JP7608776B2 - Coin storage - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a coin storage cabinet, and more specifically, to a coin storage cabinet that is used, for example, in a change dispenser.

Conventionally, a coin storage unit used in a change dispenser is known that includes a storage section, a dispensing section, and a feeding section.

The storage sections are partitioned adjacent to each other by denomination in the storage unit body. These storage sections store coins that have been deposited, identified as genuine, and sorted by denomination, and store the coins in a stacked state on an endlessly stretched discharge belt.

The payout units are installed corresponding to the storage units and are composed of a payout belt that is endlessly stretched downstream in the payout direction of the payout belt of the corresponding storage unit. These payout units are driven in response to a dispensing command, and when driven, pay out the coins stored in the corresponding storage unit one by one. As the corresponding storage unit is provided in the storage cabinet main body in a manner adjacent to the storage unit of the other denomination as described above, such payout units are ultimately configured as a unit with the payout units of the other denomination.

The payout unit is composed of an endless payout belt, and as the payout belt is displaced, it pays out a predetermined number of coins to the downstream dispensing transport unit while determining the authenticity of the coins discharged by the corresponding dispensing unit. This payout unit is integrated with payout units of other denominations, and is attached to the storage unit body so as to be installed downstream of the corresponding dispensing unit (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

JP 2019-185509 A

In the coin storage vault described above, the conveying belts that make up each storage section and the payout belts that make up each payout section are attached to the storage vault body, and the payout sections that are integrated with the payout sections of other denominations are attached to the storage vault body so that they are located downstream of the corresponding payout sections. This causes the following problems:

In other words, when attaching the feed belt and payout belt to the storage body, high dimensional accuracy is required according to the thickness of the target coins, and when attaching a payout unit integrated with other payout units to the storage body, high dimensional accuracy is required for the gap between the payout belt and payout belt that make up the payout unit according to the thickness of the target coins. Therefore, when placing each belt on the storage body, it is necessary to adjust the gap for each coin, which could result in complicated assembly work.

In view of the above, the present invention aims to provide a coin storage vault that can be easily assembled.

In order to achieve the above object, the coin storage vault of the present invention stores coins that are deposited, identified as genuine, and sorted by denomination, and when a dispensing command is given, dispenses a predetermined number of coins of that type. The coin storage vault is configured with a plurality of storage units, each unitized by denomination, arranged in parallel. The storage units are configured with a discharge belt that is stretched endlessly around the unit body, and the coins are stored in a stacked state on the discharge belt, and the coins are discharged when the discharge belt is displaced. The device is characterized by having a storage section, a payout section that is composed of a payout belt that is endlessly stretched on the downstream side of the payout belt in the payout direction in the unit body, and that pays out the coins stored in the storage section one by one when the payout belt is displaced in response to the dispensing command, and a payout section that is composed of a payout belt that is endlessly stretched on the downstream side of the payout belt in the payout direction in the unit body, and that pays out a predetermined number of coins to a downstream payout transport section while determining the authenticity of the coins paid out by the displacement of the payout belt.

The present invention is also characterized in that the coin storage vault is provided with a common transmission rod that passes through an axial hole formed in a drive pulley that displaces the discharge belt in the multiple storage units, and a drive source that rotates the drive pulley by rotating the transmission rod around its central axis.

According to the present invention, the storage unit, which is unitized by denomination, is composed of a discharge belt stretched endlessly on the unit body, and stores coins in a stacked state on the discharge belt, and is equipped with a storage section that discharges coins when the discharge belt is displaced, a payout section that is composed of a payout belt stretched endlessly on the unit body downstream in the payout direction of the discharge belt, and pays out coins stored in the storage section one by one when the payout belt is displaced in response to a dispensing command, and a payout section that is composed of a payout belt stretched endlessly on the unit body downstream in the payout direction of the payout belt, and pays out a predetermined number of coins to the downstream payout transport section while determining the authenticity of the coins paid out by the displacement of the payout belt. Therefore, it is sufficient to arrange each belt, etc. in the unit body with dimensions according to the coins to be stored, and a coin storage vault can be constructed simply by arranging such storage units side by side, which has the effect of making assembly work easier.

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing the configuration of a coin processing device to which a coin storage box according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied. FIG. 2 is a front view showing the configuration of a coin processing device to which a coin storage box according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing the internal configuration of the coin processing device shown in FIGS. FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the external configuration of the coin storage cabinet shown in FIG. 3, that is, the coin storage cabinet according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view showing the configuration of one storage unit shown in FIG. 4, that is, a storage unit for storing 100 yen coins. FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view showing the configuration of one storage unit shown in FIG. 4, that is, a storage unit for storing 100 yen coins. FIG. 7 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing the configuration of one storage unit shown in FIG. 4, that is, a storage unit for storing 100 yen coins. FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing the two storage units shown in FIG. 4, that is, a storage unit for storing 100 yen coins and a storage unit for storing 10 yen coins. FIG. 9 is an exploded perspective view showing the configuration of the left payout pulley shown in FIGS. FIG. 10 is an exploded perspective view showing the configuration of the left payout pulley shown in FIGS. FIG. 11 is a sectional front view showing a schematic operation of the storage unit. FIG. 12 is a sectional front view showing a schematic operation of the storage unit. FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing a main part of the storage unit shown in FIGS. FIG. 14 is an exploded perspective view showing a main part of the storage unit shown in FIGS. FIG. 15 is a sectional left side view showing a main part of the storage unit shown in FIGS. FIG. 16 is a perspective view showing a main part of the storage unit shown in FIGS. FIG. 17 is a perspective view showing a main part of the storage unit shown in FIGS. FIG. 18 is a perspective view showing a main part of the storage unit shown in FIGS. FIG. 19 is a perspective view showing a main part of the storage unit shown in FIGS. FIG. 20 is a plan view showing a main part of the storage unit shown in FIGS.

The following describes in detail a preferred embodiment of the coin storage vault of the present invention with reference to the attached drawings.

Figures 1 and 2 respectively show the configuration of a coin processing device to which a coin storage vault according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied, with Figure 1 being a plan view and Figure 2 being a front view. The coin processing device 1 illustrated here is applied as an automatic change dispenser connected to a POS register device in a store such as a supermarket or convenience store, and includes a device main body 2.

The device body 2 is a roughly rectangular housing, and includes an input port 3, an operation display unit 4, a withdrawal port 7, and a return port 8. The input port 3 is provided on the right side of the front end top surface of the device body 2, and is an opening for receiving inserted coins into the device body 2. This input port 3 functions as a temporary holding unit that temporarily holds deposits from users such as customers.

The operation display unit 4 is provided on the left side of the top front surface of the device body 2, and has a display unit 5 and an operation unit 6. The display unit 5 displays various information, and the operation unit 6 is an input means, composed of, for example, a numeric keypad, for inputting various operations.

The withdrawal port 7 is provided on the front left side of the device body 2. This withdrawal port 7 is an opening for dispensing coins stored inside the device body 2, and dispenses coins into a withdrawal tray 9 attached to the device body 2. The return port 8 is provided on the front right side of the device body 2. This return port 8 is an opening for returning coins.

Figure 3 is a schematic diagram showing the internal configuration of the coin processing device 1 shown in Figures 1 and 2. The internal configuration of the coin processing device 1 will be explained by function using this Figure 3. Inside the device main body 2, a coin transport mechanism 10 and a control unit 20 are provided. This coin transport mechanism 10 has a deposit transport section 11, a temporary holding section 12, a coin sorting section 13, a coin storage vault 30, a withdrawal transport section 14, and a switching gate group 15.

The deposit transport unit 11 transports coins inserted through the coin slot 3 and detected by a coin insertion detection sensor (not shown), and is provided with a coin validation unit 16. The coin validation unit 16 validates the authenticity and denomination of the coins and sends the results to the control unit 20.

The temporary storage unit 12 temporarily stores coins that have been determined to be genuine by the coin validation unit 16. The coin sorting unit 13 sorts the coins that have been stored in the temporary storage unit 12 and then transported by denomination.

The coin storage vault 30 stores the coins sorted by the coin sorting unit 13. The configuration of the coin storage vault 30 will be described later. The coin storage vault 30 has the function of dispensing the stored coins in response to commands given by the control unit 20.

The withdrawal transport unit 14 transports coins dispensed from the coin storage vault 30 forward. In other words, the withdrawal transport unit 14 transports coins dispensed from the coin storage vault 30 forward toward the withdrawal chute 17 that communicates with the withdrawal port 7.

The switching gate group 15 includes a first switching gate 15a, a second switching gate 15b, and a third switching gate 15c. The first switching gate 15a is provided downstream in the transport direction of the deposit transport unit 11. This first switching gate 15a can be selectively switched between a state in which the coins transported by the deposit transport unit 11 are transported to the temporary holding unit 12, and a state in which the coins are transported to the withdrawal port 7.

The second switching gate 15b is provided downstream of the temporary storage section 12 in the transport direction. This second switching gate 15b can be switched alternatively between a state in which the coins stored in the temporary storage section 12 are sent to the coin sorting section 13, and a state in which the coins are sent to the return port 8. The second switching gate 15b is normally in a state in which the coins stored in the temporary storage section 12 are sent to the coin sorting section 13.

The third switching gate 15c is provided downstream in the transport direction of the dispensing transport section 14. This third switching gate 15c can be switched alternatively between a transport state in which the coins transported by the dispensing transport section 14 are transported to the dispensing port 7 via the dispensing chute 17, and a circulation state in which the coins are transported to the temporary storage section 12. The third switching gate 15c is normally in the transport state.

In other words, the third switching gate 15c, together with the second switching gate 15b, constitutes a switching unit, and can be selectively switched between a first state in which the coins transported by the withdrawal transport unit 14 are transported to the withdrawal port 7, and a second state in which the coins transported by the withdrawal transport unit 14 are transported to the coin sorting unit 13.

The control unit 20 is electrically connected to the display unit 5, operation unit 6, coin transport mechanism 10, and coin validation unit 16, and is also electrically connected to a higher-level device (not shown) such as a POS register. When a command is given through the operation unit 6, or when a detection signal is given from the coin validation unit 16, or when various commands are given from a higher-level device, the control unit 20 comprehensively controls the operation of the coin transport mechanism 10 based on programs and data stored in a memory unit (not shown).

The general operation of such a coin processing device 1 will be described. A coin inserted into the insertion slot 3 receives a deposit permission command from a higher-level device, is detected by the insertion detection sensor, and is then transported by the deposit transport section 11, where its authenticity and denomination are determined by the coin validation section 16. If the transported coin is determined to be a genuine coin, it is held in the temporary holding section 12. On the other hand, if the transported coin is determined to be an incorrect coin, it is transported to the withdrawal slot 7 via the first switching gate 15a and returned to the withdrawal tray 9. If a return command is received from the higher-level device, the coin held in the temporary holding section 12 is returned to the return slot 8 via the second switching gate 15b.

The coins held in the temporary holding unit 12 are transported to the coin sorting unit 13, where they are sorted by denomination (1 yen coin, 50 yen coin, 5 yen coin, 100 yen coin, 10 yen coin, 500 yen coin) as they are transported backwards. The coins sorted by the coin sorting unit 13 are stored in the coin storage vault 30 according to their denomination.

When a withdrawal command is given from the upper device, coins of the denomination corresponding to the withdrawal command are dispensed from the coin storage vault 30, transported forward by the withdrawal transport section 14, and dispensed from the withdrawal port 7 to the outside of the device main body 2 via the third switching gate 15c.

Figure 4 is a perspective view showing the external configuration of the coin storage vault 30 shown in Figure 3, i.e., the coin storage vault 30 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The coin storage vault 30 illustrated here is placed on a storage base member 31 and is sandwiched between a pair of front and rear storage support members 32, 33, with multiple storage units 34 arranged side by side in the front-to-rear direction. The storage units 34 are for storing the target coins, and each has the same dimensions in the front-to-rear and left-to-right directions. These storage units 34 store, from the front to the back, 1 yen coins, 50 yen coins, 5 yen coins, 100 yen coins, 10 yen coins, and 500 yen coins.

Figures 5 to 7 each show the configuration of one storage unit 34 shown in Figure 4, i.e., a storage unit 34 that stores 100 yen coins, with Figures 5 and 6 being exploded perspective views and Figure 7 being a vertical cross-sectional view. Note that, although the storage unit 34 that stores 100 yen coins will be described here as an example, storage units 34 that store other coins have approximately the same configuration.

As shown in these Figures 5 to 7, the storage unit 34 has a resin unit body 40 that is a housing with an opening on the top surface. The unit body 40 is configured by joining a front body wall portion 41 and a rear body wall portion 42 that form a front-rear pair.

A plurality of front mating protrusions 41a are formed at predetermined locations on the front surface of the front body wall 41, and a plurality of rear mating recesses 42a are formed at predetermined locations on the rear surface of the rear body wall 42. The front mating protrusions 41a can relatively enter and be mated with the rear mating recesses 42a formed in the rear body wall 42 (hereinafter also referred to as the other rear body wall 42), which is a component of the unit body 40 (hereinafter also referred to as the other unit body 40) constituting the other storage unit 34. On the other hand, the rear mating recesses 42a can be mated with the front mating protrusions 41a by allowing the relative entry of the front mating protrusions 41a formed in the front body wall 41 (hereinafter also referred to as the other front body wall 41), which is another component of the other unit body 40.

As a result, the storage unit 34 can be connected to other storage units 34 by fitting the front mating protrusions 41a and rear mating recesses 42a together, and as shown in Figure 4, the coin storage vault 30 is formed by connecting, from the front, the storage unit 34 for storing 1 yen coins, the storage unit 34 for storing 50 yen coins, the storage unit 34 for storing 5 yen coins, the storage unit 34 for storing 100 yen coins (hereinafter also referred to as the 100 yen coin storage unit) 34, the storage unit 34 for storing 10 yen coins (hereinafter also referred to as the 10 yen coin storage unit) 34, and the storage unit 34 for storing 500 yen coins in that order.

As shown in Figures 5 to 7, such a storage unit 34 has a storage section 50, a dispensing section 60, and a feeding section 70 between the front body wall section 41 and the rear body wall section 42.

The storage section 50 is configured with an endless conveying belt 53 stretched between a pair of left and right conveying pulleys 51, 52. These conveying pulleys 51, 52 are both provided on the unit body 40 in a manner that allows them to rotate around their own central axes, and the left conveying pulley 51 is positioned higher than the right conveying pulley 52. As a result, the conveying belt 53 is gradually inclined upward as it moves to the left.

The left discharge pulley 51 has a shaft hole 51a formed in its central shaft portion, the inner surface of which has two flat surfaces. This shaft hole 51a is exposed to the outside through the through holes 41b, 42b formed in the unit body 40 (the front body wall portion 41 and the rear body wall portion 42).

As shown in Fig. 8, a transmission rod 54 having an outer surface that fits the inner surface of the shaft hole 51a passes through such a shaft hole 51a. As shown in Fig. 8, this transmission rod 54 is a long member that passes through the shaft holes 51a of all the storage units 34 arranged side by side in the front-rear direction, rather than only passing through the shaft holes 51a of the 100 yen coin storage unit 34 and the 10 yen coin storage unit 34 connected to its rear side.

The output motor 55 (see FIG. 4) which is the drive source is mechanically connected to the front end of the transmission rod 54 via a transmission gear or the like. The output motor 55 rotates forward and backward in response to commands given by the control unit 20. When driven in forward rotation, the output motor 55 rotates the transmission rod 54 around its central axis counterclockwise as viewed from the front, i.e., rotates the left output pulley 51 of each storage unit 34 counterclockwise as viewed from the front.

In this way, as the left output pulley 51 rotates counterclockwise as viewed from the front, the portion of the output belt 53 extending between the upper pulleys is displaced leftward while the portion extending between the lower pulleys is displaced rightward, and in response to the displacement of the output belt 53, the right output pulley 52 also rotates counterclockwise as viewed from the front. In other words, the left output pulley 51 is the driving pulley and the right output pulley 52 is the driven pulley, with the left side being the downstream side in the output direction.

On the other hand, when the discharge motor 55 is driven in reverse rotation, it rotates the transmission rod 54 around its central axis clockwise as viewed from the front, i.e., it rotates the left discharge pulley 51 in each storage unit 34 clockwise as viewed from the front.

Such a storage unit 50 stores the coins sorted by the coin sorting unit 13 in a stacked state in the upper interpulley portion of the discharge pulleys 51 and 52, and discharges the stored coins to the left by driving the discharge motor 55.

The payout section 60 is configured with a payout belt 63 that is endlessly stretched between a pair of payout pulleys 61, 62 on the left and right downstream side of the payout belt 53 in the payout direction. These payout pulleys 61, 62 are both provided on the unit body 40 in a manner that allows them to rotate around their own central axes.

The right-side discharge pulley 62 is positioned lower and to the left of the left-side conveyor pulley 51, and the left-side discharge pulley 61 is positioned higher than the right-side discharge pulley 62. As a result, the discharge belt 63 is gradually inclined upward as it moves to the left, and the angle of inclination is greater than the angle of inclination of the discharge belt 53. The length of the discharge belt 63 in the front-to-rear direction, which is its width dimension, is smaller than the width dimension of the conveyor belt 53, and countless protrusions 63a are formed on its surface.

The left-side payout pulley 61 is linked to the payout motor 65, which is a drive source, via a linking means 64. The payout motor 65 is installed in the unit body 40 and is driven in response to a command given from the control unit 20. When driven, the payout motor 65 rotates the left-side payout pulley 61 counterclockwise as viewed from the front. As the left-side payout pulley 61 rotates counterclockwise as viewed from the front, the upper part of the payout belt 63 is displaced to the left while the lower part of the payout belt 63 is displaced to the right, and the right-side payout pulley 62 also rotates counterclockwise as viewed from the front in response to the displacement of the payout belt 63. In other words, the left-side payout pulley 61 is the driving pulley, the right-side payout pulley 62 is the driven pulley, and the left side is the downstream side in the payout direction.

The dispensing section 60 is configured to include a reverse roller 66 and a guide member 67 in addition to the dispensing belt 63. The reverse roller 66 is installed facing the upper pulley-extending portion of the dispensing belt 63. This reverse roller 66 is arranged in the unit body 40 so as to be rotatable around its own central axis, and the distance between the reverse roller 66 and the upper pulley-extending portion is slightly larger than the thickness of the coins dispensed by the dispensing belt 63.

The guide member 67 is installed in the unit body 40 by being sandwiched between the front body wall 41 and the rear body wall 42. The working surface 67a of the lower end portion of the guide member 67 is positioned downstream in the dispensing direction from the reverse roller 66, and faces the portion of the dispensing belt 63 extending between the upper pulleys.

The size of this guide member 67 is determined according to the target coin of the storage unit 34, and is specific to the 100 yen coin in the example shown in Figures 5 to 7. The guide member 67 adjusts the gap dimension between the action surface 67a and the upper inter-pulley extension portion of the payout belt 63 to approximately the thickness of the target coin (a 100 yen coin in the illustrated example).

When the dispensing motor 65 is driven, the dispensing unit 60 dispenses the coins stored in the storage unit 50 and discharged by the discharge belt 53 one by one.

The payout section 70 is configured with a payout belt 73 that is endlessly stretched between a pair of left and right payout pulleys 71, 72 downstream in the payout direction of the payout belt 63. These payout pulleys 71, 72 are both provided on the unit body 40 in a manner that allows them to rotate around their own central axis. In particular, the left payout pulley 71 is provided so that it can rotate around its own central axis by passing through a support hole 42c provided in the unit body 40 (rear body wall portion 42) with its front and rear end portions open.

The right-side payout pulley 72 is positioned to the right and above the left-side payout pulley 61, and the left-side payout pulley 71 is positioned above the right-side payout pulley 72. As a result, the payout belt 73 gradually tilts upward as it moves to the left, with an angle of tilt that is greater than the angle of tilt of the transport belt 53 and less than the angle of tilt of the payout belt 63. The length of the payout belt 73 in the front-to-rear direction, which is its width dimension, is smaller than the width dimension of the payout belt 63, and the portion extending between the lower pulleys faces the guide surface 43 provided on the unit body 40, forming a coin payout path 43a.

As shown in Figures 9 and 10, the left-side payout pulley 71 is an elongated member whose longitudinal direction is the front-to-rear direction, and the payout belt 73 contacts the enlarged diameter portion 71a. This left-side payout pulley 71 has a cross-shaped protrusion 71b formed at its rear end and a cross-shaped recess 71c formed at its front end that can fit into the cross-shaped protrusion 71b.

Such a left-side payout pulley 71 is engaged and connected to another left-side payout pulley 71 rotatably mounted on another unit body 40. Of these left-side payout pulleys 71, the left-side payout pulley 71 located on the rearmost storage unit 34 that stores 500 yen coins is mechanically connected to a payout motor 75 (see FIG. 4) that is the driving source via a transmission gear or the like. The payout motor 75 is driven in response to commands given from the control unit 20, and when driven, rotates the left-side payout pulley 71 of each storage unit 34 clockwise when viewed from the front.

In this way, as the left payout pulley 71 rotates clockwise as viewed from the front, the portion of the payout belt 73 extending between the lower pulleys is displaced to the left while the portion extending between the upper pulleys is displaced to the right, and in response to the displacement of the payout belt 73, the right payout pulley 72 also rotates clockwise as viewed from the front. In other words, the left payout pulley 71 is the driving pulley, the right payout pulley 72 is the driven pulley, and the left is the downstream side in the payout direction.

The payout unit 70 includes a payout detection unit 76 in addition to the payout belt 73. The payout detection unit 76 is installed under the guide surface 43 that forms the payout path 43a, and is composed of a sensor that detects the authenticity and number of coins passing through the payout path 43a. The payout detection unit 76 outputs the detection result to the control unit 20.

Such a payout section 70 determines whether the coins dispensed by the displacement of the payout belt 63 are genuine or counterfeit, and pays out a predetermined number of coins to the downstream dispensing transport section 14. As a result, the storage unit 34 has a storage section 50, a payout section 60, and a payout section 70, and is configured as a unit for each denomination.

In the coin storage vault 30 configured as described above, when a withdrawal command is given from a higher-level device, the control unit 20 commands the discharge motor 55 to rotate in the forward direction and the payout motor 75 to operate, and further drives the payout motor 65 of the storage unit 34 that stores coins of the corresponding denomination.

When the discharge motor 55 is driven in the forward direction in this manner, the transmission rod 54 rotates counterclockwise as viewed from the front, which causes the left discharge pulley 51 in all storage units 34 to rotate counterclockwise as viewed from the front. When the left discharge pulley 51 rotates in this manner, the portion of the discharge belt 53 extending between the upper pulleys is displaced to the left, while the portion extending between the lower pulleys is displaced to the right.

When the pay-out motor 75 is driven, the left pay-out pulley 71 in all storage units 34 rotates clockwise when viewed from the front. When the left pay-out pulley 71 rotates in this manner, the portion of the pay-out belt 73 extending between the lower pulleys is displaced to the left, while the portion extending between the upper pulleys is displaced to the right.

In the case of a storage unit 34 that does not store coins of the corresponding denomination, the payout motor 65 is not driven, as shown in FIG. 11. Therefore, the coins stored in the storage section 50 are discharged to the left by the displacement of the discharge belt 53, but since the payout belt 63 does not displace, the coins remain in the storage section 50.

Meanwhile, in the storage unit 34 that stores coins of the relevant denomination, the payout motor 65 is driven as shown in FIG. 12. As the payout motor 65 is driven in this manner, the left payout pulley 61 rotates counterclockwise when viewed from the front. As the left payout pulley 61 rotates counterclockwise when viewed from the front in this manner, the payout belt 63 has the portion extending between the upper pulleys displaced to the left, while the portion extending between the lower pulleys displaced to the right.

As a result, the coins discharged to the left by the discharge belt 53 are sent to the left by the displacement of the payout belt 63, but along the way, the reverse roller 66 prevents the coins from overlapping on the upper part of the payout belt 63 extending between the pulleys, and the coins are then dispensed one by one on the upper part of the payout belt 63 extending between the pulleys by the guide member 67.

In this way, coins dispensed one by one from the dispensing unit 60 pass through the dispensing path 43a due to the displacement of the dispensing belt 73 and are dispensed to the dispensing transport unit 14. The genuineness and number of coins passing through the dispensing path 43a are detected by the dispensing detection unit 76, and when the dispensing detection unit 76 detects that a predetermined number of coins have been dispensed, the control unit 20 issues a command to the carry-out motor 55 and the dispensing motor 75 to stop driving, and also issues a command to the dispensing motor 65, which is currently running, to stop driving.

This allows the coin storage vault 30 to deliver a specified number of coins to the withdrawal transport section 14 in response to the withdrawal command.

As described above, according to the coin storage vault 30 of the embodiment of the present invention, the storage units 34 are configured as units for each denomination, each having a storage section 50, a dispensing section 60, and a feeding section 70, so that the vault can be configured with only the storage units 34 of the denominations required according to the operation of the coin processing device 1 to be applied. In other words, if the coin processing device 1 does not handle a specific denomination, such as 1 yen coins, the storage units 34 of that specific denomination can be removed to prevent the formation of dead space, and if the coin processing device 1 needs to increase the number of coins stored of a specific denomination, such as 10 yen coins, this can be achieved by increasing the number of storage units 34 of that specific denomination. This allows for flexible operation and improves storage efficiency.

According to the coin storage vault 30, the storage units 34, which are unitized for each denomination, are each composed of a discharge belt 53 stretched endlessly around the unit body 40, and include a storage section 50 that stores coins in a stacked state on the discharge belt 53, a payout section 60 that is composed of a payout belt 63 stretched endlessly on the downstream side of the discharge direction of the discharge belt 53 in the unit body 40 and pays out coins stored in the storage section 50 one by one when the payout belt 63 is displaced in response to a withdrawal command, and a payout section 70 that is composed of a payout belt 73 stretched endlessly on the downstream side of the payout direction of the payout belt 63 in the unit body 40 and pays out a predetermined number of coins to the downstream payout transport section 14 while determining the authenticity of the coins paid out by the displacement of the payout belt 63. Therefore, each belt 53, etc. may be arranged in the unit body 40 with dimensions according to the coins to be stored. The coin storage vault 30 can be constructed simply by arranging such storage units 34 side by side, making assembly easy.

According to the coin storage vault 30, the transmission rod 54 passes through the shaft holes 51a of the left discharge pulleys 51 of all storage units 34 arranged side by side in the front-rear direction, and rotates around its own central axis when driven by the discharge motor 55 to rotate the left discharge pulley 51, so that the drive source can be shared and the number of parts can be reduced to suppress increases in manufacturing costs. Moreover, since the transmission rod 54 passes through the left discharge pulleys 51 without connecting them to each other, the driving force of the discharge motor 55 can be efficiently transmitted to each discharge pulley 51, and the discharge belt 53 can be displaced well even in the storage unit 50 where coins are stored in a stacked state.

According to the coin storage vault 30, the left payout pulley 71 constituting each storage unit 34 is connected to the left payout pulley 71 in the other storage units 34, so that the payout motor 75 can be driven to rotate the left payout pulleys 71 in all storage units 34 to displace the payout belt 73. This allows the drive source to be shared, and the number of parts can be reduced to prevent increases in manufacturing costs.

In the coin storage vault 30, the unit body 40 is configured as follows:

As shown in FIG. 13, the unit body 40 has a curved portion 44 formed above the right-side discharge pulley 52. This curved portion 44 constitutes the right end portion of the storage section 50, and has a stepped wall 44a formed downward. The stepped wall 44a formed in the center of the curved portion 44 in the front-to-rear direction has its lower end close to the discharge belt 53, and the gap between the discharge belt 53 and the curved portion 44 is smaller than the thickness of a coin.

In response to this, a conventional coin dispenser is known in which multiple ribs are provided in the area constituting the right end of the storage section so as to be close to the discharge belt. However, if the ribs become deformed due to wear or the like, there is a risk that coins may get caught between the ribs or between the ribs and the discharge belt, which is not desirable.

In this regard, the curved portion has a stepped wall 44a, so there is no risk of deformation due to wear, etc., and coins can be prevented from getting between the curved portion 44 and the discharge belt 53.

As shown in FIG. 14, the base portion 45 on which the upper inter-pulley extending portion of the discharge belt 53 in the unit body 40 is placed has multiple long ribs 45a (two in the illustrated example) that extend in the left-right direction.

Such long ribs 45a have the following dimensions. As shown in FIG. 15, the distance between the rear long rib 45a and the rear end portion of the discharge belt 53 is L1, the distance between the rear long rib 45a and the front long rib 45a is L2, and the distance between the front long rib 45a and the front end portion of the discharge belt 53 is L3, and these L1 to L3 are all smaller than the outer diameter of the coins stacked on the discharge belt 53.

As a result, coins placed on the upper pulley-extending portion of the discharge belt 53 are positioned in the upper area of one of the long ribs 45a, which suppresses deformation such as wear caused by sliding contact with the base portion 45 when the discharge belt 53 is displaced, thereby improving durability.

16 and 17, in the unit body 40, the storage section corresponding portion 421 on the rear body wall 42, which is on the rear side of the storage section 50, is formed to protrude upward more than the storage section corresponding portion 411 on the front body wall 41, which is on the front side of the storage section 50. As a result, the storage section corresponding portion 421 of the rear body wall 42 can face the front of the storage section corresponding portion 421 of the rear body wall 42 of another unit body 40, which is on the rear side of the unit body 40, as shown in FIG. 15, and defines the front-to-rear dimension of the storage section corresponding portion 421 and the storage section 50.

Two long convex portions 421a are formed on the front and rear surfaces of the storage section corresponding portion 421 of the rear main body wall 42 in a manner that is parallel to the upper pulley extending portion of the discharge belt 53. The distance between these two long convex portions 421a is smaller than the outer diameter of the coin with the smallest outer diameter (e.g., a 1 yen coin).

By forming the long convex portion 421a on the front and rear surfaces of the storage section corresponding portion 421 of the rear main body wall portion 42 in this way, when coins stored in a stacked state in the storage section 50 come into contact with the front or rear surface of the storage section corresponding portion 421 in an upright position, they can be prevented from sticking to the front or rear surface of the storage section corresponding portion 421 due to surface tension, etc.

In addition, the front and rear dimensions of the storage section 50 can be determined by the front and rear surfaces of the storage section corresponding portion 421 of the rear main body wall 42, and the volume of the storage section 50 can be increased.

As shown in Figures 18 and 19, in the unit body 40, the front part 461 and the rear part 462 of the upper pulley-extending part of the payout belt 63 constituting the payout section 60 are configured so that the front-to-rear dimension is larger than the front-to-rear dimension of the discharge belt 53, and the front-to-rear dimension gradually becomes smaller toward the downstream side in the payout direction, while the front-to-rear part 461 and the rear part 462 form approximately the same plane as the upper pulley-extending part.

In contrast, conventionally, the front and rear portions are known to be inclined portions that gradually incline upward as they move away from the payout belt. In this case, even if the payout belt is displaced, coins leaning against the inclined portions continue to rotate and cannot be paid out, resulting in the risk of the coins becoming stuck.

In this regard, in the unit body 40, the front portion 461 and the rear portion 462 are larger in diameter than the front-to-rear dimension of the discharge belt 53, so that the coins discharged from the discharge belt 53 can be smoothly received. Moreover, the front portion 461 and the rear portion 462 are configured so that the front-to-rear dimension gradually decreases toward the downstream side in the dispensing direction, while forming approximately the same plane as the upper inter-pulley extending portion of the dispensing belt 63. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 20, the coins can be dispensed toward the dispensing section 70 without being leaned against and rotating.

The above describes a preferred embodiment of the present invention, but the present invention is not limited to this and various modifications can be made.

In the above-described embodiment, the unit bodies 40 are connected to each other to arrange the storage units 34 side by side, but in the present invention, the unit bodies may be engaged with each other using an engagement means to arrange the storage units side by side.

DESCRIPTION OF THE SYMBOLS 1...coin processing device, 10...coin transport mechanism, 11...deposit transport section, 12...temporary holding section, 13...coin sorting section, 14...withdrawal transport section, 15...switching gate group, 16...coin validation section, 20...control section, 30...coin storage vault, 34...storage unit, 40...unit main body, 41...front main body wall section, 42...rear main body wall section, 50...storage section, 51, 52...discharge pulley, 53...discharge belt, 54...transmission rod, 55...discharge motor, 60...payout section, 61, 62...payout pulley, 63...payout belt, 65...payout motor, 66...reverse roller, 67...guide member, 70...feed-out section, 71, 72...feed-out pulley, 73...feed-out belt, 75...feed-out motor, 76...feed-out detection section.

Claims (2)

A coin storage facility that stores coins that are deposited, identified as genuine, and sorted by denomination, and that dispenses a predetermined number of coins when a dispensing command is given,
A plurality of storage units, each divided into a unit for each denomination, are arranged side by side.
The storage unit includes:
a storage section which is constituted by a conveying belt stretched endlessly between a pair of conveying pulleys on the left and right sides of the unit body, which stores the coins in a stacked state on the conveying belt and conveys the coins when the conveying belt is displaced;
a payout section that is configured by a payout belt that is endlessly stretched on the downstream side of the payout belt in the payout direction in the unit body, and pays out the coins stored in the storage section one by one when the payout belt is displaced in response to the dispensing command;
a payout section which is constituted by a payout belt which is endlessly stretched on the downstream side of the payout belt in the payout direction in the unit main body and pays out a predetermined number of coins to a dispensing transport section on the downstream side while determining the authenticity of the coins paid out by the displacement of the payout belt ,
A coin storage vault characterized in that a storage section corresponding portion on the rear body wall portion that constitutes the unit body, which is rear of the storage section, is capable of facing the front surface of the storage section corresponding portion of the rear body wall portion of another unit body that is rearward of the unit body, and two long convex portions are formed on the front and rear surfaces of the storage section corresponding portion of the rear body wall portion in a manner that is parallel to the upper pulley-extending portion of the discharge belt . a common transmission rod passing through an axial hole formed in a drive pulley for displacing the discharge belt in each of the storage units;
2. The coin storage vault according to claim 1, further comprising: a drive source that rotates the transmission rod about a central axis of the transmission rod to rotate the drive pulley.

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