JPH087810B2 - Coin discriminator - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial field of application] The present invention uses one optical detecting means to detect the outer diameter of a coin, the diameter of a perforated coin and the position of the diameter, and the stain state of a coin. The present invention relates to a coin discriminating device that performs efficiently.

[Prior Art and Problems] Conventionally, for example, as described in JP-A-58-132884,
There has been proposed a device for discriminating the coin diameter based on the output of an image line sensor that generates a signal corresponding to the area of a portion shielded by coins conveyed through a passage. Further, for example, as described in JP-A-62-266692, the diameter of the coin conveyed on the conveying path is obtained based on the output of the image line sensor, and the denomination of the coin is determined by the size of the coin diameter. A device has been proposed.

That is, in both of the techniques described in the above publications, the image line sensor is used to determine the coin diameter based on the light-shielding device for the coins and determine the coin denomination. However, in the techniques described in both of these publications, there is a problem that the denomination discrimination of coins and the accuracy judgment of the damage (dirt state) are still insufficient.

The present invention solves the above-mentioned problems, and a coin discriminating apparatus for efficiently detecting the outer diameter of a coin, the diameter of a perforated coin and the position of the diameter, and the stain state of the coin by using one optical detecting means. For the purpose of provision.

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a conveying means for conveying coins one by one in a surface direction along a conveying path, and a conveying means provided near the conveying path. A first light emitting means for irradiating the coin transporting surface of one of the paths with light; a second light emitting means provided near the transporting path for irradiating the coin transporting surface of the other coin of the transporting path with light; The light from the first light emitting means or the second light emitting means is provided near the transport path and on the side of the second light emitting means.
The image line sensor that detects the light reflected by the light emitting means upon hitting the coin and outputs a signal corresponding to the detected light, and causes the first light emitting means and the second light emitting means to emit light at different light emission timings, A light emission control unit that outputs the output signal of the image line sensor in synchronization with the different light emission timing; and a first control unit based on the output signal of the image line sensor.
The diameter and position of the hole of the coin are detected by detecting whether the light emitted by the light emitting means is blocked by the coin and whether the light emitted by the second light emitting means is reflected by the coin. And a coin for detecting whether the light emitted from the first light emitting means is blocked by the coin and whether the light emitted from the second light emitting means is reflected by the coin. A determination unit having a diameter determination unit for detecting the outer diameter of the coin and a contamination determination unit for detecting the contamination state of the coin from the reflected light of the coin emitted by the second light emitting unit. To do.

[Operation] In the present invention, in the hole determination unit, based on the output signal of the image line sensor, it is determined whether the light emitted by the first light emitting unit is shielded by the coin or not by the second light emitting unit. The diameter and position of the hole of the coin are detected by detecting whether the reflected light is reflected by the coin or not, and the diameter determining unit uses the first light emitting means based on the output signal of the image line sensor. The outer diameter of the coin is detected by detecting whether or not the emitted light is shielded by the coin and whether or not the light emitted from the second light emitting means is reflected by the coin, and further by the stain determining unit. Then, based on the output signal of the image line sensor, the dirty state of the coin is detected from the reflected light of the coin emitted by the second light emitting means.

That is, in the present invention, light emitted at different timings by the two light emitting means, that is, the first and second light emitting means, is received by one image line sensor,
Since the hole, diameter, and stain of the coin are detected based on the output signal of the image line sensor, these can be detected efficiently, and the two of the two received by the image line sensor can be detected efficiently. Since each light from the light emitting means can be processed by each system to individually detect the hole and the diameter of the coin, the detection accuracy can be improved and the reliability of coin discrimination can be improved as compared with the conventional case.

[Embodiment] An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a control system of the coin discriminating apparatus of the present embodiment. An image line sensor 2 is arranged in the middle of a conveying path 1 in which a coin C is conveyed from the right side to the left side in the figure. In addition, the light emitting diode 3 and the light emitting diode 4 are arranged at positions facing the upper and lower surfaces of the coin transporting surface of the transporting path 1. Image line sensor 2
Is arranged at a position where its light receiving surface faces the coin transport surface from diagonally below. In addition, the light emitting diode 3 is
The light emitting portion is arranged at a position facing the coin carrying surface from vertically above, and the light emitting diode 4 is arranged at a position where the light emitting portion faces the coin carrying surface from diagonally below.

A light emission control unit 5 is connected to the light emitting diodes 3 and 4, and the light emission control unit 5 causes each of the light emitting diodes 3 and 4 to emit light at different light emission timings. The light emitting diode 3 irradiates light from above vertically on the coin transport surface based on the light emission timing signal output from the light emission control unit 5.
The light emitting diode 4 irradiates the coin conveying surface with light obliquely from below based on the light emission timing signal output from the light emission control unit 5. The image line sensor 2 detects the light directly received from the transmissive light emitting diode 3 and the light reflected from the reflective light emitting diode 4 upon hitting the coin surface, and converts the detected light into an electric signal. It is designed to be converted.

The output side of the image line sensor 2 is connected to the buffer 6 and the buffer 7, and the side branched from the connection side from the light emission control unit 5 to the light emitting diode 3 is connected to the buffer 6, while the light emission is performed. The side branched from the connection side from the control unit 5 to the light emitting diode 4 is connected to the buffer 7. That is, the electric signal output from the image line sensor 2 is input to the buffers 6 and 7 in synchronization with the light emission timing of the light emitting diode 3 and the light emission timing of the light emitting diode 4.

The output side of the buffer 6 has a hole determination unit 8 and a diameter determination unit 9
The output side of the buffer 7 is connected to the hole determining section 10, the hole determining section 11, and the stain determining section 12. That is, based on the electric signal output from the image line sensor 2 depending on whether or not the coin passing through the detection position P of the transport path 1 shields the irradiation light from the light emitting diode 3, the hole determination unit. 8 is a perforated coin (5 yen, 50
The diameter determining unit 9 determines the outer diameter of the coin (1 yen, 5 yen, 10 yen, 50 yen, 100 yen, 500 yen).

Further, the diameter determining unit is based on an electric signal output from the image line sensor 2 depending on whether or not the coin passing through the detection position P of the transport path 1 shields the irradiation light from the light emitting diode 4. 10 is a coin (1 yen, 5 yen, 10 yen,
50 yen, 100 yen, 500 yen) outer diameter is judged, and the hole judgment part 11
Determines the diameter and position of the hole of a perforated coin (5 yen, 50 yen), and the stain determination unit 12 determines the coin (1 yen, 5 yen, 10 yen, 50 yen
Judgment status of yen, 100 yen, 500 yen) is judged.

Furthermore, the hole determination unit 8, the diameter determination unit 9, the diameter determination unit 10,
Output sides of the hole determination unit 11 and the stain determination unit 12 are connected to the comprehensive determination unit 13. The comprehensive determination unit 13 is configured to include the determination units 8 and
Based on the output signals from 9, 10, 11, and 12, the denomination of coins /
It is configured to determine whether the coin is correct (whether there is stain or not) and output a coin determination signal corresponding to the determination result to a signal processing unit (not shown) of a coin processor equipped with the coin discriminating device. .

 Next, the operation of this embodiment having the above configuration will be described.

When the coin C is conveyed in the conveying path 1 from the right direction to the left direction in FIG. 1 and the end of the coin approaches the vicinity of the light emitting diode 3, the light from the light emitting diode 3 is blocked by the coin surface, so that the light emitting diode 3 The light from does not enter the image line sensor 2. At this time, since the light from the light emitting diode 4 has not yet hit the coin surface, the light from the light emitting diode 4 does not enter the image line sensor 2. Further, when the coin C is conveyed and reaches the detection position P shown in the figure, the light from the light emitting diode 4 strikes the coin surface and is reflected, and the reflected light enters the image line sensor 2. This time,
Since the light from the light emitting diode 3 is blocked by the coin surface, it does not enter the image line sensor 2.

In this case, when the coin C reaching the detection position P is a perforated coin (5 yen, 50 yen) and the hole of the perforated coin and the optical axis of the light emitting diode 3 match, the light from the light emitting diode 3 Passes through the hole of the perforated coin and directly enters the image line sensor 2. Further, the light from the light emitting diode 4 hits the coin surface, and the reflected light enters the image line sensor 2.

Further, when the coin C is conveyed leftward and out of the detection position P, the light from the light emitting diode 4 does not enter the image line sensor 2, but only the light from the light emitting diode 3 enters.

Then, as described above, the image line sensor 2 causes the light emitting diode 3
The detection light from 4 is converted into an electric signal, and the electric signal is converted into the light emission timing of the light emitting diode 3 and the light emitting diode 4
It is output to the buffers 6 and 7 in synchronization with the light emission timing of. Next, when the signals output from the buffers 6 and 7 are input to the determination units 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12, the determination units 8 to 12 determine the coins. That is, based on the light detected from the light emitting diode 3 by the image line sensor 2, the hole determination unit 8 determines the diameter and position of the hole of the perforated coin, and the diameter determination unit 9 determines the outer diameter of the coin. Further, based on the light detected from the light emitting diode 4 by the image line sensor 2, the diameter determination unit 10 determines the outer diameter of the coin, and the hole determination unit 11 determines the diameter and position of the hole of the perforated coin, thus determining the contamination. In section 12, the dirt condition of the coin is judged.

After that, the comprehensive judgment unit 13 determines the coin denomination (1 yen, 5 yen) based on the coin outer diameter judged by each judgment unit 8 to 12, the diameter or position of the hole of the perforated coin, and the stain state of the coin. ,Ten
Yen, 50 yen, 100 yen, 500 yen) / damage (presence or absence of stain) is determined, and a coin determination signal is output to the signal processing unit of the coin processor.

[Modification] In the above embodiment, the image line sensor 2 is arranged so that the light receiving surface thereof is positioned obliquely with respect to the coin transporting surface of the transporting path 1. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and is shown in FIG. 2, for example. It may be configured. That is, the image line sensor 14
It is also possible to arrange so that the light receiving surface is located at a right angle to the coin conveying surface of the conveying path 1.

Further, although the light emitting diodes 3 and 4 have been described one by one, a light emitting diode array composed of a plurality of light emitting elements according to the image line sensor 2 (14), or
You may comprise by a rod-shaped lamp etc.

[Effects of the Invention] As described in detail above, in the present invention, it is determined whether or not the light emitted by the first light emitting means is blocked by the coin in the hole determination unit based on the output signal of the image line sensor. ,
The diameter and position of the hole of the coin are detected by detecting whether the light emitted from the second light emitting means is reflected by the coin,
Further, in the diameter determining unit, based on the output signal of the image line sensor, it is determined whether the light emitted by the first light emitting unit is blocked by the coin, and the light emitted by the second light emitting unit is determined by the coin. The outer diameter of the coin is detected by detecting whether the coin is reflected or not, and further, in the stain determination unit, the coin is detected from the reflected light of the coin emitted by the second light emitting means based on the output signal of the image line sensor. To detect the pollution status of.

That is, in the present invention, light emitted at different timings by the two light emitting means, that is, the first and second light emitting means, is received by one image line sensor,
Since the hole, diameter, and stain of the coin are detected based on the output signal of the image line sensor, these detections can be performed efficiently, and the two light emitted by the image line sensor can be detected. Since each light from the means can be processed by each system and the hole and diameter of the coin can be detected individually, the detection accuracy can be improved and the reliability of coin discrimination can be improved as compared with the conventional method. .

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a control system of a coin discriminating apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing an arrangement example of image line sensors according to a modification. 1 ... Transport path, 2 ... Image line sensor (optical detection means), 3 ... Light emitting diode (first light emitting means),
4 ... Light emitting diode (second light emitting means), 5 ... Light emission control section (light emission control means), 8 ... Hole determination section, 9 ... Diameter determination section, 10 ... Diameter determination section, 11 ... Hole Judgment part, 12 ... Contamination judgment part, 13 ... Comprehensive judgment part (above 8 to 13 is judgment means), 14
...... Image line sensor (optical detection means), C ……
coin.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A conveying means for conveying coins one by one in a surface direction along a conveying path, and a first means provided near the conveying path for irradiating one coin conveying surface of the conveying path with light. And a second light emitting means which is provided in the vicinity of the transfer path and irradiates the other coin transfer surface of the transfer path with light, and in the vicinity of the transfer path and on the side of the second light emitting means. An image line sensor which is provided to detect light from the first light emitting means or light reflected from the second light emitting means upon hitting a coin and output a signal corresponding to the detected light; Means and the second light emitting means for emitting light at different emission timings, and an emission control means for outputting the output signal of the image line sensor in synchronization with the different emission timing, and the output signal of the image line sensor. Hazuki, whether light emitted by the first light emitting means is blocked by the coin,
A hole determination unit that detects whether the light emitted from the second light emitting unit is reflected by the coin and detects the diameter and position of the hole of the coin, and the hole emitted by the first light emitting unit. A diameter determination unit that detects whether the light is shielded by the coin and whether the light emitted from the second light emitting unit is reflected by the coin to detect the outer diameter of the coin, and the second light emitting unit. A coin discriminating apparatus comprising: a determining unit having a stain determining unit that detects a stain state of a coin from reflected light of the emitted coin.