Patent Application
20120276828
The invention relates generally to the field of coin processing machines that sort or verify coins based on the diameter of the coins, and in particular the invention relates to a coin sorting plate for a coin processing machine.
A conventional coin processing machine as disclosed in my U.S. Pat. No. 7,243,774 includes a circular sorting plate. A single-layer stream of coins are introduced on an upper surface of the sorting plate, and are urged by centrifugal force against a peripheral wall extending along the outside of the plate. A rotating disk above the sorting plate has fingers that extend down and engage the coins. The fingers urge the coins circumferentially in a downstream direction around the disk, with the radially outer edges of the coins bearing against the wall.
The sorting plate has circumferentially-spaced openings adjacent the wall. Each opening extends through the thickness of the sorting plate and is associated with a specific diameter or denomination of coin. The opening is sized such that a coin of that denomination can fall through the opening and be sorted from the other coins that merely pass over the opening. When sorting coins by denomination, the openings increase in size in the downstream direction to progressively remove coins in order of increasing diameter.
A problem with a conventional coin sorting plate is that coins may not fall through an opening before striking the downstream wall defining the coin opening. This is particularly a problem when attempting to run the coin sorting machine at a relatively high speed. An upstream coin may then engage and press the coin against the wall such that the coin cannot fall through the opening, thereby jamming the machine.
Thus there is a need for an improved coin sorting plate that separates a single-layer stream of coins by diameter of coin that reduces the risk of jamming when operated at high speed.
The invention is an improved coin sorting plate for a coin sorting machine that reduces the risk of jamming when operated at high speed.
A coin sorting machine in accordance with the present invention processing machine includes a stationary coin sorting plate, a rotatable drive plate with drive fingers above the coins sorting plate to drive the coins in a downstream circumferential direction on the plate, a peripheral wall extending around at least a portion of the sorting plate, coin receiving recesses along the peripheral wall, each recess recessed only a partial thickness of the coin sorting plate and associated with a respective coin diameter, each coin receiving recess sized to receive in the recess coins no larger than the respective coin diameter associated with such recess, and a downstream wall facing the recess that directs a coin in the recess off the coin sorting plate.
In one possible embodiment of the present invention the peripheral wall extends along the outer or inner periphery of the sorting plate. Openings in the wall at the downstream ends of the recesses permit the coins to leave the sorting plate through the wall.
In another possible embodiment of the present invention the peripheral wall defines an inner periphery. The downstream wall directs coins outwardly away from the wall and off the coin sorting plate.
In preferred embodiments of the invention each coin receiving recess includes an upstream, uniform radial-width section that receives coins into the recess and a downstream recess section faced by the downstream wall. The uniform width section preferably has a downstream length sufficient to enable the section to receive two touching coins in the recess.
In yet other preferred embodiments of the invention a coin proximity sensor is mounted in each recess. The sensor has a sensor surface that is essentially flush with the recess surface. The coin proximity sensor is preferably located in the uniform width section immediately adjacent the downstream wall to sense the presence of coins at the downstream end of the section. The sensor has a sufficiently small sensor diameter that two touching coins in the recess can be separately sensed by the sensor.
Using the coin receiving recesses of the present invention has a number of advantages. Coins only need to drop a relatively short distance into a recess, and so the risk of jamming is substantially reduced at higher operating speeds. The downstream wall affirmatively directs coins in the recess off the coin sorting plate, enabling the coins to move at high speeds off the coin sorting plate. The downstream wall can direct coins either in the radially inner or radially outer direction off the coin sorting plate, enabling a more compact overall assembly or providing more space for coin receiving bags and the like. Sensing individual coins in the recesses is more reliable and can easily individually count even two touching coins.
Other objects and features of the present invention will become evident as the description proceeds, especially when taken in conjunction with the accompanying three drawing sheets illustrating three embodiments of the invention.
The upper disk rotates in the direction of the arrow 24 so that the fingers 22 engage and drive coins along the surface 20 in a downstream direction (counterclockwise as viewed in
The coin sorting plate 12 has an intake portion 28 that receives a stream of singulated coins on the coin support surface 20 and a downstream coin sorting portion 30 that sorts the coins by diameter (denomination). The coin sorting portion 30 includes a plurality of coin recesses 32, each recess 32 associated with a respective coin diameter. A proximity sensor 34 is mounted in each recess 32.
The illustrated coin sorting plate 12 is adapted for sorting US coins and has six recesses 32a, 32b, 32c, 32d, 32e, and 32f that are spaced downstream along the coin path 26 in order of increasing coin diameter—dime, penny, nickel, quarter, half-dollar and dollar respectively.
Each coin recess 32 includes a flat floor 36 recessed from the coin support surface 20 a distance less than the thickness of the thinnest coin to be sorted (a dime in this embodiment). In the illustrated embodiment each recess floor 36 is spaced 0.033 inches from the support surface 20. The floor 36 extends radially inwardly from the coin plate's outer periphery 16 and is bounded by vertical walls extending between the floor 36 and the plate support surface 20. These walls include an upstream wall 38, a radially inner circumferential wall 40, and a downstream wall 42. The sensor 34 in the recess is located immediately adjacent the intersection of the inner wall 40 and the downstream wall 42.
The inner wall 40 of the recess 32 defines the radial width of the recess such that a coin of the diameter associated with the recess will be closely received in the recess. The floor 36 extends in a downstream circumferential direction from the upstream wall 38 a distance sufficient for two like coins to be received in the recess 32. The downstream wall 42 extends radially outwardly and circumferentially downstream from the inner wall 40 to the outer periphery 16.
The inner wall 40 extends along and defines a coin receiving portion 44 of the recess 32 that receives coins into the recess and a coin ejecting portion 46 of the recess 32 that tapers inwardly to the downstream end of the recess 34.
Each finger 22 is spaced from the coin support surface 20 a distance sufficient for the finger 22 to engage and press against the thinnest coin when received in a recess 32 (in the illustrated embodiment the fingers 22 can engage and press against a dime in the recess 32a).
The outer wall 14 has wall openings 48 that are associated with respective coin recesses 32. Each wall opening 48a-48f ends at the end of the associated recess 32a-32f and extends downward from the top of the wall 14 to at least the recess floor 36. Each wall opening 48a-48f extends upstream a distance sufficient to enable a coin of the diameter associated with the recess to pass through the opening 48. In other words, wall openings 48a-48f are sized to receive a dime, penny, nickel, quarter, half dollar, and dollar through the respective opening.
Operation of the coin processing machine 10 is discussed next. The coin processing machine 10 delivers a single-layered stream of coins onto the coin receiving portion of the coin sorting plate against the peripheral wall 14 and between the fingers 22 of the upper disk. The wall 14 guides the stream of coins along a coin path 28 that extends and against the outer wall 14 in a conventional manner. The coins are preferably spaced apart from one another in the stream and not touching as is known in the coin processing art.
The drive fingers 22 engage and drive the coins downstream along the coin path 22 and into the coin processing region X. The axis of rotation of the upper disk is preferably offset from the center of the sorting disk 12 as is known in the art to maintain the moving coins against the outer wall 14.
The coins first come to the first coin recess 32a. Coins larger than a dime pass over the coin recess 32a and continue to move downstream on the coin support surface. Each dime falls into the coin recess 32a and is supported on the recess floor 36. The fingers 22 continue to engage and drive the dime in a downstream direction in the recess 32a. The dime passes over the sensor 34 that signals the presence of the dime for counting or verification purposes. The dime engages the downstream wall 42 and is forced to follow along the wall 42, through the wall opening 48a, and is thereby ejected from the coin sorting plate 12 for collection or further processing.
The stream of coins then comes to the second coin recess 32b, and penny coins are sensed and then removed from the coin sorting plate 12 by falling into the recess 32b and being forced off the coin sorting plate 12. The stream of coins then sequentially come to the coin recesses 32c, 32d, 32e, 32f where the nickels, quarters, half-dollars and dollars fall into the associated coin recesses and are sensed and then ejected from the coin sorting plate 12.
Each coin recess 132 extends along the inner wall 114 and has a radial width sized to closely receive a coin of the diameter associated with the coin recess in the recess as previously described. In this embodiment the downstream wall 142 extends from the inner wall 114 and directs the coin in the recess radially outwardly off the outer periphery of the sorting plate 112. The inner wall 114 has no openings along the coin recesses 132, instead the downstream wall 142 cooperates with a second parallel wall 142′ to define a coin chute 144 that extends to the edge of the coin sorting plate 112.
The coin sensor 134 is located immediately adjacent the intersection of the inner wall 114 and the downstream wall 142 so that the gap between touching coins in the recess will pass over the sensor 134 to enable individual sensing and counting of the two coins.
Each coin recess 132 extends along the inner wall 114 and has a radial width sized to closely receive a coin of the diameter associated with the coin recess in the recess as previously described. In this embodiment the downstream wall 242 extends from the outer radial wall 240 towards the inner wall 214 and directs the coin in the recess through an opening 242 in the inner wall 214.
The coin sorting plates 12, 112, 212 can also be configured to verify coins rather than sort coins. A coin sorting plate 12, 112, 212 for verifying coins of a specific diameter could include three coin recesses: a coin recess sized to receive coins of the specific diameter, an upstream coin recess sized to receive all smaller diameter coins, and a downstream coin recess sized to receive all larger diameter coins. If the coins are all of the specified diameter, no coins would be discharged from or sensed in the upstream or downstream coin recesses.
Although the illustrated embodiment coin processing machine sorts or verifies coins used as legal currency, it is understood the term “coins” also includes tokens, disks, and the like that may not necessarily be legal currency.
While I have illustrated and described preferred embodiments of my invention, it is understood that this is capable of modification, and I therefore do not wish to be limited to the precise details set forth, but desire to avail myself of such changes and alterations as fall within the purview of the following claims.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 61373322 | Aug 2010 | US |
