JPH07104965B2 - Coin processor for vending machines - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Object of the Invention] (Field of Industrial Application) The present invention relates to a coin processing device of a vending machine, and in particular, flips up a coin inserted into a coin slot by a flip-up mechanism. What to introduce to the coin mechanism.

(Prior Art) Generally, in a vending machine, as disclosed in JP-B-53-33600 or JP-B-63-97182,
The front door, which serves as a customer service side of the main body, is provided with a product selection button and a sales opening, as well as a coin insertion opening and a coin return opening.

Then, a coin mechanism is provided on the back side of the front door, and this coin mechanism outputs a sales signal by introducing the coin inserted from the coin insertion slot through the insertion slot chute, etc. In addition to paying out the product designated by the selection button to the selling port, if there is a change or the like for the inserted amount, a selling operation process such as paying out the change to the coin return port is performed.

By the way, this coin mechanism uses gravity
Introduce coins inserted from the upper end, determine the authenticity of coins and denominations, etc. in the process of dropping coins from the upper part to the lower part with a predetermined flow distance, and then pay out return coins including change from the lower part. Therefore, the coin insertion slot is provided on the upper part of the coin mechanism, and the coin return slot is provided on the lower part of the coin mechanism.

The positions of the coin insertion slot and the coin return slot depend on the size and installation position of the coin mechanism, but normally, the height is an appropriate height that does not impose an unnatural posture on the coin insertion operation of the purchase user. Since there is a coin slot in
The position where the coin mechanism is installed is determined based on the height of the coin slot, and the position of the coin return port is also determined accordingly.

Therefore, while the coin slot is located above the middle level of the front door, which is above the waist of the purchaser, the coin return slot is located below the lower level near the floor. Is common.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) As described above, in the conventional vending machine, when the coin slot is arranged at an appropriate height, a plus alpha is added to at least the vertical dimension of the coin mechanism. Since the coin return port is provided below the coin return port, it is not possible to obtain an appropriate height position, and it is necessary to force the purchaser to take an unnatural bending posture when taking out return coins such as change. It also caused me to leave without forgetting to take out the returned coins.

On the other hand, if you ask for a suitable height for the coin return slot,
On the contrary, the coin insertion slot is located at a position above the proper position, which makes it difficult to insert coins.

Therefore, it is not possible to obtain a product that satisfies the usability of both coin insertion and coin removal, and it is inevitable that one of them will be sacrificed.

Also, in the design structure, if the coin insertion slot and the coin return slot are distributed above and below the front door, there will be structural restrictions,
It was also subject to design restrictions on the front door.

Furthermore, as a problem due to the provision of a coin slot above the coin mechanism, a liquid such as detergent liquid or salt water is poured from the coin slot to enter the control circuit of the coin mechanism or the like, and the product or change is paid out. There are frequent damages that induce malfunctions in the mechanism and change and collect goods, and improvements are desired.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to make both the coin insertion slot and the coin return slot at appropriate heights so that coin insertion and removal operations are easy. is there.

[Structure of Invention]

(Means for Solving the Problem) According to the present invention, a coin insertion slot and a coin return slot are provided on a customer service surface having a product selection button and a sales slot, and coins inserted from the coin slot are introduced from the upper end. In the vending machine with a built-in coin mechanism that has a sales operation processing function that outputs a sales signal and pays out return coins such as change coins from the lower end to the coin return slot, flips up the coin inserted into the coin slot. A coin processing device that flips up by a mechanism and guides the flipped coin to the upper end of the coin mechanism by an introduction chute and introduces the coin. Connect a branch chute that branches the falling coin that drops the introduction chute without being able to bounce up to the coin mechanism above. The branch chute guides the falling coin between the flip-up mechanism and the coin slot.

(Operation) In the coin processing device of the vending machine of the present invention, the coin inserted from the coin slot is flipped upward by the flip-up mechanism, and the flipped coin is guided to the upper end of the coin mechanism by the introduction chute, Introduced at the top of the coin mechanism. Then, return coins such as change coins are paid out from the lower end of the coin mechanism to the coin return port.

In addition, when the coin flipped up by the flip-up mechanism does not reach the coin mechanism and drops the introduction chute, the falling coin falls along the side part on the lower side of the inclined direction of the introduction chute, The shooter enters the branch shoot and is flipped up again from the introduction shoot to the coin mechanism by the flip-up mechanism.

(Example) An example of the coin processing device of the vending machine of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

In FIG. 5, reference numeral 1 is the main body of the vending machine, and the main body 1
Is provided with a front door 2 that can be opened and closed as a customer service surface, and a plurality of selection buttons 3 for selecting a product to be purchased by a user are provided in a range from the middle stage to the upper stage of the front door 2. At the same time, a sales port 4 for paying out the selected product is provided in the middle of the front door 2. Adjacent to the sales port 4, there are a coin insertion port 5 for inserting a price and return coins such as change coins and bad coins. A coin return port 6 for paying out is provided.

A coin mechanism 7 is disposed on the back side of the front door 2 above the coin return port 6 and between the upper end of the coin mechanism 7 and the coin slot 5. The coin transfer means 8 is disposed at the position, and the coin inserted from the coin insertion slot 5 is transferred upward by the coin transfer means 8 and introduced into the upper end of the coin mechanism 7.

This coin mechanism 7 has a sales operation processing function,
In the process of the coin dropping from the upper side to the lower side with a predetermined flow distance, the authenticity of the coin, the denomination, etc. are discriminated, and the sales signal corresponding to the inserted amount is output, and on the condition, the main body 1
In the inside, a merchandise ejecting mechanism (not shown) ejects the merchandise specified by the selection button 3 from the merchandise column, and the merchandise conveying means 9 conveys the merchandise upward and pays it out to the sales port 4 of the front door 2. When there are return coins such as change for the inserted amount, the return coins are paid out from the lower end of the coin mechanism 7 to the coin return opening 6.

In addition, 10 is a return lever for returning change and balance,
11 is an amount display for displaying the amount of money inserted and the balance, 12 is an out-of-change display for displaying the amount of change, and these are the above-mentioned selling slot 4, coin slot 5 and coin return slot 6,
The display room 13 is provided in the middle of the front door 2 and displays a plurality of product samples corresponding to the selection buttons 3.

In this way, in addition to the coin insertion slot 5 at the proper height position from the middle of the front door 2, that is, from the floor surface, the coin return slot 6 and the sales slot 4, the return lever 10, the amount indicator 11, and the change-out indicator. Since 12 etc. are provided, it is easy to confirm, and in particular, there is no unnatural posture in coin insertion operation and return coin and product extraction operation, and this makes it a vacant front The lower side of the door 2 can be a signboard portion 14 on which PR characters, pictures, etc. of the product are applied.

As shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, the coin transfer means 8 is composed of a flip-up mechanism 21 and an introduction chute 22 for inserting a coin C inserted from the coin insertion slot 5 through an insertion slot chute 23. Is received by the flip-up mechanism 21, and the received coin C is flipped up by the flip-up mechanism 21, and the flipped-up coin C has an inverted J-shaped guide passage 24. It is designed to be introduced by introducing to the introduction port 25 of.

That is, the flip-up mechanism 21 has a rectangular plate-shaped base 28.
And a notch 29 for the tip of the charging port chute 23 is formed on one end surface of the base 28.
On the rear side surface of the base 28, a guide groove 30 for an arc-shaped coin C extending from the cutout portion 29 to the upper end surface of the base 28 is formed, and a circular recess 31 inscribed in the guide groove 30 is formed in the guide groove 30. Is formed deeper than this, a rotary disk 32 is disposed in this recess 31, and a pair of protrusions are provided on the outer peripheral surface of the rear surface of the rotary disk 32.
33 is projected.

As shown also in FIG. 1, a fixed cover 36 covering the tip of the guide groove 30 which is removed from the recess 31 is fixed to the rear side surface of the base 28 by screws 37 or the like.
A movable cover 38 that covers the rest of the guide groove 30 is attached to the shaft 36.
It is installed on the base 28 via 39 so that it can move back and forth.

Then, the movable cover 38 includes a spring 40 mounted on the shaft 39.
Is biased away from the base 28 by a solenoid (not shown), and is biased toward the base 28 by a solenoid (not shown). ,
The spring 40 separates the base 28 from the base 28 when the power is not supplied, and when the return lever 10 is operated, the movable cover 38 separates from the base 28 by force. And the guide groove of the base 28
The coin C at 30 drops.

A return passage (not shown) is formed below the base 28 and the movable cover 38, and the coin C dropped from the guide groove 30 of the base 28 through the return passage is paid out to the coin return opening 6. There is.

It should be noted that the movable cover 38 bulges into the guide groove 30.
A book beat 41 is formed along the guide groove 30.

Then, the rotating disk 32 of the flip-up mechanism 21 is the mounting plate.
The motor 45 attached to the motor 44 rotates at a high speed in the counterclockwise direction in FIG. 3, so that the pair of protrusions 33 partly cover the arcuate bottom of the guide groove 30 from the cutout 29 side to the base. It is designed to move at high speed toward the upper end face of 28.

Then, the motor 45 is started when a detection switch (not shown) provided in the insertion slot chute 23 detects a coin inserted from the coin insertion slot 5.

Therefore, when the coin C is inserted from the coin slot 5, the motor 45 is started and the rotating disk 32 rotates at high speed, so that the coin C enters the notch 29 of the base 28 via the slot chute 23. Then, the coin C falls from the notch 29 into the guide groove 30, which causes the coin C to move at a high speed.
After moving the guide groove 30 by 33, the coin C flipped up from the tip of the guide groove 30 and flipped up,
An inverted J-shaped introduction chute connected to the tip of the guide groove 30.
It is designed to pass through the guide passage 24 of 22 and enter into the introduction port 25 at the upper end of the coin mechanism 7.

Although the coin C has different thickness depending on the amount of money, in the flip-up mechanism 21, the movable cover 38 biased in the direction toward the base 28 by the solenoid moves in accordance with the thickness of the coin C, thereby By absorbing the difference in the thickness of C, the beat 41 of the movable cover 38 is always in contact with the coins C having different amounts, and the coins C are pressed against the side surface of the rotating disc 32. Further, by abutting the beat 41, the sliding resistance between the coin C and the movable cover 38 is reduced.

Further, the base 28 of the flip-up mechanism 21 and the introduction chute
As shown in FIG. 2, 22 is inclined toward the rear side surface where the guide groove 30 of the base 28 is provided, and the introduction chute 22
The guide passage 24 has a width such that a plurality of coins C can move in the thickness direction at the same time, and the inner side surface 24a on the upper side in the inclination direction of the guide passage 24 is connected to the bottom surface 30a of the guide groove 30 of the base 28. Along with the inner surface of the guide passage 24 on the lower side in the inclination direction
The lower end of 24b is expanded to the outside.

Note that FIG. 2 shows a cross-sectional structure along the moving path of the coin C in order to clarify the function.

As shown in FIG. 1, a branch chute 51 is attached to the upper portion of the rear side surface of the base 28, and the branch chute 51 connects the lower end of the introduction chute 22 and the notch 29 of the base 28. , The inner side surface 24b of the introduction chute 22 on the lower side in the inclination direction of the guide passage 24 is connected to the inner side surface 51a of the branch chute 51 on the lower side in the inclination direction, and the coin C rises in the guide passage 24 for some reason. When it falls without being able to pass, the falling coin C enters the branch chute 51 connected to the lower side in the inclination direction of the introduction chute 22 along the inner side surface 24b of the guide passage 24, and by this branch chute 51, the notch 29 of the base 28. The rotary disc 32 of the flip-up mechanism 21 allows the rotary disc 32 to be flipped up to the introduction chute 22 again.

Although not shown, a plurality of product columns for storing products and a discharge mechanism for discharging the products stored in the product column one by one in response to a sales command from the coin mechanism 7 are provided in the main body 1. However, in the product adopting the serpentine method for the product column, the product is conveyed from the upper part to the lower part by using gravity, so that the product is discharged from the lower end part of the product column. When the product column is lengthened in order to secure the storage amount, the product discharged from the product column by the discharge mechanism is located in the lower stage of the main body 1, so that the product is discharged from the sales port 4 provided in the middle stage of the front door 2. Therefore, the product transport means 9 receives the product discharged from the product column in the lower part of the main body 1, transports it upward, and pays it to the selling port 4. It has become way.

The product transporting means 9 may be, for example, an elevator for moving a bucket up and down, or an appropriate transporting means such as an endless belt conveyor.

Then, in this embodiment, when the coin C is inserted from the coin insertion slot 5 in the above-described configuration, the detection switch provided in the insertion slot chute 23 detects this and the flip-up mechanism 21 Start the motor 45 of the rotating disk 32
Rotates at high speed.

Then, the coin C drops from the notch 29 of the base 28 of the flip-up mechanism 21 into the guide groove 30 via the slot chute 23,
The coin C, after moving in the guide groove 30 by the protrusion 33 of the rotating disc 32 moving at high speed, is vigorously flipped upward from the tip of the guide groove 30, and the flipped coin C is
An inverted J-shaped introduction chute connected to the tip of the guide groove 30.
Coin mechanism 7
Enter the inlet 25 at the upper end of the.

Therefore, the transfer speed of the coin C due to the flip-up does not become slower than the conventional speed of introducing the coin into the coin mechanism using only gravity.

If, for some reason, the coin C flipped up by the flip-up mechanism 21 cannot ascend up and pass through the guide passage 24 of the introduction chute 22 and falls, the dropped coin C falls in the guide passage 24. It enters the branch chute 51 along the inner side surface 24b on the lower side in the inclination direction, is returned to the notch 29 of the base 28 of the flip-up mechanism 21 by this branch chute 51, and is again introduced by the rotary disk 32 of the flip-up mechanism 21. It is designed so that it can be flipped up to the shot 22.

In addition, the coin C cannot fully move upward in the guide passage 24 of the introduction chute 22 and the inner side surface 24b of the guide passage 24 on the lower side in the inclination direction.
When the next coin C is flipped up by the flip-up mechanism 21 while being dropped along, the flipped-up coin C rises on the inner side surface 24a side of the guide passage 24 on the upper side in the inclination direction. Therefore, both coins C do not collide.

The motor 45 of the flip-up mechanism 21 is stopped by a timer or the like that stops energization after a predetermined time has elapsed after the detection switch (not shown) detects the insertion of the coin C, but within the drive time set by the timer or the like. When the next coin C is inserted, the previous elapsed time is cleared and the energization is stopped after a predetermined time has elapsed from the detection of a new coin C, for example, the coin mechanism 7
A detection switch is provided at the inlet 25 of the coin mechanism 7 and the last coin C when the coins C are continuously inserted is the coin mechanism 7.
The energization may be stopped at the time of entry, or the energization may be stopped at the time when the coin mechanism 7 detects a coin C having an amount equal to or more than the price of the product.

In addition, during normal energization when selling products, change coins and defective coins are returned to the coin mechanism 7
After passing through, the point where the coin is paid out from the lower end to the coin return port 6 provided below is the same as before, but the inlet 25 of the coin mechanism 7 is located above the coin slot 5. , Coin C inserted from coin insertion slot 5
Since the flip-up mechanism 21 is flipped up to the introduction port 25 of the coin C, the flip-up mechanism 21 does not operate at the time of non-energization such as a power outage when the sale is stopped. If a coin C is inserted,
It is impossible to return the inserted coin to the coin return slot via the coin mechanism as in the conventional case.

Therefore, in this embodiment, in the flip-up mechanism 21,
While using a solenoid (not shown) and a spring 40, at the time of normal energization, the movable cover 38 is moved toward the base 28 by the solenoid and is held in a usable state.
At the time of non-energization such as a power failure, the movable cover 38 is opened by the spring 40 so as to be separated from the base 28 by the interruption of the solenoid. Therefore, at the time of non-energization such as a power failure, the coin C inserted from the coin slot 5 is Base 28 and movable cover 38
The coins are dropped from a space between them to a not-shown return passage, and the coins are immediately returned to the coin return opening 6 through the return passage.

In addition, the flip-up mechanism 21
May not operate due to a failure of the motor 45. In this case, since the solenoid is energized, the coin C inserted from the coin slot 5 is flipped up.
It will stop in the guide groove 30 of the base 28, but in such a case, operate the return lever 10 to forcibly move the movable cover.
By separating 38 from the base 28, the coin C is
The coin is dropped from a space between the base 28 and the movable cover 38 to a return passage (not shown) below and immediately returned to the coin return opening 6 through the return passage.

The return of the coin C from the flip-up mechanism 21 is ensured by the inclination of the base 28.

In this way, the coin return opening 6 for receiving the return coins C paid out from the coin mechanism 7 can be positioned higher than the conventional one and can be provided at an appropriate height like the coin insertion opening 5. The return coin C can be easily confirmed, and the operation of taking out the return coin C is not forced to take an unnatural posture like the insertion operation of the coin C, and the handling thereof is extremely easy.

Further, since the selling slot 4 is provided in the middle of the front door 2 together with the coin insertion slot 5 and the coin return slot 6, it is possible to prevent an unnatural posture even when the product is taken out. Since the structure of the lower side is simple, the structural neck is eliminated, which is extremely convenient when this part is used as the signboard part 14, for example.

When the lower side of the front door 2 is used as the signboard portion 14 as described above, it is desirable to provide the selling port 4 near the middle stage as described above, but at least when the coin return port 6 is above. For example, even if the sales port 4 is located below, the opening on the lower part of the front door 2 is only one place compared to the conventional two places. In addition to 14, there is no change in designing and manufacturing in terms of incorporating novelty in design, and it is possible to use this empty space to increase the ability to attract customers.

Further, the coin introduction port 25 of the coin mechanism 7 is located above the coin insertion port 5 and is in a state of being separated from the coin insertion port 5, so that the control circuit and the like incorporated in the coin mechanism 7 may malfunction. When a liquid such as detergent liquid or saline flows into the coin insertion port 5 for the purpose of collecting goods or change, the liquid does not enter the coin mechanism 7 and the coin insertion port 5 A flip-up mechanism of the coin transfer means 8 interposed between the coin mechanisms 7.
Even if it reaches up to 21, it can flow down through the gap between the base 28 and the movable cover 38, etc., and prevent damage.

In the flip-up mechanism 21 of the above-mentioned embodiment, the rotating disc
Although the outer peripheral surface of the coin C is kicked off by the protrusion 33 provided on the side surface of the coin 32 to flip up the coin C, the present invention is not limited to this, and as shown in FIG. 6 to FIG.
The outer peripheral surface of the coin C may be kicked off by the rotating rod 61, and in this case, the rotation center of the rotating rod 61 or the rotating disk 32 and the coin may be changed as in the modification of FIG. It may be parallel to the axial direction of C, and as shown in the modified examples of FIGS. 7 and 8, the radial direction of rotation of the rotary rod 61 and the axial direction of the coin C may be aligned.

In addition, in the flip-up mechanism 21 of the above-described embodiment, the sliding resistance of the coin C is reduced by bringing the beat 41 formed on the movable cover 38 into contact with the coin C, but the present invention is not limited to this. As shown in the figure, the sliding resistance of the coin C may be reduced by bringing the plurality of rollers 64 pivotally supported by the movable cover 38 into contact with the coin C.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, the introduction chute 22 inclined in the side direction of the coin C is used, but the present invention is not limited to this, and
It is also possible to use an introducing chute 67 that is inclined toward the outer peripheral surface of the coin C as shown in FIG. 10, and connect the branch chute 68 to the lower side of the introducing chute 67 in the inclination direction.

In the embodiment described above, along with the introduction chute 22,
The base 28 of the flip-up mechanism 21 was also tilted, but this base
28 may be vertical, in which case the base 28 should be secured to ensure the return of coin C when the movable cover 28 is opened.
It is preferable to incline the lower side portion of the guide groove 30.

Further, in the flip-up mechanism 21 of the above-described embodiment and each of the modified examples of FIGS. 6 to 9, the outer peripheral surface of the coin C is kicked off by the protrusion 33 protruding from the side surface of the rotating disk 32. The coin C is flipped up, but not limited to this,
In the flip-up mechanism 21 of the above-described embodiment, the rotating disc 32
The coin C may be flipped up by the friction between the side surface of the rotating disc 32 and the side surface of the coin C without the protrusion 33.

Then, in the case of flipping up the coin C by the friction between the side surface of the rotating disc 32 and the side surface of the coin C in this way,
As shown in the figure, the movable cover 38 may be provided with a plurality of rollers 64 to reduce the resistance of the side surface on the opposite side of the coin C.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, in the flip-up mechanism 21,
The movable cover 38 was biased by the spring 40 in the direction away from the base 28, and was biased by the solenoid in the direction in which it was pressed against the base 28.However, when the solenoid is not provided, the movable cover 38 is pressed against the base 28 by the spring 40. , The coin C is returned only by manual operation by the return lever 10.

〔The invention's effect〕

As described above, according to the present invention, in the vending machine, the coin inserted from the coin slot is flipped upward by the flip-up mechanism, and the flipped coin is guided to the upper end of the coin mechanism by the introduction chute. Since it is introduced at the upper end of the coin mechanism, the coin mechanism can be installed at a position higher than the coin slot, and the coin return port is pulled up to a position higher than the conventional one, and is conventionally spaced apart upward. It can be brought close to the coin insertion slot, whereby both the coin insertion slot and the coin return slot can be set to appropriate heights so that coin insertion and removal operations can be easily performed.

Then, since the coin is flipped up by the flip-up mechanism and the coin is introduced into the coin mechanism through the introduction chute, the introduction time from the insertion of the coin into the coin slot to the introduction of the coin into the coin mechanism requires only conventional gravity. There is no particular delay compared to the coin introduction time used.

In particular, if the coin flipped up by the flip-up mechanism does not reach the coin mechanism and drops the introduction chute, the dropped coin falls along the side that is the lower side of the inclined introduction chute, Since the coin enters the branch chute from the introduction chute and is flipped up again from the introduction chute to the coin mechanism by the flip-up mechanism, the inserted coin can be reliably introduced into the coin mechanism.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a relationship between a flip-up mechanism of a coin processing device of a vending machine, an introduction chute and a branch chute, FIG. 2 is an explanatory view thereof, and FIG. FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the flip-up mechanism, FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional view thereof, FIG. 5 is a front view of the vending machine, and FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing a modified example of the flip-up mechanism, FIGS. 8 is a sectional view showing another modified example of the flip-up mechanism, FIG. 9 is a sectional view showing still another modified example of the flip-up mechanism, and FIG. 10 is a sectional view showing a modified example of the introduction chute and the branch chute. Is. 2 …… Front door that serves as a customer service area 3 …… Selection button 4 ……
Sales outlet, 5 …… Coin insertion slot, 6 …… Coin return slot, 7
…… Coin mechanism, 21 …… Bounce mechanism, 22 …… Introduction chute, 51 …… Branch chute, 67 …… Introduction chute, 68 …… Branch chute, C …… Coin.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A coin insertion slot and a coin return slot are provided on a customer contact surface having a product selection button and a sales slot, and a coin inserted from the coin slot is introduced from the upper end to output a sales signal and a change. In a vending machine with a built-in coin mechanism that has a selling operation processing function that pays out return coins from the lower end to the coin return slot, the coins inserted into the coin slot are flipped up and bounced by the flip-up mechanism. A coin processing device for guiding and introducing a raised coin to an upper end portion of a coin mechanism by an introduction chute, in which the introduction chute is inclined, and the coin mechanism is provided on a side part which is a lower side in an inclination direction of the introduction chute. Connect the branch chute that branches the falling coin that drops the introduction chute without jumping up Coin processing device for an automatic vending machine, characterized in that to guide the falling coins Ri between the mechanism and the coin slot splashed above.