1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a coin sorting apparatus comprising a stationary member and a rotary disk disposed under the stationary member contiguously with a lower surface thereof. The coin sorting apparatus is constructed such that coins sliding along the lower surface of the stationary member are sorted according to diameters thereof as the rotary disk rotates.
2. Description of the Related Art
An inlet opening 1a is formed in a central part of the stationary disk 101. The coin sorting apparatus is formed such that a coin fed through the inlet opening 1a of the stationary disk 101 slides along lower surface 1b (
As shown in
The large-coin passage section 110a has a coin entrance 11 facing the inlet opening 1a, and stairs 112a and 112b formed at an interval on a downstream side with respect to the coin entrance 11. The stairs 112a and 112b are formed to reduce a thickness of a gap between the resilient member 24 of the rotary disk 2 (
A coin returning part 113 is formed contiguously with the inlet opening 1a on a downstream side with respect to the stairs 112a and 112b. There is a possibility that a pair of overlapping coins pass the stairs 112a and 112b without being separated from each other. These overlapping coins include an “upper coin” that is contiguous with the stationary disk 101 and a “lower coin” that is contiguous with the rotary disk 2. Thus, the coin returning part 113 is configured to return the “lower coin” toward the inlet opening 1a.
Since the large-coin passage section 110a extends spirally away from the center toward a circumference of the stationary disk 101, it is intended that outer edges of all the coins moving therein should engage a radial inner edge portion 110i-a thereof.
A large-coin sorting guide 115a is disposed radially outside the medium-coin passage section 110b to guide only large coins selectively and to eject the large coins in a substantially tangential direction. The large-coin sorting guide 115a has a step 116a and an ejecting passage 117a. The step 116a is formed at a boundary between the large-coin passage section 110a and the medium-coin passage section 110b. The step 116a is formed such that only a peripheral part of each of the large coins of diameters greater than the width L1 of the medium-coin passage section 110b runs onto the step 116a.
The ejecting passage 117a has a guide edge 118a for guiding a coin that has run onto the step 116a for movement in a substantially tangential direction, and an outlet 119a through which the coin guided by the guide edge 118a is ejected to an exterior. Since all the coins engage the radial inner edge portion 110i-a, medium coins and small coins respectively having diameters smaller than the width L1 do not run onto the step 116a and move into the medium-coin passage section 110b.
A medium-coin sorting guide 115b is disposed radially outside the small-coin passage section 110c to guide only medium coins selectively, and to eject the medium coins in a substantially tangential direction. The medium-coin sorting guide 115b, similarly to the large-coin sorting guide 115a, has a step 116b and an ejecting passage 117b.
The step 116b is formed at a boundary between the medium-coin passage section 110b and the small-coin passage section 110c. The step 116b is formed such that only a peripheral part of each of the medium coins of diameters greater than the width L2 of the small-coin passage section 110c runs onto the step 116b. The step 116b is formed by an adjustable step plate S2′. The ejecting passage 117b, similarly to the ejecting passage 117a of the large-coin sorting guide 115a, has a guide edge 118b and an outlet 119b.
Since a downstream part of the medium-coin passage section 110b extends away from the center toward the outer circumference of the stationary disk 101, it is intended that outer edges of all the coins moving therein should engage a radial inner edge portion 110i-b thereof. Thus, small coins of a diameter smaller than the width L2 move into the small-coin passage section 110c without running onto the step 116b.
The small-coin passage section 110c extends downstream toward an inner circumference and then toward the outer circumference of the stationary disk 101, and terminates in a small-coin sorting guide 115c having an outlet 119c.
Foreign matter sorting structure 108 is arranged on the stationary disk 101. The foreign matter sorting structure 108 has a foreign matter passage 180 branched off from the small-coin passage section 110c, and a stepped gate 182 formed at a junction of the small-coin passage section 110c and the foreign matter passage 180. The foreign matter sorting structure 108 selectively ejects foreign matter, such as paper clips, thinner than a thinnest coin.
This coin sorting apparatus has the following problems. The radial inner edge portion 110i-a (110i-b), which is configured to engage the outer edges of all the coins, defines a shoulder formed of a height less than a thickness of a thinnest coin so as not to prevent the “lower coin” from returning, e.g. through the coin returning part 113, toward the inlet opening 1a. On the other hand, as shown in
In addition, considering a case of a coin jam between the stationary disk 101 and the rotary disk 2, it is advantageous if a sorting process can be continued by rotating the rotary disk 2 in reverse temporarily, and then continuing to rotate the rotary disk 2 forwardly in normal operation. However, in the above coin sorting apparatus, the guide edges 118a and 118b of the ejecting passages 117a and 117b include stepped portions 118a′ and 118b′. The stepped portions 118a′ and 118b′ define vertical walls formed transversely of coin-passing directions between the steps 116a and 116b and the ejecting passages 117a and 117b, respectively.
Therefore, once coins have passed into the ejecting passage 117a and 117b through the stepped portions 118a′ and 118b′, these coins cannot return to an upstream side with respect to the stepped portions 118a′ and 118b even if the rotary disk is reversely rotated. In this case, when the rotary disk 2 is rotated forwardly again, the coin sorting apparatus is likely to cause the miss-sorting and/or the hold-up of the coins therein, and fail to resume a normal coin sorting operation.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a coin sorting apparatus capable of ensuring an engagement of an outer edge of a deformed coin with a radial inner edge portion of a coin passage so as to always perform a normal coin sorting operation.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a coin sorting apparatus capable of allowing coins that have passed into an ejecting passage through a stepped portion to return to an upstream side with respect to the stepped portion when a rotary disk is reversely rotated so as to resume a normal coin sorting operation when the rotary disk is rotated forwardly again.
According to the present invention, there is provided a coin sorting apparatus comprising: (a) a stationary member provided with a central coin-feed opening: and (b) a rotary disk supported for rotation and disposed under the stationary member contiguously with a lower surface of the stationary member. The coin sorting apparatus is constructed such that coins fed into the coin-feed opening of the stationary member slide along the lower surface of the stationary member as the rotary disk rotates. The stationary member is provided with a guide structure for selectively guiding coins sliding along the lower surface thereof, according to diameters of the coins. The guide structure has: (1) a coin passage formed in the lower surface of the stationary member and having a radial inner edge portion configured to engage outer edges of all the coins to be guided, with the radial inner edge portion defining a shoulder formed of a height smaller than a thickness of a thinnest coin; and (2) a coin-sorting guide disposed radially outside the coin passage. The coin-sorting guide has: (2a) a step formed such that a peripheral part of each of coins having diameters greater than a reference diameter run up onto the step with the outer edge thereof engaging the radial inner edge portion of the coin passage, and (2b) an ejecting passage for guiding the coin that has run up onto the step and ejecting this same coin exteriorly of the stationary member. The coin sorting apparatus is adapted to receive coins including a deformed coin bent such that a convex side thereof faces the lower surface of the stationary member. The coin passage has, at least in a section corresponding to the radial inner edge portion thereof, a recessed-profile configured to accommodate the convex side of the deformed coin to ensure engagement of an outer edge of the deformed coin with the radial inner edge portion.
Thus, it is possible to ensure engagement of the outer edge of the deformed coin with the radial inner edge portion of the coin passage having the recessed-profile. Accordingly, even if coins to be sorted include the deformed coin, it is possible to always perform a normal coin sorting operation.
In the coin sorting apparatus, the recessed-profile of the coin passage may include a stepped-profile configured to prop a peripheral part of each of the coins to be guided, on a radial outer side of the coin passage.
In the coin sorting apparatus, the recessed-profile of the coin passage preferably includes a plurality of stepped-profiles corresponding to a plurality of ranges of diameters of coins.
Thus, it is possible to form the recessed-profile having an optimum configuration for each of the ranges of the diameters of the coins.
In the coin sorting apparatus, the coin-sorting guide may further have a stepped portion formed transversely of a coin-passing direction between the step and the ejecting passage. In this case, the stepped portion preferably has a sloped configuration.
Thus, it is possible to allow coins that have passed into the ejecting passage through the stepped portion to smoothly return to a side opposite the ejecting passage when the rotary disk is reversely rotated. Accordingly, it is possible to resume a normal coin sorting operation when the rotary disk is rotated forwardly again. In addition, it is possible to ensure a reliability of a batch stopping operation, i.e. an operation in which a coin sorting operation is suspended and resumed by stopping rotation of the rotary disk and rotating the rotary disk forwardly as occasion demands.
In the coin sorting apparatus, preferably, the stationary member is further provided with a return guide configured to guide coins to return the same toward the coin-feed opening when the rotary disk is rotated in a reverse direction.
Thus, when the rotary disk is reversely rotated, it is possible to reduce coins that are held-up between the stationary member and the rotary disk by virtue of the return guide. Accordingly, it is possible to more smoothly resume a normal coin sorting operation when the rotary disk is rotated forwardly again.
FIGS. 5(a)-5(c) are sectional views taken along line X—X in
Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to
[General Construction]
Referring to
An inlet opening (coin-feed opening) 1a is formed in a central part of the stationary disk 1. The coin sorting apparatus is formed such that a coin fed through the inlet opening 1a of the stationary disk 1 slides along lower surface 1b (
[Construction of Rotary Disk]
The rotary disk 2 comprises a disk body 22 supported for rotation about a shaft 20, and a disk-shaped resilient member 24 attached to an upper surface of the disk body 22. As shown in FIGS. 5(a)-5(c), the resilient member 24 has a thin urethane rubber layer 24a and a porous resilient layer 24b underlying the urethane rubber layer 24a. Preferably, the porous resilient layer 24b is formed of sponge rubber (foam rubber) having a comparatively high impact resilience. A circular metal plate 23 is attached to a lower surface of the resilient member 24. The metal plate 23 is fastened to the disk body 22 with screws 29 to attach the resilient member 24 detachably to the disk body 22.
The resilient member 24 attached to the disk body 22 holds coins together with the stationary disk 1 and moves the coins as the rotary disk 2 rotates. In addition, the resilient member 24 absorbs a variation of thickness of a gap between the resilient member 24 and the stationary disk 1, and differences in thickness between coins of different denominations (FIGS. 5(a)-5(c), 7 and 8).
As shown in
A specific construction of the stationary disk 1, especially a guide structure formed on the lower surface 1b thereof, will be described with reference to
As shown in
The large-coin passage section 10a has a coin entrance 11 facing the inlet opening 1a, and stairs 12a and 12b formed at an interval on a downstream side with respect to the coin entrance 11. The coin entrance 11 is formed such that a thickness of a gap between the coin entrance 11 and the resilient member 24 of the rotary disk 2 (
There is a possibility that a pair of overlapping coins are moved into the coin entrance 11. These overlapping coins include an “upper coin” that is contiguous with the stationary disk 1 and a “lower coin” that is contiguous with the rotary disk 2 (see FIG. 5(b)). Thus, the coin entrance 11 is provided with a semicircular protrusion 100 in a radially outer side thereof. The protrusion 100 pushes the “upper coin” back toward the inlet opening 1a.
The stairs 12a and 12b are formed to reduce a thickness of the gap between the resilient member 24 of the rotary disk 2 (
As shown in
Since the large-coin passage section 10a extends spirally away from a center toward a circumference of the stationary disk 1, it is intended that outer edges of all coins moving therein should engage a radial inner edge portion 10i-a thereof (see FIG. 4). The radial inner edge portion 10i-a defines a shoulder formed of a height smaller than a thickness of a thinnest coin so as not to prevent the “lower coin” from returning toward the inlet opening 1a (see FIGS. 5(a)-5(c)). The coin returning part 13 is configured to receive the “lower coin” passing over the radial inner edge portion 10i-a through the step portion 13a and return this same coin toward the inlet opening 1a by virtue of the guiding step portion 13b.
As shown in
The recessed-profile of the large-coin passage section 10a includes a stepped-profile configured to prop a peripheral part of each of the coins to be guided, on a radially outer side of the passage section 10a. The stepped-profile of the passage section 10a includes an outer circumferential step 30 for the large coins and an outer circumferential step 32 for the medium and small coins to form a two-stepped-profile corresponding to two ranges of diameters of the coins. Stepped portions 31 and 33 (
Referring to
The ejecting passage 17a has a guide edge 18a for guiding a coin that has run onto the step 16a for movement in a substantially tangential direction, and an outlet 19a through which the coin guided by the guide edge 18a is ejected to an exterior. The sorting guide 15a further has a stepped portion 18a′ formed transversely of a coin-passing direction between the step 16a and the ejecting passage 17a. The stepped portion 18a′ has a sloped configuration for allowing the coins to pass easily.
Since all the coins engage the radial inner edge portion 10i-a, the medium coins C2 and the small coins C3, respectively, having diameters smaller than the width L1, do not run onto the step 16a and move into the medium-coin passage section 10b.
On the other hand, it is difficult for an outer edge of each of the medium and small deformed coins C2′ and C3′ to engage a radial outer edge 10o of the coin passage 10 between the step 16a and the ejecting passage 17a. Accordingly, there is a strong possibility that the deformed coins C2′ and C3′ pass over the edge 10o to enter the ejecting passage 17a. Thus, almost all the deformed coins C2′ and C3′ are ejects to the exterior from the outlet 19a of the ejecting passage 17a, in the same way as the large deformed coin C1′.
A medium-coin sorting guide 15b is disposed radially outside the small-coin passage section 10c to guide only the medium coins C2 selectively, and to eject the medium coins C2 in a substantially tangential direction. The medium-coin sorting guide 15b, similarly to the large-coin sorting guide 15a, has a step 16b and an ejecting passage 17b.
The step 16b is formed at a boundary between the medium-coin passage section 10b and the small-coin passage section 10c. The step 16b is formed such that only a peripheral part of each of the medium coins C2 of diameters greater than the width L2 of the small-coin passage section 10c runs onto the step 16b. A ramp 16b′ (
The ejecting passage 17b, similarly to the ejecting passage 17a of the large-coin sorting guide 15a, has a guide edge 18b and an outlet 19b. The sorting guide 15b further has a stepped portion 18a′, formed transversely of a coin-passing direction, between the step 16b and the ejecting passage 17b. The stepped portion 18b′ also has a sloped configuration for allowing the coins to pass easily.
Since a downstream part of the medium-coin passage section 10b extends away from the center toward the outer circumference of the stationary disk 1, it is intended that outer edges of all the coins moving therein should engage a radial inner edge portion 10i-b thereof (see FIG. 4). Thus, small coins C3 of a diameter smaller than the width L2 move into the small-coin passage section 10c without running onto the step 16b.
The small-coin passage section 10c extends downstream toward an inner circumference and then toward the outer circumference of the stationary disk 1, and terminates in a small-coin sorting guide 15c having an outlet 19c. The small-coin sorting guide 15c is configured to guide only the small coins C3 selectively, and to eject the small coins C3 in a substantially tangential direction. Since a downstream part of the small-coin passage section 10c also extends away from the center toward the outer circumference of the stationary disk 1, it is intended that outer edges of all the coins moving therein should engage a radial inner edge portion 10i-c thereof (see FIG. 4). The radial inner edge portion 10i-c also defines a shoulder formed of a height smaller than a thickness of the thinnest coin so as not to prevent the “lower coin” from returning toward the inlet opening 1a (coin entrance 11).
As described above, almost all the deformed coins C2′ and C3′ are ejected to the exterior from the outlet 19a for the large coins. There is a possibility that some of the deformed coins C2′ and C3′ pass though the medium-coin passage section 10b and enter the small-coin passage section 10c.
Thus, as shown in
Referring to
Even if the medium coin C2 (including the deformed medium coin C2′) enters the small-coin passage section 10c for some reason, it is possible to return the medium coin C2 toward the inlet opening 1a (coin entrance 11) by virtue of the bevel 41 of the protrusion 40 and the slope portion 42. That is to say, the medium coin C2 is pushed by the bevel 41 toward a radially inner side of the passage section 10c so that the medium coin C2 runs onto the slope portion 42. Then, the medium coin C2 is returned toward the inlet opening 1a while passing over the radially inner side of the passage section 10c, as the rotary disk 2 rotates forwardly, i.e. in a normal direction.
Referring to
As shown in
As sown in
Functions and effects of this embodiment thus constructed will be described. Some of the functions and effects will be omitted or simplified, if those functions and effects are apparent from the foregoing descriptions.
According to this embodiment, it is possible to ensure engagement of an outer edge of the deformed coins C1′, C2′ and C3′ with the radial inner edge portions 10i-a and 10i-c of the passage sections 10a and 10c each having a recessed-profile. Accordingly, even if coins to be sorted include the deformed coins C1′, C2′ and C3′, it is possible to always perform a normal coin sorting operation.
In addition, the stepped-profile of the passage section 10a includes two outer circumferential steps 30 and 32 corresponding to two ranges of diameters of the coins, i.e. the large coins, and the medium and small coins. Thus, it is possible to form the recessed-profile of the passage section 10a having an optimum configuration for each of the ranges of the diameters of the coins.
In this embodiment, almost all the deformed coins C1′, C2′ and C3′ are ejected to the exterior from the outlet 19a for large coins. Thus, it is possible to sort the deformed coins C1′, C2′ and C3′ from the medium and small normal coins C2 and C3. Accordingly, it is advantageous that the large coins C1 are treated as reject coins, because the deformed coins C1′, C2′ and C3′ can be treated as the reject coins together with the large coins C1.
By the way, there is a possibility that few medium and small deformed coins C2′ and C3′ are sorted out together with the medium and small normal coins C2 and C3, respectively. There is also a possibility that the medium and small deformed coins C2′ and C3′ happen to be fed into the coin passage 10 with their bending axes in a substantially radial direction with respect to the coin passage 10. In addition, there may be some medium and small coins bent such that convex sides thereof face the upper surface of the rotary disk 2, as opposed to the deformed coins C2′ and C3′. There is a strong possibility that those medium and small coins are sorted out together with the medium and small normal coins C2 and C3, respectively. Thus, those coins may be separately rejected by using an optical discriminator and the like, after they are sorted by the sorting apparatus of this embodiment, e.g. before sorted coins are re-sorted by denominations.
The stepped portions 18a′ and 18b′ (
Furthermore, when the rotary disk 2 is reversely rotated, it is possible to reduce an amount of coins that are held-up between the stationary disk 1 and the rotary disk 2 by virtue of the return guide 5. Accordingly, it is possible to more smoothly resume a normal coin sorting operation when the rotary disk 2 is rotated forwardly again. [Modifications]
Some modifications of this embodiment will be described.
In the present invention, the recessed-profile of the coin passage is not limited to that described above. The recessed-profile may be any kind of profile configured to accommodate a convex side of a deformed coin to ensure engagement of an outer edge of the deformed coin with the radial inner edge portions.
For example, in place of the recessed-profile of the large-coin passage section 10a shown in
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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2001-397502 | Dec 2001 | JP | national |
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2.224.151 | Apr 1990 | GB |
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Number | Date | Country | |
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20030124966 A1 | Jul 2003 | US |