Coin dispenser

Information

  • Patent Grant
  • 6176773
  • Patent Number
    6,176,773
  • Date Filed
    Tuesday, July 27, 1999
    25 years ago
  • Date Issued
    Tuesday, January 23, 2001
    23 years ago
Abstract
Coin dispenser, wherein a change slide (31) for controlling the dispensation and non-dispensation of coins is turned when the coins are dispensed, and then stored in a change slide storage hole (4f) formed inside a payout link (4), whereby depthwise length of the coin dispenser is reduced to the smallest possible level.
Description




TECHNICAL FIELD




This invention concerns a coin processing apparatus, used in automatic vending machines, money changing machines and service equipment, etc., and more particularly concerns improvements in a coin dispenser that constitutes part of such a coin processing apparatus and that pays out coins that have been sorted and held by denomination according to the amount of change being returned.




BACKGROUND ART




Conventional automatic vending machines, money changing machines and service equipment, etc., have been equipped with coin processing apparatus that, in addition to determining the genuineness of inserted coins, sorts and holds those inserted coins deemed genuine by denomination, and also pays out the sorted and held coins according to the amount of change being returned.




The coin processing apparatus, in general terms, comprises the following three main constituting elements.




The first main constituting element comprises coin sorting means that determines the genuineness of inserted coins and sorts, by denomination, the genuine coins.




The second main constituting element comprises a coin holding apparatus comprising a plurality of coin tubes that respectively hold coins by denomination, which coins have been sorted by denomination by the coin sorting means.




The third main constituting element comprises a coin dispenser that selects coins from inside the coin tubes constituting the coin holding apparatus, according to the amount of change being returned, and pays those selected coins out.




Of these, the conventional coin dispenser


1


has the structure depicted in the schematic perspective view of major components given in FIG.


18


.




The coin dispenser


1


comprises payout cam drive means (not shown in the drawings) comprising drive motor gears that transmit the driving force of the drive motor; a payout link


4


that comprises a pair of payout cams


2


and


3


that are turned one revolution in one direction (clockwise) every payout operation by the driving force transmitted via the payout cam drive means and channels


4




a


and


4




b


engaged with pins


2




a


and


3




a


projecting from the lower surfaces of the payout cams


2


and


3


, and that moves reciprocally in the directions of arrow A from the initial position in the drawing when the payout cams


2


and


3


turn one revolution in the direction of the arrows (clockwise); and a payout slider


5


that engages the payout link


4


through the pair of pins


4




c


and


4




d


and moves reciprocally in the directions of the arrow A in linkage with the reciprocal motion of the payout link


4


. The payout drive means (not shown), as described above, payout cams


2


and


3


and payout link


4


constitute payout slider drive means


6


.




In the payout slider


5


are formed four holes


7


,


8


,


9


and


10


for holding, respectively, a single coin of the coins held at the bottoms of the coin tubes (not shown) that constitute the coin holding apparatus described above. On the bottom sides of the holes


7


,


8


,


9


and


10


are provided a bottom plate


11


that covers the bottom surface of the payout slider


5


and that ordinarily does not move, in the initial position depicted in

FIG. 18

, so as to prevent coins held in the holes


7


,


8


,


9


and


10


from falling down. The bottom plate


11


configures the bottom surface of the plurality of coin tubes (not shown) that constitute the coin holding apparatus.




Inside the payout link


4


, change slides


12


,


13


,


14


and


15


for controlling the paying out and non- paying out of the coins held one at a time inside the corresponding holes


7


,


8


,


9


,


10


, are inserted such that they can go in and out freely. The ends of the change slides front at the bottoms of the corresponding holes


7


,


8


,


9


and


10


in the payout slider


5


.




The change slides


12


,


13


,


14


and


15


are provided with stopper means (not shown) for stopping their movement from the initial position depicted in

FIG. 18

toward the payout link


4


side. Thus, the structure is such as to allow the movement of the change slides


12


,


13


,


14


and


15


toward change solenoids


16


,


17


,


18


and


19


following the sliding movement of the payout link


4


in the directions of the arrow A, while checking the movement from the initial positions depicted in

FIG. 18

toward the payout link


4


.




Furthermore, the change slides


12


,


13


,


14


and


15


described above are installed such that the tip


12




a


of the change slide


12


fronts inside the hole


7


, the tip


13




a


of the change slide


13


fronts inside the hole


8


, the tip


14




a


of the change slide


14


fronts inside the hole


9


and the tip


15




a


of the change slide


15


fronts inside the hole


10


.




The back ends


12




b


,


13




b


,


14




b


and


15




b


of the change slides


12


,


13


,


14


and


15


, respectively, in their initial positions, are engaged by change levers


16




a


,


17




a


,


18




a


and


19




a


configured by the plungers of the change solenoids


16


,


17


,


18


and


19


, respectively, that are installed independently for the change slides


12


,


13


,


14


and


15


. The movement of these change slides, that is to say, movement toward the change solenoids


16


,


17


,


18


and


19


, is ordinarily checked.




According to the coin dispenser


1


described in the foregoing, when a signal is input from a controller (not shown) to pay out one coin (not shown) held in the hole


9


, for example, in response to that payout signal, the payout cams


2


and


3


are turned through one revolution in the direction of the arrows by the payout cam drive means (not shown), causing the payout slider


5


to move reciprocally in the directions of the arrow A, which would cause the coins held in the holes


7


,


8


,


9


and


10


in the payout slider


5


to drop one at a time down below the holes


7


,


8


,


9


and


10


. However, as depicted in

FIG. 19

, based on the signal to pay out one coin held in the hole


9


, only the change lever


18




a


of the change solenoid


18


that checks the movement of the back end


14




b


of the change slide


14


is activated, moving upward as indicated by the arrow B, thus releasing the engagement between the change lever


18




a


and the change slide back end


14




b.






Thereupon, as depicted in

FIG. 20

(from which the payout cams


2


and


3


have been omitted), only the change slide


14


slides backward, following the movement of the payout link


4


in the directions of the arrow A, whereby the opening in the bottom of the hole


9


is maintained so that the coin held in the hole


9


drops down and is paid out.




As depicted in

FIG. 20

, since the back ends


12




b


,


13




b


and


15




b


of the other change slides


12


,


13


and


15


have their movement checked by the change levers


16




a


,


17




a


and


19




a


, respectively, depending on the amount of movement of the payout link


4


, the change slide tips


12




a


,


13




a


and


15




a


advance at the bottoms of the holes


7


,


8


and


10


corresponding thereto. Therefore, the bottoms of those holes


7


,


8


and


10


are not released, and, accordingly, the coins held in those holes


7


,


8


and


10


do not fall down below the bottoms of the holes


7


,


8


and


10


despite the reciprocal movement in the directions of the arrow A of the payout slider


5


, and are thus not paid out.




In other words, the coin dispenser described in the foregoing is configured so that, if change levers


16




a


,


17




a


,


18




a


and


19




a


corresponding to coins to be paid out are activated (moved upward), thus releasing the checks on the movements of the change slides


12


,


13


,


14


and


15


corresponding to the coins to be paid out, those coins can be paid out. When paying out a plurality of coins of the same denomination, the change lever of the change solenoid correspond to that coin to be paid out is activated (moved upward), thereby releasing the check on the movement of that change slide, and thereafter it is only necessary to move the payout slider


5


reciprocally a number of times coinciding with the number of coins to be paid out. Also, when paying out a plurality of types of coins simultaneously, the change levers of a plurality of change solenoids corresponding to that plurality of types of coin are activated (moved up) simultaneously, thereby releasing the checks on the movements of the change slides corresponding to that plurality of types of coin to be paid out, so that plurality of types of coin can be paid out simultaneously.




When, on the other hand, the coin dispenser


1


described in the foregoing is to be employed in various countries of the world where different types and diameters of coins are used, it is desirable to provide as many functions as possible in the coin dispenser


1


so that it can pay out many types of coins.




Thus, we can conceive of a construction where, a function for paying out another different type of coin having a large diameter is added to the conventional coin dispenser


1


.





FIG. 21

is a schematic perspective view of the major components of a coin dispenser


20


, which was proposed earlier by the applicant, wherein the basic structure of the conventional coin dispenser


1


depicted in

FIG. 18

is adopted, but wherein a feature is added for paying out another different coin having a large diameter, so that it is provided with features for paying out a total of five types of coin. The same reference symbols as used in

FIG. 18

are used to indicate identical components.




With the coin dispenser


20


, the payout link


4


, payout slider


5


and bottom plate


11


, respectively, are elongated toward the left (in the drawing) to accommodate the placement of a change slide


21


having the same structure as the change slides


12


,


13


,


14


and


15


as described above. A hole


22


is also formed in the elongated payout slider


5


to hold another coin of a large diameter.




A change solenoid


23


is provided at the back end


21




b


of the change slide


21


, similar to the change solenoids


16


,


17


,


18


and


19


noted earlier, and a change lever


23




a


configured by the plunger thereof is engaged with the back end


21




b


of the change slide


21


.




According to such a coin dispenser


20


, when a signal is input from a controller (not shown) to pay out one large- diameter coin held in the hole


22


, based on that payout signal, the payout cams


2


and


3


are turned through one revolution, in the direction of the arrows, by the payout drive means (notshown), causing the payout slider


5


to move reciprocally in the directions of the arrow A, so that the coins held in the holes


7


,


8


,


9


,


10


and


22


of the payout slider


5


are dropped one at a time down through the holes


7


,


8


,


9


,


10


and


22


. When this is being done, however, as depicted in

FIG. 22

, based on a signal to pay out one coin held in the hole


22


, only the change lever


23




a


of the change solenoid


23


that checks the movement of the back end


21




b


of the change slide


21


is activated so that it moves upward as indicated by the arrow B, thus releasing the engagement with the change slide back end


21




b.






Thereupon, as depicted in

FIG. 23

from which the payout cams


2


and


3


have been omitted, only the change slide


21


slides backward following the movement of the payout link


4


in the directions of the arrow A (in FIG.


22


), whereby the opening at the bottom of the hole


22


is maintained, so that the coin held in the hole


22


is dropped down from the hole


22


and is paid out.




Accordingly, it is possible to pay out five or more types of coins using the same basic payout structure as in the conventional coin dispenser


1


described earlier.




However, a coin processing apparatus wherein the coin dispenser


1


or


20


described above is loaded, is usually to be loaded in an extremely limited and narrow space inside automatic vending machines or equipment. Therefore, the overall size of the coin processing apparatus is strictly controlled.




In particular, the dimension L in the depth direction from the front to the back in the coin dispenser


1


, inclusive of the distance of reciprocal movement of the change slide


14


when paying out coins, is strictly specified.




However, with the need to pay out as many types of coins as possible, according to the coin dispenser


20


wherein the conventional structure depicted in

FIG. 18

is adopted but wherein also a feature is added for paying out another coin of large diameter as depicted in

FIG. 21

, for example, in order to pay out that coin of large diameter, the dimension L′ in the depth direction from the front to the back in the coin dispenser


20


, inclusive of the distance of reciprocal movement of the change slide


21


, becomes extremely large (L′>L). Thus there is a danger of being unable to install a coin processing apparatus wherein is loaded such a coin dispenser


20


, within the limited space available inside an automatic vending machine, etc.




In view of the situation described in the foregoing, an object of the present invention is to provide a coin dispenser wherewith even more types of coins can be paid out without increasing the dimension in the depth direction.




DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION




In order to resolve the problem described above, the coin dispenser of the present invention comprises change slide accommodating means for accommodating the change slide inside the payout link along longitudinal direction thereof; and change slide turning means for turning the change slide in conjunction with movement of the payout link when paying out coins, wherein when paying out the coins, the change slide is turned by the change slide turning means so as to be accommodated inside the change slide accommodating means.











BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS





FIG. 1

is a schematic perspective view of a coin dispenser according to one embodiment of the present invention;





FIG. 2

is a schematic perspective view showing the action of a coin dispenser according to one embodiment of the present invention;





FIG. 3

is a schematic perspective view showing the action of a coin dispenser according to one embodiment of the present invention;





FIG. 4

is a schematic perspective view showing the action of a coin dispenser according to one embodiment of the present invention;





FIG. 5

is a schematic perspective view of the lower surface of a change slide;





FIG. 6

is a schematic perspective view of the upper surface of a change slide;





FIG. 7

is an enlarged schematic perspective view of the elongated portion of a change slide;





FIG. 8

is a partially cutaway bottom view of a coin dispenser according to one embodiment of the present invention, as seen from the bottom;





FIG. 9

is a partially cutaway bottom view indicating the action of a coin dispenser according to one embodiment of the present invention;





FIG. 10

is a partially cutaway bottom view indicating the action of a coin dispenser according to one embodiment of the present invention;





FIG. 11

is a partially cutaway bottom view indicating the action of a coin dispenser according to one embodiment of the present invention;





FIG. 12

is a partially cutaway bottom view indicating the action of a coin dispenser according to one embodiment of the present invention;





FIG. 13

is a partially cutaway bottom view indicating the action of a coin dispenser according to one embodiment of the present invention;





FIG. 14

is a schematic perspective view of a change slide according to another embodiment of the present invention;





FIG. 15

is a schematic plan view of a cam channel according to another embodiment;





FIG. 16

is a partially cutaway view of major portions of a payout link of another embodiment;





FIG. 17

is a partially cutaway view of major portions of a payout link of still another embodiment;





FIG. 18

is a schematic perspective view of a conventional coin dispenser;





FIG. 19

is a schematic perspective view indicating the action of a conventional coin dispenser;





FIG. 20

is a schematic perspective view indicating the action of a conventional coin dispenser;





FIG. 21

is a schematic perspective view of a conventional coin dispenser;





FIG. 22

is a schematic perspective view indicating the action of a conventional coin dispenser; and





FIG. 23

is a schematic perspective view indicating the action of a conventional coin dispenser.











BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION




Embodiments of a coin dispenser according to the present invention are now described in detail.





FIG. 1

is a schematic perspective view of a coin dispenser


30


of one embodiment of the present invention. The same reference symbols as used in

FIGS. 18 and 21

are used to indicate identical components.




In the coin dispenser


30


also, the payout link


4


, payout slider


5


and bottom plate


11


, respectively, are elongated on the left side (in the drawing) to facilitate the paying out of a different type of coin of large diameter, and a hole


22


is formed in the elongated portion


5




a


of the payout slider


5


to hold one large-diameter coin.




The elongated part


4




e


of the payout link


4


is formed with a change slide storage hole


4




f


for accommodating the change slide


31


associated with the hole


22


along the longitudinal direction thereof The change slide storage hole


4




f


configures change slide accommodating means for accommodating the change slide


31


inside the payout link


4


along the longitudinal direction thereof.




Meanwhile, in a top cover (described below) that covers the upper surfaces of the change slide


31


, change slide storage hole


4




f


and payout link


4


, change slide turning means (described below) is formed that turn the change slide


31


in conjunction with the movement of the payout link


4


when paying out coins, respectively.




According to the coin dispenser


30


, when a signal is input from a controller (not shown) to pay out one large-diameter coin (not shown) held in the hole


22


, based on that payout signal, the payout cams


2


and


3


are turned through one revolution in the direction of the arrows by the payout drive means (not shown), the payout slider


5


is made to move reciprocally in the directions of the arrow A via the payout link


4


, whereby the coins held in the holes


7


,


8


,


9


,


10


and


22


in the payout slider


5


are dropped down one at a time from the holes


7


,


8


,


9


,


10


and


22


, and paid out.




When this is being done, based on a signal to pay out one coin held in the hole


22


, as depicted in

FIG. 2

, only the change lever


23




a


of the change solenoid


23


that checks the movement of the back end


31




b


of the change slide


31


is activated so that it moves upward as indicated by the arrow B, thus releasing the engagement with the change slide back end


31




b.






When this is done, as depicted in

FIG. 3

from which the payout cams


2


and


3


have been omitted, only the change slide


31


turns in one direction about a turning shaft (described below) following the movement of the payout link


4


, by which means the change slide


31


is accommodated inside the change slide storage hole


4




f


of the payout link


4


along longitudinal direction thereof.




Thus the release of the bottom of the hole


22


is maintained so that the coin held in the hole


22


drops down from the hole


22


and is paid out.




When the large-diameter coin held in the hole


22


should not be paid out, the engagement between the back end


31




b


of the change slide


31


and the change lever


23




a


of the change solenoid


23


is maintained, as depicted in

FIG. 4

, so that the change slide


31


is prevented from turning. Therefore, the change slide


31


maintains its stationary condition without being linked to the movement of the payout link


4


. As a result, the tip


31




a


of the change slide


31


advances at the bottom of the hole


22


so as to close off the bottom of the hole


22


, checking the falling of the coin held in the hole


22


, and preventing that coin from being paid out.




A detailed description is given next of the change slide turning means that turns the change slide


31


in linkage with the sliding movement of the payout link


4


when coins are being paid out, as depicted in FIG.


3


.




As is depicted in

FIG. 5

, which gives a perspective view of the bottom side of the change slide


31


, the change slide turning means


40


comprises a turning shaft


31




d


that projects from the bottom surface


31




c


of the change slide


31


, of such shape that its side surfaces are partially cut away; a cam shaft


31




f


on the upper surface


31




e


of the change slide


31


, projecting up from the back end


31




b


of the change slide


31


, as depicted in

FIG. 6

which gives a perspective view of the upper surface of the change slide


31


; a shaft bearing hole


4




h


formed in the lower surface


4




g


of the change slide storage hole


4




f


, as seen in the enlarged schematic perspective view of the elongated portion


4




e


of the payout link


4


given in

FIG. 7

; and an arc shaped cam channel


41


for guiding the cam shaft


31




f


that projects out from the change slide


31


, as depicted in FIG.


1


.




Of these, the arc shaped cam channel


41


is formed in the top cover (described below) that covers the upper surface of the payout link


4


.




As is evident from

FIG. 5

, the shaft


31




d


is formed by the tip ends of a pair of shaft members


31




g


and


31




h


that are split into two forking prongs. Thus it is possible for the diameter of the shaft


31




d


to contract within that range wherein the gap between the tip ends of the pair of shaft members


31




g


and


31




h


flexibly expands and contracts. The reference symbol


31




i


in

FIG. 5

indicates a guide panel that projects from the bottom surface


31




c


of the change slide


31


.




The reference symbol


4




i


in

FIG. 7

designates a guide channel formed adjacent to and to the left of the shaft bearing hole


4




h


. The guide channel


4




i


accepts the guide panel


31




i


on the change slide


31


depicted in FIG.


5


.




The reference symbols


4




j


and


4




k


in

FIG. 7

designate cam shaft accommodating channels for accommodating the cam shaft


31




f


depicted in FIG.


6


. The reference symbol


4




m


in

FIG. 7

designates a guide channel for guiding the turning shaft


31




d


depicted in

FIG. 5

, oriented toward the shaft bearing hole


4




h


, so that the turning shaft


31




d


can go in and out.




A more detailed description is given next of the action of the change slide turning means


40


described above.





FIG. 8

is a partially cutaway bottom view of the coin dispenser


30


depicted in

FIG. 1

, as seen from the bottom. In particular,

FIG. 8

details the elongated portions


4




e


and


5




a


of the payout link


4


and change slider


5


, respectively.




In the initial position of the payout link


4


as depicted in

FIG. 8

, the turning shaft


31




d


of the change slide


31


fits inside the shaft bearing hole


4




h


formed inside the change slide storage hole


4




f


of the payout link


4


.




The cam shaft


31




f


projecting from the upper surface of the change slide


31


fits inside the arc shaped cam channel


41


formed in the top cover


50


that covers the upper surface of the payout link


4


, and the cam shaft


31




f


is engaged by the change lever


23




a


of the change solenoid


23


(cf. FIG.


1


).




In the initial position of the payout link


4


depicted in

FIG. 8

, when a signal is input from the controller (not shown) not to pay out a large-diameter coin held in the hole


22


, based on that non- payout signal, the payout cams


2


and


3


depicted in

FIG. 1

turn through one revolution in the direction of the arrows causing the payout slider


5


to move reciprocally in the directions of the arrow A via the payout link


4


. However, as depicted in

FIG. 8

, the engagement between the cam shaft


31




f


of the change slide


31


and the change lever


23




a


is maintained, wherefore the change slide


31


does not move in linkage with the payout link


4


, but maintains its condition of being stopped in that position.




Thus, when the payout link


4


moves in the directions of the arrow A in

FIG. 8

, with the change slide


31


maintaining its stationary condition, the turning shaft


31




d


of the change slide


31


contracts its diameter, so that it can escape from the shaft bearing hole


4




h


, and moves inside the guide channel


4




m


, while, simultaneously, the guide panel


31




i


of the change slide


31


fits inside the guide channel


4




i


of the payout link


4


.




When the payout link


4


moves further in the direction of the arrow A indicated in

FIG. 9

, and arrives at the return point, the turning shaft


31




d


of the change slide


31


completely withdraws from inside the payout link


4


, as depicted in

FIG. 10

, and the guide panel


31




i


of the change slide


31


reaches a state wherein it is partially inside the guide channel


4




i


in the payout link


4


. Also, as depicted in

FIG. 10

, the guide panel


31




i


of the change slide


31


reaches a state wherein it is inside the guide channel


4




i


of the payout link


4


. In this state, with the turning shaft


31




d


of the change slide


31


in a condition wherein it has completely withdrawn from inside the payout link


4


, the change slide


31


will maintain its condition of being stopped in that condition, without shaking either to the right or left about the cam shaft


31




f.






In the stopped position of the change slide


31


indicated in

FIG. 10

, the tip


31




a


thereof is completely advanced in the bottom of the hole


22


, blocking off the bottom of the hole


22


. As a result, the dropping of the coin held in the hole


22


, i.e. the paying out thereof, is prevented. The manner of positioning the change slide


31


as depicted in

FIG. 10

corresponds to the manner of positioning the change slide


31


as depicted in FIG.


4


.




When the payout link


4


returns to its initial position from the position depicted in

FIG. 10

, the change slide


31


similarly returns to its initial position as depicted in FIG.


8


.




According to the coin dispenser


30


described in the foregoing, in the initial position of the payout link


4


depicted in

FIG. 8

, when a signal is input from the controller (not shown) to pay out one large-diameter coin held in the hole


22


, the engagement between the cam shaft


31




f


of the change slide


31


and the change lever


23




a


is released in response to that coin payout signal (cf. FIG.


2


).




Subsequently, the payout cams


2


and


3


turn through one revolution in the direction of the arrows, as depicted in

FIG. 2

, thereby causing, via the payout link


4


, the payout slider


5


to move reciprocally in the directions indicated by the arrow A.




As this happens, when the payout link


4


moves slightly in the direction of the arrow A, as depicted in

FIG. 11

, the change slide


31


is pushed in the direction of the arrow A via the turning shaft


31




d


inserted into the turning bearing hole


4


in the payout link


4


, but the engagement between the cam shaft


31




f


and the change lever


23




a


(cf.

FIG. 8

) has been released, so the back end


31




b


of the change slide


31


moves toward the right (in the drawing) along the arc shaped cam channel


41


in which the cam shaft


31




f


is inserted, while, simultaneously, the change slide


31


turns counterclockwise about the turning shaft


31




d


that is inserted in the shaft bearing hole


4




h


. In other words, its attitude begins to change.




Then, when the payout link


4


moves further in the direction of the arrow A, as depicted in

FIG. 12

, the change slide


31


turns further in the counterclockwise direction about the turning shaft


31




d


that is inserted in the shaft bearing hole


4




h


, whereby the turning attitude is increased, and the entire change slide


31


is thrust into the change slide storage hole


4




f


of the payout link


4


along the longitudinal direction thereof.




When the payout link


4


moves further in the direction of the arrow A from the position depicted in FIG.


12


and arrives at the return point thereof, the entire change slide


31


, except for the guide panel


31




i


, is accommodated inside the change slide storage hole


4




f


of the payout link


4


along the longitudinal direction thereof.




In this position wherein the change slide


31


is stopped as depicted in

FIG. 13

, the entirety thereof is accommodated inside the change slide storage hole


4




f


in the payout link


4


along the longitudinal direction thereof, and the release of the entire bottom of the hole


22


in the change slider


5


is maintained. As a result, the coin held in the hole


22


drops down and is paid out. The manner of positioning the change slide


31


as depicted in

FIG. 13

corresponds to the manner of positioning the change slide


31


depicted in FIG.


3


.




Accordingly, when the coin dispenser


30


described in the foregoing is implemented, as depicted in

FIG. 3

, the dimension M in the depth direction from the front to the back of the coin dispenser


30


inclusive of the distance of reciprocal movement of the change slide


31


when paying out coins is far shorter than in the conventional apparatus, because the change slide


31


itself is accommodated inside the payout link


4


, thus making it possible to shorten the dimension in the depth direction of the coin dispenser


30


to the maximum extent possible.




In the embodiment described in the foregoing, the coin dispenser


30


of the present invention is applied to the paying out and non-paying out of a relatively large-diameter coin held in the hole


22


in the payout slider


5


, but the present invention is in no way limited by the embodiment so described, and may be applied to the paying out and non-paying out of coins held in the other holes formed in the payout slider


5


, namely the holes


7


,


8


,


9


and


10


, in which case it would be possible to even further shorten the dimension in the depth direction of the coin dispenser overall, as compared to the conventional apparatus.




In the embodiment described in the foregoing, the cam shaft


31




f


is integrally formed with the upper surface


31




e


of the change slide


31


, as shown in FIG.


6


. However, the present invention is not limited to this embodiment. Alternatively, as shown in

FIG. 14

in which the same reference symbols as used in

FIG. 6

are used to indicate identical components, it may be so construction that a metal shaft member


100


is pressed into the upper surface


31




e


of the change slide


31


in place of the cam shaft


31




f


, and a roller


101


is rotatably supported by the metal shaft member


100


.




With this alternative construction where the cam shaft


31




f


is constituted by the metal shaft member


100


and the roller


101


, not only the engagement of the cam shaft


31




f


and the arc shaped cam channel


41


become smooth as shown in

FIG. 11

, etc., but also durability of the cam shaft


31




f


improves so that a coin dispenser of long life can be realized.




Further, in the embodiment described in the foregoing, the cam channel


41


is formed in a simple arc shape as shown in FIG.


11


. Alternatively, as shown in

FIG. 15

showing the cam shaft


31




f


and the cam channel


41


engaged with the cam shaft


31




f


in an enlarged manner, the starting end


41




a


of the cam channel


41


may be formed to have a cam channel portion


41




b


having a smaller radius of curvature compared with the other portions thereof.




With this construction where the cam channel portion


1




b


of a smaller radius of curvature is formed at the staring end


41




a


of the channel


41


, when the cam shaft


31




f


reaches the cam channel portion


41




b


during the returning of the change slide


31


to its initial position, the cam shaft


31




f


returns rapidly to the starting end


41




a


. As a result, the change slide


31


can return to its initial position (

FIG. 8

) rapidly and reliably.




Further, as shown in

FIG. 16

in which the same reference symbols as used in

FIG. 10

are used to indicate identical components, it may be so constructed that a protrusion


4




a


′ is provided at the fore end of the payout link


4


to prevent the change slide


31


from rotating in the direction of arrow P when the tip


31




a


of the change slide


31


advances and enters completely the bottom of the hole


22


so as to close off the bottom of the hole


22


, and the protrusion


4




a


′ is made abutted to the guide panel


31




i.






With this construction, it may happen that a payout coin is clogged in a gap formed between the payout slide


5


and the protrusion


4




a


′. To prevent this clogging, as shown in

FIG. 17

in which the same reference symbols as used in

FIG. 13

are used to indicate identical components, a protruding portion


31




p


is provided at the side of the change slide


31


to cover the gap formed between the payout slide


5


and the protrusion


4




a


′. With the protruding portion


31




p


provided at the side of the change slide


31


, the gap formed between the payout slide


5


and the protrusion


4




a


′ can be covered so as to prevent a payout coin from being clogged in the gap. As a result, the payout coin can smoothly drop through the hole


22


and be paid out.




With the coin dispenser of the present invention, as described in the foregoing, a change slide that controls the payout and non-payout of coins is made to revolve so that it is accommodated inside the payout link when coins are being paid out, thereby making it possible to set the distance of fore-and-aft movement of the change slide needed during coin payout to be extremely short. Thus the dimension in the depth direction of the coin dispenser can be set to be extremely short also, and the coin dispenser made compact.




Because the coin dispenser can be made compact, furthermore, coin dispensers can be provided that exhibit functions for paying out many kinds of coins, without altering the basic sizes thereof in the depth dimension, even when they are employed in different countries of the world using coins of different types and diameters.




INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY




As described in the foregoing, the coin dispenser of the present invention is a compact apparatus, making it ideal for coin dispensers that pay out many different types of coins, without altering the basic size thereof in the depth dimension, when employed in different countries of the world using coins of different types and diameters.



Claims
  • 1. A coin dispenser that causes a payout slider to move reciprocally via a payout link, and comprises a change slide that opens coin holding holes formed in the payout slider when paying out coins so as to drop the coins held in the coin holding holes down, and closes off the coin holding holes when not paying out coins so as to prevent coins from falling down, characterized in thatthe coin dispenser further comprises: change slide accommodating means for accommodating the change slide inside the payout link along longitudinal direction thereof; and change slide turning means for turning the change slide in conjunction with movement of the payout link when paying out coins, wherein when paying out the coins, the change slide is turned by the change slide turning means so as to be accommodated inside the change slide accommodating means.
  • 2. The coin dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the change slide accommodating means comprises a change slide storage hole formed in the payout link, for accommodating the change slide along longitudinal direction thereof.
  • 3. The coin dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the change slide turning means comprises:a turning shaft that projects from a bottom surface of the change slide; a cam shaft that projects at upper surface of the change slide; a shaft bearing hole formed in the change slide storage hole, for supporting the turning shaft; and an arc shaped cam channel formed in a top cover that covers the payout link, for guiding the cam shaft.
Priority Claims (1)
Number Date Country Kind
9-328249 Nov 1997 JP
PCT Information
Filing Document Filing Date Country Kind 102e Date 371c Date
PCT/JP98/05313 WO 00 7/27/1999 7/27/1999
Publishing Document Publishing Date Country Kind
WO99/28868 10/6/1999 WO A
Foreign Referenced Citations (6)
Number Date Country
5805892 Jan 1983 JP
0267466 May 1990 JP
0267475 May 1990 JP
2130059 Oct 1990 JP
0523279 Mar 1993 JP
0711466 May 1995 JP