start of the operation of the conveyor 11 to the arrival of the coins 10 in the storage container 13 can be reduced, and the accuracy of control processing can be improved. By performing this operation a plurality of times, for example, twice, the coins 10 can be more accurately aligned at the same position. Also, preferably, the conveyer 11 is reversed and then forwardly rotated so that the top of the coin 10 can be placed in front of the alignment roller 49 . The coin passage 12 can be supplied to the coin passage 12 immediately after the conveyor 11 is driven, and the time can be saved.

Next, in step S7, the timer 62 is stopped and reset in preparation for the next measurement. Then, the process ends.

Next, step S8 is processing when the timer 62 is not measuring. Start the operation of the timer 62 to measure the time. That is, the measurement of the predetermined time is started.

Next, in step S9, if there is no coin 10 in the storage container 13, the process proceeds to step S5 if the conveyor 11 is being driven, and to step S10 if the conveyor 11 is stopped.

Next, in step S10, driving of the conveyor 11 is started. If there are no coins 10 in the storage container 13, the conveyor 11 is started to supply the coins 10 to the storage container 13.

Next, in step S11, if the coin 10 is not detected by the first sensor 47, it is determined whether the conveyor 11 is being driven. If it is driving, the process goes to step S5, and if it is stopped, the process ends. That is, this state is maintained until there is a change in state.

By performing the processing as described above, it is possible to stop storing new coins 10 in the storage container 13 when the coins 10 are transferred from the disk 15 to the wheel 19 . Further, since it is determined whether or not there is a problem, and the supply of the coins 10 is controlled, the processing speed can be efficiently processed without extremely decreasing. That is, the determination is not made only based on the presence or absence of the coins 10 in the storage container 13, but the state of transportation of the coins 10 by the disk 15 is also taken into consideration. Since the timing of supplying the coins 10 can be lengthened accordingly, the coins 10 can be efficiently supplied. Also, it is possible to prevent the new coin 10 from falling directly onto the disc 15 or indirectly such that it overlaps another coin 10 . In this way, unexpected vibration of the disk 15 can be prevented, and the coin 10 can be transferred from the disk 15 to the wheel 19 favorably.

1 Coin processing device 2 Slot 3 Tray 4 Exterior 5 Sorting unit 6 Separating unit 7 Identification unit 8 Delivery unit 9 Identification sensor 10 Coin 11 Conveyor 12 Coin passage 13 Storage container 14 Base 15 Disk 16 Disk rotation shaft 17 Recess 18 Disk rotation Direction 19 Wheel 20 Wheel rotation axis 21 Wheel rotation direction 22 Guide part 23 Conveyor pin 24 Conveyor belt 25 Conveyor belt rotation direction 26 First slider 27 Second slider 28 Third slider 29 Fourth slider 30 Fifth slider 31 Sixth slider 32 7th slider 33 8th slider 34 9th slider 35 1st coin hopper 36 2nd coin hopper 37 3rd coin hopper 38 4th coin hopper 39 5th coin hopper 40 6th coin hopper 41 7th coin hopper 42 8th coin Hopper 43 Ninth coin hopper 44 Discharge belt 46 Rail 47 First sensor 48 Second sensor 49 Alignment roller 50 Case 51 Swing shaft 52 Moving pin 53 Guide groove 54 Pressing member 55 Sheet

Claims (5)

a storage unit that stores the coins that are conveyed;
a first rotating body that separates the coins stored in the storage unit one by one;
In a coin processing device having
a slot for receiving the coin to be stored in the storage unit;
a conveyor arranged in the middle of the path of the coin from the slot to the storage unit for conveying the coin;
a first sensor that detects the coin inserted into the slot;
a second sensor that detects the coins stored in the storage unit;
a timer for measuring time,
a control circuit for controlling the driving of the conveyor based on the detection results of the first sensor and the second sensor, and the measurement result of the timer;
storing the new coin in the storage unit by driving the conveyor;
Stopping the storage of the new coin in the storage unit by stopping the conveyor,
The control circuit determines that there is the coin inserted in the slot based on the detection result of the first sensor, and determines that there is the coin in the storage section based on the detection result of the second sensor. If determined, the timer is driven to estimate the presence or absence of the coin in the delivery area where the coin is delivered from the first rotating body to the next process according to the time to be measured, and if the measured time exceeds the predetermined time. , the coin processing apparatus determines that there are coins in the delivery area, stops driving the conveyor, and stops storing new coins in the storage unit. a storage unit that stores the coins that are conveyed;
a first rotating body that separates the coins stored in the storage unit one by one;
In a coin processing device having
a first sensor that detects the presence or absence of the coin stored in the storage unit upstream of the storage unit in transport of the coin;
a second sensor that detects the coins stored in the storage unit;
a timer for measuring time,
a control circuit for controlling whether to carry out or stop the transportation of the coins to be stored in the storage section based on the detection results of the first sensor and the second sensor and the measurement results of the timer ; has
The control circuit determines that there is the newly inserted coin based on the detection result of the first sensor, and determines that there is the coin in the storage section based on the detection result of the second sensor. In this case, the timer is driven to estimate the presence or absence of the coin in the delivery area where the coin is delivered from the first rotating body to the next process according to the time to be measured, and when the measured time exceeds a predetermined time. A coin processing device, wherein it is determined that the coin is present in the delivery area, and control is performed to stop conveying the coin to be stored in the storage section, and to stop storage of the new coin in the storage section. a slot for receiving the coin to be stored in the storage unit;
an opening/closing member arranged in the middle of the path of the coin from the insertion port to the storage unit and controlling the movement of the coin;
has
moving the coin by opening the opening and closing member;
3. The coin processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the movement of the coin is stopped by closing the opening/closing member. a second rotating body that receives and conveys the coins from the first rotating body through the delivery area;
4. The coin processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the second rotating body conveys the coin to a detection area of an identification sensor that identifies denominations. Having a plurality of coin hoppers for discharging the coins one by one,
denominations of the coins to be stored in each of the coin hoppers are determined,
5. The coin processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the coins are stored in the coin hopper according to denominations identified based on the detection result of the identification sensor.

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